1 . Macdonald paused a moment in front of the burning car. Flames six feet tall poured from the engine, the smell of melting rubber heavy in the air. For a few seconds, Macdonald thought about whether the car would explode, killing them both. He thought about how lucky he was to have already just survived a head-on collision between his truck and the red Chevy Cobalt now in flames. Was he ready to risk his life to save the man that he believed could have ended his?
The two-vehicle collision happened at 3:44 p.m. on Monday south of New market. Macdonald was heading to work when he says another car swerved into his lane, hitting him head-on. Soon after the collision, the other driver’s car burst into flames with him trapped inside. Macdonald, 25, came to a decision. He would try to save the man’s life. He ran to the car. The driver’s side door was blocked but the passenger’s door was pushed open by the driver, a 64-year-old man now barely conscious. Hardly noticing the heat, Macdonald opened the door and grabbed the shoulder of the driver’s jacket. He dragged the man about 15 feet before two bystanders came to help him pull the man to a safe distance. Moments later the entire car was on fire.
The police confirmed the other driver was charged with careless driving. Macdonald escaped the crash with whiplash, sore muscles and wrists from the airbag release, and a headache. The other driver received serious but non-life threatening injuries, said the police.
Macdonald is just grateful that both of them came out alive. “I’m just glad I stood up when I was needed,” said Macdonald. “You only get a couple of chances in your life to prove what you are made of.”
1. From the passage we know MacDonald is ______.| A．brave and helpful | B．generous but careless |
| C．grateful and kind | D．selfish but careful |
| A．there was a car burning | B．the rubber was melting |
| C．the driver was careless | D．the driver was screaming |
| A．found his car was greatly damaged | B．doubted whether he should offer help |
| C．was not hurt in the accident at all | D．didn’t realize the danger of rescue |
| A．turned | B．knocked |
| C．cut | D．broke |
2 . A snowboarder was feeling lucky to be alive yesterday after a helicopter rescue(直升机营救).
Ben Akintola, 30, was snowboarding in the French Alps under a clear blue sky in the afternoon when a large amount of snow fell down the side of the mountain. He didn’t have time to escape(逃脱) and it hit him with full force and knocked him senseless.
He woke in the night in total darkness. He was lying on an icy rock. Amazingly, he still had a mobile phone signal(信号), so he called a friend a thousand kilometers away in Britain. His friend called the French rescue services.
“I was waiting for what seemed like hours on that rock. I was beginning to give up hope when I heard the sound of a helicopter. It was circling around in the darkness, looking for me. I was trying my best to wave my mobile around. Fortunately the helicopter pilot saw the light.”
“I was overjoyed when the helicopter headed my way. It stayed above me and began lowering a rope.”
Ben was in hospital last night but he was not being treated for any serious injuries. He’s looking forward to going home today.
The French rescue services said: “We were very pleased that we were able to save Ben. The risk of snow slide off-piste(非滑雪场地的) is much higher at this time of year. All snowboarders and skiers should stay on the ski runs and not go off-piste. Ben was very lucky.”
1. What happened to Ben?| A．He got lost in the French Alps. | B．He had a snowboarding accident. |
| C．He was separated from his friends. | D．He was knocked down by falling rocks. |
| A．from his friend | B．in the early afternoon |
| C．after receiving his call | D．when seeing his mobile |
| A．It made him strong in the darkness. | B．It caused him to hope for the best. |
| C．It was shorter than he expected. | D．It was a little discouraging. |
| A．A Lucky Escape | B．A Rocky Mountain |
| C．Risks of Snowboarding | D．French Rescue Services |
3 . It was an amazing feeling to be acknowledged for the Pride Of Britain award at No 10 Downing Street.
The last thing you expect when doing something as ordinary as picking your son up from a sleepover is to end up saving three people’s lives in a plane crash—but that’s exactly what happened to me in May this year.
I think I was acting unconsciously. I jumped out, leaving Giacomo in the car.
The plane was upside down and flames were coming out of the driver’s seat and I could hear screaming. I think there must have been roughly half a minute between getting the first and last person out. Then another guy—who turned out to be Joel Snarr—arrived on the scene to help at just the right time. I don’t think I’d have been able to get the pilot out—he was a big guy. There is no way he would have survived if Joel hadn’t been there. I could tell straight away Joel had a military background by how he conducted himself. We’d just got all three of them to a safe distance when the aircraft was completely swallowed by the flames.
Giacomo and I stared at each other, almost laughing in relief.
The emergency services arrived pretty quickly, and we were at the scene for a couple of hours while they dealt with the fire and cleared the roads. Afterwards I spoke to the family,and that was the first time the emotion of the whole thing hit me.I kept randomly bursting into tears.
Thankfully, Stuart Moore, the pilot, and his nephew and niece Jack Moore, 19, and Billie Manley, 16, have all since made a full recovery. Jack and Billie were suffering a lot more than I was. Although they were safe, the memory of being inside that burning plane would have been more of an emotional scar.
1. What do we know about the author?| A．He prided himself on being helpful. |
| B．He regretted having saved the family. |
| C．He was overcome by fear and despair then. |
| D．He was well equipped with first-aid knowledge. |
| A．Joel Snarr’s character. | B．The importance of teamwork. |
| C．The rescue process. | D．An investigation of the air crash. |
| A．It was a narrow escape. |
| B．They both appreciated Joel’s help. |
| C．They both survived the crashing plane. |
| D．The emergency services arrived in time. |
| A．An Unforgettable Award. | B．A Crashing Plane. |
| C．A Thrilling Rescue. | D．An Exciting Experience. |
4 . On Sunday, undersea explorer Tim Taylor and his team at the Lost 52 Project announced that they had located the long-lost submarine on June 5 about 1,427 feet underwater off Okinawa, Japan. Last year, researcher Yutaka Iwasaki found that the Navy had originally made an error in translating the Japanese war records that detailed where the Grayback had likely sunk. All this time, the Navy's historical records had listed an incorrect site for the submarine's location.
With the help of autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles and advanced imaging technology, the team discovered the Grayback about 100 miles from the area where it was originally thought to have gone down. The discovery was officially confirmed by the Navy, Robert S. Neyland, the head of the Naval History and Heritage.
On January 28, 1944, the Grayback set sail from Pearl Harbor for the East China Sea. About a month later, the submarine reported sinking two Japanese ships on February 19. Though the Grayback was scheduled to arrive in Midway on March 7, more than three weeks passed without sight of the submarine. And on March 30, 1944, the Grayback, one of the most successful submarines of World War II, was reported lost.
Gloria Hurney, whose uncle Raymond Parks died on the Grayback, said that she wasn't sure that the Grayback would ever be recovered. So when she first learned of the discovery, she felt a mixture of shock, disbelief, sadness. Eventually, though, those feelings turned into relief, comfort and peace. Hurney said in a statement to CNN. ''I believe it will allow recovery as relatives of crew members come together to share their stories. '' Neyland said in a statement, ''Each discovery of a sunken craft is an opportunity to remember and honor the service of our Sailors. ''
1. Why was the submarine NOT found before?| A．The Navy was wrong in changing records into Japanese . |
| B．The technology was not so advanced. |
| C．No information about the submarine was obtained. |
| D．There was no need to find it. |
| A．By accident. | B．By the Navy's hard-working. |
| C．By the families' determination. | D．By modern technology. |
| A．People's feeling about the discovery was complicated. |
| B．The Grayback would be recovered soon. |
| C．The Grayback was the most successful submarine of the World WarⅡ. |
| D．The Grayback was supposed to reach the destination on April 7. |
| A．Tim Taylor and his team announced a new discovery. |
| B．A World War Ⅱ submarine was discovered. |
| C．An opportunity to remember and honor the service of Sailors. |
| D．A mistake the Navy made in translating the Japanese war records. |
5 . A disastrous fire surrounded Notre Dame（巴黎圣母院）destroyed large parts of the Gothic architecture on Monday.
“Notre Dame is our history, our literature, part of our spirit, the place of all our great events, our wars, our liberations, the center of our lives” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters in front of the still burning Paris landmark and promised to rebuild Notre Dame.
“Notre Dame is burning, and I know the sadness felt by so many fellow French people. But tonight, I’d like to speak of hope too, ”he said, announcing the launch of a fundraising campaign.
“Let’s be proud, because we built this cathedral（大教堂）more than 800 years ago, we’ve built it and, throughout the centuries, let it grow and improve it. So I gravely（严肃地）say tonight: we will rebuild it together. ” he added.
The disastrous fire engulfed（吞没）the upper reaches of Paris' towering Notre Dame Cathedral as it was undergoing renovations（翻新）.
Tourists and Parisians looked on horrified from the streets below. France’s Interior Ministry said firefighters might not be able to save the structure.
The fire collapsed the cathedrals’ spire（尖顶）and spread to one of its landmark towers “Everything is burning; nothing will remain from the frame,” Notre Dame spokesman Andre Finot told French media. The 12th-century cathedral is home to incalculable（不可计算的）works of art and is one of the world's most famous tourist attractions, due to Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The cause of the fire was not known, but French media quoted the Paris fire brigade（消防队）as saying the fire is “potentially linked” to a 6 million- euro（$6.88 million）renovation project on the church’s spire and its 250 tons of lead. Officials opened an investigation as Paris police said there were no reported deaths. Some 400 firefighters were battling the fire well into the night.
1. What’ the main point of Emmanuel Macron’s speech?| A．Notre Dame was the symbol of Paris in history. |
| B．It took more than 800 years to build Notre Dame. |
| C．He was desperate when he made the announcement. |
| D．The French government are going to rebuild Notre Dame. |
| A．Notre Dame Cathedral was burnt down entirely. |
| B．The structure was well saved by the firefighters. |
| C．People who were killed in the fire are some firefighters. |
| D．The fire was likely caused by a renovation project on the church’s spire. |
| A．The novel made the Notre Dame famous. |
| B．The cathedral is repeatedly mentioned in the novel. |
| C．The novel became a bestseller thanks to the cathedral. |
| D．The novel became more mysterious due to the cathedral. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Objective. | D．Critical. |
6 . A rocket problem that forces astronauts to evacuate (撤退) may appear to be a plot straight out of a Hollywood movie. However, that is exactly what happened to Russian astronaut Alexey Ovchinin and American astronaut Nick Hague.
The event happened shortly after the Soyuz rocket and its Soyuz MS-to space capsule (联盟号太空舱) carrying the astronauts took off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
The takeoff went off smoothly, but just 119 seconds later, officials from Russia’s space agency informed NASA the booster (助推器) had failed to separate from the capsule.
It will take a few weeks for experts to determine what caused the problem of the usually reliable Soyuz rocket.
| A．To their sadness, this event became a nightmare for their future space journey. |
| B．The two scientists were on their way to carry out a six-month task at the International Space Station. |
| C．Surprisingly, the harrowing event has not stopped Hague’s and Ovchinin’s wish to go to space. |
| D．Thus, the astronauts didn’t head to the International Space Station. |
| E．And luckily, they became the main characters of the movie about space exploration. |
| F．Fortunately, the “movie” had a happy ending with both scientists returning to Earth safely. |
| G．Fortunately, Hgue and Ovchinin had been well-trained for such emergencies. |
7 . Every Christmas,the firm I worked for raised money for disadvantaged kids in the area,and every Christmas I'd drive out with colleagues to deliver gifts.Some years ago, we were returning to work and stopped at an intersection as the lights turned red.
We were in the middle lane and I became aware of an SUV(越野车）coming up behind us at speed;at the last moment,it switched to the righthand lane and carried straight on past the red light into traffic moving west to east.It crashed into another vehicle,causing it to veer off(转向），then they both skidded to a stop.
There was a loud"Bang"and flames leapt from the SUV 's front.I had been a volunteer firefighter for many years and had attended automobile accidents before.As the flames grew fiercer,I knew the car's battery had exploded and that there was no time to lose.I dashed round to the passenger side.The door was locked,but by pulling on the window frame,I managed to tear it open.I leaned in,unbuckled the driver's belt and pulled him across to the passenger side.
Other than some cuts,he was fine.I left him with my workmates and went to check on the driver of the other car,who was also unhurt.Then I headed back to the intersection, where I directed traffic around the burning vehicle until the emergency services arrived.
On the way back to work,I said to my colleagues:"What you saw,keep it under your hats,OK?"But an hour later I had a call from a friend on a local TV station."Brad,"he said,"I have a picture here that someone's sent in of you helping out at a traffic accident."
I hoped that would be the end f it,but the story was to have an unexpected ending. A couple of weeks after the accident,I agreed to a televised reunion with Michael Walker, the guy I'd pulled from the car.He thanked me,and then he introduced me to his daughter, Amber.It turned out she had been separated from her mum and dad,but returned home after the accident.Knowing this family had been reunited was greatly comforting to me-a real Christmas gift.
1. The car crash was caused by| A．the SUV driver's running the red light |
| B．the traffic chaos at the intersection |
| C．the heavy traffic during Christmas |
| D．the author's car blocking the way |
| A．The emergency services. | B．The author. |
| C．The author's workmates. | D．A pedestrian. |
| A．Cover up the hair. | B．Hide the face. |
| C．Keep it secret. | D．Bear it in mind. |
| A．The reunion with the saved driver. |
| B．Acquaintance with Michael' s daughter. |
| C．Raising money for disadvantaged kids. |
| D．Michael' s family reunion after the accident. |
8 . It’s not often sunny in Paris, but people still love to walk along the bank of the Seine. They love the view of the city’s old buildings, especially Notre Dame Cathedral, with its iconic spire (标志性塔尖).
Unfortunately, that view has been forever changed. On April 16 a fire destroyed the spire of the 850-year-old wooden Notre Dame Cathedral built in 1163, and two-thirds of the roof.
The fire shocked and saddened Parisians. Citizens gathered around the giant church, singing hymns (赞美诗) and praying for the hundreds of firefighters who fought the flames.
“The importance of Notre Dame, not only to Catholics (天主教) but to all Parisians, cannot be underestimated (低估),” wrote French author Bernard-Henri Levy. “For many in France, it’s more than a house of worship. It’s a symbol of French culture, architecture and history.”
The church is also home to many religious artworks, paintings and sculptures. Luckily, its world-famous colored glass windows survived the fire. These windows are made of many small pieces of glass and feature various Christian images.
Despite its long history and many treasures, the Cathedral needed the help of a writer to become truly famous. Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, presented the building to a wide audience of readers. The book’s ugly lead character, Quasimodo, serves as a symbol for Paris’ forgotten Gothic (哥特式的) architecture. Hugo wrote the book to remind people of it, with the hope that they would work to protect the beautiful old buildings of Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to reconstruct the historic building. “Note Dame is our history, our literature and it’s our imagery,” he said in a public speech following the fire.
1. Which of the following is true about Notre Dame Cathedral?| A．It is a representative architecture of France. |
| B．It is made of wood and metal. |
| C．It is a place for entertainment. |
| D．It will be rebuilt in a different style. |
| A．Its famous spire. |
| B．Its colored glass windows. |
| C．Victor Hugo’s novel. |
| D．Religious treasures inside. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Regretful. |
| C．Negative. | D．Optimistic. |
One day, I was studying at home while I heard a loud noise. I went out to see what had happened. That I saw made me scaring. A building was on the fire. Some people were using water put out the fire. A few people jumped out of the window. Besides, those who were still on the second floor were crying for help. The people outside don't know how to help them. Firefighters arrived at last and we fought the fire bravely. Then the people inside was taken out. They were serious injured and were taken to the hospital at once.
Thanks for the firefighters, the people were saved and the fire was put out in the end.
| A．Her brother. |
| B．Her final exams. |
| C．Her accident. |
