It used to be that Christmas, with a little help from Blue Peter, was about adding the personal touch．We'd sit there for hours making cards and gifts for family and friends, knowing that the thought put into them would be properly appreciated．

       Nowadays, time is against us, but there is still one easy way for you to make someone's Christmas this year —a personalised card from M&S' new website．

       To celebrate their new site, M&S is offering Times readers two-for-one on all cards．Simply choose one of the 300 exclusive （独家的） Christmas designs —starting from ￡1．99, personalise it by changing the name and writing a message or uploading a photo．

       Then, add the receiver's address and the card will be sent for you．Order by 2pm and it will be posted the same day．

       In all, there are 1,500 card designs to choose from, covering all kinds of special occasions．So if you want to get ahead of yourself for 2010, you know where to visit．You can even choose to be reminded of those important dates every year．

       To claim your two-for-one on M&S personalised cards, simply visit marksandspencer- personalised．com．Remember to enter the code ' TIMESFRI' on the payment page．This code is available for two days．

       TERMS AND CONDITIONS: M&S PERSONALISED CARDS

       1．The product given for free must be of equal or lower value．

       2．Payment of postage is required．

       3．Marks & Spencer reserves the right to take back this offer without prior （预先） notice．

1．What does the underlined part "two-for-one" （in Paragraph 3） mean in the ad?

       A．Two paid cards and one free card．

       B．One paid card and two free cards．

       C．Your name and a message on one card．

       D．Your photo and the receiver's on one card．

2．From the ad we can know that M&S is most probably _____．

       A．a website selling Christmas cards only

       B．an agency of the newspaper Times

       C．a company promoting the sales of cards

       D．an advertising agency of card producers

3．To order the product for your friends now, you should _____．

       A．enter a code on the payment page of M&S' website

       B．always order it before two o'clock in the afternoon

       C．put into the card your own date of birth and address

       D．spend time making cards with the help of Blue Peter

4．According to the ad, if you order the Christmas cards, _____．

       A．they can be delivered free of charge

       B．you can enjoy the special offer all the year round

       C．their value may be lower than that of a free card

       D．you can get a favor of at least ￡1．99

As bananas ripen, the green skin turns yellow gradually．Chemical changes occur in the flesh of the fruit as well: starch （淀粉） changes to sugar; pectin（果胶）breaks down, losing its stiffness; and the flesh softens．

       Is ripening fruit a self-contained system, or is the rate of these changes affected by the environment? We designed the experiment below to see if different atmospheres, produced by different packaging, affected the rate of ripening．You will vary the atmosphere surrounding unripe bananas and observe the effect on the ripening process．

       Now set up the bananas in their environments as follows:

       1．Put two green bananas in a paper bag and fold the top over to seal out the air．

       2．Put one green banana and the very ripe banana in the other paper bag and fold over the top．

       3．Put two green bananas in a plastic bag and seal it．

       4．Wrap （包） one green banana tightly in a plastic bag．

       5．Leave one green banana exposed to the air．

       Leave the fruit alone for four or five days to ripen．Ripening fruit "breathes"．This means that it takes up oxygen and gives off CO₂．Oxygen is extremely important and necessary for the chemical reactions involved in ripening．In addition, ripening fruit gives off another gas, called ethylene （乙烯）．Not only is ethylene a product of ripening fruit, it also promotes the further ripening of the fruit．

    Paper bags tend to keep the ethylene in, but they allow oxygen and ethylene to pass through slowly．Plastic bags do not allow the free flow of oxygen or ethylene．In this experiment, the green banana in paper bag with the ripe banana should ripen most quickly．The green bananas in the paper bag should ripen faster than the bananas in the plastic bag．The banana left exposed to air has an unlimited supply of oxygen, so it will turn brown most quickly．You will notice that the side of this banana that rests on the counter will ripen more quickly than the other sides, because it has the closest contact （接触） with its own ethylene．The banana that is tightly wrapped in plastic has no oxygen supply and should ripen most slowly．Now can you see why bananas are sealed in plastic in many supermarkets?

1．What makes the green banana in Bag 2 ripen more quickly than the ones in Bag 1?

       A．Ethylene from the very ripe banana．  B．The free flow of oxygen or ethylene．

       C．CO₂ from the very ripe banana．      D．The limitation of oxygen supply．

2．How can we slow down the ripening of bananas exposed to the air?

       A．To rest them on the counter．            B．To keep them in the basket．

       C．To put them on the ground．              D．To hang them up from the ceiling．

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

       A．the ripening banana is a self-contained system

       B．the rate of ripening bananas is affected by the environment

       C．wrapped bananas experience no chemical changes to ripen

       D．ripening bananas give off oxygen, CO₂ and ethylene

4．Why are bananas sealed in plastic in many supermarkets?

       A．To make them ripen more quickly．      B．To make them ripen more slowly．

       C．To make banana flesh soften．            D．To turn green bananas yellow．

Congratulations on selecting our wireless mighty mouse. The mouse is of high quality. Only the scroll ball is visible at first glance, but it is actually a four – button mouse. At both sides, there are a couple of force – sensing buttons which can be programmed according to your need.

Setting up the Wireless Mighty Mouse

    Put the batteries in the mouse first. Then pair the mouse and the computer. Setting up the mighty mouse is simple. You just need to install （安装） the software and turn the mouse on for it to get detected by the computer.

Using the Wireless Mighty Mouse

The mighty mouse has laser （激光） tracking technology, so you can use it on most surfaces. Another new invention is the 360 – degree scroll wheel. It is a multi – directional scroll wheel that allows you to scroll in all directions. The left and right buttons require just enough touch pressure to accept the input. Once you have set in up to your comfort, it functions smoothly without any problems. You can use either the left or the right button to click, doubleclick, and drag items. Either button can also be used to display an item’s short – cut menu. You can assign a function to the side buttons and the scroll ball, which also function as a button.

Cleaning Your Mouse and Scroll Ball

    Use a cloth that’s been lightly moistened （湿） with water to clean. Don’t get moisture in any openings. If your mouse stops scrolling or if scrolling becomes rough, clean the mouse scroll ball. Turn the ball while cleaning for complete coverage.

1．You have to         before setting up the mouse.

      A．turn the scroll ball slightly

       B．clean the mouse with a cloth

       C．check the software in the mouse

       D．connect the mouse and the computer

2．What can we learn about the wireless mighty mouse?

       A．Its scroll wheel can move in all directions.

       B．Different buttons have different functions.

       C．Side buttons are more useful than left and right buttons.

       D．Only the right button can display an icon’s short – cut menu.

3．The passage is probably taken from a （an）         .

       A．textbook                                             B．instruction

       C．research report                                    D．scientific essay

Why People Get Tattoos

Jack lay, quiet and unmoving, for thirty minutes while a stranger repeatedly stabbed （刺） him with sharp needles, causing blood to pour steadily out of his leg. Jack was getting a tattoo. His friend Tony had recently gotten a tattoo, and Jack was so impressed by it that he decided to get one too. Peer pressure, media influence, and personal expression are some of the common reasons for wearing tattoos today.

The desire to be accepted by one’s friends or peers can have a great influence on what a person does. Sometimes, wearing a tattoo can be a sign that you belong to a certain group. Gangs often use special clothes and tattoos to identify their particular group. Some of these groups wear only brand – name clothes. Others wear tattoos. When a person’s friends are all doing something, that person in more likely to do the same thing.

The media is another big influence behind the popularity of tattoos in North America. A wide variety of media images（人物，图像） show tattoos－people appearing in commercials selling expensive cars, famous sports heroes with tattoos in magazines, fashion models wearing designer clothes that show their bodies tattooed with detailed and colourful patterns. These media images link tattoos to ideas of wealth, success, and status. As a result, many people decide to get a tattoo for its fashion and status value.

Many people decide to wear tattoos in order to express their artistic nature, their beliefs, or their feelings－in other words, to show their individuality（个性）. A musician in a rock band may get a tattoo of a guitar on the arm. Some environmentalists may tattoo pictures of endangered animals on their shoulders. A tattoo can be a public sign to show what is important in a person's life.

As you can see, there are many reasons why young North Americans get tattoos. A tattoo can be part of a group's uniform, a sign of fashion. or an expression of individuality. The decision to get a tattoo is most often a result of the influence of friends or media or the desire to express oneself. For Jack, it was a mixture of all three.

1．Jack has got tattoos in order to           .

      A．show his great bravery                         B．gain a special experience

       C．make himself more healthy                   D．be different from others

2．According to the passage, media images are linked to         .

       A．traditional lifestyle                                B．social position

       C．cultural background                             D．public interest 

3．We can infer from the passage that          .

       A．some people get tattoos out of pressure 

       B．tattoo is related to religious belief

       C．getting tattoos costs a lot of money

       D．most people with tattoos are artists

4．Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?

CP: Central Point     P: Point     Sp: Sub – point （次要点）   C: Conclusion

假设你是红星中学高三一班的学生李华，近日你班同学参加了世界自然基金会WWF组办的“我为哥本哈根减斤碳”活动，大家开始在日常生活中减少能源、纸张等的消耗。请根据以下四幅图提供的信息，给某英文杂志写一篇以“Low – carbon Living”为题的英文稿件，介绍你们参加此次活动第一天的具体做法。

注意：1．信的开头已为你写好。

2．词数不少于60。

Low – carbon Living

Recently, my classmates and I participated in the activity of Low – Carbon Living organized by the WWF. On the first day                                                       

请根据下面提示，写一篇短文。词数不少于50。

In your English class, your teacher shows you the following picture. You are asked to describe the picture and explain how you understand it.

提示词：放大镜：magnifier

假设你是学校学生会的一员，为了拥有一个更美好的校园，你发出了全员环保的倡议，并制作了如下图的海报。

       请根据海报内容及以下要点写一份倡议书。

       写作要点：

       1．环保是我们中学生义不容辞的责任。

       2．我们可以养成这些环保习惯。

       3．让我们人人都为地球母亲尽一份绵薄之力吧。（120词左右）

1．我感到很难跟我的同学成为好朋友。

2．他们经常通过电话互相交流。

3．老人躺在床上，眼闭着嘴张着。

4．她在执行整个计划中起了重要作用。

5．你应该充分体用高中三年的时间。

Vans, Keds, Dollies—they sound like the names of rock bands, but if you have teenagers, you'll know they're actually the latest in teenage footwear．

But experts are now warning that the current shoe fashions will be causing teenagers discomfort in the short term and storing up years of foot, knee and back pain in the future．

Here, the experts identify the problems caused by teenagers' shoe choice．

KEDS/VANS

Slip-on shoes with elastic （弹性的）sides are particularly popular among teenage boys - with Keds and Vans the most sought-after brands．

The main problem is that they are just too flat—so flat that the heel, which strikes the ground first, also becomes damaged and painful．

BALLET PUMPS

The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes．The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans． However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems．

“As the shoe has no fastening device, it relies on the toes to keep the shoe on, causing an awkward gait（步法）, this leads to short- and long-term problems such as calluses（茧子）, heel and knee pain．”

WEDGES AND STILETTOS

These shoes can also cause problems with gait． They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer's body weight forward, making them very unstable．

Teens who wear these shoes regularly are also in danger of joining those millions of women with constant back pain．

SCHOOL SHOES

So what do podiatrists（足科医生）have on their wish list, especially for everyday wear?

Something in a natural, breathable fabric, with a string to hold it on, with a small heel and a deep toe-box that does not press the toes, such as Clark's, Marks & Spencer or Rhino．

If your teen insists on wearing 'bad' shoes, get them some simple foot orthotics（矫形器） in the shoes．These support and correct the movement of the foot and, properly fitted by a podiatrist, can often transform their walk and halt the damage．

1．Of all the shoes mentioned in the passage, which can cause the worst problems?

A． Marks & Spencer．                               B． Wedges & Stilettos．

C． Keds and Vans．                                   D． Ballet Pumps．

2．Which pair of shoes may not be found on the podiatrists’ wish list?

A．            B．               C．              D．

3．The underlined word “halt” in the last paragraph probably means _______．

A． increase           B． worsen              C． stop           D． cure

4．From this passage we can infer _______．

A． trendy shoes may ruin teenagers’ health

B． fashionable shoes all have orthotics in them

C． experts are strongly against wearing popular shoes

D． podiatrists are expert at producing branded shoes

5．In which column of Mail Online can you find this passage?

A． Sports．            B． Science．           C． Health．            D． Shopping．

We've used the wind as an energy source for a long time．The Babylonians and Chinese were using wind power to pump water for irrigating crops 4,000 years ago, and sailing boats were around long before that．Wind power was used in the Middle Ages, in Europe, to grind（磨碎） corn, which is where the term "windmill" comes from．

We can use the energy in the wind by building a tall tower, with a large propellor on the top．The wind blows the propellor round, which turns a generator to produce electricity．We tend to build many of these towers together, to make a "wind farm" and produce more electricity．The more towers, the more wind, and the larger the propellors, the more electricity we can make．It's only worth building wind farms in places that have strong, steady winds, although boats and caravans（大篷车）increasingly have small wind generators to help keep their batteries charged．

The best places for wind farms are in coastal areas, at the tops of rounded hills, open plains and gaps in mountains—places where the wind is strong and reliable．Some are offshore．To be worthwhile, you need an average wind speed of around 25 km/h．Most wind farms in the UK are in Cornwall or Wales．Isolated places such as farms may have their own wind generators．In California, several “wind farms” supply electricity to homes around Los Angeles．

The propellors are large, to obtain energy from the largest possible volume of air． The blades can be angled to cope with varying wind speeds．Some designs use vertical turbines（垂直涡轮机）, which don't need to be turned to face the wind．The towers are tall, to get the propellors as high as possible, up to where the wind is stronger．This means that the land beneath can still be used for farming．

1．The first paragraph aims to introduce to us _______．

A． the function of wind power                  B． the source of wind power

C． the nations using wind power                         D． the history of using wind power

2．How does a wind power work?

A． The generator turns the propeller blades and produce electricity．

B． The tall tower helps turn the energy in the air into electricity．

C． Warm air rises and makes the propellor move round．

D． The propellor blown round by wind turns the generator to produce electricity．

3．The best places for building the wind farm are places where _______．

A． boats and caravans can often be seen

B． isolated farms don’t have enough electricity

C． there are less human activities

D． the wind is strong and reliable

4．We can infer from the passage that _______．

A． wind farms will not take up too much farming land

B． wind farms need no fuel because wind is free

C． the blades can be angled to turn to face the wind wherever it comes from

D． the higher and larger the towers are, the stronger the wind is

5．What can be a suitable title for the passage?

A． Where to build a wind farm．                   B． ABC of the using of wind energy．

C． How to make best use of wind．                      D． Wind energy is the best energy．