第二部分阅读理解（共25小题；第一节每小题2分，第二节每小题-优题课

Several years ago, I read a book Your Money or Your Life, written by Joe Domingguez and Vicki Robin. The major theme of the book is the idea that if you want to cut your spending, you’ll have to begin by stopping trying to impress other people.
The authors divide people into two groups : people whose opinions you care about, and people whose opinions you don’t care about one way or another. It’s easy to stop caring about people whose opinions you don’t care about. Who cares what they think ? As long as you’re not doing something truly immoral —— something that might potentially create a negative reputation for you —— it doesn’t matter what they think.
But shouldn’t you impress other people whose opinions you do care about ? Anyway, they are people you want to meet : customers, friends and family.
The answer is that you don’t need to impress those people with expensive, shiny things. The relationship you’ve built with them —— or you’re going to build with them —— is based on you, not on the material items. They’ll either like you for you or they won’t.
To put it simply, take care of the basics. Keep yourself clean. Keep your weight under control. Wear reasonable clothing. Work on your communication skills. If you have them covered, you don’t need to invest time and money in impressing other people.
Coming to this realization is incredibly valuable. It drops your clothing budget. It drops your automobile budget. It drops your electronics budget. It drops your housing budget. You don’t need a shiny car, an iPhone, or a ＄50 haircut.
Yes , you may actually still want one or two of these things, but the impetus(动力) comes from what your personal values are, not what other people around you seem to value or what marketing messages you receive.
For some people, it seems impossible. Their social cues come from advertising-laden media and from friends who also get their cues from advertising-laden media.They believe they need a slick cellphone and ＄100 casual clothes. Their self-worth revolves around that little burst they get from impressing others.
People should learn to break through that situation. In short, don’t play socially by the tiring old rules that revolve around needing to impress people. Instead, spend your time on things that bring real value to you and give real value to others.
46. Which of the following behaviours is “immoral”according to the second paragraph ?
A. Caring about other people’s opinion.
B. Dropping your clothing budget.
C. Copying existing works.
D. Obeying the traffic rule.
47. To build relationship with others, you should pay attention to the following EXEPT _______.
A. dressing casually
B. learning about weight control
C. improving communication skills
D. being a tidy person
48. As for people we care about, what does the author advise us to do ?
A. To impress them in a proper way.
B. To buy them special gifts.
C. To spare more time to be with them.
D. To impress them with shiny things.
49. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage ?
A. An iPhone is totally unnecessary in our life.
B. Your family members’ opinions are always worth caring about.
C. Learning how to impress others helps people save money.
D. You should always be aware of what other people around you seem to value.
50. What is the best title for the passage ?
A. Whose opinions do you care about ?
B. Two different groups of people.
C. My favorite book : Your Money or Your Life
D. Stop trying to impress other people.

Barack Obama defeated John McCain in the longest and most costly presidential campaign in American history. The election results were widely seen as a strong statement by voters on economy. A public opinion study reported by the Wall Street Journal found that about sixty percent of voters considered the economy as the top issue.
Mr. Obama faces the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of leading stocks has lost nearly thirty of its value. The government seized the nation’s two largest home financing companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It also took control of the huge insurance company, A. I. G. The government is now a share holder in nine of the country’s largest banks. That will expand to small banks , too. The amount spent on these rescue plans has been close to one trillion dollars. That amount could increase.
Another problem the new administration faces is the budget deficit(赤字). Some experts predict the deficit for next year’s budget could be close to one trillion dollars. Some observers predict that the deficit will limit speeding in economic programs.
Barack Obama has promised a tax cut for middle income Americans. He is seeking fifty billion dollars in aid for states and job creation programs. Mr. Obama has put forward a health care reform plan that costs fifty to sixty-five billion dollars. Obama is also seeking to spend one hundred and fifty billion dollars on new energy technologies over the next ten years.
In addition, Mr. Obama has been discussing a program worth one hundred billion dollars. It includes spending in public works projects and aid to American states, cities and citizens.
41. According to the passage, the election results suggested ___________________.
A. how fierce the presidential campaign was
B. the significance of the election in American history
C. Obama promised to devote himself to economic development
D. how much money was spent during the presidential campaign
42. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is mentioned to show _________________.
A. how serious the economic crisis is
B. the value of all America’s stocks
C. the economy was considered as the top issue
D. what percentage of shares Obama has in leading stocks
43. We know from the passage that _______________________.
A. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are insurance companies
B. the government will become a share holder in small banks
C. money spent on the government’s rescue plan will be decreased
D. the budget deficit will not affect the economic programs
44. Which of the following statements does NOT belong to Obama’s rescue plans?
A. Cutting taxes for middle income Americans.
B. Seeking money for job creation programs.
C. Putting forward a health care reform plan.
D. Stopping spending on new energy technologies.
45. The passage mainly tells us ____________________________.
A. the deepest economic crisis in the 1930’s
B. the result of the presidential election
C. America tries to save the country’s economy
D. how Americans think of the newly-elected president

B．阅读理解：
Now we can see a man and his wife at the breakfast table. They are not speaking to each other.
They haven’t spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years. The husband is reading his newspaper. We can’t see his face. The wife looks very worried as she gets a cup of tea ready for him. Today she is using a new kind of tea for the first time. The husband picks up his cup. He isn’t interested. He tastes his tea. Suddenly he puts down his newspaper. Something is different! Can it be the tea? He takes another taste. It’s wonderful. He smiles. He looks at his wife and says in surprise, “Doris, when did you cut your hair?” Doris is pleased. She answers, “Two months ago.” Doris asks, “Herbie, when did your hair begin to become white?” He answers, “A long time ago.” Doris says, “We have been together for many years, but we never cared about each other.” Now they aren’t worried any longer. Breakfast is different. Has a new kind of tea changed their lives?
36. This story happens______________________.
A. before breakfast B. after breakfast
C. at home D. in a teahouse
37. In the passage, we can see ________________________.
A. Doris is drinking tea B. Herbie likes the new kind of tea
C. Doris is reading a newspaper D. Herbie is very young and good-looking
38. Herbie and Doris lived ______________ before this day.
A. a wonderful B. an unhappy
C. an enjoyable D. a friendly
39. Which of the following statements is true?
A. They are good friends. B. They have just got married.
C. They like to talk about their hair. D. They are no longer young.
40. From the passage, we think it may be ______________.
A. a radio programme B. a short film
C. a computer game D. a beautiful painting

Bali is a tiny island that is part of Indonesia(印度尼西亚) today. It is a pretty island that has many mountains and a pleasant climate. For a long time, Bali was cut off from much of the world.
The people of Bali were happy and had a peaceful life. They were not allowed to fight. At one time there had been terrible wars on Bali. Then the people decided it was wrong to fight or have wars. They made rules to keep apart those people who wanted to fight.
Bali was divided into seven small kingdoms. The land around each kingdom was kept empty, and no one lived there. Since the kingdoms did not share the same borders(边界), the people could not fight about them.
On Bali, even children were not allowed to fight. If two children started a fight over a toy, someone separated them. When two boys argued, they would agree not to speak to each other. Sometimes they did not talk together for months; this gave the boys a chance to forget their anger.
Families who were angry with each other also promised not to speak. Their promise was written down, and the whole village knew about it. If they broke their promise, they had to offer gifts to their gods.
49. Bali is an island belonging to ________.
A. Europe B. AfricaC. AsiaD. America
50. The people of Bali ______.
A. lived a happy and peaceful life
B. fought for a long time
C. is cut off from much of the world
D. quarreled about their borders
51. How did the people of Bali prevent fighting from breaking out?
A. They shared the same borders.
B. The island was divided into seven kingdoms.
C. They made strict rules to punish those who wanted to fight.
D. Land was kept empty around each kingdom and no one lived there.
52. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
A. Bali is a beautiful island with many mountains and nice weather.
B. People had to offer gifts to the villagers if they broke their promise.
C. At one time there were terrible wars on the island.
D. You’ll hardly see children fighting on the island.

What does an astronaut eat in space? This is a question that will puzzle many, as people rarely think of that. In the early space-travel years, astronauts ate dehydrated (脱水的) foods that were eaten through straws （吸管）. In today’s space-age, the food that they eat is totally different. They eat food in the same way as people do on Earth.
Astronauts are able to prepare and eat a variety of foods in space. Some can be eaten in their natural form, like fruits, while some need to add water, like noodles. However, there are no refrigerators, so the food has to be prepared and eaten without being stored for a long time. When the astronauts are hungry, they simply eat the food by opening the food packages and with a fork, knife, and spoon.
Just like people on Earth, astronauts also eat three meals a day which include breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes they also eat snacks. The US space agency NASA has found out that an astronaut’s diet reduces by about 70% on a space mission, though he has a wide range of foods to choose from like nuts, chicken, beef, seafood, and candies. Drinks in the spaceship include coffee, tea, juices, and lemonade.
Astronauts can also request a particular food that they would like to have in space. Scientists are always experimenting and trying out different space foods that can be offered to astronauts when on space missions.
45. Now astronauts eat ________ in space.
A. dehydrated (脱水的) foods B. food as people do on Earth
C. totally different D. food with a lot of water
46. The food the astronauts prepared ________ .
A. can’t be stored for a long time B. can be put into refrigerators
C. can be stored for a long time D. can’t be kept in the food packages
47. In space, astronauts ________ like people on Earth.
A. only have nuts, chicken and beef B. onlyhave lunch for a day
C. only drink coffee, tea and lemonade D. also eat three meals a day
48. What are scientists experimenting and trying out?
A. Some very special snacks.B. How astronauts can sleep well.
C. Different space foods for astronauts. D. How to get some fruits for astronauts.