February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentine’s Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome. When the emperor (皇帝) decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didn’t allow marriage. But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers in secret. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.
【小題1】Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?

A．Because there were few women in his country at that time.

B．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers.

C．Because there wasn’t enough food for so many people.

D．Because he wanted to control the birth rate.

【小題2】Valentine was put into prison because ______.

A．he killed one of the soldiers

B．he stole a lot of food

C．he didn’t obey the emperor’s order

D．he didn’t want to be a soldier

【小題3】The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.

A．students in China send cards to their teachers

B．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China

C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China

D．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now

【小題4】The best title for this passage should be ______.

A．Valentine’s Day	B．A Brave Priest
C．Valentine’s Day in China	D．A Romantic Man

Who give us life, raise us and are our constant support and well­wishers？Our mothers. That’s why millions of people across the world take Mother’s Day as an opportunity to express thanks and send best wishes to their moms.
However, the celebration of Mother’s Day is not the recent thing that many believe it to be. It was the ancient Greeks who started the tradition by celebrating their annual spring festival in honor of Rhea, the mother of many gods and goddesses.
Later, in the 1600s, Mothering Sunday came to be celebrated in England. On the fourth Sunday of Lent (大齋期), children brought flowers and special fruitcakes to show their respect for their mothers. It may be the root of the modern Mother’s Day.
Thanks to the great efforts of Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis, Mother’s Day became an official festival in the US. It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Later, many countries began to celebrate this day as Mother’s Day.
Today, Mother’s Day is an international festival honoring mothers. It is celebrated all over the world in different ways. In Western countries，the most common way is to treat mothers with breakfast in bed .Kids often allow their mothers to sleep till late in the morning while they prepare her favorite breakfast with their fathers. Some also make hand­made gifts or buy beautiful carnations (康乃馨). It is the day when you acknowledge your mothers contribution in your life and pay a tribute (禮品) to her, often with flowers and gifts. It complements Father’s Day, the celebration honoring fathers.
Today, Mother’s Day is a day celebrated on various days in many places around the world.
【小題1】Why do people across the world celebrate Mother’s Day?

A．Because they want to express thanks and send best wishes to their mothers.

B．Because they want to express thanks and send best wishes to Rhea.

C．Because Mother’s Day is an official festival in the US.

D．Because Mother’s Day is an international festival.

【小題2】The modern Mother’s Day came from________.

A．Greece

B．China

C．America

D．England

【小題3】From the passage we can learn that________.

A．Rhea is the mother of many gods and goddesses of England

B．many people wrongly believe Mother’s Day has a short history

C．in America Mother’s day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent

D．on Mother’s day fathers have to get up early to prepare breakfast

【小題4】The passage mainly wants to tell us________.

A．how to celebrate Mother’s day

B．what to do on Mother’s day

C．the historical change of Mother’s day

D．the meaning of Mother’s day

President Abraham Lincoln’s first call for volunteers to fight in the Civil War was for whites only.The Civil War was a white man’s war，northern whites insisted.Its purpose was to preserve the Union.It was not being fought to end slavery.But by September of 1862，the sentiment toward black volunteers had changed.Lincoln had hoped that the war would be short，but it had already lasted for a year and a half.Union manpower had fallen dangerously.
Lincoln had a plan.He issued the Emancipation Proclamation.It stated that as of January 1,1863，all slaves living in the rebellious southern states would be forever free.And starting immediately，Union armies would accept black volunteers.
The southern rebels’response to Lincoln’s call for black troops was a deadly one.Captives (俘虜) of any Union regiment (團) with black troops were to be given “no quarter”．They were to be put to death immediately.
African­American troops throughout the war distinguished themselves (表現(xiàn)突出) in battle at places like Milliken’s Bend，F(xiàn)ort Wagner，and the Crater at St.Petersburg.As to their conduct on the battlefield，Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson wrote，“Nobody knows anything about these men who has not seen them in battle.No officer in this regiment now doubts that the successful process of the war lies in the unlimited employment of black troops.” By the war’s end,186,000 black men had participated.They made up nearly 10 percent of Union forces.These black soldiers saw action in more than 250 battles.Black soldiers also gave their lives.By the war’s end，about 38,000 black soldiers had died.They died from disease，in battle，and after capture by rebel troops.
【小題1】This passage is mainly about________.

A．cause of the Civil War

B．the Emancipation Proclamation

C．black soldiers in the Civil War

D．why Lincoln was a good president

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

A．Whites.

B．People who keep watch.

C．Rebels.

D．Thought and feeling.

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

A．Lincoln acted too late to free the slaves.

B．Blacks fought well for the Union cause.

C．The Civil War changed American history.

D．The southern rebels nearly won the Civil War.

【小題4】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The Civil War’s purpose was to drive the black away.

B．The Civil War ended just in one year with the help of the blacks.

C．All slaves were set free by September of 1862.

D．Black captives of any Union regiment were killed after Lincoln’s call.

Benin is one of the smallest African states. It lies in West Africa on the Gulf (海灣) of Guinea, to the south of Burkina Faso and Niger, between Togo on the west and Nigeria on the east.
Benin used to be called Dahomey and was controlled and ruled by France from 1893 to 1960, when it became independent. In 1963 the army general Soglo overthrew (推翻) the first president Maga. Soglo set up an army government and called himself head of state in 1965, but was overthrown and replaced by a civilian (非軍人) government in 1967. In December 1969 Benin had another change of power with the army again taking over. In May 1970, Maga and two other men set up a new government, with each of them acting as president in turn for two years. However, half a year after Maga turned over power to the second man Ahomadegbe, the three-man government was overthrown by the army once more and General Kerekou became president. In November 1975 Kerekou changed the name of the nation from Dahomey to Benin, Benin being the name of a 17th century kingdom covering the same place. Kerekou also announced that Benin would be a People’s Republic based on Marxism-Leninism.
【小題1】Which of the following maps shows rightly the positions of Benin and its neighbouring countries?

Bn="Benin;"
Tg="Togo;"
Nr="Niger;"
BF="Burkina" Faso;
Na="Nigeria;"
GG="Gulf" of Guinea
【小題2】For how long was Benin an independent state before it became a People’s Republic?

A．30 years.

B．25 years.

C．20 years.

D．15 years.

【小題3】Choose the right order in which the following people ruled in Benin. (Ah="Ahomadegbe;" Ke="Kerekou;" Ma="Maga;" So=Soglo)

A．Ma, So, Ma, Ke, Ah

B．So, Ma, Ah, Ma, Ke

C．Ma, So, Ma, Ah, Ke

D．So, Ma, Ke, Ma, Ah

【小題4】When and how did Benin get its two names — Benin and Dahomey?

A．Benin was its oldest name. The name Dahomey was used later, but has been replaced by Benin again.

B．Dahomey was its oldest name, but it has been replaced by Benin.

C．Dahomey was its oldest name. The name Benin was used later, but has been replaced by Dahomey again.

D．Benin was its oldest name, but it has been replaced by Dahomey.

For their nick-of-time acts, Toby, a 2-year-old dog, and Winnie, a cute cat, were named Dog and Cat of the Year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.   
As Amy Paul choked(哽住) on a piece of apple at her home, her dog jumped up, landing hard on her chest and forcing the piece in her throat out. When the Keesling family of Indiana was about to be killed by carbon monoxide, their cat clawed at the wife Cathy’s hair until she woke up and called for help.
No one could explain their timely heroics.
Both pets were rescued by their owners in infancy-----Toby as a 4-week-old thrown into a garbage bin to die, and Winnie as a week-old orphan hiding under a barn, so helpless that Cathy’s husband, Eric, had to feed her milk with an eyedropper.
As the Keeslings recalled it, a gas-driven pump being used broke down, spreading carbon monoxide through the house. By the time Winnie went to rescue, the couple’s 14-year-old son was already unconscious. “Winnie jumped on the bed and was clawing at me, with a kind of angry sound,” Cathy Keesling said. The state police responding to her 911 call said the family was only minutes from death, judging by the amount of poisonous gas in the house.
Amy Paul’s husband was at his job when she took a midday break from making jewelry and bit into an apple. “Normally I peel them, but I read in Good Housekeeping Magazine that the skin has all the nutrients, so I ate the skin, and that’s what caused me to choke,” she recalled. “I couldn’t breathe and I was in panic when Toby jumped on me. He never does that, but he did, and saved my life.”
Both Toby and Winnie accompanied their owners to the awards luncheon.
【小題1】What would be the suitable title for the passage?

A．Great Honors for Cat and Dog

B．Dog and Cat Honored for Saving Their Masters

C．Unforgettable Experiences

D．So Smart Animals Are

【小題2】Winnie saved the lives of its owner’s whole family in an accident by __________.

A．jumping onto its owner	B．calling for help
C．making some strange noises	D．clawing at Cathy’s hair

【小題3】Which of the following has the similar meaning to the underlined word “infancy” in Paragraph 4?

A．babyhood

B．Youth

C．Middle age

D．a(chǎn)gedness

【小題4】What caused the carbon monoxide spreading through the house?

A．A pump breaking down.	B．A driver breaking into the house.
C．The burning gas.	D．The poisonous gas.

【小題5】Why did Amy Paul choke on a piece of apple?

A．She was too young to care for herself.

B．She had a big bite.

C．She didn’t peel the skin as usual.

D．The apple was too hard.

"Hey, don't read in the hallway. Your eyesight will be damaged." You must have heard such warnings many times. Don’t read in dim (暗的)light! This is one of the “pearls of wisdom” that are supposed to help us live a healthy life. Such common beliefs, however, lack scientific basis, according to a paper published recently in the British Medical Journal.
Do you believe in the following everyday wisdom?
Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
In dim light, you might blink (眨眼) more, feel discomfort from drying and have trouble focusing. But the majority of eye experts believe it is unlikely to do any permanent damage.
We must drink at least eight glasses of water a day
In 1945, the Nutrition Council in US suggested that people need to consume 2.5 litres of water a day. But the water contained in food, particularly fruit and vegetables, as well as in milk, juice and soft drinks, also counts towards the total.
We only use 10 percent of our brains.
This myth arose as early as 1907. People have long argued about our power of self-improvement and our brains’ potential abilities. But detailed imaging shows that no area of the brain is silent or inactive.
Shaving your legs causes hair to grow black faster and thicker.
This theory is also illusion. Shaving has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair growth,
studies say. Just over time, the edge of hair gets worn away and thus the edge of long hair becomes finer (更細). So hair that is newly grown gives the impression of darkness.
【小題1】What does the paper say about some common beliefs?

A．They are pearls of wisdom	B．They help us live in healthy ways
C．They are well-known theories.	D．They do not have scientific basis.

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

A．Reading in dim light does harm to one’s eyes.

B．People need a total of 2.5 litres of water a day

C．People use 90 percent of their brains.

D．Shaving your legs will give you thicker hair.

【小題3】This passage is most likely to be found in __________ ?

A．a(chǎn) newspaper	B．a(chǎn) science fiction
C．a(chǎn) biology textbook	D．a(chǎn) medical book

While income worry is a rather common problem of the aged, loneliness is another problem that aged parents may face. Of all the reasons that explain their loneliness, a large geographical distance between parents and their children is the major one. This phenomenon(現(xiàn)象) is commonly known as "Empty Nest Syndrome”（空巢綜合癥）．
In order to find better chances outside their countries, many young people have gone abroad, leaving their parents behind with no clear idea of when they will return home. Their parents spend countless lonely days and nights, taking care of themselves, in the hope that someday their children will come back to stay with them. The fact that most of these young people have gone to Europeanized or Americanized societies makes it unlikely that they will hold as tightly to the value of duty as they would have if they had not left their countries. Whatever the case, it has been noted that the values they hold do not necessarily match what they actually do. This geographical and cultural distance also prevents the grown-up children from providing response in time for their aged parents living by themselves.
The situation in which grown-up children live far away from their aged parents has been described as "distant parent phenomenon", which is common both in developed countries and in developing countries. Our society has not yet been well prepared for "Empty Nest Syndrome".
【小題1】According to the passage, the loneliness of aged parents is mainly caused by ________.

A．their earlier experience of living alone

B．the poor living conditions in their native countries

C．the common worry that they have not saved much money

D．the distance between where parents live and where their children live

【小題2】Many young people have gone abroad, leaving their aged parents behind, to  ______.

A．realize their dreams in foreign countries

B．seek a better place for their aged parents

C．live in the countries with more money

D．continue their studies abroad

【小題3】If young people go abroad, __________.

A．they do not hold to the value of duty at all

B．they can give some help to their parents back home

C．they cannot do what they should for their parents

D．they believe what they actually do is right

【小題4】From the last paragraph, we can infer that __________.

A．the situations in the developed and developing countries are different

B．"Empty Nest Syndrome" has arrived unexpectedly in our society

C．children will become independent as soon as they go abroad

D．the aged parents are not fully prepared for "Empty Nest Syndrome"

【小題5】The society discussed in the passage is most probably __________.

A．France

B．America

C．China

D．Britain

Running like the wind, roaring （咆哮） like thunder, tigers have long been feared and respected as a king of the animal world．But last week a report said that there are no more than 30 wild tigers left in south China．
This was the conclusion of a team of scientists from China's State Forestry Administration and the World Nature Fund．
The South China tiger, also known as the Chinese tiger, is native to southern China．In the 1950's, there were over 4000 tigers found in mountain forests in the country．But due to the destruction of their natural habitat （棲息地） and uncontrolled hunting, it has been pushed on to the list of the world's top ten most endangered species．
Sixty-six of the big cats can be found in the cages of a dozen zoos around China．But they are nothing like their wild cousins．They have lost their natural skills such as hunting and killing．If they were set free they could not look after themselves．
"Breeding has damaged the quality of the species", said Pei Enle, deputy director of the Shanghai Zoo．
To reintroduce the species into the wild, the country started a programme to send five to ten young tigers to South Africa．Four of them have already arrived．Progress has been made as two elder tigers have recovered some of their instincts（本能） and can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base．
" South Africans are very experienced in reintroducing big animals to the wild．The country has very good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in", said Lu Jun, office director of the National Wildlife Research and Development Center．" We tried in Fujian Province, but it was not successful as there was not a complete eco-chain（生物鏈） and there was a lack of space．"
The tigers should return to China in 2007 when the reservations in Fujian are ready．
【小題1】What is the main reason for the South China tiger becoming one of the world's top ten most endangered species?

A．Because it has lost its natural instincts．

B．Because there is not a complete eco-chain．

C．Because there is no space for it．

D．Because uncontrolled hunting has destroyed its natural living conditions．

【小題2】How is the programme of sending several tigers to South Africa getting on?

A．Its effect still remains to be seen．

B．Two tigers can already compete with their wild cousins．

C．Some of the tigers are already on the road to recovering their natural skills．

D．The tigers should be able to recover their instincts completely by 2007．

【小題3】By saying " but they are nothing like their wild cousins", the writer means that ______．

A．they are no longer feared by other wild animals

B．they don't know how to hunt or kill

C．a(chǎn) complete change has resulted in the species because of breeding

D．to reintroduce them into the wild has become an urgent task

【小題4】What is the purpose of sending young tigers to South Africa?

A．To help the tigers recover their ability to live in the wild．

B．To provide them with a better environment．

C．To get the tigers to go on a tour．

D．To find a complete eco-chain for them．

【小題5】Which one is not the reason for South Africa being chosen as the training place?

A．Because the tigers can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base．

B．Because South Africans are skilled at dealing with the tigers．

C．Because there is a complete eco-chain and enough space there．

D．Because the country has good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in．

No one knows yet the accurate number of lives which have been lost in this terrible fire .But reports suggest that it is more than one hundred .
A wall of flames fifty feet high and at least one hundred and fifty miles wide is now racing towards the forests and rich farmlands of southern Victoria . Towns less than one hundred miles from Melbourne will be in danger unless the wind changes . People are rushing excitedly into the streets . The police have warned them not to see the fire but many people are doing so .
The cause of the fire is unknown . No rain has fallen in this part of Australia for three months , and the hot , north-west wind from the great central desert is blowing at more than thirty miles an hour .
The firefighters are travelling to the fire by road , rail and air . But it is not easy to get there . Flames and fallen trees have cut off or blocked roads and railway lines . The thick smoke often prevents them from finding the air strips (飛機跑道).
It is said that the fire has brought the greater danger to the country since the Second World War .
【小題1】By the time the article was written , the fire        .

A．had just broken out	B．had been put out
C．was spreading violently	D．was coming to an end

【小題2】The writer wrote this article mainly to tell people        .

A．the fire was terrible and dangerous

B．it was impossible to put out the fire

C．more than one hundred people died of the fire

D．to join in the fight against the fire

【小題3】In the 4th paragraph , the writer suggested that        .

A．the fire would soon be controlled by the firefighters

B．it would be very difficult to put out the fire

C．the government was paying great attention to the fire

D．the fire had caused great losses and the airport was in ganger

【小題4】The underlined word “ accurate” in the first sentence has the same meaning as        .

A．recent

B．whole

C．rough

D．exact

Famous centenarians (百歲老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others."
Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens.
Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation.
Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (膽囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic.
Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role".
Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.
With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers.
【小題1】From the first two paragraphs, we can see ______.

A．being active at 102 is achievable for everybody

B．Oliveira owes his long life to his mother’s help

C．being fit in old age is a matter of luck and character

D．social skills and wisdom are difficult for the senior

【小題2】How many centenarians are mentioned in this passage?

A．4

B．5

C．6

D．7

【小題3】By saying "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?” in Paragraph 5, Heesters shows us he ________.

A．wants to sit or lie in comfort

B．is waiting for people to pick him up

C．is willing to work till he dies

D．prefers to give performance at home

【小題4】In the passage so many examples were given to show ________.

A．old age is a big problem if you want to succeed

B．a(chǎn)s a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimistic

C．old people should never think of themselves as old

D．old age cannot prevent a great person from achieving a lot

【小題5】In the writer’s opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not ________.

A．intelligent

B．pessimistic

C．positive

D．Diligent