Twenty-first century humanity has mapped oceans and mountains, visited the moon, and surveyed the planets．But for all the progress, people still don’t know one another very well.
That brings about Theodore Zeldin’s “feast of conversation”－events where individuals pair with persons they don’t know for three hours of guided talk designed to get the past “Where are you from?”
Mr．Zeldin, an Oxford University professor, heads Oxford Muse, a 10-year-old foundation based on the idea that what people need is not more information, but more inspiration and encouragement.
The “feast” in London looks not at politics or events, but at how people have felt about work, relations among the sexes, hopes and fears, enemies and authority, the shape of their lives．The “menu of conversation” includes topics like “How have your priorities changed over the years?” Or, “What have you rebelled against the past?”
As participants gathered, Zeldin opened with a speech: that despite instant communications in a globalized age, issues of human heart remain．Many people are lonely, or in routines that discourage knowing the depth of one another．“We are trapped in shallow conversations and the whole point now is to think, which is sometimes painful,” he says．“But thinking interaction is what separates us from other species, except maybe dogs…who do have generations of human interactions.”
The main rules of the “feast”: Don’t pair with someone you know or ask questions you would not answer．The only awkward moment came when the multi-racial crowd of young adults to seniors, in sun hats, ties and dresses, looked to see whom with for hours．But 15 minutes later, everyone was seated and talking. They would be ‘intimate’, continuing full force until organizers interrupted them 180 minutes later.
“It’s encouraging to see the world is not just a place of oppression and distance from each other,” Zeldin summed up．“What we did is not ordinary, but it can’t be madder than the world already is.”
Some said they felt “liberated” to talk on sensitive topics. Thirty-something Peter, from East London, said that “it might take weeks or months to get to the level of interaction we suddenly opened up.”
1. What can the “conversations” be best described as?
A. Deep and one-on-one. B. Sensitive and mad.
C. Instant and inspiring. D. Ordinary and encouraging.
2. In a “feast of conversations”, participants ________.
A. pair freely with anyone they like
B. have a guided talk for a set of period of time
C. ask questions they themselves would not answer
D. wear clothes reflecting multi-racial features．
3.In paragraph 6, “they would be ‘intimate’” is closest in meaning to “________”.
A. they would have physical contact B. they would have in-depth talk
C. they would be close friends D. they would exchange basic information
4. According to Zeldin, what prevents many people thoroughly knowing one another?
A. Loneliness or routines. B. Shallow conversations.
C. Unwillingness to think. D. The fear for awkward moment.
5. From the passage, we can conclude that what Zeldin does is _________.
A. an attempt to promote thinking interaction
B. one of the maddest activities ever conducted
C. a try to liberate people from old-fashioned ideas
D. an effort to give people a chance of talking freely
阅读理解（共20题； 每小题2分， 满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C 和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
They like using the Internet．They have lots of pocket money to spend．And they spend a higher proportion of it online than the rest of us．Teenagers are just the sort of people an online seller is interested in, and the things they want to buy－games, CDs and clothing－are easily sold on the Web.
But paying online is a tricky business for consumers who are too young to own credit cards．Most have to use a parent’s card．They want a facility that allows them to spend money.
That may come sooner than they think: new ways to take pocket money into cyber (网络的) space are coming out rapidly on both sides of the Atlantic．If successful, these products can stimulate online sales.
In general, teenagers spend huge amounts: $153bn (billion) in the US last year and ￡20bn annually in the UK．Most teenagers have access to the Internet at home or at school－88 percent in the US, 69 percent in the UK．According to the Jupiter Research, one in eight of those with Internet access has bought something online－mainly CDs and books.
In most cases, parents pay for these purchases with credit cards, an arrangement that is often unsatisfactory for them and their children．Pressing parents to spend online is less productive than pressing on the high street．They are more likely to ask “Why?” if you ask to spend some money online.
One way to help teenagers change notes and coins into cybercash is through prepaid cards such as InternetCash in the US and Smart cards in the UK．Similar to those for pay-as-you-go mobile telephones, they are sold in amounts such as ￡20 or $50 with a concealed 14-digit number that can be used to load the cash into an online account.
1.What does the word “They” in paragraph 1 refer to?
A. Sellers. B. Buyers. C. Teenagers. D. Parents.
2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. More than half of the teenagers in the US and the UK have Internet access.
B. Teenagers pay for goods online with their own credit cards.
C. Most teenagers in the US and the UK have bought something online.
D. Teenagers found it easier to persuade parents to buy online than in a shop.
3. A new way to help teenagers shop online is to use _________.
A. a new machine B. special coins and notes
C. prepaid cards D. pay-as-you-go mobile phones
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Online shopping traps. B. Internet users in the US and the UK.
C. New credit cards for parents. D. The arrival of cyber pocket money.
5. Which of the following words can best describe the writer’s attitude towards the phenomenon?
A. Proud and satisfied. B. Worried and anxious.
C. Objective and informative. D. Concerned and sad.
语法填空(共10小题；每小题1. 5分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空，并将答案填写在答卷标号为16-25的相应位置上。
Six days of spring rain had created a wild river 1. (run) by Nancy Brown’s farm. As she tried to drive her cows to higher ground, she 2. (slip) and hit her head on a fallen tree trunk. Nancy was badly hurt and could only walk with great 3. (difficult). The water 4. (rise). Nancy’s pace got slower and slower. Finally, all she could do was to throw her arm around Lizzie’s neck and try to hang on. About 20 minutes later, Lizzie managed to 5. (succeed) pull herself and Nancy out of the water and onto a bit of high land.
It took rescuers another two hours to discover Nancy. 6. helicopter lowered a doctor, 7. attached Nancy to a life-support lift. They raised her into the helicopter and took her to the school gym, 8. the Red Cross had set up an emergency shelter.
When the flood subsided two days later, Nancy immediately went back to the highland. Lizzie was gone. 9. was one of the 19 cows that Nancy lost. “I owe my life 10. her,” said Nancy sobbingly.
完形填空 (共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Every year on my birthday, a white gardenia (栀子花) was 1 to my house. But no card or note came with it. Calls to the flower shop were always 2 -- it was a cash purchase. After a while I stopped trying to discover the sender’s identity and just 3 in the beauty and heady perfume of that one magical, perfect white flower lying in soft pink paper.
But I never stopped 4 who the giver might be. My mother 5 to these imaginations. She asked me if there was someone for whom I had done a special kindness who might be showing 6 . I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy I fell in love with or one who had 7 me even though I didn’t know him.
One month before my high-school graduation, my father died. My feelings 8 from sorrow to fear and 9 : my dad was missing some of the most important events in my life. I became completely 10 in my coming graduation, the senior-class play and the ball. But my mother would not hear of my losing any of those things. Mother and I had gone shopping and found an impressive dress, but it was the 11 size. When my father died, I forgot about the dress.
The day before my ball, I found that dress-- in the right size—hanging over the living room sofa. It was 12 to me so lovingly. I didn’t 13 if I had a new dress or not. But my mother did. She wanted her children to feel 14 , filled with a sense that there was a beauty even in the face of 15 .
My mother died ten days after I was married. The following year the gardenia stopped coming.
1. A. given B. delivered C. taken D. brought
2. A. useful B. helpful C. in vain D. hopeful
3. A. delighted B. pleasant C. pleasing D. satisfied
4. A. considering B. remembering C. imagining D. recalling
5. A. referred B. led C. preferred D. contributed
6. A. appreciation B. honor C. grateful D. respect
7. A. observed B. watched C. noticed D. hated
8. A. ranged B. differed C. suffered D. judged
9. A. shock B. happiness C. depressing D. anger
10. A. uninterested B. interested C. unhappy D. disappointing
11. A. wrong B. false C. proper D. right
12. A. provided B. presented C. introduced D. awarded
13. A. doubt B. wonder C. desire D. care
14. A. loving B. loved C. respected D. honored
15. A. trouble B. despair C. problem D. sorrow
高中学校生涯即将结束时，你校高三年级拟举行一次有关“感恩”的英文演讲比赛。请根据以下要点写一篇120词左右的演讲稿。
要点：1.感恩对象; 2.为何感恩; 3.如何用实际行动表达自己的感恩之情。注意 1.只能选择一个感恩
的对象，如家人、老师、朋友等。
2.可给所给要点作适当发挥；
3.演讲稿中不得提及考生所在学校及本人姓名；
4.开头和结尾已经写好，不计入总词数。
Good afternoon, everyone! It’s a great honor to have the opportunity to be with you today. The topic my speech is “Thank you .”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for listening.
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
You may admire both the romantic love story and the mysterious city of Rome in the movie Roman Holiday. If you are planning to visit Rome, here are some cultural dos and don’ts you should know.
Coffee Etiquette: Italian breakfast consists of pastry and a cup of Cappuccino or shot of espresso. Cappuccino is generally a morning drink and is not drunk after noon by real Italians. A post-dinner espresso, however, is a common practice.
Dinner Rules: Guests are expected to arrive for dinner reservations at least fifteen minutes late. In many restaurants, printed menus are for tourists. Regular patrons know to ask for the daily specials, which typically feature the freshest ingredients. Bread, is rarely together with butter or olive oil.
Drink the Water: Rome has plenty of public water fountains, and real Romans and their dogs always drink directly from them. Many people also refill their water bottle from these fountains.
Mind the Traffic: Unless there's a traffic light, or you are in a crosswalk, don't expect cars to stop for you. Though crosswalks go first, in a car – crazy city, still you’d better keep cautious and walk cautiously.
Money: Always have some euros with you. Most major hotels, restaurants, and shops take credit cards, but many smaller operations either will either be unwilling to accept them for smaller purchases or do not accept credit cards at all. ATMs are available around the city and at the airports.
About Soccer: Most Italian men are passionate about their soccer. Arm yourself with some knowledge of Italy's soccer scene, and you will find ready conversation partners almost everywhere.
The Romans: The people here love to share their thoughts, opinions and emotions. They are creative, passionate, playful, occasionally rude or vain but always entertaining, and almost always good – humored.
|
Theme |
Dos and Don’ts in Rome |
|
Eating |
▲Always have your breakfast with a cup of drink, Cappuccino or espresso (76) . ▲Arrive at least fifteen minutes last if you (77) for dinner. ▲Bread, when served, is rarely (78) by butter or olive oil. ▲(79) some daily specials in restaurants directly, as regular customers do. |
|
Drinking |
▲Public water fountains are always (80) by real Romans and their dogs. ▲Refill your water bottles from the fountains, too. |
|
Traffic rules |
▲Never expect cars to stop for you unless in a crosswalk or there is a traffic light. ▲When you are in a crosswalk, you’d better keep (81) . |
|
(82) |
▲Have some euros with you for smaller (83) , because not all shops take credit cards. |
|
Communicating |
▲Start your (84) with local people by talking about Italian soccer and they will be (85) to share their opinions with you. |
