Olaf Stapledon wrote a book called First and Last Men, in which he looked millions of years ahead. He told of different men and of strange civilizations (文明), broken up by long “dark ages” in between. In his view, what is called the present time is no more than a moment in human history and we are just the First Men. In 2 000 million years from now there will be the Eighteenth or Last Men.

    However, most of our ideas about the future are really very shortsighted. Perhaps we can see some possibilities for the next fifty years. But the next hundred? The next thousand? The next million? That's much more difficult. When men and women lived by hunting 50 000 years ago, could they even begin to picture modern life? Yet to men of 50 000 years from now, we may seem as primitive (原始的) in our ideas as the Stone-Age hunters do to us. Perhaps they will spend their days gollocking to make new spundels, or struggling with their ballalators through the tribe. These words, which I have just made up, have to stand for things and ideas that we simply can't think of.

    So why bother even to try imagining life in the future? Here are two reasons. First, unless we remember how short our own lives are compared with the whole human history, we are likely to think our interests are much more important than they really are. If we make the earth a poor place to live on because we are careless or greedy (贪婪) or quarrelsome, our grandchildren will not bother to think of excuses for us.

    Second, by trying to escape from present interests and imagine life far in the future, we may arrive at quite fresh ideas that we can use ourselves. For example, if we imagine that in the future men may give up farming, we can think of trying it now. So set your imagination free when you think about the future.

1．A particular mention made of Stapledon's book in the opening paragraph ________.

    A. serves as a description of human history

    B. serves as an introduction to the discussion

    C. shows a disagreement of views

    D. shows the popularity of the book

2．The text discusses men and women 50 000 years ago and 50 000 years from now in order to show that ________.

    A. human history is extremely long

    B. life has changed a great deal

    C. it is useless to plan for the next 50 years

    D. it is difficult to tell what will happen in the future

3．Spundels and ballalators are used in the text to refer to ________.

    A. tools used in farming

    B. ideas about modern life

    C. unknown things in the future

    D. hunting skills in the Stone-Age

4．According to the writer of the text, imagining the future will ________.

    A. serve the interests of the present and future generations

    B. enable us to better understand human history

    C. help us to improve farming

    D. make life worth living

The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Doug loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl: Soon there was a sticky dough (面团) covered with ugly yellowish marks. Realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work. I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home, we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the window to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in our rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast (酵母) made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing, he looked like some unknown being from outer space, I could see why Doug was so shaken. I had to admit what the 'living thing' was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed (尴尬) by the whole thing, Doug or me.

1．The writer's purpose in writing this story is ________.

    A. to tell an interesting experience

    B. to show the easiest way out of a difficulty

    C. to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman

    D. to explain the difficulty of learning to cooking from books

2．Why did the woman's attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?

    A. The canned orange had gone bad.

    B. She didn't use the right kind of flour.

    C. The cookbook was hard to understand.

    D. She did not follow the directions closely.

3．Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?

    A. She didn't see the use of keeping it.

    B. She meant to joke with her husband.

    C. She didn't want her husband to see it.

    D. She hoped it would soon dry in the sun.

4．What made the dough in the bin look frightening?

    A. The rising and falling movement.

    B. The strange-looking marks.

    C. Its shape.

    D. Its size.

5．When Doug went out the third time, the woman looked out of the window because she was ________.

    A. surprised at his being interested in the bin

    B. afraid that he would discover her secret

    C. unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal

    D. curious to know what disturbed him

Polly Jones lived on a farm. She had lived there all her life, all twelve years of it. Her father, who managed the farm, had just lifted the potato crop. Prices were high; he wanted to sell the crop as quickly as he could.

    Polly wandered over the rough field looking for the smaller potatoes that the pickers had accidentally missed. She found one, then another, then a handful. She was pleased. They were delicious once cooked. Then she caught sight of something else. It looked like a piece of colored stone. Polly picked it up and thought how pretty it was. She could see a pattern on it: a picture of a fish and a part of a leaf. She scraped (擦去) the soil away around her feet and found that she was standing on what seemed to be a piece of pavement (铺路石). Stuck to another piece of stone was something small and round like a button. She realized it was an old coin.

    The field was busy the next morning though not with potato pickers. In front of the house where the farm machinery usually stood were several cars and a police van. A group of distinguished-looking men and women had appeared the morning after her father's telephone all. The local television station had shown some pictures of the field with Polly pointing to the place where she had found her pavement. It was proving to be of Roman origin and was being described as the most exciting thing that had happened in the area since the end of the Second World War. In those days an American airbase had occupied the site of the potato field.

    A week later about forty students arrived from the local university. That afternoon a truck with equipment arrived. The excavation (挖掘) was officially under way. Permission had been given and “dig”, as it was called, was expected to last several months. Polly wondered how the everyday work of the farm would get done with so many strange people around and cars coming and going all day long. All the unusual activity had made the cows and sheep restless. Her father said their cows produced less milk.

    Still, it was interesting and great fun. They had let her keep the gold coin.

    From then on, Polly would always walk carefully over potato fields.

1．There were still potatoes in the field because the pickers ________.

    A. had left them for Polly on purpose

    B. thought they were too small

    C. would pick them later

    D. had failed to notice them

2．When Polly was looking for potatoes, ________ caught her attention first.

    A. a part of a leaf

    B. an old coin

    C. a piece of pavement

    D. a button

3．Why did the findings cause great excitement?

    A. Because the coin was priceless.

    B. Because an ancient Roman site was discovered.

    C. Because few old coins had been found since the war.

    D. Because such old coins had been found in American airbases.

4．How did the “dig” affect the life on the farm?

    A. It reduced milk production.

    B. It prevented Polly from attending class.

    C. It attracted more farmers to the potato fields

    D. It brought the farmers wealth overnight

While reading, you may focus on the Q (question) and A (answer) on the following web page.

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    Q My husband and I would like to spend five or six days in the Maldives. Could you suggest some low-priced hotels? We'll be there in November. Jan Davies, email.

    A Prices in the Maldives are high. The cheaper hotels (and there aren't many) mightn't be much to look at with unpleasant rooms, iron roofs, old buildings, poor and rough vegetation and basic facilities, but they get their atmosphere from cheerful customers and an untidy, free-island feel.

    Angaga ( South Ari Atoll, phone 0011 960 450510), Asdu Sun Island (North Male Atoll, email  info @usdu. com. mv) are both a bit like this.

    You'll be there in the low season (May to November), when it's still warm. But there's a greater likelihood of rain, so you should be able to get a double (standard) room with full board (three meals a day) for $ 100 a night.

    However, pricing structures for the hotels are enormously complex for standard, superior and luxurious rooms.

    Q My husband and I are from Australia. We are planning a four-week trip to London, Dublin and Paris in October and we are shocked by the cost of hotels. We have searched the Internet and hotel books given to us by tourist authorities but we can't find anything cheaper than $ 150 a night.

    Joan Maloney, email.

    My Travel

    Hotel Preference

    Check Reservations

    Tool

    Weather

    Maps

    Driving Directions

    A For Australians traveling Europe, especially its capital cities, is expensive. You may have to increase your budget (预算). However, if you can't afford these costs, then you should consider staying in hotels where the cheapest twin rooms with shared bathroom cost about $ 20 a person in Dublin and Paris and $ 35 in London. The minimum you would pay for a double room in a central area is $ 50 a person in Dublin and Paris and $ 70 in London. These prices are for shared bathroom facilities, though you will get a wonderfully unhealthy cooked breakfast thrown in.

    Not, all hotels are equal, of course, and it's a good idea to consult a guidebook with a good reputation.

1．The hotel Angaga in the Maldives _______.

    A. attracts untidy people

    B. has some basic facilities

    C. has the best landscape

    D. can be contacted by email

2．If you spend your holiday in the Maldives in February, _______.

    A. there is a greater likelihood of rain

    B. the weather will probably be better than that of the low season

    C. standard, superior and luxurious rooms are all available

    D. a standard room with full board will cost less than $ 100 a night

3．What is the advice for the couple planning to visit Europe in October?

    A. They could live in hotel rooms of lower standard.

    B. They should put up with the wonderful unhealthy cooked breakfast.

    C. They should buy a reliable guidebook instead of increasing the budget.

    D. They should stay in hotels in a central area.

Bill Robinson is on trial for murder (因谋杀而受审). He grew up in a small town in Ohio and then went to Kent State University for one year. When he was nineteen years old, he was asked to join the army and was soon sent to fight in Vietnam. He was very unhappy there, as he hated killing people. Two years later he returned home and tried to pick up where he had left off, but things were never quite the same again for the young black man. For one thing, he always had terrible dreams about the war. He could not concentrate on his studies and soon he had to leave school. Then he was fired from one job after another. He wanted to meet someone nice and get married, but he just couldn't seem to get close to anyone. He became angry easily and people avoided him. He was always lonely. Finally one day, while eating at a restaurant, Bill lost control of himself and shot someone for no reason at all. Bill's lawyer hopes that he will not be held responsible for the shooting. He hopes that the judge and the jury (陪审团) will understand that Bill was “temporarily insane”(一时精神错乱)and did not really choose to kill anyone.

1．What did Bill Robinson do after he returned from abroad?

    A. He gave up the chance to go back to college.

    B. He tried to go back to his normal life.

    C. He picked up his things and left again.

    D. He found what he had dreamed of.

2．He failed to complete his college education because he ________.

    A. hated school

    B. joined the army

    C. didn't study hard

    D. found it difficult to keep his mind on his studies

3．He never married because ________.

    A. there were no nice girls around

    B. he didn't care to meet any girls

    C. he hadn't met girls that he liked

    D. he found it hard to make friends with girls

4．What happened one day?

    A. He went insane.

    B. He shot a young black man.

    C. He killed someone with a gun.

    D. He shot someone for a large sum of money.

5．The best title for this article is ________.

    A. Robinson on Trial

    B. Murder at a Restaurant

    C. A Young Black Man

    D. A Victim of the Vietnam War

Some time ago I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn't think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a whole lot of antique (古董) shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception (接待). I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair. The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth —so I decided that my approach must be wrong.

    I entered the fifth shop with a plan in my mind I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, “Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said. “Yes, not a bad chair. How much do you want for it, sir?” “Twenty pounds,” I said. “OK.” he said. “I'll give you twenty pounds.” “It's got a slightly broken leg,” I said. “Yes, I saw that, it's nothing.”

    Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited “What will you do with it?” I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done.” “I'll buy it.” I said. “What do you mean? You've just sold it to me,” he said. “Yes, I know but I've changed my mind. I am sorry. I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.” “You must be crazy,” he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair.” “You're right,” I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, “Would you mend this chair for me?” “I wouldn't have agreed to do it,” he said. “We don't do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I'll mend this for you, shall we say for a fiver?” He was a very nice man and was greatly amused (感到有趣) by the whole thing.

1．We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer ________.

    A. was rather impolite

    B. was warmly received

    C. asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair

    D. asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair

2．The underlined word “approach” in the second paragraph means________.

    A. plan for dealing with things

    B. decision to sell things

    C. idea of repairing things

    D. way of doing things

3．The expression “the penny dropped” in the last paragraph means the shopkeeper________.

    A. changed his mind

    B. accepted the offer

    C. saw the writers’ purpose

    D. decided to help the writer

4．How much did the writer pay?

    A. $ 5.

    B. $ 7.

    C. $ 20,

    D. $ 27.

5．From the text, we can learn that the writer was________.

    A. honest

    B. careful

    C. smart

    D. funny

    David Grant

    David Grant has become a familiar face to millions of fans of Animal Hospital. Here Dr. Grant tells us the very best of his personal stories about the animals he has treated, including familiar patients such as the dogs Snowy and Duchess, the delightful cat Marigold Serendipity Diamond. He also takes the reader behind the scenes at Harms worth Memorial Animal Hospital as he describes his day, from ordinary medical check-ups to surgery (外科手术). Tales From Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the programme and anyone who has a lively interest in their pet, whether it be cat, dog or snake! $ 14. 99 Hardback 272pp Simon Schuster

    ISBN 0751304417

    Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer

    Michael White

    From the author of Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science comes this colorful description of the life of the world’s first modern scientist. Interesting yet based on fact, Michael White's learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him. Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic (魔术) ended and science began.

    ￡8. 99 Hardback 320pp Fourth Estate

    ISBN 1857024168

    Fermat’s Last Theorem

    Simon Singh

    In 1963 a schoolboy called Andrew Wiles reading in his school library came across the world' s greatest mathematical problem: Fermat's Last Theorem (定理). First put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seventeenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique. Through unbelievable determination Andrew Wiles finally worked out the problem in 1995. An unusual story of human effort over three centuries, Fermat' Last Theorem will delight specialists and general readers alike.

    ￡ 12. 99 Hardback 384 pp Fourth Estate

    ISBN 1857025210

1．What is Animal Hospital?

    A. A news story.

    B. A popular book.

    C. A research report.

    D. A TV programme.

2．In Michael White's book, Newton is described as ________.

    A. a person who did not look the same as in many pictures

    B. a person who lived a colorful and meaningful life

    C. a great but not perfect man

    D. an old-time magician

3．Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “baffle” as it is used in the text?

    A. To encourage people to raise questions.

    B. To cause difficulty in understanding.

    C. To provide a person with an explanation.

    D. To limit people's imagination.

4．The person who finally proved Fermat's Last Theorem is ________.

    A. Simon Singh

    B. Andrew Wiles

    C. Pierre de Fermat

    D. a French woman scientist

5．What is the purpose of writing these three texts?

    A. To make the books easier to read.

    B. To show the importance of science.

    C. To introduce new authors.

    D. To sell the books.

    The Shanghai Transrapid Maglev Line(首次)test run and the first commercial maglev(magnetic levitation)system in the world was put to use.

    The project is a joint effort by China and Germany. It cost 10 billion Yuan and took two and half years to complete.

    The maglev train ran smoothly，building up speed to 427 kilometers per hour. It covered a 45-minute journey by car in all easy eight minutes. However，the short trip costs as much as 50 Yuan. There are speculations(推测)that within ten years there could be a line from Shanghai to Beijing－1,280 kilometers. The journey would only take three hours. The total cost of the maglev would be about US$24 billion.

    Unlike the current railway system with traditional tracks，the maglev runs on magnetic levitation linen. The powerful electric current enables the fast train to rise above the line and float.

    A maglev system can reach speeds of up to 400～500 kilometers per hour，much faster than any normal railway system. The lack of contact between the train and the maglev “tracks” reduces the noise level and the damaging effect on the land of a city.

   The maglev system is also energy-efficient. Its energy consumption(消耗)is only about half that of cars and a quarter that of aircraft with the same transport capacity.

   The effect of the magnetic force of the maglev system on passengers and nearby  areas is minimal since the effect on humans is less than that of most electric household  appliance(家用电器).

  1. The passage is mainly about    .

    A. the speed of the Shanghai Transport Maglev line

    B. the Shanghai Transport Maglev Line

    C. the influence of the Shanghai Transport Maglev Line

    D. the co-operation between China and Germany

 2. The last three paragraph tell us　　    .

  A. the advantages of the maglev system

  B. the usage of the maglev system is a final trend

  C. the maglev system can do good to environment protection

  D. the effect of the magnetic force on passengers

 3. It can be inferred that　　    .

  A. no other countries in the world except China have studied the Shanghai Transrapid Maglev lane

  B. the cost of taking a journey in the maglev train is too high

  C. the Shanghai Transrapid Maglev Line will attract more visitors to Shanghai

  D. Germany is the only partner for China in Shanghai

 4. The author thinks　　　　    .

  A. one of China's long—term dreams has come true

  B. Shanghai takes the lead in high-tech in China

  C. the cost of the maglev train is beyond the ability of Shanghai

  D. maglev trains will take the place of many transportation tools

   Other people have a different idea about the future．In their view，the city of the future will be a huge pyramid-shaped building，which will be floating on the surface of the sea．About 5000 families will live there, and there will also be schools，shops in it．

In a hundred years' time，people will not need to use oil．They will heat their homes with power from the sun．

Think of space．Perhaps a station will be set up on the moon；people will be able to visit the moon as tourists．They may even spend their holidays in space，traveling from planet to planet．

 What an interesting picture!

 Many people don't think about the future．“I don’t care．I'll be dead，”they say．But it is our duty to care because the world of a hundred years' time will be the world of our children's and their children after them．

1．How many viewpoints are discussed here about the future?

    A. Two.　　 B. Three.　　 C. Four.　　 D. Five.

2. In the pessimistic view，people will　　    in a hundred years' time.

  A. have to use power from the sun

  B. have to live on the moon

  C. be able to grow food on the sea

  D. find it difficult to live on the earth

3. Where will people live in the future in the optimistic(乐观的)view?

   A. on the moon.　　 B. on the sea.

   C. In pyramids.　　 D. On other planets.　　

4. The writer of the article seems to agree　　    .　　

   A. with those who take a pessimistic view about the future   

   B. with those who look at the bright side of the future   

   C. with those who won’t trouble their heads about the future

   D. to none of these view points

“It might seem strange that people still want to listen in the age of watching television，but this is an unusual art form whose time has come again,” said David Ambrose, director of Beyond the Border, and international storytelling festival (节日) in Wales.

“Some of the tales, like those of the Inuit from Canada, are thousands of years old. So our storytellers have come from distant lands to connect us with the distance of time,” he said early this month.

Two Inuit women, both in their mid 60s, are among the few remaining who can do Kntadjait, or throat singing, which had few words and much sound.

Their art is governed by the cold of their surroundings, forcing them to say little but listen attentively.

Ambrose started the festival in 1993, after several years of working with those reviving (bringing back into use or existence) storytelling in Wales.

“It came out of a group of people who wanted to reconnect with traditions. And as all the Welsh are storytellers, it was in good hands here,” Ambrose said.

1. Ambrose believes that the art of storytelling _________.

  A. will be more popular than TV

  B. will be popular again

  C. started in Wales

  D. are in the hands of some old people

2. From the tales told by the Inuit, people can learn _______.

  A. about their life as early as thousands of years ago

  B. why they tell the stories in a throat-singing way

  C. how cold it has been where the Inuit live

  D. how difficult it is to understand the Inuit

3. According to the writer, which of the following is NOT true?

   A. Storytelling once stopped in Wales.

   B. Storytelling has a long history in Wales.

   C. Storytelling is always well received in Wales.

   D. Storytelling did not come back until 1993 in Wales.

4. The underlined phrase in good hands means_______.

   A. controlled by rich people

   B. grasped by good storytellers

   C. taken good care of

   D. protected by kind people