Have you ever noticed advertisements which say “Learn a foreign language in 6 weeks, or your money back! From the first day your pronunciation will be excellent. Just send…” and so on? Of course, it never happens quite like that. The only language that is easy to learn is one’s mother tongue. And think how much practice that gets! Before the Second World War people usually learnt a foreign language in order to read the literature of the country.
Now speaking a foreign language is what most people want. Every year millions of people start learning one. How do they do it? Some people try at home, with books and records of tapes; some use radio or television programmes; some use computers and network; others go to evening classes. If they use the language only 2 or 3 times a week, learning it will take a long time, like learning a foreign language at school. A few people try to learn a language fast by studying for 6 or more hours a day. It is clearly easier to learn the language in the country where it is spoken.
However, most people cannot afford this, and for many it is not necessary. They need the language in order to do their work better. For example, scientists and doctors chiefly need to be able to read books and reports in the foreign language. Whether the language is learnt quickly or slowly, it is hard work. Machines and good books will help, but they cannot do the student’s work for him. According to some advertisements, you ______.
| A．have to pay your money if you cannot master a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| B．needn’t pay you money if you cannot learn a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| C．must pay your money if you cannot master a foreign language in 6 weeks |
| D．will be paid much money if you cannot learn a foreign language in 6 weeks |
Now most people try to learn a foreign language in order to ______.
| A．read the literature of the country | B．read books and reports |
| C．do their work better | D．go to foreign countries |
Learning a foreign language is a hard job ______.
| A．only for scientists and doctors | B．only for the students at school |
| C．for those people at home | D．for most people |
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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
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How has smoking been controlled in recent years?
People were asked to stop smoking in a range of public places—such as doctors’ surgeries, cinemas, theatres and churches—over the second half of the 20th century but it was after the King’s Cross Underground fire on November 18, 1987, caused by a cigarette end which resulted in 31 deaths, that restrictions on smoking in public places gained rapid and widespread acceptance.
How did a ban on smoking in public places come into place?
In 1998 the Smoking Kills White Paper set out a national strategy to reduce smoking prevalence (流行) and passive smoking, including in public places. The measures were voluntary and poorly carried out. After a public conference in England in 2004, the Government decided to choose for lawmaking. Scotland went first, with a ban in 2006, followed by the other nations a year later.
What is the current law?
Any person who smokes in enclosed public places, including pubs, offices, on public transport and work vehicles, is breaking the law. It does not extend to private houses. It is also an offence for people in charge of premises (营业场所) to permit others to smoke in them.
How was it received?
It was welcomed by most organizations—except for some pub owners and restaurateurs. Many workplaces in the UK had already introduced smoke-free policies consistent with the legislation (法律，法规) before it was carried out, while others have gone beyond its basic requirements.
All railway facilities, including platforms, footbridges and other areas—whether or not fitting the definition of an enclosed public space—are covered, as are all football grounds and some cricket and athletics stadiums. School grounds are not required to be smoke-free under the legislation, but the majority now are.
How has it been forced?
Compliance (服从) in public premises has been high, with inspections suggesting that 99 per cent of places were sticking to the rules. The number of people charged for smoking in cars has been very low, which was due to the problems defining and identifying “work” vehicles. They said that a total ban on smoking in vehicles would end this confusion.
Has it improved health?
Studies in early adopters of the law, including in Scotland, suggest a reduction in hospital admissions for heart disease, which has been shown to be linked to passive smoking. There is also strong evidence of improved rates of smoking end and a drop in the number of cigarettes consumed by those who continue to smoke.
63. When did the first law come out to ban smoking in public places?
A. 1987. B. 1998. C. 2004. D. 2006.
64. Which of the following behaviors may NOT be against the law?
A. Jack often smokes in the office when he is alone.
B. A taxi driver is smoking with a lady in his car.
C. Tom smokes while thinking of his future at home.
D. Max smokes for relaxation during time-out in the stadium.
65. Who might feel unhappy about the law according to the article?
A. A restaurant owner. B. A company manager. C. A car owner. D. A policy maker.
66. What can you infer from the article?
A. Most heart diseases have been proved to be linked to passive smoking.
B. A new law will soon come out with a total ban on smoking in vehicles.
C. The 1987 fire has convinced more people that smoking is bad for health.
D. Most of the school grounds are not smoke-free, as it is not banned in the law.
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Al had been working in this factory only eleven months, but he excelled at everything he did. He looked for new tasks-as an opportunity to gain experience. To him, mistakes were not to be denied but considered an opportunity to learn. He was, by far, the most capable man among his workmates, One day, when he was finishing his work of the day, he heard Jack calling him.
“What are you going to do about…?” asked Jack.
“I’ll come off the end rail,” interrupted Al.
“No, I mean about Joe’s promotion?”
“I’m going back to school,” Al said.
“Excuse me!”
“I’m going back to school,” Al repeated.
“You mean you’re quitting!”
Was it that simple? Is this why there was so much misery in men’s lives? “I’m going back to school” was just an excuse, and Al knew it, thought Jack, or Al would not be drunk. It seemed that Al would rather get drunk than fight for his happiness. But why? Jack had no answer.
“Yes, and I’m going back to school. I don’t know what else to do. I can’t believe that this kind of thing can happen. Maybe if I get more education and a better job, it will be different.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“Well, what do you want we to do?” Al was getting angry: “I can’t stay here! I can’t work where the most incapable get the biggest reward! I can’t kill Joe and the boss like…”
Al stopped. They both knew what this meant.
“Like I did?”
Al did not answer.
“Yes, I killed two men with my bare hands; yes, I got punished and lost my job-but I kept my soul!”
Al undertood the hidden statement. Al did not know whether it was his anger, or the beer, or both that made him less cautious in the face. He held his hands firmly. Then be heard Jack: “You’ve got the right idea, Al. You’ve got to fight.”
Al needed to think. Instead of taking the subway, he walked five miles back home. By the time he entered his bedroom, he climbed into bed. Turned off his mind, and fell asleed.
67．Choose from the following a right word to describe Jack.
A．Tough. B．Incapable. C．Lazy. D．Talkative.
68．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Jack was not happy about Joe’s promotion.
B．Al and jack were workmates.
C．The conversation between Al and Jack happened in their workplace.
D．The conversation between Al and Jack happened during the working hours.
69．What can we infer from the underlined part?
A．Jack thinks Al has lost his soul.
B．Jack used to be a killer.
C．Al would be a killer.
D．Don’t be a killer like Jack.
70．Which of the following is true about Al at the end of the story?
A．Al felt so tired from the long walk home and couldn’t help falling asleep.
B．Al and made up his mind and knew what to do.
C．Al forgot all that had happened.
D．Al was too confused to think further.
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The massive 8.8 quake, the seventh strongest in recorded history, hit Chile and should have shortened the length of an Earth day by 1.26 milliseconds, More impressive is how much the quake shifted the Earth’s axis（地轴）.
The computer mode! Used to determine the effects of the Chile earthquake effect also found that it should have moved the Earth’s figure axis by about 8 cm. The Earth’s figure figure axis is not the same as its north-south axis, which Earth turns around once every day at a speed of about 1,604 kph. The figure axis is the axis around which the Earth’s mass is balanced. It is offset（偏离） from the Earth’s north-south axis by about 10 meters.
Strong earthquakes can change Earth’s days and its axis. The 9.1 Sumatran earthquake in 2004, which set off a deadly tsunami（海啸），should have shortened Earth’s days by 0.0068 milliseconds and shifted its axis by about 7cm.
One Earth day is about 24 hours long. Over the course of a year, the length of a day normally changes gradually by one millisecond, It increases in the winter when Earth more slowly, and decreases in the summer.
The Chile earthquake was much smaller than the Sumatran quake, but its effects on the Earth are larger because of its location. The fault（断层） responsible for the 2010 Chile quake also cuts through Earth at a larger angle that the Sumatran quake’s fault. This makes the Chile fault ore effective in moving the Earth’s mass vertically and hence more effective in shifting the Earth’s figure axis.
The findings are based on early date available on the Chile earthquake. The Chile earthquake has killed more than 700 people and cause widespread damage in the South American country.
64．What’s the biggest problem caused by the Chile quake?
A．It is the seventh strongest in recorded history.
B．It should have shortened the length of an Earth day.
C．It shifted the Earth’s axis.
D．It made the day longer on Earth.
65．Comparing the Sumatram earthquake with the Chile earthquake, we know that__________.
A．the Sumatram earthquake had more effect on Earth
B．the location of the Chile earthquake is responsible for its larger effects on Earth.
C．the Sumatram earthquake was less destructive
D．the Chile earthquake fault changed the Earth’s mass
66．What does the word “it” in the 4th paragraph refer to?
A．The leng of a day. B．The axis.
C．One millisecond. D．The change of the day.
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We typically associate the word “science” with a person in a white coat doing experiments in a laboratory. Ideally, experiments should play as big a role in the human sciences as they do in the natural sciences; but in practice this is not usually the case. The are at least three reasons for this.
1．Human scientists are often trying to make sense of complex real world situations in which it is simply impossible to run controlled experiment.
2．The artificiality of some of the experiments that can be conducted may make the behavior of the participants abnormal.
3．There are moral reasons for not conducting experiments that have a negative effect on the people who participate in them.
Faced with the above difficulties, what are human scientists to do? One solution is to wait for nature to provide the appropriate experimental conditions. We can, for example, learn something about how a normal brain functions by looking at people who have suffered brain damage; and we can gain some understanding into the roles played by genes and the environment by studying twins, who have been separated at birth and brought up in different families. In the case of economics, economic history can provide us with a bank of-admittedly not very well-controlled-experimental data.
However, human scientists do not just sit around waiting for natural experiments to arise. They also think of some experiments of their own. Suppose you want to know how a baby sees the world. We cannot, of course, ask the baby since it has not yet learnt to speak. So it might seem that all we can do is guess. People usually won’t change their mind until it was found out that babies tend to stare at surprising things longer than at unsurprising ones. This key understanding was like opening a window on to the developing mind. There was now a way of testing babies’ expectations and getting some idea of how they are six months old, babies can already do the following things: figuring out that objects consist of parts that move together being aware of the difference between living and non-living things and even doing simple arithmetic work.
60．What is true about the natural sciences and the human sciences according to this passage?
A．Both human scientists and natural scientists can run controlled experiments.
B．Experiments done by human scientists and natural scientists are artificial.
C．Both human and natural science experiments should be of the same importance.
D．It’s not moral to conduct human science experiments.
61．What do we know about human scientists from this passage?
A．They are white coat scientists.
B．They have more experimental sources than natural scientists.
C．They conduct experiments passively.
D．They face more difficulties in carrying out their research.
62．Which of the following experiments belongs to human science experiment?
A．Vinegar Volcano Vinegar and baking soda make. for a fun and easy science experiment. Try creating a vinegar volcano.
B．Taste Without Smell Put your senses to the test with this simple experiment that shows the
importance of your sense of smell.
C．Lung Function Observe your breath and confirm your lung volume by completing this experiment.
D．Make a Rainbow Use sunlight and water to make your own rainbow with this cool experiment
that will teach kids how rainbows work while they enjoy a fun activity
63．What does the author tell us in this passage?
A．ABCs about the science experiment.
B．Some knowledge of science.
C．Some differences between the human sciences and the natural sciences.
D．The similarity of the natural sciences and the human sciences.