Africans see many advantages by uniting the continent into a single nation, or by uniting several small nations of a particular region into a nation. In unity there is strength. Africans often point to the United States, formed by the original 13 states, as an example of this principle. Africa now is divided into many weak nations. United, they would be much stronger. Africans could then more easily deal with foreign efforts to control them. Also it would be easier to plan and carry out big projects like the building of highways and dams.

  The considerations for African unity go beyond the practical advantages it brings. As we have seen, one factor is that the feeling of belonging to a particular nation is not strong among Africans. If, for example, you were to ask a man from Paris " What are you?", he would certainly answer " A Frenchman". Ask the same question of a man from Ibadan in Nigeria and he might give one of three answers, or all three, depending on his education and outlook. He might say, " A Yoruba" (his people), or " A Nigerian," or just simply " An African."

  Another factor that enters into the desire for unity is that African leaders throughout the continent feel that they all have many things in common. They all lived through the experience of colonial rule. Many of them went to school and university with men who now lead other African countries. They all feel very angry about the way in which they were treated in the past. Compared with these strong bonds (结合)，which overshadow the borders of nations, the idea of building separate nations does not have so much meaning. Some leaders say they are ready, in fact, to give up their separate nations.

  Many nations have written into their constitutions(宪法), and they may give up their powers to a Pan-African government that will come into being.

There are many stories about people who did not let age stop them in the pursuit of their goals. I’m sure you have heard of recent 70-year-old college graduates, or teenagers who are 1 of many useful things or owners of companies. Actually, it can be done; it just 2 your attitude.

Michael had wanted to run his own business from an early age, but he was 3 a big risk taker. After many years of working for others, he put a business plan together and was about to make the 4 , but his friends told him that at 45 he was too 5 to start his own construction business. They thought it was a young man’s business while Michael needed a steady income to support his family. Michael was discouraged. 6 many of his friends worked in the very field that he was considering starting his business in, he 7 that they knew what was best, so he decided to give up his 8 . But his wife told him that he was foolish to do so. They discussed it and Michael 9 that he’d been using his age as a(n) 10 instead of as an advantage.

Have you put off a goal 11 age or another limiting factor? Does the limiting 12really have as much influence as you think? Age is just a number and each challenge is an opportunity. Your attitude 13 . You’re not too old to try something 14 and never too old to give up on your dreams. They may 15 a bit of adjustment, but if you want something enough, believe in yourself and your desires will have no bounds.

1.                A．owners         B．discoverers      C．inventors D．users

2.                A．depends on     B．turns down      C．makes up D．leads to

3.                A．never          B．hardly          C．nearly    D．surely

4.                A．decision        B．leap           C．conclusion    D．contribution

5.                A．early           B．old            C．hard     D．wise

6.                A．If              B．Before          C．Even     D．Since

7.                A．hoped         B．learnt          C．thought   D．heard

8.                A．plan           B．job            C．belief    D．method

9.                A．stressed        B．decided        C．realized  D．Dreamed

10.               A．response       B．reply          C．answer    D．excuse

11.               A．instead of       B．regardless of    C．because of     D．in spite of

12.               A．result          B．factor          C．pressure  D．strength

13.               A．changes        B．helps          C．begins D．matters

14.               A．opposite        B．impossible      C．strange    D．valuable

15.               A．make          B．suggest         C．require   D．follow

单词拼写（10分）
【小题1】He's trying to i________ (说明) that there are things that we can't really know in a scientific way but we can glimpse.   
【小题2】They may ________ (申请) to join the organization.   
【小题3】Since 1978 our country has been adopting the opening and ________ (改革) policy.
【小题4】It ________ (想起) me that he's right a tough nut to crack. 
【小题5】Turkin tapped him on the shoulder. "Sorry to________ (插话) , Colonel."   
【小题6】Many people feared that the governor would use the troops to________(逮捕) the leaders.   
【小题7】Test 1 will be a week from________(星期三) , and I will say something about that later in the week.  
【小题8】His ________(志向) is to sail around the world.  
【小题9】It was not surprising that the North showed little ________(同情心) when the fighting stopped and the South lay in ruins.  
【小题10】He is ________(年纪轻的) to me by two years.  

No budget for your vacation? Try home exchanges ---- swapping houses with strangers. Agree to use each other’s cars, and you can save dollars on car rentals (租赁费), too.

Home exchanges are not new. At least one group, Intervac, has been facilitating such an arrangement since 1953. But trading online is gaining popularity these days, with several sites in operation, including Home Exchanges. Founded in 1992, with some 28,000 listings, this company bills itself as the world’s largest home exchange club, reporting that membership has increased 30% this year.

The annual fee is usually less than US$100. Members can access thousands of listings for apartments, villas, suburban homes and farms around the world. Initial contact is made via e-mail, with subsequent communication usually by phone. Before a match is made, potential swappers tend to discuss a lot.

However, the concept may sound risky to some people. What about theft? Damage? These are reasonable causes for concern, but equally unlikely. As one swapper puts it, “Nobody is going to fly across the ocean or drive 600 miles to come steal your TV. Besides, at the same time they’re staying in your home, you are staying in their home.”

Exchange sites recommend that swappers discuss such matters ahead of time. They may fill out an agreement spelling out who shoulders which responsibilities if a problem arises. It does not matter if the agreement would hold up in court, but it does give the exchangers a little satisfaction.

Generally, the biggest complaint among home exchangers has to do with different standards of cleanliness. Swappers are supposed to make sure their home is in order before they depart, but one person’s idea of “clean” may be more forgiving than another’s. Some owners say if they come back to a less-than-sparkling kitchen, it may be inconvenient but would not sour them on future exchanges.

1.What is the second paragraph mainly about? 

A．How to exchange homes.

B．The biggest home exchange agency Intervac.

C．The fact that home exchanges are not new.

D．A contrast between Intervac and Home Exchanges.

2.How do home exchangers normally begin their communication?

A．By phone.            B．Via a matchmaker.

C． By e-mail.  D．Via a face-to-face meeting.

3.What is recommended in the passage to deal with the concerns about theft and damage?

A．One can file a lawsuit in court.

B．Both parties can trade online.

C．One can damage the home of the other party in return.

D．Both parties can sign an agreement beforehand. 

You may go to karaoke or disco clubs with your friends during the summer holidays. But be careful. In these   41   places you may see people selling small, colourful pills. Make sure you do not try them.

The seller   42    say they are safe and can help you enjoy yourself or   43    from sadness. They may even offer you a free   44  , and tell you that everybody is using   45  .But you must be alert to the   46   that these drugs could destroy your life.

When you put them into your body, often   47   swallowing, breathing in or injecting, drugs find their way into your brain.

Drugs may either speed up  48  slow down your senses. Their effects are different depending on body size, shape, and chemistry.  49   it can make you feel good at first, a drug can do a lot of   50   to your body and brain.

One of the most popular drugs in nightclubs is the so-called head-shaking or ecstasy pill. The drug hits users with a fast high, 51   them feel powerful and full of  52  . Heart rate, breathing and blood pressure 53  - risking damage to your nervous system. Marijuana (大麻) is a   54   used illegal drug. It is called the gateway drug, because using it sometimes  55   harder drugs. It is mostly smoked in a cigarette.

There is   56   risk related to taking drugs that must be   57  . Sharing a needle to inject a drug puts a user at a very 58   risk of being affected with HIV.

Drugs may appear in many different   59 , some with cool names, but taking them could   60   your health forever.

1.                A．boring         B．exciting         C．noisy D．surprising

2.                A．may           B．must           C．should   D．can

3.                A．keep           B．stay            C．escape   D．stop

4.                A．drink          B．try             C．cigarette  D．taste

5.                A．it             B．him            C．her  D．them

6.                A．fact            B．problem        C．trouble   D．reality

7.                A．with           B．for            C．by   D．in

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

9.                A．Although       B．Because        C．If    D．Despite

10.               A．hurt           B．injury          C．damage   D．harm

11.               A．driving         B．having         C．making    D．keeping

12.               A．food           B．energy         C．hope D．interest

13.               A．develop        B．grow           C．rise  D．increase

14.               A．deeply         B．widely         C．strongly   D．highly

15.               A．prevents       B．cause          C．leads to   D．aims at

16.               A．the other       B．other          C．others D．another

17.               A．avoided        B．taken          C．missed    D．interrupted

18.               A．big            B．high           C．large D．wide

19.               A．tastes          B．smells          C．colours    D．forms

20.               A．kill            B．break          C．endanger  D．ruin