Liu Xiang Will Resume (恢复) Training
     Athens Olympic 110m hurdle champion Liu Xiang felt so relieved to return to racetrack after getting
out of the great number of social activities.
     Liu arrived in hometown Shanghai Wednesday night and was about to resume training shortly after.
     "I am so exhausted (疲惫的)from so many social activities, which made me even more tired than
training," said the 21-year-old Liu, who wrote a new chapter in China's Olympic history by winning the
country's first ever athletics short-distance running title in the men's 110m hurdles (栏) in Athens in August.
     "I am happy that I will resume my training soon back in Shanghai," said the Shanghai native. He turned
into an instant national hero with the Olympic glory (荣誉,光荣) and one of the most popular Olympic gold
medalists, taking part in scores of celebration activities since he returned to China early September.
     "My regular training has been interrupted for such a long time that I think I can only run at about 13.5
seconds now," said Liu, who clocked a world record-tying time of 12.91 to clinch the title.
     "I would rather forget what I have achieved in the past and try my best to realize a higher goal," he said.
     Liu already missed the Berlin Golden League Series on Sunday and won't be able to catch the IAAF
Grand Prix final slated for September 18-19 in Monaco. He plans on attending an IAAF all-star tournament
in Japan at the end of this month.

1. This passage mainly talks about ______.

A. victory of Liu Xiang
B. Liu Xiang's resumption to the racetrack
C. dream of Liu Xiang
D. Liu Xiang's high aim

2. From the passage we can see ______.

A. Liu Xiang is content to go back to training
B. Liu Xiang will win Golden League Series on Sunday
C. Liu Xiang wasn't good at social activities
D. Liu Xiang was refreshed after so many social activities

3. The underlined word "relieved" means ______.

A. sad
B. glad
C. worried
D. disappointed

4. Which of the following is NOT wrong?

A. Liu Xiang has had a quiet life for as long as half a month.
B. Liu Xiang has missed two races because of his social activities.
C. Liu Xiang has made up his mind to stop his social activities.
D. Liu Xiang has deserted his present career.

     What is colour? Why do some of the things around us look red, some green, others blue? 　　
     Colours are really made by reflected (反射) light. We see colour because most of the things reflect light.
Something is red, for it reflects most of the red light. In the same way, if something is green, it reflects most
of the green light. If something reflects all light, it is white. If it doesn't reflect any light, it is black. 　　
     Some of the light is reflected and some is taken in (吸收) and turned into (变成)heat (热能).The darder
the colour is, the less light is reflected, the more light is taken in. So dard-coloured (深色的) clothes are
warmer in the sun than light-coloured clothes.

1. When something reflects light, we can _______. 　　

A. see its colour 　　
B. see its heat. 　　
C. not see its colour 　　
D. see nothing

2. Something looks white because it reflects______. 　　

A. some light 　　
B. no light 　　
C. all light
D. most light

3. The dark-coloured clothes are warm because ______ is taken in. 　　

A. more light 　　
B. less light 　　
C. more colour 　　
D. less colour

4. In summer _____ make people feel cool. 　　

A. dark-clolured clothes 　　
B. red-coloured clothes 　　
C. green-coloured clothes 　　
D. light-coloured clothes

5. What's the best title (题目) of this passage (短文)? 　

A. Dark colour 　　
B. Colour 　　
C. Heat 　　
D. Clothes

     It is December thirty-first, 2007, the time when the old year dies and the New Year is born.
     Many Americans have parties at home and invite all their friends. Many of these events are noisy. People shout
and sing. They often blow on small noisemakers when the New Year arrives at midnight. They kiss their husband or
wife or the person they are with. They dance to music. Other Americans spend a quiet evening at home.They drink
Champagne at midnight to welcome the New Year.
     Some people drink too much alcohol at New Year's Eve celebrations.This can lead to tragic results if a person
drinks too much and then drives a car. The National Safety Council says hundreds of people die in road accidents
during the holiday.
     In recent years,the danger of accidents has resulted in a new tradition called the"designated driver" One person
among a group of friends drinks little or no alcohol during New Year's Eve celebrations. Then this designated driver
can safely drive the other people home. Many American cities also offer free taxi service on New Year's Eve to take
people home safely.
     Other Americans observe the coming of the New Year at events without alcohol.More than 220 American cities
hold these First Night celebrations. Artists in Boston Massachusetts started the tradition of First Night celebrations.
In 1976.They wanted to observe the coming of a New Year. But they did not want to hold noisy drinking parties. So
they organized music concerts, art exhibitions and other events to observe the holiday.

     The first reality TV show in the world was called Expedition Robinson and it was shown in Sweden in
1997. Half the population of the country watched the final event and a new kind of TV program was born.
Two years later in Holland, the first series of Big Brother was filmed. Again, it was a great success and the
final program was watched by 15 million people. Now more than 20 countries around the world have Big
Brother or Expedition Robinson on their TV screens. The ordinary people who take part in the programs
are known by millions of people in their own countries and reality TV has become big, big business.
     For the TV producers, reality TV is a dream which come true because many of the programs cost nothing
to make. At some point, the television viewers (观众) are asked to telephone the program to vote or to apply
to take part in the show. It is the cost of these telephone calls that pays for the shows. One of the most
popular shows is Pop Idol. In the show, a group of attractive young people are made into pop stars. TV
viewers vote for their favorite person on the show. The winner makes a record and millions of copies of the
record are sold. His or her pictures are published on the covers of magazines or on the front pages of
newspapers, and then, they are quickly forgotten.
     But not everyone is happy about reality TV. In Portugal, two TV channels got into trouble because they
showed too much of the personal lives of the people in the shows. In France, reality TV is called "rubbish
TV" and the TV studios of Big Brother were attacked three times in one week. In Greece, Big Brother was
described as "against human rights and civilization".

1. Those who take part in reality TV shows are usually _____.

A. common people
B. pop TV Stars
C. attractive people
D. famous film stars

2. Who would pay for the cost of reality TV shows according to the passage?

A. TV producers who make reality TV shows.
B. TV actors who take part in reality TV shows.
C. TV viewers who telephone reality TV shows.
D. TV companies which broadcast reality TV shows.

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Pop Idol is one of the popular reality TV shows in the world.
B. Big Brother was one of the first reality TV shows in the world.
C. Rubbish TV is one of the personal reality TV shows in the world.
D. Expedition Robinson was the first reality TV show in the world.

4. It can be concluded from the passage that _____.

A. everyone is happy about reality TV
B. reality TV will do well in many countries
C. all the people in Europe are in favor of reality TV
D. reality TV will not be broadcast in any countries

     You either have it, or you don't- a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their
way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?
     Scientists say we're all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One
theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being
carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don't use it, we lose it.
     "Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around. Says Jim Martland, Research Director of the project." However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop
the skills."
     Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to improve their sense of
direction. He makes the following suggestions:
     If you are using a map, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.
     If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree. Note landmarks on
the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
     Simplify the way of finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town. Streams, or walls in the
countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks
such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are. Now you need never get lost again!

1. Scientists believe that ______.

A. some babies are born with a sense of direction
B. people learn a sense of direction as they grow older
C. people never lose their sense of direction
D. everybody possesses a sense of direction from birth

2. What is true of seven-year-old children according to the passage?

A. They never have a sense of direction without maps.
B. They should never be allowed out alone if they lack a sense of direction.
C. They have a sense of direction and can find their way around.
D. They can develop a good sense or direction if they are driven around in a car.

3. If you leave your bike in a strange place, you should ______.

A. tie it to a tree so as to present it from being stolen.
B. draw a map of the route to help remember where it is.
C. avoid taking the same route when you come back to it.
D. remember something easily recognized on the route.

4. According to the passage, the best way to find your way around is to ______.

A. ask policemen for directions.
B. use walls, streams and streets to guide yourself.
C. remember your route by looking out for steps and stairs.
D. count the number of landmarks that you see.

5. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Children has a better sense of direction
B. Children have the ability to find their way around
C. The ways to improve sense of direction
D. Everyone is born with a sense of direction and it can be improved

     The human nose has given to the language of the world many interesting expressions. Of course, this
is not surprising. Without the nose, We could not breathe or smell. It is the part of the face that gives a
person special character. Cyrano de Bergerac said that a large nose showed a great man-courageous, manly,
and wise.
     A famous woman poet wished that she had two noses to smell a rose! Blaise Pascal made an interesting
remark about Cleopatra's nose. If it had been shorter, he said, it would have changed the whole face of the
world!
     Man's nose has had an important role in his imagination. Man has referred to the nose in many ways to
express his emotions. Expressions dealing with the nose refer to human's weakness, anger, pride, jealousy
and revenge (报复).
     In English there are a number of phrases about the nose. For example, to hold up one's nose expresses
a basic human feeling-pride. People can hold up their noses at people, things, and places.
     The phrase, to be led around by the nose, shows man's weakness. A person who is led around by the
nose lets other people control him. On the other hand, a person who follows his nose lets his instinct (本能)
guide him.
      There are a number of others. However, it should be as plain as the nose on your face that the nose is
more than an organ for breathing and smelling.

1. The passage is about ______.

A. an organ, with which people can breathe and smell
B. the nose, which gives different and useful expressions
C. the nose giving a person special character
D. the interesting remarks about the nose made by some people

2. From the passage we know _______.

A. "Cleopatra's nose" changed the whole face of the world indeed
B. Cleopatra had a strong will to change the whole look of the world
C. Cleopatra's nose was not short
D. Cleopatra hoped that people would change the whole face of the world

3. The nose expresses ______.

A. some human weakness or other
B. people's shortcomings
C. people's different emotions
D. human feelings in bad sense

4. A person who follows his nose _____.

A. won't take others' advice
B. is easily controlled by others
C. is weak-minded
D. will let his will guide him

     The swallows of Capistrano may be famous for returning to the same nests each spring. But they have
nothing on the purple martins (紫燕). These beautiful birds spend each winter in the warm climate of south
America,then return each spring to nesting places in the Southeastern United States.
     Purple martlns are birds that are pleasant to watch. Many people also like to have the martins around
because the birds control insect pests. If hollow gourds (葫芦) with two-inch open spaces are hung out for
them,martins are happy to move in. They require only small open spaces to discourage wild animals from
eating them. The gourds should also be hung in an open place away from buildings or trees,so squirrels or
cats can't disturb the birds.
     Common garden grown gourds sometimes rot (腐烂) in the climate of the southeast, so many purple
martin lovers have tried using different materials to create stronger nest. Lengths of plastic pipe have been
used, along with old-fashioned wooden bird houses with martin-sized entrance holes,but the birds clearly
prefer the shape of a gourd. One company is now selling a plastic gourd, just the right size and shape with
a two-inch entrance hole for the martins. The hole is high enough to allow the martins about four inches.
The plastic gourd can be used for a long time.
     The permanent (永久的)state is important for martin lovers because the birds can become almost part of
the family. Some families have had the same groups of martins returning to their yards each year for sixty
days.

1. The purpose of the passage is to ______.

A. discuss the swallows of Capistrano
B. describe homes for purple martins
C. discuss the season journey of purple martins
D. discuss the uses of gourds

2. According to the passage,which of the following statements is Not True?

A. Gourds should be hung in open spaces.
B. Small open spaces in gourds discourage wild animals.
C. The swallows of Capistrano are actually purple martins.
D. Plastic gourds are now being sold as homes for purple martins.

3. It can be concluded from the passage that ______.

A. some people try to make proper nest to attract purple martins
B. purple martins never nest in the same place two years
C. too many purple martins nesting in one area can become a harm
D. plastic gourds are not as good as wooden bird houses

4. The passage suggests that ______.

A. wooden bird houses are too small for purple martins
B. Durple martins refuse to live in any place but plastic gourds
C. purple martins are dangerous to small animals
D. Purple martins don't like to live with squirrels.

     Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee and rarely trouble to keep
scores. They don't care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn't seem to worry them if the game is
not finished. Yet, they like games that depend a lot on luck, so that their personal abilities cannot be directly
compared. They also enjoy games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the
picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in itself.
     Grown-ups can hardly find children's games exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play
such simple games again and again. However, it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons.
He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself
being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinarily afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to
his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be
dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he has caught.
     It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone
knows the rules, and more importantly, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish,
but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.

1. What is true about children when they play games?

A. they can stop playing any time they like.
B. They can test their personal abilities.
C. They want to pick a better team.
D. They don't need rules.

2. To become a leader in a game the child has to ________.

A. play well
B. wait for his turn
C. be confident in himself
D. be popular among his playmates

3. What do we know about grown-ups?

A. They are not interested in games.
B. They find children's games too easy.
C. They don't need a reason to play games.
D. They don't understand children's games.

4. Why does a child like playing games?

A. Because he can be someone other than himself.
B. Because he can become popular among friends.
C. Because he finds he is always lucky in games.
D. Because he likes the place where he plays a game.

5. The writer believes that _______.

A. children should make better rules for their games.
B. children should invite grown-ups to plays with them.
C. children's games can do them a lot of good
D. children play games without reasons

     If you do not use your arms of your legs for some time, they become weak. When you start using them
again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this. Yet there are many people who do not seem
to know that one's memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he
really means that he keeps his memory in practice by exercising it regularly. When someone else says that
his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
     If a friend complains that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he
has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just unlucky, and few of us
realize that it is really his own fault. Not all of us can become very strong or very clever, but all of us can
improve our memory by the same means-practice.
     Have you ever noticed that people who cannot read or write usually have a better memory than those
who can? Why is this? Of course, because people who can't read or write have to remember things: they
cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember dates, prices, names, songs and stories,
so their memory is exercised all the time.
     So if you want a good memory, learn from those who cannot read or write: practice remembering.

1. According to the passage, few people know that _______.

A. arms or legs become weak if they are not used for some time
B. when they start using their arms of legs again, they slowly become strong again
C. a person's memory becomes weak if he does not practice remembering things
D. it is their own fault if their arms or legs are weak

2. The author thinks that if a person has a poor memory, ________.

A. it is his own fault
B. his parents are to blame
C. he is just unlucky
D. his arms must be weak

3. According to the passage, we can learn that all of us can ________.

A. become very strong
B. become very clever
C. improve our memory by practicing
D. know how to improve our memory

4. From Paragraph 3, we can learn that ________.

A. people who can't read are cleverer than those who can
B. people who can't write are cleverer than those who can
C. a little notebook helps people who cannot read or write get a better memory
D. people who practice remembering regularly have a better memory

5. The passage mainly tells us ________.

A. how to get our arms and legs stronger
B. how to improve our memory
C. how to read and write
D. how to remember dates and prices