Jane Austen, a famous English writer, was born at Steventon, Hampshire, on December 16, 1775, and died
on July 18, 1817. She began writing early in life, although the prejudices of her times forced her to have her
books published anonymously ( 匿名 ).
     But Jane Austen is perhaps the best known and best loved of Bath's many famous local people and visitors.
She paid two long visits here during the last five years of the eighteenth century and from 1801 to 1806, Bath
was her home. Her deep knowledge of the city is fully seen in two of her novels, Northanger Abbey and
Persuasion, which are largely set in Bath. The city is still very much as Jane Austen knew it, keeping in its
streets and public buildings the well-ordered world that she described so well in her novels. Now the pleasure
of learning Jane Austen's Bath can be enhanced (增強) by visiting the Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street. Here,
in a Georgian town house in the heart of the city, you can find out more about Bath in Jane Austen's time and
the importance of Bath in her life and work.
     The Centre has been set up with the help and guidance of members of the Jane Austen Society. After your
visit to the Centre, you can look round the attractive shop, which offers a huge collection of Jane Austen
related books, cards and many specially designed gifts. Jane Austen quizzes are offered to keep the children
busy.
     You can also have walking tours of Jane Austen's Bath, which is a great way to find out more about Jane
Austen and discover the wonderful Georgian city of Bath. The tour lasts about one and a half hours. The
experienced guides will take you to the places where Jane lived, walked and shopped.

1. Jane Austen paid two long visits to Bath ______.

A. in her early twenties
B. in her early teens
C. in her late twenties
D. in her late teens

2. What can we learn about Bath from the passage?

A. Bath has greatly changed since Jane Austen's death.
B. The city has changed as much as Jane Austen knew it.
C. Bath remains almost the same as in Jane Austen's time.
D. No changes have taken place in Bath since Jane Austen's time.

3.The author writes this passage in order to ______.

A. attract readers to visit the city of Bath
B. ask readers to buy Austen's books
C. tell readers about Jane Austen's experience
D. give a brief introduction to the Jane Austen Society

4. It takes you about one and a half hours ______.

A. to get to the Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street
B. to buy Jane Austen related books, cards and gifts
C. to find a guide to take you to the Centre
D. to look around the city of Bath on foot

     Jack Ma is the founder and CEO of Alibaba Group. He was one of the 100 global "future leaders" of the
2001 World Economic Forum and the "commercial leader" of 2001 elected by US Commercial Association
of Asia.
     Born in the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Ma graduated from Hangzhou Teachers Institute in
1988 (he failed the entrance exam twice) and became a lecturer in English and International Trade.
     In 1985, a one-month visit to see an Australian pen pal he had met in Hangzhou changed his life.
"Everything I'd learned in China was that China was the richest country in the world," he said. "When I
arrived in Australia, I realized it's totally different. I started to think you have to use your own mind to judge,
to think." After his return, Ma became the chairman of the Students' Union of the whole city.
     Jack Ma founded Alibaba.com in 1999, a China based business to business marketplace site. In 2003,
Alibaba launched Taobao.com, a consumer to consumer auction (消費者拍賣) website similar to eBay.
     Ma said that he got most of his ideas while taking very long, hot showers. He likes to spend time walking
his four dogs and playing chess and poker. He said,"I've learned a lot of business philosophy by playing
poker."
     Looking ahead, Ma said that he dreamed of using his group's resources to improve the lives of all Chinese
people, especially the 900 million farmers."There must be some way of using our experience, our know-how,
and make their life easier," he said.

1. We can know from this passage that Jack Ma is _______.

A. the number one of the 2001 global "future leaders"
B. a great success and very influential in economy
C. the chairman of the Students' Union of Hangzhou Teachers Institute
D. the founder and CEO of eBay

2. It was _______that changed his mind greatly.

A. his pen pal
B. his experience in China
C. his failure in the entrance exam
D. his experience in Australia

3. The underlined word "launched" in paragraph 4 probably means_______.

A. started
B. bought
C. sold
D. landed

4. We can infer from the third paragraph that _______.

A. Ma loves China very much
B. Ma knew about Australia well before his visit
C. Ma didn't know the differences between China and Australia before the visit
D. Ma used to judge things with his own mind

5. From the last paragraph, we can know that______.

A. Jack Ma will do what he can to make the farmers' life easier
B. Jack Ma will devote a lot of money to help the Chinese farmers
C. they will teach the farmers how to use their resources
D. Alibaba group's resources will be given away to the farmers

     Life is full of sweet surprises for Chinese pop singer Edell.
     She majored in design in a Canadian college. But when she was looking for a job after graduation, she
found herself rising as a star in singing. Then she became a hostess on TV. "These are roles I never
expected to take," she said.
     Edell is open to every possibility in life, not afraid to try new things. She says that every day she tries to
get herself ready to take any chance that occurs in life.
     "My mom told me chance only rewards those with a prepared mind,"she said. "So I've tried to explore
my potential talents. Thus I won'be at a loss when the right opportunity comes up." Edell learned ballet in
her childhood until she broke her back in practice. She then fell in love with music. Like many girls of her
age, she has a rich collection of CDs. But she never dreamed of being a singer.One day she was noticed by
a talent scout (星探). she gave a try and succeeded! And that's not the end of the story.
     Once she was invited to be the hostess of the Asian MTV Awards in Thailand. Though she has never
had any experience, she accepted the invitation."At least I could make a trip to the foreign country," he said.
Upon arrival at the ceremony, she had to read through a 91-page English biography of every guest. She
studied it so much that she could recite all the details in it. It helped her greatly. She greeted those strange
faces she had never seen before and talked with them like an old friend. She did a great job. The MTV
channel was so satisfied that they offered her a job as a TV hostess.
     "Try to get yourself well-prepared in life,"she said. "In the meantime, try to live your life with brains."

1. What is the best title of the passage?

A. Learn from Edell
B. Try to be a singer
C. Prepare for your chances
D. Do learn English well

2. The writer mentioned Edell's mother to tell us _____.

A. her mother had great influence on her
B. she could do nothing without her mother
C. all her success belonged to her mother
D. her chances were given by her mother

3. What does the underline word "It" refer to?

A. Studying the English biography hard.
B. The 91-page English biography.
C. The ceremony of the Asian MTV Awards.
D. The MTV channel.

4. What is Edell's strongest character?

A. Liking to remember things.
B. Liking to help others.
C. Liking to think of problems differently.
D. Liking to try new things.

     It was the summer of 1965. Deluca, then 17, visited Peter Buck, a family friend. Buck asked Deluca about
his plan for the future. "I'm going to college, but I need a way to pay for it," Deluca recalls saying. Buck said,
"you should open a sandwich shop."
     That afternoon, they agreed to be partners. And they set a goal: to open 32 stores in ten years. After doing
some research, Buck wrote a check for $ 1,000. Deluca rented a storefront (店面) in Connecticut, and when
they couldn't cover their start-up costs, Buck kicked in another $1,000.
     But business didn't go smoothly as they expected. Deluca says, "After six months, we were doing poorly,
but we didn't know how badly, because we didn't have any financial controls." All he and Buck knew was that
their sales were lower than their costs.
     Deluca was managing the store and to the University of Bridgeport at the same time. Buck was working at
his day job as a nuclear physicist in New York. They'd meet Monday evenings and brainstorm ideas for keeping
the business running. "We convinced ourselves to open a second store. We figured we could tell the public, We are so successful, we are opening a second store.'" And they did-in the spring of 1966. Still, it was a lot
of learning by trial and error (反復摸索).
     But the partners' learn-as-you-go approach turned out to be their greatest strength. Every Friday, Deluca
would drive around and hand-deliver the checks to pay their suppliers. "It probably took me two and a half
hours and it wasn't necessary but as a result, the suppliers got to know me very well, and the personal
relationships established really helped out," Deluca says.
     And having a goal was also important. "There are so many problems that can get you down. You just have
to keep working toward your goal," Deluca adds.
     Deluca ended up founding Subways Sandwich, the multimillion-dollar restaurant chain.

1. Deluca opened the first sandwich shop in order to _____.

A. support his family
B. pay for his college education
C. help his partner expand business
D. do some research

2. Which of the following is true of Buck?

A. He put money into the sandwich business.
B. He was a professor of business administration.
C. He was studying at the University of Bridgeport.
D. He rented a storefront for Deluca.

3. What can we learn about their first shop?

A. It stood at an unfavorable place.
B. It lowered the prices to promote sales.
C. It made no profits due to poor management.
D. It lacked control over the quality of sandwich.

4. They decided to open a second store because they _____.

A. had enough money to do it
B. had succeeded in their business
C. wished to meet the increasing demand of customers
D. wanted to make believe that they were successful

     Betty Friedan, born in 1921 in Peoria, Illinois, attended Smith College in Northhampton, Massachusetts.
She finished her studies in psychology in 1942.After college she attended the University of California at
Berkeley to continue her studies. Later, she moved to New York City and worked as a reporter and editor
for labor union newspapers.
     In 1947, Betty married Carl Friedan. They had a child, the first of three. When Betty, Friedan became
pregnant for the second time, she was dismissed from her job at the newspaper After that she worked as
an independent reporter for magazines. But her editors often rejected her attempts to write about subjects
outside the traditional interests of women.
     In1966, Betty Friedan helped found NOW, the National Organization for Women. She served as its first
president. She led campaigns to end unfair treatment of women seeking jobs. She wanted women to take
part in social and political change. Betty Friedan led a huge demonstration (游行) in New York City for
women's rights. Demonstrations were also held in other cities.
      In 1981, Betty Friedan wrote a book called "The Second Stage" about the condition of the women's
movement. Friedan wrote that the time for huge demonstrations and other such events had passed. She
urged the movement to try to increase its influence on American political life. Some younger members of
the movement criticized her as too conservative.
     Betty Friedan died on February 4,2006.She was considered the mother of modern women's liberation
movement. Betty Friedan once told a television reporter how she wanted to be remembered: "She helps
make women feel better about being women."

1. According to Paragraph 2, Betty lost her job because ______.

A. she was pregnant
B. she got married
C. her editors didn't like her
D. she was too independent

2. Betty led a huge demonstration to ______.

A. fight against the government
B. fight for women's rights
C. take part in political life
D. get support from the government

3. The book "The Second Stage"_____.

A. was popular among young women readers
B. thought highly of those huge demonstrations
C. was about the condition of the women's movement then
D. decreased the movement's influence on American political life

4. The passage is organized ______.

A. by giving examples
B. in time order
C. by using comparisons
D. in place order

5. From the last paragraph, we know that______.

A. Betty helped women live better
B. Betty wanted to be remembered forever
C. Betty thought it better to be a woman
D. the television reporter knew Betty well

     Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958) is an American recording artist, entertainer, and
businessman. In the early 1980s, he became an important figure in popular music. The popularity of
his music videos, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Thriller", helped bring the relatively new channel
to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson a famous person on MTV in the
1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically
complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and
sound style influenced hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists.
     Jackson has donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundation,
charity singles and support of 39 charities. The singer has experienced health concerns since the early
1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married
twice and fathered three children.
     One of the few artists to have been inducted (進入) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his
other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records－including one for "Most Successful
Entertainer of All Time"－13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career－more than
any other male artist in the Hot 100 era－and the sale of over 750 million units worldwide. As one of
the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful
career, has made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The popularity of Michael Joseph Jackson's music videos
B. The health concerns and the finances of Michael Joseph Jackson
C. Michael Joseph Jackson's successful career
D. The brief introduction of Michael Joseph Jackson

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. since the late 1990s, he has become an important figure in popular music.
B. Jackson made a number of physically complicated dance techniques popular.
C. The singer experienced health concerns in the early 1980s.
D. Only in America the sale of his works is over 750 million units.

3. How many times has he been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

A. Once.
B. Twice.
C. Three times.
D. Five times.

     Andrew Carneigie, known as the King of Steel, built the steel industry in the United States, and, in the
process, became one of the wealthiest men in America. His success resulted partly from his ability to sell
the product and partly from his policy of expanding during periods of economic decline, when most of his
competitors were reducing their investments. Carnegie believed that individuals should progress through
hard work, but he also felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society. He
opposed charity, preferring instead to provide educational opportunities that would allow others to help
themselves. "He who dies rich, dies disgraced", he often said. Among his more noteworthy contributions to
society are those that bear his name, including the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, which has a library, a
museum of fine arts, and a museum of national history. He also founded a school of technology that is now
part of Carnegie-Mellon University. Other philanthropic (慈善的) gifts are the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace to promote understanding between nations, the Carnegie Institute of Washington to fund
scientific research, and Carnegie Hall to provide a center for the arts. Few Americans have been left
untouched by Andrew Carnegie's generosity. His contributions of more than five million dollars established
2,500 libraries in small communities throughout the country and formed the nucleus of the public library
system that we all enjoy today.

1. The author quoted (引述) "He who dies rich, dies disgraced" in the passage to show ______.

A. He felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society.
B. He opposed charity.
C. The wealthy die from their fortunes
D. The wealthy die from not contributing to society.

2. Carnegie's success includes following aspects EXCEPT _____.

A. his policy of expanding.
B. his ability to sell the product
C. his ability to produce the product
D. his hard work

3. Which of the following may NOT be philanthropic gifts to society according to the passage?

A. the Carnegie Institute of Washington.
B. the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh.
C. the steel industry.
D. the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

4. What is the meaning of  "Few Americans have been left untouched by Andrew Carnegie's
     generosity." in the passage?

A. Few Americans have touched Andrew Carnegie's generosity.
B. Many Americans have touched Andrew Carnegie's generosity.
C. we all enjoy Andrew Carnegie's generosity today.
D. Many Americans were given Andrew Carnegie's generosity.

     "She was born for the camera," said a photographer who shot Liu Yifei's picture when she was only eight.
     Over the past year, Liu, an 18-year-old Chinese American, has shot to fame while playing Wang Yuyan in
Jin Yong's "Eightfold Path of the Heavenly Dragon" (《天龍八部》). Millions of teenagers have been drawn in
by her light smile and beautiful long hair. Many magazines have described her as one of the most charming
young actresses of 2004. People say that Liu will be even bigger this year.
     "She is so beautiful on TV. She has the special character to give flesh and blood to the fairy-like and
beautiful Wang Yuyan," said Yang Mingwei, a Senior 2 boy and Liu's fan from Wuyi High School in Fujian.
     Currently Liu is filming the TV series"The Return of the Condor Heroes" (《神雕俠侶》), another Jin
Yong novel. In the show to be aired this year, Liu plays the Little Dragon Girl.
      Liu is now a grade three student at the Beijing Film Academy, the star factory of China. But some people
say that her success is only down to her beauty. When she returned to China with her mother at the age of
14, she did originally work as a model. It was when a director saw her picture on an advertisement board on
the street that her opportunity to work in TV arose.
     "A pretty face does not last forever. To be a good actress you must work hard and have a professional
attitude," Liu said. Every day she spends hours practising all the kungfu kicks and punches for the show.
      "There have been times during filming when I have remained hanging in the air on wires for half a day
as the director keeps trying to get the perfect take," said Liu recently.

1. In the first paragraph, the photographer commented on Liu's  _____.

A. beauty
B. talent as an actress
C. promising future
D. special character

2. What does the underlined word probably mean?

A. Flown
B. Broadcast
C. Published
D. Recorded

3. From Yang Mingwei, we learned that he meant LiuYifei _____ .

A. worked hard when playing Wang Yuyan
B. is more beautiful than WangYuyan
C. did a good job in playing WangYuyan
D. was very lucky to play WangYuyan

4. Which of the following about Liu Yifei is true according to the passage?

A. She thinks her beauty contributes to her success.
B. She has become a citizen of the US.
C. She graduated from the Beijing Film Academy months ago.
D. She failed to improve her English when studying in America.

5. In which part of a newspaper can you read the above passage?

A. National news.
B. Business.
C. Advertisement.
D. Famous people.

     Edward Estlin Cummings was a poet well-known for how he wrote his poems He wrote his poems with
capital (大寫的) letters in the words. For example, the title of one of his poems is "The little horse is newlY"
The"Y" is a capital letter. He also used"i" instead of "I" to refer to himself in the poems.
     Edward was born on October14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Edward's father was also named
Edward. Young Edward's mother was named Rebecca. She loved to spend time with her children. She also
taught Edward Jr how to write poems. Edward's sister was born 1896 and her name was Elizabeth. Edward's
father was the first professor of Sociology at Harvard University. He later became the minister of one of Boston's respected churches. He was the one who taught his son to use his hands as well as his mind. Edward Jr
used his hands to paint abstract art.
      E.E.Cummings was a very smart boy. Edward was 12 when he became a freshman in high school. He
loved circuses, ballets, music and amusement parks.
     Edward graduated from Harvard in 1916. During World War I, he joined the army and was sent to France
where he drove an ambulance. He and his friend from Harvard were arrested because people thought they
were German spies. They were kept in one room where they slept, ate, talked and tried to deal with their fears
and boredom. Edward wrote his first book, published in 1922, called The Enormous Room, based on his
wartime experiences.
     E.E.Cummings was a poet that made his own rules in poetry. He was one of the most popular poets of the
20th century.

1. Which is a special feature of E.E.Cummings' poems?

A. Their titles are all written with capital letters.
B. A special capital letter is used in them to refer to the writer.
C. He used "Y" to refer to"you".
D. He used letters in a special way in them

2. What's the second paragraph mainly about?

A. Edward's schooling
B. Edward's parents
C. Edward's family
D. Edward's childhood.

3. E.E.Cummings was arrested in the war because ______.

A. he went to France without permission
B. he looked like a Frenchman
C. he was thought to be German agent
D. he drove away a car that belonged to the army