高中英语阅读理解

Squirrels often communicate with whistles, chirps and chucks, which sound like the word “chuck”. Whistles and chirps are like the sounds that many birds make. Now scientists have translated some of their squirrel-speak.
Hare, a professor of zoology at the University of Maniloha in Winnipeg, and his team managed to record squirrels' alarm calls. The researchers studied the sounds and then played them back to 60 wild squirrels, which the scientists approached individually with a video recorder to capture(抓拍）their responses. Some squirrels lifted their heads up and became alert(警惕的）. Creatures that were more frightened simply ran for their lives and dived into caves.
"In effect then, whistles that mix with chucks say 'there's an enemy of average threat that's here', and whistles without chucks say 'there's an enemy of seemingly average threat around here somewhere', while pure chirps say, 'I'm hiding here because there's an immediate danger. ' " Hare told. Discovery News.
Hare and some other researchers believe such sounds are part of an advanced language that develops just as all other communication systems.
Although squirrels risk their lives when they call out to warn others of threats, other squirrels might admire this behavior, thus increasing the caller’s social status, like humans who look up to heroes. Hare added that other animals, such as birds, probably understand at least some squirrel language, since they also may benefit from the alarm calls.
In fact, another Canadian study found that deep-voiced, black-capped chickadees have their own language too. According to certain research, there are a lot of tidings in chickadees' calls, such as directing fellows' activities, keeping in contact between mates, and raising alarms.
While chickadees and other birds are often welcomed into gardens by homeowners, squirrels are frequently viewed as pests(害兽）. Hare wishes a greater understanding of the complex social lives and communication systems of squirrels will provide “hope that humans will gain a greater appreciation and stop doing harm to these animals”.
The text mainly talks about _______ .

A．the ways for squirrels to escape from their enemies

B．the comparison between squirrels and chickadees

C．the calling for the protection of squirrels

D．the study on the language of squirrels

If a squirrel is in a very dangerous situation, it would probably make ____.

A．whistles with chucks	B．pure chirps
C．whistles without chucks	D．repeated chucks

The underlined word “tidings” in paragraph 6 probably means ____.

A．difficulties	B．noises
C．messages	D．languages

What can be learned from this text?

A．Squirrels communicate with each other as humans do.

B．Some squirrels understand the recorded alarm calls.

C．Other animals also well understand the language of squirrels.

D．Birds such as chickadees don’t have their own language.

Café en Seine The wildly luxury (奢华) new art style of this huge bar has been a huge hit since it first opened in 1995, and while it may not be the “in” place it once was, it is still very popular with the after-work crowd and out-of-towners. Maybe it’s the glass frames, or the real 12m-high trees; but most likely it’s the beautiful people supporting the wood-and-marble bar. Good for: decoration, cocktails, amazing food and service Address: 40 Dawson St Transport: all city centre Phone: [phone]

Gravediggers (aka Kavanagh’s) The gravediggers from the neighboring Glasnevin Cemetery had a secret serving hatch (舱口) so that they could drink on the job – therefore the pub’s nickname. Founded in 1833 by one John Kavanagh and still in the family, this pub is one of the best in Ireland, almost unchanged in 150 years. In summer time the green of the square is full of drinkers bathing in the sun, while inside the hardened locals ensure that never a hint of sunshine disturbs some of the best Guinness in town. An absolute classic. Good for: Guinness, traditional pub, pub food Address: 1 Prospect Sq Glasnevin Transport: 13 from city centre Phone: [phone]

Davy Byrne’s James Joyce, an Irish author and a poet (1882-1941), would hardly recognize the bar that Leopold Bloom rushed into for a gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of wine in Ulysses. It doesn’t stop Davy Byrne’s from making the most of its Joyce’s connections, even though today's version is strictly for out-of-towners and the rugby crowd. Good for: socializing with the locals, tasty Irish food, watching TV Address: 21 Duke St Transport: all city centre Website: www.davybyrnes.com Phone: [phone]

People choose Café en Seine most probably because they enjoy _____as well as its cocktails and service

A．its location	B．its history
C．its decoration	D．its environment

“Guinness” in Gravediggers probably refers to ________.

A．a kind of tea	B．a kind of beer
C．the name of the boss	D．the name of the town

We can infer that Davy Byrne’s is ________.

A．a newly-opened bar

B．an old-fashioned bar

C．a bar with a long history

D．a bar popular with foreigners

What do Café en Seine and Davy Byrne’s have in common?

A．Their represent the same architecture style.

B．They give the same description about transport.

C．They both serve cocktails and tasty Irish food

D．They are both popular with the rugby crowd.

We regularly hear how important consumer spending is for the economy. The story goes like this：the more consumers spend，the more money circulates in the economy, which contributes to healthy job growth and profits. Keynes, a British economist，went as far as to say that individuals saving their money may actually be hurting the economy. Sounds troubling, doesn’t it?
Fear not. You aren’t actually hurting anyone else by saving money. Strong economic growth only comes from one place：savings. Not consumption. In fact，economic activity should not be mistaken for economic growth. For example，somebody takes their money, walks into a store, and purchases goods. The store increases its revenue.
But what happens to all of those goods and services that people have chosen not to consume by saving their money? Simple：Other people are allowed to consume them. Think of it this way：When you lend out your savings, you are actually saying，“Here, I am not going to consume right now, so why don’t you?” Banks simply play the middleman：they collect lots of people’s savings and then lend out lots of funds.
It takes an unbelievable amount of goods and services to construct a building. It takes food, shelter, and entertainment for all of the workers, as well. Without savings，it is quite impossible to finance such a construction. The coordination(协调)between savings and consumption is a necessary basis for sound economic growth. This coordination is also why consumer lending (say , to borrow a big sum of money to buy a car) is not productive，in a strict sense. It doesn’t increase the net (净的) amount of wealth of an economy. Those savings could have been used to construct, say, factory equipment.
None of this means consumption and spending are “bad” things. They simply do not make us wealthier. After all, the final goal of production and savings is to consume. But to say that consumption is the engine of economic growth is to put the cart before the horse. Or, to rephrase: the consumption of wealth can never make you wealthier. Happier, perhaps. Wealthier, no.
What is the author’s attitude towards Keynes’ theory?

A．Approving.	B．Reserved(矜持的).
C．Uncertain.	D．Critical.

The underlined word “revenue” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to‘‘_________”.

A．cost	B．reputation
C．interest	D．income

According to the author, which chart could show the effect of savings on economy?

What would be the best title for this passage?

A．The Saving Behavior of the Economy

B．Consumption：a Key Concept in Economy

C．Consumer Spending and Economic Growth

D．The Truth about Savings and Consumption

In her new book, “The Smartest Kids in the World,” Amanda Ripley, an investigative journalist, tells the story of Tom, a high-school student from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, who decides to spend his senior year in Warsaw, Poland. Poland is a surprising educational success story: in the past decade, the country raised students’ test scores from significantly below average to well above it. Polish kids have now outscored(超过……分数) American kids in math and science, even though Poland spends, on average, less than half as much per student as the United States does. One of the most striking differences between the high school Tom attended in Gettysburg and the one he ends up at in Warsaw is that the latter has no football team, or, for that matter, teams of any kind.
That American high schools lavish more time and money on sports than on math is an old complaint. This is not a matter of how any given student who plays sports does in school, but of the culture and its priorities. This December, when the latest Program for International Student Assessment(PISA) results are announced, it’s safe to predict that American high-school students will once again display their limited skills in math and reading, outscored not just by students in Poland but also by students in places like South Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Singapore, and Japan. Meanwhile, they will have played some very exciting football games, which will have been breathlessly written up in their hometown papers.
Why does this situation continue? Well, for one thing, kids like it. And for another, according to Ripley, parents seem to like the arrangement, too. She describes a tour she took of a school in Washington D.C., which costs thirty thousand dollars a year. The tour leader—a mother with three children in the school—was asked about the school’s flaws(暇疵). When she said that the math program was weak, none of the parents taking the tour reacted. When she said that the football program was weak, the parents suddenly became concerned. “Really?” one of them asked worriedly, “What do you mean?”
One of the ironies(讽刺) of the situation is that sports reveal what is possible. American kids’ performance on the field shows just how well they can do when expectations are high. It’s too bad that their test scores show the same thing.
Tom decides to spend his senior year in Poland because _______.

A．there are striking differences between the 2 countries

B．Polish kids are better at learning

C．sports are not supported at schools in Gettysburg

D．he intends to improve his scores

According to Paragraph 2, we know that _______.

A．too much importance is placed on sports in America

B．little time is spent on sports in Japanese schools

C．American high schools complain about sports time

D．PISA plays a very important role in America

The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means _______.

A．American students’ academic performance worries their parents a lot

B．high expectations push up American students’ academic performance

C．low expectations result in American students’ poor PISA performance

D．lacking practice contributes to American students’ average performance

The purpose of this article is to _______.

A．draw public attention to a weakness in American school tradition

B．call on American schools to learn from the Polish model

C．compare Polish schools with those in America

D．explain what is wrong with American schools and provide solutions

Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way.
I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle（喧闹）of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me.
My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.
From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________.

A．passed away four years ago

B．left the small farm with Lord

C．left for Lord to live her own way

D．preferred to be with Lord

The underlined word reminisced in the fifth paragraph probably means ________.

A．recalled	B．comforted
C．shouted	D．sighed

The writer didn’t like staying in the farm for the following reasons except that ________.

A．it was too cold and quiet

B．she could only sing one song in the small farm

C．there was nothing more that could make her excited

D．the place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat

Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______

A．Cherish(珍惜) life	B．My happy childhood
C．Our small farmhouse	D．Mom’s music

As we have seen, the focus of medical care in our society has been shifting from curing disease to preventing disease-especially in terms of changing our many unhealthy behavior, such as poor eating habits, smoking, and failure to exercise. The line of thought involved in this shift can go further. Imagine a person who is about the right weight, but does not eat very nutritious
foods, who feels OK but exercises only occasionally, who goes to work every day, but is not an outstanding worker, who drinks a few beers at home most nights but does not drive while drunk,  and who has no chest pains or abnormal blood counts, but sleeps a lot and often feels tired. This person is not ill. He may not even be at risk for any particular disease. But we can imagine that this person could be a lot healthier.
The field of medicine has not traditionally distinguished between someone who is merely "not ill" and someone who is in excellent health and pays attention to the body’。special needs. Both types have simply been called "well". In recent years, however, some health specialists have begun to apply the terms "well" and "wellness" only to those who are actively striving to maintain and improve their health. People who are well are concerned with nutrition and exercise, and they make a point of monitoring their body's condition. Most important, perhaps, people who are well take active responsibility for all matters related to their health. Even people who have a physical disease or handicap（缺陷）may be "well", in this new sense, if they make an effort to maintain the best possible health they can in the face of their physical limitations. "Wellness" may perhaps best be viewed not as a state that people can achieve, but as an ideal that people can strive for.
People who are well are likely to be better able to resist disease and to fight disease when it strikes. And by focusing attention on healthy ways of living, the concept of wellness can have a beneficial impact on the ways in which people face the challenges of daily life.
Today medical care is placing more stress on＿＿．

A．keeping people in a healthy physical condition

B．monitoring patients’ body functions

C．removing people’s bad living habits

D．ensuring people’s psychological well-being

In the first paragraph, people are reminded that＿＿．

A．good health is more than not being ill

B．drinking, even if not to excess, could be harmful

C．regular health checks are essential to keeping fit

D．prevention is more difficult than cure

Traditionally, a person is considered "well” if he＿＿．

A．does not have any unhealthy living habits

B．does not have any physical handicaps

C．is able to handle his daily routines

D．is free from any kind of disease

According to the author, the true meaning of "wellness" is for people to＿＿．

A．best satisfy their body’s special needs

B．strive to maintain the best possible health

C．meet the strictest standards of bodily health

D．keep a proper balance between work and leisure

Throughout the centuries, various writers have contributed greatly to the literary treasure of books lining the shelves of today’s libraries. In addition to writing interesting material, many famous writers, such as Edgar Allan Poe, were larger-than-life characters with personal histories that are as interesting to read as the stories they wrote. Poe’s rocky life included being driven off from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1831 and an ongoing battle with alcohol. Yet, despite heavy gambling debts, poor health, and terrible unemployment, Poe managed to produce a body of popular works, including" The Raven" and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue．”
Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, once lived among the man-eaters in the Marquesas
Islands and wrote unusual tales inspired by his years of service in the U.S. Navy. Dublin-born Oscar Wilde was noted for his charming personality, his outrageous lifestyle, and creating witty phrases such as, "Nothing succeeds like excess." D.H. Lawrence wrote shameful novels that were often cut, and Anne Rice led a double life writing bestselling horrible novels under her real name and using "A.N. Roquelaure" for the lowbrow(文化低)unhealthy novels she penned on the side.  Nonconformist不墨守成规的)author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau once fled to the woods and generated enough interesting material to fill his noted book Walden. Thoreau wrote on
the issue of passive resistance protest in his essay "Civil Disobedience”and served time in jail for refusing tax payments in protest of the United States government’s policy towards slavery.  American short story writer O. Henry’s colorful life was ruined by tragic events, such as being accused and sentenced for stealing money from an Austin, Texas bank. Despite his success selling his short stories, O. Henry struggled financially and was nearly bankrupt when he died.
As diverse as these famous authors’backgrounds were，th即all led unconventional lives while writing great literary works that will endure throughout the ages. The next time you read an interesting book, consider learning more about the author by reading his or her biograp卜y so you can learn about the unique life experiences that shaped his or her writing.
Which of the following is NOT TRUE about Edgar Allan Poe?

A．He had his own interesting personal history as other famous writers.

B．He graduated from United States Military Academy at West Point in 1831．

C．He once had heavy gambling debts and fell down with illness.

D．He managed to produce popular works no matter how rocky his life was.

What can you infer from Para. 2?
A. D.H. lawrence and Anne Rice once wrote similar type of novels.
B. Anne Rice used a pen name because her novels were quite popular.
C. Anne Rice used different names when she wrote bestselling novels.
D. Henry David Thoreau enriched his books by living in the forests.
Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Henry David Thoreau was passionately opposed to horrible events.

B．Anne Rice always used a pen name to hide her true identity.

C．Herman Melville stayed with man-eaters during his naval service.

D．O. Henry’s life was colorful though he had lots of difficulties.

The passage mainly tells us that＿＿．

A．many famous writers lived nontraditional lives

B．most famous writers were usually troublemakers

C．writers had to lead interesting lives to generate materials

D．the biographies of famous writers are always inspirational

It helps to choose the colors you plan to live with in your home with awareness of how different colors affect your emotional and physical states. Every color has a unique meaning, and this can significantly affect how you feel in a room.
A room that is painted red will energize, inspire activity and movement, help passion, and be powerful and stimulating. A red room can also be exhausting and overpowering, and stressful for those who are anxious.
Orange rooms encourage happy, joyful, social gatherings. While an orange dining room or family room can stimulate the appetite, it is a great choice for such gathering places. Orange enhances parties, communication, positive feelings, and general good cheer.
Yellow rooms inspire intellectual clarity, organization, clear -headed thinking, and happy energy. Yellow is considered a color for the logical left side of the brain. Yellow is also very bright and somewhat energizing.
Blue rooms are often chosen for bedrooms and meditation（冥想）rooms because its cool energy is very calming, restful, peaceful, and spiritual. Blue helps inspire a quiet meditative quality, and color therapy with blue has been found to reduce blood pressure. Blue is also useful to make one to sleep.
Green rooms are very restful but combine with an energizing quality. Green is the color of outdoors, calm and active at the same time. Green brings balance and harmony to a room, and can be used as a calming place for people who are troubled or in need of refreshment.
What impression can green rooms give to you?

A．Passionate and powerful.

B．Refreshing and harmonious.

C．Cool and calming.

D．Inspiring and bright.

If you are going to hold a family gathering, which color of the room can best enhance your atmosphere?

A．Red.

B．Orange.

C．Blue.

D．Green.

Which of the following statements about color is NOT true?

A．Yellow rooms inspire logical and clear thinking.

B．Blue creates a quiet meditative quality.

C．Different colors affect you emotionally and physically.

D．Red rooms are acceptable when you are in a bad mood.

What color should his room be painted if a person likes meditation?

A．Blue.

B．Orange.

C．Green.

D．Red.

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart，was born in Kingfish，Oklahoma on March 29，1918. He was raised in Missouri where he worked in his father's store while attending school. This was his first retailing（零售业）experience and he really enjoyed it. After graduation, he began his own career as a retail merchant.
He soon opened his first Wal-Mart store in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. Wal-Mart specialized in name brands at low prices and Sam Walton～surprised at the success. Soon a chain of Wal -Mart stores sprang up across coral America. His management style was popular with employees and he founded some of the basic concepts of management that are still in use today.
After taking the company public in 1970, Walton introduced his "profit sharing plan"．The profit sharing plan was a plan for Wal-Mart employees to improve their income dependent on the profits of the store. Sam Walton believed that "individuals don't win, teams do". Employees at Wal-Mart stores were offered stock options（认股权）and store discounts. These benefits are commonplace today, but Walton was among the first to achieve them. Walton believed that a happy employee meant happy customers and more sales. He also believed that by giving employees a part of the company and making their success dependent on the company’s success, they would care about the company growing complaints that the "superstore" was stopping smaller and traditional stores from developing. By 1991,Wa1-Mart was the largest US retailer with 1,700 stores. Walton remained active in managing the company, as president and CEO until 1988 and chairman until his death. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom shortly before his death.
Sam Walton first made a hit in retailing when he＿．

A．worked in his father's store

B．created Walton's management style

C．specialized in name brands at low prices

D．opened his stores across rural America

Walton’s management style emphasized＿very much.

A．individual efforts	B．team spirit
C．employees' loyalty	D．fair distribution

What is the purpose of Walton’s carrying out "profit sharing plan”？

A．To encourage the employees to work hard and make joint efforts.

B．To make sure all the employees had their own shares.

C．To select excellent employees for his stores.

D．To make more profit for himself.

Which of the statements is TRUE?

A．In his old age, Walton gave all the management to his men

B．Walton wasn't one of the merchants who first achieved stock options.

C．The smaller and traditional stores were well affected by Walton's stores.

D．With Walton's management style, employees treated the stores as their own.

"Get out of the plane!” Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground...
When Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the meadow, flames of the fire were shooting more than five meters into the air.
Kathy couldn't believe what she was seeing. One glance told her they needed medical
attention immediately. She questioned Victor, "Are you able to find someone nearby for help?"
"There are no farmers, nor villagers nearby," he replied.
“I’m a distance inner, and I’B go for help." Looking at the seriously injured men, Kathy said to Victor, "It may take me several hours to get out." She started out.
When she was 23, Kathy set a women’s record in a Marathon of 42 kilometers. But now shewas runnine the race of life. She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help.
Kathy had been running for two hours. This was far back into the wilderness. The country
path was growing vague(模糊的），She stopped to take a quick compass reading. Yes, she had run
almost for more than 20 kilometers. Her heart fell, her muscle aching. And finally she saw her car in the distance She jumped into the car and sped away. She reached a holiday house and called the police.
During the wait, she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two
hours for a police helicopter to reach her at the trail end. They needed her for one more task.
Who actually had the airplane accident?

A．Justin and Teddy.	B．Kathy and Victor.
C．Justin himself.	D．Kathy herself.

The underlined part "Now, she was running the race of life" means that Kathy

A．would set up a new record

B．would run a race alone

C．was inning for the lives of others

D．couldn’t rely on Victor this time

Kathy stopped to have a look at her compass because___.

A．she wasn’t sure of her own memory

B．she had completely lost her way

C．the country path was getting vague

D．there was only the wilderness

What do you think Kathy’s final task would be?

A．Giving the injured food and drinks.

B．Showing the police the crash site.

C．Going back to put out the big fire.

D．Taking the injured to the hospital.

If you are not any kind of a longtime A-list New Yorker celebrity like Woody Allen，chances are that you have never experienced，and will never experience-a meal in a legendary(神奇) Italian-American restaurant called Rao’s.
Rao’s，the East Harlem restaurant with a history of more than l00 years，is simply the toughest restaurant to get a reservation in the US, if not the world．Michelin three-star restaurants like elBulli in Spain，often ranked the world’s top restaurant，would sell out the second phone lines opened．But in the case of Rao’s，the phone lines never open．
There are about a dozen tables in the tiny restaurant, and each is spoken for, semi-permanently, as regulars have had their reservations for years, and when they can't use them，they often gift them to friends. The place is so small that the owners rarely have the flexibility to do favors even for people they know．
Since it is always busy，there has never been a need for publicity．The last remarkable national review of the restaurant came from The New York Times more than 35 years ago．It was already tough to get a table at Rao’s but reservations have been non-existent ever sincce the magic review．
According to a critic who is “very, very lucky to have dined at Rao’s a few times，”the experience rivals(堪比)the tasty food．There are no menus at Rao’s, and one of the owners will pull up a chair and run through the massive list of options, allowing people to have diner by mixing and matching nearly any ingredient(原料)with any classical Italian style of cooking. The place doesn’t take credit cards, isn’t open on weekends or for 1unch, and “at some point during your meal the one-room restaurant will almost unavoidably break out in song.” It is truly one of a kind，”the critic wrote．
Which is probably the best title for thistext?

A．A lucky critic．	B．The best restaurant
C．A magic review．	D．A legendary restaurant

Why does the author refer to elBulli in Spain in Paragraph 2?

A．To prove the long history of Rao’s．

B．To show the popularity of Rao’s．

C．To describe the service of Rao’s．

D．To attract customers to eat in Rao’s．

What was Rao’s like before The NewYork Times review?

A．Unique and attractive．	B．Tough and greedy．
C．Terrible and unknown．	D．Poor and hopeless．

Which of the following about Rao’s is true?

A．If yoh want to get a reservation in Rao’s, you’d have to phone ahead of time．

B．Rao’s history is much longer than that of elBulli in Spain．

C．It’s hard fo dine in Rao’s partly because it has a limited number of tables．

D．Only the most famous persons can have the chance to have lunch in Rao's．

We can conclude from the critic’s words that     ．

A．Rao’s menus are specially designed for its regular diners

B．customers of Rao’s can use credit cards on weekends

C．the experience dining in Rao’s is as unforgettable as its food

D．diners in Rao’s are used to being disturbed by sudden noises

Nowadays，the Internet，with its ability to connect people throughout the world，is changing  the way people learn languages．There is still no way to avoid the hard work through vocabulary lists and grammar rules，but the books，tapes and even CDs are being replaced by email, video chat and social networks．
Livemocha, a Seattle company, has created a website devoted to helping people learn more than 38 languages by exchanging messages over the Internet and then correcting each other’s messages. The lessons，whether they are flashcards，quizzes，audio recordings or written and spoken essays，are delivered through the Intemet．
Michael Schutzler, Livemocha's chief executive(主管), says the website’s advantage is the ability to practicel with a real person. “The great irony(讽刺)is that even if you have learned a foreign language in the classroom for years，you don’t have confidefice to go into a restaurant and have a conversation with a foreigner,"he said．The casual connection with real people throughout the world, however brief, are not just fun and surprising but show more about how the language is really used．
Livemocha is now experimenting with a variety of ways that resemble the games on other social websites to motivate people．The flashcard exercises，for instance，are scored, and the totals earned by studying and teaching appear on the users’front page．
Besides，each person can set up a profile(简历)which includes a short description of his age，location and what language he would like to learn．Therefore，if you want to study one language，you will easily find many people who are fluent in it．Andl an email or two is all it takes to find a study partner．
There are more and more companies like Livemocha offeritig online language learning to students throughout the world. And instead of merely helping people practice different languages，they also enable people to share interests and make new friends.
For what purpose did Livemocha create the website?

A．To offer new ways of language learning．

B．To make an advertisement for their company．

C．To share interests and make new friends．

D．To tell his inspiring story to more people．

What is the advantage of the Internet language learning?

A．Books，tapes and even CDs are completely out of use．

B．Leamers can practice languages with real people．

C．People can learn more than 38 languages in all.

D．There is no need to learn vocabulary and grammar．

Why does the writer give us the example of flashcard exercise in Paragraph 4?

A．To show what Livemocha is doing to inspire website users．

B．To introduce how Livemocha scores the website users’ work.

C．To explain why Livemocha experiments with other social websites．

D．To tell what Livemocha prepares for the front page of the website．

How can one find a study partner on Livemocha?

A．He needs to set up a profile about his past experience．

B．He should deliver his written essays to the website.

C．He needs to give lessons over the Internet．

D．He can select suitable people and email them．

What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Livemocha will open more branch companies．

B．Online learners can practice languages free of charge.

C．More learners will turn to online language learning．

D．Livemocha will be turned into a dating website．

An ATM that spits out cupcakes instead of cash is now filling a popular demand in the American market：late-night desire for freshly baked sweets．
In six cities across the country, sugar addicts can now purchase a cupcake for $4．25 from an automatic machine 24 hours every day．The freshly baked goods are made by the California-based cupcake shop Sprinkles．
The idea came to the company's co-founders Candace and Charles Nelson when Candace was pregnant with their first child. Candace thought it was ridiculous that she owned cupcake bakeries aad couldn’t get a freshly baked treat at an unusual hour．That desire inspired the company’s first cupcake ATM in Beverly Hills,Calif．in 2012。
Charles said each ATM serves about l，000 cupcakes per day．The machine is so popular that when it appeared in Manhattan, customers were lined up around the block to use it.
Yet，inventing the first cupcake ATM was not as easy as convincing customers to use it．When the Nelsons started defigning the machine，they quickly realized nothing existed that could give a fully unbroken cupcake to a customer．The company had to partner with a European firm to develop the technology that could deliver a cupcake without dropping it several feet like a typical machine．After going through a seeond development cycle with the product, the ATMs can now satisfy tlle demand of growing customers and even make as many as four cupcakes at a time．
In terms of the company, the-machine allows Sprinkles to do the impossible：increase hours of operation without raising costs．Now the company can sell cupcakes around the clock through the ATM without paying employees.
Now the company is partnering with a Middle Eastern company to open 34 new locations abroad．
What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To tell us a newtrend of the diet．

B．To advertisefor the cupcake ATM．

C．To introduce a newly-invented cupcake ATM．

D．To advise more customers to buy cupcakes on ATM．

How did the Nelsons come up with the idea of’a cupulke ATM?

A．Their first child wagted to eat fresh cupcakes．

B．Candace hoped to eat a fleshly baked cupcake at any time．

C．The cupcakes they sold couldn’t satisfy the customers’ demands．

D．They couldn’t afford to employ enough workers．

What problem did the Nelsons face when starting to design the machine?

A．Serving an unbroken cupcake to customers．

B．Convincing the customers to use the machine．

C．Dealing with so many orders every day．

D．Making as many as four cupcakes at a time．

What does the underlined word‘‘it’’in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The machine．	B．The block．
C．The cupcake．	D．The customer．

What can we infer from the text?

A．The ATM will replace the traditional cake shops．

B．The ATM will appear in more cities in the world．

C．The company will promote different kinds of products．

D．People will get cupcakes through the ATM without paying．

The best family vacations are the ones where everyone is entertained and everyone gets along Not sure how to do that，especially if traveling with kids is involved? A travel agent is your answer．
A travel agent can recommend the best destinations，resorts and cruises for family-friendly vacations．For vacations with kids，simply share the interests of your children as well as what the adults going on the vacation enjoy doing, and your travel egent can put together the ideal trip for your family，with activities and kids' clubs for the children and entertainment for the adults. Travel agents can even arrange trustworthy childeare，so you can have a kids-free evening on your vacation．
Travel agents can also help plan memorable pleasure trips during your vacation．They can advise on the best water parks and get you front-of-the line tickets, or they can give tips on what time to visit certain natural wonders for the best views and fewer crowds. They can also recommend which restaurants are the most family-friendly and take care of the reservations for you.
Vacations for kids can be stressful enough (packing，keeping everyone entertained on the plane ride，finding kid—friendly foods, etc)without having the added worry of “what if something goes wrong?’’A travel agent will take over if any accident occurs on your trip and will spend time calling companies and researching options until your problem is solved-whether that means you need to re-book a flight or find a trustworthy doctor for your child who has suddenly come down with an illness．
Finally, a travel agent will make it easier to bond with your family by recommending the perfect vacation for your family’s interests and needs. By taking the planning stress and trip organization off you and giving it to a travel agent, you'll be able to simply enjoy spending time with your family．
What might be the best title of the text?

A．Family Vacations with Travel Agent’s Help

B．How to make a family travel plan

C．Travel agents：your only choice

D．How to arrange a memorable trip

What can we learn from the text?

A．It’s easy to meet everyone’s needs when traveling．

B．Kids don’t like to travel with their parents.

C．Travel agents prefer to arrange a vacation with kids.

D．Traveling with kids is a little bit stressful for a family.

Which of the follwing services might not be offered by the travel agent?

A．Childcare at night．

B．Hotel booking．

C．Finding trustworthy doctors．

D．Taking care of your house．

What will the travel agent do when some accident occurs in a trip?

A．Leave you alone and go on the trip with others．

B．Call your company to come and handle it．

C．Take over and help you out．

D．Re-book a flight and send you home．

What is the text trying to persuade you to do?

A．To choose the travel destination from the travel agent

B．To leave your kids behind when travelling

C．To arrange your trip with the help of the travel agent．

D．To stay home and spend more time with your family

Since 2004，Time magazine has six times made a survey to name the l00 most influential people in the world．Only one person has appeared on it for six times, Oprah Winfrey．
Born in l954 in Mississippi，Oprah Winfrey spent her early years living in poverty with her grandmother and later her absent mother, followed by unfair treatment by her unfriendly relatives．Worse still，she was addicted to drugs and at the young age of l4，she gave birth to a baby, who died after a few months．Finally she was sent to live with her strict father in Tennessee. Amazingly though，her father’s rules did make sure she received a good edueation and finally overcame her problems．
Oprah’s media career began at age l7．She became the co-author of local news in Baltimore in her early 20’s．Her first local talk show, People Are Talking,was first performed in l978，when she was 24．
In l986，Oprah moved to Chicago to lost a low-rated half-hour morning talk show, AM Chicago．Oprah talks like a family member in your apd my house．Within months she took over，the show became the highest rated talk show in Chicago．It was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show．
Only two years after hosting the show, she was able to set up her own production company Harpo, and buy the full rights to The Oprah Winfery Show．She is also involved in magazine publishing，books，education and a lifestyle channel for women with the aim of improving people’s lives, inspiring and praising good honest values，making the world a better place for present and future generations．
As her business grew, so did her wealth and power, and she became the first ever black billionaire in 2003 and the most powerful woman in media broadcasting．The amazing influence she has over a large part of the American public means that anything she promotes on her shows is guaranteed to succeed.
What do we know about Oprah’s childhood?

A．She lived with her mother for 14 years．

B．She married young and brought up a baby．

C．he was lack of concern and care．

D．She couldn’t stand her father's rules．

Why was The Oprah Winfrey Show so popular?

A．Oprah was very famous in the world.

B．Oprah talked in a familly way in the show．

C．Oprah was the co-author of the show．

D．Oprah had the full rights to the show．

According to the text, which field didn't Oprah set foot in?

A．Magazine publishing．	B．Education
C．A TV channel for females．	D．Filming

Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Oprah Winfrey was the most influential woman in America．

B．Oprah Winfrey hosted her first local talk show in her 20’s．

C．AM Chicago became the highest rated immediately afte Oprah hosted it.

D．Oprah Winfrey was the first billionaire in media broadeasting．

What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A．Oprah was a quite successful woman．
B：Oprah aimed to be wealthy and powerful．
C．What Oprah promoted was sure to succeed．
D．Oprah became the most influential woman．