One of the greatest contributions to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations (引文) showing how it was used.
This was a huge task. So Murray had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American Surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as "Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire," 50 miles from Oxford.
Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next years, he became one of the staff's most valued contributors.
But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline(拒绝) to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell（地窖） at the Broadmoor Asylum (精神病院) for the Criminally insane.
Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds.
In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend.
Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volumes defined（下定义） 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient

1. 1.

   According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary           

   1. A.
      came out before Minor died
   2. B.
      was edited by an American volunteer
   3. C.
      included the English words invented by Murray
   4. D.
      was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary
2. 2.

   How did Dr. Minor contribute to the dictionary?

   1. A.
      He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers
   2. B.
      He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray
   3. C.
      He provided a great number of words and quotations
   4. D.
      He went to England to work with Murray
3. 3.

   Prof. Murray and Dr. Minor became friends mainly because           

   1. A.
      they both served in the Civil War
   2. B.
      they had a common interest in words
   3. C.
      Minor recovered with the help of Murray
   4. D.
      Murray went to America regularly to visit Minor
4. 4.

   What does the text mainly talk about?

   1. A.
      The history of the English language
   2. B.
      The friendship between Murray and Minor
   3. C.
      Minor and the first Oxford English Dictionary
   4. D.
      Broadmoor Asylum and his patients

The British usually expect one or two snowfalls each year but the amount of snow rarely affects everyday life. However, this week Britain has had the worst snow it has seen in around 18 years. Some places had more than 30cm in a day.
The bad weather caused severe disruption. More than 3000 schools had to close as teachers and pupils were unable to get to school. School children weren’t too unhappy about it though as they headed out to play the snow, building snowmen, having snowball fights, sledging and some even snowboarding and skiing.
In London, bus services were withdrawn for a day and tubes and trains were cancelled. Major motorways in the country had to close. Many people were unable to get to work and it is thought the cost of this lost labor is around &1 billion (10 billion yuan) to businesses and the economy.
Anyone who wanted to leave the country had problems too. Runways were closed at all the UK’s major airports because of the amount of snow. Hundreds of flights were cancelled leaving some passengers stranded at airports.
So why is the UK so ill-prepared for snow? The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, explained that there aren’t enough snow –ploughs（铲雪机）and gritters（撒沙机）and it doesn’t make sense to buy such equipment when it snows so infrequently.
The south-east of England was the hardest hit at the beginning of the week but the snow is now moving northwards where the chaos continues.
More ice and snow is forecast throughout the week and the advice from travel and weather organizations is to stay indoors unless you really need to venture out!

1. 1.

   Which of the following facts is FALSE according to the passage?

   1. A.
      More than 3000 schools had to close for the heavy snow
   2. B.
      Major motorways in the country had to close for the bad weather
   3. C.
      Runways were closed at all the UK’s major airports for the amount of snow
   4. D.
      The government organized to clear the snow away with snow-ploughs and gritters
2. 2.

   What does the underlined phrase venture out probably mean in last paragraph?

   1. A.
      go out
   2. B.
      search out
   3. C.
      take no risks
   4. D.
      stay indoors
3. 3.

   What can we learn from the passage?

   1. A.
      School children seemed happy to head out to play in the snow though schools had to close
   2. B.
      The cost of the lost labor reached around 10 billion yuan to businesses and the economy
   3. C.
      Hundreds of flights couldn’t land because the runways were closed at major British airports
   4. D.
      Tubes and trains in London were cancelled, but drivers were still driving in main motorways
4. 4.

   What can we infer from the passage?

   1. A.
      The heavy snow is what the British have been expecting for 18 years
   2. B.
      The heavy snow has been a very rare heavy one in the UK for 18 years
   3. C.
      The heavy snow doesn't please school children at all
   4. D.
      The government isn’t ill-prepared for snow
5. 5.

   Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Harsh Winters Visit Britain
   2. B.
      Heavy Snow Hits the UK
   3. C.
      Bad Weather Causes Chaos Just in London
   4. D.
      Heavy Snow Causes Disruption Only in Motorways

The air hostess (空姐) was in a small kitchen at the back of the plane, preparing the plates for lunch, when a little old lady came and spoke to her, “Could you please tell me,” she asked, “where is the ladies’ lavatory (厕所) in the plane?”
“Yes, madam,” said the air hostess and smiled. “It is right at the other end of the plane---at the front.”
The little lady went too far. She walked all the way to the front of the plane, opened the door in front of her, and saw the captain of the plane and the other officers. They were all busy with their work and did not see her. She went out again, shut the door and returned to the air hostess.
“Oh, didn’t you find it, madam?” the girl asked her. “Yes, I did,” said the little lady. “But there are four men in the ladies’ lavatory watching television.”

1. 1.

   The story happened______.

   1. A.
      in the evening
   2. B.
      in the afternoon
   3. C.
      in the morning
   4. D.
      at midnight
2. 2.

   What were the four men doing when the little old lady opened the door?

   1. A.
      They were busy working in the control room
   2. B.
      They were working while watching television
   3. C.
      They were watching television in the ladies’ lavatory
   4. D.
      They were enjoying themselves by watching television
3. 3.

   Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   1. A.
      The air hostess was humorous (幽默的)
   2. B.
      The old lady didn’t find the ladies’ lavatory
   3. C.
      The old lady was fooled by the air hostess
   4. D.
      There was no ladies’ lavatory in the plane

In high school, George Lucas didn’t do much work because he spent all his time dreaming about racing cars.
Just a few days before graduation, George was driving home from the library in his Fiat; he prepared for a left turn by looking in the minor. But as he started the turn, he heard the sound of another car, a blowing horn（喇叭）, and the speeding Chevy hit the driver side of his car. The little Fiat turned over four or five times before it was stopped by a big tree. Luckily, George did not die in the accident, but his recovery was slow and he needed months of physical treatment. He would never be able to race ears now.
The accident really changed George’s life. He decided there must be some reason he survived, and made up his mind to get his act together and make something out of his life. He decided to go to university and developed an interest in reading and writing. He got on quite well in his studies. He didn’t quite forget about racing cars. At that time instead of driving race cars, he began filming them.
You may have seen one or all of George Lucas’s most famous films from the Star Wars series or the Indiana Jones trilogy. Not only has George produced movies, but also he has helped invent and develop new technologies to modernize the movie industry.
Today, Lucas, who earns as much as ＄3.0 billion, is one of the American film industry’s most successful directors and producers

1. 1.

   What was George Lueas’s life like in high school?

   1. A.
      He was the best race ear driver
   2. B.
      He did very well in his school subjects
   3. C.
      He didn’t spend much time on his studies
   4. D.
      He was one of the worst students in school
2. 2.

   We can learn from this passage that______.

   1. A.
      George’s Fiat was not seriously damaged
   2. B.
      the Chevy driver didn’t break the traffic law
   3. C.
      George was seriously injured in the accident
   4. D.
      the Chevy driver wasn’t injured in the accident
3. 3.

   The greatness of George Lucas mainly lies in his______.

   1. A.
      earning a great deal of money
   2. B.
      directing several famous movies
   3. C.
      making movies about racing cars
   4. D.
      making the film industry more modern

	Yao Ming was born in 1980. In his last season with the Shanghai Sharks，he scored 32.4 points per game. The big man from China helped the Houston Rockets in the NBA and retired in July 2011. He is the son of two great basketball players and learnt how to play basketball when he was young. As one of the stars in the NBA，he worked hard to make his dream come true and show the world that Chinese basketball player love this game too！
	Pele is a football player that everyone knows. He was born in Brazil in 1940.He started playing for Santos when he was only 16 and he didn’t retire until 1977.He played for Brazil 111 times and he scored 97 international goals. Pele came from a poor family. He started playing football in the street，like many people around the world do. He was soon picked to play for Santos and quickly became an international figure.
	Steffi Graf was born in Germany in 1969.She won the tennis semi­final at Wimbledon in 1985 when she was only 16，but she lost the final to another great tennis player，Martina Navratilova. People were surprised by the strength and power of her game. She soon became a famous tennis player and she has won most of the main matches several times.

1. 1.

   In the passage，        is the youngest player

   1. A.
      Pele
   2. B.
      Yao Ming
   3. C.
      Steffi Graf
   4. D.
      Martina Navratilova
2. 2.

           comes from. Brazil

   1. A.
      Pele
   2. B.
      Yao Ming
   3. C.
      Steffi Graf
   4. D.
      No one
3. 3.

   Which of the following is RIGHT?

   1. A.
      Yao Ming is a table tennis player
   2. B.
      Yao Ming is playing for the Chinese Football Team
   3. C.
      Yao Ming’s parents are not basketball players
   4. D.
      Yao Ming isn’t in the Houston Rockets now
4. 4.

   From the passage，we know that         

   1. A.
      Martina Navratilova was also a tennis player
   2. B.
      Steffi Graf was born in Wimbledon in 1985
   3. C.
      Steffi Graf won the tennis final when she was only 16
   4. D.
      Steffi Graf has won few of the main matches since 1985

Most families love home cooking! The food tastes good and warm, and a family meal brings everyone together．In some families, meals are often the only times everyone sees one another the same time．
　　Another reason people enjoy home cooking is that it is often a way of showing love．A parent who makes some cookies is not just satisfying（满足）a child’s sweet tooth． She or he is sending a message．The message says, “I care about you enough to spend an hour making cooking that you will eat up in 15 minutes if I let you．”
　　There is also something about the smell of home cooking．The smell of home cooking pleases people of all ages．It makes most of us feel good and loved----- even if we are the ones doing the cooking! Next time you smell a cake making, stop for a moment and pay attention to your mood（心情）．

1. 1.

   Why do fewer people cook now?

   1. A.
      They have no time．
   2. B.
      Many people are too busy．
   3. C.
      Many people don’t like cooking
   4. D.
      They don’t like family meals．
2. 2.

   The writer thinks the smell of home cooking______.

   1. A.
      makes us happy
   2. B.
      makes us be interested in cooking
   3. C.
      makes us pay attention to our mood
   4. D.
      makes us love others
3. 3.

   The writer writes this passage to tell us______.

   1. A.
      family meals are important．
   2. B.
      how to make cookies．
   3. C.
      people are too busy to cook．
   4. D.
      homemade cookies taste better．

Every girl wants to have a great-looking tattoo (纹身) design that makes them more attractive. Small and lovely tattoo designs are the path to go for girls planning to get tattooed for the first time.
Nowadays, more and more females are getting a tattoo inked on their body. In the last fifteen years, tattoos have grown from being a sign of rebelliousness and trouble to a state of popular acceptance as a mark of fashion.
Tattoos are permanent so you need to be sure that you like it before getting one. A great way is to have small tattoos that look beautiful as well. You can get a cherry blossom tattoo on the foot, perhaps, a hibiscus flower on the shoulder or a lovely butterfly on the lower stomach; whatever design you choose, it can definitely add to your attractiveness and charm.
Deciding to get a tattoo needs careful thought and reflection. Otherwise, you could make some serious tattoo mistakes. Try to avoid big and obvious designs if possible. Another important part of choosing a tattoo design is the location. What part of the body do you want it on? Choosing a hidden location can often make the tattoo the perfect adornment (装饰). As for professional women, tattoos should normally be where they can be hidden.
Most importantly, no matter what tattoo design you choose the final goal is that the design should be something you like. If you are into the tattoo and really feel passionate about it you will carry yourself in a different manner when you get it inked on your body

1. 1.

   A girl wants to have a tattoo in order to ______.

   1. A.
      show that she is unique
   2. B.
      catch up the present fashion
   3. C.
      become more attractive
   4. D.
      have more confidence
2. 2.

   The underlined word “hallmark” in Paragraph 2 probably means______.

   1. A.
      feature
   2. B.
      exhibition
   3. C.
      entertainment
   4. D.
      room
3. 3.

   What did people think of girls who got tattooed in the past?

   1. A.
      They looked down upon these girls
   2. B.
      They thought these girls liked to show off
   3. C.
      They thought these girls were fashionable
   4. D.
      They thought these girls were rebellious
4. 4.

   What is the author’s attitude towards girls’ getting a tattoo?

   1. A.
      He is against girls’ doing so
   2. B.
      He thinks professional women should not get tattooed
   3. C.
      He is in favor of it as long as it is done probably
   4. D.
      He calls on all the girls to do so
5. 5.

   According to the author, which of the following is the right kind of tattoo that girls should get?

   1. A.
      Big, beautiful tattoos inked on the back
   2. B.
      Small, lovely tattoos inked on the hidden part of the body
   3. C.
      Big and fashionable tattoos inked on the foot
   4. D.
      Small and beautiful tattoos inked on where it is easy to see

1. 1.

   The diagram is mainly about ______

   1. A.
      the food chain of the animal
   2. B.
      the system of energy flowing
   3. C.
      how to get food for man
   4. D.
      the growth of the energy
2. 2.

   Which is not the result of photosynthesis of the plant?

   1. A.
      Oxygen is released into the air
   2. B.
      Food is provided for animals
   3. C.
      Certain forms of energy is produced．
   4. D.
      The air is cleaned．
3. 3.

   What occurs when the energy flows through the system?

   1. A.
      Energy is consumed and one becomes the food of others
   2. B.
      Energy is stored and plants become animals
   3. C.
      Man plays an important part in energy flowing
   4. D.
      The more energy is consumed, the more energy the sun will supply
4. 4.

   What should be done in order to improve the living conditions according to the diagram?

   1. A.
      More animals should be raised．
   2. B.
      Decomposers should be made full use of
   3. C.
      More trees should be planted．
   4. D.
      Man should be controlled．

1. 1.

   If you want to go out for lunch on Sunday, you can call up the number              

   1. A.
      2785161 or 2706030
   2. B.
      2706030 or 3562367
   3. C.
      7364431 or 2785161
   4. D.
      3562367 or 2785161
2. 2.

   You do not have to pay on Mondays if you go to              

   1. A.
      Skyline Hotel
   2. B.
      Lansdowne Park Shopping Center
   3. C.
      New York Museum
   4. D.
      Garden Restaurant
3. 3.

   If you want to enjoy yourself on Sunday morning, you can go to              

   1. A.
      5300 No. 3 Road
   2. B.
      Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St
   3. C.
      9020 Bridgeport Road
   4. D.
      3031 No. 3 Road

If you are planning on traveling, there are few simple rules about how to make life easier both before and after your journey.
First of all, always check and double-check departure (出发) time. It is surprising how few people really do this carefully. Once I arrived at he airport a few minutes after ten. My secretary had got the ticket for me and I thought she had said that the plane left at 10:50. When I arrived at the airport, the person at the departure desk told me that my flight was closed. Therefore, I had to wait three hours for the next one and missed an important meeting.
The second rule is to remember that even in this age of credit cards (信用卡), it is still important to have some local money in cash (现金). Once I arrived at a place at midnight and the bank at the airport was closed. The only way to get to my hotel was by taxi but because I had no dollars, I offered to pay in pounds instead. “Listen! I only take real money!” the driver said angrily. You can imagine how terrible I felt at that moment.
The third and the last rule is to find out as much as you can about the weather at your destination(目的地) before you leave. I feel sorry for some of my workmates who travel in heavy suits and raincoats in May, when it is still fairly cool in London or Manchester, to places like Athens, Rome of Madrid, where it is already beginning to get quite warm during the day

1. 1.

   Where is the writer most probably from?

   1. A.
      Britain
   2. B.
      The USA
   3. C.
      Italy
   4. D.
      Greece
2. 2.

   When the writer found he had no dollars to pay the taxi driver, he______.

   1. A.
      asked the driver to give him a free ride
   2. B.
      offered to pay in pounds
   3. C.
      gave the driver some fake(假) money
   4. D.
      tried to pay by credit card
3. 3.

   Generally, in May the weather in London is______.

   1. A.
      warm and dry
   2. B.
      cold and dry
   3. C.
      hot and wet
   4. D.
      cool and rainy
4. 4.

   The writer mainly tells us______.

   1. A.
      how to make life easier
   2. B.
      how to be well prepared for a trip
   3. C.
      how to enjoy ourselves on trip
   4. D.
      how to schedule our trip