According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days. Although technically accurate, that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem.
The homeless population represents all of us Americans. It includes men and women, the elderly, children, and infants. Its members are from all ethnic groups. What they have in common is poverty.
Currently in the U.S., thirty-nine million people live in poverty. When money is really tight, paying the rent or buying food often becomes a choice. Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as one homeless man explains, you can’t pay the rent with food stamps.
With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative.
Although men make up the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children are rapidly joining them. In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the U.S. are teenagers and young children.
People may become homeless for numerous reasons. However, there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common. They include a lack of adequate education and job skills. A majority of the teenagers and adults have not completed high school.
The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor. One third of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol, while one quarter of the same group uses drugs.
Some members of this population suffer mental health problems. Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent “home”. Unfortunately, a number of those people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves.
Job loss in today’s economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people’s homes. The breakup of families through abandonment and divorce is also contributing factors, particularly when there are children involved. The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads.
小題1:The writer thinks that the U.S. government’s definition for the homeless shows _________.

A．a(chǎn)n insincere attitude toward the homeless

B．a(chǎn)n unbearable attitude toward the homeless

C．a(chǎn)n uncivilized attitude toward the homeless

D．a(chǎn)n unsympathetic attitude toward the homeless

小題2:The U.S. government helps the homeless by _________.

A．giving them homeless allowance	B．giving them food stamps
C．finding jobs for them	D．finding residence (a place to live) for them

小題3:People become homeless for all the following reasons EXCEPT _________.

A．the lack of adequate education

B．the abuse of alcohol and drugs

C．the closure of institutions for the mentally ill

D．the poor performance of economy

小題4:The breakup of families is likely to lead to homelessness because a parent with kids may _________.

A．lose his or her job in today’s economy

B．be unable to look after the kids

C．not have enough income

D．find residence at a homeless shelter

Islamabad, Pakistan, June 22^nd---Two mountain climbers surprisingly survived (幸免于) a fall of over 500 feet on the 25,530-foot mountain in Pakistan, Saturday. The two climbers were climbing an ice-covered wall of the mountain when they suddenly lost their footing and fell about 560 feet to a narrow snow-covered ledge(懸崖突出部分) below. “We were lucky that ledge was there,” said the climbers, “Otherwise, we would have fallen over 2,000 feet.” If the ledge had not been there, the two climbers almost certainly have met their death. “It’s a wonder,” the climbers said, “that we landed on the ledge, and the snow was loose enough to cushion(緩沖) our fall. We’re thankful that we survived.”
When a reporter asked them if they planned to give up mountain climbing after their narrow escape(九死一生), the two climbers replied, “Not at all. We’ll be going back up there just as soon as we get out of the hospital.”
小題1: The mountain climbers survived because _____.

A．they had fallen only 500 feet down	B．of the ledge and the loose snow on it
C．of their strong bodies	D．they were very good climbers

小題2: If there had not been the snow-covered ledge, _____.

A．they wouldn’t have fallen down	B．they would have them wounded
C．they would have lost their lives	D．they would fall into the deep snow

小題3: How high was the ledge from the foot of the mountain?

A．2,560 feet high	B．2,000 feet high
C．25,530 feet high	D．More than 1,400 feet high

小題4: Choose the right order which shows what happened to the two climbers.
a. talked with a reporter           b. lost their footing 
c. was sent to a hospital           d. fell to a ledge     
e. started to climb an ice-covered wall

A．b-d-c-e-a

B．e-d-b-c-a

C．e-b-d-c-a

D．a(chǎn)-c-b-d-e

In white shirt, blue pants, black cloth shoes and two pigtails (辮子), Jingqiu gives off an air of great “pure beauty” in Zhang Yimou’s new movie Under the Hawthom Tree.《山揸樹之戀》
The film tells the story of the sad romance of Jingqiu and a handsome young man named Laosan. Set at the end of the “cultural revolution” (1966-1976), the pair manage to fall in love although they come form different political environments.
Before it was released, moviegoers speculated (推測) on just what this “pure beauty” could be. Director Zhang complained of how long it had taken him to find the right girl for the part of Jingqiu—a character so innocent that she believes simply lying on the same bed with a man will make her pregnant.
It was 18-year-old Zhou Dongyu who stood out from the crowd. According to Zhang, Zhou has “eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside”. Born of an ordinary worker’s family, the Shijiazhuang girl was in her final year of high school and working hard for a place in an art college.
While some teenagers consider such “pure beauty” illusory (虛幻的), others believe that it speaks of something soulful.
Purity is all about the innocence that shines through from within, thinks 16-year-old Tan Mengxi of Nanjing.
“Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced. However, it doesn’t mean an ignorant or naive (天真的) person. So, a person is pure in his or her nature if he or she is always enthusiastic and able to deal with difficult matters independently. This purity doesn’t pass with time,” she said.
小題1: What image does Jingqiu give to audiences in the movie Under the Hawthorn Tree?

A．A simple girl.

B．A pure girl.

C．A romantic girl.

D．A silent girl.

小題2: What kind of girl looks pure according to the passage?

A．A girl in red shirt, blue pants, black leather shoes and two pigtails.

B．A girl has eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside.

C．A girl who was born into an ordinary worker’s family.

D．A girl wears accessories and make-up.

小題3: What’s the opinion of Tan Mengxi about purity?

A．It is of whether someone is ignorant or naive.

B．Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced.

C．It is of whether someone is always enthusiastic.

D．Purity is a matter of internal quality and doesn’t pass with time.

小題4: Which do you think is the best title for the passage?

A．What makes a pure girl?

B．A debate on the movie Under the Hawthorn Tree

C．Opinions on the character Jingqiu

D．It’s hard to find the character Jingqiu

小題5:When did the story in the movie happen？

A．In the 1960s	B．In the 1980s
C．In the 1970s	D．In the 1990s.

People say that a mother’s love knows no boundaries (邊界). This is true when it comes to my mother. She has given up many things so that my sisters and I could live a better life.
My mother comes from a large family and her parents died when she was quite young. She dropped out of school when she was fifteen because no one could afford to pay her studies. At the age of 19, she married my father and when they had my sisters and I, they moved to the United States so that we could have a better life. My parents did not know English but somehow they communicated with other people. My mother stayed at home and raised us while my father was working. There were so many dangerous incidents that happened where we lived that my mother finally decided that we all moved to Texas when I was seven.
My mother has worked so hard to give us everything. She always tells us that all she wants is for us to be happy.
As the saying goes, “You don’t appreciate (意識到) something until it’s gone.” Well, I finally had a chance to experience it. My mother went to Mexico this winter because she needed to have an operation. It was the first time in my life that my mother was not there to hold and comfort me. Those two weeks when she was away made me realize how much I love her. All she has done for me is incredible (難以置信的). When I suffer she suffers with me. I have to show her how much I care about her. She means the world to me.
小題1:Which is the RIGHT order of the following events?
a. My mother married my father.
b. My mother went to Mexico to have an operation.
c. We all moved to Texas.
d. My mother dropped out of school.
e. They moved to the United States.
f. My mother’s parents died when she was young.

A．a(chǎn), b, f, c, d, e

B．d, e, a, c, f, b

C．f, d, a, b, e, c

D．f, d, a, e, c, b

小題2:What does the underlined word “it” refer to in the fourth paragraph?

A．My mother’s experience.	B．My mother’s care for me.
C．The meaning of the saying.	D．My mother’s love.

小題3:The writer didn’t realize that he loves his mother very much until ______.

A．they moved to Texas	B．his mother told them all she wanted was for them to be happy
C．his mother left home for an operation	D．his mother died

小題4:According to the passage, we can infer that the writer writes the passage in a(n) ______ mood.

A．a(chǎn)ffectionate (摯愛的)

B．humorous

C．serious

D．bitter

The world’s biggest Internet search engine, Google, has proven once again to be king of the Web. Users can download “Google Wi-Fi” software and then enjoy free Wi-Fi service available in some US cities since last Tuesday.
Wi-Fi is short for “Wireless Fidelity”(無線上網(wǎng)). It allows laptop computers and personal digital assistants to connect to the Internet at high speed by radio sigal.
A person with a Wi-Fi enabled computer can connect to the Internet when near one of the network’s access points. The place covered by one or several access points is called a hotspot. Google had already set up two “hotspots” in the US city of San Francisco which provide a free Wi-Fe service.
The Wi- Fi technology even allows users to enjoy a free Internet phone service. Some scientists argue that Wi-Fi may replace mobile phone networks.
Wi-Fi is stioo limited to a few cities, where there are “ hotspots”. But its capability(容量) of sending information has already done better than that of the mobile phone network, even that of 3G (Third Generation telecommunication technology). Some scientists have started to call Wi-Fi 4G.
In addition to a high speed Internet connection, Fi-Fi has other advantages compared to mobile phones. We-Fi is global. The same Wi-Fi system works in different countries around the world. Different from using cell phones, you don’t need to change computers to use Internet phones when you go to other places and most importantly, many Internet phones cost you nothing at all.
小題1: Wi-Fi is not available in cities without_____.

A．a(chǎn) computer

B．a(chǎn) radio

C．a(chǎn) hotspot

D．a(chǎn) cell phone

小題2: Which of the following is NOT the advantage of Wi-Fi?
A. The high speed Internet connection.   B. Many free Internet phones.
B. Using the same computers for Internet phones when you go to other places. C. Used in all the US cities.
小題3: Some scientists started to call Wi-Fi 4G, because_____.

A．it is the product of the Google”s 4th generation.

B．it is more capable of sending information than the mobile phone network.

C．it has been used by more than four generations.

D．Wi-Fi will surely take the place of the mobile phone network.

小題4:. Which of the following is the best title?
A.Third Generation Telecommunication Technology
B. Free Call Service
C.Google Launches Free Wi-Fi Service
D.Free Wi-Fi Service across the U.S.A.

    Fly into Lisbon and spend a couple of days exploring the capital, which is a terrific bargain. In addition to some worthwhile and affordable dining and lodging(住宿) choices, must-see sights include the Romanesque Lisbon Cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, and the Moorish Alfama quarter, with its markets and winding cobblestone streets. Take a taxi or bus to the Belém district, where you’ll find the Tower of Belém and the Jerónimos Monastery. After Lisbon, you can take a day trip, by train, to Sintra, a beautiful town nestled(依偎) against the hills about 20 miles west of Lisbon; its castle and palaces, like the Sintra National Palace and the Pena National Palace, are well worth a visit.
To see the countryside, rent a car and drive southeast about 90 minutes to the Alentejo region. Base yourself in Évora, an architectural precious stone. By foot, explore its winding cobblestone streets, fountains and whitewashed houses. Attractions include the Roman Temple of Évora. And make sure to hear some fado, the traditional music of Portugal(葡萄牙).
Alternatively, head north from Lisbon to Oporto, about three hours, and then east to the winemaking region of the Douro River Valley. In his article Portugal Old, New and Undiscovered, Frank Bruni wrote: “All around us mountains undulated(波動) into the distance. The slopes（斜坡）in the foreground were an amazing patchwork of greens, reds, browns and grays, as if some grand hand had fashioned it into a picture on all that nature and agriculture can do.”
小題1: You can NOT enjoy the beauty of ________ in Lisbon.

A．the Sintra National Palace

B．the Moorish Alfama quarter

C．the Tower of Belém

D．Romanesque Lisbon Cathedral

小題2: In Alentejo region, a tourist can ________.

A．walk by the sea bare feet

B．a(chǎn)ppreciate traditional music

C．enjoy a good view of the city

D．buy some precious stones cheap

小題3: Frank Bruni’s words help the readers to get a better picture of ________.
A. Douro River Valley       
B. Lisbon       
C. Oporto       
小題4: The text is meant to ________.

A．a(chǎn)dvise on travelling in Portugal

B．describe the beauty of Portugal

C．introduce the attractions in Lisbon

D．compare the city with the countryside

Just as the world’s most respected scientific bodies have confirmed that the world is getting hotter, they have also stated that there is strong evidence that humans are driving the warming. Countless recent reports from the world’s leading scientific bodies have said the same thing. For example, a 2010 summary of climate science by the Royal Society stated that: “There is strong evidence that the warming of the Earth over the last half-century has been caused largely by human activity.”
The idea that humans could change the planet’s climate may be counter-intuitive(與直覺不符的), but the basic science is well understood. Each year, human activity causes billions of tons of greenhouse gases to be released（釋放）into the atmosphere. As scientists have known for years, these gases hold heat that would otherwise escape to space, wrapping the planet in an invisible blanket.
Of course, the planet’s climate has always been changing thanks to “natural” factors(因素) such as changes in solar or volcanic（火山的）activity, or cycles relating the Earth’s going around the sun. According to the scientific literature, however, the warming recorded to date matches the pattern of warming we would expect from a build-up of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere – not the warming we would expect from other possible causes.
Even if scientists did discover another reasonable explanation for the warming observed so far, that would beg a difficult question. As Robert Henson puts it in The Rough Guide to Climate Change: “If some newly discovered factor can account for the climate change, then why aren’t carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）and the other greenhouse gases producing the warming that basic physics tells us they should be?”
The only way to prove with 100% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming would be to run an experiment with two identical Earths – one with human influence and one without. That obviously isn’t possible, and so most scientists are careful not to state human influence as an absolute certainty.
小題1: In most scientists’ opinion, the global warming is mainly caused by ________.

A．solar activity

B．volcanic activity

C．the Earth’s going around the sun

D．human activity

小題2:The text is developed by ________.

A．giving typical examples

B．following the order of space

C．a(chǎn)nalyzing a theory and arguing it

D．comparing and finding differences

小題3:The underline word “identical” means ________.

A．totally different

B．exactly the same

C．extremely important

D．relatively independent

小題4: Which of the following can be the best title?

A．Are All the Scientists Really Scientific?

B．Where Is Global Warming Leading Us to?

C．Are Humans Definitely Causing Global Warming?

D．What’s Relation of Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases?

When you are curious about something, and want to know more about it, you can use the way of asking questions. Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers. The steps below can guide you during the research.

Step 1 On a note card or piece of paper, write down the subject that you are interested in. Just get the main idea down. For example, you might write:

Discover more about dinosaurs.

Step 2 Next, stop and think for a moment about what you already know about your subject. List what you already know like the sentences below:

1. Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeared.
2. Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years.
3. Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat.

Step 3 What can you do with what you want to learn? By asking questions. On your paper, start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them:

1. What’s the best weather for dinosaurs to live in?
2. How many kinds of dinosaurs are there?
3. Have dinosaurs really disappeared?

Step 4 Armed with your list of questions, you can now go to the nearest library or computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject, you’ll probably discover some new questions.

For example, you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. Why? What happened? Asking new questions can help you research your subject more widely.
The next time you find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions. And remember—learning more always bring more questions.
小題1:When you do some research, you should take the following steps:                .
①list what you want to know      ②choose a research subject
③list what you already know      ④discover new problems

A．①④③②

B．②③①④

C．③②④①

D．④③①②

小題2:What does the underlined sentence “Armed with your list of questions” mean?

A．Putting your list of questions under your arm.

B．Discussing your questions with your classmates.

C．Writing down your list of questions.

D．Taking your list of questions with you.

小題3:According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．You can find all the answers online.

B．Learn more, and you’ll have no questions.

C．During the research, you may keep finding new questions.

D．Asking questions is the only way for research.

小題4:. The best title for this passage is              .

A．Discovering Dinosaurs	B．Asking Good Questions
C．Finding Subjects	D．Having Interesting Answers

American cities are similar to other cities around the world. In every country cities reflect the values of the culture. Cities contain the very best aspects of a society: opportunities for education employment and entertainment. They also contain the very worst parts of a society: violent crime, racial(種族) conflict and poverty. American cities are changing just as American society is changing.   　　
After World War II city residents became wealthier. They had more children. They needed more space. They move out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs areas near a city where people live. These are areas without many offices or factories. During the 1950s the American “dream” was to have a house in the suburbs.
　　Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in 1950s are now adults. They unlike their parents want to live in the cities. Many young professionals, doctors, lawyers and executives(主管人員) are moving back into the city. Many are single; others are married but often without children. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; they are afraid of the fuel shortage; or they just enjoy the excitement and opportunities which the city offers.
This population shift(轉(zhuǎn)變) is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems and conflicts. One thing is for sure：many dying cities are alive again.
小題1:What does the author think of cities all over the world?

A．They are alive.	B．They are hopeless.
C．They are similar	D．They are different.

小題2:Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War II?

A．Because older American cities were dying.

B．Because they were richer and needed more space.

C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society.

D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city.

小題3:According to the 4^th paragraph, a great many poor people in American cities ___________. 

A．a(chǎn)re faced with housing problems

B．a(chǎn)re faced to move to the suburbs

C．want to sell their buildings

D．need more money for daily expenses

小題4:We can conclude from the text that ____________.

A．American cities are changing for the worse

B．people have different views on American cities

C．many people are now moving from American cities

D．the population is decreasing in older American cities

A new power plant in Nakoso, Japan, might someday change everything for coal plants．Since the new power plant fired up in September, the designer, Mistubishi, is expecting to prove it's possible to burn coal without polluting．This technology is known as integrated gasification combined cycle （IGCC）．Proving IGCC works should give Mitsubishi's US partner, NRG Energy, the jump other hurdles to building new clean plants．
The project promised to solve the problem of the ages for power plants: how to produce cheap, clean, reliable electricity．No existing technology can do all three perfectly．
The problem is IGCC isn't there yet．It costs about 20 percent more than traditional plants．And even though it's easier to collect the resulting carbon dioxide from an IGCC plant than a traditional plant, there's no proven way to get rid of the greenhouse gas．One plan is to drill a shaft（通道） to pump the carbon dioxide underground, into saltwater formations．But there's no guarantee it will remain underground forever．
NRG administrators think solving the IGCC riddles is worth the trouble because they expect the U．S．will soon limit the amount of carbon dioxide that power generators may give out ．
"With the additional cost of IGCC, to just voluntarily build something that's 20 percent more expensive, that’s commercial suicide," NRG chief administrator, David Crane said．
NRG administrators expect the cost to decline after six or seven plants are built．But other industry experts think it will take about a dozen plants for the price to be competitive with traditional coal plants．
Takaya Watanabe, a vice general manager of Mitsubishi, admits that the cost challenges are difficult．“It’s good for a company to say we want to be green, but unless someone is willing to pay, it's a dream．It won't keep our family eating rice," he said．
小題1:What is expected of the new technology?

A．To make electricity without polluting the air．

B．To produce energy without burning coal．

C．To keep the use of electricity cheaper．

D．To pump carbon dioxide more easily ．

小題2:What's the biggest problem the companies are faced with?

A．How to pump greenhouse gases．

B．How to deal with the high cost．

C．How to get along with other partners．

D．How to improve the new technology．

小題3:What can be inferred from the passage?

A．New technologies are unacceptable to people．

B．It's unlikely to build more new power plants．

C．The companies are run on a tight budget．

D．Going green is easier said than done．