Arthur Miller (1915—2005) is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. Miller's father had moved to the USA from Austria-Hungary, drawn like so many others by the “Great American Dream”. However, he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early 1930s.
Miller's most famous play, Death of a Salesman, is a powerful attack on the American system, with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as indicators of worth. In Willy Loman, the hero of the play, we see a man who has got into trouble with this system. Willy is “burnt out” and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sentiment: if he can't do the work, then he is no good to his employer, the Wagner Company, and he must go. Willy is painfully aware of this, and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success. He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.
When it was first staged in 1949, the play was greeted with enthusiastic reviews, and it won the Tony Award for Best Play, the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.
Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, on the evening of February 10, 2005, the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Death of a Salesman on Broadway.Why did Arthur Miller's father move to the USA?
| A．He suffered from severe hunger in his home country. |
| B．He was attracted by the “Great American Dream.” |
| C．He hoped to make his son a dramatist. |
| D．His family business failed |
What can we learn about Willy Loman?
| A．He treats his employer badly. |
| B．He runs the Wagner Company. |
| C．He is a victim of the American system. |
| D．He is regarded as a hero by his colleagues. |
After it was first staged, Death of a Salesman________.
| A．achieved huge success |
| B．won the first Tony Award |
| C．was warmly welcomed by salesmen |
| D．was severely attacked by dramatists |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Arthur Miller and his family. |
| B．The awards Arthur Miller won. |
| C．The hardship Arthur Miller experienced. |
| D．Arthur Miller and his best-known play. |
From Avatar to Lord of the Rings, plants are no strangers to playing big movie roles. However, no one has ever shot a film that plants themselves can watch until now. In a New York art gallery, seven house plants have spent the last seven weeks watching Strange Skies, the first travel documentary for a vegetable audience. All the plants sat in the cinema in rows, enjoying themselves in Italian sunshine.
The movie was made by American artist Jonathon Keats. It consists of Italian skies recorded over two months and made into a six-minute-long movie. The film shows the clear dawn(黎明), high clouds, amazing dusk and then beautiful night. The movie has no sound and the plants, of course, do not applaud. But Stephen Squibb, a professor from Harvard University, said these plants could benefit from it—the light of the movie keeps them alive because they can continue the process of turning light into energy.
“I realized there was a much larger audience—plants—that were not being serviced, ”Keats said. “I wanted to provide plants with entertainment that companies such as Disney provide for humans. ”Meanwhile, Keats also wants to explore plants’ sensibilities(敏感性)further. He plans to open a“restaurant for plants”at a Californian museum.
One visitor, photographer Abbas Ebrahimi, admired(羡慕)the green audience, “Plants are better than us. We die and go, while in spring they come back each time. ”But when talking about the movie, he said after thinking for a few minutes, “It doesn’t mean anything to me at all. It’s just about light. For some people, it might mean something. ”What can we learn about Keats according to the passage?
| A．He is an artist from Harvard University. |
| B．He opened a restaurant for plants. |
| C．He made the film Strange Skies. |
| D．He liked recording Italian skies. |
It can be learned that Strange Skies .
| A．has already created beautiful sound |
| B．was shot from dawn to dusk |
| C．made plants play roles in it |
| D．is the first travel film for plants |
What did Stephen Squibb think of Strange Skies?
| A．He thought it had explored plants’ sensibilities. |
| B．He thought it meant nothing to him. |
| C．He thought it could keep plants growing. |
| D．He thought it offered entertainment to plants. |
Why did Abbas Ebrahimi admire the green audience?
| A．Because they die and re-grow in spring. |
| B．Because they mean something to him. |
| C．Because there are more plants than people. |
| D．Because they can enjoy the movie. |
While students in Hainan are quite used to clear skies, Beijing teenagers are not so lucky. As another warm winter approaches, the city can expect the normal clouds of smoke caused by air pollution.
But things may start to improve soon. The government is co-operating with a US-based environmental protection agency to update existing buses and trucks with clean fuel technology. The new technology could reduce air pollutants in existing diesel engines(柴油机)by 40 percent. The programme will begin by testing buses in Beijing to see if the technology can be applied to them.
“We encourage the development of public transports. But at the same time we need to reduce pollution from them, ”said an official.
Efforts are being made to improve the capital’s environment with tighter controls on emissions(排放). Some heavily polluting factories and construction sites, such as those owned by the steel giant Shougang Group, have been asked to cut production in November and December or be closed.
Beijing was the third polluted city in the world at the end of last century, according to the UN. But thanks to recent measures, the capital has made some progress. Last year 224 clear days were rated as having good air quality. In 1998 the air quality index(指数)gave just 100 days as good.
“I am glad to see an improvement, ”said a senior 1 boy living in the northwest of Beijing. “Compared to other places, the air quality of Beijing is still worrying though. I hate pollution. Once I was riding my bike in the morning when I almost had a traffic accident because I couldn’t see a car only metres away from me in fog. ”
In early October, the skies were covered by such a thick fog that a display show by the visiting French Air Force was called off.
Rapid development, industry, traffic fumes and sandstorms from the desert all contribute to the city’s bad air. The passage is mainly about .
| A．a programme aiming at improving Beijing’s air quality |
| B．progress made in Beijing’s air quality |
| C．Beijing’s air pollution |
| D．the differences between Hainan and Beijing |
Which of the following is NOT the measure taken or to be taken to improve Beijing’s air quality?
| A．Clean fuel technology will be used in public transports. |
| B．Some factories have been asked to cut production. |
| C．Some construction sites have been told to be closed. |
| D．A display show of airplanes has been called off. |
We can infer from the passage that, with the aim of being an ecological(生态的)city, .
| A．far more still needs to be done |
| B．nothing else needs to be done |
| C．all traffic has to be closed |
| D．the development of the city has to be slowed down |
Which of the following is NOT correct according to the passage?
| A．Beijing’s air quality is getting worse and worse. |
| B．Rapid development, industry, traffic fumes and sandstorms are all the causes of bad air quality. |
| C．People see clouds of smoke in the sky in the winter of Beijing. |
| D．The government is making efforts to stop air pollution. |
As a boy growing up in India, I had longed to travel abroad. I used to listen to the stories my father would tell me about his stay in Canada and tours to Europe in the 1970s, with great interest.
My big moment finally came in the summer of 1998 when I was able to accompany my parents to Europe, where my father was to attend a meeting. We planned to travel to Belgium, Netherlands and West Germany.
I have vivid memories even today of going to Mumbai airport at night all excited about finally going abroad. I had heard several great things about Lufthansa till then but now I finally got to experience them first hand, during the flight to Frankfurt. We flew business class and even today I can remember the excellent service by the Lufthansa crew. The flight was really smooth and thoroughly enjoyable, even for someone like me, who is otherwise scared of flying.
After spending almost two weeks in Europe, we took the Lufthansa airport express from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt airport, for our return flight. What a journey that was!All along the Rhine(莱茵河), it was simply an unforgettable experience. I was in a sombre mood on the flight back to Mumbai as it marked the end of a wonderful vacation, but the Lufthansa crew members were able to change it into a most enjoyable experience yet again, with the quality of their service.
Being the first airline to take me overseas, Lufthansa will always hold a special place in my heart. Even today, I continue to enjoy flights on Lufthansa and simply cannot dream of choosing any other airline. Flying, in general, for me, has always been an ordeal(terrible and painful experience). Flying on Lufthansa, however, is something I always have and always will look forward to.Which country does the author live in now?
| A．India. | B．Canada. | C．Belgium. | D．Germany. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the author’s trip to Europe in 1998?
| A．The author traveled with one of his parents. |
| B．Both their going and return are by air. |
| C．They traveled in spring that year. |
| D．They stayed in Europe for nearly two months. |
It can be inferred from the passage that Lufthansa is .
| A．a city in India | B．a city in Europe |
| C．an airline company | D．a travel agency |
The underlined word“sombre”in the 4th paragraph probably means“ ”.
| A．happy | B．sad |
| C．angry | D．enjoyable |
Tiredness, coughing, a runny nose and a sore throat—among all sicknesses there is probably none more common than the flu, which we all get now and then.
However, bird flu is a completely different story.
Ten years ago, the H5N1 bird flu swept across 15 countries, including China, with sufferers reporting chest pain, difficulty breathing, fever and severe coughing. More than 600 people were infected, and about 60 percent died. Now another type of bird flu hit Shanghai and three neighboring provinces, and this time the virus is called H7N9. By the afternoon of April 11, the new virus had taken nine lives out of 35 infected, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The“H”and“N”in the virus’ name refers to two kinds of proteins on the surface of the virus. Any change of the numbers of the two proteins indicates a new mutation(变异). Most of the mutations only affect birds, such as chickens and pigeons, and don’t normally spread to humans. But once they do, the results can be disastrous.
“Any time an animal influenza virus crosses to humans, it is a cause for concern, ”Malik Peiris, virologist(病毒学家)at the University of Hong Kong, told Nature magazine. Take the SARS epidemic(传染病)10 years ago as an example. The virus behind the disease is thought to have jumped to humans from animals. The virus was a complete“stranger”to human bodies, which hadn’t developed an immunity against it.
But there is something more about the new H7N9 bird flu. Unlike the H5N1 bird flu, which causes severe sickness in birds, the H7N9 has been evolving under the radar(悄悄地)since it travels between birds without causing noticeable illness. That makes it difficult to keep track of the disease.
The good news is that there’s so far no sign that the virus is spreading from person to person. But since there is no vaccine for the disease yet, the World Health Organization recommends that you wash your hands after meeting with sick people and before and after you eat or prepare food, and they also suggest avoiding contact with birds or their eggs.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．The H5N1 bird flu turned out to have something to do with the SARS epidemic. |
| B．More than 600 people across the world died from the H5N1 bird flu ten years ago. |
| C．Most of the mutations of the proteins in the bird flu virus are harmful to both birds and humans. |
| D．The name, H7N9 bird flu, shows that there have been new mutations of the proteins in the virus. |
With the example of the SARS epidemic in Paragraph 5, the author intends to .
| A．introduce where the SARS virus came from |
| B．inform us of the harmful effects of the SARS epidemic ten years ago |
| C．show the horrible effects an animal influenza virus can have once it spreads to humans |
| D．compare the differences between the SARS epidemic and the H7N9 bird flu |
What makes the H7N9 bird flu more frightening than the H5N1 bird flu according to the text?
| A．It can cause severe sickness in birds. |
| B．It can spread from person to person. |
| C．It affects a greater number of birds. |
| D．It doesn’t sicken birds and thus can spread unnoticed. |
What are people advised to do to protect themselves against the H7N9 bird flu?
a. To get vaccinated for the disease.
b. To keep away from birds and their eggs.
c. To stop eating chickens and ducks.
d. To avoid meeting with sick people.
e. To wash hands thoroughly and regularly.
| A．a, b | B．c, d |
| C．b, e | D．a, e |
I have only once been in trouble with the law. The whole process of being arrested and taken to court was a rather unpleasant experience at the time, but it makes a good story now. What makes it rather disturbing was the arbitrary circumstances both of my arrest and my subsequent fate in court.
It happened in February about twelve years ago. I had left school a couple of months before that and was not due to go to university until the following October. I was still living at home at the time.
One morning I was in Richmond, a suburb of London near where I lived. I was looking for a temporary job so that I could save up some money to go traveling. As it was a fine day and I was in no hurry, I was taking my time, looking in shop windows, strolling in the park, and sometimes just stopping and looking around me. It must have been this obvious aimlessness that led to my downfall.
It was about half past eleven when it happened. I was just walking out of the local library, having unsuccessfully sought employment there, when I saw a man walking across the road with the obvious intention of talking to me. I thought he was going to ask me the time. Instead, he said he was a police officer and he was arresting me. At first I thought it was some kind of joke.
But then another policeman appeared, this time in uniform, and I was left in no doubt.
“But what for?” I asked.
“Wandering with intent to commit an arrestable offence.” he said.
“What offence?” I asked.
“Theft.” he said.
“Theft of what?” I asked.
“Milk bottles,” he said, and with a perfectly straight face too!
“Oh,” I said.
It turned out there had been a lot of petty thefts in the area, particularly that of stealing milk bottles from doorsteps.
Then I made my big mistake. At the time I was nineteen, had long untidy hair, and regarded myself as part of the sixties’ “youth counterculture”. As a result, I wanted to appear cool and unconcerned with the incident, so I said, “How long have you been following me?” in the most casual and conversational tone I could manage. I thus appeared to them to be quite familiar with this sort of situation, and it confirmed them in their belief that I was a thoroughly disreputable （品行不端的）character.
A few minutes later a police car arrived.
“Get in the back,” they said. “Put your hands on the back of the front seat and don’t move them.”
They got in on either side of me. It wasn’t funny any more.
At the police station they questioned me for several hours. I continued to try to look worldly and familiar with the situation. When they asked me what I had been doing, I told them I’d been looking for a job. “Aha,” I could see them thinking, “unemployed”.
Eventually, I was officially charged and told to report to Richmond Magistrates’ Court the following Monday. Then they let me go.
I wanted to conduct my own defense in court, but as soon as my father found out what had happened, he hired a very good lawyer. We went along that Monday armed with all kinds of witnesses, including my English teacher from school as a character witness. But he was never called on to give evidence. My “trial” didn’t get that far. The magistrate （法官） dismissed the case after fifteen minutes. I was free. The poor police had never stood a chance. The lawyer even succeeded in getting costs awarded against the police.
And so I do not have a criminal record. But what was most shocking at the time was the things my release from the charge so clearly depended on. I had the “right” accent, respectable middle-class parents in court, reliable witnesses, and I could obviously afford a very good lawyer. Given the obscure nature of the charge, I feel sure that if I had come from a different background, and had really been unemployed, there is every chance that I would have been found guilty. While asking for costs to be awarded, my lawyer’s case quite obviously revolved （回转） around the fact that I had a “brilliant academic record”.
Meanwhile, just outside the courtroom, one of the policemen who had arrested me was gloomily complaining to my mother that another youngster had been turned against the police. “You could have been a bit more helpful when we arrested you,” he said to me reproachfully （责备地）.
What did he mean? Probably that I should have looked outraged and said something like, “Look here, do you know who you’re talking to? I am a highly successful student with a brilliant academic record. How dare you arrest me!” Then they, probably, would have apologized perhaps even taken off their caps, and let me on my way.Judging from the first paragraph, the writer’s attitude towards his story is _______.
| A．angry | B．sad |
| C．amused | D．more than just one of the above |
The first man who came up to him was ______.
| A．a uniformed policeman | B．a policeman in plainclothes |
| C．not a policeman | D．a good joker |
The court never asked the author’s English teacher to give evidence because _______.
| A．the time for the trial was limited to fifteen minutes only |
| B．the author wanted to conduct his own defense in court |
| C．the case was dismissed before the trial reached that stage |
| D．he was found to be unqualified as a character witness |
The author believes that he would most probably have been declared guilty if _______.
| A．the magistrate had been less gentle |
| B．he had really been out of work |
| C．he had been born in a lower— class family |
| D．both B and C |
In the opinion of one of the policeman who had arrested the author, the whole thing might not have occurred if ______.
| A．he had protested strongly at the time |
| B．he had begged to be allowed to go home |
| C．he hadn’t wandered aimlessly |
| D．he had tried to look cool |
We can see from the passage that the author ______.
| A．has broken the law only once |
| B．has never broken the law |
| C．has broken the law on more than one occasion |
| D．once broke the law without knowing it |