第三部分：閱讀理解（共20小題，每題2分，滿分40分）
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。
The National Outline for Medium and Long Term Education Reform and Development (2010 - 20) was released over the weekend. Here are some of the highlights:
Four – percent effort
The government says spending on education will be 4 percent of GDP by 2012. globally, average spending on education is about 4.5% of GDP. China spend 3,33% in 2008. according to Hu Angang, of Tsinghua University’s Center for China Studies, even if China reaches that goal, it will only rank about 100 th out of 188 countries.
Administrative rank
Administrative rankings for school leaders are to be phased out to tackle the bureaucracy (官僚機(jī)構(gòu)) problem that limits educational development, according to Cheng Fangping, of the national Institute for Educational Research. Areas like teaching programs, scientific research, and technological development will be more independent.
Vocational Education
The system will be free of charge. According to Wu Yan, of Beijing Institute of Educational Sciences, this will be key to developing China’s production capacity and will improve poor people’s lives dramatically.
Entering college
Universities could eventually have the freedom to choose some of their own high school applicants. Normally, students are accepted based on the uniform national exam scores. Also, students who agree to go to a remote area could be admitted to university under special circumstances. The most likely change could come on the college entrance English test, which might be modeled on the IELTS or TOEFL. Students will be able to take it several times and pick their best score.
56．Which of the following is true in the future according to the passage?
A．Applicants could take the IELTS or TOEFL instead of the college entrance English test.
B．Colleges will be given the right to choose all of their own applicants.
C．Vocational education will be party free to make people’s lives better.
D．Applicants could sit for the college entrance English test more than once.
57．Which of the following words is closest in meaning to “uniform” in the last paragraph?
A．formal      B．official     C．same D．united
58．We can learn from the passage even though our country spends 4% of GDP on education in 2012, ________.
A．there will still be 188 countries ahead of China in this aspect
B．China will certainly overtake the global average spending on education
C．there might be nearly 100 countries ahead of China in this aspect
D．China will be the 100 th country to spend over the global average on education
59．From the third paragraph, we can infer that________.
A．school leaders will have more freedom to manage the school
B．schools will have more limits from the government
C．School administrative rankings are to be strengthened to solve the bureaucracy problem
D．schools and research centers will be fully independent from the government

If you walk slowly through downtown Helsinki during the day, taking in the splendid 19 th century buildings, white boats and noise of passing trams (有軌電車), you will start to understand why it is called a city of two colors: white and blue.

The sea is always present in Helsinki. When you take a walk over the great open space of the central square, you will hear seabirds screaming. When you take the tram, suddenly and unexpectedly, you are faced with a calm, shining blue sea. You may notice that people in Helsinki do not rush about as in other cities. Instead, they walk along the roads, politely letting other people by.

A usual way to see Helsinki for the first time is to start out by the boats. You will walk by the elderly women selling fish and vegetables in the market square and find yourself in front of a beautiful park. You may enjoy a pleasant walk in the park for a few hours and then take the tram. Trams are the perfect way to get around in Helsinki. Watching the old houses, parks, theatres, churches, shops, restaurants and people in the streets, you may have a slightly sad film feeling to it.

The pale summer nights are another wonder in the city. Following the waterfront（濱水區(qū)）of the city after sunset, you couldn’t help stopping and listening to the sweet silence, interrupted only by the screaming seabirds and leaving fishing boats.

However, in some way. Helsinki is also the most modern city in northern Europe. You will surely want to visit the white Glass Palace, the modern art museum, and all those extremely popular cafes and design stores.

Helsinki is called a city of two colors mainly because of the colors of its ________.

      A．19th century white buildings and boats

       B．19th century buildings and passing trams

      C．white roads and blue trams

      D．old buildings, boats and the sea

The best way to see most of Helsinki is to go ________.

      A．by boat    B．by bus     C．by tram    D．on foot

The 19th century buildings, the white Glass Palace and all those popular cafes and design shops show that Helsinki is _________.

      A．both western and eastern        B．both quiet and noisy

      C．both historical and modern     D．both old and new

This passage is most likely to be found in _________.

      A．a(chǎn) story-book          B．a(chǎn) geography textbook

      C．a(chǎn) research report    D．a(chǎn) travel magazine

閱讀下面的短文，然后按照要求寫一篇150詞左右的英語短文。

In one way of thinking, failure is a part of life. In another way, failure may be a way towards success. The “spider story’’ often told, Robert Bruce, leader of the Scots in the 13 th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watched a spider spinning a web. The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock. He tried six times without success. On the seventh time he made it and went to spin his web. Bruce is said to have taken heart and to have gone on to defeat the English. Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one. Abraham Lincoln, the famous American president, lost elections more times than he won them! He never gave up in the face of failure but kept trying and was eventually elected to Congress and then the presidency.

So what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were conditions right? Were you in top from yourself? What can you change so things will go right next time?

Second, is the goal you’re trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be. Think about this question. “If I do succeed this time, where will it get me?’’ This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn’t be doing anyway.

The third thing to bear in mind about failure is that it’s part of life. Learn to “l(fā)ive with yourself” even though you may have failed. Remember, “You can’t win them all.”

【寫作內(nèi)容】

1、概括短文的內(nèi)容要點(diǎn)，該部分字?jǐn)?shù)大約30詞左右；

2、以“Is Failure a Bad Thing”為題寫一篇文章，包含以下內(nèi)容要點(diǎn)，該部分的字?jǐn)?shù)大約120詞左右。

⑴失敗是生活中的常事

⑵人們對失敗所持的不同態(tài)度

⑶你對失敗的認(rèn)識(shí)

【寫作要求】

1、可以使用實(shí)例或其他論述方法支持你的觀點(diǎn)，也可以參照閱讀材料的內(nèi)容，但不要抄襲閱讀材料中的句子

2、作文中不能出現(xiàn)真實(shí)姓名和學(xué)校名稱。

閱讀下面的短文，然后按照要求寫一篇150詞左右的英語短文。
In one way of thinking, failure is a part of life. In another way, failure may be a way towards success. The “spider story’’ often told, Robert Bruce, leader of the Scots in the 13 th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watched a spider spinning a web. The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock. He tried six times without success. On the seventh time he made it and went to spin his web. Bruce is said to have taken heart and to have gone on to defeat the English. Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one. Abraham Lincoln, the famous American president, lost elections more times than he won them! He never gave up in the face of failure but kept trying and was eventually elected to Congress and then the presidency.
So what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were conditions right? Were you in top from yourself? What can you change so things will go right next time?
Second, is the goal you’re trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be. Think about this question. “If I do succeed this time, where will it get me?’’ This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn’t be doing anyway.
The third thing to bear in mind about failure is that it’s part of life. Learn to “l(fā)ive with yourself” even though you may have failed. Remember, “You can’t win them all.”
【寫作內(nèi)容】
1、概括短文的內(nèi)容要點(diǎn)，該部分字?jǐn)?shù)大約30詞左右；
2、以“Is Failure a Bad Thing”為題寫一篇文章，包含以下內(nèi)容要點(diǎn)，該部分的字?jǐn)?shù)大約120詞左右。
⑴失敗是生活中的常事
⑵人們對失敗所持的不同態(tài)度
⑶你對失敗的認(rèn)識(shí)
【寫作要求】
1、可以使用實(shí)例或其他論述方法支持你的觀點(diǎn)，也可以參照閱讀材料的內(nèi)容，但不要抄襲閱讀材料中的句子
2、作文中不能出現(xiàn)真實(shí)姓名和學(xué)校名稱。
                                                                      
                                                                      
                                                                      
                                                                      
                                                                      
                                                                  

All over Britain there are ruins of castles that reflect their entire past. Over the years, legends have focused on these castles.

Castell Coch

This castle was built in the 1870's. Lfor Bach was once the owner of this castle many decades ago, and it is told that he hid a treasure in the nearby tunnel（地道）. Rumors say that it is guarded by three eagles waiting for Lfor to return to collect his treasure.

Luffness Castle

In the basement(地下室) of this castle is a huge door leading to a room. The family kept this door open at all times, but one day the door was found locked and the key was missing. The whole family was surprised. The door was so big that it could not be broken down. One day the son of the family shone of a torch the door. He discovered that the key was on the inside of the room. To this day the door remains locked from the inside.

Toddington Castle

　　This castle was built during the 13th century. This castle has a local legend that tells about a witch who was put in prison within the castle and died. It is told that her spirit remains and if you put your ear to the floor at Easter, you can hear her cooking below.

Castell Gwynionydd

A legend rests on this castle that states the devil(魔鬼) was the one who built it. It is said the devil had a problem with some people and had planned on punishing them. On his way, the devil met a cobbler（修鞋匠）.The cobbler pointed out that it was still a reasonable distance until he would reach his destination. The cobbler displayed how many shoes he had worn out. Listening to him, the devil did not think his plan was worth so much effort and gave up his plan.

50．Which of the castles mentioned in the passage is said to be guarded by several birds?

A．Castell Coch.          B．Luffness Castle.      

C．Toddington Castle.   D．Castell Gwynionydd.

51．Which of the following castles is related to the legend about a witch?

A．Castell Coch.         

B．Luffness Castle.      

C．Toddington Castle.  

D．Castell Gwynionydd.

52．We can learn from the passage that          .

A．Castell Coch is said to be built by the devil

B．Castell Gwynionydd is a great place to celebrate Easter

C．Luffness Castle was once broken down

D．Toddington Castle dates back to the 13 th century