The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn’t exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahan: its shortened form Taj Mahan, means “pride of the palace”. In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne. He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen.
He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahan, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6-7 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four corners. The Taj itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble.
The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across river at the tomb of his beloved wife.
1.The whole passage tells us about ______.
A. a beautiful fairy tale
B. the story of the Taj Mahal
C. white and black marble tombs made for two emperors
D. the love story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife
2.Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Taj Mahal?
A. It was completed quickly owing to the efforts of the best artists and workers.
B. A lot of people took part in the building work
C. It is a magnificent building.
D. It is a tomb for the emperor’s beloved wife.
3.The emperor’s own tomb was designed to be ____________.
A. meters high
B. eight-sided
C. black-coloured
D. white-colored
4.The emperor _____________.
A. died soon after Taj Mahan died
B. was killed by his son
C. was beloved by his people
D. died after 1648
I came to study in the United States a year ago .Yet I did not know the real American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor and go to court.
After the accident .my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I’d have to have a good lawyer. And only a good doctor can help me get a good lawyer .Now that he had helped me find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every day I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time .The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
My lawyer was all smiles the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. He knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance company the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time…and I left without getting a cent.
1.The author’s roommate offered to help him because________.
A. he felt sorry for the author
B. he thought it was a chance to make some money
C. he knew the doctor was a very good one
D. he wanted the author to have a good lawyer
2.The word“charge”in the third paragraph means_________ .
A. be responsible B. accuse
C. ask as a price D. claim
3.What conclusion can you draw from the story?
A. Going to court is something very common in America.
B. One must be very careful while driving a car.
C. There are more bad sides in America than good sides.
D. Money is more important than other things in the US.
Metro Pocket Guide
Metrorail(地铁)
Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.
Farecard machines are in every station, Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the station and farecard machine only provide up to $ 5 in change.
Get one day of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations. Use it after 9:30 a.m. until closing on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours of Service
Open: 5 a.m Mon-Fri
7a.m. Sat—Sun .
Close: midnight Sun—Thur.
3a.m.Fri.-Sat.nights
Last train time vary. To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train time posted in stations.
Metrobus
When paying with exact change, the fare is $ 1.35 . when paying with a smatTripâ CARD the fare is $1.25
Fares for the Senior /disabled customers
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare. On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled farecard or SmarTripâ card. For more information about buying senior/disabled farecards, SmarTripR cards and passes, please visit MetroOpenDoors.com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100
Travel tips
. Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4 and 6 p.m.
. If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at 202-962-1195.
1. what should you know about farecard machines?
A. They start selling tickets at 9:30 a.m.
B. They are connected to change machines.
C. They offer special service to the elderly.
D. They make change for no more than $5.
2. At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?
A. At midnight
B. at 3 a.m.
C. at 5 am
D. at 7 p.m.
3.What is good about a SmarTripâ card?
A. It is convenient for old people
B. It saves money for its users
C. it can be bought at any time
D. it is sold on the Internet.
4.Which number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
A. 202-962-1195
B.202-962-1100
C.202-673-7000
D.202-673-8000
书面表达（满分25分）
假如你是李华，在上一周去英国参加了由Fiona的学校组织的两校学生交流活动，在英国期间，你居住在Fiona的家中。回国后，请你给Fiona写封感谢信，内容包括：
1. 交流活动中的收获和感受
2. 回忆在Fiona家度过的美好日子
3. 感谢她送你的英文图书
注意：1. 词数100左右
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
3. 开头语已为你写好（不计入总词数）
提示词汇：文化交流活动：Cultural Exchange activity
Dear Fiona,
I’ve been back home safely from England.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Yours,
短文改错(共10小题；每小题I分，满分10分)
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Arthur,
In your last letter, you told me something about your sister’s surfing on the Internet. I’m familiar to your situation. As computers become more and more popular, some students cannot help play online games and chatting. It is not only a problem of wasting time, but serious problem for their future! What you should do at first is to find out what make her addicted to computer games. Lack of love from parent ? Poor scores? Then having a heart-to-heart talk with her. Secondly, you should help herself with her study to build up her confidence and make her interesting in it. Thirdly, find something else for her to do instead computer games. Your efforts will surely help change her life.
Yours,
单词拼写（共30小题；每小题1分，满分30分）
根据所给首字母和汉语提示选用适当的单词完成句子，每空仅限一词。
1.The campaigns result effectively in a c____________（民用的，国内的）war.
2.Scientists are working hard to find out a______________（可替代的）energies.
3.Shopping windows d______________（展示）the latest fashions are very attractive.
4.Language is a major means of c______________（交流）, which we know.
5.A______________（农业）plays a very important part in the world.
6.Jill was sitting on the floor s______________（围绕）by boxes.
7.The s____________（结构）of the brain is very complex.
8.E______________（最后）, he was tired of doing that sort of things.
9.Few people have e____________（探索）the area from St. Louis to the Pacific.
10.I didn’t realize putting on a play i____________（包括）so much work.
11.The soldier e____________（逃脱）from the enemy’s prison on a snowy night.
12.N______________（自然地）, you’ll want to discuss the matter with your parents.
13.When we got to the hotel, it was still under c____________（建造）.
14.He was d____________（诊断）with cancer so he was filled with despair.
15.There are no simple s____________（解决办法）to the problem of overpopulation.
16.This festival is t______________（传统地）held in May.
17.The car should be returned to its o____________（最初的）owner.
18.Women are f______________（禁止）form going out without a veil in Arabian world.
19.What he said just now was r____________（荒谬的）. None of us believed it.
20.She swam well despite all her d______________（伤残）.
21.The sick person r____________（反应）badly to this medicine and died at last.
22.She may be angry if you don’t reply to her i______________（邀请）.
23.A large q____________（数量）of air-conditioners has been sold since the temperature is high.
24.There are plans to widen the n____________（最狭窄的）sections of the road.
25.The room was not big enough to a______________（容纳）all the people present at the meeting.
26.Doctors are not very o____________（乐观的）about the result of the surgery.
27.Spain is still our most popular holiday d____________（目的地）.
28.The protests became more violent and many landowners were p____________（惊慌）into leaving the country.
29.The public should be e______________（教育）in how to use energy more effectively.
30.When I was a little boy, I’d like to stare at the r____________（遥远的）stars at night.
