Read the following article and choose the best word for each space. For questions 26~45, mark one letter A, B, C or D on your Answer Sheet. As Oil Declines, So Does America More than 100 years ago, America's first great economic【C1】______abroad was spearheaded by its giant oil companies, notably John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company. These companies【C2】______powerful beachheads in Mexico and Venezuela, and later in parts of Asia, North Africa and, of course, the Middle East.【C3】______they became ever more dependent on the extraction of oil in distant lands, American foreign policy began to be【C4】______around acquiring and protecting US oil concessions in major【C5】______areas. With World War II and the Cold War, oil and US national【C6】______became thoroughly intertwined. After all, the United States had prevailed over the Axis【C7】______in significant part because it possessed vast reserves of domestic petroleum, while Germany and Japan lacked them, depriving their forces of vital【C8】______supplies in the final years of the war. As it happened, though, the United States was using up its domestic【C9】______so rapidly that, even before World War II was over, Washington【C10】______its attention to finding new overseas sources of crude oil that could be【C11】______under American control. As a result, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and a host of other Middle Eastern producers would become key US oil suppliers【C12】______American military protection. There can be【C13】______question that, for a time, American domination of world oil production would prove a potent source of economic and military power.【C14】______World War II, an abundance of cheap US oil spurred the【C15】______of vast new industries, including civilian air travel, highway construction, a【C16】______of suburban housing and commerce, mechanized agriculture, and plastics. Abundant oil also underlay the global expansion of the country's【C17】______power, as the Pentagon defended the world while becoming one of the planet's great oil guzzlers. Its global dominion came to【C18】______on an ever-expanding array of oil-powered ships, planes, tanks and missiles. As long as the Middle East — and especially Saudi Arabia — served essentially as an American gas station and oil【C19】______a cheap commodity, all this was relatively painless. That is why the use of military force has been a【C20】______of American foreign policy since 1987.

You got a letter from a company manager, Jim Green. Dec. 1st, 2010 Dear Mr. Tom Smith, Recently, while cruising the Web, I found the site for ABC Company at www.edf.com, and was very impressed. You have constructed a site that is informative and user-friendly. My purpose for writing this letter is simple: I would like to place a link to ABC Company's web site on your site. I think users who navigate through your site would be interested in finding out more about ABC Company. Of course, we will reciprocate by placing a link to ABC Company in a prominent position on your site. I think this would prove beneficial for everyone, allowing us all to take advantage of the power of cyberspace. Please give me a reply to talk about the idea. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Jim Green Please write a reply: thanking him for his appreciation; expressing your interest in cooperating with his company; making a proposal for a face-to-face discussion. Write 50-60 words.

Read the following passage. Eight sentences have been removed from the article. Choose from the sentences A~H the one which fits each gap. For each gap(1-8)mark one letter(A~H)on the Answer Sheet. Most people associate inflation with price increases on specific goods and services.【R1】 1We must be careful to distinguish the phenomenon of inflation from price increases for specific goods. 【R2】 2 Suppose you wanted to know the average price of fruit in the supermarket.【R3】 3You might have some success, however, if you sought out the prices of apples, oranges, cherries, and peaches. Knowing the price of each kind of fruit, you could then compute the average price of fruit. The resultant figure would not refer to any particular product, but would convey a sense of how much a typical basket of fruit might cost.【R4】 4On occasion, you might even notice that apple prices rose while orange prices fell, leaving the average price of fruit unchanged. The same kinds of calculations are made to measure inflation in the entire economy. We first determine the average price of all output—the average price level—then look for changes in that average. 【R5】 5 The average price level may fall as well as rise.【R6】 6The deflation occurs when price decreases on some goods and services outweigh price increases on all others. 【R7】 7We already noted, for example, that the price of apples can rise without increasing the average price of fruit, so long as the price of some other fruit(e.g. oranges)falls.【R8】 8An increasing in the relative price of apples, for example, simply means that apples have become more expensive in comparison with other fruits(or any other goods or services).A. Because inflation and deflation are measured in terms of average price levels, it is possible for individual prices to rise or fall continuously without changing the average price level.B. A decline in average price is called deflation.C. A rise in the average price level is referred to as inflation.D. In such circumstances, relative prices are changing, but not average prices.E. The economy is not necessarily experiencing an inflation, however, every time the price of a cup of coffee goes up.F. Surely you would not have much success in seeking out an average fruit — nobody would be quite sure what you had in mind.G. Inflation is an increase in the average level of prices, not a change in any specific price.H. By repeating these calculations every day, you could then determine whether fruit prices, on average, were changing. 【R1】

Using the information in the text, complete each sentence 14~18, with a word or phrase from the list below. For each sentence(14-18), mark one letter(A~G)on the Answer Sheet. Do not mark any letter twice.A. depend on each otherB. natureC. risksD. each otherE. mountaineeringF. rulesG. climate and mountaineering

Read the following article and answer questions 9-18 on the next page. The New Colour of British Army1 It took scientists a year to get the right shade - and if truth be told, it might take several more for soldiers to get used to it - but after more than sixty years bearing the same dark yellow colour, the British military is to adopt a new 'Army Brown'. In what is likely to be one of the biggest make-over the forces have undertaken, the army's fleet of desert vehicles is being repainted, replacing the previous 'Light Stone' camouflage that has adorned tanks and troops carriers since before the Second World War.2 Some of the new Foxhound patrol vehicles being used in Afghanistan have already been re-sprayed with up to 30 litres of the new colour per vehicle, hinting at the scale of the paint job required over the coming years. The army has around 5,000 combat vehicles - and all conflicts over the last 20 years have taken place in sandy environments.3 The scientists who developed it insist 'Army Brown' is the colour of the future, and the paint is clever too. They are working on a formula which will turn it into a different shade when chemicals have been detected to warn troops of the dangers around them. "The new colour is a tan brown whereas the old was a dark yellow," said Andrew Richardson from AkzoNobel, the firm which developed it. "It is a dirt colour as opposed to a sand colour. When you are close up there is a significant difference." Richardson claimed it was the most advanced paint the military had ever used, and is similar to the colours used by the US and Australian militaries.4 The Ministry of Defence decided it wanted a change of hue last year, with officers saying they needed something that could work in places such as Afghanistan, but blend in easily in other hot and dusty environments. Defence officials gather: red rock and soil samples back from Afghanistan for a team at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, which came up with the ideal new colour. AkzoNobel then turned it into a camouflage paint that "will replace the sand colour that has been used on army vehicles since before the Second World War."5 Though Richardson said the "new paint colour has been specifically designed of the desert-like environment where most operations currently take place", he insisted it would work elsewhere. "It was designed to provide a better balance between desert-like areas and the green zone." The Ministry of Defence said the new colour added to the basic range used by the military. Green is used for colder climates - and pink has been used in places such as Saudi Arabia, to help military planes blend in. However, brown is very much de rigueur for the British military at the moment; after extensive trials involving 3,500 personnel, the army has plumped For a dark chocolate colour for its new combat boots.Questions 9-13(10 marks) For questions 9-13, choose the best title for each paragraph from the box below. For each numbered paragraph(1-5), mark one letter(A~G)on your Answer Sheet. Do not mark any letter twice.A. The advantage of the new colour and the paintB. The differences between the new and the old coloursC. The biggest make-over of the British militaryD. The Ministry's comments on the new colourE. The heavy workload of the repainting jobF. The design and development of the new colourG. The basic ranee of colours of the world military

Using the information in the text, complete each sentence 14-18 with an expression from the list below. For each sentence(14-18), mark one letter(A~G)on the Answer Sheet. Do not mark any letter twice.A. different colorsB. hair folliclesC. dietary fiberD. antioxidant activityE. their cholesterolF. hair lossG. free radicals

Look at the questions for this part. You will hear a passage about "American Weighs In ". You will listen to it twice. For questions 24~30, indicate which of the alternatives A, B, or C is the most appropriate response. Mark one letter A, B, or C on the Answer Sheet. Look at the questions for this part. You will hear a passage about "American Weighs In ". You will listen to it twice. For questions 24~30, indicate which of the alternatives A, B, or C is the most appropriate response. Mark one letter A, B, or C on the Answer Sheet.

Look at the note below. You will hear a woman leaving a message about some problems with her company's new product. Look at the note below. You will hear a woman leaving a message about some problems with her company's new product.

You will hear the customs in five countries. For questions 9-13, choose from the list A~F the proper countries. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you do not need to use.A. AustraliaB. SpainC. ChinaD. ItalyE. BritainF. Greece You will hear the customs in five countries. For questions 9-13, choose from the list A~F the proper countries. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you do not need to use.A. AustraliaB. SpainC. ChinaD. ItalyE. BritainF. Greece

Look at the questions for this part. You will hear a passage about "Living a Long Life ". You will listen to it twice. For questions 24-30, indicate which of the alternatives A, B, or C is the most appropriate response. Mark one letter A, B, or C on the Answer Sheet. Look at the questions for this part. You will hear a passage about "Living a Long Life ". You will listen to it twice. For questions 24-30, indicate which of the alternatives A, B, or C is the most appropriate response. Mark one letter A, B, or C on the Answer Sheet.

- The interlocutor gives you and your partner a list of topics. Both of you need to choose one to discuss together. The interlocutor may join in the conversation and ask you questions, but you and your partner are expected to develop the conversation.Topic 1: How to Make the Best Use of MoneyTopic 2: Skills on Making BargainsTopic 3: Methods to Prevent BurglaryTopic 4: Relationship Between Man and AnimalsTopic 5: Virtues of Being Young and Being Old

You got a letter from Professor Li Wei of Washington University. May 8, 2014 Professor William Roberts Department of English Literature Washington University U.S.A. Dear Professor Roberts, We are planning to give our students a course of English Literature. As you are a world famous scholar, who has written many books in this field, I, on the recommendation of Professor Smith, our mutual friend, beg to take this opportunity to invite you to come to our university to give this course. If you consider it convenient to do so, we shall appoint you as a professor of English as from September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2016 for a period of two years, and we shall pay you an annual sum of 80,000RMB payable in twelve equal monthly. We shall also offer you, free of charge, a three-room furnished apartment on our campus. Hoping to get a favorable reply from you at your earliest convenience. Yours sincerely, Professor Li Wei Please write a reply: thanking him for his invitation; expressing your willingness to accept the invitation; saying when you are going to arrive. Write 50-60 words.

Look at the ten statements for this part. You will hear a passage about "Great Transformation ". You will listen to it twice. Decide whether you think each statement is right(R), wrong(W)or not mentioned(NM). Mark your answers on the Answer Sheet. Look at the ten statements for this part. You will hear a passage about "Great Transformation ". You will listen to it twice. Decide whether you think each statement is right(R), wrong(W)or not mentioned(NM). Mark your answers on the Answer Sheet.

Look at the note below. You will hear a man leaving a message about deliveries for one of his company's suppliers. Look at the note below. You will hear a man leaving a message about deliveries for one of his company's suppliers.

Read the article below. Choose the best sentence from the list on the next page to fill each of the gaps. For each gap(1-8)mark one letter(A~H)on the Answer Sheet. Do not mark any letter twice.Poll: Obama Seen As More Compassionate Than McCain Just hours before the start of the second presidential debate, a new national survey suggests that Sen. Barack Obama is making gains among Americans as a compassionate candidate. 【R1】 1 In a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Tuesday afternoon, 55 percent of registered voters questioned say that Obama "cares more about people like you" than Sen. John McCain, with 35 percent saying McCain cares more than Obama. 【R2】 2 "The all-time champion of town-hall debates was Bill Clinton because he was able to connect with the audience members so well," said CNN polling director Keating Holland. "Voters nationwide seem to feel some connection with Obama.【R3】 3John McCain has a pretty good track record at town halls, and it's possible that he will be the one who looks more compassionate." Obama also appears to be building a lead as the candidate with the clearer plan to solve the country's problems. He has a 15-point lead over McCain on that question in the poll, 48 percent to 33 percent. 【R4】 4 Obama is also making gains on being a strong and decisive leader. A 19-point McCain advantage early last month has now shrunk to a 5-point lead. 【R5】 5 "Voters agree with McCain that things are going well for the U.S. in Iraq. That's a switch since April, when we last asked that question," Holland said. 【R6】 6 Among voters, Obama also leads on who would better handle the economy, 57 percent to 37 percent; a financial crisis, 53 percent to 36 percent; and health care, 60 percent to 33 percent. 【R7】 7 Obama's favorable rating among those questioned in the poll is 62 percent, down one percentage point from three weeks ago. 【R8】 8A. But on the question of who has the better experience to be president, McCain still has a big lead over his rival, 54 percent to 36 percent.B. That could be important in the debate in Nashville, which is a town hall-style meeting with the candidates fielding questions from undecided voters in the audience.C. The question is whether he'll connect with the people at the debate tonight.D. That 20-point margin for Obama is up from a 9-point advantage a month ago.E. McCain's favorable rating is 54 percent, down three points from three weeks ago.F. "But voters also agree with Obama that the war was a bad idea — and they haven't changed their minds on that in almost four years."G. McCain leads on the issue of terrorism, 54 percent to 44 percent.H. Last month, McCain had a 2-point advantage over Obama on the topic of having a clearer plan. 【R1】

CONVERSATION 2(Questions 5-8)Jeff has lived in New York for【L5】 1years.Jeff doesn't like【L6】 2,【L7】 3and【L8】 4of New York.CONVERSATION 2(Questions 5-8)Jeff has lived in New York for【L5】 5years.Jeff doesn't like【L6】 6,【L7】 7and【L8】 8of New York. 【L5】

Read the article below. Choose the best sentence from the list on the next page to fill each of the gaps. For each gap(1-8)mark one letter(A~H)on your Answer Sheet. Do not mark any letter twice. Coca-Cola Classic In May 1985, Coca-Cola chairman Robert Goizueta announced one of the boldest gambles in marketing history: Coca-Cola would make a significant flavor change in Coke, the world's best-selling soft drink.【R1】 1The idea, according to one of Coke's leading strategists, "was to take all the positive qualities associated with the current product, its heritage and so on, and transfer that to an improved tasting product."【R2】 2Supermarket sales of Coke had slipped behind Pepsi by almost two percentage points, and Pepsi was consistently winning blind taste tests. The advertising campaign for New Coke emphasized improved flavor. Coca-Cola spent nearly $4 million to taste-test its new product on 200,000 consumers.【R3】 3When the brands were not identified, the taste tests of 40,000 people done in 30 communities showed that 55 percent chose the new Coke over the old, and 52 percent chose it over Pepsi. Subjects were not told during any of the tests that the product being tested would take the place of the traditional Coke. During the first month of New Coke's introduction, shipments to Coke bottlers set a record, and more people tried the new product than has ever sampled any new product.【R4】 4Consumers began to demand the old Coke. Sales were dropping rapidly. There was even talk of a class-action suit by a Seattle-based organization, Old Coke Drinkers of America. Coca-Cola headquarters received thousands of protest letters such as, "Dear Chief Dodo: what ignoramus decided to change the formula of Coke?" Coca-Cola bottlers meeting in Dallas signed a petition demanding that the company restore the traditional formula. 【R5】 5On July 10, Coca-Cola announced that it would reintroduce the original formula under the name Coca-Cola Classic. Within hours of the announcement, a national phone survey indicated that 68 percent of the people were aware of that move and 66 percent approved of it. The Coca-Cola Classic package was designed only two days before the announcement. 【R6】 6ABC News covered the story on its "World News Tonight" report, again on "Nightline", and on "20/20". ABC-TV also interrupted its "General Hospital" soap opera to tell the public that the old Coke was coming back. 【R7】 7Pepsi's first advertising campaign in response to its competitor's move stated that Pepsi's own better taste had forced Coca-Cola's move. The second campaign talked about the confusion of Coke products, emphasizing the split between new Coke and old Coke.【R8】 8By September, Coca-Cola decided to change its approach once more by bringing back the kind of traditional soft-drink advertising that it had been trying hard to get away from. The new ads did not address the differences between the new Coke and Coca-Cola Classic but rather, focused on a return to traditional values.A. Coca-Cola introduced "New Coke" to the market in an attempt to win back market share from Pepsi.B. Coke's 99-year-old formula would be modified to make it slightly sweeter and less filling.C. The media had given a lot of coverage to what had been labeled the "new Coke failure".D. PepsiCo, bottlers of Pepsi-Cola, couldn't resist the temptation to poke fun at Coca-Cola's misfortune in its advertising.E. The confusion and controversy between the two cola market leaders grew.F. On July 5, Coca-Cola announced that it would bring back the old formula.G. Some of the taste tests were blind, and others had brand names associated with them. H. However, the entire picture changed suddenly. 【R1】

Read the following article and answer questions 19-25. For questions 19-25, choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. Mark your answer on your Answer Sheet. Facts about Aging The overall difference in life expectancy at birth in the United States is about 7 years(i.e.72 for men vs. 79 for women); and at every age women, on average, can expect to live longer than men. Interestingly, older women are more likely to suffer from debilitating illnesses than men. However, this difference seems to reflect the fact that women typically have less wealth and education than men - two factors that are associated with shorter life expectancies for both sexes. When the effects of poverty and education are removed in the relevant statistical analyses, these sex differences in rates of disability disappear. The elderly generally show very high interest in associating with friends and close family members. What they show less interest in than younger adults is the expansion of their social networks to make new friends. About one-third of problem drinkers develop their alcohol abuse problem late in life, and this problem of alcoholism among the aged is indeed more acute for women than men. Overuse of drugs may result from the tendency of some doctors to automatically prescribe drugs rather than search for underlying physical or psychological causes of symptoms, especially when the patients are elderly women. It may also reflect the fact that women are more likely to be facing the loneliness and stress associated with the loss of a spouse than men, and are generally more likely to seek help from a doctor. Alzheimer's disease, the much-dreaded form of dementia associated with profound memory loss and other increasingly devastating symptoms, is a condition that strikes a significant number of elderly people. Nevertheless, most elderly people will never suffer such memory loss. In fact, contemporary estimates suggest that moderate to severe memory loss is found in only 4 to 6 percent of adults over age 65. The most important point to be aware of is that while memory(especially short term memory)does deteriorate somewhat as we get older, profound memory loss is not a "natural" consequence of the aging process. It is a product of disease. Evidence of profound memory loss should prompt a visit to a physician who specializes in such problems. After age 80 the ratio of widows to widowers in the U.S. is about 5 to 1. This statistic reflects the fact that women have a longer life expectancy than men, and the fact that women typically marry men older than themselves. Differences in wealth may also make it easier for marriage-minded widowers to find mates than widows, since elderly women are more likely to be living in poverty than elderly men. The stereotype of depressed lonely old people is a pervasive one, but it is not supported by the facts. While social isolation is a problem for many older people, it is also a problem for many young people as well. Surveys consistently show that, in the absence of serious illness, older people generally report higher levels of happiness or life satisfaction than young people. One reason for this is that as people age they seem to devote increasing attention to the task of managing their affective states and avoiding sadness or anxiety. Although there is considerable variability in the degree of loss, sensory decline is fairly inevitable. These losses, it should be noted, have important implications for environmental design in the care of the elderly. For example, greater use of acoustical tile to absorb background noise, use of non-slippery floor surfaces to provide additional traction, and use of non-glare surfaces and clearly marked boundaries can all increase comfort and safety.

Look at the questions for this part. You will hear a woman talking about respect. For questions 24-30, indicate which of the alternatives A, B, or C is the most appropriate response. Look at the questions for this part. You will hear a woman talking about respect. For questions 24-30, indicate which of the alternatives A, B, or C is the most appropriate response.

You will hear two conversations. Write down one word or number in each of the numbered spaces on the forms below.CONVERSATION 1(Questions 1-4) MESSAGEFrom:【L1】 1WinstonTo: Peter SincockMessage: The staff canteen will be closed from next【L2】 2A catering company will sell drinks and sandwiches in the【L3】 3area during morning afternoon breaks, and Coolers Restaurant will serve a special lunchtime menu. For any questions, please call him back at【L4】 4 You will hear two conversations. Write down one word or number in each of the numbered spaces on the forms below.CONVERSATION 1(Questions 1-4) MESSAGEFrom:【L1】 5WinstonTo: Peter SincockMessage: The staff canteen will be closed from next【L2】 6A catering company will sell drinks and sandwiches in the【L3】 7area during morning afternoon breaks, and Coolers Restaurant will serve a special lunchtime menu. For any questions, please call him back at【L4】 8 【L1】