For the British, the home is a private place in which he or she goes to hide away from the troubles of life. It is very seldom that one would be invited to a British person’s home. It is rude to knock on a person’s door if you are not invited. If you are invited, don’t ask to see more than the downstairs that your British host invites you into. Never ask how much the house or any of the items in it cost.
To the American, most of them want their home to be a place where they can entertain (款待) and share their lives with their friends. They may be delighted to give you a full tour of their houses. They may also be pleased when you show your interest and pleasure in their houses.
Both British and American people will engage in quite a bit of chat and a drink or two before the meal is served. After the first mouthful, you should say how delicious the food is and ask something about it. Remember, never eat with your mouth open and make very little noise while eating. It would be nice of you to help your host in any way. Maybe offer to pour some drinks or clear up after the meal.
【小題1】British people _______ invite friends to their home.

A．often

B．a(chǎn)lways

C．seldom

D．never

【小題2】If your British friend invites you to his home, you can ____.

A．see anything you like

B．a(chǎn)sk how much his house is

C．a(chǎn)sk the cost of any of the items in it

D．only see the downstairs that you are invited into

【小題3】When you show your interest and pleasure in American people’s house, they may be _____.

A．a(chǎn)ngry

B．happy

C．sad

D．worried

【小題4】What does the underlined “engage in” mean in Chinese?

A．陷入

B．參與

C．回避

D．限制

【小題5】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Some manners on visiting British and American people’s home.

B．Different table manners between British and American people.

C．Different ideas about the home between British and American people

D．Different ideas about how to get along well with neighbors between British and American people.

When many people in the west think of China, the animal that they think of is the dragon. For them, the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire. Many popular legends tell how dragons have killed brave knights and eaten beautiful young girls.
For Chinese people, however, the dragon is not an evil monster. It’s a cultural and spiritual symbol for prosperity and good luck. The dragon’s main task is to create harmony and bring rain. Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture, and of course the dragon dance is a very popular ritual (儀式). www.zxxk.com
China isn’t the only country to have the dragon as its symbol. Wales in the UK, has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag. Another country in the world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan, a tiny country between China and India.
Almost all countries in the world have an animal symbol representing their countries. This is particularly obvious during sports. The English think lions to be brave and proud animal and the English football teams have three lions on their football shirts.
Australia is famous for kangaroos, of course. The national rugby team is more commonly known as the Wallabies, a type of small kangaroo. The South African team is known as the Springboks, a type of African antelope. Likewise the New Zealanders, whether playing sports or not, are commonly known as kiwis. A kiwi is a native New Zealand bird that can’t fly.
All countries are proud of their symbols, which they feel reflect national characteristics or the beauty and variety of their natural environments. Recently, a Shanghai professor claimed that using the dragon as a national symbol could make western countries have a negative view of China. But in an Internet survey 90% of Chinese people wanted to keep the dragon.
【小題1】In the opinion of the west, the dragon is ______. 

A．a(chǎn) terrible animal that is not popular

B．a(chǎn) cultural and spiritual symbol of good luck

C．a(chǎn) reflection of China’s national characteristics

D．a(chǎn)n animal that can create harmony and bring rain

【小題2】Which of the following does NOT use the dragon as its national symbol?

A．India.

B．Wales.

C．Bhutan.

D．China.

【小題3】According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The national rugby team from the South Africa is well known as the Wallabies.

B．The Australian team is known as Springboks, a type of kangaroo.

C．The dragon is mentioned to have been used on the flag in two countries.

D．The New Zealanders are commonly known as kiwis only when playing sports.

I was reading these interesting stories behind a group of great logos (標(biāo)志) 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 Steven 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. Marcedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while Benz came as a result of a combination with Benz, Cie. and DMG in 1926.
【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】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．Mercedes Benz – Apple – Nike –McDonald’s.

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

We often use the words growth and development as if they meant essentially the same thing. But this may not always be the case. One can easily imagine instances in which a country has achieved higher levels of income (growth) with little or no benefit coming to most of its citizens (development).
In the past, most development policies were aimed increasing the growth rate of income per capita. Many still are, based on the theory that benefits of economic growth will come to all members of society. If this theory is correct, growth should promote development.
By the early 1970s, however, the relationship between growth and development was being questioned. A major study by the World Bank in 1974 concluded that it is now clear that more than a decade of rapid growth in underdeveloped countries has been of little benefit to a third of their population.
The World Bank study indicated that increases in GNP per capita did not promise important improvements in such development indicators as nutrition, health, and education. Although GNP per capita did indeed rise, its benefits come down to only a small part of the population. This realization gave rise to a call for new development policies. These new policies favored agriculture over industry, called for domestic redistribution of income and wealth, and encouraged programs to satisfy such basic needs as food and shelter.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the international macroeconomic crises of high oil prices, worldwide recession, and third world debt forced attention away from programs designed to get rid of poverty. However, the lesson remains: economic growth does not promise economic development. Efforts may be required to change growing output capacity into economic benefits that reach most of a nation’s people.
【小題1】As to the relationship between growth and development, what can we infer from the passage?

A．Development is a reliable measure of growth.

B．Growth always brings about development.

C．Development is not necessarily the result of growth.

D．Growth and development refer to the same thing.

【小題2】According to the study by the World Bank in 1974,economic growth in some background countries brought 

A．benefit only to a third of their population.

B．a(chǎn)lmost no benefit to a third of their population.

C．little benefit to their people.

D．no benefit at all to their people.

【小題3】The programs designed to get rid of poverty were not very well carried out because the government

A．knew that growth didn’t promise development.

B．gave too much attention to increases in GNP per capita.

C．wished to replace the programs with new development policies.

D．was busy solving other more serious economic problems.

【小題4】If the passage continues, what is the author most likely to discuss in the next paragraph?

A．How to turn growth into development.

B．How to remove poverty from society.

C．How to decrease third world debt.

D．How to cope with economic crises.

The high cost of living in Sydney causes city parents to worry more about their children.
New research by the Financial Services Council (FSC)shows that 75% of metropolitan mums and dads say their ability to earn is important to the well-being of their kids, Tet a greater proportion(比例)of Sydney parents think children suffer emotionally by having two full-time working parents .AS a result 46%of Sydneysiders feel their Kids could be happier , against 38%of both Melbourne and regional New South Wales mums and dads.
The FSC research ,which interviewed 1200 parents across the country ,also shows 66% of Sydneysiders believe the happiness of their children would be greatly affected if they or their partner couldn’t work.
The FSC undertook the survey as part of its Lifewise campaign ,to encourage Australians to protect themselves against financial hardship.
Chairman of the Lifewise campaign John Crosswell said：“The research findings quite clearly highlight that Sydney parents prioritise (優(yōu)先考慮)their ability to earn money and yet because they are so busy doing so, it seems that their ability to spend time with their family is affected .Sydney parents are dedicated to earning money but as a consequence, perhaps they don’t have the time to enjoy spending it with their family.”
In sydney ,the top factor for creating an ideal childhood is financial security ,at 92%.Fewer parents rate having a tigh-knit family(89%)or living near friends and family (85%)as important.
David and Ari Dearnley ,of North Manly ,said money pressure was hard to avoid in Sydney ,They both work and said family finances would be severely hard if one of them couldn’t
But only Mrs Dearnly has income-protection insurance, “I think that I don’t really need it yet”,Mr Dearnly ,37, said.
“I think he’s mad”,Mrs Dearnly ,also 27 ,said,“If David couldn’t work it would have a huge impact on our lifestyle.”
“Looks like I’ll be getting it tomorrow,”Mr Dearnly responded.
【小題1】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The findings of a study on how Sydney people go through financial hardship with their family

B．A survey on the factors that may have influences on Sydney children’s happy childhood

C．a(chǎn) survey on the relations between children’s happiness and their parents’ability to earn in Sydney

D．A comparison between Sydney people and those of other cities on their views about earning money

【小題2】From the passage we can infer that        

A．Three quarters of Sydney parents think children may have emotional problems

B．less than half of Sydney parents think their children now are not as happy as they expect

C．Most Sydney parents think family finances are the only factor that impact children’s childhood

D．A bout two thirds of Sydney parents think children would be happier if they could‘t work

【小題3】What does Lifewise campaign aim to?

A．Encouraging Australian people avoid the harm of financial problems

B．Helping Sydney parents find a suitable job?

C．Making Australian people improve their ability to earn

D．A ttracting Sydney people to buy insurance

【小題4】According to John Crosswell, we can learn that        

A．Income-protection insurance has an impact on the lifestyle of a Sydney family

B．If moe of the parents couldn’t work their family finances will be clearly affected

C．Sydney parents are in a dilemma of devoting to work and enjoying family life

D．Sydney parents now can make a balance between their work and family life

【小題5】What does “it ”underlined in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Work

B．Insurance

C．Income

D．Pressure

In only two decades Asian Americans have become the fastest growing U. S. minority. As their children began moving up through the nation schools, it became clear that a new class of academic achievers was emerging. Their achievements are reflected in the nation’s best universities, where mathematics, science and engineering departments have taken on a decidedly Asian character. This special liking for mathematics and science is partly explained by the fact that Asian-American students who began their education abroad arrived in the U. S. with a solid grounding in mathematics but little or no knowledge of English. They are also influenced by the promise of a good job after college. Asians feel there will be less unfair treatment in areas like mathematics and science because they will be judged more objectively. And the return on the investment in education is more immediate in something like engineering than with an arts degree.
Most Asian-American students owe their success to the influence of parents who are determined that their children take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer. An effective measure of parental attention is homework. Asian parents spend more time with their children than American parents do, and it helps. Many researchers also believe there is something in Asian culture that breeds success, such as ideals that stress family values and emphasize education.
Both explanations for academic success worry Asian Americans because of fears that they feed a typical racial image. Many can remember when Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants were the victims of social isolation. Indeed, it was not until 1952 that laws were laid down giving all Asian immigrants the right to citizenship.
【小題1】While making tremendous achievements at college, Asian-American students           .

A．feel they are mistreated because of limited knowledge of English

B．a(chǎn)re afraid that their academic successes bear a strong Asian character

C．still worry about unfair treatment in society

D．generally feel it a shame to have to depend on their parents

【小題2】What are the major factors that determine the success of Asian Americans?

A．A solid foundation in basic mathematics and Asian culture.

B．Hard work and intelligence.

C．Parents’ help and a limited knowledge of English.

D．Asian culture and the American educational system.

【小題3】Few Asian American students major in human sciences mainly because           .

A．their English is not good enough

B．they are afraid they might meet with unfair judgment in these areas

C．there is a wide difference between Asian and Western cultures

D．they know little about American culture and society

【小題4】Why do “both explanations” (Para. 3) worry Asian Americans?

A．They are afraid they will again be isolated from American society in general.

B．People will think that Asian students only rely on their parents for success.

C．Asian Americans will be a threat to other minorities.

D．American academic achievements have taken on too strong an Asian character.

When students and parents are asked to rate subjects according to their importance, the arts are unavoidably at the bottom of the list. Music is nice, people seem to say, but not important. Too often it is viewed as entertainment, but certainly not an education priority(優(yōu)先). This view is shortsighted. In fact, music education is beneficial and important for all students.
Music tells us who we are, because music is an expression of the beings who create it, it reflects their thinking and values, as well as the social environment it came from. Rock music represents a lifestyle just as surely as does a Schubert song. The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions. Music expresses our character and values. It gives us identity as a society.
Music provides a kind of perception (感知) that cannot be acquired any other way. Science can explain how the sun rises and sets. The arts explore the emotive (情感的) meaning of the same phenomenon. We need every possible way to discover and respond to our world for one simple but powerful reason: No one way can get it all.
The arts are forms of thought as powerful in what they communicate as mathematical and scientific symbols. They are ways we human beings “talk” to each other. They are the language of civilization through which we express our fears, our curiosities, our hungers, our discoveries, our hopes. The arts are ways we give form to our ideas and imagination so that they can be shared with others. When we do not give children access to an important way of expressing themselves such as music, we take away from them the meanings that music expresses.
Science and technology do not tell us what it means to be human. The arts do. Music is an important way we express human suffering, celebration, the meaning and value of peace and love.    
So music education is far more necessary than people seem to realize.
【小題1】According to Paragraph 1, students   ____ .

A．regard music as a way of entertainment

B．disagree with their parents on education

C．view music as an overlooked subject

D．prefer the arts to science

【小題2】In Paragraph 2, the author uses jazz an example to_________ .

A．compare it with rock music

B．show music identifies a society

C．introduce American musical traditions

D．prove music influences people’s lifestyles

【小題3】According to the passage, the arts and science__________.

A．a(chǎn)pproach the world from different angles

B．explore different phenomena of the world

C．express people’s feeling in different ways

D．explain what it means to be human

【小題4】What is the main idea of the passage?   

A．Music education deserves more attention.

B．Music should be of top education priority.

C．Music is an effective communication tool.

D．Music education makes students more imaginative.

A new retail phenomenon from Japan which allows customers to walk away with free products is to launch in Britain.
From tomorrow, visitors to Sample Trend’s central London store can try anything on its shelves, and all of the products can be taken home without charge. For a nominal annual membership fee of £60, users are free to enter the shop once a month and help themselves to no less than £250 worth of goods every year. The only ‘catch’ is that shoppers are asked to complete a simple questionnaire about each product they try.
Known as ‘try-vertising’, the concept allows manufacturers to test products and receive consumer feedback before launching onto the open market. It is already very popular in Japan and now looks set to transform the fortunes of the embattled（嚴(yán)陣以待的） UK retail industry. According to new figures, stores are facing a Christmas crisis with the weakest High Street trading for six months.
Michael Ghosh, the brainchild（創(chuàng)意者）behind Sample Trend, said: “The concept behind Sample Trend is unique in the UK. It allows shoppers the opportunity to walk away with a number of real, full-size products of their choosing without handing over a penny.”
The concept of in-store try-vertising is simple but effective. Businesses across all sectors, from cosmetic manufacturers to beverage（飲料） makers, place new products on the shelves at Sample Trend and wait for consumers to try them out.
Customers complete a short 10-point questionnaire about the product, and the feedback they provide is used to make any last-minute improvement before the product is brought officially to market. The Sample Trend store stocks everything from cosmetics, food and drink, and household goods.
Ghosh, the former advertising and sales director for Disney Europe, said such feedback may also build brand loyalty from the outset---a particularly appealing prospect for new businesses.
【小題1】What can we know about the Sample Trend?

A．It has turned out to be a success in London.

B．The goods in the shop are free for everyone

C．The customers can only go to it once a month.

D．It sells everything people need.

【小題2】The word “catch” (in para2) can be replaced by _________

A．a(chǎn)dvantage

B．disadvantage

C．problem

D．requirement

【小題3】The customers need to fill a questionnaire to________

A．give suggestions for the products

B．recommend the products

C．give feedback about the products

D．express their thanks

There are some topics that readers never grow bored with, and the search for a suitable partner（伴侶） is one of them. Pride and Prejudice（傲慢與偏見）by Jane Austen, first published in 1813, tells the story of five young women, all of whom are looking for a husband. In order to fully understand the novel, the readers must know that at the time when Jane Austen was writing, if a family was not rich, the daughters needed to marry well in order to live a comfortable, independent life. That is the reason why Mrs Bennet, the mother of the five girls, is so eager to have her daughters married.
The heroine of the story is Elizabeth Bennet, and as in all good romantic novels, she and Darcy, the man she finally marries, remain separate until the very end of the story. The wealthy Darcy is a proud, unsociable man, and when Elizabeth hears that he has insulted（侮辱） both her and her family, she dislikes him very much. Poor Darcy then falls head over heels in love with Elizabeth, and has to work terribly hard to persuade her to change her mind about him. He succeeds of course, and they live happily ever after. 
Set at the turn of the 19th century, the novel is still attractive to modern readers. It has become one of the most popular novels and receives great attention from literary scholars（學(xué)者）.Modern interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramas（戲劇）and a lot of novels and stories modeling(模仿) after Austen’s memorable (難忘的)characters or themes. To date, the book has sold some 20 million copies worldwide.
Jane Austen is rightly famous for her style. Her sentences have a wonderful rhythm（韻律）, and she makes such clever, true comments about people. It is not surprising that Pride and Prejudice has lasted.
【小題1】In the 19th century, a poor girl in Britain was often encouraged to          .

A．master the skills of writing	B．marry the one she loved
C．change her life by marrying rich	D．obey her parents

【小題2】What do we know about Elizabeth and Darcy?

A．They both come from poor families and wish to marry rich.

B．They’ve experienced ups and downs but get married in the end.

C．They get separated from each other shortly after being married.

D．Darcy falls over and gets hurt but Elizabeth still loves him.

【小題3】 According to the passage, Pride and Prejudice _________.

A．inspired many other novels and many plays have been produced based on it.

B．was first published in 1813 and sold 20 million copies soon

C．tells a sad love story which moves generations of readers

D．is set at the turn of the 19th century and not well received worldwide

Language is a major problem for the European Union (EU). The agreement or treaty (條約) which created the organization that eventually became the EU, the Treaty of Rome, stated that each country's language must be treated equally. The original six countries had only three languages between them: French. German and Dutch/Flemish. However, there are now 15 countries in the EU, with a total of 12 languages. EU documents must be translated into all these languages, and at official meetings the speeches must be translated into all the languages by interpreters.
All this translating is very expensive and time-consuming (費(fèi)時的). it is said that nearly half of all employees of the EU are engaged in translating documents and speeches, and nearly half of the EU's administrative(管理方面的) costs are spent on this task. In the near future it is probably that several more countries, most of them having their own languages, will join the EU, thus making the situation even worse.
The problem is not just cost: there are practical difficulties as well. With 12 languages, there are 132 possible "translation situations" that might be needed. It is often' difficult to find people in the right place at the right time who can translate from (for example) Danish into Greek, or Dutch into Portuguese, at a high professional standard.
In practice the problem has been made less serious by the use of English in many contacts between EU officials, since almost all of them speak some English. However, any move to reduce the number of official languages (perhaps to four or five) would be a blow to the pride of the smaller countries. Another commonly suggested solution is to make English the official language for all EU business. However, powerful member countries like France and Germany are strongly against it.
【小題1】What's the main purpose of this passage?

A．To give a solution to a problem.

B．To discuss a problem and show how serious it is.

C．To criticize the European Union for inefficiency(效率低).

D．To show that the problem cannot be solved.

【小題2】According to the writer, the use of English in contacts among EU officials has ________.

A．a(chǎn)ngered the officials who don't speak English

B．reduced the number of official languages

C．made the problem less serious

D．been opposed by powerful member countries

【小題3】In paragraph three, the writer mentions "Danish into Greek" as an example of ________.

A．a(chǎn) situation that might be difficult to deal with

B．a(chǎn) situation that occurs often

C．one of the 12 situations that requires an interpreter

D．languages that are easy to translate

【小題4】The writer suggests that if the number of official languages was reduced _______.

A．the EU would not know which official languages to choose

B．countries whose languages were not used officially would be unhappy

C．only languages that are easy to translate would be used officially

D．the smaller member countries would be pleased