Helge and Kari Farsund, who live in Oslo, Norway, have been a couple for 50 years． Mr Farsund worrked as an engineer, while his wife was an intensive-care nurse at one point serving with the Red Cross in Rwanda, helping victims of the violent war in that country．Three years ago, a personal tragedy struck, when Mrs Farsund was found to have developed Alzheimer's（老年痴呆）． 'As the condition became worse, Mr Farsund began looking for a system that could help both of them live as normal a life as possible． He came across the healthcare technology company Abilia, which has come up with just such a network．
At the center \of the system is an iPad-like device． The screen has Skype, which allows carers to regularly check in with patients． It also has a planner for patients or carers to record up-coming events and provides spoken reminders about daily tasks, such as when they need to take medicine．
Some l,000 people now have the system installed in their homes, and 25 of them, including the Farsunds, are testing the latest version, which combines the screen with wirelessly connected sensors． The motion sensors know if you are in the room or open a door, and send out alarms, for instance, if the stove（电炉） is left on for more than 15 minutes or a per．son opens a door in the middle of the night． The second is a particular issue in Oslo, where sub-zero winters mean some Alzheimer's patients are freezing to death．
"With．this kind of system, it allows people to take care of themselves, which is the most important thing," says vice president Oystein Johnsen． For him, any move to improve city life needs to begin with people． "Smart cities are coming and they need to start with individuals in their own home," he says． "It also saves the govemment money． In Norway it cost￡100,000 per year to have someone in a home, while this system costs 15,000． That is a lot of money to save．"Which section of BBC news is most likely to．include this passage?
| A．Health． | B．Technology． |
| C．Entertainment． | D．Business． |
The case of Helge and Kari Farsund in the first paragraph serves to .
| A．introduce the main topic |
| B．expose a social problem |
| C． show sympathy to the elderly |
| D． arouse medical workers' interest |
Which of the following functions can all be performed by the system?
① To warn people of possible dangers．
② To help check in with patients．
③ To offer people some medicine．
④ To cure people of Alzheimer's．
⑤ To remind people of daily tasks．
⑥ To play movies like an iPad．
| A．②③⑤ | B．①④⑥ |
| C．③④⑤ | D．①②⑤ |
According to the last paragraph, Oystein Johnsen will approve that ．
| A．the system should reduce its cost |
| B．smart cities should be human-based |
| C．mass production is still impossible |
| D．individuals are responsible for future |
I suppose that having been brought up in the countryside and close to animals，it wasn’t remarkable(不平常的)when I decided to become a vet(兽医)．Luckily I was also good at all the necessary science subjects.So after the college entrance examination I found myself at a veterinary college，training to look after animals in all kinds of situations.I hoped that I would be able to work in the research field so that I could find cures for animal diseases.
Much to my surprise，I found public health care was a very important aspect of my course. This is an area of animal medicine where a vet’s work has many things in common with the work of a doctor of human diseases.I particularly liked it because I recognized that the study of animal diseases can help human medicine.As we know，many infectious diseases come from animals—including SARS and bird flu.
Some of the infections have only been understood after carefully analytical work in labs by animal doctors. They helped identify the animal source for diseases such as SARS. They were also the first to identify various kinds of viruses. Sometimes vets are also able to suggest a cure for human illnesses.When I found this out I was determined to make public health medicine my chosen career.
After graduation，I applied for a job in public health.Soon I found myself concerned with the problem of bird flu.This is an illness that attacks birds，but humans can catch the disease if they are in close contact with infected birds.Though the job is dangerous，it makes me proud that vets and other animal disease researchers are in the front line helping to fight these unknown human diseases.The writer wanted to become a vet mainly because
______.
| A．he did well in all necessary subjects |
| B．he wanted to help animals |
| C．he was close to animals in his early life |
| D．he wanted to find cures for human diseases |
What made the writer particularly like the course of public health care was that________.
| A．it was both important and interesting |
| B．it could help him connect many human diseases with animals |
| C．it made a vet’s work very much like a doctor’s |
| D．it could help human medicine by studying animal diseases |
What can be followed if this passage continues?
| A．The writer’s happy family life. |
| B．How the writer did research work in studying bird flu. |
| C．How the writer dealt with the relationship with other workmates. |
| D．What difficulty the writer met in the research work. |
Which of the following is implied in the passage?
| A．Animals with infectious diseases should be killed. |
| B．Keeping animals is dangerous to humans. |
| C．Dangerous as a vet’s job is，it is significant to the human race. |
| D．Animal researchers work in the same way as human doctors. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Being a vet is helpful to both animals and humans. |
| B．Vets can cure both animals and humans. |
| C．Vets helped identify animal resources for SARS. |
| D．Both SARS and bird flu are infectious diseases coming from animals. |
Language experts say that spoken English was almost the same in the American colonies and Britain two hundred years ago.Americans began to change the sound of their speech after the Revolutionary War in seventeenseventysix. They wanted to make it different to separate themselves from the British in language，in the same way they separated themselves from the British government.
Some American leaders proposed major changes in the language.Benjamin Franklin wanted a whole new system of spelling.His reforms were not accepted. But his ideas did influence others.One was Noah Webster.
Webster wrote language books for schools.He believed the United States should have a system of its own language as well as government.Webster published a dictionary of the American language in eighteentwentyeight. It established rules for speaking and spelling the words used in American English.
Webster wrote that all words should be said in the order of the letters that spell them.This is why Americans use the letters“e-r”to end many words instead of the British“r-e.”He spelled the word“center，”for example，“c-e-n-t-e-r，”instead of the British“c-e-n-t-r-e.”
Webster’s rule for saying every part of a word made American English easier for foreign settlers to learn.They learned to say“waistcoat，”for example，the way it is spelled instead of the British“weskit.”
The different languages of many people who came to the United States also helped make American and British English different.Many of their foreign words and expressions became part of English as Americans speak them.
Sometimes Americans and British people do not understand each other because of different word meanings. For example，the word“jumper”in Britain means a sweater.In the United States，it is a dress.The British word“brolly” is an“umbrella”in America.And the British call potato chips“crisps”．All of these differences led British writer George Bernard Shaw to joke that Britain and America are two countries separated by the same language!What does the underlined word“it”in the first paragraph refer to?
| A．Separating themselves from the British in language. |
| B．Written English in America. |
| C．Spoken English in America. |
| D．Spoken English in Britain. |
Why did American want their language to differ from British English?
| A．Because they found British English hard to speak. |
| B．Because they found British English hard to spell. |
| C．Because they wanted to have their own language and government. |
| D．Because foreign settlers wanted them to change their language. |
Why do Americans use the word“meter”instead of the word“metre”？
| A．Because Benjamin Franklin didn’t like the word“metre”． |
| B．Because the word“meter”was absorbed from other languages. |
| C．Because Webster thought the word should be said in order of the letters that are spelt. |
| D．Because Webster thought American English should be made easier for foreign settlers to learn. |
Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons why English began to change in America?
| A．The government leaders. |
| B．Noah Webster. |
| C．Immigration to America. |
| D．The difficulty Americans had in understanding the British. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Noah Webster’s simplifying the spelling of English words. |
| B．Differences and similarities between British and American English. |
| C．The reasons why American English was formed and its development. |
| D．Varieties of English throughout the world. |
阅读理解
When I was sixteen years old，I made my first visit to the United States.It wasn’t the first time I had been abroad.Like most English children I learned French at school.And I had often been to France，so I was used to speaking a foreign language to people who didn’t understand French.But when I went to America I was really looking forward to having a nice easy holiday without any language problems.
How wrong I was！The misunderstandings began at the airport.I was looking for a public telephone to give my American friend Danny a call and tell her that I had arrived.A friendly old man saw me looking lost and asked if he could help me.
“Yes，”I said，“I want to give my friend a ring.”
“Well，that’s nice，”he said.“Are you getting married？But aren’t you a bit young？”
“Who’s talking about marriage？”I replied.“I only want to give my friend a ring to tell her I’ve arrived.Can you tell me where there’s a phone box？”
“Oh！”he said.“There’s a phone downstairs.”
When at last we met，Danny explained the misunderstandings to me.
“Don’t worry，”she said to me.“I had so many difficulties at first.There are lots of words which the Americans use differently in meaning from the British.You’ll soon get used to all the funny things they say.Most of the time，British and American people understand each other！”The writer thought ________ in America.
| A．he wouldn’t have any language difficulties |
| B．he would not understand the Americans |
| C．the Americans might not understand him |
| D．he would have difficulty at the airport |
The writer wanted to ________.
| A．buy a ring for his friend |
| B．make a call to his friend |
| C．go to the telephone company |
| D．see his friend off |
From the passage we can see that “give sb.a ring”________．
| A．means “call sb.” to the old man |
| B．means the same in America as in England |
| C．has two different meanings |
| D．means “be going to get married” in England |
In the last paragraph the word “they” refers to ________.
| A．the old man and the boy |
| B．the Americans |
| C．the British |
| D．the French |
Which is RIGHT according to the passage?
| A．American and British English are so different that they can’t understand each other. |
| B．Although American and British English are different，they mostly can understand each other. |
| C．Danny isn’t used to the funny things Americans say. |
| D．The old man couldn’t understand what “I” meant. |
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。
If women are mercilessly exploited year after year，they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion，they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it，only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way waste hours of their time altering (改变) the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened；necklines are lowered or raised，and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth，comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort，as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day，or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion，the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes，one wonder，reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability？Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability？That is for you to decide.Designers and big stores always make money________.
| A．by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing |
| B．by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry |
| C．because they are able to predict new fashions for the coming season |
| D．because they attach great importance to the quality of women's clothing |
To the writer，that women alter their old fashioned dresses is seen as________.
| A．a waste of money |
| B．an expression of taste |
| C．a waste of time |
| D．an expression of creativity |
According to the passage，which of the following statements is true?
| A．The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society. |
| B．The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of characters. |
| C．Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women. |
| D．New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women. |
By saying “the conclusions to be drawn are obvious”，the writer means that________.
| A．women are better able to put up with discomfort |
| B．men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion |
| C．men are also exploited greatly by fashion de signers |
| D．women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at |
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。
Celebrities(名人) have become a powerful influence on some people because of their social position and their economic situation.
First，some people admire and imitate stars because they allow themselves to be influenced by the media. Television，radio，and magazines invade(侵扰) the lives of audience with a variety of shows，information，and publications about stars and their lives. For instance，Britney Spears has become the target of paparazzi(狗仔队)．In May，Britney appeared at the front page of the most popular magazines revealing that she married her best friend in Vegas，Nevada. Media also invade stars' lives because reporters know they get high profits from readers who buy and follow their favorite artists' news.
Second，some mad audience imitate their celebrities for their lack of confidence. Some people who are shy and lack personality may find that imitating others will cause a good impression. For instance，my cousin Jenny，who lacks a social life because of her introverted(内向的) personality，believes that acting and dressing like Jennifer Lopez will make her popular in high school.
Finally，several fans of stars imitate them because of peer(同龄人) pressure. Since my niece's girlfriends formed an Antonio Banderas' fan club，she had also joined the group. Although she wasn't a huge fan of his，now she collects most of Banderas' possessions. In fact，when I asked Arianna，my niece，why she was part of Banderas' fan club，she replied with a doubtful tone that she did not wish to be rejected by the other teens.
In conclusion，it is true that celebrities play spectacular roles in their performances in Hollywood，which entertains many people all over the world；however，modern celebrities influence the audience to the point where their fans admire and try to imitate their lives.What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．Why people are influenced by celebrities. |
| B．The harmful influence of celebrities. |
| C．What kind of people are influenced by celebrities. |
| D．How to avoid the influence of celebrities. |
We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ________.
| A．media are on the side of stars |
| B．stars know how to take advantage of media |
| C．media can give wrong information about stars |
| D．media invade stars' lives for their own good |
Jenny acts and dresses like Jennifer Lopez because ______________.
| A．she admires Jennifer Lopez's personality |
| B．she wants to become famous too |
| C．she wants to change her own personality |
| D．she lacks selfconfidence |
Arianna joined the Antonio Banderas' fan club to ________.
| A．seek encouragement from the star |
| B．be accepted by other teens |
| C．become a real fan of the star |
| D．learn more about the star |
The author of the passage probably believes that ________.
| A．it's easy for people to resist the influence of celebrities |
| B．all young people are easily influenced by celebrities |
| C．it's no good for people to imitate celebrities blindly |
| D．people can improve their personality by imitating their favorite stars |