Today there are 6 billion people on the earth. By the year 2050 there may be 12.5 billion. There will be a lot of people to feed. We need more food.
One way to produce more food is by growing stronger plants. For thousands of years, farmers have made plants better. Every season, they pick the best plants for the next season. It works very slowly. Since 1983, scientists have been able to change plants more quickly by changing their genetic material(遗传物质). Foods from plants grown in this way are called genetically modified foods(转基因食品), or GM foods.
By changing the genetic material of a plant, it is possible to make new plants. They make plants which are strong against plant diseases. They can also help in our diseases: a kind of rice is being prepared, for example, which stops people from becoming blind.
Rich countries produce GM foods because they are easy to grow and bring in more money. Poor countries are interested in them because they help produce more food.
GM plants are not natural. No one knows how good or bad they are. Making GM foods is only one way of feeding people in 2050. There are strong feelings against them, because they are unnatural. They may feed people, then hurt them or their children later. But, both rich and poor countries are very interested in their use, and they are not going to go away. In 2050 we may think differently about them. GM foods ________.
| A．are a quick way to produce food |
| B．grow in the wild |
| C．are safe |
| D．are grown only in rich countries |
Why do some people not like GM foods?
| A．They are not useful. |
| B．They are not helpful. |
| C．They are not natural. |
| D．They are not cheap. |
From the reading we know that ________.
| A．GM foods will disappear one day in the future |
| B．GM foods will not disappear in the future |
| C．people will not be interested in GM foods |
| D．people will have to stop using GM foods |
On April 20th,2013, a big and powerful earthquake attacked Ya’an, Sichuan Province. A great many buildings and houses collapsed, a lot of people were killed and even more people lost their homes in the earthquake .
The number of the death from the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Ya’an in southwestern China's Sichuan Province has risen to 188, according to latest calculations by local Civil Affairs Bureau(as of 18:00 pm, April 22, ). At least 11,826 were reportedly injured in the quake while 25 are still missing.
Experts are anticipating(预期的)much less casualties(人员伤亡)in the quake than that from the 8.0 magnitude quake hit Wenchuan on May 12, 2008, also in Sichuan Province, which killed more than 80,000 and injured over 300,000.
Energy released from Wenchuan earthquake would be 30 times of that from Ya’an quake, according to Zhang Xiaonan, an expert with China's Geophysical Union. Dai Junwu with Harbin-based seismological bureau (地震局)expects the number of the death at less than 1,000, and economic losses from the quake could reach up to 100 billion yuan.
Rescue（营救）efforts were carried “timely and orderly”, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang who flew to the quicken-stricken area on Sunday, the second day of the quake. He was quoted as saying that “the current priority is to save lives”.When did Ya’an earthquake happen?
| A．April 22,2008 | B．April 20,2013 | C．May 12,2008 | D．May.22 2013 |
How many people injured in the earthas of 18:00 pm, April 22 ) according to the passage?
| A．About188 | B．At least 11,826 | C．More than 80,000 | D．Over 300,000. |
What does the underlined word “ collapsed” in para.1) mean?
| A．fell down suddenly | B．Rebuilt |
| C．burnt to the ground | D．turned into pieces |
Which one is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Wenchuan earthquake released 30 times energy of Ya’an earthquake. |
| B．Premier Li Keqiang who flew to the quicken-stricken area on April,21,2013. |
| C．Wenchuan earthquake killed around 80000 people. |
| D．Zhang Xiaonan expected the economic losses from the quake could reach up to 100 billion yuan. |
Job Opportunities
| 1.Full time secretary position(职位).Applicants（申请者）should have at least 2 years’ experience and be able to type 60 words in a minute. No computer skills required. Apply in person at United Business Ltd,17Browning Street, Leeds. |
| 2.Computer Trained secretaries: Do you have experience working with computers? Would you like a full time position working in an exciting new company? If you want to know more about us, call at 0459-7986754. |
| 3. Weekend work available: We are looking for retired people who would like to work part time on weekends for Rubber Last Group Ltd. Duties include answering the telephone and giving customers’ information. For more information call us at 0113-674126. |
| 4. Teaching assistants needed: Hania’s Playschool need 2 young teaching assistants to help with history classes from 9 am to 3 pm. Applicants should have references. For more information please visit www.haniaplayschool.co.uk. |
Which position is most suitable for a 60-year –old man?
| A．Full time secretary |
| B．Weekend work in Rubber Last Group Ltd |
| C．Teaching assistants in Hania’s Playschool |
| D．Computer Trained secretaries |
If you are good at computer and just graduated from university (History degree), which jobs can you apply for?
| A．Job 1and2 | B．Job 2and 3 | C．Job 2 and4 | D．Job 1 and 3 |
How can you get more information if you are interested in the position of a full-time secretary position?
| A．By telephone. | B．In person | C．By Internet. | D．By letter |
阅读下面短文，根据短文内容完成表格中所缺信息，每空一词。（共10小题，每小题1分，计10分）友情提醒：请将答案用蓝色、黑色钢笔或圆珠笔直接写在答题纸上。
Andy was born in China 17 years ago. In 2007, she went to the USA with her family. As a high school student, she has found many differences between Chinese and Americans:
About money
Americans like to spend more than they have, so many of them are always in debt(欠债). But Chinese usually spend less than they have, so many of them always have money left in the bank.
The American kids themselves make their own money. Most Chinese kids always ask their parents for money.
About friends
Most American parents let their sons or daughters make friends by themselves. They never ask them about their friends while Chinese parents usuaolly enjoy knwing more about their children’s friends in many different ways, and usually stop them from staying out too late with friends.
About education
Many American students have less homework to do while many Chinese students have much.
Many American girls take part in sports, dancing and singing groups while many Chinese girls take part in study groups.
Many American parents think there is no need to send their children to an expensive school. It’s different in China. Many Chinese parents would do anything to send their children to expensive schools though their family isn’t rich enough.
| Chinese |
Americans |
|
| Money |
Chinese usually have some money in the bank |
Many Americans usually money from the banks because they spend more than they have. |
| Chinese children get money from their |
Children usually make money by |
|
| Education |
Parents usually do their to send their children to study in expensive schools. |
Many parents think it isn't to send their children to an expensive schools. |
| Chinese girls join in groups. |
Many girls exercise, dance and sing together. |
|
| Friends |
Parents are usually |
Most American parents pay attention to their children's friends. |
I’m Jack, and I am a middle school student. Yesterday was the most exciting day in my life. I was on TV! This is my first time on TV. In the evening, Mum, Dad and I were watching a TV programme in the sitting room and there I was! This is how it happened.
I was playing soccer in the park with my friends when a man and a woman came to us. The man had a camera. The woman had a microphone. “I’m from Channel 9,” she said. “Do you know the programme Kid’s Speak Out?” I did know it. I watched it often. It’s a weekly programme where kids say what they think about different things.
“Would you like to be on it?” the woman asked me.
I wanted to be on it and I thought my friends might also want to be on it, so I asked, “Can my friends be on it too?”
“Sorry, only one of you can,” the woman said. “You can talk about it and decide which of you is going to be on the programme.”
I asked my friends if they wanted to be on the programme. They didn’t, so I went on it. The woman asked me a lot of questions. I thought carefully and tried to give sensible answers. When she finished, she said I was one of the best kids she’d spoken to! I felt very proud of myself. My mum and dad were proud of me too!Jack was excited yesterday because he .
| A．watched a TV programme with his parents |
| B．was on TV for the first time |
| C．played soccer in the park with his friends |
| D．saw the hosts of the programme Kid’s Speak Out |
How did the thing happen?
①Jack asked his friends if they wanted to be on the programme.
②The woman asked Jack if he’d like to be on the programme.
③The woman asked Jack a lot of questions.
④Jack played soccer in the park with friends.
⑤Jack thought carefully and tried to give answers.
| A．④①③②⑤ | B．④②①③⑤ | C．④③②①⑤ | D．④⑤③①② |
What does the word sensible mean in the passage?
| A．明智的 | B．可能的 | C．合理的 | D．正确的 |
What can we know about Jack from the passage?
| A．Jack’s parents were proud of him. |
| B．Jack was the top student at school. |
| C．Jack was afraid to be on the programme. |
| D．Jack never watched the programme Kid’s Speak Out. |
We all have dreams. Do you still remember your dream when you were still a middle school student. As teenagers, you may have many dreams. Maybe you wanted to be a scientist, a teacher or a doctor. These dreams can be very big, such as winning a Nobel Prize, or very small. You may just want to become one of the ten best students in your class.
If you have a dream, what do you do with it? Do you try to make your dream come true? Andrew Matthews wrote a book called Follow Your Heart. It tells us it’s the biggest challenge(挑战) to make our dreams come true.
There will be many difficulties on the road to your dreams. But you must never give up your dream. Because the biggest difficulty comes from you yourself.
Everyone can make his/her dream come true. The first thing to do is to remember your dream. Don’t let it leave your heart. Keep telling yourself what you want and keep working hard. Do this step by step and your dream will come true one day. Follow Your Heart is the name of .
| A．Andrew Matthews | B．a book about hearts |
| C．a book by Andrew Matthews | D．a dream |
Which of the following may be a small dream for teenagers?
| A．To be a man like Nobel. |
| B．To win a Nobel Prize. |
| C．To be the best student in the class. |
| D．To be a scientist. |
If you want to make your dream come true, the biggest difficulty is from .
| A．the book | B．your school | C．your dream | D．you yourself |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Different people have the same dream. |
| B．If you keep on, you can make your dream come true. |
| C．There are few difficulties on the road to everyone's dream. |
| D．When you give up your dream, it will come true soon. |