4、Violin prodigies（神童）, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’s greatest violinists, the reason for this phenomenon. “ It’s very clear, “ he told me. “ They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.” As a result, every Jewish parent’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.

Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field and is able to nurture(培育) talent. Nowadays the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. “ In Japan, a most competitive society with stronger discipline than ours,” says Isaac Stern, “ children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well.” The Koreans and Chinese, as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.

That’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.

59. Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because_____.   

   A. it would allow them access to a better life in the West

   B. Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent

   C. they wanted their children to enter into the professional fields

   D. it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country

60. Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that_____.

   A. enforce strong discipline on students who want to achieve excellence

   B. treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development

   C. encourage people to compete with each other

   D. promise talented children high positions

61. Japan is described in the passage as a country that attaches importance to_____.

   A. all-rounded development

   B. the learning of Western music

   C. strict training of children

   D. variety in academic studies

62. Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies according to the passage?

   A. A natural gift.                        B. Extensive knowledge of music.

   C. Very early training.                 D. A prejudice-free society.

3、    Any country has good reasons to want its citizens to be as healthy as possible. This led to the instruction of health service in many countries. Britain has developed into a country in which all citizens can get most of the health treatment free. The money for this is partly from the people who are willing to offer.

But there are different opinions about the Health Service. The number of patients treated every year and the cost of treatment are much greater than expected. This means that the people who work for the Health Service― doctors, nurses and other hospital workers have much more work to do, and as a result they have little time for preventive treatment.

However, the tough problem is that as many people are able to receive treatment more expensive than they can pay, sometimes people go and visit their doctors when they don’t really need to. As there are many patients, doctors cannot spend time long enough with each patient. So some people prefer to pay for their own treatment so that their doctors can examine them more carefully. In fact, some rich people feel that they should pay more free money, which would be given to other citizens.

55. Britain is described as an example to show that_____.

   A. it is a very rich country in Europe

   B. it is a country with the Health Service

   C. everyone in the UK enjoys free medical care

   D. people have to play part of the medicine fee

56. What is the problem in the Health Service?

   A. Doctors and nurses are not working hard.

   B. People can get more preventive treatment.

   C. There are not enough well-trained doctors.

   D. Money is not enough to employ more medical workers.

57. Why do many people go and see the doctors even when they really don’t need to?

   A. To get necessary protective treatment.

   B. To take back some expensive medicine.

   C. To receive treatment free of charge.

   D. To keep himself even more healthy.

58. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

   A. There is much to improve the Health Service.

   B. People should not go to the doctor’s unless necessary.

   C. The Health Service is quite successful so far.

   D. The rich should be allowed to pay for the treatment.

2、Girls really prefer pink and boys prefer blue, recent research shows.

The reasons could have its origins in the hunt for food on the African savannah(稀树草原) thousands of years ago. Evolution may have developed women’s preference for pink, perhaps because it helped to find ripe fruit and healthy men with reddish faces, while both men and women have a natural desire for blue, according to scientists at Newcastle University.

“ Everyone in today’s western culture, from parents to toy manufactures, seems to assume that little girls like pink.” Said Prof. Anya Hulbert, who wanted to find out whether the reason was cultural or to do with biology.

A love of salmon, fuchsia and coral does seem to be rooted into females, rather than picked up from their mothers.

The participants in the study were Chinese and British. The Chinese students showed a marked preference for red, “ Culture may contribute to this natural female preference,” said Pro. Hulbert.

In her experience, 208 young adult men and women were asked to select, as rapidly as possible, their preferred color. Hulbert and her colleague Dr. Yazhu Ling marked the results and found that while men preferred blue, women tended to choose pink.

Hulbert said she could only prefer about the preference for blue: “ Here again, I would favor evolutionary arguments. Going back to our savannah days, we would have a natural preference for a clear blue sky, because it signaled good weather. Clear blue also signals a good water source.”

51. The passage mentions “ the African savannah” to show that_____.

   A. the ancient Africa was a a beautiful place

   B. human beings lived in Africa at first

   C. women and men have different color preference

   D. color preference has its historical origins

52. It can be inferred that the underlined word “ fuchsia”_____.

   A. is probably a kind of toy

   B. is probably pink in color

   C. can be only found in Africa

   D. hardly causes men’s interest

53. By saying “ the Chinese students for red.” In Para. 5, the writer means_____.

   A. red is the Chinese students’ favorite color

   B. the Chinese prefer red more than the British

   C. culture influences people’s color preferences

   D. the study was carried out by two nations

54. What can we know from the last paragraph?

   A. Hulbert thinks evolution explains why people prefer blue.

   B. Hulbert has a strong desire for “savannah days”.

   C. Blue is a natural signal of many good things

   D. While boys like blue, girls like pink.

1、When I moved into an empty dormitory for the first time two years ago, I was certain of a few things. Firstly, I realized that I didn’t 31 anybody at the school. Secondly, I knew that I wanted to work hard at my lessons and 32 something useful. And thirdly, I wanted to have a good time with new classmates, without my parents around.

The first 33 frightened me in the beginning. But that 34 quickly disappeared. It was the other two goals 35 ended up being my difficulties. I knew that it was 36 to devote enough time to class and to social efforts. But I wanted to 37 in both. I knew this would be a 38 , but I didn’t realize how much until classes began.

I got on well with the other girls who lived in my dorm. 39 , instead of finishing my homework 40 it was due, I went upstairs and had ice cream with my neighbor. I always finished it the next day between classes. I knew 41 wasn’t very good and the grade I 42 showed my lack of effort.I was 43 that I needed to find some sort of balance.So I created a schedule that would 44 my time up between going to class, doing homework, and relaxing. It seemed like a good idea, 45 I was only able to 46 it for a few days. A schedule like that was too much pressure.

So I tried another 47. Each week I made a list of everything I had to get done during that week.Then, under the list of things I had to get done, I 48 a list of things I could do if I had time.This is the method I have used since then. I’m glad that I’ve learned to 49 things and it has 50 prepare me for what is to come after graduation.

40、It is difficult to           the exact meaning of some words when you translate them into a foreign language.

A. show off          B. turn out                   C. bring out                 D. take to

39、We can see monuments here and there. Those who have made great          to human beings and society will never be forgotten.

      A. advance            B. progress                  C. contribution             D. achievement

38、Recently, there ________ a boom in population mobility, and according to the survey in 2000, 17 percent of the population _______ every year.

       A. is; moves          B. has been; moves             C. is; move                   D. has been; move

37、Anyone who has spent time with children          the difference in the way boys and girls           similar situations.

       A．aware of; respond to                           B．is aware of; respond to

       C．aware; responding                               D．is aware of; respond

36、If the safety protections against the accidents         , the miners         a chance to survive then.

       A．were taken; would have                        B．had been taken; didn’t have

       C．had been taken; would have had            D．were taken; would have