Half of the world’s population is affected by Asian monsoons（季风）, but monsoons are difficult to predict. American researchers have put together a 700-year record of the rainy seasons, which is expected to provide guidance for experts making weather predictions.
Every year, damp air masses，known as monsoon，produce large amounts of rainfall in India, East Asia, Northern Australia and East Africa. All this wet air is pulled in by a high pressure area over the Indian Ocean and a low pressure area to the south.
According to Edward Cook , a weather expert at Columbia University in New York., the complex nature of the climate systems across Asia makes monsoons hard to predict. In addition, climate records for the area are too recent and not detailed enough to be of much use. Therefore, he and a team of researchers spent more than fifteen years traveling across Asia, looking for trees old enough to provide long-term records. They measured the rings, or circles, inside thousands of ancient trees in more than 300 places.
Rainfall has a direct link to the growth and width of rings on some kinds of trees. The researchers developed a document they are calling a Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas. It shows the effect of monsoons over seven centuries, beginning in the 1300s.
Professor Cook says the tree-ring records show periods of wet and dry weather. “If the monsoon basically fails or is a very weak one, the trees affected by monsoons at that location might put on a very narrow ring. But if the monsoon is very strong, the trees affected by that monsoon might put on a wide ring for that year. So, the wide and narrow ring widths of the chronology that we developed in Asia provide us with a measure of monsoon variability.” With all this information, researchers say they can begin to improve computer climate models for predicting the behavior of monsoons.
“There has been widespread famine and starvation and human dying in the past in large droughts. And on the other hand, if the monsoon is particularly heavy, it can cause extensive flooding.” said Eugene Wahl, a scientist with America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “So, to get a sense of what the regional moisture patterns have been, dryness and wetness over such a long period of time in great detail, I would call it a kind of victory for climate science.”

1. 1.

   What’s the passage mainly about？

   1. A.
      The effects of Asian monsoons
   2. B.
      The necessity of weather forecast
   3. C.
      The achievements of Edward cook
   4. D.
      A breakthrough in monsoon prediction
2. 2.

   It is difficult for experts to predict Asian monsoons because _______

   1. A.
      it is hard to keep long-term climate records
   2. B.
      they are formed under complex climate systems
   3. C.
      they influence many nations
   4. D.
      there is heavy rainfall in Asia
3. 3.

   What can be inferred from the passage?

   1. A.
      Long and detailed climate records can offer useful information for monsoon research
   2. B.
      The Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas has a monsoon record for about 1,300 years
   3. C.
      The trees affected by monsoon grow fast if the monsoon is weak
   4. D.
      The rainfall might be low although the monsoon is strong in monsoon-affected areas
4. 4.

   According to Professor Cook, the rings of the trees _______

   1. A.
      determine the regional climate
   2. B.
      have a great influence on the regional climate
   3. C.
      offer people information about the regional climate
   4. D.
      reflect all kinds of regional climate information
5. 5.

   Which of the following best describes the tone of this passage?

   1. A.
      Matter-of –fact
   2. B.
      Pessimistic
   3. C.
      Humorous
   4. D.
      Friendly

Marjorie Gestring
Marjorie Gestring was a springboard（跳板） diver from the United States who won the gold medal in 3-meter springboard diving at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany at the age of 13 years．With the cancellation（取消） of the Olympics in 1940 and 1944 because of World War II, Gestring did not get a chance to defend her title, and her comeback attempt for the 1948 Summer Olympics failed．
Bob Mathias
17-year-old American Bob Mathias won the decathlon（十项全能运动） only four months after taking up the sport．He is the youngest athlete in Olympic history to win a men's track and field event．By the time Mathias retired from decathlon competition in 1952, he had nine victories in nine competitions．He had won two gold medals separately in 1948 and 1952．In 1954 a film about his early life called The Bob Mathias Story was made, in which he and his wife played themselves．
Fu Mingxia
Fu Mingxia was born on August 16, 1978 in Wuhan, Hubei Province．At an early age, her father taught her to swim at a nearby river．She started exercising gymnastics at age 5, soon turning to diving．Fu Mingxia left home at age 9 to train in Beijing．In the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Fu Mingxia became China's youngest Olympic champion ever when she won the 10-meter platform gold at the age of 13．
Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe was born on 13 October, 1982．He is a former Australian freestyle swimmer．At the age of 14, he became the youngest male ever to represent Australia．Ian Thorpe, 17 years old, won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle by breaking his own world record in Sydney 2000．He has won five Olympic gold medals．

1. 1.

   How many times has Marjorie Gestring taken part in the Olympic Games?

   1. A.
      Two．
   2. B.
      Three．
   3. C.
      Four．
   4. D.
      Five．
2. 2.

   Which two athletes took part in the Olympics in the same year ?

   1. A.
      Marjorie Gestring and Fu Mingxia
   2. B.
      Bob Mathias and Fu Mingxia
   3. C.
      Marjorie Gestring and Bob Mathias．
   4. D.
      Bob Mathias and Ian Thorpe．
3. 3.

   How long had Fu Mingxia practised diving in Beijing before she won the 10-meter platform gold in the 1992 Summer Olympics?

   1. A.
      About ten years．
   2. B.
      About nine years．
   3. C.
      About five years．
   4. D.
      About three years．
4. 4.

   What is the passage mainly about ?

   1. A.
      Some young Olympic champions．
   2. B.
      The history of the Olympic Games．
   3. C.
      How to train young Olympic athletes．
   4. D.
      How to prepare for the Olympic Games．

Rather than talk about how he feels, often a man would express his love by buying the woman cosmetics (化妆品), or bringing home a flower, or giving up the control of the remote (遥控器).
And when men do talk, they’d prefer to talk about actions rather than emotions. For example, a lot of men would choose to express their long-range faith in a relationship by talking about next summer’s vacation plans, not by starting a conversation about undying love.
Men just prefer to say their plans with plane tickets, rather than poetry. It’s one of the reasons why men are more comfortable talking at work (the practical world) than they are at home (the castle that emotion built). But you can bring out his great communicator by making him feel more like he’s operating in the work mode, even when the topic at hand is your love life.
When men talk less and women want more, the conflict can escalate. Like when a policeman is questioning an unwilling witness, more silence equals more questions. A full 65 percent of men we surveyed recently told us that they don’t want their partners to ask them more questions about themselves.
It’s clear that some men are just tired of feeling like they’re on the witness stand. They’re not necessarily hiding anything; many men simply prefer not to have to tell confusing feelings that they may not even understand themselves.
An age-old method can make things better: back off a little, give him room to operate in a conversation, and he’s more likely to open up

1. 1.

   According to the author, men feel more comfortable when talking        

   1. A.
      actions
   2. B.
      feelings
   3. C.
      long-term friendship
   4. D.
      conversations
2. 2.

   How can women communicate more successfully with men?

   1. A.
      They may give men a surprise by buying plane tickets
   2. B.
      They can ask men if they have a great time during working
   3. C.
      They might create a warm home environment first of all
   4. D.
      They can give men the feeling that they are talking at work
3. 3.

   The underlined word “escalate” has the similar meaning to       

   1. A.
      decrease
   2. B.
      disappear
   3. C.
      change
   4. D.
      increase
4. 4.

   From the text it can be inferred that       

   1. A.
      women are better at writing poems about emotions than men
   2. B.
      it is natural for women to be fond of finding the faults of men
   3. C.
      men are more interested in learning more about their partners
   4. D.
      men prefer to pour out their hearts in a forgiving environment

Many people go to school for an education. They learn languages, history, geography, physics, chemistry and mathematics. Others go to school to learn a skill so that they can make a living. School education is very important and useful. Yet no one can learn everything they want to know. The teacher’s job is to show his students how to learn. He teaches them how to read and how to think. So, much more is to be learned outside school by the students themselves.
It is always more important to know how to study by oneself than to memorize some facts or a formula. It is usually quite easy to learn a certain fact in history or a formula in mathematics. But it is very difficult to use a formula in working out a maths problem. Great scientists, such as Einstein, Newton and Galileo didn’t get anything from school. But they were all so successful. They invented so many things for mankind.
The reason for their success is that they knew how to study. They read books that were not taught at school. They worked hard all their lives, wasting not a single moment. They would ask many questions as they read and they did thousands of experiments.
Above all, they knew how to use their brains

1. 1.

   Many people go to school for an education. But some others go to school for______

   1. A.
      enjoying themselves
   2. B.
      learning subjects
   3. C.
      learning a skill
   4. D.
      making a living
2. 2.

   A teacher’s job is mainly to train his students to master the ability of ______

   1. A.
      learning by themselves
   2. B.
      making a living
   3. C.
      reading and thinking
   4. D.
      studying all the subjects
3. 3.

   Using a formula in working out a maths problem is ______ memorizing it

   1. A.
      much easier than
   2. B.
      more difficult than
   3. C.
      as easy as
   4. D.
      as difficult as
4. 4.

   The scientists were successful because ______

   1. A.
      they read books that were not taught at school
   2. B.
      they worked all their lives
   3. C.
      they wasted not a single moment
   4. D.
      they knew how to use their brains

1. 1.

   The Information Highway          ．

   1. A.
      is free from traffic accidents
   2. B.
      is crowded with car drivers
   3. C.
      offers just a few on-line services
   4. D.
      appeals to a large number of users
2. 2.

   How does Mr． Cool manage to travel the Information way so fast?

   1. A.
      By storing fewer files
   2. B.
      By repairing the system．
   3. C.
      By buying a better computer
   4. D.
      By using a broad—band connection．
3. 3.

   What can be learned from Passage 2 ?

   1. A.
      There will be a book show at Grayson Hall．
   2. B.
      Friedman is now studying the Great Barrier Reef．
   3. C.
      There will be a talk on global warming this week．
   4. D.
      Friedman is a leading expert on computer science．
4. 4.

   Passage 2 is most probably          ．

   1. A.
      a poster about a lecture
   2. B.
      an ad for a new book
   3. C.
      a note to a doctor in a university
   4. D.
      an introduction to a professor

To find how the name Canada came about we must go back to the 16th century. At that time, the French dreamed of disclosing and controlling more land, of expanding(扩展)trade beyond(超出)  their borders and of spreading their faith(信仰) across the world .In 1535, Francois I ,King of France, ordered a navigator (航海家) named Jacques Cartier to explore(探险) the New World and search for a passage to India.
Cartier first arrived at the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, which he wanted to explore. He did not know what to expect but he hoped that this Gulf was just an arm of the ocean between two islands. If it was, he would soon be on his way to the Far East. So he sailed upstream along the St. Lawrence River. However, instead or reaching Asia he arrived at Quebec or Stadacona, as the Indians called it. It was at this point that the term “ Canada” entered the country’s history. Apparently the word “Canada” came from an Indian work “Kanata”, which means community or village. Cartier first used it when he referred to Stadacona or Quebec. What a huge “ village” Canada is!

1. 1.

   In the early sixteenth century , the King of France ordered Cartier to ______

   1. A.
      find the new world
   2. B.
      build an entirely new country
   3. C.
      go and visit the American Indians
   4. D.
      get more information about America and find a way to Asia
2. 2.

   Having reached the Gulf of St. Lawrence Cartier thought _____

   1. A.
      he had already got to India
   2. B.
      it was a water way to the New World
   3. C.
      it was a water passage to the East
   4. D.
      he had sailed into the Atlantic
3. 3.

   In the early sixteenth century , Quebec was only ____

   1. A.
      an Indian village
   2. B.
      a little town in southern Canada
   3. C.
      a village at the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence
   4. D.
      the place which we call Canada now
4. 4.

   Pick out the right statements from the following _____

   1. A.
      Quebec was a village and Stadacona was another
   2. B.
      Cartier mistook Quebec for Stadacona
   3. C.
      Stadacona was a village in Quebec
   4. D.
      Stadacona was what the Indians called Quebec then
5. 5.

   “Canada” was first used to refer to _____

   1. A.
      a small town in Stadacona
   2. B.
      the place called Quebec
   3. C.
      a long water passage
   4. D.
      a huge village including Quebec and Stadacona

The mobile phone has been a part of our lives since the 1980s. It enables us to stay in contact with our family and friends at all times and in most areas. However, because of the quick acceptance and extensive usage of mobiles in our lives, we have missed out on an important step, namely, the appropriate (恰当的)use.
Driving a car  
Do not use your phone while you are driving ! You could concentrate on your conversation and forget to look where you are going, or you could take your eyes off the road to look at the phone’s display or to press in a number. Either way, you could cause a terrible accident.
In a restaurant
There is probably nothing more annoying than a diner receiving or making a call near you when you are in a restaurant. The icy glares you receive should be warning enough that it is not appreciated. Turn you phone off and enough that it is not appreciated. Turn you phone off and use your message service to return calls after you leave.
At the cinema
Do not give way to the desire to call a friend if the film is boring, or if you want to find out what happens. You could become the target of all the angry cinema customers.
At the theatre
There is no more icy glare than that of a theatre goer who has paid a lot of money to see a show and hears your phone playing a tone. It goes without saying that you will be seen as a socially unacceptable person in this situation.
In hospitals
This is probably the most important place to make sure your phone is switched off. Your phone can disturb life-saving electronic equipment in hospitals, so it is necessary that your phone is switched off before you enter.
On planes
Your phone might disturb navigational equipment and cause a horrible accident so you should switch it off before boarding a plane

1. 1.

   According to the passage, the most annoying thing in a restaurant is that ______

   1. A.
      you receive icy glares
   2. B.
      a nearby diner is answering a phone call
   3. C.
      you have to use the message service
   4. D.
      you can not return calls until after you leave
2. 2.

   Which of the following statements is NOT true ?

   1. A.
      Theatre goers will not give you icy glares when they hear your phone
   2. B.
      When switched on in hospitals, mobile phones could endanger patients’ lives
   3. C.
      Passengers should switch off the phones before getting on a plane
   4. D.
      Pressing in phone numbers when driving could lead to traffic accidents
3. 3.

   The passage mainly describes ______

   1. A.
      different functions of mobile phones
   2. B.
      the overuse of mobile phones on some occasions
   3. C.
      some areas where message service is forbidden
   4. D.
      the proper use of mobile phones in some public places
4. 4.

   What does the underlined word “concentrate on” mean in the article? It means ______

   1. A.
      make something stronger
   2. B.
      carry on
   3. C.
      pay particular attention
   4. D.
      think something clearly

I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game — a serious game — two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn’t know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the distractionof being anxious about winning or losing.
The teams were pretty evenly matched. I will just call them Team One and Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. Then came the second quarter. The Team One coach pulled out what must have been his first team and put in the scrubs(替补队员), except for his best player who now guarded the goal.
The game took a dramatic turn. I guess winning is important even when you’re five years old — because the Team Two coach left his best players in, and the Team One scrubs were no match for them. Team Two packed around the little guy who was now the Team One goalkeeper. He was an outstanding athlete, but he was no match for three or four who were also very good. Team Two began to score. The lone goalkeeper gave it everything he had, desperately throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying bravely to stop them.
Team Two scored two goals in quick succession. It angered the young boy. He became a raging maniac — shouting, running, diving. With all the strength he could gather, he covered the boy who now had the ball, but that boy kicked it to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time he repositioned himself, it was too late — they scored a third goal.
I soon learned who the goalkeeper’s parents were. They were nice, decent-looking people. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office — he still had his suit and tie on. They yelled encouragement to their son. I became totally absorbed, watching the boy on the field and his parents on the sidelines.
After the third goal, the little kid changed. He didn’t quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him. His father changed, too. He had been urging his son to try harder — yelling advice and encouragement. But then he became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay — to hang in there. He sorrowed for the pain his son was feeling.
After the fourth goal, I knew what was going to happen. The little boy fetched the ball from the net and handed it to the referee(裁判). He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He went to his knees, and he cried the tears of the helpless and brokenhearted.
At that moment, I saw the father start onto the field. His wife seized his arm and said, “Jim, don’t. You’ll embarrass him.” But he tore loose from her and ran onto the field. Suit, tie, dress shoe, and all — he charged onto the field, and he picked up his son so everybody would know that this was his boy, and he hugged him and held him and cried with him. I’ve never been so proud of a man in my life.
He carried him off the field, and when he got close to the sidelines I heard him say, “Scotty, I’m so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son.”
“Daddy,” the boy sobbed. “I couldn’t stop them. I tried, Daddy, but they scored on me.”
“Scotty, it doesn’t matter how many times they scored on you. You’re my son, and I’m proud of you. I want you to go back there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can’t. And, son, you’re going to get scored on again, but it doesn’t matter. In my eyes, you are the winner! Go on, now.”
The little guy ran back onto the field — and they scored two more times — but it was okay. Now in all viewers’ eyes, he is the Winner.
When you’re all alone, and you’re getting scored on — and you can’t stop them — it means a lot to know that it doesn’t matter to those who love you. In their eyes, so long as you don’t give up, you are the winner. And they are always proud of you

1. 1.

   The phrase “took a dramatic turn” (Paragraph 3) can best be replaced by ______

   1. A.
      went on smoothly
   2. B.
      changed greatly
   3. C.
      attracted less attention
   4. D.
      got interrupted
2. 2.

   Which detail from the story can reflect the little boy’s losing confidence?

   1. A.
      The lone goalkeeper gave it everything he had, desperately throwing his body
   2. B.
      He became a raging maniac — shouting, running, diving
   3. C.
      With all the strength he could gather, he covered the boy who now had the ball
   4. D.
      He didn’t quit, but he became quietly desperate and futility was written all over him
3. 3.

   Why did the boy’s mother try to stop her husband running onto the field?

   1. A.
      She thought it would only make his son feel awkward
   2. B.
      She hoped her son could gather courage and cheer himself up
   3. C.
      She considered it useless to encourage his son at that time
   4. D.
      She knew it was not allowed when the game was still in progress
4. 4.

   Which words can best describe the change of the writer’s feelings when watching the game?

   1. A.
      curious → anxious → grateful
   2. B.
      bored → upset → delighted
   3. C.
      calm → absorbed → moved
   4. D.
      surprised → thoughtful → interested
5. 5.

   Which can be seen as the climax (the most important point) of the story?

   1. A.
      The boy’s going to his knees and bursting into tears helplessly
   2. B.
      Team Two’s scoring another two goals after the boy went back to the field
   3. C.
      The boy’s fighting bravely in face of Team Two’s excellent performance
   4. D.
      The father’s running onto the field and encouraging his son not to give up
6. 6.

   The best title for the story is ______

   1. A.
      A Proud Father
   2. B.
      An Amazing Game
   3. C.
      The True Winner
   4. D.
      The Magical Encouragement

Compulsive(狂热的) shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the “shop-till-you-drop” habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them anxiousness.
“ It becomes a problem when you are out of control,” psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. “ When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop.” Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money.
An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is “clearly not rare.” He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. “As psychologists We are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties,” Mr. Wilson said.
Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. “ Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better,” he said. “ You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problem and are very sensitive to short-term benefits,” he said.
The aim of the treatments was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management.
“ You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems.” Mr. Wilson said

1. 1.

   What is this article mostly about?

   1. A.
      Signs of compulsive shopping
   2. B.
      Studies of compulsive shopping
   3. C.
      A comparison of shopping and eating
   4. D.
      An experimental treatment program
2. 2.

   The compulsive shoppers will go shopping when they        _

   1. A.
      have lots of money
   2. B.
      are taking drugs
   3. C.
      are feeling sad
   4. D.
      win a prize
3. 3.

   Which of the following is considered important in treating compulsive shoppers?

   1. A.
      Teach them to understand their emotions
   2. B.
      Teach them to manage their money better
   3. C.
      Persuade them not to draw money from the bank
   4. D.
      Treat them with some right drugs
4. 4.

   When the writer says that compulsive shoppers get a kick from their habit, he means that they           _

   1. A.
      feel anxious after their wild shopping
   2. B.
      feel better after treatment from psychologists
   3. C.
      are better able to deal with stress problems
   4. D.
      have a feeling of excitement after shopping

Do other countries’ students also have so much homework? What do they usually do in their free time? You may feel curious about them.
On April 8, a report came out on the lives of high school students in China, Japan, South Korea and the US. It surveyed around 6,200 students from the four countries last year. You will find the answers to many of your questions in this report.
Who studies hardest?
Chinese students spend the most time studying. Nearly half of Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework every day. That’s much more than students of the US (26.4%), Japan (8.2%) and South Korea (5.2%).
Who sleeps most often in class?
Japanese students fall asleep in class most often. About 45% of them said they sometimes doze offin class. In South Korea, it’s 32%; in the US, 21%; and 5% in China.
South Korean students don’t like taking notes. About 70% said they write down what the teacher says in class, many fewer than in Japan (93%), China (90%) and the US (89%).
Who is the most distracted (分心的)?
American students are the most active in class, but also the most distracted: 64.2% said they chat with friends in class; 46.9% said they eat snacks in class; and 38.9% said they send e-mails or read unrelated books in class.
What do they do after school?
In their spare time, most Chinese students study or surf the Internet. Most American students hang out with their friends. Most Japanese students do physical exercise. Most Korean students watch TV

1. 1.

   The report is about ______

   1. A.
      the countries
   2. B.
      the subjects
   3. C.
      the students’ lives
   4. D.
      the high schools
2. 2.

   What country isn’t mentioned in the report?

   1. A.
      The US
   2. B.
      South Korea
   3. C.
      Japan
   4. D.
      India
3. 3.

   ______ of the Chinese students spend more than two hours on their homework

   1. A.
      26.4%
   2. B.
      8.2%
   3. C.
      5.2%
   4. D.
      48.6%
4. 4.

   The phrase doze off means ______

   1. A.
      be half asleep
   2. B.
      get up
   3. C.
      eat snacks
   4. D.
      send emails