A

Many of us have heard of the saying: everything is possible if you can just believe. But few of us really know the power of faith and perseverance (毅力). South African swimmer Natalie du Toit embodies (體現(xiàn)) those virtues.

Du Toit, 24, became the first swimmer to compete in both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics (殘奧會) in Beijing. Although she finished 16th in the tough 10km marathon in the able-bodied Games, she has collected three golds in the Paralympics so far.

One of the most successful disabled athletes of all time, Natalie du Toit was already a promising swimmer when she lost her leg in a motorcycle accident in 2001, at just 17.

“There are a lot of dark moments,” du Toit said. “There are some days when I cry. But I try to remember that better days are ahead. You just go on.”

Within a few months, she was back in the swimming pool.

She still competes and still succeeds. The only difference is she has switched to longer events―from 200m and 400m individual medley (混合泳) to 800m and 1,500m freestyle―to make up for her loss of speed with only one leg. But she made no adjustment to her mental outlook.

“Going out in the water, it feels as if there’s nothing wrong with me. It doesn’t matter if you look different. You’re still the same as everybody else because you have the same dream.”

She is the holder of many world records, and she also won gold when competing against able-bodied swimmers in the 1,500m freestyle at the All Africa Games in 2007.

But there is no magic recipe for success. It all lies in hard work and determination. “She is stubborn (固執(zhí)的), which is good and bad,” said her coach Karoly Von Toros. “Good for the swimming, but bad for the coach.”

There is a poem that hangs on her wall that reads:

“The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals.

The tragedy of life lies in not having goals to reach for.”

1. Natalie du Toit is a vivid example that _____.

A. you are what you believe          B. the early bird catches the worm

C. all is well that ends well           D. you must look before you leap

2. According to the text, Natalie du Toit became _____.

A. the first athlete to compete with able-bodied swimmers in the world

B. the youngest disabled swimmer to break the world record in the 1,500m freestyle

C. the youngest disabled swimmer to collect three golds in a single Paralympics

D. the first swimmer to compete in both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics

3. Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Natalie du Toit?

a. She won gold at the All Africa Games.

b. She finished 16th in the tough 10km marathon in the Olympics.

c. She adjusted herself to long events. d. A motorcycle accident disabled her.

A. c-d-a-b      B. d-c-b-a       C. d-c-a-b        D. d-a-c-b

4. The underlined word “It” in the ninth paragraph refers to “_____”.

A. Gold        B. Success      C. Dream         D. Recipe

B

DNA tells the story of the race to discover the structure of DNA, and the scientists who changed our understanding of the world and everything in it. The five-part series, to be broadcast from Thursday July 14 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC TV, also looks at the implications of the scientists’ work for the future of mankind.

The scientists were a small group of pioneers who explored a world too small to see. What they found there answered some eternal questions ―What is life? How is it made? Why are children like their parents?

DNA is without doubt the most powerful substance on Earth. The order of its chemicals determines whether a child has her mother’s eyes or her father’s smile. But as DNA reveals, until 50 years ago, almost no one knew of its existence. All that changed when two unknown scientists―Jim Watson and Francis Crick―ran into a bar in Cambridge shouting that they’d found the secret of life.

This declaration heralded (預示) a momentous discovery, not just for the human race but for the people involved. As this program reveals, it was one of the most heated scientific races the world has ever seen.

Dr Watson takes us back 50 years, guiding us through the tumultuous (喧囂的) events that led to the creation of a double helix (螺旋結(jié)構(gòu)) model being built by Dr Francis Crick and himself. He tells how he and Crick beat all the odds to find the double helix first and win the Nobel Prize.

The program reveals others involved with the DNA story, including Maurice Wilkins, who helped create the atom bomb. He became disillusioned (不再抱幻想的) with the science of death and chose the science of life instead, by looking for the structure of DNA.

5. The purpose of writing this passage is to ______.

A. introduce some scientists     B. give a summary of a TV program

C. tell the importance of DNA   D. report on a study on DNA

6. According to the passage, the underlined word “DNA” in the first paragraph refers to _____.

A. a five-part TV program              B. a story about the scientists’ work

C. the most powerful substance on Earth

D. the substance discovered by two unknown scientists

7. The number of scientists mentioned in this passage is _____.

A. 2     B. 3.     C. 4.        D. 5.

8. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. DNA explained certain eternal questions involving life.

B. Jim Watson and Francis Crick discovered DNA.

C. Few scientists showed interest in DNA study.

D. Maurice Wilkins also did some study on DNA.

C

Harbour Cruises LTD. : Dining, Sightseeing and Special Events

Get on board to experience Vancouver from a different perspective (視角). Join Harbour Cruises Ltd. For Vancouver’s only guided tour of the inner harbour, the always popular dinner cruise, or a luncheon cruise through a quiet coastal mountain bay. Special event cruises are available throughout the year including during the yearly fireworks competition and December’s Christmas Carol Ships. Harbour Cruises Ltd. is located next to world-famous Stanley Park.

Dates of Operation: April-October and December

Seasonal Hours: 8:00 am-7:00 pm, 7 days a week

Directions: Drive west on Georgia and turn right at the lights at Denman Street. Take No. 135 Stanley Park bus or walk west along Georgia for 15 minutes towards Stanley Park from downtown.

Information: 604.688.7246

Reservations: 1. 800. 663. 1500

Website: www. boatcruises. Com

Email: tours@boatcruises. Com

No. 1, North Foot of Denman Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 2w9

The Lookout at Harbour Centre Tower

Not sure where to start? The Lookout, which is high atop Harbor Center Tower, is your best first choice in Vancouver. Majestic cruise ships, mountains sprinkled with fresh snow and a west coast sunset are a few highlights of this grand 3,600 view. Drink your cappuccino, join a free guided tour, learn something new about Vancouver and enjoy the view!

Dates of Operation: Open 365 days / year

Seasonal Hours: Winter 9:00 am-9:00 pm

Summer 8:30 am-10:30 pm

Directions: Located downtown at the SeaBus and SkyTrain station. Just steps away from the Cruise Ship Terminal and historic Gastown.

Information and Reservations: 604.689.0421

Website: www. vancouverlookout.com

Email: info@vancouverlookout.com

555 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 4N4

Burnaby Village Museum And Carousel

Step back in time to 1925. The museum features a village, a farmhouse and the historic CW Parker Carousel. Costumed townspeople welcome you to exhibits that include a schoolhouse, a blacksmith, a Chinese medicine store and an ice-cream parlour(會客廳).

Seasonal Hours: May 4-Sept 2 (11: 00 am-4:30 pm )

Christmas Hours: Nov 23-Dec 13 & Dec 31-Jan 4 (12:00-5:30 pm) and Dec 14-30 (12:00-8:00 pm). Closed Dec 24 & 25.

Directions: Take exit 33 from Hwy 1 to Canada Way. Follow the signs along the sidewalk to Deer Lake Park. 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver.

Information: 604. 293. 6501

Telephone: 604-293-6500

Website: www. city. burnaby.cb.ca.

6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5G 3T6

9. To get a bird’s-eye view of Vancouver, you can go to _____.

A. Harbour Cruises LTD     B. Harbour Centre Tower

C. Burnaby Village Museum   D. Stanley Park

10. If you want to visit one of the places from 8:30 am to 10:30 am on Christmas Day, you can get further information on _____.

A. Website: www.vancouverlookout.com

B. Email: info@vancouverlookout.com

C. Website: www.city.burnaby.cb.ca

D. Website: www.boatcruises.com

11. Which of the following places is NOT open to the public during the Christmas Day?

A. The Lookout.            B. Stanley Park.

C. Burnaby Village Museum.  D. Harbour Center Tower.

12. The main purpose of the advertisements is to attract tourists to Vancouver _____.

A. for great fun        B. for a ship sightseeing

C. for a cultural visit     D. for the view of mountains 

D

They say that Mexico is a country no one ever leaves. Every year, millions of tourists pass through, and Mexicans jovially(高興地) warn that a part of them will remain behind forever. Most visitors are vacationing North Americans who wind up on the brilliant beaches of Cancun, Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. The beaches, of course, are among the world’s best―but those who venture inland are rewarded with the true soul of Mexico, which has always resided firmly in the interior.

And it is a big soul. Mexico is vast, comprising nearly two million square miles of coastline, desert, rain forests, mountains, and fertile plains. From the American borderlands of the wide, agriculturally rich north, the country narrows gently as it sweeps south and east. The two main mountain ranges, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental, hug the west and east, finally merging(并入) into the volcanically active central highlands and the capital, Mexico City―the most populous city in the world. Further south, the country narrows to only 100 miles, then broadens again before reaching the Guatemalan border. There are two major peninsulas(半島) that are almost countries themselves. In the west is the poetically barren Baja Peninsula; to the east, protruding into the Caribbean like the end of a fish hook, is the Yucatan peninsula, bursting with rain forests, Mayan ruins, and white powder beaches.

The population is about 106 million, and the generosity(慷慨大方)of the Mexican people is unsurpassed (非常卓越的). Knowing a few simple sentences in Spanish will win hearts.

Mexico has been graced with an unusually temperate climate year round. The most important thing to remember is that the Mexican summer is also the rainy season, although the rain rarely lasts more than a few hours, and typically arrives in the late afternoon. Extremes are present only in the North and in Baja, both of which have deserts where the temperature leaps above 100F. Mexico City has a year-round temperature in the high 80s, while the coasts usually stay in the mid-90s. Night time temperatures fall somewhat, but rarely break down below a comfortable 60F.

13. By saying “Knowing a few simple sentences in Spanish will win hearts.”, the writer wants to show that _____.

A. Mexicans are friendly to foreigners

B. Spanish is Mexico’s official language

C. Mexicans especially welcome Spanish tourists

D. Mexicans all want to learn about Spanish culture

14. The last paragraph is mainly about Mexico’s _____.

A. geography      B. climate     C. population    D. language

15. In the north of Mexico, _____.

A. there are plenty of rainforests

B. many volcanoes are very active

C. economy mainly depends on agriculture

D. visitors can enjoy Mayan ruins in the forests

16. The purpose of this passage is to _____.

A. tell us the results of the writer’s survey

B. advise us to tour around Mexico C. give us some introduction about Mexico

D. show the relationship between temperature and desert

17. It can be inferred that a tourist who stays in Mexico City usually feels _____.

A. cold    B. frozen    C. comfortable     D. hot

18. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Nobody prefers to leave Mexico.

B. Mexico City has a large population.

C. Baja Peninsula looks like a fish hook.

D. Whoever visits Mexico can learn about Mexico’s soul.

E

Children born in the autumn and winter months are more likely to be good at sports, according to one of the largest studies into childhood.

Researchers at Bristol University in England, where the study is based, found that children born in the spring were the most sluggish (懶惰的), according to a paper published in the British Medical Journal.

Those born in the summer were 4.5 percent more active, while those delivered in the autumn and winter were 9 percent more active.

The researchers asked 5,451 children aged 11 and 12 to wear devices around their waists that recorded, minute by minute, their levels of activity for a week. Researchers then compared the children’s activity levels with a lot of other factors such as their birth dates, how active their mothers were during and after pregnancy and whether they had siblings(兄弟姐妹).

Calum Mattocks, who is leading the study, said a biological explanation was unlikely. He suspected a link to when children begin school.

“If you’re born later in the school year, you’re likely to be smaller than your peers and that could disadvantage you in sports and other activities, such as playing,”he said.

Older children are likely to be bigger and stronger than their classmates and more likely to do better in sports, perhaps motivating them to stay interested in exercise as they grew up, he added.

The findings could help schools develop activity classes that encourage smaller, younger children, and help them improve their fitness.

Having at least one physically active parent led to children being on average 4 percent more active.

A weak link was found between watching television and activity levels later in life. Children who watched a lot of TV between the ages of three and four were less than 1 percent less active than others by the time they reached 11.

19. What does the underlined word “peers” in Paragraph 7 probably mean?

A. People who are the same age.

B. People who like doing sports.

C. People who like helping their parents.

D. People who were born in summer.

20. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. if you are smaller, you’ll have an advantage in sports

B. if you’re born later, you’ll have an advantage in sports

C. if you have fewer siblings, you’ll have an advantage in sports

D. if you’re born earlier, you’ll have an advantage in sports

21. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Activity levels later in life have a weak link with watching television.

B. Children born in the spring were good at sports.

C. Children born in the autumn and winter were 9 percent more active.

D. Children born in the summer were 4.5 percent more active.

F

Although everything else in your life seems complicated at the moment, picking a college really comes down to some simple concepts. The steps you’ll need to take include learning the ABCs of getting started, familiarizing yourself with the basic types of college choices, understanding the college application process, and knowing your options(取舍)once you’ve made your choice.

Apparently, a whole lot of people got together one day and decided they would pick the prom king and queen of higher education. But don’t make the mistake of allowing your ultimate(最終的)college choice to come down to an opinion in a magazine you never even read. Rankings provide great publicity for the few colleges that get selected as the “best”, but in the end, the only judgment that matters is your own. You wouldn’t let a group of reporters choose your next boyfriend or girlfriend. Letting them choose your next college might not be such a wise move, either.

Think the national media has a monopoly(獨有權(quán)) on college opinions? Not to worry, because if you haven’t heard from them already, pretty soon your parents, friends, and teachers will more than likely share their opinions with you on what makes a college great. One of the most difficult things you’ll have to do, in fact, is gently remind all those well-wishing advisors that you’re not just looking for the best college, but the right one.

By all means, take all the advice you can get, but take it all with a grain of salt. Start a list of all the people whose opinions matter to you and seek out their advice. This will usually include your parents, your siblings, your classmates, your teachers, and your high school guidance counselor(輔導員). But think of this advice as a starting point.

Once you’ve got a list of colleges, start thinking about what kind of college you’d like to attend and ask yourself, “What qualities am I looking for in a school?” What follows is a guide to the many types of schools out there, and how to decide if any of them are right for you.

22. The whole passage mainly deals with _____.

A. the basics of choosing a college

B. the concerns of students nowadays

C. the media influence on education

D. the importance of decision-making

23. The author advises readers to _____.

A. trust information in magazines

B. put their own judgment above all

C. follow suggestions from parents

D. look for the best college

24. According to the passage, the underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph suggests that _____.

A. more advice is a must

B. advice is not easy to gain

C. good advice is half success

D. not all advice is practical

25. Who might be most interested in this passage?

A. Parents and teachers.

B. College students.

C. Middle school students.

D. Magazine editors.

 

Key:1-5 ADCBB 6-10 ABCBD 11-15 CAABC 16-20 CDBAD 21-25 BABDC

 

 

 

 

 

 


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