For as long as humans have lived on the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech. When there is a spoken language problem, communication can be carried out through sign language, in which gestures stand for letters, words, and ideas. Tourists and people unable to hear or speak have often had to turn to this form of expression. When gestures describe words or ideas, they can often be used internationally. When used for spelling words however, where each gesture stands for a single letter, people must share the same written language.
Body language sends ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either meaningfully or not. A wink can be a way of showing that the person is only joking. A nod means agreement, while shaking the head indicates disagreement.
Other forms of language can be found in Braille (a reading system of raised dots read with the fingertips used by the blind), signal flags, Morse code, and smoke signals. Road maps and picture signs also guide and warn people. While language is the most common form of communication, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings.
【小題1】Which of the following ways can not be used as a form of communication?

A．oral speech

B．sign language

C．body language

D．thought

【小題2】What does the author mainly want to say?  

A．People can communicate in many different ways.

B．Everybody uses only one form of communication.

C．Language is invaluable to foreigners.

D．Non-spoken communication is of little value.

【小題3】According to the text, which part of the body can be used to show you are joking?

A．Fingers

B．Eyes

C．Head

D．Feet

【小題4】What can’t be effectively communicated by sign language when people belong to different language groups?

A．Spelling

B．Idea

C．Whole words

D．Expressions

【小題5】How many different forms of communication are mentioned in the text?

A．Three

B．Five

C．Six

D．Nine

“Choo，Choo！”Here comes the Chunnel train. Get aboard if you want to learn more about this underground transportation system. This is an unusual form of transportation, because it is a tunnel that trains travel through and not an actual form of transportation.
The Chunnel is actually the English nickname for the Channel Tunnel. In French，it is called le tunnel sous la Manche. It is a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel at the Straits of Dover. It connects Cheriton in Kent, England with Sangatte in northern France. It is the second longest rail tunnel in the world.
Did you know that the British and the French had a race while they were building the Chunnel? The race was to see who could get to the middle of the tunnel first. The British won by a little bit. It took 15,000 workers over seven years to dig the tunnel. The tunnel was finished in 1994.
The completed Chunnel cost about $21 billion. But it all paid off, because it became very popular, very quick. Millions of people use it. Now it is getting even more popular.
There are three complete tunnels in the Chunnel. The two outside ones are the passenger trains. The small inner one is a guidance train. The guidance train is not used for transportation. Each track is exactly parallel to each other.
There are four different train systems in the Chunnel. The Eurostar is a high speed passenger service that connects London, Paris, Brussels and Lille. The Eurotunnel shuttle is a rail ferry service. These shuttles carry cars and vans. These are railcars that allow drivers to drive their vehicles on and off. There are also two Eurotunnel goods service trains.
Now you know more about the Chunnel. Everybody off，this is the last stop.
【小題1】The Channel Tunnel links   ________with________.

A．London; Paris	B．Cheriton; Sangatte
C．Lille; Brussels	D．Dover; Kent

【小題2】Which of the following shows the structure of the tunnels in the Chunnel?

【小題3】The Eurotunnel shuttle is intended to carry________.

A．passengers	B．drivers and their vehicles
C．goods	D．staff members of the Chunnel

【小題4】The text can most probably be ________.

A．found in a guidebook	B．read in a magazine
C．broadcast on a train	D．heard in a railway station

There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway, wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.
I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car, so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight. Immediately I came alive; I decided to wave back.
From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 pm. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile, I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug. I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weather-beaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.
I looked forward to the return journey.
【小題1】The author expected the train trip to be _________.

A．a(chǎn)dventurous

B．pleasant

C．exciting

D．dull

【小題2】What did the author remember most fondly of her train trip?

A．The friendly country people.

B．The mountains along the way.

C．The crowds of people in the streets.

D．The simple lunch served on the train.

【小題3】Which of the following words can best take the place of the word “relish” in the second paragraph?

A．choose

B．enjoy

C．prepare for

D．carry on

【小題4】Where was the writer going?

A．Johore Baru.

B．The Causeway.

C．Butterworth.

D．Singapore.

【小題5】What can we learn from the story?

A．Comfort in traveling by train.	B．Pleasure of living in the country.
C．Reading gives people delight.	D．Smiles brighten people up.

Shopping in the United States changes a lot．About ninety years ago most people shopped in small stores that were owned by one person or a family．Women went from the bakery to the butcher's to the grocer and on to the fruit and vegetable seller in order to get their food for the week．
Then about sixty years ago, supermarkets were born．In a supermarket, people could get all the different kinds of food they needed without going to different stores．
The next big change in shopping in the United States was the shopping mall．A shopping mall is a group of stores under one roof．Because malls allowed people to shop without worrying about the weather, they soon became very popular．The mall became a place for people to socialize in addition to shopping．If you walk through a mall, you will see older people sitting, chatting and drinking coffee．Malls are places for teenagers to hang out．Many teens will often just "go to the mall" and spend time with their friends．
The recent change in American shopping was the superstore．Large chain stores such as Wal-Mart, Office Depot and Toys "R" Us have been built all across the United States．Because they are so large, they can buy goods at a great discount and sell them much cheaper than smaller stores．
Sometimes, when they are built near small towns, many of the small town stores have to close．They just cannot compete with their giant neighbors．
And now, online shopping is becoming more and more popular all over the States．People are too busy to go to the physical stores, so they go shopping over the Internet．Online shopping has lots of advantages．For instance, online stores are usually available 24 hours a day．Searching or browsing online shops can be faster than browsing the physical stores．While, online shopping also has its disadvantages．People are at higher risk of being cheated on the part of the merchant than in a physical store．And privacy of personal information may be let out．
【小題1】Which of the following shows the right order of shopping development in the United States?
①small stores     ②superstores      ③shopping malls       ④shopping online      ⑤supermarkets

A．①②③④⑤	B．①⑤②③④
C．①⑤③②④	D．②③④①⑤

【小題2】Which is the place for people to spend time with others according to the passage?

A．Shopping malls	B．Small stores
C．Supermarkets	D．Superstores

【小題3】Why can the superstores sell products at much lower prices?

A．Because they are built near small towns．

B．Because they are across the United States．

C．Because they sell all kinds of products people need．

D．Because they can buy goods at a reduction in the price．

【小題4】What's the disadvantage of online shopping according to the passage?

A．Wasting time．	B．Leaking personal information．
C．Fixed prices．	D．No chance to do physical activities

Have you ever picked a job based on the fact that you were good at it but later found it made you feel very uncomfortable over time? When you select your career, there's a whole lot more to it than assessing your skills and matching them with a particular position. If you ignore your personality, it will hurt you long-term regardless of your skills or the job's pay. There are several areas of your personality that you need to consider to help you find a good job. Here are a few of those main areas;
1) Do you prefer working alone or with other people?
There are isolating jobs that will drive an outgoing person crazy and also interactive jobs that will make a shy person uneasy. Most people are not extremes in either direction but do have a tendency that they prefer. There are also positions that are sometimes a combination of the two, which may be best for someone in the middle who adapts easily to either situation.
2) How do you handle change?
Most jobs these days have some elements of change to them, but some are more than others. If you need stability in your life, you may need a job where the changes don't happen so often. Other people would be bored of the same daily routine.
3) Do you enjoy working with computers？
I do see this as a kind of personality characteristic. There are people who are happy to spend more than 40 hours a week on a computer, while there are others who need a lot of human interaction throughout the day. Again, these are extremes and you'll likely find a lot of positions somewhere in the middle as well.
4) What type of work environment do you enjoy？
This can range from being in a large building with a lot of people you won't know immediately to a smaller setting where you'll get to know almost all the people there fairly quickly.
5) How do you like to get paid?
Some people are motivated by the pay they get, while others feel too stressed to be like that. The variety of payment designs in the sales industry is a typical example for this.
Anyway, these are a great starting point for you. I've seen it over and over again with people that they make more money over time when they do something they love. It may take you a little longer, but making a move to do what you have a passion for can change the course of your life for the better.
【小題1】What does the underlined sentence in paragraph one mean?

A．Before you select your job, you should assess your skills and match them with your position.

B．There are more important things than assessing skills and match them with the position when you select jobs.

C．Nothing is important than assessing skills and match them with the position when you select job.

D．You should ignore your skills when you select job.

【小題2】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Isolating usually drive people mad.

B．Interactive jobs make people shy easily.

C．Extreme people tend to work with others.

D．Almost everyone has a tendency in jobs.

【小題3】The underlined word “stability” in the passage most probably means?

A．no movement.

B．no anger.

C．gentleness.

D．enthusiasm.

【小題4】In a job search, what quality is not mentioned in the passage?

A．Outgoing.

B．Motivated.

C．Cooperative.

D．Passionate.

【小題5】What could be the best title for this passage?

A．Lifestyles and Job Pay	B．Jobs and Environment
C．Job Skills and Abilities	D．Personalities and Jobs

Time and how we experience it have always puzzled us．Physicists have created fascinating theories, but their time is measured by a pendulum （鐘擺） and is not psychological time, which leaps with little regard to the clock or calendar．As some-one who understood the distinction observed, "When you sit with a nice girl for two hours it seems like a minute, but when you sit on a hot stove, a minute seems like two hours．"
Psychologists have long noticed that larger units of time, such as months and years, fly on swifter wings as we age．They also note that the more time is structured with schedules and appointments, the more rapidly it seems to pass．For example, a day at the office flies compared with a day at the beach．Since most of us spend fewer days at the beach and more at the office as we age, an increase in structured tune could well be to blame for why time seems to speed up as we grow older．
Expectation and familiarity also make time seem to flow more rapidly．Almost all of us have had the experience of driving somewhere we’ve never been before. Surrounded by unfamiliar scenery, with no real idea of when we’ll arrive, we experience the trip as lasting a long time. But the return trip, although exactly as long, seems to take far less time. The novelty of the outward journey has become routine. Thus taking a different route on occasions can often help slow the clock.
When was become as identical as identical as beads（小珠子）on a string, they mix together, and even months become a single day. To counter this, try to find ways to interrupt the structure of your day—to stop time, so to speak.
Learning something new is one of the ways to slow the passage of time. One of the reasons the days of our youth seems so full and long is that these are the days of learning and discovery. For many of us, learning ends when we leave school, but this doesn’t have to be.
【小題1】The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 is used to show        .

A．psychological time is quite puzzling

B．time should not be measured by a pendulum

C．physical time is different from psychological time

D．physical theory has nothing to do with the true sense of time

【小題2】Why do units of time fly faster as we grow older?

A．Our sense of time changes.

B．We spend less time at the beach.

C．More time is structured and scheduled.

D．Time is structured with too many appointments.

【小題3】In Paragraph 3 “novelty” probably means        .

A．excitement	B．unfamiliarity
C．imagination	D．a(chǎn)musement

【小題4】The purpose of the passage is to        .

A．give various explanations about time

B．describe how we experience time psychologically

C．show the different ideas of physicists and psychologists on time

D．explain why time flies and how to slow it down psychologically

People in the UK often talk about their homes: their mortgages (按揭), the interest rates, and rising prices. Here’s a guide to some of the words and phrases you might come across.
It’s a good idea in the UK to arrange a mortgage with a bank before you start looking. This is when the bank tells you how much money they will lend you so you have a good idea of how much you can afford.
The next step is to go to an estate agent and see what sort of properties they have available in your budget range and in your area. If you see something you like, the estate agent will arrange for you to view the property, so that you can see the house or flat for yourself.
If you see something that takes your eye, you put in an offer. The vendor (賣家) can accept or decline this offer, and if the vendor accepts it, you can move forward with the sale. However, as you don’t pay any money at this point, the offer isn’t legally binding (具有約束力), and in theory, you can pull out of the offer at any time that you like.
Your next step will probably be to get a structural survey done. A qualified surveyor will inspect the house and write a report that illustrates any structural problems, like damp or drainage problems.
If you still want to go ahead with the sale, you need to appoint a lawyer to do the legal paperwork.. If you already own a house, you might also be busy trying to sell it. Many house owners prefer to sell to first-time buyers (those people who don’t already own a home), as they are not in a chain (waiting for other people to buy the house before they can buy their next house).
Finally, once the contracts are signed and exchanged, you complete on your house. You get the keys and you can move in whenever you want. Then you might want to throw a house-warming party. Congratulations!
【小題1】Which of the following shows the right order of what happens before the people in the UK move into a new house?
a. ask for a company which represents others of properties
b. decide how much to borrow from the bank
c. examine the structure of the house
d. hire a lawyer and make a contract
e. offer the seller the right money
f. visit the house and discuss a price with the seller

A．b, a, f, d, c, e	B．b, a, f, c, d, e
C．b, a, f, e, d, c	D．b, f, d, e, c, a

【小題2】According to the passage, these statements are correct EXCEPT ___________.

A．People can borrow the whole money for a new house from a bank.

B．People care for mortgages, interest rates and the prices &house.

C．The sellers are more interested in the first-time buyers.

D．After getting the keys, the owners sometimes have a party.

【小題3】Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Owners.	B．Surveyors.
C．Lawyers.	D．Collectors.

【小題4】The passage is maybe one that _______________.

A．give some advice on the house	B．introduces a book on travelers
C．give some tips to buyers	D．introduces a guide to visitors

The Friday after the American holiday of Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It’s said that it’s the day that store ledgers(分類賬)move into the black and companies become profitable. On that day, retailers slash(砍) prices to get consumers to buy.  It is also a time when many Americans start their Christmas shopping. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee tells us how the economy may affect consumers on that bargain day.
This day should be a shopper’s dream. “It’s just the deals, the sales and everything you can get for a lesser price,” said Sandy Thomas, a shopper. But it’s a nightmare for others. “I think it’s crazy. I’ve done all of my shopping throughout the week so I don’t have to go out on Friday,” she said. It’s called Black Friday, the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the United States. Every year it’s the day after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stores open before sunrise and there are deep discounts everywhere you look.
Last year a crowd of bargain-hunters killed a Wal-mart worker in a New York suburb. This year, many stores are increasing security while they slash prices. “This is a huge time for the retail stores,” said Fred Joutz from George Washington University. “This is when they begin making their profits for the year.”
Economics professor Fred Joutz says how Americans spend the weekend after Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.
With the unemployment rate above 10 percent, Joutz says Americans are saving more and spending less. Some retailers are attracting consumers by opening on Thanksgiving Day, when shops are traditionally closed.  Other stores open their doors anywhere from midnight to four in the morning.
And shoppers will be lining up in front of the doors in order to be one of the first ones to walk through and get a big discount. Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually the first items to go. Sandy Thomas says it’s an annual family tradition and well worth it. “I just save maybe half of what I would have spent on a regular, you know, shopping trip,” she said.
Economists say U.S. consumers will spend money this Black Friday, but they will spend it more carefully.
【小題1】By saying “This day should be a shopper’s dream”, the writer means ________ .

A．shoppers have longed for this day for a long time

B．the shops will be very crowded on that day

C．the shops will keep open until the daybreak of next day

D．shoppers can buy many items at low prices on that day

【小題2】Why are many stores increasing security according to the passage?

A．Because there are too many people saving more and spending less.

B．Because it’s a time when they begin making their profits for the year.

C．Because last year a crowd of bargain-hunters caused an accident.

D．Because many stores open their doors from midnight to four a.m.

【小題3】From the passage we know that_________.

A．Christmas shopping is traditional time and this year it is no exception.

B．Electronics like flat screen TVs are usually least discounted.

C．The economy only affects consumers on that bargain day.

D．Thanksgiving is a good indication of how consumers feel about the future.

【小題4】We can find this passage in_________.

A．a(chǎn) science fiction	B．a(chǎn) travel brochure
C．a(chǎn)n economic research report	D．a(chǎn) book on psychology

【小題5】Why American people call it a black day?

A．Because they organize activities in honor of some great person.

B．Because there are too many people going out shopping for Christmas.

C．Too many people are celebrating Thanks giving.

D．The sky is black that day.

Xu Hui is very excited. The Senior 1 student in a middle school in Beijing will go to South Korea with his parents during the Spring Festival.
“Overseas touring has always been a dream for me,” he said happily.
Nowadays, Chinese people enjoy longer holidays, such as the three “Golden Week Holidays”(the Spring Festival, May Day and National Day). They have more time to travel. Rising incomes also make travelling abroad realistic for ordinary Chinese people.
Nearly 7 million Chinese travelled overseas in 2001, according to the National Tourism Administration(國家旅游局). The most common problem travellers face is how to choose the best routes(路線).
By the end of 2002, Chinese citizens were allowed to travel to 19 foreign countries and regions at their own expense.
The top 10 places included Hong Kong, Macao and Thailand. European countries are also becoming increasingly popular.
“More and more Chinese people have shown interest in travelling to Europe, particularly France and Finland,” said Tan Wen, a general manager of China Youth Travel Service. “Sooner or later, there will be a peak(高峰) in European tours.”
Another consideration is choosing the right travel agencies and finding the best price. The China Consumers’ Association(CCA, 中國消費(fèi)者協(xié)會(huì)) offered tips to consumers on choosing the right travel agencies to help prevent a relaxing vacation from turning into a costly disaster.
“Price should not be the single most important factor in choosing a travel agency,” said Zhang Yuanchao, CCA vice-secretary general. Consumers are advised to choose large State travel agencies with good reputations(名聲) and official approval to organize overseas tour groups.
Zhang’s association dealt with more than 5, 000 complaints about travel agencies(旅行社) last year. And the majority of the complaints were about random changes in travel routes, bad tour guides, and forced shopping.
Travellers were warned to look carefully at their contracts(合同) with agencies and to buy travel insurance(保險(xiǎn)).
【小題1】How many reasons are given in the article as to why ordinary Chinese people are traveling abroad more today?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

【小題2】According to the passage, what is the biggest problem Chinese travelers face when going overseas?

A．Choosing the best travel agent.

B．Deciding the best way to get to the places they want to go to.

C．Traveling to Europe.

D．Cost.

【小題3】According to the passage, what seems to be the most common result of choosing a bad travel agency?

A．People buy more souvenirs than they had planned to.

B．People spend more money than they had planned to.

C．People go to different places than they had planned to.

D．People complained more than they had planned to.

【小題4】The underlined part “random changes” probably means that _______.

A．the travelers agreed with the changes.

B．the travel agency didn’t make any changes.

C．the travel agency refused to changes the routes.

D．the travel agency changed the routes or time without following the original plan.

【小題5】 What would be a good title for this passage?

A．Xu Hui’s Vacation in South Korea

B．The Job of the National Tourism Administration

C．Where Young Chinese Travelers Go

D．Suggestions for the Chinese Travelers