You thought the Dark Ages are well behind us? Think again. As we speak, the world is getting darker. Without sunlight, oxygen (氧氣) levels will drop, and there won’t be enough food. In the end, we’ll die a horrible death. Probably, we will have forgotten what kind of a sunny planet Earth once was.

It is the thick clouds that are causing all the trouble. They bounce back (彈回) the sunlight into space, preventing it from reaching the Earth’s surface and its people. The result: darkness, and cold. So, who put those clouds up there in the first place? Well, blame (歸咎于) yourself: you did. You guessed it: it’s those humans and their pollution again.

Already, the Earth is a bit darker than it should have been. An agricultural biologist (農(nóng)業(yè)生物學(xué)家), Gerald Stanhill, first discovered Global (全球的) Dimming in Israel in the 1980s. The sun shines about 22 percent less in Israel than it did in the 1950s. It is as if someone is slowly turning off the lights! In fact, global dimming may have made its first victims (受害者) already. In the 1980s, about a million Africans in the Sahel died during a massive drought (大面積干旱). It was global dimming’s doing: the sun simply didn’t shine hard enough to ‘power up’ the system that should have given the Sahel its rainy season.

But isn’t the world getting warmer, instead of colder? How about global warming? Many facts show that the world is indeed getting warmer. But it’s also getting darker. In fact, many scientists believe that global dimming puts the brakes on the warming of our planet. Without global dimming, global warming would be much, much worse! And there’s no telling which will win in the end, heat or cold.

So, what do you prefer? Would you like to get roasted, or would you rather die in the dark? Hmm...Perhaps it’s a better idea to cut down a little on both pollution and greenhouse gases, after all.　

54. Why is the world getting darker?

A. Because oxygen levels on the earth are dropping quickly.

B. Because the thick clouds stop the sunlight reaching the earth.

C. Because the thick clouds are covering a large area of the earth.

D. Because the earth is becoming colder and colder.

55. What does the phrase “puts the brakes on” in Para. 4 probably mean?

A. puts out　　　 　　　　　　 B. breaks down　　 C. slows down　　 D. catches up with　　

56. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A. The earth used to be sunnier and warmer.

B. We are responsible for global dimming.

C. Africa suffers most from global dimming.

D. Global warming is better than global dimming.

Mo wins Nobel for literature

CHINESE writer Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2012, a somewhat unexpected choice by a prize committee that has favored European writers in recent years. In the past five years, European writers had won four awards. Presented by the Nobel Foundation, the award --- only given to living writers --- is worth 8 million kronor (?741,000). “He has such a unique (獨特的)way of writing. If you read half a page of Mo Yan you immediately know it as him,” said Peter Englund, head of the Swedish Academy(瑞典學(xué)院).

　 Peter Englund said in Stockholm that the academy had called Mo before the announcement(宣布). “He said he was overjoyed and frightened,” Mo, 57, is the first Chinese national to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Born Guan Moye in 1955 to a farming family in Gaomi County in Shandong Province, Mo chose his penname, meaning “don’t speak,” while writing his first novel. His breakthrough came with the novel Red Sorghum《紅高粱》published in 1987. Set in a small village, like many of his works, “Red Sorghum” is an earthy story of love and peasant struggles (農(nóng)民抗爭) taking place against the background of the anti-Japanese war. It was turned into a film that won the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1988.

　 Mo said in a speech at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2009, “Some people may want to shout on the street, but we should tolerate (容忍) those who hide in their rooms and use literature to voice their opinions.”

50. In recent years, the committee likes ______ better.

A. European writers　 　　　　　　　　　　 B. American writers better

C. Chinese writers　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D Japanese writers

51. The novel Red Sorghum was published in ______ .　　　　　

A. 1955　　　　 B. 1987　 　　　C. 1988　　　　　 D. 2009

52. Mo won the Nobel Prize because ______.

A. his writing is very special　　　　　　　 　　 B. Red Sorghum is very famous

C. Chinese has never won the Prize before　　 　 D. he has got unique experience

53. From Paragraph 3, Mo may agree that ______.

A. people should express their ideas in private　　　　　

B. we should speak out our opinions in public

C. different people have their own ways of living

D. people can express their ideas in different ways

    Almost half of us live in a city these days, and that number keeps going up. Want to be healthy? Try to make the best use of your city.

Walk the Walk: We know city people usually walk more than country people. But you'd be surprised at how much those extra 15 to 30 minutes of walking can do you good.  

Get Arty: Cultural attractions is something most cities are rich in. So if you’re in the city, refuse the pricy bar and club. Your brain will thank you if you choose from one of the countless museums, theatres, art galleries and historical sites (古跡).

Meet the Neighbors: Studies show that strong social networks do good to peoples health. A big city is a great place to find people you talk with. It is more likely you’ll find someone who shares your interests. So go out, make some friends and have fun.

Fresh and Fit: Popular health-food stores show up first in the big city. Healthy choices are probably richer than they are in the country. Just remember to take advantage of them.

47. How many ways does the writer advise us to be healthy in the city?

  A. Two.                         B. Four.                        C. Six.                         D. Eight.

48. It’s good for your brain when you choose_______.

  A. museums                B. clubs                   C. bars                      D. supermarkets

49. From the passage, “_______ ” can help you make more friends.

  A. Walk the Walk                                                        B. Get Arty                         

  C. Meet the Neighbors                                                    D. Fresh and Fit

One fine day, a couple around the age of 70, walked into a lawyer’s office. They had been quarreling throughout their 40 years of marriage.

Now that their children had grown up and there was 　35 else for them to worry about, all they wanted was to lead their own lives from all the years of unhappiness in their marriage.

The lawyer was having a time getting the papers done, because he couldn’t understand 38 the old couple wanted a divorce (離婚) after 40 years together.

While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband,“I really love you, but I really can't carry on anymore. I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK, I understand.”said the husband. Seeing this, the lawyer 　39 a dinner together.

The first dish was roast chicken. , the old man gave the drumstick (雞腿) to his wife, “Take this. It’s your favorite.”

But the wife frowned (皺眉).“This is always the . You always think so highly of yourself, never think about how I feel. Don’t you know that I have always hated drumsticks?”

Little did she know that, over the years, her husband had been trying in all ways to 　42 her, and that drumsticks were his favorite.

That night, neither of them could sleep. After several hours, the old man couldn’t 　43 it any more. Knowing that he still loved her, he picked up the phone, and dialed her number.

　 On the other 　44 , his wife was sad. After all these years, she loved him a lot, but she just couldn't stand it any more. Her phone rang, but feeling so sad, she refused to answer. She didn't remember that he had heart problems.

The next day, she received news that he had passed away.

She rushed down to his apartment. While 　45 the drawers, she found a note.“To my dearest wife, ... I bought this insurance (保險) policy for you, though the amount is only $100,000, I hope it will allow me to keep the 　46 that I made when we got married... I want this money to take care of you...I love you.”

Her tears flowed like a river.

35. A. anything B. something C. nothing D. everything

36. A. free B. happy C. relaxed D. different

37. A. long B. hard C. spare D. full　　　　　

38. A. when　　　　　　　　 　　　 B. where　　　 　　　　　　 C. how　　　　　　　　 　　　 D. why

39. A. offered　　　 　　　 B. suggested 　　　 　　　 C. prepared　　　　　 　　　 D. wanted

40. A. Immediately　　　 B. Suddenly 　　　 　　　 C. Carefully　　 D. Nervously

41. A. reason　　　　 　　　　　　 B. problem　　　　　　 　　　 C. question　 　　　　　　 D. way

42. A. please　　　　　　　　 　　　 B. love　　　　　　　　 　　　 C. understand　　　 　　　 D. attract

43. A. hold　　　　　　　　　 　　　 B. realize　　　 　　　 C. take　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. say

44. A. hand　　　　　　　　　 　　　 B. end　　　　　　　　　 　　　 C. bed　　　　　　　　　 　　　 D. chair

45. A. looking at B. getting through　　　　 C. passing by D. looking through

46. A. money　　　　 　　　　　　 B. care 　　　　 　　　　　　 C. plan　　　　　 　　　 D. promise

— No one knows _______ in a hundred years.

— But we can imagine it.

　 A. what is our life like B. what will our life be like

　 C. what our life will be like　　　　　　　　 　 D. what our life is like

 Jack is funny. He often tells jokes to make us ______.

   A. laugh                     B. laughs                   C. to laugh             D. laughed

 We’ll visit the Summer Palace tomorrow. Our teacher told us______ there on time.

   A. arrive                       B. to arrive                   C. arrived                     D. arriving

 Mr. Smith ______ here for many years. He knows almost everybody here.

   A. has lived                   B. is living                    C. have lived          D. lives

— You ______ to the meeting, but I didn’t see you. What’s wrong?

— Sorry, I went to the wrong place.

　 A. invite　　　　　　　　　　　 B. will invite　　　　　 C. were invited　　　　　　 D. will be invited

— What I said is as _______ as ABC.

— But he is DEF.

　 A. simple　　　　　　　　　　 B. simpler　　　　　　　　　　 C. simplest　　　　　 D. the simplest