Directions: In this part, there are two statements related to the video you have just watc

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.

For questions 1-4, mark

Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage;

N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;

NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage.

For questions 5-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

The Choice: Doomsday or Arbor Day

Environmental issues affect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. The reason for this is simple. A single disruption in the Earth's delicate balance can mean certain destruction of the very place that cradles the lives of many species. One such issue that requires consideration is deforestation. Trees have been or are being cut down at increasingly high rates. If this is not stopped many unfavorable and irreversible effects could result.

Why Trees Matter

To understand why deforestation is such a pressing and urgent issue, forests must first be given credit for what they bring to global ecosystems and the quality of life that all species maintain. Tropical Rainforests presently give a place to call home for 50%—90% of all organisms, 90% of our relatives, the primates, and 50 million creatures that can live no place but the rich rainforests. Not only are other species at risk, but the human race also benefits from what the trees give. From something as minor as the spices that indulge food to life-giving medicines, the rainforests amplify and save lives. The forests give life, not only to other species, but they help to prolong the human race.

Population Growth and Deforestation

So this leads into a very confusing question of the 20th century. Why are these trees being torn down? The World Wide Forest Report found that when the Roman Empire was in control of Europe 90% of the continent was forested. Today 500,000 hectors vanish in a single week. There is no one easy answer as there are many causes at the root of deforestation. One is overpopulation in cities and developing countries. Population is continually growing in the third world. Some had land until increases in population forced them off it and they became landless peasants that are forced to look for land in the untouched forests. This movement to the forests is in some ways a result of government pressures. In place of implementing programs to help the poor these governments concentrate on the cheapest and easiest way to keep poverty out of sight and give the poor no other choice but to force other species out and themselves in. The poor are pushed in further and further and destroy more every time they must move on.

Logging and Deforestation

The small farmer plays a big role, but it is modem industry that too cuts down the trees. The logging industry is fueled by the need for disposable products. 11 million acres a year are cut for commercial and property industries. Peter Heller found that McDonald's needs 800 square miles of trees to make the amount of paper they need for a year's supply of packaging. British Columbia is reported to manufacture 7, 500,000 pairs of chopsticks a day, and there is also the high demand for fuel wood. Logging does too have its repercussions(影响).

Cattle Grazing and Deforestation

Another of the more devastating forces behind deforestation is cattle grazing. With the international growth of fast food chains this seems to be an evident factor in the clearing of trees today. Large corporations looking to buy beef for hamburger and even pet food seek cheap prices and are finding them with the growth of cattle grazing. In the Amazon r

A．Y

B．N

C．NG

Directions: In this part, there is a passage of about 500 words. You are allowed 30 minutes to write a summary of no less than 120 words of the following passage after reading it. Please remember to write it on the COMPOSITION SHEET.

Education in Britain and the U.S.A

In Britain all children have to go to school between the ages of 5 and 16. In the US children must go to school from the age of 6 to between the ages of 14 and 16, depending on the state they live in.

Subjects

In England and Wales the subjects taught in schools are laid down by the National Curriculum, which was introduced in 1988 and sets out in detail the subjects that children should study and the levels of achievement they should reach by the ages of 7,11,14 and 16,when they are tested. The National Curriculum does not apply in Scotland, where each school decides what subjects it will teach.

In the US the subjects taught are decided by the national and local governments. Whereas British schools usually have prayers and religious instruction ,American schools are not allowed to include prayers or to teach particular religious beliefs.

Examinations

At 16 students in England and Wales take GCSE examinations. These examinations are taken by students of all levels of ability in any of a range of subjects and may involve a final examination ,an assessment of work done during the two-year course, or both of these things. At 18 some students taking A-level examinations, usually in not more than 3 subjects. It is necessary to have A-levels in order to go to a university or polytechnic.

In Scotland students take the SCE examinations. A year later, they can take examinations called HIGHERS, after which they can either go straight to a university or spend a further year at school and take the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies. In Scotland the university system is different to that in England and Wales. Courses usually last four years rather than three and students study a larger number of subjects as part of their degree.

In the US school examinations are not as important as they are in Britain. Students in High Schools do have exams at the end of their last two years, but these final exams are considered along with the work that the students have done during the school years.

Social events and ceremonies

In American high schools there is a formal ceremony for Graduation. Students wear a special cap and gown and receive a diploma from the head of the school. Students often buy a class ring to wear, and a yearbook, containing pictures of their friends and teachers. There are also special social events at American schools. Sports events are popular, and cheer leaders lead the school in supporting the school team and singing the school song. At the end of their junior year, at age 17 or 18,students hold parties in the evening. The girls wear long evening dresses and the boys wear tuxedos(晚礼服).

In Britain, there are no formal dances or social occasions associated with school life. Some schools have SPEECH DAY at the end of the school year when prizes are given to the best students and speeches are made by the head teacher and sometimes an invited guest. However, in many British schools students and teachers organize informal dances for the older students.

Part B Listening Comprehension

Directions: In this part of the test there will be some short talks and conversations. After each one, you will be asked some questions. The talks, conversations and questions will be spoken ONLY ONCE. Now listen carefully and choose the right answer to each question you have heard and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.

听力原文：M: Hi, Nicole, I heard you've bought a house in the suburbs, how can you manage to get to work from such a faraway place?

W: The commuter trains leave or arrive regularly every morning and they just don't look like the same human sardine tins as in the city.

M: But in a big city you can enjoy the "bustle and hustle" of life, the busy streets, the tail buildings, the crowds, the gleaming coloured lights after dark...

W: Ken, admittedly, these are the very reasons that make me buy this house. You know, I was born in Ohio, I can't stand being separated from the land for long. In the country, I feel so close to nature. I breathe fresh air and eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Can you enjoy the "rhythm of the seasons" in downtown?

M: Mmm, possibly you're right. The city-dwellers almost lose touch with the land. Sometimes, I'm hardly conscious of seasons from flowers and leaves around us, but from the weatherman. However, in downtown, there're plenty of forms of entertainment, you can ease your pressure of work and life in cinemas, theatres, discos...

W: In those places with the roar of traffic, the honking of horns, the crowds and endless car jams? Come on, why not listen to the humorous country sounds of cows and goats? Why not enjoy a natural beauty? I think that's the real peace and quiet needed after an exhausting day.

M: There's something in that, I suppose. But I'm fond of making new friends, you know, then I have a vast population to choose from if living in the city. On the contrary, in the countryside, quite possibly I can't meet more than twenty people in a whole day.

W: I know you've been always in the limelight since we stayed at university. However, you're living just in the suburbs, not in a primitive society. Now more and more people have bought or plan to buy the house in the country, you can find quite a few friends around you. It's like living in an extended family where you can relax and feel at home.

M: Sounds attractive! Maybe I should be one of your neighbours.

W: Welcome!

Questions:

1. What's the relationship between Nicole and Ken?

2.What are they discussing?

3.What can we learn about Nicole?

4.How should a person relax himself according to Ken?

5.Which of the following is TRUE about the passage?

(21)

A．Former schoolmates.

B．Colleagues.

C．Boss and secretary.

D．Neighbours.

Part I Reading Comprehension

Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should

decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.

Passage 1

Question 1to 5 are based on the following passage.

Looking back on my childhood. I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed(紧抱的) flowers and insects. Unlike them ,I hand no ear for music and languages, I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic.

Before World war I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. (76) Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door . but I do have a crystal-clear memory of dogs, the farm animals , the local birds and above all ,the insects.

I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil, reading about other people’s observations and discoveries .then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle(谜) ，because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books ,which some might honor with the title of scientific research.

But curiosity ,a keen eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist; one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack. A scientist can be made .A naturalist is born . If you can combine the two, you get the best of born worlds.

1. According to the author , a born naturalist should first of all be _____

A. full of enthusiasm

B. self-disciplined

C. full of ambition

D. knowledgeable

Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should decide on the best choice and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

Passage 1

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:

Scientists in India have invented a new way to produce electricity. Their invention does not get its power from oil, coal or other fuels. It produces electricity with the power of animals. India has about eighty million bullocks. They do all kinds of jobs. They work in the fields. They pull vehicles through the streets. They carry water containers. (76)Indian energy officials have been seeking ways to use less imported oil to provide energy. Scientists at the National Institute for Industrial Engineering in Bombay wondered whether the millions of bullocks could help. Many villages in India lack electricity, but they have many bullocks. And often the animals are not working. One job done by bullocks is to pump water out of the well. The animals do this by walking around and around in a circle. As they walk, they turn a heavy stick that makes the pump move. This simple technology is centuries old. Scientists thought that the same technology could be used to produce electricity. Bullocks walk in a circle only two or three times a minute. This is much too slow to produce electricity, but it can create enough power to turn a series of gears. A large gear sits next to a smaller gear. As the large gear turns, it causes the smaller gear to turn. That gear turns an even smaller one. Each gear moves faster because it is a little smaller. The smallest gear may turn extremely fast. (77)Clocks operate with gears. So do cars and so does the device invented by the Indian scientists to produce electricity.

According to the officials in the United Nations, the idea is being tested at several places in India. The device is easy to operate and repair. And it can be moved easily. It costs about three hundred and seven dollars now to make such a device, but production of large numbers of them could cut the cost of each to about two hundred dollars.

1. Who first thought of using bullocks to provide energy?

A Indian energy officials

B Scientists in India

C Officials in the United Nations

D Researchers in Europe.

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C)and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

What's the right activity for me?

Whoever you are. there's an activity for you. And just as getting fitter doesn't have to mean pushing yourself to the limits of your endurance, you don't have to be technically brilliant at a particular sport to derive pleasure and health benefits from it.

Some people hold back from getting fit because they feel self-conscious about their ability or body and want to find an activity they can do on their own, but organized classes and sports clubs can provide you with support and motivation, as well as a chance to make new friends.

If you're interested in football, hockey or other team sports, for example, many local clubs will have several teams of varying abilities, while there are plenty of aerobics or yoga classes specifically designed to cater for beginners.

You're never too old to learn to swim, or you can take classes to improve your technique if that's what's holding you back.

But many activities can be done by yourself, and require neither technical expertise nor much in the way of equipment or expense just your willingness togive it a go.

Here are some of the best, easiest and most popular ways to start getting fit, as well as some suggestions for alternatives, that get you started or put you in touch with a local club.

Walking

Most of us walk at some point each day but we do it far less than we used to. The government calculates there's been a decline of more than 20 percent in the number of miles walked since the mid-1980s.

But walking is the simplest and cheapest of all exercises, and making it a regular activity and focusing on the intensity or distance covered can greatly increase your fitness.

Walking improves the condition of your heart and lungs and works the muscles of the lower body. It's a weight-bearing activity, so it may improve bone density, yet it's also low impact, putting less stress on the joints than some other forms of exercise.

Aside from the health benefits of walking, some of the country's most beautiful scenery can only be accessed on foot, so if you don't try walking, think what you're denying yourself. If you're a novice, go in groups or as part of an organized outing via a ramblers club.

Walking up hills expends more energy--even walking down again uses more energy than walking on the flat, but if you don't think you're ready for the hills yet, boost your fitness by walking just about anywhere.

You could try power walking in the park. For example: the idea is to walk at such a fast pace that it would actually be easier to break into a run. You burn more calories walking at this speed than you would running at the same pace.

Running/jogging

Running might just be the ultimate way to get fit: it's cheap, can be done anywhere, at any time and, most importantly, is very effective. There's really no difference between running and jogging, although jogging is often used to describe running at a slow pace. Whatever you call it, all you need is a good pair of running shoes and a little enthusiasm.

As long as you're healthy and take it easy to start with, anyone can run. If you have a history of certain diseases like chest pain, high blood pressure, or have had recent surgery or are pregnant, consult a doctor first. As a high-impact activity, running may maintain or increase bone density. But

A．Offering readers information about sports activities.

B．Persuading readers to try cheap ways of exercise.

C．Attracting potential athletes to register for sports events.

D．Asking people to donate in order to develop public sports.

Directions: There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.

There is an English saying: "Laughter is best medicine." Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now, however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. (76) They have found that laughter really can improve people's health.

Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. (77) It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart beating and breathing; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.

Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which diminish both stress and pain.

As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.

It has been proved all of the following except that ______.

A．smiling does good to health

B．laughter can produce pain

C．there is a way to reduce pain

D．laughter can work the muscles in the feet

Part B Listening Comprehension

Directions: In this part of the test there will be some short talks and conversations. After each one, you will be asked some questions. The talks, conversations and questions will be spoken ONLY ONCE. Now listen carefully and choose the right answer to each question you have heard and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.

听力原文：W: Not long ago an American magazine released a report, saying, "American students are remarkably limited in their knowledge of science and their ability to use what they know." What do you think of this report?

M: It's a reflection of the true state of affairs of the American educational system. By that I mean not only the schools, but also the social attitude toward education. This is a big and very complicated issue. But what is obvious is that the kids from the east are more disciplined. They have a tendency to listen to the advice of their parents and teachers. I noticed when my children were very little, I would say, "Perhaps you should do this." They said, "No, I don't want to; it's boring." This concept of not doing something because it might be boring does not exist with children in the east; they don't have the idea that they have to find instant gratification before they launch into something. Here the kids all want to see something immediately, to see the point. Kids from babyhood in the east learn to be quiet, sit down, and work before they can get ahead. They take that naturally and are willing to be drilled. In this respect, the educational system in the east has a great advantage.

W: it's what society expects of them, and they know that.

M: Yes. Their parents, neighbors and friends—all say the same thing. But I'm not saying this system is absolutely good for everyone. The other side of the coin is that kids trained in the east tend to be too timid, tend to say, "My God, there have been all these saints who have done this and that. Who am I?" This attitude prevents a number of them later from jumping over hurdles to make important contributions. We see this very clearly among our postgraduate students. The postgraduate students from the east are quieter and more willing to work, and they make very good grades, but they are somewhat restrained from making imaginative leaps.

W: You mean that if you give them a problem, they can solve it, but if you ask them to find the problem themselves, they have a harder time at it?

M: Yes, because there is a tendency for them to automatically, subconsciously say, "I have to follow the rules; the rules have already been given." They don't want to challenge previous authors; they don't get the creative daring of the individual spirit that soars beyond the accepted boundary. And if you compare the eastern with European cultures and American ones, European is somewhat between the two. The European students are usually better trained and less daring than American students.

W: What do you think explains the fundamental difference?

M: I think America is a new country; it is a young culture. My belief is that as cultures age, they will show a greater respect for learning. They will ask kids to sit down and learn all the great things that people said in the past.

W: What are the problems you see now in the American culture?

M: One problem is that kids are not patient enough to learn; another is that we have drug problems. All this is related to the American concept that the individual is supreme. I'm not saying it is a wrong concept; I'm only trying to analyze. In China you will say in the final analysis, it is the society that is important, not the individual, while in America you are told that what you have is important, that you've got to get out on your own and make it and succeed, and nobody is there to help you.

Questions:

1. Which of the following is NOT included in the reasons that children in the east even do so

A．They have been accustomed to being obedient to their parents and teachers.

B．They naturally do not need instant gratification before starting to do anything.

C．They know they must sit down and work hard before making any progress.

D．They are repeatedly told by their parents, friends and neighbors to do so.

Part B Listening Comprehension

Directions: In this part of the test there will be some short talks and conversations. After each one, you will be asked some questions. The talks, conversations and questions will be spoken ONLY ONCE. Now listen carefully and choose the right answer to each question you have heard and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.

听力原文：M: Hi, Wendy, I'd like to get your opinion about news in the United States.

W: Well, I have very strong opinions about it. We think we are getting the news, but it is really just entertainment. It is based on what's going to keep people tuned in, like plastic surgery or celebrities. They actually tease you to get you to watch the news with old stories, because I think they think Americans get bored with international news.

M: You are talking about news on TV?

W: Yeah, they say "tune in at eleven; find out how those women lost weight". And that kind of keeps people watching, and that's what they call news. But what about major political problems? Those don't get reported in the way they should be. They don't get reported enough.

M: Yeah, I see what you are saying.

W: The other thing that bothers me about news is that it's shallow, like there are these people doing voice-overs, but the voice-overs have the same tone as people who do it from movies. It's like Six Guns to Kill, and then it's like Plastic Surgery at 11, and it's the same voice, the same style. for those two stories. It's equating those types of information. It's all like entertainment.

M: Do you think entertainment is more interesting than news?

W: Good question! I actually think we' ve got used to the idea that news should be just as entertaining as the movies, like a sitcom. And it should be quick and sort of like instant gratification.

M: What do you mean by instant gratification?

W: It's something that doesn't require you to think, easy information. Something makes you feel that you are learning something, but you really aren't. So it's quick and shallow. And TV news has to be reported by news anchors who are physically attractive. If they are not attractive, viewers complain.

M: Well, do you think newspapers give you better news coverage than TV?

W: I think newspapers are better, because they are more in depth, but then who has time to really read them? And what's difficult about news in general is… see I'm criticizing what's being reported, but the main problem is what is not being reported. And that's hard to criticize because you don't know what's not there. And I think papers are guilty of that.

M: Do you get any news from Radio or the Internet, are they better? I mean, are there any good places to get news?

W: I do think there are better places, but you have to spend time finding them. And people need quick access. If you want to get specialized news, you have to go to special radio stations or websites, and I don't even know what those are.

M: So where do you get your news?

W: Mostly on TV. That's the thing! I realize I'm being sucked into it. So I'm critical of it. But it's OK, because I know I'm being sucked in.

Questions:

1.What are they mainly talking about in this short conversation?

2.Wendy has several complaints about news on TV. Which of the following is NOT one of her complaints?

3.According to the woman's comment on news programs, what is a typical example of instant gratification?

4.What does Wendy think of the news in newspapers as compared with that on TV?

5.Which of the following media is Wendy's major source of the news?

(21)

A．Entertainment on TV.

B．The news in the U.S..

C．Being a correspondent.

D．Interpreting news.

Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.

For questions 1-7, mark

Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with information given in the passage;

N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given in the passage;

NG (for NOT GIVES) if the information is not given in the passage.

For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

The New Science of Siblings

For a long time, researchers have tried to nail down just what shapes us—or what, at least, shapes us most. And over the years, they've had a lot of eureka moments (突发灵感的时刻). First it was our parents, particularly our mothers. Then it was our genes. Next it was our peers, who show up last but hold great sway. And all those ideas were good ones—but only as far as they went. Somewhere, there was a sort of temperamental(捉摸不定的)dark matter exerting an invisible gravitational pull of its own. More and more, scientists are concluding that this unexplained force is our siblings.

From the time they are born, our brothers and sisters are our scolds, protectors, tormentors, playmates, counselors, sources of envy, objects of pride. Our spouses arrive comparatively late in our lives; our parents eventually leave us. Our siblings may be the only people we'll ever know who truly qualify as partners for life. Siblings are with us for the whole journey.

At research centers in the U. S. , Canada, Europe and elsewhere, scientists are gaining intriguing insights into the people we become as adults. Does the student struggling with a professor who plays favorites summon up the coping skills acquired from dealing with a sister who was Daddy's girl? Do husbands and wives benefit from the inter-gender negotiations they waged when their most important partners were their sisters and brothers? Today serious work is revealing exactly how our brothers and sisters influence us.

Why childhood fights between siblings can be good

By the time children are 11, they devote about 33% of their free time to their siblings—more time than they spend with friends, parents, teachers or even by themselves. Adolescents, who have usually begun going their own way, devote at least 10 hours a week to activities with their siblings. Siblings are like the nurses on the warD. All that proximity breeds an awful lot of intimacy—and an awful lot of friction.

Laurie Kramer, professor of applied family studies at the University of Illinois has found that, on average, sibs between 3 and 7 years old engage in some kind of conflict 3.5 times an hour. Kids in the 2-to-4 age group top out at 6.3—or more than one clash every 10 minutes, according to a Canadian study.

But as much as all the fighting can set parents' hair on end, there's a lot of learning going on too, specifically about how conflicts, once begun, can be settleD. Shaw and his colleagues conducted a years-long study and found that the kids who practiced the best conflict-resolution skills at home carried those abilities into the classroom. "Siblings have a socializing effect on one another," Shaw says. "Unlike a relationship with friends, you're stuck with your sibs. You learn to negotiate things day to day."

It's that permanence, researchers believe, that makes siblings a rehearsal tool for later life. Somewhere in there is the early training for the e-mail joke that breaks an office silence or the husband who signals that a fight is over by asking his wife what she thinks they should do about that fast-approaching vacation anyway. "Sibling relationships are where you learn all this," says developmental psychologist S

A．Y

B．N

C．NG