Does technology influence the purity of Chinese language? Yes!
Many Chinese use messenger tools such as MSN or QQ, listen to music on MP3 players and blog on the Internet using ADSL ,but most people don’t know the Chinese meanings of the abbreviations, as many English letters have become part of the local lexicon（专门词汇）. some parents are so crazy about English letters that a couple tried to name their baby "@", they say the character used in email addresses reflects their love for the child.
While the "@" is obviously familiar to Chinese e-mail users, they often use the English word "at" to pronounce it , which sounds like ai ta, or "love him", to Putonghua speakers.
“Nowadays, more and more English abbreviations are being used in Chinese, making them an important part of the modern language," said Hou Min, a professor at Communication University of China. "The abbreviations are very popular because they can be used easily," Hou said. "As more Chinese people learn foreign languages, especially English, in recent years, using abbreviations has become a trend（趋势）among some educated people," she said.
Some language scholars fear such usage will influence the purity of Chinese and cause confusion（混乱） in communication.
【小题1】Which of the following is Not True according to the passage?

Changsha has various performing arts and entertainment industry for all tastes. The bar culture is the symbol(象征) of entertainment(娱乐) culture in Changsha.
The bar culture is designed to promote sociability(社会交往)in a society. For many adults, they usually go to different kinds of bars to relax after a day’s work with their friends or colleagues. They can not only enjoy the various music but also release stress and pressure. Meanwhile, they can make acquainted(使熟悉) with strangers after communicating with each other in a bar. Every coin has two sides. Although the bar culture has advantages, it also has disadvantages. Some of the adults addict to staying up in bars and lost themselves. We should know of the spirit of bar culture.
Nowadays, there are totally over 300 bars on large or small scales. Jiefang West Road is the birthplace of the first bar in Changsha. The fast catching up Golden Times Bar is an upsurge, which pushed Changsha's bar culture to another high.
【小题1】What’s the aim of the bar culture?
A.To promote sociability in a society.
B.To push the culture to another high.
C.To release pressure.
【小题2】 What is the meaning of the underlined word “release”?
A. 释放          B. 发行           C. 汇集
【小题3】 How many bars does Changsha have?
A. About 300     
B. More than 300   
C. Under 300
【小题4】 Which road is the birthplace of the first bar in Changsha?
A. Jiefang East Road
B. Jiefang Middle Road
C. Jiefang West Road
【小题5】What’s the best title of this passage?
A. Changsha bars
B. Culture of Changsha bars
C. Symbol of entertainment

Jay Kohl, an American student, posted an online advertisement two weeks ago searching for a Chinese family to stay with so that he can learn the language and culture.
“I’m a clean, non-smoking, and warm-hearted American man looking for a homestay in the Wudaokou area to improve my Chinese language skills,” he wrote. “I’m willing to offer help with English tutoring(家教) and even can help you with applying to foreign universities.”
He still hasn’t found a suitable home.
“Most of the families that contacted me seem to be interested in doing business instead of cultural exchange,” he said. “I think I might have to rent an apartment in the end.”
Kohl isn’t the only foreigner finding it difficult to find a homestay in Beijing. Michael Benson, who wants to come to Beijing in September, has also faced the same problems.
Why is finding a homestay family so difficult? Beijing Today consulted a Chinese teacher, Jessie Xi, who has been teaching foreign students at the University of International Business and Economics for more than six years.
Xi has accepted many homestays, and from her own experience and what she’s been told, she said there were four major problems visitors may meet when applying for homestays.
Problem 1: Having too high expectation for language improvement.
Problem 2: Considering oneself as a guest instead of a family member.
Problem 3: Not making clear what a family’s rules are beforehand.
Problem 4: Overly(过分) high demands for the living environment.
【小题1】Kohl wanted to look for a homestay in China because he ________.

A TV series in England，Away from it all，has surprised everyone by becoming a success with young people across the country. Its success is surprising because the series is about the relaxing lifestyles of people who live in the country. There is none of the action that we usually see on TV today. There are also no stressful moments, busy offices or crowded cities. Away from it all is set in the peaceful English countryside and tells simple stories about people’s kindness.
The director of the TV series says that its success is a sign of teenagers suffering from stress. They say that watching Away from it all helps teenagers forget about the pressures of exams and homework, and the troubles that fill the world today. They also say that it’s a good sign of today’s young people turning to happier TV series as it shows they want a happier and healthier world.
Although the series’ success might have a good side, many teachers and parents are worried, however. They say that some of their students and children spend more time before TV and are using Away from it all as an excuse for not finishing homework. Some children have even refused to learn for exams because they say that they can only get personal happiness by avoiding stressful situations.
And what do the experts say? Paula Ray, a doctor of education, says that TV can influence children’s lifestyles. But she says that if a child reacts strongly, it’ s likely that there are other reasons for his change in behaviour. She says that there is nothing wrong with watching Away from it all but suggests that parents should let their children know TV is not the same as real life.
【小题1】The success of the new TV series is surprising because__________.

It's Saturday morning and Tony's sitting at the kitchen table, staring（凝视）into space and playing with a piece of bread. He's not even hungry. Is he ill? No, but he does have a problem. He has nothing to do and there's just one reason: the Internet is down and Tony has nothing to do.
When he woke up this morning, Tony was feeling great. He jumped out of bed full of plans for the weekend ahead. It would be a weekend like any other—a great weekend. But that was before he turned on his computer and wasn’t able to go online. No Internet changed everything.
Just as Tony is wondering how he can possibly have a normal(平常的)weekend without the Internet, his mum walks into the kitchen. "Is everything OK?" she asks. "No, mum, everything is definitely(的确)not OK," her sad son replies. "I can't go online  and  I  have homework to finish." His mum laughs, "The word program is still working, so what's the problem?"
What's the problem? Tony can't believe his own mother isn’t able to see how serious the problem really is. To start with, he still needs to do research for his homework. He knows his mum will tell him to go to the library but he hates the library. It's so dark and uncomfortable. And forget homework—what about the rest of his weekend! Every weekend, he goes online to email friends. Then he reads the news to catch up on what's happening in the world. He plays a few online games and finishes the weekend off with an online chess game with his cousin Helen. The wonderful weekend-online! Now it's Saturday morning and he's not going to have access to（进入）the Internet for two whole days.
【小题1】Tony stared into space and played with a piece of bread __________.

Bicycles are very popular in China. In our country you can see bicycles almost everywhere. When you walk on the road, you will find a lot of people riding bicycles to schools, shops and anywhere else. Therefore(因此), China is known as “the kingdom of bicycles”. In China, many families have one or two bicycles.
Compared(与……比) with cars, bicycles have many advantages. First, they are much cheaper than cars. Most Chinese can’t afford cars, but they can afford bicycles. Second, bicycles are small enough to park anywhere, while cars need a larger piece of land to park. What’s more, with lower speed, bicycles are safer than cars.
However, bicycles also bring some problems. Some riders don’t obey the traffic rules and some riders don’t think about others’ safety. So they ride too fast. During rush hours, too many bicycles may cause traffic jams. We still have a long way to go to solve the problem.
【小题1】 Where can you see bicycles in China?

A city in South Korea has added a new attraction to its cultural landscape(景观)—the world’s first “Toilet Theme Park”. The Restroom Cultural Park in the city of Suwon is proving a huge hit with locals and tourists alike.
The park was built to memorize the former city mayor Sim Jae-duck, known as “Mr Toilet”. He believed the toilet is a very important place and full of culture. Visitors to the park can enjoy its toilet- bowl- shaped exhibition hall as well as lots of bronze statues(铜像) in all kinds of toilet positions. They can even sit on Mr Kim’s original toilet, which includes a full-length glass door that mists(蒙上薄雾) up when it is being used.
Suwon has become well known because of the promotion(宣传) of toilet culture. The city attracts toilet- related artwork from around the world to its galleries. It famously hosts the Golden Poop Art Festival- a celebration of one of the calls of nature. The city also lists lots of its own public toilets as tourist attractions on its website. Sim Jae-duck’s toilet-shaped house, now a museum, should be the must-see for enthusiasts. It’s said that Mr Sim was born in the loo of his mother’s house, so he loved toilets very much. He said in 2007, “The toilet can save humankind from diseases and is a place for introspection(反省). The toilet is also a central living place that has culture.”
【小题1】 What’s the theme park’s name?

Volunteering means that you work to help people without getting paid. There are many different volunteers. They help people who really need help. There are many places where you can be volunteers. Here are just a few places for you.
Hospital---ask if you can go and visit people who are really sick. Sometimes what they need is someone to talk to, or someone to give them hope.
Orphanage (孤儿院) ---the children living there really need someone to play with them.
Food Shelter（救助站）---many food shelters need people to clean up the shelters and help give out food or water to those who need it.
Home for the elderly---help the elderly people clean up their homes.
Community (社区) Center ---a lot of community centers are very well run. However, some of them really need extra help, especially cleaning and repairs.
As a student you can also do a lot of things to help others at school. Maybe you could start a support group.
Here is some advice:
Help students give up smoking, drinking or other bad habits.
Help students who come from poor families.
Help new students get used to their school life soon.
Provide graduating students with information on future studies.
【小题1】Volunteers can’t get ________ when they help others.

Do you often ride a bike to school? Here’s some advice for you.

Try not to use busy roads. In some cities there are special pains for bikes only. Use them when you can, but watch out—people often walk along them. Check the road before starting and look all around. Also, when you’re with friends on bikes, it’s much safer to ride behind, not next to, each other. Where one road meets another, you should take even more care. Slow down and check both roads. Use your eyes and be careful.

Check your bike often. Do all the parts work properly? Is there enough air in your tyres(轮胎)?

If you have an accident or fall off your bike, a helmet will protect your head. It must be the right
Size, so ask for help when you buy it.

You must use lights at night, so keep them clean and check the batteries. Don’t wear dark colours; yellow and white are the easiest colours for drivers to see.

A bike isn’t a toy and there should be only one person on it. Many children have accidents when
they play still games on their bike.

Red traffic lights aren’t only for cars and buses.They’re for you too if you’re on a bike.You’re also breaking the law if you go the wrong way up a one-way street.
Please choose best title for each blank.