1 . Rescuers in Jersey said Sunday after an all-night search that there was no hope of survivors from an explosion that flattened a three-story apartment block. At least three people were confirmed killed in the accident early Saturday in the Channel island’s port capital St Helier, following a suspected gas leak. “We have three confirmed deaths and it’s fair to say we expect to find more,” police chief Robin Smith told a news conference, saying that around 12 residents remained unaccounted for. “It is with sadness that I am confirming that the search-and-rescue operation has been moved to a recovery operation,” he said.
The phase involved a “painstaking search of the debris” which could take weeks, Smith said, adding that a gas leak was the ‘likely” cause. Aided by sniffer dogs and experts from southern England, Jersey emergency workers had searched the rubble (瓦砾)overnight.
Fire chief Paul Brown confirmed that firefighters were called out to investigate the smell of gas on Friday evening, more than seven hours before the explosion. But in vain. He admitted that something had gone “horribly wrong”, considering the subsequent disaster, but insisted that Jersey islanders could still have confidence in his service. Jersey’s gas supplier, Island Energy, said it was working with the fire service to understand what happened.
Like many others in St Helier, Jersey’s Chief Minister Kristina Moore said she was awoken by the explosion. “Across the island you could hear this extraordinary sound,” she told the BBC. “It’s unthinkable news, so we’re all absolutely shocked and really worried about the people who are involved and about those whose lives have been lost.”
The incident caps a tragic week for Jersey, a British Crown dependency not part of the United Kingdom, whose economy relies on banking, tourism and fishing. “We must call on the collective strength of the island community,” Moore said.
1. What’s the possible cause of the accident?A.The gas leak. | B.The gas supplier. |
C.The recovery operation. | D.The unexpected explosion. |
A.Rescuing the dead. | B.Searching the rubble. |
C.Searching for the debris. | D.Working with fire service. |
A.He had predicted the explosion hours before it. |
B.The fire service was investigating the explosion. |
C.People lost confidence in the island’s fire service. |
D.The fire service was partly responsible for the accident. |
A.Panicked and frightened. | B.Relieved and hopeful. |
C.Astonished and concerned. | D.Fearful and sorrowful. |
2 . A huge fire broke out on 2 September 1666 in London. The fire, known as the Great Fire of London, was the worst fire in the history of London. It burned down more than three quarters of the old city.
The fire started in the very early hours of Sunday morning in the house of the king’s baker. A strong wind blew the fire from the baker’s house into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
At that time, most of the buildings in London were made of wood, so it was easy for the fire to spread quickly. By eight o’clock, three hundred houses were on fire. By Monday, nearly a kilometre of the city was burning along the Thames River. On Tuesday, which was considered the worst day, the fire destroyed many well-known buildings, including the old St Paul’s Cathedral.
The fire burned until finally hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire were destroyed to create a firebreak. The fire then died out eventually with nothing left to burn.
1. Why is the fire of 1666 called the Great Fire of London?A.The fire broke out in the capital of England. |
B.The fire was the worst fire in the history of London. |
C.People in England will never forget the fire. |
D.The fire spread fast into Thames Street. |
A.In the house of the king’s baker. |
B.In Thames Street. |
C.In the house of the baker’s neighbour. |
D.In St Paul’s Cathedral. |
A.It started in a baker’s house. |
B.It broke out on a Sunday morning. |
C.A hotel was next to the baker’s house. |
D.Most of the buildings in London were wooden. |
A.The old St Paul’s Cathedral. |
B.Hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. |
C.Hundreds of wooden houses. |
D.All of the above. |
1. What did the woman do with the thief?
A.She pretended not to see him. | B.She fought with him. | C.She did as he asked. |
A.A necklace. | B.Some money. | C.Nothing. |
A.Fit a home alarm system. | B.Call the police. | C.Keep a dog. |
A.She is puzzled. | B.She is brave. | C.She is frightened. |
4 . Leah Brown aged 36 fell several hundred feet from Oregon’s highest mountain right before the eyes of a group of volunteer rescue workers who rushed to her aid and helped save her life.
The woman was coming down a popular path (小路) on Mt. Hood, about 70 miles east of Portland, on Saturday morning, according to the local police. Mt. Hood is the highest in Oregon, standing at around11.240 feet.
The fall was seen by members of Portland Mountain Rescue (PMR), a volunteer organization focused on helping people in mountainous areas. The group called 911 and rushed to the woman, providing medical care. They helped keep the woman warm for seven hours as the police worked to get her off the mountain safely. Finally, the woman was evacuated (转移) to a parking lot at 9:30 pm and taken to a hospital.
The climber, Leah Brown, said she didn’t know what caused her fall. “I can only guess it was either an ice tool or a crampon (冰爪) that didn’t land and stick like it should have, so I became detached from the mountain,” Brown said. “The thing I’d like to most stress is my appreciation for the members of PMR who evacuated me and took good care of me the whole time,” Brown added. “They saved my life. ”
In a statement after the rescue, PMR warned of the dangerous winter conditions at the mountain. “The short days and lower temperatures mean that the snow tends to be very hard and icy, and the conditions tend to be much steeper. Climbing the mountain in icy conditions is much more difficult,” the group said.
1. What happened to Brown on Saturday morning?A.She lost her way in a forest. | B.She hurt her eye unexpectedly. |
C.She failed to call her family. | D.She fell down on a downhill path. |
A.Different. | B.Hidden. | C.Separated. | D.Tired. |
A.Thankful. | B.Regretful. | C.Surprised. | D.Concerned. |
A.Climbing requires teamwork. | B.Climbing in winter is too risky. |
C.We must remain positive in hard times. | D.We can admire the view on sunny days. |
5 . It was a regular school day, and the air was filled with the usual sounds of chatter and laughter as students prepared for their lessons. Little did I know that this day would soon take a
As the bell rang, signaling the beginning of our English class, we entered the classroom, completely
Panic spread as we understood how
In all the chaos, I noticed my
As we reached the door, it felt hotter, and we knew we had to hurry. With hearts
Outside, we took a moment to catch our breath,
After everything happened, I couldn’t help but reflect on the events of that day.
A.classic | B.dramatic | C.powerful | D.graceful |
A.independent | B.tolerant | C.fluent | D.unaware |
A.into | B.onto | C.behind | D.against |
A.destroyed | B.interrupted | C.buried | D.sheltered |
A.formal | B.unique | C.severe | D.awkward |
A.hurried | B.delivered | C.jogged | D.hesitated |
A.sister | B.mother | C.classmate | D.teammate |
A.protested | B.reminded | C.stressed | D.realized |
A.flight | B.step | C.wave | D.foot |
A.racing | B.debating | C.suffering | D.begging |
A.greeted | B.conducted | C.surrounded | D.attracted |
A.stress | B.sadness | C.confidence | D.relief |
A.Breaking through | B.Going through | C.Making out | D.Working out |
A.tough | B.plain | C.various | D.specific |
A.contribution | B.ambition | C.determination | D.addiction |
6 . On a Monday morning, a bus full of bright-eyed kids was on the way to school along with Connor and his brother Seamus. The bus was being driven by a 60-year-old driver, McDougal.
“I didn’t see him fall. I heard him
After the bus driver fell down, Connor and Seamus
Meanwhile, Seamus tried to keep his fellow classmates
The bus didn’t veer off the road because of the
A.Immediately | B.Actually | C.Suddenly | D.Obviously |
A.kick | B.break | C.hit | D.cover |
A.pain | B.sorrow | C.disappointment | D.fear |
A.heard about | B.were aware of | C.related to | D.gave way to |
A.lost | B.punished | C.burnt | D.hurt |
A.looked up | B.got up | C.signed up | D.spoke up |
A.fit | B.awake | C.calm | D.busy |
A.hug | B.lesson | C.treat | D.warning |
A.hard | B.quick | C.creative | D.serious |
A.courageous | B.painstaking | C.energetic | D.limitless |
1. Whom has the government promised to offer help to?
A.Some farmers. | B.Some pilots. | C.Some children. |
A.In Sydney. | B.In Melbourne. | C.In Queensland. |
A.Thankful. | B.Angry. | C.Sorry. |
A.They attended a musical concert. |
B.They enjoyed themselves in the sea. |
C.Their plane was forced to land shortly after takeoff. |
8 . Brandon Leseberg and his sons, Louie, 6 years old, Everett, 3 years old, headed for their farm one afternoon. When the sun set, Brandon
Knowing they couldn’t stay in the ice-cold water for so long, Brandon put his own legs against the narrow walls to
Minutes passed like hours for Brandon. He’d been hoping for the
A.finished | B.avoided | C.disliked | D.started |
A.played | B.cheered | C.cried | D.stopped |
A.useful | B.broken | C.dark | D.light |
A.mistake | B.adventure | C.accident | D.failure |
A.caught | B.encouraged | C.followed | D.recognized |
A.train | B.hide | C.seat | D.support |
A.so | B.unless | C.but | D.if |
A.brave | B.polite | C.honest | D.generous |
A.rest | B.help | C.advice | D.trust |
A.questioned | B.warned | C.honored | D.taught |
A.kindness | B.wisdom | C.experience | D.patience |
A.Obviously | B.Fortunately | C.Generally | D.Strangely |
A.separated | B.welcomed | C.saved | D.contacted |
A.responsible | B.concerned | C.sorry | D.thankful |
A.winner | B.hero | C.visitor | D.actor |
9 . Madden is an 8-year-old boy. He was playing with his toys in front of the window. Suddenly, he saw water flowing into the
Sandy thought quickly and found a big basin (盆) to put Madden in. They
After being
But as a mother, she couldn’t imagine
Then came good news. Madden was found on the top of a small house, safe and
A.basin | B.river | C.yard | D.well |
A.rain | B.flood | C.stream | D.sun |
A.base | B.wall | C.roof | D.exit |
A.marched | B.jogged | C.struggled | D.rolled |
A.cracked | B.disappeared | C.shook | D.overturned |
A.charge | B.sense | C.sight | D.breath |
A.separated | B.saved | C.transported | D.delivered |
A.unique | B.professional | C.responsible | D.lucky |
A.helping | B.losing | C.calming | D.trapping |
A.research | B.legend | C.search | D.hike |
A.sign | B.symbol | C.alarm | D.whistle |
A.warm | B.dark | C.normal | D.strange |
A.watch out | B.check out | C.take control | D.break down |
A.powerful | B.sound | C.active | D.wise |
A.appreciate | B.accept | C.supply | D.compare |
10 . Three lifeguards were hailed as (被誉为) heroes last night after they rescued dozens of teenagers from the sea. The quick action and bravery of the lifeguards saved several of the youngsters from certain death.
The group of thirty-six youngsters were on an outdoor activity holiday in West Wales. On Saturday afternoon, the group, accompanied by four adults, went down to the sea. Some of them did not know how to swim and had never seen the sea before the trip. They were taking part in an exercise to help build confidence and teamwork. As part of the exercise they were walking backwards into the sea. At the time the tide (海潮) was out and the water was not deep. The tide began to come in and the group started walking back to dry land. Suddenly the sandbank underneath them collapsed (坍塌) and the sea flooded in. Some of the teenagers were soon in dangerous waters.
Fortunately, three lifeguards were nearby and came to the rescue. David Miller, manager for the local coastguard, said that although the sea was fairly shallow, it was still very dangerous in that sea. “It is just fortunate that the brave lifeguards were quickly on the scene and lucky that lives were not lost,” he added.
1. Why were the three lifeguards hailed as heroes?A.They worked hard in their holidays. | B.They won the first prize in a show. |
C.They did well in their outdoor training. | D.They saved some youngsters from death. |
A.To build confidence and teamwork. | B.To learn how to swim. |
C.To fish in the sea. | D.To watch the tides. |
A.Three lifeguards. | B.The local people. |
C.Some teenagers. | D.David and his friends. |
A.A speech. | B.A news report. | C.A letter. | D.A medical report. |