It may help you to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech.At some point in every speech,every speaker says something that is not understood exactly as he has planned.Fortunately,such moments are usually not obvious(明顯的) to the listeners.Why?Because the listeners do not know what the speaker plans to say.They hear only what the speaker does say.If you lose your place for a moment,wrongly change the order of a couple of sentences,or forget to pause at a certain point,no one will be any the wiser.When such moments occur,don’t worry about them.Just continue as if nothing happened.
Even if you do make an obvious mistake during a speech,that doesn’t really matter.If you have ever listened to Martin Luther King’s famous speech—“I Have a Dream”,you may notice that he stumbles(結(jié)巴) over his words twice during the speech.Most likely,however,you don’t remember.Why?Because you were fixing your attention on his message rather than on his way of speech-making.
People care a lot about making a mistake in a speech because they regard speech-making as a kind of performance rather than as an act of communication(交流).They feel the listeners are like judges in an ice-skating competition.But,in fact,the listeners are not looking for a perfect performance.They are looking for a well-thought-out speech that expresses the speaker’s ideas clearly and directly.Sometimes a mistake or two can actually increase a speaker’s attractiveness by making him more human.
As you work on your speech,don’t worry about being perfect.Once you free your mind of this,you will find it much easier to give your speech freely.
小題1:The underlined part in the first paragraph means that no one will _______.

A．be smarter than you	B．notice your mistakes
C．do better than you	D．know what you are talking about

小題2:You don’t remember obvious mistakes in a speech because _______.

A．your attention is on the content

B．you don’t fully understand the speech

C．you don’t know what the speaker plans to say

D．you find the way of speech-making more important

小題3:It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．giving a speech is like giving a performance

B．one or two mistakes in a speech may not be bad

C．the listeners should pay more attention to how a speech is made

D．the more mistakes a speaker makes,the more attractive he will be

小題4:What would be the best title for the passage?

A．How to Be a Perfect Speaker

B．How to Make a Perfect Speech

C．Don’t Expect a Perfect Speech

D．Don’t Expect Mistakes in a Speech

When people want to know about the weather,they usually go to their radios,TVs, newspapers,or to the Internet.However,you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses.Drops in air pressure(壓力) produce an effect on small animals in many ways.Mice and deer are good weather indicators.People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that,before a storm,field mice come out of their holes and run around.Deer leave high ground and come down from the mountains.
Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways.For example,some birds become irritable(急躁的) and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread.Other birds chirp(嘰嘰喳喳) and sing just before a storm.It seems they know they won’t get another chance for an hour or two.Birds also seek safe places before a storm.You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building.Pre-storm low pressure makes the air so thin that birds have difficulty flying.
It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime,rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn.Watch for other weather signs if you see this.If they fly in the wrong direction,they may be flying ahead of a storm.
By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature,we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.
小題1:The word “indicators” in Paragraph 1 probably means______.

A．maps	B．services
C．signs	D．stations

小題2:There will be a storm if birds______.

A．make more noise than usual

B．fly in different directions

C．come down from tall trees

D．share a piece of bread

小題3:How can birds sense the coming of a storm?

A．By feeling a drop in air temperature.

B．By noticing the change of wind directions.

C．By feeling a drop in air pressure.

D．By noticing the movements of other animals.

小題4:The best title for the text would be______.

A．Signs of a Storm

B．Drops in Air Pressure

C．Animals’ Sharp Senses

D．Nature’s Weather Signs

Photos that you might have found down the back of your sofa are now big business!
In 2005,the American artist Richard Prince’s photograph of a photograph,Untitled (Cowboy),was sold for $1 248 000.
Prince is certainly not the only contemporary artist to have worked with so-called “found photographs”—a loose term given to everything from discarded(丟棄的)prints discovered in a junk shop to old advertisements or amateur photographs from a stranger’s family album.The German artist Joachim Schmid,who believes “basically everything is worth looking at”,has gathered discarded photographs,postcards and newspaper images since 1982.In his on-going project,Archiv,he groups photographs of family life according to themes:people with dogs;teams;new cars;dinner with the family;and so on.
Like Schmid,the editors of several self-published art magazines also champion(捍衛(wèi))found photographs.One of them,called simply Found,was born one snowy night in Chicago,when Davy Rothbard returned to his car to find under his wiper(雨刷)an angry note intended for someone else:“Why’s your car HERE at HER place?”The note became the starting point for Rothbard’s addictive publication,which features found photographs sent in by readers,such as a poster discovered in your drawer.
The whole found-photograph phenomenon has raised some questions.Perhaps one of the most difficult is:can these images really be considered as art?And,if so,whose art?Yet found photographs produced by artists,such as Richard Prince,may raise endless possibilities.What was the cowboy in Prince’s Untitled doing?Was he riding his horse hurriedly to meet someone?Or how did Prince create this photograph?It’s anyone’s guess.In addition,as we imagine the back-story to the people in the found photographs artists,like Schmid,have collated(整理),we also turn toward our own photographic albums.Why is memory so important to us?Why do we all seek to freeze in time the faces of our children,our parents,our lovers,and ourselves?Will they mean anything to anyone after we’ve gone?
In the absence of established facts,the vast collections of found photographs give our minds an opportunity to wander freely.That,above all,is why they are so fascinating.
小題1:The first paragraph of the passage is used to_______.

A．remind readers of found photographs

B．a(chǎn)dvise readers to start a new kind of business

C．a(chǎn)sk readers to find photographs behind sofas

D．show readers the value of found photographs

小題2:According to the passage,Joachim Schmid_______.

A．is fond of collecting family life photographs

B．found a complaining note under his car wiper

C．is working for several self-published art magazines

D．wondered at the artistic nature of found photographs

小題3:The underlined word “them”in Paragraph 4 refers to“_______”.

A．the readers

B．the editors

C．the found photographs

D．the self-published magazines

小題4:By asking a series of questions in Paragraph 5,the author mainly intends to indicate that_______.

A．memory of the past is very important to people

B．found photographs allow people to think freely

C．the back-story of found photographs is puzzling

D．the real value of found photographs is questionable

小題5:The author’s attitude toward found photographs can be described as_______.

A．critical	B．doubtful
C．optimistic	D．satisfied

填空(共10小題；每小題1分，滿分10分)
閱讀下面短文，根據(jù)所讀內(nèi)容在文后第76至第85小題的空格中填上適當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或短語。
注意：每空不超過3個單詞。
Host family accommodation,or living with host families,remains popular among language travel students for its unique advantages.These days,host families are trying to offer more in terms of quality,for they still have something to worry about.
Host family accommodation is often seen as the number-one choice for its advantages in language study,cultural communication and cost of living.Staying alongside host families enables students to get enough practice for the short time of their studying so that their language acquisiton is likely to become faster.Living in host families also has the advantage of students of being able to spend a lot of time communicating with their “host parents”,and get to know the local way of life,people and culture.Another advantage is that host family accommodation can sometimes be the least expensive.It attracts students for it ensures them a family type of living at a low cost.
The advantages,however,have not prevented host families from worrying.On one hand,some host families are losing their unique selling point.The probelm is that the majority of bosts in big cities,now generally single and young,have less time available for students,but the selling point for host family accommodation is communication practice.On the other,students’ expectations have risen.They are becoming more demanding and asking for more than ever from their accommodation,as they come mainly from high socio-economic groups in their own countries.
To get out of the difficult situation,host families are now making efforts to improve the quality of service.They are trying to make living conditions better,including broadband Internet service,private bathroom,and access to plenty of hot water for long showers.They are also providing students with structured family activities.
It is believed that host family accommodation will keep the popularity vote with language travel students.

完形填空(共20小題；每小題1.5分，滿分30分)
閱讀下面短文，掌握其大意，然后從21~40各題所給的四個選項(A、B、C和D)中，選出最佳選項，并在答題紙上將該選項標(biāo)號涂黑。
The books in David’s schoolbag felt like bricks as he ran down the street.What he wanted to do was to play basketball with Eric.   21   his mother told him he would have to return his sister’s books to the library first.
He had   22   set foot in a library and he wasn’t about to do so today.He would just  23  
the books in the outside return box.But there was a   24  ;it was locked.
He went into the building,only a few minutes   25   closing time.He put the books into the return box.And after a brief   26   in the toilet,he would be on his way to the playground to   27   Eric.
David stepped out of the toilet and stopped in   28  —the library lights were off.The place was   29  .The doors had been shut.They   30   be opened from the inside.He was trapped(被困)—in a library!
He tried to   31   a telephone call,but was unable to   32  .What’s worse,the pay phones were on the outside of the building.  33    the sun began to set,he searched for a light and found it.
   34   he could see.David wrote on a piece of paper:“    35   !I’m TRAPPED inside!”and stuck it to the glass door.   36  ,someone passing by would see it.
He was surprised to discover that this place was not so unpleasant,   37  .Rows and rows of shelves held books,videos and music.He saw a book about Michael Jordan and took it off the shelf.He settled into a chair and started to   38  .
He knew he had to   39  ,but now,that didn’t seem to be such a   40   thing.
21.A.but                       B.because                     C.or                             D.since
22.A.ever                            B.nearly                       C.never                        D.often
23.A.pass                            B.drop                         C.carry                        D.take
24.A.problem               B.mistake                     C.case                          D.question
25.A.during                  B.after                         C.over                          D.before
26.A.rest                      B.break                        C.walk                         D.stop
27.A.visit                            B.meet                         C.catch                         D.greet
28.A.delight                 B.anger                        C.surprise                     D.eagerness
29.A.lonely                  B.empty                       C.noisy                        D.crowded
30.A.wouldn’t                     B.shouldn’t                   C.couldn’t                    D.needn’t
31.A.make                    B.fix                            C.use                           D.pick
32.A.get on                  B.get up                       C.get through                D.get in
33.A.If                         B.As                            C.Though                     D.Until
34.A.On time                                                   B.Now and then
C.By the way                                                  D.At last
35.A.Come                   B.Help                         C.Hello                        D.Sorry
36.A.Surely                  B.Thankfully                C.Truly                        D.Gradually
37.A.at most                 B.after all                            C.in short                            D.as usual
38.A.watch                   B.play                          C.read                          D.write
39.A.wait                            B.stand                         C.sleep                         D.work
40.A.bad                     B.cool                          C.strange                      D.nice

I began working in journalism(新聞工作) when I was eight.It was my mother’s idea.She wanted me to“make something”of myself,and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue.The crowds were there.There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union.For several hours I made myself highly visible,making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST.When it was suppertime,I walked back home.
“How many did you sell,my boy?”my mother asked.
“None.”
“Where did you go?”
“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“What did you do?”
“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“You just stood there?”
“Didn’t sell a single one.”
“My God,Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in,“Well,I’ve decided to take the Post.”I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel(五分鎳幣).It was the first nickel I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman.I would have to ring doorbells,address adults with self-confidence(自信),and persuade them by saying that no one,no matter how poor,could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day,I told my mother I’d changed my mind.I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“If you think you can change your mind like this,”she replied,“you’ll become a good-for-nothing.”She insisted that,as soon as school was over,I should start ringing doorbells,selling magazines.Whenever I said no,she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember.My mother,dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life,determined that I would not grow up like him and his people.But never did she expect that,forty years later,such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.
小題1:Why did the boy start his job young?

A．He wanted to be famous in the future.

B．The job was quite easy for him.

C．His mother had high hopes for him.

D．The competition for the job was fierce.

小題2:From the dialogue between the boy and his mother,we learn that the mother was _______.

A．excited	B．interested
C．a(chǎn)shamed	D．disappointed

小題3:What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?

A．She forced him to continue.

B．She punished him.

C．She gave him some money.

D．She changed her plan.

小題4:What does the underlined phrase “this battle”(last paragraph) refer to?

A．The war between the boy’s parents.

B．The arguing between the boy and his mother.

C．The quarrel between the boy and his customers.

D．The fight between the boy and his father.

小題5:What is the text mainly about?

A．The early life of a journalist.

B．The early success of a journalist.

C．The happy childhood of the writer.

D．The important role of the writer in his family.

閱讀下面短文，從短文后各題所給的四個選項（A、Ｂ、Ｃ和Ｄ）中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該選項涂黑。
From the time each of my children started school, I packed their lunches. And in each lunch, I  21  a note. Often written on a napkin (餐巾), it might be a thank-you for a  22  moment, a reminder of something we were happily expecting, or a bit of _23  for the coming test or sporting event.
In early grade school they_ 24  their notes. But as children grow older they becomes self-conscious(有自我意識的), and _25  he reached high school, my older son, Marc, informed me he no longer  26  my daily notes. Telling him that he no longer needed to  27  them but I still needed to write them, I  28  until the day he graduated.
Six years after high school graduation, Marc called and asked if he could move  29  for a couple of months. He had spent those years well, graduating from college,   30  two internship (實習(xí)) in Washington, D.C., and   31 , becoming a technical assistant in Sacramento.  32  short vacation visits, however, he had lived away from home. With his younger sister leaving for college, I was   33   happy to have Marc back. Since I was  34  making lunch for his younger brother, I    35  one for Marc, too. Imagine my   36  when I got a call from my 24-year-old son,   37  his lunch.
“Did I do something   38  ? Don’t you love me  39  ,Mom?” were just a few of the questions he threw at me as I 40  asked him what was wrong.
“My note, Mom,” he answered. “Where’s my note?”
21. A. carried         B. found            C. included      D. held
22. A. difficult        B. special           C. comfortable    D. separate
23. A. congratulation   B. improvement       C. explanation     D. encouragement
24. A. loved           B. answered         C. wrote         D. examined
25. A. lately          B. by the way       C. by the time     D. gradually
26. A. received        B. understood       C. enjoyed        D. collected
27. A. copy           B. read             C. take           D. send
28. A. held up         B. gave up         C. followed        D. continued
29. A. out            B. home             C. to college       D. to Sacramento
30. A. organizing      B. planning         C. comparing       D. completing
31. A. hopefully       B. finally          C. particularly     D. certainly
32. A. Because of      B. Instead of       C. Except for       D. As for
33. A. especially       B. immediately     C. equally        D. generally
34. A. once            B. again            C. still           D. even
35. A. packed         B. fetched          C. bought          D. filled
36. A. fear            B. surprise         C. anger        D. disappointment
37. A. waiting for     B. worrying about  C. caring for         D. asking about
38. A. wrong          B. funny            C. strange          D. smart
39. A. any more       B. enough           C. once more        D. better
40. A. interestingly    B. bitterly        C. politely        D. laughingly

There is an old proverb, __36__ that the tongue has the power of life and death and __37__ loves it will eat its fruit.
It is true. What we say has the ability to __38__ emotions, and thoughts in others. A kind word helps people, and __39__ words hurt people —— sometimes for a very long time.
Most of the time we __40__ this concept in relation to how we treat others and that is good. __41__ here I want to talk about this concept in relation to ourselves. How does __42__ we say affect us greatly? There is a simple principle here. Only say things that will create in you__43__ emotions, thoughts, feelings, and finally, actions. Let me give you a good __44__. We should not allow the words “I can’t” in our __45__. Why? Because we CAN! The very minimum（最低限度） is “I’ll try”.
Have you ever been about to __46__ the soccer ball towards the goal and said to yourself, “I am going to fail this one?” What happens? You fail it. This actually __47__ to me. So what do I do? I pause for a（n） __48__, reset myself, and tell myself I am going to kick it straight down. What happens? About half the time I kick it straightly, and the other half, I __49__ it. But at the very least I increase my __50__ of performing better. Bad thoughts almost guarantee failure, __51__ good thoughts increase success.
Some of us aren’t even __52__ that we talk negatively to ourselves. Take __53__some time today to think about what you say to yourself. If you find yourself saying negative things, it is a time to change! Find some simple phrases that will help you __54__ the day with more success. Whatever your situation or work is, I am sure there are specific things you can say that will build you up and put you on the road  __55__to success!
36．A．speaking             B．saying                 C．talking                D．telling
37．A．what                   B．who                    C．whoever              D．whatever
38．A．create                 B．build                   C．invent                 D．discover
39．A．kind                   B．happy                 C．a(chǎn)ctive                  D．negative
40．A．think about          B．think over           C．think of               D．think out
41．A．So                      B．And                    C．But                     D．Or
42．A．that                    B．what                   C．which                 D．where
43．A．positive               B．negative              C．excellent             D．wonderful
44．A．case                    B．example              C．situation              D．condition
45．A．thoughts              B．ideas                   C．minds                 D．feelings
46．A．play                    B．beat                    C．hit                      D．kick
47．A．happens              B．occurs                 C．strikes                 D．turns
48．A．hour                   B．minute                C．day                     D．month
49．A．fail                     B．try                      C．manage               D．win
50．A．opinions              B．changes               C．chances               D．practices
51．A．a(chǎn)s                       B．while                  C．because               D．but
52．A．a(chǎn)ware                 B．sure                    C．certain                D．clear
53．A．sometime            B．sometimes           C．some times          D．some time
54．A．get on                 B．get through          C．get off                D．get back
55．A．on                      B．a(chǎn)bove                  C．to                       D．in

Active vacations are often the most relaxing of all. But Wait! It's all in defining what an active vacation is. We don't expect you to take up jogging, backpacking, or hang gliding. we ask the sedentary（愛坐的）vacationers to spend two to four hours a day doing things, such as walking the city streets, exploring a nature preserve, or taking a leisurely rowboat ride.
These kinds of activities aren't just good for your physical health. They improve your mental health, even your spiritual health. And they make vacations memorable and worthwhile. Here are some fresh ideas for active and healthy vacation.
Make the morning your activity time. At that time it is most likely that the weather will be friendlier, your energy level higher, and your schedule emptier than later in the day.
Have a walk at dawn or dusk. Such activity is called rejuvenation（恢復(fù)活力）. Try to make this a daily routine of life away from home, and you will guarantee yourself both physical and spiritual youth.
Get into the water as much as you can. Don't allow yourself to spend your entire time sitting in front of the water. Whether it is the ocean, a swimming pool, or a tree-lined lake, make sure you get into the water for swimming or games or even walking. Merely standing in waist-high water is a good workout, thanks to the action of the water. And you'll feel so much more alive!
Choose a cruise for your trip. It's amazing how active you can be being stuck on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic. Most cruise ships offer numerous options for seaworthy exercise. During your sea and land trips you can burn calories as you swim, hike, dive, and horseback ride.
Get out of the car every two hours. Many of us spend a large part of our vacations on the road, either getting to and from our destinations, or using the car for sightseeing. But no matter how beautiful the scenery is, great and memorable vacations don't happen in a car seat. Don't wait for tiredness or nature's call to get you to pull over. Frequently get out and stretch, walk, picnic, shop, visit, and have fun. It's important for your health and energy, and it makes traveling a lot more active and interesting.
小題1:The first paragraph mainly tells us ____________.

A．that active vacations are very relaxing

B．the activities we should join in

C．how many hours we should exercise every day

D．what an active vacations is

小題2:How many tips does the writer give in the passage?

A．Three

B．Four

C．Five

D．Six

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

A．Usually the weather in the morning is better.

B．You can have a memorable vacation in a car.

C．Swimming can make you feel much more alive.

D．Don’t drive your car very often to go sightseeing.

小題4:Which of the following is probably the best title for this passage?

A．Driving Tips	B．How to Relax Without cars
C．Give up Your Car and Walk	D．Make your Vacation Healthy

Imagine being able to recall just about anything, your mind functioning as a nearly endless encyclopedic（百科全書的）book of names, pictures, dates and events.
Brad Williams’ excellent memory recall makes him a personified version（個人版）of Google. His wide memory allows him to recall almost any news event and anything he has experienced, including specific dates and even the weather. “I was sort of a human Google for my family. I’ve always been able to recall things,” the 51-yearold said on Good Morning America in his first television interview.
Williams’ type of detailed, complete memory is called hyperthymesia and few known cases exist. Brad’s brain scan are now being studied by scientists at the Center for Neurobiology（神經(jīng)生物學(xué)）of Learning and Memory, at the University of California.
At first, the drive-time radio broadcaster didn’t think his ability to recall so much was anything special. Gradually, over the years, other people noticed how much he was able to remember in detail about events. Then in 2006, he read an article about a wman whom scietists called AJ, which prompted Williams to come forward. AJ is a writwer of a medical journal, and the only scientifically-documented case of superior memory.
“When I read about AJ, my immediate thought was : Oh my God. That’s Brad!” said williams’ brother, Eric Williams.
Eric Williams is eager to learn about the inner working of his brother’s mind. He is in the process of making documentary（紀(jì)錄片）about Brad, appropriately titled: “Unforgettable.” In the film, which hasn’t been finished yet, Williams takes on a person who is Googling answers to 20 questions. He answers 18 of them correctly and is 11 minutes faster than the Google user.
“All of us have the ability to store this information, but the difference with Brad is that he can recall it,” Eric Williams said.
小題1:According to the passage, which of the following is true about Brad Williams?

A．He has worked for Google, so he recall any news events.

B．He may be one of the rare cases of people with a superior memory.

C．He is now the host of Good Morning America.

D．He is working as a teacher in California.

小題2:Why does Brad Williams have such a good memory?

A．Because he was born with a rare ability.

B．Because his work requires a good memory.

C．Because he has to answer others’ questions.

D．Because he was specially trained in his chilhood.

小題3:The underlined word “prompted” most probably means _______.

A．helped

B．wanted

C．warned

D．encouraged

小題4:The best title for this passage might be ___________.

A．The Ability to Store All Information

B．A Documentary called Unforgettable

C．“Google Man” Recalls Nearly Every Thing

D．Brad Williams and Google User