4 . Directions: 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.

In Venice, it is not uncommon to see tourists carry suitcases through waist-high water, or sit at tables in Piazza San Marco     1     their swimsuits. Pictures of Venice in the most dramatic flooding are really alarming.

We are used to thinking of Venice as a city in danger, a glorious relic of human creativity that is about to sink any day suddenly the end looks     2     (close). However, as climate change makes extreme weather more frequent, Venice looks less like a victim of the sea and more like an old survivor     3     can teach the rest of the world now to live with wafer.

People barely notice     4     smartly the art treasures of Venice are kept on the upper floors of palaces and museums, even on a dry summer day. It is also needless to worry about all the art in churches     5     no other city has such a sharp awareness of protecting itself from water.

In their art, the people of Venice are as happy on water as on land. Vittore Carpaccio's painting Hunting on the Lagoon shows young Venetians standing easily balanced in low-sided boats     6     (shoot) arrows at water birds. In a Gentile Bellini's painting, priests swim in the canal searching for a lost relic. Titian portrays ashot woman     7     (bathe) in open water in his painting. Hunting and fishing, swimming and showing. Venetians always know how to enjoy water.

The palaces     8     (build) in Venice are also good examples of the prevention of flood.     9     has its living spaces on upper floors, often with a courtyard on the ground floor that     10     (drain) water instantly.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage 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.

Surviving Art Traditions

Native American Indians expressed themselves through their artwork, which is carved onto totem (图腾) poles. Many people hold the belief     1     all Native American Indian tribes (部落) carved totem poles, but this is far from the truth. Carving totem poles was a tradition among many tribes, especially those that lived along the Pacific coast     2     forests grew. However, those Native American Indians who lived in the south west and the plains, and Inuit Indians, had     3     (few) trees to carve than the Pacific tribes.

The height of totem poles can vary considerably. Long ago totem poles     4     (find) to stand around 12m tall. Today, Native American Indian artists continue to carve trees, but some totem poles are short and are used in homes as decoration.     5     is not surprising that a genuine pole will cost more than $1500 per meter because traditionally carved totem poles involve a great deal of work, craftsmanship and time to produce.

The raising of a totem pole is an important celebration among the Indian tribe. A hole is dug for the pole to stand in. The pole is carried to the site in a ceremony which often hundreds of people attend. Ropes are used     6     (raise) the pole into place. Singing and dancing to drums accompanies the pole raising. Often poles are raised in this way     7     the carving begins. Carvers do their jobs then on the site.

Many people believe that totem poles are religious symbols, but this idea is false. Instead of     8     (act) as religious symbols, carvings represent the tribal nation and convey the tribes’ history. The story of a totem pole is frequently passed down from generation to generation. Having the story documented in this way helps keep this tradition     9     (recognize) in our history. These days, many totem poles no longer exist     10     decay and rot. However, there are still some tribes that continue to practice this ancient art form, and these totem poles are still being enjoyed by collectors of tribal art.

6 . Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word. For the other blanks, fill in each blank with one proper word. Make sure that your answers are grammatically correct.

Melbourne: So lovely. So... livable.

Every year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) releases a list of 140 cities and ranks them in terms of their “livability”. Melbourne     1     (top) the list for the fifth year running.

The rankings rate “relative comfort” for more than 30 factors across five categories: stability, health care, education, infrastructure (基础设施), and culture and environment. The final scores     2     (calculate) as a percentage ranging from 1 (“intolerable”) to a perfect score of 100 (“ideal”).

Take a look at the top 10 cities, and you will find that half of     3     are in Australia and New Zealand, three in Canada, and two in Europe. They’re all medium-size cities in prosperous countries,     4     relatively low population densities. It's an equation (平衡，制衡局面) that leads to low crime rates and a functional infrastructure.

Does that mean non-Melbournians should all pack up and move to the world’s     5     (livable) metropolis? Not necessarily.

    6     the top 10 cities in the EIU’s rankings may be pleasant to live in, they’re not high on most people’s lists of top cities to visit. After all, they are not cities     7     (describe) as dynamic (充满活力的). Before Melbourne assumed the No. 1 ranking, it was Vancouver     8     came out on top for almost a decade its incredible stability.

“I find Melbourne a really boring town, so more livable means really dull,” said a policeman in Australia. “I live in Sydney because it’s interesting, not because it’s comfortable.”

Raised is the question whether you want to live in a livable city or a dynamic one. Big cities like Tokyo, London and New York suffer in the rankings because of higher crime rates and overburdened infrastructure,     9     drags down the rating of how “comfortable” they are. Yet they’re hard    10     (beat) — when it comes to recreational offerings, including nightlife, culture and entertainment.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage 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.

Geography Makes a Silent Return

In many ways geography is the forgotten science. Even the word “geography” tends to make people think of students     1     (label) maps in social studies class. But that hasn’t always been true. Before the internet, the world was a mysterious place. In many cases, people didn’t really know     2     existed a few miles from home. Studying geography offered people a way to learn about the world.

Geography,     3     (define) as the study of Earth, has always had a focus on maps. But mapping hasn’t always been easy. In the days before satellites, mapmaking required years of dangerous and difficult work. But mapping also meant a chance at adventure and fame.

Geography became the subject of explorers. People were eager to hear about the new things and places     4     geographers had studied. National Geographic is a great example of this interest. For more than a hundred years, the magazine’s stories and pictures     5     (tell) people about our exciting world.

Technology has changed the way people think about geography. Travel is now easy. The internet makes information simple     6     (find). We trust our phones to take us     7     we want to go. Even National Geographic has expanded beyond traditional geography, but that doesn’t mean geography has become     8     (important).

While some apps are obvious examples of modern geography in action, geography remains important in more subtle (不易察觉的) ways, too. Geography, which helps house hunters, solves public health issues, and determines good locations for new businesses,    9     (use) to plan communities as well.

Like traditional geographers, modern geographers study many different topics. That makes them well-suited for many different jobs and industries. Today, geographers often have titles like “urban planner” or “data analyst”. And the world is noticing     10     number of graduates with degrees in geography is also growing.

Maybe it’s time for you to discover the forgotten science again.

8 . Nowhere in Italy _______ a crisis more beautifully framed than in Venice. Neither land nor water, the city lifts like a mirage from a lagoon at the head of the Adriatic. For centuries it has threatened to vanish _______ the waves of the acqua alta, the relentlessly regular flooding caused by rising tides and sinking foundations. But _______ is the least of its problems.

Just ask Mayor Massimo Cacciari, professor of philosophy, fluent in German, Latin, Ancient Greek. Ask about the acqua alta and Venice _______, and he says, “So go get boots.”

Boots are fine for water, but useless against the flood _______ causes more concern for Venetians than any lagoon spillover: the flood of tourism. Number of Venetian residents in 2007: 60,000. Number of visitors in 2007: 21 million.

1.

A．is

B．has

C．there is

D．is there

2.

A．above

B．beneath

C．over

D．in

3.

A．that

B．it

C．this

D．here

4.

A．sunk

B．being sunk

C．sinking

D．sinks

5.

A．what

B．that

C．it

D．/

9 . 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.”

10 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage 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.

A trail of hot springs dot the northern Kapong District. For tree worshipers, it's a site best described as awesome. Visitors can enjoy the ancient hot springs,     1     (understand) their therapeutic properties from knowledge     2     (pass) down from one generation to another. Rain, drizzle and cloudy skies are typical in Phang Nga, making secluded places even more mesmerizing in scenery.

Visit Phang Nga for a few days and you will immediately realise that once     3     (overlook) things turn out to be hidden gems and one     4     have planned for more time to enjoy them all. The ever-famous Phang Nga bay is in fact best seen not from the middle of the bay, but instead from the     5     (elevate) shores of Samed Nang Chee. You can’t pick the best weather,     6     even on partly cloudy days, the magnificent natural limestone structures of the bay is simply spectacular.

If you've heard about the trading routes of the Thai south and the Malay peninsula, you will notice a remnant of this direct link between Phuket (普吉) and Phang Nga (攀牙).     7     the major trading hub of Phang Nga in the old days, the district of Takua Pa boasts a small but untainted stretch of an old Sino-English community. These original century-old shophouses are “so authentic” here a local told me, it can overwhelm Phuket people with nostalgia.

However, the town centre of Phang Nga is not Takua Pa, though. The story has it     8     back in 1809, the Siam-Burmese wars drove people down to Phang Nga bay，hence the new settlement that has now become the province's municipal seat. It's still small in size, but with newer natural charms. Mountains     9     (surround) Phang Nga with the most magnificent limestone peaks     10     create wonderfully amazing signature views. Driving through the town's small parallel streets and looking up, one can only marvel at Mother Nature. Perpetual rain and misty mornings to virtual greenness --- Phang Nga people will ensure you get all that.