Our need to communicate with each other has been a driving force in the development of technology. In the 20th century we have seen the invention of the radio, television, telephone and fax, and today the Internet has opened up a whole new way of communicating. We now have instant messaging services such as ICQ or China's QQ and chat rooms where people can join group discussions. They mean increasing choices for when, where and how to communicate, and more importantly, with whom.
While most people use the Internet to keep in touch with friends and family, a growing number of people use QQ and chat rooms to meet and chat with strangers. Because the Internet allows a certain amount of anonymity, users can be more open making it easier to make new friends. One user said that everyone is equal online, and age and appearance become unimportant. This makes it easier for people to communicate with each other.
Finding new friends is not the only reason people use chat rooms. The Internet can bring together like-minded people who want to discuss their favourite topics. There are chat rooms for certain sports, types of music, styles of art, in fact, just about any interest you can imagine, and many that you can't! Whatever unusual interest you might have, if you search on the Internet, there is a good chance that you will find someone, somewhere in cyberspace, willing to talk to you about it-right now.
However, there are problems with going online. It is possible for cyber-criminals to steal information such as credit card details while you are online, and there is always the chance that a new friend is not who he or she claims to be. One girl was really disappointed when she discovered that her new cyberfriend who wrote poems for her, was actually copying all the poems from magazines. But for all the problems that might come up, instant messaging services and chat rooms are here to stay, putting in touch with friends, family and strangers of similar interests.
1.People use the Internet to .
A. chat to friends and meet family
B. meet strangers and write poems
C. chat to friends, family and strangers
2.What does anonymity (para. 2) mean?
A. The state of being unknown.
B. The state of being friendly.
C. The state of being online.
3.What types of topics will people discuss on the Internet?
A. Sports, types of music, styles of art.
B. All kinds of topics.
C. Only topics that the Internet allows.
4.What is an example of problems with going online?
A. Some people may send you poems copied from magazines.
B. Your credit card details could be stolen.
C. There might be no one to chat with.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
“China now has 350 million smokers, accounting for one-third of the world total. Chinese smokers now become addicted to nicotine at the age of 19, five years earlier than the average starting age of 24 in 1997,” a report said a couple of years ago.
Of the 1.1 billion smokers all over the world. more than 800 million are in developing countries. And as the world's largest developing country, China also has the largest number of smokers.
Some frightening facts start to appear when we examine who China’s smokers are. Of the 350 million addicts, more than 100 million are under the age of 18, while more than 50 percent of male teachers and doctors are smokers.
Such a high rate of addicts among male teachers and doctors will certainly have a bad impact on the young generation.
Teachers are usually expected to be role models for students who tend to consider whatever they do is right and follow their example. It is very likely that the number of teenage smokers will increase in the near future unless measures are taken to forbid teachers from smoking in front of their students or designate schools as no-smoking zones.
What is truly puzzling is why so many doctors smoke. They are aware of the results of the habit, such as high blood pressure and lung cancer. Their example only helps justify the addiction of so many others.
If educated people set an example by stopping smoking at least in public places. it would be much easier to drive home the notion that it is uncivilized to smoke in public places.
In China, there should also be a national law to ban smoking in public places. These would make a massive contribution to cutting the number of people in China who are smoking themselves into early grave.
1.Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?
A. Time to Kick the Habit
B. China Bans Smoking in Public Places
C. Smokers in China
D. Make People Aware of Smoking
2.In developing countries, China has the largest number of smokers, which covers .
A. one-third of its total
B. one-eighth of its total
C. 1ess than half its total
D. more than half its total
3.In the writer's opinion, who have influenced young smokers, especially those under l8?
A. Parents. B. Teachers only.
C. Advertisements. D. Teachers and doctors.
4.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. In China. those who get into the habit of smoking seem to be younger and younger.
B. More than half of the teachers and doctors are smokers in China.
C. The writer suggests schools should be designated as no-smoking zones.
D. It is of great benefit to forbid smoking in public places.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries, saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before. People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性) as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
1.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A. The man’s job was bike racing.
B. It was their only possession.
C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed.
D. They used it for work and daily life.
2.We can infer from the passage that .
A. the couple worked 60 hours a week
B. people were busy before Christmas
C. the stranger brought over the bike
D. life was hard for the young family
3.How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
A. From radio broadcasts. B. From a newspaper.
C. From TV news. D. From a stranger.
4.Which of the following is true?
A. The author's husband often parked the bike outside the back door.
B. The author used to get to work by bike.
C. Several strangers offered bikes to them, but they only accepted one of them.
D. Somebody had stolen their bike before, but soon returned it to the author.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Most people know that the United States is made up of fifty states. However, few people know a lot about all fifty of them. Sufjan Stevens is a young American musician. He wants to change this situation.
Sufjan Stevens plans to make an album about each of the fifty American states. During college he played in several musical groups and recorded an album of his own music. However, he wanted to be a writer, not a musician. So after college he moved to New York City to study writing.
In New York. Stevens had trouble writing stories. He discovered that he missed music. He also discovered that most of the stories he did write were about his home state of Michigan. So, Sufjan Stevens decided to make an album of songs about Michigan.
Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State was released in 2003. The album was a big success. Many young people and music critics liked it. Before long, Stevens announced that he wanted to make an album for every state. He called it his “fifty states project”.
Stevens chose Illinois as his next state. He read many books about Illinois. He studied police documents and old newspapers. He talked to people who live in the state. The CD Illinois was released in 2005. Critics loved the album. It won many awards. Illinois became popular at colleges throughout the United States. People said the CD sounded different from anything else they had ever heard.
Sufjan Stevens is keeping his next state a secret from reporters. People have said that he is writing about Oregon, Rhode Island, or Minnesota. However, no one but Stevens knows for sure.
1.Why does Sufian Stevens plan to make an album about each of the American states?
A. To excite the music talent in ordinary Americans.
B. To record an album of his own music.
C. To let people know more about all the American states.
D. To go on writing stories.
2.What did Sufjan Stevens do to make an album of songs about a state?
A. He played in several musical groups.
B. He studied documents and newspapers and talked to people there.
C. He moved to New York City to study writing.
D. He kept his next state a secret from reporters.
3.Which of the following can serve as the proper title for the passage?
A. Fifty States Project
B. The Fifty States in America
C. Songs About American States
D. Sufjan Stevens and Michigan
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How to keep healthy? It's easy for us to catch a cold in winter and spring because the weather changes a lot in spring and it is too cold in winter. But if we take care in our life, all of us can keep healthy without any cold.
1. This will stop germs passing from one person to another. When you finish your work or before you eat, you'd better wash your hands. 2. Use a tissue, and then throw it into dustbins at once. When others around you are coughing, I advise you to turn your head away from the people so that their viruses won't reach you. Get more fresh air. Germs like staying around in dry and warm rooms. 3. Don't stay too long in the places with too many people.
If flu is going round house or school, you should try to stay away from those who are ill. 4. .
Boil your toothbrush for about a minute. This kills germs. 5. If you have used the toothbrush for three months or so, throw it away and buy a new one.
A.Have a shower everyday.
B. Wash your hands often.
C. Don't use your hands when coughing.
D. Don't go out often when you are coughing.
E. Besides, don't use the same toothbrush too long.
F. In this way, you won't be infected by these people.
G. So you'd better stay in the places with more fresh air.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
M: What do you think of a friend?
W: Here is my idea about 1. a friend is like. Firstly, a friend is someone you can 2. your secrets with. If you 3. him a secret, never 4. he talk about it with anybody else. Besides, a friend is always a good 5. (1isten) when you need one. After hearing your sad stories, he will say some words that are nice and warm. Still, your 6. (happy) makes him happy too.
M: What else?
W: What's 7. , a good friend is 8. (will) to offer the help which you need, or can at least give you some advice. In 9. word, friends are those you like and trust, and those you will enjoy every minute that you spend 10. .
M: Have you made some good friends just like what you said?
W: Yes, I have. My friend, Mary, is such person.
M: You're lucky to have such a good friend.
W: Certainly!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul his office, a street urchin(顽童) was walking around the shiny new car, it.
“Is this your car, Mister?” he said.
Paul nodded, “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was , “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything? I wish…” He .
Of course Paul knew what he was going to . He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said shocked Paul all the way to his heels.
“I wish.” the boy went on, “that could be a brother like that.”
Paul looked at the boy in , then impulsively(有意地) he added, “Would you like to take a in my car?”
“Oh yes, I'd love that.”
After a short ride, the boy with his eyes shining, said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of ?”
Paul smiled a little. He thought the boy wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong. “Will you stop those two steps are?” the boy asked.
He got out and the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back slowly. He was his little crippled(跛足的) brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and the car.
“ she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. I'm going to give you one just like it…then you can see for all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the crippled boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable ride.
That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said, “It is more blessed to give.”
1.A. checked into B. devoted to C. came out of D. picked up
2.A. admiring B. striking C. measuring D. examining
3.A. amused B. touched C. astonished D. relaxed
4.A. choked B. hesitated C. promoted D. neglected
5.A. send for B. look for C. wish for D. care for
6.A. down B. out C. in D. up
7.A. mine B. yours C. you D. I
8.A. silence B. astonishment C. low spirits D. view
9.A. chance B. ride C. look D. rest
10.A. turned B. jumped C. cried D. smiled
11.A. my brother B. my neighborhood C. the steps D. my house
12.A. now B. again C. then D. finally
13.A. from which B. what C. at which D. where
14.A. ran up B. jumped off C. fixed up D. fell over
15.A. rescuing B. leading C. carrying D. following
16.A. pointed to B. looked into C. turned to D. ran to
17.A. As B. So C. There D. Surely
18.A. Some way B. Some time C. Today D. Some day
19.A. a while B. yourself C. the moment D. some reason
20.A. city B. country C. evening D. holiday
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
1.The train started and d in the distance.
2.We have already made (安排) for our vacation.
3.They made the school a place for (科学的) experiments.
4.The young girl (拒绝) his suggestion.
5.We reached our (目的地), tired and hungry.
6.What i me most was not what he said, but the way he said it.
7.The (观众) enjoyed every minute of the performance.
8.This job is so boring, and I wish I could do something more (创造性的).
9.Is it possible to (使结合)the two parties?
10.The police are trying to discover the (身份) of the woman.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Mary,
How are you? Today I've got a wonderful news to tell you. I have offered a scholarship at a university in Australia for my further education. One hundreds and twenty students took exams but only a few was chosen and I was one of them. However, my parents are not happy about it. They are strong against me going there. They say it is too far away that they will not see me for a whole year and they are afraid I will feel lonely. They couldn't imagine a girl so young living alone. They advise me to study in the capital instead. Then I'll be able to continue living with us. Why can I persuade them to accept the fact I have grown up?
Best Wishes.
Jane
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，准备参加学校举办的主题为“健康成长”的英语作文比赛。请按要求写一篇短文，主要内容包括：
1. 乐观的人生态度；
2. 努力学习；
3. 参加体育锻炼。
4. 重要词汇：develop, consist of, not only…but also…, keep fit, grow up
生词：态度attitude
注意：
1. 词数100左右（开头已给出，不计入总词数）
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
We all want to grow up happily and healthily, and for this goal we must do several things.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析