A. A sense of humour is not an inbom ability. |
| 阅读理解。 |
| Prayer for My Mother Dear God, Now that I am no longer young, I have friends whose mothers have passed away.I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully appreciated their mothers until it was too late to tell them. I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive.I appreciate her more each day. My mother does not change, but I do.As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person she is. How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence, but they flow easily from my pen. How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself? For the love, patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child? For running after a toddler (学步儿童), for understanding a moody teenager, for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes what her mother really is? How does a grown woman thank for a mother for continuing to be a mother? For being ready with advice when asked or remaining silent when it is most appreciated? For not saying:"! told you so", when she could have voiced these words dozens of times? For being essentially herself-loving, thoughtful, patient, and forgiving? I don"t know how, dear God, except to bless her as richly as she deserves(应得) and to help me live up to the example she has set.I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine A daughter |
| 1. We can infer from the passage that the author is . |
| A. talkative and realistic B. reserved and appreciative C. open-minded and responsible D. sensitive and independent |
| 2. Compared with her friends, the author feels lucky because . |
| A. she has her own lovely sons and daughters B. she is excellent in bringing up her own children C. it was too late to say thanks to her mother in her presence D. she still has the chance to express her appreciation to her mother |
| 3. What information can you get from Paragraph 4? |
| A. Mothers should offer advice rather than blame. B. The sentence "I told you so" can be repeated if necessary. C. The author is very thankful to her mother for her education. D. Mothers can instruct their children whenever they want to. |
| 4. The author"s mother has all the following fine qualities except ______. |
| A. devotion B. forgiveness C. consideration " D. self-protectiveness |
| 阅读理解。 |
| Shi Fang spends more than 4,000 yuan a month shopping, but she rarely goes to the shopping mall. "Why need a shopping mall if you have Taobao? I am a Taobaoer," says Shi, 28, a writer in Beijing. A growing number of Chinese Internet users like Shi have discovered the joys of online shopping. The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) announced in December that more than 87 million Chinese made purchases on the Internet in the first half year, which means one out of four Chinese netizens have online shopping experience. It is estimated that the consumption from online shopping will reach more than 250 billion yuan this year, and 80 percent of this is carried out through Taobao. com, China"s fast-growing e-commerce hub (枢纽) set up in 2003. The biggest attraction for Shi Fang is the relatively low price for online goods, compared with those in stores in bricks. Her favorite facial cream costs 1,680 yuan for a 30ml bottle in the local shop, but a 10ml sample of the same brand only costs 68 yuan online. The Taobao instant messenger, a communication channel for buyers and sellers, also makes onlrne shopping easier and ensures the overall experience for both parties Shi Fang regards it as a platform to promote trust and keep contact. "You can check the information easily. It is sweet that the owner will remember you once you have regular chat with him or her through the messenger. You may receive some personalized service such as getting more samples or certain discount," said Shi While some may question the security of online purchases, Yang Fei, another Taobaoer, gave a thumb-up for Alipay, the Taobao payment method started by Alibaba Group in 2004 in partnership with leading banks in China. It enabled her to make a lot of purchases online. "It"s very safe and convenient. Unless you confirm the arrival and satisfaction about the purchase, the shop owner will not get the money. You can also get the refund(退款) if you want to return the purchase," she added. |
| 1. According to the passage, Taobao is . |
| A. a website where people can buy different things B. an Internet store where we can buy whatever we want C. a website where people can make friends all over the country D. a messenger through which people can bargain with each other |
| 2. Which of the following is NOT the advantage of shopping online? |
| A. Personalized service. B. Reasonable price. C. Rich experience. D. Its convenience. |
| 3. It can be inferred from the passage that . |
| A. the consumption through Taobao. corn may be over 200 billion yuan this year B. consumers won"t get any samples because of the low prices C. consumers can communicate with sellers mainly on the phone D. one fourth of Chinese citizens have online shopping experience |
| 4. Which of the following would be the best title? |
| A. The Taobao Messenger B. Online Shopping Process C. An Online Shopping Experience D. A Booming Online Shopping Hub |
| American Way of Life Throughout their history, Americans have been people on the move. The early immigrants had to travel to get to the New World. Once they arrived, they settled along the East Coast. But they weren"t content to stay there. 1 Later, settlers moved west to develop these new areas. As a result of this westward migration, Americans eventually occupied the whole continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Even today, Americans seem unable to stay in one place. Research says that the average American moves every five years. Besides their habit of changing addresses, Americans are used to traveling. Some people go to work daily in long-distance places. __2__ Most companies provide an annual vacation for their employees, and people often use that time to travel. Some people just visit friends or relatives in distant states. Others go on low-budget weekend outings and stay in economy motels. Those with more expensive tastes choose fancy resorts and hotels. 3 Some travel in vehicles to camp out in comfort while others "rough it" by sleeping in tents. 4 Why? For one thing, it"s cheaper than traveling abroad and there"s no language problem. Besides, America offers plenty of tourist attractions. _5_ Nature lovers can enjoy beaches, mountains, canyons, lakes and a wealth of natural wonders. As it is, the convenience of modern freeways, railways and airplanes makes travel in America as easy as pie. A. Families often plan their trips with the kids in mind. B. Most Americans prefer to travel within their nation"s borders. C. Explorers and traders journeyed to the unknown western areas. D. Major cities offer visitors large quantities of urban delights. E. Many people ask traveling agencies to plan the trip for them. F. Their jobs may even require them to take regular business trips. G. For adventurous people, camping out in the great outdoors is appealing. |
| 阅读理解。 |
| Seeing a volcano erupt(喷发) is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the beat by climbing to the summit(山顶) of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up thishighly active volcano from Antigua. Giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful. Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua,a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won"t miss the Pacaya-tour companies. But climbing Pacaya is no easy job : it is 2,560metreshigh, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above. Steaming, hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you near the active summit :the McKenney Cone (火山锥). Just as though you were going to walk over to the edge of the cone , the road turns to the left and up to the relative safety of the old,inactive summit. Many tours are timed so that you arrive at the cone of the volcano in plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava(熔岩)and the daikening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils , sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up t0 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you , too , it is time to get down. |
| 1. What is the main purpose of this passage?_____ |
| A. To attract tourists to Pacaya. B. rro describe the beauty of Pacaya. C. To introduce guided tours to Pacaya. D. To explain the power of nature at Pacaya. |
| 2. Antigua is a city ________. |
| A. where people can enjoy cultural festivals B. where the daring Pacaya tour starts C. that gives a close-up view of Pacaya D. that is famous for its tour companies |
| 3. Climbing to the McKenney Cone , people will _____. |
| A. walk directly to the active summit B. hear the continuous loud noise from above C. make greater efforts than to other summits D. see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions |
| 4. Many tours are timed for people to ________. |
| A. get down the mountain in time when night falls B. avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone C. enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky D. appreciate the scenery of the 2 ,560-metre-high mountain |