In the past industries had more freedom than they have now, and they did not need to be as careful as they must today. They did not need to worry a lot about the safety of the new products that they developed. They did not have to pay much attention to the health and safety of the people who worked for them. Often new products were dangerous for the people who used them; often conditions in the work place had very bad effects on the health of the workers.
Of course sometimes there were real disasters which attracted the attention of governments and which showed need for changes. Also scientists who were doing research into the health of workers sometimes produced information which governments could not ignore. At such times, there were inquiries into the causes of the disaster or the problems. New safety rules were often introduced as a result of these inquiries; however，the new rules came too late to protect the people who had died or become seriously ill.
Today many governments have special departments which protect customers and workers. In the U.S., for example, there is a department which tests new airplanes and gives warnings about possible problems. It also makes the rules that aircraft producers must follow. Another department controls the foods and drugs that companies sell. A third department looks at the places where people work, and then reports any companies that are breaking laws which protect the health and safety of workers.
【小題1】
According to Paragraph 1, compared with today, industries in the past __________.

A．were controlled less strictly

B．were worse off

C．a(chǎn)ffected more peoples health

D．put out more unhealthy products.

【小題2】
It is implied in Paragraph 2 that years ago governments __________.

A．paid much attention to the results of scientific discoveries

B．seldom introduced safety laws before disasters occurred

C．hardly ever looked into the causes of tragedies

D．imposed safety rules as soon as disasters occurred

【小題3】
The main topic of the passage is __________.

A．industries in the past and at present

B．changes in the development of industries

C．the protection of industrial workers and customers

D．the freedom of industries

【小題4】
The purpose of this passage is to __________.

A．inform

B．criticize

C．entertain

D．persuade

The students in America usually begin high school at the age of 13 or 14. Some leave at the age of 16. But most finish the 4-year high school study. They do not get their first full-time work or begin college studies until they are 17 or 18 years old.
The high school day is about 7 hours long. Part of the day is made into classes of about 50 minutes long. The students have lunch in the middle of the day. American students study English, history, math, science, art and languages. Some also learn job skills. They can learn how to use a computer or how to mend a car. Other students may learn by working in an office, a hospital or other places one day a week.
Jean Wilton Anderson is 16 years old. She lives with her parents and two younger brothers in Bethesda, Maryland, near Washington D.C. Jean studies at Walt Whitman High School. There are about 1,500 students at the school. Most of them will go up to colleges.
Jean wakes up early every morning. She begins school at about 7:30. This is her third year of high school. Every day she takes classes to learn English, world history, physics and trigonometry（三角學(xué)）. She also has a class about different religions（宗教）.And she plays the violin in music class. School ends at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Yet, Jean stays 2 or more hours longer every day for sports. Jean arrives home at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon. She eats dinner. Then she starts her homework. Students in America have their way of talking. They use the word “l(fā)ike” all the time. Jean and her girlfriends wear blue jeans and shirts or sweaters every day. The boys at her school also wear blue jeans. But they like to wear blue jeans that are several sizes too large for them.
Like students of her age in most parts of the country, Jean begins to drive a car. She does not have her car. She must use the family’s car. Most of the students in high school have their own cars. Many of them drive their cars to school every day.
【小題1】 Which of the following is not true to the high school?

A．The school day usually lasts for 7 hours.

B．The students only have 6 subjects to learn.

C．Each class will last for 50 minutes.

D．The students can learn some skills out of the school.

【小題2】 Jean Wilton Anderson __________________.

A．has a four-people family	B．lives in the city of Washington
C．has studied in the high school for 3 years	D．drives her own car at the age of 16

【小題3】 Which of the following is not true?

A．Students in high schools use the word “l(fā)ike” very often

B．The boy students wear blue jeans as the girls.

C．Many high school students go to school in their own cars.

D．Boy students wear jeans of larger size because they grow fast

English families face being limited to 80 bags of rubbish a year. Households throwing away more waste will have to take it to the tip (垃圾站) or buy a limited number of extra bags.

Doretta Cocks, protester of the Campaign for Weekly Waste Collections, said, “They must think we are fools. How can they claim to be concerned for the environment when they tell people to drive to the local tip? And what do you do if you don’t have a car? Walk?”
The plan ignores the voice from ministers to end such heavy – handedness (笨拙).
It is to be carried out by the Tory – led council (市政廳) in Wokingham, Berkshire, and is already in operation in Brozbourne in Hertfordshire.
Many of the 180 councils that still offer unlimited weekly rubbish collections are watching the trial.
Wokingham officials have told residents that 75 – litre bags will be given to each household and anything not left in them will not be collected.
“Every household will receive 80 bags every year,” it said. “You can buy extra bags in rolls of ten but this will not be encouraged.”
Families of five will get 100 rubbish bags a year and households of six or more will get 120.
Residents will have a weekly recycling collection limited to cans, paper and cards, plastic bottles and so on.
Plastic packaging and glass including bottles must either go with the general waste or be taken to recycling points. Green waste pick – ups cost an extra ￡60 a year.
The council has told residents it will save ￡922,000 a year under the new system. There will be no local consultation (商討) before it is introduced next April.
【小題1】What’s Doretta Cock’s attitude towards the new plan?

A．Satisfied.

B．Curious.

C．Angry.

D．Interested.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “this” refer to in the seventh paragraph?

A．Receiving 80 rubbish bags every year.	B．Buying extra bags every year.
C．Driving to city tips.	D．Getting 100 rubbish bags a year.

【小題3】It can be learned from the passage that         .

A．the new plan is agreed by most ministers

B．the new plan will waste a lot of money

C．the government has asked for much advice of the new plan

D．the new plan does not necessarily do good to the environment

【小題4】Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A．English families are limited to 80 bags of rubbish a year

B．English families can’t clear away their rubbish

C．English families are angry with their government

D．English government pays no attention to residents’ interest

Australians have been warned they face a life or death decision over their water — drink recycled sewage (污水) or die.
With the drought (干旱) continuing, the country is set to be forced to use purified (凈化的) waste water for drinking, even though there is great opposition to the measure.
Queensland has become the first state to introduce the policy after a warning from its premier.
“I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia is going to end up drinking recycled purified water,” said Peter Beattie.
“These are difficult decisions, but you either drink water or you die. There’s no choice. It’s liquid gold; it’s a matter of life and death.”
Beattie said Australia’s second largest state would become the first to use recycled water for drinking.
Water is recycled in Britain and parts of northern Europe along with the US and Israel.
But Australians have never liked the idea.
To try to change the way Australians think, Prime Minister John Howard and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull have adhered to Queensland’s move.
“I am very strongly for recycling and Mr. Beattie is right and I agree with him completely,” Howard said.
“Australian cities, all now facing water shortages because of the worst drought on record, must start to use recycled water.” added Turnbull, “All of our big cities have to widen the range of water sources to include sources which are not dependent on rainfall.”
【小題1】What is the text mainly about?

A．Australians face the choice of life and death.

B．Premier Beattie is worried about his people’s health.

C．We should avoid drinking recycled water to keep healthy.

D．Continuing drought forces Australians to drink recycled sewage.

【小題2】What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Australians have never like drinking purified waste water.

B．Australians should develop more water sources to live through the hard time.

C．Australians can’t depend upon rainwater, which is not suitable for drinking.

D．Australian government has no ability to solve the problem of water shortage.

【小題3】The underlined phrase “adhered to” in Paragraph 9 probably means ______.

A．disliked

B．gone against

C．supported

D．doubted

【小題4】It can be inferred from what Premier Peter Beattie said that ______.

A．he gives orders to drink purified waste water

B．It is painful for him to see people drink recycled sewage

C．If the decision is made, people won’t survive the drought

D．It’s totally up to you to either make a life or death decision

Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules, planning your next move and acting as a team member are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .   
Many children’s games have a practical side Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（協(xié)調(diào)）needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
【小題1】 Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.

A．be a team leader	B．obey the basic rules
C．a(chǎn)ct as a grown-up	D．predict possible danger

【小題2】The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.

A．describe life in an exciting way

B．turn real-life experiences into a play

C．make learning life skills more interesting

D．change people’s views of sporting events

【小題3】According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A．It inspires people’s deep love for the country.

B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

C．It helps the country out of natural disasters.

D．It earns the winners fame and fortune.

【小題4】Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.

A．bring fun to poor kids

B．provide soccer balls for children

C．give poor kids a chance for a better life

D．a(chǎn)ppeal to soccer players to help poor kids

It has always been said that women are not good drivers, because they simply don’t have very good driving ability. On the other hand, most car accidents happen to men; very few happen to women.
From this, we can see that women are much more careful while driving. Another very interesting fact is that in the past, women preferred to let their husbands be the only driver in the family rather than have a driving license. Somehow they were prevented from making this step in their life, but nowadays there are many women that want to pass their driving tests at an early age.
However, we have to admit that men are more skillful drivers than women, but this does not mean that a woman cannot become a good driver by accumulating (積累) experience. So more and more teenagers and women around the age of thirty now want to pass their driving tests. While taking their driving lessons, they also have a number of special lessons with their parents or somebody in the family that has a driving license. This is just to improve their driving abilities and help them to pass the tests more easily.
To conclude, we can say that women are not such bad drivers. They just need more experience than men in order to be able to drive well. And on the other hand, there are a number of women that show better driving skills than the men around them.
【小題1】
Compared with the past, nowadays many women ________.

A．prefer to have a driving license	B．have more accidents while driving
C．a(chǎn)re somehow prevented from driving	D．a(chǎn)re the only driver in the family

【小題2】
What advantage do women have over men in driving?

A．They have more skills.	B．They are much more careful.
C．They know more traffic rules.	D．They have more driving experience.

【小題3】
What can we infer from the passage?

A．Teenage girls cannot take driving tests.

B．Men didn’t allow women to drive in the past.

C．With enough experience, women can become good drivers.

D．Women can easily pass their tests by taking driving lessons.

【小題4】
The passage mainly talks about ________.

A．women and their driving ability

B．men and their driving ability

C．why men are better drivers than women

D．why more women like to have a driving license

The Museum of Childhood is spread over 4 floors, with the first floor acting like a balcony around the edge of the building, so you can look down over the ground floor central hall with the shop, Information Desk and Benugo Cafe.
The Museum of Childhood is housed in a large Victorian building in east London. It has been on this site since 1872. It had undergone refurbishment(翻新)and reopened in 2006 and an elevator now makes all floors accessible.(可達到的)
This is not a quiet place and children are allowed to have fun there. Child safety is extremely important and a member of staff remains by the front door at all times. Also, note the “Code of Behavior” notice, which include: children under 12 must be supervised by an adult; no eating in the galleries and no running.
Toy exhibits are in glass cases and there are plenty of low-level exhibits for younger children to see. The glass cases have lots of thought-inspiring questions on them to encourage discussion between adults and children. When you or the children need some quiet time, there are sofas at either end of the second floor with reading books available.
Pros: Many free activities for kids
Cons: Can be too warm inside
Visit Duration: 1.5 hours
Opening hours: 10: 00 am- 5: 45 pm
Last admission is 5:30 pm
The museum is closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January every year.
Admission: Admission to the Museum is free. There is a small charge for some activities.
【小題1】
In the Museum of Childhood, ________.

A．people can reach any floor by elevator

B．there are sofas at either end of the first floor

C．there are exhibits on the museum history

D．the Information Desk can be found on each floor

【小題2】
The Museum of Childhood may be attractive to ________.

A．parents who only have children under 12

B．children who are fond of toy exhibits

C．parents and children who need quiet time

D．kids who like playing games with their parents

【小題3】
What is the disadvantage of the museum?

A．low-level exhibits are too boring.

B．Children may feel slightly hot in it.

C．Parents have to stay with their kids.

D．No staff members attend to the kids.

【小題4】
What information can we get about the museum?

A．All the activities for children are free.

B．The museum is located in west London.

C．Children are allowed to enter after 5:30.

D．The museum is unavailable on Christmas Day.

Many people think that the BBC news programs are better than those on other channels because the BBC is not a commercial company. It pays for its programs from the television license money which everyone must pay if they have a television.
The BBC, which is often known as "Auntie", is the biggest news collecting operation in the world. It has the world’s largest network of foreign correspondents (通訊員；記者）. Ten percent of the BBC’s annual budget is spent on news collecting, reporting and presenting. More than 1,700 people work for the BBC news service.
The BBC produces more than 214 hours of news and current affairs programs for radio and television each week. Each television news program costs about £78,000 per hour and each radio news program costs approximately £4,800 per hour. In the UK, about 19 million people ― almost 35% of the total population, watch the BBC television news progams every day.
Developments in technology are improving news collection and presentation every year. The BBC now uses special cameras in the TV news studios to film the news presenters, and captions― the words and sentences at the bottom of the screen, are now produced automatically by computer.
【小題1】
According to the first paragraph, we can learn that __________.

A．many people are more content with the BBC than with other channels

B．the BBC news programs are better thought of than the news programs on other channels

C．the BBC news programs are better than other programs

D．if we have a television, we must pay the television license money.

【小題2】
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The number of the people working for the BBC news service is the largest in the world

B．The percentage of the BBC’s budget spent on news collecting is the largest in the world

C．The BBC has the largest network of foreign correspondents in the world

D．The BBC now uses special cameras to film the news presenters and captions

【小題3】
We can infer from the passage that the UK has a population of about __________.

A．54 million

B．19 million

C．5.4 million

D．6.6 million

【小題4】
What’s the best title for the passage?

A．The BBC News Service

B．The BBC Is Not Commercial

C．Developments in Technology Are Improving News Collection

D．The Biggest Operation in The World

If you want to be a volunteer, you have to answer the following typical questions. Do you want to work with people, animals or machines? Do you want to work indoors or outdoors, directly serve people in need or serve people behind the scenes? Every year, thousands of people in the west offer volunteer service. Volunteering greatly strengthens the community because it helps the old, the young, the weak, the sick, and the disabled and the injured to solve problems.
Volunteers usually help in many different ways. They may give people advice, offer friendship to the young, drive the elderly to church (if up to the driving age), advise kids against drugs, work as assistants in schools or nursing homes, raise funds, plant trees, help out in local libraries and do many other things. Volunteering can be a few hours a week or a few hours a month. Anybody who wants to serve people in need can become a volunteer.
In fact, the art of volunteering is a process of both giving and receiving. Volunteering allows volunteers to meet new people, make new friends and mix with people from all walks of life. Volunteering is an excellent way to experiment and try out new techniques and skills, discover your individual talents and explore career choice. Being a volunteer will take you on a wonderful journey and help you learn more than what you can get from books.
【小題1】
As a volunteer, only when you grow old enough can you _______.

A．plant trees on hills	B．drive the elderly to church
C．give advice to others	D．help out in local libraries

【小題2】
. How is the second paragraph mainly developed?

A．By listing examples.	B．By comparing.
C．By giving explanations.	D．By discussing.

【小題3】
It can be inferred from the passage that to be a volunteer, _______.

A．you can do experiments	B．you must be very strong
C．you need to work very long	D．you can get something valuable

【小題4】
What’s the best title of the passage?

A．How to hunt for jobs	B．Volunteer service in the west
C．How to make friends	D．How to work with animals

Nowadays, more and more villagers have left to make a living in big cities. As a result, their children have become leftover children and they need more care. The survey below is from villages in Yongzhou, Hunan Province. Three hundred children were chosen to answer the questions.

What they want	Love	Money		Freedom	Control		Something else
	40%	18%		28%	10%		4%
Whom to communicate with	Oneself		Family members			No one
	27%		55%			18%
Whether they can communicate with their parents freely	Yes		A little difficult			No
	46%		44%			10%
The way they prefer to live	Living with parents		Living without parents			No idea
	58%		14%			28%
What they think of their parents’ working in cities	Bad		Good			No idea
	20%		39%			41%
Happiest place	School		Home			Friend’s homes
	48%		34%			18%

【小題1】
Of all the five needs, the leftover children need _______ most.

A．love

B．money

C．control

D．freedom

【小題2】
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．About one out of every two children has no one to talk with.

B．All of the children prefer to stay at home without their parents.

C．About 1/3 of the children think their parents’ working in cities is bad.

D．More than half of the children think it good to live with their parents.

【小題3】
How many children think their happiest place is their school?

A．48.

B．102.

C．144.

D．156.

【小題4】
We can learn from the survey that _______.

A．most leftover children want more freedom without parents

B．over 40% of the children have difficulty talking to parents freely

C．a(chǎn)ll the leftover children dream of making money in big cities

D．most villagers prefer living a peaceful life in the countryside