閱讀提升

（一）

A

TODAY， Friday， November 12

JAZZ with The Mike Thomas Jazz Band at The Derby Arms. Upper Richmond Road West， Sheen.

DISCO Satin Sounds Disco. Free at The Lord Napier， Mortlake High St.， from 8 am to 8 pm. Tel： 682—1158.

SATURDAY， November 13

JAZZ Lysis at The Bulls Head， Barnes. Admission 60p.

MUSICAL HALL at The Star and Garter， Lower Richmond Road， Putney， provided by the Aba Daba Music Hall

company. Good food and entertainment fair price. Tel： 789—6749.

FAMILY night out？ Join the sing-along at The Black Horse. Sheen Road， Richmond.

JAZZ The John Bennett Big Band at The Bulls Head， Barnes. Admission 80p.

THE DERBY ARMS， Upper Richmond Road West， give you Joe on the electric accordion （手風(fēng)琴）. Tel： 789—4536.

SUNDAY， November 14

DISCO Satin Sounds Disco， free at The Lord Napier， Mortlake High Street， from 8 am to 8 pm.

FOLK MUSIC at The Derby Arms. The Short Stuff and residents the Norman Chop Trio （三重奏）. Non-members 70p.

Tel： 688—4626.

HEAVY MUSIC with Tony Simon at The Bull， Upper Richmond Road West， East Sheen.

THE DERBY ARMS， Upper Richmond Road West， give you Joe on the electric accordion.

1. You can hear the Mike Thomas Jazz Band ___ .

A. at the Derby Arms on Friday. B. at the Derby Arms on Sunday.

C. at the Bulls Head on Saturday. D. at the Black Horse on Saturday.

2. If you want to spend the Saturday with your family， where should you go？

A. Heavy Music at The Bull. B. The sing-along at The Black Horse.

C. Disco at The Lord Napier. D. Jazz at The Bulls Head.

3. To know the time the electric accordion starts on Sunday， you can call ___ .

A. 789—6749. B. 682—1158. C. 789—4536. D. 688—4626.

4. You can hear the Norman Chop Trio ___ .

A. at the Derby Arms on Sunday. B. at the Star and Garter on Sunday.

C. at the Lord Napier on Saturday. D. at the Black Horse on Saturday.

B

The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean， so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other forever. He sent his camera crew （全體工作人員） out one evening to film the sunset for him.

The next morning he said to the men， “Have you provided me with that sunset？”

“No， sir，” the men answered.

The director was angry. “Why not？” he asked.

“Well， sir，” one of the men answered， “were on the east coast here， and the sunset is in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea， if necessary， but not a sunset.”

“But I want a sunset！” the director shouted. “Go to the airport， take the next flight to the west coast， and get one.”

But then a young secretary had an idea. “Why dont you photograph a sunrise，” she suggested， “and then play it backwards？ Then itll look like a sunset.”

“Thats a very good idea！” the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said， “Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea.”

The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine oclock they took it to the director. “Here it is， sir，” they said， and gave it to him. He was very pleased.

They all went into the studio. “All right，” the director explained， “now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the ‘sunset behind them.”

The “sunset” began， but after a quarter of a minute， the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.

The birds in the film were flying backwards， and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach.

5. The director wanted to film a sunset over the ocean because ___ .

A. it was more moving than a sunrise

B. the ocean looked more beautiful at sunset

C. it went well with the separation of the hero and heroine

D. when they arrived at the beach it was already in the evening

6. One evening， the director sent his camera crew out ___ .

A. to meet the audience B. to film a scene on the sea

C. to watch a beautiful sunset D. to find an actor and an actress

7. Why did the director want to send his crew to the west coast？

A. Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset. B. Because he was angry with his crew.

C. Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset. D. Because it was his secretarys suggestion.

8. What can be inferred from the passage？

A. The crew were not good at filming.

B. The crew was ordered to stop filming at last.

C. The crew had to follow the heroines advice.

D. The crew wasnt able to film the scene the first day.

C

Parents have to do much less for their children today than they used to do， and home has become much less of a workshop. House， furniture and clothes can be bought ready-made； washing can be done in the washing machine； food can be bought， cooked and saved； milk arrives on the front door； bread is baked and can be bought in bakeries； meat can be eaten at the restaurant， the works canteen， and the school dining-room.

It is unusual now for father to do his job or deal with his business at home， and his children rarely， if ever， go to see him at his place of work. Boys are therefore seldom trained to follow their fathers career. In many towns boys have a fairly wide choice of employment and so do girls. The young working class often earns good money， and soon gains a feeling of economic independence.

In textile areas （紡織業(yè)） it has long been customary for mothers to go out to work， but this fact has become so widespread that the working mother is now an usual part of a childs home life. The number of married women in employment has doubled during the last twenty-five years. With mother earning and his older children drawing substantial （相當(dāng)?shù)模?wages， father is seldom the dominant （主導(dǎo)的） figure that he still was at the beginning of the century. When mother works， economic advantages accrue， but children lose something of great value if mothers employment prevents her from being home to greet them when they return from school.

9. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 means ___ .

A. home is much more of a workshop now B. home was less like a workshop in the past

C. home was more like a workshop in the past D. home-workshops are becoming fewer and fewer

10. The main reason why boys are seldom trained to follow their fathers career is that ___ .

A. children nowadays rarely see their fathers at their place of work

B. fathers do not like to deal with business at home any more

C. there is a wide choice of employment for children

D. children also like to have jobs outside

11. What makes father no longer the only dominant person in a family？

A. Mother and children do not need to financially depend only on father for their life.

B. The number of married women in employment has increased greatly now.

C. There are many choice of employment for mothers and children.

D. Father does much less for his children today than he used to.

12. What can we infer from the last paragraph？

A. Mother earns more than before. B. The working mother is always working at home.

C. The number of working mother has increased. D. Mothers employment makes children of little value.

D

Living happily for ever neednt only be for fairy tales. Australian researchers have identified what it takes to keep a couple together， and its a lot more than just being in love.

A couples ages， previous relationships and even whether they smoke or not are factors that influence whether their marriage is going to last， according to a study by researchers from the Australian National University.

The study， entitled “Whats Love Got to Do with It”， tracked nearly 2，500 couples — married or living together—from 2006 to 2013 to identify factors associated with those who remained together compared with those who divorced （離婚） or separated.

It found that a husband who is nine or more years older than his wife is twice as likely to get divorced as husbands who get married before they turn 25.

Children also influence the longevity （親密度） of a marriage or relationship， with one-fifth of couples who have kids before marriage—either from a previous relationship or in the same relationship—having separated compared to just 9 percent of couples without children born before marriage.

Women who want children much more than their partners are also more likely to get a divorce.

A couples parents also have a role to play in their own relationship， with the study showing 16 percent of men and women whose parents ever separated or divorced experienced separation themselves compared to 10 percent for those whose parents did not separate.

Also， partners who are on their second or third marriage are 90 percent more likely to separate than married couples who are both in their first marriage.

Not surprisingly， money also plays a role， with up to 16 percent of respondents who showed they were poor or where the husband—not the wife—was unemployed saying they had separated， compared with only 9 percent of couples with healthy finances.

And couples where one partner， and not the other， smokes are also more likely to have a relationship that ends in failure.

Factors which were found not to significantly affect separation risk included the number and age of children born to a married couple， the wifes employment rate and the number of years the couple had been employed.

The study was together written by Dr Rebecca Kippen and Professor Bruce Chapman from the Australian National University， and Dr Peng Yu from the Department of Families， Housing， Community Services and Local Affairs.

13. According to the passage， the study “Whats Love Got to Do with It” was written by ___ .

A. Dr Rebecca Kippen

B. The Australian National University

C. Dr Rebecca Kippen and Professor Bruce Chapman

D. Dr Rebecca Kippen， Professor Bruce Chapman and Dr Peng Yu

14. From the passage， how many people did they probably survey？

A. About 2013 couples. B. About 2006 couples.

C. About 2480 couples. D. About 90% of the world couples.

15. According to a study of the Australian National University， the things that influence peoples marriage are ___ .

A. the couples ages and hobbies B. the couples hobbies and relationships

C. the couples ages and previous relationships D. the financial condition of their parents

16. Which one of the following statements is TRUE？

A. A husband nine or more years older than his wife divorces more easily.

B. Children cant influence the longevity of a couple or their relationship.

C. That money also plays a role in a couples relationship surprises people.

D. The age and number of children and the wifes employment rate greatly influence a couple.

E

NASAs Opportunity rover （探測器） found evidence in Martian soils that water had once flowed across the surface there， excitedly hoping that the red planet may once have supported original life.

But a new study throws some cold water and a big handful of salt on those hopes.

“Liquid water is required by all species on Earth and weve assumed that water is the very least that would be necessary for life on Mars，” said study team member Nicholas J. Tosca， a Harvard University researcher. “However， to really assess Mars we need to consider the properties of its water. Not all of Earths waters are able to support life， and the limits of earth life are sharply defined by waters temperature， acidity and salinity （咸度）.”

Tosca and his team analyzed salt deposits （熔巖） in the 4-billion-year-old Martian rock investigated by Opportunity. The new analysis shows that the water that would have flowed across these ancient Martian rocks may have had a lot of salt.

“Our sense has been that while Mars is a bad environment for supporting life today， long ago it might closely resemble Earth，” said Andrew H. Knoll， also of Harvard and on the study team. “But this result suggests quite strongly that even as long as four billion years ago， the surface of Mars would have been challenging for life. No matter how far back we look into the history of Mars， we may never see a point at which the planet really looked like Earth.”

The research was presented in February at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.

Halophiles， or organisms that can tolerate high-salinity waters， are known to exist in places on Earth. But they likely changed from organisms that lived in purer waters， scientists think， making it unlikely that life would actually arise first in extremely salty waters.

“The high salinity， however， doesnt rule out （排除） life forms of a type weve never know，” Knoll added， “but life that could originate and stay in such a salty setting would require biochemistry different from any known among even the most strong lives on Earth.”

Knoll and Tosca also say the finding doesnt rule out the possibility that less salty waters once flowed on the planet. We just tell the world the real information that we have known. Please refer to and analyze it. We hope we can learn more about it in the future.

17. What differs from before is that now we know ___ .

A. there may be no life on Mars B. there may be lives on Mars

C. there may be liquid water on Mars D. there may be no liquid water on Mars

18. What can we know from Paragraph 3？

A. The lives on Mars dont need water.

B. The properties of water on Mars are bad for life.

C. The Earths water are suitable enough to support life.

D. Waters temperature can decide the limits of earth life.

19. According to the latest study， ___ .

A. the life may arise in extremely salty waters

B. Mars was once a good enviroment for life

C. if we go back far enough， we know how the Mars looks like the earth

D. the Martian rock investigated by Opportunity may exist about four billion years

20. What can be inferred from the passage？

A. There were pure waters across Mars.

B. There cant be any lives living in pure water.

C. We ever saw some lives living in very salty water.

D. Those can tolerate high-salinity waters once lived in purer waters.

（二）

A

Health， Wellness and Politics of Food

9： 00—9： 45 AM/Blue Tent

Panelists （專題討論小組成員）： Jami Bernard， David Kamp， Marion Nestle and Peter Singer.

Moderated （主持） by Denise Grady， science writer for the New York Times.

How does what we eat not only have effect on our bodies， but also the world？ This group of food and nutrition （營養(yǎng)） experts discuss the role that diet plays in both personal and global health and food politics.

Sports Writing： For the Love of the Game

9： 50—10： 35 AM/Blue Tent

Panelists： Christine Brennan， Ira Rosen， Joe Wallace and Joe Drape.

Moderated by William C. Rhoden， sports writer for the New York Times.

Whether catching that key moment of victory or defeat， or covering breaking news， sports writers are anything but audience. Listen as some of the industrys professionals discuss their personal experience of reporting sports news.

The Art of the Review

11： 15—12： 00 AM/Green Tent

Panelists： John Freeman， Barry Gewen， David Orr， Celia McGee and Jennifer Schuessler.

Moderated by Sam Tanenhaus， editor for the New York Times Book Service.

How much of an effect does the book review have on book sales？ Join this group of critics （評論家） as they discuss the reality of book review and bestseller lists， and how they choose books for review.

New York Writers， New York Stories

3： 00—3： 45 PM/Green Tent

Panelists： Cindy Adams， Richard Cohen， Ric Klass and Lauren Redniss.

Moderated by Clyde Haberman， writer for the city part of the New York Times.

Join this inspired group of New York-centric writers as they talk about why New York is a gold mine of ideas for their works.

1. About the four activities， we know that they ___ .

A. are all about writing B. will last 45 minutes each

C. all can be attended freely D. will attract many readers

2. If you are free in the afternoon， you can only attend ___ .

A. The Art of the Review B. New York Writers， New York Stories

C. Health， Wellness and Politics of Food D. Sports Writing： For the Love of the Game

3. If you like sports writing， you will most probably ___ .

A. attend the Art of the Review B. enjoy Jami Bernards talk

C. listen to Christine Brennans talk D. go to Blue Tent at 11：15am

4. If you want to know how critics choose books for review， you will most probably ___ .

A. attend Jami Bernards talk B. go to Green Tent at 11：30 am

C. listen to Cindy Adams talk D. enjoy the talk at Blue Tent at 10：00 am

B

I thought it was rather strange when my friend from the nursing home asked me to push her wheelchair through the puddles （泥水坑）. To meet my friends request， although I didnt really get it， we went off on our watery wheelchair walk. We made our way through each puddle together， a bit wet and smiling. In fact， after a few minutes， even I started looking for larger and more puddles to roll through.

After that we discovered something new that waited for us. As we headed down the street， there was a small pile of leaves. My friend asked me to roll her through them， and we did like rushing into piles of autumn leaves， which flew up into the air， softly moved around us and then fell gently back to the earth.

From wheelchair speeding through puddles and leaves， to bursting into laughter， and screaming for no particular reason， we were like two playmates realizing what it truly meant to enjoy life， taking no notice of the strange looks or unpleasant words from those around us. It was at that moment that I thought more deeply about my friends trouble. And now I see that the fun of the child had been locked inside her for all these years. So， all that she wanted to be with me was a child who was free， free to laugh， play and get wet.

Thanks to my friend， I am now on a journey to find all that make children come out and play.

5. The author decided to push wheelchair through the puddles because ___ .

A. she understood her friend B. she also liked the puddles

C. she just wanted to please her friend D. she wanted to go out for fun with her friend

6. What can we know about the authors friend？

A. She liked walking in wheelchair. B. She had great fun on the watery wheelchair walk.

C. She enioyed her life very much. D. She locked her children in room when she was out.

7. What did the author think of the wheelchair walk？

A. She was not satisfied. B. They both felt unhappy.

C. They gained a lot from it. D. Only her friend was very pleased.

8. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage？

A. A Wheelchair B. A Valuable Walk

C. An Important Friend D. A Life Journey

C

You may complain that there are too many tests on the way to the college entrance examination， but an increasing number of students want to take one more. That is the Scholastic Aptitude Test， or SAT， an American test for students who intend to apply for college admission.

Nearly every college in America accepts the SAT or Subject Tests as a part of its admissions process.

The SAT reasoning test （SAT1） is a measure of the critical （評判的） thinking skills youll need for academic success in college. The SAT1 includes three sections： writing， critical reading and math.

The SAT subject tests （SAT2） are designed to measure your knowledge and skills in particular subject areas. The SAT2 falls into five general subject areas： literature， US history， world history， math， science （biology， chemistry and physics） and languages.

However， not all SAT test takers want to apply for American universities. Some simply regard the SAT as a challenge.

Some hope to study in an American university， where more opportunities are available to get cutting-edge （前沿的） knowledge in this area. Others want to see how well they will do when faced up with plenty of pressure and also to evaluate their level by an American standard. Besides， the SAT makes school life more meaningful and well-balanced.

Most Chinese students have to have their SAT tests in May and June in Hong Kong right now because of the lack of agencies in mainland China.

Its suggested that the reading section is a bit hard， but the math is a piece of cake for Chinese students. What they should do more wisely is to try harder to prepare for them. Survival of the fittest （適者生存） is true both in America and China. That is something learnt beyond the SAT itself.

9. The SAT reasoning test includes the followings except ___ .

A. writing B. critical reading C. math D. science

10. According to the passage， which one of the following statements is TRUE ？

A. The SAT reasoning test covers particular subject areas.

B. The SAT subject tests cover the critical thinking skills.

C. All SAT test takers want to apply for American universities.

D. Most Chinese students can not have their SAT tests in mainland China.

11. Whats the advantages of studying in an American university ？

A. It is a challenge for students to adapt to the life in America.

B. It provides access to the students with the latest knowledge.

C. The students can learn something beyond the SAT itself.

D. The students can face plenty of stress easily.

12. Which of the following parts is the easiest one for Chinese students in SAT？

A. Math. B. Reading. C. History. D. Literature.

D

June 9th， 2012—Canada： For those of you who have been following this story， the third suspect （嫌疑犯） in the Canadian Cat Mutilation case has been caught. On June 8th， after just under a year of searching， the “Find Matt Campaign” received information that would comfort many. Now known as Matthew Kaczorowski， 21 years old， this cat mutilator （殘害人） was picked up by the police from the street of Vancouver.

In June 2011， three young men took a young cat， named “Kensington” after the area of town from where she was taken， from the street to a house. They began to cruelly treat and mutilate it to death， videotaping the attack. Two of the suspects， recognized as 21-year-old Jesse Champlain Power and 24-year-old Anthony Ryan Wennekers， were arrested shortly after the incident. Neither helped the police in an effort to find the third suspect， at the time known only as “Matt”.

In June 2011， Katie set up the “Find Matt Campaign”， with the goals of raising public awareness about animal cruelty and having as many eyes as possible 1ook for Matt.

“I dont think Matt would have been caught had it not been for Katie Woodwards information，” said Detective Gordon Scott， one of the arresting officers.

Kaczorowski faces the charges of animal cruelty， theft under $5，000 and possession of property taken by crime， but one charge remains absent： that of animal cruelty. According to Canadian law， this kind of crime must be charged within six months.

The case is now before the courts. While finding Matt is a big step in the right direction of this case， it is not over. It remains that Kensingtons guardian （監(jiān)護人） has not yet come forward. It is important that her guardian speak out to reduce the possibility of the charges being dropped.

13. What does the passage mainly talk about？

A. A cat was killed cruelly in Canada. B. A Canadian cat mutilator was caught.

C. People pay attention to animal protection. D. No crimes can escape from being charged.

14. Whats the purpose of setting up the “Find Matt Campaign”？

A. To draw the attention of the pubic on the incident.

B. To receive information of Katie Woodwards.

C. To call on people to protect animals.

D. To scare the mutilator.

15. Which one of the charges does Matt certainly have to face？

A. Stealing less than $5，000. B. His possession of property.

C. The crime of animal cruelty. D. A six-month imprisonment.

16. What can we infer from the passage ？

A. Catching Matt was easy for the police.

B. Very few people care about Matts case.

C. The final result of the case depends on the cats guardian.

D. Katie started the “Find Matt Campaign” to protect animals.

E

For a while， my neighborhood was taken over by an army of joggers （慢跑者）. They were there all the time： early morning， noon， and evening. There were little old ladies in gray sweaters， young couples in sneakers， and middle-aged men with red faces. “Come on！” My friend Alex encouraged me to join him as he jogged by my house every evening.

“Youll feel great.”

Well， I had nothing against feeling great and if Alex could jog every day， anyone could. So I took up jogging seriously and gave it a good two months of my life， and not a day more. Based on my experience， jogging is the most overvalued form of exercise around， and judging from the number of the people who left our neighborhood jogging army.

Im not alone in my opinion.

First of all， jogging is very hard on the body. Your legs and feet take a real pounding （追擊） running down a road for two or three miles. I developed foot， leg， and back problems. Then I read about a nationally famous jogger who died of a heart attack while jogging， and I had something else to worry about. Jogging doesnt kill hundreds of people， but if you have any physical weaknesses， jogging will surely bring them out， as it did with me.

Secondly， I got no enjoyment out of jogging. Putting one foot in front of the other for forty-five minutes isnt my idea of fun. Jogging is also a lonely pastime. Some joggers say， “I love being out there with just my thoughts.” Well， my thoughts began to bore me， and most of them were on how much my legs hurt.

And how could I enjoy something that brought me pain？ And that wasnt just the first week： it was practically every day for two months. I never got past the pain level， and pain isnt fun. What a cruel way to do it！ So many other exercises， including walking， lead to almost the same results painlessly， so why jog？

I dont jog any more， and I dont think I ever will. Im walking two miles three times a week at a fast pace， and that feels good. I bicycle to work when the weather is good. Im getting exercise， and Im enjoying it at the same time. I could never say the same for jogging， and Ive found a lot of better ways to stay in shape.

17. How long did the writers jogging last for？

A. One day. B. Two months.

C. One week. D. Forty-five minutes.

18. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 5 most probably refers to ___ .

A. heart attacks B. back problems

C. famous joggers D. physical weaknesses

19. Why did the writer give up jogging？

A. He disliked doing exercise outside. B. He was worried about being left alone.

C. He was afraid of having a heart attack. D. He found it neither healthy nor interesting.

20. From the writers experience， we can conclude that ___ .

A. not everyone enjoys jogging B. he is the only person who hates jogging

C. nothing other than jogging can help people keep fit D. jogging makes people feel greater than any other sport

（三）

A

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Dressnimpress keeps supplies of leading fashion designer brands such as Diesel， Miss Sixty， Playboy， Hugo Boss， Replay， G-Star and more. Free shipping on all orders over $100.

1. All the shops listed above deal with ___ .

A. gifts B. music C. clothes D. toys

2. A child who is fond of music will most probably visit ___ .

A. www.additionsdirect.co.uk B. www.dressnimpress.com

C. www.secretsales.com D. www.retailjunky.com

3. A customer who is not satisfied with what he has bought can still have his money back within a certain period at ___ .

A. AW Rust Designer Clothes B. Dressnimpress

C. Additions Direct D. Secret Sales

4. To shop at www.secretsales.com， you have to ___ .

A. keep your orders a secret B. order within a certain period

C. join a certain organization first D. order things worth more than 100 pounds

B

And here it comes. It has been away for seven hundred years， exploring the Galaxy （星系）， and at last， the great spaceship Life Finder， is coming home！

From here， Life Finder looks like a huge silver cigar. During its seven hundred years in space， it has had to repair and rebuild itself many times. None of its human fellows has ever seen the Earth before. This will be a very exciting moment for them.

This ship is falling through the sky now. Its going to land.

As it comes into land， Im going to talk to its robot leader， Big Nose Two.

“Good morning， Big Nose. Do you feel happier today？”

“Much happier， Bob. Its great to look down and see the sea. Its a wonderful feeling.”

“Its great to see you， too. Do you think you will fly any more missions？”

“Never again， Bob. I was bored out of my metal suit. Im going to buy a small farm and fill it with living animals. Then Im going to sit and watch them jumping about until I finally get recycled.”

And down it comes now. Life Finder falls into the sea. The crowd is cheering. The spaceship floats on the sea like a boat. Big Nose Two and his human vice-commander， Nebula Smith， are coming out of the spaceship. They look very happy.

Nebula Smith is smiling and telling the world that she is glad to see the Earth for the first time.

“We didnt find any alien life， but the mission was a success， because we have discovered that there is no other life in the Galaxy. We really are all alone here，” she says.

But nobody is listening. They are not even looking at her. They are all staring at the ship. It has rolled over in the water， and we see that the side of the ship is covered in strange， alien drawings.

And somebody or something has written a message down the side of the silver body， in huge letters in perfect English. It reads： Go home， Earth Monkeys！

Well， how did that get there？ Extraordinary！

5. Where does Bob most likely come from？

A. From the Earth. B. From the Galaxy.

C. From outer space. D. From the spaceship Life Finder.

6. Why does Nebula Smith say she is glad to see the Earth for the first time？

A. She is an alien. B. Shes found on the Earth.

C. Shes proud of the mission. D. She is born after the mission starts.

7. Who might have written “Go home， Earth Monkeys！” on the ship side？

A. Bob. B. An alien. C. Big Nose. D. Nebula Smith.

8. This article is most probably taken from ___ .

A. a report B. a short play C. an advertisement D. a science fiction

C

A new plan for getting children to and from school is being started by the local government in Eastern England. This could end the worries of many parents fearful for their childrens safety on the roads.

Until now the local government has only been prepared to provide bus services for children living more than three miles from their school， or sometimes less if special reasons exist. Now it has been decided that if a group of parents ask for help in organizing transport they will be prepared to go ahead， as long as the arrangement will not lose money and children taking part will be attending their nearest school.

The new plan is to be tried out this term for children living at Milton who attend Impington School. The children live just within the three-mile limit and the local government has said in the past that they will not undertake to provide free transport for the school.

But now they have agreed to offer a sum of money for a bus service from Milton to Impington and back， a plan which has the support of the schools headmaster.

Between 50 and 60 parents have said they would like their children to take part. Final calculations （計算） have still to be carried out， but a government official has said the cost to parents should be less than ￡20 a term.

They have been able to arrange the service at a low cost because there is already an agreement with the bus company for a bus to take children who live further away to Impington. The same bus would now just make one more journey to pick up the Milton children.

The official said they would get in touch with other groups of parents who in the past had asked if transport could be provided for their children， to see if they would like to take part in the new plan.

9. What is the aim of the plan？

A. To reduce the traffic pressure. B. To help the parents save money.

C. To save time for the government. D. To prevent the students road accidents.

10. Who will benefit from the new plan？

A. The children and teachers in Impinton School. B. Children living over 3 miles from their school.

C. Children living within 3 miles from their school. D. Children who couldnt afford the bus services before.

11. How can the local government arrange the new bus service at a low cost？

A. By limiting the number of the students.

B. By letting the bus run in the morning only.

C. By getting the support from the headmaster.

D. By connecting the new bus service with the existing one.

12. Which of the following is possible if the plan is carried out？

A. The parents can get rid of their worries.

B. The bus company will make much more money.

C. The children can choose whatever school they like.

D. The students in Impington School can have free bus rides.

13. What can we infer from the passage？

A. The local government did a bad job in the past.

B. The local government gained great support from the parents.

C. The local government are always providing free services for children.

D. The local government are making efforts to guarantee the Childrens safety on the roads.

D

The first breath-taking pictures of the earth taken from space showed it as a solid ball covered by brown land masses and blue-green oceans. We had never seen the earth from that distance before. To us， it appeared as though the earth had always looked that way and always would. Scientists now know， however， that the surface of the earth is not as permanent as we had thought.

Scientists explain that the surface of our planet is always moving. Continents move on the earth like huge ships at sea.

They float on pieces of the earths outer skin. New outer skin is created as melted rock is pushed up from below the ocean floor. Old outer skin is destroyed as it rolls down into the hot area and melts again.

Only since the 1960s have scientists really begun to understand that the planet earth is a great living machine. Some experts have said this new understanding is one of the most important revolutions （改革） in scientific thought. The revolution is based on the work of scientists who study the movement of the continents—a science called “plate tectonics”.

The modern story of plate tectonics begins with the German scientist Alfred Wegener. Before World War I， Wegener argued that the continents had moved and were still moving. He said the idea first occurred to him when he observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together like two pieces of a puzzle （拼圖）. He said that the two continents might have been one and then separated apart.

Wegener was not the first person to wonder about the shape of the continents. About 500 years ago， explorers thought about it when they made the first maps of Americas. The explorers noted the east coast of North America and South America would fit almost exactly into the west coast of Europe and South Africa. What the explorers did not do， but Wegener did， was to study the idea that the continents move.

14. What does the writer mainly tell us in the passage？

A. The first breath-taking pictures of the earth taken from space.

B. Humans recognition of the earths surface.

C. The German scientist Alfred Wegener.

D. The early explorers discovery.

15. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？

A. Alfred Wegener was not the first person to study the idea that the continents move.

B. We didnt see the earth from far away until we saw the pictures taken in space.

C. People in ancient times thought that the surface of the earth was moving.

D. The coastlines of India and Africa fit together.

16. The underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 “plate tectonics” means “___”.

A. study of construction B. study of great machines

C. study of scientific revolution D. study of continents moves

17. What did the explorers find？

A. The coast of North America and India could fit together.

B. The coast of North America and Africa could fit together.

C. The coast of South America and North Africa could fit together.

D. The east coast of North America and the west coast of Europe could fit together.

E

Keeping the brain active by working later in life may be an effective way to ward off Alzheimers disease， research suggests.

Researchers studied data from 1，320 dementia （癡呆） patients， including 382 men. They found that for the men， continuing to work late in life helped keep the brain active enough to delay dementia taking place.

The study was carried out by the Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College London. Around 700，000 people in the UK currently have dementia and experts have estimated that by 2051， the number could stand at 1.7 million. It is estimated that the condition already costs the UK economy 17 billion a year.

Dementia is caused by the mass loss of cells in the brain， and experts believe one way to guard against it is to build up as many connections between cells as possible by being mentally active throughout life. This is known as a “cognitive （認知的） reserve （儲備）.”

There is evidence to suggest that a good education is associated with a reduced dementia risk.

And the latest study suggests there can also be a positive effect of mental stimulation （刺激） continued into our later years. Those people who retired late developed Alzheimers at a later stage than those who decided not to work on. One more year of employment was associated with around a six week later stage of the beginning of the dementia.

Researcher Dr John Powell said， “The possibility that a persons cognitive reserve could still be changed later in life adds weight to the ‘use it or lose it concept where keeping active later in life has important health benefits， including reducing dementia risk.”

The researchers also admit that the nature of retirement is changing， and that for some people it may now be as effective as work.

18. What does the underlined part mean in Paragraph 1？

A. Turn off. B. Get off. C. Keep off. D. Take off.

19. How many people have dementia in the UK nowadays according to this passage？

A. 1，320. B. 700，000. C. 2051. D. 1，700，000.

20. We can infer from the passage that if a man keeps active later in life， he will ___ .

A. be healthier B. live longer

C. have dementia D. lose more cells in the brain

21. What is the best title of this passage？

A. Brain Connections. B. A Study on Dementia.

C. Keep the Brain Active. D. Keep Working to Avoid Dementia.

（四）

A

WELCOME TO YOUR FREE ISH MEMBERSHIP

Your Membership

International Students House is a unique， cultural and recreational centre providing a wide programme of events for students 310 days a year.

Located in a fashionable and safe neighbourhood， close to Regents Park， ISH is a central place to meet students from Britain and around the world.

ISH provides all its members with the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of sports and hobbies in a friendly and fun environment.

Many of the activities are free of charge as part of membership， while some charge a small fee.

Membership is open to all full-time students， professional trainees and student nurses.

LEARN

Lecture Series

ISH organizes a number of lively， topical lectures of politics and arts by famous speakers.

Language Classes

A variety of weekly language classes， including English， Spanish， Japanese and Italian.

ISH tries to offer as many development and educational programmes as possible for its members. Look out for additional workshops and leadership programmes. E-mail： learn@ish.org.uk.

CREATE

Sunday Cinema

Films are shown every Sunday evening at 19：30 including recent films， theme nights and classics.

Classes

Show your talents or learn from the beginning with our various classes and workshops which include Life Drawing， Photography， and Drama.

Throughout the year ISH holds numerous exhibitions， recitals （公演） and performances put on by the students. To get more information， e-mail： create@ish.org.uk.

TRAVEL

Travel Club

The Travel Club runs a comprehensive （綜合的） schedule of day and weekend trips to British and European countries. Students

get the chance to explore new parts of the UK and meet people from all over the world. Sightseeing， canoeing， hiking， eating out， socializing and meeting local people are what you can expect to experience during the trips. E-mail： travel@ish.org.uk.

ACTIVE

Classes

Try out our Martial Arts and Fitness Classes every week night including Kick Boxing， Tai Chi， Kung Fu and Shaolin as well as Yoga， and Aerobics classes. All our classes are run by qualified and professional instructors.

Sports

Join in our recreational and team sports such as football， volleyball， running， table tennis， and chess.

ISH Dangerous Sports Club

We also organize such activities as go-karting， pain-balling and adventure weekends. E-mail： active@ish.org.uk.

1. What can you do if you are a member of ISH？

A. You can travel to some Asian countries. B. You can attend many interesting lectures.

C. You can meet students only from Europe. D. You can attend French classes.

2. If you want to see a painting exhibition held by ISH， ___ .

A. you can e-mail： learn@ish.org.uk B. you can get a ticket free of charge

C. you must pay a small amount of money D. you can get some information through an e-mail

3. If you want to learn to take photos， which of the following e-mail addresses is useful to you？

A. learn@ish.org.uk. B. travel@ish.org.uk.

C. active@ish.org.uk. D. create@ish.org.uk.

4. If you like some adventure on weekends， youd better ___ .

A. go to Sunday Cinema B. join the Travel Club

C. take some Fitness Classes D. join ISH Dangerous Sports Club

B

Last night I was walking home next to the river Thames， when something strange happened to me. It was late at night and Id just had a few bottles of beer in my local pub， so I decided to stop by the riverside and look at the moon for a while. I sat on some steps very close to the waters edge and looked up at the big yellow moon. I felt very tired so I closed my eyes and after a few minutes， I fell asleep.

When I woke up， the moon had moved behind a cloud and it was very dark and cold. The wind was blowing and an owl hooted （貓頭鷹鳴叫） in a tree above me. I rubbed my eyes and started to get up， when suddenly I heard a splash. I looked down at the water and saw something. It was a long green arm and it was reaching out for my leg. I was so frightened that I couldnt move. The cold green hand was moving closer and closer when suddenly there was a blue flash and a strange noise from behind me. Someone jumped onto the stairs next to me.

He was wearing strange clothes and he had a crazy look in his eyes. He shouted “Get back！”. There was a bright flash and the monster hissed （發(fā)出嘶嘶聲） and disappeared. I looked up at the man. He looked strange， but kind. “Dont fall asleep by the river when theres a full moon，” he said. “The Moon Goblins （月亮女妖） will get you.” Id never heard of Moon Goblins before. I was trying to understand what he meant， when there was another blue flash and I closed my eyes. When I opened them again， he had gone. I couldnt believe what had happened.

What on earth were Moon Goblins， and who was the strange man？ And why had he saved me？

5. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. Some sound like a cats.

B. Some sound like an owls.

C. The sound just like a train passing by.

D. Some sound similar to that of a boy falling into the river.

6. What happened next the time when an arm was reaching out for my leg？

A. The moon had moved behind a cloud. B. Something was reaching out for my leg.

C. I started to get up， when suddenly I heard a splash. D. Someone jumped onto the stairs next to me.

7. What will most probably happen later？

A. I was frightened to death.

B. I tried to find out what had happend.

C. I found the man in the city the next day.

D. I jumped into the river and caught the man.

8. What would be the best title for the text？

A. Strange Questions B. The Moon Goblins

C. Fight with Monster D. An Adventurous Experience

C

Dutch Girl， 14， Sets Off on a Global Sailing Trip

Laura Dekker， a 14-year-old girl in Netherlands， whos determined to become the youngest girl ever to sail around the world on her own， set off on Wednesday saying the forbidding voyage did not frighten her. Laura Dekker left the small Dutch harbor town of Den Osse this morning for Portugal， where her effort will officially get under way.

She got on the yacht （游艇） Guppy with her father， Dick， who said he went along on the ride just to make sure everything was in working order before Laura arrives in Lisbon and heads for the open sea alone.

“I am not really afraid，”she told the journalists and supporters who came to the dock to see her off.

Shes already won one battle， after a court order freed her from the guardianship （監(jiān)護） of child protection services last week and her mother agreed to her voyage. To win the courts support， Laura took a training， finished another year of school and took a course in first aid.

“I can be sailing now， and thats great！”she told reporters.

The voyage drew extra concern after 16-year-old Abby Sunderland of California had to be saved in the Indian Ocean last month after the mast of her yacht broke suddenly as she attempted a solo trip around the world.

If Laura wants to beat the record， she will has to return to Lisbon by Sept. 16， 2013， and in a way time is on her side.

In May， 16-year-old Australian Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail nonstop around the world without any help， a journey she completed in 210 days.

But Lauras trip wont follow the same pattern. She plans to stop at ports along the way， and might even return home to catch up with her studies before getting back on deck.

She said she wasnt afraid of pirates （海盜） that have been causing trouble to the Gulf of Aden and would miss her dog， Spot.

Laura， who was born on a boat off New Zealand during a seven-year world trip and lives with her father in the harbor she left this morning， had her own yacht at age 6 and went alone at 12.

9. In which country will Laura Dekker really start her great voyage according to the passage？

A. Netherlands. B. New Zealand. C. Portugal. D. Sweden.

10. Which of the following statements is True？

A. Laura is a professional sailor. B. Lauras father bought her Guppy.

C. Lauras father voyaged all the way with her. D. Laura will start her single sailing in Lisbon.

11. How did Laura Dekker manage to win the courts support for her global voyage？

A. Her supporters gave her a lot of help.

B. Her mother didnt disagree with her any more.

C. She asked her father to be with her on her voyage.

D. She did a lot of work including a training， a first-aid course and another year of school.

12. When did Laura Dekker begin to have her own yacht according to the passage？

A. In 1996. B. In 2002. C. In 2004. D. In 2006.

D

African-American talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is among the worlds most famous people according to Forbes magazine. It placed Winfrey at the top of its yearly list of the 100 people with the biggest influence.

Winfrey， 51， draws 30 million viewers weekly in the United States. Her talk show reaches 112 countries. She earned US $225 million over the past 12 months and was listed second in the rich.

The yearly Forbes list gives most weight to yearly earnings. But it also looks at the celebritys presence on the Internet and in the media. “After 21 years， her exciting chat show still rules the airwaves，” the magazine said.

Winfrey is most popular with her popular talk show “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. She can always attract superstars and let them open up to her lively interview style. Winfreys method appears to be simple. She is in pursuit （追求） of selfimprovement and independence. This has proved to be just what people， especially women， want.

Winfrey often talks about her personal secrets on her show. That attracts viewers. For example， she made it known that she had been sexually abused （虐待） when she was a child， and has spoken freely of her struggle with her weight.

Her success has not just been on the screen. Her media group includes a womens TV network and websites for women. Her work has reached social change. In 1991， she did a lot of work for the National Child Protection Act. She testified （作證） before the US Senate to build a national database of dangerous child abusers. The Former President Bill Clinton later signed “The Oprah Bill” into law.

13. Which of the following statements is True？

A. Winfrey is actually a queen.

B. Winfrey made 225，000，000 last year.

C. Winfrey is the richest person according to Forbes.

D. Winfry was chosen on Forbes list because of her yearly earnings

14. What can we learn from the passage？

A. Oprah was at the top of the richest 100 people.

B. Oprahs success has not been only on the screen.

C. Oprah can attract superstars and get them to open up to her interview.

D. Oprah Winfrey doesnt earn much money.

15. The underlined phrase “rules the airwaves” in Paragraph 3 means “___”.

A. measures the airwaves B. causes many people to take planes

C. has a large number of viewers D. attracts many readers attention

16. Whats the best title of the passage？

A. Forbes Ranking List. B. The Oprah Winfrey Show.

C. Oprah Winfrey—the No. 1 Celebrity. D. Oprah Winfrey Liked by Americans.

E

The longest solar eclipse （日食） of the century cast a wide shadow for several minutes over Asia and the Pacific Ocean on 22th July， drawing people outside to watch the sight in the sky.

Day turned into night. Temperatures turned cooler in cities and villages filled with fans of astronomy. The total eclipse could be seen starting in India on Wednesday morning and moving eastward across China and parts of the Pacific. Millions cast their eyes towards the heavens to catch an unusual view of the suns colorful ring. Cloud in some areas prevented people from fully enjoying the sight. Still， many were frightened.

The total eclipse occurs about twice a year as the moon passes between the earth and the sun on the same plane as earths circle.

The local astronomy society gave a flash on how an eclipse happens. Wednesdays event lasted up to more than six minutes in some places. In India， thousands bathed in the Ganges River in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi to clean their souls. It was sunny sky in Hong Kong for the eclipse， where students， parents and the elderly flooded in a primary school to watch.

In Shanghai， children climbed up ladders to look through two large telescopes on the school roof to catch sight of the moon moving across the sun. Others looked through a pair of glasses covered with solar filter （濾光器） paper， where they could take pictures of the moon moving over the sun.

In some cultures， many old stories are about eclipses. In India， an eclipse was considered unfavorable. In Chinese tradition， there is a story about a heavenly dog eating the sun. As the story goes， people would make noise to frighten off the dog and save the sun.

17. What can we learn about the longest solar eclipse of the century？

A. Any of the Asians was excited to watch the eclipse.

B. All people in the world didnt see the longest eclipse.

C. Everyone saw the longest solar eclipse on Wednesday.

D. The Chinese all caught sight of the total eclipse at the same time.

18. What does the text imply about watching the total solar eclipse？

A. Everyone watched the solar eclipse for at least six minutes.

B. Indians were afraid of the eclipse， taking a dip in the river.

C. You can watch the total solar eclipse directly only with your eyes.

D. Your eyes would be hurt without filter equipment while watching.

19. Which of the following statements about eclipses is TURE according to the text？

A. Most Chinese people used to think eclipses would bring about misfortunes.

B. Indians think bad fortune will come about along with eclipses.

C. Chinese fathers were pleased to watch solar eclipses.

D. The Chinese people are too frightened to go outside when eclipses occur.

20. Where can we see the eclipse start？

A. In India. B. In Shanghai.

C. In Hong kong. D. In Pacific Ocean.

（五）

A

As our truck pulled up to the ranch （牧場） to start a three-month program for troubled boys， we passed a cowboy on his horse. Bill was the owner of the ranch， and he sat at the gate to wave us in. We made eye contact through the dusty window and he looked at me and touched the edge of his cowboy hat in welcome.

All summers long Bill and his ranch-hands taught us to ride horses， tie hay （干草）， cut up wood， and round up cattle.

He understood the value of working with our hands， and we respected him for his knowledge and gentle leadership. He knew how important it was for boys like me to know that someone believed in us. He trusted us to do the job and do it right， and we didnt want to let him down. Several times in that summer he took me fishing and we not only talked about how to cast a line， but also about my dreams and what I wanted from life. He encouraged me to make goals and shared stories from his own experiences.

The last day at the ranch， Bill pulled me aside and praised me for the work I had done in that summer—not only on the ranch， but also on myself. He told me that if I ever needed anything I could depend on him. Four years later， I took him up on that offer. I called him up and asked for a job. I told him how his belief in me had given me the courage to change my life. I explained that I wanted to help others in the same way. He offered me a job at once. Im proud to say that each summer Im the one who opens the gate for a truck full of young men who need someone to believe in them， so they can learn to believe in themselves.

1. Why did the author go to the the ranch？

A. To ask for a job. B. To make some new friends.

C. To solve some problems about himself. D. To learn some agricultural knowledge.

2. According to the passage， the writer ___ .

A. learned a lot from Bill B. was hired by Bill

C. went to the ranch every summer D. shared life with Bill

3. Bill offered the writer a job on the ranch mainly because ___ .

A. the writer did well on the ranch that summer B. his ranch was short of workers at that time

C. the writer was no longer a troubled boy D. Bill was kind and believed in the writer

4. What would be the best title for the passage？

A. Work on the Ranch B. Troubled Boys with Bill

C. Bill and His Ranch D. Believe in Others

B

In many countries today， laws protect wildlife. In India the need for such protection was realized centuries ago.

In about 300 B.C. an Indian writer described forests that were somewhat like national parks today. The killing of game animals was carefully governed. Some animals were fully protected. Within the forest， nobody was allowed to cut trees， burn wood， or trap animals for their furs. Animals that became dangerous to human visitors were trapped or killed outside the park， so that other animals would not become uneasy.

The need for wildlife protection is greater now than ever before. About a thousand sorts of animals are in danger of extinction， and the speed at which they are being destroyed has been putting on. The speed of extinction of mammals （哺乳動物）， for example， is now about one sort every year； from A.D. 1 to 1800， the speed was about one sort every fifty years.

Everywhere， men are trying to solve the problem of saving wildlife while caring for the worlds growing population.

5. The report says that in Indian forests long ago ___ .

A. hunters were given permits to hunt game animals B. the killing of game animals was controlled

C. dangerous animals must be killed D. no killing of animals was allowed

6. What can we learn from the text？

A. about a thousand sorts of mammals are in danger of dying out

B. the growth of the worlds population has meant a greater danger to wildlife

C. hunters who kill endangered sorts of animals are seriously punished by law

D. the speed of extinction of mammals is lower now than that from A.D. 1 to 1800

7. The underlined word “extinction” in the last paragraph most properly means “___”.

A. falling down B. dying out C. growing up D. going away

8. What can we infer from the passage？

A. The animals today are protected well in zoos.

B. People should cut down the population growth rate.

C. People are paying more attention to animal protection.

D. The speed of animals being destroyed is about one sort per year.

C

Larry Stewart， a 58-year-old businessman from Kansas City， has given 1.3 million dollars to strangers he met in the street. He used to hand out $5 and $10 bills to people who seemed down on their luck. When he became a successful businessman， the gifts rose to $100 bills.

Although Mr Stewart helped a large number of people， he refused to make his identity known， so people called him— Secret Santa. This summer， he was told that he had cancer.

After getting the terrible news， he decided to reveal （揭露） his identity in the hope that he might encourage others to go on with his Secret Santa career.

Mr Stewarts decision to help others happened for a reason. In the early 1970s， poor and jobless， he had to live in his car. In the late 1970s， he had a job and got some money， but in 1979， he was fired from his job in the week before Christmas. He felt very sad. One day， he saw an old woman sleeping in the street. It was cold， but the poor woman had no jacket on. Mr Stewart realized that there were others that were in a worse situation. He gave her a $20 bill. Suddenly， the poor woman opened her eyes and tears began to flow down her cheek. She said， “Sir， you have no idea what this means to me.” Mr Stewart went to the bank， withdrew 200 dollars and drove around Kansas looking for people to give the money to.

9. According to Paragraph 1， who might get Mr stewarts help？

A. Old woman. B. Homeless people.

C. People who have strange jobs. D. People who can cure his cancer.

10. After Mr Stewart knew he had cancer， he revealed his identity in order to ___ .

A. make people remember him after his death B. get help from those he had helped

C. get more people to help others D. satisfy peoples curiosity

11. Which of the following statements is TRUE about Mr Stewart？

A. He began to hand out bills before becoming a successful businessman.

B. He cared more about poor women in trouble.

C. He named himself Secret Santa.

D. He lived a rich life all his life.

12. The last paragraph mainly wants to tell us that ___ .

A. many people needed help in the 1970s B. a lot of people got help from Mr Stewart

C. how Mr Stewart began his Secret Santa career D. how Mr Stewart became a successful businessman

D

It has been a long discouraging fact for English language learners in China—English languages are so different that it is hard to learn to speak them as smoothly as the native speakers though we are trying our best to imitate. Maybe that is one of the reasons why so many of us choose to keep quiet most of the time.

Do we have to speak English in an English way？ Or American way？ Or Australian way？ How long will it take us to achieve the goal of speaking it in any of the most popular ways of speaking English？ Upon thinking about the problems， more English language learners will get further discouraged because very few of us can have enough time and proper chances to learn English way of acquiring （習(xí)得） it.

Some people then argue that the English you speak can show many things， including your background， your social status and the excellence of your behavior and so on， due to the historical influence of English languages at different times. British English used to be perfect because the UK was among the few top industrial and powerful countries in the world then.

Now its the turn of American English because the States is now the most powerful nation in the world. Speaking American English will be an advantage. Based on the theory， what kind of English will be the most influential？ Right， the English we are now using and speaking， as our great motherland is getting more and more powerful and stronger.

Language primarily （首要地） serves the purpose of communicating and exchanging ideas. What really counts is that ideas can be exchanged and information shared. Why shall we English learners bother ourselves with so many questions？

13. Most Chinese English learners wouldnt like to speak English because ___ .

A. they are so shy B. they are not native speakers

C. they cant speak it fluently D. they think English is so different

14. What does the underlined word “imitate” in Paragraph 1 mean？

A. Learn. B. Speak. C. Copy. D. Use.

15. The English you speak can show the following things except ___ .

A. your educational environment B. your position in society

C. your background D. your behavior

16. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage？

A. We neednt speak English in a popular way.

B. English learners just need to learn spoken English.

C. The purpose of English learning is only to communicate.

D. If you cant speak American English well， you will not find a good job.

E

Oscar Pistorius calls himself the worlds fastest man on no legs.

He was born with bones missing in his legs， which required amputation （截肢） below the knee shortly after his birth. But dont call Pistorius disabled. “I never met anything that I couldnt do. Obviously， if I had wanted to do something like ballet， I would have struggled，” he said with a smile.

One of those dreams was to become a competitive runner， and thanks to high-tech artificial limbs （假肢）， he has achieved this. At his first major competition， the 2004 Summer Paralympics （殘奧會） in Athens， he earned a gold medal in the 200-meter race.

He then topped his previous world record at the 2005 Paralympics World Cup， winning gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter events. And a year later at his 20， he again broke the 200-meter record as he took home first place in the 100meter， 200-meter and 400-meter events in his second Paralympics World Cup.

Now， he has his sights set on an even bigger competition： the 2016 Olympic Games. It is a dream within reach. Pistorius has been beating able-bodied athletes and finished second in the 400-meter race at the South African Nationals early this year.

But he is now facing a big problem. The International Association of Athletics Federations said Pistorius artificial limbs might not be a disability at all. They could be making him taller， and giving him extra spring.

The IAAF is still studying Pistorius case but has put forward a rule that might forbid him from appearing in any Olympic competition. This has provided him with a challenge that will take more than sweat and determination to overcome.

“That is like pure discrimination against disabled people and is unfair，” said Pistorius.

17. Paragraph 2 mainly tells us that ___ .

A. Pistorius refuses to admit that he is disabled

B. Pistorius leads a happy life despite his disability

C. Pistorius disability doesnt stop him achieving his goals

D. no one looks down upon Pistorius because of his disability

18. What is the time order of the following events in Pistorius life？

a. He won his first gold medal in the 200-meter race.

b. He began his career as an athlete.

c. He lived as a person without legs.

d. He took part in his first Paralympics World Cup.

e. The IAAF studied Pistorius case.

A.b，c，a，d，e B.c，b，d，a，e C.b，c，a，e，d D.c，b，a，d，e

19. How many gold medals did pistorius get according to the passage？

A. 7 B. 8 C. 6 D. 1

20. Which of the following facts may prevent Pistorius from taking part in the 2016 Olympic Games？

A. It is hard for him to compete with other runners.

B. Disabled athletes can only take part in Paralympics.

C. His artificial limbs may be considered to give him an unfair advantage.

D. His artificial limbs are not properly built according to the present standard.