George Orwell is one of the UK’s best-known 20th century authors but he’s also claimed by Motihari, a town in north-eastern India, where Orwell spent the first year of his life, before he and his mother moved to Henley, England.

More than a century after the Orwells left, the shabby bungalow (平房) is being turned into a museum. The four families who have been living here are in the process of moving out. Among them is Aditya Abhishek. “That’s something I share with George Orwell,” he tells me. “We were both born in the same house, but he became famous, and I didn’t.” He is sad to say, “I have so many memories associated with this bungalow.”

As very few people here understand English, it’s perhaps no surprise that few know much about George Orwell. Motihari has no bookshop selling anything other than school and college textbooks. You cannot easily lay your hands on any of Orwell’s books here.

“Today, scholars have to travel to London for research on Orwell, but once the museum is developed, they can carry out their research at his birthplace,” says cloth merchant Debripya Mukherjee.

He and his friends are in touch with Orwell’s son, Richard Blair, who may help them get copies of the collection of original manuscripts (手稿), pictures and so on held by the George Orwell Archive at University College London (UCL) . The local government is planning to spend $ 150,000 on the project. “We’re fortunate that a writer like George Orwell was born here,” says Mukherjee. “So, it’s our duty to preserve this bungalow and make it presentable.”

【小题1】Where did George Orwell live in India?

A．Beside a museum.	B．In a town’s bungalow.
C．In a bookshop.	D．Close to Henley.

【小题2】What can we infer about Aditya Abhishek?

A．He has refused to leave the bungalow.

B．He has deep feelings of the bungalow.

C．He hasn’t got used to the life without George Orwell.

D．He has become famous because of his association with George Orwell.

【小题3】The underlined phrase “lay your hands on” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”.

A．publish	B．share
C．receive	D．obtain

【小题4】According to the text, the museum ________.

A．has a hopeful future

B．is cooperating with UCL

C．is founded by Debripya Mukherjee

D．gets limited support from the local government

   36-year-old Victoria Murden McClure is a real adventurer. She has been on many mountaineering expeditions（探险）. She was also the youngest person in a team that skied 1，200 kilometers across Antarctica to the South Pole in 1989，and became one of only two women ever to travel to the Pole by land.

The journey across the Atlantic was her third attempt. The first time she failed because of illness，and during her second attempt，in 1998，she nearly died. She had rowed nearly 5，000 kilometers when her boat was hit by Hurricane Danielle. McClure was suddenly in the middle of 80 mph wind，and surrounded by waves that were 20 meters high.

Her little boat turned over five times. McClure was sure that she was going to die —she took the video recorder that she had brought with her and recorded a goodbye message to her family and friends. The hurricane continued into night，and The Pearl turned over five more times.

McClure was determined not to send a signal asking to be rescued-she didn't want other people to risk their lives. But after the eleventh capsizing（倾袭）of her boat，she finally sent it and a large ship came and found her. However，they couldn't get her boat out of the rough sea—it was found months later near the coast of Portugal.

Victoria Murden McClure had concussion（脑震荡）and a dislocated shoulder when she got home. Many people might have given up after an experience like this，but one year later，McClure was back in her repaired boat and tried again. This time she was successful，and although she again met a hurricane on the journey，which stopped her from breaking the record for the fastest transatlantic rowing crossing，she only overturned once！

【小题1】According to the first paragraph，we can know that in 1989 __________.

A．only two women landed on the South Pole

B．more than two people traveled to the South Pole

C．the journey to the Pole was McClure's first attempt

D．McClure was the only woman in the expedition team

【小题2】The reason why McClure nearly died on the journey across the Atlantic was that __________.

A．she was ill	B．she came across a strong wind
C．she lost her way	D．none came to her rescue

【小题3】What does the underlined words "The Pearl" refer to __________.

A．Hurricane Danielle	B．the rescue ship
C．McClure's boat	D．the expedition team

【小题4】What can we learn from the passage？

A．McClure didn't send any signal for rescue on the second journey across the Atlantic.

B．People didn't find her boat any more after the second journey across the Atlantic.

C．McClure was badly physically hurt on the second journey across the Atlantic.

D．McClure said goodbye to the transatlantic rowing crossing after the second journey across the Atlantic.

语法填空

Alanis Morissette, a Canadian singer and song writer, is 【小题1】 excellent superstar. She has made several albums, but her album Jagged Little Pill, which 【小题2】 (publish) in 1995 , made her world famous. Last Thursday night, hundreds of her fans saw her first 【小题3】 (perform) in the Corn Exchange in Cambridge, England since her song Uninvited 【小题4】 (win) this year’s Grammy Award for the best rock song. It was 【小题5】 (extreme) cold that night, but the audience were enthusiastic. During the concert, she played a few songs from her new album, such as Everything But…,【小题6】 tells the story of someone 【小题7】 (look) for love in the wrong places. Morissette gave a 【小题8】 (create) and powerful performance in another song Utopia, whose singing was full of feelings.【小题9】 (impress) by Morissette’s brilliant music and singing, the people present were excited. At the end of the concert, she ended the evening 【小题10】 a new song about the life of a superstar. After the concert, it is widely agreed that she is really a superstar！

How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes (糖尿病). Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success —you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological(心理的) tool.”
【小题1】What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?

A．Difficulties influenced his career.

B．Specialists offered him medical advice.

C．Training helped him defeat his disease.

D．He overcame the shadow of illness to win.

【小题2】What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?

A．Her achievements.

B．Her daily happenings.

C．Her training schedule.

D．Her sports career.

【小题3】According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?

A．Courage.

B．Devotion.

C．Hard work.

D．Self-confidence.

Most people know that Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and the first person to win it twice. However, few people know that she was also the mother of a Nobel Prize winner.
Born in September, 1897, Irene Curie was the first of the Curies’ two daughters. Along with nine other children whose parents were also famous scholars, Irene studied in their own school, and her mother was one of the teachers. She finished her high school education at the College of Sevigne in Paris.
At the age of 17 Irene entered the University of Paris to prepare for a degree in mathematics and physics. When World War I began, Irene went to help her mother, who was using X-ray facilities(设备) to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. Irene continued the work by developing X-ray facilities in military hospitals in France and Belgium. Her services were recognized in the form of a Military’s Medal by the French government.
In 1918, Irene became her mother’s assistant at the Curie Institute. In December 1924, Frederic Joliot joined the Institute, and Irene taught him the techniques required for his work. They soon fell in love and were married in 1926. Their daughter Helene was born in 1927 and their son Pierre five years later.
Like her mother, Irene combined family and career. Like her mother, Irene was awarded a Nobel Prize, along with her husband, in 1935. Unfortunately, also like her mother, she developed leukemia because of her work with radioactivity(辐射能). Irene Joliot-Curie died from leukemia on March 17, 1956.
【小题1】When did Irene Curie go to the University of Paris?

A．In 1897	B．In 1914
C．In 1918	D．In 1924

【小题2】Who was not a winner of Nobel Prize?

A．Marie Curie	B．Irene Curie
C．Frederic Joliet	D．Helene Joliot

【小题3】Which of the following about Irene Curie is not true?

A．She was the elder child of Marie Curie’s

B．She got a Military’s Medal because of her services to save the wounded

C．She met her husband at the Curie institute in 1924

D．She developed leukemia but was cured

【小题4】Which part in the newspaper may the passage come from?

A．People	B．Society
C．Culture	D．History