The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889, in memory of the 100th birthday of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 suggestions that were handed in, Gustave Eiffel’s was chosen.
However, at first, it was not well accepted by all and a group of people — including many well-known writers and painters at that time — were fiercely against its design.
Being about 300 meters in height, and 7,000 tons in weight, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930. It was a great project for France. 300 workers took two years to build it. It isn’t an ordinary building, since it is almost made of steel. For example, its body moves around at most 12 cm in heavy wind. Moreover, its height changes up to 15 cm according to the temperature.
It was almost destroyed in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna(天线), which is used for communication at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio and French television have also made good use of its height.
The Eiffel Tower has also seen a few strange things. In 1923, a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level of it. And in 1954, a mountain climber climbed on top of it and tried to measure its exact height.
Anyway, although its birth was difficult, it is now well accepted all over the world. It has been considered as one of the symbols of Paris.
44. The passage mainly tells us ________.
A. the history of the Eiffel Tower
B. some information about its design
C. what the Eiffel Tower was used for
D. how it became one of the symbols of Paris
45. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this passage?
A. Many people couldn’t accept the Eiffel Tower at the beginning.
B. It was the world’s tallest building for hundreds of years.
C.A journalist rode down from the Eiffel Tower in 1954.
D.The Eiffel Tower was saved because of its height.
46. The French Revolution took place in _______.
A. 1889 B. 1923 C. 1789 D. 1930
B
Yes. It’s really happening. This is the last weekend that Washington D.C.’s beloved giant panda, Tai Shan (aka Butterstick), has resided at the National Zoo. Born in Washtington D.C. four and a half years ago, Tai Shan is leaving for China on February 4 to become part of a breeding(培育) program that will help support panda populations in the wild. We’ve known it was coming: He’s the property of China and his departure was part of an agreement made long before he stole our hearts. And while acknowledging that he will be helping the breed (there are only about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild), we can’t help but be sad to see him go. He’s been an international concern from the moment he was born on July 9, 2005, thanks in part to the popularity of the PandaCam, which cameraed his every roly-poly(不倒翁似的) move.
The National Zoo is hosting a huge send-off celebration this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to say goodbye to Tai Shan, gathering their team of vets, nutritionists, reproduction specialists, and other scientists to share their knowledge about pandas. The Chinese Embassy will present dance and music presentations, kids will be able to write cards for Tai Shan, and in the most brilliant display we’ve seen in a while, Land O’Lakes will host a photo gallery of favorite images of Tai Shan from the past few years. “When Tai Shan was born,” the Zoo explains in its press release, “...he was about the size of a stick of butter. This earned him the affectionate nickname ‘Butterstick.’” .
Happily, Tai Shan will be departing in style. According to the Washington Post, FedEx has offered to donate the transportation and he’ll be leaving in a 777 FedEx aircraft next week that’s fitted with his own logo on the side. There’ll be “only eight people on board, including a doctor, as well as a panda member of the opposite sex...and more than 50 pounds of his favorite food available on demand,” says the Post. Not a bad way to travel 8,642 miles, even if it is in a crate(板条箱).
So goodbye, Butterstick, safe travels, and may you lead a long and fruitful life in China!
46. We can infer from the passage that the author most probably is ________.
A. an American B. a Chinese C. a foreign tourist D. a young writer
47. Why must the National Zoo send Tai Shan to China on February 4?
A. Because he’s the property of China.
B. Because his mother was stolen from China.
C. Because it’s the first part of a breeding program.
D. Because it’s bound and required by the agreement.
48. By saying “long before he stole our hearts” (in paragraph 1), the author means “long before______”.
A. he made us heartbroken B. he made us lose heart
C. we fell in love with him D. we felt disappointed with him
49. The send-off celebration will include the following activities except ______.
A. sharing knowledge about pandas B. dance and music presentations
C. a photo gallery of images of Tai Shan D. collecting nicknames for Tai Shan
50. Which of the following statements is True?
A. The number of pandas in the world is now sharply decreasing.
B. FedEx will fly Tai Shan to China in a Boeing 777 aircraft for free.
C. Washington Post is a branch company of FedEx’s in the US.
D. Tai Shan is to be accompanied on board only by eight people.
Ⅲ 阅读（共两节。满分40分）
阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Poverty is not first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan. After all, there are no children begging on the streets in major cities here. You do not often see Japanese citizens publicly letting out their complaints over the country’s economic decline. But senior government researcher Aya Abe says Japan has the fourth-highest rate of child poverty among developed countries.
She says she sees that poverty in schools where students admit to only bathing once a week. Some cannot afford to buy pencils for class.
“They may not be on the streets begging or they may not be turning into criminals, but it’s there. It’s just that we have to open our eyes and see,” Abe said.
Abe owes the increase in child poverty to the country’s changing demographics(人口统计), struggling economy and high social security premiums(保险费). She says fewer people live in three-generation households, where the parents and grandparents work. The number of single mothers has increased. The salary for young fathers has declined with the economic downturn. Social security premiums have increased in the last 20 years, putting families on the threshold of poverty.
Abe says studies conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD ) point to rising poverty in Japan before the global economic crises in 2008. But the Japanese government and public refused to acknowledge it until then - in part, because of the shame associated with poverty.
“It was, what should I say, very unpopular for Japanese media to say anything about Japanese poverty,” said Abe. “Even though OECD announced it and OECD Japan announced it in Japanese, it didn’t make it into the articles.”
Abe says new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has taken one important step to help alleviate (减缓) the problem. Next year, his Democratic Party of Japan plans to double monthly child care allowances given to families.
But Abe wants the government to expand its financial help even more. She wants it to simplify the process to apply for public assistance and provide educational grants for students struggling to pay for tuition at high schools and colleges. The country now only offers loans.
Abe says the government must act quickly because she says the problem will only get worse in the next few years.
41. The passage is intended to _________.
A. report the result of the studies conducted by OECD
B. tell us about the increase in Japanese child poverty
C. prove that Japan is no longer a developed country
D. introduce Aya Abe, a senior government researcher
42. It seems to be hard to associate Japan with poverty because _______.
A. no children are seen begging in the streets of main cities in Japan
B. its citizens never complain about the country’s economic decline
C. it is one of the few wealthiest countries in the world
D. its government and public refused to acknowledge it
43. According to Abe, several things contribute to the rising child poverty except________.
A. high social security premiums
B. the increase of the number of single mothers
C. the decrease of the salary for young fathers
D. the expansion of three-generation households
44. Why was it unpopular for Japanese media to say anything about Japanese poverty?
A.The Japanese public didn’t think it true.
B. It was forbidden by the Japanese government.
C. The Japanese public regarded it shameful to be poor.
D. OECD Japan had already announced it in Japanese.
45. What of the following is NOT the author’s suggestion for alleviating this problem?
A. Doubling monthly child care allowances given to families.
B. Expanding government’s financial help even more.
C. Providing educational grants for poor students.
D. Simplifying the process to apply for public assistance
C
Conjoined twins lead separate but active lives.
Lori and Reba have never been alone and they want to keep it that way.
The 40-year-old conjoined twins in Pennsylvania,US,have read about others locked together by an accident of birth who have been medically separated.But they insist only death can part them.
“We’ve never imagined a life divided,”Lori said.
Lori and Reba are joined together at the side of their heads,facing in opposite directions.Their blood supply is partly linked,but each has a separate brain.
Reba suffers from a disease which has left her completely dependent on her sister.
Lori wheels her everywhere they go in different professional directions.Lori worked in a laundry room at a hospital for six years before giving that up to allow Reba to try to become a country singer.
Her first song is called “The Fear of Being Alone”,which was inspired by Reba and Lori’s desire for togetherness.
Reba’s career has taken her across the United States,Europe and parts of Asia.
While the twins receive some money from the government,the earning from Reba’s concerts go to AIDS and cancer charities(慈善机构).
The sisters have set goals for themselves.Reba looks forward to a successful career as a country singer,while Lori says she hopes to get married and have children.Lori said,”So when it comes,it comes.Meanwhile,I live wonderfully from day to day.”
46.When Lori said “We’ve never imagined a life divided”,she meant that .
A.they don’t wish to be made separate
B.they think their case is beyond medical help
C.independent life would be too good to think of
D.they would die once separated
47.By leading separate lives,the topic means that .
A.either of the two can look after herself B.the twins do different things
C.they face in opposite directions D.they are no longer conjoined now
48.When Reba gives performances as a country singer,Lori .
A.works in a hospital B.continues her college education
C.brings up her children D.looks after her sister
49.The twins lead active lives because they .
A.are tired of staying at home doing nothing
B.need more money
C.want to prove themselves as useful citizens
D.have to earn their own bread
50.From the last paragraph we can understand that Lori .
A.thinks it’s too late for her to have children
B.is sure she’ll get married and have children
C.prefers to have things go naturally
D.would rather not change her way of life
B
We each have a memory. That’s why we can still remember things after a long time. Some people have very good memories and they can easily learn many things by heart, but some people can only remember things when they say or do them again and again. Many of the great men of the world have got surprising memories.
A good memory is a great help in learning a language. Everybody learns his mother language when he is a small child. He hears the sounds, remembers them and then he learns to speak. Some children are living with their parents in foreign countries. They can learn two languages as easily as one because they hear, remember and speak two languages every day. In school it is not so easy to learn a foreign language because the pupils have so little time for it, and they are busy with other subjects, too.
But your memory will become better and better when you do more and more exercises.
41.Some people can easily learn many things by heart because
A．they always sleep very well B．they often eat good food
C．they read a lot of books D．they have very good memories
42.Everybody learns his mother language .
A．at the age of six B．when he is a small child
C．after he goes to school D．when he can read and write
43.Before a child can speak, he must .
A．read and write B．make sentences
C．hear and remember the sounds D．think hard
44.In school the pupils can’t learn a foreign language well because
A．they have no good memories B．they have no recorders
C．they have too much time for it D．they are busy with other subjects
45.Your memory will become better and better .
A．if you have plenty of good food B．if you do more and more exercises
C．if you do morning exercises every day D．if you get up early
第三部分阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
A
Good health is the most valuable thing a person can have, but one cannot take good health for granted（认为……理所当然）. It is important to remember that the body needs proper care in order to be healthy. There are three things that a person can do to help stay in good shape: eat right food ,get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.
Proper nutrition (营养) is important for good health. Your body cannot work well unless it receives the proper kind of “fuel”(燃料).Don't eat too much food with lots of sugar and fat. Eat plenty of foods high in protein ,like meat, fish, eggs and nuts. Vegetables and fruits are very important because they provide necessary vitamins and minerals. However, don't overeat. It is not helpful to be overweight.
Getting the proper amount of sleep is also important. If you don't get enough sleep, you feel tired and easily get angry. You have no energy. Over a long period of time a little a amount of sleep may even result in a change of personality.Be sure to allow yourself from seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you do, your body will feel strong and refreshed, and your mind will be sharp.
Finally, get plenty of exercise. Exercise firms the body, strengthens the muscles, and prevents you from gaining weight. It also improves your heart and lungs. If you follow a regular exercise program, you will probably increase your life-span (寿命).Any kind of exercise is good. Most sports are excellent for keeping the body in good shapes: basketball, swimming, bicycling, running and so on are good examples. Sports are not only good for your body, but they are enjoyable and interesting, too.
If everybody, were to eat the right foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly, the world would be a happier and healthier place. We would all live to be much older and wiser.
36. According to the passage,_________.
A .we should always keep fit
B. if we were healthy, we could spend our days in doing things with less sleep
C. one can eat a lot to stay in good shape
D. one needn't take any exercise if he is healthy
37.In order to keep good health, ___________ .
A. we should eat a lot of sweets B. one needs a large amount of fat
C. people should eat according to the foods nutrition
D. we must try to sleep now and then
38. Eating more and sleeping less________.
A. can keep healthy B. is no good for you
C. gets you more energy D. will keep your personality
39.The writer explains ________in this passage.
A. how to eat B. the importance of doing exercise
C. how to keep healthy D. what to eat
40.The title of the article should be___________ .
A. Eating and Exercising B. How Vitamins Work in Man's Body
C. Staying Healthy D. Sleeping Well
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