Tokyo is one of those places that you can love and hate at the same time.
In Tokyo there are always too many people in the places where I want to be. Of course there are too many cars. The Japanese drive very fast when they can. But in Tokyo they often spend a long time in traffic jams. Tokyo is not different from London, Paris and New York in that. It is different when one wants to walk.
At certain times of the day there are a lot of people on foot in London's Oxford Street. But the streets near Ginza in Tokyo always have a lot of people on foot, and sometimes it is really difficult to walk. People are very polite; there are just too many of them.
The worst time to be in the street is at 1130 at night. That is when the nightclubs are closing and everybody wants to go home. There are 35 000 nightclubs in Tokyo, and you do not often see one that is empty.
Most people travel to and from work by train. Tokyo people buy six million train tickets every day. At most stations, trains arrive every two or three hours. There do not seem to be enough trains. Although they are usually crowded, Japanese trains are very good. They always leave and arrive on time. On a London train you would see everybody reading a newspaper. In Tokyo trains everybody in a seat seems to be asleep, whether his journey is long or short.
In Tokyo, I stood outside the station for five minutes. Three fire- engines raced past on the way to one of the many fires that Tokyo has every day. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now. Instead, I am surprised at myself：I must go there next year on business. I know I hate the overcrowded city. But I feel like a man who is returning to his long-lost love.Tokyo is different from London in that________.
| A．it has a larger population |
| B．there are more traffic jams |
| C．it is more difficult to go somewhere on foot |
| D．night clubs are sometimes empty |
Japanese trains________.
| A．often leave and arrive on time |
| B．are often crowded |
| C．are the main means people used to travel to and from work |
| D．all of the above |
Where can you find everybody reading a newspaper?
| A．At most London train stations. |
| B．At most Tokyo train stations. |
| C．On a Tokyo train. |
| D．On a London train. |
Fires break out ________in Tokyo according to the writer.
| A．quite frequently |
| B．only several times a day |
| C．not very often |
| D．very seldom |
Which of the following is NOT true about Tokyo?
| A．The streets become more crowded at 1130 at night. |
| B．There are more trains than cars. |
| C．Fire-engines are very busy in the city. |
| D．Tokyo people are friendly. |
A serious problem for today's society is who should be responsible for our elderly and how to improve their Lives．It is not only a financial problem but also a question of the system we want for our society．I would like to suggest several possible solutions to this problem．
First, employers should take the responsibility for their retired employees．To make this possible, a percentage of profits should be set aside for this purpose． But when a company must take life-long responsibility for its employees, it may softer from a commercial disadvantage due to higher employee costs．
Another way of solving the problem is to return the responsibility to the individual．This means each person must save during his working years to pay for his years of retirement．This does not seem a very fair model since some people have enough trouble paying for their daily life without trying to earn extra to cover their retirement years．This means the government might have to step in to care for the poor．
In addition, the government could take responsibility for the care of the elderly．This could be financed through government taxes to increase the level of pensions．Furthermore, some institution should be created for senior daises, which can help provide a comfortable life for them．Unfortunately, as the present situation in our country shows, this is not a truly viable answer．The government can seldom afford to care for the elderly, particularly when it is busy trying to care for the young．
One further solution is that the government or social organizations establish some working places especially for the elderly where they are independent.
To sum up, all these options have advantages and disadvantages．Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that some combination of these options may be needed to provide the care we hope to give to our elderly generations．What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The problems faced by the old in society． |
| B．Why we should take responsibility for the old． |
| C．How we can improve the lives of the old． |
| D．Where the old can go to get their pensions． |
According to the passage, how can the government help to improve the lives of retired people?
| A．Set aside some profits to help people with problems after they retire． |
| B．Increase savings levels of people during their working years． |
| C．Increase the discounts for food and transport for the old． |
| D．Make available pensions for those who have retired． |
The underlined word "viable" most probably means"_"．
| A．impossible | B．practical | C．useful | D．successful |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．Taking care of the old is mainly an issue of money． |
| B．Employers should allow their workers to retire at a later age． |
| C．Becoming independent should be the goal of most old people． |
| D．There is no single solution to the problems of the old． |
What is the writer's main purpose in writing this article?
| A．To point out the need for government support for old people． |
| B．To make general readers aware of the problems of retired people． |
| C．To discuss some possible solutions to an important social problem． |
| D．To instruct retired people on how they can have a happier life． |
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad．I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia．On the night we arrived, we discovered that "our family" was living in a trailer（活动房车） that was in poor conditions．A crew had been wolfing on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced．
We decided the only reasonable solution was to bridle a new house – something unusual but necessary under these circumstances．The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen．
On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family's three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, "What do you want for your new room?" Expecting toys and other gadgets that children suavity ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, "I just want a bed．"
The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats．That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift．On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding．
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise．We could hardly contain ourselves. It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning．
That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us．Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway．
As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, "What is that?"
"A pillow," he replied．
"What do you do with it?" Eric continued to ask
"When you go to sleep, you put your head on it," I answered softly．Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow．
"Oh．．．that's soft," he said, hugging it tightly．
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, "Do you have a pillow?"
We know exactly what he means．The author's first volunteer project was .
| A．working on a poor trailer |
| B．helping a poor family |
| C．donating beds and bedding |
| D．dealing with a housing problem |
On hearing Josh's answer, the author was shocked because .
| A．the family lived in a trailer |
| B．Josh didn't know what a bed was |
| C．Josh expected to get some toys |
| D．The boys had no bed to sleep in |
By "We could hardly contain ourselves．", the author means that they all
| A．felt confused | B．felt excited with joy |
| C．couldn't help laughing | D．failed to keep the secret |
From the passage, we can learn that what Eric had never seen before is .
| A．a trailer | B．a bed |
| C．a pillow | D．a truck |
From the last two paragraphs, the author's father means that
| A．what the author wants to get may be unnecessary |
| B．the author should not waste money on small things |
| C．the author should do more volunteer work for the poor |
| D．what he will buy is not what the author wants but a pillow |
The Museum: The Charles Dickens Museum in London is the world's most important collection of material relating to the great Victorian novelist and social commentator．The only surviving London home of Dickens （from 1837 until 1839） was opened as a museum in 1925 and is still welcoming visitors from all over the world．On four floors, visitors can see paintings, rare editions, manuscripts, original furniture and many items relating to the life of one of the most popular and beloved personalities of the Victorian age．
Opening Hours
◇ The Museum is open from Mondays to Saturdays 10:00-17:00; Sundays 11:00-17:00．
◇ Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time．
◇Special opening times can be arranged for groups, who may wish to book a private view．
Admission Charges: Adults: ￡5．00; Students: ￡4:00; Seniors: ￡4．00; Children: ￡3．00; Families:￡14．00（ 2 adults & up to five children）
Group Rates: For a group of 10 or more, a special group rate of ￡4．00 each applies．
Children will still be admitted for ￡3．00 each,
Access: We are constantly working to improve access to the Museum and its collection．Our current projects involve the fitting of a wheelchair ramp for better access, a customer care kit and an audio tour for visitors with impaired (受损的） vision．Our Handling Sessions are also suitable for the visually impaired．The Museum has developed an online virtual tour through the Museum．Click here to visit all the rooms in the Museum online．
Hire the Museum: The Museum can be hired for private functions, performances soirees（社交晚会）and many other social occasions．
Find Us: The Museum may be reached by using the following buses: 7, 17, 19, 38, 45,46, 55, 243．And by these underground services: Piccadilly Line; Central Line．For a map, please click here．The British Museum and the Foundling Museum are within walking distance．The passage is probably from a（n）.
| A．book | B．website | C．newspaper | D．announcement |
Compared to going there separately, if a family with two adults and five children go to the Museum together they will save
| A．￡25．00 | B．￡14．00 | C．￡ 9:00 | D．￡11．00 |
In the Charles Dickens Museum, people can not find .
| A．paintings | B．rare editions | C．manuscripts | D．cars |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The Museum is not very far from the British Museum． |
| B．In any case people cannot visit the Museum after 17:00． |
| C．Visitors with poor vision cannot enjoy the Museum． |
| D．Anyone cannot hire the Museum for other users． |
The passage is written to .
| A．persuade readers to visit London． |
| B．inform readers about the history of the Charles Dickens Museum． |
| C．offer readers some information about the Charles Dickens Museum． |
| D．tell readers how to make use of the Charles Dickens Museum． |
Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship; some give protection, and some do hard work which man cannot do for himself. Dogs, which serve man in all three capacities, are found in various species in all countries of the world. The Husky can live in the cold polar regions, and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa. The inhabitants of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous places, is a familiar sight.
Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require.
All domestic animals need proper food. It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps(剩饭), and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.
Even well cared for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free or at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health. What main idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?
| A．There exists thousands of species of animals in the world. |
| B．Man came to establish a close relationship with a number of animals. |
| C．In some regions a donkey seems to be a very useful beast. |
| D．An animal will be useless unless domesticated. |
When an animal doesn’t get enough food, it will probably _________.
| A．refuse to obey its master | B．immediately fall ill |
| C．require its master to offer some food | D．seek for food on its own |
Which of the following is NOT true of dogs according to the passage?
| A．They can act as friends, guards, and servants to man. |
| B．They have great adaptation for the environment. |
| C．There live a great variety of species of dogs on the globe. |
| D．The Husky and the Saluki are the strongest species ever known in the world. |
To keep a domestic animal physically fit, its owner is advised _________.
| A．not to hesitate to spend enormous amount of money on it |
| B．to pay attention to its proper feeding |
| C．not to allow it to take excessive amounts of exercise |
| D．to join some sort of pet-keeping organizations |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Domesticated Animals—Man’s Best Friends. |
| B．Proper Diet—the Road to Health. |
| C．The Advantages of Raising Domestic Animals. |
| D．Some Tips on Pet-keeping. |
Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries. Here is some information you may need.
| Name: Susan Lane Age: 22 Place: Reykjavik, Iceland, 2010. Cost: $7,000 Organization: AFS Experience: “I think it was a turning point in my life. I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.” |
| Name: Sara Small Age: 23 Place: Crivitz, Germany, 2012. Cost: $8,000 Organization: EF Foundation Experience: “I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends. I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it was worth it I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.” |
| Name: David Links Age: 16 Place: Stuttgart, Germany, 2012.. Cost: $6,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “I wanted to try something that was very different in culture. In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled. The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.” |
| Name: Tom Jennings Age: 21 Place: Conflans, France, 2011.. Cost: $7,000 Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange Experience: “There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture. You just have to play each situation as it comes. If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchahge program it is how to take care of yourself.” |
| Name: Linda Marks Age: 19 Place: Chonburi Province, Thailand, 2010. Cost: $3,500 Organization: Rotary International Experience: “There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more. I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.” |
According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost _________.
| A．from $6,000 to $8,000 | B．from $3,500 to $8,000 |
| C．anything from $3,500 | D．no more than $7,000 |
Which organization held more foreign exchanges?
| A．EF Foundation | B．AFS |
| C．Rotary International | D．SCCE |
The students who refer to both the good and bad times as an exchange student include _________.
| A．Susan Lane and Sara Small | B．Linda Marks and David Links |
| C．Tom Jennings and Linda Marks | D．Susan Lane and Tom Jennings |
As a result of his experience in the foreign exchange program Tom Jennings learnt to become _________.
| A．independent and adaptable | B．determined and independent |
| C．selfish and defensive | D．defensive and determined |
If a student wanted to take part in a foreign exchange program, but had not enough money, then the best place would be _________.
| A．Iceland and America | B．Thailand and France |
| C．Germany and Iceland | D．Germany and Thailand |