1 . As reported in JAMA Surgery, the researchers discovered that e-scooter(电动摩托车) injury rates had increased dramatically in just four years, rising from 6 per 100,000 in the population to 19 per 100,000. Of the estimated 14,651 e-scooter-related injuries in 2018, 4,658, or 32%, involved the head. “While most people recover from head injuries, there is going to be a subset with long-term disability and life changes,” said Dr. Benjamin Breyer.
Dr. Benjamin Breyer of the University of California, Los Angeles, pointed to a 2019 analysis of the data from two hospitals in Southern California, which found just 4.8% of injured e-scooter riders were wearing helmets.
Dr. Joann Elmore, a professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, believed that most e-scooter users are probably unaware of the risks. To make the point, she described a photo taken by a colleague. “There were two riders on an e-scooter,” she said. “No one had shoes on. There were no helmets. And the woman in front had a baby in a baby carrier.”
The new report highlights the need for more research on new technologies, said Dr. Guohua Li, a professor of epidemiology(流行病学).
“Just as there is a global network of experts working on infectious diseases, there needs to be a similar program devoted to the surveillance(监视，监察) and prevention of injuries caused by merging technologies products and lifestyles, such as e-scooters, e-sports, etc.,” Li said in an email.
“The challenge for researchers and policymakers is to keep up with the ever-changing society and protect the public from unnecessary harm caused by new technologies and products without hindering innovation,” he added.
1. What can we know from the passage?| A．E-scooter injury rates had increased due to speeding. |
| B．32% of injured e-scooter riders weren’t wearing helmets. |
| C．There is a program devoted to the prevention of injuries caused by advanced technologies. |
| D．Protection and innovation are of equal importance. |
| A．She is an anti-scooter. |
| B．The woman in front was pregnant. |
| C．She is concerned about the e-scooter users. |
| D．Most e-scooter riders often drive at high speed. |
| A．Preventing. | B．Limiting. |
| C．Developing. | D．Making progress. |
| A．To arouse people’s awareness of the risks and self-protection. |
| B．To introduce a new way of transport — e-scooters. |
| C．To ask people not to ride e-scooters any more. |
| D．To urge policymakers to make laws as soon as possible. |
2 . Mount Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon, a state in the western United States. At 3,400 meters it is attractive (有吸引力的) to many people, some of whom, of course, run into trouble. Each year 25 to 50 people have accidents or get lost on Mount Hood and require rescue. Although most of these are understandable accidents, a few result from careless risk-taking.
In one recent case, three experienced climbers went hiking (远足) in the middle of a snowstorm in December. Most hikers climb Mount Hood in May or June when the weather conditions are favorable. But in December, the mountain is covered in snow and ice. Winds up to 135 kilometers per hour blow the snow around making it difficult to see. Temperatures can drop below freezing. As one rescue worker put it, “What were they thinking? They were just asking for it.”
During a rescue a few years ago, a helicopter full of rescue workers crashed (坠毁) and the rescue workers were almost killed. Linda Carle, who lives in the Mount Hood area, asks, “If someone made a poor decision, why should rescue teams have to risk their lives to save them? Why do people take unnecessary risks and do things that aren’t right if they know that they can get into trouble?”
Most of the Mount Hood rescue workers are either volunteers (志愿者) or part of the local sheriff’s department. There is no charge for these rescues. It is the taxpayers (纳税人) who pay the bill. Linda Carle suggests that people who take careless risks and require rescue should be charged for the rescue. She feels it is only fair that costs for things like damaged helicopters and medical care for rescuers be paid for by the people who took the risk. What would you do if you were the local sheriff at Mount Hood?
1. What can we learn about Mount Hood?| A．It lies in the south of the United States. |
| B．It is the highest mountain in the United States. |
| C．The best time to climb the mountain is in May or June. |
| D．Hundreds of people get lost in the mountain every year. |
| A．peace | B．pride | C．loneliness | D．anger |
| A．pay for all the costs needed | B．learn to save themselves |
| C．be taxed at a higher rate | D．work as volunteers |
| A．ask the government to provide more rescuers |
| B．introduce Mount Hood to mountain climbers |
| C．advise climbers to think twice before they act |
| D．report some serious accidents in Mount Hood |
3 . A high-altitude rescue team has set new standards in the Himalayas this season, performing the highest altitude rescue ever completed. On May 19th, a rescue team successfully got a mountaineer from near Camp 3 at 23,000 feet on Everest (珠穆朗玛峰). The climber named Gautam nearly reached the top but became extremely exhausted and seriously dehydrated (脱水的).
After a difficult and dangerous rescue，the team was able to successfully save Gautam’s life.
In an interview with Moro, the pilot of the rescue team, he said, "You have to be prepared, technically, physically,and also mentally (心理上).” He added, “The aim wasn’t to set a record but to save someone’s life. ”
The team has flown rescue tasks using Nepalese helicopters (直升飞机) for two years but had the idea to create a team with its own helicopter, which has been able to complete this season. The entire operation is privately financed，and according to Moro, “doesn’t cost the Italian or Nepalese tax-payer a single cent.” Moro also flies tasks for the local population for “free or at extremely reduced prices”.
Moro sees potential (潜力) for the increasing number of high altitude Himalayan rescue operations. In the future, he hopes to see more than one team , as well as a specialised team of climbers that would be able to perform rescues at altitudes and in weather condition that are impossible for helicopters.
1. What can we infer about Gautam?| A．He is a lover for mountaineering. |
| B．He lost his life on Himalayas. |
| C．He ever reached the mountain top once. |
| D．He is a leader of a rescue team. |
| A．He can operate the helicopter technically, |
| B．He is generous and helpful to people. |
| C．He makes good preparations for mountaineering. |
| D．He is potential and wealthy. |
| A．Loved by many people | B．Managed in a new way. |
| C．Supported with money. | D．Discovered by chance. |
| A．The Future of High-Altitude Rescue Team |
| B．The successful Flying Task on Himalayas. |
| C．An Interview with an Italian Famous Rescue Team Leader. |
| D．A Daring High-altitude Rescue on Everest Sets a Record. |
4 . An abandoned car in Chicago worth about $600 has been issued more than $100, 000 in parking tickets (罚单) over the past three years. Now Jennifer Fitzgerald, 31, is stuck with the bill but says the 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo actually belongs to an ex-boyfriend who registered (登记注册) the car in her name without informing her.
The Expired Meter ( 停车计时器) reports that from May 23, 2009 to April 30, 2012, the Chicago Department of Finance (DOF) issued 678 tickets against the car, totaling $105, 761.80. It set a Chicago record both for the total number and amount of parking fines issued. In fact, it blew past the previous record holder, which was $65,000 from about 400 tickets.
But Fitzgerald says she doesn’t owe the city a dime (10 分硬币) and has filed a lawsuit (诉讼 ) in Cook County Circuit Court against the city of Chicago, United Airlines and the ex-boyfriend. Fitzgerald has two main arguments in her case. First, she says her ex-boyfriend, Brandon Preveau, is the actual owner of the car, having bought it from her uncle for $600 in 2008. In fact, Brandon paid for the car’s title (所有权), registration and insurance, but it was registered in Fitzgerald’s name. “Brandon used his 2007 income tax refund ( 退 款 ) to pay Patrick $600 for the car,” reads Fitzgerald’s complaint. “For reasons not recalled by Patrick, however, Patrick signed the title to the car over to Fitzgerald.”
Second, Fitzgerald’s lawyer is arguing that the city should have simply towed (拖走) the car after 30 days from O’Hare Airport, where it was parked and where Brandon worked at the time. According to Fitzgerald’s complaint, on or before November 17, 2009, Brandon drove the car into the parking lot and never drove it out again. And as the Expired Meter reports, Chicago law does state exactly that an abandoned vehicle is to be towed 30 days after being illegally parked.
1. After the Chicago Department of Finance noticed the car, it _______.| A．wanted to break a record |
| B．tried its best to find its owner |
| C．kept issuing tickets against the car |
| D．decided to play a joke on its owner |
| A．sold the car to her ex-boyfriend long ago |
| B．received the car from her ex-boyfriend |
| C．didn’t know anything about the car |
| D．wasn’t the real owner of the car |
| A．didn’t inform her as soon as it found the missing car |
| B．didn’t tow the vehicle after 30 days from O’Hare Airport |
| C．didn’t state exactly that an abandoned vehicle was to be towed |
| D．didn’t help her find the car when it was missing in the beginning |
| A．doesn’t want to pay any money |
| B．thinks Patrick should pay the fines |
| C．isn’t trying to find her ex-boyfriend |
| D．has never been to O’Hare Airport |
5 . FIRE plays an important role in maintaining woodland ecosystems but fire introduced to undergrowth too often destroys too much; as humans remain the leading cause of wildfire, the responsibility to minimize the damage done falls on our shoulders. Here are four man-made fires that highlight the mission to fight fire and help to replant the world’s forests to counter the effects of deforestation.
Heilongjiang Fire—China, 1987
One of the largest fires ever to occur in history, the Heilongiiang Fire devoured three million acres of forest in the Greater Khingan Range. Reports attributed the fire’s easy spread to dry conditions in the area-but it was excessive logging activity without any effort to let the forest regrow that really let it rage unhindered. 34,000 soldiers were deployed to put the fire out, and 33,000 people were left homeless.
Wallow Fire—USA, 2011
Still the largest wildfire in Arizona’s history, Wallow got its name when two men accidentally started it while camping in the Bear Wallow Wilderness. Their campfire blew out of control and burned through over half a million acres of land, costing $72 million to extinguish, and a further $37 million to clean up and rebuild after the damage. More than 6,000 people had to be evacuated.
Uttarakhand fires—India, 2016
Throughout the year, man-made fires plagued the pine forests of the Uttarakhand Region. Widespread media coverage eventually spurred the government on to intervene, sending Indian Air Force helicopters to put them out. It’s suspected that these increased numbers could be the result of honey or seed collectors trying to frighten off animals.
Brandenburg Fire—Germany, 2018
Largely thanks to longer, dryer summers than usual—the forested area of Brandenburg, Germany, caught alight. Results of investigation suggested that evidence pointed to arson (纵火). Brandenburg lost nearly 1,000 acres of its forested land and three nearby villages had to be evacuated. A choking, smoky haze drifted twelve miles to Berlin, causing residents to have to shut themselves in their home.
1. The underlined word “counter” in the first paragraph has the closest meaning to ________.| A．reverse | B．multiply |
| C．achieve | D．enhance |
| A．The dry condition of the Greater Khingan Range was mainly responsible for the rage of Heilongjiang Fire. |
| B．A total of $72 million was poured in putting out the Wallow Fire alone. |
| C．Uttarakhand fires claimed so many lives that Air Force helicopters came to the rescue. |
| D．Excessive heat from the Brandenburg Fire confined the residents nearby to their homes. |
| A．hot weather setting the globe on fire |
| B．forest blazes caused by human hands |
| C．forest fires consuming people and money |
| D．uncontained forest fires raging worldwide |
6 . ON TUESDAY, the Shenzhen team of Blue Sky Rescue, a domestic nonprofit civil rescue team, confirmed that two of its members had died trying to rescue 24 tourists who had got into difficulties.
According to the official news, it was on Monday that the rescue team received a telephone call from 24 travelers, who were trapped in a river valley, with a storm on the way and one of the female travelers being badly injured.
The team responded immediately. However, when they helped the travelers, two team members got trapped by the rising river water. The next day, they were confirmed dead.
The two heroes who gave their own lives to save others are being mourned by all.
Who can rescue the rescuers? The question aroused a heated discussion among people. Most of them think we would rather such “heroic deeds” were not required. However, that depends on people being more sensible. we would rather such “heroic deeds” were not required. In the past several years, there have been many cases in which travelers, ignoring the signs saying certain areas are dangerous and off-limits, still have kept on “exploring” unpaved and unmarked regions and ended up needing to be rescued. By so doing, they put not only their own lives at risk but also the lives of those who go to their aid.
In this case, although the travelers may have been in an authorized area, they ignored the warnings of an approaching typhoon. It was extremely reckless (鲁莽的) of them to travel into the wild on such a day, as the local weather forecast had warned people against the impending typhoon. Two rescuers have lost their lives because of the thoughtlessness of others.
Although the majority of travelers behave properly, some attempt challenging tasks that are obviously beyond their abilities.
The law has already made it clear that if a traveler or group gets into difficulties when entering unauthorized regions, they must bear the costs of the rescue operations. The regulations need strengthening to deter travelers from putting their own lives and the lives of others at risk.
1. What happened to a woman traveler?| A．She lost her way. | B．She was trapped on the mountain. |
| C．She died in the storm. | D．She was seriously hurt. |
| A．Critical. | B．Sympathetic. |
| C．Understanding. | D．Admiring. |
| A．protect | B．keep |
| C．excuse | D．separate |
| A．The Blue Sky Rescue. | B．Who can rescue the rescuers? |
| C．Who should bear the costs? | D．A deadly typhoon |
7 . It was just before 8 a.m.on October 17, 2010.She’d checked the higher summits forecast posted by the Mount Washington Observatory before she left.Based on her experience, Bales knew that her hike was realistic.Besides, she had two plans and extra layers of clothing to better regulate her temperature as conditions changed.
At 10:30 a.m., the weather was showing its teeth.Bales added even more layers, including a jacket to protect herself from the cold winds and heavy fog.She made her way across the snow—covered ridge toward Mount Washington and began to think about calling it a day.Then she noticed something:a single set of footprints in the snow ahead of her.She’d been following faint tracks all day and hadn’t given them much thought, because so many people climbed Jewell Trail.But these, she realized, had been made by a pair of sneakers.She silently scolded the absent hiker for breaking normal safety rules and walked on.
Now she felt genuinely alarmed.She was sure the hiker could not navigate(找到方向)in the low visibility and was heading straight toward the challenging trails of the Great Gulf Wilderness.Bales stood there, shocked.The temperature and clouds were in a race to find their lowest point, and darkness was mere hours away.If Bales continued to follow the tracks.she’d add risk and time to the route she’d already adjusted to manage both.But she could not let this go.She turned to the left and called out, “Hello!”into the frozen fog.
Bales wouldn’t get an answer until a week later, when the president of her rescue group received a letter in the mail.It read: “I hope this reaches the right group of rescuers.I want to remain anonymous(匿名的), but I was called John.On Sunday, October 17, I went up my favorite trail, Jewell, to end my life.Weather was to be bad.Thought no one else would be there.I was dressed to go quickly.Next thing I knew this lady was talking to me, changing my clothes, giving me food, making me warmer.
1. What does the underlined sentence mean?| A．The weather began to get worse. |
| B．Nobody controlled the weather. |
| C．Weather could never be predicted. |
| D．Weather was generally changeable. |
| A．Because she lost her way completely. |
| B．Because the terrible weather was on the way. |
| C．Because she was blinded by the frozen fog. |
| D．Because she was convinced that someone was in trouble. |
| A．To challenge his limit. |
| B．To go up his favorite trail. |
| C．To donate some money to rescue group. |
| D．To kill himself without being discovered. |
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. |
﹡After the fire, what now?
Bishop Patrick Chauvet, Notre Dame (巴黎圣母院)’s manager, admitted that the famous building would close for “five to six years” as he spoke with local business owners Wednesday. He added that it was unclear what the church’s 67 employees would be doing in the future. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that he wanted the church rebuilt in five years.
﹡What are the new rules?
While tourists can’t go inside the site itself, the area still may prove popular to those paying their respects. Visitors are welcome to write messages of support in both the main and local city halls.
The island that houses the church has been closed and the people there have been evacuated since the fire. Paris businessmen who depend on Notre Dame tourism are worried about the church’s future as well as their own.
﹡
It’s known that spring is a busy time for tourists in Paris. The travel company recommends people visit other places, like the Basilique Saint-Denis, the Sacre-Coeur and so on. Those who tend to observe church services during Holy Week are advised to go to Saint-Eustache.
﹡Looking ahead to rebuilding
It seems rebuilding can begin, since firefighters put out the fire early Tuesday, more than 12 hours after nearly 400 firefighters had battled the flames that changed the city’s skyline. Two policemen and one firefighter were not badly injured, according to the Paris Fire Service.
A large campaign to raise money already is underway to rebuild the church. Up to Wednesday, donations came to $1 billion.
1. What does the underlined word “evacuated” mean?| A．removed | B．examined | C．accused | D．ruined |
| A．Saint-Eustache is favored by tourists. |
| B．Tour companies offer other choices. |
| C．Church culture develops fast in Paris. |
| D．The best time to visit Paris is spring. |
| A．The government will arrange work for 67 employees. |
| B．Visitors will be forbidden to leave messages anywhere. |
| C．Churches in Paris will also be examined and repaired. |
| D．More money will be donated for the rebuilding project. |
10 . “ Mayday ! We got Mayday!” Frank Pisano screamed over the microphone to the air control tower at the airport. One of the two engines on his plane had failed，and he was now going down towards one of the busiest highways in America—Interstate 405，just south of Los Angeles—and there was no stopping it.
Driving south on the 405，near the airport’s runway，was John Meffert，a fire department captain. He was heading home from his shift when suddenly a low—flying plane caught his eye. After he took a second glance，a thought crossed his mind: “This plane’s going to hit me.”
He was right. The plane slammed into the road，popped up a few feet，and then clipped the front of Meffert’s car. It finally stopped after hitting the divider(隔栏). Meffert pulled over. He was unhurt，and his car had received only a large scratch，so he turned his attention to the plane. He ran towards the smoke，and then he saw Frank’s wife, Janan Pisano，pop her head up on the passenger side.
By the time Meffert reached the aircraft，part of it was on fire and Janan，who was covered in blood，was on the wing trying to pull her husband from the wreck. Meffert，afraid the plane would explode，guided her to safety behind it. Then，he ran back for Frank，who had been knocked out by the initial crash，lying across both seats.
Meffert carefully positioned himself under the pilot’s arms and lifted him from the cockpit. Then he dragged the pilot off the wing and carried him to safety，where they could see the plane in flames.
The Pisanos spent three weeks in the hospital. Remarkably，Meffert’s car was the only one hit by the plane. Had Meffert been a second or two faster，Frank said，the left propeller(螺旋桨))would have ripped the top off his car and killed him.
“I play all the what-ifs—going slower，going faster. It could have been a very different result，”Meffert said. “We just had a lot of angels.”
1. What does the underlined word “Mayday” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．A special day in May. | B．The arrival time. |
| C．A message for help. | D．The local airport. |
| A．Frank mistook 405 for the runway. | B．The plane caught fire. |
| C．The pilot was seriously hurt. | D．Only one engine was working. |
| A．His good sense of direction. | B．His low driving speed. |
| C．His second glance at the plane. | D．His belief in God. |
| A．Meffert and Frank were friends. |
| B．Meffert’s car was not totally damaged. |
| C．Janan Pisano was one of the crew of the airport. |
| D．the plane would take off again when Frank recovered. |
