1 . Today, we are told, children don't spend enough time in the fresh air. Many of them are addicted to a screen either on a computer or a TV — they seem to be living in a virtual world. They have lost touch with nature.
But now 400 organizations in the UK, from playgroups to the National Health Service, are encouraging children to have some “wild time”. They want kids to swap at least 30 minutes of watching TV or playing computer games for time playing outside. Activities such as building dens, climbing trees and playing hide and seek are just some of the things kids can do. Even if they live in a city, they can go on adventures in the garden or the park.
Children often need a helping hand from mum and dad. They need to be shown what to do and where to go. Andy Simpson from National Health Service says, “We want parents to see what this magical wonder product does for their kids' development, independence and creativity, by giving wild time a go”.
So despite the complicated world that young people grow up in now, it seems that going back to basics and experiencing “nature's playground” is what modern children need. David Bond from Project Wild Thing says, “We need to make more space for wild time in children's daily routine, freeing this generation of kids to have the sort of experiences that many of us took for granted”.
This might sound a bit old fashioned to you, or maybe, like me, it made you think about sticking on your boots, getting outdoors and reliving your childhood. There's no age limit on enjoying yourself!
1. What is the best title of the text?| A．Adventures of children | B．Benefits of wild time |
| C．More space for children | D．Wild time for children |
| A．watching TV | B．climbing trees |
| C．playing hide and seek | D．building dens |
| A．wild time is hard to design |
| B．wild time is beneficial for children |
| C．parents know the importance of wild time |
| D．parents like keeping their children indoors |
| A．people like recalling the past |
| B．it is out of date to go outdoors |
| C．it is too late for adults to enjoy nature |
| D．people at any age can enjoy wild time |
2 . “Bad luck always comes in three” and last Saturday seemed to prove it. After trouble with the car, the television, we spent the evening waiting for the next trouble.
Shortly after dinner we both smelled smoke.
My wife, who was often careless when cooking, ran to the kitchen but returned looking puzzled. I rushed up the stairs to see smoke coming from under our bedroom door. I went to the bathroom and tied a wet cloth over my face.
Then I returned to the bedroom, opened the door andcrawled (爬) in—there would be less smoke at floor level. With one hand reaching out in front of me I advanced carefully feeling for the switch to turn off the electric blanket.
At that moment I heard the bell of a coming fire engine. Thank goodness my wife had not been wasting her time.
1. The wife rushed into the kitchen because ______.| A．the smoke came out of the kitchen |
| B．she left something in the kitchen |
| C．she was afraid the smoke was caused by her carelessness |
| D．things in the kitchen were easy to cause fire |
| A．the fire | B．the kitchen | C．electricity | D．bad luck |
| A．the wife telephoned the firemen | B．the firemen saw the smoke and came |
| C．thewife was downstairs doing nothing | D．they were in great danger |
| A．an unlucky person will have trouble one after another |
| B．an unlucky person will only have trouble three times |
| C．“THREE” is an unlucky number |
| D．“THREE” always comes with a bad luck. |
3 . Public bookshelves are appearing across Germany on street corners, city squares and in suburban supermarkets. In these freeforall libraries, people can grab whatever they want to read, and leave behind anything they want for others. There’s no need to register, no due date, and you can take or give as many as you want.“This project is aimed at everyone who likes to read. It is open for everybody, ” Michael Aubermann, one of the organizers of the free book exchange said.
The western city’ s latest public shelf was put up next to Bayenturm. It is the fourth free shelf that Aubermann’ s group, the Cologne Citizen’s Foundation, has placed outside.“We set up our other outdoor shelves last year and it’s been working really well, ” said Aubermann. The public bookshelves, which are usually financed by donations and cared for by local volunteer groups, have appeared independently of each other in many cities, suburbs and villages. Each shelf holds around 200 books and it takes about six weeks for a complete turnover, with all the old titles replaced by new ones.
Even commercial book stores and online book sellers seem to support the idea of free book exchanges.“We see this project rather as a sales promotion than as competition, ”said Elmar Muether. “If books are present everywhere, it helps our business, too.”
So far, the Cologne book group has had few problems with damage or other problems. Aubermann said, “Propaganda (宣传) is the only kind of literature we do not allow here.”
At another bookshelf in the Bayenthal neighborhood, the lower shelves are reserved for children’s literature only.“It is important that we make it easy for everyone to participate in this ‘reading culture on the street’—from old readers to kids to immigrants, ”Aubermann said.
While most of the shelves have so far been put up in upscale neighborhoods, Aubermann and the 20 volunteers who help look after the project are planning to put up future shelves in poor neighborhoods, where citizens often don’t have as much access to literature.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about the public bookshelves?| A．People can take the books and leave their books at will. |
| B．People can’ t borrow books unless they donate books. |
| C．People can borrow whatever they like after registering. |
| D．People have to return the books according to the required time. |
| A．are financed by local volunteers | B．have been going well since their birth |
| C．were managed by the local government | D．will hold more books and take a shorter turnover |
| A．communities that have many people | B．communities that have many tall buildings |
| C．communities that are free to live in | D．communities that are of high grade |
| A．Public Reading Becomes Popular Worldwide | B．New Trends of Bookshelves in Germany |
| C．Public Bookshelves Spread Across Germany | D．Reading Culture on the Street in Europe |
The British Potato Council wants the Oxford English Dictionary to replace the expression with the term “couch slouch”, with protests being outside Parliament in London and the offices of Oxford University Press.
Kathryn Race, head of marketing at the Council, which represents some 4,000 planters and processors, said the group had complained in writing to the OED but had yet to receive a response.
“We are trying to get rid of the image that potatoes are bad for you,” she said on Monday.
“The potato has had its knocks in the past. Of course it is not the Oxford English Dictionary’s fault but we want to use another term instead of “couch potato” because potatoes are naturally healthy.”
The OED says that “couch potato” began as American slang, meaning “a person who spends his or her leisure time sitting around, especially watching television or video tapes.”
The Potato Council says its campaign is backed by dieticians (饮食学家) who say the vegetable is low in fat and high in vitamin C.
Supporting the campaign, famous cook Antony Worrall Thompson said the vegetable was one of Britain’s favorite foods.
“Not only are they healthy, they are also convenient and yummy (美味). Life without potato is like a sandwich without a filling,” he said.
John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, said the dictionary first included the term “couch potato” in 1993 and said “dictionaries just reflect the words that society uses.”
Simpson said words were never taken out of the full-length dictionary, which includes some 650,000 words in 20 volumes.
But little-used words can be removed from the smaller dictionaries to make way for newer ones.
“If society stops using words then they get taken out of the smaller dictionaries,” he added.
The first known recorded use of the expression “couch potato” was in an article in Los Angeles Times, in 1979, Simpson said.
Nigel Evans, a member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, has made a motion in support of the campaign, highlighting the nutritional value of the British potato.
1. British potato farmers wanted to _________.
| A．advertise their produces |
| B．call for a higher price for their potatoes |
| C．remove the expression “couch potato” from the dictionary |
| D．let people know how important the potato is in people’s lives |
| A．potatoes have had a bad image |
| B．Potatoes are good for people by nature |
| C．potatoes sometimes do harm to people |
| D．it’s the dictionary’s fault to use the expression “couch potato” |
| A．the expression can be taken out of every kind of dictionary |
| B．dictionaries do not necessarily reflect the words the society uses |
| C．little-used words can remain in the smaller dictionaries |
| D．it is impossible for them to take the expression out of the dictionary |
| A．It is connected with unfavorable meaning. |
| B．Potato should be used in the expression. |
| C．It is borrowed from America English. |
| D．It refers to a kind of person. |
5 . Young people can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.
Liu Wei, a Junior 2 student from Hefei, could not understand his teacher and was doing badly in his lessons. He became so worried about it that he started to cut his finger with a knife. Another student, 14-year-old Yan Fang from Guangzhou, was afraid of exams. She got very worried in the test, and when she looked at the exam papers, she couldn’t think of anything to write.
A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental(心理的)problems. Their troubles include being worried and very unhappy, and having problems in learning and getting on well with people. Many students who have problems won’t go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid(愚蠢的)if they go to see a doctor. Others don’t want to talk about their secret.
Liang Yuezhu, an expert on teenagers from Beijing Anding Hospital has the following advice for teenagers.
1. Talk to your parents or teachers often.
2. Take part in group activities and play sports.
3. Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell.
1. The students who often become worried or have trouble getting on well with others may have___________.| A．mental problems | B．a headache | C．knives with them | D．no parents |
| A．he was afraid of his teacher | B．he wanted to frighten his parents |
| C．he was so worried about his study | D．his finger was badly hurt |
| A．she studied very hard | B．she had exams |
| C．she talked with her parents | D．she thought of something |
| A．they won’t let others think they are stupid. |
| B．they don’t think doctors can help them. |
| C．they don’t want to tell their secret to others. |
| D．both A and C. |
| A．it’s better for the students who have mental problems to join others. |
| B．it’s unnecessary for them to be with others. |
| C．only group activities and sports can help them. |
| D．teachers and parents can’t do anything about mental problems. |
6 . Scientists believe that one of our most important means of knowing what is going on around us is the sense of sound. We are warned of danger by sounds. Sounds serve to please us in music. Sound has a waste product, too, in the form of noise. Noise has been called unwanted sound. Noise is growing and it may get much worse before it gets any better.
In order to know how noise affects people and animals, scientists have been studying for several years. They are surprised by what they have learned. Peace and quiet are becoming harder to find. Noise pollution is a threat that should be looked at carefully.
Sounds is measured in units called decibels (分贝). At a level of 140 decibels people feel pain in their ears.
Trucks , buses , motorcycles, airplanes, boats, factories---all these things make noise. They trouble not only our ears, but minds and bodies as well.
There is a saying that it is so noisy that you can’t hear yourself think. Doctors who study noise believe that we must sometimes hear ourselves think. If we don’t, we may have headaches, other aches and pains, or even worse mental problems.
Noise adds more tension (紧张) to a society that has already faced enough stress.
1. The sense of sound _________.| A．makes us feel excited |
| B．helps us hear more clearly |
| C．is something harmful to us |
| D．helps to know what is happening around us |
| A．people grow worse and worse |
| B．it makes us forget all the past |
| C．people don’t know what to do with everyday life |
| D．it will be a kind of pollution to people |
| A．Because the world is making more and more noise. |
| B．Because wars and battles happen here and there in the world. |
| C．Because all the sounds are becoming over 140 decibels. |
| D．Because some machines can make noise. |
| A．if we don’t like to hear noise |
| B．if we have no aches or pains in our bodies |
| C．if there isn’t too much noise |
| D．if we can’t be careful of noise |
The iPad’s intuitive interface (直观界面) makes it attractive to seniors around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyou. “The iPad is a good tool for seniors because it’s very easy to use,” he says. “Unlike the PC, it doesn’t require former knowledge.”
James Cordwell, a researcher in London, says the iPad’s popularity with seniors is helping Apple reach beyond its traditional base of young customers. “The world’s population, especially in developed markets, is getting older. It’s probably a market where Apple has least entered, ” Cordwell says. Senior users are “a key source of growth for them in the future.”
Seniors make up about 22 percent of the population in Japan. They may prove that seniors are willing to accept the iPad. Besides the customer group under 30, they spend more than any other group in the country, according to a report. Motoo Kitamura, 78, a former gas salesman, bought an iPad to help him communicate with his 2-year-old grandson and prevent him from experiencing some of the mental problems that sometimes come with getting older. “Trying new things like that is good mental exercise,” he says.
1. The underlined part “a hit” in Paragraph 1 probably means ______ .
| A．a sudden attack | B．a heavy burden | C．quite popular | D．very familiar |
| A．It has intuitive interface. |
| B．It is easy to operate. |
| C．Beginners can use it without similar experiences. |
| D．People can use it as a way to do mental exercise. |
| A．People above thirty are Apple’s largest customer group in Japan. |
| B．The traditional customers of Apple’s products are usually the young. |
| C．Seniors will soon grow into Apple’s largest customer group. |
| D．Seniors in Japan are fond of buying latest hi-tech products. |
| A．iPad leading Apple to seniors. |
| B．iPad influencing the customer group. |
| C．iPad’s arrival causing Japanese to think. |
| D．iPad beating the traditional PC. |
第四部分：写作
第一节：任务型读写（共10小题；
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：表格中的每个空格只填一个单词。请将答案写在答题卡相应题号的横线上。
Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
| Main comparisons | Contexts |
| | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first |
| Nowadays, people seem to be more | |
| People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing (谦让的). | |
| People may strive to achieve their own | |
| The author’s understanding | |
| Fierce | |
| The author’s | A relationship which can |
Sydney—Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.
Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them.
Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction (分心的事) to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.
She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: they were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.
1. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones________.
| A．because they are students | B．when they are free |
| C．when they are at school | D．because they are young |
| A．the makers and sellers | B．some other strangers |
| C．their parents and friends | D．some mobile phone users |
| A．use their mobile phones | B．leave their mobile phones |
| C．help the teachers with their work | D．get in touch with their children |
| A．many teachers | B．some messages |
| C．mobile phones | D．some students |
A kilt is a colored skirt reaching down to the knees. It has checks（格子）on it with different colors, like red and blue.
Thomas Rawlinson had a number of Scottish workers in his factory and he thought their clothing got in the way of their work.
Today, most Scotsmen look the kilt as formal dress. They usually only wear them at wedding or big dinner.
| A．Each family in Scotland has it’s own colors. |
| B．There are only a few men who still wear a kilt every day. |
| C．How did the Scots start to wear skirts ? |
| D．It was important for Scots to wear skirts at any time. |
| E．So he cut their long clothes into shorter skirts. |
| F．Wearing skirts is very beautiful for women. |
| G．Men can wear them, too. |
