Popeye the Sailor first became a popular cartoon in the 1930s.The sailor in that cartoon ate lots of spinach(菠菜) to make him strong. People watched him, and they began to buy and eat a lot more spinach. Popeye helped sell 33 percent more spinach than before! Spinach became a necessary part of many people’s diets. Even some children who hated the taste began to eat the vegetable.
Many people thought that the iron in spinach made Popeye strong, but this is not true. Spinach does not have any more iron than any other green vegetable.
People only thought spinach had a lot of iron because the people who studied the food made a mistake. In the 1890s, a group of people studied what was inside vegetables. This group said that spinach had ten times more iron than it did. The group wrote the number wrong, and everyone accepted it.
Today, we know that the little iron there is in spinach cannot make a difference in how strong a person is. However, spinach does have something else which the body needs—folic acid(葉酸).
It is interesting to point out that folic acid can help make a person strong. Maybe it was really the folic acid that made Popeye strong all along.   
小題1:A good title for this reading passage is______.

A．Popeye the Sailor

B．The Truth About Spinach

C．A Mistake with Numbers

D．Folic Acid Makes You Strong

小題2:Why did many people eat spinach after they saw Popeye the Sailor?

A．They thought spinach made them strong.

B．They thought Popeye was funny.

C．Spinach had a lot of iron.

D．People liked folic acid.

小題3:A research group told people that spinach______.

A．made Popeye strong

B．was a green vegetable

C．had less iron than other green vegetables

D．had more iron than other green vegetables

小題4:Folic acid is ______.

A．something in food

B．a(chǎn) vegetable

C．dangerous

D．a(chǎn) certain kind of spinach

The koala, one of Australia’s most treasured creatures, is in trouble.

Affected by habitat (棲居地) loss and climate change, like many other uniquely Australian animals, koalas are being squeezed into smaller regions. But at present, it is a deadly disease, a somewhat silent killer that causes a further decline in the koala population, that is worrying many scientists about the fate of the koala.
The killer is Chlamydia, which has caused symptoms in up to 50 percent of the wild koalas, with probably even more infected (感染) but not showing symptoms. It has been particularly severe in Queensland, where nearly all koalas are infected. The disease causes many symptoms including eye infections, which can lead to blindness, making it difficult for them to find their primary food.
Treating Chlamydia in wild koalas is a challenge. There is no treatment available for it. Only a small percentage of the animals can be treated successfully and returned to the wild. Besides, there is no national plan in Australia to save the koala; it is up to each region to make management plans for its koala population.
The good news is that researchers are working to test a vaccine (疫苗) that would help prevent further spread. If all goes well, plans can be carried out to distribute the vaccine more widely. But it’s impossible to vaccinate (給注射疫苗)  all wild koalas.
Another possibility would be to make vaccine distribution a routine part of treatment for the thousands of koalas brought into care centers every year after they are injured by cars or dogs.
While it is a combination of problems that are affecting the wild koala population, many experts believe this vaccine would be an important step in helping koalas survive longer. It may be enough time to give researchers a chance to solve some of the other problems facing Austalia’s koalas.
小題1:Which isn’t considered the main cause of koala’s population decline?

A．A deadly disease.

B．Injuries from cars and dogs.

C．Climate change.

D．Habitat loss.

小題2:The third paragraph mainly tells us         .

A．the serious result Chlamydia has caused to the koala

B．Chlamydia affected the koala only in particular regions

C．the most serious symptom of Chlamydia is eye infections

D．Chlamydia can seriously affect koala’s primary food

小題3:We can learn from the text that the vaccine      .

A．would cure the killer Chlamydia quite effectively

B．would only be distributed in koala care centers

C．has already been put into practical use in Australia

D．cannot be distributed to all the infected koalas

小題4:It can be inferred from the text that        .

A．a(chǎn) national plan for saving koalas will be made soon in Australia

B．koala population is declining only in a few regions

C．researchers need enough time to solve the koala problems

D．experts have lost the best chance to save the infected koalas

When you see homework covering the kitchen table and toys are piling up around the sofa, you probably wish there was a bit more space. You are not alone. Nearly a third of parents say they feel squeezed into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property, a report reveals today.

Twenty-nine percent say "their property is too small to fit the size of their family—rising to 40 percent for those 34 and under". One in four children is 'forced to share' a bedroom, according to the Finda-Property. Com website. Property analyst Samantha Baden said: "Afford-ability remains a key issue for families, with the average cost of a three-bedroom home around ￡193,000."Very few can afford to buy or to rent a property of the size they want and in the area they desire to live in, according to Miss Baden.
A recent report, from investment firm LV, also found that many 'space-starved parents’are pushed into a two-bedroom home which was perfect when they were a young couple, but has no space for three or so children. Grown-up children who cannot afford to leave homo are also adding to the problem facing families in Britain's 'big squeeze'.
For a home to be the correct size, which means it is not overcrowded, parents must have their own bedroom. Children under ten can share, as well as same-sex children between ten and 20.Anyone over 21 also needs their own room.
The report comes as official figures, published yesterday by the Land Registry, revealing house prices are falling sharply in every region except London. The worst – hit area is the North East where average house prices have fallen to below ￡100, 000 for the first time in seven years. However, they remain unaffordable for millions.
小題1:According to Paragraph 1, the report reveals        .

A．children like to do homework in the kitchen

B．some families can't afford a bigger property

C．only a few families have housing problem

D．people are satisfied with their living condition

小題2:What Miss Baden said in Paragraph 2 means        .

A．most families don't have enough money yet

B．no family could afford a three - bedroom home

C．it is common to live in a three - bedroom home

D．the price of a bigger property is still acceptable

小題3:The report from the investment firm LV shows        .

A．young couples should live in a two - bedroom home

B．families with three or so children couldn't afford a home

C．parents should buy houses for their grown - up children

D．some grown - up children couldn't afford a separate home

小題4:What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．House prices are falling down everywhere.

B．People are able to buy a home of correct size.

C．The house prices in London has not fallen down.

D．The North East is now an area suitable to live in.

In a growing number of English classes, teachers are leaving the classic novels on the shelf and letting students select the books they read. Supporters say that the new approach, called reader’s workshop, helps develop a love for reading in students who are bored by classic literature. They argue that the best way to motivate students to read more is to offer them more choices.
Not all educators are on the same page, however. They worry that students who choose trendy, less challenging titles over the classics won’t be exposed to the great writing and key themes of important works of literature.Student reporters Donald and Sarah express their ideas about this new approach.
Donald thinks that we should turn the page. Students should be allowed to select the books they read in English class. He says he and his classmates are allowed to pick their own books in class. That makes them more focused, and they look forward to class time. Tristin, a classmate of his at Clinton Middle School agrees. “I’m reading books that I want to read, which makes class more fun and interesting,” he says. Offering students a choice may also improve test scores. Studies by Professor John Guthrie of the University of Maryland found that students in grades 4 through 6 who had some choices in the books they read showed improved reading comprehension skills during testing. Giving students the chance to decide what they read helps build a lifelong love for reading. Isn’t that what we want for our students?
Sarah holds a different view. She thinks teachers know more about books than students do. When an English teacher assigns a book, he or she keeps in mind the reading level of most students in the class. Students who choose their own books might be cheating themselves by picking books that are not up to their reading level or that are too difficult. Furthermore, a whole class can discuss a book it reads together. That makes it easier for some kids to understand what they are reading. “The students wouldn’t be able to hold a meaningful conversation if they were all reading different books,” says Kristin, an English teacher at Fleetwood Area Middle School. “If they read the same book, their conversations would be more in-depth.”
小題1:What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence “Not all educators are on the same page”?

A．Educators have different opinions.

B．Educators didn’t appear at the same time.

C．Educators wrote in different pages.

D．Educators didn’t agree with the author.

小題2:Donald thinks that the new approach could __________.

A．helped students be more focused in class

B．draw students to reading classic novels

C．make students less worried in English class

D．encourage students to red more challenging books

小題3:Sarah thinks that the new approach might __________.

A．help students improve reading comprehension skills

B．help students hold meaningful conversations in class

C．make some students read books not suitable for them

D．make some students ignore the important works of literature

小題4:Who has the same attitude towards the new approach with Kristin?

A．Donald.

B．Sarah.

C．Tristin.

D．John Guthrie.

小題5:The author develops the text mainly by __________.

A．listing cases

B．making comparisons

C．following time order

D．explaining causes and effects

Too many cars have created a lot of serious problems in our world. Besides congestion(擁塞), accidents and fast fuel consumption(消費(fèi)), cars are responsible for a good part of air pollution in big cities. All the time, they are pumping huge amounts of waste gases into the atmosphere. These gases are very harmful, causing disease and even death. Last winter, car fumes(煙霧) formed heavy smog over Beijing, making the sky gloomy for weeks and deteriorating people's health.
One possible solution is to design and develop clean cars and clean fuels. In Tsinghua University, campus buses are driven by electricity. In Beijing some of the public buses begin to run on natural gas, which does not give off as much carbon dioxide as the petrol. But it may take decades for the new models of clean cars to completely replace the traditional ones.
Another solution is to develop modern public transportation systems and restrict （限制）the use of private cars. If the price of petrol rises constantly and the public vehicles（交通車輛） are efficient and convenient enough, most people will not use private cars. And the total number of cars in big cities will reduce greatly. 　　
On the whole, the elimination （根除）of air pollution needs the co-efforts from the government, the public and the environments. This problem will be solved only with the help of science and technology.
小題1:What is the main reason for air pollution in big cities?

A．congestion	B．a(chǎn)ccidents
C．fast fuel consumption	D．cars

小題2:What is the best title of this passage?                               

A．Air Pollution and Cars

B．Air Pollution

C．the Cause of the Pollution

D．Ways to Solve the car Problem

小題3:How many ways are mentioned to solve the pollution caused by cars?      

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

D．Four

小題4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?               

A．New models of clean cars will soon replace the traditional cars

B．Public transportation should replace all the private cars

C．In some university, electricity is used in school buses

D．It is only the government’s efforts that can help solve air pollution caused by cars

When we look at the sky and see a bright light moving quickly across it or coming towards the earth, we talk about seeing a “shooting star” or a “falling star”. These moving lights are not, in fact, stars at all. They are small pieces of matter from outer space, which burn up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The correct name of them is meteoroids. Any pieces that make it to the Earth’s surface without completely burning up are known as meteorites. A meteor is actually the name given to the light we see when a meteoroid is burning up.
When a meteorite hits the Earth at speeds between 11 and 72 kilometers a second, it can do amazing damage. A very large meteorite could knock the earth out of its orbit. If this happened, all life on Earth would probably become extinct（滅絕）. The path we follow around the Sun would change and as a result the Earth would become either much hotter or much colder. This change in temperature would affect sea levels and the amount of water in rivers. There would either be huge floods, which would cover most of the land with water, or the oceans would dry up and there would be a drought, which means a long period of time without rain. Either way, nothing could survive. If a large meteorite landed in the sea it would almost certainly cause tsunamis, which would race towards the land, destroying everything in their paths.
Although it is unlikely the Earth will be struck by a meteorite large enough to do that kind of damage, there is evidence of fairly large meteorites hitting the Earth in the past. In 1908 a large area of forest in Tunguska, Siberia was destroyed by a meteorite that came apart just before it hit the ground. The moon, however, has about three billion craters隕石坑caused by meteorites impacting影響 its surface. The reason more meteorites have reached the surface of the moon than the surface of the Earth is that the moon does not have enough atmosphere for the meteorites to burn up in. some of the meteorites that have reached the Earth’s surface have done considerable damage. Some scientists believe it was a change of climate caused by meteorites hitting the Earth that resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs and other large prehistoric animals.
Scientists are especially interested in meteorites because they contain information about the solar system. It is widely believed by scientists that most meteorites are produced by collisions（碰撞） between asteroids (small planets). These collisions probably happened many billions of years ago. This means the physical and chemical structure of a meteorite can give scientists information about the early days of the universe.
小題1:The story is about ___.     

A．floods caused by meteors

B．matter from outer space

C．life on Earth millions of years ago

D．meteorites that have damaged the moon

小題2:The Earth has ___.                    

A．three billion craters

B．fewer craters than the moon

C．more craters than the moon

D．a(chǎn) thinner atmosphere than the moon

小題3:Some scientists believe the dinosaurs became extinct because ___.     

A．they were hit by meteors

B．meteorites landed on their nests

C．meteorites landed and changed the climate

D．they could no longer breathe the atmosphere

小題4:Meteors are ___.                                         

A．small planets

B．the same as asteroids

C．from broken parts of asteroids

D．the light we see when meteoroids hit our atmosphere

Egypt: Bridging the Gap between School English and Real English
Teaching English in Egypt in general and in my town Damietta in particular, is mainly directed towards helping students to pass their final exams. Unfortunately, most teachers do not adopt a long -term approach that guarantees that their students will be able to use English outside the classroom. So students only concentrate on one skill which is writing. Thus their listening and speaking skills are disabled. What is important to them is to pass the exam which is primarily based on writing .Teachers are not only concentrated with providing their students with questions that are similar to those of the final exam, particularly General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) Examination, so students spend most of their time answering typical exam questions.
Most students' scores are high; a lot of students get full marks. However, few students are able to communicate in English because their role plays. As a result, a lot of students complain that they are unable to understand and talk fluently with native speakers of English.
To enable students to communicate freely and spontaneously(自然地) in English, I bring features of real communication into language practice, I always ask students about their own experiences, and suggest groups of students practice what they have learned outside the classroom. This helps lower-achieving students absorb language. Furthermore, role play is a very effective way to improve speaking skills particularly if it is connected to the experience of the students.
小題1:Who probably write this passage?

A．a(chǎn) teacher

B．a(chǎn) governor

C．a(chǎn) student

D．a(chǎn) reporter

小題2:In Egypt, the students only concentrate on ------

A．listening skill

B．speaking skill

C．reading skill

D．writing skill

小題3:The teachers question their students based on -------

A．what they learn in the class

B．What their parents expect

C．The questions that are similar to those of GSEC

D．The ability that will be used outside the classroom

小題4:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．Most of the students can't get high marks but can communicate with the native speakers of English.

B． Communicating skill is more important than writing skill.

C．Role play connected to the speaker's experience is more effective in improving his skill.

D．The lower--achieving students can do better in speaking skill than the upper achieving students.

小題5:Who will responsible for the gap between school English and real English?

A．Their parents

B．The students

C．The school

D．The education sys tem

Now let's look ourselves as a species in relation to ecosystem balance.Modern scientists believe that humankind, like other animals, evolved(進(jìn)化) through millions of years of changes and adaptations to the environment and that our most direct evolutionary ancestor was probably an earlier species of the primate(monkey, ape) group. Despite this similarity with other creatures, however, the evolution of humankind differs from that of other species in one important and unique way.
In other species, evolution has led to specialization, both in the species abilities and in its place within the environmental structure. For example, the giraffe is much adapted to feeding on treetops, but it is also specialized and thus limited to feeding on trees and shrubs. Only with great difficulty can it bend down to graze on the ground. Similarly, the anteater is extremely well adapted to eating ants but is unable to catch or eat other animals. The same is true for countless other species.
For humankind it is opposite. Our evolution had led to a very generalized ability. Our highly developed intelligence and ability to make and handle tools mean that we can do almost anything. Humans evolved in such a way that we are able to move into every environment on Earth and even into space. No natural competitor offers great resistance, and other natural enemies such as disease have been controlled.
Said another way, we see in humankind a great imbalance between biological potential and environmental resistance. The result is the rapidly increasing world population, frequently referred to as the population explosion. Further, to support our growing population, natural ecosystems are being increasingly displaced by human habitations, agriculture, and other human supporting activities.
小題1:From the passage we can infer that in the course of evolution _______.

A．humankind is very important to earlier species, such as the primate group

B．human beings are limited by the environment while animals are not

C．human beings become more and more different from each other

D．humankind has experienced a generalization rather than specialization in ability

小題2:According to the passage, primate includes such animals as _______.

A．monkeys and anteaters	B．tigers and apes
C．a(chǎn)pes and monkeys	D．monkeys and giraffes

小題3:According to the passage, evolution has made it possible for humans to _______.

A．increase the population

B．resist natural offers

C．go to the moon

D．cure all diseases

小題4:According to the author, imbalance between biological potential and environ mental resistance has resulted in _______.

A．the population explosion

B．the destruction of human habitations

C．the growth of natural ecosystem

D．the specialization of humans

You and I have principles.  And we also have opinions.  I have opinions  about what I think is  36  or wrong, good or bad. But they’re only  37 ---I could be wrong! I won’t try to  38 my life around my opinions, but I will try to 39 my principles.
A 15-year-old boy learned a(n)  40 lesson about principles. On his way home he found a 41 that contained  $127 and the owner’s identification.  42 hesitation, he hopped(快速跳) onto his bicycle and went over to the owner’s  43 ---about a mile away.  He told her that he had 44 her wallet and she gave him a big hug and twenty dollars.
That evening the boy told his parents about what had happened. However, his father said, “I don’t think you should have  45 $20 for doing what you should do. A person shouldn’t be  46 for being honest.”.
He thought about his father’s  47 and decided he would return the money.  He returned to the lady’s home and   48 her  back the twenty dollars.  She didn’t want to take it,  but he told her she  49  to ,  for his father pointed out  50 to him that he had never  51 before.
When principles  52 our decisions and actions,  we actually change. These great principles  53 our lives and make us into persons of character.  That boy is  54 to be raised by a wise father who had the  55 to say, “Those are my principles.”

小題1:	A．right B．mistaken C．good D．bad

小題2:	A．decisions B．opinions C．suggestions D．wishes

小題3:	A．waste B．share C．build D．risk

小題4:	A．follow B．make C．a(chǎn)dvertise D．change

小題5:	A．difficult B．easy C．funny D．valuable

小題6:	A．bag B．box C．wallet D．suitcase

小題7:	A．Without B．In C．About D．For

小題8:	A．factory B．school C．office D．house

小題9:	A．found B．checked C．searched D．threw

小題10:

A．received B．supplied C．a(chǎn)ccepted D．borrowed

小題11:

A．blamed B．rewarded C．praised D．forgotten

小題12:

A．worries B．a(chǎn)ctions C．excuses D．words

小題13:

A．set B．put C．gave D．took

小題14:

A．planned B．had C．preferred D．a(chǎn)ttempted

小題15:

A．a(chǎn)nything B．everything C．something D．nothing

小題16:

A．realized B．guessed C．met D．taught

小題17:

A．interrupt B．guide C．confuse D．a(chǎn)llow

小題18:

A．limit B．prevent C．keep D．shape

小題19:

A．comfortable B．careful C．fortunate D．brave

小題20:

A．chance B．right C．courage D．wisdom

In some urban centers, workholism is so common that people do not consider it unusual: they accept the lifestyle as normal. Government workers in Washington D. C., for example, frequently work sixty to seventy hours a week. They don’t do this because they have to; they do it because they want to.
Workholism can be a serious problem. Because true workaholics (工作狂) would rather work than do anything else, they probably don’t know how to relax.
Is workholism always dangerous? Perhaps not. There are, certainly, people who work well under stress. Some studies show that many workaholics have great energy and interest in life. Their work is so pleasurable that they are actually very happy. For most workaholics, work and entertainment keep them busy and creative.
Why do workaholics enjoy their jobs so much? There are several advantages to work. Of course, it provides people with paychecks, and this is important. But it offers more than financial security. It provides people with self-confidence; they have a feeling of satisfaction when they’ve produced a challenging piece of work and are able to say, “I made that.” Psychologists claim that work gives people an identity through participation in work, they get a sense of self and individualism. In addition, most jobs provide people with a socially acceptable way to meet others. Perhaps some people are compulsive about their work, but their addiction seems to be a safe-even an advantageous-one.
小題1:The passage indicates that workaholics ______.

A．just know work but nothing else

B．a(chǎn)re willing to work hard for long hours without pay

C．find their work provide them more satisfaction and self-confidence than how much they are paid

D．has the work with more responsibility than others

小題2:One of the reasons that some people are not willing to quit their jobs even in their eighties and nineties is that ______.
A. they are in the need of financial security
B. they would rather work than be disturbed by domestic affairs
C. they long for a sense of identity and being accomplished
C. they may have health problems from sheer boresom
小題3:This passage is mainly about ______.

A．workaholics are usually successful people, but their lives are in a mess

B．workholism can lead to serious problems but it can also create a joyful life

C．people who are absorbed in their work may enjoy movies, sports and other kinds of entertainment

D．those who work even under difficult conditions may be very happy

小題4:It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A．in the eyes of all the common people workaholics are peculiar

B．to workaholics, work is the sole source of happiness

C．a(chǎn) piece of challenging work may provide the workaholics a sense of satisfaction

D．workaholics are as addicted to their job as other people are to drugs or alcohol