A Narrow Escape
Shortly after the war, my brother and I were invited to spend a few days’ holiday with an uncle who had just returned from abroad． He had rented a cottage in the country, although he hardly spent much time there. We understood the reason for this after our arrival： the cottage had no comfortable furniture in it. Many of the windows were broken and the roof leaked , making the whole house wet．
On our first evening, we sat around the fire after supper listening to the stories our uncle told of his many adventures in distant countries． I was so tired after the long train journey that I would have preferred to go to bed; but I could not bear to miss any of my uncle’s exciting stories, He was just in the middle of describing a rather terrifying experience he had once had when there was a loud crash from the bedroom above, the one where my brother and I were going to sleep．
When we got to the top of the stairs and opened the bedroom door, a strange sight met our eyes. A large part of the ceiling had fallen right on to the pillow of my bed．The uncle disliked the rented cottage for the reason that _____．
| A．there were no beds in it |
| B．the windows were broken and the roof leaked |
| C．it was too old for him to live in |
| D．it was very rainy in the area |
On the first evening, the writer was very sleepy, _____．
| A．but he did his best not to miss any stories |
| B．so he had to go to bed early |
| C．because he was tired of his uncle’s stories |
| D．and he was gradually falling asleep while listening |
If the writer had not been able to stay up late, _____．
| A．his uncle would have stopped telling stories |
| B．his uncle would have been very happy |
| C．he would have been injured or killed |
| D．his brother wouldn’t have been, either |
A narrow escape means ___.
| A．A person runs away from a danger through a narrow door. |
| B．A person escapes a danger by luck. |
| C．A person escapes a danger easily. |
| D．A person runs away from a danger easily. |
第三部分：阅读理解（第一节15小题，共30分，第二节5小题，共10分，满分40分）
第一节：阅读下列短文，从每题所给的选项中选出最佳选项。
There is an English saying: “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors check
ed their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter had similar effects to physi
cal exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart beating and breathing; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the groups which listened to a funny programme. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which diminish both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.
56. Doctors have proved the following EXCEPT that____ .
A. smiling does good to healthB. laughter can be tolerated
C. there is a way to reduce pain D. laughter can work the muscles in the feet
57. The main idea of the passage is that ____
A. laughter and physical exercise have similar effects on the human body
B. smile can produce the same effects as laughter
C. pain can be reduced by laughter
D. laughter is the best medicine
58. The students who____ tolerated the pain 
for the longest time.
A. listened to different radio programmes B. could produce a kind of chemical
C. don’t have stress or pain D. listened to a funny programme
59. The underlined word “diminish” in the second paragraph is similar to “____ ’’.
A. test B. stop C. reduce D .increase
When you are talking to somebody at a party, do you focus entirely on the person you are speaking with or does your attention keep jumping around the room to all the other people there? General1y, if the person is someone you really want to talk to, you will focus on him. Most other people will only get about half of your attention.
You may think that this is OK, because if you don’t really want to talk to him, then what does it matter if you don’t give him your full attention? Consider two things. First, you may just not realize the importance of that conversation. If you are at a networking meeting and you hope to meet the CEO of Company X, but you end up talking to someone who has a low-level job at a different company, then you may let your attention wander (走神) as you speak to him. But maybe you don’t realize that this person has already met the CEO and could introduce you. Do you think he will do that if he feels you don’t really care about speaking to him? This doesn’t mean you need to spend the whole time ta
lking to him. Five or ten minutes of real attentive (专心的) conversation can be worth 30 minutes to an hour of partial attention.
Second, whether you want to speak to someone is based on the situation. You can love your wife, but if she tries to talk to you while you are watching something you like on TV, where is your attention going? Make your own decision, but if you want her to feel valued, give her your 100% attentio
n. The nice thing is that in many cases you can give her your attention for a few minutes and then return to what you were doing. You miss very little, she feels valued, and all is good.
60．The author’s opinion is made believable mainly by ________.
A. giving examples B. using figures C. asking questions D. description
61．The second paragraph mainly tells you that ________.
A. you should focus on whoever you are talking to
B. you should be interested in everyone at a party
C. you can refuse to talk to someone you don’t like at a party
D. you should be patient with everyone at a party
62．A person who has a low-level job probably ________.
A. would like to talk to you B. is the one you’re looking for
C. wants to make friends with you D. is well worth focusing on
63. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Always be friendly to others at a party.
B. Improve your communication skills by focusing on others.
C. It is important for you to be active at a party.
D. You should respect your wife at any time.
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone’s else or ourselves --- the positive and negativ
e effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clear will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh（刻薄的）and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem（自尊）and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.
57. The main idea of the first paragraph is that ________.
A. not sticks and stones but words will hurt us
B. inspiring words give us confidence
C. negative words may let us down
D. words have a lasting effect on us
58. There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because _______
A. almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves
B. we can benefit from talking to ourselves
C. talking to ourselves always gives us courage
D. it does no harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone
59. The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely _______
A. praise ourselves
B. remind ourselves
C. make ourselves relaxed
D. give ourselves amusement
60. The author would probably hold the view that ___________
A. encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers
B. negative words may stimulate us to make more progress
C. people tend to remember friendly words
D. it is better to think twice before talking to others
Jan. 7, 2008 --- French President Nicolas Sarkozy would marry his girlfriend, former supermodel Carla Bruni on Feb. 8 or 9, media reported Monday.
The report said that in December --- less than a month after Sarkozy met Bruni --- he gave her a heart-shaped diamond engagement ring.
Carla Bruni, Italian singer, former model an
d girlfriend of France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, holds the hand of her son Aurelien while wearing a pink heart-shaped ring during a visit to the ancient Jordanian ruins of Petra Jan. 5, 2008. French newspapers reported that Sarkozy would marry her early in February.
Sarkozy and his wife of 11 years, Cecilia, divorced in October. Their marital（婚姻）problems became well known in May 2005 when she appeared in public at the side of event organizer Richard Attias.
A marriage to Bruni, a one-time star of the catwalks who is now a singer, would be Sarkozy’s third: He divorced his first wife, Marie, in the late 80s --- after he had met and befriended Cecilia.
Political analyst Dominique Moisi said that a Sarkozy proposal to Bruni could be part of his desire to head off any future arguments, and the speed of their visit to the ancient Jordanian ruins of Petra Jan. 5, 2008 would fit with his personality as a busy man in a hurry.
“Apparently, he’s going to marry her, so the problem will be behind him,” Moisi said. “He will increase the opportunities to travel with her, and to say to the French, ‘You see, I must remarry… You need a first lady.’”
Bruni, an Italian-born French citizen, has dated famous men including Mick Jagger and Donald Trump. She has also reportedly been linked to singer Eric Clapton and actor Vincent Perez.
53. What is the correct order of Sarkozy’s marital history?
A. Long marriage to Cecilia
B. Visiting ruins with Bruni
C. Getting divorced from Marie
D. Giving Bruni a diamond ring
E. To marry the former supermodel
A. c-a-b-d-e B. e-d-c-a-b C. c-a-d-b-e D
. a-c-d-b-e
54. What did Moisi really intend to inform the readers?
A. The president will spend more time staying with Bruni
B. Sarkozy is good at balancing state and personal affairs
C. It is not easy for President Sarkozy to seek a new love
D. It is a doubt whether the marriage would have a bright future
55. The possible purpose of the last paragraph is to _________
A. provide some unknown stories about Bruni’s love affairs
B. show uncertainty about the former supermodel’s loyalty
C. imply that past experiences have little effect on a person
D. prove Bruni one of the most popular and attractive females
56. Which would be the best title for the news?
A. Bruni, France’s first lady
B. A third marriage to fail
C. France to have first lady
D. President’s new girl friend
While it is impossible to live completely free of stress，it is possible to prevent stress as well as
reduce its effect when it can’t be avoided．The US Department of Health and Human Services offers the following suggestions for ways to deal with stress．
◆Try physical activity
When you are nervous，angry or upset，try releasing the pressure through exercise or physical
activity．Running，walking，playing tennis，and working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try．
◆Take care of yourself
You should make every effort to eat well and get enough rest．If you easily get angry and can’t sleep well enough，or if you’re not eating properly，it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations．If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping，you should consult a doctor．
◆Make time for yourself
Schedule time for both work and entertainment．Don't forget，play can be just as important to your overall well-being as work．You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun．Go window-shopping or work on a hobby．Allow yourself at least a half hour each day to do something you enjoy．
◆Make a list of things to do
Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that “there’s so much to do，and not enough time”．Trying to take care of everything at once can be too much for you and as a result，you may not achieve anything．Instead，make a list of everything you have to do，then do one thing at a time，checking off each task as it is completed．Set out to do the most important task first．
49．Which of the following statements shows that you have fallen into stressful situations?
A．You can't sleep well all the time．
B．You have a break after work．
C．You always feel happy and relaxed．
D．You only do one thing at a time．
50．According to the passage，how do you make a list of things to do?
A．Try to take care of everything at once．
B．Do one thing at a time．
C．Only do the most important thing．
D．Have a break from your work．
51．Why does the writer write this passage?
A．To give opinion．
B．To give suggestions．
C．To make a request．
D．To ask for advice．
52．What is the best title for the passage?
A．How to Deal with Stress?
B．How to Make Time for Yourself?
C．How to Take Care of Yourself?
D．How to Make a List of Things to Do?