Botany, the study of plants, occupies a special position in the history of human knowledge. For many thousands of years it was the one field of awareness about which humans had anything more than the vaguest (含糊的) of insight. It is impossible to know today just what our Stone Age ancestors knew about plants, but from what we can observe of pre-industrial societies that still exist, a detailed learning of plants and their properties must extremely ancient. This is logical. Plants are the basis of the food pyramid for all living things, even for other plants. They have always been enormously important to
the welfare of peoples, not only for food, but also for clothing, weapons, tools, eyes, medicines, shelter, and a great many other purposes. Tribes living today in the j
ungles of the Amaz
on re
cognized accurately hundreds of plants and know many properties of each. To them, botany, as such, has no name and is probably not even recognized as a special branch of knowledge at all.
Unfortunately, the more industri
alized we become the farther away we move from direct contact with plants, and the less distinct our knowledge of botany grows. Yet everyone comes unconsciously on an amazing amount of botanical knowledge, and few people will fail to recognize a rose, an apple, or an orchid. When our Neolithic ancestors, living in the Middle East about 10,000 years ago, discovered that certain grasses could be harvested and their seeds planted for richer productions the next season, the first great step in a new association of plants and humans was taken. Grains were discovered and from them flowed the wonder of agriculture; cultivated crops. From then on, humans would increasingly take their living from the controlled production of a few plants, rather than getting a little here and a little there from many varieties that grew wild and the built up knowledge of tens of thousands of years of experience and close relationship with plants in the wild would begin fade away.Which of the following statements about early humans is expressed in the passage?
| A．They probably had extensive knowledge of plants. |
| B．They thought there was no need to cultivate crops. |
| C．They did not enjoy the study of botany. |
| D．They placed great importance on the ownership of property. |
What does the comment “This is logical.” In the first paragraph mean?
| A．There is no clear way to determine the extent of our ancestor’s knowledge of plants. |
| B．It is not surprising that early humans had a detailed knowledge of plants. |
| C．It is reasonable to assume that our ancestors behaved very much like people in pre-industrial societies. |
| D．Human knowledge of plants is well organized and very detailed. |
According to the passage, why has general knowledge of botany begun to fade?
| A．People no longer value plants as a useful resource. |
B．Botany is not recognized as a specia l branch of science. |
| C．Research is unable to keep up with the increasing numbers of plants. |
| D．Direct contact with a variety of plants has decreased. |
In the second paragraph, what is the author’s purpose in mentioning “ a rose, an apple, or an orchid”?
| A．To make the passage more poetic. |
| B．To give an example of plant that are attractive. |
| C．To give botanical examples that all readers will recognize. |
| D．To explain the variety of botanical life. |
According to the passage, what was the first great step toward the practice of agriculture?
| A．The invention of agricultural tools and machinery. |
| B．The development of a system of names for plants. |
| C．The discovery of grasses that could be harvested and replanted. |
| D．The changing diets of early humans. |
Below is adapted from a dictionary.
Water
▲Noun 1(a)[U] liquid without color, smell or taste that falls as ran, in lakes, rivets and seas, and is used for drinking, washing, etc: Water is changed into steam by heat and into ice by cold. ○drinking water ○ mineral water. (b)[U]this liquid as supplied to homes, factories, etc in pipes: The water was turned off for several hours a day during the drought. ○ hot and cold running water ○ [attrib] water shortages (c)[sing]mass of this liquid, esp a lake, river or sea: She fell into the water and drowned. ○ The flood water cowered the whole area. (d)[sing]surface of a lake, river, sea, etc: float on the water ○ We could see fishes under the water
2[U](exp in compounds)preparation containing water or sth similar to water: rose-water ○ soda-water
3 waters[pl](a)mass of water(in lake, river, etc)the (head-)waters of the Nile, ic the lake from which it flows(b)sea near a particular country: British waters ○ in home/ foreign waters 4[U]state or level of the tide: (at)high/low water
▲idioms he in /get into hot water(in formal) be in/get into trouble or disgrace: A person who
breaks a law can be in hot water with the police.
·cast one’s bread upon the waters(formal) do good make him drink you can give a person the
opportunity to do something but he may still refuse to do it.
·Still waters run deep a quiet or apparently calm person can have strong emotions, much
knowledge or wisdom.
·Blood is thicker than water Family is more important than anyone or anything else.
·Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water When deeds without expecting anything in
return:
·fish in troubled waters try to gain advantages for oneself from a disturbed state of affairs
·hold water(in formal)(of an argument, an excuse, etc)be capable of standing up to examination or
testing; be valid
·in smooth water(s) make even and easy progress: The business seems to be in smooth withers
there days.
·keep one’s head above water stay out of debt, difficulty etc: I’m managtag to keep my head
above water, though I am not earning much.
·pour oil on troubled waters (try to) calm a disagreement or violent dispute, etc
·water under the bridge event, mistake, etc that has already occurred and cannot be changed, so
there is no point in worrying about it.
verb [Tn] pour or sprinkle water on (sth): water a flowerbed, lawn, plant 2[Tn]give water to
(an animal) to drink 3[Tn] add water to (a drink )to dilute it: The owner of the pub was accused of
watering the beer.
Phrasal verb water sth down(a)make (a liquid)weaker by adding water(b)weaken the effect of
sth, eg by making the details less vivid: The criticisnts have been watered down so as not to offend
anybody.
▲Saying You can take a horse to water, but you can’t you are making a change, save what
matters to you and dispose of the rest
·It is no safe to wading in an unknown water it is dangerous for one to be involved in an
uncertain adventure.
·Too much water drowned the miller much gaining is good, but too much goes the opposite.
45．Fill in the blank in the sentence “If you’re caught cheating in the exam, you will___________.”
A．pour oil in troubled waters B．be in hot water
C．cast your bread upon the waters D．have to hold water
46．When we say it is “water under the bridge” to a friend who is upset by a mistake he/she has made, we mean “___________.”
A．forget it B．correct it C．worry about it D．avoid it
47．Choose a word to complete the sentence “They gave the press the___________description of what really had happened.”
A．watered-down B．waters C．water D．watered
48．Which of the following can be used to describe Jack, who has invested a lot of money in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market?
A．Still waters run deep.
B．Too much water drowned the miller.
C．It is no safe to wading in an unknown water.
D．You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
第二部分：阅读理解（共25小题；每小题2分，满分50分）
第一节阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Ever since she was a baby, Heather, aged 5, has watched her parents regularly turn off lights
that aren’t needed and put the day’s newspapers cans, bottles, jars, and other recyclables into a big, yellow bin — that is, if they can't find a second life for the discarded items in their own home first. Plastic packaging, pieces of cardboard, scraps of colored paper, bits of yarn, and small pieces of broken toys are typically dropped into a basket that the whole family rummages through whenever they need supplies for an art project. Recently, after spying a bit of shiny paper on the floor, Heather picked it up and said, "This is pretty. I'll put it in the art basket." Already, like parents, like daughter.
Heather's effort to recycle a scrap of paper rather than throw it away is a tiny gesture with a big message. It shows that even young children can learn about conserving materials and resources, and by extension, protecting the planet, in age-appropriate ways. It also shows that your child is so tuned in to your ways that it is easy to become an environmental role model. But because children are more apt to want to care for something they have a personal stake in, it's as important to expose your child to the natural world as it is to teach her ways to protect it.
This doesn't require week-long camping trips into the wilderness — although those can be fun, enlightening experiences for the whole family. Children can explore, appreciate, and learn about nature literally in their own backyard, in a park, in a community garden, and on trips to the beach or mountains. There's more good news: Giving your child opportunities to connect with nature can also help her develop crucial literacy, language, math, science, social studies, art, problem-solving, and research skills.
41．The underlined word “discarded” (Paragraph 1) probably means “___________.”
A．waste B．important C．small D．dirty
42．Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
A．The family is quite poor.
B．The family members don’t waste any money.
C．The parents are proud of saving materials.
D．The parents set an example to the daughter.
43．The text mainly suggests that children___________.
A．love recycling things B．are curious about things
C．can learn to protect nature D．should act the way as their parents
44．What’s the author’s suggestion about introducing a child to the natural world?
A．Going on a camping trip. B．Traveling to the wilderness.
C．Learning from their parents. D．Playing in such places as a park.
Scientists in the United States have developed a method that may help to predict earthquakes earlier. They say it could give people who live in deadly earthquake areas enough warning to leave before an earthquake occurs.
Currently, the most modern systems for predicting earthquakes find them only a short time before the event. Like most strong earthquakes, Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and Haiti earthquake in 2010 were not identified early enough for people to flee the area, killing hundreds and thousands of people.
But scientists who study earthquakes are reporting that new technology could measure very small changes in the Earth’s surface.
Scientists performed experiments along California’s San Andreas Fault, an area famous for its earthquakes. Highly sensitive electrical
devices are placed about one kilometer below ground in two di
fferent places. The devices were able to measure even small changes in air pressure o
n the Earth’s surface. The scientists say such changes are caused when rocks pushed together, forcing air out of small cracks in the rock.
Two earthquakes hit the area in late 2005. The first took place on Dec.25. A smaller earthquake struc
k five days later. The scientists noted changes in the earth’s surface about ten hours before the first quake struck. That quake measured three in intensity(强度). They then found similar changes taking place two hours before the other quake struck five days later.
If additional tests confirm the changes are linked to earthquakes, the scientists believe their equipment could be used for early warning systems. A system that provides a warning signal ten hours before a major earthquake could help move people from the area and save lives.
The scientists now hope they can find earthquakes with even greater intensity by placing their equipment deeper in the ground.
71. What’s the best title for the passage?
A.A new way to help predict earthquakes.
B.The earthquakes in the world
C.A better understanding of earthquake
D.Scientists and modern systems of earthquakes
72.If the new method does work, _______.
A.fewer earthquakes will break out
B.rescue workers can save more buried people in ruins
C.a warning can be given at least ten days before the major earthquake
D.fewer people will be killed in an earthquake
73.According to the passage, the devices can predict the earthquake by______
reaching the center of the earthquake
detecting the temperature changes in the earth’s crust
measuring changes in air pressure on the Earth’s surface
recording sound waves under the ground
74.We can infer from the passage that ______.
the equipment is perfect enough to be used in practice
it’s unknown if greater earthquake can be predicted by the equipment
the deeper the equipment is placed, the more accurate the measurement is
the equipment has helped save many lives in the earthquake in Haiti .
75.How many earthquakes are mentioned in the passage?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four
The Take
By Martina Cole
Hardcover; 448 pages
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing Ltd.
ISBN: 0747269718
Price : ￡85
Jackie Jackson, who lives in Essex, UK, is preparing a party. Friends and family gather for the party to welcome her husband Freddie.
But it’s not your typical welcome back event. After six years in prison, Freddie thinks he is the Essex equivalent to the Godfather. And he’s going to make sure everyone knows it.
Lovers and Players
By Jackie Collins
Hardcover; 512 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0743268024
Price: ￡97
Amy is a pretty young New York heiress（女继承人）, she is engaged to an older man—Max Diamond, a powerful real estate(房地产) businessman.
At the party before the wedding, she runs into Jett, Max’s younger half-brother. Jett is just back from Italy, where he is a successful model. They have no idea who each other are. One night of romance leads to big complications.
Angels and Demons
By Dan Brown
Hardcover; 768 pages
Publisher: Random 
House
ISBN: 037543318X
Price: ￡128
Robert Langdon, the hero of the best-selling history thriller Da Vinci Code, makes his original appearance in Angels and Demons. In this book, Langdon tried to solve the mystery of a century-old underground organization and save the Vatican from a tomb.
66. Which of the following statements about The Take is NOT true?
A. It’s published by Headline Book Publishing Ltd.
B. It’s the cheapest one of the three books mentioned.
C. Jackie Jackson and Freddie are husband and wife.
D.
Jackie Jackson was in prison for six years
67. Which of the followin
g descriptions about Max and Jett are TRUE?
A. They are twins. B. They share one common parent
C. They are businessmenD. They are models
68. If you are interested in mysterious stones, you will probably read______.
A. The Take B. Lovers and Players C. Da Vinci Code D. Angels and Demons
69. It’s possible that Da Vinci Code was written by ______.
A. Jackie Collins B. Martina Cole C. Dan Brown D. Robert Langdon
70. In which column of the newspaper will you read the passage?
A. Best-selling UK Fictions
B. Best-selling US Essays
C. Best-selling French Fictions
D. Best-selling Romantic Love Stories
Youth volunteers from Beijing University visited Songtang Hospital, a care clinic for the aged and dying patients, on April 21, the second Global Youth Service Day.
Thirty student volunteers from the university’s School of International Studies sat at the beds of the patients in their specially-decorated “care huts”. They talked with them and gave messages to patients kept in their beds.
“I felt sorry that I could not offer more to these people except talking with them and trying to cheer them up”, said Deng Yetao, a third-year student, “But it occurred to me that they need more care and love than babies. They are afraid of the coming deat
h. Their loneliness is worse than physical p
ains.”
“Even though they are suffering a lot, the majority of the elderly people want to talk to us. Each of them has a lot of life experiences and philosophies to share. Instead of doing them a favor, I felt I was gaining a valuable lesson,” said Mao Xiaohua, another third-year student.
Mao talked with two elderly patients for a whole afternoon. The fact that most of the patients in the 80-room clinic are aged people with diseases which will lead to death soon made the volunteers’ hearts heavy.
Ninety-one percent of the patients will spend the last days of their lives in the clinic, according to a survey by the hospital.
Daily visits and services by social workers and youth volunteers are a very important part of their programme. A total of 330,000 Beijing students from 119 universities and colleges have visited the hospital. Many continue to offer services in their spare time. Some of them volunteer to hold the hands of dying patients during the last minutes of their lives.
Yin Hang, a student from Beijing Medical College, said he felt “the glory of life” as he saw the fading smile on the face of the old man who slipped into a deep unconsciousness while he was holding his hands.
61. Youth volunteers from Beijing University went to Songtang Hospital to ______.
A. pay a visit to the woundedB. talk with the aged
C. offer services to the aged D. learn something from the aged
62. What the aged most suffered from is ______.
A. loneliness B. death C. physical pain D. disease
63. According to what Mao Xiaohua said, we know that_____.
A. the elderly taught him a good lesson when he talked to them
B. he learned something important from the elderly instead of only helping them
C. he only wanted to get something rather than do them a favor
D. he was glad to have given them a favor
64. When volunteers know most of the aged people in the clinic are dying patients, they feel _____.
A. sad B. disappointed C. hopeless D. worthless
65. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The youth are fond of doing popular things.
B. The Second Youth Service Day is started by the Chinese government.
C. 91% of the aged in China are facing death.
D. The volunteers are taking an active part in the activity