Subway

A subway is not just an important form of transport. It is also a window for other people to learn about local cultures.

Beijing， China

The Beijing Subway was opened in 1969 and is the oldest subway system in China. It has added some modern technologies. All stations now have touch-screen maps. In some stations， people can also see traditional Chinese cultures. For example， on the walls of a few stations of Line 8， there are some pictures of blue and white porcelain(青花瓷）.

Stockholm， Sweden

The system of the Stockholm Subway has 100 stations in use， of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. The first subway line for Stockholm was opened in 1950. The Stockholm Subway is well-known for its decoration of the stations. It is called the longest art gallery in the world. Over 90 percent of its stations are decorated with paintings. A few stations are decorated with red bedrocks（岩床）. This makes you feel as if you are in a cave.

London， UK

The London Underground or the Tube is the oldest subway in the world. It was opened in 1863. During World War II， it was used to protect people from German plane attacks（袭击）on London. Now， it is a symbol of the city. There is no air conditioning in the trains， so it is very hot in summer.

New York， US

The New York City Subway has the most extensive public transportation system in the world， with 469 stations. It is also one of the world’s oldest public transit systems. The New York City Subway runs 24 hours a day. It has an express train on almost every line. You can get to your destination(目的地）promptly. The trains themselves are full of fun； you will see people doing moonwalk dances like Michael Jackson， playing the guitar and singing.

1.The London Underground ______.

A. is also called the Tube

B. is the symbol of the UK

C. was well protected during the war

D. was opened in 1969

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Several stations of the Stockholm Subway are built in caves.

B. Michael Jackson used to dance in the New York City Subway.

C. Tourists feel cool when they take the London Underground in summer.

D. Some stations of the Beijing Subway are decorated with pictures of porcelain.

3.The passage mainly shows the ______ of different cities.

A. great changes B. long history

C. local cultures D. public transports

Some people think that they have an answer to the problems of automobile crowding and pollution in large cities. Their answer is the bicycle， or bike.

In a great many cities， hundreds of people ride bicycles to work every day. In New York City， some bike riders have even formed a group called “Bike for a Better City”. They claim that if more people rode bicycles to work there would be fewer automobiles in the downtown section of the city and therefore less dirty air from car engines.

For several years this group has been trying to get city government to help bicycle riders. For example， they want the city to paint special lanes—for bicycles only—on some of the main streets， because when bicycle riders must use the same lanes as cars， there may be accidents. “Bike for a Better City” feels that if there were special lanes， more people would use bikes.

But no bicycle lanes have been painted yet. Not everyone thinks it is a good idea. Taxi drivers don’t like the idea—they say it will slow traffic. Some store owners on the main streets don’t like the idea—they say that if there is less traffic， they will have less business. And most people live too far from downtown to travel by bike.

The city government has not yet decided what to do. It wants to keep everyone happy. On weekends， Central Park—the largest open place in New York—is closed to cars， and the roads may be used by bicycles only. But “Bike for a Better City” says that this is not enough and keeps fighting to get bicycle lanes downtown. Until that happens， the safest place to bicycle may be in the park.

1.The underlined word “automobiles” in the second paragraph means ______.

A. cars B. trains C. planes D. ships

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Special lanes are needed on every street.

B. “Bike for a Better City” members ride bicycles to work.

C. The Central Park is closed to cars on weekdays.

D. Accidents won’t happen if cars and bikes are on different lanes.

3.No bicycle lanes have been painted yet because ______.

A. the city government can’t help to paint the lanes

B. the main streets are not wide enough

C. the idea isn’t accepted by all

D. there’s no need for most people to travel by bike

4.This passage is mainly about ______.

A. city problems and “Bike for a Better City”

B. “Bike for a Better City” and the city government

C. the government’s idea on traffic and city pollution

D. a suggestion on the city problems of traffic and pollution

阅读短文，根据短文内容，从短文后的五个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。每个选项只能用一次。

When you are learning English， listening， speaking and writing are important， but reading can also be very helpful. Here are some good reading tips.

1. . Read something that you can understand. If you need to stop every three words to use a dictionary， it is not interesting.

Try to increase the number of your new words. If there are four or five new words on a page， write them in your notebook. 2. . Instead， try to guess their meaning as you read： First mark them with a pen. Next come back to look them up in a dictionary. 3. . Finally spend some time remembering them.

Try to read regularly（定期地）. 4. . Fifteen minutes every day is better than two hours every Sunday. Fix a time to read and keep to it. You could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed， or when you get up or at lunchtime.

Read what interests you. Choose a book or a magazine about a subject that you like， because you are going to spend time and money reading it. 5. . You can also read newspapers. There are many English newspapers in China. It is easy enough to understand and also there is something interesting in it.

阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题

Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive activity for world peace and is to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. The first “World Laughter Day” gathering（集会）took place in Mumbai， India， on 11th January 1998. 12， 000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended it. Now there are about 5， 000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.

“HAPPY-DEMIC” was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th January 2000 in Copenhagen， Denmark. “World Laughter Day” is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. Hundreds of people gather worldwide on that day to laugh together.

Today， the world has never faced so much unrest（动荡）before. People are at war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language， which has the ability to unite humanity without religion（宗教）. Laughter can build a common connection between various religions and create a new world order. So we believe that laughter and only laughter can unite the world， building up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship.

Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following： lower blood pressure； reduce stress； work out the heart， especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercise. So in life， when you can laugh， you should laugh loudly and with your entire body—because it’s good for you.

1.Is Kataria the founder of the worldwide laughter movement?

2.How many Laughter Clubs are there worldwide on all 5 continents now?

3.When did the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India take place?

4.Why can we believe that laughter can unite the world?

5.What are the good points of celebrating World Laughter Day?

文段表达

根据中文和英文提示，用英文写一封意思连贯、符合逻辑、不少于50词的邮件。邮件的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。所给提示词语仅供选用。请不要写出你的校名和姓名。

每个人心中都有一个自己的榜样，他们无时无刻都在激励着我们克服困难，勇往直前。请你以中学生马丽的身份根据以下提示，给你的美国笔友Mike写一封邮件，告诉他谁是你心中的榜样？为什么他/她能成为你的榜样？你从他/她身上学到了什么？

提示词：role model， help， encourage

To have ____ better view of the city, you’d better sit in ____ front of the bus.

A. an, the B. a, / C.the, a D. a, the

This watch can’t work ____ . It needs to be repaired.

A.mostly B. hardly C.normally D. nearly

—Jack, I haven’t seen your uncle for a long time.

—He ___ Tibet as a volunteer because of the earthquake.

A. went to B. has gone to

C. has been in D. has been to

—_____ noisy sheep!

—Yes. Go and drive them away.

A. How B.What a C.What D. /

Our classroom is over there. But I can’t find Jenny and Marry’s. Where is _____?

A. his B.her C.their D. theirs