The 2012 London Olympics had enough problems to worry about. But one more has just been added - a communications blackout caused by solar storms.
After a period of calm within the Sun, scientists have detected the signs of a flesh cycle of sunspots that could peak in 2012, just in time for the arrival of the Olympic torch in London.
Now scientists believe that this peak could result in vast solar explosions that could throw billions of tons of charged matter towards the Earth, causing strong solar storms that could jam the telecommunications satellites and interact links sending five Olympic broadcast from London.
"The Sun's activity has a strong influence on the Earth. The Olympics could be in the middle of the next solar maximum which could affect the functions of communications satellites," said Professor Richard Harrison, head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire. 
At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur in the Sun's atmosphere, throwing out great quantities of electrically-charged matter. " A coronal mass ejection can carry a billion tons of solar material into space at over a million    kilometres per hour. Such events can expose astronauts to a deadly amount, can disable satellites, cause power failures on Earth and disturb communications," Professor Harrison added. The risk is greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots.
Next week in America, NASA is scheduled to launch a satellite for monitoring solar activity called the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will take images of the Sun that are 10 times clearer than the most advanced televisions available.
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory helped to make the high-tech cameras that will capture images of the solar flares (太阳耀斑) and explosions as they occur.
Professor Richard Hold away, the lab's director, said that the SDO should be able to provide early warning of a solar flare or explosion big enough to affect satellite communications on Earth "If we have advance warning, we'll be able to reduce the damage. What you don't want is things switching off for a week with no idea of what's caused the problem," he said.

  1. 1.

    The phrase "communications blackout" in paragraph 1 most probably refers to          during the 2012 Olympics

    1. A.
      the extinguishing of the Olympic torch
    2. B.
      the collapse of broadcasting systems
    3. C.
      the transportation breakdown in London
    4. D.
      the destruction of weather satellites
  2. 2.

    What can be inferred about the solar activity described in the passage?

    1. A.
      The most fatal matter from the corona falls onto Earth
    2. B.
      The solar storm peak occurs in the middle of each cycle
    3. C.
      It takes several seconds for the charged matter to reach Earth
    4. D.
      The number of sunspots declines（减少） after coronal mass ejections
  3. 3.

    What does the last sentence mean?

    1. A.
      So far scientists still don’t know what caused the Solar Storms
    2. B.
      When Solar Storm happens, you’d better turn off the electrical appliances
    3. C.
      The risk is greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots
    4. D.
      Early warming can help minimize the harm of the Solar Storms
  4. 4.

    According to the passage, NASA will launch a satellite to _  _

    1. A.
      take images of the solar system
    2. B.
      provide early warning of thunderstorms
    3. C.
      keep track of solar activities
    4. D.
      improve the communications on Earth
  5. 5.

    Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

    1. A.
      Solar Storms: An Invisible Killer
    2. B.
      Solar Storms: Earth Environment in Danger
    3. C.
      Solar Storms: Threatening the Human Race
    4. D.
      Solar Storms: Human Activities to Be Troubled

Consumers are being confused and misled by the hodge-podge(大杂烩) of environmental claims made by household products, according to a “green labeling” study published by Consumers International Friday.
Among the report’s more unacceptalbe findings – a German fertilizer described itself as “earthworm friendly”; a brand of flour said it was “non-polluting” and a British toilet paper claimed to be “environmentally friendlier”.
The study was written and researched by Britain’s National Consumer Council (NCC) for lobby group Consumers International. It was funded by the German and Dutch governments and the European Commission.
“While many good and useful claims are being made, it is clear that there is a long way to go in ensuring shoppers are adequately informed about the environmental impacts they buy,” said Consumers International director, Anna Fielder.
The 10-country study surveyed product packaging in Britain, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the United States. It found that products sold in Germany and the United Kingdom made the most environmental claims on average.
The report focused on claims made by specific products, such as detergent (洗涤剂), insect sprays and some garden products. It did not test claims, but compared them to labeling guidelines set by the International Standards Organization (ISO) in September, 1999. Researchers documented claims of environmental friendliness made by about 2,000 products and found many too vague or too misleading to meet ISO standards.
“Many products had specially designed labels to make them seem environmentally friendly, but in fact many of these symbols mean nothing,” said report researcher Philip Page.
“Laundry detergents made the most number of claims with 158. Household cleaners were second with 145 separate claims, while paints were third on our list with 73. The high numbers show how confusing it must be for consumers to sort the true from the misleading,” he said.
The ISO labeling standards ban vague or misleading claims on product packaging, because terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “non-polluting” cannot be verified. “What we are now pushing for is to have multinational corporations meet the standards set by the ISO,” said Page

  1. 1.

    According to the passage, the NCC found it unacceptable that _______

    1. A.
      all the products surveyed claim to meet ISO standards
    2. B.
      the claims made by products are often unclear and deceiving
    3. C.
      consumers would believe many of the manufacturers’ claims
    4. D.
      few products actually prove to be environment friendly
  2. 2.

    As indicated in this passage, with so many good claims, the consumers _______

    1. A.
      are becoming more cautious about the products they are going to buy
    2. B.
      are still not willing to pay more for products with green labeling
    3. C.
      are becoming more aware of the effects different products have on the environment
    4. D.
      still do not know the exact impact of different products on the environment
  3. 3.

    It can be inferred from the passage that the lobby group Consumer International wants to _______

    1. A.
      make product labeling satisfy ISO requirements
    2. B.
      see all household products meet environmental standards
    3. C.
      warn consumers of the danger of so-called green products
    4. D.
      verify the effects of non-polluting products

The leaders of Russia and China vowed to support each other’s fight against Muslim separatists and urged peaceful solutions in Iraq, during a meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on December 2, 2002.
Russian President Vladimir Put in and China’s Jiang Zemin signed a joint declaration calling for a “multipolar world”.
His two - day visit comes shortly after the conclusion of the 16th Patry Cogress which elected the new CPC leadership. Put in said that Russia wants to “work hard” with the new generation of Chinese leaders.
The Treaty（条约）of Good =" Neighbourliness" and Friendly Cooperation, signed in July last year, has provided a solid legal foundation for lasting friendship for generations to come, according to Jiang, “China and Russia will be good neighbours, friends and partners forever.”
The Russian Government, in return, said it would continue to give priority（优先权）to relations with China in its foreign policies.
Put in spoke on the morning of Dec. 3rd at Peking University and took questions from students on his understanding of Chinese literature, Russian reform（改革）and NATO enlargement.
He said a growing number of young people in Russia are interested in Chinese literature and one of his daughters is learning Chinese

  1. 1.

    We can infer from the last paragraph that ________

    1. A.
      many young Russian people hope to study Chinese in China
    2. B.
      China is richer and stronger than Russia
    3. C.
      Russia will give some support to China
    4. D.
      The relation between China and Russia is developing healthily
  2. 2.

    It is implied, in the sentence“Put in said that Russia wants to‘work hard’with the new generation on Chinese leaders”, that ________

    1. A.
      Russia will co - operate closely with China
    2. B.
      There are many differences between Russia and China
    3. C.
      Put in knew little of the new generation of Chinese leaders
    4. D.
      It will be long before Put in gets to know the new generation of Chinese leaders
  3. 3.

    The underlined word“multipolar”is likely to mean ________

    1. A.
      equal
    2. B.
      peaceful
    3. C.
      balanced
    4. D.
      fair
  4. 4.

    Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?

    1. A.
      Put in agreed that NATO was enlarged．
    2. B.
      Put in was invited to the 16th Chinese communist Party congress
    3. C.
      Russia puts China first
    4. D.
      Muslim separatists make trouble only in Russia

Small talk is meaningless conversation in terms of content，but is often seen as socially important in certain situations，or context．In many English-speaking countries，it can be viewed as rude or unfriendly not to make small talk.
Discussing the weather with people who you don’t really know is an example of small talk that many of us are very familiar with on a daily basis．We may chat about the weather with the cashier at the supermarket or with the attendant at the gas station．Small talk may also be related to the situation such as waiting in line．People in the line may comment to others about how slow it is in the post office or bank that day，for instance．We also engage in small talk with people we may see every day but don’t really know such as those we share the elevator with in our office building．
Small talk is common at parties when guests may know the host but not each other．It is considered rude not to mingle and speak with other guests at social functions，so small talk can break the ice and get guests chatting．Compliments(赞美)may be a type of small talk such as one woman at party complimenting another on her dress．
Some people like small talk because they find silence uncomfortable and/or they enjoy communicating verbally．Others enjoy meeting new people and use small talk to start conversations. When making small talk，especially with strangers or those you don’t know very well，it’s important to observe certain socially acceptable conventions．First，small talk should be general and not personal or about controversial topics. Second，while compliments are acceptable，they shouldn't refer to the person’s body or sound like a pick-up line．

  1. 1.

    What do people usually talk about in small talk?

    1. A.
      Light topics．
    2. B.
      Personal topics．
    3. C.
      Meaningless things
    4. D.
      Controversial affairs．
  2. 2.

    Who do we usually have small talk with?

    1. A.
      Close friends．
    2. B.
      People we don’t really know．
    3. C.
      Family members．
    4. D.
      Our seniors．
  3. 3.

    At parties，it’s considered rude to          ．

    1. A.
      speak to one guest only and not speak with other guests
    2. B.
      speak to several guests at the same time
    3. C.
      compliment a woman on her dress
    4. D.
      have small talk with the host
  4. 4.

    We can infer from the last paragraph that           ．

    1. A.
      compliments are the most acceptable in small talk
    2. B.
      we should refer to a person’s body when complimenting in order to sound sincere
    3. C.
      there are some rules in making small talk
    4. D.
      some people use small talk to make new friends

Free energy is everywhere around us. There are many ways to make and collect energy from various sources like sun, wind and water. People also realize that everyday stuff can be a source of energy too. For example, riding a bike, running or just walking, etc. We simply have to change our way of thinking if we want to change the world.
So comes the idea of solar roadways. Are they the road of future? Why use roads just for driving and collecting tolls (过路费)? Why don’t we use them for collecting energy?
The US Department of Transportation recently awarded $100,000 to Solar Roadways to build the first ever Solar Road Panel. So how do these future roads work?
The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded (嵌入的) LEDs which “paint” the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving as well as to give drivers instant instructions such as detour (绕行) ahead. The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to “slow down”. There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing safer winter driving.
Replacing asphalt (沥青) roads and parking lots with Solar Roadway Panels will be a major step toward stopping climate change. Fully electric vehicles will be able to recharge along the roadway and in parking lots, finally making electric cars practical for long trips.
We just can’t wait to see more of these roads all over the world in the near future

  1. 1.

    The first paragraph serves as a(n)______

    1. A.
      argument
    2. B.
      comment
    3. C.
      explanation
    4. D.
      background
  2. 2.

    Which of the following is NOT true of LEDs?

    1. A.
      They color the road lines
    2. B.
      They are embedded in the Solar Road Panels
    3. C.
      They are beneficial for nighttime driving
    4. D.
      They can provide instant instructions
  3. 3.

    When some animals are on the solar road, what will the road do?

    1. A.
      Guide them to a safer place
    2. B.
      Remind drivers to drive slowly
    3. C.
      Frighten them away from the road
    4. D.
      Advise drivers to choose another way
  4. 4.

    From the text, we can know that the Solar Road Panels can______

    1. A.
      provide heat for drivers in winter
    2. B.
      guide drivers who get lost on the highway
    3. C.
      melt snow and ice soon in winter
    4. D.
      help drivers see the road clearly in the sun

India has a very vast history and heritage. The country has witnessed some of the most important events in the past and every event has an effect of its own on the culture, religion, lifestyle, and economy of the country. This is one of the leading reasons why tourists prefer India to travel and explore. Historical tours in India provide everything that a traveler expects from his/her journey. These historical tours give an opportunity to study and explore Indian history.
Historical tours of India generally consisted of four phases: ancient, medieval（中世纪的）, modern India and contemporary India. Some of the historical travel packages are:
Forts and Palaces
The rich cultural past of India is reflected in the countless forts and palaces across the country. Most of the forts were constructed as a defense device to keep the enemy away and palaces were made on the names of the kings and queens. Some of the famous forts and palaces are: Agra Fort (Agra), Fatehpur Sikri (Agra), Hawa Mahal (Jaipur), Amber Fort (Jaipur), City Palace (Jaipur), Gwalior Fort (Gwalior), Mysore Palace (Mysore), Red Fort (Delhi), etc.
India Heritage Tours
The main purpose of India Heritage tours is to make Indians as well as tourists familiar with the rich Indian legacy（遗产）. The heritage of the country is at least 5000 years. Some of the heritage tours are: medieval heritage, Rajput heritage, Golden Triangle, splendid Gujarat, etc.
South India Historical Tours
The Southern India is known for its diversity and there are many places, which attract tourists, not only from the country but also from all around the world. The famous tourists’ destinations in South India include Goa, Cochin, Kerala, Munnar, Periyar, Kottayam and the list goes on and on

  1. 1.

    The main purpose of this passage is

    1. A.
      to report some important events in the history of India
    2. B.
      to introduce some tours that they can explore the history of India
    3. C.
      to help study the culture and history of India
    4. D.
      to tell us how to explore the history of India
  2. 2.

    Many tourists prefer to travel to and explore because

    1. A.
      modern India has little to study
    2. B.
      Indian people have an interesting lifestyle
    3. C.
      its culture is greatly influenced by its history
    4. D.
      India’s history is longer than that of any other country
  3. 3.

    Most forts were built in order to

    1. A.
      honor the kings
    2. B.
      act as a palace for queens
    3. C.
      keep enemies away
    4. D.
      attract tourists
  4. 4.

    According to the passage, Rajput heritage

    1. A.
      is a famous fort in India
    2. B.
      is one of the heritages in India
    3. C.
      has a history of no more than 200 years
    4. D.
      lies in South India

Newcastle, one of the fastest developing cities in the United Kingdom, is beginning to draw tourists from all corners of Europe. It’s said most visitors come here to see the famous soccer team play. The mood of the locals is often changed by the success or failures of the local team.
Newcastle’s most popular place is the Gate, which is in the center of the city and has many attractions including bars, restaurants, sports bars, pubs and so on. During a home game it becomes a real home to happiness.
Culture and local history lovers can make their dreams come true by taking one of the local city tour buses. They come and leave every few minutes and stop at all the important historical sites in the city. Also the seats and the environment on the buses are comfortable. It’s the best way to see the city without tiring yourself out or getting cold. Places such as the Hancock Museum and Millennium Bridge are must-see attractions. But be careful if you’re short of time. Newcastle is a big place, so you should be prepared to kill a few hours on one of these buses.
If you want to watch the local team play soccer in the St. James Park, remember to book a ticket as early as possible. The locals are crazy soccer fans, and you’ll find it hard to get a ticket if you don’t wait in the queue early.
As you can see, Newcastle is a fantastic city with so much to be offered and so many things to see. You’re sure to have a wonderful time here!

  1. 1.

    The purpose of the text is to ________

    1. A.
      advertise the local soccer team
    2. B.
      encourage people to visit Newcastle
    3. C.
      introduce the lifestyle in Newcastle
    4. D.
      describe the long history of Newcastle
  2. 2.

    Most visitors come to Newcastle in order to ________

    1. A.
      watch its soccer team play
    2. B.
      take the local tour buses
    3. C.
      visit the Hancock Museum
    4. D.
      have a big meal in restaurants
  3. 3.

    If you want to learn about the history and culture of Newcastle, you _______

    1. A.
      should go to the Gate
    2. B.
      can go on a city tour
    3. C.
      must visit St James Park
    4. D.
      must drive your own car
  4. 4.

    The underlined word “They” in Para 3 refers to ______

    1. A.
      history lovers
    2. B.
      local people
    3. C.
      city tour buses
    4. D.
      local soccer teams

Treasure hunts have excited people’s imagination for hundreds of years both in real life and in books such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Is-land. Kit Williams, a modern writer, had the idea of combining the real excitement of a treasure hunt with clues found in a book when he wrote a children’s story, Masquerade, in 1979. The book was about a hare, and a month before it came out Williams buried a gold hare in a park in Bedfordshire. The book contained a large number of clues to help readers find the hare, but Williams put in a lot of “red herrings”, or false clues, to mislead them.
Ken Roberts, the man who found the hare, had been looking for it for nearly two years. Although he had been searching in the wrong area most of the time, he found it by logic，not by luck. His success came from the fact that he had gaine4d an important clue at the start. He had realized that the words: “One of Six to Eight” under the first picture in the book connected the hare in some way to Katherine of Aragon, the first of Henry VIII’s six wives. Even here, however, Williams had succeeded in misleading him. Ken knew that Katherine of Aragon had died at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire in 1536 and thought that Williams had buried the hare there. He had been digging there for over a year before a new idea occurred to him. He found out that Kit Williams had spent his childhood near Ampthill, in Bedfordshire, and thought that he must have buried the hare in a place he knew well, but he still could not see the connection with Katherine of Aragon, until one day he came across two stone crosses in Ampthill Park and learnt that they had been built in her honor in 1773.
Even then his search had not come to an end. It was only after he had spent several nights digging around the cross that he decided to write to Kit Williams to find out if he was wasting his time there. Williams encouraged him to continue, and on February 24th 1982, he found the treasure. It was worth 3000 in the beginning, but the excitement it had caused since its burial made it much more valuable

  1. 1.

    Which of the following describes Roberts’ logic in searching for the hare?

    1. A.
      Henry VIII’s six wives
    2. B.
      Katherine’s burial place at Kimbolton
    3. C.
      Williams’ childhood in Ampthill
    4. D.
      Katherine of Argon
  2. 2.

    What is the subject discussed in the text?

    1. A.
      An exciting historical event
    2. B.
      A modern treasure hunt
    3. C.
      The attraction of Masquerade
    4. D.
      The importance of logical thinking

Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city.
1. Take pictures.
One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “If you’d like I can email it to you”. This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event, email your new contacts to let them know about it.
2. Eat alone in public.
You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self-conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.
3. Join a class, sports team, or club.
Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!
These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.
Tips:
* In the beginning, never turn down an invitation from someone, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do.
* Email your new friends with fun things to do instead of always asking what their plans are. If they have a better plan you can drop yours and join them. This will help establish you as someone who is contributing value instead of just taking it (people want this in a friend).
* Don’t let little things in life upset you or be a negative person. People don’t want to be around someone like that!

  1. 1.

    According to the text, which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage of joining a class?

    1. A.
      It helps you find out people who share a common interest with you
    2. B.
      It helps you find out your interest and take up a new hobby
    3. C.
      It offers an opportunity to meet the same people repeatedly
    4. D.
      It is a good way to meet new people and make friends in a new city
  2. 2.

    Which of the following pieces of advice is a tip from the text?

    1. A.
      Try to be outgoing and talkative instead of being shy
    2. B.
      Never turn down an invitation from your friends
    3. C.
      Offer suggestions on how to spend time together
    4. D.
      Always give a positive response to any request
  3. 3.

    By writing the text, the author intends to tell us ________

    1. A.
      why you should change when you move to a new city
    2. B.
      how you can make new friends in a new city
    3. C.
      why you should make new friends in a new city
    4. D.
      how you can keep in touch with strangers

Have you felt annoyed when a cellphone rings during the class? Something must be done to stop this．Now in New York City, USA，a rule is carried out in schools．Students can’t even bring cellphones to schoo1．Is it a good thing or not?
Anxious parents say that cellphones are an important tool in holding New York city’s families together．
“I worry about it，” said Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, a mother of a middle school kid． It’s necessary in our everyday life．We have a washing machine. We have running water, and We have cellphones．”
Many American parents think cellphones connect them to their children on buses，getting out from subways, walking through unknown places．
“I have her call me when she gets out of school，”said Lindsay Walt, a schoolgirl’s mother． “No one in New York is going to let their child go to school without a cellphone”
What about the cellphone owners, the students? Most of the students said cellphones were essential and the cellphone was like all extra(额外的)hand or foot for them．
“I feel so empty，”said May Chom，1 4．There is also no way to listen to music on the way to school without my phone．It will be a really, really boring trip．”

  1. 1.

    You can use a cellphone___________．

    1. A.
      to enjoy listening to music
    2. B.
      to work as running water
    3. C.
      to work as a washing machine
    4. D.
      to send children to school
  2. 2.

    Which of the following statements is TRUE?

    1. A.
      Many American parents don’t think cellphones are necessary for the students．
    2. B.
      Cellphones only bring troubles to the school life．
    3. C.
      Cellphones connect children with their families when they are outside．
    4. D.
      All the school children agreed not to use cellphones at school
  3. 3.

    What does the underlined word “essential” mean in Chinese?

    1. A.
      时髦的．
    2. B.
      必要的．
    3. C.
      昂贵的．
    4. D.
      浪费的
  4. 4.

    The article is about the____ in carrying out the rule not to use a cellphone in schoo1．

    1. A.
      happiness
    2. B.
      interest
    3. C.
      problem
    4. D.
      satisfaction
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