The 1900 house
The bowler family was one of more than 400 families who applied to 1900 house, a reality TV shout which took a typical family back a hundred years to se how people lived in the days before the internet, computer games and even electricity.
The bowler family spent three months in a London home without a telephone, computers, TV, or fast food. The bowlers wore clothes from 1900, are only food available in English at that time, and cooked their meals on a single stove. Paul bowler still went to work every day in a then uniform. The children changed their clothes on the way to and from school and their classmates didn’t know about then unusual home life. Joyce stayed at home, cooking and cleaning like a typical housewife of the time, though everything took three times as long.
So does Joyce think that people’s lives were better in the old days?
“I think people in the old days had just ad many troubles and worries,” Joyce said.
And I don’t think their life was better or worse, there were lots of things back then that
I’m happy I don’t have to deal with nowadays, but on the other hand life was simpler.” “We had a lot more time with our family, and it was hard being nice to each other all the time,” eleven-year-old Hilary said.
So what did the Bowler family miss most about modern life while living in the 1900 house?
Paul, 39:” telephone and a hot shower”
Joyce, 44:” a quick cup of tea from a kettle you could just turn on”
Hilary, 11:” rock CD”
Joseph, 9:” hamburger and computer games”While the Bowler family was living in 1900 house, _____.
A the mother spent more time on housework
B the two children wore the then clothes for school
C they prepared their meals together on a stove
D they ate simple foods they had never seen According to Paragraph 4, what’s Joyce’s opinion about life in 1900?
A There were fewer problems for the family
B Life was simpler but worse than it is now
C There were things she liked and disliked
D The family had more time to stay together What would Hilary expect most from modern life in the three months?
A To play computer games
B. To make phone calls
C To listen to music
D. To chat on the Internet
As an effect of the high fuel prices spent on bus transportation, some American schools are changing to a four-day week. That means longer days instead of the traditional Monday through Friday schedule.
Having been approved for three years and beginning in the fall, students in the Maccray school district in Minnesota will be in school from Tuesday to Friday. Each school day will be 65 minutes longer. Officials say the district expects to save about sixty-five thousand dollars a year in transportation costs.
In new Mexico, the first school district changed to a four-day week in 1974 because of the Arab oil boycott(抵制). Now, 17 out of 89 districts use it.
In Custer, South Dakota, students have been going to school four days a week since 1995. Superintendent(主管人)Tim Creal says the change has saved about one million dollars over just the past eight years. He sees other benefits, too. Students get more instructional time, and activities that used to take up class time are now held on non-school days. He says that in the future, the growth of online classes could make it possible to require even fewer days in school. High fuel prices are driving college students to take more online classes.
A four-day school week sounds like a great idea for students and teachers, but working parents may have to pay for child care for that fifth day.
1. According to Tim Creal, what makes it possible to have even fewer days in school?
A. The increasing number of private tutors.
B. The development of teaching methods.
C. The increase in the number of online classes.
D. The growth in the income of Americans.
2. It can be learned from the passage that______
A. students will be in school from Monday to Tuesday.
B. four-day week was first carried out in South Dakota.
C. Maccray will save one million dollars every year.
D. Minnesota state has approved the four-day week plan.
3. The passage is mainly about______
A. some school’s four-day week plan B. districts using a four-day week.
C. how to save on transportation fees. D. expense of school transportation.
第三部分：阅读理解 (共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分)
Foreign Media Praise China's Earthquake Relief
The Wall Street Journal Asia Edition (U.S.), the Globe and Mail (Canada), the Guardian (U.K.), among other foreign news agencies, have recently published articles on China's earthquake relief. They have all praised the earthquake relief efforts made by the Chinese government.
The Wall Street Journal Asia Edition published an article on May 21 saying that on the eighth day of the most serious natural disaster to hit China in decades, rescuing survivors from the ruins had been quickly replaced by the formidable challenge of helping them. The article said that people overseas have been deeply impressed by earthquake relief efforts by the Chinese government.
The Associated French Press (AFP) reported on May 21 that China has become more open amid the campaign.
Aircraft loaded with relief supplies from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, Singapore and other countries have arrived in disaster areas in southwestern China.
The Associated Press (AP) published an article on May 21 reporting that China is making great efforts to deal with a formidable task caused by the earthquake how to provide temporary shelter for so many people. The article said that many tents have been built; and food and medical care are provided to the people whose lives have been completely disrupted (混乱) by the earthquake.
The Global and Mail of Canada published an article on May 20 that said the rapid earthquake relief work in Sichuan demonstrates China's powerful economic strength.
An article carried in the British Guardian said that one week after the Sichuan earthquake, China began a three-day national mourning period at 14:28 on May19, and all Chinese people stood in silence for three minutes in memory of the victims.
The ongoing search and rescue action is encouraged by one miraculous survivor after another. Chinese officials said that, so far, 
no epidemic had occurred after the earthquake.
1. How many press media are mentioned in the article?
A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6
2. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Foreign media praise China's earthquake relief
B. the rapid earthquake relief work in Sichuan demonstrates China's powerful
economic strength
C. the most serious natural disaster to hit China in decades
D. Tens of thousands of people’s lives have been completely disrupted by the
earthquake.
3. According to the passage, what is the most pressing task in the earthquake-hit areas?
A. rescuing survivors
B. providing temporary shelter and food for the victims
C burying dead bodies
D. clearing away the ruins
4. What is the possible meaning of the underlined word “formidable” in paragraph 4?
A. very difficult B. glorious C. light D. pressing
The financial crisis will be the top issue at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The five – day meeting starts on Wednesday, January 28. More than two thousand five hundred people from ninety-six countries will discuss ways to solve the crisis.
The event gathers some of the world's most powerful political and business leaders at a small ski village in the Swiss Alps. Organizers this week announced a program built around the theme: “Shaping the Post-Crisis World."
But with the world still in crisis , there was news that no famous people from show business will be at the forum this year. Bona, the social activist and lead singer of the Irish rock group U2, usually attends. But he will not be attending this year.
Organizers expect a record forty-one heads of state or government. They include Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the prime minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga.
Among those expected from President Obama's new administration is Lawrence Summers, the director of the National Economic Council. Another is Mister Obama's national security adviser, retired general James Jones.
Members of the US Congress are also among the guest list, along with former president Clinten, a favorite at Davos. About sixty percent of those attending are business leaders.
The World Economic Forum will also discuss global warming, investment in low-carbon forms of energy in developing countries and other issues.
Klaus Schwab is the founder and chairman of the forum. He calls this one of the most important gatherings in its thirty-nine year history. He says the financial crisis should be seen as a wake-up call to change systems and ways of thinking, and to re-establish trust.
KLAUS SCHWAB: "We never will move out of the crisis if we do not re-establish confidence which means we have to establish signposts for the future."
1．What is the main purpose of the World Economic Forum this year?
A．To wake up people to establish signpost for the future.
B．To solve the problems of global warning.
C．To re-establish confidence of the leaders.
D．To discuss how to solve the crisis.
2．The underlined word “signpost” in the last paragraph means .
A．symbol B．road C．goal D．station
3．What does Klaus Schwab mean in the second paragraph from the bottom?
A．The crisis requires us to change.
B．We should change the systems of the forum.
C．The forum has a long history.
D．The crisis needs trust.
Third – generation mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the electron industry. Data spec in 3G networks are much quicker than present technology. This means users can have high-speed Internet access and enjoy video and CD-quality music on their phones.
“Mobile data is not a dream; it’s not an option but a requirement,” said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company, Sprint PCS, at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month.
With 3G, you can forget about text messages telling you yesterday’s news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home.
Face-to-face video calls
And don’t worry about getting lost. 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset.
However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live two-way video communication, you can have face-to-face talks with friends and family on your mobile phone.
Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five license to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year.
International telecom companies can’t wait to sell 3G in China, the world’s largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3G-based technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops.
“We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the large-scale commercial launch of the service,” said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. “We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued late next year.”
1．Which 3G, you can do the following EXCEPT .
A．find your way easily
B．learn what’s going on in the world
C．make your computer run faster
D．make face – to – face video telephone calls
2．According to the text, which function of the following makes 3G technology most extraordinary?
A．It can provide video news programs, updated four times a day.
B．Users can have face – to – talks with friends and family on their mobile phones.
C．Users can enjoy video and CD – quality music on their phones.
D．It’ll be easier for users to surf the Web on their phone than on their computers at home.
3．Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．3G mobile phones were first used in America.
B．Foreign telecom companies won’t enter China.
C．3G technology is now at the commercial stage in China.
D．Users in China won’t probably use 3G mobile phones until late next year.
4．What does Len Lauer want to inform the readers?
A．Realizing the dream of mobile data based on the application of 3G is a must.
B．There is no need to send messages since 3G, can receive video news programs.
C．3G is supposed to own all the functions that a computer has.
D．It is a choice to carry mobile data with 3G phones.
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Collectors Club Starter Pack 1. 100 used stamps and hinges. 2. The Collectors Club Guide to Collecting. 3. The latest Collectors Club magazine (packed with news and views about stamps, quizzes and competitions, all in colour) 4. Album pages 5. Badge and stickers 6. Membership card 7. Royal Mail Stamp Calendar. ﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡ Already Registered? Sign In Here! Learn More View a Flash presentation about our club (3.51MB) |
1．Which of the following is NOT included in a starter pack?
A．One hundred used stamps and hinges and album pages.
B．The Collectors Club Guide to Collecting and badge and stickers.
C．The latest Collectors Club magazine and membership card.
D．Royal Mail Stamp Calendar and Collectors Corner supplement
2．This advertisement is written for people who want to .
A．make money through collecting stamps
B．develop stamp collection as a hobby
C．get something free from the club
D．find out where the club is located
3．From the advertisement we can learn .
A．Collectors Club is among the biggest clubs in this country
B．how much you must pay to become a member of the club
C．today is the last day for stamp collectors to join the club
D．members may receive a set of album pages every month
4．Where is this advertisement most probably found?
A．In a newspaper. B．On a web page.
C．In a magazine. D．On a TV program.
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