1 . 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。

Who built the first canal? Perhaps some people long ago, living in       1     dry country,discovered that they could dig ditches(沟壑)     2    (irrigate) their fields with the river water. And naturally in the days     3    boats were the most important means of transport, canals were the easiest means of reaching a place. Furthermore,a ditch     4     (join) two rivers proved efficient for boat travel.

Today, most countries in the world have canals. Even in the 2lst century, goods can be moved more     5    (convenient) by boat than by some other means of transport. Some canals, such as the Suez or the Panama,     6     (save) ships weeks of time by making their voyage a thousand miles     7    (short). Other canals permit boats to reach cities that     8    (situate) inland. Still other canals drain lands where there is too much water. Help farmers irrigate fields without enough water, and provide water power for     9     (factory) as well.

Most of the canals have a long history. Canals existed in Egypt thousands of years ago. And the Grand Canal of China was begun about 2,500 years ago. and took centuries to finish. During the seventeenth century, France built many canals that are still     10    use today.

2 . By the end of the century, if not sooner, the world’s oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.

At the heart of the phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms(海洋微生物) called phytoplankton. Because of the way light reflects off the organisms, these phytoplankton create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue, depending on the type and concentration of phytoplankton. Climate change will fuel the growth of phytoplankton in some areas, while reducing it in other spots, leading to changes in the ocean’s appearance.

Phytoplankton live at the ocean surface, where they pull carbon dioxide(二氧化碳) into the ocean while giving off oxygen. When these organisms die, they bury carbon in the deep ocean, an important process that helps to regulate the global climate. But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s warming trend. Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow, but also nutrients.

Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a scientist in MIT’s Center for Global Change Science, built a climate model that projects changes to the oceans throughout the century. In a world that warms up by 3℃, it found that multiple changes to the colour of the oceans would occur. The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters, such as those of the Arctic, a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton, and these areas will turn greener. “Not only are the quantities of phytoplankton in the ocean changing. ” she said, “but the type of phytoplankton is changing.”

And why does that matter? Phytoplankton are the base of the food web. If certain kinds begin to disappear from the ocean, Dutkiewicz said, “it will change the type of fish that will be able to survive.” Those kinds of changes could affect the food chain.

Whatever colour changes the ocean experiences in the coming decades will probably be too gradual and unnoticeable, but they could mean significant changes. “It’ll be a while before we can statistically show that the changes are happening because of climate change,” Dutkiewicz said, “but the change in the colour of the ocean will be one of the early warning signals that we really have changed our planet.”

1. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?

A．The various patterns at the ocean surface.

B．The cause of the changes in ocean colour.

C．The way light reflects off marine organisms.

D．The efforts to fuel the growth of phytoplankton.

2. What does the underlined word “vulnerable” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Sensitive.

B．Beneficial.

C．Significant.

D．Unnoticeable.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Phytoplankton play a declining role in the marine ecosystem.

B．Dutkiewicz’s model aims to project phytoplankton changes.

C．Phytoplankton have been used to control global climate.

D．Oceans with more phytoplankton may appear greener.

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To assess the consequences of ocean colour changes.

B．To analyse the composition of the ocean food chain.

C．To explain the effects of climate change on oceans.

D．To introduce a new method to study phytoplankton.

3 . An extremely enthusiastic truth seeker who runs the YouTube channel Bright Insight claims（声称）to have found the mysterious city of Atlantis and insists that its true location has been hiding in plain sight for thousands of years.

In a video, YouTube blogger Jimmy Bright argues that the Richat Structure, a geologic dome（穹状物）in northwest Sahara also referred to as the Eye of the Sahara, is the most likely location of Atlantis.

He mentioned measurements from the famous Dialogues of Plato, which gave birth to the mystery. The Greek philosopher（哲学家）claimed that Atlantis was a long-gone kingdom, which stretched into Europe as far as Italy and into Africa as far as Egypt thousands of years ago. The giant island was said to be wiped off the face of the planet by a natural disaster“in a single day and night of misfortune”.

At first sight, this has nothing to do with the land-based Richat Structure, but Jimmy claims that the so-called Younger Dryas theory could be a possible explanation. According to it, a massive change in global temperatures caused unexpected climate change and sea level to rise.

In what can be viewed as another proof to the Sahara theory, the diameter（直径）of the Richat Structure’s outer circle is 23.5 km according to Google Map’s measurements, which matches those mentioned by Plato — 127 stadia, which is roughly 23.5 km in today’s terms.

Another thing that helps solve the mystery is a theory that the Eye of the Sahara closely matches the description from Plato’s dialogues. The ancient philosopher wrote that the main city of Atlantis consisted of circles of water and land, which, Jimmy said, looks very similar to the circular form of the Richat Structure.

Although the majority of researchers believe that Plato’s story was nothing but a moral story used to describe a failed idea of seeking power and searching for fortune, it has raised quite a few theories, Since the Middle Ages, explorers have been pointing fingers at different places around the world, including the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, with the most amazing theories linking the location of Atlantis to the Antarctic and the North Sea.

1. What does Jimmy Bright claim to have discovered?

A．The most likely location of Atlantis.

B．The formation of the Richat Structure.

C．The measurements in the Dialogues of Plato.

D．The reasons behind the Younger Dryas theory.

2. How did Jimmy Bright do research into the location of Atlantis and arrive at a conclusion?

A．By studying the history of ancient Egypt.

B．By analyzing the research into Plato’s life story.

C．By explaining the Younger Dryas theory in a scientific way.

D．By comparing the Richat Structure with the famous Dialogues of Plato.

3. What’s the purpose of mentioning the Younger Dryas theory in Paragraph 4?

A．To stress the importance of the Richat Structure.

B．To present the influence it had on Atlantis.

C．To prove that Jimmy Bright might be correct.

D．To show Jimmy Bright’s opinion is unique.

4. What can be learned from the article?

A．The Eye of the Sahara is a mystery mentioned in the Dialogues of Plato.

B．The Richat Structure is where the mysterious city of Atlantis used to lie.

C．The Younger Dryas may have caused the disappearance of Atlantis overnight.

D．The Plato’s Story is meant to inspire explorers to locate the exact position of Atlantis.

4 . 某英文杂志新开了一个介绍古代文明的栏目并面向中学生征文。请你根据以下提示，用英语写一篇短文应征。

名称	埃及金字塔（Egyptian pyramids）
地点	尼罗河流域（the Nile Valley）
详情	1. 世界上许多地方都有金字塔，但是最著名的是埃及金字塔； 2. 埃及金字塔由巨石建造而成，其中一些是世界上最大的建筑； 3. 多数金字塔是由表面光滑且有反射性的石头建成； 4. 最具代表性的是胡夫金字塔（Pyramid of Khufu），胡夫金字塔现高138.8米，由230万块石头砌成，每块石头平均重2.5吨，最重的有160吨。
历史地位	1. 是古埃及文明的代表；     2. 被列为世界八大奇迹之一。

注意：1. 词数150左右；              2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：光滑的 polished
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5 . Easter Island is one of the most mysterious islands. The triangular shaped island is made mostly of volcanic rock.

When we think of Easter Island we think of huge stone carved (雕刻) figures called Moai that dot the coastline. The Moai are seen all over the island, and in different shapes, sizes and stages of completion. No one is sure yet as to what purpose the Moai served, but there is evidence that the Moai were carved by the ancestors of the present inhabitants of the island. They sit on rocky lava telling a story of a long lost civilization.

Ron Fisher in his work Easter Island Brooding Sentinels of Stone mentions one explanation that “two classes of people, the so-called Long Ears and Short Ears, lived on the island. The Short Ears were governed by the Long Ears, and were forced to carve the Moai. After many generations and during a rebellion (反叛), the Short Ears killed all the Long Ears, which explains the sudden end of the statue-carving.”

Moai sit on platforms called Ahu. Ahu Akivi is an observatory built about 1500 AD. As in the case of many religious structures on Easter Island, everything has been situated with astronomical precision (精度): the seven statues look towards the point where the sun sets during the equinox (春分或秋分).

Ahu Akivi is an unusual site. A low ahu supports seven statues all very similar in height and style. The site is strange in that it is located far inland and the statues were erected (竖立) to face the ocean. The only site where this was done. Like other Easter Island sites the statues were found knocked off the ahu, lying face down on the ground. In 1960, archaeologist (考古学家) William Mulloy’s team spent several months raising the statues to their original positions.

Some scholars hold the idea that its seven statues represent the seven young explorers that the Polynesian King Hotu Matu sent from across the sea, probably from the Marquesas Islands, to find this new homeland for him. But no one knows for sure. The generally accepted theory is that these great stone statues were built to honour Polynesian gods and deified (奉为神) ancestors such as chiefs and other figures important in the island’s history. It is believed that their function was to look to a village or grave site as a protector. They may also have been status symbols for villages.

1. Ron Fisher’s work is mentioned to explain _____.

A．who carved the Moai

B．how the Moai were carved

C．why the Short Ears killed the Long Ears

D．who were the primary inhabitants of the island

2. Which of the following statements about Ahu Akivi is TRUE?

A．Ahu Akivi was located near the coastline.

B．The seven statues were the same in height.

C．Ahu Akivi was discovered by William Mulloy.

D．The seven statues faced down when discovered.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Who found the island first.

B．Guesses as to what the statues represent.

C．The important figures in the island’s history.

D．Why King Hotu Matu sent explorers to the island.

4. The author writes this passage mainly to _____.

A．introduce the Moai on Easter Island

B．encourage people to visit Easter Island

C．convince archaeologists to find more about Moai

D．talk about who created the Moai on Easter Island

6 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the highest temperature in summer in Oymyakon?

A．25℃.

B．35℃.

C．45℃.

2. What do people in Oymyakon have now?

A．Indoor bathrooms.

B．Mobile phones.

C．Televisions.

3. What was Oymyakon famous for in the past?

A．The extreme weather.

B．Some oldest people in the country.

C．A Hollywood actor’s visit.

4. What can we learn about Oymyakon from the talk?

A．The young people there dream of modern life.

B．Ewan McGregor visited Oymyakon in winter.

C．A foreigner built the first hotel in Oymyakon.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How long did it take to build the Golden Gate Bridge?

A．Three years.

B．Four years.

C．Seven years.

2. What must you bring with you if you decide to visit the Bridge?

A．A camera.

B．A bike.

C．A jacket.

3. How many bridges are longer than the Bridge?

A．Four.

B．Eight.

C．Twelve.

4. What is true about the Bridge according to the speaker?

A．It's not worth visiting now.

B．It's still a famous attraction in the world.

C．It's the oldest bridge of its kind in the world.

8 . 听第10段材料，回答小题。
1. What attracts most tourists to Mexico City?

A．Delicious food.

B．Various activities.

C．Colorful nightlife.

2. Why does the speaker mainly suggest walking around?

A．To do shopping.

B．To kill time.

C．To talk with people.

3. What can you do in Mexico City?

A．Visit some pyramids.

B．Satisfy your appetite.

C．Meet various visitors.

4. What is the purpose of this talk?

A．To inform students of the city.

B．To encourage people to visit.

C．To introduce a different culture.

9 . 听第10段材料，回答小题。

1. When will the Burj Dubai be completed?

A．In 2010.

B．In 2009.

C．In 2008.

2. Where is the center of the tallest buildings at present?

A．In Europe and the Middle East.

B．In North America and Asia.

C．In Asia and the Middle East.

3. Why do people build so many tall buildings?

A．Tall buildings are wonderful to look at.

B．Tall building save more resources.

C．People like to live in tall buildings.

4. What is the height of the Empire State Building?

A．About 400 meters.

B．About 200 meters.

C．About 300 meters.

10 . 24 hours in western Sydney: what to do, where to go

On a recent weekend, my boyfriend and I decided to explore the area for the first time.

Friday
6 p.m. — Check in at Atura Blacktown hotel

After an easy 40-minute train trip from Central Station to Blacktown (about $5 one way with the Opal smartcard), we catch a taxi (about $20) to western Sydney’s newest hotel, the Atura Blacktown. It’s a sleek but welcoming hotel with an open-plan lobby that incorporates an inhouse restaurant and a comfortable lounge area. Upstairs, we quickly warm to our modern guestroom, which features reliable, free WiFi, free movies on a large wall-mounted TV, and in the bathroom Malin+Goetz toiletries(洗漱用品). It’s good value at about $160 for a king room.

8 p.m. — Dinner and a drive-in movie
       The hotel’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill has an upscale menu (mains $25 — $40 per person) but a casual atmosphere, with an open kitchen and families seated at several tables. We’ve been told not to fill up on dinner so we reluctantly leave our tender scotch fillet(鱼片) and expertly pan-fried barramundi unfinished. At the reception, we pick up keys to the hotel’s white Cadillac, which is parked out front, and drive around the corner to the Skyline Drive-In ($20 for one car with two passengers).
Saturday
9 a.m. — Feasting in Bonnyrigg
       Everywhere we go, there is food. At the temple, we watch a famous Laotion chef prepare pawpaw salad, while at the mosque(清真寺) we are offered feather-light fairy floss. Later, in a low-ceilinged Asian grocer, we are fed sublime rice-paper rolls by a proprietor who speaks five languages. Those who dismiss ordinary Australians as conservative and intolerant have clearly not visited Bonnyrigg.
6 p.m. — People-watching at The Emporium   
       In Parramatta, the venue(场所) of the moment is The Emporium, a 150-seat exposed-brick space with a mod-Oz menu which leans Mediterranean. Unlike many of the more casual places we visit over the weekend, The Emporium has a decidedly grown-up atmosphere, full of well-dressed couples and smart wait staff. Dishes like a delicate stew of Moreton Bay bugs ($36) and truffle-stuffed chicken breast (also $36) are delicious. Don’t expect to get a table on Saturday night unless you book ahead.
1. How much did the author and her boyfriend have to pay at least on Friday?

A．$216.

B．$226.

C．$332.

D．$260.

2. According to the passage, a visitor to western Sydney can __________.

A．get warm in modern guestrooms	B．overeat delicious dinner
C．hire a car to see movies	D．feel unfriendliness from ordinary Australians