When I was learning calligraphy my teacher told me a story.
A calligrapher taught handwriting. One of his students who often practised handwriting with old sheets of newspapers complained that he made very little progress though he had learned it with the calligrapher for a long time. His teacher said to him, “Try to use the best paper. Maybe you’ll write better. ”
The student did as he was told. It really worked. He made headway not long afterwards and felt curious. He asked his teacher about the reason. The calligrapher answered, “When you used old newspapers to practice handwriting，you would think you were writing a draft（草稿）. It didn’t matter if you wrote badly as old newspapers were plenty in supply. In that case you wouldn’t pay much attention to it. Now you use the best paper you’ll treasure it. Each time you write you feel strongly about the rarity (稀少) of chances and you’ll devote to it with all your heart and soul; you’ll do the handwriting much more attentively than otherwise practising it. Of course you’ve made rapid progress.”
Indeed，we spend our ordinary days just as they are worthless “old newspapers”. We don’t care if we scrawl and waste them, thinking that they will come endlessly --- those “old newspapers” are inexhaustible. In such a mood we may each day pass by opportunities but fail to catch any of them.
Life is not a military exercise but an actual war in which real weapons are used. In everyday life there’s no chance for us to draw a draft. That’s because what we call “draft” actually is the answer sheet we write that cannot be changed. Every day of our life is something new. Let us take every day as a sheet of best paper.The calligrapher in the story told the student to write on the best paper because he thought _______.
| A．the student would practice more carefully on the best paper |
| B．it was comfortable to write on the bet paper |
| C．the student had enough money to buy the best paper. |
| D．the student could write more on the best paper. |
The student didn’t make much progress at first because _________.
| A．he regarded his writing on old newspaper just as a draft |
| B．he was too poor to buy better paper to write |
| C．he didn’t follow his teacher’s advice |
| D．he was not used to the calligrapher’s teaching manner |
We learn from the passage that _________.
| A．the student finally gave up |
| B．the student made rapid progress by persisting more carefully |
| C．the calligrapher was strict with his students |
| D．old newspaper is not useful |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．What teachers say is always true. |
| B．Success calls for attentiveness. |
| C．Handwriting is easy to practice. |
| D．New things are always better than old ones. |
The writer wants to tell us that _________.
| A．there are some good ways to practice handwriting |
| B．life is like old newspaper |
| C．we should learn from the student in the story |
| D．life will not give us a chance to draw a draft |
D
Earth is the third planet from the sun. It is one of the four inner planets. The other three inner planets are Mercury, Venus, and Mars. The inner planets are also called the rocky planets, because th
ey are made of rocks.
Earth is often called the “Water Planet”, because it is the only planet in our solar system which has liquid water on its surface. About 70% of the surface of Earth is covered by water! The other part of Earth is made up of continents and islands which have different landforms on them. Examples of landforms are mountains and plains. Plants and animals can live on Earth, because it has so much water.
Earth spins very quickly compared to other planets. It only takes Earth 24 hours to spin around its axis one time. One Earth day is 24 hours long! Earth orbits the sun in 365 days! This makes one Earth year 365 days long!
Earth is the only planet in our solar system where humans, other animals, and plants can live. There is plenty of water to drink or to live in. Water is present on Earth in its big oceans and in the air! Clouds are made of water vapor. The atmosphere has a lot of oxygen in it for animals to breathe, but the rest of our “air” is made up of water vapor, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and other gases. The air is perfect for plants to grow. Earth temperature is not the same in all places, but the temperature is just right for plants, animals, and humans in most places on Earth.
Like the other inner planets, Earth has volcanoes. Volcanoes on Earth are different from those on other planets, because they still erupt. Scientists think that there may be active volcanoes on other planets and moons in our solar system, but they are still studying this.
Earth has one planet which we call the Moon. The surface of the Moon has many craters on it These were caused when meteorites hit it. It has many volcanoes on it which do not erupt anymore. We can see the moon at night without using a telescope. It is the closest space object to our planet ,Earth.
68.Earth is called the Water Planet,______.
A. because animals need water B. the water makes it look blue from space
C. it has liquid water on its surface D. Earth is the third planet from the sun
69. It takes Earth ______to orbit the sun in one year.
A.24 hours B.24 days C.365 days D.360 days
70. Life exists on Earth,______.
A. because the water, air, and temperature are just right
B. there is water vapor in clouds
C. Earth is the planet closest to the sun
D. earth has volcanoes
71.The craters on the moon were caused by______.
A. meteorites hitting its surface B. active volcanoes
C. volcanoes which do not erupt anymore D. some reasons that are not mentioned
C
Dear Ariel,
I got a job offer from a high-tech company with a fairly satisfactory payment and benefits．Even the work environment is cool．But I heard that the job requires a lot of overtime and even weekends．I know it’s important for newcomers to get their feet planted firmly on the ground to reach their goals, but I’m scared of the idea of having nearly no free time．I still need to find a girlfriend and look after my parents．So, shall I accept the job or give it up for another one with much less pay and more freedom?
Amoretto
Dear Amoretto,
I have two things to say: First, you’re lucky to have such an excellent offer, especially at a time when so many talented people are struggling to find any work at all; and second, you can’t figure out your work-life balance until you’re actually working.
Take the job．You’ll be learning, doing interesting things, working in a cool environment, and making money．If you’re given contract, make sure you understand the terms before you sign．Ask your boss how many hours a week you’re expected to work．If he tells you a number that’s much lower than what you find once you’re working, you’ll be in a better position to talk to him about it．
Give your work 100 percent．Work energetically and efficiently．If you’re devoted and focused, you might achieve more than your co-workers in less time．Showing yourself to be a productive and talented worker from the beginning will give you more bargaining power．Finally, remember that taking a job doesn’t have to be a life commitment．Try to give it at least a year（two is better）．If you’re really miserable after that time, look for another job that will give you more freedom．By then, you’ll have workplace experience, bosses and colleagues who can speak positively about your work and some savings as well．
Good luck!
Ariel
64．When considering the job offer, Amoretto is most concerned about whether he’ll have______．
A．a pay rise B. a girlfriend C．free time D. cool working condition
65．We can infer that Ariel thinks________．
A．young people are faced with a fierce competition in job-hunting
B．a good start and 100% devotion to the work are of great importance
C．Amoretto should ask nothing until he actually works in the company
D．beginning workers with bargaining power are not popular with bosses
66．Ariel recommended Amoretto to_____．
A．balance his life and work before taking the job
B．analyze the contract carefully before signing it
C．spare no effort to please his boss and colleagues
D．be a lifelong worker for the company whatever happens
67．In the first letter, the underlined part “get their feet planted firmly on the ground” means______．
A．present themselves truthfully B．face the reality bravely
C．be conscious of their abilities D．work heart and soul
B
The worst danger is a house on fire when people are asleep. Always be ready to leave through a window into the garden by making sure you can open it if necessary. If you should be on holiday in a tall building or hotel, make sure you know where the fire escape(太平梯) is. When you can’t find any way out, try to find pieces of cloth and make a rope to get out of a window to safety. If you smell burning in your home, get out right away. If you can’t breathe properly because of smoke on your way out, crawl(爬) on your hands and knees because smoke rises and the air will be cleaner near the floor. Smoke is a killer and more people die from breathing it in than actually being burned.
Fire in a cinema hall or public place often means people pushing to reach a door. Keep your head up with arms up in front of your chest. This protects your chest and gives you the best chance to breathe. Above all, don’t get frightened!
60. When a tall building is on fire, people______.
A.can leave by coming down the fire escape B.should first check the room window
C.had better find a long rope D.must lie down on the floor at once
61. People can leave a burning house through a window if ______.
A.there is smoke in the room B. there is no other way out
C .they can’t breathe properly D. they want to put out the fire
62. There are several things to do to keep one safe. Which of the following is not talked about in the passage?
A.Leave the house right away when you smell something burning.
B.Raise your head and keep your chest from being hurt.
C.Get out of the house by crawling on the floor.
D.Rush out of the house, dressed in wet clothes.
63. Which of the following is not true?
A.In a fire, more deaths are caused by smoke.
B.The most important thing is not to be frightened in a fire.
C.When a public place is on fire, people usually push to leave.
D.Be ready to leave a burning house through a window if there is a garden down below.
第三部分：阅读理解（每小题2分，满分40分）
第一节：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标号涂黑。
A
Mr. Hart, a London taxi driver, has a new black taxi. With his taxi, he hurries through the busy streets every day.
One day when he was having a short rest, a young man jumped into his taxi. "To the station as fast as you can," shouted the man in a very unfriendly way. "My train leaves at three o'clock." Mr. Hart did his best, but there was a lot of traffic. At every corner there was a red light. "Hurry up, man! I don't want to miss my train," said the young man. "And I don't want to have an accident," replied Mr. Hart quickly. While he was driving, Mr. Hart suddenly recognized the man's face. He was a thief. The police were looking for him. His picture was in the newspapers. Mr. Hart raced through the street and drove through red lights. Soon there was a police car behind him. Mr. Hart raced on until he reached the station. He stopped in front of the station at two minutes to three, and the young man quickly jumped out of the taxi.
"Stop! Stop!" cried Mr. Hart. At that moment the police car stopped, too. "Quick! He is the thief!" shouted Mr. Hart. Two policemen rushed into the station. Three minutes later they returned with the young man. "Well done!" a policeman said to Mr. Hart as they were taking the thief to the police car.
56. The young man wanted to________.
A. go back home by train B. drive through the busy street
C. take the 3:00 train to London D. leave London as soon as possible
57. How did Mr. Hart know that the young man was a thief?
A. He had never met such a rude person as the young man.
B. He had seen the young man's picture in the newspapers.
C. The police told him something about the young man.
D. The young man was trying to run away.
58. Mr. Hart raced through the street and drove through red lights so that ________.
A. he could drive faster than the police car B. he could reach the station on time
C. he could get the attention of the policemen D. he could go home earlier than usual
59. Where did the policemen catch the young man?
A. In Mr. Hart's taxi. B. In the station. C. In the street. D. At the corner.
E
Special trees that grow faster, fight pollution, produce better wood, and even sense chemical attacks are being planted by scientists in the US.
When 40 per cent of Hawaii's US$14 million-a-year papaya (木瓜)industry was destroyed by a virus five years ago, work began on creating genetically engineered (转基因的) trees.
Researchers successfully introduced seeds that were designed to resist the virus. Since then, more and more people have been testing genetically engineered trees.
Some researchers put special bacteria into trees to help them grow faster and produce better wood. Others are trying to create trees that can clean polluted soil.
Meanwhile fruit farmers are looking for trees that are strong enough to resist worms, and paper companies want trees that produce more wood and therefore more paper.
The Pentagon (五角大楼) even gave the researchers US$500,000 this year after they developed a pine tree that changes its colours if it senses a chemical attack.
So far, the poplar, eucalyptus (杨树与桉树), apple and coffee trees are among those being engineered. All this can be done today because we have a better understanding of tree genomes (基因组).
However, some people fear that the genetically engineered trees will cause dangerous results. They are worried that the new trees will breed with natural species and change the balance of the forest environment.
"It could be destructive," said Jim Diamond, an environmentalist. "Trees are what is left of our natural environment and home to many endangered species."
But researchers insist that science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers.
They hope to answer the critics by stopping the new trees from breeding, so their effect on the environment can be controlled.
57. Which kind of tree is not the ones that scientists are planting in the US?
A. Trees that worms can't hurt.
B. Trees that can protect themselves at a chemical attack.
C. Trees that can resist wind better.
D. Genetically engineered trees.
58. What caused the American scientists to work on special trees?
A. They think science could give nature a fighting chance against both natural and man-made dangers.
B. Great numbers of trees have been lost due to attacks by viruses.
C. Researchers successfully introduced seeds designed to resist the virus.
D. Tree genomes are mapped out so scientists know how to improve trees.
59. Which of the following was probably the first kind of trees being engineered?
A. Papaya. B. Pine. C. Apple. D. Poplar.
60. Why did critics think engineered trees dangerous? Because _______.
A. these trees can destroy the balance of nature
B. everything except trees has been genetically engineered
C. trees are home to many endangered species
D. these trees may affect normal trees