It was midnight in Paris and we were rolling toward Avenue Bosguet. As we came to the Pont Alexandra Ⅲ, the taxi slowed down, for the traffic light was red against us, and then, without stopping, we sailed through the red in a sudden burst of speed. The same performance was repeated at the Alma Bridge. As I paid the driver, I asked him why he had driven through two red lights.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, breaking the law and endangering your life that way.” I protested.
He looked at me, astonished, “Ashamed of myself? I am a law abiding(守法的) citizen and have no desire to get killed either.” He cut me off before I could protest.
“No, just listen to me before you complain. What did I do? Went through a red light. Well, did you ever stop to consider what a red light is? What it means?”
“Certainly,”I replied. “It’s a stop signal and means the traffic is rolling in the opposite direction.”
“Half-right,”said the driver, “But incomplete. It’s only an automatic(自动的) stop signal. And it does not mean that there is cross traffic. Did you see any cross traffic during our trip? Of course not. I slowed down at the light, looked carefully to the right and to the left. Not another car on the street at this hour. Well, then! What would you have me do? Should I stop like a stupid animal because an automatic, brainless machine turns red every forty seconds? No, sir,”he shouted, “I am a man, not a machine. I have eyes and a brain and judgment, given me by God. Ashamed of myself, you say? I would only be ashamed of myself if I let those blinking lamps do my thinking for me. Good night,sir.”At the Alma Bridge,__________.
| A．the writer stopped the taxi and aid the driver |
| B．the taxi went through a red light again |
| C．there was a performance the writer had already watched |
| D．the writer began to criticize the driver |
To the taxi driver, a red light__________.
| A．was not a stop signal |
| B．should not work at midnight |
| C．sometimes made mistakes in judgment |
| D．didn’t always mean that there was cross traffic |
The main reason the driver dared to drive through the red light was that_______
_________.
A．he found there was no cross traffic there at that time |
| B．he thought it a shame to be controlled by a machine |
| C．he knew no other driver would see him at this hour |
| D．he didn’t trust any brainless machine |
According to the passage, the driver thought of what he had done was____________.
| A．law abiding | B．law breaking |
| C．something to be proud of | D．something to be ashamed of |
When Omega was born in Uganda, she did two things: Smile and then sing. When Omega was 4 years old, her talent(天赋) for music was recognized, so she became one of the youngest members of the first African Children’s Choir(合唱团). She traveled the world with the choir, and it was f
rom this experience that she grew into a singer today. 
Although having a beautiful voice, she had to find other ways besides music to earn a living at first. When she was 16, her parents sent her to the USA to study. Like her mother, Omega wanted to become a doctor and do something meaningful in her country of Uganda.
Howeve
r, like many artists, music was so much a part of her that she had to choose. With encouragement from her family and friends, she opened her own production company(制作公司) after graduation. Since then, she has been working as an artist. Her songs make people feel good about life. Apart from that, she is also i
nterested in health care and education. Omega is one of those Ugandan females who are showing the world their valuable talents. Her experiences in the Choir helped Omega to ____.
| A．burst into song | B．recognize her music talent |
| C．travel the world | D．become a singer |
What is the meaning of the underlin
ed sentence in paragraph three?
| A．music was very important to her |
| B．music took her a lot of time |
| C．music cost her so much money |
| D．music was the last thing she would choose |
We can learn from the passage that Omega is ____.
| A．a good teacher | B．a famous African artist |
| C．a kind politician | D．a warm-hearted doctor |
Though I have traveled in hundreds of trains, few unusual things have ever happened to me. But one day in a train something did happen. I do not mean that I was hurt: no one was hurt.
I do my work in a hot country far away from England. Every September I go there to do my business, and every July I come back to England to have a rest. So every September I go to Paris and take a train from the great French city to Mendova, and at Mendova I catch my ship.
There is one very fast train from Paris to Mendova, and it suits me well. It goes as far as Endoran, but it stops at Mendova for a few minutes to let travelers get out or in. It is called The Flying Bluebird. It reaches Mendova at seven minutes past nine in the morning, and it is never late.
A ship leaves Mendova at half past eleven, and so you will understand that The Flying Bluebird suits me very well. I always travel by it, and I have nearly two and a half hours at Mendova to go from the station to the ship. That is more than enough time.
Well, one September night, I took my place in The Flying Bluebird as usual. The train leaves Paris at nine o’clock every night, and I was in my place soon after half past eight. There were three or four people there with me, but very soon a lot of others got into the train. When no more people could sit down, they began to stand up near us and also in the corridor（走廊）. In a short time the corridor was full too, and it was impossible for any more travelers to get into the train.
I could see a lot of other people outside the corridor windows, but they could not get in, and the train left Paris without them. The man sitting next to me started to ask all kinds of questions: “Where do you work? How long does it take you to get there? Are you married? How many children do you have? How much money do they pay you every year? How much do you have in the bank? How much do you spend every month?”
He asked questions for about twenty minutes but I did not give him any clear answers, and at last he stopped and began to read the paper.
I usually sleep quite well in the train, but this time I slept only a little. There were too many people, and there were too many things: small bags, large bags, coats, hats, boxes, newspapers and food. As usual, we got angry about the window. Most people wanted it shut, and two of us wanted it open. But that always happens. It was shut all night, as usual.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty, and glad that the journey was reaching its end. At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped. We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I took my two suitcases, held one in each hand, and tried to move towards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of the train, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the far end. There was no other way out.
I could not even into the corridor. There was a suitcase on the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in my way. I felt a touch of fear. I had to get out, you see; I had to catch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train did not stop again until it reached Endoran, two hundred miles away.
“I must get out!” I cried. Everyone there understood me, but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on the floor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. But then, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking me away!
“Stop!” I cried. “I want to get out!” But no one outside the train could hear me, and the people inside did not care much. The train moved a little faster. What could I do? I was not even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, just, above the door, was a notice that told everyone how to stop the train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did not waste time. I pulled it.
Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. Possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then the train stopped.
No one likes to stop a train if there is no need. But I had to catch my ship. That was the only thought in my mind: to get out and catch my ship. The purpose of the author writing the first paragraph is to __________.
| A．answer some questions | B．express some unusual feelings |
| C．arouse the readers’ curiosity | D．give some advice in advance |
What do we know about the author and the man sitting next to him?
| A．They talked with each other all night |
| B．They got angry about the window |
| C．The author didn’t understand the man’s words |
| D．The author didn’t like the man’s foolish questions |
On this journey on The Flying Bluebird, the author felt uncomfortable because ___________.
| A．he couldn’t find a seat by the window |
| B．he was angry with the man sitting next to him |
| C．there were too many people on the train |
| D．the window was kept shut all night |
It can be learned from Para. 10 that the author was afraid that ____________.
| A．he would have to spend another sleepless night on the train |
| B．he would miss the ship that went where he worked |
| C．more people might crowd into the train |
| D．he would have to buy another ticket |
The noise in the underlined sentence “a noise started above our heads”（Para.15）was made by __________.
| A．the angry passengers shouting at the top of their voices |
| B．the ship that was lying two miles away |
| C．the falling of boxes and suitcases to the floor |
| D．the train itself telling people that something was wrong |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．A Bad Experience on the Train | B．A Train that Is Never Late |
| C．A Quick and Wise Decision | D．A Journey to Mendova |
Going to school means learning new skills and facts in different subjects. Teachers teach and students learn, and many scientists are interested in finding ways to improve both teaching and learning processes.
Sian Beilock and Susan Leving, two psychologists at the University of Chicago, are trying to learn about learning. In a new study about the way kids learn math in elementary school, Beilock and Levine found a surprising relationship between what female teachers think and what female students learn: If a female teacher is uncomfortable with her own math skills, then her female students are more likely to believe that boys are better than girls at math. “If these girls keep getting math-anxious female teachers in later grades, it may create a snowball effect on their math achievement,” Levine told Science News. The study suggests that if these girls grow up believing that boys are better at math than girls are, then these girls may not do as well as they would have if they were more confident.
Just as students find certain subjects to be difficult, teachers can find certain subjects to be difficult to learn—and teach. The subject of math can be particularly difficult for everyone.
The new study involved 65 girls, 52 boys and 17 first-and second-grade teachers in elementary schools in the Midwest. The students took math achievement tests at the beginning and end of the school year, and the researchers compared the scores.
The researchers also gave the students tests to tell whether the students believed a math superstar had to be a boy. Then the researchers turned to the teachers: To find out which teachers were anxious about math, the researchers asked the teachers how they felt at times when they came across math, such as when reading a sales receipt. A teacher who got nervous looking at the numbers on a sales receipt, for example, was probably anxious about math.
Boys, on average, were unaffected by a teacher’s anxiety. On average, girls with math-anxious teachers scored lower on the end-of-the-year math tests than other girls in the study did. Plus, on the test showing whether someone thought a math superstar had to be a boy, 20 girls showed feeling that boys would be better at math—and all of these girls had been taught by female teachers with math anxiety.
According to surveys done before this one, college students who want to become elementary school teachers have the highest levels of anxiety about math. Plus, nine of every 10 elementary teachers are women, Levine said.Sian Beilock and Susan Levine carried out the new research in order to ___________.
| A．know the effects of teaching on learning |
| B．study students’ ways of learning math |
| C．prove women teachers are unfit to teach math |
| D．find better teaching methods for teachers |
The underlined part in paragraph 2 most probably means that girls may ___________.
| A．end up learning math anxiety from their teachers |
| B．study the ways their female teachers behave |
| C．have an influence on their math-anxious female teachers |
| D．gain unexpected achievement in such subjects as math |
In the study, what were the teachers required to do?
| A．Prepare two math achievement tests for the students |
| B．Tell their feelings about math problems |
| C．Answer whether a math superstar had to be a boy |
| D．Compare the students’ scores after the math tests |
What is the finding of the new study?
| A．No male students were affected by their teachers’ anxiety |
| B．Almost all the girls got lower scores in the tests than the boys |
| C．About 30% of the girls thought boys are better at math than girls |
| D．Girls with math-anxious teachers all failed in the math tests |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．117 students and teachers took part in the new study |
| B．The researchers felt surprised at the findings of their study |
| C．Beilock and Levine are interested in teaching math |
| D．Men teachers are better at teaching math than women teachers |
Everyone gathered around and Paddy read out loud, slowly, his tone growing sadder and sadder． The little headline said: BOXER RECEIVES LIFF SENTENCE．
Frank Cleary, aged 26, professional boxer, was today found guilty of the murder of Albert Gumming, aged 32, laborer, last July．The jury （陪审团） reached its decision after only ten minutes, recommending the most severe punishment to the court．It was, said the Judge, a simple case．Cumming and Cleary had quarreled violently at the Harbour Hotel on July 23rd and police saw Cleary kicking at the head of the unconscious Gumming．When arrested, Cleary was drunk but clear-thinking．
Cleary was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour．Asked if he had anything to say, Cleary answered, "Just don't tell my mother．"
" It happened over three years ago," Paddy said helplessly．No one answered him or moved, for no one knew what to do．"Just don't tell my mother," said Fee numbly （麻木地）．"And no one did! Oh,God' My poor, poor Frank!"
Paddy wiped the tears from his face and said．"Fee, pack your things．We'll go to see him．"
She half-rose before sinking back．her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead．"I can't go," she said without a hint of pain, yet making everyone feel that the pain was there．"It would kill him to see me．I know him so well—his pride, his ambition．Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants．We've got to help him keep his secret．What good will it do him to see us?"
Paddy was still weeping, not for Frank, but for the life which had gone from Fee's face, for the dying in her eyes．Frank had always brought bitterness and misfortune, always stood between Fee and himself．He was the cause of her withdrawal from his heart and the hearts of his children．Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank look it away．But Paddy's love for her was as deep and impossible to wipe out as hers was for Frank．
So he said, "Well, Fee, we won't go．But we must make sure he is taken care of．How about if I write to Father Jones and ask him to look out for Frank?"
There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks．" Yes, Paddy, do that．Only make sure he knows not to tell Frank we found out．Perhaps it would ease Frank to think for certain that we don't know．"Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Frank was found guilty of murder because he was a professional boxer． |
| B．The family didn't find out what happened to Frank until three years later． |
| C．The jury and the judge disagreed on whether Frank had committed murder． |
| D．Frank didn't want his family to find out what happened because Paddy disliked him． |
Paddy cried because he thought ______．
| A．Frank did kill someone and deserved the punishment |
| B．Frank should have told Fee what had happened |
| C．what had happened to Frank was killing Fee |
| D．Frank had always been a man of bad moral character |
The underlined sentence "She half-rose before sinking back…" （ Paragraph 6） shows that .
| A．Fee was so heart-broken that she could hardly stand up |
| B．Fee didn't want to upset Paddy by visiting Frank |
| C．Fee couldn't leave her family to go to see Frank |
| D．Fee struggled between wanting to see Frank and respecting his wish |
Which of the following suggests that Fee was deeply shocked by what happened to Frank?
| A．"Her eyes in her small white face stared as if dead．" |
| B．"Let him bear the shame alone, it's what he wants．" |
| C．"Every time it looked as if there might be happiness for Fee, Frank took it away．" |
| D．"There was no excitement in the eyes, but a faint pink stole into her cheeks．" |
What is Frank and Paddy's probable relationship with Fee?
| A．Son and brother． | B．Son and husband． |
| C．Brother and lover． | D．Lover and husband． |
If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak. When you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this. Yet there are many people who do not seem to know that one’s memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by exercising it regularly. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
If a friend complains that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just unlucky, and few of us realize that it is really his own fault. Not all of us can become very strong or very clever, but all of us can improve our memory by the same means —practice.
Have you ever noticed that people who cannot read or write usually have a better memory than those who can? Why is this? Of course, because people who can’t read or write have to remember things: they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember dates, prices, names, songs and stories, so their memory is exercised all the time.
So if you want a good memory, learn from those who cannot read or write: practice remembering. According to the passage, few people know that _____.
| A．arms or legs become weak if they are not used for some time |
| B．when they start using their arms or legs again, they slowly become strong again |
| C．a person’s memory becomes weak if he does not practice remembering things |
| D．it is their own fault if their arms or legs are weak |
The author thinks that if a person has a poor memory, ____.
| A．it is his own fault | B．his parents are to blame |
| C．he is just unlucky | D．his arms must be weak |
According to the passage, we learn that all of us can ____.
| A．become very strong | B．become very clever |
| C．improve our memory by practicing | D．know how to improve our memory |
It’s great fun to explore new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
·Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking 
ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you’ll have to move to the back seat.
·Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You’ll need a good map, a compass(指南针), a raincoat, a cellphone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies. Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is not in getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
See if your school or a club organizes orienteering(越野识途比赛) activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit. Sitting beside the driver, you should _______.
| A．direct the driver when necessary |
| B．look ahead to see where there’s a turn |
| C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable |
| D．Keep looking at the map to find a place to go to |
Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?
| A．To get information when in danger. |
| B．To be saved in case of an accident. |
| C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration. |
| D．To tell him/her what’s going on with the group members. |
Orienteering activities can _______.
| A．make people work fast | B．help people stay healthy |
| C．help people organize other activities | D．make people get prepared for sports. |
The
text mainly talks about _____.
| A．the fun of exploration | B．what to bring for exploration |
| C．the way to use a map in exploration | D．how to prevent getting lost in exploration. |
Benjamin Franklin only studied in school for two years. But he liked to read and write very much. Once he discussed a question with his friend in letters. His father found the letters and read them. He felt Ben did not express himself well. Nor did Ben make his meaning clear. He agreed that his father was right, From then on, he paid more attention to the style of his writing so that he could write better
.
About that time he bought a copy of the British periodical(周刊) called The Spectator (《观察家》). He read it over and over. He thought the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to write in the same style.
With this in mind, he studied some of the stories and made a note of the thought in each sentence. Then, a few days later, without looking at the magazine, he tried to write the stories. He tried to express each thought as fully as it had been expressed before. Then he compared his writing with the magazine. He found some of his faults in the compositions.
In this way he discovered he needed to know many more words. He felt that writing poetry would help him since that needed to use many different words which had the same meaning. So he turned some of the stories into poems; and after a time, he wrote them as stories again. He insisted on doing this for a long time.
He learned much from his efforts and went on to practise his writing. Then he became the first famous writer in American history.Benjamin liked ______ very much when he was ______ .
| A．languages; young | B．writing; young | C．writing; old enough | D．languages; old enough |
What did his father do to him?
| A．He found his son’s letters written very well |
| B．He felt his son expressed himself very well |
| C．He told his son what he wrote wasn’t so good |
| D．He bought a copy of The Spectator for him |
How did Benjamin practise writing?
(1) He studied
the stories in the magazine and made notes.
(2) He rewrote some of the stories and tried to express their thought fully.
(3) He turned some stories into poems, and then turned them back again.
(4) He tried hard to publish his poems in the periodical The Spectator.
| A．(1)(2)(3) | B．(2)(3)(4) | C．(1)(3)(4) | D．(1)(2)(4) |
Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity pa
rties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous.
But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs. It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity work that she met her husband Paul McCartney.
Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination(提名) fo
r the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world. This passage is mainly about _________.
| A．Heather’s miserable life | B．Heather’s contributi on to the world |
| C．Heather’s success in her work | D．Heather’s belief in life |
Heather began her modeling career _________.
| A．due to her mother’s encouragement |
| B．after her brothers abandoned her |
| C．because of her excellent intelligence and performances |
| D．because she was especially beautiful |
Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?
| A．Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. |
| B．Heather began her charity work while working as a model. |
C．Her artificial limbs had to be re placed continuously. |
| D．Heather has never been defeated by her problems. |
From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heath
er because
_________.
| A．she had a lot of misfortunes during her childhood. |
| B．she was a world-famous model |
| C．she is determined and never gives in |
| D．she made a great difference in the world |
Zoe Cha
mbers was a successful PR (Public Relations) consultant (顾问) and life was going well—she had a great job, a beautiful flat and a busy social life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. “The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through,” she said. “After everything I’d done for the company, they dismissed me by text
! I was so angry and I just didn’t feel like looking for another job. I hated everything about the city and my life.”
Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in northwest Wales. Zoë jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, ten months later, she is still on the farm.
“The moment I arrived at Kathy’s farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay,”said Zoe.“Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless.”
Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. “It’s a hard life, physically very tiring,” she says.“In London I was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and one of Kathy’s wonderful dinners.”
Zoe says she has never felt bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing—watching a lamb being born is unbelievable, she says,“It’s one of the most moving experiences I’ve ever had. I could never go back to city life now.”
When she worked as a PR consultant in London, Zoë thought she lived a life.
| A．meaningless | B．tough | C．boring | D．satisfying |
The most important reason why Zoe went to visit Kathy’s farm is that .
| A．Kathy persuaded her to do so | B．Zoe lost her job as a PR consultant |
| C．Zoe got tired of the city life | D．Zoe loved Wales more than London |
How does Zoe feel about the country life according to the passage?
| A．Physically tiring but rewarding. | B．Romantic and peaceful. |
| C．Mentally exhausting but healthy. | D．Tiresome and troublesome |
Which of the following is closest to the main idea of the passage?
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed. | B．A misfortune may turn out a blessing. |
| C．Kill two birds with one stone. | D．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
I used to watch her from my kitchen window．She seemed so small as she struggled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground．The school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids as they played during break．I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball．I watched in wonder as she ra
n circles a- round the other kids．She
managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net．The boys always tried to stop her but no one could．I began to notice her at other times, basketball in hand, playing alone．
One day I asked her why she practiced so much．Without a moment of hesitation she said, "I want to go to college．The only way I can go is to get a scholarship to save money for our family．I am going to play college basketball．I want to be the best．My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count．" Well, I had to give it to her ?she was determined．I watched her through those junior high years and into high school．Every week, she led her school team to victory．
One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting in the grass, head in her arms．I walked up and sat down in the cool grass beside her．Quietly I asked what was wrong． "Oh, nothing," came a soft reply, "I am just too short．" The coach told her that she would probably never get to play for a top ranked team ?much less offered a scholarship —so she should stop dreaming about college．She was heartbroken and I felt my own throat tighten as I sensed her disappointment．I asked her if she had talked to Father about it yet．She told me that her father said those coaches were wrong．They just did not understand the power of a dream．He told her that if she truly wanted a scholar-ship, nothing could stop her except one thing —her own attitude．
The next year, as she and her team went to the Northern California Championship game, she was offered a scholarship and joined the college team．She was going to get the college education that she had dreamed of．.
The author was probably the girl's___ _．
| A．neighbor | B．friend | C．teacher | D．mother |
.
．Why was the girl's heart broken?
| A．She was considered too short to be a top player． |
| B．Her coach stopped her training because of her height． |
| C．She couldn't be on a college basketball team． |
| D．She wouldn't be admitted by her basketball friends． |
.
We can learn from the passage that ___ _．
| A．her family wouldn't like to pay her college fee |
| B．her father forced her to play basketball in collage |
| C．being a top basketball player can win a scholarship for college |
| D．she wouldn't like to turn to his father for help when in difficulty |
.
．Which proverb best matches the story?
| A．Practice makes perfect． |
| B．Rome was not built in a day． |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way． |
| D．Pride comes before a fall． |
One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might some day get lost in a “sea of technology” rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear – producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will change the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child’s play.
Each of us had a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. “If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment（蚕食）?” asks Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.
Without having a nature experience, kids can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive（认知的）skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents—and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters（培养）leadership by the smartest, not by the toughest. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child. The three – year – old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.
Kids are not to blame. They are over – protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood rite（仪式）of passage.
Everyone from developers to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that cement（增强）love, respect and need for the landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause..
According to Paragraph 2, the writer thinks that_____.
| A．we are the last generation to experience nature. |
| B．the author of Last Child in the Woods don’t defend parks against encroachment |
| C．without having a nature experience, kids are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives |
| D．children should grow up to be protectors of nature |
.
According to the passage, children without experiencing nature will .
| A．keep a high sense of wonder |
| B．be over – protected by their parents |
| C．be less healthy both physically and mentally |
| D．change wild places and creatures for the better |
.
. According to the author, children’s breaking an arm is .
| A．the fault on the part of their parents |
| B．the natural experience in their growing up |
| C．the result of their own carelessness in play |
D．the effect of their re petitive stress from computers |
.
In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to .
A. blame children for getting lost in computer games
B. encourage children to protect parks from encroachment
C. show his concern about children’s lack of experience in nature
Goldie’s Secret
She turned up at the doorstep of my house in Co
rnwall. No way could I have sent her away. No way, not me anyway. Maybe someone had kicked her out of their car the night before. “We’re moving house.” “No space for her any more with the baby coming.” “We never really wanted her, but what could we have done? She was a present.” People find all sorts of excuses for abandoning an animal. And she was one of the most beautiful dogs I had ever seen.
I called her Goldie. If I had known what was going to happen I would have given her a mo
re creative name. She was so unsettled during those first few days. She hardly ate anything and had such an air of sadness about her. There was nothing I could do to make her happy, it seemed. Heaven knows what had happened to her at her previous owner’s. But eventually at the end of the first week she calmed down. Always by my side, whether we were out on one of our long walks or sitting by the fire.
That’s why it was such a shock when she pulled away from me one day when we were out for a walk. We were a long way from home, when she started barking and getting very restless. Eventually I couldn’t hold her any longer and she raced off down the road towards a farmhouse in the distance as fast as she could.
By the time I reached the farm I was very tired and upset with Goldie. But when I saw her licking (舔) the four puppies (幼犬) I started to feel sympathy towards them. “We didn’t know what had happened to her,” said the woman at the door. “I took her for a walk one day, soon after the puppies were born, and she just disappeared.” “She must have tried to come back to them and got lost,” added a boy from behind her.
I must admit I do miss Goldie, but I’ve got Nugget now, and she looks just like her mother. And I’ve learnt a good lesson: not to judge people..
How did the author feel about Goldie when Goldie came to the house?
| A．Shocked. | B．Annoyed. | C．Sympathetic. | D．Upset. |
.
. In her first few days at the author’s house, Goldie .
| A．sat by the fire | B．was angry |
| C．ate a little | D．felt worried |
.
Goldie rushed off to a farmhouse one day because she .
| A．found her way to her old home | B．heard familiar barkings |
| C．wanted to leave the author | D．saw her puppies |
.
The passage is organized in order of .
| A．effectiveness | B．time | C．importance | D．complexity |
I would li
ke to tell you a story about my uncle Theo. He is my oldest uncle, a tall, thin, grey-haired man whose thoughts are always on learning and nothing else. He is quiet, gentle and absent-minded and with about as much sense as a child where money is concerned. Well, he applied a post in Camford University. It was a very good post and there were hundreds of candidates who applied for 
it, and about fifteen, including Theo, were asked to be interviewed.
Camford is a very small town; there is only one hotel in it, and it was so full that they had to put many of the candidates two in a room. Theo was one of these, and the man who shared the room with him was a self-confident fellow called Adams, about twenty years younger than Theo, with a loud voice, and a laugh that you could hear all over the hotel. But he was a clever fellow all the same and had a good post in Iscaiot College, Narkover. Well, the Dean, who was the head of the department of the University, and the committee interviewed all the candidates; and as a result of this interview, the number of the candidates was reduced to two, Uncle Theo and Adams. The committee couldn’t decide which of the two to take, so they decided to make their final choice after each of the candidates had given a public lecture in the college lecture-hall. The subject they had to speak on was “The Civilization of the Ancient Summerians”; and the lecture had to be given in three days’ time.
Well, for these three days Uncle Theo never left his room. He worked day and night at that lecture, writing it out and memorizing it, almost without eating or sleeping. 
Adams didn
’t seem to do any preparation at all. You could hear his voice and his laughter where he had a crowd of people around him. He came to his room late at night, asked Uncle Theo how he was getting on with his lecture, and then told him how he had spent the evening playing bridge, or at the music hall. He ate like a horse and slept like a log; and Uncle Theo sat up working at his lecture.
The day of the lecture arrived. They all went into the lecture hall and Theo and Adams took their seats on the platform. And then, Theo discovered, to his horror, that typewritten copy of his speech had disappeared! The Dean said they would call on the candidates on the alphabetical order, Adams first; and the despair in his heart, Theo watched Adams calmly take the stolen speech out of pocket and read it to the professors who were gathered to hear it. And how well he read it! Even Uncle Theo had to admit he couldn’t have read it nearly so eloquently himself, and when Adams finished there was a great burst of applause. Adams 
bowed and smiled, and sat down.
Now, it was Theo’s turn. But what could he do? He had put everything he knew into the lecture. His mind was too much upset to put the same thoughts in another way. With a burning face he could only repeat, word for word, in a low, dull voice, the lecture that Adams had spoken so eloquently. There was hardly any applause when he sat down.
The Dean and the committee went out to decide who the successful candidate was, but everyone was sure what their decision would be. Adams leaned across to Theo and patted him on the back and said, smilingly, “Hard luck, old fellow, but after all, only one of us could win”
Then the Dean and the committee came back, “Gentlemen”, the Dean said, “the candidate we have chosen is Mr. Hobdell.” Uncle Theo had won! The audience were completely taken by surprise, and the Dean continued, “ I think I ought to tell you how we arrived at the decision. We were all filled with admiration at the learning and eloquence of Mr. Adams. I was greatly impressed. But, you will remember, Mr. Adams read his lecture to us. When Mr. Hobdell’s turn came, he repeated that speech, word by word from memory, though, of course, he couldn’t have seen a line of it before. Now a fine memory is absolutely necessary for this post; and what a memory Mr. Hobdell must have! This is why we decided that Mr. Hobdell was exactly the man we wanted! ”
As they walked out of the room, the Dean came up to Uncle Theo, who was so confused but so happy that he hardly knew whether he was standing on his head or heels; and as he shook Theo’s hand he said, “Congratulations, Mr. Hobdell! But, my fellow, when you are on our staff, you must be more careful and not leave valuable papers lying about!”. Which of the followings best describes Uncle Theo?
| A．Good-mannered | B．Modest | C．Childish | D．Bookish |
What do we know about the post at Camford University?
A．The applicants ha d to sit for an examination. |
| B．There was much competition for the post. |
| C．The post requires a lot of teaching experience. |
| D．The post offered quite high salary. |
. Adams did not bother to do any preparation because______.
| A．he was quite familiar with the subject. |
| B．he knew the committee members well. |
| C．he had a well-thought-out plan. |
| D．he had full confidence in himself. |
When Uncle Theo’s turn came, _______.
| A．he felt so angry that he couldn’t see a word. |
| B．he felt so upset that he could not remember anything. |
| C．he had to put the same thoughts in another way. |
| D．he had to repeat the speech, word by word from memory. |
When the committee went out to make a decision, Adams _______.
| A．could not help feeling worried. |
| B．could hardly wait to show his joy. |
| C．felt sorry for Theo and tried to cheer him up. |
| D．felt ashamed and tried to chat with Theo. |
Theo became successful because _______.
| A．he had a better memory than Adams. | |
B．he was more experienced than Adams. |
C．the committee knew he was exactly the man they wanted. |
| D．the committee knew Adams had copied Theo’s speech. |
In a surprising discovery about where higher life can survive, scientists have found a shrimp -like creature and a jellyfish swimming beneath an Antarctic ice sheet.
About 180 meters below the ice where no light can get through, scientists had figured nothing much more than a few microbes (微生物) could exist.
That’s why a NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica. A curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera’s cable. Scientists also pulled up a tentacle (触须) they believe came from a jellyfish.
“We were operating on the presumption that nothing’s there.” said NASA ice scientist Robert Bindschadler. “It was a shrimp you’d enjoy havin
g on your plate.”
“We were just gaga (狂热的) over it,” he said when talking about the 7.5cm long, orange creature starring in their two-minute video. Technically, it’s not a shrimp. It’s a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to the shrimp.
The video is likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh environments. And it has scientists thinking that if shrimp-like creatures can live below 180 meters of Antarctic ice in freezing dark water, what about other cold places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
Cynan Ellis – Evans, a scientist of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding fascinating. He said it was possible the creatures swam in from far away and don’t live there permanently.
But Kim, who is a co-author of the study, doubts it. “The site in West Antarctica is at least 19 km from open seas. Bindschadler drilled a 20 cm-wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water. That means it’s unlikely that two creatures swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that small area,” she said.
“Yet scientists were puzzled at what the food source would be for these creatures. While some microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life like the shrimp can’t,” Kim said.
“So how do they survive? That’s the key question.” Kim said.
“It’s pretty amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we know everything.” Kim said.. Scientists had believed that harsh environments could only have been populated by ______ .
| A．jellyfish | B．mammals | C．microbes | D．shrimp-like creatures |
According to Kim, the shrimp-like creature _________ .
| A．swam great distances to Antarctic | B．has always lived in the area |
| C．gradually evolved from shrimps | D．has nothing in common with shrimps |
The finding is significant in that __________.
| A．it marks NASA’S first Antarctic biological study |
| B．it proves there is marine life in the Antarctic |
| C．it could inspire further study of life in harsh environments |
| D．it shows that Lyssianasid amphipod is closely related to shrimps |
. The last three paragraphs suggest that __________.
| A．researchers will look at the places the creatures came from |
| B．ice scientists will drill deeper to find more creatures |
C．scientists know very little about the planet they live o n |
| D．further research will be done about what the creatures live on |
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