When it comes to friends, I desire those who will share my happiness, who possess wings of their own and who will fly with me. I seek friends whose qualities illuminate（照亮）me and train me up for love. It is for these people that I reserve the glowing hours, too good not to share.
When I was in the eighth grade, I had a friend. We were shy and “too serious” about our studies when it was becoming fashionable with our classmates to learn acceptable social behaviors. We said little at school, but she would come to my house and we would sit down with pencils and paper, and one of us would say: “Let’s start with a train whistle today.” We would sit quietly together and write separate poems or stories that grew out of a train whistle. Then we would read them aloud. At the end of that school year, we, too, were changing into social creatures and the stories and poems stopped.
When I lived for a time in London, I had a friend. He was in despair (失望) and I was in despair. But our friendship was based on the idea in each of us that we would be sorry later if we did not explore this great city because we had felt bad at the time. We met every Sunday for five weeks and found many excellent things. We walked until our despairs disappeared and then we parted. We gave London to each other.
For almost four years I have had a remarkable friend whose imagination illuminates mine. We write long letters in which we often discover our strangest selves. Each of us appears, sometimes in a funny way, in the other’s dreams. She and I agree that, at certain times, we seem to be parts of the same mind. In my most interesting moments, I often think: “Yes, I must tell….”We have never met.
It is such comforting companions I wish to keep. One bright hour with their kind is worth more to me than the lifetime services of a psychologist（心理学家），who will only fill up the healing（愈合的）silence necessary to those darkest moments in which I would rather be my own best friend.In the eighth grade, what the author did before developing proper social behavior was to ______.
| A．become serious about her study |
| B．go to her friend’s house regularly |
| C．learn from her classmates at school |
| D．share poems and stories with her friend |
In Paragraph 3, “We gave London to each other” probably means ______.
| A．our exploration of London was a memorable gift to both of us |
| B．we were unwilling to tear ourselves away from London |
| C．our unpleasant feeling about London disappeared |
| D．we parted with each other in London |
According to Paragraph 4, the author and her friend _______.
| A．call each other regularly |
| B．have similar personalities |
| C．enjoy writing to each other |
| D．dream of meeting each other |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Unforgettable Experiences |
| B．Remarkable Imagination |
| C．Lifelong Friendship |
| D．Noble Companions |
Do you enjoy reading poems? Rabindranath Tagore (泰戈尔) was an Indian writer and poet, who was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Composed of 326 short verses, Stray Birds (飞鸟集) is a collection of short verses translated from Bengali into English by the poet himself, where Tagore spiritualizes nature into the experiences of human existence while demonstrating his love for nature and simplicity through poetic words.
Now read the following verses taken from Stray Birds (1916) and try to answer the questions.
•Man does not reveal himself in his history, he struggles up through it. (verse 52)
•The cloud stood humbly (谦逊的) in a corner of the sky.
The morning crowned it with splendor (光辉). (verse 100)
•Man is worse than an animal when he is an animal. (verse 248)
•Bees sip honey from flowers and hum their thanks when they leave.
The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him. (verse 127)
•The stream of truth flows through its channels of mistakes. (verse 243)
•Let him only see the thorns who has eyes to see the rose. (verse 230)
•Set bird’s wings with gold and it will never again soar in the sky. (verse 231)
•Men are cruel, but Man is kind. (verse 219)
•Let me not put myself wrongly to my world and set it against me. (verse 206)
•Wrong cannot afford defeat but right can. (verse 68)
•“I give my whole water in joy,” sings the waterfall. “though little of it is enough for the thirsty.” (verse 69)
•The woodcutter’s axe(斧头) begged for its handle from the tree.
The tree gave it. (verse 71)
•Thank the flame for its light, but do not forget the lampholder standing in the shade with constancy of patience. (verse 64)Which of the verses sing praise for those who are ready to sacrifice (奉献) themselves without asking anything in return?
| A．verse 248 &69 | B．verse 71 & 100 | C．verse 69 & 71 | D．verse 100& 52 |
Which of the verse makes strong comparison and contrast between two opposite types of persons?
| A．verse 68 | B．verse 248 | C．verse 127 | D．verse 243 |
Which of the verses might be most suitable said to parents, telling them not to spoil their children with wealth?
| A．verse 231 | B．verse 71 | C．verse 127 | D．verse 100 |
STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.
Speed dating
It’s exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again―25 times in all.
Lock and key party
Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot（票数） for top prizes!
Dinner in the dark
Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.
Message party
Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait… You’ve got a message… Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.What do you think the similarities of these parties are?
| A．All the parties have very strict rules for their members. |
| B．If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket. |
| C．All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers. |
| D．All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old. |
In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?
| A．Speed dating. | B．Lock and key party. |
| C．Dinner in the dark. | D．Message party. |
If you go to the Dinner in the dark, ____________.
| A．you have to wear night vision glasses |
| B．you have to eat with your hands |
| C．guests eat all the courses in the darkness |
| D．your dining partners will help you choose the food |
How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
Around twenty years ago I was going through hard times. I could not find a satisfying job. To my shame, I had to drive a school bus to make ends meet and lived in a friend’s house.
One afternoon, while driving through a quiet suburban (郊外的) neighborhood I was so sad that I kept asking myself “Why has my life become so hard?” “What’s wrong with the world?” Then I pulled over the bus to drop off (让...下车) a little girl and as she passed she handed me a pretty earring, saying she found it on the floor of the bus and I should keep it in case（以防）the owner came to look for it.
In the evening, the owner did come to look for her earring. When I handed it to her, she got very excited and continued saying “Thanks, you’re a real gentleman.” I told her that she should thank the little girl who had found it. She said, “Yes, and you are a good driver, too. What a lovely world it is!” Then she left with satisfaction. I was touched by her last words. I had thought something was wrong with the world just because of my poor condition. In fact, nothing was wrong with the world. I should change my attitude towards life. I should be positive about life.
At first it was hard, and then it got easier. Every day I could find things to make me happy. Then one night there was a phone call for me at my friend’s house from a lady who was a manager in a large hospital. She said she had read my application form and asked me if I would like to work in the hospital. I said yes and got the job. Looking back at the experience I know the most important is to have a positive attitude towards life.We know from the second paragraph that ________.
| A．the author cried while driving that afternoon |
| B．a girl picked up an earring before getting off |
| C．there was only one passenger on the bus |
| D．the girl gave the author an earning as a gift |
The author decided to have a change in life because ________.
| A．what the earring owner said moved him |
| B．he didn’t want to be a driver any more |
| C．his friends helped him become positive |
| D．he was offered a better job in a hospital |
When the author got a call from the manager of the hospital, he felt ________.
| A．surprised | B．disappointed |
| C．shocked | D．delighted |
What does the author want to show in this passage?
| A．Lost things should be returned to the owner. |
| B．Life is usually hard for the young at the beginning. |
| C．One should hold a positive attitude towards life. |
| D．It is not easy to find a good job nowadays. |
Everyone has got two personalities – the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real. You don’t show your secret personality when you’re awake because you can control your behavior, but when you’re asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, people frequently change their position. The important position is the one that you go to sleep in.
If you go to sleep on your back, you’re a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by fashion or new ideas. You don’t like to upset people, so you never express your real feelings. You’re quite shy and you aren’t very confident.
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a rather secretive person. You worry a lot and you’re always easily upset. You’re very stubborn, but you aren’t very ambitious. You usually live for today not for tomorrow. This means that you enjoy having a good time.
If you sleep on curled up, you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and so it is easy for you to get angry. You’re shy and you don’t normally like meeting people. You prefer to be on your own. You’re easily hurt.
If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well-balanced personality. You know your strengths and weakness. You’re usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel anxious, but you don’t often get upset. You always say what you think even if it makes people angry.According to the writer, you naturally show your secret and real personality _______.
| A．only in a normal night |
| B．only when you go to sleep |
| C．only when you refuse to show yourself to the world |
| D．only when you change sleeping position |
Maybe you don’t want to make friends with a person who sleeps curled up. Why?
| A．He or she would rather be alone than communicate with you |
| B．He or she is rarely ready to help you |
| C．He or she prefers staying at home to going out |
| D．He or she wouldn’t like to get help from you |
It appears that the writer tends to think highly of the person who sleeps on one side because _______.
| A．he or she always shows sympathy for people |
| B．he or she is confident, but not stubborn |
| C．he or she has more strengths than weakness |
| D．he or she often considers making other people angry |
About ten years ago, a young and very successful businessman named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his shiny, black car, which was only two months old.
He was watching for kids rushing out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child came out, but a brick sailed out and-WHUMP!-it hit the shiny black side door of his car! SCREECH...!!!! Immediately Josh stopped the car, jumped out, caught the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you? Just what on earth are you doing?!” Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new car, and that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”
“Please, mister, please... I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!” begged the young man. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” tears were streaming down the boy’s face as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my brother, mister,” he said. “He rolled of the curb （路沿）and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.” Weeping, the boy asked the businessman, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”
Moved beyond words, the young businessman tried hard to swallow the rapidly swelling lump (肿块) in his throat. Trying hard, he lifted the young man’s brother back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapers and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the black, shining car — a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his car. He kept the dent (凹痕) to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you. The boy threw a brick at the businessman’s car because ________.
| A．the businessman drove at a high speed |
| B．he envied the brand-new car very much |
| C．he wanted to ask for some money |
| D．he wanted to get help from the driver |
Which of the following is the right order of the story?
a. The younger brother threw a brick at Josh’s car
b. The elder brother fell out of his wheelchair
c. The younger brother begged Josh for help
d. Josh lifted the elder brother back into his wheelchair
e. Josh shouted at the younger brother.
| A．b, a, e, c, d | B．a, c, d, b, e |
| C．b, a, c, e, d | D．a, c, b, e, d |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Josh would accept the money from the kids |
| B．The two kids were Josh’s neighbors |
| C．Josh was a kind-hearted man |
| D．Josh’s new car broke down easily |
According to the passage, the last sentence means ________.
| A．trying to get ready for the trouble in your future life |
| B．driving fast in a neighborhood street is dangerous |
| C．trying to be more understanding seeing others in trouble |
| D．protecting oneself from being hurt |
It’s really true what people say about English politeness: it’s everywhere. When squeezing (挤) past someone in a narrow aisle (通道), people say “sorry”. When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things.
After all, squeezing past others sometimes can’t be avoided and the bus driver is merely doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate some more polite ways of communicating with people.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one thank you in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposed to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers stressed several times but none of their explanations were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This also is shown in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to meals than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men. Yes, the latter are a bit tightfisted.What is the author’s attitude towards English politeness?
| A．He appreciates it. |
| B．He gives no personal opinion. |
| C．He thinks it is just an act. |
| D．He thinks it goes too far. |
What can we learn about customers and retail assistants in Germany?
| A．It’s always retail assistants who say thank you. |
| B．Customers never say thank you to retail assistants. |
| C．They always say thank you to each other. |
| D．They may say thank you only once. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that Scottish men ______.
| A．are more likely to be involved in a fight |
| B．are not so willing to spend money for women |
| C．are more polite than English men |
| D．treat women in a polite way |
The author develops the text through the method of ______.
| A．giving comments | B．telling stories |
| C．making comparisons | D．giving reasons |
How to look good in a photo?
What should you do if you want to have a nice photo taken? Whether it’s work or fun, the most important thing is lighting. If you get bad lighting, you will look bad, too. Know where the light is. You don’t want it below you or above you, you want it to shine directly at you.
The key thing is no shadow. If you are being photographed outside, do it in the morning, or wait till the 2 o’clock shadow has passed. Also don’t let pictures in the magazines stress you out — all the pictures are taken by great photographers. And all the faces have had pimples（粉刺）taken out by computers.
Tip your head and learn what angles (角度) work with your face; everyone is different. So you have to learn what suits you. You can practice in Photo Booth as long as it is your turn, to learn what angles suit your face. Tip your neck to make it look longer, make eye contact with the camera. No one can look bad if they smile.
For long legs, point one leg into center of the frame and get the photographer to shoot looking up your body.
For just leg shots, lie upside down and raise legs in the air for the best angle. And your legs will look thinner and be in better shape.
Keep shoulders back.
Always have mouth slightly open, enough to put a penny between your lips, as this will make your lips look fuller.
Lower your eyes and then look up just as shutter（快门）is clicked for full eyes.
Delete any evidence of a less than perfect photogenic moment, everyone has off days.If you want to look good in a photo, the light should be ______.
| A．below you | B．above you |
| C．directly at you | D．right behind you |
According to the passage, we should consider all EXCEPT ______.
| A．light | B．shadow |
| C．angles | D．photographers |
What advice does the author give on taking photos?
| A．Raise your legs as high as possible. |
| B．Keep your eyes down. |
| C．Position your shoulders straight. |
| D．Put a penny between lips. |
Growing up in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and he quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills greatly during a year abroad before college, learning from a cook in Italy and studying local specialties（地方特色菜）in Germany, Spain and France. At Yale, he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handedly frying and baking while mixing drinks for dozens of friends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named Campus Cuisine about his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmates how to do things like making drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around, with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network.
Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the network television. He says Lieberman’s charisma is key. “Food TV isn’t about food anymore,” says Flay. “It’s about your personality（个性）and finding a way to keep people’s eyeballs on your show.”
But Lieberman isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful, inexpensive and easy-to-make menu to serve on its flights, and Lieberman got the job. We can learn from the text that Lieberman’s family ______.
| A．have relatives in Europe |
| B．love cooking at home |
| C．often hold parties |
| D．own a restaurant |
The Food Network got to know Lieberman ______.
| A．at one of his parties |
| B．from his teachers |
| C．through his taped show |
| D．on a television program |
What does the underlined word “charisma” in the 2nd paragraph refer to?
| A．A natural ability to attract others. |
| B．A way to show one’s achievement. |
| C．Lieberman’s after-class interest. |
| D．Lieberman’s fine cooking skill. |
Why did the airline company give Lieberman the job?
| A．He could prepare meals in a small kitchen. |
| B．He was famous for his shows on Food TV. |
| C．He was good at using eggs to make sandwiches. |
| D．He could cook cheap, delicious and simple meals. |
【改编】Feeling blue about the world? “Cheer up,” says science writer Matt Ridley. “The world has never been a better place to live in, and it will keep on getting better both for humans and for nature.”
Ridley calls himself a rational optimist—rational, because he’s carefully weighed the evidence; optimistic, because that evidence shows human progress to be both unavoidable and good. And this is what he’s set out to prove from a unique point of view in his most recent book, The Rational Optimist . He views mankind as grand enterprise that, on the whole, has done little but progress for 100,000 years. He backs his findings with hard facts gathered through years of research.
Here’s how he explains his views.
1）Shopping fuels invention
It is reported that there are more than ten billion different products for sale in London alone. Even allowing for the many people who still live in poverty, our own generation has access to more nutritious food, more convenient transport, bigger houses, better cars, and, of course, more pounds and dollars than any who lived before us. This will continue as long as we use these things to make other things. The more we specialize and exchange, the better off we’ll be.
2) Brilliant advances
One reason we are richer, healthier, taller, cleverer, longer-lived and freer than ever before is that the four most basic human needs—food, clothing, fuel and shelter—have grown a lot cheaper. Take one example. In 1800 a candle providing one hour’s light cost six hours’ work. In the 1880s the same light from an oil lamp took 15 minutes’ work to pay for. In 1950 it was eight seconds. Today it’s half second.
3) Let’s not kill ourselves for climate change
Mitigating(减轻) climate change could prove just as damaging to human welfare as climate change itself. A child that dies from indoor smoke in a village, where the use of fossil-fuel(化石燃料) electricity is forbidden by well- meaning members of green political movements trying to save the world, is just as great a tragedy as a child that dies in a flood caused by climate change. If climate change proves to be mild, but cutting carbon causes real pain, we may well find that we have stopped a nose-bleed by putting a tourniquet(止血带) around our necks.What does “blue” mean in the first paragraph?
| A．Anxious. | B．Depressed. |
| C．Curious. | D．Positive. |
What is Ridley’s recent book about?
| A．Facts about human progress. |
| B．Opinions about climate change. |
| C．Importance of reducing pollution. |
| D．Protection of environment. |
Which is the writer’s opinion?
| A．The earth will no long fit to live on if we don’t take action to protect the earth. |
| B．The more we specialize and exchange, the better off we’ll be. |
| C．The price of everything is growing higher and higher. |
| D．People mustn’t use fossil-fuel for environmental protection. |
According to the writer , One reason why humans live longer is that_____.
| A．people can be treated immediately |
| B．people pay more attention to health |
| C．people can eat better food without spending much money |
| D．climate becomes much warmer |
The author develops the passage mainly by_____.
| A．Topic- Explanation |
| B．Explanation ---Conclusion |
| C．Argument --- Topic ---Conclusion |
| D．Conclusion - Topic |
【改编】Can you believe everything that you read? It seems as if every day, some new articles come out about a new discovery about this or that. For example, water is bad for you, or good for you. The answer depends on which scientific study has just come out. People cannot decide which food items are healthy, how pyramids were constructed, and why dinosaurs disappeared. When we look for answers we sometimes can believe persuasive researches and scientists. But how trustworthy are they really? Here are two examples of scientific hoaxes.
As far back as 1726, Johann Beringer was fooled by his fellow scientists into thinking he had made an amazing discovery. The fossils of spiders, lizards, and even birds with the name of God written on them in Hebrew were unlike anything that had been found before. He wrote several papers on them and was famous for those only to have it revealed that they were planted by jealous colleagues to ruin his reputation.
When an early human being was discovered in 1912, scientists at this time were wild with excitement over the meaning it had for the theory of evolution. There were hundreds of papers about this Piltdown man over the next fifty years until it was finally discovered to be a complex hoax. The skull (头骨) of a man had been mixed with the jawbone of an orangutan (猩猩) to make the ape (猿) man.
The next time you read the exciting new findings of a study of the best scientist, do not automatically assume that it is true. Even qualified people can get it wrong. While we certainly should not ignore scientific research, we do need to take it with a grain of salt. Just because it is accepted as the truth today does not mean it will still be trustworthy tomorrow.What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Everything in the newspaper is doubtful. |
| B．People are encouraged to suspect everything. |
| C．Not everything you read is believable. |
| D．Sometimes scientists may make mistakes. |
What does the underlined word “ hoaxes” mean?
| A．Truths. | B．Tricks. | C．Researches. | D．Result. |
From the second paragraph we can know______.
| A．Johann Beringer was envied by his colleagues. |
| B．Johann Beringer lived in the seventeenth century. |
| C．Johann Beringer found the Piltdown man. |
| D．Johann Beringer found he was fooled by others in time. |
According to the passage ,the discovery of Piltdown man______.
| A．was significant to the theory of evolution. |
| B．proved orangutan developed from man. |
| C．didn’t prove false until 50 years later. |
| D．proved that scientists were very careless. |
From the last paragraph we can infer the author thinks_____.
| A．scientists are unreliable. |
| B．everyone can make a mistake. |
| C．we should ignore scientific research. |
| D．we should treat scientific research reasonably. |
【改编】In the fall of 1985, I was a bright eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty one years later I am still a bright eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65.She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopted and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic—and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No.3.In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8！Our home was a complete zoo—a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college fulltime. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, but I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree!
I am not special, just single minded. It always struck me that when you're looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you're in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won't arrive in your life on one day. It's a process. Remember: little steps add up to big dreams.How did the writer develop the passage?
| A．By giving examples. | B．By comparison. |
| C．By giving explanations. | D．By time order. |
How did the author feel when she had to leave home to study?
| A． Relieved. | B．Happy. |
| C．Guilty. | D．Disappointed. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word” withdraw”?
| A．Continue. | B．Drop. |
| C．Graduate. | D．Learn. |
Which word can be used to described the author?
| A．Considerate and strong-willed. |
| B．Generous and learned. |
| C．Clever and sensitive. |
| D．Honest and brave. |
What can we learn from this story?
| A．Well begun is half done. |
| B．God helps those who help themselves. |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
| D．Pride hurts, modesty benefits. |
Do you like shopping? Or does the thought of wandering round the shops fill you with terror? For some of us，shopping is an enjoyable way of spending our spare time and our money. For me．it's something I would rather avoid．Thank goodness for the Internet! It's more convenient to buy CDs，electrical items，even food，from the comfort of your sofa．But that’s not the only reason：price is an important factor．We can buy goods and services cheaper online. But sometimes the problem is knowing what to buy．This has led to a type of shopping called “show rooming”．
Show rooming is something I've done．I will go to a shop to see，touch and try out products but then go home and buy them online at a knock—down price．I'm not alone in doing this．Research by a company called Foolproof，found 24％of people show roomed while Christmas shopping in 2013．
Amy Cashman，Head of Technology at TNS UK，says the reasons for this new shopping habit are that“people are lacking time，lacking money and they want security about the products they are buying．”She explains that consumers are not only shopping online at home but they are using the Internet in store or on their smartphones to shop around．
But does this mean technology will kill shops? Certainly shops will change．They will have to offer more competitive prices or encourage people to buy more by giving in—store discounts or free girls．
We mustn’t forget that buying in a shop means you can get expert advice from the sales assistant and you can get good aftercare．It’s good to speak to a real human rather than look at a faceless computer screen but at least by show rooming，you get the best of both worlds!The two questions in Paragraph l are raised to _______.
| A．introduce the topic | B．give two examples |
| C．compare different opinions | D．get answers from readers |
What does show rooming mean in the text?
| A．Trying in shops and buying online． |
| B．Showing products in a room． |
| C．Buying something in a store． |
| D．Shopping on the Internet． |
According to Amy Cashman，which is not the reason for show rooming?
| A．The lack of time． | B．The comfort of the sofa． |
| C．The shortness of money． | D．The security of the product． |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 4 ?
| A．Online shops will disappear． |
| B．Free gifts will surely promote sales． |
| C．Shops need necessary changes． |
| D．Shops will be replaced by online shops． |
The author's attitude towards show rooming is _______
| A．critical | B．neutral | C．supportive | D．casual |
【改编】The island of Great Britain being small (compare the size of Australia), the natural place for holiday relaxation and enjoyment is extensive coastline, above all its southern and eastern coasts, and the favorite resort of the mass-population of industrial Lancashire, is on the north-west coast. Distant and little-inhabited area like Northern Scotland, are too remote for the development of large seaside resorts.
For most children, going to the seaside suggests a week or fortnight of freedom on the beach, ideally a sandy one providing enough opportunities for the construction of sandcastle, fishing in pool, paddling in shallow water or swimming in deep water. Their parents spend sunny days swimming in the sea and sunbathing on the beach. Not that the British sun can be relied on and the depressing sight of families wandering round the town in old –fashioned and under umbrellas is only too common. However, there are always shops with their tourist souvenirs, plenty of cafes and if the worst comes to the worst, the cinema to offer a refuge.
The average family is unlikely to seek accommodation in a hotel as they can stay more cheaply in a boarding-house. There are usually three or four-storeyed Victorian buildings, whose owners spend the summer season letting rooms to a number of couples or families and providing three cooked meals a day at what they describe as a reasonable price, with the hope that in this way they will add enough to their savings to see the winter through. Otherwise there are the camping sites for those who prefer self-catering.
Nowadays, even when an increasing number of people fly off to Mediterranean resorts where a well-developed suntan (晒黑) can be assured, or explore in comfort Swiss lakes and mountains or romantic Italian or Spanish cities, the British seaside is still the main attraction for families, especially those with younger children. As they queue for boats trips, cups of tea or ice-cream under gray skies and in dizzling rain, the parents are reliving (重温) their own childhood when time seemed endless, their own sandcastles the most splendid on the beach, the sea always blue and friendly and the sun always hot.Where do tourists seldom go ?
| A．Australia | B．Great Britain |
| C．Northern Scotland | D．Lancashire |
Why do children prefer the seaside ?
| A．Because they can stay with their parents. |
| B．Because they can play various games on the seaside. |
| C．Because they can meet many other children there. |
| D．Because they can buy whatever they want. |
What attracts people to Mediterranean resorts?
| A．Romantic Italian or Spanish cities |
| B．Ice-cream under gray skies. |
| C．Cups of tea in dizzling rain. |
| D．Reliving their own childhood. |
Which of the following is True according to the passage?
| A．The cinema is the best place to get enough sunshine. |
| B．The English seaside is an ideal place for children. |
| C．Northern Scotland is very popular with tourists. |
| D．Few people in Britain go abroad for holiday. |
Where can you find this passage in a newspaper ?
| A．Economy | B．Science. |
| C．Fashion. | D．Tourism. |
Looking back on my childhood, I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental math.
Before World War I we spent out summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim(模糊的)memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys, Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal clear memory of dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and above all, the insects.
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into various investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle. Because it all seems to fit together. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books, which some may light honor, with the title of scientific research.
But curiosity, a keen eye ,a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist: one of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack, A scientist can be made a naturalist. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.According to the author, a born naturalist should first of all be
| A．full of ambition | B．self-disciplined |
| C．full of enthusiasm | D．knowledgeable |
The first paragraph tells us that the author
| A．lost his hearing when he was a child |
| B．didn’t like his brothers and sisters |
| C．was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood |
| D．was born to a naturalist’s family |
The author says that his a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he
| A．just reads about other people’s observations and discoveries |
| B．lacks some of the qualities required of scientist |
| C．has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic |
| D．comes up with solutions in most natural ways. |
The author can’t remember his clearly because
| A．He didn’t live very long with them |
| B．He was too young when he lived with them |
| C．The family was extremely large |
| D．He was fully occupied with observing nature |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The author believes that a born naturalist cannot be a scientist |
| B．The author read a lot of books about the natural world and oil industry |
| C．The author’s brothers and sisters were good at music and languages |
| D．The author spent a lot of time working on riddles. |
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