If you hear the sound of a mobile phone beeping in a bag or pocket, you could think that someone has received a text message. Text messaging, or texting, is the art of sending a short, electronic message between two mobile phones. The users should pay a certain amount to send messages via SMS--- short message service. But in the last few years, with the development of smart phones, messaging in this way has been at a low ebb.
The rise of smart phones has seen an increase in the use of instant messaging apps. The apps offer a cheap alternative to traditional texts. Using wireless internet connections, people can send a number of messages to their friends at a very low cost. Unlike traditional mobile texts, the users usually only have to pay to download the app once, after which each message they send is free.
Instant messaging apps have become popular all over the world. Hundreds of millions of people use the apps to chat with their friends. These apps allow people to send pictures messages for free---something which previously was quite costly. Many of these apps also allow users to have access to a huge range of colourful emotions, which can help people express their emotions.
The research company Informa said that almost 19 billion messages were sent per day using chat apps last year, compared with 17.6 billion SMS texts. And it expects the chat app market to grow to 50 billion per day by 2015. So does this really mean the end of communicating by texting?
Pamela Clark-Dickson from Informa doesn’t think so. She says that there are a large number of people who use normal mobile phones, particularly in developing countries and prefer the SMS messaging tool. For the moment, these users still find that SMS is the best messaging experience for them.The underlined phrase “at a low ebb” can be replaced by “______”
| A．on the increase | B．on the decrease |
| C．in the end | D．at the moment |
What can we learn about instant messaging apps?
| A．Normal mobile phones can be used to download the apps. |
| B．The apps enjoy high popularity in developing countries. |
| C．Only part of the messages sent by the apps are free of charge. |
| D．It will cost the users some money for downloading the apps. |
Instant messaging apps won’t take the place of the SMS messaging tool soon in that_____________________________________
| A．there are a large number of people who enjoy using normal mobile phones. |
| B．many people in developing countries can’t afford to buy smart phones. |
| C．many people in developing countries don’t like instant messaging apps |
| D．instant messaging apps are only known to people in developed countries. |
In which section of an English newspaper will this text probably be found?
| A．Science & Technology | B．Culture |
| C．Entertainment | D．Health & care |
A very strict officer was talking to some new soldiers whom he had to train. He had never seen them before, so began, “My name is Stone, and I’m even harder than stone, so do what I tell you or there’ll be trouble. Don’t try any tricks (诡计) with me, and then we’ll get on well together.”
Then he went to each soldier one after the other and asked him his name, “Speak loudly so that everyone can hear you clearly,” he said, “and don’t forget to call me ‘sir’.”
Each soldier told him name, until he came to the last one. This man remained silent, and so Captain Stone shouted at him, “ when I ask you a question, answer it! I’ll ask you again: What’s your name, soldier?”
The soldier was very unhappy, but at last he replied, “My name’s Stonebreaker, sir,” he said nervously (紧张地).
51. The officer was strict _________.
| A．because the soldiers were new. |
| B．with any of his soldiers, new or old. |
| C．because he was named Stone. |
| D．only when he was before soldiers. |
52. According to what the officer said, _______________.
| A．obeying his orders would sometimes bring no trouble. |
| B．trouble would come if anybody made tricks. |
| C．he always got on well with his soldiers. |
| D．he often had trouble with his soldiers. |
53. The last soldier remained silent because _______________.
| A．he didn’t like the way the officer spoke to them. |
| B．he wanted to see what would happen if he disobeyed his order. |
| C．the question was difficult for him to answer. |
| D．he was afraid the officer would be angry when he heard his name. |
54. According to the officer, how to answer the question, “How old are you?”
| A．(sadly) Twenty, sir. | B．(clearly) Twenty. |
| C．(loudly)Twenty, sir | D．(quickly)Ten years younger than you, sir |
What is the hottest topic at your school recently? In Hangzhou Yongjin Middle School, it’s money. The school held an activity called “making money” last weekend. About 200 students of Senior 1 and Senior 2 were divided into 30 teams. They went out to make money by selling things. What did they choose to sell? Some sold newspapers; some chose bottled water; some sold environmentally friendly shopping bags and bamboo(竹子) baskets.
Hu Qing’s team decided to sell some useful books in front of the Children Activity Center. They thought parents would like to buy the books for their children. But unfortunately, they met urban management officers (城管). The officers asked them to leave. “We played hide-and-seek (捉迷藏) with the officers for the whole morning” said Hu. “Finally we had to give up.”
Wang Bing and her team sold ice cream in a square. They didn’t meet any officers. But few people were interested in what they were selling. The team then put up a board saying “For Country Kids”. It worked. More people came to their stall (小摊). A foreigner even gave them 100 yuan. “He didn’t want any change. He said he wanted to help the children,” said Wang. “We were touched.” Later that day they gave the 100 yuan and more to the “Project Hope” office.
Meng Zhaoxiang and his team were luckier. They sold all their cakes in four hours, spending 39.5 yuan and getting back 80 yuan. They made 40.5 yuan. “It was not easy to make the money,” said Meng. “Some people just looked. Others just tasted but didn’t buy. Now I know how hard it is for our parents to make money.”
86. In Hangzhou Yongjin Middle School, what the students talk more about is ________.
| A．the officers | B．the kind foreigner |
| C．the activity called “making money” | D．the money they made last weekend |
87. ________ took part in the activity.
| A．All the students | B．Some teachers |
| C．About 200 students of the three grades | D．Part of Junior 1 and Junior 2 students |
88. Hu Qing’s team finally gave up because ________.
| A．the parents didn’t like to buy the books |
| B．the Children Activity Center was too crowded |
| C．the officers didn’t allow them to sell anything there |
| D．the team played the game of the hide-and-seek the whole morning |
89. Why did more people come to Wang Bing’s stall at last?
| A．The team put up a magic board. | B．A foreigner came up and helped them. |
| C．The people liked to help country kids. | |
| D．The people were interested in their ice cream. |
90. According to the passage the students learn ________.
| A．it’s impossible for them to make money |
| B．it’s not easy for their parents to make money |
| C．it’s very important for them to make a living |
| D．it’s necessary for school to hold more activities in the future |
You speak, write a letter, make a telephone. Your words carry a message. People communicate（交际）with words. Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears（眼泪）in your eyes tell others that you are sad.
When you put up your hands in class, the teacher knows you want to say something or ask questions. You shake（摇）your head, and people know you are saying "No". You nod（点头）and people know you are saying "Yes". Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the door helps you where to go in or out. Have you ever thought that there are a lot of signs around you and that you receive messages from them all the time? People can communicate in many other ways. An artist can use his drawing to tell beautiful mountains, about the blue sea and many other things. Books are written to tell about all the wonderful things in the world and also about people and their ideas. Books, magazines（杂志）, TV, radio and films all help us communicate with others. They can help us to know what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.
81. People communicate ________.
| A．with words only | B．in many different ways |
| C．in letters and drawings | D．with smiles, tears and hands |
82. Signs can carry as many _________ as words.
| A．questions | B．examples | C．tears and smiles | D．messages |
83. Which of the following is not talked in the passage as ways of communication?
| A．books and magazines | B．TV and films | C．newspapers | D．radio |
84. Which of the following statements is WRONG ?.
| A．Communication helps us to learn what is happening in the world. |
| B．Communication helps us to understand other people better.. |
| C．A sign is also a way of communication.. |
| D．If you can’t speak, you can’t communicate.. |
85. The best title（题目）for this short passage is _________.
| A．Signs Carry Messages | B．The important Communication |
| C．Words, Signs and Drawing. Ways of Communication. | |
| D．We can only improve our listening skills step by step. |
Learners of English, especially self-taught learners may have trouble in understanding the speeches made by native speakers. The following ways might help improve your listening skills.
First of all, do things step by step. It is not good to listen to something beyond your level. Better choose a suitable course and start with the first book. Don’t go on to the second book until you are sure you understand the first one.
Secondly, keep studying one course. Don’t change books often. Never let your attention be attracted by another course just because it seems to be more popular.
Thirdly, listen to the English news over the radio from time to time. Better look through the news stories in Chinese-language newspapers first. That will make it easier for you to understand the English news on the radio.
Fourthly, if you have time, listen to some interesting stories in Special English from the V.O.A or other listening materials of the same level as those of your textbook.
76. What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．How to speak English correctly. | B．How to read fast. |
| C．How to improve your writing skills. | D．How to improve your listening skills. |
77. What does the underlined part “beyond your level” mean?
| A．Easy for you. | B．Too difficult for you. |
| C．Just all right for you. | D．Neither difficult nor easy for you. |
78. What should you do if you want to understand the English news on the radio?
A. Practise speaking very often.
B. Read the news stories in Chinese-language newspapers first.
C. Listen to some interesting stories in Special English from the V,O.A.
D. Ask others to explain it to you.
79. How many pieces of advice does the writer give?
| A．Four | B．Three. | C．Two. | D．Many. |
80. Which of the following is NOT right?
| A．English learners may have difficulty in understanding native English. |
| B．To improve our listening skills, we should choose popular courses from time to time. |
| C．Chinese-language newspapers are good for us to understand the English news on the radio.. |
| D．We can only improve our listening skills step by step. |
School uniforms are becoming more and more popular around the USA. That’s no surprise, because they have many benefits. They end the powerful social labeling（有力的社会标记）that comes from clothing. If all the students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing “wrong” clothes.
Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms, but they don’t realize that students already accept a kind of rule--- wanting to look like just their friends. For students, the school uniforms remind them that their main task in school is to get education. Some parents are unhappy with uniforms, saying that school uniforms will affect their children’s “creativity”.
However, school uniforms that students wear don’t necessarily show their individuality (个性). And also the students have the rest days of the week to be as creative as they like. While they are in school, their jobs are to learn reading, writing, math and so on. Mastery (掌握) of those skills will be good for students to build up their creativity in every way.
71. The underlined word “benefits” means “___________” in Chinese.
| A．好处 | B．信息 | C．差异 | D．特征 |
72. From the passage, we can learn that school uniforms can _______________.
| A．make students laugh at others. | B．show students’ individuality. |
| C．help students keep their task in mind. | D．reduce parents’ economy pressure. |
73. The students’ main task at school is to ____________.
| A．study with their friends. | B．get education |
| C．learn English well. | D．make friends as many as possible. |
74. Some parents are unhappy about school uniforms because they ___________.
| A．don’t like school uniforms. |
| B．wouldn’t like to pay for school uniforms. |
| C．think that uniforms will affect students’ creativity. |
| D．students’ uniforms don’t look good. |
75. We can infer that students need to wear school uniforms __________.
| A．on weekdays | B．on weekend | C．in holiday | D．everyday. |
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