“Having a party at home usually requires a lot of running around on the part of the parents, and often the birthday boy or girl gets lost in wild excitement. But it really doesn’t have to be that way,” said Anaclerio. Last summer, Anaclerio and her friend Jill Carlisle, a Northbrook mother of a 2-year-old, founded a home party-planning business called “A Party in a Basket”. Their goal is to help parents and children share in the fun part of party planning, like choosing the subject or making a cake, while they take care of everything.

    Drawing on their experiences as mothers, they have created (制作) ten ready-to-use, home party packages. Every thing a family needs to plan a party, except the cake and ice cream, is delivered to the home in a large basket.

    “Our parties are aimed for children two to ten,” Anaelerio said, “and they’re very interactive (互动) and creative in that they build a sense of drama based on a subject. For example, at the Soda Shoppe party the guests become waiters and waitresses and build wonderful ice cream creations. ”

    The standard $ 200 package for eight children includes a basket filled with invitations, gifts, games and prizes, paper goods, a party planner and the like. For more information, call Anaclerio at 708-864-6584 or Carlisle at 708-205-9141.

1.The main purpose of writing this text is

A．to share information about party planning

B．to introduce the joys of a birthday party

C．to announce a business plan

D．to sell a service

2.The most important idea behind the kind of party planning described here is that

A．it brings parents and children closer together

B．guests play a part in the preparation of a party

C．parents are spared the trouble of sending invitations

D．it provides a subject of conversation

3.What does the underlined word “hassle”(Paragraph 1) probably mean?

A．a party designed by specialists

B．a plan requiring careful thought

C．a situation causing difficulty or trouble

D．a demand made by guests

    Ken Roberts, the man who found the hare, had been looking for it for nearly two years. Although he had been searching in the wrong area most of the time, he found it by logic (逻辑), not by luck.  His success came from the fact that he had gained an important clue at the start. He had realized that the words: “One of Six to Eight” under the first picture in the book connected the hare in some way to Katherine of Aragon, the first of Henry Ⅷ’s six wives. Even here, however, Williams had succeeded in misleading him. Ken knew that Katherine of Aragon had died at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire in 1536 and thought that Williams had buried the hare there. He had been digging there for over a year be fore a new idea occurred to him.  He found out that Kit Williams had spent his childhood near Ampthill, in Bedfordshire, and thought that he must have buried the hare in a place he knew well, but he still could not see the connection with Katherine of Aragon, until one day he came across two stone crossed in Ampthill Park and learnt that they had been built in her honor in 1773.

    Even then his search had not come to an enD．It was only after he had spent several nights digging around the cross that he decided to write to Kit Williams to find out if he was wasting his time there. Williams encouraged him to contin ue, and on February 24^th 1982, he found the reassure, It was worth ￡3 000 in the beginning, but the excitement it had caused since its burial made it much more valuable.

1.The underlined word “them” (Paragraph1) refers to _____.

A．red herrings

B．treasure hunts

C．Henry Ⅷ’s six wives

D．readers of Masquerade

2.What is the most important clue in the story to help Ken Roberts find the hare?

A．Two stone crosses in Ampthill.

B．Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

C．Katherine of Aragon.

D．Williams’ hometown.

3.The stone crosses in Ampthill were built _______.

A．to tell about what happened in 1773

B．to show respect for Henry Ⅷ’s first wife

C．to serve as a roadsign in Ampthill Park

D．to inform people where the gold hare was

4.Which of the following describes Roberts’logic in searching for the hare?

a．Henry Ⅷ’s six wives

b．Katherine’s burial place at Kimbolton

c．Williams’ childhood in Ampthill

d．Katherine of Aragon

e．stone crosses in Ampthill Park

A．a, b, c, e, d

B．d, b, c, e, a

C．a, d, b, c, e

D．b, a, e, c, d

5.What is the subject discussed in the text?

A．An exciting historical event.

B．A modern treasure hunt.

C．The attraction of Masquerade.

D．The importance of logical thinking.

    “Organic produce is always better,” Gold saiD．“The food is free of pesticides (农药), and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms. And more often than not it is locally (本地) grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty. ” Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into the organic trend, and supermarkets across Brit ain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business. But how many shoppers really know what they are getting, and why are they willing to pay a higher price for organic produce? Market research shows that Gold and others who buy organic food can generally give clear reasons for their preferences—but their knowledge of organic food is far from complete. For example, small amounts of pesticides can be used on organic products. And about three quarters of organic food in Britain is not local but imported(进口) to meet growing demanD．“The demand for organic food is increasing by about one third every year, so it is a very fast-growing market,” said Sue Flock, a specialist in this line of business.

1.More and more people in Britain are buying organic food because _______.

A．they are getting richer

B．they can get the food anywhere

C．they consider the food free of pollution

D．they like home-grown fruit

2.Which of the following statements is true to the facts about most organic produce sold in Britain?

A．It grows indoors all year around.

B．It is produced outside Britain.

C．It is grown on family farms.

D．It is produced on large farms.

3.What is the meaning of “the organic trend” as the words are used in the text?

A．Growing interest in organic food.

B．Better quality of organic food.

C．Rising market for organic food.

D．Higher prices of organic food.

4.What is the best title for this news story?

A．Organic Food—healthy, or Just for the Wealthy?

B．The Making of Organic Food in Britain.

C．Organic Food—to Import or Not?

D．Good Qualities of Organic Food.

David Grant

David Grant has become a familiar face to millions of fans of Animal Hospital. Here Dr Grant tells us the very best of his personal stories about the animals he has treated, including familiar patients such as the dogs Snowy and Duchess, the delightful cat Marigold Serendipity DiamonD．He also takes the reader behind the scenes at Harmsworth Memorial Animal Hospital as he describes his day, from ordinary medical check-ups to surgery (外科手术). Tales From Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the programme and anyone who has a lively interest in their pet, whether it be cat, dog, or snake!

￡14.99 Hardback 272pp Simon Schuster

ISBN 0751304417

Issac Newton: The Last Sorcerer

Michael White

From the author of Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science, comes this colourful description of the life of the world’s first modern scientist. Interesting yet based on fact, Michael White’s learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him. Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic (魔术) ended and science began.

￡18.99 Hardback 320pp Fourth Estate

ISBN 1857024168

Fermat’s Last Theorem

Simon Singh

In 1963 a schoolboy called Andrew Wiles reading in his school library came across the world’s greatest mathematical problem: Fermat’s Last Theorem (定理). First put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seven teenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique. Through unbelievable determination Andrew Wiles finally worked out the problem in 1955. An unusual story of human effort over three centuries, Fermat’s Last Theorem will delight specialists and general readers a like.

￡12.99 Hardback 384pp Forth Estate

ISBN 1857025210

1.What is Animal Hospital?

A．A news story.

B．A popular book.

C．A research report.

D．A TV programme.

2.In Michael White’s book, Newton is de scribed as _____.

A．a person who did not look the same as in many pictures

B．a person who lived a colourful and meaningful life

C．a great but not perfect man

D．an old-time magician

3.Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “baffle” as it is used in the text?

A．To encourage people to raise questions.

B．To cause difficulty in understanding.

C．To provide a person with an explanation.

D．To limit people’s imagination.

4.The person who finally proved Fermat’s Last Theorem is ______.

A．Simon Singh

B．Andrew Wiles

C．Pierre de Fermat

D．a French woman scientist

5.What is the purpose of writing these three texts?

A．To make the books easier to read.

B．To show the importance of science.

C．To introduce new authors.

D．To sell the books.

    Coming in a dose second—and often wrongly mentioned as the most distant land—is Easter Island, which lies 1 260 miles east of its nearest neighbor, Pitcairn Island, and 2 300 miles west of South America.

    The mountainous 64-square-mile island was settled a round the 5^th century, supposedly by people who were lost at seA．They had no connection with the outside world for more than a thousand years, giving them plenty of time to build more than 1 000 huge stone figures, called moai, for which the island is most famous.

    On Easter Sunday, 1722, however, settlers from Holland moved in and gave the island its name. Today, 2 000 people live on the Chilean territory (智利领土). They share one street, a small airport, and a few hours of television per day.

1. It can be learned from the text that the is land of Tristan da Cunha ______.

A．was named after its discoverer

B．got its name from Holland settlers

C．was named by the British government

D．got its name from the Guinness Book of Records

2. Which of the following is most famous for moai?

A．Tristan da Cunha.

B．Pitcairn Island.

C．Easter Island.

D．St. Helena.

3. Which country does Easter Island belong to?

A．Britain.

B．Holland.

C．Portugal.

D．Chile.

It is said that by the end of 2000, one billion people could use English to communicate with others, including both native speakers and non-native speakers.

“The rise and fall of a language is closely connected with that country’s economic(经济的) strength and development potential (潜力).” Rhodri Jones, the English 2000 manager of the ELT group of the British Council said.

An expert who has given many lectures on the future of English said the economic booms（快速发展）in Asia would raise(提高) the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages. Therefore, the English language is facing a serious problem. Where will English turn in the next fifty years or the century?

The recently introduced book from Britain “Future of English” might give people concerned with their question some enlightenments (启发). The book intends to help English teachers, planners, managers and decision makers with a professional interest in the development of English worldwide.

With the book translated into Chinese and to be published soon, the book might be brought to wider sphere (范围)of people.

“From the book, we learn many facts about the English language, and we may be able to predict (预测) its future after reading it.” said Dorothy Humphrey, who used to be a senior English teacher for the British Council.

1. The book “Future of English” helps to _______.

A.  improve the standard of people’s English

B.  adds to people’s interest in learning English

C.  emphasize (强调) the importance of learning

D.  make people interested in the development of English worldwide

2. The main idea of the passage is _______.

A.　　  why English has been popular in the world

B.　　  how to improve people’s ability of learning English

C.　　  English has a bright future

D.　　 the usage of English may become less in the world one day

3. According to this passage, English may not be a world language forever because _______.

A.　　  more and more people will come to visit China

B.　　  people in the world won’t like English in the future.

C.　　  the economic booms in Asia would raise the position of the Chinese and Hindi languages

D.　　 China and India will be more developed than those English-speaking countries

　　   Pollution in water is not simply a matter of "poisons" killing large number of fish overnight. Very often the effects of pollution are not noticed for many months of years because the first organisms（生物体）to be affected are either plants or plankton（浮游生物）.But these organisms are the food of fish and birds and other creatures. When this food disappears, the fish and birds die too. In this way a whole food chain can be wiped out, and it is not until dead fish and water birds are seen at the river's edge or on the sea shore that people realize that is happening.

　　   Where do the substances（物质）which pollute the water come from? There are two main sources-sewage（污水）and industrial waste. As more detergent（洗涤剂）is used in the home, more of it is finally put into our rivers, lakes and seas. Detergents harm water birds, dissolving（分解）the natural substances which keep their feather waterproof. Sewage itself, if it is not properly treated, makes the water dirty and prevents all forms of life in rivers and lakes from receiving the oxygen they need. Industrial waste is even more harmful since there are many highly poisonous things in it, such as copper and lead（铅）.

　　   So, if we want to stop this pollution, the answer is simple: Sewage and industrial waste must be made clean before flowing into the water. It may already be too late to save some rivers and lakes, but others can still be saved if the correct action is taken at once.　　

1. What is the meaning of the word "waterproof" in the third paragraph? It means "　　　　　　   ".

A. full of water　　　　　　 B. not allowing water to go through

C. covered with water　　    D. cleaned by water

2. Which of the following is harmless according to the passage?

A. Industrial waste.　　　　　　　　　　 B. Chemicals.

C. Water for cleaning.　　　　   D. Natural substances.

3. The way to stop water pollution is 　　　　　　    .

A. to realize the serious situation clearly

B. to put oxygen into the river

C. to make the waste materials harmless

D. to make special room in the sea for our rubbish

    It was not an ordinary prison for common crimes. Huge doors closed only on enemies of the King. The Bastille’s workings(运行，管理) were secret. Prisoners were taken to it in closed carriages. Soldiers on guard duty had to stand with their faces to the wall. No talking was allowed. Worst of all, a prisoner never knew if he would be there a day, a week, a year, or forever. Only the King’s letter could set him free.

    Over the years the number of the people thrown into the Bastille by the King’s letter had become smaller. By the time of its fall, most of the prisoners were writers who had written against the wrong deeds of the government. Voltaire, the famous French writer, spent a year there in 1717-1718, and another 12 days in 1726.

    For those who believed in free speech and free thinking, the Bastille stood for everything bad and unfair. The day it was broken into, only seven prisoners were found inside. However, the Bastille was hated by the people. It made one think of the King’s complete power.

1. Who would be sent into the Bastille by the King’s letter?

A. Those who had broken the law.

B. Those who had done wrong deeds in the government.

C. Those who were thought to be harmful to the King himself.

D. Those who had written against the wrong deeds of the government.

2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Prisoners and the guards on duty were not allowed to see each other.

B. Soldiers on guard duty had to walk around from time to time.

C. Only the King could put people in, or let them out, as he wanted.

D. None of the prisoners knew how long he would be there.

3. What did people think of the Bastille?

A. They thought it was not important since they found a few prisoners in it.

B. They thought it was something unfair to be used to punish writers.

C. They thought it shouldn’t be kept as a secret at all.

D. They thought it was the worst enemy against freedom.

4. The writer of this passage mainly wants to________________.

A. tell us a story that happened in the Bastille

B. prove the importance of the Bastille to the King’s power

C. tell about some interesting characters in the history

D. show us the inner workings of the Bastille

    You can’t entirely blame men for this change in manners, though. Gone are the days when women could be referred to as weakers without causing trouble. A whole generation of women has grown up demanding(要求) equality(平等) with men, not just equality in jobs or education, but in social life. Hold a door open for some women and you are likely to get an angry lecture on treating women as weakers unable to open doors for themselves. Take a girl out for a meal and she’ll probably insist on paying her share(份额) of the bill. On second thoughts, that is perhaps not a bad idea.

    It’s no wonder that men have given up some ways of politeness and consideration(考虑) which they used to show towards women. On the other hand, the man’s active politeness is perhaps slowly being replaced by true consideration for the needs and feelings of women, so that men can see women as equal human beings, rather than as weakers or something that can be used to please(取悦) men.

1.　　   Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A.　　  Gentlemen are considered impolite nowadays if they do not offer their seats to a standing woman.

B.　　  A good gentleman who doesn’t give his seat to a standing woman should be blamed.

C.　　  Today women do not enjoy the politeness shown actively to her by men but they considered it pleasant in the past.

D.　　 In order to be equal with men, women have to stand in a bus or train.

2.　　   A woman may get angry if a man holds a door open for her because________________.

A.　　  she doesn’t like him to pay too much attention to all her needs

B.　　  women enjoy opening the door themselves

C.　　  she feels herself treated as a weaker

D.　　 she thinks it impolite for a man to do so

3.　　   What do women really need today?

A.　　  Men’s active politeness and consideration.

B.　　  Men’s true consideration for the needs and feelings of women.

C.　　  Trying to win men’s favor.

D.　　 Men’s good manners such as offering their seats and opening the door, etc.

4.　　   The writer most probably is________________________.

A.　　  a man who thinks the changes are reasonable

B.　　  a woman who wants equality

C.　　  a man who doesn’t agree with the changes today

D.　　 a woman who doesn’t agree with the changes today

    But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to bring the opera to the audience (观众) it needs to keep it alive, the young and not-so-rich.

    Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to make the opera closer to common people. That means no formal suits, old-styled theatre or bank-breaking ticket prices. And because young people don’t or won’t come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such usual places as parks, libraries and public schools.

    The Houston Grand Opera’s choice is the public library, where it performs “mobile operas”, shortened versions (剧本) of child-friendly operas. This summer’s production is Hansel & Gretel. By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level. The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary (周年) this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists’ Training Program.

1. Which is the main idea of this passage?

A.　　  Opera is famous for its long history.

B.　　  Opera is only performed for rich people.

C.　　  Young people are not interested in opera.

D.　　 Opera companies are trying to keep opera alive.

2. The underlined phrase “loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes” means ______.

A.　　  breaking up the old rules　　  　　    B. changing the formal suits

  C.  making the audience at ease　　   D. advertising themselves

3. Opera companies prefer to perform short versions because _______.

A.　　  it is hard to find long versions

B.　　  short versions are easy to perform

C.　　  they can perform in public libraries

D.　　 they can make people come to opera

4. The San Francisco Opera Company employs student actors in order to _______.

A.　　  celebrate its 75th anniversary    　　 B. reduce the cost

  C.  attract young people　　　　       D. make Cinderella popular

5. From the passage we can infer that _______.

A.　　  the tickets for operas are very expensive

B.　　  operas are performed in a difficult language

C.　　  operas are not so popular an art form today

D.　　 students enjoy performing operas very much