(09·遼寧B篇)

What is Bay? The simple answer is that it is a global trading platform where nearly anyone can trade practically anything. People can sell and buy all kinds of products and goods. Including cars, movies and DVDs, sporting goods, travel tickets, musical instruments, clothes and shoes- the list goes on and on

The idea came from Peter Omidyar, who was born in Paris and moved to Washington when he was still a child, At high school, be became very interested in computer programming and after graduating from Tuft University in 1988, He worked for the next few years as a computer engineer. In his free time he started Bay as a kind of hobby, at first offering the service free by word of mouth. By 1996 there was so much traffic on the website that he had to upgrade（升級） and he began charging a fee to members. Joined by a friend, Peter Skill. and in 1998 by his capable CEO, Meg Whitman, he has never looked back. . Even in the great. com crashes of the late 1990s,abay has gone from strength to strength ,. It is now one of the ten most visited online shopping websites on the Internet

eBay sells connections, not goods, putting buyer and seller into contact with each other. All you have to do is lake an e-photo, write a description, fill out a sales form and you are in business: the world is your market place. Of course for each item （商品）sold eBay gets a percentage and that is great deal of money. Every day there are more than sixteen million items listed on eBay and eighty percent of the items are sold

60. We learn from the text that eBay provides people with__

A. a way of buying and selling goods

B. a website for them to upgrade

C. a place to exhibit their own photos

D. a chance to buy things at low prices

61. Why did Peter create eBay after graduating from university?

A. For fun

B. To make money

C. For gathering the engineers

D. To fulfill a task of his company

62. From “he has never looked back “in Paragraph 2 we learn that peter_

A. did not feel lonely

B. was always hopeful

C. did not think about the past

D. became more and more successful

63. How does eBay make money from its website7?

A. By bringing callers together.

B. By charging for each sale

C. By listing items online

D. By making e-photos.

 (09·江西E篇)

New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road.

The farest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of and Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia.

The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2^nd century BC which was the agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission（使命）across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijion,. Histerents have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Pet la lu exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets in Rome.

But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia.

72. The word “coupled” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by         .

A. produced       B. contributed      C. doubled        D. combined

73. The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that          .

A. Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk

B. trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought

C. historical research often achieves fascinating results

D. new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices

74. Until recently most historians believed that trade along the Silk Road        .

A. originated in the 2^nd century BC

B. extended human migration into eastern Asia

C. began a million years ago

D. primarily benefited the Egyptians

75. Historians have always considered Zhang Qian’s mission important because they believe            .

A. be brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor

B. be discovered the Silk Road

C. be helped establish East-West trade

D. be travelled as far as Afghanistan

 (09·江西D篇)

Many people to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard. He needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.

 “People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is symbol of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process writer’s complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.

There are people who wish to remain anonymous（匿名的）for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.

Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name, it is a matter if responsibility to it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honour our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honour what we say.

68. What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?

A. Writers need to provide their personal information in the game.

B. Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number.

C. Writers should be responsible for their names.

D. Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say.

69. The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may       .

A. help to end a relationship

B. not get a reply

C. be accepted all the same

D. become a family problem

70. Some people don’t want their names known because they are         .

A. hesitant to make a donation         B. unwilling to draw public attention

C. afraid of an accusation             D. ready for involvement

71. The passage is mainly about           .

A. honour and writers                  B. identity and signature

C. signature and responsibility        D. anonymity and signature

 (09·福建A篇)

Only three local students won Chinese Blog（博客） Competition. And 15 of the 18 awards want to students from China.

170 students’ task: to get a fully-designed blog up and running, complete with many posting based on a theme of choice—all written in Chinese.

Themes ranged from local opinions－such as the usage of Singlish, education and whether Singapore can be a cultural centre－to food blogs.

The entries were judged on Language proficiency（ 熟練程度）and the quality of writing, as well as the design and level of exchanging ideas with readers.

Academics from the National University of Singapore and the SIM University IT experts, and a journalist from Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao in Singapore made up the judges.

In the end, only three Singaporean students made it to the award list—the rest of the awards were swept up by students from China.

 “No surprise.” said Mr. Chow Yaw Long, 37 , teachers in charge from Ianova Junior Collage, which organized the event. “Although the topics were local subjects, the foreign students were generally better in terms of the content of the posts and their grasp of the Chinese language.”

One of the three local students winning the first prize in the Best Language Award was blogger Christina Gao 19, from the Saint Andrew’s Junior Collage, who spared no effort in researching for and writing her blog. Each entry took her between five and seven days to produce, complete with pictures and even podcasts （播客）

Her advice for bloggers is: Be responsible

 “Some bloggers out there only seek to blame the authorities and other bloggers.” Said Miss Gao. “I think they lack responsibilities and there is no value to their posts.”

56. The competition was organized by

A. the National University of Singapore             B. Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao

C. Innova Junior College                               D. the Saint Andrew’s Junior College

57. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Chinese students won most of the awards.

B. Not all the themes were about local subjects

C. The blogs could be written in Chinese or Singlish.

D. The judges were from university in Singapore and China.

58. What Miss Gao said suggests that

A. she likes to blame the authorities                  B. she has a sense of responsibility

C. she thinks highly of the others’ blogs            D. she loves to read valuable posts

59. The passage in mainly about

A. how Chinese students won the awards in the competition

B. why bloggers should take responsibility for their blogs

C. how Miss Gao won the first prize in the competition

D. what the result of the competition was

 (09·重慶D篇)

Liverpool, my hometown, is a unique city. It is so unique that in 2004 it became a World Heritage(遺產(chǎn)) Site.

　　I recently returned to my home city and my first stop was at a museum on the River Mersey. Blanketed in mist(薄霧), Victorian architecture rose from the banks of the river, responded to the sounds of sea-birds, and appeared unbelievably charming. When I headed toward the centre, I found myself surrounded by buildings that mirror the best palaces of Europe. It is not hard to imagine why, on first seeing the city, most visitors would be overpowered by the beauty of the noble buildings, which are solid signs of Liverpool’s history.

　　As if to stress its cultural role, Liverpool has more museums and galleries(美術(shù)館) than most cities in Britain. At Walker Art Gallery, I was told that it has the best collections of Victorian paintings in the world, and is the home of modern art in the north of England. However, culture is more than galleries. Liverpool offers many music events. As Britain’s No.1 music city, it has the biggest city music festival in Europe, and its musicians are famous all over the world. Liverpool is also well-known for its football and other sports events. Every year, the Mersey River Festival attracts thousands of visitors, making the city a place of wonder.

　　As you would expect from such a city, there are restaurants serving food from around the world. When my trip was about to complete, I chose to rest my legs in Liverpool’s famous Philharmonic pub(酒館). It is a monument to perfection, and a heritage attraction itself.

　　Being a World Heritage Site, my home city is certainly a place of “outstanding universal value”. It is a treasure house with plenty of secrets for the world to explore.

　68. Visitors who see the city for the first time would be deeply impressed by________

　　A. its charming banks

　　B. its famous museums

　　C. its wonderful palaces

　　D. its attractive buildings

　69. The third paragraph is developed mainly by______

　　A. providing different examples

　　B. following the order of space

　　C. making comparisons

　　D. analyzing causes

　70. The author uses the Philharmonic pub to prove that_______

　　A. Liverpool is a well-known city for its restaurants

　　B. Liverpool is an impressive place full of attraction

　　C. a pub is a wonderful place for visitors to relax themselves

　　D. a pub is a perfect choice for visitors to complete their journey

　71. What is the passage mainly about?

　　A. The universal value of the world heritage in Liverpool

　　B. The exciting experience of the author in Liverpool

　　C. The special cultural atmosphere of Liverpool

D. The beautiful historic sites of Liverpool

 (09·天津B篇)

I am a writer. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language—the way it can evoke（喚起） an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all—all the Englishes I grew up with.

Born into a Chinese family that had recently arrived in California, I’ve been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as “broken” English. But feel embarrassed to say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than “broken”, as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness. I’ve heard other terms used, “l(fā)imited English,” for example. But they seem just as bad, as if everything is limited, including people’s perceptions（認(rèn)識）of the limited English speaker.

I know this for a fact, because when I was growing up, my mother’s “l(fā)imited” English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is ,because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect. And I had plenty of evidence to support me: the fact that people in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

I started writing fiction in 1985. And for reasons I won’t get into today, I began to write stories using all the Englishes I grew up with: the English she used with me, which for lack of a better term might be described as “broken”, and what I imagine to be her translation of her Chinese, her internal（內(nèi)在的） language, and for that I sought to preserve the essence, but neither an English nor a Chinese structure: I wanted to catch what language ability tests can never show; her intention, her feelings, the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts.

41. By saying “Language is the tool of my trade”, the author means that ______.

A. she uses English in foreign trade

B. she is fascinated by languages

C. she works as a translator

D. she is a writer by profession

42. The author used to think of her mother’s English as ______.

A. impolite

B. amusing

C. imperfect

D. practical

43. Which of the following is TRUE according to Paragraph 3?

A. Americans do not understand broken English.

B. The author’s mother was not respected sometimes.

C. The author’ mother had positive influence on her.

D. Broken English always reflects imperfect thoughts.

44. The author gradually realizes her mother’s English is _____.

A. well structured

B. in the old style

C. easy to translate

D. rich in meaning

45. What is the passage mainly about?

A. The changes of the author’s attitude to her mother’s English.

B. The limitation of the author’s perception of her mother.

C. The author’s misunderstanding of “l(fā)imited” English.

D. The author’s experiences of using broken English.

 (09·天津A篇)

Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits died hard, and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.

Many roads and places in Singapore（新加坡） are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries ---- in both the West and the East.

Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus ---- obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.

Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay（馬來語）. Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.

A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent（月牙） because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.

36. We learn from Paragraph 1 that _____.

A. the government is usually the first to name a place

B. many places tend to have more than one name

C. a ceremony will be held when a place is named

D. people prefer the place names given by the government

37. What does the underlined phrase “die hard” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A. Change suddenly.

B. Change significantly.

C. Disappear mysteriously.

D. Disappear very slowly.

38. Which of the following places is named after a person?

A. Raffles Place.

B. Selector Airbase.

C. Piccadilly Circus.

D. Paya Lebar Crescent.

39. Bras Basah Road is named _______.

A. after a person

B. after a place

C. after an activity

D. by its shape

40. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Some place names in Singapore are the same as in Britain.

B. Some places in Singapore are named for military purposes.

C. The way Singaporeans name their places is unique.

D. Young Singaporeans have forgotten the pioneers.

 (09·安徽B篇)

The year 2009 is the Year of Ox. The ox is a representative of the fanning culture of China. In the farming economy （經(jīng)濟(jì)）, oxen are the major animals pulling plows （犁）.

Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing.  In fact, they are seen as "boats on land" for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and milk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.

In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities. For example, some people who1ive in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for oxen, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar （農(nóng)歷）, and during their run they will take their oxen along, which indicates they regard the creature as human.

Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people are very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.

60. The words "boats an land" underlined in Paragraph 2 refer to __

A. animals for taking goods                 B. creatures for pulling plows

C. treasures of the folk culture              D. tools in the farming economy

6l. From the third paragraph, we know that __

A. oxen are no more important today than in the past

B. ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soup

C. oxen are treated as human in some areas of China

D. people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month

62. Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?

A. The special role of oxen in frowning.

B. People's respect and love for oxen.

C. The practical value of an ox's body.

D. The contribution of oxen to the economy.

63. Why does the author write the text?

A. To stress the importance of oxen in farming.

B. To introduce the Chinese folk culture.

C. To describe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.

D. To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.

 (10·重慶E篇)

Humans are naturally drawn to other life forms and the worlds outside of our own. We take delight in the existence of creatures and even whole societies beyond our everyday lives.

This sense of wonder is universal. Look at the efforts that scientists have made to find out whether life of some kind exists on Mars, and the popularity of fantasy(幻想) literature or movies like The Lord of the Rings. This sense of wonder draws us to each other, to the world around us, and to the world of make-believe. But have we gone so far in creating worlds of fantasy that we are missing the pleasure of other worlds that already exist all around us?

Human beings, as biologists have suggested, possess an inborn desire to connect with and understand other life forms. However, people, especially in big cities, often lead rather isolated lives. In a study of British schoolchildren, it was found that children by age eight were much more familiar with characters from television shows and video games than with common wildlife. Without modem technology, a small pond could be an amazing world filled with strange and beautiful plants, insects, birds, and animals. When we lack meaningful interaction(交互) with the world around us, and sometimes even with our families and friends, we seek to understand and communicate with things that exist only in our imaginations or on a computer screen。

The world of make-believe is not necessarily bad. But when the world of fantasy becomes the only outlet(出路) for our sense of wonder, then we are really missing something. We are missing a connection with the living world. Other wonderful worlds exist all around us. But even more interesting is that if we look closely enough, we can see that these worlds, in a broad sense, are really part of our own.

72. The popularity of The Lord of the Rings proves       

A. the close connection between man and the fantasy world

B. the wonderful achievements of fantasy literature

C. the fine taste of moviegoers around the world

D. the general existence of the sense of curiosity

73. What can we infer from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?

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

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

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

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

74. If our sense of wonder relies totally on the world of make-believe, we will       

A. fail to appreciate the joy in our lives

B. be confused by the world of make-believe

C. miss the chance to recognize the fantasy world

D. be trapped by other worlds existing all around us

75. What is the main purpose of the passage?

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

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

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

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

 (10·陜西D篇)

Stop  Spam

When I first got an e-mail account ten years ago, I received communications only from family, friends, and colleagues. Now it seems that every time I check my e-mail, I have an endless series of advertisements and other correspondence that do not interest me at all. If we want e-mail to continue to be useful, we need specific laws that make spamming(發(fā)送垃圾郵件) a crime.

If lawmakers do not do something soon to prohibit spam, the problem will certainly get much worse. Computer programs allow spammers to send hundreds of millions of e-mails almost instantly. As more and more advertisers turn to spam to sell their products, individual(個人的) e-mail boxes are often flooded with spam e-mails. Would people continue to use e-mail if they had to deal with an annoying amount of spam each time?

This problem is troubling for individuals and companies as well. Many spam e-mails contain computer viruses that can shut down the entire network of a company. Companies rely on e-mail for their employees to communicate with each other. Spam frequently causes failures in their local communications networks, and their employees are thus unable to communicate effectively. Such a situation results in a loss of productivity and requires companies to repeatedly repair their networks. These computer problems raise production costs of companies, which are, in the end, passes on to the consumer.

For these reasons, I believe that lawmakers need to legislate (立法) against spam. Spammers should be fined, and perhaps sent to prison if they continue to disturb people. E-mail is a tool which helps people all over the world to communicate conveniently, but spam is destroying this convenience.

57.What does the underlined word “correspondence” in the Paragraph 1 probably mean?                                                         

  A. messages     B. ideas          C. connections         D. programs

58. According to the text, what is the major cause of the flooding spam?    

  A. Companies rely on e-mail for communications.

B. More people in the world communicate by e-mail.

C. Many computer viruses contain spam e-mail.

D. More advertisers begin to promote sales through spam.

59. According to Paragraph 3, who is the final victim of spam?             

 A. The business                 B. The advertiser        

 C. The employee                D. The consumer

60. What is the purpose of the text?

       A. To inform                 B. To educate                C. To persuade                     D. To instruct