Jamie Oliver has been invited by Gordon Brown to prepare a banquet at No．10 for President Barack Obama and other leaders of the G20, offering a cut-price menu to reflect times when trade and industry are far from prosperous and the rate of employment is decreasing.

Downing Street sources say Oliver, the well-known chef, will cook using "honest high-street products" and avoid expensive or "fancy" ingredients.

The prime minister is trying to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment last year when he sat down to an 18-course banquet at a Japanese summit to discuss world food shortages．

Obama, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and other leaders will be served by apprentices （學(xué)徒） from Fifteen, the London restaurant Oliver founded to help train young people in poverty in order to make a living by mastering a skill.

Brown wants the dinner to reflect the emphasis of the London summit, which he hopes will lead to an agreement to lift the world out of recession．"To be invited to cook for such an important group of people, who are trying to solve some of the world's major problems, is really a privilege," said Oliver.

"I'm hoping the menu I'm working on will show British food and produce is some of the best in the world, but also show we have pioneered a high-quality apprentice scheme at Fifteen London that is giving young people a skill to be proud of."

The chef has not yet finalized me menu, but is expected to draw inspiration from his latest book, Jamie's Ministry of Food, which has budget recipes for beef and ale stew （啤酒燉菜） and "impressive" chocolate fudge cake. (286 words)

What can we learn about Oliver from the text?

       A．He is a well-known American cook．

       B．He is invited to attend the G20 summit．

       C．He has founded the Fifteen London．

       D．He is one of the apprentices serving leaders of the G20.

The menu of the banquet for the leaders of the G20 is supposed to ____．

       A．include all delicious British food

       B．use inexpensive produce with special characteristics

       C．be rich, varied and of high quality

       D．imitate the menu of last Japanese summit

Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

       A．Oliver is honored to be invited to cook for the G20 leaders.

       B．Altogether three presidents are mentioned in the text．

       C．President Barack Obama offers the cut-price menu．

       D．The menu for the G20 dinner banquet has been decided．

What is the Fifteen London?

       A．a(chǎn)n apartment in London．                    B．a(chǎn) luxurious restaurant in London．

       C．a(chǎn) restaurant as well as a training center．        D．a(chǎn) famous avenue.

Climate change，pollution，overuse of water and development are killing some of the world’s most famous rivers including China’s Yangtze．India’s Ganges and Africa’s Nile．WWF said on Tuesday．At the global launch of its report “World’s Top 10 Rivers at Risk”，the group said many rivers could dry out, affecting hundreds of millions of people and killing unique aquatic（水生的）life．

    “If these rivers die，millions will lose their livelihoods，biodiversity（生物多樣性）will be destroyed on a massive scale，there will be less fresh water and agriculture，resulting in less food security，”said．Rayi Singh，secretary—general of WWF—India．The report launched ahead of “World Water Day” today，also cited the Rio Grande in the United States，the Mekong and Indus in Asia，Europe’s Danube, La Plata in South America and Australia’s Murray—Darling as in need of greater protection．

    Rivers are the world’s main source of fresh water and WWF says about half of the available supply is already being used up．Dams have destroyed habitats and cut rivers off from their flood plains．while climate change could affect the seasonal water flows that feed them，the report said．Fish populations，the top source of protein and overall life support for hundreds of thousands of communities worldwide，are also being threatened, it found．．The Yangtze basin is one of the most polluted rivers in the world because of decades of heavy industrialization，damming and huge influxes（流入）of sediment（積淀）from land conversion．

  Climate change，including higher temperatures，also means serious consequences for fishery productivity，water supply and political security in Africa’s arid Nile basin．Tributaries（支流）flowing into the Ganges are drying up because of irrigation，WWF said．

1.hat is the text mainly about?

A．Saving fresh water in our life．   B．How to protect our rivers．

C．An important discovery．   D．World’s top 10 rivers are at risk．

2.We can infer from the text that _____．

A．rivers’ dying out could affect food security

B．there are four Asian rivers mentioned in the passage

C．the Yangtze is polluted thanks to the lack of enough tributaries

D．higher temperatures couldn’t affect fishery productivity

3.The top 10 rivers are fast dying as a result of the following EXCEPT _____．

A．climate change B．wasting water       C．pollution            D．dams

4.WWF is probably a name of _____．

A．a(chǎn)n organization        B．a(chǎn) newspaper      C．a(chǎn) magazine         D．a(chǎn) report

Climate change，pollution，overuse of water and development are killing some of the world’s most famous rivers including China’s Yangtze．India’s Ganges and Africa’s Nile．WWF said on Tuesday．At the global launch of its report “World’s Top 10 Rivers at Risk”，the group said many rivers could dry out. affecting hundreds of millions of people and killing unique aquatic(水生的)life．

    “If these rivers die，millions will lose their livelihoods，biodiversity(生物多

樣性)will be destroyed on a massive scale，there will be less fresh water and agriculture，resulting in less food security，”said．Rayi Singh，secretary—general

of WWF—India．The report。launched ahead of“World Water Day”today，also

cited the Rio Grande in．the United States，the Mekong and Indus in Asia，Europe’s Danube, La Plata in South America and Australia’s Murray—Darling as in need of greater protection．

    Rivers are the world’s main source of fresh water and WWF says about half of the available supply is already being used up．Dams have destroyed habitats and cut rivers off from their flood plains．while climate change could affect the seasonal water flows that feed them，the report said．Fish populations，the top source of protein and overall life support for hundreds of thousands of communities worldwide，are also being threatened, it found．．The Yangtze basin is one of the most polluted rivers in the world because of decades of heavy industrialization，damming and huge influxes(流入)of seaiment(積淀)from land conversion.

  Climate change，including higher temperatures，also means serious consequences for fishery productivity，water supply and political security in Africa’s arid Nile basin．Tributaries(支流)flowing into the Ganges are drying up because of irrigation，WWF said．

What does the text mainly about?

  A．Saving fresh water in our life．B．How to protect our rivers．

  C．An important discovery．D．World’s top 10 rivers are at risk．

We can infer from the text that _____.

    A．rivers’dying out could affect food security

    B．there are four Asian rivers mentioned in the passage

    C．the Yangtze is polluted thanks to the lack of enough tributaries

    D．higher temperatures couldn’t affect fishery productivity

WWF is probably a name of _____.  

A．a(chǎn)n organization   B．a(chǎn) newspaper   C．a(chǎn) magazine   D．a(chǎn) report

Some of the world’s most famous persons had suffered from a similar disability, such as Albert Einstein, the mathematician; Thomas Edison, the inventor; Auguste Rodin, the artist. What disabled these three famous men? Strange as it may seem, they all suffered from learning disabilities. They had great difficulty learning to read, write or use numbers. Almost always, there is a problem with one of the mental processes needed to understand or use written signs or spoken language. Yet he or she is unable to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds that are easy for others to recognize. Learning disabilities are very common. They affect perhaps 10 percent of all children. Four times as many boys as girls have learning disabilities.

Since about 1970, new research has helped brain scientists understand these problems better. Scientists now know there are many different kinds of learning disabilities and that they are caused by many different things. There is no longer any question that all learning disabilities result from differences in the way the brain is organized.

You can not look at a child and tell if he or she has a learning disability. There is no outward （外部的） signs of disorder （混亂）. So some researchers began looking at the brain itself to learn what might be wrong. In one study, researchers examined the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident. They found two unusual things. One involved cells in the left side of the brain, which control language. These cells normally are white. In the learning-disabled person’s brain, however, these cells were gray . The researchers also found that many of the nerve cells were not in a line the way they should have been. The nerve cells were mixed together.

60. How can we learn whether a person has suffered from a learning disability or not?

A. By judging whether she or he sees or hears perfectly well.

B. By checking whether he or she is of normal or great intelligence.

C. By judging whether he or she is the world’s most famous person or not.

D. By judging whether he or she has any difficulty in recognizing the difference in sizes, shapes or sounds.

61. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Among the children suffering from learning disabilities, girls are fewer than boys.

B. It is reported that many more girls have learning disabilities than boys.

C. All the world’s most famous persons have the chance to get the similar disorder. 

D. All the world’s most famous persons have suffered from learning disabilities.

62. Why did researchers examine the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident?

A. To try to look at the brain itself to find out the cause of learning disabilities.

B. To see if the person had any outward signs of disorder.

C. To check if the person is of normal or great intelligence.

D. To find out if the person suffered from a learning disability.

63. If someone has a learning disability, _______.

A. his or her nerve cells are in a line

B. he or she is able to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds

C. he or she has no difficulty in learning to read, write or use numbers

D. his or her nerve cells in the left side of the brain are gray and are not in a line

Climate change, pollution, overuse of water and development are killing some of the world’s most famous rivers including China’s Yangtze, India’s Ganges and Africa’s Nile, WWF said on Tuesday．At the global launch of its report “World’s Top 10 Rivers at Risk”, the group said many rivers could dry out, affecting hundreds of millions of people and killing unique aquatic life．

 “If these rivers die, millions will lose their livelihoods, biodiversity will be destroyed on a massive scale, there will be less fresh water and agriculture, resulting in less food security,” said Rayi Singh, secretary-general of WWF-India．The report launched ahead of “World Water Day” today, also cited the Rio Grande in the United States, the Mekong and Indus in Asia, Europe’s Danube, La Plata in South America and Australia’s Murray-Darling as in need of greater protection．

Rivers are the world’s main source of fresh water and WWF says about half of the available supply is already being used up．Dams have destroyed habitats and cut rivers off from their flood plains while climate change could affect the seasonal water flows that feed them, the report said．Fish populations, the top source of protein and overall life support for hundreds of thousands of communities worldwide, are also being threatened, it found… The Yangtze basin is one of the most polluted rivers in the world because of decades of heavy industrialization, damming and huge influxes of sediment from land conversion．

Climate change, including higher temperatures, also means serious consequences for fishery productivity, water supply and political security in Africa’s arid Nile basin．Tributaries flowing into the Ganges are drying up because of irrigation, WWF said．

1.What does the text mainly talk about?

       A．Saving fresh water in our life．         B．How to protect our rivers．

       C．An important discovery．                    D．World’s top 10 rivers are at risk．

2.We can infer from the text that _____．

       A．rivers’ dying out could affect food security  

         B．there are four Asian rivers mentioned in the passage  

         C．the Yangtze is polluted thanks to the lack of enough tributaries 

         D．higher temperatures couldn’t affect fishery productivity

3.The top 10 rivers are fast dying as a result of the following EXCEPT _____．

       A．climate change    B．wasting water   

         C．pollution                  D．dams

4.WWF is probably a name of _____．

       A．a(chǎn)n organization       B．a(chǎn) newspaper          C．a(chǎn) magazine            D．a(chǎn) report

The 16-year-old girl Jessica Watson is said to be the youngest person to sail non-stop alone around the world. But her record has been questioned because someone thought that she has not sailed far enough. She will also not be recognized by the World Speed Sailing Record Council, as it was too dangerous for someone under 18 years old.
Ms Watson sailed into Sydney port on Saturday, seven months after leaving on a hard voyage. Family, friends and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd have gathered to greet her. Thousands of well-wishers waited at the port and watched from boats as Ms Watson sailed her pink, 10m boat over the finishing line. Many more Australians watched the event broadcast live on television. Watson said she was just an “ordinary girl who believed in her dream”.
Ms Watson left Sydney on 18 October, despite that some people disagreed her plan. Watson traveled northeast through the South Pacific and across the equator (赤道), south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa, through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia. The route took her through some of the world’s most changeful waters, and she battled through huge storms and suffered seven accidents of her boat.
People around the world have followed Ms Watson’s adventures on her blog, which she has daily updated (更新). On her blog, she wrote down beautiful sunrise over seas, the excitement of meeting a blue whale and the bright, terrible sight of a shooting star flying across the night sky above her boat. Ms Watson has reportedly sold her story to a news company for $700,000. She is planning to write a book on her experience.
【小題1】 Which of the following oceans didn’t Ms Watson cross through in her voyage?

The financial crisis will be the top issue at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The five – day meeting starts on Wednesday, January 28. More than two thousand five hundred people from ninety-six countries will discuss ways to solve the crisis.
The event gathers some of the world's most powerful political and business leaders at a small ski village in the Swiss Alps. Organizers this week announced a program built around the theme: “Shaping the Post-Crisis World."
But with the world still in crisis , there was news that no famous people from show business will be at the forum this year. Bona, the social activist and lead singer of the Irish rock group U2, usually attends. But he will not be attending this year.
Organizers expect a record forty-one heads of state or government. They include Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the prime minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga.
Among those expected from President Obama's new administration is Lawrence Summers, the director of the National Economic Council. Another is Mister Obama's national security adviser, retired general James Jones.
Members of the US Congress are also among the guest list, along with former president Clinten, a favorite at Davos. About sixty percent of those attending are business leaders.
The World Economic Forum will also discuss global warming, investment in low-carbon forms of energy in developing countries and other issues.
Klaus Schwab is the founder and chairman of the forum. He calls this one of the most important gatherings in its thirty-nine year history. He says the financial crisis should be seen as a wake-up call to change systems and ways of thinking, and to re-establish trust.
KLAUS SCHWAB: "We never will move out of the crisis if we do not re-establish confidence  which means we have to establish signposts for the future."
1．What is the main purpose of the World Economic Forum this year?
A．To wake up people to establish signpost for the future.
B．To solve the problems of global warning.
C．To re-establish confidence of the leaders.
D．To discuss how to solve the crisis.
2．The underlined word “signpost” in the last paragraph means          .
A．symbol     B．road  C．goal  D．station
3．What does Klaus Schwab mean in the second paragraph from the bottom?
A．The crisis requires us to change.    
B．We should change the systems of the forum.
C．The forum has a long history. 
D．The crisis needs trust.

Kenya wants to organize a major international conference to discuss how to fight piracy(海盜) off the coast of Somalia. The conference may also deal with ways to rescue Somalia from seventeen years of civil war. More than forty percent of its people depend on food aid.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula says the world cannot end piracy and civil war without dealing with Somalia’s political problems.
Somali pirates operate in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The Gulf of Aden connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean by way of the Suez Canal. The pirates have fast boats, modern weapons and equipment like satellite phones and global positioning systems.
Pirates hijacked the Sirius Star off the coast of Kenya and moved it to waters off Somalia.
The tanker Sirius Star, at three hundred thirty meters long, is the biggest ship ever known to have been captured by pirates. It also happened farther south than most attacks, and farther out at sea ---- more than eight hundred kilometers from land.
The ship was headed for the United States with two million karrels of oil, worth an estimated one hundred million dollars. A Saudi Arabian company owns the tanker. The pirates have  reportedly demanded twenty-five million dollars in negotiations to release the ship and its crew of twenty-five.
Somali pirates generally do not steal goods or kill hostages. They are believed to be holding seventeen ships with about three hundred crew members. Among the ships is a Ukrainian vessel hijacked(劫持) in September with a load of military weapons including tanks.
The increase in piracy is raising the cost of insuring ships. Also, oil from the Middle East and exports from East Asia could take longer to arrive.
Some of the world’s heaviest shipping traffic passes the Somali coast. But major shipping companies have begun to consider new routes. One of the world’s biggest shippers, A.P, Moeller Maersk, says it will avoid the Gulf of Aden. A move away from the Suez Canal could hurt Egypt’s economy.
American and other foreign navy ships are now watching for pirates. This week the Indian Navy destroyed a heavily armed “mother ship” in the Gulf of Aden. But the area to protect covers more than one hundred sixty million square kilometers.
【小題1】 According to the passage, which of the following is the key to solving the piracy in Somalia?

A．The cost of ship transport is decreasing.

B．The routes of some ships might change.

C．Nothing has been done to fight against the piracy.

D．The Suez Canal is of no importance to Egypt’s economy.

Spring is just around the corner and it’s a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to travel and get back in the spring sunshine.

Dana Point Festival of the Whales

Dana Point, California

March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010

Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean. Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family. Prices start at $29 per adult and $19 for children. For more information, visit:

www.dpfestivalofwhales.com

Chandler Ostrich Festival

Chandler, Arizona

March 13 to 15, 2010

Chandler is the center of ostrich ranching (鴕鳥經(jīng)營) in the USA. You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tumbleweed Park. General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children aged 5 to 12 and kids 4 and under are free. For more information, visit:

www.ostrichfestival.com

Festival of Houses and Gardens

Charleston, South Carolina

March 19 to April 18, 2010

The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America. Each 3-hour tour (afternoons from 2 to 5 pm and evenings from 6 to 9 pm) lets you visit 8 to 10 properties dating from the American colonial period. Prices range from $25 to $45. For more information, visit:

www.historiccharleston.org

Tulip Time Festival

Holland, Michigan

May 1 to 9, 2010

You don’t need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world’s finest tulips (郁金香). The annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in the country, will kick off with fireworks on May 1. Admission fee ranges from $6 for the children’s area to $38 for theatre tickets. Tickets and more information are available at:

www.tuliptime.com

A couple with their 4-year-old son will go whale-watching. They have to pay _____.

A. $58        B. $38       C. $48      D. $77

The underlined word “jockeys” in the passage is closest in meaning to _____.

A. judges       B. children     C. riders            D. beginners

A group of travelers who want to have fun in mid-April will go to _____.

A. Festival of Houses and Gardens      B. Chandler Ostrich Festival

C. Dana Point Festival of the Whales    D. Tulip Time Festival

Which of the following is TRUE of Tulip Time Festival?

A. It is held in a town in the Netherlands.

B. It will start with fireworks on the first day.

C. It is the largest flower festival in the world.

D. Admission is free for children.

What is the purpose of the World Games? What's the difference between the World Games and the Olympic Games?

_50 _the Olympic Games, the World Games have a rather _51_ history．In 1981, the first World Games were held in Santa Clara．Since then, in the year following the Olympics, some of the world's best athletes _52_ in their common search for _53_ at the world Games．

There are usually 25 to 35 _54_ at the World Games, The events at the World Games are not part of the Olympics or ones were part of the Olympic Games．Many events at the World Games _55_ as Olympic events, like weightlifting and badminton．They got their start as events at the World Games _56_ being moved into the Olympics．Just like the Olympics, the World Games also have _57_ competitions．These competitions get the sport the chance to be seen and the chance to become medal events．

The World Games are _58_ tied to the Olympic Games because the International Olympic Committee is the sponsor of the International World Games Association．The International Olympic Committee has decided that the number of Olympic participants is _59_ 10,500．The new policy means that no World Games competitions will be _60_ the Olympics any time soon．   

This year, the World Games were held in Taiwan．Some events, like softball, _61_ be Olympic sports but were dropped and now are _62_ for the World Games．The World Games look like a perfect supplement and _63_ ground for future Olympic Games．So next time you get a chance to watch the World Games, you may want to pay attention as it could be the future, or maybe even _64_．

1.A．As for              B．But for          C．Because of    D．Compared with

2.A．early             B．young            C．long             D．a(chǎn)ncient

3.A．unite           B．lie           C．result          D．participate

4.A．fame             B．excellence    C．wealth         D．knowledge

5.A．games            B．sports        C．events                 D．matches

6.A．end up            B．start on      C．break off       D．come up

7.A．a(chǎn)fter             B．since           C．before           D．unless

8.A．international      B．intense           C．fair              D．exhibition

9.A．loosely            B．somewhat      C．closely       D．partly

10.A．a(chǎn)mounted to     B．limited to        C．a(chǎn)dded to      D．reduced to

11.A．moved into     B．engaged in       C．held in          D．established in

12.A．had to                   B．seemed to      C．happened to   D．used to

13.A．good          B．a(chǎn)vailable        C．helpful         D．convenient

14.A．competing       B．playing           C．training           D．camping

15.A．focus           B．truth            C．hope             D．history

Climate change，pollution，overuse of water and development are killing some of the world’s most famous rivers including China’s Yangtze．India’s Ganges and Africa’s Nile．WWF said on Tuesday．At the global launch of its report “World’s Top 10 Rivers at Risk”，the group said many rivers could dry out, affecting hundreds of millions of people and killing unique aquatic（水生的）life．

    “If these rivers die，millions will lose their livelihoods，biodiversity（生物多樣性）will be destroyed on a massive scale，there will be less fresh water and agriculture，resulting in less food security，”said．Rayi Singh，secretary—general of WWF—India．The report launched ahead of “World Water Day” today，also cited the Rio Grande in the United States，the Mekong and Indus in Asia，Europe’s Danube, La Plata in South America and Australia’s Murray—Darling as in need of greater protection．

    Rivers are the world’s main source of fresh water and WWF says about half of the available supply is already being used up．Dams have destroyed habitats and cut rivers off from their flood plains．while climate change could affect the seasonal water flows that feed them，the report said．Fish populations，the top source of protein and overall life support for hundreds of thousands of communities worldwide，are also being threatened, it found．．The Yangtze basin is one of the most polluted rivers in the world because of decades of heavy industrialization，damming and huge influxes（流入）of sediment（積淀）from land conversion．

  Climate change，including higher temperatures，also means serious consequences for fishery productivity，water supply and political security in Africa’s arid Nile basin．Tributaries（支流）flowing into the Ganges are drying up because of irrigation，WWF said．

1.hat is the text mainly about?

A．Saving fresh water in our life．   B．How to protect our rivers．

C．An important discovery．   D．World’s top 10 rivers are at risk．

2.We can infer from the text that _____．

A．rivers’ dying out could affect food security

B．there are four Asian rivers mentioned in the passage

C．the Yangtze is polluted thanks to the lack of enough tributaries

D．higher temperatures couldn’t affect fishery productivity

3.The top 10 rivers are fast dying as a result of the following EXCEPT _____．

A．climate change B．wasting water       C．pollution            D．dams

4.WWF is probably a name of _____．

A．a(chǎn)n organization        B．a(chǎn) newspaper      C．a(chǎn) magazine         D．a(chǎn) report

C
Jamie Oliver has been invited by Gordon Brown to prepare a banquet at No. 10 for President Barack Obama and other leaders of the G20, offering a cut-price menu to reflect times when trade and industry are far from prosperous and the rate of employment is decreasing.
Downing Street sources say Oliver, the well-known chef, will cook using “honest high-street products” and avoid expensive or “fancy” ingredients (材料).
The prime minister is trying to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment last year when he sat down to an 18-course banquet at a Japanese summit to discuss world food shortages.
Obama, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and other leaders will be served by apprentices (學(xué)徒) from Fifteen, the London restaurant Oliver founded to help train young people in poverty in order to make a living by mastering a skill.
Brown wants the dinner to reflect the emphasis of the London summit, which he hopes will lead to an agreement to lift the world out of recession. “To be invited to cook for such an important group of people, who are trying to solve some of the world’s major problems, is really a privilege,” said Oliver.
“I’m hoping the menu I’m working on will show British food and produce is some of the best in the world, but also show we have pioneered a high-quality apprentice scheme at Fifteen London that is giving young people a skill to be proud of.”
The chef has not yet finalized the menu, but is expected to draw inspiration from his latest book, Jamie’s Ministry of Food, which has budget recipes for beef and ale stew (啤酒燉菜) and “impressive” chocolate fudge cake.
49. The underlined word “recession” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
A. business       B. opposition           C. discussion           D. depression
50. What can we learn about Oliver from the text?
A. He is a well-known American cook.        
B. He is invited to attend the G20 summit.
C. He has founded the Fifteen London.      
D. He is one of the apprentices serving leaders of the G20.
51. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
A. Oliver is honored to be invited to cook for the G20 leaders.
B. Altogether three presidents are mentioned in the text.
C. President Barack Obama offers the cut-price menu.
D. The menu for the G20 dinner banquet has been decided.
52. What is the Fifteen London?
A. an apartment in London                               B. a luxurious restaurant in London
C. a restaurant as well as a training center                D. a famous avenue

Spring is just around the corner and it’s a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors．Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to travel and get back in the spring sunshine．

Dana Point Festival of the Whales

    Dana Point, California

    March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010

Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean．Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family．Prices start at $29 per adult and $19 for children．For more information, visit: www．dpfestivalofwhales．com

Chandler Ostrich Festival

    Chandler, Arizona

    March 13 to 15, 2010

Chandler is the center of ostrich（鴕鳥） ranching （農(nóng)牧場工作） in the USA．You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tumbleweed Park．General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children aged 5 to 12 and kids 4 and under are free．For more information visit:

www．ostrichfestival．com

Festival of Houses and Gardens

    Charleston, South Carolina

    March 19 to April 18, 2010

The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America．Each 3-hour tour （afternoons from 2 to 5 pm and evenings from 6 to 9 pm） lets you visit 8 to 10 properties dating from the American colonial period．Prices range from $25 to $45．For more information, visit:

www．historiccharleston．org

Tulip Time Festival

    Holland, Michigan

    May 1 to 9, 2010

You don’t need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world’s finest tulips （郁金香）．The town of Holland is home to millions of colorful bulbs. The 81st annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in America will kick off with fireworks on May 1．Admission fee ranges from $6 for the children’s area to $38 for theatre tickets．Tickets and more information are available at www．tuliptime．com.

1.A couple with their 4-year-old son will go whale-watching, they have to pay _____．

    A．$77              B．$58              C．$38              D．$48

2.The underlined word “jockeys” in the passage is closest in meaning to _____．

    A．judges           B．riders           C．children         D．travelers

3.If you want to learn about the history of American colonial period, you can visit       .

    A．Tulip Time                           B．Houses and Gardens

    C．Dana Point of the whales             D．Chandler Ostrich

4.It can be concluded that         .

    A．a(chǎn)ll the festivals are held in March  B．a(chǎn)ll the Festivals are concerned with animals

    C．a(chǎn)ll the Festivals surely interest children   D．a(chǎn)ll the Festivals are held in the U.S.A

I once experienced an unforgettable trip to Gloucester to see some of the world’s most beautiful and exciting animals in their own habitat(棲息地), the North Atlantic Ocean.

After a long trip by bus, we got on the ship. After a while, we stopped and everyone began to shout because we saw a humpback whale（座頭鯨）. It was wonderful. Sometimes, whales came so close to the ship that you thought you could easily touch them.

While we were watching the whales, a guide was giving us some information about them, She told us that we saw only two kinds of whales- 50 foot humpback whales (singing whales) and 70-foot finback whales(the second largest whales on earth). She also said we could easily recognize a whale by its tail because every whale has a different kind of tail just like people have different fingerprints.

They all have names,and on this trip we saw “Salt” and “Pepper”, two whales named by a biologist and a fisherman. They were swimming toghter all the time.

I took twenty-seven photos,but it was very hard to take them because the whales were quick and stayed on the surface of the ocean just for a short time. It was really something. It was one of the chances that a person hardly ever experiences in life, but I had that chance.

1.This passage is mainly about _________________.

A an unforgettable experience in the forest

B an unforgettable trip to see some strange animals in the mountains

C a long trip on the ship

D an unforgettable trip to watch whales

2.Everyone on the ship began to shout because_____________.

 A a whale came so close to the ship

 B they saw a singing whale

 C they saw a finback whale

 D they could touch the whale

3.When they were watching the whales, __________________.

 A some of them fed the whales

 B they found several kinds of whales

 C a guide told them something about the whales

 D some of them took many photos and touched the whales

4.How can we recognize a whale?

 A By its tail                B By its head

 C By its neck               D By its eyes

Climate change，pollution，overuse of water and development are killing some of the world’s most famous rivers including China’s Yangtze．India’s Ganges and Africa’s Nile．WWF said on Tuesday．At the global launch of its report “World’s Top 10 Rivers at Risk”，the group said many rivers could dry out, affecting hundreds of millions of people and killing unique aquatic（水生的）life．

    “If these rivers die，millions will lose their livelihoods，biodiversity（生物多樣性）will be destroyed on a massive scale，there will be less fresh water and agriculture，resulting in less food security，”said．Rayi Singh，secretary—general of WWF—India．The report launched ahead of “World Water Day” today，also cited the Rio Grande in the United States，the Mekong and Indus in Asia，Europe’s Danube, La Plata in South America and Australia’s Murray—Darling as in need of greater protection．

    Rivers are the world’s main source of fresh water and WWF says about half of the available supply is already being used up．Dams have destroyed habitats and cut rivers off from their flood plains．while climate change could affect the seasonal water flows that feed them，the report said．Fish populations，the top source of protein and overall life support for hundreds of thousands of communities worldwide，are also being threatened, it found．．The Yangtze basin is one of the most polluted rivers in the world because of decades of heavy industrialization，damming and huge influxes（流入）of sediment（積淀）from land conversion．

  Climate change，including higher temperatures，also means serious consequences for fishery productivity，water supply and political security in Africa’s arid Nile basin．Tributaries（支流）flowing into the Ganges are drying up because of irrigation，WWF said．

1.hat is the text mainly about?

A．Saving fresh water in our life．   B．How to protect our rivers．

C．An important discovery．   D．World’s top 10 rivers are at risk．

2.We can infer from the text that _____．

A．rivers’ dying out could affect food security

B．there are four Asian rivers mentioned in the passage

C．the Yangtze is polluted thanks to the lack of enough tributaries

D．higher temperatures couldn’t affect fishery productivity

3.The top 10 rivers are fast dying as a result of the following EXCEPT _____．

A．climate change B．wasting water       C．pollution            D．dams

4.WWF is probably a name of _____．

A．a(chǎn)n organization        B．a(chǎn) newspaper      C．a(chǎn) magazine         D．a(chǎn) report

Jamie Oliver has been invited by Gordon Brown to prepare a banquet at No．10 for President Barack Obama and other leaders of the G20, offering a cut-price menu to reflect times when trade and industry are far from prosperous and the rate of employment is decreasing.

Downing Street sources say Oliver, the well-known chef, will cook using "honest high-street products" and avoid expensive or "fancy" ingredients.

The prime minister is trying to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment last year when he sat down to an 18-course banquet at a Japanese summit to discuss world food shortages．

Obama, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and other leaders will be served by apprentices （學(xué)徒） from Fifteen, the London restaurant Oliver founded to help train young people in poverty in order to make a living by mastering a skill.

Brown wants the dinner to reflect the emphasis of the London summit, which he hopes will lead to an agreement to lift the world out of recession．"To be invited to cook for such an important group of people, who are trying to solve some of the world's major problems, is really a privilege," said Oliver.

"I'm hoping the menu I'm working on will show British food and produce is some of the best in the world, but also show we have pioneered a high-quality apprentice scheme at Fifteen London that is giving young people a skill to be proud of."

The chef has not yet finalized me menu, but is expected to draw inspiration from his latest book, Jamie's Ministry of Food, which has budget recipes for beef and ale stew （啤酒燉菜） and "impressive" chocolate fudge cake. (286 words)

1.What can we learn about Oliver from the text?

       A．He is a well-known American cook．

       B．He is invited to attend the G20 summit．

       C．He has founded the Fifteen London．

       D．He is one of the apprentices serving leaders of the G20.

2.The menu of the banquet for the leaders of the G20 is supposed to ____．

       A．include all delicious British food

       B．use inexpensive produce with special characteristics

       C．be rich, varied and of high quality

       D．imitate the menu of last Japanese summit

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

       A．Oliver is honored to be invited to cook for the G20 leaders.

       B．Altogether three presidents are mentioned in the text．

       C．President Barack Obama offers the cut-price menu．

       D．The menu for the G20 dinner banquet has been decided．

4.What is the Fifteen London?

       A．a(chǎn)n apartment in London．                    B．a(chǎn) luxurious restaurant in London．

       C．a(chǎn) restaurant as well as a training center．        D．a(chǎn) famous avenue.

For ??12 you can equip an entire classroom in Burkina Faso, for ??31 you can equip a school football team in Sierra Leone and for ??68 you can support the whole education of a Haitian schoolgirl.

The educational presents are the latest way on the trend of charitable（慈善的）giving for Christmas. Plan UK, an international children's charity, has made its gift list focusing on helping the world's poorest countries to improve their education conditions.

"Every year we rack our brains for the perfect present and too often end up with yet another pair of socks or a useless ornament," said Marie Staunton, Plan UK's chief executive.

"This year we are offering people in the UK the chance to give twice. Buying an alternative gift for a loved one could likely save the life of some of the world's poorest children."

Plan UK is working on projects in specific countries, such as Burkina Faso, which is one of the poorest countries in the world and has a primary school enrolment rate（入學(xué)率）of just 36%. A present of ??12 will help equip a classroom in Burkina Faso with chairs, desks, books and pencils.

The educational presents are the latest addition to a list of other charitable presents, including vaccinations（接種）and clean water systems.

Football strips for schoolchildren in Sierra Leone are designed to help the children have fun while continuing with the psychological healing process following the country's civil war. The ??31 gift will supply the team strip, a football and a whistle to a school in Sierra Leone.

Oxfam offers similar gifts. Its Back to School kits for five pupils is a bestseller in a catalogue（目錄）which includes the ??24 Christmas goat, the ??30 lavatory and ??12 for school dinners for up to 200 children.

The first paragraph is written to tell us________.

   A. the great differences between the rich and the poor.

   B. the general conditions of education in poor countries.

   C. the difficulty in getting good education in poor countries.

   D. the great meaning of a little money to children in poor countries.

The underlined phrase “rack our brains” means _____in the third paragraph.

A. cause physical or mental hurt

B. think very hard

C. improve our intelligence

D. make full use of

Which of the following is Right according to the passage?

   A. Plan UK is working on educational projects all over the world.

   B. The sufferings brought by war still have side effects on the children in Sierra Leone.

   C. The educational Christmas presents have been given to the children for many years.

   D. Its Back to School kits for five pupils is a bestselling book.

The title for the passage would probably be ______.

   A. A new way of Christmas shopping   

B. Give a helping hand to poor children

C. Buy a child an education this Christmas

D. Plan UK, an international children's charity

Half a century after the March of Dimes (a US charity organization that collects money for children) put the 20th century’s most feared childhood disease on the road to eradication (根除), Bill Gates declared polio (小兒麻痹癥) his important job and challenged world leaders to finish the job.

India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan now have active transmission (傳播) of the disease. Gates says the biggest problem with the success of the Global Polio Eradication program in those countries and elsewhere is lack of money.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to increase its $200 million annual contribution (每年的捐款) by $102 million this year, Gates says. Gates recently met privately with Pakistan’s President in Washington, D.C., to try to persuade him to provide full support for Pakistan’s eradication plan.

Children in the USA also are at risk, experts say. Parents who don’t vaccinate (給某人接種疫苗) their children because they are fearful of vaccine side-effects create a large number of children who are likely to be harmed by the virus.

“If you increase the number of unvaccinated children, you increase the chance that this virus will find new subjects,” says David Oshinsky, Pulitzer Prized-winning author of Polio: An American Story.

“We’ve got to get this vaccine into the mouths of children,” says Bruce Aylward, head of the World Health Organization’s eradication program.

In 1988, when the World Health Organization launched the Global Polio Eradication program, the disease killed 350,000 children a year worldwide. By last year, the total dropped to fewer than 1,500 worldwide, Aylward says.

If Gates provides the final push for polio eradication, he may be remembered as much for helping prevent polio as for founding Microsoft, Oshinsky says.

“As long as there’s polio anywhere, people everywhere are at risk,” Aylawrd says. “We’re still not out of the woods.”

1.According to the text, the success of the Global Polio Eradication program mainly depends on          .

2.What do we know about polio according to the text?

3.According to Oshinsky,           .

4.According to the passage, which of the following about Bill Gates is TRUE?

5.The underlined part “We’re still not out of the woods” means “       ”.

Spring is just around the corner and it’s a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors．Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to travel and get back in the spring sunshine．
Dana Point Festival of the Whales
Dana Point, California
March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010
Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean．Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family．Prices start at $29 per adult and $19 for children．For more information, visit: www．dpfestivalofwhales．com
Chandler Ostrich Festival
Chandler, Arizona
March 13 to 15, 2010
Chandler is the center of ostrich（鴕鳥） ranching （農(nóng)牧場工作） in the USA．You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tumbleweed Park．General admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for children aged 5 to 12 and kids 4 and under are free．For more information visit:
www．ostrichfestival．com
Festival of Houses and Gardens
Charleston, South Carolina
March 19 to April 18, 2010
The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America．Each 3-hour tour （afternoons from 2 to 5 pm and evenings from 6 to 9 pm） lets you visit 8 to 10 properties dating from the American colonial period．Prices range from $25 to $45．For more information, visit:
www．historiccharleston．org
Tulip Time Festival
Holland, Michigan
May 1 to 9, 2010
You don’t need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world’s finest tulips （郁金香）．The town of Holland is home to millions of colorful bulbs. The 81st annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in America will kick off with fireworks on May 1．Admission fee ranges from $6 for the children’s area to $38 for theatre tickets．Tickets and more information are available at www．tuliptime．com.
【小題1】A couple with their 4-year-old son will go whale-watching, they have to pay _____．