BBC News (May 11, 2008) —Edinburgh Zoo plans to bring a pair of giant pandas from China to Scotland. Representatives from Edinburgh Zoo have recently returned from China. They signed a letter of intent (意向書) there, making a promise to bring giant pandas to the Zoo.

    It has been suggested that the pair of giant pandas should be on loan (暫借) to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) for 10 years. The pair of giant pandas would give birth to babies during that time. Edinburgh Zoo would be the eighth zoo in the Western world to care for the species if the project goes ahead.

    Zoo chiefs said that looking after the endangered animals could benefit conservation. David Windmill, chief of RZSS, said, "Working with giant pandas means so much more to us than introducing a new species to our collection. It is an opportunity to work on a global level with other conservationists to gain a better understanding of the giant pandas, the threats they face, and what we can do to ensure their survival."

    At present, there are only around 1,500 giant pandas in the wild. RZSS has been working on the project for almost a year, hoping to have giant pandas at Edinburgh Zoo by 2009, the year of the society’s centenary (一百周年紀(jì)念日). Mr. Windmill said that the project has received strong support from the UK and Scottish Governments. He also said that this must continue if the Zoo is to reach an agreement with the Chinese. As part of the agreement with the Chinese Government, Edinburgh Zoo will work together with Chinese scientists on research projects benefiting conservation in the wild.

    RZSS will also provide money to support giant panda conservation projects in the wild. Giant pandas live in mountainous regions in central China and almost mainly feed on bamboo, which makes up 99% of what they eat.

57. What do we know from the first two paragraphs?

        A. China will give a pair of giant pandas to Edinburgh Zoo.

B. Representatives from Edinburgh Zoo have been to China.

C. The Scottish Government has signed a letter of intent with China.

D. Edinburgh Zoo is the first Western zoo to have giant pandas.

58. According to the text, RZSS may be ___________.

        A. a company that deals with international business

B. an organization that researches endangered animals

C. a government department in charge of Western issues

D. an activity having something to do with animals

59. We can know from the text that _____________.

        A. David Windmill is Edinburgh Zoo’s chief

B. the number of giant pandas in the wild is still unknown

C. RZSS will celebrate its centenary in 2009

D. RZSS knows the threats the giant pandas face well

60. What’s the main idea of the text?

        A. Edinburgh Zoo expects giant pandas from China.

B. Edinburgh Zoo does research into giant pandas.

C. Scotland supports giant panda conservation.

D. Giant pandas live happily in central China.

第二節(jié)：單項填空（共15小題，每小題1分，滿分15分）

. I hate _______ when someone calls or knocks at the door while I’m still in bed.

     A. it         B. that       C. them         D. those

Zhao Benshan, whose overwork _______ his health failure last year, is said to perform in the coming Spring Festival Gala on CCTV.

A. submitted to     B. admitted to          C. contributed to        D. subscribed to

________ every student aware of the importance of study, they would study efficiently.

    A. Were            B. Should          C. May          D. Had

The doctor        me a stay a few more days in hospital.

       A、suggested         B、agreed                    C、approved         D、recommended

 First of all, please _____ me to introduce myself to you．

A．make        B．a(chǎn)gree            C．let                D．a(chǎn)llow

We should consider the professor’s advice _______ our school library provide more books on popular science.

A. that                     B. when                       C. which                D. where

 — Did you attend Tom’s birthday party at the Grand Hotel?

— I wish I _______. I _______ an English lecture in the school hall.

   A. have; gave        B. did; have given   C. do; had given      D. had; was giving

Hee-haw! Scores of farms across the country are opening up to overnight guests. The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn ----- plus here a moo, there a moo.

Sure, you and your kids plan to conquer the theme parks. In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation.

LIBERTY HILL FARM

Rochester, Vt.; 802/767-3926; www.libertyhillfarm.com. Adults$75, teens $50,kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths.

Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook. You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough（生面團） for a pie. Bob’s busy with other work. Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs. Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 a.m. to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season.

HULL-O FARM

Durham, N.Y.; 518/239-6950; www.hull-o.com; Adults $110, kids 10—14 $60, 5—9 $50, 2—4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths.

It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices. But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it. As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch（入口處）of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar. Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride（乘坐裝滿干草的牛車出游）.

MERAMEC FARM CABINS

Bourbon, Mo.; 573/732-4765; http://www.wine-mo.com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person. Trail and riding fees extra.

Climb onto the back of the Ford pickup and catch up with the herd. One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back. At the barn（牲口棚）, Carol will introduce you to the horses ---15 Missouri Fox Trotters --- and lead you on a trail ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims. Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river. When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants or wineries（釀酒廠）, within 20 miles of the farm.

60. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ___________.

A. you can enjoy the best cuisine at the first rate restaurant

B. some farm provide country experiences as well as good accommodations

C. farm work is hard, but you can enjoy it a lot, playing with the animals

D. if you want to hear a cow’s cry, please stay on a best farm

61. We can learn from the three ads that _____________.

A. Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors

B. Frank and Sherry Hull run a farm out of a storybook

C. kids can sit on a gentle cow’s back on Hull-O Farm

D. you can’t milk a cow if you get up late on Liberty Hill Farm

62. The Browns have a 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. If they stay on Liberty Hill Farm for one night, how much will they pay?

A. $175.                B. $220.                C. $235.                D. $250.

63. Who will be most likely interested in the webpage?

A. Kids who want to find pleasure in the theme parks.

B. People who expect to be employed on the farm.

C. Researchers who are interested in raising cows on farms.

D. Those who plan to have family vacations on working farms.

第二節(jié)：（共5小題；每小題2分，滿分10分）

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中的兩項為多途選項。

76 He is often described as the man who has saved more lives than any other person in history. Norman Borlaug is considered the father of what has been called the Green Revolution. His ideas about agriculture in creased crop production and ended hunger are welcomed in many nations.77

Norman Borlaug was born ninety-four years ago on a farm in the American state of IowA．In the middle of the twentieth century, world population was expanding faster than food production.78

Norman Borlaug was an agricultural researcher at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center In Mexico. 79 Those methods increased the amount harvested by three times. He later repeated this success in India, Pakistan and Africa.

His methods of farming saved millions of people who would have starved to death. Norman Borlaug was given the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in 1970.

Mr. Borlaug is still urging experts think about the needs of people around the world .80 He says it has the power to destroy most of the wheat being grown around the world.

A. Experts said many people in developing countries would face starvation.

B. The person who is making a difference is known around the world.

C. His efforts make it impossible for people all over the world to starve any more.

D. He developed methods of growing wheat.

E. His latest concern is a disease in wheat called UG99.

F. Mr. Borlaug continues to be a leader among agricultural researchers.

G. The world’s population growth is faster than crop increase.