“Mum, what does it mean when someone tells you that they have a skeleton (骨骼) in the closet (衣橱)？”Jessica asked. “A skeleton in the closet?” her mother paused thoughtfully. “Well, it’s something that you would rather not have anyone else know about. For example, if in the past, someone in Dad’s family had been arrested for stealing a horse, it would be ‘a skeleton in his family’s closet’. He really wouldn’t want any neighbor to know about it.”
“Why pick on my family?” Jessica’s father said with anger. “Your family history isn’t so good, you know. Wasn’t your great-great grandfather a prisoner who was transported to Australia for his crimes?” “Yes, but people these days say that you are not a real Australian unless your ancestors arrived as prisoners.” “Gosh, sorry I asked. I think I understand now,” Jessica cut in before things grew worse.
After dinner, the house was very quiet. Jessica’s parents were still quite angry with each other. Her mother was ironing clothes and every now and then she glared at her husband, who hid behind his newspaper pretending to read. When she finished, she gathered the freshly pressed clothes in her arms and walked to Jessica’s closet. Just as she opened the door and reached in to hang a skirt, a bony arm stuck out from the dark depths and a bundle of white bones fell to the floor. Jessica’s mother sank into a faint (晕倒), waking only when Jessica put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. She looked up to see the worried faces of her husband and daughter.
“What happened? Where am I?” she asked. “You just destroyed the school’s skeleton, Mum,” explained Jessica. “I brought it home to help me with my health project. I meant to tell you, but it seemed that as soon as I mentioned skeletons and closets, it caused a problem between you and Dad.” Jessica looked in amazement as her parents began to laugh madly. “They’re both crazy,” she thought.
1. According to Jessica’s mother, “a skeleton in the closet” means .
A. a family honor B. a family secret
C. a family story D. a family treasure
2.What can we learn about some Australian’s ancestors from Paragraph 2?
A. They were brought to Australia as prisoners.
B. They were the earliest people living in Australia.
C. They were involved in some crimes in Australia.
D. They were not regarded as criminals in their days.
3.Jessica’s mother fell down into a faint because she was .
A. knocked B. frightened C. injured D. surprised
4.Why did Jessica bring a skeleton home?
A. She was curious about it. B. She planned to keep it for fun.
C. She needed it for her school task. D. She intended to scare her parents.
5.Jessica’s parents laughed madly at the end of the story probably because .
A. they were crazy
B. they were overexcited
C. they realized their misunderstanding
D. they both thought they had won the quarrel
语法填空（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
阅读下列短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，填入适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
Taking a taxi in a certain Eastern European country can be a shocking experience. _____1_____ is said that some taxi drivers have metal wires stuck into the passenger seats. And ___2____ a button is pushed, the seat will give you _____3____ electric shock. These taxi drivers don't do this ____4___ fun. They do it to tourists _____5_____ argue about the ridiculous(可笑的，荒谬的) fares they charge. Some drivers charge as much ____6___ ten times the legal fare.
They have a secret switch which makes the meters run faster. If the tourists refuse to pay, ____7____ are really in for a shock.
In one case, a German woman had no ____8____ (choose) but to pay $120 for a $ 20 ride from the airport. She said that she was "really taken for a ride," but what could she do? Besides the electric shock, she _____9_____ (threaten) with physical violence. She has only one piece of advice for tourists, “Take the bus ___10_____ stay at home.”
完形填空(共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21—35各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
One spring afternoon five years ago, Jimmy Liao was crying in the hall of Taipei’s Sherwood Hotel. Life seemed ___21___. The people who laughed as they walked past were taking their ____22___ for granted, just as he used to himself. Now, however, he felt ____23____ —and he couldn’t even show his disappointment in his ___24___.
Seeking more personally satisfying ___25___, he had just left a successful job as a commercial artist when it seemed that fate（命运）played a cruel ___26__ on him. It was at this time that he developed cancer and was __27___ to work. But that moment in the hotel was a turning point for Jimmy. He began to ___28____ the fact that there is no such a thing as fate, only __29___. Since then, he has published several imaginative, illustrated（带插图的）books.
According to Jimmy, you are what you choose to be. You can give up or you can work to be a happier person. Jimmy realized that, while the world sometimes seems unfair, your choice can change your life.
This idea can be __30___ in Jimmy’s books, where his characters show the powerlessness they feel before making their choices. The message that goes with Jimmy’s drawings, however, is ___31___.
Though the world may make us feel small, we must be __32___. Everything will be all right for us—as it is for the “small people” in Jimmy’s books—if we make choices that are __33___ for us.
In spite of his new ___34___ and wealth, Jimmy prefers working __35__ at home with his wife and daughter. He spends his mornings drawing. To Jimmy, living a life as he chooses means much more than money and fame could offer.
1.A．unhappy B．unusual C．unfair D．uneasy
2.A．health B．wealth C．happiness D．illnesses
3.A．ashamed B．disappointed C．helpless D．endless
4.A．crying B．painting C．imagination D．consideration
5.A．home B．condition C．situation D．work
6.A．game B．trick C．role D．part
7.A．unable B．impossible C．uncomfortable D．difficult
8.A．understand B．face C．refuse D．recognize
9.A．failures B．efforts C．choices D．interests
10.A．found B．drawn C．written D．accepted
11.A．powerful B．hopeful C．useful D．successful
12.A．great B．strong C．brave D．equal
13.A．scientific B．basic C．right D．simple
14.A．product B．fame C．name D．job
15.A．rapidly B．separately C．slowly D．quietly
阅读下面的短文，然后以约30个词概括短文内容。
Everyone has an experience they would never forget. Some are embarrassing, some are moving, and some teach us a lesson. Here is a story of mine.
Last Sunday I went fishing. After setting up my fishing rod with bait, I sat down on the bank of the lake. But two hours later, I didn’t catch any fish. I got very angry and began to pack up my stuff, preparing to go back home.
Just then, I saw an old man sitting near me. To my surprise, his basket was full of fish, so I went over to him, wanting to know why. “Excuse me, but how long have you sat here?” I asked. “About four hours,” he answered. “Four hours?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Yes. It’s very important to be patient,” the old man said. “Don’t consider fishing a tiring sport. Just enjoy it.” Suddenly, I understood what he said. I must learn to be patient. Then I sat there and waited for fish patiently. I felt a fish touch the bait, but I didn’t move and waited for the right moment to reel it in. At last, I caught it. This made me very happy. In the following six hours, I caught over 10 fish.
On my way home, I thought what had happened on the bank. I gradually realized that the secret of success was patience.
写作内容：围绕话题“英国”，介绍英国的历史和地理位置，国家的构成及名胜古迹。
按照以下要点写一篇英语短文：
1. 英国全称大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。
2. 是由英格兰、苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰组成的联合王国。
3. 英国位于欧洲大陆(Continent)西北面，被大西洋(Atlantic Ocean)包围。
4. 国土面积24.36万平方千米，人口约6000万。
5. 首都伦敦是世界最大的国际金融（financial）中心之一，是最有历史意义的珍宝，拥有博物馆，艺术收藏，剧院，公园和各种建筑。
写作要求： 必须使用5个句子表达全部所给内容；
课文和新概念填空（共10题；每小题1分，共10分）
John Snow was a famous doctor in London - so 1 , indeed, that he 2 Queen Victoria as her personal physician. But he became inspired when he thought about helping ordinary people 3 to cholera. This was the 4 disease of its day. Neither its cause nor its cure was understood. So many thousands of terrified people died every time there was an outbreak. John Snow wanted to face the 5 and solve this problem. He knew that cholera would never be controlled until its cause was found.
At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they have been trying to find out how the fire began. Forest fires are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away. Yesterday the firemen 6 the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass. They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning, however, a fireman 7 discovered the cause. He noticed the 8 of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The 9 was simple but very unusual. A bird had 10 the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.
