The world’s population has reached 7 billion（十亿）according to the United Nations（联合国）by 2011. It comes just 12 years since the total reached 6 billion - with official estimates saying the population will top 8 billion in 2025 and 10 billion before the end of the century.
And it is most likely that the 10-billionth baby will be born in the Asia-Pacific region - where the population growth rate is higher than anywhere else in the world.
Of the 2.3 billion people, the United Nations believes will be added by 2050, more than 1 billion will live in sub-Saharan Africa. The Indian subcontinent（次大陆）will add some 630 million people.
With more people to feed, more houses & medical care to provide, experts say the world’s resources（资源）will face more strain than before.
1.According to the picture, the population of the world reached 6 billion in ________.
A. 1987 B. 1999 C. 2011
2.We know that more than 1 billion will live in _______ by 2050.
A. sub-Saharan Africa
B. Indian subcontinent
C. the United States
3.According to the picture, _______ will have the largest population in 2050.
A. China B. India C. Nigeria
4.The underlined word “strain” in the last paragraph（段落）means “_________”.
A. 破坏 B. 关闭 C. 压力
5.The population of the world grows ________ according to the picture.
A. slower and slower
B. faster and faster
C. smaller and smaller
An armless pianist who plays with his toes has won the first series of China’s version of the internationally popular TV talent show, “China’s Got Talent.”
Liu Wei, a 23-year-old Beijing-born pianist, who lost both his arms at the aged of 10 when he was electrocuted（触电）during a game of hide-and-seek. Liu Wei stayed in rehabilitation（康复）centre for 2 years. When he got out, he was introduced to Beijing’s disabled swimming team, and he managed to take 2 gold medals in the National Disabled Swimming Championship at the aged of 14. But soon he was told not to do too much sport by the doctor.
Liu Wei was very sad. Luckily, the door was shut on sports, but it opened in music. At the age of 18, he started to learn the piano. He could not find a teacher to lead him to play with his toes, so he began teaching himself. Liu said, “I knew if I tried, I might get a chance at success. If I didn’t try, I would lose my future.”
He carried on a daily 7-hour practice, his improvement gave him hope. He kept practicing and made progress gradually. In early 2011, he gave a memorable performance in Vienna’s Golden Concert Hall. In 2012, he received the award “Top Ten People Who Moved China”.
1.Liu Wei lost both his arms when he was______ years old.
A. 10 B. 14 C. 23
2.Besides playing the piano, Liu Wei is also good at _______.
A. playing games
B. learning from others
C. armless swimming
3.Liu Wei was taught by ________ to play the piano with toes.
A. his teacher B. his mother C. himself
4.The sentence “The door was shut on sports, but it opened in music” means that Liu Wei ______.
A. lost the future of music
B. got other chances at success
C. couldn’t do sports
5.The best title of this passage is “_________”
A. One is never too old to learn
B. Time and tide wait for no man
C. Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Mr. Jones works in a factory far away from his home. One day he wanted to send a letter to his wife, but he could neither read nor write, and he had to work all day, so he could only look for somebody to write his letter late at night. At last he found the house of a letter-writer whose name was Nasreddin.
Nasreddin was already in bed. “It is late,” he said. “What do you want?” “I want you to write a letter to my wife,” said Mr. Jones. Nasreddin was not pleased. He thought for a few seconds and then asked, “Has the letter got to go far?”
“What does that matter?” answered Mr. Jones.
“Well, my writing is so strange that only I can read it, and if I have to travel a long way to read your letter to your wife, it will cost you a lot of money. ”Mr. Jones went away with no words.
1.Mr. Jones is a ________.
A. letter-writer B. postman C. worker
2.Mr. Jones looked for somebody to write a letter for him ______.
A. late at night
B. in the morning
C. in the afternoon
3.Nasreddin was not pleased because he wanted to ______.
A. write the letter B. make money C. remain in bed
4.We know from the story that Nasreddin is a _______ man.
A. kind B. funny C. strict
5.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Mr. Jones paid no money to Nasreddin.
B. Mr. Jones was happy when he heard the words.
C. Nasreddin wrote the letter for Mr. Jones.
A long time ago, there was a big apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play with it every day. But time went by, the little boy had 32 and he no longer played around the tree.
One day, the boy came back to the tree. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a 33 I can’t play with you now.” The boy replied, “I need 34 .” “Sorry, I don’t have any. But you can pick all my apples and 35 them.” The boy picked all the apples on the tree and left happily. He didn’t come back. The tree was sad.
The other day, the boy returned and the tree was so 36 . “Come and play with me.” The tree said. “I need a house for my family. Can you help me?” “You can cut off my branches（枝干）to build your house.” 37 the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily.
The tree was glad to see him happy, but the boy didn’t come since then. The tree was lonely again. One hot summer day, the boy came back again after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have 38 for you anymore.
“I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am 39 after all these years.” The boy replied. “Good! Please sit down with me and have a rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears…
This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with them. But when we grow up, we 40 them, and only come to them when we are41 trouble. You may think that the boy is cruel（残忍）to the tree, but that’s how many of us are treating to our parents.
1.A. grown up B. dressed up C. got up
2.A. tree B. child C. toy
3.A. money B. time C. help
4.A. eat B. sell C. buy
5.A. sad B. calm C. happy
6.A. So B. But C. Because
7.A. anything B. something C. nothing
8.A. angry B. tired C. shy
9.A. hate B. love C. leave
10.A. at B. for C. in
– I think it’s comfortable for birds to live in cages.
– _______. They should be flying freely in nature.
A. I agree with you
B. I’m afraid so
C. I don’t think so
– I will go to Canada with my parents this summer vacation.
– ________.
A. No problem B. Have fun C. It’s a pleasure
