Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile,around-the-world bicycle trip.White had two reasons for making this journey.First of all,he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity,which he did.He raised￡70,000 for the British charity,Oxfam.White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world.He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.

White set off from Trafalgar Square,in London,on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later.He spent more than 1,300 hours in the saddle（车座）and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains.He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe,the Middle East,India,Asia,Australia,New Zealand and the Americas.Amazingly,he did all of tbs with absolutely no support team.No jeep carrying food,water and medicine.No doctor.Nothing!Just a bike and a very,very long road.

The journey was lonely and desperate at times.He also had to fight his way across deserts,through jungles and over mountains.He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees,all to help people in need,There were other dangers along the road.In Iran,he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had.The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia.For 1,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him.This part of the trip was slow,hard work and depressing,but he made it in the end.Now Mr,White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures.

21.When Phil White returned from his trip,he      .

A.broke the world record                        B.collected money for Oxfam

C.destroyed several bikes                       D.travelled about 1,300 hours

22.During his journey around the world,Phil White      .

A.fought heroically against robbers in Iran         B.experienced the extremes of heat and cold

C.managed to ride against the wind in Australia     D.had a team of people who travelled with him

23.Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?

A.Imaginative.             B.Honest.               C.Modest.               D.Determined.

Is cursive writing（草写体）an out-of-date skill in today's technological society?The new education standards for English do not require cursive.However,schools are still allowed to teach cursive if they choose.Some schools are considering giving up cursive,since it is not on standardized tests.This topic is now being discussed in teacher lunchrooms around the country.We invited some inspired teachers to weigh in.Here's what one of them,Eldra Avery, has to say.

I failed a handwriting assignment in eighth grade,but my teacher told me that I was well able to have that type of handwriting.So I improved my handwriting and now have beautiful cursive handwriting.I teach English,and at times I ask my students to do assignments in cursive.Since they will be taking timed writing exams throughout their educational career,it is necessary that they practice writing at a speed that will allow them to finish their task.When you have three letters connected in a word,it flows,and when you lift your pen only at the end of a word,it is faster than printing（印刷体）,which lifts the pen at the completion of each letter.

Handwriting is a reflection（反映）of our humanity.We dream of a future with more advanced technology and less labor,but truthfully,if technology prevents us from using skills that are essentially human,I wonder if that can be called "progress." Cursive connects us to our past and our future.If students can't write cursive,they can't read cursive. And if they can't read cursive,how can they read historical papers like the Declaration of Independence?

Writing cursive is a process that helps improve language learning.Copying text by hand does a lot of good to students.My students complete a poetry analysis paper each year.Many of them tell me that they couldn't begin to understand their poem until they copied it by hand.Handwriting is a valuable communication tool,Communication through handwriting will always be a necessity.To imagine that the whole world communicates by typing would be a rather poor view.

24.According to Paragraph 1,teachers are discussing      .

A.whether cursive should be taught              B.whether students should read cursive

C.how to look at handwriting assignments            D.how to improve students' cursive writing

25.Why does Ms.Avery mention her students in the last paragraph?

A.To show the positive side of handwriting.         B.To introduce an effective learning method.

C.To show the importance of copying poems.      D.To share her first-hand teaching experience.

26.Ms.Avery would probably agree that      .

A.handwriting should be replaced by typing          B.there should be fewer standardized tests

C.cursive is more effective than printing           D.cursive helps us learn about the future

A MENTORING（导师制）program is giving life changing opportunities to Banbury youth.

Young Inspirations was founded two years ago to provide mentoring sessions for students and unemployed young adults aged 11 to 21.

Alex Goldberg,the program's founder,said:"We set up Young Inspirations because we wanted to give young people experiences which will potentially be life changing and broaden their outlook.

"We try to create work experience opportunities that will really make a difference to our youth.For example, we've secured internships（实习）with world—famous firms such as Honda.

"At a time of funding cutbacks where schools are finding it more and more difficult to offer this kind of mentoring,it is extremely important that these opportunities are available both to help youth with their school work and grades and to give them opportunities which may help shape their futures."Kieran Hepburn,14,is one of a group of Banbury youth who has benefited from the program so far.In October the Banbury School pupil was accompanied by Young Inspirations staff to Paris where he was an observer at the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) International Youth Forum （论坛）.

The event was held for young people from around the world,to seek their views on how the future of youth and education should look.Kieran joined several hundred observers mostly in their 20s and was the only UK school pupil to attend the event.Kieran thinks the trip was a fife changing experience."Before we left I didn't quite know what to make of it but when we got there we didn't stop;it was amazing,"he said,"We went to three or four hours of debates each day and then did something cultural each afternoon."

The main theme of the forum was how youth can drive change in political and public life.It dealt with issues（问题）such as drug abuse,violence and unemployment.

Kieran said:"It has really helped me to improve my confidence and social skills as well as my school grades and I was voted most improved pupil at school in August."

The Young Inspirations mentoring sessions take place each Friday in Banbury.For details visit www.younginspirations.com.

27.According to Alex Goldberg,it is difficult for schools to offer the mentoring due to      .

A.the lack of support from firms                        B.the cultural differences

C.the effect of unemployment                            D.the shortage of money

28.According to the pas,sage,the forum Focused on how youth can      .

A.build up their confidence at school                   B.find work experience opportunities

C.improve their social skills for the future                D.play an active role in the change of society

29.We can learn from the passage that      .

A.the visit to the United Kingdom was amazing      

B.Kieran has made great progress in many aspects

C.the youth have found a way to solve their problems       

D.the mentoring sessions are held every day except Friday

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

A.Alex Goldberg,Founder of Young Inspirations           B.Young People Find a World of Opportunity

C.Kieran,Banbury School Pupil to Paris                  D.Debates Help Youth with Their Grades

John Harrison has been a taste tester for the past 21 years._31_As a kid,he'd wanted to be a fire fighter or a police officer.

_32_Four generations of Harrisons have been in the business,including his great-grandfather,who owned two ice-cream shops in New York City in the 1880s,his father,who owned a dairy-ingredients（乳品原料）factory in Georgia,and his uncle,who owned an ice-cream factory in Tennessee.At his uncle's factory,he "tasted and ate" his way through high school and college as he learned how to make ice cream.

Every morning Harrison tastes 60 ice-cream samples（样品）.At the beginning,he takes the containers of ice cream out of a big storage freezer._33_The temperature in the storage freezer is -20 degrees Fahrenheit（华氏温度）. Most people eat ice cream at between 0 and 5 degrees.

While the ice cream warms up,Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance._34_He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive.If there are added goodies in the ice cream,such as fruit,chocolate chips or nuts,he makes sure that they are evenly（均匀地）spread throughout and that the sample doesn't have too much or too little of the added ingredients.

_35_With his gold-plated spoon,which he uses to avoid the aftertaste plastic or wood can give,Harrison removes the top of the sample.Then he turns the spoon upside down and puts the spoonful onto his tongue slowly.

A.Next,it's time to taste!

B.Harrison has a degree in chemistry.

C.Actually,ice cream runs in Harrison's family.

D."Tasting begins with the eyes,"Harrison explains.

E.Then he lets the ice cream warm up to about 12 degrees.

F.Harrison hadn't always wanted to be in the ice-cream business.

G."I've developed a way of tasting called the Three S's,"Harrison says.

It was a summer afternoon and some boys were playing together in a park.They knew each other well,_56_they had spent the last three years of school together and tomorrow was the start of a new term,about_57_they were excited and nervous.

The first day of school came,and all the boys from the park the day before were put in the same class_58_ coincidence.They jumped for joy all morning long.After lunch,the teacher came into the classroom with a boy and it was evident_59_they had never seen him before.

All the children were quiet,_60_(wait) for the teacher to speak.And she said:"Hello everyone,this is Mei Pei from China,our newest class member.Mei Pei knows some English so I hope you will treat him as if he_61_(be) your brother."

Then one child said to Mei Pei:"How come you speak_62_(different)?"Mei Pei answered:"In_63_country,we all talk this way.On the other hand,we're just the same as you.I wish I could speak English as well as you ill three months."

The children in the class_64_(understand) this,and that it also didn't matter what he looked like,or what colour his skin was,or that he didn't speak perfect English.

So the new_65_(add) to the class helped everyone learn how to respect new people.And the boys stayed in the same class for another two years,with Mei Pei as one of their best friends.