If you look for a book as a present for a child, you will be spoiled for choice even in a year there is no new Harry Potter. J.K Rowling’s wizard is not alone. The past decade has been a harvest for good children’s books, which has set off a large quantity of films and an increased sales of classics such as The Lord of the Rings.

Yet despite that, reading is increasingly unpopular among children. According to statistics in 1997, 23% said they didn’t like reading at all. In 2003, 35% did. And around 6% of children leave primary school each year unable to read properly.

Maybe the decline is caused by the increasing availability of computer games. Maybe the books boom has affected only the top of the educational pile. Either way, Chancellor Cordon Brown plans to change things for the bottom of the class. In his pre-budget report, he announced the national project of Reading Recovery to help the children struggling most.

Reading Recovery aims at six year olds, who receive four months of individual daily half-hour classes with a specially trained teacher. An evaluation this year reported that children in the school made 20 months’ progress in just one year, whereas similarly weak readers without special help made just five months’ progress, and so ended the year even further below the level expected for their age.

International research tends to find that when British children leave primary school they read well, but more often read texts instead of reading for fun than those elsewhere. Reading for fun matters because children who have been on reading can report lifelong pleasure and loving books is an excellent indicator of future educational success. According to the OECD, being a regular and enthusiastic reader is of great advantage.

41. Which of the following is true of Paragraph 1?

A. Many children’s books have been adapted from films.

B. Many high-quality children’s books have been published.

C. The sales of classics have led to the popularity of films.

D. The sales of presents for children have increased.

42. Statistics suggested that        .

A. the number of top students increased with the use of computers

B. a decreasing number of children showed interest in reading

C. a minority of primary school children read properly

D. a huge percentage of children read regularly

43. What do we know about Reading Recovery?

A. An evaluation of it will be made sometime this year.

B. Weak readers on the project were the most hardworking.

C. It aims to train special teachers to help children with reading.

D. Children on the project showed noticeable progress in reading.

44. Reading for fun is important because book-loving children _______.

A. take greater advantage of the project       B. show the potential to enjoy a long life

C. are likely to succeed in their education.   D. would make excellent future researchers

45. The purpose of this text would probably be _______.

A. to overcome primary school pupils reading difficulty

B. to encourage the publication of more children’s books

C. to remind children of the importance of reading for fun

D. to introduce a way to improve early children reading

Though nearly all novelists report what at least some of the characters in their works are thinking about, few writers attempt to recreate all of the thoughts and half thoughts that race constantly through any individual’s mind. Those writers who do rely on a technique called stream of consciousness.

Consider for a moment what goes on in your own mind at any given moment. You may be consciously thinking, for example, of what you are reading on this page. Below this conscious level, however, hundreds of other impressions might be floating about --- a concert you attended last night, a sudden noise outside, a sight in the room as you glance up that makes you think of something related. Most of these images or ideas are half-formed and fleeting, and usually you are barely aware of them. Yet a writer using stream of consciousness attempts to put this jumble of concepts onto the printed page.

Many novels include short snatches of stream of consciousness, usually characterized by long or half-formed sentences and free association from one idea to the next. Few writers attempt to sustain the technique for long stretches, though there are some notable exceptions. James Joyce uses the technique extensively throughout his novel Ulysses, the story of one character’s experiences --- and reflections --- as he wanders through Dublin on a single day. William Faulkner uses it in The Sound and the Fury to probe（調(diào)查）the thoughts of three characters, including one of limited mental ability. Virginia Woolf uses it in The Waves, as she allows the reader to inhabit the minds of six friends as they pass through the stages of their lives. These works are some of the most challenging yet critically acclaimed novels of the 20^th century.

36. The passage is mainly about _______.

A. the genius of Joyce and Faulkner

B. a history of stream of consciousness

C. stream of consciousness novels

D. great novelists of stream of consciousness

37. Ulysses is a novel that _______.

A. traces the stages of its characters’ lives

B. includes short snatches of stream of consciousness

C. is set in England

D. takes place in one day

38. Stream of consciousness is a _______.

A. technique that most readers enjoy

B. difficult technique to pull off successfully

C. technique used by most writers today

D. way of analyzing historical events

39. The writer explains “stream of consciousness” by _______.

A. asking the reader to consider his or her own thought processes

B. giving examples from novels

C. explaining who originated the term

D. giving a dictionary definition

40. The underlined word “acclaimed” in the last sentence means _______.

A. criticized    B. praised    C. sold     D. copied

In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments. In the U.S., the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.

The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyer pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.

Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping. It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment. There is, however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment. If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments. If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit, it becomes more likely to have a depression. This is why, in some countries, the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment and installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.

31. Which of the following is NOT true about the installment plan?

A. A lot of British families use the installment plan.

B. More than 10 percent American families buy things on installments.

C. Americans depend more on installment than British people do.

D. Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying.

32. Goods bought on installments are more expensive than goods bought by cash because ________.

A. the buyer has to pay extra money as interest

B. the delivery of the goods charges extra money

C. the buyer has to pay a down payment

D. the service offered by installment plan charged extra money

33. What will happen to a buyer if he fails to make the full payment for an item bought on installments?

A. He might lose his job.

B. He will stop using the item he has bought.

C. He will have to sell what he has bought.

D. He will go into debt.

34. The advantage of installment buying might include all the following EXCEPT that ________.

A. purchasing power is strengthened

B. employment might be increased

C. people develop a good habit of saving money

D. young couples are able to furnish their homes

35. In some countries, the governments control the installment plan to _____.

A. increase employment

B. avoid depressions

C. ensure that businesses make good profits

D. ensure that people can pay for what they buy

Public schools are supposed to remove barriers so people can succeed. For some, the system does remove barriers and provide a solid base for achievement. For others, the system replaces one set of barriers with another. For example, creativity is killed by pressuring students to accept the current situation, by establishing a fear to be different and a fear of failure. Independent thinking is replaced by dependency. In some cases, pressure to succeed academically kills morality, faithfulness motivation, and skills needed for success in the real world. People who have a dream, motivating them can overcome all barriers on the whole.

My story begins in Summit, NJ, at the age of sixteen, where I am sitting in a classroom staring out of the window. Out of the first window I could see myself exploring the jungles of South America searching for gold, I could see myself going down the Amazon River on a boat, I could see monkeys swinging through the trees, I could see myself as Tarzan swinging on a climbing plant. Through the next window, I could see…

    Then BANG! The teacher's yardstick hitting my desk brought me back to the real world where subjects did not relate to my interest. In a loud voice the teacher said, "You are a failure! If you don't pay attention, you will continue to be a failure!"

    When the bell rang, instead of going to the next class I walked out of school never to return. I was tired of being called a failure. Right or wrong, I took charge of my future. When I left school, I carried the single most important basic factor for success---A DREAM. During the next twenty years, every one of my teenage dreams came true.

    You may be asking, "How does one make their dreams come true?" There are three basic factors:

    First, we must have a dream that motivates us. No one has ever achieved anything without a dream attached to a burning desire.

    Second, we must learn how-to-learn. In school, we learn how to memorize or be taught. Learning how to learn frees our dependency on others for knowledge.

    Third, we must learn from failure and learn how to bounce back from failure. No one has ever succeeded without failure. In the classroom, failure is a no-no.

26. What is the main idea of Paragraph 1?

A. Public schools should make it easier for students to succeed.

B. Some public schools have no barriers at all.

C. There are a lot of barriers in all public schools.

D. Barriers have been replaced by new ones in most public schools.

27. Which of the following is TRUE according to Paragraph 2?

A. The author left school because of his dream.

B. The author slept and had a dream.

C. The author didn’t listen carefully to the teacher.

D. The author made a plan for the future

28. The author intended to show that ___________.

A. he was bored in class

B. it is not necessary to receive an education

C. he was considered to be a failure at school

D. people sticking to their dreams can succeed

29. According to the passage, _________ is the most important factor of success.

A. having a dream                      B. knowing how-to-learn

C. overcoming failure                   D. having a good education

30. On the whole, the author’s attitude towards America’s public schools is ___________.

A. agreeable          B. unsatisfied        C. arbitrary       D. unknown

Every day has the potential to be a good and, in some cases, a great day for you. Few of us get up in the morning 　 16　 (think) that we want this to be a bad day. Yet in many cases the day turns that way because of a person or an event that we worry about.

　 Think about those small events which can throw you 　 17　 balance and affect your whole day 　 18　 (negative). Who stole your day? Was 　 19　 a boss, an unruly child, an erratic driver on the way to work, getting 　20　 “F” on a history paper, 　 21　 an impolite waiter at lunch that did?

　 Every day numerous people or events can prevent us from having a good day, if we let them. The key is that we should adopt a positive attitude towards life. We cannot control 　 22　 happens to us in many cases, but we can control how we react 　 23　 these events.

　 Lao-tzu, a Chinese philosopher, 　 24　 (say), “He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers 　 25　 is mighty.”

For many people today, reading is no longer relaxation. To keep up their work they must read letters, reports, trade publications, interoffice communications, not to mention newspapers and magazines: a never-ending flood of words. In 　1 a job or advancing in one, the ability to read and comprehend 　2 can mean the difference between success and failure. Yet the unfortunate fact is that most of us are 　3 readers. Most of us develop poor reading 　 4　 at an early age, and never get over them. The main deficiency（缺乏） 5 in the actual stuff of language itself — words. Taken individually, words have little meaning until they are strung together into phrases, sentences and paragraphs. 　6 , however, the untrained reader does not read groups of words. He laboriously reads one word at a time, often regressing（退回） to 　7 words or passages. Regression, the tendency to look back over what you have just read, is a common bad habit in reading. Another habit which 　8 down the speed of reading is vocalization — sounding each word either orally or mentally as one reads.

To overcome these bad habits, some reading clinics use a device called an 　9 , which moves a bar (or curtain) down the page at a predetermined（預(yù)先確定的） speed．The bar is set at a slightly faster rate 　10 　the reader finds comfortable, in order to “stretch” him. The device forces the reader to read fast, 　11 word-by-word reading, regression and sub-vocalization（默讀）practically impossible. At first 　12 is sacrificed for speed．But when you learn to read ideas and concepts, you will not only read faster, but your understanding will 　13 . Many people have found their reading skill greatly improved after some training. 　14 Charlie Au, a business manager, for instance, his reading rate was a reasonably good 172 words a minute before the training, now it is an excellent 182 words a minute. He is delighted that how he can 　　15 through a lot more reading material in a short period of time.

1． A．a(chǎn)pplying 　　B．doing 　　 　C．offering 　　 　　 D．getting

2． A．quickly 　 　　B．easily 　　 　C．roughly 　　 　　 D．decidedly

3． A．good 　　　 　　B．curious 　 　C．poor 　 　　　　 D．urgent

4． A．training 　　　　 B．habits 　　 　C．situations 　 　　 D．custom

5． A．lies 　　　　B．combines 　　　 　C．touches 　　 　　 D．involves

6． A．Hopefully 　　　 B．Actually　 C．Logically 　 　　 D．Unfortunately

7． A．reuse 　　 　　B．reread 　　 　C．rewrite 　　　 　　　　 D．recite

8．A．scales 　　　 　　B．cuts 　　　C．slows 　　　　 D．measures

9．A．a(chǎn)ccelerator 　　　 B．a(chǎn)ctor 　　　 　C．loudspeaker 　　　 　　 D．observer

10．A．then 　　　　B．a(chǎn)s 　 　　　C．beyond 　　　 　　 D．than

11．A．having 　　 　　 B．leading 　 　C．making 　　　 　　 D．indicating

12．A．meaning B．comprehension 　C．vocalization　 D．regression

13．A．a(chǎn)rise 　　　 B．reduce 　 　　　　 C．improve 　　　 　　D．worsen

14．A．Like B．Take 　　 　　　　 C．Make 　 　　D．Consider

15．A．master 　 B．make　　 　　　　 C．finish 　 　　D．get

    目前，如果你們倆停止?fàn)幎凡⑴��?u>好好相處，我將不勝感激，因?yàn)槟銈兊挠颜x應(yīng)該建立在 相互溝通的基礎(chǔ)上的。實(shí)際上，你們可以通過許多方式來交流，例如，網(wǎng)絡(luò)聊天。網(wǎng)絡(luò)使你們即使身處世界的不同角落也完全可能面對面地交流。不管你相不相信，溝通要花掉你們一些時間，但你不會感到厭倦的，因?yàn)檫@是你第一次充分利用網(wǎng)絡(luò)和朋友分享快樂和憂傷。此外，你也可以試試想出其他辦法來解決你們的問題。

根據(jù)提示填寫單詞或短語的正確形式完整句子

（共20小題；每小題1分，滿分20分）

1.       The P__________ is the biggest ocean in the world.

2.       Dad did some research and had no d________________ in finding us cheap tickets.

3.       Learn from your failures and go on to the next ________________(挑戰(zhàn)).

4.       My uncle led us to a small path ____________(遠(yuǎn)離) the main trails to increase our chances of seeing wildlife.

5.       The cause of the big fire still r______________(仍然) unknown.

6.       We are s______________(應(yīng)當(dāng)) to get to the railway station at six so as to catch the train.

7.       Our trip to Hainan was s_____________(糟蹋) by flight delay, bad weather and poor service.

8.       She lost the necklace borrowed from her friend, which u___________ her very much.

9.       Either she didn’t see me or she _____________(不理) me on purpose.

10.   It is nearly 40 years since they ______________(定居) in the small village.

11.   Terry was so tired that he couldn’t walk _______________(筆直).

12.   People present at the meeting ______________________(要求) to wear formal suits.

13.   The old lady is __________________________(受。。。折磨) a bad back.

14.   I am very ______________________(感激不盡) all those take the trouble to help me.

15.   As far as _______________________(依他看來), the film is worth seeing a second time.

16.   She always ___________________(不同意) him, for his ideas are always crazy.

17.   The newcomer ___________________________(與。。。相處得很好) the others at present.

18.   Our teacher suggested that we _____________________(充分利用) time to do more reading.

19.   Any scientific theory should _____________________(建立在) a large number of serious experiments. 

20.   Computers ________________________________(起了重要作用) since it was invented. 

The older I get, the more I value friends, yet the less time, energy and enthusiasm（熱情）I have in maintaining（維持） old friendships and building up new ones.

Sunny, one of my dearest friends at work, will leave the office next month for a better job. He is not my first friend from the office to say goodbye. Over the years, there have been a handful of workmates who became friends. In recent times, at least three others have also left. So, next month, I’ll say goodbye to Sunny and I am left with one friend fewer at work. When Sunny told me that he was leaving, I sighed:" With you gone, I will have hardly any friends left in the office!”

I began to think: At what point does a workmate become a friend? And, to take a step back, what does “friendship” mean? Indeed, what makes you form a friendship with a person, but not some other? If a friend is a person I feel completely comfortable calling up at 3 am to get me out of trouble—as Sunny will do—then I don’t have that many friends. Other than family members, I can depend on just one female friend and three, at best four, male friends. But then, maybe that’s plenty. As someone said, one friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible.

Friendships are different form relationships. You can be great friends with your partner, of course, but a relationship is so much more complex（復(fù)雜）. It is not only about that wonderful feeling called love, but also a collection of emotions like jealousy,. resentment（不滿）, anger, pain and despair（絕望）. Friendship is simpler and fills you, mostly, with positive emotions—kindness, fondness, warmth and honesty. With a lover, you make demands and have expectations. But with a friend, you’re cool. You don’t really owe him anything, or have to explain much, because you demand nothing more from each other than pleasant company（陪伴）and an occasional listening ear.

Love, I read somewhere, is blind, but friendship closes its eyes. How true.

21. Recently, _______ have left the office.  

A. 3 of my workmates              B. a handful of my workmates 

C. all of my friends                D. at least three of my friends.

22. The write tells us that friendship and relationship are _______.  

A. quite different                B. exactly the same 

C. more or less the same          D. both true

23. By citing（引用） “One friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible.”, the writer implies “_______”  

A. a true friend is hard to find         B. so many friends will bring you trouble

C. it’s impossible to have three friends  D. making too many friends is no good for you

24. By writing this passage, the writer wants to tell us __ __.  

A. one of his friends will say goodbye to him

B. you may make friends with your workmates.

C. friendship is very precious（珍貴）

D. the difference between friendship and relationship

25. Which of the following is true to the passage?   

A. A friend must be able to get up at 3 in the morning.

B. A friend must be always with you.

C. You can demand a lot from a friend.

D. Your friend is your good listener.

Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, “Mom, I can’t peel potatoes. I have only one hand.”

Mom never looked up from sewing. “You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes,” she told me. “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”

In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.

That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her “we’ll see about that” look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.

“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow(肘子). Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.

One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. “Mom,” I said, weeping, “none of the boys would dance with me.”

For a long time, I didn’t hear anything. Then she said, “Oh, honey, someday you’ll be beating those boys off with a bat.” Her voice was faint and cracking. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf（為了我）. She had never let me see her tears.

16. Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom’s   attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?

A. Cruel.             B. Serious.             C. Strict.                   D. Cold.

17. What does the word “that” in paragraph 2 refer to?

 A. complaining  

 B. sewing

 C. “I” have only one hand

 D. to peel the potatoes

18. What does the sentence “I saw her ‘we’ll see about that’ look” imply?

A. Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.

B. The race across monkey bars was not difficult at all.

C. Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.

D. What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity.

19. When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open  because ______.

A. they felt sorry for what they had done before

B. they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt

C. they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars

D. they were surprised to find the author’s progress

20. The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is ______.

A. the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep

B. the child’s experience reminded Mom of that of her own

C. Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph

D. in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child’s growth