It was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries.
Then one day. Some visitors from the city arrived. The told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frog’s legs. However, they did not have enough frogs of their own, and so they wanted to buy frogs from other place.
This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were no use to the villagers. All they had to do was catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent into the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money. For the first time, the people were able to dream of a batter future. But the dream didn’t last long.
The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and, there seemed to be more insects around lately.
The villagers decided that they couldn’t just wait to see the crops failing and the children getting weak. They would have to use the money earned to buy pesticides(杀虫剂) and medicines. Soon there was no money left.
Then the people realized what was happening. It was the frog. They hadn’t been useless. They had been doing an important job---eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, the insects were increasing more rapidly. They were damaging the crops and spreading diseases.
Now, the people are still poor. But in the evenings they sit in the village square and listen to sounds of insects and frogs. These sounds of the night now have a much deeper meaning. From paragraph I we learn that the villagers __________.
| A．worked very hard for centuries |
| B．dreamed of having a better life |
| C．were poor but somewhat content |
| D．lived a different life from their forefathers |
Why did the villagers agree to sell frogs?
| A．the frogs were easy money |
| B．They needs money to buy medicine |
| C．they wanted to please the visitors |
| D．the frogs made too much noise |
What might be the cause of the children’s sickness?
| A．the crops didn’t do well |
| B．there were too many insects |
| C．the visits brought in diseases |
| D．the pesticides were overused |
What can we infer from the last sentence of the text?
| A．Happiness comes from peaceful life in the country |
| B．Health is more important than money |
| C．The harmony between man and nature is important |
| D．good old day will never be forgotten |
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
A
If you are in charge of a project, the key to success is getting everyone to want to help you. As a director, I point, I suggest. I gently push the actors in the direction I want them to go. In the 1986 movie, “Nothing in Common”, Jackie Gleason’s character, Max Basner, gets fired from his job as a clothing salesman. The scene, shot on a boat, shows Max’s despair about being out of work. I was looking for some gesture that would allow Max to show his feelings.
Jackie had far more experience at everything than I did, and at first I was frightened. What could I possibly tell “The Great One” about acting? Finally I decided to direct by suggestion, and sat down with Gleason to talk about the scene. “So Max is sad, right?” I said.
Gleason nodded.
“And he’s probably still carrying his pens with name on them—the ones he used to hand out to his customers, right?”
Gleason nodded.
“So what would you want to do with the pens after you were fired?”
He was silent for a moment. “Why don’t I throw them overboard?”
I stood up and turned up and turned toward the crew. “Hey, everybody, Jackie has a wonderful idea. Let’s shoot it.”
After filming the scene, Gleason called me over and said with a smile. “Garry, what kind of wonderful idea am I going to have tomorrow?”
You and your team can discover the answers to problems together. When there are no prizes or gold stars for who gets the solution first, you’ll all benefit when everything turns out right.
61.According to the writer, to succeed in a project you are in charge of , you should______.
A. make everyone work for you B. get everyone willing to help
C. let people know you have the idea D. keep talking to them
62. “The Great One” in Paragraph 2 refers to______.
A. Gleason B. the director himself C. Max D. Max’s boss
63. After filming the scene, Gleason called the director over and smiled at him. That’s because Gleason________.
A. thought the director gave him a good idea
B. formed the habit of thinking of ideas while talking
C. was not confident about his acting
D. appreciated the director’s directing skill
64. The most suitable title for the passage is “_______”.
A. Directing a Film B. The Key to Success
C. A Wonderful Experience D. Working with Film
E
Abby Subark is a mother of two from Boston. “For my kids, I’m nervous. I don’t know if they’ll be able to achieve their American dream.” She may be right. More than hard work or education, the best way to get rich in America is to be born rich.
It is the case that somebody who is in the upper third of income, poor scores, in the bottom on tests when they are in eighth grade, is more likely to go to college and finish college than a poor kid with the top scores. That’s what the working persons’ children are faced with.
The Economic Policy Institute finds it would take a poor couple with 2 children 9 or 10 generations to achieve middle class status. That’s about 200 years. The typical feature of American opportunity has always been the ability to do better than your parents. But compared with similar developed countries, the United States ranks fifth out of six for so-called intergenerational mobility (变动).
If you look at the mechanisms (机制) for upward mobility that were so readily available 50 years ago, they are becoming out of reach, like plentiful factory jobs with good wages and affordable education and health care.
White families are twice as likely as blacks to be upwardly mobile. For most people in America today, where you end up depends on where you start.
If you started in the middle-income class, about 40 to 45 percent of what you are making right now is due to the fact that your parents were in the middle-income class. The rest is up to you.
But for the millions of people who find themselves below the poverty line and the millions more who are the working poor, their starting point for the American dream leaves them painfully far away from the middle class.
71. The main idea of the passage is _______.
A. How the middle class comes about in the U.S.
B. It’s hard to realize the American dream for the poor.
C. Wealth and social status depend on family background.
D. Upward mobility in America is never easy.
72.Which of the statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. People used to have job opportunities and welfare for upward mobility.
B. A great many poor people can hardly realize their American dream.
C. You can make all your dreams come true in America if born rich.
D. Rich kids are more likely to go to college than poor kids.
73. The underlined sentence “where you end up depends on where you start” most probably means _______.
A. Your starting point cannot determine your destination.
B. Only a high goal can ensure success.
C. One’s birth has nothing to do with his fate.
D. One’s family lays solid foundation for his future achievements.
74.Why is Abby Subark nervous?
A. Her kids don’t want to compare with other rich kids in achievements.
B. Her kids don’t want to achieve success at all.
C. Her kids can achieve success through hard work and education.
D. Her kids can’t reach their goal without a rich family.
75.What can we infer after reading the passage?
A. Poverty causes people much pain.
B. People below the poverty line can never be in the middle class.
C. Lower starting point makes it hard for people to realize their dream.
D. Poor people’s starting point is too low.
D
It was the afternoon of December 24, the day before Christmas, and as the newest doctor in our office, I had to work. The only thing that brightened my day was the beautifully decorated Christmas tree in our waiting room and a gift sent to me by a fellow I was dating—a dozen long-stemmed red roses.
As I was cleaning my office, I was told a lady urgently needed to speak with me. As I stepped out, I noticed a young, tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms. Nervously, she explained that her husband—a prisoner in a nearby prison—was my next patient. She told me she wasn’t allowed to visit her husband in prison and that he had never seen his son. Her request was for me to let the boy’s father sit in the waiting room with her as long as possible before I called him for his appointment. Since my schedule wasn’t full, I agreed. After all, it was Christmas Eve.
A short time later, her husband arrived—with chains on his feet and hands, and two armed guards as bodyguards. The woman’s tired face lit up like our little Christmas tree when her husband took a seat beside her. I kept glancing out to watch them laugh, cry and share their child. After almost an hour, I called the prisoner back to my office. The patient seemed like a gentle and modest man. I wondered what he possibly could have done to be held under such conditions. I tried to make him as comfortable as possible.
At the end of the appointment, I wished him a Merry Christmas—a difficult thing to say to a man headed back to prison. He smiled and thanked me. He also said he felt saddened by the fact that he hadn’t been able to get his wife anything for Christmas. On hearing this, I was inspired with a wonderful idea.
I’ll never forget the look on both their faces as the prisoner gave his wife the beautiful, long-stemmed roses. I’m not sure who experienced the most joy—the husband in giving, the wife in receiving, or myself in having the opportunity to share in this special moment.
67.What can be inferred from the first paragraph?
A. The writer was a newcomer to her office.
B. A fellow sent her a dozen red roses as Christmas present.
C. She was in low spirits because she had to work before Christmas.
D. She was at work with a light heart.
68. The young woman came to the writer’s office for the purpose of .
A. having her baby examined
B. giving her husband a chance to make his escape
C. having her husband examined
D. getting a chance for her family to get together
69.The underlined part in Paragraph 3 most probably means .
A. to be sent to hospital B. to be separated from his family
C. to be comfortable D. to become a prisoner
70. What does the writer learn from the story?
A. The wife experienced the most joy in receiving.
B. An act of kindness can mean a lot.
C. The prisoner was treated with mercy.
D. Whoever breaks the law should be punished.
C
I’m a pig, and my son is a rabbit. I have snakes for daughters, and my wife, believe it or not, is a dragon! Do I live in a zoo? No, of course not! I am talking about Chinese zodiac signs. Depending on the year of your birth, each person has an animal for a sign. That’s why I am a pig and my wife is a dragon. If you, like me, were born in the year of the pig, then you are brave, thoughtful and loyal. The year of the pig is filled with good fortune.
Now let’s take a closer look at this interesting animal.
Pigs were first raised by man about 9,000 years ago, and are still a very common farm animal in many parts of the world. We don’t just use pigs for their meat — almost every part of the animal is used. The hair is used for artists’ brushes. The fat is used to make floor wax, rubber and plastics.
Pigs have also been important in the world of entertainment. In 1995 the film ‘Babe’ starred a loveable talking pig as its main character. The film won an Oscar and was nominated for 6 more. In England you can even go to watch pig racing. A farmer, Rob Shepherd, has been raising money for charity by holding pig races on his farm. The events have been very successful. People don’t just want to eat pigs, it seems!
Pigs also play an important role in the English language. For example, if someone says that he will travel to the sun one day, you can say “pigs might fly!” to him. Hungry? Well then, you can “pig out” and eat lots of food. And what if someone rescues you? Well, you can say that they “saved your bacon”.
63. The writer wrote the first paragraph in a ______ tone.
A. sad B. confused C. serious D. humorous
64. We may know from the passage that ______.
A. people in England like pigs more than other animals
B. pigs are more useful than ordinary people imagine
C. pigs are the first animals raised by man
D. more people don’t want to eat pigs now
65. The underlined sentence “pigs might fly! ” in the fifth paragraph means ______.
A. What you have just said is impossible
B. Pigs are great animals
C. I don’t understand your words
D. I can’t agree with you more
66. Which diagram shows the structure of the passage?
A B C D
B
The Hollywood Reporter on Friday named Oprah Winfrey the most powerful woman in entertainment on its annual “Power 100 List”.
Winfrey, whose “Oprah” talk show began in national syndication 22 years ago, played a role in the victory of President-elect Barack Obama by praising him early in his run and by supporting him throughout the campaign.
Elizabeth Guider, editor of The Hollywood Reporter, remarked on Winfrey’s “great cultural influence” and said she could be “the most influential woman in America”.
Winfrey, 54, jumped from the No.6 spot on the entertainment trade paper’s 2007 list to No.1 this year. The Hollywood Reporter noted that a study by University of Maryland economists found Winfrey’s support for Obama won him more than l million votes nationwide.
Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Inc., made $ 345 million last year. She manages an empire that includes her TV show, a magazine and an online’ store.
Anne Sweeney, president of Disney-ABC Television Group, was given the No.2 spot on the list after coming in top a year ago. Sweeney manages her company’s news, entertainment and daytime divisions, along with its cable and publishing branches.
Amy Pascal, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, won the No.3 spot on the list.
Other women listed included actress Angelina Jolie, at No.24, who has strengthened her public image with charity efforts; comedian Tina Fey, No.51, in part for playing Sarah Palm, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, in wildly popular TV impersonations (扮演) during the election campaign; and 16-year-old pop star Miley Cyrus, who rounded out the list at No.100.
59. What did Elizabeth Guider think of Oprah Winfrey?
A. She played a great part in helping Obama winning the election.
B. She deserved to be the most powerful woman in politics.
C. She made a great contribution to American culture.
D. She managed her company’s news and entertainment programs very well.
60. Which of the following is true about Winfrey?
A. Her support for Obama helped him greatly in his winning the election.
B. She was once chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.
C. She rose to No. 2 on the entertainment trade paper’s 2007 list.
D. She was a Hollywood reporter 22 years ago.
61. What is Tina Fey famous for?
A. She supported pop star Miley Cyrus.
B; She played Sarah Palm in popular TV programs.
C. She made great efforts to help the needy.
D. She took over an empire that includes TV show, a magazine and an online store.
62. Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?
A. The Hollywood Reporter chose its 100 most powerful women.
B. How Hollywood helped Obama and Sarah Palm.
C. Harpo Inc, made $ 345 million last year.
D. Oprah Winfrey, the most powerful woman in entertainment.