Many trees in the Brackham area were brought down in the terrible storms that March. The town itself lost two great lime trees from the former market square. The disappearance of such striking features had changed the appearance of the town center entirely, to the annoyance of its more conservative inhabitants(居民).

Among the annoyed, under more normal circumstances, would have been Chief Inspector Douglas Pelham, head of the local police force. But at the height of that week's storm, when the wind brought down even the mature walnut tree in his garden, Pelham had in fact been in no fit state to notice. A large and healthy man, he had for the first time in his life been seriously ill with an attack of bronchitis.

When he first complained of an aching head and tightness in his chest, his wife, Molly, had tried to persuade him to go to the doctor. Convinced that the police force could not do without him, he had, as usual, ignored her and attempted to carry on working. Predictably, though he wouldn't have listened to anyone who tried to tell him so, this had the effect of fogging his memory and shortening his temper.

It was only when his colleague, Sergeant Lloyd, took the initiative (主动) and drove him to the doctor's door that he finally gave in. By that time, he didn't have the strength left to argue with her. In no time at all, she was taking him along to the chemist's to get his medicine and then home to his unsurprised wife who sent him straight to bed.

When Molly told him, on the Thursday morning, that the walnut tree had been brought down during the night, Pelham hadn’t been able to take it in. On Thursday evening, he had asked weakly about damage to the house, groaned (含糊不清地说) thankfully when he heard there was none, and pulled the sheets over his head.

It wasn't until Saturday, when the medicine took effect, his temperature dropped and he got up, that he realized with a shock that the loss of the walnut tree had made a permanent difference to the appearance of the living-room. The Pelhams’ large house stood in a sizable garden. It had not come cheap, but even so Pelham had no regrets about buying it. The leafy garden had created an impression of privacy. Now, though, the storm had changed his outlook.

Previously, the view from the living-room had featured the handsome walnut tree. This had not darkened the room because there was also a window on the opposite wall, but it had provided interesting patterns of light and shade that hid the true state of the worn furniture that the family had brought with them from their previous house.

With the tree gone, the room seemed cruelly bright, its worn furnishings exposed in all their shabbiness. And the view from the window didn’t bear looking at. The tall house next door, previously hidden by the tree, was now there, dominating the outlook with its unattractive purple bricks and external pipes. It seemed to have a great many upstairs windows, all of them watching the Pelhams' every movement.

“Doesn’t it look terrible?” Pelham whispered to his wife. But Molly, standing in the doorway, sounded more pleased than dismayed. “That's what I’ve been telling you ever since we came here. We have to buy a new sofa, whatever it costs.”

1.Why were some people in Brackham annoyed after the storm?

A．No market could be held.

B．The police had done little to help.

C．The town looked different.

D．Fallen trees had not been removed.

2.In the third paragraph, what do we learn about Chief Inspector Pelham’s general attitude to his work?

A．He finds it extremely annoying.

B．Не is sure that he plays an important role.

C．Не considers the systems are not clear enough.

D．He does not trust the decisions made by his superiors.

3. What aspect of the Pelhams’ furniture does “shabbiness” in paragraph 8 describe?

A．its condition.       B．its colour.          C．its position.        D．its design.

4.As a result of the storm, the Pelhams’ living-room _____.

A．was pleasantly lighter                    B．felt less private

C．had a better view                       D．was in need of repair

5.Why did Molly sound pleased by her husband’s comment?

A．It proved that he was well again.

B．She agreed about the tree.

C．She thought he meant the sofa.

D．It was what she expected him to say.

Surviving treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN

CROSSROADS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

3 MARCH — 3 JULY 2013

At the heart of the silk road, Afghanistan linked the great trading routes of ancient Iran, Central Asia, Indian and China, and the more distant cultures of Greece and Rome.

Nearly lost during the years of civil war and later Taliban (塔利班) rule, precious objects that reveal this diverse past were bravely hidden in 1989 by officials from the National Museum of Afghanistan to save them from destruction.

The surviving treasures date from 2000 BC to the 1^st century AD and included rich gold ornaments (装饰品) found at a burial site and limestone (石灰石) sculptures of a Greek city.

This is a unique opportunity to discover the story of Afghanistan’s ancient culture, its immense fragility, and the remarkable dedication (奉献) shown to its survival and protection.

DETAILED INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS

The exhibition is open late on Fridays until 20:30.

￡10, members free

EXHIBITION AND EVENTS BOOKING

www.britishmuseum.org

020 7323 8181

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT

﹡On weekdays, take advantage of a classic afternoon tea package in the Court Restaurant for just ￡26 (including exhibition ticket).

﹡The exhibition catalogue (￡25 paperback) and other related titles are available in the museum shops or online at www.britishmuseum.org/shop.

﹡The exhibition Multimedia Guide (￡1) is available at the exhibition entrance.

﹡If you are visiting with a group, ask for the group ticket price. Details on group lecture packages are available at www.britishmuseum.org/groupvisits.

SPECIAL EVENTS

﹡Nowruz

Monday 18 March, 17:30.

Nowruz, or New Year, is celebrated in many countries from Afghanistan and Iran to Uzbekistan.

17:30~18:00 Entrance to exhibition.

19:00    Talks and discussion on Nowruz.

￡15 (including exhibition entry).

﹡Performance: The art of the Afghan rubab.

Tuesday 14 May, 16:30~17:30.

Afghan rubab virtuoso Soudi Homayun Sakhi and tabla player Yusuf Mahmoud give a performance of a full raga and folk pieces.

￡5, members ￡3.

﹡Easter holiday activities

Thursday 18 ~ Monday 22 April,11:00~16:00.

Explore the rich culture of Afghanistan. Listen to stories of Alexander the Great, try making a kite and be inspired by the treasures from the Hill of Gold.

Suitable for all ages.

Free, just drop in.

1. If you arrive at the museum on April 20^th, what can you enjoy?

A．Near Year celebration.

B．Performance: The art of the Afghan rubab.

C．Easter holiday activities.

D．The exhibition without any special events.

2.When seeing “The art of the Afgahan rubab”, a tourist can pay less by ________.

A．booking tickets online

B．attending talks and discussion on Nowruz

C．calling at 020 7323 8181

D．becoming a member of the British Museum

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A．Of all the special events Performance costs least.

B．Museum officials saved these objects from destruction.

C．The Multimedia Guide is offered to visitors without any charge.

D．You can learn details about group visit either on website or by phone.

4. Where can you most probably find this passage?

A．In a high school text book.                 B．In a history magazine.

C．In a state-owned newspaper.               D．In a traveler’s booklet.

On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探测器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.

My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.

I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.

I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.

Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.

Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.

My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.

In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.

People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.

This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.

And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.

1. The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.

A．telling a story                          B．giving an example

C．offering an explanation                   D．describing a scene

2.Why did the writer hurry home to finish the essay for the contest NASA held?

A．She had just gathered enough information from Time for Kids

B．She wanted to write down what flashed through her mind in time.

C．She knew from Mrs. Estevez the deadline for the contest was approaching.

D．She was afraid she might miss the chance to compete with the former winner.

3. The writer mentions her grandfather in order to show that ______.

A．she missed him very much.

B．he knew a great deal about space

C．he influenced her to love the stars

D．she treasured their happy moments

4.Which of the following serves as a summary of Paragraph 11?

A．The writer was inspired to be a volunteer by the people she met.

B．The writer owed her success to her team members’ encouragement.

C．The writer met many difficulties in her four-year life with Curiosity.

D．The writer has benefited a lot from her experience tied to Curiosity.

5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?

A．Sharp.            B．Proud.            C．Aggressive.        D．Enthusiastic.

6.What is conveyed in the passage?

A．Curiosity is important to human beings.

B．A thirst for knowledge helps one grow up.

C．Entering a contest is a way to achieve success.

D．Curiosity changes people’s attitude towards science.

Early this morning, I got up to make a batch of Rice Krispie Treats for my neighbor across the hall. She barely greets me when we see each other, and her sweet little boy, who's now four,  has picked up her mother's manner and will not talk to me, either．

Last Monday, she had called the firefighters when a pan I'd forgotten on the stove caused my flat to fog up while I was out taking a walk. When I came home, the street in front of our apartment house was blocked by a police car, a fire truck and an ambulance! The instant I saw them, I remembered the pan! Luckily, nothing serious had happened, and all my neighbors agreed with the firefighter who said, "It could have happened to anyone．" When I thanked the neighbor who had called the firefighters-let's call her Ivy-and apologized for causing the trouble, she just asked if my cats were all right．When I said they were fine, she said, "Well, that's ok then," and turned into her flat．l felt strangely safe, knowing that even though we don't get along, she'd done the right thing and didn't blame me．So, the Rice Krispie Treats．

Last Christmas, my neighbor carelessly let it out that she was holding a grudge （怨恨） towards me because of an incident we'd had four years ago．I had particularly apologized and asked if there was anything I could do to improve our relationship. She would not accept my apology．

It had taken me a lot of courage to apologize and ask that question instead of insisting that we both shared responsibility for what had happened．Her flat-out refusal to make amends（补偿） really shocked and saddened me．After that, I decided I'd just leave her be-a relationship takes two to work．So, you see, I was really scared she was going to refuse my offer again, leaving me standing on her doorstep, facing the closed door and holding my plate of treats． I know some people have a hard time understanding how the possibility of rejection can make an adult so afraid, but that's just the way I felt．

Then, I reminded myself of how loving and good I had felt yesterday when I'd done some random acts of kindness （thanks to helpothers．org）, after telling myself: Feet the fear,  and do it anyway! So I put the squares of Rice Krispie Treats on a beautiful plate, opened my apartment  door-and there she was, standing in the hallway．I smiled and said, "Hi," but when she saw me, she turned on her heels and went back inside, even though she seemed to have just stepped out．I went after her, regardless, and quickly said, "I'm sorry, I've got something for you ! I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you were paying attention on Monday．" When she heard me speaking, she turned around． As I held the plate towards her, explaining these were very sweet American treats, and that she could just try and see whether she and her family would like them, her eyebrows winged up-and she took the plate．l was so happy and excited．We then talked a bit about how she'd become aware of the smoke in my flat, and parted ways．

Back in my place, I did a "happy dance", because I had dared to be kind even though I hadn't been sure at all my kindness would be welcome．I do hope that our relationship will slowly get better; I know I was and still am biased（存有偏见）towards her at times, but even if we don't make amends, I want to be able to be kind without depending on other people's behaviors and reactions .

1.The neighbor held a grudge towards the writer most probably because_____．

A．the writer's cats disturb her neighbor frequently

B．the writer didn't thank her for calling the firefighters

C．the writer never apologized to her for her misbehaviors

D．the writer had an unpleasant experience with the neighbor long ago

2. From Paragraph 4, we can learn that the author_____.

A．was afraid of being rejected again by her neighbor

B．didn't know how to get along with her neighbor

C．didn't admit it was her fault in the last incident

D．refused to forgive her neighbor's rude behavior

3. After the writer said "Feel the fear, and do it anyway!", she decided to_____.

A．do an act of kindness

B．leave her neighbor be

C．apologize to her neighbor once more

D．do something to let her neighbor down

4.What can we learn about the writer?

A．She was a professional dancer．

B．She often had quarrels with her neighbor．

C．She had a bias against her neighbor sometimes．

D．She had an unpleasant experience at Christmas this year．

5. What does the author try to tell us?

A．Don't punish yourself because of other's mistakes．

B．We should be kind to others, regardless of their behavior．

C．We must keep a good relationship with our neighbors．

D．When we make a mistake, we should have the courage to admit it．

下面文章中有5处需要添加小标题。请从以下选项（  A、B、  C、D、E和F）中选出符合各段意思的小标题，并在答题纸上将相应选项的标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。

A. Find a fiction book.

B. Learn how to read your card.

C. Find your non-fiction book.

D. Decide if you want to search by author, title or subject.

E. Learn to find the card you need.

F. Understand the Dewey Decimal System.

The card catalog was once found in every library. Most libraries have now replaced the card catalog with a computerized cataloging system. However, some libraries still have the set of drawers with thousands of cards inside, and some library patrons still prefer the hands-on approach to researching the information they need. Cards are set up alphabetically in long drawers. Different types of cards are kept separate from each other so you may search by author, title or subject. Learning to use the card catalog can help you find the book you want without waiting for a computer terminal.

Instructions:

1______

Once you have found the card for the book you want, write down the numbers and letters at the top of the card and the title and author of the book. The numbers at the top are how the book is cataloged using the Dewey Decimal System, and the letters are the first three letters of the author's last name. Your library will have the numbers at the end of the stacks (the shelves of books), so find the stack your book is located in, then scan the shelves of that stack until you locate the number on the card. More than one book can have the same number, so you will narrow down your search if you have the first three letters of the author's name.

2______

The cards in a card catalog reference other cards. An author card will also have a book title and subject, a title card will have the author and subject, and a subject card will have author and title. This is handy for cross-referencing, so if you want to read a book on beekeeping, you can look that up in the subject cards and find an individual card on each book the library carries on beekeeping.

3______

If you want to look up a book by Stephen King, find the author cards in your library's card catalog, and look under "K". The cards are organized by last name and are broken down into the individual drawers. Sometimes a letter will take up more than one drawer, so you may find drawers that have "Ka-Ke" and then "Ki-Kr." Stephen King will be in the drawer with "Ki-Kr." You would find a card in a similar manner by title or by subject by finding the drawer with the corresponding letters such as "Be" for beekeeping in the subject cards or "Wr" for "The Writer's Market" ("The" is not considered part of titles).

4______

This isn't required to use the card catalog, but it can make searching for your book a little easier. The numbers range from 000 to 999; 000-099 are general subjects, 100-199 are psychology and philosophy, 200-299 is religion, 300-399 is social science, 400-499 is language, 500-599 are natural science and math, 600-699 is applied sciences, 700-799 is art, 800-899 are literature and plays, and 900-999 are geography and history.

5______

The author card will have a call number at the top, a line with the author's name with last name first, then lines for the title of the book, its publisher, a brief summary and subject listings. For an author with many books like Stephen King, there will be a card for each of his books in alphabetical order. Title cards are similar but have the title first, then the author in the following line. Subject cards have the subject in all capital letters at the very top of the card and the same information as on an author's card. Many cards on the same subject will be organized by the authors' last names.

短文改错 （共10小题; 每小题1分，满分10分）

下面短文中有10处语言错误。请在有错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(^)，并在其下面写上该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。

注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2. 只允许修改l0处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Ask your friend that he can use a glass of water as a musical instrument. Of course, he can’t.

Next, you take a glass of water, put your finger into the water and then move it slow round the

rim of the glass, as showing in the picture. Your finger must not be too wet, but it must be dry. So you have to try many time. At last you will hear clear music which came from the glass. When your finger moves round the rim, it makes the glass to vibrate and the glass makes a musical sound. The same principle makes the violin or its strings give music.

The America scientist Benjamin Franklin made a musical instrument out of glass bowls, using the different principle.

书面表达（满分30分）

近期, 你所在城市的中学生就“最美汉字”进行投票。请阅读下面一则新闻报道, 用英文写一篇短文, 向学校英文报“Happy Teens”专栏投稿。

High school students recommend ren as message to the world

The Chinese character ren, a word that generally means “benevolence”, has been selected by high school students in a poll(民意调查)to highlight Chinese culture around the world. The character ren was selected by 8.33 percent of the 3, 000 respondents who took part in the poll, according to one of the organizers, a student from a high school.

It was followed by the characters ai, yi, meng and xiao, which mean ‘‘love”, “one”, “dream’’ and “filial piety”. Those characters ranked in the “top-20 most beautiful Chinese characters”.

China Daily, March 6, 2013. Page 4

你的短文应包括以下内容：

1. 简要概括学生推荐这五个汉字的理由。

2. 简述你最想推荐的一至两个汉字及其寓意。

3. 谈谈你的感想。

注意：

1. 对所有要点逐一陈述, 适当发挥, 不要简单翻译。

2. 词数120左右。开头已经写好, 不计入总词数。

3. 作文中不得提及有关考生个人身份的任何信息, 如校名、人名等。

Recently, some high school students have conducted a poll asking people to choose some Chinese characters that can best reflect Chinese culture. _________________________________

–Hello, I’m calling to complain about one of your sales staff.

–Oh dear, _____

A．why not?          B．what happened?    C．how funny!        D．what a shock!

____new wave of Chinese migration is under way, fuelled by ever-younger students for whom

English is not a piece of knowledge but a living language to unlock ____ door of the wider world.

A．The; the          B．The; a            C．A; the            D．A; a

He turned on the channel, only ____that the football match between China and Iraq was over.

A．finding           B．to find            C．having found       D．to be found