How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration (移民) officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author know about America before she got there?
| A．From her relatives. | B．From her mother. |
| C．From books and pictures. | D．From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt _______.
| A．confused | B．excited | C．worried | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A．often lost her way | B．did not think about her future |
| C．studied in three different schools | D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A．She worked as a translator. | B．She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C．She paid telephone bills for her family. | D．She helped her family with her English. |
The author believes that ________.
| A．her future will be free from troubles | B．it is difficult to learn to become patient |
| C．there are more good things than bad things | D．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
It was a warm April day when a big fat envelope came in the mail from the only college I had ever imagined attending. I tore open the packet. My eyes were fixed on the word “congratulations”. I don’t remember ever smiling so wide.
Then I looked at my financial package.
The cost of Dream School’s tuition, room and board was around MYM 40,000—an impossible sum! How could I afford to attend? What good reasons did I have to go there when three other fine colleges were offering me free tuition? My other choices were good, solid schools even if they weren’t as famous as my first choice.
In my mind, attending my dream university would be the only way to realize my dream of becoming a world-class writer. My parents understood how I felt. They told me that even though it would be a financial problem, I could go wherever I would be happiest. But as 1 was always careful with money, I wasn’t sure what to do.
One of the schools that offered me a full ride had an informational dinner one night in the spring. Considering my parents’ financial difficulties, I decided to drive the 45 minutes and attend. At first, all I had planned to do was smile politely, eat free food, listen quietly. But I surprised myself.
At dinner the president of the university talked about the wonderful activities on campus including guest lectures and social gatherings. He also made it perfectly clear that free food would be offered at all future events. He continued with explanations of professors, class sizes, activities, and sporting events on campus. As he spoke, I began to realize that this school, though not as good as my first choice, might be the best one for me. It seemed small yet with many great programs. It seemed challenging yet caring.
As the president ended his speech, we clapped politely and pushed back our chain. As I walked out of that door, a feeling of comfort washed over me. Looking at the campus that night, I realized that I would be spending the next four years fighting there.
In all honesty, my university is not as well-known as my “dream” university. However, it turned out to be the right choice of schools for me. How did the author feel when he started to read the letter?
| A．He was full of joy. | B．He was lost in his dream. |
| C．He was worried about the money. | D．He was uncertain which school to go to. |
We can learn from the passage that the parents were _________.
| A．honest | B．strict | C．supportive | D．decisive |
In Paragraph 5, “offered me a full ride” can be replaced by “_________”.
| A．would pay for transport to the school | B．would show me around the campus |
| C．would offer free meals at all events | D．would charge me nothing for tuition |
What does the author mainly want to say?
| A．Your second-choice college may actually be your best fit. |
| B．You should consider comfort in your choice of schools. |
| C．You should try your best to attend your dream school. |
| D．Your choice of schools should be based on their fame. |
TODAY, Friday, November 12
JAZZ with the Mike Thomas Jazz Band at The Derby Arms. Upper Richmond Road West, Sheen.
DISCO Satin Sounds Disco. Free at The Lord Napier, Mort lake High St., from 8a. m. to 8p. m. Tel: 682—1158.
SATURDAY, November 13
JAZZ Lysis at The Bull’s Head, Barnes. Admission 60p.
MUSICAL HALL at The Star and Garter, Lower Richmond Road, Putney, provided by the Aba Daba Music Hall company. Good food and entertainment fair price. Tel: 789—6749.
FAMILY night out? Join the sing-along at The Black Horse. Sheen Road, Richmond.
JAZZ The John Bennett Big Band at The Bull’s Head, Barnes. Admission 80p.
THE DERBY ARMS, Upper Richmond Road West, give you Joe on the electric accordion(手风琴). Tel: 789—4536
SUNDAY, November 14
DISCO Satin Sounds Disco, free at The Lord Napier, Mort Lake High Street, from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m.
FOLK MUSIC at The Derby Arms. The Short Stuff and residents the Norman Chop Trio. Non-remembers 70p. Tel: 688—4626.
HEAVY MUSIC with Tony Simon at The Bull, Upper Richmond Road West, East Sheen.
THE DERBY ARMS, Upper Richmond Road West, give you Joe on the electric accordion. Where and when can you hear the Norman Chop Trio?
| A．At the Bull’s Head on Sunday. | B．At the Derby Arms on Sunday. |
| C．At the Bull on Saturday. | D．At the Black Horse on Saturday. |
You want to spend the Saturday by joining the entertainment with your family. Where should you go?
| A．Disco at The Lord Napier. | B．Jazz at The Bull’s Head. |
| C．The sing-along at The Black Horse. | D．The electric accordion at The Derby Arms. |
You want to enjoy the electric accordion on Saturday. Which telephone number do you have to ring to find out what time it starts?
| A．789—6749. | B．789—4536. | C．682—1158. | D．688—4626. |
You want to spend the same day at two different places and don’t want to cross any street. Which of the following is your best choice?
| A．The sing-along at the Black Horse and Jazz at The Bull’s Head. |
| B．The sing-along at The Black Horse and Folk Music at The Derby Arms. |
| C．Folk Music at The Derby Arms and Heavy Music with Tony Simon at The Bull. |
| D．Musical Hal lat The Star ＆ Garter and Disco at The Lord Napier. |
Since its invention 100 years ago, plastic, the superstar of the technological age, has become ugly and ungreen. But that’s about to change. An exhibition at London’s Science Museum this week could put it back on the cutting edge of science.
Have you ever hesitated in donating blood? The invention of “plastic blood” might make you feel better.
British scientists are working on the artificial blood as a replacement for real blood in emergency situations. It is made of plastic molecules (分子) and can join oxygen and transport it around the body. As a red, honey - like glue, plastic blood can be carried around conveniently. You just add water to make as much blood as you need.
The cells of our body are strict about what molecules they let in and out. For example, if we inject protein or DNA directly into the body, our immune (免疫的) system will destroy it before it reaches the cells.
To get around this, a British scientist has created drug-carrying plastic balls that fool the body into thinking they are natural. Once inside the cell, their contents are spread out through a small controlled explosion.
Skin transplants are widely done these days. But removing a piece of skin from, say, the bottom to plant it on the face can hurt and be troublesome.
A British company, CellTran, is working on plastic skin. Using plastic, they plan to take a small piece of the patient’s skin and grow it into an extra layer of skin on top of the plastic.
The plastic feels similar to skin, so skin cells like to grow on it. The plastic then gradually disappears, without any reaction or infection.What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The superstar of technological age |
| B．An exhibition at London’s Science Museum |
| C．No more “white pollution” |
| D．Plastic takes on a new life |
The phrase “get around” in Paragraph 5 means closest to _____________.
| A．overcome | B．end | C．ensure | D．pass |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．Plastic blood will be injected into the body in drug-carrying plastic balls. |
| B．The plastic skin will remain a part of the new skin. |
| C．Plastic blood will take the place of real blood. |
| D．The cells of our body will let in whatever molecules they get. |
You don’t need millions to be happy. In fact, at The Happiness Institute in Australia, a couple of hundred dollars may be enough.
The institute opened its door last year, and, since then, men and women of all ages have been paying $ 200 an hour for lessons on how to feel great.
“You can actually increase your happiness levels. That’s what we teach,” said Timothy Sharp, founder of the institute.
Experts say that only about 15 percent of happiness comes from income, assets (财产)and other financial factors. As much as 85 percent comes from things such as attitude, life control and relationships.
Most of us are significantly better off financially than our parents and grandparents, but happiness levels haven’t changed to reflect that.
Studies show that once the basic needs of shelter and food are met, additional wealth adds very little to happiness.
Many decades ago, the sage (圣人、哲人)of Baltimore, Maryland”, editor HL Mencken, defined wealth as earning $100 more than your “wife’s sister’s husband”.
Behavioral economists now say part of the reason we are richer but not happier is that we compare ourselves to people better off materially.
“The argument is that if you want to be happy there’s a very simple thing you can do:
Compare yourself to people who are less welloff than you---poorer, smaller house and
car,” said Sharp.
The Happiness Institute aims to show you how to overcome these unhappiness factors by focusing on “more than just your bank account”.
“If I compare myself to Bill Gates then I’m always going to be down,” said Sharp.
A better thing to compare with, he said, might be Kerry Packer, Australia’s richest person who has had a kidney (肾脏) transplant and heart surgery in recent years.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．You may increase your happiness levels after attending the classes at The Happiness Institute. |
| B．Most of us are happier than our parents or grandparents since we earn more. |
| C．Earn $100 more than your wife’s sister’s husband if you want to be happy. |
| D．Both Bill Gates and Kerry Packer are examples of those who are extremely rich but obviously unhappy. |
The underlined phrase has the same meaning as the word______.
| A．healthy | B．unhealthy | C．free | D．wealthy |
The author wrote the passage to tell us_____.
| A．happiness is everything |
| B．wealth is the foundation of happiness |
| C．we can’t have fun at The Happiness Institute |
| D．money doesn’t always mean happiness |
According to the passage, happiness mainly depends on_____.
| A．income, assets and other financial factors |
| B．additional wealth apart from the satisfaction of the basic needs of shelter and food |
| C．things like attitude, life control and relationships |
| D．society development |
HOTEL INFORMATION
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Room Information
Rooms are equipped with Double, Queen, or King bed (s), smoking or non-smoking based on location and availability. Provided in each spacious guest room is a hair dryer, coffee maker, iron, ironing board, 25’TV and guest voice mail.
Check-in Time：7:00 P. M.
Hotel Amenities (设施)：Air Conditioned, 24 Hour Front Desk, Pool, Television with Cable, Coffee Maker in Room, Hairdryers Available.
Beach Plaza Hotel
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Room Information
The oceanfront accommodations at Beach Plaza Hotel are some of the most affordable on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Each room features direct-dial telephone, cable television and daily maid service. The very affordable efficiency studios even include full kitchens! All rooms surround the private poolside garden courtyard.
Check-in Time：7:05 P. M.
Hotel Amenities：Air Conditioned, Coffee Maker in Room, 24 Hour Front Desk, Hairdryers Available, Pool, Television with Cable.
Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel
3711 N．Ocean Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308
Room Information
Internet access, guest rooms feature TVs, in-room movies, in-room safes (保险箱), alarm clock radios, hairdryers, refrigerators, microwaves, and balconies.
Check-in Time：7:00 A.M.
Hotel Amenities： Parking, Heated Pool, Television with Cable, Computer, and Coffee Maker in Room. Which hotel gives a promise?
| A．Baymont Inn Ft . Lauderdale. | B．Beach Plaza Hotel. |
| C．Baymont Inn Hotel. | D．Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
In which hotel can you park your car?
| A．Baymont Inn Ft . Lauderdale. | B．Beach Plaza Hotel. |
| C．Baymont Inn Hotel. | D．Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
If you enjoy surfing the Internet, you will probably go to __________.
| A．Baymont Inn Ft . Lauderdale. | B．Beach Plaza Hotel. |
| C．Baymont Inn Hotel. | D．Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
Which of the following is NOT true to the ads?
| A．All of the three hotels provide television with cable. |
| B．You can keep your money in the room safe in Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
| C．In Beach Plaza Hotel a 24-hour maid is available. |
| D．While staying in Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel, you can enjoy seeing films without leaving your hotel room. |
Joanne was stuck in a traffic jam in central Birmingham at 5：30and at 6：30 she was expected to be chairing a meeting of the tennis club. At last, the traffic was moving. She swung quickly racing to her house. As she opened the door, she nearly tripped over (被绊倒)Sheba.
“Hey, Sheba,” she said, “I've got no time for you now, but I'll take you out as soon as I get back from tennis club.” Then she noticed Sheba seemed to be coughing or choking. Obviously, she could hardly breathe. Immediately, Joanne realized she would have to take her to the vet (兽医).
When she got there, the vet was just about to close for the day. Seeing the state of Sheba, Dr. Sterne brought her quickly into his office.
“Listen, doctor, I'm really in a rush to get to a meeting, can I leave her with you, and go and get changed? I'll be back in ten minutes to pick her up, and then I'll take her on to the meeting with me. Is that OK?”
“Sure.” said the doctor.
Joanne made the quick trip back to her house in a couple of minutes. As she was once more entering the hallway, the phone by the door began to ring.
“This is Dr. Sterne,” said an anxious voice. “I want you to get out of that house immediately, ”said the doctor's voice. “I'm coming round right away, and the police will be there any time now. Wait outside!”
At that moment, a police car screeched (发出尖锐的声音)to a stop outside the house. Two policemen got out and ran into the house. Joanne was by now completely confused and very frightened. Then the doctor arrived.
“Where’s Sheba? Is she OK?” shouted Joanne.
“She’s fine, Joanne. I took out the thing which was choking her, and she’s OK now. ”
Just then, the two policemen reappeared from the house, half-carrying a white—faced man, who could hardly walk. There was blood all over him.
“My God, ” said Joanne, “how did he get in there? And how did you know he was there?”
“I think he must be a burglar.” said the doctor. “I knew he was there because when I finally removed what was stuck in Sheba’s throat：it turned out to be three human fingers.”What was Joanne supposed to do at 6：30？
| A．To walk her dog. | B．To see her doctor. |
| C．To attend a club meeting. | D．To play tennis with her friends. |
Joanne wanted to get back to her home again .
| A．to dress up for the meeting | B．to phone the police station |
| C．to catch the badly hurt burglar | D．to wait for her dog to be cured |
From the passage, we can infer that .
| A．Sheba fought against the burglar |
| B．the police found the burglar had broken in |
| C．Joanne had planned to take her dog to the meeting |
| D．the doctor performed a difficult operation on the dog |
In this passage, the writer intends to tell us that the dog is .
| A．clever | B．friendly | C．frightening | D．devoted |
Of all the animals in the animal kingdom, which one (aside from man) is the cleverest?
There are several ways of measuring the intelligence of animals. In one test a scientist sets three same cans on a table. While the animal watches, he puts food under one of the cans. Then he leads the animal away. Some time later, he brings it back to see if it remembers which can has the food. No smelling is allowed; the animal must go directly to the correct can or it fails.
This is called a delayed- response text. The idea is to find out how long an animal’s memory can keep information. The scientists would try showing the cans to the animal one hour later, or two hours later, or even a full day later. They discovered that chimpanzees and elephants had the best memory, and were able to remember the correct can for at least twenty hours. No other animal is close. Dogs came next, but they only remembered for nine hours.
To settle the matter, the scientists designed a huge maze (迷宫) and ran the chimps and elephants through it. The maze was very difficult, with many blind paths and dead ends. It took the chimps (chimpanzees) ten minutes to find their way out. The elephants needed half an hour. Even allowing for the elephants’ slower rate of speed, the test shows that chimpanzees are the cleverest animals.
From this and other tests, the scientists drew the following conclusion: an animal’s intelligence depends on the size of its brain in proportion (比例) to the size of its body. The elephant’s brain weighs ten pounds. But this is only 1/600th of its 6,000 pounds body. A chimp’s brain weighs about one pound, or 1/120th of its total body weight. So in proportion to its body size, the chimp has four times as much brain as the elephant----more brain for less body. The chimp is the champ!Which is the best title ?
| A．The Elephant’s Memory | B．The Cleverest Animal |
| C．Judging Intelligence | D．The Chimp’s Brain |
The main idea of this passage is that ________.
| A．there are several ways of measuring the intelligence of animals |
| B．chimps and elephants have the best memory |
| C．intelligence tests show that the chimp is the cleverest animal |
| D．the scientists designed a huge maze and ran the chimps and elephants through it |
The delayed-response test is designed to test an animal’s________.
| A．eyesight | B．intelligence | C．learning ability | D．memory |
The passage tells that elephants ________.
| A．never forget things | B．are more clever than chimps |
| C．are slower-moving than chimps | D．have better memories than chimps |
According to the passage, a rhinoceros (犀牛) that weighs 2100 pounds, and has a 3-pound brain is
________.
| A．as clever as a chimp | B．more clever than an elephant |
| C．less clever than an elephant | D．as clever as an elephant |
In the past, people who graduated from college felt proud of their academic achievement and confident that their degree would help them find a good job.
However, in the past four years the job market has changed dramatically. This year’s college graduates are facing one of the worst job markets in years. For example, Ryan Stewart, a graduate of San Jose University, got a degree in religious studies, but no job prospects. He points out that many people already working are getting laid off and don’t have jobs, so it’s even harder for new college graduates to find jobs.
Four years ago, the future looked bright for the class of 2003. There were many high-tech job opportunities. Graduates received many job offers, and they were able to get jobs with high salaries and benefits such as insurance and paid vacations. However, “Times have changed and it’s a new market,” according to Cheryl Allmen- Vinnidge of the San Jose State Career Center.
Allmen-Vinniage says students who do find jobs started preparing two years ago. They worked during summer vacations, they have had several internships（实习）, and they’ve majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields (like information system management, computer science, and political science) have seen big declines in starting salaries.
Ryan Stewart (he had hoped to become a teacher) may just end up going back to school. “I’d like to teach college some day and that requires more schooling, which would be great in bad economy.” he said.
In conclusion, these days, to some students a degree may not be a ticket to instant wealth. For now, they can only hope its value will increase over time.The word in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
| A．skill | B．interests | C．opportunities | D．applications |
Which of the following majors can get a job easily?
| A．teaching | B．accounting | C．political science | D．computer science |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means ________.
| A．the best way to get rich is not to get a college degree |
| B．most students with degrees will not be able to find jobs |
| C．having a college degree does not qualify one for travel discounts |
| D．a college degree does not mean that one will find a well-paid job |
Ryan Stewart will have to ________.
| A．change his major | B．get a job teaching |
| C．go back to school | D．become a religious leader |
The main idea of this passage is that ________.
| A．a lot of graduates are losing their jobs |
| B．Ryan Stewart has not been able to find a job |
| C．salaries in some fields have increased in the past year |
| D．the job market has changed dramatically over the past 4 years |
HANGZHOU－As a major province neighboring Shanghai, Zhejiang is set to benefit from the Expo in the city this year in more ways than one.
According to a survey from the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, 80 percent of the respondents (回答者) going to the Expo have plans to travel and 75 percent of them will go to nearby places, such as Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing and Wuxi are the most popular sites, where tourism will be the best winner.
It is estimated (估计) that 70 million visitors will come to the Expo. During the peak time, as many as 700,000 people will visit Shanghai every day.
When all services such as hotels, meeting rooms, and transportation in Shanghai are full, it is possible for other activities to be held in nearby cities. And this is the golden opportunity for developing local tourism. The local hotel industry will benefit directly from the event.
Due to the Shanghai World Expo, Zhejiang will attract 20 million visitors within half a year. It will encourage local industries, such as catering, tourism, entertainment and shopping. More than 50 travel routines (线路) connecting Shanghai and other tourism spots, such as the West Lake in Hangzhou, gardens in Suzhou, and the waterscape in Shaoxing, will be introduced to the world. So far, local travel bureaus in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Huzhou, Shaoxing, Zhoushan, and Wenzhou have already sent special work teams to Shanghai to present their special tourism attractions to visitors.
The sharing and the connections of tourism resources as well as customer and service systems will also promote the areas in the Yangtze River Delta, which will in turn help to shape sustainable (可持续的), healthy tourism for the future.What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Hangzhou－the Heaven on earth |
| B．The Expo Shanghai 2010－a great success |
| C．Being at right place, right time for traveling |
| D．A good chance to develop tourism and others |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．There will be more than 50 travel routines in Shanghai. |
| B．75% of the people in Zhejiang will go to visit the Expo. |
| C．The local tourism will benefit a lot due to the Expo. |
| D．Hangzhou will benefit the most from the Expo. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．More cities in neighboring provinces will be better known to the world. |
| B．Work teams have been sent to Shanghai to present the attractions to visitors. |
| C．As many as 700,000 people will visit Shanghai every day. |
| D．The Shanghai World Expo will promote all industries. |
Which section of a newspaper may the article be taken from?
| A．opinion | B．advertisement | C．news | D．sports |
“It’s our tradition to help each other”, added Tenpa, a medical official in neighbouring Madoi County, who said Yushu has always been quick to help other areas in times of trouble. “We have suffered many dangers and each time people in Yushu have sent food and clothes. We are always thankful to them and hopefully we proved it by being the first rescue team to arrive in Yushu after the earthquake.”
The Madoi medical team arrived just hours after the violent 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Yushu. In two weeks, they have treated at least 1,800 people, while the county has donated 400,000 yuan.
The biggest fear in the earthquake area is the outbreak of diseases. Tenpa said, “Keeping things clean in the shelter is very hard. Even hand washing is almost impossible because of lack of water. Our team is spraying disinfectant (喷洒消毒剂) and we hope that will work.”
After driving for 13 hours with his medical team, Tian Jiancan said he immediately found a 40-year-old who was seriously injured after being trapped in a toppled house. Tian had to operate on the man in his emergency medical van. “If we had been one hour later, he would probably be dead. It’s good to see him out of danger now.” Tian’s medical team has treated over 3,200 people, including a 15-day-old baby and a 105-year-old man. They also helped to put up tents against winds, where patients are protected well.
One local man said although most doctors cannot speak Tibetan, they have shown their care and love through their actions.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．This is the first time that Tibetans have faced great dangers. |
| B．People in Yushu have always been ready to help each other. |
| C．Madoi was also hit by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake. |
| D．Tian’s team is the second rescue team to arrive Yushu. |
What is the closest meaning to the underlined words in paragraph 7?
| A．a house on the top floor | B．a house which had no roofs |
| C．a house which fell down | D．a house which was poorly built |
How many people have been rescued by the medical teams according to the passage?
| A．About 1,800. | B．3,200. | C．At least 5,000. | D．4000,000. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．People in Yushu are encouraged by the medical team workers. |
| B．The doctors went along quite well in spite of the language trouble. |
| C．The Madoi medical team was the first to arrive at the earthquake-hit area. |
| D．The medical workers made great efforts to help the people suffering from the earthquake. |
Few people realize that there is a big difference between formal English and informal English. Formal English is used for most writing, and often in public speaking and formal meetings. It pays close attention to grammar rules, because if we use proper grammar, our meaning is often more precise. Also, on important occasions, we do not want to appear uneducated or to offend (冒犯) others, so we are very careful about how we speak. Informal English is used in speaking or writing to our friends and family. It often does not pay such close attention to grammar rules, because when we speak or write to them, we want our words to flow quickly. Also, with our friends and family, we are usually not so worried about appearing uneducated or about offending them by how we write or speak.
A big difference between formal and informal English is the use of contractions. A contraction is where we make a word shorter or where we put two words together and take away some of the letters. For example, instead of saying “do not”, many people say “don’t”. Using contractions in our speech is fine because it sounds natural, especially when we speak to our friends. In formal writing, however, contractions are usually avoided because people might think that you have made a mistake, or that you do not know proper grammar.
In the same way we might make words shorter, in informal English we often make sentences shorter as well. For example, if someone asks you your name, you will likely answer with one word: your first name. However, in formal English we usually use complete sentences. For example, we might write “My name is John”. In most speaking, we may not need to use every word in a sentence because the person we are speaking to will probably still understand us. In most writing, however, every word in a sentence must be written out in order to make sure that we can be understood. When we use formal English, _______.
| A．we will offend others |
| B．we will appear educated on important occasions |
| C．we needn’t pay more attention to grammar rules |
| D．we can express ourselves more directly and more quickly |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “precise”?
| A．simple | B．direct | C．puzzling | D．clear |
Contractions are best used when we are _______.
| A．speaking at a formal meeting | B．speaking to our friends |
| C．speaking in public | D．writing an application (申请) letter |
In speaking, we do not always use complete sentences because ______.
| A．we do not care about grammar | B．we do not want to sound stupid |
| C．we can still be understood | D．we don’t want to waste time |
A frightening example of the sea’s power saw 125,000 people die in 12 different countries last week. The terrible disaster was caused when a great earthquake sent tsunamis breaking into Indian Ocean coastlines. Various areas in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Malaysia and East Africa have been destroyed by the huge waves. Whole towns were simply swept aside by the power of the water. Cars, trains and buildings could not remain steady, not to say the people who stood in the way.
The earthquake measured 9.0 on the Richter scale and occurred off the coast of Indonesia. It was recorded as the fifth strongest since 1900. Scientists said the quake was as powerful as a million of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan during the World War II. “This may be the worst natural disaster in recent history because it is affecting so many heavily populated coastal areas.” said Jan Ege-land, a UN official.
Because such waves hardly happen in the Indian Ocean, there is no system in place to warn coastal people who are about to be hit. Tsunami is a Japanese word. They are usually caused by a sudden rise or fall of part of the Earth’s crust under the ocean. Tsunamis often happen in oceans and they are most common in the Pacific.
Tsunamis can be very long, as much as 100 kilometers. They are able to cross entire oceans without losing much energy. One of the most striking facts about tsunamis is that an earthquake on one side of the Pacific Ocean can cause huge waves on the other side.
When the ocean is deep, tsunamis can travel unnoticed at speeds of up to 800 kilometers per hour. They can cross the entire ocean in a day or less. The wave may only be a few meters high in the ocean, but when it is near the shore and reaches shallow water, the wave builds up very quickly in height.
61. How many countries were stricken by the terrible disaster?
A. 6. B. 12. C. 18. D. Not sure.
62. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT __________.
Tsunami is a word taken in from Japanese
Tsunamis are quite common in the Indian Ocean
The earthquake measured 9.0 on the Richter scale
No warning system has been set up to watch tsunamis there
63. We can know from this passage that __________.
the earthquake has been the strongest in the last century
the wave soon becomes higher when it reaches the shore
the atomic bombs were more powerful than the earthquake
tsunamis can cross entire oceans with almost the same energy
64. You’ll see the passage in __________ section of a newspaper most probably.
A. Sports B. Health C. News D. Culture
Both warm-blooded and cold-blooded desert animals have ways to escape the desert heat. Warm-blooded desert animals, such as rats and mice, rest during the day, often staying in cool underground burrows. At night they search for food. Animals that are out during the day, such as cold-blooded lizards and snakes, are active only for short periods. As their body temperature rises, these reptiles move into the shade in order to cool down. In the early evening, when the sun grows weaker, the reptiles become more active and begin their search for food again.
Getting enough water to survive is a major problem for all desert animals. Some desert animals, such as the kangaroo rat and the related jerboa, get water only from the food that they eat. Because these animals eat mainly dry seeds, they must survive on a tiny amount of water.
Most deserts have only a small number of frogs and toads because these animals must be near water to survive. Yet even these creatures have adapted to desert conditions. When small amounts of water collect in temporary streams, the desert-living frogs and toads become active. After a rainfall, they lay their eggs. The eggs grow into tadpoles in a few days and into adults in just four weeks. When the puddles dry up, the adult frogs or toads dig into the ground. Their metabolism(新陈代谢) slows, and they stay beneath the ground until the next rain, which may be as good as a year away. Until then, their bodily activities continue at a reduced rate.
The camel---often called the ship of the desert---is one of the most successful desert animals. Camels can go for long periods without water, but eventually they must drink. When water becomes available to them after a long drought, they may drink 95 liters of water or more. When water is not available, what helps camels survive the desert heat is the fat stored in their humps. A camel’s hump contains about 12 kilograms of fat. Fat is rich in hydrogen. As the fat is digested, hydrogen from the fat combines with oxygen in the air that the camel breathes. The result is H2O, or water. Each kilogram of fat that a camel digests produces about a liter of water.
71. Desert animals are usually more active at night because ______.
A. it is cooler at night B.it is easier to find water
C.they like the dark D. they are less likely to be attacked at night
72. Which of the following desert animals can get water only from the food?
A. The camel. B. The kangaroo rat. C. The frog. D. The toad
73. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. All the desert animals rest during the day.
B. All the desert animals don’t rest during the day.
C. Cold-blooded desert animals don’t rest during the day.
D. None of the cold-blooded desert animals go out during the day.
74. The title for this passage could probably be ________.
A. Hot Deserts B. Desert Animals
C. How Desert Animals Get Water D. Ways To Escape the Desert Heat
75. The underlined word “burrows” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _________.
A. holes B. caves C. rooms D. openings
Ask someone what they have done to help the environment recently and they will almost certainly mention recycling. Recycling in the home is very important of course. However, being forced to recycle often means we already have more material than we need. We are dealing with the results of that over-consumption in the greenest way possible, but it would be far better if we did not need to bring so much material home in the first place.
The total amount of packaging increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005. It now makes up a third of a typical household’s waste in the UK. In many supermarkets nowadays food items are packaged twice with plastic and cardboard.
Too much packaging is doing serious damage to the environment. The UK, for example, is running out of it for carrying this unnecessary waste. If such packaging is burnt, it gives off greenhouse gases which go on to cause the greenhouse effect. Recycling helps, but the process itself uses energy. The solution is not to produce such items in the first place. Food waste is a serious problem, too. Too many supermarkets encourage customers to buy more than they need. However, a few of them are coming round to the idea that this cannot continue, encouraging customers to reuse their plastic bags, for example.
But this is not just about supermarkets. It is about all of us. We have learned to associate packaging with quality. We have learned to think that something unpackaged is of poor quality. This is especially true of food. But it also applies to a wide range of consumer products, which often have far more packaging than necessary.
There are signs of hope. As more of us recycle, we are beginning to realize just how much unnecessary materials are collecting. We need to face the wastefulness of our consumer culture, but we have a mountain to climb. What does the underlined phrase “over-consumption” refer to?
| A．Using too much packaging. | B．Recycling too many wastes. |
| C．Making more products than necessary. | D．Having more material than is needed. |
The author uses figures in Paragraph 2 to show _______.
| A．the tendency of cutting household waste | B．the increase of packaging recycling |
| C．the rapid growth of super markets | D．the fact of packaging overuse |
According to the text, recycling ______.
| A．helps control the greenhouse effect |
| B．means burning packaging for energy |
| C．is the solution to gas shortage |
| D．leads to a waste of land |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．Fighting wastefulness is difficult. |
| B．Needless material is mostly recycled. |
| C．People like collecting recyclable waste. |
| D．The author is proud of their consumer culture. |
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