In the 19th century, Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific Coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing “the Great American Desert” in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.
The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat, sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and on TV.
In Arizona, man-made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.
There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.
In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130°F—165°F. There is less than inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---925 metres below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.
Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live underground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water. When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant (very bright) colours.
1.In the 19th century, Americans moved from east to west because they .
A．enjoyed the trip B．wanted to make their home there
C．wanted to find new grassland there D．had no water to drink
2.From this passage. we can conclude that .
A．the western desert is a good place for people to live in
B．there is little water but there are many trees in the desert
C．the desert is dangerous but it is full of beauty
D．till now, people know little about the desert
3.In the 1800s, many travelers died in Death Valley because of .
A．illness B．high temperature
C．cold weather D．poisonous water
4.In the desert, animals will die .
A．if they move about B．if they can’t make holes underground
C．if they come out at night D．if they drink much water
How many coins have you got in your pocket right now? Three? Two? or One?
With a phonecard you can make up to 200 calls without any change at all.
1. What do you do with it?
Go to a telephone box marked “Phonecard”. Put in your card to start, make your call and when you have finished, a screen tells you how much is left on your card.
It costs no extra for the cards, and the calls cost 10p per unit, the same as any other pay-phone call.
You can buy them in units of 10, 20, 40, 100 or 200.
2. Now appearing in a shop near you
Near each phonecard place you will find a shop where you can buy one. They’re at bus, train and city tube stations.
At many universities, hospitals and clubs, restaurants and gas stations on the highway and shopping centers.
At airports and seaports.
3. No more broken payphones
Most broken payphones are like that because they’ve been damaged. There are no coins in a cardphone to excite thieves’ interest in it. So you’re not probably to find a broken one.
Get a phonecard yourself and try it out. Or get a bigger wallet.
1.The passage is most probably .
A．a warning B．a notice
C．an advertisement D．an announcement
2.There are three sections in the passage. Which one do you think is about why phonecards are good?
A．Section 1 B．Section 2. C．Section 3. D．none.
3.Which statement of the following is right by inference（推断）?
A．Using a phonecard will cost you less money than payphone call.
B．Phonecards are easier to carry.
C．If a thief steals your phonecard, he can’t use it any more.
D．When you finish your call, take out your card first and then you will see how many calls you can still make.
From Monday until Friday most people are busy working or studying, but in the evenings and on weekends they are free to relax and enjoy themselves. Some watch TV or go to the movies; others take part in sports. It depends on individual interest. There are many different ways to spend our spare time.
Almost everyone has some kind of hobby. It may be anything from collecting stamps to making model airplanes. Some hobbies are very expensive, but others don’t cost anything at all. Some collections are worth a lot of money; others are valuable only to their owners.
I know a man who has a coin collection worth several thousand dollars. A short time ago he bought a rare fifty-cent piece worth $250！He was very happy about his purchase (buying) and thought the price was reasonable. On the other hand, my youngest brother collects matchboxes. He has almost 600 of them but I doubt if they are worth any money. However, to my brother they are extremely valuable. Nothing makes him happier than to find a new matchbox for his collection.
That’s what a hobby means, I guess. It is something we like to do in our spare time simply for the fun of it. The value in dollars is not important, but the pleasure it gives us is.
1.The word “individual” in the first paragraph most probably means .
A．different B．strange C．secret D．one’s own
2.According to the passage, most people are from Monday until Friday.
A．free to relax and enjoy themselves B．busy working or studying
C．free to take part in sports games D．busy watching TV and going to the cinema
3.Something that one enjoys doing in one’s spare time is a .
A．job B．pleasure C．hobby D．contribution
4.In the writer’s opinion, .
A．all hobbies are very expensive B．some hobbies don’t cost anything
C．hobbies are worthless D．hobbies are valuable to everybody
I moved to this area seven years ago. For years I have had noisy neighbours. Ever since I moved into this flat, I’ve had to put up with noise during the night. I decided I’d had enough and I’ve been looking for a new flat since the beginning of the year. I haven’t found anything till now. Every week I go to the estate agent’s（当地房地产代理人的）office, but it’s the same story. “I might have something by the end of the week” he says, or, “Wait till next week. I think I might have a few flats by then.” I’ve seen a few flats during my search, but I don’t like any of them. One flat I saw has been empty for two years. “It’s got a busy road on one side and a railway on the other!” I said loudly, “I want peace and quiet.” Last week I visited the agent again. “I won’t leave till you show me something,” I said. “I’ve got just the flat for you.” I went to see it and I was frightened. “But it’s next to a cemetery!” I cried. “But you won’t have noisy neighbours,” my agent said. “It’s exactly right for peace and quiet!”
1.The writer has had to bear the noise in this area for years.
A．about seven B．six C．nine D．four
2.The writer decided to move away because .
A．he had been looking for a new flat B．his neighbours were not friendly
C．he could no longer stand the noise D．he wanted to sell his old flat
3.Which of the following is NOT true?
A．The writer would like a quiet place to live in.
B．The agent didn’t want to help the writer at all.
C．The writer has seen several flats already.
D．It seemed rather difficult to rind a fight flat.
4.The main idea of the passage is .
A．how the agent tried to help the writer find a flat
B．why the writer was satisfied with the agent’s service
C．how difficult it was to find a new flat
D．you can depend on the estate agents for a nice flat
Introduction to Letters to Sam
Dear Reader,
Please allow me to tell you something before you read this book. When my 21 , Sam, was born, my heart was filled with joy. I had been sitting in a wheelchair for 20 years before then, and I have been 22 ill many times. So I wondered if I would have the 23 to tell Sam what I had 24 .
For years I have been hosting a program on the 25 and writing articles for a magazine. Being 26 to move freely, I have learned to sit still and keep my heart 27 , exchanging thoughts with thousands of listeners and 28 . So when Sam was born, I 29 to tell him about school and friendship, romance and work, love and everything else. That’s how I started to write these 30 . I hope that Sam would 31 them sooner or later.
However, that expectation 32 when Sam showed signs of autism (自闭症) at the age of two. He had actually stopped talking before the discovery of the signs. He 33 to communicate with others, even the family members. That was 34 for me but didn’t stop me writing on. I realized that I had even 35 now to tell him. I wanted him to 36 what it means to be “different” from others, and learn how to fight against the misfortune he’ll 37 as I myself, his grandfather, did. I just 38 if I could write all that I wanted to say in the rest of my life.
Now, 39 the book has been published, I have been given the chance. Every chapter in the book is a letter to Sam: some about my life, and all about what it means to be a 40 .
Daniel Gottlieb
1.A. son B. nephew C. brother D. grandson
2. A. seriously B. mentally C. slightly D. quietly
3.A. ability B. time C. courage D. responsibility
4.A. written B. suffered C. observed D. lost
5.A. radio B. television C. stage D. bed
6.A. ready B. unable C. anxious D. eager
7.A. warm B. broken C. closed D. open
8.A. hosts B. visitors C. readers D. reporters
9. A. began B. stopped C. forgot D. decided
10.A. letters B. emails C. books D. diaries
11.A. find B. read C. collect D. keep
12.A. developed B. disappeared C. changed D. arrived
13.A. tried B. refused C. regretted D. hoped
14.A. exciting B. acceptable C. strange D. heartbreaking
15.A. less B. everything C. more D. nothing
16. A. understand B. explain C. believe D. question
17. A. fear B. face C. know D. cause
18. A. felt B. guessed C. saw D. doubted
19.A. as B. once C. though D. if
20.A. teacher B. child C. man D. writer
I found him sitting in his chair, completely_____ a magazine.
A. absorbing B. being absorbed in C. absorbed in D. absorbing in
