While all my classmates seen to be crazy about a one-way ticket to Mars(火星), I’d rather say Mars is totally unsuitable for human existence. People won’t have enough food supplies there, and the terrible environment would make it impossible for them to live a long life. Besides, the journey won’t be safe. Can anybody explain to me just why people would go to Mars, never to return?

Steve Minear, UK

Here are the things you can think of: the desire to explore a foreign and unique environment, the excitement of being the first humans to open up a new world, the expectation of fame and glory…For scientists there is another reason. Their observations and research will probably lead to great scientific achievements.

Donal Trollop, Canada

There are already too many people on the Earth. I think that sometime before the end of the century, there will be a human colony(殖民地)on Mars. It will happen when people finally realize that tow-way trips to the red planet Mars are unnecessary. Most of the danger of space Flight is in the launches(发射) and landings. Cutting the trip home would therefore reduce the danger of accidents, save a lot of money, and open the way to building an everlasting human settlement on another world.

Enough supplies can be sent on ahead. And every two years more supplies and more people will needs, and Mars is far more pleasant than the other planets in the outer space.

Paul Davies. USA

1.The main purpose of Steve Minear’s writing is     .

   A. to report his classmates’ discussion

   B. to invite an answer to his question

   C. to explain the natural state of Mars

   D. to show his agreement on going to Mars

2.Which of the following best states Donal Trollop’s idea?

   A. There is a plan to send humans to Mars.

   B. There are many reasons for going to Mars.

  C. Scientists become famous by doing research on Mars.

  D. It is possible to build an Earth-like environment on Mars.

3.Paul Davies points out that      .

  A. humans need only a one-way ticket to Mars.

  B. two-way trips to Mars will be made safe soon

  C. it is easy to reduce the danger and cost of flights to Mars

  D. it is cheap to build an everlasting human settlement on Mars

4.What does Paul Davies think of human existence on Mars?

  A. Humans will have to bring all they need from the Earth.

  B. Humans will find Mars totally unsuitable for living.

  C. Humans can produce everything they need.

  D. Humans can live longer in the colony on Mars.

I arrived at my mother’s home for our Monday family dinner. The smells of food flew over from the kitchen. Mother was pulling out quilt(被子)after quilt from the boxes, proudly showing me their beauties. She was preparing for a quilt show at the Elmhurst Church. When we began to fold and put them back into the boxes, I noticed something at the bottom of one box. I pulled it out. “What is this?” I asked.

“Oh?” Mom said, “That’s Mama’s quilt.”

I spread the quilt. It looked at if a group of school children had pieced it together; irregular designs, childish pictures, a crooked line on the right.

“Grandmother made this?” I said, surprised. My grandmother was a master at making quilts. This certainly didn’t look like any of the quilts she had made.

“Yes, right before she died. I brought it home with me last year and made some changes,” she said. “I’m still working on it. See, this is what I’ve done so far.”

I looked at it more closely. She had made straight a crooked line. At the center of the quilt, she had stitched(缝) a piece of cloth with these words:  “My mother made many quilts. She didn’t get all lines straight. But I think this is beautiful. I want to see it finished. Her last quilt.”

“Ooh, this is so nice, Mom,” I said. It occurred to me that by completing my grandmother’s quilt, my mother was honoring her own mother. I realized, too, that I held in my hands a family treasure. It started with the loving hands of one woman, and continued with the loving hands of another.

1.Why did the author go to mother’s home?

  A. To see her mother’s quilts.

  B. To help prepare for a show.

  C. To get together for the family dinner.

  D. To discuss her grandmother’s life.

2.The author was surprised because      .

  A. the quilt looked very strange.

  B. her grandmother liked the quilt.

  C. the quilt was the best she had seen.

  D. her mother had made some changes

3.The underlined wood “crooked” in the passage most probably means       .

  A. unfinished

  B. broken

  C. bent

  D. unusual

4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

  A. A Quilt Show

  B. Mother’s Home

  C. A Monday Dinner

  D. Grandmother’s Quilt

    请阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将选项的标号涂黑。

I was on a bus one March evening. The driver didn’t  1to start the bus soon because it was not yet   2. A middle-aged woman got on. Tired and sad, she told her story   3, not to anyone in particular. On her way to the station, half of her   4was stolen. The other half was hidden under her blouse, so she   5still had some left. A few minutes later, she stopped crying, but still looked   6.

When all the seats were taken, the driver started the engine. The conductor began to collect fares(车费). When she came to an old man in worn-out clothes, he   7that he had spent all his money when he had accidentally got on a wrong bus and now he was trying to go home. On hearing this, she ordered the old man to   8the bus. The old man was almost in tears as he   9her to let him take the bus home. The driver took the conductor’s side and repeated the conductor’s   10.

The woman was watching the incident.  11the driver and the conductor raised their voices at the old man, she interfered(干预).

“Stop   12him! Can’t you see he’s only trying to get home?”

“He doesn’t have any money! ” the driver   13.

“Well, that’s no   14to throw him off the bus,” she insisted.

Then she reached inside her blouse, look out her   15money, and handed it to the conductor. “Here’s his fare and mine. Just stop giving him a   16time.”

All heads turned to the woman. “It’s only money,” she shrugged.

She rode the rest of the way home   17a happy smile, with the money she’d lost earlier   18.

On the road of life, the help of strangers can   19our loads and lift our spirits. How much sweeter the   20will be when we make it a little smoother for others!

1.A. try  B. care  C. decide  D.  intend 

2.A. empty  B. full  C. crowded  D. ready 

3.A. tearfully  B. seriously  C. carefully  D. calmly 

4.A. fare B. possession  C. money  D. wealth 

5.A. strangely B. happily  C. secretly   D. fortunately 

6.A. unsatisfied  B. weak   C. unhappy   D. excited 

7.A. explained  B. declared  C. admitted   D. found 

8.A. get off  B. start   C. get on   D. stop 

9.A. begged  B. scolded  C. praised   D. thanked 

10.A. request  B. action   C. suggestion   D. command 

11.A. Unless  B. Although  C. Until   D. When 

12.A. attacking  B. bothering  C. blaming   D. wronging 

13.A. warned  B. whispered  C. shouted   D. repeated 

14.A. problem  B. need  C. matter   D. reason 

15.A. spending  B. collected   C. remaining   D. borrowed 

16.A. busy  B. cold   C. hard   D. fearful 

17.A. giving  B. wearing   C. taking   D. forcing 

18.A. forgotten  B. used   C. earned  D. returned 

19.A. move  B. increase   C. lighten   D. carry 

20.A. world  B. journey   C. smile   D. friendship 

 Teenagers        their health because they play computer games too much.

A. have damaged  B. are damaging  C. damaged  D. will damage

 ---I am afraid I can’t return the book to you before Friday.

     ---       .

A.  Don’t be afraid  B. Be careful  C. Not at all  D. Take your time

 All people,      they are old or young, rich or poor, have been trying their best to help those in need since the disaster.

A. even if  B. whether  C. no matter  D. however

 The artist was born poor,      poor he remained all his life.

     A. and  B. or  C. but  D. so

 He       as a national hero for winning the first gold medal for his country in the Olympics.

     A. regarded  B. was regarded  C. has regarded  D. had been regarded

 ---I can’t find my purse anywhere.

     ---You       have lost it while shopping.

     A. may  B. can  C.  should   D. would

 to reach them on the phone, we sent an email instead

     A. Fail  B. Failed  C. To fail  D. Having failed