1 . Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic (经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?

In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.

It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt (破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的)and do not like change.

Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward . If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different , even though that might be the more risky choice.

1. What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?

A．Some of them are not attractive.

B．Most of them ate too expensive to preserve.

C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings.

D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area.

2. Which of the following is true according to the author ?

A．We should reproduce the same old buildings.

B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings.

C．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in.

D．No one understands why people speak against new buildings.

3. By “move things forward ” in the last paragraph , the author probably means“      ”

A．destroy old buildings

B．put things in a different place

C．respect people’s feelings for historical buildings

D．choose new architectural styles

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To explain why people dislike change.

B．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas.

C．To warn that we could end up living in caves.

D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings.

2 . America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while, then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending(延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.

Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality(好客) easily.

Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don't show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.

For the Americans, it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families.

B．Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives.

C．Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy.

D．Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break.

2. From the last two paragraphs we can learn that when we arrive in America to visit an American friend, we will probably be                 .

A．warmly welcomed at the airport

B．treated hospitably at his home

C．offered a ride to his home

D．treated to dinner in a restaurant

3. The underlined words “generous with our time” in Paragraph 3 probably mean                  .

A．willing to spend time	B．serious with time
C．careful with time	D．strict with time

4. A suitable title for this passage would probably be “                ”.

A．Friendships Between Chinese

B．Friendships Between Americans

C．Americans' and Chinese's Views of Friendships

D．Americans' Hospitality

3 . If a diver surfaces too quickly, he may suffer the bends. Nitrogen(氮) dissolved(溶解) in his blood is suddenly liberated by the reduction of pressure. The consequence, if the bubbles (气泡)accumulate in a joint, is sharp pain and a bent body—thus the name. If the bubbles form in his lungs or his brain, the consequence can be death.

Other air-breathing animals also suffer this decompression(减压) sickness if they surface too fast: whales, for example. And so, long ago, did ichthyosaurs. That these ancient sea animals got the bends can be seen from their bones. If bubbles of nitrogen form inside the bone they can cut off its blood supply. This kills the cells in the bone, and consequently weakens it, sometimes to the point of collapse. Fossil (化石)bones that have caved in on them selves are thus a sign that the animal once had the bends.

Bruce Rothschild of the University of Kansas knew all this when he began a study of ichthyosaur bones to find out how widespread the problem was in the past. What he particularly wanted to investigate was how ichthyosaurs adapted to the problem of decompression over the 150 million years. To this end, he and his colleagues traveled the world’s natural-history museums, looking at hundreds of ichthyosaurs from the Triassic period and from the later Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

When he started, he assumed that signs of the bends would be rarer in younger fossils, reflecting their gradual evolution of measures to deal with decompression. Instead, he was astonished to discover the opposite. More than 15% of Jurassic and Cretaceous ichthyosaurs had suffered the bends before they died, but not a single Triassic specimen(标本) showed evidence of that sort of injury.

If ichthyosaurs did evolve an anti-decompression means, they clearly did so quickly—and, most strangely, they lost it afterwards. But that is not what Dr Rothschild thinks happened. He suspects it was evolution in other animals that caused the change.

Whales that suffer the bends often do so because they have surfaced to escape a predator (捕食动物) such as a large shark. One of the features of Jurassic oceans was an abundance of large sharks and crocodiles, both of which were fond of ichthyosaur lunches. Triassic oceans, by contrast, were mercifully shark- and crocodile-free. In the Triassic, then, ichthyosaurs were top of the food chain. In the Jurassic and Cretaceous, they were prey(猎物) as well as predator—and often had to make a speedy exit as a result.

1. Which of the following is a typical symptom of the bends?

A．A twisted body.	B．A gradual decrease in blood supply.
C．A sudden release of nitrogen in blood.	D．A drop in blood pressure.

2. The purpose of Rothschild’s study is to see________ .

A．how often ichthyosaurs caught the bends	B．how ichthyosaurs adapted to decompression
C．why ichthyosaurs bent their bodies	D．when ichthyosaurs broke their bones

3. Rothschild’s finding stated in Paragraph 4________ ..

A．confirmed his assumption	B．speeded up his research process
C．disagreed with his assumption	D．changed his research objectives

4. Rothschild might have concluded that ichthyosaurs ________ .

A．failed to evolve an anti decompression means

B．gradually developed measures against the bends

C．died out because of large sharks and crocodiles

D．evolved an anti decompression means but soon lost it

4 . College is a lifetime investment(投资)—the gift of a college education can open the door to a world of opportunity for your child or grandchild. Savings(储蓄), even not so many at a time, can make a big difference.

With the cost of a college education continuing to rise, the key is to start saving early and regularly. By saving a set(固定的) amount at set times, your money can grow as your child does. According to the College Board, the average cost for four-year public colleges has increased by nearly 51% over the last 10 years and these costs will almost certainly continue to rise. Saving for college can help with the increasing cost of a college education and help you be well prepared when your child is ready for college.

Saving for your child's college education is an investment in their future. The savings you make today will pay off in increased earnings(收入) in the future. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates earn an average of $1 million more than high school graduates during their careers. The value of your investment in a college education will continue to grow for a lifetime.

Set your college saving goals realistically(现实地). You may not be able to save enough for all four years' fees, but you could save enough to give your child the right start.

More and more families depend on student loans(贷款) to pay for college. By saving for college, families will have less burden of paying off loans and help their children leave school without worrying about paying off loans.

1. From the second paragraph we can learn that                 .

A．the College Board increased public college costs

B．public college costs will increase by 51% in the next ten years

C．it's not too late to start saving when your child is ready for college

D．saving can help deal with the rising cost of college education

2. Savings for college education                 .

A．will increase in the value in the future

B．make one earn a lot

C．help create good jobs

D．are wise for businessmen to invest

3. Which of the following is TRUE about saving for college?

A．You should save to help children get scholarships more easily.

B．It's better to increase the savings as the child grows.

C．It's better to save early and regularly.

D．You should set a further and bigger saving goal.

4. Who are the expected readers of the passage?

A．Parents.	B．High school students.
C．Educators.	D．Bankers.

5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A．When to Save for Children's College Costs

B．How to Make a Good Investment

C．Why We Should Save for Children's College Costs

D．How Much Four-Year College Costs

5 . The National Gallery

Description:

The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.

Layout:

The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th-to15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.

The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronese.

The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.

The East Wing houses 18th-to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.

Opening Hours:

The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.

Getting There:

Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).

1. In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?

A．The 20th	B．The 17th
C．The 18th	D．The 13th

2. Where are Leonardo da Vinci’s works shown?

A．In the East Wing.	B．In the main West Wing.
C．In the Sainsbury Wing.	D．In the North Wing.

3. Which underground station is closest to the National Gallery?

A．Charing Cross.	B．Leicester Square.
C．Embankment.	D．Piccadilly Circus.

6 . Your glasses may someday replace your smartphone, and some New Yorkers are ready for the switch. Some in the city can't wait to try them on and use the maps and GPS that the futuristic eyewear is likely to include.

" I'd use it if I were hanging out with friends at 3 a. m. and going to the bar and wanted to see what was open," said Walter Choo, 40, of Fort Greene.

The smartphone-like glasses will likely come out this year and cost between $250 and $600, the Times said, possibly including a variation of augmented(增强的) reality, a technology already available on smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) that overlays information onto the screen about one's surroundings. So, for example, if you were walking down a street, indicators would pop up showing you the nearest coffee shop or directions could be plotted out and come into view right on the sidewalk in front of you.

" As far as a mainstream consumer product, this just isn't something anybody needs," said Sam Biddle, who writes for Gizmodo.com. " We're accustomed to having one thing in our pocket to do all these things," he added, "and the average consumer isn't gonna be able to afford another device (装置) that's hundreds and hundreds of dollars. "

9to5Google publisher Seth Weintraub, who has been reporting on the smartphone-like glasses since late last year, said he is confident that this type of wearable device will eventually be as common as smartphones.

"It's just like smartphones 10 years ago," Weintraub said. "A few people started getting emails on their phones, and people thought that was crazy. Same kind of thing. We see people bending their heads to look at their smartphones, and it's unnatural," he said. " There's gonna be improvements to that, and this a step there. "

1. One of the possible functions of the smartphone-like glasses is to _____.

A．program the opening hours of a bar

B．supply you with a picture of the future

C．provide information about your surroundings

D．update the maps and GPS in your smartphones

2. The underlined phrase "pop up" in the third paragraph probably means " _____".

A．develop rapidly	B．get round quickly
C．appear immediately	D．go over automatically

3. According to Sam Biddle, the smartphone-like glasses are _____.

A．necessary for teenagers	B．attractive to New Yorkers
C．available to people worldwide	D．expensive for average consumers

4. We can learn from the last two paragraphs that the smartphone-like glasses _____.

A．may have a potential market	B．are as common as smartphones
C．are popular among young adults	D．will be improved by a new technology

7 . When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺点). Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn’t a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to bear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.

He listened to me quietly, then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like ? Well, you now have that girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”

I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.

I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it.“That’s just for you,” he said.“You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”

Daddy’s advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.

1. What did the father do after he had heard his daughter’s complaint?

A．He told her not to pay any attention to what her“enemy” had said.

B．He criticized (批评) her and told her to overcome her shortcomings.

C．He told her to write down all that her“enemy” had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true.

D．He refused to take the list and have a look at it.

2. What does “Week by week her list grew” mean?

A．Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out to me.

B．She had made a list of my shortcomings and she kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer.

C．I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on.

D．Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious.

3. Why did her father listen to her quietly?

A．Because he believed that what her daughter’s “enemy” said was mostly true.

B．Because he had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings that he wanted to show this by keeping silent for a while.

C．Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment.

D．Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth.

4. Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?

A．Not an Enemy, but the Best Friend

B．The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had

C．My Father

D．My Childhood

8 . In most developed countries the government provides free education for children because it realizes that educated citizens are useful to the country in their later life. Most countries also have private (私立的)education. This means that parents can pay to send their children to certain schools. People who agree with this system say that it gives parents a larger choice of schools. Other people think that private schools give the children who go to them an unfair advantage over other children.
At the age of three, many children go to nursery school. Two or three years later, they enter a primary school. At the age of 11 they go to a secondary school. Then they may have a chance .of continuing their studies at a university or college.
Universities and colleges are places where some young people go to continue their education after leaving school. Most university students study one main subject, though they may also study a number of others. Teaching is usually by lectures, or by discussions between a lecturer and students.
Most students stay at university for three or four years. At the end of that, they take an examination. If they pass, they receive their Bachelor’s degree, usually a BA, which is short for Bachelor of Arts, or a BS for Bachelor of Science. Some students study for several more years in order to get higher degree, such as a MA or a PhD
Most university courses don’t train students to do a certain job. Colleges, on the other hand, usually teach skills which enable students to follow a career（职业）, such as clothing design, or business studies.
1. The passage mainly tells us_______.

A．Something about the private schools in developed countries

B．How developed countries pay attention to education

C．Some general information about education in developed countries

D．Why education is important

2. Why do most developed countries provide free education to children?

A．Because the children don’t have money to go to school.

B．Because the government want their citizens to be useful to the country.

C．Because education doesn’t cost the country too much money.

D．Because there are not enough private schools.

3. In the first paragraph the underlined word “citizen” refer to________.

A．the cities	B．members of a country
C．the children	D．people who lives in cities

4. Which of the following statement is true according to the passage?

A．All the university students study one subject.

B．After studying at the university for three or four years, all the students can get a Bachelor’s degree.

C．Students usually receive a master’s degree before receiving a Bachelor’s degree.

D．Unlike university, colleges usually teach students some useful skills for a career

9 . If you do not use your arm or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory（记忆力） is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault(过错). But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame(受责备), and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can’t read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things they cannot write down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised. So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: Practice remembering.
1. The main reason for one’s poor memory is that _______.

A．his father or mother may have a poor memory

B．he does not use his arm or legs for some time

C．his memory is not often used

D．he can’t read or write

2. If you do not use your arms or legs for some time _______.

A．you can’t use them any more

B．they will become stronger

C．they become weak and won’t become strong until you use them again.

D．they will become neither stronger nor weaker

3. Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Your memory works in the same way as your arms or legs.

B．Your memory, like your arms or legs, becomes weak if you don’t give it enough chance for practice.

C．Don’t learn how to read and write if you want to have a better memory.

D．A good memory comes from more practice.

4. Some people can’t read or write, but they usually have better memories, because _______.

A．they have save much trouble

B．they have saved much time to remember things

C．they have to use their memories all the time

D．they can’t write everything in a little notebook

5. Which is the best title for this passage?

A．Don’t Stop Using Your Arms or Legs	B．How to Have a Good Memory
C．Strong Arms and Good Memories	D．Learn From the People

10 . Johnny Smith was a good math student at a high school. He loved his computer. He came home early every day, then he worked with it till midnight. But Johnny was not a good English student, not good at all. He got an F in his English class. One day after school Johnny joined his computer to the computer in his high school office. The school office computer had the grades of all the students: the math grades, the science grades, the grades in arts and music, and the grades in English. He found his English grade. An F! Johnny changed his English grade from an F to A. Johnny' parents looked at his report card. They were very happy. "An A in English!" said Johnny's Dad. "You're a very clever boy, Johnny."

Johnny is a hacker. Hackers know how to take informationfrom other computers and put new information in. Using a modem, they join their computers to other computers secretly. School headmasters and teachers are worried about hackers. So are the police, for some people even take money from bank computer accountand put it into their own ones. And they never have to leave home to do it! They are called hackers.

1. Johnny changed his English grade with the computer in _______.

A．the classroom	B．the school office
C．a bank near his house	D．his own house

2. When Johnny's parents saw the report, they were happy because _______.

A．Johnny was good at math	B．Johnny loved computers
C．Johnny could join one computer to another	D．they thought Johnny was not poor in English any longer

3. Who are worried about hackers in the story?

A．Johnny's parents	B．School headmasters, teachers and the police.
C．The police.	D．School headmasters and teachers.

4. What should the hackers know well, do you think, after you read this story?

A．Information	B．Back computer accounts
C．Computers.	D．Grades.

5. The last paragraph is about _______.

A．Johnny	B．computers
C．hackers	D．moden