Imagine someone has crossed the seas joining five continents by swimming. It is a major success for anyone. But it is an even greater success for Philippe Croizon, who has no arms, and no legs! His achievements show that we can all achieve great things—no matter who we are.
Philippe Croizon was 26 years old when he had an accident. The doctors had to remove both of his arms and legs. "When they cut off my last leg I wanted to die. I suffered great depression and my spirit was as low as you can get. But you have to choose—and 1 chose to live!" Croizon said.
While he was recovering (康复)in hospital, Croizon saw a television programme about a woman who had been swimming across the English Channel. After watching the programme Croizon decided to do it. He began to exercise every day to make him strong and it took him two years to prepare.
Finally in 2010,Croizon was ready. He entered the cold, grey sea of the English Channel. It took him from early morning until night to swim the distance. He felt a lot of pain. But he had become the first person without arms and legs to swim between France and England. Croizon had achieved his dream, but he did not stop there. He looked for a new goal.
Early in 2012 he planned to swim across the seas that join five major continents. During the next few months he swam between the four continents of Australia, Asia. Africa and Europe and finally in the cold waters of the Bering Strait between the continents of Asia and the Americas.
"We want to show people something. If disabled people have courage and a lot of training, they can do the same things as those who are not disabled'" Croizon said. According to the text, Philippe Croizon ________ .
| A．was born with disability |
| B．suffered a lot from the accident |
| C．chose to live because of a TV programme |
| D．was fond of swimming since he was young |
What do we know about Philippe Croizon*s swimming across the English Channel?
| A．It took him two years to finish it. |
| B．He was the first person to achieve it. |
| C．It was easy for him to finish the swim. |
| D．He spent a lot of time to prepare for it. |
Philippe Croizon's crossing the seas joining five continents ________ .
| A．lasted a month |
| B．ended in the Bering Strait |
| C．happened when he was 42 years old |
| D．was inspired by a television programme |
Which of the following can best describe Philippe Croizon's story?
| A．Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. |
| B．Where there's a will, there's a way. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. |
| D．The finest diamond must be cut. |
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
“Have you ever been out on a boat and felt it lifted up by a wave? Or have you jumped in the water and felt the rush of energy as waves came over you?” asked Jamie Taylor of the Wave Energy Group at the University of Edinburgh．“There is certainly a lot of energy in waves,” he said．Scientists are working to use that energy to make electricity．Most waves are created when winds blow across the ocean．“The wind starts out by making little ripples(涟漪), but if they keep on blowing, those ripples get bigger and bigger and turn into waves,” Taylor said．“Waves are one of nature’s ways of picking up energy and then sending it off on a journey.” When waves come toward the shore, people can set up dams to block the water and send it through a large wheel called a turbine（涡轮机）．The turbine can then power an electrical generator to produce electricity．
“The resource is huge,” said Janet Swain of the World Watch Institute．“We will never run out of wave power.” Besides, wave energy does not create the same pollution as other energy sources, such as oil or coal．Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface—that would make wave power seem ideal for creating energy throughout the world, though there are some weak points yet to overcome.
Swain said that wave power still costs too much money．She also said that its effects on sea animals are still unknown．What is more, wave power could affect fishing and boat traffic．Traditional sources of energy like oil and gas may someday run out．“Demand for energy to power our TVs and computers, drive our cars, and heat and cool our homes is rising rapidly throughout the world,” Swain said．In the future when you turn on a light, an ocean wave could be providing the electricity!
The writer uses the two questions at the beginning of the passage to .
| A．test the readers’ knowledge about waves |
| B．draw the readers’ attention to the topic |
| C．show Jamie Taylor’s importance |
| D．invite the readers to answer them |
The underlined phrase “picking up” is closest in meaning to .
| A．starting again |
| B．speeding up |
| C．improving |
| D．gathering |
We can make better use of wave energy if we .
| A．shorten its journey to thousands of homes |
| B．build more small power stations on the oceans |
| C．reduce the cost of turning it into electric power |
| D．quicken the steps of producing electricity |
It can be inferred that someday we might not worry about .
| A．our power supply |
| B．our boat traffic |
| C．air pollution |
| D．our supply of sea fish |
A shopkeeper sent his son to learn about the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world．The boy walked a long way, and finally came upon the beautiful castle where the wise man lived.
On entering the main room of the castle, the boy was quite surprised: tradesmen coming and going, people chatting in the corners, and a small orchestra playing soft music．The wise man talked with everyone, and the boy had to wait for two hours before it was his turn.
The wise man listened carefully to the boy’s explanation of why he had come, but told him that he didn’t have time just then to explain the secret of happiness．He suggested that the boy look around the palace and return in two hours.
“Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil．“As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.”
The boy began to walk up and down stairs of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon．After two hours, he returned to the wise man.
“Well,” asked the wise man, “Did you see the Persian tapestries（挂毯）in the hall? Did you see the garden that took the master gardener ten years to create?” The boy was embarrassed, and replied that he had observed nothing．His only concern had been not to spill the oil.
“Then go back and observe the wonders of my world,” said the wise man．The boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace．This time he observed all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls．When he returned, he described in detail everything he had seen．
“But where are the drops of oil?” asked the wise man．Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone.
“Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,” said the wise man．“The secret of happiness is to see all the wonders of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”
When the boy arrived at the castle, he .
| A．received a warm welcome from the wise man |
| B．had already missed his chance to talk to the wise man |
| C．was shown around the palace by the local people |
| D．didn’t expect to see so many people around |
The wise man gave the boy two tasks in order to .
| A．show him how to observe the wonders in the world |
| B．teach him the secret of happiness |
| C．make him learn from his mistakes |
| D．let the boy enjoy his palace and garden |
We can infer from the article that “the drops of the oil on the spoon” probably refer to .
| A．the beauty of one’s nature |
| B．the fortune a person possesses |
| C．the responsibilities one has to take on |
| D．the great opportunities in life |
What would be the best title for the article?
| A．Lesson about Happiness |
| B．The Secret of Happiness |
| C．Learning about Happiness |
| D．Searching for Happiness |
You know eating fruit and vegetables does good. But do you know it can also make you look good? People who increased their intake over just six weeks developed a healthy glow and appeared more attractive, researchers found. Scientists at St Andrews University found eating them slightly increased yellow and red pigments in the volunteers' skin. They monitored the food intake of 35 people and took pictures of their faces, arms and hands using a sensitive camera at the start, and after three and six weeks. Increasing their intake of greens by 2.9 portions a day was found to make the person look more healthy and an extra 3.3 portions could enhance their attractiveness, when their photographs were rated by others.
Fruit and vegetables are rich in carotenoids(类胡萝卜素)，which are known to protect against cell damage from pollution and UV rays, and can also prevent age-related diseases including heart disease and cancer. But while it was known eating extreme amounts of certain vegetables such as carrots could turn skin orange，it was not known a small increase was perceptible(被觉察）to others—and was seen as appealing.
A camera measured changes to the skin's redness, yellowness and lightness, and found it significantly changed in people who naturally increased their intake. These changes were not evident in three weeks. Using light sensors, the researchers showed these red and yellow hues were linked with the levels of carotenoids in their skin. There are hundreds of carotenoids but those thought to have the most dramatic effect are lycopene(番茄红素)—which gives tomatoes and red peppers their red colour—and beta-carotene found in carrots as well as broccoli, squash, and spinach. Skin colour is also affected by chemicals called polyphenols(多元酚)，found in apples, blueberries and cherries, which cause blood rush to the skin surface.What do we know from the research?
| A．If you take in a little more fruit and vegetables, you will obviously look more attractive in three weeks. |
| B．People who increased their intake of greens by 3.3 portions a day were found the most attractive after six weeks. |
| C．Increasing your intake of greens by 2.9 portions a day can greatly improve your health. |
| D．The researchers took the pictures of the 35 people in the research at different stages. |
Which of the following is NOT the function of carotenoids？
| A．They can protect against cell damage from pollution and UV rays. |
| B．They can prevent heart disease and cancer. |
| C．They can keep you in good health. |
| D．They can prevent age-related diseases. |
34.Which of the statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
| A．We've already known eating extreme amounts of carrots can turn skin orange. |
| B．We knew in the past that eating a few more carrots could make us look appealing. |
| C．The research showed the improvement in skin is linked with the levels of carotenoids in it. |
| D．Among hundreds of carotenoids, lycopene is thought to have the most dramatic effect |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Eating fruit and vegetables does good. |
| B．Eating fruit and vegetables makes you look good. |
| C．How to become attractive？ |
| D．Fruit and vegetables are rich in carotenoids. |
Would you want a doctor who got high marks in medical school just for trying hard? Apparently many college students would have no problem with that. They believe students are owed a good grade simply because they put a lot of effort into a class.
The researchers asked more than 800 undergraduates if they agreed or disagreed with some statements. For example: "If I have completed most of the reading for a class, I deserve a B in that course." And: "A professor should not be annoyed with me if I receive an important call during class."
Just 16 percent thought it was OK to take that phone call. But 66 percent agreed that a professor should consider effort and not just the quality of a student's work when deciding grades. And 40 percent thought they should get a B, the second highest mark, just because they did most of the reading for class.
Some experts are not surprised that students often see no difference between effort and results. Social critics like to say that in children's activities these days everyone gets an award just for trying, so no one will feel rejected.
Yet competition to get into the best colleges is fiercer than ever. Students may worry that low grades will keep them out of graduate school or a good job.
And there may be another explanation: pressure from parents to get a good return on the family's investment. These days, college can cost more than a house.
A former teaching assistant recently wrote to the New York Times about his experience with grade expectations. He would try to explain it this way when students asked for a top grade just for studying hard in chemistry class:
What if a baseball player came to spring training and worked harder than all the others, but still could not play well? Would the team accept him anyway, just because he tried so hard?
The students would say no. But most of them would still ask for an A.What does the passage mainly discuss?
| A．Whether students deserve high marks just for trying hard. |
| B．Whether students are allowed to answer calls in class. |
| C．How students can get a good grade in the course. |
| D．Why students put a lot of efforts in their studies. |
According to the research, most of the students _______.
A. thought it was all right to answer the call during class.
B. thought they did most of the work for class and should get a B.
C. objected to deciding grades only by the quality of a student’s work.
D. agreed that they should be given top grades because of their hard work.Which of the following opinions do social critics agree to about children’s activities?
| A．Those who are active in the activities can get an award. |
| B．Only by playing an important role in the activities can you get an award. |
| C．Whoever takes part in the activities can get an award. |
| D．An award is prepared for anyone who performs best in the activities. |
From the sixth paragraph we can learn that _____.
| A．it costs much more to build a college than to buy a house. |
| B．the costs of studying at college are much more than staying at home. |
| C．the costs of sending a child to college are much more than buying a house. |
| D．it is difficult for parents to send a child to college. |
I used to have a friend that was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the news that he might only live up to six months was a great shock to him, his family, and his friends．However, in spite of the serious illness, he was initially determined to look into all available treatments that might cure or extend his life．I think that when you find yourself in such situations, you tend to look up every possible way for hope of saving your life．
With months going on and his health grew worse, I noticed an unexpected change in attitude that came over him．He had also been a happy person with a cheerful personality, but rather than give in to discouragement and self-pity, he took comfort in God and humanity．His talks focused on others rather than himself, and he spoke of the afterlife as something he was prepared for, believing that his concerned ancestors, including his mother and father, were there waiting for him．
In the last few months, weeks, and days of his life, he was kindly cared for by family, friends, his loving wife, who looked after both his physical and emotional needs, and workers from a local hospice （安养院） came to the home to regulate his medication and provide any other needed support．He didn't complain about his fate, and he willingly allowed others to serve him．Indeed, one might think why God allows death and suffering in our world, but for me, such experiences taught me to value family more and kindness for others．You often can't learn these important attributes in the lap of luxury, and perhaps, such an experience is the greatest and final gift the illness can give those left behind．Which word can best describe the man's initial reaction as soon as he was diagnosed with cancer?
| A．Astonished． | B．Annoyed |
| C．Terrified． | D．Confused． |
What did the man do after he first learned of his illness?
| A．He was operated on immediately． |
| B．He researched cancer treatments． |
| C．He retired from his job． |
| D．He felt sad, doing nothing． |
What was the man's main source of comfort after several months with the disease?
| A．His family and friends． |
| B．The care from others． |
| C．His doctors’ encouragement． |
| D．His belief in humanity． |
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