The world is not only hungry but also thirsty for water. This may seem strange to you, since nearly 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. But about 97% of that is sea water or salt water. Man can only drink and use the other 3% of fresh water from rivers, lakes, underground and so on. And we can not even use all of that because some of it has been made dirty.

Earth Day is April 22. But on all other days, we must also remember how important water is. The water that we use is the most important natural resource on the earth. Today we face serious water problems. One of them is water pollution. All kinds of things from cars, factories, farms and homes make our rivers, lakes and oceans dirty. Polluted water is very bad for people to drink. And dirty water is bad for fish, too.

How do cars and factories make our water dirty? First they pollute the air. Then when it rains, the rain water makes our drinking water dirty. Dirty rain, called acid rain is also bad for plants, animals and buildings. Scientists say that in 30 years, more than half of the people in the world won’t have enough clean water. We have to learn how to stop wasting water. One of the first steps is to develop ways of reusing it. Today in most large cities, water is used only once and then sent out into a sewer system (下水道). From there it returns to the sea or goes underground.

But even though every large city reused its water, we would still not have enough. So we should make use of sea water by removing the salt in it. If we can take these steps, fresh water won’t be used up.

1.The world is thirsty for water because _______.

A. we don’t have enough fresh water      B. a lot of water goes into sewer systems

C. only 70% of the earth’s surface is water                  D. sea water is widely used rather than fresh water

2.From this passage, we know acid rain _______.

A. is only bad for living things       B. is not bad for buildings and factories

C. can be produced in factories        D. is bad for people, animals, plants and buildings

3.One difficult way we can solve the problem is to _______.

A. use the water with salt in it           B. remove the salt from sea water

C. get water from underground              D. reuse the water in cities

4.What is the best title for this passage?

A. Fresh water and sea water               B. A thirsty country

C. The importance of water  D. The world’s water problem

I didn’t think I had a passion(激情). I would sit in front of the TV all day, thinking about nothing but the next show. It was not long ago that I first learned how important having a passion is to life.
That day I went with my mum to drive my sister to the gym. I was bored. Then, as my mum stopped at a red light, someone on the side of the road caught my eye（吸引我的世界）. It was a man dressed in rags (衣衫褴褛). He was homeless. That didn’t interest me, for I had seen many like him before.
But in some ways he was different. This man was not sitting down with a sad expression(表情). He had a radio in his hand and was dancing happily to the music. The radio seemed to be the most precious(珍贵)thing he had.
“Mum, why does that man have a radio even thought（尽管） he’s homeless?” I asked.
“He bought it,” she replied. I was still unable to understand.
“But if he’s homeless, why doesn’t he use the money to buy food or clothes? He wasted it on something he doesn’t need.”
“Well, Sarah, sometimes food and clothes aren’t the most important things. We need happiness, too.”
The man must care too much about music to buy a radio instead of food clothes. I soon realized（意识到）that happiness is the key to life. Without it, there’s nothing to look forward to.
Since then I’ve never gone a day without thinking of what’s truly important. A home, a meal, clothes—these things are only part of the picture. What’s often forgotten is that we all need a pleasure, a light in a dark day. We all need a passion.
【小题1】How would Sarah spend her days long ago?

Mobile phones are becoming 36 not only with grown ups but also with students. Meanwhile, they also 37 a problem for middle schools in the past few years. Some children have got mobile phones 38 Christmas or birthday gifts, and more will 　39 want them.

Many like SMS because it is easy and 　40 . Some parents felt happy because they could get along 　41 their children. Some teachers said mobile phone use was a distraction(分心的事) to students during school hours and it also gave them much 42 in their classrooms. Sometimes students 　43　 use phone messages to cheat during exams. A new study found that some teenagers sent messages in class even hurt their fingers because they can’t stop 　44 SMS.

Many teachers suggested that students should not have phones at school, 　45 if there was a good reason, they could 　46 their phones at school office. And even they can use the telephone in the teachers’ office 　47 . Many people think they understand 　48 parents would want their children to have them, 　49　 they agree school should let the students 　50 when they can use their mobile phones.

(　 )36. A. more and more popular　　 B. more popular and more popular

　　　 C. popular and popular　　　 D. more popular and popular

(　 )37. A. become　　　　 B. had become　　　 C. have become　　 D. will become

(　 )38. A. for　　　　　　 B. as　　　　　　　 C. at　　　　 　　 D. with

(　 )39. A. still　　　　　　 B. yet　　　　　　　 C. already　　　　 D. too

(　 )40. A. quickly　　　　 B. quick　　　　　　 C. hurry　　　　　 D. sharp

(　 )41. A. against　　　　　 B. on　　　　　　　 C. with　　　　　　 D. to

(　 )42. A. business　　　　 B. information　　　 C. things　　　　　 D. trouble

(　 )43. A. dare　　　　　　 B. have to　　　　　 C. should　　　　　 D. might

(　 )44. A. using　　　　　 B. to use　　　　　 C. used　　　　　　 D. used to

(　 )45. A. and　　　　　　 B. but　　　　　　 C. though　　　　　 D. however

(　 )46. A. miss　　　　　　 B. leave　　　　　　 C. lie　　　　　　　 D. fetch

(　 )47. A. instead　　　　　 B. instead of　　　　 C. also　　　　　　 D. with

(　 )48. A. whether　　 　　B. because　　　　　 C. why　　　　　　 D. since

(　 )49. A. and　　　　　　 B. or　　　　　　　 C. otherwise　　　　 D. but

(　 )50. A. know　　　　　 B. to know　　　　　 C. knows　　　　　 D. knowing