It is winter in many parts of the world. For some areas, that means snow. Maybe even lots of snow. If you don’t have to drive in it or remove it, snow can be very beautiful. When snow covers everything around you, the world looks like a “winter wonderland”. That is the name of a very popular song about winter. Richard Smith and Felix Bernard wrote the song back in 1934. There are hundreds of recordings of this happy song.
But winter is not always such a beautiful and happy time. It’s cold outside. You try hard to keep warm. The days are darker and shorter. The sun rarely shines. The leaves on the trees are brown. It isn’t surprising that some people are sad in winter. And some people dream about being somewhere else where it’s warm and pretty—like the state of California. The Mamas and the Papas recorded this famous song “California Dreaming”.
During the 1960s, many other famous rock groups released songs about winter. Here is a poetic song by Simon and Garfunkel called “A Hazy Shade of Winter”. They sing about life and hope and possibilities.
In 1968, the group Blood, Sweat and Tears recorded this gentle, sad song about winter. They sing about a lost love and forgotten memories in “Sometimes in Winter”.
In the early 1990s, Tori Amos wrote and recorded the beautiful song called “Winter”. She enjoyed singing about winter when she was a child.
Finally, on a happier note comes this song written and recorded by Fountains of Wayne in 2003. They sing about a snowstorm in a New England town. Nothing unusual there. But instead of being sad or tense about the snow, they write a song about it. The underlined sentence “For some areas, that means snow.” probably means
_____ .
| A．In some areas, when it’s winter, it must snow |
| B．In some areas, it often snows in winter |
| C．In some areas, it’s important to snow |
| D．In some areas, people like snow in winter |
According to the second paragraph, winter is _____ .
| A．beautiful and happy | B．happy and warm |
| C．lovely and hopeful | D．cold and sad |
Which of the songs can bring us hope of life?
| A．Winter Wonderland. | B．California Dreaming. |
| C．A Hazy Shade of Winter. | D．Sometimes in Winter. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Winter in different areas. | B．Different ideas about winter. |
| C．Songs about winter. | D．Winter is cold but happy. |
While shell-like roofs, unlike anything else in the world, make the Sydney Opera House an image of timeless beauty. It is famous for being a symbol, not only of a city, but a whole country and condition too.
Its creator, Danish architect Jorn Utzon , turned 85 last Wednesday. And he was awarded the Prizker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of Architecture, on April 6. But Utzon has never seen his Opera House.
The story began in 1957 when Utzon won an international competition to design an opera house in Sydney.
But not everyone was enthusiastic (热心的 ) . Utzon left his Opera project in 1966 after an argument with the local government and a storm of public criticism over the building’s design. It was not completed until seven years later and Utzon has never returned to Australia to see the result of his work.
“Utzon made a building well ahead of its time, and he persevered (坚持) through criticism to build a building that changed the image of an entire country,” said Frank Gehry, a Pritzer Architecture Prize judge.
Although the Sydney Opera House was Utzon’s masterpiece, it damaged his career. Upon his return to Denmark, he found work hard to come by , so he become a teacher at a university in Hawaii.
Utzon said he once saw posters of the Opera House. The interiors were different from his design. But, he said, “There is no regret, for it gave me such a wonderful experience in Australia and towards which I only have love and appreciation .”
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth opened the Opera House in 1973, and it now holds around 3000 events every year. It is recognized as one of the great symbolic buildings of the 20th century.The Sydney Opera House was completed_____.
| A．in 1957 | B．in 1906 | C．in 1973 | D．in 1980 |
Utzon has never seen his Opera House because _______.
| A．it has white shell-like roofs, unlike anything else in the world |
| B．its creator is Danish architect, who returned to Denmark |
| C．he was not awarded the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of Architecture |
| D．he argued with the local government and was criticized over his design |
The underlined word “come by” in Paragraph 6 means ______.
| A．find | B．pass | C．hire | D．develop |
If you've been joining in chat room conversations, or trading e-mail with Web pals, you have become one of the millions who write in a peculiarly short form of English.
And you've got a sense of humor about short forms like SOHF(="sense" of humor failure) to describe Internet newcomers who don't understand you.
Across the globe, every night teenagers and their elders are “talking” online—many of them are talking at the same time.
It's fast: try talking to six people at once. It's brief: three or four words per exchange. It takes wit, concentration, and quick fingers.
And it requires tremendous linguistic economy. There's neither time nor space for explanations. Why consume precious key-strokes telling six friends you have to leave for a moment to take care of your little brother when BRB(="be" right back) will do? Want to enter a conversation? Just type PMFJI(="pardon" me for jumping in). Interested in whom you're talking to? Type A/S/L, the nearly universal request to know your pal's age, sex and location. You may get 15/M/NY as a response from your pal.
If something makes you laugh, say you're OTF(="on" the floor),or LOL(="laughing" out loud),or combine the two into ROTFL(="rolling" on the floor laughing).
And when it's time to get back to work or go to bed, you type GTG(="got" to go) or TTYL(talk to you later).
People want to write as fast as possible, and they want to get their ideas across as quickly as they can. Capital letters are left in the dust, except when expressing emotion, as it takes more time to hold down the “shift” key and capitals. Punctuation is going, too.In order to talk to several people at the same time on the Internet_______.
| A．you have to speak fast and fluently |
| B．you have to express your ideas in a brief way |
| C．you should speak with wit and humor |
| D．one should pay much attention to the accuracy of the words |
If you get 17/F/NY as an answer to your A/S/L, it means_______.
| A．the person on the other end is 17 from New York and he is fine |
| B．you are talking to a girl who is 17 and lives in New York |
| C．you are talking to 17 girls who are from New York |
| D．the person who are talking to you is a 1.7-foot tall New York girl |
To save time on the Internet_______.
| A．some people leave their letters in the dustbin |
| B．some people never use “shift” in their writing |
| C．many people leave the capital and punctuation |
| D．people seldom use capital letters or punctuation |
When Lew Alcindor was 13, and obviously still growing, a group of schools began offering him scholarships（奖学金）. The Alcindors decided to send their only child to Power Memorial Academy, a small school on Manhattan’s West Side.
At Power. Alcindor came under the control of Coach Jack Donohue, a strict young man who already gained his fame as one of the best coaches in the city. Donohue brought Alcindor along slowly. As a first-year student, the boy was not able to do much but wave his long skinny arms and shoot a basket now and then. But by the second year, when he was 15 years old and nearly 7 feet tall, Alcindor was quick and skillful enough to make the high school All American team and to lead Power to an undefeated season.
From then on be simply got better. Some rival coaches（对方教练）used to take their teams quickly away from the floor before Power warmed up so that their players would not see him any sooner than they had to. Wearing size 16D shoes and sucking a lollipop（棒棒糖）, Alcindor would loosen up by starting his leaping lay-ups（擦板球）. Then he would casually shoot the ball with either hand, to the delight of the fans.
When reporters and photographers began to follow Alcindor closely, Donohue protected his boy firmly. He simply ordered Lew to talk to no member of the press, and this suited Lew fine. He was not comfortable talking to grownups, perhaps because he towered over them. Discouraged photographers began following him in secret as though he were an easily-frightened giraffe. “People want you not for yourself,” Donohue warned him, “but because you’re a basketball player. Don’t forget that.”Many schools offered Alcindor scholarships because_______.
| A．he was young | B．he was hardworking |
| C．he was tall for his age | D．he was skillful at playing basketball |
Which of the following best describes Donohue as a young coach?
| A．serious, popular and slow | B．tall, skillful and successful |
| C．kind, powerful and undefeated | D．well-known, strict and experienced |
Why did some rival coaches take their teams away from the floor before Power warmed up?
| A．Their teams refused to play Power. | B．Their teams feared to see Alcindor. |
| C．Their teams would lose courage. | D．Their teams would lose interest. |
What does the last paragraph mainly discuss?
| A．How Donohue protected Alcindor from the press. |
| B．How Alcindor disliked meeting reporters. |
| C．Why the press followed Alcindor closely. |
| D．Why the public wanted Alcindor badly. |
There are quite a few advantages of wearing school uniforms. The idea may seem disagreeable at first, but considering all the positive effective coming from wearing uniforms you would be more likely to enjoy them.
Teachers love school uniforms because it helps provide an orderly learning environment. Having students dressed in uniforms may teach them how to present themselves in a neat（整洁的）and professional manner. It gives students the opportunity to learn how to dress like young ladies and gentleman. And they can focus their attention on academics rather than style.
Purchasing school uniforms is easy and needs less hesitation(犹豫) and consideration. No matter what the school’ s policy is, there are only specific essential(基本的) pieces to the wardrobe（服装） that are necessary, so it won’t break the bank. A few wardrobe items can last a long time. Parents could also enjoy an easy morning, as it will take less time to choose a set of clothes for the school day.
Students wearing uniforms will feel less pressure about what to wear or not to wear when their classmates are dressed similarly. Getting dressed before school becomes less of a chore when students are limited in their choices, so there shouldn’t be any trouble about choosing an outfit for the day and getting ready quickly. Some students may not like the lack of individuality(个性) with a uniform, but some school dress code policies may offer them the opportunities to show their unique styles.
Uniforms today are also becoming trendier and can be seen in many areas of pop culture. Celebrities and fashion designers are using uniforms as inspiration for new looks which also appeal to students.What would be the best title for the text?
| A．How to dress properly. |
| B．The history of school uniforms. |
| C．The advantages of school uniforms. |
| D．How to deal with pressure in school. |
Teachers think that wearing school uniforms ________________.
| A．is just a tradition that students should follow |
| B．makes students feel less pressure in study |
| C．helps students put more effort into their studies |
| D．makes students lose their independence and identity |
The underlined part “it won’t break the bank” in Paragraph 3 probably means “___________”.
| A．a school uniform doesn’t cost a lot of money |
| B．a school uniform should be worn every day |
| C．parents will have to go to the bank many times |
| D．parents who work in a bank can afford the uniform |
We can infer from the text that school uniforms _________.
| A．are not popular with fashion designers |
| B．were not accepted by parents in the past |
| C．will be designed by students themselves |
| D．will be more fashionable in the future |
The author’s attitude towards students’ wearing school uniforms is ___________.
| A．negative | B．supportive | C．doubtful | D．unclear |
College is a lifetime investment (投资) — the gift of a college education can open the door to a world of opportunity for your child or grandchild. Savings（储蓄）, even not so many at a time, can make a big difference.
With the cost of a college education continuing to rise, the key is to start saving early and regularly. By saving a set amount at set times, your money can grow as your child does. According to the College Board, the average cost for four-year public colleges has increased by nearly 51% over the last 10 years and these costs will almost certainly continue to rise. Saving for college can help with the increasing cost of a college education and help you be well prepared when your child is ready for college.
Saving for your child’s college education is an investment in their future. The savings you make today will pay off in increased earnings in the future. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, college graduates earn an average of $1 million more than high school graduates during their careers. The value of your investment in a college education will continue to grow for a lifetime.
Set your college saving goals realistically. You may not be able to save enough for all four years’ fees, but you could save enough to give your child the right start.
More and more families depend on student loans(贷款) to pay for college. By saving for college, families will have less burden of paying off loans and help their children leave school without worrying about paying off loans.From the second paragraph we can learn that_______________.
| A．the College Board increased public college costs |
| B．public college costs will increase by 51% in the next ten years |
| C．it’s not too late to start saving when your child is ready for college |
| D．saving can help deal with the rising cost of college education |
Savings for college education _____________.
| A．will increase in the value in the future | B．make one earn a lot |
| C．help create good jobs | D．are wise for businessmen to invest |
Which of the following is TRUE about saving for college?
| A．You should save to help children get scholarships more easily. |
| B．It’s better to increase the savings as the child grows. |
| C．It’s better to save early and regularly. |
| D．You should set a further and bigger saving goal. |
Who are the expected readers of the passage?
| A．Parents. | B．High school students. | C．Educators | D．Bankers. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．When to Save for Children’s College Costs |
| B．How to Make a Good Investment |
| C．Why We Should Save for Children’s College Costs |
| D．How Much Four-Year College Costs |