Section A NEWS
News1
A 16th century castle in Scotland is on the verge of collapse after chunks of soil were washed away by floods, threatening its foundations.
On Sunday, the castle's owner, John Gordon, 76, was forced to evacuate his property after the River Dee swept away about 60 feet of land, leaving the castle dangerously close to the river, according to the Scottish Daily Record.
Abergeldie castle, located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was built by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar who later became the Earl of Huntly.
The castle, which is located on 11,700 acres, was leased to members of the royal family between 1848 and 1970, including King Edward VII and George V.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 35 flood warnings covering several regions as Scotland continues to clean up after Storm Frank hit the country last Wednesday.
"This means that rivers will rise more slowly but then stay high for much longer," the environmental agency said.
Q1. Why did John Gordon move out of Abergeldie castle?
A. It was dangerous to live in.
B. It was going to be renovated.
C. He could no longer pay the rent.
D. He had sold it to the royal family.
答案: A
Q2. What happened in Scotland last Wednesday?
A. A strike.
B. A storm
C. A forest fire.
D. A terrorist attack.
答案: B


News2
Rescue efforts were underway Thursday morning for 17 miners who were stuck in an elevator below ground.
a Cargill rock salt mine in Lansing, N.Y. ccording to Marcia Lynch, public information officer with Tompkins County’s emergency response department.
Emergency workers have made contact with the miners through a radio, and they all appear to be uninjured, said Jessica Verfuss, the emergency department’s assistant director.
Crews have managed to provide heat packs and blankets to the miners so that they can keep warm during the rescue operation, Verfuss said.
Details about what led to the workers’ being trapped in the elevator weren’t immediately available.
The mine, near New York's Cayuga Lake, processes salt used for road treatment. It produces about 2 million tons of salt that is shipped to more than 1,500 places in the northeastern United States.
The rock salt mine is one of three operated by Cargill, with the other two being in Louisiana and Ohio.
Q3. What does the news report say about the salt miners?
A. They lost contact with the emergency department.
B. They were trapped in an underground elevator.
C. They were injured by suddenly falling rocks.
D. They sent calls for help via a portable radio.
答案 B
Q4. What did the rescue team do?
A. They tried hard to repair the elevator.
B. They released the details of the accident.
C. They sent supplies to keep the miners warm.
D. They provided the miners with food and water.
答案 C


News3
The U.S. Postal Service announced today that it is considering closing about 3,700 post offices over the next year because of falling revenues.
Facing an $8.3 billion budget deficit this year, closing post offices is one of several proposals the Postal Service has put forth recently to cut costs.
Last week for example, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced plans to stop mail delivery on Saturdays, a move he says could save $3 billion annually.
"We are losing revenue as we speak," Donahoe said. "We do not want taxpayer money. We want to be self-sufficient. So like any other business, you have to make choices."
Dean Granholm, the vice president for delivery and post office operations, said the first wave of closings would begin this fall.
He estimated that about 3,000 postmasters, 500 station managers and between 500 and 1,000 postal clerks could lose their jobs.
Q5. What is the US Postal Service planning to do?
A. Raise postage rates.
B. Improve its services.
C. Redesign delivery routes.
D. Close some of its post office.
答案 D
Q6. What measure has been planned to save costs?
A. Shortening business hours.
B. Closing offices on holidays.
C. Stopping mail delivery on Saturdays.
D. Computerising mail sorting processes.
答案 C
Q7. What will happen when the proposed measure comes into effect?
A. Many post office staff will lose their jobs.
B. Many people will begin to complain.
C. Taxpayers will be very pleased.
D. A lot of controversy will arise.
答案 A