House buyers have three main choices: building from the ground up, moving into an old house or buying a new one. All the three are very different and should be considered carefully. Your budget will probably have the biggest effect on your choice. Comparing the three will help you make a good decision.

New houses are untouched and fresh, which means they can suit your personality and you know exactly where all of the materials come from. New houses won’t hold many unpleasant surprises, such as weak foundations, or other damaged areas. Most of these modern houses are also far more eco-friendly, with future decoration being just as easy to make and do as you like. Buying new houses is also a great way to save money, and you may find its benefit with the price going up in the future.

Some buildings, such as those that are rare or in certain areas, are of value over the years. Sometimes it is the history that draws more buyers into older houses. A famous person may have lived there, or an important event may have taken place in the house. This may not add any value to the house, but it can add to the attraction. There may be more repairs which will need to be done in the old houses,so before you think you’ve found a great bargain, be sure to get a careful inspection.

There are those who prefer building from the ground up. Building your own house can be a very rewarding, tiring, and expensive experience. While people have many expectations of planning and building their own houses, one thing is sure: it will take a while. There are always difficulties during construction, so you always find the construction time will be longer than your plan, not to mention the budget. Time can add up as well as materials and costs. Building is a good choice for those who are able and qualified.

1.In Paragraph 2, the writer mainly tells readers _____.

A．How to choose a good new house.

B．The benefits of buying a new house

C．Things to consider when they buy a house.

D．How to save money when they buy a new house.

2.What does the writer suggest people do when they are buying an old house?

A．Check whether the price is low

B．Check whether it is a rare house

C．Check carefully whether lots of repairs are needed

D．Check whether a famous person has lived in it

3.The writer seems to believe that building a house of one’s own is ____.

A．easy                                 B．costly

C．interesting                            D．impossible

4.What is the writer’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To encourage readers to build a house of their own

B．To explain why it is hard to decide what house to buy

C．To tell readers how to find a great bargain when they are buying a house

D．To help readers make a better decision when they are buying a house

       Transportation and communication networks bring people together. Yet sometimes people themselves create barriers(障碍) to transportation and communication. In some countries, laws stop people from moving freely from place to place. Over the centuries, many groups of people have been denied the freedom to travel because of their race, religion, or nationality. In the Middle Ages, for example, Jews were often forbidden to move about freely within certain cities. South Africa's government used to require black Africans to carry passes when they travel within the country. Some governments require all citizens to carry identification papers and to report to government officials whenever they move.

   Countries set up customs posts at their borders. Foreign travellers must go through a customs inspection before they are allowed to travel in the country. Usually travellers have to carry special papers such as passports and visas(签证). Some countries even limit the number of visitors to their country each year.  Others allow tourists to visit only certain areas of the country, or they may require that travellers be with an official guide at all times during their stay.

    Many of those barriers to travel also act as barriers to communication.

When two governments disagree with each other on important matters, they usually do not want their citizens to exchange news or ideas freely. Countries often try to keep military or industrial information secret.

     Today, people have the ability to travel, to communicate, and to transport goods more quickly and easily than ever before. Natural barriers that were difficult or dangerous to cross a hundred years ago can now be crossed easily. The barriers that people themselves make are not so easy to overcome. But in spite of all the different kinds of barriers, people continue to enjoy travel and the exchange of goods and ideas.

6. The examples in paragraph 2 are used to tell the readers that _______

     A. people have been allowed to travel freely within the country

     B. people have not been permitted to travel freely for various reasons

     C. travellers have to carry special papers such as　passports and visas

     D. customs posts are necessary at the borders of　the countries

7. Some governments limit the freedom of communication because___

     A.  they intend to keep their national secrets unknown to others

     B.  they think such freedom will lead to wars

     C.  they often disagree with each other on important matters

     D.  they want to show their authority over communication

8. We may learn from the passage that _______

     A. people do not care about the removal of barriers between countries

     B. people can not remove the obstacles made by themselves

     C. man-made barriers are sometimes harder to overcome than natural ones

     D. barriers should be taken for granted as they always exist

9. Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage?

      A. Barriers Made by People                B. Functions of Communication

      C. Restrictions on Transportation            D. Progress of Human Society

10．Which is NOT mentioned as the possible limits some countries put on foreign visitors?

A. They have to get a visa before they enter the country.

B. Only a limited number of visitors are allowed to enter the country every year.

C. Not every part of the country is open to foreign tourists.

D. They have to report to government officials when they come to a new place.

Section B

Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

F. potential     G. shortcuts         H. specific      I. structurally   J. surprises

The home inspection is an essential part of any home buying process. Without a home inspection, you can never be sure what you're getting and when buying a home that's a lot of money to __41__ on uncertainty. A home inspection ensures that there are no __42__ and that you can enjoy your future home for years to come.

A home inspection will __43__ hiring a company to send a home inspector out to go through your potential home with you and thoroughly inspect everything to make sure there are no major problems that might not be obvious to the average home owner. He will go over all the wiring, plumbing(管道系统), the roof and the foundation to make sure everything is __44__ sound. At the same time as the home inspection it's always a good idea to have a pest (昆虫) inspection to check for damaging insects such as carpenter ants.

Different states have different regulations for home inspections. So you need to be aware of what the requirements of your __45__ state are and make sure the inspector covers these areas. It’s a good idea to ask to see any __46__ certification, which a professional home inspector will gladly show you. It’s also best to make certain that your specific inspector has experience with your region. A local home inspector will better __47__ conditions in your area such as damp basements, winter damage to roofing or cracks in the foundation caused by normal settling.

A thorough home inspection takes time, so don’t settle for someone that you feel might be taking __48__. Many home inspectors are happy to have you accompany them on the inspection. A walk through with the home inspector is a great time to learn about how your home works and what to look for in terms of __49__ trouble.

A home inspection is just absolutely necessary and one will provide much peace of mind once you move into your new home. 

Transportation and communication networks bring people together．Yet sometimes people themselves create barriers(障碍)to transportation and communication．
In some countries，laws stop people from moving freely from place to place．Over the centuries，many groups of people have been denied the freedom to travel because of their race，religion，or nationality．In the Middle Ages，for example，Jews were often forbidden to move about freely within certain cities．South Africa’s government used to require black Africans to carry passes when they travel within the country．Some governments require all citizens to carry identification papers and to report to government officials whenever they move．
Countries set up customs posts at their borders．Foreign travellers must go through a customs inspection before they are allowed to travel in the country．Usually travellers  have to carry special papers such as passports and visas(签证)．Some countries even limit the number of visitors to their country each year．Others allow tourists to visit only certain areas of the country，or they may require that travellers be with an official guide at all times during their stay．
Many of those barriers to travel also act as barriers to communication．When two governments disagree with each other on important matters，they usually do not want their citizens to exchange news or ideas freely．Countries often try to keep military or lndustrial information secret．
Today，people have the ability to travel，to communicate，and to transport goods more quickly and easily than ever before．Natural barriers that were difficult or dangerous to cross a hundred years ago can now be crossed easily．The barriers that people themselves make are not so easy to overcome．But in spite of all the different kinds of barriers，people continue to enjoy travel and the exchange of goods and ideas.
【小题1】Choose the best title for the passage．