At 50 I was the first woman to travel alone at the North Pole. To celebrate my 60th birthday, I decided to make a journey at the  41  end of the world. I began the journey on  November 1 st, 1997. I knew another journey of  42  and danger was about to begin.

The first days the weather was very good。But changes were just  43  the comer. The wind grew stronger and stronger and increased to a howling storm that   44  to blow me and my tent away.

On November 12th the storm  45  . I celebrated my birthday lonely but calmly.

A few days late5 1 was moving forward over a slope  46  without warning my world  47  from under my skis. I fell into a deep hole but I finally got out.

During the journey I once hurt my leg  48  couldn’t stand on my left leg. However I  49 to my knees. I overcame countless difficulties and managed to get to Antarctica. It's an experience I shall never forget and shall  50  for the rest of my life.

After losing his job at 50, Lee had enough time and made a list of unfinished business. He was _36　 through boxes of reminders that called up memories of things he 37 have done but didn’t.

　　　 For the next year, Lee travelled the country to fulfill his unfinished 38 on the list. Among his ten tasks: Pay a thank-you visit to a high school teacher; 　39 out for a lonely mentally ill aunt 40 whom his whole family had lost touch over ten years ago; repay a $600 41 to a friend he hadn’t seen in decades.

“Once you start working and 42 a family, you have only so much time and energy. It’s easy to tell 43 you’ll get back to the people later.” Lee said, “At 50, I realized I had become 44 　from important people and values.”

　　　 “Every 45 was just so much richer than I could have imagined. Every meeting called up a 46 experience in the people I spent time with.” The friend who had 47 his $600 had completely forgotten that debt, which 48 had grown to 6 million. But their meeting 49 memories of a brave and energetic youth, 50 Lee afterwards to climb mountains. The high school teacher was not only pleased with his former student’s visit 51 also asked questions that were challenging and inspiring as ever. Lee’s aunt, a promising pianist who hadn’t had a visit from her family in 52 , cheered up and began playing piano again; most important, she knows 53 cares.

　　　 Now Lee needs to find a new job, but he has decided to continue 54__ unfinished business. “It’s amazing 55 _ you can achieve with just a visit, a call or an email when you make efforts to reach out!”

36. A. getting　　　　　　　 B. seeing　　　　　　　 C. going　　　　 　　 　 D. glancing

37. A. must　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. should　　　　　　　 C. might　　　　 　 D. would

38. A. matter　　　　　　　　　　　 B. affair　　　　　　　　 　　 C. thing　　　　　　　　 　 D. business

39. A. reach 　　　　　　　 B. make 　　　　　　　 C. take　 　　　　　　　　　 D. get

40. A. for　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. with　　　　　　　　 　　 C. to　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. of

41. A. check　　　　　　　　　　　 B. note　　　　　　　　 　　 C. budget　　　　　　　　　　 D. debt

42 A. living　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. lifting　　　　　　　 C. raising　　　　　　　 D. rising

43. A. themselves　　　　 B. myself　　　　　　　 C. oneself　　　　　　　　　　 D. yourself

44. A. disconnected　　　 　 B. dismissed　　　　　 　 C. disappointed　　　 D. disliked

45. A. memory　　　　　　 　 B. schedule　　　　　　　　　　 C. arrangement　　　　　　 D. moment

46. A. similar　　　　　　　 B. same　　　　　　　　　　　 C. different　　　　　　　　　 D. difficult

47. A. borrowed　　　　　　　　　 B. lent　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. sent　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. kept

48. A. strangely　　　　　　　　　 B. effectively　　　　 C. fortunately　　　　 D. actually

49. A. brought back　　　 　 B. brought down 　 C. brought in　　　　 D. brought out

50. A. informing　　　　　　　　　 B. inspiring　　　　　 　 C. reminding　　　　　 　 D. taking

51. A. however　　　　　　　　　 B. and　　　　　　　　　 　 C. but　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. yet

52. A days　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. weeks　　　 　 C. months　　　　　　　 D. years

53. A. someone　　　　　　　　　 B. everyone　　　　　 　 C. no one　　　　　　　 D. any one

54. A looking after 　 B. taking care of　　 　 C. going through 　 D. thinking over

55. A. that　　　　　　　　　 　 B. which　　　　　　　　 　 C. what　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. as

     Zhoukoudian is a small village situated about 50 kilometers to the southwest of Beijing. In the 1920s, archaeologists discovered some prehistoric human bones there which changed people’s view of China’s history. They came from an unknown species of man and were the first evidence of human life in China thousands of years ago. The remains were three teeth!

    In 1929, a complete skull was also discovered. Eventually, archaeologist found almost 200 items, including six skulls and more than 150 teeth. These discoveries proved the existence of a human species who lived in the area between 700,000 and 200,000 years ago. Four sites where Beijing Man and his relatives lived were discovered on the northern face of Longgushan. They lived in the caves in the area.

     However, the life span of Beijing Man was short. About 70% of the peole probably died before the age of 14. Fewer than 5% lived to the age of 50. Ashes were found alongside the fossils which showed they had used fire for cooking food and also for light, warmth, and protection against wild animals. This is the earliest evidence of the use of fire anywhere in the world. They also made tools of bones and stones. Unfortunately, when Japan invaded（侵略） China in 1937, excavations（挖掘） at the Beijing Man Site stopped and most of the fossils disappeared, including a Beijing Man skull. After the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, the work started again.

    Zhoukoudian was listed as a World Heritage Site in December 1987. It has not only given us important information about prehistoric Asian societies, but also provided amazing evidence about the process of evolution. Today, parts of the caves have been badly affected by rain. Some areas are almost completely covered in weeds, causing serious damage. Pollution from the nearby factories has also contributed to the problem. This is a very serious matter and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is trying to raise public awareness of it.

46. Archaeologists _________________.

  A. thought that Zhoukoudian was a beartiful village

  B. thought that the findings in Zhoukoudian wouldn’t change the history of China

  C. discovered some prehistoric human bounes in Zhoukoudian

  D. thought that the findings in Zhoukoudian are the first evidence of human life in Asia

47. Beijing Man used fire to do all of the following things EXCEPT _______________.

  A. light in the dark                B. keep warm

  C. make tools                    D. scare wild animals away

48. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

  A. The digging was delayed by the Japanese invasion in the 1930s.

  B. These ancient Chinese were the first people to use fire in daily life.

  C. Some valuable things excavated from the site are still missing.

  D. The digging of Zhoukoudian is famous and is well-funded（得到很好的资助）.

49. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?

  A. The digging of Zhoukoudian is still under way.

  B. Zhoukoudian plays an important part in the study of prehistoric societies.

  C. Zhoukoudian is a World Heritage Site.

  D. Zhoukoudian is in great need of protection.

50. From the passage, we can infer that ______________.

  A,. the work of excavating the Beijing Man Site has not proceeded（进行） smoothly

  B. Beijing Man had a short life

  C. Beijing Man lived in the caves of Longgushan

  D. arvhaeologists found six complete skulls and more than 150 teeth in 1929.

     Zhoukoudian is a small village situated about 50 kilometers to the southwest of Beijing. In the 1920s, archaeologists discovered some prehistoric human bones there which changed people’s view of China’s history. They came from an unknown species of man and were the first evidence of human life in China thousands of years ago. The remains were three teeth!

    In 1929, a complete skull was also discovered. Eventually, archaeologist found almost 200 items, including six skulls and more than 150 teeth. These discoveries proved the existence of a human species who lived in the area between 700,000 and 200,000 years ago. Four sites where Beijing Man and his relatives lived were discovered on the northern face of Longgushan. They lived in the caves in the area.

     However, the life span of Beijing Man was short. About 70% of the peole probably died before the age of 14. Fewer than 5% lived to the age of 50. Ashes were found alongside the fossils which showed they had used fire for cooking food and also for light, warmth, and protection against wild animals. This is the earliest evidence of the use of fire anywhere in the world. They also made tools of bones and stones. Unfortunately, when Japan invaded（侵略） China in 1937, excavations（挖掘） at the Beijing Man Site stopped and most of the fossils disappeared, including a Beijing Man skull. After the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, the work started again.

    Zhoukoudian was listed as a World Heritage Site in December 1987. It has not only given us important information about prehistoric Asian societies, but also provided amazing evidence about the process of evolution. Today, parts of the caves have been badly affected by rain. Some areas are almost completely covered in weeds, causing serious damage. Pollution from the nearby factories has also contributed to the problem. This is a very serious matter and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is trying to raise public awareness of it.

46. Archaeologists _________________.

  A. thought that Zhoukoudian was a beartiful village

  B. thought that the findings in Zhoukoudian wouldn’t change the history of China

  C. discovered some prehistoric human bounes in Zhoukoudian

  D. thought that the findings in Zhoukoudian are the first evidence of human life in Asia

47. Beijing Man used fire to do all of the following things EXCEPT _______________.

  A. light in the dark                B. keep warm

  C. make tools                    D. scare wild animals away

48. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

  A. The digging was delayed by the Japanese invasion in the 1930s.

  B. These ancient Chinese were the first people to use fire in daily life.

  C. Some valuable things excavated from the site are still missing.

  D. The digging of Zhoukoudian is famous and is well-funded（得到很好的资助）.

49. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?

  A. The digging of Zhoukoudian is still under way.

  B. Zhoukoudian plays an important part in the study of prehistoric societies.

  C. Zhoukoudian is a World Heritage Site.

  D. Zhoukoudian is in great need of protection.

50. From the passage, we can infer that ______________.

  A,. the work of excavating the Beijing Man Site has not proceeded（进行） smoothly

  B. Beijing Man had a short life

  C. Beijing Man lived in the caves of Longgushan

  D. arvhaeologists found six complete skulls and more than 150 teeth in 1929.

III 阅读 （共两节，满分50分）

第一节 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I sit at my kitchen table, while my daughter, Anna, sits next to my mother. On the wall hangs a photo of my father.

    “When is Rick going to be here?” My mother asks, referring to my husband. 

    “I don’t know, Mom,” I answer patiently. “He’ll be here for dinner.”

    I sigh and get up from the table. This is at least the tenth time she has asked that question. 

    While my mother and daughter play, I busy myself making a salad. 

“Don't put in any onions,” Mom says. “You know how Daddy hates onion.”

“Yes, Mom,” I answer. 

I scrub(洗擦) off a carrot and chop it into bite-size pieces.

“Don't put any onions in the salad,” she reminds me. “You know how Daddy hates onion.”

This time I can’t answer. 

My mother had been beautiful. She still is. In fact, my mother is still everything she has

been, just a bit forgetful.

I cut off the end of the cucumber and rub it to take away the bitterness. Cut and rub. This  is a trick I have learned from my mother, along with a trillion other things: cooking, sewing, 

dating, laughing, thinking. I learned how to grow up. 

And I learned that when my mother was around, I never had to be afraid. So why am I afraid now? 

I study my mother's hands. Her nails are no longer a bright red, but painted a light pink.。Almost no color at all. And as I stare at them, I realize I am feeling them as they shaped my 

youth. Hands that packed a thousand lunches and wiped a million tears off my cheeks. 

Now my hands have grown into those of my mother's. Hands that have cooked uneaten 

meals, held my own daughter's frightened fingers on the first day of school and dried tears 

off her face. 

I grow lighthearted. I can feel my mother kiss me goodnight, check to see if the window is

locked, then blow another kiss from the doorway. Then I am my mother, blowing that same

kiss to Anna. 

Outside everything is still. Shadows fall among the trees, shaped like pieces of a puzzle.

Someday my daughter will be standing in my place, and I will rest where my mother now sits. 

Will I remember then how it felt to be both mother and daughter? Will I ask the same

question too many times? 

I walk over and sit down between my mother and her granddaughter. 

“Where is Rick?” my mother asks, resting her hand on the table next to mine. And in that

instant I know she remembers. She may repeat herself a little too much. But she remembers. 

“He’ll be here,” I answer with a smile. 

46. What’s wrong with the writer’s mother?

A. She is very old.           B. She suffers forgetfulness.

C. She is absent-minded.      D. She is eager to see Rick.

47. What can we learn about the writer’s father according to the passage?

  A. He might have passed away for years.

 B. He goes out for a walk by himself.

C. He is out doing something with Rick.

D. He loves the writer’s mother deeply.

48. The underlined sentence “I realize I am feeling them as they shaped my youth” probably means that ______. 

A. Mother’s hands witnessed my growth as a youth

B. Mother’s hands are similar to mine as a youth

C. I like to feel mother’s hands when she was young

D. I realize her hands were exactly like those in her youth

49. Which of the following words best describe the writer’s mood towards her mother?

  A. Content.    B. Disappointed.     C. Loving.    D. Considerate.

50. The best title for the passage would be ______.

  A. Mother’s beauty           B. My father hates onion 

C. Hard-working mother       D. Mother’s hands