Apple designs the iPhone, the iPad and the iPod. Each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fashion. Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer , which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet , adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear ( popular in the US and UK ) that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper came out last week under the name “i”. In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.

Most “i” products are aimed at young people and considering the major readers of Independent “i”, it is no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name. But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i” . Why not use “a”, “b” or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College, London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous (模糊的). When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive. Mr. Thorne told BBC Magazines, “Even when Apple created the iPad, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition. However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (轻便)” Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and they love personalized products for this reason. Along with “Google” and “Twitter”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.

68. People use the iPlayer to ____________.

A. listen to music                              B. make a call

C. read newspapers                                  D. watch TV programs online

69. According to the passage, he first single-letter prefix that became popular is _________.

A. i-              B. e-                                   C. a-                 D. b-

70. Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are ______________.

A. portable                                               B. advanced

C. recyclable                                               D. environmentally friendly

In the Caucasus Mountains of Russia, nearly fifty out of every one hundred thousand people live to celebrate their hundredth birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only three in one hundred thousand people reach 100. But these Russian old people aren’t alone. The Pakistanis, who live in the Himalaya Mountains and the Ecuadorans of the Andes Mountains, seem to share the secret of long life, too. These people remain healthy in body and spirit in spite of the passage of time. While many persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians, aged 110 to 140, work in the fields beside their great grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked, “at what age does youth end?” most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “well，perhaps at the age of 80,” and the very youngest estimate was at the age of 60.

What accounts for this ability to survive to such an old age, and to survive so well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all these long – lived people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop.

All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. This environment makes the heart and blood vessel system stronger.

Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation (隔离). To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited（遗传的）factors also play some role.

It is clear that isolation from urban pressures and pollution, clean mountain air, daily hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all contribute to the health and long life of all these people．

64. Why does the writer mention some long – lived people in the first paragraph?

　　　 A. To introduce the subject of the article.

　　　 B. To surprise his readers with some facts.

　　　 C. To tell the difference between people in the Soviet Union and America.

　　　 D. To tell you why Americans don’t live as long as other people.

65. From the writer’s viewpoint, industrial society　　　　 .

　　　 A. is highly developed and beneficial to people

　　　 B. is a great advance in human history

　　　 C. is full of pressures and therefore bad for health

　　　 D. can make people’s life better and better

66. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

　　　 A. It is beneficial for people to work and live in industrial society.

　　　 B. People should relax themselves from high pressures of life in industrial society.

　　　 C. The more hard physical work you do, the more healthy you will be.

　　　 D. People’s health mainly depends on inherited factors.

67. The following factors except _________ contribute to the health and long life of all these people．

A. clean mountain air　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. daily hard work

C. good genes　　　 　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. pressures and worries

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. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship.

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 (追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.

However, some 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 them 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 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.

60. What does this passage mainly talk about?

A. Competition helps to set up self-respect in children.

B. Opinions about competition are different among people.

C. Competition is harmful to personal quality development.

D. Failures are necessary experience in competition.

61. Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?

A. It pushes society forward.                                   B. It builds up a sense of duty.

C. It improves personal abilities.                         D. It encourages individual efforts.

62. What is the similar mistaken belief of the true competitors and those with a “desire to fail”?

A. One’s worth lies in his performance compared with others.

B. One’s success in competition needs great efforts.

C. One’s achievement is determined by his skills.

D. One’s success is based on how hard he has tried.

63. Which point of view may the author agree to?

A. Every effort should be paid back in the end.

B. Competition should be encouraged anyway.

C. Winning should be a life-and-death matter.

D. Fear of failure should be removed in competition.

Grandpa loved life - especially when he could play a trick on somebody. At those times, his body shook with laughter. But on a cold Saturday, Grandpa felt that God played a trick on him, and Grandpa wasn’t laughing.

One day, as a carpenter（木匠）, he was building some crates（木箱）for the clothes his church was sending to an orphanage (孤儿院) in China. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. He remembered putting them there that morning, so he drove back to the church. His search proved fruitless.

When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what happened. The glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China！

The Great Depression was at its height, and Grandpa had six children. He had spent twenty dollars for those glasses that very morning.

“It’s not fair. ” he told God as he drove home.

Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on holiday in the United States. He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came to speak on Sunday night at my grandfather’s small church in Chicago. Grandpa and his family were present at the small meeting.

“ But most of all, ” he said，“I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year. You see，my glasses were just destroyed. I was desperate.”

“Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses. Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were much in prayer about this. Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top. ”

Pausing long enough，then，he continued ，“ Folks，when I tried on the glasses，it was as though they had been custom-made just for me！I want to thank you for being a part of that！”

The people listened, but they thought the missionary（传教士）must have confused their church with another.

But sitting quietly in the back，with tears streaming down his face，an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.

56. Which is NOT right about Grandpa?

A. He was cheerful mostly.

B. He believed in God much.

C. He was responsible to his family.   

D. He sent the glasses to China on purpose.

57. From the last two paragraphs, which can be inferred?

A. Grandpa was glad to know where his glasses were at last.

B. Grandpa should have helped the missionary with the glasses.

C. The people knew they did not send the glasses in their list of items.

D. The people knew the missionary was in need of a pair of glasses.

58. What does the underlined word “custom-made” mean mostly?

A. made by hand.                                            B. made specially.

C. made with his agreement.                             D. made by a specialist.

59. Which can be the best title?

A. Perfect Mistake.                                      B. Happy Grandpa Became Quiet at Last.

C. Grandpa Sending his Glasses Mistakenly.      D. God Arranged Everything with a Purpose.

Mr. Glen is a millionaire. Five years ago, after returning from abroad to his motherland, he 36 his small company. Speaking of success, Glen often tells us a story about his extra expensive “school” fee. He always 37 his success to it.

At that time, Glen, who already got a Ph.D. degree, 38 to return to the homeland, starting a company. Before leaving, he bought a Rolex watch with the 39 made through years of work after school and the scholarships. At the airport he had to 40 the routine customs check. The watch on his wrist was also demanded to be taken down for 41 . Glen knew that whoever carried the specific goods out had to pay the tax, and he worried about paying 42 for his watch. So when he was checked, he told a lie that his watch was a 43 fake（假货）. When he was 44 of his “smarts”, immediately, in the presence of Glen, the officers hit the watch, 45 cost nearly 100,000, into pieces 46 hearing Glen’s words. Glen was 47 . Before he understood why, he was taken to the office to be examined 48 . For many times of entry-exit 　49 , he knew that only those people in the “blacklist” would “enjoy” this special treatment. The officers looked over everything carefully in the box, and 50 him no matter what time of entry and exit he must accept the check and if 51 reusing and carrying fake and shoddy goods, he would be 52 according to law! Suddenly, his face turned red, and he had nothing in mind after boarding the plane for long.

After returning to the homeland, he often told the story to his family, and his employees, too. He said that this made a deep 53 on him, because the additional high “school” fee that he had ever paid made him realize the value of 54 , which he would remember as the 55 of his success forever.

36. A. set up 　　　　　 　 B. took up 　　　　　　　　　 C. went up 　　　　　　　　 D. picked up

37. A. honors 　　　　　　 B. mentions 　　　　　　　　 C. brings　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. owes

38. A. decided 　　　　　 B. advised 　　　　　　　　　 C. objected 　　　　　　　　 D. asked

39. A. books 　　　　　　　 B. things　　 　　　　　　　　 C. money　　　　　　　　　　 D. pounds

40. A. receive　　　　　　　 B. accept　 　　　　　　　　 C. get　 　　　　　　　　　　 D. refuse

41. A. look　　　　　　　　　 B. inspection　　　　　　　　 C. test 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. experiment

42.A. one 　　　　　　　　　 B. it 　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. them 　　　　　　　　　　 D. these

43. A. priceless 　　　　　 B. expensive 　　　　　　　 C. worthless　　　　　　　　 D. valuable

44. A. afraid 　　　　　　　 B. proud 　　　　　　　　　 C. ashamed 　　　　　　　　 D. hard

45. A. that 　　　　　　　　 B. what　　　　　　　　　　　 C. as 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. which

46. A. on 　　 　　　　　　 B. at 　　 　　　　　　　　　 C. who　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. in

47. A. disappointed　　　 B. delighted　 　　　　　　　 C. amazed 　　　　　　　　　 D. satisfied

48. A. strictly　　 　　　　 B. quietly　 　　　　　　　　 C. quickly　　　　　　　　　　 D. curiously

49. A. conditions　 　　　　　　 B. experiences 　　　　　 C. experiments　　　　　　 D. chances

50. A. stopped　　 　　　　 B. hoped　　　　　　　　　　　 C. warned　　　 　　　　　　 D. suggested

51. A. came out　 　　　 B. found out　　　　　　　　 C. sent out　　　　　　　　　 D. set out

52. A. hit 　　　 　　　　　 B. blamed　　　　　　　　　　 C. praised　　　　　　　　　　 D. charged

53. A. expression　　　　 B. idea　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. thought　　　　　　　　　 D. impression

54. A. honesty B. lies C. truth D. bravery

55. A. secret　　 　　　　 B. lesson　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. choice　　　　　　　　　　 D. belief

— What shall we do this weekend, Tina?　

— _____. Whatever you want to do is OK with me.

A. All right B. It just depends C. It’s up to you 　　　 D. Glad to hear that

—Young people today earn more and have more freedom to buy what they want.

—_________this, I think that they spend more money on travel.

A.　　　 In spite of　　　　　　 B. Due to　　　 　　　　　　 C. In addition to　　 　　　 D. As for

Was it not until you began to write　　　　 you should have remembered more words?

A. did you realize B. that you realized C. did you not realize　　 D. that you didn’t realize

—Which driver was to blame?

—________! It was the child’s fault, clear and simple. He suddenly came out between two cars.

A. both B. each C. either D. neither

 When talking about his unhappy experiences, he can’t help _______ a sad sigh.

A. letting out                B. letting in                  C. letting go                  D. letting away