Vincent van Gogh was not always an artist. In fact, he wanted to be a(n) __21  and was even sent to the Belgian __22  community of Borinage. He discovered that the miners there __23  deplorable(悲惨的) working conditions and poverty-level wages. Their families  __24__  simply to survive. He felt concerned that the small amount of money he received from the church __25  him a moderate life-style, which, __26 , seemed to him unfair.

One cold February evening, while he watched the miners trudging(步履艰难)home, he __27  an old man staggering(蹒跚)toward him across the fields, __28 in a burlap sack for warmth. Van Gogh laid his own clothing out on the bed, __29 enough for one change, and decided to give__30 away. He gave the old man a suit of clothes and gave his overcoat to a pregnant woman whose __31 had been killed in a cave-in.

He lived on starvation rations and spent his money on __32  for the miners. When children in one family had fever, though __33  himself, he packed up his bed and took it to them.

A (an) __34  family in the community offered him free room and board. Van Gogh __35__ the offer, stating that it was the final temptation he must reject if he was to __36  serve his community of poor miners.

He believed that if he wanted them to __37  him, he must become one of them. And if they were to learn of love through him, he must love them enough to __38  with them.

He was aware of the wide chasm(鸿沟)between words and actions. He knew that our lives always __39  louder and clearer than words.

Others are “ __40 ” carefully to your actions. What are you saying to them?

第二节完形填空  (共20小题，每小题1分，满分20分)

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36至55各个题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

The moment I knew my mother had incurable lung cancer, I realized for the first time that time will one day run out for us all.

I have determined to be with my mother as much as I possibly can. This is not out of a sense of

36  , but because I really want to be near her. But making the time to   37   with my mother has been my greatest   38   . I have a husband, a four-year-old son and a home to nm. I also hold down a(n)    39    job as a radio announcer at the BBC.

I arrived at work one day to be told we would be doing a radio series exploring “time poverty”. I’ve    40    been taken with the idea that we are time-poor. How can I - who have so many labor-saving machines and an only child – have   41   time than my mother who had six children and no  42  ?

I put this   43   a professor. He pointed out that it is because I try to keep my home much cleaner than my mother did. I admit I like to   44   to my friends. My husband says  45   that I remove all traces (痕迹) of human life    46    anyone arrives.

The professor said    47   has become the new religion. We expect work to provide us with a sense of identity and a means to secure our future. And because we   48   so much time in our working lives, we like to reward ourselves with material things. Frequently, we spend our money before it’s earned.   49  is an annoying worry, keeping us 50  to the work treadmill (跑步机).

The same professor suggested we    51   a Buddhist concept -- to enjoy each moment and activity for its own sake,   52  try to do lots of things at once. Since then I have been   53   the art of “living in the moment” whenever I get the chance. I have cleared my schedule of nonessential tasks,   54   house and garden plans, and turned down some extra work.

It is my mother’s illness, a once-in-a-lifetime event, that sets me   55   on the fact that we forget that time is a limited resource.

36. A. duty           B. guilt              C. sorrow             D. sympathy

37. A. live            B. be                 C. chat                D. go

38. A. concern         B. challenge           C. chance              D. trouble

39. A. demanding         B. critical             C. boring              D. amazing

40. A. almost          B. seldom            C. never               D. often

41. A. better          B. worse             C. less                D. more

42. A. tape-recorder    B. washing machine    C. air-conditioner       D. television

43. A. with           B. for               C. in                         D. to

44. A. show off       B. draw attention       C. look forward        D. get close

45. A. angrily          B. surprisingly         C. jokingly            D. seriously

46. A. after           B. when              C. as                 D. before

47. A. time           B. entertainment        C. work              D. family

48. A. invest         B. contribute          C. give               D. devote

49. A. Pressure        B. Expense           C. Life                D. Debt

50. A. led             B. chained            C. relied              D. focused

51. A. adopt          B. advocate            C. adapt               D. acquire

52. A. more than       B. instead of           C. rather than          D. other than

53. A. exercising      B. practicing           C. believing            D. holding

54. A. fixed          B. conducted          C. postponed           D. made

55. A. reflecting      B. thinking            C. considering          D. wondering

填空（共10小题，每小题1分，共10分）：

阅读下面的短文，在标有序号的空白处填入一个适当的词，或填入括号中单词的正确形式，并将序号及相应答案写在答题纸上。

Around the world young people are spending unbelievable sums of money to listen to rock music. Forbes Magazine claims that at least fifty rock stars have an __1__ of between two million and six million dollars per year.

Some observers think the customers are buying more than music. According to one theory, rock music has a special appeal because no real training is needed to produce it. There is __2__ gap between the audience and the performers. Every boy and girl in the audience thinks,” I could sing __3__ that.” So rock has become a new kind of religion, a new form of worship. Young people are glad to worship a rock star because it is a way of worshipping __4__.

Luck is a key word for explaining the success of many. In 1972 one of the luckiest was Don McLean, who wrote and sang “American Pie”. Like most performers, McLean __5__ his own music, so he earns additional money. Records provide only part of a star’s income. Around the world young listeners soon want to see the star in movies, on television, and __6__ person.

__7__ do the rock stars use their money? What do they do when the money starts pouring in like water? Most of the young stars just throw the money around. England’s Elton John bought himself a $5,000 pair of eyeglasses that light up and spell E-L-T-O-N. He also bought himself __8__ cars, “one for each foot”.

In the end the rock star’s life is unrewarding. After two or three years fame and fortune are gone. __9__(leave) with his memories and his tax problems, the lonely ex-performer spends his __10__ (remain) years trying to impress strangers. New stars have arrived to take his place.

第二节完形填空  (共20小题，每小题1分，满分20分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36至55各个题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The moment I knew my mother had incurable lung cancer, I realized for the first time that time will one day run out for us all.
I have determined to be with my mother as much as I possibly can. This is not out of a sense of
36  , but because I really want to be near her. But making the time to   37   with my mother has been my greatest   38   . I have a husband, a four-year-old son and a home to nm. I also hold down a(n)    39    job as a radio announcer at the BBC.
I arrived at work one day to be told we would be doing a radio series exploring “time poverty”. I’ve    40    been taken with the idea that we are time-poor. How can I - who have so many labor-saving machines and an only child – have   41   time than my mother who had six children and no  42  ?
I put this   43   a professor. He pointed out that it is because I try to keep my home much cleaner than my mother did. I admit I like to   44   to my friends. My husband says  45   that I remove all traces (痕迹) of human life    46    anyone arrives.
The professor said    47   has become the new religion. We expect work to provide us with a sense of identity and a means to secure our future. And because we   48   so much time in our working lives, we like to reward ourselves with material things. Frequently, we spend our money before it’s earned.   49  is an annoying worry, keeping us 50  to the work treadmill (跑步机).
The same professor suggested we    51   a Buddhist concept -- to enjoy each moment and activity for its own sake,   52  try to do lots of things at once. Since then I have been   53   the art of “living in the moment” whenever I get the chance. I have cleared my schedule of nonessential tasks,   54   house and garden plans, and turned down some extra work.
It is my mother’s illness, a once-in-a-lifetime event, that sets me   55   on the fact that we forget that time is a limited resource.
36. A. duty           B. guilt              C. sorrow             D. sympathy
37. A. live            B. be                 C. chat                D. go
38. A. concern         B. challenge           C. chance              D. trouble
39. A. demanding         B. critical             C. boring              D. amazing
40. A. almost          B. seldom            C. never               D. often
41. A. better          B. worse             C. less                D. more
42. A. tape-recorder    B. washing machine    C. air-conditioner       D. television
43. A. with           B. for               C. in                         D. to
44. A. show off       B. draw attention       C. look forward        D. get close
45. A. angrily          B. surprisingly         C. jokingly            D. seriously
46. A. after           B. when              C. as                 D. before
47. A. time           B. entertainment        C. work              D. family
48. A. invest         B. contribute          C. give               D. devote
49. A. Pressure        B. Expense           C. Life                D. Debt
50. A. led             B. chained            C. relied              D. focused
51. A. adopt          B. advocate            C. adapt               D. acquire
52. A. more than       B. instead of           C. rather than          D. other than
53. A. exercising      B. practicing           C. believing            D. holding
54. A. fixed          B. conducted          C. postponed           D. made
55. A. reflecting      B. thinking            C. considering          D. wondering

Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad has been retired. But he didn’t go quietly. In his final speech, he blamed the Jewish people for the problems between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The Jews have taken land of the Muslims,” he said. “What if part of America was given to the Jews as Israel? Would the Americans let it happen? Of course not.”

His words angered many western governments, but Mahathir doesn’t care. “I like to speak my mind,” the 77-year-old explained. “Sometimes people don’t like it. But that is what leadership is all about.”

Loved by some and disliked by others, his 22 years in power have seen great changes in Malaysia. He has taken it from being one of Asia’s poorest countries to the world’s 18th largest trading nation. It is also a peaceful country with native Malaysians living alongside minority groups. Chinese make up a quarter of the population, while a further 7.4 percent are of Indian origin. Teenage girls wearing Muslim^① headscarves happily walk around large stores as ethnic Chinese play mah-jong^② in nearby cafes.

But Mahathir has made enemies at home and abroad and some people will be glad he has gone. The US was unhappy when he often blamed it for globalization. Meanwhile, critics say that he has limited the freedom of the Malaysian people in order to stay in control of the country. Despite this, he is a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia as well as those in the Islamic^③ world. “He marked out the path to success for developing nations in the region to follow,” said Thai President Thaksin Shinawatra.

Now he just wants to enjoy his retirement and insists that he will not take on a special role in government. “I’m a nobody,” he said. But many Malaysians do not agree with this.

Notes:

Muslim  adj. 穆斯林的

mah-jong  n. 麻将

Islamic  adj. 伊斯兰教的

Choose the best answers according to the above:

What does Mahathir probably mean by saying “But that is what leadership is all about.”?

A. The Jews have taken land of the Muslines by strong power of their leadership.

B. America should give part of its land to Israel though its leadership is powerful.

C. Leadership has the obligation to speak up what you think is right or wrong.

D. As a leader of a country, you have the right to teach those in other countries what to do and how.

Which is NOT true about the following?

A. Malaysia was no longer poor after Mahathir came into power.

B. Malaysia is a country with natives and other minorities like Jews living alongside

   peacefully.

C. Malaysia developed a lot within Mahathir’s power but freedom of Malaysians was

   limited.

D. Mahathir’s role in the world is both a hero to leaders in Southeast Asia but also a possible enemy of some countries.

The best title of this passage would be _________.

A. A Religion Enthusiast                            B. Mahathir’s Political Policy

C. Mahathir Is Malaysia D. Hero of the World