I don’t like getting up too early unless I have to. When you’re filming, you’ve got make-up on, which doesn’t happen often. As I’m not filming at present I’ll get up at 8.30.
Work normally means Matt coming over to my house about 10 am. We’re writing at the moment. We’ll chat for a bit before going to my study. One of us will have an idea for a sketch (梗概), we’ll talk about the characters and when we feel we have enough we’ll start writing.
Matt and I met at the National Youth Theatre in 1990 and started doing shows together in ’95, at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. We know we’re onto something if we’ve made each other laugh, and that’s a really special moment. It’s not always like that, but we’re comfortable enough with each other that we can be honest and go. Some days you’re not in the mood to be funny—like writing when my dad was dying of cancer, or when Matt was separating from his partner.
We stop for lunch and sometimes go to Wagamama in Camden, but the last time we were followed by paparazzi (狗仔队), which gets you down—who wants to be pictured eating noodles?
When I’m not writing with Matt I work on other projects. My second children’s book comes out later in the year. It’s called Mr. Stink. The first one I dedicated to my three-year-old nephew, Eddie. Both books have been illustrated by Quentin Blake; it’s been a thrill to work with him—like 20 years ago reading a Roald Dahl book and looking at those drawings, then one day that person illustrates your work… magical.
At 5 I go swimming in Soho. My trainer makes me do horrible exercises, but I always feel better after.
Being in all day, I like to go out in the evening and look smart, but not like I’ve come out of the City. I’m a tall, broad guy and well-dressed.
For dinner I’ll meet friends. When you’re a single guy it’s great to have some good female friends. Or I might take my mum to the theatre, as I know she really appreciates it. I like watching TV comedy shows to see what everyone’s doing. When you see something impressive it makes you work harder. I also love Larkin’s poems: they don’t try to transcend (超越) the commonplace; they’re much more straightforward.
Poetry is great to dip into before going to bed, rather than falling asleep reading a novel and being confused over what you’ve read or not. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in seven years; unfortunately, I rely on pills. I’ve tried everything. If I could wish anything for myself, I’d wish I could sleep better.
67. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A. the author spends much time with his friends
B. the author and Matt are both famous in the district
C. the author doesn’t care much about what to wear
D. the author works at home and seldom goes out every day
68. Where does the passage most likely appear?
A. In a travel diary. B. In a news column.
C. In an online diary. D. In a research paper.
69. Why does the author read some poetry before going to bed?
A. Because poetry can often bring him some funny ideas.
B. Because poetry is much easier to understand than novels.
C. Because poetry is very abstract and reflects unusual things.
D. Because poetry can be of some help for him to kill time.
70. What might be the best title for the passage?
A. A day’s work with Matt B. A new life-style
C. A life in the day D. A good way to write
How has smoking been controlled in recent years?
People were asked to stop smoking in a range of public places—such as doctors’ surgeries, cinemas, theatres and churches—over the second half of the 20th century but it was after the King’s Cross Underground fire on November 18, 1987, caused by a cigarette end which resulted in 31 deaths, that restrictions on smoking in public places gained rapid and widespread acceptance.
How did a ban on smoking in public places come into place?
In 1998 the Smoking Kills White Paper set out a national strategy to reduce smoking prevalence (流行) and passive smoking, including in public places. The measures were voluntary and poorly carried out. After a public conference in England in 2004, the Government decided to choose for lawmaking. Scotland went first, with a ban in 2006, followed by the other nations a year later.
What is the current law?
Any person who smokes in enclosed public places, including pubs, offices, on public transport and work vehicles, is breaking the law. It does not extend to private houses. It is also an offence for people in charge of premises (营业场所) to permit others to smoke in them.
How was it received?
It was welcomed by most organizations—except for some pub owners and restaurateurs. Many workplaces in the UK had already introduced smoke-free policies consistent with the legislation (法律,法规) before it was carried out, while others have gone beyond its basic requirements.
All railway facilities, including platforms, footbridges and other areas—whether or not fitting the definition of an enclosed public space—are covered, as are all football grounds and some cricket and athletics stadiums. School grounds are not required to be smoke-free under the legislation, but the majority now are.
How has it been forced?
Compliance (服从) in public premises has been high, with inspections suggesting that 99 per cent of places were sticking to the rules. The number of people charged for smoking in cars has been very low, which was due to the problems defining and identifying “work” vehicles. They said that a total ban on smoking in vehicles would end this confusion.
Has it improved health?
Studies in early adopters of the law, including in Scotland, suggest a reduction in hospital admissions for heart disease, which has been shown to be linked to passive smoking. There is also strong evidence of improved rates of smoking end and a drop in the number of cigarettes consumed by those who continue to smoke.
63. When did the first law come out to ban smoking in public places?
A. 1987. B. 1998. C. 2004. D. 2006.
64. Which of the following behaviors may NOT be against the law?
A. Jack often smokes in the office when he is alone.
B. A taxi driver is smoking with a lady in his car.
C. Tom smokes while thinking of his future at home.
D. Max smokes for relaxation during time-out in the stadium.
65. Who might feel unhappy about the law according to the article?
A. A restaurant owner. B. A company manager. C. A car owner. D. A policy maker.
66. What can you infer from the article?
A. Most heart diseases have been proved to be linked to passive smoking.
B. A new law will soon come out with a total ban on smoking in vehicles.
C. The 1987 fire has convinced more people that smoking is bad for health.
D. Most of the school grounds are not smoke-free, as it is not banned in the law.
(BBC News April 18) All flights in and out of the UK and several other European countries have been cancelled as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves south.
Up to 4,000 flights are being cancelled with airspace closed in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark among others.
The UK’s air traffic control service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in UK airspace until at least 07:00 BST on Friday for fear of engine damage.
Safety group Eurocontrol said the problem could last for 48 hours.
The volcano is still erupting and the wind direction is expected to continue bringing clouds into UK and European airspace for some time to come.
The UK’s airspace restriction was the worst in living memory, a Nats spokesman said. Some 600,000 people are thought to have been affected.
Nats suggested that the restrictions were unlikely to be lifted (解除) after 07:00, saying it was “very unlikely that the situation over England will improve in the foreseeable future”.
Passengers were advised to contact their carriers before travelling.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said he was “closely monitoring the situation” and would be meeting with key transport officials on Friday morning.
Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud from the still-erupting volcano could be sufficient to jam aircraft engines.
The Health Protection Agency said the ash from the eruption did not bring a significant risk to public health because of its high altitude.
However, the British Lung Foundation has warned people with lung conditions to keep their medication (医疗护理) with them as a precautionary measure.
These are some of the knock-on effects:
● Eurocontrol says Germany is monitoring the situation and considering partial airspace closures.
● The two main airports in Paris and many others in the north of France are closing.
● There is severe disruption (崩溃) in France and Spain, where all northbound flights are cancelled.
● Nats is due to make an announcement shortly as to the arrangements that will be in place
through to 13:00 BST on Friday.
● British Airways offers refunds or an option to rebook after all its domestic flights are suspended.
Flybe announces it has cancelled all flights up until 13:00 BST on Friday and more than 25 services due to run after that.
British sports teams have been hit by travel problems after flights were grounded.
60. What may passengers do on hearing the news according to the passage?
A. They may cancel their international flights.
B. They may contact the airlines before traveling.
C. They may take measures to protect their lungs from the ash.
D. They may stay indoors till the volcanic eruption dies down.
61. Why have some European countries cancelled flights after the volcanic eruption?
A. Because the volcanic ash may make passengers ill.
B. Because people refuse to take the international flights.
C. Because the volcanic ash may jam or damage the engine.
D. Because the flights may be hit by the rocks from the eruption.
62. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. All the flights are likely to return to normal in 48 hours.
B. British people had experienced a worse airspace restriction before that.
C. Germany is monitoring the situation and considering closing all airspace.
D. The UK airspace restrictions are unlikely to be lifted in the foreseeable future.
第三部分阅读理解 (共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
请认真阅读下列短文,从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Why You Should Celebrate Your Mistakes
When you make a mistake, big or small, cherish (珍视) it like it’s the most precious thing in the world. Because in some ways, it is.
Most of us feel bad when we make mistakes, beat ourselves up about it, feel like failures, get mad at ourselves.
And that’s only natural: most of us have been taught from a young age that mistakes are bad, that we should try to avoid mistakes. We’ve been scolded when we make mistakes—at home, school and work. Maybe not always, but probably enough times to make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction.
Yet without mistakes, we could not learn or grow. If you think about it that way, mistakes should be cherished and celebrated for being one of the most amazing things in the world: they make learning possible; they make growth and improvement possible.
By trial and error—trying things, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes—we have figured out how to make electric light, to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, to fly.
Mistakes make walking possible for the smallest toddler, make speech possible, make works of genius possible.
Think about how we learn: we don’t just consume information about something and instantly know it or know how to do it. You don’t just read about painting, or writing, or computer programming, or baking, or playing the piano, and know how to do them right away. Instead, you get information about something, from reading or from another person or from observing usually … then you construct a model in your mind … then you test it out by trying it in the real world … then you make mistakes … then you revise the model based on the results of your real-world experimentation … and repeat, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, until you’ve pretty much learned how to do something. That’s how we learn as babies and toddlers, and how we learn as adults. Mistakes are how we learn to do something new—because if you succeed at something, it’s probably something you already knew how to do. You haven’t really grown much from that success—at most it’s the last step on your journey, not the whole journey. Most of the journey was made up of mistakes, if it’s a good journey.
So if you value learning, if you value growing and improving, then you should value mistakes. They are amazing things that make a world of brilliance possible.
56. Why do most of us feel bad about making mistakes?
A. Because mistakes make us suffer a lot.
B. Because it’s a natural part in our life.
C. Because we’ve been taught so from a young age.
D. Because mistakes have ruined many people’s careers.
57. According to the passage, what is the right attitude to mistakes?
A. We should try to avoid making mistakes.
B. We should owe great inventions mainly to mistakes.
C. We should treat mistakes as good chances to learn.
D. We should make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction.
58. The underlined word “toddler” in Paragraph Six probably means _______.
A. a small child learning to walk B. a kindergarten child learning to draw
C. a primary pupil learning to read D. a school teenager learning to write
59. We can learn from the passage that _______.
A. most of us can really grow from success
B. growing and improving are based on mistakes
C. mistakes are the most precious things in the world
D. we read about something and know how to do it right away
My bookshelves are full of dust — and with good reason.When it comes to cleaning that part of my home, I suffer from the most serious case of avoidance (回避反应症).
The thing is this: when I do set out to clean and re-organize my books, which seldom happens, I place myself into a really bad situation.No sooner do I take a title from the shelf, blow off the dust, and wipe down the cover than I find myself sitting on the floor with legs crossed and my back against the wall.Pretty soon books get piled up on my legs as I am reunited with old friends.
It is as if these books have voices, and each wants to say its piece.“Remember me? I was given to you when you went into the Navy, so that you would never lack for companionship,” one whispers.Another says, “I was your first book of poems, given to you before you learned to love poetry.” And a third, “I was the book that made history so attractive to you.”
Perhaps the greatest pleasure of re-organizing my books are the surprises — or better said, reunions — that occur.During my latest book-cleaning adventure, I found one that had fallen behind the shelf: “Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.” Not an unusual title, but the words written on the first page made it very special: “With Love from Mom and Dad, Christmas 1965.” What’s this? A book on the physics of lasers(激光).It is filled with mathematical statements, and I had bought it at a library sale when I was 12, not long after the laser had been invented.I couldn’t understand a bit of it, but I did learn what “laser” meant.
What I end up with when I empty my bookshelves is a cross-section (横剖面) of my personal history.It’s like a road cut where one sees all the layers of rock going back through time to the beginning of the simplest life forms.The books I’ve read — and kept — are not just old friends.They are my résumé.
57.What could be said about the author?
A.He is too busy to tidy up his bookshelves.
B.He considers his books treasured possessions.
C.He has made a lot of notes in his books.
D.He is a lover of science books.
58.By saying that his books have voices, the author means ________ .
A.they bring back happy memories B.they are recorded in human voice
C.they say a lot about human history D.they offer good topics for discussion
59.What does the author enjoy most from re-organizing his books?
A.Finding some missing books.
B.Putting books in good order.
C.Learning something new from the books.
D.Rediscovering interesting stories behind some books.
60.The underlined word “résumé” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
A.personal history B.precious notes
C.good companion D.simple life forms
The Diet Zone: A Dangerous Place
Diet Coke, diet Pepsi, diet pills, no-fat diet, vegetable diet… We are surrounded by the word “diet” everywhere we look and listen.We have so easily been attracted by the promise and potential (潜能) of diet products that we stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us.We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically (身体上).
Diet products significantly weaken us psychologically.On one level, we are not allowing our brain to admit that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fatty, high-calorie, unhealthy foods.Diet products allow us to jump over the thinking stage and go straight for the scale (秤) instead.All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word “diet” in food labels.
On another level, diet products have greater psychological effects, Every time we have a zero-calorie drink, we are telling ourselves without our awareness that we don’t have to work to get results.Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain, and that life can be without resistance and struggle.
The danger of diet products lies not only in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm that they cause.Diet foods can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are preventing our bodies from having basic nutrients (营养成分).Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie only because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products.Diet products may not be nutritional, and the chemical that go into diet products are potentially dangerous.
Now that we are aware of the effects that diet products have on us, it is time to seriously think about buying them.Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals.Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, and therefore prevent the psychological harm that comes from using them
53.One psychological effect of diet products is that people tend to ______.
A.try out a variety of diet food B.hesitate before they enjoy diet foods
C.pay attention to their own eating habits D.watch their weight rather than their diet
54.In Paragraph 3, “gain comes without pain” probably means_____.
A.losing weight is effortless B.it costs a lot to lose weight
C.diet products bring no pain D.diet products are free from calories
55.Diet products indirectly harm people physically because such products _____
A.are over- consumed B.are short of chemicals
C.lack basic nutrients D.provide too much energy
56.Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
Stonehenge(巨石阵)may have been a prehistoric health center rather than a site for observing stars or a temple in honor of the dead, scientists said yesterday. New evidence unearthed at the World Heritage Site in more than 40 years suggests that the monument was a place where the diseased and injured went in groups, seeking cures.
After a two-week dig, scientists have concluded that Stonehenge was “the ancient healthcare centre of southern England” because of the existence of “bluestones”---the smaller columns of dolerite(辉绿岩)that formed an earlier stone structure.
By dating pieces of remains to around 7330BC, Tim Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Goff Wainwright, of the Society of Amtiquaries have found that hunter-gatherers were at the site on Salisbury Plain 4,000 years earlier than thought. The first stage of Stonehenge, a round earthwork structure, was built around 3000BC. Professor Wainwright added: “I did not expect the degree of complexity we discovered. We’re able to say so much more about when Stonehenge was built and why---all of which changes our previous understanding of the monument.”
The research reveals the importance of the henge’s famous bluestones. Hundreds of bluestone chips gathered at the site have led the team to conclude that the bluestones were valued for their curing effects---the key reason that about 80 of them, each weighing up to 4 tons and a half, were dragged more than 150 miles from the Preseli Hills to Wiltshire. After years of research, Professors Darvill and Wainwright have concluded that, for thousands of years, the Preseli mountain range was home to magical health centers and holy wells.
Even today there are those who believe in the curing powers of the springs for coughs and heart disease, and people who use crystals and bluestones for self-curing. Radiocarbon tests have also revealed that the construction of the original bluestone circle took place around 2300BC, three centuries later than originally thought. Interestingly, on the same day died the “Amesbury Archer”---a sick traveler from the Swiss or German Alps who had an infected knee---whose remains were discovered about five miles from Stonehenge. The professors believe that he was a devoted religious person who was hoping to benefit from the curing powers of the monument.
76.Stonehenge is recently believed to be a place for people .
A.to recover from poor health B.to observe star movements
C.to hold religious ceremonies D.to gather huge bluestones
77.What can be inferred about Stonehenge from the passage?
A.The springs could cure coughs and heart disease best.
B.The new discovery was the same as what had been expected.
C.Some huge bluestones were not produced at Stonehenge.
D.The original bluestone circle was thought to be constructed around 2000BC.
78.The sick traveler in the passage is supposed to be .
A.a devoted religious person from Stonehenge
B.one of the earliest discoverers of Stonehenge
C.the first explorer to test the magical power of bluestones
D.a patient trying to cure his infection at Stonehenge
79.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A.Stonehenge: A New Place of Interest B.Stonehenge: Still Making News
C.Stonehenge: Heaven for Adventurers D.Stonehenge: Still Curing Patients
A 69-year-old grandmother with no teeth of her own has eventually won a long legal battle to stop a Scottish regional council(政务委员会)adding fluoride(氟化物)chemical to the public water supply.
In a case which has already cost the taxpayer £1,000,000, the judge ruled that it was beyond the powers of the local authority to add the chemical to the water in order to reduce tooth decay.
At her home last night Mrs Catherine fluoride to public drinking water made it into some kind of dirty soup. “Where would it stop?” she asked. “They might come up with the idea of putting drugs into the water to keep the unemployed quiet.” It was a horrible poison, she said, that could have caused al kinds of diseases, including cancer.
The judge, however, concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that the inclusion of fluoride in the water supply would have had a negative effect on pulpier health. Although the chemical might serve as an efficient and convenient means of achieving a beneficial effect on the dental health of consumers generally, he said, and its use was greatly favored by the dental profession, he could also understand why some members of the public, Mrs McColl in particular, might be passionately opposed to the action of the Water Authority in assuming the right to improve public well-being without consulting t77he public in the first case. The Authority’s legal duty to provide “wholesome” water for public consumption which was both safe and pleasant to drink ,did not, he said, extend to their right to safeguard public health by chemical means.
72.Mrs McColll felt so strongly about the fluoride issue that she eventually .
A.took the local council to court
B.had a physical fight with the judge
C.urged the authority to apologize
D.spent much money removing the chemical
73.According to what the judge said in the passage, adding fluoride to the water .
A.wasn’t proved to be harmful
B.was the duty of the local authority
C.was strongly poised by dentists
D.was surely beneficial to the public
74.Form the passage we learn that people like Mrs McColl are more concerned about .
A.the improvement of their personal health
B.the problem of unemployment in their community
C.the chemicals to be used for the improvement of water quality
D.their right to be informed of the authorities’ decisions
B
68.Zeo is a revolution in the science of sleep mainly because it .
A.can record one’s sleep process
B.is the first product to manage one’s sleep
C.is free of medical risks
D.provides access to sleep fitness websites
69.What is the most remarkable feature of Zeo?
A.Its direct contact with sleep scientists.
B.Its individualized coaching program.
C.Its effectiveness in curing sleep disorders.
D.Its immediate analysis of sleep data.
70.What customer service does Zeo provide?
A.Cheap online tools.
B.A 30-day action plan.
C.Personalized bedside display.
D.Free delivery of the product.
71.The passage is primarily written to .
A.encourage people to try the new product
B.instruct people how to use a new tool
C.provide the latest health information
D.illustrate the importance of good sleep habit
Directions: Read the following four passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
All over the world, children in hospital are being treated with a new kind of medicine: laughter. Lucy is 23 and works for Theodora Children's Trust. She is one of many clown(小丑)doctors who bring a smile to the faces of sick children.
"I'm a Theodora clown doctor. I call myself Dr Looloo. I spend two days a week in children's hospitals, making funny faces, telling jokes, and doing magic tricks. As I walk into the wards I blow bubbles, shake hands with the kids, and make up nonsense songs for those children well enough to sing. I take special balloons to make 'balloon animals' and tell funny stories about them.
I'm naturally a very cheerful person. I've always been a clown. In fact my father's a clown a d I started working with him when I was eight year old. I knew it was just the job for me and I became a clown doctor because I think it's a great way to cheer up sick, frightened children in hospital.
Being a clown in hospital is very tiring both physically and emotionally. We have to learn not to show our feelings, otherwise we'd be useless. Clown doctors are sensitive but this is not a side most people see. To the children we're happy all the time. I'm still learning to allow myself to feel sad occasionally. There are special kids you get really close to. At the moment I'm working with a very sick little girl from Bosnia who speaks no English, so our only common language is laughter.
At weekends I participate in events to raise money for Theodora Children's Trust. It's a charity, so we are paid with the money people give. Being a clown doctor makes the worries of everyday life seem small. All in all, feel honoured to do this job. "
1. |
Lucy works as a clown doctor because .
|
2. |
What do clown doctors usually do in hospital?
|
3. |
Lucy thinks that being a clown doctor is .
|
Ⅲ. 阅读理解
We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard outside a furniture shop. It was tall and narrow. “Buy it, ” my wife said at once. “We’ll carry it home on the roof rack. I’ve always wanted one like that.”
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was £20 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack. It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.
In the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, “There’s a long line of cars behind. Why don’t they overtake, I wonder?” In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then, with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.
“Right, sir, ” he said. “Do you need any more help?”
I was a bit puzzled. “Thanks, officer, ” I said. “You have been very kind. I live just on the road.”
He was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. “Well, well, ” he said, laughing. “It’s a cupboard you’ve got there! We thought it was something else.”
My wife began to laugh. The truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. “Yes, it’s a cupboard, but thanks again.” I drove home as fast as I could.
36. In fact the husband _______ the cupboard.
A. would like very much to buy B. badly wanted
C. was glad to have bought D. would rather not buy
37. Other drivers thought they were _______.
A. carrying a cupboard to the church B. sending flowers to the church
C. carrying nothing but a piece of furniture D. going to attend a funeral at the church
38. The police will be more polite to those who are _______.
A. driving in gathering darkness B. in great sorrow
C. driving with wild glowers in the car D. carrying furniture
39. What did the husband think of this matter?
A. It was very strange. B. He felt ashamed of it.
C. He took great pride in it. D. He was puzzled at it.
When most people think of tropical islands, lined with white sandy beaches and bright blue seas, it is often the Caribbean or South Pacific that comes to mind. But for Chinese tourists who want a taste of paradise on Earth there is new place to consider. Mauritius, an island lying off the southeast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, has just been added to China’s list of tourist destinations. Rich in history, natural beauty and culture, the island has been a popular destination for the world’s tourists for many years.
On December 15 a total of eight African countries were added to the list. The others are Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Seychelles.
The island has passed through the controlling hands of a number of European powers, including Dutch, French and British. In 1968, Mauritius won its independence.
At present, over half the population of Mauritius is Hindu and another fifth is Muslim (穆斯林). Both groups are descendants (后裔) from workers brought to the island from India by the British. Some Chinese were also brought over to work. There are also descendants of African slaves and Franco Mauritians, the original settlers of the island. One of the best things about the island is the food. There is a mouth watering mix of European, Chinese and Indian flavours and seafood is very popular. A typical Mauritian dinner might have Indian chicken curry, Chinese pork, British roast beef and French style vegetables. Boiled rice is served with just about everything. All that is washed down with a plentiful supply of local beer and rum (浪姆酒).
The pleasant tropical climate and scenery provide the perfect setting to enjoy everything. The sea is full of colorful life that lives around the coral reef (珊瑚礁). This makes Mauritius a wonderful place for swimming and diving. The large number of interesting fish means it is also an exciting place for those who like to go fishing.
52. Which group of the following topics is NOT discussed in the text?
A. Food and history. B. Scenery and population.
C. Location and sports. D. Natural resources and agriculture.
53. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. Mauritius has something similar to the Caribbean or South Pacific.
B. Mauritius has a history of less than 40 years.
C. Mauritius has been a popular destination for Chinese tourists for many years.
D. The main food in Mauritius is local beer and rum.
54. The underlined word "This" in the last paragraph refers to "______".
A. pleasant tropical climate B. beautiful scenery
C. the sea with colorful life D. the coral reef
55. The text is mainly written to_______.
A. attract more Chinese to travel to Mauritius.
B. introduce some information about Mauritius.
C. give some advice on how to visit Mauritius.
D. help the visitors understand more about Mauritius.
Although man has known asbestos for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H. W. Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for(对…负责) the opening of that first mine.
Mr. Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy. He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands. How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all. You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials. However, because it was very expensive to transport (carry) them from Italy to the United States, Mr. Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein(岩脉), in the province of Quebec in Canada.
Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen. When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be. When it is separated, a strange thing happens; the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres(纤维).
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads(线), but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so-called “cloth of stone”.
40. Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?
A. Asbestos mined in Canada B. Fireproof matter
C. A “wonder” mineral D. A new roofing material
41. Johns proved his ability as a salesman by_______.
A. going into roofing business B. carrying asbestos from Italy
C. sending a trained scientist D. showing the use of asbestos gloves
42. Which is the most important character of asbestos that the author wants to show us?
A. It is like thread. B. It feels soapy. C. It burns easily. D. It is unusually heavy.
43. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage was to _______.
A. show the need for more scientists B. compare asbestos with other minerals
C. increase the sales of asbestos D. present facts about asbestos
A sixth of undergraduates in Beijing this year have registered at driving school. The students, mostly from majors such as business management or international trade, will finish their driving courses within 20 days or so.
Training costs have dropped to 2, 600 yuan for students, according to the Haidian Driving School in Beijing. The price is not really low, but students will accept it, seeing it as an investment in their future. Familiarity with the operation of computers and fluent English are the basic skills graduating students need to find a job. But a driver’s permit has become another factor.
“In the job market, owning a driver’s permit sometimes strengthens a graduating student’s competitiveness for a good position, ”says Zhou Yang, an undergraduate at the China University of Political Science and Law.
Cars will become a necessary part of many people’s lives in the coming years, and it is difficult to get a permit of campus because of the pressures on working people’s time. “Having a fulltime job after graduation offers limited time to learn to drive. We senior students have plenty of spare time, plenty of opportunity to learn. ”Zhou says.
Xu Jian, an official at the driving school, said undergraduates were very able and serious, and could grasp in an hour what ordinary people took four hours to learn. In this driving school, middle -aged people, young women and college students are the main customers.
To get a driver’s permit, a beginner is now required to have at least 86 hours’ practice before the final road test.
40.________ in Beijing want to learn to drive.
A. Most of the undergraduates
B. Many undergraduates
C. Many students in the driving school
D. Most of the students who learn business or international trade
41.The undergraduates are learning to drive because ________.
A. they need this skill to find a good job
B. they like to drive cars
C. they will not have any time to learn to drive after they have found a full - time job
D. most of them will be able to buy cars in the future
42.Which of the following is likely to be Xu Jian’s opinion of students learning to drive?
A. He thought it was better to learn it at college than at work.
B. He decided it was a waste of money and time to learn to drive.
C. He agreed that they could learn to drive.
D. He thought they would spend three times more time to learn to drive than usual.
43.Which of the following can be the best headline for the passage?
A. Students Pay Less to Learn to Drive Now.
B. Students Learn to Drive.
C. It is Better to Learn to Drive at Colleges.
D. Welcome to the Driving School.
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A,B,C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - US President Bush said on Monday that he wanted Osama bin Laden “dead or alive” for last week’s attacks on the World Trade Center and the pentagon, but many of Washington’s allies are cool on strikes against Afghanistan.Bush has named Saudi - born militant Osama bin Laden as a prime suspect, though he has provided no evidence for his claim. Still, he had been building public support for military action and has warned Afghanistan’s Taliban to give up Bin Laden.
But the Taliban, which has warned of “holy war” in response to any US attack, by Tuesday afternoon had given no indication of whether the man they call their“ guest” would be handed over.
On an unprecedented“ Day of terror”, two planes smashed into New York’s World Trade Center twin towers on September 11, putting them into ruins while explosions rocked the Pentagon in Washington, and the White House and State Department were evacuated. The attacks have left more than 5, 000 people dead or missing.
China has said it is ready to join international efforts in fighting “terrorism ”but insisted that peace, not war, is the best option.
In London, Blair declared it a“ war between the civilized world and fanaticism ”and determined to stand by an ally which aided Britain in two world wars. France, Germany and others, including Russia, are also supportive. “The evil must be punished, ” Russian President Vladimir Putin said. “But we should not liken ( 把…比着 )ourselves to bandit.” His defense chiefs have ruled out hosting NATO forces in former Soviet Central Asia or joining US military action, although Moscow says it will help with intelligence.
36.What building(s)was/were totally damaged?
A. The World Trade Center and the Pentagon
B. The World Trade Center.
C. The Pentagon.
D. The White House
37.In this passage, what country does the underlined part refer to?
A. Russia B. France C. Germany D. America
38.According to the passage, which of the following is right?
A. It was bin Laden that made the terrorist attacks, which have left more than 5, 000 people dead or missing.
B. Russian forces will join US military action.
C. There is no sign to show that the Taliban will hand over bin Laden.
D. Few countries support America after the attacks.
39.From the passage, what problem is the world facing?
A. Wars B. Terrorism C. Population D. Explosions
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