第二部分：阅读理解(共25小题，第一节每小题2分，第二节每小题1分；满分45分)
第一节：阅读下面的短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项。                              A
Endless sea, sand and sunshine on a tiny island--everyone' s idea of heaven. Who wouldn' t want to live in such a place.?
One person who certainly does is Ben Southall, from the UK. The 34-year-old was one of more　than 34,000 people who applied for the post of "caretaker" on Hamilton Island, Australia, which　the local government called "the best job in the world". The position starts in July and runs for six months. The salary is 150,000 Australian dollars(780,639 yuan).
Why Southall? Well, first let's take a look at the criteria(标准) for the job: "We're looking for applicants who like to have adventures, have a great love of the outdoors and have good commu-nication skills. "
On his application video, Southall expressed a love of adventure and included photographs of himself riding an ostrich(鸵鸟 ), running a marathon, diving, and kissing a giraffe. "From the time he was announced in the Top 50, and then the Top 16, Southall did a great job by showing true ex-citement about Queensland," Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said in a statement.
"His ideas for how he will make the role his own.., as well as his ability to rise to a challenge impressed the judges and helped him to win his place in the top job," Lawlor said.
Southall was born in Coventry, UK and used his parents' home as a base for his adventures. He had an old Land Rover that he used for a charity-fund-raising trek(跋涉) across Africa which in-volved joining in five marathons( a 42.16 km race) and climbing five mountains.
"It was sometimes hard work to make him get his head down and do his work because he always wanted to be outside," his mother said about his early years.
"He wanted to go surfing in South Africa, so he got a job house-sitting to pay for it. We regu-larly ask him when he is going to get a proper job, but he is confident and has a strong set of friends and is a great social animal. Now he has got the perfect job for his skills," said his father.
So, you see? No matter what type of person you are, there's always the possibility of getting a dream job. How' s that? Just read the job descriptions carefully and think about how your skills and qualities fit with the ones needed for the job. That' s what Southall did to get his job.
41. The post of "caretaker" on Hamilton Island is said-to be the best job in the world mainly because of_____
A. a beautiful landscape                          B. a short working time
C. great pay for a fun job                          D. very good weather
42. According to Lawlor, what wasn' t the reason that helped Southall win the job?
A. His outstanding application video
B. His passion for the job and ability to face up to challenges
C. His great love of adventures
D. His true excitement about the Austrilian lifestyle
43. Which of the following statements about Southall is true?
A. He did a poor job in school when he was young.
B. He worked as a house-sitter to raise charity funds.
C. He has won five marathons.
D. He is good at communicating with others.
44. We can leam from Southall that_____
A. the world offers opportunities for everyone    
B. setbacks will only make you stronger
C. all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy  
D. where there is a will, there is a way

Mark and his brother Jason both were looking at the shining new computer enviously. Jason was determined not to go against their father’s wishes but Mark was more adventurous than his brother. He loves experimenting and his aim was to become a scientist like his father.

“Dad will be really mad if he finds out you’ve been playing with his new computer” Jason said, “He told us not to touch it.”

“He won’t find out,” Mark said, “I’ll just have a quick look and shut it down.”

Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.

It was a strange-looking machine — one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his father’s warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colours, shifting and changing, and then two big white words appeared in the centre of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.”

“Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead!” A new message appeared on the screen:

“ENTER NAMES

VOYAGE　１

VOYAGE　２

Mark’s finger flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.

“INPUT ACCEPTED.

START  TRANSPORT  PROGRAM.

AUTO-RETRIEVE  INITIATED(自动回收程序已启动).”

The screen turn even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.

“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled out in terror, reaching for the power switch. A beam(光束) of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow(光芒)，until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed：

“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL．

DESTINATION:  MARS.

RETRIEVE DATE:  2025

1.Why did Mark touch the computer against his father’s warning?

A．He wanted to take a voyage.               B．He wanted to practice his skills.

C．He was so much attracted by it.             D．He was eager to do an experiment.

2.Where did the boy’s father most likely work?

A．In an electronic factory.                  B．In a computer company.

C．In a scientific research center.              D．In an information processing center.

3.Mark thought “SPACE TRANSPORTER” on the screen was the name of ________.

A．a computer game                       B．a company website

C．a software producer                     D．an astronomy program

4.Why did Jason want to shut off the computer?

A．He was afraid of being scolded.

B．He didn’t like the loud noise and light.

C．He didn’t want to play games.

D．He was afraid something dangerous might happen.

5.What happened to the boys at the end of the story?

A．They were blown into the air.

B．They were sent to another planet.

C．They were hidden in the strong light.

D．They were carried away to another country.

My father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. My first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. I would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. For $ 1 a day, I worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks.

It was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I’ve never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for. More important, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn’t want to work.

I was only six years old, but I was doing a man’s job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem(自尊心), one of the most important things a person can have.

When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dreamt of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.

The more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb(番石榴树枝) and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field — except now I was driving golf balls with club, not oxen with a broomstick.

1. The writer’s first job was _______.

　 A. to stand down the fairway at a golf course

　 B. to watch over the sugar-cane plantation

　 C. to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields

　 D. to spot the balls as they landed so the golfers could find them

2. The writer learned that_______ from his first job.

　A. he should work for those who he liked most

　B. he should work longer than what he was expected

　 C. he should never fail to say hello to his owner

　 D. he should be respectful and faithful to the people he worked for

3. _______ gave the writer self-esteem.

A. Having a family of eight people

　 B. Owning his own golf course

　 C. Bringing money back home to help the family

　 D. Helping his father with the work on the plantation

4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

　 A. He wanted to be a successful golfer.

　B. He wanted to run a golf course near his house.

　C. He was satisfied with the job he got on a plantation.

　D. He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a broomstick.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to __1__ the house－building business to live a more __2__ life with his wife and __3__ his extended family. He would miss the paycheck(工资) each week, but he wanted to retire. They could __4__. 

The employer was __5__ to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, __6__ over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He used bad workmanship and __7__ materials. It was an unfortunate way to __8__ a dedicated(献身的)career.

When the carpenter finished  his work, his employer came to __9__ the house. Then he handed the front－door __10__ to the carpenter and said, “This is your house... my __11__ to you.”

The carpenter was shocked!

What a __12__！ If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

__13__  it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting __14__ than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we __15__ we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.

But, you cannot __16__. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or build a wall. Someone __17__ said, “Life is a do－it－yourself project.” Your __18__，  and the choices you __19__ today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build __20__！

1. A. continue　　　  B. start　　　C. leave　　　D. find

2. A. leisurely       B. lonely     C. orderly    D. friendly                 

3. A support        B. share      C. enjoy     D. care                  

4. A. go off             B. get by

C. pass on            D. work away

5. A. polite         B. nervous   C. proud     D. sorry                   

6. A. but           B. while     C. which       D. before         

7. A. perfect        B. inferior   C. superior    D. tough                  

8. A. satisfy      B. improve     C. meet      D. end                      

9. A. buy        B. repair       C. inspect    D. sell                  

10. A. roof      B. window      C. key      D. design                   

11. A. gift       B. promise      C. salary    D. words

12. A. disappointment      B. shame         

C. pleasure             D. success        

13. A. So       B. Yet          C. As       D. Such                    

14. A. worse     B. more        C. rather     D. less                     

15. A. realize    B. explain       C. think      D. admit                   

16. A. step forward         B. go back

C. come out            D. look around

17. A. never     B. again        C. once     D. nearly            

18. A. attitude   B. experience    C. skill      D. advantage       

19. A. learn       B. take       C. see        D. make                   

20. A. badly  B. wisely      C. early         D. confidently             

Mark and his brother Jason both were looking at the shining new computer enviously. Jason was determined not to go against their father’s wishes but Mark was more adventurous than his brother. He loves experimenting and his aim was to become a scientist like his father.

“Dad will be really mad if he finds out you’ve been playing with his new computer” Jason said, “He told us not to touch it.”

“He won’t find out,” Mark said, “I’ll just have a quick look and shut it down.”

Mark had been scolded before for touching his father’s equipment. But his curiosity was difficult to control and this new computer really puzzled him.

It was a strange-looking machine — one his dad had brought home from the laboratory where he worked. “It’s an experimental model,” his father had explained, so don’t touch it under any circumstances.” But his father’s warning only served to make Mark more curious. Without any further thought, Mark turned on the power switch. The computer burst into life and seconds later, the screen turned into colours, shifting and changing, and then two big white words appeared in the centre of the screen: “SPACE TRANSPORTER.”

“Yes!” Mark cried excitedly, “It’s a computer game. I knew it! Dad’s only been pretending to work. He’s really been playing games instead!” A new message appeared on the screen:

“ENTER NAMES

VOYAGE　１

VOYAGE　２

Mark’s finger flew across the keyboard as he typed in both of their names.

“INPUT ACCEPTED.

START  TRANSPORT  PROGRAM.

AUTO-RETRIEVE  INITIATED(自动回收程序已启动).”

     The screen turn even brighter and a noise suddenly rose in volume.

“I think we’d better shut it off, Mark,” Jason yelled out in terror, reaching for the power switch. A beam(光束) of dazzling white light burst out of the computer screen, wrapping the boys in its glow(光芒)，until they themselves seemed to be glowing. Then it died down just as suddenly as it had burst into life. And the boys were no longer there. On the screen, the letters changed：

“TRANSPORT SUCCESSFUL．

DESTINATION:  MARS.

RETRIEVE DATE:  2025

1.Why did Mark touch the computer against his father’s warning?

A. He wanted to take a voyage.

B. He wanted to practice his skills.

C. He was so much attracted by it.

D. He was eager to do an experiment.

2.Where did the boy’s father most likely work?

A. In an electronic factory

B. In a computer company

C. In a scientific research center.

D. In an information processing center.

3.Mark thought “SPACE TRANSPORTER” on the screen was the name of ________.

A. a computer game                                       B. a company website

C. a software producer                                           D. an astronomy program

4.Why did Jason want to shut off the computer?

A. He was afraid of being scolded.

B. He didn’t like the loud noise and light.

C. He didn’t want to play games.

D. He was afraid something dangerous might happen.

5.What happened to the boys at the end of the story?

A. They were blown into the air.

B. They were sent to another planet.

C. They were hidden in the strong light.

D. They were carried away to another country.