9．Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself．The expression to be in hot water is ——青夏教育精英家教网—

9．Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself．
The expression to be in hot water is a very old expression．Hot water was used five hundred years ago to mean being in trouble．One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle．
That no longer happens．But we still get in hot water．When we are in hot water，we are in trouble．It can be any kind of trouble---serious or not so serious．A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police．A young boy can be in hot water with his mother，if he walks in the house with dirty shoes．
Being in deep water is almost the same as being in hot water．When you are in deep water，you are in a difficult position．
To keep your head above water is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt．A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times．A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job．
Water over the dam is another expression about a past event．It is something that is finished．It cannot be changed．The expression comes from the idea that water that has flowed over a dam cannot be brought back again．
Another common expression to hold water，is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about．It probably comes from a way of testing the condition of a container．If it can hold water，it is strong and has no holes in it．If your argument can hold water，it is strong and does not have any holes．
Throwing cold water also is an expression that deals with ideas or suggestions．It means to not like an idea．For example，you want to buy a new car because the old one has some problems．But your wife throws cold water on the idea，because she says a new car costs too much．

59．If Robert says he is in deep water，we may guessB．
A．he is swimming under the water
B．he faces a difficult choice
C．he is tired of changing shoes
D．he nearly breaks a law
60．What can you infer from the passage？C
A．"To be in hot water"can only be used to mention serious trouble．
B．"Water over the dam"is an expression about a future event．
C．Water could be used in the war in the past．
D．All of the expressions using water have unpleasant meanings．
61．If your argument doesn't hold water，then it isB．
A．convincing B．weak C．logical D．disappointing
62．This passage is written mainly to tell usC．
A．the use of water
B．how to use some expressions of water
C．expressions about water and their meanings
D．expressions with negative meaning．

8．There is no doubt that a common language used throughout the world would do much to bring countries closer to each other．Though it is becoming increasingly easy to move from place to place，our inability to communicate with one another gives rise to numerous misunderstandings and makes real contact between people of differing nationalities impossible．Many attempts have been made to overcome this problem and they have all failed．The fear of foreign influence and domination rules out the universal acceptance of any one of the existing major languages．Aware of this difficulty，many linguists have constructed artificial languages which could have no possible political overtones （暗示）．They have argued that a language of this sort would perform much the same service as Latin did in the Middle Ages．
Although linguists succeeded in making their artificial languages extremely simple so that they would be easy to learn，their efforts seemed   doomed from the start．The reason for this is that there is no real motivation to learn an artificial language．There is nothing to guarantee that everybody is willing to make the effort； there is no assurance that the learner will have any adequate return for his hard work．When people today undertake to learn a foreign language，they are not interested only in speaking it．Mastery of a language makes available to the learner a great deal of worthwhile literature and many current publications．This is the biggest stumbling-block of all for the artificially-constructed tongue．Having no literature of its own，all it can offer is a limited number of translations，which are valueless in themselves．Nor can it acquire any literature；for it would have to be used for a great many generations before this could become possible．Moreover，constant use over a long period would bring into being many'national'dialects and the language would thus defeat its own purpose．
Another serious objection is the fact that a language is shaped by use and not by design．It is a living thing which is forever growing and changing．It takes hundreds of years before it can acquire richness and depth．In an artificial language，however，the meanings of words are rigidly defined．Inflexibility makes for an absence of subtlety （微妙），so that no really fine meaning can be conveyed．Though this quality might be admirable for scientific publications，it greatly slows the formation of any significant literature．Latin was ideal in this respect，for it was a'dead'language with a literature； an artificial one is'dead'from the start．This makes it likely that existing language barriers will remain with us for a very long time．

59．What would be the best title for this passage？C
A．A Solution to Language Barrier
B．Language Barriers In Communication
C．Problems With Artificial Languages
D．Latin，A Dead But Ideal Language
60．What does the underlined word"doomed"in Paragraph 2mean？A
A．defeated       B．acclaimed     C．disliked     D．welcomed
61．Artificial languages haven't succeeded in overcoming language barriers mainly becauseB．
A．they lack motivation to learners
B．they have no literature of their own
C．they are designed but not shaped in use
D．they will be mixed with national dialects
62．The author's attitude towards artificial languages can be best described asD．
A．optimistic      B．sarcastic      C．positive     D．negative．

7．Students in many countries are learning English．Some of these students are small children．Others are teen-agers．Many are adults．Some learn at school，others by themselves．A few learn English by learning the language over the radio，on TV，or in film．One must work hard to learn another language．
Why do all these people want to learn English？It is difficult to answer this question．Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects required for study．They study their own language and maths and English：Some people learn it because it is useful for their work．Many people learn English for their work．Many people learn English for their higher studies，because at college or university some of their books are in English．Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers or magazines in English．

55．People learn EnglishD．
A．at school B．over the radio
C．on TV D．not all in the same way
56．Different kinds of people want to learn EnglishB．
A．together with other subjects
B．for different reasons
C．for their work
D．for higher studies at colleges
57．From this passage we know thatD．
A．we can learn English easily
B．English is very difficult to learn
C．English is learned by most people in the world
D．English is a useful language but one must work hard to learn
58．Which of the following is right？D
A．We don't need to learn any foreign languages．
B．We can do well in all our work without English．
C．English is the most important subject in schools．
D．We should learn English because we need to face the world．

6．America is growing older．Fifty years ago，only 4out of every 100people in the United States were 65or older．Today，10out of every 100Americans are over 65．The aging of the population will affect （影响） American society in many ways-education，medicine，and business．Quietly，the graying of America has made us a very different society-one in which people have a quite different idea of what kind of behavior（行为）is suitable （合适）at various ages．A person's age no longer tells you anything about his/her social position，marriage or health．There's no longer a particular year in which one goes to school or goes to work or gets married or starts a family．The social clock that kept us on time and told us when to go to school，get a job，or stop working isn't as strong as it used to be．It doesn't surprise us to hear of a 29-year-old university president or a 35-year-old grandmother，or a 70-year-old man who has become a father for the firs time．Public ideas are changing．Many people say，'I am much younger than my mother-or my father-was at my age．'No one says‘Act your age'anymore．We've stopped looking with surprise at older people who act in youthful ways．

51．It can be learnt from the text that the aging of the population in AmericaC．
A．has made people feel younger
B．has changed people's social position
C．has changed people's understanding of age
D．has slowed down the country's social development
52．The underlined word‘one'refers toA．
A．a society B．America C．a place D．population
53．‘Act your age'means people shouldB．
A．be active when they are old
B．do the right thing at the right age
C．show respect for their parents young or old
D．take more physical exercise suitable to their age
54．If a 25-year-old man becomes general manager of a big firm，the writer of the text would most probably consider itA．
A．normal B．wonderful C．unbelievable D．unreasonable．

5．Getting rid of dirt，in the opinion of most people，is a good thing．However，there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt．
In the early 16^th century，people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease，as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in．A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths．By 1538，the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom．So did the king of England in 1546．Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way．Henry IV，king of France，was famously dirty．Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath，the king ordered that，to avoid the attack of disease，the nobleman should not go out．
Though the belief in the merit of dirt was long-lived，dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18^th century．Scientifically speaking，cleaning away dirt is good to health．Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease．Yet，it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War II．Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea：clothes need to be whiter than white，cloths ever softer，surfaces to shine．Has the hate for dirt，however，gone too far？
Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays．Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt，which might be responsible for the spread of disease．On the contrary，Mary Ruebush，an American immunologist （免疫学家），encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system．And the latter position is gaining some ground．

47．The kings of France and England in the 16^th century closed bath houses becauseC．
A．they lived healthily in a dirty environment
B．they thought bath houses were too dirty to stay in
C．they believed disease could be spread in public baths
D．they considered bathing as the cause of skin disease
48．Which of the following best describes Henry IV's attitude to bathing？A
A．Afraid B．Curious C．Approving D．Uninterested
49．How does the passage mainly develop？C
A．By providing examples．
B．By making comparisons．
C．By following the order of time．
D．By following the order of importance．
50．What is the author's purpose in writing the passage？D
A．To stress the role of dirt．
B．To introduce the history of dirt．
C．To call attention to the danger of dirt．
D．To present the change of views on dirt．

4．Climbers at the top of Mount Everest，the world's highest peak，will now be able to make video calls and surf the Internet on their mobile phones，a Nepalese （尼泊尔的） telecom group claims．
Ncell，a branch company of Swedish phone giant TeliaSonera，said on Thursday it had set up a high-speed third-generation （3G） phone base station at an altitude of 5，200metres in the Everest region．
"Today we made the world's highest video call from Mount Everest base camp successfully．The coverage （覆盖范围） of the network will reach up to the peak of Mount Everest，"Ncell Nepal chief Pasi Koistinen told reporters in Kathmandu．
The installation （安装） will also help tens of thousands of tourists and hikers who visit the world's highest mountain every year．
Climbers who reached its 8，848-metre peak previously depended on expensive satellite phones and a voice-only network set up by China Mobile in 2007on the Chinese side of the mountain．
"This is a great milestone for mobile communications as the 3G high speed Internet will bring faster，more affordable telecommunication services from the world's tallest mountain，"said Lars Nyberg，chief executive of TeliaSonera，which owns 80percent of Ncell．
The 3G services will be fast enough to make video calls and use the Internet，said the company，which also claimed the world's lowest 3G base at 1，400metres below sea level in a mine in Europe．
Despite the installation in Mount Everest，telecom services cover less than one-third of the 28million people of Nepal，one of the poorest countries in the world．
TeliaSonera said it planned to invest $ 100million in the next year to ensure that mobile coverage increases to more than 90per cent of the Himalayan nation's population．
The 3G network on Mount Everest puts TeliaSonera ahead of state-controlled Nepal Telecom，Indian-owned United Telecom and China Mobile．
Around 3，000people have climbed to the Everest summit since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to conquer the peak in 1953．

54．Who are most likely to benefit from the 3G services at Mount Everest？D
A．The telecom firm．
B．The local residents．
C．Travelers to Nepal．
D．Mount Everest explorers．
55．According to Lars Nyberg，the 3G services they provideA．
A．are fast and convenient
B．are a little expensive
C．can make voice-only calls
D．offer free emailing
56．What do we know about TeliaSonera？C
A.80percent of it is owned by Ncell．
B．It belongs to Nepal Telecom．
C．It is in the charge of Pasi Koistinen．
D．It provides services for Pasi Koistinen．
57．What is the best title of the text？B
A．Telecommunication in Nepal
B.3G services reach Mt．Everest summit
C．TeliaSonera takes lead in communication
D．Good news for hikers and climbers．

3．A winter wonderland on the outskirts of Quebec City has become one of Canada's hottest attractions and most sought out accommodations．Guests stay close for warmth in sleeping bags on beds of ice，hats pulled over their ears to prevent frostbite，while sipping cocktails （鸡尾酒） in glasses also made of ice．
A cool place to host a memorable wedding or for a romantic getaway，the Quebec Ice Hotel has attracted 600，000curious tourists，including 30，000who stayed overnight，since opening seasonally 11years ago．Like Victoria and Jeremy Martin，dozens of couples will exchange vows （誓约） this winter in a temporary church next to the hotel，made entirely from blocks of ice with seats covered in furs．
Average temperatures fall below minus 20degrees C （minus four F） in winter，but inside the hotel's 36rooms it is relatively comfortable．Thick walls of packed snow and ice act as an insulator，trapping body heat inside．Each room is uniquely decorated，using designs created by Quebec architecture students．Two hotel bars also sell special cocktails in ice glasses．
First-time guests of the hotel，however，are recommended to stay only one night as sleeping in sub-zero temperatures is not very refreshing．This year for the first time the ice hotel has teamed up with a brick and concrete Quebec City hotel to offer packages（全套服务） for one-night accommodations at each．Prices for one night only at the ice hotel start at 200US dollars per person．
The 3，000-square-metre （32，300-square-feet） buildings take six weeks starting in December to build，using 15，000tons of snow and 500tons of ice，at a cost of some 750，000US dollars．Eleven weeks after its seasonal grand opening，the hotel will close on March 27and then melt away with the arrival of spring．
63．What is true with the ice hotel？D
A.630，000people have visited it．
B．Its rooms all look alike．
C．It stays open for two months each year．
D．Wedding ceremonies are often held there．
64．The underlined word"insulator"in Paragraph 3possibly refers to something thatA．
A．stops heat passing throughit
B．collects and reflects light and heat
C．makes things become very cold
D．works like an air-conditioner
65．First-time guests are advised to stay there only one night becauseA．
A．they may not be able to stand the cold
B．their other night is with an ordinary hotel
C．new guests have no advantages over old ones
D．they may find the beds made of ice too hard to sleep on．

2．People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother's Day，on the second Sunday in May，and Father's Day，on the third Sunday in June．
Mother's Day was proclaimed a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915．Ann Jarvis from Grafton，West Virginia，had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers．She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation．
In 1909，Mrs．Dodd from Spokane，Washington，thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers．She wanted to honor her own father，William Smart．After her mother died，he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter．In 1910，the first Father's Day was observed in Spokane．Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to established Father's Day as a national commemorative day，in 1972．
These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents．They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens．They give love and care．
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways．On Mother's Day people wear carnations．A red one symbolizes a living mother．A white one shows that the mother is dead．Many people attend religious services to honor parents．It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery．On these days families get together at home，as well as in restaurants．They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day．These are days of fun and good feelings and memories．
59．What's the right time order of the following events？B
a．The first Father's Day was observed．
b．Mother's Day was proclaimed a day for national observance．
c．Father's Day became a day for national observance．
d．The idea of honoring fathers was bought up．
A．a b c d
B．d a b c
C．b a c d
D．d a c b
60．Who plays the most important role in Father's Day becoming a national commemorative day？B
A．Mrs．Dodd
B．Margaret Chase Smith．
C．Ann Jarvis
D．Woodrow Wilson．
61．From the passage，we know in the U．SD．
A．on Mother's Day，families often go out to have barbecues
B．people should wear a red carnation if their mothers pass away
C．on Father's Day，people stay at home to celebrate the special day
D．the purpose to have these two special days is to show love to parents
62．The author's purpose of writing this passage is toA．
A．introduce Mother's Day and Father's Day
B．show how important fathers and mothers are
C．call on people to love and respect their parents
D．tell the difference between Mother's Day and Father's Day．

1．In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition．Some value it highly，believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity （繁荣），others say that competition is bad； that it sets one person against another； that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people．
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills．For them，playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs．In their single-minded pursuit of success，the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten．
However，while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed，others take an opposite attitude．In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players，they strongly blame competition．Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society．Teaching these young people，I often observe in them a desire to fail．They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success．By not trying，they always have an excuse："I may have lost，but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try．"What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost，that would mean a lot．Such a loss would be a measure of their worth．Clearly，this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves．Both are based on the mistaken belief that one's self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others．Both are afraid of not being valued．Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve （缓解） can we discover a new meaning in competition．
67．What does this passage mainly talk about？C
A．Competition helps to set up self-respect．
B．Failures are necessary experiences in competition．
C．Opinions about competition are different among people．
D．Competition is harmful to personal quality development．
68．What does the underlined phrase"the most vocal"in Paragraph 3most probably mean？D
A．Those who try their best to win．
B．Those who value competition most highly．
C．Those who rely on others most for success．
D．Those who are against competition most strongly．
69．What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a desire to fail？A
A．One's worth lies in his performance compared with others．
B．One's achievement is determined by his particular skills．
C．One's success in competition needs great efforts．
D．One's success is based on how hard he has tried．
70．Which point of view may the author agree to？A
A．Fear of failure should be removed in competition．
B．Winning should be a life-and-death matter．
C．Competition should be encouraged．
D．Every effort should be paid back．

20．In the early part of the twentieth century，racism was widespread in the United States．Many African Americans were not given equal opportunities in education or employment．Marian Anderson （1897-1993）was an African American woman who gained fame as a concert singer in this climate of racism．She was born in Philadelphia and sang in church choirs during her childhood．When she applied for admission to a local music school in 1917，she was turned down because she was black．Unable to attend music school，she began her career as a singer for church gatherings．In 1929，she went to Europe to study voice and spent several years performing there．Her voice was widely praised throughout Europe．Then she returned to the US in 1935and became a top concert singer after performing at Town Hall in New York City．
Racism again affected Anderson in 1939．When it was arranged for her to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington，DC，the Daughters of the American Revolution opposed it because of her color．She sang instead at the Lincoln Memorial for over 75 000people．In 1955，Anderson became the first black soloist to sing win the Metropolitan Opera of New York City．The famous conductor Toscanini praised her voice as"heard only once in a hundred years"．She was a US delegate to the United Nations in 1958and won the UN peace prize in 1977．Anderson eventually triumphed over racism．
54．According to this passage，what did Marian Anderson do between 1917and 1929？D
A．She studied at a music school
B．She studied voice in Europe．
C．She sang at Town Hall in New York
D．She sang for religious activities．
55．Toscanini thought that Marian AndersonD．
A．was seldom heard by people
B．sang occasionally in public
C．sang only once in many years
D．had a very rare voice
56．Anderson's beautiful voice was first recognizedA．
A．in Europe
B．in Washington，DC．
C．at the Lincoln Memorial
D．at the United Nations
57．This passage shows that Anderson finally defeated racism in the US byC．
A．protesting to the government
B．appealing to the United Nations
C．working hard to perfect her art
D．demonstrating in the streets．

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