There are no other five-year-old children like him．He has a potato-shaped head, thick eyebrows and a voice that is not easily forgotten．He is not evil, but trouble follows him wherever he goes．
Crayon Shinchan enjoys great popularity in China．He has many fans in Hong Kong, Taiwan and on the mainland．And he is one of the hottest cartoon characters in his home country, Japan．But, the trouble-maker’s show was ranked the No．1 most unwanted cartoon program by Japan’s Parent Association on April 18．
More than half the parents who took part in the study thought Shinchan was a negative role model for children．They believed his actions and speech were adult in nature and not suitable for kids．
Many parents and education experts in China agree with them．Shinchan, they say, is really offensive．He looks out for pretty ladies on the street; at the bookstore he reads magazines full of sexy women; he pretends to be kindapped by his teacher when he sees a police car, and he raises his mum’s skirt and shouts out the color of her underpants if she doesn’t buy him what he wants．
“Crayon Shinchan is full of dirty humor．The boy shows some terrible adult mentality(心态), which doesn’t match his age, ”said Pang Li juan, professor of the Education Department at Beijing Normal University．Pang further pointed out that Shinchan destroyed the traditional image of a polite, hard-working boy．She feared that some teens may copy his behavior and harm their psychological development．Pang and many others in China thought that Shinchan was a cartoon for adults－not for children．
But some kids disagree．Jiangxin, a senior 2 student in Luhe Middle School in Beijing, became a fan of Shinchan after he first saw the cartoon two years ago．He said it was Shinchan’s humor, courage and cleverness that made him and his friends love the little cartoon character．“Shinchan looks at the adults’ world with kid’s eyes．He uncovers the hypocrisy(虚伪)and selfishness in a childish way, ”explained Jiang．“We watch it just for fun．”But Jiang also admitted that Shinchan is not good for all ages．“It may not be suitable for primary school kids．They may try to blindly copy him．”
Shinchan’s “father”, Japan’s popular cartoonist, Yoshito Ushi, never thought Shinchan would cause such a heated discussion．He argued that Shinchan was a childish copy of Japan’s middle-aged men．The boy does everything adults would like, but don’t dare to do．“People can easily forgive him because he’s only five years old, ”said Yoshito．
(1)
Teachers and parents dislike Crayon Shinchan because ________．
[ ]
A．
he looks very ugly
B．
he caused a heated discussion
C．
the character was created by an adult cartoonist
D．
he was regarded a negative role model for children to follow
(2)
Many children are crazy about Shinchan mainly because ________．
[ ]
A．
he looks very funny
B．
the cartoon character is suitable for all ages
C．
they think he is humorous, clever and brave
D．
he is a childish copy of Japan’s middle-aged men
(3)
The underlined word “offensive” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________．
[ ]
A．
humorous
B．
ugly-looking
C．
funny
D．
unpleasant
阅读理解
Safety on the highways is not totally out of our hands．Here are four ways we can protect ourselves when we travel．
1．When your parents said you were safer in a larger car, they were right．
People in small cars are injured more often and more severely than people traveling in large cars．Manufacturers of small cars are building in more safety, which helps．But the mix of large cars and small cars on the road is the crux of the problem．No matter how good the safety features on a small car, it’s at a serious disadvantage in a crash with a vehicle that is a lot bigger and heavier．
2．Being slammed in to shattering(突然破裂的)glass and metal car parts－or being thrown from the car－can really do damage to flesh and blood．
That’s why vehicle passengers and drivers should wear safety belts, The safety belts, only purpose is to hold back you if your car has a sudden, violent hit with another vehicle or object－or if it rolls over．
How much do belts help? A lot．A lap-and-shoulder-belt combination can reduce the risk of fatal(致命的)injury by 45 percent and the chance of serious injury by 50 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA)．
3．Air bags are important．
More than half of all new cars sold have air bags, and for good reason．Air bags provide additional protection in frontal crashes－the type of crash that kills the most motorists－when passengers and drivers are also wearing lap and shoulder safety belts．Consumers are demanding air bags in the cars they buy．The protection provided by air bags is limited in side or back hits; effective as they are, they can’t take the place of properly fastened safety belts．
4．A vehicle’s head restraint(安全头枕)is not for relaxing your head while you wait at a traffic light．
The purpose of the head restraint is to protect your neck and head if a car pushes you violently from behind．Without protection, your head can be snapped back, breaking your neck．(This is often known as “whiplash”．)The head restraints of a vehicle may or may not be adjustable．There is a tendency with adjustable restraints to leave them in the lowest position, which protects only short people．If your head restraint is adjustable, it should be set so it can fully support your head and neck in a crash．
(1)
This article is primarily about ________．
[ ]
A．
the causes of serious car accidents
B．
how you can avoid serious injury in a car accident
C．
why you should wear car safety belts
D．
the safety when you drive on a free way
(2)
Which question is NOT answered in the passage?
[ ]
A．
Do car safety belts help to prevent serious injury?
B．
What kind of crash kills the most motorists?
C．
How many accidents each year are caused by drinking and driving?
D．
What would happen if you didn’t adjust the head restraint?
(3)
The underlined word “crux” means ________．
[ ]
A．
the most difficult part
B．
the quick disappearance
C．
the quick rising
D．
the most clear reasons
(4)
The most suitable title of the passage is ________．
[ ]
A．
How to be safe in a car
B．
Know more about driving
C．
Ways of driving a car
D．
Safety goes first
阅读理解
The year 2005 has been a year of disasters, but the bad luck of the planet won’t end with the year．If scientists are right, planet earth is 31 years away from a major disaster．A small near-earth object with the potential to cause big damage has grabbed the attention of observers around the world．
Astronomers have been monitoring the progress of a 390-metre-wide asteroid(小行星)ever since it was discovered last June．They predict that it could hit the earth, causing huge damage, in 2036．They are asking governments to develop a strategy for deflecting(使偏离)the asteroid, which was named Apophis after an ancient Egyptian demon．
NASA estimates that an impact by Apophis would release more than 100 000 times the energy of the nuclear blast(爆炸)that destroyed Hiroshima．The whole planet would see the effects of the dust released into the atmosphere．
An Apophis hit is the worst possible near-earth scenario in recorded history．The asteroid has a 1 in 37 chance of hitting the earth．
More than 30 years’ warning of potential impact might seem like plenty of time．But scientists insist that there is actually little time left to decide what to do．It could take decades to design, test and build the technology to deflect the asteroid, they say．
(1)
Why have the astronomers been monitoring the progress of Apophis?
[ ]
A．
To make a scientific study．
B．
To land on it in the future．
C．
To find ways to change its direction．
D．
To destroy the potential enemy．
(2)
Which of the following is NOT a reason for Apophis to be a possible major concern?
[ ]
A．
No asteroid before has had such a big chance of hitting the earth．
B．
Huge damage will be caused if Apophis really hits the earth．
C．
Time is against man preventing the disaster happening．
D．
Not enough observations on asteroids have been done．
(3)
The underlined word “impact” probably means ________．
[ ]
A．
striking the earth
B．
a huge effect to be produced
C．
danger that might be caused
D．
calculation of its energy
(4)
What would be the best title for the text?
[ ]
A．
A potential major disaster
B．
A nuclear blast 30 years ago
C．
Deflecting the asteroid
D．
A year of disasters
(5)
The author would probably go on to write about ________．
[ ]
A．
ways to prevent the disaster happening
B．
what observations have been done of Apophis
C．
other theories that don’t consider Apophis a danger
D．
other asteroids that once hit the earth
阅读理解
Traveling can be a way to gain life experiences, especially during Spring Break－a week long school vacation in the United States．But what if you’re a student and don’t have enough money for a trip? Don’t worry．Here are some useful suggestions．
●Save：This probably is the most important preparation for traveling．Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you’ll have more choices about where to go and how to get there．
●Plan ahead：Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your trip．Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice．Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security(安全)and savings．
●Do your homework：No matter where you go, research the places you will visit．Decide what to see．Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants．
●Plan sensibly：Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels．Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything．
●Travel in groups：Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places．By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences．
●Work as you go：Need more money to support your trip? Look for work in the places you visit．
●Go off the beaten path：Tourist cities may be expensive．You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesser-known area．Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights．
●Pack necessary things：The most important things to take are not always clothes：Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant．
●Use the Internet：The Net can help to save money．Some useful websites include www．Travelocity．com, www．bargains-lowest fare．com and www．Economic travel．com．
By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy the travel．Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime．
(1)
This passage is about ________．
[ ]
A．
how to plan your travel
B．
how to travel with enough money
C．
how to make your travel interesting
D．
how to get life experiences
(2)
Before your trip, the first thing you should do is ________．
[ ]
A．
to make a plan of the route
B．
to get information in the Internet
C．
to save money by spending less
D．
to buy tickets in advance
(3)
The writer advises you ________．
[ ]
A．
to share costs with any other people
B．
not to go to well-known places
C．
not to visit dangerous places
D．
to buy anything you want to buy
(4)
During your trip, ________．
[ ]
A．
you need more shoes than clothes?
B．
you shouldn’t look for work all the way
C．
you can gain valuable life experiences
D．
you should forget to do your homework
阅读理解
Thrills at Silverwood come in all shapes and sizes．Three big-time roller coasters, including two world-famous wooden coasters, are sure to satisfy．Tremors, the 60-mile per hour slingshot(弹弓)that drops you 103 screamin’ feet into a pitch black tunnel of terror．Speaking of terror, Timber Terror is Tremors’ slightly smaller but equally twisted cousin, and the properly named corkscrew(螺旋式移动)will turn your world upside down－not once, but twice．
Get wet…Try one of the four monster waterslides on Rumble Falls, or cruise over to Big Moose Bay and dine on the surf dished-up by the gigantic wave pool．Still not completely satisfied? Then sink your teeth into Velocity Peak, our high-speed body slide．Forget thing the mats and inner tubes, it’s just you, the water, pitch-darkness, 62-foot vertical drops, and oh yeah, speed up to 50 mph．
That’s just the start!
Silverwood has 60 plus rides and attractions．
We’re the Northwest’s largest theme park, plus new for 2005 lots of special events, a Christian Music Festival to an International Dance Festival．
Click here for more info on special events．
(1)
How many kinds of thrills are described in this passage?
[ ]
A．
Three．
B．
Five．
C．
Four．
D．
Six．
(2)
Which of the following two events are similar?
[ ]
A．
Roller Coasters and Waterslides
B．
Waterslides and Corkscrew
C．
Corkscres and Slingshot
D．
Slingshot and Wooden Coasters
(3)
Which of the following is the proper topic sentence?
[ ]
A．
Thrills at Silverwood come in all shapes and sizes．
B．
That’s just the start!
C．
not once, but twice
D．
Silverwood has 60 plus rides and attractions．
(4)
This passage is taken from ________．
[ ]
A．
a guide book
B．
a traveling newspaper
C．
a webpage
D．
a textbook
阅读理解
People and the sources of air pollution are found in the same places．This means that cities with large populations have the biggest problem of dirty air．Air pollution is caused by many different things．A major source of air pollution is the gas fumes from cars．Statistics show that 93 percent of all auto trips are within cities．Another major source of dirty air is the burning of coal and oil for energy．This energy is needed to make electricity．Of course, much more electricity is used in the city than in the country．
On the average, we throw away more trash and garbage than the year before．The burning of garbage contributes to air pollution．Many major industries are also responsible for the dirty air in the around cities．The fumes from iron, steel, chemical, and petroleum production add particles to the air．
The effects of air pollution range from mild headaches to death．The levels of pollution found in heavy for traffic may cause headaches for loss of clear vision．Wherever coal and oil are used for fuel, fumes may kill trees and plants and cause metal to corrode．In some of the larger cities, these fumes endanger the lives of human beings by contributing to lung diseases and causing early death．
(1)
The key point of the passage is that ________．
[ ]
A．
the cause of air pollution is people
B．
the causes and the effects of air pollution are both found in cities
C．
the effects of air pollution range from headache to death
D．
air pollution is caused by dirty air
(2)
What is the purpose of this passage?
[ ]
A．
to persuade people to stop polluting the air
B．
to tell the causes of air pollution
C．
to tell why cities are bad places to live
D．
to describe why cities are bad places to live
(3)
Why is air pollution more grave in the city than in the country?
[ ]
A．
Because there are larger populations in cities．
B．
Because the air in the city is dirty．
C．
Because there are more cars in the city．
D．
Because there are much more gas fumes from cars and burning of coal and oil for energy in the city than in the country．
(4)
The fumes from coal and oil may cause metal ________．
[ ]
A．
to turn black
B．
to become rusty
C．
to corrode
D．
to twist
(5)
In larger cities, the fumes from coal and oil may contribute to ________．
[ ]
A．
heart disease
B．
lung disease
C．
loss of clear vision
D．
serious headache
阅读理解
My first performance in front of the audience was coming up soon．
I tried as hard as I could to remain calm, but my heart was racing．I stared down at my sweat-covered, shaking hands．
I looked up again at the audience, realizing that these were real people．They were not just my mum and dad, who would say, “Good job!” even if I messedup the entire piece．
What if I had the wrong music? What if I played the wrong notes?
As it turned out, I was never able to answer these questions because the spotlight(聚光灯)was waiting for me．I grasped my hands tightly together, drying off the sweat．
Slowly I walked to the mud-brown piano in the center of the room．It contained 88 demanding keys, which were waiting impatiently to be played．I swallowed the golf-ball-sized lump(隆起部分)in my throat and sat down．Slowly, I opened the music．Next, I rested my still shaking hands on the ivory(象牙色的)keys．
As my fingers played across the keys, I was becoming more unsure of my preparation for this moment．But the memory of my years of training came flooding back．I knew that I had practiced this piece so many times that I could play it backwards if requested．
Although at one point I accidentally played two keys instead of the intended one, I continued to move my fingers automatically(自动地)．
My eyes burned holes into(were fixed on)the pages in front of me．
There was no way that I was going to lose my concentration．To keep this to myself, I leaned forward and focused carefully on the music．
When I came to the end of the page, a warning went off inside my head：DON’T MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN YOU TURN THE PAGE!
Needless to say, I obeyed myself with all my heart and mind．And, proud of my “page-turning” feat(技艺), I finished the rest of the piece without making a single mistake．
After the final note died away, a celebration went into action inside my head．I had finished．I had mastered the impossible．
(1)
The author was nervous before the performance because ________．
[ ]
A．
his or her mother and father weren’t present
B．
the strong spotlight was shining onto the stage
C．
he or she hadn’t mastered the entire piece
D．
he or she had never performed in public before
(2)
The underlined phrase “messed up” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________．
[ ]
A．
put into disorder
B．
forget about
C．
stop halfway
D．
do well in
(3)
The author ________．
[ ]
A．
didn’t make any mistake in the performance
B．
felt better at the beginning of the performance
C．
paid all attention to nothing but his/her performance
D．
lost his/her concentration sometimes during the performance
(4)
What did the author feel about his/her performance?
[ ]
A．
He/She thought it was comfortable and successful．
B．
He/She thought it was very difficult but successful．
C．
He/She thought he/she had never made a mistake during the performance．
D．
He/She thought he/she played through the piece carefully but light-heartedly．
阅读理解
Tech-Camp
6 Devon Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
a technology day camp for students 12-17
About Tech-Camp
Tech-Camp is a day camp with a focus on computers and electronics technology．We offer 2-week summer programmes for students of 12 to 17 years of age．We have a computer lab with the latest and fastest equipment, an electronics lab, and a video production studio．Our staff is special, too．Our programme leaders are experts in computers and electronics, of course, but they are also people who care about children and enjoy working with them．
The benefits of Tech-Camp in all of our programmes are we show students how to work in teams and how to solve problems by themselves．We encourage them to think creatively．What students will do at Tech-Camp：
Each day Tech-Camp is filled with useful, interesting and challenging activities．For example, in the Computer Programme, students learn basic computer programming, and how to use the Internet．In the high-tech Programme, they make radio-controlled model cars and produce their own short videos．
Fee：HK ＄ 2000 per student
(10％ discount(打折)available for groups of l0 or more students)
For more information about Tech-Camp, please contact Director of Summer Programmes, Ms Julia Brown, by phone, fax or e-mail．
Telephone：26548898 Fax：26948850
E-mail：juliab@ techcamp．com．hk
(1)
Which of the following is not mentioned in the brochure(手册)？
[ ]
A．
The age of students who can attend the Tech-Camp programmes．
B．
The number of students each session can admit．
C．
The programmes the Camp can offer．
D．
The way of contacting the Camp．
(2)
What would you probably like to ask about if you phone Ms．Julia Brown after reading the brochure?
[ ]
A．
The deadline for application．
B．
The fee each attendant should pay．
C．
The e-mail address of the Tech-Camp．
D．
The activities the students will have．
(3)
From the brochure we can infer that ________．
[ ]
A．
the Camp offers students accommodation during their two-week stay at the camp
B．
High school teachers are in charge of the Camp
C．
Students at the Tech-Camp mainly benefit from the knowledge about the high-tech through lectures given by the experts
D．
Students will learn how to work with their friends and how to think and solve problem creatively through a lot of activities
阅读理解
Situated in the South West of England, between Exeter and Plymouth, Torquay is one of the most popular holiday resorts(度假胜地)in Britain．It provides sophisticated(精致)entertainment, sports of every kind and cultural facilities, all set in a position of outstanding natural beauty．Visitors can choose between luxury hotels by the sea, with private suites(套房), swimming pools and saunas, and comfortable but less expensive guest house．There are camping sites, too, and hundreds of house displaying “B&B” signs．
As well as a number of small quiet bays, which are ideal for beach barbecues away from the crowds, Torquay has large sandy beaches where you can buy refreshments(饮料)and hire deck chairs, boats and even beach huts．There are large areas of grassland overlooking the sea, and miles of winding cliff paths for walkers who just want to enjoy the scenery and what is often said to be the healthiest air in the country．For the sportsmen and women there are opportunities not only for golf, tennis, squash and bowls, but also for water-skiing, hang-gliding and deep-sea fishing．
After a day in the open air, there are lots of things to do in the evenings, too．There are plenty of discos, the occasional opera or ballet, and summer variety shows in the seafront theatres．For the children, there is a beautiful model village with a complicated railway layout which is remarkably realistic-especially when the lights are all on at night．
Of course, there’s no need to spend your whole holidays in Torquay．Only a short drive away is Dartmoor National Park, where you can walk for miles through dramatic, unspoiled countryside, or picnic by beautiful rivers and streams．Or, nearer to home, you can sail across Tor Bay to the lovely old fishing village of Brixham．
Torquay seems to have something for everyone．But don’t take my word for it－come and see for yourself．
(1)
Which of the following best explains what “B&B” means on the signs?
[ ]
A．
Bed and breakfast．
B．
Breakfast and bath．
C．
Beach and barbecue．
D．
Beautiful and British．
(2)
According to the text Torquay might be described as ________．
[ ]
A．
comfortable and expensive
B．
crowded and lively
C．
remote and beautiful
D．
fresh and healthy
(3)
What is special about the model village?
[ ]
A．
It opens at night．
B．
It has something for the children．
C．
It’s in the open air．
D．
It has a real railway system．
(4)
What is the purpose of writing this text?
[ ]
A．
To introduce the geography of Torquay to students．
B．
To make some places known to visitors．
C．
To show the beauty of resorts．
D．
To attract more tourists．
阅读理解
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange or red? If you do, you must be an optimist(乐观主义者), a leader, or an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement．Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead．If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined．You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful．At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference, and the effect that colors have on human beings．They tell us that we don’t choose our favorite color as we grow up．If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly．
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day．On the other hand, black is depressing．Light and bright colors make people not only happier but also more active．It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray．
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things．Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike．And don’t forget that anyone can guess about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief or a lampshade．
(1)
The author believes in the passage that ________．
[ ]
A．
anyone can choose his color preference in his life
B．
no one can choose his color preference in his life
C．
anyone is born with his color preference
D．
no one is born with his color preference
(2)
According to the passage, ________．
[ ]
A．
if you enjoy life, you must like yellow, orange and red
B．
when you are quiet, you must prefer grays and blues
C．
if you love green, you usually do what you have decided
D．
if you love pink, you often go to flower shops
(3)
Psychologists study the meaning of color preference because ________．
[ ]
A．
colors may affect the emotional states of the people
B．
colors may decide the results of our work and study
C．
color preference can tell you who your friends are
D．
color preference can help you to see through your enemies
(4)
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
[ ]
A．
It is no proper to wear a red dress in summer．
B．
We feel happier and more active if we see light and bright colors．
C．
All the machines in a factory are painted orange．
D．
No machines in a factory are painted black．
(5)
The main idea of this passage is ________．
[ ]
A．
color preference has something to do with one’s character
B．
colors have effects on human psychological states
C．
you will know your friends or your enemies by knowing the colors they like
