Buying a house for most of the people is a once in a lifetime decision, which means people decide to do so only after coming across the ideal house. Surprisingly, eight in every 10 home buyers are unhappy with their houses.
A survey conducted by the Beijing Consumers’ Association (BCA) recently shows about 80 percent of the 2,315 respondents in 23 residential complexes of Beijing are dissatisfied with the soaring house prices.
They think the reasonable price in Beijing should be between 3,000 yuan and 7,000 yuan per square meter.
The quality of the buildings, the surrounding environment and traffic and property management(物業(yè)管理)are the other factors that play a role in people’s decision to buy a house.
The BCA has suggested strict sales regulations and contracts to ease house-owners’ sufferings. It has urged the authorities to impose severe punishment on developers found violating building and other rules and joining hands with others to bid up property prices, About 41.2 percent of the respondents have complained that their house have defective designs, while nearly 40 percent say the lighting and ventilation(通風)are far from satisfactory.
The landscapes in the residential areas are a source of unhappiness for 43.2 percent of the respondents, and about one-third say they were “bluffed” into buying “third grade” house. And more than half are not satisfied with the sport and entertainment facilities in their neighborhood.
Property management in the buildings, 56.5 percent of the respondents say, is way below standard compared to the high fee charged by the complexes.
60 percent of the consumers doubt the contents of developers’ advertisements, with only 6.3 percent being satisfied.
Experts have suggested consumers gather thorough knowledge about a developer and their work before deciding to buy a house from it. They should check the day-light conditions and ventilation in different weather conditions in advance, if possible.
小題1: According to the passage________ of the buyers are NOT content with their houses.

A．80％

B．60％

C．56.5 ％

D．41.2％

小題2:Which is the best title of the passage?

A．Most Home Buyers Are Unhappy with Their House.

B．Buying a House Is an Important Decision.

C．Thinking Carefully Before Buying a House.

D．The Environment Is Important When Making a Decision.

小題3:The meaning of the underlined word probably means “_______”.

A．fooled

B．cheated

C．a(chǎn)sked

D．forced

小題4:If you want to buy a flat, according to the survey, you will consider the following EXCEPT_______.

A．property management	B．the surrounding environment
C．the quality of the buildings	D．the height of the building

Many psychologists in the early twentieth century believed that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, and even the great Albert Einstein once wrote that most people use only a small portion of the grey matter between their ears. It’s a theory that has often been put forward in television documentaries; magazines, advertisements and books over the past century.
But nearly all scientists now agree the 10 percent theory is completely unfounded. In fact, they question how this figure was ever arrived at in the first place and what areas of the brain are supposed to be unneeded. The theory supposes that if 90 percent of the brain were removed, a person would Still be able to function normally, while in reality it is known that damage to even a small area of the brain can result in extremely serious physical injury different activities and that many areas of the brain are used at the same time for some complex activities or thought processes.
Throughout the course of one day, most .areas of the brain are active at some time, even during sleep. The 10 percent theory suggests that certain areas o’ the brain are not used, but scans slow activities throughout the entire brain and not in any separate part. The final argument against the 10 percent theory is the fact that doctors carefully map the brain before removing brain cancers so that they don’t affect other essential areas.
From an evolutionary point of view, it’s highly unlikely butt our comparatively larger brains would have evolved from our ancestors if the extra areas were not needed. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence support the 10 percent theory.
小題1:How did the 10 percent theory get such widespread popularity?

A．It was promoted in various types of copular media.

B．Albert Einstein argued strongly in support.

C．It was proven in scientific research.

D．Few people could prove it wrong.

小題2:The underlined word "unfounded" is chest in meaning to _________.

A．undiscovered

B．unproven

C．unknown

D．unnecessary

小題3:Which of the following is true according to the writer?

A．We use less than 10% of our brains.

B．Most brain disorders affect the same part of the brain.

C．The brain is less active during times of sleep.

D．The 10 percent theory does not make evolutionary sense.

小題4:What can we infer from the passage?

A．People today use more of their brain than in the past.

B．Scientific opinion about the topic of brain use is equally divided.

C．Our understanding of the brain has changed greatly in the past decades.

D．Modern scientists have a complete picture of how the brain works.

小題5:What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To present two sides of brain theory.

B．To criticize the 10 percent theory.

C．To explain how brain works.

D．To describe the history of brain research.

Every day Yang Hongwei takes the bus home from work, staring silently at the European-style villas(別墅), luxury cars and twinkling lights from the shopping center that he sees through the window.
Yang works for a software company in Zhongguancun. He dreams of such a life, away from poverty, and that hope has kept him in Beijing for three years since he graduated from university.
Soon Yang squeezes his way off the bus to the reality of his life: his home—a 10-square-metre room that costs 550 yuan(81 US dollars) or about one-fifth of his salary in rent every month. It’s very cold inside the house as it has no central heating system. He has to stand the long and cold winter. Determined to achieve his dream, Yang says he has changed jobs “numerous” times in the past three years and is considering quitting his present job.
Yang’s frustration over his life as a migrant(移民) is shared by many other graduates that have moved into big cities. Together they have come to be called the “ant tribe”, a term created by Chinese sociologists to describe the struggles of young migrants, who, armed with their diplomas, flood to big cities in hopes of a better life only to put up with low-paying jobs and poor living conditions. They share every similarity with ants. They live in colonies in crowded areas. They’re intelligent and hardworking, yet unknown and underpaid. The term, sociologists have said, also reflects their helplessness in a world governed by the law of the concrete jungle—only the strongest survive.
A survey in Ant TribeⅡ found nearly 30 percent of the “ants” are graduates of famous key universities—almost three times the percentage of 2009. Most have degrees in popular majors, such as medicine, engineering, economics and management. In addition, 7.2 percent of the “ants” have at least a master’s degree compared to 1.6 percent in 2009. Most said the economic recovery did not really improve their financial situations, and 66 percent said their incomes fell short of their expectations, the survey also found.
For two years, Lian Si, a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Chinese and Global Affairs of Peking University, who has studied the phenomenon, led a team of more than 100 graduate students to follow the groups in university towns like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Xi’an. Lian evaluates the total population of the “ant community” in major cities at one million across China, with about 100,000 found in Beijing alone. Lian predicts that an increasingly challenging job market will see the ant tribe growing further in number. Another 6.3 million graduates are expected to join migrant workers and other job hunters in what promises to be a fierce labour competition.
The ant tribe’s embarrassing living situations have become a serious social issue, and the government should develop “second-and-third-tier cities” to attract more graduates from big cities. However, “ants” expect more study and training opportunities in big cities, which keeps them in positive mindsets despite their situations. As in the case of Yang, he is optimistic about getting a new job soon, having received eight interview offers in a week after sending out his resume. The prospect of landing a higher-paying job keeps him hopeful of moving out of the slum district(貧民區(qū)) soon. The sooner the better.
小題1:. Yang has worked in Beijing since graduation from university ______.

A．to live in a beautiful villa of European style

B．to have more opportunities to be promoted

C．to struggle for a better-off life in a big city

D．to enjoy a busy life in a software company

小題2:. Which of the following best describes “ant tribe”?

A．It refers to the group of low-income graduates living in embarrassing conditions.

B．It refers to the people who work hard like ants but are paid little.

C．It refers to the sociologists and scholars researching into some social phenomena.

D．It refers to some well-educated people who can’t survive in society.

小題3:. What does the writer think of the phenomenon of “ant tribe”?

A．“Ant tribe” has become too serious a social problem to solve.

B．It is the government’s duty to solve the problem of “ant tribe”.

C．Both the government and the graduates have the responsibility.

D．The existence of “ant tribe” has little influence on job markets.

小題4:. The passage is mainly about ______.

A．a(chǎn) new urban life style—“ant tribe”	B．a(chǎn) recent survey about the “ant tribe”
C．the “ant tribe’s” living conditions	D．the “ant tribe’s” dream and reality

“Eat local.” It’s one way to reduce human effect on the planet. Eating local means to try to buy and consume foods that are grown in places close to home. However, most of the food sold at supermarkets is not locally grown or produced. Trucks and planes deliver these foods from hundreds or thousands of miles away. During the transportation, greenhouse(溫室)gases are produced, causing global warming. So the shorter the distance your foods must travel, the less the harm is done to the environment.
But how do you get local food if you live in a large city, hundreds of miles away from farms？Environmental health scientist Dickson Despommier and his students came up with the idea of a “vertical(垂直的)farm”.

A vertical farm is a glass-walled structure that could be built as tall as a skyscraper(摩天大樓). Since the garden is built upwards, rather than outwards, it requires much less space than an ordinary farm. The world is quickly running out of room for ordinary farming. Vertical farms could be a key to this situation. Despommier imagines a 30-story building with a greenhouse on every floor. The walls of the building would be clear, to allow crops to get as much sunlight as possible. Depending on a city’s water resources, Despommier thinks hydroponic(水培的) farming is another method for the vertical farm which needs no soil to grow plants.
Despommier says the hydroponic greenhouses would use a system that would use a city’s waste water and fill it with nutritions to make the crops grow. If this method works, it would provide food to a city and save millions of tons of water.
The idea of a vertical farm has attracted the attention of government officials around the world. Scott Stringer, a government official from New York City, thinks the city is suitable for the vertical farming. “Obviously we don’t have much land left for us,” Stringer said. “But the sky is the limit in Manhattan. ”
Despommier admits that there is still a lot of work to do to make vertical farms a reality. “But I think vertical farming is an idea that can work in a big way,” he says.
小題1:Why are people advised to eat local?

A．Because it means convenience(方便) to people.

B．Because it can help people save a lot of money.

C．Because local food has more nutrition.

D．Because it is environmentally friendly.

小題2:Which is one of the vertical farm’s benefits when compared with ordinary farming?

A．It produces healthier food.

B．It does less harm to the cities.

C．It needs less space of the city.

D．It requires less transport costs.

小題3:By saying “the sky is the limit in Manhattan”, Stringer means _____.

A．people can make full use of vertical space of Manhattan

B．there is a limit for using empty land in Manhattan

C．the height of buildings in Manhattan is limited

D．Manhattan can spread as far as possible

小題4:What can we learn about the vertical farming in the passage?

A．No soil is needed to grow plants in a vertical farm.

B．It has solved the problem of the food shortage in a big way.

C．It is a 30-story building with a greenhouse on every floor.

D．Crops are mainly grown in the rainwater in a vertical farm.

British English and American English are almost the same. But there are slight differences between British and American English in vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling and grammar.
The first difference between British and American English is in vocabulary. Almost all of the words used in British English and American English are exactly the same. Only a very small number of words are used disparately. For example, Americans would say “apartment”, but the British would say “flat” to talk about the place where they live. In addition to some common words, many idiomatic（慣用的）expressions are different. In England people might say “I’ll ring you up tonight”, but in the US, people might say “I’ll call you up tonight”.
The second difference between British and American English is in Pronunciation. The main difference in pronunciation concerns the vowels（元音）. Some American dialects and some British dialects use vowels in different ways. Sometimes, Americans and the British don’t understand each other’s pronunciation. But most of the time, the British and Americans do understand each other’s pronunciation because most of the sounds of the two dialects are the same.
The third difference is very small. This is the difference in spelling. A few types of words are spelled differently in British and American English. The most common example is in a word like “center”. In British English, this word would be spelled C-E-N-T-R-E, while in American English the same word would be spelled C-E-N-T-E-R. Another example is “or” vs “our”. The word “color”is spelled C-O-L-O-U-R in Britain but C-O-L-O-R in the US.
There are a few differences in grammar, too. The British may say “Have you got..?” while Americans prefer “Do you have..?” An American might say “my friend just arrived”, but a British would say “my friend has just arrived”. Sometimes function words are used differently: the British may say “at the weekend”, but Americans would say “on the weekend”.
小題1:What is this passage mainly about?

A．The development of American English

B．Differences between British and American English

C．The influences of British English on American English

D．The causes of the differences between British and American English

小題2:What does the underlined word “disparately” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Frequently

B．Regularly

C．Eventually

D．Differently

小題3:According to Paragraph 3, Americans and the British may find it hard to understand each other because of       .

A．the different ways of using vowels

B．the different idiomatic expressions they use

C．the differences in grammar

D．the differences in spelling

小題4:Which of the following words probably belong to the American English vocabulary?
a. flavour    b. theater   c. humor   d. centre   e. kilometer   f. honour     g. color

A．a(chǎn)bce

B．bcde

C．bceg

D．defg

小題5:Which of the following sentences is most probably used by Americans?

A．I’ll learn with you at the weekend

B．Have you got a dictionary?

C．I’ll ring her up tonight.

D．Do you have a pen?

It’s easy to see how to help others, but what about those whose needs aren’t so obvious? This story may have happened a while back, but it was a lesson which has stayed with me and helped me ever since.
It was Thanksgiving and I was volunteering with my parents at a shelter for the poor. We stood behind the counter dishing out hot food to whoever came in. most of our dinners looked like they had been having hard times, their clothes old, worn and dry. In short, they looked poor!
Then, a man came in, who looked anything but poor. He was well dressed, wearing an expensive suit. I wondered what he was doing there and my jaw dropped in amazement when he joined the line for food. The closer he came to my service station, the more I muttered. What was this man doing? I wanted to know. Surely he wasn’t gong to take food.
Then my mother quietly took me to one side. She said, “You have assumed that the needs of the people who come here must be purely physical: hunger, inadequate shelter and needs are emotional? What if he needs comfort, friends, or just to be among other human beings?” her words hit me like a ton of bricks! I felt like I should apologize to the man, but I didn’t.
About a week later the shelter received a large donation from an anonymous source. I can’t help but wonder if it came from that man.
Now, whether I meet others, I remember my mother’s words and try to send kindness and blessings to them, regardless of how they look.
Needs aren’t always visible. But kindness always makes a difference.
小題1:The task of the author at the shelter was to_______.

A．decide whether dinners looked poor	B．learn life experience there
C．serve hot food to the poor	D．help parents order dishes

小題2:When the man waited in line, how did the author feel?

A．Surprised

B．Pitiful

C．Excited

D．Angry

小題3:The author felt he should apologize to the man, because he_______.

A．was asked to do so by his mother

B．gave the man food much less than others

C．realized something was wrong with the man

D．knew later that the man went there to donate

小題4:What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．We should show others kindness whatever their needs are

B．Some needs can’t be known clearly at times

C．Needs can always be met by kindness

D．We should find out others’ needs

Mouse potatoes joined couch potatoes (who spend much time watching TV on the couch), google officially became a verb and drama queens (extremely emotional persons) finally found the attention when they crossed over from popular culture to mainstream English language.
The mouse potato, the himbo (attractive, empty-headed man) and drama queen were among 100 new words added to the 2006 update of America’s best-selling dictionary, the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary《韋氏大詞典》. The Internet search engine Google also found its way into the dictionary for the first time as a verb, meaning to find information quickly on the worldwide web.
New words and phrases from the fields of science, technology, pop culture and industry are chosen each year by Merriam-Webster’s team of editors after months of looking through books, magazines and even food labels. “They are not tracking spoken language. They are looking for evidence that words have been used in the written English language,” said Arthur Bicknell, senior editor of Merriam-Webster.
Other words first coming into the dictionary this year were soul patch (a small growth of beard under a man’s lower lip), unibrow (two eyebrows joining together) and supersize － the fast food industry phrase for extra large meals.
The technology world contributed ringtones (changeable incoming cellphone call signals) and spyware (software installed in a computer to track a user’s activities) while biodiesel (生物柴油) and avian influenza(禽流感) came from the world of science.
America’s first dictionary － Noah Webster’s A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language － was published 200 years ago and also introduced some fresh words that have now become familiar. Those “new” words in 1806 included slang, surf, psychology, naturally and Americanize.
小題1:The mouse potato refers to ____________.

A．a(chǎn) mouse that lives by potatoes

B．a(chǎn) person who spends much time on the computer

C．a(chǎn) mouse that is shown on the screen of the computer

D．a(chǎn) person who likes to eat mice and potatoes

小題2:Which group of words and phrases is NOT the fresh words for the dictionary of this   year?  

A．mouse potatoes, google, supersize， drama queen.

B．himbo, soul patch, unibrow, supersize.

C．ringtones, spyware, biodiesel, avian influenza.

D．couch potatoes, surf, psychology, Americanize.

小題3:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?

A．New words and phrases were introduced into the dictionary have close relationship with the time.

B．New words and phrases chosen by the editors of the dictionary have been used in written English somewhere.

C．Some words that are now familiar to us used to be fresh words collected in the dictionary.

D．The Merriam-webster Collegiate Dictionary becomes the best-seller because 100 new words are added to it.

Schoolgirls have been wearing such short skirts at Paget High School in Branston that they've been ordered to wear trousers instead. All skirts will be banned from September. Tight-fitting trousers will also be forbidden and Muslim head-dresses will have to be “school blue’’ color.
Head teacher Don Smith said, "One of the big problems for us at the school has been the number of girls who have been wearing inappropriately short skirts. This has been an area of particular concern at a time when there has been a lot of material nationally about the sexualisation of young people.”
He also said, “ It will be impractical to police the length of girls' skirts. A blanket ban will be easier for staff to put into practice. We did not want to arrive at a situation where we were telling girls their skirts could only be a certain number of centimeters above or below the knee. Pupils', parents' and other teachers' opinions were sought before the uniform rules were changed.，，
The new clothing policy has been explained in a letter sent to parents of the school's 1,000 pupils and will come into force after the summer holiday. Support will be given to parents unable to afford the new tie. The school also wants pupils to wear clip-on(夾式)ties instead of traditional neckties.
But the new uniform rules have not been well received by everyone. One parent, whose teenage daughter attends the school, said, “I completely agree some girls were wearing skirts that were too short. However, I think girls should be allowed to be feminine(女性化的).Other schools manage to let girls wear skirts while making sure they are not inappropriately dressed. I don't see why Paget can't do the same."
小題1:The girls at Paget High School are not allowed to wear skirts in that  _______.

A．short skirts give people the impression of sexualisation

B．short skirts are too expensive for parents to afford

C．the headmaster doesn't like girls wearing short skirts

D．the girls wearing short skirts will be at the risk of being laughed at

小題2:We can learn from the passage that _______

A．the new uniform rules are well received by everyone

B．no schools in Branston allow girls to wear short skirts

C．parents unable to afford the new uniform will gain support

D．the pupils' parents were informed of the new clothing policy

小題3:What's the attitude of Mr. Smith towards the new uniform rules?

A．Disagreeable.

B．Supportive.

C．Anxious.

D．Curious.

小題4:What's the best title for the passage?

A．New School Rules Set	B．Girls' Skirts Forbidden
C．Traditional Neckties Gone	D．Different Opinions Voiced

The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs.
At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding(編辮子) my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two.
I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives.
Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with(與…合拍). Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it’s as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality (熱情) and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture.
I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fuji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there.
小題1:From the passage, we can learn that ______________________.

1. the author’s parents had been classmates before
2. the author had lived in Fiji for about five years
3. the author had no memories of her grandma
4. people value family in Fijian culture

小題2:The author resisted her third trip to Fiji because______________________.

1. she didn’t want to separate from her brother
2. she didn’t know her cousins there very well
3. she didn’t want to separate from her American friends
4. her grandma had passed away

小題3:Which of the following is TRUE about Vishal?

1. He is younger than the author.
2. The author had met him on her first trip to Fiji.
3. He and the author had lots of common interests.
4. He and the author held different opinions about Fijian culture.

小題4:What’s the best title for the passage?

A． My Trips to Fiji

B．Discovering My Fijian Origins

C．My Understanding of Fijian Culture

D．My Memories of Fiji

Long long ago, human beings used to walk barefoot. A king happened to travel 16 into the countryside. He was greatly troubled by the 17  roads where gravel(礫石) and broken stones pricked(使刺痛) and numbed(使麻木) his  18 . When he returned to his palace he issued an order that all the roads be  19 with cattle hide(牛皮). He thought it was beneficial not only to 20 but also to his people and hoped 21 would no longer be a painful thing
But 22 all the cattle in the kingdom were killed there   23  not be enough hide to get the work done. Evidently it was a stupid  24 . As it was an imperial order people could do nothing but shake their heads and 25 . At this juncture a clever servant in the palace  26  to make a suggestion. "Your Majesty, why don't take an easier way? You don't have to mobilize（調(diào)動）so many people, to have so many oxen killed, nor so much money  27 . What you have to do is simply to cover each of your feet with a piece of hide." Surprised and 28 , the king immediately changed his mind and adopted the 29 .
This is said to be the origin of using  30 to make shoes. Though it sounds  31 and strange, it inspires us to think. It is much easier to change oneself than to change the world.  32 it will be much better for one to change oneself before one   33  an attempt to change the outer world. Why don't try to put yourself on the   34 of the person you deal with? You will find it easier to solve a problem  35 you change your way of thinking.

小題1:	A．much B．near C．far D．a(chǎn) lot

小題2:	A．smooth B．rough C．long D．busy

小題3:	A．body B．a(chǎn)rms C．feet D．legs

小題4:	A．crowded B．filled C．covered D．put

小題5:	A．others B．himself C．them D．themselves

小題6:	A．walking B．swimming C．singing D．shopping

小題7:	A．a(chǎn)s well B．even if C．a(chǎn)s long as D．when

小題8:	A．would B．should C．must D．may

小題9:	A．comment B．chance C．a(chǎn)ttempt D．opinion

小題10:

A．sigh B．sign C．cheer D．weep

小題11:

A．wanted B．ventured C．planned D．hoped

小題12:

A．wasted B．borrowed C．saved D．loaned

小題13:

A．moved B．excited C．pleased D．bored

小題14:

A．decision B．plan C．suggestion D．measure

小題15:

A．leather B．silk C．plastic D．cloth

小題16:

A．odd B．funny C．a(chǎn)musing D．surprising

小題17:

A．Or B．But C．So D．However

小題18:

A．makes B．tries C．takes D．gives

小題19:

A．direction B．situation C．occasion D．position

小題20:

A．before B．if C．while D．until