Eddy missed his girlfriend Anna so much that he flew back to Britain from Australia to propose to her. The problem is she did the same in the opposite direction. He and Anna even managed to miss each other when they sat in the same airport waiting room in Singapore at the same time to wait for connecting flights.

Anna, heartbroken when she arrived at Eddy’s Sydney flat to find he had flown to London, told The Times, “It was as though someone was playing a cruel joke on us. He is the most romantic person I have ever known. We are both quite impulsive（沖動(dòng)的）people. We are always trying to surprise each other.”
　 After an 11,000-mile flight across the globe, she was greeted by Eddy’s astonished roommate asking what she was doing there. Eddy had taken a year off to travel round Australia. But he was missing Anna so much that he got a job on a Sydney building site and started saving money for a surprise. He then flew home to Britain and went to her flat armed with an engagement ring, wine and flowers.

“I really missed Anna and I’d been thinking about her all the time. I was so excited when she phoned me from Australia.” he said. Eddy then asked Anna to marry him on the phone. “I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but I accepted.” she said.
　 Anna was given a tour of Sydney by Eddy’s friends before going back home. Eddy had to stay in Britain for two weeks because he could not change his ticket.
72. From the first paragraph we know that Anna _______.
　 A. flew to Britain to marry Eddy.　　　 B. flew to Britain to meet Eddy.
　 C. flew to Australia for a tour.　　　　 D. flew to Australia to offer a proposal.
73. Eddy got a job on a Sydney building site because he _______.
　 A. wanted to keep himself busy so that he would not miss Anna so much　　　

B. needed money to pay his travelling cost
　 C. had no money to return to Britain　

D. hoped to make money to buy a ring
74. The underlined word “engagement” in paragraph 3 most probably means _______.
　 A. a promise to make a date　　　　　　 B. an agreement to marry　

C. an arrangement to meet D. a longing to see
75. Which of the following is TRUE about Eddy and Anna according to the text?
　 A. Eddy proposed to Anna on the phone and Anna accepted.
　 B. Anna stayed in Australia waiting for Eddy’s arrival.
　 C. Anna had a good time touring Sydney with Eddy.
　 D. Eddy met Anna in the airport waiting room by chance.

The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphone, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic (懷舊的) skill. However, while today’s educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful — both in school and in life.

Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.

Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks — both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.

In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to how well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.

Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe（轉(zhuǎn)換） “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct them over time.

“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won’t have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”

68. What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?

A. The absence of blackboard in classroom.　　　

B. The use of new technologies in teaching.

C. The lack of practice in handwriting.　　　　　　　

D. The popular use of smartphones.

69. Berninger’s study published in 2009 _______.

　　 A. focused on the difference between writing by hand and on a computer

　　 B. indicated that students prefer to write with a pen and paper

　　 C. found that good essays are made up of long sentences

　　 D. discussed the importance of writing speed

70. Which of the following best shows the role of spelling?

　　 A. Spelling improves one’s memory of words.　　　　　　　　

　　 B. Spelling ability is closely related to writing ability.

　　 C. Spelling benefits the translation from words into ideas.

　　 D. Spelling slows down finding exact words to express ideas.

71. What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?

　　 A. Computers can help people with their choice of words.

　　 B. Spell checks can take the place of spelling teaching.

　　 C. Handwriting still has a place in today’s classrooms.

　　 D. Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, born on September 24, 1896, an American novelist, was once a student of St. Paul Academy, the Newman School and attended Princeton University for a short while. In 1917 he joined the army and was posted in Alabama, where he met his future wife Zelda Sayre. Then he had to make some money to impress her.

His life with her was full of great happiness, as he wrote in his diary: “My own happiness in the past often approached such joy that I could not share it even with the person dearest to me but had to walk it away in quiet streets and take down parts of it in my diary.”

This Side of Paradise, his first novel, was published in 1920. Encouraged by its success, Fitzgerald began to devote more time to his writing. Then he continued with the novel The Beautiful and Damned (1922), a collection of short stories Tales of the Jazz Age (1922), and a play The Vegetable (1923). But his greatest success was The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, which quickly brought him praise from the literary world. Yet it failed to give him the needed financial security. Then, in 1926, he published another collection of short stories All the Sad Young Men.

However, Fitzgerald’s problems with his wife Zelda affected his writing. During the 1920s he tried to reorder his life, but failed. By 1930, his wife had her first mental breakdown and went to a Swiss clinic. During this period he completed novel Tender Is the Night in 1934. While his wife was in hospital in the United States, he got totally addicted to alcohol. Fitzgerald died in 1940, before he could complete the novel The Love of the Last Tycoon.

64. How many novels written by Fitzgerald are mentioned in the passage?

A. 5.             B. 6.            C. 7.              D. 8.

65. Which of the following is the correct order to describe Fitzgerald’s life according to the passage?

a. He became addicted to drinking. 

b. He studied at St. Paul Academy. 

c. He published the novel This Side of Paradise.

d. The Great Gatsby won high praise. 

e. He tried to reorder his life.

f. He joined the army and met Zelda.

A. f-c-e-a-b-d      B. b-e-a-f-c-d      C. f-d-e-c-b-a      D. b-f-c-d-e-a

66. From the passage we can learn that        .

A. The Beautiful and Damned was Fitzgerald’s first novel

B. the work The Great Gatsby brought Fitzgerald great fame and fortune 

C. Fitzgerald managed to recorder his life during the 1920s

D. Fitzgerald’s wife broke down more than once

67. The passage is probably followed by a concluding paragraph about        .

A. Fitzgerald’s struggling with alcoholism

B. the reasons for Fitzgerald’s death

C. comments on Fitzgerald’s literary contributions

D. Fitzgerald’s family life

In South Africa there’s a huge culture about braais (barbecue). There’s something that we love about gathering together with friends and family around the fire, cooking delicious meat. In most cases, most housewives would prefer to have a braai than a dinner party!

　 The first one is the convenience. There’s a lot less organization and preparation for a braai. You needn’t worry about making fancy five-course meals. You can simply make sure you have meat and condiments (佐料) for the meat, but you can’t do it like that for dinner parties. The atmosphere around a braai is a lot more relaxed, so there are a lot less expectations of you. The convenient part of this is that you needn’t deal with such a big mess inside your house after the party, because everyone will stay outside most of the time.

　 The convenience of the food preparation is probably one of the best parts of hosting a braai. When you have a braai, it’s acceptable to throw some meat onto the fire and serve it with condiments, such as potato salad or bean salad. Naturally, you feel more comfortable cooking these kinds of simply prepared foods at a relaxed braai. However, there is more pressure to impress with the food at a dinner party. It’s normal for the men to be responsible for cooking the meat and preparing the fire, and in many households, this will be the only time you will find a man cooking.

　 In conclusion, you can see why braais are more fun, and why there is a better atmosphere around a braai! There’s such a nice sense of community and fun, and you can also swim and include outdoor activities in your braai. It’s easy to see why braai are better than dinner parties, so what are you waiting for? Have a braai!

60. When having a braai, people often _______.

A. have fancy five-course meals　　　 B. gather happily and eat as they wish

C. expect a lot from the hostess　　　　 D. stay indoors most of the time

61. Braais are popular among most women mainly because _______.

A. the foods are more delicious

B. cooking will be done by men

C. they save a lot of time before and after meals　　　　　　　　　　

D. more friends and family members will attend

62. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A. The skills of cooking the meat.

B. The convenience of preparing food for braai.

C. The food eaten at a braai.　　　　　

D. The activities held during a braai.

63. How does the author develop the passage?

A. By giving comparisons.　　　　　 B. By quoting sayings.

C. By giving examples.　　　　　　　 D. By listing data.

I still remember my college days after I was initially given my assignments of writing different papers. I enjoyed my first week with new friends and teachers as they were quite friendly and sociable. But I didn’t realize that there was a dark era in my life, which was the horrifying day after I found that my term papers with empty pages. I had no way out. I was not alone. All the new students were feeling exactly the same way.

　 I gathered some courage and started thinking to find methods to help me write my term papers. I went to my history teacher. She was very kind and always prepared to help new students. She told me that I should act like a professional student and not take my work lightly. She also provided some encouraging tips which really improved my confidence. I was instructed to go to the library and gather books that have relevant material or topics about the term papers. The next step was to find related chapters in those books. I did as I was ordered.

　 Throughout the whole process of term papers there was something quite interesting and pleasing. She didn’t assist me in doing any practical thing, but gave instructions one by one. With a large pile of reference books, we left the library and she told me to review those chapters. I got a lot of information and data. I had been feeling proud and happy as I got a good idea about the topics. She told me to create a 2000-word essay in my own words. I had been happy that it took only two days to finish my task. She did further editing and told me to make a bibliography（參考書目）, which was not a hard task.

　 I felt quite lucky to see the term papers had a professional appearance. I also felt lucky to have such a good teacher as her.

56. What did the author think of the beginning of his college life?

　 A. Hard.　　　　 B. Ordinary.　　 C. Lonely.　　　 D. Pleasant.

57. The author’s history teacher advised him to 　　　 .

　 A. search the library for some books related to the papers

B. seek help from a professional student

C. relax himself and take little notice of his work　　　

D. review the books they learned during the class

58. We can infer from the passage that _______.

A. the author didn’t work hard during his first week in college

B. the author’s history teacher went to the library together with him

　 C. only a few students in the author’s class met with difficulty in writing papers　　　

D. the author spent two days preparing for his term papers

59. What did the author’s history teacher do for him?

　 A. Assist him with some practical tasks.　　　　　 B. Make a bibliography.

　 C. Lend him some reference books to read.　　　　 D. Do further editing.

閱讀下面短文，從短文后所給各題的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)(A、B、C和D)中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。

As a mom, I have taught my children many things. Over the years, I do believe I have

taught my children a lot, 36 what is more important is the 37 my children have

taught me. Far beyond 38 I have learned in school, my children have taught me　 how to really live.

Notice Everything

　 I 39 to go on walks with my family. We often walk in our neighborhood, at

local parks, and along a lake. When I 40 a walk, my mind usually goes right to my

41 — where does the path lead?

　 My children have taught me to put aside the goal, and 42 the journey. My kids have taken my black and white world and added so much 43 into it; it’s like I’m seeing with 44 eyes. They remind me to slow down and 45 the world, rather than just walk right through it. I love that about them!

Listen Quietly

　 I am a licensed psychologist, professionally trained to help people with their 46 . Listening to others is what I 47 mastered in school or in practice, but have learned by being a student of my own children. Because of my children, I finally 48 that it is better and more helpful to put an end to my own 49 , and purely listen to others. I wish I had always known that. What a gift to give — allowing others to feel 50 and understood.

Enjoy Moments

　 Anyone who knows me will tell me that I am “ 51 ”. I multi-task with the best of them and 52 to accomplish an awful lot in a day.

　 When my children and I walk together or spend an extra 20 minutes before bed laughing and playing, we 53 our finest moments. My lists, tasks, and must-dos will always be there, but my children are only 54 once — and for a very short time.

　 Kids can really be our greatest teachers. When we are ready, children are always there to 55 us what we really need to know.

36. A. but　　 　　　　　　 B. so 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. though　 　　　　　　　 D. since

37. A. opinions　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. lessons　　　　　　　　　　 C. tips　 D. skills　　

38. A. nothing　　 　　　 B. something　　 　　　 C. anything　　　 　　　 D. much

39. A. intend　　 　　　　 B. love　　　 　　　　　　 C. happen　　　　 　 D. hope

40. A. dream of B. put up　　 　　　　　　 C. insist on　 D. think about

41. A. destination　　 B. scenery　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. puzzle　　　 D. wonder

42. A. give up　　　　　　　 B. carry out　　　　　　　　　 C. focus on　　　　　　　　　 D. go on

43. A. pleasure　　　　　　　 B. color　　　　　　　　　　　 C. interest　　　　　　　　　　 D. emotion

44. A. new　　　　　　　　　 B. dull　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. beautiful　　　　　　　　　 D. bright

45. A. change　　　　　　　 B. watch　　　　　　　　　　　 C. improve　　　　　　　　　 D. share

46. A. stress　　　　　　　　 B. lives　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. decisions　　　　　　　　 D. problems

47. A. never　　　　　　　　 B. still 　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. also　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. always

48. A. recognize　　　　　　 B. remember 　　　　　　　 C. realize　　　　　　　　　　　 D. agree

49. A. pride　　　　　　　　　 B. idea　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. career　　　　　　　　　　　 D. speech

50. A. supported　　　　　 B. relaxed　　　　　　　　　　 C. heard　　　　　　　　　　　 D. attended

51. A. busy　　　　　　　　　 B. efficient　　　　　　　　　 C. different　　　　　　　　　 D. popular

52. A. seem　　　　　　　　　 B. refuse　　　　　　　　　　　 C. try　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. manage

53. A. enjoy　　　　　　　　　 B. forget　　　　　　　　　　　 C. spare　　　　　　　　　　　 D. waste

54. A. right　　　　　　　　　 B. born　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. happy　　　　　　　　　　　 D. young

55. A. inform　　　　　　　　 B. show　　　　　　　　　　　 C. remind　　　　　　　　　　 D. expect

－I’ve read another book this week.

－Well, maybe it is not how much you read but ______ you read ______ counts.

A.that; what　　　　 B. what; that　 　　 C. which; that　 　　 D. what; which

 According to a UN report, 30 percent of the world population have no ______ to

   clean drinking water and health care.

   A. entrance       B. approach       C. channel         D. access

My schedule is very ______ right now, but I’ll try to fit you in. 

   A. tight                        B. short                 C. regular                  D. flexible

She went to the supermarket and ______ what she needed, she left for the train station, light-hearted.

A. bought       B. buying            C. having bought        D. to have bought