1 . There were smiling children all the way.Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway,wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang.Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives.This is the simple village people of Malaysia.I was moved.
I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car,so this was the first time I was on a train.I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread.I looked about the train.There was not one familiar face.I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia.Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore,so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past.As we went beyond the city,I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green.Then the first village came into sight.Immediately I came alive;I decided to wave back.
From then on my journey became interesting.I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life.Then everything came alive.The mountains seemed to speak to me.Even the trees were smiling.I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry.I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm.Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth.I looked at the people all around me.They all looked beautiful.When my uncle arrived with a smile,I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug (拥抱).I had never done this before.He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile.We walked arm in arm to his car.
I looked forward to the return journey.
1. The author expected the train trip to be .| A．adventurous | B．pleasant |
| C．exciting | D．dull |
| A．The friendly country people. |
| B．The mountains along the way. |
| C．The crowds of people in the streets. |
| D．The simple lunch served on the train. |
| A．choose | B．enjoy |
| C．prepare for | D．carry on |
| A．Johore Baru. | B．The Causeway. |
| C．Butterworth. | D．Singapore. |
| A．Comfort in traveling by train. |
| B．Pleasure of living in the country. |
| C．Reading gives people delight. |
| D．Smiles brighten people up. |
Whenever human populations have lived in forest areas, they have always cut down trees which they used for a number of purposes, for housing and ships and served as a source of heating fuel and timber. Growth of cities often meant expansion into forest areas, while even more trees were removed to provide space for agriculture. With the growing demand for paper, vast quantities of trees have also been cut down for paper production. These factors, along with many others, have been contributing to a dangerous phenomenon known as deforestation.
In the last 5,000 years, humans have reduced forest from roughly 50 percent of the earth’s land surface to less than 20 percent. Most of this original, or old growth, forest cover is concentrated in three large areas: the Canadian and Alaskan boreal forest, the boreal forest of Russia, and the tropical forest of the northwestern Amazon Basin and the Guyana Shield. These areas comprise almost 70 percent of the world’s remaining original forest cover. In most places, the rate of deforestation is increasing, with the alarming result of 16 million hectares disappearing worldwide every year.
Loss of forest does not just mean the decline of natural resources. There are several other factors that make deforestation seriously harmful to both the human and natural worlds. One of them is changes in the global climate. For example, forest clearance is releasing substantial volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere as vegetation is burnt or decays. It has been suggested that this is a significant factor in global warming. Moreover, about 10 percent of the world’s tree species are in danger of extinction as a result of deforestation. Deforestation also threatens biological diversity through the destruction of wildlife habitats, which endangers a number of animal species and leads to their potential disappearance. Species are particularly easy to extinction in tropical rainforests because many species have few individuals per unit area, which makes reproduction more difficult. Finally, since forests play an important role in storing water and stabilizing soil, deforestation and the resulting change in land use cause soil erosion(腐蚀) and other forms of land degradation.
1. The passage discusses all of the following EXCEPT the ________.| A．causes of deforestation | B．consequences of deforestation |
| C．management of deforestation | D．rate of deforestation |
| A．variety | B．expansion |
| C．development | D．advantage |
| A．To explain the rate of deforestation. |
| B．To compare them with housing and ships. |
| C．To show the dangers of deforestation. |
| D．To illustrate the causes of deforestation. |
| A．Deforestation threatens biological diversity. |
| B．Deforestation has many harmful consequences. |
| C．Deforestation causes changes in global climate. |
| D．Deforestation should be stopped. |
Fly on non-stop routes
Most accidents occur during the takeoff, climb, descent and landing phases of a flight, so flying non-stop reduces your exposure to these complex procedures.
Choose larger aircraft
Although small aircraft have very good safety records, those with more than 30 passenger seats are designed to comply(遵守) with much stricter regulations and are tested more regularly to make sure they still comply. Also, in the unlikely event of a serious accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival.
Pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing
The information may seem repetitious(重复的), but it’s worth listening to the flight attendants. And even if you’ve flown before, it doesn’t mean you know everything about the aircraft you’re on, such as the location of the closest emergency exit.
Store things safely
Never put very heavy articles in the overhead storage bins. They may fall out when someone opens the bin and cause injury. Also, the bin may not be able to hold heavier objects during turbulence(气流).
Keep our seat belt fastened while you are seated
Cabin crew always tell you this, but it’s important. You would be seriously injured if the plane hits unexpected turbulence. Always fasten your seat belt if you are told to. The general rule of flying is this: If you are told to do something, do it first and ask questions later.
Let the flight attendant pour your hot drinks
Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks like coffee or tea in a crowded aisle on a moving aircraft, so allow them to pour the drink and hand it to you. Never ask to take a coffee pot from one of them.
1. What is the overall reason for these air safety tips?
| A．What to do in the event of a crash. | B．How to avoid turbulence. |
| C．How to improve safety while you are flying. | D．How to avoid injury. |
| A．They are more comfortable. | B．They have stricter regulations. |
| C．They are tested more often. | D．There are more possibilities of surviving. |
| A．anything the flight staff tell you to do | B．general safety advice |
| C．walking around the plane | D．pouring hot drinks |
| A．You are not supposed to ask for a coffee pot. |
| B．Take-offs is safer on non-stop flights than landings. |
| C．Every aircraft is different, so the safety procedures may be different. |
| D．Seat belts should be worn to protect against turbulence. |
| A．The Safest Way to Travel | B．Air Safety Tips |
| C．Non-stop Routes | D．How to Ply a Plane |
4 . The most intensive period of speech and language development for humans is during the first three years of life, a period when the brain is developing and maturing. These skills appear to develop best in a world that is rich with sounds, sights, and consistent（一致的，协调的，相容的）exposure（揭发）to the speech and language of others.
There is increasing evidence suggesting that there are “critical periods” for speech and language development in infants and young children. This means that the developing brain is best able to absorb a language, any language, during this period. The beginning signs of communication occur during the first few days of life when an infant learns that a cry will bring food, comfort, and companionship. As they grow, infants begin to sort out the speech sounds (phonemes) or building blocks that compose the words of their language. Research has shown that by six months of age, most children recognize the basic sounds of their native language.
As the speech mechanism (jaw, lips, and tongue) and voice mature, an infant is able to make controlled sound. By six months of age, an infant usually babbles or produces repetitive syllables such as “ba, ba, ba” or “da, da, da.” By the end of their first year, most children have mastered the ability to say a few simple words. Children are most likely unaware of the meaning of their first words, but soon learn the power of those words as others respond to them.
By eighteen months of age, most children can say eight to ten words. By age two, most are putting words together in crude sentences such as “more milk.” During this period, children rapidly learn that words symbolize or represent objects, actions, and thoughts. At this age they also engage in representational or pretend play. At ages three, four, and five, a child’s vocabulary rapidly increases, and he or she begins to master the rules of language.
1. According to the passage, which of the statements is NOT true?| A．The developing brain is best able to absorb any language. |
| B．The beginning signs of communication occur during the first few days of life. |
| C．By six months of age, all children recognize the basic sounds of their native language. |
| D．By 2, children rapidly learn that words symbolize or represent objects, actions, and thoughts. |
| A．by six months of age, an infant must babble or produce repetitive syllables |
| B．by their first year, most children are most likely aware of the meaning of their first words |
| C．by 2, children rapidly learn that words symbolize or represent objects, actions, and thoughts |
| D．the brain development is critical to develop children’s speech and language ability |
| A．that children are so young that it is easy for them to study |
| B．that the developing brain is best able to absorb a language, any language |
| C．that the children are eager to learn the language |
| D．that we must take care of children |
| A．organs | B．skills | C．abilities | D．habits |
For the past year, the World Food Program has operated a project to prevent hunger in twenty-one countries in Africa. In the project, the United Nations agency works with small farmers to grow more and better produce.
The World Food Program buys the produce through local cooperative associations. Then it distributes the products within the country or area. The project works mainly with women. Sheila Sisulu from the World Food Program says the project aims to break a cycle that keeps people hungry. The situation is that farmers have to sell their produce at low prices after harvest, when supplies are greatest. Then they have to pay high prices to buy food for themselves during the “lean season,” when supplies are limited.
But when farmers produce more food, they can sell more. And when they produce high-quality food, they can get higher prices. They can also store food for themselves, and have enough money to buy food if they need to during the lean season. Sheila Sisulu says the farmers are now starting to earn profits through the project.
The Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development help the farmers choose the best seeds and fertilizers. They also advise the farmers on the quality levels that the World Food Program requires to buy their produce.
Two other groups recently launched a separate effort to increase food security in Africa. The groups are the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and the New Partnership for Africa's Development. They say African governments have to increase their investment in agriculture in order to fight problems related to climate change. The groups want the governments to develop programs in seeds, soil health, policy and markets.
Former United Nations chief Kofi Annan is the chairman of AGRA. The group's president, Namanga Ngongi, says many African governments are not meeting a target of spending ten percent of their national budgets on agriculture. But he says investment has risen from four percent of national budgets to probably five and a half percent today.
1. The underlined word “lean” in Paragraph 2 probably has the same meaning with ______.| A．He is a tall, lean and handsome boy, liked by many girls. |
| B．The changes made the company leaner and more competitive. |
| C．The company recovered well after going through several lean years. |
| D．The doctor told him that lean meat was healthier for his mother than fatty meat. |
| A．distributes the products within the whole world |
| B．has benefited few African farmers during the past year |
| C．enables the African farmers to sell their produce at low prices after harvest |
| D．can help the farmers to get away from the situation that keeps them hungry |
| A．United Nations chief | B．the World Food Program |
| C．African governments and farmers | D．the Food and Agriculture Organization |
| A．Hunger, the most serious problem in Africa |
| B．Two efforts seek to increase food security in Africa |
| C．A project to grow more and better produce in Africa |
| D．More investments in agriculture by African governments |
6 . Tears are nature’s way of making us feel more comfortable. When our eyes are made uncomfortable by some small pieces of pollution, or when we are cutting onions, or when we are exhausted and “red-eyes” from over work and late hours, tears form in our eyes to clean and refresh them.
Tears are also a sign of strong emotion. We cry when we are sad and we cry when we are happy.
And tears seem to be uniquely human. We know that animals also experience emotion--fear, pleasure, loneliness, but they do not shed (流) tears.
Biologically speaking, tears are actually drops of saline fluid, which is a little bit salty, produced by a gland (腺) in the body. Because salt is an important component, tears may actually constitute the most conclusive evidence that the human animal is the end product of a long evolutionary process that began in the sea.
And it is clear that, in addition to the emotional benefits, the shedding of tears has a specific biological function as well. Through tears, we can eliminate from our body certain chemicals which build up in response to stress and create a chemical imbalance in the body. Crying actually makes us feel better by correcting that imbalance and making us feel good again. And thus the emotional and the biological functions of tears merge (合并) into one and make us even more “human” than we would otherwise be.
1. According to the passage, human beings may have originated in .| A．the sea | B．the salt | C．chemicals | D．animals |
| A．Biological. | B．Emotional. | C．Political. | D．Chemical. |
| A．The feeling of loneliness. | B．The state of feeling good. |
| C．The ability to shed tears. | D．The feeling of fear. |
| A．add | B．produce | C．replace | D．remove |
7 . Poorer children would be offered the chance to attend lessons on Saturday to help catch up with their middle class peers (同龄人), the shadow schools secretary, Michael Gove, said today. The Conservatives would give English state schools the freedom to choose to have longer teaching hours and extra classes at the weekend, he told the Association of Teachers and Lecturers’ annual conference.
Gove said the move would help to close the achievement gap with richer children whose parents could afford extras such as tutoring and music lessons.
He told delegates (代表) in Manchester: “For children who come from homes where parents don’t have the resources to provide additional stretch and cultural experiences, there are benefits in having those children in the learning environment, in school, for longer.”
“Parents would love to have schools starting earlier in some circumstances, and certainly going on later in the afternoon, given the reality of their working lives,” he said. He held up the example of Kipp (Knowledge is Power Program) schools in the US, which are often based in the poorest communities and open from 7:30 am to 5pm on weekdays, plus Saturdays.
But it would be up to schools to decide to offer longer hours, Gove added.
Parents said Saturday classes could become a “badge of dishonor” if pupils were forced to go, while teachers raised concerns about their workload.
Margaret Morrissey, of Parents Outloud, said: “I think the suggestion the government made about one-to-one teaching for these kids would be a more preferable way of improving these children’s performance. I’m just not sure whether taking away a child at weekends is actually going to make them cleverer in the week.”
The ATL’s general secretary, Mary Bousted, said: “If we want Saturday schools, then we need more teachers doing the extra hours, not the same teachers working longer.”
1. The program is intended for children____________.| A．who are from middle-class families |
| B．whose parents can’t afford extra help |
| C．who perform poorly academically |
| D．whose weekends are mostly unoccupied |
| A．music lessons |
| B．physical relaxation |
| C．entertainment activities |
| D．out-of-school improvement |
| A．To make a comparison. |
| B．To introduce a new program. |
| C．To seek supportive evidence. |
| D．To prove his program is better. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Optimistic. | D．Acceptable. |
| A．Teachers may not like the program. | B．Schools are trying to make profits. |
| C．The program is already under way. | D．The program is popular with children. |
8 . Friendship is one of the basic bonds between human beings. While the characteristics of friendship might vary from one country to another, people from all cultures not only enjoy friends but need them.
Many studies have shown that teenagers who have no friends often suffer from psychological disorders. It has been shown that teenagers, perhaps more than any other age group, need companionship and a sense of belonging. The negative consequences of loneliness have also been observed among the elderly. The death of a spouse often leaves a widow or a widower totally bereft. If, however, they are surrounded by friends and relatives and if they are able to express their feelings, they are more likely to recover from their grief.
“No man is an island.” In other words, we are all parts of society. We all need the love, admiration, respect and moral support of other people. If we are fortunate, our friends will provide us with all of these necessary aspects of life.
As most people observe, there are many levels of friendship. The degree or intensity of friendship varies depending on the personality of the individuals involved and the context of the relationships. Outgoing persons enjoy being surrounded by many people whereas shy persons are perhaps content with fewer but more intense friendships.
Everyone is not equally open with all their friends. The degree of closeness is determined by many factors. Close friends can be formed at any stage in one’s life but they are usually very rare. Not very many people have more than a few really close friends. Irrespective of the level of closeness, all friendships are based on reciprocity（互惠）, honesty and a certain amount of love and affection.
1. “No man is an island”(Line 1, Para. 3) implies that _______.| A．everyone is a part of an island | B．man cannot be an island |
| C．everyone is just a part of society | D．society is an island |
| A．age | B．belonging | C．personality | D．culture |
| A．can be easily formed when one is young | B．cannot be long-lasting |
| C．are not rare for everyone | D．are rare for most people |
| A．not respecting | B．dishonoring | C．regardless | D．considering |
9 . I shall never forget the night, a few years ago, when Marion J. Douglas was a student in one of my adult-education classes. He told us how tragedy had struck at his home, not once, but twice. The first time he had lost his five-year-old daughter. He and his wife thought they couldn’t bear that first loss; but, as he said, “Ten months later, God gave us another little girl and she died in five days.”
This double bereavement was almost too much to bear. “I couldn’t take it,” this father told us. “I couldn’t sleep, eat, rest or relax. My nerves were entirely shaken and my confidence gone.” At last he went to the doctors: one recommended sleeping pills and another recommended a trip, but neither helped. He said, “My body felt as if it was surrounded in a vice(大钳子), and the jaws of the vice were being drawn tighter and tighter. The tension of grief(悲伤) - if you have ever been paralyzed(使瘫痪) by sorrow, you know what the meant. ”
“But thank God, I had one child left -a four-year-old son. He gave me the solution to the problem. One afternoon as I sat around feeling sorry for myself, he asked, ‘Daddy, will you build a boat for me?’ I was in no mood to build a boat; in fact, I was in no mood to do anything. But my son is a persistent fellow! I had to give in. Building that toy boat took me about three hours. By the time it was finished, I realized that those three hours spent building that boat were first hours of mental relaxation and peace that I had had in months! I realized that it is difficult to worry while you are busy doing something that requires planning and thinking. In my case, building the boat had knocked worry out of the ring. So I determined to keep busy.”
“The following night, I made a list of jobs that ought to be done. Scores of items needed to be repaired. Amazingly, I had made a list of 242 items that needed attention. During the last two years I have completed most of them. I am so busy now that I have no time for worry.”
No time for worry! That is exactly what Winston Churchill said when he was working eighteen hours a day at the height of the war. When he was asked if he worried about his huge responsibilities, he said, “I am too busy. I have no time for worry.”
1. The underlined word “bereavement” in the second paragraph refers to _________.| A．having lost a loved one | B．having lost a valuable article |
| C．having lost a profit-making business | D．having lost a well-paid job |
| A．he couldn’t earn enough money to support his family |
| B．he was suffering from sleeplessness disease |
| C．he couldn’t get out of mental pressure |
| D．he felt tired of adult-education classes |
| A．he hadn’t been able to spare time to mend them |
| B．he wanted to kill his free time by repairing them |
| C．the items had actually been broken and needed attention |
| D．repairing the items helped crowd worry out of his mind |
| A．prove that he followed Churchill’s example |
| B．support his student’s solution to his problem |
| C．show that he was successful in his career |
| D．make it clear how his conclusion was reached |
It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and Maggie and I were returning from our walk through the woods. We were only a couple of blocks from home when I spotted a cellphone and credit card sitting on the road. We took them home. We find amazing things on the street. She looks upon it as a movable dinner. Chicken wings here and there.
I found another cellphone a few years back, too, and called a number in its phone book. I explained the situation to the guy who answered. He said it was his sister’s and that he'd swing by to pick it up, which he did.
And that was that. No verbal (口头的) thank-you, no written thank-you, no “here’s a box of chocolates” thank-you.
I didn’t have time to call anyone on my latest found cellphone. I was pouring myself coffee when it started to vibrate (颤动) and dance across the kitchen counter.
“Who’s this?” someone asked when I picked up.
“Who’s this?” I countered. “Sarah?”
She was taken aback until she realized her name was on the credit card I also had recovered. “Could you send it to me?” she asked.
She lives in Arlington, which is 2 miles from my house.
“Hmm, no,” I replied, adding that I thought she could come get them, and that if I wasn’t home, they would be in my mailbox.
A day later, when I was out for a run, someone retrieved them. But I got nothing. In this age of e-mail and cellphones, there’s really no excuse.
Years ago, I found something more precious than a $100 bill on the street: a driver’s license. I saw that its owner lived a couple of blocks from me, so I called him up. He asked whether I could slip the license through his front door.
“I guess I could,” I replied.
And that was that.
1. What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Several Experiences of My Own |
| B．“Thank You” Is Becoming More Priceless |
| C．It’s Polite to Thank the Finders |
| D．Only Losers Lack “Thank” for Finders |
| A．the author’s wife | B．the author’s pet |
| C．the author’s best friend | D．the author’s son |
| A．it wasn’t worth to do | B．he wanted to keep it as his own |
| C．he was busy then | D．he didn’t know its owner |
| A．got back | B．returned | C．lost | D．threw away |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Helpless. | C．Encouraged. | D．Hopeful. |
