September 21, 2050----At a press conference today it was announced that the first tourist heading for Mars will be the 38-year-old US businessman Patrick Clifford. He will leave the earth in the launching window of June 2052 and set his foot on the surface of Mars in November, together with the other 6 astronauts assigned for the mission to further explore the planet.
Patrick has now two years of training ahead of him to get ready for the trip. Not only will he spend five months in getting to Mars, but another 600 days there before he can go back home. Patrick was of course very excited, “ This has been my dream since I was four, and seeing the first man on Mars 20 years ago made me realize that it was possible.”
To be able to pay the $ 1. 3 billion for his ticket for the trip Patrick sold his majority stake (股份) in the company his father had built. “I know that my father would have been proud of me if he had still been alive today, he knew what this means to me”, says Patrick. There is no risk though that you will find Patrick begging in your street corner when he comes back, but it is said that he was paid twice as much for his part of the company.
So, how is he going to spend his 600 days on the red planet? “Well, since I don’t have a job when I get back after selling the company, I have plenty of time to come up with a new business idea”, he says and laughs. If he brings a shovel（铁锹）he can start building the first hotel there, but maybe he shouldn’t expect too many guests until someone can offer a cheaper ticket.
1.How long will Patrick Clifford be away before he comes back?
A. About five months B. About two years
C. About 600 days D. About 750 days
2.The underlined part in Paragraph 3 means that .
A. the trip will turn Patrick into a beggar
B. Patrick will get much money from the trip
C. we needn’t worry about Patrick’s economic condition
D. it’s likely that Patrick will be very poor after he comes back
3.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Patrick is an optimistic man
B. A total of six people will go to Mars
C. Patrick’s father felt excited at the news
D. Patrick will spend all his money on the trip
Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there's no doubt Napoleon was a major influence. The French have used the right since at least the late 18th century. Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain, followed their left-hand tradition.
The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand drivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic travelled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift (改变) to the right. A driver would sit on the rear (后面的) left horse in order to wave his whip (鞭子) with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they travelled on the right.
One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left ( the reason was stated in a 1908 catalog: the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially if there is a lady to be considered).Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970.The U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the Western world's few remaining holdouts(坚持不变者).Several Asian nations, including Japan, use the left as well—though many places use both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.
1.Why did people in Switzerland travel on the right?
A. They had used the right-hand traffic since the 18th century.
B. Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right.
C. Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country.
D. Hitler ordered them to go against their left-hand tradition.
2.Of all the countries below, the one that travels on the right is ______.
A. Austria B. England C. Japan D. Australia
3.Henry Ford produced cars with controls on the left ______.
A. in order to change traffic directions in the U.S.
B. so that passengers could get off conveniently
C. because rules at that time weren't perfect
D. though many countries were strongly against that
4.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right.
B. People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays.
C. The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970.
D. All the Asian nations use the left at present.
I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, “I’m having a dinner party” means: "I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the checque evenly, no matter what you eat." Worse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don’t drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone know I have nowhere to go.
But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India. Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations in New York. The mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's, a well-known department store.
For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club.
1.What does the word "shot" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Choice. B. Try C. Style. D. Goal
2.What does the writer dislike most about dinner parties in New York?
A There is a strange mix of people.
B. The restaurants are expensive.
C. The bill is not fairly shared.
D. People have to pay cash
3.What does the author think of the parties in London?
A. A bit unusual B. Full of tricks.
C. Less costly. D. More interesting.
4.What is the author's opinion of some New Yorkers from her experience？
A. Easy-going. B. Self-centred.
C. Generous. D. Conservative.
Keeping pace with teachers is a fine way to study English.Teachers are experienced and their plans are systematic.But remember to work in a way that suits you.It's important to learn from past mistakes as well.Keep a notebook to make a record of the mistakes you make－it'll help you avoid making the same ones later.
The time of life may be hard，but you're not alone.You may be busy studying，but you can show your care by calling your friends or sending short messages.Don't let your friendships die.
It's as important to live well as it is to study well.Going to bed no later than 11：30 pm is vital.It puts you in the right mood for the next day.You needn't follow a special diet，but make sure you are eating nutritious meals each day.
The person who plays well，studies well.Having a lot of schoolwork doesn't mean having to give up other activities.Playing basketball or having a talk with your classmates can relax yourself.Time_out is not a waste of time but helps you study more efficiently.
Besides taking the big exam，you have other choices for college.I took the independent enrollment exam held by Peking University and some other students even were preparing to study abroad.Pay attention to any relevant information you can find，whether it's from school，the news media or other sources.
1.What should you do if you want to keep your friendship fresh?
A．Have frequent talks with them.
B．Always have lunch with them.
C．Remain them at some distance.
D．Keep connection by some ways.
2.The third paragraph is mainly about________．
A．study B．friendship
C．relaxation D．health
3.Which one is the closest meaning to “Time out” in Paragraph 4?
A．Sleep. B．Exercise. C．Continuation. D．Pause.
4.The passage is mainly written by a(n)________．
A．editor B．student C．teacher D．Parent
书面表达
请根据以下提示要点，写一篇题为“我们的班长”的短文。
1. 她叫李敏，个子高，身体好，很活泼。她各科成绩都好，既喜欢体育活动，又能歌善舞。
2. 她刚进校时，在英语学习上遇到不少困难。但她不怕苦，不怕难，努力把英语学好。
3. 她严于律己，乐于助人，是大家学习的好榜样。
4. 谈谈自己的看法。
参考词汇: 1.班长monitor 2.树立好榜样sets us all a good example.
注意：
1) 介绍需包括所给内容要点，但不要逐条译成英语。
2) 字数：100词左右。
3) 书写规范整齐.
短文改错
Hi, Sarah，
It's been a month since I came to this new school and I really want share with you some of the problems I have been experiencing.
As I tell you last time, I made three new friend here. We hang out﹙玩耍﹚ together during lunch and after school. We've been spending a lot of time sing in karaoke bars. It's been three Saturdays now and it really costs me many money. And I started to see this as a timewasting activity! In fact，I don't like to go anymore, so I'm afraid I'll lose their friendship. How do you think I should do? If you are me，would you talk to him?
Please help with me and give me some advice.
