1 . Coral reefs (珊瑚礁) are an integral part of sea life and sustain it by providing shelter and habitat to various organisms. They also supply and recycle nutrients as well as enable a growing fish population, along with other species, for a healthy and diverse ecosystem. However, the rise in average water temperatures due to climate change has resulted in more frequent and longtime coral bleaching (白化现象) events that damage their health, causing fish and other sea species to abandon them.
In order to restore this delicate ecosystem, scientists from the UK and Australia conducted a study that involved using loudspeakers underwater near damaged coral reefs to make them sound healthy and attract fish, potentially kick-starting the natural recovery process of coral reefs and their dependent life forms. The location for this experiment was the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea, found alongside the east coast of Queensland, Australia. The site is noted to have the largest coral reef system in the world.
“Healthy coral reefs are remarkably noisy places-the crackle of snapping shrimp and the whoops and grunts of fish. Young fish concentrate on these sounds when they're looking for a place to settle,” said Steve Simpson, study co-author and a professor at the University of Exeter, UK.
By using loudspeakers to copy such sounds, parts of dead coral reefs were found to attract twice as many fish, compared to places where no sounds were played. “These returning fish, are crucial for coral reefs to function as healthy ecosystems. Boosting fish populations in this way could help to kick-start natural recovery processes, preventing the damage we're seeing on many coral reefs around the world,” said lead author, Tim Gordon.
1. What causes the phenomenon of coral bleaching?| A．Diverse species. | B．Noise pollution. |
| C．Fishing industry. | D．Climbing temperatures. |
| A．Removing damaged coral reefs. | B．Using loudspeakers to keep fish away. |
| C．Building new homes for sea species. | D．Playing certain sounds to appeal to fish. |
| A．To provide some findings of the study. | B．To show the progress of the experiment. |
| C．To explain reasons for the new approach. | D．To give another solution to the problem. |
| A．The attempts are in vain. | B．Natural recovery is impossible. |
| C．Initial success has been achieved. | D．The coral reefs have returned to normal. |
2 . Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules, planning your next move and acting as a team member are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating .
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.
1. What are children expected to learn Through playing hide-and-seek?| A．Be a team leader | B．Obey the basic rules |
| C．Act as a grown-up | D．Predict possible danger |
| A．Games can describe life in an exciting way |
| B．Games can turn real-life experiences into a play |
| C．Games can make learning life skills more interesting |
| D．Games can change people’s views of sporting events |
| A．It inspires people’s deep love for the country. |
| B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners. |
| C．It helps the country out of natural disasters. |
| D．It earns the winners fame and fortune. |
| A．Bringing fun to poor kids. |
| B．Providing soccer balls for children. |
| C．Giving poor kids a chance for a better life. |
| D．Attracting soccer players to help poor kids. |
3 . Many years ago mathematics was my enemy． I was afraid of it and I hated it so much that you could not imagine．
Then came a new teacher to our village． On the first day， he entered the classroom with huge steps， reached the blackboard in a few seconds， and wrote his name on the blackboard． Some letters were in higher places and some were in lower places； some were as big as the board itself and some were so small that we had to open our eyes a lot to see them； some were wide enough， but on the other hand some were too thin．
As he turned around， the class suddenly became still and silent， trying to make out what it was． As we read his name， we were all smiling， no laughing out loud． Soon we realized that he had a special and lasting sense of humor and we began to learn mathematics in a relaxed and happy mood （心情）．
As for my mathematics study， the barriers（障碍） began to turn into pieces， and the fear began to disappear slowly． What was dark and colorless suddenly became exciting， challenging， interesting and above all simply fun．There was some humor added to every sum （算术） and there was fun in every problem．
Thanks to this special teacher， math became the most enjoyable subject to me．
1. The writer thought mathematics was very before he met the new math teacher．| A．interesting |
| B．easy |
| C．boring |
| D．challenging |
| A．see |
| B．hear |
| C．write |
| D．feel |
| A．his parents |
| B．his teacher |
| C．his classmates |
| D．his friends |
| A．His name |
| B．A picture |
| C．A word |
| D．A sentence |
| A．A teacher made math fun |
| B．First day of my school |
| C．Math teacher's handwriting |
| D．The way to learn math |
4 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and
philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．attract the readers' interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a personal biography | B．a history paper |
| C．a cultural newspaper | D．a philosophy textbook |
5 . For some years，my mother worked for a charity as President and Secretary.Selling raffle tickets(兑奖券) was her main means of bringing in the charity’s muchneeded funds.We girls would accompany her，selling tickets with great success.My father made and donated beautiful wooden toys，jewellery boxes and other lovely items as prizes.
Now my sister was always coming up with “good ideas”，most of which didn’t work out to plan.But that didn’t deter her.She had many just waiting to be tested.When she was eight and I was just five，we had a wonderful idea for a business adventure.We decided we would sell raffle tickets for charity，and that charity was us!
So one afternoon，we told our mother we were going to play in the park with our cousins as we did most days after school.But instead，we walked around the streets armed with a raffle book，a pen and a large cloth bag to carry the money.
We’d accompanied our mother many times when she sold tickets，so people were familiar with us when we appeared at their doors.Despite the blank looks they received when asking about the prizes on offer，they were very generous.Although there were no actual prizes，our mother’s previous track record enabled us to sell nearly the whole book of raffle tickets.
Like a little pair of lottery(彩票) winners，we walked home and proudly showed off our takings.But our enjoyment of this sudden wealth was shortlived，and our plans for spending it quickly failed.Our angry mother took us back to every ticket buyer，making us apologise and give the money back.Thankfully，our sweet neighbours didn’t make a big deal of our “clever” misbehavior and thus my mother’s
fundraising career could continue safely.We were taught a good lesson by our mother that day.Also I remember my sister’s entrepreneurial(企业家的) spirit dried up a bit after that.
1. What did the author’s father do?
| A．He got prizes ready. | B．He sold handmade items. |
| C．He was in charge of a charity. | D．He helped design raffle tickets. |
| A．Embarrass. | B．Shock. |
| C．Discourage. | D．Mislead. |
| A．They ran into their mother. |
| B．They met some generous strangers. |
| C．They got lost while walking around the streets. |
| D．They took advantage of people’s trust in their mother. |
| A．Honesty is the best policy. | B．What’s done can’t be undone. |
| C．Misfortune never comes alone. | D．Good advice is beyond all price. |
6 . Babies have the charm to melt anybody’s heart instantly; no one escapes the twinkling eyes or the innocent smile. Just their presence will cheer you up, make you forget your worries and tempt you to indulge into their world.
Forgive and Forget
Babies can laugh and giggle all day because they don’t keep hatred against anyone.
Do you think they’ve constructed an evil plan against you because you refused them candy last time? Probably not, life moved on and so did they. So why do we hold on to our past and refuse to let go of the emotional baggage? Does it do us any good except prevent us from laughing to the fullest?
Endless questions of young kids can sometimes be enough to drain the adult mind. They are always busy wondering how things work or why things are the way they are, leaving no room for boredom. Their curiosity gives them an exponential learning curve; they pick up new things quickly and do not refuse to change.
Unconditional Love
Living life to the fullest is not a difficult task; you just need to have the right attitude and an open mind.
| A．Keep smile every day |
| B．Never-ending Curiosity |
| C．What can we do to free from these worries? |
| D．Why do we adore the young ones so much? |
| E．So don’t envy the peaceful life of a baby, start living it yourself! |
| F．Kids have a hug and a kiss for anyone and everyone who wants one. |
| G．Their heart is pure and their mind empty to laugh out loud and enjoy the moment. |
7 . Opened in September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland is the second Disney Park in Asia. It experienced a difficult time upon its opening. The Park, as well as two themed hotels, was built on Lantau Island.
The Park opened to strong competition in the form of Ocean Park. Hong Kong Disneyland is one of only two parks in Hong Kong, which has become one of the world's leading cities in recent years. It kept Chinese cultural traditions in mind when they built the Park to avoid a cultural backlash (抵制). Designers added to the custom of Feng Shui.
Disney and Hong Kong announced the Park in 1999, and construction began in 2003. The Park had one of the shortest construction periods in Disney history. Disney actually announced that the opening of the Park would be brought forward, from 2006 to September 2005.
The Park attracted 5.2 million visitors in its first year, below the expected 5.6 million. There was a lack of attractions, with Fantasyland opening with just one dark ride. Summer Passes were announced to increase the number of tourists. Autopia, Stitch Encounter and it's a Small World opened between 2006 and 2008 to offer more attractions at the Park.
The number of tourists dropped in 2007 to just over 4 million, so Disney planned a big expansion (扩大) project to attract more tourists and bring the Park back to its normal level. In July 2009, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong passed a three-land expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland, and in 2010, Toy Story Land opened.
These new attractions have certainly paid off, with the Park earning record profit (盈利) in 2013. In that year, over 7 million guests entered the Park.
With enough room for a second Park and the promise of more attractions to come, it seems that there is indeed a great beautiful tomorrow for Hong Kong Disneyland.
1. What do we know about Hong Kong Disneyland upon its opening?| A．It was the best Disney Park in Asia. | B．It wasn't very successful at first. |
| C．It didn't face much competition. | D．It was against Chinese culture. |
| A．is much smaller in size | B．has more customs to consider |
| C．had a longer preparation for opening | D．had a shorter period of time for construction |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Worried. |
| C．Uninterested. | D．Doubtful. |
8 . Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language，such as English?
Be patient.
You do not have to understand everything all at once.
Practice your English.
For example, write in a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks, you will see that your writing is improving.
If you believe that you can learn，you will learn.
Keep a record of your language learning.
After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult，but you tried to understand it.
Be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it.
It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will have more confidence in yourself.
| A．Write these achievements(成就) in your journal. |
| B．Besides, you must speak English every day. |
| C．Making mistakes is an unavoidable part in your life. |
| D．There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting. |
| E．Share your achievement with your parents and friends. |
| F．Feel confident(有自信心的) about learning English. |
| G．It is natural for you to make mistakes when you learn something new. |
9 . One day, a little monkey and a little fox went out to play. They saw an apple tree on the other side of the river. There were many big and red apples on it. But there was no bridge over the river. The monkey thought hard and had an idea. They pulled down a tree and put it over the river as a bridge.
The monkey said, “My old friend, you go there first.” But after the fox went to the other side, he kicked(踢) the tree into the river and ran to the apple tree. “How can I get there without the tree?” cried the monkey. The fox laughed and said, “You just stand there and watch me eating the apples.” The monkey was very angry.
Suddenly it began to rain. The water level(水位) in the river rose（上涨） and tree flew away with the water.
“You can eat all the apples. But you can’t come back,” shouted the monkey.
The fox stopped eating and looked at the monkey sadly.
1. The little monkey and the little fox wanted to _____ on the other side of the river.| A．build a bridge | B．eat the apples |
| C．pull down a tree | D．play games |
| A．eat all the apples by himself | B．share the apples with the monkey |
| C．get the apples first | D．play a joke on the monkey |
| A．the monkey had taken away the tree | B．he was angry with the monkey |
| C．it began to rain | D．the tree had flown away |
10 . Fire fighting is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save people’s lives. It is important to know the ways you can use and show them to everyone else in the family, such as stairways and emergency exits, but not elevators.
From the lower floors of buildings, escape through windows is possible. Learn the best way to get out from a window with the least chance of serious injury.
The second floor window is usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the fingertips will have a drop of about 6 feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way down than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed before opening the window. Otherwise, smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked（漏）into the room.
On the second or third floor, the best windows for escape are those which open onto a roof. From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto cement might end in injury. Bushes and trees can help you to have a soft landing.
1. Which of the following should not be used when trying to escape from a fire?| A．windows | B．elevators |
| C．fire exits | D．stairways |
| A．about 12 feet | B．about 6 feet |
| C．about the height of an average man | D．nearly 10 feet |
| A．the only way | B．the best way |
| C．safer than any other ways | D．one of the possible ways |
| A．drop directly onto the ground |
| B．first drop onto a roof then onto the cement |
| C．drop from a roof window then onto bushes or trees |
| D．drop onto the cement rather than bushes and grass |
