1 . A self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in a late-night accident in Tempe, Arizona, police said on Monday. The accident is believed to be the first pedestrian death involving the technology of autonomous vehicles.
The gray SUV had an operator in the driver’s seat and was traveling at about 40 miles per hour in autonomous mode when it struck a woman who was walking across the street late Sunday night, Tempe police said. The pedestrian was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries.
“The City of Tempe has been supportive of autonomous vehicle testing because of the innovation and promise that the technology may offer in many areas, including transportation options for disabled residents and seniors,” Tempe Mayor, Mitchell said in the statement. “Testing must occur safely. All indications we have had in the past show that traffic laws are being obeyed by the companies testing here. Our city leadership and Tempe police will pursue any and all answers to what happened in order to ensure safety moving forward.”
Self-driving cars have been praised by technology companies as the wave of the future. Autonomous cars are already being in more than 30 cities around the world, with companies investing more than $80 billion into research and development.
“Everyone recognized that someone was going to die in a crash involving an autonomous vehicle eventually,” Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina who studies risks in automated driving systems, told NBC News. “As good as that technology tries to be, mistakes can happen, or it may be one of the small fraction of crashes. I just think everybody kind of hoped that one wouldn’t come this soon.”
Smith added that because federal and state agencies don’t have the resources to monitor individual vehicles, the responsibility for safety falls on the individual companies running the technology.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that a four-person team has been sent to Tempe to investigate the crash.
1. Which of the following is true about the accident?| A．The woman was dead on the spot. |
| B．The accident is under investigation. |
| C．The driver was arrested for speeding. |
| D．It is the first accident caused by autonomous vehicles. |
| A．The autonomous vehicle can make transportation safer. |
| B．A large profit will be brought by the autonomous vehicles. |
| C．The autonomous vehicles will help disabled residents and seniors. |
| D．Companies invest more than $80 billion into research and development. |
| A．The driver. | B．The pedestrian. |
| C．The individual companies. | D．The federal and state agency. |
| A．Tempe is in favor of autonomous vehicle testing. |
| B．Autonomous vehicles have a lot of disadvantages. |
| C．Companies should take action to improve self-driving cars. |
| D．A self-driving Uber car caused a pedestrian’s death in Arizona. |
2 . Firefighter Warfield, a mother of two kids, is wired to help others. So when the pregnant 30-year-old was a passenger involved in a multi-car collision, she brushed aside her unborn baby to save a person
Warfield explained that she initially got out of her car to help to direct
Shortly after ambulance arrived to
Warfield
Charlotte
“We take pride in our
The department
| A．trapped | B．closed | C．fixed | D．slept |
| A．fire | B．traffic | C．cars | D．drivers |
| A．screamed | B．sighed | C．recalled | D．whispered |
| A．murderer | B．suspect | C．witness | D．victim |
| A．injuries | B．identity | C．vehicle | D．baby |
| A．turn up | B．take over | C．bring in | D．put away |
| A．ambulance | B．accident | C．arrangement | D．campaign |
| A．calm | B．quiet | C．mild | D．alert |
| A．celebrated | B．admired | C．congratulated | D．welcomed |
| A．hated | B．appreciated | C．joined | D．recognized |
| A．imaginative | B．dedicated | C．injured | D．graceful |
| A．Ignoring | B．Removing | C．Tracking | D．Seizing |
| A．driver | B．sight | C．mother | D．post |
| A．treated | B．regarded | C．described | D．compared |
| A．arranged | B．meant | C．packed | D．requested |
3 . The dog Pooch Chi Chi managed to open the door and let a fire crew in after his owner collapsed on the kitchen floor.
Responders were searching for another entrance when they heard a “click” as the dog managed to unlock the door to let them in. They found the man, named only as Mr Green, collapsed on the floor in the kitchen as the fire took hold on the hob. Firefighters then swiftly put out the fire and carried out first aid until paramedics (急救医士) arrived.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said “a potential disaster” was avoided with help from the dog. They said they were called to the scene after a smoke detector was activated and a Careline alarm was sounded.
Mr Green initially answered the call but operator at Careline lost communication. Within six minutes, the crew was on scene and investigating. They could hear the alarm but were unable to establish contact with the man inside. With curtains drawn, the crew could not see inside but could hear a dog barking. They tried the front door, but it wouldn’t open. As the crew looked for another entrance, they heard a “click” and the front door opened. The crew went inside to find a man collapsed on the floor in the kitchen when a fire was beginning to take hold on the cooker. They contacted the ambulance service, put out the fire and allowed fresh air in. Firefighters then carried out first aid and established the man until paramedics arrived. It wasn’t until later in the incident that they discovered that Chi Chi had managed to open the front door and let the crew inside.
Ian Bolton, Crew Manager for Home and Partnerships at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service added: “Having monitored diction in people’s homes means the fire service are only minutes away from providing lifesaving assistance. This is a real success story and highlights the importance of Careline and the fire service. Careline’s system, combined with the speed of our crews getting to the incident, saved Mr Green’s life. The cherry on the cake, however, was Chi Chi letting the crews in before they had to force entry to the property.”
1. How did the firefighters get into the kitchen?| A．They broke the door. | B．They unlocked the door. |
| C．The dog opened the door. | D．They found another entrance. |
| A．The operator lost his senses. | B．The system broke down accidentally. |
| C．The man fell down and couldn’t move. | D．The crew couldn’t see inside. |
| A．The dog unlocking the door. |
| B．The use of the smoke detector. |
| C．The swift reaction of Mr. Green. |
| D．The joint work of Careline and the fire service. |
| A．Discouraging. | B．Competent. |
| C．Considerate. | D．Energetic. |
Excited screams of joy，the sounds of two happy little girls playing in the sand，rang across the beach. But I walked along，barely aware of it. I'd come to this remote beach on my sailboat，a place to escape. My wife and I had recently separated，our marriage in trouble. I worried about my two boys，just six and eight. It seemed like forever since I'd heard them laugh. But I didn't know what to do to make things better.
“Help！Help！”The girls shouted. I'd meant to tell them to stay away from the dangerous water. Now one of them was in the ocean，beyond the surf line. I could just hear her screams over the waves. Any second now she'd be swept away. I ran across the sand as fast as I could. The other girl was at the edge of the surf line，yelling.
“Wait！Stop！Don't go any farther！”I charged into the waves and was reaching for her when a wall of water dashed over us. For half a second I saw her disappear under another big wave. I'm a strong swimmer, but I could feel the wave pulling me hard. I swam to her and seized her, her little body shaking, trembling. But where is the other girl? I saw a waving arm. A head broke the surface, not far away. The arms of the girl I'd rescued were wrapped desperately around my neck. She was breathing with sobs. “Let go of my neck. I need you on my back. Hold my shoulders so I can swim to your friend. ”
She loosed her hands and I shifted her to my back. “She's my sister, Sarah, and I am Lillian,” she said. For a moment I thought of my boys. How much they loved each other. How much I loved them.
I looked across the water and saw a small head after a big wave. I quickened my swimming，fighting for each breath. Tiny arms pressed against my shoulder. I reached out and held the second little girl. She was in total tiredness，taking deep breaths，crying quietly.
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4.续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
I swam hard with the two girls and looked toward shore，but I couldn’t see anyone.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
“Mommy!” The loud cry wakened my consciousness,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It was August. We were on vacation, just my six-year-old son Kevin and I, for my husband was always busy. Having driven from our home in the city to a remote and peaceful place, we wouldn’t see friends or family—it would be a nice, safe, socially distanced week away. We had hiked about half mile to an attractive spot called Diana’s Baths, which afforded visitors an expanse of transparent water. The water flows and then falls off a series of big flat stones, making itself a small waterfall, about 7 inches high.
Several couples and their kids in swimsuits were playing to their heart’s content in the water. We joined them. I watched as some younger parents nervously drove their babies away from the stones edges. Fast-moving water made standing there quite dangerous, for I saw a certain kid with curly hair missed a step and almost fell down. The air was full of shouts and laughter. I felt so lucky that I didn’t always need to fix my eyes on my son. Kevin could navigate his physical space with more confidence and care. But I was still terrified when I saw Kevin jump between the slippery rocks.
But with the passing of time, I soon relaxed, and we were both having fun, my kid splashing and kicking in the cool water, laughing heartily as I put my head under the cold running water.
Then seconds later, every fear I’d ever had rose to the surface. I lifted my head, turned and saw Kevin sitting between two stones, with the rushing water flowing around him. I could see he was shaking sometimes because of the water rapids. I yelled at him to get out. He yelled back something that I couldn’t hear.
注意:
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Suddenly he disappeared in front of my eyes.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When Kevin returned to normal. I learned the woman was a nurse.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| A．6. | B．5. | C．4. |
7 . Nicole Salgado and and her family woke up on New Year’s Day to panic knocking at the front door of their home in Avodale, Arizona. Her house was on fire, but she didn’t know it. “We were all
Salgado, a mother of four, ran to
Making sure that everyone was out, they realized the full extent of it. They were just in
“We are so grateful to just be
In the footage (一段镜头), Palisch is seen yelling outside the Salgado family’s door, surrounded by smoke and
| A．sleeping | B．dining | C．playing | D．chatting |
| A．going down | B．going off | C．going about | D．going ahead |
| A．scared | B．embarrassed | C．thrilled | D．discouraged |
| A．turn away | B．pick out | C．take on | D．check on |
| A．cheerfully | B．unconsciously | C．instantly | D．amazingly |
| A．learned | B．benefited | C．escaped | D．recovered |
| A．due to | B．except for | C．regardless of | D．free from |
| A．vain | B．shock | C．line | D．order |
| A．dam | B．tower | C．bridge | D．roof |
| A．Firefighters | B．Nurses | C．Architects | D．Lawyers |
| A．stayed up | B．worked out | C．turned up | D．passed out |
| A．absent | B．alarmed | C．alive | D．annoyed |
| A．viewed | B．applied | C．evaluated | D．blamed |
| A．plants | B．branches | C．papers | D．flames |
| A．pretends | B．agrees | C．continues | D．declines |
| A．He was rescued on the 16th floor. | B．He pressed the wrong button. | C．He got stuck in the lift. |
9 . Surfer Dudes to the Rescue!
About 50 feet from shore of the Northern California’s Trinidad State Beach, two brothers were fighting for their lives. They had been swept out to sea in a rip current (激流), their mouths barely able to stay above the water. Thick fog made it difficult for beachgoers to see the guys, but the screams were unmistakable. And every second counted. The brothers, ages 15 and 20, were wearing shorts and T-shirts, unsuitable for a November day, let alone the freezing water. Keven Harder, a supervising ranger (巡查员), told the North Coast Journal in nearby Eureka that swimming in such a temperature “takes the fight right out of you.”
Luckily, four surfers in wet suits were nearby. Narayan Weibel, Spenser Stratton, and Adrian York, all 16, along with Taj Ortiz-Beck, 15, were on their surfboards riding up and down the coast on five-foot waves when they heard the cries. They turned and saw two bobbing heads and four struggling arms. “We looked at each other and knew these guys were about to drown,” Weibel told the Washington Post.
Weibel, Stratton, and Ortiz-Beck paddled toward the distressed swimmers while York headed to shore to warn someone to call 911. He then dived back in to help his friends.
As the surfers drew close, the brothers were still fighting hard for their lives. “It was pretty stressful, but there wasn’t any time to think about it, and that helped me keep my cool,” Ortiz-Beck says.
Ortiz-Beck pulled up alongside the younger brother. Grabbing him under his arms, he raised him up onto his board. Stratton and Weibel, meanwhile, hurried to help the older brother. He was large, 250 to 300 pounds, and he was panicked.
“I told them, ‘Calm down—we got you!’” says Weibel. “They thought they were going to die.”
York arrived in time to help get the older brother atop the second board. The surfers then paddled several minutes through choppy water to the medical help waiting onshore. The brothers were scared but fine.
“When we get a call like this one, it’s usually too late by the time we get there,” says Dillon Cleavenger, a first responder. “I can’t say enough about what these boys did. They were willing and prepared to risk their lives.”
1. What can we know from the first paragraph?| A．Two brothers were almost drowned in the sea. |
| B．Beachgoers happened to meet the two brothers. |
| C．The supervising ranger warned them not to swim then. |
| D．Surfers barely wore T-shirts and shorts in such weather. |
| A．Swimming in a rip current. | B．Surfing on high waves. |
| C．Struggling with their arms to shore. | D．Practising diving in the sea. |
| A．Andrian York dived back to call the police |
| B．Keven Harder played the most important role |
| C．Narayan Weibel tried to calm down the brothers |
| D．Ortiz-Beck saved the larger and panicked brother |
| A．Hardworking and friendly. | B．Kind and humorous. |
| C．Devoted and talented. | D．Brave and determined. |
10 . Schools across the US East Coast canceled outdoor activities, commercial airline traffic was slowed and millions of Americans were urged to stay indoors on Wednesday as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted south, blanketing cities in thick and yellow smoke.
“It’s critical that Americans experiencing dangerous air pollution, especially those with health conditions, listen to local authorities to protect themselves and their families,” US President Joe Biden said.
New York’s world-famous skyline, usually visible for miles, disappeared because of the smoke, which some residents said made them feel unwell.
“It makes breathing difficult,” Mohammed Abass said as he walked down Broadway in Manhattan. “I’ve been scheduled for a road test for driving, for my driving license today, and it was canceled.”
“It looks like Mars out there,” said Fox Forecast Center meteorologist Brian Mastro just before 2 p.m.
New York Goveror Kathy Hochul called the situation an “emergency crisis,” noting that the air pollution index for parts of her state were eight times above normal.
In Bethesda, Maryland, a high school moved its graduation ceremony indoors, while a Brooklyn, New York, elementary school deferred its “Spring Fling” dance party. A school in Montelair, New Jersey, called off a fifth-grade trip to an amusement park.
The smoke was wafting (飘荡) over the US northern border from Canada, where hundreds of forest fires have burnt 9. 4 million acres and forced 120,000 people from their homes in an unusually early and intense start to Canada’s wildfire season.
Tyrone Sylvester, 66, playing chess outside in Manhattan’s Union Square us he has on most days for 30 years, but wearing a mask, said he had never seen the city’s air quality so bad. “When the sun looks like that,” he said, pointing at the smoky sky, “we know something’s wrong. This is what global warming looks like.”
Poor air quality is likely to continue into the weekend, with a developing storm system expected to shift the smoke westward across the Great Lakes and deeper south through the Ohio Valley and into the mid-Atlantic region, AccuWeather said.
1. What do we know about Mohammed Abass?| A．He took a test for driving. | B．He had no driving license. |
| C．He had some health conditions. | D．He stayed indoors as expected. |
| A．Put off. | B．Took over. | C．Came up with. | D．Did away with. |
| A．Canada’s poor management. | B．The areas affected by wildfires. |
| C．The cause of America’s smoke. | D．The consequences of air pollution. |
| A．New York City smoke situation is not uncomfortable. |
| B．A strong wind will probably relieve the poor air quality. |
| C．Citizens have found new ways to fight climate changes. |
| D．The city’s air pollution doesn’t relate to global warming. |
