Here’s a new reason to be an optimist. 1. Pessimists, of course, might have suspected this all along-but now there’s actual research behind it.

Boston-area scientists found the most optimistic people live an average of 11 to 15 percent longer than their more pessimistic peers.

In previous studies, researchers have found that more optimistic people tend to have lower risk of diseases and early death, said Lewina Lee, the lead researcher and a psychiatry professor at Boston University School of Medicine. “2.“

Optimists generally expect good things to happen in the future and feel like they can control important outcomes. They tend to stay positive whatever comes their way.

3. There’s good news: The mind-set is about 25 percent hereditary (遗传的). Lee said, meaning people have some control over their level of good thoughts. She said people can become more optimistic by imagining a future in which their goals have been reached.

To conduct their research. Lee and the other scientists compared results from two independently conducted studies-one that followed nearly 70,000 women for a decade and another that followed about 1,400 men for 30 years. 4. They ranked themselves on statements including in uncertain times, “I usually expect the best” or “I'm always optimistic about my future.”

The conclusion that optimistic people tend to live longer holds true regardless of other factors, Lee said.

The study leaves one question unanswered: 5. Although it's unclear, the researchers believe optimists may be better at regulating stressors and bouncing (反弹) back I from upsetting events. Optimists also generally have healthier habits, like exercising more and smoking less.

A.Not a natural optimist?

B.Our study took it one step further.

C.Why are optimists likely to live longer?

D.Why do women generally live longer than men?

E.An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

F.People self-reported their optimism on questionnaires.

G.Those who see the glass as half full, according to a new study, live longer.

    At first glance,price-comparison websites are an example of capitalism at its best.But it has caused fierce competition on price and eviscerated profits.Towers Watson,a consultancy,said that "unnecessary" price competition following the rise of comparison sites in Britain had cost insurers ￡1 billion a year.

Consumers should celebrate that;the firms' losses are their gains.But there is a catch.Comparison sites introduce a new layer of costs,including their own advertising campaigns.In theory,competition in the market for comparison sites ought to keep those costs down.But David Ronayne of Warwick University argues that consumers often lose out from comparison sites.They earn a commission for each shopper who uses them for consumption such as buying insurance.That referral（委托）cost is included in the price the consumer ends up paying.If the increased costs outweigh the saving the comparison enables,consumers end up worse off.

These worries are not just theoretical.In 2014,Britain's competition regulator found that many comparison sites were using their contracts with retailers（零售商）to ban them from offering lower prices elsewhere.That weakened rivals' incentive（对手的动机）to cut fees,because prices on their site could not fall.By keeping prices similar,the contracts also reduced the incentive for consumers to search on multiple sites,thus helping sites retain their users.

Weaker incentives to lower commissions mean weaker incentives to lower costs,too.That might explain why comparison websites advertise so heavily,and sometimes offer free gifts to those who use them.In a recent paper,Ben Edelman of Harvard Business School and Julian Wright of the National University of Singapore argue that when a site knows that the prices merchants provide through it will always be the lowest available,it increases investment in attracting customers,safe in the knowledge that the merchants and at last consumers will bear the cost.

Is there any way to ensure the market for price comparison is competitive?Asking consumers to check multiple websites defeats the point of using them.One solution is to have only one site,but regulate it as a public utility（功用）. Alternatively,the governments could run the site itself.But creating good search and comparison sites may be too hard for them.It is much better to acknowledge that consumers will always have to do some comparison themselves to "keep the system honest".

Websites that compare the comparison sites can help,although it is easy to see how they could fall prey to the same problems.Any firm with captive users（被动用户）,be it a comparison site a search engine,or a social-media platform,can charge a high price for access to the eyes of its customers.For all their innovation,Internet middlemen are not unlike supermarkets.Shoppers would never imagine that a single store had the lowest price for all the items they need.

1.According to the first two paragraphs,price-comparison websites______.

A.will offer smart consumers the best deals

B.will bring insurance firms increased profits

C.can help keep the costs of insurance firms down

D.may raise the price that consumers pay for their purchases

2.Current comparison sites tend to put most of their efforts in______.

A.lowering commissions B.contracting with retailers

C.attracting consumers D.cutting operating costs

3.According to the last two paragraphs,the author probably agrees that______.

A.it's desirable to have only one comparison site and have it run by the government

B.it's advisable that comparison sites with captive users charge a high price for its service

C.consumers should check multiple comparison sites before making a purchasing decision

D.websites that compare the comparison websites can help to build a competitive market

4.The passage mainly conveys the idea that comparison sites______.

A.create an effective channel for smart consumers

B.are competition's friends and enemies at the same time

C.offer win-win deals between consumers and retailers

D.have caused a new form of competition among retailers

    To learn to think is to learn to question. Those who don’t question never truly think for themselves. These are simple rules that have governed the advancement of science and human thought since the beginning of time. Advancements are made when thinkers question theories and introduce new ones. Unfortunately, it is often the great and respected thinkers who end up slowing the progress of human thought. Aristotle was a brilliant philosopher whose theories explained much of the natural world, often incorrectly. He was so esteemed by the scientific community that even 1,200 years after his death, scientists were still trying to build upon his mistakes rather than correct them!

Brilliant minds can intimidate up﹣and﹣coming thinkers who are not confident of their abilities. They often believe they are inferior to the minds of giants such as Aristotle, leading many to accept current paradigms instead of questioning them.

I, like many thinkers of the past, once believed in my mental inferiority. I was certain that my parents, my teachers﹣adults in general﹣were always right. They were like a textbook to me; I didn't question what was written on those pages. I respected them, and accepted whatever they told me. But that attitude soon changed. My mind’s independence was first stimulated in the classroom.

Astern,65﹣year﹣old elementary﹣school science teacher once told me that light is a type of wave. I confidently went through years of school believing that light is a wave. One day, however, I heard the German exchange student mention that light could be made up of particles. As the others laughed at his statement, I started to question my beliefs.

Maybe the teachers and textbooks hadn’t given me the whole story. I went to the library， did some research and learned of the light﹣as﹣a﹣wave versus light﹣as﹣a﹣particle debate. I read about Einstein’s discovery of the dual nature of light and learned the facts of a paradox （悖论） that puzzles the world's greatest thinkers to this day. Light behaves as both a particle and a wave, it is both at once. I realized I had gone through life accepting only half of the story as the whole truth.

Each new year brought more new facts, and I formulated even more questions. I found myself in the library after school, trying to find my own answers to gain a more complete understanding of what I thought I already knew. I discovered that my parents and teachers are incredible tools in my quest for knowledge, but they are never the final word. Even textbooks can be challenged. I learned to question my sources, I learned to be a thinker. I once believed that everything I learned at home and at school was certain, but I have now discovered to re﹣examine when necessary.

Questions are said to be the path to knowledge and truth, and I plan to continue questioning. How many things do we know for sure today that we will question in the future？ At this moment, I know that our sun will burn for another five billion years, and I know nothing can escape the gravity of a black hole. This knowledge, however, may change in the next 20 years﹣maybe even in the next two. The one thing we can control now is our openness to discovery. Questions are the tools of open minds, and open minds are the key to intellectual advancement.

1.In the first paragraph, Aristotle is taken as an example to show that   .

A.he is the greatest and respected philosopher of all time

B.huge influence of great thinkers may block human thought

C.advancements are made when thinkers question theories

D.great thinkers often make mistakes and then correct them

2.What does the underlined word “intimidate” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A.Frighten.

B.Encourage.

C.Strength.

D.Persuade.

3.We can conclude from the last paragraph that   .

A.the author is not quite sure about his future

B.we human beings don’t dare to predict future

C.theory of black holes will change in two years

D.questioning is necessary to promote advancement

4.What does the passage mainly talk about？

A.Following rules.

B.Challenging yourself.

C.Questioning giants.

D.Predicting future.

    Déjà vu， the strange feeling of having been to this very place or done this very thing before when you know you haven't， happens to most people at some point in their lives. The expression comes from the French， meaning "already seen".

My friend Shannon knew that she was going to marry her husband the day they met. She had dated a lot of men following her divorce， but none of them felt right. Then， she met Bob. There was something about the way he smiled， his voice and the shape of his hands， that made her think that they had known each other before. After talking it was clear that their paths had never crossed， but after their first lunch date， they became inseparable. What Shannon and Bob immediately felt for each other was more than just physical chemistry. It was a natural understanding and a depth of closeness that usually arises after couples are together for many years. They were married two months after they met and have been together now for ten years.

I'm often asked how to tell the difference between a feeling of déjà vu when we first meet someone and all attraction stemming from an addictive obsession （痴迷）.

There is a strong tendency among addicts to try to "fix" themselves with love， rushing prematurely into relationships inspired only by strong physical attraction. They often have nothing to do with déjà vu， but stem rather from a basic emptiness that longs to be filled. There is no true bond between the people involved，they hardly know each other， and these partnership attempts fail miserably when the pink glow of newness wears off. However，mostly déjà vu experiences convey a quality that is quiet and solid. The possibility of having a déjà vu is existing in partnerships of all kinds，particularly the more intimate ones. It can occur in business， friendships and family， often leading to outcomes that can impact the direction of our life.

Déjà vus can take place anywhere， at any time and with anyone. Don't let these possibilities pass you by. Summoning the courage to take a chance and act， to have faith in what is not yet visible， will make the experience your own.

1.What is déjà vu？

A.The false belief that one has experienced something before.

B.The fact that one is often cheated by his belief.

C.The wrong idea that couples share everything in life.

D.The feeling that one falls in love at first sight.

2.Why does the author mention his friend's love story in Paragraph 2？

A.To introduce the topic.

B.To entertain the readers.

C.To support the explanation.

D.To analyze couple relationship.

3.In what way is déjà vu different from physical attraction？

A.It occurs all the time.

B.It's stable and lasts long.

C.It involves a previous experience.

D.It appears only between couples.

4.What does the author suggest doing when déjà vu takes place？

A.Practicing before acting.

B.Calming down and letting it go.

C.Regarding it as nothing but imagination.

D.Seizing the opportunity and taking actions.

    Learning Java by OnlineGatha

Price: $1.5 Words: 93,560 Language: English  Published: May 21, 2018

This book has been designed for students as well as teachers to help them out in learning the fundamental concepts of the Java Programming Language. It uses a bottom-up approach in explaining various topics -- that is, it explains basic syntax(句法) and gradually moves towards the complex problems.

Ice Age by John Gribbin & Mary Gribbin

Price: $3.99 Words: 26,790 Language: English   Published: December 15, 2014

John and Mary Gribbin tell the remarkable story of how we came to understand the phenomenon of Ice Ages. How frequently do Ice Ages occur? How do astronomical rhythms（节律） affect the Earth's climate? Have there always been two polar ice caps? What does the future hold?

The Pool Bible by Ken Walker

Price: $14.95 Words: 77,400 Language: English Published: March 21, 2013

Maintain your own pool - and save pots of money! A plain-language guide to care and maintenance of swimming pools by an expert in the field. The secrets of water balance and pH are laid bare for the backyard pool-owner! The Pool Bible is full of tips, tricks & advice. Save 10% of the cover price in the first 12 months or YOUR MONEY BACK. (PS - No-one has asked for a refund yet.)

The Oblivion Stone by Alexandra Moody

Price: $3.99 Words: 85,430   Language: English   Published: February 12, 2018

A battle between the humans and the Unfaih appears on the horizon, and Sloane and Rhyn must take measures to stop the violence that threatens to destroy everyone they love. Can they find the solution in time? Get your copy of the third book in The Liftsal Guardians series now!

1.What’s the theme of the book by OnlineGatha?

A. Computer science    B. School life

C. Climate change    D. A TV program

2.What does the book The pool Bible promise its readers?

A. Quick delivery    B. A free present

C. The chance of a refund    D. Better after-sales service

3.Which book is published as part of a series?

A. Ice Age    B. The Pool Bible

C. Learning Java    D. The Oblivion Stone

假定你是红星中学的学生会主席李华，高考临近，你校决定举办高三毕业典礼(the Graduation Ceremony),请你代表学生会向全体高三学生发一则通知，内容包括：

1.毕业典礼时间 (7月4日)及地点(报告厅lecture hall);

2. 参加者：

3. 活动;

4. 注意事项。

注意：1、词数100左右：

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Notice

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Student Union

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仅限一词：

2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从11处起)不计分。

Last month our school held a Reading Week, which aim was to encourage the students to read wide. During the week, book lovers recommended a plenty of good books which were suitable to high school students. In addition, two famous writers are invited to give lectures on how to understand and appreciate great work of literature. The poetry recitation contest was another amazed activity for the students to bring his talent into full play. All the contestants took turns read their favorite poems to the audience. We all find the Reading Week very beneficial. It has not only enriched our school life, and helped us form the habit of reading.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Paper-cutting was recognized as a national cultural heritage(遗产)in 2006.According to  experts，paper-cutting conveys the culture shared between China 1. the West to wish for family reunions and maintain links with loved ones，alive or dead.

In the movie Coco，for instance，the 12-year-old Miguel and his family dance and sing to  celebrate the Day of the Dead，a  2. (tradition)festival in Mexico，when colorful paper-cuts are hung on the street.Chinese people also cut images of small figures 3. (call) back the spirits of the dead.The difference is that most Chinese paper-cuts are red，while those in other countries  4. (be)often made in many other colors.

Fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen liked to cut 5. (character)，such as princesses and angels，out of paper while 6. (tell)stories to children.In China，female friends and family members used to chat and make paper-cuts together.

“ 7.the patterns and colors may be different，paper-cuts share the same function of  maintaining emotional ties among people，”says Yang Huizi， 8. art teacher at Beijing Union.

Yang 9. (study)and performed the art for over a decade.Besides routine university  courses，she also organizes nonprofit paper-cutting activities 10.are open to the public in  Beijing to promote basic knowledge of paper-cutting.

    If you have strong arms and feet, patience and a good temper, you might_______a good waiter. You must start, _______not in the restaurant, but in the kitchen, helping the chef, to learn how each dish is _______.

From this first step, you may enter the restaurant_______a “commis” (厨助). But you won’t be_______to serve the customers yet. They will only let you do the bottomed jobs,_______the tables and carrying the plates. But all the time you must watch and learn with_______.

Later you may become “chef de rang” (a waiter in charge of a number of tables). You may even become a head waiter_______if you have the right sort of personality and you are not_______of hard work.

When Carlo Bianchi first arrived in London, he spoke only two words of English — “please” and “Hello”. He__________to get a job helping in the kitchen of a restaurant, and he spent what little__________time he had learning English. He was a good worker and soon they__________him a job in the restaurant as a waiter.

Every night, Carlo__________ to go home exhausted, but never too__________to study the language for half an hour before going to sleep. And no matter how tired or ill he felt, he always wore a__________for his customers. They liked him, and people came and asked to be__________by Carlo.

Now, twenty-five years later, Carlo is in__________of six restaurants, and he__________to open a seventh shortly. So friends, in this world success never comes overnight. Start from the__________and make progress step by step with enough patience and__________chances will fall upon you.

1.A.make B.create C.replace D.choose

2.A.otherwise B.therefore C.thus D.however

3.A.commented B.tasted C.prepared D.chosen

4.A.as B.for C.with D.to

5.A.forced B.allowed C.banned D.urged

6.A.moving B.laying C.pushing D.pulling

7.A.curiosity B.kindness C.patience D.interest

8.A.simply B.specially C.exactly D.eventually

9.A.afraid B.ashamed C.fond D.typical

10.A.managed B.attempted C.predicted D.expected

11.A.tight B.useful C.spare D.busy

12.A.threw B.found C.sent D.donated

13.A.used B.promised C.regretted D.remembered

14.A.depressed B.excited C.worried D.tired

15.A.smile B.face C.color D.surprise

16.A.served B.approved C.praised D.treated

17.A.favor B.need C.possession D.support

18.A.hesitates B.schedules C.hurries D.fails

19.A.easiest B.slowest C.simplest D.lowest

20.A.in all B.in time C.in a word D.above all

    Let's be honest here: random acts of kindness make us feel good. They make others feel good. They help benefit society in small ways, and those small benefits can turn into huge ones. Being an everyday hero means willingly and joyfully choosing random acts of kindness to make the world a bit brighter.1.The following ideas will help you start.

Leave a space cleaner than you found it. If you eat out, keep your table clean after you're finished, making it a little easier for the waiter. At home, keep your things organized.2.

Be kind to strangers. It's well-known that everyone is fighting separate but equally different battles. Although you might not be able to understand or relate to everyone's tough situations, you can offer unconditional kindness and patience.3. Maybe the fast-food worker has two other jobs and children at home. Although you don't know their situations, kindness is always appreciated.

4.This can be a little bit troublesome, and you need to be sensitive to people's needs. The easiest way to determine whether someone needs help is to ask, and respect their answer. When close friends and loved ones are struggling, your support is to say, “I love you.”

5.By donating the things that you don't need, want, or use, you allow another person to benefit from them rather than sending them to a landfill.

A.Try to offer your seats to the elder people.

B.Help someone who's struggling.

C.Choose to donate your used things.

D.Don't leave messes for others to clean up.

E.Maybe the old man deals with chronic pain.

F.Being an everyday hero is amazing and deserves others' respect.

G.If you can, take five minutes and be an everyday hero.

    London Fashion Week will not feature any animal fur clothes or accessories(配饰) on the runway this year, making it the first fur-free major fashion week.

In a statement, the BFC said: "The BFC survey results reflect a cultural change not only based on ideals and choices made by designer businesses, international brands as well as consumer feeling but also encouraged by the attitude of multi-brand stores who are moving away from selling fur.”

There is increasing pressure from anti-fur protesters(抗议者) to ban fur or boycott designers that use the material. During last year's London Fashion Week, there were 250 anti-fur protesters, The Guardian reported, and a show in February saw an activist storm the stage at a Mary Katrantzou show. Following the incident, Mary Katrantzou's team made a statement insisting that the collection was animal fur-free and “only man-made fur was used.”

Ahead of this year's fashion week, set to take place from September 14 to 18, an open letter written by singer Paloma Faith and published by Peta also called for a ban of animal fur.

The letter read: “The BFC shouldn't be approving a material whose production is considered so cruel that it is outlawed in the UK. With the vast number of cutting- edge, eco-friendly man-made furs available on the market today, I'm sure you'll agree that there's no longer any excuse for killing animals for their fur.”

London Fashion Week's fur-free runway follows a similar policy recently adopted by Burberry Design to end the use of fur including rabbit, fox, mink, racoon, and angora wool, as is confirmed by Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti in an interview with Business of Fashion.

The BFC's news has been met with support from people on social media, who have applauded the designers choosing to give up the use of animal fur.

“I am so excited that fur has been banned from London Fashion Week! Progress!” Faith wrote on Twitter.

Another said: “London Fashion Week is ditching fur and leading the way towards a fur-free future in fashion.”

1.Why are examples of last year's London Fashion show and Mary Katrantzou show in February are given in paragraph 3?

A.To compare the two fashion shows.

B.To prove Mary Katrantzou was wronged.

C.To show pressure from anti-fur protesters.

D.To indicate the popularity of London Fashion Show.

2.Why does Paloma Faith think there is no excuse for killing animals for their fur?

A.It is expensive to kill animals for fur.

B.BFC has banned the use of animal fur.

C.Production of animal fur is illegal in the world.

D.Good Man-made furs are available on the market.

3.What's the ordinary people's attitude towards the first fur-free major fashion week ?

A.Critical. B.Ambiguous.

C.Favorable. D.Indifferent.

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A.The BFC reports a cultural change in fashion.

B.London Fashion Week will be fur free this year.

C.Famous singer writes open letter to ban animal fur.

D.Animal fur is sure to be replaced by man-made fur.

    Taking paternity leave (陪产假) shortly after the birth of a new son or daughter may be the key to developing strong father-child bonds that last for years, says new research from Ball State University.

“We find that 9-year-olds report greater satisfaction with father involvement,” said Richard Petts, a Ball State sociology professor who carried out the research with Chris Knoester at the Ohio State University and Jane Waldfogel at Columbia University. “They feel closer to their fathers and report better communication with their dads if their fathers take paternity leave, and especially if their fathers take two or more weeks of leave.”

“We found evidence that part of the reason why two or more weeks of paternity leave may lead to 9-year-olds expressing greater satisfaction seems to be that longer periods of paternity leave-taking link to parental relationship satisfaction,” said Petts.

The study is the latest in a series examining the effects of parental leave in the development of children and its influence on the family. It is also the first research known to assess the associations between paternity leave and children’s opinions of father-child relationship quality in the United States, Petts said.

Petts said the findings of the study will help families and policymakers (政策制定者) who aim to strengthen families and improve higher quality father-child relationships.

The present structure (结构) of paternity leave in the United States provides limited opportunities for fathers to take leave and, in fact, often discourages fathers from taking leave, he said.

“The possibility to take leave is often limited to higher-income families,” Petts said. “A lack of a national paid family leave policy limits access to important benefits for American families. The present structure may be increasing inequalities.” Petts said that providing equal access to paternity leave may help to change these patterns and strengthen family relationships.

1.How was the research probably carried out?

A.By tracking families. B.By talking with mothers.

C.By interviewing the kids. D.By recording children’s behavior.

2.What is found about paternity leave?

A.It makes young kids become dependent.

B.It is determined by parental relationships.

C.It encourages men to become better fathers.

D.It improves father-child relationship quality.

3.What do we know about the research?

A.It is welcomed by young fathers. B.It is the first to study parental leave.

C.It is probably helpful to policymakers. D.It is more important than similar studies.

4.What is the problem with the present structure of paternity leave in the US?

A.Paid paternity leave is only two weeks long.

B.There is no policy to encourage paternity leave.

C.Low-income families think little of paternity leave.

D.High-income fathers are too busy to take paternity leave.

    My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet-and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts.

Things got worse at the checkout line. The cashier scanned a man’s discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting deliberately and began to argue.

“She is being spiteful (恶意的) !” he yelled. “This is unbelievable.”

Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who accompanied him to customer service. Shaken, she moved to the next customer in line.

We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. The grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has eroded. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith-starting with just one person.

Back at the grocery store, my wife and I reached our uneasy cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. “We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said. Her face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items. She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.

Those are the balancing acts, the moments of responding social and emotional pain with healing, which will add up to restore trust among people. You can start that pattern in someone else’s life, even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.

1.Why did the man at the checkout line argue with the cashier?

A.The cashier called a manager to help her.

B.Someone jumped the queue waiting to check out.

C.There was something wrong with his discount card.

D.He believed the cashier charged him more on purpose.

2.The underlined word “eroded” in Paragraph 5 probably means ________.

A.changed B.increased

C.faded D.formed

3.The author bought a bottle of water for the cashier because ________.

A.he thought the cashier might feel a little bit thirsty

B.he knew she had gone through much trouble recently

C.he wanted to restore the trust between her and the man

D.he wanted to comfort her after the terrible experience just now

4.The last paragraph in the passage is intended to ________.

A.add a warning B.make a suggestion

C.introduce a topic D.present an argument

    Castle Rock, Colorado, is in the Front Range between Denver and Colorado Springs. The town was first settled in the 1870s and named for the rock formation on its western edge. More than 5,400 acres of open space, 250 acres of parks and 57 miles of trails surround the town. Castle Rock offers many activities throughout the year.

Douglas County Fairgrounds

The Douglas County holds a rodeo every August. Many activities are held in the city during the rodeo, including 4-H exhibits, animal shows and the farm yard, a hands-on educational area providing information about animals and agriculture. Local singing and dancing acts perform on the Community Stage. Carnival rides and games ensure that children have fun.

Town Recreation

Activities Castle Rock Recreation Center features 84,000 square feet of fun, including a leisure pool complete with water slides, spa and lazy river. Rent one of the meeting rooms and host your child’s birthday party. Introduce your child to cooking basics through classes such as Little Chefs, Holiday Cooking Arts, Just Desserts and Iron Chefs. Discounts with membership cards.

Metzler Ranch Park

Metzler Ranch Park features many outdoor activities for children. Kids can join a youth baseball or softball league, ride a bike along the paved path or swing and climb on the playground equipment. Bring your child’s in-line skates and glide along one of two in-line hockey rinks or try out skills at the lighted skate park. Discounts book online.

Theatre of Dreams

Theatre of Dreams is a 72-scat theater that presents magic and illusion entertainment. Two professional magicians founded the theater. Children especially enjoy the family-oriented shows. The facility can be rented for special events such as birthday parties and bar mitzvahs. Reserve in advance.

1.Which of the following offers ice sport?

A.Town Recreation. B.Metzler Ranch Park.

C.Theatre of Dreams. D.Douglas County Fairgrounds.

2.What do Town Recreation and Theatre of Dreams have in common?

A.They have various classes for kids. B.They offer discounts for the members.

C.They provide service for special events. D.They are not open to kids unaccompanied.

3.Who would most probably be interested in Castle Rock?

A.College graduates. B.Retired citizens.

C.Newly-married couples. D.Parents with kids.

假设你是晨光中学的学生李津。你校将与英语友好校举办一场在线会议，探讨如何利用网络学习英语，请你根据以下提示写一篇发言稿。

(1) 介绍你是如何利用网络学英语的(至少2点)；

(2) 简单谈谈你对利用网络学习英语的看法；

(3) 请友好校的学生分享他们的经验。

注意：80-100词；已给出的开头和结尾不计入总词数。

词汇：网上学习：online study

Good morning, dear friends. My name is Li Jin. I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about how I learn English on the Internet.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you.

    It’s been said that life turns on small things. Sometimes it’s hard to see how small choices can change your life. But when put together over time, the little things can make the biggest difference.

The theme of Success for Teens is “Little Things Matter”. The book helps teens identify small,positive choices they can make in their lives to help them reach their goals. Lots of teens don’t realize how the little choices in their lives can have lasting effects. Often they focus on the bigger events, such as a major exam, a big game or competition, or choosing a college. The little things, however, can go unnoticed unless your teen understands how important they can be.

The little things that lead to success are mostly easy to do. Help your teen identify a few areas in everyday life where he or she can make small, positive choices. It might be as simple as getting up on time, prioritizing(按重要性排列) their schoolwork, putting in an extra 10 minutes of practice or using some spare time to help someone else.

Nineteen-year-old Kyle Freas used to be on his school baseball team and would play every day after school. When the season was over, he had an empty three hours a day, so he started spending one third of such extra time daily looking for ways to help other kids. Over the past few years, his project has raised thousands of dollars to help abused, homeless and sick children. Kyle spent just a little time each day doing something that ended up benefiting a lot of kids. The important thing to understand is that Kyle made the small and positive decisions necessary for success. Make sure your child understands that even though the results of the positive choices may not be seen right away, they are building on each other and taking him or her on a path that will lead to success.

1.What does the underlined part “turns on” in the first paragraph mean?

A.takes away B.depends on

C.sets aside D.puts out

2.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that .

A.dealing with big events is the most important in one’s life

B.little choices seldom have lasting effects on one’s life

C.teens should try to focus their attention on big choices

D.many teens fail to realize the importance of little choices

3.Which of the following words can be used to describe Kyle Freas?

A.Kind-hearted. B.Creative.

C.Naughty. D.Self-confident.

4.The writer mainly discussed the relationship between .

A.little choices and big choices B.teens’ goals and their actions

C.positive and negative decisions D.small positive choices and success

5.The text is most probably written for .

A.teenagers B.parents

C.pupils D.teachers

    At Blossom End Railroad Station, 22-year-old Stanley Vine sat, waiting for his new employer. The surrounding green fields were so unlike the muddy landscape of war-torn France. After four horrible years as an army private (列兵) fighting in Europe, Stanley had returned to England in February 1946. Armed now with some savings and with no prospects for a job in England, he answered a newspaper ad for farm help in Canada. Two months later he was on his way.

When the old car rumbled toward the tiny station, Stanley rose to his feet, trying to make the most of his five foot, four inch frame. The farmer, Alphonse Lapine, shook his head and complained, “You’re a skinny thing.” On the way to his dairy farm, Alphonse explained that he had a wife and seven kids. “Money’s tight. You’ll get room and board. You’ll get up at dawn for milking, and then help me around the farm until evening milking time again. Ten dollars a week. Sundays off.” Stanley nodded. He had never been on a farm before, but he took the job.

From the beginning Stanley was treated horribly by the whole family. They made fun of the way he dressed and talked. The humourless farmer frequently lost his temper, criticizing Stanley for the slightest mistake. The oldest son, 13-year-old Armand, constantly played nasty tricks on him. But the kind-hearted Stanley never responded.

Stanley never became part of the Lapine family. After work, they ignored him. He spent his nights alone in a tiny bedroom. However, each evening before retiring, he lovingly cared for the farmer’s horses, eagerly awaiting him at the field gate. He called them his gentle giants.

Early one November morning Alphonse Lapine discovered that Stanley had disappeared, after only six months as his farmhand. In fact no one in the community ever heard of him again. That is, until one evening, almost 20 years later, when Armand, opened an American sports magazine and came across a shocking headline, “Millionaire jockey, Stanley Vine, ex-British soldier and 5-time horse riding champion, began life in North America as a farmhand in Canada.”

1.Stanley Vine decided to go to Canada because ________.

A.he wanted to escape from war-torn France

B.he wanted to serve in the Canadian army

C.he couldn’t find a job in England

D.he loved working as a farmhand

2.Which of the following is True according to the passage?

A.Stanley joined the French army when he was 18 years old.

B.On the farm Stanley had to milk the cows 14 times a week.

C.The Lapine family were rich but cruel to Stanley.

D.Stanley read about the job offer in a newspaper.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A.When Stanley first met his employer, he tried to impress him but failed.

B.Stanley had never worked on a farm, so he made a lot of mistakes.

C.Stanley’s weekly salary was not enough for him to live on.

D.Stanley left the farm by train, without telling anyone why he did so.

4.What did Stanley like doing after work each day?

A.Hitch-hiking to different towns. B.Caring for the farmer’s horses.

C.Wandering around the farm alone. D.Preparing meals on the farm.

5.Why was Armand so astonished when he read about Stanley in the magazine?

A.He didn’t know Stanley had been a British soldier.

B.He had no idea Stanley had always been a wealthy man.

C.He didn’t know his father paid Stanley so little money.

D.He didn’t expect Stanley to become such a success.

    If a business wants to sell its products internationally, it had better do some market research first. This is a lesson that some large American corporations have learned in the hard way.

What’s in the name?

Sometimes the problem is the name. When General Motors introduced its Chevy Nova into Latin America, it overlooked the fact that Nova in Spanish means “It doesn’t go”. Sure enough, the Chevy Nova never went anywhere in Latin America.

Translation problems

Sometimes it is the slogan that doesn’t work. No company knows this better than Pepsi-Cola, with its “Come alive with Pepsi!” campaign. The campaign was so successful in the United States that Pepsi translated its slogan literally (按字面意思的) for its international campaign. As it turned out, the translations were not quite right. Pepsi was begging Germans to “Come out of the grave” and telling the Chinese that “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.”

A picture is worth a thousand words

Other times, the problem involves packaging. A picture of a smiling baby has helped sell countless jars of Gerber baby food. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in African countries, the picture on the jar shows what the jar has in it, for many people there can’t read.

Twist of fate

Even culture and religious factors and pure coincidence can be involved. Thorn McAn shoes have a Thorn McAn “signature” inside. To people in Bangladesh, which is a Muslim country, this signature looked like Arabic script for the word Allah. In that country, feet are considered unclean, and Muslims felt the company was offending God’s name by having people walk on it.

1.From the text we learn that ________.

A.Chevy Nova was brought in Latin America

B.General Motors did the best market research of all companies

C.Pepsi still sold well in China owing to the translation problems

D.the “Come alive with Pepsi” campaign worked well in the US

2.What was Gerber’s problem?

A.A translation problem. B.Cultural factor.

C.Religious factor. D.The picture on the jar.

3.For what reason were Thorn McAn shoes turned down in Bangladesh?

A.They are not designed attractively.

B.Their advertisements are not persuasive.

C.A signature looking like the word Allah was in the shoes.

D.Problem for Thorn McAn was the company’s name.

4.The intended readers of the passage are ________.

A.product advertisers B.market researchers

C.managers of Sales Department D.businesses to promote products abroad

5.What does the text mainly tell us?

A.Lessons from some large corporations. B.How to make use of advertisements.

C.The importance of market research. D.The importance of packaging

    Nick was not the kind of boy I had expected to spend my summer with. I was hoping to have some ________ the summer before my busy senior year, but my mother asked me to do her a ________. One of her colleagues needed a full-time ________. “You planned to volunteer at the local hospital, why not volunteer to ________ Nick instead?” Then she told me that this six-year-old boy was not a ________ child.

Nick was a lovely little boy who suffered from many disorders. Normal day-care centers would not ________ him. As a baby, he had serious ear infections which left him with equilibrium（平衡）problems.

He couldn’t ________ or run properly. I was ________ if I was to take the job when my mother ________, “Don’t you want to be a nurse in the future? I doubt if you even have the ________.”

Then I told her I was ________ for the job.

The day started at 7:00 a.m. Nick was my wake-up call! With so much energy and very little ________, he was quite a mix.

At the park, when he saw all the other children play on the jungle gym and swings, the boy’s face ________up—How he wished he belonged to the group of his age! You would think it would be ________ to get a child to go down a slide. Believe me, it wasn’t! It took time, a lot of time. But with patience and support, Nick took one step up the slide each day. We worked together to face his ________ and gradually he got closer to taking the slide of his life.

Halfway through the summer, he ________ it to the top of the slide. With my arms holding him tightly, we flew down the slide! I waited for his ________. After realizing that he was safe and sound, he gave me a big ________ and asked, “May I go down again, alone?”

I had never been happier in my life when I saw this little child climb the ladder and enjoy what other children ________ for granted.

This ________ child taught me that being a nurse means respect, kindness and patience.

1.A.grade B.course C.project D.relaxation

2.A.service B.favour C.business D.trade

3.A.nurse B.waitress C.guard D.guide

4.A.protect B.assist C.attend D.comfort

5.A.normal B.naughty C.clever D.happy

6.A.admit B.receive C.accept D.adopt

7.A.speak B.play C.stand D.walk

8.A.hesitating B.wondering C.questioning D.asking

9.A.suggested B.argued C.challenged D.commented

10.A.energy B.courage C.faith D.time

11.A.eager B.sorry C.grateful D.ready

12.A.awareness B.balance C.knowledge D.appeal

13.A.delighted B.turned C.lighted D.shuts

14.A.demanding B.simple C.interesting D.flexible

15.A.fears B.worries C.chances D.happiness

16.A.climbed B.got C.managed D.made

17.A.laughter B.reaction C.answer D.greeting

18.A.kiss B.clap C.welcome D.surprise

19.A.play B.do C.take D.enjoy

20.A.miserable B.smart C.lucky D.special

We were walking on the fine, soft sand, which kept the ______ of the waves.

A.impression B.exploration C.expression D.inspiration

With my friend, who is a mechanic, ______ me, I’m sure this second-hand motorbike will soon be as good as new.

A.having helped B.helping C.helped D.helps

Blaming yourself for what happened doesn’t make much sense. It’s time for you to ____.

A.turn out B.pick up C.put down D.move on

To learn English well, we should find chances to hear English ______ as much as we can.

A.speak B.speaking C.spoken D.to speak

There are hundreds of scenes in English novels _______ characters walk through a landscape of fallen leaves _________ mirrors the feelings of the characters.

A.where; that

B.that; when

C.which; where

D.when; which

Olympic athletes bring joy to people across the world with their____________ to push the boundaries of human achievement.

A. intelligence B. influences C. impression D. attempts

These masterpieces in the Louvre Museum reach out to us across the centuries ______ time itself were nothing.

A.even if B.even though C.as though D.only if

More than one generation of schoolchildren            by the scientist’s bravery and his scientific approach to looking

for the truth in the past century.

A.have been amazed B.has been amazed C.were amazed D.was amazed

It’s a mistake to think of the country only ______ its tourist attractions.

A.in terms of B.in case of C.as a result of D.in face of

They are living with their parents for the moment because their own house ____.

A.is being rebuilt B.has been rebuilt C.is rebuilt D.has rebuilt

_____ leaving school, Jane established an organization to offer help to homeless people.

A.For B.By C.At D.On