They once seemed more at home on the busy streets of Asia like Delhi, Calcutta and Bangkok but cycle powered rickshaws (人力车) can now be seen taking people across town in many European cities. Many people believe that rickshaws are a good way of experiencing a city close-up, while also cutting down on traffic jams and pollution. In Berlin, one of the first cities to introduce this new model of transport, more than 200 bike-taxis go along at 15km per hour, past many tourist attractions and city parks.

    “It is completely environmentally friendly; we have new models with an engine to help the driver up the hills but they use renewable energy.” said a spokesman for VELOTAXI, the leading rickshaw company which has carried a quarter of a million people this year.

    While the city still has 7,000 motor-taxis, rickshaw company officials say their taxis’ green ideas, speed and safety make them more than just a tourist attraction. While now increasingly out of fashion in Delhi, Berlin people have eagerly accepted the new fleet since their launch in 1997.

“It’s better than a taxi, better than a bus, better than the train,” said ULF Lehman, 36, as he leapt out of a rickshaw near the world famous Brandenburg gate. “ It feels so free.”

    “ This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in Bangkok instead of Berlin,” said another traveler.

    In Amsterdam, driver Peter Jancso said people like to be driven around in his bright yellow rickshaw and pretend to be a queen in a golden carriage. "I like my passengers to feel important," he said as he dropped off another passenger. Another visitor noted how cheap it was compared with a normal taxi.

    Although increasingly popular in Europe, it is the opposite in India, where hand-pulled rickshaws are considered inhuman and a symbol of India's backward past.

    Nearly 500 bike-rickshaws are running in London and are not required to pay the city's road tax but things may change as other taxi drivers complain of unfair treatment.

1. Where are rickshaws becoming more popular?

A. Delhi, Berlin, Paris.                            B. Amsterdam, Bangkok, Delhi.

C. Athens, London, Berlin.                          D. Berlin, Amsterdam, London.

2.Why are rickshaws no longer as widely used in India as in the past?

A. They are a reminder of a bad period in India's history.

B. They have been banned because they are inefficient.

C. The streets of India are too crowded for them to move through easily.

D. Indians now prefer to travel by car because they are richer.

3.What does the underlined sentence "This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in

Bangkok instead of Berlin" suggest?

A. The passenger didn't like taking a rickshaw as it reminded him of Bangkok.

B. The passenger enjoyed being on holiday in Berlin more than in Bangkok.

C. The passenger was impressed when taking a rickshaw and considered it unusual.

D. The passenger disapproved of rickshaws because they were not original to Berlin.

4. What is the author's attitude towards rickshaws?

A. He gives no personal opinion.          

B. He believes they will be of no use.

C. He thinks they will reduce pollution.       

D. He thinks they are old-fashioned.

A young woman carrying a three-year-old child got on a bus. The conductor hurried to give her a warm welcome and then kindly asked the other passengers to make more room for the woman and her child. On seeing this, people began to talk. "You know this conductor used to be very rude. Now suddenly he has changed his bad behavior , "said a middle-aged man.

"Yes, he should be praised and we must write a letter to the company," said a second passenger. "That's right," another lady said, "I wish a newspaper reporter were here so that more people could learn from this conductor. "

Just then a gentleman who looked like a teacher turned to the conductor and said , "Excuse me, but can I know your name, please? Your excellent service must be praised..."

Before he could open his mouth, the three-year-old child sitting on the young woman's lap interrupted, "I know his name. I call him Dad."

1.One passenger suggested writing a letter to the com­pany to ______  .

2.What was the gentleman?               

3. The word "him" in the last paragraph refers to _______.

4.It is clear from the story that the conductor _______.

A child survivor of the Indian Ocean tsunami and a girl from the United States who offered help met for the first time after the disaster.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami destroyed Nada Luthfiyyah’s small town in Aceh. Her parents and two brothers were among the 160,000 people who died in the disaster. Maggie Hamilton’s classmates in the state of Michigan decided to make and sell bracelets (手镯) to raise money for the victims. Maggie, who was 9 years old at the time, wrote a letter to survivors to offer help. Nada was selected from her class to respond with a letter of thanks.

Three and a half years later, the two girls met for the first time. Their meeting was arranged by the Indonesian government, and was used as a symbol of the two countries’aid relationship. Their letters were quoted by diplomats (外交官)of both countries.

Maggie, visiting the town under reconstruction, said she did not expect that her letter would draw so much attention, but, she said, the experience helped to make her more active in volunteering work. "I’ve been volunteering at a nursing home in Ohio. I just want to help people whenever I can," Maggie said.

Juanda, the spokesman for Indonesia’s tsunami reconstruction agency, says the meeting of the two girls serves as a symbol of their informal relationship. It will represent the international community’s role in Aceh’s future. "I think what we can learn from this experience is that Nada from Aceh and Maggie from the U.S. are able to share their experiences, friendship, knowledge and support," Juanda says.

Maggie says she wants to learn Indonesian and hopes to have Nada visit her home in Michigan sometime, perhaps next year.

1. Nada and Maggie first made contact with each other through ______.

A. letters                              B. visiting the diplomats

C. arrangements by the government         D. informal visits

2. From the text we know that ______.

A. Maggie and Nada’s friendship is a symbol of the two countries’ friendship

B. 16,000 people lost their lives in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

C. Maggie volunteered to work in the reconstruction after the tsunami

D. Maggie is now a volunteer working in Nada’s hometown

3. The text mainly tells us that ______.

A. Indonesian and American girls build friendship after a tsunami

B. the Indian Ocean tsunami influenced the USA

C. letters are an advantage in building friendships

D. Indonesia is under construction after a tsunami

“Tell me what you were like when you were my age,” I asked my mother one afternoon. She looked up, 21 at my question. After a long time she answered, “I was 22 like you. Then, there was only one career for girls — being a hard-working 23. To tell the truth, it is 24 for me to tell you that I 25 my mother when I was growing up. I did so much for her. Besides doing lots of housework, every night I would go into my parents’ bedroom, and wash their feet with warm water. Not once did my mother ever said, ‘thank you’."

I stared out of the window, remembering 26 I grew up, always wanting to hear a word of 27 from her, but getting only the rule and 28 I could never live up to (做到). I remembered the years when she 29 me to get up at six every morning and cook breakfast for the family before leaving for school. Least of all, I remembered the times she’d 30 me to other girls who were as old as me and found me useless.

“Nothing was ever 31 enough for my mother,’’ continued my mother, “ but now I know she did 32 me, even if she never said so. I told you this just for a 33. Yes, I love all my children, but you are my first child, the first in everything to me. I have been very strict and hard on you, but I 34 you in the only way I knew. I am 35 proud of you.”

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Five years ago, David Smith wore an expensive suit to work every day． "I was a clothes addict, "he jokes．" I used to carry a fresh suit to work with me so I could change if my clothes got wrinkled．" Today David wears casual clothes – khaki pants and sports shirt – to the office． He hardly ever wears a necktie． "I'm working harder than ever," David says, "and I need to feel comfortable．"

More and more companies are allowing their office workers to wear casual clothes to work． In the United States, the change from formal to casual office wear has been gradual． In the early 1990s, many companies allowed their employees to wear casual clothes on Friday, but only on Friday． This became known as "dress-down Friday" or "casual Friday．" "What started out as an extra one-day-a-week benefit for employees has really become an everyday thing．" said business consultant Maisly Jones．

Why have so many companies started allowing their employees to wear casual clothes? One reason is that it's easier for a company to attract new employees if it has a casual dress code． "A lot of young people don't want to dress up for work," says the owner of a software company, "so it's hard to hire people if you have a conservative dress code．" Another reason is that people seem happier and more productive when they are wearing comfortable clothes． In a study conducted by Levi Strauss and Company, 85 percent of employers said that they believe that casual dress improves employee morale （士气）． Only 4 percent of employers said that casual dress has a negative effect on productivity． Supporters of casual office wear also argue that a casual dress code helps them save money． "Suits are expensive, if you have to wear one every day," one person said． "For the same amount of money, you can buy a lot more casual clothes．"

1.David Smith refers to himself as having been "a clothes addict," because        ．  

2.David Smith wears casual clothes now, because        ．  

3.According to this passage, which of the following statements is FALSE? 

4.According to this passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?   

5.In this passage, the following advantages of casual office wear are mentioned except         ．