As China becomes increasingly urbanized (城市化), it has to find space for its urban and
rural citizens as both groups become increasingly integrated. Experts suggest a possible model
way may be "re-inventing" a "garden city".
     China's mega-cities are bursting at the borders and the country is now undergoing the quickest and
biggest urbanization in the history of mankind. It is estimated that by 2025, China will have 400 million
more people living in its cities, raising its urban population to 900 million. Besides, new satellite towns are mushrooming on the urban fringes while city ring roads are rippling outwards into the countryside at
amazing speed. Satellite maps collected by Professor Joshua Bolchover at the University of Hong Kong
bring the problem sharply into focus. They track the changing rural-urban framework in the past 30 years, and suggest that cities are cruelly destroying surrounding rural land and rapidly reducing the amount of
arable (可耕种的) land, which gives way to new residential blocks, new industrial zones, new financial
centers and the other inevitable signs and signatures of economic growth.
     This, however, is not sustainable growth pattern, especially when China has the world's largest
population to feed. So concerned urban planners are starting to note the social and physical effects of
diaspora(大移居) when replaced rural communities are forced into the cities.
     On the other hand, a trend of thought is gradually taking shape and this is the concept of the "garden
city", a combination of country and city that is being proposed by architects and city planners. Hua Li,
from Tao Architects, is among the many professionals with such a voice. His argument is supported by a
long-term study on this subject. As Hua says, the answer is to preserve patches of productive farmland
within urban boundaries. Less transportation means we have fresh agricultural products at lower costs
and less carbon emission in the city. And urban farmland can also be showcased for agricultural tourism
and education.
     The concept is already practiced at the grassroot level. Agriculture has gone into the air, up to roof
and balcony in some communities in the cities. It's common to see organic "hanging garden" on the roof
of some traditional courtyard home. According to some people, the rooftop project translate to tangible
(= practical) benefits, such as safe, nutritious vegetables, a cooler home in summer. Some say thanks to
the tomatoes they plant that are natural insect killers, there're fewer mosquitoes. Apart from these, it also
contributes to better bonding with neighbors. Zhang, a doctor in Beijing, began creating his hanging
garden five years ago. Since his garden became home to 30 kinds of vegetables and fruit -all enough to
feed his family, neighbors have enjoyed dropping by for a relaxing chat or just to see how well the lovely
vegetables and fruit are doing.
     Although people like Zhang are still rare and the greening of roof space with vegetables and fruit takes
skill and energy, with more positive media exposure and advanced technology there is the prospect that
garden city will become common practice in the near future. By then, cities will no longer look so gray
when seen from the satellites.

1. What is the purpose of paragraph 2?

A. To show the experts' concern about the increase of population.
B. To persuade people into supporting economic growth in cities.
C. To explain the reasons for the change of rural-urban framework.
D. To inform the readers of the consequences of quick urbanization.

2. In Hua Li's opinion, a combination of country and city will __________.

A. benefit the environment and lower living costs 
B. become a project that needs a long-term study
C. lead to more rural communities being replaced
D. attract more farmers to take tours in cities

3. Zhang is mentioned (Paragraph 5) to show that __________.

A. he achieves his dream to own a hanging garden
B. hanging gardens are becoming more popular
C. the garden contributes to a better neighborhood
D. he is a pioneer to practise the gardening concept

4. As for the concept of the "garden city", the writer feels_________.

A. desperate
B. hopeful
C. disappointed
D. concerned

     Do we need an "Ivy League (常春藤联盟)"?
     China may soon have its own "Ivy League", with a union of top universities.
     The term originally referred to an athletic conference of eight top universities in the northeastern US.
The Chinese version, which was officially started in mid-October, consists of nine famous universities,
including Peking, Tsinghua, Zhejiang and Fudan. The union is supposed to result in student exchange
programs, recognition of academic achievements, and other joint programs.
     The news of this Chinese "Ivy League" has received mixed responses from the public and press.
Some negative critics have dismissed it as yet another example of the wishful copying of international
practices without fully understanding them. Others say that the "Ivy League" is not necessary but that the
union is a good idea, one that could promote academic development.
     So what's your opinion on a Chinese "Ivy League"? Do we need one?
     Yes. Ivy League or not, nine of China's best universities cooperating is a good thing.
     These universities combining resources could create a better environment for students and for
research. It could also save a lot of time and resources because it would mean fewer unnecessary
investments for some of the universities.
     Allowing students to move to or have exchanges with other universities could broaden their horizons,
improve their social skills and create more employment opportunities. The results could be more
important than lessons and achievements.
     The term "Ivy League" carries a sense of academic excellence, tradition and reputation. If borrowing
such a term could encourage students' and professors' mental state and improve Chinese higher
education, then there's no reason not to do it.
     No. Universities should do some work on increasing cooperation instead of copying an "Ivy League"
model.
     Many Chinese universities already have such cooperation with each other. If this cooperation were
associated with the "Ivy League", it would just distract (分散) attention and resources and have a
negative effect.
     These Chinese universities are all state-run and most get their funding from the government. They're
quite similar to each other in many ways and more cooperation wouldn't bring about as much potential
ability as between , say, public and private, or Chinese and foreign universities.
     China should find its own way to develop world-class universities instead of by copying some foreign
practices. We have our own unique conditions and foreign lessons often don't apply well here.

     When expanded families-children, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles-lived in the same town and
sometimes in the same house, a relative of the working parents took care of the children. But beginning
with the Industrial Revolution, people moved away from farms and small towns to find better job chances
in larger cities. Gradually nuclear families are often seen in the society, but there also appears the
immediate family, with either the mother or the father living with the children because of divorce. Another
variation is the mixed family, the result of a marriage between a previously married man and woman who
combine the children from their former marriages into a new family.
     Since 1950s and 1960s, a trend that has appeared is the sharing of child-care responsibilities between husband and wife. More and more women are working outside the home. Around 70 percent of women
with children under 18 have other jobs besides that of mother and homemaker. Most are employed in
traditional fields for females, such as sales, education, and service. Some are engineers, politicians, doctors, lawyers, and scientists. And at the end of twentieth century, even a few have begun to occupy vital
positions in business, government, and banking, breaking through the so-called glass ceiling.
     Money matters influence women to work. Some are employed full time, some part time, and some
seek creative solutions such as flex-time work schedules and job sharing. Many are single mothers, in
single-parent family, raising children by themselves. But in most cases, one income in the household is
simply not enough, so both parents must work to support the family. The men are no longer the only
breadwinners.
     So who watches the children while the parents work? Answers to this question are varied. Some
parents put children in day-care centers. Some parents put children in informal day-care centers in private homes. Companies and hospitals are realizing that providing day care at the workplace makes for happier and more productive employees. Some wealthy families can have a nanny, a woman who comes to care
for the children in their own home. Many of these child-care workers are from other areas, e.g. South
America and Eastern Europe.
     From the last decade, the accessibility of technology-computers, faxes, teleconferencing-has made it
easier for at-home workers to be constantly in touch. Will this new flexibility in the work force bring a
positive change for taking care of children? Only time will tell.

1. What is an immediate family according to the passage?

A. An expanded family.
B. A mixed family.
C. A nuclear family.
D. A single-parent family.

2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2?

A. Women can get to the top positions easily.
B. Educated women are employed in many fields.
C. Women have more and more chances to work outside.
D. More and more women have children at very young age.

3. Employers make their employees more productive by ______.

A. putting their children in private centers
B. offering office equipments to workers
C. providing day care at the workplace
D. allowing them to work at home

4. Which of the following could be the best title of the passage?

A. Who Takes Care of Children?
B. Why do Women Work Outside?
C. What Benefits Single Parents?
D. How do People Support Families?

     A car needs gas to run and your body also needs food to work for you. Eating the right kind of
food is very important. It can keep your body strong, so take care of what you eat.
     There are four main food groups altogether. The dairy products group has food like milk, cheese
and sour milk. The other three groups are the meat and fish group, the fruit and vegetable group, a
nd the bread and rice group. Each meal should have at least one food from all the four main groups.
With all these food together you will be given enough energy during the day.
     It is easy to get into bad eating habits. You may eat your breakfast in a hurry to get to school
on time. Or you may not have time for a good lunch. It may seem easy to finish your supper with
fish and chips all the time. But you will find yourself tired during these days and you can not think
quickly.
    Watching what you eat will help keep your body healthy and strong. It is also good to take some
exercise. It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air. Having a good
eating habit with some exercise is the key to your health.

1.How many main food groups are mentioned in the passage?

A. 2    
B. 3        
C. 4    
D  5

2. Which of the following diets do you think is the best one?

A. Eggs, tomatoes and chicken.
B. Milk, bread, cabbages and beef.
C. Corn, fish, cream and pork.  
D. Rice, beancurd, apples, fish and chicken.

3. Which of the following is a good eating habit?

A.Going to school without any breakfast.
B. Eating fish and chips for supper all the time.
C. Finishing your lunch in a very short time.
D. Having at least one food from all the four groups each meal.

4. In this passage the writer mainly tells us that ______.

A.every person needs food to grow well
B. taking exercise can keep your body strong
A.right kind of food with exercise will keep you healthy
B.enough energy helps people think more quickly

5. According to the passage, which is NOT TRUE?

A.Each meal should have at least one food from each main group.
B.It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air.
C.Having a good eating habit with some exercise is very important for your health.
D.It is good to finish your breakfast in a very short time

     Friend is better than fortune. Friend is worse than poison in some cases. The two sentences above
are opposite and seem to be unreasonable but they can be explained as follows: the first refers to all good
friends who drive us towards good while the second all bad ones who lead us to wrong ways.
     My ideal friend is of course a good friend whose goodness is shown below: he has no bad likings,
such as smoking and drinking. He lives in frugality. He studies hard so as not to waste his golden time. At
home he honors his parents and loves his brothers; at school he respects his teachers and shares feelings
of his classmates. He treats those truly who are true to him. In a word, he has all the good characters
better than mine. I can follow him as a model. With his help I am free from all difficulties,
     Indeed, if I have such a person as my friend, I shall never fear difficulty and I shall never know the
existence of the word "failure".

1.  This passage tells us ____.

A. how to make friends with others          
B. how the writer' s friend helps him
C. what kind of person the writer's friend is
D. what kind of person we should make friends with

2. An ideal friend means ____ .

A. a true friend                          
B. a false friend  
C. an imaginary friend                    
D. an excellent friend

3. From the passage we can learn that _____.

A. the writer and his ideal friend have a lot to learn from each other
B. the writer has a lot to learn from his ideal friend
C. the writer's ideal friend has a lot to learn from him
D. the writer has only a little to learn from his ideal friend

4. From the second paragraph, we can infer the writer is sure that _____.

A. nothing cannot be done with friend      
B. only the first sentence is reasonable
C. he who does not smoke or drink must be a good friend
D. good friends should always help each other

     Excuse me, Mrs. Jones .Would you mind doing me a favor ? I was just going out shopping. But as
soon as I shut my front door, I realized that I had left my key in the house. So when I get back, I will not
be able to get in .It was very silly of me. I needn't have come out at all, because all the vegetables and
fruits had been bought by my husband. I only wanted some salt. May I come in and clime over the fence
into my back garden? That's very kind of you. I wish I did not give you so much trouble.

1. Mrs. Jones was the speaker's_____.

A. boss  
B. next-door neighbour    
C. friend    
D. sister

2. This speech was made_____.

A. before the speaker went out shopping
B. when the speaker went back after shopping
C. while she was shutting the front door
D. after her husband returned from the office

3. Mrs. Jones _____.

A. refused to help her          
B. agreed to let her in
C. gave her some salt          
D. telephoned her husband

      How Women Were Freed From Their Homes
      As late as 1800, a woman's only place was in her home. Women in business were unheard of. No
respectable woman would dream of entering what was strictly a "man's world". Even if she would, what
could she do? Men were sure that no woman could do a job well outside her home. This was a widely
accepted idea. When the famous Bronte sisters began writing books in 1846, they had to resort to using
men's names as aliases. (化名)
     Teaching was the first profession opened to women, soon after 1800. But even that was not easy for
women to take because most high schools and colleges were open only to men. Oberlin College in Ohio
was the first college in America to take in women.
     Nursing was regarded as a respectable profession for women only after Florence Nightingale won
high credit for her nursing career and became famous. Miss Nightingale opened the first training school
for nursing in 1860 in England.
     The invention of typewriters in 1867 helped to bring women out of their homes to join the business
world. Because women are careful and have nimble fingers, businessmen found that they were well suited
to this kind of work.
     By 1890, tens of thousands of women were working in schools, hospitals, shops, offices, and factories both in England and the States. Some even managed to become doctors or lawyers. The idea of women
working in business and other circles was accepted.

1.  Oberlin College was the first college in America _______.

A. where teaching was a profession only open to women
B. where girls could get advanced education
C. to train women to be teachers and nurses
D. to accept women only as professors and students

2. It can be inferred from the text that besides nursing, Florence Nightingale was also ______.

A. a doctor
B. a lawyer
C. a teacher
D. a businessman

3. Quite a lot of women entered the business world _______

A. soon after 1800
B. when Nightingale became famous
C. at the beginning of this century
D. after the typewriter came into being

     Are you planning your first visit to a music festival? This article offers insights (洞察力) into what you
might expect to find as well as some tips on how to make the most of your day.
     Having experienced a large number of festivals, I feel that I'm in a good position to be able to discuss
the advantages and disadvantages of such occasions. So let's begin by discussing the advantages. Why
are there so many people attending festivals each year?
     One obvious reason is that the festivals attract a wide range of bands and stars. That means that you
can often see many bands in a single weekend. Besides being great fun, this can also save you a lot of
money when compared to seeing each of the stars individually. Some would say that this cost saving is
hard to find these days, with the prices of festival tickets rising. Though this is true to some degree, you
can still find bargains if you look for them.
     You'll also find yourself mixing with a lot of people who are interested in the same types of music as
you. After all, that's mainly why people go to festivals -to hear music.
     Are there disadvantages too? There are some, but many of them probably won't come as a surprise.
Organizers know that they have a spellbound (被迷住的) audience, and so tend to charge higher prices
for food and drink at the festival site. You might want to limit how much you consume or find cheaper
things.
     Also, getting a view of your favorite band may not be easy. It depends on the location of the festival
and how popular it is. If you really want to see a particular act, try and get to the area where it's playing
early.
     Finally, do remember that it can be extremely exciting right at the front when a band is on stage.
     All in all, there are far more advantages than disadvantages. Enjoy your first visit to a music festival!

1. What do we learn about the author from the passage?

A. He is an organizer of music festivals.
B. He holds a negative attitude toward festivals.
C. He has attended a lot of festivals.
D. He helps people choose music festivals.

2. From the fifth paragraph, we learn that _____.

A. music festivals are expensive
B. organizers want to make as much money from the audience as they can
C. it's difficult to see one's favorite band
D. one has to go a long way to get to a festival

3. The passage mainly tells us ______.

A. how to save money at festivals
B. that attending festivals has more advantages than disadvantages
C. why a lot of people like to attend festivals
D. that seeing a live show is a wonderful experience