Count Me Out

Call me old-fashioned. Call me old. Call me what you want, but I refuse to become part of this new Internet world.

I do not possess a computer at home or at the office. Actually, I stopped going to an office 35 years ago, when all communications were done with a pen, a typewriter, or, if the matter was of world-shaking importance, over the telephone. Likewise, if you like something advertised in a newspaper or magazine, you visited the shop selling it at the given address, or you phoned the number shown. Then you spoke to the fellow and asked for further details.

Tell me what you think of the following ad that appeared the other day in the newspaper. It was for a cure for cancer and this is what it said: “Awareness is the key. Visit spfulford. com at the awareness site.” There was no address or telephone number for the site. So what do unfortunate people without a computer do if they are seeking a cure for their illness?

There are, I am told, certain advantages in having access to the Internet. You can, for example, send love messages across the world or even get married to someone that you meet online. This bit doesn’t interest me; I have been happily married for 60 years. There are, of course, other activities for Internet users besides finding love. They can pay bills, order groceries, or discuss with their doctors.

And this is by no means all. More amazing things are yet to come in the near future. I read a newspaper report recently that quoted Stephen Hawking, an important British scientist. “The complexity of a computer as it exists today is probably less than the brain of an earthworm,” he said. “But, as technology advances, computers will become more complex, and a time may come when the Internet may develop ‘consciousness.’ In other words, the Internet will be able to think, have feelings, and may well be able to act on its own.”

If Professor Hawking is right, I may change my attitude to computers. As I grow older each day, I would like one of those that not only thinks for me but also accepts responsibilities for all my mistakes.

1.

What’s the meaning of the title “Count Me Out”?

A．Get me out of the Internet world.

B．Computers are trying to take control of life.

C．Modern technology pushes old people away.

D．Do not expect me to be a supporter of the Internet.

2.

According to Paragraph 2, the author thinks computers are         .

A．unnecessary

B．convenient

C．expensive

D．advanced

3.

What might the author like about the future computer?

A．Taking blames.	B．Curing illnesses.
C．Delivering messages.	D．Responding to emotions.

 

书面表达（满分30分）
假如你是李华，一位18岁的男孩，英语成绩非常突出，有两年英语家教的经验，现在是学校“爱心俱乐部”的成员，认为志愿工作能够使人树立信心，培养良好的交际技能。看到下面这则招聘信息，你愿意利用这次机会，为需要帮助的儿童献出自己的微薄之力，同时增长见识，了解社会。
请根据所给中、英文提示完成下面的英文邮件。
注意：1．110词左右。
2．邮件开头和结尾已为你写出，不计入总数。 
3．可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
提示词：tutor vt. & n. 家教         Loving Heart Club 爱心俱乐部

	A Voluntary Activity In the winter vacation 5 Volunteers Wanted As English teachers At S.O.S Children’s Village Purposes for applying Those who are interested in taking part in the activity, please send an email to studentunion@bjsz.cn before Jan. 24th, 2008. Student Union

 

 
Dear Student Union,
I have just read the ad on the school bulletin and the moment I saw it I took an interest in becoming one of the volunteer English teachers of the five．Now I’m writing here to apply for this opportunity．
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
I’d appreciate it so much if you could possibly consider my application. I’m looking forward to your early reply and please email me at lihua@ 163.com,
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua

I was feeling a little blue because my mother had been laid off from her job and she had lots of bills to pay. It left me wondering what was going to happen to us now. But it reassured me some when my mother told me she was relieved to be leaving since her boss wasn't the nicest person to be around.

I got off the college shuttle bus and started walking. That's when I heard piano music and singing rising above the noise of the people and the traffic. I walked a little slower so I could find out where it was coming from. Through the crowd I saw a young lady sitting at a piano with a carriage next to her.[来源:Zxxk.Com]

She was singing songs about love, keeping on trying, and not underestimating the power within yourself. The way she was singing comforted me a bit. I stood there watching her play for about fifteen minutes, thinking that it must take courage to perform on your own in the middle of a crowded New York ferry terminal. 

So I stood there listening.

She must have felt my presence because she would occasionally look in my direction. By now I was telling myself that if she could perform in front of hundreds of people she didn't know then I could at least tell her how good she sounded. I walked over and put some money in her carriage and she said, "Thank you." Instead of continuing my way home, I said to her, "I have been going through a rough time lately, but you've made me hopeful again."

"I'm happy that I could help," she replied. "Why are you so sad?"

"Well, my mum told me she had got fired from her job, and that made me sad. I'm not so sure what to do ..."

"You see, here's the problem," she explained. "The way you were walking, your head was down. Don't look defeated, because opportunity comes in different ways and if your head is down you might never see it. You should smile more ... lift your head up."

I smiled faintly, amazed by how she was encouraging me. So, I asked her, "Why are you playing the piano in the middle of a crowded place? I've seen you do this more than once."

She explained to me that she sees a lot of negative people in the world and she tries to alleviate the pain and bring more positivity by sharing motivational music. She told me that when she wasn't making music she studied psychology. So, that was how she knew some of the things she was telling me.

I smiled a little wider because I knew that she was doing a good thing. So, after that we parted, my heart touched and lightened by a musical soul!

1.We can learn from Paragraph 3 that the young lady sang to _________.

A．show her love for life

B．rid herself of low spirits

C．earn money for her schooling

D．inspire others to live positively

2.Which word may best describe the young lady?

A．helpful

B．outgoing

C．ambitious

D．humorous

3.Which do you think is the best title of the passage?  

A．An Unforgettable Experience

B．A Heart Touched By A Musical Soul

C．Music Can Do Wonders

D．A Good Deed Helped Me Out

 

第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。   

A

It u won $ 50,000,000 would u still go to college?

Lots of people go to college so they have a chance to get a better job, but if you won $ 50 million, would you still pursue（追求）a higher education?

Re: If u won $ 50,000,000 would u still go to college?

I would surely still go to college if I had that much money, but I would not be competing for a scholarship on collegenet. com. I would probably still discuss things here and I would create other scholarships to help other people to go to college as well.

With $ 50 million, I would not have to worry about getting a loan（贷款）from Chase Bank or finding scholarships to study abroad. I would have published several books by now as well, but I would still pursue my education. Going to undergraduate school is something that I really want to do because I want to become a Pediatrician. Money may buy a lot of things, but it does not necessarily give you knowledge and knowledge is what I am hunting for now.

I am not just going to school to get a better job; I am going to school to realize all of my dreams. $ 50 million is a lot of money, but no amount of money can keep me from my dreams.

Veggie thought: “Money may make things easier, but it is not everything. ”

Re: If u won $ 50,000,000 would u still go to college?

Would I still go? UMM , YES YES YES YES YES! ! ! ! !

I still want to teach... I don’t care if I have more money than Bill Gates... I still want to be in a classroom teaching! ! And I need a degree to do that! Teaching is my dream job, and it would make me really happy.

I would pay off my loans as well as my boyfriend’s loans and help out a couple of friends who are having trouble with money.

Re: If u won $ 50,000,000 would u still go to college?

I would still go to college. The only difference is with that much money to go to college I probably would stay in college longer and pursue a few extra degrees while I am there. I am looking for knowledge not money. The only problem is I need money to pursue knowledge.

Also I could set up scholarship funds and I could save some more for additional dreams that I have.

56. According to the answers, what do they have in common?

A. They all prefer money to education.

B. They all want to get a better job.

C. They will continue to pursue knowledge.

D. They will give up jobs.

57. From the first answer, we know the person is ________.

A. patient         B. ambitious        C. mean            D. selfish

58. In the following statements, which is true according to the passage?

A. They all have something they want to do.

B. They think money is more important than knowledge.

C. The first person is rich.

D. The second person doesn’t want to get other scholarship.

59. The underlined phrase “pay off” means ________.

A. give back      B. cost              C. ask for           D. get

 

第二节书面表达（满分35分）
假如你是李华，女，17岁。请根据所给中、英文提示，用英文邮件形式向学生会写一份申请。

      
注意：
1．词数：100左右。
2．邮件开头和结尾已为你写好。
3．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
4．参考词汇：tutor vi. & n. 家教 
Dear Student Union,     
I am Li Hua, a girl of 17. I have just read the ad on the school bulletin and
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I’m looking forward to your early reply and please email me at lihua @ yahoo. com.cn.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua