At the end of eight grade, our class went to Washington, D.C. For a group of 14-year-olds, this was a big deal!

The first day was so tiring; we could hardly remember where we were and what we were seeing. The next morning, we were off to see monuments (纪念碑)，starting with Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson. We walked along the paths through trees. Then the Wall came into view—the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

As I moved slowly closer to the Wall, I heard a bagpipe（风笛）in the distance, which seemed to show respect to the lives lost in the jungles of Vietnam .

We continued walking and felt surprised at the number of names carved in the black stone. I was determined to find a soldier with my last name, but my hunt was stopped when a man caught my eyes. He was kneeling(跪着) at the Wall, a single rose at his feet. His head was bowed and he was rubbing his fingers over one name. I thought how sad he was, and then moved on .

After a few minutes I found one with my last name, but my eyes returned to the kneeling man. He was still rubbing his fingers over the same name. He never knew I was watching him, lost in deep sorrow. It was time for me to leave the kneeling man and the Wall. On the way home, I couldn’t help thinking of the kneeling man and his sad face. I wasn’t sure of the effects of war before, but at that moment I realized how much that man suffered from losing his loved one. Maybe he was the only one of so many families who experienced the same .

I never knew the full effects of war until I saw that man. I only know about war from history classes. The kneeling man taught me more about war and the effects it has on people than any history book .

Which of the following makes the author feel the suffering that war brings to human beings?

A. The kneeling man.                                       B. The sound of a bagpipe.

C. The number of names carved in the stone.      D. The jungles of Vietnam.

The man continued to rub his fingers over the name probably because_____.

  A. he found it covered with dust                            B. he missed the loved one who died in a war

C. he intended to remove it completely        D. he recalled the fierce war he fought in

What did the author learn from the trip?

  A. How fierce war is in history.                   B. How people remember those who died in wars.

C. What bad effects war had on many families.   D. What we should do to prevent war.

According to the last paragraph, the author probably thinks that _____.

A. he should have studied history hard in class

B. history books don’t tell readers the truth

C. there is more in history than books tell us

D. the kneeling man should be a history teacher

Most people think of racing when they see greyhounds (灰狗) and believe they need lots of exercise. They can actually be quite lazy! Greyhounds are good at fast races but not long-distance running. They do need regular exercise but they like to run for a short burst and then get back on the bed or a comfortable seat. Another misunderstanding is that greyhounds must be aggressive(好斗的) because they are big in size. In fact greyhounds love people and are gentle with children.

Greyhounds can live for 12 – 14 years but usually only race for two or three years, and after that they make great pets. They don’t need a lot of space, don’t make a lot of noise, and don’t eat a lot for their size.

Normally, greyhounds can be as tall as 90 cm. There is, however, a small-sized greyhound, which stands only 33cm. Greyhounds come in a variety of colors. Grey and yellowish-brown are the most common. Others include black, white, blue, red and brown or a mix of these.

Greyhounds have smooth body coats, low body fat and are very healthy. Because they’re slim (苗条的) they don’t have the leg problems like other dogs the same height. But they do feel the cold, especially since they would much rather be at home in bed than walking around outside.    

The text is written mainly______.

A. to tell people how to raise greyhounds

B. to let people know more about greyhounds

C. to explain why greyhounds are aggressive

D. to describe greyhounds of different colors

It can be inferred that greyhounds_______.

A. love big doghouses

B. like staying in bed all day

C. make the best guard dogs

D. need some exercise outdoors

Why does the author say that greyhounds make great pets?

A. They are big in size.

B. They live a very long life.

C. They can run races for some time.

D. They are quiet and easy to look after.

If you keep a pet greyhound, it is important________.

A. to keep it slim    

B. to keep it warm

C. to take special care of its legs

D. to take it to animal doctors regularly

   The global energy crisis is approaching. What can we do? Here are some steps you can take.

   Cooling puts the greatest stress on your summer energy bill and the power grid(电网). Just as t tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort. Clean or replaces filters monthly or as needed.

   For central air conditioning systems and room air conditioners, look for the ENERGY STAR, the federal government’s symbol for energy efficiency. For central air, purchase the system with the highest possible Seasonal Energy Efficiency Raton. (SEER)

   Use energy-efficient ceiling fans either alone or with air conditioning. Ceiling fans do a great job of circulating air. When used with air conditioning, fans allow you to raise the thermostat(恒温器) and cut costs. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, so before you leave; turn off the ceiling fan.

Let a programmable thermostat! “remember for you” to automatically adjust the indoor climate with your daily and weekend patterns to reduce cooling bills by up to 10 percent. You can come home to a comfortable house without wasting energy and cresting pollution all day while you are at work.

 Try to make your home airtight enough to increase your comfort, make your home quieter and cleaner and reduce your cooling costs up to 20 percent.

 Gut your air conditioning load, and reduce pollution by planting planting leafy trees around your home and fixing reflective bricks on your roof.

 Close blinds or shades on south-and west-facing windows during the day, or fix shading equipment to avoid heat build-up.

  Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers. And use fluorescent bulbs(荧光灯), which provide bright, warm light while using at least two-thirds less energy, producing 70 percent less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs(白炽灯).

 Drive the car that gets better gas mileage whenever possible if you own more than one vehicle. If you drive 12,500 miles a year, switching 10 percent of your trips from a car that gets 20 mils per gallon to one that gets 30 mpg will save you more than ￡65 per year.

 Carpool. The average U.S. commuter(乘车上班族) could save about ￡260 a year by sharing cars twice a week with two people in a car that gets 20.1 mpg---assuming the three passengers share the cost of gas.

According to the passage, the thermostat is used to ______.

A. make rooms quieter              B. control room temperature

C. turn off the air conditioner         D. reduce room air pollution

We can conclude from the passage that the author probably discourages ______.

A. planting leafy trees around your home

B. turning off the ceiling fan before you leave your house

C. keeping your south-facing windows open during the day

D. using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs

According to the passage, you can save fuel by ______.

A. using energy-efficient ceiling fans      B. sharing cars with others on workdays         

C. turning off everything not in use       D. reducing 10% of your car trips every year

This passage is mainly about ______.

A. energy-saving tips          B. fuel-saving tips         

C. do-it-yourself tips           D. environment-protecting tips

People want action on noise, a recent public meeting in Brisbane showed. Some want technical improvements such as quieter air conditioners or better sound barriers around major roads. Others want tougher laws to restrict noise from building sites or to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs. But the highest priority was a noise complaints system that works.

       Brisbane City Council receives more complaints about noise than all other problems put together. So it conducted a survey and found that about half its residents are upset by noise in one form or another –traffic, mowers, pool pumps, air conditioners or loud parties. This inspired the Council to bring together more than 100 citizens one evening to talk through a range of options.

       The meeting found the present regulatory system bizarre. Depending on the problem, responsibility for noise can lie with the Council, the Environment Protection Authority, one of three government departments or even the police. So complainants often feel they are getting the run-round. When the people at the forum were asked to vote for changes, the strongest response was for a 24-hour noise hotline to be the first port of call for all complaints.

       The forum also favored regulatory measures, such as tougher minimum standards for noise in appliances like air conditioners. This even makes economic sense, as noise is a waste of energy and money. Other measures the meeting supported were wider buffer (缓冲) zones around noisy activities and controls to keep heavy traffic away from residential areas.

       But there are obvious conflicts. Many people like to have a bar within walking distance if they feel like a drink, but they don’t want a noisy pub keeping them awake when they want an early night. Most people want to live near a major road providing good access to other parts of the city, but they don't’ want the problem of road noise.

       I was most interested by the proposals aimed at behavioral change. There was strong support for measures to reduce traffic: better public transport, cycleways and footpaths, even charges for road use. Many people optimistically thought industry awards for better equipment would stimulate the production of quieter appliances. It was even suggested that noise from building sites could be alleviated (减轻) if Brisbane adopted daylight saving, thus shifting the working day and providing longer, quieter evenings.

46. According to the recent public meeting in Brisbane, what was the first step to take in order to reduce noise pollution?

A. Produce quieter air conditioners.

B. Provide better sound barriers around major roads.

C. Establish a noise complaints system.

D. Make stricter laws to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs.

47. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A. the Brisbane residents were satisfied with the present noise regulatory system

B. many people in Brisbane preferred to live near a pub to which they have easy  

access

C. nearly all the inhabitants in Brisbane were bothered by noise in one form or 

another

D. noise pollution is the most serious among pollution complaints in Brisbane

48. What does the word “run-round” (Para. 3) mean?

A. Unfair treatment.                                         B. Quick response.

C. Delaying action in response to a request.         D. Full attention.

49. How could noise from building sites be alleviated if Brisbane adopted daylight saving?

A. If daylight saving was adopted, the daytime would be prolonged and the night

would become quieter.

B. If daylight saving was adopted, the working hours during the daytime would be shortened while the night would be extended and thus quieter.

C. If daylight saving was adopted, the night would be shortened and thus quieter.

D. If daylight saving was adopted, both the daytime and the night would be shortened and the noise would be reduced.

50. What was the author’s attitude towards the industry awards for quieter equipment?

A. Suspicious.        B. Positive.            C. Enthusiastic.             D. Indifferent.

A painter hangs his or her finished pictures on a wall, and everyone can see it. A composer writes a work, but no one can hear it until it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer is utterly dependent on them.

 A student of music needs as long and arduous a training to become a performer as a medical student needs to become a doctor. Most training is concerned with technique, for musicians have to have the muscular proficiency of an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords would be inadequate without controlled muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow to and fro with the right arm----????????two entirely different movements. Singers and instruments have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianists are spared this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there, waiting for them, and it is the piano tuner's responsibility to tune the instrument for them. But they have their own difficulties; the hammers that hit the string have to be coaxed not to sound like percussion, and each overlapping tone has to sound clear. This problem of getting clear texture is one that confronts（使面对）student conductors: they have to learn to know every note of the music and how it should sound, and they have to aim at controlling these sounds with fanatical but selfless authority. Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly at home in the language of music that they can enjoy performing works written in any century.

19. In writing this passage, the purpose of the author is ___________.

   A. to tell us we use different sense at paints and music

   B. to recommend music needs more technique

   C. to inform us that to become a musician needs long and arduous training

   D. for the students who are to go in for music

20. If you are a string performer, you have to _____________.

   A. use your left hand to draw the bow and the right to move up and down

   B. have your both hands perform the same movements.

   C. own technique, musical knowledge and understanding

   D. practice more and more without any training

21. The problem of getting clear texture is that ____________.

  A. confronts student conductors

  B. the student conductors have to know every note and how it should sound and how to control the sounds fanatically.

 C. the sounds are too easy to control

 D. the composer’s work cannot be seen on the wall.

22. According to the passage, _______________.

 A. a composer cannot perform the music at all.

 B a composer has to utterly depend on student conductors

 C. student conductors need more training and knowledge on music to be great artists.

 D. Great artists are thoroughly at home in the language of music.