“Have a nice day” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless expression. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well. 
“Have a nice day. Next!” The version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words came out in the same tone ( 腔调 ) with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else’s is the management’s attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don’t know what to say. “Oh, you just had a tooth out? I’m terribly sorry, but have a nice day”.
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don’t know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it’s nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don’t care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.
【小题1】How does the author understand Maxie’s words?  

A．Maxie shows her anxiety to the author.

B．Maxie really wishes the author a good day.

C．Maxie encourages the author to stay happy.

D．Maxie really worries about the author’s security.

【小题2】What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．The salesgirl is rude.

B．The salesgirl is bored.

C．The salesgirl cares about me.

D．The salesgirl says the words as nothing special.

【小题3】According to the last paragraph, people say“Have a nice day”_______.

A．sincerely

B．as thanks

C．as a habit

D．encouragingly

【小题4】What is the best title of the passage?

A．Have a Nice Day—a Social Custom

B．Have a Nice Day—a Pleasant Gesture

C．Have a Nice Day—a Heart-warming Greeting

D．Have a Nice Day—a Polite Ending of a Conversation

Pingyao, in the center of Shanxi Province, is a famous historic cultural city of China and a world cultural heritage (遗产) site. It’s 90 kilometers south of Taiyuan on the Fen River.
People lived in Pingyao during the New Stone Age. Its long period as a county government seat has left Pingyao with lots of historic buildings and sites, with a 2,700-year history. Ninety-nine of them are under government protection, including Zhengguo Temple, Shuanglin Temple and Pingyao Ancient City.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, businessmen organized commercial (商业的) groups that did business nationwide. Shanxi Province had some of the most important ones and Pingyao was their center. In 1823, a store, known as Rishengchang (Sunrise Prosperity), traded in bank checks rather than in silver or gold coins. It was the beginning of modern Chinese banking. Branch (分支) banks were soon set up in major cities in China and other parts of Asia, leading to great development in Pingyao. Its lacquer ware (漆器) became well known.
In Pingyao Ancient City are many traditional houses and commercial buildings, 3,797 of which are protected and more than 400 of which are in good condition. Not only do the houses in Pingyao show Shanxi’s history and culture, but this large number is valuable for studying its history, customs, ancient buildings and art. Most of these houses are still used as homes and shops of local people.
In 1997, Ancient Pingyao City was listed in World Heritage List as “World Culture Heritage Site”.
【小题1】What does the underlined word “them” (in Paragraph 2) refer to?

A．Historic buildings and sites.

B．The three temples.

C．The county government seats.

D．The 2,700-year history.

【小题2】Which of the following about Pingyao is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Its location.	B．Its tourism.
C．Its business.	D．Its history.

【小题3】During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Pingyao was a leading center in _____.

A．agriculture	B．raising cattle
C．commercial trade	D．making gold coins

【小题4】If you want to know about the history of banking in China, which of the following places should you visit?

A．Sunrise Prosperity.	B．Zhengguo Temple.
C．A lacquer ware store.	D．A commercial house.

Protecting Copyright
Having finished her homework, Ma Li wants some music. As usual, she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.com to download music files. But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs’ copyright bursts onto the screen. The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright. Lawsuits have been filed against four websites offering free downloads. In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation for their losses. Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website. This caused a heated discussion on Interact file sharing.
“Baidu’s defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying. Down loaders may face lawsuits or fines,” said an official.
Like many teens, Huang Ruoru, an 18-year-old girl from Puning in Guangdong Province, doesn’t think that getting music from websites is wrong. She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends. When told about the lawsuit, she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others’ work without paying.
However, other teenagers have different ideas. Wang Yafei, a Senior 2 girl from Jinan, Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers. “If I download a song and really like it, I will buy the CD,” she said. “So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music, rather than pursuingfile-sharers.”
【小题1】Which of the following best describes the passage?

A．Downloading material can be illegal.

B．Music on the Internet is of better quality.

C．It’s good to get free music on the Internet.

D．Baidu is a popular web company.

【小题2】The four web companies were put to court because ________.

A．they got copyrighted songs without paying

B．they make copyrighted files for free downloads

C．they downloaded copyrighted music for people

D．they offer free music on line

【小题3】How do some of the teenagers feel while downloading free music after the lawsuit?

A．A bit guilty.	B．A little sad.
C．Extremely angry.	D．Awfully sorry.

【小题4】What’s the advantage of file sharing for recording companies?

A．Getting more money from web companies.

B．Making pop singers more popular.

C．Helping to improve the music.

D．Enabling people to download favorite songs.

【小题5】It can be inferred from the text that _________.

A．Web companies are still ignoring the copyright laws.

B．Teenagers haven’t got money to buy CDs.

C．Teenagers are probably still downloading free music.

D．Teenagers prefer CDs with copyright to pirated music.

Things you need to know about studying there
Study style
Since the 1950s, the Netherlands has had courses in English especially for foreign students. Students are expected to be critical of what they read and hear, and to be able of working independently. Foreign students will soon notice that at Dutch institutions for higher learning people are expected to do a lot of talking. The most common form of teaching is the seminar or working group, where a small group of students work under a teacher’s supervision to analyze（分析）a certain problem. On exams, they have to show that they know the material, and that they have formed well-founded opinions on the subject.
Accommodations（住宿）
If you are in an exchange programme or an international course, it is quite possible that a room will be arranged for you. Accept it immediately, or you will regret it later. That’s because finding a place to live in a country as crowded as the Netherlands is not easy.
Before you leave China, ask your host institution whether or not housing will indeed be arranged in advance. If you are in the Netherlands and still looking for a place, ask the international relations office or the student dean for advice.
Expences
Tuition: （学费）
Bachelor’s degree：about 2,500 euros a year
Master’s degree: 5,000-12,000 euros a year
Living expenses:
Experience has shown that a year in the Netherlands costs a Chinese
Student about 450-700 euros a month.
Here is a breakdown of average prices of supermarket goods:
Litre of milk:      0.5—0.8 euro
Kilo of apples:     1.5 euros
Shampoo, 400ml:     4 euros
Tube of toothpaste:     1 euro
Bed sheet:      20 euros
Other expenses:
Haircut:        15 euros
Air ticket to China:        600-800 euros
Mobile phone call(one minute):  0.1-0.3 euro
Phone call to China (with IP card): 7 euros(one minute)
Postage stamp in the Netherlands:   0.39 euro
Stamp for China:        0.78 euro
(1 euro-about 10 yuan)
Transportation
Trains, buses and trams run throughout the country.
If you really want to sample Dutch life, and get around quickly and easily, buy yourself a bicycle. Most students buy second-hand bicycles. A reasonable one will cost you 70-120 euros.
You can find them at second-hand bicycle shops or at the bicycle parking facilities near railway stations.
【小题1】Teachers want foreign students to do much talking and analyzing in order to make them        .

A．get higher marks	B．pass exams easier
C．be able to work independently	D．get in close touch with each other

【小题2】The passage implies that        .

A．it is easier to find a room in Netherlands

B．it is difficult to find a room in Netherlands

C．your host institution will surely find a room for you

D．the international relations office can find a room for you

【小题3】It costs at least            a year for a Master degree.

A．104,000 yuan

B．104,000 euros

C．174,000 yuan

D．134,000 euros

【小题4】Most students ride second-hand bicycles mainly because        .

A．they can ride them fast and easily

B．bicycles are safe and comfortable for riding

C．bicycles are convenient and easy to park

D．bicycles are convenient and cheap

In the Ituri forest of America live many tribes，one of which is Pygmy. Most of the Pygmies in the tribe are not taller than four feet. They weigh only about eighty pounds each.
In spite of their small size, they are the best hunters among all the jungle people. Even the great elephant can be caught by them.
Since they do not plant any crops, Pygmies are constantly moving around. They seldom sleep in one camp for more than a few days. In their camps there is not furniture at all except for some weapons such as spears, bows and arrows. There are no cooking pots either. Food is eaten uncooked or smoked over a lire. So when the tribe moves to a new camp there is nothing to carry except these weapons and babies too small to walk.
Pymies can move on the tree tops almost as skillfully as monkeys. Often they travel great distances through the branches without touching the ground.
One of the surprising facts about these small men and women is their great appetite（食欲）. A Pygmy can eat up sixty bananas at a single meal besides quantities of meat. After eating, they will lie on their hard earth bed and groan（呻吟）in all night. But in the morning, they are ready to eat the same amount of food or fight among themselves.
【小题1】Pygmies are small in size, but they are brave in ______.

A．hunting

B．shooting

C．eating

D．fighting with their enemies

【小题2】Pygmies are so skillful that _____.

A．they never walk on the ground	B．they can move on the top of trees
C．they always walk with sticks	D．they can hang from the branches

【小题3】The writer wrote this article so as to ______

A．ask people to learn from Pygmies

B．help Pygmies go out of the forests

C．let us know the local condition and customs of the Pygmies

D．tell us the world is big and wide

【小题4】Why do Pygmies move from place to place continuously? The main reason is that _____.

A．that want to look after wild animals	B．they always walk with sticks
C．they plant no crops	D．they don’t sleep in one camp

We are going to see the ruins of Machu Picchu in the mountains of the Andes．Machu Picchu was forgotten for centuries but discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, a professor from Yale．It is said to be one of the most beautiful ancient sites in the world．
The Incas built the ancient civilization of Machu Picchu between the 12th century and the early 16th century．They spoke a language called Quechua but had no writing system at all．They kept records on various coloured strings with knots called quipu．
The Incas proved to be wonderful architects．They built most of their buildings with huge stones but without using any cement（粘结材料） to stick them together．However, the huge stones fit together so perfectly that you cannot force a sharp knife between two blocks．They also built bridges, tunnels through mountains and channels to bring water to their cities—just as the Romans did．The Incas turned the mountains into farmlands and planted corn and potatoes, and raised animals like llama and alpaca for food．
Now Machu Piccu has become a major tourist site in Peru, attracting people from all over the world．
【小题1】How long ago was Machu Picchu discovered?

A．About 20 years ago	B．About 50 years ago．
C．About 70 years ago	D．About a century ago．

【小题2】With what did the Incas build their wonderful buildings?

A．strings

B．stones

C．cements

D．trees

【小题3】The Incas built the following like the Romans except _______ according to the passage．

A．roads

B．bridges

C．tunnels

D．channels

【小题4】What does the speaker probably do?

A．A visitor．

B．A guide．

C．A teacher．

D．A scientist．

“Long time no see” is a very interesting sentence. When I first read this sentence from an American friend’s email, I laughed. I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish.
Obviously, it is a word-by-word literal translation of the Chinese greetings with a ruled English grammar and structure! Later on, my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting. I was too thrilled to believe her. Her words could not convince me at all. So I did a research on google.com. To my surprise, there are over 60 thousand web pages containing “Long time no see.” This sentence has been widely used in emails, letters, newspapers, movies, books, or any other possible places. Though it is sort of informal, it is part of the language that Americans use daily. Ironically, if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word, the software will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected.
Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence. Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan’s movies. In the 1930s, Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a world wide famous Chinese detective named “Charlie Chan” on wide screens. Detective Chan likes to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius. “Long time no see” was his trademark. Soon after Charlie Chan, “Long time no see” became a popular phrase in the real world with thanks to the popularity of these movies.
Some scholars refer to America as a huge pot of stew. All kinds of culture are mixed in the stew together, and they change the color and taste of each other. American Chinese, though a minority ethnic(少数民族的成员) group in the United States, is also contributing some changes to the stew! Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed stew.
You can have some other examples than adoptions from Chinese, such as pizza from Italian, susi from Japanese, and déjà vu from French etc. There is a long list! Americans do not just simply borrow something from others. They will modify it and make it their own, so you would not be surprised to find a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant, or to buy a bottle of iced Chinese green tea with honey in a grocery store. Since Americans appreciate Chinese culture more and more nowadays, I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future. In this way the American stew keeps adding richness and flavor.
【小题1】The writer himself felt surprised at ______. 

A．the Chinglish expression “Long time no see”

B．“Long time no see” used as standard American English

C．so many literal translation of the expressions used in America

D．finding out Americans use the expression every day

【小题2】The word “stew” in the 4^th paragraph probably means ______.

A．mixture literature	B．Confucius’ words
C．a kind of cooked dish	D．American changing cultures

【小题3】According to the passage, it can be inferred that ______.
A. detectives translate the phrase “Long time no see”
B. Hollywood made “Long time no see” popular
B. “Long time no see” used as standard American English
D. cultures can be changed in the huge pot of stew
【小题4】The main idea of the passage is that ______.

A．some Chinese expressions are introduced into English

B．you’ll not be surprised at a tofu in a restaurant in America

C．some American expressions can be used in China

D．American English keep being enriched from different cultures

【小题5】According to the passage, which of the following statements is not true?

A．Informal language sometimes doesn’t go with grammar and structure.

B．Languages are always ruled by grammar and structure.

C．Long time no see” has been used in at least four media mentioned in the passage.

D．There are four languages mentioned to be adopted in the American stew.

The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched (草盖的) roof cottages around a church, a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white, the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings―these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside.
Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts（工艺）practised in the British Isles. Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too.　　
Thatching is a solitary（独自的）craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practised toady has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time thatchers are employed in England and Wales today, keeping and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world lives under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often unwilling to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to get the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defiance against the heat.
【小题1】Which of the following remains a special feature of the English countryside?

A．Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses.	B．Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings.
C．Cottages with thatched roofs.	D．Churches with cottages around them.

【小题2】What do we know about thatching as a craft?

A．It is a collective activity.

B．It is practised on farms all over England.

C．It is quite different from what it used to be.

D．It is in most cases handed down among family members.

【小题3】Thatched houses are still preferred because of _________.

A．their style and comfort	B．their durability
C．their easy maintenance	D．their cheap and ready-made materials

【小题4】People in developing countries also live under thatch because ________.

A．thatched cottages are a big tourist attraction

B．thatched roof houses are the cheapest

C．thatch is an effective defense against the heat

D．they like thatched houses better than other buildings

Australia is largely a nation of immigration（移民）, with one in four of Australia’s 21 million population born overseas. But immigrations hoping to become Australian citizens will soon have to take a test examining their knowledge of the country's history and institutions.
While Australia prides itself on its multicultural background, the government wants newcomers to integrate （同化）more  fully . Form later this year, new immigrants will have to show an understanding of the English language. They will also be required to answer 20 questions from a list of 200. Anyone who gives fewer than 12 correct responses will not be accepted.
Immigrants will also have to accept what the government considers to be 10 important Australia values, including “mateship” and “giving people a fair go”. Other important Australia values are said to include tolerance, compassion, gender equality and freedom of speech.
The new citizenship application procedures are detailed in a 40-pages booklet（小册子）. It describes Australia as “a nation at ease with the world and  itself” but says that newcomers are expected to respect its values. The booklet sums up mateship as voluntary helping and receiving help from others, especially in difficult times. The immigration Minister said they aimed to achieve a balance between ethnic diversity and social stability（稳定）, “particularly as we now draw people from so many different countries and so many different cultures”.
Critics have attacked the English language requirement, pointing out many immigrants could not speak English when they arrived. But the minister said, “We are trying to encourage people to learn English, because we think that is the way they will achieve their dreams in Australia.”
【小题1】What’s new in Australia’s immigration policy?

A．New immigrants will have to take a test

B．New immigrants should speak perfect English

C．New immigrants must bring enough money

D．New immigrants must be healthy

【小题2】Those who want to move to Australia have to answer_____ questions right

A．20

B．12

C．200

D．10

【小题3】The word "mateship" is closest in meaning to _____.

A．equality

B．freedom

C．fairness

D．friendship

【小题4】Which is one of the reasons for the change of application?

A．To encourage new immigrants	B．To control the population
C．To promote Australia ' values	D．To teach the English language

Anyone who doubts that children are born with a healthy amount of ambition need spend only a few minutes with a baby eagerly learning to walk. No matter how many times the little ones stumble in their first efforts, most keep on trying, determined to master their amazing new skill. It is only several years later, many psychologists and teachers agree, that a good number of kids seem to lose their natural drive to succeed. For the parents of such kids, whose own ambition is often tied to their children’s success, it can be a painful experience.
Figuring out why the fire went out is the first step. Assuming that a kid doesn’t suffer from a learning disability, or isn’t involved in some family crisis at home, many educators attribute a sudden lack of motivation to a fear of failure or classmate pressure. “Everything is within the kids’ control; their intelligence is changeable,” says Lisa Blackwell, a research scientist at Columbia University. “More than any teacher or workshop,” Blackwell says, “parents can play a key role in conveying this message to their children by praising their effort, and progress rather than emphasizing their ‘smartness’ or praising high performance alone. Most importantly, parents should let their kids know that mistakes are a part of learning.”
Some experts say our education system, with its strong emphasis on testing and separation of students into different levels of ability, also bears blame for the disappearance of drive in some kids. “These programs shut down the motivation of all kids who aren’t considered gifted and talented. They destroy their confidence,” says Jeff Howard, a social psychologist. Howard and other educators say it’s important to expose kids to a world beyond homework and tests, through volunteer work, sports, hobbies and other extracurriculum activities.
“The problem of the issue is that many students experience education as irrelevant to their life goals and ambitions,” says Michael Nakkual, a Harvard education professor. The key to getting kids to aim higher at school is to free them of the idea that class work is irrelevant, to show them how doing well at school can actually help them fulfill their dreams beyond it. They need to understand that you have to learn to walk before you can run.
【小题1】According to the passage, the parents of kids with no ambition       .

A．don’t do a very good job teaching them to walk

B．are to blame if the kids do poorly in school

C．feel pain because ambitions are connected to their success

D．should take part in extra-curriculum activities with kids

【小题2】The underlined part “the fire went out” probably means       .

A．the motivation was suddenly lost

B．the fear of failure was suddenly gone

C．the learning disability was suddenly lost

D．the fire was suddenly gone

【小题3】All the following can contribute to a sudden lack of ambition EXCEPT       .

A．learning disability	B．classmate pressure
C．emphasis on testing	D．extracurricular activities

【小题4】 What is the most important thing for parents in motivating their kids?

A．By punishing kids who don’t display ambition.

B．By emphasizing smartness and high performance.

C．By telling kids that mistakes are a part of learning.

D．By praising the effort and progress they have made.

【小题5】 We can infer from the passage that       .

A．children who have lost their ambition will never succeed in life

B．school performance has much to do with students’ later success

C．both the parents and the school are to blame for the lost ambition

D．younger kids learning to walk are more ambitious than older ones