Directions: 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.
Who buy the presents? How much should we spend? Questions about money like these ___50___ during the holidays, and they can turn this wonderful season into the most ___51___ time of the year.
The ___52___ cause of holiday stress is money issues, according to a recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA). The survey found that 61 percent of Americans ___53___ lack of money as the top cause of family tensions, holiday blues and depression.
“People believe that they can go out and buy gifts because it’s the holidays, ___54___they can’t afford to do so,” says Dorothy Cantor, a noted psychologist and former APA president. “Not only is it stressful to feel that you have to buy everyone an expensive gift, but you will also be stressed for the rest of the year trying to pay your ___55___. You can show love and caring by giving something that you know is meaningful and ___56___ that doesn’t have to cost a lot.”
While managing money issues during the holiday season can be a ___57___, financial experts agree that you can ___58___ pressure by planning ahead, exhibiting patience and managing expectations to make the holiday season enjoyable and worry-free.
For starters, make an agreement with family members to discuss holiday spending and finances before you make any ___59___. The goal here is to learn one another’s thoughts and feelings about priorities and wishes. Be realistic, decide together on a budget and only use cash, rather than using credit cards. Avoid getting ___60___ unreasonable expectations. It makes no ___61___ to buy gifts you can not afford and put additional financial and emotional stress on yourself and your family that will cause problems long after the holidays are over.
Other ways to ___62___ the burden of money-related holiday blues include an understanding that everyone faces money problems at one time or another. It’s important to keep your ___63___ situation in perspective, to learn from experience and then to proceed with your life.
And lastly, make focusing on financial solutions a part of your New Year’s resolution. It’s the perfect time to take a __64___ approach by doing some soul-searching, forgiving yourself, letting go of the past and dealing with your financial problems in a businesslike manner each day.

小題1:	A．break up B．pop up C．put out D．wipe out

小題2:	A．ridiculous B．inconvenient C．stressful D．mysterious

小題3:  

A．immediate

B．social

C．hidden

D．leading

小題4:  

A．listed

B．felt

C．resisted

D．charged

小題5:  

A．a(chǎn)s if

B．even if

C．a(chǎn)s long as

D．if only

小題6:	A．price B．life C．rates D．bills

小題7:A. resistant       B. random           C. personal     D profitable

小題8:	A．success B．reminder C．pleasure D．challenge

小題9:	A．polish B．postpone C．minimize D．preserve

小題10:

A．excuses B．purchases C．statements D．inquiries

小題11:

A．caught up in B．ended up with C．put up in D．made up for

小題12:  

A．efforts

B．revenge

C．desire

D．sense

小題13:

A．ease B．resign C．launch D．transfer

小題14:  

A．inadequate

B．financial

C．internal

D．private

小題15:

A．reverse B．tender C．grand D．positive

The two-week vacation at the end of summer school ended yesterday. Kevin had gone nowhere during his vacation. He had the money, but he hated to travel alone. He used to take vacations with Gary, his youngest brother, but they had a big argument at the end of their last vacation. Each of them had spent the last three years waiting for the other to apologize.
Kevin did not feel good about being on non-speaking terms with his favorite brother. But he was not going to ask for forgiveness when, in his mind, this whole misunderstanding was his brother’s fault.
So Kevin’s summer vacation was spent in his own “back yard.” As usual, he had planned to clean up his apartment. As usual, two weeks later his apartment looked just as it had two weeks before.
He did do one thing new and different during his vacation. There was a new coffee shop on Foothill Street. It served 25 varieties of delicious coffee at reasonable prices, and the staff was genuinely friendly. The shop was air-conditioned at a slightly chilly temperature. About eight small round tables were inside. Outside were four bigger tables. Each had four white metal chairs around it, and several big umbrellas provided shade. Even on hot afternoons, there was usually a pleasant breeze.
Kevin visited the coffee shop four times during his vacation. He always sat at a table outside by himself and read the free daily paper. Each day he was there, he read most of the newspaper articles while he enjoyed two cups of coffee.
Between articles, he took breaks by watching the nearby traffic and pedestrians. The coffee shop was next to a huge parking lot. The lot was for customers of a grocery store, movie rental store, pharmacy, bank, and restaurant. Kevin considered his outdoor seat the perfect place for one of his favorite activities—people watching.
The coffee shop, with its excellent location and coffee, had helped make his vacation a pleasant one. But he knew in his heart, had his brother been there to join him just one day, his vacation would have been a perfect one.
小題1: Why didn’t Kevin go anywhere during his vacation？

A．Because he was short of money.	B．Because he didn’t like traveling.
C．Because he had no company.	D．Because he had to clean up his apartment.

小題2: What did Kevin do in his vacation?

A．He cleaned up his apartment.	B．He had a big argument with Gary.
C．He worked in a parking lot.	D．He stayed at home most of the time.

小題3: Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the coffee house?

A．It served delicious coffee of different flavors.

B．It had an effective air-conditioning system.

C．It was often crowded with local customers.

D．It provided free newspapers for customers.

Directions: Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.
In order to present the best presentation and eliminate room for error, you need to keep in mind certain guidelines. Here's are some of my ideas for presenting quality presentation that demand genuine attention from your listeners.
Picking out a topic is the hard part, when it comes to choosing from a list of presentation subjects. It has to be interesting, impactful and unique, therefore it is crucial to choose something you care about rather than randomly selecting one. Ask yourself if it covers angles －is it informative? Will it keep my listeners hooked? Will it create an air of boredom? Will I be able to get all my facts and research done? Is it appealing to me, but not to them?
There's nothing more annoying than have someone blabber on about a topic he/she hasn't done extensive research on. It is obvious from the way they speak, how monotonous their tones sound and how robotic their movement and gestures are. So don't be that someone. Take the effort to learn as much as you can. Make it matter to you, and remember how it can impact your listeners, and enlighten them on things they didn't know about at all.
No one is perfect, and there are bound to be mistakes or circumstances that you didn’t count on and couldn’t avoid. You could stutter with a word, mix up slides, or forget some important sheets of your presentation and so on. Straighten up. Crack a minor joke in your defense. In other words improvise and don't beat yourself up about it or else your presentation will end in disaster. Don't let it ruin the rest of it, and finish the presentation as planned, so that people think more of how well it ended.
The best thing about presenting a topic is eye contact. If you are able to say it by heart, and not by looking at a piece of paper, you will have mastered the most effective presentation technique. Memorize your lines, and points, and only glance at your notes occasionally if you think you may forget something. In the end, if you think that you are well prepared to answer questions, then by all means invite them.

It’s difficult for doctors to help a person with a hurt brain.  36  enough blood, the brain can live only three to five minutes. Usually doctors can’t fix the hurt  37  such a short time.
Dr Robert White thinks he knows a  38  of help. He thinks doctors should make the hurt brain  39  to live for 30 minutes without blood. This gives the doctor  40  time to do something for the brain. Dr White experimented his  41  on fifteen monkeys.  42  he taught them to do different jobs. Then he operated on them. He made the monkeys’ blood go  43  a machine. When the brains’  44  was 10℃, he stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes, he turned the blood back on. He  45  the blood again. After their operations, the monkeys were almost  46  before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the job the doctor  47  them.
Dr White’s idea works well on monkeys. He thinks it will work on  48 . He think it will help with heart problems. A person  49  die when his heart stops; doctors can  50  it again. The problem comes: when the brain is without blood for about 5 minutes, it  51 . If doctors start the heart again after 5 minutes, the person has  52  body but a dead brain. Maybe in the future, doctors will  53  Dr White’s idea. When the person’s heart stops the doctor will  54  cool the brain. They will have 30 minutes to start the heart again. Maybe there will be no  55  the brain.

小題1:	A．Don’t have B．Without C．Having not D．Only with

小題2:	A．for B．a(chǎn)fter C．in D．since

小題3:	A．way B．brain C．doctor D．man

小題4:	A．too cool B．enough cool C．cool enough D．that cool

小題5:	A．a(chǎn) longer B．enough C．a(chǎn) shorter D．a(chǎn)nother

小題6:	A．medicine B．manners C．idea D．brain

小題7:	A．Besides B．Instead C．However D．First

小題8:	A．to B．a(chǎn)cross C．through D．onto

小題9:	A．heat B．temperature C．coolness D．feeling

小題10:

A．cooled B．operated C．warmed D．stopped

小題11:

A．the same as B．different from C．used to D．cleverer than

小題12:

A．was taught B．was teaching C．was to teach D．had taught

小題13:

A．other people B．human beings C．other things D．more people

小題14:

A．doesn’t have to B．needn’t C．will be able to D．is afraid to

小題15:

A．start B．take C．make D．begin

小題16:

A．loses B．goes C．kills D．dies

小題17:

A．no B．a(chǎn) dead C．a(chǎn) living D．a(chǎn) lively

小題18:

A．get B．a(chǎn)ccept C．keep D．try

小題19:

A．soon B．quickly C．slowly D．rapid

小題20:

A．use for B．wrong with C．value to D．problem with

“If you want to see a thing well, reach out and touch it!”  That may seem a strange thing to say. But touching things can help you to see them better. Your eyes can tell you that a glass ball is round. But by holding it in your hands, you can feel how smooth and cool the ball is. You can feel how heavy the glass is. When you feel all these about the ball, you really see it. With your skin, you can feel better. For example, your fingers can tell the difference between two coins in your pocket. You can feel a little drop of water on the back of your hand, too.
All children soon learn what “Don’t touch!” means. They hear it often. Yet most of us keep on touching things as we grow up. In shops, we touch things as we might buy: food, clothes. To see something well, we have to touch it.
There are ways of learning to see well by feeling. One way is to close your eyes and try to feel everything that is touching your skin. Feel the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your body, the air on your skin. At first, it is not easy to feel these things. You are too used to them!
Most museums are just for looking. But today some museums have some things to touch. There you can feel everything on show. If we want to see better, reach out and touch. Then you will really see.
小題1: By touching things,________.

A．you will have a strange feeling

B．you will learn how to reach out your hand

C．you can tell the difference of the things

D．you can tell what colors they are

小題2: When people buy things in shops, they often_________.

A．try them on first	B．keep their right hands on them
C．a(chǎn)sk about them	D．feel and touch them

小題3:Why does it say “At first, it is not easy to feel these things?” Because__________.

A．the things are used by people, too	B．people feel the things too often
C．people know how to use the things	D．the things are hard to feel

小題4:Which of the following can be the best title of the story?

A．Touching by Feeling	B．To See or to Feel?
C．To See Better---Feel	D．Ways of Feeling

閱讀理解。從ABCD中選出正確的答案。（每題2分，共40分）
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour a week to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品雜貨）, saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性） as a whole. And it has influenced（影響） us to be more mindful（注意的，留神的）of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
小題1:Why was the bike so important to the couple?

A．They used it for work and daily life.

B．It was their only possession.

C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed.

D．The man's job was bike racing.

小題2:What does the underlined phrase mean?

A．go very far to see someone

B．walk out on foot to greet someone

C．help someone with one’s best

D．enjoy the moment with someone

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

A．the couple worked 60 hours a week

B．people were busy before Christmas

C．the stranger brought over the bike

D．life was hard for the young family

小題4:How did people get to know the couple's problem?

A．From a stranger.

B．From a newspaper.

C．From TV news.

D．From radio broadcasts.

小題5:What do the couple learn from their experience?

A．Strangers are usually of little help.

B．One should take care of their bike.

C．News reports make people famous.

D．An act of kindness can mean a lot.

閱讀理解                     
The easy way out isn't always easiest . I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug , my husband of one month , to a special meal . I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu(菜譜) which included homemade bread . Knowing the bread would take time , I started on it as soon as Doug left for work . As I was not experienced in cooking , I thought if a dozen was good , two dozens would be better , so I doubled（加倍）everything . As Doug loved oranges , I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl . Soon there was a sticky dough (面團(tuán)) covered with ugly yellowish marks . Realizing I had been defeated , I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work , I went on preparing the rest of the meal , and , when Doug got home , we sat down to eat Cornish chicken with rice . He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed . Twice he got up and went outside , saying he thought he heard a noise . The third time he left , I went to the windows to see what he was doing . Looking out , I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin , holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container . When I came out of the house , he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in our rubbish bin . Picking up the stick again , he held the lid up enough for me to see . I felt cold . But I stepped closer and looked harder . Without doubt it was my work . The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast (酵母)made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing .It looked like some unknown being from outer space. I could see why Doug was so shaken. I had to admit what the 'living thing” was and why it was there . I don't know who was more embarrassed(尷尬)by the whole thing － Doug or me.
小題1:The writer's purpose in writing this story is ___________

A．to tell an interesting experience

B．to show the easiest way out of a difficulty

C．to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman

D．to explain the difficulty of learning to cook from books

小題2:Why did the woman's attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?

A．The canned orange had gone bad.

B．She didn't use the right kind of flour.

C．The cookbook was hard to understand.

D．She did not follow the directions closely.

小題3:Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?

A．She didn't see the use of keeping it

B．She meant to joke with her husband.

C．She didn't want her husband to see it .

D．She hoped it would soon dry in the sun.

小題4:What made the dough in the rubbish bin look frightening?

A．The rising and falling movement.

B．The strange-looking marks.

C．Its shape.

D．Its size.

小題5:When Doug went out the third time , the woman looked out of the window because she was ______________.

A．surprised at his being interested in the bin

B．a(chǎn)fraid that he would discover her secret

C．unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal

D．curious to know what disturbed him

Spiderman is one of the most famous comic book heroes of all time．He was created by Stan Lee in 1963 and was first introduced to the world in the pages of Marvel comic books．
Spiderman’s story is the story of Peter Parker，a child who lost his parents and lives with his aunt and uncle．Peter is a shy，quiet boy wearing glasses and has few friends．One day，on a high school class trip to a science lab，he gets bitten by a special spider．Soon Peter realizes he has amazing powers：he is as strong and quick as a spider and also has a type of sixth sense．He no longer needs his glasses and he can use his super power to fly through the city streets! Remembering something his Uncle Ben has told him，that “with great power，there must also come great responsibility(責(zé)任)，”P(pán)eter decides to use his powers to fight enemies who do cruel things to people．And so，Spiderman is born．
Life is not easy for Peter even though he is a superhero．He is in love with Mary Jane but cannot tell her about his amazing powers．Besides，his best friend Harry hates Spiderman! Peter is also short of money and time．He has to sell photos of Spiderman(himself!)to a newspaper and he keeps losing his other jobs because he’s so busy saving people! Yet he has to fight different kinds of cruel enemies．
小題1:Who created Spiderman?

A．Peter Parker．

B．Marvel．

C．Stan Lee

D．Superman．

小題2:What happened to Peter Parker after he was bitten by the spider?

A．He could not see with his eyes．	B．He became a spider．
C．He was sick．	D．[He developed spider-like powers．

小題3:What does “with great power，there must also come great responsibility” mean?

A．Powerful people can do whatever they like．

B．People with power are always good．

C．Powerful people are to blame for all the bad things that happen．

D．Powerful people should have a responsibility to do good．

The “Sepik Spirit”, constructed in 1989, is built specially to suit the demands of a shallow riverboat for guiding inland waterways. Its shallow draft allows passengers into distant corners of the Sepik Region and areas not otherwise accessible to larger boats. It was refurbished(裝修) in early 2006 to ensure that the Sepik Spirit meets the expectations of the modern travellers. The refurbishment includes new interior and improved noise resistance.
The Sepik Spirit holds 18 passengers in 9 twin bedrooms each with private bathroom. Onboard facilities include a dining room, living room, bar, video and covered upper observatory deck(甲板). The entire boat is air-conditioned. Because the Sepik Spirit is designed to operate in this unique environment, she is the ideal size for exploration. This, combined with small passenger numbers, allows the travellers an excellent experience to little visited areas.
Day trips from the Sepik Spirit are done in an 18-seater riverboat, also designed for the operation. Their open-air design gives the travellers a sense of place, a feeling for the river and its people.
Areas that the Sepik Spirit and her guests may visit are the Karawari River, Blackwater Lakes, Chambri Lakes, the Middle Sepik and the Upper Sepik. The river banks where the boat operates are dotted with many large traditional villages each with its own unique “Haus Tambaran” or spirit house decorated with ancestral figures. Mix with the friendly people and experience a culture that meets very few outsiders.
Please E-Mail if you want to know more about us.
Please note that private touring and transfers are not available on the Sepik Spirit.
Please note that Sepik Spirit departure and termination(終結(jié)，終點(diǎn)) points sometimes change without notice.
AIR TRANSFER COST: US$375.00 one way
小題1:The “Sepik Spirit” is a riverboat ________.

A．specially designed and built for the local transportation

B．built and refurbished in 1989

C．providing good conditions for a small number of tourists

D．traveling in the day only

小題2:The Sepik Spirit boat is most possibly named after ________.

A．a(chǎn) person

B．a(chǎn)n animal

C．a(chǎn) building

D．a(chǎn) river

小題3:A passenger chooses to travel on the Sepik Spirit most possibly because he is interested in ________.

A．boat making

B．river traveling

C．the unique scenery and culture in this area

D．the excellent conditions and service of the boat

小題4:Which of the following factors about taking the Sepik Spirit is right?

A．You can send an E-mail for further information.

B．You can rent the boat for yourself if you please.

C．The schedule of the boat trip will be strictly followed.

D．A Sepik Spirit trip will cost you US$375.00 one way.

Loma just had to get in touch with someone：“I had to tell my best friend something important. I tried calling her but I couldn’t get through. So I sent her an e-mail and then I spoke to her on MSN. Without technology I would not have been able to tell her. ”
Staying connected with friends and family is important for us. That’s why we asked our readers to tell us how cell-phones, e-mail, blogs, text messaging, and personal pages help them keep in touch. More than 1,500 responded.
Most of them told us they couldn’t live without technology：80％of teens said they need technology to stay in touch. Almost 30％said they’d be completely out of their friends without their cell-phones and other methods of communication.
What do they do when they’ve got news they need to share now? Most teens say they try to reach their friends by phone. But if they don’t reach them, they use QQ, e-mails, and text messaging to get the words out.
Lots of people use one way of communication—like text messaging—to get a friend’s attention and then use another where they can talk more. “My friends and I always tell each other everything that happens. So I send them text messages to tell them to come online so we can talk about it,” said Sabeiha.
“When planning to get together with friends”, Julian said, “the easiest and fastest way I know is to send a text message to my contact group.”Jocelyn said. “If I want to go to see a movie with a few friends, I usually send text message to them. By telephone, you have to call every single friend one by one. But text messaging allows you to send the same message to as many as you’d like, which saves a lot of time. ”
小題1: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．E-mails.

B．Blogs.

C．Personal pages.

D．Personal letters.

小題2:What do most young people use first when they have news to tell their friends?

A．MSN.

B．QQ.

C．Phones.

D．Text message.

小題3: The underlined part “get the words out” means“     ”.

A．send the message	B．send the e-mail
C．talk with their friends	D．meet their friends

小題4: In which part of a newspaper can you find this passage?

A．Sport.

B．Education.

C．Technology.

D．Culture.