London Underground The world’s first subway was built in London in 1863. At the

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London Underground
The world’s first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time, the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work, they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This would help ease(减轻) the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems, the idea of the London Underground, the first subway system was born.
The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays, but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers (3. 7 miles) long. About 30,000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed), and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However, the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot(煤灰), as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems, riding in the Underground did catch on. It carried 9 million riders in its first year.
40. What led the British government to build the London Underground？
A. Traffic jams and pollution.
B. Population and pollution.
C. Overcrowding and traffic jams.
D. The poverty and subway problems.
41. How did the London Underground solve the smoke problem？
A. It made the tunnels larger.
B. It put fans in the tunnels.
C. It cleaned the chemical gases in the tunnels.
D. It reduced the number of passengers riding in the train.
42. The underlined phrase “catch on” most probably means “______”.
A. be troublesome
B. become popular and fashionable
C. keep up with
D. seize
43. Which of the following is TRUE？
A. To relocate the workers’ homes outside London，the government built the subway.
B. There were so many problems and delays that in 18th century the first subway opened.
C. The subway greatly eased the pressure of traffic.
D. There were not enough seats for the passengers the first day the subway opened.

答案

40-43 CBBC

解析

40. 选C。根据文章第一段中“the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London.”可知，C项是正确的。
41. 选B。根据文章第二段“However，the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the
tunnels with ash and soot(煤灰)， as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe.”，可知应该选B。
42. 选B。根据文章最后一句“It carried 9 million riders in its first year.”，可知，catch on的意思为“受欢迎的”。
43. 选C。当初建造地铁的目的就是为了缓解交通，最后为缓解了英国的交通问题。

举一反三

The geographical location of a country and its physical characteristics are very important to its development and progress. he United States is very fortunate in this respect.
First of all, it has a good climate. In almost all sections of the country it is possible to live comfortably during the whole year. It is true that in the south it sometimes gets very hot, and in the north very cold. But the people who live in these regions become accustomed to the climate and never suffer very much when the weather is either very hot or very cold.
In a large country there is usually a great variety of different physical characteristics. In the United States, there are wide plains and high mountains, thousands of lakes and rivets of all sizes, cool forests and hot deserts, and a coastline several thousand miles long.
The many lakes and rivers, as well as the long coastline, have been of great importance to the development of the country, since they made possible the easy transportation of people and all the things people need. Transportation by water is still necessary and important. In modern times, however, trains, automobiles, trucks and airplanes are doing much of the work which was formerly done by ships and boats.
44．What are the principal physical characteristics of the United States？
A．Almost the same． B．Rather various．
C．Very good for farming． D．Suitable for transportation．
45．In what respect is the United States very fortunate？
A．Geographical location． B．Good climate．
C．Physical characteristics．       D．Both A and C．
46．Why are rivers，lakes and coastlines important to the development of the U. S. A？
A．They make the climate better．
B．They provide people with a good many opportunities of employment．
C．They provide people with good transportation and whatever they need．
D．They make the scenery of the country more beautiful and attractive．
47．What was used for transportation in the distant past in the U. S. A. ?
A．Trains．   B．Trucks．
C．Planes．   D．Ships and boats．

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Passage seven(Stricter Traffic Law can Prevent Accidents)
From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-years-olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy tragic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic, to be conveniently forgotten.
It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be mad much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh. But surely nothing should be considered as to severe if tit results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.
1.The main idea of this passage is
A.Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.
B.Thousands of people the world over are killed each year.
C.The laws of some countries about driving are too lax.
D.Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents.
2.What does the author think of society toward motorists?
A.Society smiles on the motorists.
B.Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.
C.Victims of accidents are nothing.
D.Society condones their rude driving.
3.Why does the author say:’ his car becomes the extension of his personality?’
A.Driving can show his real self.
B.Driving can show the other part of his personality.
C.Driving can bring out his character.
D.His car embodies his temper.
4.Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?
A.Build more highways.
B.Stricter driving tests.
C.Test drivers every three years.
D.raise age limit and lay down safety specifications.
5.The attitude of the author is
A.ironical B.critical C.appealing D.militant

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Passage Seventeen (On the President’s Program)
President Arling has put his long awaited economic restructuring program before the Congress. It provides a coordinated program of investment credits, research grants, education reforms, and tax changes designed to make American industry more competitive. This is necessary to reverse the economic slide into unemployment, lack of growth, and trade deficits that have plagued the economy for the past six years.
The most liberal wing of the President’s party has called for stronger and more direct action. They want an incomes policy to check inflation while federal financing helps rebuild industry behind a wall of protective tariffs.
The Republicans, however, decry even the modest, graduated tax increases in the President’s program. They want tax cuts and more open market. They say if federal money has to be injected into the economy, let it through defence spending.
Both these alternatives ignore the unique nature of the economic problem before us. It is not simply a matter of markets or financing. The new technology allows vastly increased production for those able to master it. But it also threatens those who fail to adopt it with permanent second-class citizenship in the world economy. If an industry cannot lever itself up to the leading stage of technological advances, then it will not be able to compete effectively. If it cannot do this, no amount of government protectionism or access to foreign markets can keep it profitable for long. Without the profits and experience of technological excellence to reinvest, that industry can only fall still further behind its foreign competitors
So the crux is the technology and that is where the President’s program focused. The danger is not that a plan will not be passed, it is that the ideologues of right and left will distort the bill with amendments that will blur its focus on technology. The economic restructuring plan should be passed intact. If we fail to restructure our economy now, we may not get a second chance.
1.The focus of the President’s program is on
A.investment.
B.economy.
C.technology.
D.tax.
2.What is the requirement of the most liberal wing of the Democratic-party?
A.They want a more direct action.
B.They want an incomes policy to check inflation.
C.They want to rebuild industry.
D.They want a wall of protective tariffs.
3.What is the editor’s attitude?
A.support.
B.distaste.
C.Disapproval.
D.Compromise.
4.The danger to the plan lies in
A.the two parties’ objection.
B.different idea of the two parties about the plan.
C.its passage.
D.distortion.
5.The passage is
A.a review.
B.a preface.
C.a advertisement.
D.an editorial.

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(B)
WHEN an NBA player is young he thinks he can win the championship by himself. It is only later when he has aged and been through many battles that he learns an important lesson: there is no "I" in "team".
There is no better example of the value of teamwork than the Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were all superstars on three different teams. Yet, none of them had any titles to show for it. Then, last season, they decided to sacrifice money and individual statistics to play together. Garnett and Allen joined Pierce on the Celtics and changed the NBA in the process.
It started in simple ways. Garnett and Allen are two of the most intense athletes in the world. They treat every second of every practice like it is the NBA championship. If you want to play alongside them then you will have to do the same. So, the young guys on the Celtics started giving their full effort too.
Pierce had been the star of the Celtics for many years. He used to shoot the ball many times a game. But with the addition of Allen and Garnett he shot less and focused on defense. His selflessness showed the young players that doing what made the team better was the only thing that mattered.
When the Celtics were winning and the game was almost over, Garnett, Pierce and Allen would come out of the game. But they wouldn’t just sit on the bench. Instead, they stood and cheered and screamed for their teammates. They wanted to support their friends and teammates.
Now, the guys who don"t play know they can still affect the game by cheering so they scream and cheer when Garnett, Allen and Pierce are playing. The Celtics h

ave developed a strong relationship. They are more than just teammates. They are brothers.
The result: the Boston Celtics won the 2008 NBA championship and are considered the favorites to win the Eastern Conference championship again this year.
There is a saying that goes, “A successful team beats with one heart.” If that is the case, the Celtics may have the biggest heart in the NBA.
66. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. The stories of three famous basketball superstars.
B. The importance of teamwork among teammates.
C. A famous basketball team named the Boston Celtics.
D. Matches between the Boston Celtics and other teams.
67. From the passage, we can see that _______.
A. most mature NBA players believe they can win the championship by themselves
B. Pierce, Garnett and Allen had to give up personal glory for team success
C. Allen, Pierce, together with Garnett had been the stars of the Celtics for many years
D. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett had won NBA championships before they joined hands.
68. What does this sentence “there is no

‘I’ in ‘team’.” mean in Paragraph 1?
A. “I” will be missing once "I" am on the court.
B. “I” work so hard in a team that “I” will forget who “I” am.
C. The members of the team are more important than the individual.
D. Surrounded by other players, “I” don’t seem to exist.
69. Which of the following is NOT true about Pierce’s recent performance?
A. He became an even better shooter with others’ help.
B. He focused much more attention on defence.
C. He created more chances for teammates.
D. He stood and cheered for his teammates.
70. Which of the following didn’t contribute to the success of the Boston Celtics?
A. The whole team has become devoted to each and every stage of the game.
B. The cooperation and teamwork among the teammates in the match.
C. The influence of Garnett, Allen, Pierce and other teammates’ cheering.
D. The increasing frequency of team players on the bench.

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第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分 30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Kenya wants to organize a major international conference to discuss how to fight piracy(海盗) off the coast of Somalia. The conference may also deal with ways to rescue Somalia from seventeen years of civil war. More than forty percent of its people depend on food aid.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula says the world cannot end piracy and civil war without dealing with Somalia’s political problems.
Somali pirates operate in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The Gulf of Aden connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean by way of the Suez Canal. The pirates have fast boats, modern weapons and equipment like satellite phones and global positioning systems.
Pirates hijacked the Sirius Star off the coast of Kenya and moved it to waters off Somalia.
The tanker Sirius Star, at three hundred thirty meters long, is the biggest ship ever known to have been captured by pirates. It also happened farther south than most attacks, and farther out at sea ---- more than eight hundred kilometers from land.
The ship was headed for the United States with two million karrels of oil, worth an estimated one hundred million dollars. A Saudi Arabian company owns the tanker. The pirates have reportedly demanded twenty-five million dollars in negotiations to release the ship and its crew of twenty-five.
Somali pirates generally do not steal goods or kill hostages. They are believed to be holding seventeen ships with about three hundred crew members. Among the ships is a Ukrainian vessel hijacked(劫持) in September with a load of military weapons including tanks.
The increase in piracy is raising the cost of insuring ships. Also, oil from the Middle East and exports from East Asia could take longer to arrive.
Some of the world’s heaviest shipping traffic passes the Somali coast. But major shipping companies have begun to consider new routes. One of the world’s biggest shippers, A.P, Moeller Maersk, says it will avoid the Gulf of Aden. A move away from the Suez Canal could hurt Egypt’s economy.

American and other foreign navy ships are now watching for pirates. This week the Indian Navy destroyed a heavily armed “mother ship” in the Gulf of Aden. But the area to protect covers more than one hundred sixty million square kilometers.
56. According to the passage, which of the following is the key to solving the piracy in Somalia?
A. Providing lots of money.               B. Ending Civil war.
C. Supplying enough food.                D. Handling Somalia’s political problems.
57. Somali pirates do the following things except that _______.
A. they demand money                 B. they hold the ships with crew
C. they kill some of the hostages           D. they hijack ships with military weapons
58. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The cost of ship transport is decreasing.
B. The routes of some ships might change.
C. Nothing has been done to fight against the piracy.
D. The Suez Canal is of no importance to Egypt’s economy.

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