SINGAPORE - Singapore on Thursday stuck to its I8-year ban on the import and sale of chewing gum (口香糖), which has become an international symbol of the city-state's image as a strict society.
"The government stands by its decision to ban chewing gum. Chewing gum has not been a significant problem since that ban took effect, there have been concerns that lifting the ban on chewing gum could result in chewing gum litter and weaken ongoing efforts to control littering." Maliki Osman, parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of National Development, told parliament.
Osman said as the reason for the imposition (强迫接受) of the ban is still suitable, "the government's position is that the ban shall remain." He was responding to a question in parliament from Denise Phua, a fellow member of the ruling People's Action Party who argued that the ban had been used to criticize its tough governance laws.
"I think this ban ... now needs a re-thinking. Surely Singapore will not consider banning sweets because of sweet wrapper litter or ice-cream stick litter," she said.
Singapore, known worldwide for its high-quality clean image, banned the import and sale of chewing gum in 1992 in a bid to cope with the problem of people sticking the gum on chairs, tables, lifts and other public areas.
One of the key reasons for the ban had been the disturbance of services on Singapore's subway train system because of chewing gum being stuck on the doors and causing delays. Singapore partially lifted the ban in 2004 by allowing the sale of chewing gum used for health reasons, such as dental health gum, after the conclusion of a US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
Australian tourist Hazel Lane, 48, said keeping the ban on chewing gum was sure Singaporeans wouldn't want to spoil their "ridiculous" and she told AFP that she's own environment and their own image. Angel Wong, 34, a tourist from Hong Kong, however, welcomed the news. She said, "I come from a country that doesn't have the ban and there's always chewing gum all over the floor, To me the ban doesn't change my image of Singapore so it’s a good thing because it keeps the environment clean."
1. The ban on the import and sale of chewing gum was started in 1992 ______.
A. when people began to buy the gum everywhere
B. to bid to stop people sticking the gum in the public
C. because the gum delayed the subway
D. when the country was in a bid to show its city-state's clean image
2. What can we learn about the ban according to Maliki Osman?
A. The government will keep it ongoing forever.
B. It will lead to littering the chewing gum everywhere.
C. More and more concerns about the ban will make chewing gum out of control
D. Banning chewing gum is still one of the important jobs of the government now.
3. According to what Denise Phua said in paragraph 4, we can know that she ______.
A. would say yes to the ban
B. would think more about the ban again
C. would like the government to take the ban on second thought
D. argued that the ban should be cancelled
4. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. whether the ban needs changing or not has become a problem to be discussed
B. Singapore's subway train system was delayed by chewing gum
C. chewing gum will soon be banned in many countries
D. only the ban has led to the friendly environment in Singapore
5. What's the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. There is such a ban in China and Australia.
B. Different people have their own ideas about the ban.
C. The ban is either welcomed by China or by Australia.
D. The ban does good to keep the environment clean.
第二部分：阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分,满分40分)
第一节：阅读下列文章,根据文章内容,从文后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳答案。
Last year my wife and I spent a most interesting month in Turkey. Before we left, we were reminded of the difficulties of driving in Turkey. We certainly did not find this to be the case and, except for a few places in faraway mountain areas, the roads were wide, and well-paved (铺). We drove for 12 days along the Western Coast of Turkey and had no problems at all. We found the Turkish drivers most polite and well educated. We also found that eating lunch in the smaller towns was difficult so we picnicked almost every day.
The following day after our arrival was Turkey’s Children’s Day, started by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Ataturk loved children 
and he often said, “Children are a new beginning of tomorrow”. He even dedicated the day 23rd of April to the children. Today, it is celebrated as Children’s Day as well as the date when the Republic of Turkey was founded.
On that day certain children are picked to take over the places of the government, and a lucky kid will be the president of Turkey for a whole day. He can decide what’s going to happen and whether or not he is going to have the president sit next to him. There are a very large number of things you can do but some shops aren’t open because they are celebrating as well.
All in all, it was a more enjoyable trip. I would recommend a trip to Turkey to anyone with an adventurous spirit!
36. Before the author and his wife went on a trip to Turkey, they were told that
_____.
A. it was difficult to travel in Turkey
B. it was not easy to drive in Turkey
C. the streets in Turkey were dangerous
D. there were many mountainous roads
37. Which of the following is TRUE, according t
o the first paragraph?
A. Places in mountain areas were difficult to reach.
B. The couple drove for 12 days during their journey.
C. The Turkish drivers had good manners.
D. It was difficult to eat meals in Turkey.
38. The underlined word “he” in th
e third paragraph refers to ______.
A. every one of us B. the government
C. the president of Turkey D. the lucky child
39. What can be 
inferred from the passage?
A. The couple had no difficulty making their way in Turkey.
B. Turkey’s National Day was the 22nd of April.
C. The author joined in celebrating Children’s Day.
D. On Turkey’s Children’s Day everyone had a holiday.
American researchers say drinking tea may help strengthen the body’s defense system against infection（感染）．Doctors at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston，Massachusetts，did the study．The team studied a chemical found in black，green，oolong and pekoe tea This chemical is an amino acid（氨基酸）called L-theanine．The scientists say it may increase the strength of Gamma delta T cells，which are part of the body’s defenses．
First，the researchers mixed some of these cells with antigens（抗原）found in the amino acid Antigens help the body react to infection．Then the scientists added some bacteria（细菌）．
Within twenty-four hours，the cells produced a lot of interferon，a substance that fights infection Cells not mixed with the antigens did not produce interferon．
In the second part of the study，eleven people drank five to six cups of black tea every day．Ten other people drank the same amount of instant coffee．That is dried coffee mixed with hot water．
Two weeks later，and again two weeks after that，the researchers tested the blood of all twenty-one people．They also looked at what happened when they added bacteria to the blood cells．They found that the tea drinkers produced five times more interferon after they started drinking tea The coffee drinkers did not produce interferon．
Doctor Jack Bukowski led the study He says the antigens added to the Gamma delta T cells were responsible for the increased reaction to the bacteria．He says the study also showed that the cells were able to remember the bacteria and fight them again the next time．
Earlier research already has found that tea can help prevent heart disease and cancer Doctor Bukowski says the new study must be repeated with more people．If the findings prove to be true，he says，then tea drinking might also help protect against bacterial infections．He says the amino acid L-theanine could be removed from tea and used as a drug to strengthen the body’s defenses．
73．We may know from the text that can be found in different kinds of tea．
A．Gamma delta T cells B．L-theanine
C．interferon D．bacteria
74．Tea may help strengthen the body’s defense system because it helps．
A．the body to produce more interferon
B．the body to produce more Gamma delta T cells
C．to add some bacteria to the blood cells
D．to mix antigens with some of the cells in the body
75．According to Dr Bukowski，．
A．the findings of the study have already proved to be true
B．he bas taken some amino acid L-theanine from tea and made a drug with it
C．further study is needed to prove the findings true
D．he is not sure whether tea can help prevent heart disease and cancer
Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October of 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90-year-old in good health than someone of 120．She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips(窍门). She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercises every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115．However, until recently she drank two glassed of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes(基因) from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86．
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying:
Sorry, I’m still alive!
69．How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
A. She is miserable and unhappy.
B. She is cheerful and humorous.
C. She would like to live much longer.
D. She feels she is going to die very soon.
70．Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to _______.
A. smoking only a little every day
B. her giving up smoking and drinking
C. drinking two glasses of strong red wine every day
D. the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercises
71．Which of the following could best replace the word “move” in the fourth paragraph?
A. deal B．trick C．march D．sport
72．Why does Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive” to the local lawyer every year on her birthday?
A. Because she had an agreement at 80 with the lawyer which was to her advantage.
B. Because she has asked the lawyer to pay her more rent than they first agreed.
C. Because the lawyer has paid her much more money than the value of the house.
D. Because the house she sold to the lawyer isn’t worth the money he has already paid.
More than 600, 000 tourists from the Chinese mainland visited Taiwan last year, fulfilling expectations despite the impact of H1N1 flu and the global economic downturn.
A total of 606, 100 mainland tourists visited Taiwan in the past year, with each spending nearly $1, 800 on the island, including accommodation and shopping, Shao Qiwei, chairman of the Beijing-based Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits, said on Friday.
“We see good cooperation between tourism industries across the Straits taking shape,” Shao said. Since July 2008, when Taiwan first opened to mainland tourists, about 660, 000 mainland tourists have visited the island and spent $1.13 billion there, benefiting local transportation as well as the retail, entertainment and health industries.
In four months starting August last year, mainland tourists spent $65.72 million through Union Pay payment cards, figures from mainland bankcard association China Union Pay showed.
“Years of isolation between the two sides have made Taiwan an attractive place for mainland tourists,” said Zheng Lijuan, deputy (副的) general manager of CITS International MICE Co. Ltd.
But under the impact of H1N1 flu since May, the number of mainland tourists to Taiwan had also dropped sharply, leading to industry insiders（内部的人）casting doubt as to whether the goal of attracting 600, 000 mainland tourists to Taiwan in 2009 could be achieved.
Despite the unfavorable conditions, a string of relaxed rules last year have spurred (刺激) the interest of mainland tourists in visiting Taiwan.
In the past year, Taiwan has opened to mainland residents in 25 provinces, up from the initial 13 provinces. Relaxed rules have also allowed five tourists to form a group to visit Taiwan, instead of the initial requirement of at least 10 tourists. Mainland tourists can also stay in Taiwan for a maximum of 15 days, instead of the initial 10 days.
Combined with mainland business groups, more than 900, 000 mainland travelers visited Taiwan in 2009, Christine Lai, director of the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association, told China Daily.
Without releasing the goal for this year, Lai expressed hopes that mainland tourists would head to Taiwan on second or even third visits.
64. Why do mainlanders like to visit Taiwan?
A. Taiwan is a very beautiful island.
B. There are many shops, malls and bookstores in Taiwan.
C. The accommodation and transportation are very good in Taiwan.
D. Years of isolation between Taiwan and mainland makes it an attractive place.
65. What was the original goal of mainland tourists to Taiwan in 2009?
A. 660, 000 B. 606, 100 C. 600, 000 D. 900, 000
66. The number of mainland tourists to Taiwan in 2009 was fulfilled because .
A. the residents of 25 provinces could visit Taiwan
B. mainland tourists could stay in Taiwan for 15 days
C. the Chinese government made a string of relaxed rules
D. there were no impacts of H1N1 flu in Taiwan and mainland
67. We can infer from the text that .
A. there may be a goal for Mainland tourists visiting Taiwan in 2010
B. Chinese mainland tourists can stay in Taiwan for a maximum of 10 days
C. the global economic downturn had not influnced Taiwan’s travel industry
D. H1N1 flu had not made the number of the mainland tourists to Taiwan drop
68. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A. Visitors to Taiwan will slowdown
B. Mainland tourists to Taiwan hit mark
C. More and more mainland tourists visit Taiwan
D. H1N1 and global economic influence Taiwan’s travel industry
As prices and building costs keep rising, the “do-it-yourself” (DIY) trend in the US continues to grow.
“we needed furniture for our living room,” says John Ross, “and we just didn’t have enough money to buy it. So we decided to try making a few tables and chairs.” John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Roses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.
Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $520. “ I was deeply upset about it. Now I have finished a car repair course, I should be able to fix the car by myself.”
John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a “do-it-youselfer”, you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don’t have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself.
60. We can learn from the text that many newly married people_______.
A. find it hard to pay for what they need
B. have to learn to make their own furniture
C. take DIY courses run by the government
D. seldom go to a department store to buy things
61. John and his wife went to evening classes to learn how to ______.
A. run a DIY shop B. make or repair things
C. save time and moneyD. improve the quality of life
62. Jim decided to become a do-it-yourselfer when______
A. his car repairs cost too much
B. the car repair class was not helpful
C. he could not possibly do two jobs
D. keeps house and looks after his children
63.when the writer says that Jim has a full-time job at home, he means Jim____.
A. makes shoes in his home
B. does extra work at night
C. does his own car and home repairs
D. keeps house and looks after his children