Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some kind, football, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.

Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.

Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no manmade rules, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.

If we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between teams of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously team work. The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.

A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for a man of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they probably climb with more skill and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.

1.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

2. The biggest difference between golf and mountaineering lies in ____.

3.The mountaineering can also be called a team sport because ____.

4. In the author’s opinion, one of the most important reason why so many people enjoy

mountaineering is that ____.

A

BEUING (Associated Press 美联社)—China has a growing middle class, a tradition of expecting education and 21 million new babies every year. Selling educational toys should be easy.

    While China may be the world’s biggest toy maker, many of the best are exported. Department stores here do not have enough toys of high quality. It is said that the demand for educational toys is low.

A US company, Baby Care, is trying to change that with a new way to sell toys in China.

    Baby Care works basically together with doctors in Beijing hospitals.  People who join the company’s "mother club" can get lectures and newsletters on baby and child development at no extra cost, if they agree to spend 18 dollars a month on the company’s educational toys and child-care books.

"We want to build a seven year relationship with those people," said Matthew J. Estes, Baby Care’s president. "It starts during pregnancy (孕期), when the anxiety and needs are highest." Baby Care works on a one-to-one basis. Doctors, nurses, and teachers paid by Baby Care advise parents and explain toys that are designed for children at each stage of development to age six.

Baby Care opened its first store in China last June in a shopping center in central Beijing and another near Beijing Zoo. It plans to have 80 stores in China within six years.

It is a new model for China and develops a market in young children’s education and health that no other companies are in.

1.What do the first two paragraphs mainly tell us?

A. Educational toys and foreign toy markets.

  B. Problems with China’s toy market and education.

  C. Reasons for pushing sales of educational toys in China.

  D. Baby population and various kinds of toys made in China.

2. Which of the following is a fact according to the passage?

  A. Club members buy Baby Care products for free child care advice.

  B. Doctors in Beijing help in making Baby Care products.

  C. Parents are encouraged to pay $ 18 for club activities.

  D. Baby Care trains Chinese doctors at no extra cost.

3. Baby Care is developing its business in China by ___________.

A. opening stores in Beijing hospitals

B. offering 18 month courses on child care

C. setting up children’s education centers

D. forming close relationships with parents

4.Which of the following would be the most suitable title for the passage?

  A. Mother’s Club in China.               B. Baby Care and Doctors.

  C. American Company Model.            D. Educational Toys in China.

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1．5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）选出可以填入空白的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

When I was fifteen, I announced to my English class that I was going to write my own books. Half the students smiled unkindly,   36   nearly fell out of their chairs laughing. “Don’t be   37  , only geniuses can become writers,” the English teacher said, “And you are getting a D this term.” I was so ashamed I burst into   38   . That night I wrote a short sad poem about broken dreams and mailed it to the newspaper. To my   39   , they published it and sent me two dollars. I was a published and paid writer. I showed my teacher and fellow students. They laughed, “Just plain dumb luck,” the teacher said. I  40  success. I’d sold the first thing I’d   41  written. That was more than any of them had done and if it was just dumb luck that was fine with me.

     During the next two years I sold dozens of poems and letters. By the time I graduated from high school, I had scrapbooks (剪贴簿)  42   my published works. I never   43   my writing to my teachers, friends or my family   44   because they were dream killers.

I had four children at the time.  45   the children slept, I typed on my ancient typewriter. I wrote what I felt. It took nine months. I chose a   46   and mailed it. A month later I received a contract, an advance on payments, and a request to start   47  another book. Crying Wind, became a best seller, was translated into fifteen languages and sold worldwide. My first book also became  48  reading in native American schools in Canada.

     The   49  year I ever had as a writer I earned two dollars. In my best year I earned 36,000 dollars. People ask what college I   50   , what degrees I had and what qualifications I have to be a writer. The answer is: “None.” I just write. I’m not a genius. I use an electric typewriter that I paid a hundred and twenty nine dollars  51  six years ago. I do all the housework and  52   my writing in a few minutes here and there. I’ve written eight books. To all those who dream of writing, I’m shouting at you: “Yes, you can. Don’t listen to them.” I don’t write right   53   I’ve succeeded. Writing is   54   , it’s fun and anyone can do it.   55   , a little dumb luck doesn’t hurt.

1.A. other              B. others           C. the other        D. the rest

2.  A. silly                B. curious      C. excited      D. depressed

3.  A. laughter         B. tears            C. song         D. cheers

4.  A. puzzlement           B. disappointment   C. expectation      D. astonishment

5.  A. tasted               B. met          C. accepted     D. considered

6.  A. yet              B. never            C. even         D. ever

7.  A. crowded with     B. filled with      C. combined with    D. linked with

8.  A. remembered       B. concluded        C. mentioned   D. described

9.  A. again                B. instead          C. still            D. merely

10. A. Though           B. Before       C. Until            D. While

11.A. writer                B. reporter     C. publisher        D. manager

12.A. working on        B. going on     C. turning on       D. putting on

13. A. requested            B. required     C. demanded     D. reminded

14.A. busiest           B. worse            C. worst           D. highest

15.A. attended          B. took         C. admitted     D. participated

16. A. out              B. to               C. by           D. for

17.A. keep              B. fit          C. save         D. hold

18. A. or               B. so           C. and          D. but

19.A. easy              B. hard         C. convenient       D. practical

20.A. On the contrary   B. Of course    C. As a result     D. In this way

In the middle of a beautiful day, I was feeling lost, as if the world was crashing on me. didn't know which way to go, except to head out to the countryside. I went to the spot where I used to take my kids-when I still had kids. Now they had? ?? and were leaving.

????? I was sitting alone in my car when I saw a man in his seventies, whose problem appeared bigger than mine. He stood near the edge of the road, ? ?? a kite spindle(风筝线锭) in his hands. Apparently, lost in thought, he stared skyward. I ? ?? my neck to see how successful he had been in ? ? the clouds. Following his string with my eyes, I almost lost?? ? 0f the other end. Finally, the kite rested on what seemed to be the highest branch of the ? ?? tree in the park.? Obviously,? that was his grandson's kite!? The kite was a replica (复制品) of a beautiful bald eagle, and its wings spread ? ? 0pen. Grandpa had only one? ? to his problem: cut the string.

???? "You wanted it to fly as high as it could. Bill. didn't you?" "Yes, Grandpa, ?? ? wanted to keep it forever. " "There just comes a time when the only thing you can do is to cut the string and let it go. Perhaps by doing that, when it flies very high like real eagles do, it will come back to us. " Grandpa said.

???? I? ? how the old man cut the string to let fly the kite. As the two walked away, looked to the ? ? . There I saw my answer, too. Today I have to cut the final strings that kept my two boys ? ?? my reach. Though I want to keep them forever, I have taught them to fly like an eagle. Maybe by doing this, when it's time to soar like real eagles do. one day they would come back to me.

1.A. grown up?????? B. turned up????? C. picked up?????? D. taken up

2.A. carrying??????? B. grabbing? ???? C. keeping??????? D. holding

3.A. raised????????? B. spread???????? C. stretched?????? D. expanded

4.A. reaching??????? B. touching?????? C. getting??????? D. climbing

5.A. scene????????? B. sight????????? C. interest??????? D. control

6.A. thickest??????? B. strongest?????? C. tallest???????? D. largest

7.A. widely???????? B. wide????????? C. tightly???????? D. closely

8.A. method???????? B. hope????????? C. solution?????? D. result

9.A. and??????????? B. so??????????? C. or????? ????? D. but

10.A. sensed???????? B. glanced??????? C. watched?????? D. found

11.A. car??????????? B. sky?????????? C. kite?????????? D. tree

12.A. within???????? B. in??????????? C. beyond??????? D. with

One reason Americans eat so many calories is that we tend to eat large portions(分量). Studies find that hamburgers and fries are generally offered in serving sizes two to five times larger than the appropriate meal size. Researchers find we usually clean our plates no matter how high they're piled, even if we already feel satisfied. See the suggestions below to further master the fine art of sizing up（估量） your snacks and suppers.
Extremely large portions are one possible reason Americans continue getting fatter even as the percentage of our total calories from fat has gone down in recent years. Fortunately, portions are relatively simple to control because it's easier to count cookies than calories or grams of fat.
Pre-picture portions. Use familiar objects to picture how much you should eat of a food before you pick up your fork or spoon. For example, a half cup of low-fat granola is about the size of your fist. A half cup of low-fat ice cream equals half an orange.
Use a smaller dish. This tip might sound ridiculous, but it works. First and most obvious is that you can't put as much food on, say, a salad plate. But psychologically, you're just not as prone to eat as heartily and quickly if your plate will be empty in 45 seconds.
Have raw vegetables at every meal. Raw cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and peppers have few calories and lots of nutrients. A plate of them in the middle of the table almost always gets eaten up, cutting down appetite for the more calorie-dense meat.
Start your meal with soup. Studies show that a bowl of soup at the start of the meal reduces overall meal consumption, since they are lowest in calories and highest in nutrients.
Manage your fork. After every bite of food, put your fork down. Don't pick it up until you have thoroughly chewed and swallowed the previous bite. The goal is both to slow down your eating and to eat less. Remember: Your body needs 20 minutes of digestion before it sends signals to your brain that you are no longer hungry.