The man of many secrets-Harry Houdini-was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this
century. He was a man famous for his escapes-from prison cells, from wooden boxes floating in rivers, from
locked tanks full of water. He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America. Crowds came to see the great
Houdini and his "magic" tricks.
     Of course, his secret was not magic or supernatural powers. It was simply strength. He had the ability to
move his toes as well as he moved his fingers. He could move his body into almost any position he wanted.
     Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17, in 1891. He and his brother Theo
performed card tricks in clubs in New York. They called themselves the Houdini Brothers. When Harry
married in 1894, he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant. Bur for a long time they
were not very successful. Then Harry performed his first prison escape in Chicago in 1898. Harry persuaded
a detective to let him try to escape from the prison, and he invited the local newspapermen to watch.
     It was the publicity (宣傳) that came from this that started Harry Houdini's success. Harry had fingers
trained to escape from handcuffs and toes trained to escape ankle chains. But his biggest secret was how he
unlocked the prison doors. Every time he went into the prison cell, Bess gave him a kiss for good luck-and a
small skeleton key, which is a key that fits many locks, pass quickly from her mouth to his.
     Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame. He arranged to escape from the local prison of every
town he visited. In the afternoon, the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers, and
in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full. What was the result? Worldwide fame and a name
remembered today.

1. According to the passage, Houdini's success in prison escapes depends on ______.

A. his special tricks and supernatural powers
B. his unusual ability and skeleton key
C. his magic tricks and inhuman powers
D. his wisdom and magic tricks

2. In the fourth paragraph, the underlined word "this" refers to ______.

A. his first prison escape
B. the year 1898
C. the publicity
D. Harry Houdini's success

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous ______.

A. in 1894
B. before he married
C. at the age of 17
D. when he was 24

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. A skeleton key
B. A man of many secrets
C. Worldwide fame
D. Great escapes

     Bill Clinton was born on August 19, 1946 in a town called Hope, with the birth name William Jefferson
Blythe. His birth father died in a car accident just three months before his birth. When he was born, his
mother sent him to live with his grandparents because she couldn't possibly support a child by herself. He
lived with his grandparents for two years while his mother was away at a nursing school in New Orleans,
trying to advance her career. When Bill was four, his mother returned to Hope, where she met and married
Roger Clinton Sr. A few years later, Bill and his family moved to Hot Springs, where Bill attended school.
When he was nine years old, he changed schools and went to Ramble Elementary.
     When Bill was ten, Roger Clinton Jr. was born, and at age fifteen, Bill took his stepfather's last name in
hopes of helping his mother's troubled relationship. While Bill was growing up in Hot Springs, the town was
troubled by gambling (賭博), but Bill had little contact with this part of society despite his parents' frequent
participation (參與) in these illegal practices. As time went by, his mother's relationship with Roger Clinton
Sr. became more and more unstable. His parents often separated. In high school, Bill was a member of the
band, student government, honor society and many other organizations. One summer at a political summer
camp called Boys State, Bill ran for delegate (代表) to Boys Nation. He won this election and was on his way
to Washington to meet John F. Kennedy, the president. Bill said of his victory, "I didn't know if I could win
a race like that...". After that, Bill became determined to enter politics.

1. William Jefferson Blythe moved to Hot Springs _______.

A. when he was born
B. before he was nine years old
C. when his mother remarried
D. when he was two

2. Bill Clinton once stayed in the following places EXCEPT _______.

A. the town of Hope
B. the nursing school in New Orleans
C. Hot Springs
D. Ramble Elementary

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Roger Clinton Sr. was always kind to Bill and his mother.
B. Bill Clinton was once called William Jefferson Blythe before 15.
C. Bill' s mother and stepfather were interested in gambling.
D. Roger Clinton Jr. was Bill Clinton's half brother.

4. It can be learned from the passage that _______.

A. Bill wanted to be a president while studying at school
B. Boys Nation was a political summer camp
C. members of Boys State could see the president
D. Bill decided to enter politics after meeting John F. Kennedy

                                                              History has arrived
      Nine-year-old Barack Obama was looking through magazine. But the African-America boy was shocked by
a series of photos. The pictures were of a black man who destroyed his skin with chemicals that promised to
make him white.
     For the first time, the boy began to doubt who he was. "I stood in front of the mirror and wondered if
something was wrong with me," Obama said.
     However, now the boy who used to struggle with his identity doesn't see it as a problem any more, but an
advantage for his career. Last week, Obama made history by being elected as the first black president of the
US. He defeated John MaCain in a landslide (壓倒性的) victory.
     Obama's story starts in opposite corners of the world. His white mother was born in the heartland of the
US. His black father grew up in a tiny village in Kenya. They met during in Hawaii, but his father left the family when Obama was just two years old and his mother moved to Indonesia.
     At 10, Obama moved back to live with his white grandparents in Hawaii where his sense that he didn't
belong grew. At his class a white boy asked Obama if his father ate people. Out of embarrassment, Obama lied
to his classmates that his father was prince, "I kept asking who I am and I ended up trying drugs and
drinking," Obama recalled.
     Things came to change after the young man made friends with those with a similar background at college.
Their experiences back in Africa helped Obama to finally face up to his African origin. He worked hard to
become a star at Harvard Law School and the third black senator (參議院) in US history.
     At the beginning of his campaign for the White House, few people viewed Obama favorably (贊同地).
Many doubted his unusual background, which left him neither "black" enough nor white enough.
     But Obama turned his pain of growing up into a tool to make Americans believe: "There is not a black
America, an Asian America. There's the United States of America."
     Barack Obama's victory is "a historic victory that promised change and overcame centuries of prejudice
(偏見). His success fulfilled Martin Luther King's dream that a man he judged not by the color of his skin, but
by the content of his character," wrote ABC news.

1. From the above passage we can know that Barack Obama was born in ______.

A. Kenya, Africa
B. Hawaii, the USA
C. Indonesia, Asia
D. an unknown city, in Latino America

2. He lied to his classmates that his father was prince because ______.

A. he felt ashamed of his African origin
B. he had unusual background- neither black nor white
C. his black father deserted him when he was very young
D. he didn't have the sense of belonging

3. Put the following things in order of time.
a. Obama is the third black senator(參議院) in US history
b. Obama's mother settled down in Indonesia with Barack Obama
c. Obama stood out among his classmates in Harvard Law School
d. Obama lived with his white grandparents in Hawaii
e. Obama's black father left him and his mother

A. c, d, a, b, e
B. e, d, b, c, a
C. d, b, a,e, c
D. e, b, d, c, a

4. What does the title "History has arrived" probably mean?

A. Barack Obama eventually defeated his white opponent, John MaCain in a landslide victory.
B. Barack Obama's victory has given blacks and other minorities a true national role model.
C. Barack Obama has become the first African-American President, overcoming centuries of prejudice.
D. Through his great efforts, Barack Obama became the third black senator in the US history.

     Michael Phelps and his U.S. teammates crowned the greatest single Olympic performance Sunday morning
with a win in the 4×100-meter medley relay.
     The victory gave Phelps his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics, the most golds ever won by an
athlete at one Games. With gold No. 8, Phelps earned a singular place in the Olympic record books.
     "There is no comparison in the swimming world for what Michael has done," said Gregg Troy, coach of
U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, who finished third to Phelps in two races here in Beijing but also won gold
alongside him in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. It's hard to find comparisons even in the sports world overall. Phelps is solidly in the company of seemingly invincible (不可戰(zhàn)勝的) superstars such as Michael Jordan and
Tiger Woods.
     "I think years and years down the road we'll realize more and more how amazing he is and how special he
really is." U.S. teammate Natalie Coughlin said. The 23-year-old from Baltimore capped a brilliant meet at the
Water Cube. He set a world record in every event except the 100 butterfly which he narrowly won on Saturday, completing a program of 17 races in nine days. 
     Phelps has won 14 Olympic gold medals and 16 total medals. He holds the record for most medals won by
a man, surpassing Soviet gymnast Nikolai Andrianov, who won 15 from 1972-1980, Soviet female gymnast
Larysa Latynina holds the record with l8.
     At the 2004 Athens Games, Phelps won six gold medals and two bronze. He has already said he'll swim in
the 2012 London Games. Phelps' victories in Beijing include: 200-meter freestyle, 200 and 400 individual
medleys, 100 and 200 butterfly, 4×200 free relay, 4×100 medley relay, and 4×100 free relay.

1. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A. Phelps wins 4×100-meter medley relay
B. Phelps writes Games gold history
C. Phelps plans to attend 2012 London Games
D. Phelps finishes his competitions

2. Why are Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods mentioned in the 3rd paragraph?

A. To emphasize Phelps' unique (獨(dú)一無二) position in swimming.
B. To indicate Phelps' great efforts to his championship.
C. To attract the world's attention to the young Phelps.
D. To memorize the two heroes' contributions to the world.

3. The world records Phelps has set do not include _______.

A. 200-meter freestyle
B. 200 individual medleys
C. 200-meter butterfly
D. 100-meter butterfly

4. It can be inferred from the text that _______.

A. Phelps is a swimming genius by nature
B. Phelps succeeded in Athens at the age of 18
C. Phelps has won the most golds all by himself
D. Phelps will have a bright future in the 2012 London

     Here's an unusual story: a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician, Liu Qian, discovered
it, in front of an audience of millions at CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. Liu's magic tricks have made the
centuries-old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
     As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he
has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK Witnessing something impossible
happen right before your eyes is the root of people's love for magic. 
     Liu is known for his interaction with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship (演出
技巧).
     "It's actually thinking rather than one's manipulation (操作) skills that is more important to achieving a
successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively to make them appear
more interesting." Liu said. 
     Liu Qian's success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a
magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest,
which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
     Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university
and only hoped to be an amateur (業(yè)余的) magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a proper job
after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
     To refine his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for passersby, policemen and
farmers.
    "Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and
tough crowds," Liu said.

1. The story is about ______.

A. why people love magic
B. what magic tricks are
C. how fashionable magic is
D. how Liu Qian became China's hottest magician

2. People love to watch magic because ______.

A. they can't figure out the secret of magic
B. it arouses their curiosity
C. they love watching magicians make the impossible happen
D. it is a centuries-old art

3. Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?

A. He was interested in magic when he was little.
B. He couldn't find an acceptable job after graduation.
C. He became all amateur magician in his spare time.
D. He had won Taiwan's Youth Magic Contest.

4. What does the word "seasoned" in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. 經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的
B. 剛出道的
C. 季節(jié)性的
D. 職業(yè)的

    As the first woman Chancellor (總理) in German's history, Angela Merkel topped Forbes magazine's list
of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. She has even been compared
to Margaret Thatcher and many people called her "Iron Lady".
    Merkel was born in Hamburg, West Germany, on July 17, 1954. Six weeks after she was born, her family
moved to Templin. As a small child, Merkel quickly learned to speak but took longer to walk. "I was a stupid
person when it comes to moving," Merkel said. "A normal person could do something naturally, but I had to
think about it in my mind and practice." As a teenager, she was a top student and graduated from high school
with perfect marks. In 1973, Merkel went to the University of Leipzig, where she studied physics. At 32, she
got her doctor's degree in Physics.
    She stepped into politics in 1989. In her first big political job as Minister for the Environment in 1994, her
scientific background and strong will proved very useful. In 2005, she became Germany's Chancellor. She
has been re-elected to a second term as German Chancellor on September27, 2009.
    Through her political career, Merkel's persistence (堅(jiān)持) and patience helped her a lot. "She's bright and
open-minded," said Hubert Markl. "She is the person who wants to know exactly what is going on, and how
never giving up will influence our society and future."

1. As a small child, Merkel was slow in _____.

A. speaking
B. walking
C. learning
D. thinking

2. The underlined phrase in Paragraph3 most probably means "_____".

A. fought the government
B. began her scientific career
C. offered political guidance
D. became a government official

3. We can infer from the passage that Angela Merkel _____.

A. is a powerful woman with a strong will and determination
B. got her doctor's degree in Politics in University of Leipzig
C. has worked as German Chancellor since September27, 2009
D. showed her best talent as Minister for the Environment

4. In the last paragraph, the author mainly wants to express _____.

A. one must be brave in the political career
B. one should be patient when making decisions
C. persistence can help one's dream come true
D. one can have a strong will when other's haven't

5. What's the author's attitude toward Angela Merkel?

A. Admiring (贊美的).
B. Thankful.
C. Pitiful.
D. Dull.

     When Lew Alcindor was 13, and obviously still growing, a group of schools began offering him
scholarships (獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金). The Alcindors decided to send their only child to Power Memorial Academy,
a small school on Manhattan's West Side.
     At Power, Alcindor came under the control of Coach Jack Donohue, a strict young man who
already gained his fames as one of the best coaches in the city. Donohue brought Alcindor along slowly.
As a first-year student, the boy was not able to do much but wave his long skinny arms and shoot a
basket now and then. But by the second year, when he was 15 years old and nearly 7 feet tall, Alcindor
was quick and skillful enough to make the high school All-American team and to lead Power to an
undefeated season.
     From then on he simply got better. Some rival coaches (對方教練) used to take their teams quickly
away from the floor before Power warmed up so that their players would not see him any sooner than
they had to. Wearing size 16 D shoes and sucking a lollipop (棒棒糖), Alcindor would loosen up by
starting his leaping lay-ups (擦板球). Then he would casually shoot the ball with either hand, to the delight
of the fans.
     When reporters and photographers began to follow Alcindor closely, Donohue protected his boy firmly.
He simply ordered Lew to talk to no member of the press, and this suited Lew fine. He was not comfortable
talking to grown-ups, perhaps because he towered over them. Discouraged photographers began following
him in secret as though he were an easily-frightened giraffe. Once after ducking into a subway to escape,
Alcindor told a friend that it was all becoming like policemen and robbers. "People want you not for yourself,"
Donohue warned him, "but because you're a basketball player. Don't forget that."

1. Many schools offer Alcindor scholarships because ______.

A. he was young
B. he was hardworking
C. he was tall for his age
D. he was skillful at playing basketball .

2. Which of the following best describes Donohue as a young coach?

A. serious, popular and slow
B. tall, skillful and successful
C. kind, powerful and undefeated
D. well-known, strict and experienced

3. Why did some rival coaches take their teams away from the floor before Power warmed up?

A. Their teams refused to play Power.
B. Their teams feared to see Alcindor.
C. Their teams would lose courage.
D. Their teams would lose interest.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly discuss?

A. How Donohue protected Alcindor from the press.
B. How Alcindor disliked meeting reporters.
C. Why the press followed Alcindor closed.
D. Why the public wanted Alcindor badly