In June, 2007, a group of students from eight high schools in Winnipeg, the capital of Canada’s Manitoba province, will begin test-launching (试发射) a satellite the size of a Rubik’s cube.

   The one-kilogram Win-Cub satellite, named for its home city and its shape, will be put into low orbit. Once in space, it can perform for a few months or up to several years, communicating information that could help find the signs of earthquakes.

   There are 80 similar satellite projects worldwide, but this is the first high-school based program of its kind in Canada. 30 Manitoba high school students are having a hand in designing and building the satellite, in cooperation with aerospace (航空航天的) experts and 10 students from the University of Manitoba, and with support from two other organizations.

   The Win-Cube project is not something that goes on a piece of paper; it is real-world engineering, allowing high school students to have an opportunity to learn more about the exciting world of engineering through their participation in this challenging program. It is also taken as a wonderful example of the unique partnerships within Manitoba. Designing, building and launching a satellite with high-school participation will bring this world-class educational project into reality and Manitoba closer to space.

   “These Manitoba high school students deserve congratulations for their enthusiasm, innovation (创新), and a strong love for discovery,” said Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjomson. “We want to make science more relevant (相关的), interesting and attractive to high school students by showing them how classroom studies can relate to practical experience in the workplace or, in this case, in space,” Bjomson added.

   The Win-Cube program is mainly named at inspiring a strong desire for discovery on the part of the students. It also shows Manitoba’s devotion to research and innovation and the development of a skilled workforce―all important drivers of knowledge-based economic growth.

56. According to the passage, the Win-Cube satellite is _________.

   A. named after Manitoba and its shape                B. intended for international communication

   C. designed like a Rubik’s cube both in shape and size

   D. challenged by university students around the world

57. According to Mr. Bjomson, ___________.

   A. those Manitoba high school students are worth praising

   B. the study of space can be practically made in classrooms

   C. Manitoba high schools are famous for the study of space

   D. scientific research is too far away from high school students

58. The primary purpose of the project is to _________.

   A. find the early signs of earthquakes             B. relate studies to practical

   C. help high school students study real-world engineering

   D. inspire a strong desire for discovery among the students

59. The best title for this passage may be ________.

   A. Manitoba School        B. Win-Cube Program         

C. Space Co-operation      D. Satellite Launching

Kieron Williamson, a seven-year-old British boy, is being recognized as an art genius after selling 16 paintings for 18, 000 pounds in just 14 minutes. This boy has artistic skills that would be the envy of any serious painter and drawn comparisons to Pablo Picasso, a child prodigy（神童）who became one of the most recognized artists of the 20th century.

 It all began on a family holiday to Cornwall on the southwest English coast when Kieron was five. Inspired by the view, he asked his parents for his first sketch-pad （速写纸）. From that moment on, he became deeply interested. While supportive, Kieron’s parents are careful not to push their son. He only paints when and what he wants.

 He has a waiting list of hundreds and requests for his works have been flooding in. His father said a sale of Kieron’s works held in November even drew a buyer from Japan. “We had people driving down that night, there were people on the door waiting to come in the morning who had been standing outside, the phones were going mad as soon as the door opened at nine o’clock and within 14 minutes all the 16 pictures had gone, ” he said.

All this talent, money and high praise could so easily go to a young boy’s head, but Kieron said his friends keep him grounded. “Some of them want to be as good as me and some of them think. . . Umn, ‘you are not too special’, ” he said.

    Kieron’s favourite painter is British artist Edward Seago and he has spent some of his earnings buying a work by his hero. The rest is being invested by his parents until he reaches 25. Kieron’s parents and his younger sister Billi-Jo don’t see him as anything other than a normal seven-year-old boy who likes to tear around the house and who’s mad about football. But for now, with so much still to learn, there’s only one thing he wants to be when he grows up. He said, “I think I’ll definitely be an artist. ”

26. According to Paragraph 1, we can know Kieron Williamson ________.

A. painted 16 paintings in only 14 minutes

B. draws as well as Picasso did

C. is one of the most recognized artists

D. has unusual ability in painting

27. What made Kieron Williamson begin to love painting?

A. His first sketch-pad.

B. His parents’ encouragement.

C. The view at the seaside.

D. His swimming near the coast.

28. In Kieron Williamson’s friends’ opinion, he ________.

A. is famous but a little proud

B. isn’t very special from other children

C. isn’t worth praising at all

D. is hard to get along with

29. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ________.

A. Edward Seago thinks highly of Kieron’s painting

B. Kieron likes doing sports and painting instead of studying

C. Kieron’s family is very poor

D. Kieron wants to be a great painter

30. The passage mainly tells us________.

A. a seven-year-old painting genius

B. how to be a great painter

C. Kieron Williamson may become the second Picasso

D. the painting changed Kieron Williamson’s life greatly

American like to visit the national parks. In 1996, over 250,000,000 people visited areas run by the National Park Service. Experts predict that by 2010, 500,000,000 people per year will visit the parks. As a result, people are trying to think of ways to protect the parks from the crowds.

   The crowding of the parks has caused several problems. One is that there is not enough space for all of the people who want to use the parks. To cope with this problem, national parks may require reservations months in advance for some spots. The Park Service may also raise entrance fees at these places.

    Another problem caused by increased park use is pollution. Some garbage and waste can be cleaned up, and the cleanup can be paid for by increased entrance fees. To cut down on noise pollution and air pollution, officials may decrease the number of cars allowed in parks. If this happens, people may use buses to travel around the parks. Officials may also limit the use of jet-skis, snowmobiles (摩托雪橇), motorboats, and sightseeing helicopters and planes.

    The parks are also threatened by development that is going on around them. For example, around Yellow Stone Park, many motels (汽车旅馆), golf courses, resorts, and other tourist attractions have been built. Some of these developments affect areas that are used by animals. People will have to learn to agree about ways to protect the parks. If they do not, there will soon be no reason to visit these national treasures.

By 2010, the number of visitors will rise by ______ per year.

A. 250 million              B. 500 million              C. 2.5 billion         D. 5 billion

If you want to visit the national parks, you may have to _____ in the future.

   A. pay less than before                         B. stay there for months

   C. book the ticket before months          D. fill in a form to apply for the ticket

Entrance fees may be increased _______.

   A. just for the benefit of the National Park Service

   B. either to limit the number of visitors or to pay for the cleaner

C. not only to protect the animals but to reduce the noise pollution

D. merely for the development of the national parks

What does the underlined sentence in the passage mean?

   A. People are not supposed to visit the national parks for fear that they will harm the animals.

   B. Only if more man-made tourist attractions are built will more people visit the parks.

   C. It is reasonable to keep the balance between the development of the parks and the reserve.

   D. People will not visit the national parks since there are no golf courses and resorts.

What can be inferred from the passage?

   A. High fees may probably keep some people out of parks.

   B. Helicopters and planes will not be used in parks any longer.

   C. The bus will become the only toot in parks with the purpose of pollution reduction.

   D. The National Park Service welcomes as many visitors as possible.

Directions:    Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

An interview with Wynton Marsalis, a noted jazz musician

There were the older jazz musicians who hung around our house when I was young. I saw how much they practiced, how serious they were about their art. I knew then I had to work just as hard if I wanted to succeed. Of course, my father inspired me a lot, and many teachers took the time to nurture my latent and the talents of other students in our school.

Yes. We’ve done such a poor job with music education because, as a society, we haven’t maintained the kind of education that a true artist and musician needs. Young people haven’t been able to equate romance and talent with music. For instance, most of the people who make it in the music industry today have to look good. How they sound is secondary. Sarah Vaughan, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald ― those big, romantic queens of jazz music wouldn’t make it in today’s music industry, and that’s a shame. We need to teach young people about the alternatives.

Around the would people make music that, if you listen carefully to it, sounds a little like the cadence of their language. I’d call it folk music. When I’m away from home, I make a point of listening to regional folk music, not what’s on the radio.

The same music is on the radio all over the world, and the American sound is overwhelming. Even the pop music that’s produced and created in foreign countries has that American beat, that underscore of funk. As a musician, I’m not interested in hearing recycled versions of the same genre over and over. Any music that doesn’t have a development section just isn’t interesting to me.

The music press has so much to introduce these days, and jazz is just a small fraction of it. Because some people are intimidated by jazz, they don’t cover it unless it’s a big name. New jazz musicians don’t get much of break. A lot of editors don’t say anything about jazz these days unless it’s Marsalis. That’s a shame. What VH1 is doing with their Save the Music campaign is phenomenal. They’re getting all these instruments out to needy kids. It’s the kind of thing all networks should be doing.

The Spring Festival is the biggest festival for Chinese people all around the world.The celebration usually lasts for 15 days.There is a lot to do.

 On the eve of the Spring Festival, family members get together and have big meals.Their favourite dish on this day is dumplings.

 Days before the Spring Festival, families will clean their homes.People think cleaning sweeps away bad luck.It makes the house ready for good luck.

 The colour red is everywhere during the Spring Festival.People think red is a happy colour and will bring them a bright future.People wear red, too.They decorate their homes with pieces of red paper.Kids get a lot of “hong bao”．It is a red paper bag with money in it.Usually, older people give younger ones “hong bao”．They think it brings good luck.

 The Spring Festival is the time to make everybody happy.So don't say any bad words or do anything that will bring unhappiness to other people.

 For instance, you'd better not say any bad words like “death”．Don't break anything.People think that it means your luck is running_out.

 Also, don't borrow or lend money on these days.If you have borrowed money, return it before the Spring Festival.

1．How long does the celebration of the Spring Festival last?

A. Only one day.           B．Two days.

C．15 days.              D．One week.

2．What do most people do on the eve of the Spring Festival?

A．Family members gather for a big meal.

B．Friends eat dumplings together.

C．They borrow money from friends.

D．They give each other “hong bao”．

3．Which of the following things is NOT supposed to happen during the Spring Festival?

A．Returning money before the Spring Festival.

B．Saying words that have to do with death.

C．Wearing red clothes. 

D．Decorating houses with red paper.

4．The underlined phrase “running out” in the sixth paragraph probably means “______”．

A．跑出去  B．打碎  C．耗尽  D．离开

5．We can tell from the story that the Spring Festival is ______.

A．a time of harvest and fun

B．celebrated for one whole month

C．only celebrated in China

D．a time for families to get together