Do you sometimes argue about what seems to you to be simple fact? Do you argue whether it’s cold outdoors or whether the car in front of you is going faster than the speed limit?
If you get into such arguments, try to think about the story about the six blind men and the elephant. The first blind man who felt the elephant’s trunk said it was like a snake. The second who felt the elephant’s side said it was like a wall, while the third said it was like a spear as he touched the animal’s tusk. The fourth, who got hold of the elephant’s tail insisted that it was like a rope. The fifth man said it looked like a tree as he put his arms around one of the elephant’s legs. The sixth, who was tall and got hold of the elephant’s ears, said it was like a huge fan.
Each man’s idea of the animal came from his own experience. So if someone disagrees with you about a “simple fact”, it’s often because his experience in the matter is different from yours.
To see how hard it is for even one person to make up his mind about a“simple fact”, try this simple experiment. Get three large bowls. Put ice water in one. Put hot water in the second. Put lukewarm water in the third. Now put your left hand in the ice water. Put your right hand in the hot water. After thirty seconds, put both hands in the lukewarm water. Your right hand will tell you the water is cold. Your left hand will tell you it’s hot! What makes people think about simple facts differently?
| A．The fact that simple facts differ from one another. |
| B．The fact that people have different experience in the same simple fact. |
| C．The fact that people often disagree with one another. |
| D．The fact that it’s hard to make up one’s mind about simple facts. |
Which of the following temperatures can the word “lukewarm” be applied to?
| A．Around 1℃ | B．Above 60℃ | C．Around 25℃ | D．Below 0℃ |
After reading the last paragraph, we may think of .
| A．Newton’s law | B．Gallileo’s theory of falling objects |
| C．Einstein’s theory of relativity | D．Marx’s On Capital |
The main idea of this passage is .
| A．people often judge something according to his own experience |
| B．people often agree about simple facts |
| C．it’s hard for a person to make up his mind about a simple fact |
| D．don’t care too much about simple facts |
The consumer(消费者) plays a very important role in the global efforts to reduce C02 emissions(排放). Households use one third of the final energy and produce around two thirds of city waste in the European Union. Besides，housing, food，and private transport make up almost 80％ of environmental pressures. Therefore there’s no doubt that consumers can make a real difference in fighting climate change．
To direct consumers towards more environmentally-friendly decisions，we need clear and simple instructions to guide consumption behavior. Actually, two thirds of consumers find it hard to figure out which products are better for the environment, for 58% Europeans think that many businesses just pretend to be green so as to charge higher prices. Thus industry should work harder to give consumers more information about the carbon footprint of their product. For example, inform customers of products made from materials that are recycled，renewable, and／or less carbon-intensive.
People prefer high-quality products that will last long and won’t go out of style, though they might sometimes cost more, especially in time of crisis. Firms that make durable（持久耐用的） or recyclable products cause people to behave more responsibly, which may help put an end to our “throw-way” culture．
However, it is not enough to remind people of green products. It’s more important to direct people to follow a practical lifestyle model. Regulations alone cannot achieve this purpose. We call for good business communities to create a loyal group of “sustainable(可持续的) consumers”. According to the passage, the key to going greener globally is ．
| A．to provide enough information about sustainable products |
| B．to get the government involved in protecting the environment |
| C．to encourage consumers to make their efforts to live a green way |
| D．to direct companies to provide environmentally-friendly products |
The second paragraph tried to tell us that ．
| A．people are buying sustainable products to have a lighter carbon footprint |
| B．most European consumers lack confidence in making responsible choices |
| C．companies have done enough to allow consumers to make greener choices |
| D．companies can make more money by making less carbon-intensive products |
It’s advised that companies had better especially in the time of crisis.
| A．throw away old materials |
| B．reduce the cost of production |
| C．make more durable products |
| D．replace their products frequently |
The last paragraph puts emphasis on ___________.
| A．the quality of products. |
| B．the honesty of companies. |
| C．the government regulations. |
| D．the importance of lifestyle. |
United States and Canada are multicultural countries with many national, religious and cultural differences, where people attach great importance to individualism—the uniqueness among people. Teachers value the qualities that make each student special and different. You can see such values through their educational systems. For example, students needn’t memorize lots of information. Instead, they work independently and find answers on their own. There are discussions for children to show their own ideas and opinions.
By contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture in most Asian societies. As a result, Asia’s educational system reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea learn to work together and help one another in assignments. And the teaching methods are often very formal and serious. In class, teachers give lectures while students listen and take notes. Discussion is replaced by reciting rules of information that have been memorized.
These two systems both have advantages and disadvantages. One advantage in Japan is that there is much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. In addition, students study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The difficult system also prepares students for a society that place emphasis on discipline and self-control. However, while memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students admit forgetting much of the information that they have memorized after exams.
On the other hand, the educational system in North American has an advantage that students learn to think for themselves, which prepares them for a society that values creativity. The disadvantage is that when they graduate from high school, they haven’t recited as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.People in multicultural countries such as the US or Canada lay more stress on __________.
| A．team work | B．self-control | C．discipline | D．individualism |
What is the advantage of the educational system in North America？
| A．There is not much discussion. |
| B．Learning to think for themselves |
| C．Learning much less math and science |
| D．They haven’t memorized basic rules and facts. |
Which words is most suitable to describe the author's attitude in writing this passage?
| A．Supportive | B．Opposite | C．Objective | D．Subjective |
The main idea of this passage is___________.
| A．cultural differences in countries such as the United States or Canada |
| B．comparisons of educational system between North America and Asia |
| C．there are more advantages of Asian education system of than that of North American |
| D．there are more disadvantages of Asian education system than that of North American |
One of my most unforgettable experiences is the day I finished my tough rowing and keep myself free of loneliness.
As the youngest female ever to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean, I was often asked the same question: How did you, a only 20-year old youngster row a 18-foot boat for 70 days through those strong winds and violent waves and survive?
Frankly speaking, for me, the physical challenge was not the greatest one. Before I made my mind to row across the Atlantic, I had already cycled 3,300 miles, run all by myself across the Mojave Desert, and swum the 325-mile length of the Allegheny River. No, the hardest part would be mental: How would I cope with the terrible loneliness and the boredom on the vast sea for such a long time?
I set out on January 1 and my first object was to swim past the quarter-way mark, which would take about 20 days. I made it on January 20, a gray and cloudy day. I had thought to do something to celebrate my first goal such as treating myself to a chocolate bar or something else. But I didn’t. I was suffering from unbearable boredom and loneliness of the long sea journey. I hadn’t seen any landing at least more than two weeks. It seemed to feel the same every day. Eating, rowing, sleeping, staring at the sky, watching the ocean.
Then that day came! It was around dusk, I noticed something move on the horizon. Yes, some dolphins! They approached me and circled my boat. Suddenly I felt so blessed. They had arrived to accompany me and helped to celebrate, just when I needed them so badly! For the next 15 minutes, I did row at full speed with all my strength with those lovely dolphins around. By the time they were to leave me and we went our separate ways, I was no longer lonely.
After 70 days and five hours at sea, I finally reached my final destination. I was proud that I made it, all 2,817 miles, which helped to raise $70,000 for the Blue Planet Run Foundation, an organization for funding drinking water. I’ve been told some athletes struggled to get through just by imagining the end during the whole process. But for me, what makes miracle is to focus your mind on the moment, where you experience the personal growth—those moments of awareness of being connected to the sun, the weather, and the waves. And, on the best day of my life, I had to admit those dolphins really freed myself from terrible loneliness.Which of the following belongs to part of preparation for the row?
| A．Answering the same question raised by people |
| B．Swimming the 325-mile length of the river |
| C．Running 3,300 miles cross-country |
| D．Biking across the Mojave Desert |
The underlined part means ___________.
| A．I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate my first goal |
| B．I didn’t have any chocolate bar for energy |
| C．It’s a pity not to celebrate my passing the quarter |
| D．It’s a pity not to treat myself to a chocolate bar |
What can be implied from the last two paragraphs?
| A．The Blue Planet Run Foundation helped me a lot. |
| B．The dolphins accompanied me to reach my destination |
| C．The unexpected dolphins swept away my loneliness |
| D．Imagination was a useful way to help me get through |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．The only challenge for a 20-year old |
| B．Tips on handling loneliness at sea. |
| C．How to row alone across the Atlantic |
| D．The day I stopped being lonely |
The Museum: The only surviving London home of Dickens( from 1837 until 1839),the Charles Dickens Museum in London, is the world’s most important collection of material relating to the great Victorian novelist. It was opened in 1925 and there are four floors together. People can have a good look
at paintings, rare editions, manuscripts（手稿）, original furniture and many items relating to the life of Dickens.
Opening Hours
☆ From Mondays to Saturdays 10:00—17:00; Sundays 11:00—17:00.
☆ No admission within 30 minutes before closing time.
☆ Groups can ask for special opening times for a private view.
Admission Fees: Families: £14.00 ( 2 adults & up to five children)
Students: £4.00; Seniors: £4.00; Children: £3.00; Adults: £5.00;
Group Admission: A special group charge of £4.00 for any group of 10 or more. Children will still be admitted for £3.00 each.
Access: We are trying to improve our collection and the access to the Museum for the disabled. Our on-going projects include the fitting of a wheelchair ramp for better access, a customer care kit and an audio tour for visitors with vision problem. Our Handling Sessions are also suitable for people with disabilities such as eye problems. There’s an online virtual（虚拟的）tour through the Museum. Just click here to visit all the rooms in the Museum online.
Rent the Museum: You can pay to use our museum for private functions, performances, parties and other social occasions.
Transport to the Museum: You can come to the Museum by the following ways
☆ Buses:7,17, 19, 38, 45, 46, 55, 243.
☆ Underground services: Piccadilly Line; Central Line.
☆ Click here for a map. The British Museum is within walking distance.
The passage is most probably taken from a(n)________.
| A．textbook | B．newspaper | C．website | D．magazine |
If a family with two adults and five children go to the Museum together, they will save _____compared to going there separately.
| A．£25.00 | B．£ 14.00 | C．£ 11.00 | D．£9.00 |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The Museum is located near the British Museum. |
| B．Visitors with poor vision cannot enjoy the Museum. |
| C．In any case people cannot visit the Museum after 17:00. |
| D．No one is allowed to use the Museum for other uses. |
The main purpose of the passage is to _______.
| A．persuade more people to visit the Charles Dickens Museum. |
| B．tell readers about the history of the Charles Dickens Museum. |
| C．introduce different functions of the Charles Dickens Museum. |
| D．tell readers how to make use of the Charles Dickens Museum. |
My alarm o’clock rings in my ears at 5:00 every morning. On hearing the ring, I will get out of bed and put on my glasses. The house is quiet as I walk downstairs while my husband and three kids sleep in peace. Instead of going for a long run as usual, today I chose my favorite exercise DVD and started moving. Sweat rolled down my face and into my eyes. My heart beat wildly as I face my body to finish each movement before a mirror. Of course I felt extremely tired towards the end, but a smile spread across my face. I smiled because the DVD was over, and there appeared a brighter smile of success from pushing my body to its extreme limit.
While some people are fond of chocolate, shopping, smoking, or work, what I need is taking exercise to pass each day. People shake their heads when they see me run with sweating heavily through the town. Some look surprised when I refuse to try just one bite of chocolate cake. They seem greatly puzzled by my “no thank you,” or by my choice to just have a vegetable salad. I have come to realize that it doesn’t matter to just say “No.” to any kind of food that I don’t want to eat.
Do you wonder what drives me to roll out of bed at 5:00 a.m. every morning? What makes me refuse ice cream firmly? Commitment—I’m determined to change my life with a way which can not only free me from daily anxiety, but also increase energy and self–confidence. And above all it will surely help me to keep good body shape and maybe extend my life. This is the real reason why there’s a huge smile spreading across my face when I look at myself in the mirror or try on my favorite pair of jeans that now fit me just right and look perfectly on me. I never doubt that I cannot make a difference within myself inside and out without such commitment and sweat.From the text we can conclude that the author___________.
| A．desires to look different from others. |
| B．expects to develop a good body shape. |
| C．has difficulty getting along with others. |
| D．behaves strangely every morning she gets up |
Which statement is TRUE according to Paragraph 2 ?
| A．Others don’t understand the author. |
| B．Others help the author by offering her food. |
| C．The author doesn’t understand others. |
| D．The author hates to make others surprised. |
The underlined word “commitment” in the last paragraph refers to ________.
| A．good health | B．firm belief | C．a habit | D．a permission |
Why is there a smile on the author’s face in the morning?
| A．Because she sees her family sleeping peacefully. |
| B．Because she finishes her favorite exercise. |
| C．Because she enjoys the inspiring DVD music. |
| D．Because she feels a sense of achievement |
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