I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part in and live in.

With this unshakable belief, I, at fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people’s writing can one discover what works, what doesn’t and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.

Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作品)．As a. law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter—the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime.

What can be inferred about the author as a child?

A.  He never watched TV.

B.  He read what he had to.

C.  He found reading unbelievable.

D.  He considered reading part of his life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means “       ”.

A.  an idea     

B.  a sound quality

C.  a way of writing

D.  a  world to write about

What effect does reading have on the author?

A.  It helps him to realize his dream.

B.  It opens up a wider world for him.

C.  It makes his college life more interesting.

D.  It increases his interest in worldwide travel.

Which of the following can be the best title of this text?

A.  Why do I read?

B.  How do I read?

C.  What do I read? 

D.  When do I read?

Researchers found that women are overcome by a burning desire to share gossip（流言蜚语）as soon as they hear it. They will typically tell the secret to at least one other person in 47 hours. Depending on who the gossip is about, their boyfriend, husband, best friend or mother is most likely to be the recipients（接受者）of the information.

    The study of 3,000 women aged between 18 and 65 also found that. four out of ten admitted they were unable to keep a secret—no matter how personal or secret the news was. It was also found that alcohol usually gives us a helping hand to let out secrets—with more than half admitting a glass or two of wine could get them to dish the dirt.

Michael Cox, UK Director of Wines of Chile, said, “It’s official that women can’t keep secrets. We are really eager to find out with this survey how many secrets people are told. What we don’t count on（指望）is how quickly these are passed on by those we trust. No matter how precious the piece of information is, it often comes out within 48 hours.”

    Three quarters say they are able to keep quiet about a secret, and 83 percent consider themselves 100 percent reliable within each group of friends. Yet, four in ten admit to gossiping to a close friend from another friendship group. Nearly half（45 percent）disclose secrets just for the weight to be lifted from their shoulders. More than four in ten think it is acceptable to share a friend’s secret with someone who doesn’t know him or her.

    Private issues, true cost of purchases and affairs emerged top of the secret-keeping list, with girls most likely to share a secret chatting face-to-face, on the phone or via a text message. Fortunately, over a quarter（27 percent）said they forgot what they were told the following day.

1.Please explain the underlined words “dish the dirt” in English. （No more than 5 words.）

2.What makes women more likely pass on gossip? （No more than 3 word.）

3.What kinds of secrets are women most interested in? （No more than 10 words.）

4.Why do about half women tell secrets to others? （No more than 10 words.）

5.Should women tell secrets to others or keep secrets? Please give your reasons. （No more than 30 words.）

When I asked my daughter which item she would keep; the phone, the car, the cooker, the computer, the TV, or her boyfriend, she said“the phone”. Personally, I could do without the phone entirely, which makes me unusual. Because the telephone is changing our lives more than any other piece of technology.

Point 1 The telephone creates the need to communicate, in the same way that more roads create more traffic. My daughter comes home from school at 4:00 pm and then spends an hour on the phone talking to the very people she has been at school with all day. If the phone did not exist, would she have anything to talk about?

Point 2 The mobile phone means that we are never alone. “The mobile saved my life,”says Crystal Johnstone. She had an accident in her Volvo on the A45 between Otley and Skipton. Trapped inside, she managed to make the call that brought the ambulance(救护车) to her rescue.

Point 3 The mobile removes our secret. It allows marketing manager of Haba Deutsch, Carl Nicolaisen, to ring his sales staff all round the world at and time of day to ask where they are , where they are going, and how their last meeting went.

Point 4 The telephone separates us. Antonella Bramante in Rome says, “We worked in separate offices but I could see him through the window. It was easy to get his number. We were so near——but we didn’t meet for the first two weeks!”

Point 5 The telephone allows us to reach out beyond our own lives. Today we can talk to several complete strangers simultaneously ( 同时地) on chat lines (at least my daughter does. I wouldn’t know what to talk about). We can talk across the world. We can even talk to astronauts (if you know any) while they’re space-walking. And, with the phone line hooked up to the computer, we can access(进入) the Internet, the biggest library on Earth.

1.How do you understand‘Point 1 —The telephone creates the need to communicate,6…’？

2.Which of the following best shows people’s attitude towards mobile phones?

3.Which points do you think support the idea that phones improve people’s life?

a.      Point 1. b. Point2. c. Point3. d. Point 4. e. Point 5.

4.It is possible to talk to several complete strangers simultaneously through .

5.The best heading for the passage is .

                                     C

Starting college can be a difficult experience. You have to deal with new responsibilities and growing independence, a challenging course load and, of course, the social scene. When a roommate is thrown into the mix, it may feel like you’re struggling with all that stuff while living in a small box with a stranger.

But having a roommate doesn’t need to be one more thing to worry about. When students go into their living situations with realistic expectations and a willingness to compromise, things can work out just fine.

When you first meet your roommate, chances are you’ll be on your best behaviour. You want to get along, since this is the person who’s going to be sharing your living space for the next year. But try to think ahead to potential (可能的) worst cases, too.

For example, imagine it’s 2 a.m. and you’re working on a paper that should be finished in 8 hours. Your roommate comes in from a party and wants to continue the party in your room.

At times like these, you won’t be feeling good. That’s why talking about problems that might come up ahead of time -- and respecting each other’s wishes when the time comes -- is so important.

Talk about the things that are really important to you, and make sure your roommate understands. Then encourage him or her to do the same.

For example, does it make you angry when people take things without asking first? Let your roommate know your feelings about these types of things from the start, so that both of you have a feel for each other’s likes, dislikes, and habits.

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

2.You should try to be polite to your roommate because       .

3. Which of the following is the best way to get along well with your roommate?

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?

It’s not easy being a teenager---nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager. You can make your child feel angry, hurt, or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself. It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while gently letting him know that you’ll still be there for him when he needs you.

Expect a lot from your child, just not everything. Except for health and safety problems, such as drug use or careless driving; consider everything else open to discussion. If your child is unwilling to discuss something, don’t insist he tell you what’s on his mind. The more you insist, the more likely that he’ll refuse to talk. Instead, let him attempt to solve things by himself. At the same time, remind him that you’re always there for him should he seek advice or help. Show respect for your teenager’s privacy(隐私). Never read him his mail or listen in on personal conversions.

Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family. If your child talks on the family’s telephone for too long, tell him he can talk for 15 minutes, but then he must stay off the phone for at least an equal period of time. This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls, but teaches your teenager moderation (节制). Or if you are open to the idea, allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part-time job.

1.Why is it not easy being a teenager or a parent of a teenager?

A．Because the teenager is very naughty.

B．Because the parent always expects a lot from the child.

C．Because you can make your child feel hurt, or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself.

D．Because the teenager wants his or her own space.

2.The main purpose of the text is to tell parents       .

A．how to get along with a teenager            B．how to respect a teenager

C．how to understand a teenager             D．how to help a teenager grow up

3.The last paragraph is about how to teach a teenager        .

A．to use the phone in a sensible way          B．to pay for his own telephone

C．to share the phone quickly                D．to answer the phone quickly

4.What should parents do in raising a teenager according to the text?

A．Not allow him to learn driving or take drugs.

B．Give him advice only when necessary.

C．Let him have his own telephone.

D．Not talk about personal things with him.