Rivers are one of our most important natural resources (自然資源). Many of the world's great cities
are located on rivers, and almost every country has at least one river flowing through it that plays an
important role in the lives of its people.
     Since the beginning of the history, people have used rivers for transportation. The longest one in the
United States is the Mississippi. The lifeline of Egypt is the Nile. To the people of India, the Gangs is great,
but it is also important for transportation; Ships can travel along it for a thousand miles. Other great rivers
are the Congo in Africa and the Mekong in southeast Asia. The greatest of all for navigation (航海),
however, is the Amazon in Brazil. It is so wide and so deep that large ships can go about two thousand
miles upon it.
     Besides transportation, rivers give food, water to drink, water for crops, and chances for fun and
recreation for the people who live along their banks. In order to increase the supply of crops, engineers
sometimes build a dam (大壩) across a river and let a lake from behind the dam. Then people can use the
water not only to irrigate (灌溉) their fields but also to make electricity for their homes and industries.
     However, large cities and industries that are located upon rivers often make problems. As the cities grow
in size and industries increase in number, the water in the rivers becomes polluted with chemicals and other
materials. People are learning the importance, however, of doing more to keep their rivers clean if they want
to enjoy the benefits (利益) of this natural resource.

1. The greatest river for navigation is _______.

A. the Amazon
B. the Nile
C. the Mekong
D. the Mississippi

2. Which is wrong? 

A. The Nile is in India.
B. Almost every country has at least one important river.
C. Many cities are located on rivers.
D. Rivers play an important part in the lives of people.

3. From a dam, people can use the water for _______.

A. keeping the rivers clean
B. only making electricity
C. washing clothes
D. irrigation and making electricity

4. The water in the river is polluted because of _______.

A. people's drinking water too much
B. people's swimming in the river too much
C. chemicals and other materials
D. people's building a dam across a river

5. The best title of the passage is _______.

A. Rivers in Cities
B. The importance of Rivers
C. Transportation
D. Natural Resources

      Traveling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier, but how well do we know and (1) u_____
each other? Here is a simple test. I imagine you will hold a (2) m_____ at four o'clock, what time should you
(3) e_____ your foreign business friends to come? If they are German, they will (4) a______ on time. If they
are American, they'll probably be fifteen minutes early. If they are British, they'll be fifteen minutes late.
      The British seemed to think since the English (5) l______ was widely used in the world, what they did
was certain to be widely understood. Very soon they (6) f______ they were completely wrong. For (7)
e______, the British are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters with a drink during
the meal; the Japanese (8) p______ not to work while eating. Lunch is a time for them to relax and get to
know (9) e______ other, and they don't drink at lunch. The Germans like to talk business (10) b______ dinner;
the French like to eat first and talk afterwards. They have to be well fed and watered before they discuss
anything.

     Every year people celebrate the Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February. It's the most
important (重要的) festival in China. So before it comes, everyone buys many things, and they often make a
special kind of food called dumplings-It means "come together". Parents always buy new clothes for their
children and children also buy presents for their parents. On the Spring Festival eve (除夕), all the family
members come back home. They sing, dance and play cards. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other
the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time.

1. Which is the most important festival in China?

A. The Mid-Autumn Festival
B. The Spring Festival
C. Children's Day
D. May Day

2. The Chinese usually have their Spring Festival in. _____.

A. January or February
B. February or March
C. September or October
D. December or January

3. What's the special kind of food for the Spring Festival in China?

A. Fruit
B. Fish
C. Dumplings
D. chicken

4. The food dumplings means "_____ ".

A. be nice
B. be hungry
C. come together
D. come back

5. When Chinese people are having dinner on the Spring Festival eve, they _____.

A. sing, dance and play cards
B. give each other presents
C. never drinks
D. A and C

     Who hasn't enjoyed eating peanuts? Did you know that although peanuts look like nuts and taste like nuts,
they aren't nuts at all? They belong to the pea family, so they are called peanuts.
     The peanut grows flowers above ground, but its "fruit" grows underground. It grows in more countries
than most other "nuts". The peanut is a native South American plant. Scientists believe that it grew wild in Brazil
long ago. They think that for several thousand years the early peoples of South America made it a part of their
diet. These peoples were nomads who moved on when a natural food could no longer be found in one area.
Along the way they probably let fall some peanuts, which got into the ground and grew. This is believed to be
the way the plant reached the place where the Incas (印加人) lived. The Incas, from about 1100 to 1532,
thought highly of peanuts.
      The peanuts were eaten in several forms and used as sacrificial offerings (祭品) to. the Incan Sun God.
Later in the 16th century, European soldiers had brought peanuts to other parts of the world, including North
America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Pacific Islands.  
     Although peanuts were found native in South America, they are now grown in almost every country that
has warm weather. India produces the most peanuts. China's production is next, followed by the United States.
     The peanut is special in more ways than one. It can be eaten raw, boiled, roasted, or fried. Hundreds of
widely different products have been made from it. Carver, an American scientist, set himself the task of
discovering new uses for eating peanuts and many other products.
     Peanuts are very highly nutritious and are also high in protein (蛋白質(zhì)). Americans use about seven-tenths
of their protein in the form of meat. In India, where the poor can't pay for meat or milk, peanut meal and peanut milk have been produced. These have been a great help to the poor.
     New products are continually being made from peanuts, among them peanut cheese and a powder that
becomes peanut butter when water is added. The fact is that peanuts are so healthy that they are used by
astronauts. The unusual nut that isn't a nut is one of nature's most amazing gifts.

1. What is the main idea of Paragraph (段落) Two?

A. The countries growing peanuts.
B. The ways of using peanuts.
C. The history of the peanut.
D. The origin of the peanut.

2. What does the underlined word "nutritious" mean?

A. Good for health.
B. Helpful to the poor.
C. Delicious and tasty.
D. Rich in fat and oil.

3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A. Americans eat peanuts as much as they eat meat.
B. The peanut was first found in South America.
C. Astronauts ate lots of peanuts to keep healthy.
D. China grows less peanuts than the U. S.

4. What is the purpose of the article?

A. To show that peanuts belong to the pea family.
B. To advise us to use more peanut products.
C. To tell us some new uses of peanuts.
D. To let us know more about peanuts.

     Korean culture (韓國文化) is really exciting right now. The Korean Wave is sweeping Asian countries
including China. Young people are going crazy (瘋狂的) about Korean TV plays, Korean pop songs, tackwondo and the Korean language.
     The Korean Wave started a few years ago with the TV series Winter Sonata. This love story is still popular.
People, especially' girls, like the beautiful story and good-looking actors (演員) like Bae Yong Jun.
     In the music world Korean girls are making them: selves heard in China. You can often find big Korean
names like Baby Vox, S. E. S and Finkle at the top of the Chinese music charts (排行榜).
     The Korean Wave has also made young people want to try the clothes and hairstyles of pop stars, too. Not
only that. Now some girls in China are having plastic surgery (整容) to change the way they look. People say
some beautiful Korean stars have had plastic surgery. These stars don't make plastic surgery look shameful
(丟面子的).
     Are all the faces of beautiful Korean girls not real? Find out for yourself when you next visit South Korea.

1. The Korean Wave refers to (指) _____.

A. Korean TV plays
B. Korean culture
C. Korean language
D. Korean pop songs

2. _____ is the start of the Korean Wave.

A. Tackwondo
B. Korean music
C. The TV series Winter Sonata
D. Korean clothes

3. From the third paragraph we know _____.

A. many Korean girls often come to China and sing pop songs
B. Korean pop songs are liked by many Chinese people, especially the young
C. girls like good-looking Bae Yang Jun more than Baby Vox, S. E. S and Finkle
D. many Chinese people enjoy the songs sung by Baby Vox, S. E. S and Finkle

4. The underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph means _____.

A. people can't tell which beautiful face is a real one
B. plastic surgery really makes the stars look more beautiful
C. the Korean stars think plastic surgery is a shameful thing
D. people don't think plastic surgery is a shameful thing any longer

5. Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A. Bae Yong Jun is a popular Korean actor in China.
B. Young people like most pop stars' clothes and hairstyles.
C. Now the Korean TV series Winter Sonata is still loved by people.
D. Some Chinese girls are trying to change their faces by having plastic surgery.