I was feeling a little blue because my mother had been laid off from her job and she had lots of bills to pay. It left me wondering what was going to happen to us now. But it reassured me some when my mother told me she was relieved to be leaving since her boss wasn't the nicest person to be around.

I got off the college shuttle bus and started walking. That's when I heard piano music and singing rising above the noise of the people and the traffic. I walked a little slower so I could find out where it was coming from. Through the crowd I saw a young lady sitting at a piano with a carriage next to her.[来源:Zxxk.Com]

She was singing songs about love, keeping on trying, and not underestimating the power within yourself. The way she was singing comforted me a bit. I stood there watching her play for about fifteen minutes, thinking that it must take courage to perform on your own in the middle of a crowded New York ferry terminal. 

So I stood there listening.

She must have felt my presence because she would occasionally look in my direction. By now I was telling myself that if she could perform in front of hundreds of people she didn't know then I could at least tell her how good she sounded. I walked over and put some money in her carriage and she said, "Thank you." Instead of continuing my way home, I said to her, "I have been going through a rough time lately, but you've made me hopeful again."

"I'm happy that I could help," she replied. "Why are you so sad?"

"Well, my mum told me she had got fired from her job, and that made me sad. I'm not so sure what to do ..."

"You see, here's the problem," she explained. "The way you were walking, your head was down. Don't look defeated, because opportunity comes in different ways and if your head is down you might never see it. You should smile more ... lift your head up."

I smiled faintly, amazed by how she was encouraging me. So, I asked her, "Why are you playing the piano in the middle of a crowded place? I've seen you do this more than once."

She explained to me that she sees a lot of negative people in the world and she tries to alleviate the pain and bring more positivity by sharing motivational music. She told me that when she wasn't making music she studied psychology. So, that was how she knew some of the things she was telling me.

I smiled a little wider because I knew that she was doing a good thing. So, after that we parted, my heart touched and lightened by a musical soul!

1.We can learn from Paragraph 3 that the young lady sang to _________.

A．show her love for life

B．rid herself of low spirits

C．earn money for her schooling

D．inspire others to live positively

2.Which word may best describe the young lady?

A．helpful

B．outgoing

C．ambitious

D．humorous

3.Which do you think is the best title of the passage?  

A．An Unforgettable Experience

B．A Heart Touched By A Musical Soul

C．Music Can Do Wonders

D．A Good Deed Helped Me Out

 

Ellis Island is located in New York. Harbor Ellis Isl and is open daily year-round from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p. m. , with extended hours during summer. It is closed December 25. There is no admission charge to Ellis Island; donations(捐款)are gratefully accepted.

At Your Fingertips

         Park information              (212)363-7620

         Emergencies                        (212)363-3260

         Ferry boat information      (212)269-5755

         Lost and found                    (212)363-7620

         Dining, gifts, & audio tour (212)344-0996

Transportation

         Statue of Liberty a nd Ellis Island Ferry: Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9:15 a. m. (ferry schedule subject to change)

Hours: May vary; call the number below

Closed: December 25

Ferry fees: (Includes Liberty and Ellis Islands) adults, $7; senior citizens, $6; children(age 3 to 17), $3. (group rates are available for 25 or more adults)

Ticket & schedule information:    (212)269-5755

1.Which number would you call if your friend were suddenly ill?

A. (212)344-0996                        B. (212)363-7620

C. (212)363-3260                        D. (212)269-5755

2.Which of the following is not true?

A. People can visit Ellis Island free of charge.

B. The boats departure time is at 9:15 a.m. all the year round.

C. Ferry fees for children are cheaper than for adults.

D. Ferry fees for group visitors can be reduced.

3.We may infer from the passage that _________.

A. visitors prefer to go to Ellis Island by boat

B. there are more visitors in winter

C. Ellis Island is open every day

D. Boat is the only transportatio n to Ellis Island

 

The people below are going to make a trip. After the description of these people, there is information about six tours A-F. Decide which tours would be most suitable for the people mentioned in descriptions 61-65 and then mark the correct letter (A-F) on your answer sheet. There is one extra paragraph about one tour which you do not need to use.

____ 61．Victor and three of his friends would like to spend a whole weekend driving around in nice scenery and enjoying some local food.

____ 62．Vanessa and Adam want to go on a comfortable trip which takes them quickly to an interesting city. Then they want to enjoy at least two days of sightseeing.

____ 63．Charlie, Kathy and their three children don’t have much money, but they want a special day out this Saturday. They must be back home by 9 p.m.

____ 64．Jenny is a Dutch student who is studying in Scotland．She doesn’t drive, but wants a day trip to see some beautiful scenery and spend a little time by the sea.

____ 65.Kitty and her boyfriend want to experience something exciting, especially in the ocean world. They wish they would swim like a fish.

A. Amsterdam

Sail out in the evening and enjoy over 12 hours in the Netherlands, returning the following night. After a good Dutch breakfast you travel by train direct to the heart of the wonderful city of Amsterdam. The sightseeing and places to shop will make this a day to remember. Weekends only.

B. Marine Life, France

The chance to experience the oceans of the world. Children will love the observatory, with water all around them and big fish swimming above their heads! Afterwards you eat at a world-famous local restaurant before boarding the ferry at 9 pm. Not cheap, but a great day out!

C. Sea and Mountains in Northern Ireland

Explore the Northern Ireland countryside, including the amazing Moutains of Mourne and the small seaside holiday town of Newcastle. The ferry leaves the port in Scotland at 7:30 and arrives back at 22:20. Transport in Northern Ireland is by air-conditioned coach.

D. French Hypermarket Day Trip

Whether you want to buy or just look, you’ll love this tour. The large Darney shopping center is a shopper’s dream! You will find a lot of local goods on sale, and clothes and kitchen goods are of excellent value. Free children’s entertainment all day. Leaves at 10:00, arrives back at 19:00.

E. Belgium by Hydrofoil

A four-day trip. From England you cross to Belgium in just 100 minutes by hydrofoil! You are served with food and drinks during the crossing, then continue your journey to Brussels, or another beautiful city, on the fast Belgium railway network.

F. Ireland by Car

Once you arrive in Ireland you’re quickly on beautiful country roads, with friendly villages where you can stop for a delicious bite to eat. The special price allows you to take your car and up to five people away for 48 hours, and two nights’ hotel accommodation can be arranged for a little extra.

 

Most lives saved from sinking ferryCao Min couldn’t believe she was experiencing exactly what she had seen years ago in the film “Titanic”.

Cao and her two children from Anhui Province were traveling on board the “Liaoludu 7”on February 22.They were among the first people on the ship who were rescued by lifeboats. Cao’s one-year-old son was the youngest passenger on board.

The “Liaoludu 7”was traveling in the Bohai Straits(渤海海峡)from Lushun in Liaoning Province to the port city of Longkou in Shandong Province. It suddenly lost its power at 2:30 pm and tilted(倾斜)on its side. With 81 people on board, the ferry(渡船)began to sink.

“I was so scared that my legs couldn’t move forward. They kept shaking even when I was asked to jump onto a “ lifeboat.” Cao recalled.

Upon receiving the urgent appeal, China Marine Search and Rescue Center(中国海上搜救中心)immediately informed the State Council(国务院).The center sent eight lifeboats to the sinking ship and asked for help form the Ministry of Agriculture, the Navy and nearby fishing boats.

After more than four hours of fighting against strong winds and freezing ocean water, the passengers were recovered. All but four survived. These four died after spending too long in the freezing waters, according to a spokesperson for the Beijing-based center.

(From 21st Century, Mar.3, 2003)

1.How many people survived the disaster?

A．4                B．81               C．85               D．77

2.Who do you think were the first people rescued?

A．Women and children B．Women           C．Children          D．Men

3.Which of the following is Not true?

A．The accident happened from Longkou in Shandong Province to Lushun in Liaoning Province.

B．The fighting of the people on board against the strong winds and freezing ocean water lasted several hours.

C．Cao and her children fortunately were saved.

D．But for the State Council, the passengers and the crew would have lost their lives.

 

The Channel is the name given to the stretch of water which separates England and France. Ferries operate all year round to carry people across the Channel, and they are busy most of the year. January is the only quiet month nowadays. As well as summer holiday-makers, there are day trippers and coach traffic, not to mention lorries and other commercial vehicles. Some ferries carry cars and their passengers, while others also connect train passengers with the Continental rail network.

The biggest hazard for the ferry is the wind. The crew listens to BBC weather reports four times a day. Or they sometimes get gale warnings from local radio station.

Crossing the Channel by ferry is a bit like trying to cross Oxford Street on a busy afternoon, according to one ferryboat captain. The ferries from Folkstone and Dover to Calais and Boulogne have to cross the main flow of traffic. This consists of ships traveling through the Channel to and from Northern Europe. There may be four hundred ships making the journey at any one time, and they all pass through a “choke point” which is only fifteen miles (twenty-five kilometers) wide. The cross-channel ferries have to sail right through the middle of all this traffic.

1.The passage is mainly concerned with _____.

A. the English Channel

B. the weather on the Channel

C. cross-channel ferries

D. what crossing the Channel by ferry is like

2.The word hazard is closest in meaning to ________.

A. trouble                             B. danger                    C. enemy                     D. problem

3.We can infer from the passage that _______.

A. if there is a gale warning from the BBC, the ferries will stop operating.

B. the traffic on the Channel is very busy only in winter

C. ferries are busiest in the afternoon

D. the crew of the ferry listens to the weather reports four times a day

4.Where does this passage most probably appear?

A. In a dictionary.                                                     B. In a novel.

C. In a transportation magazine.                            D. In a geography textbook.