Anti-bird flu contingency (意外事故) measures, including a proposal to separate poultry from humans and a series of traffic and logistics (后勤) measures will be discussed at the Legislative Council's Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Panel meeting next month. Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Dr York Chow says the contingency plan would come into force if an outbreak occurred near Hong Kong.

Speaking on a radio talk show this morning, Dr Chow said the separation of poultry from humans policy, which will be determined after a decision whether to set up a central slaughtering (屠宰) house or several regional ones, would be based on the demand for live chickens.

He pointed out that at present there were 30,000 live chickens imported from the Mainland and 30,000 supplied locally. If this demand persisted, there would be no central slaughtering house or wholesale point that could handle such an amount and regional slaughtering houses could be the choice.

He added that building of regional slaughtering houses took time, but stressed the need to study the views of the public and the sector before a final decision was made.

Regarding avian flu vaccination (种痘) for humans, Dr Chow said it was still being developed. He added that it may not be reliable in the case of an outbreak as records show vaccination can only offer 5% protection against a virus.

He said Hong Kong had more experience and expertise than neighbouring territories in the fight against viral outbreaks, and was willing to offer them help. He added there was no “boundary” for infectious diseases and close cooperation among different countries had to be maintained to fight against a possible outbreak.

It can be inferred from the first paragraph that ______.

A. the government is planning to take strong action to fight against bird flu

B. an outbreak which happened near Hong Kong made people very frightened

C. anti-bird flu contingency measures will come into use next month

D. Dr York Chow will organize a meeting to discuss the contingency plan

According to the passage, the best way to fight against bird flu is to ______.

A. separate poultry from humans                       B. set up a central slaughtering house

C. set up several regional slaughtering houses      D. get avian flu vaccination

When the final decision will be made mainly depends on ______.

A. the demand for live chickens                         B. the views of the public

C. the advice from experts

D. the time when regional slaughtering houses will be finished

Which of the following statements isn’t Dr York Chow’s opinion?

A. Hong Kong is better at dealing with viral outbreaks than its neighbours.

B. Infectious diseases could happen in any country.

C. Other territories should ask Hong Kong for help because it has more experience.

D. Cooperation is quite necessary when danger is coming.

Christmas is over. And I got my wanted radio-controlled truck. But you would not believe the ___1___ and work that went into getting this holy toy.

For over a month I stared at ___2___ magazines I received from my friend until I had made up my ___3___: I wanted a Pumpkin truck. I ___4___ to work immediately, dropping hints to my father about it.

My first job was to tell him about how the steering(操纵杆) on my old car didn’t ___5___, but he just blamed the problems on my bad ___6___.

My next plan would have to be more ___7___. “Look at this, Dad, the truck with controller and battery pack—all for only US$250!” You can’t ___8___ to miss out on this bargain!”

His ___9___ was that he certainly could afford to miss this ___10___ and for US$250 you could buy ___11___ educational like a telescope. “A telescope? To look at the moon? I’ll look at it when I’m 97 years old and living in a ___12___ home! This is my youth! I am supposed to run about.”

I went to my room, ___13___ at how mean(吝啬的) my father was. It was obvious that he didn’t ___14___ that I would die if I did not get the Pumpkin radio-controlled truck.

When I ___15___ on Christmas morning I wasn’t excited. I had been ___16___. I opened all my presents until there was just one big package ___17___. “The telescope,” I thought. I ___18___ the packaging and looked at the top of the box—it was a Pumpkin truck. I had ___19___! I loved my parents! I felt like I could do anything! I could ___20___ get an A+ in English class.

1. A. pain       B. attempt      C. joy     D. shyness

2. A. housing  B. fishing       C. car      D. fashion

3. A. mind      B. idea    C. opinion      D. head

4. A. get  B. set      C. searched     D. went

5. A. operate   B. run     C. start    D. work

6. A. riding     B. driving       C. thinking     D. keeping

7. A. strong    B. practical     C. ideal   D. obvious

8. A. afford    B. pay     C. allow  D. stand

9. A. talk B. expression  C. face    D. response

10. A. truck    B. telescope    C. chance       D. bargain

11. A. one       B. something  C. everything  D. nothing

12. A. heating B. loving C. nursing      D. finding

13. A. pleased B. good   C. expert D. angry

14. A. say       B. believe       C. care    D. learn

15. A. went off      B. woke up     C. rang up      D. found out

16. A. worried       B. instructed   C. warned       D. defeated

17. A. opened B. wrapped     C. left     D. faded

18. A. recovered     B. refused       C. reopened    D. removed

19. A. won     B. done   C. beaten D. failed

20. A. ever     B. already       C. still     D. even

The blue tits(山雀) have been inspecting the nest-box again this year. The male is the house-hunter but the female will make the final choice. He lands at the hole and turns his head to expose his white cheeks as a signal to attract the female from where she has been feeding.

Among many birds that nest in holes, the male has a light-coloured patch on its plumage(鸟羽) which acts as signal for drawing the female’s attention to a suitable nesting-place. Unlike the blue tit, the redstart(红尾鸲) may be only the male that strikingly coloured and the female is not beautiful.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to spot a pair of redstarts in action in a Walsh wood. The male was leading an interested female to holes that he had previously(先前) checked out. He sat at the entrance of each hole and put his head on to show off his white forehead, or his head in to reveal(显露) his tail.

If the female failed to react to his visual signals, the male sometimes sang for extra effect, while gliding towards her on spread wings and tail. Once the female accepts by following the male through the hole the displays stop, you must be at the right place at the right time to watch them.

How do the blue tits choose their nest?

A. They choose their nest together.     

B. The male chooses their nest.

C. The house-hunter chooses their nest.

D. The female chooses their nest.

The writer was lucky to see ________.

A. how the male made his tricks

B. how an interested female played with the male happily

C. what the male displayed and won the female

D. that the male tried his best but failed to attract the female

You can spot a pair of redstarts in a Walsh wood ________.

A. at any time        B. regularly    C. in April    D. occasionally

The writer is probably ________.

A. a bird expert                          B. a bird-hunter

C. a bird raiser                          D. a scientist

In every school there is a “top” crowd that sets the pace, while the others follow their lead. Let’s say the top crowd decides that it is smart to wear bright red sweaters. Pretty soon everybody is wearing a bright red sweater. 

There is nothing wrong with that, except the fact that on some people bright red sweater is extremely unbecoming. The situation can even become dangerous, if the top crowd decides that it is smart to drink or to drive cars at seventy miles an hour. Then the people who follow the lead are endangering their lives. They are like the sheep being led to the butcher. 

Now, chances are that you have come across situations like these more than once in your life; chances are that one time or another you probably did something you knew to be wrong. You may have excused yourself by saying, “Gee, the crowd does it.” Well, let the crowd do it, but don’t do it yourself. Learn to say, “No.”

Develop your own standards and your own judgment. If you know the crowd is planning something you disagree to, have the courage to bow out mannerly. You’ll have the satisfaction of standing on your own two feet. 

Which is the best title for this passage? 

A. Follow the Lead.      B. Top Crowd.      C. Being Yourself.   D. Bright Red. 

The author doesn’t think it good wearing red sweaters if ________. 

A. the crowd does it                           B. you can’t afford them

C. you don’t look good in red              D. the situation isn’t safe

According to the passage, people who follow the crowd ________. 

A. sometimes do things against their better judgment

B. make mistakes blindly

C. are willing to put their lives in danger 

D. will in the end become pace-setters

C

   Being able to multitask—doing several things at the same time—is considered a welcome skill by most people. But if we consider the situation of the young people aged from eight to eighteen, we should think again.

What we often see nowadays is that young people juggle an ever larger number of electronic devices(电子产品)as they study. While working, they also surf on the Internet, send out emails, answer the telephone and listen to music on their iPods. In a sense, they are spending a significant amount of time in fruitless efforts as they multitask.

Multitasking is even changing the relationship between family members. As young people around them. They can no longer greet family members when they enter the house, nor can they cat at the family table.

Multitasking also affects young people’s performance at university and in the workplace. When asked about their opinion of the effect of modern gadgets(器具)on their performance of tasks, many young people gave a positive response(反应). However, the response from the worlds of education and business was not quite as positive. Educators feel that multitasking by children has a serious effect on later development of study skills. They believe that many college students now need help to improve their study skills. Similarly, employers feel that young people entering the job market need to be taught all over again, as modern gadgets have made it unnecessary for them to learn special skills to do their work.

What does the underlined word “juggle” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?

A. Want to buy               B. Take the place of.

 C. Use at the same time        D. Seek for information from.

In Paragraph 3, the author points out that      .

A. family members do not cat at the family table

B. family member do not greet each other

C. young people live happily in their families

D. young people seldom talk with their family members

What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A. Multitasking is harmful to young people’s development.

B. Young people benefit a lot from modern gadgets

C. Multitasking is an important skill to young people.

D. Young people must learn skills for future jobs.

The author develops the passage mainly by    .

 A. providing typical examples               B. following the natural time order

  C. comparing opinions from different fields

 D. presenting a cause and analyzing its effects

Here is a poster on a middle school web site. Read the web-site poster. Then do Numbers 1 to 4.

Going, Going, Gone!

The Haynes Middle School Parent—Teacher Organization

invites you to attend our latest fund(基金)-raiser,

The Fourth Annual(每年一次的) Haynes School Auction(拍卖)!

Saturday, May 10

6:00 pm — 11:00 pm 

in the school hall

6:00 pm — 6:30 pm: All items for auction are previewed.

6:30 pm — 7:00 pm: Silent auction begins.

7:00 pm — 7:30 pm: Highest bidders(出价人) from silent auction are determined.

7:30 pm — 11:00 pm: Main auction begins.

Items up for bid in the silent auction range in value from $ 5.00 to $ 30.00.

Items up for bid in the main auction include the following:

●Airline tickets to a place of your choice

●Weekend getaways at first-class hotels

●Season tickets to the Chicago Bears football game

●$ 50 gift tickets to local gift shops, restaurants, and salons

●Theater tickets to The Merchant of Venice

Don’t miss the boat! Book your tickets today.

Last year, tickets sold out in five days!

Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

$ 15.00 per person

All the money from the auction will be given to the Haynes School computer lab.

Which of the following is not mentioned as being up for bid at the auction?

A. A movie pass to the local cinema.

B. A weekend stay at a hotel.

C. A ticket to a restaurant.

D. Airline tickets.

The more items that are given or bought for auction, _______.

A. the less money that will be charged for the tickets to the auction

B. the more money that can be raised to support the computer lab

C. the faster the ticket will be sold to the auction

D. the higher the value that will be placed on the items in the silent auction

Which of the following is most likely to happen at the year’s auction?

A. The airline tickets will receive higher bids than any other item.

B. All items up for bid will be sold for at least twice their value.

C. More money will be raised this year than in any other year before.

D. Tickets for the event will be sold out in less than one week.

The phrase “first-come, first-served” tells you that _______.

A. people can buy the tickets on the first day only

B. the person who is first to arrive will receive a ticket at no charge

C. food and drinks will be served at the auction

D. tickets are sold in the order of who arrives first to buy them

改正下面短文中的错误。对标有题号的每一行作出判断：如无错误，在答题卡该行右边横线上画一个勾（√），请在有错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。

注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

      2.原行没有错的不要改。

The English Corner in Zhongshan Park is where people             1.___________

go to practise their speaking English. Every Sunday afternoon    2.________

they gather around, talk to each other in English. Among           3.___________

they are students, teachers, doctors, and so on. I first went to an   4.____

English Corner when I was in Junior Grade Two. I went there on  5.____

every Sunday and chat with some people in English. In the       6.________

past three years I had never been absent. I’m sure I’ve made  7.________

some progresses in my listening and speaking. And I have         8.___________

made many friends there. The English Comer is really good       9.________

place. I hope that more friends will join in us.                            10.________

随着科技的进步，多媒体已走进很多学校的课堂。课间休息时，有些学校利用它来播放音乐。你班就“课间是否要播放音乐”展开讨论。请你根据下表所提供的信息用英语写一篇短文，陈述讨论结果及你个人的看法、建议 。（字数 120 词左右，不计开头 ）

    1.大多数同学认为能活跃气氛 ；能使大脑得到放松，减轻学习的疲劳，使大家在快乐的氛围中做好下一堂课的准备 ；能给大家带来快乐.

2.部分同学认为课间时间太短 ，播放音乐达不到预期的效果；课间需要的是安静而不是嘈杂的声音 。

3.个人看法…  …

   Our class held a discussion about whether music should be played during the break or not 。。

 短文改错

此题要求改正所给短文中的错误。对标有题号的每一行作出判断：如无错误，在该行右边横线上画一个勾（√）；如有错误（每行只有一个错误），则改正：

注意：原行没有错的不要改。

Listening to foreign broadcast easier        1. _______

    if we know something about. There are clues  2. _______

    that can help us. One clue is the time of    3. _______

    day. Morning programs usually contains many  4. _______

    short items of news，informations，etc. The 5. _______

    items are short because of most of us are    6. _______

getting ready to going to work in the        7. _______

    Often we do not have time listen             8. _______

    to long programs. There are time for more    9. _______

    details about the subjects discuss           10. ______

    in evening programs.

Perhaps the most famous theory, the study of body movement, was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell. He believes that physical appearance is often culturally programmed. In other words, we learn our looks—we are not born with them. A baby has generally informed face features. A baby, according to Birdwhistell, learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around-family and friends. This helps explain why the people of some areas of the United States look so much alike, new Englanders or Southerners have certain common face features that cannot be explained by genetics(遗传学). The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth, it is learned after. In fact, the final mouth shape is not formed until well after new teeth are set. For many, this can be well into grown-ups. A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look alike. We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country area where people smile more than those in other areas. In the United States, for example, the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently. In New England they smile less, and in the western part of New York State still less. Many southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly, partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. Georgia. People in Atlanta, Georgia. People in largely populated areas also smile and greet each other in public less than people in small towns do.

Ray Birdwhistell believes that physical appearance _______.

A. has little to do with culture   

B. has much to do with culture

C. is ever changing

D. is different from place to place

According to the passage, the final mouth shape is formed _______.

A. before birth                                          B. as soon as one’s teeth are newly set

C. sometime after new teeth are set      D. around 15 years old

Ray Birdwhistell can tell what area of the United States a person is from by _______.

A. how much he or she laughs             B. how he or she raises his or her eyebrows

C. what he or she likes best                 D. the way he or she talks

This passage might have been taken out of a book dealing with ________.

A. physics B. chemistry        C. biology             D. none of the above