阅读理解。
      London has become a cycle friendly zone after the launch of a new bike hire scheme. It has been
designed to encourage more people to cycle in and around central London.
     So how does it work?First you have to sign up to the scheme to be sent a key. The key will unlock
one of the bikes,which are kept at docking stations in and around central London. You have to pay an
access fee for the key and then you pay as you go, for the length of time you use the bike.
     Transport for London,which runs the scheme,are hoping to have 6,000 bikes and 400 docking
stations in place by the end of the year. The new hire system is hoping to ease congestion(拥挤)in
London and is expected to create up to 40,000 extra cycle trips a day into the city centre. London
Mayor Boris Johnston launched the scheme and said London had been "filled with thousands of
gleaming machines that will transform the look and feel of our streets and become as commonplace
on our roads as black cabs and red buses".
     However,there have been a few problems since the scheme was launched last Friday. On the first
day some people found they couldn't dock their bikes properly and their usage of the bikes had not
registered. Transport for London did admit they had been expecting a few "teething problems" and
have said they wouldn't charge for the first day as a "gesture of goodwill". Some other people have
criticized the lack of docking stations and locks for the bikes as well as the price it costs to hire the
bicycles.
      Despite the comments,the greenthinking London Mayor still seems very positive about things,
saying,"My campaign for the capital to become the greatest big cycling city in the world has taken
a big pedalpowered push forwards."
1.London Mayor Boris Johnston launched the new bike scheme in order to ________.
A.reduce the air pollution of the city
B.encourage the citizens to take exercise
C.deal with the city's traffic problems
D.increase employment opportunities
2.If you want to hire a bike, in which order will you do?
a. pay for the bike according to the time you use it
b. pay for the key to a bike
c. cycle in and around central London
d. sign up as a member to get a key
A.bdca  
B.bcad
C.dcba  
D.dbca
3.All the following are the problems of the scheme EXCEPT________.
A.the high cost to hire a bike
B.not registering their usage of the bikes
C.not charging for the first day of the scheme
D.docking the bikes properly
4.From the passage we can infer that ________.
A.London Mayor is confident of the scheme
B.the scheme will be cancelled because of the problems
C.all the citizens in London support the scheme
D.the cycling revolution is not successful
阅读理解。
     When we offer our best wishes to others, more often than not, we say: "May you be happy every
day". But it's easier said than done to stay happy all the time. There are always things that stand in its
way.
     The first, perhaps the biggest is genetics. Some scientists say that some people are naturally happier
than others. Besides, major life events as well as social and economic factors can also stand in the way
of happiness, such as losing your job or a family member. Then, there is health affecting your happiness
. So, is it possible that people can find lasting happiness with so many factors preventing them?
     Positive psychologists(心理学家)believe it's possible for people to stay happy for long periods,
although it cannot be lasting. Martin Seligman at University of Pennsylvania argues that daytoday
happiness comes from two things: pleasures and satisfactions. Pleasures are rich experiences that simply
make us feel good things like eating cake or drinking wine. While pleasures can be quite satisfying, the
enjoyment we get from them is shortlived.
     Satisfactions are activities that we like to do and we give all we have to them. They are often
challenging, and we have to draw_on personal skills and strengths to perform them. For some people,
satisfactions come with work. Doctors, for example, often become so concentrated in an operation that
hours pass without them noticing the time. For others, it may be hobbies like gardening, playing tennis or
stamp collecting. These satisfactory activities affect the mood in a way that appears to be lasting.
     Too often, people choose pleasures over satisfactions because they are easier and the effects are
more immediate. Though pleasures may work for a while, there are bad effects. Pleasurable activities
become less enjoyable if overused. Always choosing pleasures over satisfactions can also prevent people
from developing their personal strengths, which, if they're not put to work, will die.
1.How many aspects are mentioned that affect one's staying happy?
A.Two.  
B.Three.
C.Four.  
D.Five.
2.Compared with pleasures, satisfactions ________.
A.have immediate effect and work quickly
B.are more meaningful and last longer
C.are more easily ignored by people
D.depend mostly on one's genetics
3.The underlined phrase "draw on" means ________.
A.learn  
B.find
C.improve  
D.use
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.How to Be a Happier Person?
B.It's Impossible to Stay Happy Long.
C.Pleasures Are Different From Satisfactions.
D.The Factors That Affect Our Happiness.
阅读理解。
     You're in a department store and you see a couple of attractive young women looking at a sweater.
You listen to their conversation:
     "I can't believe it-Lorenzo Bertolla! They are almost impossible to find. Isn't it beautiful? And it's a
lot cheaper than the one Sara bought in Rome."
     They leave and you go over to see this incredible sweater. It's nice and the price is right. You've never heard of Lorenzo Bertolla,but those girls looked really stylish. They must know. So,you buy it. You never
realize that those young women are employees of an advertising agency. They are actually paid to go from store to store,talking loudly about Lorenzo Bertolla clothes.
     Every day we notice what people are wearing,driving and eating. If the person looks cool,the product
seems cool,too. This is the secret of undercover marketing. Companies from Ford to Nike are starting to
use it.
     Undercover marketing is important because it reaches people that don't pay attention to traditional
advertising. This is particularly true of the MTV generation-consumers between the age of 18 and 34. It's
a golden group. They have a lot of money to spend,but they don't trust ads.
     So advertising agencies hire young actors to "perform" in bars and other places where young adults
go. Some people might call this practice misleading,but marketing executive Jonathan Ressler calls it
creative. "Look at traditional advertising. Its effectiveness is decreasing." It is true,because everyone
knows an ad is trying to persuade you to buy something. However,you don't know when a conversation
you overhear is just a performance.  
1.The two attractive young women were talking so as to ________.
A.get the sweater at a lower price  
B.be heard by people around
C.be admired by other shoppers  
D.decide on buying the sweater
2.Lorenzo Bertolla is ________.
A.a very popular male singer  
B.an advertising agency
C.a clothing company in Rome  
D.the brand name of clothes
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A.Traditional advertising will soon disappear in the market.  
B.The MTV generation tends to be more easily influenced by all kinds of ads.
C.Traditional advertising is becoming less effective because it is too direct.
D.Undercover marketing will surely be banned soon by the government.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Two Attractive Shoppers  
B.Lorenzo Bertolla Sweaters
C.Ways of Advertising  
D.Undercover Marketing
阅读理解。
     "Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move," said David
Belle, the founder of parkour(跑酷).
     Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what if making your
morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale? Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several
blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has
become popular worldwide.
     Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as
possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is
considered an extreme sport. As its participants dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up
walls and even move from rooftop to rooftop.
     Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more
than that.
     Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy(理念)behind parkour.
This is the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover
said, "I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything."
     Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time,
anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself. It is only a state of mind. It is when
you trust yourself that you earn energy.
1.Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of ________.
A.its founder, David Belle
B.the film, Casino Royale
C.its risks and tricks
D.the varieties of participants
2.The underlined word "obstacles" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to "________".
A.streets  
B.objects  
C.barriers  
D.roofs
3.Which of the following is true of parkour?
A.It challenges human abilities.
B.It is a good but boring sport.
C.It needs special training.
D.It is a team sport.
4.As its participants move around a city, ________.
A.they can ask for help
B.they may choose to escape
C.they should run to extremes
D.they must learn to survive
阅读理解
     As the railroads and the highways shaped the American West in the past centuries, a new electrical
generating(发电)and transmission(输送) system for the 21st century will leave a lasting mark on the
West, for better or worse.Much of the real significance of railroads and highways is not in their direct
physical effect on the scenery, but in the ways that they affect the surrounding community.The same is
true of big solar plants and the power lines that will be laid down to move electricity around.
     The 19th century saw land grants (政府拨地) offered to railroad companies to build the transcontinental railroads, leaving public land in between privately owned land.In much of the West, some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped, and in both cases the landownership has
presented unique challenges to land management.With the completion of the interstate highway system,
many of the small towns, which sprang up as railway stops and developed well, have lost their lifeblood
and died.
      Big solar plants and their power lines will also have effects far beyond their direct footprint in the
West.This is not an argument against building them.We need alternative energy badly, and to readily take
advantage of it we need to be able to move electricity around far more readily than we can now.
      So tradeoffs will have to be made.Some scenic spots will be sacrificed.Some species will be forced
to move, or will be carefully moved to special accommodations.Deals will be struck to reduce the
immediate effects.
     The lasting effects of these tradeoffs are another matter.The 21st century development of the American West as an ideal place for alternative energy is going to throw off a lot of power and money in the region.
There are chances for that power and money to do a lot of good.But it is just as likely that they will be
spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind, just like the railroads and the highways.
     The money set aside in negotiated tradeoffs and the institutions that control it will shape the West far
beyond the immediate footprint of power plants and transmission lines.So let's remember the effects of
the railroads and the highways as we construct these new power plants in the West.

1. What was the problem caused by the construction of the railways?

A. Small towns along the railways became abandoned.
B. Some railroad stops remained underused.
C. Land in the West was hard to manage.
D. Land grants went into private hands.

2. What is the major concern in the development of alternative energy according to the last two
     paragraphs?

A. The transmission of power.          
B. The use of money and power.
C. The conservation of solar energy.      
D. The selection of an ideal place.

3. What is the author's attitude towards building solar plants?

A. Cautious.  
B. Approving.
C. Doubtful.  
D. Disapproving.

4. Which is the best title for the passage?

A. How the Railways Have Affected the West
B. How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West
C. How the Effects of Power Plants Can Be Reduced
D. How the Problems of the Highways Have Been Settled
阅读理解
    These fast food restaurants constantly remind us of the American fondness with hamburgers,chips
and pizza.But America's reputation as the home of fast food is under threat from the British,according
to a research carried out by the BBC in 13 nations among 9,000 people.
    Despite fears over obesity,the study found the British are more obsessed with junk food than any
other nation.
    Almost half of British respondents(参与调查者)said they enjoyed fast food too much to give it up.
About 44 percent in the US claimed they would be unable to stop eating burgers,pizzas and chicken
wings,making the country second in the world's junk food league. The third place went to the United
Arab Emirates,where 35 percent are junkfood lovers.
    The research also found that attitudes to food and weight vary wildly around the world. Those in the
UK and US believed lack of selfdiscipline was the main factor behind growing waistlines(腰围). They
can't deny themselves that hamburger or extra piece of pizza,but "make themselves feel better by
washing it down with a diet coke",the study suggested.
    The French,on the other hand,seem to keep a watchful eye on their weight. They get on the scales
every day. Only 19 percent of the French surveyed admitted a fondness for fast food.
    Thierry Pailleux,of France,from the market research firm that conducted the poll,said the French
valued the combination of good food and company. Sharing classic food and time with loved ones is
key to the French sensibility. "French people take care of their image as a matter of course. Being thin
is part of our culture and a point of pride. We are known for it," said Pailleux."On top of this,there is
increasing awareness of the devastation(伤害)that obesity can cause to one's health."

1. What's the main idea of the passage?

A. A study of different attitudes towards fast food.
B. How popular fast food is in foreign countries.
C. Different countries' attitudes towards food and body weight.
D. A study of how popular fast food is in foreign countries.

2. The research shows that ________.

A. Americans are proud of the fast foods they eat
B. those British who love fast foods do not care about their body weight
C. the British would like to think that other foods they eat make up for eating occasional fast food
D. most Americans believe the enjoyment of food is more important than its possible effect on their
    waistlines

3. What's the meaning of the underlined word "obsessed" in the second paragraph?

A. Crazy.  
B. Obese.  
C. Opposed.  
D. Neutral.

4. Why are,according to Thierry Pailleux,the French less obsessed with fast food than the British
    and Americans?Because ________.

A. they value their image
B. they have better foods than other countries
C. they value selfdiscipline
D. they are afraid of having an unhealthy diet

阅读理解。


     Movie magic can defy reality, but actors are inescapably human.They grow and change, and don't
necessarily change for the better.
     Harry Potter actors, who are now saying their final goodbyes to their roles, have all become
fully-fledged(成熟的) grown-ups, worlds apart from the little kids who began the Hogwarts' adventures
in 2001.
     While many fans feel sad that the magical franchise is coming to an end, some feel even sadder to see
how much the actors have changed over the years.
     "Daniel Radcliffe (who plays Harry Potter) went from being a really cute kid to a thin, pale-looking
guy," said Filipino Internet User Lealuvy."I kind of wish he stayed a kid forever.''
     Radcliffe himself doesn't seem to be bothered by his change of appearance.In an interview with GQ
magazine last week,
he teased himself: "If people find me sexy(性感的) or cool, it's because they like short, little, nerdy guys.
And we do have our niche(合适的职业)."
     Meanwhile, actors growing up to be handsome have their headaches.
     Harry Melling, who played Potter's cousin Dudley Dursley, told The Telegraph that he was almost
recast for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when producers discovered he' d lost a lot of weight
he had as a kid.He was too thin for the part.
     "They (the producers) did this double take, 'Oh my God, we are going to have to do something', and
I felt guilty," said Meiling.
     Aside from changes in looks, the gradual personality change of child stars is another big concern of
audience and producers.
     Miley Cyrus began her career at 13 in Disney's hit TV series Hannah Montana.
     When Cyrus decided to show her adult personality by releasing "sexy" photos, people began to get
uneasy about her.Reports said that furious Disney bosses were considering replacing Cyrus with a more
clean-cut teen star.
     Cyrus finally kept her role after public apologies.But some parents banned their children watching the
show.
     "My daughter has been banned from watching the show," supermodel Cindy Crawford told
Showbiz Spy."I really don't think Miley Cyrus is much of a role model for my kid."

1.The underlined word "defy" in Paragraph 1 means "_____".

A.control
B.challenge  
C.clarify    
D.abandon

2.Which one is TRUE according to the passage?

A.Actors always grow and change for the better.
B.Some fans feel sad about the ending of the film series and the actors' changes.
C.Daniel Radcliffe can't escape from being a kid.
D.Harry Melling was too thin to recast for the film.

3.Radcliffe doesn't feel bothered by his change of appearance because _____.

A.people think him sexy or cool
B.people like short, little, nerdy guys
C.he thinks he grows up to be handsome
D.some people do think such a boy as him is sexy

4.What do audience and producers concern about?

A.The actors' changes in appearances and gradual personality.
B.The actors' weight.
C.Whether the producers did the double take.
D.Whether the actors are sexy or clean-cut.

5.We can infer that _____ from the story of Miley Cyrus.

A.Miley Cyrus decided to change her sexy adult personality later on
B.Disney bosses prefer pure teen stars to sexy adults in their movies
C.parents prevented their children from watching her show
D.Cindy Crawford is a supermodel, who has a daughter

阅读理解

     Forget Britney Spears, who is the new pop princess that makes thousands of American teenage girls
scream with excitement at her concerts and rush to the store to buy her latest CD?
    The answer is Miley Cyrus. After starring in popular TV shows and hit movies, the 16yearold released
her fifth album, The Time of Our Lives, on August 28.Its lead single, Party in the U. S.A., is wildly
popular.
     Cyrus has built her success largely on a role she has played. On TV and the silver screen, Miley Cyrus
is Miley Stewart.She is popular at school during the day and at night, she is a famous pop singer named
Hannah Montana.
     Her soaring popularity goes to her head. So Stewart's father takes her home from Los Angeles to
Tennessee, a southern US state, for a dose of reality(体验生活). The journey kicks_off an adventure
filled with fun, laughter and romance.
    While there, she has to cope with her city girl's unfamiliarity with country life and gradually learn what
family is all about.
    "Hannah Montana, at heart, is every Disney princess show you've ever seen," writes Michael
O'Sullivan, a reporter with the Washington Post."Only with a limo(房车)instead of a
pumpkinturnedcoach(南瓜马车), a microphone stand instead of a magic wand(魔法棒)and a prince
who wears a cowboy hat."
     But the journey of looking for one's inner self goes beyond the big screen. Actress Miley Cyrus has a
celebrity father, Billy Ray Cyrus, a famous country singer.The teenager doesn't want people to think she
has taken a shortcut to success."It's about how I find out who I am. I get to know that you need to be
able to take time to realize who you are," she said."I don't want to be some celebrity's daughter, just be
me."


1. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Miley Cyrus released five albums when she was sixteen years old.
B. The Time of Our Lives is her fifth album.
C. Party in the U. S.A. is very popular.
D. Thousands of American teenagers rush to the store to buy Miley's latest CD.

2. Why did his father take her to the country?

A. Because she got dizzy with success.
B. Because she wanted to play in the movies.
C. Because she wanted to make adventure.
D. Because her father liked country life.

3. What's the meaning of the underlined words "kicks off" in the fourth paragraph?

A. sets out  
B. ends up with
C. goes through  
D. suffers from

4. What do we learn from the last paragraph?

A. Miley wants to take a shortcut success.
B. Miley's father is a famous country singer.
C. Miley wants to succeed by herself.
D. Teenagers like her father.

     Summer is the ideal time of year for one of my favorite outdoor activities, hiking (徒步旅行). It is
much more than just a great Workout. You get to be outside of the confines of a gym and be together
with nature. You breathe in the fresh, clean air while the city life you endured all week just fades away.
You are suddenly transported somewhere else. You are suddenly in a place where you can appreciate
the untouched, simplistic beauty of nature. The trees are green, the wild flowers are growing and the
woods are filled with activity. Once you experience it, you're hooked.
     Whether hiking in the deserts of Arizona or the mountains of Alberta, you suddenly realize you are
not alone and there is something much bigger at work. There is a realization that life is precious and you
think deeply about your life.
     Another wonderful part of hiking is that you can participate at any level and it is, for the most part,
free. It is a great way to escape the rat race, even during the week. If you have any problems you need
to solve, hiking is really good for clearing your head and removing stress.
     If hiking sounds intimidating to you, it is essentially walking on a whole new level. Experts have
spoken about the benefits of walking for years. Walking doesn't stress your legs as much as running and
countless studies agree walking leads to weight loss and better health. It is good for your heart, reduces
illness and has even been shown to enhance your thinking. So why wouldn't you want to do it?
1. What disappears for someone who is hiking?
A. Green trees.
B. Beautiful nature.  
C. City life.    
D. Precious things.
2. Once you take up hiking in nature as something you do, you______.
A. feel much bigger than before
B. love it and want to do it often
C. wish you lived outside of the city
D. look for new hiking places, like Arizona
3. How do you feel after you've begun hiking?
A. Anxious.    
B. Thoughtful.    
C. Lonely.    
D. Free from stress.
4. How is running different than walking?
A. Running is harder on the legs.        
B. Running is better h/r weight loss.
C. Running is good for a person's heart.  
D. Running is a cause for improved thinking.
阅读理解。
Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph.
There is one extra heading which you do not need.
A. Goods for auction sales
B. Definition of bidding
C. Way to sell more goods by auction
D. Auction sales in history
E. Brief introduction to auctions
F. Making a larger profit as an auctioneer

1. (     ) 
     Auctions are public sales of goods, conducted by an officially approved auctioneer. He asks the crowd
assembled in the auction-room to make offers, or "bids" for the various items on sale. He encourages buyers
to bid higher figures, and finally names the highest bidder as the buyer of the goods. This is called "knocking
down" the goods., for the bidding ends when the auctioneer strikes a small hammer on a table at which he
stands.
2. (     ) 
     The ancient Roman probably invented sales by auction, and the English word comes from the Latin auctio, meaning"increase". The Romans usually sold in this way the goods taken in war. In England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, goods were often sold"by the candle", a short candle was lit by the auctioneer and bids could be made while it stayed alight.
3. (     ) 
     Practically all goods whose qualities vary are sold by auction. Among these are coffee, skins, wool, tea,
furs, silk and wines. Auction sales are also usual for land and property, furniture, pictures, rare books, old
china and similar works of art.
4. (     ) 
     An auction is usually advertised beforehand with full particulars of the articles to be sold and where and
when they can be viewed by potential buyers. If the advertisement cannot give full details. Catalogues are
printed, and each group of goods to be sold together, called a "lot", is usually given a number. The auctioneer
need not begin with Lot I and continue in the order of numbers: he may wait until he notices the fact that
certain buyers are in the room and then produce the lots they are likely to be interested in.
5. (     )
     The auctioneer's services are paid for in the form of a percentage of the price the goods are sold for. The
auctioneer therefore has a direct interest in pushing up the bidding as high as possible. He will not waste time
by starting the bidding too low. He will also play on the opponents among his buyers and succeed in getting
a high price by encouraging two business competitors to bid against each other.

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