A
A lot of earthquakes happen in the world every year. Why do earthquakes happen? Scientists tell us the outside of the earth is made of a number of different plates (板块). The plates move very slowly. Sometimes they stop and don’t move for a long time. When some of the earth’s plates move suddenly, an earthquake happens.
Many earthquakes happen under the sea. Sometimes they happen near mountains. In fact, earthquakes may happen anywhere on the earth.
During an earthquake, the shakings make rocks rise suddenly and even break open. Houses fall. People are killed or hurt. Sometimes whole villages or cities are destroyed.
Can we do something to keep ourselves safe from earthquakes? Scientists have studied earthquakes and made maps that show“earthquake belts”. In the areas in these belts, it’s possible for earthquakes to happen. In these areas we can make houses strong enough to stand against earthquakes.
In the future, scientists will be able to predict (预言) exactly when and where an earthquake will happen. They can tell us what to do and how to do it as well.
( )1. Few earthquakes happen in the world every year.
( )2. The outside of the earth is made of a number of different plates.
( )3. We can do nothing to keep ourselves safe from earthquake.
( )4. A map showing the earthquake belts tells people what kind of houses can stand in an earthquake.
( )5. In the future, scientists can predict exactly when and where an earthquake will happen.
B
Many people say that they are working too many hours. They don't have enough time to relax or to stay with their family.
Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year than a French worker.
Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don't pay overtime. Their workers don't get more pay for more work. Some people think it's their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don't work more hours.
Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull (迟钝的) boy." If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world.
( )6. A Japanese worker works __ more hours a year than a French one.
A. 513 B. 1,646 C. 2,159 D. 3,805
( )7. The word "extra" in Paragraph 3 means ".
A. 正常的 B. 额外的 C. 有用的 D. 少量的
( )8. People in ________ get only two weeks of paid vacation a year.
A. France B. Germany
C. the United States D. Great Britain
( )9. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. No companies offer vacations to their workers.
B. Many people say they have enough time to relax.
C. Not all companies pay their workers for more work.
D. More than half of workers use all their vacation days.
( )10. What can we infer from the passage?
A. Many workers have to work long hours. B. Many people have vacations long enough.
C. Work hours are the same around the world. D. There are a lot of dull people in the world.
C
①"I will think of it." It is easy to say this, but do you know what great things have come from thinking? Though we can not see, or hear, or feel our thoughts, they have great power (力量) !
②Isaac Newton was seated in his garden on a summer evening when he saw an apple fall from a tree. He began to think, and tried to find out why the apple fell. Then he discovered how the earth, sun, moon, and stars are kept in their places.
③James Ferguson once saw the inside of his father's watch, and he wondered, "Why should I not make a watch?" This set him thinking and it led to a wooden clock which kept good time.
，我们将会及时处理。
