Now let me tell you about the work I have been doing with the UN. My job with the UN is not paid but voluntary, and  1.  I said before, I visit countries where the UN has programmes to help people. So,  2.do I help by visiting these countries? Well,  3. I visit these countries, the television and press will follow and record my visits. This will increase people’s knowledge of the work of the UN. In addition, my visits will encourage people   4.  are working on the projects and draw local people’s attention 5.  the situation.

I have visited many countries in Africa. Recently, I was fortunate 6. to travel to South Africa, where I met some women who have organized themselves into a group. They collect approximately 1.35 yuan per day from each member and add  7. to some money contributed by the government. With this, the women have enough money to acquire materials to make baskets. They then sell these at the market for  8. profit. With luck their group will be able to expand and maybe set up a shop. Such programmes can transform people’s lives by giving them the ability to provide for themselevs and their families.

In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin. Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressure even within the same racial or ethnic group, if some members are darker skinned than others.

   The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world. More and more people with dark skin are using skin-lightening products, even if they may face health risks.

   They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives. Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.

   Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter. This process is also called bleaching. But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. One of the chemicals has been linked to kidney (肾) damage and some kinds of cancer. It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers use it during pregnancy.

   At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter. But after long-term use they can cause problems. They can even make some skin darker. The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin. The skin loses its natural barrier to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.

   Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital，Dakar. Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal. She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger. Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent skin damage.

   And these are not the only risks. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regret and sadness. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was.

Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “bleaching”?

A. whitening        B. changing       C. lighting        D. pleasing

Why has the skin lightening become a common activity all over the world?

A. There are many products that can make the dark skin light.

B. Many people with dark skin have no confidence.

C. Relatively speaking, light skin has more advantages over dark skin.

D. People with dark skin are forced by the pressure of their families.

According to the text the following are the risks using the bleaching products EXCEPT________.

  A. blackened fingernails               B. permanent skin damage

  C. emotional damage                  D. a waste of time and money

From the text we can conclude the writer’s attitude toward using the bleaching products is probably ________.

A. supportive        B. positive       C. doubtful       D. negative 

第三部分阅读理解(共10小题；每小题2分,满分20分)

How many times have you laughed today? Have you ever wondered what makes you laugh? In the whole animal kingdom, only we humans are capable (有能力的) of laughter. On average, we laugh about 17 times a day.

Laughter is a spontaneous reaction of the body to some-thing funny or pleasant. Have you noticed that when you laugh, many parts of your body respond (反应)? Your face changes expression, your breathing changes, and muscles throughout your body are affected.

An interesting story dates back to 1962. In a school in Tanganyika, in Africa, a group of schoolgirls started laughing uncontrollably over a joke. This laughter became epidemic (传染的), jumping from one person to the next, spreading across communities, and lasting for six months! So strong was the "laughter epidemic" that schools had to shut down till it ended.

How we laugh remains a mystery. Whatever the reasons, laughter, as the saying goes, "is the best medicine." In fact, science has proven that being happy and laughing can not only keep us healthy and fit but help deal with serious illnesses.

Laughing exercises all the important muscles, and keeps you fit. People have started forming laughter clubs that use laughter to treat illnesses. They meet at specific places at fixed times and laugh together. Laughter spreads, so this exercise works best in groups; once one person starts laughing, others automatically (自动地) join in.

56. The underlined word "spontaneous" in the second paragraph probably means "______".

A. perfect            B. strange            C. natural         D. terrible

57. People have formed laughter clubs to ______.

A. kill time          B. relax         C. meet others        D. keep healthy

58. The best title for the passage would be ______.

A. A Laughter Epidemic

B. Laughter, What It Is, and What It Can Do

C. The Relationship Between Laughter and Health

D. How Laughter Helps Cure Disease

59. The passage is probably taken from a(n) ______.

A. ad         B. novel            C. magazine           D. medical book

LONDON (AP) — England joins on Sunday the growing list of places that ban smoking in public buildings, taxis and other places including even Buckingham Palace with a tough law.

Pubs, clubs and restaurants will all be smoke-free. Taxi and delivery drivers have been warned that they too could be fined 50 pounds, or about $100, if caught lighting up inside work vehicles.

Experts say the bans have become an irreversible (不可逆转的) tread because of greatly rising health costs and public uneasiness over second-hand smoke. Some of the strictest smoking bans are in the United States, even though there is no federal anti-smoking policy. New York and Florida have strict bans, while California has certain outdoor smoking bans.

Spain, Italy, Iran, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, Uruguay and new Zealand have passed legislation(立法) to restrict smoking. France banned smoking in many public places in February and plans to extend the ban to cafes and restaurants next year. Finland is introducing a ban in 2009.

Despite the spread of bans, the World Health Organization predicts a steady rise in tobacco sales. In its Tobacco Atlas, the WHO said that by 2030 there will be “at least another two billion smokers in the world” and an expected decrease in male smokers “will be offset by an increase in female smoking rates, especially in developing countries.”

In advance of the English ban, anti-smoking ads have coated bus stops and the British government has subsidized(资助) programs to help people quit. The rest of Britain—Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland —already have smoking bans in place.

1.The first two paragraphs mainly tell us_______

A．Buckingham Palace bans smoking

B．smoking ban comes into force in England

C．there’s no smoking in Buckingham Palace

D．smoking is against the law in England

2.Which of the following places may still be smoking areas in England?

A．Private houses                         B．Taxis.

C．Restaurants.                           D．London clubs

3.The underlined word “offset” in paragraph 5 probably means “________”.

A．decreased         B．raised            C．encouraged        D．balanced

4.What do we know from the passage?

A．Smoking has strictly been forbidden in cafes in France.

B．There is an extremely strict smoking ban everywhere in America.

C．Smoking situation is still serious across the world.

D．Related ads didn’t appear in England until the English ban was lifted.（解除）

More than 200 scientists have completed a two­year study to identify the most natural and undeveloped areas on Earth. Their findings are reported in a new book called Wilderness：Earth’s Last Wild Places. The book describes 37 wilderness areas around the world. Each has an area greater than 10,000 square kilometers. The study considered only areas where at least 70% of all plants are native.

North and South America are home to the largest number of wilderness areas. There are 16 such areas, from southern Argentina to Alaska and northern Canada. Africa has 8 wilderness areas, including the thick forests and the grasslands. Australia and New Guinea (几内亚) share 6 areas. Europe has 3 areas and Asia has 2.The Arabian Desert and Antarctica also are considered wilderness areas.

The largest wilderness area is the Boreal Forest (北方森林)．It extends for 16­million square kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. The Boreal Forest extends across Alaska, Canada, northern Europe and Russia. The smallest of the 37 wilderness areas is the Sundarbans. It is the world’s largest tidal mangrove forest (红树林)．It covers 10,000 square kilometers of land at the mouth of the Ganges River in India and Bangladesh (孟加拉国)．

The study found that wilderness areas cover about 46% of the Earth’s land surface. However, they are home to less than 2.5% of the world’s population. Nineteen of the wilderness areas have only about one person for each square kilometer. Native people usually live in these areas.

Wilderness areas help to influence the world’s weather systems and rainfall. They are also home to many plants and animals. Population growth and the spread of agriculture and mining operations threaten wilderness areas. But just 7% of all such areas have some form of official protection.

1.What does the author think of the wilderness areas around the world in the book?

A．Unwanted.        B．Long-lasting.       C．Valuable          D．Perfect.

2.The writer describes the wilderness areas to show that they ________.

A．are worth the public support              B．can attract readers’ attention

C．need to be stressed as resources           D．are seen on every continent

3.According to the 4th paragraph, we can draw a conclusion that the 37 wilderness areas are ________.

A．deserted          B．crowded          C．uncontrolled       D．undeveloped

4.As the result of the effect on nature, the wilderness areas on Earth should be ________.

A．thought more of by the governments        B．explored as natural habitats very soon

C．further made full use of at present          D．discovered for their advantages of nature

5.The purpose of writing this text is to tell us ________of the wilderness areas around the world.

A．the importance     B．the situation       C．the development    D．the environment