I told my friend Graham that I often cycle two miles from my house to the town centre but unfortunately there is a big hill on the route. He replied, “You mean fortunately.” He explained that I should be glad of the extra exercise that the hill provided.
My attitude to the hill has now changed. I used to complain as I approached it but now I tell myself the following. This hill will exercise my heart and lungs. It will help me to lose weight and get fit. It will mean that I live longer. This hill is my friend. Finally I comfort myself with the thought of all those silly people who pay money to go to a gym and sit on stationery exercise bicycles when I can get the same value for free. I have a smile of satisfaction as I reach the top of the hill.
Problems are there to be faced and overcome. We cannot achieve anything with an easy life. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to gain a university degree. Her activism and writing proved inspirational. She wrote, “Character cannot be developed in ease. Only through experiences of suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.”
One of the main determinants of success in life is our attitude towards adversity (逆境). From time to time we all face hardships, problems, accidents and difficulties. Some are of our making but many are no fault of our own. While we cannot choose the adversity, we can choose our attitude towards it.
Douglas Bader was 21 when in 1931 he had both legs cut off following a flying accident．He was determined to fly again and went on to become one of the leading flying aviators in the Battle of Britain with 22 aerial victories over the Germans．He was an inspiration to others during the war. He said, “Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you can’t do this or that. That’s nonsense. Make up your mind, you’ll never use crutches (拐杖) or a stick, and then have a go at everything. Go to school, and join in all the games you can. Go anywhere you want to. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.”
The biographies (传记) of great people are full of examples of how they took steps to overcome the difficulties they faced. The common thread is that they did not become depressed. They chose their attitude. They chose to be positive. They took on the challenge. They won.
Nevertheless, there is still the problem of how you change your attitude towards adversity.
1.Which of the following is true according to the author of the passage?
A. Going to a gym is greatly beneficial to people’s health.
B. Climbing hills on bicycles is the best way to take exercise.
C. Those who want to achieve success can’t expect to live an easy life.
D. People’s attitude to adversity is the only factor of their success.
2.By quoting what Douglas Bader said, the author intends to tell us “ .”
A. Failure is the mother of success．
B. A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
C. If you risk nothing, you will have nothing.
D. Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.
3.Following this passage, the author will further talk about .
A. how his friend helped him to change his attitude towards the adversity he faced
B. what steps to take to change your attitude towards the adversity you face
C. why it is important to keep optimistic in face of adversity
D. what great people have in common
4.Which of the following can best function as the title of the passage?
A. Face adversity with a smile
B. Different attitudes towards adversity
C. Nothing is impossible
D. Life is full of adversity
The Owl Count
Annie slept in the front of the seat with her father drove through the darkness. “We’re almost there!” Dad announced cheerfully. “Soon we’ll be observing and counting owls at the state park.” Yawning, Annie nodded and smiled. The time was 4:30 a.m. Looking out into the darkness, Annie remembered learning in school that most owls are active at night, when they hunt for food. During the day they sleep in hard-to-find spots.
“Dad, why do you need to count owls?” she asked. “It’s important for the scientists to have current information about bird populations,” he explained. “We want to know which birds have decreased in number and whether any new kinds of birds are coming into a certain area. You and I will write down the kinds of birds that we see today and keep a record of how many times we see each kind. Then we’ll send out a report to a scientific organization that is collecting about birds from people all over the country.”
Dad pulled into the parking lot of the state park. Then, with flashing in hand, they began their hike into the woods. Annie zipped up her coat and tried to keep from trembling. She had not expected the morning to be so cold. Luckily her gloves were in her pocket.
Suddenly Annie’s father stopped and gestured for her to be still. Obeying, Annie did not take another step. She thought she heard a low crying up head. “That’s certainly a screech owl,” her father whispered. “Let’s get a look at it.” After looking more closely, Annie could see that it was a small owl. Sensing danger, the owl narrowed its eyes and pulled its feathers tightly against its body. Annie carefully wrote down in her notebook that they had seen a screech owl.
Walking a little farther, they came to a tall oak tree. “This looks like a perfect spot to attract owls,” Dad said, “I’m going to play a recording of common call of the barred owl. Maybe we can get one to answer.’ Annie could hardly believe her ear. The recorded call sounded as if the bird were asking, “Who cooks for you?” Moments later Annie thought she heard a return call in the distance. She held her breath and waited. Suddenly a huge bird landed very quietly on a branch above them.
Annie had long forgotten how cold it was. She stood in wonder, shining her flashlight on the bird and studying it carefully. The barred owl was nearly two feet tall. Grey feathers surrounded its dark eyes. The bird did not stay long, but it did not matter. Annie would never forget the image of the powerful barred owl.
1.Why did Annie and her father go to the state park?
A. To take a hike in the woods.
B. To record the call of barred owl.
C. To collect information about birds.
D. To protect the environment for wildlife.
2.In paragraph 4, why did Annie’s father stop her suddenly?
A. He noticed a screech owl.
B. He heard somebody crying.
C. He sensed they were in danger.
D. He reminded her to take down note.
3.How did Annie feel when she saw the barred owl?
A. Bored B. Amazed C. Frightened D. Relaxed
Tayka Hotel de Sal
Where: Tahua, Bolivia
How much: About $ 95 a night
Why it’s cool: You’ve stayed at hotels made of brick or wood, but salt? That’s something few can claim. Tayka Hotel de Sal is made totally of salt---including the beds (though you’ll sleep on regular mattresses and blankets). The hotel sits on the Salar de Uyuni, a prehistoric dried-up lake which is the world’s biggest salt flat. Builders use the salt from the 4,633-square-mile flat to make the bricks, and glue them together with a paste (糊) of wet salt that hardens when it dries. When rain starts to dissolve (溶解) the hotel, the owners just mix up more salt paste to strengthen the bricks.
Green Magic Nature Resort
Where: Vythiri, India
How much: About $ 240 a night
Why it’s cool: Taking a pulley(滑轮)---operated lift 86 feet to your treetop room is just the start of your adventure. As you look out of your open window, there is no glass! You watch monkeys and birds in the rain forest canopy(罩篷). Later you might test your fear of heights by crossing the handmade rope bridge to the main part of the hotel, or just sit on your bamboo bed and read. You don’t even have to come down for breakfast---the hotel will send it up on the pulley-drawn “elevator”.
Dog Bark Park Inn B&B
Where: Cottonwood, Idaho
How much: $ 92 a night
Why it’s cool: This doghouse isn’t just for the family pet. Sweet Willy is a 30-foot-tall dog with guest rooms in his belly. Climb the wooden stairs beside his hind leg to enter the door in his side. You can relax in the main bedroom, go up a few steps of the loft(阁楼) in Willy’s head, or hang out inside his nose. Although you have a full private bathroom in your quarters, there is also a toilet in the 12-foot-tall fire hydrant(消防栓) outside.
Gamirasu Cave Hotel
Where: Ayvali, Turkey
How much: Between $ 130 and $ 450 a night
Why it’s cool: Experience what it was like 5,000 years ago, when people lived in these mountain caves formed by volcanic ash. But your stay will be much more modern. Bathrooms and electricity provide what you expect from a modern hotel, and the white volcanic ash, called tufa, keeps the rooms cool in summer. (Don’t worry--- there is heat in winter.)
1.What do we know about Tayka Hotel de Sal?
A. It is located on a prehistoric lake.
B. It should be protected against the rain.
C. Everything in the hotel is made of salt.
D. You have to cross a rope bridge to the hotel.
2.How are the hotels similar?
A. Expensive. B. Comfortable.
C. Natural. D. Unique.
3.What do the underlined words “Sweet Willy” refer to?
A. The loft of the hotel.
B. The name of the hotel owner.
C. The building of Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D. The name of a pet dog of the hotel owner.
4.Which of the hotels gives you a feeling of living in the far past?
A. Tayka Hotel de Sal.
B. Gamirasu Cave Hotel.
C. Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D. Green Magic Nature Resort.
书面表达
假如你是李华，是一名高中生。随着科技的发展，iPad已成为中学生的新宠。用iPad既可以听音乐，阅读纯文本电子书，又可玩电子游戏。请你用英语给某英语报社写一封信，谈谈中学生使用iPad的情况。信的内容必须包括以下几点：
1、使用iPad对学习的好处：
2、对课堂纪律和学习可能产生的负面影响：
3、提出自己的建议并说明理由。
注意：开头已经给出，不计入总数。词数100字左右
Dear Editor
I'm a senior high school student named Li Hua.
短文改错
假定英语课上英语老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中至多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均限一词。
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last weekend’s concert, organized and performing by the students of the Welsh Community College, was great success. The student had been practicing for months for the concert. They were excited that when they heard Gareth Jones was coming to present the prizes. Over 100 young performers play a mixture of jazz, classical or folk music. One of the highlights were 14-year-old Megan Evans, playing traditional Welsh folk songs. The concert ended with a very loud pop tune and anyone in the hall stood up and danced with the music. It was a magically atmosphere and a wonderful evening.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
One Saturday morning in September I 1. (go) to a local music festival. I left it early 2. I had an appointment later that day. My friends walked me to the bus stop and waited with 3. (I) until the bus arrived. I got on the bus and found a seat near the back, and then I noticed a man 4. (sit) at the front. He pretended that a tiger toy was real and giving it a voice. He must be 5. (mental) disabled.
Behind him 6. (be) other people to whom he was trying to talk, but after some 7. (minute) he walked away and sat near me, looking annoyed. I didn’t want 8. (laugh) at for talking to him but I didn’t like leaving him on his own either. After a while I rose from my seat and walked to the front of the bus. I sat next 9. the man and introduced myself. We had 10. amazing conversation. He got off the bus before me and I felt very happy the rest of the way home.
I’m glad I made the choice. It made both of us feel good.
