阅读理解

1

Winners Club

You choose to be a winner！

The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction （交易） account where you receive a key card so you can get to your money 24/7—thats 24 hours a day， 7 days a week！

Its a club with impressive features for teenagers：

No account keeping fees！

Youre no millionaire so we dont expect you to pay large fees. In fact， there are no account keeping or transaction fees！

Excellent interest rates！

You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits without taking them out in a month.

Convenient

Teenagers are busy—we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet... You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job！

Mega magazine included

Along with your regular report， you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.

The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian （so we can organize that cool key card） but it is easy. We cant wait to hear from you. Its the best way to choose to be a winner！

1. The Winners Club is intended for the ___ .

A. parents B. youth C. winners D. businessmen

2. Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club？

A. Special gifts are ready for parents. B. The bank opens only on workdays.

C. Services are convenient for its members. D. Fees are necessary for the account keeping.

3. The Winners Club provides magazines which ___ .

A. encourage spending B. are free to all teenagers

C. are full of adventure stories D. help to make more of your money

4. If you want to be a member of the Club， you must ___ .

A. be an Internet user B. be permitted by your parent

C. have a big sum of money D. be in your twenties

2

Last August， Joe and Mary Mahoney began looking at colleges for their 17-year-old daughter， Maureen. With a checklist of standards in hand， the Dallas family looked around the country， visiting half a dozen schools. They sought a university that offered the teenagers intended major， one located near a large city， and a campus where their daughter would be safe.

“The safety issue is a big one，” says Joe Mahoney， who quickly discovered he wasnt alone in his worries. On campus tours other parents voiced similar concerns， and the same question was always asked： What about crime？ But when college officials always gave the same answer — “Thats not a problem here.” — Mahoney began to feel uneasy.

“No crime whatsoever？” comments Mahoney today. “I just dont buy it.” Nor should he： in 1999 the U.S. Department of Education had reports of nearly 400，000 serious crimes on or around our campuses. “Parents need to understand that times have changed since they went to colleges，” says David Nichols， author of Creating a Safe Campus. “Campus crime mirrors the rest of the nation.”

But getting accurate information isnt easy. Colleges must report crime statistics by law， but some hold back for fear of bad publicity， leaving the honest ones looking dangerous. “The truth may not always be obvious，” warns S. Daniel Carter of Security on Campus， Inc.， the nations leading campus safety watchdog group.

To help concerned parents， Carter promised to visit campuses and talk to experts around the country to find out major crime issues and effective solutions.

1. The Mahoneys visited quite a few colleges last August ___ .

A. to express the opinions of parents B. to choose a right one for their daughter

C. to check the cost of college education D. to find the safest one near a large city

2. The underlined word “buy” in Paragraph 3 probably means ___ .

A. mind B. admit C. believe D. expect

3. It is often difficult to get correct information on campus crime because some colleges ___ .

A. receive too many visitors B. mirror the rest of the nation

C. hide the truth of campus crime D. have too many watchdog groups

4. What is the text mainly about？

A. Exact campus crime statistics. B. Crimes on or around campuses.

C. Effective solutions to campus crime. D. Concerns about kids campus safety.

3

Pruning （修剪） makes no sense. You cut off parts of a plant. Yet is the plant supposed to grow back even better than before？ This demands an answer.

The explanation begins with the apical bud （芽）. This bud is at the end of the actively growing tip of the plant. When the top of the main shoot is removed — by pruning or breakage — the auxin is no long produced. This causes buds to the side， called lateral buds， to wake up and start growing. The result： better plant development.

Pruning can also remove unhealthy or unneeded parts of a plant， and increase the growth of flowers and fruit.

Generally， the best time to prune is in late winter， before spring growth starts. But gardening experts at the University of Florida extension point out some exceptions.

For example， spring-blooming （春季开花的） plants like spireas and azaleas should be pruned after they bloom. Then pinch （掐掉） the new shoots between your thumb and forefinger. That will help them develop branches that produce new blooms.

Remove any branches that touch another branch； leave the stronger one or the one that is in a better position. Remove any branches growing in the same space as the branches next to them. Also prune branches growing toward the ground， high branches growing straight up and shoots growing from the base of the tree.

But Melissa Snyder， a master gardener in Manatee County， Florida， says pruning wounds a plant. People do not need to put anything on the wound. But they do need to be careful not to wound themselves with chainsaws or other pruning tools. Also， tools can spread disease from one plant to another. So be sure to disinfect （消毒） tools with alcohol or bleach after each plant.

1. When should one prune according to the text？

A. In early spring. B. In middle summer. C. In late autumn. D. In late winter.

2. The sixth paragraph mainly tells us ___ .

A. how to carry out pruning

B. the various shapes of branches

C. that its better to leave less space between branches

D. that too many branches are bad for the plants themselves

3. As a gardener， Melissa Snyder ___ .

A. is against pruning

B. thinks highly of pruning

C. tries to avoid hurting plants while pruning

D. believes many gardeners know nothing of protecting plants

4. The text is mainly aimed at ___ .

A. scientists B. farmers C. tourists D. customers

4

Everyone has an ambition to travel. But those who cannot do so themselves might find it interesting to work in a travel agency， arranging journeys for other people. Brain Lawley does this， working in a small travel agency in an industrial city. Most of his work is concerned with holidays， both at home and abroad. Every autumn， the agency sends out hundreds of booklets （小册子） full of attractive colored photographs， describing the holidays that their customers will be able to have next year. Soon people begin to come into the office to book their holidays： perhaps a weeks skiing in Austria in January， perhaps a cruise （乘船游览） to the Caribbean in February， perhaps a seaside holiday in Spain in May， or a tour to North Africa. Brain often has to advise people on what holidays will be suitable for them， and they always have a lot of problems. Last year， for example， a lady of eighty-two wanted to book for a mountaineering （登山） holiday in the Alps， and Brain had great difficulty in persuading her that it would not be suitable. In the end， she decided to go for a Mediterranean cruise， instead.

Arranging journeys for people who have to travel abroad on business is often very complicated （复杂的）， but Brain enjoys this work. For example， last spring Mr Perry， a director of a local chemical firm， went on a business trip， and Brain arranged it all for him. First， Mr Perry traveled to London by train， and stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport， because his plane left nearly the next morning. He flew to Frankfurt， in Germany， where he spent the morning discussing business. Then he went on by train to Zurich， where he stayed the night. After a meeting the next morning， he caught a plane for Tokyo， and spent three days there before going to America. He had business in Seattle， Chicago and New York， and stayed some time in each of those places. From New York， he flew back to London and then went home by train. The next day he telephoned the agency to thank Brain for arranging everything so well for him.

1. What does Brain usually do in the travel agency according to Paragraph 1？

A. Solve the travelers problems. B. Hand out travel booklets.

C. Give proper advice on travel. D. Introduce the scenic spots.

2. When do customers usually begin to book their holidays？

A. In fall. B. In summer.

C. In winter. D. In spring.

3. Mr Perry telephoned the agency to thank Brain because ___ .

A. he enjoyed everything abroad B. he was satisfied with the arrangement

C. the agency sent him abroad on business D. Brain helped him in the travel agency

4. How was Mr Perrys journey arranged？

a. Fly to Tokyo. b. To Frankfurt.

c. Back home by train. d. Fly back to London.

e. To Zurich by train. f. Have business in America.

g. To London by train.

A. g， b， a， f， e， d， c B. c， b， a， g， e， f， d

C. g， b， e， a， f， d， c D. f， e， a， b， g， c， d

5

When many people think about planting a tree， they do not realize that in order to plant a tree there are several things that they need to consider. You cant simply just dig a single hole and throw the tree into that space and expect it to grow without any ailments. There are a few basic things that you need to do in order to assure that the plant will not only be planted but will continue to grow healthy for years to come.

The first thing that you need to take into account is the time of year that you are looking to plant the tree in. Believe it or not， in order to plant a tree that will stay alive and be able to survive， you have to plant it at the time of year that is right for the tree. Normally you should never plant a tree in late spring or summer. The burning sun during these periods of time will cause a big amount of stress to the tree， which will then lead to its death. The best time to consider planting your tree is around autumn or early spring.

You should then look at the place where you plan on planting the tree in. You should choose a suitable region and climate for the tree. If you decide to plant a tree that is not a native of a particular climate， you need to consider different factors about the tree such as the growth habits of the tree and how much tolerance the tree has to different weather conditions.

The next thing that you need to be aware of is whether there are any requirements around the place that you will be digging. Sometimes in cases where people will be digging deep holes in which they wish to plant a tree， they need to make sure that they are not digging around any phone lines or cable lines that may be buried below the surface. Among other things， the hole determines if the tree can survive.

1. The underlined word “ailments” in Paragraph 1 means “ ___ ”.

A. difficulties B. diseases C. requirements D. conditions

2. What is the most important for planting a tree？

A. Getting the right young trees. B. Choosing the right time.

C. Permission from higher authorities. D. Fine weather condition.

3. When digging a hole for a tree， ___ .

A. youd better dig as deep as possible B. you must consider the home of the tree

C. you ought to know if it is the suitable place D. you may as well take out the cables

4. Which of the following should be the best title for the passage？

A. Tips on How to Plant a Tree B. Basic Things to Make Sure of the Live Trees

C. How to Dig a Hole D. Trees Living Conditions

6

Part I

If you are hunting a chance to improve yourself in English， TOP ENGLISH CITY will be a smart choice. We are members of the “International Language Workshop” and enjoy both of the good honor in English teaching and high quality of our teaching team. We are devoted to providing affordable， excellent English training programs for those who want to improve both their English knowledge and their language skills.

In TOP ENGLISH CITY， you will be a top English-speaker among your competitors and enjoy the advantage that your competitors have not. You will be proud of being a member of TOP ENGLISH CITY.

Courses designed：

Basic Studies... Sat. 8：00-10：00 am

Intermediate （中级） Spoken English... Sun. 8：00-10：00 am

Standard Spoken English... Sat. 8：00-10：00 am

Basic Business English... Sun. 8：00-10：00 am

Intermediate Business English... Sun. 7：00-9：00 pm

TOEFL Super Studies... Sun. 7：30-9：30 pm

Childrens Weekend... Sat. & Sun. 8：00 am -5：00 pm

For more information， please contact：

Room 806 American Plaza Tianhexi Rd， 510150 Guangzhou

Tel： 86668888-8806

Part II

ENGLISH SALON

A place for you to practise your English， to exchange your English learning experiences， to know more about the culture of English-speaking countries， to make more friends who can speak very good English.

You will have free talks， famous English films and songs appreciation， English lectures and games； all are for you to improve yourself in English in the special， full-of-fun Salon.

How to Join：

We are a group with membership system， so if you want to join our group， please make an application to the Tianhe Office of Top English City， filling in the applying forms. You will be given a salon ID card， and become our member.

The Qualifications （条件）：

You must be fluent in English-speaking or / and an English lover. Those who are now learning English in the Top English City will be advantageous.

For more information， please contact：

Mr Jiu Chan at： 47129198

English Salon， your best friend！ Join Right Now！

1. If you have little English knowledge， you should take ___ .

A. Intermediate Spoken English B. Childrens Weekend

C. Intermediate Business English D. Basic Studies

2. If you want to speak fluent English， you can take the course at ___ .

A. 8：00 am， Saturday B. 9：00 pm， Sunday C. 7：30 pm， Sunday D. 5：00 pm， Saturday

3. Which of the following courses can be learned by the same person？

A. Basic Studies and Standard Spoken English.

B. Standard Spoken English and TOEFL Super Studies.

C. Intermediate Spoken English and Basic Business English.

D. Intermediate Business English and TOEFL Super Studies.

4. If you want to join the English Salon， you should at least ___ .

A. be a university graduate B. be an English lover or can speak English well

C. be a student learning English in the Top English City D. know something about the culture of the English

7

People fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor in 1944， when she starred in National Velvet—the story of Velvet Brown， a young girl who wins first place in a famous horse race， At first， the producers of the movie told Taylor that she was too small to play the part of Velvet. However， they waited for her for a few months as she exercised and trained—and added three inches to her height in four months！ Her acting in National Velvet is still considered the best by a child actress.

Elizabeth Taylor was born in London in 1932. Her parents， both Americans， had moved there for business reasons. When World War II started， the Taylor moved to Beverly Hills， California， and there Elizabeth started acting in movies. After her success as a child star， Taylor had no trouble moving into adult roles and won twice for Best Actress： Butterfield 8 （1960） and Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf ？ （1966）

Taylors fame （名声） and popularity gave her a lot of power with the movie industry， so she was able to demand very high pay for her movies. In 1963， she received $1 million for her part in Cleopatra—the highest pay received by any star up to that time.

Elizabeth Taylor is a legend （传奇人物） of our time. Like Velvet Brown in National Velvet， she has been lucky， she has beauty， fame and wealth. But she is also a hard worker. Taylor seldom acts in movies any more. Instead， she puts her time and efforts into her businesses， and into helping others—several years ago， she founded an organization that has raised more than $40 million for research and education.

1. The producers didnt let Taylor play the part of Velvet at first because they thought she ___ .

A. was small in size B. was too young

C. did not play well enough D. did not show much interest

2. What Elizabeth Taylor and Velvet Brown had in common was that they were both ___ .

A. popular all their lives B. famous actresses

C. successful when very young D. rich and kind-hearted

3. Taylor became Best Actress at the age of ___ .

A. 12 B. 28 C. 31 D. 34

4. In her later life， Elizabeth Taylor devoted herself to ___ .

A. doing business and helping others B. turning herself into a legend

C. collecting money for the poor D. going about research and education work

8

Children in Somalia are suffering some of the highest malnutrition （营养失调） rates in the world， says the United Nations as drought （干旱） continues to affect the country.

An UN official told the BBC that about two and a half million people had been affected. She said there had been complete crop failure in southern Somalia and that many had lost their livelihoods （生计）. The country has also been ravaged by two decades of violence. “Many people are leaving rural areas to search for work in Somali towns， while others are quitting the country altogether—going to Kenya and Yemen，” said Grainne Moloniy of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.

“One in four children is malnourished—thats one of the highest rates in the world，” she told the BBCs World Today.

The rains have either failed or been inadequate for several seasons， fields are parched， and livestock — the mainstay of the economy—are dying. “People are becoming more dependent on money from their relatives abroad，” Ms Moloniy said. However， the Somali diaspora （海外索马里人） have been hit by the global economic crisis， and in the past few years have been unable to send as much money home.

“UN agencies and other humanitarian groups are also short of funds—the UN has only raised a third of what it needs for food aid for Somalia，” Ms Moloniy said.

“With no end to the drought in sight， and insecurity continuing in many parts of Somalia， it is likely the situation will get worse before it gets better，” says BBC Africa analyst Mary Harper.

The country has experienced more than 20 years of conflict， with Islamist insurgents fighting forces of the transitional government， backed by peacekeepers from the African Union.

1. Drought in southern Somalia has resulted in ___ .

A. violence B. global economic crisis

C. a number of deaths of children D. millions of people losing their livelihoods

2. What does the underlined word “ravaged” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A. Destroyed. B. Protected.

C. Controlled. D. Frightened.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE？

A. Somalia has the largest number of kids suffering from malnutrition.

B. The UN have collected enough money to help people in Somalia.

C. Somalia diaspora have been unable to send much money home.

D. The drought will soon be over.

4. What can we learn from Ms Moloniy？

A. The lack of rain leads to economic problems in Somalia.

B. Somalia is the poorest country in the world.

C. The UN is raising money to help Somalia.

D. The situation in Somalia will be worse.

9

Sheep， like turkeys and ostriches， are not considered the cleverest animals. British scientists said last Wednesday human may have underestimated （低估） the woolly creatures. They could be much smarter than we think.

Researchers at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge， southern England， have shown those animals have a good memory system and are extremely good at recognizing faces — which they think is a sure sign of intelligence.

Behavioral scientist Keith Kendrick and his friends trained 20 sheep to recognize and distinguish 25 pairs of sheep faces and used electrodes （电极） to measure their brain activity， which showed they could remember 50 faces for up to two years.

“If they can do that with faces， the fact is that they have to have reasonable intelligence， otherwise， what is the point of having a system for remembering anything else？” Kendrick said in an interview.

So hours of seemingly mindless eating grass may not be so mindless after all.

Kendrick believes sheep got their reputation as dumb animals because they live in large groups and do not appear to have much individuality and are frightened of just everything.

“All animals， including humans， once they are frightened they dont tend to show signs of intelligent action，” he explained.

In research reported in the science journal Nature， Kendrick and his team showed that sheep， like humans， have a specialized system in the brain， which allows them to distinguish between many different faces that look extremely similar.

“The most important finding of the study is that they are able， both from a behavioral point of view and from looking at the way the brain is organized， to remember a large number of faces of individuals for a very long time，” said Kendrick. “It is a very strange system. They are showing similar abilities in many ways to humans.”

1. From the first paragraph we can find that people ___ .

A. dont consider sheep as clever animals B. dont raise sheep in a proper way

C. used to think sheep are the most foolish D. have done a lot of research on sheep

2. What can we know about sheeps intelligence according to Kendrick？

A. Scientists have some mistake for it. B. There are no signs of intelligence on sheep.

C. The scientists have learned little about it. D. Sheep dont have to have too much intelligence.

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE？

A. Sheep are among the weak animals.

B. It is not right for people to raise sheep in groups.

C. Sheep may become braver if people feel frightened.

D. Sheeps minds may be active when eating grass in the fields.

4. What does the last paragraph suggest？

A. Sheep have strange abilities. B. Sheep have good habits.

C. Sheep have good memories. D. Sheep are similar to humans.

10

Brazil has become one of the developing worlds great successes at reducing population growth but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates， Brazil had better results without really trying， says George Martine at Harvard.

Brazils population growth rate dropped from 2.99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1.93% a year between 1981 and 1990， and Brazilian women now have only 2.7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990， an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.

Martine puts it down to， among other things， soap operas and installment （分期付款） plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important， although indirect， role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the worlds biggest producers of soap operas. Globo， Brazils most popular television network， shows three hours of soap operas six nights a week， while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soap operas are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.

Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction， they describe middle and upper class values： not many children， women working， says Martine. They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people conscious of other patterns of behavior and other values， which were put into a very attractive package.

Meanwhile， the installment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers. “This led to an enormous change in consumption （消费） patterns and consumption was incompatible （不相容的） with unlimited reproduction，” says Martine.

1. According to the passage， Brazil has lowered its population growth partly ___ .

A. by educating its citizens B. by careful family planning

C. by developing TV programs D. by showing soap operas

2. According to the passage， many Third World countries ___ .

A. would give much attention to birth control

B. would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rate

C. havent yet have an effective way to control the population

D. havent realized the importance of TV plays in family planning

3. Why have soap operas helped lower Brazils birth rate？

A. People are kept long hours sitting in front of the TV sets.

B. They have gradually changed peoples way of life.

C. They call on people to take birth control measures.

D. People are drawn to their attractive package.

4. What is Martines conclusion about Brazils population growth？

A. Consumption goes with reproduction.

B. The desire for consumption helps reduce birth rate.

C. The increase in birth rate will increase consumption.

D. A countrys production is limited by its population growth.

11

Are you looking for some new and exciting places to take your kids to？ Try some of these places：

Visit art museums.

They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids interest. Many offer workshops for making hand-made pieces， traveling exhibits， book signings by childrens favorite writer， and even musical performances and other arts.

Head to a natural history museum.

This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur （恐龙） models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also， ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.

Go to a Youtheater.

Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet （木偶） making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.

Try hands-on science.

Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science playlands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. Theyll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons， experimenting， and building. When everyone is tired， enjoy a fun family science show， commonly found in these museums.

1. If a child is interested in the universe， he probably will visit ___ .

A. a Youtheater B. an art museum

C. a natural history museum D. a hands-on science museum

2. What can kids do at a Youtheater？

A. Look at rock collections. B. See dinosaur models.

C. Watch puppet making. D. Give performances.

3. What does “hands-on science” mean in the last paragraph？

A. Science games designed by kids. B. Learning science by doing things.

C. A show of kids science work. D. Reading science books.

4. Where does this text probably come from？

A. A science textbook. B. A museum guide.

C. A tourist map. D. A news report.

12

It was graduation day at the university where I work and a beautiful day quite unlike the first graduation I attended as a young professor. On that cold day years ago， as we watched the students walking into the hall， one of my colleagues turned to me and said， “Graduation will be one of the happiest and one of the saddest time of your life.” At my inquiry， he answered， “Because the students you have gotten to know have to leave.”

As years went by， my previous confusion about my colleagues words no longer existed. When I came across naughty students， I have had to rethink why I chose to be a teacher. It obviously isnt the money. Once a former computer science student of mine called me， asking me if I wanted to have a change. He was working at Nintendo Corporation. His salary was higher than my current one， though I have more education and have worked for over a decade. With my programming skills， he said he could get me hired. I thanked him， but declined his kind offer.

A few days before this current graduation， while working on final grades， I found a note a student had slipped in with her homework. She thanked me for being her teacher and said the things she had learned in my class—not about math， but about life—would be things she would remember long after the math skills had faded away. As I finished reading， I remembered why I had become a teacher.

Now， on this sunny graduation day， as I again observed the sea of blue hats and gowns， I did so with renewed dedication and a deeper sense of satisfaction—I will always be grateful that I am a teacher.

1. How did the author feel when he heard his colleague talking about graduation for the first time？

A. He agreed with his colleague. B. He was very puzzled.

C. He thought it very funny. D. He was very sad.

2. The computer science student called up the author ___ .

A. to share his joy and satisfaction with the author B. to say the author wasnt fit to be a teacher

C. to inform the author of his present job D. to persuade the author to work with him

3. What does the underlined part “blue hats and gowns” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Graduation ceremonies. B. Life memories.

C. Graduates clothes. D. Decorations in the hall.

4. The author wrote the passage to ___ .

A. express his devotion to teaching B. talk about the meaning of graduation

C. give advice on how to be a good teacher D. compare two different graduation ceremonies

13

ADDIS ABABA， Ethiopia—One of the worlds most famous fossils （化石）—the 3.2 million-year-old Lucy skeleton （骨骼） unearthed in Ethiopia in 1974—will go on an exhibition tour abroad for the first time in the United States， officials said Tuesday.

Even the Ethiopian public has only seen Lucy twice. The Lucy on exhibition at the Ethiopian National Museum in the capital， Addis Ababa， is a replica while the real remains are usually locked in a secret storeroom. A team from the Museum of National Science in Houston， Texas， spent four years discussing with the Ethiopians for the U.S. tour， which will start in Houston next September.

“Ethiopias rich culture of both the past and today， is one of the best kept secrets in the world，” said Joel Bartsch， director of the Houston museum.

The six-year tour will also go to Washington， New York， Denver and Chicago. Officials said six other U.S. cities may be on the tour. But they said plans had not been worked out.

Travelling with Lucy will be 190 other fossils.

Lucy， her name taken from a Beatles song that played in a camp the night of her discovery， is part of the skeleton of what was once a 312-foot-tall ape-man （猿人）.

1. The author writes this text mainly to ___ .

A. introduce a few U.S. museums B. describe some research work

C. discuss the value of an ape-man D. report a coming event

2. What do the words “a replica” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. A painting of the skeleton. B. A photograph of Lucy.

C. A copy of the skeleton. D. A written record of Lucy.

3. How many cities has Lucys U.S. tour plan already included？

A. Four. B. Five. C. Six. D. Eleven.

4. What was the skeleton named after？

A. An ape-man. B. A song. C. A singer. D. A camp.

14

It seems like every day theres some new research about whether our favorite drinks are good for us. One day， science says a glass of red wine a day will help us live longer. The next day， maybe not. It seems journalists are pretty interested in wine research and the same might be said for coffee. Now theres been a lot of research into whether coffee is good for our health. “The results have really been mixed，” admits Neal Freedman， who led the coffee study and published his findings in a medical journal recently. “Theres been some evidence that coffee might increase the risk of certain diseases and theres also been maybe more recent evidence that coffee may protect against other diseases as well.”

Freedman and his colleagues undertook the biggest study yet to look at the relationship between coffee and health. They analyzed data collected from more than 400，000 Americans aged 50 to 70 participating in the study. “We found that the coffee drinkers had a modestly lower risk of death than the non-drinkers，” he said. Heres what he means by “modestly”： those who drank at least two or three cups a day were about 10 percent or 15 percent less likely to die for any reason during the 13 years of the study. When the researchers looked at specific causes of death， coffee drinking appeared to cut the risk of dying from heart disease， lung disease injuries， accidents and infections.

Now， Freedman stressed that the study doesnt prove coffee can make people live longer. A study like this can never prove a cause-and-effect relationship. All it can really do is to point researchers in the right direction for further investigation. And even if it turns out that coffee is really good for you， scientists have no idea why.

1. What can be inferred from Paragraph 1？

A. Many researches are being done on coffee.

B. Wine has the same advantages as coffee.

C. Coffee is good for peoples health.

D. Some research findings on drinks may confuse the reseachers.

2. According to Paragraph 2， which of the following is TRUE？

A. People who took part in Freedmans research are about 50 to 70 years old.

B. Freedman and his colleagues hired 400，000 Americans to collect data.

C. About 400，000 Americans worked for Freedmans team for 13 years.

D. People who are 50 to 70 years old seldom drink coffee.

3. According to the author， scientists ___ .

A. are still unable to figure out why coffee is good for us

B. are trying to prove that coffee is good for human health

C. have avoided the cause-and-effect approach to study coffee

D. have a long way to go before they find a way to study coffee

4. What can be the best title for this passage？

A. The Magical Effects of Coffee B. Neal Freedman and His Research

C. Can Coffee Help You Live Longer？ D. A Cup of Coffee a Day Makes Diseases Away

15

Every object tells a story. Even the most ordinary objects can present to us powerful images. Sometimes it is the ordinary nature of these objects that actually makes them so extraordinary. Such is the case with an old leather shoe in a museum in Alaska. At first glance it does not look like much. It is a womans shoe of a style popular in the 1890s. But what is unique about this shoe is where it was found. It was discovered on the Checkout Pass， the famous trail used by the people seeking gold in Alaska. Who it belonged to or why it was left there is not known. Was it perhaps dropped by accident as the woman climbed up the 1500 stairs carved outface？ Or did she throw away goods that she didnt need in order to travel lighter？

Over 100，000 people with “gold fever” made this trip hoping to become millionaires. Few of them understood that on their way they would have to cross a harsh wildness. Unprepared for such a dangerous journey， many died of starvation and exposure to the cold weather.

The Canadian government finally started requiring the gold seekers to bring one ton of supplies with them. This was thought to be enough for a person to survive for one year. They would carry their supplies in backpacks each weighing up to fifty pounds； it usually took at least 40 trips to get everything to the top and over the pass. Whoever dropped the shoe must have been a brave and determined woman. Perhaps she was successful and made it to Alaska. Perhaps she had to turn back in defeat. No one will ever know for sure， but what we do know is that she took part in one of the greatest adventures in the 19th century.

1. The ordinary womans leather shoe is considered unusual because ___ .

A. it was an important clue to life in the past B. it was found on a famous trail

C. it at one time belonged to a VIP D. it was a fashionable shoe at that time

2. According to this passage， many people who went to Alaska ___ .

A. eventually became millionaires B. brought with them many shoes

C. got high fever D. were not properly equipped

3. Why did many lose their lives on their way？

A. The journey was tough. B. The backpacks were too heavy.

C. They didnt carry enough food. D. They were attacked by wild animals.

4. What can we know about the woman who owned the shoe？

A. She must have lived a happy life. B. She certainly dropped the shoe on purpose.

C. Her adventurous spirit is definitely admired. D. She was an adventure traveler.

16

Christmas， Easter and birthday parties can be difficult times for grandmothers and parents as they rush around trying to arrange the perfect celebration or making everyone as happy as possible！ Whats better than a birthday party that makes your grandchild smile throughout or a celebration that impresses relatives and close friends？

That is why Granny Look has supplied in this section， one of the most comprehensive guides making these special occasions that happen perhaps once a year a real success.

From a selection of Advent Calendars to party planning or Christmas stocking fillers， we have all the possibilities covered， so that your children and grandchildren will really have a memorable time with attractive gifts and original ideas.

Bring that festive spirit to all those traditional days， and ensure you are always ready for any possibility. Granny Looks extensive links are bound to make every special occasion an entirely different experience from the year before and allow everyone to feel entertained and content.

CHRISTMAS STOCKING FILLERS

LOOK no further！！ Granny Look helps the family to prepare in time for FATHER CHRISTMAS. Give SANTA CLAUS some ideas. He can fill all the childrens Christmas stockings with goodies！ Unique Christmas gifts for childrens stocking fillers.

A Granny Look favourite！

ADVENT CALENDARS

All children love the build up to CHRISTMAS！ What is better than choosing one of Granny Looks selections of Advent Calendars！ Here you will find a list of websites to buy traditional or fun Advent Calendars for children at Christmas time.

A Granny Look favourite！

BIRTHDAYS

LOOKING for a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT？ Explore Granny Looks selection of PRESENTS， PARTY PLANNING， PARTY TOYS and PARTY GAMES for your Children and Grandchildrens BIRTHDAYS.

Plan and organize the KIDDIES PARTIES ahead of time！！

Dont forget the PERSONALISED INVITATIONS！

CHRISTMAS

LOOK and BOOK now！！ Granny Looks selection of CHRISTMAS GIFTS for children.

Some guides to “Whats on in your area...” for the kids. PANTOS， SHOWS， THEATRES ... at Christmas time！

UNIQUE Christmas gifts for Children. Spend QUALITY TIME with your Childrens Children this FESTIVE SEASON！

1. From the text， we know that “Granny Look” is ___ .

A. a person who guides you to make your yearly celebration a real success

B. a magazine that helps the family to prepare for special occasions

C. a company that sells all sorts of products on the Internet

D. a website that helps you to prepare for special occasions

2. The purpose of the text is ___ .

A. to make children have a memorable holiday B. to show you how to shop on the Internet

C. to offer information about Granny Look D. to introduce some goods

3. Where can you search for the information to send invitations to your daughters classmates？

A. At Birthdays. B. At Christmas.

C. At Advent Calendars. D. At Christmas stocking fillers.

4. You will fail to find any information at Christmas when you need ___ .

A. Christmas cards B. fun Advent Calendars C. Christmas gifts D. tickets for theatres

17

Todays children are the “result” of the modern society. Our parents have jobs that keep them busy almost all day long. They only have a free day in a week. This doesnt allow them to keep an eye on their children.

On the other hand， the modern society gives more freedom to the children than they could “handle”. As a child， you dont know how to grow up by yourself until you reach a certain age. That is why you need school and parents to be by your side all the time. If you dont have either of them you may make a lot of mistakes. The social system of the modern society is very lenient especially with the children.

Most of the children today are rebels. They are rude. They are given too much freedom by their families. This is their parents mistake. They ought to know that the freedom they give to their children is misunderstood.

For example， it is a bad thing for a 17-year-old child to go out in the evening on weekends. Parents are also guilty of the way their children show up in the street or at school. The same guilt belongs to the teaching system as well. Pupils shouldnt be allowed to dress like they were on a fashion presentation at school.

Another important fact we can think of regarding the freedom of children is their free will of spending money. Parents shouldnt allow their children to spend money on whatever they want.

I think children are given too much freedom not only by their parents， but also by the society. The latter is more to be blamed！

1. We can infer from the passage that parents busy lifestyle ___ .

A. is harmful to their childrens health B. is likely to create a troubled generation

C. makes their children become independent D. may lead to a tense parent-child relationship

2. What does the underlined word “lenient” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A. Not responsible. B. Not strict. C. Unkind. D. Unfair.

3. It seems that the writer agrees that students ___ .

A. should have a sense of financial security B. should stay at home on weekends

C. had better wear school uniform at school D. can be allowed to go out in the evenings

4. According to the writer， which of the following should be responsible for childrens problems？

A. The social environment. B. The educational system.

C. Each family. D. The school.

18

Scientists have not found any signs of life on Mars yet， but they say a robotic vehicle called “Curiosity” is helping them learn a lot about the planets history and climate.

Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012 after travelling through space for more than eight months. It was sent to Mars by scientists from NASA in the United States.

Curiosity is about the size of a car and has six wheels. It also has a robotic arm， cameras， and instruments that allow it to examine things it finds on the surface. Then it sends the information back to the earth.

Curiositys main task is to find out if anything could live on Mars， either now or in the past. On Nov. 2， NASA scientists held a press conference （新闻发布会） to discuss what Curiosity had found in its first two months on Mars.

Curiosity has found soil that is similar to the sand formed by volcanoes on the earth. Scientists say that studying the minerals in Martian soil will help them understand what conditions were like on the planet in the past. Curiosity also found smooth stones like the ones found on river beds and seashores on the earth， where their rough edges have been worn down by water. Mars is very cold and dry now， but scientists say the smooth stones tell them that a river used to run through the place where they were found.

Curiosity has been testing the atmosphere around Mars for a type of gas called methane （甲烷）， but so far it has not found any. On the earth， most methane is produced by plants or animals. Methane on Mars might indicate that some type of tiny plants or animals lived there.

Curiosity is the fourth robotic vehicle to be sent to Mars. It will continue to explore the planet for about two years.

1. Which of the following descriptions about Curiosity is TRUE？

A. It landed on Mars in January 2012. B. It is small in size and has four arms.

C. It took over eight months to arrive in Mars. D. It was sent to Mars by scientists from Russia.

2. According to the information sent back by Curiosity， scientists believe that ___ .

A. theres no air on Mars B. Mars is warm and wet now

C. the soil on Mars is rich D. there used to be water on Mars

3. The underlined word “they” in Paragraph 5 refers to “ ___ ”.

A. smooth stones B. robotic vehicles C. rivers D. volcanoes

4. What does the passage mainly tell us？

A. Humans benefit a lot by going to Mars.

B. Scientists will stop the research on Mars two years later.

C. It is possible to build an environment like earth on Mars.

D. A robotic vehicle helps scientists get useful information from Mars.

19

People use their mouths for many things. They eat， talk， shout and sing. They smile and they kiss. In the English language， there are many expressions using the word “mouth”.

For example， if you say bad things about a person， the person might protest （抗议） and say “Do not bad mouth me.” Sometimes， people say something to a friend or family member that they later regret because it hurts that person. Or they tell the person something they were not supposed to tell. The speaker might say： “I really put my foot in my mouth this time.” If this should happen， the speaker might feel down in the mouth. In other words， he might feel sad for saying the wrong thing.

Another situation is when someone falsely claims another person said something. The other person might protest： “I did not say that. Do not put words in my mouth.”

Some people have lots of money because they were born into a very rich family. There is an expression for this， too. You might say such a person， “was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.” This rich person is the opposite of a person who “lives from hand to mouth”. This person is very poor and only has enough money for the most important things in life， like food.

Parents might sometimes keep a child off sweet food as a form of punishment for saying bad things. For example， if a child says things she should not say to her parents， she might be described as a mouthy child. The parents might even tell the child to stop mouthing off.

But enough of all this talk. I have been running my mouth long enough.

1. A person may probably say “do not bad mouth me” when ___ .

A. he feels down B. he is regretful

C. he is spoken ill of D. he gets angry

2. What will the person say if he feels sorry for what he has said？

A. Stop mouthing off. B. I really put my foot in my mouth.

C. Do not put words in my mouth. D. I am born with a silver spoon in my mouth.

3. If a person lives from hand to mouth， it implies that ___ .

A. he is badly-off B. he is hard-working

C. he has lots of money D. he has enough to eat

4. By saying “I have been running my mouth long enough”， the speaker means “ ___ ”.

A. I have run a long way B. I have talked too much

C. I have learned a lot D. I have been a mouthy person

20

The forces that make Japan one of the worlds most earthquake ?prone （有……倾向的） countries could become part of its long-term energy solution.

Water from deep below the ground at Japans tens of thousands of hot springs could be used to produce electricity. Although Japanese high-tech companies are leaders in geothermal （地热的） technology and export it， its use is limited in the nation.

“Japan should no doubt make use of its resources of geothermal energy，” said Yoshiyasu Takefuji， a leading researcher of thermal electric （热电） power production.

The disastrous earthquake and tsunami on March 11， 2011 caused a reaction against atomic （原子的） power， which previously made up 30 per cent of Japans energy needs， and increased interest in alternative energies， which account for only 8 percent.

Artist Yoko Ono has called on Japan to explore its natural energy， following the example of Iceland which uses renewable energy for more than 80 percent of its needs.

For now， geothermal energy makes up less than 1 percent of the energy needs in Japan， which has for decades relied heavily on fossil fuels and atomic power.

The biggest problem to geothermal energy is the high initial cost of the exploration and constructing the factories.Another problem is that Japans potentially best sites are already being developed for tourism or are located within national parks where construction is forbidden.

“We cant even dig 10cm inside national parks，” said Shigeto Yamada of Fuji Electric， adding that regulations protecting nature would need to be relaxed for geothermal energy to grow.

Researcher Hideaki Matsui said， “Producing electricity using hot springs is a decades-long project.We also have to think about what to do for now as energy supplies will decline in the short term.”

The Earth Policy Institute in Washington， the US， believed Japan could produce 80，000 megawatts （百万瓦特） and meet more than half its electricity needs with geothermal technology.

Japanese giants such as Toshiba are already global leaders in geothermal technology， with a 70 percent market share. In 2010， Fuji Electric built the worlds largest geothermal factory in New Zealand.

1. According to Shigeto Yamada， the growth of geothermal power in Japan needs ___ .

A. a change of rules B. financial support C. local peoples help D. high technology

2. What percentage of Japans energy needs is geothermal energy？

A. About 8%. B. Below 1%. C. Around 30%. D. Over 80%.

3. Geothermal energy is considered as a long-term programme by ___ .

A. Yoshiyasu Takefuji B. Hideaki Matsui C. Shigeto Yamada D. Yoko Ono

4. It can be learned from the last two paragraphs that ___ .

A. the worlds biggest geothermal plant was built by America

B. the potential of Japans geothermal energy is great

C. Japan will not export its geothermal technology

D. it is hard to find geothermal energy in Japan

21

Homestay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.

What to Expect

The host will provide accommodation and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.

Accommodation Zones

Homestays are located in London mainly in Zones 2， 3 and 4 of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential （居住的）. Zones 3 and 4 often offer larger accommodation in a less crowded area. It is very convenient to travel in London by underground.

Meal Plans Available

◇ Continental Breakfast

◇ Breakfast and Dinner

◇ Breakfast， Packed Lunch and Dinner

Its important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice， cereal （谷物类食品）， bread and tea or coffee. Cheese， fruit and cold meat are not normally part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by dessert， fruit and coffee.

Friends

If you wish to invite a friend over to visit， you must first ask your hosts permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.

Self-catering Accommodation in Private Homes

Accommodation on a room-only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long-stay student. However， it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary homestay and may not benefit those who need to practise English at home quite as much.

1. Which of the following will the host provide？

A. Room cleaning. B. Medical care. C. Free transport. D. Physical training.

2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 3？

A. Zone 4 is more crowded than Zone 2. B. The business centre of London may be in Zone 1.

C. Hosts dislike travelling to the city centre. D. Zone 2 is more crowded than Zone 4.

3. According to the passage， what does Continental Breakfast include？

A. Dessert and coffee. B. Fruit and vegetables.

C. Bread and fruit juice. D. Cereal and cold meat.

4. Why do some people choose self-catering accommodation？

A. To experience a warmer family atmosphere. B. To enrich their knowledge of English.

C. To entertain friends as they like. D. To enjoy much more freedom.

22

As you grow older， youll be faced with some challenging decisions — like whether to cut class or try cigarettes. Making decisions on your own is hard enough， but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are at your age， like your classmates， are called peers. When they try to influence how you act， to get you to do something， its called peer pressure.

Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book， and now everyones reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.

Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example， a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them； your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.

It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure， but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.

Youve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely”. Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who dont cut class， smoke cigarettes， or lie to their parents， then you probably wont do these things either， even if other kids do.

If you continue to face peer pressure and youre finding it difficult to handle， talk to someone you trust. Dont feel guilty if youve made a mistake or two.

1. For whom is the passage most probably written？

A. Students. B. Parents. C. Teachers. D. Doctors.

2. In the last three paragraphs， the author mainly ___ .

A. gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure B. explains why friendship is so important

C. shows how to make more good friends D. discusses how peers influence us

3. Which of following may help handle peer pressure？

A. Spending more time with classmates. B. Choosing friends with no bad habits.

C. Helping others who are in trouble. D. Taking up more relaxing hobbies.

4. What can be inferred from the passage？

A. Peer pressure is only for students.

B. Peer pressure makes it harder to make decisions on your own.

C. Its impossible to be influenced by peer pressure.

D. Peer pressure always bring about bad results.

23

Online clothes shoppers will be told exactly what size is best for them using new software which combines with their web camera or smart phone to form a “3D tape measure”.

Scientists from Surrey University and design experts from the London College of Fashion are developing a program which can take precise （精确的） waist， hip， chest and other measurements from camera images.

Using the persons height as a starting point， the software will be able to build up a 3D image and estimate their size at various different points on the body， based on their overall proportions.

The result will be a more accurate sizing guide than previous systems based on waist size or a “small /medium /large” scale， which rely on limited measurements and the buyers perception of their own body size.

Shoppers and retailers （零售商） who choose to sign up for the project could save millions of pounds a year in postage costs by removing the need to order multiple sizes of the same garment and send back ill-fitting clothes， researchers claimed.

The project， sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council （EPSRC）， is expected to be brought to market within two years.

After choosing an item， the shopper will activate （激活） the software， enter their height， stand in front of their webcam or smart phone in their underwear and take a photograph.

The software will not store or transmit the image to the Internet， but will use it to judge the persons dimensions at various points on their body.

Philip Delamore of the London College of Fashion said， “The potential benefits for the fashion industry and for shoppers are huge. Currently， its common for online shoppers to order two or three different sizes of the same item of clothing at the same time， as theyre unsure which one will fit best.”

1. What is the essential part of a 3D tape measure？

A. A software. B. A webcam. C. A microphone. D. A smart phone.

2. What can we learn about the 3D tape measure？

A. It will store or transmit the image to the Internet. B. It is based on the buyers sense of their size.

C. It will be a co-working production. D. It uses a persons weight as a starting point.

3. How can the 3D tape measure benefit online shoppers？

A. Online shoppers will get their garment in time. B. Online shoppers will get their garment more quickly.

C. Online shoppers will get an garment of high quality. D. Online shoppers will get a garment to their measure.

4. What is the right order for a shopper to form a 3D tape measure？

① to take a photo with a webcam ② to activate the software

③ to enter his / her height ④ to judge his / her size by analysing his / her image

A. ①②③④ B. ②①③④ C. ②③①④ D. ②③④①

24

A Book Review—The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty

The setting： Urban England （the cities）， but also rural England （the countryside） including remote English villages.

The theme： The main theme is a teenage research of self-discovery， in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age. Its other concerns are love， getting on with others， being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts， troubles and worries. As the book moves to a close， James swimming coach says to him： “You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more. You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going.”

The characters： James is the hero of the story. He is a championship diver， and has a comfortable life with his foster parents （养父母）. Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother. The other characters in The Snake-Stone， James parents， his diving instructor， best friend， the villagers， people he meets on his journey， are pictured realistically.

The turning point： The turning point in the story comes while James foster parents are away in London， and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother. The only clue he has is a fossil， “the snake stone” which she left behind along with a note on which she had written： “Take good care of Sammie. It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there.

The journey： Instead of going to London， James decides to find his birth mother. With help from his geography teacher， James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found. James has painful， challenging， but also humorous and happy travels. The mother he finally meets， Anne， has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel. He comes to understand why she left him at a strangers door fifteen years before. Although the meeting is not long， it leaves him with a feeling of completeness. As a journey of self-discovery The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says， on returning to his foster parents， “I was home.”

1. What do the coachs words in Paragraph 2 suggest？

A. James is a successful diver. B. James is a hopeful swimmer.

C. James is an outgoing young man. D. James is an independent young man.

2. The snake stone in the novel is ___ .

A. a stone with an address on it B. a clue left by the birth mother

C. a gift from the swimming coach D. a fossil left by the foster parents

3. Which of the following is TRUE about the novel？

A. The story has a sad ending.

B. The characters are vividly described.

C. The story takes place in the city of London.

D. The turning point comes after the hero meets his birth mother.

4. It can be concluded that James journey is ___ .

A. worthwhile B. boring C. comfortable D. disappointing