An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond. The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same tome.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit (追求) to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools. The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched (发起）the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book " project in 1998. Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago, the mayor(市长）appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the "One Book, One Chicago" program. As a result, reading clubs and neighbourhood groups sprang up around the city. Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.
The only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity(一致）can be achieved .Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point ,putting all their energy
And passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Ultinatel was Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process. or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word. What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?
| A．To invite authors to guide readers. |
| B．To encourage people to read and share. |
| C．To involve people in community service. |
| D．To promote the friendship between cities. |
Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?
| A．They had little interest in reading. |
| B．They were too busy to read a book. |
| C．They came from many different backgrounds |
| D．They lacked support from the local government |
According to the passage, where would the project be more easily carried out?
| A．In large communities with little sense of unity |
| B．In large cities where libraries are far from home |
| C．In medium-sized cities with a diverse population |
| D．In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached |
The underlined words “shared a word” in Paragraph 5 probably mean
| A．exchanged ideas with each other |
| B．discussed the meaning of a word |
| C．gamed life experience |
| D．used the same language |
According to Nacy, the degree of students of the project is judged by
the careful selection of a proper book
the growing popularity of the writers
C. the number of people who benefit from reading.
D. the number of books that each person reads.
The African elephant, the largest land animal remaining on earth, is of great importance to African eco-system. Unlike other animals, the African elephant is to a great degree the builder of its environment. As a big plant-eater, it largely shapes the forest-and-savanna（大草原）surroundings in which it lives, therefore setting the terms of existence for millions of other animals and live in its habitat.
It is the elephant’s great desire for food that makes it a disturber of the environment and an important builder of its habitat. In its continuous search for the 300 pounds of plants it must have every day, it kills small trees and under-bushes, and pulls branches off big trees. This results in numerous open spaces in both deep tropical forests and in the woodlands that cover part of the African savannas. In these open spaces are numerous plants in various stages of growth that attract a variety of other plant-eaters.
Take the rain forests for example. In their natural state, the spreading branches overhead shut out sunlight and prevent the growth of plants on the forest floor. By pulling down trees and eating plants, elephants make open spaces, allowing new plants to grow on the forest floor. In such situations, the forests become suitable for large hoofed（有蹄的）plant-eaters to move around and for small plant-eaters to get their food as well.
What worries scientists now is that the African elephant has become an endangered species. If the elephant disappears, scientists say, many other animals will also disappear from vast areas of forest and savanna, greatly changing and worsening the whole eco-system.
66. What’s the passage mainly about?
A. Disappearance of African elephants.
B. Forests and savannas as habitats for African elephants.
C. The effect of African elephants’ search for food.
D. The eating habit of African elephants.
67. What does the underlined phrase “setting the terms” in the first paragraph most probably mean?
A. fixing the time. B. worsening the situation.
C. Improving the quality. D. Deciding the conditions.
68. What do we know about the open spaces in the passage?
A. They result from the destruction of rain forests.
B. They provide food mainly for African elephants.
C. They are home to many endangered animals.
D. They are attractive to plant-eating animals of different kinds.
69. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The African elephant has become extinct.
B. African elephants have 300 pounds of plants every day, including small trees and under-bushes.
C. The African elephant is in a way the builder of the environment like other land animals.
D. If the African elephant disappears, the whole eco-system won’t be affected.
70. The passage is developed mainly by _________.
A. presenting figures
B. pointing out similarities and differences
C. describing the changes in the order of space
D. giving examples
It's time you started eating sensibly. Experts at the first Chinese Students Nutrition and Health Festival in Kunming last week listed eight bad eating habits.
●Watching television while having meals or snacks.
Doing this means you don't pay attention to your food, forget how full you are, and so overeat. It can also cause digestion (消化) diseases. One way to avoid this is only to eat in certain areas of your home.
● Replacing meals with snacks.
Many students think that eating small snacks can help them diet. But it often results in overeating and health problems related to a lack of vegetables, carbohydrates (碳水化合物),proteins and vitamins. Snacking only works if it is well planned and includes healthy foods such as nuts, vegetables, fruit and yogurt.
●Having drinks rather than water.
Fizzy (有气泡的) drinks and fruit juice are usually high in calories and sugar, which can
cause weight problems. Water is important in making your brain cells and every organ in your body work properly. For your body to burn fat, it needs at least eight glasses of pure water a day. Liquids like soda and coffee actually take water away from your body.
●Refusing to drink milk.
Milk is the best natural food—it provides you with protein, which makes your bones strong and teeth healthy.
● Choosing meat and certain vegetables over others.
Different foods provide different kinds of nutrition. If you don't have a balanced diet, this can result in malnutrition (营养失调) and a weaker body.
●Eating in front of the computer and staying there after meals.
Take a walk after eating and it helps your stomach digest the meal.
●Buying from roadside snack bars.
If you shop at these places, be careful—many are not clean enough.
● Eating throat tablets as if they were sweets.
If you eat throat tablets when you have no throat disease, they may affect the bacteria in your mouth and cause real throat problems. ______ can possibly cause digestion problem.
| A．Eating while sitting in front of TV or computer |
| B．Eating throat tablets as if they were sweets. |
| C．Choosing certain kinds of food over others. |
| D．Buying from roadside snack bars. |
Why can't soft drinks be drunk in place of water when you feel thirsty?
| A．They help brain cells work properly. | B．They make your body sick. |
| C．They take water away from your body. | D．They supply energy for your body. |
Which of the following is NOT the habit that will possibly result in a lack of nutrition?
| A．Often eating small snacks. | B．Never drinking milk. |
| C．Always eating the same kinds of food. | D．Staying in front of a computer after the meal. |
We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively（被动地）. We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.
We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else. Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Although we are used to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.
Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem. It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is rumor (谣言).
Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone. Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person. That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on. Then the last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it. Then the two written statements are compared. Typically, the original message has changed.
That’s what happens in daily life. The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story. Then, too, most people listen imperfectly. And many enjoy adding their own feelings to a story, trying to improve it, marking it with their own personal style. Yet those who hear it think they know.
This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.According to the passage, passive learning may occur when a person is _______.
| A．doing a medical experiment | B．solving a math problem |
| C．watching news on TV | D．doing scientific reasoning |
The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to _____.
| A．active learning | B．knowledge | C．communication | D．passive learning |
The author mentions the game Rumor to show that _____.
| A．a message may be changed when being passed on |
| B．a message should be delivered in different ways |
| C．people may have problems with their sense of hearing |
| D．people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Active learning is less important. |
| B．Passive learning may not be dependable. |
| C．Active learning occurs more frequently. |
| D．Passive learning is not found among scholars. |
Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.
I walked to the door and knocked, "Just a minute," answered a weak, elderly voice.
After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her eighties stood before me. By her side was a small suitcase.
I took the suitcase to the car, and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the car.
She kept thanking me for my kindness. "It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."
"Oh, you're such a good man." She said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"
"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.
"Oh, I'm in no hurry," she said. "I'm on my way to a hospice(临终医院). I don't have any family left. The doctor says I don't have very long."
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter(计价器).
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she had lived, and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she'd ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
At dawn, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."
We drove in silence to the address she had given me.
"How much do I owe you?" she asked.
"Nothing." I said.
"You have to make a living," she answered. "Oh, there are other passengers," I answered.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto earth tightly. Our hug ended with her remark, "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy."The old woman chose to ride through the city in order to ______.
| A．show she was familiar with the city | B．let the driver earn more money |
| C．see some places for the last time | D．reach the destination on time |
The taxi driver did not charge the old woman because he ______.
| A．shut off the meter by mistake | B．had received her payment in advance |
| C．was in a hurry to take other passengers | D．wanted to do her a favor |
What can we learn from the story?
| A．Giving is always a pleasure. | B．An act of kindness can bring people great joy. |
| C．People should respect each other. | D．People should learn to appreciate others' concern. |
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June. These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible(有责任感的) citizens. They give love and care. These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home. More fathers must help with child care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地). On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are valued more than the ones bought in stores. It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays.Which of the following is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents? _________.
| A．Parents bring up children. |
| B．Parents give love and care to children. |
| C．Parents educate children to be good persons. |
| D．Parents pass away before children grow up. |
What do you think “florists” do? _________.
| A．They sell flowers. |
| B．They make and sell bread. |
| C．They offer enough room for having family parties. |
| D．They sell special gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. |
Which do you think is right about “carnation”? _________.
| A．It has only two kinds of colors. |
| B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. |
| C．It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes. |
| D．People can wear carnations only on the second Sunday in May. |
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