1 . When we watch sports games, we often notice sportsmen wearing earphones before the game. They keep their eyes shut, and nod along with the music. It seems the music is giving them power and cheering them up for the game. But is there any science behind such practices?

According to a new research, it turns out there is. Music makes us feel powerful, but not all songs have the same effect (效果).

The research was led by an American researcher named Dennis. His team had people listen to 31 songs of different types. The listeners felt powerful after listening to some songs, for example, Queen’s We Will Rock You.

Researchers also found that high-power music made people want to take control in social events and come first in competition.

Great sportsmen know this idea well. NBA player Kobe Bryant, for example, often puts on big headphones and even falls into deep thought to boost his game and have fewer worries.

Why does music have magical power? Dennis’s team explained: when people hear music that expresses a sense of power, they mimic (模拟) these feelings in their mind.

When choosing music, we also need to look at the type of music, according to researchers.

In the research by the Music in Exercise and Sport Group at Brunel University in London, they found that pop was perfect for slower tasks. If you’re warming up or cooling down after exercise, pop songs are the correct choice. Dance music was found to be best suitable for strength and weight training.

1. What does the writer mainly want to do in the first paragraph?

A．Tell people music can help them win.

B．Explain why music is important before games.

C．Describe sportsmen’ habits before the game starts.

D．Get readers to think if music is important in sports.

2. Which of the following might Dennis agree with?

A．Powerful music makes the game interesting.

B．Sportsmen should listen to music before games.

C．People felt powerful after listening to some songs.

D．The result of a game is mainly influenced by music.

3. What does the underlined word “boost” probably mean?

A．Lose.

B．Improve.

C．Control.

D．Continue.

4. How does the writer make his points clear?

A．By giving examples.	B．By using English sayings.
C．By giving common rules.	D．By comparing the researches.

5. Which is the proper title for the text?

A．Different Kinds of Music	B．Coming First in Competition
C．Some Meaningful Researches	D．Influence of Music in Sports

2 . In class, the students are talking about their favourite ways of travelling.

Many people like to travel by plane because it is fast, but I don’t like it because airports are usually far from the city. You have to get there early and wait for hours for the plane to take off and it is often late. You can’t open the windows. You can’t choose the food. Planes are fast, but they still take hours to go out of the airport and into the city.

—Tony

I like traveling by train. I think trains are safe. Railway stations are usually in cities. When you are late for a train, you can catch another one. You can walk around in the train and open the windows. You can see many interesting things on your way. It takes a little more time, though.

—Alisa

I like traveling by car, I think it’s very convenient (便利的). You can start your journey when you want to, and you don’t need to get to a railway station. And you can carry many things with you in a car. But sometimes there are too many cars on the road.

—Julian

1. Why do many people like to travel by plane according to Tony?

A．Because it is safe.	B．Because it is fast.
C．Because it is cheap.	D．Because it is convenient.

2. What will Alisa do if she is late for a train?

A．She will catch another train.	B．She will travel by plane.
C．She will go to another station.	D．She will choose food first.

3. What is the bad thing about travelling by car according to Julian?

A．It takes much time to go to a station.	B．People may put many things in the car.
C．There may be much traffic on the road.	D．You can start your journey when you want to.

3 . With spring soon coming to an end, people in China are looking forward to the first solar term (节气) of summer, Lixia, which falls on May 5 of this year. Lixia, or the Start of Summer, is the seventh of the 24 Chinese solar terms. It symbolizes (象征) the passing from spring to summer.

Because of the heat of summer, plants will grow faster. The crops also welcome the rapid growing season. In the south of China, farmers are happy to welcome the arrival of Lixia. This is the best time of the year to plant early rice for them.

________ For example, in some places people cook “Five-Colored Rice”. It is usually made from five kinds of beans, including red bean, yellow bean, black bean and green bean. It stands for people’s good wishes for a colorful life. In some areas, children wear a bag with an egg around their necks. This is believed to help prevent abdominal distension (腹胀). It’s common illness among ancient Chinese children during summer.

On the day of Lixia, people also have the tradition of eating three kinds of food: cherries, green plums, and green wheat. Since there are so many different kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables from which to select, what gets eaten during this time can influence the country. In ancient times, during Lixia, emperors would give ice to their ministers. Common citizens would have icy drinks.

Other Lixia traditions include the singing of many kinds of folk songs. People also weigh themselves on Lixia. When the summer passes, they’ll weigh themselves again to see how many pounds they have lost during the hot season.

1. Why are the farmers in the south of China happy to welcome the arrival of Lixia?

A．Because they can get in crops.	B．Because they are free at home.
C．Because it is the best time to plant.	D．Because it is the first solar term of summer.

2. The Paragraph 3 can begin with ________.

A．people celebrate the day of Lixia in different ways in China

B．people want to know what they should prepare for the day of Lixia

C．people sing many kinds of folk music to celebrate the day of Lixia

D．people wear a bag with an egg around their necks in the day of Lixia

3. Which word is close to the underlined word “select”?

A．Learn.

B．Keep.

C．Produce.

D．Choose.

4. Which can be a proper title for the text?

A．Different food in summer	B．Enjoy the summer time
C．A welcome to summer	D．Activities in summer

5. Based on your knowledge, ________ symbolizes the passing from summer to autumn.

A．Xiazhi

B．Liqiu

C．Qiufen

D．Hanlu

4 . Most children are taught the virtue (美德) of honesty from stories. The well-known story of Pinocchio teaches the importance of telling the truth. Every time Pinocchio lies, his nose grows longer and longer. Another story is about the boy who “cried wolf”. In the end, he loses all his sheep and the trust of his fellow villagers because he tells lies many times. These kinds of stories show children that “honesty is the best policy”. Why do so many people still lie? The fact is that people lie for many reasons.

One reason people lie is to avoid a mistake. While it is true that everyone does something wrong from time to time, some people do not have the courage to admit (承认) their mistakes because they are afraid they will be punished. For example, students might lie to their teachers about unfinished homework. They might say that they left the homework at home, in fact, they did not do the homework at all. These students do not want to get in trouble, so they make up a pretense—a lie—to save face.

Another reason for lying has to do with self-protection. Parents, especially those with young children, may teach their children to use this kind of “protective” lie in certain situation. What should children do if a stranger calls while the parents are out? Many parents teach their children to explain that their mother and father are too busy to come to the phone at that time. In this situation, protective lying can mean greater safety.

People lie for many reasons, both good and bad. Lying to keep the peace or to stay safe can have good results. However, lying to stay out of trouble can lead to more trouble in the end.

1. How does the writer explain why people tell lies?

A．By comparing.	B．By giving examples.
C．By asking questions.	D．By listing numbers.

2. Why do children lie to their teachers?

A．Because they don’t like telling the truth.

B．Because they have left the homework at home.

C．Because they are afraid to be punished at school.

D．Because they don’t want to make their teachers angry.

3. What can we know from Paragraph 3?

A．People lie for many reasons.

B．The reason people lie is to avoid a mistake.

C．The reason for lying has to do with self-protection.

D．Lying to stay out of trouble can lead to more trouble.

4. What does the underlined word “pretense” probably mean?

A．Excuse.

B．Rule.

C．Name.

D．Process.

5. What’s the best title for the text?

A．The Kinds of Lies	B．The Habit of Lying
C．The Meaning of Lying	D．The Truth behind Lying

5 . Working on a team is a good thing, but sometimes it can bring you some trouble. To create a successful team, good communication is the most necessary thing for both team members and leaders. Here are some helpful suggestions.

Don’t criticize (批评) any people. When someone on your team does something wrong, don’t criticize him. You can help him find out the reasons and then help him solve the problem. Criticizing your team members too often may make them keep away from you. As a result, you may feel lonely.

Think about other people’s ideas carefully. When someone tells you about his ideas, you should think about them carefully, no matter how silly they may seem. This shows you are interested in his ideas, and it will make him feel good.

Listen to other people actively. When someone is speaking to you, you need to listen to him actively. If you’re unclear about something, you should ask him about it. By doing this can clear up your confusion (困惑) before moving on.

Share your ideas with other people. When you have a new idea, talk about it with team members. This helps to improve the idea. Besides, it also helps to improve relationships with your team members.

1. What is the most necessary thing to create a successful team?

A．Share ideas.	B．Listen to others.
C．Communicate well.	D．Deal with problems.

2. What will happen if you criticize your team members too often?

A．They will feel lonely.	B．They will be afraid of you.
C．They will keep away from you.	D．They will correct their mistakes.

3. What should you do when someone tells you about his idea?

A．Smile at him.	B．Think about it carefully.
C．Ask him why he told me.	D．Get angry and criticize him.

4. What is the writer mainly trying to do in the text?

A．Try to ask us to listen to others.	B．Try to encourage us to share ideas.
C．Try to tell us how to join a good team.	D．Try to give us some useful suggestions.

7 . Do you compare yourself to other people? Perhaps your best friend received something you really wanted for Christmas, or you’re not allowed to go to a concert but your brother or sister is. Even though comparisons are normal and can sometimes be helpful, focusing on your own progress is important for your happiness.

Why does focusing on me matter? “We prefer to compare ourselves to others who are doing better or not as well as ourselves,” says psychologist (心理学家) Nicola Abbott. “But comparing your achievements to your past self (where you started) and your future self (where you’d like to get to) can be more positive.” This can make you feel proud of what you’ve achieved and excited about what you might do. Child psychologist Laverne Antrobus agrees and says that focusing on your own goals is more worthwhile than always trying to come out on top.

Do comparisons make you unhappy? Comparing yourself to those around you is natural and we often do it without realizing. It can help us to find our achievements and to form friendships with new people who have similar interests. However, it’s important to be realistic and remember that nobody is perfect, especially online and on social media. Taking note of how the comparison is making you feel matters, too.

If you begin to feel quite low, Abbott suggests choosing a different role model or focusing on your own strengths and what you’re good at. Antrobus agrees. She says that asking yourself questions like “________”, “What do I feel proud of?” and “What improvements can I notice?” can help to improve your self-esteem (how positive you feel about yourself).

“Jealousy (妒忌) is an ordinary feeling,” says Antrobus, “but focusing on improving your own performance can help you feel just as successful. Besides, learning to celebrate your friend’s achievements can help not only to improve your friend’s feeling but can also help you feel good. “It will encourage you to build each other up.”

1. The underlined phrase “focusing on” means ________.

A．taking part in	B．paying attention to
C．playing a role in	D．making use of

2. According to Paragraph 2, Nicola Abbott agrees that it’s better to compare ________.

A．your failures with your past self and future self

B．yourselves to others who are doing better

C．yourselves to others who are doing worse

D．your achievements to your past self and future self

3. Which paragraph talks about the meaning of comparing yourself to others?

A．Paragraph 1.

B．Paragraph 2.

C．Paragraph 3.

D．Paragraph 4.

4. Which of the following can be put into “________” in the fourth paragraph?

A．Who am I?	B．What am I good at?
C．How can I help you?	D．Where do I come from?

5. The purpose of the last paragraph is to suggest ________.

A．not arguing with those around you

B．trying to do better than those around you

C．not minding the feeling of being jealous

D．learning to congratulate your friends on their progress

9 . People in Los Angeles love cars very much. The city is very big, and its public transportation (公共交通) is slow. So people drive everywhere. But now, a lot of people who like riding are trying to get people out of their cars but on bikes.

Devon says he has to be careful when he rides his bike on the streets. “A lot of people drive very fast, and it’s very difficult to be careful.” Although riding a bike to work can be dangerous, he likes to ride his bike to work. “It’s much better than driving a car. For example, I don’t have to think about where to park the car.”

Roger drives to work. “You always have to look at the both sides because someone would rush (冲) across by bike. Or you can easily get into an accident.”

If some people live and work near each other, they can ride to work together to make the bike ride relaxing. They call a “bike train”. Anna helps make the group—L. A. Bike Trains. “You’re in a big group. If you’re afraid of riding alone, you can now ride with other people.” Anna says that people would feel safer (更安全的) by riding together in a group.

1. Most people in Los Angeles use ________ in their lives.

A．cars

B．buses

C．trains

D．bicycles

2. Devon thinks it is ________ to ride his bike on the streets.

A．safe

B．dangerous

C．boring

D．exciting

3. Why does Roger think it is easy to get into an accident when she drives to work?

A．Because she drives fast.

B．Because she doesn’t look carefully at the both sides of the road.

C．Because someone would ride a bike and rush across the street suddenly.

D．Because too many people drive cars in Los Angeles.

4. Who helps make the group—L. A. Bike Trains?

A．Devon.

B．Anna.

C．Roger.

D．We don’t know.

5. From the passage, we know that ________.

A．riding in a “bike train” can help people feel safer

B．Devon is one bicyclist of the group—Bike Trains

C．Roger likes riding her bikes to work

D．Devon thinks riding a bike is more difficult

10 . Do you know what a team needs most? If people on your team are not good at communication, you may often feel terrible. To create a successful team, good communication is the most necessary for both the team members and the leader. Here are some helpful suggestions.

❶Don’t criticize (批评) other people. When someone on your team does something wrong, don’t criticize them. You can help them to find the reasons and then help them to solve the problem. Criticizing your team members too often may make them want to keep away from you. As a result, you may feel lonely.

❷ Listen to other people actively and think about their ideas carefully. When someone tells you about their ideas, you should listen to them actively and think about their ideas carefully, no matter how silly they may seem. This shows you are interested in their ideas and makes them feel good. If you are unclear about something, you should ask them about it. By doing this you can clear up any confusion (困惑) before moving on.

❸Share your own ideas with other people. When you have a new idea, talk about it with your team members. This helps to make the idea better. Besides, it also helps to make your relationships with your team members better.

❹ Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions without fear. This builds trust, leading to a more harmonious (和谐的) team. By the way, regular (定期的) team meeting s should be held to discuss something important and necessary.

1. How does the writer start the text?

A．By telling a story.	B．By showing a saying.
C．By asking a question.	D．By explaining an idea.

2. What is the writer’s advice if someone shares their ideas with you?

A．To take notes while listening.	B．To ask them to move on quickly.
C．To share my interest with them warmly.	D．To listen to them actively and think carefully.

3. Which of the following does the writer probably agree to do?

A．Show no interest in others’ silly ideas.	B．Keep your new and creative ideas as secrets.
C．Let others find their problems by themselves.	D．Try to create a friendly and comfortable environment.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Leaders should communicate with the members.	B．Personal ability is more important than teamwork.
C．Communication is the key to a successful team.	D．Team leaders play a more important role in a team.