There is one language that is used in every country in the world. The people who use it are young and old, short and tall, thin and fat. It is everybody’s second language. It is easy to understand, although you can’t hear it. It is sign language.
When you wave to a friend who is across the street, you are using sign language. When you smile at someone, you are saying, “I want to be friendly”, but you are not using speech. You are using sign language. When you raise your hand in class, you are saying, “Please ask me. I think I know the correct answer.”
Babies who can’t talk can point at things. They are using sign language. A policeman who wants to stop traffic holds up his hands. He is using sign language.
Many years ago, a French priest（神父）, Charles Michel de Epee, became interested in education for deaf people. He invented a finger alphabet (字母表). It is still in use. People can make the sign for letters and spell words with their hands, and deaf people can read and understand them. Soon there were schools for the deaf in many countries. The only university for the deaf is Gallaudet College in Washington, D.C.
Today, in the United States, there are special TV news programs for deaf people. The newsreader tells the news in sign language. At the same time, the words appear on the TV screen.
The actors in the Theatre of Deaf don’t spell every word. Sometimes they use hand signs. When they put two hands together, it means sandwich. They can make a roof with their hands when they want to show a house. One finger in front of an actor’s mouth can mean quiet. You can talk to people who are behind windows that are closed. And when you go swimming with your friends, you can have conversations under water.
How many hand signs do you use every day?
小題1:. Which of the following about sign language is TRUE?

A．It is a special language used in a few countries in the world.

B．It is a way to express one’s ideas without words.

C．It is only used by the deaf.

D．It can be heard.

小題2:. If you want to express the idea that “I am very friendly” to someone, you will ______.

A．raise your hand	B．put one hand onto the other
C．smile to the person	D．make a roof with your hands

小題3:. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Hand signs instead of finger signs are used everyday.
B. There are schools, colleges and universities for the deaf in the USA.
C. The French priest Charles invented sign language.
D. Even babies are using sign language.
小題4:.The passage is mainly about ______.

A．a(chǎn)n introduction to sign language	B．the importance of sign language
C．a(chǎn) famous priest in France	D．how to use sign language

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states—at least in getting people off welfare．It's estimated that more than 2 million people have left the list since 1994．
In the past four years, welfare list in Athens County have been cut in half．But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $ 6 an hour．The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent —twice the national average．For advocates（代言人） for the poor, that's an indication that much more needs to be done．
"More people are getting jobs, but it's not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington．A center analysis of US Census data （戶口普查資料） nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed families were earning money on their own, but that average income for these families actually went down．
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory．"Welfare was a poison．It was a poisonous substance that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst．"The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities．It's beginning to rebuild the work ethic （道德觀）, which is much more important．"
Mr．Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked," then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards．
小題1:．From the passage, it can be seen that the author __   __．

A．believes the reform has reduced the government's burden

B．insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor

C．is not interested in the success of welfare reform

D．considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful

小題2:．Why aren't people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?

A．Because many families end their marriage．

B．Because government aid is now rare．

C．Because their wages are still low．

D．Because the cost of living is rising．

小題3:．From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at____．
A．saving welfare funds                   B, rebuilding the work ethic
C．providing more jobs                                     D．cutting government expenses
小題4:According to the passage,____ before the welfare reform was carried out．

A．the poverty rate was lower

B．a(chǎn)verage living standards were higher

C．the average worker was paid higher-wages

D．the poor used to rely on government aid

A simple flower made headlines in the British press last week. How could that be?
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers were attending a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. They insisted on wearing poppies(罌粟花) in their buttonholes.
What’s wrong with that?
According to the Global Times, Chinese officials apparently had asked the UK delegation not to wear poppies. The British said that poppies meant a great deal to them on that day and they would wear them all the same.
So what’s the significance of the poppy? It’s a flower which has different cultural and symbolic meanings for British and Chinese people.
From the Chinese point of view, the poppy is a symbol of China’s humiliation at the hands of European powers in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Britain forced China to open the borders to trade —including in the opium —which was made from poppies grown in India.
Yet from the British viewpoint the poppy is a reminder of the killing during Word War I. Red poppies grew on the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium where many thousands of British soldiers died or were buried. Since then, Poppy Day (November 11) has become a time in the UK to wear poppies and remember the sacrifices of British soldiers and civilians in times of war.
So you can see that the poppy sets off strong feelings in the hearts of Chinese and British people for different reasons. And it makes sense for us to try to understand each other’s standpoint.
Of course cultural differences can also be interesting and funny. And what one nation thinks is an acceptable gift may be viewed differently by their guest from overseas. US President Barack Obama gave a gift of an iPod to Britain’s Queen —a dull person with no interest in music. Obama also presented Gordon Brown with a fine selection of American movies. But they were in US format and impossible to play on British DVD players.
Many countries have diplomats stationed overseas. Diplomats provide information and advice to their governments back home. However, sometimes it would seem that even diplomats can overlook the cultural significance of a small flower.
(   ) 小題1:.  British Prime Minister David Cameron probably attended a reception in Beijing on         .

A．October 1

B．November 11

C．December 31

D．January 1

(   ) 小題2:.  The poppy reminds the Chinese of         .

A．the shame caused by European countries in the 19th century

B．the British soldiers who were killed and buried during World War I

C．the Chinese soldiers killed during World War II

D．the suffering caused by Britain during World War I

(   ) 小題3:. The diplomatic problem in Beijing is mainly caused by         .

A．the translation mistake	B．the language difference
C．the cultural difference	D．the different lifestyle

(   ) 小題4:.  We can infer that         .

A．Britain’s Queen is not interested in art

B．Gordon Brown was fond of American movies US President Barack Obama sent him

C．US President Barack Obama received a gift for music

D．Britain’s Queen may not like the iPod US President Barack Obama presented her

(   ) 小題5:.  What is the main idea of the 9th paragraph?

A．Cultural difference can also be interesting and funny.

B．Cultural differences can cause a big problem.

C．US President Barack Obama likes to present gifts to other leaders.

D．US leaders and British leaders get along well with each other.

完形填空（共10分）
We live in the “computer age”. People like scientists, teachers, writers  and even students use computers to do  16 work. But more than 40 years ago,  17 couldn’t do much. They were very big and expensive. Very  18 people were interested in them and knew how to use them. Today computers are smaller and  19 .  20  they can do a lot of work, many people like to use them. Some people even have them at home.
Computers become very important because they can work  21  than men and make fewer mistakes. Computers can  22  people do a lot of work. Writers now use computers to write. Teachers use them to help teaching. Students use them to study and children use them to play games. Computers can also remember what you put  23 them. Computers are very  24 and helpful. They are our good friends.
Do you want to  25 a computer?

小題1:	A．many of B．a(chǎn)ll kinds of C．a(chǎn) lot D．very much

小題2:	A．scientists B．teachers C．students D．computers

小題3:	A．few B．little C．a(chǎn) few D．a(chǎn) little

小題4:	A．cheap B．cheaper C．expensive D．more expensive

小題5:	A．But B．And C．Since D．If

小題6:	A．slow B．slower C．fast D．faster

小題7:	A．help B．make C．use D．stop

小題8:	A．in B．into C．on D．up

小題9:	A．beautiful B．careful C．useful D．heavy

小題10:

A．pay B．sell C．lend D．have

What do you usually expect from a pop star’s concert? Dazzling stage design, mysterious guest singers or sensational costumes? The answer is yes for most singers. But no when it comes to David Tao’s concerts. “ I won’t invite guests to perform. I won’t dance, take off my clothes or dress up like a peacock to attract attention,” Tao said.Tao insisted a concert should offer nothing more than music.
Tao has been on the music scene since 1997. Quality is the word that can best describe his works. With six albums in 10 years, the 38-year-old singer is not prolific(多產(chǎn)的 ), but he has achieved much more than other Chinese singers who have produced 10 or more albums in a short time.
Tao is called the “ Godfather of R&B” in China and has been a trendsetter(創(chuàng)新者) in China’s music industry. His albums have won various awards in Asia for his socially conscious lyrics, simple rhythms and creative mix of traditional sounds, like Peking Opera and traditional Chinese musical instruments.
Tao’s parents were famous entertainers in Taiwan. Tao spent some of his childhood in Hong Kong. His father was an actor, singer and composer, while his mother was a Peking Opera artist. His parents once moved to the United States and his father worked for Walt Disney. Later his parents returned to Taiwan where his father began his singing career, leaving David to finish his education in the United States. Tao met Taiwanese producer, Wang Zhi Ping, who offered him a job. So Tao went back to Taiwan to write and produce songs for many singers. In 1997 with the help of Wang and another Taiwanese producer, Jim Lee, Tao released his first album which set a record in Taiwan as the first album from a new singer. Tao won two awards, Best Newcomer and Best Producer, becoming the first new comer/singer to also win a Best Producer award during the 9th GMA (金曲獎). Later, Tao released his second album. In this album Tao tried many musical styles including his favorite rock music; in fact each song is different in their style and music arrangement.
“I grew up listening to the most fashionably mixed types of music with my father playing Elvis Presley’s songs in one room and my mother singing Peking Opera in another,” Tao said jokingly.
Tao said he will release a new album after the tour and then he will switch roles to become a film director. Preparation for the movie has already begun and it will be released in 2011. “ After the concert, I will switch my focus to that. I hope I can make it one thing after another.”
小題1:To pop star Tao, what is the most important thing to a concert?

A．Costumes.	B．Stage design.
C．Guest singers.	D．Music and interaction.

小題2: According to the passage, the reasons for Tao’s albums to win awards are as follows EXCEPT____.

A．socially conscious lyrics	B．simple rhythms
C．mix of traditional sounds	D．quantities of albums

小題3:. Tao is successful and called the “ Godfather of R&B” because_______.

A．his parents influenced him a lot

B．he himself is prolific

C．he is creative in music

D．Both A and C

小題4: We can infer from the passage that after the concert,_______.

A．Tao will spend less time in his music

B．Tao will spend all his time producing music

C．Tao will become an actor

D．Tao will make two films

Commonwealth Games gold winner Liam Killeen is one of England’s most successful Mountain Biking stars. Liam recently came third in the opening round of the World Cup Series.
Do you come from a sporty family?
NO, but my family have encouraged me and supported me from the beginning of my career.
Were there any sports you didn’t like playing at school?
I didn’t do much swimming or cricket. My school focused more on rugby and athletics including cross-country running which I really enjoyed.
How does it feel to represent England?
Good, and it’s a responsibility as well as an honor, whether representing England, as in the Commonwealth Games, or Great Britain as I did in the Athens Olympics (2004). I am proud to represent a nation that is generally well regarded by others.
Which other sports stars do you like?
Everyone who has made it to world class competition level has earned respect. I particularly admire Paula Radcliffe and Lance Armstrong.
What are your hopes for the future?
To have this season continue as successfully as it has started and make the podium in the World Cup in Fort William in May, and at the Mountain Bike World Championship on 27^th August this year in New Zealand. In the longer term, to win a medal at the Olympics in Britain and to see more people racing and enjoying mountain biking.
小題1:The passage is taken from        .

A．a(chǎn)n interview between a reporter and Liam Killeen

B．a(chǎn) daily talk between Liam Killeen and his father

C．a(chǎn) book written by Liam Killeen

D．a(chǎn) speech made by Liam Killeen

小題2:Liam Killeen won a gold medal in the        .

A．World Championships	B．World Cup
C．Commonwealth Games	D．Olympic Games

小題3:.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Liam’s family enjoy sports very much.

B．Liam loves swimming and mountain biking

C．Liam took part in the Olympic Games in 2004

D．Liam’s father also enjoys mountain biking very much

小題4:From the passage we can infer that        .

A．Liam Killeen will win a gold medal in the Olympics in 2012

B．Lance Armstrong is a world-class sports player

C．Liam Killeen has earned a lot of money

D．Liam has won many gold medals in world competitions

Washington, April 4----- The United States has more than 90 million families for the first time, but each contains fewer people on average than ever, the Census Bureau(統(tǒng)計局) reported today.
The 90,031,000 families in the United States averaged 2.64 members each as of last July 1.“The reason is, in effect, changes in the age structure,” explained Campbell Gibson, a population researcher for the bureau. Most Americans born in the great explosion of births are now in their 20’s and 30’s when they most likely to set up families, he said.
The fact that many are doing so increased the number of families from 80.4 million in 1980 t0 88.8 million in 1986 and past the 90 million mark last summer.
At the same time, the average number of people per family dropped from 2.75 in 1985 to 2.65 in 1986 and then to 2.64, Mr Gibson said.
By comparison, the 1970 Census found the average family contained 3.14 people. Families averaged more than four people in 1939 and more than five in 1880.
The growing number of ever---- smaller families is still going on, but Mr Gibson pointed out that family growth was not the same as population increase in the 1970’s.
The same age factors that are increasing the number of families also happened then, but in the 1970’s the proportion(比例) of families in each age group was also growing.
That hasn’t continued in the 1980’s for a number of possible reasons, Mr Gibson said. For example, in the 1980’s more young people have chosen to remain home with their parents instead of setting up housekeeping on their own, as many did in the 1970’s.
This could be caused by the increasing cost of housing, he said. Delays in marriage while young people go to work and school, have also been widely reported as a factor, but it was not the only factor for the family changes.
小題1:The smaller figure of families reported here is _________.

A．1980

B．80,400,000

C．2.64

D．90 million

小題2:What’s the reporter’s attitude towards the present situation?
A. People should get married at later age.

2. The average number of family members should be 2.64.
3. It’s not clear in the report.
4. Young people should set up housekeeping on their own, as many did in the 1970’s.

小題3:From the last paragraph we may infer that________.
A. delay in marriage will not help the number of the families

2. delay in marriage is the major factor of the family changes
3. the writer felt sorry that many young people now delay their marriages
4. there must be some other factors which have led to the slower growth in the 1980’s

小題4: The underlined word “factor” in the passage means_________.

A．reason	B．something that proves be true
C．a(chǎn)dvantage	D．something that helps to bring about a result

When the shooting of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was complete, it was much more than a movie wrap-up (結束).
Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley, told The Sunday Times that he’s happy to have the time for romance now filming is over. Emma Watson, who is Hermione Granger in the movies, said she looked forward to “finally being free, being my own person” – a change signaled by her new haircut.
Daniel Radcliffe, who has been the face of the boy wizard since 2001, said that he “did cry like a little girl” when the last movie finished.
“It’s like the ending of a relationship,” he told The Vancouver Sun. “There’s a sense of, ‘God, what am I going to do now?’” He said he was eager to see “what life holds for him beyond Hogwarts”.
Along with the three actors, Harry Potter fans, now in their late teens, came of age with J.K. Rowling’s characters. For them, the last film isn’t just a goodbye to a decade of magic, but the close of their childhoods.
“We are the Harry Potter generation,” Canadian Andrea Hill, 19, told The Vancouver Sun. “We started in elementary school, reading about a boy our age who was going through the same things we were going through. We grew up, so did he.”
For Emily Chahal, an 18-year-old student, the series has been an inspiring journey. “That first book was what started my love of literature. It was the inspiration for everything – really teaching me to appreciate my friends, and to face difficulties with a sense of courage,” she said. “I have a sense of sadness. The end of the movies is kind of the end of my childhood, too.”
Fortunately, to the delight of die-hard fans, there are many things that keep the boy wizard alive. For example, in June this year, a Harry Potter theme park opened in Florida, US.
Some schools in the US and UK also have Quidditch teams – players ride broomsticks. “We’re not waiting anymore to see what happens to Harry next,” Hill told The Vancouver Sun. She founded a Quidditch club at Carleton University in Canada. “We’re still engaged in that magical world.”
小題1:.
How did Emma Watson feel when she finished the shooting of the Harry Potter series?

A．She cried like a little girl.

B．She was ready to move onto something new.

C．She was happy to have the time for romance.

D．She felt it was like the end of a relationship.

小題2:.
. What did Daniel Radcliffe mean by saying he was eager to see “what life holds for him beyond Hogwarts”?

A．He was bored with life in Hogwarts.

B．He couldn’t wait to graduate from Hogwarts.

C．He missed life in Hogwarts now he had left.

D．He was looking forward to new life out of Hogwarts.

小題3:.
. The series has brought Emily Chahal all the following EXCEPT _______.

A．the chance to live in a magical world

B．the courage to face difficulties

C．the appreciation of her friends

D．encouragement to love literature

小題4:.
What is the main focus of the article?

A．Celebration of the close of childhood.

B．Fans’ love for the Harry Potter series.

C．Mixed feelings about the end of the series.

D．Excited anticipation of the opening of the Harry Potter theme park.

Sandstorms hit northwestern China's Gansu Province and North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on the first day this year. According to Sun Landong， a meteorologist with the Lanzhou Meteorology Observatory，visibility was less than 100 meters in Minqin， a Gansu county near Inner Mongolia， because of sand. When visibility drops to less than 1 kilometer，it is called a sandstorm. The sandstorm in Minqin blew up dust in neighboring towns， such as Baiyin， Wuwei， Jinchang and Lanzhou， the capital city of Gansu Province. Dust-laden winds also swept into Beijing. Brought by northwesterly blowing at more than 20 meters per second，dust first reached the capital's suburbs at 7 a. m，downtown areas at 9 a. m. The winds，which died down during the night，brought the temperature down to as low as 80C below zero and many flights put off their planned time from the city's airport.
It is quite rare for sandstorms，which are frequent between March and June，to happen in winter，when the earth is frozen. The sandstorms in Gansu and Inner Mongolia do not necessarily mean there will be more of them in the spring than last year，when they were serious，but Beijing is taking it very seriously. It is reported that Beijing will spend 6 billion yuan ( US 725 million) in preventing sandstorms in the capital and has already set up a spe­cial team to make sure what causes them.
小題1: What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Sandstorms took place in Gansu.

B．Sandstorms happened on the first day of the new year.

C．Sandstorms are very serious，compared to last year.

D．Experts are trying their best to determine the cause of the sandstorm formed this year.

小題2:Suppose the dust was 300 kilometers away from Beijing， it would reach Beijing about
hours later if it travels at a speed of 20 meters per second?

A．4. 2

B．1. 5

C．2. 0

D．2. 5

小題3:Why did sandstorms begin in the winter this year?

A．Because there was little snow this season.

B．Because a lot of trees have been cut down.

C．Because people took few measures to control them.

D．It is not mentioned in the passage.

小題4: Which of the following doesn't belong to the bad effect the sandstorms have done in Bei­jing?

A．The temperature fell.	B．Flights put off their time to take off.
C．The air is dirty.	D．People had three days off.

小題5:The author wrote the passage to        .

A．tell us the environments are becoming worse and worse

B．explain what measures people have taken to control sandstorms

C．make people realize the need to protect the environment.

D．call on us to do what we can to save the earth

Recently a professor of philosophy(哲學)in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our day to day life has more meaning than we usually think. One of the exercises he has asked his students to do is to keep a record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money, they can see what they really value(重視)in life．
The professor says our relation with others often becomes clearly defined(明確)when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you are very good friends. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money．If he does，it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before. Otherwise it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn’t．
Since money is so important to us, we consider those who are rich to be very important. The professor interviews some rich people in his research for his book．
Question:  What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich?
Answer :  The most surprising thing is why people give me so much respect(尊重). I am nothing．I don’t know much．All I am is rich．
People just have an idea of making more and more money, but what is it for? How much money do I need for any given purpose in my life? In his book，the professor uncovered an important need in modern society：to bring back the idea that money is a tool rather than the end．Money plays an important role in the material world，but expecting money to give happiness may be missing the meaning of life.
小題1:.
The students are asked to keep a record of every penny they spend to______.

A．learn how to spend money	B．learn how to make more money
C．know what to write in a record	D．know what is important in life

小題2:.
In the second paragraph, the professor mainly tells us ________.

A．never to borrow money from a friend

B．friendship disappears when it comes to money

C．money can influence friendship

D．money can weaken friendship

小題3:.
．Through his book，the professor seems to tell us       ．

A．money is very important in the material world

B．the purpose of our life is to make money

C．money does not surely mean happiness

D．we should value money in our life

小題4:.
We consider rich people important because         ．

A．they have a meaningful life	B．they are successful people
C．we sometimes borrow money from them	D．we think money is important in life

小題5:.
Which of the following might the author disagree?

A．Money is important in modern society.

B．The meaning of life does not completely lie in money.

C．Wealth will surely bring the owner happiness.

D．Happiness is not necessarily the result of wealth.