A

National Geographic Society

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 U.S.A.

Phyllis Diller

Senior President

Dear Member,

Your National Geographic Society membership is just about to end. To continue receiving National Geographic for another year, please make your membership continue for a further period of time.

Then get ready to enjoy 60 interesting Geographic articles and as many as five colorful new maps scheduled for the coming year.

Think back to the places you’ve been—the things you’ve seen—only in your National Geographic. What a valuable reference library they make for a better understanding of our world. As your collection of magazines grows, yoand your family will continue to use and refer to them—year after year! It’s like an encyclopedia (百科全书) that continually updates itself.

There’s more to membership than the magazine and the maps. Yoalso have the satisfaction of knowing that your dues support the Society’s research and geography education projects.

Incredibly, only a few pennies a day brings yomembership, magazines, and maps. Divide that by the number of people who benefit from your membership, and you’ll see how little it costs to gain so much.

I think you’ll agree, and yowon’t find a better bargain anywhere. Continue the adventure. Make your membership continue today.

Sincerely,

Phyllis Diller

P.S. To continue receiving National Geographic—with minimum delay—yomust respond immediately.

41. According to the passage, National Geographic provides people with ______.

A. interesting articles B. new schedules

C. membership cards D. education projects

42. We can learn from the passage that ______.

A. the magazines an d maps are free

B. the membership costs a lot of money

C. the payments will support some research

D. the magazines can only be found in the library

43. What is the purpose of the passage?

A. To call for more social research. B. To ask people to continue membership.

C. To introduce a popular magazine. D. To encourage people to travel the world.

B

Fly Alone for the First Time

I began flying lessons at the age of 14; but the Federal Aviation Administration requires yoto be 16 before yomake flight by yo urself. So I had to wait for two long years until I could fly a plane by myself. I used th at time to master the basic maneuvers (要领) of flying. I learned emergency procedures and practiced hundreds of takeoffs and landings until I could land the airplane smoothly without bouncing it down the runway. It wasn’t always easy, and many times I would come home feeling discouraged and thinking maybe everyone was right—I would never learn to fly, but by the next day, I was always eager to try again.

On the day of my 16th birthday, I made my first solo flight, which meant I could finally fly alone. The night before, my dad, who was my flight instructor, explained that the winds were forecast to be high. He said if we were in the air by dawn, the winds would probably be calm enough for me to solo. The next morning it was cold, but the sky was completely clear, and the winds were calm. I expected my dad to stay in the plane for at least three takeoffs and landings. But after the first one, he told me to pull off the runway, and he got out of the plane.

I was alone. As I climbed higher and higher, the world began to change. Everything on the ground became miniature. Houses, cars, and all looked like tiny toys that could fit in the surface of my hand. I made three takeoffs and landings that day. Each landing was perfect. It was one of t he happiest days of my life.

Today, as a flight instructor, I stand alongside runways watching as my own students take to the sky on their first solo flights. I understand the joy faces, which always bring me back to that day when my dream came true. I learned that no matter how people tell yothat yocan’t do something, if yobelieve in yourself, yocan succeed.

44. When practicing flying, the author ______.

A. met several times of emergencies B. was worried about his own safety

C. couldn’t wait to fly alone in the sky D. sometimes doubted his ability to fly

45. The underlined word “miniature” probably means “______”.

A. distant B. unclear C. small D. high

46. What was the father concerned about before his son flied alone?

A. Whether his son was brave enough. B. Whether it would be too windy.

C. Whether he was able to protect his son. D. Whether there were negative comments.