Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. It is also the second largest lake in the world. It is an important lake because it is one of the sources(源头) for the longest river in the world, the Nile River. Lake Victoria provides a source of water, food, and power(电力) for several African countries. Lake Victoria is a big part of African life.

Unfortunately, Lake Victoria has a problem. It is shrinking. There are several power stations at Lake Victoria in Uganda. These are on the Nile River, and besides producing power, they keep the water of the lake at a certain level. For the past forty years, that level has been 11.9 meters. Over the last several years, the water level has dropped by about 2.5 meters. There seem to be several reasons for this drop.

One possible reason is drought(干旱). Drought has been very bad in the area since 2000. Lake Victoria gets all of its water from rain, so the drought means less water in the lake.

However, some environmentalists believe that the real problem is the power plants(工厂) on Lake Victoria. Uganda depends on those power plants for most of its power, and they made the power plants larger in 2000. Many people believe the power plants have been taking too much water off Lake Victoria. As a result, they have been asked to use less water until Lake Victoria goes back to its old level.

Whether the low water level is caused by drought or power plants, the result is the same. This is already a poor area of Africa, where many people live a really hard life. People, animals and plants around Lake Victoria will suffer even more from low water levels on the lake. Many people need Lake Victoria for fishing or growing food. Fish need the water to live, and animals need it for water. Plants around the lake will die without the water, and then more animals and people will suffer. Unless the lake fills soon, many people will suffer and die.

1.Lake Victoria is __________.

A. an important lake in Africa

B. the largest lake in the world

C. the source of water, food and power for America

D. the only source for the Nile River

2.What does “It is shrinking” most probably mean?

A. It is becoming larger.

B. It is becoming more beautiful.

C. It is becoming smaller.

D. It is becoming more useful.

3.The water level of Lake Victoria is now __________.

A. 2.5 meters     　B. 11.9 meters              C. 14.4 meters          D. 9.4 meters

4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Rain water is the only source for the lake.

B. There has been little rain in the lake area since 2000.

C. The power plants in Uganda provide water for the lake.

D The power plants in Uganda were made larger in 2000.

5.According to the passage, how can we solve the problems around Lake Victoria?

A. People must build more power plants.

B. More sources of water must be found.

C. Every country should offer some money to Africa.

D. All the people living in the area should move to another place.

Jack is a twenty-year-old young man. Two years ago, when he finished middle school, he found work in a shop. Usually he works until ten o'clock in the evening. He is very tired when he gets home. After a quick supper he goes to bed and soon falls asleep. His grandma who lives downstairs is satisfied with (满意) him.
One day, on his way home, he met Mary. They were both happy. He asked the girl to his house, she agreed happily. He bought some fruit and drinks for her. And they talked about their school, teachers, classmates and their future . They talked for a long time.
“Have a look at your watch, please,” said the girl. “What time is it now?”
　　“Sorry, something is wrong with my watch,” said Jack. “Where's yours?”
　　“I left it at home.”
　　Jack thought for a moment and found a way. He began to stamp his foot on the floor, “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
　　The sound woke his grandma up. The old woman shouted downstairs, “It's twelve o'clock in the night, Jack. Why are you still jumping upstairs?”
【小题1】Jack was ________ when he finished middle school.

You don’t need to speak French to understand the Parisians. You just need to know how to make gestures. A new guide has come out by French tourism officials, which is to help foreign visitors understand Parisians with a list of commonly used gestures like “shut up”. “If you use them the next time when you’re in Paris, people will start mistaking you for a native (当地人) in no time,” says the online guide at www.cestsoparis.com.

Some of the city’s rude native people in Paris have been a headache for the tourism authorities(旅游当局) for a long time. They have tried their best to ask Parisians to be more friendly to foreign visitors. They have decided to show visitors commonly used gestures by Parisians at www.cestsoparis.com. Visitors can learn and get help from there.

The website includes the common gestures such as “Bof” and “Camembert”. “Bof” is used to mean “I don’t know” or “I disagree”, and “Camembert” is to tell someone to shut up.

And it also includes a note, which warns visitors not to use the gestures too freely.Otherwise, they may see some even ruder Parisian expressions.

(   )16. The coming out of that new guide in France is　　　 .

A. to help foreign visitors to learn French well

B. to help foreign visitors understand Parisians

C. to make a suitable website in Paris

D. to tell people the importance of speaking French

(   )17. The gesture “Camembert” in the website means　　　 .

A. I don’t know         B. I disagree

C. Don’t speak          D. Don’t stop speaking

(   )18. The underlined word “They” refers to(指代)　　　 .

A. the rude native people in Paris    B. the tourism authorities in Paris

C. the commonly used gestures     D. the foreign visitors in Paris

(   )19. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Some native Parisians are rude to foreign visitors.

B. The new guide is mainly for foreign tourists.

C. You’ll be regarded as a native if you use the gestures at www.cestsoparis.com.

D. You can use the gestures in Paris as freely as you want.

(   )20. The BEST title for this passage is　　　 .

A. How to learn French          B. What places to visit in Paris

C. Gestures make you a Parisian   D. How rude Parisians are

Some students, parents and teachers in Shanghai were surveyed last month. According to the result of the survey, the generation gap (代沟) between students and parents as well as teachers is becoming wider. Here is what they said.
Voice of the students:
　 “Our parents hold too high expectations（期望）which put us under lots of pressure. They care too much about our lives and studies,” one student said.
“It’s impolite that some students’ parents read their children’s diaries without permission!” one student said angrily.
“Some of our teachers are so serious that we can’t make friends with them at all,” another student said sadly.
Voice of the parents:
One mother said, “After school, my daughter usually locks herself into her room and spends lots of time talking with others on the phone. And I can’t stand（忍受） her clothes and hairstyle!”
“I thought my son was doing very well in his studies. I didn’t realize I was being cheated by him until I got a call from his teacher,” said a father.
Voice of the teachers:
An English teacher said, “Today, the role of the teacher is to put knowledge into students’ brain. The power (权力) teachers have kept students away from them.”
“Some parents pay too much attention to their children’s grades instead of creating a lively and colorful environment at home,” another teacher said.
“In the past, teachers and students often played games together or talked with each other. Today, only studies and grades are talked about,” said a teacher. “A school should be a place where students can learn not only knowledge, but also how to face failure and frustration（挫折） bravely enough.” 
【小题1】 What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?

School education is very important and useful. The students both learn knowledge and get educated. Yet, no one can learn everything from school. Scientists, such as Edison, Newton, Galileo and Einstein, didn't learn everything from school. They learnt a lot of knowledge outside school or practiced a lot themselves. A teacher, though he knows a lot, can't teach his students everything.

　　The teacher's job is to teach his students how to learn, how to read and how to think. A good teacher with rich experience in teaching can teach his students the methods (="ways)" of study. Through these methods students are able to learn and get a lot of things by themselves.

Usually it's very easy for students to memorize some knowledge, but it is difficult to use it to solve problems. If a teacher really teaches students the ability(能力) of how to use knowledge, it means the teacher has learned lots of knowledge by himself(or herself). The success in learning shows he or she knows how how how to study.

根据课文内容选择最佳答案（每题两分，共10分）

1.From the passage we know ________.

A．students are taught everything at school

B．a teacher can't teach his students everything

C．school is really not important and useful

D．Edison learned lots of knowledge at school

2.A teacher's job is ________.

A．to help his students with their lessons

B．to teach his students everything

C．to show his students how how to study by themselves

D．to tell them how to study

3.Choose the right order of this passage.

a．How important are the study methods for students?

b．What does the teacher's experience of success in study mean?

c．Where should students study?

d．What is the job of a teacher?

A．c,a,b,d   B．b,c,a,d

C．c,b,d,a   D．c,d,a,b

4.Which of the following is right?

A．If we know how to learn, we can get a lot of knowledge.

B．We can learn everything from our teachers.

C．The writer tells us that practice is more important for students than learning.

D．It is the only job for students to learn knowledge.

5.Which of the following is the best title?

A．A real job for teachers

B．Study in and outside school

C．Practice－the only way of learning

D．How to learn language