Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life.
In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all whether rich or poor, clever or stupid - one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degree；they refuse to do what they think "low" work; and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries. But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor; we can live without education, but we die if we have no food. If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our towns…
In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and, secondly, that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that it is very bad to be ashamed of one's work. Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society.
【小题1】The writer of the passage thinks that _______.

Art is everywhere in our lives.Every man?made object is linked with art—a house，a motor car，a bridge，a chair，a teapot，or a piece of cloth.Throughout history，humans have made articles for a wide variety of purposes；generally for everyday practical requirements.The style of practical objects reflects the outlook and the spirit of the times in which they are made and in consequence style is constantly changing.

It seems that humans possess a natural urge to improve constructed objects with decoration：sometimes for beautification，sometimes for religious reasons，sometimes to show off their wealth and power，and sometimes to tell a story.Decoration is not art in itself.Unnecessary decoration can ruin the form and perhaps the function of an object，but when decoration is used with care，it can beautify，produce variety，and add interest.

The first essential(要点) in every creation is that it should properly fulfil its purpose；for instance，a teapot should pour perfectly，an easy chair should provide comfortable relaxation，a block of flats should be a pleasant place in which to live，and a factory or commercial building should be a suitable building in which to work.

The second essential is that an object should please the eye with its form，line，proportion(比例)，colour and texture(质地)，and it should be capable of inspiring the emotions.For example，contemporary furniture designers must think of form，function and structure，and have taken their lead from the outstanding Scandinavian designs of Denmark，Finland and Sweden，whose preference was for simple functional furniture to suit the architectural environment of the day.Heavy furniture is no longer desirable，and by contrast，modern furniture is often characterised by its good proportion，pleasing lines，simple fittings and attractive structures.

Motor vehicles are a perfect example of how design has changed to suit function.Early car design was greatly influenced by the horse?drawn carriage，but today we find functional design satisfying every requirement of practical use and good appearance.Designs in the 1980s and 1990s included streamlining(流线型) to reduce wind resistance in fast?moving vehicles，and，at the same time，satisfy an important art principle—rhythm.But the cars of today，often half size of their predecessors(前身)，have taken the concept of industrial design way beyond simple strength，comfort and beauty.They now include safety and ecological characteristics，reflecting the need to be environmentally friendly through，for example，reduced fuel consumption，while at the same time satisfying the need to be stylish，and appealing to the eye.For many people，the 21st?century car represents the greatest work of art.

1.What point does the writer make about decorating objects?

A．It is something people have always done.

B．It can show the object has a range of functions.

C．It always improves the appearance of an object.

D．It is usually done to make the object more noticeable.

2.The underlined word “fulfil” in Paragraph 3 means “________”．

A．keep? B．find

C．change? D．realize

3.What is the best title for the text?

A．Form Follows Function

B．Life Is Art，Art Is Life

C．Art in Everyday Life

D．The Best Work of Art

       Modern inventions have speeded up people’s lives amazingly. Motor-cars cover a hundred miles in little more than an hour, aircraft cross the world inside a day, while computers operate at lightning speed. Indeed, this love of speed seems never-ending. Every year motor-cars are produced which go even faster and each new computer boasts (吹嘘) of saving precious seconds in handling tasks.

       All this saves time, but at a price. When we lose or gain half a day in speeding across the world in an airplane, our bodies tell us so. We get the uncomfortable feeling known as jet-lag; our bodies feel that they have been left behind in another time zone. Again, spending too long at computers results in painful wrists and fingers. Mobile phones also have their dangers, according to some scientists; too much use may transmit harmful radiation into our brains, a consequence we do not like to think about.

       However, what do we do with the time we have saved? Certainly not relax, or so it seems. We are so accustomed to constant activity that we find it difficult to sit and do nothing, or even just one thing at a time. Perhaps the days are long gone when we might listen quietly to a story on the radio, letting imagination take us into another world.

       There was a time when some people’s lives were devoted simply to the cultivation of the land or the care of cattle. No multi-tasking there; their lives went on at a much gentler pace, and in a familiar pattern. There is much that we might envy about a way of life like this. Yet before we do so, we must think of the hard tasks our ancestors faced: they farmed with bare hands, often lived close to hunger, and had to fashion tools from wood and stone. Modern machinery has freed people from that primitive existence.

1.The new products become more and more time-saving because          .

       A. time is limited                                            B. our love of speed seems never-ending     

       C. the prices are increasingly high                      D. the manufacturers boast a lot

2.What does “the days” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

       A. Simple life in the past.                                 B. Imaginary life.                              

       C. Times of inventions.                                     D. Time for constant activity.

3.What is the author’s attitude towards the modern technology?

       A. Objective.                B. Critical.                   C. Optimistic.               D. Negative.

4.What does the passage mainly discuss?

       A. Machinery and human beings.                       B. The present and past times.                    

C. Imaginations and inventions.                         D. Modern technology and its influence.

阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。

Thomson中学学生Mike、Joseph、Anna、Ian和Susan正在计划下学期各自的选修课程。阅读第46~50题中的各人情况说明和A和F六门选修课的介绍，选出符合各人个性特长的最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余选项。

THOMSON HIGH SCHOOL

A

Creative Writing — by Mrs. A. McClellan

Creative writing is a course in which we study and apply the methods used in various forms of fiction writing. Writing is a skill of art in itself. We are guided by Ezra Pound’s opinion:“Make it new.”Creative writing does not only provide us with an opportunity to express ourselves, but also holds our attention to word choice, paragraph development, and other skills useful in writing.

B

Journalism — by Dr. E. Brandt

Journalism is a course for seniors, in which we will cover how to gather, write, and report the news. We will discuss how information is, or can be, organized. This course also aims to develop communication skills required of journalists.

C

A classic is a literary work that has stood the test of time. Generations of readers have turned to classics to discover that which is ever-lasting. Through both the works themselves and the people they mirror, we may better be able to see ourselves. In this course, we will read works in both British and American literature（文学）. We will write reviews of what we read.

D

Technical Writing — by Mr. J. Allen

What is technical writing? It is the course devoted to improving your communication skills in, for , and through technology. Activities for this course will help you develop communication skills that are necessary for writers and speakers working with technology or in business.

E

Non-fiction — by Dr. M. Tim

The course is a study of non-fiction through reading many different types of non-fiction. The course will also be about the possible changes in journalistic reporting and the sharing of personal stories of various people on various topics such as travel and adventure. We will examine some of the best writing in the world and deal with the techniques used in this text type.

F

World Literature — by Mrs. A. McClellan

World Literature examines the common people found in quality Literature worldwide, from Europe to America, from Asia to Africa, and introduces a variety of cultural background at different points in history. In these worlds, we find not only what is unique to each culture, but what is universal. We are also able to tell what makes for a good story, no matter from where or whom the story springs.

46.Mike spent his childhood mostly in his father’ s study, where he read novels by British and American writers. Next term he will become a senior student. He thinks it’ s time that he read more of their works and learned to write about them.

47.Joseph is good at the language arts, and in his spare time he likes to write short stories. It is his wish that his stories would be printed in local newspapers. So he is thinking of taking a course to develop his writing skills, such as wording and paragraph organization.

48.A lively and caring girl, Anna takes an active part in social activities. She is trying to write reports for newspapers about what she sees and hears But few of them are accepted because of poor organization of information. She feels the need to improve her writing and communication skills next term.

49.Ian traveled worldwide with his parents when he was very young. Under their influence, he becomes greatly interested in stories of travel and adventure. He hopes to write his own stories in the future. So next term, he will choose a course to study the best writing of this type.

50.Susan comes from China. As a junior back home, she wrote quite a lot of short stories, some of which were published in newspapers. Her parent’ s suggest she read some classics by Asian and Western writers. She thinks it helpful in her writing. So she is going to take a course of this kind next term.

B
It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and Maggie and I were returning from our walk through the woods. We were only a couple of blocks from home when I spotted a cellphone and credit card sitting on the road. We took them home. We find amazing things on the street. She looks upon it as a movable dinner. Chicken wings here and there.
I found another cellphone a few years back, too, and called a number in its phone book. I explained the situation to the guy who answered. He said it was his sister’s and that he'd swing by to pick it up, which he did.
And that was that. No verbal (口头的) thank-you, no written thank-you, no “here’s a box of chocolates” thank-you.
I didn’t have time to call anyone on my latest found cellphone. I was pouring myself coffee when it started to vibrate (颤动) and dance across the kitchen counter.
“Who’s this?” someone asked when I picked up.
“Who’s this?” I countered. “Sarah?”
She was taken aback until she realized her name was on the credit card I also had recovered. “Could you send it to me?” she asked.
She lives in Arlington, which is 2 miles from my house.
“Hmm, no,” I replied, adding that I thought she could come get them, and that if I wasn’t home, they would be in my mailbox.
A day later, when I was out for a run, someone retrieved them. But I got nothing. In this age of e-mail and cellphones, there’s really no excuse.
Years ago, I found something more precious than a $100 bill on the street: a driver’s license. I saw that its owner lived a couple of blocks from me, so I called him up. He asked whether I could slip the license through his front door.
“I guess I could,” I replied.
And that was that.
61. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Several Experiences of My Own
B. “Thank You” Is Becoming More Priceless
C. It’s Polite to Thank the Finders
D. Only Losers Lack “Thank” for Finders
62. According to the text, it can be inferred that Maggie should be ______.
A. the author’s wife             B. the author’s pet
C. the author’s best friend        D. the author’s son
63. The author didn’t call anyone on his latest found cellphone because ______.
A. it wasn’t worth to do          B. he wanted to keep it as his own
C. he was busy then             D. he didn’t know its owner
64. The underlined word “retrieved” in the tenth paragraph means “______”.
A. got back       B. returned       C. lost      D. threw away
65. How does the author feel when he told his last experience about the driver’s license?
A. Disappointed.      B. Helpless.     C. Encouraged.      D. Hopeful.