I don’t like getting up too early unless I have to. When you’re filming, you’ve got make-up on, which doesn’t happen often. As I’m not filming at present I’ll get up at 8.30.
Work normally means Matt coming over to my house about 10 am. We’re writing at the moment. We’ll chat for a bit before going to my study. One of us will have an idea for a sketch (梗概), we’ll talk about the characters and when we feel we have enough we’ll start writing.
Matt and I met at the National Youth Theatre in 1990 and started doing shows together in ’95, at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. We know we’re onto something if we’ve made each other laugh, and that’s a really special moment. It’s not always like that, but we’re comfortable enough with each other that we can be honest and go. Some days you’re not in the mood to be funny—like writing when my dad was dying of cancer, or when Matt was separating from his partner.
We stop for lunch and sometimes go to Wagamama in Camden, but the last time we were followed by paparazzi (狗仔队), which gets you down—who wants to be pictured eating noodles?
When I’m not writing with Matt I work on other projects. My second children’s book comes out later in the year. It’s called Mr. Stink. The first one I dedicated to my three-year-old nephew, Eddie. Both books have been illustrated by Quentin Blake; it’s been a thrill to work with him—like 20 years ago reading a Roald Dahl book and looking at those drawings, then one day that person illustrates your work… magical.
At 5 I go swimming in Soho. My trainer makes me do horrible exercises, but I always feel better after.
Being in all day, I like to go out in the evening and look smart, but not like I’ve come out of the City. I’m a tall, broad guy and well-dressed.
For dinner I’ll meet friends. When you’re a single guy it’s great to have some good female friends. Or I might take my mum to the theatre, as I know she really appreciates it. I like watching TV comedy shows to see what everyone’s doing. When you see something impressive it makes you work harder. I also love Larkin’s poems: they don’t try to transcend (超越) the commonplace; they’re much more straightforward.
Poetry is great to dip into before going to bed, rather than falling asleep reading a novel and being confused over what you’ve read or not. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in seven years; unfortunately, I rely on pills. I’ve tried everything. If I could wish anything for myself, I’d wish I could sleep better.
67. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A. the author spends much time with his friends
B. the author and Matt are both famous in the district
C. the author doesn’t care much about what to wear
D. the author works at home and seldom goes out every day
68. Where does the passage most likely appear?
A. In a travel diary. B. In a news column.
C. In an online diary. D. In a research paper.
69. Why does the author read some poetry before going to bed?
A. Because poetry can often bring him some funny ideas.
B. Because poetry is much easier to understand than novels.
C. Because poetry is very abstract and reflects unusual things.
D. Because poetry can be of some help for him to kill time.
70. What might be the best title for the passage?
A. A day’s work with Matt B. A new life-style
C. A life in the day D. A good way to write
A dog sheltered a newborn baby abandoned by its 14-year-old mother in a field in rural Argentina until the boy was rescued, a doctor said on August 22 (Friday).
A resident of a rural area outside La Plata called police late Wednesday night to say that he had heard the baby crying in a field behind his house.
The man went outside and found the infant lying beside the dog and its six newborn puppies, Daniel Salcedo, chief of police of the Province of Buenos Aires, told CNN.
The temperature was a chilly（寒冷的） 37 degrees, Salcedo said.
The dog had apparently carried the baby some 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where the puppies were huddled, police said.
“She took it like a puppy and rescued it,” Salcedo said. “The doctors told us if she ha
dn’t done this, he would have died.”
“The dog is a hero to us.”
Dr. Egidio Melia, director of the Melchor Romero Hospital in La Plata, told CNN that police showed up at the hospital at 11:30 pm Wednesday with the baby who doctors say was only a few hours old.
Though the infant had superficial scratches (抓痕) and bruises (伤痕) and was bleeding from his mouth, he was in good shape, Melia said.
The next morning, the child’s mother was driven by a neighbor to the hospital and told authorities the 8-pound, 13-ounce infant is hers, Melia said.
The teenager was immediately give psychological treatment and was hospitalized, he said. She has said little about the incident.
The child has been transferred to a children’s hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires.What does the underlined word “sheltered” in the first paragraph mean?
| A．protected | B．fed | C．watched | D．gave |
According to the passage , which statement is true?
| A．It’s hard for the infant to recover soon. |
| B．The puppies were running here and there all the time |
| C．The temperature was very high at that time. |
D．But for the mother do g , the infant would have died. |
How was the baby when he was found?
| A．He was seriously ill. | B．He was dying. |
| C．He was in good shape. | D．He lost a lot of blood. |
What’s the text mainly about?
| A．A baby was rescued by a dog. |
| B．A baby was abandoned by its parents. |
| C．How an abandoned baby was saved by doctors. |
| D．Dogs are heroes to human beings. |
London ［2009-4-01］—In the first meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama prior to the Group of 20 summit in London, the two leaders pledged 
that both countries will be working together to help the world resist the financial crisis.
The two teams will be headed by Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo from the Chinese side and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner from the US side.
President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama made the announcement to the press before they went into the official meeting, their first, at Winfield House, residence of the US ambassador to the UK.
Although it is thei
r first meeting, they have kept a close contact, which Obama said will “set the stage” for both countries “to tackle the challenges in the years to come. ”
Both presidents highlighted the importance of China-US relations, especially during the current economic crisis.
Hu said all
the positive results the two countries have achieved have not come easily, adding that he hoped to develop good working relationship an
d personal friendship with Obama. Sino-US relations are of fundamental interests not only to both countries, but to peace, stability and prosperity to Asia and the world. What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Hu, Obama set up new economic dialogue. |
| B．Sino-US relations will be improved. |
C．China and the US are working together to resist ec onomic crisis. |
| D．China and the US have achieved positive results. |
How do China’ s and US’ s presidents think they should deal with their relations?
| A．By trusting and helping each other. |
| B．By sharing their common interests. |
| C．By establishing the new strategic economic dialogue. |
| D．By establishing new economic policy. |
What is Winfield House?
| A．The US ambassador to the UK. |
| B．Residence of UK ambassador to the US. |
| C．The living place of US ambassador to the UK. |
| D．The residence of British Queen. |
All of the following are mentioned EXCEPT____.
| A．The two presidents agreed to work together to resist the financial crisis |
| B．The two presidents announced to the press before the official meeting |
| C．Both countries will make efforts to improve peace and security |
| D．Sino-US relations are of fundamental interests only to both countries |
“A lot of learning comes through play,” says Mardy McGarry, 52, who has been a special education teacher for 28 years. But her students were too often left out. She had seen the wood chips and sand of traditional playgrounds stop wheelchairs dead in their tracks. When she wanted to build a playground for children with special needs，she knew it wouldn’t take long to develop interest in it around the small fishing village. But she never expected that 2,800 peo
ple — a third of the town—would all be willing to make a great effort to bring her vision to life.
McGarry started doing some research into play equipment and contacting design companies and she also found a piece of land available. When the city council(市议会) agreed to set aside an area for a playground, she also asked physical and professional therapists(治疗专家) for their investment. And she turned to her friend, Sue, for help. “Neither of us is good at maths, which is why $450,000 didn’t sound like a lot of money,” McGarry says of the initial estimate.
Her Kiwanis Club came through with $7,000，and that’s when the grassroots movement really got started. One woman gave $25,000 and had her company match it. Soon, smaller businesses were joining in. There was a silent effort to collect money. The local Pieper Family Foundation offered to donate half of the remaining $170,000. All McGarry needed was 500 volunteers to work six 12-hour days.
On September 16, 2008, the first day of construction, they came. Two women heard about the project on the way to work and took the day off to help. A couple in their 80s operated their tractors. Ten-year-olds cleared up the mess. “None of them was paid. It was truly an amazing week,” says McGarry. Only three building managers were paid. Volunteers with “building experience” became coordinators(协调人); those who could operate power tools formed a separate group. One team served meals donated from local restaurants and churches, and another organized activities for the children of volunteers.
Today, Possibility Playground is one of the most popular destinations in Ozaukee County. All children, including the ones with special needs, play shoulder to shoulder. “Some playgrounds have special equipment in a different section. Here, you see all the kids in the same playground, all having fun.”
It’s exactly what McGarry imagined. “People used to ask, ‘Why do you want to build a playground just for children with disabilities?” She says, “It’s only when you build a playground for children with disabilities that you build one for all children.” It didn’t occur to Mardy McGarry that __________.
| A．her plan would soon draw the interest of people in the small village |
| B．so many people would volunteer to help her realize her dream |
| C．she would meet with so many difficulties in raising funds |
D．the playground would be the most popular destination in O zaukee County |
We can learn from the fourth paragraph that __________.
| A．the playground was finished in September 2008 |
| B．everything was well prepared, apart from the volunteers |
| C．everyone worked unpaid, except for three building managers |
| D．the playground is so popular that it is overcrowded all the time |
It can be inferred from the text that __________.
| A．Mardy McGarry is a famous architect in the small town |
| B．Sue was forced to join in the project because of her son |
| C．people always ignore the real needs of disabled children |
| D．Mardy McGarry’s vision has been successfully accomplished at last |
What would be the best title for this text?
| A．Mardy McGarry: A Woman with Great Determination. |
| B．Cooperation: The Greatest Power in Overcoming Any Difficulty. |
| C．Show Real Concern for Poor Disabled Children. |
| D．Make it Matter to Build a Playground for Disabled Children. |
It’s amazing what a little free beer can accomplish. In 1997 the small Danish island of Samso, located in the Kattegat Strail, won a contest hosted by the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy. Samso, then known for its dairy and pig farms, would become Denmark’s showcase for sustainable power, eventually going carbon-free. How that would happen, however, was far from clear, since the government initially offered no funding, tax breaks or technical expertise(专门知识).
Given that almost all its power came from oil or coal — and the island’s 4,300 residents didn’t know a wind turbine(风力发电机) from a grain silo(谷仓) — Samso seemed an strange choice. Soren Hermansen, though, saw an opportunity. A restless native son who grew up on a family farm, Hermansen was teaching environmental studies at a local school when he heard about Samso’s award. He volunteered to be the first — and only — participant. “I realized this could happen,” he says. “This was realistic.” He may have been the only one who thought so.
Hermansen knew Samso islanders were conservative, but that could be an advantage: once he convinced enough potential first movers to act, the rest would follow. So Hermansen showed up at every community or club meeting to campaign for the renewable-energy project. He pointed to the island’s unexplored potential for wind power and the economic benefits of making Samso energy-independent. He sometimes brought free beer.
It worked. The islanders bought shares in new wind turbines to build 11 large land-based turbines, enough to meet the entire island’s electricity needs. Not satisfied with that, they supported the constru
ction of 10 huge offshore turbines，which provide power that the island’s dependence on cars and ferries needs. Today Samso isn’t just carbon-free — it actually produces 10% more clean electricity than it uses, with the extra power fed back into the national electricity network at a profit.
Hermansen has become a green angel, traveling from country to country telling the story of Samso’s success when he’s not at home running the Energy Academy, a research center for clean power. But he’s the first to say that the real credit belongs to the islanders，and that Samso’s lesson is that environmental change can only come from the ground up.What was Hermansen’t response to the Samso’s winning the contest?
| A．He regarded it as a chance. |
| B．He was not satisfied with the award. |
| C．He thought it was strange. |
| D．He thought it was reasonable. |
From the second paragraph we can learn that __________.
| A．many Samso islanders participated in the green project actively |
| B．most Samso islanders were against the renewable energy project |
| C．Samso has a long history of making use of renewable energy |
| D．at first people showed little interest in the renewable energy project |
Why did Hermansen show up at every community or club meeting?
| A．It was his duty to keep the islanders informed of government policies. |
| B．He wanted to convince the islanders to use clean power instead of oil or coal. |
| C．He wanted to persuade the islanders to be involved in the wind power project. |
| D．He wanted to share his beer with other islanders. |
What can we learn about Hermansen’s personality from the last paragraph?
| A．He is practical. | B．He is courageous. |
| C．He is modest. | D．He is ambitious. |
We hear with our ears, right? Yes, but scientists have known for years that we also hear with our eyes. In a study published in 1976, researchers found that people combined both auditory cues(听力提示) and visual ones，like mouth and face movements, when they heard speech.
A new study that looks at a different set of sensory cues adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests such combination is natural. In a paper, Bryan Gick and Donald Derrick report that people can hear with their skin.
The researchers had volunteers listen to spoken syllables. Meanwhile, they connected the volunteers to a device that would blow a tiny puff (气流) of air onto the skin of their hands or necks. The syllables included “ba” and “pa”, which produce brief puffs from the mouth when spoken, and “da” and “ta,” which do not produce puffs. They found that when listeners heard “da” or “ta” while a puff of air was blown onto their skin, they considered the sounds as “ba” or “pa”.
Dr. Gick said the findings were similar to those from the 1976 study, in which visual cues defeated auditory ones — volunteers listened to one syllable but thought it another because they were watching a video of mouth movements corresponding to the second syllable. In his study，he said，cues from sens
ory receivers on the skin defeate
d the ears as well. “Our skin is doing the hearing for us,” he said.
Dr. Gick noted that it would normally be rare that someone actually sensed a puff of air produced by another, although people might occasionally sense their own puffs. “What’s so persuasive about this particular effect,” he added. “is that people are picking up on this information that they don’t know they are using.” That supports the idea that combining different sensory cues is natural.
Dr. Gick said the finding also suggested that other sensory cues might be at work in speech perception(知觉) — that, as he put it, “we are these fantastic perception machines that take in all the information available to us and combine it faultlessly.”“Da” or “ta” were considered as “ba” or “pa” when __________.
| A．they were spoken quickly |
| B．puffs of air were blown onto the listener’s skin |
| C．they were pronounced using a special device |
| D．they were made with face movements |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Humans combine different sensory cues through experience. |
| B．Dr. Gick’s new study is more important than the one in 1976. |
| C．People sometimes can sense their own puffs when speaking |
| D．Only auditory and visual cues are at work in speech perception. |
What is the best title of the text?
| A．We Can Hear with Our Skin |
| B．Our Visual Cues Is Doing the Hearing for Us |
| C．Facial Expressions Are Important |
| D．We Are Fantastic Machines |