（山东省淄博市2010届高三上学期期末考试）

A

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. The other woman my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That Friday after work, when I arrived at her house, my mother waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates—one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: ‘I love YOU’ and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.

Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till some “other” time.

56. From the passage we can see _________.

A. the mother was happy to have dinner with her son

B. the author doesn’t like his work and his three children

C. the author and his mother went to a high-class restaurant

D. the author saw a movie with his mother after dinner

57. What can we know about the author’s mother according to the passage?

A. She wanted to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

B. She wanted to invite her son to have dinner again.

C. She died of a massive heart attack very suddenly.

D. She wrote a letter to tell her son about her illness.

58. During the dinner, what did they talk about?

A. Extraordinary things.

B. Some national events.

C. Each other’s daily life.

D. Movies and dishes.

59. It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A. the author regretted for not showing much love to his mother

B. the author was satisfied to do something for his mother

C. the mother felt happy to pay for the bill in advance

D. the mother was sorry for inviting her son to have dinner

60. The author of the passage tends to agree that _________.

A. family should be as important as work

B. work is more important than family

C. we can show our love till some other time

D. we should spend more time with our family

  

（山东省淄博市2010届高三上学期期末考试）

B

HAVANA (Reuters) - U.S., Cuban and Mexican scientists have drawn up plans for joint research in the Gulf of Mexico, in another sign of improvement in long-unfriendly U.S.-Cuba relations.

In a meeting in Havana this week, they agreed on collecting information about the Gulf, a body of water shared by the three countries but about which little cooperative research has been done in recent years.

“This is a logical, low-risk area in which to begin discussions with Cuba. It is without question in our common interest to share science and ideas on our shared resources like the Gulf of Mexico,” Environmental Defense Fund senior official Dan Whittle said on Tuesday.

Whittle was among 30 Americans, 30 Cubans and six Mexicans at the meeting, held on Sunday and Monday ahead of an international meeting on ocean science this week in the Cuban capital.

“We’re starting now to enter a new era of cooperation,” said meeting organizer David Guggenheim, American marine scientist.

The plan assumes that U.S.-Cuba relations will continue to get better under President Barack Obama, who has said he wants to end five decades of bitterness between the two countries separated by just 90 miles of ocean.

He has initiated talks on migration and regain of postal service with Cuba and allowed Cuban Americans to travel and send money freely to their homeland.

But a general travel ban to Cuba for most Americans remains in effect, as does the United States’ 47-year-long trade prohibition against the communist-led island.

There are also restrictions on travel of U.S. and Cuban academics between the two countries, although it has gotten easier under Obama to obtain permission, Guggenheim said.

Whittle said Obama needs to remove all obstacles for scientists to assure a “free flow of information” between the countries.

The plan of action calls for shared projects to track marine animals and to study such things as the effects of pollutants and climate change on coral reefs.

Cuba has rented out much of its offshore area for oil exploration, which when it begins will bring danger of oil spills（漏油）that computer models show would flow north to Florida.

“We need a dialogue to talk about coordinated emergency response. Everything points to the need for cooperation and communication, not continuation of a Cold War policy,” Guggenheim said. 

61. How is the relation between US and Cuba?

A. They are getting on quite well with each other.

B. The citizens in both countries are free to visit each other.

C. The two countries’ scientists cooperated well with each other.

D. There are some improvements in relations between the two countries.

62. The Gulf of Mexico _________.

A. belongs to the Mexico alone

B. is a body of water badly polluted

C. has something to do with the three countries

D. has been explored by the three countries together

63. President Barack Obama _________.

A. is for the present relation between US and Cuba

B. wants to set up a good relation between the two countries

C. banned the American travelers from going to Cuba for a visit

D. has got rid of 50 years of bitterness between the two countries

64. What has little effect on coral reefs?

A. Marine animals.                     B. Climate change. 

C. Oil spills.                        D. Pollutants.

65. It is anything but _________ that can remove all obstacles for people or countries.

A. dialogue                       B. cooperation

C. communication                       D. Cold War policy

（山东省淄博市2010届高三上学期期末考试）

D

COPENHAGEN—The world is gathered in Copenhagen for the U.N. climate summit, but Denmark’s bicycle-friendly capital has also given its name to a movement of cities trying to find a kinder way to commute.

Nearly 40 percent of Copenhagen’s population cycle to work or school on ubiquitous（无处不在的） paved cycle paths. Many residents take to their bikes year-round, braving rain and snow through the winter in a city where the bicycles outnumber the people.

Amsterdam and Beijing too are known for their bicycles, but the Danish capital is where urban planners from around the world have been looking for ways to get their people out of cars and up onto bikes, an effort known as Copenhagenisation.

Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen’s technical and environmental chief, calls himself a “mega cyclist” and says the bike’s popularity stems partly from high taxes on cars which meant working-class Danes could not afford to drive in the 1930s and ‘40s. “Today you’ll meet everybody on the bicycle lanes --- women and men, rich and poor, old and young,” Bondam said.

The local government has during the last three years invested more than 250 million crowns ($49.42 million) in bicycle lanes and to make the traffic safer for bicyclists. Today around a third of the population drive cars to work or study, another third take public transport, while 37 percent cycle -- a figure the city aims to boost to 50 percent by 2015.

There are many benefits when citizens choose bicycles over cars: pollution and noise decline, public health improves, and more people on bikes or walking creates a sense of safety in the city. Fewer parked cars leaves more space for playgrounds, parks, shopping areas and other useful public places.

71. According to the first paragraph, Copenhagen is better known as __________.

  A. a city without cars           B. a bicycle-friendly city

C. Denmark’s capital           D. the U.N. climate summit

72. We can learn from the second and the third paragraph, _________.

A. there is no path for cars during rainy and snowy days

B. citizens are limited to have only one bike for each person

C. two-thirds of people in Copenhagen cycle to work or school

D. city planners try their best to encourage more citizens to ride bikes

73. Bikes are popular in Copenhagen partly because __________.

  A. the citizens are unable to afford to buy a car

B. the rich tend to keep fit by cycling to work

  C. young people regard cycling a fashion to follow

  D. high taxes were paid for cars in the 1930s and ‘40s

74. Which of the following is NOT the benefit of cycling?

A. Saving time on the road.

B. Declining pollution and noise.

C. Improving public health.

D. Creating safety in the city.

75. We can learn from the passage that ___________.

A. cars are forbidden to park in Copenhagen

B. more citizens tend to choose cars in Copenhagen

  C. Copenhagen becomes a model for cities’ traffic

  D. living standards in Copenhagen are greatly declining