Do you like doing shopping? Have you ever had to decide whether to go shopping or stay at home and watch TV on a weekend? Now you __16__ do both at the same time. Home shopping television networks have become a __17__ for many people to shop without __18__ having to leave their homes, and you never thought it’s so convenient.
Some shoppers are __19__ of department stores and supermarkets— __20__ the crowds, waiting in long lines, and sometimes having slight __21__ of finding anything they want to buy. They’d rather sit quietly at home in front of the TV set and __22__ a friendly announcer describe a product __23__ a model shows it. And they can __24__ around the clock, buying something __25__ by making a phone call.
Department stores and even mail-under companies are __26__ to join in the success of home shopping. Large department stores are busy __27__ their own TV channels to encourage TV shopping in the future. __28__ can ask questions about products and place __29__, all through their TV sets.
Will shopping by television __30__ take the place of shopping in stores? Some people are still concerned about that. Just only some industry managers think so. __31__ many people find shopping at a __32__ store a great enjoyment. And for many shoppers, it is still important to __33__ or try on dresses they want to buy. That’s __34__ specialists say that in the future, home shopping will __35__ together with store shopping but will never entirely replace it. Let’s wait and see it.

E
Is it time to kick Russia out of the BRICs （金砖四国）? If so, it may end up sounding like a famous ball-point pen maker-BIC. An argument is being made that Goldman Sach’s famous marketing device（策略）,the BRICs, should really be the BICs.
“Is Russia really worth the name BRICs?” asks Anders Aslund, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, in an article for Foreigh Policy. Aslund, who is also co-author with Andrew Kuchins of “The Russian Balance Sheet”, thinks the Russia of Putin and Medvedev is just not worthy of inclusion alongside Brazil, India and China in the list of future economic powerhouses. He writes:
“The country’s economic performance has fallen to such a weak level that one must ask whether it has any say at all on the global economy, compared with the other members of its group. I have just returned from Moscow, which is always dull around this season. For the last seven years, Russia has taken very few measures to improve its economy. Instead, the state has been living on oil and gas. ”
Economically, Aslund has the numbers on his side. The International Monetary Fund figures that the Russian economy will fall by 6.7 percent in 2009, while Vhina will grow 8.5 percent and India 5.4 percent. There is less of a case for Brazil, with a fall of 0.7 percent, but it is still doing far better than Russia.
But the BRICs are not just about economy. As is mentioned above, it is a marketing device to encourage investors to focus on the big promising players. From an investment standpoint, it could be argued that Russia is leading the BRICs. Its stock（股票）market is up 128 percent this year while around 80 percent is for the other three.
At very least, however, Russia’s economic underperformance and stock market outperfoumance does suggest it is indeed one of the group.
52．According to the passage, which country will enjoy the biggest increase in 2009?
A．China.      B．Russia.     C．Brazil.      D．India.
53．According to Aslund, Russia shouldn’t be a BRIC partly because_______.
A．Russia’s economic performance is far worse than the other three
B．Russia’s leaders are not good at managing economy
C．Russia has taken effective measures to improve its economy
D．Russia will no longer attract investors from other countries
54．From the passage we know that ________.
A．Anders Aslund is working for the Russian government
B．Russia outperfoumed the other three countries in stock market
C．most people disagree Russia is included in BRICs
D．the BRICs would end up being the BICs sooner or later
55．The author seems to ________.
A．suggest it’s time to kick Russia out of the BRICs?
B．feel worried about the economy of the BRICs
C．think Russia is worth being one of the group
D．show disappointment to Russia’s economy

If you ask people to name the one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like “Shakespeare,” “Samuel Johnson,” and “Webster,” but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn’t even speak English-William the Conqueror.

Before 1066, in the land we now call Great Britain lived peoples belonging to two major language groups. In the west central region lived the Welsh, who spoke a Celtic language, and in the north lived the Scots, whose language, though not the same as Welsh, was also Celtic. In the rest of the country lived the Saxons, actually a mixture of Anglos, Saxons, and other Germanic and Nordic peoples, who spoke what we now call Anglo-Saxon (or Old English), a Germanic language. If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would be close to German.

But this state of affairs did not last. In l066 the Normans led by William defeated the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of Eng-land while Old English became the language of peasants. As a result, English words of Politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction (区别) between upper-class French and lower-class Anglo-Saxon in its words. We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing the farming, while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating.

When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find Germany more "foreign" than France because the German they see on signs and advertisements seems much more different from English than French does. Few realize that the English language is actually Germanic in its beginning and that the French influences are all the result of one man's ambition.

1. The two major languages spoken in what is now called Great Britain before l066 were       

2. Which of the following groups of words are, by inference, rooted in French?

3.Why does France appear less foreign than Germany to Americans on their first visit to Europe?

4. What is the subject discussed in the text?

Is war unavoidable? Can war be prevented?
History tells that there were wars, great or small, in every century, in every decade. Throughout the ages, from the Stone age to the Atomic Age, men have been fighting, first with swords and shields(盾), then with guns and cannons, and now, hydrogen bombs and missiles are used for military purpose. But, in spite of all these, it is still my belief that war can be prevented and peace can be won, but it requires the effort of every one of us.
I am sure that we would not like to experience another world war. If it ever happens, two-thirds of the world and much of the civilization which men have gained through time, patience and effort will be destroyed. Will then the remaining one-third of the world be able to survive on its own?
Our task now is not to blame the past, but to plan for the future.
If there is peace in the world, men can use their rockets to explore the mystery of space, their submarines to explore the depth of the sea, their missiles to deliver mails and their fine equipment to penetrate(穿透) the jungles of Africa, instead of using them military.
Governments can use their money to build more schools, so that more children can be educated to be useful citizens. Scientists can use atomic energy to propel (推动) steamships and planes. They can also design new machines to increase the production of goods and thus improve the way of living of the people.
How can a peaceful world be achieved? It requires, in my opinion, the understanding and friendship between all people from all nations. Let no one suffer discrimination by reason of color, race, religion, or national origin. Let the rich support the poor and the strong help the weak.
We know that neither peace nor such a dream world can come true in a day or a month. It may even take decades or centuries. But let us plan and begin now.
【小题1】The best title for this passage is _________.

SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."
Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.
Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers．
Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke．
"Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15．The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.
"There are more young smokers than before．You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street．Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.
"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents．If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.
Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers．Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco.
【小题1】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Children of non-smoking mothers.	B．Children of non-smoking fathers.
C．Children of heavy smokers.	D．Children from some smoking centers.

A．About 80% of the children in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center smoke heavily.

B．About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

C．About 540 million people are heavy smokers in China.

D．Children aged between 13 to 18 are more likely addicted to smoking.