I have a painfully vivid memory of my first homecoming from college, in December 1983. After three whole months away, I was back home with my brand new opinions, attitudes and tastes. How could they watch such terrible television programs? I, the English Literature major with Shakespeare and Milton and James Joyce, could hardly bear to sleep under the roof of a house whose few bookshelves held thrillers and bound editions of the Reader’s Digest. I’m sure my family was glad to see the back of me when, at the end of the holiday, I packed up my books and headed back up to university in the north of England.
But the next year must have been even more painful to my parents: I didn’t show up at all. Now, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with young people spending a little time away from their families and with their friends. It’s part of growing up, something you need to do if you are to become properly independent. However, if you’re not going to be home for the festival, you should at least have the decency to telephone and say you’re not coming.
In English we have an expression, “wet behind the ears.” A person who is wet behind the ears is so immature, that they don’t know how to dry the back of their head after a bath. Just before the following year’s holiday I fell ill, quite seriously so. I’m sure my own behavior contributed to my getting sick: staying out too late, not eating properly—perhaps you know someone like the person I was then. I lay in bed with a fever, feeling very sorry for myself.
I’m sure you can guess who came to my rescue. My long-suffering parents got in their car and sped up the motorway to rescue their son from the consequences of his own irresponsibility.
I hope I’m a better son now; if not, it’s getting a little late in the day if I want to change. I’ve worked in China for nearly 10 years and so I don’t get to see them as often as I like, but my parents are online all the time so we talk many times each week. And this Spring Festival I will be flying back to England for a visit.
I’m really looking forward to it.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．The author liked reading thrillers and the Reading Digest. |
| B．The author couldn’t fall asleep in a house with few books. |
| C．The author thought his parents were happy to see him back. |
| D．The author didn’t seem to share the same tastes with his parents. |
What can we learn from the second paragraph?
| A．The next year the author’s parents were very happy to see him. |
| B．The author went to see his parents during the second year in college. |
| C．If you aren’t going to spent an important day with your family, inform them in advance. |
| D．To leave away from family is not a proper way if you want to gain some independency. |
If you are a person who is wet behind the ears, you are .
| A．old and experienced | B．young and inexperienced |
| C．young and experienced | D．mature and experienced |
We can infer from the last two paragraphs that .
| A．the author thinks he has become a good son |
| B．the author will be with his family the next Spring Festival |
| C．the author will not change himself to a better one because it is too late |
| D．the author keeps in touch with his parents through the Internet regularly |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Pleasant memories about Christmas |
| B．Horrible things happened in the past |
| C．Interesting memories about Christmas |
| D．Share with you some of my Ghosts of Christmas Past |
Never go into a supermarket hungry! This is a good piece of advice. If you go shopping for food before lunchtime, you’ll probably buy more than you plan to. Unfortunately, however, just this advice isn’t enough for consumers (消费者) these days. Modern shoppers need an education in how and how not to buy things at the store. First, you check the weekly newspaper ads. Find out the items that are on sale and decide if you really need these things. In other words, don’t buy anything just because it’s cheaper than usual! “New and Improved!” or “All Natural” on the front of a package influence you. Instead, read the list of ingredients (配方) on the back. Third, compare prices: that is, you should examine the prices of both different brands and different sizes of the same brand.
Another suggestion for consumers is to buy ordinary items instead of famous brands. Ordinary items in supermarkets come in plain packages (普通包装). These products are cheaper because producers don’t spend much money on packing or advertising. The quality, however, is usually as good as the quality of well-known name brands. In the same way, in buying clothes, you can often find high quality and low prices in brands that are not famous. Shopping in discount clothing stores can help you save a lot of money. Although these stores aren’t very attractive, and they usually do not have individual dressing rooms, not only are the prices low, but you can often find the same famous brands that you find in high-priced department stores.
Wise consumers read magazine ads and watch TV commercials, but they do this with one advantage: knowledge of the psychology (心理) behind the ads. In other words, well-informed consumers watch for information and check for misinformation. They ask themselves questions: Is the advertiser hiding something in small print at the bottom (底部) of the page? Is there any real information in the commercial, or is the advertiser simply showing an attractive image? With the answers to these questions, consumers can make a wise choice.All the following statements are true about the phrase “ordinary items” in Paragraph 2 except ________.
| A．ordinary products are usually cheaper than famous brands |
| B．producers spend less money on packaging of ordinary items |
| C．ordinary items never say “New and Improved” or “All Natural” |
| D．the quality of ordinary items is usually as good as that of famous brands |
What does the writer think about ads?
| A．They are believable. | B．They are attractive. |
| C．They are helpful to consumers. | D．They are full of misinformation. |
One of the author’s suggestions to consumers is ________.
| A．to make use of ads |
| B．to buy only ordinary items instead of famous brands |
| C．to buy high quality items such as famous brands after lunch |
| D．not to buy items with words like “New and Improved” or “All Natural” |
The author implies(暗示) that _________.
| A．ads sometimes don’t tell the truth |
| B．discount clothing stores are good places to go to |
| C．going into the supermarket hungry, you may buy less than you plan to |
| D．the quality of ordinary items is usually higher and the prices are relatively lower. |
Trip 1 Black Bear Count
There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them.
The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: Free When: May 8
Trip 2 Garland Valley
Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.
Cost: ＄ 15 When: May 8, May 15
Trip 3 Flashlight Adventure
Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.
Cost: ＄ 12 When: May 8, May 15, May 22
Equipment to be needed:
· Please bring enough water and food for all walks.
· Wear good walking shoes--no high heels.
· Wear a hat for day walks.
· Dress warmly for night walks.
· Children must be with an adult.
· Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.
· Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.
Bookings:
Bookings for the above trips can be done by telephone (893 - 4847) or on the Internet at (www. Bluemountaintour.com)Where are these trips?
| A．In a large city. | B．In a park in the mountains. |
| C．In a special zoo. | D．In three different countries. |
Which of the following is NOT necessary for the three trips?
| A．A sleeping bag. | B．A pair of glasses. |
| C．Food and water. | D．Good walking shoes. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Adventure Travel in America |
| B．Hunting around the Great Mountains |
| C．Discovery Trips in the Blue Mountains |
| D．Interesting Trips in the East of the USA |
I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz（爵士音乐） concert last Friday. The advertisement（广告） in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theatre box in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00.Since I work from 9:00 to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theatre was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unluckily, the theatre is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round（往返的） trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for fifteen minutes waiting for the bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip. So I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again the next day. On Thursday, my luck changed. I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly twenty minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and headed back（奔回） across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth it to hear the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, however, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.The man learned that there would be a concert last Friday ________.
| A．from his friends | B．from one of his workmates |
| C．over the radio | D．from the newspaper |
One day the man took________ to get to the theatre by bus.
| A．forty-five minutes | B．fifteen minutes |
| C．just twenty minutes | D．over an hour |
The underlined word “relieved” may best be replaced by“________”.
| A．worried | B．pleased | C．puzzled | D．sorry |
The writer mainly shows us his________.
| A．enjoyment of the concert | B．anger for buying the ticket |
| C．efforts to buy the ticket | D．disappointment at the concert |
All around the world, shoppers flock to Wal-Mart to buy everything. In Texas, they come for another reason: to see the wind turbine（涡轮机）, which supplies 5% of the store’s electricity. It along with other facilities, such as exterior walls coated with heat-reflective paint, makes this Wal-Mart a green giant.
The laws of economics suggest that Wal-Mart, with 5, 200 stores worldwide, influences everything including the price of all kinds of goods. It throws its weight behind environmental responsibility, and the impact could be amazing. “One little change in product packaging could save 1, 500 trees,” says Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott．“If everybody saves 1, 500 trees or 50 barrels of oil, at the end of the day you have made a huge difference.”
Scott wants Wal-Mart to do its part too. He has promised to cut the existing greenhouse-gas emissions（排放）over the next few years and promised to construct new stores that are more efficient. He wants Wal-Mart’s fleet of more than 7, 000 trucks to get twice as many miles per gallon by 2015. Factories that show Wal-Mart they’re cutting air pollution will get preferential treatment in the supply chain. Wal-Mart says it’s working with consumer-product manufacturers to reduce their packaging and will reward them if they do so.
Some people may doubt it is a bid to attract attention from Wal-Mart’s controversial labor and health-insurance practices. But it’s not just window dressing, because Wal-Mart sees profits ingoing green. Scott says, “This is a business philosophy, not a social philosophy. We don’t go where we don’t think there’s a great interest in change.”
Like Bill Gates, who started his charitable foundation, Scott happens to be promoting Wal-Mart’s image at a time when his company’s reputation is declining. He acknowledges that he launched the plan partly to shield （保护）Wal-Mart from bad press about its contribution to global warming. “By doing what we’re doing today, we avoid the headline risks that are going to come for people who did not do anything,” he says. “At some point businesses will be held responsible for the action they take.” Meanwhile, should Wal-Mart succeed in shrinking its environmental footprint and lowering prices for green products, both the planet and the company will profit. We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．Lee Scott is Wal-Mart’s CEO |
| B．there are 5, 200 stores in the world |
| C．Wal-Mart has a great influence on the world market |
| D．Wal-Mart has more than 7, 000 trucks all over the world |
What will Wal-Mart probably do in the future?
| A．Reduce air pollution in its present stores. |
| B．Give favorable treatment to its consumers. |
| C．Ask the factories to reduce their packaging. |
| D．Demand the fleet of trucks to use more fuel than before. |
What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．Provide the background of the green plan. |
| B．Stress the purpose of Wal-Mart’s green plan. |
| C．Present the risk that Wal-Mart is facing nowadays. |
| D．Analyze the similarity between Bill Gates and Scott. |
Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord．She did it her way．
I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly．Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven．I hated going there every weekend．There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception．
My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land and loved to work in the garden among her flowers and vegetables．The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat．We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me．
In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen．I sang the melody and Mom harmonized．Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over．Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk．She loved to tell how my playpen（婴儿圈栏）sat in the kitchen next to the radio and there was one song I particularly loved called "Ivory Tower"．
As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit every week or two．The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad．Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm．While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle（喧闹）of my life at home．But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced．
Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio．Music always comforted me．
My heart skipped a beat．"Moon River" was playing on the radio．I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note．
Then the radio announcer of this oldie station came on．"Here's one we haven't heard in a while," and an unfamiliar song began．I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves．"Come down, come down from your Ivory Tower．．．．"The writer didn’t like staying on the farm for the following reasons Except that ________．
| A．it was too cold and quiet |
| B．she could only sing one song on the small farm |
| C．there was nothing more that could make her excited |
| D．The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat |
From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________．
| A．passed away four years ago | B．left the small farm with Lord |
| C．left for Lord to live her own way | D．preferred to be with Lord |
The underlined word reminisced in the fifth paragraph probably means ________．
| A．recalled | B．comforted | C．shouted | D．sighed |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage _______．
| A．The writer was able to sing before she could speak． |
| B．The writer preferred to live a busy life in the city． |
| C．The writer was still quite familiar with the song "Ivory Tower"． |
| D．The writer treasured all her childhood memories in the small farmhouse． |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______
| A．Cherish life | B．My happy childhood |
| C．Our small farmhouse | D．Mom’s music |