When I was going home to India last year, I called up my mother to ask if she wanted anything from China.
When India had not opened up its markets to the world, I carried suitcase loads of dark glasses and jeans. Thankfully, we can get all these anywhere in India now.
Still, her answer surprised me: “Green tea.”
As long as I can remember she didn’t even drink Indian tea..
I dutifully bought a big packet of Longjing and headed home to hear the story.My mother and her brother, both regular newspaper readers, believed that Chinese green tea was the wonder drug for all illnesses.
At the turn of the century, China was not really familiar to the average Indian.It was a strange country.
How things change! And how soon! Now every town of any size seems to have a “China Market”.And everyone is talking about China.The govemment of Indin has planned to send a team to China to see how things are done. A minister once said that India must open the doors for more foreign investment (投资)and such a step would “work wonders as it did for China”.
But it’s a two-way street.I just heard about a thousand Shenzhen office workers who have gone to Bangalore to train in software.Meanwhile, all the Indian IT majors are setting up a strong presence in China.
No wonder that trade, which was only in the millions just ten years ago, is expected to hit about US $15 billion for last year and US $20 billion by 2008, a goal set by both governments.
No wonder, my colleague wrote some weeks ago about this being the Sino-Indian(中印)century as the two countries started on January 1 the Sino-Indian Friendship Year.
But what is still a wonder to me is my mother drinking Chinese tea. The reason why the writer’s mother asked for Chinese green tea is that________.
| A.she had a son working in China | B.she believed it had a curing effect |
| C.she enjoyed Chinese products | D.she was tired of Indian tea |
The underlined part “it’s a two-way street” in Paragraph 8 probably means _______.
| A.The exchanges between Indian and China benefit both. |
| B.China and India have different traffic rules. |
| C.Tea trade works wonders in both India and China. |
| D.Chinese produces are popular in both China and India. |
It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
| A.the author was concerned for his mother’s health |
| B.the author was in favor of drinking Chinese green tea |
| C.the author was surprised at China’s recent development |
| D.the author was curious about the growth of India’s IT industry |
D
Eight-year-old Bethany and seven-year-old Eliza are having a great time jumping around in the orchard of their home in a village near Penrith. They can play any time they like because they don't go to school. Instead, they are educated at home by their parents, Paul and Veronika Robinson. But they don't have lessons, have never used a timetable and learn only what and when they want to learn.
"I want my kids to have freedom in their childhood, not spend it in an institution," says 37-year-old Veronika, "School is all about control and following the rules." Veronika and her 56-year-old husband Paul have never experienced the daily rush to get dressed and out of the door that is common in most households with school-aged children. "We get up at our leisure - usually around 8:30," says Veronika. "We might visit a friend, or go to the library, and on Tuesdays we shop at the market. In summer, we spend most of our time outside and the girls entertain themselves a lot."
New research due to be published this spring reveals a very different picture of Britain's home educators. "Out of 297 families, 184 said that they never use a timetable," says Mike Fortune-Wood of Home Education UK. "Ninety per cent never or rarely use textbooks, and nearly all said that happiness, contentment and self-fulfillment were more important than academic achievement. Only 15% felt that planning what to learn was crucial."
So far, so good. But what, you might ask, are the children actually learning?
"It wasn't important to me that the girls could read by a certain age, but they both picked it up for themselves at around seven," says Robinson. "Weighing cooking ingredients uses maths, and making a shopping list teaches them to write. Observing five hens has taught the girls about survival of the fittest. "
But what about when the children grow up? Can they go to university? The home educators' answer is they can if they want to. There are a variety of routes into higher education, but probably the most common is to join a local college. This is what Gus Harris-Reid has done. "I was educated at home all my life. I'd never had a lesson or been inside a classroom until I started GCSEs," says the 18-year-old. "I'm now studying for 4 A-levels at Exeter College. I've had no problem with the work or with fitting in." When asked to reflect on his experience of home education, his considered response is, "Like a permanent holiday, really!" Not a bad start for someone who plans to take a mechanical engineering degree next year.
66. What is the topic of this article?
A. New ways of learning to read and write B. Problems with UK schools
C. Home education in the UK D. Wild, undisciplined children
67. Why do the Robinsons not send their children to school?
A. They think schools control children too much.
B. They do not like the courses taught in schools.
C. They want to teach their children farming skills.
D. They live in a remote area where there are no schools.
68. According to the article, in homes with school-going children, ______.
A. mornings are rushed and stressful.
B. the children hardly ever go outside.
C. the family wakes up around 8:30am.
D. the children must ask permission to go to the toilet.
69. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Most home educators believe that happiness is more important than good grades.
B. Most home educators believe that planning is important.
C. Most home educators do not follow a timetable or use textbooks.
D. Most home educators are not worried about when their children learn to read and write.
70. What does the article say about home-educated children getting into university?
A. They learn so many useful skills at home that universities are happy to accept them.
B. They can get into university if they have 4 A-levels.
C. They can go to school later and get the qualifications they need in order to enter university.
D. Home education is so relaxed that they are likely to experience problems when faced with the pressures of a degree course.
C
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62. The person who received this e-mail message was probably______.
A. Me B. Just one of MILLIONS of lucky e-mail users world-wide.
C. YouD. All of the above
63. A foreigner who receives this letter should ________.
A. be a close relative of the dead.
B. send hundreds of dollars to Africa
C. go to African Development Bank for the wealth
D. not take it seriously.
64. Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. Many millionaires died in the plane crash.
B. Any money unclaimed will be given to a poor foreigner.
C. the division of the money seems quite reasonable.
D. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK doesn’t exist at all.
65. A person who believes “__________” will fall into it.
A. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. B. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
C. All rivers run into the sea D. A short cut is often a wrong cut
B
Over 2,000 years, the examination of the pulse has been a mysterious skill in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Although many westerners may have known something about methods like inspecting, listening and enquiring, pulse reading as a tool to determine physical condition is not common knowledge. It is therefore worth our effort to take a closer look at it.
There are three positions on each wrist which are used for analysis: the front, middle and back part, and analyzed at three different levels: superficial, middle and deep.
On the left wrist, the front position focuses on the condition of the heart and small intestine (小肠), the middle position concentrates on the functions of the liver and gall bladder, and the back position is connected with the kidney. The lungs and large intestine are the centre of attention in the front position on the right wrist, with the middle position focusing on the spleen and stomach and the back taking note of the “Gate of Vitality Fire’. This is the heat provider for all bodily functions.
In regards to the various levels, the superficial level reflects the state of energy, the middle level shows the state of blood flow, and the deep level is an indication of the state of the Yin organs. Suppose that the pulse in the left middle position was soft and smooth, neither superficial nor deep, it would suggest that the liver and gall bladder are in a good state of health.
Checking the pulse is actually far more complex. Doctors need to be able to recognize 26 different pulse categories. For example, a scattered pulse which is irregular and hardly noticeable, is a sign that a patient is critically ill and nearing death. Other categories include the rapid pulse, probably a sign of a fever; or the tense pulse, which may suggest that the patient is suffering from pain. Many pulses only have subtle differences; thus, pulse examination is often seen as being more than just a skill but an actual art form.
This kind of medical diagnosis can be affected by many factors, so before any examination, it is important that patients are in a relaxed physical and mental state so they can get the most accurate reading. The morning is often the best time to take such a reading, as a busy day in the office or vigorous exercise before seeing the doctor can influence the quality of the pulse. The right amount of pressure must be applied by the doctor for the right duration of time. Patients’ characteristics are also of importance. Children, for instance, have quick pulses and athletes have slower than usual ones. Even seasonal influences need to be taken into account.
59. Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?
A. Chinese Pulse Checking B. Difficulties in Pulse Checking
C. What Makes a Good Doctor D. Brief Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine
60. Which factor is NOT mentioned as possibly influencing the accuracy of a pulse reading?
A. Amount of force used. B. Time of day.
C. Climate. D. Body height.
61. From the passage we can infer that the writer believes __________.
A. Chinese medicine is too difficult to learn
B. pulse reading requires a long-time study and practice
C. doctors need to be familiar with Chinese history
D. pulse examination is unimportant and no longer necessary
III. 阅读理解(共15小题,每小题1分,满分15分)
A
"As sure as you're alive now, Peter Rabbit, some day I will catch you," shouted Reddy Fox, as he put his black nose in the hole between the roots of the Big Hickory-tree which grows close to the Smiling Pool. "It is lucky for you that you were not one jump farther away from this hole."
Peter, safe inside that hole, didn't have a word to say, or, if he did, he didn't have breath enough to say it. It was quite true that if he had been one jump farther from that hole, Reddy Fox would have caught him. As it was, the hairs on Peter's funny white tail actually had tickled Reddy's back as Peter ran wildly through the root-bound entrance to that hole. It had been the narrowest escape Peter had had for a long, long time. You see, Reddy Fox had surprised Peter eating sweet clover (苜蓿) on the bank of the Smiling Pond, and it had been a lucky thing for Peter that that hole, dug long ago by Johnny Chuck's grandfather, had been right where it was. Also, it was a lucky thing that old Mr. Chuck had been wise enough to make the entrance between the roots of that tree in such a way that it could not be dug any larger.
Reddy Fox was too shrewd (机灵的) to waste any time trying to dig it larger. He knew there wasn't room enough for him to get between those roots. So, after trying to make Peter as uncomfortable as possible by telling him what he, Reddy, would do to him when he did catch him, Reddy walked across the Green Meadows. Peter remained where he was for a long time. When he was quite sure that it was safe to do so, he crawled out and hurried to the Old Orchard. He felt that that would be the safest place for him, because there were ever so many hiding places in the old stone wall along the edge of it.
56. Where is Peter Rabbit hiding?
A. On the bank of a pond B. In a hole
C. In a tall tree D. Behind a room
57. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the story?
A. Reddy Fox might find rabbit hairs on him.
B. Old Mr. Chuck took advantage of the roots to dig the hole.
C. The hole could be made larger.
D. Reddy almost caught Peter this time.
58. Why did Peter Rabbit wait so long before leaving?
A. Because Reddy was trying to get him.
B. Because it was cold outside.
C. Because his grandfather would help him dig a large hole.
D. Because the Old Orchard was not so safe as this hole.
One bitterly cold day, a snowstorm blew into our area. Needing firewood, I quickly set out with my best friend, Bruce, to look for a tree to cut down. I was glad to have Bruce along. Cutting down a tree in a snowstorm can be dangerous. So it was important to have a friend who could warn me of dangers.
When I chose a big 23-meter-tall tree and prepared to cut it down, my best friend suddenly warned me,“Don’t cut down that tree! It’s too close to the power line!”I wasn’t sure about it. So I decided to disregard his warning. I wanted to finish the job quickly and go home. So I began cutting down the tree. When the tree fell, there was no longer any doubt whether my friend was right.
The tree caught the power line, bringing it to the ground. I considered cutting the tree off the line. After all, electricity can’t travel through wood, so I could safely remove the tree. As I reached out my finger to touch the tree, pain ran up my arm and through my head. I had been shocked!
After I returned home and told my mother what had happened, she quickly called the power company. Workers from the power company soon arrived on the scene. One of them asked if I had touched the tree, and when I told him I had, his face turned pale.
“You should have been killed,”he said.
So why am I still alive? It was my boots that saved my life.
Within two hours, the workers removed the tree. Soon the snowstorm calmed down—but not my mother.
Even though she was glad I wasn’t hurt, my mother was still serious with me. After all, I shouldn’t have brushed off my friend’s warning.
Through this experience, I learned it’s important to listen to people who offer a different perspective. Taking the time to listen might actually save a lot of time and trouble. It certainly would have kept me from getting the“shock of my life.”
57.The underlined word“disregard”in the second paragraph means“___________.”
A.pay no attention to B.take notice of C.consider D.follow
58.In spite of Bruce’s warning, the author still cut the tree because___________.
A.he was sure there would be nothing to happen
B.he knows electricity can’t travel through wood
C.he didn’t hear his friend’s warning at all because of the blowing wind
D.he wasn’t sure if Bruce was right and was anxious to go home
59.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.But for his boots, the writer would have died.
B.The writer regretted having brushed off his friend’s warning.
C.The writer knew nothing about electricity.
D.When the tree was cut down, the writer realized his friend was right.
60.The author wrote the passage mainly to .
A.give an account of one of his terrible experiences
B.make us know it’s important to listen to people who offer a different perspective through his experience
C.tell us not to cut trees down any more
D.remind us to be careful while working