Andrew Carnegie was a 19th century steel tycoon (大亨) who became one of the 20th century's most
famous philanthropists (慈善家). His life story is one of the most famous rags-to-riches accounts in United
States history.
     Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on November 25, 1835. The son of a weaver, he came with
his family to the United States in 1848 and settled in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. At age thirteen, Carnegie went
to work as a bobbin (线轴) boy in a cotton mill (纱厂). He then moved rapidly through a succession of jobs
with Western Union and the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1865, he resigned to establish his own business
enterprises and eventually organized the Carnegie Steel Company, which started the steel industry in Pittsburgh.
At age sixty-five, he sold the company to J. P. Morgan for $ 480 million and devoted the rest of his life to his
philanthropic activities and writing, including his autobiography (自传).
     Many persons of wealth have contributed to charity, but Carnegie was perhaps the first to state publicly
that the rich have a moral obligation to give away their fortunes. In 1889 he wrote The Gospel (福音) of
Wealth, in which he asserted that all personal wealth beyond what was required to supply the needs of one's
family should be regarded as a trust fund to be administered for the benefit of the community.
     Carnegie set about giving away his fortune through innumerable personal gifts and through the establishment
of various trusts. In his thirties, Carnegie had already begun to give away some of his fast accumulating funds.
His first large gifts were made to his nature town. Later he created seven philanthropic and educational
organizations in the United States, including Carnegie Corporation of New York, and several more in Europe.
     One of Carnegie's lifelong interests was the establishment of free public libraries to make available to
everyone a means of self-education. There were only a few public libraries in the world when, in 1881,
Carnegie began to promote his idea. He and the Corporation subsequently (随后) spent over $56 million to build
2,509 libraries throughout the English-speaking world. After this program was ended in 1917, the Corporation
continued for about forty years an interest in the improvement of library services. Other major programs in the
Corporation's early history included adult education and education in the fine arts.
     During his lifetime, Carnegie gave away over$350 million. He died in Lenox, Massachusetts on August 11,
1919.

1. Carnegie became wealthy by ____.

A. his investment in weaving industry
B. his father's financial support
C. starting his steel business from nothing
D. his philanthropic activities

2. What is the correct order of events related to Carnegie?
    a. He sold his company.
    b. He organized the Carnegie Steel Company.
    c. He worked in a cotton mill.
    d. He came to the United States.
    e. He wrote The Gospel of Wealth.

A. c,d,e,b,a
B. c,b,a,d,e
C. d,c,b,e,a
D. d,b,a,e,c

3. Which of the following is TRUE about Carnegie?

A. He was the first wealthy person who contributed to charity.
B. He believed that it was the duty of the wealthy to help society.
C. He called on the wealthy to give away all of their fortune to help the poor.
D. He was willing to give personal gifts only to his friends and relatives.

4. Carnegie established public libraries in order to ____.

A. become famous
B. earn more money
C. improve library services
D. help people educate themselves

     On December 8, 1980, John Lennon-an English musician who rose to fame as one of the founding members
of Liverpool pop band the Beatles-was shot dead outside his New York apartment.
     In the 1960s and 70s, Lennon was one of the most iconic (偶像的) men on the planet. Some 30 years ago
from his death, he is still respected by many people in the West.
     The Beatles, formed in 1960 in Liverpool, were one of the most commercial successful acts on the history
of pop music, with, according to some estimates, global record sales over l.1 billion.
     The band conveyed the progressive ideals in which many young people of the time believed.
     In the 1960s and 70s, widespread tension developed in both British and American society, regarding issues
such as women's rights and the Vietnam War.
     Lennon in particular became known for his message of peace and for his opposition to the war in Vietnam.
This led to an attempt by former US president Richard Nixon to drive him away from the US. Lennon's second-
wife Yoko Ono was also politically active.
      Lennon was also hugely admired for his musical abilities. Along with fellow-Beatle Paul, Lennon and
McCartney were the Beatle's song-writing team. After Lennon was shot by crazy fan Mark Chapman, one of
his most iconic songs, imagine, became a humanist anthem (颂歌).
     Lennon's legacy survived his death and continued till this day. In 2008, he was ranked the fifth greater singer
of all time in US-based Rolling Stone magazine.
     Former possessions of Lennon or furnishings from his homes continue to be sold for vast sums.
     In an auction (拍卖) to be held next week in London, lines written by Lennon on the back of a demand for
an outstanding bill are expected to sell for ￡350,000.
     In August, a bathroom from his last home in Britain, was auctioned for ￡9,500. And in 2009, a British film
describing his early years before the Beatles began, was one of the most successful films of the years in the UK. 
     But do Lennon and his music continue to resonate (共鸣) with the young people of today?

1. The passage is written here to show that Lennon has ____.

A. lasting appeal
B. a long history
C. exciting records
D. great success

2. Which of the following is right about the Beatles according to the passage?

A. It was founded in the 1960s in London.
B. It had 1.1 billion sales in Britain.
C. It was commercially successful.
D. Many of today's young people believe its ideals.

3. Lennon was forced to leave the US as a result of ____.

A. the tension between Britain and America
B. his wife's political activity
C. his struggle for women's rights
D. his opposition to the war in Vietnam

4. We can guess that the rest of the passage will tell us ____.

A. why Lennon and his music are still popular with today's young people
B. why Lennon and his music spoil today's generations of young people
C. that today's generations of young people don't like Lennon's songs
D. that today's generations of young people like Lennon's songs better

     Danielle Steel, America's sweetheart, is one of the hardest working women in the book business. Unlike
other productive authors who write one book at a time, she can work on up to five. Her research some before
writing takes at least three years. Once she has fully studied her subjects, ready to divided into a book, she can
spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk.
     Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education. After graduation, she
worked in the public relations and advertising industries. Later she started a job as a writer which she was best
fit for. Her achievements are unbelievable: 390 million copies of books in print, nearly fifty New York Times
best-selling novels, and a series of "Max and Martha" picture books for children to help them deal with the real-
life problems of death, new babies and new schools. Her 1998 book about the death of her was shot to the top
of the New York Times best-selling list as soon as it came out. Twenty-eight of her books have been made into
films. She is listed in the Guinness Books of World Records for one of her books being the Times best-seller
for 381 weeks straight.
     Not content with a big house, a loving family, and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Danielle Steel considers
her readers to be the most important resource and has kept in touch with them by e-mail. While she is often
compared to the heroines (女主人公) of her own invention. Her life is undoubtedly much quieter. But if she
does have anything in common with them, it is her strength of will and her inimitable style. There is only one
Danielle Steel.

1. Danielle Steel is different from other writers in that _____.

A. she can write several books at the same time
B. she often does some research before writing a book
C. she is one of the most popular American women writers
D. she can keep writing for quite a long time without a break

2. Children who have read "Max and Martha" picture books may know _____.

A. how to deal with affairs at school
B. what to do if Max and Martha die
C. what to do when new babies are born into their families
D. how to solve the difficult problems in their writing classes

3. We can learn from the passage that Danielle Steel _____.

A. lives an exciting life
B. values her readers a lot
C. writes about quiet women
D. is pleased with her achievements

4. What does the underlined word "inimitable" mean?

A. hardworking
B. attractive
C. strange
D. unique

Dear all,
     Please read Professor Hume's email about his next lecture on Rosa Parks.
     Susan Miller
     Secretary.

Dear Susan,
     Please forward this message to students of my history class.
     Besides the life story of Rosa Parks in the textbook, the students are also required to read the passage
below and some related stories that can be borrowed from the school library.
     Ted Hume.

     The early experiences of Rosa Parks (1913-2005), long known as the "mother of the civil rights movement"
were not different from those of many African-Americans at that time. The black woman, however, turned
the course of American history in December 1955 when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white
man. "By sitting down," remarked John Lewis, "she was standing up for all Americans."
     Among the numerous awards Parks received in her life were the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1996) and
the Congressional Gold Medal (1999).
     Parks died on Oct. 24, 2005. At St. Paul A. M. E. Church in Montgomery, a large crowd including Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice celebrated her life. Rice said she and others, who grew up when the political activities
of Parks held public attention, might not have realized her impact (影响) on their lives, "but I can honestly say
that without Mrs. Parks, I probably would not be standing here as Secretary of State."
     After her casket (灵柩) was placed at the Capitol, U.S. President Bush, members of Congress and ordinary
Americans paid their respects. In American history Parks is the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol, a very
high regard usually reserved for Presidents of the United States.

1. What is the main purpose of Susan's email?

A. To make arrangements for Professor Hume's class.
B. To introduce to the students Rosa Parks.
C. To help the students organize a lecture.
D. To answer Professor Hume's last email.

2. What does the underlined word "forward" mean?

A. Explain.
B. Send.
C. Take.
D. Read.

3. The political impact of Rosa Parks lies in the fact that she _____.

A. helped Condoleezza Rice achieve political success
B. joined the civil rights movement at a young age
C. made racial equality a common value in American society
D. set a good example in her early life for other black Americans

4. How was Rosa Parks treated after her death?

A. She was named "mother of the civil rights movement".
B. She was received by President Bush at the Capitol.
C. She was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
D. She was honored to lie in state at the Capitol.

     Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower.
But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.
     His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26,545 feet, its peak is the
10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.
     "It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous," said Viesturs. "There's no simple way to climb it. There
are threatening avalanches (雪崩) and ice falls that protect the mountain."
     In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog's
story was of frostbite (冻伤) and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was hooked right away.
     Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years
ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done.
     The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with
respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it,"
said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right
circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down."
     What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back
and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will
probably soon set off on yet another adventure.

1. What record has Ed Viesturs set?

A. He has succeeded in climbing to the world' s 14th highest mountain.
B. He has been to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.
C. He has become the first to climb to the height of 26,545 feet.
D. He has become the first man to climb to the top of 14 highest mountains in the world.

2. The underlined word "hooked" in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by "_____".

A. frightened
B. discouraged
C. interested
D. upset

3. The author used Viesturs' words in Paragraph 6 to support a view that _____.

A. mountain climbing is a dangerous sport
B. mountains should be regarded as living creatures
C. mountain climbing needs more skills than physical energy
D. those who like mountain climbing won't stop climbing

4. What' s the next probable plan of Viesturs?

A. Stopping climbing and staying with his family.
B. Climbing to the top of the world's 14 tallest mountains again.
C. Climbing another one of the highest mountains.
D. Writing down the experiences about his adventure.

     Jeffrey Bezos, the founder, president and chairman of the board of Amazon.com, was born in Albuquerque,
New Mexico. His mother's ancestors were early settlers in Texas, and over the generations had acquired a
25,000 acre farm at Coutlla. Jeffrey spent most summers of his youth working with his grandfather on their
farm.
     Jeffrey showed intense and varied scientific interests at an early age. He set up an electric alarm to keep his
younger sisters and brothers out of his room and changed his parents' garage into a laboratory for his science
projects.
     After he graduated from Princeton University with a degree in computer science and electrical engineering,
Jeffrey Bezos found employment on Wall Street, where computer science was increasingly in demand to study
market trends. He rose quickly, becoming a senior vice president, and looked forward to a bright career in
finance, when he made a discovery that changed his life, and the course of business history.
     In 1994, there was still no Internet commerce to speak of. One day that spring, Jeffrey Bezos observed that
Internet usage was increasing by 2,300 percent a year. He saw an opportunity for a new circle of commerce,
and immediately began considering the possibilities.
     Bezos founded Amazon.com in 1994, setting up the original company in his garage. The company was
called Amazon for the seemingly endless South American river with its numberless branches. It started as an
online bookstore but soon diversified (多样化) to all kinds of products. His work with Amazon eventually led
him to become one of the most excellent dot-com entrepreneurs (企业家). He was named Time magazine's
Person of the Year in 1999. In 2008, he was selected by U.S. News & World Report as one of America's Best
Leaders. Bezos' Amazon has become "the Earth's biggest anything store". Amazon.com is now called" one of
the smartest strategies in business history".
     Today, Jeffrey Bezos lives north of Seattle and is increasingly concerned with charity (慈善) activities.
"Giving away money takes as much attention as building a successful company," he has said.

1. In his childhood, Bezos ____.

A. had to work with parents on their farm all day long
B. showed great interest in science
C. didn't get along well with his brothers and sisters
D. wanted to become a businessman

2. Bezos named his company Amazon with the aim of ____.

A. opening numberless branches all over the world
B. living a quiet life along the Amazon River
C. earning endless money and being wealthy
D. wishing his company to run smoothly and endlessly

3. Which of the following isn't mentioned in the passage?

A. How hard Bezos studied physics in Princeton University.
B. "Amazon.com" only sold books in the beginning.
C. Bezos not only devoted his life to Internet commerce but also to charity.
D. The reason why Jeffrey Bezos decided to found Amazon.com.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that ____.

A. it was Bezos's grandfather on the farm who helped him a lot
B. Bezos invented e-commerce to win the world fame overnight
C. Bezos is aiming at being "the Earth's biggest bookstore"
D. Bezos has a sharp business mind and a kind heart

     When people hear a president speak, they seldom think about others helping to shape the presentation
(报告). Today, however, presidents depend on writers such as J. Terry Edmonds to help them communicate
(交流) effectively. Edmonds is the first African American ever to work as a full-time speechwriter for a U.S.
president; he is so the first African American to serve as director of speechwriting for White House. His is
an all-American story of success.
     Edmonds grew up in Baltimore, Maryland; his father drove a truck, and his mother worked as a waitress.
A great reader, Edmonds showed a gift for writing at his high School, Baltimore City College After graduating
in 1967 Edmonds went on to Morgan State University.
     Edmonds began his career in business, with jobs in public relations and communications. He joined the
world of politics as news secretary for his congressman (国会议员) from Baltimore During Bill Clinton's
presidency, he wrote speeches for Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and worked in a
number of job in the White House and in governmental departments President Clinton then appointed (任命)
him to the office of directory of speechwriting. Following the 2000 elections Edmonds returned to Morgan
State University as the school's special assistant to the president for 2001-2002.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

A. Edmonds proved himself to be good at writing at high school.
B. Edmonds graduated from Morgan State University in 1967.
C. Edmonds was the first full-time speechwriter.
D. Edmonds served the White House after 2000.

2. Edmonds entered the world of politics first as _____.

A. news secretary for a Congressman
B. a speechwriter for President Clinton
C. news secretary in the White House
D. a speechwriter for Secretary Donna Shalala

3. The text is most likely to be found in a book about _____.

A. popular science
B. historical events
C. successful people
D. Political systems

     Four people in England, back in 1953, stared at Photo 51. It wasn't much–a picture showing a black X.
But three of these people won the Nobel prize for figuring out what the photo really showed—the shape of
DNA. The discovery brought fame and fortune to scientists James Watson, Francis crick, and Maurice
Wilkins. The fourth, the one who actually made the picture, was left out.
     Her name was Rosalind Franklin. "she should have been up there," says historian Mary Bowden. "if her
photo hadn’t been there, the others couldn’t have come up with the structure." One reason Franklin was
missing was that she had died of cancer four years before the Nobel decision. But now scholar doubt that
Franklin was not only robbed of her life by disease but robbed of credit by her competitions.
     At Cambridge university in the 1950s, Watson and Crick tried to make models by cutting up shapes of
DNA’s parts and then putting them together. In the meantime, at king’s college in London, Franklin and
Wilkins shone X-rays at the molecule (分子). The rays produced patterns reflecting the shape.
     But Wilkins and Franklin’s relationship was a lot rockier than the celebrated teamwork of Watson and
Crick. Wilkins thought Franklin was hired to be his assistant. But the college actually employed her to take
over the DNA project.
     What she did was produce X-ray pictures that told Watson and Crick that one of their early models was
inside out. And she was not shy about saying so. That angered Watson, who attacked her in return, "Mere
inspection suggested that she would not easily bend. Clearly she had to go or be put in her place."
     As Franklin's competitors, Wilkins, Watson and Crick had much to gain by cutting her out of the little
group of researchers, says historian Pnina Abir-Am. In 1962 at the Nobel prize awarding ceremony, Wilkins
thanked 13 colleagues by name before he mentioned Franklin. Watson wrote his book laughing at her. Crick
wrote in 1974 that "Franklins was only two steps away from the solution."
     No, Franklin was the solution. "She contributed more than any other player to solving the structure of
DNA. She must be considered a co-discoverer," Abir-Am says. This was backed up by Aaron Klug, who
worked with Franklin and later won a Nobel Prize himself. Once described as the "Dark Lady of DNA",
Franklin is finally coming into the light.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A. The disagreements among DNA researchers.
B. The unfair treatment of Franklin.
C. The process of discovering DNA.
D The race between two teams of scientists.

2. Watson was angry with Franklin because she _____.

A. took the lead in the competition
B. kept her results from him
C. proved some of his findings wrong
D. shared her data with other scientists

3. Why is Franklin described as "Dark Lady of DNA"?

A. She developed pictures in dark labs.
B. She discovered the black X—the shape of DNA.
C. Her name was forgotten after her death.
D. Her contribution was unknown to the public.

4. What is the writer's attitude toward Wilkins, Watson and Crick?

A. Disapproving    
B. Respectful   
C. Admiring          
D. Doubtful

     The Peales were a famous family of American artists. Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for his
portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution. He painted portraits of Franklin and Jefferson and
over a dozen of George Washington. His life-size portrait of his sons Raphaelle and Titian was so realistic
that George Washington reportedly once tipped his hat (脱帽打招呼) to the figures in the picture.
     Charles Willson Peale gave up painting in his middle age and devoted his life to the Peale seum,which he
founded in Philadelphia. The world's first popular museum of art and natural science mainly covered paintings
by Peale and his family as well as displays of animals in their natural settings Peale found the animals himself
and found a method to make the exhibits more lifelike. The museum's most popular display was the skeleton
(骷髅) of a huge,extinct elephant,which Peale unearthed on a New York farm in l801.
     Three of Peale's seventeen children were also famous artists. Raphaelle Peale often painted still lives of
flowers,fruit,and cheese. His brother Rembrandt studied under his father and painted portraits of many noted
people,including one of George Washington. Another brother, Rubens Peale, painted mostly landscapes and
portraits.
     James Peale, the brother of Charles Willson Peale, specialized in miniatures (小画像). His daughter Sarah
Miriam Peale was probably the first professional female portrait painter in America.

1. What is the main topic of the passage?

A. The life of Charles Willson Peale.
B. Portraits in the l8th century.
C. The Peale Museum.
D. A family of artists.

2. The author mentions in Paragraph l that Washington tipped his hat to the figures in the painting to show
    that _____.

A. Charles Willson Peale's painting was very lifelike
B. Washington respected Charles Willson Peale's work
C. Washington was friendly with Raphaelle and Titian Peale
D. the painting of the two brothers was very large

3. Which of the following is NOT the child of Charles Willson Peale?

A. Titian Peale.
B. Rubens Peale.
C. Raphaelle Peale.
D. Sarah Miriam Peale.

4. The author's attitude toward the Peales is in general _____.

A. puzzling
B. exciting
C. admiring
D. disappointing

     Gordon Ramsay is one of Britain's best-known chefs. He is one of the only three chefs in the country
to maintain three Michelin stars for their restaurant.
     Gordon was born in Scotland but was brought up in England after his family moved to Stratford. He
played football as a teenager for Oxford United Football Club's youth side and was spotted by a scout (球
探) for Rangers. He became a professional player at the age of 15. After a knee injury that left him unable
to regain full fitness, he was released from the club.
     At the age of 19 Ramsay now turned his hand to cookery. He worked under Marco Pierre White and
Albert Roux in London and Guy Savoy and Joel Robuchon in Paris before becoming head chef of the
newly-opened Aubergine restaurant in 1993. By 1996, the restaurant had been awarded two Michelin stars.
In 1998 Ramsay opened his first own restaurant in Chelsea. The restaurant gained three Michelin stars in
1999, making Ramsay the first Scot to gain the achievement. From there his empire has expanded rapidly,
opening a lot of restaurants.
     Ramsay has published six books on cooking and also appeared in two documentaries (记录片)-Boiling
Point in 1998 and Beyond Boiling Point in 2000. The series showed that Ramsay is a hot-tempered man in
the kitchen; he was seen yelling dirty words at his staff and throwing equipment around. Food critic Gill,
who was famously fired from Ramsay's Chelsea restaurant, has said that Ramsay is "a wonderful chef, just
a really second-rate human being".

1. Ramsay had to leave the club because _____.

A. he wanted to be a cook
B. he didn't have a gift for football
C. his knee was badly hurt
D. his family moved to England

2. What's the right order of the things that happened to Ramsay?
    a. opened his own restaurant
    b. appeared in Beyond Boiling Point
    c. received three Michelin stars
    d. became a professional footballer

A. a, b, c, d
B. a, c, d, b
C. d, a, c, b
D. d, b, a, c

3. From the last paragraph we know that Ramsay is _____.

A. an excellent chef as well as a respected man
B. friendly and good at cooking
C. a successful writer and a second-class cook
D. is famous but hard to get along with

4. It can be learned from the passage that _____.

A. Ramsay became a professional footballer at 15
B. Three Michelin stars are awarded to the best restaurants
C. Boiling Point and Beyond Boiling Point are Ramsay's books
D. Ramsay opened his restaurant after learning cookery