NewYork Tuesday April 12—Dustin Hoffman fan Pamela Crack got the shock of her life when the movie star telephoned her as she was doing her housework.. Crack, 58, said she was “flabbergasted” when she picked up the phone and heard the star at the other end.

“It’s not every day you get a Hollywood superstar phoning you when you’re doing the housework,” Crack told The Sun, “It was a moment I’ll never forget.”
Hoffman was in the back of a London taxi driven by Crack’s husband, Dave, when he made the call after being told Pamela was a fan. Dave Crack later became the star of Hoffman’s speech at the Bafta award ceremony Sunday, where the 62-year-old American actor presented the Best Film award.
“He said to give him a mention,” Hoffman told the audience to a burst of laughter. “Cheers Dave.” Taxi driver Crack said the Hollywood star was a joy to drive from the moment he got into the taxi eating a cheese and tomato sandwich.
“I said ‘You’re that Dustin Hoffman, aren’t you?’ and he said, ‘Yes I am—would you like a sandwich?’ I was a bit surprised but I took a sandwich from him and ate it hungrily.”
【小題1】How did Dustin Hoffman learn that Pamela was a fan?

A．He learned it at a dinner party.

B．He learned it from Dave Crack.

C．He learned it when he was at the Bafta ceremony.

D．He learned it when he was watching a Hollywood movie.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “flabbergasted” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．pleased.

B．honored.

C．frightened.

D．surprised.

【小題3】What was Hoffman doing when he talked about Dave Crack?

A．He was riding in a taxi.

B．He was presenting the Best Film award.

C．He was talking to Pamela on the phone.

D．He was eating a cheese and tomato sandwich.

【小題4】Which of the following is the correct order of events mentioned in the article?
a. Hoffman mentioned Dave’s name in his speech at the ceremony.
b. He got into Dave Crack’s taxi in London.
c. He telephoned Pamela Crack.
d. He talked to Dave Crack.

A．bdca

B．bdac

C．cbda

D．cdba

America’s greatest technological achievement, the Hoover Dam, now has a companion piece, a bridge held up by the longest arch in the Western Hemisphere（半球）. The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened this month and connects the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, crosses the vast chasm（峽谷）890 feet above the Colorado River that is controlled by the dam.
The striking 1,900-foot-long structure will improve traffic in the region and help protect the dam from being destroyed. It is the seventh highest bridge in the world, behind four in China, one in Papua New Guinea and one in the US state of Colorado.
“The Hoover Dam is the greatest civil engineering achievement in America’s history,” said the bridge project manager Dave Zanatell. “Our goal was not to outdo or outshine it. Our goal was to, in a respectful way, do something that would be great for our generation and that would stand besides Hoover Dam in a respectful and quality way that would become a part of Hoover’s legacy（遺產(chǎn)）.”
Just as the Hoover Dam was built in the heart of the Great Depression（大蕭條）and was seen as an example of the nation’s can-do spirit, some hope this project can also provide some uplift.
The bridge is surprising: at 1,050 feet, its support arch holds up a roadway that lies on 300-foot-long concrete pillars（柱子）, some of the tallest in the world. It contains 16 million pounds of steel.
　　The idea of the bridge came into being in the 1960s because the top of the Hoover Dam has been a narrow two-lane road that is the fastest route from Arizona to Las Vegas and then the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
　Access to the dam from each direction is a dangerously winding route, but massive trucks and passenger vehicles shared it for decades. During the day, when thousands of tourists travel to the dam from Las Vegas three times as many accidents as on a normal road will happen.
　The bridge has a sidewalk on the side facing the dam. The wall on both sides is 54 inches high, so walkers can take photos there.
【小題1】Which of the following is true of the Hoover Dam?

A．It was completed recently.

B．It was built during the hard times.

C．It has the longest arch.

D．It’s the seventh highest dam in the world.

【小題2】What is one of the purposes of building the bridge?

A．To protect the dam.	B．To save the cultures.
C．To outdo the dam.	D．To develop the tourism.

【小題3】The underlined word “uplift” in Paragraph 4 means _____.

A．lift of the heavy object	B．support in money
C．spiritual encouragement	D．instruction in technology

【小題4】Which of the followings shows the right position of the bridge and dam?

【小題5】The text is mainly about ______.

A．the Hoover Dam

B．American western development

C．a(chǎn) tour along the Colorado River

D．a(chǎn) recently built bridge

A town in Oxfordshire has become the first in the UK to have biomethane（生物甲烷）gas from human waste piped to their homes for gas central heating and cooking.
Up to 200 families in Didcot now receive the gas via the national gas power system. Head of energy and technology at British Gas, Martin Orrill, said customers wouldn’t notice any difference as the gas is purified（提煉）to the highest standard and has no smell. The gas is produced at a sewage（污物）treatment works plant in Didcot.
The entire process takes only less than three weeks, with the sewage being collected and sent first to settlement tanks. The solid waste material is then fed into digesters, where anaerobic bacteria（厭氧菌）digest the sewage, with the aid of enzymes（酶）to speed up the process. The digestion process produces methane, which can be burned to drive machines to produce electricity, or can be purified and fed into the gas network and piped to homes and businesses. British Gas says supplying the gas rather than electricity is far more efficient since around two-thirds of the energy is lost in producing electricity.
Partners in the Didcot project, British Gas, Scotia Gas Networks, and Thames Water, all hope to expand the process to other towns, and other companies such as Ecotricity and United Utilities have also announced biomethane projects being planned. One of these projects, in Manchester, could be supplying 500 homes with biomethane by mid next year. Another British Gas project in Suffolk will provide gas from digestion of brewery wastes to around 235 families.
The Didcot project cost ￡2.5m and was influenced by promises of government aids aimed at encouraging companies to develop renewable technologies. An EU directive means the UK must ensure at least 15 percent of its energy is from renewable sources by 2020.
The UK produces about 1.73 million tons of sewage annually. If all sewage treatment works in the UK were fitted with the technology, they could supply gas for up to 350,000 families.
【小題1】Which of the following is true of the biomethane gas?

A．It’s mainly made from rotting plants.

B．It’s an environmentally friendly gas.

C．Its production process is too long.

D．It’s easily recognized by the customers.

【小題2】What is the function of the enzymes?

A．To digest the solid waste material.

B．To help get rid of anaerobic bacteria.

C．To help purify the biomethane.

D．To speed up the digestion process.

【小題3】According to British Gas, the biomethane gas had better be used _____.

A．a(chǎn)s the power for the vehicles

B．for the heating and cooking

C．to produce the electricity

D．to drive a variety of machines

【小題4】The last three paragraphs mainly show that _____.

A．UK government supports the biome thane projects

B．the biome thane projects are very costly

C．the biome thane projects still face many barriers

D．the biome thane projects are promising

【小題5】What should the text belong to?

A．Computer science.

B．Engineering.

C．Energy.

D．Business.

The Red Cross is an international organization which cares for people who are in need of help. A man in a Paris hospital who needs blood, a woman in Mexico who was injured in an earthquake, and a family in India that lost their home in a storm may all be aided by the Red Cross.
The Red Cross exists in almost every country around the world. The world Red Cross organizations are sometimes called the Red Crescent, the Red Mogen Daid, the Sun, and the Red Lion. All of these agencies share a common goal of trying to help people in need.
The idea of forming an organization to help the sick and wounded during a war started with Jean Henri Dunant. In 1859, he observed how people were suffering on a battlefield in Italy. He wanted to help all the wounded people regardless of which side they were fighting for. The most important result of his work was an international treaty called the Geneva Convention(日內(nèi)瓦協(xié)定). It protects prisoners of war, the sick and wounded, and other citizens during a war.
The American Red Cross was set up by Clara Barton in 1881. Today the Red Cross in the United States provides a number of services for the public, such as helping people in need, teaching first aid and providing blood.
【小題1】A good title for this passage is     .

A．People in Need of Help	B．Safety and Protection
C．The International Red Cross	D．Forming an Organization to Help People

【小題2】The word “aided ” in the first paragraph means     .

A．needed

B．helped

C．caught

D．protected

【小題3】The author really tries to make the reader see that this organization     .

A．costs very little money	B．works in many nations
C．teaches first aid if necessary	D．is called the Sun

【小題4】We may draw a conclusion (下結(jié)論)that      during a war.

A．the Red Cross only protects the wounded

B．the Red Cross only helps prisoners of war

C．the Red Cross only helps citizens

D．the Red Cross helps all the people in need no matter which side they are fighting for

Shakespeare's life can be divided into three periods: the first 20 years in Stratford, which includes his schooling，early marriage, and fatherhood；the next 25 years as an actor and playwright (劇作家) in London; and the last five in retirement back in Stratford where he enjoyed the wealth gained from his theatrical (戲劇的) successes. The years linking the first two periods are marked by a lack of information about Shakespeare, and are often referred to as the “dark years”.
Shakespeare probably left school at 15, and took some sorts of jobs, especially since this was the period of his father’s financial difficulty. A great number of references in his plays suggest that William may have in fact worked for his father, thus gaining specialized knowledge.
At some point during the “dark years”, Shakespeare began his career with a London theatrical company — perhaps in 1589 — for he was already an actor and playwright in 1592. Shakespeare apparently wrote and acted for Pembroke’s Men, as well as a lot of others, in particular Strange’s Men, which later became the Chamberlain’s Men.
When, in 1592, the theaters were closed for about two years, due to a terrible disease. Shakespeare turned to writing book-length poetry. Most notable were Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, both of which have been translated into many languages and even been included in students’ textbooks. During this same period, Shakespeare was writing his sonnets (十四行詩), which are more likely signs of the time’s fashion rather than actual love poems detailing any particular relationship. He returned to play writing when theater reopened in 1594, and published no more poetry. His sonnets were published without his permission in 1609, shortly before his retirement. His final play was Henry VIII, two years before his death in 1616.
【小題1】Why did Shakespeare take some sorts of jobs at the age of 15 and didn’t go on studying?

A．Because his family was badly off at that time.

B．Because he liked his job more than studying.

C．Because he wanted to be an actor in London.

D．Because he wanted to open his own company.

【小題2】Which of the following words can take the place of the underlined word “notable” in the last paragraph?

A．long

B．fashionable

C．famous

D．educational

【小題3】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．Shakespeare didn’t write any plays between 1592 and 1594.

B．Shakespeare’s sonnets were written between 1592 and 1594.

C．After writing Henry VIII, Shakespeare wrote nothing.

D．Shakespeare published his sonnets in 1609.

You're busy filling out the application form for a position you really need. Let's assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn't it appealing to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University? More and more people are turning to cheat like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university.
Registrars（登記員） at most well-known colleges say they deal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of about one per week. Personnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then. If it turns out that an applicant is lying, most colleges are unwilling to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them "cheats"; another refers to them as "special cases". One well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made by "no such people". To avoid outright(徹底的) lies, some job-seekers claim that they "attending" means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that "being associated with" a college means that the job-seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century—that's when they began keeping records, anyhow. If you don't want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a false diploma.
　　One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of nonexistent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from "Smoot State University". The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the "University of Purdue". As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana is properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.
【小題1】The main idea of this passage is that ______.

A．employers are checking more closely on applicants now

B．lying about college degrees has become a widespread problem

C．college degrees can now be purchased easily

D．employers are no longer interested in college degrees

【小題2】According to the passage, "special cases" refers to cases that ______.

A．students attend a school only part-time

B．students never attended a school they listed on their application

C．students purchase false degrees from commercial firms

D．students attended a famous school

【小題3】We can infer from the passage that _______.

A．performance is a better judge of ability than a college degree

B．experience is the best teacher

C．past work histories influence personnel officers more than degrees do

D．a(chǎn) degree from a famous school enables an applicant to gain advantage over others in job competition

【小題4】This passage implies that ______.

A．buying a false degree is not moral

B．personnel officers only consider applicants from famous schools

C．most people lie on applications because they were dismissed from school

D．society should be greatly responsible for lying on applications

Stepfamilies are commonplace in the United States and their number continues to grow. While stepfamilies differ widely in their make-up， they all consist of a parenting couple and children， one or more of whom is of a previous union. Such combinations of his kids， her kids， and then， possibly， kids of the new union make for complicated and often trying difficulties， more challenging than those of traditional families.
Since stepfamilies involve more people and， consequently， more potential problems from the start than do childless new marriage， it is wise for the couple to do some careful planning prior to (＝before) marriage. Not only do the prospective(預期的) marital partners need agreement about their own carriers， life goals， finance and special interests， they must also prepare for new relationship with their children and attempt to accommodate their individual needs and feelings. Furthermore， there are often the rights of other relatives to consider.
As for any family， the basic ingredient(成分) of a successful stepfamily are affection， kindness and mutual(相互的) respect. However， love alone is not enough. Certainly love is the cornerstone upon which the foundation of any family is built， but there are also many other important ingredients involved in building a successful stepfamily.
Surveys reveal that successful families regard the ability to communicate openly as the most important factor in their success. Communication is what keeps families on track and functioning as a unit. Although healthy communication is easier for some people than for others， this skill can be learned and improved. Healthy communication involves speaking clearly and listening carefully.
By their very nature， stepfamilies often are complicated by past events that give rise to ambivalent(矛盾的) loyalties， lingering(持久的) hurts， fears， feelings of guilt and unrealistic dreams. The difficulties that arise within the stepfamilies are human and understandable. However， there are ways to confront(面臨) and resolve them. For example， support groups and professional counselors(法律顧問) are available in most communities to provide help and guidance when communications stopped and problems seem overwhelming(壓倒性的).
Planning and building a stepfamily is not a responsibility to take lightly. It can be a very trying and， at times， seemingly impossible effort. Many potential troubles can arise and threaten to destroy the stepfamily. Nevertheless， meeting and mastering these special challenges can bring unexpected satisfactions and rewarding depths of family closeness and affection.
【小題1】According to the passage， there are 　　　　 in the United States.

A．no stepfamilies

B．more stepfamilies than ever before

C．fewer stepfamilies than ever before

D．fewer stepfamilies than traditional ones

【小題2】Which of the following can help avoid the potential problems arising in a stepfamily？

A．The pursuit of the same careers.

B．Professional interventions(干涉).

C．The development of special interests.

D．Careful planning before the marriage.

【小題3】 Many people believe that 　　　　 contributes most to the building of a successful stepfamily.

A．everlasting loyalties

B．open communication

C．kindness and mutual respect

D．persistent(持久穩(wěn)固的) affection

【小題4】 It is natural for a stepfamily to be 　　　　.

A．unrealistic

B．complicated

C．a(chǎn)mbivalent

D．guilty

【小題5】According to the author， planning and building a stepfamily is 　　　　.

A．impossible

B．satisfying and rewarding

C．discouraging and frustrating

D．a(chǎn) difficult and trying experience

If you are ever lucky to be invited to a formal dinner party in Paris，remember that the French have their own way of doing things, and that even your finest manners may not be “correct” by French custom．For example，if you think showing up promptly（迅速地）at the time given on the invitation，armed with gifts of wine and roses，complimenting（稱贊）your hostess on her cooking，laughing heartily at the host’s jokes and then leaping up to help the hostess will make you the perfect guest，think again．
Here Madame Nora Chabal，the marketing director of the Ritz Hotel in Paris，explained how it works．
The first duty of the guest is to respond to the invitation within 48 hours．And，the guest may not ask to bring a guest because the hostess has chosen her own．
Flowers sent ahead of schedule are the preferred gift．They may also be sent afterwards with a thank–you note．It is considered a very bad form to arrive with a gift of flowers vase when she is too busy to do with that．
See，that’s the logic！The type of flowers sent has a code of its own，too．One must never send chrysanthemums(菊花)because they are considered too humble(謙卑)for occasion．Carnations（康乃馨）are considered bad luck，and calla（馬蹄蓮）are too reminiscent（令人聯(lián)想）of funerals（葬禮）．A bouquet of red roses is a declaration of romantic intent．Don’t send those unless you mean it，and never to a married hostess．And though the French love wine，you must never bring a bottle to a dinner party．Why？It’s as if you feared your hosts would not have enough wine on hand，and that’s an insult（侮辱）．You may，however，offer a box of chocolates which the hostess will pass after dinner with coffee．
If an invitation is for eight o’clock，the considerate guest arrives at a quarter past eight．Guests who arrive exactly on time or early are mere thoughtless ones who are not giving the hostess those last few minutes she needs to deal with details and crises．
【小題1】Which of the following is right about sending gifts？

A．If someone in France is dead, send chrysanthemums or calla.

B．If someone in Paris is ill in hospital, send carnations.

C．If you are invited to a dinner party in UK, never bring a bottle of wine, because that’s an insult.

D．If you are invited by a single French hostess whom you love, send red roses.

【小題2】What does the word “considerate” in the last paragraph mean？

A．thoughtful

B．shameful

C．respectful

D．grateful

【小題3】If you are invited to a French dinner, the correct custom is to ______.

A．compliment your host on his cooking

B．a(chǎn)rrive fifteen minutes behind schedule

C．hurry to help the hostess

D．show up promptly at the time given on the invitation

【小題4】What is the passage mainly about？

A．Different flowers have different meanings

B．How to send flowers

C．Good manners at a French dinner party

D．Different countries have different manners

A star usually is someone who has become famous in sports, film, or pop music, someone like singer Michael Jackson. In the middle nineteen eighties, Michael Jackson successfully made a famous record, which quickly became the most popular recording in the history of music. This made Michael Jackson a bright star.
One of the famous sports bright stars in the United States is Mohammed Ali. When he was a young man, he won a gold medal in the Olympic Games as a boxer. Then, he won first place in the world heavy weight boxing match. Before long, he was known as one of the greatest and most famous boxers in sports history. Everyone knows his name.
Like the stars in the sky, a bright star will lose his brightness as time passes. He is loved by millions of people today, but will be forgotten tomorrow.
【小題1】What does this passage mainly talk about?

A．Michael Jackson	B．Mohammed Ali
C．pop music and boxing	D．bright stars

【小題2】Michael Jackson is famous for            .

A．his songs	B．his film
C．his sports	D．his heavy weight

【小題3】What does “boxer” in the passage mean in Chinese?

A．盒子

B．裝箱者

C．拳擊手

D．制作人

【小題4】What will happen to the bright stars at last according to the passage?

A．They will be remembered by millions of people.

B．They will be loved by people for ever.

C．They will be the most important people in history.

D．They will lose their brightness and be little known.

Have you ever been to a wedding and simply loved the bride’s bouquet（花束）？More than likely some part of it was the Hawaiian Wedding Plant. This foreign houseplant can be enjoyed by anyone, not just brides. With a little proper attention and careful planning on location, this foreign houseplant, which is from Madagascar, can be brought into the home where it can become an interesting focus.
Caring for the Hawaiian Wedding Plant is not much different from caring for any other houseplants that may already be in your home. The only difference between this type of houseplant and others is the amount of the basic requirements that this foreign houseplant needs to survive and perform beautifully. During the growing season, this plant requires its wet soil, but when winter rolls around, this plant needs its soil to be kept drier.
Hawaiian Wedding Plants should also be potted in well-drained(排水)soil and placed in a location that receives full sun. That the soil must be kept wet does not mean that it should sit in water, so the soil must drain easily or this plant will not survive. Water the plant daily and feed this plant every two to three weeks with a little fertilizer(化肥) for acid-loving plants. Prune in early spring, even as early as February. If these needs are met, this plant will stay beautiful.
The most special feature of this foreign houseplant is its long lasting blooms(開花)combined with its unbelievable sweet smell. The Hawaiian Wedding Plant blooms the heaviest in the spring months, but has been known to bloom in any warm months, so do not be surprised to find blooms most time of the year except maybe in the dead of winter.
【小題1】Why does the author mention wedding and bouquet in the first paragraph?

A．To introduce a Hawaiian wedding.	B．To attract the readers’ interest in the passage.
C．To show the beauty of the flower.	D．To teach the readers to choose proper bouquets.

【小題2】The Hawaiian Wedding Plant comes from________.

A．Hawaii

B．China

C．Madagascar

D．Alaska

【小題3】Which of the following are the growing conditions of Hawaiian Wedding Plant?
a. Wet soil.                b. Lots of fertilizer.                     c. Proper sunshine.        d. Some acid.

A．a(chǎn).c

B．a(chǎn). b

C．b. c

D．a(chǎn). d

【小題4】What does the underlined phrase “in the dead of winter” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．At the end of the winter.	B．At the beginning of the winter.
C．In deadly condition in winter.	D．In the coldest part of winter.