Reading practice英语阅读练习

Dean

[code][/code]I will paste some easy English reading passages for our English learners. I hope they can improve your reading comprehension and provide you with somenewinformation at the same time.

Bio-Fuel Made Easy

Several countries are turning to ethanol乙醇 blended bio-fuels as a way to increase their oil independence from foreign oil and to help lower fuel costs. The United States is following in the footsteps of Brazil and other countries by taking advantage of this technology, as consumers are realizing that there is an alternative to high oil prices.

The development of renewable fuel for home heating and vehicle consumption began in 1973, during the last gas crisis, when prices skyrocketed and fuel availability was limited. As pump prices are at near record highs again this spring, organic sources of renewable fuel are getting a more serious look from consumers as well as politicians.

“Many drivers are ready to do whatever it takes to cut their costs, even if it means making the fuel themselves,\" said Nat Norton, publisher of Infobooks.org, which has recently released the book “Make Your Own Fuel for 12 Cents Per Gallon.\" (www.infobooks.org/makegasoline.phtml)

“Gas prices are going through the roof and the American consumer has suffered tremendously the past year or so as prices have nearly doubled.\"

The book details how to build a legal distiller蒸馏器 that generates bio-fuel from corn and grass. The project can be built by almost anyone in four to six hours using locally available materials at a cost of under $30. The bio-fuel it produces can be mixed with standard gasoline or diesel and burn safely without harming the vehicle. Using this method can save motorists 15-20 percent of the cost of gasoline. Newer cars will soon be built that can run on 100% bio-fuels, but in the meantime, a gasoline/bio-fuels mix is still needed.

Dean

Reading Practice 15

Cow Stops Traffic

On June 19, 2006, a rather unexpected visitor brought one of the busiest highways in El Paso, Texas, to a complete stop. Walking up and down the edges of the four-lane highway was a little calf小牛，犊. The calf had broken free from its enclosure围栏 at a nearby location and wandered its way right into the middle of this extremely busy highway.

Several people on the highway had parked their cars on the sides to help corner紧逼 and apprehend捉拿 the calf. However, most attempts failed because the calf ran away. Soon, the El Paso police were on the scene. After about 30 minutes of chasing the calf on the highway, the police managed to corner and capture it. The owner had to come out and lasso用套索捕捉 the calf, which quickly calmed down after the arrival of its owner. The police had to give the owner a citation传讯；传票.

This is not the first time an animal has stopped traffic in the U.S. Animals that are either strays误入 or pets end up on busy streets or highways. The best solution is to contact the police or a nearby animal shelter, because they have the information and contacts to control a situation like this.

What caused a massive traffic stop in El Paso?
A. A dog    B. A cat   C. A cow    D. A fox

Answer: C

Dean

Reading Practice 16

Treatment For World’s Tallest Woman

Shanghai, China, is home to the world’s tallest woman. Yao Defen, a 36-year-old woman, suffers from a brain tumor肿瘤 which is believed to be the reason behind her gigantic巨大的 stature身材. Defen stands at 7.75 feet tall, which is 2 inches more than Sandy Allen of the United States, who is currently listed as the world’s tallest woman in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Defen's brain tumor is located in a gland腺 of the brain that regulates the release of growth hormones荷尔蒙，激素. Due to her tumor, her body was forced to release an excess of growth hormones, which lead to her gigantism巨人症 (her extreme height). This excess of growth hormones has made many of her bones weak and brittl脆的, making it hard for this 36-year-old woman to sit or stand.

Defen’s family are poor farmers living in eastern China and, after the story of her gigantism and tumor was broadcasted internationally by the Discovery Channel, many doctors in China were willing to award Defen free treatment for her illness. She is now reportedly taking medicine to stop the gland from producing more growth hormones, so she won’t continue to grow.

Doctors expect that after her treatment and surgery Defen will shrink 30%. This shrinkage will ease the osteoporosis骨质疏松, a disease that makes bones in the body weak and more likely to break, which will hopefully allow Defen to lead a more normal life.

Where does the world’s real tallest woman live?
A. Jamaica   B. China    C. United States  D. Mexico

Answer: B

Dean

Come and join us in reading practice. I'm sure your reading skill will get better after you read thse passages.

Dean

ReadingPractice 22

Effects of Earthquakes

You probably know that earthquakes cause the ground to shake, sometimes damaging buildings and tearing up trees. But did you know that earthquakes can affect the size of the Earth?

The Earth became just a teeny, tiny bit smaller on the day after Christmas as a result of the earthquake in Southeast Asia. How? The earthquake happened because one of the Earth’s plates forced another plate beneath it. Previously（原来） the plates were side by side. Now that one has covered the other, the sur face area of the Earth is a little bit smaller.

The changing size of the Earth may also have affected how fast it spins（自转）. Because it's slightly smaller, the Earth may be spinning just a little bit faster. But the change is so insignificant（小） that you'll never notice it.

This undersea earthquake also caused tsunamis（海啸）--large waves--which crashed into coastal areas of Southeast Asia. But the world is smaller in more ways than one! The kindness and generosity（慷慨） from people everywhere is reaching Southeast Asia. Governments, individuals, newspapers, and websites across the Earth want to help the survivors（幸存者） rebuild their homes and their lives.

What caused the Southeast Asian tsunami?

A.an avalanche
B.a vocano
C.an earthquake
D.a hurricane

Answer: C