As Christmas is coming, there are presents to be bought, cards to be sent, and rooms to be cleaned. Parents are   1  with difficult jobs of hiding presents from curious young children. If the gifts are large, this is sometimes a real   2 . On Christmas Eve, young children find the excitement almost unbearable. They are torn between the wish to go to bed early so that Father Christmas will bring their presents quickly and the wish to   3  up late so that they will not   4  the fun. The wish for gifts usually proves stronger. But though children go to bed early, they often lie   5  for a long time, hoping to get a short   6  at Father Christmas.

Last Christmas, my wife and I   7  hid a few large presents in the storeroom. I   8   the moment when my son, Jimmy, would   9  me where that new bike had come from, but   10  he did not see it.

On Christmas Eve,   11  took the children hours to go to sleep. It must have been nearly   12  when my wife and I went quietly into their room and began   13  stockings. Then I pushed in the   14  I bought for Jimmy and left it beside the Christmas tree. We knew we would not get much sleep that night, for the children were   15  to get up early. At about five o’clock the next morning, we were   16  by loud sounds coming from the children’s room --- they were shouting excitedly!   17  I had time to get out of bed, young Jimmy came riding into the room on his new bike, and his sister, Mary, followed close behind pushing her new baby carriage.   18  the baby arrived. He moved   19  the hands and knees into the room dragging a large balloon behind him. Suddenly it burst. That woke us up   20 . The day had really begun with a band!

(   ) 1. A. faced                  B. met                   C. filled               D. pleased

(   ) 2. A. question                     B. matter               C. problem          D. business

(   ) 3. A. get                            B. stay                C. stand                 D. wake

(   ) 4. A. lose                    B. break               C. miss                  D. leave

(   ) 5. A. awake                 B. waking              C. asleep               D. sleeping

(   ) 6. A. look                   B. stare                 C. glare                 D. notice

(   ) 7. A. hopefully            B. busily               C. gladly               D. successfully

(   ) 8. A. liked                  B. feared               C. surprised           D. hated

(   ) 9. A. answer               B. tell                   C. ask                   D. search

(   )10. A. sadly                 B. unluckily           C. possibly            D. fortunately

(   )11. A. it                      B. they                  C. I                      D. we

(   )12. A. morning             B. midnight           C. evening             D. daybreak

(   )13. A. filling               B. sewing              C. mending            D. preparing

(   )14. A. present               B. stocking            C. bike                  D. tree

(   )15. A. going                 B. sure                  C. glad                D. excited

(   )16. A. troubled             B. frightened        C. woken               D. shocked

(   )17. A. Before               B. After                 C. Until                 D. Since

(   )18. A. Even                 B. And                  C. Soon                 D. Then

(   )19. A. with                  B. on                    C. over                  D. by

(   )20. A. all                            B. nearly               C. happily             D. completely

Two weeks ago, he was just an ordinary college student, polite and shy in the eyes of his friends. But over a weekend, 19-year-old Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was pushed into front-line politics in a turbulent (动乱的) country.

Wiping away tears for his murdered mother, the first-year Oxford University student took over his role as chairman of the biggest opposition party in Pakistan this month. After finishing his studies, he will fulfill his mother’s last wish and play a big role in the country he barely knows.

It is said that Bhutto Zardari at first rejected the job. He hadn’t decided to choose politics. But he was spurred by the murder of his mother, Benazir Bhutto, on December 27, 2007, and the resulting chaos (混乱) that has threatened his homeland.

Bhutto Zardari was born in September 1988, three months before his mother was elected prime minister for the first time. Since his mother left Pakistan for political reasons in 1999, Bhutto Zardari and his two sisters have divided their time between London and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (阿拉伯联合酋长国).

At the age of 15, as a top student in Dubai, he was a keen swimmer, horseman and squash (壁球) player. He has a black belt in taekwondo.

But his uncle described him as a shy teenager who has never had a girlfriend. “The mother wouldn’t allow it,” he said with a smile. Bhutto Zardari recently became a member of Oxford’s famed debating society, once led by his mother. The club’s recent president said the forum has helped the boy come out of his shell.

At Oxford, Bilawal named himself “Bilawal Lawalib”, the last name a backward spelling of the first. Fellow students say he doesn’t broadcast his family connections and appears to live the life of any other first-year student.

But his attempt seems doomed (注定失败). The past two weeks, after he decided to choose politics, have seen a flood of news about his private life. He has also been disappointed by false entries created in his name on Facebook, a website to make friends.

“The attention is a new experience for me,” said Bhutto Zardari. Twelve days after his mother was murdered, he was asked whether he feared for his life. He replied: “I fear for my privacy more.”

(   ) 1. What’s the text mainly about?

A. Bhutto Zardari’s different life at Oxford.

B. Bhutto Zardari’s response to his mother’s being murdered.

C. Bhutto Zardari got international attention after his mother’s death.

D. Pakistan ‘s chaotic situation after Benazir Bhutto was murdered.

(   ) 2. What can we learn about Bhutto Zardari’s mother from the text?

A. She was murdered for political reasons in 1999.

B. Having left Pakistan, she settled down in Dubai.

C. She was once prime minister of United Arab Emirates.

D. She was elected prime minister of Pakistan in July 1988.

 (   ) 3. What can we learn about Bhutto Zardari from the text?

A. He has showed much interest in politics since childhood.

B. He enjoys logging onto Facebook to make friends.

C. He is going to drop out from Oxford to undertake political career.

D. He hasn’t adapted to so much public attention to his private life so far.

A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don’t say!” “You don’t say!” I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not an appropriate topic. “Well, I’d better change the topic.” So I said to him. “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent.” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was interrupted again by his words：“You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn’t request you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’?” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘really!’ It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the English teachers said is always right to us students.

(   ) 1. A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms because _________.

A. English idioms were not important               

B. I was not careful with English idioms

C. my teacher didn’t emphasize the importance of them

D. I had no interest in them

(   ) 2. At first, on hearing “You don’t say,” I thought the foreigner meant _________.

A. he was not interested in the topic            B. he was only interested in the Great Wall

C. I had talked too much                                   D. I had to stop talking

(   ) 3. Which of the following is true according to the passage？

A. The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall.

B. The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it.

C. The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide.

D. The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth visiting.

(   ) 4. After the Englishman explained the idiom, __________.

A. I thought the Englishman had made me a fool B. the Englishman became a real fool.

C. I felt very silly                                             D. I became more careful in everything

The day that a robot wakes you up, cleans your room and walks your dog might still be a few decades off. But increasingly, engineers are saying that robots are going to make the leap from the factory floor to your family room.

Companies like Sony and General Electric are working on designs for small robots. Products like the Roomba, a robot that can clean floors, are flying off the shelves. On the cover of a recent issue of Scientific American magazine, Bill Gates predicted the “Dawn of the Age of Robots”.

What’s behind this new era (时代)? It’s partly a matter of technology. Devices that can recognize and respond to a human voice have been developed. There are now a few different ways for robots to move around. They can walk, crawl or ride on wheels. They are being made smaller and smaller. They are also becoming more and more energy efficient.

A bigger part of the story is on the demand side. From the day Robert Adler invented the television remote control in the 1950s, people around the world have tirelessly searched for ways to get lazier.

Also take into consideration the increasing wealth of rich people, the time appears ripe to introduce robots to ease our daily lives.

To be sure, robots that walk on two legs and talk like people are still too complex for our present engineering abilities. Today’s robot revolution is to make them for everyday use. Robots will do basic housework such as cleaning or gardening, or just help you have more fun on the basketball court.

What makes a robot different from an ordinary cleaning machine is not the presence of computer chips (芯片). Nowadays even your microwave has a computer chip. It is the ability to sense and make changes to the environment in real time.

For example, a floor-cleaning robot should be able to sense your scared cat and move out of the way. Today’s computing ability is, for the first time, able to make machines that could “think”, at least in certain limited ways.     

 

 

Back in my country, when I was a child, I used to go to “market day” with my mother. One day each week, farmers used to   1  their fruit and vegetables into the city. They   2  one street to all cars, and the farmers set up tables for their   3 . This outdoor market was a great place to   4 . Everything was fresher than produce in grocery stores because the farmers brought it in   5  after the harvest. My mother and I always got there early in the morning to get the   6  produce.

The outdoor market was a wonderful adventure for a small child,   7  was like a festival --- full of colors and   8 . There are red tomatoes, yellow lemons, green lettuce, peppers, grapes, onions. The farmers did their own   9 . They all shouted loudly for   10  to buy their produce. “Come and buy my beautiful oranges! They’re juicy and delicious and full of vitamins to   11  your children healthy and strong!”

Everyone used to   12  with the farmers over the   13  of their produce. It was like a wonderful drama in a theatre; the buyers and sellers were the “ 14 ” in this drama. My mother was an   15  at this. First, she picked the freshest, most attractive tomatoes, for example. Then she asked the price. The seller told her.

“What?” she said. She looked very surprised. “ So   16 ?”

The seller looked terribly   17 . “My dear lady!” he replied. “I’m a poor,   18   farmer. These are the cheapest tomatoes on the market!”

They always argued for several minutes before agreeing   19  a price. My mother took her tomatoes and left. Both buyer and seller were ___20___. The drama was over.

(   ) 1. A. carry                  B. take　　　        C. bring                D. fetch

(   ) 2. A. opened　            B. closed　　        C. started　　        D. stopped

(   ) 3. A. produce　           B. goods　　　     C. food　　          D. product

(   ) 4. A. buy                    B. sell　　　　     C. bargain　　      D. shop

(   ) 5. A. hurriedly            B. immediately      C. directly             D. straightly

(   ) 6. A. best　　             B. finest　　        C. freshest             D. cheapest

(   ) 7. A. who　               B. that　　　　     C. which　　        D. what

(   ) 8. A. voices                 B. noises　　        C. sounds　           D. accents

(   ) 9. A. shopping             B. business　　     C. shouting　　     D. advertising

(   )10. A. customers           B. producers　       C. themselves　     D. sellers

(   )11. A. keep　　           B. let                    C. train                 D. make

(   )12. A. argue                 B. talk　　　        C. discuss　　       D. speak

(   )13. A. order                 B. price　　　      C. quality　           D. form

(   )14. A. viewers                     B. listeners　        C. actors               D. directors

(   )15. A. actress　            B. inventor　        C. advancer　        D. expert

(   )16. A. wonderful         B. exciting　　      C. cheap　　　     D. expensive

(   )17. A. injured　           B. hurt　　           C. damaged　        D. wounded

(   )18. A. excellent            B. fair　　　        C. honest　　        D. easy

(   )19. A. with                  B. to　　　           C. in　　　　              D. on

(   )20. A. disappointed              B. encouraged        C. satisfied            D. tired

On Thursday May 1, London elected a new mayor --- Boris Johnson. However, my friends and I will remember it as the day when we first voted.

The London elections shouldn’t be considered very important in comparison to the national elections. But given the fact that I was 18 and wanted to see what voting was like, I decided to give it a shot.

Voting is a privilege (基本公民权力), and of course with that privilege comes a responsibility and a choice. Who should I vote for to be mayor? And why?

Many people based their vote on the character of the candidate rather than the policies that he promised to enforce (执行). Therefore I wasn’t shocked at all to find that “funny man” Boris Johnson won the election. After all, I had voted for him. However, for me the election race seemed to be a choice between the lesser (较次的) of two evils, as both of the main candidates had quite serious holes in their policies.

In spite of all these flaws (缺陷), on the morning of May 1 (or ‘Mayday’ as everyone calls it), election fever gripped the school. Students debated with others who they would vote for. These arguments frequently became “slanging” (用俚语骂) matches where people simply repeated the campaigns used against each candidate. For example, both of the two main candidates could be labeled racists (种族主义者) due to things they have said in the past: Ken Livingstone for slurs (污点) against Jews and the Holocaust, and Boris Johnson for his jokes against black and Chinese people.

Of course, all of it was a little silly, and when it came down to it and everybody went home to vote, the whole issue was settled quietly. After all, politics is a dirty little game.

(   ) 1. The author decided to vote because ____________.

A. he wanted to support one of the candidates    

B. he was curious about what voting was like

C. he considered the election an important event

D. he thought it was his responsibility to vote as he turned 18

(   ) 2. Why did the author vote for Boris Johnson?

A. He was one of Boris Johnson’s loyal fans.

B. He had no better choice within the two main candidates.

C. He thought Boris Johnson was funnier than Ken Livingstone.

D. He preferred the policies that Boris Johnson promised to enforce.

(   ) 3. What can we learn from the passage?

A. The author is very enthusiastic about politics.

B. The London elections take place on May 1 every five years.

C. Boris Johnson’s funny character helped him a lot to win the election.

D. Boris Johnson has prejudice against Jews and black people.

 

 

 

There are certain things British men like to believe about themselves. The first is that one day they will again win the World Cup. They also believe they do not cry.

Over the centuries, Britons are believed to have a “stiff (僵硬的) upper lip”. But is this true?

Yes, it is. A recent study arranged by Kleenex on how the British express their emotions reveals that 95 percent of them still contain their emotions.

Moreover, while 72 percent think this is unhealthy, 19 percent can’t remember the last time they “let it out”. As a result, Kleenex is launching the “Let It Out” campaign that encourages Brits to grab a tissue and have a good cry.

These days, however, the male Briton’s attitude toward crying is changing. Though the majority still struggles to open up emotionally, a 2004 study by Oxford’s Social Issues Research Center found that 77 percent of British men considered crying in public increasingly acceptable. Half of London males admitted crying in front of their mothers. Scotsmen are the least emotional, although they are the most likely to cry at weddings.

Peter Marsh, director of the center, said: “Crying can now indicate sensitivity rather than weakness. Like with David Beckham, crying because you’re dropping off your boy at nursery isn’t seen as weak.”

Winston Churchill was said to be a frequent crier, shedding tears at seeing a survivor in an air raid shelter (防空洞), and when he saw his wife after a long absence.

Psychologists say that while society has accepted that men can cry, there are limits. Ronald Bracey, a consulting psychologist, said: “If a man began to cry when he was having stitches (缝针) in hospital, he would be considered as a wimp (软弱的人). Men still need to be seen as strong when it comes to physical pain.”

(   ) 1. What does the passage mainly deal with?

A. Impression of British men.

B. British men’s dream of the World Cup.

C. Advice on how to control emotions.

D. Different attitudes British men have towards crying.

(   ) 2. Which of the following concerning the British men is NOT true according to the passage?

A. They are supposed to easily control emotions over the centuries.

B. They are confident that they will again get successful in the World Cup.

C. About 50% of British men admitted crying before their mothers.

D. Nowadays, the male Briton’s attitude toward crying is changing.

(   ) 3. The word “contain” in paragraph 3 means __________.

A. store                B. hold back                C. include                    D. stir up

(   ) 4. What does the author think of the British men’s crying?

A. They should cry if hurt.

B. They should keep firm not to cry to show they are not wimps.

C. They should be brave in face of physical pain and cry if necessary when facing other problems.

D. They should “let it out” whatever problems they meet with.

Third-generation mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the telecom industry. Data speed in 3G networks is much quicker than that in present technology. This means users can have high-speed Internet access and enjoy video and CD-quality music on their phones.

“Mobile data is not a dream; it’s not an option but a requirement,” said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company, Sprint PCS, at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month.

With 3G, you can forget about text messages telling you yesterday’s news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home.

Don’t worry about getting lost. 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset.

However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live two-way video communication, you can have face-to-face talks with friends and family on your mobile phone.

Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five license to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year.

International telecom companies can’t wait to sell 3G in China, the world’s largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3G-based technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops.

“We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the large-scale commercial launch of the service,” said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. “We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued late next year.”

3G Mobile Phones
(1) ____________	▪ Data speed: quicker than that in (2) ________ technology ▪ Video and (3) _______ music ▪ Video news programs: (4) ________ four times a day ▪ Internet access: quicker and (5) _________
Impressive functions	▪ Offer (6) __________ services, helping you find your way ▪ (7) _________ two-way video communication
3G phones in China	▪ China is busy (8) ________ its 3G-based technologies, networks and services. ▪ 3G phones should go through a trial period before being put into (9) _________. ▪ 3G phones are (10) __________ to be seen next year.

 

 

As my train was delayed for two hours, I had plenty of time to spare. After buying some newspapers to read on the journey, I made my way to the   1  office to collect my heavy suitcase I had   2  there three days before. There were only a few people   3 , and I took out my wallet to find the receipt for my case. The receipt didn’t seem to be where I had left it. I   4  the contents, and railway tickets, money scraps of paper and photos fell out of it; but no matter how   5  I searched, the receipt was nowhere to be found.

When my turn came, I   6  the situation sorrowfully to the assistant. The man looked at me   7  as if to say that he had   8  this kind of story many times and asked me to   9   the case. I told him that it was an old, brown looking   10  no different from the many cases I could see on the shelves. The assistant then gave me   11  and told me to   12  of the chief contents of the case. If they were   13 , he said, I could take the case away. I tried to   14  all the articles I had   15  packed into the case and wrote them down as they came to me.

After I had done this, I went to   16 认领) the case already. This hadn’t happened   19 , for after a time I found the case lying in a corner. After examining the articles inside, the assistant was   20  and told me I could take the case away. among the shelves. There were hundreds of cases there. For one dreadful moment, it   17  to me that if someone had ___18___ the receipt up he could have easily claimed (

(   ) 1. A. posting               B. working                   C. luggage             D. manager’s

(   ) 2. A. left                            B. forgotten                  C. found               D. bought

(   ) 3. A. standing                     B. crowding                  C. talking                     D. waiting

(   ) 4. A threw                   B. put                          C. looked                     D. emptied

(   ) 5. A. often                  B. much                      C. hard                  D. soon

(   ) 6. A. said                    B. searched                   C. spoke               D. explained

(   ) 7. A. now and then             B. up and down             C. here and there    D. back and forth

(   ) 8. A. knew                  B. realized                    C. heard               D. seen

(   ) 9. A. describe                     B. draw                        C. take out             D. show

(   )10. A. object               B. matter                      C. subject                   D. wallet

(   )11. A. a paper               B. a note                      C. a message          D. a form

(   )12. A. sign names        B. make a list               C. write down        D. draw a picture

(   )13. A. everything          B. wrong                      C. correct                     D. ready

(   )14. A. draw                  B. remember                 C. read                  D. remind

(   )15. A. carelessly           B. suddenly                  C. hurriedly           D. immediately

(   )16. A. see                    B. watch                      C. find                  D. look

(   )17. A. happened           B. occurred                   C. appeared           D. seemed

(   )18. A. picked               B. collected                  C. taken               D. stolen

(   )19. A. fortunately        B. unluckily                  C. by chance          D. presently

(   )20. A. disappointed              B. surprised                  C. satisfied            D. worried

Money doesn’t buy happiness

As part of the environmental group on campus, my friends and I recently invited a recent college graduate, Colin Davis, to lecture about his initiatives (作为) in climate change.

Davis graduated from Trinity College last spring. Despite a tempting (诱人的) internship (实习期) from Goldman Sachs that thousands of people dream about, Davis chose to ride a bike across the US to interview environmental experts.

Davis wasn’t a born environmentalist. To justify his bike ride, he had to find a “trendy (新潮的), sexy and good cause”. The cause was climate change. But Davis became more concerned than ever about this issue after the cross-country bike ride. He read hundreds of books on climate change and environmental consulting. Now, he works for non-profitable organizations and serves as a consultant for energy efficiency.

One of his messages during his talk, “shopping with a moral in mind” occurred in my mind again and again throughout the day.

Facing two similar products in a market, do we stop and read the back before throwing the product into our cart (推车)? We all live in a fast-paced society, but it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take a minute to choose a product that’s safer for our bodies and better for the environment. Davis made me know how important it is to be a smart consumer, by supporting organic (有机的) food and green products instead of only looking at the brands.

With little age gap and his unique way of presenting serious messages in a light tone, Davis captured the attention of most non-“hardcore (中坚的) environmentalists” students. Davis said, “Working for a good cause makes me feel better than being an investment banker. “Money doesn’t buy happiness”.

(   ) 1. The bike ride across the US ___________.

A. realized Davis’s long-time dream of finding out more about climate change

B. had Davis regretting refusing the internship from Goldman Sachs

C. made Davis all the more fascinated by the issue of climate change

D. satisfied Davis because he had made it y and profitable

(   ) 2. “Shopping with a moral in mind” means that __________.

A. one should be a smart consumer by calculating the product’s value against price

B. we should stop and read the instructions about calories or health ingredients

C. we should choose more environmentally-friendly products

D. it’s a good point to buy brand products

(   ) 3. From the text, we can see the author is _____________.

A. a college student who is seeking advice about his career

B. interested in getting a job in Goldman Sachs

C. a fresh-out-of college graduate

D. an enthusiastic environmentalist

(   ) 4. It can be inferred from the passage that _________.

A. nowadays American young people prefer working for a good cause to a high-paid company

B. Davis did a great job in raising environmental awareness

C. you have to be rich enough to support organic food

D. brand products are not always quality products

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you research music, you will find music that is familiar to you. You will find music which tells of interesting places and exciting things to do. You will find music which expresses feelings that are often your own.

Music is an expression of the people. As you research, you will find music of people at work and play. You will find music expressing love of the country, love of nature, and love of home.

Music is also an expression of the composer. The composer expresses his own musical ideas. He studies the materials of music and discovers ways of using them. He looks for new kinds of musical expression.

Music can suggest actions and feelings which we all share. We can enjoy playing and singing music, dancing and listening to the music of the people and the composers of different times and places.

(   ) 1. In the first paragraph, the author tells us to_______.

A. find entertainment in music                    B. be friendly to music

C. express your feelings in music               D. discover the things and places in music

(   ) 2. From the second paragraph, we know that ________.

A. if we love music, we will love the country, nature and home

B. music expresses love of the country, nature and home

C. you may listen to music at work or at play

D. music can express how people live, work and think

(   ) 3. By means of music, the composer wishes that ________.

A. you would study with them                   

B. you would share his feelings and ideas

C. you would express your own feelings     

D. you help discover ways of using music and new kinds of musical expression

(   ) 4. The last paragraph shows that music makes it possible __________.

A. the music can express actions and feelings at the same time

B. bring understanding between people of different times and places

C. that people can enjoy playing and singing music, dancing and listening to the music at the same time

D. that people of different time and places can get together

From last Monday to Wednesday, every Chinese joined the mourning for tens of thousands of lost lives in the recent deadly earthquake. This is the first national mourning decreed (颁布) by the central government for victims in a natural disaster since 1949. A large number of foreign newspapers followed the moving moment. Let’s take a look at what the Los Angeles Times wrote.

For three minutes that seemed like an eternity (永恒), this very busy nation of 1.3 billion people Monday stopped shopping, producing, eating, talking, driving.

Instead, they stood still, heads bowed in mourning in commemoration (纪念) for victims of last week’s earthquake. The memorial began at 2:28 pm, exactly one week after the deadly quake. Many said it was the biggest display of mourning in China since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976.

To mark the country’s largest natural disaster in more than 30 years, the Chinese government declared a three-day mourning period from May 19. Movie theaters were closed. Television stations canceled most entertainment programs, and movie networks were blacked out. The Olympic torch relay was suspended（暂停）until Thursday. Flags flew at half-staff.

From Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square to Shanghai’s Bund (外滩) to the far-flung (遥远的) villages where rescue workers were still trying to dig out the living from the rubble (废墟), everything simply came to a pause. It was an amazing sight in a country that on a normal Monday afternoon would be a hive (闹市) of activity. Trains stopped in their tracks. Cars on the huge ring roads encircling Beijing stopped. Drivers leaned on their horns (喇叭) so that a giant siren (汽笛) seemed to be shrieking (尖叫).

People stood up inside buses and trains. Office workers stood on the sidewalks, students at their desks and on playgrounds. Police officers cradled (环抱) their caps in their arms as they stood at attention. Many wept openly.

“Although our nation has suffered a lot of disasters, and this was another one, we are very united. We have confidence to conquer this event,” said Zhuang Guifang, a retired accountant with tears behind her sunglasses.

Zhuang said she was proud of the way her country was handling the earthquake, the way that Premier Wen Jiabao flew out to the disaster area within hours, the rapid deployment (布置) of the military. Her entire family, from her mother in her 80s to her 3-year-old granddaughter, has donated money for the relief effort.

My husband and I were talking about possible colors because it was time for painting the kitchen again. The children sat nearby and suddenly  _ 1 _ . “Not the measuring stick!”

“No,” I _ 2_  them in my mother-has-everything-under-control _ 3 . “Not the measuring stick.”

The measuring stick isn’t a(n)  _ 4 _  stick but the kitchen side of the door between our kitchen and dining room. Along the edge we’ve _ 5_   each child’s growth by making a mark  _ 6_  his or her height on every birthday. Over the ten years so many colored pens, pencils and markers were _ 7_  that the door came to be _ 8 _  like an abstract-expressionist painting.

Names and dates show different hand-writing, and I can  _ 9_   by the script (手迹) who measured whom. An eight-year-old brother measured her three-year-old sister, a grandchild measured her grandmother, and my husband measured me. At parties, when this door _ 10_  back and forth frequently, friends stop to _ 11_  the names and dates. When we ask  _12_  they would like to be immortalized (永存的), they usually  _13_  shyly and walked back right up into  _14_ .

Many of those listed on the door are still _ 15_  while some have stopped. Some _16_  with us only in memory. When my mother came to see our eldest daughter graduated from university, we _17_  her, too. It was her last visit to our home.

We haven’t decided on the new kitchen  _18_  plan yet, but one thing is  _19_ : Whether we painted the trim (边沿、边饰) bright gold, Chowning’s Tavern red or Federal blue, the back of the kitchen door will always remain  _ 20 _  with lots of names and dates in various colors.

(   ) 1. A. said                    B expressed                  C shouted                            D cheered

(   ) 2. A. comforted           B patted                       C agreed                       D allowed

(   ) 3. A. way                    B voice                        C attitude                            D feeling

(   ) 4. A. common             B special                      C exact                         D actual

(   ) 5. A. considered          B encouraged                C celebrated                  D congratulated

(   ) 6. A. showing                     B keeping                     C cutting                      D giving

(   ) 7. A. made                  B taken                        C used                          D sharpened

(   ) 8. A. very                   B strangely                   C straight                            D clearly

(   ) 9. A. tell                            B understand                 C know                        D think

(   )10. A. moves                B shakes                       C closed                       D swings

(   )11. A. observe                     B notice                       C read                          D recognize

(   )12. A. why                   B if                              C how                          D what

(   )13. A. stated                 B nodded                      C shook                        D left

(   )14. A. seat                   B place                         C table                         D room

(   )15. A. changing            B adding                      C putting                      D growing

(   )16. A. mark                 B remain                      C live                           D work

(   )17. A. loved                 B welcomed                  C measured                   D saw

(   )18. A. color                 B form                         C design                       D size

(   )19. A. sure                   B popular                            C certain                      D curious

(   )20. A. red                    B blue                          C gold                          D white

The man who brings my milk used to knock for his money for the week’s milk while I was eating breakfast on Saturday morning. Just lately he has been arriving before I get up. Workforce shortages mean that four men are sharing five rounds, so he has to start earlier.

Delivering milk to people’s homes is hardly good business, especially when the customer may have a choice of two or three firms serving a single road. In spite of my local difficulties, however, labor troubles are not as great as a few years ago. There are enough men prepared to make an early morning start for the sake of an open--air job with a fair measure of freedom. If they did stop calling, women would find it hard work to collect all the milk they need from self-service stores. Dairies (乳品业) know that stopping deliveries in the United States resulted in falling sales.

Marketing ideas have included introducing extra lines, in addition to dairy products, which the milkmen can carry to increase business. One dairyman said, “It won’t be long before the milk man delivers more bread than milk.” Some milkmen deliver potatoes, and it seems as though variety will be limited only by the size of the trucks.

So the milkman is likely to remain a familiar figure, and the dairy products he sells are unlikely to change very much in this decade. Flavored (味道) milk is popular on the Continent. In Britain those who like it buy plain milk and add their own flavoring. Even the returnable bottle continues to be used. As long as it has a reasonable life --- 30 to 40 trips are usual --- the cost of collection and cleaning is worthwhile.

(   ) 1. The milkmen now start earlier on their delivery rounds than before because _______.

     A. there is an increasing demand for milk delivery

     B. they hope to reach the customers’ home in time

     C. they have to collect the money for the week’s milk house to house

     D. dairies are short of deliverymen and the companies worry about falling sales

(   ) 2. Why are there enough men prepared to make an early morning start?

     A. Because they can enjoy a certain amount of freedom in the fresh air.

     B. Because they like working outdoors and breathe the air freely.

     C. Because they can enjoy a great amount of freedom outdoors.

     D. Because they like walking freely in the fresh air.

(   ) 3. According to the passage, in this decade _____.

     A. milkmen will disappear very soon     B. flavored milk will become popular in Britain

     C. people will buy milk from self-service stores

     D. there will be little change in the dairy business

(   ) 4. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

     A. the British people seldom buy plain milk  B. the returnable bottles are no longer used

     C. collection and cleaning of the returnable bottles cost nothing

     D. the returnable bottles won’t be thrown away until they are used dozens of times

The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as “honor” help you create this life of good feelings.

Here’s an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.

Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk’s mistake, we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.

Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?

In the first case, where we don’t tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate (示范，证明) that we cannot lie trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. In contrast, bringing the error to the clerk’s attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal (内在的) rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility (高尚).

There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it’s easy to think and act honorably again when we’re happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it’s started, it’s easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.

(   ) 1. According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our _______.

A. self-respect                                          B. financial rewards

C. advertising ability                                 D. friendly relationship

(   ) 2. The phrase “bringing the error to the clerk’s attention” (in para. 5) means___.

A. offering advice to the clerk                        B. telling the truth to the clerk

C. asking the clerk to be more attentive       D. reminding the clerk of the charged item

(   ) 3. How will we feel if we let the clerk know her mistake?

A. We’ll be very excited.                           B. We’ll feel unfortunate.

C. We’ll have a sense of honor.                  D. We’ll feel sorry for the clerk.

(   ) 4. Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?

A. How to Live Truthfully                         B. Importance of Peacefulness

Maybe you are an average student. You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessary so, however. Anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. Here’s how.

1) Plan your time carefully. When you plan your week, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list, you should make a schedule of your time. First your time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc. then decide a good, regular time for studying. Don't forget to set aside enough time for entertainment. A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you to realize what is happening to your time.

2) Find a good place to study. Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or television! When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.

3) Make good use of your time in class. Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teachers say. Really listening in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher says.

4) Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes. Review the important points that your teacher mentioned in class. If you know what your teacher is going to discuss the next day, reading that material will become more meaningful, and you will remember it longer.

5) Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. They help you remember your new knowledge. The world won’t end if you don't pass a test, so don't be overly worried.

There are other methods that might help you with your studying. You will probably discover many others after you have tried these.

How to become a better student

Throughout history man has had to accept the fact that all living things must die. Although people now live longer than they used to, yet all living things still show the   1  of aging, which will eventually   2  in death.

Aging is not a   3 成熟), the cells of the body and the organs they   4 有…倾向的) to   7 . do not work as well as they   5  in childhood and youth. The body provides less   6  against disease and is more prone (, but as a person passes maturity (

A number of related causes may   8  to aging. Some cells of the body have a fairly long life, but they are not   9  when they die. As a person ages, the   10  of brain cells and muscle cells decreases.   11  body cells die and are replaced by new cells. In an aging person the   12  cells may not be as active or as capable   13  growth as those of a young person.

Another factor in   14  may be changes within the cells   15 . Some of the protein chemicals in cells are known to   16  with age and become less elastic. This is why the skin of old people wrinkles and hangs   17 . This is also the reason why old people shrink in   18 . There may be other more important chemical changes in the cells. Some complex cell chemicals, such as DNA and RNA, store and   19  information that the cells need. Aging may   20  this process and change the information-carrying molecules so that they do not pass on the information as well.

(   ) 1. A. periods             B. effect         C. habits             D. instruction

(  ) 2. A. give                B. bring         C. run               D. result

(   ) 3. A. disease             B. disaster         C. disability               D. rest

(   ) 4. A. become            B. grow           C. carry             D. form

(   ) 5. A. did                B. made           C. used             D. served

(  ) 6 .A. energy             B. protection       C. heat              D. material

(   ) 7. A. accidents          B. development  C. achievements    D. improvement

(   ) 8. A. intend             B. lead            C. attempt          D. devote

(   ) 9. A. replaced           B. reborn          C. recovered        D. made

(  )10. A. action             B. amount          C. number          D. move

(   )11. A. Some              B. Any            C. Another          D. other

(   )12. A. old                B. left            C. new             D. remaining

(   )13. A .to                 B. for             C. of              D. in

(  )14. A. aging              B. youth           C. life             D. death

(   )15. A. for themselves  B. of themselves C. themselves      D. on their own

(   )16. A. change             B. slow            C. produce         D. lose

(  )17. A. loosely            B. tightly           C. lightly        D. heavily

(   )18. A. weight             B. height           C. shape           D. age

(  )19. A. pass away          B. pass by          C. pass off         D. pass on

(   )20. A. worsen            B. push            C. quicken         D. affect

When she looked ahead, Florence Chadwick saw nothing but a solid wall of fog. Her body was numb. She had been swimming for nearly sixteen hours. Already she was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. Now, at age 34, her goal was to become the first woman to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast.

On that fourth of July morning in 1952, the sea was like an ice bath and the fog was so thick that she could hardly see her support boats. Sharks swam toward her lone figure, only to be driven away by rifle shots. Against the frigid grip of the sea, she struggled on ---hour after hour --- while millions watched on national television.

Alongside Florence in one of the boats, her mother and her trainer offered encouragement. They told her it wasn’t much farther. But all she could see was fog. They urged her not to give up. She never had … until then. With only a half mile to go, she asked to be pulled out.

Still thawing her chilled body several hours later, she told a reporter, “Look, I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen land I might have made it.” It was not fatigue or even the cold water that defeated her. It was the fog. She was unable to see her goal.

Two months later, she tried again. This time, despite the same dense fog, she swam with her faith intact and her goal clearly pictured in her mind. She knew that somewhere behind that fog was land and this time she made it! Florence Chadwick became the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel, eclipsing (超越) the men’s record by two hours!

(   ) 1. Why didn’t Florence swim across the Catalina Channel for the first time?

A. Because she was too tired to go on swimming.

B. Because the fog was so thick that she couldn’t see her support boats clearly.

C. Because she couldn’t see the goal on land.

D. Because the seawater was too cold.

(   ) 2. What does the underlined sentence mean?

A. She had never been so hopeless.

B. She had never thought of giving up.

C. She had never seen such a thick fog.

D. She had never swum across the Channel before.

(   ) 3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Florence Chadwick spent less time swimming across the Catalina Channel than men.

B. Florence Chadwick succeeded in swimming across the Catalina Channel than men.

C. People had to use guns to drive away some flesh eating animals in the sea.

D. No women but Florence Chadwick were able to swim across the English Channel in both directions.

(   ) 1. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Many Americans like Sarah Green enjoy drinking caffeine.

B. Hairless mice are not easily harmed by ultraviolet radiation.

C. Research shows caffeine may reduce the risk of skin cancer.

D. Americans suffer most from skin cancer among all cancers.

(   ) 2. The underlined “obstructs” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.

A. causes               B. follows             C. blocks              D. predicts

(   ) 3. It can be inferred from this passage that ________.

A. Sarah Green knows caffeine can protect her from skin cancer

B. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is always blamed for skin cancer

C. Caffeine will be used in medicine to treat skin cancer patients soon

D. In a way, the study on caffeine is good news for many Americans

 

In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.    

I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit (追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.  

However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British newspapers are among the oldest and most famous in the world.    1    recently big changes have seen these traditional publications try to    2    the modern world. After 216 years, The Times has halved its    3    to become much smaller. In fact, the paper has    4    its size in half from a broadsheet to tabloid.

In Britain the newspaper market is    5    between the larger broadsheets and the smaller tabloids. These terms    6    the size of the papers' pages but there is also a clear    7   in content. Broadsheets such as The Times, the Guardian and Daily Telegraph are   8    papers. They cover a broad range of political, economic and international issues. Their stories are also    9     long and use quite formal language.

Tabloids have far more stories about    10    serious issues such as celebrities’ love lives. Their stories are shorter and use more simple language. Tabloids of-ten have bigger pictures. Britain’s    11    newspaper, the Sun, is a tabloid and has a naked    12    on page three every day.

By    13    to the size of a tabloid, The Times is following in the footsteps of a less   14 sales increase    16   . Although both papers have    17    to the smaller size, the content of the papers has  18  the same. They are both still serious papers.      broadsheet paper the Independent.    15    changed to tabloid last year and saw its

The two papers claim that people   19    the smaller size easier to handle when they travel to work on the bus or the train in the morning.    20    says its new size is "compact"，not tabloid.

(   ) 1. A. Then             B. So                 C. And              D. But

(   ) 2. A. match             B. suit                C. fit               D. change

(   ) 3. A. length             B. size               C. width           D. thickness

(   ) 4. A. cut                 B. added             C. enlarged       D. printed

(   ) 5. A. divided           B. separated      C. arranged        D. marked

(   ) 6. A. turn into         B. refer to          C. think about     D. connect with

(   ) 7. A. meaning          B. mark            C. difference       D. sign           

(   ) 8. A. old                 B. interesting            C. modern         D. serious   

(   ) 9. A. possibly          B. especially     C. reasonably     D. not   

(   )10 A. more               B. less               C. even             D. quite    

(   )11. A. best-selling      B. good-looking   C slow-moving  D. ugly-looking

(   )12. A. line                B. page              C. paragraph      D. edition

(   )13. A. going             B. getting                  C. changing      D. coming

(   )14. A. important        B. welcoming    C. helpful         D. famous

(   )15. A. It                   B. This              C. That                    D. They

(   )16. A. slowly            B. greatly          C. little              D. usually

(   )17. A. halved                   B. made            C. switched        D. cut

(   )18. A. become          B. found                   C. left               D. remained

(   )19. A. find               B. hope                    C. expect           D. agree

(   )20. A. The Independent B. The Times               C. The Guardian   D. Daily Telegraph

Several days ago, a Beijing-based IT com­pany fired about 400 people overnight. No one had expected the job cuts, which broke with traditional ways of letting go of workers in Chi­na. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift ---the book “Who Moved My Cheese?”

The book --- a bestseller in the US ---is being used by men and women to deal with changes in their lives and work. Some large organizations, including Coca-Cola, Kodak and General Mo­tors, ask their employees to read it in order to encourage them to be active towards changes.

Cheese is something related to everyone’s livelihood ---our jobs, the Industries we work in, relationships and love as well.  

With China’s official entry into the WTO, the whole nation will face more changes and cha­llenges. So what should we do once this “cheese” on which we are so dependent is moved?

Whatever challenges and changes we meet, we should face up to them bravely, Jiang Hengwei, a civil servant said after reading the book.

Professor Zhang Yang in Renmin University of China agrees. “We should change our way of thinking. The coming competitive foreign com­panies and products provide us with great chances to learn from them and improve our own products to meet international standards and be more competitive.”

“With hard work and wisdom, we will create a much larger and better piece of cheese.” Zhang smiled confidently.            

(   ) 1. The whole passage is about ___________.

A. people’s opinions about a bestseller of the US

B. what people think about China’s entry into the WTO

C. the change in people’s attitude towards changes and challenges

D. how a book influences the Chinese

(   ) 2. The company in Beijing gave each of the 400 fired workers a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese” in order to ____________.

A. be more competitive with foreign firms          B. find an excuse for their job cuts

C. let the workers make a living on their own             D. encourage the fired workers

(   ) 3. The word “cheese” in the passage can refer to ___________.

A. something we depend on for a living                     B. a most important kind of food

C. change or challenge                                      D. way of life

(   ) 4. From what Hengwei and Professor Zhang Yang said, we can know that _______.

A. they have different opinions on changes and challenges

B. people are not afraid of competition from foreign companies

C. the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges

D. they are both greatly encouraged by the book 

The 2008 Olympics will be similar to the 2004 event in Athens. The 2008 Olympics will host over 300 events and will reintroduce 28 sports and 9 new events such as the steeplechase（越野障碍赛马）and BMW cycling.

The 2008 Olympics will definitely have an Asian feel as sports such as judo（柔道）, taekwondo（跆拳道）and table tennis will be featured.

One of the major concerns for fans, athletes and others regarding the 2008 Olympics is the poor air quality in Beijing. Chinese government officials have made a promise to improve air quality before the games begin.

One method to make sure that the 2008 Olympics have superior air quality for the athletes and tourists is that China has committed to taking 60,000 buses and taxis off the road for the event. the Chinese are also relocating（迁移）200 factories so that smoke, soot（煤烟）and other greenhouse gases don’t drift over Beijing during the 2008 Olympics.

The Chinese are also working with the World Health Organization (WHO) to bring hydrogen technology to the Olympic Village as a demonstration of the country’s promise to clean up the air.

Hydrogen-powered buses, taxis and other shuttles will be a part of the demonstration project and integrated（使一体化）into shuttling tourists to and from the stadium. The government also plans to seed the clouds several days before the opening events so that acid rain（酸雨）doesn’t fall upon athletes and tourists during the 2008 Olympics.

NBC has paid $3.5 billion for the U.S. television broadcasting rights for the 2008 Olympics. In doing so, NBC has requested that some events such as swimming and gymnastics be held in the early morning hours in Beijing for they could be broadcast live during prime time in the U.S. market. This scheduling has made some of the athletes unhappy.

(   ) 1. The 2008 Olympics will _______________.

C. have a characteristic of Asia             D. have 28 new competition games

(   ) 2. In order to improve air quality in Beijing, China will ___________.

     A. cooperate with WHO                       B. shut down all the factories during the Games

(   ) 3. From the last paragraph we can infer that ________.

     A. NBC plays an important part in arranging the 2008 Olympics

Although some citizens are worried about the inconvenience of not having free plastic bags, most people are willing to make sacrifices（牺牲）to protect the environment.

 

 

The half-empty coffee cups, still standing next to their plates, tell of a morning like any other. And yet, that grey covering of dust that everything    1    tells a different story: it tells of screams, tears, terror and     2   . Now the restaurant in the World Trade Center will    3    again serve breakfast. And never again will all those people go there to eat or    4  . So many people whose faces we associate with life and liveliness are gone    5   . So many words remain     6   , and so much happiness has been destroyed. In their places are tear-stained faces.

My generation has seen this. On Monday, a fight with my sister, a bad grade and homework    7   to be the biggest problems in the world. Tonight, so many across the country know that America's pain is at its    8     ever.    

We have    9    World War II. But to most of us students, that’s an event on a textbook     10     that would never happen today.

After all, this was a time of    11    and wealth ---the United States was powerful and successful. There would be no more wars, and we were    12    to live in such a time.

But when those planes    13   ; when firefighters with    14   on their faces ran among the parts of the building that had fallen; when people    15    for their family members; when history was unfolding before our eyes, in full, clear color---then we knew the world had been changed.    16    how many human beings turned to ashes in a second, and seeing some jump from the buildings, I know that my generation is growing up in a world where   17    can still be evil.      

But seeing those heroes risk their lives among the castle-like ruins, and seeing the    18    blood donors(捐献者) at the hospitals, my generation has learned that tears are allowed,  that mankind can also be   19  , and that the ghost of evil never     20     the spirit of good.   

(   ) 1. A. dresses                   B. gets               C. wears             D. covers

(   ) 2. A. blood              B. surprise       C. laugh           D. cry

(   ) 3. A. still              B. never            C. hardly          D. seldom

(   ) 4. A. work              B. drive             C. play                    D. swim

(   ) 5. A. yesterday         B. tonight           C. last night      D. this morning

(   ) 6. A. unknown         B. untold           C. unchanged     D. unsaid

(   ) 7. A. turned             B. had              C. got                D. seemed

(   ) 8. A. least               B. worst                   C. best              D. most

(   ) 9. A. experienced     B. known          C. read about     D. seen

(   )10. A. text               B. lesson          C. copy             D. page

(   )11. A. tears              B. terror                   C. peace             D. health 

(   )12. A. unlucky          B. promising     C. convenient     D. lucky

(   )13. A. fell                B. landed           C. hit               D. exploded

(   )14. A. terror            B. surprise         C. joy               D. smile

(   )15. A. called             B. screamed      C. died              D. reached

(   )16. A. Knowing         B. Telling        C. Hearing       D. Remembering

(   )17. A. everyone      B. nobody          C. mankind        D. our country

(   )18. A. unwilling      B. eager            C. happy          D. curious

(   )19. A. beautiful        B. terrible         C. terrified       D. hopeful

(   )20. A. hurt             B. beat          C. wins          D. defeats

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is a popular saying in the United States. Other countries have similar sayings. It is true that all of us need recreation. We cannot work all the time if we are going to keep good health and enjoy life.

Everyone has his own way of relaxing. Perhaps the most popular way is to take part in sports. there are team sports, such as baseball, basketball, and football. There are individual sports, also, such as golf and swimming. In addition hiking, fishing, skiing, and mountain climbing have a great attraction for people who like to be outdoors.

Not everyone who enjoys sports events likes to take part in them. Many people prefer to be onlookers, either watching them on television, or listening to them on the radio. When there is an important baseball game or boxing match it is almost impossible to get tickets; everyone wants to attend.

Chess, card-playing, and dancing are forms of indoor recreation enjoyed by many people. It doesn’t matter whether we play a fast game of ping-pong, concentrate over the bridge table, or go walking through the woods on a brisk autumn afternoon. It is important for every one to relax from time to time and enjoy some form of recreation.

(   ) 1. The underlined word “recreation” (paragraph 1) here means ____________.

A. walking and climbing                                 B. form of play or amusement 

C. creating something                                D. joy and happiness

(   ) 2. According to the passage, perhaps the followings are our ordinary ways of relaxation for common people except __________.

A. listening to music                   B. playing card

C. going out for fishing                             D. boxing match

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE to the passage?

A. The popular British saying mentioned in the passage has familiar doing in other countries.

B. All of us need recreation in our lives if we cannot work all the time.

C. Sometimes those who enjoy sports events like to take part in them, too.

D. It is almost impossible for everyone who wants to watch an important baseball to get a ticket.

“Racism (种族歧视) is a grown-up disease,” declares the saying on Ruby Bridge’s website along with a photo of Mrs. Bridge today, a 6-year-old girl four decades ago. In the photo, she is walking up the steps of the William Frantz Public School in New Orleans, a little black girl accompanied by two officers who protect her on her way to school.

Her name then was Ruby Nell. It was Nov. 14, 1960. She was the first black child to enroll at this all-white elementary school according to the court order to desegregate in New Orleans schools. Her story is moving --- she was a very courageous child --- and remains a significant proof against intolerance (不宽容) of all kinds. Ruby’s photo brings out another powerful image on her website: Norman Rockwells symbolic painting for Look magazine on Jan. 14, 1964, “The Problem We All Live With.”

Rockwell was an illustrator of exceptional skill and charm. He produced a vast number of unforgettable images over a long career, many of them involving children. His American kids are innocent and appealing, but often, at the same time, decidedly naughty. His method was to photograph his models, and the resulting paintings were photographic． But it is revealing to see how the artist slightly changed facial expressions from photo to oil painting in order to make his paintings communicate with the viewer. Communication, even persuasion, lay at the back of his work; this was art for effect.

“The Problem We All Live With” belongs to Rockwell’s later work, when he began openly showing his strong belief in liberty. This is a highly persuasive image. Before he arrived at the final copy, one sketch (草图) shows the little girl closer to the two officers following her than to those in front. In the finished picture, the girl seems more determined, independent, and untouched．The unfriendly tomatoes thrown on the wall are behind her now, and she, is completely unaffected．

(   ) 1. Ruby Nell was protected by officers on her way to school, because __________.

A. she was a little fighter against racism             B. she was very young, short and timid

C. she was the first black to study in an all-white school

D. she was chosen by the com t0be’wi’th white children

(   ) 2. The word “desegregate” in paragraph 2 probably means “_________”.

A. fight against the white                            B. end racial separation

C. struggle for freedom                                     D. stop the black-white conflict

(   ) 3. The main topic of this passage is __________.

A. how Rockwell encouraged Ruby to fight against racism

Public education in America is a mess. Too often, parents are absent or care little; teachers don’t know their own subjects; administrators are powerless to fire the worst and hire the best. But a number of schools have quietly launched experiments that seem to be working with a common belief---- being inspired and even the hardest-to-reach student can learn.

Just two years ago, Adam was aimless, and he was slowly sinking. The 15-year-old boy was an outstanding golfer at West Mesa High School, but his studies were another matter. His grades were low, and he was about to drop out.

Then his mother heard about Albuquerque’s Charter Vocational High School, a place where students got plenty of one-on-one attention. Something else fascinated Adam even more. One of his goals was to go into architecture, and this school had just the thing for him---an architectural CAD(computer-aided drafting) program.

Adam enrolled at the beginning of his junior year and, for the first time, found himself excited about learning. By the following summer, he had landed a job as a draftsman for an architectural firm. His plan now is to take-up drafting professionally after he graduates this spring.

If Adam has anyone to thank for his change of fortune, it’s 56-year-old Danny Moon. As an industrial-art teacher, Moon ran a vocational shadowing and apprenticeship(学徒工作)program in the mid-1990s, until the Albuquerque school district couldn’t pay for it any longer.

But in 2000, Moon’s phone rang. The state had passed a school law, and a district official wondered if Moon might be interested in opening a vocational school.

Moon knew he could target students like Adam, who might have a tough time keeping their heads above water in traditional high school. He needed to look for skilled people across New Mexico.

What Moon came up with was a school day consisting of four two-and-a-half-hour blocks of instruction. Each student would attend two of the blocks, one of them academic, the other vocational. A further twist was that, on the academic side, Moon didn’t want teachers to lecture. Instead, students would learn from online coursework provided by a computer program, while teachers circulated in the classrooms to work one-on-one with students having problems.

 

 

Water and its importance to human life were the centre of the world’s attention last week. March 22 was World Water Day and     1     the theme “Water for Life”.

There are more than one billion people in the world who live without    2    drinking water. The United Nations    3    to cut this number in half by 2015.

Solving such a big problem seems like    4    challenge. But everyone,    5     teenagers, can do some-thing to help. A teenage girl in the US has set an example to    6    of her age around the world.

Rene Haggerty, 13, was awarded the 2004 Gloria Barron Prize for her work    7    discarded batteries which pollute water.

In 2003, Haggerty went on a field trip to the Great Lakes Science Centre in Ohio. There, she saw an exhibit about how    8    in old batteries harm the water of Lake Erie.

Haggerty learnt that     9     the batteries was an easy solution. “I think everybody can do it, because everyone    10    batteries, and it can make a big difference. “ With these words, she began to  11     awareness in her area.

She    12     her county government and school board. She got permission to start a recycling program in schools    13    the public library, hospital, and churches. With help from her family, friends and local waste-management    14   , she gathered containers, arranged transportation, and made a(n)    15    video.

Over the past two years, she collected four tons of batteries and drew the attention of officials, who were in charge of a battery recycling programmer but had made    16    progress.

When asked    17    she feels like a hero Haggerty is quite    18   . “Not really. Well, maybe for the fish I saved!”

Every year the Gloria Barron Prize    19    young Americans aged 8 to 18 who have shown leadership and courage in    20    the public and the planet. Each year ten winners receive US $2,000 each, to help with their education costs or their public service work.

(   ) 1. A. had                B. gave              C. wrote         D. discussed

(   ) 2. A. enough           B. safe              C. much         D. polluted

(   ) 3. A. asks             B. orders          C. hopes         D. ensures

(   ) 4. A. a great           B. a strong       C. an important  D. an unreal

(   ) 5. A. especially        B. sometimes     C. even              D. seldom

(   ) 6. A. boys              B. others            C. students       D. grown-ups

(   ) 7. A. collecting        B. selling           C. buying          D. using

(   ) 8. A. things            B. chemicals       C. water         D. air

(   ) 9. A. making          B. recycling      C. reducing      D. handling

(   )10. A. uses              B. has               C. throws        D. needs

(   )11. A. tell                 B. increase          C. spread          D. inform

(   )12. A. talked to       B. listened to     C. heard from    D. thought about

(   )13. A. and                B. besides         C. as well as      D. as good as

(   )14. A. officials         B. workers       C. clerks          D. experts

(   )15. A. industrial        B. agricultural    C. scientific      D. educational

(   )16. A, much            B. no                C. some             D. little

(   )17. A. if                  B. how              C. when             D. why

(   )18. A. proud             B. glad                    C. modest          D. worried

(   )19. A. praises           B. helps             C. supports       D. honors

(   )20. A. benefiting       B. saving           C. serving          D. favoring

Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling, or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some form ---football, basketball, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.

Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks in high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.

Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.

If we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.

The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.

A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they perhaps climb with more skill and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.

(   ) 1. What movements are popular among people in winter in the passage?  

A. Soccer and golf.                             B. Skiing and skating.

C. Cycling and hockey.                          D. Mountaineering.

(   ) 2. The underlined word “passion” (Para. 2) could best be replaced by ________.

A. strong emotion      B. enthusiasm        C. feeling                     D. affection

(   ) 3. Mountaineering is a sport, not a game because ____________.

A. it has man-made rules                            B. it is too dangerous for climbers

C. it can’t bring people joy and leisure D. it is free for climbers to use their own methods