For years I fought with the bird's nest that sat on top of my head-my Medusa（神话中的蛇发女妖） hair．No matter what I did and how hard I tried, in no way could I make my unruly （乱蓬蓬）hair to my satisfaction．
Growing up in a Russian-Jewish home with parents who thought North American styling products were something illegal such as drugs, I was never allowed to put them in :my hair．¨ Why buy hair gel? Your hair is so beautiful naturally," my mother would say．The teens at school did not agree．From boys 'not wanting to kiss me when we played spin the bottle in Grade 7 to being called the mop, I suffered from my hair．
When I got to university, I believed my hair was a wall that stood between me and everything-finding a part-time job, getting a boyfriend, etc．
If only I could find a way to manage the curls and put it behind bars, I told myself, I would feel secure and sexy．I tried everything: rollers, hairspray, gels and, at one point, an iron．Then, in my second year, a miracle happened．I was asked to be a hair model for Japanese hair straightening, a process by which the molecules（分子）of my curls would be broken and reset in a bone-straight position．I was the perfect candidate, the hairdresser told me． Although they said how hair relaxing could damage the :scalp （头皮）,for the next five years I didn't find them to be true． All of the hairdresser's promises were fulfilled: With my hair straight and smooth, I was no longer the¨ mop"．
However, there was extreme damage done to my wallet． To keep up the straightening cost $ 700 every six months, and that was considered cheap．While some people thought I was crazy, I was willing to do anything to never again feel like that anxious, curly-headed girl in Grade 7．But when I moved out． of my parents" house 'at age 26 and rented an apartment, the upkeep of my new image became too costly．
I couldn't hide from my inner Medusa any longer．It was time to hug her and let her fly．Seeking a choice, I turned to the Internet, Google．After hours of searching, I hit upon a“ curly haired" salon, a place designed for girls like me．I doubted these so-called “Curl Ambassadors" could do anything
without using machine of some sort, and though I bought the service called the “Curly-Doo," I suspected I'd have the same unruly mop at the end of the appointment．
I dragged my feet so hard getting there that I arrived 45 minutes late． I secretly hoped they would turn me away．Instead, my stylist simply said :‘‘You are very late． Let me see your hair" At． that moment, my world and beliefs about myself were turned upside down along with my hair． As my head was in a basin full of freezing-cold water, then covered with a jelly-like jam, I wondered what I had got myself into．
¨ Do you really think this will work?" I asked the stylist, Jones．“ My curls are a disaster．"“No curly hair is hopeless," she replied．“They just haven't found a way to work with it, that's all． "
After the hour was over, Jones had completed her work． She had styled my hair using only her hands, water and a mixture of organic jam． I couldn't believe what I was seeing in the mirror: a naturally curly, Medusa-free me．You could argue that hair is just hair． Yet, it is just such physical features that have such a large influence on how we view ourselves．
According to Jones,75 percent of the population have a wave or curl in their hair and don't know what to do with it． Men cut theirs short． Women flat-iron theirs to death． When I read through a beauty magazine or take the subway to work, it makes me sad to see so many people repressing their natural beauty．
Since then, my world has changed． I have always been outgoing, but these days I seem to be more outspoken and confident than ever． On top of that, friends and co-workers tell me I am looking better than ever, but they don't know the source of the change．
I don't need to tell them* My Medusa hair speaks for herself．What can we learn about the writer's hair in the first place?
| A．Her parents considered it was bird's nest． |
| B．Teens at school laughed at it as Medusa hair． |
| C．She hated it because it couldn't be straightened． |
| D．North American styling products harmed her hair． |
Japanese hair straightening caused a problem for the writer that ．
| A．her wish to feel secure and sexy didn't come true |
| B．her hair was seriously damaged after the straightening |
| C．the cost to keep her hair straight was too high for her |
| D．she was called ¨the mop" with her hair straight and smooth |
The writer was when she went to the “curly haired" salon．
| A．hesitated | B．excited | C．disappointed | D．determined |
What was the reaction of the stylist in the salon when she saw the writer?
| A．She was very angry because the writer was late． |
| B．She thought totally the writer's hair was a disaster． |
| C．She was calm and sure of her work． |
| D．She thought there was no way to fix the writer's hair． |
The writer's world has changed because she ．
| A．has removed her inner Medusa |
| B．has removed her curls on her head |
| C．has found a way to straighten her hair in the stylish salon |
| D．has found the admiration for her from her friends and co-workers |
The best title of the passage can be ．
| A．A Successful Stylist |
| B．My Medusa Hair |
| C．Road to Beauty |
| D．Accept the Way We Are |
The surprising experiment I am about to describe proves that air is all around you and that it proves down upon you．Air pressure is a wonderful force．When you swim underwater, you can feel water push down your body．The air all around you does the same．However, your body is so used to it that you do not notice this．The pressure is caused by a layer of air called the atmosphere．This layer surrounds the Earth, extending to about five kilometers above the Earth's surface．
The following experiment is an easy one that you can do at home．But make sure that you are supervised, because you will need to use matches．
What you need
·A hard-boiled egg without the shell
·A bottle with a neck slightly smaller than the egg
·A piece of paper
·A match
Method
1）Check that the paper will sit firmly on the neck of the bottle．
2）Tear the paper into strips and put the strips into the bottle．
3）Light the paper by dropping a burning match into the bottle．
4）Quickly sit the egg on the neck of the bottle．
Result
Astonishingly, the egg will be sucked into the bottle．Your friends will be amazed when you show them the experiment．But be careful when you handle matches．
Why it happened
As the paper burns, it needs oxygen and uses up the oxygen （air）in the bottle．The egg acts as a seal in the neck of the bottle, so no more air can get inside．This reduces the air pressure inside the bottle．The air pressure must equalize, so more air from outside must enter the bottle．The outside air presses against the egg and then the egg is pushed into the bottle! That proves that air is all around and that it is pressing down on it．
72．Why is there the need to take care when you are doing the experiment?
A．The bottle could break．
B．You need to light the paper with a match．
C．The egg needs to be shelled．
D．The egg has to be perfectly placed on the neck of the bottle．
73．In the experiment, the burning inside the bottle can__．
A．equalize the air pressure inside and outside
B．make a seal in the neck of the bottle
C．finish up the oxygen inside the bottle
D．produce more oxygen inside the bottle
74．How did the egg put into the bottle?
A．The oxygen inside the bottle sucked the egg in．
B．It became salt without the shell．
C．The neck of the bottle was wide enough．
D．The outside air pressure forced it into the bottle．
75．The experiment is carried out to prove ____．
A．water pushes on your body when you swim underwater
B．the earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere
C．the pressure of air around us has a powerful force
D．the air pressure is not equalized around us
Preparing for the Next Job Market
The latest spike in the unemployment rate is being felt across the board ?in 98 percent of metropolitan areas, in high-wage and low-wage jobs, among young and old, women and men, but especially men．
This landscape means that young Americans who are trying to plan their futures right now have some hard choices．Do they go to college and take on debt without hope of getting a job? And what about high school students? Do they have any chance of securing a job without a college degree? Perhaps the education system needs to react to this rapidly moving economic crisis．
In our current economic collapse, the connection between education and employment could not be more different than it was during the Depression．Education must now hold center stage, not because of an enemy abroad but because of the global economy．The jobs of the future will demand levels of education, particularly skills in mathematics, technology and science, which exceed those now taught in high school．
A healthy society should strive for full employment．In our times, that goal cannot be realized, or even approximated by creating jobs for the unskilled．The long-term prospect for economic recovery depends on the extent to which we improve our educational system．And this is where America is now at its weakest．
Our high schools produce graduates who do not write well enough, have limited reasoning skills and are unable to use the tools of mathematics．Their command of science is far inferior to that of their counterparts in other nations．And all too many young people drop out．We may still have the best university system, but it benefits only a minority．
We will need more engineers, scientists and service providers, particularly in the health professions, with a quality of education that cannot be obtained in the current system．Radical change, not reform, is called for．
What should be done? First, high school should be cut short and end when students are 16．Second, a new generation of two-year college programs tied to a wide range of specific skills that the economy needs should be created．Third, access to four-year colleges should be expanded, giving more Americans the chance to acquire the deep learning that makes breakthroughs in technology possible．Fourth, we need to recruit more public school teachers and train them better, particularly in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, so that our children can be prepared to compete．
68．Nowadays, students graduating from high school____．
A．write well enough
B．have limitless reasoning skills
C．can't use the tools of mathematics
D．command science as much as their counterparts in other nations
69．What should we do to improve the quality of education?
A．Students shouldn't study in high school until 16．
B．We should create a new generation of two-year college programs tied to a wide range of specific skills the economy needs．
C．We should limit access to four-year colleges．
D．We ought to recruit more private school teachers and train them better．
70．What does the word "collapse" in the third paragraph mean?
A．success B．failure C．development D．booming
71．Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Young Americans planning their futures have difficult choices．
B．Education must hold center stage due to the global economy．
C．The best university system benefits a majority．
D．A health society should struggle for full employment．
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually lasts only a few minutes or a few hours．This kind of loneliness is not serious．In fact, it is quite normal．For some people, though, loneliness can last for years．Now researchers say there are three different kinds of loneliness．
The first kind of loneliness is temporary．This is the most common type．It usually disappears quickly and does not need any special attention．
The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a certain situation, for example, a family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place．Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year．
The third kind of loneliness is the most severe．Unlike the second type, chronic （长期的） loneliness usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause．People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and being close to others．Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition．
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts, such as friends, family members, co-workers, etc．We depend on various people for different reasons．For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share interests and activities．However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more．They question then" own popularity．
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease．While temporary and situational loneliness can be a normal and healthy part of life, chronic loneliness can be a very sad and sometimes dangerous condition．
64．Which of the following can be the cause of situational loneliness?
A．Sleeplessness． B．Changing work．
C．Heart disease． D．Social contacts．
65．The underlined word "it" in the last sentence of the third paragraph refers to _____ ．
A．headaches B．situational loneliness
C．sleeplessness D．temporary loneliness
66．How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage?
A．Just ignore it． B．Talk to friends．
C．Go to see a doctor． D．Ask your teachers for guidance．
67．What can we learn from the passage?
A．People feel lonely in a certain situation．
B．There are only three types of loneliness in our life．
C．Loneliness doesn't affect people much．
D．Scientists have found ways to help habitually lonely people．
I was born and raised in Hong Kong．For the past six years, I've been living in the United States．I work as a salesgirl in a large department store．Right now I'm going through a difficult period of my life which is hard for me to talk about．
A few months ago, I went to Hong Kong for a visit．It was the first time I'd gone back there since coming to the United States．I was eager to see my parents, my brothers, my sisters and my friends．
I really got a shock when I arrived．Hong Kong was not the same city as I left six years ago．Things had changed so much that I didn't recognize parts of it．My primary school was gone．The houses on the street where I used to live had been torn down and replaced by office buildings．
The shock from the physical changes in the city, however, was nothing compares to the confusion and hurt I soon began to feel in my parents' home．My family greeted warmly when I arrived．While my mother was busy preparing a special dinner in my honor, the rest of the family eagerly asked me questions about my life in the United States．I felt happy that day and for a couple of days after, but then I began to feel that something was wrong．I noticed that my family, especially my mother, would sometimes glance at me in a strange way when I was speaking．They gradually became less warm and friendly towards me, I became uncomfortable and confused as to why they were behaving that day．
I decided to talk to my mother．She asked me, "Have you forgotten your Chinese way?" I asked her what she meant．She asked, "You've forgotten the place of women in a Chinese home．You talk when you should remain silent．You speak on matters that of concern only to men．You speak openly of your inner feelings and desires．That's not the way of a Chinese woman．We keep our thoughts and feelings to ourselves．
60．"I was born and raised in Hong Kong．Here raise means______．
A．bring up B．stay C．become higher D．live
61．What shocked the author most during her visit in Hong Kong?
A．The physical changes in Hong Kong．
B．Her primary school didn't exist any longer．
C．She couldn't recognize parts of Hong Kong．
D．The confusion and hurt she experienced in her parents' home．
62．Why did the author's family become less warm and friendly towards her?
A．She had forgotten her role as a woman．
B．She didn't follow the Chinese custom about how a woman should behave at home．
C．She spoke of her inner feelings and desires directly．
D．She talked about matters that were not concerned with women．
63．The best title for this passage is _______．
A．My Trip in Hong Kong B．The Changes in Hong Kong
C．Caught Between Two Cultures D．The Chinese Way
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40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。
Drunken driving sometimes called American's socially accepted form of murder has become a national epidemic（流行病）．Every hour of every day about three Americans on average are killed by drunken drivers, adding up to an incredible 250,000 over the past ten years．A drunken driver is usually referred to as one with 0．10-blood alcohol content or roughly three beers, glasses of wines or shots of whisky drunk within two hours．Heavy drinking used to be an acceptable part of the American manly image and judges were lenient in most courts, but the drunken killing has recently caused so many well-publicized tragedies, especially concerning young children, that public opinion is no longer tolerant．
Twenty states have raised the legal drinking age to 21, reversing a trend （逆转潮流） in the 1960s to reduce it to 18．After New Jersey lowered it to 18, the number of people killed by 18-20-year-old drivers more than doubled, so the state recently upped it back to 21．
Reformers, however, fear raising the drinking age will have little effect unless accompanied by educational programs to help young people to develop "responsible attitudes" about drinking and teach them to resist peer pressure to drink．
Some states are punishing bars for serving customers too many drinks．A bar in Massachusetts was fined for serving six or more double brandies to a customer who was "obviously drunk" and later drove off the land, killing a nine-year-old boy．
As the accidents continue to occur daily in every state, some Americans are even beginning to speak well of the 13 years national prohibition （禁令） of alcohol that began in 1919, which President Hoover called the "noble experiment"．They forget that legal prohibition didn't stop drinking, but encouraged political corruption （腐败） and organized crime．As with the booming drug trade generally, there is no easy solution．
56．It can be inferred from the passage that drunken driving has become a major problem in the United States because___．
A．most Americans like drinking
B．heavy dinking is hard to avoid
C．Americans are not shocked by traffic accidents
D．many Americans are killed by traffic accidents
57．What can be inferred from the fact of the traffic accidents in New Jersey?
A．Drivers should not be allowed to drink．
B．Young drivers were usually bad．
C．The legal drinking age should be raised．
D．Some drivers didn't reach the legal drinking age．
58．The underlined word "lenient" in the first paragraph means___．
A．cruel B．serious C．determined D．merciful
59．Which of the following best shows the writer's opinion of drunken driving?
A．It may cause organized crime．
B．The new laws can stop heavy drinking．
C．There should be no bars to serve drinks．
D．It is difficult to solve the problem．