The number of speakers of English in Shakespeare’s time is estimated(估计) to have been about five million. Today it is estimated that some 260 million people speak it as a native language, mainly in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to the standard varieties of English found in these areas, there are a great many regional and social varieties of the language as well as various levels of usage that are employed both in its spoken and written forms.

In fact, it is impossible to estimate the number of people in the world who have acquired an adequate(足够的) working knowledge of English in addition to their own languages. The purpose for English learning and the situations in which such learning takes place are so varied that it is difficult to explain and still more difficult to judge what forms an adequate working knowledge for each situation.

The main reason for the widespread demand for English is its present-day importance as a world language. Besides serving the indefinite needs of its native speakers, English is a language in which some of important works in science, technology, and other fields are being produced, and not always by native speakers. It is widely used for such purposes as meteorological and airport communications, international conferences, and the spread of information over the radio and television networks of many nations. It is a language of wider communication for a number of developing countries, especially former British colonies. Many of these countries have multilingual populations and need a language for internal communication in such matters as government, commerce, industry, law and education as well as for international communication and for entrance to the scientific and technological developments in the West.

1.What would be the best title for this passage?

A．The Difficulties of Learning English	B．International Communications
C．The Standard Varieties of English	D．English as a World Language

2.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Some 260 million people in the world have an adequate working knowledge of English.

B．There are some 260 million native speakers of English in the world.

C．It is almost impossible to estimate the number of people with an adequate working knowledge of English.

D．People learn English for a variety of reasons.

3.According to the passage, what is the main reason for the widespread use of English?

A．It was popular during Shakespeare’s time.	B．It is used in former British colonies.
C．It serves the needs of its native speakers.
D．It is a world language that is used for international communication.

4.What forms an adequate working knowledge of English?

A．The ability to read a newspaper.
B．It is difficult to judge because it differs for each situation.
C．Being able to speak several languages.	D．Being a native speaker.

5.What type of developing countries would be most likely to use English?

A．Those geographically close to the United States.

B．Those interested in the culture of the United States.

C．Former colonies of Great Britain.

D．Countries where international conferences are held.

6.C。细节题。根据文章最后一段倒数第2句可推知此题

Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening. 

One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own. 

Then, in the country one can rest from the noise and hurry of the town. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one’s free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 

Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town, with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night. 

1.Which of the following statements is NOT true? 

A．People who like country things prefer to live outside the city.

B．People who work in London prefer to live in the country.

C．Because of certain disadvantages of living outside London, some people who work in London prefer to live inside London.

D．Because of certain advantages of living outside London, many people who work in London prefer to live outside London.

2.One can use the same money for ________ to buy a little house with a garden in the country.

A．getting a small flat with a garden	B．having a small flat with a garden
C．renting a small flat without a garden	D．buying a small flat without a garden

3.When the flowers and vegetables in the garden come up, those _______ have the reward of one who has shared the secret of Nature. 

A．who live in the country

B．who have spent time working in the garden

C．who have a garden of their own

D．who have been digging, planting and watering

4.People who think happiness lies in the town would feel that _______ if they had to live it outside London. 

A．their life was meaningless	B．their life was invaluable
C．they didn’t deserve a happy life	D．they were not worthy of their happy life

5.The underlined word rest in the last paragraph refers to ________.

A．the rest time	B．the rest people
C．the rest of the country	D．the rest of the parks and of the sea

6.C。推断题。根据其上文：这些人偶尔去公园散散步后去海边度两周假；本句接着说：其余的就留给那些每天晚上喜欢离开伦敦的人，那么，“其余的”显然指“其余的乡村”。从而可推知题

Nobel, who was born in Stockholm, is a great scientist famous for his dangerous experiments.
Nobel studied in the USA and then Russia between 1850 and 1859. After his return, he started researching into bombs. As is known, bomb is dangerous to life, but Nobel was working under that condition. Once a big explosion in his lab completely destroyed the lab and caused some deaths. After that he had to experiment on a boat in a lake. He received criticism and satire(讽刺), but he proceeded with the work rather than losing heart. From 1860s to 1880s, Nobel made many achievements and his inventions were first used in building roads and digging tunnels. Most of the bombs were safer and more possible to be controlled. Even at the end of the 20th century, we still used his methods.
Nobel had many patents in Britain and other European countries. He was quick to see industrial openings(机会) for his scientific inventions and built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries. Indeed his greatness lay in his outstanding ability to combine the qualities of an original scientist with those of a forward­looking industrialist.
But Nobel’s main concern was never with making money or even with making scientific discoveries. Seldom happy, he was always searching for a meaning to life, and from his youth, he had taken a serious interest in literature and philosophy. His greatest wish, however, was to see an end to wars, and thus peace between nations, and he spent much time and money working for this cause. To follow his will, a fund was set up to encourage people to make great progress in physics, chemistry, physiology(生理学), medicine, literature and peace. That’s the Nobel Prize which means great honor to a scientist.
【小题1】Through his early experimental work, it is evident that ________.

A．Nobel was a man of strong will

B．Nobel was a man of gift

C．Nobel seldom got on well with his work

D．Nobel had his heart in his work

【小题2】In fact, his inventions were first used in ________.

A．a war to kill and injure his fellow men	B．building roads
C．digging tunnels	D．both B and C

【小题3】Based on the passage, Nobel, as a scientist, ________.

A．took a single interest in science

B．took a serious interest in money

C．took no interest in literature

D．took a serious interest in literature as well as in science

【小题4】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．His wonderful will surely provided other scientists with a large sum of money.

B．In leaving behind a well­meant will, Nobel succeeded in setting up a permanent monument for his interests and ideals.

C．Nobel made a glorious will so that he might be remembered and respected after his death.

D．Nobel expressed his wish in his will that a monument should be put up in memory of him.

Health officials issued a waring over common energy-saving l一ghtbulbs(灯泡) after research showed some types could potentially harm the skin and may even raise the risk of cancer.

A study by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) found that some eco-friendly lightbuulbs release levels of ultraviolet (UV) (紫外线) radiation that are above recognized safety limits. The agency urged people who work with lamps nearby to avoid spending more than one hour within a foot of the eco-friendly bulbs. The warning was directed at those using desk lamps for long periods, such as jewellery makers, and others who might have lights close to their faces, such as car mechanics.

John O’Hagan, a scientist at the HPA’s centre for radiation, chemical and environmental dangers, began tests on the ligthbulbs after patient groups raised concern about them. Among the groups were patients with a skin disease called lupus, which makes people highly sensitive to light.

The tests measured UV light from the lamps and found the highest levels of UV radiation, measured 2cm from the lightbulbs, were equivalent to being outside in direct sunlight in the summer. The most immediate risk from the lightbulbs is a reddening of the skin similar to sunburn, but there is also a small increased risk of skin cancer associated with this, again similar to that of sunburn.

The risk of health problems from the lightbulbs was not so high that people should remove them from their homes. People are advised to avoid using open lightbulbs for long close work until the problem is sorted out. It has confirmed that the government will not be reviewing its strategy on introducing energy efficient lightbulbs.

1.The underlined word “equivalent” in paragraph 4  most probably means ______.

A．equal

B．vital

C．relevant

D．harmful

2.In order not to be harmed by the UV radiation from some lightbulbs, people should ______.

A．stop using eco-friendly lightbulbs at home

B．avoid using open lightbulbs for long close work

C．take care not to expose their skin to direct sunlight

D．urge the government to ban the use of lightbulbs

3.In the next part, the author would most probably further explain _____.

A．why people needn’t remove the lightbulbs from their homes

B．how researchers have planned to sort out the problem

C．how the government has responded to HPA’s discovery

D．how long people should work close to the open lightbulbs

4.We can learn from the passage that ____.

A．health officials issued a warning over common lightbulbs.

B．jewellery makers should avoid working with the eco-friendly bulbs for more than one hour

C．John O’Hagan did tests on the lightbulbs with some patients

D．people are advised to avoid using open lightbulbs for long close work

 

第二节　完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36-55题所给的四个选项（A，B，C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

My son Joey was born with club feet（天生特厚的畸形脚）. The doctors assured us that with treatment he would be able to walk  36 , but would never run very well. The first three years of his life were 37 in surgery（手术）. By the time he was eight, you wouldn’t know he had a 38 when you saw him walk.

The children in our neighborhood ran around as most children do during  39  , and Joey would jump right in，run and play, too. We   40  told him that he probably wouldn’t be able to  41  as well as the other children. So he didn’t know.

In seventh grade he  42  to go out for the cross country team. Every day he 43 with the team. He worked harder and ran 44  than any of the others — perhaps he sensed that the 45  that seemed to come naturally to so many others did not come naturally to him. 46  the entire team runs, only the top seven runners have the potential （潜能） to 47  points for the school. We didn’t tell him he probably would never make the team, so he didn’t know.

He 48  to run four to five miles a day, every day — even the day he had a 103 degree fever. I was 49 , so I went to look for him after school. I found him 50 all alone. I asked him how he felt. "Okay," he said. He had two more51 to go. The sweat ran down his face and his eyes were glassy from his fever. 52 he looked straight ahead and kept running.

Two weeks later, the names of the team runners were 53 . Joey was number six on the list. Joey had made the team. He was in  54  grade — the other six team members were all eighth?graders. We never told him he shouldn’t 55 to make the team. We never told him he couldn’t do it...so he didn’t know. He just did it.

36. A. quickly       B. slowly     C. normally    D. comfortably

37. A. spent         B. wasted     C. suffered   D. lost

38. A. pain          B. problem        C. treatment         D. surgery

39. A. holidays         B. day           C. fun           D. play

40. A. seldom       B. never          C. always            D. once

41. A. study         B. run     C. walk        D. behave

42. A. decided       B. preferred       C. refused    D. agreed

43. A. gathered       B. camped      C. trained        D. competed

44. A. more slowly B. less      C. faster           D. more

45. A. ability       B. strength     C. power    D. energy

46. A. Since         B. Because    C. After    D. Although

47. A. increase        B. score            C. hold           D. take

48. A. continued      B. stopped     C. liked       D. hoped

49. A. sad             B. surprised       C. angry        D. worried

50. A. running            B. resting       C. crying        D. sleeping

51. A. tests         B. miles    C. lessons        D. examinations

52. A. Otherwise     B. So         C. Yet               D. Thus

53. A. included       B. called           C. shown      D. found

54. A. sixth       B. eighth     C. seventh          D. fifth

55. A. manage      B. determine         C. expect       D. attempt