For many of us, cartoon strips are simply one of our pastimes. The popular Japanese manga(漫画) provides us with an escape from reality into a world of fantasy, adventure and romance.With much less text and pictures running for pages, it fits perfectly into today’s fast, throwing away city lifestyle.
But Tsai Chih-chung,a famous Taiwanese illustrator (漫画家), doesn’t agree.He believes cartoons can be a bridge connecting traditional Chinese culture and wisdom with the modern world in a much wittier and more acceptable way.
He has interpreted Lao Zi, Confucius, Mencius，Zhuang Zi and Sun Zi and made their works accessible to a global audience. He has also produced two books about Zen (禅宗), introducing oriental philosophy. His cartoons are humorous yet full of wisdom and are admired as an easy way to learn Chinese classics.
After avoiding the public for ten years, Tsai made a comeback in late April with seven new works. But does his age, 61, work as a gap between him and his young readers? Tsai doesn’t think so. The topics he has covered range from philosophy in a time of individuality to the learning and memorizing techniques used at school. “Every child is a genius and has the potential beyond his own imagination, ” he said.
If popular Japanese manga is purely for entertainment, Tsai’s work, to a large extent, is to light the power of thinking in a light-hearted way. Tsai uses differenr forms of water to refer to people. In his eyes some people are like an ocean, some are like vapor, while others may be ice or
rain. But in essence(本质上)they share a similarity-human being’s forever chasing for the true and the good. “The person who thinks over life issues is not necessarily a scholar or a philosopher,” he said. “I’ve dedicated my whole life to thinking and individual freedom, not making a living.”What is the main idea of the first paragraph in the passage?
| A．Japanese manga is a simple way of killing time. |
| B．What Japanese manga is mainly about. |
| C．Japanese manga presents a world of fantasy, adventure and romance. |
| D．Why Japanese manga is so popular. |
The underlined word “it” in paragraph l refers to .
| A．much less text | B．Japanese manga |
| C．pictures running for pages | D．an escape from reality |
In Tsai Chih-chung’s opinion, cartoon .
| A．connects traditional Chinese culture and wisdom |
| B．helps connect Chinese classics with modern world |
| C．uses a wiser and acceptable way to draw cartoons |
| D．builds up a bridge between cartoons and illustration |
Compared to Japanese manga, Tsai’s works are .
| A．mainly designed for a pure time killer for all |
| B．more popular with young readers in China now |
| C．to inspire people to think in a cheerful way |
| D．much more interesting and instructive |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about Tsai Chih-chung?
| A．He values more thinking and personal freedom than making a living. |
| B．He says that one who thinks over life is either a scholar or a philosopher. |
| C．He thinks some people are like ocean, some like vapor, while others like ice cream. |
| D．Tsai devoted his life to creating cartoons in order to make money. |
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt’s house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving and never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism（乐观）, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to “the hard times.”
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers（移民局官员）, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: Almost all common troubles go away at last! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A．From radio programs | B．From books and pictures |
| C．From her mother | D．From her relatives |
For the first two years in New York, the author __________.
| A．often lost her way |
| B．did not think about her future |
| C．studied in three different schools |
| D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A．She worked as a translator. |
| B．She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C．She paid telephone bills for her family. |
| D．She helped her family with her English. |
The author believes that __________.
| A．her future will be free from troubles |
| B．it is difficult to learn to become patient |
| C．there are more good things than bad things |
| D．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.
“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.
“Eco-passages” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These eco-passages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the eco-passages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an eco-passage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of eco-passages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders（火蜥蜴）and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that __________.
| A．wild animals have become more dangerous |
| B．the driving condition has improved greatly |
| C．an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents |
| D．the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work |
From the story, we know an eco-passage is __________.
| A．an underground path for cars |
| B．a fence built for the safety of the area |
| C．a bridge for animals to get over a river |
| D．a path for animals to cross the road |
When the writer says that “animals seem to be catching on” (Para. 6), he means __________.
| A．animals begin to realize the dangers on the road |
| B．animals are crossing the road in groups |
| C．animals are increasing in number |
| D．animals begin to learn to use eco-passages |
The best title for the passage is __________.
| A．Special bridges help animals cross the road |
| B．Endangered animals increase because of roadkill |
| C．Animals fail to cross the road |
| D．Take steps to protect animals in danger |
I’m sure you know the song “Happy Birthday”. But do you know who wrote the song and for whom it was written?
The retired professor, Archibald A. Hill in Lucasville, USA could tell us the story. Ninety-seven years ago, two of Mr. Archibald Hill’s aunts, Miss Patty Hill and Miss Mildred Hill were asked to write some songs for a book called “Song Storied for the Sunday Morning”. Miss Patty Hill and Miss Mildred Hill were both kindergarten teachers then. They loved children very much and wrote many beautiful songs for the book. One of them was the famous “Good Morning to You.” The song said, “Good morning to you, good morning to you, dear children, good morning to all.” This song was very popular at that time among kindergarten children. But not many grown-ups knew it. A few years later little Archibald was born. As his aunt, Miss Patty Hill sang the song “Happy Birthday” to the melody（曲调）of “Good Morning to you” to her little nephew（侄子）. She sang the song like this: Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Archie! Happy birthday to you!
Miss Patty Hill and her sister had never expected that this song would become so popular, but it really did. People all over the world like the song because of its simplicity in tune（曲调简单）and friendliness in words.Archibald A. Hill was __________.
A. English B. Russian C. American D. AustralianProfessor Archibald A. Hill was Miss Mildred Hill’s __________.
A. son B. student C. brother D. nephewWhy did Miss Hiss wrote songs?
| A．Because they are musicians. |
| B．Because they love children. |
| C．Because they were asked to write for a book. |
| D．Because their nephew asked them to do so. |
Andy rode slowly on his way to school, day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him. He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him.
He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present. He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens. What he saw shocked and terrified him. A huge swarm of bees filled the
sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him.
With no time to waste, Andy sped off in the opposite direction, riding furiously—but without knowing how to escape the swarm. With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously, he sped down the rough road. As the bees came closer, his panic (惊慌) increased. Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇). The last sting had landed him in h
ospital—and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed for two whole days. Suddenly, his father’s words came to him. “When you are in a tight situation, don’t panic. Use your brain and think your way out of it. ”
On a nearby hill, he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home. “Bees don’t like smoke,” he thought. “They couldn’t get into the house.” Andy raced towards the Nelson house, but the bees were gaining ground. Andy knew he could not reach the house in time. He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his vegetable garden. Off his bik
e and into the cool water he lived, disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects. After holding his breath for as long as he could, Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone. Dragging himself out of the dam, he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother.
“You’ll really need that fishing break to help you recover,” laughed his mother with relief. “Thank goodness you didn’t panic!” But Andy did not hear her. He was dreaming once again of the fish he would catch tomorrow.
Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier?
| A．He was riding to school. |
| B．He was listening to a strange sound. |
| C．He was going fishing with his father. |
| D．He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the swarm of bees in the passage?
| A．They crowded like a black cloud. |
| B．They shocked and terrified Andy. |
| C．They tried to attack Andy in a mass. |
| D．They made Andy stay in hospital for two days. |
How did Andy avoid the bees in the end?
| A．He asked Mr. Nelson for help. |
| B．He did himself under the water. |
| C．He rushed into the Nelson house. |
| D．He rode off in the opposite direction. |
Which of the following can best describe Andy’s escape from the bees?
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．Once bitten, twice shy. |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| D．In time of danger, one’s mind works fast. |
Following the nuclear at the Fukushima (福岛) nuclear power station in Japan, Germany has decided to abandon the use of nuclear energy sooner than it had planned.
Germany was planning to cut its use of nuclear power slowly over 25 years. But now, the government has speeded up its program. Germany’s government has said that seven of its 17 nuclear reactors (反应堆) will stop working for three months for safety checks.
Nuclear power has been very unpopular in Germ
any since the Chernobyl (切尔诺贝利) nuclear reactor disaster in Ukraine (乌克兰) in 1986. Since then, the country has been working on developing new resources of energy.
The plan to give up nuclear power will cost the country at least 150 billion euros (1.4 trillion yuan)) in investment. Experts say this will likely lead to a rise in electricity prices.
Some experts think Germany is setting a good example for countries such as the US to follow. Germany now gets 23 percent of its energy from nuclear power –about as much as the US.
However, France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, shows no sign of changing its policy.
We can most probably read the article _______.
| A．in a newspaper | B．in a pamphlet(小册子) |
| C．in an advertisement | D．in a textbook |
The most appropriate heading for this article is _______.
| A．Germany to develop its new resources of energy |
| B．Nuclear power no longer popular in Germany |
| C．Germany to have safety checks for some nuclear reactors |
| D．Germany to end its nuclear energy program |
According to the article, all of the following statements are true EXCEPT______.
| A．In both the US and Germany, approximately a quarter of their energy are from nuclear power now. |
| B．The explosion of some Fukushima nuclear reactors has quickened Germany’s pace to abandon nuclear energy. |
| C．France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, will follow Germany and cut its use of it at any cost. |
| D．The Chernobyl nuclear disaster seemingly cast a huge shadow over the Germans, making them increasingly suspicious of the safety of nuclear energy. |