Every night for a year, Neil Simmons quietly went out of his house. He wanted to “talk” to an owl settling for the night at the end of his garden. He made owl cries like a real wild owl (猫头鹰)and was happy to hear the bird “hooting (大声叫嚣)” back to him.
Last year Fred Cornes moved in next door. He heard an owl hooting and answered back. For 12 months the neighbors got into the back gardens of their homes, thinking they were talking with nature. Mr. Simmons kept a diary of all his talks with his bird friend. They would both be out again tonight if it wasn’t for a chance talk between their wives.
Mr. Simmons said. “My wife Kim was telling Fred’s wife Wendy about my owl watching and described how I got the birds to boot back. She said, ‘That’s funny — that’s just what Fred has been doing.’ Then the penny dropped, I felt such a fool when I found out. The trouble is that owl calls aren’t exactly the same and it’s easy to make a mistake.”
Mr. Cornes said, “I’m really flattered (过奖). I didn’t know I sounded so real. I love nature and I couldn’t resist hooting at the owls. I was very excited when they hooted back. I’m sorry that I was fooling my neighbor who was fooling me.”
45．After the talk between the wives, the two men would probably _________ .
A．stop observing owls B．not stay up hooting again
C．not enter the back garden again D．make no mistakes about wild owl cries
46．“Then the penny dropped.” most probably means “Then __________.”
A．I understood B．everybody knew about it
C．I heard the noise D．no money was paid
47．Mr. Simmons felt upset about the whole thing because __________.
A．all his efforts seemed to be meaningless
B．his wife let out his secret by chance
C．garden owls hooted so differently
D．Fred had been doing the same
48．The text suggests that __________.
A．Nail seldom heard natural owl calls
B．the owl never hooted back to Neil
C．Fred was always good at pleasing owls
D．owl watching is no longer interesting to Fred
Success is often measured by the ability to overcome adversity（逆境）. But it is often the belief of others that gives us the courage（勇气）to try.
J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series, began writing at age 6. Her good friend-Sean became the first person to encourage her and help her build the confidence that one day she would be a very good writer.
“He was the first person with whom I really discussed my serious ambition（志向） to be a writer. He was also the only person who thought I was bound to（注定）be a success at it, which meant much more to me than I ever told him at the time.”
Though there were many difficulties, Rowling continued her writing, particularly fantasy stories. But it wasn't until l990 that she first came up with the idea about Harry Potter. As she recalls（回忆）, it was on a long train journey from London to Manchester that “the idea of Harry Potter simply fell into my head. To my great disappointment, I didn't have a pen with me, and I was too shy to ask anybody if I could borrow one. I think, now, that this was probably a good thing, because I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details came up in my brain, and this thin, black-haired, bespectacled（戴眼镜的）boy who didn't know he was a wizard became more and more real to me.”
That same year, her mother died after a ten-year fight with serious diseases, which deeply affected her writing. She went on to marry and had a daughter, but separated from her husband shortly afterwards.
During this time, Rowling was diagnosed with depression（诊断患有抑郁症）. Unemployed, she finished her first novel in area cafes, where she could get her daughter to fall asleep. After being refused by l2 publishing houses, the first Harry Potter novel was sold to a small British publishing house.
Now with seven books that have sold nearly 400 million copies in 64 languages, J. K. Rowling is the highest earning novelist in history. And it all began with her friend’s encouragement as well as her ambition to write. Who believed J. K. Rowling was to be a good writer?
| A．Her friend Sean. | B．Her mother. |
| C．Her daughter. | D．Her husband. |
Rowling first came up with the idea about Harry Potter________.
| A．at the age of 6 | B．on a train journey |
| C．after her mother's death | D．in her secondary school |
She felt disappointed on the train because_________.
| A．her train was delayed for four hours |
| B．she didn't have a pen with her |
| C．her mind suddenly went blank |
| D．no one would offer her help |
It can be concluded from Paragraph 5 and 6 that Rowling is_________.
| A．open-minded | B．warm-hearted |
| C．good-natured | D．strong-willed |
The text mainly tells us_________.
| A．adversity makes a good novelist |
| B．the courage to try is a special ability |
| C．you can have a wonderful idea everywhere |
| D．encouragement helps one succeed |
Pets are popular. They’re good listeners, they encourage us to exercise, and they’re always on our side when we argue with others. They can bring people comfort and pleasure.
But it is important to keep in mind that pets can carry diseases that can make you sick. Washing your hands often — especially after you touch, feed, or clean up a pet — is the best way to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of disease. Be sure to clean your fingernails（指甲）carefully every time you wash.
You also can protect your health by wearing gloves while cleaning animal cages or cat litter boxes. Avoid washing your pet in the bathtub (浴缸), but if you do, always disinfect (消毒) the tub immediately afterward.
Be sure to bring your pet to the hospital for examinations every two weeks or month and whenever your pet is sick or injured.
You can do a few other things to keep yourself and your pet healthy. Only give your pet food that has been planned ahead for them. It’s not a good idea to share your food with your pet. Human food (like chocolate) can make animals sick. Never feed your pet raw meat because it can carry germs (细菌) that cause serious illness.
And funny as it can be to see your dog or cat drinking from the toilet, don’t let pets do this. It’s bad for your pet’s health! Give them clean, fresh water to drink at all times.
Never give milk to cats. The only milk an animal should drink is from its mother. Cow’s milk is not for pets, especially for cats, as it makes them sick.
Finally, some animals aren’t pets. Don’t take in a wild or abandoned (被抛弃的) animal as a pet because it may have diseases that could make you or your family sick. Instead, turn to an animal rescue group that is trained in helping sick or abandoned animals.The first paragraph mainly tells us that pets can ______.
| A．be great friends | B．bring us pleasure |
| C．help us keep healthy | D．do harm to us |
To keep healthy, the author may be against ______.
| A．washing your fingernails after touching your pet |
| B．wearing gloves when cleaning your pet’s cage |
| C．washing your pet in the bathtub |
| D．bringing your pet for examinations regularly |
The underlined word “it” in Para.7 refers to ______.
| A．the cow | B．the mother cat |
| C．cow’s milk | D．mother cat’s milk |
Which is the RIGHT way to feed your pet?
| A．Sharing your chocolate with your dog. |
| B．Letting your dog drink from the toilet. |
| C．Feeding your little cat with raw meat. |
| D．Giving your cat cooked fish. |
According to the text, when you meet an abandoned dog, you should ______.
| A．call an animal rescue group |
| B．bring it back to your home |
| C．give it first aid（急救）in time |
| D．help to find its owner |
One day I heard that one of my dear friends had lost his mother. This made me sad, for my friend was very close to his mother. He had been by her side as she traveled through her long and hard journey with cancer. At this time, many memories about my loved ones that had passed away came flooding to me. Finally these memories passed, but it was really sad to think that my friend would have to go through the pain.
Three times I tried to write an email to my friend and three times words failed me. I am a person who is not often lost for words and I decided to have a sleep. Upon waking up I could hardly wait for my computer to work, the words I needed were there. I was still left with a heavy heart although I had sent an email.
Everything in this universe is balanced and indeed it is. Three days later, I received his reply letter. I was happy to hear that he’d been admitted to (录取) Cambridge University. It served as a gentle reminder for me that my friend would be okay and that life would go on.
Everything in life is balanced; the lowest feelings change places with the highest feelings. Without the lows, we would never appreciate the highs. No matter how dark the clouds seem to be, the sunshine is always there and just waiting for the opportunity to shine through. When the author learnt her friend had lost his mother, she ______.
| A．gave him some money |
| B．wrote an email to him |
| C．went to visit him |
| D．went for a journey with him |
What good news did the author’s friend receive?
| A．He received the author’s email. |
| B．He was told that life would go on. |
| C．He would go to Cambridge University. |
| D．His life would go back to normal again |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．The author wrote four emails to her friend. |
| B．The mother of the author’s friend died from cancer. |
| C．The author’s friend is a teacher in Cambridge University. |
| D．The author felt relaxed after sending the email. |
From the text, we can learn that the author is ______.
| A．sincere and warm-hearted |
| B．proud and confident |
| C．serious and friendly |
| D．funny and responsible |
The author aims to tell us that ______.
| A．life is not fair to everybody |
| B．time waits for no man |
| C．everyone has good and bad times in life |
| D．where there is a will, there is a way |
（共5小题；每小题1分，满分5分）
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Five Smart Habits of Successful Children
Have you ever wondered what actions make the most difference in your children's lives?
Children don't have to be smart to succeed. They don't have to be born rich and famous. All they need is the right outlook and a few smart habits.
Successful children make friends wherever they go. Children who learn to get along with others from an early age are more successful in life. 1Without them, we'd have no support. Whatever the goal is, friends are needed to achieve it. Do your children a favor by encouraging social interaction early.
2They don't just hope for success; they are certain of it. They don't complain. They have a smile on their face and get on with the business of living. They feel pain just like the other children. The difference is that they don't let it hinder(妨碍) their progress.
Successful children become successful because they never give up. They fall. They fail. 3The difference is that they use their mistakes the way they were intended. They embrace failure because it pushes them forward.
Successful children ignore the naysayer (反对者). They don't worry about what other people think. They follow the path that is right for them, regardless of gossip. 4They are too busy working towards their goals. They do have concern for the feelings of others.
Successful children share their success. They don't forget all the people who helped them get where they were going. 5They don't criticize（批评）and reject（抛弃） those who are struggling. They take them by the hand and guide them up the ladder.
| A．Do you want to be a successful child? |
| B．Social skills are vital（重要的） to human survival. |
| C．Successful children look on the bright side. |
| D．They make just as many mistakes as the other children. |
E. They take the time to teach others what they have learned.
F. They don't engage in gossip either, because they don't have time for it.
G. In fact, they don't even have to become rich and famous.
In the near future, people in some parts of the world will watch a new kind of television. It is called the high definition television or the HD-TV. The main difference between an HD-TV and a normal television is the picture. It is more clear and detailed. This is because the HD-TV has many more points and lines that make a television image. Every color television picture contains thousands of red, green and blue points. They all come together as an image in the eye of the person watching. The points are organized in lines that go across the television screen. There are more than five hundred lines in a normal television. The HD-TV has two times as many. To get this clear picture, you must have a big screen. Experts say people using a small screen will see little difference.
The HD-TV also has clear sound. It is like the sound on a CD. All these improvements make an HD-TV very costly. One kind in Japan now sells for more than twenty thousand dollars .A major problem with the HD-TV is its broadcast signal（传播信号.The signal is bigger than normal because it carries more electronic information. What is the main difference between an HD-TV and a normal television? It is .
| A．the picture | B．the shape | C．the voice | D．the weight |
What is a color TV image?
| A．It is made up of thousands of red, green, and blue points. |
| B．Points are organized in lines that go across the TV screen. |
| C．It is a black and white picture |
| D．Both A and B |
How many lines does an HD-TV have?
| A．Over 250 | B．More than 500 |
| C．More than 1,000 | D．About 250 |
What should you do if you want to get a clear and detailed picture from an HD-TV?
A. You must have the bigger signal for the HD-TV.
B. You have to get a big screen.
C. You should have a compact disc player.
D. Both A and B.