In November 1965, New York was blacked out by an electricity failure. The authorities promised that it would not happen again. Pessimists were certain that it would occur again within five years at the latest. In July 1977, there was a repeat performance which produced varying degrees of chaos throughout the city of eight million people. In 1965, the failure occurred in the cool autumn and at a time of comparative prosperity. In 1977, the disaster was much more serious because it came when unemployment was high and the city was suffering from one of its worst beat waves. In 1965, there was little crime or looting during the darkness, and fewer than a hundred people were arrested. In 1977, hundreds of stores were broken into and looted. Looters smashed shop windows and helped themselves to jewelry, clothes or television sets. Nearly 4,000 people were arrested but far more disappeared into the darkness of the night. The number of policemen available was quite inadequate and they wisely refrained from using their guns against mobs which far outnumbered them and included armed men. Hospitals had to treat hundreds of people cut by glass from shop windows. Banks and most businesses remained closed the next day. The black-out started at 9:30 p.m., when lightning hit and knocked out vital cables. Many stores were thus caught by surprise. The vast majority of New Yorkers, however, were not involved in looting. They helped strangers, distributed candles and batteries, and tried to survive in a nightmare world without traffic lights, refrigerators, elevators, water and electrical power. For twenty-four hours, New York realized how helpless it was without electricity. In what way was the blackout of 1977 not really a repeat performance
A. There was much more disorder.
B. This time the electricity supply failed.
C. It was quite unexpected.
D. It did not occur within five years of 1965.
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Blinks can take several forms. Besides the blinks that wash the eye, there are those associated with unexpected circumstances (such as loud noises), as well as the voluntary flaps of the eyelids that may express anger or incredulity. Another type, the spontaneous eye blink, is neither voluntary nor reflexive. Most blinks are spontaneous. Mere eye-rinsing requires a blink no more than once a minute; yet most people blink around 15 times a minute. Why do we blink so frequently Apparently there is a direct relationship between spontaneous blinking and the mind. Scientists can now discern how the frequency and duration of blinks vary according to whether a person is alert, bored, anxious or concentrating. Studies show first of all that we blink less when we are most alert. A person reading a novel blinks about six times a minute; someone engaged in conversation blinks more than twice as often. Automobile drivers blink less when negotiating distracting city streets than when cruising down highways. Researchers have learned that the rate and duration of our blinks vary according to the tasks we perform. People engaged in visual activities like drawing blink less frequently; fatigued individual blink more often than when they are rested. We blink more if upset. Anxiety also increases the number of blinks. Notice helicopter pilots blink more often than instructors, and witnesses under cross-examination blink more frequently than those facing friendly lawyers. This connection between blinking and apprehension explains why television newscasters are instructed to blink normally, in order to appear calm and controlled and, thus, unflappable before the cameras. This also applies to politicians. Newsweek reports that when neuro-psychologist Joe Tecce monitored Michael Dukakis and Geoge Bush during their debate last October, he concluded that the Massachusetts governor was more nervous. Dukakis averaged 75 blinks per minute (92 when asked if he’d raise taxes), Bush 67. How often do most people blink normally
A. Once a minute.
B. Once every 4 seconds.
C. Once a tenth of a second.
D. Once a secon
Questions 22-25 are based on a conversation you are going to hear. When does the motel want its guests to pay
A. Before they arrive.
B. While they register.
C. When they reserve a room.
D. Just before their departur
What did the teacher do
A. The teacher went over a previous lesson.
B. The teacher presented new materials.
C. The teacher tested students.
D. The teacher read the students the last lesson.
Questions 14-17 are based on the following monologue. What’s the main purpose of this talk
A. To explain why recycling important.
B. To describe the recycling program.
C. To discuss whether or not recycling should be mandatory (命令性的).
D. To explain how to find the recycling facilities.