Alexis was _ and tired. With anger in her voice she shouted,"Pull me up. I give up. I hate this. This is stupid!"It was at that moment when Jason, the adviser on the trip, looked at me and said,"Ed, I'm going to go down and talk with her."I then shouted down to Alexis,"Hold on! You can do this. We know you can!" Jason grasped another rope, put this climbing harness on and began to move down the cliff. Within moments Jason was beside Alexis. She had her cheek directly against the face of the rock with her feet barely resting on a small piece of the cliff that jetted outward. Jason said to Alexis,"I know that you have been on this cliff now for what seems like a long time. Your feet and fingers are cramping " up and your forearms feel as though they are on fire. But, Alexis, you are strong. Look how far up you are already. You have taken one of the more difficult parts up the cliff. Alexis, look at the path you have taken." At that moment, Alexis moved her cheek away from the rock face and looked down. The bright white chalk she used on her hands to give her a better hold, showed the path where her tired hands had moved her upward on the cliff. Jason was right. Alexis had taken the hardest way up the cliff. Jason then looked straight into Alexis' eyes and in a calm voice he said,"You are not alone out here. There are people who care about you, who want to help you and see you succeed. We are going to do this together. Are you ready?"Slowly she nodded and took a deep breath. Alexis would probably become_. A) more strong-minded B) easier to give up C) poorer in health D) less interested in rock-climbing
A
In the frozen continent of Antarctica scientists fear an alien invasion -- not from outer space, but carried in people's pockets and bags. Seeds and plants accidentally brought to Antarctica by tourists and scientists may introduce alien plant species which could threaten the survival of native plants in the finely balanced ecosystem. "The people that were carrying the most had lots and lots of seeds. They really were real threats," said Dana Bergstrom, from the Australian Antarctic Division. "When we take things in through hitchhiking then we get species which are competitive. The plants and animals there are not necessarily competitive, so we'd start losing various precious biodiversity on the (Antarctic) continent", Bergstrom told Reuters. Amongst the alien species discovered were the Iceland Poppy, and Annual Winter Grass -- all from cold climates and capable of growing in Antarctica. The Antarctic Peninsula, where most tourists travel, is now considered a "hot spot" on the frozen continent and the warmer the climate, the easier for seeds to grow. "The peninsula is warming at some of the greatest rates on the planet," said Bergstrom. The study, the first continent-wide assessment of invasive species in Antarctica, surveyed about 1,000 passengers during 2007-2008, the first year of the International Polar Year, an international effort to research the polar areas. Bergstrom said the one alien seed that had gained a foothold is Annual Winter Grass. It is a strong weed in the sub-Antarctic and is on the Antarctic island of King George. It has also made its way to the tail part of the Antarctic continent. What does the passage focus on? A) The human influence on the native plants. B) The development of native plants. C) The discovery of new plants. D) The promising future of tourism.
A
Q: Heavy rains have caused disasters across China this summer, bringing the worst landslides in decades. The most deadly disaster happened on August 8 when a big landslide hit Zhouqu County in Gansu province, killing at least 1,407 people. On August 18, landslides hit Gongshan, a town in northwestern Yunnan. At least 38 people were killed and 54 are missing. Heavy rains also caused landslides in several counties in Sichuan province. People were forced to evacuate to safe places. Landslides and devastation Landslides take place when dirt and rocks slide down a slope together. Sometimes these landslides are small, and hardly noticeable. Other times however, they can be massive, involving the entire side of a mountain. Landslides can be caused by a number of different things. Often rain, which adds weight to the side of a slope, can cause one. Other times they might be caused by erosion .When a stream slowly removes the base of a slope, it weakens the entire side of the mountain. As a slide moves down a mountain slope, it can pick up great speed and energy. Some slides travel at a speed of 300km an hour. The resulting winds can be so powerful that they are known to strip the leaves off surrounding trees. Earthquakes and landslides Some experts think the landslides in Sichuan were related to the magnitude-8.0 Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. The quake has caused a change in the structure of the Earth's surface, making it more likely that land will slide in the rain, according to geologist Xu Qiang of the Chengdu University of Technology. Landslides pose threats to 140 cities and towns in the country, one quarter of which are in Sichuan, said Wei Fangqiang, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Landslide prevention If you want to avoid being a landslide victim, the easiest thing to do is avoid living on slopes or close to mountains. If you live in a landslide-threatened area, try not to water the slopes if possible. If there are large rocks on the slopes above your house, remove them so that they... Which of the following is the right way to avoid becoming a landslide victim? A) Living on a mountain top. B) Watering the slopes you live beside. C) Removing large rocks on the slopes. D) Planting trees around your house.
A: C
(Q).
Born into a poor family,two of the Durers' children still had a dream for art,but they knew their father could not afford to send either of them to the academy . After discussions,the two boys finally agreed to toss a coin.The loser would go to the nearby mines and support his brother while he attended the academy.Then,when the winner completed his studies,he would support the other brother,either with sales of his art work or,if necessary,by working in the mines.So they tossed a coin.Albrecht Durer won the toss and went to Nuremberg.Albert went to the dangerous mines and financed his brother,whose work at the academy was almost an immediate success,and by graduation,he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his works. When the Durer family held a dinner to celebrate Albrecht's homecoming, Albrecht drank a toast to his brother,"Now,Albert,it is your turn to go to Nuremberg and follow your dream,and I will take care of you." Albert wiped the tears from his cheeks,glanced at the faces he loved,and said softly,"No,brother.It is too late for me.Look....look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been broken at least once,and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast,much 1ess make lines on canvas with a pen or a brush.No,brother ...for me it is too 1ate." Therefore,Albrecht took pains to draw his brother's injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward.The entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and named it "The Praying Hands". The artist created the masterpiece "The Praying Hands" A) to show kindness to his poor brother B) to encourage people to realize their dreams C) in praise of his brother's sacrifice and love D) in honor of his brother as a symbol of working people
(A).
C