完形填空 閱讀下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后從各題所給的A、B、C和D選項中，選出最佳選項。（每小題2分，共30分）
Computers have done us a lot since they turned up. In the future they will play a more important part in many __16__, such as education, transport, personal lives, scientific research and so on. Nowadays computers are being used in ___17__ and industry and can help the farmers to __18__ the conditions of the plants.
More and more computers will come into our daily life with the __19__ of science and technology. If you want to change money or pay your electricity bills, you won’t have to go to the __20__. A computer and a telephone will help you. It can also help you to do the housework and it can even __21___ human voices and carry out the instructions. It is __22__ that the majority of the labor force will work at home. People will be able to use the videophone for conferences. This can help us to save a lot of energy and ___23__. It is said that trains in Japan will have no __24___, because they’ll be well __25___ by computers, which can also tell the best ___26__ between trains.
Computers programs for __27__ whole texts are already well developed. You can ___28__ the name of a certain subject and a __29__ list of book titles will __30__ on your screen. You may choose whichever you want.

小題1:	A．families B．fields C．factories D．places
小題2:	A．tourism B．politics C．entertainment D．agriculture
小題3:	A．form B．grow C．control D．manage
小題4:	A．increase B．progress C．production D．development
小題5:	A．office B．bank C．shop D．post office
小題6:	A．understand B．carry C．hear D．recognize
小題7:	A．important B．necessary C．possible D．complete
小題8:	A．material B．time C．place D．money
小題9:	A．conductors B．drivers C．instructors D．indicators
小題10:	A．operated B．done C．made D．run
小題11:	A．position B．direction C．distance D．way
小題12:	A．storing B．writing C．remaining D．recording
小題13:	A．give B．put C．type D．write
小題14:	A．first-rate B．world-famous C．nationwide D．worldwide
小題15:	A．show B．appear C．offer D．come

 

Tourism probably started in Roman times. Rich Romans visited friends and family who were working in another part of the Roman Empire. But when the empire broke down, this kind of tourism stopped.
In the early 17^th century, the idea of the “Grand Tour” was born. Rich young English people sailed across the English Channel（英吉利海峽）. They visited the most beautiful and important European cities of the time, including Paris in France, and Rome and Venice in Italy. Their tours lasted for two to four years, and the tourists stayed a few weeks or months in each city. The “Grand Tour” was an important part of young people’s education---but only for the rich.
In the 18^th century, tourism began to change. For example, people in the UK started to visit some towns, such as Bath to “take the waters”. They believed that the water there was good for their health. So large and expensive hotels were built in these towns.
In the 19^th century, travel became much more popular and faster. When the first railways were built in the 1820s, it was easier for people to travel towns, so they started to go for holidays by the sea. And some started to have holidays in the countryside as cities became larger, noisier and dirtier.
Traveling by sea also became faster and safer when the first steamships were built. People began to travel more to faraway countries.
The 20^th century saw cars become more and more popular among ordinary people. Planes were made larger, so ticket prices dropped and more people used them.
Thus tourism grew. In 1949, Russian journalist Vladimir Raitz started a company called Horizon Holidays. The company organizes everything---plane tickets, hotel rooms, even food----and tourists pay for it all before they leave home. The package tour and modern tourist industry was born.
The first travel agency in China was set up as early as 1949. But tourism did not take off until 1978. In 2002, the industry was 500 billion yuan and became an important part of China’s social development.
小題1: In the early times, the travelers _____.

A．all came from Roman	B．were very young and strong
C．had lots of money	D．traveled by boat

小題2: Which is NOT true about “Grand Tour”?

A．It was a long journey.	B．The young men learned a lot from it.
C．Those who took the tour weren’t rich.	D．Most of its destinations were in Europe.

小題3: _____ played the most important role in the tourism development.

A．Education

B．Money

C．Transportation

D．People’s ideas

小題4: Modern tourism was born _______.

A．in 1949

B．in Roman times

C．in the early 17th century

D．in the early 19th century

小題5:The underlined phrase “take off” in the last paragraph means ______.

A．a plane rising into the air	B．develop very fast
C．remove hats and clothes	D．bring down the prices

The Touchstone
When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story goes, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book; and so a poor man, who could read a little, bought it for very little money.
The book wasn’t very interesting, but between its pages there was something very interesting indeed. It was a thin strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the “Touchstone”! The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold.
The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The real stone would feel warm, while ordinary pebbles are cold.
So the man sold his few belongings, bought some simple supplies, camped on the seashore, and began testing pebbles. He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold, he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold - throw it into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea.
The days stretched into weeks and the weeks into months. One day, however, about mid-afternoon, he picked up a pebble and it was warm. He threw it into the sea before he realized what he had done. He had formed such a strong habit of throwing each pebble into the sea that when the one he wanted came along he still threw it away.
So it is with opportunity. Unless we are careful, it’s easy to fail to recognize an opportunity when it is in hand, and it’s just as easy to throw it away.
小題1:The man bought the book because _____________.

A．he wanted to read it	B．it was very interesting
C．there was a secret in the book	D．he wanted to find the touchstone

小題2:We can learn from the passage that the touchstone is _________.

A．pure

B．cold

C．magic

D．big

小題3:Why did the man throw the pebbles into the sea?

A．Because he didn’t want to get the same pebbles.

B．Because he didn’t want others to pick them up.

C．Because he didn’t like their ordinary looks.

D．Because he didn’t like the cold feelings.

小題4:What does the author want to tell us in the passage?

A．We should offer opportunities in our life.

B．We should seek for opportunities in the world.

C．We may seize opportunities when we are watchful.

D．We may discover opportunities when forming habits.

The amount of carbon taken in by growing plants increased from 1982 through 1999 as
temperatures rose and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. But a new study
in Friday ’ s edition of the journal Science found a drought - related decline in such plant growth
from 2000 to 2009，even though temperatures continued to climb.
As drought caused by warming reduces the land ’ s ability to take in carbon，the result could
be more carbon dioxide left in the atmosphere，and thus more warming，Zhao Maosheng from the
University of Montana explained in a telephone interview.
“This is a pretty serious warning that warmer temperatures are not going to endlessly improve
plant growth ’” co - author Steven Running，also from the University of Montana ’ said in a
statement. “ We see this as a bit of a surprise，and potentially significant on a policy level because
previous interpretations suggested global warming might actually help plant growth around the
world, “ he said.
Instead, he and Zhao found a small but measurable decline of about 1%，compared to a6%
increase in the past decade.
Their study，based on the data collected by NASA satellites，found that north areas continued
to increase plant growth，thanks to warmer temperatures and a longer growing season.
Someone commented, "This past decade’ s net decline in earthly productivity suggests that a
complex relationship between temperature, rainfall, cloudiness, and carbon dioxide, probably in
combination with other factors such as nutrients(營養(yǎng)）and land management，will determine
future patterns and trends in productivity.，^，
小題1:From the first paragraph, we can learnin the recent decade or so.

A．the emission(排放)of carbon hasn’ t been reduced

B．draught has been causing loss of soil and water

C．carbon dioxide levels have been rising

D．the rise of temperature doesn' t promote the plant growth

小題2:Zhao Maosheng really worried that .
E.     more and more land will be abandoned
F.    the climate becomes warmer and warmer
G.   the emission of carbon dioxide increases
H.   draught further reduces the number of the plants
小題3:Steven Running made his statement to  .
I.      confirm Zhao' s views on the influence of temperature rise
J.     urge the government to take necessary measures
K.    warn the people to strengthen the plant protection
L.    support Zhao* s views on lhe plant production
小題4:We can infer from the passage that  .

A．global warming will determine the future productivity

B．various factors play a key role jointly on future productivity

C．earthly productivity actually increased in the past decade

D．temperature rise has had no effect on future producticity patterns

完形填空 （共15小題； 每小題2分，滿分30分）
閱讀下面短文，掌握其大意，然后從下列各題所給的A、B、C和D項中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該題涂黑。
I climbed the stairs slowly，carrying a big suitcase，my father following with two more. By the time I got to the third floor，I was　1　and at the same time feeling lonely. Worse still，Dad　2　a step and fell，sending my new suitcases 　3　down the stairs. “Damn!”he screamed，his face turning red. I knew trouble was ahead. Whenever Dad's face turns red，　4　！
How could I ever　5　him to finish unloading the car without screaming at me and making a scene in front of the other girls，girls I would have to spend the rest of the  6  with？Doors were opening and faces peering out(探出)，as Dad walked with difficulty close behind. I felt it in my bones that my college life was getting off to a(n)　7　start.
“Enter the room quickly，”I thought. “Get him into a chair and calmed down.” But then again，would there be a chair in Room 316？Or would it be a(n)　8　room？
　 
Finally I turned the key in the lock and   9  the door open，with Dad still   10   about a hurting knee or something. I put my head in，　11　the worst. But to my　12　，the room wasn't empty at all！It had furniture，curtains，a TV，and even paintings on the walls.
And there on a well­made bed sat Amy，my new roommate，dressed neatly. Greeting me with a nod，she said in a soft voice，“Hi，you must be Cori.” Then，she　13　the music and looked over at Dad. “And of course，you're Mr.Faber，”she said，　14　.“Would you like a glass of iced tea？”Dad's face turned 15　 less red before he could bring out a “yes.”
I knew then that Amy and I would be friends and my first year of college would be a success.

1．A．helpless	B．lazy	C．anxious	D．tired
2．A．took	B．minded	C．missed	D．picked
3．A．falling	B．rolling	C．dropping	D．coming
4．A．go ahead	B．look out	C．hold on	D．give away
5．A．lead	B．help	C．encourage	D．get
6．A．year	B．season	C．month	D．day
7．A．fresh	B．late	C．bad	D．unfair
8．A．small	B．empty	C．new	D．neat
9．A．knocked	B．forced	C．pushed	D．tried
10．A．thinking	B．complaining	C．talking	D．arguing
11．A．expecting	B．catching	C．finding	D．forgetting
12．A．regret	B．disappointment	C．astonishment	D．knowledge
13．A．turned on	B．turned down	C．turned up	D．turned away
14．A．questioning	B．wondering	C．smiling	D．guessing
15．A．helplessly	B．hurriedly	C．happily	D．obviously

 

A metaphor is a poetic device that deals with comparison. It compares similar qualities of two dissimilar objects. With a simple metaphor, one object becomes the other: Love is a rose. Although this does not sound like a particularly rich image, a metaphor can communicate so much about a particular image that poets use them more than any other type of figurative language(修辭). The reason for this is that poets compose their poetry to express what they are experiencing emotionally at that moment. Consequently, what the poet imagines love to be may or may not be love we see it. Therefore, the poet’s job is to enable us to experience it, to feel it the same way as the poet does.
Let’s analyze this remarkably unsophisticated metaphor concerning love and the rose to see what it offers. Because the poet uses a comparison with a rose, first we must examine the characteristics of that flower. A rose is spectacular in its beauty; its petals(花瓣) are nicely soft, and its smell is pleasing. It’s possible to say that a rose is actually a feast to the senses of sight, touch, and smell. The rose’s appearance seems to border on(近似于)perfection, each petal seemingly symmetrical(對稱的) in form. Isn’t this the way one’s love should be? A loved one should be a delight to one’s senses and seem perfect. However, there is another dimension added to the comparison by using a rose. Roses have thorns(刺). The poet wants to convey the idea that roses can be tricky(機警的). So can love, the metaphor tells us. When one reaches out with absolute trust to touch the object of his or her affection, ouch, a thorn can cause great harm! “Be careful,” the metaphor warns: Love is a feast to the senses, but it can overwhelm us, and it can also hurt us and cause acute suffering. This is the poet’s perception of love--a warning. What is the point? Just this: It took almost 14 sentences to clarify what a simple metaphor communicates in only four words! That is the artistry and the joy of the simple metaphor.
小題1:According to the passage, what is a metaphor?

A．A comparison between two different objects with similar features.

B．A contrast between two different things to create a vivid image.

C．A description of two similar objects in a poetic way.

D．A literary device specially employed in poetry writing.

小題2: The main idea of this passage is that         .

A．rose is a good image in poetry	B．love is sweet and pleasing
C．metaphor is ambiguous	D．metaphor is great poetic device

小題3: It can be inferred from the passage that a metaphor is        .

A．difficult to understand

B．rich in meaning

C．not precise enough

D．like a flower

小題4: As is meant by the author, thorns of a rose_________.

A．protect the rose from harm	B．symbolize reduced love
C．add a new element to the image of love	D．represent objects of one’s affection

小題5: The meaning of the love-is–a-rose metaphor is that____________-

A．love is a true joy	B．true love comes once in a lifetime
C．love does not last long	D．love is both good and bad experiences

Britain’s seed bank, the only one in the world aiming to collect all of the planet’s wild plant species, has reached its goal of banking 10 percent by 2010.
The Millennium Seed Bank Project, run by Kew Gardens—one of the oldest botanical gardens—will officially deposit the 24,200th species on Thursday, a pink, wild banana from China.
More than 50 countries are now on board with Kew's giant task but vast places of the globe, including India and Brazil, still need to join in and donate seeds, director Paul Smith said.                                                                                                                                                            
The seed bank is one of the largest and most diverse in the world with more than 1.5 billion seeds. Its goal is to help protect the planet’s bio-diversity during a time of climate change.
The wild banana seed is under threat of extinction(滅絕) in southwest China from agricultural development. It is a vital food source for Asian elephants and important for growing bananas for human consumption.
Stored at minus-20 degrees centigrade, so they can last for thousands of years, the seeds await the day that scientists hope never comes—when the species no longer exist in the wild.
It is a race against time, Smith said, because in the last decade alone, 20 plants held in the bank have already been wiped out in the wild. He estimates that between a third and a quarter will become extinct this century.
"It is urgent and it is happening now. An area, the size of England, is cleared of primary vegetation（植被）every year." Smith said.
Because most of the world's food and medicines come from nature, protecting wild plant species is quite important, scientists say. There are already many other seed banks safeguarding food crops, which only account for 0.6 percent of plant diversity.
For Kew's next goal—to collect a quarter of wild varieties by 2020—the botanists need 10 million pounds a year, or a further 100 million pounds on top of the 40 million they have already been granted.
小題1:What’s the final purpose of the Britain’s seed bank?

A．To collect enough money for the project.	B．To safeguard food crops.
C．To protect wild plants from extinction.	D．To help scientists study wild plants.

小題2:The wild banana seed in China is in danger because of _______.

A．the expanding of farming work	B．the climate change in this area
C．the large number of Asian elephants	D．human’s large consumption

小題3: We can learn from the passage that _______.

A．the seeds in the bank can be used now and then all over the world

B．India and Brazil haven’t joined in the Seed Bank Project at present

C．there is only one seed bank in the world at present

D．the wild plants in places like India and China will never die out

小題4: What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 7 refer to?

A．The extinction of plant species.	B．The Millennium Seed Bank Project.
C．Britain’s seed bank.	D．Kew Gardens’ next goal.

小題5:Which of the following information isn’t mentioned in the passage?

A．The global partnership of collecting wild plant species.

B．The temperature condition of the conservative wild plant species.

C．The government’s financial support for the seed bank project.

D．Scientists’ concern on the extinct wild plant species.

Vans, Keds, Dollies—they sound like the names of rock bands, but if you have teenagers, you'll know they're actually the latest in teenage footwear.
But experts are now warning that the current shoe fashions will be causing teenagers discomfort in the short term and storing up years of foot, knee and back pain in the future.
Here, the experts identify the problems caused by teenagers' shoe choice.
KEDS/VANS
Slip-on shoes with elastic (彈性的）sides are particularly popular among teenage boys - with Keds and Vans the most sought-after brands.
The main problem is that they are just too flat—so flat that the heel, which strikes the ground first, also becomes damaged and painful.
BALLET PUMPS
The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes. The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans. However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems.
“As the shoe has no fastening device, it relies on the toes to keep the shoe on, causing an awkward gait（步法）, this leads to short- and long-term problems such as calluses（繭子）, heel and knee pain.”
WEDGES AND STILETTOS
These shoes can also cause problems with gait. They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer's body weight forward, making them very unstable.
Teens who wear these shoes regularly are also in danger of joining those millions of women with constant back pain.
SCHOOL SHOES
So what do podiatrists（足科醫(yī)生）have on their wish list, especially for everyday wear?
Something in a natural, breathable fabric, with a string to hold it on, with a small heel and a deep toe-box that does not press the toes, such as Clark's, Marks & Spencer or Rhino.
If your teen insists on wearing 'bad' shoes, get them some simple foot orthotics(矯形器) in the shoes. These support and correct the movement of the foot and, properly fitted by a podiatrist, can often transform their walk and halt the damage.
小題1: Of all the shoes mentioned in the passage, which can cause the worst problems?

A．Marks & Spencer.	B．Wedges & Stilettos.
C．Keds and Vans.	D．Ballet Pumps.

小題2: Which pair of shoes may not be found on the podiatrists’ wish list?

小題3: The underlined word “halt” in the last paragraph probably means _______.

A．increase

B．worsen

C．stop

D．cure

小題4: From this passage we can infer _______.

A．trendy shoes may ruin teenagers’ health

B．fashionable shoes all have orthotics in them

C．experts are strongly against wearing popular shoes

D．podiatrists are expert at producing branded shoes

小題5: In which column of Mail Online can you find this passage?

A．Sports.

B．Science.

C．Health.

D．Shopping.

完形填空(共20小題;每小題1.5分，滿分30分)
閱讀下面短文，從短文后各題所給的四個選項(A，B，C，D)中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。
　　Summer is the best time on the Island of the Blue Dolphins (海豚). The sun is warm then and the winds blow out of the west,   16  out of the south.
It was   17  these days that the ship might return and now I   18 most of my time on the rock,   19  out from the headland（水中凸起的陸地） into the east, towards the country  20  my people had gone, across the   21  that was never-ending.
Once  22  I watched, I saw a small object which I took to be the ship, but a stream of water   23  from it and I knew that it was whale (鯨魚)spouting (噴水). During those summer days I saw nothing   24 .
The first storm of winter   25  my hopes. If the white men's ship were   26     for me it would have come during the time of good   27 . Now I would have to wait  28  winter was gone, maybe longer.
The thought of being   29  on the island while so many suns rose   30  the sea and went   31  back into the sea   32  my heart with loneliness. I had not felt so  33  before because I was sure   34  the ship would return as Matasaip had said   35  would. Now my hopes were dead.

小題1:	A．totally B．already C．entirely D．sometimes

小題2:	A．during B．for C．after D．between

小題3:	A．spent B．shared C．paid D．devoted

小題4:	A．look B．to look C．looking D．looked

小題5:	A．when B．where C．which D．until

小題6:	A．island B．sea C．lake D．ocean

小題7:	A．since B．though C．while D．till

小題8:	A．rose B．raised C．grew D．set

小題9:	A．different B．ordinary C．else D．valuable

小題10:

A．encouraged B．ended C．spared D．limited

小題11:

A．leading B．moving C．coming D．following

小題12:

A．weather B．pattern C．rain D．fog

小題13:

A．after B．as C．until D．while

小題14:

A．quiet B．alone C．calm D．alive

小題15:

A．of B．in C．to D．from

小題16:

A．rapidly B．quickly C．slowly D．fully

小題17:

A．pumped B．set C．filled D．full

小題18:

A．lonely B．strict C．boring D．empty

小題19:

A．whether B．and C．that D．when

小題20:

A．it B．he C．that D．this

Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is open daily year-round from 9:30am to 5:00pm, with extended hours during summer. It is closed on December 25. There is no admission charge to Ellis Island; donations are gratefully accepted.
At Your Fingertips
Park information      (212) 363- 7620
Emergencies         (212 ) 363- 3260
Ferryboat information  (212) 269- 5755
Lost and found       (212) 344- 7620
Dining, gifts, & audio tour  (212) 344- 0996
Transportation
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry: Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9: 15 am(ferry schedule subject to change).
Hours: May vary; call the number below
Closed: December 25
Ferry fees (Includes Liberty and Ellis Islands): adults, $ 7; senior citizens, $6; children(age 3 to 17), $ 3. (lower group rates are available for 25 or more adults)
Ticket & schedule information: (212) 269- 5755
小題1: In summer, visitors will have ___________ to visit Ellis Island.

A．no enough money

B．a longer time

C．a shorter time

D．a wonderful time

小題2:Which number would you call if your friends were suddenly ill?

A．(212) 344- 0996

B．(212) 363- 7620

C．(212 ) 363- 3260

D．(212) 269- 5755

小題3: Which of the following is NOT true?

A．People can visit Ellis Island free of charge.

B．The boats departure time from Battery Park is at 9:15 a.m. all the year round.

C．Ferry fees for children are cheaper than for adults.

D．Ferry fees for group visitors can be reduced.

小題4: We may infer from the passage that _____________.

A．visitors prefer to go to Ellis Island by boat	B．there are more visitors in winter
C．Ellis Island is open every day	D．Boat is the only transportation to Ellis Island