I was in a rush as always, but this time it was for an important date I just couldn’t be late for! I found myself at a checkout counter behind an elderly woman seemingly in no hurry as she paid for her groceries. A PhD student with not a lot of money, I had hurried into the store to pick up some flowers. I was in a huge rush, thinking of my upcoming evening. I did not want to be late for this date.
We were in Boston, a place not always known for small conversation between strangers. The woman stopped unloading her basket and looked up at me. She smiled. It was a nice smile –warm and reassuring –and I returned her gift by smiling back.
“Must be a special lady, whoever it is that will be getting those beautiful flowers,” she said.
“Yes, she’s special,” I said, and then to my embarrassment, the words kept coming out.
“It’s only our second date, but somehow I am just having the feeling she’s ‘the one’.” Jokingly, I added, “The only problem is that I can’t figure out why she’d want to date a guy like me.”
“Well, I think she’s very lucky to have a boyfriend who brings her such lovely flowers and who is obviously in love with her,” the woman said.” “My husband used to bring me flowers every week –even when times were tough and we didn’t have much money. Those were incredible days; he was very romantic and – of course – I miss him since he’s passed away.”
I paid for my flowers as she was gathering up her groceries. There was no doubt in my mind as I walked up to her. I touched her on the shoulder and said, “You were right, you know. These flowers are indeed for a very special lady.” I handed her the flowers and thanked her for such a nice conversation.
It took her a moment to realize that I was giving her the flowers I had just purchased. “You have a wonderful evening,” I said. I left her with a big smile and my heart warmed as I saw her smelling the beautiful flowers.
I remember being slightly late for my date that night and telling my girlfriend the above story. A couple of years later, when I finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry me, she told me that this story had helped to seal it for her –that was the night that I won her heart.Why was the writer in a hurry that day?
| A．He had to pick up some groceries. |
| B．He had to go back to school soon. |
| C．He was delayed by an elderly lady. |
| D．He was to meet his girlfriend. |
What does the underlined se “her gift”(Paragraph 2) refer to?
| A．Her smile. | B．Her words. |
| C．Her flowers. | D．her politeness. |
Why did the writer give his flowers to the elderly lady?
| A．She told him a nice story. |
| B．She gave him encouragement. |
| C．She allowed him to pay first. |
| D．She liked flowers very much. |
What is the message conveyed in the story?
| A．Flowers are important for a date. |
| B．Love and kindness are rewarding. |
| C．Small talk is helpful. |
| D．Elderly people deserve respecting. |
Rome had the Forum (论坛). London has Speaker’s Corner. Now always-on-the-go New Yorkers have Liz and Bill.
Liz and Bill, two college graduates in their early 20s, have spent a whole year trying to have thousands of people talk to them in subway stations and on busy street corners. And just talk.
Using a 2-foot-tall sign that says, “ Talk to Me,” they attract conversationalists, who one evening included a mental patient, and men in business suits.
They don’t collect money. They don’t push religion (宗教). So what’s the point?
“ To see what happens,” said Liz. “ We simply enjoy life with open talk.”
Shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, they decided to walk from New York City to Washington, a 270-mile trip. They found they loved talking to people along the way and wanted to continue talking with strangers after their return.
“ It started as a crazy idea.” Liz said. “ We were so curious about all the strangers walking by with their life stories. People will talk to us about anything: their job, their clothes, their childhood experiences, anything.”
Denise wanted to talk about an exam she was about to take. She had stopped by for the second time in two days, to let the two listeners know how it went.
Marcia had led her husband to a serious disease. “That was very heavy on my mind.” Marcia said. “ To be able to talk about it to total strangers was very good,” she explained.
To celebrate a year of talking, the two held a get-together in a city park for all the people they had met over the past year. A few hundred people appeared, as well as some television cameramen and reporters.
They may plan more parties or try to attract more people to join their informal talks. Some publishers have expressed interest in a book, something the two say they’ll consider before making a decision.
56. What did Liz and Bill determined to do after the attack on September 11, 2001?
A. Telling stories to strangers. B. Setting up street signs.
C. Talking with peopleD. Organizing a speaker’s party.
57. What they have been doing can be described as ____________.
A. pointless (无意义的) B. normal
C. crazy D. successful
58. Why are Denise and Marcia mentioned in the text?
A. They knew Liz and Bill very well.
B. They happened to meet the writer of the text.
C. They organized the get-together in the city park.
D. They are examples of those who talked to Liz and Bill.
59. What will Liz and Bill do in the future?
A. Go in for publishing B. Do more television programs.
C. Continue what they are doing D. Spend more time reading books.
60. How do they like the idea of writing a book?
A. They have decided to wait a year or two. B. They will think about it carefully
C. They agreed immediately D. They find it hard to do that.
Active New Zealand
Adventure tours in New Zealand and South America
website: www.activenewzealand.com/
phone: 1-800-661-9073
Destinations: South Pacific, New Zealand, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica
Activities: Bicycling, Mountain, Road, Cross-Country/Touring, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Family, Scuba & Snorkeling, Rainforest, Wildlife, Walking
Adventure Life
Exceptional travel in Latin America and Antarctica
website: www.adventure-life.com/
phone: 1-800-344-6118
Destinations: Antarctica, South America, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Central America, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama
Activities: Kayaking, Rafting, Sea-kayaking, Hiking & Trekking, Backpacking, Exploring, Day hiking, Multisport, Cultural, Archaeological, Historical, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Rainforest, Wildlife, Eco-focused, Culture-focused, Expedition Cruising
Adventure Spirit / Travel Network
Adventure tour operator + Travel agency
website: www.adventurespirit.net.au/
phone: 800-492-0257
Destinations: Asia, Europe, South Pacific, Antarctica, Africa, South America, North America
Activities: Bicycling, Paddle sport, Snow sport, Hiking & Trekking, Caving, Family, Multisport, Cultural, Beach & Water sport, Scuba & Snorkeling, Nature, Photography, Safari, Geo-tourism, Fishing & Fishing Lodges, Sailing & Cruise, Other, Expedition Cruising, Space, Educational, Walking, Horseback/Dude Ranch, Self-Drive, Around the World Tours
53. Which of the following are NOT country names?
A. Argentina & Costa Rica B. Bolivia & Chile
C. Peru & New Zealand D. Safari & Scuba 
54. Which of the following statements is True according to the three advertisements?
A. If your are interested in history, you can click www.adventure-life.com/ for more information.
B. Both Travel Network and Adventure Life can take you to Africa.
C. If your want to enjoy Beach & Water sport, you can call 1-800-661-9073.
D. Active New Zealand can provide you adventure tours in New Zealand and Antarctica
55. If Jackson wants to travel around the world, he can call ___________.
A. 1-800-661-9073 B. 1-800-344-6118
C. 800-492-0257 D. none of the above
第三部分阅读技能（共两节，共16小题，满分26分）
第一节阅读理解（共12小题；每小题1.5分，满分18分）
One morning I was woken by my mother’s angry voice. I opened my eyes and found it was seven forty , so jumped out of bed and rushed to a nearby bus stop without breakfast. Fortunately the bus started going as soon as I got on it. I was sure I could reach the school before the bell rang.
However, the bus suddenly stopped. There was something wrong with it and we had to get off and wait for another one. I felt I couldn’t wait and the school was only fifteen minutes’ walk, so I ran to the school as fast as possible. Just at this moment, it began to rain hard.
I reached the classroom with all my clothes wet through. Mr. Smith, our physics teacher, had begun his class. I was always afraid of him. I hesitated (犹豫) for a moment, and then I opened the door.
“It’s you again, Jim,” Mr. Smith said angrily. “I’ve told you not to be late, but you...” Then he suddenly stopped when he noticed my wet clothes. He quickly took off his own jacket and asked me to put it on. “I don’t want you to catch a cold,” he said kindly. I went to my seat with Mr. Smith’s jacket on. It was a bit large for me but I felt very warm in it. I found, for the first time, Mr. Smith’s physics class so interesting and I changed my mind, there and then, about being afraid of him.
49. According to this passage, classes in Jim’s school probably began at _______.
A. 9 amB. 8 am C. 7 am D. 7:30 am
50. Why did Jim not open the door at first?
A. He was afraid of facing Mr. Smith.
B. He didn’t like to have the physics class.
C. Mr. Smith didn’t let him go into the classroom.
D. He didn’t want to interrupt others.
51. Jim found Mr. Smith’s physics lesson interesting that day because ________.
A. he knew physics was very important B. he wanted to go to a famous college
C. he didn’t want to fall behind the others D. he was moved by his physics teacher
52. We can infer from the passage that _______.
A. Jim usually went to school by bike B. it was the first time Jim had been late
C. Jim was often late for school D. Jim’s mother also got up late that morning
Most people seem to be passive at work. They do what they are told to do, and they don’t do what they are not told to do. In the end, one thing results: unmotivated (不积极的) people.
We’re employed to think. In fact, no matter how many times our bosses disagree with us, it is our responsibility to think for the company. There are lots of times when I disagree with my boss, and sometimes we even end up having arguments; however, I still offer my suggestions whenever I don’t agree.
Spending more time thinking also helps us to be more efficient (高效的) and helps to reduce our chances of frustration (挫败). Before I do something, I usually need some time to think about it to make sure that what I’m doing makes sense. This can be as long as a few days when a project is big, or as short as only a few seconds for a simple task. After thinking about a project, it sometimes becomes clear that a simple task could achieve the same result. In those cases, not only did I save myself from possible frustration, but I also felt happy and satisfied that I saved valuable resources for my company.
With so many people not taking time to think, it’s no wonder that many people are unmotivated. Today, I encourage you to think things over whenever you have a chance. At first, it might take a while, but once it becomes a habit, you will feel more motivated as you will be more valuable to the company.
57. It is suggested in the passage that people should _____.
A. stop arguing with their bosses B. seize every chance they meet
C. present views to their companiesD. avoid big projects
58. According to the passage, spending more time thinking _________.
A. is a waste of time and resources
B. can help people understand what others do
C. can help people impress their companies
D. is a good way to improve efficiency
59. The author wrote this passage to ________.
A. persuade people to do what they are not told to do
B. encourage people to be more motivated
C. show people how to give different opinions
D. tell people how to form good thinking habits.
60. It can be inferred from the passage that the author is ______ at work.
A. negative B. lazy C. positive D. powerful
High school students have always spread gossip(传言) in the halls, on the walls and on the phone. Now it’s on the Internet, too. On various message boards, kids write about whom they hate, whom they think have fallen in love with each other and record other often hurtful things that may or may not be true.
Sixteen- year-old Jessica remembers once when some kids at her school wrote cruel things about her on the web. “ They were just making fun of me,” she says. They said she’s really ugly, she’s this, she’s that, blah-blah-blah.
Jessica’s 11-year-old sister, Emma, admits she’s used the web to write bad things about another girl, though she regrets it now. “After a while, you may feel like, how could I have been so mean? Or, why did I do that?” she says.
Experts say gossip on the Inernet can be more harmful than the old fashioned kind. It lasts longer and is taken more seriously. And, unlike ugly words on the bathroom wall, there’s no way to get rid of it.
If your kids are victims of online gossip, Dr. Commanday suggests putting the gossip into perspective(正确看待). “Point out to them how what’s being said on the screen differs from what everyone knows about you as a person,” Dr. Commanday says.
You can also try what worked for Emma: Keep your kids off the offensive website! “ When she was using it all the time, her name was there all the time. People were writing things about her,” explains Patti Thrift, Emma’s mother, “ Since she has no longer had access to that, she’ s no longer a topic of conversation.”
Experts say that any time your child is on the Internet , you should know what he or she is doing there. Online gossip is just another reason why.
52. From the examples of Jessica and her sister, we can learn that ________.
A. ugly girls like to spread gossip online
B. ugly girls easily become victims of online gossip
C. gossip-makers can regret what they do
D. online gossip is mailny some jokes on others
53. According to the passage, why is online gossip more hurtful?
A. It can not be removed.B. It is written words.
C. It is much uglier.D. It is easier to believe.
54. If you are a victim of online gossip, you’d better_______
A. ask your parents to stop itB. try to stay away from there
C. make it known to the policeD. speak ill of the gossip-maker
55. The purpose of the passage is to _____
A. introduce different kinds of hurt students might meet with
B. advise students to keep away from the Internet
C. list the bad influence gossip on the Internet brings
D. give some tips on how to prevent hurt of gossip on the Internet
56. The passage is mainly written for____
A. experts B teachers C. parents D. students