Today, more and more people are using credit cards instead of money to buy the things they need. Almost anyone who has a steady income and a continuous work record can apply for a credit card.

    If you have a credit card, you can buy a car, eat a dinner, take a trip, and even get a haircut by charging the cost to your account. In this way you can pay for purchases a month or two later, without any extra charge. Or you may choose to spread out your payments over several months and pay only part of the total amount each month. If you do this, the credit card company or the bank who sponsors (经办) the credit card will add a small service charge to your total bill. This is very convenient for the customer. With the credit card ill your wallet or purse, you don't have to carry much cash. This saves you trips to the bank to cash checks or withdraw cash. Also if you carry credit cards instead of a lot of cash, you don't have to be concerned about  losing your money through carelessness or theft. The card user only has to worry about paying the final bill. This of course can be a problem if you charge more than you can pay for.

    Credit cards are big business. Americans spend $16 billion a year on cards and there are already 590 million of them in circulation.  Many banks sponsor their own credit card companies and issue cards free to their customers. Other credit card companies charge their member annual dues (费用). The stores that accept credit cards must pay a small fee to the credit card company a percentage of the purchase price of the merchandise or service. In turn, the credit card company promptly (立即) pays the store for the merchandise or service. Credit card companies make a profit from the fees they charge the store and also from the fees collected from customers who pay for their changes in monthly installments. However, credit card companies sometimes have problems collecting overdue payments from unreliable customers. Also the use of stolen, lost, or counterfeit credit cards by criminals has become a big headache for the credit card company that is responsible for the goods and services illegally charged to its customers' account.

69. The main purpose of this passage is      .

    A. to promote the sale of credit cards                     

 B. to persuade you not to buy credit cards

    C. to explain credit card economy                          

    D. to give you some instructions on how to use the credit card

70. Why are more and more people using credit cards?

   A. Because they are becoming richer and richer.

   B. Because everyone call apply for the credit card.

   C. Because it is cheap to buy goods by using a credit card.

   D. Because it is convenient for them to buy goods.

71. According to the author, which of the following statements is NOT true?

   A. With a credit card you can pay for purchases two months later.

   B. With a credit card you can charge the cost to your account.

   C. With a credit card you don't have to be worried about a thief.

   D. With the credit card you don't have to worry about your final bill.

72. In the passage, "Credit cards are big business" means that      .

   A. credit card banks earn a lot of money

   B. credit cards are mid at a high price

   C. every customer has bought a credit card

   D.  customers must pay a lot of money to the credit card companies

    There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degrees of heath and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy, the other becomes miserable. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, and events, and the resulting effects upon their minds.

    People who are to be happy fix their attention on the conveniences of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wines, the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are lo be unhappy think and speak only of the contrary things. Therefore, they are continually discontented. By their remarks, they sour the pleasures of society, offend many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind were founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The tendency to criticize and be disgusted is perhaps taken up originally by imitation (摹仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it are convinced of its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.

    Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious consequences in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend many others; nobody loves them. and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect, and scarcely that. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at obtaining some advantage in rank or fortune, nobody wishes them successful. Nor will anyone stir a step or speak a word to favor their hopes.  If they bring on themselves public disapproval, on one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their misconducts.  These should change this bad habit and condescend (屈尊，放下架子) to be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.

64. People who are unhappy       .

   A. always consider things differently from others

   B. usually are influenced by the results of certain things

   C. can discover the pleasant part of certain things

   D. usually have a fault-finding habit

65.What does the phrase "sour the pleasures of society" ( Line 5, Para. 2) most probably mean?

   A. "have a good taste to the pleasures of society"

   B. "aren't content with the pleasures of society"

   C. "feel happy with the pleasures of society"

   D. "enjoy the pleasures of society"

66. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

   A. We should pity all such unhappy people.

   B. Such unhappy people are not critical about everything.

   C. If such unhappy people recognize the bad effects of the habit on themselves they may get rid of it.

   D. Such unhappy people are also not content with themselves.

67. The phrase "scarcely that" (Line 4, Para. 3) means      .

   A. "just like that"                                       B. "almost not like that"

   C. "more than that"                                   D. "not at all like that"

68. If such unhappy persons don't change their bad behavior, the author's solution to the problem is that people should      .

   A. avoid contact with them                                 

   B. criticize their misconduct

   C. help them recognize the bad effects of the habit

  All 16 women, who range from 21 to 24 years old, graduated with distinction in five final assessments after 44 months of training at the Third Flying College, the First Flying College and the Aviation University of People's Liberation Army Air Force, reported Xinhua News Agency.

And their reward will be becoming the first female pilots involved in the National Day celebrations, which this year will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China.

    Deng Changyou, political commissar for the air force who attended the pilots' graduation ceremony, said China had finally fulfilled a dream, while an official who refused to be named told Xinhua: "Due to the improvements in flying ability, the accumulation of training experience and modern military needs, we've started to train women combat pilots and the air force plans to increase their numbers to enable women to enter all areas of military service."

The 16 newly qualified pilots all underwent 28 months of basic training, which included parachute jumping and field survival training at the in Aviation University of the China Air Force, as well as 16 months of flight training. Each now has an average of 135 hours of personal flight time.

    Zhao Jingbo, deputy director for military training at the air force command, said they had also passed comprehensive examinations on political and military theory, flight skills, management and mental health.

    So far, 545 female trainees have enrolled at the air force college, with 328 having graduated and 52 now working in air transport, according to official statistics. "With our strict training regime, female pilots can do what men can do," added Wu Huiming, dean of the third flying college.

    As well as China, 15 other countries allow women to fly fighter jets, including Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Israel, Pakistan and the United States, the latter having trained nearly 300 since females were permitted to enroll at its military flight schools in 1976.

    Following the end of the Cold War, China has initiated several development projects, such as the Jian-10 and Jian-11 aircraft. Another low-cost, light jet fighter, the FC-1 has also been developed for both the international and domestic markets.

Female fighter pilot Tao Jiali prepares for her flight on March 29, 2009. She is among the country's first 16 female pilots to fly China-made fighter jets, who were conferred the rank of lieutenant on April 2.

60. What will be the women’s reward?

    A. To be the first female pilots to attend the 60^th National Day celebration.

    B. To be allowed meet one of their dreams.

    C. To be permitted to get their pay raised.

    D. To get enrolled at the air force college for further study.

61. The 16 newly qualified women pilots underwent following trainings EXCEPT       .

    A. fighting training.                         B. figure fitting

    C. field survival training                   D. parachute jumping.

62. How many countries allow women to fly fighter jets?

    A. 7.                            B. 8.                                C. 15.                             D. 16.

63. Which of the following can be inferred?

    A. Jian-10 belongs to the kind of fighter jet with low cost.

    B. Female pilots can do whatever men can do.

    C. A qualified pilot has an average of 135 hours of personal flight time

    D. A qualified pilot has to pass comprehensive examinations on political and military theory.

    London [2009-4-01] -- In the first meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama prior to the Group of 20 summit in London, the two leaders pledged that both countries will be working together to help the world resist the financial crisis.

    China and the US have agreed to prioritize the two countries' relations by establishing the new strategic economic dialogue.

    The two teams will be headed by Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo from the Chinese side and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner from the US side.

    President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama made the announcement to the press before they went into the official meeting, their first, at Winfield House, residence of the US ambassador to the UK.

    Although it is their first meeting, they have kept a close contact, which Obama said will "set the stage" for both countries "to tackle the challenges in the years to come."

    Both presidents highlighted the importance of China-US relations, especially during the current economic crisis.

    Obama said he hoped their meeting will be constructive and open not only about the whole state of the world economy during the current crisis, but to the efforts to improve peace and security for both countries and the world.

    Hu said all the positive results the two countries have achieved have not come easily, adding that he hoped to develop good working relationship and personal friendship with Obama.

    Sino-US relations are of fundamental interests not only to both countries, but to peace, stability and prosperity to Asia and the world.

56. How do China’s and US’s presidents think they should deal with their relations?

    A. By trusting and helping each other.                    

    B. By sharing their common interests.

    C. By establishing the new strategic economic dialogue

    D. By establishing new economy policy.

57. What is Winfield House?

    A. the US ambassador to the UK                            B. residence of UK ambassador to the US

    C. living place of US ambassador to the UK             D. the residence of British Queen

58. All of the following are mentioned EXCEPT       .

    A. The two presidents agreed to work together to resist the financial crisis.

    B. The two presidents announced to the press before the official meeting.

    C. Both countries will make efforts to improve peace and security.

    D. Sino-US relations are of fundamental interests only to both countries.

59. What is the best title of this passage?

    A. Hu, Obama set up new economic dialogue.        

    B. Sino-US relations will be improved.

    C. China and US are working together to resist economic crisis.

D. China and the US have achieved positive results.

An Indian warship destroyed a suspected pirate vessel off the Horn of Africa last November. Finally, here is language that pirates can understand:   36.   a ship.

   Several countries have    37.    forces to patrol Somali waters in    38.   to the growing number of pirate attacks on   39.  . But the pirates have only become more brazen (肆无忌惮),   40.   larger ships. Pirates even hijacked (劫持) a Saudi    41.   that was carrying over $100 million in oil.

   Nearly 100 ships were hijacked    42.   the Horn of Africa in 2008. Ransoms (赎金) paid to    43.    the ships reached nearly $50 million. This has   44.    much hand-wringing (much disappointment) in government circles, and some  45.     decisions by shipping companies. Some have decided to reroute their ships all the way    46.   the Cape of Good Hope. That could  47.     over $250,000 to each trip, but it’s better for their ship and crew to be kept by pirates for some weeks.

   International patrols are having little    48.  . Pirates responded by moving their armed attacks    49.  offshore. In effect, they've created a much larger field of play. The Sirius Star was    50.   450 nautical miles  off the Kenyan coast, in the Indian Ocean--a     51.   of water so vast that    52.   forces can't possibly patrol(巡航) it.

   It seems that shipping firms have a decision to make: 53.    the region altogether or arm their ships to defend off direct attacks. There are some creative ways to do that. A chemical tanker fought off pirates    54.   with automatic weapons by releasing foam from fire hoses into the waters around the ship. In 2005, a cruise ship used a Long Range Acoustic Device, capable of causing permanent ear damage and temporary vision loss, to defend off a pirate attack on Somalia's coast.

When shall   55.   return to this body of water? People are still seeking the answer.

―Where have you been recently?

―I ________ in Hangzhou on business for a week last month.

    A. have been　　            B. had gone                    C. had been　                  D. was

It is now much too late for the shopping. The shop       well be closed now.

    A. may                           B. could                          C. will                             D. must

 Look at the sky! It looks like      . Do you still feel like       out for some sports?

    A. raining; going              B. rain; going                  C. raining; to go               D. rain; to go

The boy the teachers considered to be the best failed in the final exam; _____ surprised them a great deal．

    A．it                              B．which                       C．what                         D. that

     to attend the course he is not interested in, Brown always prefers       at home to do what he likes.

    A. To go; to stay             B. To going; to stay         C. To going; staying         D. To go; staying