Building after building under water．Refugees in shelters．Thousands of others unsure where to go．Bodies in streets．This is what one of America's historic cities was reduced to this week by a powerful storm, Katrina（卡特里娜）．The mayor of New Orleans says thousands may be dead．Hurricane Katrina also caused death and destruction in parts of Mississippi and Alabama along the Gulf of Mexico．
New Orleans is famous for its wild Mardi Gras celebrations．New Orleans is also a major port for foreign oil and other shipping trade．Yet the city of nearly five hundred thousand people was built below sea level．New Orleans has depended on levees to control floods from the Mississippi River．Katrina struck on Monday．New Orleans avoided a direct hit．But two of the levees failed the next day．Most of the city was flooded．Helicopters dropped huge sandbags to fill the breaks．But the water had no place to go．Pumping stations had no power．
America faces one of the worst natural events in its history．President Bush says the recovery will take years．People were told to leave the path of the storm．But some would not or could not．Many of those worst affected by Katrina are poor and black．African-American leaders and others were angry that government aid did not arrive faster．President Bush visited some of the damaged areas on Friday．He said the way officials reacted to the crisis was unacceptable．Which is true of the following details about New Orleans?
| A．New Orleans is a newly－built city of America |
| B．There were no black people in New Orleans． |
| C．This is the first time that hurricane has stricken it． |
| D．New Orleans is a major port for foreign oil and other shipping trade． |
What does the underlined word “levees”(in the second paragraph) mean?
| A．trees | B．dams | C．ports | D．ships |
Which is right about the Hurricane Katrina?
| A．It also caused the destruction in parts of Mississippi． |
| B．A lot of people died in this disaster． |
| C．It cut off the electricity supply of the city． |
| D．All of the above is right． |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．President Bush was not concerned about this disaster． |
| B．The recovery of the city will take a few days． |
| C．In this disaster the government aid didn’t arrive in time． |
| D．In this city there were no pump stations． |
第三部分阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American recording artist. She began playing in clubs in the New York City area while also working at Interscope Records as a songwriter for several established musicians, including Akon. After hearing Gaga sing, he signed her to a joint deal with his own company, Kon Live Distribution. She then started to work on her first studio album.
She began working with a collective(组合) called the “Haus of Gaga” in 2008, and released her first album “The Fame”. The album peaked in countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada, receiving critical acclaim. So far, the album has spawned（产生）the international number one singles “Just Dance”, nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 51st Grammy Awards（格莱美音乐奖）, and “Poker Face”. After writing songs for New Kids On The Block and the Pussycat Dolls, Gaga began her first tour, headlined “The Fame Ball”.
Gaga has been influenced by fashion and has been appreciated for her provocative（刺激的） sense of style and her influence on other celebrities（名流）. Musically, she is inspired by David Bowie and Queen, as well as pop singers such as Michael Jackson and Madonna.
In which order did the following things happen to Lady Gaga?
Gaga released her first album “The Fame”.
Gaga began playing in clubs in New York city.
Gaga began her first headlined tour.
Akon signed Gaga to join his own company.
56.Her single “Just Dance” was nominated at the 51st Grammy Awards.
A. b a d c e B. b d a e c C. d b e c a D. d c e a b
57. The underlined word “acclaim” means _______.
A. gift B. praise C. complaint D. income
58. According to the passage, who influenced Gaga musically EXCEPT ________.
A. Michael B. Madonna C. David Bowie D. Avril Lavigne
59. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Lady Gaga began playing in clubs in New York city area after she worked at Interscope Records as a songwriter.
B. Gaga’s first album spawned only one international NO.1 single --“Just Dance”.
C. Akon signed Gaga to work for his own company after hearing her singing.
D. “The Fame Ball”is the second single of Lady Gaga.
President Barack Obama had a big pat on the back for his young daughters on Tuesday, saying they have got used to life in the White House.
After more than a year at the US presidential mansion, Malia Obama, 11, and Sasha Obama, 8, have made their dad proud with their ability to balance their private life with life in the public eye, he told NBC television.
"The happiest thing about the past year and a half has been the girls' adjustment (适应). They have just been great. They're doing well in school," Obama said.
"They're not as constrained. They can wander around. Their Secret Service protection is a lot more low key (低调)," he explained. "So they've got soccer, they've got basketball, they go sleep over at their friend's houses.
"Sometimes I've got 12 little girls screaming on the third floor of the White House. And they made a great adjustment."
The president also admitted he was concerned about how his daughters would deal with his public life as they get a bit older.
"Now I get a little worried about them when they're teenagers because I think that's the time when you're already feeling uncomfortable about your parents, and then imagine if your dad's in the newspaper every day and people are calling him a fool. I feel a little worried about that."
"But on the other hand, Malia and Sasha have just turned out to be unbelievably well adjusted kids," Obama said.
"The thing that's most important to me is that they are so respectful of everybody and haven't gotten on any airs (摆架子). It’s all because of Michelle as she wouldn't put up with (容忍) any of that stuff."
61. Why is President Obama so happy according to the passage?
A. His daughters have been great in the public eye.
B. His daughters can balance their life with their study.
C. His daughters have got used to life in the White House.
D. His daughters have been in the White House for over a year.
62. The underlined word “constrained” in Paragraph 4 most probably means__________.
A. devoted B. forced C. puzzled D. concerned
63. President Obama is a little worried about ___________.
A. what his daughters’ life will be like in the future
B. how his daughters will get on with him when they’re a little older
C. how his daughters will make friends with people around in the future
D. how his daughters will deal with his public life when they’re teenagers
64. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. Michelle is proud of being Obama’s wife.
B. Michelle allows her daughters to get on airs.
C. President Obama appreciates what Michelle has done.
D. Obama’s daughters are respected by everyone in the USA.
It’s Friday morning in the year 2030, and you’re running late. You got carried away watching the music video that was playing in the corner of your bathroom mirror while you were brushing your teeth. How will you get to your office at Mega Giga Industries on time?
A quick check of your Internet–connected refrigerator tells you your train is a bit behind schedule, too. So you decide to drive your environmentally–friendly fuel cell car instead—or rather, let your car drive you. It’s programmed to know the way and it will get you there without speeding, getting lost, or crashing.
Settling into your office chair, which changes color to match what you’re wearing, you pick up yesterday morning’s newspaper. Printed on reusable electronic paper, it immediately rewrites itself with today’s headlines. Now it’s time for your big meeting. Uh-oh! You’ve left your handwritten notes at home. No problem. The digital ink pen you used has stored an electronic copy of what you wrote.
Your wristwatch videophone (可视电话) suddenly rings. Your best friend’s face pops up on the screen (屏幕) asking what you’re doing this weekend. Will you play virtual soccer with the U.S. Olympic team? No, no. Your friend says, so you have to take the new elevator (made of microscopic fibers many times stronger than steel) 60000 miles into space.
Could this scene really take place in just twenty years? The researchers who are now developing all this stuff think so. These gadgets (小器械) may be as common in 20 years as cell phones and DVD players are today.
57. What is the BEST TITLE for the passage?
A. Life in the Future B. Future Transportation
C. Life Today and Tomorrow D. Development of the Internet
58. Your future car has all of the following features (特点) EXCEPT．
A. being programmed to know the way B. using environmentally-friendly fuel
C. driving you to different places safely D. having an Internet-connected refrigerator
59. How many high-tech products are mentioned in Paragraph 3?
A. Two. B. Three. C. Four. D. Five.
60. We can learn from the passage that in twenty years．
A. going to space may be common
B. DVD players will be much more popular
C. playing virtual soccer with Olympic teams won’t be attractive
D. wristwatch videophones will completely take the place of cell phones
The professor stood before his class of 30 senior biology students, about to pass out the final exam. “I have been honored to be your instructor this term, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next fall,” he said to them.
“I can well understand how much pressure you are under to keep your grades up, and because I know you are able to understand this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic(自动的) “B” to anyone who would prefer not to take the final.”
In relief a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and left the class. The professor looked at the students who remained, and offered again, “Any other takers? This is your last chance.” One more student decided to go.
There were seven students left. The professor closed the door. Then he handed out the final exam. There were only two sentences typed on the paper: “Congratulations, you have just received an “A” in this class. Keep believing in yourself.”
I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading (评分) a lot of exams, but it’s a test that any teacher in any subject could and should give. Students who don’t have confidence in what they’ve learned are “B” students at best.
The same is true for students of real life. The “A” students are those who believe in what they’re doing because they’ve learned from both successes and failures. They have learned life’s lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people.
Take your cue(榜样) from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the top of Mount Qomolangma: “It’s not the mountain we conquer (征服), but ourselves.” Don’t let the biggest limit be yourself.
53. The professor offered an automatic “B” to those who would prefer not to take the final exam because _________.
A. he liked the students who wanted to get a “B”
B. he believed they were able to pass the exam
C. he thought any teacher should give them a “B”
D. he thought it was the easy way of grading exams
54. According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. 22 students got a “B” in the final test without doing the paper.
B. Most of the students would go to medical school shortly after the exam.
C. There were actually no problems on the test papers for the students to work out.
D. The way the professor tested his students would not be suitable for other subjects.
55. According to the writer, the test given by the professor was ________.
A. funny B. meaningful C. difficult D. harmful
56. The point of the story is to advise readers _________.
A. to pay attention to what they can do
B. not to miss any final exam at school
C. not to let themselves limit their growth
D. to surround themselves with confident people
四、阅读理解(共20小题; 每小题1.5分，满分30分)
第一节：阅读下面短文，从每题给出的A、B、C、D四个答案中，选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。
Timetable
49. If one wants to attend a business lunch in London at l2:00, the latest train that he should take at Oxford leaves at_____________.
A. 11：45 B. 11：15 C. 10：35 D. 10：05
50. Which of the following is TRUE of the membership card?
A. Its number is l0865 305305.
B. It belongs to Mr. E. M. Driscoll.
C. It is valid (有效的) through the year of 2010.
D. It gets the owner a discount when used.
51. If one would like to have something fried, he may choose ________.
A. Chicken-Fried Steak & The Super Bird®
B. French Slam & The Classic Hamburger
C. Chicken-Fried Steak & Chinese Chicken Salad
D. The Super Bird® & Sandwich with Salad or Soup
52. The chart shows that from 2005 to 2008，______________.
A. the percentage of the Spanish families with a computer rose 35 points
B. the number of the Black families with a computer was on the decrease
C. the percentage of the White families with a computer remained unchanged
D. the number of the Asian families with a computer showed the sharpest increase