In 1972 a twenty-year-old medical student, Mike Jones, led a five-man canoeing expedition down the upper part of the Blue Nile. The other members of the team were Mike Hopkinson, Glen Green, Steve Nash and Dave Buikingshaw.

On 3^rd September they started out and at first everything went well, but then Glen capsized. He survived ,but the canoe was badly 21___. The next day at the Tississat Falls there was a team crisis(危机). Dave and Steve didn’t think it was 22      enough to continue. There was a long 23   and in the end the two Mikes continued in their canoes while the other three carried their equipment on land. The team 24     to meet at the second Portuguese bridge. The water in the gorge（峡谷）was very 25     and dangerous, but luckily both canoes were 26    enough to get through . Just before they reached the bridge, Mike Jones had got caught in a whirlpool（漩涡） and it had taken him several minutes to get out.

     The team met at the bridge. The canoeing was easier now, but there were other 27   . Bandits(强盗) shot at them once, but they were moving too fast. Crocodiles  were a real danger,  and one day Dave had to   28  his canoe to escape. Fortunately Steve had his 29    ready, so he shot the crocodile and got Dave’s canoe back.

   They 30   arrived at the Shafartak Bridge, tired and very tense, on 12^th September.

The Internet is an amazing information resource. Students, teachers, and researchers use it as __31_  investigative tool. Journalists use it to find information for stories. Doctors use it to learn more about unfamiliar diseases and the  32_ (late) medical development. Ordinary people use it for shopping, banking, bill-paying, and communicating with family and friends. People all over the world use it to connect with individuals from  _33  countries and cultures. However, __34____there are many positive developments  __35__ (associate) with the Internet, there are also certain fears and concerns.  __36___  concern relates to a lack of control over__37__  appears on the Internet. With television and radio there are editors to check the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of programs, and with television there are  38 (restrict) on what kinds of programs can  __39__ (broadcast) and at what times of the day. With the Internet, parents cannot check a published guide to determine what is suitable __40____ their children to see.

With thousands of years of history and mythology in its area, Athens―named for the olive-tree-loving Athena---is more than a concrete jungle. It’s a lovely city decorated by outdoor cafes, pedestrian streets, parks, gardens and plenty of characters. If you get into the spirit of things, you might not even notice the smoke and fog hanging overhead.

    The city is connected three sides by Mt Parnitha, Mt Pendeli and Mt Hymettos. Within Athens there are no less than eight hills, of which the Acropolis and Lykavitos are the most famous. The hills provide a peaceful rest from the noise of the city.

    Just about everything of interest to the traveler is within a small area surrounding Plateia Syntagmatos (Syntagma Square). This area is connected with the districts of Plaka to the south, Monastiraki to the west, Kolonaki to the east and Omaonia to the north.

    Plateia Syntagmatos is dominated by the old Roal Palace and is the beating heart of the business district, with luxury hotels, banks and airline offices. Plaka, nestled below the Acropolis, is the old Turkish quarter and virtually all that existed when Athens was declared the capital of independent Greece. Though Plaka is packed with tourists in high season, it’s also one of the prettiest and most atmospheric areas of the city. Monastiraki is the market district and a fascinating part of town to wander. Psiri, nearby, is full of stylish cafes and bars and makes a great place to stop for a rest of lunch. Kolonaki, a classy living area, is full of trendy boutiques, art galleries and cafes.

41. Which of the following words can best describe Athens?

A. Modern         B. Crowded.           C. Hilly            D. Luxurious

42. What is the main idea of the text?

   A. A detailed introduction of Athens          B. The location of Athens

   C. The appearance of Athens                   D. The beauty of Athens

43. If you want to buy something, where will you go?

A. Plaka          B. Kolonaki            C. Omonia          D. Monastiraki

44. What can not be found in Kolonaki?

A. Fashion clothes   B. Painting            C. Leisure people     D. Horse riding

45. What does the underlined sentence ‘If you get into the spirit of things, you might not even notice the smoke and fog hanging overhead.’ mean?

   A. There are so many hills in Athens

   B. It is very dirty in Athens.

   C. Athens is so beautiful that you can enjoy yourself and don’t know what time it is.

   D. Athens is full of mythology.

Do you know about a series of books that say they are "for dummies"? These American self-help books have been translated into more than thirty-nine languages including Chinese, Arabic, Russian, French, German, Greek and Spanish.

    "Dummy" is a word for a stupid person. The dummies books are not really for stupid people. They are designed to show people how to do something they may never have tried before, like painting a house or learning a language. The books all say in a funny way that they are for dummies, such as World History for Dummies, Rabbits for Dummies, Chinese Cooking for Dummies, and Wedding Planning for Dummies. The first such book, DOS for Dummies, was published in 1991. it helped people learn how to use the DOS operating system for computers. Since then, more than one hundred fifty million dummies books have been sold.

    The dummies.com website explains the idea behind the books. It says that they show that people can be taught to do anything. First they can make fun of ideas that are difficult to understand. Then they show how the information can be interesting and easy. The publishers say that the books do not provide more information than necessary. They give readers just enough information to do what they want. They say that the dummies books give the best and easiest way to do something. And the books use simple and easy language.

    There are more than one thousand different dummies books. A report in New York Times says that the top-selling dummies books are those that explain technology and personal finance.

    The publishers say that the best-selling dummies books are those providing information many people need-like information about diseases, education and cooking. People interested in opera, car repair and wine can also find dummies books to help them. And there are even more dummies books to come. The publishers say that they publish about two hundred new dummies books every year.

46. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

     A. Books for Dummies            B. The Easiest, the Best

     C. Self-Help Books                 D. New Ideas behind the Books

47. According to the dummies, com website, people can         with the help of dummies books.

     A. simplify some personal things       B. do anything they want

     C. become expert in any field          D. learn any foreign language

48. The dummies books have been popular because               .

     A. they provide just what is needed and are easy to understand

     B. they provide abundant information on the concerning subject

     C. people can learn to do anything with just one copy

     D. people can save lots of money through self-teaching

49. According to New York Times, we know that books on __________ sell best.

    A. technology and personal finance      B. opera and car repairing

    C. diseases and education                   D. cooking and world history

50. What can we learn from the passage?

    A. The first dummies book was on Chinese cooking.

    B. The dummies books will continue to be popular.

    C. Fifty million different dummies books have been published.

    D. The simple language was intended for child readers.

Allen: I have never been a big fan of the bears, especially the vacation show. On my last trip to Disneyland (1999) we passed it by, because we didn’t want to spend the time on something we didn’t really enjoy. If we’d known it would be closed by our next visit. I am sure we would have watched it one more time. I was just making the point that it wasn’t until Disney announced the closing that this feeling suddenly sprang up for the Country Bear show at Disneyland.

    But I think the idea of keeping some attractions open forever regardless of the number of visitors it gets is a mistake. We all have great memories of the Bears, but clearly very few kids today (or I should say families today) are making those same memories from this show. That may be a sad fact, but it is a fact. For whatever reason, the show doesn’t pull in the numbers. Isn’t it right to use the Country Bear space to bring in a more popular attraction so that more kids today can make those magic memories of an attraction they like? Otherwise aren’t we just telling kids today that they ‘have to’ make great memories of the Bears, when it is obvious that the kid themselves are not enjoying the Bears like we did?

    Roger: I am very disappointed that they have decided to retire the Country Bear Playhouse. I remember going to the show as a child, and still enjoyed it as a teenager, and now young adult. It is true that there aren’t a lot of shows left at DL and with this one closing even less. Being at DL does require a lot of walking, and it is nice to have a few attractions that are a place to sit and enjoy a good show. I understand that DL has to develop, but there has to be some history to the Disneyland that Walt Disney first designed. There should be some parts of DL that just never go away, and this is one of them. By the time I have children it looks like there won’t be any attractions that I can say I went to as a child at the rate they are going.

    Now the Bears are leaving. What I want to say is: stop trying to compete with everyone! DL is the best, because of attractions like the Country Bears. If DL insists on destroying all of its magic to make way for the latest, well, then it might as well be just another theme park.

51.   What news might get people talking about the problem of the Country Bears?

A.The Country Bear Playhouse will be closed

B.There will be a new attraction for our guests at Disneyland

C.The number of visitors to the Country Bear Playhouse is falling

D.The Bears will retire because of old age and can’t give shows any more

52.   Allen spoke mainly to get his point across that ______.

A.the Bears will be missed

B.we should tell kids today that they ‘have to’ make great memories of the Bears

C.the longtime attraction ought to make way for a future attraction

D.people never care about what they have until all is lost

53.   Which is the best choice to complete Roger’s idea: ‘The Country Bears have been a part of Disneyland for nearly 30 years______.’

A.and I feel it is time to give our bears a good rest

B.but anyway, the attraction has lost interest

C.but I know that Disneyland will always be changing, and I accept that

D.and I am sad that the Bears will be leaving

54.   Which of the following is not in the same group as the other three?

A.an attraction   B. the latest magic  C. the Bears   D. a theme park

55. Where can this passage be found?

A. In a Web discussion zone

B. In a suggestion book

C. In a report on the popularity of the Country Bears

D. In high school students’ compositions