The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of 2 September 1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were wooden and close together. One hundred thousand people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window in the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire. People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat.
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect, wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow; but he did build more than fifty churches, among them was new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that ______.
| A．many famous buildings were destroyed |
| B．the birds in the sky were killed by the fire |
| C．some people lost their lives |
| D．the King's bakery was burned down |
Why did the writer cite (引用)Samuel Pepys’ words?
| A．Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire. |
| B．Because Pepys also wrote about the fire. |
| C．To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire. |
| D．To show that poor people suffered most. |
How was the fire put out according to the text?
| A．Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down. |
| B．All the wooden houses in the city were destroyed. |
| C．People managed to get enough water from the river. |
| D．The king and his soldiers came to help. |
Which of the following were reasons for the rapid spread (扩散)of the big fire?
(a) There was a strong wind.
(b) The streets were very narrow.
(c) Many houses were made of wood.
(d) There was not enough water in the city.
(e) People did not discover the fire earlier.
| A．(a) and (b) |
| B．(a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) |
| C．(a), (b), (c) and (d) |
| D．(a), (b) and (c) |
So long as teachers fail to distinguish between teaching and learning，they will continue to undertake to do for children that which only children can do for themselves.Teaching children to read is not passing reading on to them.It is certainly not endless hours spent in activities about reading.Douglas insists that “reading cannot be taught directly and schools should stop trying to do the impossible”．
Teaching and learning are two entirely different processes.They differ in kind and function.The function of teaching is to create the conditions and the climate that will make it possible for children to devise the most efficient system for teaching themselves to read.Teaching is also public activity.It can be seen and observed.
Learning to read involves all that each individual does to make sense of the world of printed language.Almost all of it is private, for learning is an occupation of the mind，and that process is not open to public scrutiny.
If teacher and learner roles are not interchangeable，what then can be done through teaching that will aid the child in the quest(探索)for knowledge? Smith has one principal rule for all teaching instructions.“Make learning to read easy, which means making reading a meaningful，enjoyable and frequent experience for children.”
When the roles of teacher and learner are seen for what they are，and when both teacher and learner fulfill them appropriately，then much of the pressure and feeling of failure both is eliminated.Learning to read is made easier when teachers create an environment where children are given the opportunity to solve the problem of learning to read by reading.The problem with the reading course as mentioned in the first paragraph is that ________.
| A．it is one of the most difficult school courses |
| B．students spend endless hours in reading |
| C．reading tasks are assigned with little guidance |
| D．too much time is spent in teaching about reading |
The teaching of reading will be successful if________.
| A．teachers can improve conditions at school for the students |
| B．teachers can enable students to develop their own way of reading |
| C．teachers can devise the most efficient system for reading |
| D．teachers can make their teaching activities observable |
The underlined word “scrutiny” most probably means “________”．
| A．inquiry | B．observation | C．control | D．suspicion |
Here's an unusual story：a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician，Liu Qian，discovered it，in front of an audience of millions at CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. Liu's magic tricks have made the centuriesold art of magic fashionable once again，and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan，Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States，Japan，South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people's love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction (互动) with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship (演出技巧)．
“It's actually thinking rather than one's manipulation (操作) skills that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively，to make them appear more interesting.”Liu said.
Liu Qian's success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan，he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12，he won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest，which was judged by the great American magician，David Copperfield.
Yet，Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur (业余的) magician in his spare time. However，his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To refine his performing skills，he has performed on streets，roads and fields for passersby，policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds，”Liu said.The story is about ________.
| A．Liu Qian's experiences of becoming a great magician |
| B．why people love magic |
| C．what magic tricks are |
| D．how fashionable magic is |
People love to watch magic because ________.
| A．they can't figure out the secret of magic |
| B．it makes them happy |
| C．they love watching magicians make something impossible happen |
| D．it is a centuriesold art |
Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
| A．He was interested in magic when he was young. |
| B．He had won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest. |
| C．He became an amateur magician in his spare time. |
| D．He couldn't find an acceptable job after graduation. |
From the story we know that ________.
| A．Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions |
| B．Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic show |
| C．Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame |
| D．Liu Qian does street show to make money |
Getting a good education is more important today than ever before. It is the best thing you can do to build a better future for your children and yourself.
Most children in Canada attend public schools. Public schools are completely founded by governments through tax (税收) income. Boys and girls attend the same school and share the same courses and classes. Schooling in Canada is provided in English and in French.
The rest of Canadian children attend private schools，which are supported mainly by fees (费) paid directly by parents. Some private schools enroll (招收) only boys or girls.
By law，children must attend school from age 5 to 16.Children are usually in school between 8：30 or 9：00 a．m.，and 3：00 or 4：00 p．m.Monday through Friday，from September to the middle of June. There are several different levels in the Canadian education system. The first is called Elementary Schools. In most provinces Elementary Schools include Kindergarten through Grade 7 or 8.
From Grade 8 or 9 through 12 or 13，children go to Secondary School or High School. High School students must take certain courses for several years，such as English or French and mathematics. Some courses help students get a job after they graduate from school. Other courses prepare students for college or university. In Canada，teenagers usually make these choices for themselves，with the advice of their teachers，guidance counselor (指导教师) and parents.
Schools usually offer extra activities at the end of the normal school day. These include sports，games，music and clubs.
Most elementary and high schools encourage parents to take part in school activities. Parents' nights are organized from time to time. These are chances for parents to discuss their children's progress with teachers. You may wish to bring a friend with you. After graduating from high school，many young adults continue their studies through postsecondary education.According to the passage，students in Canada can get education for free in ________.
| A．private schools | B．universities |
| C．public schools | D．community (社区) college |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Most high school students choose their courses against their wills. |
| B．The students do their afterclass activities all the afternoon. |
| C．Parents are allowed to take part in school activities in the morning. |
| D．If you don't send your fiveyearold child to school in Canada—you break the law in Canada. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．There are only boys in some private schools. |
| B．There are only boys in some public schools. |
| C．There are both boys and girls in some private schools. |
| D．There are both boys and girls in all public schools. |
We can tell that from the middle of June to August，the students in Canada are ________.
| A．on school holidays |
| B．in school |
| C．at work |
| D．preparing for the final examination |
On October 12,1989，some British scientists were working at the computers to look for the information they needed.Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright points crossing the computer screens.At the same time the computers were working much slower.To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers.To their horror，they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of by computer viruses(病毒)！Clearly all these computers had been infected by computer viruses.
It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young men fond of playing tricks.They all had excellent education.They created the viruses just to show their intelligence. These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem Viruses.These viruses can stay in computers for a long time.When the time comes they will attack(袭击)the computers by lowering the functions，damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information.
We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Friday and that they are spreading(传播)to a lot of computers.Among the countries that were attacked by computer viruses last year are Britain，Australia，Switzerland and the U．S.But till now，how to get rid of the terrible viruses remains a problem.When the viruses attack the computers，the computers will work________.
| A．normally | B．slowly | C．faster | D．well |
The group of young men created the viruses to________.
| A．damage the computers |
| B．test their ability |
| C．tell people that they were intelligent |
| D．play a trick on users of the computers |
According to the passage，computer viruses seem to ________.
| A．have been in nature for years |
| B．stay in any computers |
| C．be difficult to get rid of at present |
| D．be able to be got rid of in the near future |
According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Last year six countries found their computers were infected by viruses. |
| B．The viruses will come to a new computer after staying in the old one for some time. |
| C．Scientists are trying to find a way to get rid of the viruses. |
| D．The Jerusalem Viruses are dangerous to human health. |
Having finished her homework，Ma Li wants some music for relaxation(娱乐)．As usual，she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.Come to download music files.But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs'copyright bursts onto the screen.The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright.Lawsuits(诉讼)have been filed against four websites offering free downloads.In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation(赔偿)for their losses.Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website.This caused a heated discussion on Internet file sharing.
“Baidu's defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying.Downloaders may face lawsuits or fines，”said an official.
Like many teens，Huang Ruoru，an 18yearold girl from Puning in Guangdong Province，doesn't think that getting music from websites is wrong.She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends.When told about the lawsuit，she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others' work without paying.
However，other teenagers have different ideas.Wang Yafei，a Senior 2 girl from Jinan，Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers.“If I download a song and really like it，I will buy the CD，”she said.“So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music，rather than pursuing(追赶，追击)filesharers.”Which of the following best describes the passage?
| A．Music on the Internet is of better quality. |
| B．Downloading material can be illegal. |
| C．It's good to get free music on the Internet. |
| D．Baidu is a popular Web company. |
The four Web companies were put to court because ________.
| A．they got copyrighted songs without paying |
| B．they downloaded copyrighted music for people |
| C．they make copyrighted files for free downloads |
| D．they offer free music on line |
How do some of the teenagers feel while downloading free music after the lawsuits?
| A．A bit guilty. | B．A little sad. |
| C．Extremely angry. | D．Awfully sorry. |