When did you last see a polar bear? On a trip to a zoo, perhaps? If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in the winter to swim in freezing cold water. That day, the air temperature was 3℃, and the water temperature was a bit higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island, New York are usually about the age of 60. Members must satisfy two requirements. First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group, this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February.
　　Doctors do not agree about the medical effects of cold-water swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so low that finally the heart stops. Other doctors, however, point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter.
The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits (or advantages) of cold-water swimming. They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system(循環(huán)系統(tǒng)) because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming.
　　The main benefits(or advantages) of cold-water swimming are probably mental. The Polar Bears love to swim year-round; they find it fun and relaxing. As one 70-year-old woman says. "When I go into the water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away."
51. The members of the Polar Bear Club must meet the following requirements except that_____ .
　A. they should be easy to make friends with
　B. they must swim outdoors at least 8 times in the four cold months
　C. they must agree to swim outdoors from November through February
　D. they must reach the age of 60
52. Doctors _____ .
　A. encourage people to take part in cold-water swimming actively
　B. point out the possible danger of blood illness during cold-water swimming
　C. believe swimming is helpful both in winter and in summer
　D. have different ideas about the medical effects of cold-water swimming
53. According to the passage, some doctors believe it is true that _____ .
　A. you are healthy if cold-water swimming turns your skin color blue
　B. cold-water swimming causes more heart attacks in summer than in winter
　C. cold-water swimming can make the body temperature dangerously high
　D. Polar Bears are bears swimming in freezing water
54. The Polar Bears like to swim all the year round, for _____ .
　A. they can remain young   B. it is an easy way to keep the body warm in winter
　C. they find it enjoyable and interesting D. they might meet fewer troubles in life
55. The passage is mainly about _____ .
a group of cold-water swimming lovers                  B. the polar bears' life  
　C. doctors' ideas about cold-water swimming            D. the requirements of the Polar Bear Club

C
Can you imagine a catfish bigger than a boy? There are more than 1，000 kinds of catfish；28 species are found in the United States' lakes and rivers． This huge family has some mighty strange members. Let's meet a few.
Walking catfish．Nature's feisty little catfish，found in southern Florida，has an extra lung for breathing on dry land. When its swimming hole dries up，the walking catfish waddles on stiff forward fins in search of another lake or stream．If an enemy attacks，the fish flares（展開）its top and front fins and leaps at the attacker to scare it off．
Armored catfish．This catfish has heavy，bony plates protecting its body. The shell makes the fish difficult to bone. To cook it，throw the fish whole into a fire. When it is done，break it open for eating．Some armored catfish are found in Florida，but the 100-pounders live in South America．
Rounding out the family of strange catfish are talking catfish，which make growing sound when you pull them from the water；climbing catfish，which move quickly up shore brush in search of food；electric catfish，which can deliver a mild shock；and blind catfish，which settle in the inky blackness of underwater caves．Blind catfish find food through taste buds in their eight whiskers（須）．
Most catfish have four whiskers on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw. Sensory holes on these whiskers help the fish smell and taste food even in the muddiest of water．The United States does not have catfish anywhere near the size of those in South America．But in some large U.S，rivers，blue and flathead catties do top 100 pounds．
Most of the catfish you are likely to catch will be much smaller，about frying pan size．When you catch one，remember that the top fins and the forward fins have poison glands（腺）at their bases. They can give you painful wounds （…）
63．The purpose of the passage is to___________．
A．encourage readers to go fishing for catfish
B．inform readers of the world's largest catfish
C．describe the unusual characteristics of catfish
D．explain different ways to catch a variety of catfish
64．The author talks about the way of cooking an armored catfish to show that
A．it has heavy and bony plates        B．it's hard to cook and eat
C．it has too many bones      D．it's poisonous inside
65．Which is NOT mentioned about catfish in the passage?
A．Its eating habits．                                    B．Its living conditions． 
C．Its whiskers．                                 D．Its size
66．What may be continued in the last paragraph?
A．The author's love for catfish．     B．Where else to catch a catfish．
C．The origin of the name “catfish”    D．The safest way to handle catfish

B
People all over the world today are beginning to hear and learn more and more about the problem of pollution. Pollution is caused either by man's release of completely new and often artificial substances into the environment, or by releasing greatly increased amounts of a natural substance , such as oil tankers into the sea．
The whole industrial process which makes many of the goods and machines we need and use in our daily lives, is bound to create a number of waste products which upset the environmental balance, or the ecological balance as it is also known. Many of these waste products can be prevented or disposed of sensibly, but clearly while more and more new and complex goods are produce there will be new, dangerous wastes to be disposed of, for example, the waste products from nuclear power stations. Many people, therefore, see pollution as only part of a larger and more complex problem, that is, the whole process of industrial production and consumption of goods. Others again see the problem mainly in connection with agriculture, where new methods are helping farmers grow more and more on their land to feed our ever-increasing populations. However, the land itself is gradually becoming worn out as it is being used in some cases, too heavily, and artificial fertilizer cannot restore the balance.
Whatever its underlying reasons, there is no doubt that much of the pollution caused could be controlled if only companies, individuals and governments would make more efforts. In the home there is an obvious need to control litter and waste. Food comes wrapped up three or four times in packages that all have to be disposed of; drinks are increasingly sold in bottles or tins which cannot be reused． This not only causes a litter problem, but also is a great waste of resources, in term of glass, metals and paper. Advertising has helped this process by persuading many of us not only to buy things we neither want nor need, but also to throw away much of what we do buy. Pollution and waste combine to be a problem everyone can help to solve by cutting out unnecessary buying ,excess consumption and careless disposal of the products we use in our daily lives.
45．The underlined phrase “disposed of ”in the second paragraph means_______.
A． dealt with               B． exposed 
C． disapproved of           D． collected
46． In the writer’s view ,the more new goods, _______.
A． the less pollution             
B． the harder pollution can be prevented
C． the more pollution there will be
D． the more easily pollution can be controlled
47．What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A． We can do much to reduce pollution.
B． The government is trying hard to stop pollution.
C． Individuals know how to get rid of the habit of littering everywhere.
D． We can’t stop buying unnecessary things.
48． People can help solve the problem of pollution by _______.
A． urging their governments to control litter and waste
B． making anti-pollution advertisements
C． cutting down the use of oil and other oil products
D． reducing unnecessary buying, over-consumption and careless disposal of wastes

D
What is a good education? The question is far from being answered. Once more, colleges and universities are changing their programs: they drop "fun courses" and restart some of the traditional subjects neglected (忽視) since the 1960s. Many great schools are again requiring the students to take a number of classes in English, history, literature, the social sciences, philosophy, the natural sciences, and art if they want to get a degree. Meanwhile, the experts are trying to describe the good education of our time. Obviously the purely vocational training once favored is not enough. But neither is the gentleman's education of the nineteenth century. Educational programs must meet the demands of a modern world where men and women have to work and to deal with big problems.
What, then, is a good education of this century? Some educators suggest that it should include foreign languages and the study of foreign cultures; a mastery of English, including the ability to write and speak well, because communications have become all-important in the modern world, and also because "a person who doesn't speak and write clearly doesn't reason clearly either"; some knowledge of the social sciences (sociology, psychology) that deal with human relations and human problems; some basic knowledge of modern science, which would enable future voters to be better informed about current problems like nuclear. Finally, many educators insist that all college graduates should be familiar with computers and modern information system since the educated professionals of tomorrow will have to understand their machines. Is that all? "No, of course not." answer the educators. "We have not mentioned the two great building blocks of education: history and literature!"
71．The best title for this passage might be _______.            
A．Education           B．A Mastery of English
C．A Good Education   D．Something About Study
72．The underlined word "drop" in the first paragraph means _______.
A．desert       B．dislike      C．decline     D．neglect
73．The author thinks that the question about what a good education is _______. 
A．has been answered fairly well                     
B．hasn't been put forward yet
C．has been dealt with successfully                   
D．has not been answered satisfactorily
74．Some educational experts believe a mastery of English should include the ability _______.
A．to read fast                        B．to write and speak well
C．to write clearly and accurately    D．to listen and speak skillfully         
75．Which of the following statements is not mentioned in the passage?      
A．Educational programs must meet the demand of a modern world.
B．The students will not get a degree unless they take a number of classes in English, history,
literature, the social sciences, philosophy, the natural sciences and art.
C．A good education should include foreign language and the study of foreign culture.
D．Every student ought to take part in military training.

E
Could we "terraform" Mars —that is, change its frozen, thin-aired surface into something more friendly and Earthlike? Should we? The first question has a clear answer: Yes, we probably could．Spacecraft, including the ones now exploring Mars, have found evidence that it was warm in its youth, with rivers flowing into vast seas．And right here on Earth, we've learned how to warm a planet: just add greenhouse gases to its atmosphere．Much of the CO₂ that once warmed Mars is probably still there, in frozen dirt and polar ice caps, and so is the water．
Most of the work in terraforming, says NASA scientist Chris Mackay, would be done by life itself． "You don't build Mars," Mackay says．"You just warm it up and throw some seeds．" Powerful greenhouse gases could be produced from elements in dirt and air on Mars and blown into the atmosphere; by warming the planet, they would release the frozen CO₂, which would quicken the warming and increase atmospheric pressure to the point where liquid water could flow．Meanwhile, says botanist James Graham of the University of Wisconsin, human settlers could seed the red rock with a succession （系列） of ecosystems ?first bacteria and lichens （地衣）, which survive in Antarctica, later mosses （苔蘚）, and after one thousand years or so, redwoods．Getting breathable oxygen levels out of those forests, though, could take thousands of years．
However, Mars is in no immediate danger．Some space scientists recently recommended going to the moon or an asteroid （小行星） first, and pointed out the space agency lacks the funds to go anywhere．It didn't estimate the cost of gardening a dead planet．
72．What is the most essential to make Mars fit for living?
A．Turn ice into flowing water．          B．Clean the dirty atmosphere．
C．Make the atmosphere more suitable．    D．Go to the moon or an asteroid first．
73．What does the author think of the idea ofterraforming Mars?
A．We could do it．                            B．We couldn't do it．
C．We should do it．                           D．We shouldn't do it．
74．In the botanist's opinion, man needs to __________.
A．enable Mars to clean its atmosphere
B．build a greenhouse on Mars
C．send some people to settle on Mars
D．cultivate ecosystems from lower to higher life form
75．What is the best title for the passage?
A．Making Mars the New Earth．           B．A Good Way to Change the Universe
C．Humans' Great Power．                     D．Terrible Science and Technology．

The other day in school, we were discussing jobs. Our teacher, Mrs. Bolt said that career was very important and that it was never too early to think about your life’s work. Most of the young boys really were not too sure about what they wanted to be. But I knew exactly what I wanted to be, and when Mrs. Bolt asked me, I replied “A truck driver.”
“A truck driver?” repeated Mrs. Blot. “Why do you want to be one, Tom?”
“Because truck drivers are always on the move. They do not have to sit at desks all day. They are out on the road and they see a lot of the country. The pay is good, too. And you never have any homework.”
The class laughed.
“Well, Tom.” answered Mrs. Bolt. “You certainly sound quite enthusiastic (熱情的). I guess that you don’t like sitting at a desk or doing homework. Is that correct, Tom?”
“Yes, I guess so, ” I said.
“Well, since you are so interested in becoming a truck driver, I think you should look into the field a little further. I want you to go to the library and take out a book on truck driving. And I want you to write a paper on it and hand it in at the end of the month.”
That’s the last time I’ll never tell anybody my secret ambition (雄心).
46．Mrs. Bolt suggested Tom write a book report because         .
A．she was angry with him.
B．she wanted him to learn about the other side of truck driving.
C．she was making fun of him.
D．she wanted the whole class to follow him
47．Which of the following is NOT true?
A．The writer thinks that truck drivers are well paid.
B．What Tom said made his classmates laugh.
C．It seemed as if Tom did not enjoy doing his homework.
D．Mrs. Bolt didn’t want Tom to become a truck driver.
48．Tom wouldn’t tell about his ambition any more because          .
A．he didn’t think his ambition could come true.
B．he just got more homework to do.
C．he was laughed at by the whole class.
D．he would not be able to become a truck driver.
49．What can we infer about Mrs. Bolt?
A．She was unkind to her students.            B．She was unfit for her position.
C．She was a teacher with ripe experience.  D．She always did something strange. 

On a good night when there is no Moon and the air is clear, only up to 4,000 or so stars can be seen by the unaided eye. From ancient times star – watchers have tried to bring some order into the sky by fitting the stars into patterns. The constellations (星座) to which names were given.
Observation of the night sky every few hours shows that in the northern hemisphere(半球) the stars appear to turn anticlockwise (逆時(shí)針方向) about a point near the Pole Star. As they turn, the stars keep the same positions in relation to each other, and in fact the appearance of the constellations has changed very little over the centuries. Like the Sun and Moon, the stars have a daily journey across the sky, rising upwards in the east and setting in the west – due to the Earth’s daily spin. The Circumpolar Stars, those near the Pole Star, are an exception to this; they are so close to the pole that they never disappear below the horizon (地平線) Although the stars always rise in the same places they do not do so at the same time every day. They rise about 4 minutes earlier each day since the Earth is progressing in its orbit around the Sun; in almost but not exactly a year they again rise and set at the same time. If a certain star is seen to rise in the east exactly when the Sun sets on a particular day, a few weeks later it will be seen well above the eastern horizon at sunset.
58．Which do you think is the best title of the passage above?
A．The Earth, the Moon and the Stars.       B．Motion of the Stars.
C．How to Watch the Stars.                       D．Appearance of the Stars.
59．Which of the following descriptions cannot be shown in the picture?

 
A．The Circumpolar stars never disappear below the horizon.
B．The relative position of the stars in a constellation remains more or less the same as they move.
C．Stars appear to turn about a point near the Pole Star.
D．Stars appear to turn anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere.
60．From the passage we can learn that __________.
A．scientists can observe only up to 4,000 stars on a clear night
B．every day the stars always rise in the same place at the same time
C．thousands of years later, people may have to rename the constellations as the positions of the stars in them have changed
D．since the earth spins from the west to the east every day, most stars rise in the east and set in the west
61．Where is the passage probably taken from?
A．A fashion magazine                             B．A newspaper advertisement.
C．A science textbook.                              D．A collection of science fiction stories.

第二節(jié)：完形填空（20小題；每小題1.5分，滿分30分）
閱讀下面短文，從短文后各題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑
Hi Cindy,
Please don't worry if you feel a little strange around boys．You are in the process of   36 from a little girl into a young woman and there are   37  called hormones （荷爾蒙） that are changing not only your body but your   38 ．For example, you say you used to feel at ease _39_ boys and you would usually run and fight one another for   40 ．That was Cindy, the little girl．Cindy the   41  woman doesn't want to fight boys or even run with them   42  your interests are changing．That is what is making you feel strange and it is also   43  to the other girls around you and also to the boys．Your life is   44   a different stage but you should understand that this is （a） 45  normal, and （b） something that will pass quickly．
I think you should again try to   46   around boys．You can still talk with them about 47  you like including sports, movies, web sites and celebrities（名人）．I   48   that you not try to fight with them, however, because the   49  are becoming much bigger and stronger．I think you will find that you will _50_ being with boys but that your feelings will be different from the  51  they used to be．I know you are not supposed to have a   52  while you are still in school in China, but if you start to find some boys very handsome and you are strongly __53_ to some of them, don't be surprised．  54 , this is all very normal．For now, you should _55_ your school work, though you will find that some boys are attracted to you．This will be a new adventure for you and my best advice is to relax and enjoy it．
Good luck,
Brad
36．A．starting     B．changing     C．surviving           D．ranging
37．A．cells           B．nutritions     C．chemicals      D．objects
38．A．mind         B．head          C．life           D．study
39．A．with          B．for         C．a(chǎn)gainst         D．without
40．A．praise         B．honor       C．good         D．fun
41．A．brave        B．unique       C．smart       D．young
42．A．before       B．because      C．until          D．when
43．A．referring       B．a(chǎn)ppealing     C．happening     D．pointing
44．A．entering       B．setting       C．reflecting      D．representing
45．A．hardly      B．possibly       C．perfectly     D．nearly
46．A．play              B．relax          C．date         D．fool
47．A．somebody     B．a(chǎn)nybody      C．something     D．a(chǎn)nything
48．A．recommend         B．demand       C．command    D．determine
49．A．girls          B．a(chǎn)dults          C．boys         D．kids
50．A．hate         B．enjoy        C．a(chǎn)void        D．regret
5l．A．model              B．standard      C．style         D．way
52．A．boyfriend     B．girlfriend           C．degree        D．job
53．A．opposed       B．a(chǎn)ttracted        C．exposed        D．a(chǎn)ccustomed
54．A．Rather         B．Besides       C．Again         D．Afterwards
55．A．depend on     B．decide on      C．a(chǎn)gree on        D．concentrate on

E
Many do-it-yourself homeowners are interested in
trying out solar power to leam about the technology and
perhaps to provide energy for limited-use applications．
There are a variety of ways to find cheap solar panels
（板）, including buying used and building your own
with factory seconds．Both methods will save money
while forcing you to learn the ins-and-outs of a solar
power array （陣列）．  
We've all seen solar-powered street signs or PV
panels being used for various purposes at remote locations．
When those units become cracked or chipped and are considered "unsafe", companies are forced to replace them, generally to avoid responsibility issues．Because it's difficult to get rid of PV panels, many companies, if approached, are willing to give them away or to sell them for modest prices．Depending on the degree of damage present, expect to see performance degradation （降級） in the range of 10% to 60%．A multimeter （萬用表） can be used to test the panel before buying．If the panel's free, take it anyway．It could still be useful in a home solar project．
A solar panel is really nothing but a box serving as a container for a large group of solar cells．Factory second solar cells are usually sold on eBay at a small part of their regular cost．The cells come in a variety of sizes．You will need to figure out how much power a single cell produces to determine how many will need to be wired together to form an array．
A simple search of the Internet will show numerous sites detailing home solar panel projects．Do-it-yourself lovers are generally quite generous in supply photographs of their work and description of what went wrong and right with the project．
Getting cheap solar panels with slight imperfections, either used or through sales of factory seconds, is a perfect solution for home-built renewable energy projects．The high number of solar lovers online provide a wealth of useful information．Only limited skills are required, plus an understanding of the basic wiring involved．All are well within the talents of almost any home handyman．Beyond the satisfaction of having completed the project, you'll come away with a functional solar panel that will be a source of power for use around the house or at remote locations．
Solar energy systems are quickly becoming more popular with homeowners as prices continue to decline．
72．The author writes the passage to introduce ____．
A．ways of finding cheap solar panels B．ways of saving energy
C．a(chǎn) way of making a solar panel     D．a(chǎn) home-built energy system
73．What does the phrase "factory seconds" in the passage refer to?
A．Second-hand factory products．  B．Cheap but perfect factory products
C．Faulty factory solar cells．        D．The second best factory solar cells
74．From Paragraph 5, we can learn about home-built energy projects that ____．
A．none of them are beyond home handymen
B．a(chǎn) lot of useful information is available on the Internet
C．a(chǎn) perfect solution is to get cheap and perfect solar panels
D．understanding electrical wiring is not necessarily needed
75．What is the author's attitude towards the future of solar energy systems?
A．Optimistic．  B．Pessimistic.      C．Indifferent．         D．Doubtful

完形填空（共20小題；每小題1．5分，滿分30分）
閱讀下面短文，從短文后備題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出可以填人空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
War, money and power are a few things that countries and people are concerned about.   36  I agree that those things are important，I believe that everyone should start to   37  more on a growing problem — global warming.
Global warming will not only   38 our country and our generation, but a1so the entire   39  and future generations. It is   40  because the weather has been a lot warmer over the past few years, which   41  the melting（融化） of the ice in the Antarctic. This will soon cause water levels to   42  and flood parts of the world.
Many people ignore this problem because they fee1   43   they can’t do anything about it and have more   44  things to worry about. If we al1   45  so，then our ozone layer（臭氧層）will be   46  and the planet will no longer be able to make life continue to exist. We should do our best to limit the use of our planet’s   47  resources（資源）and keep our air clean.   48  , future generations will suffer from our   49  .
Some might feel that they can't stop global warming from   50  But if every single person does his or her part in keeping the air clean. then it will become a   51  effort. Sure, there are some things that cause pollution and that we won’t be able lo   52  change. This may include cars burning oil，but we can   53  adjust some of these things. People can start carpooling, taking the bus, riding their bikes, or .   54  just walking.
If everyone takes   55  now, I believe we can start seeing remarkable results within a few years.
36．A．When                   B．As                C．How                                               D．Though
37．A．depend                B．focus                   C．hang                                      D．remark
38．A．a(chǎn)nnoy                   B．interrupt             C．a(chǎn)ffect                                      D．confuse
39．A．world          B．continent            C．industry                       D．climate
40．A．failing                   B．completing                  C．changing                     D．occurring
41．A．lies in          B．results in             C．suffers from              D．escapes from
42．A．reduce                 B．rise                               C．drop                                       D．move
43．A．a(chǎn)s if             B．in case                          C．even though                        D．if only
44．A．popular                B．suitable                        C．important                            D．difficult
45．A．do                        B．keep                              C．like                                         D．find
46．A．protected  B．strengthened              C．destroyed                            D．surrounded
47．A．unlimited   B．natural                          C．recycled                      D．industrial
48．A．Therefore  B．Otherwise          C．However                              D．Instead
49．A．illnesses     B．failures                         C．decisions                     D．mistakes
50．A．continuing B．a(chǎn)rriving                         C．improving                             D．disappearing
51．A．physical               B．mental                          C．national                                 D．worldwide
52．A．slightly                 B．fully                      C．hardly                                     D．slowly
53．A．a(chǎn)t least                B．a(chǎn)t most                         C．a(chǎn)t first                                    D．a(chǎn)t last
54．A．yet                       B．even                              C．still                                 D．thus
55．A．time                    B．turns                    C．a(chǎn)ction                                    D．a(chǎn)rms