1 . One picture in the Wonder Book of knowledge I had as a little boy showed a man reading a book while floating in the Dead Sea. What a miracle! How would it feel to lie back in water so thick with salt that it was impossible to sink?

Fed by the Jordan River and smaller streams, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the earth’s surface, and its water is ten times saltier than the Mediterranean. With evaporation its only outlet, salt and other minerals become super-concentrated.

Earlier this year, I drove down the long, steep hill to realize my dream. The shoreline was a broad area of bare salt-mud, but the water edge was far out of sight. Had somebody pulled the Dead Sea’s plug? I wondered. Eli Dior, an Israeli official, explained the problem: “The Dead Sea is drying up. Every year, the surface drops about one meter, and as the water level falls, shadow areas are left high and dry.”

Over the last half-century, the five neighboring countries have collectively diverted nearly all the water flowing into the Dead Sea to meet human and agriculture needs. Result: the Dead Sea is being emptied.

With population in the region set to double at least in the next 50 years, there is little hope of restoring the water being diverted for human consumption. No country has a drop to spare for the Dead Sea, where they know it will just evaporate. To dream of opening the dams and restoring natural balance is plainly unrealistic.

Yet one ambitious high-tech dream may turn out to be not only the salvation of the Dead Sea but also a ticket to peace around its shores. The “Red-Dead” is a proposed $5 billion project to bring sea water some 240 kilometers by pipeline and canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. The Red-Dead may be the only solution, but even if the project is carried out successfully, the Dead Sea will be 10 to 20 meters lower than now and two thirds of its current size.

Whatever the future holds, the Dead Sea’s magical mix of sun, mud, sea and salt will surely survive. Many might complain that the Dead Sea is half empty—but for me the Dead sea will always be half full.

1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．Dead Sea – miracle of the world.

B．Save the environment of the Dead Sea.

C．Slow shrinking of the Dead Sea.

D．Why is the Dead Sea so salty.

2. The shrinking of the Dead Sea is mainly caused by ________ according to the passage.

A．a severe reduction of the water flowing into the sea

B．rapid evaporation of the water in the Dead Sea area

C．the increasing quantity of water drawn from the sea

D．very low annual rainfall in the Dead Sea Area

3. Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A．With no outlet to any ocean, the Dead Sea has become by evaporation most dense waters on earth.

B．Though burdened with the growing population, the neighboring countries haven’t cut off the sources of the Dead Sea.

C．All the countries in the area will consider diverting less water from the Jordan River.

D．The Red-Dead Project has not only brought water to the Dead Sea, but peace to the area as well.

4. Which of the following statements will the author approve of?

A．If the Dead Sea dried up, great natural disasters would happen in the region.

B．The Dead Sea will not survive no matter what people do to save it.

C．The five neighboring countries should stop diverting water from the Jordan River.

D．Though the Dead Sea is shrinking gradually, it will not die.

2 . Direction: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Iceland shows off nature

Found just south of the Arctic Circle, it’s far from the northernmost country on Earth. But as a travel destinations, Iceland is on top of the world.

Known as‚ “the land of fire and ice”, the country has many natural wonders. As the Today website put it, “It is     1     nature choose Iceland to be its shop window to…remind humanity that nature is still the unstoppable force.”

As the world was reminded when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted six years ago, Iceland is a country “still in the making, and few other places offer the same opportunities to see the earth     2     action, ” commented National Geographic magazine.

Ice is Iceland’s other big attraction-to be exact, the huge glaciers which travel toward the coast,     3     (make) strange pools of water. Even better are the northern lights, which are     4     (good) to see from October to March.

On Sept 28, the country’s capital Reykjavik decided to turn off all streetlights for an hour at night to give people a unique chance to enjoy the northern lights. Thanks to the glaciers and the dark sky, the   bright,   colourful     5     (dance)   lights   became   “a   heavenly   light   display”,   travel guidebook publisher Lonely Planet noted.

And     6     Iceland’s unique natural features are the biggest attractions for visitors, the country also offers inspiration. Iceland has     7     higher percentage of writers in its population than any other country in the world, the BBC reported. And it is not surprising     8     the country publishes more books per person than any other country in the world, reported the NPR radio station, Iceland     9     (be) the birthplace of important literary works and authors-from the Vikings’ Iceland sagas(传说) to author Halldór Laxness, winner of the 1955 Noble Prize in literature.

“The beast in Iceland, with its harsh(严酷的) nature and bitter, ever-changing weather. We cannot escape it,” Haraldur Jonsson, an Icelandic artists, told the Observer newspaper while describing     his     inspiration.     “So     we     find   ways to live with it. We     10     have a rich life to fill the empty spaces.”

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is London famous for?

A．Its unique buildings.

B．Its special location.

C．Its modern life.

2. What's one of the advantages of living in London?

A．More job opportunities.

B．Better government welfare.

C．More education opportunities.

3. Why is it hard to live in London for some people?

A．The streets are crowded.

B．The living costs are high.

C．The traffic system doesn't work well.

4. What problem does London face?

A．Finance.

B．Environment.

C．Lack of natural resources.

4 . Directions：Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. recently 　　　　B. estimated 　　　　C. employing 　　　　D. definition 　　　　E. confusing F. updated 　　　　 G. scientific　　　 H. argument 　　　I. depending 　　　J. distinct 　　　K. finally

Most of us learn at primary school that there are seven continents, but the next generation of kids may be adding one more to that list.

According to a recent paper published     1     in the Geological Society of American Journal by a group of researchers, “Zealandia” is a new continent that’s hidden beneath the ocean.

Zealandia is     2     to be five million sq. km. Most of this massive area is covered by water, but its highest mountains already have their own name: New Zealand.

The small country is the only part of Zealandia that isn’t underwater, but the paper’s authors want the huge landmass to be recognized worldwide as its own continent.

“The     3     value of classifying Zealandia as a continent is much more than just an extra name on a list,” the researchers wrote in their paper.

Scientists discovered Zealandia all the way back in 1995, then started extensive research on the area     4     underwater and satellite mapping technology. After completing their work, they were     5     able to write a report suggesting that Zealandia be named a continent.

But who decides on what is a continent and what isn’t? There is, in fact, no official organization that does. Some countries’ schools teach that there are six or even five continents. This changes     6     on where in the world school is.

Due to their     7     as a “continuous expanse of land”, some classify Europe and Asia as the same continent --known as Eurasia. Schools in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe teach this.

And to make things even more     8    , France and Greece, as well as other countries, classify North America and South America as simply America.

This     9     over how land is defined has even stretched into outer space. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union（IAU）decided that Pluto was no longer a planet, 76 years after its discovery in 1930. Experts argued that it no longer met the requirements needed to be called a planet alongside the eight others in our solar system. It was therefore renamed a “dwarf planet（矮行星）”，meaning that countless books, models and museum exhibits all over the world had to be     10    .

But will the world take the same notice of Zealandia? The best way to tell is to keep an eye on our textbooks.

5 . Mapping Antarctica

Antarctica was on the map long before anyone ever laid eyes on it. Nearly 2,400 years ago, ancient Greek philosophers such as Aristotle believed that a great continent must exist at the bottom of the world. They though it was needed to balance out the continents at the top of the world. In the 1500s, mapmakers often included a fanciful continent they referred to as Terra Incognita(Latin for “unknown land”) at the bottom of their maps. But it was not until the 1800s -----after explorers had sighted and set foot on Antarctica----- that mapmakers got down to the business of really mapping the continent, which is one—and—a –half times rhe size of the U.S..

While the coastline could be mapped by ships sailing around the continent, it took airplanes—and later, satellites---to chart Antarctica’s vast interior(内陆). That job continues today. And it is a job that still require a mapmaker, or cartographer, to put on boots and head out into the wild.

Cole Kelleher is familiar with that. He is a cartographer with the Polar Geospatial Center(PGC), which is based at the University of Minnesota and has a staff at McMurdo Station. PGC teamed up with Google to use the company’s Trekker technology to capture images of Antarctica for the Internet giant’s popular feature, Street View. A Trekker camera, which is the size of a basketball, is set about two feet above a backpack. The camera records image in all directions. “It weighs about 50 pounds. I was out for two and a half days, hiking 10 to 12 hours each day,” says Kelleher. It was hard work, but really an incredible experience.” According to Kelleher there are plans to use the technology to create educational apps for museums.

The PGC staff at McMurdo Station provides highly specialized mapmaking services for the U.S. Antarctic Program. For one project, Kelleher used satellite images to map huge cracks in the ice. That helped a team of researchers know whether they could safely approach their field camp on snowmobiles. Another recent project was to help recover a giant, high—tech helium(氦气) balloon used to carry scientific instruments high into the atmosphere. These balloons are launched in Antarctica because there is no danger that they will hurt anyone when they fall back down to Earth. Using satellite images, Kelleher and colleagues created maps of where the balloon could be found.

Antarctica may no longer be Terra Incognita, but it still holds countless mysteries. Cartographers and the maps they make will continue to be essential in helping scientists unlock those secrets.

1. From the passage, we can infer that Antarctica was on the map in the 1500s when________.

A．mapmakers knew it was much larger than the U.S.

B．Aristotle named the continent Terra Incognita

C．no one had ever seen or been to the continent

D．it was such an interesting continent as was often referred to

2. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．It needs much work for the mapmakers to head out into the wild.

B．The interior can only be mapped by planes and satellites.

C．It is relatively easy to map Antarctica’s coastline by ship.

D．Antarctic is a vast but still mysterious continent.

3. The Polar Geospatial Center (PGC) works with Google initially_________.

A．to capture images of Antarctica for Street View

B．to test the company’s Trekker technology

C．to create educational apps for museums

D．to hike for an incredible experience

4. The fourth paragraph mainly talks about _______.

A．satellite images which are used to map huge cracks in the ice

B．a high-tech helium balloon for carrying scientific instruments

C．how to safely approach the researcher’s field camp and the balloon

D．the specialized mapmaking services provided by the PGC staff

6 . 假定你是李华，你的加拿大朋友Tom要来南充参观，想让你给他推荐一家酒店。请你给他写封邮件:，内容要点如下:
1.酒店的位置:
2. 推荐的理由；
注意: 1.词数100左右；
2.可适当增加细节， 以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。

Dear Tom.

I'm more than pleased to hear

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

7 . Some Famous Libraries in the World
The Royal Library of Alexandria

The Royal Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt is probably known as the largest and the most famous library in the ancient world. It is said that the ancient library was burned three times over the centuries. A likeness of the ancient library was built in Alexandria and was opened on October 16，2002.

Celsus Library

Celsus Library was built in what had been a monument tomb of the governor of the Province of Asia, Celsus Polemaeanus in Ephesus, Turkey. It used to be the third richest of ancient times in the world，which had more than 12,000 works of art, but it was destroyed in wars, leaving some ruins. Even so, it is now still so world-famous for its beautiful structure that many visitors come to see it. There is a statue of Athena at its entrance as she is the Goddess of Wisdom. It remains delicate and appealing.

Bodleian Library

Bodleian Library is attached to Oxford University and mainly used as a research library. It is also a copyright library, which means it has a right to every book published in the United Kingdom. The library was designed by the architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Construction was completed in 1940.

The British Library

The British Library was set up in 1973 and is one of the world’s greatest libraries. This library has PACCAR gallery of living and workshop of words. The sounds and images offer shows and different programs at the theme exhibitions. They also have a wide collection of stamps of the world which are on show for visitors. The library also offers events like music and discussions.

1. Which of the following libraries has been reconstructed?

A．The Royal Library of Alexandria.	B．Celsus Library.
C．Bodleian Library.	D．The British Library.

2. What can you do in Celsus Library?

A．Read books.	B．Borrow books.
C．See a stamp exhibition.	D．Enjoy the beautiful remains.

3. What is special about Bodleian Library?

A．It belongs to a university.

B．It was once destroyed by fires.

C．It is one of the famous ancient libraries.

D．It is well-known for its beautiful structure.

8 . America's Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Spring

Washington, D.C.

Every spring, Washington, D.C.is blanketed in pink with cherry blossoms. To celebrate the event, come to the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place from the last week in March to the second week in April. You can view the flowers or take part in festival events.

Charleston, South Carolina

No list of beautiful spring cities would be complete without mention of Charleston, South Carolina. Delight in hanging plants, cobblestone streets, and historical castles. And because of year-round pleasant temperatures, you might even hit a beach day in March or April.

North Cascades National Park, Washington

The North Cascades is home to everything from mountains to forests to grassland, and the scenery changes seasonally. In spring—the snow disappears to bring strong waterfalls, and wildflowers spot the land. Different areas will present totally unique plants, so give yourself a few days to take in the sights.

Central Park, New York

New York is the city that never sleeps, no matter what the season, but springtime is the best time to take a walk through Central Park. It is one of the most filmed locations in the world. A spring time promises walks past Victorian houses, a brief visit to ancient shops, and of course long walks by the lake.

1. Which is the best time to visit Washington, D.C.?

A．March 15.	B．April 1.
C．March 8.	D．April 28.

2. Charleston is worth a visit in spring for________.

A．cherry blossoms and various celebrations

B．pleasant weather and historical castles

C．strong waterfalls and wild flowers

D．Victorian houses, old shops, and long walks

3. If Tom is interested in movies, he may visit_________ .

A．Central Park, New York	B．North Cascades National Park
C．Charleston	D．Washington, D.C.

9 . Famous Modern Chinese Buildings

Beijing International Airport

The first place most visitors see when they arrive in China is Beijing International Airport. The airport was constructed in the 1950s. It has an indoor garden, a children’s playground, and over 70 food businesses in Terminal 3 alone.

Shanghai World Financial Center

Completed in 2008, SWFC took over 10 years to complete due to financial shortages and construction delays. Since its completion, it has won countless architectural awards.

Tourists are welcome at SWFC's viewing platform, which at 474 meters above ground is the worlds highest closed viewing platform.

The Water Cube

It was constructed for use during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Now visitors can express surprise at the architecture of the building. They can enjoy the indoor atmosphere as well.

Among the offerings of the Water Cube are a restaurant and bar, a shopping area, and Water World, a family water park

The Bird's Nest, Beijing

It was designed mainly for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It can hold up to 80,000 people and has been used for a winter theme park. Nowadays, its main income is as a tourist attraction. It draws more than 20,000 tourists every day.

National Center for the Performing Arts

It was completed in 2007. The building is surrounded by a man-made lake, requiring guests to enter via an underground hallway. It is home to an Opera Hall, Music Hall, and Theater.

1. Which of the following buildings was first constructed?

A．Beijing International Airport.	B．Shanghai World Financial Center.
C．The Water Cube.	D．The Birds Nest, Beijing.

2. Why was the construction of Shanghai World Financial Center delayed?

A．It needed more construction workers.	B．It was short of money.
C．It added an extra viewing-platform.	D．It faced too much terrible weather.

3. How does the bird's Nest operate daily?

A．By renting the winter theme park.	B．By increasing its opening time.
C．By charging tourists for admission fees.	D．By giving some live concerts.

4. What can you do in National Center for the Performing Art?

A．Enjoy sports events.	B．Play musical instruments.
C．Attend science lectures.	D．Watch different performances.

10 . Theaters of the Past

The Greek Theater

Theaters developed in many parts of Greece. Ancient Greek theaters were built in natural open air sites on conveniently shaped hills. This allowed a great mass of people to enjoy a show at a time. Due to this, actors placed emphasis on exaggerated (夸张的) action and speech. And, colorful symbolic masks and costumes were used.

The Medieval Theater

The Medieval theater started in churches. That’s why medieval plays were about Bible stories. At first, it became a custom for priests (牧师) to act out brief scenes during Christmas and Easter. These acts attracted large crowds. Finally the church refused to allow priests to participate in any such events again, so ordinary people began these performances outside. Performances were set in the town square, with several stage settings around it.

The Elizabethan Theater

The England’s theater developed rapidly in the years following the defeat of the Spanish Navy. The dominant feature of Elizabethan theater was the stage, It has three parts: The fore stage for outside scenes ;the inner stage for scenes inside a building; an upper stage or balcony for various purposes. The reason for this design is that there were no scene changes, or breaks during the play. Very little scenery was used, so the actors had to create a scene through their voices and dialogues. This led to a more poetic script , and poets became the main source of script writing.

The Restoration Theater

Some of the plays told sad stories, but the majority of the plays were really funny. Many specialized machines were used to create the scene. The stage was a very clever idea , in that on the sides of the stage large back shutters (百叶窗) were painted with the scene.

1. Why were ancient Greek theaters built on hills?

A．To hold a large audience.

B．To build a big and strong stage.

C．To have a better sound effect.

D．To emphasize exaggerated performances.

2. In which theater could actors’ voices and speech help create scenes?

A．The Greek Theater.

B．The Medieval Theater,

C．The Elizabethan Theater,

D．The Restoration Theater.

3. What is special about the Restoration Theater?

A．Colorful masks were used.

B．The stage was smartly designed.

C．Most of its plays were sorrowful.

D．Ordinary people were the performers.