The government of Norway is planning to build an unusual storage center on an island in the Arctic Ocean. The place would be large enough to hold about two million seeds. The goal is to present all crops known to scientists. The British magazine New Scientist published details of the plan last month. The structure will be designed to protect the world’s food supply against nuclear war, climate change and other possible threats. It will be built in a mountain on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. The mountain is less than one thousand kilometers from the North Pole, the northernmost position on earth.

An international group called the Global Crop Diversity Trust is working on the project. The director of the group, Cary Fowler, spoke to New Scientist. He said the project would let the world rebuild agriculture if, in his word, “the worst came to the worst”. Norway is expected to start work next year. The project is expected to cost three million dollars. Workers will drill deep in the side of a sandstone mountain. Temperatures in the area never rise above 0??C. The seeds will be protected behind concrete walls a meter thick and high-security door.

The magazine report says the collection will represent the products of ten thousand years of farming. Most of the seeds at first will come from collections at seed banks in Africa, Asia and Latin America. To last a long time, seeds need to be kept in very low temperatures. Workers will not be present al the time. But they plan to replace the air inside the storage space each winter. Winter temperatures on the island are about eighteen degrees below 0??C. The cold weather would protect the seeds even if the air could not be replaced.

Mr. Fowler says the proposed structure will be the world’s most secure gene bank. He says the plant seeds would only be used when all other seeds are gone for some reason. Norway first proposed the idea in the 1980s. But security concerns delayed the plan. At that time, the Soviet Union was meeting in Rome of the Food and Agriculture Organization.

The project is meant to ______.

A.increase the world’s food output in the future      

B.carry out some scientific experiments on plant genes   

C.protect crop seeds from dying out in case of possible disasters

D.build an exhibition centre of the world’s plant seeds

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the above passage?

A.The government of Norway will perform the project alone.

B.Seeds to be collected there were produced ten thousands years ago.    

C.Spitsbergen is chosen because it is free of the threat unclear war forever.   

D.Temperature is a major consideration when choosing the storage place.

We can infer from the text that _______.

A.People will get newly-developed seeds from the center every year.

B.The storage center will greatly promote world agriculture   

C.Norway had meant to build the storage centre about 20 years before. 

D.There haven’t been any seed storage centres in the world before.

What is probably the best title of the passage?

A.The Best Place to Store Seeds B.Noah’s Ark(诺亚方舟)of Plant Seeds in Plan

C.Concerns of World Food Supply    D.A New Way to Feed the World

Tom Becker has won the 2007 Waterstone's children's book prize with his first novel, Darkside, receiving a cheque for ??1,000 and the promise of display in branches of the book store across the country.

The 25-year-old author described winning as an "unbelievable feeling". "I didn't think my book would be on the shortlist and stood a chance of winning, and it's amazing to receive such an important award at the beginning of my writing career. Needless to say I am absolutely made up." he said.

The novel, inspired by film noir(黑色电影), fantasy(幻想)and a fascination(迷恋)with the dark side of the 19th century, is for children between the ages of nine and 12. It tells the story of a boy, Jonathan Stirling, who discovers a similar world filled with vampires(吸血鬼)and werewolves(狼人). This alternative reality has a clearly Victorian air, and is ruled by a descendant(后裔)of Jack the Ripper. Soon hunters from the other side begin searching for Jonathan, who finds himself driven into their world.

Waterstone's head children's buyer, Wayne Winstone, thought highly of Becker's "huge" achievement. He said: "Tom Becker's writing style attracts you in the same way that Darren Shan's does with his mix of adventure and the supernatural. 

"I have a feeling that Tom has real potential(潜能)and could be one of the big names in children's writing in the future."

This year's shortlist also included Michael Broad's Jake Cake, Philip Caveney's Sebastian Darke and Siobhan Dowd's A Swift Pure Cry. Last year's prize was won by Julia Golding with The Diamond of Drury Lane.

How did Tom Becker feel at the news that he had won the prize? 

A. He was proud of his ability of making up stories.        

B. He was shocked and didn’t believe it was true. 

C. He was very surprised and delighted. 

D. He had expected he would win the prize.

Why was Tom Becker’s novel successful according to Wayne Winstone? 

A. Because his novel was inspired by film noir, fantasy and a fascination.

B. Because the novel was about the dark side of the 19th century.

C. Because his novel was intended for teenagers between the ages of nine and 12.

D. Because his writing style is attracting with the mix of adventure and the supernatural

Which of the following is WRONG according to passage?

A. The novel Darkside is Tom Becker’s first novel.

B. The novel Darkside will be on display all over the country.

C. Philip Caveney also won the prize in 2007.

D. Jonathan is a major character in the novel Darkside.

What can we infer from the passage?

A. Tom Becker is likely to be a most promising novelist in children’s writing in the future.

B. Darren Shan’s novels are all very popular with children between the ages of 9 and 12.

C. The Waterstone’s children’s book prize is an important prize for young novelists.

D. The novels of Michael Broad, Philip Caveney and Siobhan Dowd will be on the shortlist next year.  

The best title for the passage is probably_______.

  A. Tom Becker— a great writer for children

B. First-time author wins children’s fiction prize

C. An imaginary big prize

D. Tom Becker's writing style

完形填空(共20小题,每小题1.5分,满分30分)阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从1—20题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。

Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to __1__ in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the __2_ ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too __3_ for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of 4__.

One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I sat down beside her. “Mom, I have a question to ask you. Is there __5__ between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice. She didn’t answer immediately. She 6_ her head and continued to sew the quilt.

I was very worried because I thought I had _7_ her. I was _8__ and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:

“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread.Sometimes it __9_, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt _10__. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread.It can hardly be seen __11, but it’s really there. Love is _12_.”

I listened carefully but I __13_ her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly __14 seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked __15_. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness. After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father _16__ on the country road.

“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.

“Susan, don’t __17 me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom.”__18_ his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.

Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and 19__. But from this experience, I understand that love is just __20__ in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.

1.A.keep fit                B.rise early             C.earn money         D.collect money

2.A.magic                  B.romantic             C.fantastic             D.attractive

3.A.simple                  B.easy                   C.relaxing              D.luxurious

4.A.the question          B.question              C.reach                 D.control

5.A.feeling                  B.love                    C.quarrel               D.smile

6.A.raised                   B.shook                 C.nodded               D.bowed

7.A.hurt                     B.injured                C.wounded            D.harmed

8.A.in great surprise                                    B.in a great embarrassment

       C.with deep depression                           D.at extreme sorrow

9.A.happens               B.comes about       C.appears              D.occurs

10.A.warm and soft    B.hot and hard        C.thin and cool        D.strong and durable

11.A.somewhere and sometime                    B.anywhere or anytime

       C.more or less                                       D.here and there

12.A.inside                 B.outside               C.faraway             D.nearby

13.A.could believe                                      B.couldn’t understand       

       C.wouldn’t recognize                              D.might know

14.A.got sick              B.got stuck            C.threw up             D.became disabled

15.A.quite healthy       B.very pale             C.fairly red             D.much surprised

16.A.jump high           B.go hurriedly        C.run fast              D.walk slowly

17.A.think about         B.talk with             C.worry about        D.laugh at

18.A.Reading              B.Seeing                C.Saying                D.Writing

19.A.fresh roses         B.gold ring            C.sweet kisses       D.beautiful jewelry

20.A.a thread         B.a needle           C.the cloth       D.the cotton

完形填空:(共30分,每小题1.5分)

My 14-year-old son, John,  and I                        

 Spotted(挑出,察觉) the coat at the same time.  It was               

hanging at a (an)  36    clothing store. 

The coat had a black velvet collar(天鹅绒衣领),  delightful

tailoring,  a Fifth Avenue label (标签) and a (an) 37    price of  $28.

We looked at   38   , saying nothing, 39   John’s eyes shone.  Dark, woolen topcoats were popular just then with   40  ,  but could    41   several hundred dollars new.

John  42   the coat.  He turned from side to side, eyeing himself in the mirror with a serious,  studied 43  that soon changed into a smile.  The   44   was perfect.  John wore the coat to school the next day and came home wearing a big smile.  “How did the kids like your coat? ”  I asked.  “They love it. ” He said, carefully    45  it over the chair and smoothing it flat.

Over the next few weeks, the _____46_____came over Jone. Quiet reasoned discussion was____47____argument. He became more thoughtful and eager to ___48______.“good dinner, Mum”he would say every evening .One day when I suggested that he might start on homework before dinner, John said,“You are right, and I guess I will.”

When I    49   this to one of his teachers and remarked that I didn’t know   50  caused the changes,  she said with laughter,  “It must be his coat! ” At the library,  we  51  to meet a friend who had not seen our children for a long time.  “  52  this be John? ” He asked,  looking up to John’s new height and coat,  and extending his hand,  one gentleman to another.

John and I both knew we should never 53  a person’s clothes for the real person within them.  But there is something to be said for   54   a standard of excellence for the world to see,  for practicing standard of excellence in thought,  speech and behavior,  and for   55 what is on the inside with what is on the outside.

A. second-hand        B. expensive       C. big             D. cheap

A. reasonable         B. unbelievable     C. special          D. average

A. each other         B. one another      C. the other         D. others

A. therefore          B. however         C. but             D. thus

A. adults            B. people           C. parents          D. teenagers

A. spend            B. cost             C. pay             D. take

A. touched          B. buttoned          C. held            D. obtained

A. gesture           B. expression        C. attitude         D. feeling

A. color             B. price            C. fit              D. style

A. pressing         B. taking            C. hanging         D. folding

A. happiness        B. satisfaction       C. change              D. generosity

A. because of          B. instead of         C. aware of             D. full of

A. please                B. understand        C. complain            D. apologize

A. mentioned          B. wrote            C. reported              D. explained

A. when            B. how             C. what            D. that

A. happened         B. came            C. intended         D. decided

A. Should           B. Would           C. Must            D. Could

A. watch            B. judge            C. mistake         D. consider

A. doing            B. showing          C. speaking        D. wearing

A. comparing        B. connecting        C. combining       D. matching

    Compassion is a desire within us to help others.With effort, we can translate compassion into action.An experience last weekend showed me this is true.I work part-time in a supermarket across from a building for the elderly.These old people are our main customers, and it’s not hard to lose patience over their slowness.But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson.This untidy man walked up to my register(收款机) with a box of biscuits.He said he was out of cash(现金), had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards.He asked if we could let him have the food on trust.He promised to repay me the next day.

    I couldn’t help staring at him.I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if luck had gone his way.I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world.I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn’t allow me to do so.I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.

    Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up.If anything, he looked more pitiable.“Charge it to me,” was all he said.

    What I had been feeling was pity.Pity is soft and safe and easy.Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action.I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either.Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself.I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.

41.The aged gentleman who wanted to buy the biscuits ______.

       A.promised to obey the store rules           

       B.forgot to take any money with him

       C.hoped to have the food first and pay later

       D.could not afford anything more expensive

42.Which of the following best describes the old gentleman?

      A.kind and lucky                                     B.poor and lonely

       C.friendly and helpful                              D.hurt and disappointed

43.The writer acted upon the store rules because ______.

       A.he wanted to keep his present job         

       B.he felt no pity for the old gentleman

       C.he considered the old man dishonest     

       D.he expected someone else to pay for the old man

44.What does the writer learn from his experience?

      A.Wealth is more important than anything else.

       B.Helping others is easier said than done.

       C.Experience is better gained through practice.

       D.Obeying the rules means more than compassion.

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