An introduction to this book is as superfluous as a candle in front of a powerful searchlight. But a convention of publishing seems to require that the candle should be there, and I am proud to be the one to hold it. About ten years ago I picked up from the pile of new books on my desk a copy of Sons and Lovers by a man of whom I had never heard, and I started to race through it with the immoral speed of the professional reviewer. But after a page or two I found myself reading, really reading. Here was—here is—a masterpiece in which every sentence counts, a book packed with significant thought and beautiful, arresting phrases, the work of a remarkable genius whose gifts are more richly various than those of any other young English novelist.

To appreciate the rich variety of Mr. Lawrence we must read his later novels and his volumes of poetry. But Sons and Lovers reveals the range of his power. Here are combined and blended(混合的) sort of “realism” and almost lyric(抒情的) imagery and rhythm. The speech of the people is that of daily life and the things that happen to them are normal adventures and accidents; they fall in love, marry, work, fail, succeed, and die. But of their deeper emotions and of the relations of these little human beings to the earth and to the stars, Mr. Lawrence makes something near to poetry and prose(散文) without violating its proper “other harmony.”

Take the marvellous paragraph on next to the last page of Sons and Lovers (Mr. Lawrence depends so little on plot in the ordinary sense of the word that it is perfectly fair to read the end of his book first):

Where was he? One tiny upright speck of flesh, less than an ear of wheat lost in the field. He could not bear it. On every side the immense dark silence seemed pressing him, so tiny a spark, into extinction, and yet, almost nothing, he could not be extinct. Night, in which everything was lost, went reaching out, beyond stars and sun, stars and sun, a few bright grains, went spinning round for terror, and holding each other in embrace, there in the darkness that outpassed them all, and left them tiny and daunted(气馁). So much, and himself, infinitesimal, at the core a nothingness, and yet not nothing.

Such glorious writing lifts the book far above a novel which is merely a story. I beg the reader to attend to every line of it and not to miss a single one of the many sentences that await and surprise you. Some are enthusiastic and impressive, like the paragraph above; others are keen, “realistic” observations of things and people. In one of his books Mr. Lawrence makes a character say, or think, that life is “mixed.” That indicates his philosophy and his method. He blends the accurately literal and trivial(琐碎的) with the extremely poetic.

To find a similar blending of tiny daily detail and wide imaginative vision, we must go back to two older novelists, Hardy and Meredith. I do not mean that Mr. Lawrence derives(源于) immediately from them or, indeed, that he is clearly the disciple(弟子) of any master. I do feel simply that he is of the elder stature(名望) of Hardy and Meredith, and I know of no other young novelist who is quite worthy of their company. When I first tried to express this comparison, this connection, I was contradicted by a fellow-critic, who pointed out that Meredith and Hardy are entirely unlike each other and that therefore Mr. Lawrence cannot resemble both. To be sure, nothing is more hateful than forced comparisons, nothing more boring than to discover parallels between one work of art and another. An artist’s mastery consists in his difference from other masters. But to refer a young man of genius to an older one, at the same time pronouncing his independence and originality, is a fair, if not very superior, method of praising him.

1.The underlined word “superfluous” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______.

A. meaningful    B. unnecessary

C. fundamental    D. unbelievable

2.What is typical of Lawrence’s works?

A. They equally reveal his genius power.

B. They contain lots of great lyric poetry.

C. They present some real living situations.

D. They focus on relations between humans.

3.What does the author want to illustrate by including one paragraph from Sons and Lovers?

A. The plot of the novel has little to do with daily life.

B. It is wise to read Lawrence’s books from the end.

C. Lawrence is capable of telling good stories.

D. The language in Lawrence’s books is elegant.

4.Who were Hardy and Meredith?

A. They taught Lawrence literature when he was young.

B. They were the realistic novelists of Lawrence’s time.

C. They were novelists who resemble each other in writing.

D. They were novelists combining details with imagination.

5.According to the author, what does an artist’s mastery mean?

A. He must have personal diversity.

B. He must have the critical spirits.

C. He must be happy to be compared.

D. He must be a man of genius.

6.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A. To introduce Lawrence’s novel Sons and Lovers.

B. To show his experiences of reading classics.

C. To analyze Lawrence’s writing characteristics.

D. To compare the styles of different novelists.

    There is no denying that students should learn something about how computers work, just as we expect them at least to understand that the internal-combustion engine(内燃机）has something to do with burning fuel, expanding gases and pistons(活塞）being driven. For people should have some basic idea of how the things that they use do what they do. Further, students might be helped by a course that considers the computer's impact on society. But that is not what is meant by computer literacy.For computer literacy is not a form of literacy(读写能力）; it is a trade skill that should not be taught as a liberal art.

Learning how to use a computer and learning how to program one are two distinct activities. A case might be made that the competent citizens of tomorrow should free themselves from their fear of computers. But this is quite different from saying that all ought to know how to program one.Leave that to people who have chosen programming as a career. While programming can be lots of fun, and while our society needs some people who are experts at it, the same is true of auto repair and violin-making.

Learning how to use a computer is not that difficult, and it gets easier all the time as programs become more "user-friendly". Let us assume that in the future everyone is going to have to know how to use a computer to be a competent citizen. What does the phrase learning to use a computer mean? It sounds like "learning to drive a car", that is, it sounds as if there is some set of definite skills that, once acquired, enable one to use a computer.

In fact,"learning to use a computer"is much more like"learning to play a game", but learning the rules of one game may not help you play a second game,whose rules may not be the same.There is no such a thing as teaching someone how to use a computer. One can only teach people to use this or that program and generally that is easily accomplished.

1.To be the competent citizens of tomorrow, people should_____.

A.try to lay a solid foundation in computer science

B.be aware of how the things that they use do what they do

C.learn to use a computer by acquiring a certain set of skills

D.understand that programming a computer is more essential than repairing a car

2.In Para2 "auto repair" and “violin-making" are mentioned to show that_______.

A.programming a computer is as interesting as making a violin

B.people who can use a computer don't necessarily have to know computer programming

C.violin making requires as much skill as computer programming

D.our society needs experts in different fields

3.Learning to use a computer is getting easier all the time because______.

A.programs are designed to be convenient to users

B.programs are becoming less complicated

C.programming is becoming easier and easier

D.programs are becoming readily available to computer users

4.According to the author,the phrase "learning to use a computer" in Para.3 means learning_____.

A.a set of rules

B.the fundamentals of computer science

C.specific programs

D.general principles of programming

5.The author's purpose in writing this passage is______.

A.to stress the impact of the computer on society

B.to emphasize that computer programming is an interesting and challenging job

C.to illustrate the requirements for being competent citizens of tomorrow

D.to explain the concept of computer literacy

    Dr.Teruo Higa was born on December 28, 1941 on Okinawa and grew up there. He studied agriculture and took his doctorate from the Agricultural Research Department of Kyushu University Graduate School. He became a lecturer in 1970 and has been professor of horticulture since 1982.

Dr.Higa is famous for creating EM technology.He created EM technology in order to address the problem of excess wastes and bad farming techniques in the present-day world. EM stands for effective microorganisms. It is a multi-culture of coexisting anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms. Microorganisms are the smallest complete units of life. They can exist independent of a bigger organism. Bacteria are considered microorganisms. They are constantly at work, some helping bigger organisms,and others bringing decay and bad health. These opposing processes of constructive and destructive forces are always ongoing, creating a balance. If the balance tips towards the destructive side, the host organism grows ill. lf it tips towards the constructive side, the organism experiences good health.

These organisms can be used in farming to create a good growing environment for all kinds of crops and animals. The process involves collecting human and animal waste products such as kitchen garbage and manure. This is then sealed into a barrel along with a certain amount of EM powder. The microorganisms then turn the waste into mulch, which acts as a great source of nutrients for crops and animals. Rice paddies that are treated with EM produce harvests that are much bigger than those of conventional farms. Moreover, EM rice paddies require less tilling and weeding than other paddies.

Dr.Teruo Higa's ideas have caught on around the world. One of his biggest successes was in North Korea, where his technology was used to create a record-breaking crop yield. EM helped many crops, such as corn, Welsh onions and Chinese cabbages in North Korea. For the impoverished nation, this was a godsend.

1.Why is Dr.Teruo Higa famous?

A.He is a professor of horticulture.

B.He created EM technology.

C.He started making too much waste.

D.He is a great farmer.

2.Which of the following best describe microorganisms?

A.The smallest complete units of life.

B.Something that causes bad health.

C.Necessary for good health.

D.An unimportant part of farming.

3.What do microorganisms do in the EM process?

A.They destroy waste products.

B.They cause ill health.

C.They turn waste into a useful mulch.

D.They decrease the size of harvests.

4.What happened into North Korea?

A.It was a rich country.

B.They decided not to use EM technology.

C.Dr.Higa was not invited to the country.

D.EM technology led to a record-breaking harvest.

5.What does the underlined word"impoverished"mean in English?

A.Rich. B.Poor.

C.Far away D.Large.

    A Visitor Oyster card is the cheapest way to pay for a single adult journey in London. It's a plastic smartcard.You can use it on the bus, tube, tram, DL R. London Overground and most National Rail services. It's much cheaper than buying individual tickets, in some cases costing 50%less than the price of a regular paper ticket.

How to get a Visitor Oyster card

You can buy a Visitor Oyster card online.Your card will be delivered by post.The card costs ￡5 and you choose how much money you want to add to the card. This means you can start using the card the moment you arrive in Central London.

How does the Visitor Oyster card work?

The Oyster card works on a pay-as-you-go system.You start by adding money to the card. Then you travel, the cost of the fare will automatically be deducted from your Visitor Oyster card. For example, if you add ￡20 to the card and make a tube journey of￡2.30, you will have ￡17.70 left on the card.

A few more points:

A child under the age of ll travels free when accompanied by an adult.

You'll save more money if you use the tube several times.The Visitor Oyster card is capped at ￡6.80 per day.

You'll pay more during peak times.Peak fares apply from Monday to Friday(6:30 am- 9:30 am;4:00 pm-7:00 pm).except for public holidays.

Reuse the Oyster card by adding credit at a tube station,Oyster ticket shop or Visitor Centre.

Receive a discount on the Thames Clippers River Bus services:

1.What can we learn about the Visitor Oyster card?

A.You can't use it during public holidays.

B.You can have it mailed directly to your home.

C.You can get a free Oyster card if you order online.

D.You can receive a 50%discount at any shop in London.

2.How much money will be deducted if you take the tube four times in a day with a Visitor Oyster card?

A.￡2.30. B.￡3.40.

C.￡6.80. D.￡9.20.

3.Where can you add credit to your Visitor Oyster card?

A.At a tube station.

B.At a bus station.

C.On the Internet

D.In convenience stores.

4.What does the underlined word“capped"mean in English?

A.set an upper limit

B.meet a deadline

C.follow a principle

D.prohibit visiting

    ＂You can't make an omelet(煎蛋饼）without breaking a few eggs", meaning that it is hard to achieve something important without causing unpleasant effects.This is _______correct as l am going to share with you a(n) _______ during the last Arts Festival.

As everyone was _______ that we had won first place in the former play competition, all wanted to join our_______ for the upcoming Arts Fest play performance. _______the rule was that only seven members were allowed in the group. It was a very big_______ as I was made the group leader. I was responsible for selecting the members. All my friends _______and wanted to join the group. I was really being cruel _______most of them to be a part of the group. The father of a friend of mine_______called me and talked to me________5, insulting me. He said his child wanted to do the main ________As I knew that the competition would be so tough that I would have to ________the best students who could really act quite well. Everyone around was  ________ with me."Oh!Don't show off. Do you really think you are ________?" That was what I heard and this made me really upset and I even thought of ________the group. Even though they all criticized me, we all ________practicing. At last it was the day of the play. We all did our ________ very well. Our play became the center of attraction.

After the play everyone________ us. Then two days later the results were declared and our group________the first position. All those who criticized me started appreciating....So to  conclude, to attain________,sometimes we have to speak impolitely or we may be separated from everyone but the result will be favorable to us all.

1.A.equally B.nearly C.partly D.perfectly

2.A.experience B.fact C.result D.truth

3.A.certain B.aware C.confident D.surprised

4.A.class B.club C.group D.circle

5.A.So B.Though C.And D.But

6.A.event B.problem C.plan D.choice

7.A.worried B.waited C.requested D.replied

8.A.refusing B.expecting C.allowing D.inviting

9.A.still B.also C.ever D.even

10.A.secretly B.politely C.rudely D.clearly

11.A.person B.character C.hero D.leader

12.A.select B.attract C.find D.recommend

13.A.satisfied B.friendly C.strict D.cross

14.A.nobody B.anybody C.somebody D.everybody

15.A.improving B.quitting C.developing D.managing

16.A.went on B.ended up C.aimed at D.got at

17.A.goals B.tasks C.jobs D.roles

18.A.helped B.congratulated C.liked D.cared

19.A.wished B.missed C.bagged D.desired

20.A.success B.opportunity C.respect D.reputation

      I want to tell you is the deep love and respect I have for my parents.

A.That B.Which C.Whether D.What

---Sorry to_____________ you, but could I ask a quick question?

---No problem.

A.trouble B.prevent C.disappoint D.worry

—Why didn’t you pay the accommodation rent?

—The rent? That isn’t ________ till Sunday.

A.sure B.okay

C.due D.late

The dog may be a good companion for the old. _______, the need to take it for walks may be a disadvantage.

A.Besides. B.However C.Therefore D.Instead.

No one _______be more generous; he has a heart of gold.

A.need B.must C.dare D.could

________her mother after being separated for 20 years, she couldn't help, even though she tried not to, _______.

A.Seen; crying B.To see; cry C.Seeing; crying D.Having seen; cry

His confident words have ________ our doubts about how the plan will be carried out.

A. brought in    B. taken up

C. cut in    D. cleared up

The fish we ate at the restaurant yesterday was very delicious.I'd like to have it again even if it costs_______.

A.twice as much B.much more twice C.as much twice D.as twice much

If the project______before the end of this month is delayed,the construction company will be made fully responsible for the financial losses.

A.being completed B.completed C.to be completed D.completing

An artist who was recently traveling on a ferry to the southern island discovered ________ a long lost antique Greek vase.

A.at random B.by chance

C.in turn D.on occasion

Everyone will go through life's stages of ups and downs, ________ self­respect plays a key role in the maturity(成熟) of a person.

A. when B. which C. as D. that

The quality of education in this small school is better than ______ in some larger schools.

A.that B.one

C.it D.this

Animals are obviously ______ lower form of life than _______ man.

A. a ; /    B. the ; the    C. a ; the    D. / ; /

--I really thought I’d be offered the job.

--Oh, well, ________, Clark.

A. you are fight    B. best wishes

C. congratulations    D. better luck next time

请阅读下面文字，并按照要求用英语写一篇150词左右的文章。

WeChat is testing a new feature that allows public bloggers to add paywalls to their posts, the company said Wednesday.

Qualified bloggers can charge readers up to 208 yuan($30)for each article, and WeChat will charge the bloggers a technical service fee.

WeChat, the most popular social media app in China with 1.15 billion monthly active users, said the feature aims to motivate original content publishers to produce more posts with higher quality.

Public blogging accounts, which can be tun by individuals or companies, currently make money from in app advertisements, which are negotiated directly between advertisers and blog owners, with WeChat not taking a cut. Readers can also voluntarily tip bloggers directly via a function called Zan Shang.

Android users can pay with WeChat Pay, Tencent's mobile payment method. Users with iOS, however, must use Apple's in app purchase service, meaning that Apple will take a cut of as much as 30% for each transaction.

It's unclear how bloggers and readers will respond to the new feature as Chinese users are used to large amounts of free content shared on the social media platform.

（写作内容）

1.用约30个单词概括上述信息的主要内容；

2.用约120个单词发表你的观点，内容包括：

（1）支持或反对这种收费；

（2）用2-3个理由或论据支撑你的观点。

（写作要求）

1.写作过程中不能直接引用原文语句；

2.作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；

3.不必写标题。

（评分标准）

内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适当。

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。

The story of the emperor’s new clothes is one of Andersen's best-known fables. Conmen fool the monarch into believing they have made him a fabulous suit that the unworthy will be unable to see. Courtiers dare not say that the emperor is naked; it takes a child to point out the obvious.

The moral is that people are often too hidebound (迂腐的) by social convention o state their views. How many companies have ploughed ahead with expensive projects that were favoured by the chief executive, even when other managers have had doubts? In his new book Rebel ldeas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, Matthew Syed argues that the key to dealing with this problem is “cognitive diversity”, in other words, assembling a team of people with different perspectives and intellectual backgrounds. It is not just about selecting people for teams from both sexes and various ethnicities. Hire only Cambridge politics graduates or Harvard MBAS or Stanford software engineers and they will have studied under the same professors and absorbed similar world views regardless of their gender or skin colour.

There is another element to selecting a good team: ensuring that those viewpoints are heard and respected. That may not happen if those in charge are overbearing(专横的). A study of over 300 projects by the Rotterdam School of Management found that those led by junior managers were more likely to succeed than those led by senior managers maybe because other team members were less scared about pointing out potential dangers to someone lower down the pecking order(权势等级).

The ability to speak up within an organization, without fear of punishment, is known as “psychological safety”. Mr. Syed cites a study of teams at Google, which found that self-reported psychological safety was by far the most important factor behind successful teamwork at the technology giant.

One way to overcome shyness while brainstorming, for instance, is for everyone to write down their ideas but ensure their names are never known. That way opinions about thoughts are less closely tied to the seniority of the thinker and can be tested against each other with less fear or favour.

Increasing the number and range of ideas on offer may be the secret of success. As Mr. Syed writes, the willingness to share knowledge pays off in a world of complexity. Another advantage of diversity is that outsiders can spot profitable opportunities that insiders may miss. Immigrants account for 13% of the American population but 27. 5%of those who start a new business. By their nature, migrants have more get up and go than the average person otherwise they wouldn't move Some may start businesses because existing ones won't hire foreigners, but Mr. Syed is probably right that experiencing more than one culture is a competitive advantage.

The professor

“A teacher affects eternity(永恒); he can never tell where his influence stops.”

----Henry Adams

He was eight years old. A telegram came from the hospital, and since his father, a Russian immigrant, could not read English, Morrie had to break the news, reading his mother’s death notice like a student read in front of the class. “We regret to inform you...” he began.

On the morning of the funeral, Morrie's relatives came down the steps of his tenement building on the poor Lower East Side of Manhattan.

At the cemetery, Morrie watched as they shoveled dirt into his mother’s grave. He tried to recall the tender moments they had shared when she was alive. She had operated a candy store until she got sick, after which she mostly slept or sat by the window, looking frail and weak. Sometimes she would yell out for her son to get her some medicine, and young Morrie, playing stickball in the street, would pretend he did not hear her. In his mind he believed he could make the illness go away by ignoring it.

How else can a child deal with death?

Morrie's father, whom everyone called Charlie, had come to America to escape the Russian Army. He worked in the fur business, but constantly out of a job. Uneducated and barely able to speak English, he was terribly poor, and the family was on the public assistance much of the time. Sometimes, to make money, Morrie and his younger brother, David, would wash porch steps together for a nickel(镍币).

One morning, David couldn't move. He had polio(小儿麻痹症). For a long time as his brother was taken back and forth to a special medical home and was forced to wear braces on his legs, which left him limping Morrie felt responsible.

So in the mornings, he went to synagogue(犹太教会堂) and he stood among the swaying men in their long black coats and he asked God to take care of his dead mother and his sick brother.

And in the afternoons, he stood at the bottom of the subway steps and sold magazines, turning whatever money he made over to his family to buy food.

In the evenings, he watched his father eat in silence, hoping for-but never getting a show of affection, communication, warmth.

At nine years old, he felt as if the weight of a mountain were on his shoulders.

But a saving embrace came into Morrie, s life the following year: his new stepmother, Eva. She was a short Romanian immigrant with plain features, curly brown hair, and the energy of two women. She had a glow (光) that warmed the otherwise murky atmosphere his father created. She talked when her new husband was silent, she sang songs to the children at night. Morrie took comfort in her smoothing voice, her school lessons, her strong character. When his brother returned from the medical home, still wearing braces from the polio, the two of them shared a rollaway bed in the kitchen of their apartment, and Eva would kiss them good night. Morrie waited on those kisses like a puppy waits on milk, and he felt, deep down, that he had a mother again.

There was no escaping their poverty, however. Because of the Depression, Morrie’s father found even less work in the fur business.

Still, despite their circumstances, Morrie was taught to love and to care. And to learn. Eva would accept nothing less than excellence in school, because she saw education as the only antidote to their poverty. She herself went to night school to improve her English. Morrie's love for education was hatched in her arms.

He studied at night, by the lamp at the kitchen table. And in the mornings he would go to synagogue to say Kaddish-the memorial prayer for the dead for his mother. He did this to keep her memory alive.

“What will you do? Eva would ask him.

“I don' t know,” he would say. He ruled out law, because he didn't like lawyers, and he ruled out medicine, because he couldn't take the sight of blood.

“What will you do?”

It was only through default that the best professor I ever had became a teacher.

1.Why didn't Morrie respond to Mother's yelling for medicine?

A.He didn't know how to help his mother.

B.He was too focused on playing stickball.

C.He was lost in tender moments they shared in the past.

D.He was too young to understand what was happening to his family.

2.After Eva joined in the family, Morrie____________.

A.began to enjoy a materially rich life.

B.witnessed his father changing the atmosphere.

C.partly recovered from the sufferings in his life.

D.was forced to pursue academic achievements.

3.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word "antidote"?

A.alterative. B.credit.

C.exception. D.solution.

4.What gives Morrie the initial affection for education?

A.His stepmother’s influence. B.His desire for knowledge.

C.His experience at school. D.His memory of Mother.

5.Which of the following can best describe Morrie?

A.Innocent and adventurous. B.Energetic and ambitious.

C.Responsible and diligent. D.Optimistic and religious.

6.What can we learn from the story?

A.Every cloud has a silver lining. B.No man is wise at all times.

C.Time and tide wait for no man. D.Well begun is half done

    London, New York, Tokyo and Paris these famous cities have a commanding influence on the world economy and are home to millions of people, as well as internationally famous arts, culture and educational institutions. But they are hardly representative of the rest of the world’s cities. While 54% of the global population live in cities, around half of those live in cities that have 500,000 inhabitants or fewer.

These “ordinary” cities can be overlooked by politicians, investors, researchers and big businesses. But they are dynamic places with many layers of social, cultural and economic significance. After experiencing a period of post-industrial decline, many such cities are considering urban regeneration (再生) programmes.

But that doesn't mean they have to follow the same path as other urban areas. In fact, the research into urban development has found that ordinary cities can avoid some of the ill effects of regeneration, by embracing what makes them unique.

At the turn of the century, city leaders became increasingly interested in the idea of the “creative city,” The idea was to encourage a “creative class” of talented workers to make their homes and businesses in cities, by creating urban spaces that are open, inclusive and diverse, as well as attractive and technologically advanced.

“Regeneration” became a buzzword associated with these types of strategies, which seek to repurpose seemingly disused or rundown spaces to support an economy led by creative and technological industries. The apparent success of creative city policies was seen in post-industrial centres such as Detroit, US, following investments in cultural, artistic and musical urban renewal.

Such policies swiftly became the go-to strategy for seemingly “ordinary” post-industrial cities around the world, even resulting in new rankings that pit cities against each other, based on criteria including entrepreneurship (创业精神), urban leadership and “liveability”. Having plenty of former industrial spaces that can be adapted for new uses, and a desire to be noticed on the national or global stage, encourages investment in urban regeneration from both public and private sources.

Yet regeneration programmes inspired by the creative city agenda can cause problems. Property developers (地产开发商) and foreign investors have recognized the economic potential of real estate(房地产) in “creative” cities. This has led to rocketing land costs, and many low-income residents have felt the effects of being displaced from their homes.

Yet as more cities seek to emphasize their cultural assets(资产), city leaders and policy makers must be aware of the negative impacts that can arise if local residents are not central to the decision-making process. This emphasizes the need to consider local contexts and communities before operating copycat creative policies.

1.Some famous cities can’t represent the rest of the world's cities in that____________.

A.they are always ignored by politicians, researchers and businessmen

B.they accommodate millions of people but don't contribute to the world economy.

C.about a quarter of global population live in middle-sized and small cities.

D.not all famous arts, culture and educational organizations are distributed there.

2.What measure was probably taken by cities like Detroit to promote city development?

A.Using culture and art as a driving force.

B.Forcing low-income residents to move.

C.Following the same path as some big cities.

D.Encouraging industrial investment continuously.

3.What does the author want to stress in the passage?

A.Cities should copy regeneration programmes.

B.Cities should compete with each other based on some criteria.

C.Cities should seek financial support from sources around the world.

D.Cities should consider regional factors before using creative policies.

4.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A.Ordinary cities successfully avoid ill-effects of development.

B.Ordinary cities don' t have to copy trends to regenerate.

C.Ordinary cities are trying to recover from post-industrial decline.

D.Ordinary cities are dynamic places with social importance.

    Mother Nature has it figured out. She’s designed a master scheme that connects plants and animals, all working in concert to keep every living thing in balance.

This is especially obvious in places like central Africa and in South American tropical rainforests where certain animals help keep trees safe and healthy, which is critical as trees absorb vast amounts of planet-warming carbon pollution.

Recent research warns that losing the creatures that nurture trees puts forests in danger. This, by extension, is helping to accelerate dangerous climate change.

In central Africa for example, elephants eat fast-growing trees, making room for those that grow more slowly. The slow-growing trees with their very dense wood store more carbon than the thinner, faster-developing ones Without elephants, more carbon would accumulate in the atmosphere, worsening climate change according to a new study that used computer models to project what could happen if elephant populations continue to decrease or become extinct.

Africa may once have contained 10 million elephants from the Mediterranean to the Cape, in every habitat except extreme desert. In 1970, there may have been a million left. By the end of the 1980s, there were half that number, mostly killed for the ivory trade, "said Stephen Blake, assistant professor of biology at St. Louis University.

By killing elephants, poachers (偷猎者) rob slow growing trees of their guardian. They also slow the growth of new trees. Elephants blaze(开辟) trails and disperse(散播) seeds as they look for food. “Elephants are basically the gardeners of the forest,” Blake said. They disperse over 100 species of seeds, and disperse more of them over longer distances than other dispersers.”

Blake, who has spent nearly 20 years in Africa working in elephant research and conservation, mourns their fate, describing them as “a complex society of intelligent, caring, emotional animals who respect their grandmothers and mourn their dead” and condemns those who neglect their duty to save them.

“We will go to Mars-there is no doubt-humans are too smart not to,” he said. “Yet we do not have the wisdom to protect elephants and their forest environment that do so much for our physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being.

1.Elephants help keep slow-growing trees safe and healthy by________.

A.providing living space for them.

B.dispersing seeds when searching for food.

C.decreasing in number and reducing carbon accumulation.

D.protecting them in the forest from being cut down.

2.What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A.The world is changing at a faster speed than before.

B.People are intelligent enough to protect the environment.

C.What we have done to protect elephants is far from satisfactory.

D.Animals are so smart that they care much about the well-being of humans.

3.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

A.Elephants are in danger of dying out in the near future.

B.Elephants are fighting climate change in ways humans can’t.

C.Animals are assumed to be the gardeners of the forest.

D.Animals are accelerating dangerous climate change.

Northern Lights in a Superjeep

Tour Operator: Superdeep. is Travel method: Jeep/4x4 Region: Capital Region

The northern lights are a natural wonder, ethereal sheets of green and blue lights swaying across the starry night sky.

To see the lights, you need to get out of the city lights on a clear winter's night. The northern lights guides are experts at finding the best spot for viewing the elusive(难以得到的) lights, giving you the very best chance possible to see them. Travelling in a small group means that your moment under the northern lights will be intimate and personal and the sturdy vehicle also allows for a greater range of movement. The superjeep drivers can get off the beaten path and take you to places where it's just you, the Icelandic nature and the northern lights.

Important information

This tour lasts 3-4 hours. Free pick-up from your hotel in the capital area begins at 20: 00.

From 15/09-31/09 and 15/03-15/04. The pickup starts at 21: 00 due to a longer daylight.

It is vital to wear comfortable and appropriate clothing like waterproof, walking shoes, dress in layers to be able to enjoy your journey to the fullest.

Attention

The Northern Lights Superjeep tour is dependent on the weather and sky conditions and we reserve the right to cancel at any time. If the evening tour goes ahead and the Northern Lights are not seen, we will offer the trip again for free!

We make the decision around 17: 00 every day if the tour is on or not due to weather condition. Please contact us around 17: 00 on the day of your our to confirm the forecast is good and tour is ON at info@superjeep. is or call 00 354 569 8000.

Dress for the worst, hope for the best and prepare to be surprised.

1.Why is joining in the Northern Lights Superjeep tour a good choice?

A.Because it helps tourists find the only viewing spot of the northern lights.

B.Because it provides tourists with a small-group personalized experience.

C.Because it allows travelling with many friends or companions around.

D.Because it ensures an amazing trip with a limited range of movement.

2.From the advertisement we know that___________.

A.a free pick-up in the capital area is available at 20: 00 every day.

B.dressing formally is important for tourists to fully enjoy the trip.

C.tourists are supposed to confirm the trip is on as early as possible.

D.weather conditions are a great concern for the tour operator.

    It all started with a commercial. I watched the baby take his first_________ on TV, right before his family left for a trip to Disney World. An idea came to my mind: I wanted to go to Disney World. For most young kids, it's a(n)    _______ request, but for me, it is unique. I was born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫), which doesn't________ me to walk on my own. Over the next three years or so, I worked with physical therapists and practiced walking, standing, and balance all  __________that I would need to turn my goal into a reality.

I remember the feeling when my legs would_________ doing any more work, practically turning to jelly(胶状物). __________ this, everyone else told me I could do it, so I persisted. I walked, stood, balanced, until the ______came. On June 9, 2008, I stood in the tunnel leading into Main Street, looking around at my adoring fans, otherwise ________ as my family and friends. My dad asked me if I wanted any help doing this thing. I promptly replied, “No!” and situated myself ________ the end of the tunnel, feet_________ firmly, heart most likely beating out of my chest. Step, step, step, step, bump. I __________quickly what had happened: I ________ my momentum (冲力)and my focus, bumping into something. _________, we had practiced this type of ________ beforehand. Holding fast onto the handlebars, I gathered all of my six-year-old ___________and straightened out, _________my pace once again. It wasn't too long before the__________became louder because I had made it to the end, where my mom was waiting with tears in her eyes.

Looking back on that experience, I realize something thoughtful. Every once in a while, life will________  a few bumps in the road. _______ it may set you back for a bit don’t let it ________ you. Pick yourself back up and finish. It’s worth it.

1.A.steps B.risk C.photos D.chance

2.A.official B.blind C.explicit D.normal

3.A.leave B.require C.allow D.expect

4.A.skills B.possibilities C.answers D.features

5.A.delay B.protest C.admit D.miss

6.A.Besides B.Against C.Despite D.Beyond

7.A.time B.help C.memory D.person

8.A.appointed B.evaluated C.emphasized D.known

9.A.searching B.missing C.facing D.overlooking

10.A.planted B.controlled C.buried D.tied

11.A.explained B.realize C.confirmed D.proved

12.A.sustained B.lost C.gathered D.acquired

13.A.Partly B.Luckily C.Alternatively D.Abruptly

14.A.technique B.involvement C.situation D.intention

15.A.patience B.curiosity C.dignity D.strength

16.A.laughing at B.worrying about C.picking up D.looking

17.A.cheering B.explosion C.shout D.scream

18.A.guarantee B.spread C.distribute D.throw

19.A.Until B.Unless C.Since D.Though

20.A.threaten B.push C.stop D.cheat

—Kobe Bryant was a basketball star with strong fighting spirit.

—_____________. He's always a role model for youngsters.

A.I couldn't agree more. B.I can't help it. C.I couldn't be bothered. D.I beg to differ.

Local governments will step up efforts to keep employment stable, with all-round measures_________ more jobs.

A.being created. B.created. C.having been created. D.to create.

The composition seems imperfect but you should make_________ for the fact that the author is only seven.

A.appointments. B.assumptions. C.allowances. D.arrangements

Designing a powerful beginning is crucial-not only does it make readers stay with your story, ______you develop the plot.

A.does it also help. B.it also helps. C.does also help. D.also helps