閱讀理解

Most of the sandstorms that had swept China last year originated from foreign land,a Chinese official in charge of desertification control said Monday.And the invasions(入侵)could partly explain the frequent sandstorms in the country in recent years despite its achievements in desertification control.

Since the start of last spring,the north and northwestern Chinese regions had been hit by 17 sandstorms,of which,a dozen came from foreign land.

Situated in the central-Asia sandstorm region,one of the world’s four largest sandstorm sources,China also suffers from sandstorms from outside the country while being blamed as a sand source to northeast Asia.The other three major sources are in Africa,North America and Australia.

The land suffering from desertification has been decreasing by 7,585 sq.km annually in China,and the area of sandy land has also been falling by 1,284 sq.km a year.

The shrinkage(收縮)forms a clear contrast to the fact that the land suffering from desertification and sandy feature was added by 10,400 sq.km and 3,436 sq.km late last century,respectively.

Currently,the desertification land in China makes up 2.64 million sq.km,accounting for 27.46 percent of the nation’s land,and its sandy land totals 1.74 million sq.km,accounting for 18.1 percent of the country’s total.

1.What does the underlined word “decreasing” mean in Paragraph 4?

A.Going down. B.Going up.

C.Coming from. D.Taking up.

2.Where do most of the sandstorms in China come from?

A.The northern Chinese regions.

B.The northwestern Chinese regions.

C.Foreign countries.

D.The western part of China.

3.Which of the following is believed to be the sand source to northeast Asia?

A.China. B.Africa.

C.Mongolia. D.Australia.

4.From the passage,we can infer that .

A.the land in China suffering from desertification has been increasing greatly

B.China has made achievements in its own desertification control

C.the desertification land makes up nearly half of China’s territory

D.little progress has been made in controlling desertification in China

5.In a magazine,the passage may be found in the column of .

A.entertainment B.health

C.education D.environment

閱讀理解。

Kong Zi,also called Confucius(551—479 B.C.),and Socrates(469—399 B.C.)lived only a hundred years apart.During their lifetimes there was no contact between China and Greece,but it is interesting to look at how the world that each of these great philosophers came from shaped their ideas,and how these ideas in turn,shaped their societies.

Neither philosopher lived in times of peace,though there were more wars in Greece than in China.The Chinese states were very large and feudal,while the Greek city-states were small and urban.The urban environment in which Socrates lived allowed him to be more radical(激進的)than Confucius.Unlike Confucius,Socrates was not asked by rulers how to govern effectively.Thus,Socrates was able to be more idealistic,focusing on issues like freedom,and knowledge for its own sake.Confucius,on the other hand,advised those in government service,and many of his students went on to government service.

Confucius suggested the Golden Rule as a principle for the conduct of life.“Do not do to others what you would not want others to do to you.” He assumed that all men were equal at birth,though some had more potential than others,and that it was knowledge that set men apart.Socrates focused on the individual,and thought that the greatest purpose of man was to seek wisdom.He believed that some had more potential to develop their reason than others did.Like Confucius,he believed that the superior class should rule the inferior(下層的) classes.

For Socrates,the family was of no importance,and the community of little concern.For Confucius,however,the family was the centre of society,with family relations considered much more important than political relations.

Both men are respected much more today than they were in their lifetimes.

1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the first paragraph?

A.Socrates and Confucius had much in common.

B.Confucius had much influence on Socrates’ ideas.

C.The societies were influenced by the philosophers’ ideas.

D.There were cultural exchanges between China and Greece.

2.Socrates shared with Confucius the idea that .

A.all men were equal when they were born

B.the lower classes should be ruled by the upper class

C.the purpose of man was to seek freedom and wisdom

D.people should not do to others what they did not want others to do to them

3.What made some people different from others according to Confucius?

A.Family. B.Potential.

C.Knowledge. D.Community.

4.This passage is organized in the pattern of .

A.time and events

B.comparison and contrast

C.cause and effect

D.definition and classification

閱讀理解。

The kids in this village wear dirty,ragged clothes.They sleep beside cows and sheep in huts made of sticks and mud.They have no school.Yet they all can chant the English alphabet,and some can make words.

The key to their success:20 tablet computers(平板電腦) dropped off in their Ethiopian village in February by a U.S.group called One Laptop Per Child.

The goal is to find out whether kids using today’s new technology can teach themselves to read in places where no schools or teachers exist.The Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers analyzing the project data say they’re already amazed.“What I think has already happened is that the kids have already learned more than they would have in one year of kindergarten,”said Matt Keller,who runs the Ethiopia program.

The fastest learner—and the first to turn on one of the tablets—is 8-year-old Kelbesa Negusse.The device’s camera was disabled to save memory,yet within weeks Kelbesa had figured out its workings and made the camera work.He called himself a lion,a marker of accomplishment in Ethiopia.

With his tablet,Kelbesa rearranged the letters HSROE into one of the many English animal names he knows.Then he spelled words on his own.“Seven months ago he didn’t know any English.That’s unbelievable,”said Keller.

The project aims to get kids to a stage called “deep reading,”where they can read to learn.It won’t be in Amharic,Ethiopia’s first language,but in English,which is widely seen as the ticket to higher paying jobs.

1.How does the Ethiopia program benefit the kids in the village?

A.It trains teachers for them.

B.It contributes to their self-study.

C.It helps raise their living standards.

D.It provides funds for building schools.

2.What can we infer from Keller’s words in Paragraph 3?

A.They need more time to analyze data.

B.More children are needed for the research.

C.He is confident about the future of the project.

D.The research should be carried out in kindergartens.

3.It amazed Keller that with the tablet Kelbesa could .

A.learn English words quickly

B.draw pictures of animals

C.write letters to researchers

D.make phone calls to his friends

4.What is the aim of the project?

A.To offer Ethiopians higher paying jobs.

B.To make Amharic widely used in the world.

C.To help Ethiopian kids read to learn in English.

D.To assist Ethiopians in learning their first language.

閱讀理解。

When Frida Kahlo’s paintings were on show in London,a poet described her paintings as “ a ribbon (絲帶)around a bomb”.Such comments seem to suggest Kahlo had a big influence on the art world of her time.Sadly,she is actually a much bigger name today than she was during her time.

Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City,Kahlo suffered from polio(小兒麻痹癥)at the age of seven.Her spine(脊柱) became bent as she grew older.Then,in 1925,her back was broken in several places in a school-bus accident.Throughout the rest of her life,the artist had many operations,but nothing was able to cure the terrible pain in her back.However,the accident had an unexpected side effect.While lying in her bed recovering,Kahlo taught herself to paint.

In 1929,she got married to Diego Rivera,another famous Mexican artist.Rivera’s strong influence on Kahlo’s style can be seen in her early works,but her later works from the 1940s,known today as her best works,show less influence from her husband.

Unfortunately,her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and 1940s,even in her home country.Her first one-woman show in Mexico was not held until 1953.For more than a decade after her death in 1954,Kahlo’s works remained largely unnoticed by the world,but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last.

1.What does the phrase “a much bigger name” in Paragraph 1 most nearly mean?

A.A far better artist.

B.A far more gifted artist.

C.A much stronger person.

D.A much more famous person.

2.The terrible pain Kahlo suffered was caused by .

A.polio B.her bent spine

C.back injuries D.the operations she had

3.Kahlo’s style had become increasingly independent since the .

A.1930s B.1940s

C.1950s D.1970s

4.What is the author’s attitude towards Kahlo?

A.Indifferent. B.Sympathetic.

C.Worried. D.Critical.

完形填空。

Over dinner a few weeks ago,the novelist Lawrence Naumoff told a troubling story.He ________ students in his introduction to creative writing course at UNC Chapel Hill if they had ________ Jack Kerouac.Nobody raised a hand. ________ he asked if anyone had ever heard of Jack Kerouac.There are more blank________.

Naumoff began ________ the legend of the literary wild man.One student offered that he had a teacher who was just as ________.Naumoff asked the professor’s name.The student said ________ didn’t know.Naumoff then asked this oblivious(健忘的) scholar,“Do you know my ________?”

After a long pause,the young man replied,“No.”

“I guess I’ve always known that many students are just ________ my course to get a requirement out of the way,” Naumoff said.“But it was ________ to see that some even couldn’t go to the trouble of ________ the name of the person teaching the course.”

The other UNC professors at the ________ began sharing their own stories about the troubling state of curiosity on ________ .All of them have noted that such ignorance isn’t

________—students have always possessed far less knowledge than they should.But in the past, ________ tended to be a source of shame and motivation.Students were far more likely to be ________ by not-knowing,far more eager to fill such gaps by learning. _______,nowadays as one reviewer once said,“It’s that they don’t ________ what they don’t know.”

In our increasingly complex world,the amount of information required to master any ________ discipline—e.g.computers,life insurance,medicine—has expanded geometrically(幾何學上).We are forced to ________ specialists,people who know more and more about less and less.Curiously,in a world where everything is worth knowing,nothing is.

1.A.helped B.greeted C.taught D.asked

2.A.read B.recognized C.visited D.wrote

3.A.But B.Or C.Then D.So

4.A.puzzles B.expressions C.smiles D.feelings

5.A.describing B.drawing C.showing D.painting

6.A.ugly B.handsome C.crazy D.angry

7.A.he B.she C.they D.we

8.A.story B.name C.address D.work

9.A.getting B.putting C.taking D.making

10.A.excited B.interested C.pleased D.disappointed

11.A.finding out B.looking for C.putting up D.pointing to

12.A.class B.dinner C.room D.house

13.A.train B.bus C.campus D.literature

14.A.old B.short C.long D.new

15.A.ignorance B.curiosity C.knowledge D.gaps

16.A.troubled B.moved C.touched D.respected

17.A.Therefore B.Otherwise C.However D.Anyway

18.A.go through B.take in C.meet with D.care about

19.A.common B.simple C.particular D.easy

20.A.act B.become C.call D.want

閱讀理解。

The kings of ancient Egypt planned strong tombs to keep their bodies safe after death and to hold their treasure.The Great Pyramids along the Nile are on its west bank.The ancient Egyptians compared the rising of the sun to the beginning of life and the setting of the sun to the end of life.This is why their dead bodies were buried on the west bank of the Nile.

The people of Mexico also built pyramids.They did not build the pyramids for tombs.They used to build a pyramid and then a temple on top of it.The pyramids of Mexico are not as high as the pyramids of Egypt,but they are bigger.Each of the pyramids has a wide stairway(樓梯) that goes from the bottom to the top.

The biggest pyramid in Mexico is almost 2,000 years old.Scientists think it took 10,000 men more than ten years to build it.On the top they built a temple of the sun.The temple is no longer there,but people still call it the Pyramid of the Sun.Near it is another huge pyramid,the Pyramid of the Moon.

1.In ancient Egypt pyramids were built .

A.in honour of the gods

B.for the kings’ tombs

C.for visitors to see

D.as places of interest

2.All the pyramids along the Nile are on its west bank,because in ancient Egypt people thought .

A.they died in the west

B.the sun sets in the west

C.the end of their lives was like the setting of the sun

D.they would go to the west after death

3.Which of the following is TRUE?

A.The pyramids of Mexico are as big as those of Egypt.

B.The pyramids of Egypt are not higher than those of Mexico.

C.The pyramids of Mexico are just the same as those of Egypt.

D.The pyramids of Mexico are quite different from those of Egypt.

4.The pyramids in ancient Mexico were built .

A.for the kings B.for the people

C.for wars D.for the gods

閱讀理解。

The Panama Canal opened almost 100 years ago.It connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and reduces travel by about 13,000 kilometers and avoids the need for ships to sail around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America.

Built from 1904 to 1914,the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 ships in 2008.In total,over 815,000 ships have passed through the canal.It has been named one of the seven modern wonders of the world.More than forty ships pass through the canal each day.

Now,a major expansion(擴大) project will permit more ships and bigger ships to pass through the canal.Jorge Quijano,the Panama Canal’s executive vice president of engineering,says,“The present canal has a total capacity(容量) of about 340 million tons a year.With the expansion we expect to double that.”

For years,shipbuilders limited the size of many ships so that they could pass through the Panama Canal.But now many shipping companies use bigger ships to transport more goods as a way to reduce costs.Mr.Quijano says the expansion project will allow many of these larger ships to use the canal.

Workers are building the new locks(船閘) alongside the old ones,which will remain in use.The existing locks are 305 meters long and 33.5 meters wide.The new ones will be 427 meters long and 55 meters wide.They will be able to handle ships with drafts(吃水量) of more than 15 meters.At present,ships can ride only 12 meters deep in the canal.

Engineers could not make the new locks too big.Mr.Quijano says the plans have to balance the size of the locks with the cost for ships to use the canal.

The cost of the expansion is estimated at more than five billion dollars.The new locks are set to open in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal.

1.We can learn from the first two paragraphs that .

A.the Panama Canal was built close to Cape Horn

B.it took ten years to complete the Panama Canal

C.the Panama Canal now sees a daily traffic of about 400 ships

D.the Panama Canal is one of the seven ancient wonders of the world

2.After the expansion of the Panama Canal, .

A.there will be no limitation to the size of ships through it

B.it will have a total capacity of 500 million tons a year

C.the cost of transporting goods will be relatively low

D.the charge for using the canal will be reduced

3.What do we know about the old locks?

A.They are still used.

B.They will be removed.

C.They have been replaced by the new ones.

D.Ships with drafts of 15 meters can pass through them.

4.Why not make the new locks too big?

A.Because they will cost too much.

B.Partly because of the cost for ships.

C.Because there are not so many workers.

D.Because engineers are against it.

5.What is the author’s main purpose in writing the text?

A.To introduce the history of the Panama Canal.

B.To show the importance of the Panama Canal.

C.To report the expansion project of the Panama Canal.

D.To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal.

完形填空

This morning,I arrived at my office earlier to catch up on some emails.On the way to _____,I couldn’t __________ it when I saw some beautiful flowers at the grocery store.I picked some up, __________a few chocolate bars.

With the office so empty,I decided to take the __________to put the chocolate bars on some desks.I started heading towards areas __________ no one had come yet.

I __________ one and a smile card on the CEO’s desk.And then I went to his __________ desk and placed one there,and quickly put a third one on the desk of a quiet gentleman.Later,I entered the kitchen, __________ two cups of water and walked into the __________.I took out the flowers from my bag and __________ them in two bunches,one in each cup.

With a little sigh of __________,I stepped out of the rest room and looked around.The office was still __________ empty and the people closest to me were __________with a Monday morning “How was your weekend?” __________.I __________ and went back to my desk.

It struck me that my housemate who had packed my lunch for me so __________ today snuck(偷偷地給) a chocolate bar in there,so I __________ place it on the desk of our receptionist to complete the circle as I headed out of the office this evening.Our receptionist is always the first person in the office,and she always __________ me with a smile when I come in.Maybe tomorrow morning,this __________ can greet her.

I have no __________ how they feel when receiving the gifts,but they will surely smile!

1.A.work B.job C.company D.business

2.A.stop B.help C.get D.afford

3.A.regardless of B.along with C.except for D.instead of

4.A.adventure B.authority C.possibility D.opportunity

5.A.when B.because C.though D.where

6.A.chose B.placed C.delivered D.carried

7.A.wife’s B.manager’s C.assistant’s D.director’s

8.A.discovered B.ordered C.filled D.emptied

9.A.rest room B.meeting room C.smoking area D.office room

10.A.applied B.adjusted C.arranged D.attached

11.A.regret B.concern C.relief D.excitement

12.A.especially B.thoroughly C.totally D.pretty

13.A.concerned B.accustomed C.limited D.occupied

14.A.conversation B.congratulation C.consideration D.condition

15.A.amazed B.smiled C.delighted D.celebrated

16.A.sweetly B.obviously C.wildly D.fortunately

17.A.need B.could C.must D.dare

18.A.waves B.nods C.greets D.meets

19.A.gift B.performance C.flower D.method

20.A.opinion B.point C.view D.idea

閱讀理解

Probably you have seen photographs of the Grand Canyon,the great valley in the desert country of Arizona.But you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty.The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.

The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years.Slowly,the river cut down through hard rocks.At the same time,the land was rising.Today,the canyon is one and a half kilometers deep and 446 kilometers long.The oldest rocks at the bottom of the canyon are more than one billion years old.The width varies from about 200 meters to 29 kilometers across.The rim or top of the canyon is about 2,300 meters above sea level on the South Rim,and about 3,000 meters on the other side,the North Rim.As a result,there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the canyon.The South Rim is a dry desert country.The North Rim has tall forests.

The canyon looks different at different times of a day,and in different seasons and weather.At sunrise and sunset the black,gold,brown,and orange colours of the rocks are especially clear and bright.In winter,the canyon is partly covered with snow.

The view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the best.Most visitors come to the South Rim and stay in campgrounds or hotels.Every point along the canyon’s edge offers a different view.

The North Rim of the Canyon is quieter.It takes all day to drive there from the South Rim because there is only one bridge across the Colorado River.On the way,you go through Navajo Indian lands,and a colourful pink desert called “The Painted Desert”.

You can walk down into the Grand Canyon,or you can go down on the back of a mule.You can also take a boat trip down the Colorado River,and camp on the beaches at night.But whether you see the Grand Canyon from the top or the bottom,it will be an experience that you will never forget.

1.The best way to feel the size and beauty of the Grand Canyon is .

A.to see its photographs

B.to listen to the report about it

C.to travel there yourself

D.to watch the TV program about it

2.What made the Grand Canyon?

A.The earthquake.

B.The water from the Colorado River.

C.The American people.

D.The strong wind.

3.The sea level on both sides of the Grand Canyon is .

A.the same B.changing with time

C.different D.very low

4.From the passage we can know that the of the canyon is different at different times.

A.length B.scenery

C.width D.height

閱讀下列短文,從每題所給的四個選項(A、B、C和D)中選出最佳選項。

Europe is surely among the most popular tourist destinations(目的地) around the world.However,one problem that anyone talks about is how to plan a trip with enough time to the various destinations in Europe.Johnson is one of the travelers extremely interested in Europe.Here he uses his experience to tell you about the various Europe tour packages(旅游套票).

The Europe tour packages are designed to offer much more than a simple trip around Europe.Usually,a Europe tour package includes all kinds of things for tourists to enjoy their trips to Europe.First the packages offer air tickets for the best flights from the best airlines to tourists and let them fly to Europe from anywhere.Different Europe tour packages also offer chances to stay in the best hotels.Besides,when it comes to sightseeing Europe packages provide a visit to some of the most popular tourist spots around Europe.For example,one day you will be at the Eiffel Tower in Paris,and the very next day you will be in the Swiss Alps.These Europe packages are designed to pack all the beautiful destinations and put them in front of you for a wonderful holiday.This is the most important thing.

Now you must be thinking about how to get one of these Europe packages.The best way is to go on the Internet,and look for the right one for you.There are many Europe packages to choose from,and the key is to simply go for the ones that suit your budget(預算).

1.The passage is written to .

A.attract more tourists to European countries

B.tell us something to pay attention to during traveling

C.stress the importance of preparations before traveling

D.introduce something about Europe tour packages

2.What is many tourists’ problem when they plan to visit Europe?

A.How to book air tickets in time.

B.How to fix time reasonably.

C.How to choose famous attractions.

D.How to save some time to travel.

3.A Europe tour package will make you enjoy the trip by .

A.providing best flights,hotels and sightseeing spots

B.letting one visit many places of interest in the world

C.saving a great deal of money for you

D.offering excellent online service to you

4.If you want to choose from the tour packages,you have to first consider .

A.if the time is right for you

B.where to get the package

C.how much money you can afford

D.the way of traveling