In Singapore, most of us love window-shopping while some others enjoy having a picnic at East Coast Park or Changi Beach on sunny days. Singaporeans are never bothered by the occasional thunderstorm. However, we know that if it rains for long continuous periods, there will be more serious effects. Just recently the main shopping street of Orchard Road was flooded and some part of Bukit Timah was impassable to traffic. People reacted by writing in to the newspaper to complain about this! We forget that other countries suffer much worse effects. Elsewhere, heavy tropical（热带的）storms often result in floods that ruin crops especially in Thailand and Malaysia. This in turn usually means that the price of rice and vegetables here in Singapore will rise because we import these products from them. If there is a typhoon or tsunami, thousands of lives are lost too. This happened in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand in 2004 and it serves to remind us of how Mother Nature can cause great damage.

Weather patterns in general have changed dramatically in recent years. Scientists believe that global warming and the resulting melting of the polar ice-cap has caused the level of the ocean to rise. This in turn causes flooding of low-lying areas in countries where the land is rather flat and some parts of which is below water level. It is believed that human activities have caused Mother Nature to show her extreme anger, so it is now important that we really work together to cut down on harmful activities, for example, illegal logging（伐木）or irresponsible forest-burning to clear land for farming.

56.From Paragraph 1, we can see that most Singaporeans love________.

A. making complaints           B. going out for picnics

C. doing window-shopping    D. traveling along the coast

【答案】C

【解析】根据第一段第一句可知。

57.What will happen in Singapore if there are floods in its neighboring countries?

A. Heavy tropical storms will follow shortly.

B. The price of rice and vegetables will go up.

C. Many people will write in to the newspaper.

D. More rice and vegetables will be imported.

【答案】B

【解析】根据第一段倒数三，四句可知。热带风暴导致的洪水会毁掉庄稼，新加坡的蔬菜和大米是从这些国家进口的，所以会导致蔬菜，大米的价格上升。

58.The underlined word“it” in Paragraph 2 refers to___________.

A. the arrival of heavy tropical storms

B. the import of rice and vegetables

C. the rising price of rice and vegetables

D. the loss of lives in natural disasters

【答案】D

【解析】上句提到台风和海啸会导致成千上万的人死亡。这在2004年在印度尼西亚和泰国的普吉岛发生过。自然灾害到这人死亡这件事用来提醒我们大自然可以带来巨大损害。

59.Which of the following shows how the low-lying areas are flooded?

a. global warming

b. the rise in ocean level

c. harmful human activities

d. the flooding of low-lying areas

e. the melting of the polar ice-cap

A. c→a→e→b→d         B. a→c→e→b→d        

C. c→a→b→e→d         D. d→a→c→b→e

【答案】A

【解析】根据最后一段可知。

60.What should we do in order not to make Mother Nature angry?

A. Clear more land for farming.           B. Reduce harmful human activities.

C. Bring down the price of food.          D. Improve the quality of weather.

【答案】B

【解析】根据最后一段It is believed that human activities have caused Mother Nature to show her extreme anger, so it is now important that we really work together to cut down on harmful activities,“人们认为是人类的活动导致了大自然极端愤怒， 因此，现在我们真的应该团结合作减少有害活动。”

I have been teaching in the United States for three semesters. During this time, I have been very impressed with the hardworking American students. Tuition fee (学费) in American universities are pretty expensive. Most American students receive little, if any, financial support. As a result, they have to work hard to pay for their tuition and other basic expenses. Tertiary (高等) education is a necessity in today’s workforce. Young people with higher education are rewarded with a good career and better salary. So how do American students support themselves?
All my American students have to work to pay for their tuition. For this reason, most universities provide limited jobs for students who need economic help. They also help students search for jobs in the community. I have been touched to see some students are so worn out from their jobs that they doze in my classroom. In addition to taking part-time jobs, students are also expected to take part in various social and sporting activities and, in fact, those who do not take part in are often looked down upon by their peers.
A number of American university students are married with families, or are single parents. These students are faced with the additional burden of raising a family. They have to spend much time, money and energy caring for their children and family. Most American university professors are strict. They test students on every unit in their course, in addition to mid-term and final exams in each semester. A lack of preparation by students may result in their failure. This means the loss of a lot of money and possibly future employment opportunities for these students. For this reason, many American students will study or stay up all night before an exam, in an effort to pass.
In contrast, Chinese students have a much easier time, because most Chinese parents pay for their kids’ tertiary education. Moreover, Chinese students do not need to worry about raising children or maintaining a family. So, Chinese students have no reason for not studying hard and achieving good marks.
【小题1】Which of the following is not the difficulty American students have to face?

A quarrel at home may result in your falling ill. Don’t laugh, it’s true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.

Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted (晕倒) in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a coma. It is because she is suffering from depression (抑郁症), caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.

“We don’t get sick or stay well by ourselves,” says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.

Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer’s research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.

We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual (个别的) problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said.

Which of the following can best explain why Wang Xiaoyu fainted in class?

A. Because her classmates often quarreled in class.

B. Because her parents used to quarrel.

C. Because of her depression caused by bad family relations.

D. Because her classmates shouted loudly at her.

According to Dr Ferrer, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. We get sick or stay well by ourselves.

B. Only the genes we get from our family have a big effect on our health.

C. Our health has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle and environment.

D. Teenagers who are ignored at home get sick more easily than those who are not.

The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph2 probably means ________.

A. surprise                  B. faint         C. tiredness           D. sadness                  

The best title for this passage is ________.

A. Family relations.                              B. The reasons why we get sick.

C. Family---- another cause to health        D. A research about health.

阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。

首先请阅读下列媒体上的插图及提示性文字：

A．Reese Witherspoon poses with her children Ava (L) and Deacon at  ceremonies unveiling her Hollywood  Walk of Fame honor                                             B．Cuba dancers emanate concern to

AIDS

以下是关于这些插图的简要评论。请把评论与相关插图及提示性文字匹配起来。

1.The tradition dates back to the early days of the university when new students would give senior students a pound (0.45kg) of dried grapes in gratitude for their help in adapting to university life, in exchange for a receipt written in Latin. Failure to produce such a receipt could result in a dousing in the local fountain. Nowadays the dried grapes have been replaced with a bottle of wine and the dousing with foam.

2.Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr return from their secret Caribbean honeymoon. The couple were all smiles as they arrived at Los Angeles Airport. Kerr flashed her engagement rings as she smiled at waiting photographers. Kerr, 27, who shot to international fame as a Victoria's Secret lingerie model, and Bloom, 33, star of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Lord of the Rings” movies, began dating in 2007 and have frequently denied rumors of an impending wedding. The couple get married just a month after they announced their engagement.

3.The New Orleans Saints were the champions last night, but there were stars The UEFA EURO 2012 official mascots 

are presented during an unveiling 

ceremony in Warsaw

4.Dancers dressed in the colors of the national flag pose for pictures during a community event in Havana on November 7, 2010. Several hundred residents of a Havana neighbourhood gathered to play music and dance along the streets in the event sponsored and organized by MINSAP and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at promoting tolerance of same sex relationships.

5.The names of the twins will be determined by fans. Voters will be able to choose between three sets of names: Slavek &Slavko, Siemko &Strimko or Klemek &Ladko. Poland and Ukraine will stage the coming soccer championships finals.

Bicycle Safety

Operation  Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus(校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.

Theft Prevention  Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack---even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.

Equipment

Brakes  Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.

Helmet  A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fit properly.

Lights  Always have a front headlight---visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.

Rules of the Road

Riding on Campus  As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15km/h, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of ways to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.

Bicycle Parking  Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such posts can result in a fine.

If Things Go Wrong

If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:

No bicycle registration---------------------------------------------------$25

Bicycle parking banned--------------------------------------------------$30

Blocking path with bicycle ---------------------------------------------$40

Violation of bicycle equipment requirement -------------------------$35

1.Registration of your bicycle may help you _____________.

A. get your serial number B. find your stolen bicycle

C. receive free repair services  D. settle conflicts with walkers

2.According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?

A. Brakes. B. A helmet.        C. A taillight.      D. A headlight.

3.If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined _________.

A. $25       B. $30             C. $35             D. $40

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Directions for bicycle tour on campus. 

B. A guide for safe bicycling on campus.

C. Regulations of bicycle race on campus.

D. Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus.