1 . A recent survey in the United States showed that the average family spent more money on its pets than on its children. Although rather shocking, it should not __________ anyone who has seen the doggy parlors(客厅) where loved pets rest. Are Americans unique in treating their little friends in this way? No, the English, too, are __________ to their pets.

This can clearly be seen when we look at pet foods, which often contain more vitamins than human food or, at least, are __________ less nutritious. They certainly cost much. Last year the British public spent two hundred million pounds on pet food alone, __________ veterinary(兽医的) bills or animal furniture. It is difficult not to feel __________ with this when one considers what the same amount could do for victims of starvation and poverty, so it is __________ for me to get hot under the collar when I read an old man left all his money to his dog home.

There are a variety of reasons why I find the popularity of British pets __________. They cause physical problems. An example of this is New York where they have great difficulty getting rid of the mess that dogs leave on the streets. Many people find this funny, but in a number of large cities it is a major problem. Animals can cause disease, too. It is the threat of rabies --- a disease with no known cure --- that has made the English government impose strict __________ on animals coming into the United Kingdom. When the Spanish government recently __________ a number of homeless dogs as protection against the same threat, English tourist immediately wrote letters to the newspapers __________ about mass murder.

Another problem is the __________ of pet owners. Most little children want a dog or a cat, and they continually pester their mothers and fathers until they get one. It is only when the sweet little thing has been brought home that the parents realize how much time and money must be spent on "Rover" or "Bonzo". Then they just __________ it. This brings me to my last point. Pets, which run free, are often not __________ at all. English farmers lose hundreds of sheep a year, killed by someone's pet and you must have read of children being hurt by some pets of their own.

__________, I would only suggest that we have got our __________ wrong and that something should be done about it.

1.

A．alert

B．surprise

C．disappoint

D．interest

2.

A．hostile

B．polite

C．subject

D．available

3.

A．seldom

B．far

C．frequently

D．totally

4.

A．in spite of

B．regardless of

C．not to mention

D．rather than

5.

A．delighted

B．patient

C．concerned

D．unsatisfied

6.

A．usual

B．natural

C．ridiculous

D．essential

7.

A．inevitable

B．understandable

C．unacceptable

D．common

8.

A．orders

B．punishments

C．treatments

D．restrictions

9.

A．cured

B．destroyed

C．enclosed

D．drove

10.

A．inquiring

B．caring

C．worrying

D．complaining

11.

A．thoughtlessness

B．hesitation

C．expectation

D．kindness

12.

A．isolate

B．scold

C．desert

D．bind

13.

A．funny

B．sweet

C．precious

D．loving

14.

A．Nevertheless

B．Moreover

C．Therefore

D．Meanwhile

15.

A．mind

B．behavior

C．love

D．priority

2 . Now, let’s talk about earthquakes on our planet. Some countries have large numbers of earthquakes. Japan is one of them. Others do not have many. For example, there are few earthquakes in Britain. There is often a great noise during an earthquake. The ground vibrates (震动). Houses fall down. Trains run off the lines. Sometimes, there is a heavy loss of human lives.

Earthquakes often happen near volcanoes, but this is not always true. The centers of some earthquakes are under the sea. The bottom of the sea suddenly moves. The powerful forces inside the earth break the rocks. The coast is shaken and great waves appear. These waves, also known as seismic waves(地震波), or tsunamis(海啸) can travel long distances and rush over the land when they reach it. They are strong enough to break down houses and other buildings. Very often fires follow the most serious earthquakes. In 1906, the numbers of fires were burning in the city. The water pipes were also shaken and broken, so it was not possible to put the fire out. There was no water. The Tokyo Earthquake of 1923 happened just before noon. People were cooking meals on their fires at that time. When the ground shook, the fires shook, too. Hot materials were thrown on the different parts of the houses, some of which were made of wood. Soon 134 fires were burning in the city.

What kind of building stands up best in an earthquake? A building with concrete walls is perhaps the best. A steel frame will make it even stronger. The frame holds the different parts together and the walls so not easily fall. There is less chance of fire because concrete and steel do not burn. Over the years, scientists studied the results of the earthquake in different parts of the world, and they are convinced that this kind of building is the safest.

1. What can we know about earthquake from the first paragraph?

A．Britain has large numbers of earthquake.

B．There is often a great noise during an earthquake.

C．There is a heavy loss of human lives in every earthquake.

D．Trains will not run off the lines during the earthquake.

2. Some of the undersea earthquakes were caused by ______.

A．the breakout of the volcano	B．the seismic waves
C．the tsunami	D．the powerful forces inside the earth

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．A building with concrete walls and a steel frame stands up best in an earthquake.

B．There is no chance of fire in a building with concrete walls.

C．Scientist studied the causes of the earthquake to get the conclusion.

D．A steel frame has no help in making the house stronger.

4. This text is probably a ______.

A．book review	B．popular science report
C．newspaper ad	D．fairy tale

5 . There has, in recent years, been an outpouring of information about the impact of buildings on the natural environment. Information which explains and promotes green and sustainable construction design, strives to convince others of its efficacy (功效) and warns of the dangers of ignoring the issue. Seldom do these documents offer any advice to practitioners, such as those designing mechanical and electrical systems for a building, on how to use this knowledge on a practical level.

Although there are a good many advocates of “green” construction in the architectural industry, able to list enough reasons why buildings should be designed in a sustainable way, not to mention plenty of architectural firms with experience in green design, this is not enough to make green construction come into being. The driving force behind whether a building is constructed with minimal environmental impact lies with the owner of the building; that is, the person financing the project. If the owner considers green design unimportant, or of secondary importance, then more than likely, it will not be factored into the design.

The commissioning (委任) process plays a key role in ensuring the owner gets the building he wants, in terms of design, costs and risk. At the predesign stage, the owner’s objectives and expectations are discussed and documented. This gives a design team a solid foundation on which they can build their ideas. Owners who skip the commissioning process, or fail to take “green” issues into account when doing so, often come a cropper once their building is up and running. Materials and equipment are installed as planned, and, at first glance, appear to fulfil their purpose adequately. However, in time, the owner realizes that operational and maintenance costs are higher than necessary, and that the occupants are dissatisfied with the results. These factors in turn lead to higher ownership costs as well as increased environmental impact.

In some cases, an owner may be aware of the latest trends in sustainable building design. However, firms should not take it as read that the client already has an idea of how green he intends the structure to be. Indeed, this initial interaction between owner and firm is the ideal time for a designer to outline and promote the ways that green design can meet the client’s objectives, thus turning a project originally not destined for green design into a potential candidate.

Typically, when considering whether or not to adopt a green approach, an owner will ask about additional costs or return for investment. In a typical project, landscape architects, mechanical and electrical engineers do not become involved until a much later stage. However, in green design, they must be involved from the outset, since green design demands interaction between these disciplines. This increased cooperation clearly requires additional cost. However, there may be financial advantage for the client in choosing a greener design. There are examples of green designs which have demonstrated lower costs for long-term operation, ownership and even construction.

1. What is the main reason for the lack of green buildings being designed according to the passage?

A．Few firms have enough experience in designing and constructing green buildings.

B．Construction companies are unaware of the benefits of sustainable designs.

C．Firms do not get to decide whether a building is to be constructed sustainably.

D．Firms tend to convince clients that other factors are more important than sustainability.

2. The phrase “come a cropper” probably means ________.

A．experience misfortune	B．change one’s mind
C．notice the benefits	D．make a start

3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A．Most clients have a clear idea of whether they want a green building at the beginning.

B．Green buildings are most likely to cost more money than conventional buildings.

C．The commissioning process offers a good opportunity to bring up the subject of green design.

D．Firms should avoid working with clients who reject green designs in their buildings.

4. The writer’s main purpose is to ________.

A．explain the importance of communication when a building is commissioned

B．emphasize the importance of green building design in protecting the environment

C．explain to building owners why ignoring green issues is costly and dangerous

D．inform professionals how they can influence clients to choose greener designs

6 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. virtual     B. survival   C. specifically D. restoring E. transboundary F. excursions G. nesting   H. properly   I. routes   J. facing   K. connection

World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats     1     migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.

Every year people around the world take action and organize public events such as bird festivals, education programmes, exhibitions and bird-watching     2     to celebrate.

The theme of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day is “Birds Connect Our World”, which highlights the importance of conserving and     3     the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural movements of migratory birds and that are essential for their     4     and well-being.

Migratory birds need a network of undamaged habitats along their entire migration     5     to survive. Increased global action through multilateral (多边的) environment treaties, such as the Convention on Migratory Species and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, is essential to protect migratory birds on their international journeys. Creating     6     habitat corridors would be of great benefit to migratory birds and other migratory wildlife,     7     at the landscape scale (景观尺度).

In addition, networks of critical sites key to migration need to be safeguarded and managed     8    . Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), as described by BirdLife International, provide migratory birds with the necessary feeding, breeding,     9     and sheltering grounds that are needed during their long flights.

A wave of online interactions and     10     events are expected to take place in countries around the world in celebration of World Migratory Bird Day, with educational programmes being offered online by many organizations including schools, parks, zoos, forests, wildlife refuges, wetlands centres, museums and libraries.

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.

Killer Rabbits

You’d never think of rabbits as dreadful, destructive creatures, would you? Rabbits are cute and love-able. However, Australians discovered     1     harm these cute creatures can do the hard way.

Rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1788 as food animals. By 1827, they were running around large estates, and in 1859, disaster struck. A man released 12 wild rabbits onto his property for hunting and he     2     have thought that was harmless fun. But Australia has no predators（捕食者）    3     (adapt) to killing rabbits and none of the diseases that kept their populations     4     control in Europe. The loose rabbits bred like, well, rabbits, and began to take over the countryside. Within a few decades, there were millions. By 1950, there were 600 million rabbits in Australia.

Six hundred million hungry rabbits could do real harm. They caused more damage than any other species introduced to the continent. They ate native plant species     5     they disappeared. They competed for food and shelter with native animals. they caused the extinction or endangerment of numerous plant and animal species. And they were a nightmare for cattle and sheep farmers,     6     animals couldn't get enough grass to eat and starved.

The rabbits did some good, of course. They provided food for poor families. They supported fur industries. But their impact on the environment and major livestock economy was too negative     7    (ignore). People tried trapping them. They even built a huge wall against them. But     8    (effective) weapon was a virus.

    9    (test) multiple times, the deadly myxoma virus was released on Australia's rabbits in 1950. The virus had been developed very carefully to affect only rabbits. Nearly 100 percent of the rabbits who caught the disease       10    (die).Populations fell. It was a huge success. Cattle and sheep farming recovered gradually, and threatened plants were better protected. Eventually, rabbits became resistant to the virus.

8 . 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.

9 . Directions: Read the passage carefully. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

Many people know that trash is a big problem on planet Earth. What many people don’t know is that trash has become a problem in outer space too.     1    

Statistically, there are more than 22,000 pieces of junk in space around the earth. And these are just the items that we can see from the surface of the earth by telescopes or radars.     2    

Objects, like bits of old space rockets or satellites, move around the planet at very high speeds, so fast that even a very small piece can break important satellites or become dangerous to people, particularly astronauts. If the tiniest piece of junk crashed into a spacecraft, it could damage the vehicle. That’s because the faster an object moves, the greater the impact if the object collides with something else.

To help minimize additional space junk, countries around the world have agreed to limit the time their space tools stay in orbit to 25 years. Each tool must be built to fall safely into the earth’s atmosphere, or the mass of gases that surround the earth, after that.       3    

Many scientists are also proposing different ways to clean up space junk. The Germans have been planning a space mission with robots that would collect pieces of space trash and bring them back to Earth so that they can be safely destroyed.

"In our opinion the problem is very challenging, and it's quite urgent as well," said Marco Castronuovo, an Italian Space Agency researcher who is working to solve the problem.       4     Many of these objects are tools that help people use their cell phones or computers.

"The time to act is now; as we go farther in time we will need to remove more and more fragments," he says.

A．One reason that it’s urgent is that countries are sending more and more objects into space.

B．There are also millions of smaller pieces of junk that we can’t see.

C．Blowing up older satellites with a missile may create thousands of smaller pieces!

D．In the upper parts of the atmosphere, it will burn up.

E．When two objects in space collide, the two objects break into many smaller pieces.

F．Years of space exploration have left tons of “space junk” in orbit around the planet.

10 . Saddleworth Moor in the north of England is a bare place. It seemed almost wired to me, then, that anyone should _____ the building of seven wind turbines( 风力发电机) to produce clean, renewable energy. Surely this was the perfect place to situate them--- basically dull, unattractive to tourists and ----- _____ ---windy. Yet Saddleworth is becoming another battleground in an increasingly confusing _____ over wind farming and the future of the planet.

Typical of this confusion is hearing Professor David Bellamy _____ the fight against wind farms. I had always thought of Professor Bellamy as an environmentalist had made the _____ assumption that he would be a natural supporter of wind power. However, on reflection, Bellamy would be better described as a conservationist, whose main aim is to preserve natural habitats of plants and animals from destruction, rather than a(n) _____ on climate change. He has fought against other renewable energies that _____ wildlife and wildness, and has described the wind turbines as weapons of mass destruction killing birds and bats.

Bellamy, along with other opponents, has argued the wind farms are in fact _____, and are only commercially successfully because they are so heavily funded. This argument has been put forward by several newspaper commentators recently , who have then gone to _____ nuclear power. This doesn’t take into account years of _____ from Greens who claim that nuclear power is both expensive and dangerous. And yet nuclear energy has recently been _____ by a leading green scientist , Professor James Lovelock, who was one of the first to draw attention to the problem of climate change. He argues that renewable energy such as wind simply cannot provide sufficient electricity for our energy needs.

And so it goes on. There are so many _____ claims, each apparently fronted by some outstanding scientists and backed up by a lot of statics. So who’s actually right? What’s the right solution? What _____ me is that we will take so long in deciding that it will be too late. The damage will have been done. Yet what I also _____ is how convenient these conflicting arguments are. We can avoid making any changes to our personal lifestyles by just doing nothing. Global warming isn’t down to me going to Barcelona by air for the weekend or having a dishwasher or driving everywhere; no, it’s because those people in Saddleworth won’t let us build our _____!

1.

A．take over

B．call for

C．look into

D．object to

2.

A．vice versa

B．or rather

C．above all

D．to date

3.

A．debate

B．concern

C．advantage

D．control

4.

A．leading

B．reporting

C．watching

D．abandoning

5.

A．cautious

B．basic

C．common

D．false

6.

A．expert

B．campaigner

C．commentator

D．columnist

7.

A．exploited

B．threatened

C．restored

D．attracted

8.

A．unaided

B．unfriendly

C．uneconomic

D．unbalanced

9.

A．produce

B．praise

C．eliminate

D．research

10.

A．intentions

B．passions

C．opinions

D．protest

11.

A．advocated

B．rejected

C．proposed

D．overlooked

12.

A．expected

B．successful

C．conflicting

D．personal

13.

A．relieves

B．amazes

C．disappoints

D．worries

14.

A．predict

B．recognize

C．question

D．ski

15.

A．wind farms

B．power plants

C．animal habitats

D．nuclear engines