Dirty Britain

Before the grass has thickened on the roadside and leaves have started growing on the trees is a perfect time to look around and see just how dirty Britain has become. The pavements are stained with chewing gum that has been spat out and the gutters（the low part at the edge of a road where water collects and flows away:） are full of thrown away fast food cartons. Years ago I remember traveling abroad and being saddened by the plastic bags, waste bottles at the edge of every road. Nowadays, Britain seems to look at least as bad. What has gone wrong?

   The problem is that the rubbish created by our increasingly mobile lives lasts a lot longer than before. If it is not cleared up and properly thrown away, it stays in the bushes for years; a

semi-permanent reminder of what a shabby little country we have now. Firstly, it is estimated that 10 billion plastic bags have been given to shoppers. These will take anything from 100 to 1,000 years to rot. However, it is not as if there is no solution to this. A few years ago, the Irish government introduced a tax on non-recyclable carrier bags and in three months reduced their use by 90%. When he was a minister, Michael Meacher attempted to introduce a similar arrangement in Britain. The plastics industry protested, of course. However, they need not have bothered; the idea was killed before it could draw breath, leaving supermarkets free to give away plastic bags.

   What is clearly necessary right now is some sort of combined initiative, both individual and collective, before it is too late. The alternative is to continue sliding downhill until we have a

country that looks like a vast municipal rubbish tip. We may well be at the tipping point. Yet we know that people respond to their environment. If things around them are clean and tidy, people behave cleanly and tidily. If they are surrounded by dirt, they behave dirtily. Now, much of Britain looks pretty dirty. What will it look like in five years?

76. The writer says that it is a good time to see Britain before the trees have leaves because_______.

    A. Britain looks perfect.                                 B. you can see Britain at its dirtiest.

C. you can see how dirty Britain is now.      D. the grass has thickened on the roadside.

77 . According to the writer, the major problem is that __________.

A. rubbish can not be cleared up                        B. rubbish lasts longer than it used to

C. our society is increasingly mobile                  D. people in Britain are dirty

78. What can be learned about Michael Meacher?

A. He followed the Irish example with a tax on plastic bags.

B. He failed in his attempt to introduce a tax on plastic bags.

C. His attempt to follow the Irish example with a tax on plastic bags was welcomed.

D. He had problems with the plastics industry who weren’t bothered about the tax.

79. What does the writer state in the last paragraph?

A. It’s too late for people to take immediate action.

B. There is more than one solution to the problem.

C. Britain will become an extremely dirty country in five years.

D. People tend to behave according to what they see around them.

Winter is a great time to experiment with new sports. The key is to find one that matches your interests and natural abilities. If you like to walk, keep walking ― on snowshoes. If you want to try an endurance sport, go for cross-country skiing. Besides, snowboarding is just great fun.

Not satisfied with these? Try downhill skiing, then. Downhill skiing is not as hard as it used to be ― shorter, lightweight, curved skis make any beginner feel like an Olympic winner. These newer skis ― along with another type of equipment called skiboards, which are even shorter than skis ― help you control your speed and body movements.

Consider testing the latest high-tech skis or snowboards？Check with your local sports shops or the rental places at the ski mountains about sample programs.

You could also try sledding. Use a wood-framed sled with steel runners or a plastic sled to head down a snowy hill. If you prefer ice to snow, think hockey or figure skating.

Runners can also train during the winter in spite of wet or slippery roads. One of the easiest sports around, snowshoeing can be excellent cold-weather cross-training for runners and cyclists ― or anyone wanting to take a wintry walk in the woods. Snowshoes are smaller, lighter, and better than ever. If you want to try them out, you may be able to rent a pair for a day at many of the larger outdoor or sporting goods stores.

Whatever sport you choose, don’t rely on a friend for instruction. You wouldn’t let an inexperienced doctor perform a brain operation on you, but why let one teach you to ski or skate? That’s what instructors are for ― to help newcomers start out right. Instructors can give you advice about equipment, techniques, safety, and dealing with injuries if they do happen to you.

Above all, if you want to progress, invest your time in learning the basic skills thoroughly. Everything else you do as a skier, boarder, or skater will be built on these first skills.

72.     How many different types of sports are mentioned in the first two paragraphs?

A. Six.                   B. Five.                     C. Four.                     D. Three.

73.     What can we learn from the passage?

A. Runners and cyclists cannot train because of the wet or slippery roads in winter.

B. Downhill skiing used to be more difficult to learn because of the old-fashioned skis.

C. People can rent snowshoes for a day at their local sports shops or the rental places.

D. In general, first skills are more important in skiing than in snowboarding or skating.

74.     What does the sentence “You wouldn’t let an inexperienced doctor perform a brain operation on you, but why let one teach you to ski or skate?” imply?

A. Don’t let an inexperienced doctor perform an operation on you when injured.

B. You may have a brain operation if you ski or skate with a newcomer.

C. Instructors can give better advice on skiing and skating than your friends do.

D. It’s dangerous to have an inexpert person teach you to ski or skate.

75.     Who are the most likely readers of the passage?

A. High school students.                     B. Physical educators.

C. Winter sports lovers.                     D. Professional athletes.

For most of us, the purpose of the holidays is to bring peace, love, and goodwill towards all. Yet, for many, the holiday season often means stress, fatigue, pressure, disappointment and loneliness.

These feelings, often known as the “holiday blues”, may be even more prevalent, due to the emotional turmoil (波折) of the past few months, not to mention the unsteady economy. Experts say even the more ritual tasks of shopping, decorating, late-night parties, cooking, planning and family reunions can be holiday stressors. In addition, the psychological phenomenon known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, may bring a specific type of depression related to winter’s shorter days and longer nights.

“Certainly just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean people are going to be happy,” says Dr. Doug Jacobs of Harvard University. “And this will be a particularly hard holiday for some who are dealing with a lost job, debt, or even a lost loved one.”

And with family reunions becoming less frequent events over the years, there is now the added pressure of getting just one chance to get it all right. “Families are much more different now. The disappointment and sense of alienation that often results from family gatherings, is actually a realization that the fantasy is not met.” says John Stutesman, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Still, say experts, the blues should be addressed. The most essential step, says Stutesman, is for the individual to acknowledge their feelings and the reason for their withdrawal. “Denial will only compound the stress they’re feeling.” Stutesman recommends people do things that are normally comforting in order to get a handle on the holiday stress. “If they’re feeling a little blue, they should try to do things personally satisfying for them. Maybe this is exercise, cooking, reading a book, or massage.” Stutesman also advises that sometimes “avoidance is actually not such a bad idea.” In some situations, fulfilling social obligations may be self-destructive when the best thing may be to just stay home. The healthy choice has to do with taking care of oneself.”

76. What is the “holiday blues”?

A. The feeling of disappointment and sense of alienation in family reunions.

B. Feelings such as stress, fatigue, disappointment and alienation in holiday.

C. Feelings such as peace, love, and goodwill in holiday.

D. The psychological phenomenon known as seasonal affective disorder.

77. Which of the followings is not the reason that causes the “holiday blues”?

A. Emotional turmoil of the past few months.

B. Summer’s longer days and shorter nights.

C. Unsteady financial condition.

D. Ritual tasks of daily life.

78. Who are more likely to feel blue in holiday according to the passage?

A. Those who are fond of family reunions.

B. Those who are dissatisfied with their relatives.

C. Those who feel frustrated in their work.

D. Those who feel hard to take care of themselves.

79. If you are feeling blue, what can you do to relieve the stress according to the passage?

A. Deny that you are in low spirits.

B. Acknowledge the feeling and let it be.

C. Stay at home and do nothing.

D. Do exercise, cooking, reading or massage.

The following is an imaginary diary entry written by US president. This diary is part of Global Trends 2025, which was written by the US National Intelligence Council

80          

The US lead in highly skilled labor will likely narrow. China will begin to harvest more shares in investments in human capital, including education, nutrition and healthcare. India faces a challenge because top-flight educational institutions tend to satisfy a relatively advantaged few

81          

The US will remain the single most important actor in 2025, but it will be less dominant. It will preserve its considerable military advantages, but its scientific and technological advances will slow. US policy is likely to be strongly determined by the developments in a number of key states, particularly China and Russia

82          

Global wealth and economic power will shift from West to East. Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) are picked as countries which could benefit. Rising oil and commodity prices will create large profits for the Gulf states and Russia. A shift in manufacturing and some service industries to Asia will enrich China and India

83          

China is ready to have more impact on the world over the next two decades than any other country. If current trends persist, by 2025 China will have the world’s second largest economy, and its military will play an important role

84          

The transition from old fuels to new will be slow, as will the development of new technologies that present feasible alternatives to fossil fuels or help eliminate food and water problems. All current technologies are inadequate, and new ones will probably not be commercially possible by 2025

The big screen is never short of films about World WarⅡ. When Nazi Germany is featured in these films, cruel Nazi officers and brutal concentration（集中营） camps most often represent it. But the new Hollywood movie Valkyrie tells a different story, “a chapter of German history which is little known abroad”, according to the German Cultural Minister Bernd Neumann.

Valkyrie is based on a true incident that took place in 1944. Colonel(陆军上校) Stauffenberg had been a loyal soldier for his entire military career. However, after losing an eye, a hand, and three fingers in an Allied bombing, he reached breaking point. The destruction that his country had brought to its European neighbors had become too terrible for the colonel to bear in silence. He hoped that someone would find a way to stop Adolf Hitler, one of the most evil tyrants（暴君） the world has ever known. Realizing that time was running out, he decided that he must take action himself and joined the German resistance. These men drew up Operation Valkyrie, a plot to assassinate(刺杀) Hitler and to overthrow his Nazi government from the inside. This plot is what the film is named after and focuses on.

The Hollywood star Tom Cruise plays the lead role. “This was a very challenging film to make. We carried a huge responsibility to correctly portray history,” Cruise said.

However, the production has drawn criticism for lacking depth and for simplifying the motives behind the plot.

65. The passage tells us that Valkyrie is _____.

A.  a story written by Bernd Neuman

B.   a chapter in a German history book

C.  a movie about Nazi concentration camps

D.  a movie about a plan to assassinate Hitler

66. What does the sentence “he reached breaking point” probably mean?

A. He narrowly escaped being killed.

B. He couldn’t reach out his arm for anything.

C. He was rewarded for his brave attempts.

D. He decided to make a historic change in life.

67. Why did Tom Cruise say the film was challenging for him?

A. Because he never acted in such kind of film before.

B. Because he knew little about this episode of history.

C. Because he felt it a heavy task to present the real history.

D. Because he was afraid that the film might draw criticism.

68. The following passage will probably talk about _____.

A.      the reason why the film is named after Valkyrie

B.      the comments from the movie critics on Valkyrie

C.      the praises from audience after watching Valkyrie

D.     the importance of the role Cruise plays in Valkyrie