My mind seems always to return to the day when I met Carl. The city bus stopped at a corner to pick up the daily commuters (someone who travels regularly to and from work), a group in which I was included. Boarding the bus, I looked for a place to sit. At last, I found a place near the back.
The occupant of the seat next to the one I was going for was an older man in a grey suit, well-worn dress shoes, and a black hat like I always pictured reporters wearing, but without the little press card. Seated myself, I began to read the book I had been carrying, which was Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. The man in the seat next to me introduced himself by asking if I had read any other book like the one I was holding. When I told him I had, he seemed to become interested, and so did I. He introduced himself as Carl and asked if I liked jazz, and I told him that I didn’t really listen to it, and that I liked rock and roll. Waiting for Carl to tell me that I should listen to real music, I was shocked when he just smiled and nodded. He said, “You remind me of myself when I was your age. I remember how my parents hated jazz, how they couldn’t see how I could listen to that awful noise. I bet your parents say the same thing, don’t they?” Now it was my turn to smile, amused with how right he was.
As the bus ferried us from one side of the city to the other, Carl and I talked about a lot of different things. The more we talked, the more amazed I became at how much the two of us really had in common, despite the age difference. I haven’t seen him since we parted, but the thought of our connection that day rarely leaves my mind.
Carl really made me think about how much we can learn from each other if we just break through the blocks between us we’ve got. I mean, I would have never thought before that day that I could have anything in common with someone so much older than I, just because of age. But Carl taught me that no matter what, we are all just people, and that we should make an extra effort to try and get to know our neighbors and people we see every day, regardless of age, race, religion, sex, or anything else. If we all take the time to attempt to understand each other, I think that the world would be a much better place that we could share together, as humans.From the first paragraph we know that the author _______.
A.did not mind whether there was a seat or not |
B.hoped to have a seat when getting on the bus |
C.thought the bus was overcrowded |
D.looked for a seat but failed |
The author usually imagined a reporter as one who _______.
A.liked jazz music |
B.enjoyed talking with others |
C.liked reading Jack Kerouac’s works |
D.usually wore a black hat and press card |
After talking with Carl, the author realized that _______.
A.older people were nice to talk to |
B.he should have known Carl earlier |
C.his parents were so different from Carl’s in listening to music |
D.age was not necessarily a problem in heart-to-heart communication |
It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A.the author hasn’t seen the old man since then |
B.jazz music used to be more popular than rock and roll |
C.the author was not satisfied with human relationships in the world |
D.Carl made the author realize how much people could learn from each other |
第三部分阅读 (共两节,满分40分)
第一节:阅读理解(共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
Since weeks ago, China has been involved a worldwide A/H 1 N 1 flu that has already killed more than 80 people in the middle of May, 2009 in Mexico and has turned into a global pandemic.
The central government has asked people entering China from the virus-hit countries to report flu-like symptoms to the authorities. In an emergency notice issued on Saturday night,the country’s top quality watchdog ordered the Customs to check passengers’ temperature, too.
A Beijing airport official Li said Customs officers are on a high alert level.
“Three temperature detectors are now in operation. We’re ready with protection garments and equipment, too. Passengers flying in from Mexico and other A/H1N1 flu-hit countries are being monitored closely, ”he said.
The Ministry of Health, however, said yesterday there was no evidence to suggest that a person would contract the disease by eating pork.
Hong Kong, too, has raised its alert level against the flu to “serious”. Secretary for Food &Health,Mr.York Chow urged people to avoid visiting places from where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported, and said the virus would be added to Hong Kong’s list of the diseases which have been noticed.
The terrible A/H1 N1 flu has been contracted by about 4000 people in Mexico, and most of the killed were aged between 25 and 45.
The virus has also infected about 5000 people in the US.The US Center for Disease Control said this kind of virus is spreading from human to human,raising fears of a global pandemic.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A.A/H1N1 flu killed more than 80 people.
B.A/H1N1 flu is spreading from human to human.
C.China has begun to take steps to prevent A/H1N1 flu.
D.All the people are strongly affected by A/H1 N1 flu.
2.The underlined word “pandemic” in the first paragraph probably means
A.death B.panic C.enemy D.disease
3.Why does the flu cause global fears?
A.Because most people in the world eat pork.
B.Because it’s spreading from human to human.
C.Because we still don’t know the cause of it.
D.Because it has infected about 5000 people.
4.According to the passage,which of the following is TRUE?
A.People would contract the A/H1N1 flu if they often eat pork.
B.The virus of the A/H1N1 flu has infected people all over the world.
C.People from A/H1N1 flu—hit countries are all forbidden to enter China.
D.People should avoid visiting places where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported.
5. We can infer from the passage that .
A. College students are most likely infected by A/H1N1 flu.
B. A person would be infected by the virus by eating pork.
C. Passengers from the United States are being monitored closely.
D. Mr. York Chow said that the virus had been added to Hong Kong’s list of the diseases.
Would you eat a ready meal from the fridge rather than cook? Have you been doing internet shopping rather than going to the stores? What can’t you be bothered to do?
A study into how lazy British people are has found more than half of adults are so idle(闲散的)they’d catch the lift rather than climb two flights of stairs.
Just over 2,000 people were quizzed by independent researchers at Nuffield Health, Britain’s largest health charity. The results were shocking. About one in six people surveyed said if their remote control (遥控器)was broken, they would continue watching the same channel rather than get up. More than one third of those questioned said they would not run to catch a bus. Worryingly, of the 654 questioned people with children, 64% said they were often too tired to play with them. This led the report to conclude that it’s no wonder that one in six children in the UK are classifted as obese(肥胖)before they start school.
Dr Sarah Dauncey, medical director of Nuffield Health, said: “People need to get fitter, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of their families, too. If we don’t start to take control of this problem, a whole generation will become too unfit to perform even the simplest tasks.”
And Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, was shamed as the laziest city in the UK, with 75% surveyed admitting they do not get enough exercise, followed closely by Birmingham and Southampton, both with 67%.
The results pose serious challenges for the National Health Service, where obesity-related illnesses such as heart disease and cancer have been on a steady increase for the past 40 years and are costing billions of pounds every year.
1. According to the researchers at Nuffield Health, about ________ people who were surveyed would not run to catch a bus.
A. 10 B. 150 C. 330 D. 660
2. One in six children in the UK are classified as obese before they start school because ________.
A. they stay too long a time with their pets
B. they spend too much time watching TV
C. their parents don’t play with them much
D. they suffer from obesity-related illnesses
3. ________ is the second laziest city in the UK.
A. Scotland B. Glasgow C. Birmingham D. Nuffield
4. What’s the writer trying to tell us?
A. Parents have much to do with their children’s obesity-related illnesses.
B. British people are getting lazier, which can cause serious social problems.
C. The National Health Service has to face a lot of serious challenges every year.
D. A study into how lazy British people are has been carried out at Nuffield Health.
As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn’t help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won’t be able to buy a house until we’re in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans(贷款). But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn’t they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won’t be able to have children for at least a decade because they can’t afford to buy a house yet.
I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country? Home ownership is a luxury(奢华), not a fertility requirement.
A 26-year-old in the story despairs(绝望) that he can’t afford to get a Ph.D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Yes, it’s sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people’s expectations are slowly adjusting, but today’s 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone’s wealth appeared to be expanding.
It seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful-for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day-than on longing for some kind of luxury life.
1.What makes the author think the 20-somethings sound like a bunch of spoiled children?
A.They expect everything to be easy for them.
B.They complain that the economy is spoiling their life plans.
C.They are reluctant(不情愿的) to face all of the challenges.
D.They are burdened by student loans.
2.The underlined word “fertility” in Paragraph 3 probably means .
A.baby production B.pleasant
C.baby comfort D.essential
3.Which of the following is NOT one of the complaints of the 20-somethings?
A.They can’t have children for at least a decade to buy a house.
B.They have only one-bedroom apartment to live in.
C.They can’t buy a house until 40 because of student loans.
D.They despair at not being able to afford a Ph.D. in literature.
4.What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
A.To tell us what the author’s attitude towards the 20 – somethings.
B.To explain why young people can’t afford to buy a house.
C.To suggest what we should do when young people’s high hopes create despair.
D.To explain what the 20 – something’s high expectations are.
Every day, life is made and lost. Every day, life goes on. Every day we experience some of the most important parts of life and may not even realize it: love, generosity, and perseverance. These values aren’t just important to us; they make the world what it is.
Scientists say that gravitaional(重力的)force makes the world turn, but some people say that love makes it go round. Love can be found anywhere: in families, friends, even complete strangers. Even if you can’t see it, you know it’s there.
Love may connect people all over the world, but what would the world be without generosity? Whether after a national disaster, or a school fund-raiser, one thing is certain----it is better to give than to receive. Generosity is found everywhere and whether it’s a large or small act, it makes a difference. Sometimes, though, it takes effort to be generous, which leads us to perseverance.
Founding a country, riding a bike, or finishing an essay, these are all finished with perseverance. Perseverance is the one thing that can help us achieve whatever we want. It is what helps scientists to discover cures for diseases, and athletes to become champions.
There is an infinite(无穷的) number of things we value, but without love, generosity and perseverance, we just don’t think that our life or the world would be the way it is.
1. The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “________”.
A. the world B. gravitational force
C. value D. experience
2. To be generous, the author thinks________.
A. you needn’t make efforts B. you should be qualified
C. you should give all you have D. you will find it good to give
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Perseverance is the only thing that can halp us to achieve success.
B. People don’t understand the life they are experiencing at all.
C. We can find love in complete strangers sometimes.
D. What the world is like depends on gravity and love.
4. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Success and Failure B. Three Values
C. Endless Love D. Life Full of Hope
Wednesday, October fifteenth, is the first Global Handwashing Day. Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap.
Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so–called key (关键的)moments. These include after using the toilet , after cleaning a baby and before touching food .
The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs (细菌).They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Rub for at least twenty seconds. Then , wash well under running water . Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth or wave them in the air.
The Partnership for Handwashing says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing . Soap also helps to break up the grease (油脂)and dirt that hold most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the likelihood that people will wash again.
The partnership says washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any vaccine or medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea (腹泻)by almost half. And it could reduce deaths from pneumonia(肺炎)and other breathing infections by one fourth.
Diarrhea is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year. Pneumonia is the leading cause, killing about two million children under five each year. Hand washing can also prevent the spread of other diseases.
When people get germs on their hands, they can infect themselves by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Then they can infect others .
1.Why is there the Global Handwashing Day?
A. To increase the sale of soap around the world.
B. To save the chidren in the developing world.
C. To advice people to wash hands more often.
D. To encourage people to wash hands with soap
2.What’ s the correct order of washing hands?
a. Cover the hands with soap
b. Rub the hands for twenty seconds
c. Dry the hands with a clean cloth
d. Wet the hands with a small amount of water.
e. Wash the hands well under running water
A. d,a,b, e,c B. d,b,a,e,c C. a,e,d,b,c B. a,b,d ,e,c
3. Which of the following is NOT the reason why soap can help to remove germs?
A. It makes people spend more time washing hands.
B. It helps break up the grease and dirt on the hands
C. The pleasant smell kills off the disease-causing germs.
D. It raises the possibility of people washing hands again
4. What can we leam from the last three paragraphs?
A. Washing with soap will save our lives instead of medicine
B. Diarrhea and pneumonia get many children killed every year
C. People shouldn’t touch eyes and noses with hands for fear of germs.
D. We won’t get infected if we get our hands washed well.