What is colour? Why do some of the things around us look red, some green, others blue?

　Colours are really made by reflected(反射)light. We see colour because most of the things reflect light. Something is red, for it reflects most of the red light. In the same way, if something is green, it reflects most of the green light. If something reflects all light, it is white. If it doesn‘t reflect any light, it is black.

　Some of the light is reflected and some is taken in(吸收)and turned into(變成)heat(熱能).The darker the colour is, the less light is reflected, the more light is taken in. So dark-coloured(深色的)clothes are warmer in the sun than light-coloured clothes.

1.When something reflects light, we can_______.

A．see its colour      B．see its heat        C．not see its colour    D．see nothing

2.In summer _____make people feel cool.

A．dark-clolured clothes                    B．red-coloured clothes

C．green-coloured clothes                   D．light-coloured clothes

3.(Originally created) Why does the author use a question at the beginning of this passage?

A．The author doesn’t has a knowledge of colour.

B．The author shows off his knowledge of colour.

C．To ask the readers to answer this question.

D．To draw the readers’ interest in reading this passage.

4.(Originally created) In which of the following you can find this passage?

A. A travel book                  B.A history book

C. A popular science magazine      C, An entertainment newspaper.

5.What’s the best title(題目)of this passage(短文)?

A．Dark colour        B．Colour            C．Heat             D．Clothes

When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your grudge. But forgiveness is possible and it can be surprisingly helpful to your physical and mental health. Indeed, research has shown that people who forgive report more energy, better appetite （胃口） and better sleep patterns. "People who forgive show less anger and more hopefulness," says Dr. Frederic Luskin, who wrote the book Forgive for Good. “So it can help save on the wear and tear, and allow people to feel more energetic."

So when someone has hurt you, calm yourself first. Take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, someone you love. Don’t wait for an apology. "Many times the person who hurt you may never think of apologizing," says Dr. Luskin. "They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don't see things the same way. So if you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting a very long time.” Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean accepting the action of the person who upset you. Mentally going over your hurt gives power to the person who brought you pain. Instead, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Finally, try to see things from the other person' s perspective. You may realize that he or she was acting out of ignorance(無知), fear even love. To gain perspective, you may want to write a letter to yourself from that person’s point of view.

1.The word “grudge” in the first paragraph most probably means _________.

A．understanding      B．forgiveness        C．anger            D．pity

2.What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?

A．Forgiveness keeps yourself from being hurt.   B．Forgiveness helps stay mentally healthy.

C．Forgiving others does good to your health.    D．Forgiving yourself is the biggest challenge.

3.According to the writer, what is the best way to calm down after being hurt?

A．Try to figure out why you get hurt.

B．Writer a letter to person who hurt you.

C．Persuade yourself to accept what others have done to you.

D．Think about pleasant things and forget about the hurt.

4.Dr. Luskin advises us not to wait for an apology after being hurt because ______.

A．people seldom want to apologize           B．we’d feel worse accepting others' apology

C．we are not patient enough                D．people don’t mean it when they apologize

On the evening of June 21, 1992, a tall man with brown hair and blue eyes entered the beautiful hall of the Bell Tower Hotel in Xi’an with his bicycle. The hotel workers received him and telephoned the manager, for they had never seen a bicycle in the hotel ball before though they lived in “the kingdom of bicycles.”

    Robert Friedlander, an American, arrived in Xi’an on his bicycle trip across Asia which started last December in New Delhi, India.

    When he was 11, he read the book Ma-rco Polo and made up his mind to visit the Silk Road. Now, after 44 years , he was on the Silk Road in Xi’an and his early dreams were coming true.

    Robert Friedlander’s next destinations (目的地) were Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Urumqi, etc. He will complete his trip in Pakistan.

1.The best headline(標題) for this newspaper article would be      .

A. The Kingdom of Bicycles            B. A Beautiful Hotel in Xi’an

C. Marco Polo and the Silk Road         D. An American Achieving His Aims

2.The hotel workers told the manager about Friedlander coming to the hotel because

A. he asked to see the manager

B. he entered the hall with a bike

C. the manager had to know about all foreign guests

D. the manager knew about his trip and was expecting him

3.Friedlander is visiting the three countries in the following order,        .

A. China, Pakistan, and India               B. Pakistan, China, and India

C. India, China, and Pakistan            D. China, India, and Pakistan

4.What made Friedlander want to come to China?

A. The stories about Marco Polo .     B. The famous sights in Xi’an .

C. His interest in Chinese silk.                D. His childhood dreams about bicycles .

5.Friedlander can be said to be       .

A. determined        B. friendly                C. hardworking     D. open-minded

Reading is very important to help you learn English. To learn as much as you can from reading, you need to read different kinds of English. This book provides not only different kinds of English but also a good way to check your reading ability.

There are four parts in the book :

Part 1 is Messages : In this part somebody wants to send information in writing to somebody else. There is a test on timetables and a test on text messages .

Part 2 is People : In this part all the tests are about people . For example, there is an informal letter between friends . There is formal (正式的) English in biography (傳記) . There is a job application as a model to help with your writing, as well as testing your reading .

Part 3 is Places : In this part , too many different kinds of English are shown , some informal and some formal . There is the informal English of a holiday postcard . There is also the formal English in a letter of complaint .

Part 4 is Things : You will find some descriptive writing in this part . There are descriptions of clothes and of a computer .

You can do these tests in any order you like , or you can do all the tests with a formal or informal text .

I enjoyed writing this book and I hope you enjoy using it .

1.We can find the introduction to a product in        .

A．Part 1            B．Part 2            C．Part 3            D．Part 4

2.Which of the following is most probably written in informal English ?

A．A letter of complaint .                    B．A computer handbook .

C．A letter to a friend .                      D．A story of a president .

3.The passage is most probably written for        .

A．test designers                          B．students

C．test-takers                             D．teachers

4.What is the best title of the book ?

A．Test Your Reading

B．Help with Your Writing

C．Learn Different Kinds of English

D．Practise English in Different Ways

Hi Hongbo,

I’m so glad to read about the changes talking place in your city. It’s really good news that you can travel by subway in Xi’an, though there’s only one line there. Here in London we have twelve lines. By the way, we don’t use the word “subway” here. It’s American English. We call it “the Underground”, instead.

The London Underground is very famous. It’s famous for several reasons. First of all, part of the underground railway today is the oldest in the world, which opened in 1863. Secondly, the London Underground is also the first line to have electric trains, in 1890. Thirdly but not the last, the London Underground is the second largest metro system in the world, after the Shanghai Metro. There are 270 stations in the Underground and it has 402 kilometres of tracks(軌道). What’s more, the city of London itself helps make the transportation system famous! I’ve got a few photos to help you build a clear picture of the Underground in my city. They are together with this mail.

In your email, you also said workers were building more lines. I’m sure your city is developing fast. Maybe you can send me a few photos of your city today. I really want to see the changes taking place there. I’m happy for you to live there in an ancient city with such a new look!

So much for now. I’ll write soon again. Best wishes!

1.Where is the writer from？

A．From London      B．From Shanghai      C．From Xi’an.       D．From New York

2.The second paragraph mainly tells us        ?

A．when the first subway was opened in the world.

B．when the London Underground first used electric trains

C．why the London Underground is the oldest subway in the world.

D．why the London Underground is famous in the world

3.In the email, the words “subway”, “underground”, and “metro” mean   .

A．three different things                    B．two different things

C．almost the same thing                    D．nothing like each other

4.What does the writer want Hongbo to do?

A．To buy a good book about Xi’an for him.

B．To send him a few photos of Xi’an.

C．To post him some postcards of Xi’an.

D．To tell him more about Xi’an subway.

We were on the way from Hutchinson to Chicago for a short spring break. For many years I had wanted to take my family on the train. We all had been to Chicago four years ago, and the kids loved it. Chicago is one of my favorite cities, too, so the thought struck me again last fall to ride the train to Chicago. Of course, flying would have been faster. But I don’t think flying is easier, especially these days, with all the security and waiting in lines at airports.

Though we were tired in the middle of the night, the kids got on the train with the exhilaration of this adventure. “We’re moving,” my son William shouted happily with big eyes as the train began to pull away from the Hutchinson station.

I removed my shoes and lay down to try to finish my night’s sleep. The sleeper car would have better enabled that, but the ordinary train seats were not too bad. An airline flight is a more miserable experience for me: not enough room, two hours of pain with my knees almost touching my chin, the hard seatback in front cracking my kneecaps (膝蓋) with every move of the body planted in front of me. On the train I could almost outstretch all of my 6-foot-2-plus body in the generous legroom.

The journey didn’t feel at all as long as it was. We all found the train ride a joy. The car ride would have felt every minute of 13 hours. But on the train you are free to walk around, sit in the observation carriage for a while and enjoy the scenery out the windows, have a nice meal in the dining car, read a book, or play a board game.

In short, the train is all about enjoying the trip, which isn’t something I do so much when traveling by airline or by car, when the trip seems more of a mission (任務) to get there than an experience to enjoy along the way.

Chicago offers much to do for a family. This time, getting there was half the fun.

1.We can learn from the first paragraph that _____.

A．the kids love the train journey

B．Chicago is one of the kid’s favorite cities

C．the author didn’t enjoy the long train journey

D．it was the first time that the kids were taken on the train

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

A．Excitement.        B．Relaxation.         C．Tiredness.         D．Worry.

3.In the third paragraph, an airline flight experience is mentioned to show _____.

A．an airline flight is easier                  B．a train ride is too long

C．an airline flight is miserable                D．a train ride is more comfortable

4.Which of the following words best describes the whole family’s feeling about the train journey?

A．Moved.           B．Delighted.         C．Disappointed.      D．Nervous.

閱讀下列應用文及相關信息，并按照要求匹配信息。請在答題卡上將對應題號的相應選項字母涂黑。

首先請閱讀相關書籍的信息。

A. The Wild Girl (Hardcover)   by Chris Wormell

List price: $17.00         Price now: $13.2     You save: $3.8 (22%)

    In the great wide wilderness(荒野), a little girl and her dog live alone in a cave high up on the mountainside. They are happy surviving on their own, until one day in the bitter cold of winter, they see bear tracks in the snow that lead right up to their cave ...

         Charming illustrations bring life to this sweet story of courage and compassion (同情), written and illustrated by award-winning author and illustrator Chris Wormell.

B. Ocean (Hardcover) by Fabien Cousteau

List price: $50.00               Price now: $31.50              You save: $18.50 (37%)

         As the site where life first formed on Earth, a key element (因素) of the climate, and a continuing but fragile resource, oceans are of great importance to our planet. From the geological (地質的) and physical processes that affect the ocean floor to the key habitat zones, this is the definitive reference to the world’s oceans for the entire family. Includes the latest developments in ocean exploration and photographs.

C. The Best 361 Colleges (Paperback) by Princeton Review

List price: $21.95               Price now: $14.93              You save: $7.02 (32%)

         College students (more than 115,000 of them) reveal (透漏) what life is really like at the nation’s top schools. This must-have guide gives you college rankings and covers all the essentials — from academics to social life to financial aid, and everything in between. We also provide you with all the basics: admissions criteria, deadlines, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and more.

D. Animals (Paperback)

List price: $24.95               Price now: $16.47              You save: $8.48 (34%)

         Get ready to take a walk on the wild side! National Geographic Children’s Books brand-new reference work provides families and children with everything they need to know about the animal kingdom. You’ll meet more than 1,000 animals. It introduces the entire animal kingdom: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish.

E. Mommy? (Hardcover)

List price: $24.95               Price now: $14.97              You save: $9.98 (40%)

         The story line is very simple: a young child looks for his Mommy, meeting various monsters (怪物) along the way and defeating them in creative ways. There are only a few written words in the book. But the story that the picture tells is wonderful. And there’s a ton of detail in the pictures as well. My girls like to spend several minutes looking at each page spread.

F. Dooby Dooby Moo (Hardcover) by Doreen Cronin

List price: $24.95               Price now: $14.97              You save: $9.98 (40%)

         I didn’t think life got any better than Click Clack Moo, but Dooby Dooby Moo tops it. I love it! Dooby Dooby Moo is one of those rare books that hold enjoyment for kids and adults alike. Kids like the story of the talent show and each animal’s attempts to win, while parents get to laugh their heads off at the pig’s interpretive (解釋的) dance. It’s a great read-aloud book because the adult can sing along and kids love that part.

請閱讀以下購書者的信息，然后匹配購書者和他 / 她想要購買的書的書名：

1.Jack has just graduated from a high school and now he wants to find a college suitable for him to study in. He wants to know many things about the colleges, such as, the admission fees, the majors and their locations.

2.Margaret is only 8 years old but she is an animal lover. She always finds chances to look for some books about animals, especially fish in the ocean, to get more information. Sometimes, she will go to the book store for several times a day to wait for the coming books.

3.Alice is now a college student. She studies languages, so in her spare time, she often reads some books and her special interest is to read books about ocean exploration. Therefore, if there is one about ocean, she won’t miss it.

4.Peter is now in the book store looking for a book that is suitable for both his 5-year-old son and himself. By reading the book, they can not only enjoy themselves but also learn many other things.

5.Lynne is only four years old and she knows only a few words, but she can understand the story very well through the pictures in the books. Although she is very young, she likes stories about monsters very much.

People have always been dreaming of going to the moon. As long as the year 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book vividly describing a trip to the moon. On landing there, the explorers discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. Words failed to express their surprise when they spotted so many “moon people”. The “moon people” felt even more surprised. “Why,” they asked, “are you traveling to outer space when you don’t even use your inner space?”

H. G. Wells could only imagine a travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings really left their footsteps on the moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the “moon people” asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.

Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The “Channel”, a tunnel connecting England and France, is now complete.

But what about underground cities? Japan’s Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called “Alice Cities”. The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome (太陽能穹頂) would cover the whole city.

Supporters of underground development argue that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth’s space. The space, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens, and wilderness. H. G. Wells’ “moon people” would second it. Would you?

1.The explorers in H. G. Well’s story were surprised to find that the “moon people”     .

A. knew so much about the earth

B. understood their language

C. lived in underground cities  

D. were advanced in technology

2.What does the underlined word “it” (paragraph 2) refer to?

A. Discovering the moon’s inner space

B. Using the earth’s inner space

C. Meeting the “moon people” again

D. Traveling to outer space

3.What sort of underground systems are already in place?

A. Offices, shopping areas, power stations.

B. Tunnels, car parks, shopping areas.

C. Gardens, car parks, power stations.

D. Tunnels, gardens, offices.

4. We can learn from the text that     .

A. H. G. Wells once went to moon himself.

B. Underground cities are more comfortable.

C. The solar dome is a necessary part of underground cities.

D. More underground systems will be in place in 2013.

5.What would be the best title of the text?

A. Alice Cities — cities of the future

B. Space travel with H. G. Wells

C. Enjoy living underground

D. Building down, not up

GAOMI,  Shandong,  Oct．11（ Xinhua）—Chinese writer Mo Yan said last Thursday that he was "very surprised" at winning the Nobel Literature Prize．

Speaking  to reporters at a hotel in his hometown Gaomi city in east China's Shandong Province, Mo said, " （I was）very surprised upon winning the prize because I felt I was not very senior in terms of qualification （ among Chinese writers）．There are many good writers and my ranking was not so high．"

"I am very happy," he saiD."I was having dinner when I received the news．I was surprised．”

"Thank you for coming all the way to Gaomi．This should be a season of red sorghum, but no such crop is planted any more．  I believe none of you have seen the crop," he said．

"The Nobel Literature Prize is a very important literature prize, but not the top awarD.It represents the opinions of the jury（評審團 ）．I am satisfied with my major works and I still keep writing by hand．My works are Chinese literature, which is part of world literature．They show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs．Meanwhile, my novels described human beings in the broad sense．I wrote in the perspective of a human being．These works stand beyond regions and ethnic groups," he said．

"The folk arts and folk culture accompanied my growth and I was influenced by the cultural elements I witnessed through my childhood．When I picked up the pen for literature creation, the folk cultural elements inevitably entered my novels and affected and even determined the artistic styles of my works," he added．

Mo's win brought joy to other writers and readers throughout the country as he is the first Chinese national to win the Nobel Literature Prize in its century-long history．

 Born into a farmer's family in a village in Gaomi, Mo has been known since the late 1980s for his novels such as Big Breasts and Wide Hips and Red Sorghum（紅高粱）, which was later adapted into a film by director Zhang Yimou．

1.Mo Yan was surprised at winning the Nobel Prize because he felt________ .

A.he was not as famous as other writers

B.he was not the best writer in China

C.he was born in a farmer's family

D.he didn't have good education

2.According to Mo Yan,              .

A．red sorghum should be planted in his hometown

B．the Nobel Prize represents the opinions of the public

C．he still keeps the habit of writing by hand

D．his novels described human beings of all regions

3.By reading Mo Yan's works, we can                .

A.increase our sense of national pride

B.learn a lot about the Chinese folk culture

C.form a vivid picture of his childhood

D.learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize

4.Which of the following words can best describe Mo Yan?

 A．modest      B．self--confident   C．humorous   D.romantic

5.Where might you find the article?

A．In a novel．                    B.In a travel book

C．In a newspaper．   D.In a student book

About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son. After getting settled finally in Brunswick, New Jersey, I enrolled(注冊) my son in kindergarten. Several weeks later, my son’s teacher asked me to meet him at his office.

In the teacher’s office, and exchange of greetings was followed by his questions: “ Is your son mentally retarded(弱智的)? Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?”

Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? No, no, it can’t be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy, instead. I asked him why he was asking me all these questions.

My son could not follow the teacher’s directions, he told me, and thus, Scola was disrupting the class. Didn’t he know my son did not speak English yet?

He was angry: “ Why hasn’t your son been taught to speak English? Don’t you speak English at home?”

No, I didn’t speak English at home, I replied. I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn’t want him to forget his native language. Well, wrong answer! What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all times? “ Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and sent them back to their country, never wanting to be a part of this society?”

Needless to say, I tried to tell him I was not one of “ those people.” Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left.

As I had expected, my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a job, earning close to six figures. He travels widely and leads a well-adjusted, contented life. And he has benefited from being bilingual(雙語的)。

Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places- something very basic and obviously lacking in the “educator” I met in New Jersey.

1.The teacher asked the author to his office________.

A．to work out a study plan for Scola

B．to get Scola enrolled in kindergarten

C．to discuss Scola’s in-class performance

D．to find a language partner for Scola

2.What does the underlined word “disrupting” in Paragraph 4 probably  mean?

A．Attending         B．Disturbing         C．Breaking          D．Following

3.The author’s attitude towards being bilingual may best be described as __________.

A．positive           B．critical            C．casual            D．passive

4.This text is likely to be selected from a book of __________.

A．geography         B．medicine          C．history            D．education

Ladji Doucoure of France beat Olympic champion Liu Xiang of China in the final meters to claim the title of the men’s 110 meters hurdles at the 10^th world championships in Helsinki on Friday.

Doucoure, who led the world this season with 12.97 seconds, over took the Chinese to win the race in 13.07 seconds. Liu was second in 13.08. Four-time world champion Allen Johnson of the United States took the third in 13.10.

The 22-year-old Doucoure said after the race, “ I can not tell you just how long I have been dreaming of this. This victory is the result of a lot of hard work, and also a lot of support from people who have believed in me. I had a bad start, touched a few hurdles, but after the 4^th hurdle I picked up my race and went straight to the finish line.”

Liu, who won the Olympic gold with a world record-tying time of 12.91 seconds, said, “I’m very satisfied with the second place. The result could have been worse. I felt quite well and did my best. I’ m not tired, I had some clearance problems at the start, so I should practice that some mor. Finally, I didn’t lose by much, only by a little bit, but I did think I could win it.”

Liu’s coach, Sun Haiping said on Friday he was content with Liu’s performance.

“ Liu Xiang was quite good during his reaction period, but he was a little bit slow in the middle and he finally caught up during the last two hurdles,” Sun told Xinhua.

Although satisfied with the silver medal and the clocking of 13.08 seconds, Sun said Liu might have added the world title to the Olympic championship if Liu had run the track neighboring his major rivals(對手) of Doucoure Ladji or Allen Johnson.

“ If he had run next to Ladji Doucoure or Allen Johnson, Liu could have kept pace with them and then sprinted(疾跑) at the last stage. In this case, he could grab the gold,” said Sun, who had become a household name for coaching China’s first men’s Olympic champion in the track.

1.This passage probably appears_________.

A．in a story book                         B．in a text book

C．in a newspaper                         D．in a fashion magazine

2.The following statements about Doucoure are true EXCEPT_______.

A．He won the gold medal in the men’s 110m hurdles in Helsinki.

B．He led the world in the men’s 110m hurdles with 12.97 seconds this season.

C．He did a lot of hard practice before the race in Helsinki.

D．He won the world champion title four times.

3.Which of the following can be used to replace the underlined phrase“picked up my race”in Paragraph 3?

A．gathered speed                        B．stood up

C．make up my mind                       D．became better in health

4.According to Sun Haiping, Liu Xiang might have won the gold if ______.

A．he had done better during his reaction period

B．he had run the track next to Ladji Doucoure of Allen Johnson

C．he had practiced clearance more before that race

D．he hadn’t touched a few hurdles in the race

Florence Nightingale（南丁格爾） was born in a rich family. When she was young she took lessons in music and drawing, and read great books. She also traveled a great deal with her mother and father. 

As a child she felt that visiting sick people was both a duty and a pleasure. She enjoyed helping them. 

At last mind was made up. “I’m going to be a nurse,” she decided. 

“Nursing isn’t the right work for a lady,” her father told her. 

“Then I will make it so, “she smiled. And she went to learn nursing in Germany and France. When she returned to England, Florence started a nursing home for home. During the Crimean War in 1854 she went with a group of thirty eight nurses to the front hospitals. What they saw there was terrible. Dirt and death were everywhere to be seen — and smelled. The officer there did not want any woman to tell him how to run a hospital, either. But the brave nurse went to work. 

Florence used her own money and some from friends to buy clothes, beds, medicine and food for the men. Her only pay was in smiles from the lips of dying soldiers. But they were more than enough for this kind woman. 

After she returned to England, she was honored for her services by Queen Victoria. But Florence said that her work had just begun. She raised money to build the Nightingale Home for Nurses in London. She also wrote a book on public health, which was printed in several countries. 

Florence Nightingale died at the age of ninety, still trying to serve others through her work as a nurse. Indeed, it is because of her that we honor nurses today. 

1.When she was a child, Florence ____ .

A．loved to travel very much

B．knew what her duty in life was

C．loved to help the sick people

D．was most interested in music and drawing

2.What made Florence make up her mind to become a nurse？

A．Her father’s support.

B．Her desire to help the sick.

C．Her education in Germany and France.

D．Her knowledge from reading great books.

3.During the Crimean War in 1854, Florence served in the front hospital where ____ .

A．she earned a little money

B．work was very difficult

C．few soldiers died because of her work

D．she didn’t have enough food or clothes

4.Why was Florence honored by Queen Victoria？

A．She built the Nightingale Home for Nurses.

B．She wrote a book on public health.

C．She worked as a nurse all her life.

D．She did a great deal of work during the Crimean War.

5.The passage can best be described as ____ . 

A．the life story of a famous woman            B．a description of the nursing work

C．an example of successful education         D．the history of nursing in England

Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?

Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbooks (平裝本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.

Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全書), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbook, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.

1.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A．TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge.

B．cinemas are the best choice in getting information.

C．reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun.

D．newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself.

2.What does the sentences “Television has not killed reading, however ” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?

A．People only need reading, though.

B．Reading is still necessary today.

C．Reading is more fun than television.

D．Watching television doesn’t help reading.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A．Fewer and fewer people will buy books.

B．A good dictionary should be kept in every home.

C．Books with hard covers sell better than paperbooks.

D．More people like TV programs about famous men.

“No man is an island” is a well-known line from John Donne’s Devotion. It was written more than three hundred years ago. Even now people still agree with him. No one can live a completely lonely life. Without other people, life will become empty and sad. We all need to have friends.

For some of us, although making friends is not difficult, feeling shy, we may not want to make the first move. It is also difficult at times to keep the friends we already have.

There are many books about friendship, but Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, written in 1936, is the most famous. This “how to” book about getting along with other people became a best seller. It was later put into 28 languages.

Dale Carnegie’s advice seems to be simple, but can his advice help you? Do you need to change the way you act? Here is the list of advice from his book:

Be friendly and polite.

Always greet with a smile. Begin with “Excuse me” or “Would you please” when you want to ask somebody. Remember to say “Thank you” and try to be as helpful as you can.

Go out of your way to be nice.

Find some time to do special things for other people. Making some soup for a sick neighbour may seem like a little thing to you, but it will make your neighbor feel a lot better.

Remember names.

They say that the sweetest music to a person’s ears is the sound of his or her own name.

Be open-minded.

Try to understand other people’s ways and ideas and learn something from them.

Listen patiently.

When someone is talking to you, look at him or her, listen carefully and say something when necessary.

1.The underlined sentence “No one can live a completely lonely life.” means “_____”.

A．No one can live a hard life.                B．No one can live without difficulty.

C．No one can live alone.                    D．No one can live on an island.

2.The best title for the passage should be _______________.

A．How to Make Friends                    B．A Famous Book

C．Friendship First                         D．John Donne and Dale Carnegie

3.Some of us find it not easy to make friends because _____________.

A．we are afraid of making bad friends

B．we are shy to take the first action

C．we feel sure that we already have enough friends

D．we feel worried that we won’t be able to keep our friends

4.We can learn from the passage that ________________.

A．John Donne learned something from Dale Carnegie

B．Friends are always friends

C．Few people bought Carnegie’s book

D．The writer of this passage agrees with John Donne and Dale Carnegie

5.Which of the following is not talked about in Carnegie’s book?

A．Say “Excuse me” before you ask.

B．Don’t visit your neighbors too often.

C．Think more about others.

D．People enjoy hearing their own names.

Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899—July 2, 1961) was an American writer and journalist. His writing style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image(形象) affected later generations. Hemingway produced most of his works between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.

Hemingway was raised in Illinois. After high school he reported for The Kansas City Star, before leaving for the Italian front to enlist with the World War I ambulance drivers. In 1918, he was seriously wounded and returned home. In 1922, he married Hadley Richardson. The couple moved to Paris, where he worked as a foreign journalist. Advised and encouraged by other American writers in Paris—F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, he began to see his work appear in print there, and in 1925 his first important book, a collection of stories called In Our Time, was published. A year later, he published The Sun Also Rises, a novel with which he scored his first solid success. The writing of books occupied Hemingway for most of the postwar years. He remained based in Paris, but he traveled widely for bullfighting(斗牛), fishing, and hunting that by then had become part of his life and formed the background for much of his writing. Hemingway’s love of Spain and bullfighting resulted in Death in the Afternoon (1932). His position as a master of short fiction had been advanced by Men Without Women in 1927. The harvest of Hemingway’s considerable experience of Spain in war and peace was the novel For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940). In the public view, however, the novel A Farewell to Arms (1929) overshadowed such works.

Shortly after he published The Old Man and the Sea in 1952, Hemingway went to Africa, where he was almost killed in a plane crash that left him in pain or ill-health for much of the rest of his life. Hemingway lived in Florida and Cuba during the 1930s and 1940s, but in 1959 he moved from Cuba to Ketchum, Idaho, where ended his life in the summer of 1961.

1.Which best arranges Hemingway’s works in the correct order of time?
a. A Farewell to Arms????????????? ????????????? b. Men Without Women
c. The Old Man and the Sea????????????? d. Death in the Afternoon
e. The Sun Also Rises????????????? ????????????? f. For Whom the Bell Tolls
A. e, a, b, f, d, c????????????? B. e, b, a, d, f, c?????????????

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

2.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 probably means that A Farewell to Arms ??????? .
A. was thought to be better than other works of Hemingway’s
B. was considered to make a show in Hemingway’s life
C. was only as excellent as the other works of Hemingway’s
D. was believed to be among the worst works of Hemingway’s

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Hemingway must have spent his childhood in Italy.
B. Hemingway was an energetic writer with a wide interest.
C. Hemingway’s first book In Our Time was published before 1925.
D Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature just before his death.

4.It can be concluded from the passage that ????????? .
A. Hemingway produced most of his works in Africa
B. Hemingway led a very happy life in his last few years
C. most of Hemingway’s works were based on his life experience
D. Hemingway’s writing style affected the life of later generations

Every day is a gift, and if you look forward to spending each day with happiness, wake up every morning with a positive attitude and enjoy a beautiful day!
Set up a daily plan for yourself and ensure that you reserve enough time for your homework. Also, don’t forget to spare some time for play! Stop being lazy and start participating in your life instead of just watching it pass by. Try to do something fun and constructive every day. Read a book, write something interesting in your diary, try a new hobby, spend time with your friends, or just watch your favorite show on television, and you will see how every moment of your day unfolds. You’ll achieve better results, and ultimately greater success.
However, every day will not be the way you want it to be. Some days will be good, while some will be bad. You won’t be always happy and smiling. You may come across many challenges. Don’t forget to remind yourself to slow down and take care of yourself. In today’s busy lifestyle, it is necessary to relax to bring balance and joy back into your life. So, take charge of your life. Enjoy and appreciate the small things around you. Do a good deed and make others happy. Sometimes, doing something as simple as having a cup of tea with an old friend or a family member, listening to a cheerful song, or just writing down all the things that make you happy could indeed turn your day around!
Review and analyze your day before you retire at night. Reward yourself for completing the set goals and prepare the stage for the next day. This will impact your sleep and overall happiness levels. Plan for the next day, take a good rest, and wake up fresh the next morning!
If you will you are doing the same things every day, step out of your comfort zone and set aside some time to do things you have never done before. Stretch your limits. Not only will it make a boring day exciting but it will also build your confidence.
1.Who are the intended readers of the passage?

A．Teachers? B．Students? C．Workers? D．People in general

2.Why is “Read a book” mentioned in the second paragraph?

A．To show readers how to make them happy.

B．To tell readers to learn hard for their future.

C．To supply readers with ways of killing time.

D．To offer readers suggestions on hobbies.

3.What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A．Every day is beautiful and worth-remembering.

B．Your future is up to yourself and your friends.

C．A good start is definitely good for the future.

D．You should make a difference in your day.

4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Planning your schedule for the next day the night before.

B．Getting into the habit of self-praising with goals achieved.

C．Rising early to get ready for your day with positive energy.

D．Trying something new to learn from it to stretch your limits.

5. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．How to make the most of your day

B．How to lead a happy and satisfying life

C．Act now without delay to change your life

D．Spare time to focus on daily responsibilities

Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy; there’s no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children’s curiosity. Firstly, listen to their questions. I once visited a classroom of seven-year-olds to talk about science as a job. The children asked me “textbook questions” about schooling, salary and whether I liked my job. When I finished answering, we sat facing one another in silence. Finally I said, “Now that we’re finished with your lists, do you have questions of your own about science?”

After a long pause, a boy raised his hand, “Have you ever seen a grasshopper(蚱蜢) eat? When I try eating leaves like that, I get a stomachache. Why?”

This began a set of questions that lasted nearly two hours.

Secondly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that, after asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical, complete and creative answers.

Thirdly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don’t jump in with “That’s right” or “Very good”. These words work well when it comes to encouraging good behavior. But in talking about science, quick praise can signal that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying “That’s interesting” or “I’d never thought of it that way before”, or coming up with more questions or ideas.

Never push a child to “Think”. It doesn’t make sense, children are always thinking, without your telling them to. What’s more, this can turn a conversation into a performance. The child will try to find the answer you want, in as few words as possible, so that he will be a smaller target(目標) for your disagreement.

Lastly, show; don’t tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass(放大鏡), and they’ll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates(蒸發(fā)), set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.

1.According to the passage, children are natural scientists, and to raise their interest, the most important thing for adults to do is _______.

A. to let them see the world around         

B. to share the children’s curiosity

C. to explain difficult phrases about science  

D. to supply the children with lab equipment

2. In the last sentence of the first paragraph, the word “l(fā)ists” could best be replaced by ______.

A. any questions                                              B. any problems

C. questions from textbooks                         D. any number of questions

3.According to the passage, children can answer questions in a more logical, complete and creative way if adults ________.

A. ask them to answer quickly

B. wait for one or two seconds after a question

C. tell them to answer the next day

D. wait at least for three seconds after a question

4.In which of the following paragraph(s) does the author tell us what to say to encourage children in a science discussion?

A. The second and third.                    B. The fourth and fifth.

C. The fifth and sixth.                                                   D. The fifth.

5.The author mentions all of the following techniques for adults to share with their children’s curiosity except that adults should ________.

A. tell their children stories instead of reciting(背誦) facts.

B. offer their children chances to see things for themselves.

C. be patient enough when their children answer questions.

D. encourage their children to ask questions of their own.

The grandfather of Nell Trent owns a shop of odds and ends. He wants to make sure his grandfather is provided for when he dies. His memory of his daughter’s suffering and early death gives him a fear of poverty. Gambling(賭博) becomes an addiction for Nell’s grandfather, which results in his financial and physical ruin. Nell and her grandfather flee from their home and begin a journey that has no destination. For Nell, all she wants is a peaceful existence with enough to live on.

         They come across many interesting people on their travels and often meet with the kindness of strangers. Yet, in a colorful world, they also face the reality of the Industrial Revolution. From simple villages and fields of flowers, they go into a dirty city full of mass unemployment and plague (瘟疫) victims --- where children die of starvation and many are abandoned.

         The story isn’t only about Nell and her grandfather, but also the people who are connected to them directly or indirectly. There is Richard Swiveller, a careless young man who is a friend of Nell’s older brother, who wants Swiveller to marry Nell for the fortune he thinks she has. Daniel Quilp is a cruel moneylender, who manages to fool the grandfather into borrowing large sums of money from him. There is honest Kit, a boy employed at the shop, who becomes a victim even though he never harms other people. Kit desires to help Nell, whom he considers an angel that has always inspired the best in him. The mysterious Bevis Marks, who is a generous customer to some people and an enemy to others, also has his own reasons for looking after Nell and her grandfather.

         Unlike Dickens’ other works, The Old Curiosity Shop is a book of contrasts: the purity of Nell compared to the dishonesty of Quilp, fresh air and scenic villages to the polluted, stone-covered city, etc. Even people’s reaction to the book presented a cruel contrast. At first, Nell Trent was praised and considered Dickens’ best character. Later, she was criticized by many well-known people like Oscar Wilde. While characters in Dickens’ other books are moving towards a better future, Nell and her grandfather are fleeing for their life and their story is moving towards a sad ending. 

1.We can infer from the first two paragraphs that ___________.

A. Nell’s mother died young because of poverty

B. Nell’s grandfather made a fortune by gambling

C. Nell died of starvation during her journey

D. Nell had no one to turn to on her travels

2.What’s the third paragraph mainly about?

A. The plot (情節(jié)) of the story.                              B. The characters in the story.

C. The background of the story.                            D. The inspiration behind the story.

3.The Old Curiosity Shop is different from Dickens’ other works because it ___________.

A. is full of contrasts                                                B. has a surprise ending

C. reflects Dickens’ own life                                   D. is set in the Industrial Revolution

In the United States you will find yourself being urged from every page of every newspaper and every television station to buy all kinds of goods.

Not only is there a wide range of prices for goods in America, there is also a wide range in the quality of goods offered for sale. Unlike some countries, Americans generally pay the price of a product without question, instead of trying to get a lower price by bargaining. However, there are many “sales” in the United States, during which time stores will lower their normal prices. This may all be very confusing to visitors. How are you going to know how to “get your money’s worth” when you shop? Perhaps the best advice is: Don’t hurry. Visit various stores and determine the quality of goods. Read the advertisements so that you can compare prices.

There is a great variety of shops in the United States, ranging from very large stores called “department stores” to very small shops. There are “discount houses” offering goods at low prices, and “dime stores” specializing in a wide range of inexpensive items.

Most department stores in large cities carry better quality products at higher prices. However, they offer the shoppers great convenience since they contain such a wide variety of products.

If convenience isn’t as important to you as price, you may want to shop in discount houses. These stores have nearly as great a variety of goods as department stores, but offer lower prices. They can do so for several reasons. They don’t offer the same services to buyers that department stores do; there may be fewer sales people; and the store probably doesn’t deliver purchases.

Another popular shop is the “dime store”. No longer selling many things for five or ten cents, these stores got their name in the last century when it was decided that a small profit on a great quantity of goods would be better than a large profit on fewer sales. Dime stores specialize in a wide variety of inexpensive items and today, prices range from a quarter or 50 cents up to several dollars.

1.Where can we most probably read this passage?

A. In a research paper.       B. In a science report.

C. In a geography book.      D. In a travel magazine.

2.Why can discount houses offer goods at lower prices compared with department stores?

a. They have fewer employees.

b. They have larger quantities of goods.

c. They offer fewer services.

d. They don’t provide delivery service.

A. a b c    B. a b d   C. a c d    D. b c d

3.What’s special about dime stores?

A. They sell lots of goods at a small profit.

B. They make big profits by selling some goods.

C. They provide goods with a price lower than 50 cents.

D. They provide goods ranging from bargains to expensive ones.

Danielle Steel,America’s sweetheart,is one of the hardest working women in the book business.Unlike other productive authors who write one book at a time,she can work on up to five.Her research alone before writing takes at least three years.Once she has fully studied her subjects,ready to dive into a book,she can spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk.

Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education.After graduation,she worked in the public relations and advertising industries.Later she started a job as a writer which she was best fit for.Her achievements are unbelievable:390 million copies of books in print,nearly fifty New York Times best-selling novels, and a series of “Max and Martha” picture books for children to help them deal with the real-life problems of death,new hobbies and new schools. Her 1998 book about the death of her son shot to the top of the New York Times best-selling list as soon as it came out.Twenty-eight of her books have been made into films.She is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for one of her books being the Times best-seller for 381 weeks straight.

Not content with a big house,a loving family,and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Danielle Steel considers her readers to be the most important resource(資源) and has kept in touch with them by e-mail.While she is often compared to the heroines(女主人公) of her own invention,her life is undoubtedly much quieter.But,if she does have anything in common with them,it is her strength of will and her inimitable style.There is only one Danielle Steel.

1.Danielle Steel is different from other writers in that        .

A. she can write several books at the same time

B. she often does some research before writing a book

C. she is one of the most popular American women writers

D. she can keep writing for quite a long time without a break

2.Children who have read “Max and Martha” picture books may know        .

A. how to deal with affairs at school

B. what to do if Max and Martha die

C. what to do when new babies are born into their families

D. how to solve the difficult problems in their writing classes

3.One of Danielle Steel’ achievements is that        .

A. some TV plays were based on her books

B. her picture books attracted a lot of young men

C. one of her books became a best-seller in 1998

D. she wrote the Guinness Book of World Records

4.We can learn from the passage that Danielle Steel   .

A. lives an exciting life                                                      B. values her readers a lot

C. writes about quiet women                                          D. is pleased with her achievements

5.What does the underlined word “inimitable” mean?

A. hardworking                                                         B. attractive

C. strange                                                                  D. unique