Steinbeck, John, 1902-68, American writer, born in Salinas, Calif., studied at Stanford. He is probably best remembered for his strong sociological novel The Grapes of Wrath, considered one of the great American novels of the 20th century. Steinbeck's early novels-Cup of Gold (1929), The Pastures of Heaven (1932), and To a God Unknown (1933)-attracted little critical attention, but Tortilla Flat (1935), an affectionate（亲切的）yet realistic novel about the lovely, Spanish-speaking poor of Monterey, was enthusiastically received.

A merciful understanding of the world's poor was to be Steinbeck's mark. The novel In Dubious Battle (1936) defends striking immigrant agricultural workers in the California fields. In the novel Of Mice and Men (1937; later made into a play), Steinbeck again presents immigrant workers, but this time in terms of human worth and integrity（完好）－a theme he also used in The Moon Is Down (1942; later made into a play), about Norwegian resistance to the Nazis. The Grapes of Wrath (1939; Pulitzer Prize), while treating the hard situation of dispossessed Dust Bowl farmers during the 1930s, presents a universal picture of victims of disaster. Steinbeck's description of the westward migration of the Joad family, and their following struggles in the agricultural industry of California, is realistic and moving, and he presents his inferior characters with nobility.

Steinbeck's other works are diverse, ranging from the literal account of a voyage, The Sea of Cortez (1941; written with the marine biologist E. F. Ricketts),to a moral story, The Pearl (1948); to a French folk piece, The Short Reign of Pippin IV (1957). Love of his native land shines through the delicately nostalgic story "The Red Pony" in The Long Valley (1938). The somewhat emotional attitude of Tortilla Flat appears again in Cannery Row (1945), The Wayward Bus (1947), and Sweet Thursday (1954). 

How many novels adapted into a play are mentioned in the passage ?_________.

A. Nine             B. Seven                C. Four             D. Two

Accoding to the passage , which of the following is true?

A. The Grapes of Wrath, is considered one of the great novels of this century.

B. Only in the novel In Dubious Battle Steinbeck referred to immigrant workers.

C. In The Grapes of Wrath, farmers living in Dust Bowl possess almost nothing.

D. All Steinbeck’s late works are related to his love of his native land.

We can learn from the passage that Steinbeck         .

A. did not draw much attention until Tortilla Flat was published

B. wrote all his novels in terms of human worth and integrity

C. presented poor but noble characters in all his novels

D. showed his love for his native land in The Short Reign of Pippin IV

The passage is mainly about Steinbeck’s          .

A. works                B. life             C. fame             D. prize

LONDON — Life for Cathy Hagner and her three children is set to permanent(永久的) fast-forward.

Their full school day and her job as a lawyer's assistant are busy enough. But Hanger also has to take the two boys to soccer or hockey or basketball while dropping off her daughter at piano lessons or Girl Scout Club.

Often, the exhausted family doesn't get home until 7 pm. There is just time for a quick supper before homework. In today's world, middle-class American and British parents treat their children as if they are competitors racing for some finishing line.

Parents take their children from activity to activity in order to make their future bright. It seems that raising a genius has become a more important goal than raising a happy and well-balanced child.

“Doctors across the country are reporting a growing number of children suffering from stomachaches and headaches due to exhaustion and stress,” says child expert William Doherty of the University of Minnesota.

Teachers are dealing with exhausted kids in the classroom. It's a very serious problem. Many children attend after-school clubs by necessity. But competitive pressures also create an explosion of activities. They include sports, language, music and math classes for children as young as four.

“There is a new parenting trend(趋势) under way which says that you have to tap all your child’s potential(潜能) at a young age; otherwise you will let him down,” says Terry Apter, a Cambridge-based child and adolescent psychiatrist(青少年精神病专家).

“It isn't entirely new: there have always been pushy parents. But what was previously(以前) seen as strange behaviour is now well accepted.”

1. From the second paragraph of this passage we can find that _______.

A. Hagner wastes much time helping her children's lessons

B. Hagner doesn't spend much time on her full-time job

C. Hagner is interested in sports and music

D. Hagner busies herself by following a trend

2. British parents, as the writer described in this passage, _______.

A. treat their children as sports players

B. pay no attention to their children's lessons

C. bring up their children in a simple way

D. give their children little time to develop freely

3. The writer's opinion about after-school clubs is that ________.

A. activities in the country are too competitive

B. children should attend four clubs at a time

C. some clubs result in competitive pressures

D. clubs should have more subjects for school children

4. The last paragraph tells us that in Britain _______.

A. parents used to take their children to every club

B. parents used to be wise on how to raise children

C. parents have all benefited from children’s clubs

D. parents have come to know the standard of education

San Francisco has long been a favorite place for travelers who are ready to learn languages．The mild （温和的） year-round climate, shops and restaurants, bars and night-life, and some of the most beautiful scene in the US attract many visitors to this relaxing and welcoming city．Students are sure to find the San Francisco Bay Area an interesting, safe and friendly place in which they can live and study．This is the most important．

English School in San Francisco is located in the heart of the city．It is one of the best San Francisco English language schools．You can see views of the city from your classroom! Many buses stop less than a five-minute walk from the school, which is also just a two-minute walk from the famous Union Square, San Francisco Shopping Centre, the Financial District, Yerba Buena gardens and the Museum of Modern Art．The school is minutes away from the cable cars （缆车） to Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf and a boat ride on the bay．

San Francisco is a great place to study English and learn about American culture, offering excellent opportunities in sports, entertainment and arts．The city borders （接近） excellent beaches, and you can sail or surf all year round．

San Francisco has more restaurants than any other city in the US, and is the home of many theaters, music and dance companies, as well as museums．Just walking through the many areas of San Francisco, you are certain to find something wonderful．

That San Francisco attracts students most might be ______．

       A．the mild year-round climate

       B．its beautiful scenery

       C．shops and restaurants, bars and night-life

       D．a good place to live and study in

It is only a two-minute walk from English School to ______．

       A．a bus stop        B．the beaches

       C．the Financial District       D．Fisherman’s Wharf

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

       A．English School has the most beautiful scenery in the US．

       B．Most of the restaurants in the US are located in San Francisco．

       C．In San Francisco, one can experience one part of American culture．

       D．English School in San Francisco is one of the best in the US．

The author mainly wants to tell us ______．

       A．about English schools in the US

       B．the places around English School

       C．about the beautiful scenery in San Francisco

       D．San Francisco is a good place to learn language

The creation of a Chinese Green Card in 2004 was a milestone in the country’s immigration law. Five years on, the card is an increasingly sought-after document.                                                                                                            

  On August 15, 2004, the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence

oAliens in China created a Green Card system granting qualified foreigners the right to live in

China permanently.

Liu Lili, who works in the Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, has watched the Green Card system develop since its inception. She said nearly all applications received by the Bureau are approved. So far, 323 people have been granted a “Green Card” qualifying them for permanent residence in Beijing. Another 15 are awaiting final approval. It takes around 6 months to process each application.

Of the 323 Green Card holders, 94 are wives or husbands of Chinese citizens; 50 are minors dependent on their parents; 20 are senior citizens returning to live with relatives; 114 are individuals who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China (another 7 are their family members); and 23 are high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses (another 15 are their family members).

Liu said the authorities had been granting residence to returning senior citizens for some time before the Green Card system was formally launched .The government has approved permanent residence for over 3,000 foreigners since the implementation of the Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens which was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in November 1985.

Four groups of people are eligible for permanent residence: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China’s economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make large  direct investments in China; persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and people who come to China to be with family, such as husbands and wives, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives.

Liu said that most applications she dealt with were from American citizens.

Why do overseas citizens apply for permanent residence status in China? The main concern, aid Liu, is the political factor. Once people have a “Green Card”, they feel they are accepted and trusted by the Chinese government. The “Green Card” also facilitates entry and exit. With permanent residence status, visas are no longer needed and people can enter and leave the country using only a valid passport. China offers outstanding career opportunities and is seen by many as safer and more secure than many other countries, said Liu.

Liu said that Green Card holders have the same rights and responsibilities as Chinese citizens. However the card is not equivalent to Chinese nationality and holders are not allowed to vote in elections, hold political office, or serve in the military.

Obtaining a Green Card is not easy. The qualifying conditions are tough. Unless you are a close relative of a Chinese citizen，you will either have to invest a substantial amount of money in the country or make a genuinely outstanding contribution to the country’s development.

To meet increasing demand, he authorities are considering making the Green Card more available by broadening the range of applicants without lowering the requirements, aid Liu, but she gave no further details.

Which of the following can’t get a green card?

A. A foreigner whose wife of husband is of Chinese nationality.

B. A foreign child whose parents are Chinese citizens.

C. A foreigner who invests large sum of money in China.

D. A foreigner who works in China for a long time.

If a foreign gets a Green Card in China, he /she_________.

A. has the right to vote in China.      B. can be a high official in China

C. can enter or leave China without a visa   D. becomes a citizen of Chinese nationality

From the article we can see foreigners apply for Green Cards mainly to ________.

A. show that they are important    B. be accepted and trusted by the Chinese

C. make entry and exit easier      D. make more money.

Which of the following is not the reason for foreigners to work or live permanently in China?

A. They can find satisfactory jobs.

B. China is more secure country than many.

C. They have their professions, families and investments in China.

D. The weather, working conditions are better than better than their own countries.

Cannes will rock to the sound of a cancan dance this year when Moulin Rouge by the Australian director Baz Luhrmann opens the French film festival （电影节） in May. The musical stars Nicole Kidman as a singer, and John Leguizamo as the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It will be competing for the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize. The festival runs to May 21.

The American actor Tommy Lee Jones, 54, has married his longtime girlfriend, Dawn Maria Laurel, 36, in a private wedding in San Antonio. "It wasn’t a big to-do, ‘said Fred Biery, a U. S. District Judge who performed the service. He refused to discuss things further. "These are very private people," he said.

Loretta Lynn is being treated for a very bed cold in Tennessee and will miss several appearances. The country singer, 65, was admitted to a hospital near her home in Hurricane Mills. "She is in good condition, but the doctors are watching her closely," a spokeswoman said.

The French-Algerian singer Enrico Macias was named a United Nations peace messenger. Enrico joins eight other people who act as goodwill envoys （使者） for the United Nations, among them are the writer Elie Wiesel and the basketball player Magic Johnson.

73. We can learn from the text that Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is ______

       A. a figure in a film          B. a dancer in a show

       C. a country singer                    D. a prize winner

74. We know from the text that_______.

       A. Moulin Rouge won the top prize in a film festival

       B. Loretta Lynn is under the doctors’ care

       C. eight people serve as the UN goodwill envoys

       D. Fred Biery was Tommy Lee Jones’assistant

75. This text most probably appears in_____.

       A. a book on film stars         B. a film review in a magazine

       C. a newspaper              D. a notice