A shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. The boy walked a long way, and finally came upon a beautiful castle where the wise man lived.
Rather than finding a holy man, though, our hero, on entering the main room of the castle, saw a hive of activity: tradesmen came and went, people were chatting in the corners and a small orchestra was playing soft music. The wise man talked with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn.
The wise man listened carefully to the boy’s explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
“Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. “As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill”.
The boy began to walk up and down stairs in the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned.
“Well,” asked the wise man, “Did you see the Persian tapestries (波斯织锦) hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master gardener 10 years to create?”
The boy was embarrassed, and replied that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil.
“Then go back and observe the wonderful things of my world,” said the wise man.
Then the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens and the mountains all around him. When he returned, he described in detail everything he had seen.
“But where are the drops of oil I gave to you?” asked the wise man. Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.
“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,” said the wise man. “The secret of happiness is to see all the wonders of the world and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.” When the shopkeeper’s son arrived at the castle, he ______.
| A．received warm welcome from the wise man |
| B．didn’t expect to see so many people around |
| C．was shown around the palace by the local people |
| D．had already missed his chance to talk to the wise man |
The wise man gave the boy two tasks in order to ______.
| A．let the boy enjoy his palace and garden |
| B．show him how to observe the wonderful things in the world |
| C．make him learn from his mistakes |
| D．teach him the secret of happiness |
We can infer from the article that “the drops of oil on the spoon” probably refer to ______.
| A．the beauty of nature |
| B．the fortune a person owns |
| C．the responsibilities of a person |
| D．the great opportunities in life |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?
| A．The wise man was satisfied with the way the boy performed the second task |
| B．It took the wise man about 10 years to finish his garden. |
| C．The wise man wasn’t paying much attention to the boy at first. |
| D．The boy took no notice of the surroundings during his first task. |
D
Welcome to Language upon Thames. This brochure has been designed to give you an overview of our Language School and the courses we offer. If you have some additional questions please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
At Language upon Thames，we feel it is important to be flexible，in order that students can decide what period of study suits them best.
Small Group General English Courses
These courses are aimed at students who wish to improve their speaking，listening，reading and writing skills and are offered at the following levels：
BEGINNERS
ELEMENTARY(初级)
PRE-1NTERMEDLATE
UPPER-INTERMEDLATE
Studying one of the above courses will enable you to use English more confidently and competently on a daily basis.
Try our free online test to see which level you are at—CLICK HERE.
Exam Courses
These courses ale aimed at students who wish to gain academic qualifications in English and are offered at the following levels：
University of Cambridge exams：
ADVANCED l — FCE (First certificate)
ADVANCED 2一CAE (Advanced)
ADVANCED 3一CPE (Proficiency)
Studying one of the above courses will enable you to continue your education or enter university in this country. (Students wishing to gain admission to a British university are normally required to have the Cambridge Proficiency Certificate.)
Speaking, Listening & Pronunciation
This course builds on communicative confidence and competence and is aimed at students who wish to develop the important skills of speaking and listening.
Emphasis is also placed on pronunciation，with activities designed to meet the needs of students of different nationalities，who need to focus on different areas.
CLICK HERE to register for a General English course.
Other Languages
At Language upon Thames we offer a wide range of cafeterias，restaurants，shops and bars. Most importantly，we have foreign language classes of French，Japanese，German，Spanish and Italian during the day，evening or on a one-to-one basis.
68. What does this passage mainly talk about?
A. English courses. B. Ways to improve students’ English.
C. The best way to improve your skills. D. The importance of English.
69. If you attend Exam Courses，you will__________.
A. use English as fluently as a native speaker
B. deal with everyday English well
C. have better pronunciation of English
D. be able to continue your education or enter university in this country
70. Judging from the description，we can tell that this passage must be taken from____________.
A. a newspaper B. a magazine C. the Internet D. a guidebook
71. The following statements are true EXCEPT_________.
A. Only Englishmen can attend the courses.
B. The courses are designed for learners of different levels.
C. One can learn French even in the evening.
D. Language upon Thames is a school aimed to offer help with language learning.
（B）
What does an astronaut eat in space? This is a question that will puzzle many, as people rarely think of that. In the early space-travel years, astronauts ate dehydrated (脱水的) foods that were eaten through straws （吸管）. In today’s space-age, the food that they eat is totally different. They eat food in the same way as people do on Earth.
Astronauts are able to prepare and eat a variety of foods in space. Some can be eaten in their natural form, like fruits, while some need to add water, like noodles. However, there are no refrigerators, so the food has to be prepared and eaten without being stored for a long time. When the astronauts are hungry, they simply eat the food by opening the food packages and with a fork, knife, and spoon.
Just like people on Earth, astronauts also eat three meals a day which include breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes they also eat snacks. The US space agency NASA has found out that an astronaut’s diet reduces by about 70% on a space mission, though he has a wide range of foods to choose from like nuts, chicken, beef, seafood, and candies. Drinks in the spaceship include coffee, tea, juices, and lemonade.
Astronauts can also request a particular food that they would like to have in space. Scientists are always experimenting and trying out different space foods that can be offered to astronauts when on space missions.
45. Now astronauts eat ________ in space.
A. dehydrated (脱水的) foods B. food as people do on Earth
C. totally different D. food with a lot of water
46. The food the astronauts prepared ________ .
A. can’t be stored for a long time B. can be put into refrigerators
C. can be stored for a long time D. can’t be kept in the food packages
47. In space, astronauts ________ like people on Earth.
A. only have nuts, chicken and beef B. onlyhave lunch for a day
C. only drink coffee, tea and lemonade D. also eat three meals a day
48. What are scientists experimenting and trying out?
A. Some very special snacks. B. How astronauts can sleep well.
C. Different space foods for astronauts. D. How to get some fruits for astronauts.
（C）
Bali is a tiny island that is part of Indonesia(印度尼西亚) today. It is a pretty island that has many mountains and a pleasant climate. For a long time, Bali was cut off from much of the world.
The people of Bali were happy and had a peaceful life. They were not allowed to fight. At one time there had been terrible wars on Bali. Then the people decided it was wrong to fight or have wars. They made rules to keep apart those people who wanted to fight.
Bali was divided into seven small kingdoms. The land around each kingdom was kept empty, and no one lived there. Since the kingdoms did not share the same borders(边界), the people could not fight about them.
On Bali, even children were not allowed to fight. If two children started a fight over a toy, someone separated them. When two boys argued, they would agree not to speak to each other. Sometimes they did not talk together for months; this gave the boys a chance to forget their anger.
Families who were angry with each other also promised not to speak. Their promise was written down, and the whole village knew about it. If they broke their promise, they had to offer gifts to their gods.
49. Bali is an island belonging to ________.
A. Europe B. AfricaC. AsiaD. America
50. The people of Bali ______.
A. lived a happy and peaceful life
B. fought for a long time
C. is cut off from much of the world
D. quarreled about their borders
51. How did the people of Bali prevent fighting from breaking out?
A. They shared the same borders.
B. The island was divided into seven kingdoms.
C. They made strict rules to punish those who wanted to fight.
D. Land was kept empty around each kingdom and no one lived there.
52. Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
A. Bali is a beautiful island with many mountains and nice weather.
B. People had to offer gifts to the villagers if they broke their promise.
C. At one time there were terrible wars on the island.
D. You’ll hardly see children fighting on the island.
第三部分：阅读技能（共三节满分35）
第一节阅读理解（共12小题；每小题2分，满分24分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
（A）
Read the following posters carefully and answer the questions below.
| Basketball Match Rockets VS Lakers DATE: July 19, 7 o’clock; Billy Basketball Club For detailed information, see Paul Burton before Friday lunch time. |
| Layla’s Disco No-shop light music show 15 Pembroke Road; Weekdays: 7 pm-11 pm; Sunday closed Over 18s only |
| Fashion Show At the Daxing Square Date: May the 1st to the 8th From 7:30 to 11:00 pm Booking agent: Peter Smith— 010-8266 1555 |
| KARMA Health Food Restaurant 6 Castle Street Hot and cold vegetable food(素食) Lunch(11:00—14:00) Self-service; Dinner(17:00—21:00) Table-service For bookings, ring 0865-5677665 |
41. ________ can give you more information about the basketball match.
A. John Smith. B. Tommy Brown. C. Paul Burton. D. Tonny Wang.
42. Who can’t be allowed to go to the Layla’s Disco?
A. A 30-year-old worker. B. A 50-year-old doctor.
C. A 22-year-old manager. D. A 15-year-old student.
43. You must phone ________ if you want to get a ticket for the fashion show.
A. the booking agentB. the teacher
C. the manager D. a postman
44. Which of the following food can you have at KARMA?
A. Chicken. B. Tomato. C. Fish. D. Beef.
C
Everyone needs friends. There is an old saying, “Friends are God’s way of taking care of us.” But how do you find real friendship and keep it?
The American writer Sally Seamans tells young students some smart ways to find friends. Sally says finding friendship is just like planting a tree. You plant the seed(种子) and take care of it to make it grow.
First, you should choose a friend. What makes a good friend? It is not because a person has money or good looks. A good friend should be kind and patient(耐心). For example, if you have a bad day, a good friend should listen to your complaints and do his best to help. To make a good friend, you cannot be too shy. You should make each other happy and share your lives.
But things cannot always be happy. Even the best friends have fights. What should you do when you have a fight with your friend? You have to talk to him or her. When there is no one around, have an honest talk. If he or she doesn’t want to talk, you could write a letter.
There are three steps to being friends again:
Tell him or her how you are feeling; say what your friend has done wrong, and explain why you did this or that. Remember that friendship is the most important thing in your life.
49 Sally wants to tell students the ways to_____.
A find friends B plant trees C get happy D keep fit
50 What makes good friends? A good friend should_____.
A be lovely and cool B be kind and patient
C have lots of money D have good looks
51 According to the text, you can________your friend after a fight.
A buy a present for B never say a word to
C have dinner with D write a letter to
52 What is the best title of the text?
A Teenagers and friendship.B The good friends around you.
C The trouble of growing up. D The care and keeping of friends.