1 . ①When it comes to Chinese students considering studying in foreign countries, many of them usually believe that life will be easy and enjoyable. Unfortunately, it’s likely that students with those beliefs will be disappointed very soon after landing at the airport.
②So, what are the problems you may have, and how can you deal with them?
③Teaching and learning styles in America are very different from those in China, requiring more critical thinking(批判性思维) and teamwork. In a normal American classroom, one project might be done by a study group in which every person has his/her own responsibility.
④So don’t worry about your language or any grammar mistakes. Just watch what other students do, and don’t be afraid to ask any questions. The discussions, or sometimes ever arguments, that your group members and you hold are likely to be the beginning of a friendship.
⑤Beside schoolwork, another important thing faced by overseas students is homesickness or loneliness. You may miss your parents’ cooking, your pets, or even your old bed. Being away from home can create bitter feelings, especially when faced with the challenges of getting used to a new environment.
⑥What I strongly suggest is to try hard to deal with these feelings. Be open to new friendships. Sign up for school activities, and give yourself permission to enjoy life at school, even if you miss home a lot. Be organized and keep a diary to check your progress. Write down three new things that you’re grateful for every evening, as well as three things you’re looking forward to every morning.
⑦Studying abroad is never simple. In fact, there will be many difficulties every day. But I’m sure you will overcome your difficulties and make your time overseas a success.
1. The article is written for ________.A.teachers | B.parents | C.students | D.travelers |
A.thinking critically alone | B.working in a group |
C.watching what others do | D.arguing with other students |
A.Keep a diary. | B.Make new friends. |
C.Take part in school activities. | D.Write a letter to parents daily. |
A.①//②③//④⑤//⑥⑦ | B.①②//③④//⑤⑥//⑦ |
C.①//②③④//⑤//⑥⑦ | D.①②//③④⑤//⑥⑦ |
2 . We all want to live in good neighborhoods, but not everyone lives in a good neighborhood. How can you build a better community for yourself and your family? There are many things you can do.
Paint your intersection (十字路口). A street intersection is not something you think of as interesting. However, In Portland, people in some neighborhoods have made them really worth stopping for. Some paint, creative people and a bright design are all it takes to bring neighbors together and produce something the whole community can be proud of.
Make a poetry box. The idea is simple, really-create a box with a glass or clear plastic front. Put this box on a post. Write your own poem or print out your favorite classic and display it in the box for all your neighbors to see. You can also set up a drop box and encourage neighbors to write their own poems and drop them in the box. Display the poems from your neighbors as the poems come in.
Set up a tool library. How often do you need a leaf blower? Or a chain saw? And how often do you use that electric cake mixer? Too libraries have space where neighbors can drop their hardly used tools to share. Check with a local business, community center or church group about space that can house a tool library.
Turn your front yard into your backyard. How often do you meet your neighbors in your backyard? Probably never. Moving your typical (典型的) backyard activities to the front immediately makes you more visible (可见的). You can create front-yard gardens, build community benches and even just barbecue in your front yard. They are all great ways to connect with your community.
With effort, you’ll make your neighborhood a much better place.
1. Which of the following is NOT true?A.Writing poems is a good way to connect with your neighbours. |
B.Each family may have hardly used tools for others to share. |
C.In Portland, the intersections in some neighborhoods are very attractive. |
D.Move your backyard activities to the front yard and you’ll have chances to meet your neighbors. |
A. | B. | C. | D. |
3 . Most of us are used to using jet hand dryers (喷射式干手器) in public restrooms. They are surely very convenient — all we need to do is to hold up our hands for a few seconds until they are dry. And more importantly, they’re supposed to be hygienic (卫生的).
However, a new study published in the journal Hospital Infection found that jet hand dryers actually spread more dangerous bacteria (细菌) than paper towels.
In the study, two restrooms in each of three different hospitals in the UK, France and Italy were required to provide both jet air dryers and paper towels for people to use. But on certain days, only either the hand dryer or the paper towel dispenser (自动出纸机) was available to use.
The scientists found that when only the hand dryer was available, the amount of bacteria in the restrooms was 27 times higher than on other days.
According to study leader Mark Wilcox, an expert in medical microbiology at Leeds University, UK, air dryers spread harmful bacteria all over the room. This means that if people use these dryers, they’re more likely to pick up bacteria.
At the same time, however, this raises the question — why the bacteria exists(存在) if people wash their hands after using the restroom.
“The problem starts because some people do not wash their hands properly,” Wilcox told The Telegraph. In other words, poor hand-washing leads to a large amount of bacteria being left on your hands.
1. It was found that the restrooms had more bacteria when __________.A.only the hand dryer was available to use |
B.only paper towels were available to use |
C.both the hand dryer and the paper towel dispenser were available to use |
D.neither the hand dryer nor the paper towel dispenser were available to use |
A.By only using clean restrooms. | B.By not using public restrooms. |
C.By using paper towels. | D.By washing our hands properly. |
A.①/②③④⑤/⑥⑦ | B.①/②③/④⑤⑥⑦ | C.①/②③④⑤⑥⑦ | D.①②/③④⑤⑥⑦ |
A.Modern technology causes more problems. |
B.Good habits can protect you from danger. |
C.It’s common to pick up bacteria public places. |
D.Scientists will find a way to improve hand dryers. |
4 . Life comes in a package. This package includes happiness and sadness, failure and success, hope and despair. Life is a learning process. Experiences in life teach us new lessons and make us a better person. With each passing day, we learn to deal with all kinds of problems.
________ Love makes you feel wanted. Without love, a person could become cruel. In the early stage of our life, our parents are the ones who show us with love and care. They teach us about what is right and wrong, good and bad. But we don’t always care about it. It is only after marriage and having kids that a person understands others’ feelings.
Happiness can bring people a peaceful mind. No mind is happy without peace. Things like failure and illness may bring sadness, but sadness will pass away.
Failure is the way to success. It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way. Success brings money, fame and self-respect.
Hope is what keeps life going. Parents always hope their children will do well. Hope makes us dream. Hope teaches us not to despair even in the darkest hours, because after every night there is a day.
Life teaches us not to regret over yesterday, for it has passed and is out of our control. Tomorrow is unknown, for it could either be bright or dark. So the only choice is to work hard today, so that we will enjoy a better tomorrow.
1. Which of the following sentences can be put in ________A.Love plays a main role in our life. |
B.Success only brings people money and fame. |
C.Love teaches us what is right and wrong. |
D.With love a person could become warm. |
A.Happiness can’t make people peaceful. |
B.Parents are the ones who give us love. |
C.Without hope, people can still keep their life going. |
D.People will feel sad when they fail, but the sadness will pass away one day. |
A.To ask people to love each other. |
B.To tell people how to face sadness and happiness. |
C.To give readers some information about life. |
D.To tell people what is a beautiful dream. |
(①=Paragraph 1 ②=Paragraph 2 ③=Paragraph 3 ④=Paragraph 4 ⑤=Paragraph 5 ⑥=Paragraph 6)
A.①②/③④⑤/⑥ | B.①/②③④/⑤⑥ |
C.①②/③④/⑤⑥ | D.①/②③④⑤/⑥ |
5 . A new officer with the Huntington Park Police patrols (巡逻) local parks 24 hours a day seven days a week. He doesn’t need rest, coffee breaks, a salary or medical insurance, and that is because it is a Robocop.
The main function of the Robocop is to scan and film the surroundings. Besides cameras with night vision that report 360 degrees, it also has a distress button which is located here, so if somebody is to need assistance or they want to contact the communication center, they can do it by way of that distress button. There are people that are monitoring on the other end.
This newest police employee is self-charging. It’s easy to program it and make changes to the software if necessary. Its maintenance (维护) costs are roughly 75 thousand dollars a year. It travels the entire park. It is a programmed path, but the police are able to change the path and adapt it.
The Robocop can record the license plates (车牌) of passing cars and check them against an online database of stolen cars. It can also help locate a lost iPhone because it is able to determine a Smartphone’s MAC address. The police can see from the robot if something wrong happens and then come and figure it out.
The Robocop can’t replace its human handlers. The whole goal is to give police more time to do things machines can’t do. The police have been having some concerns about safety of the parks and want an extra set of eyes that will help patrol a 24/7. Robocop’s creators believe this model known as K5 is best used for providing security at public places like hospitals, parking lots, parks and airports. So far, it seems to be working out just fine.
1. What is the distress button used to do?A.Locate the Robocop. | B.Serve as an alarm device(警报装置). |
C.Communicate with visitors. | D.Monitor the neighborhood. |
A.To direct traffic. | B.To build a database(数据库). |
C.To prevent accidents. | D.To find lost cars. |
A.It has limitation(局限性) in use. | B.It has been widely used(被广泛使用). |
C.Its creators(开发者) need more support. | D.Its security(安全性) is still under test. |
( ①=Para. 1 ②= Para. 2 ③= Para. 3 ④= Para. 4 ⑤= Para. 5 )
A.①②③;④⑤ | B.①②;③④⑤ | C.①②③④;⑤ | D.①;②③④⑤ |
6 . Sign language is a kind of body language. Body language includes eye contact, walking postures, standing postures and gestures. Body language can express all kinds of thoughts and feelings. Different cultures have different body language. Here are some common gestures in different cultures.
In China, a thumb-up sign is used to praise someone for being “good”, “great” and “smart”. In America, a thumb-up sign means “It’s good” or “It’s OK” while a thumb-down sign means the opposite (相反的). But in some countries, there are other meanings. For example, in Japan, that also means “man”, “your father” and “the highest”. In South Korea, it also means “the chief”, “one’s own father”, “minister” and “captain”. In Australia, the United States, Mexico and other countries, it means “the fate of prayer (祈祷的命运)”. As for French people and Indians, this gesture can be used when asking for a ride.
Point with your forefinger (食指). It is very impolite in Europe and America. British and American people make a circle with the thumb and forefinger and the other three fingers keep straight, which means “Excellent”.
Put out your forefinger. In the United States, it’s used to ask someone to wait; French people ask for an answer by using this gesture; In Myanmar, it means “please”; In Singapore, it shows something or someone is the most important.
Hold out your forefinger and middle finger and make the V word. “V” is the first letter of victory (胜利), so it means “victory” in Britain, France and other countries. But in Serbia, the gesture stands for “heroism” and in the Netherlands, it stands for “freedom”.
Besides, the “OK” sign means “money” in Japan while it means bad behavior in Latin America.
1. What does the underlined word “that” refer to?A.The thumb-down sign. | B.The thumb-up sign. |
C.The hand-up sign. | D.The hand-down sign. |
A.The thumb-down sign may mean “It’s bad” or “l don’t agree” in America. |
B.People will be unhappy if you point with your forefinger in America. |
C.People in Singapore usually put out their forefingers to show “please”. |
D.The “OK” sign in Latin America has a different meaning from Japan. |
A.①② / ③④⑤⑥ | B.① / ②③/④⑤⑥ | C.① / ②③④⑤⑥ | D.① / ②③④⑤ / ⑥ |
A.Different meanings of sign languages. | B.Sign languages in western countries. |
C.Different countries have different cultures. | D.Body language in world is all different. |
7 . Most teens try very hard to look good. They wear beautiful clothes, cool shoes and fashionable sunglasses. They may want to stay home from school because of the smallest pimple(粉刺). I know because I used to focus only on my appearance. However, now I work hard to see more than just my looks. I'll explain why.
Firstly, if you only focus on how you look, you'll also focus only on the appearance of others. As a result, you'll become a person who can't see the truly important characteristics(品质) in others. Some people don't follow the latest fashion trends. If you avoid getting to know them, you'll miss out on many interesting and valuable relationships in your life.
Moreover, if you focus only on your appearance, you'll miss out on chances to improve your abilities. For example, if you spend all your time trying to look fashionable, you won't have any time to become a better musician or improve your grades at school. Even the most attractive people need to have skills to succeed in life.
In addition, focusing only on your looks can make you feel disappointed about yourself. If you don't worry about a pimple on your face, you'll be less likely to feel unhappy about yourself. On the whole, happy people like to communicate with the world in a positive way. Therefore, feeling happy is more important than looking good. You should work hard at feeling good, not just looking good.
I used to focus only on how I looked. However, now I work hard to focus on all the different parts of myself—my appearance, personality, abilities, and so on. So I'm a much happier person. If you take my advice, you'll be a happier person too. Your first step is to look at yourself without a mirror!
1. What's the writer's purpose of writing the first paragraph?A.To introduce his opinion on looks. | B.To explain how important your look is. |
C.To let you buy more beautiful things. | D.To tell you what he used to be like. |
A.encourages you to enjoy the world | B.helps you see important points in others |
C.causes you to feel proud of yourself | D.stops you from improving your abilities |
A.focusing on your physical appearance | B.improving your abilities and skills |
C.seeing all the different parts of yourself | D.cool clothes and fashionable accessories |
A. | B. | C. | D. |
8 . Think about how much time you spent outside last week. I mean “really outside”. Walking from the car into the mall doesn't count. Now think about how much time you spent inside: on the Internet or playing video games or watching TV.
“I play inside more than outside,” said Casey M. of South Bend, Indiana. “I like to play games on the computer because I think it's very exciting.”
If you're like Casey, it's likely that you spend more time inside than outside. Kids spent two fewer hours per week on sports and outdoor activities in the early 2010s than kids did in the early 1990s.
Are you staying inside because you need a place to go to? People fill open places with buildings. Rhonada Clements said, “Students still need some special places. There they are free to go and meet friends. And they can make them relax there. What's more, parents should spend more time staying with their kids.”
Even when there is a place to go to, personal safety is a problem. “I wish I could play outside more.” said Angela P. of New Haven, Connecticut. “There is a park down the street, but my mom worries about my safety when I go there by myself.” Many kids are home alone in the afternoons because their parents tell them not to leave the house. Most parents always think it's dangerous for their children to stay outside.
1. What can we know from the first three paragraphs?A.A lot of people like playing outside. |
B.A lot of people like playing computer games. |
C.More and more people like watching TV with their family. |
D.More and more people like spending time inside. |
A.special places | B.people | C.students | D. friends |
A.Because they want their children to spend more time with them. |
B.Because they think it's dangerous for their children to go outside alone. |
C.Because they are afraid their children won't finish their homework. |
D.Because they need their children to do some housework at home. |
A.From writing about himself to writing about other people. |
B.Firstly tell us a fact and then tell us the fact is wrong. |
C.Firstly talk to the parents and then talk to the teachers. |
D.Firstly give a question and then answer the question. |
9 . Cats are the most popular pets in the USA. So there are many sayings(谚语)about cats. Do you know any of them? Now let us read some.
Some cats like to catch small birds, like canaries. If someone looks very happy with himself, we say "he looks like the cat that ate the canary." Sometimes people sleep for a short time during the day. This is called "a cat nap".
You may have heard this saying: "curiosity(好奇心)killed the cat". If you tell about something that you can't say, we say you "let the cat out of the bag". Also, "a fat cat" is a rich man or a woman.
How interesting! Which kind of cat are you, or which kind would you like to be?
1. A canary is a kind of ________.A.dog | B.cat | C.bird | D.fish |
A.a fat dog | B.a happy cat | C.a thin cat | D.a fat cat |
A.he takes a cat nap | B.he looks like the cat that ate the canary |
C.he is a fat cat | D.he lets the cat out of a bag |
A. | B. | C. | D. |
10 . O. Henry was well-known as an American short-story writer. His real name was William-Sidney Porter. He was born on 11 September, 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Porter attended a school taught by his aunt and then worked in his uncle's drugstore. The working experience helped him a lot. He saw the humour in everyday life, and made notes of all the colourful characters he met, which became the fodder (素材) for his future stories. In 1882 he went to Texas, and began writing at about the time of his marriage to Athol Estes in 1887, and in 1894 he started a humorous weekly, The Rolling Stone.
In 1902 Porter arrived in New York. He produced a story a week for the New York World, writing also for magazines. His first book, Cabbages and Kings (1904), showed fantastic characters against exotic backgrounds. Then a number of his stories came out. Among them, The Gift of the Magi was popular. The story was about James and Della, a young couple who were poor but still tried to give each other a nice gift on Christmas Eve.
In the following years came The Voice of the City (1908), The Gentle Grafter (1908), Roads of Destiny (1909), Options (1909), and Whirligigs (1910). Whirligigs contains perhaps Porter's funniest story, The Ransom of Red Chief. These stories were printed under another name, his favourite being “O. Henry”.
O. Henry's stories always expressed the effect of coincidence (巧合) on characters through humour and irony (讽刺意味), and often had surprise endings. He said, “A good story is like a bitter pill, with the sugar coating inside of it.”
1. The experience of _____ had a big influence on O. Henry's writing.A.learning from her aunt | B.getting married with Athol |
C.working in a drugstore | D.starting a weekly newspaper |
A.Cabbages and Kings. | B.The Voice of the City. |
C.The Gift of the Magi. | D.The Ransom of Red Chief. |
a. He went to Texas and began writing.
b. He started a weekly, The Rolling Stone.
c. He received education in his aunt's school.
d. His first book came out and became popular.
A.c-a-b-d | B.c-b-a-d | C.a-c-b-d | D.a-b-d-c |
A.Most of them are about the rich people's life. |
B.The endings often give the readers a surprise. |
C.The characters are usually humorous and fun. |
D.Characters with foreign backgrounds are popular. |