When did you last visit a shopping mall? In many places, the answer would be “l(fā)ast weekend.” Some people go even more often. Why? For one thing, malls offer goods and services that people need all in one place: food, clothing, things for their houses, entertainment, even medical services. So, are malls one of the highlights of modern civilization? Environmental activists would say No! They would go even further and say that consumer behavior is causing a huge environmental disaster. They cause consumers of ignorance of the side effect of their shopping—urban sprawl (擴(kuò)大) .
Social scientists agree that patterns of development have changed the landscape a great deal in the last half century. Before 1950, most people lived in towns or cities and either walked to work or took public transportation. Only very wealthy people had automobiles. Farmers lived in rural areas or isolated villages and came into town only when they needed things they couldn’t produce themselves. If you gazed at the landscape you would see towns surrounded by countryside. Then a massive change occurred.
Automobiles became affordable and people were quick to adopt them. Now ambitious workers could live in the suburbs, the areas just outside cities, which started to grow rapidly. As long as there was lots of cheap land in the suburbs, no one paid much attention to the usage of that land. Malls, fast food restaurants, cinemas, and car dealerships spread out in large, flat buildings. These one–storey buildings and their parking lot took up a great deal space. Well– meaning farmers thought they were better off selling their land than growing crops. In ignorance, no one realized that once the land was built up in urban sprawl, the good farming land would be ruined forever. There was no way to preserve it.
Only in recent years have people come to mourn the old way of life as they have developed insight into the problems. Now people realize that urban sprawl has come with serious environmental problems. The negative aspects of sprawl include air and water pollution, loss of agricultural land, traffic jams, and the death of businesses in the old town centers. Many scholars think the time has come to analyze the problems better so we can develop appropriate policies to control further sprawl. Some think the best way to do is to educate citizens about their priceless environment.
【小題1】What is mainly discussed in the passage?

A．Weekend Fun

B．Urban Sprawl

C．New Automobiles

D．Isolated Villages

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

A．Scientists

B．Activists.

C．Farmers.

D．Malls

【小題3】Who do environmental activists blame for environmental problems?

A．Endangered animals.	B．Shopping mall owners.
C．Unthinking shoppers.	D．Ambitious farmers.

【小題4】What do scholars think should be done about urban sprawl?

A．Understand the situations better.	B．Follow customary policies.
C．Start school in shopping malls.	D．Charge polluters a lot of money.

【小題5】What is the scholars’ attitude toward urban sprawl?

A．Respectful.

B．Negative.

C．Positive.

D．Doubtful.

A report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly，courteous and helpful most Americans were to them．To be fair，this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians，and should best be considered North American．There are，of course，exceptions．Small-minded officials，rude waiters，and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US．Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment．For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence．
Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another．Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion，and brought news of the outside world．The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality．
Someone traveling alone，if hungry，injured，or ill，often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement．It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers．It reflected the harshness of daily life： if you didn‘t take in the stranger and take care of him，there was no one else who would．And someday，remember，you might be in the same situation．Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler．Yet，the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US，especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails．“I was just traveling through，got talking with this American，and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner—amazing．” Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon，but are not always understood properly．

【小題1】In the eyes of visitors from the outside world，___________．

A．rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the US

B．small-minded officials deserve a serious comment

C．Canadians are not so friendly as their neighbors

D．most Americans are ready to offer help

【小題2】It could be inferred from the last paragraph that ___________．

A．culture exercises an influence over social interrelationship

B．courteous convention and individual interest are interrelated

C．various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friends

D．social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions

【小題3】Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers ___________．

A．to improve their hard life

B．in view of their long-distance travel

C．to add some flavor to their own daily life

D．out of a charitable impulse

【小題4】The tradition of hospitality to strangers ___________．

A．tends to be superficial and artificial

B．is generally well kept up in the united States

C．is always understood properly

D．has something to do with the busy tourist trails

【小題5】What’s the author’s attitudes toward the American‘s friendliness？ 

A．Favorable．	B．Unfavorable．
C．Indifferent．	D．Neutral．

China has recently been faced with serious issues of product safety. In Panama ,it is said that medicine made with a poisonous chemical sickened some people. A Chinese company had identified it as diethylamide glycol(乙二醇),a low-cost substitute commonly used in automobile antifreeze(防凍劑)．
Some countries have banned Chinese-made toothpaste containing diethylamide glycol. China has now told companies to discontinue its use, even though it says the toothpaste is safe. Another industrial chemical, melamine, was found in wheat flour used to make pet food in North America. Thousands of dogs and cats became sick.
The United States has restricted some imports of Chinese seafood because they contained banned substance. And questions have been raised about other products, including children's toys covered with lead paint.
Chinese officials promised to provide the European Union, the biggest trading partner, with detailed reports on enforcement efforts against unsafe goods.
Meglena Kuneva, commissioner(理事) for consumer protection of the European Union said China should have kept its promise.
China recently closed three companies linked to the Panama and the pet food scare. And it dismissed the former head of its food and drug administration. He was found guilty of corruption(腐敗)for approving unsafe drugs. This week, a conference of the State Council approved a proposed special measure on the supervision of food safety. The Xinhua News Agency said it calls for stronger controls over producers, greater responsibilities for government and more serious punishment for illegal activities.
But Chinese officials have accused some foreign media of overstating problems with goods made in China. They say food imports from the United States also fail inspection sometimes. Next week, American and Chinese food safety officials are planning to hold 5 days of meetings in Beijing to discuss cooperation.
【小題1】How many cases with safety problems are mentioned in the passage?

A．Six.

B．Five.

C．Four.

D．Three.

【小題2】How was Panama case dealt with afterwards?
A. Three companies linked to it  were closed down.
B. The former head of food and drug administration was removed from his position.
C. More serious punishment was conducted for leaders linked to it.
D. Both A and B.
【小題3】It can be implied but not clearly stated that________.

A．Chinese-made toothpaste is safe

B．the safety of "Made in China" is doubted

C．there are safety problems with more Chinese products

D．stronger control over Chinese products is in need

【小題4】The passage is mainly about________.

A．China is facing product safety problems

B．more controls are taken of Chinese goods

C．overstated problems with Chinese goods

D．China is losing its trade partners

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

A．China	B．The European Union
C．Chinese officials	D．The Chinese company

Although Paris is often considered the city of romance, close to a million adults who call it home are single. Many single people say that France’s capital is one of the most difficult places to meet people. The complaints(抱怨) of this lonely group have inspired a new phenomenon known as “supermarket dating.” At Galerie Lafayette Gourmet, singles can shop for more than just the items on their grocery list. They can look for someone who has blue eyes, brown hair, and is 1.8 meters tall, or whatever may be on their romantic shopping list.
At this Paris location, single people of all ages can schedule their shopping for Thursday nights between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. When they walk through the door, they pick up a purple basket to advise that they are looking for love. They try to arrive early because the baskets disappear quickly, and then they have to wait in line for their turn to wander the store aisles(過(guò)道) .
With purple baskets in hand, shoppers can consider their romantic options while they pick out their groceries. When they are ready to pay, they can go to the checkout line for singles who want to chat.
Most of the people who look for love in the supermarket are skeptical of Internet dating. They know that it is easy to embellish(美化) one’s appearance or to lie about one’s age over the Internet. The supermarket, on the other hand, is considered a safe and casual environment in which to meet a potential match. In addition, what one finds in another’s grocery basket can say a thing or two about that person’s character or intentions. Buying pet food can be a man’s way of showing a potential match that he has a sensitive side. Women who fill their baskets with low-fat food show their healthy style of living. These days it’s possible to find much more than food at a grocery store.
【小題1】What do many single people in Pairs complain about?

A．The difficulty in meeting people.

B．The idea of supermarket dating.

C．The items on their grocery list.

D．The inconvenience in shopping.

【小題2】Which of the following can be inferred but is not clearly stated in the second paragraph?

A．The dating supermarket is located in Paris.

B．The dating supermarket is open only on Thursday evenings.

C．People looking for love must get a basket of a particular colour

D．The dating supermarket has very good business.

【小題3】According to the writer, a possible way to win a woman’s heart is to _______.

A．pick up a purple basket

B．Buy low-fat food

C．embellish your appearance

D．buy pet food

【小題4】Why do the people prefer the supermarket dating to Internet dating?

A．The supermarket dating is more convenient.

B．The supermarket dating is more casual.

C．The supermarket dating can be trusted more.

D．The supermarket dating is less expensive.

Stop Spam!
When I first got an e-mail account ten years ago, I received communications only from family, friends, and colleagues. Now it seems that every time I check my e-mail, I have an endless series of advertisements and other correspondence that do not interest me at all. If we want e-mail to continue to be useful, we need specific laws that make spamming (發(fā)送垃圾郵件) a crime.
If lawmakers do not do something soon to prohibit spam, the problem will certainly get much worse. Computer programs allow spammers to send hundreds of millions of e-mails almost instantly. As more and more advertisers turn to spam to sell their products, individual (個(gè)人的) e-mail boxes are often flooded with spam e-mails. Would people continue to use e-mail if they had to deal with an annoying amount of spam each time?
This problem is troubling for individuals and companies as well. Many spam e-mails contain computer viruses that can shut down the entire network of a company. Companies rely on e-mail for their employees to communicate with each other. Spam frequently causes failures in their local communications networks, and their employees are thus unable to communicate effectively. Such a situation results in a loss of productivity and requires companies to repeatedly repair their networks. These computer problems raise production costs of companies, which are, in the end, passes on to the consumer.
For these reasons, I believe that lawmakers need to legislate (立法) against spam. Spammers should be fined, and perhaps sent to prison if they continue to disturb people. E-mail is a tool which helps people all over the world to communicate conveniently, but spam is destroying this convenience.
【小題1】What does the underlined word “correspondence” in the Paragraph 1 probably mean?                                                       

A．messages

B．ideas

C．connections

D．programs

【小題2】According to the text, what is the major cause of the flooding spam?   

A．Companies rely on e-mail for communications.

B．More people in the world communicate by e-mails.

C．Many computer viruses contain spam e-mail.

D．More advertisers begin to promote sales through spam.

【小題3】According to Paragraph 3, who is the final victim of spam?             

A．The business	B．The advertiser.
C．The employee	D．The consumer.

【小題4】What is the purpose of the text?

A．To inform.

B．To educate.

C．To persuade.

D．To instruct.

Does Being Famous Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today’s star, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world’s attention. Paparazzi (狗仔隊(duì)) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids (小報(bào)) publish thrilling stories about their privacy. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to psychologist Christina Villarreal, celebrities — famous people — worry constantly about their public appearance. In the end, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. “Over time,” Villarreal says, “they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of following celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B.C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film-stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren’t all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice（正義）. Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are. They are tired of being famous already.
【小題1】It can be learned from the passage that stars today _________.

A．spend too much on their public appearance

B．a(chǎn)re often misunderstood by the public

C．can no longer have their privacy protected

D．care little about how they have become famous

【小題2】What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history.

B．Great heroes of the past were generally admired.

C．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers.

D．Well-known actors are usually targets of tabloids.

【小題3】What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?

A．There are huge population of fans.

B．They get little support from society.

C．They get few good opportunities.

D．Many modern ways of getting news are being used.

【小題4】What is the author’s attitude toward modern celebrity?

A．Sincere.

B．Doubting

C．Supporting.

D．Disagreeing.

The greatest recent social changes have been in the lives of women. During the twentieth century there has been a remarkable shortening of the proportion of a woman's life spent in caring for the children. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth century would probably have been in her middle twenties ,and would be likely to have seven or eight children, four or five of whom lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which health made it unusual for her to get paid work.. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman's youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five years and can be expected to live another thirty-five years and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has to take care of children, her work is lightened by moder living conditions.
This important change in women's life-patterns has only recently begun to have its full effect on women's economic position. Even a few years ago most girls took a full-time job after they left school.. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school- leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women usually marry older, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born.  Many more afterwards return to full-or-part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money, and running the home, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.
【小題1】At what age did most women marry around the 1890 according to the passage?

A．At about twenty-five	B．In their earl fifties
C．At the age of fifteen	D．At any age from fifteen to forty-five

【小題2】What happened to an ordinary family in about 1900?

A．The youngest child could live to fifteen.

B．Four of five children died after they were five.

C．Seven or eight children lived to be more than five.

D．Some children died when the were very young.

【小題3】When she was over fifty , a late nineteenth-century mother ______.

A．was usaully expected to die fiarely soon

B．would expect to work until she died

C．would be healthy enough to take up paid jobs

D．was less like to find a job even if she wanted to

【小題4】What do we know from the passage?

A．Husbands and wives share equal responsibilities at home.

B．More and more women are looked down upon by husbands.

C．Today women prefer to get married rather than get jobs.

D．A husband plays a greater part in looking after the children.

Who is your role model? Normally the answer to this question would be anyone around you who you find truly inspiring. It could also be someone like J. K. Rowling or Martin Luther King. Jr. , who have proven to be strong and intelligent people.
However, in today’s world, stars are regarded as role models along with the heroes listed above, despite their intentions or actions. Teens attempt to imitate their actions for two major reasons. Firstly, to be fashionable and accepted by popular culture, and secondly because stars’ actions are so well documented by the media that it seems to grab our attention and turns it to following stars’ lives. Much of the reports about stars is shocking and exhibits bad morals or lifestyles that aren’t right for teenagers. In addition, almost everything stars do is described beyond truth to make a shocking story by taking it to the next level.
However, teens must take responsibility for their actions. We can’t always blame stars for influencing us. Only you have control over yourself and only you choose to do something. Our bodies and actions are in the hands of no one else.
Now, who ever said stars are role models? Whether they choose to be or not, stars set examples as soon as they step into the spotlight. With reporters following and recording every move they make, it is impossible not to be watched and then be imitated. These people influence teens whether or not they want to. Why should someone who doesn’t want to be setting an example set one? So，should we look up to them or to people who are true and good role models? It’s our responsibility as teens to know right from wrong, and it’s time for us to take responsibility for our actions. In doing so，we will lean toward those inspiring people that want to be setting an example, and follow in their steps to be like them.
【小題1】According to the first paragraph, _______ can usually be role models.

A．political leaders

B．wealthy writers

C．people inspiring others

D．people with great intelligence

【小題2】What are the major reasons for the teens to imitate stars?

A．Interest in stars’ life and expectation of getting rich.

B．Motivation for being fashionable and inspiration from popular examples.

C．Intentions to gain acceptance and encouragement from stars’ lifestyle.

D．Desires to be stylish and great influence from the mass media.

【小題3】The author writes the passage mainly to advise the teenagers to _______.

A．have a control over their own bodies and actions

B．be responsible for their own choices and behaviors

C．follow fashionable stars’ steps to be more popular

D．choose right role models according to different reports

【小題4】It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．stars have the responsibility for teenagers’ actions

B．not all famous stars choose to influence teenagers

C．teenagers choose those inspiring people as their role models

D．stars set examples immediately they stepped into the spotlight

“When I grow up, I want to be...”
Almost all of us have thought about, or been asked to think about, our future careers. Our answers may differ greatly. Even now your aspirations may have changed from when you were in primary school.
However, it seems career options aren’t only based on personal taste. In a survey carried out by Teens, doctors, lawyers, and bankers were some of most popular careers that people said they hoped to follow. This is in line with a similar survey carried out in the UK in May 2011 by job website monster. Co.uk, in which medicine was the top choice among UK teenagers aged between 13 and 17.
Medicine and law are two of the oldest and best known professions. Their prestige (威望) may come from the fact that doctors and lawyers are some of the most esteemed members of society, and they make good money. Joining these high-profile professions is often seen as a sign of upward social mobility.
It is equally unsurprising that banking is now one of the most common career choices. Youngsters worldwide think of banking and see the money rolling in. Wealth is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career. British young men list the UK tycoon Alan Sugar, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg as their top role models “for their wealth”. Just as Chinese teenagers see being a banker as a good and fun pathway to “wealth”.
However, not every child has the makings of doctor, lawyer, or banker. They are those who see fulfillment and happiness in other areas, and many teenagers dare to ink more individuality into their career options. As the Teens’ survey discovered, a variety of unconventional jobs---coffee shop owner, gourmet(美食家)，waiter at a fast food restaurant---are among teenagers’ career choices. They can be equally interesting and rewarding jobs.
With every choice comes responsibility and challenge, and all career paths require specific education and training, you have to learn to balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.
【小題1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Choosing a good job is very important.

B．Careers in teenagers’ mind.

C．Teenagers in the UK like doctors.

D．The choice of career needs challenge.

【小題2】According to the article, all of the following are the benefits of being a doctor except_____.

A．respect from others	B．upward social mobility
C．high pay	D．the oldest profession

【小題3】What do youngsters think is increasingly becoming one of the most important indicators of a successful career?

A．Prestige

B．Fulfillment

C．Happiness

D．Wealth

【小題4】What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．According to your particular talents and skills, you can choose your favorite career.

B．Specific education and training can help get a good job.

C．Whatever career you choose, you should balance optimism and confidence with being realistic about your particular talents and skills.

D．Responsibility is the most important when you choose a good job.

Teens don’t understand the big fuss (小題大做). As the first generation to grow up in a wired world, they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around, and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online, chatting with friends. So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated (孤寂), less skillful at person-to-person relationships , and perhaps numb (麻木) to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world . “And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,” said Sherry Turkle .
Another researcher , Robert Kraut , said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs” (機(jī)會(huì)成本)of so much online time for youths . He found that teens who used computers, even just a few hours a week, showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation. “Chatting online may be better than watching television , but it’s worse than hanging out (閑逛) with real friends,” he said .
Today’s teens, however, don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives. “School is busy and full of pressure. There’s almost no time to just hang out,” said Parker Rice, 17. “Talking online is just catch-up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply. Some teens admit that asking someone for a date, or breaking up, can be easier in message form, though they don’t want to do so. But they insist there’s no harm.
【小題1】The researchers argue that      .

A．nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online

B．teens may develop a different sense of values

C．teens can manage their social connections

D．spending hours online does much good to teens

【小題2】The text mainly deals with       .

A．teens’ pleasant online experience

B．teen’s computer skills and school work

C．different opinions on teen’s chatting online

D．the effects of the computer world on teens

【小題3】Teens think that talking online can help them       .

A．use computers properly

B．improve their school work

C．develop an interest in social skills

D．reduce their mental pressures

【小題4】The purpose of the text is to       .

A．draw attention to teens’ computer habits

B．describe computer research results

C．suggest ways to deal with problem teens

D．discuss problems teens have at school