.
In China he’s known as “the Flying Fish”; in America they call him ‘the Baltimore Bullet’.
Whatever you call him, American swimmer Michael Phelps looks destined (命中注定) to become a household name across the world after breaking the Olympic record for most gold medals in a single Games.
Phelps’s total of eight gold medals in Beijing put him one ahead of Mark Spitz’s previous record set in 1972.
Now people are already calling him the greatest Olympian of all time. But whether he is or not, what is it that makes Michael Phelps so good?
A good place to start might be his physique. Phelps has the perfect body shape for a swimmer: his arm span is longer than his height, he has very flexible joints, huge lungs, and his incredibly large feet (size 14 in the US, size 49 in China) act like flippers in the water.
To feed his huge swimmer’s body, Phelps eats an astonishing 12,000 calories a day, six times the average for a man of his age.
He then owes it to a swimsuit which has been making waves in the world of swimming. Designed by NASA, the American space agency, the suit is made of a special material which is said to help athletes swim 2% faster.
Michael Phelps should spare a thought for his mum, who first pushed him into swimming as a way of making friends, and who believed in him when one teacher said he would never be a success.
Whatever the reason for his success, Phelps admits there was perhaps also a bit of luck involved in winning his eight medals.
“I guess eight is a lucky number for me, too, now. The opening ceremony started on 8/8/08. Maybe it was meant to be.” he said.
45. How many gold medals did Mark Spitz's won?
A. 6 B. 7 C. 8 D. 9
46. What makes Michael Phelps so popular?
A. He has broken the Olympic record for most gold medals in a single Games.
B. He is equipped with the best swimsuit which is said to help athletes swim 2% faster.
C. He is a very lucky person and he has the perfect body shape for a swimmer.
D. He has a very good appetiteand he eats an astonishing 12,000 calories a day.
47. According to the passage, how many calories does a man need a day on average?
A. 4,000 B. 3,000 C. 2,000 D. 6,000
48. Which of the following is the reason for his success, in Phelps’ opinion?
a. his physique b. the swimsuit designed by NASA
c. his mother’s encouragement d. good luck e. his confidence
A. a, c, d, e B. a, b, c, e C. a, b, d, e D. a, b, c, d
On May 8, last Thursday morning, the Olympic flame was lit on the top of Mount Qomolangma! It was a historic moment for China exactly three months ahead of the Beijing Games.
Tibetan female climber Cering Wangmo reached the summit with a special extreme-altitude Olympic torch. This event is what China has promised to the world as the high point of the torch relay, the longest and most challenging of all time.
Five torchbearers(火炬手) finished the highest relay ever—three of the climbers are Tibetan athletes.
Team members said “Beijing welcomes you!” in Chinese, English and Tibetan, as they stood at the summit celebrating, with the event broadcast on national television.
“I finally fulfilled the last dream of my husband,” said Gyigyi with tears in her eyes. She was the first torchbearer. Her husband lost his life in an attempt to climb all 14 mountains in China more than 8,000 meters three years ago.
“We are on top of the world! One world, one dream,” shouted Nima Cering, at the top of his voice. He said that although he had climbed the peak（峰顶）several times, this was the most significant ascent(登高). “As a Tibetan and a Chinese I pray for the success of Beijing 2008,” he added.
The special torch is different from the one currently touring the Chinese mainland, after an around-the-world relay. Officials organizing the trek（跋涉） up the peak had earlier set an April 26 target to begin the ascent, but high winds and heavy snow had delayed the mission.
The Xinhua News Agency said that the Qomolangma leg of the torch relay represents the Olympic motto, “higher, faster and stronger,” in practice and w
ill promote unity among all 56 ethnic groups in China.
59. It was a historic moment because ______.
A. some Tibetan torchbearers took part in it
B. it was lit three months before the Olympic Games were held
C. it was lit on the top of Mount Qomolangma for the first time
D. it was the longest attempt in history
60. Which is RIGHT according to the whole passage?
A. All the five torchbearers are men
B. Only the five torchbearers reached the summit.
C. Team members said “Beijing welcomes you!” in their native language.
D. At least
two of the five torchbearers are females.
61. What does the word “leg” underlined in the last paragraph refer to?
A. one part of a journey or race
B. one of the long parts that connect the feet to the rest of the body
C. the leg of an animal, especially the top part, cooked and eaten
D. the part of a pair of trousers that covers the leg
62. What would be the best title for the text?
A. One world, one dream
B. Relay reaches its highest point
C. Qomolangma, the highest summit in the world
D. The special torch and the brave torchbearers
63. Where can you read about this passage?
A. In the English textbook. B. In the newspaper.
C. In the science report. D. On the street wall.
四、阅读理解（总计20小题，每小题2分）
第一节、根据短文内容，选出最佳选项（总计15小题，每小题2分）
Can trees talk? Yes—but not in words. Scientists have reasons to believe that trees do communicate with each other. Not long ago, researchers learned some surprising things. First a willow tree(柳树) attacked in the woods by caterpillars(毛毛虫) changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so terrible that the caterpillars got tired of the leaves and stopped eating them. The even more astonishing, the tree sent out a special vapour — a signal causing its neighbours to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty. 
Communication, of course, doesn’t need to be always in words. We can talk to each other by smiling, raising our shoulders and moving our hands. We know that birds and animals use a whole vocabulary of songs, sounds, and movements. Bees dance their signals, flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar(花蜜) for honey. So why shouldn’t trees have ways of sending messages?
56. From the passage we know that caterpillars _______.
A. like willow trees B. enjoy eating fallen leaves
C. can talk to other caterpillars D. can send out a special vapour
57. Caterpillars will stop eating willow tree leaves which _______.
A. have a chemical change and become tasteless B. have a pleasant taste
C. are being attacked D. are communicating
58. According to the passage, bees
communicate with each other by _______.
A. talkingB. making unusual sounds
C. singing songsD. flying certain patterns
The most exciting kind of education is also the most pe
rsonal. Nothing can exceed (超越) the joy of discovering for yourself something that is important to you! It may be an idea or a bit of information you come across accidentally—or a sudden insight, fitting together pieces of information or working through a problem. Such personal encounters are the “payoff” in education. A teacher may direct you to learning and even encourage you in it—but no teacher can make the excitement or the joy happen. That's up to you.
|
A research paper, assigned in a course and perhaps checked at various stages by an instructor, leads you beyond classrooms, beyond the texts for classes and into a process where the joy of discovery and learning can come to you many times. Preparing the research paper is an active 
and individual process, and ideal learning process. It provides a structure within which you can make exciting discoveries, of knowledge and of self, that are basic to education. But the research paper also gives you a chance to individualize a school assignment, to suit a piece of work to your own interests and abilities, to show others what you can do. Writing a research paper is more than just a classroom exercise. It is an experience in searching out, understanding and synthesizing（综合）, which forms the basis of many skills applicable（可利用的） to both academic and nonacademic tasks. It is, in the fullest sense, a discovering of an education. So, to produce a good research paper is both a useful and a thoroughly satisfying experience!
ought of having to write an assigned number of pages, often more than ever produced before, is upsetting. To others, the very idea of having to work independently is threatening. But there is no need to approach paper assignment with anxiety, and nobody should view the research paper as an obstacle to overcome. Instead, consider it a goal to accomplish, a goal within reach if you use the help this book can give you.
Scientists are closely concerned with the structure of buildings and with the quality of building materials. The World health Organization (WHO) observes that the introduction of air conditioning and energy conservation (保护) measures have been accompanied by growing problems of indoor air quality. Some pollutants arise from insulation (隔音) products, some from moving cars, and others from modern housing materials. As many Europeans spend up to 90% of their lives in buildings, the health effects of the indoor climate are very important.
Some construction materials, including fiberboard, insulation foams and certain glues for man-made wood floor boards, for example, give out organic products such as formaldehyde (甲醛). Heat and humidity increase the release of formaldehyde and the gas seriously harms the eyes. Paint, lacquer, etc. can also release dangerous gas into indoor air.
Construction materials can cause serious damage, especially when they contain asbestos（石棉）. Asbestos is naturally present in rock formations worldwide. It belongs to a family of mineral substances made up of solid, non-combustible（非易燃品） fiber. These properties make asbestos a highly sought-after construction material. As early as 1931, however, public health officers in the United Kingdom revealed the connection between breathing in asbestos dust and such diseases as lung cancer.
The land on which a building is sited may also contribute to pollution. Some kinds of granite or similar rocks contain traces of radium. As it breaks down, this naturally radioactive element produces some kind of radioactive gas that goes through tiny cracks in walls, floors and building materials, and makes its way into the building and the rooms. The better the homes are insulated, the more is the dangerous gas in indoor air. The main effect of this dangerous gas on health is to increase the risk of lung cancer.
53．What is the main idea of the passage?
A．Some building materials pollute indoor air.
B．Some factors cause indoor air pollution.
C．Asbestos can cause lung cancer.
D．The land on which houses are built contributes to indoor pollution.
54．Why are Europeans particularly concerned with building materials?
A．Lots of building materials there are radioactive.
B．They stay home up to 90% of their lives.
C．They have a high rate of lung cancer.
D．They spend most of their time indoors.
55．Why is asbestos a sought-after building material?
A．It is a kind of insulation foam.
B．Asbestos will not give out dangerous gas.
C．This material is not easy to catch fire.
D．It is rarely present in rock formations.
56．Why should we be careful about the land on which a building is to be sited?
A．To determine whether the land is firm enough for a building to be sited on.
B．To make sure that the land contains no radioactive material.
C．To make certain that the land releases no formaldehyde or other gases.
D．To check whether it contains any combustible materials.
Editor’s notes: AWL is well known for its dictionaries and English language teaching materials. Some readers have written in to ask us for the latest information on high quality books on English, so here we introduce two texts that aim to improve spoken English fluency.
Let’s speak (Beginner)
By Bev Dusuya, Naoko Ozeki and Kevin Bergman
ISBN: 962001359X
Speak Up(Pre-Intermediate)
By Bev Kusuya, Nako Zeki
ISBN: 0583338050
“Teach the students about your culture and help them talk about their own.” How often are these worthy goals kept from being achieved by the limitations of your beginner level learners? Students at all levels want to talk about culture.
Topics include food, shopping, sports, fashion, the roles of men and women, health, music, and many more.
These are all chosen from surveys of over 15,000 students about their own interests in cross-cultural communication.
“Let’s Speak” and “Speak Up” share a special but excellent way that allows all students to take part in.
The series has questions which start thinking and then help collect opinions about personal topics. Conversation practice is provided by ready to use (现成的)models of basic exchanges on the topic. Also, the cultural information presented in the series comes in the form of interesting, relevant（相关的）facts and ideas from other countries through listening tasks and Culture Quiz exercises.
Team activities in books provide lively problem solving games to enable sharing and comparison of cultural values.
“Let’s Speak” is fit for entry level students of all ages. “Speak Up” provides for the needs 
of higher level beginners, offering the same careful listening and speaking help, but with slightly more open ended discussion.
For any information about AWL’s books, please get in touch with the following addresses:
Beijing Addison Wesley Longman Information Center
Room 2306, FLTRP Beijing
19 Xi San Huan Beilu, Beijing 100081
Tel: (010)68917488 (010) 68917788
Fax: (010) 68917499
E-mail: zrh@public.bat.net.cn
49．In the sentence “Teach the students about your culture and help them talk about their own”, “your culture” here means the culture of ____________.
A．the English native speakers B．the English learners
C．the readers of the two books D．the readers of the newspaper
50．Which of the following are mentioned about the two books in the passage above?
a．publisher b．titles c．content d．writers
e．prices f．pages g．book number
A．a,b,d,f B．a,c,d,g C．b,c,d,e D．b,c,e,f
51．The two books have in common everything EXCEPT____________.
A．the same interesting topics
B．the same level of learners
C．proper ways to excite the learners to talk
D．right kinds of activities for cultural communication
52．The passage above is probably taken from the____________section in a newspaper.
A．EDUCATION B．NEWS
C．ENTERTAINMENT D．BOOKSHELF