More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of similar intensity（强度）that shook America in 1988 claimed 25 000 victims.

Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city’s highways. In addition, changes made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the city’s buildings and highways, making them more resistant to quakes（抗震）.

Despite the good news, civil engineers aren’t resting on their successes. Pinned to their drawing boards are blueprints（蓝图）for improved quake-resistant buildings. The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place.

In the past, making structures quake-resistant meant firm yet flexible materials, such as steel and wood, which bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations. The most recent designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports. Called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake’s vibrations. When the ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction.

The mew smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.

1. One reason why the loss of lives in the Log Angeles earthquake was comparatively low is that_______.

A. new computers had been installed in the buildings

B. it occurred in the residential areas rather than on the highways

C. large numbers of Los Angeles residents had gone for a holiday

D. improvements had been made in the construction of buildings and highways

2. The function of the computer mentioned in the passage is to_______.

A. counterbalance（起平衡作用）an earthquake’s action on the building

B. predict（预测）the coming of an earthquake with accuracy

C. help strengthen the foundation of the building

D. measure the impact of an earthquake’s vibrations

3. The smart buildings discussed in the passage________.

A. would cause serious financial problems

B. would be worthwhile though expensive

C. would reduce the complexity of architectural design

D. can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes

4. It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing（使……最小）the damage caused by earthquakes, attention should be focused on_______.

A. the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital construction

B. the development of flexible building materials

C. the reduction of the impact of ground vibrations

D. early forecasts of earthquakes

5. The author’s main purpose in writing the passage is to_________.

A. compare the consequences of the earthquakes that occurred in the U.S

B. encourage civil engineers to make more extensive use of computers

C. outline the history of the development of quake-resistant building materials

D. report new developments in constructing quake-resistant buildings

It was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. Because the plantation owners were always watching us, I had to be on time every day and work as hard as I could. I’ve never been late for any job since. I also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people I work for. More importantly, I earned my pay; it never entered my mind to say I was sick just because I didn’t want to work.

I was only six years old, but I was doing a man’s job. Our family needed every dollar we could make because my father never earned more than $ 18 a week. Our home was a three-room wood shack with a dirty floor and no toilet. Nothing made me prouder than bringing home money to help my mother, father, two brothers and three sisters. This gave me self-esteem（自尊心）, one of the most important things a person can have.

When I was seven, I got work at a golf course near our house. My job was to stand down the fairway and spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them. Losing a ball meant you were fired, so I never missed one. Some nights I would lie in bed and dream of making thousands of dollars by playing golf and being able to buy a bicycle.

The more I dreamed, the more I thought. Why not? I made my first golf club out of guava limb（番石榴树枝）and a piece of pipe. Then I hammered an empty tin can into the shape of a ball. And finally I dug two small holes in the ground and hit the ball back and forth. I practiced with the same devotion and intensity. I learned working in the field now I was driving golf balls with a club, not oxen with a broomstick.

1. The writer’s first job was_________.

A. to stand down the fairway at a golf course

B. to watch over the sugar-cane plantation

C. to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields

D. to spot the balls as they landed, so the golfers could find them

2. The word “tedious” in Paragraph 2 most probably means “_______”.

A. difficult　　　　    B. boring

C. interesting　　　　  D. unusual

3. The writer learned that________ from his first job.

A. he should work for those who he liked most

B. he should work longer than what he was expected

C. he should never fail to say hello to his owner

D. he should be respectful and faithful to the people he worked for

4. ________ gave the writer self-esteem.

A. Having a family of eight people

B. Owning his own golf course

C. Bringing money back home to help the family

D. Helping his father with the work on the plantation

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

A. He wanted to be a successful golfer.

B. He wanted to run a golf course near his house.

C. He was satisfied with the job he got on the plantation.

D. He wanted to make money by guiding oxen with a broomstick.

People 1iving in Bakersfield, for instance, can visit the Pacific Ocean and the coastal plain, the fertile San Joaquin Valley, the arid Mojave Desert, and the high Sierra Nevada, all within an area of about 100 miles. In other areas it is possible to go snow skiing in the morning and surfing in the evening of the same day, without having to travel long distances.

Contrast abounds in California. The highest point in the United States (outside A1aska) is in California, and so is the lowest point (including Alaska) Mount Whitney, l4 494 feet above sea 1evel, which is separated from Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level, by a distance of only 100 miles. The two areas have a difference in an altitude of almost three miles.

California has deep, clear mountain lakes like Lake Tahoe, the deepest in the country, but it also has shallow, salty desert lakes. It has Lake Tulainyo, l2 020 feet above sea level, and the lowest lake in the country, the Salton Sea, 236 feet below sea level. Some of its lakes, like Owens Lake in Death Valley, are not lakes at all: they are dried up lake beds.

In addition to mountains, lakes, valleys, deserts, and plateaus, California has its Pacific coastline, stretching longer than the coastlines of Oregon and Washington combined.

1. Which of the following is the lowest point in the United States?

A. Lake Tulainyo.　　　　    B. Mojave Desert.

C. Death Valley.　　　　　　  D. The Salton Sea.

2. Where is the highest point in the United States located?

A. Lake Tahoe.　　　　    B. Sierra Nevada.

C. Mount Whitney.　　　　 D. Alaska.

3. How far away is Death Valley from Mount Whitney?

A. About 3 miles.　　　　    B. Only 100 miles.

C. 282 feet.　　　　　　    D. 14 494 feet.

4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as being within an area of about 100 miles of Bakersfield?

A. The Pacific Ocean.　　　　 B. San Joaquin Valley.

C. Mojave Desert.　　　　    D. Oregon and Washington.

5. Which statement best demonstrates（表明）that California is a land of variety and contrast?

A. The highest lake in California is Lake Tulainyo.

B. It is possible to go surfing and snow skiing in some parts of California without having to travel long distances.

C. Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, Mojave Desert and the Pacific Ocean all lie within a radius of about 100 miles.

D. Owens Lake, in Death Valley, is not really a lake at all.

A stone’s throw from the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the 26-year-old Canadian ran into a monk in a robe. The monk told him that the attraction he was hoping to visit had been closed.

The monk then introduced Mukerji to a jewellery store instead. On the way there, three different people told him that it was the last day of a once-a-year, tax-free jewellery promotion to encourage tourism.

They said that tourists can make a lot of money by buying gems（宝石）in Thailand and selling them once at home.

Two hours later, Mukerji had spent US $ 1 250 on a set of almost worthless jewellery.

“The whole process took me by surprise. They take advantage of your greed,” he said.

In fact, Mukerji is just one of a huge number of tourists who are cheated by the promise of making a fortune. The scam（诡计）brings Thailand more than US $ 10 million each year.

Although tourist police stations have displayed posters to warn of the scam, many fresh-faced tourists still fall prey to the trick.

The police say they receive 5～10 complaints a day. Many more may not realize they have been cheated until they go back home.

That authorities say that the jewellery scam is harmful to Thailand’s image（形象）, but getting rid of the cheats is hard.

Sanit Miphan, head of the police, said the scam has been running for about 15 years but not one jewellery shop owner has been arrested.

The shops usually open for two weeks and then close. They reopen and register under a new name. What’s more, overcharging（要价过高）itself is not breaking the law.

Yet, to keep the tourism business alive, the police said they would take action against any shop receiving more than 10 complaints.

1. Sandeep Mukerji was cheated probably because of all the following except that_________.

A. he was young

B. he believed that the monk wouldn’t cheat others

C. he had more or less the wish to try his fortune

D. the cheat scam was too skillful to be found out

2. How many people at least together cheated Sandeen Mukerji?

A. Two.　　　　 B. Three.

C. Four.　　　　 D. Five.

3. Suppose everyone who was cheated lost as much as Mukerji did, how many visitors to Bankok would be cheated each year?

A. About 6 000.　　　　    B. About 8 000.

C. About 10 000.　　　　   D. More than 10 000.

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Thai tourist police are carrying out their task very efficiently.

B. The management of Thai tourist market is very strict.

C. Any shop receiving complaints will be punished as seriously as possible.

D. It is hard for the police to crack down the cheats efficiently partly because many cheats’ deeds seem not to break the law.

5. The underline phrase “take advantage of” probably means________.

A. find out　　   　　 B. look through

C. make use of　　　　 D. are fond of

Nothing certain is known of what he did between the time he left school and his departure（出发）for London. According to a local legend, he was beaten and even put in prison for stealing rabbits and deer from the estate of neighboring landowner, Sir Thomas Lucy. It is said that because of this he was forced to run away from his native place. A different legend says that he was apprenticed（做学徒）to a Stratford butcher, but did not like the life and for this reason decided to leave Stratford.

Whatever caused him to leave the town of his birth, the world can be grateful that he did so. What is certain is that he set his foot on the road to fame when he arrived in London. It is said that at first he was without money or friends there, but that he earned a little by taking care of the horses of the gentleman who attended the plays at the theatre. They stopped and spoke to him. They found his conversations so brilliant（有才气的）that finally he was invited to join their company.

1. In the early life of Shakespeare, he_______.

A. attended a public school　　　　 B. lived in London

C. studied Latin　　　　　　　　  D. was put in prison

2. Why was he forced to leave his native place according to this passage?

A. Because he didn’t want to go to school.

B. Because he left for London to become famous.

C. Because he had stolen deer and was beaten.

D. No one knows for certain.

3. What is the reason why the world can be grateful?

A. He wrote many world-famous plays.

B. He was an actor.

C. He lived a hard life.

D. He liked to travel all over the world.

4. “In time, as he became a familiar figure…” “in time” means________.

A. on time　　　　　　    B. sometime

C. some time later　　　　  D. some time

5. The best title is_______.

A. The Early Life of Shakespeare

B. Shakespeare’s life in London

C. Shakespeare’s Role in Performance

D. Shakespeare’s Later Life

In 1963, after his army service, Shu entered a medical school and later became a doctor of Chinese medicine. As part of his studies he had to work in the mountains. There he often heard of people who had their arms and legs out off after a snake bite in order to save their lives.

“I was greatly upset by the story of an old farmer I met. It was a very hot afternoon. The old man was pulling grass in his fields when he felt a pain in his left hand. He at once realized he had been bitten by a poisonous snake. In no time he wrapped a cloth tightly around his arm to stop the poison spreading to his heart. Rushing home he shouted ‘bring me the knife’. Minutes later the man lost his arm forever.”

“The sad story touched me so much that I decided to devote myself to helping people bitten by snakes,” Shu said.

1. The best headline（标题）for this newspaper article is__________.

A. Astonishing Medicine　　　　  B. Farmer Loses Are

C. Dangerous Bites　　　　　　  D. Snake Doctor

2. The farmer lost his arm because______.

A. the cloth was wrapped too tightly

B. he cut it off to save his life

C. Shu wasn’t there to help him

D. he was alone in the field

3. Shu decided to devote himself to snake medicine because______.

A. he wanted to save people’s arms and legs

B. he had studied it at a medical school

C. he had seen snakes biting people

D. his army service had finished

4. Why did Shu go into the mountains?

A. He wanted to study snake bites.

B. He wanted to help farmers.

C. He was being trained to be a doctor.

D. He was expected to serve in the army.

5. Which of the following words can take the place of the word career in the first paragraph?

A. conclusion　　　　    B. story

C. incident　　　　　　   D. job

London is one of the world’s outstanding cultural and trade center. You will live in one of the world’s great cities. It provides the perfect arrangements in which to learn and develop English language skills. The international body of the students attending courses at English Language Institutes in London provides an attraction because it is a good chance for you to enjoy other cultures in surroundings or to developeお personal character. As we prepare for the 21^st Century, international communication has never been more important. To master a foreign language is becoming a useful tool for trade, industrial and professional success. Our aim at the English Language Institutes is to develop students’ English language skill in friendly and helpful conditions.

Supported by computer, video and audio equipment, and suing sound classroom, our team of teachers will guide you through your chosen course of study, you will receive excellent service and advice at every stage. Out-of-class support staff will help you settle in and make the most of your stay in London. Truly, you will enjoy yourself in London and make friendships that will last a lifetime. I hope we can welcome you to this exciting world of London. Come and see us! Visit a class in any of the English Language Institutes. See for yourself why we encourage you to study in London.

1. The writer invites you to join their English Language course, because_____.

A. London is really a good place for learning English

B. you can enjoy a special foreign culture

C. London is a great international trade center

D. computers can teach you to learn English well

2. The main purpose of the text is________.

A. to introduce something about London

B. to let know the importance of learning English

C. to tell us the skills of learning English

D. to tell us that education in London is free

3. This passage is a (an) ______.

A. story　　　　　　   B. novel

C. letter　　　　　　   D. advertisement

From the point of view of convenience, the best sitters are often young people who live in your apartment building or close by in the neighbourhood. This gives you a chance to meet their parents and see what they are like. If an emergency occurs, young sitters can call upon their parents quickly for help; you do not have to take them far to see them home at night or pay expensive taxi fares. Another advantage is that young people living close by can usually fill in quite readily on short notice or for short periods of time.

In an apartment house you can ask the superintendent for permission to post a notice for a baby-sitter by the mailboxes. This is often the best way to find out if there is anyone in the building who is interested in baby-sitting. Retired people as well as students are often glad to earn a little money in this way and can be found by such a note.

1. A baby-sitter is a person who______.

A. helps to do housework

B. is a cleaning woman

C. looks after children while their parents are out

D. takes care of babies and cooks for the family

2. Who can be a baby-sitter?

A. Women.　　　　　　    B. Man.

C. College student.　　　　　　  D. All the above.

3. It is advised that when you are out for short periods, you may hire_______ to be baby-sitters.

A. motherly women　　　　　　　　 B. retired people

C. young people　　　　　　　　   D. mature women

4. The best title for the passage is_______.

A. American Families

B. Baby-Sitters

C. A Way of Earning Money for Young Students

D. A Best Way to Find Baby-Sitters

In February 1898, under the vigorous impetus of such patriots of the Reform Movement as Kang You-wei, Liang Qichao, Emperor Guang Xu ordered the preparations to found a university. The “Ming Ding Guo Shi Edict” decreed by Guang Xu in June of the same year said: “The Imperial University was a proposal advanced by the various provinces. First priority should be given to its founding,” and “with expectation that people of talent would come forth in large numbers and pill together in times of trouble.” Later, the Emperor instructed his minister of the Board of Civil Office, Sun Jiading, as the minister in charge of university affairs. Subsequent to its founding, the Imperial University inherited some of the duties of the Imperial College（国子监）, the highest educational institution in feudal（封建的）China, and it exercised control over the universities of the various provinces of the country. It therefore was not only the highest seat of learning, but the highest executive organ of education in the whole country as well.

After the failure of the Reform Movement, almost all measures of the new policies were abolished, with the exception of the Imperial University, “Which, owing to its early germination, お was not abolished.” Later, although the diehards of Qing Dynasty had tried their utmost to make it into a feudal academy for the study of scriptures, the tradition of the University seeking progress and reform carried on. In 1912, the second year after the 1911 Revolution, the Imperial University changed its name to Peking University, and then the well-known bourgeois reformist（资产阶级改良派）, enlightenment thinker and translator（启蒙思想家和翻译家）Yan Fu was appointed as the first president of Peking University.

Over the past hundred years, this group of China’s contemporary（现代的）universities, with Peking University as its representative, has played a pioneering role in China’s historical course towards modernization, forming a glorious revolutionary as well as an exemplary academic tradition.

1. The first state-run university was set during the era of emperor_______.

A. Kang Xi　　　　　　  B. Qian Long

C. Guang Xu　　　　　　 D. Dao Guang

2. Which is not true about the Imperial University?

A. It was founded in 1898.

B. It was a product of the Reform Movement of 1898.

C. It ushered in China’s modern higher Education.]

D. Imperial University is in no relation to the Imperial College.

3. The Peking University was first called by Chinese people in______.

A. 1911　　　　   B. 1912

C. 1913　　　　　　  D. 1898

4. The title for the passage is_______.

A. The Imperial University

B. The History of Peking University

C. The Reform Movement of 1898

D. The 1911 Reform

Here’s what it won’t do: It won’t remove the need to shop at stores, drive a car, visit friends, or do most of the things you normally do now.

It might make many things you do easier and more convenient. Movies you now can get only at video stores will be available on your TV 24 hours a day.

The information superhighway will carry all kinds of personal matters from your tastes in movies to your buying habits. How this information will be protected is one of the great unknowns.

Computer hackers represent another threat. Last February, high tech marauders were able to steal thousands of passwords from Internet; this would allow them to read hundreds of personal files, including E-mail. Such a breakin could result in anything from a small inconvenience to a loss of privacy.

On the other hand, computerized systems give financial institutions and police stations much better tools for picking out patterns of criminal behavior.

1. Which is not true from the passage?

A. It won’t remove the need to shop at stores.

B. It might make many things you do easier and more convenient.

C. Financial institutions can deal with criminal behavior.

D. It is hard to protest the privacy of superhighway users.

2. According to the passage, the information superhighway can be used for except______.

A. conversation

B. education

C. going out buying things

D. medical service

3. The computer systems give_____ much better tools for picking out patterns of criminal behavior.

A. financial in situations

B. police stations

C. medical service

D. both A and B

4. The passage mainly talks about_____.

A. the development of the information superhighway

B. how the private information will be protected

C. what the information superhighway can do

D. the advantages and disadvantages of the information superhighway