What's your idea of a good time? What about dancing in a rainy field with one hundred and fifty thousand other people while a famous rock band plays on a stage so far away that the performers look like ants?
It may sound strange but that is what many hundreds of thousands of young people in the UK do every summer. Why? Because summer is the time for outdoor music festivals.
Held on a farm, the Glastonbury Festival is the most well-known and popular in the UK. It began in 1970 and was attended by one thousand five hundred people each paying an admission price of £1 including free milk from the farm.
Since then the Glastonbury Festival has gone from strength to strength --- in 2004 one hundred and fifty thousand fans attended, paying £112 for tickets to the three-day event. Tickets for the event sold out within three hours. Acts included veteran superstars, such as Paul McCartney and James Brown, as well as new talent, like Franz Ferdinand and Joss Stone. Although many summer festivals are run on a profit-making basis, Glastonbury is a charity event, donating millions of pounds to local and international charities.
Glastonbury is not unique in using live music to raise money for global poverty. In July of this year, the Live 8 concerts will be held simultaneously in London, Paris, Rome and Berlin. Superstars, such as Madonna, Sir Elton John and Stevie Wonder will perform in order to highlight international poverty and debt.
What does the author mean by saying “the Glastonbury Festival has gone from strength to strength” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．The festival has achieved growing success. |
| B．Great efforts have been made to hold the festival. |
| C．The festival has brought in a large amount of money. |
| D．There have been thousands of fans attending the festival |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The Glastonbury Festival is run on a profit-making basis. |
| B．Tickets for the 2004 Glastonbury Festival were in great demand despite the high price. |
| C．Both James Brown and Joss Stone were born in poor families. |
| D．In the 1970 Glastonbury Festival, one could have lunch on the farm for free. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.
| A．the Glastonbury Festival is not so popular as the Live 8 concerts |
| B．the Live 8 concerts are held every year in London. |
| C．London, Paris, Rome and Berlin are famous for outdoor music festivals |
| D．some superstars are concerned about global poverty. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How to have a good time |
| B．Charity events around the world |
| C．The Glastonbury Festival |
| D．Superstars’ performances in charity events |
Some places in the world have strange laws. It’s important for you to know about them before going there.
People who like to chew gum(口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.
Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you’d better make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan(斋月). During that time you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.
Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains often start late. This law — no kissing your lover goodbye at train stations – is rather old, and is
n’t in use today in France.
In Thailand it’s against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke -- the local police will stop you.
Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.
Do you often buy things using coins? Don’t do it in Canada. The Currency Law of 1985 doesn’t allow using only coins to buy things. Even the use of the dollar-coin is limited (受限制的). The shop owner has the right to choose whether to take your coins or not.
Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.What is mainly talked about in the text?
| A．How to make your trip around the world safe. |
| B．Why there are strange laws in the world. |
| C．Some strange laws you should know about for your trip. |
| D．interesting places you can go to around the world. |
If you are driving a car in Thailand, _____.
| A．the police will play a joke on you |
| B．you should wear your shirt even though it’s hot |
| C．the police will give you tickets costing about $10 |
| D．you should always keep your headlights on |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．The Singaporean government cares a lot about its environment. |
| B．Kissing goodbye at train stations isn’t allowed in France today. |
| C．Tourists in the United Arab Emirates shouldn’t eat in public. |
| D．You can turn your headlights off in daytime in Denmark. |
What do we know about the strange law in Canada?
| A．It is a newly invented law. | B．You aren’t allowed to use dollar-coins. |
| C．You will be fined if you use coins. | D．Shop owners can decide if you can use coins. |
Chaplin, one of the greatest and funniest actors, was born in London in 1889. When a poor boy, he was often seen waiting outside the London theatres, hoping to get work in show business. He could sing and dance, and above all, he knew how to make people laugh. But he couldn’t get work and therefore wandered about the city streets.
Charlie Chaplin first acted when he was five. He broke into show business because his mother, a music-hall performer, lost her voice during the performance and had to leave the stage, and Charlie went on and sang a well-known song. Halfway through the song, a shower of money poured onto 
the stage. Charlie stopped singing and told audiences he would pick the money first and then finish the song. The audiences laughed. This was the first of millions of laughs in Charlie Chaplin’s fabulous(神话) career.
Twenty years later the same Chaplin became the greatest and best loved comedian in the world. His dream came true in the world. His dream came true in the end. Chaplin became world-famous and almost a king in the world of the film.
Even people who don’t understand English can enjoy Chaplin’s films because they are mostly silent. The equipment for adding sound to films had not yet been developed. The development of films with sound became a problem for Chaplin, as he was uncertain about making films with dialogues. Instead, he coninued to make films without dialogue, but he added music, which he wrote himself. It isn’t what he says that makes us laugh. His comedy doesn’t depend on words. It depends on little actions which mean the same thing to people the world over.
Chaplin lived most of his life in America and the last years in Switzerland, where he was buried at Christmas 1977, at the age of eighty-eight. There was sadness all over the world at the news of his death.
In his book, Chaplin tells us how to succeed in life. He says, “You have to believe in yourself. That’s the secret.”Chaplin is regarded as king of comedy mainly because______.
| A．lots of people have seen his films |
| B．he could sing and dance well |
| C．he knew how to make people laugh |
| D．he acted out the common human situations best in his comedy |
What makes people laugh in Chaplin’s films?
| A．It isn’t his words but his actions. | B．Neither his words nor actions. |
| C．Either his words or his actions. | D．Not only his words but also his actions. |
The only secret of Charles Chaplin’s huge success is that______.
| A．he can make all people, men and women, old and young laugh |
| B．he has full trust in himself |
| C．he is always active and hard-working all his life |
| D．though he is always in trouble, he never loses heart |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．He was too shy to meet the managers of the theatres. |
| B．People won’t stop laughing until tears run down Chaplin’s face. |
| C．People all over the world can enjoy Chaplin’s films without translation because most of them are silent. |
| D．He wouldn’t like to work at the theatre. |
For the past many centuries, people had been enjoying the benefits of green tea for the body. Many people would prefer drinking green tea than white tea and black tea, simply because of its distinct aroma(香味) not found in other types of tea. Nowadays, keeping the natural greenish color of tea leaves remained just like before.
This is done by preparing the green tea just like the way it was prepared before—by washing the leaves right after pulling off them from the bush, then boiling them.
There have been many healthful claims saying that drinking green tea-based products help a lot in improving the general health of their body. For a long time, there has been many beliefs saying that green tea can help, cure beriberi disease(脚气病), treat wounds, and even prevent tiredness. Now modern technology 
determines that there are even added healthful benefits that include reducing the possibility of having a heart disease and helping people to lose more weight easily.
Besides, studies have found out that green tea has Polyphenols(多酚类), a type of flaonoid(类黄酮) that greatly reduces the amount of time of cell maturation. The flavonoid found in green tea is called EGCg- a stronger matter than Vitamin C and E. It is believed to be 20 times stronger than these mentioned vitamins.
Having two cups of green tea daily is a good routine for your body. However, most doctors would suggest drinking at least 4 cu
ps a day is the best. You can slowly increase the amount of drinking it to allow your body to get used to it. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain in drinking green tea.Which of the following shows the right order according to the passage? _______.
a. making the leaves clean
b. pulling off them from the bush.
c. boiling the leaves.
| A．a, b, c | B．b, a, c | C．a, c, b | D．b, c, a |
Which word in the passage has a similar meaning as the underlined word “distinct”________?
| A．green | B．general | C．common | D．unique |
Green tea can help us in many aspects EXCEPT __________.
| A．Curing beriberi disease | B．Preventing tiredness |
| C．Curing heart disease | D．Losing weight |
It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
| A．drinking green tea has a history of thousands of years. |
B．flavooid, a  special vitamin, is made up of EGCg. |
| C．Vitamin C and E is 20 times stronger than EGCg. |
| D．drinking green tea has no bad effect but benefits. |
Which of the following might be the best title for the text? __________.
| A．Process of making green tea. | B．Characteristic of green tea. |
| C．Benefits of drinking green tea. | D．History and types of green tea. |
There are many fun, free activities that you can do as a family. All that is required is a bit of imagination and some time set aside for fun. And the best part is that these are the kind of memories a child will remember for a lifetime.
Family game night
Find out any of the games that are already around the house. Kids often get computer games for Christmas or birthdays, and would love to have a chance to play with their family. Or, make up some games of your own. “Charades” is a fun game to play that will challenge a child to use his/her imagination. Divide the family into teams and let each team come up with words that the other has to act out.
________________________
Pick some time for the family to sit down and come up with their own masterpiece. It doesn’t need to be just a drawing -- take some old magazines sitting around the house, let the kids cut out pictures and paste them into their own montage. Or, use items from nature. Let them use leaves, pine cones, twigs and whatever else they can find to create something from their imaginations.
Family Picnic
Taking the family for a picnic is a great way for some fun that doesn’t cost any money. If the weather is nice, take them to a park or playground and let the kids have a day of playing. Or, if it is the middle of winter and a foot of snow is on the ground, set up a picnic in the living room.
Family Field Trip
A family field trip doesn’t have to cost a dime. Ask a nearby farm if it would be alright to bring your kids out for a tour and to see some of the animals. Or take them to a park and make a scavenger hunt where they need to find certain items from nature. Ask a local business if you could bring the family for a tour to see how things work -- you might be surprised at the number of people who would be thrilled to share what they do with others, and it could be an interesting lesson for the kids.We can learn from the passage that “charades” ________.
| A．is a computer game | B．is too difficult for children |
| C．involves acting out words | D．should be played by more than four people |
What is the best title to be put in the blank of part two? ____________.
| A．Family art time | B．Family gardening time |
| C．Family music time | D．Family cleaning time |
According to the passage, the family picnic____________.
| A．should be held in the middle of winter |
| B．can be held inside your house |
| C．will be very meaningful if held in offices |
| D．will cost much money if held on a farm |
Who might be most interested in this passage? _________.
| A．Parents | B．Teachers | C．Farmers | D．Employers |
The writer wrote this passage mainly to _____________.
| A．encourage children to use imagination. |
| B．share precious family memories |
| C．discuss young children’s interests |
| D．suggest fun activities to families |
People live in different parts of the world and lead different types of lives. Their lifestyles change across the different areas in the world. What is the difference between a city and country life? Let us see.
We can see the modern facilities everywhere in the city like the Internet, telephone, television and satellite communication facilities are widely available in the city. A majority of families in the city are enjoying this technological advancement.
The increasing population has led to an imbalance in human population. More and more industries have led to environmental problems like pollution.
However, the rise in economic growth has resulted in a self-centered nature of society. While technological advancement has brought the world closer, human beings have gone far apart from each other.
The country is not crowded with constructions all over. Houses are rather widely spaced with enough room for fields and gardens. The country is the only area fortunate enough to house the greens. People in the country live in close to nature. Apart from people, there is room for pets and animals that help keep a balance in nature.
Due to a lesser number of people in the country, it is not overcrowded by people. These areas have least amounts of pollution. Pollution is less also because of very less number of industries in the country. The life may not be as enjoyable as that in the city, but the people there are generous, kind and friendly. The country is the one where humanity(人性) is still alive.
Every coin has t
wo sides to it. While we can’t enjoy expensive things and technology in the country, it is rich in its relationship with ‘nature’. The city life is modern in te
chnology and career opportunities. However, the falling humanity and a bad environmental balance affect the bright future of city life.What’s the main purpose of the passage? _________.
| A．To persuade more people to live in the country. |
B．To inform us of some information about a better l ife. |
| C．To tell us differences between city life and country life. |
| D．To explain why people don’t want to live in the city. |
Which of the following shows the right structure of the passage? __________.
①①①
| A．②③④⑤⑥ | B．②③④⑤⑥⑦ | C．①②③④⑤⑥ | D．④⑤⑥②③ |
⑦⑦⑦ According to the passage, the main reason for pollution is ____________.
| A．technology and economy | B．population and industries |
| C．population and humanity | D．industries and balance. |
The underlined word in the fifth paragraph most probably refers to ___________.
| A．green gas | B．green buildings | C．green lands | D．green animals |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that __________
| A．it’s up to you whether to choose city life or country life. |
| B．both city life and country life have advantages and disadvantages. |
| C．more and more people will move to the country in the future. |
D．the young prefer city life while the old choose country life. |