I could still remember that hot afternoon when my mother ordered me to walk   to the public library, and borrow at least one book for the summer. In this way, she hoped to defeat my strange problem — inability to read.
In the library, I found my way into the “Children's Room.” I sat down on the floor and pulled a few books off the shelf. The cover of a book caught my eye. It presented a picture of a beagle. I had recently had a beagle, the first and only animal friend I ever had as a child. He was my secret sharer, but one morning, he was gone, given away to someone who had the space and the money to care for him. I never forgot my beagle.
There on the book's cover was a beagle which looked similar to my dog. I ran my fingers over the picture of the dog on the cover. My eyes ran across the title, Amos, the Beagle with a Plan. Unknowingly, I had read the title. Without opening the book, I borrowed it from the library for the summer.
Under the shade of a bush, I started to read about Amos. I read very, very slowly with difficulty. Though pages were turned slowly, I got the main idea of the story about a dog who, like mine, had been separated from his family and who finally found his way back home. That dog was my dog, and I was the little boy in the book. At the end of the story, my mind continued the final scene of reunion, on and on, until my own lost dog and I were, in my mind, running together.
My mother's call returned me to the real world. I suddenly realized something: I had read a book, and I had loved reading that book. Everyone knew I could not read. But I had read it. Books could be so wonderful. I was going to read them.
I never told my mother about my wonderful experience that summer, but she saw a slow but remarkable improvement in my classroom performance during the next year. And years later, she was proud that her son had read thousands of books, was awarded a PhD in the literature, and published his own books, articles, poetry and fiction. The power of the words has held.
1. The author's mother told him to borrow a book in order to ___________.

A．help cure him of his reading problem

B．encourage him to do more walking

C．let him spend a meaningful summer

D．make him learn more about animals

2. The author managed to read the book through because         .

A．he was forced by his mother to read it

B．the book told the story of his pet dog

C．the book reminded him of his own story with his dog

D．the happy ending of the story attracted him

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The author's mother read the same book.

B．The author has become a successful writer.

C．The author has had happy summers ever since.

D．The author's mother rewarded him with books.

4. Which one can be the best title of the passage?

A．The Charm of a Book	B．Mum's Strict Order
C．Reunion with My Beagle	D．My Passion for Reading

WE NEED FOREIGN TEACHERS ALL OVER CHINA

Ad No. 90374

Posted: Mar 12, 2016 13:27 by Amanda             

Expire Date: Apr 12, 2016

Tag: Beijing Language Teaching Part Time

We are looking for teachers, whose native language is English, willing to teach in China.

Most schools are in South of China.

The benefit package for foreign teachers includes:

One-year Contract: 1st September 2016 to 31st August 2017

Salary: 4,000RMB to 5,000RMB/Month

Teaching load & schedule: 20 teaching hours per week

A rent-free apartment with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom with full furniture.

Kitchen facilities provided, other electric appliances will be supplied, water, heater, microwave, etc.

If you are interested, please read the information above and kindly send your application to attach the following documents (in .doc or JPEG format). The subject to be mentioned, as “teach in China”.

1. CV/Resume (简历)

2. A copy of academic degree/diploma/certificate/or college transcript

3. A photocopy of the data page of valid passport

4. A recent color photo

5. A letter of recommendation or release letter from your previous Chinese school (Only if you worked in China previously)

6. Any other related information that you think might help your application

5. This advertisement is about     .

A．introducing a school	B．taking on foreign students
C．looking for English teachers	D．seeking a teaching position

6. What is NOT needed to apply for the job if you come to work in China for the first time?

A．Your resume.	B．Your personal passport data.
C．Your photo.	D．A recommendation letter.

7. If you are employed, you will     .

A．work full time	B．not have to prepare the furniture
C．pay for apartment rent	D．work four months for two years

Around every Lunar New Year holiday, China becomes a country on the move. The holiday crush (客流量) this year is estimated to be even heavier than before.
Government officials suggest that Chinese people will take to the air, roads and railways 3.62 billion times over a 40-day period around the nation's most important holiday this year as people push their way home for family gatherings or to satisfy their new-found passion for travel.
Getting tickets to all those would-be travelers is a discounting challenge that tries your patience annually. And the pressure for the railway system is always the greatest. Railways are the transport of choice for low-cost long-distance travel, and that's where the ticketing system regularly falls down.
Much of the criticism has focused on the railway's online purchasing system, which has been unable to keep pace with the huge demand and also failed to stop scalpers (票贩子) from easily getting many of the hard-to-find tickets.
Railway officials believed that online sales were the fairest way to get tickets for travelers, and told reporters that the public need to be patient. While by now the railway service is far from satisfying, efforts are being made to provide online identity checks that would reduce the ticket scalping problems, and the situation is expected to get better in a few years. Meanwhile, for those traveling by car, good news is that the country's extremely expensive highway tolls (通行费) will be removed for the period of the official holiday.
8. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word "discounting" in Paragraph 3?

A．Pleasing.	B．Rewarding.
C．Promising.	D．Discouraging.

9. According to the text, getting tickets_____ around the official holiday.

A．is convenient for travelers

B．costs more money

C．requires great patience

D．is just a piece of cake

10. We can learn from the text that around the New Year holiday, _______ .

A．there will be 3.62 billion people going home

B．many people have to buy railway tickets from scalpers

C．the railway system will break down as usual

D．not railways but cars are the best choices for traveling

11. Which of the following can best describe the author's attitude to the railway service?

A．Optimistic.	B．Doubtful.
C．Satisfied.	D．Worried.

Now scientists believe that global warming affects hibernating animals, causing them to wake up earlier. While this may seem a little concern, it is in fact a serious environmental problem. The shortened hibernation period could actually lead to significant decreases in the population of several species.
Some of the first evidence of the problem came from Colorado, where researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab have been observing marmot (旱獭) hibernation behavior since the 1970s. In the early days of their studies, marmots generally hibernated several weeks into the month of May. Nowadays, however, temperatures in the area have risen by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the marmots wake up about a month earlier.
At least the marmots are still hibernating. Several other animals have not been hibernating at all recently. Brown bears in the Spanish Cantabrian Mountains did not hibernate last year. Chipmunks (花鼠) in the US and some snakes in Australia also skipped the hibernation period. The bears seem to have survived without losing many individuals. The chipmunks and snakes, however, were not so lucky. Many of the animals died of starvation during the winter.
The problem with animals waking up early, or skipping hibernation altogether, lies with the creatures' metabolism (新陈代谢). When the animals hibernate, their metabolism drops significantly. The animals' heart rate slows, and they require very little energy to live. When the animals awake in the spring, their metabolism returns to normal.
But while their metabolism may be as active as it was before hibernation, food sources aren't as available as they were before. A marmot may wake up when temperatures get warmer, thinking it's spring, but plants will not have got the amount of sun they need to grow. So until the plants grow, the marmots have no reliable food source.
Many scientists believe the problem will continue to get worse. For many biologists, that's a scary prospect. Terry Root, an animal expert at Stanford University, said, “I do think what we will be facing is the extinction of many species.”
12. What is the viewpoint of the writer?

A．Global warming will continue to get worse as time goes on.

B．Waking up early in spring may lead to the extinction of some animals.

C．Shortened hibernation will definitely decrease the population of animals.

D．Animals which do not hibernate die of starvation.

13. The writer sets the example of the marmot in order to .

A．indicate that global warming influences animals' hibernation

B．explain that the weather gets warmer and warmer now

C．show that the weather in the United States is quite different

D．say some animals do not hibernate now due to warm weather

14. Judging from recent observation, which of the following animals suffered the LEAST from shortened hibernation?

A．Brown bears.

B．Marmots.

C．Some snakes in Australia.

D．Chipmunks in the US.

15. Why can't marmots find enough food when they wake up?

A．Because there are too many marmots in the wild now.

B．Because more and more animal species skip hibernation now.

C．Because winter days end much earlier than before.

D．Because plants haven't received enough sunlight for spring growth.

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。(特别提示：请将答案填在答题卷上，并在机读卡上的相应位置留出空白。)
How to Help Save the Environment Cleaning up the existing damage to our environment and preventing further destruction is a huge job. It can seem that there is no way one person, especially a young person like you, can make a difference.    16    , starting with changing some simple everyday habits and working with others to spread the importance of protecting the environment. Here are a few suggestions. Avoid unnecessary driving (or being driven). Every teenager looks forward to a driver’s license and a first car, but automobiles are one of the primary causes of air pollution. If it’s too far to pedal a bike, take a bus or share your car ride with someone else.     17    , but it undoubtedly benefits the environment more. Unplug electrical equipment when possible. Even when turned off, some appliances may still use power.    18    . So it is best to unplug anything that you do not expect to use in the next 36 hours (or more). Carry a bag and a reusable water bottle.     19    . On the contrary, plastic bags and disposable bottles may bring convenience to you, but the environmental damage caused by them is almost permanent. Every plastic bottle not made and plastic bag not used helps a little bit. Raise awareness. Talk to family and friends about simple changes they can make, and why they should do so to help protect the environment.    20    . It’s acceptable to just show them that you have thought a lot about the subject, are passionate about making a difference, and really could use their support.

A．But you can make your contribution

B．This saves you money with fewer trips to the gas station

C．It might not seem as cool as driving yourself

D．They may be the secret sources of the large number on your electric bill

E．This can help start a dialogue in your community about a particular environmental issue

F．You don’t have to give lectures or force them to accept your opinions

G．They don’t take up much space but can prevent a lot of waste