If you didn't look at them, they weren't there, right? On seeing those in rags on the corner, I only wanted the light to turn green fast enough so that I wouldn't have to keep pretending not to see them.
Then, one day, as I was holding the hand of my best friend Jane who was young but dying of breast cancer, she told me that she made every moment count by slowing down and by seeing everything . I held her hand for five years and then she passed away. She did teach me something. It took a while for her words to really sink in. I can be a slow learner.
I started by seeing everything, and focused on their presence. One day I saw a Vietnam veteran(老兵). I asked him what would make his day.
"A hot cup of coffee," he told me.
I bought him a cup of coffee, a stack of pancakes, some eggs, and so on. After our meal together, I asked him if there was anything else that would make his life a bit easier.
"A new pair of socks, "he said.
Socks, really? I actually happened to be wearing a nice pair of wool hiking socks at that very moment. I told him that I wanted to give him the pair I was wearing if he would accept it. Finally he agreed. We sat down on a bench, and he started to first take off his boots, and then remove the black socks that had once been white off his feet. I think a layer or two of skin might have come off with them. Taking his new pair of socks, he held the socks up to his cheeks and said they were warm and smelled as good as me, pools of tears in his eyes.
Such a simple luxury (奢侈品) I used to take for granted. Now I always have an extra pair with me in my car. They are always my best pair, just waiting to be given away. On seeing the homeless, the author used to_______.
| A．act as if they were not there | B．show mercy to them |
| C．hide in the corner | D．make fun of them |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 2?
| A．He was slow in learning things. |
| B．His best friend was once a teacher. |
| C．He was sad that his friend was dying. |
| D．He didn't understand Jane's words at first. |
Why does the author always have an extra pair of socks in his car?
| A．To decorate his car. |
| B．To sell it to others. |
| C．To keep it for a change. |
| D．To donate it to a needy person. |
What does the author want to convey to us?
| A．All men are born equal. |
| B．Don't miss doing any good thing. |
| C．A beggar's purse is bottomless. |
| D．Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. |
D
| Is veg food healthier than non-veg food? I feel this is a very common topic that people speak on．Please give me your opinions on this topic． |
|
| Rao 12-18-08 |
So far as veg food is concerned, it is also proved to be a healthy and nutritious diet, but has very few items which can provide us with proteins, but if you see non-veg food like eggs, chicken, and many more, such foods have a large content of proteins in them. |
| Sai 12-19-08 |
Man basically is herbivorous（食草的）. If we look at the animal kingdom We can see that all the herbivorous animals have the similar dental（牙齿的） structure, which clearly shows that the human being also ought to be vegetarian by birth. It is only the living conditions that make man carnivorous（食肉的）. The vegetarian foods are easily digestible. |
| Santos 12-20-08 |
Non-veg food items are better than veg items. A healthy person requires complete diet and veg+ meat makes the diet complete. The only caution that needs to be taken is not to have non-veg items on a daily basis. Once in a week or couple of weeks will be best. |
| Krishna 01-03-09 |
When we eat non-veg, we are all veg by nature. The chicken that we eat feeds on grains, the mutton that we eat feeds on grass, and the fish that we eat feeds on simple plants. So non-veg food by logic（逻辑）is better and suited for hauman beings. |
| Khan 01-05-09 |
Non-veg food is equally important in our diet as it helps in many ways, especially fish and other seafood as fish contains omega 3 which makes our immune system（免疫系统）stronger. Do you know that most of the veg food put together does not contain as much omega 3 as fish alone contains! |
68．According to Rao, what is the problem with veg food?
A．It damages our immune system.
B．It has few nutrients.
C．It contains too much omega 3.
D．It is lacking in protein.
69．In the opinion of Sai, humans are born vegetarian because humans______.
A．have the same teeth structure as plant-eating animals
B．believe that veg foods are good for their teeth
C．belong to the plant-eating animal family
D．can adapt to the living conditions like plant-eating animals
70．What advice is given by Santos?
A．To have a saily veg+ meat diet.
B．Not to eat non-veg food every day.
C．To eat digestible food every day.
D．Not to eat food without protein.
C
Dangerous Sports
Around the world more and more people are taking part in danger ous sports and activities．Of course, there have always been people who have looked for adventure—those who have climbed unknown parts of the world or sailed in small boats across the greatest oceans．Now, however, there are people who seek an immediate thrill, a risky activity, which may only last a few minutes or even seconds．
I would consider bungee jumping to be a good example of such an activity．You jump from a high place（perhaps a bridge or a hot-air balloon） 200 meters above the ground with an elastic（有弹性的） rope tied to your feet．You fall at up to 150 kilometers an hour until the rope stops you from hitting the ground．It is said that about 2 million people around the world have now tried bungee jumping. Other activities which most people would say are as risky as bungee jumping include jumping from tall buildings and diving into the sea from the top of high cliffs.
Why do people take part in such activities as these? Some psychologists suggest that it is because life in modern societies has become safe and boring．Not very long ago, people’s lives were constantly in danger. They had to go out and hunt for food, diseases could not easily be cured, and there was a continuous battle for survival．
Nowadays, according to many people, life offers little excitement．They live and work in comparatively safe environments; they buy food in shops; there are doctors and hospitals to look after them if they become ill．The answer for some of these people is to look for danger in activities such as bungee jumping．
65．The best title for the text is .
A．Dangerous Sports: What and Why
B．The Boredom of Modern Life
C．Bungee Jumping: Is It Really Dangerous.
D．The Need for Excitement
66．More and more people today .
A．are tying activities such as bungee jumping
B．are climbing the highest mountains
C．are coming close to death in sports
D．are looking for adventures such as traveling into unknown places
67．The writer of the text has a attitude towards dangerous sports.
A．positive B．negative C．neutral（中立的） D．nervous
B
Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today?
Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness．Some have put their heart and efforts into their work．Too many have turned to drugs and alcohol．Meanwhile, untold numbers have looked for it in the possession of expensive cars, exotic（异国的）vacation homes and other popular “toys”. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact: people are looking for a lasting source of happiness.
Unfortunately, I believe that happiness escapes from many people because they misunderstand the journey of finding it. I have heard many people say that, “I’ll be happy when I get my new promotion,” or “I’ll be happy when I lose that extra 20 pounds.” It is dangerous because it accepts that happiness is a “response” to having, being or doing something.
In life, we all experience stimulus（激励） and response．Today, some people think that an expensive car is stimulus．Happiness is a response．A great paying job is stimulus．Happiness is a response．A loving relationship is stimulus．Happiness is a response．This belief leaves us thinking and feeling：“I’ll be happy when…”
It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true．I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy．When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work．When we are happy, people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships．When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health．Happiness is not a response but a stimulus．
Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives．For unknown reason to me, many choose to be painful, unsuccessful and angry most of the time．Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want—we usually get things we want AFTER we choose to be happy．
61．From the second paragraph, we know too many people______.
A．are not happy when they work hard
B．are not happy when they drink or take drugs
C．are happy when they possess their own expensive cars
D．all desire exotic vacation homes
62．Generally speaking, most people feel happy because______.
A．they think happiness is rooted in their deep heats
B．they get what they want to have
C．they get a great paying job
D．they get an expensive car
63．Which f the following is right according to the author?
A．If you want to get what you want, you first choose to be happy.
B．We should try to get more and then we’ll be happy.
C．Most people today are happy.
D．Work is a necessary part in our daily life.
64．From the viewpoint of the author, happiness is______.
A．based on our needs B．unconditional C．out of reach D．linited
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，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Is there something that you’ve always wanted to try but just never had the time? Well, make plans to try it now since you are on summer vacation．Not all vacations call for taking a tour bus to take photos of famous landmarks. Some vacations allow you plenty of opportunities to learn.
The most difficult aspect of a learning vacation vacation may be choosing one because the possibilities are endless．If you enjoy cooking, various companies can take you to Italy, France, Spain, Mexico or even Peru. Once there, you can learn to prepare the local cuisine（烹饪）. Trips are often planned to fit in with local food festivals or special events.
The term “learning vacation” often brings language to mind. The best way to learn a language is in an environment where it’s spoken. Study Spanish, French or English. Or attempt a more unusual language like Polish, Estonian or Thai. You’ll be able to learn about the country and absorb the culture at the same time.
If you are fond of sports, you can polish your skills or learn new ones. Golf and tennis schools welcome players of all levels. If you want a bigger thrill, you can learn to surf, go climbing or race cars. It’s even possible to learn the art and techniques of bull fighting while on vacation!
You can also discover our inner artist. Many places offer painting classes in different mediums. The scenic locations of the schools offer plenty of subjects that provide inspiration for practice.
If you prefer capturing the world on film, take a photography vacation. Travel with a small group to photograph beautiful animals or scenery. You can also practise your technique on people or at historical sights.
Once you decide on a vacation, choose a company carefully. Request names of recent customers you can contact, and then ask them for an evaluation. The more you know before you go, the better prepared you’ll be. Then go out and learn something!
56．Why is it hard for you to decide on a learning vacation?
A．Because it is hard for you to make plans.
B．Because the possibilities are unlimited.
C．Because there are many good foods from abroad.
D．Because there’re too many food festivals or events.
57．The advantages of learning a language in its native country is that______.
A．the environment is fit for you to use the language
B．you are able to learn the original foreign language
C．native speakers offer you a lot of chances to practise
D．you can learn the language and experience its culture
58．Which of the following sports suit you if you don’t like thrills?
A．Car racing. B．Playing tennis. C．Rock climb. D．Surfing.
59．The structure of the text would be .
|
C
I believe that animals possess greater intelligence than most people think. But plants? I've never considered the possibility of plant intelligence. The idea seems absurd.
Yet I've had friends argue that plant intelligence might exist. "What are the differences between plants and animals?" they ask, and then they argue about certain species that seem to share the intelligence of both plants and animals.
New research suggests that plants communicate via "networks". Plant communication is not idea, and cannot indicate that its is a kind of intelligence, but it is still interesting.
Recent research from Vidi researcher Josef Stuefer at the Radboud University Nijmegen shows that plants have their own chat systems that they can use to warn each other. Therefore plants are not boring and passive organisms that just stand there waiting to be cut down or eaten up. Many plants form internal communication networks and are able to exchange information networks and are able to exchange information efficiently.
Many herbal plants such as strawberries and clovers (三叶草)naturally form networks.
Individual plants remain connected with each other for a certain period of time by means of runners (plant stems that grow along the ground and put down roots to form new plants). These connections enable the plants to share information with each other via internal channels. They are therefore very similar to computer networks. But what do plants chat to each other about?
Recently Stuefer and his colleagues were the first to prove that clover plants warn each other via the network links if danger is nearby . If one of the plants is attacked by caterpillars (毛虫)，the other members of the network are warned via an internal signal. Once warned the intact (完好无损的)plants strengthen their chemical and mechanical (机体的)resistance so that they are less attractive to advancing caterpillars. Thanks to this early warning system, the plants can stay one step ahead of their attackers. The research has shown that this significantly limits the damage to the plants.
Again, I don't believe this reflects intelligence, but it's is certainly fascinating.
66.The author thinks that the plant communication .
A.is absolutely a new idea
B.is a sign of plant intelligence
C.is related to animal communication
D.is interesting and fascinating
67.Clover plants warn each other when danger is nearby by .
A.making sounds
B.releasing chemicals
C.strengthening mechanical resistance
D.sending internal signals
68.Which of the following statements about the research is NOT true?
A.Most plants have no chat system and are passive organisms.
B.Individual plants can also remain connected with each other.
C.The communication between clover plants can protect them from damage.
D.The research is the first to show how clover plants warn each other.
69.The author's attitude towards plant intelligence is
A. unconcerned B. doubtful C. positive D. hopeful
70" What's the best title for the passage?
A.Does Plant Communication Really Exist?
B.Some Discoveries About Clover Plant
C.Does Plant Communication Imply Intelligence?
D.A New Study on Plant Communication
