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Next Hot Language to Study: Chinese
The fourth-graders at Chicago’s McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese. For most, who speak Spanish at home, it’s becoming their third language. They’ve been learning and using Chinese words since kindergarten, and it’s now second nature to give a hearty “ni hao” when strangers enter the classroom.
The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual, but it may soon be a common fixture(固定物) in American schools, where Chinese is rapidly becoming the hot new language. Government officials have long wanted more focus on security—useful languages like Chinese, and pressure from them—as well as from business leaders, politicians, and parents—has driven a quick growth in the number of programs.
Chicago itself is home to the largest effort to include Chinese in US public schools. The program here has grown to include 3,000 students in 20 schools, with more schools on a waiting list. Programs have also spread to places like Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and North Carolina. It’s true that the number of students learning Chinese is tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French.
Advocates (提倡者，拥护者) see knowledge of the Chinese language and culture as a help in a global economy where China is growing in importance. “This is an interesting way to begin to engage with the world’s next superpower,” says Michael Levine, director of education at the Asia Society, which has started five new public high schools that offer Chinese. “Globalization（全球化) has already changed the arrangements in terms of how children today are going to need to think about their careers… The question is, when not whether, the schools are going to adjust.”
In Chicago, the trend extends beyond schools with high numbers of Asian students. “The fact that my students are 98% low income and 99% Latino(拉丁美洲人) and they are succeeding in this, tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages,” says Virginia Rivera, principal at McCormick.“We want to give our young people opportunities to advance… and Chinese is a great opportunity to survive in today’s economy,” says Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago.
The first paragraph is mainly written to _______.

A．show the importance of Chinese learning

B．introduce the topic to be followed

C．advise primary schools to teach Chinese

D．prove it’s easy for children to learn language

How many languages are mentioned in this passage?

A．Six.	B．Two.
C．Three.	D．Four.

In the last paragraph, the underlined word “this ”probably refers to _____.

A．the competition between Latino and Asian students

B．the global economy

C．the interesting way to engage with China

D．the Chinese learning

What CANNOT be learned from this passage?

A．Most students at McCormick can speak three languages.

B．Chinese is gaining its popularity in all schools in Chicago.

C．French has far more speakers than Chinese does in Chicago.

D．Globalization in a way makes it necessary to learn Chinese.

Which of the following is mainly about in this passage?

A．The Chinese learning in Chicago.

B．The ways to learn Chinese.

C．McCormick Primary School.

D．Globalization and Chinese learning.

Before astronauts can go into space, they have to have the right suit. That’s why NASA（美国国家航天和航空局）scientists are developing a new kind of space suit——lighter and more flexible than before. These new space suits will have lots of mobility(灵活性) for the astronauts, but will not need much maintenance. NASA wants the suits to include new technology that can help astronauts be safe in outer space.
Right now, the American space suit weighs about 275 pounds and is big and massive. But the suit is also easy to work in for long periods of time. The Russian space suit is less complicated, but is used only a few times and then gets thrown away.
“Finding the right balance is always going to be a challenge,” said a long-time astronaut Jeff Williams. Williams has worn both types of suits. Space suits protect astronauts from both extreme heat and freezing temperatures. They carry life-packs with oxygen for the astronauts. They also shield astronauts from radiation, or particles that send out harmful rays.
Scientists are using computers to design the new suits. This allows them to change the design again and again, and to even test the design out before actually making anything. “There’s a lot more capable tools and technology to get the job done——a lot more knowledge, as well,” said Joe Kosmo. Kosmo helped design, develop, and test suits during the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and shuttle periods.
These new space suits will be much lighter and use a new kind of complex material. They also will have a smaller life support backpack, thanks to tiny electronics. NASA hopes to have the first prototypes(原型) in development by 2010 and certify(证明) the suit by 2012. This will be in time for the launch of the Orion spaceship in 2014.
What characteristic does the new space suit have?

A．The new space suit will need much maintenance.

B．The new space suit will be heavier than before.

C．The new space suit will have less mobility than before.

D．The new suit will use new technology to help astronauts be safe in outer space.

What’s the disadvantage of the Russian space suit?

A．The Russian space suit is big and massive.

B．The Russian space suit is much complicated.

C．The Russian space suit is merely used a few times.

D．The Russian space suit is easy to work in for long periods of time.

The underlined word “shield” in the third paragraph might mean_______.

A．harm

B．protect

C．help

D．warn

Why can scientists test the design out before actually making the new space suits?

A．Because designing the new space suit is not a complex task.

B．Because computers are being used to help scientists design the new space suits.

C．Because it needs little knowledge to design the new space suits.

D．Because the scientists only change the old space suits a little and make them into the new ones.

How long will it take scientists to put the new space suits from prototypes into the first practical use?

A．Two years.

B．Three years.

C．Four years.

D．Six years.

Most young people enjoy some forms of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling, or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some forms—football, basketball, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.
Those who have a passion of climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks in high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.
Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as others, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of different kinds which would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.
If we compare mountaineering with other more familiar sports we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “ matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.
The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.
A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year by year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they perhaps climb with more skills and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.
What sports are popular among people in winter in the passage?

A．Soccer and golf.	B．Skiing and skating.
C．Cycling and hockey.	D．Mountaineering.

The underlined word “passion” in Paragraph 2 could best be replaced by ______.
A. strong emotion B. good way
Mountaineering is a sport, not a game because_______.

A．it has man-made rules

B．it is too dangerous for climbers

C．it can’t bring people joy or leisure

D．it is free for climbers to use their own methods

We know from the passage that _______.

A．mountaineering has no appeal for people

B．physical quality is more important than mental one for climbers

C．a mountain climber passes his best by the age of thirty

D．it is possible for an old man of fifty or sixty to climb the Alps

What is the best title for the passage?

A．Sports in winter	B．Team work in climbing
C．Mountaineering	D．The quality for mountaineering

Today, almost everyone has heard of Harry Potter. The books detailing his experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have aroused passion, creativity, and interest in readingthroughout theworld.
But have you ever considered why you are a fan of theHarry Potterseries?
JK Rowling has created a list of characters and an environment for them to inhabit that appeals to both adults and children.
The fantasy aspect of the wizarding world expands the imagination, and takes the mind to new and exciting places. Anything could happen there. Her stories contain parts of the believable and unbelievable, changing the predictability that readers commonly come across and bear in fiction.
The main theme of the series, including good versus evil, prejudice, love, death, sacrifice, friendship and loyalty, in actuality contributes to the ever-lasting nature of the stories.At the same time, these themes remind us of classic literature, offering mature readers tales that wear like a comfortable pair of shoes, while introducing younger readers to concepts they will meet throughout their lives.
Much of the appeal also comes from the characters. In each book, JK Rowling introduces and describes the characters in such a way that we wonder not only about their futures, but also about their pasts.Even supporting characters are suddenly more than just extras in the background. And what of Harry Potter himself? We care about Harry, because we watch him grow from an innocent boy to a powerful wizard. We see him as both Hero and Victim. He experiences endless love and extreme pain, and as readers, we experience them with him.
This perfect combination of emotion, suspense and fantasy, together with the fact that JK Rowling is a superb storyteller is the reason why we are Harry potter fans. People are fond of Harry Potter series. With books like these, it’s hard not to be.
Harry Potter series become popular partly because ____________.

A．they remind us of the childhood and environment we had in the past

B．they take us to a world beyond our imagination and expectation

C．they offer us ever-lasting nature of the stories

D．they set an example of hero for us to follow

What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 mean?

A．The supporting characters are not necessary in the story.

B．Readers care only about Harry but not those supporting characters.

C．Even the supporting characters are attractive in the story.

D．Those supporting characters only appear all of a sudden.

The themes of the Harry Potter series do not contain ____________.

A．prejudice and love	B．good and evil
C．death and sacrifice	D．safety and peace

People care for Harry Potter because ____________.

A．they think of classic literature when reading the story

B．they find different experiences from theirs on Harry

C．they share the experiences with Harry

D．they like JK Rowling’s description very much

STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.
Speed dating
It’s exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again―25 times in all.
Lock and key party
Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot (票数） for top prizes!
Dinner in the dark
Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.
Message party
Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait… You’ve got a message… Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.
What do you think the similarities of these parties are?

A．All the parties have very

strict rules for their members.

B．If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket.

C．All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers.

D．All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old.

In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?

A．Speed dating.	B．Lock and key party.
C．Dinner in the dark.	D．Message party.

If you go to the Dinner in the dark, ____________.

A．you have to wear night vision glasses

B．you have to eat with your hands

C．guests eat all the courses in the darkness

D．your dining partners will help you choose the food

How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?

A．1.

B．2.

C．3.

D．4.