London’s newest skyscraper (摩天大楼)is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶)• He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin，sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆）of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
【小题1】London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ._____

A．its cost

B．its size

C．its shape

D．its height

【小题2】When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to _____

A．change London’s skyline

B．inherit London’s tradition

C．imitate the Egyptian style

D．attract potential visitors

【小题3】The critics who refer to social division think the Shard_______ .

A．is only preferred by the rich

B．is intended for wealthy people

C．is far away from the poor area

D．is popular only with Londoners

【小题4】Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．The Shard: Cheers and Claps

B．The Shard: Work of a Great Architect

C．The Shard: New Symbol of London?

D．The Shard: A Change for the Better?

   Imagine walking through an ancient city, then climbing a gate tower to take in a wonderful view of the city and its more than 600-year-old walls. You can hear the city's heartbeat in the air. This is Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi Province, a place that should definitely be on your travel route if you enjoy history or ancient architecture since its origins can be traced back to more than 2,700 years ago.

Located in the center of Shanxi Province, Pingyao is the hometown  of Jin merchants, a group of merchants who actively dominated (支配） a booming commodity market throughout China for more than 500 years, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the city's agriculture and manufacturing industries developed rapidly. Following China's reform and opening up, Pingyao struggled for the transition from a managed economy to the current market-oriented economy. During this time, the city government sought out new ways to break through this  economic bottleneck.

Finally in the winter of 1997, opportunity came knocking. Through the efforts of the city government, Pingyao earned its place on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which caused the entire world to take notice of the city.

Since the city's fame rose, locals in Pingyao have deepened their understanding of the conservation efforts preserving the historical relics in their hometown. Meanwhile the city administration has continued to upgrade itself through a strategy that follows the pillars of "conservation, entrepreneurship, development and protection" .

Currently, the city is focused on establishing a sustainable industry that will enable it to continue to grow while also protecting its relics and introducing them to the world.

【小题1】What does the underlined word "transition" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Exploration.	B．Spread.
C．Application.	D．Change.

【小题2】What contributed to Pingyao's popularity around the world?

A．The city government's hard work.

B．The official recognition by the UNESCO.

C．The development of Pingyao's economy.

D．The ancient architecture in the city.

【小题3】What measure is taken to further develop the city?

A．Combining the economy with cultural protection.

B．Constructing more modern buildings.

C．Learning from other cities in the world.

D．Establishing the manufacturing industry.

【小题4】How is the text developed?

A．By giving examples.

B．By following the time order.

C．By listing reasons.

D．By raising questions.

   Twenty-five years ago, most young Britons wanted a career in law, to be a doctor, or, if they were creative enough, to take up singing. But today, things stand different.

According to a survey by Tesco Mobile, a UK company, the "dream job" of young people aged between 16 and 25 in the UK is a video blogger, or "vlogger". The survey, carried out among 1,002 people, found that as many as 40 percent of them put vloggers as their number one choice on a list of ideal careers.

This change is undoubtedly as a result of the Internet and social media. They have made it so much easier to reach audience of the world, without having to enter a career in show business in the traditional way.

In the past, the biggest stars were trained by the Hollywood studios; now, anyone with a computer camera can become a star. Vloggers are the big stars of today because they are normal people interacting（交流）with their fans about everyday life.

However, what people see is only the bright side of being a vlogger and they fail to notice the fact that only those who are successful earn fame（名声）and fortune. For every success there are hundreds of others who never get off the starting line. There are the dreams that come true and the dreams that remain dreams forever.

Although being vloggers is popular, some young people choose to follow careers that don't necessarily earn them fame, but that allow them to make good use of the Internet to share their hobbies. Young Israeli David Leshaw, for example, runs a business called the

Finishers Club. It's an online platform for runners to keep a record of their races. His job allows him to express his enthusiasm, and is always a learning experience. And that's enough for him.

【小题1】Why do more and more young Britons choose to be vloggers?

A．Vloggers can earn greater fame and more money on the Internet.

B．There is too much competition in the traditional show business.

C．The Internet makes it convenient to enter show business.

D．Anyone with a computer will surely become a star.

【小题2】What can we infer from the fifth paragraph?

A．Only a few vloggers can be successful.

B．A vlogger cannot earn fame or fortune.

C．Being a vlogger is not a good career.

D．Dreams will come true one day.

【小题3】What do some young people like David do on the Internet?

A．Learn from others.

B．Become an online hit.

C．Hold running races.

D．Mix jobs with hobbies.

【小题4】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Most young Britons choose to be vloggers as their jobs based on their hobbies.

B．The Internet is influencing young Britons' career choice.

C．The Internet is taking the place of traditional studios.

D．Young Britons cannot find jobs without the Internet.

语法填空

The political leaders from eight of the world’s 【小题1】 (wealthy) nations will meet in Scotland this summer. It is going to be remembered as a historical meeting this year, as they will discuss the topic of Africa 【小题2】 detail. There are many problems for African people 【小题3】 (solve) , such as 【小题4】 (poor) , sex education and health care administration. People from all over the world have demanded that the leaders 【小题5】 (cancel) the debt of Africa’s poorest countries to help 【小题6】 escape the painful pasts.

At 12:45 UK time today, London 【小题7】 (announce) by the IOC in Singapore to be the host city for the 2012 Olympic Games. London had held the games twice 【小题8】 (success ) . Applications to host the games had also been made by the other four cities. In the end, London got the right to host the Games. It now has the distinction of being 【小题9】 first city to host the event three times. The good news made the crowds in London so 【小题10】 (delight) that they celebrated it everywhere: in pubs, homes and offices all over London.

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项，选项中有两项为多余选项。（如果所用的答题卡没有E、F、G选项，则选E涂A、B，选F涂A、C，选G涂A、D。）
【小题1】The answer is that the government needs money for many things, for example to pay its army, to build public facilities and to buy goods from abroad, and only the people of the country can supply the money.
【小题2】That is, a person pays according to the amount of his income. Whether he is a merchant, a doctor, a lawyer, a shopkeeper, a miner, or anything else, he must pay tax if his income is more than a certain amount. This is called a “direct” tax, because it is paid in money direct to the government.
Another tax is paid on goods such as watches, jewelry, tobacco, wine, etc. When they are brought into a country, such a tax is paid as part of the price of these goods if they are later sold in shops.【小题3】
People usually complain about having to pay taxes, but they forget that the money is spent on things that they and their families need. We need policemen to catch thieves, and they must be paid what they earn; children need education and there must be schools and teachers; we want our streets to be kept clean, and the wages of men who do this kind of work have to be paid.【小题4】And we cannot have an army without paying for it.
【小题5】We have no real cause to complain when we are asked to pay taxes for the good of ourselves and for our fellow citizens.

A．Why must we pay taxes? B．Why do people often complain? C．Taxes, therefore, cannot be avoided. D．Taxes, however, should be cancelled.   E．One of the most important taxes is income tax. F．We call it “indirect” tax, because it is paid indirectly through the shopkeeper. G．Above all, the country must always be ready to defend itself against attacking enemies.