第二部分　阅读理解 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
A
Residents along Australia’s east coast awoke in the morning to an orange sky as winds swept millions of tons of red dust from the country’s inland and dumped it on Sydney．
Tanya Ferguson，living in Sydney，saw that the room was completely orange．She thought there was a bush fire．But when she went outside，the entire city was covered in a film of orange dust．
“It was like being in the outback(澳大利亚内陆)，but it was right here in the city，”she said On that day，a big dust storm swept through Sydney．It covered the city in orange dust for about eight hours，making landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge invisible．
The storm affected the transportation system．Flights were delayed．Roads were busy as drivers struggled in the difficult conditions．Children and the elderly were told to stay indoors until the dust had cleared．Later strong winds blew it out to the sea and up the coast．
No one was hurt in the storm，though health officials answered hundreds of calls from
people with breathing difficulties．Emergency services responded to hundreds of calls about
tree branches brought down by strong winds．
Dust storms are common in the Australian outback，where the land is arid(贫瘠的)．But the storms rarely reach the coastal regions．
Officials said it was the worst dust storm of the past 70 years．Air pollution levels were
15，500 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter．
“On a clear day the pollutants are around 10—20 micrograms per cubic meter，”said Chris
Eiser of the NSW department of the environment．
Experts said that dry conditions in the outback and strong winds caused the sandstorm．
“Ten very dry years over inland southern Australia and very strong winds have combined to produce the storm，”said Nigel Tapper，an environmental scientist at Monash University， Australia．
56．The article is about            ．
A．the causes of the major dust storm in Australian cities
B．different reactions to a dust storm in Australia
C．the damage caused by the big dust storm in Australia
D．the worst dust storm in Australia in the past 70 years
57．Which of the following is TRUE?
A．The dust storm didn’t blow up to the coastal regions of Australia．
B．The level of air pollution was very high due to the dust storm．
C．People called the emergency service because they had got lost．
D．Children stayed indoors for the schooling had been cancelled．
58．From the passage we can see that              ．
A．Tanya Ferguson lives in the Australian outback at the moment
B．a bush fire may have brought the orange dust along the coast
C．this terrible sandstorm lasted about 24 hours after it hit the city
D．Sydney’s landmarks were out of sight when the storm happened
59．The tone of the article is               ．
A．worried              B．sympathetic                C．objective         D．Angry

E
If there is something that appears most frequently on Chinese dining tables, it is doufu—beancurd. Beancurd looks like soft cakes and it’s made from dried soybeans. Beancurd used to be considered a favourite of the poor because of its low cost. Beans have high yields (产量) every year with their short growing period and suitability for various (各种各样) soil both dry and wet.
Historical records show beancurd was invented by Liu An, Prince of Huainan and uncle of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty（206BC—220AD）. He had a dream of finding the pill for longevity (长寿). He traveled all over the country and found soybeans, which looked much the same as gold in terms of colour. He collected soybeans, put them in the water and crushed them into pulp (浆). It got solidified and became known as doufu. Although it’s not able to keep longevity, it’s really good for one’s health with high protein and low fat.
With a long history, beancurd is rooted deep in Chinese culture. People eat more meat and fish than beancurd. But they are encouraged to have beancurd every once in a while for it’s really good for health. Most Chinese people still keep beancurd as one of their favourite dishes.
58. What appears more often on the dining table in poor areas?
A. Meat.      B. Fish.     C. Eggs.         D. Beancurd.
59. Why did Liu An travel all over the country?
A. He had a dream.
B. He wanted to find something that could make people live longer.
C. He wanted to invent beancurd.
D. He wanted to find gold.
60. How long has beancurd been invented?
A. It’s about 1 700 years.   B. It’s less than 2 000 years.
C. It’s 500 years.          D. It’s more than 2 000 years.

B
Thanksgiving Day is special holiday in the United States and Canada. Families and friends gather to eat and give thanks for their blessing.
Thanksgiving Day is really a harvest festival. This is why it is celebrated in late fall, after the crops are in. But one of the first thanksgivings in America had nothing to do with a good harvest. On December 4, 1619, the Pilgrims from England landed near what is now Charles City, Virginia. They knelt down and thanked God for their safe journey across the Atlantic.
The first New England Thanksgiving did celebrate a rich harvest. The Pilgrims landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620. They had a difficult time and the first winter was cruel. Many of the Pilgrims died. But the next year, they had a good harvest. So Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast（盛宴）. The Pilgrims invited Indian friends to join them for their special feast. Everyone brought food.
In time, other colonies（殖民地）began to celebrate a day of thanksgiving. But it took years before there was a national Thanksgiving Day. During the Civil War, Sarah Josepha Hale persuaded Abraham Lincoln to do something about it. He proclaimed（宣布）the last Thursday of November 1863 as a day of thanksgiving. Today, Americans celebrate this happy harvest festival on the fourth Thursday in November. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day in much the same way as their American neighbours. But the Canadian thanks-giving Day falls on the second Monday in October.
45 The first to celebrate thanksgiving were      .
A. some people from EnglandB. the American Indians
C. Sarah Josepha HaleD. Governor Bradford
46. We can infer from the passage that New England must be      .
A. in the U. S. A.       B. in Great Britain
C. in Canada            D. on some island off the Atlantic
47. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Thanksgiving Day used to be a holiday to celebrate a good harvest.
B. Abraham Lincoln was not the first to decide on thanksgiving celebrations.
C. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated to express the American and Indian people’s thanks to God.
D. There’s little difference between the American way and the Canadian way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.
48. The passage mainly tells us      .
A. how Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the U. S. A.
B. how Thanksgiving Day came into being and the different ways it is celebrated
C. that Thanksgiving Day is in fact a harvest holiday
D. how the way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day changed with the time and places

B
Can you imagine traveling to work in a one-man submarine? Some scientists believe that some day one-man submarines will be as numerous (许多) as automobiles are today. A famous French driver says, “One day soon, men will walk on the ocean floor as they do on the street!” Perhaps during your lifetime people will travel, work, and live in the sea.
If human beings want to live in the ocean, many human problems will need to be studied first. Some of these problems, similar to those of living in outer space, are pressure, lack of oxygen and weightlessness. Many questions remain unanswered．For example, can our blood adjust itself to underwater surroundings? What will happen to our muscle if we live in the water very long? Scientists are searching for answers.
Perhaps in the future man will live in the sea, away from the crowded and noisy cities on land．The sea has plenty of space, not only for floating communities (团体) and parks, but also for storing supplies and for underwater travel.
Some scientists believe that ocean living will benefit man in more than physical ways. In the freedom and beauty of the deep sea, man may find new sources of joy.
60．According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A．Man will live in the sea just like living on the earth in time.
B．Human beings can now freely walk on the ocean floor just like walking on the street.
C．There are as many submarines as automobiles in the ocean.
D．A famous French driver found a safe way to travel to the ocean floor.
61．If human beings want to live in the ocean, _____.
A．problems such as pressure, lack of oxygen and weightlessness have to be solved
B．people have to answer many questions asked by scientists
C．underwater surroundings must be improved to fit the human bodies
D．human muscle must be exposed in the water for a long time
62．Which of the following might not be the reason for the people who want to live in the ocean?
A．The sea has plenty of space.
B．The cities on land are crowded, noisy and polluted.
C．Ocean living will do good to them in physical ways and spiritual ways.
D．There are communities and parks on the ocean floor.
63．What’s the best title of the passage?
A．The Use of One-man Submarine        B．Living Things in the Ocean
C．Ocean Living                            D．Beauty of Ocean Floor

D
One day newly wedded Nancy lost her ring while helping to plant potatoes. Friends were called and the field was searched long but in vain. Later, when the pottoes were harvested, Everyone looked out for the ring but it remained lost. Another year came round and all the farmers working in the field kept their eyes open. The following year was the same. And year after year, whoever had business in the field aways had Nancy’s ring in his mind.
Then the farm changed hands but it went no farther than to cousins. So the memory of the lost ring remained alive until thirty-eight years had passed. Then came a spring day when a man was ploughing the field behind a pair of horses. Even after thirty-eight years he still looked out for the ring, and knew just which part of the field Nancy had lost it in. At this time, when he came there, he found it .He picked it up, put it carefully into his pocket, left his horse, and ran all the way down to the village and placed it into Nancy’s hand.
76.How did Nancy come to lose her ring?
A.She lost it while helping to harvest tomatoes in the field
B.She lost it while watering the plants in the field.
C.She lost it while working in the field.
D.She lost it while helping to plant potatoes in the field.
77.What was done so that the lost ring could be found?
A.Friends were asked to join in the search.
B.The field was searched for a long time.
C.Ｄogs were called to look for it.
D.Both A and B
78.Why did people keep looking for the ring even after the farm changed hands?
A.It was a very expensive ring
B.They all wanted to solve the mystery.
C.They all loved Nancy.
D.Everybody wanted to have this ring.
79.What did the ploughman do after finding the ring?
A.He picked it up and put it in his pocket.
B.He ran back to tell everybody in the village.
C.He placed it in a secret spot.
D.He returned it to the owner.
80.What can you infer from the story?
A.The ring was invaluable.
B.People on the farm were honest and helpful.
C.The ring’s mysterious disappearance was the work of supernatural power.
D.Nancy no longer expected that her ring would be found again.

B
Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV ， radio and films all help us to know what is going on in the world and what people are thinking about.
Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows that you say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying “No”. You nod and people know you are saying “Yes”.
Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs on doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed there are a lot of signs around you and you receive messages from them all the time? People can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, seas and many other things.
66.Choose the best title for this passage.
A.Ways for Communication.
B.The Best Way for Communication.
C.The Only Way for Communication.
D.Words Can Carry Messages.
67.How can people communicate with each other?
A.With words only
B.Only without words.
C.Either with words or without words.
D.Just by using different kinds of signs.
68.Which of the following is NOT a way for communication without words?
A.A cry for help  B.A smile on your face   C.Making a face   D.Nodding your head
69.What does the road sign P tell people?
A.You can go into the park.           B.You can please everybody.
C.You can leave your car there.        D.You can cross the street there.
70.How can a musician (someone who writes music) communicate with people?
A.By saying something.                  B.By playing some music.
C.By writhing letters.                    D.All of the above are right.

Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coachers, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create too much anxiety or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.
The early years of development are critical years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skill that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents’ and coaches’ criticisms to heart and find a fault in themselves.
Coaches and parents should also be cautious that youth sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today’s youth sport setting, young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters’ performances. positive support should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates(激发)and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.
61. An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is _________.
A. to make sports less competitive  B. to increase their sense of success
C. to reduce their mental stress    D. to make sports more challenging
62. According to the passage, sport is positive for young people in that _________.
A. it can help them learn more about society
B. it enables them to find faults in themselves
C. it can provide them with valuable experiences
D. it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves
63. Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes           .
A. believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development
B. without realizing criticism may destroy their self confidence
C. in order to make them remember life’s lessons
D. so as to put more pressure on them
64. According to the passage parents and coaches should _________.
A. pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports
B. help children to win every game
C. train children to cope with stress
D. enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports
65. The author’s purpose in writing the passage is __________.
A. to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout
B. to persuade young children not to worry about criticism
C. to stress the importance of positive support to children
D. to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement

E
I came to live here where I am now between Wounded Knee Greek and Grass Greek. Others came too, and we made these little grey houses of logs that you see, and they are square. It is a bad way to live, for there can be no power in a square.
You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round. In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the respectful circle of the nation, and so long as the circle was unbroken, the people were getting rich. The flowering tree was the living center of the circle, and the circle of the four quarters nursed it. The east gave peace and light, the south gave warmth, the west gave rain, and the north with its cold and strong wind gave strength and continuous power. This knowledge came to us from the outer world with our brief. Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. They sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. Birds make their nests in circle, for theirs are the same as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons from a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves. Our places were like the nests of birds, and these were always set in a circle, the nation’s a nest of many nests, where the Great Spirit meant for us to nurse our children.
But the Wasichus (Indian word for “white people”) have put us in these square boxes. Our power is gone and we are dying, for the power is not in us any more. You can look at our boys and see how it is with us. Where we were living by the power of the circle in the way we should boys were men at twelve or thirteen years of age. But now it takes them very much longer to be bull-grown.
57. According to the passage, the Indians ____.
A. don’t have modern instruments in their homes
B. refused to move from round places
C. lived in round places, but were forced to live in square houses
D. lived in round places, but then decided to move into square houses
58. Two things being compared in the passage are ____.
A. the Indians’ past and present living conditions   B. the Indians’ past and modern beliefs
C. the Indians’ old and new power              D. people and nature
59. In the second paragraph “ the four quarters” refers to ____.
A. the four rooms of the Indian’s house  B. the four kinds of natural power
C. the four seasons                  D. the four directions
60. According to the author, once the Indians moved into square houses, ____.
A. they had to move to other houses     B. boys took more time to grow into men
C. they forgot the old way of life        D. everyone was not happy

D
Many of the snacks are high in sugar, fat and salt. Vending machines(自动售货机) filled with unhealthy snacks in leisure centres run the risk of fuelling childhood obesity.
The British Heart Foundation found that despite being banned from schools and children’s TV, crisps and chocolate are on sale where children exercise. And children’s meals on offer at the 35 venues spot-checked were mostly chips, chicken nuggets(鸡肉块), sausages and burgers.
The charity (慈善机构) wants stricter regulation over the food choices available.
The report was prepared by the Food Commission, which looked at leisure centres, bowling clubs, ice skating centres and park cafes.
The average calorie content of vending machine snacks was 203 calories, which would take a seven-year-old 88 minutes of swimming to use up.
Fresh fruit was displayed at less than half of the places visited, and nutritional information was displayed at just two of the places visited. The BHF said this severely limits children’s and parents’ ability to assess the nutritional values of the products they are buying.
BHF’s chief executive Peter Hollins said: “It’s fantastic that these kids are getting fit and having fun at the same time but this is being undermined by junk food sold to them.
“Councils and leisure providers need to reconsider the food choices they are providing and make it easier for parents and children to make healthier choices.”
The charity is now calling for public and private sector providers to lead the way in ensuring healthy food choices available and easily identifiable(可辩认的). It says it should be made a requirement that vending machines in publicly owned facilities be stocked with healthier products.
A spokeswoman of the Department of Health said: “We fully encourage the adoption of healthy vending machines across the country and expect local authorities to make sure there are healthy food options available in their leisure centres.”
53. Children’s meals offered at leisure centres mostly consist of ____.
A. snacks, vegetables, chips and burgers 
B. chips, chicken nuggets, sausages and burgers
C. fresh fruit, vegetables, sausages and burgers
D. fresh fruit, vegetable, crisps and snacks
54. Which of the following can make the children and their parents aware of the nutritional values of the products they are purchasing?
A. Displaying the nutritional information.     B. Displaying fresh fruit.
C. Selling junk food to them.               D. Reconsidering food options.
55. It is implied in the passage that ____.
A. vending machines sell a lot of unhealthy food that causes obesity.
B. leisure centres provide children with food that is not healthy.
C. there isn’t a requirement yet that vending machines sell healthier products.
D. it’s fantastic that kids are getting fit and having fun in leisure centres.
56. The underlined word “fuelling” in the first paragraph most probably means_____.
A. preventing     B. filling with gas    C. increasing    D. Planning

C
We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively（被动地）．We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.
We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else．Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive．Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.
Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem．It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor（谣言）.
Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone．Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person．That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game．The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it．Then the two written statements are compared．Typically, the original message has changed.
That’s what happens in daily life．The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story．Then, too, most people listen imperfectly．And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping（打上标记）it with their own personal style．Yet those who hear it think they know.
This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be re-stated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.
49．According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _______.
A．doing a medical experiment        B．solving a math problem
C．visiting an exhibition          D．doing scientific reasoning
50．The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to _____.
A．active learning     B．knowledge     C．communication    D．passive learning
51．The author mentions the game Rumor to show that _____.
A．a message may be changed when being passed on
B．a message should be delivered in different ways
C．people may have problems with their sense of hearing
D．people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor
52．What can we infer from the passage?
A．Active learning is less important.
B．Passive learning may not be reliable.
C．Active learning occurs more frequently.
D．Passive learning is not found among scholars.