The Carnival of Brazil is an annual festival held 46 days before Easter, especially famous for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Carnival celebrations are believed to have roots in the festival of Saturnalia, which, adapted to Christianity, became a farewell to bad things in a season of religious discipline to regret and prepare for Christ’s death and coming back to life.
Modern Brazilian Carnival dates back to Rio de Janeiro in 1641. It originally copied the European form of the festival, later taking in elements of Native American and African cultures.
In the late 19th century, the strings (弦乐器) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were pageant (游行) groups that paraded through city avenues performing on instruments and dancing. Today they are known as blocks, consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or special T-shirts with themes or logos. Blocks are generally connected with particular neighborhoods; they include both a music group and a lot of revelers.
Block parades have become an expressive feature of Rio’s Carnival. Today, they number more than 100 and the groups increase each year. Blocks can be formed by small or large groups of revelers with a clear title. Before the show, they gather in a square, then parade in sections of the city, often near the beach.
Carnival time in Rio is very interesting, but is also the most expensive time to visit Rio. Hotel rooms and other lodgings (住宿) can be up to four times more expensive than the regular rates. There are big crowds at some locations and life is far from ordinary in many parts of town.What can we infer from the first paragraph?
| A．The Carnival of Brazil is often held after Easter. |
| B．The Carnival of Brazil comes from Easter and Saturnalia. |
| C．The Carnival of Brazil is a festival to regret and begin a new life. |
| D．The Carnival of Brazil is mainly to celebrate the birth of Christ. |
How long is the history of the people’s celebrating modern Brazilian Carnival?
| A．About 100 years. | B．Less than two centuries. |
| C．About 370 years. | D．Over five centuries. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE about the blocks in Rio de Janeiro?
| A．They are always wearing costumes or special T-shirts with themes or logos. |
| B．They always parade through countryside villages singing and dancing. |
| C．There are no more than 50 blocks today. |
| D．They don’t parade before the show. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The famous carnivals in the world. |
| B．How the carnival was introduced in Brazil. |
| C．The carnival in Rio de Janeiro. |
| D．The happy life of the people in Rio de Janeiro. |
B
If you feel at present that you don’t have enough friends in your life, one reason may be that you have let yourself become too busy to make time for the relationships you already have. Starting and keeping friendship requires effort and commitment.
Many of us let our lives become so busy with work and other commitments that we don’t get around to scheduling time for pleasure and renewal（叙旧）with the friends, relatives and acquaintances we already have.
Making the effort to call your friends more regularly and to accept more of the invitations you receive from others can improve your social life in a hurry!
Are there any people you could call right now and be assured of a pleasant welcome? Are there people that you could count on to help you in time of difficulty? Can you have close talks with them? Do you have fun when you are together? Are you happy to have them in your life?
If you haven’t seen much of them lately， is it because you have become too busy? Have you grown apart? Was there an argument?
If the main reason you haven’t been getting together with the people you already know is that you have gotten too busy, take a good look at how you spend your time. Compare it with your real values and priorities（优先考虑的事）in life. Is your busy lifestyle really bringing you the quality of life that you want?
If you have become too busy for friends, why has this happened? Are you seeking material toys in your life at the expense of relationships with other human beings? Have you allowed your time to be over-committed because you never say “No” to anyone? Do you insist on doing things yourself that could be delegated to others? If so, why? Do you believe that everything depends on you?
Examine whether the way you are now spending your time accurately reflects your deepest values and priorities. Make sure that you schedule adequate time for the things that are truly most important to you.
If you really want to keep friends in your life, make a space in your schedule, and a space in your heart for them.
60．The author mainly discusses ______in this passage.
A．how to spend our spare time
B．how to balance friendship and work
C．whether we should keep friendship
D．whether we should invite friends to dinner
61．Which of the following doesn’t indicate a good relationship?
A．You have someone to count on when you are in trouble.
B．You have someone to have close talks with.
C．You have fun when you are with someone.
D．You feel depressed with others in life.
62．What does the underlined word “delegated”（para.7）probably mean?
A．replaced B．appointed C．defeated D．handled
63．The reason why you have become too busy for friends may be the following except that_____.
A．you feel it difficult to keep friendship
B．you spend too much time seeking material toys in your life
C．you stick to doing everything all by yourself
D．you never refuse whatever other people ask you to do
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；，每小题2分，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
A
Ammie Reddick from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, was only 18 months old when she had the accident that has scarred her for life. While her mother was away for a moment, the inquisitive baby reached up to a hot kettle in the family kitchen and poured boiling water all over her tiny body.
An ambulance was called and rushed the baby to a nearby hospital. Twenty percent of Ammie's body had been burned and all of her burns were third-degree. The doctors could tell immediately that Ammie's best chance of survival was a specialized burns unit(科) some miles away at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. There, using tissue taken from unburned areas of Ammie's body, surgeons performed complex skin grafts（移植）to close her wounds and control her injuries, an operation that took about six hours. Over the next 16 years, Ammie had 12 more operations to repair her body.
When she started school at Maxwelton Primary at age four, other pupils made cruel comments or simply wouldn't play with her. “I was the only burned child in the street, the class and the school,”she recalls. “Some children refused to become friends because of that.”
Today, age 17, Ammie can only ever remember being a burned person with scars; pain is a permanent part of her body. She still has to have two further operations. Yet she is a confident, outgoing teenager who offers inspiration and hope to other young burns victims.
Ammie's parents Ruby, a funeral director and Gibby, a policeman, have been a great support. “They told me if people had a problem with my burns, the problem was theirs not mine,” says Ammie. “They taught me to cope with other people's reactions and constantly reminded me I was valued and loved." Ammie's positive philosophy（人生观） means she is now in demand with burns organizations, helping younger patients build their self-esteem to live with permanent scars.
“Now she is a member of the Scottish Burned Children's Club, which a charity set up last year.” says Donald Todd, chairman of the club and a senior burns nurse at Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Sick Children, “Ammie provides so much encouragement for younger ones. She is upbeat and outgoing and a perfect role model for them.”
This month, Ammie will be joining the younger children at the Graffham Water Centre in Cambridgeshire for the charity's first summer camp . "I'll show them how to shrug off unkind stares from others," she says. Ammie loves wearing fashionable sleeveless tops and she plans to show the youngsters at summer camp that they can too. "I do not go to great lengths to hide my burns scars," she says. “I gave up wondering how other people would react years ago.”
56. Ammie was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary because ____________ .
A. it was the nearest hospital away from her home
B. it was a hospital specializing in childhood disease
C. only there can skin grafts be performed
D. it has more advanced and specialized techniques to cure burns
57. How many operations will Ammie have to receive altogether?
A. 12 B. 13 C. 14 D. 15
58. The underlined phrase “shrug off” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to ______ .
A. perform B. ignore C. accept D. tolerate
59. Which of the following best describes Ammie’s?
A. Strong-minded, optimistic and helpful
B. Shy, pessimistic and discouraged
C. Fashionable, sensitive and easygoing
D. Careful, confident and intelligent
E
Third-generation mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the telecom(电信) industry. Data speed in 3G networks is much quicker than that in present technology. This means users can have high-speed Internet access(上网) and enjoy video and CD-quality music on their phones.
"Mobile data is not a dream; it's not an option(选择) but a requirement" said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company, Sprint PCS, at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month.
With 3G, you can forget about text messages telling you yesterday's news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated(更新) four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home.
Don't worry about getting lost. 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset(手持机).
However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live two-way video communication, you can have face-to-face talks with friends and family on your mobile phone.
Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five licenses(许可证) to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year.
International telecom companies can't wait to sell 3G in China, the world's largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3G-based technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops.
“We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the large-scale commercial launch(开始) of the service,” said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. “We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued(发行) late next year.”
We'll also see 3G services enter our daily lives in all-sorts of new ways, from shopping and banking to playing interactive computer games over the net. It won't be long before we think nothing of sitting on a train using a mobile palmtop(掌上型电脑) to check our bank accounts or pay bills. You might even click on an icon(图标) on the screen to set up an immediate video-conference with your bank clerk.
55. 3G is ______.
A. a kind of mobile phone that can send text message and make calls
B. a kind of technology that makes mobile data and video calling come true
C. a kind of player that can be used to listen to CD or MP3 music
D. a kind of system that makes it easy to surf the Internet
56. What does Len Lauer want to inform the readers?
A. Realizing the dream of mobile data based on the application of 3G is a must.
B. There is no need to send messages since 3G can receive video news programs.
C. 3G is supposed to own all the functions that a computer has.
D. It is a choice to carry mobile data with 3G phones.
57. The 3G services can be launched after the following steps EXCEPT that ________.
A. they have to test its 3G-based technologies, networks and services
B. they need to create a group of 3G customers
C. the 3G licenses are issued and 3G phones are tested
D. international telecom companies decide to sell 3G in China
58. The last paragraph shows us that ________.
A. 3G services bring a lot of convenience to us
B. we cannot live without 3G mobile phones
C. 3G services can change our life completely
D. 3G services will take the place of other technologies
59. What is the best title of the passage?
A. Face-to-face Video Calls B. The Future of 3G
C. The New Telecom Industry--3G D. The Use of 3G Mobile Phone
D
Live Earth Announces 2010 Global Event!
This is the web version of the October 15, 2009 Live Earth email to members. Click here to join and receive bi-weekly updates from Live Earth.
Live Earth is pleased to announce the largest worldwide water initiative(倡议)in history to help fight the global water crisis. The Dow Live Earth Run for Water—to take place on April 18, 2010—will consist of a series of 6 km run/walks (the average distance many women and children walk every day to get water) taking place over the course of 24 hours in countries around the world, featuring concerts and water education activities, raising awareness and funds to help solve the water crisis. Jessica Biel, Alexandra Cousteau, Pete Wentz, Angelique Kidjo and Jenny Fletcher will lend their names and their time in support of this global event.
Water shortage is a major issue affecting countries, communities and families all over the world. One in eight people doesn’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. Communities in Africa, Latin America and Asia suffer 1.8 million deaths every year from diarrheal(腹泻）diseases and the death of 5,000 children each day due to inadequate water infrastructure(基础设施). In these areas, women and children are forced to walk 6 km (3.7 miles) each day to get water that is likely unsuitable for drinking. However, the water crisis is not only limited to developing nations. Adding to these existing issues, the effects of climate change are increasingly impacting both supply and quality of available fresh water throughout the world.
In 60% of European cities with populations greater than 100,000, groundwater is being used faster than it can be replenished(补充). By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions.
You can help solve the water crisis by participating in the April 18th event. Run/walk registration is now officially open! Sign up now at http://liveearth.org/run.
Thanks and be sure to visit liveearth.org for the latest on The Dow Live Earth Run for Water, conservation tips, and more!
Follow Live Earth on:
52. Which of the following activities will the Dow Live Earth organize on April 18, 2010?
A. Receiving the latest news from Live Earth.
B. Putting on musical performances.
C. Calling on pop stars to walk 6 km to get water.
D. Lending names and time to support the event.
53. According to the passage, which of the statements is true?
A. You can turn to http://liveearth.org for water protection tips.
B. Jessica Biel can’t take part in the event even if she signs up.
C. The information on Live Earth is updated every month.
D. Every year 1.8 million people in the world die from the disease related to dirty water.
54. We can learn from the passage that __________.
A. by 2010, two-thirds of the world’s population will be short of water
B. we can solve the water crisis by taking part in the April 18th event
C. seven-eighths of the people in Asia can have access to safe, clean drinking water
D. there are different channels for people to get access to Live Earth
C
Celebrations spread across China when Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl, was given the right to host the 2010 World Expo on December 3. Shanghai won the honor after beating rivals from Russia, Mexico, Poland and South Korea.
“I’m very proud of being Chinese,” said Wang Kaibo, a Senior 2 student of the Middle School Affiliated (附属的) to Beijing Medical University. “The winning of the expo is a victory, not only for Shanghai residents, but for the people of the whole Chinese nation.”
Bidding for the expo shows that China is more confident of playing a more important role on the international stage. It’s competing for large events and the next one could be the World Cup, Wang said.
The World Expo 2010 and the 2008 Beijing Olympics will become the twin shining stars of China’s development over the next 10 years, said experts. The World Expo is known as “Olympics of the economic, cultural, scientific and technological fields.” It is usually held every five years and lasts for six months. The Olympics, World Cup and World Expo are considered three top international events in the world.
China is the first developing country to win the expo bid in the event’s about 159-year history. Not only will it attract more foreign investment to China, but experts say that the half-year-long exhibition will bring at least 70 million visitors to Shanghai.
The expo was first held in London in 1851. It has a history of global influence. The Eiffel Tower, built during the Paris World Expo in 1889, became the symbol of the French capital.Many historic inventions, such as the telephone and airplane, all made their first appearance at a World Expo.
48. What does the word in bald “rivals” probably mean in the second paragraph?
A. competitors. B. enemies. C. players. D. supporters.
49. The winning of bidding for the World Expo 2010 and the 2008 Olympic Games implies ______.
A. China is beginning to play a more important part on the international stage.
B. China has played the most important role in the international affairs.
C. China has become a developed country for many years.
D. China is the first Asian country to win the expo bid in history.
50. As we know, in general, the Word Expo is usually held every ______ years, while the Olympics is usually held every ______ years.
A. 4；5 B. 5；4 C. 4；4 D. 5；5
51. By bidding for the expo and the Olympics, we are sure that ______.
A. China will beat rivals from Russia, Mexico, Poland and South Korea
B. China will become a super country in the United Nations
C. China will build a famous tower like Eiffel Tower as the symbol of the capital
D. China will develop more quickly than before and will benefit a lot from them