1 . The boulders (巨石) look generally unremarkable, besides the fact that they stretch up and down the ridge in a curved line. Most people who don’t know their story would probably choose to look at the sweeping view of San Jose below them instead.

The timeworn line of boulder, is part of a system of stone walls, the remains of which stretch along the East Bay Hills all the way from Grimly Peak in Berkeley to where I watched a man tie his shoes at the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve above East San Jose.

They exist only in sections, and some are better preserved than others — where I found the man, the walls are short and thick and half-sunk into the earth, hut further north at Ed R. Levin County Park in Milpitas, they remain almost perfectly assembled and stand several feet tall.

The first recorded mention of the walls is from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle from 1896. “Half a mile east of Grizzly Peak stand the remains of stone walls which have long baffled the researchers. By whom they were built, when and why is an unsolved mystery,” the article stated. The unnamed author went on to write a generally-accepted theory of the walls that they were constructed by “some long-forgotten race, possibly Aztec”.

Of course, the people who originally inhabited the hills and the land surrounding them are far from forgotten. The Ohlone people thrived in the area for thousands of years until they were largely displaced by European settlers — however, there’re no records of them constructing stone walls.

“Some of my colleagues have heard the rocks were placed there by Spanish settlers clearing their fields, and there have been speculations that it could have been part of Indigenous practice,” said Charlotte Graham, a spokesperson for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. “We’ve also heard it could be a natural occurrence.”

However, there isn’t enough evidence on the walls to be entirely certain. A study dated lichen (地衣) on the walls in Berkeley as being from 1851 to 1880, though other sections of the walls haven’t been tested, and there’re few historical accounts on their presence.

1. How may most people never hearing about the boulders react when seeing them?

A．Ignore them.	B．Collect them.
C．Post the photos of them online.	D．Report them to the government.

2. Which section of the stone walls is most probably best preserved?

A．The one along the East Bay Hills.

B．The one near Grizzly Peak in Berkeley.

C．The one at Ed R. Levin County Park in Milpitas.

D．The one at the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve.

3. What does the underlined word “baffled” probably mean in paragraph 4?

A．Prevented.

B．Confused.

C．Annoyed.

D．Inspired.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Functions of stone walls	B．Newly-found boulders
C．The history of boulders	D．Stories behind mystery walls

3 . The giant Amazon rainforest in South America has been a mystery for centuries. It holds all kinds of natural wonders. Among them in Colombia, a river stands out as “the most beautiful river” in the world.

Locally called Carnio Cristales, this special river lies in a national park. It is made up of several waterfalls, rapids, and plenty of pools. For most of the year, Canio Cristales looks like a common river: clean, green, and rocky. However, during the short period between September and November, the river explodes (迸发) with life and colour. It appears as any mix of colours including blue, green, yellow, orange, and a purplish red. So it is also known as the “River of Five Colours”.

Although at first it may appear as if some chemicals were added to the water, this rainbow river is completely natural. Cafio Cristales' colours are the result of a rare (稀有) water plant which needs sunlight to grow. The plants change colour depending on how much sunlight they receive, and the amount is decided by the height and speed of the water. Therefore, it is possible for the plants to be totally colourless if the sunlight is too hard to get. They are a delicate plant. This makes them easily damaged in the water.

Actually, the river faces some problems, including drier seasons, wildlife trouble, waste management, and budget (预算) cuts. In 2007, the park was forced to close because it was over-crowded with tourists. Now the park admits only 200 people a day and requires them to mind their behaviour.

Today, Cano Cristales still shines among Colombia's most popular natural attractions, drawing thousands of tourists every year.

1. When is the best time to visit Cafio Cristales?

A．In January.

B．In March.

C．In June.

D．In October.

2. Why is Cano Cristales colourful?

A．A special plant lives in it.	B．People add chemicals to it.
C．The water is badly polluted.	D．The weather is changeable there.

3. What does the underlined word “delicate” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Special.

B．Weak.

C．Lively.

D．Beautiful.

4. What once caused the park to be closed?

A．Too many visitors.	B．The poor service.
C．Too much rubbish.	D．The wildlife problem.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Old Town of Lijiang, lying in the northwest of Yunnan Province, is one of the last     1     (survive) ancient towns in China. The architecture of the Old Town of Lijiang is noteworthy for the     2     (combine) of elements from several cultures, and its ancient water-supply system still functions     3     (effective) today.

The Yulong Snow Mountain to the north-west     4     (serve) as the source of the rivers and springs. This town is made up     5     three parts: Dayan Old Town established in the Ming Dynasty as a commercial centre, Baisha housing cluster established earlier during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and Shuhe housing clusters located 4 km north-west of Dayan Old Town. These settlements lying in mountains and     6     (surround) by water display the mixture of local cultures, folk customs and traditions over several centuries.

It     7     (design) as a town around the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. From 1253 on, the Naxi people of Lijiang developed     8     unique social system, customs and culture of their own. In the 18th century, the Qing Dynasty rulers carried out a policy of     9     (culture) interaction, and the Naxi people adopted the customs of the Tibetan     10     Han peoples. Despite several earthquakes, most of the old town keeps its original structure.

6 . 某英文报刊的“Tourist Attractions”栏目正在征文，请你根据所给提示信息，用英语介绍广州长隆乐园（Guangzhou Chimelong Paradise），参加这次的征文活动。内容包括：

基本信息	位置：广州番禺区(Panyu District)迎宾路
	面积：1000多亩(mu)
	地位：中国领先的海洋主题公园之一
特点	1.有6个园区，各种各样的种娱乐设施，如过山车、跳楼机等；
	2.富丽堂皇的演艺广场(performing square)和大型巡游；
	3.在白虎大街(The White Tiger Street)购物。

注意：1.词数100词左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Guangzhou Chimelong Paradise

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 假如你是李华，你的澳大利亚朋友Adam下个月要来中国游玩一个星期，请你写一封信，向他推荐你的家乡——三亚。内容包括：
1.三亚概况(方位，人口：100多万，地位等);
2.推荐原因(旅游景点，自然风光，美食等);
3.你的祝愿。
注意：1．词数80左右;2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：南山寺Nanshan Temple; 蜈支洲岛 Wuzhizhou Island; 亚龙湾Yalong Bay;
椰子coconut; 海鲜seafood; 文昌鸡 Wenchang Chicken
Dear Adam,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

10 . World's best scuba diving destinations

If you are planning to go on a scuba diving vacation in the near future, here is a list of some of the best destinations in the world that you can consider.

The Red Sea, Egypt

One dive underneath the surface of the Egyptian Red Sea, and all you can see is a huge variety of marine life all around you. This is one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. You can experience a fantastic swim with the dolphins and sharks. And a variety of colorful coral and sponges (海绵动物) in the reefs look absolutely astonishing.

Bali Island, Indonesia

Considered to be the “Jewel of Indonesia”, Bali Island is undoubtedly one of the most unusual holiday destinations in the world. And that is certainly true when it comes to a scuba diving vacation as well. The most popular underwater attraction for the divers gathering here is Mola mola, the world's heaviest-known bony fish. Bali Island is known for some of the world's best scuba diving instructors and diving spots.

Half Moon Caye, Belize

If you are looking forward to doing a wall dive, then the Half Moon Caye is the perfect place for you. Once you begin diving downwards, you will be excited by seeing the variety of marine life. There are numerous tunnels filled with a variety of sponges and monster groupers. The most noticeable sightings are those of eagle rays, logger head turtles, barracudas and the rosy razor fish.

1. Which of the following is in agreement with the author?

A．The Red Sea is the richest marine ecosystem in the world.

B．Most divers might be attracted to Bali Island because of its jewels.

C．There are some top class scuba diving instructors in Bali Island.

D．Half Moon Caye excites the divers with the walls and wrecks in the depths.

2. What do the Egyptian Red Sea and the Half Moon Caye have in common?

A．Numerous tunnels.

B．A variety of sponges.

C．Being a perfect place for wall dives.

D．Allowing divers to swim with sharks.

3. What's the purpose of the passage?

A．To educate.	B．To inform.
C．To amuse.	D．To advertise.