An earthquake hit Kashmir on Oct. 8, 2005. It took some 75 000 lives,【C1】______ 130 000 and left nearly 3.5 million without food, jobs or homes. 【C2】______ overnight, scores of tent villages bloomed【C3】______ the region, tended by international aid organizations, military【C4】______ and aid groups working day and night to shelter the survivors before winter set【C5】______ . Mercifully, the season was mild. But with the【C6】______ of spring, the refugees will be moved again. Camps that【C7】______ health care, food and shelter for 150 000 survivors have begun to close as they were【C8】______ intended to be permanent. For most of the refugees, the thought of going back brings【C9】______ emotions. The past six months have been difficult. Families of【C10】______ many as 10 people have had to shelter【C11】______ a single tent and share cookstoves and bathing【C12】______ with neighbors. "They are looking forward to the clean water of their rivers," officials say. "They are【C13】______ of free fresh fruit. They want to get back to their herds and start【C14】______ again." But most will be returning to 【C15】______ but heaps of ruins. In many villages, electrical【C16】______ have not been repaired, nor have roads. Aid workers【C17】______ that it will take years to rebuild what the earthquake took【C18】______. And for the thousands of survivors, the【C19】______ will never be complete. Yet the survivors have to start somewhere. New homes can be built【C20】______ the stones, bricks and beams of old ones. Spring is coming and it is a good time to start again.

Despite helping to record events, photos could damage our memories. Researchers found people who take pictures have【C1】______remembering what actually happened. This phenomenon has been named "photo-taking impairment effect". From children's birthdays to that long-awaited family holiday, we all want to remember those【C2】______moments with a photograph.【C3】______if you're one of those people who can't stop【C4】______beware then—you could【C5】______forgetting it all in a flash. A study has found that taking too many photos may prevent us from forming detailed memories. Researchers from Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Columbia University in the U.S. recently found that many people now use the Internet【C6】______a memory. They claimed that when someone wants to know something they now use the Internet【C7】______an "external memory" just as computers use an external hard【C8】______. The study continued that we are now so【C9】______on smartphones and laptops, we go into "withdrawal when we can't find out something【C10】______". Far from helping us to【C11】______the moment, it could mean we miss what's going on right in front of our noses. Researchers led a group of students around a museum and asked them to either photograph or try to remember certain works of art and historical【C12】______. The next day, their memory was tested. It showed they were【C13】______at recognizing objects they had photographed than those they had only looked at. They were also poorer at【C14】______details of the objects they had taken pictures of. Dr Linda Henkel, who conducted the study at Fair field University in Connecticut, said: "People so often【C15】______out their cameras almost mindlessly. When people rely on technology to remember for them, it can have a【C16】______impact on how well they remember their【C17】______." Previous studies have suggested that【C18】______old photos can help us remember, but only if we spend long enough doing it. "In order to remember, we have to【C19】______and interact with the photos, rather than just【C20】______them," said Dr Henkel.

Writeanessaybasedonthechart.Inyourwriting,youshould1)describethechart,and2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteabout150words.

BSection I Use of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D./B

You are going to read a list of headings and a text. Choose the most suitable heading from the list[A]to[G]for each numbered paragraph (41-45). There are two extra subheadings which you do not need to use. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points)[A]Neighborhood[B]The Price of the House[C]Your Financial Situation[D]What Comes with the Home[E]How Much Property Tax You Pay[F]Home's History[G]Annoying Factors Buying a house is an exciting but scary step. Home ownership means making an investment in your future, but it also means committing to stay put, at least for a while. Before you make that commitment, you should ensure you are making an informed decision, and not one based on how beautiful the home is or your desire to be on your own. 【R1】______ Just because you qualify for a loan does not necessarily mean you should take a loan. On the other hand, if you don't think you can qualify for a loan, you might be mistaken. When you consider buying a home, sit down with a professional—a loan counselor at your bank or a representative from the U. S. Housing and Urban Development, for instance—and discuss your options. Have tax and income documents ready, as well as a list of your expenses and a copy of your credit report. Ask the professional to help you get a good picture of your earnings, expenses and how they would change if you bought a home. 【R2】______ A beautiful home on several acres of green yard might look appealing, but that pretty picture could be hiding problems that will cost you thousands of dollars and hours of lost sleep in the long run. You should find out as much as you can about the home before you buy. Even issues that have been repaired can give you insight into what problems you might be facing a few years down the road. Get a home inspection and carefully go over the results with your inspector. If anything in the home makes you suspicious , don't hesitate to order another inspection from a different company. 【R3】______ A wonderful home isn't much good if it is in a terrible area, so find out as much as you can about the environment before you buy. Talk to potential neighbors about any issues the area has been facing, and check to see if there is a community association or club. Scan newspaper police blotters to see if there is a large amount of crime in the area, and interview principals and teachers at the area schools, if you have children. The aesthetic appearance of the community is also important. You probably would not want to move into a home where yours is the only house on the street that is not falling down. 【R4】______ It is customary for home owners to leave some major appliances, like the refrigerator and dishwasher, when they leave the home, but if you see anything else that you like, check if it is for sale. Some sellers won't mind throwing their furniture or decorations in with the home since they are moving anyway. Also, confirm the land boundaries and whether outdoor structures, like portable sheds and above-ground pools, will be included before you sign on the dotted line. 【R5】______ Every home has its drawbacks: the third step creaks, or the neighbor's cat likes to lounge on your porch. Even if you are moving to a brand-new home, there are bound to be some unpleasant factors about your new home and your new location. However, try your hardest before you buy your home to know the difference between small unpleasant issues and deal breakers. Visit the home you are planning to buy as many times as you can; stay overnight if possible. Look for anything that would bother you on a daily basis, and if you find something, look for another home.

Of all the changes that have taken place in English-language newspapers during the past quarter-century, perhaps the most far-reaching has been the inexorable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage. It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were once deemed suitable for publication in general-circulation dailies. We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament to the publications in which it appeared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted that the critics of major papers would write in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. "So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism, " Newman wrote, " that I am tempted to define ' journalism' as ' a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are.' " Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975,is now known solely as a writer of essays on the game of cricket. During his lifetime, though, he was also one of England's foremost classical-music critics, a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography (1947) became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967,the first music critic to be so honored. Yet only one of his books is now in print, and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists. Is there any chance that Cardus's criticism will enjoy a revival? The prospect seems remote. Journalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern readers have little use for the richly upholstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.

BSection III Writing/B

BPart CDirections: Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese./B

Suppose you are a professor, and your student Gloria has applied for a part-time job. Write her a recommendation to 1) introduce her, and 2) recommend her. You should write about 100 words. Do not use your own name. Use "Professor Li" instead. Do not write your address.

BPart B/B

Mammals vary enormously in size, from weighing less than a penny to measuring more than three school buses in length. Some groups of mammals have become very large, such as elephants and whales,【C1】______others have always been small, like primates. A new theory developed by an international team, led by Jordan Okie,【C2】______an explanation for why and how【C3】______groups of organisms are able to evolve【C4】______sizes, whereas others are not. The research team【C5】______information on how quickly an individual animal grows and used it to【C6】______how large it may get【C7】______evolutionary time. Their research was published recently. The new theory developed from the observation that some animals【C8】______fast and die young, while others take their time and mature much later. "Fast" animals-such as mice—breed very quickly, while humans mature slowly and are relatively older when they first have children. The theory【C9】______that those species that are relatively faster are more likely to evolve a large size quicker than slow species, and that their maximum size will be greater. The research team tested their theory using the【C10】______records of mammals over the last 70 million years, examining the maximum size of each mammal group【C11】______that time, including whales, elephants, seals and primates. They found that their theory was very well【C12】______. "Primates have evolved very slowly, and never got bigger than 1,000 pounds," said Okie, "The【C13】______was true of whales, which evolved their large size at the fastest【C14】______recorded." The theory also makes predictions about the relative risks of extinction for large animals【C15】______small. The maximum size of an animal is limited by the rate of mortality in the【C16】______. Because larger animals【C17】______breed less frequently than smaller animals,【C18】______the mortality rate doubles, the maximum size is predicted to be 16 times smaller. "This is a really surprising【C19】______," said Okie. "It points to another reason why many of the large animals went【C20】______after the last Ice Age, and their high risk of extinction in modern environments."

BSection I Use of EnglishDirections: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D./B

Seven years ago, when I was visiting Germany, I met with an official who explained to me that the country had a perfect solution to its economic problems. Watching the U.S. economy【C1】______ during the 90s, the Germans had decided that they, too, needed to go the high-technology【C2】______ . But how? In the late 90s, the answer seemed obvious: Indians.【C3】______ all, Indian entrepreneurs accounted for one of every three Silicon Valley start-ups. So the German government decided that it would【C4】______ Indians to Germany just as America does: by【C5】______ green cards. Officials created something called the German Green Card and【C6】______ that they would issue 20 000 in the first year.【C7】______ , the Germans expected that tens of thousands more Indians would soon be begging to come, and perhaps the【C8】______ would have to be increased. But the program was a failure. A year later【C9】______ half of the 20 000 cards had been issued. After a few extensions, the program was【C10】______. I told the German official at the time that I was sure the【C11】______ would fail. It' s not that I had any particular expertise in immigration policy,【C12】______ I understood something about green cards, because I had one (the American【C13】______ ). The German Green Card was misnamed, I argued,【C14】______ it never, under any circumstances, translated into German citizenship. The U.S. green card, by contrast, is an almost【C15】______ path to becoming American (after five years and a clean record). The official【C16】______ my objection, saying that there was no way Germany was going to offer these people citizenship. "We need young tech workers," he said. "That' s what this program is all【C17】______." So Germany was asking bright young【C18】______ to leave their country, culture and families, move thousands of miles away, learn a new language and work in a strange land—but without any【C19】______ of ever being part of their new home. Germany was sending a signal, one that was【C20】______ received in India and other countries, and also by Germany's own immigrant community.

You lost your book when you were studying in the lecture room. Write a lost notice to 1) inform others about the details, and 2) express your hope of finding it back. You should write about 100 words. Do not use your own name. Use "Li Ming" instead.

Suppose you want to apply for admission to Washington University, but you can"t get all your materials ready before the stated deadline. Write a letter with your application materials to Washington University to 1) explain, and 2) earn a chance for yourself. You should write about 100 words. Do not use your own name. Use "Li Ming" instead. Do not write your address.

Writeanessaybasedonthefollowinglinegraph.Inyouressay,youshould1)interpretthelinegraphand2)giveyourcomments.Youshouldwriteatleast150wordsontheANSWERSHEET.(15points)

What would you do with? $ 590m? This is now a question for Gloria Mackenzie, an 84-year-old widow who recently emerged from her small, tin-roofed house in Florida to collect the biggest undivided lottery jackpot in history. If she hopes her new-found fortune will yield lasting feelings of fulfillment, she could do worse than read Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton. These two academics use an array of behavioral research to show that the most rewarding ways to spend money can be counterintuitive. Fantasies of great wealth often involve visions of fancy cars and extravagant homes. Yet satisfaction with these material purchases wears off fairly quickly. What was once exciting and new becomes old-hat; regret creeps in. It is far better to spend money on experiences, say Ms. Dunn and Mr. Norton, like interesting trips, unique meals or even going to the cinema. These purchases often become more valuable with time—as stories or memories — particularly if they involve feeling more connected to others. This slim volume is packed with tips to help wage slaves as well as lottery winners get the most " happiness bang for your buck." It seems most people would be better off if they could shorten their commutes to work, spend more time with friends and family and less of it watching television(something the average American spends a whopping two months a year doing, and is hardly jollier for it). Buying gifts or giving to charity is often more pleasurable than purchasing things for oneself, and luxuries are most enjoyable when they are consumed sparingly. This is apparently the reason MacDonald' s restricts the availability of its popular McRib — a marketing trick that has turned the pork sandwich into an object of obsession. Readers of Happy Money are clearly a privileged lot, anxious about fulfillment, not hunger. Money may not quite buy happiness, but people in wealthier countries are generally happier than those in poor ones. Yet the link between feeling good and spending money on others can be seen among rich and poor people around the world, and scarcity enhances the pleasure of most things for most people. Not everyone will agree with the authors' policy ideas, which range from mandating more holiday time to reducing tax incentives for American homebuyers. But most people will come away from this book believing it was money well spent.

BSection III Writing/B

Directions: Despite the mountains of information warning us of the danger of smoking, teenager smoking is on the rise. In this section, you are asked to write an essay on the consequences of teenage smoking. You can provide specific reasons and examples to support your idea. You should write at least 150 words.

Artificial intelligence was a catchword at the Summer Davos forum in Dalian, Liaoning province, which concluded on Thursday. While participants from the academia, governments and the corporate sector had in-depth discussions on the future of AI technology at the three-day event, consultancy companies released reports highlighting the economic benefits of AI for China and the world at large. However, history tells us that, while technological advancements have brought us benefits, they have also led to great social upheavals, by, for example, changing the production and labor structures, and forcing many workers to either adapt to the changes or lose their jobs. In the 18th century, for instance , skilled workers rose up in revolt to resist the Industrial Revolution, with their protests culminating in movement that saw textile workers destroying machinery. We may not see similar protests today, but history should serve as a warning against the indiscriminate development and application of AI technology. While we may gain a lot of benefits from AI, we must work out plans to offset its negative impact on society, especially for workers.