Early one morning,more than a hundred years ago,an American inventor called Elias Howe finally fell asleep.He had been working all night on the design of a sewing machine but he had run into a very difficult problem: It seemed impossible to get the thread to run smoothly around the needle.
Though he was tired,Howe slept badly.He turned and turned.Then he had a dream.He dreamt that he had been caught by terrible savages whose king wanted to kill him and eat him unless he could build a perfect sewing machine.When he tried to do so,Howe ran into the same problem as before.The thread kept getting caught around the needle.The king flew into the cage and ordered his soldiers to kill Howe.They came up towards him with their spears raised.But suddenly the inventor noticed something.There was a hole in the tip of each spear.The inventor awoke from the dream,realizing that he had just found the answer to the problem.Instead of trying to get the thread to run around the needle,he should make it run through a small hole in the center of the needle.This was the simple idea that finally made Howe design and build the first really practical sewing machine.
Elias Howe was not the only one in finding the answer to his problem in this way.Thomas Edison,the inventor of the electric light,said his best ideas came into him in dreams.So did the great physicist Albert Einstein.Charlotte Bronte also drew in her dreams in writing Jane Eyre.
To know the value of dreams,you have to understand what happens when you are asleep.Even then,a part of your mind is still working.This unconscious(无意识的),but still active part understands your experiences and goes to work on the problems you have had during the day.It stores all sorts of information that you may have forgotten or never have really noticed.It is only when you fall asleep that this part of the brain can send messages to the part you use when you are awake.However,the unconscious part acts in a special way.It uses strange images which the conscious part may not understand at first.This is why dreams are sometimes called “secret messages to ourselves ”.According to the passage,Elias Howe was_________.
| A．the first person we know of who solved problems in his sleep |
| B．much more hard-working than other inventors |
| C．the first person to design a sewing machine that really worked |
| D．the only person at the time who knew the value of dreams |
The problem Howe was trying to solve was_________.
| A．what kind of thread to use |
| B．how to design a needle which would not break |
| C．where to put the needle |
| D．how to prevent the thread from getting caught around the needle |
Thomas Edison is spoken of because_________.
| A．he also tried to invent a sewing machine |
| B．he got some of his ideas from dreams |
| C．he was one of Howe's best friends |
| D．he also had difficulty in falling asleep |
Dreams are sometimes called “secret messages to ourselves” because _________.
| A．strange images are used to communicate ideas |
| B．images which have no meaning are used |
| C．we can never understand the real meaning |
| D．only specially trained people can understand them |
The key to learning English well is to overcome your shyness and fear , said taxi driver Zhang, who is attending the English training program run by the West Lake Taxi Company. “Out teacher Mrs.Yang encourages us many times to open our mouths and speak English out loudly in her class ,” said Zhang.
Chen Zhong, another fluent(流利的) English speaker, shared his opinion. “I didn’t think English was important to us at the beginning since many foreign passengers could speak some Chinese to me. But when I did speak some English, the foreigners were always pleased and said I was the first taxi driver they had met who could speak English.
Chen said he found studying English extremely interesting. The 160 minutes’ study per week was simply not enough for him. He bought books , tapes and VCDs to learn English on his own.. “Though it cost me a lot of time and energy , I did find it is useful in the long term” he said.
The reward of learning English is more than Chen has expected. Now he has made several foreign friends who book his taxi when they need. Some foreign passengers even give him tips (小费when he communicates with them in English.
To facilitate their studies, the company developed a bilingual(双语的) tape which includes the most frequently used sentences for taxi drivers and the names of major streets and buildings in Shenzhen.
“It has helped me out, ” said Chen. “Once I failed to express ‘Chinese Folk Culture Villages’ in English when I was asked to go there by a foreigner, I played the tape and got its meaning.”
59. What difficulty did Mr.Zhang have learning English at first?
A. He had no time to study English
B. His company didn’t allow them to study English
C. He had no courage to speak out.
D. He had no chance to speak English.
60. Which of the following is NOT the benefit Chen gets from learning English?
A. He gets some good advice on learning English from foreigners.
B. He earns more money from some regular foreign customers.
C. He has to spend both money and effort learning English.
D. He gets great fun and encouragement in learning English.
61. We can infer from the passage that _____.
A. the company is the first to encourage its drivers to learn English
B. all the drivers have made money after learning English
C. the company has developed and English tape for its drivers
D. the tape is welcomed by the drivers learning English
62. What is the probable meaning of the underlined word “facilitate” in the fifth paragraph?
A. To make easyB. To increase C. To encourage D. To check
IV 阅读理解（共 20小题；每小题 2分，满分 40分）
阅读下列短文，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和 D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
We all know, especially for me who like travelling very much, travelling can be a way to gain life experiences, especially during Spring Break----a week long school vacation in the United States. But what if you’re a student and don’t have enough money for a trip? Don’t worry. Here are some useful suggestions.
Save: this probably is the most important preparation for travelling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you’ll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.
Plant ahead: Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security(安全) and saving.
Do your homework : No matter where you go, research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.
Plan sensibly, Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.
Travel in groups: Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences.
Work as you go: Need more money to support your trip? Look for work in the places you visit.
Go off the beaten path: Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesser-known area. Smaller towns can have many interesting act ivies and sights.
Pack necessary things: The most important things to take are not always clothes: Remember to take medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.
Use the Internet: The N
et can help to save money. Some useful websites include www.Travelocity.com. www.bargains-lowestfare.cm and www.Ecoomictravel.co
By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.
56.This passage is about______.
A. how to plan your travel B. how to travel with enough money
C. how to make your travel interestingD. how to get life experience
57. Before your trip , the first thing you should do is ____.
A. to make a plan for the route B. to get information in the Internet
C. to save money by spending less D. to buy tickets in advance
58.During your trip,_______.
A. you need more shoes than clothes B. you shouldn’t look for work all the way
C. you can gain valuable life experience D. you should forget to d
o your homework
Prague is not strange to the tourism world. It is a great tourist attraction with many historic tourist spots such as the Prague Castle, which was built in the early 9th century. In addition to the Prague Castle, some of the other historic spots are the Old Town churches, the Jewish Quarter and the Estates Theater. Surveys indicate that Prague is ranked the sixth main attraction in the whole of Europe. Though there are large numbers of places of tourist interest, there are a few spots which are the most appealing. The Old Town is one such spot of great tourist interest. The Astronomical Clock, which is popularly known as the “Prague Orloj”, is installed(安装) on the Old town city hall’s south wall, which is a historic construction. So if you are heading to Prague for a vacation, you should never miss seeing this astronomical clock.
The excitement in Prague doesn’t stop here. Next is the Lennon Wall. The Lennon Wall became a tourist spot as people of the 1980s started to fill it with John Lennon-inspired graffiti(涂鸦). You can also find the graffiti of pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs on this wall. There are many fun activities that you can do in Prague. There are many local theaters and entertainment facilities which are very inexpensive.
If you are well aware of the different places of tourist interest, you can really enjoy a great weekend in Prague. Thankfully there are several online tourist guides out there which can help you to make your weekend in Prague much more joyous than ever before. There are many sources out there online where you can find all the information about the best tourist spots in Prague. Once you have all the information about the best tourist attractions in Prague, you can plan your weekend trip effectively.
67.Prague is a city _______
A.where there are many historic attractions
B.which is a new tourist city to the world
C.where there are many famous singers
D.which is the sixth largest city in Europe
68.According to the passage, Prague Orloj refers to _______.
A. the Estates TheaterB. the Old Town city hall
C. the Astronomical Clock D. the Prague Castle
69. The Lennon Wall is most famous for______.
A. Beatles songs B. the graffiti
C. famous Lyrics D. cheap entertainment facilities
70. To have a pleasant weekend in Prague, you’re advised in advance to ask for help from______.
A. the historians B. the local people
C. the travel agency D. the Internet
Little Brother
By Cory Doctorow, 382 pages, $19.95
In the very near future, Marcus Yallow is walking with his friends in San Francisco when a 9/11-sized terrorist attack occurs blocks away. Everyone around is secretly taken away by the Department of Homeland Security to see whether they're terrorists. However, during the investigation, one of his friends dies mysteriously. The friends try to find out the truth. If you read only one science-fiction novel this year, make it this one.
The Flying Troutmans
By Miriam Toews, 274 pages, $32
The heart of the book is a road journey in Canada made by Hattie, Thebes and Logan to find Cherkis, the kids' dad. It's rich in dialogue, sometimes funny, sometimes surprisingly sad, always character-true. Toews is an extraordinarily gifted writer, with tough-minded compassion（同情） for her characters.
Reading By Lightning
By Joan Thomas, 388 pages, $22.95
We're in 1930s Canada, where Lily's father arrived three decades earlier to be promised fertile agricultural land. But they had been cheated and thrown in the middle of Manitoba. Now William Piper and his wife farm their land and place little hope in this life.
What They Wanted
By Donna Morrissey, 325 pages,$32
A father has a heart attack; a brother and a sister leave Newfoundland and go to Alberta, Canada to work; a tragedy brings reconciliation（和解）, but also terrible loss. Primarily a novel of character, it’s also a novel of Canada, of two very specific and vividly drawn places. Donna Morrissey's characters are troubled, sensitive, quick to be moved to anger or pain, and just as quick to laughter and affection.
63.If Jim only has 20 dollars, which book could he buy?
A. The Flying Troutmans B. What They Wanted
C. Little Brother D. Reading By Lightning
64.According to the text, we know that The Flying Troutmans is_____.
A. Full of dialogueB. A sad storyC. About tourismD. A real story
65.In Reading By Lightning, why did William Piper arrive in Canada?
A. To carry out his promise.B. To work in a big city.
C. To get work experience. D. To seek his fortune.
66.If you want to know about two different places of Canada, whose novel is the best choice?
A. Cory Doctorow's B. Miriam Toews's
C. Joan Thomas's D. Donna Morrissey's
When I recall my experiences of feeling heard and deeply understood by someone, I know how much the experiences helped me to cope with whatever I was dealing with at the time. Caring people who I have turned to in difficult times helped me the most by listening and asking about my feelings.
During one of my volunteer jobs at a local HIV and cancer clinic, I found the helpfulness of empathic（感情移入的） listening. As a volunteer I was providing emotional support for people with health related problems. Empathic listening really made a difference on how patients felt about their health problems. By sharing about their pain and suffering and may willingness to listen, they felt less alone.
We can make life easier for each other by becoming a better listener and encouraging each other to share our feelings. We can become a better listener by avoiding giving advice and trying to solve problems unless we are asked to do so. Pressuring others to solve their life problems--"our ways"--is not helpful. Most people intuitively(凭直觉地） know how to solve their own problems. As a listener it's important to be patient and not to interrupt the speaker. Let them know it's OK to talk about their feelings and support them in feeling their feelings.
When one neither shares nor reaches out for support, he or she can remain a lonely mystery. Life can feel lonely when one keeps everything inside. Feeling alone with life problems can be worse than the problem itself. When we let a caring person listen to our life struggle, we will no longer feel alone with our struggle. Don't be afraid to ask your loved ones to take time to hear you out. Sometimes you have to ask for it. People cannot read your mind. Confiding in others can have a positive effect on our mood.
59.What made the author comfortable in difficult times?
A. Persuading B. Sharing C. Apologizing D. Complaining
60.According to the second paragraph, we can know that ____.
A. The patients enjoyed listening to the author
B. The author found empathic listening was helpless
C. The patients didn't get on well with the author
D. The author did a good job at a cancer clinic
61.What does the underlined part "Confiding in others" in the last paragraph mean?
A. Telling others your secrets. B. Reading others' mind
C. Listening to others. D. Leaving others alone.
62.What's the main idea of this passage?
A. Listening and sharing can make you happier.
B. People 
know how to solve their own problems.
C. It is wrong to give advice to solve problems.
D. You should learn to believe in other people.