（浙江省东阳中学2010届高三上学期期中考试）

B

Thousands of people began pouring into Pennsylvania from other states. They wanted to buy lottery tickets (彩票). The tickets cost only $ 0.9 each. But that small spending could bring them a reward of $ 90 million .That was the second largest lottery jackpot (积累奖金) in history .  

More than 87 million tickets were bought for the Pennsylvania lottery drawing. Those who bought tickets had to choose seven numbers from 1 to 80．The chance of winning was one in 9.6 million, but that little chance certainly didn’t affect ticket sales. In the last few days before the drawing , tickets were sold at the unbelievable rate of 500 per second .  

Experts say many people buy lottery tickets because they just want to have a piece of the action . Others say the lottery is a stock market for poor people. It allows them to dream about wealth they’ll probably never have.  

But many people believe lotteries are no better than legalized (合法化的) gambling（赌博） . Some critics note that most people who play are poor and may not be able to afford the tickets. There are also many addicts who take the game seriously. They may pour their life savings into lottery tickets. Some clubs have been formed to help them kick the habit.

    Politicians like lotteries because they provide money that would otherwise have to come from new taxes. The profits from lotteries are usually used to pay for education or programs for senior citizens. But critics say this arrangement just allows states to legalize vice (恶习), under the name of social progress . No matter whether you regard state lotteries right or not, you cannot refuse to accept their extreme popularity with many Americans.

45．They main idea of the passage is that __________.  

       A．lotteries are of great benefit to everyone who buys them  

       B．playing a lottery is just like investing in the stock market    

       C. many people buy lottery tickets , but lotteries cause disagreement  

       D．lotteries are nothing but legalized vice

46．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?  

       A．Politicians like lotteries because they don’t have to pay extra taxes.  

       B．The popularity of lotteries in America actually is social progress.  

       C．Some critics don’t like lotteries because many poor people waste money on them.   

       D．People love the lottery because it is a stock market.

47．In just one hour in the last few days, the Pennsylvania lottery sold tickets totaling_______.

      A．$ 1.62 million     B．$ 1.82 million     C．$ 9.6 million            D．$ 87 million

48．People who are addicted to playing lotteries should __________.  

       A．join a support group  B．kick the habit  C．win the lottery     D．save every cent

（浙江省东阳中学2010届高三上学期期中考试）

A

“Life is speeding up. Everyone is getting unwell.”

This may sound like something someone would say today. But in fact, an unknown citizen who lived in Rome in AD 52 wrote it.

We all love new inventions. They are exciting, amazing and can even change our lives. But have all these developments really improved the quality of our lives?

Picture this: You’re rushing to finish your homework on the computer. Your mobile phones rings; a QQ message from your friend appears on the screen; the noise from the television is getting louder and louder. Suddenly the computer goes blank and you lose all your work. Now you have to stay up all night to get it done again. How calm and happy do you feel?

Inventions have speeded up our lives so much that they often leave us feeling stressed and tired. Why do you think people who live far away from noisy cities, who haven’t telephones, no cars, not even any electricity often seem to be more delighted? Perhaps they lead simpler lives.

One family in the UK went “back in time” to see what life was like without all the inventions we have today. The grandparents, with their daughters and grandsons Benjamin,10 and Tomas,7, spent nine weeks in a 1940s house. They had no washing machines, microwaves, computers or mobile phones.

The grandmother, Lyn, said, “It was hard physically, but not mentally.” She believed life was less materialistic. “The more things you have, the more difficult life becomes.” she said. The boys said they found less to fight over, such as their computers. Benjamin also noticed that his grandfather had changed from “a fashionable beer-drinking granny to one who cooked things for them.”

Here are some simple tips to beat the stress often caused by our inventions!

Don’t be available all the time. Turn off your cell phones at certain times of the day. Don’t check your e-mail every day.

Don’t reply to somebody as soon as they leave a text message just because they can. It may be fun at first, but it soon gets annoying.

41. The passage is mainly about_____________.

A. improvements of our life with technology    

B. the leading roles modern technology plays in our daily life

C .major changes which will be likely to happen to our everyday life

D. problems with the development of modern technology

42. In Paragraph Four, the writer describes a picture to show that new inventions __________.

   A. have sped up our lives                             B. may bring people some trouble

   C. have improved the quality of our lives              D. may make people feel very happy

43. Why did the family choose to spend some time in a 1940s house?

A. Because they liked to live simple lives.

B. Because they were troubled by the modern inventions.

   C. Because they were curious about how people lived without modern inventions.

   D. Because living in a different time would be a lot of fun for them.

44. What do you think the underlined word available means?

   A. busy on line       B. found easily by others     C. troublesome       D. free

 (上海格致中学2010届高三第一学期期中考试)

A

Taiwan will finalize a plan by the end of June to open up the island to tourists from mainland China, though no date has been fixed for formal implementation（执行）, an official at the Mainland Affairs Council（MAC） said on Monday．

The official said the reports in the local press on Monday that the MAC has decided to postpone its plan to announce the implementation of the new plan on July 1 were inaccurate．

The official said cooperation between different organizations was still underway．The United Daily news quoted the director of the MAC’s legal affairs department, Liu Thehsun, as saying the plan to open up to mainland tourists would not be implemented as scheduled due to a lack of cross-strait communication．

Although relevant authorities, including the Bureau of Immigration and the Tourism Bureau, have complete reports on how to deal with visitors from mainland China, the decision has been taken not to press, ahead with announcement of the plan’s implementation on the first of July, Liu was quoted as saying．

The report also said that while no restrictions would be imposed on the mainland visitors in terms of age or residence in China, the visitors would need to hold a steady job or have more than 50,000RMB（about 6,000, U．S．dollars）in bank savings before they would be eligible（有资格的）to visit Taiwan．

In addition, Taiwan bound mainland tourists would have to come as part of a tour group and would be allowed to stay a maximum of 10 days each time．

The number of mainland tourists allowed to enter the island would also initially be limited to 1,000 people a day．

Although most people from Taiwan are free to travel to China, only a small number of mainland Chinese have been able to visit the island due to restrictions imposed by both sides of the Taiwan Strait after the end of a civil war in 1949．

65．At the moment, according to the passage,      ．

       A．no mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now

       B．any mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now

       C．many mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949

       D．a few mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949

66．When Taiwan opens up the island to tourists from mainland China,．

       A．there will be no restrictions to mainland visitors

       B．mainland visitors who want to travel in Taiwan must have at least ￥50,000 in the bank savings account

       C．there will be no age restrictions to the mainland visitors

       D．mainland visitors will be free to travel to Taiwan

67．We can infer from the passage that get（s） involved in the implementation of the plan．

       A．MAC                  B．United Daily

       C．several organizations                            D．Bureau of Immigration

68．Which of the following statement is TRUE?

       A．The implementation of the plan has not been fixed．

       B．It was originally fixed on July 1 to announce the plan’s implementation．

       C．For lack of cross-strait communication, the plan will not be officially completed until July．

       D．When the plan is finalized, it will be announced immediately．

 (山东省青岛市2010届高三上学期期中考试)

D

The British National Health Service (NHS) was set up in 1948 and was designed to provide equal basic health care, free of charge, for everybody in the country. Before this time health care had to be paid for by individuals.

Nowadays central government is directly responsible for the NHS although it is administered by local health authorities. About 83 percent of the cost of the health service is paid for by general taxation and the rest is met from the National Insurance contributions paid by those in work. There are charges for prescription and dental care but many people, such as children, pregnant (怀孕的) women, pensioners (领养老金者), and those on Income Support, are exempt from payment.

Most people are registered with a local doctor (a GP, or General Practitioner) who is increasingly likely to be part of a health centre which serves the community.

As the population of Britain gets older, the hospital service now treats more patients than before, although patients spend less time in hospital. NHS hospitals—many of which were built in the nineteenth century—provide nearly half a million beds and have over 480, 000 medical staff. The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe although Britain actually spends less per person on health care than most of her European neighbours.

During the 1980s there was considerable restructuring of the Health Service with an increased emphasis on managerial efficiency and the privatization of some services (for example, cleaning). At the end of the 1980s the government introduced proposals for further reform of the NHS, including allowing some hospitals to be self-governing, and encouraging GPs to compete for patients. Patients would be able to choose and change their family doctor more easily and GPs would have more financial responsibility. The political questions continue of how much money should be provided to support the NHS and where it should come from.

71. We can know from the first paragraph that        . 

A. patients were charged for receiving health care before 1948

B. people didn't have to pay for health care since the NHS was set up

C. the original aim of the NHS was to provide equal basic health care for everybody

D. the NHS was an organization which gave free advice to villagers

72. What do we know about the NHS? 

A. It's managed by the central government.

B. Its cost is mainly paid for by the National Insurance contributions.

C. It hires more people than any other unit in Europe.

D. Fewer patients go to its hospitals than before because they spend less on health care.

73. All the following statements about GPs are true except that they        . 

A. take care of the local people's health

B. often take part in competitions to see who is the best

C. work under high pressure nowadays

D. have more responsibilities than before

74. What does the underlined word exempt probably mean? 

A. suffering      B. different

C. prevented     D. free

75. The biggest problem for the NHS is        . 

A. many hospitals are too old to be used

B. some services are in the charge of individuals

C. more and more patients go to GPs for treatment

D. there is not enough money for further reform

 (山东省济南外国语学校2010届高三上学期质量检测)

D

       In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartments. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest（投资）in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent–controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.

Some theorists argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low–paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.

Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.

Economic theory predicts the results of economic decisions such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be correct only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.

71. There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may               .

A. cause a shortage of apartments        B. worry those who rent apartments as homes

C. increase the profits of landlords       D. encourage landlords to invest in building apartment

72. According to the passage, we can safely say that rent control           .

A. will always benefit those who rent apartments     B. is unnecessary

C. will bring negative effects in the long run         D. is necessary under all circumstances

73. The problem of unemployment will arise if                .

A. the minimum wage is set too high                  B. the minimum wage is set too low

C. the workers are unskilled                              D. the maximum wage is set

74. The passage tells us about               .

A. the relationship between supply and demand    B. the possible results of government controls

C. the necessity of government control           D. the urgency of getting rid of government controls

75. The following statements are true except that__________.

A. the results of economic decisions can not always be predicted

B. minimum wage can not always protect employees

C. economic theory can predict the results of economic decisions if other factors aren’t changing

D. economists usually have the same prediction about an economic decision

 (江西省新余一中、宜春中学2010届高三11月联考)

C

       Teachers have long said that success is its own reward, But these days, some students are finding that good grades can bring them cash and luxury gifts.

       In at least a dozen states this school year, students who bring home top marks can expect more than just thankfulness.

       The most ambitious experiment began in September, when seven states—Arkansas. Alabama, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington—won spots in an Mobil-funded program that, in most cases, pays students $100 for each passing grade on advanced placement (AP) college-prep exams.

       It’s an effort to get low—income and minority students interested in the courses, says Tommie Sue Anthony, president of the Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science. “We still have students who are not sure of the value, who are not willing to take the courses,”she says, “Probably the motivation will make a difference with those students.”

Gregg Fleisher of the National Math and Science Initiative, which runs the seven-state program, says the effort is modeled on a program adopted by Dallas in the 1995-96 school year that saw AP course-taking jump obviously. That program is now statewide.

While many educators would be against offering kids cash for good grades, Fleisher and others say the idea is simple:“It’s an encouragement to get them to basically make the right decision and choose a more strict class,”he says, “This teaches them that if they work at something very hard and have a lot of support, they can do something they didn’t think they could do.”

An analysis of the Texas program last month by Cornell economist C.Kirabo Jackson found that it linked to a 30% rise in the number of students with high SAT and ACT scores and an 8% rise in college-going students.

(Notes:1.SAT:美国学术能力评估考试；2.ACT:美国大学入学考试。)

64．What does the passage mainly talk about?

       A．Success is its own reward                    B．Success makes a difference.

       C．Good grades deserves gratitude.            D．A new motivation for students.

65．What’s the purpose of the experiment?

       A．To get relatively poor students interested in their studies.

       B．To help poor students to keep on with education.

       C．To offer poor students luxury gifts on their birthdays.

       D．To make an effort to raise the value of money.

66．What is the writer’s attitude toward offering kids cash for good grades?

       A．Favorable.           B．Worried.              C．Opposed.            D．Confident.

 (云南省玉溪一中2010届高三上学期期中考试)

E

Top Eco Destinations in the World for 2009

Have you spent hours searching the web for an eco-friendly holiday that suits your budget or ideals? Then look no further because online travel planning resource, Professional Travel Guide, recently revealed(透露) their top choices for eco-travelers this year. Here are just some of their recommendations:

1. Africa: Madagascar

Home to a variety of animals found nowhere else on the planet, Madagascar is a must-go destination for anyone interested in the natural world. Lemurs(狐猴) and baobab trees account for just some of the unique flora(植物群) and fauna(动物群) entrapped on this wonderful island.

2. America: St John (US Virgin Islands)

Though it’s the smallest of the US Virgin Islands, St John has a remarkably varied landscape. Virgin Islands National Park makes up two-thirds of its landmass, where visitors can hike in deep ravines(山谷), over tropical mountains and across arid coastal areas. Don’t overlook the beaches and coral reefs – it’s a Caribbean island.

3. Europe：Iceland

As one might expect from a country whose name is “ice”, Iceland’s landscape is rugged（崎岖不平的）and harsh（粗糙的）. Take a hike past lava fields, glaciers and waterfalls and marvel at the wildlife (puffins) and natural wonders (hot springs and geysers) akin to this barren landscape. Visit between fall and spring to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

72. We learn from the text that Professional Travel Guide is ____________.

A. a website offering travel information

B. an organization that administrates travel 

C. a travel agent that offers free information

D. a place where tourists present their opinion

73. The US Virgin Islands are well worth a visit because _________.

A. it belongs to a Caribbean island            B. National Park covers most islands

C. the landscape is very impressive         D. visitors can have a view of ravines

74. Why are readers advised to visit Iceland between fall and spring?

A. They can watch the wildlife such as puffins.

B. They can take a hike through the lava fields.

C. They can experience waterfalls and hot springs.

D. They can enjoy the beauty of the Northern Lights.  

75. What is the main purpose of the text?

A. To inform how to save money on travel.

B. To recommend some eco-travel destinations.

C. To provide some advice on economical travel.

D. To introduce the benefit of traveling at weekends.

 (云南省玉溪一中2010届高三上学期期中考试)

D

How to Make the Most of Your Time   

Time management is important in our daily life. There never seems to be enough hours in the day to accomplish all you need to do. Here are some tips that might be of some help to you.
1. Set up a plan. Go for a week at a time, and prioritize the most important ones. Include things you want to accomplish. Focus mostly on the things that are important to you.

2. Control your stress. No matter what kind of pressure mounts on you, try to keep cool. Stressing out can lead to an early breakdown, which is definitely counter-productive when you have a list of things to do. It's easier to take a 10-minute break and cool off than work all week with built up stress.

3. Shut your door. When working under a schedule, perform your important tasks with your door shut to get them done. This will ensure a better quality time to get what needs to be done, done.

4. Focus on one thing at a time. Forget trying to multi-task! You will lose concentration, and it will take you longer to accomplish what you set out to do.
5. Just say "no." If you are constantly interrupted, and you really don't have the time to help out, just say "no." You're only one person, and you can't save the world by yourself!
6. Stop wasting time on the phone. While talking on the phone, keep your conversations short, and to the point and you'll waste much less time.
7. Be realistic. You can only do what you can do. Don't set out to accomplish the impossible. Do your best, but keep realistic expectations of yourself.

8. Relax. The most important thing is remember to take time to relax, and regroup. You need a break every now and then to keep working efficiently. Even if it's a 10-minute walk, get away from your list and get refreshed.
   As families today get busier and busier, it's important to your own mental health to keep things on track. Don't delay; get your life in order now.

68. What does the underlined word “prioritize” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. choose something by thinking carefully     

B. recognize the difference between things

C. put many things in order of importance

D. get rid of something that is unwanted

69. We should avoid stressing out because ____________.

A. it may cause us to fail to work normally

B. it may limit the speed to get things done

C. we don’t have enough energy to keep working

D. we are supposed to have a break while working

70. Which statement would the author agree to?

A. Try multi-tasks, and we can get more done.

B. It is impolite to refuse to help others at work. 

C. Having breaks regularly may delay our tasks.

D. It is wise to be aware of what we can achieve.

71. By writing the text, the author would like to ___________.

A. ask readers to share their time management skills 

B. offer some advice on how to make full use of time

C. invite readers to discuss how to improve life quality

D. persuade readers to spend less time on daily routine

（山东省师大附中2010届高三第一次模拟考试）

D

In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments. In the U. S. , the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.

The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyer pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment (预付定金) when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.

  Installment buying（分期付款购货）has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping. It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment. There is, however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment. If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments. If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit, it becomes more likely to have a depression. This is why, in some countries, the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment and installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.

71. Which of the following is NOT true about the installment plan?

A. A lot of British families use the installment plan.

B. More than 10 percent American families buy things on installments.

C. Americans depend more on installment than British people do.

D. Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying.

72. Goods bought on installments are more expensive than goods bought by cash because ________.

A. the buyer has to pay extra money as interest  

B. the delivery of the goods charges extra money

C. the buyer has to pay a down payment  

D. the service offered by installment plan charged extra money

73. What will happen to a buyer if he fails to make the full payment for an item bought on installments?

A. He might lose his job.                 B. He will stop owning the item he has bought.

C. He will have to sell what he has bought.   D. He will go into debt.

74. The advantage of installment buying might include all the following EXCEPT that ________.

  A. purchasing power is strengthened          

B. employment might be increased

C. people develop a good habit of saving money  

D. young couples are able to furnish their homes

75. In some countries, the governments control the installment plan to ________.

  A. increase employment                     

B. avoid depressions

C. ensure that businesses make good profits       

D. ensure people not to cheat on installment

（山东省师大附中2010届高三第一次模拟考试）

B

Since weeks ago，China has been involved a worldwide A/H 1 N 1 flu that has already killed more than 80 people in the middle of May，2009，in Mexico and has turned into a global pandemic.

   The central government has asked people entering China from the virus-hit countries to report flu-like symptoms(症状)to the authorities. In an emergency notice issued on Saturday night，the country’s top quality watchdog ordered the Customs to check passengers’ temperature，too.

   A Beijing airport official Li said Customs officers are on a high alert(警戒)level.

   “Three temperature detectors are now in operation. We’ re ready with protection garments and equipment，too. Passengers flying in from Mexico and other A/H1N1 flu-hit countries are being monitored closely，”he said.

   The Ministry of Health，however，said yesterday there was no evidence to suggest that a person would contract the disease by eating pork.

   Hong Kong，too，has raised its alert level against the flu to “serious”. Secretary for Food＆Health，Mr. York Chow urged people to avoid visiting places from where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported，and said the virus would be added to Hong Kong’s list of the diseases which have been noticed.

  The terrible A/H1 N1 flu has been contracted by about 4000 people in Mexico，and most of the killed were aged between 25 and 45.

  The virus has also infected about 5000 people in the US. The US Center for Disease Control said this kind of virus is spreading from human to human，raising fears of a global pandemic. 

61. What is the passage mainly about?

 A. A/H1N1 flu killed more than 80 people.        

B. A/H1N1 flu is spreading from human to human.

C. China has begun to take steps to prevent A/H1N1 flu.

D. All the people are strongly affected by A/H1 N1 flu.

62. The underlined word “pandemic” in the first paragraph probably means      

  A. death                 B. panic              C. enemy              D. disease

63. Why does the flu cause global fears?

  A. Because most people in the world eat pork. B. Because it’s spreading from human to human.

  C. Because we still don’t know the cause of it.  D. Because it has infected about 5，000 people.

64. According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE?

  A. People would contract the A/H1N1 flu if they often eat pork.

  B. The virus of the A/H1N1 flu has infected people all over the world.

  C. People from AH1N1 flu—hit countries are all forbidden to enter China.

D. People should avoid visiting places where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported.

65. We can infer from the passage that         .  

A. Students in the middle school are most likely infected by A/H1N1 flu.

B. A person would be infected by the virus by eating pork.

C. Passengers from the United States are being monitored closely.

D. Mr. York Chow said that the virus had been added to Hong Kong’s list of the diseases.