Three weeks before the May Day holiday, Tong Zhuo, a 24-year-old computer engineer in Nanjing, started getting busy. He was trying to get in touch with friends on MSN to arrange a trip to the annual Midi Music Festival in Beijing during the holiday.
Although Tong failed in his job-hunt, he felt less frustrated after visiting the festival at the invitation of a friend. "It was the first time that I saw so many crazy people gathered together. When the music reached a climax, people kept yelling, jumping and bumping each other. You felt excited even if you weren't as high as they were," recalled Tong.
Midi, which is held May 1-4, started in 1999 and has grown into China's largest outdoor music festival. The festival is named after Beijing's Midi Music School, which started the event. This year's festival will have 84 bands, 22 of them foreign. It will be held in Haidian Park, northwest Beijing.
Outdoor music festivals have been around for decades in the West. They often stand for a kind of different belief. The Woodstock Festival in the US in 1969 is an example. It took place while the US was involved in the Vietnam war and was used to express young people’s love of peace.
China's Midi has become a good place for young people as well. "The biggest attraction of Midi is that it is an event for all young people, whether they know rock or not. They can come and have fun together," says Li Wei, a general manager of Beijing Midi Performance Company, the festival organizer.“ Besides，the open environment of an outdoor festival attracts young people. Without the restrictions of seats and walls, people are more likely to relax themselves. There's often more interaction between the audience and performers.”What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Midi Music Festival in Beijing |
| B．Tong Zhuo— a music lover |
| C．The joy of Midi Music Festival |
| D．The history of Mini Music Festival |
Before May Day, Tong Zhuo started getting busy because_______.
| A．he was very busy with his computer work |
| B．he was preparing for the Midi Music Festival |
| C．he wanted to attend Beijing's Midi Music School |
| D．he was busy hunting for jobs |
Which of the following statements is WRONG about Midi Music Festivals?
| A．Midi Music Festival is held every year in Beijing. |
| B．You can relax yourself as you like in the festival. |
| C．The festival is named after a school |
| D．Only those who know music can take part in the festival |
Which of the following is not the reason why Midi Music is popular with Chinese young people?
| A．full of energy and life |
| B．the open environment |
| C．freedom and interaction |
| D．its popularity in the West |
The Woodstock Festival is mentioned mainly to show that ______.
| A．westerners also like the outdoor music festivals |
| B．the festival has a long history and good tradition |
| C．young people can express their feelings through music festivals |
| D．people love peace and hate wars |
It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible. Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel. It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter.
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense. It takes the most cool－headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting. A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and becomes so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough. Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous. Typical examples are the driver who waves to a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may not be able to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to.
An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings．Unfortunately, modern drivers can’t even learn to drive．Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users．It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart. According to the passage, where is it that the nicest men would become short-tempered?
| A．Beside the wheel. | B．Before the wheel. |
| C．In a cage. | D．In the driver’s seat. |
Which of the following is proper when drivers are forced to face rude driving?
| A．Fighting and quarreling. |
| B．Showing great patience. |
| C．Calling back. |
| D．Beating back |
What can be dangerous from the passage?
| A．Road politeness. | B．Road sense. |
| C．Inappropriate politeness. | D．Traffic jams. |
The following statements are right EXCEPT that________.
| A．Modern drivers are good at driving |
| B．Blockages can cause unpleasant feelings. |
| C．Modern drivers can’t master the roadmanship. |
| D．All road users should understand the meaning of “give-and-take”. |
Which section of a magazine is the passage most probably taken from?
| A．Health and life. | B．Health and society. |
| C．Human and society. | D．Human and environment. |
The extraordinary Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, is said to be the only one in the world to use the same cooling and heating principles as the termite mound(白蚁堆).
Architect Mick Pearce used precisely the same strategy when designing the Eastgate Building, which has no air-conditioning and almost no heating. The building—the country’s largest commercial and shopping complex—uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building of its size. The Eastgate’s owners saved $3.5 million on a $36 million building because an air-conditioning plant didn’t have to be imported.
The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glass-roofed atrium(天井) open to the air. Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through baseboard vents(通风口). As it rises and warms, it is drawn out via ceiling vents and finally exists through forty-eight brick chimneys.
During summer’s cool nights, big fans blow air through the building seven times an hour to cool the empty floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building, to circulate the air which has been in contact with the cool floors. For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.
This is all possible only because Harare is 1600 feet above sea level, has cloudless skies, little dampness and rapid temperature swings—days as warm as 31℃ commonly drop to 14℃ at night. “You couldn’t do this in New York, with its fantastically hot summers and fantastically cold winters,” Pearce said.
The engineering firm of Ove Arup&Partners monitors daily temperatures. It is found that the temperature of the building has generally stayed between 23℃ and 25℃, with the exception of the annual hot period just before the summer rains in October and three days in November, when a doorkeeper accidentally switched off the fans at night. And the air is fresh—far more so than in air-conditioned building, where up to 30% of the air is recycled.What’s the meaning of “complex” in the second paragraph?
| A．Something that is difficult to understand. |
| B．A group of buildings together in one place. |
| C．A group of things that are connected. |
| D．A mental state that is not normal. |
How is fresh air from outside drawn out?
| A．By fans. | B．Via ceiling vents. |
| C．Through chimneys. | D．Via ceiling vents and through chimneys. |
What is NOT the factor that makes Eastgate Building work well?
| A．Skies without clouds. |
| B．Little dampness. |
| C．Daily rapid temperature changes |
| D．Seasonal rapid temperature changes. |
In general, how is the daily temperature of the building?
| A．It changes in a certain range with some exception. |
| B．It changes from one extreme to another. |
| C．It remains the same without any exception. |
| D．It is hard to endure. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．The engineering firm of Ove Arup&Partners. |
| B．How air-conditioning works. |
| C．Fans make Eastgate Building’s temperature comfortable. |
| D．How Eastgate Building’s temperature control system works. |
Welcome to Australia
The Great Outdoors
Australia is the world’s oldest continent and indigenous Australians have one of the world’s oldest culture.
In Australia you will see unique plants and animals and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Many parks have information centres offering advice on where to go, what to see and how to see it--for both your personal safety and to protect our sensitive, natural environment.
Banks and Money Matters
Banks are generally open between 9:30am and 4pm on Monday to Thursday and 9:30am and 5pm on Friday.
Foreign currency or traveller’s cheques can be changed at all banks and some of the larger hotels. There are currency exchange facilities at all international airports.
Take care! Our sunlight is very strong and you can get sunburnt.
For best sun protection, it is advisable to wear:
A broad-brimmed hat
A shirt with a collar and sleeves
Sunscreen with high protection factor.
Swimming
We have so many beautiful places to swim--beaches, lakes, rivers and creeks.
Many of our waters are safe for swimming, but if you have any doubts, ask before entering the water.
Most of our popular ocean beaches have patrols with life-saving service. Red and yellow flags mark the area that you are advised to swim within.
If there are no flags and no life guards on the beach, talk to local people about the best areas to swim.
Staying Safe on the Roads
Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road.
For safety, everyone in the car, including children, must wear a seat belt.
Motor cyclists and bicyclists are required to wear a helmet.
Watch out for native animals crossing the roads, especially at night. Road signs are erected in places where animals are commonly seen. What is the best title of the third part of the passage?
| A．The Sun | B．Enjoy the Sun | C．Warning | D．Outdoor Activities |
If you arrive in Sydney at 5:10pm on Friday, where can you probably get your money changed on that day?
| A．At a bank. | B．At any hotel. | C．At a store | D． At the airport |
What advice can you get at the park information centre?
| A．Advice on how to wear a broad-brimmed hat. |
| B．Advice on how to drive safely in the park. |
| C．Advice on how to protect our environment |
| D．Advice on where to go to see a kangaroo. |
How can you ensure your safety when swimming?
| A．You can swim in whichever lake you like |
| B．You should swim with the life guard. |
| C．You can swim where there are red flags. |
| D．Always find a local person to ask about how to swim. |
Which of the following word might be the closest in meaning with the underlined word “erected”?
| A．set up | B．protected | C．stood | D．noticed |
Twelve years ago, when I was 50,I wondered what 60 or 70 would be like? I looked around and saw only one style of living. It’s not fair, I thought. Young people have so many styles to choose from, but older people have just one choice. So I decide to do something about it , something practical.
I worked on my fitness by joining exercise classes in town. A few years later, my husband and I moved to a retirement community, and I wanted to teach aerobic（有氧运动的）classes. The community center wouldn’t give me a room to teach in, so I had to walk around and find any available empty room.
One day, the community center staff came to me and asked if I would help with the entertainment for a Hawaiian luau（夏威夷式宴会）they were putting on. I said yes. Then I talked five other ladies into dancing with me. We performed the hula（呼啦舞）and a war chant and brought the house down. Someone had a camera and took pictures, and then sent them to our local paper. We got requests for more engagements, which in turn led to more publicity and yet more engagements. Soon we had invitations from all over the country. The Dancing Grannies were born!
I think the real secret of the Dancing Grannies is out attitude. I was raised extremely poor ---no-food poor. If we wanted toys we had to make things up to play with ,so I learned early to be very creative. And you know,I think being poor was one of the best things that ever happened to me because I learned to look for treasures.
That’s what I’m still doing today—looking for the treasure in growing old. I’m getting better and better.
It’s true that antiques have to be treated a bit differently, with a little care, but they still have a beauty of their own. What did the writer think of the living style of the older people when she was 50?
| A．Unsatisfying | B．Favorable | C．Pleasant | D．Practical |
Why did the writer have to walk around and find an empty room?
| A．Because she couldn’t offer an expensive room. |
| B．Because she wasn’t given a room to teach in by the community center. |
| C．Because she wanted to find a better one. |
| D．Because she wanted to keep fit by walking. |
What can we infer from the writer’s performance?
| A．It was just so-so. | B．It was a failure. |
| C．It was average. | D．It was a success. |
What made the writer learn to look for treasures?
| A．Being active | B．Being creative |
| C．Being rich | D．Being poor |
What does the underlined word “antiques” (in the last paragraph) refer to?
| A．Ancient treasures | B．Poor children |
| C．Old people | D．The Dancing Grannies |
Davey wanted to play baseball. But fifty years ago, in his small town, he couldn’t find enough players for two full teams or an empty lot big enough for a field. And when he played ball in his back yard, he just broke windows and got into trouble. So Davey began playing with a plastic golf ball and a broom handle for a bat.
When his dad, David Mullaney, a former semi-pro baseball pitcher(投手), realized his son was hurting his arm trying to throw curves with the little plastic ball, he decided to find a better solution. Mullaney got a bunch of hollow plastic spheres from a local factory, sat down at his kitchen table and began cutting different size holes in the balls with a razor knife. He thought maybe the holes would alter the ball’s flight and help his son throw curves and sliders without hurting his arm.
All the balls failed—except the one with the eight oblong(长椭圆形的) holes cut into one of the hemispheres. This ball curved naturally and sharply without a violent snap of the wrist. In fact, Davey was now striking out so many batters; he called his new ball a “wiffle ball”. A year later, Mullaney borrowed $20,000 from family and friends and started producing Wiffle Balls in his little suburban town of Shelton, Connecticut.
“I didn’t want investors.” He said, “I wanted to control my own company.” This was the beginning of one of the hottest fads(时尚) of the fifties and a perennial(长久的) best seller well known all around the world. Since then millions of boys and girls have enjoyed countless hours of safe, wholesome fun playing with a Wiffle ball and bat. Esquire Magazine has even called the Wiffle Ball “a national treasure”. By producing a high quality product at an affordable price, three generations of Mullany’s have enjoyed the satisfaction and benefits of running a successful and profitable family business.
Over the years, they’ve had plenty of offers to buy them out, but they’re still working out of a small factory in Shelton, making a new Wiffle Ball every couple of seconds. Creativity and persistence are two of the important sources for wealth. If he gave up his attempts at trying new things, Mullany would not have invented the wiffle ball, nor would he have made such a big fortune.From the passage we can know that .
| A．Mullaney made the invention of Wiffle ball with the help of his son |
| B．fifty years ago people didn’t like playing baseball very much |
| C．Mullaney’s attempts to help Davey better enjoy ball-playing led to the invention of Wiffle ball |
| D．playing balls would hurt one’s arm before the Wiffle ball’s appearance |
All the following are true EXCEPT .
| A．Davey was a good ballplayer after the Wiffle ball came into existence |
| B．David Mullaney wanted to run the family business on his own |
| C．Mullaney’s family made a big fortune through the production of Wiffle balls |
| D．Mullaney’s business was nearly bought out but they worked hard to keep it |
The underlined word “spheres” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to .
| A．balls | B．bottles | C．bags | D．boxes |
The two important factors for Mullaney’s successful family business are .
| A．time and fortune | B．persistence and creativity |
| C．quality and fame | D．cooperation and efforts |
The passage mainly tells us something about .
| A．Davey, a famous baseball player | B．a popular ball game in the 1950’s |
| C．the birth of Wiffle ball | D．the success of a family business |
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