Death Valley is a land of beautiful yet dangerous extremes. Death Valley can be dangerously cold      during the winter months. Storms in the mountains can produce sudden flooding on the floor of the Valley.
The air temperature during the summer has been as high as fifty- seven degrees Celsius. The sun can heat the ground so that the temperature of the rocks and soil can be as high as seventy -four degrees Celsius.                                                                     
Death Valley contains evidence of several ancient volcanoes that caused huge explosions. Evidence of one of these explosions is called Ubehebe Crater. The explosion left a huge hole in the ground almost a kilometer and a half wide. In many areas of Death Valley it is easy to see where the ground has been pushed up violently by movement deep in the Earth. This movement has created unusual and beautiful rock formations. Some are red. Others are dark brown, gray, yellow or black.
The area was named by a woman in 1849. Thousands of people from other parts of the ountry traveled Lo the gold mining areas in California. They were in a hurry to get there before other people did. One group trying to reach California decided to take a path called the Old Spanish Trail. By December they had reached Death Valley. They did not have to survive the terrible heat of summer, hut there was still an extreme lack of water. There were few plants for their work animals to eat.
The people could not find a pass through the call mountains to the west of the Valley. Slowly, they began co suffer from a lack of food. To survive, they killed their work animals for food and began to walk out of the Valley. As they left, one woman looked back and said, “Good -bye, death valley.”  The name has never been changed.
Almost everyone who visits Death Valley visits a huge house called Scotty' s Castle. The building design is Spanish, with high thick walls to provide protection from the fierce heat.
The castle is named for Walter Scott , called Scotty by his friends. He was a gold miner. He told everyone that he built the house with money he made from his gold mine. Many people believed him. But it was not really the truth.
【小題1】The first two paragraphs discuss Death Valley' s               ．

A．geography

B．climate

C．location

D．size

【小題2】The volcanoes mentioned in the third paragraph proved          ．

A．a(chǎn) valley that is formed by explosions

B．a(chǎn) place where volcanoes are still active

C．a(chǎn) good example of the violence of nature

D．a(chǎn) symbol of rock formations in history

【小題3】The woman who named Death Valley intended to             ．

A．explore the mystery of the valley	B．find an area with plants for animals
C．experience the terrible heat of summer	D．look for gold in California

【小題4】If the passage continues, it will be about             . 

A．the truth about Scotty's Castle	B．why Spanish built the castle
C．when the castle was built	D．where the castle lies in

【小題5】The main idea of the passage is about          ．

A．the interesting place in Death Valley	B．the facts about Death Valley
C．the origin of Death Valley	D．the route to visit Death Valley

LEEDS, England—A Leeds University psychology professor is teaching a course to help dozens of Britons forgive their enemies.
"The hate we hold within us is a cancer, " Professor Ken Hart said, adding that holding in anger can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
More than 70 people have become members in Hart's first 20-week workshop in London—a course he says is the first of its kind in the world.
These are people who are sick and tired of living with a memory. They realize their bitterness is a poison they think they can pour out, but they end up drinking it themselves, said Canadian- born Hart.
The students meet in groups of eight to ten for a two-hour workshop with an adviser every fortnight.
The course, ending in July, is expected to get rid of the cancer of hate in these people. "People have lots of negative attitudes towards forgiveness," he said, "People confuse forgiveness with forgetting. Forgiveness means changing from a negative attitude to a positive one."
Hart and his team have created instructions to provide the training needed.
"The main idea is to give you guidelines on how to look at various kinds of angers and how they affect you, and how to change your attitudes towards the person you are angry with," said Norman Claringbull, a senior expert on the forgiveness project.
Hart said he believes forgiveness is a skill that can be taught, as these people "want to get free of the past".
【小題1】From this passage we know that________.

A．high blood pressure and heart disease are caused by hate

B．high blood pressure can only be cured by psychology professors

C．without hate, people will have less trouble connected with blood and heart

D．people who suffer from blood pressure and heart disease must have many enemies

【小題2】If you are angry with somebody, you should________.

A．a(chǎn)ttend Hart’s course

B．never meet him or her any longer

C．persuade him or her to have a positive talk with you

D．treat him or her positively instead of negatively

【小題3】In Hart's first 20- week workshop, people there can ________.

A．meet their enemies

B．change their attitudes

C．enjoy the professor's teaching

D．learn how to quarrel with others

【小題4】If you are a member in Hart's workshop, you'll________.

A．meet in eight or ten groups

B．get rid of the illness of cancer

C．a(chǎn)ttend a gathering twice a month

D．pour out everything stored in your mind

【小題5】The author wrote this passage in order to________.

A．persuade Britons to go to Hart's workshop

B．tell us the news about Hart's workshop

C．tell us how to run a workshop like Hart's

D．help us to look at various kinds of angers

Many American presidents in the 19^th century were born in poor families. They spent their childhood in little wooden rooms. They got little education . Washington and Lincoln, for example, never went to school and they taught themselves. Lincoln once did jobs of a worker, shopkeeper and post officer in his early years.
A large number of U. S. presidents had experiences in the army. The two best known were Ulysses Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Grant was a general (將軍) in the American Civil War and Eisenhower was a hero in the Second World War. It happened that they graduated from the same school—West Point Military Academy . One may be surprised to learn that both of them did not do well in the school. Eisenhower, for example, was once fined (罰款) because he broke the rules of the school.
The jobs of U. S. presidents are tiring. He must keep an eye on anything important which happens both at home and abroad. Every day, a lot of work waits for him to do, and he has to make many important decisions. When Franklin Roosevelt was a child, he was once brought to visit President Taft. The old president said to him, “When you grow up, you should not be president. It’s a tiring job.”
【小題1】In the nineteenth century, many U.S. presidents       .

A．did not have much knowledge in their work

B．had been workers, shop-keepers and post officers in their early years

C．couldn’t receive good education before they grew up

D．didn’t want to go to school during their childhood

【小題2】President Eisenhower became well-known      .

A．while studying in West Point Military Academy.

B．during the American Civil War

C．a(chǎn)fter he was elected President of the U. S.

D．during World War II

【小題3】In this passage, “keep an eye on” means “        ”.

A．pay close attention to	B．not pay attention to
C．look at something with one eye	D．never keep in mind

【小題4】Which of the following do you think is right according to the last paragraph?

A．In the U. S. no one wanted to be president because it was tiring.

B．None of the presidents except Taft could do the tiring job.

C．It is an important and tiring job to be a president in the U. S.

D．President Taft didn’t want Roosevelt to be a president because he was too young.

【小題5】Which do you think is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．Many of the U. S. presidents had served in the army before they took office.

B．Only those who didn’t work hard at school but were good at fighting could be presidents.

C．Grant and Eisenhower became well-known because they both graduated from West Point Military Academy.

D．Eisenhower was President at the beginning of the Second World War.

Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a  relationship.
Different cultures emphasize (強(qiáng)調(diào)) the importance of relationship building to a greater or less degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in “small talk”,usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countires--- like the UK or France--- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected may speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realised that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural diffeerences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment (多元文化環(huán)境)will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.
【小題1】In some countires, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to ___________.

A．develop closer relations	B．share the same culture
C．get to know each other	D．keep each other company

【小題2】The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that ______.

A．the English prefer to make long speeches

B．too many words are of no use

C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature

D．even talk and silence can be culturally different

【小題3】According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?

A．By sharing different ways of life

B．By accepting different habits.

C．By recognizing different values

D．By speaking each other’s language.

【小題4】What would be the best title for the text?

A．Multicultural Environment

B．Cross-Cultural Differences

C．How to Understand Each Other

D．How to Build Up a Relationship

Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils（災(zāi)禍）.People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions （反應(yīng)）toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites（食欲）. Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.
【小題1】Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their        .

A．cultural values	B．commercial purposes
C．personal experiences	D．physical reactions to the color

【小題2】Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?

A．To relax people physically.

B．To increase people’s appetites.

C．To encourage people to buy their products.

D．To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.

【小題3】What color might help lose weight according to the text?

A．Red

B．Green.

C．Blue.

D．Purple.

【小題4】Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?

A．Colors and Human Beings

B．The Cultural Meaning of Color

C．Colors and Personal Experiences

D．The Meaning and Function of Color

In the United States, friends can be close, constant and real. But if they move live far away from each other, little by little, they will not be as close as before. But neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while, then no more. If two people meet again by chance, even years later, they will be delighted and pick up the friendship again.
In America, you can feel free to visit people's homes, share their holidays and enjoy their delicious food. If you are invited to a party, just accept their hospitality(款待) for various reasons, such as crowded space, language difficulties or family customs. It is often considered more friendly to invite a person to one's home than to go to a public place. So, if your host or hostess brings you home, do not feel that you aren’t treated well. You know, strangers are not invited into the home.
Don't feel neglected if you do not find flowers awaiting you in your hotel room either. Flowers are very expensive there, hotel delivery is not certain, and arrival times are often delayed, so flowers are not often sent as a welcoming touch. Please do not feel unwanted! In fact, signs outside change in different lands, but the welcome in the heart is real and valuable.
【小題1】You will find friendships _______ in America if they are not near each other.

A．die suddenly

B．come back

C．disappear gradually

D．last forever

【小題2】The underlined part in the last paragraph can be replaced by “______”.

A． Don’t feel you are paid little attention

B．Don’t accept an invitation quickly

C． Don’t feel you should be treated well

D．Don’t pay much attention to the flowers

【小題3】Which of the following is the best title for this passage? 

A．American Hospitality	B．American Friendships
C．American Invitation	D．American Welcome

Oyster
What is an Oyster card?
Oyster is the easiest way to pay for journeys on the bus ，Tube ，tram，Docklands light Railway (DLR)，London Overground and National Rail journeys in London You can store your travel cards, Bus & Tram Pass，season tickets and credit to pay for journeys as you go.
Where to get an Oyster card?
There are a number of ways for you to get an Oyster card ：
?   At over 3,900 Oyster Ticket stops
?   At Tube and London Overground station ticket offices
?   At some National Rail stations
?   At London Travel information Centres
?    Online at tfl. gov. uk/oyster
How to use an Oyster card?
To pay the correct fare on the Tube ，DLR，London Overground and National Rail services，you must always touch m on the yellow Oyster card reader at the start of your journey，and touch out at the end. ff you don’t, a maximum cash Oyster fare will be changed When using the bus or tram, you must only touch in at the start, but not at the end of your journey.
What happens if I don’t visit London very often?
Don’t worry. Any pay as you go credit on your card will not expire (過(guò)期)，so you can keep it for your next visit or lend it to a friend.
Fares
Traveling by Tube from Central London (Zone l)to Heathrow (Zone 6)
Adult Oyster single fare
£ 4. 20 Monday to Friday 06:30 - 09:30 and 16:00 一 19:00
£ 2. 70 at all other times including public holidays
Adult single cash fare £ 5.00
For further information，visit tfL.gov. uk /fares.
【小題1】You can get an Oyster card at the following plaices EXCEPT_____

A．on the website	B．a(chǎn)t an Oyster Ticket stop
C．a(chǎn)t a post office	D．a(chǎn)t a Tube station

【小題2】Which of the following is TRUE about Oyster cards?

A．They are limited in use to the owners themselves.

B．On National Rail services you must touch them on the reader twice.

C．They are not suitable for those who don’t visit London often.

D．Oyster card Tube fares cost more on public holidays than on weekdays.

【小題3】H a person with an Oyster card fakes the 7 o’clock Tube from Central London to Heathrow for a week (no public holiday in between)，he should pay_____.

A．f 18.90

B．£ 29.40

C．£21.90

D．f26.40

【小題4】The passage is probably taken from a_______
A journal            B. travel brochure C. textbook    D. novel

I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos in the world. Personally Nike is my favorite one – it’s so simple. And I liked the stories behind them, which made me forget all other things. McDonald’s, Apple, Mercedes Benz and Adidas own great logos as well, and they are among my favorites.
Nike
In the Greek myth, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for soldiers. This logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike’s logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $ 35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.
McDonald’s
The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the archshaped(拱形的) signs on the side of the company’s then walk-up hamburger stand. Later on, the two golden arches were combined together to form the M. The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.
Apple
There are different stories behind Apple’s logo. The first logo was a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represented the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. One year later, the second logo was designed in 1977 by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and it described Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn’t stay long. One year later it was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff’s “rainbow apple”, a rainbow-colored silhouette(輪廓)of an apple with a bite taken out of it. And then the rainbow-colored apple was replaced by the one-colored logo in 1998. It has not been changed so far.
Mercedes Benz
The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple description of a three-pointed star that represents its rule of the land, the sea and the air. The company was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Mercedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie and DMG in 1926.
Adidas
The Adidas logo, which was created by the founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo was used for the first time in 1967.
【小題1】What does the author think of the stories of the great logos?

A．They are boring.	B．They are out of date.
C．They are attractive.	D．They are practical.

【小題2】What does Nike’s logo stand for?

A．The goddess of victory.

B．The source of inspiration for soldiers.

C．The statue of the Greek goddess.

D．The wing of the Greek goddess.

【小題3】We can learn that Apple’s present logo is ______.

A．the religious story of Adam and Eve

B．a(chǎn) bitten apple with only one color

C．Newton’s sitting under an apple tree

D．the rainbow-colored bitten apple

【小題4】______ stands for the rule of the land, the sea and the air.

A．Nike’s logo	B．Apple’s logo
C．The Mercedes logo	D．The Adidas logo

【小題5】Which of the following time orders describes the births of the great logos?

A．Mercedes Benz –McDonald’s – Nike – Apple.

B．Nike – McDonald’s – Apple – Mercedes Benz.

C．McDonald’s – Apple – Nike – Mercedes Benz.

D．Nike – Mercedes Benz – McDonald’s – Apple.

Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol (象征) of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils (災(zāi)禍).
People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反應(yīng)) toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites (食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.
【小題1】Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their______.

A．cultural values	B．commercial purposes
C．personal experiences	D．physical reactions to the color

【小題2】Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?

A．To relax people physically.

B．To increase people’s appetites.

C．To encourage people to make a purchase.

D．To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.

【小題3】What color might help lose weight according to the text?

A．Red.

B．Green.

C．Blue.

D．Purple.

【小題4】Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?

A．Colors and Human Beings

B．The Cultural Meaning of Color

C．The Meaning and Function of Color

D．Colors and Personal Experiences

Among the many differences between Western and Chinese cultures, table manners are one of the most noticeable(顯著的) differences. Westerners often make mistakes at the table in China or in a Chinese home. In order not to have an embarrassing（尷尬的） experience, here are some things to consider next time you are eating with some Chinese.
Step1:
Keep in mind that food is shared. It is one of the biggest differences between Chinese and Western eating habits. In China a few dishes are placed in the center of a table and shared by all. Also, you should offer thanks when a Chinese host takes food from one of the dishes on the table and places it on your plate. Refusing it would not be polite even if you are full.
Step2:
Respect the chopsticks. The chopsticks are the single most important tool at a Chinese table. Use the chopsticks to grab food and never skewer (叉) it. Also make sure to place your chopsticks over your bowl or plate. Don’t lay them on the table or even worse, stick them into the rice bowl.
Step3:
Use communal(共用的)chopsticks. To take food from the center of the table you should use the communal chopsticks or spoons that are placed there for that purpose. If there are no communal tools, use the other ends of your chopsticks to take food, remembering not to use the other end to put food into your mouth.
Step4:
Respect the elders. Table manners in China place extra respect on elders. At the table, pass food to your elders before taking it for yourself. If someone makes a toast, make sure that when you clink glasses with someone older than you, the rim of your glass is lower than the rim of the elder person.
【小題1】How can you use your chopsticks according to the passage?

A．Use them to grab your own food.

B．Put them on the table.

C．Use them to skewer the food.

D．Stick them into the rice bowl.

【小題2】According to the passage, the following are wrong EXCEPT that ________.

A．you don’t have to accept the food a Chinese host places on your plate

B．a(chǎn) skewer is also a commonly used tool at a Chinese table

C．one can offer his own chopsticks for communal use when there aren’t any

D．when clinking glasses, the rim of the younger person should be lower than that of the older person

【小題3】What is the purpose of writing the passage?

A．To let the world get a full understanding of China.

B．To introduce table manners among different cultures.

C．To introduce Chinese table manners to Westerners.

D．To introduce how Chinese table manners came into being.