Accidents happen almost daily. Some accidents are minor and some are serious but others may be fatal. We read about such accidents nearly every day in the newspapers. It is wrong for people to think that accidents occur only on the roads or highways, or even at worksites. Home accidents are just as common. Because very few home accidents are reported, people tend to think that there are few accidents which happen in homes.

There have been many cases where people fall to their deaths from high-rise flats. Children often fall from staircases while coming down the stairs. Old people may slip on wet or slippery floors if they are not careful.

    Nowadays there are a lot of modern electrical appliances such as rice-cookers, electric irons, and kettles which make life easy for the modern housewives. These appliances can kill if they are not used in the proper way.

    Gas stoves used for cooking are also dangerous if they are not properly handled. They may cause burns or, in more serious cases, they may even cause fires.

    But all such accidents can be prevented if we are careful and obey simple rules of safety. For example, it is unwise for people to try repairing their own electrical appliances if they do not know how. It is safer for them to get their faulty appliances repaired by a qualified electrician.                                       

63. People think accidents happen only on the roads or highways because ______.

   A. there are more road accidents

   B. many home accidents are not reported in newspapers

   C. home accidents are not serious

   D. such accidents happen nearly every day

64. Which of the following accidents may NOT happen in homes?

   A. People may fall to deaths from high buildings.

   B. People may be knocked down by cars on the roads.

   C. Gas stoves may cause burns or even fires.

   D. People may get a shock from an electrical appliance

65. Which of the following is TRUE about the modern electrical appliances?

   A. They help modern housewives a lot.

   B. They are very dangerous and should not be used.

   C. They are usually safe unless they are used carefully.

   D. They are not dangerous even if they are used carelessly.

 66. People are advised________.

   A. to avoid using electrical appliances

   B. to repair their own faulty electrical appliances

   C. not to repair their own faulty electrical appliances

   D. not to throw away their faulty electrical appliances

A “blogger” is a person who writes on an Internet website called a “blog”. The word “blog” is a short way of saying “web log”, or “personal website”. Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like.

There are millions of blogs on the Internet today. They provide news, information and ideas to the people who read them. They contain links to other websites. And they provide a place for people to write their ideas and react to the ideas of others.

A research company called Perseus has studied more than 3,000 web logs. It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls. They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their lives. The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year.

However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs. And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products.

At the same time, some long-standing blogs have ended. Last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service “weblogs.com”. He said the site became too costly to continue. He started the blog four years ago, and thousands of people had written on it. They are now upset because they did not know that the site was closed.

One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca’s Pocket. Rebecca Blood created the website in 1999. She wrote about the history of blogs on the site. That article led to a book called The Weblog Handbook. It has been translated into four languages so far.

Miss Blood says Rebecca’s Pocket gets about thirty thousand visitors a month. She writes about anything and everything—politics, culture and movies. She recently provided medical advice. And she wrote about how to prevent being stolen from online bank accounts.

56. The text is mainly written to ________.

A. introduce an Internet website called “blog”     B. tell readers about blogs    

C. introduce a short way of saying “web log”      D. tell readers how to write blogs

57. From the text we can learn that blogs cover almost everything except ________.

A. different ideas                                             B. medical advice

C. advertisements                                             D. account passwords

58. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?

A. Politicians don’t use blogs at all.

B. A lot of bloggers no longer write or read blogs.

C. Those who like to use blogs are mostly teenage girls.

D. Dave Winer closed his “weblogs.com” because of the money shortage.

59. The reason why Rebecca’s Pocket is still going strong is that ________.

A. it was created by a woman                                   B. it is about the history of blogs

C. it provides useful information and advice       

D. it has editions in at least four different languages

As prices and building costs keep rising, the “do-it-yourself” (DIY) trend in the U.S. continues to grow.

“We needed furniture for our living room,” says John Ross, “and we just didn’t have enough money to buy it. So we decided to try making a few tables and chairs.” John got married six months ago, and like many young people these days, they are struggling to make a home at a time when the cost of living is very high. The Rosses took a 2-week course for $280 at a night school. Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house.

Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died. He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe making factory. Last month, he received a car repair bill for $420. “I was deeply upset about it. Now I’ve finished a car repair course. I should be able to fix the car by myself.”

John and Jim are not unusual people. Most families in the country are doing everything they can to save money so they can fight the high cost of living. If you want to become a “do-it-yourselfer”, you can go to DIY classes. And for those who don’t have time to take a course, there are books that tell you how you can do things yourself.

60．We can learn from the text that many newly married people ________.

A. find it hard to pay for what they need

B. have to learn to make their own furniture

C. take DIY courses run by the government

D. seldom go to a department store to buy things

61．John and his wife went to evening classes to learn how to ________.

A. run a DIY shop                             B. make or repair things

C. save time and money                      D. improve the quality of life

62．When the writer says that Jim has a full-time job at home, he means Jim ________.

A. keeps house and looks after his children     B. does his own car and home repairs

C. does extra work at night                 D. makes shoes in his home

63．Jim Hatfield decided to become a do-it-yourselfer when ________.

A. he had to raise the children all by himself      B. the car repair class was not helpful

C. he could not possibly do two jobs               D. his car repairs cost too much

64．What would be the best title for the text?

A. the Joy of DIY                                 B. You Can Do It Too! 

C. Welcome to Our DIY Course!               D. Ross and Hatfield: Believers in DIY

A clique(小圈子,派系) is a group of friends who hang out together and act in similar ways. Cliques are common feature of the teen years. Members of a clique usually have certain things in common. For example, they might all be good students. Membership in a clique is limited. Not everyone who wants to belong can join.

Cliques can have a positive or negative influence. Because most teens have a strong need to belong, they want to feel that they fit into a group. Cliques can help them meet this need. Sometimes teens feel unsure of themselves, and they use a clique to gain approval of what they wear or how they act.

Cliques can become harmful, however, if they pressure members to behave the same way as the group that may damage their health. Cliques may discourage members from making their own decisions, giving their own opinions, or having other friends who aren’t accepted by the clique. Cliques may even pressure members to act in ways that go against their own values and beliefs, such as lying to parents or teachers. Cliques can also hurt people outside the group. For example, members might make fun of a teen who isn’t in the clique.

If you find yourself under this type of pressure from a clique, here are some actions you can take to improve your situation.

● Suggest other activities. Offer ideas that don’t involve hurting others or putting anyone at risk.

● Find new friends. If staying in the clique is becoming a negative experience, you will be better off with new friends.

65. Why do teens want to be a member of a clique?

A. Because it is popular with teens.                   

B. Because it meets teens’ need of belonging.

C. Because it is where teens can be themselves.

D. Because it provides an opportunity for them to be away from their parents.

66. Why can cliques be harmful?

A. Because kids in there don’t have independent thinking.

B. Because kids in there are not allowed to have their own opinions.

C. Because kids in there sometimes are pressured.

D. Because kids in there are forced to lie to their parents.

67. What is the writer’s attitude toward the clique?

A. He is very supportive to it.                            B. He is strongly against it.

C. He is not against it, though he doesn’t like it.

D. He is not against it. However, he has some worry about it.

“It’s our tradition to help each other”, added Tenpa, a medical official in neighbouring Madoi County, who said Yushu has always been quick to help other areas in times of trouble. “We have suffered many dangers and each time people in Yushu have sent food and clothes. We are always thankful to them and hopefully we proved it by being the first rescue team to arrive in Yushu after the earthquake.”

  The Madoi medical team arrived just hours after the violent 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Yushu. In two weeks, they have treated at least 1,800 people, while the county has donated 400,000 yuan.

  The biggest fear in the earthquake area is the outbreak of diseases. Tenpa said, “Keeping things clean in the shelter is very hard. Even hand washing is almost impossible because of lack of water. Our team is spraying disinfectant (噴灑消毒劑) and we hope that will work.”

  After driving for 13 hours with his medical team, Tian Jiancan said he immediately found a 40-year-old who was seriously injured after being trapped in a toppled house. Tian had to operate on the man in his emergency medical van. “If we had been one hour later, he would probably be dead. It’s good to see him out of danger now.” Tian’s medical team has treated over 3,200 people, including a 15-day-old baby and a 105-year-old man. They also helped to put up tents against winds, where patients are protected well.

  One local man said although most doctors cannot speak Tibetan, they have shown their care and love through their actions.

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

 A. This is the first time that Tibetans have faced great dangers.

   B. People in Yushu have always been ready to help each other.

   C. Madoi was also hit by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake.

   D. Tian’s team is the second rescue team to arrive Yushu.

61. What is the closest meaning to the underlined words in paragraph 7?

   A. a house on the top floor                         B. a house which had no roofs

   C. a house which fell down                    D. a house which was poorly built

62. How many people have been rescued by the medical teams according to the passage?

   A. About 1,800.            B. 3,200.             C. At least 5,000.        D. 4000,000.

63. What is the passage mainly about?

A. People in Yushu are encouraged by the medical team workers.

B. The doctors went along quite well in spite of the language trouble.

C. The Madoi medical team was the first to arrive at the earthquake-hit area.

D. The medical workers made great efforts to help the people suffering from the earthquake.

Sydney—Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.

Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students want them.

Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction (分心的事) to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.

She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.

Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school: they were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.

Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.

60. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones________.

   A. because they are students                     B. when they are free

   C. when they are at school                      D. because they are young

61. We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from________.

   A. the makers and sellers                       B. some other strangers

   C. their parents and friends                     D. some mobile phone users

62. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t _______ during school hours.

   A. use their mobile phones                      B. leave their mobile phones

   C. help the teachers with their work              D. get in touch with their children

63. The underlined word “they” in the fifth paragraph refers to________.

   A. many teachers                             B. some messages

   C. mobile phones                             D. some students

Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?

       Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbacks (平裝本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.

       Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia (百科全書), though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbooks, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems . Then from time to time you can take a book of poems  off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.

67. It can be inferred from the passage that _________.

A. TV programs are a chief provider of knowledge.

B. cinemas are the best choice in getting information.

C. reading is a cheap way of learning and having fun.

D. newspapers are an expensive way to enjoy oneself.

68. What does the sentence “Television has not killed reading, however” underlined in the second paragraph suggest?

A. People only need reading, though.                B. Reading is still necessary today.

C. Reading is more fun than television     D. Watching television doesn’t help reading.

69. Which of the following is mainly discussed in the last paragraph?

A. Types of books                                  B. Kinds of dictionaries.

C. Lists of history books                        D. Collections of stories and poems

70. What can we learn from the passage?

A. Fewer and fewer people will buy books.           

B. A good dictionary should be kept in every home.

C. Books with hard covers sell better than paperbacks.

D. More people like TV programs about famous men.

       At present, in many American cities especially, many teachers in the public schools say they are underpaid. They point to jobs such as secretary or truck driver, which often pay more to start than that of a teacher. In many other fields, such as law, medicine, computer science, a beginning worker may make more than a teacher who has taught for several years.

       Teaching has never been a profession that attracted people interested in high salaries. It is by history a profession that has provided rewards in addition to money—the satisfaction of sharing knowledge, of influencing others, of guiding young people. But in the past several years, there are more difficulties in teaching, for many, than there are rewards.

       Unruly（蠻橫的）students, especially in big cities, large classes and a lack of support from the public in terms of money and understanding have led many public school teachers to leave the profession.

       As a result, many of the best students, who would have chosen teaching as their life career in the past, are going into other fields.

       Another reason for this change in teacher candidates is the changing status（地位）of women in the United States. Until the late 1960s and 1970s, one of the most popular choices for women was teaching. But as other professions, such as law and medicine opened up to women, women stopped pouring into teacher training programs. Thus, a major pool of excellent candidates for the teaching profession dwindled (減少；縮小).

       Bit by bit government officials and others realized that the status of the teacher had suffered. They talked about change. But the change in a vast society like the United States is not easy. People’s attitudes have formed over many years, and sometimes change takes many years.

61. The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 refers to “_____________”.

A. money                            B. job                          C. secretary                  D. truck driver

62. What is the present situation of the teaching?

A. Teachers work harder and get underpaid.

B. Teachers have no opportunities to work in other fields.

C. Teaching can attract best students to work as a teacher.

D. Teaching can provide rewards as well as high salaries.

63. Many public school teachers turn to other professions because _____________.

       A. the government doesn’t financially support them

       B. they have to work longer hours than a lawyer

       C. their students refuse to listen to them

       D. they are not fairly treated

       Would you eat a ready meal from the fridge rather than cook by yourself? Have you been doing Internet shopping rather than going to the stores? What can't you be bothered to do?

       A study into how lazy British people are has found more than half of the adults are so idle (懶散的) that they'd catch the lift rather than climb two flights of stairs.

       Just over 2000 people were quizzed by independent researchers at Nuffield Health, Britain's largest health center. The results were extremely surprising.

       About one in six people questioned said if their remote control was broken, they would continue watching the same channel rather than get up.

       More than one third of those questioned said they would not run to catch a bus. Worryingly, of the 654 respondents with children, 64% said they were often too tired to play with them.

       This led the report to conclude that it's no wonder that one in six children in the UK are classified as obese (very fat) before they start school.

       Dr Sarah Dauncey, medical director of Nuffield Health, said, “People need to get fitter, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of their families, friends and evidently (明顯地；顯然) their pets too.”

       “If we don't start to take control of this problem, a whole generation will become too unfit to perform even the most fundamental tasks.”

       And Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, was shamed as the most idle city in the UK, with 75% questioned admitting they do not get enough exercise, followed closely by Birmingham and Southampton, both with 67%.

       The results bring serious challenges for the National Health Service, where obesity-related illnesses such as heart disease and cancer have been on a steady increase for the past 40 years and are costing billions of pounds every year.

68. How many people questioned don't play with their children?

       A. 1280.                       B. More than 333.         C. 654.                         D. About 420.

69. The study leads us to believe that _____________.

       A. the pets in the UK will be in trouble if their owners keep their way of life

       B. Glasgow people feel ashamed because they don't get enough exercise

       C. British people are the laziest around the world

       D. five sixths of the British children are healthy

70. How does the author convince the readers?

       A. By presenting the results of a study.               B. By providing answers to questions.

       C. By interviewing some experts.                       D. By telling a story.

71. What is the passage mainly about?

       A. A study of British people's laziness.                B. A study of British people's lifestyles.

       C. The health service in the UK.                        D. The obesity problem in the UK.

Tens of thousands of Chinese have joined a debate (辯論) on whether students should be separated into science（理科） and liberal arts（文科）classes in high school, a practice that allows them to stay competitive in college entrance exam by choosing preferred subjects. The debate came after the Ministry of Education began to ask for opinions from the public on Friday on whether it was necessary and possible to stop the dividing system, which has been accepted for decades.

In a survey started by www. qq. com, more than 260 000 people cast their votes, with 54 percent of those voted for the abolishment (廢除)and 40 percent against.

A netizen from Chengdu said: “Sciences can activate the mind, while arts could strengthen their learning ability.”

But some people disagreed with him. A netizen nicknamed “gentle scholar” said the students would have more burden if they have more subjects to study. “You don’t even know how difficult the courses are. I suggest a survey among students.”

“Abolish the current system of division? We have to study nine subjects? Finally we will study everything and have learnt little,” wrote another netizen.

Li Yanling, an education expert in Beijing, called on education authorities to consider students’ school burden.

Chinese students are required to choose either arts or science subjects after ten years’ education, which include six years in primary school, three years in junior high school and one year in senior high school.

Besides the Chinese language, mathematics and English, which are must for everyone, science students are required to take physics, biology and chemistry, while arts students study politics, history and geography.

67. Choosing preferred subjects can help students __________.

    A. have more chance to look for jobs in future     

B. find a good job after graduation

C. have more advantages to enter a university     

D. show interest in daily life

68. Netizen nicknamed “gentle scholar” __________.

    A. is for the abolishment                B. is against the abolishment

C. doesn’t care the abolishment       D. prefers students to learn more

69. Which of the following statements is NOT true?           .

    A. The debate is on whether the students should choose science or liberal arts classes in high school

B. More people on the Internet are for the abolishment

C. The students who are against the abolishment think abolishing the current system of division will heavy their burden.

D. Science students are required to take physics, biology and chemistry besides

Chinese, math and English.

70. What must a Chinese student learn in 2008?

    A. Chinese, math and English.            B. Physics, biology and chemistry.

C. Politics, history and geography.       D. Both B and C