The guests arrived. I introduced my two daughters to each of them. The adults were nice and kind and said how lucky we were to have such good kids.
Each of the guests made a particular fuss over Kelly, the younger one, admiring her dress, her hair and her smile. They said she was a remarkable girl to be carrying coats upstairs at her age.
I thought to myself that we adults usually make a big "to do" over the younger one because she’s the one who seems more easily hurt. We do it with the best of intentions.
But we seldom think of how it might affect the other child. I was a little worried that Kristen would feel she was being outshined. I was about to serve dinner when I realized that she had been missing for twenty minutes. I ran upstairs and found her in the bedroom, crying.
I said, “What are you doing, my dear?”
She turned to me with a sad expression and said, “Mommy, why don’t people like me the way they like my sister? Is it because I’m not pretty? Is that why they don’t say nice things about me as much?”
I tried to explain to her, kissing and hugging her to make her feel better.
Now, whenever I visit a friend’s home, I make it a point to speak to the elder child first.
1. The underlined expression “make a big ‘to do’ over” (Paragraph 4) means __________.
| A．show much concern about | B．have a special effect on |
| C．list jobs to be done for | D．do good things for |
| A．beautiful hair | B．pretty clothes |
| C．lovely smile | D．young age |
| A．the guest gave her more coats to carry |
| B．she didn’t look as pretty as Kelly |
| C．the guests praised her sister more than her |
| D．her mother didn’t introduce her to the guests |
| A．parents should pay more attention to the elder children |
| B．the younger children are usually more easily hurt |
| C．people usually like the younger children more |
| D．adults should treat children equally |
At first we think about human relationship. In the year 2050, we will use computers almost every day. We will be making new friends through the Internet—even our husbands or wives will be met in this way. It will be much faster and easier for us. On the other hand, our relationships with people won’t be as important as they are today—we will feel a little lonely.
Computers will also help us in many other activities in 2050. For example, they will be used by the children at school to make their learning easier. In addition, there will be much more other machines which will play a similar role as computers, like robots which will do the housework for us.
Spending holidays will also be completely different. Traveling to other planets or to the moon will be available for everyone. Means of transport will, of course, change, too. we will be using solar-powered cars, which will be much more environmentally friendly.
We could expect that the faster technological progress would lead to a more polluted environment. But it isn’t true. We will pay more attention to protecting the environment. And, scientists will probably find cures for many dangerous diseases, like cancer or AIDS. Therefore, our surroundings as well as health will be in a better condition.
Although we can’t predict the exact changes which will be made in the world, we often think about them. We worry about our and our children’s future; we have expectations, hopes as well as fears. But I think we should be rather sanguine about our future. We should be happy and believe good things will happen.
1. Why will people probably feel a little lonely in 2050?
| A．Because the number of people will become much smaller. |
| B．Because there will be less face-to-face communication. |
| C．Because people won’t like making friends with each other. |
| D．Because people won’t communicate with each other much often. |
| A．that computers will do all the things for human beings. |
| B．how people will use computers to communicate with each other. |
| C．that machines like computers and robots will help people a lot. |
| D．how people will use robot to do the housework. |
| A．The relationship between people will be more important than that of today. |
| B．The way of spending holidays will be the same as that of today. |
| C．It won’t be difficult for people to travel to other planets. |
| D．Our environment will be much more polluted with a growing number of cars. |
| A．How peoplewill communicate in the year 2050. |
| B．What our life will be like in the year 2050. |
| C．How people will travel and spend their holidays in the year 2050. |
| D．What high technology will appear in the year 2050. |
3 . Think of London and you will probably remember the bright red double-decker buses. Think of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, and the noisy tuk-tuks may come to mind. Think of San Francisco and you might see the city’s cable cars.
Imagining what these cities would look like without those is difficult. They are symbols of these cities that make them different. However, these city symbols are not always so well loved by their city leaders. City leaders want what is best for their city, which often means the most modern transport.
In Bangkok, city leaders have banned (禁止) tuk-tuks because they consider them noisy and polluting. However, the ban has largely been unsuccessful as it has not changed Thai people’s love for the cheap tuk-tuks over taxis.
In London the city’s first ever mayor (市长) removed the red double-decker buses, which he thought were old fashioned. His plan worked, but Londoners were unhappy to lose the nice old buses they believed represented the best of their city. They made their unhappiness felt when the mayor came up for re-election. Most Londoners voted for his competitor, who promised to bring the bus back.
As for San Francisco, several cable cars are still in use but mainly as tourist attractions. They are too slow to be used for anything other than scenic trips.
City transport symbols may have a place in their city people’s hearts, but it seems they are increasingly out of step with the modern world. As Londoners have proved, their continued life depends on people’s willingness to fight for their survival.
1. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To introduce some city transport symbols. |
| B．To explain why some cities are popular. |
| C．To talk about modern transport in some cities. |
| D．To attract more tourists to visit some cities. |
| A．the new mayor loves it | B．Londoners fought for it |
| C．it is an improved transport | D．it is popular with tourists |
| A．Only a few cable cars are still in use in San Francisco. |
| B．Bangkok city leaders tried to remove the cheap tuk-tuks. |
| C．The mayor who sold double-decker buses lost the re-election. |
| D．The new mayor will bring back improved double-decker buses. |
| A．Modern cities should remove old city transport symbols. |
| B．The writer thinks highly of the old city transport symbols. |
| C．Old city transport symbols face the problem of survival. |
| D．Tourist cities will lose their attraction without the symbols. |
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: June 15-Aug. 24
Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights (最精彩的部分) this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem's production of Alvin Ailey's “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.
Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. jacobspillow.org.
Moab Music Festival
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug. 29-Sept. 9
This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.
Events start at $25. moabmusicfest.org.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July 19-28
There's something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village” and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for major money in the world's largest outdoor stage.
Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. cfdrodeo.com.
The Glimmerglass Festival
Where: Cooperstown, New York
When: July 6-Aug. 24
Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year's performances include Wagner's “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi's “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers (作曲家).
Tickets start at $26. glimmerglass.org.
1. If you want to enjoy a “Grotto Concert”, which date suits you best?
| A．June 15. | B．July 19. |
| C．August 24. | D．September 4. |
| A．$18. | B．$22. |
| C．$36. | D．$41. |
| A．Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival |
| B．the Glimmerglass Festival |
| C．Cheyenne Frontier Days |
| D．Moab Music Festival |
5 . Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous (匿名的) for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter of responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honor our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honor what we say.
1. What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?| A．Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. |
| B．Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number. |
| C．Writers should be responsible for their names. |
| D．Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
| A．not get a reply |
| B．help to end a relationship |
| C．be accepted all the same |
| D．become a family problem |
| A．hesitant to make a donation |
| B．unwilling to draw public attention |
| C．afraid of an accusation |
| D．ready for involvement |
| A．honor and writers |
| B．identity and signature |
| C．signature and responsibility |
| D．anonymity and signature |
6 . Doctors say anger can be an extremely damaging emotion, unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that anger can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer.
For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person’s health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain releases the same hormones (荷尔蒙). They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood, etc.
Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger violently may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure.
Doctors say that a good way to deal with anger is to find humor in the situation that has made you angry.
| A．In general the person feels excited and ready to act. |
| B．They say that laughter is much healthier than anger. |
| C．Expressing anger violently is more harmful than repressing it. |
| D．Anger may cause you a cancer. |
| E．Do not express your anger while angry. |
| F．Anger is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time. |
| G．Doctors say the solution is learning how to deal with anger. |
Direction：Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished sattments. For each of them there are four choices markedA, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word “Poems” appeared in big, hot pink letters.
“Is it good?” I asked her.
“Yeah,” she answered. “There’s one I really like and you’ll like it, too.” I leaned forward.
“‘Patty Poem,’” she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:
She never puts her toys away,
The poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:
And I’ll be sad.
A terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.
“It’s you, honey,” My mother said sadly.
To my mother, the poem revealed a parent’s affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the “she” in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying.
“What’s wrong?” my mother asked.
“Oh Mama,” I cried. “I don’t want to grow up ever!”
She smiled. “Honey, it’s okay. You’re not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I’ll still love you, okay?”
“Okay,” I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person’s world.
I have since fallen in love with other poems, but “Patty Poem” remains my poem. After all, “Patty Poem” gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.
1. Why was the writer attracted by the book Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again?
| A．It was a thick enough book. |
| B．Something on its cover caught her eye. |
| C．Her mother was reading it with interest. |
| D．It has a meaningful title. |
| A．sad | B．excited |
| C．horrified | D．confused |
| A．it reflected her own childhood |
| B．it was written in simple language |
| C．it was composed by a famous poet |
| D．it gave her a hint of what would happen |
| A．discover the power of poetry |
| B．recognize her love for puzzles |
| C．find her eagerness to grow up |
| D．experience great homesickness |
8 . Secret codes (密码) keep messages private. Banks, companies, and government agencies use secret codes in doing business, especially when information is sent by computer.
People have used secret codes for thousands of years.
There are three main types of cryptography.
A code uses symbols to replace words, phrases, or sentences. To read the message of a real code, you must have a code book.
| A．It is very hard to break a code without the code book. |
| B．In any language, some letters are used more than others. |
| C．Only people who know the keyword can read the message. |
| D．As long as there have been codes, people have tried to break them. |
| E．You can hide a message by having the first letters of each word spell it out. |
| F．With a code book, you might write down words that would stand for other words. |
| G．Another way to hide a message is to use symbols to stand for specific letters of the alphabet. |
American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country. Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans don’t have to rely on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases buckwheat (荞麦) alongside rice, or the Indians, or the French and Italians, who feature beans alongside wheat. “That kind of negotiation with the land forced people to incorporate(接受) those crops in to the culture,” says Barber. And so eating soba noodles becomes part of what it means to be Japanese, and eating beans becomes part of what it means to be French.
So if what we eat is what we are, what are Americans? Well, meat. “If Americans have any unifying food identity, I would say we are a mostly white meat culture,” says Barber. “The protein-centric dinner plate, whether you’re talking about a boneless chicken breast, or a 16-ounce steak, as an everyday expectation is something that America really created, and now exports to the rest of the world.”
Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations, says Ellen Gustafson, co-founder of the FEED Project and The 30 Project, which aims to deal with both hunger and overweight issues globally. “The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us.”
1. According to the first paragraph, American cuisine ________.
| A．consists of varieties of regional foods |
| B．is becoming more and more globalized |
| C．has absorbed a lot from Chinese cuisine |
| D．is not as unified as its culture |
| A．Relying on rotating crops |
| B．The difficulty of planting crops |
| C．The US’ melting pot culture |
| D．The US’ agricultural wealth |
| A．eating rice | B．eating beans |
| C．eating white meat | D．eating soba noodles |
| A．American cuisine is healthier than other cuisines. |
| B．American cuisine hasn’t changed much over time. |
| C．Americans use food as part of their celebrations. |
| D．Americans are quite proud of their own cuisine. |
阅读下面的短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I had arrived at the airport about 30 minutes before the checkin. It had been very ___1____ three days for me with lots of meetings. So I was glad to have the ____2___ time to make a note of what I ___3____to do the following day. But then came the ___4__ that my flight had to be ___5___ because there was a problem with the plane.
As I sat waiting for my ___6____ to be called, I reflected on my last meeting of the day. It was not a business meeting but rather a very enjoyable __7___ with an old business friend I had not seen for over 12 years. Our lunch was spent recalling time gone by ___8____ filling each other in what had happened in our lives over the last 12 years. We both laughed and smiled as we recalled the good times and the great experiences we had ___9___ together. At the end of our time together, we both said how much we had ___10___ it and that we must do it again.
It was great to have this additional time to replay in my __11__ all that we had talked about. I realized how important it was to have regular___12__ of the good times in our life. I was lucky enough to have had the chance to take a short ___13___ and reflect on the good things that had happened in my life over the last 12 years.
It was somewhat like looking at an old photo album ___14___ in a cupboard in your house. There before your eyes were lots of wonderful ____15___ that take you back to times and places, and most importantly to those people who were in the __16____.
My flight home was finally __17__ three hours later. I smiled as I __18___ the plane and realized that I was not at all ___19___ about the delay in the flight, as I had been able to spend the time __20__ on the good times from days gone by.
1.| A．important | B．busy | C．convenient | D．useful |
| A．pleasant | B．satisfying | C．happy | D．extra |
| A．had | B．failed | C．needed | D．managed |
| A．announcement | B．declaration | C．opening | D．speech |
| A．waited | B．cancelled | C．taken | D．delayed |
| A．flight | B．turn | C．name | D．order |
| A．negotiation | B．lunch | C．party | D．discussion |
| A．as well | B．except for | C．as well as | D．in addition |
| A．spent | B．met | C．managed | D．shared |
| A．got | B．enjoyed | C．made | D．paid |
| A．heart | B．spirit | C．flight | D．mind |
| A．time | B．plans | C．reminders | D．remainder |
| A．way | B．cut | C．method | D．break |
| A．stored away | B．put on | C．set aside | D．given out |
| A．celebrations | B．memories | C．awards | D．presents |
| A．cupboard | B．books | C．childhood | D．photos |
| A．shouted | B．phoned | C．called | D．commanded |
| A．left | B．boarded | C．jumped | D．reached |
| A．upset | B．happy | C．crazy | D．surprised |
| A．taking | B．seizing | C．reflecting | D．bringing |
