My teenage son Karl became withdrawn after his father died．As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him．But the more I tried, the more he pulled away．When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year．At this rate he would never graduate．I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him．Nothing worked.
One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and pleaded for help．“Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son． I’m at the end of my rope．I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”
I was at work when I got a phone call．A man introduced himself as the headmaster．“I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” Before he could say another word, I choked up and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger．“I love my son but I just don’t know what to do．I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked．It’s out of my hands．“For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line．The headmaster seriously said, “Thank you for your time”, and hung up.
Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades．Finally, he even made the honor roll .In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl．I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around．On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year?” I nodded．“That was me．I thought I’d play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you．That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”By saying “Karl became withdrawn”, the author means that the boy changed entirely and ______.
| A．preferred to stay alone at home | B．lost interest in any activity |
| C．refused to talk to others | D．began to dislike his mother |
There was silence on the other end of the line because ______ .
| A．the speaker was too moved to say anything to the mother |
| B．the speaker waited for the mother to finish speaking |
| C．the speaker didn’t want the mother to recognize his voice |
| D．the speaker was unable to interrupt the mother |
The underlined sentence “…he even made the honor roll” means that “ ______ ”.
| A．he was even on the list to be praised at the parent-teacher meeting |
| B．he was even on the list of students who made progress in grades |
| C．he was even on the list of students who turned themselves around |
| D．he was even on the list of the best students at school |
What is the main idea of this passage ?
| A．Children in single-parent families often have mental problems. |
| B．Mother’s love plays an important role in teenagers’ life. |
| C．Being understood by parents is very important to teenagers. |
| D．School education doesn’t work without full support from parents. |
IN a 30-minute film called The Chase, a girl tries to catch a thief and finally takes him down with martial arts (武术) skills.
Anything special? Thirteen-year-old US girl Sophia Tran wrote, shot and performed in the film. She played the girl in the movie and her father, Steven, played the thief.
Now an eighth-grader at Ladera Ranch Middle School, California, Tran wrote The Chase over the summer of 2008. She shot the film in the fall of 2008 before holding the premiere (首映式) at her home in January the next year.
“It is important to have passion in filmmaking or you are not going to make it,” the quiet teenager said with a smile. “Also, you should read a lot of books about filmmaking.”
Tran thinks that many screenplays don't have any “suspense (悬念) as the film progresses.” She is now working on a movie which she says will be a suspense story.
Steven says his daughter has enjoyed drama and action movies since she was 7.
“She started to be interested in how stories are adapted (改编) to a screenplay,” Steven said. “And she wrote her own books when she was in second grade.”
But Tran also has a big heart. She sold DVD copies of her film The Chase for $10 each to family and friends. She then donated $400 from the DVD sales to her school to buy new computers.
57. Sophia Tran played _____ in her movie.
A. a thief B. a doctor C. a girl D. a police woman
58. Sophia Tran shot the film _____.
A. last year B. in January C. last summer D. less two years ago
59. Sophia Tran thinks ______ are important for successful filmmaking.
A. characters B. stories C. passion and knowledge D. passion and experience
60. According to Sophia Tran, many screenplays are poorly written because _____.
A. they don't keep readers excited B. they mostly end in an unexpected way
C. their dialogues are not interesting D. they are not inspiring
PAUL’S brother bought him a new car as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve (前夜), Paul saw a boy walking around the new car, admiring it.
"Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.
Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was amazed. "You mean your brother just gave it to you? Boy, I wish...." Paul knew what he was going to wish for — a brother who would buy him a car. But the boy surprised Paul.
"I wish that I could be a brother like that," he said.
Astonished, Paul invited the boy to go for a ride in the new car.
After a short ride, the boy said, "Would you mind driving in front of my house?" Paul thought the boy wanted to show the car to his neighbors. But Paul was wrong again.
The boy ran up the steps of his house. Soon he came back carrying his crippled (残废的) little brother. He pointed to the car. "Look!" he said to the little boy. "His brother gave him that car for Christmas. Some day I’m gonna give you one just like it!"
Paul got out and lifted the little boy into his car. The older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them went on a wonderful holiday ride.
That Christmas Eve, Paul learned how good it felt to give.
53. Paul’s brother gave him ___ as a Christmas present.
A. a suit B. a car C. a bicycle D. a card
54. When the boy saw the car, he wished that ____.
A. he could buy a car for himself B. he had a brother to buy him a car
C. he could buy a car for his brother D. he could have a ride in the car
55. When the boy asked Paul the drive the car in front his house, he wanted ___.
A. to show off to his neighbors B. his brother to see the car
C. Paul to drive him home D. to enjoy a ride in the car
56. The story mainly tells us ______.
A. practice makes perfect B. it is important to make money
C. giving makes people feel good D. a friend in need is a friend indeed
第三部分 阅读技能 (共三节，满分35分)
第一节阅读理解 （共12小题；每小题1.5分，满分18分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
TEENAGERS lead an exciting life in high school, making friends and dreaming about the future. However, as all young people know, teenagers have plenty of worries too.
Do you know what British teenagers worry about most? A survey by the UK's Department of Health shows that the top worries are losing weight (减肥) and fitting in (适应). Over 100,000 teenagers took part in the research.
Losing weight is a big concern among teenagers. This may be an effect of famous people with perfect bodies around them.
Adolescence is a physically and emotionally difficult time. Teenagers want to feel good about their bodies.
It's also important for them to be accepted. Many teenagers were picked on (作弄) in high school. “Who should I eat lunch with?”“Who should I hang out with?”“Will I be accepted?” These questions are troubling many UK teenagers, according to the survey.
It's interesting to see that family background has an effect on teenagers' worries. Teenagers from low-income families worried more about losing weight and bullying (欺凌弱小). Teenagers from higher income families were more likely to worry about fitting in and peer pressure (同辈压力).
49 According to the survey, British teenagers are most worried about ______.
A. fitting in and making money B. finding jobs and making friends
C. losing weight and being accepted D. making money and losing weight.
50. Many teenagers are concerned about losing weight because ______.
A. they see thin famous people B. they care a lot about health
C. they don't have much money D. they face problems in life
51. The word “adolescence” in the fourth paragraph means ______.
A.幼儿期 B.青春期 C.青年期 D.老年期
52. Suppose Jack is from a poor family; what do you think he may worry more about?
A. fitting in and losing weight B. fitting in and peer pressure
C. losing weight and bullying D. losing weight and peer pressure
Since its invention 100 years ago, plastic, the superstar of the technological age, has become ugly and ungreen. But that’s about to change. An exhibition at London’s Science Museum this week could put it back on the cutting edge of science.
Have you ever hesitated in donating blood? The invention of “plastic blood” might make you feel better.
British scientists are working on the artificial blood as a replacement for real blood in emergency situations. It is made of plastic molecules (分子) and can join oxygen and transport it around the body. As a red, honey - like glue, plastic blood can be carried around conveniently. You just add water to make as much blood as you need.
The cells of our body are strict about what molecules they let in and out. For example, if we inject protein or DNA directly into the body, our immune (免疫的) system will destroy it before it reaches the cells.
To get around this, a British scientist has created drug-carrying plastic balls that fool the body into thinking they are natural. Once inside the cell, their contents are spread out through a small controlled explosion.
Skin transplants are widely done these days. But removing a piece of skin from, say, the bottom to plant it on the face can hurt and be troublesome.
A British company, CellTran, is working on plastic skin. Using plastic, they plan to take a small piece of the patient’s skin and grow it into an extra layer of skin on top of the plastic.
The plastic feels similar to skin, so skin cells like to grow on it. The plastic then gradually disappears, without any reaction or infection.What would be the best title for the text?
| A．The superstar of technological age |
| B．An exhibition at London’s Science Museum |
| C．No more “white pollution” |
| D．Plastic takes on a new life |
The phrase “get around” in Paragraph 5 means closest to _____________.
| A．overcome | B．end | C．ensure | D．pass |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．Plastic blood will be injected into the body in drug-carrying plastic balls. |
| B．The plastic skin will remain a part of the new skin. |
| C．Plastic blood will take the place of real blood. |
| D．The cells of our body will let in whatever molecules they get. |
You don’t need millions to be happy. In fact, at The Happiness Institute in Australia, a couple of hundred dollars may be enough.
The institute opened its door last year, and, since then, men and women of all ages have been paying $ 200 an hour for lessons on how to feel great.
“You can actually increase your happiness levels. That’s what we teach,” said Timothy Sharp, founder of the institute.
Experts say that only about 15 percent of happiness comes from income, assets (财产)and other financial factors. As much as 85 percent comes from things such as attitude, life control and relationships.
Most of us are significantly better off financially than our parents and grandparents, but happiness levels haven’t changed to reflect that.
Studies show that once the basic needs of shelter and food are met, additional wealth adds very little to happiness.
Many decades ago, the sage (圣人、哲人)of Baltimore, Maryland”, editor HL Mencken, defined wealth as earning $100 more than your “wife’s sister’s husband”.
Behavioral economists now say part of the reason we are richer but not happier is that we compare ourselves to people better off materially.
“The argument is that if you want to be happy there’s a very simple thing you can do:
Compare yourself to people who are less welloff than you---poorer, smaller house and
car,” said Sharp.
The Happiness Institute aims to show you how to overcome these unhappiness factors by focusing on “more than just your bank account”.
“If I compare myself to Bill Gates then I’m always going to be down,” said Sharp.
A better thing to compare with, he said, might be Kerry Packer, Australia’s richest person who has had a kidney (肾脏) transplant and heart surgery in recent years.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．You may increase your happiness levels after attending the classes at The Happiness Institute. |
| B．Most of us are happier than our parents or grandparents since we earn more. |
| C．Earn $100 more than your wife’s sister’s husband if you want to be happy. |
| D．Both Bill Gates and Kerry Packer are examples of those who are extremely rich but obviously unhappy. |
The underlined phrase has the same meaning as the word______.
| A．healthy | B．unhealthy | C．free | D．wealthy |
The author wrote the passage to tell us_____.
| A．happiness is everything |
| B．wealth is the foundation of happiness |
| C．we can’t have fun at The Happiness Institute |
| D．money doesn’t always mean happiness |
According to the passage, happiness mainly depends on_____.
| A．income, assets and other financial factors |
| B．additional wealth apart from the satisfaction of the basic needs of shelter and food |
| C．things like attitude, life control and relationships |
| D．society development |