When you are far away from home for the first time and have a lot to adjust to，you can't do it alone. However independent you are，it is good to have a roommate during your first year.
Living with someone helps ease your loneliness. Sure it may seem appealing to be able to play your music and turn up your TV as loud as you want, but coming home to an empty room every day can be depressing. If you have a bad day, you may want to talk to someone.
Friends are great sources of venting (宣泄), but friends can't always be there. Even worse, they may be self­centered and show no interest in your problem. It's not that roommates aren't like this, but even just small talk can help you feel better.
Having a roommate teaches you how to get along with people and settle conflict. You two should set up rules immediately and discuss what to do when there is conflict. If you two don't like each other，you still study，relax，and sleep in the same room. You must find a way to get along.
Finally，having a roommate exposes (使接觸) you to different ways of living. Your roommate may come from a different city，and have different living habits. He or she also has different interests and personalities. You don't have to end up liking the same things your roommate does，but try to learn something different. You will be surrounded by many different people in college and have the chance to try things you never have before. Why not start learning from your roommate？
Having a roommate gives you the skills and personal background you will need to utilize (利用) when you are out on your own. Make the most of living with a stranger and besides，there will be plenty of opportunities for you to have your own room later in your college years.
小題1:Who are probably the intended readers of the passage？

A．University teachers.

B．Students who are not independent.

C．Students in the first year of college.

D．Students who will graduate from college soon.

小題2:From the passage，we can learn that 　　　　.

A．roommates will become good friends in the end

B．there may be disagreements between roommates

C．students can choose those they like as their roommates

D．those with similar interests can become roommates

小題3: How is the passage organized？
 
小題4:The purpose of the passage is to　　　　.

A．tell the importance of friends

B．compare friends with roommates

C．encourage students to find a roommate

D．state the different ways of living

Barbie(芭比娃娃)，believe it or not，is 50 this year and she's still as popular as ever.A doll is a doll，but Barbie illustrates how，over the last five decades，women have become a standard for judging what freedom really means. How women are treated in different countries tells you a lot about the politics and culture of where they live.
The doll that every little girl wants enables young children to test their possibilities in role playing，giving them a glimpse of what they might be when they grow up，whether to be frivolous or serious (or both)．
But in many countries that's not an option. In Saudi Arabia，where woman can't drive or go out publicly unless covered，Barbie is banned. They think Barbie dolls are offensive to Islam(伊斯蘭教) and a threat to morality.
In America，she represents the swiftly changing roles of women. Barbie is fun to tease but she's as American as miniskirts_and_pantsuits in her flexible identities and her “growth” from model to astronaut.
Barbie inspired a doll­revolution movement. When a Teen Talk Barbie was programmed electronically to say “Math class is tough”，she was criticized by a national women's group and was regarded as a bad stereotype. Some of her critics also say she's a bad influence because she's too thin and encourages anorexia，that she has run through too many stereotypes(固定模式)，and that she lends too much significance to the fantasy stages of child's play.
In some Muslim countries, substitute Barbie dolls have been developed that promote traditional values，with their modest clothing and pro­family backgrounds. They are widely seen as an effort to resist the American dolls that have flooded the market.
Toy seller Masoumeh Rahimi welcomed the dolls，saying Barbie was “foreign to Muslim culture” because some of the dolls have little clothing. She said young girls who play with Barbie，could grow into women who reject Muslim values. “I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile，”Ms. Rahimi said.
小題1:The writer mentioned “miniskirts and pantsuits”(in Paragraph 4) to imply that ________.

A．these are the only clothes a doll should wear

B．these are very traditional American clothes for women

C．there are a range of different life options available for women

D．readers should wear these clothes more often

小題2:The underlined word “anorexia” (in Paragraph 5) most probably means“________”．

A．a(chǎn)n illness of refusing to eat

B．giving up math study

C．the wearing of inappropriate clothes

D．a(chǎn) decrease in people's imagination

小題3:It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A．children who like Barbie dolls won't be so serious when they grow up

B．Muslim Barbies are the same as American Barbies

C．Muslim societies are generally more conservative than western societies

D．Americans have no worry about Barbie's influence on children

Flying first class was a new experience for us. We were happy to join the other few passengers who  36 fly in such luxury（奢侈）. It was almost as if we had a sense of  37  to be sitting with the group of people that  38 us.
As we chatted away about our travel, I could hear people around us talked about  39 business meetings. It wasn’t long before I __40  that these people were used to flying in luxury. They are 41 people I thought.
We noticed that the stewardess（女乘務(wù)員）was working non-stop to ensure the  42 of the first class passengers. She could not walk by a seat without receiving a(n)  43 . I thought how much she must love her job,  44  she smiled kindly at each person while  45 to their needs.
As the stewardess walked by our seats near the  46  of the flight, I looked at her and said, “Thank you and I hope you’ll have a great night.”She stopped at our seats with a look of  47 , bent down, looked at me and said, “Excuse me?” I  48  my words and she smiled in a rather 49 way, almost as if I had asked her a question that she did not know how to answer. After a few moments she said, “I can  50 you work with the public.”“Why do you think so?” I asked. She answered very quietly, “Because you are the _51  passenger here to say thank you and I really 52  your kindess.
The sense of belonging to the elite（精英）group of people in first class  53  as we heard her words. Our seats in luxury offered us  54  a comfortable ride. We were reminded that without 55  we would be flying in no class.

小題1:	A．would B．should C．could D．must

小題2:	A．success B．disappointment C．shame D．pride

小題3:	A．watched B．a(chǎn)ccompanied C．surrounded D．welcomed

小題4:	A．boring B．busy C．pleasant D．tiring

小題5:	A．heard B．realized C．remembered D．a(chǎn)sked

小題6:	A．brave B．kind C．important D．fortunate

小題7:A. safety         B. rest                C. food                    D. comfort

小題8:	A．note B．order C．suggestion D．tip

小題9:	A．when B．while C．for D．though

小題10:

A．a(chǎn)ttending B．looking C．taking D．turning

小題11:

A．side B．middle C．end D．front

小題12:

A．dislike B．happiness C．kindness D．disbelief

小題13:

A．repeated B．wrote C．showed D．explained

小題14:

A．happy B．lovely C．kind D．funny

小題15:

A．help B．hear C．make D．tell

小題16:

A．best B．only C．simple D．usual

小題17:

A．doubt B．a(chǎn)ppreciate C．remember D．misunderstand

小題18:

A．lost B．rose C．disappeared D．showed

小題19:

A．rather than B．better than C．less than D．more than

小題20:

A．happiness B．money C．kindness D．trust

At one time, people used to travel to foreign countries because they thought they would be different from home—the building, the food, the national dress. Nowadays, however, one large city is very like another. They all have their Hilton or Sheraton Hotels which look Hilton or Sheraton Hotels everywhere. They all have their McDonald’s, their KFCs, their Pizza Huts. Office buildings look the same everywhere, and most city centers are full of office buildings. And, of course, people are driving the same brands of Japanese or European cars, usually wearing the same kinds of clothing and the world’s airlines are all flying the same aircraft, Boeings or Airbuses.
What, therefore, is the purpose of foreign travel for people who are not on business? What do tourists hope to experience in a foreign country that they cannot experience at home? Why travel to foreign countries at all? The answer could be that people are very interested in the past. It is a nation’s history that is its main attraction. Most of today’s tourists travel overseas to find out what foreign countries and cultures used to be like, not what they are like today. The words “cultural tourism” are now part of the language of tourism, and it is the museums and works of art in many countries that are their main attractions.
If they are lucky—and have had sensible, strong governments—many countries also usually have at least a few beautiful places for tourists to visit.
Finally there is perhaps a nation’s greatest attraction: its people. A nation is not just its historical buildings, its works of art or beautiful places, it is also the people who live in it. This is why a country such as Thailand attracts millions of people every year. They come mainly because of the friendliness of the Thai people. It is why the Pacific Islands are also so popular. There may not be much to see or do in Fiji, but there are lots of friendly, smiling people to make visitors feel welcome.
小題1:The passage is mainly about      .

A．the importance of tourism	B．different foreign cultures
C．how to plan an overseas trip	D．why people travel to foreign countries

小題2:The writer thinks that large cities in foreign countries       .

A．a(chǎn)re similar to one another	B．share the same aircraft
C．do not have good hotels	D．do not offer a warm service to foreigners

小題3:The writer believes that many tourists are interested in foreign        .

A．hotels

B．history

C．cars

D．programs

小題4:The underlined phrase “cultural tourism” means        .

A．visiting lots of museums	B．traveling overseas
C．studying the history of a foreign country	D．tourists being interested in a nation’s past and ideas

“Everybody in this city wants a car, and I’m no exception. A car brings with it the freedom to travel”, said a friend of mine while reading a car magazine. I might not agree with him, but no doubt he was speaking for a rapidly growing number of middle-class Chinese. While it is true that all the waiting, walking, being part of a crowd, and sweating, are somewhat unpleasant, there are many problems which can arise when our lives rely too much on this invention.
First of all, in terms of polluting the environment, driving a car is the worst act an average person can commit. Beijing now finds itself at the top of the list of the most polluted capital cities in the world with Mexico City in the second place. Research also shows that by 2010 around 90% of total pollutants in Shanghai have come from cars. These pollutions are extremely dangerous to our health. They can damage the lungs, cause cancer, and damage the brain.
Apart from environmental problems, relying too much on cars also creates social problems such as traffic jams, road accidents, and noise pollution. The jeeps that proudly drive through the Hutongs in Beijing as if they are in a race often annoy me, and to make it worse, these drivers seldom respect cyclists.
Of course, we cannot forget the convenience that cars bring us when we need to travel far, but I often find it faster to cycle from one place to another within the city of Beijing, especially with the growing traffic jams.
Since people travel further and more frequently than before, cars will certainly be important in the future. At the same time, however, let us work hard to make sure that this invention brings us a more convenient lifestyle rather than trouble and disease. Let us make good use of cars.
小題1:What is this passage mainly about?

A．Environmental problems.

B．Traffic jams in Beijing.

C．Problems brought about by cars.

D．Benefits of using cars.

小題2: The underlined word commit in Paragraph 2 has the close meaning as ____ .

A．do something right or legal

B．do something wrong or illegal

C．do something good and meaningful

D．do something bad and meaningless

小題3:What do we know about the author?

A．The author doesn’t want a car.

B．The author agrees that a car offers freedom to travel.

C．The author suggests that we should rely on bicycles.

D．The author thinks that the invention of cars leads to many problems.

小題4:In Paragraph 3, what does the author mean by saying “The jeeps… often annoy me”?

A．The author is troubled by the way jeeps are driven in the Hutongs of Beijing.

B．The author thinks that Hutongs are too narrow for jeeps to drive through.

C．The author thinks that the jeeps are too noisy.

D．The author is worried that more accidents are caused by jeeps than any other cars.

小題5:What is the author’s idea in Paragraphs 4 and 5 ?

A．Cars are only convenient for people traveling far.

B．We should all give up cars and ride bicycles.

C．Cars have brought us more convenience than troubles.

D．We should choose between the car and the bicycle according to the situation.

During the twentieth century, cars, electric lights, space travel and amazing advances in medicine changed people’s lives. So what might this new century bring? There are hundreds of predictions flying around — let’s have a light-hearted look at some of them.
In a recent UK survey, teenagers were asked to make predictions about the year 2020. One of the most common predictions was that school uniforms won’t be around. They also predicted that both girls and boys will wear make-up more often, and more than 75% of men will wear skirts regularly. My dad is 65 next Saturday — I think I’ll buy him a skirt as a birthday present and tell him he’ll soon be in fashion!
Other predictions involve changing roles of men and women. By 2017, some people say that single men of working age will form more than 10% of all families. It is also predicted that washing powder advertisements will include more men because more of them will do housework. I’ll tell that to my husband when he gets home and see how keen he is to wash the dishes!
Many predictions are about crime and safety problems. Some people think that crime will improve and the world will become a more peaceful place. Others believe that crime is going to worsen and that people will stay at home becoming completely dependent on the Internet for shopping and work. It is also predicted that you will need an electronic card to get into parks as parents demand safe play areas for their children. This is old news for me --- our local government is going to introduce one this summer.
Technology is predicted to play an even more important role in our lives in the future. Some parents might have cameras at home so they can keep an eye on their children while they are out. Quick, kids, turn off the TV and do your homework!
Here’s another prediction. Researchers have concluded that cultural activity may add years to your life. The cinema, theatre and concerts may give us a longer life because they encourage strong feelings. Well, we’re watching Bridget Jones’ Diary this Friday night. Will that help us live longer?
Let’s finish up with my favourite prediction. In the future, elderly people are going to make up a larger proportion of the world’s population than ever before. In Britain, an estimated 100,000 people now in their thirties may live to be 100. And that includes me! I’ll have a big, big party, I promise!
小題1: The writer’s father ________ .

A．has just turned sixty-five

B．wears skirts

C．is very fashionable

D．is about to turn sixty-five

小題2:Why might more men do housework in the future?

A．Washing powder advertisements suggest it.

B．Men won’t want to work in offices any more.

C．Traditional roles of men and women will change.

D．Women will refuse to wash the dishes.

小題3:According to the passage, people might ________ , if crime worsens.

A．need electronic cards to get into their homes

B．stay at home and depend on the Internet

C．help to make the world a more peaceful place

D．work harder and make more money

小題4:Which of the following is NOT true？

A．It’s likely that the writer is to live to be 100.

B．The writer promises that she is going to hold a big, big party soon.

C．Without an electronic card, you can’t get into a park freely in the future.

D．The writer holds a positive attitude towards the changes in the new century.

小題5:From the passage, we may infer that the writer is probably ____ .

A．a(chǎn) professional news reporter.

B．a(chǎn) young and attractive sales girl.

C．a(chǎn) middle-aged British housewife.

D．a(chǎn) responsible government official.

Ok, I admit it: Emoticons(表情符號(hào)) are popular. Some people even think they are fun. Many seem unable to get through an e-mail or Instant Message chat sentence without using one. Some feel that they add feeling and character to otherwise cold digital communications.
Some, however, such as editor and Hollywood scriptwriter John Blumenthal, blast the use of emotions as “ infantile(幼稚的) just like the people who use them”. He believes that words themselves should be enough. “If you’re being funny, happy or sad, that should be apparent from the comment that goes before the emoticons,” he argues.
In the eyes of Blumenthal, the use of emoticons is a gender issue. “Men don’t use emoticons very much. Maybe not at all.,” he said. “Teenage girls and women seem to use them a lot. Maybe there’s an emoticons gene.”
It’s an interesting opinion, but it is not shared by all.
In an interview with The New York Times, Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at the University of California, said that emoticons are popular because our brains are programmed “ to seek out representations of humanity”. He believes that they appeal not because they are shortcuts for the lazy, but because they tap into（輸入）something beyond language. They reach to our need to be with and communicate with people.
All of these arguments may be somehow valid（正確的）. Each one of us will choose to communicate in our own way. I do not have much time for emoticons. I tried to use one once and felt like I was stealing into a primary school class that I had no place being in. I’d rather let my words do the talking.
Friends, however, send me messages and e-mails full of emoticons. I have no problem with this, I don’t regard any of my friends as lazy or immature. It’s just a question of individuality.
小題1:According to the article, emoticons are popular because_________.

A．most of them look funny

B．they are easy for lazy people to use

C．they add feeling and character to a communication

D．a(chǎn) reader cannot understand a message without them

小題2: Which of the following views would John Blumenthal agree with ?

A．Instant Message chatters are childish.

B．It’s enough to use language in digital communication.

C．Men never use emoticons.

D．There is an emoticon gene in everybody.

小題3:From the text, we can conclude that the author________.

A．feels he has no difficulty using emoticons

B．thinks emoticons don’t suit him

C．encourage his friends to use emoticons

D．believes that emoticons are suitable for everyone

小題4:What is the main point of the article ?

A．Advice on language used over the Internet.

B．The history of emoticons.

C．Arguments over the use of emoticons.

D．Reasons for the popularity of emoticons.

I had the meanest mother in the world．While other kids ate candy for breakfast．I had to have cereal, eggs and toast．Others had cakes and candy for lunch, while we had to eat a sandwich．As you can guess, my supper was different from the other kids'．But at least I was not alone in my suffering．My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did．
My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times．She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing．We had to wear clean clothes every day．Other kids always wore their clothes for days． We reached the height of disgrace （恥辱） because she made our clothes herself, just to save money．
The worst is yet to come．We had to be in bed by 9:00 each night and up at 7:45 the next morning．So while my friends slept, my mother actually had the courage to break Child Labor Law．She made us work I
believed she lay awake all night thinking up mean things to do to us．Through the years, our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing．My mother, however, would only be satisfied with black marks．None of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout （輟學(xué)者）．
She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults．Using this as a background, I'm now trying to bring up my three children．I'm filled with pride when my children think I am mean because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world．
小題1:From the passage we can learn that the writer's mother was____．

A．not generous at all	B．very cruel to her children
C．very mean with money matters	D．very strict with her children

小題2:Which of the following things did the writer hate to do most?

A．Eating differently from other kids．	B．Letting mother know where they were．
C．Going to bed early and getting up early．	D．Wearing clean clothes made by mother．

小題3:It can be inferred from the passage that____．

A．the writer's family lived a miserable life

B．a(chǎn)ll the other kids studied better than the writer

C．Mother was punished for breaking the Labor Law

D．the writer worked hard and usually got good grades in studies

小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The writer is very thankful to her mother．

B．The writer has a deep hatred for her mother．

C．Mother practiced economy in running her home．

D．The writer is strict with her children when bringing them up．

小題5:The passage was written in a way of__  __tone．

A．humorous

B．hateful

C．ridiculous

D．impatient

The fact that blind people can see things using parts of their bodies apart from their eyes may help us to understand our feelings about color．If they can sense color differences, then perhaps we, too, are affected by color without knowing it．Salesmen have discovered by experience over a long period of time that sugar sells badly in green wrappings, that blue foods are considered not agreeable to the taste, and that cosmetics（化妝品） should never be packed in brown．These discoveries have grown into a whole subject of color psychology．
Some of our preferences are clearly psychological．Dark blue is the color of the night sky and therefore connected with calm, while yellow is a day color connected with energy and encouragement．Experiments have shown that colors, partly because they are connected with psychology, also have a direct effect on people's mind．People in bright red surroundings show an increase in breathing speed, heartbeat and blood pressure．Red is exciting．Pure blue has exactly the opposite effect; it is a calming color．Being exciting, red was chosen as the signal for danger, but a closer study shows that a bright yellow can produce a more basic state of alarm, so fire engines in some advanced areas are now rushing around in bright yellow colors that stop buses, trucks and cars．
小題1:The passage tells us that salesmen have____ ．

A．tried colors on blind people

B．found out that colors affect sales

C．developed a special subject of color psychology

D．discovered the relationship between color and psychology

小題2:It can be inferred from the passage that__ _．

A．blind people cannot sense color differences

B．foods sell well in green or blue wrappings

C．w hat color we prefer depends on our state of mind

D．a(chǎn) bright color has exactly the opposite effect to red

小題3:The most effective color in the passage for warning people is____．

A．red

B．dark blue

C．green

D．bright yellow

小題4:If someone is in an angry mood, which color is better for him to become quiet?

A．Red．

B．Dark blue．

C．Brown．

D．Bright yellow

小題5:Which of the following do you think is the best title for the passage?

A．Colors and Feelings	B．Colors and Sales
C．The Blind and Colors	D．Preferences for Colors

I'll be a photographer. I'm going to bring bits of Australia back home with me. I told myself this before, yet I feel so doubtful on this plane that's flying me thousands of miles away. I was so confident yesterday .But today I don't belong to this plane where men sit with briefcases reading newspapers. They're all adults.
I've never been out of the US. And now ,I'm traveling into Australia alone, a world I know nothing about. A part of me recognizes it as home.
I remember little about my mother, but I remember she had an Australian accent and golden hair. She wan fun and she would often take us to New Jersey beaches, where we would spend the whole day taking walks along the shore. My mom told me that in Australia, Christmas was always spent on the beach with friends and family, and everyone wore Santa hat with their bathing suits. It never got cold and bitter there. My mom was different and I was proud of her.
I don't know how she met my father. but after they met several years, they got married and moved into an apartment in New Jersey. Then I was born and we were a perfect family of three who went out to dinner and watched movies in the dark and loved each other.
I know things have been hard on my father since my Mom died years ago. It's hard for me, too, and I have to experience the wonderful place my mom grew up in and loved. My mom talked about Australia so much and now I have to see this place.
This is an adventure.
小題1:How did the author feel when he was on the plane?

A．Confident	B．Foolish
C．Doubtful	D．Childish

小題2:The author traveled to Australia alone mainly because he wanted to__.

A．search his fortune there	B．find more about his mother
C．look for his grandparents there	D．find more about this wonderful place

小題3:The third paragraph is mainly concerned with__.

A．the author's first impression of Australia

B．the author's brief impression of his mother

C．the reason why the author loved his mother

D．the difference between his mother and father

小題4:What can we learn from the passage?

A．The author writes this passage to honor his mother.

B．The author decides to learn taking photos in Australia.

C．The author had a good time when his mother was still alive.

D．The author didn't like to live with his father after his mother died.

小題5:Where did the author most probably write this passage?

A．In America.

B．In Australia.

C．At home

D．On the Plane