It was a day to celebrate if your family had put most of its money in a bank．You will get more money back because of a recent rise in interest rates．
On October 29, for the first time in nine years, the People’s Bank of China(PBOC)raised interest rates．The rate for one-year renminbi deposits(存款)was increased from 1.98 percent to 2.25 percent．And the rate for one-year renminbi loans(贷款)went up from 5.31 percent to 5.58 percent．Longer term rates saw higher increases．
So what are interest rates?Banks offer some money to encourage people to keep their savings in a saving account, and ask more money in return if you borrow money from them．The percentage of the extra money is the interest rates．
If your parents have borrowed money from banks to pay for houses or cars, the interest rates rise was not good news．An increase in the interest rates on a loan means the borrower will need to repay more to the bank．For example, a person who borrowed 10,000 yuan from the bank had to return 10,531 yuan before the interest rise．But after the interest rates are increased, he was to pay extra 27 yuan per year．
The rise came following a great demand for the cooling of the overheating Chinese economy．For several years, pushed by a huge investment and construction projects, the country has had the fastest economic growth in the world．But this can be damaging just as it is when a person grows too fast and can no longer fit their clothes．It is hoped that with a higher interest rate people will act more cautiously and take less risks when borrowing money．
“The rate rise will help the economy to cool down．It will reduce investment in unnecessary industrial and construction projects,”said Su Ning, deputy governor of the PBOC．
(1)
If we deposit 1,000 RMB in the bank for one year, how much can we get after October 29?(The tax rate on interest rates is 20％．)
[ ]
A．
1021.6
B．
1013.68
C．
1015.84
D．
1018
(2)
What is the purpose of the rise in the interest rates?
[ ]
A．
To attract greater investment．
B．
To make people earn more money．
C．
To carry out construction projects．
D．
To cool down the over-heating economy．
(3)
By saying“this can be damaging just as it is when a person grows too fast and can no longer fit their clothes”, the writer ________．
[ ]
A．
warns that if the economy grows too rapidly, it will cause trouble
B．
warns us that industry will suffer a loss
C．
advises us to buy bigger clothes when we are young
D．
advises us not to grow too fast
(4)
Which of the following is NOT a result of the increase in the interest rates on a loan?
[ ]
A．
People will make wise investments．
B．
People will need to repay more to the bank．
C．
People will borrow more money to invest in their business．
D．
People will be careful of taking money from banks to expand their business．
阅读理解
One of Britain's bravest women told yesterday how she helped to catch suspected police killer David Bieber-and was thanked with flowers by the police．It was also said that she could be in line for a share of up to ￡30,000 reward money．
Vicki Brown, 30, played a very important role in ending the nationwide manhunt．Vicki, who has worked at the Royal Hotel for four years, told of her terrible experience when she had to steal into Bieber's bedroom and to watch him secretly．Then she waited alone for three hours while armed police prepared to storm the building．
She said：“I was very nervous．But when I opened the hotel door and saw 20 armed policemen lined up in the car park I was so glad they were there．”
The alarm had been raised because Vicki became suspicious(怀疑)of the guest who checked in at 3 pm the day before New Year's Eve with little luggage and wearing sunglasses and a hat pulled down over his face．She said：“He didn't seem to want to talk too much and make any eye contact．”Vicki, the only employee on duty, called her bosses Margaret, 64, and husband Stan McKale, 65, who phoned the police at 11 pm．
Officers from Northumbria Police called Vicki at the hotel in Dunston, Gateshead, at about 11：30 pm to make sure that this was the wanted man．Then they kept in touch by phoning Vicki every 15 minutes．
“It was about ten past two in the morning when the phone went again and a policeman said ‘Would you go and make yourself known to the armed officers outside?'．My heart missed a beat．”
Vicki quietly showed eight armed officers through passages and staircases to the top floor room and handed over the key．
“I realized that my bedroom window overlooks that part of the hotel, so I went to watch．I could not see into the man's room, but I could see the passage．The police kept shouting at the man to come out with his hands showing．Then suddenly he must have come out because they shouted for him to lie down while he was handcuffed(带上手铐)．
(1)
The underlined phrase“be in line for”(paragraph 1)means ________．
[ ]
A．
get
B．
be paid
C．
ask for
D．
own
(2)
Vicki became suspicious of David Bieber because ________．
[ ]
A．
the police called her
B．
he looked very strange
C．
he came to the hotel with little luggage
D．
he came to the hotel the day before New Year's Eve
(3)
Vicki’s heart missed a beat because ________．
[ ]
A．
the phone went again
B．
she would be famous
C．
the policemen had already arrived
D．
she saw 20 policemen in the car park
(4)
David Bieber was most probably handcuffed in ________．
[ ]
A．
the passage
B．
the man's room
C．
Vicki's bedroom
D．
the top floor room
(5)
The whole event probably lasted about ________ hours from the moment Bieber came to the hotel to the arrival of some armed officers．
[ ]
A．
6
B．
8
C．
11
D．
14
阅读理解
Do you want to live another 100 years or more?Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span．
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生),' said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future．”I think by 2075 we will see it and that's a conservative estimate(保守的估计)．
At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology(纳米技术)make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past．“There is a great push so that people can live from I20 to 180 years,”he said．“Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years．”
However, many scientists who specialize in ageing are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years．Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death．
Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live．“It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know; could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life?”said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre．“At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all．”
(1)
By saying“we are knocking at the door of immortality”, Michael Zey means ________
[ ]
A．
they believe that there is no limit of living
B．
they are sure to find the truth about long living
C．
they have got some ideas about living forever
D．
they are able to make people live past the present life span
(2)
Donald Louria’s attitude towards long living is that ________．
[ ]
A．
people can live from 120 to 180
B．
it is still doubtful how long humans can live
C．
the human body is designed to last past about 120 years
D．
it is possible for humans to live longer in the future
(3)
The underlined“it”(paragraph 4)refers to ________．
[ ]
A．
a great push
B．
the idea of living beyond the present life span
C．
the idea of living from 200 to 300 years
D．
the conservative estimate
(4)
What would be the best title for this text?
[ ]
A．
Living Longer or Not
B．
Science, Technology and Long Living
C．
No Limit for Human Life
D．
Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living
阅读理解
Sometimes, something that is considered to be negative turns out to be an advantage on the job．Though he is only l8 years old and blind, Suleyman Gokyigit is among the top computer technicians and programmers at InteliData Technologies Corp．, a large software company with several offices across the United States．
“After our company united with another one last October, two different computer networks were driving us crazy,”recalls Douglas Braun, the InteliData president．“We couldn't even send e-mail to each other．”In three weeks Mr Gokyigit created the software needed to connect the two networks．“None of the company's 350 other employees could have done the job in three months,”says Mr．Braun．“Suleyman can 'see' into the heart of the computer．”
Mr．Gokyigfi's gift, as Mr．Braun calls it, is an unusual ability to form an idea of the inside of a machine．“The computer permits me to reach out into the world and do almost anything I want to do,”says Mr．Gokyigit
The young programmer is at home with hardware as well, thanks partly to a highly developed sense of touch．Mitzi Nowakowski, an office manager at InteliData, remembers how he easily disconnected and reconnected their computer systems during a move last year．“Through feel, Suleyman can find the position of connectors, pins and wires much faster than most other people with sight,”he says．
Much of the student programmer's speed comes from his ability not to be interrupted while at the computer．When typing, he listens carefully to the synthesizer(合成器)．His long, thin fingers fly over the keyboard．“Nothing seems to shake his attention,”says Mrs．Nowakowski, his boss．
Mr．Gokyigit is the only company employee who is available(可找到的)24 hours a day．“We consider him our top problem solver．”says Mr．Braun．
(1)
According to Mr．Braun, Suleyman ________
[ ]
A．
can work wonders on computer
B．
is the best technician in the world
C．
has done a hard job in three months
D．
has united InteliData Technologies Corp．with another computer company
(2)
The underlined part“is at home with hardware”(paragraph 4)means ________
[ ]
A．
is good at dealing with computer hardware
B．
is fond of computer hardware
C．
works with computer hardware at home
D．
feels comfortable when working with computer hardware
(3)
Suleyman was quick while at the computer mostly because of ________
[ ]
A．
his blindness
B．
his attention on the synthesizer
C．
his long, thin fingers
D．
his ability not to be interrupted
(4)
What does the text mainly tell us?
[ ]
A．
Computer technicians are more likely to be gifted．
B．
One's disadvantages may prove to be advantages．
C．
The disabled can also play an important role in society．
D．
Top computer scientists have unusual abilities to form ideas of computers．
阅读理解
The new mayor of Hillsdale, Michigan, is a man of the people, ready to listen to their problems, but only until 6 p.m. Then he has to do his homework．Michael Sessions, 18, beat former mayor Douglas Ingles, 51, by just two votes and became the new mayor of Hillsdale．He is America's youngest mayor．
As Sessions was too young to enter the election in the spring of 2005, he registered to vote on Sept．22, one day after his l8-year-old birthday．The day after that he started his write-in campaign(战役), which means he should persuade voters to remember his name and write it by hand on the voting ballots(选票)．
To help get his name known, Sessions earned ＄700 by selling apples over the summer．He spent the money on posters and put them on the Hillsdale's lawns．
Session's month-long campaign included going door to door, explaining his ideas of the town's future in the kitchens of his neighbours．“They'd look at me, and say ‘How old are you again?How much experience do you have?’ And I say ‘I’m still in high school’”he said．
Sessions promised Hillsdale's voters he would renew local economy．“I was hopeful the whole time,”he explained．One day he spent so 1ong out on the streets knocking on the doors that he ended up in a hospital emergency room．
Sessions said that his schoolwork will not get in the way of his job as a mayor．“From 7∶50 a.m. to 2∶30 p.m., I'll be a student．From 3 to 6, I'll be mayor of Hillsdale．”he said．
“He did a very brave thing that couldn't have been easy for him to do,”said Jack Vetted，a councilman in Hillsdale, a city of 8,200 about 75 miles southwest of Detroit．“He does care about this town．He's been here all his life．”
Sessions will receive ＄3,600 a year during his four-year term, and will work out of his bedroom since the town does not provide the mayor with an office．
(1)
What is true of Sessions election campaign according to the text?
[ ]
A．
Sessions launched his election campaign on Sept．22．
B．
Sessions worked so hard that he once tried to persuade people in a hospital．
C．
Sessions won the election campaign by a very close outcome(结果)．
D．
Sessions felt disappointed when asked about his age and experience．
(2)
In order to gain more support from the voters, Sessions had to do all these things EXCEPT ________．
[ ]
A．
put up posters
B．
renew the economy
C．
sell apples
D．
talk to neighbours in kitchens
(3)
What can we infer from the passage?
[ ]
A．
Americans mayors usually work from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
B．
In America, young people are encouraged to get involved in politics．
C．
All teenagers are allowed to enter political elections．
D．
American mayors receive a salary of 3,600 a year during their 4-year term．
(4)
Which of the following would best summarize the text?
[ ]
A．
Schoolboy becomes America’s youngest mayor．
B．
How to become a teenage mayor．
C．
Hard work is the ticket to success．
D．
Never too young to shake the world．
阅读理解
The private automobile(私家车)has long played an important role in the United States．In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life．In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one．By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work．This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems．
For farm families the automobile is very helpful．It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools．
Family life has been affected(影响)in various ways, The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences．However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can't keep an eye on them．There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws．Mothers of victims(受害者)of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving)．These women want to prevent further tragedies(悲剧)．They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age, Students have formed a similar organization, SADD(Students Against Drunk Driving)and are spreading the same message among their friends．
For many Americans the automobile is a necessity．But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult．Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans．
(1)
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
[ ]
A．
Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities．
B．
Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics．
C．
Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work．
D．
Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools．
(2)
What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving?
[ ]
A．
Patents have paid more attention to their children．
B．
Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving．
C．
Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol．
D．
University students have asked the government to solve the problem．
(3)
We can infer from the text that ________ in America．
[ ]
A．
it will be more difficult for people to get new cars
B．
parents will not allow their children to have their own cars
C．
the government will encourage people to use public transportation
D．
cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems
阅读理解
A vision explosion(爆炸)was there waiting for us as we entered the underground jazz bar．The five-member live band was playing loud, energetic music．The eager crowd couldn't get enough of it．Some nodded in satisfaction．Others tapped their feet．But most were out on the dance floor, laughing as they threw their bodies around to the music．
With scenes like this, it's no wonder I haven't been able to leave Paris．
There is always something going on here．I never planned to go to a jazz bar in this city．I worried at first that it wasn't French enough－I can easily see jazz at home．But some old friends of mine, who are studying in Paris, told me that I wouldn't regret it．
It didn't take long for me to agree．The scene in front of me is in an excited mess．There's no room on the tiny dance floor．My friend tells me that this space was once used as a prison room during World War II．She's not joking．Prisoners at that time must have been shocked seeing the damp stone basement．I couldn't think of a more complete contrast to the joy on display tonight．No jazz bar in Australia would have a history like this!
The leader of the band is an old French saxophonist in his 70s．He's cool and some kind of leader, sometimes walking up to the microphone to sing a couple of words．I'm told that he has been playing at this bar for over 45 years．So how could I refuse when he points to us and tells us to get on the dance floor too?
I feel completely out of place－there are some skilled dancers about．Clearly many come here every week．But the energy pulls us through and we have a ball．It is easily my favourite time in Paris．I certainly didn't expect that．
Adrian e-mailed me recently to say that he had arrived home safely．I plan to return soon too．Of course, I will have to find a way to pull myself out of Paris first．
(1)
How does the author like the city of Paris?
[ ]
A．
He doesn’t like the city because of its noisy bars．
B．
He wants to escape Paris to return home quickly．
C．
He is very interested in Jazz bars in Paris．
D．
The history of the Jazz bar is a shame to Paris．
(2)
Why does the writer feel out of place?
[ ]
A．
Because he wants to leave and go back home．
B．
Because he is not a good dancer．
C．
Because he is not used to a dance like this．
D．
Because the music is too loud．
(3)
The writer mentions Australia probably because ________．
[ ]
A．
he wants to show the differences between the jazz bars in these two places
B．
he couldn’t find a way to leave Paris
C．
he misses his friend Adrian back home
D．
Australia has jazz bars similar to ones in Paris
(4)
It can be learned that ________．
[ ]
A．
everyone in the bar enjoys himself
B．
the bars in Australia are usually quiet
C．
explosion can happen anytime in Paris bars
D．
the leader of the band was born in the 70 s
阅读理解
Thursday July 6
Posters Exhibition
The Consulate General of Germany in Shanghai is hosting an exhibition of World Cup posters created by artists from around the world．Fourteen posters in different styles by artists from different countries and China are on display．
Venue(地点)：Consulate General of Germany(Shanghai)
Time：9∶00 am－12∶00 am and 1∶00 pm－4∶00 pm
Price：free
Tel：021 63912068
ay July 7
“Love Letter”
This play was written by American contemporary playwright Carol Rocamora．It's based on a love story by well known Russian short story writer and dramatist Anton Chekhov(1860-1904)．Now Shanghai Drama Arts Centre brings this romantic story to the stage．
Venue：Shanghai Drama Arts Centre
Time：7∶30 pm
Price：100 yuan
Tel：021－62172426
Saturday July 8
Pop Concert
S．H．E．will give a concert on the weekend．This three-girl group debuted in 2001 and became popular in Asia．This week, they will give their local fans a musical treat in a show featuring some of their best known songs．
Venue：Shanghai Stadium
Time：7∶30 pm
Price：320－1,080 yuan
Tel：021－62172426
Sunday July 9
Solo Violin Concert
A violin concert titled“Conversation between a leading conductor and violinist”will be held on the weekend in Guangzhou．The concert will be given by renowned Swiss conductor Charles Dutoit and talented violist Chantal Juillet from Canada．
Venue：Xinghai Concert Hall(Guangzhou)
Time：8∶00 pm
Price：80－280 yuan
Tel：020－87353869
Wednesday July 12
Piano Recital
Gary Graffman, the piano master from the US will give a piano performance in Shanghai．Graffman is the director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and used to be the tutor of talented Chinese pianist Lang Lang．
Venue：Shanghai Grand Theatre
Time：7∶30 pm
Price：80－280 yuan
Tel：021－65430200
(1)
Which of following events will not happen in Shanghai?
[ ]
A．
Piano recital．
B．
Pop concert．
C．
Posters exhibition．
D．
Solo violin concert．
(2)
Who do you think is not a music performer?
[ ]
A．
Charles Dutoit．
B．
Chantal Juillet．
C．
Gary Graffman．
D．
Carol Rocamora．
(3)
The most expensive performance is ________．
[ ]
A．
“Love Letter”
B．
Pop concert
C．
Solo violin concert
D．
Piano recital
(4)
Posters exhibition is probably the best choice for ________．
[ ]
A．
football fans
B．
those who don’t work at all
C．
people who like to read romantic stories
D．
people on holiday
阅读理解
He grew up among knights(国际象棋中的马), kings and queens．At 16, Norway’s chess genius Magnus Carlsen is pushing to become the world’s youngest world title contender(竞争者)．
Carlsen, who was introduced to the game by his father Henrik when he was a little boy, became the world’s youngest international grandmaster(大师)at 13．Now he is 17th in the World Chess Federation’s ranking of top players –a position much desired for a player his age．
“I’m going for the world championship,”says Magnus, the third youngest grandmaster in world history．But former champion Gary Kasparov and India’s Viswanathan Anand, the World Chess Federation’s current number one, already see him as a possible person who will take their position after they have left．
From a young age, Carlsen showed signs of extraordinary intelligence．“At the age of two, he already knew all the car brand names．At five, whatever he built with his toys was very unique and outstanding,”his father says．
It is also reported that he learnt the names of every country of the world, with their flag, capital and size by heart．But his first attempts at the game were embarrasing and he was far from the “Mozart of Chess”．
“I almost gave up,”his father remembers．But as Magnus watched his father and older sister play, he began to like the challenge．
After playing his first tournament(决赛)at eight, his baby face became a common feature in chess circles．
When asked what he does when not playing chess, Magnus’ answers to an interviewer’s questions come easily．
Girls?“I haven’t done much in that field．”
Money?“Has never been a problem．”
Hobbies?“I love to play football, spend time with my friends and be in front of my computer as people my age do．And listen to music．”
But then, strangely enough, math is not his thing．“I was definitely the best in my class when I was little but now I hate it,”he says．
So what’s the secret behind his success so far?
“Before a match I will sleep a lot,”he says．“There are very often bad dreams; like that the person I am playing with cheats．”
(1)
Magnus began to show his talent in chess at the age of ________．
[ ]
A．
13
B．
16
C．
8
D．
5
(2)
Why is Magnus good at chess?
[ ]
A．
Because he played his tournament at a very young age．
B．
Because he is better at maths than others．
C．
Because he had a good rest by sleeping a lot before each match．
D．
Because he was born with a special ability to create and learn new things．
(3)
As a famous chess player, Magnus likes to do the following things except ________．
[ ]
A．
getting together with kids of his age
B．
playing football
C．
playing his computer
D．
dating girls
(4)
Magnus is considered to be“Mozart of Chess”because ________．
[ ]
A．
Magnus’ hobby of listening to music plays a part in his success
B．
Magnus has the same gift for chess as Mozart has for music
C．
Magnus was not quick at learning chess in the beginning
D．
Magnus decided to become“Mozart”while still young
阅读理解
Australians have been warned they face a life or death decision over their water－drink recycled sewage(污水)or die．
With the drought continuing, the country is set to be forced to use purified waste water for drinking, even though there is great disagreement to the measure．
Queensland has become the first state to introduce the policy after a warning from its premier．
“I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia is going to end up drinking recycled purified water,”said Peter Beattie．“These are difficult decisions, but you either drink water or you die．There's no choice．It's liquid gold, it's a matter of life and death．”
Beattie said Australia's second largest state would become the first to use recycled water for drinking．
Water is recycled in Britain and parts of northern Europe along with the US and Israel．
But Australians have never liked the idea．
To try to change the way Australians think, Prime Minister John Howard and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull have backed Queensland’s move．“I am very strongly in favour of recycling and Mr Beattie is right and I agree with him completely,”Howard said．
Turnbull added that Australian cities, all now facing water shortages because of the worst drought on record, must start to use recycled water．“All of our big cities have to widen the range of water sources to include sources which are not dependent on rainfall,”he said．
(1)
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
[ ]
A．
Queensland is the second largest state in Australia．
B．
Some European countries have taken the measures already．
C．
Queensland suffers most from the drought among the other states．
D．
Australians usually depend on rainfall for their water sources．
(2)
From the passage, it can be inferred that ________．
[ ]
A．
other ways to solve the water shortage may be discussed and discovered
B．
many Australians like the idea of drinking recycled water
C．
big cities in other states will not follow Queensland
D．
Britain faces the same drought problem as Australia does
(3)
What does the underlined word“backed”probably mean?
[ ]
A．
supported
B．
adopted
C．
changed
D．
fell behind
(4)
The title for this passage would probably be ________．