How many chairs are there for the parents?

A.75. B.110. C.40.

What color is the woman’s bedroom?

A.Grey. B.Blue. C.Yellow.

Why is the woman going to Shanghai?

A.To have a holiday.

B.To visit a friend.

C.To work there.

How long have the man’s parents been in China?

A.For 8 years. B.For 11 years. C.For 15 years.

What will the weather be like tomorrow?

A.Rainy. B.Sunny. C.Windy.

假定你是红星中学的李华，你的英国朋友Peter热爱体育运动，他将作为交换生到你校学习一年。请你给他写封邮件，主要内容包括:

1. 介绍你校体育课程及活动;

2. 推荐一项中国传统体育项目。

注意：1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，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。

It was a math test, for which I have prepared for a long time. So much importance I attach to it that I even felt a little nervous before a test.  My heart began to beat wild immediately I took my seat in the classrooms. Looking at the test paper, our mind went blank. I attempted to focus my attention and it was impossible. So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, try to calm down. It worked. Gradually I recovered from my calmness. Feeling more relaxing, I picked up my pen and began to write.

请根据语境用括号内单词的正确形式或根据汉语意思填空，每空一词。

1.Hundreds of _______________(请柬) are being sent out this week.

2.The salesgirl pretended not to hear me and went on ______（闲谈）with a lady in blue .

3.Had he anything to say in ___________（explain） of his behaviour?

4.If the exercise causes ________(comfort), stop immediately.

5.She has been fully __________(occupy) with work recently.

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。

The first UN Chinese Language Day at the United Nations 1. (observe)on Friday at UN Headquarters in New York in 2010.2.the world’s most widely spoken language, it seems appropriate that Mandarin(普通话)has one day annually dedicated to it. This 3. (official) marked day of Mandarin language celebration was set by the United Nations as a way of celebrating the language’s history and 4.(contribution)to the world. It is hoped that having one day annually 5.(celebrate)Mandarin will encourage more people around the world to take it up. With China likely to become the 6.(large)economy in the world, it is important that the wider world becomes more interested in this wonderful language. Every year UN Chinese Language Day 7.(fall)on April 20. A great way to get 8.(involve)in the celebration is to join a Mandarin class or attend one of the many Confucius Institutes 9.are set up by China in countries around the world. The number of people learning Chinese is on 10.increase in China’s neighboring countries, such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

    It started on a Friday______when the 5-year-old and his older brother were playing______ their home near the resort town of Aspen, Colorado. Hearing the sound of_____, the mother raced to her front yard to find a ______sight: A mountain lion was bent over her 5-year-old son, biting him. The poor boy was completely under the cat and was______to get free.

So the mother ______. She charged at the animal, pulled away one of its ______suddenly with a lot of force and discovered her son’s whole head was in its mouth. She didn’t back down. The mother ______ the lion’s mouth and got it open,______ the boy. She then quickly picked him up and ran away.

The boys’ father had just returned from a run when the ______ occurred. He ______into the car with his wife and sons and called 911 shortly before 8 p.m., as they ______ to a hospital in Aspen. The boy suffered cuts to his______, face and neck. The mother ______ bite marks on her hand and scratches on her leg. Aspen Valley Hospital reported that the child was not seriously injured and in______ condition and has since been ______ to Children’s Hospital in Denver for his recovery.

The mountain lion was estimated to be about 2 years old and was not fully grown. It was, perhaps, forced out to hunt on its own. Young lions may be keen on easy______, like pets and small children.______,it wasn’t a big cat. Had it been a 110-pound lion -- which was once seen around there -- this would have been a much ______ story.

The mother, who had to physically remove the lion’s paws from her son's face, is credited with ______ his life. She’s a real hero.

1.A.morning B.afternoon C.evening D.noon

2.A.inside B.outside C.towards D.under

3.A.screams B.laughter C.applause D.cheers

4.A.surprising B.magical C.moving D.terrifying

5.A.running B.waiting C.struggling D.walking

6.A.sprang into action B.burst into tears C.thought twice D.pulled out

7.A.eyes B.paws C.ears D.teeth

8.A.grabbed B.covered C.beat D.kissed

9.A.comforting B.scolding C.stopping D.freeing

10.A.error B.attack C.headache D.comedy

11.A.crashed B.looked C.jogged D.jumped

12.A.sped B.drove C.crawled D.got

13.A.legs B.feet C.head D.bottom

14.A.suffered B.carved C.drew D.removed

15.A.terrible B.fair C.bad D.poor

16.A.carried B.advised C.sold D.transferred

17.A.plants B.toys C.targets D.animals

18.A.Occasionally B.Generally C.Eventually D.Fortunately

19.A.beautiful B.happy C.different D.awesome

20.A.wasting B.saving C.ending D.risking

    Art galleries are places in which artists can display all types of works of art, including paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures,etc. 1. At the same time, however, each artwork must be protected from exposure to too much light since that can cause works to fade and therefore get ruined. 2.

The most common form of lighting used to light up artwork is indoor spotlights on tracks attached to the ceiling near where the work is being displayed.3. It permits the lights to be moved more easily when the light patterns require adjusting. Recessed(嵌入的)lights in walls and ceilings can be useful so long as they are not fixed in place but can instead be easily moved to create ideal light patterns. Most art gallery directors state that a combination of tracked and recessed light equipment is ideal because the tracked lights focus directly on the artwork while the recessed lights are used on the nearby walls to provide a surrounding light source.4.

How to angle the lights depends upon the height of the ceiling and the size of the artwork. Caution must be taken to avoid creating too many areas with shadows or to have the lights cause a glare on the artwork. Besides, the lights should not be bare bulbs burning directly on the artwork but should be made in some way to make the lighting softer. According to experts, low voltage(电压)bulbs are the best to use when lighting artwork.5. Thus artwork should be placed in a room where sunlight can’t directly hit it.

A. It can make the displays attractive.

B. Using tracked lighting is beneficial.

C. Light plays a key role in art galleries.

D. This light source can better improve the mood surrounding the work.

E. To better improve their appearance, the display area needs to be well lit.

F. Finding a happy medium between not enough light and too much of it requires considerable skill and experience.

G. Above all, natural light should be avoided since direct sunlight will damage artwork, particularly paintings,over time.

    Archaeologists used DNA taken from a broken clay pipe stem found in Maryland to build a picture of an enslaved woman who died around 200 years ago and had origins in modern-day Sierra Leone. One researcher called the work “a mind-blower.”

“In this particular context, and from that time period, I think it’s a first,” team member Hannes Schroeder told The Washington Post. “To be able to get DNA from an object like a pipe stem is quite exciting. Also it is exciting for descendant(后裔) communities. Through this technology, they’re able to make a connection not only to the site but potentially back to Africa.”

The pipe stem was found at the Belvoir plantation in Crownsville, Maryland, where enslaved people lived until 1864 and where a likely slave cemetery was recently found. DNA taken from the pipe linked back to a woman either directly from or descended from the Mende people, who lived in west Africa, in an area now part of Sierra Leone.

Julie Schablitsky, the chief archaeologist with the Maryland state highway administration, told The Post the discovery, based on saliva(唾液) absorbed into the clay pipe, was a “mind-blower”. She also said records show the existence of a slave trade route Sierra Leone to Annapolis, plied(定期往来) by British and American ships. “As soon as people stepped on those slave ships in Africa,” she said, “whether they were from Benin or whether they were from Sierra Leone, wherever they were from, that identity was lost. Their humanity is robbed. Who they are as a people has gone.”

The new analysis is part of ongoing research around Belvoir that has given descendants of the people enslaved there new insight into the lives of their ancestors. Speaking to The Post, Nancy Daniels, a genealogist from Laurel, Maryland, who thinks she is a descendant of enslaved families from Belvoir but was not linked to the research on the pipe, called the discovery “overwhelming.” “I’m sitting here about ready to cry,” she said. “I’m sorry. I'm so happy ... Thank God for the DNA.”

This year, events and ceremonies are being held to mark the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved people in America, at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619.

1.What does the phrase “a mind-blower” in paragraphs 1 and 4 refer to?

A.A surprise. B.A confusion.

C.An excitement. D.A fascination.

2.According to Hannes Schroeder, the pipe stem was of great significance because________.

A.it was the first direct evidence that slaves living in Maryland were originally from Africa

B.it helped the archaeologists to draw a portrait of the enslaved woman

C.it might contribute to identifying the birthplace of the descendant communities

D.it contained genetic clues to the ancestral background of its owner

3.What can be inferred from the passage?

A.The owner of the pipe once lived in what is now an area in west Africa.

B.The history of slavery in America is an ongoing topic of concern.

C.African slaves lost their identities when they arrived at the Belvoir plantation.

D.Nancy Daniels, a genealogist was sorry for not being involved in the research.

4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A.DNA from an old pipe throws lights on the origins of the enslaved

B.A new research reveals the origins of enslaved African woman

C.The descendants of enslaved people seek their identities

D.DNA contributes to the breakthrough of a new research

    One man’s white bread is another man’s green vegetables.

That’s the key from The Personalised Diet, a new book from Israeli authors Eran Segal and Eran Elinav. The authors say it’s time to admit to ourselves that one-size-fits-all diets don’t work, and when it comes to nutrition,it’s about doing what works best for your body, not catching the latest diet fashion.

“For years,we’ve been trying to search for that silver-bullet diet and we’ve been miserably failing,” Segal said. “And that’s because the best diet for each person really has to be tailored to that individual.”

They conducted a personalised nutrition project at Weizmann, where hundreds of volunteers agreed to have their blood sugar tested after meals. One participant in the study, a woman named Ruti, said she was surprised that it was tomatoes -- not ice cream or candies -- that were raising her blood sugar level. Ruti recalled, “I have now significantly reduced my intake of tomato and I’m feeling much more energetic, which still surprises me. I have already lost a couple of pounds, and I have high hopes that I have finally found the answer to my weight struggle, too.”

The Israeli scientists found that some people can consume traditionally unhealthy foods with little or no rise in their blood sugar levels, while others have a stronger response, and therefore shouldn’t eat those foods. It’s those kinds of results that you can only find from a personalised diet.

“What we were surprised to find out was just like any other food, there is no such thing as good bread,” Elinav said. “The response to bread was completely individualised.”

1.What is suggested in the first sentence?

A.Everyone has their own tastes.

B.Nutrition serves your body best.

C.People’s response to the same food is different.

D.The latest diet doesn’t fit each person.

2.What does “that silver-bullet diet” refer to?

A.A diet that is low in fat.

B.A diet that begins a new diet trend.

C.A diet that works best for everyone.

D.A diet that provides all the nutrition.

3.Ruti’s example suggests that to control weight, one needs to      .

A.eat much fewer tomatoes

B.control their blood sugar levels

C.struggle for weight loss constantly

D.eat according to his or her blood sugar level

4.Why is Elinav’s opinion on bread mentioned in the last paragraph?

A.To advise people not to eat unhealthy food.

B.To stress the need of the personalised diet.

C.To explain the popularity of white bread.

D.To show the importance of good bread.

    As unpleasant emotions go, anxiety is the roughest. It's a vague, pit-of-the-stomach fear that sneaks up to you -- that unease you get when your boss says that she needs to talk to you right away, when the phone rings at 4:00 a.m., or when your dentist looks into your mouth and says "Hmm" for the third time.

Lingering anxiety can keep you up at night, make you irritable, undermine your ability to concentrate, and ruin your appetite. And the constant state of readiness generated by anxiety--- adrenaline pumping, heart racing, palms sweating--may contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease.

How to prevent anxiety then?

Meditate. Maybe you're just high-strung. If so, meditation(冥想) is worth a try. It cultivates a calmness that eases anxious feelings and offers a sense of control. A study at the University of Massachusetts found that volunteers who took an 8-week meditation course were considerably less anxious afterward. People who are high-strung find that they are dramatically calmer with 20 minutes of meditation in the morning and another 20 minutes after dinner.

Jog,walk, swim, or cycle. If you can't make time for meditation, be sure to make time for regular exercise. Exercise can have the same calming effect as meditation, particularly if it's something repetitive like running or swimming laps.

Treatment?

Remember to breathe. When you're anxious, you tend to hold your breath or breathe too shallowly. That makes you feel more anxious. Breathing slowly and deeply can have a calming effect. To make sure that you're breathing correctly, place your hand on your diaphragm(横膈膜), just below your rib cage(胸腔). Feel it rise with each inhalation(吸气) and fall with each exhalation.

Let's say you are anxious about your competence on the job. Ask yourself "What, in particular, am I afraid that I'll mess up?" Maybe you’re afraid that you get further behind and miss your deadlines. Or maybe you're worried that you're blowing it whenever you present your ideas in meetings. Are your worries founded? Have you had several near misses with deadlines? Are your suggestions routinely rejected? If not, the anxiety is needless. If there is a real problem, work on a solution: Pace yourself to better meet deadlines, or join a public speaking class.

1.Which of the following symptoms is NOT directly caused by anxiety?

A.Lower in concentration. B.No appetite.

C.Heart racing. D.High blood pressure.

2.According to the passage, what can be done to avoid anxiety?

A.Exercising regularly. B.Keeping breath steady.

C.Breathing with the help of hands. D.Adjusting the pace of life.

3.What is the last paragraph about?

A.Anxiety at work and its solutions. B.People's anxiety about their capabilities.

C.The reason for someone's incompetence. D.The function of public speaking class.

    NEW HAVEN, Connecticut —— A surprise awaited students in Yale who showed up for Professor Laurie Santos’s class. They got slips of paper that said, “No class today.” There was only one rule for the students ‘ unexpected free time——They were not allowed to study, but to relax. Since exams and papers were coming up, everyone was tired and stressed. At this moment they were touched. With around applause, nine students hugged Santos, and two burst into tears.

Yet, cancelling class was not just a break. It was also a challenge, as she was asking them to stop worrying about their grades, even if it was just an hour. One student went to the Yale University Art Gallery for the first time in her four years at Yale. A group of students went to a recording studio and played a new song. More people were outside, and more were smiling. That’s why about 1,200 students were taking Santos’s class, called “Psychology and the Good Life,” the largest class in Yale’s 317-year history. Even non-Yale students had the chance to take Santos’s class. It was offered as an online course and she immediately became an Internet hit.

Skyler Robinson, one of her students, was at a loss for a while about what to do during his break, and then decided to take a nap. “It was a great nap,” he commented. Santos designed the class after she realized that her students kept busy through long days that seemed far more depressing and joyless than her own college years. “They feel they’re in this crazy rat race. They’re working so hard that they can’t take a single hour off. That’s awful.”

The ideas behind the class are simple. Santos said, “It is the hope that science can help students find peace among all the stresses and difficulties they face at college.” The lessons include showing more gratitude, performing acts of kindness and increasing social connections. The students really wanted to learn to lead a happy life in a science -driven way. Santos also noted the psychological happening of “mis-wanting”, which led people to work towards the wrong goals in life.

One week, Santo asked students to exercise. Another week, she wanted them to get more sleep. They worked hard to keep some new habits. Social science research led to many new understandings of how people find happiness. She thinks her class can change Yale, or rather, not just Yale.

1.How did students respond to the cancelling class?

A. They expressed their concern.

B. They were at a loss what to do.

C. They showed gratitude to the teacher.

D. They were eager to study individually.

2.How can we know Santo’s class was popular?

A. From the attendence in her class.

B. From the subject she taught.

C. From the long history of Yale.

D. From the release of the online course.

3.What can students learn from Santos’s class?

A. To develop good study habits.

B. To let exercise become their routine.

C. To better understand how to find happiness.

D. To do something joyful during the stressful time.

4.What can we infer from the text?

A. Santos had a more stressful time in her college.

B. Students would be in rat race after Santos’s class.

C. Santos’s influence can reach a wider range of people.

D. Santos is going to cancel more classes for better effects.

假定你是李华，在加拿大交流学习期间，当地要举行黄梅戏演出活动。请你写一封信申请做志愿者，内容包括：

1.写信目的；

2.个人优势；

3.想做的事。

注意：1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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

增加:在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧), 并在其下面写出该添加的词。

删除:把多余的词用斜线（\)划掉。

修改:在错的词下面划一横线, 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。

Last Saturday, to celebrate the School Science Festival, our school invited a expert to teach us to making robots. When the expert came into our school, we give him a warm welcome and felt very exciting. At the beginning, he taught us some knowledges about making robots. We sat around him and listened careful. Then we started to have a try ourselves. Some of us put different parts of robots together or some programmed the robot with the help the expert. Finally, the robots that we made them were able to move under our control. Everyone were very proud of our success and the expert praised us.

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。

If you are looking for a destination that is filled 1. new sights and experiences,  China is the best in the world. It is a destination where you can discover a country that's 2.(difference) from your own. Here are some 3.(reason) why China should be at the top of your visit list. China, with a history of over 5,000 years, is one of 4. Four Ancient Civilized Countries. Kung fu and tai chi are 5.(specially). You can also enjoy China's food, tea cultures, Chinese medicine as well as poetry and calligraphy(书法). China's ancient treasures are more famous 6. those in any other country in size and number-from ancient palaces to the Great Wall and city walls. Besides, the lovely giant panda 7.(live) only in China. You can even go with 8.(we) panda experts to meet wild pandas in their natural habitat(栖息地). What's more, with the 9.(develop) of Chinese public transportation, it is easier 10.(travel). Taking a smart phone in China,  you can take a high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai running at 250-350 km/h, buy a coffee with your e-wallet, and ride a shared bike to explore the city.

    Humans always learn a lot from animals. Once I gave up working as a researcher in Yellowstone National Park to stay with Shira, my old _______, until she dies. The time I spend with her now has become the most _______ time of my life so far. As dog owners, we get _______ when we know that our pets are getting _______ . How much time left do we have? We don't know when the end is coming ._______， we can live happily and love completely. And we can make every moment of _______ with our pets become the most valuable moment of our lives. To change our _______ and achieve perfection(完美), from time to time we _______ too much time and money, while dogs don't _______ their appearance. Instead, they are quite __________ with the gifts that nature gave them. This makes their lives very __________. When we get older, we're probably __________ to give up things that aren't __________ to us any more, because we know we can't take them with us when we die. For Shira, happiness is __________ going for a walk, and getting food. She takes __________ in the simplest things. Old dogs make us __________ how important the time that we spend with our loved ones is and make us enjoy every __________. When our dogs grow old, we have to learn to __________ the unexpected things, to deal with the __________ of our lives, and to live every minute. In order to live a meaningful life, we must beat the fear of __________ someone.

1.A.partner B.dog C.classmate D.cat

2.A.valuable B.boring C.stressful D.awful

3.A.excited B.nervous C.strange D.afraid

4.A.ugly B.beautiful C.old D.weak

5.A.However B.Besides C.Finally D.Otherwise

6.A.staying B.working C.competing D.fighting

7.A.diet B.appearance C.opinion D.style

8.A.consider B.afford C.save D.spend

9.A.care about B.speak of C.think of D.complain about

10.A.angry B.patient C.careful D.satisfied

11.A.simple B.difficult C.busy D.boring

12.A.lucky B.sad C.ready D.surprised

13.A.ordinary B.traditional C.harmful D.necessary

14.A.even B.just C.still D.already

15.A.part B.pity C.pleasure D.pride

16.A.prove B.imagine C.predict D.realize

17.A.place B.book C.moment D.party

18.A.avoid B.accept C.refuse D.offer

19.A.illnesses B.changes C.chances D.persons

20.A.meeting B.helping C.losing D.knowing

    How to Stay Active Living in a City?

Staying in a city is a great way to live a safer and easier lifestyle. 1. And you can try finding ways to stay active in your everyday life. Here are some suggestions for you.

Travel by bike instead of by car to get to places

Though cars seem faster, you can see more of the city by riding a bike. Check and see if your city has any bike roads that allow you to travel more safely. 2.

Join a local sports club to stay healthy

Search online or look through your local newspaper to see if there's a sports club near you. Although sports clubs are a bit expensive, you can use some special equipment(设备) to keep healthy.

Run to stay in shape

 3. Running can also be a great choice for going from place to place. Whenever you go out, make sure that you're running in comfortable shoes.

Join in city activities to meet new people

Search online or look at your local community(社区) center to see what events are going on, like yoga classes or cooking classes. 4.

Search for green spaces to spend time regularly

Check the area near your home to see if you have any city green spaces, such as community gardens, public parks, or sports fields. 5.

A. Take advantage of the Internet to help you.

B. Staying in the countryside is more peaceful.

C. Traveling by bike can make you more active.

D. If you don't feel like driving or biking, it doesn't matter.

E. City living provides you with a lot of chances to stay healthy.

F. Just keep in mind that these events can make you meet new people.

G. Try to visit green spaces at least once a week to increase your happiness and be active.

    The situation of the world's plants is not good. One fifth of the kinds of plants are in danger of disappearing, according to a report.

"Plants are very vital to human beings, " said Kathy Willis, who led the new report. "Plants provide us with everything-food, fuel, medicine, and they are very important for our climate controlling. Without plants we would not be here. "

The good news is that deforestation rates(森林砍伐率) around the world have dropped largely since the 1950s. However, this report on the health of plants around the world shows that there is much more to be done.

The report predicts that there are now 390, 900 kinds of plants. And about 21 percent of those plants are in danger of disappearing. "The good side is that we're still discovering lots of new plants, about 2, 000 each year, " said Dr. Willis. "The bad side is that we've seen a huge change in land cover, mainly caused by cultural activity, with a little bit of climate change in there as well."

Human activity has a great effect on the danger of plants disappearing. As humans cut down forests to make room for agriculture(农业), and towns and cities, biodiversity(生物多样性) is lost. This could not only affect our own food supply directly, but also it could affect the food web.

1.What does the underlined word "vital" in paragraph 2 probably mean? ______

A.Useless. B.Friendly. C.Equal. D.Important.

2.Which of the following does Dr. Willis agree with? ______

A.New plants are more than ever before.

B.About half the plants will disappear soon.

C.Many new plants are found every year.

D.Plants mustn't be used to produce medicine.

3.What do we learn from the third paragraph? ______

A.We have made little progress. B.There is a long way for us to go.

C.We have achieved our goal. D.There will be nothing we can do.

4.What is the best title for the text? ______

A.Biodiversity Being Lost B.Human Social Activity

C.Environment Protection D.Nature Climate Change

    Today's personal computers are very different from the huge machines that were born during World War II-and the difference isn't only in their size. By the 1970s, these early PCs could not perform many of the tasks that today's computers can. Users could only do mathematical calculations(数学计算) and play simple games. Today PCs are used in many different kinds of ways. At home and at work, we use our PCs to do almost everything. It is nearly impossible to imagine modern life without them.

The earliest computers were not "personal" in any way: They were large and expensive, and they required a team of engineers and other experts to keep them running. One of the first and most famous of these, the Electronic Numerical Integrator Analyzer and Computer (ENIAC),  was built at the University of Pennsylvania. ENIAC cost ﹩500, 000, weighed 30 tons and took up nearly 2, 000 square feet of floor space.

ENIAC and other early computers proved that the machines were worth so much money, space and manpower they needed. For example, ENIAC could solve in 30 seconds a problem that could take a team of human "computers" 12 hours to complete. At the same time, new technologies were making it possible to build smaller computers.

But one of the most important of the inventions that make way for the PC revolution was the microprocessor(微处理器). Microprocessors were the size of a nail. They could run the computer's programs, remember information and manage data(数据) all by themselves.

These new ideas made it cheaper and easier to produce computers than ever before. As a result, the smaller, cheaper "microcomputer"-soon known as the "personal computer"-was born. Today, portable computers, smart phones and ipads allow us to have a PC with us wherever we go.

1.What's mainly talked about in the first paragraph? ______

A.An even more relaxing lifestyle without PCs.

B.PCs can be made full use of to do everything.

C.Differences between modern and early PCs.

D.The difficult situation of PCs being born.

2.What do we know about the earliest computers? ______

A.It was easy to control them. B.They took up too much room.

C.Nobody could afford one. D.They were built by universities.

3.Why does the writer take ENIAC for example? ______

A.To predict high technology will make computers smaller.

B.To show computers are really smarter than human beings.

C.To explain why computers could deal with any problem.

D.To prove spending money on early computers was meaningful.

4.Which of the following makes the biggest contribution to microcomputers? ______

A.Microprocessors. B.Programs. C.Money. D.Imagination.

    Michael Shirazi is a 67-year-old American who has been feeding more than 150 homeless cats in Shanghai for the past eight years. Every night, he leaves his home at 11:00 pm and takes 20 kilos of cat food to the street feeding the homeless cats. So he is called by people "the king of homeless cats".

Eight years ago, Michael came to Shanghai for his family's business. At that time, he was a successful businessman. Until one day after living in Shanghai for a year, a homeless cat he named "short tail" came into his life. He still remembers the night when he saw "short tail" and the way it searched for food in the garbage can for her and her newborn babies. He had pity on "short tail" and brought it food and water. Since then, he has been feeding more and more homeless cats. He even shut down his company and closed his family business because of it.

These homeless cats have brought many happy moments to Michael. Every time they see him, they jump with excitement and kiss him. But unfortunately, his wife left him because he no longer managed his family business and spent nearly 10, 000 yuan a month on cat food. Though all the things happened to Michael, he still leaves his home on time every night.

Michael said: "My experience makes me feel that people are made of love. We must return our love to the world so that we can find our inner(内心的) peace." This is the happiness he gets every night when he's on his way to feeding food: feeling loved and needed.

1.Why do people call Michael "the king of homeless cats"? ______

A.He plays with homeless cats. B.He raises homeless cats at home.

C.He takes photos of homeless cats. D.He gives food to homeless cats.

2.When did Michael start feeding homeless cats? ______

A.Before he came to Shanghai. B.After meeting "short tail".

C.When he was 62 years old. D.After closing his family business.

3.What can we infer from paragraph 3? ______

A.Homeless cats love and trust Michael. B.Michael's wife strongly supported him.

C.Michael made money by selling cat food. D.The feeding will never continue any more.

4.Which of the following can best describe Michael? ______

A.Kind and generous. B.Ordinary and shy.

C.Helpful and calm. D.Brilliant and serious.

    Do you want to read some books? Here are some new books that you might be interested in.

Beyond the Sea of Life on a Bridge Called Why

Joel M Levin MD

www.authorhouse.com

Hardback | Paperback | E-book

﹩34.99 | ﹩20.99 | ﹩3.99

This book looks at some basic questions about human existence(生存).

Pages and Leaflets(小册子) of North Oxfordshire

My Lineage Pre-1700-1959 Angela Fortnum

www.authorhouse.co.uk

Hardback | Paperback | E-book

﹩25.94| ﹩12.90 | ﹩4.99

Every family has a story. And for Angela Fortnum, her family story would begin eight generations before her and date back to the turn of the eighteenth century in England. In the end,  the story of the family lives on today, as this book acts as a legacy(遗产) to Angela and her mother's family.

A Time to Remember

Story of an American Family Terry Bass

www.xlibris.com

Hardback | Paperback | E-book

﹩71.99 | ﹩61.99 | ﹩3.99

This book shares the story of an American family in this heartwarming, moving description of 50 Christmases. It is a welcome story of family, celebration, confidence and love.

The Lakes in My Head

Paddling an Unexplored Wilderness Lesli Chinnock Anderson

www.xlibris.com

Paperback | E-book

﹩19.99 | ﹩3.99

This book focuses on Lesli Chinnock Anderson's life when she suffered from a serious illness. It describes her journey through loss, change and building a strong relationship with God.

1.What will you choose if you are interested in human existence? ______

A.The Lakes in My Head. B.Beyond the Sea of Life on a Bridge Called Why.

C.A Time to Remember. D.Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire.

2.What do we know about A Time to Remember ? ______

A.It doesn't have any hardbacks. B.The E-book costs ﹩4.99.

C.Love can be found in the story. D.It is a story of an English family.

3.Who is the character of the book The Lakes in My Head? ______

A.Terry Bass. B.Angela Fortnum. C.Joel M Levin M D.Lesli Chinnock Anderson.

阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

A recent UN report shows that many of us are working longer and harder than ever. In the past, employees worked eight or nine hours a day. Today, however, many companies expect their employees to work longer. In addition, the boundary between work and personal life has become less clear. If we are not working in the office, we might be working at home. We are required to be on call whenever our company needs us. In short, we are all working and having less time with family and friends.

This over-emphasis (过分强调) on work can lead to serious problems in our personal lives. The more time we spend at work, the less time there is available for maintaining relationships with our friends and family. Many of us spend so much time on the job that we hardly ever get to see our partners or children. When we do get home, we are often tired and lack the energy to spend time doing what we really enjoy.

There are, however, a number of ways in which we can regain control of our lives and correct the work-life balance. First of all, workers, especially those employed in offices, have to realize that work is rarely finished. In other words, taking work home does not usually decrease the amount of work. As one task finishes, another one appears. This means that, unless there is a strict deadline, work should stay at work.

Another way to regain a work-life balance is to plan your free time. Most of us spend a lot of time planning our working week. Few of us put the same effort into organizing our leisure time. However, if we don’t have a plan, there is a danger that we will miss out on the things that we really enjoy doing. So, if you like going to the cinema, make sure that you go regularly. Write it in your diary. If you enjoy having friends visit, plan a time and write that in your diary too. It’s all too easy to let your precious time slip away.

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。

Swedish businessman Nile Bergqvist is delighted with his new hotel, the world’s first igloo (冰屋) hotel.

1. ( build) in a small town, it has been attracting lots of visitors, but soon the fun will be over. In two weeks’ time Bergqvist’s ice creation 2. (be) nothing more than a pool of water. “We don’t see it as a big problem,” he says.“We just look forward to replacing 3..

Bergqvist built his first igloo in 1991 for an art exhibition. It was 4. successful that he designed the present one, 5. measures roughly 200 square meters. Six workmen spent more than eight weeks 6. (pile) 1, 000 tons of snow onto a wooden base. When the snow froze, the base 7. (remove).

After their stay, all visitors receive a survival certificate recording their success. Without8. (window) and places to hang clothes, it may seem more like a survival test than a relaxing hotel break with temperatures below 0℃. “It's great fun,” Bergqvist explains. “As well as a good start in survival training.”

The 9. (popular) of the igloo is beyond doubt. It is now attracting tourists 10. all over the world. At least 800 people have stayed at the igloo this season even though there are only ten rooms.

    Jadav Payeng, an Indian, has been planting a tree every day since he was just 16 years old. Now, almost 40 years later, he has created a ______ of 1,360 acres on what was once a _____ land.

Growing up on Majuli, the world’s largest river island, he once ______ hundreds of animals dying from drought among the ______ greenery on the island, so he was ______ to plant one tree every day.

After almost four ______ of growth, his forest is now home to hundreds of elephants, tigers, deer and birds. Payeng says he has lost ______ of how many trees he has planted—but he ____ there are now thousands of trees providing ______ to the wildlife.

“It’s not as if I did it ______,” Payeng said. “You plant one or two trees, and they have to seed. And once they seed, the wind knows how to plant them, the birds here know how to ____ them, cows know, elephants ______, and even the river knows. The entire ______ knows.”

Island locals used to call Payeng “crazy” for his ______, but since he was accidentally ___ by a wandering wildlife journalist in 2007, the “Forest Man of India” has been ______ as a role model for protecting the environment.

Payeng doesn’t plan on ______ any time soon—he wants to continue planting trees “until his last ______”. He hopes to one day ______ the entire island with 5,000 acres of trees. “Nature is everything. It ______ me. It gives me power…As long as it survives, I survive.”

1.A.lake B.forest C.park D.hole

2.A.big B.fertile C.poor D.flat

3.A.witnessed B.imagined C.reported D.rescued

4.A.remote B.amazing C.fresh D.decreasing

5.A.delighted B.moved C.determined D.convinced

6.A.decades B.years C.months D.weeks

7.A.interest B.count C.control D.sight

8.A.argues B.dreams C.hopes D.believes

9.A.food B.care C.water D.shelter

10.A.by accident B.by myself C.by mistake D.by all means

11.A.eat B.pass C.repair D.sow

12.A.know B.work C.rest D.run

13.A.village B.ecosystem C.planet D.desert

14.A.confidence B.position C.ambition D.experiment

15.A.discovered B.connected C.decided D.regarded

16.A.ordered B.observed C.praised D.studied

17.A.stopping B.returning C.hiding D.waiting

18.A.purpose B.view C.breath D.picture

19.A.tighten B.restart C.arrange D.save

20.A.improves B.inspires C.changes D.forbids

So, You Want to Be a Writer?

What are some tips on becoming a writer?

1. Read everything you can. Most writers are good readers. They read because they love to lose themselves in books. They like the sounds of language and the way that reading a good description can feel as satisfying as winning a race or eating really good food. 1.. Do you like stories that are fast-paced and full of unexpected twists? Do you prefer to read books with characters who seem like someone you might know? Do you like to feel scared or do you like a story that makes you laugh until you cry? Think about the types of writing you like best, and try to identify the qualities that attract you.

2. 2. It’s easy to forget a good idea if you do not record it immediately. If you get in the habit of carrying a notebook or journal with you everywhere you go, you can write down anything you want to remember. When you are talking to friends in the cafeteria or waiting for the bus, something might give you an idea for a character or a scene in a story. You might have a dream you don’t want to forget, or you might just write down the lyrics of a song you love. 3.

3. Do your homework. If you decide that you would like to submit your work for publication, make sure you do your research. If you are sending your writing to a magazine, look through old issues. 4. If you are submitting to a book publisher, explore their website to make sure your material is similar to (but not exactly the same as) other books they publish.

4. Stay positive. A writer’s life can be frustrating. Sometimes it’s hard to sit down and write. 5. This is why perseverance is an important quality for a writer to have.

A. Talk to friends.

B. Keep a notebook.

C. As you read, pay attention to what speaks to you.

D. You may get many refusals before you receive a single acceptance.

E. Does it seem like your writing fits in with other stories or articles?

F. These everyday thoughts and observations can be material for your writing one day.

G. Writing is a good way to clear your mind and make room for more of the “good stuff”.

    For the soldiers, the true technological hero may be the body armor (盔甲).

Capable of stopping most bullets, the body armor worn by all of the troops is being trusted for saving many lives. Soldiers shot at close range are walking away with no more than broken ribs (肋骨).

While the newest smart bombs get more attention, improvements in soldiers’ armor are improving safety on the battlefield. The new body armor in particular, may help reduce deaths in the firefights.

In addition to the lighter and more protective body armor, soldiers now wear more comfortable, stronger helmets.

“Everything they have is much better,” says Robert Kinney, director of individual protection at the Army’s Soldier Center in Natick, Mass. “It means an increase in their quality of life.”

The new equipment is a result of years of research and development at the lab.

The new body armor, named “the interceptor”, is similar to but stronger than ones worn by the police. It can also protect the neck. Two other plates are put into it and cover vital organs. As a result, far fewer deaths arrive at military hospitals with abdomen (腹部) or, chest wounds, says Air Force Maj. Mark Ervin, a surgeon at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. “That’s remarkable,” Maj. Ervin says.

Altogether it weighs 16 pounds, one-third lighter than the previous armor that protects only against shrapnel (弹片) but couldn’t stop bullets. The lighter weight is a welcome improvement for soldiers already carrying 100 to 120 pounds of gear.

Soldiers’ helmets have also been improved since the first Gulf War. They also offer more protection. They are capable of stopping handgun or small machine gun rounds, but not high-powered shots.

1.Why is the body armor regarded as a hero?

A.It’s able to stop all the bullets. B.It saves a hero soldier’s life.

C.It prevents rib injuries effectively. D.It reduces deaths among soldiers.

2.Which of the following best describes the new body armor?

A.Stronger. B.Heavier.

C.More expensive. D.More attractive.

3.What is the main idea of the text?

A.The new body armor is able to stop most bullets.

B.The new body armor has saved many lives on the battlefield.

C.Soldiers are equipped with improved body armors and helmets.

D.Helmets are as important as the body armor to soldiers.

    The foldable smartphone was shown for the first time on Wednesday during a Samsung developer’s conference in San Francisco, California. The company first announced plans to build a fully foldable phone five years ago.

The phone is designed to fold open to make the device the size of a small tablet. It can also perform some operations of a tablet. When folded closed, the device looks and works like a normal smartphone. The device will permit users to keep up to three apps open at one time. With normal size smartphones, users have to keep changing between apps.

Justin Dension is Samsung’s senior vice president. He introduced the device to people at the conference. He said it marked a major breakthrough in future smartphone technology. Denison said the design of the foldable device was very complex. One of the biggest difficulties was finding a material that was not only flexible but also strong enough to support repeated folding and unfolding of the device. Denison said Samsung would be ready to start mass production in the coming months.

Technology experts see the new foldable design as a way to get users to buy a new device seen as revolutionary. More people are deciding to hold onto smartphones longer because newly launched models do not offer major improvements and can be very costly. This behavior is one reason for a steady decrease in worldwide smartphone sales over the past year.

It remains to be seen whether foldable phones will become popular quickly. The device is expected to cost more than $1,000. The company has not yet announced when its FlexPai device will be available in America. But it is planning to launch the product in China starting next month, at a price of about $1,300.

1.What did Samsung company do on Wednesday in San Francisco?

A.It announced plans to build a foldable phone.

B.It introduced its foldable phone to the public.

C.It started to sell its foldable phone in America.

D.It held a conference to deal with new challenges.

2.What can we learn about the foldable smartphone?

A.It can run only one app at a time.

B.The material for it was hard to find.

C.It is popular worldwide now.

D.It will take the place of the tablet.

3.What does the underlined part “This behavior” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A.Recycling their old smartphones.

B.Repairing their old smartphones.

C.Keeping their old smartphones.

D.Replacing their old smartphones.

4.Where does the passage probably come from?

A.A brochure. B.A newspaper.

C.A research paper. D.A shopping guidebook.