Once I spoke at a high school. After the speech, I was asked to see a special student. An illness had kept the boy at home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me, and it would mean a great deal to him. I agreed. He was Matthew. When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to see five, then they were told he would not make it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me because I was a gold-medal weight lifter, and I knew about overcoming obstacles(障碍) and going for my dreams.

I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he complain(抱怨). He spoke about winning and succeeding and going for his dreams.  He knew what he was talking about. He just talked about his hopes for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weight with me.

When we finished talking, I went to my briefcase and pulled out the first gold medal I won and put it around his neck. I told him he was more of a winner and knew more about success and overcoming obstacles than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it off and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion(冠军). You earned that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.”

Last summer I got the news that Matthew had died and a letter Matthew had written me a few days before:

Dear Rick,

My mom said I should send you a thank-you letter for the picture you sent me. The doctors tell me that I don’t have long to live any more. But I still smile as much as I can.

I told you some day I was going to the Olympics and win a gold medal. But I know now I’ll never make it. But I know I’m a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my medal and when you get there, I will show it to you.

Thank you for loving me.

Your friend,

Matthew

1.The boy wished to meet the writer because        .

A.he wished to take part in the Olympics

B.he admired the author very much

C.he hoped to make friends with the author

D.he enjoyed weightlifting

2.Which of the statements is TRUE?

A.Matthew was good at weight lifting.

B.Rick had the similar disease as a child.

C.Matthew never gave up in face of disease.

D.Rick encouraged the boy to become a champion.

3.Why did the boy refuse the writer’s medal?

A.He didn’t need Rick’s pity.

B.Rick looked on the medal as the most important thing.

C.The gold medal was very dear to Rick.

D.He thought he was not worthy of it.

4.What can be inferred from Matthew’s letter?

A.Rick was unhappy before death．

B.Rick kept in touch with Matthew．

C.Matthew sent some pictures to Rick．

D.Matthew got an Olympic gold medal．

    Bored? lonely? Out of condition? Need to relax? Why not try the SPORTS CENTER?

TENNIS

Indoor and outdoor courts. Coaching from beginners to advanced learners. Children only. Mornings.

SKIING

Gentle slopes (坡). 3 levels instructors at weekends and Fridays. Daytime practice.8 years old upwards.

SWIMMING

2 pools, heated, Olympic length.

Women: Tuesday and Thursday.

Men: Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Children: Saturday.

GOLF

9 hole practice course. Professional coaching. Lessons must be booked in advance in daytime. Evening practice. Minimum age-9 years.

GYMNASTICS

Maximum age-18 years.

Children aged 5-10: Mondays and Wednesdays. 4:00-6:00p.m.

10-18 year olds: Friday evenings.

AND MANY MORE

Table Tennis, Snooker (斯诺克台球), Darts (掷镖), Café (all day), Bar (lunch time and evenings), Nursery (weekdays and weekends, not evenings).

Center open: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Daily.

Interested? More details, call 800-1234-5678.

1.What is the purpose of the advertisement?

A.To show some ways to spend weekends.

B.To introduce a place to relax ourselves.

C.To introduce some events in a sports meet.

D.To give people some ideas to spend their holidays.

2.What can we learn from this passage?

A.People can play tennis day and night.

B.People under 20 can also take gymnastics.

C.Children at any age can play golf in the center.

D.Men and women swim in the center separately.

3.How many sports events are mentioned in the passage?

A.5. B.6.

C.8. D.11.

假设你是李华。你的英国笔友John写信告诉你近日他由于沉迷于电脑游戏，健康受到很大影响。他十分焦虑。请你根据以下要点提示，给他写一封回信，建议他养成良好的生活习惯。

要点如下：①限制玩游戏的时间，把精力逐渐转移到其他事情上；②规定起床和睡觉的时间，形成良好的作息时间；③每天锻炼半小时，增强体质。

注意：词数120左右。

补充词汇：be addicted to沉迷于

Dear John,

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Best wishes!

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

1）增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词；

2）删词：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉；

3）修改：在错的词下画一条横线，并在该横线下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1、每处错误及修改均仅限一词;

2、只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分

Dear Tom,

I’m glad to hear that you are coming for a holiday in our city the next month. I’m such happy that you will stay in my house.

There have been greatly changes in the last three year in my home. First, we have rebuilt your house, which now has four private rooms. You can choose any of them to live when you come. Second, my parents have set up a small restaurant in our village, that you can eat healthily. I’m really willing to be your guide to make your journey interested and meaningful.

If you had any requests, don’t hesitate to let me know. Looking forward to hear from you.

语法填空。

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。

Keeping a diary in English is one of the best ways to improve our English writing ability.

Compared with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes __1._ (little) time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. _2.__ we stick to this practice, __3._ (gradual) we’ll learn how to express (表达) ourselves in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many __4.__ (difficult). In the first place, it often __5._ (happen) that we have trouble _6.__ (find) proper words and phrases to give expression to our mind. And_7._ is very hard for us to put them into English properly.

As far as I am _8.__ (concern), my suggestion is that we should always have a notebook and a Chinese­English dictionary within easy reach. We can also turn to our English teacher for help, if necessary. In short, I believe that it is __9.__ great use to keep a diary in English for the development of __10.__ (we) writing skills.

    No one is born a winner. People make themselves into winners by their own _________

I learned this lesson from a(n) _________ many years ago. I took the head _________ job at a school in Baxley, Georgia. It was a small school with a weak football program.

It was a tradition for the school’s old team to play against the _________ team at the end of spring practice. The old team had no coach, and they didn’t even practice to ___________ the game. Being the coach of the new team, I was excited because I knew we were going to win, but to my disappointment we were defeated. I couldn’t _________ I had got into such a situation. Thinking hard about it, I came to _________ that my team might not be the number one team in Georgia, but they were ___________ me. I had to change my _________ about their ability and potential.

I started doing anything I could to help them build a little ____________. Most important, I began to treat them like ____________. That summer, when the other teams enjoyed their ____________, we met every day and ______________ passing and kicking the football.

Six months after suffering our ______________ on the spring practice field, we won our first game and our second, and continued to ____________. Finally, we faced the number one team in the state. I felt that it would be a ____________ for us even if we lost the game. But that wasn’t what happened. My boys beat the best team in Georgia, giving me one of the greatest ____________ of my life！

From the experience I learnt a lot about how the attitude of the leader can ____________ the members of a team. Instead of seeing my boys as losers, I pushed and ______________ them. I helped them to see themselves ____________, and they built themselves into winners.

Winners are made, but born.

1.A.luck B.tests C.efforts D.nature

2.A.experiment B.experience C.visit D.show

3.A.operating B.editing C.consulting D.coaching

4.A.successful B.excellent C.strong D.new

5.A.cheer for B.prepare for C.help with D.finish with

6.A.believe B.agree C.describe D.regret

7.A.realize B.claim C.permit D.demand

8.A.reacting to B.looking for C.depending on D.caring about

9.A.decision B.attitude C.conclusion D.intention

10.A.pride B.culture C.fortune D.relationship

11.A.leaders B.partners C.winners D.learners

12.A.rewards B.vacations C.health D.honor

13.A.risked B.missed C.considered D.practiced

14.A.defeat B.decline C.accident D.mistake

15.A.relax B.improve C.expand D.defend

16.A.shame B.burden C.victory D.favor

17.A.chances B.thrills C.concerns D.offers

18.A.surprise B.serve C.interest D.affect

19.A.encouraged B.observed C.protected D.impressed

20.A.honestly B.individually C.calmly D.differently

Rich and Famous

Twenty years ago the most common ambition of American children was to be a teacher, followed by working in banking and finance, and then medicine. But today’s situation is quite different. 1. Instead they most commonly say they want to be a sports star, a pop star, or an actor—in other words, they hope to become a celebrity .

According to experts, young people desire these jobs largely because of the wealth and the fame. 2. Let’s take athletes and singers as an example. Their careers are short-lived. Many athletes’ best time only lasts a few years and singers can have a very limited career. The field that was once the focus of their lives becomes something they have little or no involvement in. As a result, they’ll have a feeling of worthlessness and a lack of control. 3.The truth is quite simple: they have been so far removed from it for so long.

In spite of these disadvantages, there is greater ambition than ever among young people to achieve that status. They are not satisfied just making a living—they want to be rich and famous. Globally, more and more TV shows provide talent competitions where winners can achieve their goals in just a few weeks or months.4.They unrealistically believe that this lifestyle is easily obtained and leads to great satisfaction.

While many people argue that there is nothing wrong with having such ambitions, others feel that this trend will finally lead to dissatisfaction as more and more people are unable to reach their goals. 5. That means they ignore the simple fact that great effort is needed before success. As a result, many people won’t realize their childhood dreams, which could have a negative effect on their happiness.

A. In many ways this has been brought about by the celebrity culture.

B. People no longer have a sense of satisfaction once their goals have been achieved.

C. Besides, it can be difficult for them to adapt back to a normal everyday life.

. The younger generation don’t favor these professions any more.

E. Unfortunately, they do not always have a positive effect on people’s life.

F. The reason is that they don’t realize it takes talent and hard work to be rich and famous.

G. This quick way of gaining wealth and fame creates a celebrity culture among people.

    By the end of the century，if not sooner，the world’s oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate，according to a new study.

At the heart of the phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms(海洋微生物) called phytoplankton. Because of the way light reflects off the organisms，these phytoplankton create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue，depending on the type and concentration of phytoplankton. Climate change will fuel the growth of phytoplankton in some areas，while reducing it in other spots，leading to changes in the ocean's appearance.

Phytoplankton live at the ocean surface，where they pull carbon dioxide(二氧化碳) into the ocean while giving off oxygen. When these organisms die，they bury carbon in the deep ocean，an important process that helps to regulate the global climate. But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean's warming trend. Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth，since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow，but also nutrients.

Stephanie Dutkiewicz，a scientist in MIT's Center for Global Change Science，built a climate model that projects changes to the oceans throughout the century. In a world that warms up by 3℃，it found that multiple changes to the colour of the oceans would occur. The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters，such as those of the Arctic，a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton，and these areas will turn greener. “Not only are the quantities of phytoplankton in the ocean changing. ”she said，“but the type of phytoplankton is changing. ”

1.What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?

A. The various patterns at the ocean surface.

B. The cause of the changes in ocean colour.

C. The way light reflects off marine organisms.

D. The efforts to fuel the growth of phytoplankton.

2.What does the underlined word “vulnerable” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A. Sensitive. B. Beneficial

C. Significant D. Unnoticeable

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Phytoplankton play a declining role in the marine ecosystem.

B. Dutkiewicz's model aims to project phytoplankton changes

C. Phytoplankton have been used to control global climate

D. Oceans with more phytoplankton may appear greener.

4.What is the main purpose of the passage？

A. To assess the consequences of ocean colour changes

B. To analyse the composition of the ocean food chain

C. To explain the effects of climate change on oceans

D. To introduce a new method to study phytoplankton

    Electronic book publishing has many of the same risks and opportunities as electronic music publishing. By delivering text direct to the reader’s computer screen, the e-book could cut down costs, and allow creators to deal directly with their audience, by passing (绕开) traditional publishers and traders. But it also raises the possibility of mass piracy (盗版). Phil Rance, founder and managing director of Online Originals, a London-based e-book publisher, sums it up, “No one wants Napster (在线音乐服务) to happen to books.”

Indeed, the most popular MP3 may have put the frighteners on an industry that generally operates some way behind the “bleeding edge”. The Meta Group, a leading US-based market researcher, says publishers are far too concerned about protecting their rights, “We believe all the recent legal control over Napster is like putting a finger in a river that is already overflowing. Publishers need to deal with reality and come up with new ways to develop wide electronic distribution, asking the question: How can we use the certainty of wide distribution to our advantage.”

At the moment, most publishers would like to limit the use of e-books to the person who bought them, or to the computer used to download them. If that can be done, e-books become just an extra income stream in a publishing industry that would continue to operate the way it does today, according to Terry Robinson, business manager for Adobe’s e-paper group. “If you’ve cracked the digital rights aspect, you’ve cracked the market.” He says.

Robert Nichols, Books Director at BOL agrees, “Rights management is absolutely important. Publishers just say that ‘until copyright is secure, we are not going to talk’.”

1.According to the text, what is the similarity of e-books to electronic music?

A.They both avoid industry management.

B.They both result in piracy. (剽窃)

C.They both bring in much money to creators.

D.They both lead to price reduction.

2.From the text, we can infer that ________.

A.wide use of e-books may increase the income

B.the publishing markets should be brought back to normal

C.publishers haven’t agreed on rights management up to now

D.most publishers prefer e-books for the extra income

3.What do publishers care most about e-books?

A.Price B.Copyright

C.Quality D.Design

4.Which of the following can be the best title for this text?

A.The E-book-a New and Big Challenge B.The E-book-an Extra Income Stream

C.An Economic Rise from E-books D.Changes Brought by E-books

Have you ever run into a careless cell phone user on the street? Perhaps they were busy talking, texting or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new “species” of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name — phubbers（低头族）.

Recently, a cartoon created by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities(身份) bury themselves in their phones. A doctor plays with his cell phone while letting his patient die, a pretty woman takes selfie in front of a car accident site, and a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events eventually leads to the destruction of the world.

Although the ending sounds overstated, the damage phubbing can bring is real.

Your health is the first to bear the effect and result of it. “Constantly bending your head to check your cell phone could damage your neck,” Guangming Daily quoted doctors as saying. “the neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching.” Also, staring at cell phones for long periods of time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report.

But that’s not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. At reunions with family or friends, many people tend to stick to their cell phones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported.

It can also cost you your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed of their cell phones in broad daylight.

1.For what purpose does the author give the example of a cartoon in Paragragh2?

A. To inform people of the bad effects of phubbing.

B. To advertise the cartoon made by students.

C. To indicate the world will finally be destroyed by phubbers.

D. To warn doctors against using cell phones while treating patients.

2.Which of the following is NOT a risk a phubber may have?

A. His social skills could be affected.

B. His neck and eyesight will be gradually harmed.

C. He will cause the destruction of the world.

D. He might get separated from his friends and family.

3.Which of the following may be the author’s attitude towards phubbing?

A. Supportive.    B. Opposed.

C. Optimistic.    D. Objective.

4.What may the passage talk about next?

A. Advice on how to use a cell phone.    B. People addicted to phubbing.

C. Measures to reduce the risks of phubbing.    D. Consequences of phubbing.

What’s On?

Electric Underground

7.30pm－1.00am   Free at the Cyclops Theatre

Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an exciting evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract(合同)? If so, come early to the talk at 7:30pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce you music.

Gee Whizz

8.30pm-10.30pm   Comedy at Kaleidoscope

Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00pm with drinks and snacks.

Simon’s Workshop

5.00pm-7.30pm    Wednesdays at Victoria Stage

This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.

Charlotte Stone

8.00pm-11.00pm     Pizza World

Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.

1.Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?

A.Jules Skye. B.Gee Whizz.

C.Charlotte Stone. D.James Pickering.

2.At which place can people of different ages enjoy a good laugh?

A.The Cyclops Theatre. B.Victoria Stage.

C.Kaleidoscope. D.Pizza World.

3.What do we know about Simon’s Workshop?

A.It teaches comedy writing. B.It lasts three hours each time.

C.It is run by a comedy club. D.It is held every Wednesday.

中国人不善于向家人表达“爱”，但你认为告诉家人你爱他们很重要。请以“Ways to express love to my family”为题，写出如何向家人表达“爱”。

提示：1．如果父母生日，当面向他们说“我爱你们”‘

2．经常帮助家人做家务；

 3．经常拥抱父母；

 4．你自己的看法。

注意：1．词数100左右；

 2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Ways to express love to my family

短文改错。

假定英语课上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，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅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：在错的词下画一横线，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仅限一词；

2. 只允许修改 10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Most students go to Internet bars play video games, that takes much of their precious time. Some students even stayed in Internet bars day and night, forgot their studies. No doubt these students will finally end up with their bright future destroy. Furthermore, some student log onto unhealthy websites accidental. And they are finally absorbed to the excitement of reading unhealthy stories or watching dirty videos. All these are harmful to the teenagers and if only this is not controlled or the use of the Internet is not properly guided, some of us will go the wrong way.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式

A man got lost while driving through a country. As he tried to read a map, he drove off the road into a ditch(沟渠) 1.(lucky). Though he was not injured, his car was stuck deep2. the mud. So the man had got to walk to 3.nearby farm to ask for help.

“Warwick can get your car out of that ditch,” said the farmer , 4. (point) to an old mule(骡子). The man looked at the weak mule and the farmer 5.just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man thought 6.had nothing to lose. Therefore, he took the old man and Warwick to the ditch.

The farmer hitched(套住) the mule to the car and shouted, “Pull, Fred ! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted ! Pull, Warwick!” And the mule pulled the car from the ditch 7.very little effort.

The man was8.(amaze). He thanked the farmer and asked, “Why did you call out all of those9.names before you call Warwick?”

The farmer smiled and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. Once he10. (believe) he is part of a team, he won’t mind pulling.”

    I was 14 years old. I was angry and rebellious, with______regard for anything my parents had to say,_______if it had nothing to do with me. Like so many_______, I struggled to escape from anything that didn't______my picture of the world. A "brilliant without need of guidance" kid, I rejected any obvious_______of love. In fact, I got angry at the_______of the word "love".

One ______, after an extremely difficult day, I______into my room, shut the door loudly and fell down onto my bed heavily. As I lay down in the privacy of my_______, my hands placed under my pillow. There was an envelope. I pulled it out and on the envelope it said, "To_______when you're alone."

____ I was alone, no one would know whether I read it or not. So I opened it. It said, "Mike, I know life is_______ right now, I know you are frustrated and I know we don't do everything right. I also know that I love you________and nothing you do or say will ever change that. I am here for you if you ever need to talk. If you don't, that's also______. Just know that no matter where you go or whatever you do in your life, I will always love you and be________that you are my son. I'm here for you and I love you—that will never ____. love you , Mom."

Every night as I went to bed, I would put my hands under my _______ and I remember the ______ I felt every time I got a letter. During my teen years, the letters were the calm assurance that I still could be loved _______my anger and rudeness. Just before I fell ______ I became grateful that my mom knew what I, an angry teenager, needed.

1.A.all B.little C.full D.high

2.A.seldom B.sometimes C.particularly D.currently

3.A.families B.adults C.people D.teenagers

4.A.hang up B.agree with C.lift up D.deal with

5.A.offer B.attempt C.require D.advice

6.A.risk B.proposal C.mention D.point

7.A.night B.day C.morning D.afternoon

8.A.slipped B.stormed C.sank D.slid

9.A.chair B.floor C.closet D.bed

10.A.answer B.seal C.read D.tear

11.A.Since B.When C.Though D.If

12.A.serious B.awful C.amazing D.exciting

13.A.heavily B.gently C.entirely D.personally

14.A.impossible B.terrible C.right D.okay

15.A.nervous B.sorry C.proud D.sure

16.A.last B.change C.happen D.start

17.A.pillow B.book C.desk D.door

18.A.relaxation B.sadness C.thrill D.relief

19.A.ahead of B.instead of C.in spite of D.in need of

20.A.asleep B.down C.silent D.ill

    Although problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn’t mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or the other, you’ll have to stand up and say—problem, I don’t want you in my life.

1. Problems with friends, parents, girlfriends, husbands, and children—the list goes on. Apart from these, the inner conflicts within ourselves work, too. These keep adding to our problems. Problems come in different shapes and colors and feelings.

But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.

Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help. 2. Talking helps you move on and let go.

Write your problems.3. When you write down your problems, you are setting free all the tension from your system.You can try throwing away the paper on which you wrote your problems.By doing this, imagine yourself throwing away the problems from your life.

Don’t lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don’t lose faith and hope.Even if you lose all your money, family...you should still have faith.4.

Your problems aren’t the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there are another one million people whose problems are huger than yours.5. Your problems might just seem big and worse, but in reality they can be removed.

Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.

A．But the truth is that when you talk about it，you’re setting free the negative energies that have been gathering within you.

B．When we have a problem，a pressing，critical，urgent，life－threatening problem，how do we try and solve it?

C．Tell yourself：when they can deal with them，why can’t I?

D．Of course，we’ve been fighting problems ever since we were born.

E．We can often overcome the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct attack.

F．Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don’t want a real person to talk with.

G．With faith and hope，you can rebuild everything that you lose.

    If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Dreaming about whether you would want to read minds, see through walls, or have superhuman strength may sound silly, but it actually gets to the heart of what really matters in your life.

Every day in our work, we are inspired by the people we meet doing extraordinary things to improve the world.

They have a different kind of superpower that all of us possess: the power to make a difference in the lives of others.

We’re not saying that everyone needs to contribute their lives to the poor. Your lives are busy enough doing homework, playing sports, making friends, seeking after your dreams. But we do think that you can live a more powerful life when you devote some of your time and energy to something much larger than yourself. Find an issue you are interested in and learn more. Volunteer or, if you can, contribute a little money to a cause. Whatever you do, don’t be a bystander. Get involved. You may have the opportunity to make your biggest difference when you’re older. But why not start now?

Our own experience working together on health, development, and energy the last twenty years has been one of the most rewarding parts of our lives. It has changed who we are and continues to fuel our optimism about how much the lives of the poorest people will improve in the years ahead.

1.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A.Your life style. B.Your life value.

C.Your trouble in life. D.Your life experience.

2.Why does the author say they are inspired every day?

A.They possess different kinds of superpowers.

B.They have got the power to change the world.

C.Some people around them are making the world better.

D.There are many powerful people in their life and work.

3.What does the author stress in Paragraph 5?

A.Learning more and contributing more to a cause.

B.Rising above self and acting to help others.

C.Working hard to get a bigger opportunity.

D.Trying your best to help the poor.

    Who's in control of your life? Who's pulling your strings? For the majority of us, it's other people-society, colleagues, friends, family or our community. We learned this way of operating when we were very young,of course. We were brainwashed. We discovered that feeling important and feeling accepted was a nice experience and so we learned to do everything we could to make other people like us. As Oscar Wilde puts it," Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. "

So when people tell us how wonderful we are, it makes us feel good. We long for this good feeling like a drug-we are addicted to it and seek it out wherever we can. Therefore, we are so eager for the approval of others that we live unhappy and limited lives, failing to do the things we really want to. Just as drug addicts and alcoholics live worsened lives to keep getting their fix(成瘾物)we worsen our own existence to get our own constant fix of approval.

But, just as with any drug. there is a price to pay. The price of the approval drug is freedom-the freedom to be ourselves. The truth is that we cannot control what other people think. People have their own agenda, and they come with their own baggage and, in the end, they're more interested in themselves than in you. Furthermore, if we try to live by the opinions of others, we will build our life on sinking sand. Everyone has a different way of thinking, and people change their opinions all the time. The person who tries to please everyone will only end up getting exhausted (tired) and probably pleasing no one in the process.

So how can we take back control? I think there's only one way-make a conscious decision to stop caring what other people think. We should guide ourselves by means of a set of values- not values imposed from the outside by others. but innate values which come from within. If we are driven by these values and not by the changing opinions and value systems of others. we will live a more authentic, effective, purposeful and happy life.

1.What Oscar Wilde says implies that         .

A.most people have a variety of thoughts

B.we have thoughts similar to those of others

C.other people's thoughts are more important

D.most people's thoughts are affected by others

2.What does the author try to argue in the third paragraph?

A.The price of taking the drug is freedom.

B.We may lose ourselves to win the approval of others.

C.We need to pay for what we want to get.

D.Changing opinions may cost us our freedom.

3.It can be concluded from the passage that            .

A.it's better to follow others' opinions

B.it's important to accept others' comments

C.we shouldn't change our own decision

D.we shouldn't care too much what others think

4.The author tries to persuade the readers to accept his arguments mainly by        .

A.discussing questions B.making suggestions

C.analyzing causes and effects D.providing examples and facts

    My wife Laura and I were on the beach, with three of our children, taking pictures of shore birds near our home in Alaska when we spotted a bear. The bear was thin and small, moving aimlessly.

Just a few minutes later, I heard my daughter shouting, “Dad! The bear is right behind us!” An aggressive bear will usually rush forward to frighten away its enemy but would suddenly stop at the last minute. This one was silent and its ears pinned back—the sign of an animal that is going in for the kill.And it was a cold April day.The bear behaved abnormally, probably because of hunger.

I held my camera tripod (三脚架) in both hands to form a barrier as the bear rushed into me. Its huge head was level with my chest and shoulders, and the tripod stuck across its mouth. It bit down and I found myself supporting its weight. I knew I would not be able to hold it for long.

Even so, this was a fight I had to win: I was all that stood between the bear and my family, who would stand little chance of running faster than a brown bear.

The bear hit at the camera, cutting it off the tripod. I raised my left arm to protect my face; the beast held tightly on the tripod and pressed it into my side. My arm could not move, and I sensed that my bones were going to break.

Drawing back my free hand, I struck the bear as hard as I could for five to six times. The bear opened its mouth and I grasped its fur, trying to push it away. I was actually wrestling (扭打) with the bear at this point. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the fight ended. The bear moved back toward the forest, before returning for another attack.The first time I felt panic. Apparently satisfied that we caused no further threat, the bear moved off, destroying a fence as it went. My arm was injured, but the outcome for us could hardly have been better. I’m proud that my family remained clear-headed when panic could have led to a very different outcome.

1.The whole text is mainly arranged in_________.

A.result and inference B.cause and effect

C.space order D.time order

2.The bear finally went away after it _________ .

A.felt safe B.got injured

C.found some food D.took away the camera

3.The writer and his family survived mainly due to their _________ .

A.calmness B.patience

C.pride D.cautiousness

4.When the bear moved back towards the forest, the family felt ________ .

A.excited B.threatened

C.relieved D.puzzled

Dangerous as they are, extreme sports remain appealing among many Australian young people! Camp Xtreme is the perfect test of your heart.

Kite Surfing

It’s the exciting mixture of kite, board and waves. The idea of using a kite to accelerate speed seems like a new challenge, yet the art of kite flying dates back to the 13th-century Chinese whenitwas used as a simple means of transport.

Catch a wind and you’re moving — up, down and across the surf. “It’s always exciting. You’d jump 5 feet or 35 feet. You never know if you’re going to go up in the air, and your heart is just going boom, boom, boom.”

Coasteering

It is by far the best activity and the event that everyone is still talking about. This is exploring the coastline without worrying about a coastal path or finding a rocky bay blocking your route. You climb, dive and swim from one place to another. With Coasteering, you don’t have to be able to swim as the wet suit and buoyancy(浮力) aid will keep you floating when you are in the water.

Sky Diving

Traditional parachuting(跳伞) doesn’t sound risky enough. So now sky diving is the name for jumping from a plane and listening to your heart beating heavily as you move fast towards earth before you open your parachute at the last moment.

Mountain Biking

It’s been around so long that bikers are no longer satisfied with just going up and down a mountain. Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough land, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but include features designed to improve strength and performance in rough areas.

For details, please call us on 1300-792-668 or click here: www.xtremecamp.com.au.

1.All the four extreme sports are mainly intended to test one’s _____.

A.heart beat B.physical health

C.potential strength D.courage

2.The underlined word in the second paragraph “it” refers to _____.

A.the kite B.kite surfing

C.kite flying D.the art of kites

3.Which of the following sports can be the most risky?

A.Kite surfing. B.Coasteering.

C.Sky diving. D.Mountain biking.

4.We can infer from the passage that _______.

A.kites were the main means of transport in China

B.swimming skills play a key role in Coasteering

C.parachuting is the least popular sports at present

D.mountain biking requires more than riding common bikes

阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

All sorts of items become litter (垃圾) but two of the most common and most dangerous are cigarette buts(烟头)and plastic bags. Litter is a big problem for our environment but it is a problem that individuals can easily do something about. Not littering at all or cleaning up litter, such as cigarette buts and plastic bags, greatly improves the quality of our environment.

Although cigarette butts are small, they are bad for the environment. Over 1, 600 billion cigarettes are smoked each year in China and large quantities of the butts are thrown away. Worldwide, about 4.5 trillion butts are littered every year. Apart from the fact that butts spoil the beauty of the environment, they contain some very toxic (有毒的) chemicals. These find their way into the water supply where they decrease the quality of the water and endanger plants and animals that live there. So, if people have to smoke, they shouldn’t throw away the butts but put them in the rubbish bin instead.

Plastic bags are another common form of litter that is a danger to the environment. There are several reasons for this. They are made from oil and gas, which are non-renewable resources (资源). If they are not recycled (回收利用), these resources are lost to us. In China, 2 billion plastic bags are used every day. An enormous number of these become litter. This is a huge problem because they last from 20 to 1,000 years in the environment. They float easily in the air and water and travel long distances. They find their way to rivers, parks, beaches and oceans. Plastic bags kill up to one million seabirds, 100,000 sea mammals and countless fish each year worldwide. It is up to people not to let plastic bags become litter. It would be better if they used fewer and recycled them.

Cleaning up your cigarette butts and plastic bags would improve the environment. And we would know that we were doing something to look after our planet. However, I believe the best solution would be not to smoke or use plastic bags at all.

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寒假即将到来，你一定想去某个地方旅游。请以“我最想去的地方”为题，写一篇英语短文。

内容：1.谈谈你想去这个地方的理由；

2.你的计划和打算。

注意：1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3.题目和开头已给出，不计入总词数。

The place I want to visit most

The winter vacation is approaching, and it is the best part of the school year for me.

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    Chinese kung fu, also known as wushu or Chinese martial arts, is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. It is probably one of the earliest and longest 1. (last) sports. The theory of kung fu is 2. (base) upon classical Chinese philosophy. Over its long history it has developed as 3. unique combination of exercise, practical self-defense, self-discipline and art. It is estimated that Chinese kung fu 4. (date) back to prehistoric society.

Bruce Lee (1940-1973) was a Chinese-American martial artist and actor, 5. is considered as the most 6. (influence) martial artist of the 20th century, and an important cultural icon. He used Wing Chun, a branch of Chinese kung fu, 7. his base, learned from the influences of other martial arts, and later created his own martial art philosophy — Jeet Kune Do.

Jackie Chan (born in 1954) is a Hong Kong martial 8. (art), actor, and singer. He 9. (begin) his film career as a stuntman(特技演员) in the Bruce Lee films. Now as a cultural icon, he is 10. (wide) known for combining comedy and stunts with his kung fu performances.

Top Tips for Better Writing

There are many different types of writing, such as essays, letters and speeches. Whatever your reason is and whatever your style, there are some universal tips that will help you improve your writing:

Be clear about your purpose

The most basic question to ask yourself before you start is why you are writing. In an essay or assignment, your purpose is to convey information and draw conclusions. But if you are writing a business report, you may want to make recommendations(建议). 1.

Start with a plan

2.The result is often disjointed writing with parts that don’t connect. Whatever you are writing, creating a clear plan is the first step to getting your message across quickly and in the most effective way.

Guide readers through what you write

Your task is to help readers understand your message quickly and precisely.3.Each sentence, each paragraph should be relevant to what comes before and what comes after. You should use words and phrases that connect to show these connections.

4.

Your aim in writing is to communicate ideas and information to other people, and you must keep that in mind with every word and sentence you write. Constantly ask yourself who you really write the information for.

Write for the ear, not for the eye

Once you’ve finished a draft of your speech, practice reading it out loud. 5.Revise so you are more comfortable giving your speech. You want to sound natural, no matter what the occasion is.

A. Write for readers, not yourself

B. Write for the aim, not for the words

C. It sounds robotic, and employers hate it.

D. Far too often people write without a plan.

E. You’ll hear anything that sounds awkward.

F. Whatever it is, keep your purpose in mind at all times to avoid going off topic.

G. To do this, it is necessary to show them clearly how the different parts relate to each other.

    Learning Chinese could be one of the most important decisions you ever make. Chinese is becoming the language to learn in the 2lst century. With the world’s largest population and a rapidly growing middle class, China stands to become the engine of the world’s economy in the coming years. This will make learning Chinese very important for people in many industries, or for those of us who wish to visit China or learn from its culture and history.

There is an ongoing effort to modernize the writing system and standardize the language. An increasing number of people learning Chinese are learning the Mandarin, so unless you absolutely need to learn another dialect (such as Cantonese), be sure you are studying Mandarin.

For native English speakers Chinese is one of the most difficult and most different languages to learn. The vocabulary is wholly unfamiliar and unlike anything we know. In addition, in the Chinese tone system, words are spoken in rising or falling tones, which help to distinguish between them. Furthermore, there is the Chinese writing system-a collection of thousands of individual ideograms (表意文字), or symbols, which represent a word or an idea. These ideograms have no phonetic value-that is to say, we can’t tell how the word is pronounced by how it is written. There is a method to present written Chinese in a phonetic script called Pinyin. If you are learning Chinese, you’ll be working with this Pinyin system, but the beauty of the traditional writing system shouldn’t be passed up. All these factors make learning Chinese difficult for us. Yet, for a determined learner, there’s always a way to overcome it.

1.Learning Chinese is becoming more and more important, because       .

A.Chinese engines are very welcome

B.China has the world’s largest population

C.there are more and more rich people in China

D.China has become important to the world economy

2.The last paragraph mainly tells us about       .

A.the difficulties of learning Chinese

B.the advantages of learning Chinese

C.the Chinese tone system

D.the Chinese writing system

3.What would be probably written following this text?

A.The sources of Chinese characters.

B.The importance of learning Chinese.

C.The advice on how to learn Chinese.

D.The difficulties of learning other languages.

    As more and more people speak the global languages of English, Chinese, Spanish, and French, other languages are rapidly disappearing. In fact, half of the 6,000-7,000 languages spoken around the world today will likely die out by the next century, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In an effort to prevent language loss, scholars (学者) from a number of organizations-UNESCO and National Geographic among them-have for many years been documenting (记录) dying languages and the cultures they reflect. Mark Turin, a scientist at the Macmillan Centre Yale University, who specializes in the languages and oral traditions of the Himalayas, is following that tradition. His recently published book, A Grammar of Thangmi with an Ethnolinguistic Introduction to the Speakers and Their Culture, grows out of his experience living, working, and raising a family in a village in Nepal.

Documenting the Thangmi language and culture is just a starting point for Turin, who seeks to include other languages and oral traditions across the Himalayan reaches of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. But he is not satisfied to simply record these voices before they disappear without record. At the University of Cambridge Turin discovered a wealth of important materials, including photographs, films, tape recordings, and field notes, which had remained unstudied and were badly in need of care and protection. Now, through the two organizations that he has founded, the Digital Himalaya Project and the World Oral Literature Project, Turin has started a campaign to make such documents, for the world available not just to scholars but to the younger generations of communities from whom the materials were originally collected. Thanks to digital technology and the widely available Internet, Turin’s notes, the endangered languages can be saved and reconnected with speech communities.

1.Many scholars are making efforts to       .

A.save global languages

B.search for new languages

C.rescue disappearing languages

D.set up language research centers

2.What does “that tradition” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A.Writing books on language teaching.

B.Having full records of the languages.

C.Telling stories about language users.

D.Living with the native speaker.

3.What is Turin’s book based on?

A.His experience in Nepal.

B.The documents available at Yale.

C.His language research in Bhutan.

D.The cultural studies.

4.Which of the following best describe Turin’s work?

A.Write, sell and donate.

B.Record, repair and reward.

C.Design, experiment and report.

D.Collect, protect and reconnect.

    Everyone knows about New York City's most popular attractions, but here are some activities you might not think about doing on your NYC( New York City) vacation. Surprise yourself with some great things to do in New York City.

Looking for something thrilling to do while you visit New York City? For over ten years, Trapeze school New York has been teaching people how to fly on the trapeze. Their beginner classes last two hours and cost $50-70, plus one-time $22 registration fee. From April to October, their outdoor location on the Hudson River offers a spectacular setting for the experience, but they also have an indoor location that is open year-round.

Learn to Surf

Rockaway Beach is a popular destination for East Coast surfers, but even if you’ve never surfed, there are plenty of folks happy to teach you at Rockaway Beach. Locals Surf School offers two-hour group lessons starting at $80, including all the vehicles you need. Frank from Rockaway Beach also offers surfing lessons.

Get Kissed by a Sea Lion

Sign up for a Sea Lion Encounter at the New York Aquarium, and you' ll have the chance to get to get up close and personal with the Sea Lions after the show. After a short orientation, participants will each get a chance to pose for a photo and get a kiss from a sea lion. Sea Lion Encounters cost $20 and are offered after Sea Lion Celebration shows. Participants must be at least 5 years old, and those who're 5-7 years old must be held by their parents/caregivers during any animal interaction (互动).

Experience Fall Leaves

Although New York City doesn't have as many colorful leaves as New England, there are still some great ways to enjoy the changing leaves during a fall visit to New York City, both in the city and beyond. Whether you want to walk around one of New York City's great parks or take a fall leaves sightseeing cruise up the Hudson River, you can get a taste of the beautiful fall colors when you visit New York City.

Know where to go!

Sign up for our daily tips to make your best vacation.

1.How much will a beginner pay at least to learn to fly on the trapeze?

A.$94. B.$72. C.$82. D.$92.

2.What is recommended to those who would like to explore surfing experience?

A.Rockaway Beach. B.Locals Surf School.

C.The New York Aquarium D.The Hudson River.

3.Where do you probably read the text?

A.A historical magazine. B.A scientific report.

C.A travel review. D.A travel guidebook.

阅读下面短文, 根据所给情节进行续写, 使之构成一个完整的故事。

It was somewhere between spring and summer, my mom and I were driving through the countryside. Back then, I was 13 years old, and always felt unhappy with Mom. But little did I know that this trip was going to be a special one.

A pot of flowers sat in the back seat, whose heavenly scent filled the car.

Suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, my mom pulled over. “What are you doing?” I cried, fearing that the car had broken down and we’d be stuck there, so far from home. But that wasn’t the case. My mom hopped out of the car, grabbing the flowers from the back seat. “It’ll just be a minute,” she called back through the open windows.

My eyes impatiently skimmed the edge of the road before settling on a little sign showing that it was a nursing home. I looked back to the building, somewhat annoyed, as my mom reappeared—empty-handed.

Before she started the car, curiosity drove me to ask, “Do you know someone there?” She shook her head. “Then what did you do with the flowers?” She smiled slightly, “I gave them to the receptionist.” “What?” She laughed at my confusion. “I told the receptionist to give the flowers to whoever needed them, especially who hasn’t gotten any in a while.”

I kept silent for a moment. Not long after we continued our driving, I spoke again, “Did you leave your name?” To this she answered instantly, “No. Leaving flowers there for someone who will appreciate them makes me feel good, which is enough of a thank for me.”

Suddenly, still thinking about Mom’s deeds, I heard something burst loudly. It was our car that broke down! Nothing could be worse, because neither my mom nor I understood how to repair it, and we didn’t know where the garage was. It also seemed impossible to wait for any passer-by, since we had seen so few along the way.

注意：1. 所续写的短文的词数应为150左右；

2. 至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；

3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragraph 1：

We were worrying about what could be done. _______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2：

As we drove along, a flower shop came into sight_____________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

    English is one of the most difficult languages to master. Even if you might not yet sound like someone born and raised speaking the language, you should still congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come. Remember that practice makes perfect. So keep working at it and your skill level will certainly improve.

Create an English environment for yourself.1.The more you hear the language, the better you’ll understand how and when to use common words and phrases and how the language is pronounced.

Practise speaking English every chance you get, whether at school, at work or speaking to family and friends. When you speak in your native language, ask yourself, “How would I say that in English?”

Watch yourself speak English in the mirror.2.And practise changing anything you don’t like. If you’re uncomfortable making up things to say to yourself, just read your lessons aloud.

Use confident body language while you speak English. Even if you’re having trouble pronouncing words or remembering phrases, don’t keep your head down. Speak in a natural, conversational tone(语气); keep your back and head straight, and your chin(下巴) up. If you’re in a relaxed setting, put your hands behind your head and put your feet up.3.

Find a language friend who speaks fluent English and wants to learn your language.4.Increase your confidence by knowing you have something valuable to teach, as well as something to learn.

5.Instead of saying “I’m no good at this,” say “Every day I’m getting better.”

A. Take turns teaching each other

B. Train your body into feeling in control

C. Speak confidently about your English ability

D. Learning a language requires long hours of study and practice

E. Get comfortable with the way you look speaking the language

F. Read books, watch television shows, movies and plays in English

G. Improve your confidence by teaching those worse at English than you

    WASHINGTON-Thousands of public schools have stopped teaching foreign languages in the last decade, according to a survey. But another contrary trend makes educators and policymakers abuzz: a rush by schools in all parts of America to give lessons in Chinese.

Some schools are paying for Chinese classes on their own, but hundreds are getting some help. The Chinese government is sending teachers from China to schools all over the world and paying part of their salaries.

No one keeps an exact count, but rough calculations based on the government’s survey suggest that perhaps 1,600American public and private schools are teaching Chinese, up from 300 or so a decade ago. And the number is growing fast.

“It’s really changing the language education landscape of this country,” said Nancy. Other indicators point to the same trend. “The number of students taking the Advanced Placement test in Chinese, introduced in 2007, has grown so fast that it is likely to pass German this year as the third most tested Advanced Placement language, after Spanish and French,” said Trevor Packer, vice president of the College Board.

“We’ve all been surprised that in such a short time Chinese would grow to surpass German,” Mr. Packer said.

A decade ago, most of the schools with Chinese programs were on the east and west coasts. But in recent years, many schools have started Chinese programs in heartland states, including Ohio and Illinois in the Midwest, Texas and Georgia in the South, and Colorado and Utah in the Rocky Mountain West.

America has had the study of a foreign language grow before, only to see the bubble burst. Many schools began teaching Japanese in the 1980s, after Japan emerged as an economic rival. But thousands of schools have dropped the language, the survey found. Japanese is not the only language that has declined. Thousands of schools that offered French, German or Russian have stopped teaching those languages, too, the survey found.

1.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “abuzz” in the first paragraph?

A.Be noisy like the sound of a bee.

B.Be interested in various activities.

C.Cause people to discuss something hotly.

D.Motivate people to march bravely.

2.What can we infer from what Mr. Packer said?

A.More and more people choose Chinese in the Advanced Placement test.

B.The Advanced Placement test is the most difficult one in the world.

C.Chinese is more important than Spanish and French.

D.Chinese is a necessary subject in most important tests.

3.What can we know from the last two paragraphs?

A.Many schools started Chinese programs in the Midwest ten years ago.

B.Chinese programs have been started in more areas in America recently.

C.American schools have slopped teaching French, German and Russian.

D.People are gradually fond of learning Chinese and Japanese in recent years.

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A.Chinese is being learned as an official language in America.

B.Foreign languages fade in American schools except Chinese.

C.Teaching Chinese in foreign countries has become a trend.

D.Foreign languages are no longer being taught in America.