How men first learned to invent words is unknown, in other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken, or written in letters, we call words.
The power of words, then, lies in their association-the thing they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and the sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increase.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey （表达，传递）his meaning in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should, therefore, learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they make our speech silly and vulgar.（粗俗的）Which of the following about a real poet is NOT true?
| A．He is less than a master of words. |
| B．His style is always charming. |
| C．His poem can move men to tears. |
| D．He can express his ideas in words that sing like music. |
Where does the real power of the words come from?
| A．From the words themselves. |
| B．From their characteristics. |
| C．From their curiosity. |
| D．From their association. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The importance of choosing words. |
| B．Where the real power of words come from. |
| C．What great writers are like. |
| D．We should learn to choose words carefully. |
The dream of flying like Buzz Lightyear never dies. For years, space-age inventors have tested one wearable jet pack after another. And time after time, the designs have been grounded by dangerous fuels, excessive weight, or very loud noise levels. Now a Canadian inventor has sidestepped those weaknesses with an aquatic jet pack. Designed for travel over lakes or oceans, it’s driven by pressurized water, not burning rocket fuel.
When Raymond Li first told the idea for the aquatic jet pack to his friends, they said he must be nuts. How could a jet pack carry that much water? Its thrust-to-weight rate would be so low and it would never become airborne. Thrust-to-weight rate is a measure of the forward force produced compared with the weight of the vehicle. A vehicle with a low thrust-to-weight rate is relatively heavy for the amount of force it generates.
Li's genius idea was to place the jet pack’s engine and its water pump in a separate boat. The pump would draw water from the lake the boat was floating on. It would then force the water under pressure through a hose connected to the jet pack. The hose would be long enough to let the pack go up as high as 8.5 meters (28 feet) in the air.
Today, Li's invention, the Jetlev-Flyer, is ready to go into production. The pack itself, complete with jet nozzles （管嘴） and handlebars, weighs just 14 kilograms. The 
boat is a floating pod. To take off, the operator hits a trigger on a handlebar, which starts the pump, and then turns the throttle. Two streams of high-velocity water shoot through the hose and out the nozzles, lifting the operator into the air. The operator hovers there or pushes down on the handlebars, zooming forward at speeds of up to 64 kilometers per hour, pulling the pod behind.All the following factors contribute to the failure of inventing a wearable jet pack EXCEPT ______.
| A．excessive water | B．unbearable noise | C．unsafe fuels | D．too much weight |
The underlined word “sidestepped” in Para. 1 most probably means ________.
| A．improved | B．reduced | C．avoided | D．solved |
Raymond Li’s friends found his idea for the aquatic jet pack was ________.
| A．exciting | B．crazy | C．realistic | D．creative |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．His friends encouraged him to do the invention. |
| B．He put the engine and its water pump in the same boat. |
| C．The success of his invention lies in his bravery. |
| D．His invention finally succeeded and will go into production. |
Which is the right order to make the Jetlev-Flyer take off?
a. The throttle is turned. b. The operator is lifted into the air.
c. A trigger is hit. d. Two streams of water shoot out.
The pump is started.
| A．c, e, a, d, b | B．c, e, a, b, d | C．e, c, d, b, a | D．e, a, c, d, b |
The ocean contains many strange and surprising creatures. One such creature is the puffer fish. This very strange fish is probably the most poisonous creature in the ocean. The poison that this fish produces is 275 times more poisonous than the chemical which is usually used to kill rats.
The puffer fish gets its name from the way the fish protects itself from enemies. Whenever it is attacked, the fish blows up its body to three times bigger than its normal size!
Another strange thing about this fish is the fact that it can swim like other fish. Because it does not have bones like oth
er fish, the puffer fish can only move slowly through the water as it is carried by waves.
The puffer fish also has funny teeth. These teeth stick out of the fish’s mouth and are used by the fish to open the shells of the creatures that live on the ocean floor.
This strange, ugly, and very poisonous fish is actually a very expensive kind of food in Japan. The Japanese call this fish “fugu”, and people have been known to pay $150 per person to eat a fugu meal (usually eight servings)!
Very brave people want to eat the most poisonous part of the fugu fish on purpose. They think that this part of the fish tastes the best! Strict laws have been passed to control restaurants which serve fugu; however, quite a few people have still died from eating fugu.Almost 200 people have died over the past 25 years.
When people eat fugu poison, they do not die on the spot. First, they feel a strange tickle on their lips and in their mouth. Then they can not feel anything with their fingers. Finally, they cannot move or speak. Death follows when they can no longer breathe. The poison may take only a few minutes or up to six hours to kill a person. There is no known cure for fugu poisoning.According to the passage, the puffer fish .
| A．is probably the most poisonous creature in the world |
| B．is generally considered to be the strangest fish in the ocean |
| C．is slightly more poisonous than the chemical used to kill rats |
| D．is without doubt a deadly creature if it is not eaten properly |
Why do people think that the puffer fish is strange when it is attacked by an enemy?
| A．It becomes bigger. | B．It has funny teeth. |
| C．It gives off poison. | D．It can swim swiftly. |
The underlined expression “on the spot” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to .
| A．now and then | B．once in a while |
| C．then and there | D．sooner or later |
Who is allowed to serve fugu according to the passage?
| A．The Japanese government. | B．Licensed restaurants. |
| C．Strict lawyers in Japan . | D．Very brave people |
Which is NOT a symptom of fugu poisoning?
| A．Having difficulty breathing. | B．Having no sense of touch. |
| C．Having no sense of taste. | D．Having trouble speaking. |
Hans Christian Andersen was a poor boy who lived in Denmark. His father, a shoemaker, had died, and his mother had married again.
Andersen’s father liked to read better than to make shoes. In the evenings, he had read aloud from The Arabian Nights. His wife understood very little of the book, but the boy, pretending to sleep, understood every word.
By day Hans Christian Anderson went to a house where
old women worked as weavers. There he listened to the tales that the women told. In those days, there were almost as many tales in Denmark as there were people to tell them.
Among the tales told in the town of Odense, where Andersen was born in 1805, was one about a fairy who brought death to those who danced with her. To this tale, Hans Christian later added a story from his own life.
Once, when his father was still alive, a young lady ordered a pair of red shoes. When she refused to pay for them, unhappiness filled the poor shoemaker’s house. From that small tragedy and the story of the dancing fairy, the shoemaker’s son years later wrote the story that millions of people now know as The Red Shoes.
As a little girl, Hans Christian’s mother was sent out on the streets to beg. She did not want to beg, so she hid under one of the city bridges. She warmed her cold feet in her hands, for she had no shoes. She was afraid to go home. Years later, her son, in his pity for her and his anger at the world, wrote the angry story She’s No Good and the famous tale The Little Match Girl.
Through his genius, he changed every early experience, even his father’s death, into a fairy tale. One cold day his father showed him a white, woman-like figure among the frost patterns. “That is the snow queen,” said the shoemaker. “Soon she will be coming for me.” A few months later he died. And years later, Andersen turned that sad experience into a fairy tale, The Snow Queen.Which of the following is TRUE about Anderson when he was a boy?
| A．His father had remarried before he died. |
| B．His mother was struck by The Arabian Night. |
| C．He enjoyed listening to stories very much. |
| D．He would help old weavers with their work. |
What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 imply?
| A．Almost all tales from around the world once had their origin in Denmark. |
| B．The people in Denmark were very enthusiastic about telling tales. |
| C．The number of tales in Denmark was exactly equal to that of the people living there. |
| D．The people in Denmark loved doing nothing but tell stories to each other. |
How many of Anderson’s fairy tales are mentioned in the passage?
| A．5. | B．6. | C．3. | D．4. |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
| A．The Red Shoes was based on a tragedy of Anderson’s family |
| B．Andersen’s genius as well as his early experience made him successful |
| C．Andersen was educated at home by his parents because of poverty |
| D．Anderson wrote The Snow Queen in memory of his parents |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．Hans Christian Andersen’s Own Fairy Tales. |
| B．Hans Christian Andersen’s Family. |
| C．Hans Christian Andersen’s Bitter Experiences. |
| D．Hans Christian Andersen’s Considerate Parents. |
Our neighbour's son was getting married at an out-of-town church, and my husband and I were invited. We immediately rushed out to a store, and I bought a nice pink dress with a jacket. The dress was a little tight, but I had a month to go before the June 30 wedding and I would lose a few pounds.
June 29 came and, of cour
se, I hadn't lost a single pound; in fact I had gained two. But I figured a nice new girdle (紧身内衣)would cure everything. So on our way out of the city we stopped once again at the store. I ran in and told the clerk I needed a large-size girdle. The shop assistant found the box with the described girdle marked "LG", and asked if I would like to try it on. “Oh, no, a large will fit just right. I needn't try it on.”
The next morning was rather hot, so I waited to get dressed until about 45 minutes before time to go. I opened the box only to find a new girdle in a small size. Since it was too late to find another one and the dress wouldn't fit right without a girdle, a fight broke out in the hotel room between me and the girdle. Have you ever tried to shake 20 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound bag? That's it. Finally my husband, laughing like crazy, got hold of each side and shook me down into it. At once I put on the pink dress, which didn't match my red face well, and was ready to go.
Finally we got to the church. I heard one of the people say that they were having a High Mass. I turned to my husband and asked, "What is a High Mass?" He shrugged his shoulders.
Unfortunately, I learned that this particular mass would last one hour, twenty-two minutes and eight and one half seconds—the priest (神父) was going to bless everything except my girdle. The author most probably bought a nice pink dress with a jacket ______.
| A．4 weeks later | B．4 weeks ago | C．a fortnight ago | D．a fortnight later |
What had the author wanted to do with the tight dress?
| A．To make herself thinner. | B．To buy a large-size girdle. |
| C．To put on some weight. | D．To shake herself into it. |
Which of the following statements about the author is TRUE according to the story?
| A．She was very lucky to buy a girdle to go with her dress. |
| B．She had no choice but to put on the dress without a girdle. |
| C．She complained to the shop assistant about her carelessness. |
| D．She managed to put on the girdle with her husband’s help. |
The purpose of this passage is ______.
| A．to show a husband’s selfless love | B．to share an interesting experience |
| C．to describe a changeable girdle | D．to tell us how to keep calm in trouble |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Funny Wedding | B．A Wise Decision | C．A Tight Situation | D．A Fierce Fight |
Heavy snow blanketed Anhui and Hubei provinces yesterday, cutting off power to some villages and blocking roads. Meanwhile, more snow is expected to cover the south in the coming three days.
Meteorologists said that the snow, which started Sunday night, is expected to fall throughout the south until this Friday, with temperatures falling below zero. The precipitation is expected to help relieve the severe drought conditions.
The temperature in the north will rise after this Friday and the south will be warmer after Nov 22nd, forecasters predicted yesterday.
The national meteorological watchdog issued an orange alert-the second—highest level-for snowstorms yesterday morning, warning that snowfalls in some areas will reach 20 mm at most.
Snowstorms refer to snowfalls that reach 10 mm in 24 hours. Snowfalls below 10 mm and above 5 mm are called heavy snows.
Last Friday, officials from the Hubei provincial government asked the transportation department, the meteorological bureau and related departments be fully prepared for the coming snow, with an emergency team ready to provide around-the-clock assistance.
The predicted snow in the south did not bring much trouble to air and rail travel with advance preparation.
The provincial education bureau declared an emergency plan on Sunday, asking primary and high schools to close when the snowstorms become severe.
The 16 expressways in snow-hit places in Hubei were scattered with 42.8 tons of snow-melting agents and about 4.580 sqm of anti-slip fabric. The latest information from the provincial expressway administration yesterday showed that traffic flowed smoothly during the snow.
The Tianhe Airport in Wuhan, Hubei province, had seven snow-melting vehicles working to ensure timely take-offs and landings.
The Anhui meteorological bureau declared all emergency alert because of the snowstorm on Sunday, with 43 cities and counties issuing alerts for snows and two issuing alerts for frozen roads. Shucheng county and Huoshan county issued time top alert because of the snowstorms on Sunday.
Luogang airport in Hefei, Anhui Province, was shut down for four hours since 7 a.m. yesterday due to the heavy snow, Xinhua reported.
The snow caused time rush-hour traffic to be heavily congested and many commuters left home earlier than usual in the morning.
Ye Wei, a worker at Hefei University of Technology, said his ride to work took a half-hour more than usual.
“Maybe tomorrow I will have to get up one hour earlier than before, because of the frozen roads,” Ye said.
The heavy snow first hit northern China, claiming dozens of lives, causing hundreds of injuries, paralyzing the traffic and grounding hundreds of flights.
The whiteout that began Nov 9th has killed at least 32 people and affected more than 9.6 million in seven provinces. More than 15,000 buildings have collapsed and nearly 300, 000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed, Ministry of Civil Affairs officials said on Sunday.
The snowfall was the heaviest in the past six decades in some northern and central provinces like Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan, with an economic loss reaching 7 billion yuan（$ 1.02 billion）, ministry officials said.
67．Which of the following call be the best title for this passage?
A．Heavy Snow Coming to Southern China.
B．Heavy Snow Blanketed Anhui and Hubei.
C．Snowy All Over China.
D．China in the Future Will Be Cold.
68．The underlined word “precipitation” in the second paragraph probably refers to _______.
A．impulsive approach B．prediction of snow
C．violent haste D．fall of snow
69．What can be inferred from the passage?
A．Many airports in Anhui Province were shut down for a long time.
B．The snowfall was the heaviest in the human history.
C．Some measures have been taken to deal with the emergency.
D．This snowfall hasn’t brought about any deaths.
70．You may probably read this passage in ________.
A．a poster B．a magazine C．a science fiction D．a newspaper