A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms (习语), though my teacher emphasized (强调) the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don’t say!” “You don’t say!” I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not an appropriate topic (适当的话题). “Well, I’d better change the topic.” So I said to him. “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent.” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was interrupted again by his words: “You don’t say!” I couldn’t help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn’t request you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn’t you say ‘you don’t say’?” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “You don’t say’ actually means ‘really!’ It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don’t pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself.

Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions. Remember: what the English teachers said is always right to us students.

1.At first, when I heard “You don’t say”, I thought the foreigner meant __________.

A.he was only interested in the Great Wall B.I had talked too much

C.he was not interested in the topic D.I had to stop talking

2.The underlined word “interrupted” in the second paragraph probably means __________.

A.laughed at B.attacked

C.organized D.stopped

3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A.The Englishman left China without seeing the Great Wall.

B.The Englishman visited the Great Wall and thought it worth visiting.

C.The Englishman wanted me to act as his guide.

D.The Englishman wanted to see the Great Wall after I talked about it.

4.After the Englishman explained the idiom, __________.

A.I became more careful with everything to do with English idioms

B.the Englishman became a real food.

C.I felt very peaceful

D.I thought the Englishman had made me a fool

    France has the most beautiful castles throughout Europe. Here are some of the best French castles to visit. You’ll surely want to visit one of them during your travels in France. Have a look and enjoy!

Chateau de Versailles

The Chateau de Versailles is about 20kms southwest of Paris. When the castle was built, Versailles was a small village. Today, however, it is a famous area in Paris. The castle was built as a small hunting lodge (乡间小屋) for Louis XIII in the 1620s. Years later, he made it bigger. Later, louis XIV also made it larger, making it one of the largest palaces of the world.

Chateau de Chambord

The Chateau de Chambord is one of the largest castles around the world. It sits in the Loire Valley. Being at the heart of Europe’s largest enclosed wooded park, Chambord, it was built for King Francis I to serve as a hunting lodge. It is one of the world’s most well-known castles in the world because of its French Renaissance (文艺复兴) building.

Chateau de Chenonceau

As one of the most famous castles in the Loire Valley, the castle was built during the 11th century on the River Cher. It was passed through many bands. The castle was not destroyed during the French Revolution because it was the only bridge across the river for many miles.

Chateau de Chantilly

This historic castle sits in the town of Chantilly, France. This beautiful castle is made up of two buildings: the Petit Chateau built around 1560 for Anne de Montmorency, and the Grand Chateau which was destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 1870s. There are many interesting pieces of 17th century history about the castle. Every two years a fireworks competition is held in the castle gardens.

1.What makes the Chateau de Chambord special?

A.Its long history. B.Its wealthy owner.

C.Its building style. D.Its fireworks competition.

2.Why did the Chateau de Chenonceau manage to get through the French Revolution?

A.It was far from Paris. B.It played a very important role.

C.It hid in the Loire Valley. D.It was built by a famous French king.

3.Which castle has a fireworks show every two years?

A.The Chateau de Chantilly. B.The Chateau de Chenonceau.

C.The Chateau de Chambord. D.The Chateau de Versailles.

Translation.

1.计算机被认为是一项最重要的发明。（regard）

2.我们攀登那座山的尝试最终成功了。（attempt）

3.在这部电影里担任主角让她喜极而泣。（role）

4.在这个房间开讲座是没有用的，因为高架的噪音会淹没声音。（use）

Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

Guilt is one of the most painful emotions that human experience but also one of the most common. Nobody enjoys feeling guilty, but this emotion serves an important purpose: It alerts a person when he or she has done something wrong. This enables the person to make amends and work to heal relationships that were damaged by their actions 1.

Nevertheless, guilt can be destructive if it is not dealt with in the right way, It can cause people to avoid others because they are too embarrassed to apologize for their actions or inactions. Some try to avoid at the pain of duty by turning to other worse habits. 2.

The proper response to guilt depends on what kind of guilt you're dealing with. For false guilty, it's important to recognize that the guilt does not reflect an actual ethical failure.

For example, some false guilt focuses on failing to meet expectations you had for yourself. 3. No one is perfect, and no one can do everything, so admitting your limits is actually a sign of humility.

It is also important to acknowledge what you're feeling. Even when you don't need to feel guilty, these feelings are real and normal, Try to balance them with positive thoughts, but realize that it often takes time for feelings to change.

4. If so, don't try to conceal it. Apologize and ask for forgiveness. Learn from your mistakes, and try to avoid committing the same acts again. Getting on well with the person you hurt should make you guilty feeling fade.

Guilt is painful, but it can serve a good purpose if you use it well.

A. Other people experience false guilt because of high expectations for themselves.

B. It's possible that you feel guilty because you actually did something wrong.

C. Others try to cover up their guilt by blaming others or becoming angry.

D. It can also motivate people to avoid making similar mistakes later.

E. In this case, it's important to remind yourself that you have limits.

F. Moreover, guilt can result in physical and mental discomforts meanwhile

    Many people experience problems with their spine(脊椎) as they age. The tissue that protects the joints in the spine gradually breaks down. As a consequence, the bones, in the spine begin to rub against each other. This further harms that issue as well as the bones. The result is pain in the joints and, sometimes, in nerves near the spine

This painful problem is actually a disease called osteoporosis. Some people are more at risk of osteoporosis because of genes that they inherited from their ancestors. Extremely heavy people are also more likely to suffer from this disease because their extra weight puts much pressure on their joints. Fortunately, there are steps that people can take to help prevent osteoporosis from developing in their spine.

The most important step is exercise. Stretches can help the muscles around the spine relax and allow bones to shift into better alignment(排列), Strength exercises with light weights or bodyweight exercises like pushups can also help by strengthening the muscles around the spine. However, people should not overdo these exercises as repeated motions can strain the muscles around the spine. Trying to lift heavy weights with poor technique can have the same effect.

Another important factor is diet. It affects the health of spine because many vitamins are necessary for bones and nerves. These include B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which helps keep nerves healthy. People can get more B vitamin and omega 3 fatty acids by taking supplements sold by stores. Another important factor is vitamin D. which is essential for strong bones. All of these vitamins and acids can be obtained from food. Thus people can help themselves by including them in their daily diets

1.What does this article mainly explain?

A.Various aspects of a medical condition.

B.The actions of viruses that cause illnesses.

C.Drugs often used to solve the physical issue.

D.The location of organs in the human body.

2.How does the writer begin this article?

A.By predicting improvement.

B.By analyzing a series of data.

C.By introducing minor injuries.

D.By describing a gradual process

3.What can readers find in this article?

A.A warning about working out too hard.

B.A method for improving sleep quality.

C.A slogan used to promote health classes.

D.A big criticism often aimed at doctors.

4.What does the article imply about supplement?

A.They are mainly for youngsters.

B.They are commercial products.

C.They are now being researched.

D.They are seldom truly effective

What to endure before publication?

It takes a lot to write a novel. Even those who haven’t tried would say, “Well, duh!” to this. But it’s not much the mind space or the considerable time it takes to write a novel that is as discouraging as how many times any writer must go back to the drawing board for yet another draft. To really ready a novel for publication, a writer must spend time with his or her book. Like any promising relationship, you, the writer, must date your novel, take it out to dinner, meet its parents, and see it through its most trying and desperate times. As a writer, you have to stay up all night with your novel crying and talking and sometimes even pulling your hair out before that perfect moment of inspiration can truly help you cross the finish line.

For many published authors I know, myself included, a completed novel takes them about 10, that’s right, 10 drafts, and at least a year of real editing. Will you be spending every single second editing your novel? No, of course not. Just as drafts need some real time on the surgery table, they also need rest in the recovery room. You don’t nurse a relationship by spending every waking second with them until you can’t stand the sight of each other, and you can’t produce a novel by breathing down its literary neck. However, a novel should undergo many drafts — and different kinds of drafts — before declaring it ready for an agent or editor to see.

Everyone has their own way to write a novel, and not all craft advice (or even craft “rules”）should all be followed by everyone, but when it comes to the many drafts of a novel, there are specific things a writer should focus on during each revision to help create a smooth transition from the initial idea to final products.

1.People are discouraged from writing a novel mainly because it requires ______.

A.a good publisher B.too much thinking

C.tons of working time D.frequent revisions

2.By “breathing down its literary neck” in Paragraph 2, the author most probably means ______.

A.writing casually thus failing to take readers’ breath away

B.letting go a single mistake thus annoying the readers

C.X-raying the work thus finding each literary mistake

D.sticking too close to the work thus causing anxiety

3.Which of the following is most likely to come after the last paragraph?

A.The importance of using proper transitional words in writing.

B.The writing experience shared by famous successful write.

C.Tips on how to make ten drafts to complete a good novel.

D.Setbacks writers may suffer if ignoring the craft advice.

    Jack London, one of America’s major writers of adventure tales, was born in California in 1876. During his life, London worked at many jobs. His broad life experiences would become the background for his writing.

London loved to read. As a teenager, he spent many hours educating himself at the Oakland, California, public library. He attended college at the University of California at Berkeley, but he stayed for only six months. He thought Berkeley was “not lively enough” and wanted to do something more exciting.

London wrote stories about working people and the hard times they had making a living. He knew their problems first hand. He worked as a sailor, farmer, factory employee, railroad worker, and gold prospector, to name just a few of his many jobs.

London grew up near the waterfront in Oakland. He loved the water. When he was fifteen years old, he bought a small sailboat called a sloop. Later he sailed to Japan on a schooner, which is a much larger sailing boat. Like many people of the time, London caught the Klondike Gold Rush Fever. In 1897, he headed for Alaska. He didn’t find gold, but he discovered something even more valuable. He discovered that people enjoyed listening to the stories he made up with his vivid imagination. London entertained the miners with story after story. Later, using his experiences during the Gold Rush, he created many more colorful stories.

London resolved to live a full, exciting life. He once said, “I would rather be a superb meteor(流星), every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.” Each day, he pushed himself. Once London determined that he was going to be a writer, nothing could stop him. His goal was to write at least one thousand words every day. He refused to stop even when he was sick. In eighteen years, the writer published fifty-one books and hundreds of articles. He was the best-selling and highest-paid author of his day. Many people also considered him to be the best writer. White Fang and The Call of the Wild are his most famous stories and are about surviving in the Alaskan wilderness. Readers can enjoy Jack London’s energy and his talent for telling wonderful stories each time they open one of his novels.

1.Why was Jack London able to write on many topics?

A. He pushed himself to reach goals.

B. He had a variety of experiences and jobs.

C. He was drawn to the Klondike Gold Rush.

D. He was the best-selling and highest-paid author.

2.What prevented Jack London from finishing college?

A. That he was hired to sail to Japan.

B. That he traveled to Alaska in 1897.

C. That he spent much of his time writing.

D. That he was not interested in college life enough.

3.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph indicates that Jack London______.

A. is expert at universe.

B. aims high and strive to succeed.

C. is excited about life if the wildness.

D. face a choice between life and death.

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

A. To support the statement that London was the “best writer?.

B. To describe life during the klondike Gold Rush.

C. To provide information on Jack ‘s life.

D. To identify books written by Jack London.

    Michael Wang was a senior at James Logan High School, US, back in 2012. According to The New Yorker, he was confident that he could get into an Ivy League university, such as Harvard or Yale. He had a high GPA, _______ at debating and co-founded a math club. He was also a talented pianist. _______, his dream universities turned him down. His less talented classmates, who were Hispanic or African-American, were admitted into these schools. It made him wonder if he was _______ because he was Asian.

On Oct 15, a lawsuit against Harvard brought on behalf of Asian-American students like Wang Began. students for Fair Admissions(SFFA),a US non-profit organization. _______ Harvard for using racial balancing in their admissions process. Harvard has denied the _______considers many factors when _______ whether a student should be admitted, including academic performance and extracurricular activities . Harvard added that the number of Asian-Americans admitted to the school had greatly increased since 2010.”Race alone is never the reason a student _______ admission, ”William Lee, a lawyer for Harvard, told the guardian. ”And race is never the reason a student is denied.”

Harvard is not the only university to have been accused of _______against Asian-Americans. In September, the US Justice Department begin to_______whether Yale University discriminates against Asian-Americans, The case has ________ a longstanding debate over affirmative action policies(平均法案政策) that allow universities to use race as a factor when considering applications. The policies________ benefit African-American and latino students in an effort to make up for centuries of racial discrimination, according to THE NEW YORK Times, the SFFA wants the use of race in the admissions process to be ended, ________ that it causes inequality.”People should be judged on character and ________,”However, a student,  Havard said that ________ the race criterion would “reduce students’ opportunities to live and learn in a diverse campus environment”.

Although the case has just begun, the________judgement” could influence admissions to US universities for years to come,” according to AI Jaxeera, a Qatar based TV station

1.A. crazy B. amazed C. gifted D. slow

2.A. Besides B. Fortunately C. Undoubtedly D. However

3.A. rejected B. dismissed C. enclosed D. stopped

4.A. trapped B. oppressed C. sued D. blamed

5.A. charge B. mistake C. claim D. compaint

6.A. conforming B. determining C. acknowledging D. surveying

7.A. robbed B. granted C. entitled D. convinced

8.A. preference B. favor C. opposition D. discrimination

9.A. investigate B. research C. wonder D. inquire

10.A. preferred B. infected C. fueled D. brought

11.A. necessarily B. equally C. traditionally D. unintentionally

12.A. considering B. debating C. annoying D. arguing

13.A. academics B. strength C. benefit D. moralities

14.A. dropping B. setting C. implementing D. imposing

15.A. official B. existent C. gradual D. eventual

Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

1. (be) a successful speaker is no easy thing. It is essential for you to know why you are speaking and 2. you wish to accomplish by your speech. The four most common purposes of speech are to inform, to convince, to move to action, and to entertain. Do you, like a teacher or an expert in a field, wish to illustrate your ideas in detail to people unfamiliar with your subject 3. they can understand your ideas clearly and thoroughly? Or, like a debater, wish 4. (convince) the judges or the audience? Or, like a fund collector for a naturalist foundation, wish to get money? Or, like a comedian or after-dinner speaker, wish to entertain? The language and tone you use 5. be proper for your purpose, for your audience, and for the occasion. A speech to the graduating class will have quite different language, tone and manner from information 6. (deliver) to a group of your friends.

Furthermore, 7. talented the speaker is, a talk without enough preparation is usually 8. failure. To speak without preparing is to shoot without 9. (take) aim. Decide what your aim or objective is; then state it in a complete topic sentence. Make sure that your subject 10. (be) definite and not too broad.

I regret ______ that you have failed the exam.

A.telling B.to have told C.tell D.to tell

______ money, his parents managed to send him to university.

A.Lacked B.Lacking of C.Though lacking D.Lacked in

______ with such great difficulty, Jack felt at a loss______.

A.Facing; what to say B.Faced; what to say

C.Having faced; how to tell D.Being faced; how to speak

William Shakespeare is generally believed ______ all plays himself.

A.to write B.to have written C.writing D.writing

Helen is always the first ______ to the office.

A.comes B.coming C.who came D.to come

So fast ______ that it is difficult for us to imagine its speed.

A.light travels B.travels light C.does light travel D.has light travelled

Last month, part of Southeast Asia was struck by floods, from ________ effects the people are still suffering.

A.that B.whose

C.those D.what

If the building project _____by the end of this month is delayed, the construction company will be fined .

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

Out _____, with a stick in his hand.

A.did he rush B.rushed he

C.he rushed D.he did rush

Not until his father was out of prison ______ to school.

A.that John could go B.John couldn’t go

C.could John go D.John could go

语法填空

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The way we cook is important. In many countries, the two choices are1.(nature) gas or electric­powered stoves.

The World Health Organization warns that millions of people2.(suffer) from indoor air pollution at present time, which results from the use of3.(danger) fuels and cook­stoves in the home. WHO officials say nearly three billion people are4.(able) to use clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting. As a result, more than seven million people die from exposure to indoor or outdoor air pollution each year. Most of the deaths are in5.(develop) countries, such as India, China and Latin American countries.

WHO officials say opening a window or door6.(let) out the harmful air will not correct the situation. 7.will only pollute the outdoors. Nigel Bruce,8.is a professor of Public Health at the University of Liverpool, says researchers are developing good cook­stoves and other equipment to burn fuels9.a more efficient way. But, this is just a start. It is urging developing countries to use10.(clean) fuels and increase access to cleaner and more modern cooking and heating appliances (用具).

     To celebrate the end of our exams, my friends and I went to a fast food restaurant. We __1__ hamburgers and Coca Cola at the counter. When our __2__ came, I started walking towards an empty table. By bad luck, my purse strap(带子) got __3__ on a chair and the tray(托盘) that I was holding slipped _4___ my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents, __5__ on a man who was just about to __6__ a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly __7__， as the drinks soaked(浸湿) his white shirt.

Then I __8__ my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of __9__. Instead, he said “It's OK” to __10__ me before he disappeared into the washroom.

Still shaky and unsure __11__ to do next, my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look __12__. A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and __13__ our table. My heart almost stopped __14__. I thought he was going to ask for my father's __15__ and call him.

To my surprise, he merely smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “__16__ yourself new hamburgers.” He then walked __17__ without even finishing his food.

He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, __18__ he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still __19__ in this world. I'll never __20__ his actions.

1.A.ordered B.made C.arranged D.demanded

2.A.food B.turn C.bill D.menu

3.A.fixed B.caught C.cut D.tied

4.A.by B.in C.from D.out

5.A.knocked B.fell C.stood D.hung

6.A.take B.taste C.swallow D.chew

7.A.discouraged B.disappointed C.shocked D.annoyed

8.A.rolled B.rubbed C.narrowed D.closed

9.A.bitterness B.anxiety C.anger D.sorrow

10.A.satisfy B.comfort C.encourage D.praise

11.A.how B.who C.what D.which

12.A.mild B.honest C.calm D.modest

13.A.pushed B.approached C.drew D.laid

14.A.beating B.breaking C.sinking D.trembling

15.A.help B.position C.number D.job

16.A.Prepare B.Buy C.Find D.Cook

17.A.on B.around C.up D.away

18.A.so B.since C.although D.but

19.A.kindness B.happiness C.politeness D.brightness

20.A.forget B.refuse C.oppose D.ignore

Everyone wants to achieve happiness and smile．1.How do we find real happiness and smile? By getting rich? In case you are scratching your head，looking for some reasons or ideas to be happy．Here are a few．

1．Throw an impromptu(即兴的) party．2.An impromptu one increases the joy to a new level．And of course making other people happy is bound to have the same effect on you．

2．Treat yourself . Sometimes all it takes to make one happy is a little indulgence(放纵)．So，go ahead and grab a cup of coffee and sit inside a blanket with a good book! You will be surprised at how happy it makes you．

3．3.. Happiness can be transformed! When we feel happy and excited，it can lift the spirits of others．Your simple gesture can transform a person’s day and get him or her prepared to take on any challenge．

4．Have a conversation with a parent．If you are like most kids，you possibly spend more time texting or surfing the Internet than talking to your family．4.You will be surprised at the feeling of joy that it brings to you．

5．Finally，don’t forget to be happy every day! While International Day of Happiness may come about only once a year，happiness is around you all day and night5.

E．Set aside your mobile phone for a few minutes and have a chat with a family member．

F．You should try to celebrate the Day of Happiness every day and everywhere．

G．Nothing makes people happier than being invited to a party.

     According to sociologists(社会学家), every modern industrial society has some form of social stratification(阶层). Class, power and status are important in deciding people's rank in society.

     Class means a person's economic position in society. A commonly used classification is lower class, middle class and upper class. While sociologists disagree on how these terms should be exactly defined, they do describe societies like the United States quite well. One study shows that 53% of Americans belong to the lower class, 46% the middle class, and 1% the upper class. Interestingly, a surgeon earning $500,000 a year and a bus driver earning $50,000 a year both regard themselves as the middle class!

     Power refers to the amount of control a person has over other people. Obviously, people in positions of great power (such as governors) exercise(行使)big power, but people who take orders from others have less power. Power and class do not always go hand in hand, however. For example, the governor of a state has great power, but he or she may not belong to a corresponding (相应的)economic class. Generally, however, there is a relationship between power and class. To our knowledge, there aren't too many people who aren't millionaires in the U．S. Senate!

    Status is the honor or respect attached to a person's position in society. It can also be affected by power and class, but not necessarily so. For example, a university professor may have a high status but not belong to a high social class or have a lot of power over others.

1.What can we learn about “the middle class” from Paragraph 2?

A.People earning $50,000 a year belong to the middle class.

B.Nearly half Americans belong to the middle class.

C.People generally consider bus drivers as the middle class.

D.Sociologists have a clear definition of the middle class.

2.According to the text, we know that ________.

A.Power and class do not always correspond with each other

B.Status refers to a person's economic position in society

C.People with high status have a lot of control over others

D.Class is less important in deciding a person's social rank

3.Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?

A. B.

C. D.

    If there is no difference in general intelligence between boys and girls, what can explain girls’ poor performance in science and mathematics?

It seems to be that their treatment at school is a direct cause. Mathematics and science are seen as subjects mainly for boys, and therefore, as girls become teenagers, they are less likely to take them. Interestingly, both boys and girls often regard the subjects for boys as more difficult. Yet it has been suggested that girls do not take mathematics courses, not because they are difficult, but for social reasons. Girls do not want to be in open competition with boys because they are afraid to appear less feminine and attractive.

However, if we examine the performance of boys and girls who have taken mathematics courses, there are still more high-achieving boys than there are girls. This difference appears to be world-wide. Biological explanations have been offered for this, but there are other explanations, too.

Perhaps the difference which comes out during the teenage years has its roots in much earlier experiences. From their first days in kindergarten, boys are encouraged to work on their own and to complete tasks. Facts show that outstanding mathematicians and scientists have not had teachers who supply answers.

Besides, there can be little doubt that teachers of mathematics and science expect their boy students to do better at these subjects than their girl students. They even appear to encourage the difference between boys and girls. They spend more time with the boy students, giving them more time to answer questions and working harder to get correct answers from them. They are more likely to call in boys for answers and to allow them to take the lead in classroom discussion. They also praise boys more frequently. All of this seems to encourage boys to work harder in science and mathematics and to give them confidence that they are able to succeed.

Such a way of teaching is not likely to encourage girls to take many mathematics and science courses, nor is it likely to support girls who do. When it comes to these subjects it seems certain that school widens the difference between boys and girls.

1.Girls are likely to think that _____.

A.science courses are for both boys and girls

B.science courses make them more popular

C.science courses make them successful

D.science courses are difficult for them

2.The text mainly discuss_____ reasons for the difference between boys and girls in scientific achievements.

A.biological B.historical

C.social D.personal

3.What are boys usually encouraged to do at school? _____

A.To get help with their homework. B.To play the leading role in class.

C.To work with girl students in class. D.To learn to take care of others.

4.The author would probably agree that ______.

A.boys and girls learn in the same way

B.boys and girls are equal in general intelligence

C.girls are more confident in themselves than before

D.girls should take fewer science courses than boys

Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about thinking is the key to critical（批判性的）thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes（过程）. Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.

     The word "critical" here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen—beyond the pictures on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning (错误的推理).

     Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker; if you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.

Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today's world, fast foods, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence, you may learn something new from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banish Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein, Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, "Please go slowly, I don't understand things quickly."

1.Critical thinking is important to us because if we do not think critically,__________.

A.it will be hard for us to think naturally and fast

B.we will follow the ideas of others naturally

C.we might be controlled by other people's ideas

D.we might be fooled by other people's ideas

2.If you are a critical thinker, you will________.

A.criticize other people for their mistakes B.trust the reports in the newspapers

C.take one view against another view D.think deeply about different ideas

3.In the last paragraph, "something new" suggests that________.

A.the smarter you are, the faster you do things

B.intelligence is not decided by speed

C.speed can improve intelligence

D.the faster you do things, the smarter you become

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.Understanding Critical Thinking B.Thinking and Critical Thinking

C.Thinking Natural and Human D.Thinking Fast Means Intelligence

    Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some kind, football, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.

Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.

Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kind which it would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.

If we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a "team game". We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no "matches" between teams of climbers, but when climbers are on a rockface linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously team work. The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature, his sport requires high mental and physical qualities.

A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for a man of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they probably climb with more skill and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.

1.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A.Differences between Golf and Mountaineering. B.Sports and Games.

C.Mountaineering. D.Why are so many people crazy about mountaineering?

2.The mountaineering can also be called a team sport because_______.

A.mountain climbers usually compete in groups

B.mountaineers depend on each other while climbing

C.mountaineering climbers are free to use their own rules to climb

D.mountaineering is a sport not a game

3.The biggest difference between golf and mountaineering lies in_______.

A.team game B.enjoyment

C.age D.rules

4.In the author's opinion, one of the most important reason why so many people enjoy mountaineering is that_______.

A.there are no man-made rules for mountaineers

B.mountaineering is a sport and not a game

C.it is one of the most dangerous sports

D.mountaineering bring us more enjoyment than other sports

假设你是李华，你已在纽约大学学习一年，现收到表弟林涛的来信，他也准备申请国外大学，在信中向你咨询如何做好学业准备，请你就以下内容要点给他回信。

1. 你需要阅读大量的书籍及文章，形成自己对问题的看法，并写成文章有理有据地表达你的想法；

2. 你需要学会小组合作，在小组内与组员紧密合作，发挥你的作用，有效地完成任务。

注意： 1. 词数120左右；

2. 不可逐条翻译，可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3. 注意卷面整洁、书写规范。

Dear Lin Tao:

I’m glad to hear from you._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours

Li Hua

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。作文中共有10处错误，每句中错误最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。按以下要求进行修改：

1）增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词；

2）删词：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉；

3）修改：在错的词下画一条横线，并在该横线下面写出修改后的词。

注意： 1、每处错误及修改均仅限一词;

2、只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

3、凡答题不符合规定要求的该小题计零分！

Jenny, my cousin, joined Doctors Without Borders after graduating from a nursing school last year. Now she works as a volunteer in Kenya. The reason that she joined the organization is because she wants to help others and make a difference to others’ lives. Every day, she has a busy schedule, distributing food to hungry people, checks the health of babies and giving children shots to protecting them from diseases. In my letter, she says that she is trying to adapt to the rough conditions there. That my cousin is doing has been had a great influence on me. I have now joined my school volunteer team and I went to the city hospital to help the patients with my classmates every Sunday. I feel happily because I can do something to help those are in need.

阅读下面短文，根据所学课文，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或用括号内单词的正确形式（至多三个单词）。

I’m sitting in the warm night air 1. a cold drink in my hand and 2. (reflect) on the day－a day of 3. magic! I went snorkelling on the reef offshore this morning and it was the most fantastic thing I have ever done. Seeing such 4. beauty, I think every cell in my body 5. (wake) up. It was like discovering a whole new 6.  of life.

The first thing I became 7. of was all the vivid colours 8. (surround) me－purples, reds, oranges, yellows, blues and greens. The corals were fantastic－they 9. (shape) like fans, plates, brains, lace, mushrooms, the branches of trees and the horns of deer. And all kinds of small, neat and elegant fish were swimming in and 10. the corals.

阅读下面短文，根据所学课文，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或用括号内单词的正确形式（至多三个单词）。

There’s no electricity or water and even no textbooks 1. ! I’m still trying to adapt to these conditions. 2., one thing is for sure, I’ve become more 3. (imagine) in my teaching. Science is my most 4. (challenge) subject as my students have no 5. of doing experiments. In fact there is no equipment, and if I need water I have to carry it from my house in a bucket! The other day I was showing the boys the weekly chemistry experiment when, 6. I knew it, the mixture was bubbling over everywhere! The boys 7. had never come across anything like this before started jumping out of the windows. Sometimes I wonder how 8. chemistry is to these students, most of 9. will be going back to their villages after Year 8 anyway. To be honest, I doubt whether I’m making any 10. to these boys’ lives at all.