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.

Letchildrenlearntojudgetheirownwork.Achildlearningtotalkdoesnotlearnbybeingcorrectedallthetime;ifcorrectedtoomuch,hewillstoptalking.Henoticesathousandtimesadaythedifferencebetweenthelanguagesheusesandthelanguagethosearoundhimuse.Bitbybit,hemakesthenecessarychangestomakehislanguagelikeotherpeople.Inthesameway,whenchildrenlearntodoalltheotherthingstheylearntodowithoutbeingtaught-towalk,run,climb,whistle,rideabicycle-comparethoseperformanceswiththoseofmoreskilledpeople,andslowlymaketheneededchanges.Butinschoolwenevergiveachildachancetofindouthisownmistakesforhimself,letalonecorrectthem.Wedoitallforhim.Weactasifwethoughtthathewouldnevernoticeamistakeunlessitwaspointedouttohim,orcorrectitunlesshewasmadeto.Soonhebecomesdependentontheteacher.Lethimdoithimself.Lethimworkout,withthehelpofotherchildrenifhewantsit,whatthiswordsays,whatansweristothatproblem,whetherthisisagoodwayofsayingordoingthisornot.

Ifitisamatterofrightanswers,asitmaybeinmathematicsorscience,givehimtheanswerbook.Lethimcorrecthisownpapers.Whyshouldweteacherswastetimeonsuchroutinework?Ourjobshouldbetohelpthechildwhenhetellsusthathecan’tfindthewaytogettherightanswer.Let’sendthisnonsenseofgrades,exams,marks,Letusthrowthemallout,andletthechildrenlearnwhatalleducatedpersonsmustsomedaylearn,howtomeasuretheirownunderstanding,howtoknowwhattheyknowordonotknow.

Letthemgetonwiththisjobinthewaythatseemssensibletothem.Withourhelpasschoolteachersiftheyaskforit.Theideathatthereisabodyofknowledgetobelearntatschoolandusedfortherestofone’slifeisnonsenseinaworldascomplicatedandrapidlychangingasours.Anxiousparentsandteacherssay,“Butsupposetheyfailtolearnsomethingessentialtheywillneedtogetintheworld?”Don’tworry!Ifitisessential,theywillgooutintotheworldandlearnit.

1.Whatdoestheauthorthinkisthebestwayforchildrentolearnthings?

A.bycopyingwhatotherpeopledo.

B.bymakingmistakesandhavingthemcorrected.

C.bylisteningtoexplanationsfromskilledpeople.

D.byaskingagreatmanyquestions.

2.Whatdoestheauthorthinkteachersdowhichtheyshouldnotdo?

A.Theygivechildrencorrectanswers.

B.Theypointoutchildren’smistakestothem.

C.Theyallowchildrentomarktheirownwork.

D.Theyencouragechildrentomarktocopyfromoneanother.

3.Thepassagesuggeststhatlearningtospeakandlearningtorideabicycleare___.

A.notreallyimportantskills.

B.moreimportantthanotherskills.

C.basicallydifferentfromlearningadultskills.

D.basicallythesameaslearningotherskills.

4.Exams,grades,andmarksshouldbeabolishedbecausechildren’sprogressshouldonlybeestimatedby___.

A.educatedpersons.

B.thechildrenthemselves.

C.teachers.

D.parents.

5.Theauthorfearsthatchildrenwillgrowupintoadultswhilebeing___.

A.tooindependentofothers.

B.toocriticalofthemselves.

C.incapabletothinkforthemselves.

D.incapabletousebasicskills.

Everything____into consideration, I propose that the first prize should be given to Liu Qiang.

PartIIVocabularyandStructure

Directions:Inthisparttherearefortyincompletesentences.Eachsentenceisfollowedbyfourchoices.ChoosetheonethatbestcompletesthesentenceandthenmarkyouranswerontheAnswerSheet.

21.Theteacherthestudentsonatourthroughtheartmuseum.

A.madeB.indicatedC.forcedD.took

22.Tom’sparentsdiedwhenhewasachild,sohewasbyhisrelatives.

A.grownupB.broughtupC.raisedD.fedup

23.Hereismycard.Let’skeepin.

A.touchB.relationC.connectionD.friendship

24.Sofarthereisnoproofpeoplefromotherplanetsdoexist.

A.whichB.howC.whatD.that

25.Thenewspapersreportedyesterdayseveralontheboundariesofthesetwocountries.

A.incidentsB.happeningsC.eventsD.accidents

26.We’veworkedouttheplanandnowwemustputitinto.

A.factB.realityC.practiceD.deed

27.Hedidn’tandsohefailedtheexamination.

A.workenoughhardB.hardworkenoughC.hardenoughworkD.workhardenough

28.NotuntilMr.SmithcametoChinawhatkindofcountrysheis.

A.heknewB.hedidn’tknowC.didheknowD.hecouldn’tknow

29.Scientistssayitmaybetenyearsthismedicinewasputtouse.

A.sinceB.beforeC.afterD.when

30.Insomecountries,iscalled“equality”doesnotreallymeanequalrightsforallpeople.

A.thatB.whatC.whichD.how

31.Wedidn’tknowhistelephonenumber,otherwisewehim.

A.wouldtelephoneB.wouldhavetelephone

C.hadtelephonedD.musthavetelephoned

32.We’vemissedthelastbus,I’mafraidwehavenobuttotakeataxi.

A.wayB.possibilityC.choiceD.selection

33.Luckily,mostsheepthefloodlastmonth.

A.enduredB.survivedC.livedD.passed

34.Myparentsalwaysletmehavemyownofliving.

A.wayB.methodC.mannerD.fashion

35.Likeotherlanguageskills,readingrequirespractice.

A.themostofB.muchoftheC.mostoftheD.moreofthe

36.Itisonlythroughpracticeonewillbeabletoswimskillfully.

A.whatB.whoC.thatD.which

37.Thebrainiscapableofignoringpainmessageoftoconcentrateonotheractivities.

A.itallowedB.isitallowedC.allowedD.allowedit

38.Don’tworry,Ihavealreadythemthedecision.

A.informed;withB.informed;ofC.informed;forD.informed;that

39.Thechildwassorryhismotherwhenhearrivedatthestation.

A.tomissB.havingmissedC.missingD.tohavemissed

40.Iwonderwhyhetodiscusstheproblematthemeeting.

A.declinedB.rejectedC.refusedD.delayed

41.Youcanhangupwhatyoulikeonthesewalls.

A.bareB.emptyC.blankD.vacant

42.Accordingtoa,themajoritywouldratherhavenewspaperswithoutagovernmentthanagovernmentwithoutnewspapers.

A.electionB.campaignC.pollD.vote

43.Thepopulationofthevillagehasdecreased150to500.

A.inB.atC.byD.with

44.ItseemsthatthereisthatIcan’tdo.

A.nothingB.anythingC.everythingD.none

45.Theyareoftencaringmoreaboutanimalsthanhumanbeings.

A.accusedifB.accusedwithC.chargedofD.chargedfor

46.agoodbeginningismade,thewordishalfdone.

A.AssoonasB.WhileC.AsD.Once

47.Georgecouldnothisfoolishmistake.

A.accountinB.countonC.countforD.accountfor

48.Wecameintothisfieldlate,sowemustworkhardtothelosttime.

A.makeupforB.makeoutC.keepupwithD.putupwith

49.Thenewlawwillcameintoonthedayitispassed.

A.effectB.useC.serviceD.existence

50.Wecanseparatethemixtureintothepurechemicalcompoundsitiscomposed.

A.inwhichB.ofwhatC.ofwhichD.fromwhich

51.Mrs.Lincolnhasthatsheisunabletogetajob.

A.suchsmalleducationB.solittleeducation

C.asuchlittleeducationD.asosmalleducation

52.Shecan’tpreventherlittleboyshootingbirds.

A.from;toB.on;atC.with;upD.from;at

53.Manycountriesareincreasingtheiruseofnaturalgas,windandotherformsof.

A.energyB.sourceC.powerD.material

54.Adarkenedskyinthedaytimeisusuallyandindicationthatastormis.

A.possiblecomingB.abouttotakeplace

C.closebyD.expectedtobesevere

55.Weallknowthatspeaklouderthanwords.

A.movementsB.performanceC.operationsD.actions

56.,hecouldnotcoverthewholedistanceinfifteenminutes.

A.FastashecanB.Ashecanranfast

C.IfhecanranfastD.Sinceheranfast

57.Agriculturalproductioninthatcountryhasincreasedinrecentyears.

A.vastlyB.strikinglyC.considerablyD.extremely

58.Peterhasplannedtosomemoneyeverymonthsothathecanbuyausedcarnextyear.

A.setasideB.setupC.setinD.setalong

59.AlthoughIspoketohimmanytimes,henevertookanyofwhatIsaid.

A.attentionB.noticeC.warningD.observation

60.Theyovercameallthedifficultiesandfulfilledtheplanthreemonthsaheadoftime,issomethingwehadnotexpected.

A.thatB.whatC.itD.which

PartIVTranslation

Asthesourceofaluminumisalmostinexhaustible,wecanexpectthatmoreandmoreuseswillbefoundforthisversatilemetal.(PassageTwo)