1 . The twentieth century saw greater changes than any century before. Changes for the better, changes for the worse, changes that brought a lot of benefits to human beings, changes that put man in danger. Many things caused the changes, but, in my opinion, the most important was the progress in science.

Scientific research in physics and biology has vastly broadened our views. It has given us a deeper knowledge of the structure of matter and of the universe. It has brought us a better understanding of the nature of life and of its continuous development. Technology in the application of science has made big advances that have benefited us in nearly every part of life.

The continuation of such activities in the twenty-first century will result in even greater advantages to human beings; in pure science -a wider and deeper knowledge in all fields of learning; in applied science -a more reasonable sharing of material benefits, and better protection of the environment.

Sadly, however, there is another side to the picture. The creativity of science has been employed in doing damage to mankind. The application of science and technology to the development and production of weapons of mass destruction has created a real danger to the continued existence of the human race on this planet. We have seen this happen in the case of nuclear weapons. Although their actual use has so far occurred only in the Second World War, the number of nuclear weapons that were produced and made ready for use was so large that if the weapons had actually been used, the result could have been the ruin of the human race, as well as of many kinds of animals.

William Shakespeare said, ''The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together. ''The above brief review of the application of only one part of human activities-science -seems to prove what Shakespeare said. But does it have to be so? Must the ill always go together with the good? Are we biologically programmed for war?

1. From the fourth paragraph, we can infer that ______.

A．a great many nuclear weapons were actually used for war

B．a large number of nuclear weapons should have been used for war

C．the author is doubtful about the ruin of human beings by nuclear war

D．the author is anxious about the huge number of nuclear weapons on the earth

2. The underlined word ''mingled'' most probably means ''______''.

A．simple

B．mixed

C．sad

D．happy

3. What do you think the author is most likely to suggest if he continues to write?

A．Further application of science to war.

B．More reading of William Shakespeare.

C．Proper use of science in the new century.

D．Effective ways to separate the good from the ill.

2 . Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. He was a leading author and printer, political theorist, politician, scientist,_______,civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major_______in the Enlightenment(启蒙运动)and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories_______electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and the glass “armonica”.

He formed both the first public lending library in America and the first fire department in Pennsylvania. As a political writer and activist, he_______the idea of an American nation. As a diplomat during the American Revolution he secured the French alliance(联盟)that helped to make_______of the United States possible.

Franklin laid a foundation for the American_______and character, such as thrift, hard work, and community spirit. In the words of Henry Steele Commager, ''In Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its_______. '' ''To Walter Isaacson, this makes Franklin, ''the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in_______the type of society America would become. ''

Franklin became a newspaper editor, printer, and merchant in Philadelphia, becoming very wealthy, writing and publishing Poor Richard's Almanack and the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin was interested in science and technology, and gained an international_______for his famous experiments. He played a major role in establishing the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin & Marshall College and was________the first president of the American Philosophical Society.

Franklin became a national hero in America when he made efforts to have Parliament________the unpopular Stamp Act. An accomplished diplomat, he was widely admired among the French as American minister to Paris and was a major figure in the development of________Franco-American relations. From 1775 to 1776, Franklin was Postmaster General under the Continental Congress and from 1785 to 1788 was President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania.

His colorful life and legacy of scientific and________achievement, and status as one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, have seen Franklin________on coinage and money, the names of many towns, counties, educational institutions and companies, and more than two centuries after his________, countless cultural references.

1.

A．dreamer

B．inventor

C．architect

D．librarian

2.

A．feature

B．father

C．sponsor

D．figure

3.

A．regarding

B．despite

C．relating

D．regardless

4.

A．abandoned

B．rescued

C．supported

D．adapted

5.

A．curiosity

B．property

C．independence

D．attempt

6.

A．theories

B．humor

C．masks.

D．values

7.

A．heat

B．force

C．shadow

D．weight

8.

A．capturing

B．inventing

C．applauding

D．discovering

9.

A．guidance

B．frame

C．reputation

D．origin

10.

A．selected

B．lifted

C．1ed

D．elected

11.

A．spread

B．cancel

C．present

D．kidnap

12.

A．positive

B．negative

C．universal

D．complex

13.

A．cultural

B．agricultural

C．political

D．economic

14.

A．honored

B．restored

C．released

D．burst

15.

A．diploma

B．charm

C．anniversary

D．death.

3 . The style of entertainment known as vaudeville began in the years following the Civil War and increased in popularity after 1900. Almost any kind of act could be found on stage -singers, musicians, acrobats, jugglers, comics, magicians, and trained animals. Vaudeville acts travelled from town to town, and entrepreneurs across the country built magnificent new theaters to attract the best talent.

Vaudeville was a money-making business that made many of the acts and theater owners rich. By 1928 about two million people a day attended performances somewhere in the United States. The reason vaudeville was so popular was that it was affordable, accessible, and appropriate for all ages. One did not have to be rich to buy a ticket nor intellectual to enjoy the show. This form of entertainment, moreover, was apposite for the whole family. More “adult” acts were limited to another form of theater, called burlesque.

Vaudeville, like so many American businesses, fell on hard times after the crash of the stock market in 1929. By the end of the 1930s, vaudeville acts had been replaced by new forms of entertainment, including radio and motion pictures. A number of artists who entered show business through vaudeville went on to have long careers in film, radio, and television.

1. Which of the following CANNOT be included as a characteristic of vaudeville?

A．Being mixed.

B．Being profitable.

C．Being popular.

D．Being cultivated.

2. Which of the following words has the closest meaning to the word “apposite ”underlined in Paragraph 2?

A．Natural.

B．Suitable.

C．Effective.

D．Improper.

3. Which of the following statements is probably NOT true about vaudeville?

A．Vaudeville would have continued as a popular form of entertainment had it not been for the stock market crash of 1929.

B．Vaudeville was popular because it was affordable, accessible, and appropriate for all ages.

C．Almost every imaginable talent could be brought to vaudeville at its peak time.

D．Vaudeville, a form of theatrical entertainment, reached its height of popularity in the 1920s.

4 . Long ago a Native American chief named Shenandoah lived with his tribes(部落)in what is now the state of Virginia. Little is known about Shenandoah, but in some way, the soft sound of his name was given to a river. The Shenandoah River still flows in a deep valley between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains, just as it did when Chief Shenandoah lived. It is a slow-moving river, soft and as beautiful as its name. Some word experts who believe the word “Shenandoah” means “spruce river” because the waters of the river run through great forests of spruce trees(云杉). And this explanation could be correct.

However, there is an old Native American story which is far more beautiful than that of the experts. Centuries before Europeans came to the New World, there was a great lake of blue water hidden in the mountains of Virginia. For hundreds of years, Native American tribes lived near this lake, feeding on the fish from its clean waters. The Native Americans often climbed up the mountains and camped there during their long hunts for food. In the evenings, they sat near their camp and looked down at the beautiful lake.

On a clear, starry night you could see thousands of stars shining and dancing on the water below. ,The Native Americans loved this lake, and because they could see the stars in it, they called the lake, “Clear Daughter of the Stars. “In their language, the word for this was “Shenandoah.”

One day the lake started to disappear. Its water ran out of the valley, through a break in the mountain side. The waters ran on and on until they joined another river known as the Potomac. At last, the lake was gone. In its place was only a river. It is the beautiful Shenandoah River today.

However, the word Shenandoah becomes well known to people because someone wrote a song about it some years ago. “Shenandoah” is perhaps one of America's most recognizable folk songs. Some say the song refers to the river. Others say it is about the daughter of Chief Shenandoah. Regardless of what the song is about, “Shenandoah” remains an American classic. “O Shenandoah, I love your daughter. Away you rolling river; O Shenandoah, I love your daughter, Away I'm bound to go; Cross the wide Missouri…”

1. According to the passage, “Shenandoah” may be the following EXCEPT __________.

A．“spruce river”	B．the Potomac
C．“Clear Daughter of the Stars”	D．an American chief's name

2. “Shenandoah” is familiar to Americans mostly because of ____.

A．the pure and refreshing water	B．a great historical character
C．an American classic song	D．the mysterious disappearance of a lake

3. The most suitable title for the passage is ______.

A．Shenandoah and Its Native American Roots

B．An American Chief's Romantic Tale

C．The Mystery of a Missing Lake

D．A Beautiful American Song

5 . For some people,music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call “amusic.” People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes(音调). Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale.

As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music sets them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social isolation. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret,a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition.

Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it doesn't involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can't see. certain colors.

Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed(诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say,” No thanks, I'm amusic,'“says Margaret. “I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy.”

1. Which of the following is true of amusic?

A．Listening to music is far from enjoyable for them.

B．They love places where they are likely to hear music.

C．They can easily tell two different songs apart.

D．Their situation is well understood by musicians.

2. According to Paragraph 3, a person with “defective hearing” is probably one who ___________.

A．dislikes listening to speeches

B．can hear anything nonmusical

C．has a hearing problem

D．lacks a complex hearing system

3. In the last paragraph, Margaret expressed her wish that __________.

A．her problem with music had been diagnosed earlier

B．she were seventeen years old rather than seventy

C．her problem could be easily explained

D．she were able to meet other amusics

4. What is the passage mainly concerned with?

A．Amusics' strange behaviours.

B．Some people's inability to enjoy music.

C．Musical talent and brain structure.

D．Identification and treatment of amusics.

6 . The ancient art of opera can be brilliant entertainment; it is a_______of music drama, and sometimes dance, staged with artistic sets and costumes. Opera is often_______by many, however, partly because of some of the stereotypes(成见)associated with it. Some of its critics say that the tales are too_______. Others complain that operas cannot be understood because they are often performed in_______languages. Stereotypes aside, opera is an art form enjoyed by many music lovers. Operas can be comedies or tragedies or stories taken from history.

The story of an opera is generally simple so as to avoid_______the audience from the music. The libretto, or script, sets each scene and describes the action in both words and stage directions. The music of an opera the way it advances the action and the feelings it_______in the listeners-is particularly important. The three major musical_______are the overture, including interludes(幕间表演,插曲)-mini-overtures between acts, the recitative, and the aria.

The overture is the instrumental_______to the opera, the purpose of which has changed over time. During the nineteenth century, the overture began to combine excerpts of melodies from arias, ballets, and other musical elements in a variety of the opera's musical themes.

A recitative is less a song than a monologue that is sung_______spoken. A recitative is an clement, older than the overture that was________at the beginning of the seventeenth century as a means of telling a story in music; the first operas were actually a series of recitatives joined by musical interludes. Because an opera is________a play set to music, the recitative is a means of telling the________what is going on and what is about to happen.

An aria is a solo performance-often one of the highlights of the opera. Arias can be declarations of love or expressions of hope, joy, sadness, or________. Many composers have written arias to________the vocal gifts of singers; some sopranos(女高音歌手)were indeed famous for the very high notes that they could sing. Arias are not the only songs in opera, however. Duets, compositions for three or four________, and large-group numbers (choruses) are also common. These diverse musical elements, combined with visual elements in costumes and sets as well as the dramatic content of the story, make the opera the complex art form that it is.

1.

A．source

B．facility

C．variety

D．mixture

2.

A．unappreciated

B．misunderstood

C．influenced

D．nourished

3.

A．backward

B．complex

C．horrible

D．stressful

4.

A．local

B．formal

C．foreign

D．strange

5.

A．kidnapping

B．involving

C．distracting

D．attracting

6.

A．releases

B．inspires

C．captures

D．hides

7.

A．roles

B．benefits

C．elements

D．effects

8.

A．introduction

B．comparison

C．similarity

D．contrast

9.

A．less than

B．more than

C．as well as

D．rather than

10.

A．performed

B．staged

C．invented

D．designed

11.

A．originally

B．basically

C．completely

D．equally

12.

A．orchestra

B．composers

C．cast

D．audience

13.

A．safety

B．charm

C．suffering

D．rescue

14.

A．display

B．prove

C．discover

D．develop

15.

A．performances

B．concerts

C．forces

D．voices

7 . Many parents, teachers, and politicians assert that preschool is the best way to prepare children to learn. There is no real agreement, however, about how this_______should be achieved.

For some, early childhood education_______the development of the whole child. They think that preschool should be play that encourages exploration and_______.Group activities teach_______social behaviors such as sharing, kindness, and patience. Time spent alone encourages_______. Learning letters and counting is important only for children who show an interest in them. Advocates of this_______stress that each child is unique and should learn at his or her own pace.

Other people cite research showing that children are ready to_______basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4. They claim that early_______to letters and numbers lays the foundation for later academic excellence. Since the 1980s, many people have stressed the value of preschool and point to the success of programs—such as Head Start—that target low-income children.

Is there proof that an academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success? Studies have not been _______.

In the short term, evidence suggests that middle-class children who attend preschool are________their peers in math and language skills, as well as in social skills, when they enter school.________, the same studies show that the gap________considerably by the time children reach age 8.

Children living in________are a different matter. Those enrolled in programs such as Head Start seem to do better than needy children who do not attend a preschool. For instance, youngsters in one group enrolled in the program,________until the age of 21, earned higher scores on intelligence tests, were more likely to graduate from high school, and demonstrated more interest in higher education.

The idea of public preschools raises many issues. Providing Head Start for all children would be a________burden on communities that already struggle to fund current school programs. Also, where would a sufficient number of teachers trained in early childhood development be found?

1.

A．preparation

B．claim

C．performance

D．direction

2.

A．comes to

B．appeals to

C．turns to

D．relates to

3.

A．attendance

B．discovery

C．relaxation

D．amusement

4.

A．positive

B．aggressive

C．strange

D．normal

5.

A．competition

B．loneliness

C．discipline

D．independence

6.

A．policy

B．plan

C．approach

D．drive

7.

A．publicize

B．absorb

C．define

D．reject

8.

A．introduction

B．devotion

C．entrance

D．contribution

9.

A．available

B．descriptive

C．conclusive

D．convincing

10.

A．equal to

B．distinguished from

C．inferior to

D．ahead of

11.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Moreover

D．Otherwise

12.

A．widens

B．narrows

C．disappears

D．exists

13.

A．trouble

B．despair

C．poverty

D．danger

14.

A．documented

B．tracked

C．involved

D．accompanied

15.

A．mental

B．emotional

C．psychological

D．financial

8 . March 7

I am the Phantom, the Ghost Who Walks, in the dorm, in class, all around the school. People don't notice that I exist any more. I like it that way. Sometimes they look at me with sympathy, or say or do something kind, like offering me a bite of a Mars bar. At those times they use the sort of voice people have when they're talking to little children, or pet puppies. Other times they get angry at me and yell. Other times they're cruel and make jokes about me. Mostly it's Sophie, but I don't want to make her sound like she's evil or anything. She just likes people who are loud and funny and noisy. I know it must be awful for them, having me in their dorm. But I did not steal her money. What would I want with money?

Today Cathy got fed up with me, for no particular reason that I know of. She came into the dorm in a bad mood, swearing at everyone and complaining about everything. Then she found some of my undies on her bed, where I'd put them while I was sorting my laundry. She got mad and threw them at me and said: "And don't think we're going to keep feeling sorry for you all year." I was scared and very very sick inside me but I didn't run away like I normally do.

Now we're in Prep again and she has sent me a note:

I'm sorry about yelling at you. I was in a foul after Science, because Hardcastle virtually accused me of cheating. It wasn't anything you did. I'm sorry —I think you're nice and I want to be friends.

Cathy

It's about 20 minutes since she sent it to me. I cannot look at her. I cannot move. I have spent the whole time with my head down, looking at this page. Now I have just started writing again. I want to die or hide or run away. I am scared to look at her. I can handle, have handled, most things in my life, but not this.

From So Much To Tell You…by John Marsden

1. At school, the writer who kept the diary felt ____________.

A．bored	B．excited
C．nervous	D．alienated

2. What might have been the real reason for Cathy's outburst?

A．The writer made a mess of her bed.

B．She didn't do well in her Science test.

C．She was blamed for cheating by her teacher.

D．She supposed the writer had stolen her money.

3. What does the writer think of the people around her?

A．They are sympathetic and kind to her.

B．They are selfish and unhelpful.

C．They are loud and bad-tempered.

D．They are distant and difficult to understand.

9 . The sense of obligation to continue is present in all of us. A duty to strive is the duty of us all. I felt a call to that duty.

—Abraham Lincoln

Probably the greatest example of persistence is Abraham. Lincoln. If you want to learn about somebody who didn't quit, look no further.

Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, failed in business twice and suffered a nervous breakdown

He could have quit many times-but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of the U.S.A.

Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up. Here is a sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House.

1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.

1818 His mother died.

1831 Failed in business.

1832 Ran for state legislature — lost.

1832 Also lost his job -wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in.

1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.

1834 Ran for state legislature again-won.

1834 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.

1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.

1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature — defeated.

1840 Sought to become elector—defeated.

1843 Ran for Congress—lost.

1846 Ran for Congress again—this time he won—went to Washington' and did a good job.

1848 Ran for re—election to Congress—lost.

1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state—rejected.

1854 Ran for Senate of the United Sates — lost.

1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party's national convention and got less than 100 votes.

1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again—again he lost.

1860 Elected president of the United States.

The path was worn and slippery. My foot slipped from under me, knowing the other out of the way, but I recovered and said to myself, "It's a slip and not a fall."

—Abraham Lincoln (after losing a senate race)

1. What personal quality did Abraham Lincoln possess according to the passage?

A．Modesty.	B．Sense of humor.
C．Persistence	D．Curiosity.

2. What can be inferred from the sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House?

A．When Lincoln failed in business for the first time, he was in heavy debt.

B．Lincoln had never planned to get married in his whole life.

C．Lincoln once suffered a mental illness resulting from heartbreaks.

D．Lincoln displayed a remarkable strength of character on the way to presidency.

3. What did Lincoln mean to tell when he said "It's a slip and not a fall"?

A．Though suffering a loss in the senate race, he remained optimistic.

B．He didn't take the senate race seriously and considered the loss unimportant.

C．He felt that he was lucky because he recovered from the loss in the race.

D．He considered the loss in the race a fatal mistake that he couldn't afford to make.

10 . Through the centuries, artists have told stories through songs. In 1904, Italian composer Giacomo Puccini created an opera based on the story Madame Butterfly. Set in Japan, the opera is a poignant narrative of loyalty, deception (欺骗), and cultural differences.

A Japanese woman, Cio-Cio-San, marries an American, Lieutenant Pinkerton. But Pinkerton does not take the marriage seriously and thinks it can be cancelled easily. He abandons Cio-Cio-San and marries an American woman. When Pinkerton returns to Japan, he discovers that Cio-Cio-San has borne a son. He takes the child from her; and Cio-Cio-San, overcome with great sadness, takes her own life. The opera contains a beautiful aria (歌剧中的咏叹调) in which Cio-Cio-San expresses her love for Pinkerton and her hope that "one fine day" they will be together.

Miss Saigon, first performed in 1989, is a musical loosely based on the opera Madame Butterfly. Set in the final days of the Vietnam War, it brings together Kim, who lives in poverty in Saigon, and Chris, an American soldier. In 1975, the two are separated. Back in the United States, Chris marries. When he revisits Asia a few years later, he learns that he has a son, Tam. Kim wants Chris to take Tam back to the United States with him so that Tam will have an opportunity for a good life. Chris wants the child to remain with Kim, so Kim kills herself to ensure Tam's future.

1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "poignant" underlined in Paragraph 1?

A．charming

B．joyful

C．heart-breaking

D．shocking

2. Which of the following statements CANNOT be inferred from the article?

A．Madame Butterfly presents an accurate picture of life in the nineteenth-century Japan.

B．Pinkerton did not regard his marriage to Cio-Cio-San as a real marriage.

C．Kim values her son's future more than her own life.

D．Both Cio-Cio-San and Kim are victims in the tragic stories.

3. The main purpose of introducing to readers both Madame Butterfly and Miss Saigon may be to_________.

A．criticize the cruel and destructive force of war in ruining human relationships

B．explore the sad consequences of cultural misunderstanding

C．discuss women's inferior role in love and marriage

D．prove the failure of cross-cultural relationship and marriage