In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea(茫然) and looked embarrassed（尴尬的）. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus.
　　Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .
　　In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means 'no'. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled（再斟满） as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
　　In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid touching the head of an adult ——it's just not done in Thailand.
【小题1】The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen _________.

Telephone, television, radio, telegraph and the Internet all help people communicate with each other. As a result, ideas and news of events spread quickly all over the world. For example, within seconds, people can know the results of an election in another country. An international football match comes into the homes of everyone with a television set. News of a disaster such as an earthquake or a flood can bring help from distant countries within hours. Help is on the way. Because of modern technology like the satellites that travel around the world, information travels fast.

How has this speed of communication changed the world? To many people, the world has become smaller. Of course this does not mean that the world is actually physically smaller. It means that the world seems smaller. Two hundred years ago, communication between the continents took a long time. All news was carried on ships that took weeks or even months to cross the ocean. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it took six weeks for news from Europe to reach America. This time difference influenced people’s actions. For example, one battle, or fight, in the War of 1812 between England and the United States could have been avoided. A peace agreement had already been signed. Peace was made in England, but the news of peace took six weeks to reach America. During these six weeks, the large and serious Battle of New Orleans was fought. Many people lost their lives after a peace treaty had been signed. They would not have died if news had come in time. In the past, communication took much more time than it does now.

There was a good reason why the world seemed so much larger than it does today.

1.According to this passage, ________ is very important to people in a disaster area.

A. transportation   B. modern technology   C. latest news D. a new idea

2.From the passage we learn that ________.

A. the world now seems smaller because of faster communication

B. the world is actually smaller today     C. the world is changing its size

D. the distance between England and America has changed since the War of 1812

3.Two hundred years ago, news between the continents was carried _____.

A. by telephone and telegraph  B. by land      C. by air       D. by sea

4.The New Orleans Battle could have been avoided if the peace agreement had been signed ______.   

A. by important people B. in 1812   C. in America      D. in England

    The total continent of Antarctica, from its mountains to the seas full of blue whales, emperor penguins and leopard seals, is, by means of international agreement, classified as a nature preserve. The Antarctic Treaty took effect in 1998, and doesn’t allow mining and oil drilling for at least fifty years anywhere within the boundaries of Antarctica. The treaty places a strong emphasis on the protection of the natural environment but not development. All wildlife threats including dogs and chemicals used for killing pests are also banned.

    The agreement has been set by some countries to keep Antarctica free of commercialism and industrial development. This agreement was signed in 1991 by the 26 leading nations with scientific interest in the land. Some of the nations in the agreement are the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, and most of the primary European nations.

    The rules made by this treaty ended over 15 years of lobbying（游说）by environmental groups and put a stop to diplomatic(外交的）talks. In addition to preventing all oil drilling and mining, the 35 scientific outposts(前哨站） on Antarctica are required to remove all rubbish and clean up all places where unwanted waste is left. It keeps scientific stations from discharging untreated waste water into the surrounding waters.

     Sled dogs were what explorers like Norway’s Roald Amundsen used to reach the South Pole in 1911. Dogs, however, were banned because they are a recent danger to the penguins and other native birds.

    With laws enforced(实施）in 26 nations, each nation will be responsible for enforcing the rules individually. If the country’s government refuses to become involved when its citizens disobey the rules, the other nations would apply pressure to solve the issue. There are many people who see this treaty as an environmental success story.

55. The Antarctic Treaty was signed to ________.

A. attract more tourists to Antarctica

B. protect the environment of Antarctica

C. forbid diplomatic talks between countries

D. promote scientific research on Antarctica

56. Dogs are forbidden on Antarctica because they________ .

A. may pollute the surrounding environment

B. are a threat to the birds there

C. are of little use there

D. may face a great threat

57. We can infer from the text that________.

A. environmental groups are satisfied with the Antarctic Treaty

B. it is difficult to enforce the treaty

C. there are no natural resources on Antarctica

D. tourism is not allowed on Antarctica

58. Which of the following is TRUE about the Antarctic Treaty?

A. Some countries have broken the rules of it.

B. It was signed in 1998.

C. It’s effective in protecting the environment of Antarctica.

D. It fails to achieve its original purpose.

Beijing — Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the leadership of all countries to deepen their political will in dealing with climate change woes (灾难) as uncertainties mount (增长) in the months before the United Nation’s conference in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of this year.
Wen made the remarks on Friday when he met with nearly 20 politicians, climate change and environmental ministers worldwide, who are in Beijing this weekend to attend an international forum on green economy and climate change.
Based on the achievements made at the Copenhagen Summit last December, Wen urged the rich countries to further make clear their compulsory carbon reduction targets. “At the same time, we developing countries should make clear our voluntary goal of slowing down climate change,” Wen said.
Wen also urged the developed countries to transfer（转让）climate change friendly technologies to the developing countries, especially the poorest countries and island nations.
During the meeting, Wen said China will redouble its efforts in reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency during the coming years after it finishes its 2006-2010 goal of cutting energy consumption per unit of economic output by 20 percent.
While praising China for its green efforts, former Australian Prime Minister Robert J. Lee Hawke asked China to share its experiences and lessons on energy savings and pollution reduction to the rest of the world to deal with global environmental woes and climate change.
Wen responded: “China, together with the rest of the world, is willing to make its due contribution in coping with global warming and climate change.”
At a banquet for the foreign guests on Friday night, former vice-premier Zeng Peiyan said “Increasing uncertainties are ahead for the climate change negotiations. The world needs more dialogue and cooperation”.
“Climate change woes are our shared challenges but the root lies in the historical emissions by the developed countries,” said Zeng, as president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, which organized the weekend climate change summit.
Zeng expected the forum to work as a platform for different countries to communicate their positions freely before the Bonn climate change negotiation in June and the Cancun conference at the end of this year.
【小题1】Which title suits this passage best?

Beijing — Premier Wen Jiabao has urged the leadership of all countries to deepen their political will in dealing with climate change woes (灾难) as uncertainties mount (增长) in the months before the United Nation’s conference in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of this year.

Wen made the remarks on Friday when he met with nearly 20 politicians, climate change and environmental ministers worldwide, who are in Beijing this weekend to attend an international forum on green economy and climate change.

Based on the achievements made at the Copenhagen Summit last December, Wen urged the rich countries to further make clear their compulsory carbon reduction targets. “At the same time, we developing countries should make clear our voluntary goal of slowing down climate change,” Wen said.

Wen also urged the developed countries to transfer（转让）climate change friendly technologies to the developing countries, especially the poorest countries and island nations.

During the meeting, Wen said China will redouble its efforts in reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency during the coming years after it finishes its 2006-2010 goal of cutting energy consumption per unit of economic output by 20 percent.

While praising China for its green efforts, former Australian Prime Minister Robert J. Lee Hawke asked China to share its experiences and lessons on energy savings and pollution reduction to the rest of the world to deal with global environmental woes and climate change.

Wen responded: “China, together with the rest of the world, is willing to make its due contribution in coping with global warming and climate change.”

At a banquet for the foreign guests on Friday night, former vice-premier Zeng Peiyan said “Increasing uncertainties are ahead for the climate change negotiations. The world needs more dialogue and cooperation”.

“Climate change woes are our shared challenges but the root lies in the historical emissions by the developed countries,” said Zeng, as president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, which organized the weekend climate change summit.

Zeng expected the forum to work as a platform for different countries to communicate their positions freely before the Bonn climate change negotiation in June and the Cancun conference at the end of this year.

1.Which title suits this passage best?

A. We must work on climate change.

B. We should share our ‘green’ technology.

C. We need to clarify our action targets.

D. We ought to cooperate to control the climate.

2. The underlined part in the last paragraph but one implies ________.

A. Air pollution just existed in the developed countries in the past.

B. In the past, the developed countries slowed down the development of the world.

C. Climate change woes were originally caused by the developed countries.

D. The rich countries should be more responsible since they polluted most.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that _________.

A. The Chinese government intends to be regarded as a developed country.

B. The whole world has got the same opinion about the measures to take.

C. The developed countries have not found any effective ways to cut their emissions.

D. There is still a long way to go before an agreement can be reached.

4.Why did Wen Jiabao urge the developed countries to clarify their carbon reduction targets?

A. Because the developed countries are not willing to deal with global environmental woes.

B. Because the developing countries have not set any goal of slowing down climate change.

C. Because there are mounting uncertainties ahead for the climate change negotiations.

D. Because agreements were already made at the Copenhagen Summit last December.