Volume One    Culture

Passage  1

开始时间：____________

  The Volunteer Farm, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, looks like a lot of other farms with rows of pepper, tomato and cucumber plants. But nothing harvested here goes to market. Fresh food from it is harvested to feed the hunger.

  Retired government worker Bob Blair owns the land, but leases it to the Volunteer Farm of Shenandoah for $1 a year. As its name suggests, the farm relies on volunteers to plant and harvest. They come from nearly every US state and many foreign countries.

  One day, a group from Tinkling Springs Presbyterian Church drove more than 100 kilometers to collect potatoes from the field. The majority of the volunteers were children.

  “After a few hour’ working, the children go to bed extremely tired. But they know in a very physical way that they have made a difference,” a Church leader said. The church has been volunteering at the farm for nearly a decade.

  Food from the Volunteer Farm is distributed to large food banks where the hungry can freely get what they need.

  So far, the Volunteer Farm has harvested 5,500 kilograms of vegetables and the food will keep coming.

Answer the following questions.

1. Who is the owner of the Volunteer Farm?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Where do the volunteers come from?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Where is food from the Volunteer Farm distributed?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Passage  2

开始时间：____________

  The spread of Western eating habits around the world is bad for human health and for the environment. Those findings come from a new report in the journal Nature. There are ways to solve this diets-health-environment problem. But they will require a change in eating habits.

  David Tilman is a professor of ecology at the University of Minnesota. In the study, he examined information from 100 countries to learn what people ate and how diet affected health. He recorded a movement beginning in the 1960s. He found that as nations industrialized, population increased and earnings rose, more people began to choose what has been called the Western diet.

  The Western diet is high in sugar, fat, oil and meat. By eating these foods people began to get fatter and sicker. Overweight people are at greater risk for diseases like diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

  Diabetes is very common in the United States and across Europe. Heart disease is a major cause of death in Western countries. Unfortunately when people become industrialized, if they adopt this Western diet, they are going to have these same health impacts, and in some cases if you are Asian, you will suffer more than those in the West.

  And, a diet bad for human beings, it seems, is also bad for the environment. As the world population grows, experts say more forests will become farmland for crops or grass lands for cattle. These areas will be needed to meet the increasing demand for food.

  Mr. Tilman calls the link between diet, the environment and human health a “trilemma”. This is a play on the word “dilemma”-- problem offering a difficult choice. He says one possible solution is leaving the Western diet behind.

4. David Tilman found when people earned more, they began to___________.

A. enjoy the Western diet.

B. choose foods of high quality.

C. spend more money on foods.

D. give up their good eating habits.

5. what does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us?

A. The risk of various diseases.

B. The trouble of being overweight.

C. The disadvantages of the Western diet.

D. The causes of getting fatter and sicker.

6. It can be inferred from paragraph 4 that ___________?

A. the Western diet is more harmful to Asian people

B. diabetes is the main disease in the United States

C. the Western diet has caused many deaths in Asia

D. heart disease is more serious than diabetes in Europe

7. To solve this problem, Mr. Tilman advises us to __________.

A. meet the increasing demand for food.

B. learn the meaning of the word “trilemma”

C. change our eating habits and avoid the Western diet.

D. find the link between diet, the environment and human health.

Passage  3

开始时间：____________

In America, boys and girls often join clubs. The members of a club work together. They also learn certain skills and share good times.

       Many boys in America join the Boy Scouts (童子军). Boy scouts enjoy hiking and camping out together, and they learn many things. Scouts learn safety rules, first aid, and what to do in a sudden serious and dangerous situation. Members have a chance to learn outdoor living. They learn to build fires, cook out in the open air, and pitch (搭) tents.

       Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls are clubs for girls. These two clubs give their members a chance to have fun and learn. The girls take trips in groups, have parties, and go hiking and camping together. The girls could get rewards for learning such skills as swimming and cooking.

       Both boys and girls are members of 4-H Club, an organization for youth aged 10 to 21 who take part in programs of “learning by doing”. Children who live in either the city or the country may join 4-H Club. A project such as raising a pig or a cow can be carried on only by farm children. But city children can take part in gardening or cooking projects.

       In all these clubs, members serve and work with their community (社区). The boys and girls learn to be good and useful citizens (公民).

8. If a girl from a big city wants to get a reward in Girl Scouts, she needs to learn _______.

A. raising pigs    

B. building fires   

C. safety rules    

D. swimming

9. The clubs for boys and girls teach them how to _______.

A. live in big cities 

B. enjoy family life

C. handle serious situations 

D. be good and useful citizens

10. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. All boy scouts and girl scouts must raise pigs on a farm.

B. Boys and girls join clubs to learn skills and share good times.

C. The only thing city children can learn to do is cooking.

D. Boys can join the Camp Fire Girls to take trips.

Passage  4

开始时间：____________

Festivals around the world

Carnival of Venice-Venice, Italy

The tradition of carnival dates back over 900 years. It is the happy time during the year when everyone is free to do things they want all year long without feeling shy because of the masks. During the carnival, local people and tourists, dressed up and masked, sing and dance in the street day and night. In the evening, there are also many parties and masked balls. It gives you a feeling as though fairy tales are coming alive!

Pingxi Lantern Festival-Taiwan, China

It’s a festival when thousands of sky lanterns light over Pingxi District Taiwan. Pingxi was often attacked by the thieves after harvest. So people gathered and lighted lanterns to let others know that the town was safe. It was originally celebrated to be far away f rom evil and disease. These lanterns are decorated with wished and images of the owner, and finally they are released off into the sky together, which makes the sky very beautiful.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta-New Mexico, the USA

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly festival of hot air balloons that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the USA during early October. The Balloon Fiesta is a nine-day event, and has around 750 balloon. The event is the largest hot air balloon festival in the world. Once the balloons are let off, they paint the sky with their colors and make it a beautiful sight to look at.

True or False?

11. People can do something they desire during the Carnival of Venice. (    )

12. Pingxi Lantern Festival can make people’s wishes come true.(    )

13. The Albuquerque International Ballon Fiestalasts for one week.(    )

14. Pingxi Lantern Festival was originally celebrated to tell people the town was safe.(    )

Passage  5

开始时间：____________

  We Americans have an expression: “if you give a person a fish, they will eat for a day. If you teach a person to fish, they can eat for a lifetime.” One way to explain this is that helping people grow their own food is a better way to fight hunger.

  HarvestPlus is teaching people around the world how to grow what are called “smart” crops. In 2006, HarvestPlus workers provided orange sweet potato plants for people in 24 Mozambique villages. Farmers in Mozambique had been planting white and yellow sweet potatoes. They have very little vitamin A. However, one small orange sweet potato has a full day’s supply of Vitamin A.

  Without enough vitamin A, people fae an increased risk of getting a serious disease or dying from infections. Economist Alan de Brauw talks about the HarvestPlus project in Mozambique. “About 70 percent of kids under the age of five didn’t take enough vitamin A. We have this huge need for new solutions. So we plan to do something through agriculture to increase the amount of vitamin A in the diet.”

  Mr. De Brauw said according to a study the potatoes had a surprising influence on the health of children. Chilcren eating orange sweet potatoes had 40 percent fewer cases of diarrhea. Among children under the age of three, the difference was 50 percent.

  Some experts say vitamin supplement can increase the supply of vitamin A. But Anne Herforth, an expert on global food security and nutrition, said, “Taking vitamin supplements is a Band-Aid solution--a short-term solution to a long-term problem--to the serious problem.

  Experts are suggesting that linking agriculture and health issues is a natural and effective way. They say teaching farmers how to grow healthier food is among the best ways to improve health.

15. The expression in Para. 1 shows the importance of _______.

A. spreading knowledge

B. keeping healthy

C. being generous with others

D. catching more fish to eat

16. Why are orange sweet potatoes given to farmers in Mozambique?

A. They are more attractive to children.

B. They are easily grown in dry areas.

C. They are sweeter than other potatoes.

D.  They are especially rich in vitamin A.

17. According to Anne Herforth, the serious problem is that __________.

A. agriculture isn’t naturally related to health

B. there is not enough vitamin A in daily diets

C. some food has a bad influence on health.

D. vitamin supplements are of little help

18. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Not taking enough vitamin A is dangerous

B. Vitamin A is important to children’s health

C. Sweet potatoes are planted as medicines

D. Potatoes of different colors are healthier

Passage 6

开始时间：____________

British humor vs. American humor

  Humor is influenced by culture. 19._______ What somebody from one country finds funny may not be amusing at all to somebody from another country.

  What about when both countries speak the same language? Does that mean that they share the same sense of humor and no differences remain? 20.__________

  One of the major differences seems to be how often both nations use irony. The British use irony on daily basis, but this doesn’t happen in America. 21.___________ They feel the need to make a joke more obvious than the British do. Maybe this is because of a fear of offending people.

  American jokes are generally more obvious and forward, a bit like Americans themselves. British jokes on the other hand , tend to be more subtle. 22.__________ This may be because of the fact that British culture is more reserved than American culture.

  23.__________ Therefore, although both nations have subtle differences, they can both appreciate the other’s sense of humor.

Complete the passage by using the following sentences. Note there are two sentences more than you need.

A. When Americans use irony, they tend to state that they are “only kidding”.

B. Certain American comedies have gain huge success in Britain and so does British humor.

C. Do they share the same humor?

D. There is usually a hidden meaning.

E. This arises from a cultural difference between the two.

F. Let’s take the example of British and America.

G. A nation’s humor is linked to the historical development of the country.

Passage 7

开始时间：____________

Four facts about body language

  If you want to become a “master” of nonverbal communication, there a few things you need to know.

  Body language is not a “language”

  There is no dictionary for nonverbal communication. The meaning of a particular nonverbal cue, such as a certain gesture or eye movement, can depend on the context the individual, and the relationship between the sender and the receiver.

  Certain facial expressions have universal meanings.

  There is good evidence that the basic facial expressions of anger, happiness, sadness, and fear are used similarly across cultures. We can recognize a happy face on almost anyone in the world.

  It takes one to know one

  There are individual differences in people’s abilities to communicate nonverbally. This is a big part of our emotional intelligence. Certain people are very skilled at clearly expressing themselves nonverbally -- sending clear messages of emotions. Others are very good at “reading” others’ nonverbal cues. These two abilities are closely related. In general, a good sender is more likely to be a good receiver.

  Lie detection is almost impossible.

  There is a belief that we can tell if a person is lying through body language. For example, some believe that a liar can’t look you in the eye or shows nervous gestures. But the reality is that it’s nearly impossible to accurately detect lies simply through reading someone’s body language.

Read the passage and fill in the blanks.

24. The ___________________ of people all over the world are similar.

25. People’s abilities to communicate nonverbally are ________________.

26. You cannot judge a person only through _____________________.

Passage  8

开始时间：____________

Scottish kilt

  For any one of Scottish ancestries, the kilt is a symbol of honor. First worn by those who lived in the Scottish Highlands, the kilt was prepared for the army. Before 1792, those who wanted to wear the kilt in the Lowlands or Britain had to join the British army.

  The kilt is more than just a covering. It allowed those who wore it to move much more freely. When the armies of the past were fighting in Scotland, the kilt heped protect the soldier. When the armies of the past were fighting in Scotland, the kilt helped protect the soldier. When the nights became cold, it was easily removed and could take the place of the blanket to keep the soldier warm. Lastly, if the army needed to move quickly, the kilt could be easily removed, thus allowing the soldier more freedom of movement. Today the kilt is the national dress of Scotland and worn by many. You can see various plaid kilts from time to time. They are much shorter than the ones worn by tht Highland armies in the past, but still evoke the pride that was carried by those who lived above the land of Scotland.

Read the text and answer the following questions.

27.Whom was the kilt prepared for?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

28. Please list two advantages of the kilt.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

29. What’s the difference between the kilts today and the kilts in the past?

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Passage  9

开始时间：____________

English homor

  Have you noticed that some jokes are funny in one country, but funny at all in another country?

  30. ________

  The British appear to be serious, and English humor sometimes aounds astonishing to foreighers. English humor refuses to be caught and examined. 31.__________ For example:

  Two men are reading their newspapers in a club when one says, “ It’s said that there was a person in Devon who played his violin to seals.” “Oh, really?” says the other. “Yes,” says the first, “but the seals completely ignored it.”

  Many UK comidies and TV programs that show typical English humor have been internationally popular, but it’s sometimes still difficult to understand. The British never say what they mean directly. 32. _________ They always langh at themselves. Here are two humorous stories you may enjoy:

  1. A man ordered a dish in a restaurant. 33. __________ after a moment, the man called the waiter and said, “waiter! Waiter! There’s a fly in my soup!” “Please don’t speak so loudly, sir,” whispered the waiter. “otherwise, everyone will want one.”

  2. A man walks into a doctor’s office office with a cucumber in his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. “34.__________” he asked the doctor. The doctor replies, “You’re not eating properly.”

Complete the passage by using the follwoing sentences. Note there are two sentences more than you need.

A. Their humor is partly based on their own character.

B. The British often play jokes on each other.

C. The waiter brought the food and put it on the table.

D. Don’t I look funny?

E. Can you fully understand an English joke?

F. What’s the matter with me?

G. When you think you have got it, you realize that you have been fooled once again.

Passage  10

  开始时间：____________

  Thanksgiving is one of the biggest American holidays. And Thanksgiving dinner is the center of the holiday. And the star of Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey. You may be wondering why the word “turkey” describes both a country and a bird that Americans eat for Thanksgiving dinner. Many think the bird comes from the nation of Turkey. But the turkey is not from Turkey. In fact, the bird being called by that name is one big mistake. It is a case of mistaken identity.

  “Turkey” has meant “the land of the Turks” since ancient times. The word turkey, referring to the bird, first appeared in the English language around 1540. There is an African bird called the guinea fowl. Portuguese traders brought the foreigh bird to Europe through North Africa. They came to Europe through Turkish lands. So, the British thought of the bird as a “Turkish chicken”. They mistakenly called the male bird the “turkey cock”. They called the female bird the “turkey hen”.

  The guinea fowl has dark feathers with white spots. The misunderstanding over the word turkey happened because of the birds that look similar. When the Europeans moved to North America, they saw a North American bird that looked like the guinea fowl. They thought that it was the guinea fowl, which at that time was called the “turkey” and so they gave it the same name even though it has no connection at all wigh the country Turkey.

  Another interesting fact about the turkey is that it almost became the national bird of the United States. But today, of course, you will see the bald eagle on the Presidential Seal of the United States. Founding father Benjamin Franklin did not think the eagle was a good bird. He thought the eagle was lazy and bad because it stole food from other bird. On the coutrary, he thouht that the turkey was a more respectable bird and a true original native of America. It shoud be the perfect choice for the new country.

35. What can we learn about the turkey?

A. It is the most popular word in America.

B. It means a bird from the country Turkey.

C. It is a special bird from the country Turkey.

D. It’s the symbol of Thankgiving Day in America.

36. Who first regarded the guinea fowl as a bird from Turkey?

A. The Turks    B. The British    C. Protuguese traders    D. People in North Africa

3. When the Europeans arrived in North America, they _________?

A. brought the guinea fowl

B. made the guinea fowl more famous

C. sold North American birds to Turkey

D. named a North American bird b mistake 

37. Which of the follwoing is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The bald eagle looks like the guinea fowl.

B. American don’t like the bald eagle at all.

C. The turkey is a common bird in North Africa.

D. Benjamin Franklin thought highly of the turkey.

38. What’s the passage mainly about?

A. Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

B. Different meanings of  the word turkey.

C. The turkey is a case of mistake identity.

D. The relationship between a bird and a country.

Passage 11

开始时间：____________

  Shadow Day has been a tradition for the students of Saugus High School for many years. Students are able to go off and spend a day with a mentor from an occupation they wish to fulfill. Last Wednesday I was able to follow a reporter from The Daily Item. My experience, starting with interviewing fellow students and ending with writing an article, has given me a new look at the world of journalism.

  The day began with breakfast at Prince Pizzeria where we met our mentors. Then we all set out to start our day of work. With a reporter’s notebook, my experience began.

  We went to observe other students and their mentors working in the town. Our first stop was the police department where we watched a groupf nine students lisen to Detective Sean Moynihan’s talk about their jobs. Then at the fire department, a group of fou students were instruted b firemen on the hardships and details of this field. The students were dressed in the firemen’s suit and put in a search and rescue situation in which they had to find a baby in a disorderly room. After doing this activity, three of the four students were still interested in becoming a firefighter. After visiting other students, my mentor brought me along to experience what she would usually do with her day. This included interviewing a local business owner beore heading to the newsroom. As I sat and looked through my notes for the day, I realized that journalism is the profession that I want to pursue. It was a great experience to see through a reporter what this job is like. I am happy that I know more about it before I enter college.

39. What did the students do at the fier department?

A. They went to rescue a baby in a fire.

B. They experienced firemen’s work.

C. They learned how to become excellent firemen.

D. They tried to controll a search and rescue situation.

40. Which if the right order of the things the author did on Shadow Day?

a. Writing an article in the newsroom.

b. Interviewing a local business owner.

c. Meeting the mentors at Prince Pizzeria

d. Interviewing students. 

A. a-c-b-d    B. c-a-d-b    C. c-d-b-a    D. c-d-a-b  

41. It can be inferred that, afer the Shadow Day program, ___________?

A. the author still wanted to become a firefighter

B. most students would get a part-time job they like

C. some students and their mentors became friends

D. some students would change their career interests  

42. The passage is meant to ____________.

A. introduce Shadow Day

B. tell an experience on Shadow Day

C. show the importance of Shadow Day

D. discuss the relationship between study and job

43. In the author’s opinion, the Shadow Day program  ______?

A. interesting     B. useful    C. ordinary     D. popular   

Passage  12

  开始时间：____________

The Cervantino Festival（塞万提斯艺术节）is held every year in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico. The festival, which began in 1972, is in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, author of the famous Spanish novel Don Quixate de la Mancha.

  Cervantino’s international atmosphere

  At its heart, Cervantino is a cultural festival. It takes place during October, lasting a full month. Over the course of the month, hundreds of cultural events are held in the city. The international nature of the festival makes it a popular tourism destination. Each year, one Mexican state and one international community are invited to be guests of honor ath the festival.

  You don’t have to speak Spanish

  Because many of the events are in Spanish, the festival is not widely known in the USA and other places where

Spanish is not spoken. This is highly unfortunate, because the festival creates an international atmosphere where people from around the world can share their culture. Although many events are in Spanish, there are many others that require no special language, such as visual art exhibits and musical performances. In addition, a few of the performances, including plays, are subtitled in English and other languages, making the Cervantino Festival acceptable to everyone.

  __________

  For those thinking of attending the next Cervantino Festival, there are a few important things to keep in mind. First, the festival is extremely popular, so the city becomes very crowded. Hotels can be packed weeks or months before the festival starts. So it’s necessary to book your hotel early. The same goes for tickets to events. Although there are usually plenty of tickets availabel during the festival, some of the more popular events or famous performers tend to sell out early, so you should consider buying tickets online before your trip..

44. What is the purpose of the Cervantino Festival?

A. To show respect for Miguel de Cervantes.

B. To introduce a number of Mexican artists.

C. To promote the local tourism industry.

D. To attract more people to Guanajuato.

45. Form Para. 2, we know that Cervantino___________.

A. is the longest Mexican festival

B. concentrates on international cultures

C. is held in different states every year

D. holds various events about culture    

46. Cervantino is not widely known in the USA mainly because ________.

A. Americans don’t learn Spanish

B. it only spreads Mexican culture

C. most of its events are in Spanish

D. no American communities have been invited   

47. Which of the following can best be placed in the blank?

A. Travel tips

B. Plan ahead

C. Opening hours and tickets

D. Come and enjoy yourself here

48. In which part of a newspaper can we probably find this passage?

A. Science.   B. Culture    C. Fashion     D. Education

Passage  13

  开始时间：____________

There is a special festival in Thailand that people and animals celebrate together. It’s a festival for Thailand’s elephants-- the Surin Elephant Round-up and Elephant Show, 49.________ takes place in the thrid week of November.

  People in Surin are good at training elephants. The festival aims 50.________(show) the importance of elephants to Thailand and people’s good relationship 51.______ them.

  52. _________ attracts tourists most is the elephant parade. People 53.________(dress) in traditional Thai clothes and they decorate their elephants colorfully. After the parade, the elephants gather at a place to enjoy breakfast. They will eat up all the fruit 54.________(serve) to them within minutes.

  There are many other interesting activites at the festival, too. For example, soccer 55._________(match) and dancing are held among elephants to show their 56._________(strong) and skills.

  Elephants have always played 57.________ important role in Thailand’s history and culture. People used to use them in wars and they are now important for the logging industry and tourism. An elephant can carry about 500kg logs. They are 58. _________(environment) friendly compared to machines.

Passage  14

  开始时间：____________

Train and railway expressions worked their way into American English over a century ago. Many of those terms are still being used today.

  Sometimes railroad tracks would not join up in a town but divide it in two. One side of the tracks might be good, while the other side was “not-so-good”. If you say someone is from the wrong side of the tracks, it means they are from the bad side of town.

  To go off track means to pay attention to your goal or purpose but getting sidetracked is just the opposite.

  Talking about train tracks, a rail is a single piece of steel that is part of the larger railway. Some rails are dangerous to touch. In some cities, a third rail provides power to a subway train, usually operating underground; electricity passes through the rail. The third rail is a problem which can fuel a heated debate. At a party, religion or politics could be third rail topics. Talking about them could kill your social life.

  Many Americans say things get derailed when they go off track or away from a goal--or when they simply go wrong.

  When a train reaches its final stop, we say it as reached the end of the line. If you reach the end of the line you have come to the end of something. Often in old films, this is what the bad guy says just before he kills someone.

59. By “you took double the course load”, the author means____________.

A. you took more courses at a time

B. you spent more time on each course

C. you studied only the necessary courses

D. you didn’t know how to choose the course

60. When people discuss economy a lot in a political meeting, we can say “________”.

A. the meeting is fast-tracked

B. they simply get sidetracked

C. the meeting reaches the end of the line

D. they are from the wrong side of the tracks

61. Why are religion and politics called third rail topics at a party?

A. They are too dangerous to touch.

B. They can easily lighten the atmosphere.

C. They always bring about many disagreements.

D. They are the most important topics on such an occasion.

62. Becuse of the storm, our travel plan ___________.

A. gets derailed     B. stays on track      C. is back on track      D. becomes a third rail

Passage 15

开始时间：____________

  There is an old Spanish proverb which states, “Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” 63._______ Too many. But our dreams should not and cannot wait.

  Tomorrow is not promised.

  Nobody likes to talk about death, but the rality is that everybody will die someday. None of us know the day. 64.______ Don’t go to your grave with unfinished dreams. Make the decision to go after every dream, big or small, right now.

  The world is waiting for your gift.

  The world is waiting for you. 65.______ Sure, other poeple may be able to sing, but they’ll never be able to sing exactly like you. Sure, other people can write, but they’ll never be able to write from the same point of view in which you write.

  66._________

  You can dream about writing a great novel, but it’s never going to happen unless you actually put pen to paper. You can dream about finding a cure for cancer, but it will never happen unless you actually go to school to become equipped with the necessary tools to find that cure.

  You can’t let fear win.

  One of the biggest dream killers is fear. There are so many people who could have achieved amazing things if they were’t afraid. Just think about all the things you’ve wanted to do, but allowed fear to convince you that you weren’t capable or good enough. 67.__________You can choose not to let fear stop you from achieving your dream.

A. Therefore, today is all we have.

B. Dreams don’t work unless you do.

C. Rememer that fear is just a choice.

D. You were born into the world with a unique gift.

E. You will be much happier if you go for your ddreams.

F. There are so many opportunities and people waiting for you.

G. How many times have we put off our dreams until tomorrow?

Passage  16

  开始时间：____________

 New York City is a wonderful family destination any time of year. Here is a list of great things to see and do with your family.

  1. American Museum of Natural History

  All ages. Who doesn’t love to see dinosaur bones or a life-sized model of a blue whale? The American Museum of Natural History offers visitors wonderful exhibits where you can explore science and the natural world up close. Only after visiting with my own kids did I realize that it offers all the excitement of a zoo without the difficulty of finding them in their habitat.

  2. Bronx Zoo

  All ages. If you’ve got little ones, the Children’s Zoo is great fun with lots of hands-on and close-up experiences. Kids of all ages enjoy the Bug Carousel and the Asia Monorail offers wildlife viewing while you rest your feet- a welcome break since the zoo is huge.

  3. Lower East Side Tenement Museum

  Ages 5+. Experience some of New York City’s rich history at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, where children and their families can tour a tenement building and learn about the families that called it home. Seeing how families lived in these samll apartments is sure to make them appreciate the onveniences of modern life.

  4. Top of the Rock

  All Ages. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of New York City from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. Although it’s not as well-known as the Empire State Building, the top of the Rock lets you see the Empire State Building, as well as Central Park from its three floors of indoor and outdoor observation areas. By buying tickets in advance, you can avoid most of the waiting associated with enjoying a skyline view.

68. Visitors to American Museum of Natural history can _______.

A. swim with blue whales

B. feel all the excitment of a zoo

C. get a view of lifelike dinosaurs

D. get a view of lifelike dinosaurs

69. Which place set a limit on the age of its visitor?

A. America Museum of Natural history.

B. Bronx Zoo.

C. Lower East Side Tenement Museum.

D. Top of the Rock.

70. We can learn from the text that Top of thr Rock__________.

A. is located near Central Park

B. is home to many kinds of birds.

C. is nsie the Empire State Building

D. give visitor a skyline view of New York City

Volume Two  History and Geography

Passage 1

开始时间：____________

This is a story that happened in Europe in the 17th century. Tulips(郁金香) were introduced into Holland before the 17th century but it did not take long for the flowers to gain popularity among the upper classes. Flowers of such beauty soon became symbols of power and the rich tried their best to lay their hands on some to display them in their gardens. When more people learned of the prices that the rich were willing to pay for tulips, they knew they just found a “get-rich-quick” gold mine.

     By 1634, the whole country was so attracted by tulips that all other activities almost came to a stop. People were trading in tulips and even buying and selling bulbs(球茎). At that time, one rare bulb cost as much as ten tons of cheese.

     Many made a fortune in the beginning. As the prices moved in one direction, they only needed to buy low and sell high, buy high and sell higher. After the gains, confidence rose and many sold away all their property in order to invest more money in tulips, hoping to make more money. The desire was so strong that those who were watching also rushed to the tulip market. Everyone thought that the high demand for tulips would continue forever and prices could only go up because more and more people from all over the world would start to like tulips.

     When the prices of tulips was much higher than it should be, few people bought them for planting in their gardens. The real demand for the flowers seemed greater than it really was. Many people were buying them for speculation(投机), not appreciation. In 1637, for some unknown reasons, a group of people suddenly realized the danger. The prices of tulips began to fall and the market crashed. When confidence was destroyed, it could not be recovered and prices kept falling. Soon the nobles and the rich became poor. Cries of suffering were heard everywhere in Holland.

 1. Why did the upper classes buy tulips in the beginning?

 2. It can be inferred from the passage that                 .

 3. The passage is mainly about                 .

Passage2

    开始时间：____________

The most common symbol of a nation in the modern world is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark buildings, ships and other vehicles related to a country.

    The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive (原始的) artifact. It is, rather, the product of thousands of years' development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction.

    Early human beings used very fragile (脆弱的) houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. People's food supplies were similarly vulnerable. Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another.

    Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems(图腾) before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves.

    These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked: The king of China around 1000 BC was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab Lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag.

 4. The best title for the passage would be                 .

 5. The underlined word "vulnerable" in paragraph 3 means                 .

 6. What does the author know of the first national flag?

 7. What will the author most probably talk about next?

Passage 3

开始时间：____________

    New archaeological discoveries suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began many centuries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road.

    The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1,000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt.

    The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wudi returned from a dangerous secret mission(使命) across the western desert into the remote Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world's two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome.

    But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and wonder the mystery of just when and how Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture.

 8. The underlined word "coupled" in the first paragraph could best be replaced by                 .

 9. The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that                 .

10. Until recently most historians officially believed that trade along the Silk Road                 .

11. Historians have always considered Zhang Qian's journey important because they believe                 .

Passage 4

  开始时间：____________

   AIDS-related illnesses have killed more than 30 million people since 1981. That's half as many deaths as in World War II. And it's not over. An estimated 1.1 million Americans are among the 33 million people worldwide who are now living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

    Between 1884 and 1924, somewhere near modern-day Kinshasa in West Central Africa, a hunter kills a chimpanzee. Some of the animal's blood enters the hunter's body, possibly through an open wound. The blood carries a virus harmless to the chimp but deadly to humans: HIV.

    In June, 1981, the CDC publishes a report from Los Angeles of five young homosexual men with fatal or life-threatening PCP pneumonia. First cases recognized. In 1985, Rock Hudson dies of AIDS. Larry Kramer's AIDS play, "The Normal Heart." shocks New York audiences.

    In 1986, for the first time, President Reagan publicly utters the word "AIDS." In 1987, Princess Diana is photographed hugging people with AIDS. Reagan makes his first speech on AIDS. Liberace dies of AIDS. Three years later, Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe dies of AIDS.

    In 1988, the first World AIDS DAY is held on Dec. 1. During 1991-1992, the red ribbon is introduced as a symbol of AIDS solidarity(团结一致). But AIDS becomes the leading cause of death in U.S. men aged 25-44 and ten years later, AIDS becomes the leading cause of death worldwide for people aged 15 to 59.

    In 2008, for the first time, global AIDS deaths decline. UNAIDS calculates that the global spread of AIDS peaked in 1996 at 3.5 million new infections. Deaths peaked in 2004, at 2.2 million. Yet AIDS Day 2009 brings surprising figures: 2.7 million new HIV infections and 2 million AIDS deaths in the previous year.

    Researchers have discovered more than a dozen antibodies that target the HIV virus. They hope that these discoveries will lead to a vaccine that offers long-term protection against AIDS. One antibody in particular, PGT 128, is considered among the most potent and promising—preventing about 70% of viruses from infecting cells in laboratory tests.

12. Why does the author mention the year 1981 in the first paragraph?

13. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

14. How many famous people died of AIDS mentioned in the passage between 1985 and 1991?

15. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

16. What attitude does the author have towards the treatment to AIDS in the future?

Passage 5

开始时间：____________

It has long been known the ancient Egyptian rulers, or pharaohs, were buried with great ceremony and lavish treasures that were to be used in the other world.

Unfortunately, until 1922 no remains of any of the pharaohs or their treasures had ever been found. In that year, however, an archaeologist named Howard Carter and his sponsor, Lord Carnavon, were at last successful. They found the tomb of King Tutankhamen, who was buried 3,200 years ago. King Tut’s tomb was the first fully preserved burial site to be uncovered in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. The two men found the tomb to contain wonderful treasures. Gold figures and magnificent furniture decorated with gold were found in the myriad of secret rooms and tunnels within the pyramid.

The only disappointment for Howard Carter came when he found that King Tut’s body was nothing but dust. Apparently a mistake had been made when the king’s remains were mummified (使成木乃伊). Carter did, however, find 143 pieces of jewelry within the mummy case, mostly made of gold and precious stones.

Actually, despite all the publicity about the remarkable finds in his tomb, Tutankhamen’s reign (统治时期) as pharaoh was short and relatively uneventful. He died when he was just 18 years old.

There is an interesting story that goes along with King Tut’s tomb. According to legend, a powerful curse was placed in it. This curse was to descend on anyone uncovering Tutankhamen’s burial place. Not very long after the discovery, Lord Carnavon, along with several of the workmen, died suddenly.

17．The subject of this passage is              .

     A．the Valley of the Kings     B．the discovery of King Tut’s tomb

     C．King Tut’s accomplishments   D．Howard Carter, archaeologist

18．Which statement is true according to this article?

     A．Not until King Tut’s tomb was found did people realize that Egyptian pharaohs

   were buried with great ceremony and lavish treasures.

     B．The first grand burial site of the ancient Egyptian rulers was built 3,200 years ago.

     C．Historically, Tutankhamen’s reign was not very much important.

     D．The writer feels it a pity that Lord Carnavon and several of the workmen died

    because of the curse.

19．It seems clear that King Tut        .

     A．was a great military leader      B．thought a great deal of himself

     C．was afraid of dying          D．was killed by his enemies

20．If you have a myriad of something, you have          .

     A．many          B．some     C．few       D．several

21．Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

     A．King Tut’s Tomb            B．The Egyptian Tombs and Treasures

     C．King Tut’s body             D．The First Pharaoh’s Treasures

Volume Three   Culture and Custom

Passage 1

开始时间：____________

    Children have traditionally been the stars of family portraits—but these days they are increasingly likely to be upstaged(抢镜头) by their pets. Photographers say that there has been a 20 percent rise in demand in the past year for shots featuring not only dogs and cats, but also more unusual animals including horses, cows, sheep—and even ferrets and snails. But it doesn't always come cheap, as parents are paying up to £3,000 for the distinctive images.

    Richard Mayfield, creative director at Venture Photography, which runs a nationwide chain of studios, said: "They say never work with children or animals but we think the opposite. Children and animals are unpredictable, and that's great for capturing dynamic(动态的) photographs."

    "We always ask clients if they would like to bring any pets along to their shoots as we want to capture the character of the families we photograph, and often their pets help them to relax. We get a lot of domestic pets such as dogs and cats but more unusual pets can be really interesting from a photographer's perspective. This year we've seen lots of rabbits in particular as more and more are kept in the house and so really feel like part of the family."

    A glance at these pictures proves just how astonishing the animal magic can be. Toddler Alfie Poutney, from Felixstowe, poses with a green parrot perched on his flat cap; Charlie Wells from Wakefield gives his pony Lucy a gentle kiss; James Corrigan is pictured with his Dutch dwarf rabbit perched in the center of his skateboard; Poppy Hanshaw reaches out to stroke Lego the lamb; and Harry the tortoise provided the main focus for a Home Counties family portrait. But the most unusual image surely has to be Gabriel Pereira from Woking, Surrey, posing with his pet snails Wayne, Lucy and Aaron.

 1. According to the passage, children take pictures                 .

 2. According to the passage, Richard Mayfield considers                 .

 3. What role do pets play when people take pictures?

 4. What animals become more popular in families?

 5. How many pets are mentioned in the last paragraph?

Passage  2

开始时间：____________

    Successful people in international business understand the cultures of other countries and learn to change their practices in different cultures. They understand the importance of avoiding business decisions based on misconceptions—mistaken ideas.

    One cause of misconceptions is ethnocentrism, the belief that one's own culture's way of doing things is better than the way of other cultures. It's ethnocentrism that leads to failure in international business. To avoid ethnocentrism, it's necessary to study the different elements(组成部分) of culture: language, values and attitudes, and customs and manners.

    Language

    A knowledge of the local language can help international business people in four ways. First, people can communicate directly. Second, people are usually more open in their communication with someone who speaks their language. Third, an understanding of the language allows people to infer meanings that are not said directly. Finally, knowing the language helps people to understand the culture better.

    Values and attitudes

    Values are people's basic beliefs about the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. An attitude is a way of thinking or acting. Values and attitudes influence international business. For example, many people in the United States believe that chocolate from Switzerland is better than chocolate from other countries, and they buy a lot of it.

    Customs and manners

    Customs are common social practices. Manners are ways of acting that the society believes are polite. For example, in the United States, it is the custom to have salad(色拉) before the main course at dinner, not after. It's not acceptable to talk with food in mouth at table. Failure to understand the customs and manners of other countries will bring difficulty selling their products. Orange juice as a breakfast drink of an American company in France doesn't sell well because the French don't usually drink juice with breakfast.

 6. A knowledge of the local language allows international business people                 .

 7. The act of many people buying chocolate of Switzerland shows the role of                 .

 8. What would be the best title for the text?

 9. The author's purpose of writing this article is to tell people                 .

Passage  3

Sailing Through History

开始时间：____________

    A group of 1,309 passengers boarded the MS. Balmoral on Sunday, in Southampton, England, on a voyage to retrace the path of the Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world when it sailed on its ill-fated maiden voyage in 1912. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died. The ship, which was headed to New York City, carried the rich and famous on its first voyage. It also carried immigrants, who were seeking a better life in America.

    Relatives of people who sailed on the Titanic, historians, authors and people fascinated by the story of the unsinkable ship, are on the Balmoral. They want to remember the doomed ship and those who died on her first and last voyage. The historic liner had set sail on April 10, 1912, from Southampton. Late at night on April 14, she hit an iceberg. In the early morning hours of April 15, the Titanic sank.

    The Balmoral is following Titanic's original route from Southampton. First, the modern-day cruise liner docked in the port of Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic had picked up more passengers. On Monday afternoon, the Balmoral stops in Cobh, Ireland, the Titanic's last port of call before sailing to New York.

    Balmoral will then cruise the North Atlantic Ocean to the location where Titanic hit an iceberg that ripped the ship's hull(外壳). On Sunday, April 15, at 2:20 a.m.—the time the Titanic went down—passengers and crew will hold a memorial service. The next two days will be spent in Halifax, Canada, where many victims of the sinking are buried. Then, the Balmoral will reach its final destination in New York City, where Titanic was supposed to dock—but never did.

    Until today, several teams of divers have explored the site. They have recovered some items such as dishes and silverware and put them on public display. And more trips are planned to the wreckage in the future. The Titanic and its passengers and crew have been remembered in books, movies and TV programs. But there's a much more important contribution that Titanic gave us. After she sank, lawmakers and shipbuilders made ships safer. It took a terrible tragedy to make ship travel safer for all.

10. How many passengers in Titanic survived at last?

11. Passengers in Balmoral mainly want to                 .

12. How many countries does the Balmoral reach before sailing to New York?

13. The Balmoral will stay in Canada just in memory of                 .

14. What might be the most important contribution of the sunken Titanic?

Passage 4

开始时间：____________

        Historic Hill at Risk of Being Removed From Landscape

    It's literally a case of turning a mountain into a molehill.

    An entire hill, famed for its archeological heritage and geological significance, is to be removed from the Scottish skyline to make way for a quarry(采石场) under plans being considered by West Dunbartonshire Council.

    Sheep Hill, in the Kilpatrick Hills on the Clyde, is the site of ancient Bronze and Iron Age forts which local residents and experts say will be destroyed by the expansion of a stone quarry.

    The hill also features in a painting by the 19th-century Scottish artist John Knox, and is used by geology teachers to show how the landscape has been shaped by volcanoes and ice ages.

    Allowing the hill to be wiped off the map would be "an act of wanton(荒唐的) destruction of our environment and inheritance", according to Clydebelt, a local environmental group, which is calling for Scottish ministers to intervene to save the hill.

    "Sheep Hill is liable(应承担责任的) to be destroyed," said the group's secretary, Sam Gibson. "This would leave a gaping hole in the side of the hill showing the workings of the quarry and fully visible from a distance."

    A proposal to revise mineral permission for an existing quarry run by a local firm near Sheep Hill is due to be discussed by West Dunbartonshire Council on Wednesday and has aroused fierce opposition from local groups.

    They say that, as well as damaging important archaeological remains and ruining the landscape, expanding the quarry would threaten wildlife and trees. The North Bank Environmental Group has filed a formal complaint to the ombudsman(巡视官) about the council's handling of the development.

    The quarry company, William Thompson & Son, which has extracted whinstone at its Sheep Hill quarry for decades did not respond to repeated requests to comment last week.

15. For what is Sheep Hill well-known?

16. The underlined word "intervene" means                  in the 3rd paragraph.

17. What can we infer from what Sam Gibson said?

18. Why do the local groups oppose the mineral permission?

19. How did William Thompson & Son react towards the complaint from the locals?

Passage 5

开始时间：____________

    “You are going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You are really lucky.“

     Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But is it true all the time? Is your life in the new country always wonderful and exciting?

     Specialists say that it isn't easy to get used to life in a new culture. "Culture shock" is the term specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. "There are three stages of culture shock," say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.

     There are some obvious factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems, the telephone, post office, or transportation maybe difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.

     Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity.

     They have to build a new self-image.

     Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation(迷惘). This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create and escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience are the long term solutions to the problem of culture shock.

20. When people move to a new country, they                 .

21. According to the passage, factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following except                 

22. According to the passage, the more successful you are at home,                 .

23. When people are homesick, they tend to                 .

Volume Four   Politics

Passage 1

开始时间：____________

As I travel across China, I hope to learn as much as I can about the Chinese people, your history, and your dreams for the future and I hope to help the Chinese people understand more of America’s history, the lessons the American people have drawn from it, and the dreams we hold for the 21st century.

I believe both Chinese and Americans aspire(立志, 有热望) to many of the same things — to provide for our families, to teach our children, to build our communities, to protect our Earth, to shape our own futures, and pass brighter possibilities on to our children.

There may be those and back in America who wonder whether closer ties and deeper friend ship between America and China are good. Clearly, the answer is yes. We have a powerful ability to help each other grow. We can learn much from each other. And as two great nations, we have a special responsibility to the future of the world. The steps we take over the next week can lead to far greater strides for our people in the years ahead.

Here in this city of your magnificent history, we must always remember that we, too, are ancestors(祖先). Someday our children and their children will ask if we did all we could to build just societies and a more peaceful world. Let our monument be their judgement that we did that. Let our progress include all people, with all their differences, moving toward a common destiny. Let us give new meanings to the words written in the ancient Book of Rites, what you call the Li Shi: When the great way is followed, all under heaven will be equal.

1. It becomes clear from the passage that _______.

A. both China and America are the most powerful countries in the world

B. both China and America should do something for the future of the world

C. both China and America are great countries with a long history

D. both China and America can provide their children with good education

2. Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. America will encourage their children to learn the Chinese history.

B. The speaker is in the city with the magnificent Chinese history.

C. Both Chinese and Americans share some desires and interests.

D. The speaker wants Chinese to understand more of American history.

3. The underlined word “here” used in Paragraph 3 refers to “_______”.

A. in the city   B. on the platform  C. at the ceremony(仪式)   D. in China

4. It can be inferred that the person who made the speech is a _______.

A. scientist B. statesman C. businessman  D. professor

Passage 2

开始时间：____________

In exactly a year, the most important event since World War II. will take place in Europe—the start of the single European currency(货币).

For 40 years, Western European countries have been slowly changing their political and economic structure(经济结构). Their aim has been to replace the confusing and wasteful system of national currencies with a single, united economy. Now this process(过程) is entering its last period. In one year’s time, on 1 January 1999, member countries of the European Union(EU) will link their economies together. Three years later, in 2002, their national currencies will be replaced by a single, EU-wide currency, the “Euro”.

The single currency has taken a long time to arrive. It was first considered over ten years ago, when the EU set up the single market. This aimed to improve EU competitiveness in world markets by allowing for the free movement of people and goods throughout the Union. A single currency was accepted as the logical extension(合乎逻辑的延伸) to removal(移动) of these trade barriers(障碍).

1. The single European currency is called _______.

A. pound B. franc C. EU D. Euro

2. The single currency is _______.

A. earlier than the single market B. as early as the single market

C. later than the single market D. as late as the single market

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. After the EU set up the single market, people in the EU can able to move freely throughout the union.

B. Setting up the single market is the most important event in Europe after World War II.

C. The Euro will take the place of currencies of the member countries in the EU.

D. The USA is not a member of the EU.

4. Which is the best title of this passage?

A. The Euro B. The EU

D. How to Use the Euro C. The Single Market

Passage 3

开始时间：____________

 “American dream? What a lie!” This comment(评论) was made by a Cuban teenage girl. She was attending a huge protest(抗议) in Havana, Cuba, against American immigration laws last Tuesday.

　　Tens of thousands of people, including Cuba’s President, Fidel Castro, took part in the protest to remember 30 missing Cubans, including 13 children. Their boat was lost in the Florida Straits after setting out from Cuba on November 17. It is one of the worst accidents involving(牵扯到) Cubans being smuggled(偷渡) into the US. Fourteen people died in the sinking of a smuggler’s boat in 1998, and about 40 people died in 1994 when a tugboat sank near Havana. Castro believes that the “Cuban Adjustment Act” is responsible for the 30 people disappearing.

　　This 1996 law gives special allowances to Cuban immigrants who reach US land by whatever means. It gives them resident’s status(居民身份) and chances to work. It is very different from the US policy to immigrants from other countries. Because it encourages illegal immigration and these types of accidents, some called it “the murderous law”.

　　The US uses the so-called “dry foot, wet foot” rule. Those found at sea are sent back to Cuba. But those who set foot on US soil are generally allowed to stay. Castro said that the law encourages Cubans to undertake dangerous sea journeys with the hope of living in the US.

　　The immigration policy of the US has caused many problems between the US and Cuban. The two countries plan to meet next month to discuss immigration issues.

　　1. Who is Fidel Castro?

　　A. He is one of the missing smugglers.

　　B. He is one of the persons who made the “Cuban Adjustment Act”.

　　C. He is a Cuban.

　　D. He is the American president.

　　2. Why did so many people attend the protest?

　　A. Because they were not allowed to enter the US.

　　B. Because their children were missing.

　　C. Because they wanted to come back to their homeland.

　　D. Because they were against American immigration laws.

　3. Which of the following is right?

　　A. “Cuban Adjustment Act” is a Cuban law.

　　B. Havana is a place in Cuba.

　　C. 43 people disappeared after they set out on November 17.

　　D. The American immigration law was made in 1994.

　　4. Why did so many people want to smuggle into the US?

　　A. They wanted to live a better life there.

　　B. They were treated badly in their country.

　　C. They had relatives in the US.

　　D. The Americans were very friendly.

　　5. What is the result of “Cuban Adjustment Act” ?

　　A. The two countries plan to meet next month.

　　B. It is very different from the US policy to immigrants from other countries.

　　C. Those who set foot on US soil are generally allowed to stay.

　　D. It encourages Cubans to undertake dangerous sea journeys.

Passage 4

开始时间：____________

On behalf of the Obama family，I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving．

    Like many of you． we'll spend the day with family and friends，catching up，eating some good food and watching a little football．Before we lift a fork，we lend a hand by going out in the community to serve some of our neighbors in need．And we give thanks for each other， and for all of God's blessings．We all share this day，united by the gratitude for the bounty（慷慨） of this nation．

And we welcome the contributions of all people-no matter their origin or color or beliefs-who call America home， and who enrich the life of our nation．  It is a belief as old as our founding：“Epluribus unum” -- that out of many，we are one． We are reminded that this creed， and America itself was never an inevitability， but the result of ordinary people in every generation doing their part to uphold our founding ideals-by taking the blessings of freedom， and multiplying them for those who would follow．

    As President Kennedy once wrote， even as we give thanks for all that we've inherited from those who came before us-“the decency（庄重，正派） of purpose， steadfastness（坚定）of resolve and strength of will， for the courage and the humility， which they possessed．” we must also remember that “the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them．”

    Today，we are grateful to all Americans who do their part to live by those ideals， including our brave men and women in uniform overseas and their families， who sacrifice so much to keep America safe．We are grateful to the countless Americans who serve their communities in soup kitchens and shelters，looking out for those who are less fortunate，and lifting up those who have fallen on hard times．

    This generosity， this compassion， this belief that we are each other's keepers， is essential to who we are， not just on this day，but every day．It's easy to focus on what separates us．But as we gather with loved ones on this Thanksgiving， let's remember and be grateful for what ties us together．

    Our love of country．Our commitment to justice and equality．Our belief that America's best days are ahead，and that her destiny is ours to shape-and that our inherited ideals must be the birthright of all of our children．

    That's what today is all about：that out of many，we are one．Thank you， God bless you．

1. What makes America as it is today？

A．The blessings of God．

B．The persistent efforts of all Americans．

C．The contributions of people from different origin．

D．The bonus of World War II．

2. As is mentioned several times in the passage， the sentence “out of many， we are one” implies

A．although we come from different places， now we share the same culture．

B．onjy if we unite as one can we make a better world．

C．we are unique ones picked out by God．

D．among the many countries in the world， America is the best one to live in．

3.  What's the purpose by referring to President Kennedy's saying？

A．To testify what we have today is inherited from our ancestors．

B．To emphasis the importance of giving thanks to our forefathers and fellows．

C．To remind people to share happiness with others．

D．To encourage every American to do their own part in building the country．

4.   President Obama's speech is made to          ．

①call on Americans to unite together and help each other

② raise money to help the people in need

③clarify how the Thanksgiving comes into being

④express thanks to those who serve people at home or abroad

A．①②       B．③④  C．②③ D．①④

Passage 5

开始时间：____________

Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.

After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.

In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity — or  extreme overweight — among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.

1.   In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?

A．They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.

B．They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.

C．They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.

D．They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.

2.  This text is mainly about the relationship between _________.

A．Americans and the French    B．life style and obesity

C．children and adults D．fast food and overweight

3.  This text is mainly developed _____________

A． by contrast   B．by space

C．by process     D．by classification(分类)

4.   Where does this text probably come from?

A． A TV interview    B． A food advertisement

C．A health report       D．A book review

Passage  6

开始时间：____________

The main reason people come to America is said to be that they can chase the American Dream.Everyone has heard of it，and many have died fighting for it.The only thing is that there is no clear definition of the American Dream.It is not defined by  one dream，but all  the opportunities that the United States has to offer.Since the founding of the United States，people have been striving to define the American Dream.

In the play Death of a Salesman，every character is trying to realize his own version of the American Dream.Willy feels that by being well liked he has achieved what the American Dream is all about.He has spent his whole life as a salesman who has not been very successful.As he gets older，he starts having conflicts with everyone in his life，and feels that only by killing himself will the people around him be able to finally be happy.

Bernard，on the other hand，feels that the American Dream can only be achieved if one has been successful in their academic and professional careers.He shows that through hard work and dedication，success can be accomplished.He reached his professional goals and achieved his version of the American Dream.

Throughout the play these feelings are shown through the dialogue and actions of the characters.They try to achieve their goals of the American Dream.Willy is unsuccessful in his attempt，while Bernard is very successful in achieving his goal.

Many people try to achieve the American Dream，but few actually do so.As with any goal，the American Dream takes hard work and dedication.In Death of a Salesman，all aspects of this goal are examined.For the goal to be achieved，the dream must be an attainable one which is worth working toward.It also must be a dream that the professional world accepts and finds useful.

1．The first paragraph mainly tells us ________.

A．reasons for coming to America

B．something about the United States

C．something about the American Dream

D．the definition of the American Dream

2．The underlined word “striving” probably has the same meaning as ________.

A．trying hard  B．giving up

C．bending down  D．standing still

3．According to the text，Death of a Salesman tries to tell us ________.

A．why Willy decides to kill himself

B．what the American Dream is like

C．about Bernard's dedication to America

D．the life stories of Willy and Bernard

Passage 7

开始时间：____________

     Beijing ---- A recent Chinese blockbuster （轰动的作品） “A World Without Thieves” is based on the experiences of a young migrant worker （民工）carrying 60,000 yuan on a train packed with thieves．But while the image of a warm-hearted but somewhat naive migrant worker may have made film fans chuckle, it’s a sure bet that most of China’s migrant workers are yet to step into a cinema to admire it．

     “Forty yuan a ticket? I can’t afford it,” said Shen Jie, a migrant worker at a construction site in Dongzhimen, east Beijing．

     Shen found it hard to remember when he last watched a film, or what it was about．“It must be 10 years ago,” he said．

     Though they are the builders of the nation’s theaters and cinemas, a limited cultural life is common among China’s 120 million migrant workers．

     Shen arrived from East China’s Zhejiang Province in1991．Life was better then; money seemed to come more easily．“Now, as more and more workers are rushing to the capital, it’s too hard to earn money, and none of us dare think about watching films,” he said．

     For many like Shen, the dream is earning enough to pay for their children’s education so they can find jobs in the cities and say goodbye to the hardships of rural life forever．This drives them to work hard and save as much as possible．

     With a monthly salary of less than 500 yuan, Shen has to send money home to his little son and silver-haired parents．

     In Shen’s small dormitory, which he shares with seven other co-workers, there is a well-thumbed copy of a magazine published in 1998．

     A recent survey by local media revealed that 80 percent of migrant workers spent their spare time sleeping and chatting because of exhaust and a lack of income．The same survey found that 47 percent of migrant workers have to work for more than 10 hours a day．Around 40 percent do not even possess a book, and nearly 60 percent say they are dissatisfied with their cultural life．

     Like many of Shen’s co-workers, reading newspapers and hanging out in Beijing’s streets provide evening entertainment．

                                                          From China Daily

1．We can infer from the passage “A World Without Thieves” is a film that __________．

      A．talks about experiences of a group of thieves 

B．deals with the life of migrant workers

      C．explains how to catch thieves on trains  

D．attracts many migrant workers

2．As for the migrant worker, Shen Jie, ____________．

     A．life was harder when he first came to work in Beijing

     B．he enjoyed a lot of films ten years ago

     C．his wish was to pay for his son’s education

     D．the capital is too hard a place for him to make any money

3．According the passage, which of the following is TRUE _________．

A．the workers enjoy reading very much, no matter how old the magazines are

B．the workers have so little to read that they often read the same magazine again and again

C．the workers enjoy magazines because they are easy to understand

D．the workers think highly of the copy of the magazine published in 1998

4．The main idea of this passage is that migrant workers _________．

      A．lack cultural experiences      

B．are not very well-paid in Beijing

      C．are looked down upon by city people 

D．need the government’s attention

Passage 8

开始时间：____________

An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond.The concept is simple：help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.

In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit (追求) to be enjoyed by all，the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus，as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools.The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched(发起)the“If All of Seattle Read the Same Book”project in 1998.Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities，and even to Hong Kong.

In Chicago，the mayor (市长) appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird  as the first book in the “One Book，One Chicago”program.As a result，reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city.Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.

The only problem arose in New York，where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population.This may show that the idea works best in medium­sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity (一致) can be achieved.Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point，putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than into discussion about a book itself.

Ultimately，as Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book，but by how many people are enriched by the process，or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared_a_word.

1．What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?

A．To invite authors to guide readers.

B．To encourage people to read and share.

C．To involve people in community service.

D．To promote the friendship between cities.

2．Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?

A．They had little interest in reading.

B．They were too busy to read a book.

C．They came from many different backgrounds.

D．They lacked support from the local government.

3．According to the passage，where would the project be more easily carried out?

A．In large communities with little sense of unity.

B．In large cities where libraries are far from home.

C．In medium­sized cities with a diverse population.

D．In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached.

4．The underlined words“shared a word”in Paragraph 5 probably mean______.

A．exchanged ideas with each other   B．discussed the meaning of a word

C．gained life experience    D．used the same language

5．According to Nancy，the degree of success of the project is judged by______.

A．the careful selection of a proper book

B．the growing popularity of the writers

C．the number of people who benefit from reading

D．the number of books that each person reads

Passage 9

开始时间：____________

In the United States, crime worries a lot of people. Every year, the number of crimes goes up. And many criminals are young. Most of them—85 percent are boys. They often come from   sad homes, with only one parent or no parents at all. There are problems with alcohol(烈酒) and drugs. There are many young criminals in prison. But prison doesn’t change them —60 to 70 percent will go back to crime when they come out of prison.  One man, Bob Burton, thought of a new idea that travel could help to solve one of the country’s worst problems—crime. In the old days, young men had to live a difficult life on the road. They learned to be strong and brave, and to help their friends in time of danger. This helped them to grow into men. So Bob Burton started “Vision Quest”(寻梦).  The young people on “Vision Quest” all have bad problems. Most of them have already spent time in prison. This is their last chance. Mr Burton takes young criminals on a long journey with horses and wagons(马车) 3,000 miles through seven states. They are on the road for more than a year. It’s hard work on the road. The day starts before the sun comes up. The boys and girls learn to care for themselves. They also have to feed their horses. Some of them have never loved anyone before. But they can love their horses. That love can help them to a new life.  Not all young people on “Vision Quest” will leave crime behind them. 30 or 40 percent will one day be in prison again. But that’s a lot better than 60 or 70 percent. Bob Burton is right. Travel can be good for one. Even today, Americans still say, “Go west, young men.”

  1. According to the passage, travel is good for one because it can _______.

A. reduce the number of criminals B. help to meet others 

C. help one know nature better D. solve the problem of crime completely

2. Which of the following is NOT the personal characters of the criminals?

A. Most of them are young. B. They often have not a good family.

 C. They like travelling far away from their homes. D. They may often drink too much and take drugs.

 3. Which of the following is TRUE? 

A. As times goes on, the criminals become more and more.

B. All criminals do better after they come out of prison.

C. The young criminals on Vision Quest all live a happy life.

D. Young criminals are changed better by Bob’s new ideas. 

4. The young people on Vision Quest mainly learn how to _______.

A. love their horses  B. look after themselves and help others

C. live a happy life on a journey  D. work all day and all night 

5. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means _______. 

A. travel can help them to grow into men B. people can learn to be strong and brave on a long journey 

C. people can learn to help others in time of danger during the journey D. All above. 

Passage 10

开始时间：____________

A gunman killed 26 people, including 20 young children, at a US school where his mother worked Friday morning in one of the worst school shootings in the country's history. Pupils who were rushed from the building through the terrible scene by police were told to close their eyes.

A police officer said the suspect, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and he was the son of a teacher at the school. The mother, Nancy Lanza, was found dead at home.                                

The attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School, just two weeks before Christmas, was the latest of several mass shootings in the US in the year of 2012, and it approached the deadly scope of the Virginia Tech University shooting in 2007 that left 32 dead.                             

 This time, many who were killed were young children. Photos from the scene showed students, some of them crying, being escorted by adults through a parking lot in a line, hands on each other's shoulders. Children told their parents they had heard bangs and, at one point, a scream over the intercom(内部通话装置).                            

 State police said 18 children were found dead at the school and two later were declared dead, and six adults were found dead at the scene. They said the shootings occurred in one section of the school but did not give details.                                 

    Police said another person was found dead at a second scene—someone who lived with the gunman died.                            

    "Our hearts are broken today," President Barack Obama said. He said the children killed were 5 to 10 years old. He said the nation had been "through this too many times" with recent mass shootings and has to come together to take meaningful action.                          

 1. How many people were killed in the accident altogether?                               

     A.    20. B.    26. C.    28. D.    32.

 2. Why did the police ask the pupils to close their eyes?                             

     A.    Because the scene would frighten them.

     B.    Because the police didn't want them to rush.

     C.    Because their eyes would be hurt by the light.

     D.    Because they wanted to give the pupils some training.

 3. From the third paragraph we can infer that                 .                                  

     A.    shooting seldom occurred in elementary schools

     B.    mass shootings usually happened in universities

     C.    several mass shootings took place in 2012

     D.    this was the first school shooting since 2007

 4. Who do you think was the person found dead at a second scene?                                 

     A.    The headmaster.   B.    Nancy Lanza.

     C.    Adam Lanza. D.    Another pupil.

Passage 11

开始时间：____________

The man in the picture has his back to the camera. He's desperately(绝望地) climbing up a subway platform, looking right at the train that's running down on him as he stands on the tracks.                                

    It's a terrifying, heart-wrenching(令人揪心的) photo, and it's arising a lot of criticism for the newspaper that used it on its front page—New York Post.                                  

    Why didn't the photographer help? Why did the newspaper publish the photo?                     A photographer took the photo Monday after someone pushed the man, 58-year-old Ki-Suck Han, from a subway platform near Times Square. Seconds after photographer R. Umar Abbasi took the pictures, the train struck Ki. He died at a New York Hospital, leaving behind his wife and daughter.                                 

    "Doomed(命中注定)," the headline(标题) read. "Pushed on the subway track, this man is about to die."                               

    In its story on the incident Tuesday, the Post reported Abbasi was waiting on the platform when he saw the man fall onto the tracks. He said he ran towards the oncoming train, firing his camera's flash to warn the driver.                                 

    "I just started running, running, hoping that the driver could see my flash," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "In that moment, I just wanted to warn the train—to try and save a life."                                

    Some critics, however, questioned Abbasi's motives.                                  

    One man questioned why someone's first instinct(本能) would be not to help the man, but instead to "snap a photo of him about to die and sell it to the NY Post".                          

    The Post declined to comment. Media observers wondered Tuesday if the newspaper had gone too far this time.                                

 1. What is the passage mainly about?                                  

     A.    A terrifying subway accident reported in New York Post.

     B.    How a photographer took the terrifying photo.

     C.    A photo causing criticism for New York Post.

     D.    Photos used on the front page of New York Post.

 2. According to Abbasi, he fired his camera's flash                 .                           

     A.    to warn other passengers on the platform

     B.    so that the driver could see it and stop the train

     C.    to take a photo of the man climbing up

     D.    in order to warn the man on the platform

 3. The man questioned Abbasi's motives because he thought                 .             

     A.    Abbasi wanted to make money with the photo

     B.    Abbasi didn't try his best to save the man

     C.    Abbasi shouldn't have taken a photo of Ki trying to climb up

     D.    Abbasi should have asked others to help Ki climb up

 4. The underlined word "declined" most probably means                 .                               A.    preferred      B.     agreed   C.    pretended      D.    refused

Passage 12

    开始时间：____________

Vancouver is tops in Canada for quality of life with its nice climate contributing to its high ranking(排名), says an annual survey. The West Coast city has also remained its fifth-place spot globally in the 2012 Mercer Quality of Living survey.                           

    Overall, Vienna keeps the top spot as the city with the world's best quality of living, also keeping its first place ranking, said the survey came out on Tuesday.                                  

    The survey said Canada offers some of the best quality of living in the world with Ottawa ranking 14th, Toronto 15th, Montreal 23rd and Calgary 32nd.                            

    "One of the things that Vancouver has going for is that the other cities do not have its climate," said Mercer Canada's Eleana Rodriguez. "All four of the other Canadian cities that are on the ranking don't have the kind of climate it has, so clearly that's a factor to consider." 

    Of all the Canadian cities ranked in the top 35 cities in the world, Calgary advanced one ranking and Montreal dropped by one ranking.                             

    "We score quite high," said Rodriguez, market business leader for Mercer Canada in Toronto.                                 

    Consulting firm Mercer looked at 39 factors such as a city's political and social environment and its economic and socio-cultural environment, areas in which Canada scored quite well.                                 

    The firm also looked at medical and health care, education and access to schools, public transportation, housing and consumer goods, as well as climate.                             

    "Vienna scores high on a number of those areas." Rodriguez said.                        

    The survey also found that Zurich and Auckland of New Zealand were ranked second and third with Munich taking fourth spot.                                

 1. Vancouver keeps the top spot for quality of life mainly because of its                

     A.    education system  B.    nice climate

     C.    social environment       D.    economy

2. How many Canadian cities are ranked in the top 35 cities in the world?                           

     A.    Two.     B.    Three.   C.    Four.     D.    Five.

3. What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 4 most probably refer to?              

     A.    Calgary. B.    Toronto.       C.    Vancouver.    D.    Ottawa.

4. From the passage we can infer that                 .                                

     A.    Rodriguez is satisfied with the result

     B.    Canadian cities score high in education and health care

     C.    Vienna takes advantage of its friendly environment

     D.    Auckland of New Zealand was ranked second

Passage 13

   开始时间：____________

 As the clock ticks down to 21 December, the supposed end of the world according to the Mayan calendar, NASA(美国国家航空航天局) has released a video it hopes will clear up any confusion. The four-minute film is for anyone who might be viewing it on 22 December, the day after the world is supposed to have ended. "If you are watching this video it means one thing, the world didn't end yesterday," the opening narration(叙述) says.                               

    Michael Brody, the man who produced the video, said they released the film early to generate interest around the subject. "We wanted to show people that NASA's sure that the world will not be ending on December 22nd," said Brody. "There is a lot of science and archaeological(考古学的) research that has been done on the subject and we wanted to be able to convey(传达) it in a way that was easily known by the general public, that people would really be able to understand," he continued.                           

    The video, produced as part of NASA's ScienceCast series, also discounts(漠视) the role that the sun might play in any doomsday event.                             

    "So suppose there was an active region starting from the far side of the sun. It takes about 27 days for such a region to come to the front. And its only storms that are happening on the front will have an effect on earth," said Dr. Guhathakurta, a NASA scientist.                           

    "But we will know that, kind of right away. And we can begin to warn people. This has gone on for billions of years, and our civilisation hasn't been destroyed once."                   

    The Mayans measured time using their knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. They had two calendars, one for astronomy that lasted 365 days. The other calendar is for agriculture, called Tzolkin, with 260 days. To read a date, the Mayans used a complex system where both calendars were combined to reach a final result.                                 

1. NASA released the video on 22 December to                 .                                       A.    tell viewers the world wouldn't end

     B.    tell viewers the end of the world was coming

     C.    let viewers enjoy themselves by watching it

     D.    make some money with it

2. The underlined word "generate" is closest in meaning to                 .                                     A.    lose       B.     develop  C.    explain   D.    reduce

3. From the second paragraph we know that                 .                             

     A.    people have done a lot of research on the subject

     B.    the video is not easy to understand by the public

     C.    most people believe the world is coming to an end

     D.    a lot of archaeological researches remain to be done

4. What kind of storms will affect the earth?                                

     A.    The storms starting from the far side of the sun.

     B.    The storms happening inside the sun.

     C.    The storms happening on the front of the sun.

     D.    The storms coming from the back of the sun.

Passage 14

开始时间：____________

Facing the threat of the Internet, the traditional newspaper is thinking about what it can do to meet the challenge. To make teens get into the habit of reading, the French government is considering what kind of efforts it should pursue.  It seems that the two questions have nothing to do with each other, but a recent announcement made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy has connected these two issues together. The announcement gives an answer to both of them.

President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a rescue plan for France’s ailing print media, including measures to save printing and distribution costs. The plan also gives French teenagers a surprise as their 18-year-old birthday gift: France will offer all 18-year-olds a free daily copy of the newspaper of their choice.

"The habit of reading the press should start at a very young age," Sarkozy said, presenting the conclusion after talking to a group of journalists and officials in Paris. The President said the newspapers themselves would provide free copies for 18-year-olds, while the state would cover the cost of delivering them to many thousands of homes.         

The plan is an attempt to introduce teenagers, who frequently only get their news online, to the delights of the printed world.  A similar idea has been tested by L'Ouest-France (法兰西部报) over the past few years.  It offered some 18 to 24-year-olds a free paper once a week for a year.  L' Ouest-France reported that 15% of young people wanted to continue with a paid subscription after the year was over.     

People in France welcomed the plan which should get more kids interested in current affairs and make reading be a pastime, as well as rescue the newspaper industry.

1. What does the underlined word “ailing" (in Paragraph 2) probably mean? 

A. newly established  B. in difficult situations  C. most popular    D. warm-hearted

2. It can be inferred from the passage that         

A. the government will pay for the delivery of newspapers to 18 -year-olds       

B. the government will buy newspapers for 18-year-olds for one day       

C.  some of the government officials are against the plan        

D. President Nicolas Sarkozy would like to help the government

3. What is people' s reaction to the plan in France?     

A,  They think it a waste of money.      

B. They will buy newspapers themselves for 18-year-olds.     

C.  They think highly of it and support it:.     

D. They are worried the young will leave the Internet.

4. Which of the following can serve as the best for the passage?     

A. A surprising plan from the President     

B.  Help rescue the newspaper industry     

C. Form the reading habit for the young     

D. Free newspapers fly to teens Passage 2 

Passage 15

开始时间：____________

 American schools are looking for ways to save money on bus transportation because of high fuel prices. More children may have to walk, ride their bikes or find other ways to get to school.      

But, as another effect of the high prices, they may not have to go to school as often. Some schools, especially in rural areas, are changing to a four-day week. That means longer days instead of the traditional Monday through Friday schedule.       

Beginning in the fall, students in the Maccray school district in Minnesota will be in school Tuesday through Friday. Each school day will be sixty-five minutes longer.     

Superintendent（教育厅长）  Greg Schmidt says the district expects to save about sixty-five thousand dollars a year in transportation costs. The district has about seven hundred students living in an area of nine hundred square kilometers.        

State officials have approved the plan for three years. They may change their minds before then if learning suffers. In Custer, South Dakota, students have been going to school Monday through Thursday since 1995. Superintendent Tim  Creal says the change has saved an estimated one million dollars over just the past eight years.         

But he sees other benefits, too. Students get more instructional time; And activities that used to interfere with classes are now held on non-school days.          

He says that in the future, the growth of online classes could make it possible to require even fewer days in school. High fuel prices are driving college students to take more online classes. And in some states, high school students can   take them, too.       

A four-day school week sounds like a great idea for students and teachers. But working parents may have to pay for child care for that fifth day. In agricultural areas, though it can mean an extra day of helping on the family ranch.        

In New Mexico, the first school district changed to a four-day week in 1974 because of the Arab oil boycott. Now seventeen out of eighty-nine districts use it.            

The Lake Arthur School District has just one sixty students. Lake Arthur used a four-day schedule for twelve years. But a few years ago it went back tofive days.        

 Michael Grossman heads the district. He says two studies there failed to show any real educational improvement using the four-day week.  And he says not much instruction was taking place during the last hour of school, because students were too tired. 

1. Which of the following is NOT the effect high effect fuel prices have on American schools?         

A. It will take less time to go to school.          

B. More money will be spent on bus transportation.         

C.  Walking or riding to school will be more popular.         

D. Alternative ways to get to school may be t 

2. What is the attitude of state officials to the four-day school week according to Paragraph 5?        

A. They are simply positive about its effect.         

B. They are ready to change it if teachers or against it.        

C. They are totally negative to it though it is        

D. It has taken three years before they finally  

3. According to Michael Grossman, what is the disadvantage  of the four-day schedule?     

A. Students and teachers will have to work hard in class.     

B. Parents will have to pay more for child care.     

C. Teachers will get less pay for their work.      

D. Students benefit less in the last hour of class.        

4. By comparing all the American schools that took a four-day schedule for a period of time, we know that         .      

A. all the students give a warm welcome       

B. the plan cannot save as much money as expected      

C. there will be a long way to go for the schedule to be improved      D. most schools will go back to the traditional schedule ‘Passage 4    

Passage 16

开始时间：____________

 As the price of a college degree continues to rise, there' s growing evidence that the monetary payoff isn't  quite as big as often advertised. The best estimate now is that a college degree is worth about  $ 300,000 in today' s dollars - nowhere  near the million figure that is often quoted.       

"That million number has driven me crazy !" says Sandy Baum, a Skidmore economist who studied the value of a college degree for the College Board last year.       

Baum' s research showed that college graduates earn, on average, about $ 20,000 a year more than those who finished their education at high school. Add that up over a 40-year working life and the total differential is about  $  800,000, she  figures. But since much of that bonus is earned many years from now, subtracting out the impact of inflation means that 800,000 in future dollars is worth only about  450,000 in today' s dollars.        

Then, if you subtract out the cost of a college degree  about $ 3,000 in tuition and books for students who get no aid and attend public in-state universities and the money a student could have earned at a job instead of attending school, the real net value in today' s dollars is somewhere in the 300,000 range, a number confirmed by other studies.         But, especially these days, that still makes a college degree one of the most lucrative investments a person can make, Baum notes:         Better yet, college graduates can go on to earn advanced degrees, which return even bigger payoffs. The average holder of a bachelor's degree earns about $ 51,000 a year, Baum calculates. But those who've gone on to earn MBAs, law degrees, or other professional degrees earn about $ 100,000 a year.        

In addition, Baum finds that there are plenty of other re wards for a degree. The quality of the jobs college graduates get is far better, for example. College graduates are more likely to get jobs with health insurance. And it is easier for them       to find and hold jobs. The unemployment rate for college graduates was just 2.2 percent last year, half the unemployment level of those with only high school  diplomas.       

Other researchers have found that the payoff of a degree is especially lucrative for students from low-income families, since the education gives them a chance to break out of low-paying careers.   1. What can be inferred from Paragraph l?      

A. The payoff of a college degree is still big enough to match that advertised.     

B.  It' s more and more difficult to get a college degree.      

C.  The return of a college degree is less than often quoted.     

D. The price of a college degree is less than that often quoted.    

2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word  " lucrative" ( in  Paragraph 5) ?        

A. attractive     B. worthless     C. approachable       D. balanced     

3. How can a college graduate increase his or her yearly income according to the passage?        

A.  By getting jobs with health insurance immediately.       

B. By going on for higher degrees.         

C.  By breaking out of low-paying jobs.         

D. By contributing more to his or her community.     

4. What is the passage mainly about?           

A. College graduates will earn more in the future.          

B. The real value of college education is decreasing.           

C. College education is enough to ensure you a good life.

 D. How much is that college degree really worth?.     

Passage 17

开始时间：____________

WASHINGTON - A chaotic scene unfolded near the U. S.  Capitol(美国国会大厦)  on Wednesday after police shot and killed an armed man in what authorities described as a rush hour traffic stop that turned deadly.        U. S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Schneider said the unidentified 35-year-old man sped away in a white car after being stopped a few blocks from the Capitol. The man   drove the wrong  way down a street and crashed into a police car in a heavily guarded area about a block north of the Capitol grounds, striking two officers with his car along the way, she said.     

Police then opened fire after seeing the man hold up his handgun and refuse to put it down, said Schneider, who described the melee as " very fast moving". 

" The officers felt they were being threatened - they were in fear for their lives," Schneider said.      

She did not know if the man ever fired at police.  He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.      

The officers who were hit ----- one of whom was on a motorcycle ---- had minor injuries, Schneider said.      

The late afternoon scare occurred as lawmakers were  wrapping up a third day of hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.  Police briefly closed up part of the Capiltol as a precaution, but the buildings were reopened about a half-hour later. Authorities said the shooting was not related to the Capitol.      

Carol Lanigan, of Toledo, Ohio, described how she saw a white car come flying down the street with two police cars chasing it. She said she heard about four or five shots.      

" There were so many gunshots being fired, my family got clown."  said Robert Drumm of Oklahoma, who was touring the nation' s capital with his family.    

Numerous emergency vehicles converged quickly on the area.     Lanigan's husband, Dale Lanigan, described a similar scene, saying that as the car sped past him the driver had one hand on the wheel and it looked like he was reaching for something.

1. According to Sgt. Kim Schneider, the man was killed because     

 A. he drove the wrong way down a street  

B.  he was speeding in a heavily guarded area  

C. he crashed into a police car by accident  

D. he held his handgun in hand

2. What can be learned from the passage?    

A. The shooting had something to do with the Capitol.   

B. Three police officers were hurt in the shooting.    

C. The gunshot case had nothing to do with the Capitol.    

D. The Capitol was unprotected when the gunshot happened.

3. When the case happened, _ 

A. Carol Lanigan didn't come to the scene   

B. Carol Lanigan heard five shots exactly 

C. many ambulances appeared in the area   

D. Robert Drumm stopped to tour the nation' s capital by himself  

4. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word " chaotic" ?    

A. arranged    B. disordered   C. accessible   D. lifelike 

5. Which of the following is the best title of the passage? 

A.  Armed man was shot near the Capitol by police    

B.  A police accident near the U. S.  Capitol    

C. Defend the U.S. Capitol     

D. Police chasing the peace breaker       

Volume Five   Education

Passage  1

开始时间：____________

Whatever your level is, choosing to take French lessons in France is the best way to learn French．Place yourself in the local culture and practice your newly found skills in your free time．
    You will be taught by native (本地的) French speakers who have a love for teaching and use excellent teaching techniques．Lessons are interesting and you will speak French on the first day both inside and outside the classroom．
Learners
    ●Suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced (高级的)
    ● Over 18 years old
    Class Schedule (课表)
    ● Classes start on Mondays and run throughout the summer．
    ● Please arrive at the school by 8:15 am on your first day for a short level test．It will help to place you in the right class．
    ● Classes run from Monday to Friday each week．
    ● Classes start at 8:45 am each day depending on your level．
    ● You will have 3 classes per day lasting 55 minutes each．
    ● You will have a short break between classes．
Free Time and Tours
    ● The school offers a lot of cultural activities throughout the week．These activities can include cooking lessons, wine and cheese tasting, visits to Paris, cycling, movies and much more．
    ● You will have plenty of free time to explore (探索) the local area and practice your newly found language skills or just relax on this learning holiday with a difference．
    Other Information
    ● You should bring a small dictionary, pens and paper with you．
    Get more from your holiday, have fun, meet new people and take home a new language skill that will stay with you forever．
1.What is special about the French courses?

A．They are taught in small groups．

B．The teachers are young French speakers．

C．People learn French in and out of class．

D．They will offer a wine tasting license．

2. On the first day, the students should ______．

A．take a language test

B．pay for their study

C．do a survey

D．introduce themselves to the class

3. How many lessons are there in a week?

A．21  B．30    C．15   D．12

Passage  2

开始时间：____________

When I was in junior high school, I was really a bad boy．My history teacher—Mr．Oven criticized me a lot because I was naughty（淘气的）in his class．By the end of the first semester, I’d had enough of his words and had decided that I would get my revenge（报复）on him.
    The opportunity arose one morning when Mr．Oven was called to the office for a certain reason．While Mr．Oven left, my company Billy and I took Mr．Oven’s lunch bag from under his desk．I opened his sandwich and placed a worm（虫子） in between the two slices of breaD． We put it back and closed it．To keep it in memory, Billy took photos of the whole process．We laughed for weeks over this.
    Well, it all went south during Thanksgiving break．Billy’s mother found the pictures in his room, and demanded that he should tell her where these pictures were from．Billy told his mother the whole story, and Mr．Oven was informeD． Not only was I punished from school for two weeks, but also I was kicked off the football and basketball team．Before I could return to school, I had to turn in a 1000-word essay on what I did and why I did that．I really felt embarrassed every time I saw Mr．Oven in the hallway for the rest of the school year．I felt a little regret that Mr．Oven left our school the next year．
1  Mr．Oven criticized me a lot because________.

A．I didn’t go to his class

B．I was naughty in my homework

C．I didn’t answer his questions

D．I disobeyed his rules in class

2  How can you imagine Mr．Oven would act when he had his lunch?

A．He would cry out, shocked that the worm lay in his sandwich．

B．He would eat it as usual when he had his sandwich.

C．He would be glad to eat his delicious sandwich with the worm.

D．He would be very hungry when he found the worm in his sandwich.

3  The underlined sentence “Well, it all went south during Thanksgiving break.” in Paragraph 3 probably means________．

A．Billy and I went south during Thanksgiving break.

B．All the students left on Thanksgiving break.

C．All the students went south on Thanksgiving break.

D．It was not until Thanksgiving break ended that the secret was let out.

4.  Which one was NOT true according to the article?

A．He had to eat the sandwich he had made for Mr．Oven.

B．He was kicked off the football and basketball team.

C．He had to be punished to leave school for two weeks.

D．He had to write a 1000-word essay to admit his mistake.

Passage  3

开始时间：____________

It is easy for some people to learn a second language．However, others have difficulty in learning a new language．What can you do to help yourself learn a second language, such as English ？   1 
    1.Feel positive about learning English．2   Be patient．You do not have to understand everything all at once．It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new．We can learn from our mistakes．In other words, do not worry about making mistakes.
    2.Practice your English．For example, write a diary every day．You will form a habit of writing it in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English．3    In addition, you must speak English every day．You can practice with your classmates outside class.
    3.   4   You can write this in your journal．After each class, think about what you did．Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it.
    You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it．It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements．   5      

A．Go over the points you have learned.

B．Keep a record of your language learning.

C．Don’t give up when you meet some difficulty.

D．If you believe that you can learn, you will learn.

E．Several weeks later, you will see that your writing is improving.
F．In these ways, you will enjoy learning English, and you will feel more confident in yourself.
G．There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.

Passage  4

开始时间：____________

In America, when the eighth graders leave the middle school, they are often worried about moving to the high school．It is a hard time for them, but it can be an exciting one as well．To make it easier, students need to get familiar with their school.
    Even though they’ve done this already in the middle school, it’s still important to find where their classrooms are．Most schools take students to the high school for a visit at the end of their eighth grade year．And, most schools also have a freshman (新生) speech for parents and students before the first year begins．Sometimes the main office will give away a map of the school．This can help students and parents to find different places in the school.
One way to know your high school more and make new friends is to join a club or play a sport．Schools often offer chances to join different clubs and sports．Fall activities begin in August before the first day of school．If you are not interested in sports, there are clubs for any interest, such as drama, dance, chess, photography, community service, etc．These clubs allow students from different grades．By joining an activity, students can find new friendships, not to mention improving their chances in future college applications(申请)．The school office will have a list of activities offered at the school and information on how to join them.
    What’s more, to have a great start to a high school year, students can write down some of their worries, and ask for help from teachers and school workers.
1. According to the text, most students feel ________ when entering the high school.

A．unhappy