I would like to suggest that for sixty to ninety minutes each evening all television broadcasting in the United States be forbidden by law.

Let us take a __1__ , reasonable look at what the results might be if such a(n) __2__ were accepted. Families might use the time for a real family hour. Without the distraction of TV, they might __3__ together after dinner and actually talk to one another. It is well known that many of our __4__ -everything in fact, from the generation gap to the high divorce rate to some forms of __5__illness-are caused at least in part by __6__ to communicate. By using the quiet family hour to __7__our problems, we might get to know each other better, and to like each other better.

On evenings when such talk is __8__ , families could discover more active pastimes(消遣;娛樂). Freed from TV, forced to find their own activities, they might take a __9__together to watch the sunset __10__ they might take a walk together. __11__free time and no TV, children and adults might discover reading. There is more entertainment in __12__ than in a TV program. __13__ report that the generation growing up with television can hardly write an English sentence, __14__ at the college level. __15__ is often learned from reading. A more literate new generation could be a product of the quiet hour.

A different __16__ of reading might also be done as it was in the past: reading aloud. The quiet hour could become the story hour. When the __17__ ends, the TV net works might be forced to __18__with better shows in order to get us back from our newly-discovered activities.

At first glance, this idea seems radical(激進(jìn)的). How will we spend the time then? The fact is: it has been only twenty-five years __19__ television came to control American free time. Those of us thirty-five and older can __20__ childhoods without television. It wasn't that difficult.

1. A. valuable B. pleasant C. quick D. serious

2. A. thing B. suggestion C. opinion D. offer

3. A. get around B. stand still C. meet D. sit around

4. A. problems B. trouble C. affairs D. misfortune

5. A. physical B. common C. mental D. familiar

6. A. attempt B. failure C. ability D. permission

7. A. discuss B. tell C. make sure D. see to

8. A. possible B. unnecessary C. funny D. unpleasant

9. A. walk B. look C. ride D. rest

10. A. and B. or C. but D. while

11. A. At B. In C. For D. With

12. A. a fine poem B. a good book C. a quiet hour D. a composition

13. A. Doctors B. Scientists C. Parents D. Educators

14. A. yet B. still C. even D. just

15. A. Writing B. Skill C. Speaking D. Listening

16. A. form B. kind C. method D. step

17. A. reading B. quiet hour C. activity D. programme

18. A. come across B. come about C. come up D. broadcast

19. A. before B. since C. until D. after

20. A. remind B. remember C. recognize D. know

In many countries today, laws protect wildlife. In India, the need for such protection was realized centuries ago.

About 300 BC, an Indian writer described forests that were somewhat like national parks today. The killing of beasts was carefully supervised(監(jiān)視). Some animals were fully protected. Within the forest, nobody was allowed to cut timber(wood for building), burn wood for charcoal (木炭), or catch animals for their furs. Animals that became dangerous to human visitors were caught or killed outside the park so that other animals would not become uneasy.

The need for wildlife protection is greater now than ever before. About a thousand species of animals are in danger of extinction, and the rate at which they are being destroyed has increased. With mammals(哺乳動物), for instance, the rate of extinction was about one species(種類) every fifty years from AD 1 to 1800, but now it is about one species every year. Everywhere, people are trying to solve the problem of protecting wildlife, caring for the rapid growth of the world's population.

4. The example of man's connection with wildlife protection can date back to________.

A. the third century

B. more than 2000 years ago

C. AD 1 to 1800

D. over 300 years ago

5. The underlined word"extinction" probably means ________.

A. being hungry B. being killed

C. growing slowly D. dying out

Tea drinking was common in China for nearly one thousand years before anyone in Europe had ever heard about tea. People in Britain were much slower in finding out what tea was like, mainly because tea was very expensive. It couldn't be bought in shops and even those people who could afford to have it sent from Holland did so only because it was a fashionable curiosity. Some of them were not sure how to use it. They thought it was a vegetable and tried cooking the leaves. Then they served them mixed with butter and salt. They soon discovered their mistake but many people used to spread the used tea leaves, on bread and give them to their children as sandwiches.

Tea remained scarce and very expensive in England until the ships of the East India Company began to bring it direct from China early in the seventeenth century. During the next few years, so much tea came into the country that the price fell and many people could afford to buy it.

At the same time, people on the Continent were becoming more and more fond of tea. Until then tea had been drunk without milk in it, but one day a famous French lady, named Madame de Sevigne, decided to see what tea tasted like when milk was added. She found it so pleasant that she would never again drink it without milk. Because she was such a great lady, her friends also drank their tea with milk in it. Slowly this habit spread until it reached England and today only very few Britons drink tea without milk.

At first, tea was usually drunk after dinner in the evening. No one ever thought of drinking tea in the afternoon until a duchess(公爵夫人)found that a cup of tea and a piece of cake at three or four o'clock stopped her getting "a sinking feeling"as she called it. She invited her friends to have this new meal with her, so tea-time was born.

1. People in Europe began to drink tea with milk because ________.

A. it tasted like milk

B. it tasted more pleasant

C. it became a popular drink

D. some famous person did so

2. According to the passage which of the following is TRUE?

A. The Britons got expensive tea from India.

B. Tea reached Britain first from Holland.

C. The Britons were the first in Europe who drank tea.

D. It was not until the 17th century that the Briton had tea.

3. It seems that this passage mainly discusses ________.

A. what British people thought of drinking tea

B. how tea became a popular drink in India

C. how the Europeans got the habit of drinking tea

D. how tea-time came into being

Travelers to new cities are often told to start their trip with a bus tour. The thinking is that they can then return to the places that 　 1　 them. Nonsense! 　 2　 you see from the inside of a moving bus is unreal and completely removed 　 3　 the real sights, sounds, and smells　　4　 .

Be adventurous! The best 　 5　 to experience any place is on foot and with absolutely no travel plan. Simply go wherever your feet and your interests 　 6　 you. You will finally get to the　　7　 sites that are on the bus tour-the museums, the monuments, city hall-but you will have seen much more. You will have 　 8　 the present life of the city.

"But 　 9　 I get lost?" people might ask. No one ever gets hopelessly 　 10　 in a major city.　　11　 , you can find your way back to a well-known location. If it　　12　 you to be "lost", just find a taxi and go back to where you started. However, the 　 13　 things may happen if you get lost. You 　 14　 at a sidewalk cafe to sit and relax. You ask instructions of the local people at the next table. And 　 15　 they don't speak your language, your trip becomes more memorable because of the 　 16　 . Here are a few more ways to get the most out of your travel.

Know before you go. 　 17　 a few hours before your trip learning about the history and culture of your destination(目的地). This will help you understand what you're seeing.

Move around like a local. Use the subways and buses of the city you're 　 18　 . You'll not only save money, but you'll also learn how people really live.

Check the bulletin boards. Sometimes you can find advertisements for free concerts and 　 19　 fun activities on bulletin boards around universities.

So next time you see a poster advertising an introductory bus tour, save your money. Instead, wander　　20　 . I am sure that you will have a time which will be remembered with great pleasure.

1. A. encourage B. disappoint C. interest D. trouble

2. A. Which B. Where C. When D. What

3. A. to B. from C. at D. by

4. A. outside B. inside C. front D. back

5. A. way B. lane C. road D. path

6. A. lead B. move C. work D. find

7. A. different B. wrong C. right D. same

8. A. left B. felt C. lived D. led

9. A. what if B. when that C. How that D. Where if

10. A. lost B. found C. beaten D. scolded

11. A. At first B. First of all C. At least D. At other times

12. A. frightens B. supposes C. helps D. happens

13. A. worst B. hardest C. nicest D. saddest

14. A. reach B. get C. start D. stop

15. A. because B. how C. whether D. even if

16. A. experience B. conversation C. talk D. trip

17. A. Do B. Spend C. Pay D. Make

18. A. being B. visiting C. going D. walking

19. A. the other B. another C. either D. other

20. A. in the hotel B. by train C. on your own D. in the bus

Eating in space is different from eating on Earth. The food that astronauts carry with them does not look like the food you eat.

Some food is carried in closed bags. It is cooked and frozen before the astronauts get it. All the water is removed from the food. In the spaceship, the astronaut puts the water back. He "shoots" hot or cold water into the food bag with a special （特別的） gun. He eats the food through a small hole in the bag.

Other foods come in bite （一口） sizes. The astronaut puts a whole piece in his mouth at once. There can be no crumbs（碎屑）. Crumbs would float around the spaceship and get in the way. Meat and cake often come in bite-size pieces.

Astronauts cannot drink water from open cups. The water would float in drops into the air. The water is put in the special gun. The astronaut shoots the water into his mouth.

Eating in space is not easy. Astron-auts must learn to eat this way.

10. Some space foods are carried in _______ .

A. water guns B. lunch boxes C. closed bags D. crumbs

11. Why can't astronauts drink water from open cups?

A. Because the water would float out from the open cups.

B. Because the water would spill all over the food.

C. Because crumbs would float in the cups.

D. Because the cups would float in the air.

12. The main idea of the whole story is that _______ .

A. there is more food and water in space than on earth

B. eating and drinking in space is a special problem

C. astronauts can never eat or drink in a spaceship

D. there is no expensive food or water in a spaceship

There have been many great inventions, things that have changed the way we live. The first great invention was one that is still very important today-the wheel(輪子). This made it easier to carry heavy things and to travel long distances.

For hundreds of years after that there were few inventions that had as much effect as the wheel. Then in the early 1800s the world started to change. There was little unknown land in the world, people did not have to explore(探險) any more.

In the second half of the 19th century many great inventions were made. Among them were the camera, the electric light and the radio. These all became a big part of our life today.

The first part of the 20th century saw more great inventions: the helicopter in 1909; movies with sound in 1926; the computer in 1928; and jet planes in 1930. This was also a time when a new material was first made. Nylon came out in 1935. It changed the kind of clothes people had been wearing.

The middle part of the 20th century brought new ways to help people get over diseases. They worked very well. They made people healthier and let them live longer lives. By the 1960s most people could expect to live at least 60.

By this time most people had a very good life. Of course new inventions con-tinue to be made. But man now had a desire(向往)to explore again. The world was known to man but the stars were not. Man began looking for ways to go into space. Russia made the first step. Then the United States took a step. Since then other countries, including China and Japan, have made their own steps into space.

In 1969 man took his biggest step away from the earth. Americans first walked on the moon. This is certainly just a beginning though. New inventions will someday allow us to do things we have never dreamed of.

5. How many inventions had had as much effect as the wheel by the 19th century?

A. Quite a few. B. Few. C. A few. D. None.

6. What the writer wants to tell us is mainly about _______ .

A. how inventions have a great effect on people's lives

B. which country made the first step into space

C. why cars played an important part in everyday life

D. when the electric light was invented

7. Which of the following inventions that are referred to in the passage is the nearest to us in the first part of the 20th century?

A. Jet planes. B. Radio. C. Camera. D. Nylon.

8. It is because of _______ to help people keep healthier than ever that people can live longer lives.

A. good doctors

B. more and more hospitals

C. new ways

D. new medicines

9. Man did not wish to explore a lot _______ .

A. from the 1800's to 1960's

B. since the 1900's

C. in the 1960's

D. at the beginning of 1800's

The biggest change in the world today is technology. The reason why the world is getting smaller is that people can now talk to each other more quickly than before with more information.

The computer now has the information of a library of books on all subjects. With the knowledge available（可用的） to every person of the world, the world seems to be smaller. By sitting at a computer, different software programs give students the chance to learn about all subjects simply by asking the computer to find the information.

Now students can produce written papers at a high level of skill because the computer brings information immediately to the student. The computer becomes the library. Students and parents are now learning what an important tool the computer has become for improving education.

The telephone can now be used in cars or carried in a purse or pocket so that people can talk to each other at any time. Often, a beeper（尋呼機(jī)） will be carried at all times by an adult. When it begins to beep, the adult can see which number is calling. It might be a family member or a business. By going to the car, he can call back immediately. The car becomes the office for business simply because of the car phone.

Letters within a country might have taken a few days to be delivered. Between countries, it might take a few weeks. Technology has developed a fax machine where a letter can travel anywhere in the world immediately. This has changed the way people do business. Also, family members can use the fax for personal messages.

Many computers can receive an e-mail. This is like the fax letter. Often, businesses have a fax machine but homes do not. If a computer is in a home, it can receive e-mail messages from anyone in the world. It is like the telephone but it costs much less to receive messages.

The next generation will have computers in most homes and be able to send faxes and e-mails throughout the world.

Today, information is limited because not everyone has a computer. However, in the future, the computer will be as common as the telephone or television. Technology is changing the way people communicate with each other.

1. The idea that the world is getting smaller is that _______ .

A. the world is really smaller than before for some reason

B. trains and buses travel faster than before

C. people can communicate with each other more quickly than before

D. there are more and more rockets and satellites in space

2. What the writer talks most about in the article is _______ .

A. the computer

B. the e-mail

C. the fax

D. the telephone

3. Fewer and fewer people use the beeper because _______ .

A. it is difficult to use

B. it shows only the number of someone's telephone

C. the beeper owner can answer the telephone only by going to a car

D. at times public telephones are easily found

4. According to the writer, using the fax is _______ than telephoning .

A. more useful

B. less expensive

C. less important

D. more necessary

As a young boy, Eric was quiet. He always did what his parents and teachers asked him to do. He was a　　1　 student and always studied very hard. He had a special　 2　 in computer, tennis and music. He was named 　 3　 a famous Norwegian soldier because his great grandparents were from Norway.

When he was in college, the computer became very 　 4　 in English classes when he had to write long assignments (指定的作業(yè)). He decided to take　　5　 courses where he learned how 　 6　 the computer was in managing money. Upon graduation, he took a job　　7　 a company which lent money to people for cars, motorcycles and televisions. The company was just like a　　8　 .

About eight years later, he decided to go back to school for 　 9　 training in business. He was a very responsible and diligent graduate(畢業(yè)) school student. He　　10　 his personal computer to write the assignments. Two years later he　　11　 his Masters of Business Administration(MBA) (商業(yè)管理碩士學(xué)位). He was honored for graduating with the　 12　 grades in the class.

Eric took a new job with a high-tech company. They call him a Financial Analyst(金融分析員). This　　13　 he must use his computer to analyze　　14　 the company's money is being spent. He helps the company　　15　 money by using his computer.

When he travels, Eric uses a car phone. He is able to call his wife　　16　 he is driving in traffic on the highway to　　17　 he will be late for dinner. He can also call his business and be working for them as he travels in his car.

Eric and his wife, Debbie, have three children named Stephanie, Andrew and Nicole. He thought his car was too　 18　 for his family so he bought a van(面包車). Now he can take his family and their dog for 　 19　 to the countryside. His 　 20　 of study and work have given him a good job and a good life.

1. A. useful B. lovely C. serious D. quiet

2. A. idea B. opinion C. purpose D. interest

3. A. by B. after C. about D. as

4. A. useful B. surprising C. popular D. bright

5. A. technology B. physics C. chemistry D. business

6. A. important B. valuable C. expensive D. great

7. A. for B. with C. around D. within

8. A. factory B. shop C. bank D. college

9. A. good B. future C. more D. certain

10. A. helped B. asked C. told D. used

11. A. received B. accepted C. found D. took

12. A. most necessary B. biggest C. best D. most important

13. A. says B. means C. adds D. thinks

14. A. when B. where C. why D. how

15. A. get B. make C. notice D. pay

16. A. but B. or C. as D. because

17. A. explain B. decide C. suggest D. advise

18. A. old B. small C. cheap D. ugly

19. A. food B. vegetables

C. places of interest D. trips

20. A. days B. months C. years D. hours

President Lincoln made a speech in Gettysburg （葛底斯堡）．

The speech ended． Lincoln spoke for less than three minutes， and the photographer who was standing in front of him didn't even have time to take a picture． The speech was over almost before it began．

On the platform（講臺） Edward Everett， the great speechmaker， whispered to Seward， the Secretary of State， "It is not what I expected from him． I'm disappointed．" Seward， too， thought that the President had given a poor speech．

Lincoln himself felt badly about his speech． He thought that it didn't have the effect that he hoped it would have， and that in fact it made the listeners disappointed． Later he said， "I ought to have prepared it with more care．"

The newspapers too were not impressed by the President's Gettysburg speech． The nearby Harrisburg paper considered it "silly"， while the reporter of the London Times thought the speech uninteresting． The first favorable comment （好評） came from the Chicago Tribune （論壇報）， and was followed by the Springfield Republican， a Massachusetts newspaper． "It will be studied as a model speech．．．"

6． Lincoln spoke for a short time because ________ ．

A． he was given less than three minutes

B． he didn't think it good to speak in public for a long time

C． he didn't want to speak too much

D． he had really prepared a very short speech

7． Both Everett and Seward considered Lincoln's speech poor because ________ ．

A． they were both disappointed at it

B． it was quite short

C． it was made by Lincoln

D． photographer didn't take a picture for Lincoln

8． Which of the following is NOT true？

A． A photographer wanted to take a picture．

B． Lincoln was not pleased with his own speech．

C． Newspapers paid much attention to Lincoln's speech．

D． No one considered Lincoln's speech a good one．

9． From the news we can see that ________ at first．

A． few people made a careful study of the speech

B． only two famous men didn't praise the speech

C． most people studied Lincoln's speech very carefully

D． many people were against Lincoln as President

10． The main idea of the passage is that ________ ．

A． Lincoln wasn't a good speaker

B． Lincoln was good at making short speeches

C． Lincoln's Gettysburg speech was criticized（批評） by most people then

D． sometimes an important speech is very short

When you're sick, getting a phone call from a friend can brighten up your day. But if you're using a cellphone, the caring words that make you feel better could in fact be making you worse.

Normal phones are harmless because they send sound as electrical pulses (電脈沖) through wires.

Cellphones work differently. Every word you speak into a cellphone becomes a digital message that is sent through the air as a pulse of microwave radiation (微波輻射). Many experts believe that these radiations damage the brain and cause serious health problems, including cancer. Scientists have been testing these ideas on animals and research recently carried out in Sweden found that radiation from some cellphones kills brain cells in rats（鼠）.

The scientists put young rats under low levels of cellphone radiation for two hours. Fifty days later, up to two percent of cells in the rats' brains were dead or dying.

Another report by British scientists says that children receive 50 percent more radiation than adults when using a cell- phone. "The younger a child is, the more vulnerable (易受攻擊的) he is to radiation," the researchers said.

No one can be certain that if using a cellphone is harmful to people. Scientists have yet to produce results supporting the Swedish research. And earlier studies show no major health risk to people or animals.

But some experts still advise you to keep your calls short and to use a hands-free headset (耳機(jī)) to keep your brain away from your cellphone.

1. According to the writer, a cellphone has ________ when it is used.

A. made you feel better

B. sent sound as electrical pulses

C. sent sound as a pulse of microwave radiation

D. no harm to health

2. That a cellphone is harmful to your health is ________ .

A. certain B. impossible C. an imagination D. possible

3. A cellphone may do harm to your ________ .

A. brain B. hand C. leg D. stomach

4. Some scientists believe that the harm degree of a cellphone is changing according to one's ________ .

A. age B. height C. weight D. wisdom

5. The writer wrote this article to ask us ________ .

A. not to use a cellphone

B. to use a cellphone freely

C. to use a cellphone carefully

D. to use a cellphone at right time