Here's a hotel worth writing home about:a company in Poland plans to build tourist accommodation under the sea.The structure can be dragged to a suitable location and placed on supports on the sea bed. The 'Water Discus' will be made up of an underwater disc containing 22 bedrooms with sea views, connected by lift and stairs to a disc above the surface containing other hotel facilities. Project manager Robert Bursiewicz says:"Nowadays it's possible to build submarilles which go deeper than 500m below the sea surface,so building an underwater hotel is not a problem." In fact,they don't plan to have the hotel very deep.Water acts like a filter for sunlight, and below l5m most colours,apart from blue,are washed out.And we all want to see colourful marine life,don't we? But this isn't the first hotel to offer underwater views from the bedrooms.The two-bedroom Jules' Undersea Lodge,off the coast of Florida,has been taking in guests 10m beneath the surface since 1986. The company that operates the hotel also runs a diving course for beginners to help get guests down and into the hotel.It is accessible only through an opening at the bottom. And you'll find all the usual facilities in the room,according to Teresa McKirma,Jules's chief financial officer.It has a television,air conditioning and wi--fi.But for the staft, simple things like cleaning and making beds can be challenging,since the lodge is in sea water. ''It actually takes quite a lot of work to get anything down there,"she says."We have to put everything in waterproof boxes and attach weights to them to counter their buoymacy ." The hotel has suitably sized waterproof boxes so that pizzas can be delivered by divers to guests wllo order them for their evening meal.And after a meal,if you can't sleep because of the excitement of the experience,you don't have to count sheep.You'll fall asleep quicker if you count fish. Why won't they plan to have the hotel very deep in the water? A) They have financial problems. B) They lack advanted technology. C) Most colours are washed out below 15m. D) They refuse to enjoy color1ful life.
C
(Question)
Playing sports is a way for most kids to make friends, get exercise and have a good time. But what happens when kids have a disability preventing them joining in? Challenge Alaska has worked out a national program to give those disabled kids a chance to enjoy the sports they otherwise may not be able to. Alex thought a simple game of bocce ball was out of reach before. Alex was hit by a car when he was 5 years old, an accident that left him with a broken body and a mind full of dreams. "Those dreams are harder to do because you can't move your hands, and you can't move your legs," he said. But today Alex was getting the chance to live his biggest dream. With some help, he can get the bocce ball across the playing field and he said he was getting the biggest joy from his favorite. Today, Challenge Alaska worked together with another organization, the US Paralympics Academy , to give kids with physical disabilities a chance to try some new sports. "They offer a lot of sports for people with disabilities and that's cool," Alex said. But this program is not just about teaching these kids about sports. "It's an opportunity to learn how to work on a team, how to work with other people, how to win graciously and how to lose graciously -- all about the lessons you can use throughout life," said Jeff Dick, leader of Alaska Paralympics Academy. Challenge Alaska also has a program called Blaze Sports, which holds different events throughout the year. Dick says skills learned at these free programs increase kids chances of getting college scholarships to play these sports. Besides teaching the disabled kids about sports, the program also teaches them about _ . A) how to work with other people B) the importance of teamwork C) how to face failure and victory D) all of the above
(Answer)
D
Ques: Donald had his own difficulties in sleeping that night. Not just because of the bright lights of the shelter or people's constant voices, it was the happening repeatedly nightmare that caused him to stay awake, to fear sleep. Donald was back in his small house. He did his best to ignore the howling winds outside his window. Yet he could not turn out the fearful whimpers of his little dog, or the uncomfortable sounds of his mother anxious in her room next door, unable to sleep through the storm despite her insistence they would be all right. Donald did not want his mother to be upset, but on some level, he was glad to hear she was awake, It meant he was not alone in the dark. Though he was 12, until recently it was impossible for Donald to fall asleep unless his mother lay down by his side. Suddenly there was a crash. Their living room window is shattered by 125 miles an hour winds. Troy rushed to Donald and sat anxiously on the edge of his bed. He did his best to calm his mother, and she had to comfort him. Soon water was seeping into the single floor house. Quickly it rose from ankle level to leg level. At Donald's insistence, they pushed their way through the water --- now chest high --- toward the front door. When they fought their way into the living room, water rose to their chins. It was a struggle for the boy and mother to stay afloat. In a total panic, desperate to hold on to something, Troy caught a curtain rod. She was breathing hard, shouting that she couldn't swim. Donald cried out, "Mom! Hold on!" Just then Donald also caught a floatable wood board. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the story? A) The rising water. B) The broken window. C) The lucky dog. D) The noisy environment.
Ans: C
Question: Imagine one day, the water taps in your house stop running. You have to buy water from shops. And still there isn't enough for everyone. Your mother has to save the family's shower water to do other things. Would you be able to stand that kind of life? Probably not. But _ 's what kids in Yemen are experiencing. Experts said Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water. According to a report, the capital, Sanaa, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025. Because of the shortage, the government often cuts the water supply. Hannan, an 18-year-old from Lahej, told the Times: "In a good week we'll have a water supply all week. But then the following week there will be water only for a day or two." Hannan said only rich people have enough water to use. They can buy water from the shops or from the water truck. Private companies own the trucks. They travel around the city every day to sell water - at very high prices. "A lot of people can't afford it," she said. The average person in Yemen uses 100 to 200 cubic meters of water per year. That is far below the international water poverty line of 1,000 cubic meters. The government is thinking of making use of seawater. But it will cost a lot and it may not happen soon enough to help the people of Yemen. Hannan described _ . A) what her life is like B) how beautiful Lahej is C) how people use water fully D) how heavy the traffic in Lahej is
Answer:
A