BEIJING (AP) — Sandstorms whipping across China shrouded(遮蔽) cities in an unhealthy cloud of sand Monday, with winds carrying the pollution outside the mainland as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 1600 miles (2600 kilometers) away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated.   

The sandstorm in Taiwan, forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in the grit(砂礫) that can cause chest discomfort and respiratory problems even in healthy people. In Hong Kong, environmental protection officials said pollution levels were climbing as the sandstorm moved south. Twenty elderly people sought medical assistance for shortness of breath, Hong Kong's radio RTHK reported. The sandstorm that raked(掠過) across China over the weekend caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory.

Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the western United States.

China's Central Meteorological(氣象）Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside. In Beijing, residents and tourists with faces covered walked along sidewalks to minimize exposure to the pollution. A massive sandstorm hit Beijing in 2006, when winds dumped about 300,000 tons of sand on the capital.

72. The passage tells us that the sandstorms mainly came from      .

A. Xinjiang          B. Hangzhou             C. Beijing                D. Inner Mongolia

73. The underlined word, “respiratory” (in Para.4) means         .

A. breathing                 B. digesting               C. hearing                D. walking

74. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. It is not so common for South Korea to issue a nationwide dust advisory.

B. Taiwan is 1,600 kilometers from Inner Mongolia, where the pollution originated.

C. It is not the first time that Beijing has been hit by a sandstorm in history.

D. In Hong Kong some old people need help for shortness of breath caused by sandstorms.

75. We can infer from the text that       .

A. the sandstorms were purposely made by China

B. China was to blame for the pollution

C. the sandstorms badly affected the air quality in US

D. China's Central Meteorological Station will be closed

Think about the last time you felt a negative emotion—like stress, anger, or frustration. What was going through your mind as you were going through that negativity? Was your mind cluttered with (充斥) different kinds of thoughts? Or was it paralyzed(使癱瘓), unable to think?

The next time you find yourself in the middle of a very stressful time, or you feel angry or frustrated, stop. Yes, that’s right, stop. Whatever you’re doing, stop and sit for one minute. While you’re sitting there, completely immerse yourself in the negative emotion. Allow that emotion to consume you. Allow yourself one minute to truly feel that emotion. Take the entire minute—but only one minute—to do nothing else but feel that emotion. When the minute is over, ask yourself, “Am I willing to keep holding on to this negative emotion as I go through the rest of the day?” Once you’ve allowed yourself to be totally immersed in the emotion and really feel it, you will be surprised to find that the emotion clears rather quickly.

If you feel you need to hold on to the emotion for a little longer, that is OK. When you feel you’ve had enough of the emotion, ask yourself if you’re willing to carry that negativity with you for the rest of the day. If not, take a deep breath and release all that negativity with your breath.

This exercise seems simple. But, it is very effective. By allowing that negative emotion the space to be truly felt, you are dealing with the emotion rather than stuffing it down and trying not to feel it. You are actually taking away the power of the emotion by giving it the space and attention it needs. When you immerse yourself in the emotion, and realize that it is only emotion, it loses its control. You can clear your head and proceed with your task.

67. Which one does not belong to the negative emotion?

A. anxiety            B. confusion           C. depression                 D. sorrow

68. What should you do when you are into negativity according to the article?

A. Listen to some music.                                   

B. Ignore it and do something else.

C. Just do nothing and truly feel that emotion.  

D. Think about it and try to deal with it immediately.

69. The underlined word “immerse” (Paragraph 2) most probably means ______.

A. break down       B. get rid of             C. cut off                   D. throw into

70. What’s the best title of this text?

A. Clear Your Mental Space.                       

B. Deep Breath, Trouble Away.

C. Try to Avoid the Negative Emotion.

D. Hold on to Negative Emotion as Long as Possible.

71. The author’s opinion towards negative emotion is ______.

A. doubtful          B. optimistic             C. frightened         D. confused

The word tycoon is relatively new to the English language. The term was brought to the United States, where it eventually was used to refer to magnates(富豪) who acquired immense fortunes from sugar and cattle, coal and oil. The early tycoons built successful businesses, often taking over smaller companies to eliminate(消除) competition. A single company that came to control an entire market was called a monopoly. Monopolies made a few families very wealthy, but they also placed a heavy financial burden on consumers and the economy at large.

      As the country expanded , local monopolies turned into national corporations called trusts. A trust is a group of companies that join together under the control of a board of trustees. Railroad trusts are an excellent example. Railroads were privately owned and operated and often monopolized various routes, setting rates as high as they desired. The financial burden was placed on passengers and businesses increased. Farmers, for example, had no choice but to pay, as railroads were the only means they could use to get their grain to buyers. Too high goods rates put some farmers out of business.

       There were even accusations that the trusts controlled government itself by buying votes and controlling elected officials. In 1890 Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act, legislation aimed at breaking the power of such trusts. The Sherman Antitrust Act focused on two main issues. First of all, it made illegal any effort to interfere with the normal conduct of interstate(州際的) trade. It also made it illegal to monopolize any part of business that operates across state lines. Over the next 60 years or so, Congress passed other antitrust laws in an effort to encourage competition and restrict the power of larger corporations.

64. The Sherman Antitrust Act_______________.

      A. affected only the companies doing business within state lines

     B. sought to eliminate monopolies in favor of competition in the market-place

     C. promoted trade with a large number of nations

     D. provides a financial advantage to the buyer

65. One might infer from this passage that lower prices _________.

      A. are more likely to exist in a competitive market economy

      B. usually can be found only in an economy based on monopolies

      C. matter only to people who are poor and living below the poverty level

      D. are regulated by the government

66. It seems likely that many Americans____________.

      A. believed that the trusts had little influence over government

      B. expected the wealthy magnates to share money with the poor

      C. did little to build up American business

      D. were worried that trusts might operate the government

Work your brain!

Between 2 and 3 pounds of wonder, it controls everything we say，do or think, who we are and what we care about. The way we walk or laugh or figure out things. What we like and the talents we possess. How we see and talk and run and jump and process our food.

The brain uses 20 percent of our body's oxygen and 20 percent of its blood. Somewhere within its protein, fat, 100,000 miles of blood vessels and 100 billion nerve cells, it helps us remember where we put our gym shoes. Change our temperature so we don't die because of the heat or cold. Speed us up or slow us down. Help us choose between orange juice or orange­flavored drinks.

Its complexity are stunning, far beyond anything most of us can imagine. To keep this work of art as polished as possible we need to eat right, exercise and keep mentally stimulated.

Good nutrition helps brain cells communicate with each other. Exercise stimulates a hormone in our brain that improves memory. Mental stimulation keeps you sharp even as you age.

“It's very important that we tell people to be physically active and mentally active,” said neurologist Malcolm Stewart.

“People cannot stop aging, but you're able to reduce the damage; you're able to keep the function up.”

Following are Dr.Stewart's advice for improving brain health：

60. The purpose of the author in writing this passage is to ______.

A. inform us how the brain works

B. give us advice on how to keep the brain healthy

C. tell us that the brain plays an important role in our lives

D. show how special the brain is to us

61. The word “stunning” in Paragraph 5 means ______.

A. interesting 　                        B. strange                   C. significant　           D. amazing

62. According to the text，more exercise ______.

A. keeps our mind sharp               B. helps improve our memory

C. gives our brain a rest 　     D. is good for brain cells communicating with each other

63. In order to keep brain healthy，we should avoid ______.

A. eating a good lunch                 B. doing puzzles

C. eating a large supper                      D. taking aerobic exercise

When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. And I discovered a beautiful part of the country called Stanislaus. It had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, a man had been smiling at me , standing in front of his little house. Inside, I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said , “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. “Nineteen, her last birthday. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents.” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.” That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.

Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “When little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, Tom! You always cry when I read a letter from her. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you must not do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. I really was hoping she would be here tonight.”　 

Saturday finally came. I was glad to see Tom and Joe again. They kept giving him glasses of whiskey. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth. In a moment, the men tucked him into his bed. They seemed to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. “She? she’s been dead for nineteen years!” Joe said, “She went to see her folks(家人) after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. We’ve done it for nineteen years. We drug him to sleep through the night.” The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness .

56. You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.

A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislaus.

B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.

C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.

D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.

57. Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.

A. he was getting old

B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter

C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife                             

D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late

58. The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.

A. depressed                B. disappointed       C. mad            D. sick

59. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen

B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times

C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost

D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories

Sharon wrote this when she was 16 and in the 11th grade. Her goal is to become an international diplomat and peace-maker.

It was my first day at school. I felt   36   and scared. I went to all my classes with no  37  . It felt like no one   38  . I listened anxiously to all the lessons and waited for lunch  39   at one. Then finally the bell rang. It was time to talk and have   40 .

In the lunch line I met a new friend who wore a hijab (穆斯林婦女戴的面紗) on her head, and though I am   41  , we got along fine, and I was so   42   when she said, “Sit with us, at our table.” She pointed to the one next to the door.

So I   43  , and took my tray and was   44   to walk with her across the floor, when suddenly I felt a nudge (輕推). “Hey, I saw you on the bus,” said a tall girl in a long skirt. “I see your Jewish star necklace. You   45   sit with us.”

At that moment I looked around, and that’s when I   46  , to my surprise, the nations of the world,   47  themselves. That’s what I saw through my own eyes.

The Spanish only sat with Spanish, the Hindus only with Hindus, the Russians always with the Russians, and   48   the Arabs with the Jews.

I saw the reason why   49   got started. Everyone   50   to their own kind. The   51   was a map of the world. Why was everyone so   52  ?

And so I turned   53   this girl, and went with the first, and there was no enmity (敵對). I built a   54   between two worlds when I sat with those   55   from me.

36. A. frightened                  B. generous                 C. nervous                    D. excited

37. A. textbooks                   B. teachers                   C. friends                            D. classmates

38. A. cared                         B. mattered                   C. understood               D. helped

39. A. hours                         B. stop                         C. period                      D. break

40. A. rest                           B. fun                          C. food                        D. discussion

41. A. Spanish                      B. Arab                         C. Russian                    D. Jewish

42. A. worried                      B. relieved                    C. anxious                    D. bored

43. A. adapted                      B. adopted                    C. agreed                      D. admitted

44. A. about                         B. ready                       C. willing               D. likely

45. A. might                         B. would                      C. could                       D. should

46. A. saw                           B. noticed                     C. knew                       D. recognized

47. A. developing                  B. expanding                 C. separating                 D. defending

48. A. only                           B. always                            C. sometimes                D. never

49. A. conversations             B. friendships                C. wars                        D. arguments

50. A. stuck                         B. catered                     C. turned                      D. saw

51. A. table                          B. classroom                 C. restaurant                 D. lunchroom

52. A. quiet                          B. blind                        C. deaf                         D. tough

53. A. down                         B. up                            C. off                           D. away

54. A. tunnel                        B. platform                   C. bridge                      D. path

55. A. opposite                     B. different                   C. separate                   D. apart

 ---He is a very hard-working student.

---________. As far as I know, he often burns the midnight oil.

   A. You can say that again B. Absolutely not           C. Heaven knows.              D. No way

 Miss Brown is so ____ about her housework that few servants want to work for her.

A. particular           B. neat              C. skillful                  D. special

 Only by understanding the challenges ______ by the world’s poorest people ______ a new future free of extreme poverty and hunger.

   A. faced; we can expect                                     B. faced; can we expect

C. facing; we can expect                                    D. facing; can we expect

 When he returned to his hometown after the war, he found it had changed beyond all ______.

   A. recognition                 B. recreation              C. decoration                       D. construction