Great changes have taken place in that school. It is no longer_____ it was 20 years ago,______ it was so poorly equipped.

      A. what ; when      B. that; which              C. what; which       D. when, that

When I walked into the house after school, the first thing I noticed was a box with items I recognized from my dad’s office.

“What are you doing home already?” I asked casually.

“Andrew, I was laid off today.” he answered quietly.

I was sure he was joking. “No, you weren’t. Why are you really home?”

Then I noticed his seriousness and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. Providing for our family has been his joy, and I guess I had taken his work for granted.

My father’s unemployment created many changes in our lives. For starters, he was home all the time, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem, though he tried to be optimistic. For the first time, I saw my dad as vulnerable. He asked my brother and me to spend less. I gave up my allowance, which even though it wasn’t much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job.

After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he expended.

One evening I asked if he needed help.

“Only if it doesn't interfere with school,” he said.

I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really impacted me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plan B, ask for help, and take risks. What I have learned from my dad’s understanding of business and his work ethic are two of the most important lessons I will ever learn, and will be my foundations for success.

1. The author’s father stayed at home because ________.

A. he had to help with the author’s lesson

B. he had been unemployed by his company

C. heavy housework was waiting for him to do

D. he wanted the author know the truth?

2. What made the author know the truth?

   A. The box from his dad’s office                         B. His father’s words

   C. His father’s expression                                          D. Being informed by his family

3. The author’s attitude toward his father’s former job was ________.

   A. unconcerned                      B. sympathy                 C. doubt                D. tolerance

4. By saying “Only if it doesn't interfere with school”, the author’s father seemed ________.

   A. to refuse the author’s advice on the new business

   B. to show his discontent with the author’s schoolwork

   C. to have said yes to the author’s offer of help

   D. to be looking forward to the author’s good behavior at school

5. It can be inferred from the text that ________.

   A. the author’s father was more optimistic to stay at home

   B. the author couldn’t put up with his dad’s own business

   C. the author’s father offered little allowance to the author

D. the author benefited from his father on how to deal with adversity

_____ is known to all, the age _______ children can go to school is seven.

  A. What; which    B. It; when        C. As; at which       D. Which; when

TOKYO—A child-like robot that combines the roles of nurse, companion and security guard is to go on the market to help the growing ranks of elderly Japanese with no one to look after them.

    The “Wakamaru” robot can walk around a house 24 hours a day, warning family, hospitals and security firms if it perceives (notices) a problem. It will, for example, call relatives if the owner fails to get out of the bath.

    Cameras implanted in the “eye-brows” of the robot enable it to “see” as it walks around an apartment. The images can be sent to the latest cellphones, which display the pictures.

    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which developed Wakamaru, plans to start selling the metre-high robots by April, 2005, for about ＄15,000 Cdn.

    Wakamaru, which speaks with either the voice of a boy or girl, is also designed to provide companionship, greeting its “papa” when he comes home.

    It is the first household robot able to hold simple conversations, based on a vocabulary of around 10,000 words. It cannot only speak but can understand answers and react accordingly.

    It will ask “Are you all right ?” if its owner does not move for some time. If the answer is no, or there is no answer, it will telephone preset numbers, transmitting images and functioning as a speakerphone.

    Wakamaru will inform a security firm if there is a loud bang or if an unknown person enters the house while the owner is out or asleep. It can recognize up to 10 faces.

    But like most robots it cannot climb stairs.

    It can be set to remind forgetful people when it is time to take medicine, eat and sleep.

    Mitsubishi adapted Wakamaru from robots it already makes to go around nuclear power facilities. The idea to use the technology in the home came from a company employee.

    The project chief said :“Looking at the ageing of society and the falling birth rate we decide that this could work as a business. We want to offer Wakamaru as a product that helps society.”

    The technology has gained nation-wide publicity in Japan among increasing concern over how to look after the ever-growing number of old people. The life expectancy of Japanese women has shot up to almost 85, the highest in the world.

    At the same time, extended families are being replaced by nuclear families. This has left many Japanese anxious about their elderly parents, whom they rarely see because of their long hours at the office.

1．Which of the following is true about the Robot?

A. It is used in some nuclear power facilities.     

B. It cannot speak but can understand answers.

    C. It can go up and down the stairs easily.    D. It can recognize as many as 10 faces.

2．The purpose of this passage is ________.

    A. to introduce a new product         B. to solve the aging problems

    C. to tell people how to use the robot   D. to show the rapid development of technology

3．What can we infer from the passage ?

    A. The robot can dial proper numbers for help.

    B. The robot is likely to have a promising market.

    C. The robot has given the Japanese a chance to live longer.

    D. The nuclear families have left many elderly Japanese anxious.

4．What is the best title of this passage ?

  A. The Latest Development of Robot Technology  B. Japanese Robot and the Aging Society

    C. Vast Market of the New Robot      D. Japanese-built Robot to Help the Old

5. Wakamaru _____________________.

   A. is a  child who is always taking good care of his grandparents 24 hours a day.

   B. has a vocabulary of around 1,000 words

C.  is the first household robot that has ever been produced.

   D. has ameras implanted in the “eye-brows” which enable it to “see” when walking.

Ⅱ 语言知识及应用（共两节，满分35分）

第一节 完形填空 (共10小题; 每小题2分, 满分20分)

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21-30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Richard Rice, a fast-talking man paced up and down in front of the freshmen debate class, telling us about his high expectations. We were special, he declared on our first day at Oak Park High School. But there would be no   21   to success. Only those who worked hard would shine.

Suddenly Mr. Rice   22   in mid-sentence and looked at me. “You know,” he said “you’re black!” Somehow, I knew he wasn’t trying to hurt me.

Mr. Rice was no   23   teacher. I entered high school not even quite sure what debate was. I left his class four years later as an outstanding debater. Even today, I am not sure what   24   such a great teacher of him. He always said whatever he was thinking. And he was   25  . He would march out of the classroom   26   if he thought a student was giving less than his effort. The worse thing with us was to be taken no notice of. Instead, being torn apart by Mr. Rice in the middle of a practice debate meant you were one of his favorites.

He wasn’t always   27   on us. I’ll never forget the National Student Debate, at which my calm delivery and my firm grasp of the problems disappeared. The only face I could make out in the audience was Mr. Rice’ s face. I could   28   I was doing terrible just by looking at him. After it was over, he came over to me. “Not my best   29  ,” I said. He shook his head, “No.” Then, to my surprise, he gave me a hug.

Mr. Rice’s style didn’t make him a great teacher for everyone. Many kids   30    out of the debate class after the first year. But for me four years with him was my unforgettable experience.

21. A. manners              B. methods                   C. shortcuts                  D. steps

22. A. rose                    B. paused                            C. shook                       D. turned

23. A. average               B. excellent                  C. special                            D. usual

24. A. developed           B. made                       C. got                          D. became

25. A. demanding          B. careful                            C. easygoing                 D. gentle

26. A. hopelessly           B. surprisingly                     C. angrily                            D. vitally

27. A. strict                  B. cruel                        C. impatient                  D. hard

28. A. speak                  B. tell                          C. talk                          D. recognize

29. A. speech             B. argument                  C. performance             D. behavior

30. A. got                            B. ran                          C. turned                      D. dropped

第二节：书面表达（满分25分）

Read this letter and imagine you are the adviser who deals with students’ problems. Write a letter in100-150 words to give Xiaolei some helpful advice.

Dear…,

Can you help me, please? I have tried to stop smoking several times. I am OK for two days and then I feel really sick and irritable and I have to start smoking again. I know smoking is a bad habit ,but I just can’t seem to give it up. Do you have any useful tips?

Your sincerely,

Li Xiaolei

Dear Li Xiaolei,

    I’m sorry to hear that you have had so much trouble stopping smoking,                                        

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 I’d try even if I may fail ______sit there worrying in time of trouble.

A. rather than     B. other than   C. more than      D. less than

The world will be different, and we will have to be prepared to ________ the change.

   A. adapt to                  B. adopt to                 C. apply to                 D. devote to

. Mr. Cruise said that he preferred the information Jack gave to ______ heard by himself.

   A. the one         B. it          C. that          D. which                               

 — How about eight o’clock outside the cinema?

— That ______ me fine.

A. fits                        B. meets              C. satisfies    D. suits