However urban life strikes you, cities worldwide have been growing ever more rapidly. Some of this growth has occurred in the developed world, but the most dramatic increase has been in the Third World. Almost all the world’s population growth over the next 30 years will take place in the cities of developing countries
By the year 2030, for the first time in history, 60 percent of the world’s people will be living in cities.
This is actually good news in some ways. “Cities are the fundamental building blocks of prosperity,” says Marc Weiss, chairman of the Prague Institute for Global Urban Development, “ both for the nation and for families.” Industrial and commercial activities in urban areas account for between 50 and 80 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in most countries of the world“ there’s the crazy notion that the way to deal with a city’s problems is to keep people out of them,”Weiss continued. “But the problems of the rural life are even more serious than those of the city.” For better or worse, urban-watchers are clear on one point: The quality of life for most people in the future will be determined by the quality of cities. Those cities will be bigger than ever. And yet, population numbers by themselves don’t determine a city’s prospects; after all, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Hamburg, Germany, have the same population. Nor is explosive growth necessarily the determining factor. “City problems,” one authority points out, “mostly have to do with weak, ineffective, and usually unrepresentative city governments.”
【小題1】The passage mainly discusses ______________.

A．Big cities.

B．City life.

C．Population.

D．Gross Domestic Product.

【小題2】According to the passage, in the year of 2030 _______.

A．there will be 21 cities having a population of more than 10 million.

B．rural area will be extinct.

C．most people will live in cities.

D．the third world will keep abreast with the developed world.

【小題3】In the author’s opinion, _________.

A．better city, better life

B．both urban and rural areas have a larger population

C．the larger population, the faster a city develops

D．both urban and rural areas have larger gross domestic products

【小題4】Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?

A．The developing countries develop faster than the developed countries.

B．Cities contribute more to the GDP than the villagers.

C．Some problems are more easily solved in cities than in country.

D．It’s impossible to solve urban problems by getting people out of cities.

【小題5】The last paragraph implies that ____________.

A．Public services are ineffective.

B．Cities are increasing too fast.

C．Population is not linked with development.

D．Government should be responsible for the problems in the cities.

Beginning college is exciting: new ideas to explore, new challenges to meet and many decisions to make．Your future begins here．
However, you will find college life is different from your previous school environment. Many of us can be easily overwhelmed（壓垮）by the details of running a well-balanced life．While some of us may have the know-how, I guess there are more of us who can benefit from learning about the experiences of others who have walked the college halls before you．
The following you may find of use about life on campus．
* Plan well．There are so many new things to do at a new college or university．Give yourself time to make new friends and become familiar with the campus, but don’t forget why you are there．Give some time for social activities and manage your time wisely．
* If you don’t have a “system” for planning your time now（like a day timer, a computer data book）, get one．Most of all, don’t depend on your memory．
* Don’t miss the guidelines．The restrictions, rules and regulations of all kinds can usually be found in your student handbook．Consider them well-balanced food for thought．What dates are important? What pieces of paper need to be handed in? What can/ can’t you do in class? What can/ can’t you do in your student residence? Who has right for what? What do you need to complete to graduate?
* Write the word “STUDY” on the walls of our bedroom and bathroom, and maybe it will help to write it on a piece of paper and stick it on the telephone, TV and the kitchen table．Consider this—you are paying thousands of dollars for your courses. You pay every time you have to repeat or replace a course．
* Build your identity．This is the time for you to decide what to do and what not to do．Take as much time as you need to explore new ideas．Do not be afraid of the beyond．This is learning to make good choices．
【小題1】What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To describe the importance of college life．

B．To explain why college life is exciting．

C．To offer advice on college life．

D．To persuade you to go to college．

【小題2】According to the passage, why is it exciting to begin college life?

A．Because you prepare for your future career and life there．．

B．Because you will no longer be afraid of the beyond．

C．Because you will have more freedom at college．

D．Because professors there will provide you with many new ideas．

【小題3】The underlined word “know-how” refers to___________________________．

A．a(chǎn)n understanding of how things are going at college

B．college halls where rules and regulations are presented

C．practical knowledge about how to behave and what to do at college

D．a(chǎn)n environment completely different from the one you’re used to

【小題4】According to the passage, college students ___________________________ ．

A．needn’t learn from those who went to college before them

B．should know what they have fought for on campus

C．spend as much time as possible on social activities

D．a(chǎn)re supposed to repeat or replace at least one course

Apollo 11, carrying Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, was launched on 16 July, 1969. Five days later they stepped down onto the moon.
Neil Armstrong
On the way there: Of all the wonderful views we had, the most impressive to me was on the way to the Moon when we flew through its shadow. We were still thousands of miles away, but close enough so that the Moon almost filled our window. The moon appeared blue-grey. It seemed almost as if it were showing us its roundness, its similarity in shape to our Earth, in a sort of welcome. I was sure it would be a hospitable（好客的） host. It had been waiting for its first visitors for a long time.
After touch down: The sky is black, you know. It’s a very dark sky, but it still seemed more like daylight than darkness as we looked out the window. It’s a very strange thing but the surface looked very warm and inviting. It seemed to be tan(棕褐色). It’s hard to explain that, because later when I held the material in my hand, it wasn’t tan at all. It was black, grey and so on.
Edwin Aldrin
On the Moon: The blue color of my boots has completely disappeared now into this soil—still don’t know what color to describe this other than grayish(灰色的) cocoa.
Back on board: The moon was a very natural and pleasant environment in which to work. On the Moon, in one-sixth gravity, you have a strong feeling of being somewhere. As we did our experiments, some objects we threw away would go in a slow, lazy manner.
【小題1】What impressed Neil Armstrong most?

A．The moon filling their window.

B．Seeing the shape of the moon

C．Flying through the shadow of the moon.

D．The five—day flight to the moon.

【小題2】What did Armstrong find very strange on the moon?

A．The color of the sky.	B．The surface of the moon
C．The gravity on the moon.	D．The daylight on the moon.

【小題3】Edward Aldrin described the soil as ________.

A．tan

B．gray

C．black

D．grayish cocoa.

【小題4】What can be said about Edward Aldrin?      

A．He landed on the moon alone.

B．He was sent to the moon by Apollo 11.

C．He didn’t notice the gravity of the moon.

D．He found it impossible to work on the moon.

We were driving on the right road when, all of a sudden, a black car pulled out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver stepped on his brake, skidded(打滑), and missed the black car’s back end by just inches! The driver of the black car, who almost caused a major accident, turned his head angrily and started shouting bad words at us.
My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, my taxi driver was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to hospital!” And the following is what my taxi driver told me, which I now call “the law of the Garbage Truck”.
“Many people are like garbage(垃圾) trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump(傾卸)it. And if you let them, they dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish him well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.”
So this is “The Law of the Garbage Truck”. I started thinking: How often do I let “Garbage Trucks” run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets? It was then that I said, “I’m not going to do it any more.”
I began to see “Garbage Trucks”. I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my taxi driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, and move on.
Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses. What about you? The mark of a successful person is how quickly he can get back his focus on what’s important.
【小題1】Who acted like a garbage truck in the accident described in the first two paragraphs?

A．The author.

B．The driver of the black car.

C．The taxi driver.

D．Both drivers.

【小題2】The reason why the taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy is that ______.

A．the black car was full of garbage

B．the driver of the black car didn’t cause any damage to the taxi

C．the taxi driver didn’t want his mood ruined

D．the driver of the black car was angry and the taxi driver felt a little frightened

【小題3】The underlined part “the load” in Paragraph 5 refers to _____.

A．waste materials

B．excitement

C．new products

D．bad mood

【小題4】What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Always be kind and hardworking.

B．Try to be good leaders as well as good parents.

C．Ignore unpleasantness and stick to(堅持) your tasks.

D．Do things quickly so as to be ready for the next.

One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister．On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend．I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children．Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with．
I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out．I called home with this happy news．But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing．
It was, I should point out, after 10 p．m．,when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone．“I’ll give him a lesson,” I said． I decided they must be outside．Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a winter night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with．
Finally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend’s house． After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered．“Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here．”
He came on the phone．I was not my usual calm, rational（理智的）self． After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers．“Where are the children?” I said．He said they were with him．They had done nothing wrong．My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake．This was too good to be believed． Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it．It was only part of the truth．
The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday．My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts．Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions．They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend．
【小題1】The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because         ．   

A．she knew that her eldest son was a good baby-sitter

B．she thought it no hard work to take care of the younger ones

C．she believed he could do well with his girlfriend’s help

D．she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night

【小題2】When the author called home that evening, she found that           ．

A．two younger children had already been in bed

B．the children were preparing a birthday gift for her

C．her son was quarrelling with his girlfriend

D．there was no one answering the telephone

【小題3】What might the children do that evening?

A．They had a birthday party．	B．They framed some photographs．
C．They had their pictures taken．	D．They made some beautiful clothes．

【小題4】What does the author intend to tell us by the story?

A．Modern teenagers are not worth trusting．

B．It is no easy job to look after young children．

C．It’s no good to have a girlfriend at an early age．

D．Her children have a caring and tender heart．

Uncertainty spreads through our lives so thoroughly that it dominates our language. Our everyday speech is made up in large part of words like probably, many, soon, great, little. What do these words mean?Such verbal expression is not necessarily to be criticized. Indeed, it has a value just because it allows us to express judgments when a precise quantitative statement is out of the question.
We have been trying to pin down by experiments what people mean by these expressions in specific contexts, and how the meanings change with age. For instance, a subject is told “There are many trees in the park” and is asked to say what number the word many mean to him. Or a child is invited to take “some” sweets from a bowl and we then count how many he has taken. We compare the number he takes when he is alone with the number when one or more other children are present and are to take some sweets after him, or with the number he takes when told to give “some” sweets to another child.
First, we find that the number depends, of course, on the items involved. To most people some friends means about five, while some trees means about twenty. However, unrelated areas sometimes show parallel values. For instance, the language of probability seems to mean about the same thing in predictions about the weather and about politics: the expression “is certain to” (rain, or be elected) signifies to the average person about a 70 percent chance; “is likely to”, about a 60 percent chance; “probably will” about 55 percent.
Secondly, the size of the population of items influences the value assigned to an expression. Thus, if we tell a subject to take “a few” or “ a lot of” glass balls from a box, he will take more if the box contains a large number of glass balls than if it has a small number. But not proportionately more: if we increase the number of glass balls eight times, the subject takes only half as large a percentage of the total.
Thirdly, there is a marked change with age. Among children between six and fourteen years old, the older the child, the fewer glass balls he will take. But the difference between a lot and a few widens with age. This age effect is so consistent that it might be used as a test of intelligence.
【小題1】 What’s the right attitude towards the words like probably, many, soon?

A．They are inaccurate and we should avoid them.

B．They are necessary since we cannot be always precise.

C．They should be criticized because there are too many of them.

D．Their value is not yet clear since we don’t know their meaning.

【小題2】 Why do we do experiments with the words “many” and “some”?

A．To prove people are insensitive to these words.

B．To prove the words dominate our everyday speech.

C．To find out how the meanings vary with age and contexts.

D．To find out whether the words can mean a precise quantity.

【小題3】 Which of the expressions means a larger chance in weather broadcast?

A．Possible

B．Probable

C．Be likely to

D．Be certain to

【小題4】 Which of the following will least definitely influence the number of items a kid takes out of a box when he is invited to take “some”?

A．Whether the quantity of items is large or small.

B．Whether the items are candies or toys.

C．Whether the kid is a toddler or a youngster.

D．Whether the kid is alone or accompanied by other children.

【小題5】 What will tell us about the intelligence of a child?

A．The consistency of picking up a certain glass ball.

B．How many glass balls he will take when he’s asked to.

C．The difference between a lot and a few when he takes glass balls.

D．Whether there are marked changes in his first pick and second one.

School uniforms（制服）are becoming more and more popular across the U.S.A. That’s no surprise，because they offer many benefits. They immediately end the powerful social sorting and labeling （標(biāo)記）that come from clothing. If all students are dressed in the same way，they will not pay too much attention to their clothing，and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing the “wrong” clothes.
Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms，but they do not realize that students already accept a kind of rule — wanting to look just like their friends. The difference is that the clothing students choose for themselves creates social barriers（障礙）; school uniforms tear those barriers down.
As in other places，uniforms remind the wearers of their purposes and duties. For example，when a man or woman puts on a police uniform，he or she becomes，for a time，the symbol（象征）of law and order. The uniform means to the wearer his or her special duties and sends the same message to everyone the wearer meets. People with different jobs wear uniforms of one kind or another. For students，the school uniform reminds them that their task for the six or seven hours they are in school is to get an education.
Some parents are unhappy about uniforms，saying that school uniforms will affect their children’s “creativity”. First，as noted above，the clothes students choose to wear do not necessarily express their individuality （個性）. They just copy their classmates. Second，students have the rest of the day to be as creative as they like. While they’re in school，their job is to master reading，writing，and maths; this should take up all the creativity they have. Mastery of those skills will be good for the students to build up their creativity in every way.
【小題1】In Paragraph 1，the word “benefits” probably means       .

A．tasks

B．messages

C．differences

D．a(chǎn)dvantages

【小題2】From the passage we learn that uniforms in general       .

A．prevent the wearers from being laughed at

B．help the wearers keep their duties in mind

C．a(chǎn)re seen as a symbol of power

D．help to create social barriers

【小題3】Some people are against school uniforms because       .

A．they fail to realize that students have accepted the uniforms

B．they believe that uniforms will make students less creative

C．they don’t agree that uniforms can remove social barriers

D．they think that school uniforms are too popular

【小題4】The author would probably agree that       .

A．it makes no difference whether to wear school uniforms or not

B．students’ individuality may not come from school education

C．students’ creativity is related to the clothes they choose

D．school uniforms help to create equality among students

【小題5】School uniforms are becoming more and more popular and important because _____

A．they can stop the powerful social sorting and labeling.

B．if all students are dressed in the same way，they will not pay too much attention to their clothing.

C．uniforms can remind the wearers of their purposes and duties

D．school uniforms will affect their children’s creativity.

In England three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop. They studied the information on the post sign and decided which bus to take. About five minutes later the bus they wanted came along. They prepared to get on. Suddenly people rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted insulting remarks about the foreigners. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus-stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, You might see a man apparently shaking his head at another and assume (認(rèn)為) that he is disagreeing. But in many parts of India a rotating (旋轉(zhuǎn)) movement of the head is a gesture that express agreement or acceptance. Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty. In that country you shake your head to express “yes” — a nod means “no”.
In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when sitting, talking to someone, even at an important meeting. Doing this when meeting an important person in Thailand, however, could cause offence (冒犯). It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. Also when in Thailand avoid touching the head of an adult — it’s just not done. Attitudes to women vary considerably around the world. In Japan, for example, it is quite usual for men to plan evening entertainments for themselves and leave their wives at home.
Knowing about customs and attitudes is useful when you are travelling, but you also need to know the language used to express different degrees of formality (禮節(jié)).
【小題1】The three foreign gentlemen looked puzzled and ashamed because ________.

A．they didn’t know the English language

B．the bus conductor told them to jump the queue

C．they didn’t know the custom of lining up for a bus

D．they thought they were looked down upon

【小題2】What’s the meaning of the underlined word “insulting” in Para. 1?

A．Modest.

B．Entertaining.

C．Misunderstanding.

D．Rude.

【小題3】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this passage?

A．In Europe, using the left hand is considered less respected.

B．In India, the left hand is not used as a sign of respect to others.

C．In Thailand, you’d better cross your legs when sitting or talking.

D．In Japan, it is considered bad manners to touch the head of an adult.

【小題4】The underlined sentence “Nodding your head when offered a drink in Bulgaria is likely to leave you thirsty” means in Bulgaria _______.

A．you are probably thirsty if you nod your head

B．you’re possibly eager to have a drink if you nod your head

C．you probably refuse to drink when you nod your head

D．you’d like to have a cup of tea because you nod your head

【小題5】We can infer from the passage that _________.

A．in Asian countries, women are equal to men in every field

B．learning a language well is a necessity before going abroad

C．a(chǎn)ttitudes to women vary from country to country

D．in Japan, men are still the centre of the family

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項. 選項中有兩項為多余選項. 請將答案涂在答題卡上.
 71  Because, from what I could see, it seemed that grown-ups often forgot. I never wanted to forget --- I wanted to be able to remind other adults and myself when the time came. I began consciously(有意識地) thinking this at quite an early age.
As soon as I was fully aware (意識到) of myself, I regarded me as a little person and liked adults who thought of and treated me the same way. I didn’t have a doll and I didn’t want one. I wanted animal toys, even a single animal. Why wouldn’t my parents give me the one thing I wanted?  72  
Instead, my dad somehow managed to buy me a full set of encyclopedia(百科全書) and books with maps and color pictures long before I could read. Well, guess what? I learned to read without realizing it! Later, I found out when I started school and it all came so easy especially geography.  73  Because of all the books my father bought me, I knew a lot of words that other children didn’t know at my age.
I love words. They opened up new worlds for me.  74  Parents, please make sure your kids have a computer. Let them explore　— as safely as possible— let them do their own things and discover the world.
Now, most kids lead a happy life. They can get what they want from their parents. But children should learn to be independent.  75  Be independent to do your own things.

A．Because of them, I read and thought, and today, I write.

B．When I was a child, I promised myself to try to remember as much as I could.

C．I listened and heard everything, even if I didn’t understand everything.

D．I nearly knew every place on the map like the teacher.

E. But more than anything, it made me feel uncomfortable and I knew it wasn’t nice.
F. Later, I knew we didn’t have much money, but how expensive could a toy be?
G. Be independent to learn some useful knowledge.

                                                                             C
Monday: Here I am, in the middle of nowhere. This camping trip idea is not getting off to a very good start. It’s raining and the tent leaks (漏). The hiking seemed to take forever, and I still can’t understand how it could all have been up hill! How did I ever let my brother persuade me into doing this? When we get home—if we ever get home—he’s going to have to do something great to get back on my good side. Maybe he should sponsor (贊助) a shopping spree（狂購）at the mall!
Tuesday: Things are looking up. The sun came out today, so we were able to leave the tents and dry out. We’re camped at the edge of a small lake that I couldn’t see before because of the rain and fog. The mountains are all around us, and the forest is absolutely beautiful. We spent most of the day dragging out everything out of our backpacks or tents and putting it where the sun could dry it out. Later in the afternoon we tried to catch the fish for dinner, but the fish were smarter than we were. At night we built a fire and sang songs happily.
Wednesday: We hiked to the far side of the lake and climbed to the top of a small peak. From there we could see how high the other mountains were and how far the forest spread around us. On the way up we passed through a snowfield!
Thursday: I caught my first fish! We followed the stream that fed the lake. After about two miles, we came to a section (區(qū)域) that Carol said looked “fishy”. She had a pack rod (竿) , which can be carried in a backpack. I asked to cast (投擲) it, and I caught a fish on my first try. Carol caught a few more. But they were just too pretty to eat for lunch, so we put them back in the stream.
Friday: I can’t believe we are going home already. It will be nice to get a hot shower, sleep in a real bed, and eat junk food, but the trip has been wonderful. We’re already talking about another camping adventure next year where we canoe (乘獨木舟) down a river. It’s hard to believe, but I think this city girl has a little country blood in her veins.
【小題1】The writer went on this camping trip because ____________．

A．she enjoyed camping.	B．she wanted to go fishing.
C．she was influenced by her brother.	D．she was tired of staying home.

【小題2】 The whole morning of Tuesday, the writer ____________．

A．hiked along the lake.	B．dried out her belongings.
C．climbed the mountain.	D．caught the fish for dinner.

【小題3】It can be inferred that Carol had a pack rod with her because ____________．

A．she could not afford to buy a regular fishing pole.

B．she needed it to get their food.

C．she thought the writer of the journal might need it.

D．she expected to go fishing while they were hiking.

【小題4】 It is likely that the writer will ____________．

A．go on another camping trip.

B．invite Carol to go fishing together.

C．make her brother buy her something.

D．persuade her brother to go camping.