Liu Qian, a magician from Taiwan, cast his spell(魔法)over an audience of thousands on the CCTV Spring Festival Show. Die-hard fans are still trying to work out the secrets behind many of the tricks he performed.
But Liu, 32, when asked, laughed off the idea that there might be an “answer” to his magic. “The most fascinating things about magic is the puzzling process. People enjoy how magicians make the impossible come true,” said Liu.
Few people today believe in the possibility of real magic. They also often fail to consider magicians’ devotion to their art. It can take a magician years’ of practice to perfect a trick before he performs it on stage.
Part of Liu’s star appeal is his astonishing skill. However, when he began in the industry, he was embarrassingly clumsy. “I could practice thousands of times for one single act. It wasn’t much fun,” he said.
No magician’s supernatural powers on stage extend to their life off stage. Liu says his life was no easier or funnier because he was a magician.
He developed an interest in magic at a young age, but didn’t consider making a living out of it until he graduated from university. He had studied Japanese language and found himself unable to find a job. “My parents never considered being a magician as a proper job. To begin with, I had little confidence I would be doing this in the long term,” he said.
Yet Liu felt a powerful calling to become a magician. “For many people, magic somehow means a miracle, which is something we all secretly wish for no matter how hard-bitten or cynical (愤世嫉俗的)we become,” he said.
Liu may be right. A popular modern dream is of the fairy godmother, who waves her magic wand (棒) and makes our dreams come true. But according to Liu, we all have the power to create magic in our lives. As Liu puts it: it’s not the magic that makes it work；it’s the way we work that makes it magic.
1. According to the passage, we can tell that ________.
A. being a famous magician, Liu Qian leads a comfortable life
B. it is a hard job for magicians to perform magic tricks well
C. Liu Qian’s parents supported his wish of earning a living by being a magician
D. Liu Qian showed great talents in performing magic tricks when he first took it up
2. As to whether there’s real magic, Liu Qian believes ________.
A. there is no real magic and what counts in our life is the way we work
B. if we secretly wish for something, magic will turn out to be a miracle
C. the puzzling process of performing magic tricks is the answer to magic
D. there exists a fairy godmother waving her magic wand to make our dreams come true
3. Which of the following sayings is similar to the underlined sentence in meaning?
A. All roads lead to Rome. B. Easier said than done.
C. Actions speak louder than words. D. Where there is a will, there is a way.
4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. Magic in our lives B. The answer to magic
C. A popular magician from Taiwan D. The way to become a successful magician
Due to the increasing number of violence acts produced in schools all over the world, more and more parents prefer to have their children educated at home rather than at school. This way they can assure their safety and well-being. Teachers and school representatives are trying to improve the situation in schools by increasing the number of the persons in charge of the safety of the students.
The main reason for violence acts are the films and cartoons that fill the children’s time. They want to do everything they watch on TV and never think of the consequences, they may hurt a classmate or a teacher. On the other hand, parents are not fully satisfied with the children’s results obtained in classes and they consider private classes would have better results. When a teacher is obliged to watch 30 students in class he can’t probably see what each of them is doing, how he is writing, or if he understood the explanations. At home the teacher can explain in details everything the child doesn’t understand as many times as he considers proper.
Many times, the child grows fond of the teacher at home, who becomes his best friend, and who helps him whenever he needs someone to talk to. However, the best solution would be a mixture between the education received at school and that at home. School makes children communicate and socialize. Keeping a child at home for fear something bad might happen to him, only makes the child’s character weak and prevents him from knowing what real life is. Staying in a crystal ball only does harm to the child.
All in all, schools have been created to help children, not to harm them, so it’s best to keep children in these special places, where they learn, laugh, have fun and make new friends.
1. The writer’s purpose in writing the text is to_____________ .
A. teach parents the ways to keep the children safe
B. show solutions to developing children’s character
C. explain the main reason for violence acts in schools
D. analyze an education problem and give opinions
2. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A. Advantages and Disadvantages of Private Classes
B. Who is to Blame, Parents or Schools?
C. which is Better, School Study or Home Study?
D. The Relationship between Teachers and Children
3. What does “a crystal ball” in the passage refer to?
A. A toy that can be used for entertainment.
B. A safe and comfortable environment.
C. An object that is made of crystal.
D. A setback that is hard to overcome.
4. We call infer from the passage that____________.
A. violence TV programs have bad effects on children’s behavior
B. the teacher at home is more patient than the teacher at school
C. children today are weak from lack of sense of right and wrong
D. there are too many students in class for a teacher to teach
第三部分 阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Birds are the only animals with feathers, although some other animals, such as insects and bats, also have wings. Nearly all birds can fly, and even flightless birds, such as ostriches (鸵鸟), penguins, evolved from flying ancestors.
Birds are found worldwide in many habitats. They can fly over some of the highest mountains on earth as well as both of the earth’s poles, dive through water to depths of more than 250m, and occupy habitats with the most extreme climates on the planet, including arctic tundra (冻土地带) and the Sahara Desert. Certain kinds of seabirds are commonly seen over the open ocean thousands of kilometers from the nearest land, but all birds must come ashore to raise their young.
Highly developed animals, birds are sensitive and responsive, colorful and graceful, with habits that excite interest and inquiry. People have long been fascinated by birds, in part because birds are found in the same habitats in which humans live. And like people, most species of birds are active during daylight hours. Humans find inspiration in birds’ capacity for flight and in their musical calls. Humans also find birds useful---their flesh and eggs for food, their feathers for warmth, and their companionship. Perhaps a key basis for our friendliness with birds is the similarity of our sensory worlds: Both birds and humans rely more heavily on hearing and color vision than on smell. Birds are useful indicators of the quality of the environment, because the health of bird populations mirrors the health of our environment. The rapid decline in birds populations and the accelerating extinction rates of birds in the world’s forests, grassland, wetlands, and islands are therefore reasons for great concern.
1.Which of the following would be the best title of the text?
A. Animals with Feathers and Wings
B. Our friendliness with birds
C. An introduction to Birds
D. Bird’s life
2 What does the second paragraph mainly tell us ?
A. Bird’s friendship B. Bird’s habitats
C. Bird’s raising D. Bird’s environment
3.Which of following is NOT true according to the passage ?
A. Bird’s flying abilities and musical calls inspire humans greatly.
B. Birds live in the same surroundings in which humans live.
C. Both birds and humans rely more heavily on hearing and smell than on color vision.
D. Bird’s flesh and eggs for food, bird’s feathers for warmth, and their companionship are useful to us.
4.From the text it may imply but NOT state that __________.
A. the environment is being damaged seriously
B. if you want to raise birds, you should pay attention to environment
C. the environment affects the human beings
D. bird populations decrease rapidly
第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
I once heard the story of a grown bear that lived in a cage and traveled with a circus ever since he was young. The bear spent every day of his life 16 back and forth in his cage while lots of 17 looked on. When the keepers weren’t 18 , some visitors would throw pieces of food 19 broken glass into the cage. When the great bear would eat what he thought was a(n) 20 meal, the broken glass 21 cut his throat and stomach.
One day an animal lover visited the circus and saw the 22 , things that the people were doing. He felt so 23 for the animal that he decided to buy the bear. The circus 24 to sell the bear to him and they set up a 25 to send it.
When the day arrived for the bear to be 26 , everyone was waiting to see what would happen. To everyone’s 27 , when the door of the cage was opened for the first time, the bear 28 paced back and forth as usual. The bear didn’t seem to 29 that the cage door was open. Finally the keepers got the bear out of the cage and rolled it 30 . What they saw next shocked everyone. The bear 31 at his new home. Then to everyone’s surprise and 32 , the bear began his pacing again. Back and forth he would go as if he was in a(n) 33 cage. In the end, he had to be put to sleep.
I hope and 34 that you are not living a life like the bear described above. I heard a(n) 35 recently, “Don’t let your past dictate who you are, but do let it influence who you become.”
16. A. bending B. confusing C. removing D. pacing
17. A. activists B. visitors C. keepers D. bears
18. A. tidying B. contacting C. looking D. existing
19. A. made up B. kept up C. made of D. filled with
20. A. wonderful B. simple C. unforgettable D. frustrating
21. A. should B. will C. may D. would
22. A. terrible B. strange C. amusing D. endless
23. A. promising B. silent C. pity D. fair
24. A. refused B. thrilled C. agreed D. inspired
25. A. rule B. date C. company D. calendar
26. A. sold B. delivered C. presented D. shot
27. A. surprise B. sadness C. comment D. entertainment
28. A. originally B. anxiously C. simply D. enjoyably
29. A. bother B. dream C. desire D. care
30. A. in B. up C. out D. away
31. A. traveled around B. looked into C. checked in D. looked around
32. A. excitement B. disappointment C. eagerness D. imagination
33. A. lovely B. precious C. imaginary D. similar
34. A. advise B. pray C. explain D. educate
35. A. statement B. announcement C. method D. quote
Soon after he left the hotel he was lost. So he decided to ask for ___________.
A. purposes B. directions C. approaches D. destinations
_________ he was told his father was injured in an accident on the phone, he ran to the hospital.
A. Quickly B. Unfortunately C. Directly D. Hardly
