Passage One
When the terrorist attack on September 11th caused people to flee the building, Avremel Zelmanowitz risked his own chance of escape by staying behind with his friend and colleague, Ed Beyea, who was Confined to a wheelchair due to a par’alysis (瘫痪). Both men lost their lives, but the stray of Avremel’s love and devotion to his friend conveys a life-giving message to all.
Avremel never married, and he shared a house with his brother and his family. He was a loving uncle to his brother’s children; and he was devoted to caring for his aging parents. He was a "family man" in every sense of the word. At the same time, he had his own life, his varied interests, and a job and friends.
When the tragedy occurred, Avremel was age 55, and his friend, Ed Beyea, was age 42. Ed became disabled after a diving accident at age 22, but he managed to work 14 years at Blue Cross since his injury Both he and Avremel were program analysts who worked on the 27th floor of World Trade Center.
They both loved books and music, and they both served as the special uncle of their respective families. Like Avremel, Ed had no children of his own, but he was a father figure to his two nephews after their father died.
On the morning of September 11, Ed wanted to wait until he could be securely carried down by several rescue workers, as it was dangerous for someone with his disability to be moved. Avremel wouldn’t allow his friend to wait alone when everyone else was fleeing the building, and he stayed with him.
In the days that followed, the media learned about Aw’emel’s selfless act, and the story began to spread. President Bush, in his national prayer address to the American people, referred to Avremel’s act as one of the many "outstanding acts of sacrifice" that were demonstrated by Americans during this crisis.
A.Because he expected the rescuers to help him.
B.Because he tried to carry Ed downstairs.
C.Because he thought it was safer to stay inside.
D.Because he didn’t want to leave Ed behind.
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Passage Three
There is a tale that straw is the worst material from which to build a house, particularly if you are a pig with a hungry wolf around. So the cards were stacked against Warren Brush when local officials learned that he had several buildings made of straw bales ( 大捆 ) on his land.
They have tried to fine him a lot. But the case is still unresolved. The problem is that California’s building codes make no provision for the use of straw. And Mr Brush has many defenders--among them several university scientists and David Eisenberg, the chairman of the United States Green Building Council’s code connnittee. They would like to see the prejudice against straw houses eliminated, for straw is, in many ways, an ideal building material.
It is, for one thing, a great insulator (绝缘体). That keeps down the heating bills in houses made from it. It is also a waste product that would otherwise be burned, and is therefore cheap, and very much to the point in a place like California, it is earthquake-resistant. Last year a test conducted at the University of Nevada showed that straw-bale constructions could’ withstand twice the amount of ground motion recorded in the Northridge earthquake that hit LosAngeles in 1994.
There are other straws in the wind: a post office in suburban Albuquerque, a school in Maryland, and an office complex in suburban Los Angeles have all been built from straw. Even California is having a rethink, and may change its rules to adapt to straw-bale construction. As Mr Eisenberg observes, "the lesson of the Three Little Pigs isn’t to avoid straw. It’s that you don’t let a pig build your house."
A.as a representative of official opinions
B.for the purpose of supporting Warren Brush
C.to provide evidence against straw houses
D.to show the importance of the building codes
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