The new high-speed railway line between Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur self-governing region，and Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province，has cut train travel time by half to less than 12 hours.
The dramatic improvement will benefit many families planning reunions for Spring Festival.
“For the first time，I feel home is not that far away after all，”said Liang Shaofu as he boarded a high-speed train in Urumqi with six members of his family．
The 35-year-old left Lanzhou to set up a dry fruit business in Xinjiang eight years ago，and he has now settled in Urumqi．
The 1,776-km line, which passes through Qinghai province and is the country’s first high-speed railway to be built in a high-altitude region, came into service on Dec 26.
“We normally drive home for Spring Festival to avoid the difficulties of buying seven train tickets for the whole family during the peak season.” Liang said. “Driving can be very tiring and dangerous sometimes，so one year we even decided not to go back to Lanzhou simply to avoid the trip.”
More than 600,000 passengers traveled on the line during its first month，and the Urumqi Railway Bureau said the introduction of high-speed services will ease transport pressure during the Spring Festival peak season.
The existing usual railway line could no longer support Xinjiang’s development. All passenger trains will gradually shift to the new link，leaving the old one to be used for goods. As a result，Xinjiang’s annual goods ability could reach 200 million metric tons from the current 70 million．
The line passes through areas that experience high winds, and it also crosses parts of the deserted Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the bone-dry sands of the Gobi Desert．
The project could help China to promote its high-speed railway technology abroad，said Ma Xi zhang, director of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang railway project’s management department in Xinjiang.How long did it take to go from Urumqi to Lanzhou by the usual train before?
| A．about 12 hours | B．About 6 hours |
| C．About 18 hours | D．About 24 hours |
What’s the main advantage of the new high-speed railway?
| A．It takes more time to go to Urumqi to Lanzhou. |
| B．It will be more convenient for people all over the country to Xinjiang. |
| C．All the people in Lanzhou can return home on festivals. |
| D．It helps to improve Xinjiang’s development. |
From the passage we can learn________.
| A．Xinjiang’s annual goods ability can increase nearly four times |
| B．the new railway technology may help more railway lines to be built abroad |
| C．the high-speed railway lines can’t be built across the bone-dry sands |
| D．the old railway lines can only carry goods now |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The new high-speed railway line is good for all people to go home. |
| B．The new high-speed railway line benefits businessmen to carry goods. |
| C．Taking the new train is safer than driving home from Urumqi to Lanzhou. |
| D．Businessmen seldom went home for Spring Festival before. |
Taiwan will finalize a plan by the end of June to open up the island to tourists from mainland China, though no date has been fixed for formal implementation（执行）, an official at the Mainland Affairs Council（MAC）said on Monday．
The official said the reports in the local press on Monday that the MAC has dec
ided to postpone its plan to announce the implementation of the new plan on July 1 were inaccurate．
The official said cooperation between different organizations was still underway．The United Daily news quoted the director of the MAC’s legal affairs department, Liu Thehsun, as saying the plan to open up to mainland tourists would not be implemented as scheduled due to a lack of cross-strait communication．
Although relevant authorities, including the Bureau of Immigration and the Tourism Bureau, have complete reports on how to deal with visitors from mainland China, the decision has been taken not to press, ahead with announcement of the plan’s implementation on the first of July, Liu was quoted as saying．
The report also said that while no restrictions would be imposed on the mainland visitors in terms of age or residence in China, the visitors would need to hold a steady job or have more than 50,000RMB（about 6,000, U．S．dollars）in bank savings before they would be eligible（有资格的）to visit Taiwan．
In addition, Taiwan bound mainland tourists would have to come as part of a tour group and would be allowed to stay a maximum of 10 days each time．
The number of mainland tourists allowed to enter the island would also initially be limited to 1,000 people a day．
Although most people from Taiwan are free to travel to China, only a small number of mainland Chinese have been able to visit the island due to restrictions imposed by both sides of the Taiwan Strait after the end of a civil war in 1949．At the moment, according to the passage, ___________．
| A．no mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now |
| B．any mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now |
| C．many mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949 |
| D．a few mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949 |
When Taiwan opens up the island to tourists from mainland China,_____________．
A．there will be no restr ictions to mainland visitors |
| B．mainland visitors who want to travel in Taiwan must have at least ￥50,000 in the bank savings account |
| C．there will be no age restrictions to the mainland visitors |
| D．mainland visitors will be free to travel to Taiwan |
We can infer from the passage that ______get（s）involved in the implementation of the plan．
| A．MAC | B．United Daily |
| C．several organizations | D．Bureau of Immigration |
Which of the following statement is TRUE?
| A．The implementation of the plan has not been fixed． |
| B．It was originally fixed on July 1 to announce the plan’s implementation． |
| C．For lack of cross-strait communication, the plan will not be officially completed until July． |
| D．When the plan is finalized, it will be announced immediately． |
Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours. This kind of loneliness is not serious. In fact, it is quite normal. For some people, though, loneliness can last for yeas. Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness.
The first kind of loneliness is temporary（暂时的）. This is the most common type. It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention. The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation-for example, family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place. Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it usually does not last for more than a year.
The third kind of loneliness is the most severe. Unlike the second type, chronic（长期的）usually lasts more than two years and has no specific cause. People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others. Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition.
Psychologists agree that one important factor in loneliness is a person's social contacts, e.g. friends, family members, co-workers, etc. we depend on various people for different reasons. For instance, our families give us emotional support, our parents and teachers give us guidance, and our friends share similar interests and activities. However, psychologists have found that, though lonely people may have many social contacts, they sometimes feel they should have more. They question their popularity.
Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons: they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease. While temporary and situational loneliness can be normal, healthy part of life, chronic loneliness can be a sad, and sometimes dangerous condition.How would you treat temporary loneliness according to the passage?
| A．Talk to friends | B．Just ignore it |
| C．Go to see a doctor | D．Ask your teachers for guidance |
"It" in the last sentence of the second paragraph refers to _____.
A. temporary loneliness B. situational loneliness
C. a new place D sleeplessnessThe topic of the 4th paragraph is that____.
| A．one problem of loneliness is a person's social contacts |
| B．we depend on various person for different reasons |
| C．lonely people don't have many social problems |
| D．lonely people don't have many friends |
Why do psychologists want to help chronically lonely people?
| A．Chronic loneliness can cause family problems | B．Chronic loneliness can cause serious illness |
| C．Chronic loneliness can not be overcome | D．A, B and C are all correct |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Three Kinds of Loneliness | B．Loneliness and Diseases |
| C．Loneliness and Social Contacts | D．Chronic Loneliness |
Laptop（便携式）computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptop connect people to their work place. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do school work anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1,500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are a part of a $10million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to "speak" with their tethers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fa
st-food restaurant or under the trees-anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State Officials also are testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use the computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, "Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we're giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything. "The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to____.
| A．use for their schoolwork | B．access the Internet |
| C．work at home | D．connect them to libraries |
Why is the word "speak" in the second paragraph in quotation mark(引号)?
| A．They don't really talk | B．They use the computer language |
| C．Laptops have speakers | D．None of the above reasons is correct |
Which of the following is true about Westlake College?
| A．All teachers use computers | B．1,500 students have lapt ops |
| C．It is an old college in America | D．Students there can do everything |
A window on the world in the last paragraph means that students can____.
| A．attend lectures on information technology | B．travel around the world |
| C．get information from around the world | D．have free laptops |
What can we infer（推断）passage?
| A．The program is successful | B．The program is not workable |
| C．The program is too expensive | D．We don't know the result yet |
I came to study in the United States a year ago. Yet I did not know the American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor-and go to court（法庭）.
After the accident, my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I'd have to have a good lawyer. Now that he had helped me to find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every time I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time. The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
My lawyer was all smil
es the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. he knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss（解雇）him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time, … and I left without getting a cent.
My experiences taught me two things about America: firstly, in a country like America money is everything. It is more important than friendship honour or professional morality（职业道德）. Secondly, foreigners are still being unfairly treated. So when we talk about America, we should see both its good and bad sides.The author's roommate offered to help him because_____.
| A．he felt sorry for the author |
| B．he thought it was a chance to make some money |
| C．he knew the doctor was a very good one |
| D．he wanted the author to have a good lawyer |
A good doctor is essential for the author to____.
| A．be properly treated |
| B．talk with the person responsible for the accident |
| C．recover before he leaves America |
| D．eventually get the responsible party to pay for his injury |
The word " charge " in the passage means____.
| A．be responsible | B．accuse | C．ask as a price | D．claim |
Both the doctor and the lawyer in this passage are very___.
| A．friendly | B．greedy | C．professional | D．busy |
What conclusion can you draw from this story?
| A．Going to court is something every common in America |
| B．One must be very careful while driving a car |
C．There are more bad sides in America than good sides |
| D．Money is more important than other things in the US |
The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other for ever. He sent camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him.
The next morning he said to the men, "Have you provided me with that sunset? "
"No, Sir," the men answered.
The director was angry. "Why not? " he asked.
"Well, Sir, " one of the men answered, "we are on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset."
"But I want a sunset!" the director shouted. "Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one. "
But then a young secretary had an idea. "Why don't you photograph a sunrise, " she suggested, "and then play it backwards? Then it'll look like a sunset."
"That's a very good idea! " the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, "Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea. "
The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay（海湾）. Then at nine o'clock they took it to the director. "Here it is, Sir, " they said, and give it to him. He was very pleased.
They all went into the studio（摄影棚）. "All right, " the director explained, "now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the 'sunset' behind them. "
The "sunset" began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.
The birds in the file were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach.One evening, the director sent his camera crew out____.
| A．to watch a beautiful sunset | B．to find an actor and an actress |
| C．to film a scene on the sea | D．to meet the audience |
Why did the director want to send his crew to the west c
oast?
| A．Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset | B．Because he was angry about his crew |
| C．Because it was his secretary's suggestion. | D．Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The crew had to follow the secretary's advice. |
| B．If you want to see a sunrise, the east coast is a place to go. |
| C．The camera crew wasn't able to film the scene the first day |
| D．The director ordered his crew to stop filming the "sunset" |
The director wanted to film a sunset over the ocean because_____.
| A．it went well with the separation of the hero and heroine |
| B．when they arrived at the beach it was already in the evening |
| C．it was more moving than a sunrise |
| D．the ocean looked more beautiful at sunset |
After the "sunset" began, the director suddenly put his face in his hands____.
| A．because he was moved to tears |
| B．as he saw everything in the film moving backwards |
| C．as the sunrise did not look as beautiful as he had imagined |
| D．because he was disappointed with the performance of the hero and the heroine |