A gentleman put an advertisement in a newspaper for a boy to work in his office. Out of the nearly fifty men who came to apply, the man selected one and dismissed(解散) the others.
“I should like to know,” said a friend, “the reason you preferred that boy, who brough not a single letter—not a recommendation(介紹信）.”
“You are wrong,” said the gentleman. He had a great many. He wiped his feet at the door and closed the door after him, indicating that he was careful. He gave his seat immediately to the crippled (跛的) old man, showing that he was kind and thoughtful. He took off his cap when he came in and answered my questions immediately, showing that he was polite and gentlemanly.
“All the rest stepped over the book which I had purposely put on the floor. He picked it up and placed it on the table; and he waited quietly for his turn instead of pushing and crowding.
When I talked to him, I noticed his tidy clothing, his neatly brushed hair, and his clean fingernails(指甲). Can’t you see that these things are excellent recommendations? I consider them more significant(明顯的) than letters.”
45.  A gentleman put an advertisement in a newspaper _____
A.  in order to hire an office boy          
B.  so as to dismiss the others
C.  in order to select one among the fifty applicants         
D.  so as to select one and dismiss the others
46.  The underlined word “indicatiing” probably means _______
A.  drawing         B.  saying          C.  showing         D.  speaking
47.  _______ was the very person the gentleman preferred.
A.  He who had many letters       
B.  He who had no letters         
C.  He who wiped his feet          
D.  He who was careful,kind, polite and thoughtful
48.  According to the passage, we know that the gentleman hired the boy by________
A.  his good manners               B.  the relationships between them 
C.  by the feelings                 D.  his letters

Every year, major storms cause many problems around the world. There is nothing people can do to stop these powerful forces of nature. But new techniques are helping scientists to predict how, when, and where big storms will happen. The more exact scientists’ warnings are, the better people can prepare for the storms.
Predictions are improving. “We’re gotten better over the years, especially the last few years,” says Phil Klotzbach, a scientist at an American university. How is a storm formed? Even if scientists know where a storm will happen, winds can suddenly change, carrying the storm to a new direction. “For a hurricane to happen, conditions have to be just right, ” Klotzbach says.
First, the ocean water needs to be warm enough so that it evaporates and rises into the air. As it rises, the vapor（水蒸氣）cools and turns back into liquid. This process gives off heat. This produces energy like an engine that causes winds to increase. It drives the formation of a hurricane.
If wind speeds reach 40 miles per hour, the system is called a “tropical storm”, and it gets a name. At 75 miles per hour, it becomes a hurricane.
Hurricanes that hit the US start when a thunderstorm forms off the coast of Africa. Storms also develop over tropical waters in other parts of the world.
On average, 60 or 70 storms form off Africa every year. About 10 of them get names. There are usually about six hurricanes. Two tend to be very big, with winds of 115 miles per hour or higher.
The hurricane season lasts from June to November. Ninety percent of all hurricanes hit in August, September, and October. 
1. According to the passage, hurricanes usually ________.
A. form off the coast of Africa and America
B. travel at 40 miles per hour and get its name
C. cause sea winds to rise and blow over the sea
D. hit parts of the world in summer and autumn
2. The underlined word “evaporates” (in Paragraph 5) probably means “________”.
A. begins to move  B. gets lost    C. becomes hot       D. changes into gas
3. Which of the following about the information of a hurricane is the correct order?
a. The ocean water evaporates and goes into the air.
b. Heat creates energy and causes winds to increase.
c. The vapor cools.
d. The ocean water is warm enough.
e. The vapor changes back into liquid.
f. This course gives out heat.
A. a, d, e, b, c, f     B. a, b, c, f, d, e  C. d, a, c, e, f, b    D. d, a, b, c, e, f
4. According to the passage, the speed of the biggest two hurricanes reaches ______.
A.115 miles per hour                 B.110 miles per hour
C.75 miles per hour                  D.95 miles per hour

第二部分 閱讀理解 (滿分30分)
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng) (A、B、C和D) 中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。 (每小題2分)
Wang Hao and Wang Liqin, two of China’s top tennis players, both saw the World Table Tennis Championships as a chance to prove themselves. But there was only one champion and Wang Hao, 25, won it last Tuesday in Yokohama, Japan.
Wang Hao, who won the men’s doubles title with Chen Qi last Monday, played with spirit to best Wang Liqin 11-9, 13-11,11-5,11-9.
Wang Hao said it was his mental toughness (心里穩(wěn)定) that made the difference. “I was disappointed by my performances in past championships and the last two Olympic Games. But I have tried to pull myself together and prepared well. This is the result.”
Wang Hao said he always understood the importance of physical training and technical skills. Now he knows the need for mental preparation as well. Having two Olympic silvers had left him feeling bitter (痛苦的). The bitterness perhaps explains why he has not always played at his best in the past.
“I’ve come to understand that you can learn important lessons (教訓(xùn)) from failure,” he said. “Losing can build your character and make you a stronger player.” His next goal, or dream, is to win the medal at the London Olympics in 2012.
Liu Guoliang, head coach of China’s table tennis team, sang the praises of Wang Hao’s victory. “This is just the beginning of his rise,” said Liu. “It’s the confidence-booster he needs to make further progress.”
1 According to the passage, Wang Hao won ____ gold medals in the World Table Tennis Championships in Yokohama, Japan.
A. only one    B. two     C. three   D. four
2From Wang Hao, we can know the main reason for his beating Wang Liqin is his ____ .
A. technical skills   B. physical training       C. mental toughness       D. past experience
3What is the next goal of Wang Hao?
A. To win the title of the champion at the 2012 Olympics.
B. To beat Wang Liqin again.
C. To prove himself in the future competitions.
D. To win more goals in future.
4 What can we learn from Wang Hao?
A. Failure is the mother of success.
B. Never give until you succeed.
C. Where there is a will, there is a way.
D. A good beginning makes a good ending.
5 The passage is mainly about how to ____ .
A. get gold medals B. beat Wang Liqin C. play table tennis D. beat Chen Qi

Imagine，one day，getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours，and then，after a full day of work，going back home to Beijing and having dinner there．
Sounds unusual，doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic，with the development of China’s high—speed railway system．And that’s not a11．China has an even greater high—speed railway plan—to connect the country with Southeast Asia，and eventually Eastern Europe．
China is negotiating to extend its own high·-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 1 0 to 15 years，eventually reaching London and Singapore．
China has proposed three such projects．The first would possibly connect Kunming withSingapore via Vietnam and Malaysia．Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan，and possibly
to Germany．The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe．
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward，people could zip over from London to Beiling in under two days．
The new system would still follow China’s high—speed railway standard．And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour，almost as fast as some airplanes．
China’s bullet train(高速客車)，the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou，already has the
World’s fastest average speed．It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours．
Of course，there are some technical challenges to overcome．There are so many issues that need to be settled，such as safety，rail gauge(軌距)，maintenance of railway tracks．So，it’s important to pay attention to every detail．
But the key issue is really money．China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on
domestic railway expansion．
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital
investment．Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development．
It’11 be a win-win project. For other countries，the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business，tourism and so on，not to mention the better communication among those countnes．
For China，such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources，but would also help develop China’s far west．We foresee that in the coming decades，millions of people will migrate to the western regions，where the land is empty and resources unused．With high-speed trains，people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for a11．And they’11 trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries．
1．China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because ____________．
A．China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions
B．China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways
C．China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries
D． the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation，business and tourism
2．According to the passage，the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is____________．
A．technical issues    B．safety of the system
C．financial problems  D．maintenance of railway tracks
3.Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards China’s high-speed
railway plan?
A．Critical．    B．Reserved．    C．Doubtful     D. Positive．
4．Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A．New Railway Standards    B．Big Railway Dreams
C．High—speed Bullet Trains D．International Railway Network

第三部分：閱讀理解（共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分）
請(qǐng)認(rèn)真閱讀下列短文，從短文后各題所給的A、B、C、D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter  —a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
1. Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
A. Places where people lived.      B. People’s characters.
C. Talents that people possessed.   D. People’s occupations.
2. According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.
A. owned or drove a cart          B. made things with metals
C. made kitchen tools or contains   D. built houses and furniture
3. Suppose and English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.
A. Beatrice Smith          B. Leonard Carter
C. George Longstreet       D. Donald Greenwood
4. The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____
A. later generations          B. friends and relatives
C. colleagues and partners     D. later sponsors

Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedrooms TVs.
A second study, looking at nearly 1,000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year-olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood. But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don’t rule out that already poorly motivated youngsters(年輕人)may watch lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages 5 and 15. Those with college degrees had watched an average of  less than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood, compared with an average of more than 2½ hours for those who had no education beyond high school.
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest, while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores, it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn’t have TVs in their bedrooms.
1. According to the California study, the low-scoring group might____________.
A. have watched a lot of TV          B. not be interested in math
C. be unable to go to college          D. have had computers in their bedrooms
2.What is the researchers’ understanding of the New Zealand study results?
A. Poorly motivated 26-year-olds watch more TV.
B. Habits of TV watching reduce learning interest.
C. TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15-year-olds.
D. The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain.
3. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A. More time should be spent on computers.
B. Children should be forbidden from watching TV.
C. TV sets shouldn’t be allowed in children’s bedrooms.
D. Further studies on high-achieving students should be done.
4. What would be the best title for this text?
A. Computers or Television
B. Effects of Television on Children
C. Studies on TV and College Education
D. Television and Children’s Learning Habits

American cities are similar to other cities around the world; In every country. Cities reflect the values of the culture. American cities are changing， just as American society is changing.
After Wolld Wa Ⅱ,the population of most large American cities decreased; bowever. The populaton In omthe Sun Belt cities increased. Los Angeles and Houston are eitit where populatfon shife（轉(zhuǎn)移）to and from the oity reflect the changing values of Amorican society. In the late 1940s and early 1950s,city residents（居民）became wealthier. They had more children so they needed more space, They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs（郊區(qū)）.
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. Many, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest. Many young professionals are moving back into city. They prefer the city to the burbs because their jobs are there; or they jus enjoy the excitement and possibii that the city offers.
his  people     shift is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poot people  must leave  their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people though that the older  American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright,  new fiture,  Others see only problems and comfiels the thing is sure many dying cities are alive again.
1. What does the author  think of cities all over the world?
A. They are alive.                        B. They are hopeless.
C. They are similar.                            D. They are different.
2.Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War Ⅱ?
A. Because older American cities were dying.
B. Because they were richer and needed more space.
C. Because cities contained the wont pare of society.
D. Because they could hardly afford a live in the city.
3. According to the 4th paragraph, a great many poor people in American cities_________.
A. are faced with housing problems
B. are forced to move to the suburbs
C. want to sell their buildings
D. need more money for daily expenses
4. We ear comude  from the text that ________.
A. American cities are changing far the worse
B. people have different views on American cities
C. many people are now moving from American cities
D. the population is decreasing in older American cities

第三部分閱讀理解(共20小題；每小題2分，滿分40分)
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)(A、B、C和D)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在
答題爺上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
Shakespeare’s Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare’s World
Welcome to the world—famous house where William Shakespeare was born in l564 and
where he grew up The property(房產(chǎn))remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until
1806 .The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world ,for over 250 years.
◆Enter through the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly—
praised exhibition Shakespeare's World，a lively and full
introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare
◆Stand in the rooms where Shakespeare grew up
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from
Shakespeare’s period
◆Enjoy the traditional(傳統(tǒng)的)English garden，planted
with trees and flower mentioned in the poet’s works
⊙The Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car
parks shown on the map；nearest is Windsor Street(3 minutes’
Walk)
⊙The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre，
its exhibition．a(chǎn)nd the garden are accessible (可進(jìn)入的)to
wheelchair users
⊙The Shakespeare Coffee House(opposite the Birthplace)
1．How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children？
A．￡9.80．       B．￡12.00．        C．￡14.20．        D．￡16.40．
2．Where is the nearest parking place to Shakespeare’s Birthplace？
A．Behind the exhibition hall．
B．Opposite the Visiturs’Centre．
C．At Windsor Street．
D．Near the Coffee House．
3．A wheelchair user may need help to enter__________．
A．the House       B．the garden     C．the Visitors’Centne      D．the exhibition hall

Every day we experiencc one of the wonders of the world around us without even realizing it It is not the amszing complexity of television. Nor the impressive tcchnology of transport The universal wonder we share and
Experience is our ability to make noises with our mouths, and so transmit ideas and thoughts to each other’s minds. This ability comes so naturally that tend to forget what a miracle（奇跡）it is.
Obviously, the ability to talk is something that marks humans off from animals. Of course, some animals have powers just as amazing. Birds can fly thousands of miles by observing positions of the stars in the sky in relation to the time of day and year. In Nature’s went show, humans are a species of animal that have deve pod their own special act. If we reduce it to basie ferms, it’s a ability for communicating information to ther by varying sounds we make as we breathe out.
Not the to don’t have other powers of communication. Our facia. expressions convey our emotions, such as anger, or jout or disappointment. The way we hold our beads can indicate to others whether we are happy or sad. This is so-called “body language”. Bristling(直立的)fur is an unmistakable warning of attack among many animals. Similarly, the bowed bead or drooping tail shows a readiness to take second place in any animal gathering.
Such a means of communication is a basic mechanism that animals, including human beings, instinctively acquire and display. Is the ability to speak just another sort of instinct? If so, how did human beings acquire this amazing skill? Biologists can readily indicate that particular area of our brain where speech mechanisms function, but this doesn’t tell us how that part of our bodies originated in our biological history.
1.According to the passage, the wonder we take for granted is_________.
A.our ability to use language
B.the miracle of technology
C.the amazing power of nature
D.our ability to make noises with mouth
2.What feature of “body language”mentioned in the passage is common to both humans and animals?
A.Lifting beads when sad.
B.Keeping long faces when angry.
C.Bristling hair when ready to attack.
D.Bowing heads when willing to obey.
3.What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
A.Body language is unique to humans.
B.Animals express emotions just as humans do.
C.Humans have other powers of communication.
D.Humans are no different from animals to some degree.
4.This pastge is mainly about________________.
A.the development of body language
B.the special role humans play in nature
C.the power to convey information to others
D.the difference between humans and animals in language use

Somali pirates(海盜) robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l，200 Miles off the Somali coast，the farthest-off-shore attack to date，an officer said Tuesday.
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols(巡邏)by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force，said a spokesman．
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”．
“Once they start attacking that far out，you’re not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia,” said an officer，Roger Middleton．“Once you’re that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean，and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia，from Asia to South Africa.”
"This is the farthest robbing to date．They are now operating near the Maldives and India,”said another officer．
The three ships--the MV Prantalay l l，12，and l 4—had 77 members on board in total．All of them are Thai, the spokesman said．Before the Sunday robbing，pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors．
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes。f catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships，the success rate(率)has gone down，though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year.
1.The pirate attack reported in the text happened____________．
A．far out in the Indian Ocean
B．in the normal patrol area
C．near the Somali, coast
D．in the south of Africa
2．According to the text, which can best describe the situation of the pirate problems?
A．More goods on board are lost.
B．Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now.
C．The number of attacks has stayed the same these years.
D．Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast.
3．Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text?
A．The patrols are of little effect.
B．The patrols are more difficult.
C．More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia.
D．The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas.
4．How many sailors were held by the pirates up to the time of the report?
A．228.             B．77.              C．383.             D．305.