MANCHESTER, England ― Here's some good news that vegetarians (素食者) can really sink their teeth into: Researchers in UMA Group have developed genetically (转基因地) engineered fruit trees that produce real meat!

Fruit from the new Meat Trees, developed by British scientists using the gene technology, is closely like ordinary grape-fruit. But when you cut the fruit open, inside is fresh beef!

"Our trees may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it's really true," declares Dr. Vincent, director of the UMA Group, which created the amazing trees. "Vegetarians have been complaining for years that in spite of their firm belief against eating meat, they still desire the taste of meat once in a while. Now they can have their cake and eat it too."

Although it's taken 12 years to develop the trees, the idea is simple. "We take the genes from cattle and put them into the cells (细胞) of grape-fruit trees," Dr. Vincent says. "When the seeds grow into trees, they produce meat instead of ordinary fruit. You get the taste ― even the smell."

Those who've tried the meat agree it tastes like the real thing. "I was a bit unwilling to believe at first when I sank my teeth into a hamburger after they told me it grew on a tree," says Londoner Mark, who took part in a taste-test. "But it was juicy and delicious ─ nothing leafy about it at all."

Meat Tree products could be on the market in Great Britain by the end of the year and on dinner plates in the U.S. by 2006. Some vegetarians insist they should never eat meat ― even if it grew on a tree. Others love the idea. "My mouth is watering already," says a devoted vegetarian of 20 years.

50. According to what Dr. Vincent said, we know that ______.

   A. vegetarians like to make a cake and enjoy it later

   B. the idea of Meat Trees came from a science fiction movie

   C. vegetarians can eat meat from the new trees

   D. vegetarians can taste and even smell fruit from Meat Trees

51. The passage tells us that ______.

   A. Meat Tree products are sure to be popular with vegetarians

   B. most vegetarians like the taste of fruit from Meat Trees

   C. you can buy fruit from Meat Trees in the supermarket in Great Britain now

   D. it's hard to tell fruit on Meat Trees from ordinary fruit without cutting in

52. In paragraph 5, the author took Mark for example to ______.

   A. show he is one of the devoted vegetarians

   B. prove the real taste of fruit from Meat Trees

   C. tell how a vegetarian eats the new fruit

   D. to explain how the taste-test is given

53. By writing this passage, the author wants to ______.

   A. show readers a new achievement in gene technology

   B. encourage people to eat fruit from Meat Trees

   C. explain how meat is produced on trees

   D. tell vegetarians good news about Meat Trees

My topic today is the internet. It was prompted (引出) by the first letter, which I am unable

to answer fully for the reasons given!

Dear David,

I am a middle school student. Now I am preparing for a writing competition. Could you

please check the mistakes in my article about using the Internet and give me some advice?

Thank you.

                                                      No name

David writes: I am very sorry to say that I think it would be very unfair for me to help you

win a competition― unfair to the other competitors!

But I will say that your article is very interesting and I wish you good luck. Your article

makes some good points that deserve（值得）talking about in this column!

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Dear David,

I'm now learning English by myself. Can you introduce some useful websites where I can

make friends with foreigners? Please help me.

                                                      moonlight

David writes: Well, dear moonlight, I bet you made a good choice by using the Net in your

self-studies. Two very good websites I would suggest to you are:

    www.britishcouncil.org.cn and www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish.

By the way, for those readers interested in the teaching of English, there is an Internet

discussion group called ELTCSChi-L (English Language Teaching Contacts Scheme

China List).

And also, a healthy warning to all my readers: If over-used, the Internet can be a

WOMBAT─A Waste of Money, Brains and Time!

46. David is probably a ______.

A. language expert           B. computer expert        C. college student        D. club chairman

47. What is the reason why the first letter is unable to be fully answered?

A. David is unable to think out good advice.

B. David thinks it is expected to play fair in the competition

C. David is going to talk on another topic ― internet.

D. David finds no mistakes in that article.

48. " www.britishcouncil.org.cn " is a (an) ______.

A. website where one can make foreign friends

B. website where one can join a discussion group

C. newspaper column for answering readers' questions

D. English newspaper for students and language teachers

49. Which of the following is NOT David's opinion of the internet?

A. English teachers can exchange opinions on the Net.

B. The internet is of much help to English learners.

C. Using the internet is a waste of money and time.

D. We should make a proper use of the Net.

I had been a step-mother for six years, and with my husband，I had watched his young children growing into teenagers. Although they lived mostly with their mother, they spent a lot of time with us. Over the years, we all learned to become more comfortable with each other. However, I continued to feel somewhat like an outsider.

When the children moved to a town five hours away, my husband was understandably destroyed. In order to keep in touch with the kids, we set up an e-mail and chat-line service.

Ironically (具有讽刺意义的是), this technology can make us feel out of touch and more in need of real human contact. If a computer message came addressed to "Dad", I'd feel forgotten. If my name appeared along with his, it would brighten my day. Yet always there was some distance to be crossed, not just over the telephone wires.

Late one evening, as my husband was snoozing (打盹), I was catching up on my e-mail, an "instant message" appeared on the screen. It was Margo, my oldest stepdaughter, also up late in front of her computer. We sent several messages back and forth, exchanging the latest news. When we "chatted" like that, she wouldn't necessarily know if it was me or her dad unless she asked. That night she didn't ask and I didn’t tell her it was me either. After hearing the latest volleyball scores and the details about a coming dance at her school, I said that it was late and I should go to sleep. Her return message read, "Okay, talk to you later! Love you!"

At this, a wave of sadness ran through me and I realized that she must have thought she was writing to her father the whole time. She and I would never have openly exchange such words of love. Feeling guilty (内疚的) for not telling her the truth, yet not wanting to embarrass (使人尴尬) her, I simply replied, "Love you too! Have a good sleep!"

I thought again of their family circle and I felt again the sharp ache of emptiness and "otherness". Then, just as my fingers reached for the keys to return the screen to black, Margo's final message appeared. It read, "Tell Dad good night for me too." With tear-filled eyes, I turned the machine off.

41. Why was the author's husband ever understandably destroyed at first?

A. he couldn't see his children often.           B. he had an unhappy marriage.

C. his children didn't like him any longer.     D. he had got a kind of serious disease.

42. By saying "Yet always there was some distance to be crossed," the writer infers that ______.

A. their children lived in a town five hours away

B. their children had to talk to them on the phone

C. there was a generation gap between them

D. the relationship between them was not so close

43. The author thought that Margo must have mistaken her for her father because ______.

A. her father liked to chat about her activities

B. her father always stopped chatting like that

C. Margo never said goodbye to the author in this way

D. Margo never chatted with the author alone

44. From this passage, we can learn that a step-parent can ______.

A. never know the special relationship between a parent and a child

B. exchange e-mails and messages with step-children

C. be part of the "inner circle" of the family

D. never be liked by his or her step-children

45. How was the experience of the author as a stepmother that night?

A. Heart-warming.  B. Full of sadness.         C. Heart-breaking.         D. Disappointing.

Papa's felt so upset when mama told him that Sister had cheated on her final exams---not to succeed  21  to fail. "It's unbelievable!" he said. "Sister has always been so  22 of her good grades!" "Yes, she has," said Mama. "But it's  23 . It just shows how  24  she wanted off the swimming team." "Wanted off the swimming team?" said Papa. "She  25  said anything about that to me." "Of course she didn't," said Mama. "She was afraid you'd blow your top.(生气) You already   26  her get a swimming scholarship（学位）to college and win gold medals at the Olympics. Can you imagine how much  27  she must have felt? For her, being on the team  28  have been much fun."

"Oh, my gosh!" Papa said, clapping a hand to his forehead. "I've been so stupid! I just  29  she'd want to be a champion (冠军) swimmer  30  she's so good at it." "It's like  31  else, dear," said Mama. "No matter how good at it you are, if it  32  being fun, you won't want to do it anymore. "Papa put his head in his hands. "She must be really  33  me," he said, "Maybe I should say  34  to her."

Sister's  35  could be heard on the stairs. She came into the kitchen and looked hopefully  36  her parents. "Honey," said Mama with a smile, "Your papa and I have  37  that there's no reason for you to be on the swimming team if you don't want to." Sister's face  38  like a shining Christmas tree. "Yippee!" she cried. "And," added Papa, "there's no need for any more  39 . I'm sure you'll  40  your grades up all by yourself." Sister ran to Papa and jumped into his arms. She gave him a big hug.

 It is about time the government ______ proper steps to solve the traffic problems.

A. takes                 B. to take                      C. took                         D. taking

The greater population is living in a city,______ for water, transportation, and disposal of rubbish.

A. there is need the greater                                B. the greater need there is

C. the greater need is there                                D. there is the greater need

--- What did you think of yesterday's film?

--- Well, I ______ when the film was only half way through.

A. was leaving              B. left                           C. have left                   D. was left

Sean’s strong love for his country is __________ in his recently published poems.

A. relieved    B. reflected    C. responded    D. recovered

In the morning, there's ______ I like better to get me started than a big breakfast with eggs and bacon.

A. nothing                    B. something                 C. much                       D. none

______ you read French easily，you'll find it's another cup of tea to make conversation in French．

A. Even though  B. As if   C. As long as  D Even so