Humans are naturally drawn to other life forms and the worlds outside of our own. We take delight in the existence of creatures and even whole societies beyond our everyday lives.
This sense of wonder is universal. Look at the efforts that scientists have made to find out whether life of some kind exists on Mars, and the popularity of fantasy literature or movies like The Lord of the Rings. This sense of wonder draws us to each other, to the world around us, and to the world of make-believe. But have we gone so far in creating worlds of fantasy that we are missing the pleasure of other worlds that already exist all around us?
Human beings, as biologists have suggested, possess an inborn desire to connect with and understand other life forms. However, people, especially in big cities, often lead rather isolated lives. In a study of British schoolchildren, it was found that children by age eight were much more familiar with characters from television shows and video games than with common wildlife. Without modem technology, a small pond could be an amazing world filled with strange and beautiful plants, insects, birds, and animals. When we lack meaningful interaction(交互) with the world around us, and sometimes even with our families and friends, we seek to understand and communicate with things that exist only in our imaginations or on a computer screen。
The world of make-believe is not necessarily bad. But when the world of fantasy becomes the only outlet(出路) for our sense of wonder, then we are really missing something. We are missing a connection with the living world. Other wonderful worlds exist all around us. But even more interesting is that if we look closely enough, we can see that these worlds, in a broad sense, are really part of our own.
小題1:The popularity of The Lord of the Rings proves     

A．the close connection between man and the fantasy world

B．the wonderful achievements of fantasy literature

C．the fine taste of moviegoers around the world

D．the general existence of the sense of curiosity

小題2:What can we infer from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?

A．People are far less familiar with the world of fantasy.

B．The world around us could serve as a source of wonder.

C．The world of fantasy can be mirrored by a small and lively pond.

D．Modern technology prevents us from developing our sense of wonder.

小題3: If our sense of wonder relies totally on the world of make-believe, we will     

A．fail to appreciate the joy in our lives

B．be confused by the world of make-believe

C．miss the chance to recognize the fantasy world

D．be trapped by other worlds existing all around us

小題4: What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To show us the hidden beauty in our world.

B．To warn us not to get lost in the fantasy world.

C．To argue against the misuse of the sense of wonder.

D．To discuss the influence of the world of make-believe.

In the West, advertisements are the fuel that makes mass media (大眾傳媒) work. Many TV stations, newspapers, magazines, radio stations are privately owned. The government does not give them money.  So where does the money come from?  From advertisements. Without advertisements, there would not be these private businesses.
Have you ever asked yourself what advertising is? Through the years, people have given different answers to the question. For some time it was felt that advertising was a means of “keeping your name before the public”. And some people thought that advertising was “truth well told”. Now more and more people consider it in this way: Advertising is the paid, non-personal, and usually persuasive presentation of goods, services and ideas by some certain sponsors (贊助商) through various media.
First, advertising is usually paid for. Various sponsors pay for the advertisements we see, read, and hear over the various media. Second, advertising is non-personal. It is not face-to-face communication. Although you may feel that a message in a certain advertisement is aimed directly at you, in fact, it is directed at large groups of people. Third, advertising is usually persuasive. Directly or indirectly it asks people to do something. All advertisements try to make people believe that the product, idea, or service advertised can benefit them. Fourth, the sponsors of the advertisement must show their names. From the advertisement, we can see if the sponsor is a company, or a single person. Fifth, advertising reaches us through old and modern mass media. Included in the old media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and films. Modern media include emails, matchbox covers, and boards on top of buildings.
小題1:The existence of the privately owned mass media depends on the support of ________.

A．the government	B．their owners families
C．a(chǎn)dvertisements	D．the TV stations

小題2:The passage seems to say that different ideas about what advertising is are given due to ________.

A．the change of time	B．the subject of the advertisements
C．people’s age difference	D．people’s different opinions

小題3:Which of the following is considered modern mass media? ________.

A．Newspapers

B．Emails

C．Magazines

D．Films

小題4:According to the passage, which of the following statements about advertisements is NOT true?

A．The sponsors are always mentioned.

B．Advertising must be honest and humorous.

C．There is the description of things advertised.

D．Advertising is directed at large groups of people.

For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D． Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context．
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of  1 , teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become．You  2 know who these people maybe （possibly your roommate, neighbor, co-worker, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger）, but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some 3 way．
And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful． and unfair at first, but __4__you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart．
Everything happens for a reason．Nothing happens5 or by means of good luck． Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul．6 these small tests whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere． It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly  7 ．The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become．
Even the  8 experiences can be learned from． In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones．If someone hurts you,   9 you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart． If someone loves you, love them back  10 , not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your  11 and eyes to things．
Make every day count．  12 every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again． Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen．Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sightshigh．Hold your head up because you have  13 right to．Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you． You can make of your life anything you wish． Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no 14 ．
Most importantly, if you LOVE someone, tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have  15 ． And learn a lesson in life each day that you live．
That’s the story of life．

小題1:	A．people B．purpose C．intention D．a(chǎn)dvantage

小題2:	A．a(chǎn)lready B．sometimes C．should D．never

小題3:	A．limited B．strange C．other D．profound

小題4:	A．in reflection B．in reality C．in addition D．in a way

小題5:	A．on purpose B．by any chance C．by accident D．on principle

小題6:	A．Despite B．With C．For all D．Without

小題7:	A．bored B．pointless C．undeserved D．meaningful

小題8:	A．good B．different C．bad D．pleasant

小題9:	A．betrays B．loves C．a(chǎn)ppreciates D．understands

小題10:

A．in turn B．moderately C．unconditionally D．in a way

小題11:

A．mouth B．mind C．heart D．emotion

小題12:

A．Comprehend B．Appreciate C．Expect D．Evaluate

小題13:

A．every B．each C．proper D．exact

小題14:

A．a(chǎn)mbition B．hatred C．belief D．regrets

小題15:

A．in the future B．in stock C．in store D．in pursuit

The rise of multinational corporations （跨國公司）, global marketing, new communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR．
　　Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, America’s relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries． Ten years ago, for example, the world’s top five public relations agencies were American-owned． In 1991, only one was． The British in particular are becoming more sophisticated and creative． A recent survey found that more than half of all British companies include PR as part of their corporate （公司的） planning activities, compared to about one-third of U．S． companies． It may not be long before London replaces New York as the capital of PR．
　　Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? First, Americans as a whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs． Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country． Secondly, Americans lag behind their European and Asian counterparts （相對應(yīng)的人） in knowing a second language． Less than 5 percent of Burson—Marshall’s U．S．employees know two languages． Ogilvy and Mather have about the same percentage． Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a second language． Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on international affairs． In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the Wall Street Journal． Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this country．
Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN （Cable News Network）． Turner recently announced that the word “foreign” would no longer be used on CNN news broadcasts． According to Turner, global communications have made the nations of the world so interdependent that there is no longer any such thing as foreign．
小題1:Compared with the American PR personnel, what is/are an advantage（s） of the non-Americans involved in PR?
A． They tend to be more internationally minded
B． They speak more and better foreign languages．
C． They usually pay more attention to global financial situation．
D． Both A and B．
小題2:What is the immediate cause of the downfall of America’s public relations?

A．The number of US public relations agencies had greatly decreased by 1991．

B．Other countries have increased their efforts in public relations．

C．On the global scale, cultural differences have significantly shrunk．

D．The British companies are becoming especially sophisticated and creative in public relations．

小題3:It could be inferred that the author of the passage is______．

A．a(chǎn)n American	B．a(chǎn) Briton
C．Ted Turner	D．a(chǎn)n Asian

小題4:The underlined word “provincial” in paragraph 3 could possibly mean “     ”．

A．strict in thinking	B．like people from rural areas
C．limited in outlook	D．interested in geographical knowledge

Investors soon will be able to own shares of Facebook stock. The world’s biggest social media network presented documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. The documents are required before the company can make its initial public offering（首次公開募股）or IPO. A date for the stock sale has yet to be announced.
Experts say Facebook could raise about five billion dollars. That would be one of the biggest IPO sales ever. And it would be much bigger than Google’s first public stock sale in 2004. At that time, the Internet search company raised almost two billion dollars.
Facebook has 800 million users around the world. It is the second most visited website after Google. Now, experts say the social media network is in a position to become one of the most valuable Internet companies.
Stock expert Anupam Palit at Greencrest Capital says that among social media sites, Facebook is in a class by itself.
“It is the biggest company in this space and we believe what makes it very unique from every other company that went public last year in this space is that it is very, very profitable.” said Anupam Palit.
Early estimates place the total value of the social network between 75 and 100 billion dollars. That includes earlier investments by other companies. David Kirkpatrick wrote the book The Facebook Effect. He says Facebook’s IPO will be historic.
The stock sale could also make Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg one of the world’s youngest billionaires. He is only 27.
Investment companies are likely to buy Facebook stock first. But investment manager Jim O’Shaugnessy says that is not so bad. He says the prices of some IPO stocks are too high and fall not long after they first go on sale.
Recently, share prices of some Internet businesses have fallen after their stocks were first offered. For example, stocks of Linkedln, Groupon and Zynga, dropped in price by as much as 25% after going public.
There were similar questions eight years ago when Google first sold stock to the public. Today, Google is one of the world’s most valuable technology companies.
小題1:Which of the following is true about Google?

A．Google’s first public stock sale began in 2005.

B．Google is the world’s most valuable company.

C．Google’s share price rose after its stock was first offered.

D．Google raised almost two billion dollars from its first public stock sale.

小題2:According to the passage, we can know Facebook ________.

A．has 800 million users in the USA	B．has announced the date for its first stock sale
C．is the most visited website today	D．is the world’s biggest social media network

小題3:We can infer from the passage that ________.

A．Facebook stock is being sold very well

B．Mark Zuckerberg will get much money from the stock sale

C．Mark Zuckerberg was only 27 when Facebook was founded

D．investment companies have bought many Facebook shares

小題4:Which would be the best title for this passage?

A．Facebook and Its IPO	B．The Difference Between Facebook and Google
C．The Founder of Facebook	D．A Book Called The Facebook Effect

Anyone for kimchi(韓國泡菜)? Around 2,000 women made the traditional dish last week in Seoul,the capital of the Republic of Korea(ROK).

Kimchi traditionally has a rosy color. Korea.net says: “The color red wards off (避開) evil spirits. The color represents the spirit of the Korean people and kimchi is more than just a food. It’s a culture.”
A meal without kimchi is unthinkable. So what is kimchi?
Joan Raymond, food writer for US website health.com, writes: “It’s a reddish, fermented (發(fā)酵的) cabbage dish , made with a mix of garlic salt, vinegar, chili peppers and other spices.
It is served at every meal, either along with or mixed with rice and noodles. It is part of a high-fiber, low fat diet, which has kept obesity(肥胖) at bay.”
Kimchi is used in everything from soups to pancakes and as a topping (配料) on pizza and burgers.
Health.com named kimchi in its list of the world’s top five healthiest foods as it is rich in vitamins, aids digestion and may even reduce the risk of cancer.
A study conducted by Seoul National University claimed that chickens infected with the H5N1 virus (bird flu) recovered after eating food containing the same bacteria found in kimchi.
When Koreans pose for photos, they say “kimchi”, instead of “cheese”.
小題1:According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Kimchi contains something that can kill the H5N1 virus.

B．Kimchi is rated as the healthiest food in the world.

C．Kimchi is a cultural treasure for Koreans.

D．Each person eats 40 pounds of kimchi per month.

小題2:What does the underlined phrase “keep... at bay” mean?

A．predict

B．prevent

C．overcome

D．develop

小題3:What does the article mainly talk about?

A．The nutritional value of kimchi.	B．Ways of making kimchi.
C．The origin of kimchi.	D．Kimchi and what it means to Koreans.

As China becomes increasingly urbanized (城市化), it has to find space for its urban and
rural citizens as both groups become increasingly integrated. Experts suggest a possible model
way may be “re-inventing” a “garden city”.
China’s mega-cities are bursting at the borders and the country is now undergoing the quickest and biggest urbanization in the history of mankind. It is estimated that by 2025, China will have 400 million more people living in its cities, raising its urban population to 900 million. Besides, new satellite towns are mushrooming on the urban fringes while city ring roads are rippling outwards into the countryside at amazing speed. Satellite maps collected by Professor Joshua Bolchover at the University of Hong Kong bring the problem sharply into focus. They track the changing rural-urban framework in the past 30 years, and suggest that cities are cruelly destroying surrounding rural land and rapidly reducing the amount of arable（可耕種的）land, which gives way to new residential blocks, new industrial zones, new financial centers and the other inevitable signs and signatures of economic growth.
This, however, is not sustainable growth pattern, especially when China has the world’s largest population to feed. So concerned urban planners are starting to note the social and physical effects of diaspora（大移居）when replaced rural communities are forced into the cities.
On the other hand, a trend of thought is gradually taking shape and this is the concept of the “garden city”, a combination of country and city that is being proposed by architects and city planners. Hua Li, from Tao Architects, is among the many professionals with such a voice. His argument is supported by a long-term study on this subject. As Hua says, the answer is to preserve patches of productive farmland within urban boundaries. Less transportation means we have fresh agricultural products at lower costs and less carbon emission in the city. And urban farmland can also be showcased for agricultural tourism and education.
The concept is already practiced at the grassroot level. Agriculture has gone into the air, up to roof and balcony in some communities in the cities. It’s common to see organic “hanging garden” on the roof of some traditional courtyard home. According to some people, the rooftop project translate to tangible (=" practical)" benefits, such as safe, nutritious vegetables, a cooler home in summer. Some say thanks to the tomatoes they plant that are natural insect killers, there’re fewer mosquitoes. Apart from these, it also contributes to better bonding with neighbors. Zhang, a doctor in Beijing, began creating his hanging garden five years ago. Since his garden became home to 30 kinds of vegetables and fruit --- all enough to feed his family, neighbors have enjoyed dropping by for a relaxing chat or just to see how well the lovely vegetables and fruit are doing.
Although people like Zhang are still rare and the greening of roof space with vegetables and fruit takes skill and energy, with more positive media exposure and advanced technology there is the prospect that garden city will become common practice in the near future. By then, cities will no longer look so gray when seen from the satellites.
小題1:What is the purpose of paragraph 2?

A．To show the experts’ concern about the increase of population.

B．To persuade people into supporting economic growth in cities.

C．To explain the reasons for the change of rural-urban framework.

D．To inform the readers of the consequences of quick urbanization.

小題2:In Hua Li’s opinion, a combination of country and city will __________.

A．benefit the environment and lower living costs

B．become a project that needs a long-term study

C．lead to more rural communities being replaced

D．a(chǎn)ttract more farmers to take tours in cities

小題3: Zhang is mentioned (Paragraph 5) to show that __________.

A．he achieves his dream to own a hanging garden

B．hanging gardens are becoming more popular

C．the garden contributes to a better neighborhood

D．he is a pioneer to practise the gardening concept

小題4:As for the concept of the “garden city”, the writer feels_________.

A．desperate

B．hopeful

C．disappointed

D．concerned

In the United States you will find yourself being urged from every page of every newspaper and every television station to buy all kinds of goods.
Not only is there a wide range of prices for goods in America, there is also a wide range in the quality of goods offered for sale. Unlike some countries,
Americans generally pay the price of a product without question, instead of trying to get a lower price by bargaining. However, there are many “sales” in the United States, during which time stores will lower their normal prices. This may all be very confusing to visitors. How are you going to know how to “get your money’s worth” when you shop? Perhaps the best advice is: Don’t hurry. Visit various stores and determine the quality of goods. Read the advertisements so that you can compare prices.
There is a great variety of shops in the United States, ranging from very large stores called “department stores” to very small shops. There are “discount houses” offering goods at low prices, and “dime stores” specializing in a wide range of inexpensive items.
Most department stores in large cities carry better quality products at higher prices. However, they offer the shoppers great convenience since they contain such a wide variety of products.
If convenience isn’t as important to you as price, you may want to shop in discount houses. These stores have nearly as great a variety of goods as department stores, but offer lower prices. They can do so for several reasons. They don’t offer the same services to buyers that department stores do; there may be fewer sales people; and the store probably doesn’t deliver purchases.
Another popular shop is the “dime store”. No longer selling many things for five or ten cents, these stores got their name in the last century when it was decided that a small profit on a great quantity of goods would be better than a large profit on fewer sales. Dime stores specialize in a wide variety of inexpensive items and today, prices range from a quarter or 50 cents up to several dollars.
小題1:The passage is mainly about______

A．American hospitality.	B．the life of Americans.
C．American stores.	D．the business of Americans.

小題2: Why can discount houses offer goods at lower prices compared with department stores?
a. They have fewer employees.
b. They have larger quantities of goods.
c. They offer fewer services.
d. They don’t provide delivery service.

A．a(chǎn) b c

B．a(chǎn) b d

C．a(chǎn) c d

D．b c d

小題3:What’s special about dime stores?

A．They sell lots of goods at a small profit.

B．They make big profits by selling some goods.

C．They provide goods with a price lower than 50 cents.

D．They provide goods ranging from bargains to expensive ones.

小題4:Where can we most probably read this passage?

A．In a research paper.	B．In a science report.
C．In a geography book.	D．In a travel magazine.

Cultural rules determine every aspect of food consumption. Who eats together defines social units. For example, in some societies, the nuclear family is the unit that regularly eats together. The anthropologist Mary Douglas has pointed out that, for the English, the kind of meal and the kind of food that is served relate to the kinds of social links between people who are eating together. She distinguishes between regular meals, Sunday meals when relatives may come, and cocktail parties for relatives and friends. The food served symbolizes the occasion and reflects who is present. For example, only snacks are served at a cocktail party. It would be inappropriate to serve a steak or hamburgers. The distinctions among cocktails, regular meals, and special dinners mark the social boundaries between those guests who are invited for drinks, those who are invited to dinner, and those who come to a family meal. In this example, the type of food symbolizes the category of guest and with whom it is eaten.
In some New Guinea societies, the nuclear family is not the unit that eats together. The men take their meals in a men’s house, separately from their wives and children. Women prepare and eat their food in their own houses and take the husband’s portion to the men’s house. The women eat with their children in their own houses. This pattern is also widespread among Near Eastern societies.
Eating is a metaphor that is sometimes used to signify marriage. In many New Guinea societies, like that of the Lese on the island of New Ireland in the Pacific and that of the Trobriand Islanders, marriage is symbolized by the couple’s eating together for the first time. Eating symbolizes their new status as a married couple. In U.S. society, it is just the reverse. A couple may go out to dinner on a first date.
Other cultural rules have to do with taboos against eating certain things. In some societies, members of a family group, arc not allowed to eat the animal or bird that is their ancestor. Since they believe themselves to be children of that ancestor, it would be like eating that ancestor or eating themselves.
There is also an association between food prohibitions and rank, which is found in its most extreme form in the caste (social class) system of India. A caste system consists of ranked groups, each with a different economic specialization. In India, there is an association between caste and the idea of pollution. Members of highly ranked groups can be polluted by coming into contact with the bodily secretions, particularly saliva（唾液）,of individuals of lower-ranked castes. Because of the fear of pollution, Brahmans and other high-ranked individuals will not share food with, not eat from the same plate as, not even accept food from an individual or from a low-ranking class.
小題1:According to the passage, who will NOT eat together?

A．The English during regular meals.

B．Americans on their first date.

C．Men and women in Near Eastern societies.

D．Newly-married people on the island of New Ireland.

小題2:In Paragraph 4, the underlined word "taboos" means _____________.

A．favors

B．prohibitions

C．hatred

D．gossips

小題3:According to the passage, eating together indicates all the following EXCEPT         .

A．the type of food	B．social relations.
C．marital status	D．family ties.

小題4:What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Different kinds of food in western countries.

B． Relations between food and social units.

C． Symbolic meanings of different kinds of food.

D．Food consumption in different cultures.

The more accessible a company’s services are, the more business it will do. Why are the same ___1___ not applied when it comes to Internet websites then? A Hong Kong study has found that the local sites of two leading ___2___, McDonald’s and Motorola, are the most user-unfriendly of the 30 websites tested. The lack of ___3___ means they are not only losing customers, but ___4___ to meet their social responsibilities.
In an ever-more Internet-connected world, ___5___ are as important as physical shops or offices. They are ___6___ used as a way of banking, shopping and getting news. This is especially so for the disabled, who find it ___7___ to shop on-line than go to a store in person. A website that does not let them do this is the same as having a(n) "___8___" sign on a door. 
In Hong Kong, it is ___9___ not to provide the disabled with access to schools and buildings, but at present there are no specific laws on Internet accessibility. However, companies are morally responsible for ensuring that their websites can be ___10___ by people who are visually disabled or have difficulty walking around. Ideals for design have long been put forward by the World Wide Web Consortium, a global community working on open standards to ___11___ accessibility and development.
Computer technology is ___12___ fast and it is now much easier to create websites that are ___13___ for all people, sighted or disabled. Companies should ensure that the designers of their websites ___14___ guidelines for accessibility. We should try to make our city as ___15___ as possible, on-line and off.

小題1:	A．data B．principles C．experiences D．technologies

小題2:	A．companies B．products C．stores D．factories

小題3:	A．power B．study C．a(chǎn)ttraction D．a(chǎn)ccess

小題4:	A．deciding B．a(chǎn)ttempting C．failing D．stopping

小題5:	A．computers B．hotlines C．signals D．websites

小題6:	A．increasingly B．possibly C．extremely D．randomly

小題7:	A．cheaper B．safer C．easier D．quicker

小題8:	A．waiting B．sale C．open D．closed

小題9:	A．unreasonable B．illegal C．unimportant D．impolite

小題10:

A．found B．read C．known D．created

小題11:

A．permit. B．discover C．start D．ensure

小題12:

A．weakening B．dropping C．changing D．flying

小題13:

A．wonderful B．usable C．harmless D．profitable

小題14:

A．follow B．write C．break D．ignore

小題15:

A．beautiful B．wealthy C．a(chǎn)ccessible D．respectable