Computer programmer David Jones earned ￡35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot find a bank prepared to let him have a check card, he has been told to wait another two years until he is 18.

   He works for a small firm in Liverpool, where most young people of his age are finding jobs. David’s biggest headache is what to do with his money. Though he has high payment, he cannot drive a car, or get credit card(信用卡).

   David got his job four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-levels（普通成绩）and working for a time in a computer shop. “I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs,” he said.

   “I suppose ￡35,000 sounds a lot but I hope it will come to more than that this year.” He spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother ￡20 a week as he lives with his parents. But most of his spare time is spent working.

   “Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school, ” he said. “But I had been studying it in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway. I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement(退休) is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.”

1.Why is David so different from other young people of his age?

A. He earns an extremely high payment

B. He has got a job.

C. He lives at home with his parents.

D. He does not go out much.

2.David’s greatest problem is that______.

A. he can’t be treated as an adult by the bank.

B. he doesn’t make as many games as he wishes.

C. he doesn’t know what to buy with the money.

D. he is too young to drive a car.

3.He was employed by the company because ____.

A. he had worked in a computer shop.

B. he had written some computer programs.

C. he is clever and works hard at his lessons.

D. he had learnt to use computers at school.

4.He left school after taking six O-levels because____.

A. he was afraid of getting too old to start computing.

B. he did not enjoy school.

C. he wanted to work with computers.

D. he wanted to earn a lot of money.

5.Why does David think he might retire early?

A. He thinks computer games might not always sell so well.

B. He wants to stop working when he is a millionaire.

C. One has to be young to write computer programs.

D. He thinks his firm might close down.

My husband and children think they are very lucky that they are living and that it’s Christmas again. They can’t see that we live on a dirty street in a dirty house among people who aren’t much good. But Johnny and children can’t see this. What a pity it is that our neighbours have to make happiness out of all this dirt. I decided that my children must get out of this. The money that we’ve saved isn’t nearly enough.

The McGaritys have money but they are so proud. They look down upon the poor. The McGarity girl just yesterday stood out there in the street eating from a bag of candy while a ring of hungry children watched her. I saw those children looking at her and crying in their hearts; and when she couldn’t eat any more she threw the rest down the sewer(下水道). Why , is it only because they have money? There is more to happiness than money in the world, isn’t there?

Miss Jackson who teaches at the Settlement House isn’t rich, but she knows things. She understand people. Her eyes look straight into yours when she talks with you. She can read your mind. I’d like to see the children will be like Miss Jackson when they grow up.

This passage mainly suggests that the writer _______.

A. is easy to get along with　　　　　　

B. is unhappy with the life they are living

C. is good at observing and understanding　　

D. is never pleased with her neighbours

What do you think of McGarity girl?

A. She is proud and hungry.            B. She is selfish and cruel.

C. She is lonely and friendless.          D. She is unhappy and misunderstood.

In this text, the writer tries to tell us that _______.

A. money is the key to everything　　

B. the more money you have, the less happy you’ll be

C. there is something more important than money

D. when talking to people we should look into their eyes

Pick out the one that does NOT describe the writer’s view on money.

A. Why, is it only because they have money?

B. There is more to happiness than money.

C. Miss Jackson isn’t rich, but she knows things.

D. The money we saved isn’t nearly enough.

Goats are amazing animals. They can survive just about anywhere. Altogether there are nine species of goats in the world.

Goats have more uses than you could ever imagine. Goat’s meat can be eaten and goat’s milk is becoming popular as a healthy choice to drink milk. Goat’s milk is easier to take in than cow’s milk and it is called universal milk as it can be used to bottle-feed most animals. In nutrition, it is also good. Goat’s skins are still used today to make gloves and other items of clothing. The initial reasons for domesticating (驯化) goats were to get goat’s hair, meat and milk. Goat’s skins were used up until the Middle Ages for making bottles to hold water and wine for people who were traveling or camping.

Just like sheep, goats are considered to be the first domesticated animal. The domestication process began over 10,000 years ago in a North Iranian town. A lot of people keep goats as pets nowadays.

Goats are easily trained and you can teach them to pull carts and walk on ropes. Goats are also known for escaping their pens (圈). If you have unsecured fencing, your goats will be interested in it and test it out and soon you will know where the openings are. Goats are also widely known for their ability to climb trees, although the tree generally has to be at a slight angle (角度).

If goats are raised correctly and trained from an early age, they never develop any bad habits. Goats will attack each other. However, if they’re corrected from an early age they never attack humans or other animals.

The passage is written mainly 　    　.

A. to tell people how to raise goats      B. to let people know more about goats

C. to explain how goats are domesticated    D. to describe goats of different uses

Why is goat’s milk called universal milk?

A. It is rich in nutrition and easy to take in.        B. It is good for our health.

C. It is suitable to feed most animals.   D. It is easy to get.

If you want to keep a goat as a pet, it is important 　    　.

A. to get along well with it             B. to find a professional trainer

C. to develop its ability       D. to train it when young

Which of the following words can best describe goats?

A. Curious and clever.        B. Unfriendly and naughty.

C. Careful and lazy.            D. Stubborn and quiet.

This winter, the air quality over the north China plain was so bad that it was actually off the standard scale. The air pollution reached levels that the World Health Organization describes as dangerous. On Thursday, heavy smog blanketed most of northern and eastern China again. 

It is reasonable to ask why the air pollution is so bad this winter. Weather conditions and topographic(地形学的) factors have been given as reasons, but, although contributing factors, these are not to blame. The worsening air pollution is linked to an energy mix that relies heavily on coal and to motor vehicle emissions(排放). But despite the astonishing growth of motor vehicles in our cities, it is the burning of coal that is the biggest cause of air pollution. More than half of the country's power plants are located in the eastern region and China's coal consumption has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching 3.8 billion tons last year, accounting for almost half the world's total coal consumption. And with coal occupying nearly 70 percent of the country's primary energy consumption, it has become critical to reduce the use of coal if we are to solve the nation's overall air pollution problem.

 In the face of the poisonous air recently, one citizen said, "we have nothing but hot air to purify the skies". In fact, the government plans to have 350 billion yuan ($55.67 billion) investment in improving coal-fired facilities and limiting the use of yellow-label cars that do not meet the Euro I emissions standard and so on.

 However, it would be far more effective to reduce emissions at the source, which means that the biggest challenge currently facing government departments is saying "no" to the country's air polluting offenders. According to the Joint Prevention and Control Plan on Air Pollution in Key Regions released recently by the State Council, the amount of coal the nation consumes is set to rise by 30 percent during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan. This is not going to let anyone breathe easier. 

 This highlights a key problem when it comes to environmental issues in this country - economic development comes first. The fundamental cause of the worsening air pollution is the idea of economic growth at any cost, which has resulted in ever-worsening pollution. And the priority(优先权)given to economic growth presents another problem, namely the failure of existing environmental protection policies and regulations to control pollution. For instance, the current weak regulations covering emissions would suggest there has been a significant reduction in emissions when clearly this is not the case. Also those enterprises found breaking the regulations are still far lower than the cost of treating the pollution they produce. This means even if many large-scale enterprises with lagging production capacity(能力) fail to meet the requirements for environmental protection, the environmental protection department is incapable of shutting these enterprises down or forcing their relocation. 

Dealing with air pollution requires taking action at the local level to reduce vehicle emissions and at the regional level to reduce industrial emissions. But it also requires giving more priority to environmental issues in policymaking. Our hope is that the environmental protection department will be truly capable of saying "no" to pollution, and it will raise standards and effectively enforce them, and that governments at all levels will prioritize quality of life not just economic growth.

1.The writer mentions the heavy smog in parts of China in Paragraph1 in order to_____.

A. remind people to stay in doors because of the bad air quality

B. show people’s concern about the priority to economic growth

C. introduce the issue about the serious air pollution

D. highlight the importance of government’s policies and regulations

2.Why is it a big challenge for the government to say “no” to the air polluting offenders in China?

A. Because enterprises are encouraged to develop economy at the cost of the environment.

B. Because much emphasis has been laid on economic growth regardless of the cost.

C. Because it’s impossible to relocate the enterprises for lack of money.

D. Because the production capacity of enterprises falls behind the required speed.

3.It can be learned from the passage that the essential reason for the worsening air conditions in China is_______.

A. the sharp growth of coal consumption in recent years

B. the rapid increase of motor vehicles in cities

C. the building of power plants in northern China

D. the poor weather conditions caused by complex geographical factors

4.According to the writer, which of the following is the key to solving the air pollution problem?

A. Giving priority to economic development in policymaking.

B. Making environment-friendly policies and carrying them out effectively.

C. Increasing investment in the construction of coal-fired facilities.

D. Limiting the use of cars not meeting the required emission standard

5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?

A. Pessimistic.    B. Convincing.     C. Doubtful.      D. Concerned.

From good reading we can derive pleasure, companionship, experience, and instruction. A good book may absorb our attention so completely that for the time being we forget our surroundings and even our identity. Reading good books is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It increases our contentment when we are cheerful, and lessens our troubles when we are sad. Whatever may be our main purpose in reading, our contact with good books should never fail to give us enjoyment and satisfaction.
With a good book in our hands we need never be lonely. Whether the characters portrayed are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends. In the pages of books we can walk with the wise and the good of all lands and all times. The people we meet in books may delight us either because they resemble human friends whom we hold dear or because they present unfamiliar types whom we are glad to welcome as new acquaintances. Our human friends sometimes may bore us, but the friends we make in books need never weary us with their company. By turning the page we can dismiss them without any fear of hurting their feelings. When human friends desert us, good books are always ready to give us friendship, sympathy, and encouragement.
One of the most valuable gifts bestowed by books is experience. Few of us can travel far from home or have a wide range of experiences, but all of us can lead varied lives through the pages of books. Whether we wish to escape from the seemingly dull realities of everyday life or whether we long to visit some far-off place, a book will help us when nothing else can. To travel by book we need no bank account to pay our way; no airship or ocean liner or stream-lined train to transport us; no passport to enter the land of our heart’s desire. Through books we may get the thrill of hazardous adventure without danger. We can climb lofty mountains, brave the perils of an Antarctic winter, or cross the scorching sands of the desert, all without hardship. In books we may visit the studios of Hollywood; we may mingle with the gay throngs of the Paris boulevards; we may join the picturesque peasants in an Alpine village or the kindly natives on a South Sea island. Indeed, through books the whole world is ours for the asking. The possibilities of our literary experiences are almost unlimited. The beauties of nature, the enjoyment of music, the treasures of art, the triumphs of architecture, the marvels of engineering, are all open to the wonder and enjoyment of those who read.
53．Why is it that we sometimes forget our surroundings and even our identity while reading?
A．No one has come to disturb us.
B．Everything is so quiet and calm around us.
C．The book we are reading is so interesting and attractive.
D．Our book is so boring that we are to finish it at a fast speed.
54．How would you account for the fact that people like their friends in books even more?
A．They are like human friends exactly.      B．They are unfamiliar types we like.
C．They never desert us.                 D．They are purely imaginary.
55．Which of the following is true according to the text?
A．Your wish to visit some far-off place can be realized thought the pages of the books.
B．To escape from the dull realities of everyday life you should take up reading.
C．Books can always help you live a colourful life.
D．You may obtain valuable experience from reading good books.
56．By saying “…the whole world is ours for the asking,” the author implies that___________.
A．in books the world is more accessible to us
B．we can ask to go anywhere in the world
C．we can possess everything in this world
D．we can make a round-the-world trip free of charge