As a reader, I, as many other book lovers do, often leave with a long sigh after visiting a bookstore. The prices printed on book jackets keep reminding me how thin my wallet is.

The price of books is now so high that I hesitate before buying a book I love. Many people feel the same way. But I remember that only a few years ago, when I was a college student, I bought several books almost every month, using what was left out of the living expenses sent by my parents, and that was not more than 200 yuan.

But now that I am working and the money I earn is only used to support my own expenses, I find I can’t afford many good books.

There is a saying, “Book lovers have no money, but rich people have no feelings for books”. This is exactly the case. Sometimes I wonder about who the books are published for, especially those books with beautiful hard covers.

It is said that usually, the listed price is more than twice as much as the book’s cost and we can see high profits from selling books. But now there is a contradiction. On one hand, readers who want to buy books aren’t able to, while on the other hand, publishers and sellers suffer from the large stockpiles of unsaleable books being stored in their warehouses. This situation is also a disadvantage to intellectual property right protection because many books of bestsellers are sold at a lower price at some book stands.

The key to resolve the problem is to cut the price to an acceptable level to both sellers and consumers.

I wish sincerely that in the near future common readers like me can buy the books we want without worrying about the high prices too much.

1．The first paragraph of this article tells us that　　   .

A. the prices of some books are too high

B. many readers are too poor to buyお expensive books

C. the writer is one of those who can’tお afford to buy books

D. all the above are correct

2．The writer　　    at college.

A. often bought books when studying

B. was very rich when studying

C. was living a very simple life

D. hesitated to buying anything but books

3． “Book lover have no money, but rich people have no feeling s for books”. means　　   .

A. those who like reading maybe have not enough money to buy books

B. those who don’t want to study otherwise are very rich

C. everything in the world has been changed to its opposite

D. both A and B

4．Fromお the fifth paragraph, we can see　　   .

A. publishers shouldn’t have set the prices of books so high

B. booksellers can hardly earn their living by selling books

C. it’s no good for publishers and sellers if the prices are too high

D. the high prices of books were set by man factors

5．The writer of this article wished　　   .

A. the prices of books could be acceptable

B. the prices of books would be low

C. the prices of books would be lowered down soon

D. he could buy books without worrying about the prices

Every year there are changes in climate in different parts of the world. Some of these changes are due to natural causes. However, some climate changes are caused by air pollution and these changes may increase.

If the pollution affects the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the results are likely to be serious. Carbon dioxide has only a small part of the atmosphere. But it has an important function in keeping the balance between radiation from the sun entering the atmosphere and radiation leaving the Earth. Some of the radiation is absorbed by the Earth and some is radiated back into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents some of the radiation from leaving the atmosphere. Thus the heat remains in the atmosphere and carbon dioxide helps to prevent the temperature of the Earth from falling.

If the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increased as a result of air pollution, the temperature of the atmosphere may rise. This might cause the ice in the North and the South to melt. If this happened, the sea level could rise and parts of the Earth would be flooded, this happening is not quite likely but the possibility exists.

There is also a fairly strong possibility that the dust level in the atmosphere will rise as a result of industrial pollution. This dust pollution will reflect sunlight back into space. If this happens less sunlight will reach the Earth and the temperature will fall.?

Another danger comes from the destruction of the Earth's vegetation(植物)such as the forests of Brazil, which are being cleared away for farmland and cities. Trees use carbon dioxide and their destruction may upset the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

1. The main purpose of this passage is to tell us that_____.

A. the climate of the world is always changing

B. air pollution has greatly affected the climate of the world

C. carbon dioxide has something to do with climate dangers

D. climate of the world is subjected to(使受到)dangers from air pollution

2.From this passage we learn that carbon dioxide_____.

A. helps to prevent the temperature of the Earth from rising

B. keeps much of the sun's radiation from entering the atmosphere

C. plays an important part in keeping the balance of the temperature of the Earth

D. is one of natural causes of climate changes

3.Judging from this passage, if the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere went down, the temperature of the Earth would_____.

A. Become higher    B. either rise or fall

C. become lower    D. neither rise nor fall

4.Which of the following is not the possible serious outcome of air pollution related to climate changes?

A. Parts of the Earth would be flooded one day.

B. Less sunlight would reach the Earth.

C. The temperature of the Earth might rise.

D. The Earth's vegetation might be destroyed.

The world has become a world of cities. With the present rate of urban growth, the majority of the population of the world will be living in cities by the year 2000. This will transform the rural-urban equation (等式) which has marked the history of mankind up to now and will call for new paradigms (变化) and a great deal of innovation (改革) to face this phenomenon.

　　 This being so, one must accept the fact that for some years to come, no policy will be capable of stopping or reversing (使…倒退) the present migratory trends (迁移大潮) from the rural areas to the cities in the Third World. In Africa, the urban population will reach 330 million people by the end of the century as against 150 million in 1985.

　　 The number of people living in shanty towns (贫民窟) will inevitably (不可避免的) increase in spite of the efforts to improve housing conditions. Africa alone needs to build 12 million housing units between now and the year 2000 to meet its most basic needs. In an ILO study, M. S. V. Sethuraman estimates that in 70 Third World cities the proportion (比率) of people living in shanty towns varies from 15% to 70% and that about US $ 116 billion are required to give minimum comfort to these people by the turn of the century less than US $ 10 billion per year.

The world population is growing at a rate of about 90 million people per year, with the Third World accounting for 80 million of them. The pressure on cities can only go on increasing. The urban population of developing countries will go beyond 2 billion people by the year 2000 and since the main reason for the high demographic (人口统计) growth is poverty, the additional population will be mostly made of people of very limited means(资源).

1. Up till the time the author wrote this article, a greater percentage of the world population has lived in _____.

A. rural areas 　　　　　　　  B. urban areas

    C. small towns   　　　　　    D. big cities

2. In spite of the efforts to improve housing condition, the number of people living in shantytowns will increase because _______.

A. houses in shanty towns are cheap

B. shanty towns could provide people with minimum comfort

C. no policy will be able to stop people from moving to the cities in the Third World

D. the Third World population is growing at a rate of 80 million per year

They understand each other through the U.N. interpreters. Some of the interpreters speak as many as ten languages. But they all must know at least three of the official languages.

　　   All of the 2,026 seats in the General Assembly Hall are equipped with earphones. The earphones are attached to the sides of the seats. At each seat there is a box that has a switch with numbers on it. There is a number for each of the six official languages and one for the speaker. By turning the switch, the listener can hear either the speaker or the translations into any of six languages; Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

　　   Now imagine that a meeting is going on. Some of the delegates(代表)speak only English. Others only French or Spanish. Still others speak only Russian or Chinese. How can they understand each other?

　　   By using the earphones and listening to the amusing interpreters!

　　   The interpreters sit in glass-walled, sound-proof booths(隔音的单个小间)looking over the Assembly Hall. They listen to each speaker and translate what he says almost immediately. They speak into microphone connected to the earphones at the listeners’ seats.

　　   How does this work?

　　   Let’s say a delegate at the meeting is talking in Russian. The French delegate doesn’t understand Russian. So he turns the switch at his seat to the number for French. At once he hears the Russian speech translated into French.

　　   The interpreters must be very good indeed. They must be able to hear someone talking and in a matter of seconds translate what he has said.

1. The test is mainly about 　　  .

A. the interpreters who work at the U.N.

B. the delegates who hold meetings at the U.N.

C. how people at the U.N. understand each other

D. how people work at the U.N.

2. The underlined word “interpreters” refers to       .

A. 勤杂人员　　　　　　　　　　　　   B.联络人员

C. 口译人员　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. 笔译人员

3. The interpreters must speak at least 　　  official languages.

A. 2    B. 3    C. 6    D. 10

4. If you speak only Chinese and the delegate is talking in French, how can you understand what he has said?

A. Try your best to learn French

B. Ask others who understand it

C. Turn the switch to the number for French

D. Use the earphone and listen to the interpreters.

5. Suppose you work at the U.N. as an interpreter, so you must 　　  .

A. be an American citizen

B. be able to translate what the delegate has said almost at once

C. be with listeners together

D. know Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The lead story in tonight’s news concerns the fire, which destroyed the major part of Columbia College at 4 a.m. this morning. In only five minutes, more than six hundred girls came out of their dorms to watch their college burn to the ground in the freezing December weather. Fortunately, there were no injuries resulting from the fire. According to the college president, plans were already made to raise more than three million dollars to rebuild the college.

　　   Here is the news from Washington. President Clinton says he is troubled by a scientist’s desire to clone(克隆)a human and is urging the Congress to pass a ban to such experiments for at least five years. In his weekly radio address, Clinton noted Chicago-area physicist Richard Seed’s announcement that he is ready to set up a clinic to clone human babies. President Clinton said that the need for passing laws that would ban human cloning for at least five years is more urgent than ever.

　　   A brief look at the weather for the weekend tells us to expect light showers on Saturday and Sunday. The high Saturday will be in the lower 40°s. On Sunday, we can expect the high to be about 65°s. That’s this evening’s news. Good night from Channel 9 news. Your better news station, and from Alan King, your reporter.

1. When did the fire at Columbia College take place?

A. In December.　　　　　　　　 B. In March.

C. In November.　　　　　　　　 D. In February

2. What does President Clinton want the Congress do?

A. To pass a ban on doing experiment in labs.

B. To ban cloning humans forever.

C. To pass laws to support cloning babies.

D. To pass human cloning ban quickly

3. What will the weather be like on weekend?

A. There will be a strong wind.

B. The weather will be fine.

C. It will be freezing cold.

D. It will be rainy.

4. What is the expected high temperature for Saturday?

A. It will be in the lower 65°s.

B. It will be in the higher 50

C. It will be in the lower 40°s

D. It will be in the high 35s

Until the 1980s, the American homeless population comprised(包括)mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 1993 found that families with children make up the fastest growing part of the homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner cities; this transient(短暂的) and frequently frightened student population creates additional problems---both legal and educational---for already overburdened urban school administrators and teachers.

　　   Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from 350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates(估计)of the number of homeless school children vary completely. A U.S. Department of Education report based on states estimates, states that there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third of whom do not attend school on a regular basis. But the National Coalition(联合会)for the Homeless estimates that there are at least twice as many homeless children, and that less than half of them attend school regularly.

　　   One part of the homeless population that is particularly difficult to count consists of(包括) the “throwaway” youths who have been cast offお their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom are not counted as children because they do not stay in family shelters and tend to live by themselves on streets.

　　   Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate education.

1. The author implied in the first paragraph that 　　  .

A. the homeless population is growing rapidly

B. there is serious shortage of school administrators and teachers

C. homeless children often move from place to place

D. homeless children usually stay outside schools

2. The National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are 　　  homeless children.

A. 700,000　　　　  B. 350,000　　　　 C. 440,000　　    D. 70,000

3. One part of the homeless population is difficult to count. The reason might be that 　　  .

A. homeless children live on the streets

B. homeless children have no parents

C. the homeless are too young to be counted as children

D. the homeless children are not taken as members

4. The aim of the McKinney Act is to 　　  .

A. offer education for homeless children

B. provide family shelters for homeless children

C. reduce the number of homeless children

D. estimate the number of homeless population

The next time you try for a high-ranking post, you could let your possible boss listen to a recommending(推荐) phone call “made” by US President George W. Bush or British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Of course, neither of them could really do that for you--- you could just “borrow” their voices. AT&T labs will start selling speech software that, it says, is so good at reproducing the sounds of a human voice that it can recreate voices and even bring the voices of long-dead famous people back to life.

The software, which turns printed text into speech, makes it possible for a company to use recording of a person’s voice to say things that the person never actually said.

Possible customers for the software, which is priced in the thousands of dollars, include telephone call centers, companies that make software that automated(使…自动化) digital files voice devices. The advances raise severe problems. Who, for example, owns the rights to a famous person’s voice? Some experts even believe new contracts will be drawn that include voice-licensing clauses(条款).

And although scientists say the technology is not yet good enough to commit fraud(打假), would the synthesized(合成的)voices at last be able to trick people into thinking that they were getting phone calls or digital audio recordings from people they know?

Even Mr. Fruchterman, one of AT&T labs’ possible first customers, said he wondered what the new technology might bring. “Just like you can’t trust a photograph any more,” he said, “you won’t be able to trust a voice, either”.

1.　　   The passage mainly wants to _______.

A.　　  introduce a new software

B.　　  describe the future market of a new product

C.　　  advertise a new kind of product

D.　　 explain the disadvantage of a new invention

2.　　   With the help of the speech software, it is most possible to _______.

A.　　  help you to find a better job

B.　　  say what you want in another’s voice

C.　　  make a speech much more easily

D.　　 improve a famous person’s speech

3.　　   If the speech software were widely used, ______.

A.　　  no radio or TV broadcasts would be needed

B.　　  people would no longer believe each other

C.　　  it would not be necessary to go for a speech by a famous person

D.　　 recording of a voice alone would not be taken as proof in the court

4.　　   According to the passage, we can infer that ______.

A.　　  the software will soon prove to be nothing but rubbish

B.　　  the government will forbid the sale of the software in the market

C.　　  it’s hard to decide whether the software will enjoy popularity

D.　　 the software will turn out to be an immediate success in the market

Good health is the most valuable possession a person can have, but one can’t take good health for granted. It is important to remember that the body needs proper care in order to be healthy. There are three things that a person can do to help stay in good shape: eat the right foods, get enough sleep and exercise regularly.

Proper nutrition is important for good health. Your body cannot function well unless it receives the proper kind of “fuel”. Avoid foods with lots of sugar and fat. Eat plenty of foods high in protein, like lean meat, fish, beans and nuts. Vegetables and fruit are especially important because they provide necessary vitamins and minerals. However, don’t overeat. It is not healthful to be overweight.

Getting the proper amount of sleep is also important. If you don’t get enough sleep, you feel tired and irritable. You have no energy. Over a long period of time a little amount of sleep may even result in a change of personality. Be sure to allow yourself from seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you do, your body will feel strong and refreshed, and your mind will be sharp.

Finally, get plenty of exercise. Exercise firms the body, strengthens the muscles and prevents you from gaining weight. It also improves your heart and lungs. If you follow a regular exercise program, you will probably increase your lifespan. Any kind of exercise is good. Most sports are excellent for keeping the body in good shape. Basketball, swimming, bicycling, gymnastics and running are all good examples. Sports are not only good for your body, but they are enjoyable and interesting, too.

If everybody were to eat the right foods and get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly, the おworld would be a happier and healthier place. We would all live to be much older and wise.

1.　　   According to the passage, _______.

a)　　　　 proper care is very important for us to keep fit.

b)　　    if we are healthy, we can adventure ourselves in doing things with less sleep.

c)　　    one can eat a lot to stay in good shape.

d)　　    one needn’t do any exercise if he is healthy.

2.　　   “Eating more and sleeping less” _______.

a)　　　　 can keep healthy

b)　　    is no good for you

c)　　    gets you more energy

d)　　    will keep your personality

3.　　   The underlined word “sharp” means “_______”.

A. having a thin cutting edge　　　　　　　　 B. irritable

C. comfortable　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    D. sensitive

4.　　   The title for the passage should be “________”.

a)　　　　 Eating and Exercising

b)　　    The Function of Vitamins

c)　　    Staying Healthy

d)　　    Sleeping well

Some parents have no freedom. Their children say “jump”, and they jump. They say, “The kids are driving us crazy. ”Yet they do nothing about it. They let their children give their orders.

They do everything for their children. They do things that the children could easily do for themselves.

These parents often give in to their children. Then they are angry and yell at their children. They feel bad and say, “I’m sorry. ” They beg the children to act better. They become their children’s slaves.

Some parents think that being a slave is being a good parent. They may even believe that parents should be unhappy. One group of parents do not agree. They believe that parents have certain rights. These rights are given here:

1. Parents can say no.

2. Parents can say “because I said so”.

3 Parents can be angry.

4. Parents can let children cry sometimes.

5. Parents can punish children.

6. Parents can beat their children.

7. Parents can be selfish sometimes.

8. Parents can be alone when they need to be.

9. Parents can be unfair at times.

10. Parents can change their minds.

11. Parents can make mistakes.

12. Parents can raise their children in their own way.

Parents’ power is good for parents. It is also good for children. It makes them feel loved and cared for. This will help them to be good parents someday.

1. The writer thinks it right that parents______.

A. become their children’s slaves

B. do everything for their children

C. have parents’ power

D. often punish their children

2. Parents power is good for children because______.

A. it makes them feel loved and cared for 

B. it will help them to be real parents someday

C. they can get everything they want　　 

D. they can’t make any mistakes

3. Some parents become their children’s slaves because______.

A. they are always shouting at their children

B. they do everything they can for their children

C. they keep teaching their children

D. they work day and night

4. Which doesn’t belong to the twelve rights?

A. Parents can be angry with their children.

B. Parents can use their own way of bringing up children.

C. Parents can learn a lot from their children.

D. Parents needn’t be always staying with their children.

Have you ever forgotten an appointment at the doctor’s or been late in getting to your part-time job? Occasionally, these difficulties happen to everybody. However, you can avoid such problems if you write out schedules. They will help you to find out how much time you have to do the things that are important as well as those that are fun.

A master schedule can be used to find out how much time you really have for activities. This schedule lists all of the activities that you must complete. A weekly schedule can also be used to help you plan time for the things that you really like to do. Your weekly schedule should include time for fun or recreational activities. It also should include activities that will help you to achieve lifetime, long-term, and short-term goals. Finally, it should include your study time and free time. Free time is necessary so that you can make needed changes in your schedule.

A daily schedule is a final suggestion to help you plan your time.

1. The best title for this passage is______.

A. Making Schedules

B. Completing Activities

C. Planning Your Time

D. A Daily Schedule

2. The passage mainly tells us that______.

A. we’d better not forget the appointment

B. how we cannot be late for part-time jobs

C. making schedules can help us arrange our time

D. it is important to make a lifetime goal

3. A master schedule______.

A. is used to plan time for things you like to do

B. can help you plan your free time

C. can be changed daily if necessary

D. lists all of the activities you should complete