题目内容

What will our future look like? People have always been wondering about this question. Go on reading this text and you will know what will happen in the next fifty years.

How can we know what the future will look like? To be able to understand the future, you must know the past. What has taken us to where we are today and what has changed along the way? The world has changed a lot in the last 150 years, but we humans are driven by the same basic needs as we were 150 years ago. Will this change in the next 150 years? No.

What inventions have really made a difference in the last 150 years? In the past years, the inventions that have affected most people around the world for everyday living are the telephone, electricity, radio, television, computer, the car and the ability to communicate through the Internet. Then we of course have a lot of inventions that have made life easier, like new medicine, faster transports etc. In general, human beings have been working hard in the last 150 years to make the inventions so that they will be able to get control of the time and the world. Since there is still much to do in this area, this will be the focus at least for the next 150 years.

Why do we need to predict the future? Predicting the future is important for two reasons: first we need to start to think about what kind of what kind of future we would like for ourselves and to pass on to the next generation, and then we need to know what decisions we need to make today that will give the best result in the future.

1.What does the author try to tell us in the second paragraph?

A. Humans will no longer enjoy food in the future.

B. The world will be completely changed tomorrow.

C. The world is quite different from what it was.

D. Our basic needs will not change in the future.

2.Our past inventions have made __________.

A. our daily life more stressful

B. it easy for us to live

C. us work less time

D. our work easily done

3.What will humans do in order to keep the world under control?

A. To focus on making more inventions.

B. To produce more cars for transportation.

C. To spend more time working on the Internet.

D. To work much harder to achieve their goals.

4.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A. What result we’ll receive in the future.

B. The decisions we make for our future.

C. The two reasons of predicting the future

D. The importance of predicting the future.

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E

Manners nowadays in big cities like London are particularly non-existent. It’s nothing for a big, strong schoolboy to elbow an elderly woman aside in the dash for the last remaining seat on the tube or bus, much less stand up and offer his seat to her.

This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued by young men, who say that, since women have claimed equality, they no longer deserve to be treated with courtesy(谦恭有礼) and that those who go out to work should take their turn in the rat race like anyone else. Women have never claimed to be physically as strong as men. Even if it’s not agreed, however, that young men should stand up for older women, the fact remains that courtesy should be shown to the old, the sick and the burdened. Are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we can sit there indifferently reading the paper or a book, saying to ourselves “ First come, first served”, while a gray-haired woman, a mother with a young child or a cripple stands? Yet this is too often seen.

Older people, tired and easy annoyed from a day’s work, aren’t angels, either—far from it. Many a brisk argument or an insulting quarrel breaks out as the weary queues push and shove each other to get on buses and tubes. One cannot commend(推崇) this, of course, but one does feel there is just a little more excuse.

If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in at all, however, it seems necessary, not only that communication in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. Shop assistant won’t bother to assist, taxi drivers growl at each other as they dash dangerously round corners, bus conductors pull the bell before their desperate passengers have had time to get on or off the bus, and so on. It seems to us that it’s up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration (恶化).

1.What is the writer’s opinion concerning courteous manners towards women?

A. They no longer need to be treated differently from men.

B. Young men should give up their seats to young women.

C. “Lady first” should universally practiced.

D. Special consideration ought to be shown to them in some cases.

2.What does “ the rat race” in paragraph 2 probably mean in the passage?

A. A race that involves many people

B. A well-paid job

C. A fierce competition

D. A race for rats

3.According to the passage, communication between human beings would not be smoother unless ____.

A. people become more considerate towards each other

B. people are not so tired and easily annoyed

C. women are treated with more courtesy

D. public transport is improved

4.The main purpose of the passage is to ______.

A. call on people in big cities to pay more attention to politeness

B. blame the schoolboy’s rude behavior towards elderly women on tube or bus

C. criticize the fast pace of life in most of the big cities

D. tell young men to give their seats to elderly people and women

B

“Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh. “There is certainly a lot of energy in waves,” he said. Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity. Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean. “The wind starts out by making little ripples(涟漪), but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves,” Taylor said. “Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey.” When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine(涡轮机). The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity.

“The resource is huge,” said Janet Swain of the World Watch Institute. “We will never run out of wave power.” Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal. Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface—that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome.

Swain said that wave power still costs too much money. She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown. What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic. Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out. “Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world,” Swain said. In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!

1.The writer uses the two questions at the beginning of the passage to .

A. test the readers’ knowledge about waves

B. draw the readers’ attention to the topic

C. show Jamie Taylor’s importance

D. invite the readers to answer them

2.The underlined phrase “picking up” is closest in meaning to .

A. starting again B. speeding up

C. improving D. gathering

3.We can make better use of wave energy if we .

A. shorten its journey to thousands of homes

B. build more small power stations on the oceans

C. reduce the cost of turning it into electric power

D. quicken the steps of producing electricity

4.It can be inferred that someday we might not worry about .

A. our power supply

B. our boat traffic

C. air pollution

D. our supply of sea fish

Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.

“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.

There are people who wish to remain anonymous(匿名的) for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.

Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter of responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honor our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honor what we say.

1.What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?

A. Writers need to provide their personal information in the game.

B. Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number.

C. Writers should be responsible for their names.

D. Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say.

2.The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may _______.

A. not get a reply

B. help to end a relationship

C. be accepted all the same

D. become a family problem

3.Some people don’t want their names known because they are ________.

A. hesitant to make a donation

B. unwilling to draw public attention

C. afraid of an accusation

D. ready for involvement

4.The passage is mainly about _______.

A. honor and writers

B. identity and signature

C. signature and responsibility

D. anonymity and signature

阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

One day, as I was getting into my car, a woman stopped beside me and asked if I was going north. I wasn’t I asked her where she wanted to go. She told me that she had her bus and had to walk. I her to get in and said I would be happy to take her.

As I started , I thought to myself, “I am not in a ,” so I asked the lady what her ________destination was. She was going to work and was running . So I told her that I would ________ to drive her to work so that she wouldn’t be late! “I can’t you are doing this,” she said. “This is such a ________ gift. I just moved here three weeks ago and you are so ________ !”

As we near the office ________ where she worked, I ________ she put her hand into her bag for something. I asked her what she was ________ . She said, “I must have ________ my lunch bag at home.” I had just bought my ________ . “Here’s a lunch,” I said as I gave her a ________ and handed her my bag from the back seat.

She gave me a hug as she got out of the ________ . She said, “My husband died a few months ago and this is a sign that things will be ________ for me. Thank you.” I drove back home with my ________ singing and a big smile on my face!

1.A. and B. since C. until D. but

2.A. broken B. missed C. lost D. sold

3.A. invited B. expected C. encouraged D. begged

4.A. driving B. moving C. running D. going

5.A. hurry B. luck C. way D. rest

6.A. last B. real C. favorite D. final

7.A. busily B. late C. fast D. early

8.A. refuse B. remember C. offer D. start

9.A. believe B. doubt C. wonder D. think

10.A. cheap B. nice C. simple D. small

11.A. friendly B. patient C. worried D. strict

12.A. house B. store C. apartment D. building

13.A. said B. understood C. noticed D. knew

14.A. giving out B. looking for C. finding out D. asking for

15.A. left B. made C. saved D. taken

16.A. supper B. lunch C. breakfast D. bag

17.A. hug B. prize C. present D. smile

18.A. shop B. office C. car D. bus

19.A. good B. hard C. interesting D. true

20.A. life B. body C. mind D. heart

According to a survey,more Europeans go digital一changing from fixed lines to mobile phones and from narrowband to broadband Internet connections.

The survey showed that 22 percent of EU households use only mobile phones, up from I8 percent a year ago,while the percentage of households with at least one fixed line decreased by 5 percent to 72 percent, although the percentage of households with at least one mobile phone remains fairly stable at 8l per cent.

Broadband is presenting a rapid upward trend in the EU, showed the survey, which polled(对…进行民意调查)27,000 households across the union. 'Itventy-eight percent of households are now connected to the Internet via high-speed "broadband" links, up six percent from last year, while narrowband usage has dipped by three percentage points to 12 percent. More than half of households access the Internet via an ADSL line and 34 percent of broadband connections are wireless.

"Europe's digital economy is growing strongly as more and more households love to choose between fixed, mobile and Internet services," said EU Information Society and Media Commissioner wiane Reding. "The challenge of this year's reform of the EU's telecom rules will be to respond to this rapidly changing technological environment while enhancing(提高)at the same time effective competition:'

Meanwhile, nearly 20 percent of Europeans buy two or more telecom products from a single service provider, the combination of fixed telephony and.Internet access being the most common. The result may strengthen the commission's case for breaking up telecom giants, whose control over the fixed line networks~accused of hindering(妨碍)competition."Today's survey findings will feed into the ongoing public debate on the reform of the EU telecom rules, planned for summer this year," said Reding.

1.Today, the percentage of households with at least one fixed line goes down to

A. 34%% B, 22% C.72% D. 81%

2.What will be covered in this year's reform of the EU's telecom hales?

A. The quickly changing technological environment.

B. The plan to stop the use of the fixed lines.

C. Breaking up telecom giants.

D. The ongoing public debate on global economy.

3.If a European will buy telecom products from a single service provider, what will be the result?

A. Less than two services are provided for customers.

B. Competition will become fierce in the telecom field.

C. A plan on the reform of the telecom is breaking up.

D. It becomes more difficult to fight off big companies' control.

4.The best title of this article is

A. Mobile Phones Become Popular

B. More Europeans Go Digital

C. The disappearance of the fixed line

D. The Rules of the EU's Telecom

Proudly reading my words, I glanced around the room, only to find my classmates bearing big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Confused, I glanced toward my stone-faced teacher. Having no choice, I slowly raised the report I had slaved over, hoping to hide myself. “What could be causing everyone to act this way?”

Quickly, I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task. This was the first real talk I received in my new school. It seemed simple: go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington. Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before. As I searched the name of this fellow, it became evident that there were two people bearing the same name who looked completely different! One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, while the other led some sort of army across America. I stared at the screen, wondering which one my teacher meant. I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice; flip (掷) a coin. Heads—the commander, and tails—the peanuts guy. Ah! Tails, my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter, George Washington Carver.

Weeks later, standing before this unfriendly mass, I was totally lost. Oh well, I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk, burning to find out what I had done wrong. As a classmate began his report, it all became clear, “My report is on George Washington, the man who started the American Revolution.” The whole world became quite! How could I know that she meant that George Washington?

Obviously, my grade was awful. Heartbroken but fearless, I decided to turn this around. I talked to Miss Lancelot, but she insisted: No re-dos; no new grade. I felt that the punishment was not justified, and I believed I deserved a second chance. Consequently, I threw myself heartily into my work for the rest of the school year. Ten months later, that chance unfolded as I found myself sitting in the headmaster’s office with my grandfather, now having an entirely different conversation. I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my option to skip the sixth grade. Justice is sweet!

1. What did the author’s classmates think about his report?

A. interesting B. ridiculous.

C. boring. D. puzzling.

2.Why was the author confused about the task?

A. He was unfamiliar with American history.

B. He followed the advice and flipped a coin.

C. He forgot his teacher’s instruction.

D. He was new at the school.

3. The underlined word “burning” in Para. 3 probably means _______.

A. annoyed B. ashamed C. ready D. eager

4.In the end, the author turned things around _______.

A. by redoing his task

B. through his own efforts

C. with the help of his grandfather

D. under the guidance of his headmaster

Four years ago my sweet mom went to be with her Lord. She did it her way.

I got the call at work, and I headed home quickly. Mom and Dad lived on a small farm that they had owned since I was seven. I hated going there every weekend. There was nothing for a young girl to do but watch the one station on the old TV set, if the weather allowed reception.

My mom, on the other hand, loved the peace and quiet of the land. The place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat. We had a big wood stove in the kitchen that did its best to heat the little farmhouse, but it always seemed cold and too quiet to me.

In the evenings, my mom and I would sit for hours singing in the little kitchen. I sang the melody and Mom harmonized. Her favorite song was "Moon River" and we sang it over and over. Mom told me stories about how when I was a little girl, I could sing before I could talk.

As time passed, I had my own children and went to visit them every week or two. The kids loved the farm and the tractor rides with my dad. Me, well, I still hated the silence of the farm. While my mom loved to sit at her kitchen table and look out at her garden and flowers and retell all the old stories, I missed the hustle and bustle(喧闹)of my life at home. But I sat there listening quietly as she reminisced.

Now, I sat back in the silence and the silence was deafening so I finally leaned over to turn on an old radio. Music always comforted me.

My heart skipped a beat. "Moon River" was playing on the radio. I sat there stunned, with a tear running down my cheek, as I listened to every familiar note.

Then the radio announcer came on. “Here’s one we haven’t heard in a while,” and an unfamiliar song began. I began to cry harder as I heard the words sung over the airwaves. “Come down, come down from your Ivory Tower…”

1. The writer didn’t like staying in the farm for the following reasons Except that ________.

A. it was too cold and quiet

B. she could only sing one song in the small farm

C. there was nothing more that could make her excited

D. the place was rustic, with no indoor plumbing or heat

2.From the first paragraph, we know that the writer’s mother ________.

A. left the small farm with Lord

B. passed away four years ago

C. left for Lord to live her own way

D. preferred to be with Lord

3. What does the underlined phrase refer to?

A.shouted B.comforted

C. recalled D.sighed

4.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? _______

A. Mom’s music B. Cherish(珍惜) life

C. My happy childhood D. Our small farmhouse

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