SYDNEY （AFP） Nick Bryant reports:
“It gives me great pleasure to introduce the new caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, from the United Kingdom, Ben Southall.”
A global recruitment（招聘） drive with the trappings of a TV reality show made it truly a tourism marketing campaign．
The best job in the world’s competition finally has a winner, Ben Southall, a 34-year-old charity worker from Britain．He beat 34,000 candidates from 200 countries in an online competition that became something of an Internet phenomenon．
“To go away now as the island caretaker for Tourism Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honour．I hope I can fill the boots as much as everybody is expecting, my swimming hopefully is up to standard and I look forward to all of the new roles and responsibilities that the task involves.” [Ben Southall]
For a disappointing Australian tourism industry currently in the doldrums, this has been an unexpected encouragement．Tourism Queensland deliberately chose the middle of winter of the northern Hemisphere to launch the campaign back in January, but didn’t expect anywhere near the global response．They think the only countries where people didn’t visit their website were North Korea and a few African nations．
What’s said to be the best job in the world comes with a $110,000 （about 750,000 yuan） contract for six months’ work, a luxury beachside home and a plunge pool．
In return, the island caretaker will be expected to stroll the white sands, enjoy the sun, diving and taking care of the reef, “maybe clean the pool”-- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
For the losers meanwhile, there’s the worst of long journeys home.
55．Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．The global recruitment mostly took place online． 
B．Ben Southall got the job in January.
C．The recruitment started in winter in Australia．  
D．The organizers knew the activity would attract attention from all over the world.
56．The caretaker of the islands is expected to be good at all the following EXCEPT ______.
A．swimming          B．writing   C．photographing        D．a(chǎn)cting
57．It can be inferred from the report that ______.
A．it’s the easiest job in the world   
B．you need to surf the Internet regularly to know what Ben Southall is doing there
C．the organizers of the activity knew North Koreans would never be interested in the job
D．The journey home of the losers of the competition will be dangerous
58．The underlined word “doldrums” probably means ______ .
A．depression          B．development  C．recovery        D．promotion

One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister．On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend．I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying the older ones．Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.
I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out．I called home with this happy news．But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.
It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone．“I’ll give him a lesson,” I said．I decided they must be outside．Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a wintry night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.
Finally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend’s house．After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered．“Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”
He came on the phone．I was not my usual calm, rational self．After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers．“Where are the children?” I said．He said they were with him．They had done nothing wrong．My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake．This was too good to be believed．Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it．It was only part of the truth.
The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday．My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts．Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.
59．The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because _____ _.
A．she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter
B．she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend
C．the older children have always loved the younger ones
D．she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night
60．Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that ______.
A．her son had brought his girlfriend home    
B．her son had left home with his girlfriend
C．she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son
D．she should have taken the children along with her
61．The sentence “It was only part of the truth.” （Para．5） implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also ______.
A．had a birthday party            B．framed some photographs
C．had their pictures taken          D．showed off their best clothes
62．Which of the following possible titles best expresses the main idea of this passage?
A．An Evening Out   B．Modern Teenagers 
C．Mother and Children                D．A Precious Birthday Gift

第三部分: 閱讀理解（共20小題，每小題2分，滿分40分）
第一節(jié)：（共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分）
It seems that beauty and women are twins. You are joking? No, I’m not. Observe for yourself. Ads on fashion flood TV screens, radio programs, magazines, newspapers, and the streets. Whether they have realized or not, women are besieged by a sea of fashion. They are taught to think that without beautiful clothes they will grow old and lose their charm. So who dares to neglet dressing up at the cost of their appearance and youth?
But I do not agree with the opinion that women have to show their minds through their looks. The richness of their mind proves to be more beautiful and attractive than their looks. A woman who has experienced many troubles and may be called “aunt” or “granny” can still maintain her beauty if she has such excellent qualities as knowledge, ability, a kind heart, great courage, concern for others, etc.
In addition, old and young, beautiful and ugly are relative concepts. People who keep a young mind will never feel old. Curious about new things and eager to learn more, they keep up with the tide. Painly dressed women may have a type of beauty, which is pure and real.
Reading and learning are the best way to keep one youthful. Good books are fertile soil which can feed the flower of one’s heart and looks.
56.The underlined word “besieged” may mean _______.
A. belonged to        B. beside         C. drew          D. surrounded with
57. “So who dares to neglet dressing up at the cost of their appearance and youth?” means_______.
A. no one dares to notice that dressing up needs money
B. no one dares to fail to care for her appearance and youth with dressing up
C. everyone dares to notice that dressing up needs money
D. everyone dares to fail to care for her appearance and youth with dressing up
58. What’s the writer’s attitude of this passage?
A. He thinks that richness is beautiful.
B. It’s impossible to be old if you keep a young mind.
C. The richness of the mind is really beautiful.
D. An old lady can keep her beauty if she has knowledge.

An eight-year-old girl took a jar with all her change in it, slipped out of the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drugstore with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the storekeeper to give her some attention. At last she was noticed.
“What do you want?” the storekeeper asked, “I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen for ages,” he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
“Well, I want to talk to you about my brother, ” Tess answered. “He’s really sick and … and want to buy a miracle…. ”
“I beg your pardon?”said the storekeeper.
“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?”
“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” the storekeeper said.
“Listen, I have the money to pay for it. Just tell me how much it costs,” said the girl with her eyes welling up.
The storekeeper’s brother was a well-dressed gentleman. He came up and asked, “What kind of miracle does your brother need?”
“I don’t know,” Tess replied. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money.”
“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago.
“One dollar and eleven cents.”
“Well, what a coincidence(巧合)﹗”smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents—the exact price of a miracle for your brother.”
That gentleman was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a famous surgeon(外科醫(yī)生). The operation was completed free of charge. Tess’s Mom and Dad were happily talking about the surgery—“a miracle”. Only Tess knew exactly how much the miracle cost. One dollar and eleven cents... plus the faith of a little child.
59. Why didn’t the storekeeper notice the little girl?
A. Because he was busy with his work.
B. Because the girl was too little to be seen.
C. Because he was talking with his brother.
D. Because he was telephoning his brother.
60. We can infer at first the storekeeper spoke to the little girl in a(n) _______.
A. friendly voice   B. impatient voice   C. delighted voice   D. surprised voice
61. The well-dressed gentleman _______.
A. was a very wealthy gentleman         B. was a famous biology professor
C. operated on the girl’s brother free       D. visited his brother now and then
62. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. Faith leads to the miracle           B. A very generous surgeon
C. A little girl saved her brother        D. A dollar and eleven cents

The oldest stone buildings in the world are the pyramids. They have stood for nearly 5,000 years, and it seems likely that they will continue to stand for thousands of years yet. There are over eighty of them scattered along the banks of the Nile, some of which are different in shape from the true pyramids. The most famous of these are the “Step” pyramid and the “Bent” pyramid.
Some of the pyramids still look as much alike as they must have been when they were built thousands of years ago. Most of the damage suffered by the others has been at the hands of men who were looking for treasure or, more often, for stone to use in modern buildings.The dry climate of Egypt has helped to keep the pyramids in good condition, and their very shape has made them less likely to fall into ruin. These are good reasons why they can still be seen today, but perhaps the most important one is that they were planned to last forever.
The “Step” pyramid had to be on the west side of the Nile, the side on which the sun set. This was for spiritual reasons. It also had to stand well above the level of the river to protect it against the regular floods. It could not be too far from the Nile, however, as the stones to build it needed to be carried in boats down the river to the nearest point. Water transport was , of course, much easier than land transport. The builders also had to find a rock base, which was not likely to crack under the great weight of the pyramid. Finally, it had to be near the capital, or better still, near king’s palace so that he could visit it easily to personally check the progress being made on the final resting place for his body.
63. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the “Step” pyramid?
A. It is unlikely to fall into ruin in the near future.
B. It was built on the sands along the Nile.
C. It is the oldest building on earth.
D. It is the most famous of the true pyramids.
64. The most important reason why some pyramids remain in good condition is that _______.
A. people have taken care of them
B. it doesn’t rain often in Egypt
C. they were well designed
D. the government has protected them from damage
65. Most of the damage to the pyramids has been caused by _______.
A. the regular floods                 B. the dry climate of Egypt
C. people searching for gold           D. people in search of building materials
66. Why did Egyptians build the pyramids along the banks of the Nile?
A. Because they believed in their god.
B. Because it was difficult to find a large rock base far from the Nile.
C. Because the river helped a lot in the transport of building materials.
D. Because it was not easy to choose a suitable place for the pyramids. 

Do your kids like plastic toys? Well, I guess it’s time for them to play with wooden toys.
I have always liked kids’ wooden toys since I was five. I always ran along on the back of a hobby horse pretending to be a cowboy from the West when I was a little boy. Now I’m a dad and I still like buying these timeless natural wooden toys. They will never be out of style. My daughter has a child’s rocking horse, and my two sons have wooden trains and cars. The great thing about this type of toys is that they will last generations if they are treated kindly. Even if they break, most of the time they can be repaired using spare parts bought from wooden-toy makers, and if the part is not too complicated(復(fù)雜的), you yourself can make the part from a piece of wood.
What if they do break and can’t be repaired? Well, at least they can be dealt with without having any bad effects on the environment. They can be turned into wood chippings and used for pathways in the country or play areas for kids. Even if the wooden toy is buried as rubbish, which is very rare these days, it will not harm the soil or the environment.
I like all types of wooden toys. There is such a wide variety of wooden toys today and the choice is getting bigger day by day. As an alternative(替代品) to plastic toys, wooden toys can’t be beaten. I’m sure in the near future wood will no doubt become the number one material for making toys, as plastic becomes more and more expensive because of rising oil prices and the environmental issues concerning plastic. Plastic toys might harm kids’ health, too.
67. According to the author, wooden toys which can’t be repaired will _______.
A. be taken back by the makers            B. need a lot of money to deal with
C. not harm the environment              D. be collected by collectors
68. From the last paragraph, we can learn that _______.
A. plastic will be used up sooner or later
B. plastic toys will not be allowed to be sold very soon
C. wooden toys will become more popular in the future
D. wooden toys will become more and more expensive
69. Which of the following is NOT the reason why plastic toys will be less popular in the future?
A. That plastic has bad effects on the environment.
B. That plastic toys might harm the health of children.
C. That plastic toys offer children few choices.
D. That oil prices are getting higher than before.
70. We can infer that this passage is written to _______.
A. tell us the disadvantages of plastic toys   
B. advise parents to buy wooden toys instead of plastic ones
C. tell us how much the author and his children like wooden toys
D. advise toy makers to make wooden toys rather than plastic ones

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has recovered his spot at the top of the US money heap, taking the place of Investor Warren Buffett as America's richest person, Forbes magazine's latest list reveals.
With 57 billion dollars net worth Gates again leads the list of 400 richest individuals in the world’s wealthiest country. He displaced Buffett who briefly held the position this year but who has seen his Berkshire Hathaway investment group's shares slip 15 percent since February and is now worth 50 billion.
According to Forbes, whose list was published late Wednesday, the golden 400 have 1.3 billion dollars net worth or more. However, their combined net worth rose only 30 billion dollars, or two percent, to 1.57 trillion dollars.
Forbes said that rising oil and dizzy art prices fuelled the entry of 31 new members into the ultra -rich club and the return of eight previous members.
A notable arrival was Mark Zuckerberg, 24, founder of the social networking site Facebook (臉譜網(wǎng)). Forbes estimates his worth at 1.5 billion dollars.
Meanwhile, turmoil (動(dòng)蕩) on the stock and housing markets saw 33 others drop off the list, including former head of the troubled insurance giant AIG, Maurice Greenberg, and a former head of the online auction site eBay, Margaret Whitman.
Biggest gainers were led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who took eighth place with 20 billion dollars worth after a transaction (交易) put a new value on his Bloomberg media and financial data network.
The biggest loser was casino (賭場，娛樂場所) tycoon Sheldon Adelson, whose fortune fell 13 billion dollars over 12 months -- the equivalent to 1.5 million dollars an hour -- although he still has 15 billion dollars and occupies 15th place.
About two thirds of the list are self-made billionaires and just over 10 percent are women, led by television star Oprah Winfrey whose fortune rose 200 million dollars to 2.7 billion dollars.
68. According to Forbes, Warren Buffet is worth ________.
A. 57 billion dollars    B. 50 billion dollars  C. 1.5 billion dollars    D.20 billion dollars 
69. 31 new members entered the ultra-rich club as a result of ________.
A. turmoil on the stock and housing market     
B. media and financial data network
C. rising oil and dizzy art prices                     
D. investment
70. The purpose of the author using the television star Oprah Winfrey as an example is to _________.
A. tell the readers that television stars make money easily
B. prove that a millionaire can become a billionaire
C women can also be billionaires
D. tell the readers that most of the billionaires are self-made

第五部分寫作 (共兩節(jié)，滿分35分)
第一節(jié)任務(wù)型閱讀 (共10小題；每小題1分，滿分10分)
認(rèn)真閱讀下列短文，并根據(jù)所讀內(nèi)容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一個(gè)最恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~。
注意：每個(gè)空格只填1個(gè)單詞。I used to be the messiest person alive. Over the years, through watching others and by trial and error, I have finally found ways to come up with plans, organize them and follow through with them.
Make an outline of everything you need to have and do to make your plan happen. Make a list of all of the steps that need to be accomplished and think about what needs to be done.
Detail everything thoroughly and read over it so you can start coming up with some mental solutions of how to carry out your plans.
You should ensure that if for some reason way one doesn’t work, you have way two and way three to lean back on. Therefore, different ways are needed at hand. It’s just a matter of being organized. Chances are that there is always more than one way of doing things, and chances are that if one of those ways doesn’t work, one of the other ones will.
Committing yourself to finishing at least part if not all of your plan at once is also necessary. It will show that you not only have initiative to get things rolling, but that you are interested in the results obtained with making the move to get everything done.
If you make a commitment to finish before a specific time, make sure that you carry that out, and be sure to do everything in the way you said you would, within the time-frame you set for yourself.
Don’t try to tackle more things all at a time. All that does is delay your progress, distract you and make you lose your interest, motivation and energy.
Carrying out an effective plan requires being as organized as possible. You will only achieve this by sticking to the order of the plan and not deviating or trying to do more at a time.
Last but not least, you should never abandon things mid-project. It will only annoy everyone around you including yourself. Unfinished plans are a waste of time, energy and, in some cases, even money. 
So, don’t be afraid of organization. The older we get, the more necessary it becomes to have the skills necessary to follow through with confidence and to be able to carry through plans in an organized and manageable way. It pays to be organized, after all.

B
 
68．Zeo is a revolution in the science of sleep mainly because it     .
A．can record one’s sleep process
B．is the first product to manage one’s sleep
C．is free of medical risks
D．provides access to sleep fitness websites
69．What is the most remarkable feature of Zeo?
A．Its direct contact with sleep scientists.
B．Its individualized coaching program.
C．Its effectiveness in curing sleep disorders.
D．Its immediate analysis of sleep data.
70．What customer service does Zeo provide?
A．Cheap online tools.
B．A 30-day action plan.
C．Personalized bedside display.
D．Free delivery of the product.
71．The passage is primarily written to        .
A．encourage people to try the new product
B．instruct people how to use a new tool
C．provide the latest health information
D．illustrate the importance of good sleep habit

A 69-year-old grandmother with no teeth of her own has eventually won a long legal battle to stop a Scottish regional council（政務(wù)委員會(huì)）adding fluoride（氟化物）chemical to the public water supply.
In a case which has already cost the taxpayer ￡1,000,000, the judge ruled that it was beyond the powers of the local authority to add the chemical to the water in order to reduce tooth decay.
At her home last night Mrs Catherine fluoride to public drinking water made it into some kind of dirty soup. “Where would it stop?” she asked. “They might come up with the idea of putting drugs into the water to keep the unemployed quiet.” It was a horrible poison, she said, that could have caused al kinds of diseases, including cancer.
The judge, however, concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that the inclusion of fluoride in the water supply would have had a negative effect on pulpier health. Although the chemical might serve as an efficient and convenient means of achieving a beneficial effect on the dental health of consumers generally, he said, and its use was greatly favored by the dental profession, he could also understand why some members of the public, Mrs McColl in particular, might be passionately opposed to the action of the Water Authority in assuming the right to improve public well-being without consulting t77he public in the first case. The Authority’s legal duty to provide “wholesome” water for public consumption which was both safe and pleasant to drink ,did not, he said, extend to their right to safeguard public health by chemical means.
72．Mrs McColll felt so strongly about the fluoride issue that she eventually          .
A．took the local council to court
B．had a physical fight with the judge
C．urged the authority to apologize
D．spent much money removing the chemical
73．According to what the judge said in the passage, adding fluoride to the water      .
A．wasn’t proved to be harmful
B．was the duty of the local authority
C．was strongly poised by dentists
D．was surely beneficial to the public
74．Form the passage we learn that people like Mrs McColl are more concerned about      .
A．the improvement of their personal health
B．the problem of unemployment in their community
C．the chemicals to be used for the improvement of water quality
D．their right to be informed of the authorities’ decisions