22、Free and secure accommodation, on bills and even the odd home-cooked meal. It sounds like the perfect living arrangement for cash-strapped students.

Two mothers believe they have devised（设计）a way for struggling students to save on accommodation costs when they leave home to study at university.

Kate Barnham and Amanda Flude have launched Student Swaps（互换）, an online accommodation forum （论坛） for parents and students, in advance of the introduction in September of ￡3,000 higher education top-up fees.

Their website says, “The principle behind Student Swaps is to enable students to literally swap family homes.” The website will hold a database of students who would like to swap and link them with suitable matches. So those from one town / city could swap with those from a different town / city.

The site describes itself as offering a “cost-free accommodation alternative… at a time of growing student debt”. There is no charge for the service at the moment but Ms Barnham and Ms Flude intend to introduce a ￡10 annual fee if it becomes established.

However, the National Union of Students （NUS） has warned that, while the scheme may sound appealing to struggling freshers, it lacks any formal regulation.

Veronica King, NUS vice-president of welfare, said, “The fact that this scheme has even been suggested is evidence to the high levels of debt students now face on graduation.” Recent research has shown that students are more likely to live at home in coming years, in a bid to cut down on the cost of a degree.

“This is worrying, as it may mean that students choose their university on the basis of where it is, rather than because it offers the best course for them. It also means students will miss out on what is for some a key part of the student experience-living away from home.”

1．A “cash-strapped” student means one who __________.

A．lacks money                                     B．prefers to stay at home

C．is careful with money                          D．wants to change cash

2．What is Kate Barnham and Amanda Flude’s purpose of launching Student Swaps?

A．To provide cheaper accommodation for students.

B．To let students stay close to their universities.

C．To help students spend less on accommodation costs.

D．To let students exchange ideas freely online.

3．What can students do on Student Swaps?

A．They can find students to exchange homes with.

B．They can make friends with students from a different city.

C．They can borrow money to pay for their higher education.

D．They can voice their opinions against the rising cost of a degree.

4．What would be the best title for the passage?

A．High Cost Troubles University Students in UK.

B．Students Swaps is Welcomed by Students in UK.

C．Two Mothers’ Good Intention to Help Students in UK.

D．Website Helps Students Live at Someone Else’s Home.

21、China’s largest water diversion project may start supplying water to Shandong Province by 2007 and Beijing by 2010, an official confirmed Tuesday.

The worsening water shortage in the two areas, caused by decades of drought, may be alleviated with water from the mighty Yangtze River in the South which will be diverted into the parched North, he said． The water diversion project consists of three 1,300-kilometre canals that will carry water from the Yangtze along the eastern, middle and western parts of the country.

Zhang Jiyao, director of the State Council's office in charge of the South-to-North Project, told a national conference that ground will be broken in more places along two of the lines of the ambitious water diversion scheme, the largest of its kind in the world．

Before next year's flood season, construction of four new sections along the two lines will push the project further along the fast track. That would bring the total sections under construction to 13, since construction started in 2002 with an estimated investment of 124 billion yuan （about US$15 billion）.

When finished, the two water diversion canals will be capable of transferring 13.4 billion cubic metres of water a year.

1．China’s largest water diversion project is being constructed to     .

A．supply water to Shandong Province

B．remove the worsening water shortage in Beijing

C．alleviate the shortage of water in the North

D．break ground in more places

2．Form the whole passage we can infer that      .

A．the water diversion project is the biggest in China, but not in the world

B．the water diversion project is the largest both in China and in the world

C．the project will cost 124 billion dollars

D．the project will be finished by 2010

3．When finished         .

A．the project will solve the water problem once and for all

B．the project will supply 13.4 billion cubic meters of water a year

C．the shortage of water in the North will be alleviated

D．the drought in Beijing and Shandong province will disappear

4．According to the passage, which one is true ?

A．The shortage of water in the North is only because there are too many people

B．The whole project will be completed by the year 2010

C．The total sections under construction will be 13 till the whole project is finished

D．The whole water diversion project is made up of three canals

20、People want action on noise, a recent public meeting in Brisbane showed , Some want technical improvements such as quieter air conditioners or better sound barriers around major roads. Others want tougher laws to restrict noise from building sites or to require owners to take responsibility for barking dogs. But the highest priority was a noise complaints system that works.

The meeting found the present regulatory（立法的）system strange. The departments which are responsible for noise problem can lie with the Council, the Environment Protection Authority, one of three government departments or even the police. So they are getting run-around．When the people at the forum were asked to vote for changes, the strongest response was for a 24-hour noise hotline to be the first call for all complaints.

The forum also favored regulatory measures, such as tougher minimum standards for noise in appliances like air conditioners. Other measures were wider buffer（缓冲）zones around noisy activities and controls to keep heavy traffic away from residential areas.

But there are obvious conflicts. Many people like to have a bar within walking distance if they feel like a drink, but they don’t want a noisy pub keeping them awake when they want an early night. Most people want to live near a major road providing good access to other parts of the city, but they don’t want the problem of road noise.
There was strong support for measures to reduce traffic: better public transport, cycleways and footpaths, even charges for road users. Many people

optimistically thought industry awards for better equipment would stimulate（刺激）the production of quieter appliances. It was even suggested that noise from building sites could be reduced if Brisbane adopted daylight saving, thus shifting the working day and providing longer, quieter evenings.

1．“A noise complaints system” here most probably refers to ______.

A．technical appliances                                   B．a 24-hour noise hotline

C．the Environment Protection Authority          D．adopting daylight saving

2．“They are getting run-around” in the second paragraph means ______.

A．they take turns to deal with noise problem

B．they work together to deal with noise problem

C．each side counts on the others to deal with the problem

D．they are busy going here and there to deal with the problem

3．Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?

A．Convenience and noises often exist side by side.

B．Reducing noise of air conditioners is a technical improvement.

C．By adopting daylight saving, we can make days shorter.

D．The Council may be a regulatory organization.

4．Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Forum About Noise Pollution                  B．How To Reduce Noise Pollution

C．A Public Meeting In Brisbane                  D．Problems In Dealing With Noise

19、Register（注册）in person, by phone 264-8833 , or by mail, Use form given.

178 IN Winchester St., Chicago

Basic Photography This is an eight-hour course for beginners who want to learn how to use a 35mm camera．The teacher will cover such areas as kinds of film, light and lenses （镜头）. Bring your own 35mm camera to class. Course charge: $ 50. Jan. 10, 12,17,19,Tues. &Thurs. 6:00-8:00 pro. Marianne Adams is a professional photographer whose photographs appear in many magazines.

Understanding Computers This twelve-hour course is for people who do not know much about computers, but need to learn about them. You will learn what computers are, what they can and can't do, and how to use them. Course charge: $ 75. Equipment charge: $10. Jan. 14,21,28, Sats. 7:00-9:50 pm. Joseph Saimders is Professor of Computer Science at New Urban University.

He has over twelve years of experience in the computer field.

Stop Smoking  Do you want to stop smoking? Have you already tried to stop and failed? Now it's the time to stop smoking using the latest methods. You can stop smoking, and this twelve-hour course will help you do it. Course charge: $ 30. Jan. 4, 11,18,25, Wedns. 4:00-7:00 pm. Dr. John Goode is a practicing psychologist （心理学家） who has helped hundreds of people stop smoking.

Typing This course on week-days is for those who want to learn to type, as well as those who want to improve their typing. You are tested in the first class and practice at one of eight different skill levels. This allows you to learn at your own speed．Each program lasts 20 hours. Bring your own paper. Course charge: $125. Materials charge: $ 25. Two hours each evening for two weeks. New classes begin every two weeks. This course is taught by a number of business education teachers who have successfully taught typing courses before.

1．All the courses listed above are offered to the people       .

A．who live in the city of Chicago                     B．who are free in the evening

C．who want to take some special courses         D．who like to learn something new

2．Of all the courses mentioned in the passage, the shortest one is       .

A．Understanding Computers              B．Basic Photography

C．Stop Smoking                      D．Typing

3．There are typing courses       .

A．on Saturdays and Sundays              B．from Monday to Friday

C．from Monday to Saturday              D．on each day in the week

4．From the passage we can infer       .

A．Marianne Adams has had many photographs printed in a magazine

B．Joseph Saimders has worked in New Urban University for 12 years

C．Dr John Goode's method of stopping smoking is very successful

D．there are eight different skill levels for business education teachers

18、Many people wonder why the United States has been a hotspot for Chinese students for years, despite its extremely strict visa policy. On the other hand, China’s rise as an economic powerhouse is resulting in a rapid expansion of its higher education system, making it the faster-growing destination for American foreign exchange students.

Recently, according to a study by the Institute of International Education, a research organization based in New York, the number of American students seeking higher education in China has never been greater, increasing by 90 percent from 2002 to 2004. Alan Goodman, president of the institute, believes that the phenomenon lies in the pace of change in China, which is spending billions of dollars to expend and transform its higher educational facilities into world-class institutions.

“China is a job market,” said Professor Chou, professor of East Asian Studies at Princeton University. “Twenty years ago, only those interested in Chinese literature would study Chinese language. Now all professors have opened up.”

China now ranks 9^th as a host destination for American students, advancing from the No.12 spot it held a year earlier. The study revealed that Britain continues to be the leading destination, attracting 16.8 percent of all American students who study abroad．On the other hand, in the 2004-2005 academic year, China sent more than 62,000 students to the United States, nearly 60 percent more than a decade earlier. According to the study, the Chinese now make up 11 percent of foreign students in the United States, the second-largest group behind students from India.

1．From the first paragraph, we know that for many years Chinese students want to go to the US but _____.

A．Chinese government refuses to give a visa     B．it is extremely difficult to get a visa

C．it results in a rapid expansion                       D．China becomes a fast-growing country

2．According to the text, “the phenomenon” in the second paragraph refers to _____.

A．more American students’ seeking higher education in China

B．the pace of change in China during the past few years

C．founding a research organization based in New York

D．expending and transforming its higher educational facilities

3．Ten years ago, China sent about _____ students to the United States.

A．62,000                     B．55,000               C．37,000                     D．6,820

4．What is the main idea of this text?

A．American Students are looking for destination.

B．American students are interested in Chinese culture.

C．Britain continues to be the leading destination.

D．China grows as study hotspot for U.S. students.

16、Polar bears live mostly on       sea ice, which they use as      platform for hunting seals.

A．a; a                 B．a; the               C．不填；a              D．the; 不填

15、It’s quite       me why such things have been allowed to happen.

A．for           B．behind               C．against                     D．beyond

14、Tom sounds very much      in the job, but I’m not sure whether he can manage it.

A．interested            B．interesting             C．interestingly               D．interestedly

13、They blamed the failure on George. Actually, he      .

A．is not to blame                                 B．is to blame          

C．is not to be blamed                          D．should not blame