Famous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others."

   Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens.

   Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation.

   Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic.

   Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role".

   Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.

   With so many brilliant examples given, we can see clearly that age is no barrier to some high achievers.

1.From the first two paragraphs, we can see ______.

A. being active at 102 is achievable for everybody

B. Oliveira owes his long life to his mother’s help

C. being fit in old age is a matter of luck and character

D. social skills and wisdom are difficult for the senior

2.How many centenarians are mentioned in this passage?

A. 4                     B. 5                     C. 6                   D. 7

3.By saying "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?” in Paragraph 5, Heesters shows us he ________.

A. wants to sit or lie in comfort

B. is waiting for people to pick him up

C. is willing to work till he dies

D. prefers to give performance at home

4.In the passage so many examples were given to show ________.

A. old age is a big problem if you want to succeed

B. as a senior citizen, you have to be open-minded and optimistic

C. old people should never think of themselves as old

D. old age cannot prevent a great person from achieving a lot

5.In the writer’s opinion, the architect Oscar Niemeyer is not ________.

A. intelligent          B. pessimistic                    C. positive                       D. Diligent

What does the word“youth” mean to you? Many define it as a precious time in their life when they are young, when fun, passion, and imagination seem limitless. But for most high school students, youth is a time of determination and willpower for achieving their goals.

This is vividly shown in Mark of Youth, a movie that opened on Feb 5. Mark of Youth tells the story of four Senior 3 students in a top high school in the days leading up to the national college entrance examination.

Each character represents a different type of student, ranging from the most mischievous(调皮的)to the most motivated. Like most teenagers, they enjoy carefree moments and like to talk about their schoolmates. But the tension of the approaching exam, probably their first life-changing event, is common—they must memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems, work through piles of practice test papers, and improve their scores despite the increasing pressure.

But life exists beyond campus. That the college entrance examination is coming up doesn’t mean they can escape family changes, such as when one character’s parents get divorced or another’s father is arrested. Can these four young people handle their problems and eventually make it to their ideal universities despite their on –and –off campus stress?

The story is set in Hubei Huanggang Middle School, known for its students’ outstanding performances on the big exam. The four students are played by the actors who played in the reality shows Happy Boys and Happy Girls. HongKong actor Alex Fong plays their teacher.

Students may look more fashionable in Mark of Youth than in real life, but it is the story about the final year of high school that many viewers relate to.

“The film is very inspiring,” said Senior 2 student Yao Lingqian, 16, from Leshan Foreign Language School in Sichuan province. “A total commitment(投入)to hard work, though it can be lonely and no fun at all, will leave precious marks on my youth.”

And for Senior 3 student Gao Jing, the film has given her optimism. “The characters taught me that what you score is not the only important thing. The way you approach the exam matters the most,” said the 17-year-old from Zhenping County No 1 High School in Nanyang, Henan province.

“The film really reflects senior 3students’life.” Zhang Ping, a teacher from a senior high school in Qingdao, commented.

1.What is the function of the first paragraph in the passage?

A．To tell us what the word “youth” means.

B．To introduce what will be mainly talked about.

C．To tell youth is a time of determination and willpower.

D．To introduce some famous actors.

2.Why must the four Senior 3 students memorize seemingly endless English words and Chinese poems?

A．They want to enjoy carefree moments.

B．They want to gossip about their schoolmates.

C．They want to work through piles of practice test papers.

D．They want to improve their scores.

3.Which of the following is true about the film?

A．Mark of Youth tells a story that happened on Feb 5.

B．The characters in the film have to face the pressure from both study and their families.

C．The film tells a story that really happened in Hubei Huanggang Middle School.

D．Most characters in the film are played by actors from HongKong.

4.What kind of belief does the film convey?

A．Youth is a wonderful thing.

B．We youth should face challenge with smile.

C．Entrance examination is very important in our life.

D．The entrance examination isn’t so terrible.

5.Which of the person can we see in the film?

A．Alex Fong         B．Yao Lingqian        C．Gao Jing           D．Zhang ping

I took the bus to work for many years. No one knew each other; the passengers all sat there sleepily in the morning. The bus was cheerless and silent.

One of the passengers was a small grey man who took the bus to the center for senior citizens every morning. No one ever paid very much attention to him. One July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.

The next day, the old man boarded with a big smile and said in a loud voice, “A very good morning to you all!” Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured “ good morning” in reply.

The following weeks, our friend was dressed in a nice old suit and tie. The thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.

One morning he even had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. The driver turned around smilingly and asked, “Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?” We never got to know if his name really was “Charlie”, but he nodded shyly and said yes. The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.

Every morning after that Charlie always brought flowers. Some passengers also brought flowers for him. The bus became a happy place.

Then, one morning, as autumn was closing in, Charlie wasn’t waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn’t there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or hopefully---on holiday somewhere. When we came nearer to the center for senior citizens, one of the passengers even asked the driver to wait.

We all held our breaths when he went to the door. The old gentleman was fine, but one of his close friends had died over the weekend. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.

The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, and without a tie. Inside the bus was silent.

The story is mainly developed by ______.

A. time   B. logic    C. comparison    D. cause and result 

Greeted with “good morning” from the old man, people aboard the bus at first _____.

A. felt tired and sleepy and didn’t want to talk   B. greeted him back loudly and politely

C. guarded against the conversation from strangers D. felt surprised and became angry with him.

When the passengers found the old man was not waiting at the bus stop as usual, they did NOT _____.

A. buy flowers and wait for him to come   B. feel anxious and worried about him 

C. miss him and expect to see him    D. hope he was going on holiday rather than falling ill

It can be inferred from the text that _____.

A. the driver didn’t like the old man at first  B. people usually wear a tie when they are happy

C. passengers brought flowers to express gratitude（感激） to the old man 

D. the old man had a great influence on the passengers’ emotion

The purpose of the passage is to _____.

A. introduce the old gentleman and praise his good deeds

B. persuade us to become friendly and considerate to people around

C. tell us to keep silent when somebody passes away

D. criticize those who remain silent when they are greeted

City buses are white and blue. Please board at the front door and pay the fare as you get on. The fare per ride is $1.50 for adults and $1.00 for senior citizens. The fare may be paid by cash, bus pass or multiple passes. Please pay the exact amount directly into the slot at the top of the fare box. Remember that bills are not accepted and drivers cannot make change for riders.

When you wish to get off the bus, please notify the driver in advance by pressing one of the buttons provided throughout the bus for this purpose. The bus may pass bus stops without stopping if no one is getting off or waiting to get on.

There are five subway lines in the city. The fare is set at five rates from $2.00 to $3.50 according to the number of predetermined “price zones” traveled. To purchase the appropriate ticket, please check the fare on the boards installed above the ticket-selling machines in each subway station.

Pass through the automated ticket gates by inserting the ticket into the slot. When getting off the subway at a station beyond the validity of the ticket, pay the additional fare at a fare-adjustment machine.

1.What is the lowest cost of a subway ride for an adult?

2.How can a rider determine the fare of a subway ride?

3.Bus riders can NOT use _________.

4.According to the information, all bus riders should _________.

5.This text mainly tells us _________.

For Senior 3 students, choosing which college to attend can be the most exciting and thrilling time in their entire school lives. This is also true for an American girl 26  Melanie.
Melanie’s dad, James Porter, who is the chief of police for a Chicago suburb, wants Melanie to  27  nearby Northwestern University, where she’s  28  been accepted. But Melanie, 17, really wants to go to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C, where she’s been wait-listed.
When she gets an unexpected  29  from Georgetown University, she decides to 30 a road trip with a few 31 female friends. Melanie believes it is her first step  32 adulthood. But  33 the fact that this trip is “girls only”, James isn’t  34  with the prospect(期望) of his little princess  35  the world without him. He wants to protect her, so he joins the girls and hopes he can convince Melanie to go to Northwestern.  36  Melanie’s father only has the best of  37 , his presence  38 an endless series of comic encounters（遭遇）.
After following their faulty device  39  into the backwoods (偏远地区), James and Melanie  40  Melanie’s little brother and his pet pig have been hiding in the spare compartment (隔间). What should be a simple tyre change  41  the expensive car rolling down a mountain, forcing them to hike to a nearby hotel…. All these disasters add spice(额外的趣味) to their trip while along the way a father and a daughter  42  get the chance to really  43  each other.
All parents,  44  they have college students or not, can relate to the bittersweet realization that their kids are growing up.  45  what Melanie and James have done, we all can find the delicate (脆弱的) balance between staying connected and letting go.