Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening. 

One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own. 

Then, in the country one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 

Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional(偶尔) walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night. 

1. Which of the following statements is true? 

A. People who like country things prefer to live outside the city. 

B. Few people who work in London prefer to live in the country. 

C. One disadvantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper.

D. The people living outside London must like gardens.  

2. One can use the same money for ________ in London to buy a little house with a garden in the country.

A. getting a small flat with a garden       B. having a small flat with a garden

C. renting a small flat without a garden     D. buying a small flat without a garden

3.When the flowers and vegetables in the garden come up, those _______can share the secret of Nature. 

A. who live in the country      B. who have spent time working in the garden

C. who work inside the city     D. who sometimes walk in the parks

4. People who like the city life would feel that _______ if they had to live outside London. 

A. their life was meaningless       B. their life was invaluable

C. they didn’t deserve a happy life D. they were not worthy of their happy life

Health experts have discovered that adding low-calorie vegetable soup to the start of a meal can actually help to lose weight.

Because you feel full sooner, you eat less of your main course.

The soup regime（养生法）was tested by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, led by Dr Barbara Rolls.

They found that when people ate a first course of soup before lunch they reduced their total calorie intake by 20 per cent, compared with those who did not begin the meal with soup.

But those who favor creamy soups should be careful．Researchers stressed the soup must be low-calorie and based on stock（菜汤）, not cream.

All of the soups tested in the study were made from identical ingredients - chicken stock , broccoli（硬花甘蓝）, potato, cauliflower（菜花）and carrots.

They were mixed together to create four different textures and thickness from separate stock and vegetables through to pureed soup.

Scientists thought that thick soups with chunks of vegetables which required chewing might be more filling, but to their surprise they found all forms had the same effect.

The findings were presented to the Experimental Biology conference in Washington, DC, and the research was part-funded by the National Institutes of Health.

1. What’s the reason that adding low-calorie vegetable soup to the start of a meal can actually help to lose weight?

    A. You can take in large quantities of vegetables.

    B. You can absorb high calories from the soup.

    C. You can take in low calories from the soup.

    D. You can feel full soon after having the soup.

2. Which of the following can not be in the low-calorie soup?

   A. chicken stock   B. cauliflower   C. cream           D. carrots

3. What is the best title of this passage?

   A. Vegetable Soup Helps to Lose Weight．

   B. A Scientific Research is Carrying out.

   C. A Research Done at Pennsylvania State University

   D. Findings Carried out to the Experimental Biology.

4. The underlined word “favor” is the same in meaning with ______.

   A. hate            B. enjoy         C. prefer          D. drink.

任务型阅读（满分10分）

请认真阅读下面短文，并根据所读内容在文章后图表中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。

注意：每空只填一个单词。

“Happy New Year!” Everyone will greet each other with these words as they meet each other on New Year’s Day. But it wasn’t always January 1 that marked the New Year.

    At least 4,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians marked the changing of the year. In Egypt, the year started when the Nile River flooded, enriching farmers’ fields. This happened at the end of September.

    The Babylonians held a festival in the spring, on March 23, to kick off the next farming cycle. The Babylonian celebration lasted for 11 days.

    The date January 1 was picked by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar as the change of the year when he established his own calendar in 46 BC. The month of January originates from the Roman god, Janus. He is pictured with two heads. One head looks forward and the other back. They represent a break between the old and new. The new calendar was in time with the sun and it has been used until the present day.

    In Vietnam, the New Year holiday happens in February. They buy fresh flowers and a peach blossom to put in their house, following the Vietnamese custom.

Thailand has its specific New Year’s date; it’s different from the normal calendar. The Thai New Year is celebrated on April 13. On this day, Thai people play with water, throwing it on each other. It is intended to bring good luck during the New Year ahead.

    In China, the more favorable New Year is usually celebrated in February according to lunar calendar (阴历). On New Year’s Eve, all family members sit together at table, enjoying lots of auspicious foods such as dumplings, chicken to bring good luck.

Title:  New Year traditions all around the world

书面表达（满分25分）

环境问题越来越受到人们的关注，联合国教科文组织就如何处理垃圾问题向全世界中学生征文。请你以Saving Our City为题，写一篇100词左右的短文。文章的第一句已给出，但不计入总词数。 内容要点如下：

1. 城市垃圾的危害：①污染环境；②有害健康。

2. 处理垃圾的措施有：①垃圾分类；②报纸、玻璃的再利用；③有害垃圾的处理；④废水处理；⑤制定法律。

3．我们一直在努力，但道路漫长。我们会继续与污染作斗争。

提示：不要逐条译成英文, 请注意文章结构, 和行文流畅

Saving Our City

It is very important to deal with the rubbish in cities. ____________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Before liberation the laboring people had no _________ to education.

She is organized, friendly to people, hard-working and clever. _______, I can’t speak too highly of her.

You must be ________ that what you are doing is quite illegal.

The WTO urged that all the countries ________ measures to prevent swine flu spreading.

In life, you will _________ many unexpected things. If not so, what is the meaning of life?

No child likes being __________ at home while others go out to enjoy themselves.