Paracutin was born in Mexico in February 1943. At the end of one week Paracutin was 500 feet high，and it is now over 9,000 feet high. Today Paracutin is asleep.

What is Paracutin? It was the first volcano (火山) in the world which was seen from its birth right up to the present day. On February 20,1943, a peasant and his wife set out to work in their cornfields from the Mexican village of Paracutin. They were suprised to find the earth warm under their feet. Suddenly they heard noises deep in the earth and a small hole appeared in their field. In the afternoon there was a sudden loud noise and stones were thrown high in the air. The peasants ran from the field and turned to watch. They saw the birth of a volcano.

Large quantities of stone and lava (岩浆) broke out and a little hill began to form. By evening this hill was 100 feet high and hot ashes were falling on the village. At night the strong light of the hot lava lit up the countryside. The trees near the village were killed and the villagers had to leave their houses.

When the village was destroyed, its name was given to the volcano. The news quickly reached Mexico City, far to the east. Many people came to watch the scene. The volcano grew and grew for ten years and hundreds of square miles of forest were destroyed. Then Paracutin went to sleep.

21．In this passage the writer is trying to ________.

A．tell us an interesting happening

B．explain a scientific theory

C．make us believe something

D．make up an interesting story

22．What can we learn about volcanoes from this passage?

A．New volcanoes may appear in places where people do not expect them to be.

B．Volcanoes are always growing.

C．Volcanoes are active from time to time.

D．New volcanoes are active for only ten years.

23．What was destroyed in the growing up of the volcano?

A．The little hill of stones.

B．The villagers living nearby.

C．The forests and fields around Paracutin.

D．The Mexican peasant and his wife.

24．Paracutin was once the name of ________.

A．a peasant　　　　                 B．a village

C．an old mountain                   D．a Mexican

During a small earthquake，you will feel a little shaking. Pictures hanging on the walls might move back and forth.Dishes might rattle ( 发出响声) inside the kitchen cabinet. A lamp might possibly fall and break.

In a very strong earthquake, you might be thrown upward or down to the ground. Cracks might appear in the ground. Windows might be broken. Buildings and bridges might fall down. People might be injured or even killed.

Strong earthquakes often suddenly break electric wires. That means electric lights and machines will not work. Water pipes sometimes break, so people have no water to drink. Pipes that carry natural gas, and tanks that hold petrol and dangerous chemicals, can break and start fires.

Aftershocks (余震) are mini－quakes that come after the main part of an earthquake. They can cause even more damage. Aftershocks are especially dangerous for rescue workers who have gone into ruined buildings to help people who are trapped inside.The buildings can collapse,_trapping the rescue workers along with the people they are trying to help.

Very strong earthquakes can cause tsunamis in the ocean, which may bring great damage.Earthquakes can cause landslides where dirt and rocks slide down the sides of a mountain and damage buildings and hurt people. Earthquakes can also cause avalanches (雪崩) and heavy snow slide down a mountainside. An avalanche can be just as dangerous as a landslide.

25．All the following may be the results of a strong earthquake EXCEPT that ________.

A．strong bridges fall down

B．people have no water to drink

C．some dangerous chemicals flow out

D．dishes in the kitchen shake and make sounds

26．What can we learn from the passage?

A．Aftershocks are not as dangerous as the main part of an earthquake.

B．Aftershocks are even more dangerous than big earthquakes to rescue workers.

C．Aftershocks always cause more serious harm than the main part of an earthquake.

D．Aftershocks are strong earthquakes following the main part of an earthquake.

27．The underlined word “collapse” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.

A．fall down                         B．shake out

C．set up                            D．break through

28．This passage is mainly about ________.

A．how earthquakes take place

B．what causes strong earthquakes

C．strong earthquakes and light ones

D．the types of earthquakes and their damage

The ground we walk on seems firm, but deep under the earth and under the sea the rocks change and move. In some parts of the world there are“fire mountains”， which we call volcanoes.From time to time they burst open and throw out fire and burning ash. These volcanoes are very dangerous.

Hong Kong does not have any volcanoes but there are many in Indonesia and Philippines. There is also a famous mountain near Tokyo, Japan, which is a volcano too.Its name is Mount Fuji.For much of the year, it is covered with snow.

One of the most famous volcanoes which erupted(喷发)in recent times was Krakatoa, on an island in Indonesia.The first explosions(爆发)took place on 20th May, 1883, but the big eruption did not come until the 26th and 27th August of that year. The people on the island were used to the explosions by that time, and so they were completely unprepared for this terrible happening. Almost all the people on the island died and the explosion also made huge waves in the seat, which drowned (淹死)many people on the other island nearby. After the eruption was over, people saw that the whole northern part of the island had completely disappeared. Scientists say that 15 cubic(立方)kilometers of rocks and ash were thrown up in the explosion. The noise of the explosion was heard nearly 5,000 kilometers away in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and the city of Jakarta was completely dark for about two and a half hours.

29．There are many volcanoes ________.

A．everywhere in the world

B．under the earth and the sea

C．in Hong Kong

D．in Indonesia

30．Mount Fuji is famous just because ________.

A．it is covered with snow for much of the year

B．it is a volcano

C．it is near Tokyo

D．it is in Japan

31．The people near Krakatoa were unprepared when it had its biggest explosion because people there ________.

A．had never met any explosions of the volcano before

B．were used to the explosions of the volcanoes by that time

C．didn't want to leave their island

D．could do nothing but wait

A California family drives a car that could help protect the environment.

When Jon and Sandy go to the store or to their daughters' soccer games, they drive in high­tech style. They drive a $1 million, fuel­cell­powered car. It may be the world's most expensive car and one of the most environmentally friendly cars.

The FCX is the first fuel­cell­powered car to be used by a family anywhere in the world. The FCX uses hydrogen and oxygen for fuel.

Car makers have been working to develop vehicles that are better for the environment. They are developing cars that use fuel other than gasoline.

What is fuel cell technology?

Fuel cell technology works by changing the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water. This process produces electricity, and water vapor which comes out of the exhaust pipe. Most cars release dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide (一氧化碳) and carbon dioxide. Many scientists say these gases are major contributors to global warming.

”The FCX is driven just like any other vehicle on the road, but without the gases which pollute the environment, ”scientists say.

Fuel cell technology has been around since the 1800s, but scientists have yet been to perfect it. They say it may take years before the technology is ready for widespread use.

Creating environmentally friendly cars

Another earth­friendly car is already on the market. Hybrid cars use both gasoline and an electric motor. They are becoming more popular with customers because they cut pollution and improve fuel efficiency.

32．Which of the following about the FCX is not true?

A．It may be the most expensive car in the world.

B．It is one of the most environmentally friendly cars.

C．It releases dangerous gases to pollute the air.

D．It uses hydrogen and oxygen for fuel other than gasoline.

33．According to the passage, what is the major cause for global warming?

A．Gases from FCX.

B．Water vapor from cars.

C．Hydrogen and oxygen.

D．Gases from cars.

34．From the passage, we know that fuel cell technology ________.

A．works by water

B．has a history for over two hundred years

C．works by electricity

D．has been widely used since the 1800s

35．We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．future cars will be environmentally friendly

B．there will be no gasoline for cars

C．people can't afford to buy cars in the future

D．global warming has been stopped

How to test best

It's back to school, which means it's back to tests. Which might also mean it's back to being majorly stressed out. __36__ Here are some simple ways to prepare thoroughly for tests.

Schedule study time. 

Trying to do all studying the night before a test makes it impossible to master all the material. __37__ Instead, prepare for a test by scheduling study time each day for several days before.

Use your time wisely.               

__38__ Also, make sure you have all the supplies you need to study so you don't lose focus.

 While studying, be sure to make regular short breaks. Get a snack, take a bathroom break or play a quick computer game when it feels as if your brain is about to explode.

__39__

Studying with a parent or friends can help you understand the material better and to learn from one another. Have every person or pair take a part of the material, and come up with questions to quiz the group.

Keep the group small. Have everyone take turns as the group leader, who will assign the material, and make sure that conversation stays on what is being studied.

Don't forget last­minute preparation. 

Have your sharpened pencils and other things in your bag ready the night before the test. It's important to get a good night's sleep and then eating a healthy breakfast the next morning. __40__

Also, studying all the way up until test time can only create more anxiety. Stop studying an hour beforehand.

A．Form a study group.

B．Stay cool before the test.

C．It doesn't have to be this way.

D．This will help you store important information.

E．This way, both your mind and body are fully prepared.

F．Before studying , clear your desk so you can concentrate.

G．It will also make you tired and stressed on the day of the test.