1 . I’m a seventeen-year-old boy preparing for my A Level exams at the end of the year. In the society where my peers (同龄人) and I live, we tend to accept the rat race values. As students, we want to get good grades so that we can get good jobs. I enjoy studying and have consistently received A’s in my classes. There was a year when I finished first in my class in the final exams. It was a great accomplishment.

Another one I am pleased with is that I managed to improve the relationship between Mum and Dad. Dad was a successful businessman who was rarely at home. Mum was a housewife who always felt bored and constantly nagged (唠叨) him to let her go to work. Their constant arguing bothered me, so I advised Dad that Mum would be better off with a part-time job. He agreed, and their relationship has improved since then.

My most proud achievement, however, is my successful work in the local old folks’ home. My grandparents had raised me since I was a child. I wept (哭泣) bitterly when they died. Unlike many of my classmates, I do not take part in my school’s community service to earn points. I enjoy my voluntary work and believe I’m contributing to a worthwhile cause. This is where I can help. I talk to the elderly, assist them with their daily life, and listen to their problems, glory days and the hardships they experienced.

Last year, I hosted a successful New Year party for the elderly and they enjoyed a great time. Many expressed a desire to attend another party the following year. When I reflect on my accomplishments, I’m especially proud of my service at the old folks’ home, so I hope to study social work at university and work as a social worker in the future. I wish to be more skilled in attending to the less fortunate and find great satisfaction in it, after all.

1. What can be inferred about the author from the first paragraph?

A．He is content with his learning achievements.	B．His good grades got him a good job.
C．He refuses to compete with his peers fiercely.	D．His views on social values are well known.

2. Which role does the author play in his parents’ relationship?

A．A bystander (旁观者).

B．A judge.

C．A helper.

D．A destroyer.

3. What is the greatest achievement for the author?

A．The contribution to volunteering.	B．The success in exams.
C．The recovery of confidence in life.	D．The work in school’s service.

4. Why does the author want to study social work at university?

A．To gain a well-paid job.	B．To give his life a purpose.
C．To better help the disadvantaged.	D．To meet his grandparents’ expectations.

2 . Edwin Hubble made his most important discoveries in the 1920s. Today, other astronomers continue the work he began. Many of them are using the Hubble Space Telescope that is named after him.

Edwin Powell Hubble was born in 1889 in Marshfield, Missouri. He spent his early years in the state of Kentucky. Then he moved with his family to Chicago, in Louisville. He attended the University of Chicago. He studied mathematics and astronomy. Hubble was a good student. He was a good athlete, too. He was a member of the University of Chicago championship basketball team in 1909. He also was an excellent boxer. Several people urged him to train for the world heavyweight boxing championship after college. Instead, he decided to continue his studies. He went to Queen’s College at Oxford, England.

At Oxford, Hubble studied law. He was interested in British Common Law, because his family had come to America from England many years before. He spent three years at Oxford. In 1913, Hubble returned to the United States. He opened a law office in Louisville, Kentucky. After a short time, however, he decided he did not want to be a lawyer. He returned to the University of Chicago. There, once again, he studied astronomy. Edwin Hubble was the first person to use the Hale Telescope.He died in 1953 while preparing to spend four nights looking through the telescope at the sky.

Hubble’s work led to new researches on the birth of the universe. One astronomer said scientists have been filling in the details ever since. And, he said, there is a long way to go.

1. According to this passage, what was Edwin Hubble most interested in?

A．Sports.	B．Law.
C．Astronomy.	D．Mathematics.

2. Why did Edwin Hubble return to the University of Chicago?

A．Because he was interested in British Common Law.

B．Because he was eager to be a famous judge in future.

C．Because his parents had been to Britain a few years before.

D．Because he wanted to go on with the study of astronomy.

3. Which of the following is the RIGHT order according to this passage?
a. He joined the University of Chicago championship basketball team.
b. He studied astronomy at the University of Chicago once again.
c. He moved to Louisville with his family.
d. He used the Hale Telescope to look at the sky.
e, He became a lawyer in Louisville for a short period of time.

A．c, a, b, d, e

B．a, c, b, e, d

C．c, a, e, b, d

D．a, b, d, e, c

4. What can we know from this passage?

A．The Hubble Space Telescope was made by Hubble himself.

B．Edwin Powell Hubble went to Oxford, England in 1910.

C．Edwin Powell Hubble grew up in Marshfield, Missouri.

D．Hubble died while he was looking at the sky.

3 . Life will probably be very different in 2050. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have vanished by 2050. Instead, people will choose a programme from a “menu” and a computer will send the programme directly to the television. By 2050, music, films, programmes, newspapers and books will come to us in the similar way.

In many places, agriculture is developing quickly and people are growing fruit and vegetables for export. This uses a lot of water. Therefore, there could be serious shortages of water. Some scientist predict that water could be the cause of wars if we don’t act now.

In the future, cars will run on new, clean fuels (燃料) and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed and there won’t be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to your destination. Also, by 2050, space planes will fly people from Los Angeles to Tokyo in just two hours.

Some big companies now prefer to use robots that do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and work 24 hours a day. They are also easy to control. And they never argue with people. They can be easily used in a variety of places — factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes.

Scientists will have discovered how to control genes (基因). Scientists have already produced clones (克隆) of animals. By 2050, scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look and how they behave. Scientists will be able to do these things, but should they?

1. Which of the following best explains “vanished” underlined in paragraph 1?

A．Settled.

B．Spread.

C．Disappeared.

D．Decreased.

2. What does paragraph 4 intend to show?

A．Robots can work in different places.

B．Robots have much to be improved.

C．Robots work for humans for free.

D．Robots have many advantages.

3. What does the author want to express in the last paragraph?

A．He probably disagrees with the idea of human cloning.

B．He is looking forward to using of cloning technology.

C．The scientists have already discovered how to control genes.

D．The scientists will face many difficulties of controlling genes.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．High-tech Cars	B．Life in the Future
C．Is Cloning Really Good?	D．Are You Ready for the Future?

4 . Human beings are extremely diverse in many ways. People differ in opinions, races, nationalities, lifestyles and so on. Yet we are all human species, we feel pain and joy despite the differences. Today, it is impossible for any group of people to live without interacting with others outside their group.     1    .

Diversity creates richness in opinion. Some problems can’t be solved by a homogenous (同种类的) group of people.     2     . A diverse group will offer fresh ideas to solve problems. Diverse groups have been found to be creative and thus producing better solutions to problems.

Diversity makes us compassionate (有同情心的) about others. When we interact and try to understand others, we won’t judge them. This instead makes us compassionate about others.     3    . Compassion allows us to realize that all human beings are the same.

Diversity is a growing trend. Today, there is no country in the world that has only natives living there.     4    . In the process, people of different cultural backgrounds often find themselves going to the same schools, working in the same offices and so much more. As citizens of this world, we are therefore left with no choice other than to embrace our diversity.

    5     Through diversity, entrepreneurs (企业家) have been able to reach new markets. Today, we have multinationals setting up offices in different parts of the world. This further creates employment opportunities for people in those parts of the world.

A．Millions of people move every day.

B．They are in search of good lifestyles.

C．Diversity opens up new market chances.

D．Diversity requires us to respect each other.

E．We are then able to love and help one another.

F．Cultural diversity, therefore, is very important today.

G．Those require people from different backgrounds to work together.

5 . Tea culture is varied in different countries by the way tea is made and drunk, and by the places for tea drinking. How to make tea may be different. According to the ways of making tea, tea is classified (分类) into white tea, green tea, black tea, etc. And how to prepare tea may be different, too. In Tibet, tea is commonly boiled with salt and butter. People may drink tea at home or in public, for example, at tea houses.

As part of culture, tea has a relationship with history, health, education, communication and so on. It is commonly used at social activities. For example, afternoon tea is a British custom. Families or friends can communicate with each other while having afternoon tea.

Tea has remained a way of daily life in China and drinking tea has a lot of advantages. It makes people less tired, clears heat in the human body and helps people lose weight.

Chinese people are good at using tea to make other things delicious. Tea, originally (最初) served as a medicine in ancient times, is now not just a kind of drink, but also excellent seasoning (调味品). Here are two delicious dishes made with tea:

Tea Eggs: You can find them cooked and sold in street markets in almost every city in China. Dragon Well Tea Shrimp (龙井虾仁). It’s one of the most well-known dishes in Hangzhou. Before you drink tea, please check the following tips:

♦ Drink tea hot.

♦ The best time to drink is in between meals. It is bad for your stomach if you drink tea just before meals, during meals or soon after meals.

♦ Do not drink too much strong tea.

1. Afternoon tea in Britain is a _________ according to the passage.

A．way of communication	B．hobby
C．game	D．weekend activity

2. In ancient China, tea was originally served as _________according to the passage.

A．a medicine

B．a drink

C．seasoning

D．a dish

3. The best time to drink tea is _________according to the passage.

A．just before meals	B．during meals
C．soon after meals	D．in between meals

4. The passage doesn’t mention ________.

A．ways of making tea	B．places to drink tea
C．tools for drinking tea	D．advantages of drinking tea

6 . A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:

Disneyland, California

Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure land, New Orleans Square, and so on.

Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida

Magic Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

EPCOT, Disney World, Florida

EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.

Disney­MGM Studios, Florida

MGM’s streets are the home for some great movie­themed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides.

Universal Studios, Florida

Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.

1. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?

A．Disneyland & Magic Kingdom.

B．Disneyland & Universal Studios.

C．EPCOT & Disney­MGM Studios.

D．Magic Kingdom & Universal Studios.

2. Which park has the longest history?

A．Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida.

B．Disney­MGM Studios, Florida.

C．EPCOT, Disney World, Florida.

D．Disneyland, California.

3. What’s the purpose of the passage?

A．To attract tourists to these theme parks.

B．To increase the sales of Amusement Today.

C．To introduce world’s best amusement parks.

D．To compare attractions in different theme parks.

8 . After I made it to the city center, I started to feel it might be easy for a foreigner to deal with the great size of Beijing. With growing confidence, I decided to take the subway to the hotel, not realizing that the network didn’t go that far. Impressed with the cleanliness of the station, I bought a ticket and boarded the first subway that came along.

After a few minutes I asked in English a young man seated next to me where I should get off closest to the Friendship Hotel. Wearing a smart business suit and tie, he would surely speak English, wouldn’t he? Unfortunately, he couldn’t understand me but seemed very friendly. I showed him the room card with all the information of the Friendship Hotel in Chinese characters. He looked at it, and then his eyes moved quickly to the carriage (车厢) subway map. Next, he raised three fingers of his right hand.

In Australia, raising fingers at someone is not usually nice, but this man wasn’t smiling. At the next station he showed me two fingers. Now in Australia, that’s really rude, but I got the message. When we stopped at the third station, he didn’t just point to the door, but got up, took me out of the train, and led me to the top of the stairs, and out onto the street. Then he stopped a taxi and told the driver where to take me.

All this came from a man who couldn’t speak my language, and I couldn’t speak his. I was now speechless, especially when he refused my offer of money. I felt a little embarrassed having even thought he would accept a tip.

This experience made it clear I had to learn some Chinese quickly or my adventures might start turning into misadventures.

1. Why does the author decided to take the subway?

A．Because he believed in his ability to deal with the trip

B．Because the network covered most of the stops

C．Because he lived near the city center

D．Because he had a good impression of its cleanliness

2. Having been shown the room card, the young man        .

A．still remained puzzled	B．understood the author well
C．answered the author directly	D．pointed at the subway map

3. Which of the following can’t be used to describe the young man?

A．helpful.

B．impolite.

C．warm-hearted.

D．responsible.

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage ?

A．To prove the importance of being careful

B．To introduce a young man who didn’t know English

C．To complain some cultural misunderstanding

D．To describe one of his adventurous experiences

9 . Who says you have to stay indoors when the temperatures drop? Here are favourite places to explore this winter.

Athens, Greece

In Athens, every November temperatures stay around the mid-20s, so have a trip to the Parthenon and Acropolis. A full afternoon is also necessary for exploring the Museum of Cycladic Art and its exhibitions — recently it has hosted Picasso’s.

In the streets of the Pysrri district is a hidden hole in the wall, from which one can go down to the basement restaurant, Diporto.

Huaraz, Peru

To some, Peru gives people images of students in printed shorts on a tour of Machu Picchu. There’s obviously so much more to do in the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) site. Any hike through the surrounding Huascaran National Park will make you feel like you’ve stepped into The Lord of the Rings.

April and November are considered “shoulder season”, which means fewer clear days but you can enjoy the trails (路线) with fewer people.

Edinburgh, UK

Yes, it’s probably going to be freezing cold. Hot coffee steam up in a pleasing, romantic fashion in cafes. People can take a few minutes’ walk from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

For simple Scottish dishes there’s neighbourhood inn, the Little Chartroom. And the Sheep Heid Inn has been long enough to have served Mary, Queen of Scots. In the eight bedrooms at the 18th century Rock House, each is a mixture of ancient details and current fashion.

Valletta, Malta

Flights from the UK to Malta’s capital are only around £30, making it one of the best destinations for a November trip. This tiny city has a temperature of 17 or so and has changed itself into a year-round city break with artistic cafes, hotels and newly opened galleries — Muza opened last year and houses the former National Gallery collection.

For more information, please click here.

1. Which place has exhibited Picasso’s works lately?

A．Muza.	B．National Gallery.
C．The Museum of Cycladic Art.	D．Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

2. Which is NOT true about Huaraz?

A．You can appreciate ancient culture.	B．The Lord of the Rings was filmed here.
C．It’s a good place for hiking.	D．There are fewer people on April.

3. Which of the following is the coldest in winter?

A．Athens.

B．Valletta.

C．Huaraz.

D．Edinburgh.

4. What is special about Rock House?

A．It served the Queen of Scotland.	B．It combines ancient and modern styles.
C．It has at least eight kinds of rooms.	D．It offers Scottish local specialties.