Short and shy,Ben Saunders was the last kid in his class picked for any sports team.
“Football,tennis,cricket—anything with a round ball,I was useless,”he says now with a laugh.But back then he was the object of jokes in school gym classes in England’s rural Devonshire.
It was a mountain bike he received for his 15th birthday that changed him.At first the teen went biking alone in a nearby forest.Then he began to cycle along with a runner friend.Gradually,
Saunders set his mind on building up his body,increasing his speed,strength and endurance.At age 18,he ran his first marathon.
The following year,he met John Ridgway,who became famous in the 1960s for rowing an open boat across the Atlantic Ocean.Saunders was hired as an instructor at Ridgway’s School of Adventure in Scotland,where he learned about the older man’s cold-water exploits.Intrigued,
Saunders read all he could about Arctic explorers and North Pole expeditions,then decided that this would be his future.
Journeys to the Pole aren’t the usual holidays for British country boys,and many people dismissed his dream as fantasy.“John Ridgway was one of the few who didn’t say,’You are completely crazy,’” Saunders says.
In 2001,after becoming a skilled skier,Saunders started his first long-distance 
expedition toward the North Pole.He suffered frostbite,had a close encounter with a polar bear and pushed his body to the limit.
Saunders has since become the youngest person to ski alone to the North Pole,and he’s skied more of the Arctic by himself than any other Briton. His old playmates would not believe the transformation.
This October, Saunders, 27,heads south to explore from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back ,an 1800 mile journey that has never been completed on skis.
.
The turning point in Saunders’ life came when__________.
| A．he started to play ball games | B．he got a mounta in bike at age 15 |
| C．he ran his first marathon at age 18 | D．he started to receive Ridgway’s training |
.
. We can learn from the text that Ridgway__________.
A .dismissed Saunders’ dream as fantasy B. built up his body together with Saunders
C hired Saunders for his cold-water experience
D .won his fame for his voyage across the Atlantic
.
.What do we know about Saunders?
| A．He once worked at a school in Scotland. |
B．He fol lowed Ridgway to explore the North Pole. |
| C．He was chosen for the school sports team as a kid. |
| D．He was the first Briton to ski alone to the North Pole. |
.
The underlined word “Intrigued” in the third paragraph means__________.
| A．Excited | B．Convinced | C．Delighted | D．Fascinated |
.
.It can be inferred that Saunders’ journey to the North Pole__________.
| A．was accompanied by his old playmates | B．set a record in the North Pole expedition |
| C．was supported by other Arctic explorers | D．made him well-known in the 1960s |
Relation between the United States and Columbia suffered for many years because of an incident involving the Republic of Panama. By the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, many Americans felt that an easier and faster way was needed to get ships from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Some people in the United States first believed that a canal across Nicaragua was the answer. However, President Theodore Roosevelt decided that a canal through Panama would be a better choice.
In order to build the canal , the United States had to negotiate （谈判） a treaty with Columbia , which at that time controlled Panama . Roosevelt offered Columbia $ 10 million plus $ 250,000 a year for 99 years for a six-mile-wide strip of land across Panama. Columbia rejected the United States’ offer. This ranged President Roosevelt, and negotiations with Columbia ended.
In 1903, a revolution broke out in Panama. The United States ships were sent by President Roosevelt to protect the Panamanian revolutionaries from Columbian forces. The revolution succeeded, and Panama declared its independence from Columbia. The United States then negotiated with the newly formed government. A treaty was signed, and the United States began building the canal.
As a result of the incident, Columbia and the United States remained on bad terms for many years. Not until 1921, when the United States agreed to pay Columbia some compensation (赔偿) for its territory, did relations between the two countries improve.According to the passage, the United States and Columbia were on bad terms because the United States had ________.
| A．at first wished to build a canal through Nicaragua |
| B．promised to pay Columbia $ 10 million for Panama |
| C．wished to build a canal through Panama |
| D．supported Panamanian revolutionaries in their fight for independence from Columbia. |
From the information in the passage, it can be concluded that the United States ______.
| A．wanted to build a canal because it was considered starting a war |
| B．felt that building a canal through Panama was worth the risk of ruining relations with Columbia |
| C．believed that a canal through Nicaragua would be profitable |
| D．had lost the Spanish-American War |
It can be inferred from the passage that an important reason for the decision of the United States to build a canal was to _______.
| A．develop trade relations with Europe |
| B．improve relations with South American countries |
| C．prevent European ships from reaching the Pacific Ocean |
| D．reduce travel time for its ships in case of war |
The passage mainly gives us________.
| A．advice | B．information |
| C．humor | D．News |
Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people your age could live to be 150,so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging(抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of you look the same age !
You say to your shirt , ”Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change clothes’ color or pattern.
You walk into the kitchen . You pick up the milk ,but a voice says ,” You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk , and it Knows the milk is old . In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip .
It’s time to go to work . In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way , you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve . Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed,” says scientist Andrew Zolli ,”it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example what will be the next?We can learn from the text that in the future__________.
| A．people will never get old |
| B．everyone will look the same |
| C．red will be the most popular color |
| D．clothes will be able to change their pattern |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?
| A．Milk will be harmful to health. |
| B．More drinks will be available for sale. |
| C．Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information. |
| D．Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer. |
Which of the following is mentioned in the text?
| A．Nothing can replace the Internet. |
| B．Fridges will Know what people need. |
| C．Jacked sleeves can be used as a guide. |
| D．Cars will be able to drive automatically. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Food and clothing in 2035. |
| B．Future technology in everyday life. |
| C．Medical treatments of the future. |
| D．The reason for the success of new technology. |
There is a growing problem of what to do with electronic waste such as old televisions, computers, radios, cellular telephones and other electronic equipment.
Electronic trash, or e-waste, is piling up faster than ever in American homes and businesses. People do not know what to do with old televisions or computers, so they throw them in the trash.
National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) state programs director Chaz Miller says the large amount of electronic waste Americans produce is not unexpected.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates more than 400 million consumer electronic items are dumped each year, and there is a push by more states to ban the waste from landfills(垃圾填埋场) and create recycling programs. They can be torn apart and sorted for useable parts. Mike Fannon who runs the plant in Baltimore, says, "There are a lot of valuable metals that can be recovered and reused instead of just putting them in the landfill, and in certain components, there are some materials that should not really be in the landfill," Fannon explains.
Fannon says nearly 20 percent of electronic waste is recycled nationwide. Thirteen years ago, it was only about 6 percent. Recycling rates continue to rise as more communities have banned electronics from landfills in an effort to keep e-waste poisons like lead(铅) and mercury（汞） out of garbage dumps.
This year, several states like Vermont imposed a ban on electronic waste in landfills. More than 25 other states have also adopted landfill bans, e-waste recycling programs or both. Chaz Miller says more can be done to boost electronic waste recycling.
"We can do much better," noted Miller. "I think clearly our goal should be to do as well as we do recycling newspapers."Which of the following does NOT belong to e-waste?
| A．Old televisions. | B．Old computers. |
| C．Old cell phones | D．Old newspapers. |
Why is e-waste banned from landfills in many states?
| A．Because it can not be recycled. |
| B．Because it might damage the environment. |
| C．Because it can be shipped to other countries. |
| D．Because the landfills are already full. |
According to Mike Fannon, what might be the best way of dealing with e-waste?
| A．Recycling it. | B．Selling it. |
| C．Burying it. | D．Breaking it. |
What can we learn from the passage?
A. At present, less then 10 percent of e-waste is recycled.
B. Chaz Miller works for EPA.
C. All states in the US have banned e-waste from landfills.
D. Experts are optimistic about the future of e-waste.
Gift No. I
Offer to be your mother's health friend. Promise to be there for any and all doctor's visits
whether a disease or a regular medical check-up. Most mothers always say "no need," another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor's visit. The best part ? This one is free.
Gift No. 2
Help your mother organize all of her medical records, which include the test results and medical information. Put them all in one place. Be sure to make a list of all of her medicines and what times she takes them. "Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mother's life," Dr. Marie Savard said.
Gift No. 3
Enough sleep is connected to general health conditions. "Buy your mother cotton sheets and comfortable pillows to encourage better sleep," Savard said. "We know that good sleep is very important to our health."
Gift No. 4
Some gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother's Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the price you pay goes to a charity (慈善机构). Gift givers can choose from a wide variety of useful but inexpensive things -many of which are "green" - and then choose a meaningful charity from a list. When your mother gets the gift, she will be told that she has helped the chosen charity.What are you advised to do for your mother at doctor's visits?
| A．Take notes. | B．Be with her. |
| C．Buy medicine. | D．Give her gifts. |
What can be a gift of organization for your mother?
| A．Keeping her medical information together. |
| B．Buying all gifts for her from one company. |
| C．Making a list of her medical check-ups. |
| D．Storing her medicines in a safe place. |
Where can you find a gift idea to improve your mother’s sleep?
| A．In Gift No. 1. | B．In Gift No. 2. |
| C．In Gift No. 3. | D．In Gift No. 4. |
Buying gifts from Presents for Purpose allows mothers to
| A．enjoy good sleep | B．be well-organized |
| C．bet extra support | D．give others help |
Many facts suggest that children are overweight and the situation is getting worse, according to the doctors. I feel there are a number of reasons for this.
Some people blame the fact that we are surrounded by shops selling unhealthy, fatty foods, such as fried chicken and ice cream, at low prices. This has turned out a whole generation of grown-ups who seldom cook a meal for themselves. If there were fewer of these restaurants, then probably children would buy less take-away food.
There is another argument that blames parents for allowing their children to become overweight. I agree with this, because good eating habits begin early in life, long before children start to visit fast food shops. If children are given fried chicken and chocolate rather than healthy food, or are always allowed to choose what they eat, they will go for sweet and salty foods every time, and this will carry on throughout their lives.
There is a third reason for this situation. Children these days take very little exercise. They do not walk to school. When they get home, they sit in front of the television or their computers and play computer games. Not only is this an unhealthy pastime, it also gives them time to eat more unhealthy food. What they need is to go outside and play active games or sports.
The above are the main reasons for this problem, and therefore we have to encourage young people to be more active, as well as steer them away from fast food shops and bad eating habits.According to the text, what kind of children may eat more unhealthy food?
| A．Those who often take exercise. |
| B．Those who often watch television. |
| C．Those who often have meals at home. |
| D．Those who often walk to school. |
The author thinks that children are becoming overweight because ．
| A．their parents often cook meals for them |
| B．they are too busy to go out and play |
| C．they can' t choose what to eat |
| D．there are too many fast food shops around |
The word "steer" underlined in the last sentence most probably means .
| A．force | B．guide |
| C．expect | D．observe |
The main purpose of the text is to .
| A．tell a story | B．provide facts |
| C．give advice | D．compare opinions |
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