In the United States, it is not usual to telephone someone early in the morning. If you telephone early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate(立即的) attention. So it is with the telephone calls made after 11:00 pm. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he may think that it’s a matter of life and death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.

In social life, time plays a very important part. In the USA guests are likely to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party reaches them only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be thought silly to make an appointment(约会) too far ahead because plans which are made for a date more than a week away may be forgotten. The meaning of time is not the same in different cultures that treat time differently; being on time is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not on time, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible(责任). In the USA no one would think of keeping a business friend for an hour; it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late is asked to make a shout apology (道歉). If he is less than 5 minutes late, he will say a few words of explanation(解释), though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.

1.A call at midnight would mean_________.

A．the matter is less important

B．the matter is too difficult to handle

C．the matter requires immediate attention

D．it is a matter of life and death

2.According to the passage, time plays a very important part in__________.

A．everyday life                           B．personal life

C．getting along with others                  D．business

3.In the passage, the writer suggests that invitation cards should be sent___________.

A．three or four days before the party date in all cultures

B．three or four days before the party date in some cultures

C．three or four days before the party date in the USA

D．at your chosen time

 

Dear, you need to           by next week, to go to university at home or to go abroad.You are going on eighteen. OK, Mum. I am considering it.

A. make an appointment      B. make a suggestion        C. make a decision

 

In the United States, it is not usual to telephone someone early in the morning. If you telephone early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate(立即的) attention. So it is with the telephone calls made after 11:00 pm. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he may think that it’s a matter of life and death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.
In social life, time plays a very important part. In the USA guests are likely to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party reaches them only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be thought silly to make an appointment(约会) too far ahead because plans which are made for a date more than a week away may be forgotten. The meaning of time is not the same in different cultures that treat time differently; being on time is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not on time, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible(责任). In the USA no one would think of keeping a business friend for an hour; it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late is asked to make a shout apology (道歉). If he is less than 5 minutes late, he will say a few words of explanation(解释), though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.
【小题1】A call at midnight would mean_________.

A．the matter is less important

B．the matter is too difficult to handle

C．the matter requires immediate attention

D．it is a matter of life and death

【小题2】According to the passage, time plays a very important part in__________.

A．everyday life	B．personal life
C．getting along with others	D．business

【小题3】In the passage, the writer suggests that invitation cards should be sent___________.

A．three or four days before the party date in all cultures

B．three or four days before the party date in some cultures

C．three or four days before the party date in the USA

D．at your chosen time

When visiting Beijing, the Palace Museum is a must-see for many people.

Last year, the museum received 14.2 million visitors, which is twice the number of visitors in 2002. This year it is expected to increase by 10 percent. Compared with other popular museums around the world, the number of visitors at the Palace Museum is very high. Last year the Louvre(罗浮宫) in Paris welcomed 8.8 million visitors and the British Museum in London received 5.8 million.

A large number of visitors can bring a lot of money from ticket sales. But there are also worries that people will do demage(破坏) to relics(文物) and old buildings.

To solve the problem, some people suggested taking cultural objects out of the Palace Museum. In this way, visitors coming for ancient buildings and cultural objects will go to different places. “It is a sign of progress. Letting more people see these treasures is more important than keeping them in their original(原始的) place,” said Song Xiangguang, a professor at Peking University.

However, Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, doesn’t agree on this idea. He thinks that the most important thing in protecting the Palace Museum is to keep it complete. “The 1.8 million cultural relics and the historical buildings are two key parts of the museum. They can’t be separated.” he said.

Shan said that they are planning to increase the space that is open to the public. This will not only feed visitors’ curiosity(好奇), but also spread them out so they are not putting too much pressure on one area.

Shan also wanted to set up an appointment system. “ If visitors make an appointment before they come, we can make better and different visiting routes(路线) for them.” Shan said.

1.How many visitors did the Palace Museum welcome in 2002?

A．14.2 million        B．8.8 million         C．5.8 million         D．7.1 million

2.Why did some people suggest taking cultural objects out of the Palace Museum?

A．To let more people see the relics.           B．To bring less damage to the relics.

C．To make more money from ticket sales.       D．To keep the Palace Museum original.

3.The underlined word “separated” means ______ in Chinese.

A．分离             B．破坏             C．偷窃             D．压迫

4.By reading the article, we can know that______________.

A．the Palace Museum has an appointment system now.

B．relics are the only important part of the Palace Museum.

C．the Louvre welcomed the most visitors in the world last year.

D．Shan thought that more areas of the palace should be open to public.

 

任务型阅读（共10分，每题2分）
Pets are a part of people’s lives. Some pets are like family. In these days, many people have pets at home and spend a lot of money improving their lives. In fact, in some parts of the world, pets get real VIP treatment(待遇). VIP usually means Very Important People, but here VIP means Very Important Pets!
When you want to give Fido or Kitty a holiday, or when you are going away on business, you can put them at a dog and cat hotel, and cats have a large place with something to climb on and play with. The guests get the best food during their stays at these hotels.
There are other special services(服务) at  hotels. Imagine you are traveling and you want to see your pet: the hotel can put a video camera in the pet’s room. So you can see your Fido or Kitty on TV.
The hotels usually have good groomers(美容师): They often bath and take the best hair care for the pets. But you need to make an appointment because people are usually very busy taking care of pets.
【小题1】What’s the new meaning of “VIP” in this passage?
                               
【小题2】According to this passage, where can you put your pet when you are away on business?
                                                                     
【小题3】What does “Fido” stand for(代表) here?
                                        
【小题4】How can you see your pet during your traveling?
                                                                     
【小题5】Why need you make an appointment when you want a good groomer for your pet?