Dye (染料) call bring a little colour to life. Most clothing is coloured with dyes. Modern，manufactured dyes can be costly. Natural dyes from plant and animal products have been used since ancient times. Here we describe a natural way to dye wool.

        There are several methods to put dye onto material. The vat（缸）method，for example，can be used to dye wool with onionskins. For this example，use one hundred grams of natural woo1. The wool must be clean. Leave it overnight in water and liquid soap. Then wash it with clean water that is a little warm. Gently squeeze out the extra water.   

       A solution called a mordant (媒染) is used in the dying process. A mordant helps fix the dye to the material. Traditionally, mordants were found in nature. Wood ash is one example. But chemical mordants such as alum（矾）are popular today. Alum is sold in many stores. It is often mixed with cream of tartar, a fine powder commonly used in cooking.

       Mix eight grams of alum with seven grams of cream of tartar in a small amount of hot water. Add the solution to a metal pan of cool water. Next, add the wool and place the mixture over heat. Slowly bring the liquid to eighty-two degrees Celsius. Heat the mixture for forty five minutes. After it cools, remove the wool and wash it.

       To prepare the dye solution, cover thirty grams of onionskins with water. Use only the dry，brown outer skins. Boil the liquid until the onionskins lose their colour, about forty—five minutes. Remove the skins after the dye cools.

    Now it is time to dye the wool. Place the wool into the dye and heat the mixture. Bring it to a boil，then immediately reduce the heat to eighty-two degrees. Now heat the dye for about forty-five minutes or until the wool is the desired colour. Keep in mind that wet wool looks darker than it is.

       Once the dye cools, remove the wool and wash it. Now the wool is orange or yellow. Or at least it should be.

1. According to the passage, mordants are ___________.

       A. dyes used in the dying process   B. materials which will be put dye to

       C. wood ashes used in the dying process       D. not dyes but play an important role in the dying process

2. Which of the following statements about “natural dyes” is TRUE?

       A. They might be cheaper than chemical dyes.            B. They are more expensive than chemical dyes.

       C. They have been used for only recent years.   D. They are all made from animal products.

3. As for the vat method，which of the following things is NOT necessarily needed?

       A. Ash.        B. Water.             C. Mordant.    D. Temperature.

4. Choose the proper order of dying wool：

  a. boil the liquid with onionskins

  b. add mordants to a metal pan of cool water ,put the wool into it and heat the mixture

  c. wash the wool with clean water after it is left overnight in water and liquid soap

  d. put the wool into the dye and heat it

       A. c, b, a, d            B. d, c, d, a       C. b, a, d, c         D. a, b, c, d

PART THREE  READING COMPREHENSION ( 30 points)

Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.

When Christopher Columbus landed on the then unnamed Costa Rica in 1502, he saw many Indians wearing gold earrings. So he thought the land must be rich in gold. He named the place Costa Rica, which means “rich coast” in Spanish.

Though little gold was found, Costa Rica today is indeed rich with coffee and bananas. Coffee is the most important product in Costa Rica and most of it is exported (出口) to other countries like America and West Germany. Bananas are the country’s second most important export.

Costa Ricans also grow many other crops such as fruits, corn and beans for their own use. Costa Ricans love colors and their houses are painted in bright colors.

Education is very important to the Costa Ricans. Almost every village has a school and education is a must for children between seven and fourteen years of age. Boys and girls go to separate (单独的) schools. Classes begin in March and end in November. The other three months of the year are harvest time and the children have to help their parents to pick coffee beans.

56. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?

A. How Columbus found Costa Rica.              B. How Costa Rica got its name.

C. What the Costa Ricans wore.                 D. What language the Costa Ricans spoke.

57. The Costa Ricans may NOT paint their houses ______.

A. pink and red                              B. grey and black

C. blue and green                            D. yellow and orange

58. In Costa Rica, boys and girls between seven and fourteen ______.

A. must go to school                         B. study in the same school

C. do not have to go to school at all            D. can choose to stop schooling at any time

59. From December to February, school children in Costa Rica ______.

A. have lessons every day                     B. have their examinations

C. help their parents pick coffee beans          D. help their parents decorate their houses

60. This passage is mainly about ______.

A. Christopher Columbus                    B. Costa Rica 

C. some products from Costa Rica             D. the education of Costa Rica

Sometime in the next century, the familiar early-newspaper on the front porch (门廊) will disappear. And instead of reading your newspaper, it will read to you. You’ll get up and turn on the computer newspaper just like switching on the TV. An electronic voice will distribute stories about the latest events, guided by a program that selects the type of news you want. You’ll even get to choose the kind of voice you want to hear. Want more information on this brief story? A simple touch makes the entire text appear. Save it in your own personal computer if you like. These are among the predictions from communication experts working on the newspapers of the future. Pictured as part of broader home-based media and entertainment systems, computer newspapers will unite print and broadcast reporting, and offer news and analysis with video images of news events.

    Most of the technology is available now, but convincing more people that they don’t need to read a newspaper is the next step. But resistance to computer newspapers may be stronger from within journalism. Since it is such a cultural change, it may be that the present generation of journalists and publishers will have to die off before the next generation realizes that the newspaper industry is no longer a newspaper industry. Technology is making the end of traditional newspapers unavoidable.

    Despite technological advances, it could take decades to replace newsprint with computer screens. It might take 30 to 40 years to complete the changeover because people need to buy computers and because newspapers have established financial interests in the paper industry.

1. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of computer newspapers?

A. They are cheaper than traditional newspapers.

B. They are more convenient to read.

C. You can choose the kind of voice you want to hear.

D. You can easily save information for future use.

2. Which of the following is a reason why it will take a long time to complete the changeover?

A. The technology is impossible now.

B. Computer newspapers are too expensive.

C. The popularization of computers needs a long time.

D. Traditional newspapers are easier to read.

3. It can be inferred that journalists are against computer newspapers because _______.

A. they don’t know how to use computers

B. they think computer newspapers take too much time to read

C. they think the new technology is bad

D. they have been trained to write for traditional newspapers

4. We can infer from the passage that _______.

A. all technological changes are good

B. new technologies don’t always replace old ones

C. new technologies will eventually replace old ones

D. traditional newspapers are here to stay for another century

5. What is the best title of the passage?

A. Computer newspapers are well liked.

B. Newspapers of the future will be on the computer.

C. Newspapers are out of fashion.

D. New communications technology.

C

True End of an Era

SURPRISE, surprise---David Beckham is in the news again! Sure, the England football star was never one to shy away from the headlines. But this time it seems people are talking as much about what Beckham is not doing as what he is.

Beckham won’t be playing for England at the 2010 World Cup in South AfricA． An injury he picked up while playing for AC Milan will likely rule the 34-year-old out for four months. It could be a sad end to the career of a player who has given his all to England since his debut (首次登场) in 1996. But rather than feeling sorry for the loss, some people are finally calling for us to move on from the Beckham obsession (着迷).

“The romantic wish of him seizing the day and inspiring England to glory was poppycock (胡扯),” according to an editorial in the Guardian. It argued that Beckham is past his best and would only have played a minor role at the World Cup anyway. But you might not have guessed it from the reaction of the rest of England.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent Beckham a “get well soon” message, and a Scottish poet even wrote a poem about the injury, comparing Beckham to the Greek hero Achilles.

But is it possible to forget about Beckham? Over his career Beckham has embodied (体现) everything the English like to think is good about their country. Beckham was never the most naturally gifted of footballers, but he reached the top through hard work and determination. He never gave up, even when things looked hopeless. And even as a superstar, he never forgot where he came from.

For this, the English took him to their hearts. Not a day goes by without seeing Beckham’s name in the newspapers, but the reality is his fantastic career is coming to the enD．Of course, it is sad that he’ll miss the World Cup, but this is a chance for England to find a new hero.

As a global icon(偶像) we will certainly miss him playing for England in South Africa this summer. But I think it’s time we finally give Beckham a break from the headlines.

Choose the best answer:

66．Which of the following may not be a result of Beckham’s injury?

A．Not being able to take part in the 2010 World Cup in South AfricA．

B．Not being able to play for England for four months.

C．People forgetting him.

D．This injury perhaps ending his career.

67．______ gave Beckham a negative evaluation.

A．Gordon Brown              B．An editorial in the Guardian

C．A Scottish poet              D．Most British people

68．Which is not the reason for it being hard for people to forget Beckham?

A．He has embodied British good characteristics and traits (特征).

B．He is one of the most naturally gifted footballers.

C．He is determined to achieve his goals.

D．He always remembers his country.

One warm May day, two eighteen – year – old students from San Francisco State College decided to cool off with a swim at Bakers’ Beach． The two students were named Robert Kogler and Shirley O’Neill． They headed out to sea for a distance of 50 metres． Robert was in front．

         “Suddenly, I heard him scream,” Shirley recalls． “I looked round and saw this great grey thing going up in the air． The water seemed to be alive．”Robert screamed again． “It’s a shark! Get out of here!”

         An eye – witness, Army Sergeant Leo P． Day was on guard at the nearby army post． He saw exactly what happened next． “I could see this boy struggling with the shark in the water,” he said． “The sea was red with blood． He was shouting and signalling someone to go back, go back． Then I saw the girl． She was swimming towards him． She completely ignored his warning．”Shirley reached Robert, and tried to take his hand．“When I pulled, all I could see was his arm, handing by a thread,” she said．

         So she put her arm about Robert’s back, and started to swim towards the shore． She kept praying “Don't’ let it attack again!” That journey to the shore seemed to last for hours． At last, as they neared the shore, a fisherman threw them a line, and pulled them both the rest of the way．The young man had lost a lot of blood, and died two and a half hours later, From the teeth marks, experts identified the attacker as a Great White Shark．For what Sergeant Day called “the greatest exhibition of bravery I have ever seen,” the President of the US gave Shirley a medal for bravery．

1.When Albert was attacked by a shark Shirley         ．

         A．was swimming in the sea

    B．was watching him on the shore

         C．was on guard at the nearby army post

         D．was shouting and struggling with a shark, too

2.Choose the right time order of the following events in the story．

         a． Army Sergeant saw the girl swimming to the boy．

b． Shirley saw a great grey thing．

         c． They headed out to sea．

d． Robert died．

e． A fisherman threw them a line．

         f． He saw a boy struggling with a shark．

         A．b,c,e,d,f,a                    B．c,a,f,d,e,b                    C．b,c,f,a,d,e                    D．c,b,f,a,e, d

3.We can learn from the passage that          ．

         A．the two students were brave and considerate

         B．the fisherman was adventurous and helpful

         C．the experts didn’t do much research on sharks

         D．the Sergeant cared too much about his own life