Can you imagine learning by playing games. To be sure, only children experienced some things differently from those with sisters and brothers. Many feel more pressure to succeed. They also tend to look only to their parents as role models in the absence of brothers and sisters.
In India, 10-year-old Saviraj Sankpal founded a support group for the tiny minority of only children. Among other things, the group does volunteer work to counter (or be against) the myth that they are not responsible. "People think we're treated too kindly and ruined," says Sankpal, a computer engineering student. "But I'd like to remind them how lonely it can get."
Most only children, however, say they wish for sisters or brothers only when it comes to caring for aging, unhealthy parents. Britain's David Emerson, coauthor of the book The Only Child, says that such a person bears terrible burden in having to make all the decisions alone. Emerson knows from experience: After his father died, he chose to move his elderly mother from their family home, where she was vulnerable to (or easy to be attacked by) house breakers, to a new one with more security." The move was quite hard on her, and she might feel that I pushed her into it," he says,". After all, I am left with that responsibility."
In the future, more and more only children will likely face similar choices. With working mothers increasing, many families are finding they simply don't have the time, money or energy to have more than one child. As only children become common, perhaps the world will realize that the Charge made against them is unjust.It can be inferred from the passage that the author's attitude towards only children is _______.
| A．ironic | B．objective | C．unfriendly | D．unjust |
It can be inferred from the passage that only children's parents should ___________.
| A．found a support group for their only children |
| B．do volunteer work to help their only children |
| C．let their only children make all the decisions alone |
| D．set good examples for their only children |
Emerson decided to move his elderly mother to a new house because he ___________.
| A．is the only one who cares about her |
| B．doesn't want to leave her alone |
| C．wants to share the responsibility with her |
| D．is worried about her safety |
It is quite usual now for a working mother to ____________.
| A．spend all her time and money on her only child |
| B．be responsible for bringing up her only child |
| C．have and bring up only one child |
| D．devote all her energy to her job |
The main idea of the passage is that ________.
| A．only children are ruined and irresponsible |
| B．only children have to face many challenges |
| C．most only children want to have brothers and sisters |
| D．most only children share their responsibility with their parents |
D
Andrew Carnegie was a 19th century steel tycoon（大亨）who became one of the 20th century’s most famous philanthropists（慈善家）His life story is one of the most famous rags-to-riches accounts in United States history.
Carnegie was born in Dunfermlined, Scotland, on November 25,1835. The son of a weaver, he came with his family to the United States in 1848 and settled in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. At age thirteen, Carnegie went to work as a bobbin（线轴）boy in a cotton mill. He then moved rapidly through a series of jobs with Western Union and the Pnnsylvania Railroad. In 1865, he resigned to establish his own business and eventually organized the Carnegie Steel Company, which started the steel industry in Pittsburgh. At age sixty-five, he sold the company to J. P. Morgan for $480 million and devoted the rest of his life to his philanthropic activities and writing, including his autobiography（自传）.
Many persons of wealth have contributed to charity, but Carnegie was perhaps the first to state publicly that the rich have a moral responsibility to donate their fortune. In 1889 he wrote The Gospe（福音）of Wealth, in which he stated that all personal wealth beyond what was required to supply the needs of one’s family should be regarded as a trust fund to be managed for the benefit of the company.
Carnegie set about giving away his fortune through countless personal gifts and through the establishment of various trusts. In his thirties, Carnegie had already begun to give away some of his fast-accumulating funds. His first large gifts were made to his native town. Later he created seven philanthropic and educational organizations in the United States, including Carnegie Corporation of New York, and several more in Europe.
One of Carnegie’s lifelong interests was the establishment of free public libraries to make available to everyone a means of self-education. There were only a few public libraries in the world when, in 1881, Carnegie began to promote his idea. He and the Corporation subsequently（随后）spent over $56 million to build 2,509 libraries throughout the English-speaking world.
After this program was ended in 1917, the Corporation continued for about forty years an interest in the improvement of library services. Other major program in the Corporation’s early history included adult education and education in the fine arts.
During his lifetime, Carnegie gave away over $350 million. He died in Lenox, Massachusetts on August 11,1919.
53．Carnegie became wealthy by__________.
A．his investment in weaving industry B．his father’s financial support
C．starting his steel business from nothing D．his philanthropic activities
54．What is the correct order of events related to Carnegie?
a．He sold his company.
b．He organized the Carnegie Steel Company.
c．He worked in a cotton mill.
d．He came to the United States.
e．He wrote The Gospel of Wealth.
A．c-d-e-b-a B．c-b-a-d-e C．d-c-b-e-a D．d-b-a-e-c
55．What can we learn about Carnegie according to the passage?
A．He was the first wealthy person who contributed to charity.
B．He believed that it was the duty of the wealthy to help society.
C．He called on the wealthy to give away all of their fortune to help the poor.
D．He was willing to give personal gifts only to his friends and relatives.
56．Carnegie established public libraries in order to __________.
A．win a good reputation for his company
B．collect money for his educational organizations
C．improve library services
D．help people educate themselves
C
People have long debated the essence（本质）of human nature．Some people think humans are
born good．In San Zi Jing（Three Chara~er Classic），a Chinese children’s educational book from
the 13th century, we read：“Men at birth are naturally good．Their natures are similar, their habits
become different．’’
Yet some philosophers disagree with this．They think men are born selfish and vicious（恶的）．
For example，Thomas Hobbes，the 1 7th century English philosopher argued that men are born self-
interested and with a liking for war．
Over the centuries，different philosophers have argued their cases．Now the results of a new
study，which contrasts the behavior of very young children and young chimpanzees（黑猩猩）
suggests that human beings are born sociable and helpful to others，according to a New York Times
report．
“Of course every animal must to some extent be selfish to survive．But the biologists also see
in humans a natural willingness to help．”The New York Times science reporter Nicholas Wade writes．
Wade quotes a book published in October by American psychologist Michael Tomasello．
Tomasello writes：“When infants（婴儿）18 months old see an unrelated adult whose hands are
full and who needs help opening a door or picking up a dropped clothespin，they will immediately
help．The helping behavior seems to be innate because it appears so early and before many parents
start teaching children the rules of polite behavior．’’
Tomasello finds that this behavior is not the result of an incentive（动机）of a
reward，suggesting training does not influence it．And it seems to happen across cultures，with their different timetables for teaching social rules．For these reasons，Tomamsello concluded that helping is natural，not something taught by parents or culture．
And it seems that infants cannot only help in practical ways，it can also help with information，
Tomasello writes．From the age of 1 2 months they will point at objects thin all adult pretends to
have lost．Chimpanzees，by contrast，never point at things for each other, and when they point for
people．it seems to be as a command to go fetch something rather than to share information．
49．What is the article mainly about?
A．The behavior of young children．
B．Former philosophies about human nature.
C．The difference between babies and baby chimpanzees.
D．A new study of human nature．
50．According to Michael Tomasello, human beings are born __________.
A．similar to chimpanzees in nature B．selfish and Vicious
C．sociable and helpful D．with a liking for war
51．Of all the following，__________has a negative attitude towards human nature.
A．Three Character B．Thomas Hobbes
C．Nicholas Wade D．Michael Tomasello
52．According to the study，it's safe to say that __________.
A．human beings are not selfish
B．children like to help others when they get a reward
C．different countries teach social rules at different times
D．children tend to be helpful if they are taught early
B
Welcome to Language upon Thames. This brochure has been designed to give you an
overview of our Language School and the courses we offer. If you have some additional questions
please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
At Language upon Thames, we feel it is important to be flexible, in order that students can
decide what period of study suits them best.
Small Group General English Courses
These courses are aimed at students who wish to improve their speaking, listening, reading and
writing skills and are offered at the following levels:
BEGINNERS
ELEMENTARY（初级）
PRE-INTERMEDIATE
INTERMEDIATE
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE
Studying one of the above courses will enable you to use English more confidently and competently （适合地）on a daily basis.
Try our free online test to see which level you are at —CLICK HERE
Exam courses
These courses are aimed at students who wish to gain academic qualifications in English and are offered at the following levels:
University of Cambridge exams:
ADVANCED1—FCE（First certificate）
ADVANCED2—CAE（Advanced）
ADVANCED3—CPE（Proficiency）
Studying one of the above courses will enable you to continue your education or enter university in this country. （Students wishing to gain admission to a British university are normally required to have the Cambridge Proficiency Certificate.）
Speaking, Listening & Pronunciation
This course builds on communicative confidence and competence and is aimed at students who
wish to develop the important skills of speaking and listening.
Emphasis is also placed on pronunciation, with activities designed to meet the needs of
students of different nationalities, who need to focus on different areas.
CLICK HERE to register for a General English course.
Other Languages
At Language upon Thames we offer a wide range of cafes, restaurants, shops and bars. Most importantly, we have foreign language classes of French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Italian during the day, evening or on a one-to-one basis.
45．What does this passage mainly talk about?
A．An overview of the language school.
B．Ways to develop students’ language skills.
C．A brief introduction to some English courses.
D．Solutions to build students’ communicative confidence.
46．If you attend Exam Courses, you will __________.
A．use English more confidently and competently
B．gain academic qualifications in English
C．have better pronunciation and deal with everyday English well
D．be able to get admitted into a university for further education in this country
47．Judging from the description, we can tell that this passage must be taken from__________.
A．a newspaper B．a magazine C．the Internet D．a guidebook
48．According to the passage，we may conclude that the English courses offered by Language upon
Thames__________．
A．are flexible but with few language activities designed for students of different nationalities
B．are flexible and will meet the needs of students at different levels and with different
backgrounds
C．place much emphasis on language skills but pay less attention to the needs of learners
D．are all aimed to improve students’ communicative competence by giving classes on a one—
to-one basis
第二部分：阅读理解（第一节20小题，第二节5小题；每小题2分共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，并在答题卷上将该项标号涂黑。
A
The angry locals of an English village blocked the driver of a Google Street View car who was
filming the neighborhood, saying they feared he world encourage thieves, a report said Friday.
One local, Paul Jacobs, told the BBC he had warned his neighbors after spotting the car from
his window in Broughton, Buckinghamshire, southern England, on Wednesday.
“I don’t have a problem with Google wanting to promote villages. What I have a problem with
is the invasion （侵犯）of privacy, taking pictures directly into the home,” Jacobs said.
“We’ve already had three homes broken into locally in the past six weeks. If our houses are
made noticeable all over Google, it’s an invitation for more criminals to strike. I was determined to
make a stand, so I called the police.”
After his call, a police car arrived in Broughton in response to an argument between a crowd of people and a Google Street View contractor.
“They felt his presence was a threat to their privacy. When police arrived at the scene, the car had moved on,” explained a spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police.
The Google Street View project, set up last month in Britain, aims to provide detailed 360-degree views online of streets all over Britain.
The project has already been strongly criticized by associations like Privacy International, a pressure group which has launched legal action against the IT company.
Google is confident that their new mapping project is within the law.
“Before launching Street View we sought the guidance and approval of the Information Commissioner’s Office. The ICO has repeatedly made clear that it believes that Street View includes the safeguards necessary to protect people’s privacy,” a Google spokesman said.
“The Metropolitan Police （in London） told us they saw no significant security risk, that thieves are likely to make use of the opportunities, and that mapping products can be useful in solving and mapping crime in an area.”
He added: “Engaged in new projects, we sometimes meet unexpected challenges, and Street View has been no exception.”
41.When the police car arrived at the village,__________
A．the villagers were angrily arguing with the Google car driver.
B．the map car was stopped from leaving the village.
C．The map car had stopped its working and gone on its way.
D．The map car was surrounded by the angry villagers.
42．The underlined phrase “make a stand” in Paragraph 4 means .
A．stand there all the time whole waiting for the police
B．show full support to Google’s filming the neighborhood
C．attempt to defend locals by stopping Google’s filming the neighborhood
D．stand in the way to stop the car moving on
43．Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
A．Google’s mapping project has not been officially approved.
B．Three homes had been visited by thieves with the help of Google pictures.
C．The police rushed to stop a fight between locals and Google contractors.
D．It was not the first time that the Google map project had been criticized.
44．What’s the best title for the passage?
A．Google’s Mapping Project Promotes the Neighobrohood.
B．Angry British Villagers Stop Google Maps Car.
C．Google Goes On With its Plan to Film the Streets.
D．New Project Meets Challenges Again.
BUDGET FOR A BRITISH SCHOOL’S VISIT TO XX SCHOOL IN BEIJING
Ⅰ. TEACHER COSTS
| |
Details (e.g. Mode of transport, hotel/hostel) |
Cost per person |
Total |
| Travel |
Per person×4 |
UK flight to Beijing(via Hong Kong)£887 |
£3,548 |
| Local travel |
|
£15 |
£60 |
| Accommodation（住宿） |
|
£640 |
£2,560 |
| |
|
Sub-total £6,168(School will cover the cost of one teacher, so will ask the Department of Education for £4,626 |
Ⅱ. PROJECT COSTS
| |
Description and cost per item |
Total |
| Materials |
Teaching materials £250 |
£250 |
| Communication |
Telephone calls |
£75 |
| Cost of the staff |
£180(per person per day)×4×8 days |
£5,760(School will cove the cost of one teacher; so will ask the Department of Education for £4,320) |
| |
Sub-total：£6,085 |
| Grand total(Ⅰ+Ⅱ) |
£12，253 |
44. The British school is making a budget for .
A. buying some teaching materials from Beijing
B. hosting Chinese students from Beijing
C. planning a visit for teachers to Beijing
D. communicating with Beijing teachers
45. According to the tables, how many English teachers will visit Beijing?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6
46. Which of the following is TRUE according to the table above?
A. The British school will travel by air directly to Beijing.
B. The British teachers will pay for their own accommodation in China.
C. The British school’s visit to Beijing will cost £6,085 in total.
D. The British school needn’t bear the cost of the trip all by itself.
47. Where can we probably read such a table?
A. In a newspaper. B. In an application(申请) letter.
C. In a magazine. D. In a story book.
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