The iPhone, the iPad: each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fad(一时的风尚). Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” —and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer —which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet —adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear —popular in the US and UK—that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name “i”.
　 In general, single-letter prefixes(前缀) have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came to use.
　 Most “i” products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s “i”, it’s no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
　　　 But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i”. Why not use “a”, “b”, or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College. London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. “Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition,” he says.
　 “However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability(轻便),” adds Thorne.
　 Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
　 Along with “Google” and “blog”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
　 But as history shows, people grow tired of fads. From the 1900s to 1990s, products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend inevitably（不可避免地） disappeared.
62. We can infer that the Independent’s “i” is aimed at　　　　 .
A. young readers　 　　 B. old readers　 C. fashionable women　 　 D. engineers

63. The underlined word “ambiguous” means　　　　 .
A. popular　　　　　　　　　 B. uncertain　　　　　 C. certain　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. unique
64. Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are　　　　 .
A. recyclable　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. environmentally friendly

C. advanced　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. easy to carry or move
65. The writer suggests that __________ .
A. the popularity of “i” products may not last long　
B. “i” products are often of a high quality
C. the letter “b” replaces letter “i” to name the products
D. iTeddy is a live bear

Section C 

Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.

A. The factors leading to a good speaker

B. The importance of enunciation

C. Talk with strangers

D. Pronunciation, the other important assistant in conversation

E. A famous master of conversation

F. The great use of dictionary

1. _________________________

The ancient Greeks were very good at making conversations, and the greatest talker of them all was philosophers Socrates. His student Plato surpassed some of his supposed conversations, and we read them in The Dialogue of Plato. In many classrooms today, Socrates’ method of teaching is used.

2. _________________________

The best talkers appear to have had a great interest in and love for their follow creatures, a curiosity about the world in general, some powers of observation and tolerance for those of others, and quick thinking. And they talk for the fun of it, not to show off their knowledge.

3. _________________________

A good voice must have the help of good speech, whose two assistants are clear enunciation and correct pronunciation. Poor enunciation may suggest to your listeners that you lack consideration, and that you are not especially concerned about their opinion of you.

4. _________________________

Pronunciation is settled by common agreement of the community of group speaking the particular language or dialect. For standard pronunciations of words, a dictionary is your best friend.

5. _________________________

Think of meeting a stranger as a chance to have a good time to talk, to make a friend. Look with a smile directly into the other’s eyes when you are introduced, and shake hands with a firm, friendly clasp (紧握). This will give you confidence. Then try to have a smooth and pleasant conversation with him.

An ancient Egyptian mummy thought to be that of Pharaoh Ramses I(法老一世)has returned home after more than 140 years in North American museums. The body was carried off the plane in Cairo in a box covered in Egypt’s flag.

         The Michael Carlos Museum gave it back after tests showed it was probably that of the man who ruled 3,000 years ago. The US museum acquired it three years ago from a Canadian museum, which in turn is thought to have bought it from Egyptian garve robbers in 1860. The mummy was welcomed back home with songs and military band music during a ceremony at the national museum in Cairo.

         Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities(文物最高委员会), traveled from the US with the body and said it would be moved next year to the Luxor Museum in southern Egypt. “We are not 100% sure that mummy is that of Ramses I,” said Mr. Hawass. “But we are 100% sure that it is of a king.”

         Atlanta’s Michael Carlos Museum acquired the mummy in 1999, but offered to return it after hi-tech scanning equipment indicated it was likely to be that of Ramses I. The museum website said it had been acquired from the Niagara Falls Museum. It is thought a Canadian collector bought the mummy for the Niagara Falls Museum around 1860 from an Egyptian family which had came across a tomb filled with royal mummies at a site near Luxor.

         Mr. Hawass praised the handover as “a great, civilized gesture”. And he appealed to other world museums to return Egypt’s antiquities, particularly the Rosetta Stone in the Britain Museum and the Bust of Nefertiti in the Berlin Museum.

1. Where was Ramses mummy kept in just before the handover?

         A. the Luxor Museum                                 

B. the Michael Carlos Museum

         C. the Niagara Falls Museum                   

D. a Canadian Museum

2.Which is the correct order of the following events according to the passage?

         a. The mummy returned home.

         b. The mummy was kept in the Niagara Falls Museum.

         c. Egyptian grave robber sold he mummy.

         d. A Canadian collector bought the mummy.

         e. The mummy was kept in the Michael Carlos Museum.

A. c-d-e-b-a               

B. c-b-e-d-a               

C. a-d-c-b-e               

D. c-d-b-e-a

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

         A. All the Egypt’s antiquities have returned home after the handover.

         B. Niagara Falls Museum is an American museum.

         C. Buying the mummy from the Egyptian family was a civilized gesture.

         D. Ramses Mummy had been kept in Canada for more than a century.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

         A. The history of Ramses mummy.

         B. The handover ceremony of Ramses mummy from Canada.

         C. The returning of Ramses mummy to its homeland Egypt.

         D. The history of the royal family of Ramses.

Some novels simply entertain and others contain a powerful message in the story line and characters. In his first novel, A Wind In Montana, Mitch Davies tells a story about young adults and how they accept responsibility for their lives.

A Wind in Montana is a great tale of two teenagers, Rory Coleman and Victoria Beach, high school students at the same school, who struggle to make the right decision for themselves. As each of them nears adulthood, they become more concerned with the future and set goals that will bring them happiness and a sense of achievement.

Without any advice from his parents, Rory chooses to pursue (追求) a profession in chemistry, applies for a chemistry scholarship, and determines to do everything he can to achieve it. Along the path, Rory finds that even though he has a plan, there are obstacles (障碍) that could prevent him from realizing his goals. Victoria’s struggles are different from Rory’s. Although her father has decided that she should become a professional musician, Victoria has other plans for her life. Together, Rory and Victoria attempt to follow their dreams, despite the obstacles in their paths. A Wind In Montana contains a lesson for all teens about to enter adulthood — that disappointment and setbacks (挫折) are going to occur no matter how determined they are and that they need to develop skills along the way that will help them deal with them effectively.

Mitch Davies’ book stands out among today’s teen books that deal with imaginary situations. A Wind In Montana is a real story about real people facing real-life situations. It’s entertaining and also helps readers think about their own lives and offers various ways to handle situations that may arise.

1.According to the passage, both Rory and Victoria ____.

A. get along well with others

B. pursue a profession in chemistry

C. follow their parents’ advice

D. have a strong sense of self

2.The third paragraph is mainly about ____.

A. the popularity of A Wind In Montana

B. the content of A Wind in Montana

C. Mitch Davies’ writing style

D. Mitch Davies’ achievements

3. Unlike other teen books, A Wind In Montana ____.

A. deals with some imaginary situations

B. is based on real-life experiences

C. focuses on responsibilities teens should take

D. discusses the future of young adults

4.The purpose of the passage is ____.

A. to speak highly of an author

B. to report a piece of news

C. to review a book

D. to collect materials for a book

As any parent with an iPhone or an iPod Touch knows, mobile apps (手机软件) can be an engaging and entertaining experience for kids. Now, a new study of PBS Kids suggests that the experience can be an educational one as well.

The study, which was administered by PBS under a grant from the Department of Education, first tested the vocabulary level of a group of 90 Title 1 school children, aged 3 to 7. Then, the children were each given two weeks with an iPod Touch loaded with the Martha Speaks Dog Party app created by PBS Kids.

The study monitored how the children used the iPod, during what hours, and in what context. On average, the study found that kids played with the iPod Touch for a total of 5 hours across the two weeks, with half that time spent playing the Martha Speaks app. At the end of the two week trial, the children were given another vocabulary test, which revealed an increase in vocabulary acquisition by as much as 31 per cent.

The study findings are particularly useful as smart phones and mobile devices have become increasingly popular among families and parents are faced with a proliferation of mobile apps designed for kids. According to a recent Nielsen study, smart phone usage is 12% higher in households with children than other households.

“Mobile apps can be a great learning tool in the hands of children,” said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP, Children’s Media, PBS. “This research is important in helping to better understand and guide the development of new apps that improve the value of children’s screen time with significant educational outcomes.”

So what does it all mean? Well, at the very least it will help parents get over that guilty feeling when they hand over their iPhone or iPod Touch for a little peace and quiet. At best, it provides more evidence that mobile devices and apps do indeed have educational value and could be an important part of the child-learning process for many years to come.

1.What Lesli Rotenberg said in the fifth paragraph suggests that       .

A. he has a positive attitude towards mobile apps

B. he thinks children should never use smart phones

C. he is doubtful about mobile apps designed for children

D. he thinks parents should be careful with mobile apps for children

2.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that       .

A. parents will feel more comfortable giving kids iPhone or iPod Touch

B. parents will know what kind of mobile phones are suitable for kids

C. parents will know what children do with mobile phones

D. parents can watch over their children now and then

3.What would be the best title of the text?

A. The popularity of smart phones among kids 

B. The entertaining function of smart phones

C. Smart phones make kids learn more.             

D. It’s too early for kids to use smart phones