D
OUR KIDS ARE AMAZING－especially compared with everybody else’s (who seem to cry all the time). How do you show your love for your kids this holiday season? With toys that are smooth and colorful, interactive and exciting. And with ones that have educational value－because you are the boss.
1．FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET
Here is a toy that doesn’t need power－and the kids have to put it together themselves. This 50-piece puzzle set is made of soft-edged hardwood and makes a complete hospital, with an X-ray room. It also includes eight patients, a car and a driver. $135; flaxart.com.
2．TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL
Sure, it’s cool, but this colorful baby toy also develops problem solving and motor skills. It has a head and legs, a magnetic(磁性的) hand and a tail. Suitable for little ones from 6 to 36 months. $19.95; tinylove.com.
3．ROBOSAPIEN
This small, remote-control robot is really powerful. It performs 67 preprogrammed functions, including throwing, kicking, picking up and dancing. You can even program your own function-which, sadly, does not include doing windows. $99; robosapienonline.com.
4．MINI PEDAL CAR
Want a Mini Cooper but can’t fit the family inside? Get one for the kids. They can jump into this Mini car, which comes in hot orange with a single adjustable seat, and ride away. But it could spoil them for that used car they’ll be driving when they turn 16. For ages 3 to 5. $189; mininss. com (click on “gear up,” then “Mini motoring gear”).
1.Which toy is said to have the special design for children’s safety?
A．ROBOSAPIEN
B．MINI PEDAL CAR
C．FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET
D．TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL
2.Which toy are fit for three-year-old kids?
A．1 and 3． B．2 and 4．
C．1 and 2． D．3 and 4．
3.This passage is written for _______.
A．parents B．children
C．the writer D．the boss
C
How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments －mostly for entertainment purposes － is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range. The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusually and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered．Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild．Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.
1.How would the author describe the animals’ life in zoos?
A．Dangerous. B．Unhappy.
C．Natural. D．Easy.
2.In the state of zoochosis, animals _________.
A．remain in cages
B．behave strangely
C．attack other animals
D．enjoy moving around
3.What does the author try to argue in the passage?
A．Zoos are not worth the public support.
B．Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals.
C．Zoos should treat animals as human beings.
D．Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment.
4.The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by _________.
A．pointing out the faults in what zoos do
B．using evidence he has collected at zoos
C．questioning the way animals are protected
D．discussing the advantages of natural habitats
B
“Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh. “There is certainly a lot of energy in waves,” he said. Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity. Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean. “The wind starts out by making little ripples(涟漪), but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves,” Taylor said. “Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey.” When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine（涡轮机）. The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity.
“The resource is huge,” said Janet Swain of the World Watch Institute. “We will never run out of wave power.” Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal. Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface—that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome.
Swain said that wave power still costs too much money. She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown. What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic. Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out. “Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world,” Swain said. In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!
1.The writer uses the two questions at the beginning of the passage to .
A. test the readers’ knowledge about waves
B. draw the readers’ attention to the topic
C. show Jamie Taylor’s importance
D. invite the readers to answer them
2.The underlined phrase “picking up” is closest in meaning to .
A. starting again B. speeding up
C. improving D. gathering
3.We can make better use of wave energy if we .
A. shorten its journey to thousands of homes
B. build more small power stations on the oceans
C. reduce the cost of turning it into electric power
D. quicken the steps of producing electricity
4.It can be inferred that someday we might not worry about .
A. our power supply
B. our boat traffic
C. air pollution
D. our supply of sea fish
A
A shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. The boy walked a long way, and finally came upon the beautiful castle where the wise man lived.
On entering the main room of the castle, the boy was quite surprised: tradesmen coming and going, people chatting in the corners, and a small orchestra playing soft music. The wise man talked with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn.
The wise man listened carefully to the boy’s explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness. He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
“Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. “As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.”
The boy began to walk up and down stairs of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the wise man.
“Well,” asked the wise man, “Did you see the Persian tapestries（挂毯）in the hall? Did you see the garden that took the master gardener ten years to create?” The boy was embarrassed, and replied that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil.
“Then go back and observe the wonders of my world,” said the wise man. The boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace. This time he observed all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. When he returned, he described in detail everything he had seen.
“But where are the drops of oil?” asked the wise man. Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.
“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,” said the wise man. “The secret of happiness is to see all the wonders of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”
1.When the boy arrived at the castle, he .
A. received a warm welcome from the wise man
B. had already missed his chance to talk to the wise man
C. was shown around the palace by the local people
D. didn’t expect to see so many people around
2.The wise man gave the boy two tasks in order to .
A. show him how to observe the wonders in the world
B. teach him the secret of happiness
C. make him learn from his mistakes
D. let the boy enjoy his palace and garden
3. We can infer from the article that “the drops of the oil on the spoon” probably refer to .
A. the beauty of one’s nature
B. the fortune a person possesses
C. the responsibilities one has to take on
D. the great opportunities in life
4.What would be the best title for the article?
A. Lesson about Happiness
B. The Secret of Happiness
C. Learning about Happiness
D. Searching for Happiness
假如你是李华，最近你校在为一批来自英国的学生征寻住宿家庭，你有意申请。请用英语给校长写信，说明你申请的理由。
1.介绍家庭情况；
2.介绍自己的个人情况；
3.介绍自己的接待经验。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节以使行文连贯；
3.住宿家庭 host family
Dear Sir/Madam,
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下便条。便条中共有10处错误,每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加，删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（ ^ ），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除；把多余的词用斜线（ \ ）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Mary,
Our city had changed a lot in the past 5 years. Firstly, more high buildings have appeared, that are modern and beautiful. Many overpasses have set up, so it has become very convenient for people to travel. However, many families have got car of their own. The people’s life here has become rich or colorful. People can enjoy themselves travelling on the holiday. To my delighted, I can taste delicious food of different countries. And now it is easy for me to keep touch with you than before, for I can email you in my office.
Yours,
Christine
