To American visitors, Iceland is a very interesting country, partly because it is different in so many ways from he or she is used to seeing at home. There are quite a few things that are not done, or that do not exist on the island---quite a few “No’s”.
There is no pollution, for instance, No dogs are permitted in Reykjavik, the capital. There is no television on Thursdays or during the entire month of July, and only three hours of black-and-white TV the rest of the time. There is no hard liquor on Wednesdays and no beer at any time. There is no handguns; only one jail of thirty-five cells（狱室）in the entire land---an admirable figure, even for a small country of 313,376 people.
There is no army, air force or navy. There is no tipping for anything. There are no large stores open on Saturdays or Sundays. Since Iceland is situated just under the Arctic Circle, there is no darkness in summer and no daylight in winter. But thanks to Culf Stream, the climate is rather mild, with temperatures ranging from 34 degrees to 52 degrees in July.
The rules on television liquor and guns are the result of government decisions. But the absence of pollution is due in great part to the fact that Iceland gets its power from the enormous geyser and the thousands of hot springs that come out of the ground. They provide all the energy needed by the country. In fact, Iceland uses only 3 percent of all its available power.
Iceland has been described as a democratic independent country where more fish are caught and more books published per person than anywhere else in the world. The Icelanders have always felt a particular love for literature. They composed their first books in the ninth and tenth centuries AD. These works were poems and tales about the kings, heroes, and heroines of Iceland and Norway. At first, the stories were memoried and passed from generation to generation. They were finally written down between1140 and 1220. The Icelanders have never stopped writing ever since. “Rather shoeless than bookless,” they proudly say.American visitors enjoy visiting Iceland probably because_______.
| A．no dogs are permitted in the capital | B．the police do not carry handguns |
| C．the climate is rather mild | D．it is very different from Americans |
The following statements are true EXCEPT________.
| A．there are no soldiers in Iceland | B．the Icelanders don’t drink beer |
| C．there is no tip of any kind | D．there are no crimes in Iceland |
There is no pollution in Iceland mainly because_______.
| A．Iceland uses only 3 percent of all its available power |
| B．the Icelanders use hot water from the ground below as their energy |
| C．it is located just under the Arctic Circle |
| D．it is a democratic independent country |
“Rather shoeless than bookless” means_______.
| A．they prefer not to have shoe or books |
| B．they would rather have shoes on than write books |
| C．they prefer travelling to reading |
| D．they regard books more important than shoes. |
We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively. We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.
We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else. Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.
Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem. It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor.
Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone. Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person. That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game. The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it. Then the two written statements are compared. Typically, the original message has changed.
That’s what happens in daily life. The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story. Then , too, most people listen imperfectly. And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping(打上标记) it with their own personal style, Yet those who hear it think they know.
This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as a fact by another, who
may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _____.
| A．doing a medical experiment | B．solving a math problem |
| C．visiting an exhibition | D．doing scientific reasoning |
The underlined word “it” in Paragragh 2 refers to ______.
| A．active learning | B．knowledge |
| C．communication | D．passive learning |
The author mentions the game Rumor to show that ______.
| A．a message may be changed when being passed on |
| B．a message should be delivered in different ways |
| C．people may have problems with their sense of hearing |
| D．people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Active learning is less important. |
| B．Passive learning may not be reliable. |
| C．Active learning occurs more frequently. |
| D．Passive learning is not found among scholars. |
Some families live quite far in the UK．Visiting them can either be an adventure or a chore(麻烦事)．It depends on how much family members like each other．
If all goes well，kids have an exciting time．Your relatives will plan different fun activities and make you happy．Taking you to visit relatives gives your parents a chance to rest．It gives older relatives a good chance to relive the time when they had young kids．If they do not have children of their own，they get to play parent for a while．
I remember that Blackpool Pleasure Beach was the place I liked to go with my grandparents
It is an amusement park on the northwest coast．It is packed with roller coasters(过山车)and candy stalls(糖果摊)．You could race small boats on a lake or scare yourself into death riding the ghost train．I had good memories of my time there．
As you get older，you suddenly become the one who must help your relatives with their kids．I have four COUSINS aged between one and eleven．They are fantastic and I really enjoy seeing them．However，it is very tiring，as they get so excited and energetic(充满活力)．I fall asleep hoping they will remember our good times when they get older．If all goes well，visiting relatives far away can be _____for kids．
| A．dangerous | B．exciting | C．boring | D．hard |
By saying “relive the time”，the author means the old relatives enjoy______．
| A．sharing old memories | B．eating lots of food |
| C．watching old movies | D．going out together |
The author feel tired after playing with his cousins because_________．
| A．his cousins are funny | B．he enjoys playing with them |
| C．he doesn’t like children | D．his cousins have too much energy |
The best title for this passage is
| A．My Favorite Amusement Park | B．Fun Playing with Cousins |
| C．Visiting Relatives in the UK | D．Childhood Memories |
China news, Beijing, Feb. 9 – Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market
, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry and controlling the release of loans and lands to property developers. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered. What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
| A．8000 yuan | B．10000 yuan | C．7000 yuan | D．It’s not mentioned here |
Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China
is even higher than in the United States?
| A．Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. |
| B．American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. |
| C．The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. |
| D．There are more people who need houses in China. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
A The hous
ing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to
prevent it.
B. There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market
C. The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States
D. Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing
prices?
| A．Four | B．Three | C．Five | D．Two |
Dear Cassy,
Thanks for reminding me by e-mail that you want to baby-sit our children. In spite of the fact that you are only 15 years old, my wife and I would be willing to consider your application if you can meet a few modest requirements:
1. Submit three letters from teachers who will prove that you have never failed to follow directions perfectly in class and never failed to hand in the homework on time.
2. Submit a note from two doctors which says that you are in perfect health, have never been sick, and will never be sick.
3. Submit a document (文件) from your physical education teacher or team coach that proves that you can do each of the following: Run two miles in less than nine minutes, climb an oily rope to a height of twenty feet in thirty seconds while balancing a glass of water on your nose, and walk in bare feet over hot coals and broken glass without complaint or injury.
4. Submit letters from at least two mental health experts saying that you have never had a bad thought towards any living being or not living object.
5. Play and defeat five expert chess players with your eyes covered after going without sleep for 48 hours.
6. Wait patiently for two years while we make sure that all your documents are true.
Your loving and trusting friends,
The SmithsFrom the letter we can know that ______.
| A．Cassy wrote to the Smiths twice | B．Cassy loves children very much |
| C．Cassy will be in perfect health | D．Cassy does very well in her studies |
Which of the following can most probably replace the underlined word “submit”?
| A．write | B．report | C．hand in | D．recommend (推荐) |
What can we infer from this text?
| A．Their children are hard to baby-sit. | B．Their children are well educated. |
| C．Cassy is good at doing many things. | D．Cassy won't get the job as a baby-sitter. |
Which of the following words can best describe the Smiths?
| A．Humorous. | B．Patient. | C．Honest. | D．Kind-hearted. |
He only finished fourth in this year's Super Boy talent show. But it didn't stop him capturing (俘获) the hearts of thousands of fans. He can hit high notes with ease. And he is very modest. Zhang Jie,25,shed(流) sweat and tears all the way through the competition, but he never gave up.
“No matter how life treats him, he always fights back bravely ,”said Wu Chunyan, a Senior 2 student in Hubei. “He has never lost his dream of being a singer.” The road to fame is always rocky, and Zhang is no exception
. As a college student he was majoring in tourism. He was considering becoming a tourist guide after graduation until he entered a singing competition.
His life changed after he competed in My Show. He won first place and signed with a record company. “I was very excited and regarded it as a way to take me closer to my dream,” he said. But the company gave him little money to make music and slowly began to ignore him. Zhang even borrowed money to buy costumes. “Life has its ups and downs. But the tough (艰难的) reality only makes me stronger,” he said.
He forgot he was once a champion of a talent show and joined Super Boy. His decision got support from his family who worked hard to make ends meet. His mother sold rice noodles on a street in his hometown, but she said she would “support him forever.”
“I have the dream to buy a large house for my parents, where my mom can get a large window sill (窗台) to grow flowers,” said Zhang.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A．An easy way to success |
B．A rocky path to success |
| C．A clever boy | D．A successful boy |
From the passage, we can know that _________.
| A．he once won the first place in Super Boy talent show. |
| B．he finished fourth in My Show. |
| C．he is an exception on his way to fame. |
| D．after signing with a record company, he didn’t get much money. |
When he met with difficulty in a record company, he decided to _______.
| A．join Super Boy | B．tell the others he was a champion |
| C．give up on his way to success | D．quarrel with the boss |
Before he joined in a singing competition, his dream was to become________.
| A．a great scientist | B．a good college student |
| C．a famous singer | D．a tourist guide |