My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can't be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying，“What do you want? Take my wallet，” but at the time I thought of nothing.
I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house—Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen's voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy's head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy，and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn't crouch (蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.
I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help！” at eight o'clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(懇求) to the  more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in！” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy's screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.
The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to  come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely，“Please go and eat. We're OK.”
I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of  bringing back the death penalty(處罰) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I  was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer  sentences wouldn't change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was  directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes  talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy  and me?
People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out  in force twenty minutes later. They were ill­tempered about what was, to them, much trouble  about nothing.  After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to  describing the gunmen. “Typical，” said one policeman when we couldn't even agree on how tall  the men were.  Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two  policemen who stayed to make the report didn't think that would be much help.
The policemen were matter­of­fact about the whole thing. The thin one said，“That was a  stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do  what you're told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.
Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the  house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys，” he said. “If you  had gone into the house with them...” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” ——he twisted his head toward me——“and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look，” said the fat policeman kindly, “ there's no right or wrong in the situation. There's just luck.”
All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car  window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many  hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time—no  intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There's only luck. The next time I might end up dead.
And I’m sure there will be a next time.  It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone.Security is an illusion(幻覺); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they're fooling themselves.
【小題1】When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window，________.

A．she felt very annoyed

B．she lost consciousness

C．she felt very much nervous

D．she lost the power of thinking

【小題2】What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?

A．Jeremy's fighting.

B．The author's screaming.

C．Their neighbour's brave action.

D．The police's arrival.

【小題3】When the author called for help, the neighbors didn't come out immediately because________.

A．they were much too frightened

B．they were busy preparing dinners

C．they needed time to find baseball bats

D．they thought someone was playing a trick

【小題4】What the author wants to tell us is that________.

A．neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty

B．the police are not reliable when one is in trouble

C．security is impossible as long as people can have guns

D．preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice

The Albinas married when Mr. Albina was 30, and they spent the early marriage in Argentina. Then they decided to move to Chile, which meant they had to cross the Andes Mountains. They and their 20s sons made the difficult two-week journey on horses. One night there was a terrible snow storm in the mountains, during which Mrs Albina gave birth to triplets (三胞胎), a boy and two girls.
Mrs Albina now has 30 more girls, including the twins who are 15 months old. The oldest Albina children are in their 30s and 40s. They are on their own now, but 18 of the kids still live with their parents in a two-room house. The house has electricity but no toilet or running water. Clearly, the Albinas don’t have enough money and food for the big family. Why, then, do they continue to have children?
The Albinas do not use birth control because it is against their religion. They can let other people take care of their kids, but Mrs Albina doesn’t allow it. “When we were babies,” she said, “our mother left us at an orphanage and never returned. Then a couple adopted my brothers, and I was left behind. I was heartbroken. I promised that when I became a mother I would never give my children away.”
So the Albina family continues to grow. They have so many kids that they run out of names and have to give some children the same name. There are three Susannas, three Miriams, two Estrellas, and two Soledades.
Will the family stop at 53 kids? Mr Albina is 77, and Mrs Albina is 59. “I am getting old,” she said with a smile, “and I would like God to think of me and consider my age. But if God sends more children to me, yes, there will be more.”  
【小題1】What is said about the children in the Albinas in the passage?

A．Some children are raised by others.

B．God sent the children to the Albinas.

C．The children are all twins or triplets.

D．Most of the children are independent now.

【小題2】 It can be inferred from the passage that______.

A．Mrs Albina experienced a hard childhood

B．the Albinas would like to use birth control

C．ten kids in the family share the same name

D．the Albina family has lived in three countries

【小題3】How old was Mrs Albina when the Albinas got married?

A．30.

B．25.

C．12.

D．18.

【小題4】What is the attitude of Mrs. Albina to continuing to have babies?

A．He is very positive.

B．He doesn’t want to have more.

C．He hopes God will give them more.

D．He lets nature take its course.

“How lucky you are to be a doctor…” Anyone who’s a doctor is right out of luck, I thought. Anyone who’s studying medicine should have his head examined.
You may think I want to change my job. Well, at the moment I do. As one of my friends says－even doctors have a few friends－it’s all experience. Experience! I don’t need such experience. I need a warm, comfortable, undisturbed bed of my own. I need it badly. I need all telephones to be thrown down the nearest well, that’s what I need.
All these thoughts fly round my head as I drive my Mini(微型汽車) through the foggy streets of East London at 3:45 a.m. on a December morning. I am a ministering angel in a Mini with a heavy coat and a bag of medicines. As I speed down Lea Bridge in the dark at this horrible morning hour, the heater first blowing hot then cold, my back aching from the car-seat, I do not feel like a ministering angel. I wish I were on the beach in southern France. Call me a bad doctor if you like. Call me what you will. But don’t call me at half past three on a December morning for an ear-ache that you have had for two weeks.
Of course, being a doctor isn’t really all bad. We do have our moments. Once in a while people are ill, once in a while you can help, once in a while you get given a cup of tea and rock-hard cake at two o’clock in the morning－then you worry if you have done everything. But all too often ‘everything’ is a repetitious rule: look, listen, feel, tap, pills, injection, phone, ambulance, away to the next.
And then there is always the cool, warm voice of the girl on the switchboard of the emergency bed service who will get your patient into hospital for you－the pleasant voice that comes to you as you stand in the cold, dark, smelly, dirty telephone box somewhere in a dangerous section of town. Oh, it has its moments, this life does.
【小題1】According to the sentence “Anyone who’s studying medicine should have his head examined,” we know that ___________.

A．a medical student should have a very good memory

B．a doctor must be mentally strong so that he can meet any difficult situation

C．the writer thinks that those who want to be doctors are crazy

D．to be a doctor is a challenge for people’s mental health

【小題2】Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The writer wishes he could have a quiet, undisturbed night in bed at home.

B．One of his friends says that being a doctor helps one gain all sorts of experience.

C．He hates the telephone as a modern means of communication.

D．He is not happy with the small and uncomfortable car he is driving.

【小題3】The statement “We do have our moments” could best be replaced by “___________”.

A．we doctors are called at a moment’s notice to see people who need medical treatment

B．usually we are glad that we can do something to help the sick

C．sometimes we find people are thankful for our help

D．there are chances that doctors find their work rewarding and satisfying

【小題4】From the whole passage we know that the writer _____________.

A．is a bad doctor, unwilling to make a house call during the night-time

B．is so dissatisfied with his job that he wishes to find a new one

C．is satisfied with his job but he hates to be called out unnecessarily

D．thinks a doctor can enjoy certain special rights whether he felt lucky or not

【小題5】We can conclude that        .

A．the author is worried about his patient when he is driving through the foggy streets of East London

B．the author is annoyed to be called out at such an horrible morning hour for an ear – ache patient

C．the author is now heading for the beach in Southern France for his holidays

D．as the author speeds down Lea Bridge in the dark on a December morning, his Mini breaks down half way

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with great interest when my mother used to talk to it.
Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person— her name was Information Please and there was nothing she did not know. Information Please could supply anybody’s number.
My first personal experience with Information Please came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. I accidentally hit my finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn’t seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my hurting finger, finally arriving at the stairway—the telephone! Climbing up I unhooked the receiver and held it to my ear. “Information Please,” I said.
A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear, “Information.”
“I hurt my finger…” I cried. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience. “Isn’t your mother home?” came the question. “Nobody’s home but me.” I sobbed. “Are you bleeding?” “No,” I replied. “I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts.” “Can you open your icebox?” she asked. I said I could. “Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger.”
After that I called Information Please for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. And there was the time that Petey, our pet canary (金絲雀) died. I called Information Please and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said the usual things grown-ups say to comfort a child. But I was unconsoled. Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers, feet up on the bottom of a cage?
She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, “Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in.” Somehow I felt better.
Another day I was on the telephone. “Information Please.” “Information,” said the now familiar voice. “How do you spell fix?” I asked.
All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. Then when I was 9 years old, we moved to Boston. I missed my friend very much. Information Please belonged to that old wooden box in former home, and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the hall table.
Yet as I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me; often in moments of doubt and sadness I would recall the sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.
A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an hour or so between planes, and I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, “Information Please.”
Unexpectedly, I heard again the small, clear voice I knew so well, “Information.” I hadn’t planned this but I heard myself saying, “Could you tell me please how to spell fix?” There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, “I guess that your finger must have healed by now.”
I laughed, “So it’s really still you,” I said. “I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time.”
“I wonder,” she said, “if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls.”
I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
“Please do; just ask of Sally.”
Just three months later I was back in Seattle…. A different voice answered Information and I asked for Sally.
“Are you a friend?” “Yes, a very old friend.” “Then I’m sorry to have to tell you. Sally has been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She passed away five weeks ago.” But before I could hang up she said, “Wait a minute. Did you say your name was Paul?”
“Yes!”
“Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down. Here it is. I’ll read it. “Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He’ll know what I mean.”
I thanked her and hung up. I did know what Sally meant.
【小題1】According to the text, Information Please is actually ________.

A．a robot

B．the author’s mother

C．a telephone operator

D．the telephone itself

【小題2】The author picked up the telephone for the first time to ________.

A．call his mother who was visiting a neighbor

B．call the doctor for his wounded finger

C．find out what exactly lived in the telephone

D．find someone to give him sympathy

【小題3】The underlined word “unconsoled” in paragraph 6 means ________.

A．too sad to have a talk	B．difficult to deal with somebody
C．hard to communicate with somebody	D．unable to accept comfort

【小題4】What did Sally mean by saying those underlined words in the message?

A．The author didn’t need to feel sad for her death.

B．She went to another place to make a living as a singer

C．The world without her would still be good to the author.

D．The author should explore new worlds for his new life.

【小題5】Why did the writer never think of trying the new phone after moving to Boston?

A．He hadn’t got used to the line service in Boston yet.

B．There was something wrong with the new phone.

C．He missed Information Please in the old phone so much.

D．He didn’t like the tall and shiny style of the new phone.

The day of my holiday arrived, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. I had little money and had only been able to afford to stay with my Aunt Rosa in Spain. So, I wasn’t really excited as I knew exactly what it was going to be like: lots of noisy cousins , and Aunt Rosa begging me to take her for a ride.
After I had checked in, I made my way slowly to the departure gate. As I was waiting to board the plane, I kept thinking about my ideal holiday destination: Jamaica, with its long, sandy beaches and crystal clear water.
As soon as the plane took off, I fell fast asleep and only woke to the sound of the announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten you seat belts, as we will shortly be landing in Kingston.” I froze in my seat. Was I dreaming? Kingston? Jamaica? I had boarded the wrong plane!
Immediately after the plane landed, I explained the situation to the authorities. It seems there were also three other passengers heading for Spain. Apparently it had been the airline’s fault, since the flight numbers for Spain and Jamaica were exactly the same! Therefore, with no flight back to London for a week, the airline had no choice but to pay for our stay.
So there I was, lying on the beach, enjoying the music and the marvelous food of Jamaica! As for Aunt Rosa, I suppose she just had to live without me!
【小題1】Why did the writer choose to spend her holiday with her aunt in Spain?

A．She missed her cousins very much.

B．Her aunt begged her to go there.

C．She could hardly afford any better trip.

D．Spain was her ideal destination.

【小題2】In the story, the writer ended up _________.

A．flying to London immediately	B．heading for Spain from Jamaica
C．complaining to the authorities	D．enjoying a free beach holiday

【小題3】Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．A Lucky Mistake	B．A Terrible Adventure
C．A Nice Dream	D．A Well-Planned Trip

One morning more than thirty years ago, I entered the Track Kitchen, a restaurant where everyone from the humblest(卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I notice an empty chair next to an elderly, unshaven man, who looked somewhat disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone. I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.
We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concerned that he might have no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee, I asked.
“May I get you something?”   “A coffee would be nice.”
Then I bought him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee. Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and headed for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked, “How did you get to know Mr. Galbreath?”
“Who?”“The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchchill Downs. ”
I could hardly believe it. I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men!
My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect, no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with kindness and sincerity.
【小題1】What does the underlined word “disheveled” mean?

A．Unfriendly.

B．Untidy.

C．Gentle.

D．Kind.

【小題2】The author bought coffee for the old man because ______.

A．he thought the old man was poor

B．he wanted to start a conversation

C．he intended to show his politeness

D．he would like to thank the old man.

【小題3】How did the author probably feel after he talked with his friend?

A．Proud.

B．Pitiful.

C．Surprised.

D．Regretful.

【小題4】What is the passage mainly expressed in the story?

A．We should learn to be generous.

B．It is honorable to help those in need.

C．People in high positions are not like what we expect.

D．We should avoid judging people by their appearances.

I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (觀點) by creating worlds we could step into, take part. in. and live in.
With this unshakable belief, I, at. fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn’t and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.
Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文學作品)．As a. law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter—the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime.
【小題1】 What can be inferred about the author as a child?

A． He never watched TV.

B． He read what he had to.

C． He found reading unbelievable.

D． He considered reading part of his life.

【小題2】The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means “      ”.

A．an idea

B．a sound quality

C．a way of writing

D．a world to write about

【小題3】 What effect does reading have on the author?

A．It helps him to realize his dream.

B．It opens up a wider world for him.

C．It makes his college life more interesting.

D．It increases his interest in worldwide travel.

【小題4】 Which of the following can be the best title of this text?

A．Why do I read?

B．How do I read?

C．What do I read?

D．When do I read?

A mother from Colorado who doctors said had died while giving birth to her son, has said it is a Christmas miracle that both she and the boy are alive.
Tracey Hermanstorfer's heart stopped beating and her son Coltyn appeared lifeless after the Caesarean(剖腹產術)section on Christmas Eve. However a few minutes after he was born, both began breathing again. Dr Stephanie Martin told Good Morning America she could not explain how the pair survived. Mrs Hermanstorfer and her husband Mike told the American television show that their baby was now healthy and that they were doing “good” following the drama at Colorado Springs Memorial Hospital.
The couple, who already had two children, had to go into the hospital seven weeks earlier than planned. Her husband, 37, said his wife was tired after receiving an epidural(硬腦膜外麻醉)during the labour(分娩)but after closing her eyes, she “wasn't waking up”．She stopped breathing and she is believed to have suffered a heart attack before her heart stopped beating entirely.
Dr Martin said she was called in and that the outlook was grim since in most situations like this，“despite the best efforts of the team”， the mother was often unable to be revived. In that case doctors then tried to focus on delivering the baby but when he was born he was “completely lifeless”．
Mr Hermanstorfer told the Associated Press news agency，“I had everything in the world taken from me, and in an hour and a half I had everything given to me.”
Dr Martin said she did not have a “great explanation” for why Mrs Hermanstorfer's heartbeat returned. “Somewhere between four and five minutes she had been without heart rate and had stopped breathing a minute or two prior to her heart stopping，” she said. The doctors were then able to bring the baby back to life, and the mother was alive after that.
Despite tests, she said doctors were still not sure about what had happened. However Mrs Hermanstorfer and her husband Mike have said they believed it was down to a miracle. She said：“I got a second chance in life.”
【小題1】The story happened on________.

A．December, 24

B．December, 25

C．December, 31

D．January, 1

【小題2】What might have happened to Tracey Hermanstorfer just before her heart stopped beating?

A．She became unconscious.	B．She took a nap.
C．She had a bad headache.	D．She suffered a heart attack.

【小題3】Which of the following is the correct order of what happened to Tracey Hermanstorfer?
a．suffering a heart attack
b．stopping heart beating entirely
c．stopping breathing
d．coming back to life
e．receiving an epidural
f．producing a baby

A．acfdbe

B．fcadbe

C．eacbfd

D．eabcfd

【小題4】What feelings did Mr Hermanstorfer experience during the incident?

A．Sad and delighted.	B．Disappointed and depressed.
C．Sad and angry.	D．Touched and regrettable.

【小題5】Which of the following words best expresses Dr Martin's attitude towards Tracey Hermanstorfer's coming back to life?

A．Shocked.

B．Puzzled.

C．Normal.

D．Curious.

One of the worst feelings you have as a professional athlete is the feeling after losing a game to a team that you should have beaten. That happened last night against the lowly Boston Celtics. They had only won 13 games the whole year and were really struggling. We had just come off a very good win against the Orlando Magic on the road and were feeling good about ourselves.
The day did not start out good for us when we learned that T-Mac was going to miss the game with the flu. When you lose your best players (Yao, T-Mac) everyone must play a little harder and do a little bit more on the floor. We inserted Bonzi Wells into the lineup (he was the only one to have a good game for us), in place of T-Mac.
It was a nasty game. We are usually one of the best three point shooting teams in the NBA and we only made 1 of 22 three point shots! I have never seen that happen. Never! Rafer Alston, Luther Head, and me combined to shoot 5 of 33 from the field. Ouch! You aren't going to win too many games like that. Even as poorly as we shot the ball, we STILL had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter but failed to make the winning plays that you must make to leave the floor victorious.
In the locker room after the game, everybody felt terrible. When we play a bad game, we feel that we let our teammates down. There is a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach when you leave the gym and you just want to go home and not talk to anyone. It is a terrible feeling, but it is a feeling that makes you want to try harder and do better the next time.
I'll talk to you guys later.
Shane
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．To blame the team for losing the game.

B．To tell the readers about the feeling after losing the game

C．To explain why they played poorly in the game.

D．To blame Yao Ming and T—Mac for being absent from the game.

【小題2】 What can the readers learn from the text?
A. The Boston Celtics is one of the top teams in NBA.
B. The Boston Celtics had a big win over the writer’s team.
C. Every one of the team played poorly with no energy.
D. Bonzi Wells starts in the game with T-Mac out.
【小題3】 How do you think the writer might describe his performance that night?

A．Tough

B．Relaxing

C．Terrible

D．Efficient

【小題4】The text most probably comes from the writer’s _________ .

A．blog

B．telephone message

C．note

D．interview

Every year 2.2 million tons of oil are spilled ( 散落，濺出 ) into the ocean. Actually, this only amounts to a small percentage of the total 1.6 billion tons of oil shipped around the world each year.However, this spilled oil has terrible effects on ocean life, including the coastlines where the off washes up onto shore. Some of the largest spills in history were caused by oil tankers running into each other or by an oil tanker sailing into shallow water and hitting the bottom of the ocean. After these spills, officials try to discover who or what was at fault to help prevent similar accidents in the future.
One of the worst oil spills in history occurred along the Alaskan coastline in 1989. In this accident, 42,000 tons of oil spilled from a tanker which resulted in terrible damage to this sensitive natural area. In this spill, the tanker's captain, who was tired from overwork and drinking alcohol, had gone to take a rest. He gave control of the ship to the third mate. The third mate was unfamiliar with the path the ship took, and he ran the ship onto Blighe Reef. Blighe Reef is a natural underwater rock wall near the Alaskan coast. Damaged by the reef, the ship leaked oil out into the ocean. More than 1,600 kilometers of coastline were affected by the oil spill. Some scientists who studied nature in the area guessed that 580,000 birds and 5,500 otters died when the oil from the spill covered their skin. As well, smaller shellfish and other sea creatures were later eaten by seals, whales, and other animals.
The most oil ever spilled was actually dumped on purpose as an act of ecological warfare. The term ecological warfare means to fight by doing harm to nature in the area under attack. In 1990, Iraq sent soldiers into Kuwait and set off the Persian Gulf War. As part of the Iraq war plan,900,000 tons of oil were let out into the Persian Gulf Way Iraq. This oil covered 1,500 square kilometers of water in the Persian Gulf. The oil also damaged 650 kilometers of the coastline of both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In some places, oil floating on the water was measured to be 43 centimeters thick. Water birds, water plants, and baby fish were all seriously affected by the oil. The long-term effects of this act on the food chain in the area are bound to cause problems tar into the future.
【小題1】Which cause of oil spills is described in the second paragraph?

A．Dumping	B．War
C．Accidents	D．Throwing about carelessly

【小題2】The creatures affected by the oil spill near Alaska were_________.

A．birds and otters	B．shellfish
C．seals and whales	D．all of the above

【小題3】The third mate ran the thanker agound (觸礁) in this accident because_______.

A．he was tired	B．he was drunk
C．he was talking on the phone	D．he did not know the sea

【小題4】________ was responsible for dumping oil into the Persian Gulf.

A．The United States

B．Kuwait

C．Saudi Arabia

D．Iraq