I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate’s Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability.
I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in “the mind”.
I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc.
I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance (自由撰稿) writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life.
1.What did the author study originally when he was in college?
A. Psychology B. Commercial Arts C. International Business D. English Composition
2.What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?
A. He decided to study International Business at first.
B. He wanted to study two majors.
C. He liked Psychology better.
D. He chose his major with the help of his friends.
3.Why was the author nervous about starting online classes?
A. Because he heard some negative remarks about it.
B. Because he was worried that he didn’t have enough time to study.
C. Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam.
D. Because he was afraid that he didn’t have enough money.
4.Which of the following best describes the author’s learning experience?
A. Dull and challenging. B. Interesting and easy.
C. Interesting and challenging. D. Dull and easy
5.According to the passage, the author _________.
A. was not able to find a full-time job
B. is most interested in writing
C. pays for his schooling with the help of his family
D. is satisfied with his achievements.
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
It was a dreadfully cold and cloudy afternoon. I was on the bus with my children, aged four and two, heading home when it started to rain. I realized this would mean a wet walk home 1. the bus stop.
2. my house was merely two blocks away, it was not a pleasant walk with one small boy asleep in the pram (手推婴儿车), the other one in a raincoat and no umbrella for myself. A pick-up truck passed us on the road. I tried to thumb a ride but failed. My little boy woke up with a start and began to cry. I 3. (convince) that things might become worse and nobody would bother to help on such a terrible day.
A few minutes later, 4. truck drove by, but to my surprise, I saw it 5. (pull) back and the driver looking directly at us.
A young man put the window down. “Hey, here’s an umbrella for you, please take 6. .” He called out.
I stood there 7. (astonish), barely believing that the man 8. existence was unknown to me only moments ago, could be so 9. (consider). “Come on, give this to your mummy,” he said to my older son. I accepted the offer and expressed my gratitude to him.
This man might have needed the umbrella for himself later during the day but preferred to give it to me. It was a lesson to me 10. it’s possible to give without expecting anything in return.
When we think of green buildings, we tend to think of new ones-the kind of modern, solar-paneled masterpieces that make the covers of architecture magazines．But the US has more than 100 million existing homes, and it would be incredibly to tear them all down and them with greener versions．
An enormous amount of energy and resources went into the construction of those houses．And it would take an average of 65 years for the carbon emissions (排放) from a(an) __ _ energy-efficient (节能) home to make up for the lost by destroying an old one．
So in the broadest sense, the greenest home is the one that has already been built．But at the same time, half of US carbon emissions come from heating, cooling and powering our , offices and other buildings．"You can't deal with climate without dealing with existing buildings," says Richard Moe, the president of the National Trust．
With some exceptions, the oldest homes tend to be the energy-efficient．Houses built before 1939 use about 50% more energy per square foot than those built after 2000, mainly due to the tiny cracks and gaps that over time and let in more outside .
,there are a vast number of relatively simple changes that can green older homes, from ones like Lincoln's Cottage to your own postwar home．And efficiency upgrades (升级) can save more than just the earth; they can help property owners from rising power .
1.A． terrible B．wasteful C．wonderful D．useful
2.A．put B．build C．replace D．take
3.A．reduced B．increased C．used D．destroyed
4.A．old B．fashionable C．new D．beautiful
5.A．magazines B．trees C．materials D．resources
6.A．nearly B．hardly C．rarely D．mostly
7.A．libraries B．schools C．homes D．stores
8.A．improvement B．appearance C．stability D．change
9.A．most B．really C．very D．least
10.A．expand B．narrow C．strengthen D．weaken
11.A．dust B．air C．smoke D．water
12.A．Oppositely B．Unfortunately C．Fortunately D．Frankly
13.A．historic B．worthless C．ordinary D．meaningless
14.A．charge B．protect C．punish D．warn
15.A．prices B．costs C．businesses D．bargains
阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
Mountain climbers around the world dream about going up Qomolangma, the highest mountain in the world. But many people who have climbed the mountain have left waste material that is harming the environment.
A team of Americans is planning the largest clean-up effort ever on Qomolangma. They will make the risky trip up the mountain next month.
The team of eight Americans will be guided by more than twenty Sherpas of Nepal(尼泊尔夏尔巴人). Their goal is to remove all the rubbish they see. They will spend two months cleaning up the mountain by gathering oxygen bottles, fuel containers, batteries, drink cans, human waste and all kinds of disposable products(一次性产品). They are expected to remove at least three tons of rubbish in large bags.
Team leader Robert Hoffman is making his fourth trip up the mountain. He says he hopes to bring Qomolangma to the condition it was in before the first successful climb fifty years ago. He says he hopes the effort will influence other people to clean up the environment closer home.
Disposable products on Qomolangma are a major concern. So the clean-up team will take along newly developed equipment to collect and treat disposable products. Over the years, the disposable products have polluted the mountain. In the warm season when the ice melts, the polluted water flows to Nepali villages below. The problem has gotten worse in recent years because climbing Qomolangma has become more popular.
【写作内容】
1．以约30个词概括短文内容要点；
2．以约120个词就 “Cleaning the World”这个主题写一篇短文，并包括如下要点：
（1）你所居住的地方周围存在怎样的环境问题？
（2）你认为这个问题是什么造成的？
（3）为帮助解决这一问题，你做了什么？
【写作要求】
1.可以使用亲身经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接引用原文中的句子；
2.作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称
【评分标准】
概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，语篇连贯。
【写作内容】
你叫Jack,由于父母到中国工作，暂时寄读于某所中学。在学校食堂用餐一段时间后，你觉得有必要向学校食堂管理处反映一些问题，于是决定给管理处的黄先生写封信，信中包括如下内容：
1.学校食堂的优点：食堂干净,饭菜可口,服务员总是衣着整洁、面带微笑,服务态度好。
Dear Mr. Huang,
I’m Jack, a student in Class 2, Senior 3. I’m writing to tell you my opinions and expectation of the school canteen.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Jack
单句填空：(共15题，满分15分)
1.The most important days are the ________ that we spent in America.
2.According to my judgement, neither he nor you _________(come) from America.
3.I missed the early bus this morning. That was ________I came late for class.
4.__________ is well-known, Tai Wang Island is part of China.
5.We wonder _________ the students have finished their homework.
6. The present situation makes _______ difficult for us to accomplish the task on time.
7.Your composition is not as interesting as ________(I).
8.Shanghai is larger than any _______ city in Asia.
9.Only after Jack returned_________ I learn about the truth.
10.We will go to see the movie no mater _______ hard it rains.
11.Tom has studied Chinese in the school________ the year of 2000.
12. ________ the help of my teacher , I caught up with the other students.
13.It was the third time that he _________(make)the same mistake.
14.A new teaching building ______________(build) in our school now.
15.He was made ________ ( do )his homework.
