Saja Pahad, a small village in Chhattisgarh, India, has been dealing with severe water shortages for as long as anyone can remember. With only two wells available, locals were barely able to secure enough water to feed their cattle, let alone irrigate their crops. Villagers didn’t know what to do and the government ignored their difficult situation, but one “crazy” teenager took matters into his own hands.

Shyam Lal was only 15 when he took it upon himself to solve his village’s water problem. He identified a spot in a nearby forest and decided to dig a pond to collect rainfall that could then be used by the entire village. Lal shared his idea with the rest of Saja Pahad, but instead of volunteering to help, they just laughed at his crazy plan and called him a lunatic (疯子). But the young man didn’t let the people’s reaction get him down. Instead, he grabbed a spade (铁锹) and started digging the pond himself. He kept on digging for the next 27 years.

Now 43, Shyam Lal is considered a hero by his community. That small hole he started digging nearly three decades ago is now a one-acre, 15-feet-deep pond filled with precious water that serves the entire village.

“No one helped me in my work, neither the government nor the villagers,” Lal told the Hindustan Times. “It was my dream to secure enough water for the whole village and their cattle.”

The story of Shyam Lal’s determination recently went viral in the whole of India, and prompted authorities in Mahendragarh district to finally acknowledge his achievement. A member of the government recently visited Saja Pahad and offered Lal a $ 156 prize for his contribution to the village.

【小题1】Where is the pond Shyam Lal chose to dig?

A．Near his home.	B．In his field.
C．Near a river.	D．In a forest.

【小题2】How does Shyam Lal feel about his work?

A．Joyful.	B．Envious.
C．Ambitious.	D．Helpless.

【小题3】What does the underlined word “viral” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Widely.	B．Seriously.
C．Secretly.	D．Occasionally.

【小题4】What made the government admit Shyam Lal’s achievement?

A．He had been living badly.

B．His influence was great.

C．The appeal of the villagers was high.

D．The government wished people to follow the example of him.

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In 1882，at 19 months old，Helen Keller unfortunately 【小题1】（catch）a fierce fever. She survived but the fever left its mark--she could no longer see 【小题2】 hear. It was as if she had been thrown into a dark prison cell. 【小题3】（luck），Helen was not someone who gave up easily. She began to explore the world 【小题4】 using the other senses. By the age of seven，she had invented over 60 different signs by means of 【小题5】 she could talk to her family.

With days passing by，Helen came 【小题6】（realize）that she was different from others and that there were a lot of 【小题7】（restrict）on her communication. This made her so angry that her behaviour was often【小题8】（bear）. Eventually，it became clear that something had to be done. So，just before her seventh birthday，her superb teacher，Anne Sullivan came to her life. 【小题9】（help）by her teacher，she gradually became gentle and learnt to read and write in Braille. Besides，she even learnt to speak，a major 【小题10】（achieve）for someone who could not speak at all.

Helen made continual efforts to go deeper into the kingdom of knowledge，and her perseverance（坚持不懈）paid off at last.

   More than four decades ago，British scientist Robert Edwards first witnessed the miracle of human life growing inside a test tube at his Cambridge lab. Since that groundbreaking moment，more than four million babies have been born through IVF（in vitro fertilization）（体外受精）and in 2010 his great contribution to science was finally recognized as he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

The prize for Dr. Edwards，who was given a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award in 2008，includes a ₤ 900，000check. The Nobel Assembly described IVF as“a milestone in modern medicine”.

With the help of fellow scientist Patrick Steptoe，the Batley-born physiologist developed IVF — leading to the birth of the world's first test-tube baby. Dr. Steptoe died 10 years later but their work has given hope to millions of couples.

It was a scientific breakthrough that transformed-the lives of millions of couples. They said，“His achievements have made it possible to treat infertility，a disease which makes humans unable to have a baby. This condition has been afflicting a large percentage of mankind including more than 10%of all couples worldwide.”

Louise Brown，the world's first test-tube baby，made international headlines when she was born in Oldham，Greater Manchester，in 1978 to parents Lesley and John who had been fruitlessly trying for a baby since 1969.

IVF is the process where egg cells are fertilized outside the body before being implanted in the womb（子宫）. After a cycle of IVF，the probability of a couple with infertility problems having a baby is one in five — the same as healthy couples who conceive（怀孕）naturally.

Professor Edwards，who has five daughters and 11 grandchildren，began his research at the University of Cambridge in 1963，after receiving his PhD in 1955. He once said,“The most important thing in life is having a child.  Nothing is more special than a child.”With the help of Patrick Steptoe, Prof. Edwards founded the Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridgeshire, which now treats more than 900 women a year. Each year, more than 30,000 women in Britain receive IVF and 11,000 babies are born as a result of the treatment.

But his work attracted widespread criticism from some scientists who said it was“unethical and immoral”.

Martin Johnson, professor of Reproductive Sciences at the University of Cambridge, said the award was “long overdue”. He said,“We couldn't understand why the Nobel Prize has come so late but he is delighted — this is the cherry on the cake for him.”

Professor Edwards was too ill to give interviews but a statement released by his family said he was“thrilled and delighted”.

【小题1】What is Robert Edwards' great contribution to science?

A．Enabling millions of couples to live a better life.

B．Seeing the wonder of the first test-tube baby.

C．Helping couples with infertility to have test-tube babies.

D．Challenging a disease which stops humans having babies.

【小题2】The underlined word"afflicting"(Paragraph 4) can be replaced by ____________.

A．troubling	B．developing
C．improving	D．confusing

【小题3】Why did Professor Edwards begin his research on the test-tube baby?

A．Because he thought it of great importance to have a child in life.

B．Because the birthrate around the world was unexpectedly low then.

C．Because a special child did make a difference to an ordinary family.

D．Because his fellow scientist wanted to give hope to the unlucky couples.

【小题4】It can be inferred from Paragraph 8 and Paragraph 9 that ____________.

A．Professor Edwards deserved the prize for his breakthrough

B．different opinions were voiced on Professor Edwards' contribution

C．some people envied Professor Edwards for his being awarded

D．the prize was late because the contribution was first considered immoral

   36-year-old Victoria Murden McClure is a real adventurer. She has been on many mountaineering expeditions（探险）. She was also the youngest person in a team that skied 1，200 kilometers across Antarctica to the South Pole in 1989，and became one of only two women ever to travel to the Pole by land.

The journey across the Atlantic was her third attempt. The first time she failed because of illness，and during her second attempt，in 1998，she nearly died. She had rowed nearly 5，000 kilometers when her boat was hit by Hurricane Danielle. McClure was suddenly in the middle of 80 mph wind，and surrounded by waves that were 20 meters high.

Her little boat turned over five times. McClure was sure that she was going to die —she took the video recorder that she had brought with her and recorded a goodbye message to her family and friends. The hurricane continued into night，and The Pearl turned over five more times.

McClure was determined not to send a signal asking to be rescued-she didn't want other people to risk their lives. But after the eleventh capsizing（倾袭）of her boat，she finally sent it and a large ship came and found her. However，they couldn't get her boat out of the rough sea—it was found months later near the coast of Portugal.

Victoria Murden McClure had concussion（脑震荡）and a dislocated shoulder when she got home. Many people might have given up after an experience like this，but one year later，McClure was back in her repaired boat and tried again. This time she was successful，and although she again met a hurricane on the journey，which stopped her from breaking the record for the fastest transatlantic rowing crossing，she only overturned once！

【小题1】According to the first paragraph，we can know that in 1989 __________.

A．only two women landed on the South Pole

B．more than two people traveled to the South Pole

C．the journey to the Pole was McClure's first attempt

D．McClure was the only woman in the expedition team

【小题2】The reason why McClure nearly died on the journey across the Atlantic was that __________.

A．she was ill	B．she came across a strong wind
C．she lost her way	D．none came to her rescue

【小题3】What does the underlined words "The Pearl" refer to __________.

A．Hurricane Danielle	B．the rescue ship
C．McClure's boat	D．the expedition team

【小题4】What can we learn from the passage？

A．McClure didn't send any signal for rescue on the second journey across the Atlantic.

B．People didn't find her boat any more after the second journey across the Atlantic.

C．McClure was badly physically hurt on the second journey across the Atlantic.

D．McClure said goodbye to the transatlantic rowing crossing after the second journey across the Atlantic.