GCSEs not fit for purpose
GCSEs（General Certificate of Secondary Education，普通中等教育证书）encourage "teaching to the test" and may be past their sell-by date, according to Britain's leading business organization. The Confederation of British Industry（CBI） warns that the qualification is stopping teachers delivering an "inspirational classroom experience" and should be replaced.
John Cridland, the CBI director general, said industry faced a shortage of key skills, particularly in science and maths. The CBI（英国工业联合会）, which represents more than 240,000 companies, is also concerned about the 40% of young people who fail to achieve the benchmark of five good GCSE passes including English and maths. The percentage of pupils who reach this standard is the main measure of school success.
Speaking at the launch of a CBI inquiry into education, Cridland argued that abandoning GCSEs could help deliver a full education. "There's something about this GCSE limitation which produces a form of learning ------ teaching for the test.’’
"It frustrates teachers because it stops them delivering that inspirational classroom experience."
The CBI head suggested that raising the school leaving age to 18 – a change that comes into effect in 2015 – is an opportunity to reform the system. "It seems to me that we've raised the participation age to 18 and we're left with an education system that focuses on 16," said Cridland. More than 600,000 children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to take GCSEs this summer.
Many other countries do without a public exam at 16. Finland, the highest performing school system in Europe, has just one public exam, at 18, though children are regularly tested at younger ages. What does the author intend to tell us in paragragh1？
| A．“Teaching to the test” should be encouraged. |
| B．We should stop teachers delivering “inspirational experience”. |
| C．The current qualification is out of date and should be replaced. |
| D．The Confederation of British Industry should be replaced. |
What’s the main idea of the passage？
| A．The British GCSEs are no longer practical and should be reformed. |
| B．In the GCSEs system , teachers don’t have freedom. |
| C．Five good GCSEs is hard to achieve. |
| D．The British Education Department will reform education system. |
The meaning of the underlined word “benchmark” in paragraph 2 may be ______.
| A．success | B．target | C．standard | D．excellent grades |
Where can we find this article?
| A．TV series | B．radio news |
| C．newspaper education section | D．government report |
The $586 billion economic stimulus(刺激)package that China announced on Sunday may not be quite as large as it seemed at first sight, but it shows just how seriously the authorities in Beijing take the threat of a slowdown following the international financial crisis. On the face of it, the package of tax cuts, higher public spending, and easier credit makes up the largest such stimulus in history.
The new policy gives President Hu Jintao something to show fellow world leaders at the Group of 20 summit in Washington on Saturday as they seek ways out of the financial crisis.
“We must carry out the measures to ensure fast and stable economic development ,” Premier Wen Jiabao told government leaders on Monday. “They are not only for the needs of our own development but also our biggest contribution to the world.”
At first, stock markets(股市) jumped on news of the package, in the hope that if China’s economy continues to grow, it might help other nations go through the expected global decline in economy by offering a market for their exports.
The stimulus package is designed to reduce the effects of falling exports on China’s own economy, encouraging investment （投资）and consumption （消费）at home. That, the government says, should keep the world’s fastest-growing economy on a “steady and relatively fast” growth track despite the depressing international climate.
The State Council（国务院），China’s cabinet， said it would target spending over the next two years on low-income housing, rural construction, water and electricity supplies, technological innovation(创新)，and recovery from disasters such as the May 12 earthquake. If the plan is carried out, its focus on projects benefiting China’s poorer citizens, rather than on traditional large-scale industrial development, will strengthen the government’s policy of building a “harmonious society” that bridges the present gap between the rich and the poor.
72. China’s economic stimulus package ______ .
A. shows its serious attitude towards the international financial crisis
B. has stimulated the world’s economy greatly
C. mainly focuses on higher public spending
D. is as large as it seemed at first sight
73. According to Wen jiabao, China’s measures will ______.
A. make the world’s economy grow faster
B. ensure fast economic and cultural development in China
C. be only needed for China’s own development
D. be its biggest contribution to the world
74. How can the new policy reduce the effects of falling exports on China’s own economy? ______
A. By keeping China’s economy one of the world’s fastest growing ones.
B. By making China’s economy the fastest growing one in the world.
C. By encouraging investment and consumption at home.
D. By getting rid of the depressing international climate.
75. What’s the final aim of the new policy? ______
A. To build traditional large-scale industries.
B. To reconstruct the earthquake-hit area.
C. To build a harmonious society throughout China.
D. To provide housing for low-income people.
LOS ANGELES,July8（Xinhua）——Michael Jackson's burial remained a mystery as part of his brain is being held by the coroner's （验尸官）office for tests, an official said.
The late superstar's body was transported to an undisclosed place Tuesday after a star-crowded public memorial service at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. It is still unclear where and when the singer's body will be buried.
Ed Winter, assistant chief coroner said families often wait for mass of brain part to be returned before permitted burial. He said he understood no burial would take place immediately although he was not aware of instructions from the Jackson family. The coroner's office released a death certificate(证明) for Jackson Tuesday that listed the cause of death as "delay."
Michael Jackson，the King of Pop，was born on August 29，1958，and died on June 25，2009 after being rushed to a Los Angeles hospital from his rented house when his heart stopped functioning properly. A police investigation into his death is focusing on the possibility that his death was caused by a medication overdose（过量）, including possibly Diprivan, a powerful sedative (镇静剂)usually used for general anesthesia（麻醉）.
68. Why hasn’t Jackson’s burial been held? ______
A. The place to bury him isn’t sure.
B. His family didn’t give instructions
C. Part of his body is still being tested
D. The time to bury him is still being discusseded
69. The direct cause of the super popstar’s death is ______
A. that his heart stopped beating
B. due to a powerful sedative used for anesthesia
C. overdose of some medicine
D. the delay of being rushed to the hospital
70. Which statement is true? ______
A. No one can bury the body of one’s beloved without the government’s instructions.
B. Many popstars were involved in Jackson’s memorial service.
C. The police doubted whether Jackson was murdered.
D. Jackson died at home.
71. We can infer from the passage that______
A. The burial can’t happen without a death certificate.
B. Jackson’s family are skeptical (怀疑的)about Jackson’s death
C. Jackson was possibly murdered by his doctor
D. The brain part of all people’s body must be transported to be tested
The wedding took place in a Birmingham hotel. The bride(新娘) and her father arrived in a new black American sports car. Her father looked nervous and uncomfortable in front of the cameras. The bride wore a silk wedding dress. She smiled nervously at the waiting photographers and went to a room on the first floor where she met her future husband for the very first time.
Carla Germaine and Greg Cordell were the winners of a radio station's competition. The aim of the competition was to find two strangers prepared to marry without having met each other. Miss Germaine, 23, is a model. Mr. Cordell, 27, is a TV salesman. They were among the two hundred people who entered for a peculiar "experiment" organized by BMRB radio in Birmingham, England. Greg and Carla were among eight finalists who were interviewed live on radio. They took a lie detector (测谎仪）test and the station also spoke to their friends and family about their personalities. The competition judges included an astrologer (占卜家) who declared that they were suited .
The couple celebrated their wedding with a wedding breakfast and a party for 100 guests in the evening, but not everyone shared their joy. Miss Germaine's mother looked anxious throughout the wedding and Mr. Cordell's parents are reported to be less than delighted.
Organizations, including the marriage guidance service Relate, have criticized the marriage. As one expert put it, "we have enough problems getting young people to take marriage seriously without this. Marriage should always be about love. "
The couples are now on a Caribbean honeymoon followed by journalists. Their other prizes include a year's free use of a wonderful apartment in the centre of Birmingham, and a car. But will it last?
64. How did the couple's parents react to the wedding?
A. The bride's mother shared their joy.
B. The bride's father felt uncomfortable about the wedding.
C. The bridegroom's parents were quite delighted.
D. The bridegroom's parents were not that joyful.
65. Some experts believe that_____
A. marriage without the couple's meeting each other first ends up in divorce.
B. young people nowadays are too careless about marriage
C. taking a lie detector test can not solve all the marriage problems
D. most young people take marriage seriously except this couple.
66. One of the prizes for the couple is _____
A. to spend their honeymoon wherever they like.
B. to use an apartment free for some time.
C. to have a wedding dress free.
D. to own an American sports car.
67. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A. Two Strangers and a Wedding. B. A Wedding Based on love.
C. A Short-lived Marriage. D. A Well-Matched Couple.
Safety and Security Procedures
Your safety and the security of your personal property are of the primary concern to those of us who welcome you as our guest. We urge you to take advantage of the following suggestions.
YOUR VEHICLE
Lock your vehicle and do not leave money or valuable items inside. We are not responsible for their loss.
TRAVELING
Be observant (机警) when sightseeing or traveling. Stay in well-lit and heavily traveled areas. Don’t display large amounts of cash.
GUEST ROOM SECURITY
For additional security use the deadbolt (插锁) provided on your door and make sure the windows are locked. As an additional precaution (预防措施), please secure the secondary locks provided. Do not admit anyone to your room without first making identification. A one-way viewer is provided in your door to assist with identification(识别). If there is any doubt about the person’s identify, please contact the Front Desk.
SAFETY BOXES
Do not leave money or valuables in your room or vehicle. We provide free safety boxes for your use. Hotel is not responsible for items left in room valued over＄200.
KEYS
Safeguard your key. Please do not leave it in the door. Do not give your key to others or leave it unattended. Please leave your key at the Front Desk when you check out.
REPORTING
Please report any suspicious activity, or safety concerns to management.
FIR
Please familiarize yourself with the nearest fire exists. Report fire or smoke to the hotel operator. In the unlikely event of a fire, please move quickly and calmly to the nearest safe exit and leave the building. Avoid the use of elevator.
60. The suggestions are most probably from_____.
A. a hotel manager B. a police officer
C. an experienced traveler D. a tour guide
61. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. It is advised to travel to places where there are few people.
B. The hotel is not responsible for anything you lose.
C. Don’t report to the manager unless you are sure something is going wrong.
D. You’d better use the deadbolt and the secondary locks for safety.
62. If you feel doubtful about a stranger who knocks at the door, you should____.
A. let the person in after you have got his/her name
B. open the door to check the person’s ID card
C. call the Front Desk to make sure
D. contact the local police for assistance
63. What does the underlined part “ In the unlikely event of a fire” mean?
A. In case a fire happens, though it is not very possible.
B. If a fire happens when some big events are taking place.
C. In case a fire happens in a public building.
D. If a fire breaks out and it is getting out of control.
三、阅读理解（共20小题；每小题3分，满分60分）
请阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
My husband and children think they are very lucky that they are living and that it’s Christmas again. They can’t see that we live on a dirty street in a dirty house among people who aren’t much good. But Johnny and children can’t see this. What a pity it is that our neighbours have to make happiness out of all this dirt. I decided that my children must get out of this. The money that we’ve saved isn’t nearly enough.
The McGaritys have money but they are so proud. They look down upon the poor. The McGarity girl just yesterday stood out there in the street eating from a bag of candy while a ring of hungry children watched her. I saw those children looking at her and crying in their hearts; and when she couldn’t eat any more she threw the rest down the sewer(下水道). Why, is it only because they have money ? There is more to happiness than money in the world, isn’t there?
Miss Jackson who teaches at the Settlement House isn’t rich, but she knows things. She understands people. Her eyes look straight into yours when she talks with you. She can read your mind. I’d like to see the children be like Miss Jackson when they grow up.
56. This passage mainly suggests that the writer _______.
A. is easy to get along with
B. is unhappy with the life they are living
C. is good at observing and understanding
D. is never pleased with her neigbours
57. What do you think of McGarity girl?
A. She is proud and hungry. B. She is selfish and cruel.
C. She is lonely and friendless. D. She is unhappy and misunderstood.
58. In this text, the writer tries to tell us that _______.
A. money is the key to everything
B. the more money you have, the less happy you’ll be
C. there is something more important than money
D. when talking to people we should look into their eyes
59. Pick out the one that does NOT describe the writer’s view on money.
A. Why, is it only because they have money?
B. There is more to happiness than money.
C. Miss Jackson isn’t rich, but she knows things.
D. The money we saved isn’t nearly enough.