3 . Wouldn’t it be wonderful to travel to a foreign country without having to worry about the headache of communicating in a different language?

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, technology policy expert Alec Ross argued that, within ten years or so, we would be able to communicate with one another through small earpieces with built-in microphones. That’s because technological progress is extremely fast. It’s only a matter of time. Such is the belief among certain parents that the technology is imminent and they’re wondering if their kids should learn a second language.

It’s true that an increase in the quantity and accuracy of the data loaded into computers will make them cleverer at translating “Noes Bueno dormer mucho” into “It’s not good to sleep too much”. Replacing a word with its equivalent (对等词) in the target language is actually the easy part of a translator’s job. But even this seems to be a difficult job for computers.

It’s so hard for computers because translation doesn’t — or shouldn’t — involve simply translating words, sentences or paragraphs. Rather, it’s about translating meaning. And in order to infer meaning from a specific expression, people need to understand a lot of information all at once. Think about all the related clues that help us understand what someone is trying to say: volume, gesture, situations, and even your culture. All are likely to convey as much meaning as the words you use.

Therefore, we should doubt a machine that can’t understand our world like we do. If people from different cultures can upset each other without realizing it, how can we expect a machine to do better? Unless engineers actually find a way to breathe a soul into a computer, undoubtedly when it comes to conveying and interpreting meaning using a natural language, a machine will never fully take our place.

1. What does the underlined word “imminent” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Ready.

B．Confusing.

C．Unpractical.

D．Coming.

2. Why is it hard for computers to replace a word with its equivalent?

A．The real meaning of words can vary.

B．Their data is not rich enough.

C．Their accuracy needs big improvement.

D．A man’s soul hasn’t been breathed in them.

3. What view does the author hold about translation?

A．Proper translation can be difficult for computers.

B．Slight differences doesn’t matter in translation.

C．Machines will translate our world properly.

D．Cultures need more attention than words used.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．An Expert’s Prediction.	B．Travel without Headache.
C．The Pleasure of Translation.	D．Will the Language Barrier (障碍) Actually Fall?

4 . 假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Peter想提高中文水平，进一步了解中国文化。请给他写一封信，推荐学习资源(resource)。内容包括：
(1)学习资源：报纸、杂志及其他途径；
(2)推荐理由；
(3)表达祝愿。
注意：
(1)词数100左右；
(2)可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
(3)开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Peter,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Once I went to a German city for vacation. The trip left a     1     (deep) impression on me than before. It was already dark outside when I arrived at the airport at 6 p.m. The first thing was to find a place to stay. I decided     2     (call) the youth hotel. But to use the phone I    3     (need) some coins. I asked a lady for help. To my surprise, she gave me three     4     (coin) to use. But all the phones there needed phone cards which could only be bought at post-offices during the daytime. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to call the hotel.     5     old gentleman helped me. He couldn’t speak English     6     understand that I needed to make a phone call. He showed me to the phone and inserted（插入）his phone card. I called the hotel and found a place to stay that night. The     7     (kind) of German people made me feel at home.

Wherever I went, I asked people for directions. It surprised me that almost every young German could speak English     8     ( fluent). Older Germans couldn’t speak English very well, but they would try to help me whenever they could. One middle-aged man even drove me to the place I was looking for. My experience in Germany completely changed     9     (I) impression of Germans.

I thought Germans were not     10     (friend) to foreigners before, but things have changed since then. The people in Germany couldn’t be more friendly.

6 . In recent years, China has witnessed the growth of luxury (奢侈品) brands. In this market, Chinese consumers are now the largest spenders. It’s clear that a new generation of young, materialistic people is increasingly relying on luxury brands to improve its self-image. I am a fashionist too, at least in spirit — I love to look at clothes and shoes. But I don’t understand why people spend lots of money on designer labels. When a young woman buys a handbag that costs two months of her salary, that’s a scary thing.

What’s interesting is that scientists have found that having luxury things doesn’t lead to happiness. Study after study has shown that although we want material things, when we get them we don’t suddenly become “happy” people. In fact, a series of studies by Leaf Van Boven at the University of Colorado, US, has shown that individuals who spend money on travel and similar experiences get more pleasure than those who invest it in material things. That’s because experiences are more easily combined with a person’s identity. If I travel to Yunnan, that adventure affects how I think in the future. My memories become a part of me.

Moreover, as Van Boven has observed, young people who pursue happiness through “things” are liked less by their peers. People prefer those who pursue happiness through experiences.

It’s natural to want to express yourself through your appearance. So my advice is: create a look that isn’t tied to a designer label. Convey your own message. Take some lessons from the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. He was always in Levis jeans and a black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, routinely appears in hoodies and sneakers. These people, successful people, have style. You don’t have to break the bank to send a message about who you are. Take a trip. Go out into the world. Then come back and confidently create your own signature look.

1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A．The author enjoys buying luxury brands herself.

B．The author agrees to overspend money on material things.

C．The author is critical of youths tying their looks to designer labels.

D．The author finds it natural for fashionists to follow fashion trends.

2. Leaf Van Boven’s studies showed that ______.

A．people dislike those who love luxuries

B．traveling changes a person’s identity greatly

C．luxuries have a negative effect on people’s happiness

D．experiences can bring people more happiness than luxuries

3. What is the author’s advice on expressing oneself?

A．Be selective about designer labels.	B．Create your own personal unique style.
C．Choose simple and fashionable styles.	D．Try styles like Mark Zuckerberg’s.

4. The main purpose of the article is to ______.

A．prove how luxury leads to an unpleasant life

B．tell how to express yourself through appearances

C．report on a series of studies about luxuries and happiness

D．persuade readers to invest in experiences instead of luxuries

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整短文。

An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old son. Suddenly a crow (乌鸦) landed on their window.

The father asked his son, “What is this?” The son replied, “This is a crow.”

After a few minutes, the father asked his son for the second time, “What is this?” The son said, “Father, I told you just now. It’s a crow.”

After a little while, the father asked his son the same question for third time, “What is this?” This time, the son was irritated (生气) and said to his father in a low and cold tone, “It’s a crow, a crow.”

After a moment, the father yet again asked his son for the fourth time, “What is this?” This time his son shouted in his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? I have told you already, ‘It’s a crow’. Are you not able to understand this?”

A minute later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered(破旧的) diary, which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. When the read it, the following words were written in the diary:

“Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa when a crow suddenly landed on the window edge. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied him 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question. I didn’t at all feel annoyed, but instead felt a deep affection for my innocent son.”

注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好;
Paragraph 1:

After reading the diary,the son was in tears and began to reflect on the days when he used to sit together with his father.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:

Feeling ashamed, the son got down on his knees before his father.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . A fat man with a camera around his neck and a bottle of sunscreen cream sticking out of his bag, he really did look like a tourist. He sat on the terrace (平台), sipping lemonade and pretending to look at a tourism brochure. His sunglasses masked his eyes, but I knew he wasn't looking at the brochure: he hadn't turned a page for the last ten minutes. As I brought him his dishes, he coughed up a "thank you" and looked at me briefly I tried not to stare at the tiny scar across his left eyebrow.

I walked back inside with my empty tray, shaking my head. He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. Then it hit me. The car accident. The mysterious stranger who helped me out of my crashed car, just before it exploded. I rushed back to his table. He was gone.

I moved his saucer and found his tip, along with a card: I am deeply grateful to you. The night of your car accident, I was on my way to rob a jewelry store. Saving your life brought things back in a right way. I now live an honest life, thanks to you. God bless you! Mr. D.

I shivered (震颤). The night of my car accident, I was heading for an interview in an illegal dance club. Seeing human kindness through his heroic gesture (英雄姿态) turned my life around and brought faith back into my life. I unfolded the tip he left. Among the singles was a grand (一千块) with a pen mark underlining "In God We Trust. "I said a silent prayer for him and got back to work, smiling.

1. Why did the fat man look like a tourist?

A．Because he doesn't look like a native citizen.

B．Because he ordered strange food and drinks

C．Because he used money not the same as the locals.

D．Because he carried what tourists usually have on.

2. How did the writer knew the man didn't read the brochure?

A．The page remained unturned.	B．He was drinking all the time.
C．He sat still with his sunglasses.	D．He was staring at the writer.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The man became a rich man year later.

B．The writer didn't go to that interview.

C．The writer had been searching for the man.

D．They kept in touch with each other since then.

4. What is their attitude towards each other?

A．Cod.

B．Worried.

C．Grateful.

D．Trusty.

9 . One day, when I was going to check in at an airport, I noticed there was a big problem. The counter person was telling everyone that all the planes were having problems and they would not be able to fly! And it was suggested that a bus would be provided to take us to Seattle. Everyone was worried, as we only had an hour and a half to make the connecting flight, and the bus was not even at the airport yet.

Finally, the bus pulled up, and the driver said, “They just pulled me out of bed after an all-night shift (夜班), and they expect me to get you to Seattle in time to catch your flight. Good Luck!”

Needless to say, everyone was in a really bad mood. I was loading my luggage into the bus and had slung (吊) my banjo over my back when the driver said, “What? Are you going to play that in my bus?” “Well, really did not plan on it,” I replied. “I was only kidding,” said the driver. But I started thinking about it, and I pulled out the banjo. A worried, angry woman said, “Well, what if I don't like it?” “Then tell me and I will stop,” I replied.

We drove off, and the tension (紧张) made the atmosphere in the bus horrendous! Then I started plucking (弹奏) the old song Blue Skies. In a few minutes, I noticed everyone was singing along. I started to sing, too, and before long, the whole bus burst into song.

One song led to another and everyone seemed to have a request. “Do you know You Are My Sunshine?” Everyone laughed and sang, with food passed around the bus, and before long, the airport was in sight.

The bus driver called, “We made it! We never would have done it without the help of our banjo player.” Shouts of approval rang through the bus. The driver said to me, “This was the best ride I ever had. Thanks for your music.”

A few weeks later, my mailbox was filled with letters from my new friends. Their letters reminded me of how, by reaching out with just a song, you can turn a very tense situation into a peaceful experience-a magical, musical bus ride.

1. What can we learn about the driver from his words in Paragraph 2?

A．He was glad to take those people to the airport.

B．He was late because he just returned from an all-night shift.

C．He thought it was hard to get those people to the airport in time.

D．He thought he was lucky to take those people to the airport.

2. When the author decided to play his banjo, ________.

A．the driver fully supported him	B．not all the passengers preferred that idea
C．all the passengers disliked that idea	D．the whole bus burst into song

3. The underlined word “horrendous” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by _________.

A．changeable	B．strange
C．very bad	D．cheerful

4. What does this text mainly tell us?

A．A wonderful musical bus ride.	B．An unforgettable flight to Seattle.
C．A great banjo player.	D．The amazing friendship on a bus.