People are so busy these days that many have no time to cook. This is a problem, because many families love home cooking! A family meal brings everyone together. In some families, meals are often the only time everyone sees one another at the same time.
Another reason people enjoy home cooking is that it is often a way of showing love. A parent who makes some cookies is not just satisfying a child's sweet tooth. She or he is sending a message. The message says,“I care about you enough to spend an hour making cookies that you will eat up in no time.”
There is also something about the smell of home cooking. The smell of home cooking pleases people of all ages. It makes most of us feel good and loved—even if we are the ones doing the cooking! Next time you smell a cake being cooked, stop for a moment and pay attention to your mood.
1. Fewer people cook now because _________.
A. they have no time. B. they are not busy.
C. many people don't like cooking. D. they don't like family meals.
2. A parent spends an hour making cookies __________.
A. just to satisfy her or his child's sweet tooth B. only to send a message.
C. so her child can eat them in 15 minutes D. to show her or his love
3. The writer thinks the smell of home cooking makes us _________.
A. feel happy B. interested in cooking
C. pay attention to our mood D. love others
4. What's the main idea of this passage?
A. Family meals are important. B. How to make cookies.
C. People are too busy to cook. D. Home made cookies taste better。
The 47-year-old singer talks about the new album Symphony（交响乐） that came out of a “very dark time”, including her decision to give up trying to have children. “People have suggested I could adopt,” Brightman says. “But work is central to my life now. And so I am going to put it to one side. After a while not having children becomes the norm and perhaps that might sound alarming, to parents especially, but I have never known anything different. I’m not hurt by not having children. My life and career are incredibly rich.”
Talking about growing up in a large family in Berkhamsted (father a property developer who later committed suicide), she says: “I was gifted as a child, and very musical. I seemed to be good at anything to do with the arts. At 5，I understood the music I was dancing to and had an eye for costume.” She first appeared in a West End musical at 11 and hated boarding school.
Brightman led the saucy dance troupe（辣妹三人舞） Hot Gossip and had her first hit with I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper in 1978. At 18 she married a music manager called Andrew Graham Stewart. “I was probably in love but I can’t remember. Girls change such a lot between 18 and 22. It didn’t really work out.” In 1981 she was spotted by Lloyd Webber. She became his leading lady in Song and Dance, Requiem and Phantom of the Opera. They married in 1984.
Brightman says she felt hostility(敌意) “from the beginning. I haven’t tried to understand it. I’ve done very well everywhere else, especially the US, where I now live, I just accept it for what it is. The more you are away from Britain, the more you appreciate it. But I don’t miss it, although I miss my family. Our profession can be uncomfortable but I enjoy what I do. I get on with it.” The first paragraph tells us that _____.
| A．Brightman is very popular around the world except in America |
| B．Brightman’s musical style is a mixture of opera, pop and jazz |
| C．the British people don’t like her for her style of music |
| D．Brightman is much older than Andrew Lloyd Webber |
Brightman decided to give up having children because _____.
| A．she could adopt one |
| B．her life and career were unbelievably rich without children |
| C．she felt it normal not to have children |
| D．she was too busy |
The following statements are true except ______.
| A．Brightman first appeared in a West End musical at 5 |
| B．Brightman disliked life on the campus |
| C．Brightman was very gifted when she was young |
| D．The saucy dance troupe made Brightman famous |
The underlined word in the fourth paragraph probably means _____.
| A．located | B．admired | C．followed | D．found |
What does the author try to say in the last paragraph by quoting Brightman’s words?
| A．Brightman has to accept the fact that she is not liked in Britain |
| B．Brightman lives in America but she loves her own country |
| C．The British coldness towards Brightman led to her hatred to her homeland |
| D．Brightman was at a loss why she was not welcome in Britain |
Experts say that agriculture provides fourteen percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions each year．The gases released include carbon dioxide, a major cause of global warming．
Twenty-one nations around the world recently joined forces to better understand and prevent greenhouse gas emissions from farms．The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases was launched at the United Nations conference on climate change．The meeting took place in Copenhagen, Denmark last month．
Agricultural experts blame a number of farm activities for producing greenhouse gases．For example, animal waste and cattle digestive systems release methane （甲烷，沼气） gas．Fertilized soil and the burning of crop waste also release harmful gases into the air．Experts say some methods of farming ?turning the soil to prepare for planting ?also release harmful carbon dioxide．
An official of the European Commission's Directorate General for Research says agricultural greenhouse gas emissions can be cut．Maive Rute suggests feeding animals a diet designed to reduce emissions．
The new agricultural research group says protecting against global warming is only part of its purpose．It says the world also needs to develop better farming methods to feed growing populations in poor countries．
United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said no one single nation can fight agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and increase food production at the same time．This is why the alliance is important for combining resources and finding new ones．
The United States Department of Agriculture will increase spending on farm emissions research by ninety million dollars over the next four years．The total will reach one hundred thirty million dollars．The U．S．D．A．will share the research with other countries in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases and support researchers from developing countries that belong to the alliance．Money from the Borlaug Fellowship program will let the researchers study agricultural climate change with American scientists．
Mister Vilsack said that just as climate change has no borders, there should be no borders for research．
72．In Paragraph 4, Maive Rute recommends _____．
A．increasing food production
B．changing cattle digestive systems
C．developing better fanning methods
D．giving animals the food meant to produce fewer emissions
73．The underlined word "alliance" in Paragraph 6 probably means _____．
A．Action or state being joined together
B．An agreement signed between countries
C．A program or project set up for a research
D．An organization formed for different goals
74．How much has the U．S．D．A．spent on farm emissions research so far?
A．130 million dollars． B．220 million dollars．
C．40 million dollars． D．90 million dollars．
75．The purpose of the passage is to ____．
A．suggest a total ban on farm activities
B．introduce Copenhagen conference held last month
C．appeal to more countries to cut agricultural emissions
D．inform readers of the major cause of global warming
A popular saying goes,“Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves-the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn't be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This self-talk helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying, “Good job !”
Often, words come out of our mouths without our thinking about the effects they will have; but we should be aware that our words cause certain responses to others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or we can use harsh, critical language, which will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive. Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves：Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid.
Words possess power both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem (自尊) and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal？The choice is ours.The author argues in the first paragraph that .
| A．words have lasting effects on us |
| B．words will never hurt us at all |
| C．positive effects last longer than negative effects |
| D．negative words may let us down |
Why should we not feel embarrassed when talking to ourselves？
| A．Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. |
| B．Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
| C．Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
| D．It does harm to have "self-talk" when we are alone. |
Which of the following statements would the author agree to?
| A．Unkind words are more likely to be forgotten. |
| B．It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
| C．Words always possess long positive effects. |
| D．Kind words are sometimes not needed at all. |
Why should we talk in a friendly way when returning an item to a store?
| A．Because kind words build up complex relationships. |
| B．Because the clerk in a store is hard to deal with. |
| C．Because friendly words cause positive responses. |
| D．Because critical language may hurt your feelings. |
Last year was the year of the travel deal, with resorts and
airlines practically begging for bookings, and many travelers
finding bargain airfares and hotel rooms as a result．Now the
economy looks as if it might be on a slight rebound．So now is
the perfect time to review your booking strategy（策略）．
Here are 4 simple steps you can take to help cut your travel costs in 2010．
1．Find the Cheapest Dates to Fly
ITASoftware．com, which provides the technological backbone for many airfare shopping sites, allows users to scan an entire month's fares for the least expensive rate．（Log in as a "guest" and click on "month-long search．"） In January, the 28th and 30th were the cheapest dates to fly nonstop to London from New York （$536） for a week's vacation, according to a recent search．The next best was Saturday, Jan．23, at $640．To book the ticket, users must go to another site．Kayak．com has a flexible-dates option （registration is required）and a calendar that shows the best fares found by other Kayak users in the last 48 hours．Bing Travel, the Microsoft search engine, offers a similar option, found under "plan trips," about halfway down the page．
2．Consider Nearby Airports
A recent Web search showed nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Miami International from $299 round trip on American in early January．But flying into Fort Lauderdale, roughly 30 miles north of Miami, was $219 on Virgin America, an $80 saving．
3．Go Against the Grain
If possible, avoid popular travel dates like holidays and spring break because airlines have begun to charge anywhere from $10 to $30 extra at those times．Farecompare．com offers a handy breakdown of the new fees by date, airline and amount．Early-morning and late-night flights may also be cheaper depending on the route．
4．Make Yourself at Home
For a 6 to 12 percent booking fee, AirBnB/com connects budget travelers with locals who are offering a place to bed down．The Times's Frugal Traveler, Matt Gross, described it as "a cross between CouchSurfing．com and the vacation rentals section of Craigslist．" There were more than 2,000 listings in a recent search for New York including a futon （床垫） in a one-bedroom near Gramercy Park （$65） and a bedroom with private bath and separate entrance in Hell's Kitchen （$150）．
65．According to the first paragraph, ____．
A．the economy in 2010 is surely getting better
B．2009 saw a sharp decrease in travel fees
C．the booking strategies can be put away in 2010
D．in 2009, airlines begged the travelers to buy more travel guides
66．If you want to book a ticket, you may log on to _____．
A．ITASoftware．com B．CouchSurfing．com
C．AirBnB．com D．Kayak．com
67．What does "Go Against the Grain" probably mean in the passage?
A．Going travelling in the off-season．
B．Going travelling without taking any grain．
C．Going travelling during holidays and spring break．
D．Going travelling without meals served on early-morning and late-night flights．
68．The passage is most probably taken from ____．
A．a book review B．a magazine
C．a website D．a story book
In the past, people who graduated from college felt proud of their academic (学业的) achievements and felt confident that their degree would help them to find a good job.
However, in the past five years the job market has changed greatly. This year’s college graduates are facing one of the worst job markets. For example, Ryan Stewart, a graduate of San Jose State University, got a degree in religious studies, but no job prospects. He points out that many people already working are getting laid off and don’t have jobs, so it’s even harder for new college graduates to find jobs.
Five years ago, the future looked bright for the class of 2006. There were many high-tech job chances. Graduates received many job offers, and they were able to get jobs with high salaries and benefits such as insurance (保险) and paid vacations. However, "Times have changed and it's a new market," according to an officer of the San Jose State Career Center.
The officer says students who do find jobs started preparing two years ago. They worked during summer vacations, they have had several short-time jobs, and they’ve majored in one of the few fields that are still hot, like chemical engineering, accounting, or nursing, where average starting salaries have actually increased over last year. Other popular fields (like information system management, computer science, and political science) have seen big declines (下降) in starting salaries.
Ryan Stewart (he had hoped to become a teacher) may go back to school in order to become a college teacher. He thinks college teaching could be a good career even in a bad economy.
In conclusion, these days a degree may not be a ticket to instant wealth for some students. For now, they can only hope the value of their degree will increase over time.The underlined word in the second paragraph probably means _____.
| A．skills | B．interests | C．chances | D．ideas |
Which of the following majors has the best job offers?
| A．teaching | B．accounting |
| C．political science | D．computer science |
Ryan Stewart will have to ____________.
| A．go back to school | B．get a job teaching |
| C．change his major | D．become a religious leader |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means ____________.
| A．the best way to get rich is not to get a college degree |
| B．most students with degrees will not be able to find jobs |
| C．having a college degree does not mean that one has money for travelling |
| D．a college degree does not mean that one will find a well-paid job |
The main idea of the passage is that _________.
| A．a lot of graduates are losing their jobs |
| B．Ryan Stewart has been able to find a job |
| C．salaries in some fields have increased in the past year |
| D．the job market has changed greatly over the past five years |
Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them. Take my family’s last vacation. It was my six-year-old son’s winter break form school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline, offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day. I had meetings in New York，So I had to get back. But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.
The next day, my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged—okay, ordered—them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing （揭露） the worst tricks. I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in.
I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth. I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its shape longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts. Why did Delta give the author's family credits?
| A．Their flight had been delayed. |
| B．They had early bookings. |
| C．They took a later flight. |
| D．Their flight had been cancelled. |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．She is very strict with her children. |
| B．She seldom makes a compromise. |
| C．She rarely misses a good deal. |
| D．She is interested in cheap products. |
What does the author do?
| A．She's a media person. | B．She's a housewife. |
| C．She's a teacher. | D．She's a businesswoman. |
What does the author want to tell us?
| A．How to expose bad tricks. |
| B．How to reserve airline seats. |
| C．How to spend money wisely. |
| D．How to make a business deal. |
The film stars out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school-shooting and killing people.
This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives.
Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or (金棕奖) for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival.
The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999.
The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house.
The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone---fun and friendly, or hard and lonely.
In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano.
But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied (欺负) at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens.
"I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director.The lines of the film were ________.
| A．given by the director |
| B．created by student actors |
| C．thought out by the director during the acting |
| D．carefully designed by professional people |
The film doesn't tell why school shootings happen________.
| A．so as to leave room for the audience to think and judge |
| B．because life itself is the problem maker |
| C．because the mental problems of students are hard to explain |
| D．but there are some hints of the reasons |
The film is named Elephant because ________.
| A．an elephant is always gentle and never causes trouble |
| B．an elephant is a symbol of big problems in American schools |
| C．elephant is used to suggest that the school crime is a big problem |
| D．the two boys liked elephants when alive |
What’s the passage mainly about？
| A．It shows American school life. |
| B．It introduces the film Elephant. |
| C．It tells people to be careful while in peace. |
| D．It reports a school killing in a US school. |
As you grow older，you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions--like whether to cut class or try cigarettes．Making decisions on your own is hard enough，but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder．People who are your age，like your classmates，are called peers．When they try to influence how you act，to get you to do something，it’s called peer pressure．
Peers can have a positive influence on each other．Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system．Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book，and now everyone’s reading it．These are examples of how peers positively influence each other．
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways．For example，a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball．
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure，but you can do it．Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do．
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely．” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this．If you choose friends who don’t cut class，smoke cigarettes，or lie to their parents，then you probably won’t do these things either，even if other kids do．
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle，talk to someone you trust．Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two．For whom is the passage most probably written?
| A．Students |
| B．Parents |
| C．Teachers |
| D．Doctors |
In the last three paragraphs，the author mainly_____．
| A．explains why friendship is so important |
| B．gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure |
| C．discusses how peers influence us |
| D．shows how to make more good friends |
Which of following may help handle peer pressure?
| A．Spending more time with classmates． |
| B．Taking up more relaxing hobbies． |
| C．Choosing friends with no bad habits． |
| D．Helping others who are in trouble． |
What is the topic of the passage?
| A．Friendship |
| B．Making decisions |
| C．Self-confidence |
| D．Peer pressure |
阅读下列短文,选出最佳选项。 Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was sleeping in his cowboy outfit (套装) yesterday at his family’s Fifth Ave．apartment when he shot up in bed screaming．A 3-foot-long black-and-white snake twisted around his left arm and had just bitten his little finger．
“The babysitter (a person taking care of children while their parents are away for a short time) was frightened to death,” said Teddy’s father, David Lasry, who, along with his wife, Evelyn, was at work when the snake appeared about 4:00 pm．
The horrified babysitter called 911 and the building’s doorman．The doorman and two cable TV workers helped take the snake off the boy’s arm and put it in a garbage bag．Police rushed Teddy to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous．It wasn’t．Experts at the snakebite treatment center at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where policemen took the snake, found out it was a non-poisonous California king snake．
But how did it end up in Teddy’s bed?
A little detective work determined that the snake had escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors below the Lasrys．The apologetic owner said his son’s pet snake likely traveled up the water pipes and into his neighbor’s apartment．“It’s a very gentle, very harmless snake,” he said．“It’s handled by our family all the time．”
David Lasry believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of wandering．Evelyn said her son seems to have overcome his fright by thinking of himself as a hero cowboy as he rode in the back of the police car to the hospital．
“I told Teddy he’s a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage,” Evelyn said．“But he asked, ‘Why did he bite my finger, Mamma?’ And I said, ‘Because he saw that you are a big boy, Teddy, in your cowboy outfit and he got scared．’”
What did the babysitter do after Teddy was bitten by a snake?
| A．She ran out of the apartment． |
| B．She called the TV company． |
| C．She made an emergency call． |
| D．She took the snake off Teddy’s arm． |
We can learn from the passage that the snake _______．
| A．was poisonous |
| B．was kept in a cage by its owner |
| C．was deserted by its owner |
| D．escaped to the apartment |
From the passage, we know _______．
| A．Teddy needed a heart machine to stay alive for two hours |
| B．Teddy was awake when the snake arrived |
| C．Teddy’s mother was at home when the snake turned up |
| D．the snake was used to being touched |
Teddy probably believed he was attacked because _______．
| A．his parents weren’t at home |
| B．he was asleep the snake |
| C．was scared of him |
| D．the snake was hungry |
B
| Populations and Land (1987) |
||||
| |
Area in |
Percent |
Population |
Percent |
| |
Square miles |
Cultivated |
In millions |
forested |
| United States |
3615104 |
20 |
243.8 |
28 |
| Canada |
3851792 |
5 |
25.9 |
33 |
| United Kingdom |
94525 |
29 |
56.8 |
9 |
| Australia |
2967896 |
6 |
16.2 |
14 |
| India |
1269340 |
51 |
800.3 |
21 |
| China |
3705390 |
11 |
1062.0 |
14 |
Which two countries are the closest to each other in area?
| A．The US and Canada | B．The US and China |
| C．China and Canada | D．India and China |
_____ has the highest population density(密度), and _____ has the second highest.
| A．China, India | B．India, China |
| C．India, the US | D．China, the US |
Which two countries have the closest percentage of cultivated land?
| A．The US and the United Kingdom. |
| B．The US and China |
| C．Australia and Canada． |
| D．Australia and China |
There are _____ countries whose cultivated land percentage is larger than the forest percentage.
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being “processed” at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being “processed” at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and can not turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people’s lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.What does the writer try to express in Paragraph1?
| A．Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages． |
| B．The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short． |
| C．The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams． |
| D．Man has been fond of travelling rather than staying in one place． |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph2?
| A．By giving instructions. |
| B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By following the order of time. |
| D．By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high-speed trains because______．
| A．they pay less for the tickets |
| B．they feel safer during the travel |
| C．they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
| D．they don’t have to be “processed” |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Air travel benefits people and industries． |
| B．Train Travel has some advantages over air travel． |
| C．Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
| D．The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm and, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money---it costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of travelling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising---and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens(十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
| A．Staying on the farm |
| B．Moving to the countryside |
| C．Leaving home for the city |
| D．Running away from the school |
Which of the following is true about the writer?
| A．He is very old now. |
| B．He is in good health. |
| C．He prefers driving a car. |
| D．He lives in the city now. |
In the passage, the writer tries to _______.
| A．express his opinions about way of life |
| B．describe his life in the countryside |
| C．show an interest in the outside world |
| D．persuade the reader to live in the city |
How is the passage mainly developed?
| A．By inferring | B．By comparing |
| C．By listing examples | D．By giving explanations |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项. 选项中有两项为多余选项. 请将答案涂在答题卡上.
71 Because, from what I could see, it seemed that grown-ups often forgot. I never wanted to forget --- I wanted to be able to remind other adults and myself when the time came. I began consciously(有意识地) thinking this at quite an early age.
As soon as I was fully aware (意识到) of myself, I regarded me as a little person and liked adults who thought of and treated me the same way. I didn’t have a doll and I didn’t want one. I wanted animal toys, even a single animal. Why wouldn’t my parents give me the one thing I wanted? 72
Instead, my dad somehow managed to buy me a full set of encyclopedia(百科全书) and books with maps and color pictures long before I could read. Well, guess what? I learned to read without realizing it! Later, I found out when I started school and it all came so easy especially geography. 73 Because of all the books my father bought me, I knew a lot of words that other children didn’t know at my age.
I love words. They opened up new worlds for me. 74 Parents, please make sure your kids have a computer. Let them explore — as safely as possible— let them do their own things and discover the world.
Now, most kids lead a happy life. They can get what they want from their parents. But children should learn to be independent. 75 Be independent to do your own things.
| A．Because of them, I read and thought, and today, I write. |
| B．When I was a child, I promised myself to try to remember as much as I could. |
| C．I listened and heard everything, even if I didn’t understand everything. |
| D．I nearly knew every place on the map like the teacher. |
E. But more than anything, it made me feel uncomfortable and I knew it wasn’t nice.
F. Later, I knew we didn’t have much money, but how expensive could a toy be?
G. Be independent to learn some useful knowledge.
Why does night fall but never break and day break but never fall?
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?
In what other language do people drive in a parkway and park in a driveway?
In what other language do they call the third hand on the clock the second hand?
Let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.
And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it. According to the passage ______.
| A．sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things |
| B．there should be egg in an eggplant |
| C．pineapples are the apples on the pine tree |
| D．boxing rings should be round |
Which of the following includes two items which have the similar meaning?
| A．A wise man and a wise guy. |
| B．Overlook and oversee. |
| C．Quite a lot and quite a few. |
| D．Hot as hell and cold as hell. |
The underlined words “wind up” in the last paragraph probably mean “______”.
| A．blow | B．roll up | C．get hurt | D．finish |
Through the many paradoxes in the English language, the writer wants to show that human beings are ______.
| A．clever | B．crazy | C．lazy | D．dull |
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