1 . People often say that the Englishman’s home is his castle. They mean that the home is very important and personal to him. Most people in Britain live in houses rather than flats, and many people own their homes. This means that they can make them individual; they can paint them, and change them in any way they like. Most houses have a garden, even if it is a very small one, and the garden is usually loved. The house and the garden are the private space of the individual.
People usually like to mark their space. Are you sitting now in your home or on a train? Have you marked the space around yourself as your? If you are on the train you may put your coat or small bag on the seat beside you. If you share a flat you may have one corner or chair which is your own.
Once I was travelling on a train to London. I was in a section for four people and there was a table between us. The man on the space on my side of the table at all. I was angry. Maybe he thought that he owned the whole table. I had read a book about non-verbal communication so I took various papers out of my bag and put them on his briefcase! When I did this he stiffened and his eyes nearly popped(瞪出)out of his head. I had invaded his space! A few minutes later I took my papers off his case in order to read them. He immediately moved his case to his side of the table. Of course, it is possible that he just wanted to be helpful to me!
If you are visiting another country you may feel that you don’t have any private space. Hotel rooms look much the same in every country in the world. All day long, you share public spaces with other people. You see the local people in their private spaces and you feel lonely and “outside”. Local people can create their private spaces by talking about things you don’t know about .And you even feel that they like you to be outside them so that they will enjoy being inside even more! This is one of the difficulties of being a traveler! But if you understand it then it helps you. Haven’t you enjoyed being part of a group and “owning” a bit of space?
1. The writer was angry as he was travelling on a train to London because ________.| A．he had no place to sit |
| B．someone had invaded his “space” |
| C．too many people shared a section with him |
| D．some other people talked about things he didn’t know about |
| A．public spaces | B．private spaces |
| C．local people | D．other countries |
| A．British people dislike marking their space. |
| B．You always feel at home in another country. |
| C．Most British people prefer living in houses to flats. |
| D．You can’t mark your private space in a foreign country. |
| A．own private spaces by living in houses |
| B．have one corner of their own in public places |
| C．realize the importance of “space” in communication |
| D．create their private spaces by talking with local people |
2 . Fu Cong, a Chinese-born pianist, died on Monday at a hospital in London, where he had lived for many years.
A lover of classical music from a young age, Mr. Fu began taking piano lessons when he was 7. He made his first stage appearance in 1952. The concert caught the attention of officials in Beijing, who selected him to compete and tour in Eastern Europe. Mr. Fu soon moved to Poland, where he studied at the Warsaw Conservatory (音乐学校) on a scholarship. To prepare for the fifth Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1955, he practiced so hard that he hurt his fingers and was nearly cut from the first round of the competition.
Mr. Fu was one of the first Chinese pianists to achieve global fame when he took third place in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1955. He also won a special prize for his performance of Chopin's mazurkas. Almost overnight, he became a national hero. To China, Mr. Fu's recognition in a well-known international competition was evidence that the country could stand on its own artistically in the West. Chinese reporters came to interview Mr. Fu, while many others went to his father, Fu Lei, for advice on child-raising.
In 1981, a volume of letters written by his father, was published in China. Full of advice, encouragement, life teachings and strict paternal love, the book Fu Lei's Family Letters became a best-seller in China. Besides influencing a generation of Chinese, Mr. Fu's words resonated (引起共鸣) long after his death with the person for whom they were intended.
“My father had a saying that 'First you must be a person, then an artist, and then a musician, and only then can you be a pianist,'" Mr. Fu Cong once recalled in an interview. "Even now, I believe in this order-that it should be this way and that I am this way.”
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．Fu Cong's achievements in music. | B．Fu Cong's stage performances. |
| C．Fu Cong's experiences of learning music. | D．Fu Cong’s efforts for competitions. |
| A．It earns Chinese arts a place in the West. |
| B．It promotes the spread of Chinese culture. |
| C．It proves Chinese people's love for music. |
| D．It enables Chinese art education to be recognized. |
| A．Fu Lei's Family Letters. | B．Young people of China. |
| C．Fu Cong and his family. | D．Readers of Fu Lei's Family Letters. |
| A．It's easy to be an artist. |
| B．It requires various qualities to be a pianist. |
| C．Everyone should develop an interest in art. |
| D．Talent is of greatest importance for a pianist. |
3 . On a boat near Costa Rica, a team of marine biologist is helping a turtle. The animal is having trouble breathing, and the team discovers why—there is something inside its nose. A scientist tries to extract the object, but the turtle cries in pain. Finally after eight long minutes, a long object is pulled out. It is a 10-centimeter plastic straw.
The video of the turtle's rescue has been viewed millions of times on YouTube. It has helped raise awareness of a growing problem: The world's seas are full of plastic. Since 2000, there has been a huge increase worldwide plastic production, but we recycle less than one-fifth of it. A lot of this plastic waste' ends up in the ocean. Today, scientists think about 8.1 billion kilograms goes into the sea every year from costal regions. Most of this plastic will never break into little pieces.
This ocean plastic hurts millions of sea animals every year. Some fish eat plastic because it is covered with sea plants, and it looks and smells like food. “In some cases, eating sharp pieces of plastic can seriously hurt sea animals and even result in death,” says marine biologist Matthew Savoca.
Plastic is useful to people because it is strong and lasts a long time, but this is bad news for sea creatures who eat or get stuck in it. According to Savoca, Single-use plastics are the worst.” These are items that are used only once before we throw them away. Some common examples include straws, water bottles, and plastic bags. About 700 sea species have been caught in or have eaten this kind of plastic. Luckily, the turtle survived and was released back into the ocean. How will plastic affect sea animals in the long term? “I think we’ll know the answers in 5 to 10 years’ time,” says an expert from Columbia University. But by then, another 25 million tons of plastic will already be in the ocean.
1. Which of these questions is answered in Paragraph 1?| A．Where was the scientist from? |
| B．When did the incident take place? |
| C．What was the cause of the turtle's pain? |
| D．How did the scientists remove the object? |
| A．The video. | B．The turtle. | C．YouTube. | D．The Plastic. |
| A．Because sea animals consume plastic. |
| B．Because more plastic is produced than recycled. |
| C．Because plastic can be dissolved in the sea quickly. |
| D．Because other places are already full of plastic waste. |
| A．Single-use plastics are people's favorite. |
| B．Plastic waste can cause deadly damage to sea animals. |
| C．More than 700 sea species can survive the ocean plastic. |
| D．The ocean’s plastic problem will be solved in a decade. |
4 . Newcastle, one of the fastest developing cities in the United Kingdom, is beginning to draw tourists from all corners of Europe. It’s said that most visitors come here to see the famous soccer team play. The mood of the locals is often changed by the success or failure of the local team.
Newcastle’s most popular place is the Gate, which is in the center of the city and has many attractions including bars, restaurants, sports bars, pubs and so on. During a home game it becomes a real home to happiness.
Culture and local history lovers can make their dreams come true by taking one of the local city tour buses. They come and leave every few minutes and stop at all the important historical sites in the city. Also the seats and the environment on the buses are comfortable. It’s the best way to see the city without tiring yourself out or getting cold. Places such as the Hancock Museum and Millennium Bridge are must-see attractions. But be careful if you’re short of time. Newcastle is a big place, so you should be prepared to kill a few hours on one of these buses.
If you want to watch the local team play soccer in the St. James Park, remember to book a ticket as early as possible. The locals are crazy soccer fans, and you’ll find it hard to get a ticket if you don’t wait in the queue early.
As you can see, Newcastle is a fascinating city with so much to be offered and so many things to see. You’re sure to have a wonderful time here!
1. Most visitors come to Newcastle in order to ________.| A．watch its soccer team play |
| B．take the local tour buses |
| C．visit the Hancock Museum |
| D．have a big meal in restaurants |
| A．should go to the Gate |
| B．can go on a city tour |
| C．must visit St. James Park |
| D．must drive your own car |
| A．history lovers | B．local people |
| C．city tour buses | D．local soccer teams |
| A．The most popular place in Newcastle is the Gate. |
| B．Millennium Bridge is attractive to culture and local history lovers. |
| C．The mood of the locals can’t be influenced by the success or failure of the local team. |
| D．You’d better book a ticket as early as possible if you want to watch the local team play soccer. |
5 . US and Canadian researchers recently calculated the total amount of the world's groundwater and estimated that it is equal to a lake 180 metres deep covering the entire Earth. This makes groundwater the largest active freshwater resource on the planet. The team also investigated its age. How did they do this?
Humans introduced a convenient time signature on the Earth when we started testing atomic (原子的) weapons. This leaves a time stamp which can be found in water, rocks and living organisms. By seeing if radioactivity (放射性) from atomic bomb testing was present in the groundwater, the researchers could estimate that about 6% of this groundwater is younger than50 years old. If this water was spread evenly over the continents, then there is just three metres depth of "modern" groundwater spread equally over the continents.
It could be argued that if we use only this "modern" groundwater, then this is sustainable, as we know that it has been replaced (or recharged) by natural processes over the last 50years. But how quickly groundwater recharges changes over time.
Water has to reach the inside of rocks, either now or in the past. This means that the amount of rainfall has to be more than the amount of water evaporating (蒸发) from the land surface, and more than the amount of water used by all the plants. Whenthisoccurs, fresh water can recharge the groundwater from either water "leaking" from the beds of rivers or from rainwater that passes through the soil.
In many parts of the world we know that groundwater recharge varies due to natural climate variability such as El Nino. Groundwater recharge will also change with global warming.
1. In order to know the age of groundwater, we can ________.| A．find its time stamp | B．test atomic weapons |
| C．examine its freshness | D．spread groundwater equally |
| A．It's fresh. | B．It's limited. | C．It's vital. | D．It's sufficient. |
| A．Water evaporating. | B．Water leaking from river beds. |
| C．Water getting into rocks. | D．Water being used by all the plants. |
| A．Climate variability. | B．Global warming. |
| C．Groundwater exploration. | D．Groundwater sustainability. |
6 . Music is the one incorporeal (无形的) entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend,” said famous German pianist and composer Ludwig van Beethoven. This year marks the 251th anniversary of Beethoven's birth on Dec 17,1770 As one of the fathers of classical music, Beethoven was revolutionary, breaking the rules and stretching musical forms to unleash (释放) emotion.
Although some may claim that classical is a dying art only for the elites (精英人士)，it is actually alive and well in the modern era. It's not uncommon for today's musicians to have grown up playing classical instruments such as the violin or piano. Even those who don't play or listen to classical music are likely to have been introduced to it through movies and even video games.
Many or the most recognizable names in the music industry have drawn inspiration from classical music. UK legendary rock band The Beatles is one of them. John Lemon, while lying on his couch listening to his wife play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata on the piano, asked her to play it backward and was immediately inspired to write the songBecause. The song itself is similar to Moonlight Sonata with simple, straightforward lyrics.
This is just one example. Countless musicians have been influenced by Beethoven，and classical music as a whole. Record producer George Marin once said: “They always had enormous confidence that the world was theirs for the taking.” This quote seems to sum up not only the mentality of more modern era musicians，butthatof those classical artists who formed the building blocks of music today. They were making a bold，grandiose (浮夸的) and very innovative statement, not holding anything back.
Whether you're a music scholar or a passive listener, you can't deny that classical musicians' influence remains strong centuries after the artists have passed. Musicians like Beethoven continue illustrate their impact on the unifying force that is music.
1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?| A．Classical music is not a dying art. |
| B．Classical music becomes less popular. |
| C．Today's musicians still play classical music. |
| D．The classical music audience grows sharply. |
| A．introduce the songBecause |
| B．express his love for John Lennon |
| C．show the charm of Moonlight Sonata |
| D．prove the great influence of classical music |
| A．The quote | B．The mentality | C．The confidence | D．The modern era |
| A．He is an elite. |
| B．He is a musician. |
| C．He hates modern music. |
| D．He thinks highly of classical music. |
7 . Rome wasn't built in a day. And neither was the Roman subway system. Underground work is slow going, because construction workers often meet with frescoes(壁画) and other valuable stone foundations thousands of years ago. And a few years ago, they found the wooden foundations of a luxurious porch from a Roman building.
So local archaeologists called in Mauro Bernabei of the National Research Council of Italy. He's a dendrochronologist: someone who analyzes tree rings, which give age and environmental information.
"We have to study wood because it's full, really full, of information!" Bernabei and his team found that the wooden planks were oak(橡木). But the wood's origin was harder to determine. So they compared the tree rings in the oak floor to those available in libraries of tree rings that contain timber from all over Europe. And they found a match for the Roman wood—from the Jura region of eastern France, more than 600 miles away.
The researchers also determined that it was used in about 40 to 60 B.C. And some came from trees already up to 300 years old when they were cut down. The details are in the journal PLOS ONE.
The discovery is the first clear evidence of oak from north of the Alps being used to build ancient Rome. And it's a reminder that the Romans had a complex trading network. These trees, for example, likely floated down two rivers, across the Mediterranean and up another river to Rome.
Bernabei says Roman archaeologists usually destroy ancient wood—it's not as valuable as jewelry and vases and frescos. But he's hoping this study might change their minds."Save the wood, yes! And call me,if you don't want to save—please, call me!"He says.
1. Why does the subway in Rome go slowly?| A．It is hard to dig up the earth in Rome. |
| B．There are many ancient ruins buried here. |
| C．It is very dangerous to work too fast in Rome |
| D．The Roman are not experienced in building subways |
| A．The wealth in ancient Rome |
| B．The trading information of ancient Rome |
| C．The culture of ancient Rome |
| D．The social relations of ancient Rome |
| A．The stone | B．The subway |
| C．The French wood | D．The Roman foundation |
| A．Scientists found some information about ancient Rome |
| B．Wood was not as valuable as stones in ancient Rome |
| C．Only the rich people in ancient Rome could use wood |
| D．Ancient Rome could have a rich trading network. |
8 . A rainforest is an area covered by tall trees with the total high rainfall spreading（扩大） quite equally through the year and the temperature rarely falling below 16°C. Rainforests have a great influence on the world environment because they can take in heat from the sun and adjust the climate.
Without the forest cover, these areas would reflect（反射）more heat into the atmosphere, warming the rest of the world. Losing the rainforests may also influence wind and rainfall patterns，potentially（潜 在地） causing certain natural disasters all over the world.
In the past hundred years, humans have begun destroying rainforests in search of three major resources ： land for crops, wood for paper and other products, land for raising farm animals. This action affects the environment as a whole. For example, a lot of carbon dioxide in the air comes from burning the rainforests. People obviously have a need for the resources we gain from cutting trees but we will suffer much more than we will benefit.
There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, when people cut down trees, generally they can only use the land for a year or two. Secondly, cutting large sections of rainforests may provide a good supply of wood right now, but in the long run it actually reduces the world’s wood supply. Rainforests are often called the world's drugstore. More than 25% of the medicines we use today come from plants in rainforests. However, fewer than 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medical value. It is extremely likely that our best chance to cure diseases lies somewhere in the world’s shrinking（减 少）rainforests.
1. Rainforests can help to adjust the climate because they______.| A．reflect more heat into the atmosphere |
| B．bring about high rainfall throughout the world |
| C．rarely cause the temperature to drop lower than 16°C |
| D．absorb（吸收） the heat from the sun, reducing the effect of heat from the sun on the earth |
| A．We will lose much more than we can gain. | B．Humans have begun destroying rainforests. |
| C．People have a strong desire for resources. | D．Much carbon dioxide （二氧化碳）comes from burning rainforests. |
| A．we can get enough resources without rainforests |
| B．there is great medicine potential in rainforests |
| C．we will grow fewer kinds of crops in the gained land |
| D．the level of annual rainfall affects wind patterns |
| A．How to Save Rainforests? | B．How to Protect Nature? |
| C．Rainforests and the Environment. | D．Rainforests and Medical Development. |
9 . Camping has a long history in Australia. The country has a long history about it, which is a way of life for people in that country. Although that way of life has mostly died out in the modern country, we must take care to remember it.
There is a long tradition. When gold was first discovered and people came from around the world to find their fortune, many could not afford to stay in a hotel and nor would there have been enough, so they all brought tents （帐篷）and set them up next to their little goldfield. Many people alive in Australia today are born from those people who spent large parts of their lives intents. And it seems to have stayed with us all the way to modern Australia.
In summer, the nation's camping grounds are packed（挤满）with families on holidays. It is a great experience for a kid to lie in a tent where he or she can hear all the sounds of nature. It's a place where they can learn skills like making a fire, cooking and swimming in the water, which they will use for their whole lives.
Of course, things have changed a lot from the early days of camping, when you would carry everything you need on your back. Now there are all kinds of equipment to take with you, from solar panels（太阳能板）for your electric razor（电动剃须刀）to an outdoor shower. In fact, many campsites you see around the country are so decorated that you have to wonder why they are bothered to leave the house at all.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refer to?| A．Australia. | B．Tradition. |
| C．Camping. | D．Fortune |
| A．the history of camping in Australia |
| B．what the first settlers did in Australia |
| C．the hotel situations in Australia |
| D．Australians’ modern way of life |
| A．To go fishing. | B．To make tents by themselves. |
| C．To go camping. | D．To listen to nature. |
| A．solar panels are necessary for camping |
| B．things have changed a lot about camping |
| C．there are lots of goldfields in Australia |
| D．Camping has already died out nowadays |
"Yes, he should be praised and we must write a letter to the company," said a second passenger. "That's right," another lady said, "I wish a newspaper reporter were here so that more people could learn from this conductor."
Just then a gentleman who looked like a teacher turned to the conductor and said, "Excuse me, but can I know your name, please? Your excellent service must be praised..."
Before he could open his mouth, the three-year-old child sitting on the young woman's lap interrupted, "I know his name. I call him Dad."
1. The passengers were ________ to see the conductor's kindness to the woman and the child.
| A．excited | B．pleased |
| C．interested | D．surprised |
| A．make a demand for more buses |
| B．thank the conductor for his good service |
| C．criticize the conductor for his rude behavior |
| D．invite a newspaper reporter to write about the conductor |
| A．A teacher. |
| B．A newspaper reporter. |
| C．Not known from the story. |
| D．The conductor's friend from his company. |
| A．the gentleman | B．the conductor |
| C．the middle-aged man | D．the three-year-old child |
| A．has changed his attitude towards his work |
| B．has now been kind and polite to all passengers |
| C．has not changed his rude behavior to passengers |
| D．has now been kind and polite to women with children |
