Tsai Chin Chung is one of Taiwan’s most famous cartoonists, and his cartoons are enjoyed by people in many different countries in Asia. His books of cartoons have now become best sellers in Singapore, Malaysia, and even Japan.
As soon as he could hold a pencil, Tsai Chin Chung lived only for drawing. Every day he practised drawing people and things around him and from his favorite stories.
When he was only 15 years old, he left home to work for a publisher in Taipei. He worked hard to draw pictures for books. Two years later, he left his job and started to work on drawing cartoon series, which he liked better. He made up his mind to succeed as a cartoonist.
Now Tsai Chin Chung has achieved something unusual for a modern cartoonist. He has become extremely successful at changing Chinese literature (文学) and philosophy (哲学) into humorous comic stories. In this way, he has made the Chinese classics (古典文学) known to thousands of people.
Because of his great achievement, several years ago Tsai Chin Chung was given a prize as one of the 10 Outstanding Young People of Taiwan. Since then, he has won many prizes, and his cartoons have become popular throughout Asia, America and Europe. So far, he has published more than 20 comic books. Ten of these are about ancient Chinese philosophers based on Chinese historical and literary classics.
Many of Tsai Chin Chung’s books of cartoons and comics have now been published in English in countries like Singapore. His books have also been translated into several other languages, including Japanese, Korean and Thai. Even publishers in France and Indonesia have recently signed agreements for permission to publish his cartoon series. Tsai Chin Chung first worked as ________.
| A．a book seller | B．a cartoonist |
| C．a writer of Chinese stories | D．an artist drawing pictures for books |
Tsai Chin Chung left his first job because he ________.
| A．preferred drawing cartoons | B．wanted to go back to school |
| C．enjoyed drawing pictures for books | D．wanted to be famous |
Tsai Chin Chung first became interested in drawing when he _______.
| A．left school | B．was a very small child | C．was 15 | D．started to be a cartoonist |
Half of the books he has published are related to _______.
| A．Chinese and foreign comics | B．countries in Asia, America and Europe |
| C．foreign languages learning | D．Chinese history and literature |
Because of his great achievements, Tsai Chin Chung _______.
| A．travelled a lot in Asia and Europe | B．went to live in Singapore | C．won an important prize in Taiwan | D．has become famous in Africa. |
The South Pole is a particular place on the earth.When people stand at the top of it looking around,they will find all directions face to north.No matter how they make their first step in which direction,they will always walk towards the north.That’s to say,only north and south exist there,neither east nor west exists.
At the top of the South Pole,any clock or watch keeps good time because all meridians（子午线） join there.All kinds of local time are completely suitable there.It is even difficult to distinguish（区别） New Year’s Eve from New Year’s Day.
The explorers and scientists from different countries always fix the time according to their own.Therefore the time by their watches was different when the people with different nationality gathered there.
The Winter Solstice（冬至日） is an important festival at the South Pole.It is always on June 21 or 22.This day is called Midwinter Festival,on which the daytime is the shortest in a year and the night the longest.All people at the South Pole extend greetings to each other and present gifts to each other.They usually give all kinds of celebrations.From that day on,the daytime will get longer day by day.At the top of the South Pole,your watch will ________.
| A．keep good time | B．be five minutes fast |
| C．stop | D．be ten minutes slow |
The Winter Solstice is an important festival ________.
| A．in the world | B．at the South Pole | C．at the North Pole | D．in China |
On the Winter Solstice,________ is the shortest in a year.
| A．the night | B．the noon | C．the morning | D．the daytime |
A HOUSE WITH A HISTORY
Foulsham House is a fine,stone house of the 1790s.It stands by the River Byre,in twenty－five hectares（公顷）of the best farmland in the southwest.
Smithson built the house,and the story goes back to George,the young Prince of Wales,who fell in love with the beautiful lady Kitty Wake,at one of the first Lord Foulsham’s wild woods parties.In the past many great men rode on the hills about Foulsham House,and many fine ladies took tea in the Green Room.
The house has eight bedrooms,three bathrooms,two living－rooms and a dining room with a real Adam fire－place（壁炉）.The gentleman’s library has a view over the park and the river.All rooms are light and airy（空气通畅的）,with wood,high windows,and wood floors.
At the back of the house,where the third Lord Foulsham kept the horses,there is garage－space（停车的地方）for four cars.In many other ways,this house of the 1790s meets the needs of the 2000s.
If you wish to know more about Foulsham House,write to:
Harvey,Platt,Longford & Sons,
6,Castle Green,Gilham,Byreside.The writer writes this passage to ________.
| A．persuade people to buy it |
| B．give some information about Foulsham House |
| C．tell a love story |
| D．describe the beauty of a best farmland |
People say that ________.
| A．Smithson built the house for Lord Foulsham’s wild parties |
| B．Prince George fell in love with Kitty Wake at Foulsham House |
| C．Prince George and Kitty Wake fell in love with the Green Room |
| D．Lord Foulsham fell in love with a lady in Wales |
The library ________.
| A．has a fine view of the park and the river |
| B．is where great men and fine ladies took tea |
| C．has an Adam fire－place,and a real wood floor |
| D．has eight bedrooms,three bathrooms and two living－rooms |
Even before World War Ⅱ ended in 1945,many world leaders dreamed of a new organization that would keep international peace and safety,and encourage international cooperation（合作）.An organization was formed.The United Nations was to work to this ideal of mankind.
When the UN was founded in 1945,it was made up of fifty members.Fifteen members sat on the Security Council（安理会）.Five members—the United States,the Soviet Union,Great Britain,France and China—were given,not changing membership on the Council.The Council was given the power to settle fights among nations by persuasion,mediation（调解） or other means.A General Assembly（联合国大会）,which included every UN member,was also set up.The Assembly could consider,discuss,and pass resolutions（决议案）.
As the UN passed its fortieth birthday in 1985,it came under increasingly sharp attack by Americans.It declared that the UN is unfit as a peace keeper and cited（援引） 130 wars since 1945 as a proof（证据）.
The UN’s supporters say that the organization is the world’s best hope for peace.The UN provides,supporters also point out,much needed economic and technical help to less developed nations.The function（功能）of the Security Council is ________.
| A．to keep international peace and security and promote（促进） international cooperation |
| B．to consider,discuss,and pass on blinding resolutions |
| C．to settle disputes（争端） among nations by persuasion,mediation or other means |
| D．to keep international peace and security by force |
Why has the UN come under increasingly sharp attack by Americans since 1985?
| A．Because the UN has been unfit as a peace keeper. |
| B．Because 130 wars have broken out since 1945. |
| C．Because the US hasn’t been able to control the UN completely since 1985. |
| D．Because the US was not satisfied with the UN since 1985. |
What do you think of the UN’s supporters’ words?
| A．They are fair. | B．They are unfair. |
| C．They are for the UN’s supporters. | D．They sharply attack Americans. |
The UN’s supporters ________.
| A．probably belong to the third world |
| B．are developed countries |
| C．must be people from Africa and Europe |
| D．may not be members of the UN |
Canada is a very large country.It is bigger than China.China is the third largest country in the world.Canada is the second largest.It has an area of nearly 10 million sq. km. Canada has a very long coastline.To the west is the Pacific Ocean.To the east is the Atlantic Ocean.The Arctic Ocean is in the north.There are very many islands off the Pacific coast and off the Arctic coast.The biggest one in the west is Vancouver Island.In the east there is New Foundland,and in the Arctic Ocean the biggest islands are Baffin Island and Victoria Island.（Greenland is not part of Canada.It is a part of Denmark,a country in northern Europe.）
Canada has a long border with the U.S.A.in the south.In the northwest Canada borders on the American“State of Alaska”.Canada is a northern country.The Arctic Circle is （Latitude 16°N） passes through the northern part.In the south,half of the border with the U.S.A. follows line of latitude 49°N.Which of the following statements is true?
| A．U.S.A is the second largest country in the world. |
| B．Canada has nearly 10 million sq. km.So it is the second largest country on the earth. |
| C．China is as large as Canada and the second largest in the world. |
| D．Russia is the second largest country in the world. |
What ocean is in the north of Canada?
| A．The Pacific Ocean. | B．The Atlantic Ocean. |
| C．The Indian Ocean. | D．The Arctic Ocean. |
There are many islands in Canada,and Vancouver Island is ________.
| A．in the west | B．in the east |
| C．in the north | D．in the south |
A high school in Hiroshima City has been the first to do something with DNA in the world. Its students have won praise not only for doing this research but also for presenting their findings to groups of expert scientists. The school is one of the Super Science High Schools allowed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, where students are given an opportunity to study science at an advanced level. Here, students use the same type of hitech experimental laboratories as those found at universities. In these labs, they conduct experiments and research in new fields of study not found in textbooks. As part of this science course, the students, with the help of Hiroshima University, used a machine called sequencer (音序器), and over the course of a year and a half they succeeded in decoding (解译) the DNA. They then presented their results to academic groups. Achieving a world first might sound very wonderful, but the process of decoding the DNA involved very hard work. The students were also responsible for maintaining the equipment, and they had to read difficult research papers and put in extra study beyond their regular schoolwork.
"Researchers need to work hard. The work was tiring, but the students worked toward their ambitious goal of achieving a world first. They have a great sense of achievement, and the number of students who hope to become biologists has increased," said Taruma Akinori, who is in charge of the science course.
In addition to the results being added to the scientific community, the students’ research paper will be translated into English and made available overseas. Moreover, the students have decided to take on a new challenge in DNA decoding.Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．Decoding the blueprint of life |
| B．Super Science High School |
| C．More students hoping to become biologists |
| D．Hi-tech experimental laboratory |
Up to a point, their success is due to ______.
| A．hi-tech experimental facilities |
| B．the great pressure their school put on them |
| C．the increasing number of biologists |
| D．little interest in their regular school work |
The research paper will be put into English in order to ______.
| A．become an English textbook |
| B．help the students make English friends |
| C．make the results known by the whole world |
| D．challenge foreign scientists |
The author’s attitude towards those students who have accomplished a world first in DNA decoding is ______.
| A．indifferent | B．admiring |
| C．slighting | D．disappointed |