真題一
中國扇子的歷史可以追溯到3000多年前的商朝(the Shang Dynasty)。第一種扇子叫作“扇汗”(Shanhan),是拴在馬車上用來 擋住強烈的陽光，給乘客遮雨的。“扇汗”有點像現在的雨傘。後來 “扇汗”變成了由薄但是結實的絲綢或者鳥的羽毛做成的長柄扇，稱 爲中山扇(Zhangshan fan),它主要用於皇帝的儀仗(honour guard)裝飾。
The history of Chinese fan can be dated to over 3,000 years ago，around the Shang Dynasty. The first type of fan, known as Shanhan, was tied to a horse-drawn carriage to shut out the strong sunshine and shelter the passengers from the rainfall. The Shanhan was a bit like today’s umbrella. Later this Shanhan became a long-handled fan made of thin and tough silk or birds5 feathers, called a Zhangshan fan, which was mainly used by the emperor’s honour guard as decoration.
真題二
中國是茶的故鄉。據說早在五六千年前，中國就有了茶樹(tea- shrub),而且有關茶樹的人類文明可以追溯到兩千年前。來自中國的 茶和絲綢、瓷器(porcelain)—樣，在1000年前爲世界所知，而且一 直是中國重要的出口產品。目前世界上40多個國家種植茶，其中亞 洲國家的產量佔世界總產量的90%。其他國家的茶樹都直接或間接 地起源於中國。
China is the homeland of tea. It is believed that China has tea- shrubs as early as five to six thousand years ago，and human cultivation of teaplants can date back two thousand years. Tea from China，along with her silk and porcelain, began to be known the world over more than a thousand years ago and has since always been an important Chinese export. At present more than forty countries in the world grow tea with Asian countries producing 90% of the world’s total output. All tea trees in other countries have their origin directly or indirectly in China.
真題三
信用卡(credit card)是銀行所創造出來的.最便捷同時也是最危險 的信用工具。通過信用卡，人們可以先用銀行付賬的方式購買那些 負擔不起的物品，同時，銀行也將對此徵收比_般貸款要高的利率 (interest rate)。遺憾的是，信用卡現巳成爲資本主義體制(capitalist system)的重要組成部分，而該體制就得依賴消費(consumption)的持 續增長。
Credit cards are one of the most convenient devices ever cre ated by the banking system but, at the same time, one of the most danger¬ous. They allow people to buy things they，otherwise, couldn’t afford， with money created by the banks and, charged out at much higher interest rates than normal loans. Unfortunately, credit cards have become an es¬sential part of the capitalist system which only survives on the continued growth in consumption.
真題四
都江堰中興鎮發生山體滑坡(landslide)——這是2008年四川地 震時受災最嚴重的地方。山體滑坡覆蓋了大約兩平方公里，摧毀了 至少11所房子。到目前爲止，已有200多名居民被疏散。山體滑 坡幾個小時後，巡邏隊員到達現場時，一切都已經是一片汪洋。目 擊者描述石頭和殘骸(debris)從山上滾下來，不到三分鐘就把八座 房屋吞沒了。
The landslide occurred in the town of Zhongxing is Dujiangyan —one of the places badly hit by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The landslide, which covered about 2 sq km, damaged at least 11 homes. So far more than 200 residents have been evacuated. By the time patrol members arrived at the scene, a few hours after the landslide，everything was already a vast expanse of water. Eyewitnesses described stones and debris running down the hill and covering around eight homes in less than three minutes.
真題五
國家體育總局(the General Administration of Sport)在一項調查中 發現，自2010年以來，20-39歲的中國人體重增加更多——1.9千克。 這個年齡段中超過11%的人屬於肥胖，這在三年的時間裏就上漲了 兩個百分點。
China’s young adults are gaining more weight and exercising less than their elders. Chinese from ages 20 to 39 have put on more kilograms — 1.9 kg ——than other adults since 2010，the General Administration of Sport found in a survey. More than 11% from the age group were obese, up two percentage points in only three years.
