Have you ever posted letters to your friends or parents? If so, you must have put stamps on the letters before you sent them. But, how did people receive letters before stamps were invented, and who came up with the idea of using stamps?
In the past, stamps and envelopes were not used. When people wanted to send a letter, they would close the paper with a seal（封印）. The person who got the letter had to pay for it. Because costs at that time were very high, most people refused to accept letters. In fact, the sender would often place secret marks on the outside of the letter. The person who was sent the letter would read the secret message. Then, they would refuse to accept the letter and did not have to pay for it.
In Britain, Sir Rowland Hill introduced the “Post Office Reforms” in 1837. He decided that letters could go to any place in the country for a penny even if the letter had to go far away. The cost was to be paid by the sender of the letter. Payment was recorded by placing a small piece of coloured paper on the letter, the stamp! On May 6,1840, the first stamp called the “Penny Black” was born. Because the stamp was printed in black, the stamp became known as the “Penny Black”. This is now the world’s most famous stamp. This new system spread fast. The best title for this passage should be______
| A．The First Stamp. | B．How Stamp Was First Made |
| C．Why the First Stamp Was Made | D．When Was Stamp First Made |
Before stamps were used,______ would pay for the letter.
| A．the sender | B．the receiver | C．the government | D．no one |
The first stamp was made______.
| A．more than 160 years ago | B．more than two centuries ago |
| C．less than 100 years ago | D．about 100 years ago |
Which of the following is true about the first stamp of China?
| A．It was made much earlier than the first stamp of the US |
| B．The stamp had a snake on it |
| C．The stamp couldn’t be found now |
| D．The stamp had a picture of a dragon on it |
I have found that the way I treat insects acts as a reflection of my approach to kindness. Like most kids, I suppose, I mistreated bugs terribly. But many adults continue the rampage against insects, and I have often found that they do this mindlessly.
With the weather getting warmer, more bugs are getting into our houses. We also spend more time in "their house," as we enjoy the great outdoors. We find ourselves reaching for the fly swatter and insecticides（杀虫剂）to get rid of them. But why do we do this? Most insects pose no threat to us, but we kill them anyway.
As a young adult, I found myself questioning my treatment of bugs. It became a moral issue. I remember reading a Native American story about a mother who saw her daughter stomp on a spider. The mom simply asks the child: "Now who'll take care of that spider's children? Who would take care of you if someone killed me?" It became a powerful lesson to the child.
All creatures have a purpose, and our world would be terribly out of balance without insects. If we can treat them with kindness and respect, we can treat any creature that way. The more I learned about the unique behaviors and purposes of insects, the more I appreciated their place in the world. I have literally become someone who "wouldn't hurt a fly."
The more I have practiced, the better I've become at catching flies with my hand and escorting them back outside. I use a small glass with a thin piece of cardboard to catch spiders, ants, and bees, and release them where they'll be happier--outdoors. Sure it takes more work than just squishing them, but I feel more in harmony with nature by being kind to bugs. If we could model that for our kids, perhaps they'd grow up to be kinder adults and help make this a kinder world to live in.
49．According to the author, many adults kill bugs ___________.
A．because they hate bugs B．to stop bugs spread diseases
C．just out of their cruelty D．just for no special reason
50．The author mentions a Native American story in the third paragraph in order to___________.
A．tell readers the importance of protecting insects
B．show its deep influence on the author
C．appeal to readers to look after spiders’ children
D．describe American mother’s kindness to insects
51．Suppose a bug appears in the author’s room, he will probably___________.
A．kill it without hesitation B．catch it and free it outside
C．drive it outside tenderly D．let it be and not disturb it
52．Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
A．Showing kindness to insects B．My childhood and insects
C．The significance of insets D．Some tips of treating insects
Below is adapted from a dictionary.
Water
▲Noun 1(a)[U] liquid without color, smell or taste that falls as ran, in lakes, rivets and seas, and is used for drinking, washing, etc: Water is changed into steam by heat and into ice by cold. ○drinking water ○ mineral water. (b)[U]this liquid as supplied to homes, factories, etc in pipes: The water was turned off for several hours a day during the drought. ○ hot and cold running water ○ [attrib] water shortages (c)[sing]mass of this liquid, esp a lake, river or sea: She fell into the water and drowned. ○ The flood water cowered the whole area. (d)[sing]surface of a lake, river, sea, etc: float on the water ○ We could see fishes under the water
2[U](exp in compounds)preparation containing water or sth similar to water: rose-water ○ soda-water
3 waters[pl](a)mass of water(in lake, river, etc)the (head-)waters of the Nile, ic the lake from which it flows(b)sea near a particular country: British waters ○ in home/ foreign waters 4[U]state or level of the tide: (at)high/low water
▲idioms he in /get into hot water(in formal) be in/get into trouble or disgrace: A person who
breaks a law can be in hot water with the police.
·cast one’s bread upon the waters(formal) do good make him drink you can give a person the
opportunity to do something but he may still refuse to do it.
·Still waters run deep a quiet or apparently calm person can have strong emotions, much
knowledge or wisdom.
·Blood is thicker than water Family is more important than anyone or anything else.
·Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water When deeds without expecting anything in
return:
·fish in troubled waters try to gain advantages for oneself from a disturbed state of affairs
·hold water(in formal)(of an argument, an excuse, etc)be capable of standing up to examination or
testing; be valid
·in smooth water(s) make even and easy progress: The business seems to be in smooth withers
there days.
·keep one’s head above water stay out of debt, difficulty etc: I’m managtag to keep my head
above water, though I am not earning much.
·pour oil on troubled waters (try to) calm a disagreement or violent dispute, etc
·water under the bridge event, mistake, etc that has already occurred and cannot be changed, so
there is no point in worrying about it.
verb [Tn] pour or sprinkle water on (sth): water a flowerbed, lawn, plant 2[Tn]give water to
(an animal) to drink 3[Tn] add water to (a drink )to dilute it: The owner of the pub was accused of
watering the beer.
Phrasal verb water sth down(a)make (a liquid)weaker by adding water(b)weaken the effect of
sth, eg by making the details less vivid: The criticisnts have been watered down so as not to offend
anybody.
▲Saying You can take a horse to water, but you can’t you are making a change, save what
matters to you and dispose of the rest
·It is no safe to wading in an unknown water it is dangerous for one to be involved in an
uncertain adventure.
·Too much water drowned the miller much gaining is good, but too much goes the opposite.
45．Fill in the blank in the sentence “If you’re caught cheating in the exam, you will___________.”
A．pour oil in troubled waters B．be in hot water
C．cast your bread upon the waters D．have to hold water
46．When we say it is “water under the bridge” to a friend who is upset by a mistake he/she has made, we mean “___________.”
A．forget it B．correct it C．worry about it D．avoid it
47．Choose a word to complete the sentence “They gave the press the___________description of what really had happened.”
A．watered-down B．waters C．water D．watered
48．Which of the following can be used to describe Jack, who has invested a lot of money in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market?
A．Still waters run deep.
B．Too much water drowned the miller.
C．It is no safe to wading in an unknown water.
D．You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
第二部分：阅读理解（共25小题；每小题2分，满分50分）
第一节 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Ever since she was a baby, Heather, aged 5, has watched her parents regularly turn off lights
that aren’t needed and put the day’s newspapers cans, bottles, jars, and other recyclables into a big, yellow bin — that is, if they can't find a second life for the discarded items in their own home first. Plastic packaging, pieces of cardboard, scraps of colored paper, bits of yarn, and small pieces of broken toys are typically dropped into a basket that the whole family rummages through whenever they need supplies for an art project. Recently, after spying a bit of shiny paper on the floor, Heather picked it up and said, "This is pretty. I'll put it in the art basket." Already, like parents, like daughter.
Heather's effort to recycle a scrap of paper rather than throw it away is a tiny gesture with a big message. It shows that even young children can learn about conserving materials and resources, and by extension, protecting the planet, in age-appropriate ways. It also shows that your child is so tuned in to your ways that it is easy to become an environmental role model. But because children are more apt to want to care for something they have a personal stake in, it's as important to expose your child to the natural world as it is to teach her ways to protect it.
This doesn't require week-long camping trips into the wilderness — although those can be fun, enlightening experiences for the whole family. Children can explore, appreciate, and learn about nature literally in their own backyard, in a park, in a community garden, and on trips to the beach or mountains. There's more good news: Giving your child opportunities to connect with nature can also help her develop crucial literacy, language, math, science, social studies, art, problem-solving, and research skills.
41．The underlined word “discarded” (Paragraph 1) probably means “___________.”
A．waste B．important C．small D．dirty
42．Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
A．The family is quite poor.
B．The family members don’t waste any money.
C．The parents are proud of saving materials.
D．The parents set an example to the daughter.
43．The text mainly suggests that children___________.
A．love recycling things B．are curious about things
C．can learn to protect nature D．should act the way as their parents
44．What’s the author’s suggestion about introducing a child to the natural world?
A．Going on a camping trip. B．Traveling to the wilderness.
C．Learning from their parents. D．Playing in such places as a park.
Scientists in the United States have developed a method that may help to predict earthquakes earlier. They say it could give people who live in deadly earthquake areas enough warning to leave before an earthquake occurs.
Currently, the most modern systems for predicting earthquakes find them only a short time before the event. Like most strong earthquakes, Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and Haiti earthquake in 2010 were not identified early enough for people to flee the area, killing hundreds and thousands of people.
But scientists who study earthquakes are reporting that new technology could measure very small changes in the Earth’s surface.
Scientists performed experiments along California’s San Andreas Fault, an area famous for its earthquakes. Highly sensitive electrical
devices are placed about one kilometer below ground in two di
fferent places. The devices were able to measure even small changes in air pressure o
n the Earth’s surface. The scientists say such changes are caused when rocks pushed together, forcing air out of small cracks in the rock.
Two earthquakes hit the area in late 2005. The first took place on Dec.25. A smaller earthquake struc
k five days later. The scientists noted changes in the earth’s surface about ten hours before the first quake struck. That quake measured three in intensity(强度). They then found similar changes taking place two hours before the other quake struck five days later.
If additional tests confirm the changes are linked to earthquakes, the scientists believe their equipment could be used for early warning systems. A system that provides a warning signal ten hours before a major earthquake could help move people from the area and save lives.
The scientists now hope they can find earthquakes with even greater intensity by placing their equipment deeper in the ground.
71. What’s the best title for the passage?
A.A new way to help predict earthquakes.
B.The earthquakes in the world
C.A better understanding of earthquake
D.Scientists and modern systems of earthquakes
72.If the new method does work, _______.
A.fewer earthquakes will break out
B.rescue workers can save more buried people in ruins
C.a warning can be given at least ten days before the major earthquake
D.fewer people will be killed in an earthquake
73.According to the passage, the devices can predict the earthquake by______
reaching the center of the earthquake
detecting the temperature changes in the earth’s crust
measuring changes in air pressure on the Earth’s surface
recording sound waves under the ground
74.We can infer from the passage that ______.
the equipment is perfect enough to be used in practice
it’s unknown if greater earthquake can be predicted by the equipment
the deeper the equipment is placed, the more accurate the measurement is
the equipment has helped save many lives in the earthquake in Haiti .
75.How many earthquakes are mentioned in the passage?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four
The Take
By Martina Cole
Hardcover; 448 pages
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing Ltd.
ISBN: 0747269718
Price : ￡85
Jackie Jackson, who lives in Essex, UK, is preparing a party. Friends and family gather for the party to welcome her husband Freddie.
But it’s not your typical welcome back event. After six years in prison, Freddie thinks he is the Essex equivalent to the Godfather. And he’s going to make sure everyone knows it.
Lovers and Players
By Jackie Collins
Hardcover; 512 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0743268024
Price: ￡97
Amy is a pretty young New York heiress（女继承人）, she is engaged to an older man—Max Diamond, a powerful real estate(房地产) businessman.
At the party before the wedding, she runs into Jett, Max’s younger half-brother. Jett is just back from Italy, where he is a successful model. They have no idea who each other are. One night of romance leads to big complications.
Angels and Demons
By Dan Brown
Hardcover; 768 pages
Publisher: Random 
House
ISBN: 037543318X
Price: ￡128
Robert Langdon, the hero of the best-selling history thriller Da Vinci Code, makes his original appearance in Angels and Demons. In this book, Langdon tried to solve the mystery of a century-old underground organization and save the Vatican from a tomb.
66. Which of the following statements about The Take is NOT true?
A. It’s published by Headline Book Publishing Ltd.
B. It’s the cheapest one of the three books mentioned.
C. Jackie Jackson and Freddie are husband and wife.
D.
Jackie Jackson was in prison for six years
67. Which of the followin
g descriptions about Max and Jett are TRUE?
A. They are twins. B. They share one common parent
C. They are businessmen D. They are models
68. If you are interested in mysterious stones, you will probably read______.
A. The Take B. Lovers and Players C. Da Vinci Code D. Angels and Demons
69. It’s possible that Da Vinci Code was written by ______.
A. Jackie Collins B. Martina Cole C. Dan Brown D. Robert Langdon
70. In which column of the newspaper will you read the passage?
A. Best-selling UK Fictions
B. Best-selling US Essays
C. Best-selling French Fictions
D. Best-selling Romantic Love Stories
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