Soccer star David Beckham will be there with his pop star wife Victoria. Elton John is attending with partner David Furnish.
The guest list for the April 29 union of Prince William and Kate Middleton is still being kept secret, but details have begun to leak out, with some coming forward to say they are attending and the Mail on Sunday newspaper claiming to have  the  official  invitation  roster (名单).
The palace dismissed the newspaper's list as speculation (猜测) Sunday.
It won't be clear until the day how the royal couple has balanced the protocol demands (王室规则) that they invite statesmen, diplomats, religious leaders, politicians and the like with invitations to the people they really want to see, particularly the crowd they made friends with when they met and fell in love at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
Kate Reardon, editor of high-society magazine Tatler, said many prominent Britons acted as if they didn't really care about receiving an invitation while secretly checking the mail every day to see if the invitation had arrived.
"Everyone's been hoping," she said.
William and Middleton have showed their modern side by inviting a number of close friends, including some former sweethearts, the newspaper said.
The wedding is not technically a state event, which somewhat limits the protocol requirements applied to the guest list. But royal obligations (职责) still order that a large number of the 1,900 or so seats go to guests from the world of politics, not actual friends of the couple.
The couple have also invited many guests from the charities they work with, and Middleton has used her influence to invite the butcher, shopkeeper and pub owner from her home village of Bucklebury.
President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle were not invited and many other international leaders are also expected to be watching on TV, not from a seat at Westminster Abbey.
It is not clear if treasured Brits from the world of stage and screen and pop music will be on the list.
【小题1】 Who were not invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding?    

A．David Beckham and his wife.

B．Elton John and his partner David Furnish.

C．People from the charities they work with.

D．President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

【小题2】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?     

A．The guest list for the wedding is officially announced.

B．The wedding is technically a state event.

C．Only the actual friends of the couple will be invited to the wedding.

D．A large number of guests from the world of politics will be invited.

【小题3】The word "prominent" in paragraph 5 probably means         .  

A．honest	B．modern
C．well known and important	D．busy and hardworking

【小题4】It can be inferred from the passage that         .  

A．their wedding will be held at Westminster Abbey on April 29th.

B．Kate Reardon was invited to the wedding.

C．journalists will not be allowed to attend the wedding.

D．their former sweethearts are sure to attend their wedding.

【小题5】The best title for the passage might be         .   

A．Prince William and Middleton fall in love at St. Andrews University

B．British royal wedding guest list details leaks out

C．Prince William and Middleton prepares for their grand wedding

D．British singers and movie stars invited to the wedding

Now, it’s time for some brief news items.
Teens Go Online
Some 13 million European children under 18 use the Internet for schoolwork, games and music according to research done by Nielsen’s “Net-rating”. The study covered Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Experts advesed parents to limit the time their kids on line and keep them away from chat rooms.
Chat to the magic Mum
British author J.K.Rowling, mother of magic boy Harry Potter, will do an Internet interview about her new bool”Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”on June 26. Before the event, children are invited to send their questions about Harry to the website. The book will hit stores in the US and UK on June 21 and will arrive in China in August.
School Soldiers
Russian school students will have to do basic military training in their final year of school, the government has decided．The lesson will include learning to fire guns, marching drills and how to deal with a chemical, nuclear or biological attack. The activity is seen as part of a drive toward the education of their love for their country.
Is it hard for you to get up early and get ready for classes? Some students at Winter Park High School just roll our of bed in their pajamas(睡衣) and go to class in their own bedrooms. Of course, their teachers and classmates do not see them because all their class work is on the computer. The Florida High School, the state’s only online school, had 250 students who are taking classed at home by computer. Students in this first online program take classed in algebra(代数)， American government , chemistry, computer, economics, and web-page design. They also have to go to regular school to attend other classes.
【小题1】In the first news item, which country is NOT covered in the research?

A．Britain.

B．France.

C．Sweden.

D．Spain.

【小题2】Why will Russian school students have basic military training?

A．To get ready for a milirary parade.

B．To learn to protect themselves.

C．To gain some military knowledge.

D．To develop their love for the country.

【小题3】What is the second news item mainly about?

A．J.K.Rowling will have an Internet interview.

B．Children will meet Harry Potter’s mother.

C．The Harry Potter book will be available on the Internet.

D．The Harry Potter book will arrive in China in early June.

The United Nations says forty million people or so around the world went hungry in 2008, mainly because of higher food prices. Early estimates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that 963 million people did not get enough to eat.
World food prices have dropped since early 2008. Prices of major crops have decreased by more than half from their height earlier last year. But they remain high compared to earlier years.
But FAO official Hafez Ghana says lower prices have failed to end the food crisis（危机）in many poor countries. "For millions in developing countries," he says, "getting enough food every day to live an active and healthy life is a distant dream.”
The FAO says food shortage is a threat to people's health. Today, two-thirds of the world's undernourished people live in just a few countries. These are India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and so on.
A report on food insecurity warns that the current economic crisis could send even more people into hunger and poverty.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of the people who continually go hungry fell from 34% in 1997 to 30% in 2008. But the FAO says Ghana is the only country that has reached two sets of hunger reduction targets. These were set by the 1996 World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals. The main reason is the growth in agricultural production in Ghana.
The FAO says some countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Vietnam have made progress in hunger reduction goals. But South Asia and Central Asia haven't, and North Korea is still in hot water.
【小题1】 What FAO official Hafez Ghana says implies _________.

A．it's easy but takes long to provide people with enough food

B．enough food can make people more active and healthier

C．there is difficulty solving the food shortage in a short time

D．people in developing countries will never get enough food

【小题2】Ghana has reached the targets of hunger reduction mainly because of ________.

A．the still high food prices	B．the donation of developed countries
C．the two targets of hunger reduction	D．the growth in agricultural production

【小题3】 The underlined word “undernourished” in Para. 4 probably means _________.

A．hungry and unhappy	B．unhealthy for lack of food
C．not fat because of poverty	D．undeveloped and poor

【小题4】 Which country has not made progress in hunger reduction?

A．North Korea

B．Thailand

C．Vietnam

D．Ghana

【小题5】What is the best title of this passage?

A．The food production of the world	B．The hunger reduction target of the FAO
C．The food shortage around the world	D．The solution to the global food shortage

The bus driver and his passengers were being hailed as heroes last night after rescuing a woman from her burning car following a crash on the Bluff Highway. The 60-year-old woman was taken by ambulance to Southland Hospital after firefighters battled for 30 minutes to cut her from her car.
Acting Senior Sergeant Brock Davis, of Invercargill, said emergency services were called to the scene of the crash at the crossroads of Motorimu Rd and State Highway I shortly before 5:00 p.m. yesterday.
Mr. Davis said a Mitsubishi car driven by a 30-year-old man traveling north on the highway and the woman’s southbound（南行的）Suzuki Alto collided（碰撞）. The man suffered slight injuries in the crash, he said.
Invercargill Passenger Transport Ltd driver Bill McDermott and his passengers—New Zealand Aluminum Smelters Ltd workers were first on the scene and alerted emergency services. The scene at the spot was disordered, Mr. McDermott said.
“There was a car on its side and a guy wandering around who was quite excited,” he said. “We stopped, got out and found a lady trapped in her car …… then we noticed flames in the engine bay and the smell of petrol.” Mr. McDermott took a fire extinguisher（灭火器）from the bus，doused（泼洒）the flames，and several other workers controlled traffic.
However，he said his actions were “no big deal”. He was not willing to take any credit for helping the woman.
“The praise goes to all the guys that jumped off that bus.” Invercargill Senior Station officer Alan Goldsworthy, who was an officer in charge at the scene, said there was a possibility the car could have burst into flames if Mr. McDermott and the smelter workers had not helped. “They should acquire a good pat on the back.” he said.
【小题1】 It can be known from the passage that the car accident happened _____.

A．at noon	B．in the morning
C．in the afternoon	D．at night

【小题2】Who should get the biggest praise according to the reporter？_____.

A．Brock Davis.	B．Bill McDermott.
C．Allan Goldsworthy.	D．The firefighters.

【小题3】The underlined sentence “They should acquire a good pat on the back” in the last paragraph really means _____.

A．the government should give each of the heroes a gold medal of honor

B．the saved woman should offer as much money to the heroes as she can

C．everybody there should pat the heroes on the back gently and thankfully

D．the good deeds of the heroes are well worthy of great appreciation

STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.
Speed dating
It’s exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again―25 times in all.
Lock and key party
Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot (票数） for top prizes!
Dinner in the dark
Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.
Message party
Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait… You’ve got a message… Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.
【小题1】What do you think the similarities of these parties are?

A．All the parties have very strict rules for their members.

B．If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket.

C．All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers.

D．All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old.

【小题2】 In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?

A．Speed dating.	B．Lock and key party.
C．Dinner in the dark.	D．Message party.

【小题3】If you go to the Dinner in the dark, ________.

A．you have to wear night vision glasses

B．you have to eat with your hands

C．guests eat all the courses in the darkness

D．your dining partners will help you choose the food

【小题4】 How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?

A．1.

B．2.

C．3.

D．4.

Following the nuclear at the Fukushima (福岛) nuclear power station in Japan, Germany has decided to abandon the use of nuclear energy sooner than it had planned.
Germany was planning to cut its use of nuclear power slowly over 25 years. But now, the government has speeded up its program. Germany’s government has said that seven of its 17 nuclear reactors (反应堆) will stop working for three months for safety checks.
Nuclear power has been very unpopular in Germany since the Chernobyl (切尔诺贝利) nuclear reactor disaster in Ukraine (乌克兰) in 1986. Since then, the country has been working on developing new resources of energy.
The plan to give up nuclear power will cost the country at least 150 billion euros (1.4 trillion yuan)) in investment. Experts say this will likely lead to a rise in electricity prices.
Some experts think Germany is setting a good example for countries such as the US to follow. Germany now gets 23 percent of its energy from nuclear power –about as much as the US.
However, France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, shows no sign of changing its policy.
【小题1】
We can most probably read the article _______. 

A．in a newspaper	B．in a pamphlet(小册子)
C．in an advertisement	D．in a textbook

【小题2】
The most appropriate heading for this article is _______.

A．Germany to develop its new resources of energy

B．Nuclear power no longer popular in Germany

C．Germany to have safety checks for some nuclear reactors

D．Germany to end its nuclear energy program

【小题3】
According to the article, all of the following statements are true EXCEPT______.

A．In both the US and Germany, approximately a quarter of their energy are from nuclear power now.

B．The explosion of some Fukushima nuclear reactors has quickened Germany’s pace to abandon nuclear energy.

C．France, which relies on nuclear energy for more than 70 percent of its power, will follow Germany and cut its use of it at any cost.

D．The Chernobyl nuclear disaster seemingly cast a huge shadow over the Germans, making them increasingly suspicious of the safety of nuclear energy.

SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Captain Goodfellow
Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Goodfellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, free.
Walking Tour of the Town
Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!
Films at the Museum
Two European films will be shown on Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The Workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.
International Picnic
Are you tired of eating the food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.
Take Me out to the Ballgame
It’s October, and tonight is your last chance to see the Redbirds this year. Get your tickets at the gate. It might be cold… Don’t forget sweaters and jackets.
Do You Want to Hear “The Zoo”
“The Zoo”, a popular group from Australia, will give their first U.S. concert tomorrow night at 8 at Rose Hall, City College.
【小题1】
You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food _______.

A．at the front entrance of City Hall	B．at the Ballgame
C．at Rose Hall, City College	D．at Central Park on Saturday

【小题2】
“ The Zoo” is __________.

A．going to give the concert at 8 am tomorrow	B．U.S. concert
C．a music group	D．a park with lots of animals there

【小题3】
You may see this passage in ________.

A．a British newspaper	B．an American newspaper
C．a British magazine	D．an American magazine[来源:Z.xx.k.Com]

At 7:49 a.m. local time on Wednesday, April 14th, a huge earthquake struck Yushu County in Qinghai, China, described as “end of the earth” in a famous poem of the Tang Dynasty.
The earthquake destroyed many houses, cut off power and caused over 2,000 deaths and injuries. On the night when the earthquake happened, many survivors had to sit or lie on the ground in terrible darkness. Some brought their own tents and others turned on the lights of motorcycles. It seemed that the earth was at an end. But their natural character made them get together to fight the early spring’s cold nights. Facing the disaster, they chose to be stronger and standing still and firmly like Yushu, the name of their hometown meaning “Standing like Trees”.
The disaster drew much attention both at home and abroad. Our country leaders ordered rescuers（营救人员） to value every life and never to give up. Thousands of rescuers and medical teams rushed to Yushu from many areas of China, bringing machines, medicines and something necessary to the quake-hit town. They entered every village to search for survivors. Governments, organizations and volunteers are offering money and materials to the areas.
We believe that under the leadership of the Central Government, people in the disaster areas are sure to restore production and rebuild homeland as soon as possible. And the overall victory can be achieved in the earthquake rescue work.
【小题1】
In Paragraph 2, the writer refers to the meaning of “Yushu” to show that _______.

A．the strong trees stand still to fight the early spring’s cold nights

B．some trees were cut down to make tents to live through the disaster

C．the big tree standing still brings the local people good luck

D．people there are brave and strong when facing the earthquake

【小题2】
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．Yushu, a young town, was destroyed in the terrible earthquake.

B．A huge earthquake once hit Yushu County in the Tang Dynasty.

C．The whole nation does its best to help rebuild the new homeland.

D．There was still electricity after the earthquake struck the town.

【小题3】
The underlined word “restore” in Paragraph 4 probably means _______.

A．战胜

B．储存

C．恢复

D．修理

Neighbors rescued a woman from her burning home early Monday morning，and three firefighters were hurt putting out the flames in Green Bay.
The fire was discovered around 4 o'clock at a three-story home in the South Quincy Street on the city's east side. Investigators(调查者) say 68-year-old Mary Taylor lives there with her two dogs.
“I got out of bed and went to the front window and could hear somebody was yelling(叫喊)，‘Fire!’” Curt Dworak said.When he realized what was happening, he threw on some clothes and ran to help. “I was just hoping Mary wasn't in there，but her car was in the driveway，so I just reacted,” he said, “I just broke the glass and then went in through the window.”
Dworak yelled for Mary but got no response. As he searched，the fire grew and debris(碎片) started falling around him. I didn't know what to do. I yelled for her a couple more times，and then I heard her. Disoriented(分不清方向的)and unable to move, Mary was sprawling(趴) on the floor in the back of her house，so Dworak picked her up and carried her to safety.
Dworak, who has been hailed as a hero by Green Bay Fire Department but shrugged of the praise，said，“They would have done the same thing. Mary is a nice lady，and how could you live with yourself if you didn't do something like that?”
Mary was up and talking before she was taken to the hospital to be checked out. Dworak escaped without a thin cut.
【小题1】
As soon as Dworak realized there was a big fire，he        .

A．went to his front window and stood watching

B．put on his clothes quickly and rushed there

C．searched for Mary's crying in her room

D．put away his clothes and jumped off his house

【小题2】
The sentence “ but her car was in the driveway” in Paragraph 3 implies(暗指) that
      .

A．Mary was just in the house.	B．Mary's car was in Dworak's way.
C．Mary's car was broken.	D．Mary's car was in good condition.

【小题3】
The underlined Word “ hailed” in Paragraph 5 can be replaced by “         ”.

A．named

B．checked

C．praised

D．trained

【小题4】
What can we learn from the passage?

A．It was Dworak who found the fire first.

B．Dworak was badly injured by the fire.

C．Mary lost consciousness in the flames.

D． Mary is friendly to her neighborhood.

Rescuers have found the bodies of over 130 people killed in two ferry disasters in Bangladesh．The accidents happened during a storm that hit the country on April 21st．Hundreds more are missing or feared to be dead．
The two ferries sank in different rivers near the capital city of Dhakfi as strong winds and rain hit the South Asian country．The government has since banned all ferries and other boats from traveling at night during the April-May stormy season. One of the ferries，MV Mitali，was carrying far more people than it was supposed to．About 400 passengers fitted into a space made for just 300，police said．The second ferry carried about 100 passengers．
“The number of deaths is certain to rise．”said an official in charge of the rescue work．“No one really knows how many people were on board the ferry or how many of them survived.” Ferries in Bangladesh don’t always keep passenger lists，making it difficult to determine the exact number of people on board．Besides the ferry accidents，at least 40 people were killed and 400 injured by lightning strikes．falling houses and trees and the sinking of small boats．Storms are common this time of year in Bangladesh，as are boating accidents．Ferry disasters take away hundreds of lives every year in a nation of 130 million people．Officials blame these river accidents on a lack of safety measures, too many passengers in boats and not enough checks on weather conditions． Ferries are a common means of transport in Bangladesh．It is a country covered by about 230 rivers．Some 20,000 ferries use the nation’s  Waterways every year．And many of them are dangerously overcrowded．Since 1977, more than 3,000 people have died in some 260 boating accidents．
【小题1】The two ferry disasters occurred_______.

A．at noon

B．in the morning

C．at night．

D．In the afternoon．

【小题2】_______ passengers was MV Mitali designed to carry?

A．500

B．100

C．400

D．300

【小题3】Officials attribute boating accident to _______

A．strong winds．	B．bad weather conditions．
C．the blockages of waterways．	D．the lack of safety measures．

【小题4】Which of the following statements is NOT true of the two ferry disasters?

A．They happened during a storm．	B．They sank on April 21．
C．The exact number of deaths could be easily determined．
D．They sank somewhere near Dhaka．