Most British telephone cards are just plain green, but card collecting is becoming a popular hobby in
Britain and collectors even have their own magazine, International Telephone Cards. One reason for their
interest is that cards from around the world come in a wide variety of different and often very attractive
designs. There are 100, 000 different cards in Japan alone, and there you can put your own design onto
a blank card simply by using a photograph or a business card.
     The first telephone cards, produced in 1976, were Italian. Five years later the first British card
appeared, and now you can buy cards in more than a hundred countries. People usually start collecting
cards because they are attractive, small and light, and they do not need much space. It is also a cheap
hobby for beginners, although for some people it becomes a serious business. In Paris, for example, there
is a market where you can buy only telephone cards, and some French cards cost up to 4, 000 pounds.
The first Japanese card has a value of about 28, 000 pounds. Most people only see cards with prices like
these in their collectors magazine.

1．The text is mainly about ________ .

A. the history of phone cards        
B. phone card collecting as a hobby
C. reason for phone card collecting  
D. the great variety of phone cards

2．When did people in Britain begin to use phone cards?

A. In 1971.
B. In 1975.  
C. In 1976.    
D. In 1981.

3．The main reason for most people to collect phone cards is that ________ .

A. they find the cards beautiful and easy to keep
B. they like to have something from different countries
C. they want to make money with cards
D. they think the cards are convenient to use

4．The writer mentions a market in Paris in order to show that ________

A. card collecting is popular among young people
B. French and Japanese cards are the most valuable
C. people can make money out of card collecting
D. card collectors magazines are very useful

     Generally there are two ways to name typhoons；the number-based method and the
list-based method. Following the number-based method,typhoons are coded with various
types of numbers such as a 4-digit or a 6-digit code. For example,the 14th typhoon in
2003 can be labeled either as Typhoon 0314 or Typhoon 200314. The disadvantage of
this method,however,is that a number is hard to remember. The list-based method,on the
other hand,is based on the list of typhoon names chosen in advance by a committee,and is
more widely used.
     At the very beginning, only female names were used because at that time typhoons were
named after girlfriends of wives of the experts on the committee. In 1979,however,male names
were also included because women protested against the original naming practice for reasons
of gender(性别)equality.
     In Asia,Western names were need until 2000 when the committee decided to use Asian
names to raise Asians' awareness of typhoons. The names were chosen from a name pool
consisting of 140 names,10 each from the 14 members of the committee. Each country has its
unique naming preferences. Korea and Japan favor animal names and China likes names of gods
such as Longwang(dragon king)and Fengshen(god of the wind).
     After the 140 names are all used in order,they will be recycled. But the names can be changed.
If a member country suffers great damage from a certain typhoon,it can request that the name of
the typhoon be deleted from the list at the annual committee meeting. For example,the names of
Nabi by South Korea,and Longwang by China were replaced with other names in 2007. The
deletion of both names was due to the severs damage caused by the typhoons bearing the names.

1. With the number-based method,the 3rd typhoon in 2012 can be named        .

A. Typhoon 0314
B. Typhoon 0312
C. Typhoon 201214
D. Typhoon 1203

2. In 1979 male names began to be used for typhoons because          .

A. men thought it was their right
B. female names are hard to remember
C. women thought it unequal to use only female names
D. the experts preferred to have more variety

3. There are            Chinese names in the name pool for typhoons.

A. 2
B. 10
C. 14
D. 140

4. Which of the following Chinese names is most likely to be on the name list now?

A. Longwang
B. Fengshen
C. Daxiang(elephant)  
D. Mayi(ant)

5. This passage is mainly about           .

A. how typhoons are named
B. Why to name typhoons
C. the history of typhoons
D. equality between men and women

     There are many idioms in English that are about animals. Today let's chat a little about some of the idioms
about dogs that make English language fun and colorful. We love dogs; they are our best friends. When you
first started to learn English, your teacher might teach you a number of phrases about dogs, such as: "you are
a lucky dog," "I'm dog tired," "every dog has its day," or "our team was the underdog but won the first place
at last."
     When I first got into high school, my English teacher used the idiom "dog-ear", which interested me very
much. This word can be used as a noun, a verb, and an adjective as well. As a noun, it means a turned-down
(折叠的) corner of a page as a bookmark. As a verb, it means someone makes a bookmark by turning down
the corner of a page in the book. And, as an adjective, the word describes an old book with many broken
pages. Examples: John made a dog-ear (noun) of the page he was reading before closing the book. Jane was
reading a book; when the telephone rang, she dog-eared (verb) the page before answering the phone. In the
old room, the children found some dog-eared (adjective) books left there for more than 30 years.

1. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A. Idioms about colors.
B. Idioms about history.
C. Idioms about animals.
D. Idioms about dogs.

2. How many idioms about dogs are mentioned in this passage?

A. 3.
B. 4.
C. 5.
D. 6.

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the meaning of the idiom "dog-ear"?

A.It means a turned-down corner of a page as a bookmark..
B.It means someone makes a bookmark by turning down the corner of a page in the book.
C.It means an old book with many broken pages.
D.It means something is short and small ike a dog's ear.

     The Mississippi is a great river whose relationship with man goes way back beyond its discovery in the
16th century. The River was used by Indians as a highway and as a source of food, and it was they who
gave it its name-"misi" meaning "great" and "sipi" meaning "water". When the length of its branch, the
Missouri, is added to it, the Mississippi becomes greater.   1  . From the source of the Missouri to the tip
of the delta (三角洲), it is 2, 480 miles long.
     Great rivers are likely to suffer floods. In 1927 the Mississippi flooded 26 thousand acres, sweeping
away farms, towns, everything in its path. In 1938 its floods drowned or killed 200 people and made millions
homeless. Today the river has largely been controlled.   2  . Industries have spread down some of the
waterways of the delta, but otherwise the delta is a remote place, the homeland of a little colony of French
Canadians that the British drove out of Nova Scotia in the 18th century. They still speak French, mixed with
English, Indian, Spanish and Negro idioms. They keep to themselves, fanning the rich soil of the delta.   3  .
  4  . Pioneers who first reached its banks wondered not only where it went, but what lay beyond. In 1764
the French founded a city on the right bank of the river, and named it after their king, Louis XV. This city,
named St. Louis, became the jumping-off place for the adventurous men and women who opened up the
Great Plains, and the way to the Far West. Some 40 years earlier, at the beginning of the 18th century, the
French had founded another city just above the Mississippi delta, New Orleans.   5  . New Orleans is one
of the great ports of the world, and one of the greatest terminals for both sea and river traffic.

A. It was the Mississippi that made the city what it is.
B. Levees, high banks built of earth, hold back the flood waters.
C. Therefore, as we know, it's the third longest river in the world.
D. It is known that the "Great Water" has also been a frontier river.
E. However, they paddled up and down the Mississippi in their boats to seek their fortune.
F. The "Great Water" always remains a threat, for the streets of the city are below the level of the river
G. They call themselves Cajuns, who have actually been leading fairly primitive lives and preserving
     their own traditions.

     A Father’s day is a day set aside for honouring fathers in church services and in the home. It’s
celebrated in the U.S. in the third Sunday of June. This idea was begun by Mrs John Bruces Dodd,
who in 1909 persuaded an organization in Washington to
     salute fathers with special church services. The idea was officially agreed to by President Woodrow
Wilson in 1916. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge suggested national celebration of the day to
form closer relations between fathers and their children, and to impress upon fathers the full measure
of their duties. The red or white rose is recognized as the official Father’s Day flower.

1. Father’s Day, at first, meant ______.

A. to honor fathers in church services and in the home
B. to win honor for fathers in church services
C. to do honour to fathers at home
D. to warn the fathers of their duties

2. Father’s Day was first celebrated by _____.

A. the French      
B. the British      
C. the German      
D. the American

3. The first president who agreed to Father’s Day was _____.

A. Woodrow Wilson
B. Calvin Coolidge
C. George Washington
D. Abraham Lincoln

4. The president wanted Father’s Day to be a day on which _____.

A. people remembered their fathers
B. the relations between fathers and their children became closer
C. fathers must remember that they should be good fathers
D. both B and C

5. According to the passage, this idea was begun by______.

A. Woodrow Wilson    
B. Calvin Coolidge
C. George Washington    
D. Mrs. John Bruces Dodd

     The first newspapers were written by hand and put up on walls in public place. The earliest daily
newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC. In the 700's the world's first printed newspaper was
published. Europe didn't have a regularly published newspaper until 1609, when one was started in
Germany.
     The first regularly published newspaper in the English language was printed in Amsterdam in 1620.
In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published once a week. The first daily
English newspaper was the Daily Courant (每日新闻). It came out in March 1702.
     In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston. But not long after it was
first published, the government stopped the paper. In 1704, John Campbell started The Boston
Newsletter (波斯顿新闻通讯), the first newspaper published in the American colonies. By 1760, the
colonies had more than thirty daily newspapers. There are now about 1,800 daily papers in the United
States.
     Today, as a group, English language newspapers have the largest circulation (发行量) in the world.
But the largest circulation for a newspaper is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Dhimbun (朝日新
闻). It sells more than eleven million copies every day.

1. The first daily newspaper came out in _____.

A. 59 BC        
B. 700's        
C. 1609            
D. 1620

2. The first regular published newspaper in Europe was printed in _____.

A. England      
B. Germany      
C. France          
D. Sweden

3. The first printed newspaper in America came out in _____. 

A. Washington    
B. New York      
C. Boston        
D. New Orleans

4. Today there are about _____ daily newspaper printed in the United States.

A. 1621        
B. 1704            
C. 1760          
D. 1800

     Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion,
however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboo (禁忌) in
a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history,art,and customs.
You may expect questions about your family, and be sure to show pictures of your children. You may feel
free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art
form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be
interesting-and they can cover pretty much or any topic-as long as they occur in are spiteful and intelligent
manner.
     In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work,
family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do
not share much about their thoughts, feelings, or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away
from the harmonious business relationship they're trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about
their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi
Arabia about his wife or children.
     As a general rule, it's best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends. This can get
you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different religious views. In addition, discussing
one's salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world,
although be careful not to criticize fl national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host's team.

1. The author considers politics and religion _____.

A. cheerful topics
B. taboo
C. rude topics
D. topics that can never be talked about

2. Which is typically a friendly topic in most places according to the author?

A. Sports.
B. Children.
C. Personal feelings.
D. Families.

3. Why are people from Asia more private in their conversation with others?

A. They don't want to talk much with others.
B. They don't want to have their good relationship with others harmed by informal conversation.
C. They are afraid to argue with their colleagues.
D. They want to keep their feelings to themselves.

4. What shouldn't you do when talking about sports with colleagues from another country?

A. Praising your own country's sports.
B. Criticizing your own country's sports.
C. Praising the sports of your colleagues' country.
D. Criticizing the sports of your colleagues' country.

    In order to find out about the 1._______ day Olympic Games, Pausanias, a Greek writer
about 2,000 years ago, has come 2._______ a magical journey. He had an 3._______ with a
Chinese girl called Li Yan. Now he realizes great changes have 4._______ to the Games.
First, there're two main 5._______ of Olympic Games-the Summer Olympics and the Winter
Olympics, which mainly includes events 6._______ skiing and ice skating. Second, athletes
from any country, 7._______ just from Greek world, can join in the Games to 8._______ each
other for the honour of winning, as long as they reach the standard to 9._______ the Games.
Women are also admitted as 10._______ and what's more, they play a very important 11.______
in the Games. Third, to host the Games, the host city must build a special village for the
competitors 12._______. Besides, a stadium for competitions,a very large swimming pool,and
a gymnasium 13._______ seats for those who watch the Games must be built. Fourth, the winne
rs are awarded with gold, silver or copper medals 14._______ the olive wreath. Last, it has
become a great 15.______ to host the Olympics, so the competition to win the bid for the
Games is as fierce as that to win Olympic medals among the countries.

     The Beijing Hutong (old lane) areas have a very special and important position in the rich history and
culture of Beijing. While visiting the Beijing Hutong, you can appreciate the dramatic changes that the rest
of Beijing has undergone. You can see evidence of the history of Beijing, experience the old way of life
and experience traditional Beijing culture.
     The Beijing Hutong is made up of lanes or alleys formed by lines of pre-modern quadrangles (siheyuan), four-sided dwelling compounds or quadrangles consist of one-story courtyard houses, which make up old Beijing, and feature typical Chinese residential architecture.
     Beijing road classification was once s follow: A 36-foot-wide road was called a standard, street, an
18-foot-wide one was a small street and a 9-foot-wide lane was named a hutong. In fact, the Beijing
Hutongs are unclassifiable by the traditional standard, ranging from 40 centimeters to 10 feet in width. The
longest hutong has more than 20 turns. It is easy to get lost in the maze of winding lanes hat is the hutong, with the gray-tiled houses and deep alleys crossing each other, all identical in appearance, with many blind hutongs or culdesacs.
     Hutongs were first named as such in the Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368), with its Mongolian rulers having
an influence on the Chinese language. However, siheyuan or quadrangles have probably been around
much longer. The name of a hutong represents its origin, location or history. It is in the gray-tiled deep
lanes that families play, travel, buy goods, gossip and connect. In beijingers'eyes, hutong means a period
of history, a cordial lifestyle and even an "encyclopedia (百科全书) of Beijing".
     When urban construction threatens the existence of these hutongs, Beijingers become worried. Beijing
still has about 400 000 residential quadrangles now, mainly distribute over the East, West, Xuanwu and
Chongwen districts. The municipal government has marked a number of these compounds for protection.
     If you would like to have a glimpse into Beijing' Yesterday, you are highly recommended to have a
short adventure trip to the Hutongs. Beijing Hutong Tour (Rickshaw Hutong, Bike Hutong and Walk
Hutong) is organized by Beijing Xinhua International Tours.

1. The characteristics of Beijing Hutongs are the following except ______.

A. the name of Hutong dates back to the Yuan Dynasty
B. the width of all the hutongs is 9 feet
C. siheyuans are lined along the two sides of the Beijing Hutongs
D. it is difficult for people, especially a stronger not to be lost in Hutongs

2. From the 3rd and 4th paragraphs, we can infer ______.

A. several famous persons once lived in the Beijing siheyuan
B. "Four Generations under One Roof" is set in old Beijing Hutongs
C. Siheyuan has a longer history than Hutong
D. Beijing appreciate the lifestyle in Hutong

3. What will happen to Beijing hutongs?

A. All the hutongs will be protected.
B. All the hutongs will become places of interest.
C. Government has taken measures to tp protect some of the hutongs.
D. Some of the hutongs will be rebuilt.

4. Where can this passage be found?

A. In tourist handbooks.
B. In geographic magazines.
C. In history books.
D. In books about Chinese culture.