But, back in London, her views were not shared by some members of the British government, which refused to support a ban on these weapons. Angry politicians launched an, attack on the Princess in the press. They described her as “very ill-informed” and a “loose cannon (亂放炮的人).”

　　The Princess responded by brushing aside the criticisms: “This is a distraction (干擾) we do not need. All I’m trying to do is help.”

　　Opposition parties, the media and the Public immediately voiced their support for the Princess. To make matters worse for the government, it soon emerged that the Princess’s trip had been approved by the Foreign Office, and that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government’s policy regarding landmines. The result was a severe embarrassment for the government.

　　To try and limit the damage, the Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, claimed that the Princess’s views on landmines were not very different from government policy, and that it was “working towards” a worldwide ban. The Defense Secretary, Michael Portillo, claimed the matter was “a misinterpretation or misunderstanding.”

　　For the Princess, the trip to this war-torn country was an excellent opportunity to use her popularity to show the world how much destruction and suffering landmines can cause. She said that the experience had also given her the Chance to get closer to people and their problems.

　　26. Princess Diana paid a visit to Angola in 1997 ________.

　　A) to voice her support for a total ban of landmines

　　B) to clarify the British government’s stand on landmines

　　C) to investigate the sufferings of landmine victims there

　　D) to establish her image as a friend of landmine victims

　　27. What did Diana mean when she said “... putting a face to those figures brought the reality home to me” (Line 5, Para. 1)?

　　A) She just couldn’t bear to meet the landmine victims face to face.

　　B) The actual situation in Angola made her feel like going back home.

　　C) Meeting the landmine victims in person made her believe the statistics.

　　D) Seeing the pain of the victims made her realize the seriousness of the situation.

　　28. Some members of the British government criticized Diana because ________.

　　A) she was ill-informed of the government’s policy

　　B) they were actually opposed to banning landmines

　　C) she had not consulted the government before the visit

　　D) they believed that she had misinterpreted the situation in Angola

　　29. How did Diana respond to the criticisms?

　　A) She paid no attention to them.

　　B) She made more appearances on TV.

　　C) She met the 13-year-old girl as planned.

　　D) She rose to argue with her opponents.

　　30. What did Princess Diana think of her visit to Angola?

　　A) It had caused embarrassment to the British government.

　　B) It had brought her closer to the ordinary people.

　　C) It had greatly promoted her popularity.

　　D) It had affected her relations with the British government.

　　26. A 27. D 28. B 29.A 30. B

　　Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spell misery, but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu (流感) may make a difference in how long the misery lasts.

　　The American Lung Association (ALA) has issued new guidelines on combating colds and the flu, and one of the keys is being able to quickly tell the two apart. That’s because the prescription drugs available for the flu need to be taken soon after the illness sets in. As for colds, the sooner a person starts taking over-the-counter remedy, the sooner relief will come.

　　The common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses. More than 200 viruses can cause cold symptoms, while the flu is caused by three viruses—flu A, B and C. There is no cure for either illness, but the flu can be prevented by the flu vaccine (疫苗), which is, for most people, the best way to fight the flu, according to the ALA.

　　But if the flu does strike, quick action can help. Although the flu and common cold have many similarities, there are some obvious signs to look for.

　　Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever. On the other hand, fever is one of the characteristic features of the flu for all ages. And in general, flu symptoms including fever and chills, sore throat and body aches come on suddenly and are more severe than cold symptoms.

　　The ALA notes that it may be particularly difficult to tell when infants and preschool age children have the flu. It advises parents to call the doctor if their small children have flu-like symptoms.

　　Both cold and flu symptoms can be eased with over-the-counter medications as well. However, children and teens with a cold or flu should not take aspirin for pain relief because of the risk of Reye syndrome (綜合癥)，a rare but serious condition of the liver and central nervous system.

　　There is, of course, no vaccine for the common cold. But frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who have colds can reduce the likelihood of catching one.

　　11. According to the author, knowing the cause of the misery will help ________.

　　A) shorten the duration of the illness

　　B) the patient buy medicine over the counter

　　C) the patient obtain cheaper prescription drugs

　　D) prevent people from catching colds and the flu

　　12. We learn from the passage that ________.

　　A) one doesn’t need to take any medicine if he has a cold or the flu

　　B) aspirin should not be included in over-the-counter medicines for the flu

　　C) delayed treatment of the flu will harm the liver and central nervous system

　　D) over-the-counter drugs can be taken to ease the misery caused by a cold or the flu

　　13. According to the passage, to combat the flu effectively, ________.

　　A) one should identify the virus which causes it

　　B) one should consult a doctor as soon as possible

　　C) one should take medicine upon catching the disease

　　D) one should remain alert when the disease is spreading

　　14. Which of the following symptoms will distinguish the flu from a cold?

　　A) A stuffy nose.

　　B) A high temperature.

　　C) A sore throat.

　　D) A dry cough

　　15. If children have flu-like symptoms, their parents ________.

　　A) are advised not to give them aspirin

　　B) should watch out for signs of Reye syndrome

　　C) are encouraged to take them to hospital for vaccination

　　D) should prevent them from mixing with people running a fever

　　11. A 12. D 13. C 14.B 15. A