Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them .Take my family’s last vacation for example .It was my six-year-old son’s winter break form school ,and we were heading home form Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked ,and Delta , the airline ,offered us $400 per person in credits(积分) to give up our seats and leave the next day .I had a meeting in New York，So I had to get back . But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.
The next day my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight.Yes, I encouraged一okay, ordered-them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?
Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal(交易) is something few of us can afford to pass up.
I've made a living looking for the best deals and exposing the worst tricks .I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple
of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in.
I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money’s worth. I’m also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate (犹豫)to spend on a good haircut. It keeps it longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.
1.Why does the author mention her family’s last vacation?
A. To celebrate her son’s winter break from school.
B. To show she was always ready to save money.
C. To prove the Delta’s service was reasonable.
D. To tell an unforgettable family experience.
2.What can we infer about the author?
A. She tries to make full use of every dollar .
B. She makes a living mainly by writing.
C. She is not a good mother or a wife.
D. She is crazy about cheap products.
3.What does the underlined word mean ?
A. generous with time. B. mean with money.
C. being excited. D. feeling ashamed.
4.What can be a suitable title for the test?
A. How to be a good housewife.
B. How to book airline seats.
C. How to live a rewarding life.
D. How to make every dollar count.
It happened to me recently. I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of our President. A friend I was talking to agreed with me that it was ,in his words, “a wonderfully written book ”. however, he then went on to talk about Mr. Obama in a way which suggested he had no idea of his background at all .I felt that I was talking to a book liar.
And it seems that my friend is not the only one. Approximately two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t .In the World Book Day’s “Report on Guilty（愧疚的） Secrets”, Dreams From My Father is at number 9.The report lists ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading, and as I’m not one to lie too often (I’d hate to be caught out ),I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire top ten .But I am pleased to say that, unlike 42 percent of people, I have read the book at number one ,George Orwell’s 1984.I think it’s really brilliant.
The World Book Day report also has some other interesting information in it. It says that many people lie about having read Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky(I haven’t read him, but haven’t lied about it either )and Herman Melville.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to “impress” someone they were speaking to. This could be tricky if the conversation became more in –depth!
But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, people named J.k. Rowling, John Grisham, Sophie Kinsella(ah, the big sellers, in other words).Forty-two percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story(I’ll come clean: I do this and am astonished that 58 percent said they had never done so).
1.How did the author think of Dreams From My Father?
A. It was his favorite.
B. It made little sense.
C . He was very fond of it.
D. He totally had no idea.
2.What can we learn from “Report on Guilty Secrets”?
A. 58% of people haven’t read 1984.
B. All of the listed authors are unknown.
C. Many people have ever lied about reading.
D. Dreams From My Father isn’t among the top ten.
3.Why do people probably lie about reading?
A. To admire the writer.
B. To advertise the book.
C. To start a conversation.
D. To leave a good impression.
4.What’s the tone (语气) of the author in the article?
A. Very friendly.
B. A little humorous.
C. Rather confusing
D. Quite cautious.
Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper - a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax（蜂蜡）, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but nothing can prevent the birds from making efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.
1.What can we know from paragraph 1?
A. The wild bees’ nests can be easily found.
B. The wild bees’ honey isn’t a natural sugar.
C. A honey guide can help people find the honey.
D. A honey guide is a local villager living in the forest.
2.The underlined word “the follower” in paragraph 2 refers to________.
A. A member of a nest’s bees.
B. A bird which feeds on bees.
C. A person who raises bees.
D. A person who hunts for honey.
3.Which words can best describe a honey guide ?
A. Determined and smart.
B. Selfish and self-centered.
C. Helpful and Humorous.
D. Stubborn and mean.
The National Gallery
Description:
The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.
Layout:
The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th-to15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, VanEyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronest.
The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18th-to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours:
The Gallery is open every day from 10am to 6pm（Fridays 10am to 9pm）and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There:
Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross（2-minute walk）. Leicester Square（3-minute walk）,Embankment（7-minute walk）,and Piccadilly Circus（8-minute walk）.
1.Where should you enter to enjoy the older collections ?
A．The main entrance.
B．The ground floor entrance.
C．The Trafalgar Square.
D．The East Wing.
2.In which century’s collection can you see paintings in the modern Sainsbury Wing ?
A．The 12th. B．The 14th.
C．The 16th. D．The 18th.
3.Where are Van Gogh’s works shown?
A. In the Sainsbury Wing.
B. In the main West Wing.
C. In the North Wing.
D. In the East Wing.
4.Which of the following is true according to the last 2 paragraphs?
A．You can enjoy the Gallery at 6am on Thursdays.
B．You are advised to go there only on Fridays.
C．Any special exhibitions are absolutely free of charge.
D．Charing Cross is the closest station to the Gallery.
阅读下面短文，并按要求用英语写一篇150个词左右的英语短文。
Editor's note: China is the top country of origin for international students in the US, with more than 274,000 Chinese students reportedly accounting for 31 percent of all international students at US universities. Many Chinese parents save up a lot of money for their children to pursue an overseas education. Is it worth spending big to study abroad? You are welcome to leave your comments.
Arsa (Russia): I went to study abroad when I was 17. First year was a total waste as I met plenty of Russian students in my college and we spent most of our time shopping and hanging out at cafes, it wasn't until two years later that I realized that my English hadn't improved. I changed my mindset entirely and started studying hard. I ended up staying in UK for 10 years, which opened a lot of doors and introduced me to great people, so I'm all for studying abroad.
Truth (US): There is an assumption that American education is the best in the world, so Chinese parents are pushing their kids to American colleges. And some are even sending their children overseas at junior or high school level. I often feel this is a mistake as the education a Chinese child gets in a foreign country is very different from what they are used to and they often struggle. Some students have trouble understanding their lecturers and their assignments keep coming back with poor scores.
【写作内容】
1. 用约30个单词写出上文概要；
2. 用约120个单词发表你的观点，内容包括：
(1)支持或反对“国外留学”；
(2)用2至3个理由或论据支撑你的观点。
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任务型阅读
认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：请将答案写在答卷上相应题号的横线上。每个空格只填1个单词。
Time management refers to managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity. Time management is essential in every field of life because time is the precious resource one needs to accomplish a task. Every single moment that passes once will never come back again. Time management helps you do your task in time and use your time more productively. It helps you to identify the useless activities which can be avoided and how time can be saved. It helps you allocate proper time for a task and perform the task more efficiently.
A student’s daily routine is filled with a lot of activities. Some are related to his studies, some are essential for his life and some are for entertainment or physical fitness. Still some activities have no use and just waste time. Similarly if the number of the activities for entertainment exceeds what is reasonable, they waste the time of a student. These activities include using the internet for chatting, playing games, watching movies or listening to music for hours on end. Such activities are called “distracters” which distract one from one’s real purpose.
Games and physical exercise are important for a student because they keep him fit in body and mind but game time should be controlled as it may waste his time.
No one wastes time intentionally. Time is always wasted in an insensible way. That’s why a student is aware of it until the days of exams come. So it is better to use the present time more effectively than cry over what you’ve done in the future.
As for a student, time management compromises various steps. It is not only necessary to allocate time for different subjects but also to identify right time for each such subject. What’s more, to identify the distracters which become causes of wastage of time is of significance as well.
Take a pen and sheet. Write down all the activities you do in your daily routine. Calculate how much time you have for your studies other than other activities. Determine how much time a subject can take out of your total study time. See which subject need more time.
Time management
Definition | You manage your time effectively for the 1. of giving the right time to the right activity. |
Significance | ●It is essential in every field of life because of the 2. of time. ●It helps you do your task in time, use your time more productively, 3. wasting time, give proper time to a task and perform the task more effectively. |
4. | ●Identify all the activities in your daily routine and remove 5. ones. ●Strictly 6. time spent on activities for entertainment. ●Games and physical exercise are helpful to keep you fit physically and 7. , but the amount of time spent on them should not exceed what is reasonable. ●Time is always wasted in an insensible way, so take care. ●Manage the present time more effectively in order not to cry over the 8. in the future. |
Steps | ● 9. all the activities in your daily routine. ● Calculating how much time you need for your studies other than other activities. ● 10. time for different subjects. ● Identifying the right time for each subject. |
