At the beginning of the World Series of 1947，I experienced a completely new emotion，when the National Anthem was played． This time，I thought，it is being played for me，as much as for anyone else．This is organized major league baseball，and I am standing here with all the others；and everything that takes place includes me.
About a year later，I went to Atlanta，Georgia，to play in an exhibition game．On the field，for the first time in Atlanta，there were Negroes and whites．Other Negroesbesides me．And I thought: What I have always believed has come to be.
And what is it that I have always believed？ First，that imperfections are human．But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think，those imperfections would disappear，no matter how slowly．I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection．That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events．Handicaps，stumbling blocks，prejudices — all of these are imperfect．Yet，they have to be dealt with because they are in the scheme of human events.
Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder．But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all，except that I was sustained by the personal and deep-rooted belief that my fight had a chance．It had a chance because it took place in a free society．Not once was I forced to face and fight an immovable object．Not once was the situation so cast-iron rigid that I had no chance at all．Free minds and human hearts were at work all around me；and so there was the probability of improvement．I look at my children now，and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices.
But I can tell them，too，that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them．And to myself I can say that，because progress is unalterable，many of today's dogmas （教条）will have vanished by the time they grow into adults．I can say to my children: There is a chance for you．No guarantee，but a chance．And this chance has come to be，because there is nothing static with free people．There is no Middle Ages logic so strong that it can stop the human tide from flowing forward． I do not believe that every person，in every walk of life，can succeed in spite of any handicap．That would be perfection．But I do believe — and with every fiber in me — that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us （no matter how slowly） the dogmas of the past: to discover the truth of today；and perhaps find the greatness of tomorrow.
I believe in the human race．I believe in the warm heart．I believe in man's honesty．I believe in the goodness of a free society．And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it — and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist．My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball．This was the area where I found imperfection，and where I was best able to fight．And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight．It couldn't be a losing fight-not when it took place in a free society．And in the largest sense，I believe that what I did was done for me — that it was my faith in God that sustained me in my fight．And that what was done for me must and will be done for others.Why did the author say he had experienced a completely new emotion？
| A．Because he won game. |
| B．Because he was an American. |
| C．Because he could compete in the game and won the game. |
| D．Because the National Game was played for him. |
From the passage，we know that the author is ___________．
| A．an African |
| B．a Chinese |
| C．a white man |
| D．a black man |
The author firmly believed that____________.
| A．humans are imperfect if they all unite together to overcome the difficulties. |
| B．humans needn't approach perfect even if they can. |
| C．humans should face the obstacles and fight for it bravely. |
| D．humans are becoming kind and honest if they have freedom. |
We can infer from the passage that_________.
| A．the fight between Negroes and Whites never ends |
| B．the civil war broke out because the Negroes fought for their freedom |
| C．In the past Negroes were kept out of baseball. |
| D．the fight ended up with a game. |
The underlined word ‘vanished’most probably means __________
| A．disappear |
| B．increase |
| C．appear |
| D．happen |
The best title of this passage may be_________.
| A．Nothing matters except fighting |
| B．Success lies in hard work |
| C．freedom iseverything |
| D．Free Minds and Hearts makes a difference |
WHAT happens to a teenage kid when the world he thought he knew suddenly changes? Find out in Little Brother by American author Cory Doctorow． It is a fascinating book for a new generation of sci-fi readers．
Marcus Yallow, 17, from San Francisco is much more comfortable in front of a computer than obeying the rules of society． Smart, fast and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting （骗过） his high school's monitoring system． This way he and his friends get to head off to play a popular online game in real life．
While they are playing, a bomb explodes on the Bay Bridge． Marcus stops a military vehicle to get help for his injured friend, but this simple act throws him into a Department of Homeland Security （DHS） secret prison． There he is treated as a possible terrorist． He is eventually let go after four days, but his injured friend disappears．
When he returns, Marcus discovers that there are many "security measures" in place and that now all citizens are treated like potential terrorists． While some consider this government action necessary for public safety, Marcus sees this as a complete destruction of the rights he is supposed to have as a citizen．
He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him with only one thing to do: to take down the DHS himself． He helps organize a large network called Xnet to spread the truth, anonymously （匿名地）．
The book presents a young man who is irresponsible, but learns about himself, and grows, in the course of the story． As part of this learning and growing he becomes aware of very serious issues about his society． What kind of article does this passage belong to?
| A．A fascinating story． | B．A book review． |
| C．News report | D．A TV programme |
The underlined word destruction in the passage means ．
| A．damage | B．reward | C．ruin | D．protection |
Marcus Yallow was sent to prison because ．
| A．he killed his friend |
| B．he bombed a military vehicle |
| C．he did something that a possible terrorist could do |
| D．his injured friend disappeared |
From the second paragraph we can infer that ．
| A．Marcus Yallow is much more comfortable obeying the rules of society |
| B．Marcus Yallow is smart, fast and wise in real life |
| C．Marcus Yallow always plays online games in real life |
| D．Marcus Yallow is expert at the network world |
In the end of the book, Marcus Yallow ．
| A．is supposed to be more irresponsible |
| B．becomes aware of very serious issues about his society |
| C．presents a young man who is irresponsible |
| D．plays a popular online game in real life |
In many parts of the world cars play an essential role in daily life and many societies would stop to function without them. So the claim that in 20 years’ time no one will own cars may be hard to believe. But this is the prediction made by a team of transport researchers who are taken seriously not only by governments but also by car manufacturers.
The Human Science and Advanced Technology Institute at Loughborough in the UK is part of an international research program. The team there believes that by 2020 all cars will be computerized, which will mean extremely large fuel savings, no accidents and better use of roads. The super-intelligent car of the 21st century will drive itself and it will not be owned by on individual. Instead, we will have a choice of cars and change them as frequently as we change our clothing.
According to Dr. David Davis, who leads the research team, these predictions are based on the rising cost of the car culture ,which had blocked up our cities, polluted our air and caused more deaths than both world wars put together.
Davis says cars will be fitted with intelligent cruise control devices to regulate the distance between one car and another. Brakes and accelerators (加速器) will become redundant（多余的） because the car will automatically speed up or slow down to match the speed of the car in front. Computers are much safer drivers than people, so cars in a road train will be able to drive much closer together than cars driven by people.
By 2010 Dr. David Davis believes car technology will give motorists a clear view of the road whatever the weather conditions by projecting an image of the road ahead onto the car’s windscreen. And by 2020 cars will travel in convoy linked to each other electronically. Cars will be connected by an electronic tow(牵引) bar to the car in front to form “road-trains”. “The front vehicle in such a train burns the ordinary fuel” says Davis. “But all the 
others in the train would burn about ten percent of the normal amount and so produce about ten percent of the pollution.We know from the passage that governments and car manufactures ________.
| A．don’t believe the prediction that no one will own cars by 2020. |
| B．are devoted to the technological innovation (创新) in car industry. |
| C．consider the predictions made by the researchers seriously. |
D．have put the super-intelligent car into mass production. |
Which of the following will NOT be the characteristics of the cars of 2020 ?
| A．There will be no brake and accelerator in cars. |
| B．We will own as many cars as we want . |
| C．All cars will be driven by computers. |
| D．Car accident will no longer happen. |
The expression closest in meaning to the underlined phrase “ in convoy”(Para 5) is ______.
| A．in line | B．sidelong | C．side by side | D．next to one another |
What will happen if cars are linked to each other electronically in 2020 ?
| A．Motorists will get a clear view of the road. |
| B．The weather conditions won’t have effect on motorists. |
| C．There will be a decrease in the pollution caused by car . |
| D．All trains will burn less fuel than present. |
Drunken driving — sometimes called America’s socially accepted form of murder — has become a national epidemic (流行病). Every hour of every day about three Americans on avera
ge are killed by drunken drivers, adding up to an incredible 250,000 over the past ten years. A drunken driver is usually referred to as one with 0.10-blood alcohol content or roughly three beer glasses of wine or shots of whisky drunk within two hours. Heavy drinking used to be an acceptable part of the American manly image and judges were lenient in most courts, but the drunken killing has recently caused so many well-publicized tragedies, especially concerning young children, that public opinion is no longer so tolerant.
Twenty states have raised the legal drinking age to 21, reversing a trend in the 1960s to reduce it to 18. After New Jersey lowered it to 18, the number of people killed by 18-20 years old drivers more than doubled, so the state recently upped it back to 21.
Reformers, however, fear raising the drinking age will have little effect unless accompanied by educational programs to help young people to develop “responsible attitudes” about drinking and teach them to resist peer pressure to drink.
Though new laws have led to increased arrests and tests in many areas already, to a marked decline in accidents, some states are also punishing bars for serving customers too many drinks. A bar in Massachusetts was fined for serving six or more double brandies to a customer who was “obviously drunk” and later drove off the road, killing a 9-year-old boy.
As the accidents continue to occur daily in every state, some Americans are even beginning to speak well of the 13 years national prohibition of alcohol that began in 1919, which President Hoover called the “noble experiment”. They forgot that legal prohibition didn’t stop drinking, but encouraged political corruption（腐败) and organized crime. As with the booming drug trade generally, there is no easy solution. What can be inferred from the fact of the traffic accidents in New Jersey?
| A．many drivers were not of legal age. |
| B．young drivers were often bad drivers. |
| C．Drivers should not be allowed to drink. |
| D．the legal drinking age should be raised. |
The underlined word “lenient” in the first paragraph mea
ns “_________”.
| A．serious | B．cruel | C．merciful | D．determined |
In America, public opinion about drunken driving has changed because __________.
| A．judges are giving more severe sentences |
| B．new laws are introduced in some states |
| C．the news media have highlighted the problem |
| D．drivers are more conscious of their image |
Why is the problem of drinking and driving difficult to solve？
| A．Because alcohol is easily obtained. |
| B．Because drinking is linked to organized crime. |
| C．Because legal prohibition has already failed. |
| D．Because making laws alone is not sufficient. |
A long weekend is a great opportunity to do something a little different. Many people use a long weekend for a getaway, a short trip to leave the stress of their everyday lives behind and explore, learn, or relax.
Hotel Romance
Many hotels and resorts feature something special to start the getaway, such as champagne, flowers, or a fruit basket in the room on arrival. Getaway packages usually include a room with something special, a heart shaped bed, for example. Additional benefits could be room service meals or other private dining, plus tickets or discounts for local attractions.
Visit a Spa
Spa getaways can take place at a location that focuses only on spa services or at a hotel that offers a spa as one of its features. Some spas emphasize treatments fit for their geographic area or a local attraction. A spa in a grape growing region might provide grape juice masks, or a hotel near a hot spring could offer mineral baths. Most spas offer a range of ma
ssage, health and beauty treatments, so a spa getaway can be relaxing with other benefits.
Learn a Skill
A long weekend may not be enough time to become an expert at something new, but it provides a way for people to begin their explorations. Some organizations offer intensive courses that last two or three days. People with special interests can get away from their routines while learning such things as how to make beer, speak a new language, or take better photos.
Help Others
Some organizations cooperate with businesses to have accommodations (住宿) and activities for short-term volunteers. Most volunteer vacations involve ecology friendly or charity activities. A volunteer getaway is a way to relieve stress and help others at the same time.
Stay in a National Park
For those who want to relax in a rural environment, a national park fits the bill. Most national parks provide camping areas for tents and trailers. Several have cabins (小屋) within the parks available to rent. A getaway to a national park provides privacy, stress relief, and the time to get to know some important natural resources.The underlined word getaway in this passage most probably means.
| A．exploration | B．location | C．vacation | D．activity |
It can be learned from the text that.
| A．spas are offered in the tourist attractions all over the country |
| B．intensive courses of some organizations help people get away from home |
| C．helping others at weekend makes people feel free and relaxed |
| D．people may get close to nature in a national park |
Which of the following can be rented in a national park?
| A．Cabins. | B．Trailers. | C．Camping area. | D．Privacy. |
The best title of the passage can be.
| A．Away from Our Busy Work | B．Good Ways to Relieve Stress |
| C．Enjoy Life and Help Others | D．Long Weekend Getaway Ideas |
When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. He never yelled at us for playing in his yard. I remember him as someone who was a lot nicer than most of the adults in our community.
When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t saving lives, he was planting trees. His house sat on ten acres, and his life’s goal was to make it a forest.
The good doctor had some interesting theories concerning plant care and growth. He never watered his new trees, which flew in the face of conventional wisdom. Once I asked why. He said that watering plants spoiled them so that each successive tree generation would grow weaker and weaker. So you have to make things rough for them and weed out(淘汰) the weaker trees early on.
He talked abo
ut how watering trees made for shallow roots, and how trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots in search of moisture. I took him to mean that deep roots were to be treasured.
So he never watered his trees. He planted an oak and, instead of watering it every morning, he’d beat it with a rolled-up newspaper. Smack! Slap! Pow! I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree’s attention.
Dr. Gibbs passed away a couple of years after I left home. Every now and again, I walked by his house and looked at the trees that I’d watched him plant some twenty-five years ago. They’re extremely tall, big and robust since they have deep roots now. However, the trees in
my garden trembled in a cold wind although I had watered them for several years.
It seems that adversity(逆境) and suffering benefit these trees in ways comfort and ease never could. I stood there deep in thought.
Every night before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. I stand over them and watch their little bodies, the rising and falling of life within. I often pray for them. Mostly I pray that their lives will be easy. But I think it’s time to change my prayer(祷词) because now I know my children are going to encounter hardship..According to Dr. Gibbs’ theories, trees will become weaker if they______
| A．are lack of care | B．are watered | C．are weeded out | D．are beaten |
.According to Para.3 and Pare.4, we can infer that Dr. Gibbs’moto（座右铭）may be_____
| A．“seeing is believing” | B．“Put everything in proper use” |
| C．”Practice makes perfect” | D．“No pains, no gains” |
.The underlined word robust in Para.5 most probably means______
| A．strong | B．strange | C．deep | D．old |
Which of the following may be the author’s best prayer for his two sons now ?
| A．I wish them strong wings, with which they can fly higher and touch the sky. |
| B．I wish them nice fortune so that they can meet people like Dr. Gibbs in the future. |
| C．I wish them deep roots into the earth since the rains fall and the winds blow often. |
| D．I wish them great shades under the tree since the sunlight is always sharp and bitter. |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．A Nice Doctor | B．The Deep Roots |
| C．Adversity and Suffering | D．My Childhood Memory |