【题目】Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.

His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26, 545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.

"It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous, said Viesturs." There's no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches (雪崩) and ice falls that protect the mountain."

In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog's story was of frostbite (冻伤) and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was hooked right away.

Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done.

The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it," said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down."

What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure.

【1】 What record has Ed Viesturs set?

A. He has succeeded in climbing to the world's 14th highest mountain.

B. He has been to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.

C. He has become the first to climb to the height of 26, 545 feet.

D. He has become the first man to climb to the top of 14th highest mountains in the world.

【2】 The underlined word "hooked" in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by "__________".

A. frightened

B. discouraged

C. interested

D. upset

【3】 The author used Viestures' words in Paragraph 6 to support a view that __________.

A. mountain climbing is a dangerous sport

B. mountains should be regarded as living creatures

C. mountain climbing needs more skills than physical energy

D. those who like mountain climbing won't stop climbing

【4】 What's the next probable plan of Viestures?

A. Stopping climbing and staying with his family.

B. Climbing to the top of the world's 14 tallest mountains again.

C. Climbing another one of the highest mountains.

D. Writing down the experiences about his adventure.

【题目】We advised them _______a rest right away, but they insisted _______the work.

A. to take; finish

B. taking; to finish

C. taking; finishing

D. to take;on finishing

【题目】 Mini Book Excerpts（节选）

Biography

When Salinger learned that a car park was to be built on the land,the middle-aged writer was shocked and quickly bought the neighboring area to protect it… The townspeople never forgot the rescue and came to help their most famous neighbor.

J. D. Sulinger：A Life by Kenneth Slawenski

（Random House,$27）Mystery（疑案小说）

“You’re a smart boy. Benny’s death was no accident, and you’re the only who saw it happen. Do you think the murderer should get away with it ? ”The boy was starting stubbornly at his lap again.

A thought suddenly occurred to Annika,“Did you …You recognized the man in the car, didn’t you?”

The boy hesitated, twisting his fingers,“Maybe,”he said quietly.

Red Wolf by Liza Marklund（Atria Books, $25. 99）

Short Stories

She wants to say to him what she has learned,none of it in class. Some women are born stupid,and some women are too smart for their own good. Some women are born to give ,and some women only know how to take. Some women learn who they want to be from their mothers,some who they don’t want to be. Some mothers suffer so their daughters won’t. Some mothers love so their daughters won’t.

You Are Free by Danzy Senna （Riverhead Books,$15）

Humor

Do your kids like to have fun? Come to Fun Times! Do you like to watch your kids having fun? Bring them to Fun Times! Fun Times!’s “amusement cycling”is the most fun you can have,legally,in the United States right now. Why spend thousands of dollars flying to Disney World when you can spend less than half to that within a day’s drive if most cities?

Happy And Other Bad Thoughts by Larry Doyle（Ecco,$14. 99）

【1】 If the readers want to know about the lite of Salinger , they should buy the book published by .

A. Ecco

B. Atria Books

C. Riverhead Books

D. Random House

【2】The book Happy And Other Bad Thoughts is intended for .

A. young children

B. Disney World workers

C. middle school teachers

D. parents with young children

【3】 Which book describes women with characters of their own?

A. Happy And Other Bad Thoughts

B. J. D. Salinger:A Life

C. You Are Free

D. Red Wolf

【4】 After finishing the book Red Wolf, the readers would learn that .

A. the boy helped arrest the murderer

B. Benny died of an accident

C. the murderer got away with the crime

D. Annika carried out the crime

【题目】

Since 1984, Philadelphia has been cleaning up its act. One by one, graffiti-covered walls are being changed into outdoor art. So far, more than 1,800 murals（壁画）have been painted. Philadelphia now has more murals than any other American city.

The walls that were once ugly with graffiti（涂鸦）are now covered with beautiful pictures of historical heroes and modern art, thanks to the Mural Arts Program (MAP). Its work makes schools and public places attractive, and its citizens very proud. The program began as part of Philadelphias Anti-Graffiti Network. Jane Golden is the MAPs artistic director. “When people ask me what our program is about,” she says, “I answer them with one word: hope.” Each year, the MAP offers youth art programs and workshops. Some one-time graffiti writers even help paint MAP murals.

The MAPs work, says Golden, is all about developing a sense of community（社区）．When a neighborhood requests a mural, the MAP works with the people there to develop a message. Some messages have been “Safe Streets,” “Love and Care,” and “Peace Walk.”

The MAP receives up to 50 requests for murals each week. Last year, the workers painted 140 murals.

“The making of a mural enters peoples collective memory as an extraordinary, pleasant moment in neighborhood history,” says Golden, who began as a muralist in Los Angeles.

【1】 What can be the best title for the text?

A. Love, from Graffiti Writers to Muralists

B. MAP, a New Company in Philadelphia

C. Jane, an Excellent Mural Artist

D. Hope, One Wall at a Time

【2】 What is the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia aimed at?

A. Helping the young find jobs.

B. Protecting the neighborhood.

C. Fighting against graffiti.

D. Attracting more visitors.

【3】How does the MAP decide on the message for a mural?

By having discussions with people in the community.

B. By seeking advice from the city government.

C. By learning from the young graffiti writers.

D. By studying the history of the city.

【4】Which of the following words best describes the work of the MAP?

A. Difficult.

B. Dangerous.

C. Experimental.

D. Successful.

【题目】

Easter(复活节 ) is still a great day for worship, randy in baskets and running around the yard finding eggs, but every year it gets quite a bit worse for bunnies.

And no, not because the kids like to pull their ears. The culprit is climate change, and some researchers found that rising temperatures arc having harmful effects on at least five species of rabbit in the US.

Take the Lower Keys March rabbit, for instance. An endangered species that lives in the Lower Florida Keys, this species of cottontail is a great swimmer — it lives on the islands! — but it is already severely affected by development and now by rising levels. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, an ocean level rise of only 0. 6 meters will send these guys jumping to higher ground and a 0.9-meter rise would wipe out their habitat (栖息地) completely.

The snowshoe hare, on the other hand, has a color issue. Most of these rabbits change their fur color from white in the wintertime to brown in the summer, each designed to give them better cover from predators（捕食者）. As the number of days with snow decreases all across the country, however, more and more bunnies arc being left in white fur during brown dirt days of both fall and spring, making them an easier mark for predators. Researchers know that the color change is controlled by the number of hours of sunlight, but whether the rabbit will be able to adapt quick enough to survive is a big question. The National Wildlife Federation has reported that hunters have noticed their numbers are already markedly down.

American pikas or rock rabbits, a relative of rabbits and hares, might be the firs' of these species to go extinct due to climate change. About 7-8 inches long, pikas live high in the cool, damp mountains west of the Rocky Mountains. As global temperatures rise, they would naturally migrate (迁徙) to higher ground — but they already occupy the mountaintops. They can't go any higher. The National Wildlife Federation reports that they might not be able to stand the new temperatures as their habitat beats up.

The volcano rabbit has the same problem. These rabbits live on the slopes of volcanoes in Mexico, and recent studies have shown that the lower range of their habitat has already shifted upward about 700 meters, but there are not suitable plants for them to move higher, so they are stuck in the middle. Scientists are concerned about their populations.

Native to the US, pygmy rabbits weigh less than 1 pound and live in the American West. They are believed to be the smallest rabbits in the world. Their habitats have been destroyed by development. Several populations, such as the Columbia Basin pygmy, almost went extinct and were saved by zoo breeding programs. Pygmy rabbits also rely on winter cover by digging tunnels through the snow to escape predators, but lesser snowfall is leaving them exposed.

All of this gives new meaning to dressing up in a giant bunny costume this Easter.

【1】 The word "culprit" ( Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to______.

A. criminal

B. judge

C. victim

D. producer

【2】 According to the passage, some rabbits can now be easily Uncovered by predators because they_______

A. are exposed lo more skillful hunters

B. have moved to habitats with fewer plants

C. haven't adapted themselves to climate change

D. can't change their fur color into white in the fall and the spring

【3】The problem faced by volcano rabbets and rock rabbits is that________.

A. both are affected by 1ess snow

B. both are affected by rising sea levels

C neither can find enough food

D. neither can migrate to higher places

【题目】__________ 背对

【题目】STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.

Speed dating

It's exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US MYM35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again—25 times in all.

Lock and key party

Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key matching the pair are entered into a ballot (票数) for top prizes!

Dinner in the dark

Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.

Message party

Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait... You've got a message... Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.

【1】 What do you think the similarities of these parties are?

A. All the parties have very strict rules for their members.

B. If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket.

C. All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers.

D. All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old.

【2】 In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?

A. Speed dating.

B. Lock and key party.

C. Dinner in the dark.

D. Message party.

【3】 If you go to the Dinner in the dark, __________.

A. you have to wear night vision glasses

B. you have to eat with your hands

C. guests eat all the courses in the darkness

D. your dining partners will help you choose the food

【4】 How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?

A. 1.

B. 2.

C. 3.

D. 4.

【题目】

Some people believe that a Robin Hood is at work, others that a wealthy person simply wants to distribute his or her fortune before dying. But the donator who started sending envelopes with cash to deserving causes，accompanied by an article from the local paper, has made a northern German city believe in fairytales (童话）

The first envelope was sent to a victim support group. It contained 10,000 with a cutting from the Braunschtveiger Zeitung about how the group supported a woman who was robbed of her handbag； similar plain white anonymous (匿名）envelopes, each containing 10,000, then arrived at a kindergarten and a church.

The envelopes keep coming, and so far at least 190,000 has been distributed. Last month, one of them was sent to the newspaper ’s own office. It came after a story it published about Tom, a 14-year-old boy who was severely disabled in a swimming accident. The receptionist at the Braunschweiger Zeitung opened an anonymous white envelope to find 20 notes of 500 inside , with a copy of the article. The name of the family was underlined.

"I was driving when I heard the news,” Claudia Neumann, the boy s mother, told DerSpiegel magazine. “I had to park on the side of the road； I was speechless. ”

The money will be used to make the entrance to their house wheelchair-accessible .and for a course of treatment that their insurance company refused to pay for.

“For someone to act so selflessly, for this to happen in such a society in which everyone thinks of himself, was astonishing," Mrs. Neumann said. Her family wonder whether the donator is a Robin Hood character, taking from banks to give to the needy.

Henning Noske, the editor of the Braunschweiger Zeitung, said： “Maybe it is an old person who is about to die. We just do not know. ” However, he has told his reporters not to look for the city’s hero, for fear that discovery may stop the donations.

【1】The Braunschweiger Zeitung is the name of .

A. a church

B. a bank

C. a newspaper

D. a magazine

【2】 Which of the following is TRUE about the donation to Tom?

A. The donation amounted to 190,000.

B. The donation was sent directly to his house.

C. The money will be used for his education.

D. His mother felt astonished at the donation.

【3】It can be inferred from the passage that .

A. the donator is a rich old man

B. the donation will continue to come

C. the donation comes from the newspaper

D. the donator will soon be found out

【4】What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Money Is Raised by the Newspaper

B. Newspaper Distributes Money to

C. Unknown Hero Spreads Love in Envelopes

D. Robin Hood Returns to the City

【题目】"Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move," said David Belle, the founder of parkour (跑酷).

Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what if making your morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale, Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has become popular worldwide.

Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is considered an extreme sport. As its participants dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up walls and even move from rooftop to rooftop.

Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more than that.

Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy (理念) behind parkour. This is the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life, to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover said, "I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything."

Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself that you earn energy and confidence.

【1】 Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of __________.

A. its founder, David Belle

B. the film Casino Royale

C. its risks and tricks

D. the varieties of participants

【2】 The underlined word "obstacles" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to "__________".

A. streets

B. objects

C. barriers

D. roofs

【3】 Which of the following is true of parkour?

A. It challenges human abilities.

B. It is a good but boring sport.

C. It needs special training.

D. It is a team sport.

【4】 As its participants move around a city, __________.

A. they can ask for help

B. they may choose to escape

C. they should run to extremes

D. they must learn to survive

【题目】It was very fine when I got up early last Sunday morning.

So I________(决定) to go for a walk and take some 【1】 __________

p _______ in the beautiful country. After breakfast, I carried 【2】 _____

my camera with me and set off. E_________ went smoothly. 【3】 __________

I enjoyed my trip so much that I didn't ________(意识到) 【4】 __________

the w__________ had turned bad. I began to run but it was 【5】 __________

too ______. I was caught in the rain and was wet through. 【6】 __________

I kept on running until I____to a bus stop. I stood there 【7】 __________

______(等待) a long time for the bus, shaking with cold. 【8】 __________

Shortly a__________ I got home, I had a high fever, 【9】 __________

__________ made me stay in bed for a whole week! 【10】 __________