In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources (資源), the harm from the traditional business model is on the rise. Actually, the past decades has seen more and more forests disappearing and globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed, and that we must be able to develop in sustainable (可持續(xù)的) ways. That means growth with low carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while using its supply of natural resources.

Today, sustainable development is a proper trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the global market for low-carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decades. China, for example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize chances in the new round of the global energy revolution. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge amount of money making electric cars and high-speed trains. In addition, we are also seeing great growth in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil (棕櫚油)， which is produced without cutting down valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by more than 50%.

Governments can fully develop the potential of these new markets. First, they can set high targets for reducing carbon emissions (排放) and targets for saving and reusing energy. Besides, stronger arrangement of public resources like forests can also help to speed up the development. Finally, governments can avoid the huge expenses that are taking us in the wrong direction, and redirecting some of those expenses can accelerate the change from traditional model to a sustainable one.

The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of growing population within the limits if this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product industries.

53. The traditional business model is harmful because of all the following EXCEPT that  ______.

A. It makes the world warmer             B. it consumes natural resources

C. it brings severe damage to forests        D. it makes growth hard to continue

54. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

 A. China lacks wind and solar energy.

B. China is the leader of the low-carbon market.

C. High-speed trains are a low-carbon development.

D. Palm oil is made at the cost of valuable forests.

55. To full develop the low-carbon markets, government can ______.

A. cut public expenses                  B. forbid carbon emission

C. develop public resources             D. encourage energy conservation

56. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To introduce a new business model.

B. To compare two business models.

C. To predict a change of the global market.

D. To advocate sustainable development.

The first MP4 player was born years ago. Soon many music fans were wondering how fantastic it is! If you have been into technology enough, perhaps you may have a knowledge of the MP4. If not, you do need to know something before buying one, even if you are familiar with MP3. MP3 is the CD-like disc with greater capacity. How about MP4? This small digital product will really enrich the joy from listening to music. You can even feel the “touch” of music to your soul!

Now, some similar digital products advertised as “MP4 player” are simply MP3 players, which do not play video and MPEG format and also lack other particular functions. These products confuse some buyers, as they may think the “MP4” players simply mean they can do more than MP3.

What is MP4?

It is a multimedia container. It is not only used to store digital audio and digital video streams, especially those of MPEG, but can also be used to store other data such as subtitles and pictures. As a most modern container format, it allows streaming over the Internet.

With the help of a piece of MP4 video equipment, you can change various programs such as MPEG to MP4, ASX to MP4, AVI to MP4 and so on, which can be done very quickly and easily without any effect on the sound quality. By installing DVD-MP4 software, you can transfer particular music from a DVD to an MP4 video file. It really excites your listening music experience.

Then, there is MP4 advanced and you can set your own collection of all the programs—TV shows, games, and music. You can even see movies which are still running in cinema. What else digital product could you possibly ask for?

49. It is suggested here that you should ______ before buying an MP4 player.

                    China’s economic growth “hard to predict”

The worsening global economic situation makes it difficult for China to predict its growth for next year, a senior official said on Friday.

“How fast China’s economy will grow next year is uncertain,” Liu He, deputy director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economy Work, told China Daily.

“To a large extent, the rate will be decided by the external(外部) situation,” Liu said during a discussion with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and other economists in Beijing.

“This year, GDP is estimated to grow at 9.4 or 9.5 percent, down from 10.6 percent last year,” he said. “However, the impact of the current financial turbulence on our economy is much less than on the rest of the world.”

Nicholas Stern, a former UK government advisor, also told China Daily it will take at least one or two years for the world to recover from the recession, which is now spreading from the US and the UK to the rest of the world.

“We don’t know how long the recession will last, but it is unlikely to be short,” he said.

Liu said China can use the downturn(衰退) as an opportunity to restructure its economy, which has relied heavily on government investment, foreign trade and low-cost technology over the past years.

“When the economy is experiencing fast growth, companies are unwilling to upgrade their technologies,” Liu said.

“The slowdown gives such firms the opportunity to enhance(提高) their competitive edge through better technologies.”

                                         (From China Daily 2009-01-11)

45. How many people are mentioned in this passage?

A. Only 2.           B. No more than 3.     C. Not more than 4.   D. At least 5.

46. It can be inferred from Liu’s words that the impact of the current financial turbulence on China’s economy is ______.

   A. more              B. less                     C. the most               D. the least

47. The underlines word “extent” probably means ______.

   A. sense              B. degree                   C. size                    D. depth

48. According to the passage, the reason why Liu said this downturn is an opportunity for China to restructure its economy is that ______.

A. China’s economy will not depend on government investment in the future

B. Foreign trade will grow in the future

C. The downturn will force China’s companies to upgrade their technologies

D. Low-cost technologies will not exist in China

                             

In the hit film The bucket List, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman meet in hospital in California after they have been diagnosed with cancer. Between them they cook up a “bucket list” – a to-do list of all they want to do before they kick the bucket. The movie makes you wonder what would be on your bucket list. So let’s pack up some and see what it would cost to go out and have a little fun.

THE PYRAMIDS, GIZA, EGYPT

On to the pyramids, surely on anyone’s bucket list. Exotik Tours can take you there on a variety of trips, including their popular Egypt Express which includes three nights in Cairo and a three-night Nile Cruise(乘船游覽). From $1,384, including four-and five-star accommodation, 12 meals and a ton of sightseeing.

www.exotiktours.com   416-646-3347

TAJ MAHAL, AGRA, INDIA

One of the world’s most fascinating images, India’s Taj Mahal makes even Nicholson and Freeman look calm. Toronto’s Goway Travel has many suggestions for India, including a three-day independent visit to Agra. Stay at the attractive Oberoi AmarVilas overlooking the Taj. Include two breakfasts, touring and airport transfer from $1,420.

www.gowaytravel.com    416-322-1034

THE GREAT WALL, CHINA

If the Great Wall of China is on your bucket list, check into Tour East Holiday’s four-day Amazing Beijing Tour for $580 per person, four-star accommodation, sightseeing including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, breakfasts and two lunches, transportation and guide.

www.toureastholidays.com    416-929-0888

THE HIMALAYAS, NEPAL

And on to the Himalayas. Talk about “something truly majestic(壯麗的). See the top of the world on GAP Adventures’ Everest Adventure tour, a 15-day exploration including Everest Base Camp, teahouse lodge stays, and walking through Sherpa villages. Incredibly affordable at just $665 plus local payment of $250. GAP Adventures warns that this is a physically demanding trip.

www.gapadventures.com     416-260-0999

41. The underlined phrase “kick the bucket” in Paragraph 1 means ______.

   A. come to life         B. play a game       C. pass away         D. list interesting places

42. If you take on the Everest Adventure tour, you should be aware that ____.

the sights may not be so good.

It is a tiring trip

you may not be used to the food there

it is an expensive trip

43. According to the passage, where can you enjoy a view of the whole Taj Mahal?

   A. In Sherpa village.                      B. Near the Forbidden City

   C. Through Egypt Express.                D. At Oberoi AmarVilas

44. Which of the following websites may offer you more information about Agra?

   A. www.gowaytravel.com                   B. www.exotiktours.com

   C. www.gapadventures.com                D. www.toureastholidays.com

                           

I cheated on a final exam in college. It was spring semester of my junior year, the early 70s, at  21  was then Rider College. I was between a B and a C in “Introduction to  22 ”, and the exam would determine my final  23 .

    Music was  24  my strongest subject. I had never studied an instrument and had had little  25  to classical music. But as a secondary education major, I needed two fine arts electives. I had chosen music as one of them. At two credits, how  26  could it be?

    I thought I could hold my own on the test  27  just before it began, when the professor announced that he would  28  a series of musical passages on a tape recorder for 15 minutes. We were to name the  29  we heard in each selection.

    We were  30  in that classroom like penguins on a chunk of floating sea  31 , so it was an effort to keep my eyes  32  on my own desk. I think the music was a Mozart symphony,  33  by Tchaikovsky and a piece by John Philip Sousa. During one selection, my  34  turned to the paper of the student on my right. I had  35  the instrument to be a violin; my neighbor had written viola(中提琴). He had to be  36 ---almost anyone would know more about music than I did. I changed my  37 .

    A few days later, looking at the answers to the exam and the final grades posted on the professor’s office  38 , I understood the meaning of poetic justice. The instrument had been a violin. That one answer had  39  my exam grade to a C, which  40  a C for the course.

 ---May I try the jacket on?

   ---______, but I think it will be too large for you.

  A. Believe it or not          B. By all means     C. With pleasure      D. As you like

 _________ by the teacher, Tom got into the classroom from the back door quietly.

A. To avoid being seen  B. Avoiding seen    C. Avoid being seen   D. Avoided seeing

_______can sometimes cause trouble, however, some active people aren’t worried

  about that.

   A. Having been misunderstood        B. Being misunderstood

   C. Having misunderstood             D. Misunderstood

They have made voluntary ________ to the cause of rural economic improvement.

   A. donation        B. congratulation   C. distribution      D. contribution

 ---Why didn’t you pick up the MP4?

---I ______ it, but I didn’t carry that much money.

   A. must have bought  B. should buy   C. could have bought  D. could buy