Many students in China are learning English. Some of these students are small children  Others are teenagers(青少年). Many are adults(成年人). Some learn at school, others study by themselves. A few learn English language over the radio, on television or in films. One must work hard to learn another language.
Why do all these people want to learn English? It is difficult to answer that question.  Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects. They study their own(自己的) language, Maths and English. Some people learn English because it is useful(有用的) for their work. Many people often learn English for their further studies, because at college or university(大学) some of their books are in English. Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers and magazines in English
【小题1】Many students in China ________ English

In every little girl’s toy box. there might be a Barbie Doll. Barbie is 50 years old this, year. It was designed(设计)in 1959 by an American businesswoman named Ruth Handler. She and her husband Elliott started the toy company Mattel. She named the new doll after their daughter Barbara. The first Barbie Doll appeared at the toy fair（交易会）New York on March 9th, 1959. This date is used as Barbie’s birthday.
Mattel sold three hundred thousand Barbie Dolls in the first year at a price of three dollars. Today, a fifty-year-old Barbie in good condition might cost more than twenty-seven thousand dollars. Mattel says 90% of the girls in the United States aged from three to ten own at least one Barbie Doll. And girls aged three to six own an average（平均）of about twelve.
When Mattel created Barbie Dolls half a century ago, they never thought this doll would become a legend. Now Barbie Dolls are famous all over the world. They are sold in one hundred and fifty countries, and every second three Barbie Dolls are sold around the world.
【小题1】Who designed the first Barbie Doll in 1959?

Reading is an activity people enjoy a lot in their free time. Some like reading newspapers, and others enjoy novels or comic books. I like reading about the lives of great poeple. This always gives me a lot of ideas on how to make my own life better.
Great people are remembered not because they were handsome or beautiful, but because they did not give up when their lives were difficult. They used every opportunity to change their lives and make the world better.
One good example is Orville and Wilbur Wright, the two brothers who invented the airplane. The plane has made the world into a small village. Hard work, not good luck, is the reason why the Wright Brothers could invent this convenient machine and become remarkable people. Today we wtil remember them when we see planes in the sky.
When I feel sad, stories of great people always help me feel better. This is why I enjoy reading about great people’s lives.
【小题1】What does“This”mean in the first paragraph?

What is your favorite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red? If you do, you must be an optimist (乐观者), a leader or an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grey and blue? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined(有决心的). You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists(心理学家)tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference (爱好), and the effect that colours have on human beings(人类).They tell us that we don’t choose our favorite colour as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing(压抑的). Light and bright colours make people not only happier but also more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark grey .
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colourful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colours they like and dislike. And don’t forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief or a lampshade(灯罩).
【小题1】According to this passage, ________. 

If someone asks me, “Do you like music? ” I am sure I will answer him or her. “Of course, I do.” Because I think music is an important part of our lives.
Different people have different ideas about music. For me, I like rock music because it’s so exciting. And my favourite rock band(摇滚乐队), the “Foxy Ladies” is one of the most famous rock bands in the world. I also like pop music. My classmate Li Lan loves dance music, because she enjoys dancing. My best friend, Jane, likes jazz music(爵士乐). She thinks jazz is really cool. “I like dance music and rock very much,” says my brother, “because they are amazing.” But my mother thinks rock is boring. “I like some relaxing(轻松的)music.” she says, that is why she likes country music(乡村音乐), I think.
【小题1】The writer likes music because he thinks ________.

Americans think a great deal about time. From childhood they learn to value（珍惜）time. As children, they are taught to be on time to go to school, to do work and to do everything. When they are having a good time, they say that time flies. When a person is dying, they say he is living on borrowed time. Time is money. Time is knowledge. Time is everything in America. A working American has to work hard for 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. This is the working time. In his free time, he also works hard for more money. Even Saturday and Sunday are filled with（充满）activities. In the street you can hardly see a man who walks slowly. They walk very fast. In fact, they are running. They love time because time brings them money, comforts and progress. But sometimes they also hate time, for they feel they have become servants（仆人）of the clock.
【小题1】A working American has to work___ days a week in his working  
time.   
A. seven      B. six     C. five   
【小题2】An American always walks____.
A. sadly       B. slowly    C. fast  
【小题3】“He is living on borrowed time” means_____.
A. He has little money.
B. He has no time   
C. He is dying   
【小题4】In his free time, an American usually_____.
A. plays cards with their friends
B. stays at home all day and watched TV.
C. gets more money by work.
【小题5】 Which of the following is NOT TRUE?
A. The Americans usually value time.
B. The Americans are often on time.
C. All Americans love time and don’t hate time.

At a nation’s saddest moment, its greatest heroes are born.
On September 11th, 2001, many police officers and government officials in America worked day and night to save lives from the big fire at the World Trade Centre. And in Japan, after the serious earthquake, a group of workers showed their courage.
The earthquake on March 11th made Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant(福岛核电站) turn off and stop its protective cooling systems. And later, a fire broke out.  Workers were told that the plant’s radiation(辐射) could be harmful to human health. Hundreds of workers left the plant quickly. However, a group of workers decided to fight against the fire and the damage, though they knew it could cause very serious health problems. There were 50 workers in all, so they were also named the "Fukushima 50". The workers worked in shifts(轮班).
People knew little about the workers, who were mainly experts (专家) with the skills to control the situation. One woman said that her father had volunteered to stay there. "I heard that he volunteered even though he would retire(退休) in just half a year and my eyes were filled with tears. I am really proud of him. And I pray for his safe return.
【小题1】The passage mainly tells us       

In many countries, unusual names for children are becoming more popular, especially when more and more stars give their children special names. In Britain, you can call a child almost anything you like except dirty words.
Some parents choose names which come from popular culture. Because of the film the Lord of the Rings(指环王), six boys were named Gandalf. Names about sport are very common, too. Since 1984, 36 children have been called Arsenal after the football team.
Other parents like to make up names, or combine(合并) two names to make a special one. A mother in Britain invented the name Tiaamii for her daughter. She combined the names Thea and Amy (the two grandmothers).
In China, there are some rules about names ―- you can’t use foreign letters or symbols(符号) in a Chinese name. For example, parents are not allowed to name their baby @. In New Zealand, a name beginning with a number is not allowed. Other countries have stricter rules about calling children. For example, Japan, Denmark, Spain, Germany and Argentina have a list of names. Parents must choose the names in the lists for their children.
In Britain, some old-fashioned(过时的) names have become popular again, such as Maisie or Ella for a girl, and Alfie or Noah for a boy. But the most popular names are not the strange ones. The top names are very traditional--Jack and Thomas for boys, or Grace and Jessica f6r girls.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案，并将其字母代号填入答题卷相应空格内。(共5小题,每小题2分，满分l0分)
【小题1】In Britain, people can’t use         words in their children’s names.    

An American friend has invited you to visit his family. You’ve never been to an American’s home before, and you’re not sure what to do. Should you take a gift? How should you dress? What time should you arrive? What should you do when you get there? Glad you asked. When you’re the guest, you should just make yourself at home. That’s what hospitality(款待) is all about: making people feel at home when they’re not. 
The question of whether or not to bring a gift often makes guests squirm（难为情）. Giving your host a gift is not just a social manner in some cultures-it’s expected. But in American culture, a guest is not necessary to bring a present. Of course, some people do bring a small present to their host to show their thanks. The right gifts for the host might be flowers, candy, and you can bring toys if the family has small children. If you choose not to bring a gift, don’t worry. No one will even notice.
【小题1】The passage talks about ______.

The Aborigines (澳洲土著) have lived in Australia for about 60,000 years. They painted pictures inside caves, and these are the rock paintings that have given us so much information about Aboriginal life. For example, some of the paintings that are about 10,000 years old show men with boomerangs. From this we know that the Aborigines started using boomerangs for hunting at that time. Other pictures show kangaroos, so we know that there were kangaroos at that time.
The Aborigines believed that spirits made people, animals and plants, and that these spirits still live in the earth. For Aborigines, no one can own the earth—the earth belongs to the spirits.
In 1700, there were many Aboriginal groups with a population of 750,000 all over Australia, and there were probably more than 240 different Aboriginal languages. The groups did not have a leader. Instead, things were decided by the older men in a group. People from different groups often travelled hundreds of miles to meet each other.
Aboriginal life changed when an English boat arrived in Australia in 1770. Many Aborigines were killed in the wars that they had with the English. More Europeans came, and they started taking land from the Aborigines. The Europeans also brought new illnesses that killed the Aborigines. The result is that today there are only about 300,000 Aborigines in Australia.
【小题1】The Aborigines painted pictures       .