The other day, my friend Jane was invited to a 40th birthday party. The time printed on the invitation was
7:30 pm. Jane went off with her husband, expecting a merry evening of wine, food, and song.
     By 9:45 pm, everybody was having great fun, but no food had appeared. Jane and David were restless.
Other guests began whispering that they, too, were starving. But no one wanted to leave, just in case some
food was about to appear. By 11:00 pm, there was still no food, and everyone was completely off their heads.
Jane and David left hungry and angry.
     Their experience suggests that the words on the printed invitations need to be made clearer. Everyone reads
and understands the invitations differently. Most of us would agree that 6:30-8:30 pm means drinks only, go
out to dinner afterwards: 8:00 pm or 8:30 pm means possible dinner, but 9:30 pm and any time thereafter means
no food, eat beforehand, to up late.
     But this is not always that case. If asked to a students' party at 6:30 pm, it is normal for guests not to appear
before midnight, if at all, and no one cares. Being the first to arrive-looking eager-is social death. When my
mother is asked to a party for 6:30 pm, she likes to be there, if not on time, then no later than seven. My age
group (late thirties) fall somewhere between the two, but because we still think we're young, we're probably
closer to student-time than grownup time.
     The accepted custom at present is confusing (混亂的), sometimes annoying, and it often means you may
go home, but it does lend every part that precious element (成分) of surprise.

1. The underlined words "off their heads" probably mean _____.

A. tired
B. crazy
C. curious
D. hopeless

2. Jane and David's story is used to show that _____.

A. party-goers usually get hungry at parties
B. party invitations can be confusing
C. people should ask for food at parties
D. birthday parties for middle-aged people are dull

3. For some young people, arriving on time for a students' party will probably be considered _____.

A. very difficult
B. particularly thoughtful
C. friendly and polite
D. socially unacceptable

     My name is Wang Kun. Since middle school, my sister and I 1_____ (dream) about 2_____ (take) a great
bike trip. When we graduated from college, we finally got the chance to do it. It 3_____ my sister 4_____ first
had the idea to cycle along 5_____ Mekong River from 6____ it begins to where it ends. The Dai live near the
Lancang River, the Chinese part of the river that 7_____ (call) the Mekong River in other countries. Wang Wei
soon got them interested in cycling too. She insisted that we 8_____ (find) the source of the river. She gave
me a 9_____ (determine) look. Once She has made up her mind, nothing can change it. Finally, I had to give
10_____.

     If you're looking for some advice on how to spend your time in Britain, the following tips from the London
Visitor Centre on Lower Regent Street in Central London will be of great help.
     There are lots of free activities to take part in at night, better than spending traveling money in the pubs.
Leicester Square and Covent Garden have lots of street entertainment all year round. A walk along the South
bank is really a pleasant and enjoyable thing that will bring you much enjoyment at night.
     All the national galleries and museums including the British Museum, the National Gallery and the Science
Museum can be visited for free. Liverpool has the largest collection and museums, including the Tate Liverpool. 
     Discount (折扣) shops such as Bicester Village in Cheshire Oaks are very popular. You can not only get
some great bargains but see beautiful views in the countryside.
     Britain's music festivals are getting bigger and better. If there are too many people lining up for the
Glastonbury Festival tickets, which makes you fail to get one, don't be disappointed-there're still many other
music festivals which also provide exciting experiences.
     Alton Towers in Staffordshire, where you can get, a very enjoyable trip,is one of the best theme parks that
you can't miss in Britain.
     Backpacker tours (背包族旅行) are the best way to see a lot of places if you're short of time. They have
great trips which take in the beauty and culture of the area and provide great opportunities to make many new
friends.

1. The author thinks it better for the readers to _____.

A. save money before visiting Britain
B. enjoy the London street activities
C. find a pub to have a drink in London
D. visit every theme park in Britain

2. A man fond of painting will most probably visit _____.

A. the British Museum
B. Alton Towers
C. Bicester Village
D. the Glastonbury Festival

3. In Cheshire Oaks, you can _____.

A. buy many things at low prices
B. see many famous paintings
C. have free meals for three days
D. enjoy many free old films

4. It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A. Alton Towers is the best theme park in London
B. Backpacker tours often provide long-time trips
C. the Tate Liverpool is the only museum in Liverpool
D. the Glastonbury Festival is popular in London

5. The tips are written especially for _____.

A. natives of London
B. travel goods sellers
C. tourists to Britain
D. pub managers

     A typical Chinese Internet user is a young male who prefers instant messaging to e-mail, seldom makes
online purchases and favors news, music and games sites. According to a study, about two-thirds of survey
participants use the Internet for news-often entertainment-related-or for online games. About half download
music and movies.
     They also tend to prefer instant messaging to e-mail, and they are depending on the Intemet more frequently
than before to communicate with others who have the same professions, hobbies and political interests. Online
purchases still remain unpopular in China. Three-quarters of users surveyed have never bought anything over
the Intemet, and only 10 percent make purchases even once a month. Among those who do buy online, most
pay for entertainment while others buy phone cards, or computer hardware or software.
     "Many people don't trust the quality of goods bought online," Guo said Wednesday. "If they buy it in a store
and don't like it, they can easily bring it back."
     The survey was done in five major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Changsha. Results do
not necessarily project countrywide because Internet use in rural areas is lower than in cities. Guo describes the
typical netizen in the five cities surveyed as young, male, richer and more highly educated. Males make up two-
thirds of the Internet community, and more than 80 percent of users are under 24. Among people ages 25 to 29,
60 percent to 80 percent go online. China has more than 100 million people online, second in the world to the
United States.

1. A typical Chinese Intemet user will be the one who _____.

A. likes to send e-mails
B. likes to buy goods online
C. likes to pay for entertainment
D. likes the games sites

2. Online purchases still remain unpopular in China mainly because _____.

A. it is more difficult for sales retums
B. people haven't computers
C. people can't have a look at the goods
D. goods bought online are of low quality

3. Which of the following words fails to describe the typical netizens in the five cities?

A. Well educated.
B. Richer.
C. Female.
D. Young.

     "In only six days I lost seven pounds of weight."
     "Two full inches in the first three days!"
     These are the kinds of statements used in magazine, newspaper, radio and television ads, promising new
shapes and new looks to those who buy the medicine or the device. The promoters of products say they can
shape the legs, slim the face, smooth wrinkles, or in some other way to beauty or desirability.
     Often such products are nothing more than money-making things for their promoter. Where they produce
are questionable, and some are dangerous to health.
     To understand how these products can be legally promoted to the public, it is necessary to understand
something of the laws covering their regulation. If the product is a drug, FDA (Food Drug Administration)
can require proof (證明) under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that safe and effective before it is put on
the market. But if the product is a device, FDA has no author to require premarketing proof of safety or
effectiveness. If a product already on the marker danger to health, FDA can request the producer or distributor
to remove it from the market voluntarily, or it can take legal action, including seizure (查封) of the product. 
     One notable case a few years ago involved an electrical device called the Relaxacisor, had been sold for
reducing the waistline. The Relaxacisor produced electrical shocks to the customers through contact pads.
FDA took legal action against the distributor to stop the sale of the products to the grounds that it was
dangerous to health and life.
     Obviously, most of the devices on the maker have never been the subject of court proceedings (法律訴訟),
and new devices appear continually. Before buying, it is up to the consumer to the safety or effectiveness of
such items.

1. It can be inferred that ads mentioned in the text are _____.

A. objective
B. costly
C. unreliable
D. illegal

2. Which of the following is true according to the text?

A. The court is in charge of removing dangerous product.
B. New products are more likely to be questionable.
C. The production of a device must be approved by FDA.
D. The promoters usually just care about profits.

3. FDA can ask for the proof of safety and effectiveness of a product _____.

A. if it is a drug
B. if it is a device
C. if its consumers make complaints
D. if its distributors challenge FDA's authority

4. The Relaxacisor is mentioned as _____.

A. a product which was designed to produce electricity
B. a product whose distributor was involved in a legal case
C. a successful advertisement of a beauty product
D. an example of a quality beauty product

5. The author intends to _____.

A. make consumers aware of the promoters' false promises
B. show the weakness of the law on product safety
C. give advice on how to keep young and beautiful
D. introduce the organization of FDA

     My name is Elias. I am a poor black worker in South Africa. The time l_____ I first met Nelson Mandela
was a very difficult period of my life. I was twelve years old. It was in 1952 and he had opened a black law
firm to advise poor black people 2_____ their problems.
     I began school at six. The 3_____ where I studied only two years was three kilometres away. I had to
leave, 4_____ my family could not continue to pay the school fees and the bus 5_____. I could not read
6_____ write. After trying hard, I got a job in a gold mine. This was a time when one had got to have a
passbook to live in Johanneburg. 7_____ (sad) I did not have this passbook because I was not born there and 
I was worried 8_____ whether I would be out of work.
     The day when Nelson Mandela told me what to do and helped me was one of the 9_____ (happy) days of
my life. He told me how to get the correct papers so I could stay in Johanneburg. I never forgot 10_____ kind
he was and when he organized the ANC Youth League, I joined it as soon as I could.

     [1] The word addiction usually makes you think of alcohol or drugs, but in modern-day society we are
seeing some new kinds of addictions. Some people are compulsive (難以自制的) shoppers. Others find it
impossible to pull themselves away from their work. Still others spend countless hours watching TV or
playing computer games.
     [2] Over the years, shopping has become a very common activity. Many people enjoy going to malls or
stores more and more every day, but it's more than a common hobby for some of them. They have turned
into shopaholics. They are people who simply enjoy shopping and walking around spending money without
being able to stop doing it. They are hooked on shopping and usually buy things that they don't need. Even
though they don't have enough money, they buy everything they want.
     [3] The question is: why do they have this addiction? There isn't a specific answer. Some people go
shopping when they are sad, worried, upset or lonely and they want to feel better. They use this activity as
a way to forget their problems. Shopaholics say that they feel more important and better after they buy
something. They also tend to have this addiction when they feel guilty.
     [4] Shopaholism seems to be a harmless addiction, but it car. _____. Some of them can be psychological.
If this is the case, people addicted to shopping should go to a support group to help them break this habit.
However, the process, like for most addictions, is long, and they suffer a lot. It can also cause financial
problems. They just think about satisfying their feelings, so they spend money they don't have to. They get
deep in debt, and they can even go bankrupt and get sent to prison.

1. List three activities that might develop into addictions based on the text. (Please answer within 8 words.)
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What's the main idea of Paragraph 3? (Please answer within 8 words.) 
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Fill in the blank in paragraph 4 with proper words. (Please answer within 6 words.) 
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which sentence in the text is the closest in meaning to the following one?
     Accordingly, these shopaholics should turn to a certain organization for help so that they can stop
     compulsive shopping.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Translate the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 into Chinese. 
    _____________________________________________________________________________________

     Allen goes everywhere with Brigitte Anderson, a 54-year-old secretary. He moves around her office at
work and goes shopping with her. "Most people don't seem to mind Allen," says Brigitte, who thinks he is
wonderful. "He is my fourth child," she says. She may think of him and treat him that way, buying his food,
paying his health bills and his taxes, but in fact Allen is a dog.
     Brigitle and Allen live in Sweden, a country where everyone is expected to lead an orderly life according
to rules laid down by the government, which also provides a high level of care for its people. This level of
care costs money.
     People in Sweden pay taxes on everything, so they aren't surprised to find that owning a dog means more
taxes. Some people are paying as much as 500 Sweden kronor (克朗) in taxes a year for the right to keep
their dogs, money that is spent by the government on dog hospitals and sometimes medical treatment for a
dog that falls ill. However, most such treatment is expensive, so owners often decide to pay health and even
life insurance (保險(xiǎn)) for their dogs.
     In Sweden dog owners must pay for any damage their dogs do. A Swedish kennel (寵物園) club official
explains what this means: if your dog runs out on the road and gets hit by a passing car, you, as the owner,
have to pay for any damage done to the car, even if your dog has been killed in the accident.

1. Brigitte pays taxes for Allen because _____.

A. he is her dog
B. he is her child
C. he follows her everywhere
D. he often falls ill

2. The money paid as dog taxes is used to _____.

A. keep a high level of care for the people
B. pay for damage done by dogs
C. provide medical care for dogs
D. buy insurance for dog owners

3. From the passage it can be learned that in Sweden _____.

A. dogs are welcome in public places
B. keeping dogs means asking for trouble
C. many car accidents are caused by dogs
D. people should pay a lot for their dogs

4. If a dog causes a car accident and gets killed, who should pay for the damage done to the car?

A. The owner of the car.
B. The owner of the dog.
C. The insurance company.
D. The government.

5. What does the underlined word "he" refer to?

A. Brigitte.
B. Allen.
C. Anderson.
D. Secretary

                                                   How to Make the Most of Your Time
     Time management is important in our daily life. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to
accomplish all you need to do. Here are some tips that might be of some help to you.
     1. Set up a plan. Go for a week at a time,and decide the most important ones. Include things you want
to accomplish. Focus mostly on the things that are important to you.
     2. Control your stress. No matter what kind of pressure mounts on you.try to keep cool. Stressing out
can lead to an early break-down,which is definitely counter-productive when you have a list of things to do.
It's easier to take a 10-minute break and cool off than to work all week with stress.
     3. Shut your door. When working under a schedule, perform your important tasks with your door shut
to get them done. This will ensure a better quality time to get what needs to be done done.
     4. Focus on one thing at a time. Forget trying to multi-task! You will lose concentration, and it will take
you longer to accomplish what you set out to do.
     5. Just say "no". If you are constantly interrupted, and you really don't have the time to help out, just say
"no". You're only one person, and you can't save the world by yourself!
     6. Stop wasting time on the phone. While talking on the phone, keep your conversations short, and to the
point and you'll waste much less time.
     7. Be realistic. You can only do what you can do. Don't set out to accomplish the impossible. Do your
best, but keep realistic expectations of yourself.
     8. Relax. The most important thing is to remember to take time to relax, and regroup. You need a break
every now and then to keep working efficiently. Even if it's a 10-minute walk, get away from your list and
get refreshed.
     As families today get busier and busier, it's important to your own mental health to keep things on track.
Don't delay; get your life in order now.