1 . New York is a very large city with 8 million people. How do so many people move about the city on their way to work and school? So, we should know something about its transportation.
In New York, you can travel around the city by subway. The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. It crosses the city at different points and goes all parts of the city. Traveling by subway is the quickest way to get around the city.
The second way to travel around the city is by public bus. It’s a slow way to travel because the bus moves on the road and the traffic (交通) is often heavy.
You can travel around the city by taxi, too. This is the most expensive way, but the taxi will take you to the place you want to go to. If the traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow. During the mornings and afternoons, this is the “rush hour”. This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work.
The last way to get around New York is using your own car. However, it’s not easy for you to drive, especially (尤其是) when you are driving in the “rush hour”. If there is an accident (交通事故) on the road, you have to wait for a long time.
The best time to travel around the city is from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. This is the time after the morning “rush hour” and before the evening “rush hour”. Traffic is not so heavy because most people are already at school or at work.
1. According to the passage, how many ways can people travel around New York?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．The subway only runs on the railroad lines in the “rush hour”. |
| B．The taxi will not take you to the place in the “rush hour”. |
| C．It is not easy for you to take a bus around the city in the “rush hour”. |
| D．Traffic will be not so heavy in the “rush hour”. |
| A．From 8 a. m. to 10 a. m. | B．From 3 a. m. to 10 p. m. |
| C．From 3 a. m. to 5 p. m. | D．From 10 a. m. to 3 p. m. |
| A．The weather of New York. | B．The traffic of New York. |
| C．The people in New York. | D．The best time in New York. |
2 . A well-known poem by Tang dynasty poet Du Mu tells of a sad scene in early April: “Rains fall heavily as Qingming comes, and passers-by with lowered spirits go.”
This scene takes place on Tomb Sweeping Day, also known as Qingming Festival. Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival. It began in the Zhou dynasty, over 2,500 years ago. Chinese people celebrate it to remember and honor their ancestors (祖先). This year, it falls on April 4. Tomb Sweeping Day became a public holiday in the Chinese mainland in 2008. People have one day off for that day.
On this day, families bring flowers, food and wine to the grave sites (墓地) of their ancestors. They place cakes, fruits in front of the graves and some may burn joss paper, as money for the dead. After that, they sweep the tombs and cherish (怀念) the memories of their dead family members.
Tomb Sweeping Day gives us a chance to show respect to our ancestors and family members who have passed away and show that we miss them. This tradition shows that family values are an important part of Chinese culture.
Tomb Sweeping Day is also the beginning of the time for gardening and outdoor activities in China. Families often get together for outings or to fly kites at this time.
1. Tomb Sweeping Day is celebrated for people to ________.| A．go out to fly kites | B．have a public holiday |
| C．remember and honor their ancestors | D．get together with their families |
| A．Flowers, food, fruits and umbrellas | B．Flowers, wine and pets |
| C．Food, fruits, joss paper and kites | D．Flowers, food, wine and joss paper |
| A．行人 | B．陌生人 | C．古人 | D．古代人 |
| A．People in the world celebrate Tomb Sweeping Day. |
| B．We have on day off for Tomb Sweeping Day. |
| C．Tomb Sweeping Day began in the Zhou dynasty. |
| D．Family values play an important role in Chinese culture. |
| A．People bring many things to the grave sites. |
| B．Du Mu wrote a poem about Qingming. |
| C．Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival. |
| D．Qingming Festival is a good time for outdoor activities. |
3 . Studies show that children with hands-on (事事过问的) parents are more likely to do well in school. These parents ask teachers to challenge their children and help their children with their homework. “They also encourage their kids to try their best,” says William Sears, the author of The Successful Child: What Parents Can Do to Help Kids Turn Out Well (2002) and The Discipline Book (1995).
It is also important for parents to spend time talking with their children. Studies show that the families of successful children often have dinner together. When talking about school, they pay more attention to what a child is learning than what grade he/she has got. In this situation, children start to feel confident and happy.
Here are some of the other characteristics (特征) of children who do well in school.
Understanding
Successful children understand how other people feel, which makes them work well in a group. “These kids respect others,” says Stanley Greenspan, the author of Building Healthy Minds (1999). If a child laughs at others, a parent should say, “I want you to think about how you would feel if you were laughed in that way.”
A love of achievement
Successful children are good in many ways, such as their subjects, sports and after-school activities. “These kids look forward to challenges, because they provide chances to shine. Parents help their children taste success in one activity, so they try for success in other ways,” says William Sears.
A love of learning
“A child who gets good grades always loves learning,” says William Sears. “And parents should help children develop this love,” he says, “Their attitude (态度) is important. Parents should teach their kids to regard (认为) learning as an advantage, not a problem.”
1. From the second paragraph, we know that ________.| A．children always do well in school |
| B．successful children work well in a group |
| C．it is important for parents to talk with their children |
| D．parents feel confident and happy to be with their children x |
| A．challenges | B．kids | C．subjects | D．parents |
| A．children’s attitude towards learning is important |
| B．a successful child understands how other people feel |
| C．parents should help their children to develop a love of learning |
| D．children should regard learning as an advantage, not a problem |
| A．Challenges for children. | B．Learning is important. |
| C．The right attitude towards life. | D．The secret of successful children. |
| A．Try to talk to him, and tell him its wrong for you two to do that. Then try to help him with his lessons in your spare time. If he can’t accept it, let it be. Maybe he’s not such a good friend. |
| B．You shouldn’t regret. The beauty of one’s looking or appearance doesn’t stand for everything. You are young and still depend on your parents. The most important thing is to study hard and you are sure to have a good future. |
| C．I used to have the same problem. You can try my ideas; they really work. Talk about the things you like best and can do best. Then try to make friends with your neighbours. |
| D．You can get some examples from newspapers, magazines or TV shows, and let her know it’s really bad. |
| E．Tell him that he has done something good to animals. If he takes the eggs home, how will mother feel when she can’t find them? On the other hand, what kind of birds are they? |
| F．Say sorry to him. And try to repair it. Or you may give him your favourite toy car instead. Or buy a new one for him. |
5 . Solving climate change may bring unexpected benefits. There is a special exhibition - Our Future Planet in London Science Museum. It is about carbon capture (碳捕集), the new technology of getting greenhouse gases (温室气体) from the atmosphere and emissions from factories.
The exhibition shows bottles, tubes, pens and yoga mats made from carbon as well as models of the carbon capture machines that can provide this carbon. They include the Lackner artificial tree which mirrors the actions of living plants by breathing in carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) and exhaling oxygen (呼出氧气). It was built by Klaus Lackner. The device is amazing, but its structure is complicated and the usage is limited (限制的). Besides, there also are the Swiss Climework’s carbon extractor system and a carbon capture device developed at Aberdeen University. All can remove carbon from air to be used for alcohol or other products.
To help protect the planet from the effects of Global Warming, we have to do more than only stop carbon dioxide getting into the atmosphere. We also need to find ways to remove carbon dioxide after it has been put there. Simply planting trees and plants will not be enough to solve the problem. Firstly, the machine can be fitted to gas and coal- burning power stations and factories and then used to hold back the carbon dioxide they would emit (排放). The technology can also be used to recapture carbon dioxide that had already been in the air.
But the exhibition also makes it clear that even moderately large groups of these devices now can remove only a few tens of tonnes of carbon a year- compared with the 50 billion tonnes that cars and factories add to the atmosphere every year. So, it’s urgent (紧急的) to develop and use these new technologies on a large scale (规模) to make a real difference in fighting climate change. Using these on a large scale will be very hard.
However, there is still a hopeful route. It is like the mobile phone. Twenty years ago, they were expensive and difficult to use but have been improved upon relentlessly (不停地). These gas- harvesting machines can be improved upon quickly by generations, so that they will be cheaper and more efficient in the future. If we don’t do something like that we will be in real trouble.
1. In the exhibition Our Future Planet, visitors can ________.
| A．book some latest carbon capture machines |
| B．learn a new technology about carbon capture |
| C．solve the problem of global warming by carbon capture |
| D．see carbon capture producing bottles in special shapes |
| A．look like living plants | B．remove carbon from the air |
| C．collect carbon dioxide in the air | D．reduce coal burning in power stations |
① The carbon capture machines have a simpler structure now.
② The carbon capture machines are widely fitted in factories now.
③ The carbon capture machines can remove a few tonnes of carbon a year.
④ Fighting climate change is in need of much more carbon capture machines.
| A．①② | B．①③ | C．③④ | D．②④ |
| A．the technology of carbon capture is hard to develop |
| B．the technology of carbon capture is useless to develop |
| C．the carbon capture machines will be cheaper than mobile phones |
| D．the carbon capture machines will be improved quickly like mobile phones |
①Most people agree that honesty is a good thing. But does Mother Nature agree? Animals can’t talk, but can they lie in other ways? Can they lie with their bodies and behavior? Animal experts may not call it lying, but they do agree that many animals, from birds to chimpanzees, behave dishonestly to fool other animals. Why? Dishonesty often helps them survive.
②Many kinds of birds are very successful at fooling other animals. For example, a bird called the plover sometimes pretends to be hurt in order to protect its young. When a predator gets close to its nest, the plover leads the predator away from the nest. How? It pretends to have a broken wing. The predator follows the “hurt” adult, leaving the baby birds safe in the nest.
③Another kind of bird, the scrub jay, buries its food so it always has something to eat. Scrub jays are also thieves. They watch where others bury their food and steal it. But clever scrub jays seem to know when a thief is watching them. So they go back later, unbury the food, and bury it again somewhere else.
④Birds called cuckoos have found a way to have babies without doing much work. How? They don’t make nests. But they get into other birds’ nests secretly. Then they lay their eggs and fly away. When the baby birds come out, their adoptive parents feed them.
⑤Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky. After a fight, the losing chimp will give its hand to the other. When the winning chimp puts out its hand, too, the chimps are friendly again. But an animal expert once saw a losing chimp take the winner’s hand and start fighting again.
⑥Chimps are sneaky in other ways, too. When chimps find food that they love, such as bananas, it is natural for them to cry out. Then other chimps come running. But some clever chimps learn to cry very softly when they find food. That way, other chimps don’t hear them, and they don’t need to share their food.
⑦As children, many of us learn the saying “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” But maybe you can’t trust her, either.
1. A plover protects its young from a predator by ________.| A．getting closer to its young | B．driving away the adult predator |
| C．leaving its young in another nest | D．pretending to have a wound |
| A．chimps are always honest | B．chimps are sometimes dishonest |
| C．chimps are ready to fight others | D．chimps can be selfish |
| A．Cuckoos fool their adoptive parents by making no nests. |
| B．The losing chimp won the fight by taking the winner’s hand. |
| C．Some clever scrub jays often steal their food back. |
| D．Some chimps lower their cry to keep food away from others. |
| A．How does honesty help animals survive? | B．Do animals lie? |
| C．Does Mother Nature fool animals? | D．How do animals learn to lie? |
7 . When we see babies or pets, we can’t help gently touching them to show our love. And they give us happy feelings back. But a recent study shows that it’s different for plants.
In fact, ▲ . That’s because touching changes their genes and, even worse, can slow their growth. Professor Jim Whelan of the La Trobe Institute in Australia gave an explanation. “The lightest touch from a human, or even plants touching each other in the wind, leads to a huge gene change in the plant.”
In order to test the idea, the scientists did an experiment on plants. They grew a number of plants to the age of four weeks. Then they touched them with a paintbrush every 12 hours over a 36-hour period. They found that as a result, the mitochondria in the plants had been partly hurt. The mitochondria are the “powerhouse of the cell”. The mitochondria produce energy for the rest of the cell in both animals and plants. If this “powerhouse” is weakened, the plants will lose a large amount of energy that should have supported their growth. Whelan further explained, “If the touching is repeated, then plant growth is reduced* by up to 30 percent.” According to Science Alert, repeated touching or moving plants will make them grow shorter than others.
Although the touching does have a strong effect on plants, it’s not always bad. The researches believe, in some way, it could be helpful. It may help plants fight against insects and bad weather. The new research findings have led to a deeper understanding of the plants’ reply to touching. And the research might also “open up new ways to optimize growth in the future.” Science Alert reported.
1. Which of the following is the best for “ ▲ “ in Paragraph 2?| A．people like touching plants | B．plants don’t “like” to be touched |
| C．plants won’t grow if they are touched | D．people should touch plants as much as possible |
| A．shorten the life of plants | B．help plants produce more energy |
| C．make plants grow more slowly | D．cause the death of plants |
| A．improve | B．reduce | C．stop | D．fight |
| A．to touch plants often to show our love |
| B．some ways of helping plants grow better |
| C．advantages and disadvantages of touching plants |
| D．the differences of touching the plants and the animals |
8 . ①Can you imagine a sea of sand three times bigger than India? This is the Sahara Desert, the largest desert in the world. It covers 11 countries in North Africa and is over 9 million square kilometres. That’s more than 25% of Africa.
②In the Sahara, temperatures are very different during the day and at night. It is much hotter during the day. The hottest time is between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures rise to 38℃. But it is very cold at night—the coldest time is at 4 a.m., when temperatures fall to -4℃. The Sahara is also very dry. It seldom rains. Because of the temperatures in the desert, it is a very difficult place to survive. Here are some tips on how to stay alive in the Sahara Desert.
③During the day, cover your body, head and face. Clothes protect you from the sun and keep water in your body. You will also need a warm blanket at night. It can get cold very quickly.When the temperature drops, it can be a shock and make you feel even colder.
④A car is easier to see than a person walking in the desert. You can also use the mirrors from your car to signal to planes and other cars. You can use your car tyres (轮胎) to make a fire. A fire is easy to see. It will help people find you and it will keep you warm at night.
⑤Try to drink some water at least once every hour. You need your water to last as long as possible. Drink only what you need. When you talk, you lose water from your body. Keep your mouth closed and do not talk.
⑥If you eat, you will get thirsty and drink all of your water more quickly. You can eat a little, but only to stop you from feeling very hungry. Eat very small amounts of food and eat very slowly. You can live for three weeks with no food, but you can only live for three days without water.
⑦A small place near a tree or a rock will be the warmest. But be careful before you decide where to sleep. Dangerous animals like snakes and scorpions also like to sleep in these places. Look carefully for animals before you lie down.
1. How does the writer describe the Sahara Desert?| A．By giving examples. | B．By listing numbers. |
| C．By giving a definition (下定义). | D．By using old saying. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．Eating at least once every hour keeps you from getting hungry. |
| B．Temperatures in the Sahara make it a difficult place to survive. |
| C．Mirrors and tyres can be used to give information to ask for help. |
| D．Places near trees or rocks are the warmest for sleeping. |
| A．①②③④⑤⑥/⑦ | B．①/②③④⑤⑥/⑦ |
| C．①/②/③④⑤⑥⑦ | D．①②③/④⑤⑥/⑦ |
| A．The largest desert in the world | B．How to stay alive in the Sahara Desert |
| C．How to stay warm in the Sahara Desert | D．How to stay comfortable in the Sahara Desert |
The Lantern Festival is an important festival in China. And the activities of Chinese New Year will reach a high point on this day.
Early on the morning of this day, there will be dragon dance and lion dance in the streets, and all the streets will be crowded with people.
The happiest moment comes on the evening of this day. In the evening, families will go out together to enjoy the full moon and the colorful lanterns and also guess the lantern riddles（谜语）. In some places of China, people even fly Kongming Lanterns. People often write their beautiful wishes on the Kongming Lanterns before flying them.
Yuanxiao is a special food on the day. This food is usually eaten together with families. The round shape of the balls means family togetherness（家庭和睦） and reunion. This food is also known as tangyuan. According to an old story, during the time of Yuan Shikai’s rule from AD 1912 to AD 1916, he disliked the name of yuanxiao because it sounded like “remove（除掉） Yuan”, so he gave orders to change the name to tangyuan.
This day also means the end of Chinese New Year celebration.
1. The happiest time of the Lantern Festival is on2. People often
3. Why did Yuan Shikai dislike yuanxiao?
4. Which English word in the passage means “团聚”?
It’s “
5. What’s the topic sentence for the passage?
The topic sentence is “
10 . To us, it seems so natural to put up an umbrella to keep the water off when it rains. But in fact the umbrella was not invented as protection against the rain. Its first use was as a sunshade（遮阳伞）.
Nobody knows who first invented it, but the umbrella was used in very ancient times. Probably the Chinese were the first to use it, back in the 11th century BC.
We know that the umbrella was used in ancient Egypt and Babylon as a sunshade. And there was a strange thing that connected with its use: it was a symbol of honor and power. In the Far East in ancient times, the umbrella was allowed to be used only by those in the upper class or by royal people such as kings or queens.
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to use the umbrella as a sunshade. The umbrella was in common use in ancient Greece, but it is believed that the first people in Europe to use the umbrella as protection against the rain were the ancient Romans. During the Middle Ages in Europe.
The umbrella has not changed much in style during all the time, though it has become much lighter in weight. It wasn’t until the 20th century that the umbrellas for women began to be made in all kinds of colors.
1. Ancient people first used umbrellas as ________.| A．a symbol of honor | B．protection against the sun |
| C．a symbol of power | D．protection against the rain |
| A．王室的 | B．富裕的 | C．中产的 | D．平民的 |
| A．the sales of the umbrella | B．the differences among umbrellas |
| C．the invention of the umbrella | D．the history and use of the umbrella |
