Space is where our future is — trips to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Most people would think that aside from comets(彗星) and stars, there is little else out there. But, since our space journey started we have left so much trash（垃圾） there that scientists are now concerned that if we don't clean it up, we may all be in mortal （致命的）danger.
The first piece of space junk was created in 1964, when the American satellite Vanguard I stopped operating and lost its connection with the ground center. However, since it kept orbiting around the Earth without any consequences, scientists became increasingly comfortable abandoning things that no longer served any useful purpose in space.
It is estimated that there are now over 500,000 pieces of man-made trash orbiting the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour. The junk varies from tiny pieces of paint chipped off rockets to cameras, huge fuel tanks, and even odd items like the million-dollar tool kit that astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn Piper lost during a spacewalk.
The major problem with the space trash is that it may hit working satellites and damage traveling spacecraft(飞船). Moreover, pieces of junk may collide（碰撞） with each other and break into pieces which fall back to the Earth. To avoid this, scientists have invented several ways for clearing the sky. Ground stations have been built to monitor larger pieces of space trash to prevent them from crashing into working satellites or space shuttles. Future plans include a cooperative effort among many nations to stop littering in space and to clean up the trash already there.What was the first piece of man-made space trash?
| A．A camera. | B．A tool kit. |
| C．A fuel tank. | D．A broken satellite. |
Why were scientists NOT concerned about space trash in the beginning?
| A．It no longer served any useful purpose. |
| B．It was millions of miles away from the Earth. |
| C．It did not cause any problems. |
| D．It was regarded as similar to comets and stars. |
Which of the following statements is true about space junk?
| A．It is huge, heavy machines. |
| B．It never changes position. |
| C．It floats slowly around the Earth. |
| D．It may cause problems for space shuttles. |
What has been done about the space trash problem?
| A．Scientists have cleaned up most of the trash. |
| B．Large pieces of space trash are being closely watched. |
| C．Many nations have worked together to stop polluting space. |
| D．Ground stations are built to help store the trash properly in space. |
Most people have heard of Shakespeare and probably know something of the plays that he wrote. However，not everybody knows much about the life of this remarkable man，except perhaps that he was born in the market town of StratforduponAvon and that he married a woman called Anne Hathaway. We know nothing of his school life. We do not know，for example，how long it lasted，but we presume that he attended the local grammar school，where the principal subject taught was Latin.
Nothing certain is known for what he did between the time he left school and his departure for London. According to a local legend，he was beaten and even put in prison for stealing rabbits and deer from the estate of a neighboring landowner，Sir Tomas Lucy. It is said that because of this he was forced to run away from his native place. A different legend says that he was apprenticed to a Stratford butcher，but did not like the life and for this reason decided to leave Stratford.
Whatever caused him to leave the town of his birth，the world can be grateful that he did so. What is certain is that he set his foot on the road to fame when he arrived in London. It is said that at first he had no money or friends there，but that he earned a little by taking care of the horses of the gentlemen who attended the plays at the theatre. In time，as he became a familiar figure to the actors in the theatre, they stopped and spoke to him. They found his conversation so brilliant that finally he was invited to join their company. In the early life of Shakespeare, he.
| A．attended a public school |
| B．lived in London |
| C．studied Latin |
| D．was put in prison for stealing cattle |
Why was he forced to leave his native place according to this passage?
| A．Because he did not want to go to school. |
| B．Because he left for London to become famous. |
| C．Because he had stolen deer and was beaten. |
| D．No one knows for certain. |
why can the world be grateful that he left his hometown?
| A．Because he wrote many world-famous plays after leaving his hometown. |
| B．Because he became a good rider in London. |
| C．Because he was an actor at last. |
| D．Because he travelled all over the world. |
The underlined phrase “In time” in Paragraph 3 means.
| A．on time |
| B．sometimes |
| C．some time later |
| D．some time |
The best title is.
| A．the Early Life of Shakespeare |
| B．Shakespeare’s Life in London |
| C．Shakespeare’s Role in Performance |
| D．Shakespeare’s Later Life |
Napoleon, as a character in Tolstoy’s War and Peace, is more than once described as having “fat little hands.”Nor does he “sit well or firmly on the horse.”He is said to be “undersized,” with “short legs” and a “round stomach”.The issue here is not the accuracy of Tolstoys description—it seems not that far off from historical accounts—but his choice of facts：other things that could be said of the man are not said. We are meant to understand the difference of a warring commander in the body of a fat little Frenchman. Tolstoys Napoleon could be any man wandering in the streets and putting a little of powdered tobacco up his nose-and that is the point.
It is a way the novelist uses to show the moral nature of a character. And it turns out that, as Tolstoy has it, Napoleon is a crazy man. In a scene in Book Three of War and Peace, the wars having reached the critical year of 1812, Napoleon receives a representative from the Tsar (沙皇), who has come with peace terms. Napoleon is very angry：doesn’t he have more army? He, not the Tsar, is the one to make the terms. He will destroy all of Europe if his army is stopped.“That is what you will have gained by engaging me in the war!” he shouts. And then, Tolstoy writes, Napoleon “walked silently several times up and down the room, his fat shoulders moving quickly.”
Still later, after reviewing his army amid cheering crowds, Napoleon invites the shaken Russian to dinner. “He raised his hand to the Russian’s...face,” Tolstoy writes, and “taking him by the ear pulled it gently...” To have one’s ear pulled by the Emperor was considered the greatest honor and mark of favor at the French court. “Well, well, why don’t you say anything?” said he, as if it was ridiculous in his presence to respect any one but himself, Napoleon.
Tolstoy did his research, but the composition is his own. Tolstoy’s description of Napoleon in War and Peace is.
| A．far from the historical facts |
| B．based on the Russian history |
| C．based on his selection of facts |
| D．not related to historical details |
Napoleon was angry when receiving the Russian representative because.
| A．he thought he should be the one to make the peace terms |
| B．the Tsar’s peace terms were hard to accept |
| C．the Russians stopped his military movement |
| D．he didn’t have any more army to fight with |
What did Napoleon expect the Russian representative to do?
| A．To walk out of the room in anger. |
| B．To show agreement with him. |
| C．To say something about the Tsar. |
| D．To express his admiration. |
Tolstoy intended to present Napoleon as a man who is.
| A．ill-mannered in dealing with foreign guests |
| B．fond of showing off his iron will |
| C．determined in destroying all of Europe |
| D．crazy for power and respect |
What does the last sentence of the passage imply?
| A．A writer doesn’t have to be faithful to his findings. |
| B．A writer may write about a hero in his own way. |
| C．A writer may not be responsible for what he writes. |
| D．A writer has hardly any freedom to show his feelings. |
At exactly eleven Sir Percival knocked and entered,with anxiety and worry in every line of his face.This meeting would decide his future life, and he obviously knew it.
“You may wonder,Sir Percival,”said Laura calmly,“if I am going to ask to be released(免除)from my promise to marry you.I am not going to ask this. I respect my father’s wishes too much.”
His face relaxed a little,but one of his feet kept beating the carpet.
“No,if we are going to withdraw(退出)from our planned marriage,it will be because of your wish,not mine.”
“Mine?”he said in great surprise.“What reason could I have for withdrawing?”
“A reason that is very hard to tell you,”she answered.“There is a change in me.”
His face went so pale that even his lips lost their color. He turned his head to one side.
“What change?”he asked,trying to appear calm.
“When the promise was made two years ago,”she said,“my love did not belong to anyone. Will you forgive me,Sir Percival,if I tell you that it now belongs to another person?”
“I wish you to understand,”Laura continued,“that
I will never see this person again,and that if you leave me,you only allow me to remain a single woman for the rest of my life.All I ask is that you forgive me and keep my secret.”
“I will do both those things,”he said. Then he looked at Laura,as if he was waiting to hear more.
“I think I have said enough to give you reason to withdraw from our marriage,”she added quietly.
“No.You have said enough to make it the dearest wish of my life to marry you,”he said.How did Percival feel during his meeting with Laura?
| A．Angry. |
| B．Calm. |
| C．Nervous. |
| D．Excited. |
We can learn from the passage that _________.
| A．Laura had once promised to marry Percival |
| B．Laura’s father wished to end her marriage |
| C．Percival had been married to Laura for two years |
| D．Percival asked to be released from the marriage |
The passage is probably taken out of __________.
| A．a novel |
| B．a report |
| C．a diary |
| D．an essay |
You’ve just come home, after living abroad for a few years.Since you’ve been away,has this country changed for the better—or for the worse?
If you’ve just arrived back in the UK after a fortnight’s holiday, small changes have probably surprised you—anything from a local greengrocer suddenly being replaced by a mobile-phone shop to someone in your street moving house.
So how have things changed to people coming back to Britain after seven, ten or even 15 years living abroad? What changes in society can they see that the rest of us have hardly noticed—or now take for granted? To find out, we asked some people who recently returned.
Debi: When we left, Cheltenham, my home town, was a town of white, middle-class families—all very conservative（保守的）.The town is now home to many eastern Europeans and lots of Australians, who come here mainly to work in hotels and tourism. There are even several shops only for foreigners.
Having been an immigrant（移民）myself,I admire people who go overseas to find a job. Maybe if I lived in an inner city where unemployment was high, I’d think differently, but I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they’re more open-minded and often work harder than the natives.
Christine: As we flew home over Britain, both of us remarked how green everything looked. But the differences between the place we’d left behind and the one we returned to were brought sharply into focus as soon as we landed.
To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening—in Cyprus, they’re very relaxed—and I got pulled over by customs officers just for taking a woolen sweater with some metal-made buttons out of my case in the arrivals hall. Everyone seemed to be on guard. Even the airport car-hire firm wanted a credit card rather than cash because they said their vehicles had been used by bank robbers.
But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country. I just wish more people would appreciate what they’ve got. After a short overseas holiday, people tend to________.
| A．notice small changes |
| B．expect small changes |
| C．welcome small changes |
| D．exaggerate small changes |
How does Debi look at the foreign settlers?
| A．Cautiously. |
| B．Positively. |
| C．Skeptically. |
| D．Critically. |
When arriving at the airport in Britain, Christine was shocked by__________ .
| A．the relaxed policemen |
| B．the messy arrivals hall |
| C．the tight security |
| D．the bank robbers |
Which might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Life in Britain. |
| B．Back in Britain. |
| C．Britain in Future |
| D．Britain in Memory. |
Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship. It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people (ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.
Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life — married,single,with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors:someone to trust,to have fun with,to talk and go to when needed.
A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park,cooking,playing sport or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect, confidence and life direction.
Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the largest and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years.
Emily and Sarah have been matched since March 2008. Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school.‘I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me.’
Emily’s mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by ‘providing different feedback（反馈） about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self-worth.’
Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program.‘I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it’s all work and no play.’
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unique girl she is!What is the aim of Big Brothers Big Sisters?
| A．To offer students public services. |
| B．To help students improve their grades. |
| C．To organize sport activities for young people. |
| D．To provide partnership and fun for young people. |
A volunteer is usually expected to work within a year for at least _________.
| A．24 hours |
| B．36 hours |
| C．48 hours |
| D．72 hours |
According to Emily’s mother, this program may provide Emily with___________ .
| A．advice from her teachers |
| B．a new way to assess herself |
| C．a new way to judge her schoolmates |
| D．more comments from her schoolmates |
Why did Sarah want to get involved in the program?
| A．She used to be a volunteer. |
| B．She needed a part-time job. |
| C．She felt a bit bored with her life. |
| D．She wanted to get a challenging job. |