Iftheoldmaximthatthecustomerisalwaysrightstillhasmeaning,thentheairlinesthatplytheworld’sbusiestairroutebetweenLondonandParishaveaflightontheirhands.

TheEurostartrainservicelinkingtheUKandFrenchcapitalsviatheChannelTunneliswinningcustomersinincreasingnumbers.InlateMay,itcarrieditsonemillionthpassenger,havingrunonlyalimitedservicebetweenLondon,ParisandBrusselssinceNovember1994,startingwithtwotrainsadayineachdirectiontoParisandBrussels.By1997,thecompanybelievesthatitwillbecarryingtenmillionpassengersayear,andcontinuetogrowfromthere.

FromJuly,EurostarstepsitsservicetoninetrainseachwaybetweenLondonandParis,andfivebetweenLondonandBrussels.Eachtraincarriesalmost800passengers,210oftheminfirstclass.

Theairlinesestimatethattheywillinitiallylosearound15%-20%oftheirLondon-ParistraffictotherailwaysonceEurostarstartsafullservicelaterthisyear(1995),with15trainsadayeachway.AsimilarservicewillstarttoBrussels.Thedamagewillbelimited,however,theairlinesbelieve,withpassengernumbersreturningtopreviouslevelswithintwotothreeyears.

Intheshortterm,thedamagecausedbythe1millionpeople-levelstravelingbetweenLondonandParisandBrusselsonEurostartrainsmeansthatsomeairservicesarealreadysuffering.Someofthemajorcarrierssaythattheirpassengernumbersaredownbylessthan5%andpointtotheirrivals-ParticularlyAirFrance-ashavingsufferedtheproblems.OntheBrusselsroute,therailwaycompanyhadlesssuccess,andtheairlinesreportanythingfromarounda5%droptonovisibledeclineintraffic.

Theairlines’optimismonreturningtrafficlevelsisbasedonhistoricalprecedent.BritishMidland,forexample,pointstoitsexperienceonHeathrowLeedsBradfordservicewhichsawpassengernumbersfoldby15%whenBritishRailelectrifiedandmodernizedtherailwaylinebetweenLondonandYorkshire.Twoyearslater,travelhadrisenbetweenthetwodestinationstothepointwheretheairlinewascarryingrecordnumbersofpassengers.

1.Britishairlinesconfideinthefactthat__.

A.theyaremorepowerfulthanotherEuropeanairlines.

B.theirtotallosswon’tgobeyondadropof5%passengers.

C.theirtrafficlevelswillreturnin2-3years.

D.travelingbyrailcannevercatchupwithtravelingbyair.

2.Theauthor’sattitudetowardsthedropofpassengersmaybedescribedas__.

A.worried.B.delightedC.puzzled.D.unrivaled.

3.Inthepassage,BritishRail(Para6)ismentionedto__.

A.provideacomparisonwithEurostar.

B.supporttheairlines’optimism.

C.provetheinevitabledropofairpassengers.

D.callforelectrificationandmodernizationoftherailway.

4.Therailway’sBrusselsrouteisbroughtforthtoshowthat__.

A.theEurostartrainserviceisnotdoinggoodbusiness.

B.theairlinescanwellcompetewiththerailway.

C.theEurostartrainserviceonlycausedlittledamage.

D.onlysomeairlines,suchasAirFrance,aresuffering.

5.Thepassageistakenfromthefirstofanessay,fromwhichwemaywellpredictthatinthefollowingparttheauthorisgoingto__.

A.praisetheairlines’clear-mindedness.

B.warntheairlinesofhigh-speedrailservices.

C.proposeareductionofLondon/Parisflights.

D.advisetheairlinestofollowBritishMidlandastheirmodel.

Directions:

Inthissection,youwillheartwopassages.Attheendofeachpassage,youwillhearsomequestions.Boththepassageandthequestionsmwillbespokenonlyonce.Afteryouhearaquestion,youmustchoosethebestanswerfromthefourchoicesmarkedA,B,CandD.ThenmarkthecorrespondingletterontheAnswerSheetwithasinglelinethroughthecentre.PassageOneQuestions9to12arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.

9、A.Sheescapedunhurt.

B.Shewitnessedtheshooting.

C.Shewasshottodeath.

D.Shewas15yearsold.

10、A.5.B.7.C.11.D.12.

11、A.Spear'sdigitalcamera.

B.Onesuspect'sgun.

C.Thequeen'svideo.

D.Berry'spurse.

12、A.Civiliansshouldkeepawayfromthebusinesszone.

B.Everybodyshouldthinkabouthowtofightagainstcrimes.

C.Governmentshouldscheduletonegotiatewithterrorists.

D.Peopleshouldemigratebecauseofdomestichighcrimerate.PassageTwo

Questions13to15arebasedonthepassageyouhavejustheard.

13、A.Increasingsalaries.

B.Surgingenergyproduction.

C.Boominghousingmarket.

D.Risinginterestrates.

14、A.Increasinginterestrate.

B.Decreasingfinancialproducts.

C.Buyingsubstantialsecurities.

D.Expandingfinancialbusiness.

15、A.Frackingcaninfluencetheburningoffossilfuels.

B.Theuseoffrackingwilldoharmtoenvironment.

C.Frackingtechnologyisasafepracticeinindustry.

D.Theuseoffrackingisbeneficialtopeople'shealth.

PartIReadingComprehension

Directions:Inthisparttherearefourpassages.Eachpassageisfollowedbyfourcomprehensionquestions.Readthepassageandanswerthequestions.ThenmarkyouranswerontheAnswerSheet.

Passage1

Questions1to5arebasedonthefollowingpassage:

Someyearsagothecaptainofashipwasveryinterestedinmedicine.Healwaystookmedicinebookstoseaandlikedtotalkaboutdifferentdiseases.

Onedayalazysailoronhisshippretendedtobeill.Helayonhisbunk(铺)andgroanedasifhewereverysick.Thecaptaincametoseehimandwasverypleasedtohaveapatienttolookafter.Hetoldthemantorestforafewdaysandmadetheothersailorsdohiswork.Threedayslateranothersailorpretendedthathehadsomethingwrongwithhischest.Oncemorethecaptainlookedinhismedicalbooksandtold“sick”mantohavearest.

Theothersailorswereveryangrybecausetheyhadmoreworktodo.Thepatientshadthebestfoodandlaughedattheirfriendswhenthecaptainwasnotlooking.Atlastthemate(船长副手)decidedtocurethe“sick”men.Hemixedupsomesoap,soot(烟灰),glue(胶水)andotherunpleasantthings.Thenheobtainedpermissionfromthecaptaintogivehismedicinetothe“sick”men.Whentheytastedthemedicine,theyreallydidfeelill.Itwassohorriblethatoneofthepatientsjumpedoutofhibunk,ranupondeskandclimbedthehighestmastontheship.Hedidnotwantanymoremedicine.

Thematetoldbothofthementhattheymusttakethemedicineeveryhalfanhour,nightandday.Thissooncuredthem.Theybothsaidtheyfeltbetterandwantedtostartwordagain.Thecaptainrealizedthatthementriedtodeceivehimsohemadethemworkveryhardfortherestofthevoyage.

1.Thefirstsailorpretendedtobeillbecausehewantedto.

A.testthecaptain’sknowledgeofmedicineB.befreefromwork

C.havethebestfoodontheshipD.playajokeonhisfriends

2.Whenthecaptainknewasailorwasill,he.

A.didn’tcaremuchB.sentforadoctor

C.lookedafterhimandtoldhimtohavearestD.gavehimsomemedicine

3.Thepatientsfeltbetterquicklybecause.

A.theyhadbeengivenpropermedicine

B.theylearnedthatthecaptainhadfoundoutthetruth

C.theywerelaughedatbytheirfriends

D.themedicinethemategavewashorrible

4.Whenthecaptainknewhehadbeendeceived,he.

A.toldthemnottodosoagainB.losthistemper

C.madethemworkharderD.firedthem

5.Whichofthefollowingbestsummarizesthepassage?

A.AsuddenCure.B.TwoPatients.C.CaptainandSailors.D.ADifficultVoyage.

Arrivingatthebusstop,_____waitingthere.

Passage2

Questions6to10arebasedonthefollowingpassage:

Inordertolearntobeone’strueself,itisnecessarytoobtainawideandextensiveknowledgeofwhathasbeensaidanddoneintheworld;criticallytoinquireintoit;carefullytoconsiderit;clearlytoanalyzeit;andearnestlytocarryitout.

Itmattersnotwhatyoulearn,butwhenyouoncelearnathing,youmustnevergiveitupuntilyouhavemasteredit.Itmattersnotwhatyouinquireinto,butwhenyouonceinquireintoathing,youmustnevergiveitupuntilyouhavethoroughlyunderstoodit.Itmattersnotwhatyoutrytothinkout,butwhenyouoncetrytothinkoutathing,youmustnevergiveitupuntilyouhavegotwhatyouwant.Itmattersnotwhatyoutrytocarryout,butwhenyouoncecarryoutathing,youmustnevergiveitupuntilyouhavedon’titthoroughlyandwell.

Ifanothermansucceedsbyoneeffort,youwilluseahundredefforts.Ifanothermansucceedsbytenefforts,youwilluseathousand.

6.Accordingtotheauthor,firstofallonemust.

A.analyzeB.inquireC.obtainknowledgeD.act

7.Accordingtotheauthor,.

A.learningisnotimportantB.thinkingisnotnecessary

C.knowledgemeanslittleD.itisnotimportantwhatwelearn

8.Theendoflearningshouldbe.

A.thoughtB.masteryC.inquiryD.analysis

9.Accordingtotheauthor,anotherman’ssuccessshould.

A.makegreatereffortsB.makeusnervous

C.notbetakenintoconsiderationD.causeonetostoptrying

10.Theauthorimpliesbutdoesnotsaywhat.

A.thewaytoknowledgeisthroughspecialization

B.onehastoknoweverythingtobesuccessful

C.successdependsnotsomuchonnaturalabilityasitdoesoneffort

D.successinone’sprofessionislatestimportantinone’slife