Some people are so rude. Who sends an e-mail or a text message that just says “Thank you?” Who leaves a voice mail message rather than texts you? Who asks for a fact easily found on the Internet? 1.

Maybe I’m the rude one for not appreciating life’s little courtesies(礼节). But many social norms(规范) just don’t make sense to people drowning in digital communication.

Take the thank-you note. Daniel Post Senning, a coauthor of Emily Post’s Etiquette，asked, “At what point does showing appreciation outweigh the cost?”

2. Think of how long it takes to listen to one of those messages. In texts, you don’t have to declare who you are or even say hello. E-mail, too, is slower than a text. The worst are those who leave a voice mail and then send an e-mail message to tell you they left a voice mail.

This isn’t the first time technology has changed our manners, 3. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor, suggested that people say, " Ahoy! "Finally, hello won out, and the victory sped up the greeting's use in face-to-face communications.

In the age of the smart phone, there is no reason to ask once-acceptable questions about:the weather forecast, a business’s phone number, or directions to a house, a restaurant, or an office, which can be easily found on a digital map. 4. And when you answer, they respond with a thank-you e-mail.

How to handle these differing standards? Easy: Consider your audience. Some people,especially older ones, appreciate a thank-you message. 5. In traditional societies, the young learn from the old. But in modern societies, the old can also learn from the young. Here's hoping that politeness never goes out of fashion but that time-wasting forms of communication do.

A. Then there is voice mail.

B. Others, like me, want no reply.

C. But people still ask these things.

D. Don’t these people realize that they’re wasting your time?

E. Won't new technology bring about changes in our daily life?

F. Face-to-face communication makes comprehension much easier.

G. When the telephone was invented, people didn't know how to greet a caller.

    We may think we're a culture that gets rid of our worn technology at the first sight of something shiny and new, but a new study shows that we keep using our old devices(装置) well after they go out of style. That’s bad news for the environment — and our wallets — as these outdated devices consume much more energy than the newer ones that do the same things.

To figure out how much power these devices are using, Callie Babbitt and her colleagues at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York tracked the environmental costs for each product throughout its life — from when its minerals are mined to when we stop using the device. This method provided a readout for how home energy use has evolved since the early 1990s. Devices were grouped by generation — Desktop computers, basic mobile phones, and box-set TVs defined 1992. Digital cameras arrived on the scene in 1997. And MP3 players, smart phones, and LCD TVs entered homes in 2002, before tablets and e-readers showed up in 2007.

As we accumulated more devices, however, we didn't throw out our old ones. "The living-room television is replaced and gets planted in the kids' room, and suddenly one day, you have a TV in every room of the house," said one researcher. The average number of electronic devices rose from four per household in 1992 to 13 in 2007. We're not just keeping these old devices — we continue to use them. According to the analysis of Babbitt's team, old desktop monitors and box TVs with cathode ray tubes are the worst devices with their energy consumption and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions（排放）more than doubling during the 1992 to 2007 window.

So what's the solution（解决方案）? The team's data only went up to 2007, but the researchers also explored what would happen if consumers replaced old products with new electronics that serve more than one function, such as a tablet for word processing and TV viewing. They found that more on-demand entertainment viewing on tablets instead of TVs and desktop computers could cut energy consumption by 44%.

1.What does the author think of new devices?

A.They are environment-friendly. B.They are no better than the old.

C.They cost more to use at home. D.They go out of style quickly.

2.Why did Babbitt's team conduct the research?

A.To reduce the cost of minerals.

B.To test the life cycle of a product.

C.To update consumers on new technology.

D.To find out electricity consumption of the devices.

3.Which of the following uses the least energy?

A.The box-set TV. B.The tablet.

C.The LCD TV. D.The desktop computer.

4.What does the text suggest people do about old electronic devices?

A.Stop using them. B.Take them apart.

C.Upgrade them. D.Recycle them.

    Give yourself a test. Which way is the wind blowing? How many kinds of wildflowers can be seen from your front door? If your awareness is as sharp as it could be, you’ll have no trouble answering these questions.

Most of us observed much more as children than we do as adults. A child’s day is filled with fascination, newness and wonder. Curiosity gave us all a natural awareness. But distinctions that were sharp to us as children become unclear; we are numb to new stimulation, new ideas. Relearning the art of seeing the world around us is quite simple, although it takes practice and requires breaking some bad habits.

The first step in awakening senses is to stop predicting what we are going to see and feel before it occurs. This blocks awareness. One chilly night when I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains with some students, I mentioned that we were going to cross a mountain stream. The students began complaining about how cold it would be. We reached the stream, and they unwillingly walked ahead. They were almost knee-deep when they realized it was a hot spring. Later they all admitted they’d felt cold water at first.

Another block to awareness is the obsession (痴迷) many of us have with naming things. I saw bird watchers who spotted a bird, immediately looked it up in field guides, and said, a “ruby-crowned kinglet” and checked it off. They no longer paid attention to the bird and never learned what it was doing.

The pressures of “time” and “destination” are further blocks to awareness. I encountered many hikers who were headed to a distant camp-ground with just enough time to get there before dark. It seldom occurred to them to wander a bit, to take a moment to see what’s around them. I asked them what they’d seen. “Oh, a few birds,” they said. They seemed bent on their destinations.

Nature seems to unfold to people who watch and wait. Next time you take a walk, no matter where it is, take in all the sights, sounds and sensations. Wander in this frame of mind and you will open a new dimension to your life.

1.According to Paragraph 2, compared with adults, children are more ________.

A.anxious to do wonders B.sensitive to others’ feelings

C.likely to develop unpleasant habits D.eager to explore the world around them

2.What idea does the author convey in Paragraph 3?

A.To avoid jumping to conclusions. B.To stop complaining all the time.

C.To follow the teacher’s advice. D.To admit mistakes honestly.

3.Why do the hikers take no notice of the surroundings during the journey?

A.The natural beauty isn’t attractive to them.

B.They focus on arriving at the camp in time.

C.The forest in the dark is dangerous for them.

D.They are keen to see rare birds at the destination.

4.In the passage, the author intends to tell us we should ________.

A.fill our senses to feel the wonders of the world

B.get rid of some bad habits in our daily life

C.open our mind to new things and ideas

D.try our best to protect nature

    My friends are often jealous of my good memory. When they were beating their brains to recall how many people attended John’s ninth birthday, I succeeded in reminding them of the details. I told them that Tom, Barbara, Tony and I did; that Mary brought a toy car as a gift, Tom brought a four-in-one game disc…; that John said after blowing out the candles his wish was to be a pilot when he grew up… When Bob, Jim and Elizabeth were quarrelling, faces flush with anger, about the name of the forest where they went camping, I stopped them by detailing to them on which date, which month, which year we visited which forest and ate what food for picnic…

Bob often says, “Lewis, if only I had a memory half as good as you!” Whenever hearing this, a voice shouted from the bottom of my heart, “How I wish God gave me a forgetfulness half as good as you!”

In fact, instead of being proud of my memory, I hate it; I’ve suffered a lot from it, for it is sometimes too good: I can remember everything I’ve experienced, including what I don’t want to remember; indeed, I do hope to forget something!

Barbara and I are best friends from the cradle. In fact, our relationship was already beyond friendship; it was that of lovers. But one day she left me for no reason except that I was too familiar to her to further our relationship. Over the next two months and a half, I couldn’t fall to sleep. While in bed wide awake, I warned myself, “You must forget her, otherwise you will get destroyed.” But my good memory failed me again and again — I could remember how beautiful it was when I first kissed her affectionately and then in turn received even more affectionate responses; I could remember every sweet word she had said to me…

1.The first paragraph is intended to describe ________.

A.how the writer’s friends were jealous of him

B.what a good memory the writer had

C.what happy childhood he shared with his friends

D.what an important part he played among his friends

2.Barbara left the writer ________.

A.for nothing B.because she hated it that he kissed her

C.because their friendship broke D.because she was tired of him

3.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A.The writer and Barbara had a long-time friendship.

B.The writer, somehow, hated his good memory.

C.The writer was struggling to tear himself off the pain of losing love.

D.Tony’s wish was to be a pilot when he grew up.

4.What the writer suffered the most was that ________.

A.he had got too good a memory B.Barbara left for no reason

C.others were jealous of him D.the sweet past was out of memory

    Embassy Suites by Hilton Santa Ana Orange County Airport

Neighborhood: John Wayne Airport (SNA), Orange County

1325 East Dyer Road, Santa Ana, CA

OVERALL GUEST SCORE

Very Good

Based on 163 Guest Ratings

Hotel Description

Being close to airport and freeway access makes the Embassy Suites a top choice for our guests in the area. The 300-room Embassy Suites offers homey comforts for those on business and vacation alike—suites with separate living and sleeping areas, refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, Wi-Fi access and two TVs. Wake up to a free cooked-to-order breakfast and enjoy the indoor pool and fitness center. A two-hour evening reception offers drinks and appetizers and the on-site restaurant serves American favorites. The property also has a business center with copy and fax services. Parking is available for an additional fee. Less than two miles from I-405, the Embassy Suites is within a half-mile of various restaurants and just three miles from John Wayne Airport. Our guests say the Embassy Suites’ location, “brilliant” breakfast and “friendly” staff make it one of their favorite Santa Ana properties.

1.________ makes the Embassy Suites a top choice for its guests in the area.

A.The business center B.The friendly staff

C.The convenient location D.Wi-Fi access

2.According to the guest ratings, all the guests are satisfied with its ________.

A.heating system B.accommodations

C.parking fee D.breakfast

3.This advertisement is made more believable by ________.

A.providing the exact address B.using guests’ comments

C.analyzing its pros and cons D.interviewing the guests

假如你是李华，请你给你的英国朋友Jason写一封E-mail。邀请他观看2022年即将在北京举办的冬奥会开幕式。内容包括：

1. 这是中国第一次举办冬奥会;

2. 向他表达你的民族自豪感;

3. 注意事项（天气，交通等）。

注意：1. 词数100左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Jason,

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换作文，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（从第11处起）不计分。

As the coming of skiing competition in our school , we decided to practice skiing. Last Sunday, my classmates and I got together at the school gate. In the early morning, leading by Ms Li, we went there by bus. On the bus we sang some popular songs and play some games as well. Then we told some instructions on how to ski safe. It took us half a hour to arrive. On changing our clothes, we couldn’t wait it to ski on the snow. We were black and blue because of many fall. The sun set after we knew it. Although we were tired and hungry, we were exciting.

阅读下面材料，根据上下文在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或所提供单词的正确形式（不多于3个单词）。

Young people 1. (bear) in 1995 or later have another name in English-Generation Z. Now entering adulthood and soon to join the workforce, Generation Z grew up in a special period of time when new 2. (technology) were accepted and the Internet became universal.

It 3. (believe) that Generation Z is the generation that is going to shape our future, 4. is why policy makers are trying 5. best to understand these young people. This is a group of people who have been familiar 6. social media as soon as they came to the world. It may be true that Generation Z-ers have a shorter attention span than a goldfish 7. (do), but since they became adults among social changes, they are 8. (much) active in politics than their parents.

Generation Z-ers are also culture creators.9. (grow) up with the Internet has freed this generation from traditional cultural thoughts. These young people never10.(willing)let their creativity be limited by their parents or traditional rules.

    It was the wedding anniversary and Rose was waiting for her husband to show up. After some years of marriage, things ____ between them. Once a cute couple who couldn’t live without each other now had turned a bit ____ .

They were now fighting over every little thing, but they both didn’t like changes came into their ____ . Wife was waiting to see if Bryan remembered that it was their wedding ____ . As the door bell rang she ran toward the door and opened it with a ____ and a bunch of flowers to greet her husband . ____ started to celebrate. They wanted to make up for fights. They prepared champagne and light music to celebrate.

____the phone in the bedroom rang.

Rose went to ____ it up. On the call there was a man who said, “Hello ma’am, I am calling from the ____ station. Is this Mr. Bryan Currie’s number?”

She replied, “Yes it is!”

“I am sorry ma’am, ____ there has been an accident and a man died. We got this number from his ____ . Can you please come and identify the body?” the man said.

Rose was ____ !! “But my husband is with me here!!”, she replied.

“ The incident ____ this afternoon while he was getting off a bus.” the man replied. Rose was about to ____ her consciousness. “How could this happen?”, She thought to herself.

She had read stories about souls returning to meet their loved ones after their death before they leave. Her heart ____ . In fear she ran towards another room to look for her husband. But he was not there.

She said to herself “It’s true!! He left me forever. Oh God, I can die to have another chance to mend for every ____ we had. I lost my chance forever.” She fell on the floor ____ . All of a sudden there was a noise from the bathroom. The door opened and Bryan came out and said, “Darling, I ____ to tell you today my wallet was stolen.”

Life might not give you a second chance. Never waste any moment while you still have a chance. ____ people and relations in life. Have a wonderful life with no ____ . Because we know no one has promised tomorrow. Live today and enjoy every moment of life.

1.A.changed B.turned C.exchanged D.transformed

2.A.sweeter B.bitter C.better D.greater

3.A.divorce B.work C.hope D.marriage

4.A.party B.church C.congratulations D.anniversary

5.A.surprise B.tear C.smile D.fear

6.A.All B.Both C.None D.Either

7.A.Suddenly B.Occasionally C.Finally D.Eventually

8.A.hold B.put C.pick D.keep

9.A.bus B.police C.train D.TV

10.A.but B.however C.though D.so

11.A.bag B.clothes C.wallet D.body

12.A.delighted B.shocked C.satisfied D.concerned

13.A.broke down B.broke out C.left out D.took place

14.A.lose B.gain C.lack D.attract

15.A.sank B.suspected C.blamed D.ran

16.A.loss B.merry C.fight D.failure

17.A.in vain B.in pain C.in difficulty D.in place

18.A.promised B.forgot C.remembered D.forgave

19.A.Enjoy B.Demand C.Delight D.Value

20.A.regrets B.pains C.fears D.wonders

    The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms(节气). Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on December 7 and ends on December 22. During Major Snow, the snow becomes heavy and begins to accumulate on the ground. The temperature drops significantly.1. .

●Snowy winter

2. . The natural scenery is “ice blockading for hundreds miles and snow flying through thousands miles”. In the South, the snowflakes fly and the world turns white. About the snow, a proverb goes, “A timely snow promises a good harvest”. As the snow covers the ground, pests living through the winter will be killed by the low temperature.

●3.

Wintersweet(腊梅花)usually blossoms in mid-to-late December in some southern cities of China. Sometimes it even blooms earlier. Wintersweet originated in China and is highly appreciated in Chinese culture for its endurance in severe winters. With pine and bamboo, it is referred to as one of the Three Friends of Winter.

●Eating lamb

Lamb is the main food chosen by Chinese people during Major Snow.4.. People in Chongqing like to have potted lamb soup or stewed(炖)lamb soup with their families and friends. Nanjing residents like to stew the lamb with yams or wolfberries to make it more nutritious.

●Preventing respiratory (呼吸系统) illness

The Chinese people during this period pay attention to the outbreak of respiratory illness, which can be prevented by wearing a warm scarf to protect the neck and drinking water properly. During Major Snow, it is drier and colder, so people should drink more water.5..

A.Appreciating wintersweet

B.Blooming wintersweet

C.Here are several things you should know about Major Snow

D.At the same time, don’t drink cold water after exercise

E.But one should drink too much water at once

F.The snow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the road

G.It is excellent for nourishing the body, promoting blood circulation and providing protection against the cold.

    When it comes to losing weight, many individuals know that the correct amount of exercise paired with healthy eating is the way to go. However, this doesn’t stop individuals from employing other small strategies into their routines to help the weight come off faster. The cold water technique uses the understanding that our metabolic (新陈代谢) rate will need to be increased in order to warm up the water we have consumed.

In 2003, a German research team chose to study fourteen participants and found that when they consumed ice water, they were able to increase their caloric consumption. According to the study, this consumption was increased by about 30% for over an hour, resulting in a 100 calorie burn per day with two liters of cold water. Now two liters of cold water a day is quite a lot to consume but for 100 calories burned a day, that’s a pretty major benefit considering how much exercise it takes just to burn 100-200 calories off. Unfortunately, later on, it was found that the way the study measured caloric consumption was flawed(有缺陷的) and that there wasn’t actually a 30% rise in metabolic rate but rather a very small statistical rise in calories spent.

Your body will work to bring any cold water that you consume up to the internal temperature through your metabolic system. It’s like when you place an ice cube into a warm drink, the drink will use up the energy to melt down the ice cube. Your body will use up the energy to heat that water up to match the environment within your body.

Drinking ice cold water should not replace healthy eating or exercise, but it can be used to help you burn away some extra calories.

1.When it comes to losing weight, some individuals will      .

A.think exercise is the best way to lose weight

B.think we should only have healthy eating

C.use some small strategies to help them

D.first think of drinking cold water

2.What can be learned about the studies mentioned in the passage?

A.The cold water can sharply increase the caloric consumption.

B.It turned out that the former study was not entirely correct.

C.Two liters of ice water can burn 30% calories.

D.The cold water can replace exercise.

3.The author holds the belief in this passage that      .

A.drinking cold water can help people lose weight in a way

B.healthy eating needn’t be combined with exercise

C.people should drink more cold water to keep healthy

D.the study is unbelievable

4.From which is the text probably taken?

A.Sports news B.A fashion magazine

C.A chemistry textbook D.A science magazine

    US enrollment(入学注册)of international students declined for the second year in a row, sending waves of unease across American colleges and universities, which see students from abroad as a buffer (缓冲) against the falling number of US high-school students graduating each year.

The number of new international students enrolling at American institutions fell by 6.6% during the 2017-18 academic year, while a 3.3% decline the year before, according to a report by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The total number of international students in the US plus those working here on a student visa rose by just 1.5% this year. That was down from average annual growth of 6.1% over the past decade. Several factors are driving the decrease. Visa and immigration policy changes by the Trump administration have prevented some international students from enrolling, college administrators and immigration analysts said. A strong dollar has made US college tuition relatively more expensive, Canadian and European universities are competing fiercely for the same students, and headlines about mass shootings also may have prevented some students, said Allan Goodman, president of IIE.

Foreign students are big business. They pumped $42 billion into US college and university coffers (金库) in the 2017-18 school year alone.

1.The US government is expecting for more International students because _________.

A.they need gifted students from all over the world

B.the population in the US is growing older and older

C.they can compete with the universities from all over the world

D.fewer US high-school students graduate each year

2.The number of new international students enrolling at American institutions fell by_____ during 2016-17 academic year.

A.6.6% B.3.3%

C.1.5% D.6.1%

3.The decrease of the US enrollment of international students lay in several factors Except that       .

A.the immigration policy has been changed

B.the expense of studying in America is high now

C.there were too many reports about gun shooting

D.the big mountain fire frightened the students away

4.What is the best title for this passage?

A.US sees fewer international students

B.America’s new policies

C.Fewer Chinese students study in the US

D.More money will go into the US

    If you’ve never heard of eight-year-old Gavin Thomas, you clearly aren’t one of the millions of people around the world who have fallen in love with the young internet sensation (网红) .

But it isn’t in his native United States that Gavin has really hit the big time, the honor belongs to China. Since creating a profile a mere four months ago on Weibo, Gavin has gained an astonishing 1.8 million followers - and the number continues to grow, along with his fame. On Twitter, by comparison, Gavin has a mere 450,000 followers.

Why is a young American, born in Minnesota and still in elementary school, an instant sensation in the largest country in the world? It’s because of Gavin’s unique facial expressions, which have become a hugely successful viral meme (模仿传递行为) . Gavin first made a name for himself in the US, when short videos of him playing with his uncle Nick Mastodon quickly became a hit online. But it wasn’t until Gavin’s videos spread gradually to the Chinese cyberspace, particularly one of his reacting with a nervous smile to a gecko (壁虎) being placed on his head, that his fame truly took off. A picture of Gavin’s face, smiling awkwardly, might be used as many as 10 million times a day across China’s various social media platforms, according to Ann Ding, founder and CEO of Dongtu.com, a major distributor of online gifts, told CNN. Ding said Gavin seemed to be more popular in China than in the US. She estimated that all of the total number of Gavin related pictures used across platforms in China has easily exceeded 1 billion. His appearance on Weibo was widely reported by Chinese state media, and his first trip to China in August made headlines across the country.

1.Where is Gavin more popular?

A.In the USA. B.In the Europe.

C.All over the world. D.In China.

2.Gavin Thomas has so many followers because of his ________.

A.unique facial expressions B.great contribution to China

C.coming to China D.his appearance with his uncle

3.The underlined word “exceeded” in the last paragraph means________.

A.enlarged B.strengthened

C.surpassed D.finished

4.Which of the following statements is true?

A.He has never come to China but well-known here.

B.He earned followers not only from the USA but also from China.

C.He became famous when reacting to a gecko placed on his head.

D.Gavin now works in major Chinese social media platforms.

100-Word-Story Competition 2018

Our annual short-story competition is back for its eighth year. As ever, we look forward to reading yours!

The Rules

Please make sure that stories are new, not previously published and exactly 100 words long (not including the title). We may use entries in all print and electronic media.

Entry is open only to people living in the UK. It is not open to employees of Reader’s Digest and all others associated with this competition, their immediate families and relatives living in an employee’s household.

Terms and Conditions

There are three categories-one for adults and two for schools: one for children aged 12-18 and one for children under 12.

In the adults category, the winner will receive￡1,000 and two runners-up will each receive￡250. In the 12-18s and under-12s categories, the winners will each receive a Fire HD 8 Tablet and a selection of STAEDTLER products worth￡50, plus two STAEDTLER classpacks of pencils for their school. The two runners-up in both categories will each receive a Kindle E-Reader.

Please submit your stories by 5 pm on February 19.

The editorial team will pick a shortlist of entries, which this year will be published by our partner nicereading.com. Winners of the categories will have an opportunity to write a longer version of their stories for inclusion in the book.

The three best stories in each category will be posted on-line at readersdigest.co.uk on February 27. You can vote for your favourite, and the one with the most votes wins the top prize. Voting will close at 5 pm on March 19 and the winning list will be published in our June issue (六月刊) .

1.Who is allowed to take part in the story competition?

A.A British man of 20. B.A staff of Reader’s Digest.

C.One of the organizers. D.A brother of the staff.

2.Which of the following will be awarded to the runner-up in the adults category?

A.A Fire HD 8 Tablet. B.A Kindle E-Reader.

C.￡50. D.￡250.

3.Where will the three best stories in each category will be posted?

A.On TV. B.In a magazine.

C.On a website. D.In a book.

阅读下面短文, 根据其内容写一篇 60 词左右的内容概要。

How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments - mostly for entertainment purposes is fair and respectful?

Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.

Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range (分布区). The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.

The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis(动物精神病). A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.

Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?

Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons why people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

假定你是李华, 你的好友张明邀请你参加他的 18 岁生日聚会, 你因故不能参加。请用英语给他 写一封电子邮件。内容包括：

●感谢邀请；

●表达祝愿；

●你不能参加的原因；

●你准备的礼物以及如何送给他；

注意：1. 词数 100 左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯；

3. 开头语和结束语已为你写好, 不计入总词数

Dear Zhang ming

How are you?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li hua

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 an1.(effect ) way to improve our English writing ability.

2.(compare)with other forms of writing, it is shorter and takes 3.(little) time. It can help us to develop the habit of thinking in English. If we persist in this practice, gradually we'll learn how to express ourselves in English. In keeping a diary in English, we certainly run up against many4.(difficulty). In the first place,5.often happens that we have trouble6.(find )appropriate words and phrases to give expression to our mind. Secondly, there are many idiomatic ways of saying things in Chinese. And it is extremely hard for us to put them into English7.(proper).

As far as I 8. (concern), we should always have a notebook and a Chinese-English dictionary within easy reach. 9. something beats us, we can first put it down in our notebook and then consult our dictionary. We can also turn to our English teacher for help, if necessary. In short, I believe that it is10.great use to keep a diary in English for the development of our writing skills.

    A visit to the hospital is rarely a pleasant one. As I made my way to the ward(病房), I took a deep breath and_______ a smile. After all, nobody needed another_______ face in the room.

As I entered the ward, I overheard my relatives making plans for a funeral. My grandfather had remained _______ for almost a week, with a _______ diagnosis from the doctor. Was this really the end for him? _______ at my grandparents' place since young, I_______a very close relationship with them. He would sneak me downstairs for ice cream when Grandmother was in the bathroom, while I _______added more sugar in his morning drink because he had a sweet tooth that Grandmother disapproved of.

I wanted to_______ this quiet man. I did not believe it was his time to go. I had read about paper cranes(鹤) and wishes coming true. For every one thousand folded paper cranes, we get a wish granted by the gods. Ridiculous as it sounds to the adults, I managed to_______ my sisters and cousin to carry out this sacred plan.

The last few cranes were ________but a week later he was still in a deep sleep. The one thousand paper cranes had not delivered our________ to the gods. We only had one wish -was that too________to ask for?

Just when all hope seemed________, a call from my aunt changed everything. She wanted us to come to the hospital immediately my grandfather was awake. A visit to the hospital is ________a pleasant one. However, this time, I was________by the scent(香气) of flowers that visitors brought. I stepped into my grandfather's ward and saw him holding our jar of paper cranes. This man of few words looked up at me and said, “My good girl, thank you.”

1.A.hid B.gave C.forced D.return

2.A.beautiful B.miserable C.serious D.ugly

3.A.awake B.silent C.uncertain D.unconscious

4.A.firm B.wrong C.correct D.discouraging

5.A.Supported B.Raised C.Held D.Kept

6.A.improved B.destroyed C.established D.handled

7.A.secretly B.delightedly C.surprisingly D.gladly

8.A.call B.understand C.forget D.awaken

9.A.allow B.convince C.advise D.inform

10.A.completed B.perform C.started D.left

11.A.wish B.suggestion C.information D.opinion

12.A.heavy B.high C.much D.far

13.A.promising B.lost C.reasonable D.inspired

14.A.usually B.gradually C.rarely D.typically

15.A.praised B.accepted C.reminded D.greeted

    Do you have the experience of digging out your suitcase, deciding what to bring and being afraid that you’ve forgotten something? 1. Hope they can transform the way you pack.

Keep a Basket Handy

Do you wait until the last minute to pack? Keep a basket in your bedroom, living room, or bath room that you can use to throw in items you need to pack as you come across them. 2.Besides, you can just put the contents of the basket into your suitcase if you are in a hurry to leave for the airport.

Buy Wrinkle-free Clothing

You won’t need to worry about carefully packing your items of clothing if they’re made from wrinkle-free materials.3. They’ll still look fresh and bright when you are in them at your destination.

Keep Old Packing Lists

Chances are that you end up taking trips that require you to pack similar items. Keep old packing lists from former vacations to the beach, ski resort, and city - that way, you’ll always have a list of at least the basics.4.So you don’t need to waste your effort to remember where you left your hand-written packing lists.

Schedule a Packing Time

Time can slip away from you before a trip — you may be caught up at work, at home, or be occupied with other responsibilities of daily life. 5.That way, you will not need to do your packing frantically（狂乱地）from the last minute to 1 o’clock on the day you leave.

A. Buy necessary stuff when you arrive.

B. That’s why I’ve distilled（提炼）the art of packing down to some essential trips.

C. Just roll them up or put them at the bottom of the suitcase.

D. Determine a night well in advance of departure to pack.

E. Rolling your clothes is the best way to save space for the suitcase.

F. The best way to do this is to save them on your computer.

G. This makes you less likely to forget the stuff.

    According to a report by the United Nations，54 percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas and it predicts that by 2050，this figure will have increased to around 70 percent.But as more and more people migrate from the countryside to the city to get better opportunities，they can end up with nowhere to live.

This is true in places such as Rio de Janeiro，where migrants can’t rent or buy a home，and they end up building their own communities and houses on unoccupied land.These are called shanty towns—poor communities where the houses are built out of cheap materials—and often don’t have any electricity or water supply.

These are，of course，not the megacities(大城市)of the future we want to see. Some serious urban planning is needed to make our cities of the future good，safe and modern places to live in. This involves improving the infrastructure(基础设施)，the housing conditions and also the opportunities for education and employment.

Something urban planners are looking at now is the creation of “smart cities”. According to John Rossant，founder and chairman of the non-profit organization New Cities Foundation ，technology is the way forward.He thinks that it’s generally accepted that“cloud computing, ubiquitous internet，robust 5G networks,etc，will transform our cities.” He says technology is really “a game changer” in urbanisation. It would collect large amounts of data about how a city is performing and may improve how a city functions.

This may sound like a utopian(乌托邦似的)view. For now，some big cities around the world are trying out more low—tech schemes to try and make them desirable places to live and work in. Building shared—ownership housing and improving public transport are some ways. And encouraging cycling and building bike lanes can keep the population healthy and cut down on smog. What would make your city a better place to live in?

1.What’s the text mainly about?

A.The city of the future. B.The increase of the population.

C.Urban construction. D.The function of smart cities.

2.Why does the author mention Rio de Janeiro in Paragraph 2?

A.To show the growth of the world population.

B.To show the problems in urbanization.

C.To show poor living conditions of the city.

D.To show financial trouble of the city.

3.What plays an important role in the creation of smart cities?

A.Technology. B.Urban planning.

C.The infrastructure of the city. D.Opportunities for education.

4.What can we know from the last paragraph?

A.High-tech plans can be easily realized.

B.Public transport is well developed in cities.

C.Shared-ownership houses make no sense.

D.Ways of low-tech are available at present.

    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

    Do you want your writing published? Join us! Our magazine will pay for stories, jokes and anecdotes：

Jokes and Anecdotes

$80

What’s made you laugh recently? A funny sign? A colleague’s behavior? Got a joke? Send it in for Laughter is the Best Medicine!

Email:Juliet@sws. com

Smart Animals

Up to$120

Send us a tale about the strange behavior of unique pets or wildlife in up to 300 words.

Email:audry@sws. com

Power of Love

Up to$200

Acts of generosity can change lives or just give you that warm feeling full of love.

Share your moments in 100-500words. Email:susan@sws. com

My Story

$400

Do you have all inspiring or life-changing story to tell? Your story must be true, unpublished, original and 800-1000words.

Email:nanjc@sws. com

For more information, please visit：http://www. sws. com. /share

1.If you want to share a story of your colleague’s behavior with the readers, you need to submit it to______ .

A.My Story B.Smart Animals

C.Power of Love D.Jokes and Anecdotes

2.Which of the following stories to be published should be emailed to the editor at susan@sws.com?

A.A life-changing story. B.A story about a funny sign.

C.A story showing people’s generosity. D.A tale about the strange behavior of wildlife.

3.An inspiring story sent to the magazine should .

A.be published before B.be real and original

C.describe strange behavior D.contain less than 800 word

4.How much will the magazine pay for a life-changing story to be published?

A.$80 B.$120

C.$200 D.$400

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。

Located halfway up the Italy’s Apennine Mountain，about 1 00 miles northeast of Rome，the Hotel Rigopiano has never been easy to reach. But its isolation(隔绝)only adds to its appeal，attracting a great number of tourists.

Snow began to fall across the Apennines in January and lasted for days. From his home in the Rome suburbs，Matrone watched the weather with concern. He and his wife，Cicioni，had planned an overnight getaway to the hotel. But now he wondered whether they should go. After phoning the hotel，they decided to make the trip. By the time they neared the hotel six hours later，they were battling a snowstorm. When they finally arrived，they were both cold and exhausted. They checked into their room and went to bed early.

As they awoke the next day，they discovered that their difficulty had worsened overnight. The cars in the parking lot were invisible. The phone and power lines were down. They were having breakfast when the hotel began to shake. An earthquake with a magnitude(震级)of 5. 7 had struck the mountain. “Get out of here!”Matrone shouted to his wife. They headed quickly to the parking lot，where others were digging their cars. Fifteen minutes after the first earthquake，another quake hit，this one measuring 5. 6.

With a dozen vehicles freed by noon，the guests set off down the driveway. But when they reached the main road，the path was blocked by a six-foot-high wall of snow. Matrone climbed out of his car and investigated it. There was no road in sight，“We’re trapped!”he told his wife. So they had no choice but to make their way back to the hotel.

As it was getting dark，they managed to be back.  That was when the snow on the mountain began to slide. They heard the avalanche(雪崩)before they saw it. The avalanche gathered speed and size，grabbing rocks and trees and anything else in its way down the mountain，tearing the hotel from its foundation. When the avalanche came to a stop，those caught inside the hotel were left buried in the icy rocks and ruins.

Para1， When Matrone came to himself，he was stuck in the darkness.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Para 2 It was not until the next morning that the rescuers finally arrived.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

假定你是李华，在你校学习的英国交换生Tim发邮件说他下学期要选修一门艺术课, 学校共开设两门课程：中国书法（Chinese Calligraphy）和中国绘画（Chinese Painting）,希望 你能向他推荐其中一门课程。请你给他回一封邮件，内容包括：

1.推荐的课程；

2.推荐的理由；

3.你的祝愿。

注意：1.词数80左右；

2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Tim,

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

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。将答案填写 在答题卡的相应位置。

We communicate with more than just spoken and 1. (write) words. We see examples of unconscious body language very often, yet there is also "learned" body language, 2.varies from culture to culture.

So far, every culture 3. (develop) a formal way to greet strangers, to show them we are not aggressive. 4. (traditional), Europeans and Americans shake hands with the right hand. They also shake hands when they make 5. deal. Greetings in Asian countries do not involve 6.(touch) the other person. In China, when we greet someone, we put the right hand over the left and bow slightly.  Muslims give a “salaam", 7. they touch their heart, mouth and forehead. Hindus join their hands and bow their heads 8. respect. Today American 9.(youth) often greet each other with the expression," Give 10. (I) five! ” Body language is fascinating for anyone to study. People give away much more by their gestures than by their words.

    Li Ning is called the prince of gymnasts. When he ______ at the age of 26, he had won 106 gold medals in major ___ across the world. They _____ six out of seven gold medals at the 1982 World Championship, and three at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (as well as two silver and a bronze), Li Ning was the best, _______ sports journalists met in

1999 to make a _______of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of the twentieth century, Li Ning's name was on it, ______ footballer Pele and boxer Muhammad Ali.  But ______ he had won everything it was possible to win in his sport, Li Ning retired ________the feeling that he had failed. He was _______ because he had not performed well in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

But it was this sense of failure _____ made him determined to succeed in his new life. A year after his retirement, Li Ning _____ a new career as a businessman. But he didn't forget his sporting background. He decided to launch a new brand of sportswear, __________with global giants like Nike and Adidas. He made the ______ choice, for a Chinese person, of choosing his own name as the brand mark. The bright red logo is _____ the first two pinyin letters or Li Ning's name, L and N.

Li Ning's sports clothes came ______ the market at just the right time. The number of young people with money to _____ was on the increase — and sport had never been so ______ Li Ning' s designs were attractive, and they had a major _____ over their better-known rivals — they were ______ A pair of Nike trainers, for example, could cost up to five times as________as a similar Li Ning product. Success for Li Ning was guaranteed, and it came quickly.

1.A.resigned B.began C.retired D.started

2.A.battles B.competitions C.wars D.fights

3.A.included B.got C.received D.had

4.A.Before B.After C.If D.When

5.A.list B.plan C.circle D.speech

6.A.such as B.on behalf of C.together with D.in honor of

7.A.since B.even though C.when D.now that

8.A.from B.through C.for D.with

9.A.disappointed B.confused C.satisfied D.content

10.A.which B.what C.that D.who

11.A.produced B.began C.ended D.continued

12.A.working B.arguing C.dealing D.competing

13.A.unusual B.common C.ordinary D.normal

14.A.made out of B.made into C.made up of D.making up for

15.A.off B.onto C.from D.after

16.A.pay B.cost C.take D.spend

17.A.interesting B.popular C.valuable D.hopeful

18.A.disadvantage B.control C.power D.advantage

19.A.cheaper B.better C.more expensive D.more attractive

20.A.few B.many C.much D.little

    You've decided your child is spoiled（宠坏的），and you want to do something about it. Is it too late? Not necessarily。.  Here are four tips from an expert for getting your child to behave well.

1. You've spoiled your child by giving him or her too much for too little. You can correct this by helping your child to learn to work harder for rewards and understand that not all good behavior is rewarded.2. For example, at first, insist that your daughter put a few toys away before she gets a snack, and gradually increase the amount of work required for each reward.

Don't overreact to crying. When children don't get what they want, their natural behavior is to cry. If you react every time your child cries, you may be denying（拒绝给予） him or her an important chance to learn something. 3.

Prepare for a fight. At the beginning, children's demands will increase when they find out parents are not going to give them the new toys they want. When it happens, be careful not to give in just because the child shouts.   4.

Stick to the program. 5. That' s not necessarily a bad thing. It means the requirements are getting stricter and that your child is accepting changes. Remember： Give it time, and don't give up.

A. Make changes slowly.

B. Cut down on rewards.

C. Try your best to comfort the child.

D. Rather, wait until the child calms down.

E. Your child will probably be upset when you begin making changes.

F. There is little doubt that things will get worse before they get better.

G. As a parent, you need to know when to comfort a child and when to simply walk away.

    Lightning is a powerful force of nature. In fact,  a lightning strike carries millions of volts（伏特）of electricity. Scientists say a bolt of lightning strikes somewhere on Earth every second. That is a lot of energy!

Think how wonderful it would be if we could capture lightning and sell it in a bottle. Sadly, that is not something you or I can do, at least not yet.

The phrase "to catch lighting in a bottle” means capturing something powerful or difficult. Then you are able to control it and perhaps show it to the world. This is where the "bottle” part is important.

We can also use "to catch lightning in a bottle" to describe an extremely difficult or unlikely success. In the world of sports , players and teams have also been known for catching lightning in a bottle. Anything physical that is "lightning in a bottle "can be described as a rare achievement. Climbing the top of Mount Everest is considered a rare achievement of endurance（忍耐力）.

Language experts do not know exactly where this expression comes from. Some say it may have started with Benjamin Franklin---the American diplomat, businessman and inventor. Benjamin Franklin is known for a scientific experiment involving electricity and lightning. As the story goes, Franklin once flew a kite in a lightning storm. He had hoped that lightning would strike the kite as it flew high in the sky. He thought the electricity would travel down the string to a metal key at the bottom. Then the plan was to catch the electricity in a glass jar, but that didn't happen. However, it did lead to the invention of the lightning rod and the understanding of positive and negative charges.

So, you can’t catch real lightning in a bottle. But hopefully, during your lifetime you'll have the experience of catching a little of your own lightning in a bottle・

1.How does the author start the passage?

A.By comparing different views.

B.By giving an example.

C.By presenting some facts.

D.By stating his own experience.

2.The reason why Benjamin Franklin did the scientific experiment was that he aimed to

A.catch the electricity

B.fly a kite in a lightning storm

C.invent the lightning rod

D.understand positive and negative charges

3.Which kind of magazine is this passage probably from?

A.Entertainment. B.Language.

C.Science. D.Sports.

    I was 16 when my father finally decided he would send me to wilderness camp for several months. He had threatened to do it many times before, but my mother had always managed to prevent him from doing so. This time he insisted on doing it.

The latest incident was the last straw. Impulsively （(冲动地）,I had pushed Mr.  Ford, my math teacher, down a flight of steps at school. He broke his arm in two places. Anyway , he had agreed not to accuse me as a favor to my dad, who was in the middle of a tight race for sheriff （执法官）in our town. But my reckless behavior had my dad's closest advisor talking." John? he's your son and he's a kid, but he is dragging you down." his advisor said. "If you can't make your son obey the rules, how can you make the law obeyed in this town?"

So, off to Pisgah National Forest I went. I imagined hours of untold abuse at the hands of some strong officer. I was determined not to be broken. I was who I was.

Nearly every day for six months, a small group of other troubled teens and I carried our 30-pound backpacks on a difficult journey covering about 10 miles.

Our sergeants were firm but kind 9 not frightening as I had imagined. We learned how to make a fire without matches. We learned which plants were safe to eat out in the wild. I felt myself change. I was calm and often reflective. My old, impulsive self was gone.

One morning, six months later, my dad came to pick me up. I ran to hug him and saw happiness and love in his eyes.

"So what's it like being sheriff?" I asked on the ride home.

"I lost the race, Danny,” he said.

"I'm sorry, Dad.” I knew my behavior probably had a lot to do with the defeat.

Dad squeezed my shoulder and brought me close. “As long as I don't ever lose you, I'm okay. ”

1.The author was finally sent to wilderness because .

A.he could learn how to survive in the wild

B.his teacher insisted on giving him a lesson

C.he pushed his math teacher down the stairs

D.his mother feared that he would be accused

2.The underlined word “reckless" in Paragraph 2 probably means .

A.proud B.rude

C.careless D.reasonable

3.What can we learn about the author from the passage?

A.He changed a lot after the camp.

B.He was not satisfied with his life in the camp.

C.He was abused by the officer.

D.He made enemies with other troubled teens at the camp.

4.How did the author father feel at the end of the story?

A.Anxious. B.Astonished.

C.Disappointed. D.Relieved.

    Some birds are masters of crime. That means these species steal food from other birds and get away with it. Scientists have long wondered what these birds have in common. A new study suggests that big body size does not predict bad behavior. Instead, it is the size of the birds' brains that matters most.

To learn more about what makes some birds tend towards a life of crime and how they steal food from other birds, scientists analyzed 856 published reports of thieves. Researcher Julie says she started the project after watching birds steal dry dog food out of unattended bowls. She read about some dramatic examples of thieves, including birds that steal food from others flying in midair or bending through the sky. She learned that members of some species disturb other birds until they spit up food in their mouth.

Families that steal also tend to eat fish, mice, and other vertebrates （脊椎动物） instead of just insects. These meatier （多肉的）meals are hard to catch, and they deliver lots of valuable calories, so they are attempting to steal.

Finally, birds that steal tend to have big brains in relation to their bodies. That may seem surprising, since human bullies （欺凌弱小者）are often thought to be stronger in size. But for birds, stealing isn't about strength. It takes a clever brain to get food out of another hungry bird's claws, especially if that bird is bigger than you are.

1.What is the key factor of the birds' stealing food?

A.Body size. B.Living environment.

C.Brain size. D.Strength.

2.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A.Stealing birds are often stronger.

B.For birds, stealing is about cleverness and tricks.

C.Birds steal food only from those that are smaller in size.

D.Birds that steal have small brains for their bodies.

3.The best title for the passage can be .

A.Diet Habits of a Feather

B.Hunting Skills of a Feather

C.Brains of a Feather

D.Thieves of a Feather