Facebook means never having to say goodbye.The social media website has earned a reputation for
reconnecting old friends.Last week,a guy whom I hadn't seen since my bachelor party five years ago
sent me a friend request.I accepted and waited for "Easy E" to send me a greeting of some kind.He had
sought me out,after all.
     I learned from his profile that he was in a relationship and had a son.However,I'm pretty sure we
won't ever write walltowall,let alone email each other.But he'll remain a friend of online until one of us
makes a point of removing the other from his official list.
     My pool of friends consists of family members,college buddies,coworkers from past and  present,and
friends of friends.There are 35 in all.If I spent some time uploading old email addresses,I'm confident that
I could increase my friend count actually.
     A person could make a mission out of reconnecting with childhood friends,former  classmates,distant
cousins, and those one would like to get to know better.And some people can even handle hundreds of
onscreen relationships,keeping up with the daily happenings of  their small army of companions.After all,
there are worse fates than having too many friends.
     Thanks to email,the inability to schedule facetoface meetings no longer means a  friendship must come
to a close.But even with email,people will lose touch if one or both  parties stop writing back.That's
normal.People move from school to school,job to job,city  to city.You never have to feel guilty for
breaking away.
      Every day,the masterminds of Web 2.0 find new ways of making human communication  easier.
However,convenience_can_be_a_crutch(拐杖). Some things shouldn't be simplified.When it comes to
friendship,there can be no shortcuts.

1. According to Paragraph 1,the website is famous because ________.
A. it has an interesting name of "Facebook"
B. it helps people get in touch with old friends
C. it can send people a greeting of some kind
D. it reminds people of events in the past

2. From the second paragraph we can learn that the writer ________.
A. would write to the friend quite often
B. asked the friend to email him
C. did get some information about the friend
D. would keep in touch with the friend forever

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. There are 35 people in the author's list of friends right now.
B. The author communicates with all the 35 friends by emails.
C. The list of 35 friends doesn't include the old email addresses.
D. It is not difficult for the author to increase his friend count.

4.What does the writer mean by saying "However,convenience can be a crutch(拐杖)"?
A. The masterminds of Web 2.0 also sell crutch online.
B. Taking a crutch is a new way of making friends online.
C. Convenience is dangerous for human communication.
D. Convenience is not really good for human communication.

5. What does the author think of the convenience of communicating online?
A. The technology could not keep true friendship forever.
B. The social website of Facebook means nothing at all.
C. There will be no ways of making real friends online.
D. People will not lose friends with the help of the Facebook.

     Across the United States, there are several places where two independent towns grew together to
become one city-but kept both their names.
     WinstonSalem is one of them. It's a midsized city in what'scalled the plateau(high land), between the
Atlantic Coast and the inland mountains in the state of North Carolina. TheWinston part is a relatively
new place, founded early last century. It's home to the nation's biggest openair tobacco market.
     The giant R. J.Reynolds Tobacco Company's headquarters is in WinstonSalem, and Winston is the
name of one of Reynolds' bestknown cigarette brands. Fastgrowing Winston soon surrounded the much
older town of Salem, so in 1913, people in the area voted to combine them into a single place.
      From a historical and tourist point of view, Salem, or Old Salem, as it's called today, is the interesting
and unusual part of town.
      Salem was founded in the 1700s by the Moravians. They spoke German, and their community was
religiously based, with single men and single women living apart in separate dormitories. The Moravians
greatly valued women's work and brainpower. In fact, one of the nation's oldest boarding schools for
young women-the Moravians' Salem Academy founded in 1772-is still in operation.
      Over the years, Salem lost its Moravian character.That all changed, though, when a nonprofit group
began to rehabilitate the historic area.These days Old Salem is what's called a living history museum,
with exhibits, music, and tours of 18thcentury houses, taverns and Moravian dormitory buildings just
seven blocks from the tallest skyscraper in WinstonSalem.
     The historic community is booming again.Just as R. J.Reynolds is taking in millions of dollars making
cigarettes across town, Old Salem is generating about DS| 15 million a year in tourism revenue and
donations.

1. From the passage we can know that________.
A. WinstonSalem is the name of a city
B. Salem is home to the tobacco market
C. the city WinstonSalem has two names
D. Old Salem is the name of a tobacco brand

2. It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that ________.
A. the two cities benefited each other
B. Salem developed faster than Winston
C. R.J.Reynolds Company has moved into Salem
D. the combination meets the wishes of the people

3. The city Salem is special for its________.
A. boarding school                
B. lifestyle and tradition
C. respect for brainpower                  
D. religious belief


4. The underlined word"rehabilitate"in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to "________".
A. reconstruct                          
B. evaluate
C. enlarge                              
D. decorate

5. What will probably be talked about in the following part?
A. Some other attractions in WinstonSalem.
B. How Winston makes profits from tourism.
C. Other examples of cities combined by two parts.
D. Something about the boarding school for women.

     A vuvuzela is a horn, about a meter long, usually made of a colorful cheap plastic. When it's blown by
thousands of supporters at the same time, it's loud, very loud.It sounds a bit like an air horn and you can
hear it a lot during the 2010 World Cup.
     The vuvuzela was originally made from a kudu horn and was traditionally used to summon people to
gatherings.Butthe horn you see at soccer matches in South Africa today originated from a tin horn that
became popular with South African soccer fans around 15 years ago.A sports company began to
massproduce a plastic version in the South Africa colors, and this is what you see (and hear) at every
soccer match.Now it's become an official symbol of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and more
popular around the world.
The vuvuzela will be ubiquitous during the 2010 World Cup.There was a call for FIFA to ban the
vuvuzela during the Confederations Cup that took place in South Africa in June 2009.European
journalists got into a tizzy(緊張) about the noise.The Guardian reported:"It sounds like extremely
terrible."But FIFA stood its ground, as Mr.Blatter, FIFA's president says"Vuvuzelas, drums and singing
are part of African football culture.It is part of their celebration, it is part of their culture, so let them blow
the vuvuzelas."
     Adam Carnegie, a graphic artist from Cape Town, founded the Kelp Environmental Learning Project.
The project employs local men and women to collect kelp, dry it and then hand paint colorful designs on
it.The mission is simple."We want to create jobs, make a noise, make people laugh, remind people to be
in the moment."
     Like most trumpets, getting any noise from a vuvuzela requires significant pursing of the lips and the ability to blow with force.Your cheeks will be zinging afterward.You can personalize your vuvu blowing techniques with a lot of practice, but generally it produces one big sound.

1.Which of the following sentences can be used to fill in the blank in the first paragraph?
A. It was chosen by FIFA as the unique musical instrument.
B. It has been used at soccer matches for thousands of years.
C .It is the choice of noisemaker for South African football fans.
D. It is a traditional instrument South African soccer fans use to celebrate victory.

2.The vuvuzela  ___ .
A.is usually made of metal
B.has a length of two and a half feet
C.was first used in a local sports game
D.is one of the official symbols of the 2010 World Cup

3.The underlined word "ubiquitous" in the 3rd paragraph probably means"   ".
A. banned                  
B. heard everywhere
C. extremely expensive                  
D. strictly limited

4.Why did FIFA stand its ground on the issue of the vuvuzela?
A. Because the vuvuzela is typical of African football culture.
B. Because it is the host country's right to make their choice.
C. Because the vuvuzela will make the 2010 World Cup special.
D. Because more member countries support the use of the vuvuzela.

5.What can we learn from the passage?
A. It requires effort to get noise from vuvuzela.
B. Vuvuzela will be banned after the 2010 World Cup because it is too noisy.
C. The Kelp Environmental Learning Project employs many people to sell vuvuzela.
D. Vuvuzela is too noisy for both the players and the audience.

     In the decade of the 1970s, the United Nations organized several important meetings on the human
environment to study a very serious problem.We humans are destroying the world around us.We are
using up all of our natural resources.We must learn to conserve (保護(hù)) them, or life will be very bad for
our children and grandchildren.
     There are several major aspects of this problem.
     1.Population.Most problems of the environment come from population growth.In 1700 there were
625 million people in the world；in 1900 there were 1.6 billion；in 1950,2.5 billion；and in 1980,4.4
billion.In the year 2200 there will be 6.3 billion.More people need more water, more food, more wood,
and more petroleum.
     2.Distribution(分布).Scientists say there is enough water in the world for everyone, but some
countries have a lot of water and  some have only a little.Some areas get all their rain during one season.
The rest of the year is dry.
      3.Petroleum.We are using up the world's petroleum.We use it in our cars and to heat our buildings in
winter, Farmers use petrochemicals to make the soil rich.They use them to kill insects on those plants.
These chemicals go into rivers and lakes and kill the fish there.Thousands of people also die from these
chemicals every year.Chemicals also go into the air and pollute it.Winds carry this polluted air to other
countries and other continents.
     4.Poverty.Poor farmers use the same land over and over.The land needs a rest so that it will be better
next year.However, the farmer must have food every year.Poor people cut down trees for firewood.In
some areas when the trees are gone, the land becomes desert.However, people need wood to cook their
food now.Poor people cannot save the environment for the future.
     We now have the information and the ability to solve these problems.However, this is not a problem
for one country or one area of the world.It is a problem for all humans.The people and the nation of the
world must work together to conserve the world's resources.No one controls the future, but we all help
make it.

1.According to the passage, our world is being destroyed mainly because  ____ .
A. pollution is getting worse and worse
B. population is increasing greatly
C. we humans are using up all of our natural resources
D. distribution is not reasonable

2.Most environmental problems come from   ____ .
A. forests  
B. population growth
C. too much rain  
D. poor distribution

3.Good distribution means  ____ .
A. having things in the right place at the right time
B. cutting down forests and selling them to other countries
C. building water systems to carry water to farms
D. conserving our natural resources

4. In the writer's opinion  ____ .
A. all the countries in the world should cooperate to save our world
B. the countries that have more ability should do more to protect our environment
C. only poor farmers are destroying the environment
D. it's unfair for some countries to have more water

5.The best title of the passage should be "  ___ ".
A. The World Being Destroyed
B. Conserving the World's Resources
C. Aspects that Destroyed Our World
D. A Serious Problem We Should Pay Attention to

     The Internet and advances in technology are transforming fashion, making it easier for designers to
create collections and less expensive for them to show and sell their work, experts say.
      Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a show at New York Fashion Week, some
designers presented collections for spring and summer 2010 online, while others are expanding their
brand by making it easier for shoppers to buy their clothes online.
     "It is the technology that is changing our lives, "said Designer Norma Kamali, who displayed her
spring and summer 2010 collection as well as exclusive lines(專賣品) for eBay Inc and Walmart.com
at the Apple store in Manhattan's Soho Neighborhood.
     Kamali's iPhone application has a"Try Before You Buy"option, which allows clothes to be sent
overnight to a customer, who provides her credit card information, so she can try them on at home
before deciding to buy.
     Menswear designer Miguel Antoinne and womenswear designer Marc Bouwer both put on virtual
fashion shows, while models at fashion designer Vivienne Tam's show carried a laptop computer
adorned with a Tam design.
     Mazdack Rassi, cofounder and creative director of Milk Studios, a downtown space that showed
about 70 collections during New York Fashion Week, was considering projecting shows on the side
of a building so people at a nearby park could watch.
     With cable TV and the Internet, designers know that their shows can be seen by many more people
than just the editors and the media who attend.
     Designers are finding that technology can also help the actual design work by allowing artists to
explore new ideas and processes.
     But Simon Collins, the dean of fashion at Parsons-the new school for design, said even though
technology is helpful, there is still no substitute for talent and hard work."Absolutely, there'll be people
out there that have successful businesses that don't know the first thing about draping and construction,
just think it up, put it on the computer, fire it off the factory and it works, "Collins said."But they're the
exception, not the rule."

1.According to the passage, one advantage of the Internet is that it allows the designers to    ___.
A. share their collections with other designers
B. display their work at a lower cost than usual
C. get information about the popular fashion trend
D. inform the editors and the media of their collections

2.Which of the following is TRUE about Kamali?
A. She's aware of the importance of the Internet.
B. She's strongly against buying clothes online.
C. She thinks highly of New York Fashion Week.
D. She' s running a "Try Before You Buy" website.

3.We can infer from the passage that   ___.
A. it's difficult to become a wellknown designer
B. it's very dangerous to do online shopping now
C. few people pay attention to virtual fashion shows
D. designers are struggling to promote their shows

4.According to the passage,    ___values people's natural gift and hard work.
A. Norma Kamali    
B. Miguel Antoinne
C. Mazdack Rassi    
D. Simon Collins

5.The purpose of the writing is to   __ .
A. celebrate the success of New York Fashion Week
B. stress the important role of the Internet and technology in fashion
C. introduce the activities in New York Fashion Week
D. advertise New York Fashion Week on the Internet

     Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their
children's careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sportsmen and sportswomen? For
many children it means starting schoolwork very young. And going out with friends and other interests have
to take a second place. It's very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a
day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
     Another problem is of course money, In many countries money for training is available from government
for the very best young sportsmen and sportswomen. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the
parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child's development and sports clothes,
transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. All can be expensive.
     Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some
doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed.
Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training when young that you can reach the top as
successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children
should be prepared for failure even after many years of training.

1. Where can we most probably find this passage?

A. An advertisement.
B. A diary.
C. A newspaper.
D. A notice board.

2. What does the underlined phrase "to take a second place" in the first paragraph mean?

A. To become less important
B. To put it at another place
C. To happen again
D. They are the most important of all the things

3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. It's easy to make a decision when your children want to take up sports.
B. Most of the students may become top sports men after a long period of training.
C. Early training may damage young muscles.
D. It's not very expensive for parents to support their children's development in sports.

     The British are the most voracious (如饑似渴的) newspaper readers in the world.
     They read newspapers at breakfast; they walk to the bus reading a newspaper; they read a newspaper
on bus, as they go to work; and on the way back home, after work, they are engaged in reading an evening
newspaper.
     There are many "morning papers", both national and provincial. The most famous is The Times. Different
from what many foreigners believe, this is not a government newspaper. The various newspapers usually
have their own views on politics, but they are not organs of the political parties, with the exception of the
Communist Morning Star. The Labor Party and the Trades Union Congress no longer have a daily newspaper
to represent them.
     Bold headlines and a variety of photographs are features of the British press. Some newspapers, such as
the sober Daily Telegraph and The Times, use photographs sparingly (節(jié)省). The more "popular" newspapers,
using the small or "tabloid" (小報) format, such as the Daily Express, the Mail, the Daily Mirror and the Sun,
use pictures extensively and also run strip cartoons and humorous drawings, some of which present striking
pictorial comment on politics.
     Besides offering features common to newspapers all over the world, British newspapers specialize in pages
devoted to criticism of the arts and a woman's page. One feature found in many foreign newspapers is missing
in British papers: the serial (連載).
     Nearly all papers pay special attention to the reporting of sports and athletics. The evening newspapers
are often bought because the buyer wants to know the winner of a race, or to get good tip for a race that is
still to be run. There is no censorship (審查) of the press in Britain (except in wartime), though of course all
newspapers-like private persons-are responsible for what they publish, and can be sued for libel (為誹謗而
被起訴) for publishing articles that go beyond the bounds of decency (正派), or for ignorance of court. (e.g.
calling a man a murderer while he is still being tried. Such cases are not often)

1. Which of the following does NOT serve as an evidence (證據(jù)) that the British are the great newspaper
    readers?

A. They read newspapers at breakfast.
B. They read newspapers at work.
C. They read newspapers on bus.
D. They read newspapers on the way back home.

2. Many of foreigners think that _____.

A. The Times is an organ (喉舌) of the government
B. The Times has its own views on politics
C. The Times is the most famous newspaper in the world
D. The Times pays too much attention to the reporting of political events

3. British newspapers are characterized by _____.

A. bold headlines
B. various kinds of photographs
C. striking pictorial comment on politics
D. both A and B

4. Which of the following conclusions can NOT be drawn from the passage?

A. Englishmen always take every possible chance to read newspapers.
B. In Britain, newspapers must be carefully examined by the authorities (當(dāng)局) before their publication for
    fear that they present anything offensive.
C. Few British newspapers publish libelous articles.
D. The Times is one of the world-famous newspapers.

                                                   The seven Cs of a good letter
     What is the secret of writing a good letter? Here are two main ones. Don't try to be fancy. Don't try to
impress your reader. You will be successful if you follow these seven Cs.
     Clear. Use short, direct sentences.   1   Talk as if the reader were right there with you. Above all, don't use an introduction.
     Correct.   2   Don't guess, even for spelling. Refer to your dictionary. If you need to, check a reference book too. Use them as much as you need to.
     Complete. Don't scatter your points.    3   This is good organization too.
     Courteous. Be friendly rather than overly casual. Present your information nicely even if you are
complaining about something. In all letters, treat others as you want them to treat you.
     Concise. Make each point as clearly and briefly as you can.
     Conversational. This is really the secret of good writing,   4  Such a letter has a natural, friendly tone.
Let your personality come through naturally.
     Considerate.  5   Write about what you believe the reader needs or wants to know. Try to be helpful.
This will build good feeling toward you.
     The seven Cs are about writing letters. But how about school papers? Use the seven Cs. Write as if
you are talking to your teacher or professor. You'll be surprised. You'll almost instantly become a good
writer. And you might even enjoy writing from now on.

A. Just "talk" to the person.
B. Think of the readers'point of view as you write.
C. Make them easy to understand.
D. Include long sentences in your letter.
E. Make sure what you say is correct.
F. Writing should not be taken too seriously.
G. Finish one point completely before going on to the next.