Whichissafer-stayingathome，travelingtoworkonpublictransport，orworkingintheoffice?Surprisingly，eachofthesecarriesthesamerisk，whichisverylow.However，whataboutflyingcomparedtoworkinginthechemicalindustry?Unfortunately，theformeris65timesriskierthanthelatter!Infact，theaccidentrateofworkersinthechemicalindustryislessthanthatofalmostanyofhumanactivity，andalmostassafeasstayingathome.

Thetroublewiththechemicalindustryisthatwhenthingsgowrongtheyoftencausedeathtothoselivingnearby.Itisthiswhichmakeschemicalaccidentssonewsworthy.Fortunately，theyareextremelyrare.ThemostfamousoneshappenedatTexasCity(1947)，Flixborough(1974)，Seveso(1976)，Pemex(1984)andBhopal(1984)。

Someofthesearealwaysinthemindsofthepeopleeventhoughthelossoflifewassmall.NoonediedatSeveso，andonly28workersatFlixborough.TheworstaccidentofallwasBhopal，whereupto3，000werekilled.TheTexasCityexplosionoffertilizerkilled552.ThePemexfireatastorageplantfornaturalgasinthesuburbsofMexicoCitytook542lives，justamonthbeforetheunfortunateeventatBhopal.

Someexpertshavediscussedtheseaccidentsandusedeachaccidenttoillustrateaparticulardanger.ThustheTexasCityexplosionwascausedbytonsofammoniumnitrate(硝酸铵)，whichissafeunlessstoredingreatquantity.TheFlixboroughfireballwasthefaultofmanagement，whichtookriskstokeepproductiongoingduringessentialrepairs.TheSevesoaccidentshowswhathappensifthelocalauthoritieslackknowledgeofthedangerontheirdoorstep.Whenthepoisonousgasdriftedoverthetown，localleaderswereincapableoftakingeffectiveaction.ThePemexfirewasmadeworsebyanoverloadedsiteinanovercrowdedsuburb.Thefiresetoffachainreactionosexplodingstoragetanks.Yet，byamiracle，thetwolargesttanksdidnotexplode.Hadthesecaughtfire，then3，000strongrescueteamandfirefighterswouldallhavedied.

1.Chemicalaccidentsareusuallyimportantenoughtobereportedasnewsbecause____.

A.theyareveryrare

B.theyoftencauselossoflife

C.theyalwaysoccurinbigcities

D.theyarousetheinterestofallthereaders

2.Whichofthefollowingstatementsistrue?

A.Workingattheofficeissaferthanstayingathome.

B.Traverllingtoworkonpublictransportissaferthanworkingattheoffice.

C.Stayingathomeissaferthanworkinginthechemicalindustry.

D.Workinginthechemicalindustryissaferthantravelingbyair.

3.Accordingtopassage，thechemicalaccidentthatcausedbythefaultofmanagementhappenedat____.

A.TexascityB.FlixboroughC.SevesoD.MexicoCity

4.Fromthediscussionamongsomeexpertswemaycocludethat____.

A.toavoidanyaccidentsweshouldnotrepairthefacilitiesinchemicalindustry

B.thelocalauthoritiesshouldnotbeconcernedwiththeproductionofthechemicalindustry

C.alltheseaccidentscouldhavebeenavoidedorcontrolledifeffectivemeasurehadbeentaken

D.naturalgasstoredinverylargetanksisalwayssafe

5.Fromthepassageweknowthatammoniumnitrateisakindof____.

A.naturalgas，whichcaneasilycatchfire

B.fertilizer，whichcan'tbestoredinagreatquantity

C.poisonoussubstance，whichcan'tbeusedinovercrowdedareas

D.fuel，whichisstoredinlargetanks

PartIReadingComprehension

Passage1

Questions1to5arebasedonthefollowingpassage:

InWashingtonD.C.,1600PennsylvaniaAvenueisaveryspecialaddress.ItistheaddressoftheWhiteHouse,thehomeofthepresidentoftheUnitedStates.

OriginallytheWhiteHousewasgrayandwascalledthePresidentialPalace.Itwasbuiltfrom1792to1800.atthistime,thecityofWashingtonitselfwasbeingbuilt;itwastobethenation’snewcapitalcity.GeorgeWashington,thefirstpresident,andPierreCharlesL’Enfant,aFrenchengineer,chosetheplaceforthenewcity.L’Enfantthenplannedtheycity.Thepresident’shomewasanimportantpartoftheplan.

Acontestwasheldtopickadesignforthepresident’shome.AnarchitectnamedJamesHobanwon.Hedesignedalargethree-storyhouseofgraystone.

PresidentWashingtonneverlivedinthePresidentPalace.ThefirstpresidenttolivetherewasJohnAdams,thesecondpresidentoftheUnitedStates,andhiswifeMrs.Adamsdidnotreallylikehewnewhouse.Inherletters,sheoftencomplainedaboutthecold.Fiftyfireplaceswerenotenoughtokeepthehousewarm!

In1812theUnitedStatesandBritainwenttowar.In1814theBritishinvadedWashington.Theuburnedmanybuildings,includingthePresidentialPalace.

AfterthewarJamesHoban,theoriginalarchitect,partiallyrebuiltthepresident’shomes.Tocoverthemarksofthefire,thebuildingwaspaintedwhite.BeforelongitbecameknownastheWhiteHouse.

TheWhiteHouseisoneofthemostpopulartouristattractionsintheUnitedStates.Everyyearmorethan1.5millionvisitorsgothroughthefiveroomsthatareopentothepublic.

1.TheWhiteHousewasbuiltinWashington.

A.becauseaFrenchengineerwasinvitedtodesignit

B.becausePresidentGeorgeWashingtonlikedtoliveinit

C.becausetheBritishinvaderslivedinitin1812-1814

D.becauseitwastobethenation’scapitalcity

2.ThePresidentialPalacewas.

A.paintedgrayandwhiteB.madeofgraystone

C.madeofwhitestoneD.madeverywarminwinter

3.Thepresident’shomeandthecityofWashingtonwere.

A.builtbytheAmericanarmyB.builtbytheBritishtroops

C.plannedbyGeorgeWashingtonD.plannedbytheFrench

4.Theoriginalhomeofthepresidentneededtoberebuilt.

A.becauseJohnAdam’swifedidnotlikeit

B.becauseitwascoldinwinterevenwith50fireplaces

C.becauseithadburneddownduringthewar

D.becauseGeorgeWashingtonwasnotwillingtoliveinit

5.Thenewpresidentialhomewaspaintedwhiteto.

A.coverthemarksoffireB.attracttouristfromFrance

C.topleaseMrs.JohnAdamsD.keepitwarminwinter

Arrivingatthebusstop,_____waitingthere.

PartIVTranslation

Thecaptainrealizedthatthementriedtodeceivehimsohemadethemworkveryhardfortherestofthevoyage.(PassageOne)

Directions:

Inthissection,youwillheartwopassages.Attheendofeachpassage,youwillhearsomequestions.Boththepassageandthequestionsmwillbespokenonlyonce.Afteryouhearaquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA,B,CandD.ThenmarkthecorrespondingletterontheAnswerSheetwithasinglelinethroughthecentre.PassageOneQuestions9to12arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.

9、A.Sheescapedunhurt.

B.Shewitnessedtheshooting.

C.Shewasshottodeath.

D.Shewas15yearsold.

10、A.5.B.7.C.11.D.12.

11、A.Spear'sdigitalcamera.

B.Onesuspect'sgun.

C.Thequeen'svideo.

D.Berry'spurse.

12、A.Civiliansshouldkeepawayfromthebusinesszone.

B.Everybodyshouldthinkabouthowtofightagainstcrimes.

C.Governmentshouldscheduletonegotiatewithterrorists.

D.Peopleshouldemigratebecauseofdomestichighcrimerate.PassageTwo

Questions13to15arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.

13、A.Increasingsalaries.

B.Surgingenergyproduction.

C.Boominghousingmarket.

D.Risinginterestrates.

14、A.Increasinginterestrate.

B.Decreasingfinancialproducts.

C.Buyingsubstantialsecurities.

D.Expandingfinancialbusiness.

15、A.Frackingcaninfluencetheburningoffossilfuels.

B.Theuseoffrackingwilldoharmtoenvironment.

C.Frackingtechnologyisasafepracticeinindustry.

D.Theuseoffrackingisbeneficialtopeople'shealth.