O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer for short stories. His 36 name was William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, 37 he managed to 38 himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry 39 to Texas, where he tried different 40. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank. When some money went missing from the bank, O. Henry was believed to have 41 it. Because of that, he was sent to 42. During the three years in prison, he learned to 43 short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and 44 writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there.
Most of O. Henry's 45 are set in his own time, the early years of the 20th century. Many take place in New York City, and deal for the most part with ordinary 46: clerks, policemen, waitresses. O. Henry's short stories are well known 47 their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings. And his stories were 48 more playful and optimistic. People like his stories, 49 simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the 50, to the reader's surprise.
小題1:  

A．real

B．middle

C．first

D．last

小題2:

A．or

B．a(chǎn)nd

C．for

D．but

小題3:

A．learn

B．teach

C．a(chǎn)llow

D．turn

小題4:

A．went

B．lived

C．stayed

D．left

小題5:

A．stories

B．books

C．banks

D．jobs

小題6:

A．defended

B．stolen

C．preserved

D．reacted

小題7:  

A．prison

B．homeland

C．neighbourhood

D．jungle

小題8:

A．read

B．write

C．tell

D．take

小題9:

A．liked

B．believed

C．continued

D．stopped

小題10:

A．families

B．stories

C．fantasies

D．deeds

小題11:  

A．things

B．writers

C．people

D．readers

小題12:  

A．like

B．a(chǎn)s

C．to

D．for

小題13:  

A．very

B．less

C．so

D．much

小題14:

A．when

B．how

C．because

D．so

小題15:

A．end

B．last

C．first

D．beginning

When we talk about a bad man, we like to call him a “wolf”. But is it really true that the wolf stands for devil and ugliness？?
Have you read the book “The Wolf Totem” by a famous writer Jiang Rong, which tells the story of the relationship between wolves and human beings? Have you ever  36 the wolves' world? If you had, you would  37 the wolves.?
In the book, wolves are heroes on the large grassland. They know more about  38 than humans. They can attack lambs without disturbing their mothers. They also know how to 39 full use of the shape of land to  40 sheep. I believe that if wolves were humans, they would be   41  experts good at fighting.?
The wolf is a kind of special creature that can deeply understand  42 . Each wolf serves its group with its heart and soul. A  43 wolf has little power, but a pack of wolves  44 nothing. All the wolves obey the rules.  45  they are defeated, they run away together. It is their teamwork  46 makes wolves powerful.?
The wolves also have great self-respect and won't  47 to anyone. The writer, who wrote the book “The Wolf Totem”,  48 stole a one-month-old baby wolf and raised it very carefully. To his 49 , he found the little wolf still wanted to go back with  50 wolves. He bit through the iron chain that limited him. The wolf was  51  and he never gave in, fighting  52  his death. The little wolf died as a glorious fighter.?
I was shocked by this kind of  53 : wolves are one of the most respected creatures on earth. I want everyone to look at wolves in a  54 way. They are our teachers. They show us how to survive and  55  in this not simple and dangerous world. Please honor the wolves, please honor all these heroes of nature!

小題1:	A．talked about B．walked into C．thought about D．cared for

小題2:	A．hunt B．a(chǎn)dmire C．draw D．watch

小題3:	A．space B．spot C．food D．survival?

小題4:	A．make B．take C．have D．get

小題5:	A．fight B．a(chǎn)void C．trap D．discover?

小題6:	A．special B．imaginative C．outstanding D．creative?

小題7:	A．operation B．teamwork C．lifestyle D．control

小題8:	A．single B．brave C．lonely D．fair?

小題9:	A．fight B．struggle C．fear D．fail

小題10:

A．As for B．As though C．Even so D．Even if?

小題11:

A．what B．he C．that D．one?

小題12:

A．turn in B．give in C．take in D．break in

小題13:

A．once B．just C．soon D．only

小題14:

A．satisfaction B．disappointment C．pleasure D．sorrow

小題15:

A．rest B．others C．a(chǎn)nother D．the other

小題16:

A．proud B．satisfied C．willing D．eager

小題17:

A．until B．a(chǎn)lthough C．before D．unless

小題18:

A．selflessness B．self-confidence C．self-respect D．self-protection

小題19:

A．curious B．different C．strange D．humorous?

小題20:

A．walk B．hand C．get D．succeed

Your friends might be in Australia or maybe just down the road, but they are all just a few clicks away. Life has changed for millions of young people across the world who now make friends online. Whether you use chat-rooms, QQ, MSN or ICQ, you are a member of this group.
“I don’t often talk with my parents or grandparents, but I talk a lot with my old friends on QQ,” said Fox’s Shadow, the online name used by a girl student in China. “Most of my classmates use QQ after school.”
QQ is the biggest messaging service in China. A record from Tencent, the company which developed QQ, shows that 4 million people used it one Saturday night in October.
And probably Fox’s Shadow was one of them. “I log in on Friday nights, and Saturdays or Sundays when I feel everything around me boring. I usually spend about ten hours chatting online every week,” she said. “But I never talk with strangers, especially boys or men.”
Even though she likes chatting, she is careful about making friends with strangers online. “You don’t know who you’re talking to. You should always be careful about whom you believe in online.”
Many people would like to meet offline when they feel they have known someone very well. Fox’s Shadow once met one of her online friends face to face. It was a girl who was a football fan like herself and they went to a football match together.
A 16-year-old Beijing boy, named Bart Simon online, dislikes QQ users. “I used to chat on QQ, but I found that most people were talking about foolish things,” he said. Now he chats online in English, using MSN. “I only chat online because I’ve got friends in Japan, the US and Singapore,” he said. “I want to learn more about foreign cultures.” But he spends little time chatting on QQ as he sees it as a waste of time and money.
“If you are really addicted to it, sometimes you can’t give your mind to your lessons,” he said. “And friends in your real life are always more important than those so-called friends you meet online.”
小題1:From the passage, we know“…they are all just a few clicks away” means“    ”.

A．it is wonderful to see your friends by clicking

B．it is popular to make friends online

C．it is possible to live much closer to your friends

D．it is easy and fast to get in touch with your friends

小題2:Fox’s Shadow thinks QQ is     .

A．a(chǎn) good place to spend her time when bored

B．the biggest messaging service in China

C．a(chǎn) safe place to chat with strangers

D．the best place to make friends

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

A．All the people on QQ are talking about foolish things.

B．We should think more of our friends in real life.

C．We should be careful about boys or men online.

D．Chatting online is a waste of time and money.

小題4:The underlined phrase means     .

A．turn on the computer	B．enter in QQ
C．surf the internet	D．make friends

Bee Movie

Barry B. Benson is a graduate bee fresh out of college who has been discouraged at his lone （單獨的，獨自的）career choice: making honey. On a rare trip outside the hive（蜂房）, Barry’s life is saved by Vanessa, a florist（花商） in New York City. As their relationship blossoms, he discovers humans are mass consumers of honey and decides to sue（控告） the human race for stealing bees’ honey. Genres: Comedy and Animation Running Time: 1 hr. 30 min. Release Date: November 2nd, 2007 (wide) Distributors: Paramount Pictures U.S. Box Office: $125,196,072

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates looks to discover the truth behind the assassination (暗殺) of Abraham Lincoln, by uncovering the mystery within the 18 pages missing from assassin John Wilkes Booth’s diary. Genres: Action/Adventure, Thriller and Sequel Running Time: 2 hrs. 3 min. Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide) Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution U.S. Box Office: $170,870,795

P. S. I Love You

A grieving young widow discovers that her late husband has left her a list of tasks revealed （揭示，顯示）in 10 messages, delivered anonymously, intended to ease her out of grief （悲傷）and transition her to a new life. Genres: Drama and aptation Running Time: 1 hr. 59 min. Release Date:  December 21st, 2007 (wide) Distributors :Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution U.S. Box Office: $39,202,724

One Missed Call

Beth Raymond is shocked when she witnesses the gruesome deaths of two friends just days apart. Even more disturbing, she knows that both of them had received chilling cell phone messages – actual recordings of their own horrifying last moments. Impossibly, the calls were received days before they died, but each death occurred precisely when and how the messages foretold. Genres: Suspense/Horror and Remake Running Time: 1 hr. 27 min. Release Date: January 4th, 2008 (wide) Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution U.S. Box Office: $12,511,473

 
小題1: According to the information, if you are interested in a cartoon film, you will see the film    released on ________.

A．December 21st, 2007	B．December 21st, 2007
C．November 2nd, 2007	D．January 4th, 2008

小題2: If a person is fond of watching a film with an exciting plot, involving crime, he will probably like__________.

A．Bee Movie& P. S. I Love You

B．Bee Movie & National Treasure: Book of Secrets.

C．P. S. I Love You & One Missed Call.

D．National Treasure: Book of Secrets & One Missed Call.

小題3:In the film One Missed Call, Beth Raymond is greatly disturbed because ________.

A．she received chilling cell phone messages

B．she witnessed the deaths of two friends in the hospital

C．she foretold the horrifying last moments of her friends

D．two of her friends died in the way foretold by the cell phone massages that had been received days before

Every culture has a recognized (公認(rèn)的) point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed.
In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world.
“Nobody wants to ride the bus to school,” said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She remembered the pressure, especially from kids from richer families. “It’s like you’re not cool if you don’t have a car,” she said.
According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay.
Not all families will buy cars for their children. In cities with subways (地鐵) and limited parking, some teenagers don’t want them. But in rich suburban (郊區(qū)的) areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.
But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents think carefully before letting their kids drive.
Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17.
Chad said he has accepted his parents’ decision, although it has caused some teasing (奚落) from his friends. “They say that I am unlucky,” he said. “But I’d rather be alive than driving, and I don’t really trust my friends on the road either.”
In China as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult?
小題1:The story is mainly about _______.

A．the recognized point between childhood and adulthood

B．American teens want to drive a car when they turn 16

C．whether teenagers should have a car

D．the fact that it’s safer for teens to drive a car at an younger age

小題2: Which of the following is not one of the reasons that kids want to have a car?

A．With a car, it would be easy to move around.

B．A great number of teenagers have cars.

C．Having a car would mean more excitement.

D．Parents’ support for kids to have a car at an early age.

小題3:.Which of the following is not true?

A．Some of Chad’s friends have cars.

B．When deciding whether to buy a car for their kids, safety weighs heavily on many parents’ mind.

C．In the US, 16 is considered the point between childhood and adulthood.

D．More kids from cities own cars than those from the countryside.

小題4:The word “l(fā)icense” in Paragraph 2 means closest to ______.

A．driving permit

B．ID card

C．learner’s permit

D．test result

For a 400-year-old art form, opera had a bad fame: overweight actresses singing the words which were hard to understand in one of those romantic languages you were supposed to learn in high school. And with tickets costing as much as $145 a performance, operagoers also had a certain appearance in people’s mind: rich, well-dressed and old.
But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to keep opera alive and take it to a younger and not so wealthy audience.
Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to associate opera with the common people. That means no formal suits, old-styled theatre or bank-breaking ticket prices. And because young people don’t or won’t come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such usual places as parks, libraries and public schools.
The Houston Grand Opera’s choice is the public library, where it performs “mobile operas”, shortened versions of child-friendly operas. This summer’s production is Hansel & Gretel. By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level. The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists’ Training Program.
小題1:Which is the main idea of this passage?

A．Opera is famous for its long history.

B．Opera is only performed for rich people.

C．Opera companies are trying to keep opera alive.

D．Young people are not interested in opera.

小題2:The underlined phrase in the second paragraph means _________.

A．breaking up the old rules	B．changing the dresses
C．making the audience at ease	D．a(chǎn)dvertising themselves

小題3:Opera companies prefer to perform short versions because _________.

A．they can be performed in public libraries

B．short versions are easy to perform

C．it is hard to find long versions

D．they can make people interested

小題4:The San Francisco Opera employs students in order to _________.

A．celebrate its 75th anniversary

B．reduce the cost

C．a(chǎn)ttract young people

D．make Cinderella popular

小題5: From the passage we can infer that _________.

A．the tickets for opera are very expensive

B．opera is performed in a difficult language

C．opera is not so popular an art form today

D．students enjoy performing opera very much

In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read. To have read Gulliver’s Travels is to have had the experience of listening to Jonathan Swift, of learning about man’s cruelty to man. To read Huckleberry Finn is to feel what it is like to drift (漂流) down the Mississippi River on a raft . To have read Byron is to have suffered his rebellions with him and to have enjoyed his nose—thumbing at (對……的蔑視) society. To have read Native Son is to know how it feels to be frustrated in the particular way in which Blacks in Chicago are frustrated. This is effective communication. It enables us to feel how others felt about life, even if they lived thousands of miles away and centuries age. It is not true that “We have only one life to live.” If we read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.
小題1:The sentence “People who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read” suggests that ______.

A．reading stimulates（激發(fā)）a desire to travel	B．reading broadens a person’s experience
C．people who read much live longer	D．people who read are more relaxed

小題2:The author implies that good literature ______.

A．must deal with social problems	B．must teach a lesson
C．is varied in subject and in content	D．is always exciting and heart--warming

小題3: According to the author, reading good literature ______.

A．produces new income	B．is quite useless
C．satisfies the curious	D．opens new worlds to us

小題4:The underlined word effective in this passage means ______.

A．a(chǎn)ctual

B．striking

C．existing

D．having an effect

Based on cultural traditions and the changing face of contemporary British communities, the Festival of Muslim Cultures joins young people from Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds together through the creation of innovative(創(chuàng)新的), high quality cultural activities.
We have been working with arts and educational institutions across the UK to promote the mainstreaming of Muslim cultures within UK everyday life. The Festival was created out of the need to encourage a better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, to promote respect for Muslim cultures and to show how culture creates the pathways that connect us all together.
The program launched with a visit by the Festival’s patron(贊助人), the Prince of Wales, to the exhibition “Palace and Mosque” in Sheffield and since then there have been more than 100 events that have ranged from a Somali community day in Cardiff at the National Museum of Wales to a late-night Dance with Radio Tarifa (from Spain) and Dimi Mint Abba (form Mauritania) in the Royal Albert Hall and from a home-grown play in Nottingham about the Kashmir earthquake to the exhibition“Beyond the Palace Walls” at the Royal Museum Edinburgh of Islamic art from the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
We are now working on a number of long-term projects which stay true to our commitment to promoting Muslim cultures through arts collaborations(協(xié)作) and build on the extensive network of local, national and international partners that Festival has created. These include a three-year national program that connects young Muslims to their local cultural institutions; a UK Muslim cookbook; an exhibition of the Ottoman architect Sinan; and a project for schools around the 1000-year old story “The Animals’ Lawsuit against Humanity”.
For more information about the Festival, please click on another page: Who’s Who.
小題1:The best title of this passage would be _______.

A．Welcome to the Celebration of Muslim Cultures

B．The History and Development of Muslim Cultures

C．The Exhibition of “Beyond the Palace Walls”

D．New Ways to Connect Muslims to Local Cultures

小題2:Which is NOT the purpose of holding the Festival of Muslim Cultures?

A．To promote people’s respect for Muslim cultures.

B．To show to people how cultures join the people together.

C．To try to change the beliefs of various religions.

D．To make Muslims and non-Muslims understand each other better.

小題3:This passage was probably taken from _________.

A．a(chǎn) website

B．a(chǎn) newspaper

C．a(chǎn) book

D．a(chǎn) magazine

Thanks to the huge success of Harry Potter, many teenagers dream about living in an ancient castle. These dreams may include beautiful silk dresses, delicious food, servants and of course, magic. However, real life in an English castle was not easy. With thick stonewalls and high towers, castles were built for defence(防御). So they were not good places to live in. In medieval times, castles must have been noisy and smelly places. Horses, cattle, chickens and sheep walked free, blacksmiths did ironwork, soldiers practised sword (劍) fights, and children of all ages played around them. Castles did not have central heating; the only heat came from the fireplace. Even in summer the castle was cool. People living in the castles had to use blankets to keep warm while at work.
Life during the Middle Ages began at sunrise. Servants lit the fire, swept the floor and cooked the morning meal. The mid-morning meal was the main meal of the day and often included three or four courses (一道菜). After dinner, everyone continued his or her work. The owner of the castle, the lord, sometimes took his guests hunting or shooting. His wife, the lady, spent much of the day watching the maids (女仆) work, as well as people working in the kitchen. She also kept an eye on the weavers and embroiderers who made clothes for the family. Supper was simple and eaten late, just before bedtime.
You may find some old magic books in a castle as Harry Potter once did. Read them before you go to bed, because when you fall asleep the magic of castle life may appear before your eyes.
小題1: For what purpose were the castles built in England?

A．To defend the city or country against enemies.

B．To provide a working place for blacksmiths.

C．To raise poultry (家禽) and livestock (家畜).

D．To provide a place for teenagers to learn magic.

小題2: Why were the ancient castles noisy?

A．Because soldiers practiced sword fights there.

B．Because blacksmiths did ironwork there.

C．Because children of all ages played around them.

D．All of the above.

小題3: Which of the following about family life in castles is true according to the passage?

A．The servants in castles lived an easy life.

B．The wife spent much of the day at home.

C．Supper was eaten before sunset.

D．Dinner was eaten in the middle of the day.

小題4:The main idea of this passage is ______.

A．castles were not good places to live in

B．castles in novels are different from those in history

C．Harry Potter's story in a castle affected people

D．what real life was like in an ancient castle

If there is something that appears most frequently on Chinese dining tables, it is doufu—beancurd. Beancurd looks like soft cakes and it’s made from dried soybeans. Beancurd used to be considered a favourite of the poor because of its low cost. Beans have high yields (產(chǎn)量) every year with their short growing period and suitability for various soil both dry and wet.
Historical records show beancurd was invented by Liu An, Prince of Huainan and uncle of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty（206BC—220AD）. He had a dream of finding the pill for longevity (長壽). He traveled all over the country and found soybeans, which looked much the same as gold in terms of colour. He collected soybeans, put them in the water and crushed them into pulp (漿). It got solidified (凝固) and became known as doufu. Although it’s not able to keep longevity, it’s really good for one’s health with high protein and low fat.
With a long history, beancurd is rooted deep in Chinese culture. People eat more meat and fish than beancurd. But they are encouraged to have beancurd every once in a while for it’s really good for health. Most Chinese people still keep beancurd as one of their favourite dishes.
小題1: Why was beancurd considered to be liked by the poor?

A．It’s cheap.	B．It’s easy to cook.
C．It’s easy to make.	D．It’s good for health.

小題2: Where can beans grow well?

A．Only in wet soil.	B．In dry soil.
C．In soft soil.	D．In any soil.

小題3: Why did Liu An travel all over the country?       

A．He had a dream.

B．He wanted to find something that could make people live longer.

C．He wanted to invent beancurd.

D．He wanted to find gold.