In the computer age, most of us take a broadband Internet connection for granted. Whether cable or mobile broadband, today’s connections are many times faster than those in the early days. Videos play smoothly, complex websites load quickly, and files download much faster than ten years ago. And the files are much bigger too.
There’s a catch, of course. You have to live near enough to a major city to get broadband Internet. If you don’t, it’s slow dial-up access for you. And for those living really far out, there may be no Internet access at all.
Technology experts often talk about the “last mile” problem, which refers to the difficulty of bringing Internet access to remote locations. In cities and suburbs, it’s relatively easy to provide access for everyone. It is much more difficult to deliver access to those living far from cities, especially in de
veloping countries. Internet service providers, for their part, have been reluctant to provide access to sparsely(稀疏地) populated areas. The handful of Internet users they would reach wouldn’t cover the expense.
But every year, technological advancements allow of more and more Internet users. Most broadband connections today run over existing cable TV and telephone lines although these technologies aren’t available everywhere. Some companies have delivered the Internet over standard power lines. Advancements in cheaper, more efficient fiber optics cables(光纤电缆) promise to bring extremely fast Internet connections to more users.
Still, the “last mile” problem remains hard to deal with. There will always be somewhere that doesn’t have an affordable broadband connection. But someday that might not matter. If the rapid progress in cell phone technology is any indication(迹象), it may not be too long before an Internet connection simply follows you wherever you go.The underlined part “ a catch” (in Paragraph 2) probably means “________”.
| A．a rare challenge | B．a desirable plan |
| C．an efficient device | D．a hidden problem |
What can we know from the third paragraph?
| A．Internet connection has not been popular in most cities. |
| B．Internet service providers care about rural customers. |
| C．Computer is popular in developing countries. |
| D．It is hard to bring Internet access to users in remote areas. |
Paragraph 4 mainly tells us that technological advancements ________.
| A．make TV and telephone available everywhere |
| B．bring great change to people’s everyday life |
| C．make it possible for more people to use the Internet |
| D．bring faster Internet connections to users |
What may eventually settle the “last mile” problem?
| A．The broadband connection’s getting faster. |
| B．More and more Internet users. |
| C．More and more Internet connections. |
| D．The rapid progress in cell phone technology. |
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Helen Keller
For the first nineteen months of her life, Helen Keller was like other pretty happy babies. Then a sudden illness destroyed her sight and hearing. Because she could not hear what other people were saying, the child could not learn to speak. For the next seven years, she lived in a world of darkness, without sounds or words.
The person who changed Helen’s world was her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who entered her life on March 3, 1887. Miss Sullivan had accepted a job, which seemed impossible. She agreed to teach a blind child who had never leaned to act like a human being, because no one had over been able to guide her in any way. No one could control Helen. She acted like a young animal, rushing widely around, throwing things, and hitting anyone whom she could reach. Who could believe that such a child could be taught?
But Anne Sullivan was a very special kind of teacher. She had been blind during part of her own childhood and had learned to read Braille, a system of writing that uses raised dots which can be felt by the fingers of a blind person. She had learned to see again after seven operations, but she had never forgotten the experience of being blind.
Miss Sullivan understood Helen. She loved her and believed she could teach her.
1. Helen Keller was born .
A. blind and deaf B. natural C. very weak D. very pretty and happy
2. Before Miss Sullivan came, Helen was .
A. very wild B. very sad C. well mannered D. like a school girl
3. Braille is .
A. the language of Belgium B. the language used by deaf people
C. the language for the blind D. a kind of sign language
4. Anne Sullivan was the person who.
A. changed Helen’s life B. operated on Helen
C. made Helen feel happy D. accepted a job as Helen’s playmate
5. Anne became a good teacher because .
A. she was very patient B. she was very kind
C. she knew how to read Braille D. she knew and shared Helen’s suffering
The film “Avatar” has received great popularity around the world. It turned out to be a great success. The film got ＄1 billion in ticket sales in a very short time. The story in the film happens on an alien planet called Pandora where many strange species live. Among the planet’s inhabitants(居民,栖息动物)，the one that has the most similarities with humans is the Na’vi, and it is the struggle between the Ma’vi and human invaders(入侵者) that forms the story of the film.
As to the factors(因素) leading to the film’s success, many think that the entertaining feast(盛宴) for the eyes and the wonderful story shouldn’t be forgotten, but the new language invented especially for the film which provides audiences with a new experience also plays an important part.
In order to increase the truthfulness of an alien race（外星人）, the film’s director James Cameron asked an expert in languages from the University of Southern California to invent a language for the Na’vi. Professor Paul Frommer combined the languages spoken among Indians, Africans and mid-Asians and worked with James Caneron for four years to create the Na’vi language based on the original 30 words that the director had already come up with.
According to Professor Frommer, the most important characteristic of the Na’vi language is that it could be pronounced. “This is an alien language but obviously it has to be spoken by human actors and actresses,” Professor Frommer told the BBC, “it has to sound natural and it should make human beings comfortable when using it.”
The language has a vocabulary of around 1000 words but Progessor Formmer hopes to enlarge the vocabulary in possible follow-ups to the film and in video games. The professor hopes that one day his creation will be as successful as the Klingon alien language from the “Star Trek”films. “There’s a translation of Hamlet into Klingon and it has received great popularity among the audiences,” says Professor Frommer，“if anything like this happens to the Na’vi language, I’d be very happy.”
1. What do we know about“Avatar” from this passage?
A. The story in it is a moving love story.
B. It brings the producer ＄1 billion in total.
C. The story in it happens on an alien planet.
D. It talks about humans and aliens’ friendship.
2. The director of “Avatar” James Cameron had a language invented for the Na’vi to
A. make the film a whole mystery B. make the Na’vi more believable
C. make the Na’vi different from humans D. make the film have specific characteristics
3. Who first created the basic words of the Na’vi language?
A. Paul Frommer. B. An Indian. C. James Cameron D. Hamlet.
4. The important feature of the Na’vi language is that
A. it can be spoken by humans B. it has just 30 original words
C. it has a vocabulary of 1000 words. D. it is like the Klingon alien language
5. We can infer from the passage that
A. James Cameron will produce follow-ups to “Avatar”
B. the Na’vi language is another kind of the Klingon language
C. the director believes the Na’vi language will be popular
D. Paul Frommer hopes to add new words to the Na’vi language
New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate and enter the new year with a smile on your face. This year, there’re plenty of local activities for all ages and interests, so the smiles will come easily. 
BLUE CONCERTBlues band the Coyotes is playing at the Dance Barn，at 8 Barn View in Sudden Valley, The show will start at 9 p. m. and benefit the charity Bikers Fighting Cancer. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Call 224-2308 for more information. NEW YEAR’S LAUGHS
Ring in the New Year and laugh out the old one at the Upfront Theatre Comic improvisers will hit on all the highlights of the year with The Last Laugh of 2008. The 9 p. m. show will cost $15 and is open to all ages. The 11 P. m. show is to 21 and older and costs $18, which includes a champagne (香槟酒) toast. Call 733-8855 for more information.
MAZE
For a fun activity earlier in the evening，walk the labyrinth (迷宫) at the Leopold Crystal Bellroom. Wander through the maze, based on the French Chartres Cathedral, for free from 4 to 9 P. m. Call 752-0048 for more information.
COUNTRY DANCING
At the Bellingham Eagles Hall, live local music will help get the dance started at 8 p. m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and free for kids 12 and younger. For more information, call 676-1554.
1. In what way do these activities have in common?
A. They’re all held in the same day. B. They’re all held by the same organization.
C. They’re all organized for children. D. They’re all about the dancing and music.
2. Which of the following activities may be free for Tom aged 16?
A. COUNTRY DANCING. B. NEW YEAR'S LAUGHS.
C. MAZE. D. BLUE CONCERT.
3. If you want to know something about the Coyotes at 8 Barn view, you'd better call .
A. 676-1554 B. 733-8855 C. 752-0048D. 224-2308
4. Which of the followings will be the highlights of NEW YEAR'S LAUGHS?
A. Wander through the maze. B. The champagne toast.
C. Its live music. D. The Last Laugh of 2008.
5. It can be inferred from the text that .
A. $10 is enough to book a ticket to Blue Concert B. you can read the text on a telephone book
C. all these activities are international ones D. New Year’s Laughs will hold shows three times
四、阅读理解（2分×15=30分）阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项。
Talk about a real-life hero! Ten-year-old Larry Champagne from St. Louis，Missouri, hit the brake (刹车) on a runaway school bus. He saved himself and 20 other kids on board from disaster.
It all happened in one terrible accident. On the way to school, the bus driver, Ernestine Blackman, suddenly fell ill. Seeing the car was running away, the other kids started to scream, but Larry ran to the front and stopped the bus.
“At first I thought, ‘We’re going to die,’” says Larry, “but after I pressed the brake, I felt safe.”
Larry’s speedy reaction made news all over the country. He appeared on TV shows as a hero. The bus company gave Larry a big gift. His school hung a medal of honor around his neck.
“My grandmother always tells me to do what’s right,” says Larry. He thanked his brother, Jerrick, 9, who “helped me get the bus driver up” during the emergency（紧急情况）. How did he know how to stop the bus? Larry is something of a mechanic（机械师）. He helps his grandfather work on his old truck. “He gets his hands dirty,” says his grandfather. One thing is for certain: Larry knows where to find the brakes.
1. What did Larry do to save the runaway bus?
A. He parked it for the sleeping bus driver.
B. He helped all the kids climb out through the windows.
C. He dialed 911. D. he pressed the brake.
2. When did Larry finally feel safe?
A. When the kids finally stopped screaming. B. When the police officers arrived.
C. Once he pressed the brake, and the bus stopped. D. When the bus driver started driving again.
3. Larry got the following as praise for his hero action Except .
A. appearing on TV shows B. a scholarship from his school
C. a big gift from the bus company D. a medal of honor
4. Larry thanked his brother Jerrick for .
A. helping him get the bus driver up B. helping him work on his old truck
C. teaching him how to find the brake D. teaching him how to stop the bus
5. The underlined sentence“Larry is something of a mechanic” tells us that .
A. Larry’s job is a mechanic B. Larry knows something about machines
C. Larry is a robot D. Larry knows nothing about machines
America is growing older. Fifty years ago, only 4 out of every 100 people in the United States were 65 or older. Today, 10 out of every 100 Americans are over 65. The aging of the population will affect American society in many ways — education, medicine, and business. Quietly, the graying of America has made us a very different society — one in which people have a quite different idea of what kind of behavior is suitable at various ages.
A person's age no longer tells you anything about his/her social position, marriage or health. There's no longer a particular year in which one goes to school or goes to work or gets married or starts a family. The social clock that keeps us on time and tells us when to go to school, get a job, or stop working isn't as strong as it used to be. It doesn't surprise us to hear of a 29-year-old university president or a 35-year-old grandmother, or a 70-year-old man who has become a father for the first time. Public ideas are changing.
Many people say, “I am much younger than my mother — or my father — was at my age. 'No one says Act your age' any more. We've stopped looking with surprising at older people who act in youthful ways."
1. It can be learnt from the text that the aging of the population in America _______________________.
A. has made people feel younger
B. has changed people's social position
C. has changed people's understanding of age
D. has slowed down the country's social development
2. The underlined word "one" refers to "__________________."
A. a society B. America C. a place D. population
3 "Act your age" means people should __________________.
A. be active when they are old
B. do the right things at the right age
C. show respect for their parents young or old
D. take more physical exercise suitable to their age
4. If a 25-year-old man becomes general manager of a big firm, the writer of the text would most probably consider it _________________.
A. normal B. wonderful C. unbelievable D. unreasonable