1 . Speaking Up

I never looked up when my friends were talking and joking about the ratarded (智障的) boy a few tables away. It didn’t even cross my mind that he might feel _______when people whispered about him. So I just let them talk.
Then came the day when I learned my little brother Martin’s testing for autism (自闭症) came out positive (阳性). I had never thought about him like that. I broke_______, crying.
Everything had just changed. He was no longer a(n) _______little boy.
Over time, I was able to accept his _______a little more. We had to_______because Martin needed treatment. So Martin and I both started at a new school. One day, I was standing in the bus line waiting when a “ short ” bus (for the retarded) came and_______up some kids. The children in the other line started making_______about the “ retarded ” on that bus and I felt a _______feeling in my heart. I said quietly that those comments weren’t very nice, _______no one listened.
My family moved again. In the new school I got a ________ to speak up pretty soon. That day, in a band class, my teacher _________our playing to make some comments, “ …Guys, we’re playing like the kids on the short bus! Come on! ”
The entire room was laughing loudly. I felt very ________. Then, I raised my hand. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say but I wanted to be heard.
The whole class ________down. My mouth opened and this came out: “ I don’t think we should make fun of the short bus, because there are people on that bus who have a lot in common with us and have the same feelings as we do.” I could feel my________getting louder. “So I would________it if you didn’t make fun of them.”
The room was very quiet and everyone stared at me. My teacher ________for his words and then started the song again. At the end of the class, everyone was giving me strange looks. But I didn’t _________because I knew three things: I had spoken the ________, I had taught everyone something, and while everyone in the classroom was being a follower, I had ________to take a different path since I wanted to become a ________and a role model.1.

A．amazed

B．hurt

C．uncertain

D．cold

2.

A．off

B．in

C．down

D．away

3.

A．normal

B．noisy

C．outstanding

D．impressive

4.

A．pain

B．interest

C．opinion

D．illness

5.

A．change

B．move

C．quit

D．study

6.

A．set

B．took

C．brought

D．picked

7.

A．jokes

B．complaints

C．choices

D．discoveries

8.

A．violent

B．strange

C．confusing

D．clear

9.

A．because

B．if

C．but

D．so

10.

A．chance

B．position

C．topic

D．point

11.

A．encouraged

B．bothered

C．enjoyed

D．stopped

12.

A．bad

B．embarrassed

C．tense

D．guilty

13.

A．sat

B．slowed

C．quieted

D．looked

14.

A．pace

B．voice

C．pulse

D．breath

15.

A．excuse

B．appreciate

C．stand

D．permit

16.

A．apologized

B．fought

C．allowed

D．argued

17.

A．understand

B．notice

C．return

D．care

18.

A．wisdom

B．importance

C．matter

D．truth

19.

A．helped

B．decided

C．agreed

D．hoped

20.

A．reporter

B．thinker

C．leader

D．trainer

2 . Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers. But, according to a new study, we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year.

Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work. Now, the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours, they would earn as much as $ 172,000 a year.

The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours they are working, to determine the figure. This would make their yearly income $ 30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns.

By analysing the numbers, it found the average mother works 119 hours a week, 40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime. After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18, it found that, on most days, mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11pm.

To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour, it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on, including housekeeper, part-time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer. Being a part-time lawyer, at £ 48.98 an hour, would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jobs”, with psychologist (心理学家) a close second.

It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 percent making emotional demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.

Over a third of .mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends.

The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother’s Day. The emotional, physical and mental energy mothers devote to their, children can be never-ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness. Investing (投入) in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent.

1. How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister?

A．£ 30,000.	B．£ 142,000.
C．£ 172,000.	D．£ 202,000.

2. The biggest challenge for most mothers is from       .

A．emotional demand	B．low pay for work
C．heavy workload	D．lack of training

3. What is stressed in the last paragraph?

A．Mothers’ importance shows in family all year long.

B．The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile.

C．Mothers’ devotion to children can hardly be calculated.

D．Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return.

4. What can we conclude from the study?

A．Mothers，working hours should be largely reduced.

B．Mothers should balance their time for work and rest.

C．Mothers’ labour is of a higher value than it is realised.

D．Mothers should be freed from housework for social life.

3 . Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. You can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.

Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less self­conscious (难为情) when they’re in poorly lit places—and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.

Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us feel less hungry. So when it’s time to repaint, go blue.

Don’t forget the clock—or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories (卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes. And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turn on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.

Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12­inch plate instead of a 10­inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake (摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.

1. The text is especially helpful for those who care about ____________.

A．their home comforts	B．their body shape
C．house buying	D．healthy diets

2. A home environment in blue can help people ______________.

A．digest food better	B．reduce food intake
C．burn more calories	D．regain their appetites

3. What are people advised to do at mealtimes?

A．Eat quickly.	B．Play fast music.
C．Use smaller spoons.	D．Turn down the lights.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Is Your House Making You Fat?	B．Ways of Serving Dinner
C．Effects of Self­Consciousness	D．Is Your Home Environment Relaxing?

4 . “Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move,” said David Belle, the founder of parkour(跑酷).
Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what if making your morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale? Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has become popular worldwide.
Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is considered an extreme sport. As its participants（参与者）dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up walls and even move from roof top to roof top.
Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more than that.
Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy(理念) behind parkour. This is the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover said, “I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything.”
Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself. It is only a state of mind. It is when you trust yourself that you earn energy.
1. Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of ________.

A．its founder, David Belle

B．the varieties of participants

C．its risks and tricks

D．the film, Casino Royale

2. The underlined word “obstacles” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．streets	B．buildings
C．barriers	D．roofs

3. Which of the following is true of parkour?

A．It needs special training.

B．It is a good but boring sport.

C．It challenges human abilities.

D．It is a team sport.

4. As its participants move around a city, ________.

A．they should run to extremes

B．they may choose to escape

C．they can ask for help

D．they must learn to survive

5. Which of the following is the philosophy of parkour?

A．Sports and extremes.

B．Excitement and freedom.

C．Determination and freedom.

D．Dreams and success.

5 . Most 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.

Many 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(猎食动物) 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.

Another 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.

Birds called cuckoos have found a way to have babies without doing much work. How? They don’t make nests. Instead, 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.

Chimpanzees, 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.

Chimps 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.

As 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 be injured

2. By “Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky” (paragraph5), the author means ________.

A．chimps are ready to attack others

B．chimps are sometimes dishonest

C．chimps are jealous of the winners

D．chimps can be selfish too

3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Some chimps lower their cry to keep food away from others.

B．The losing chimp won the fight by taking the winner's hand.

C．Cuckoos fool their adoptive parents by making no nests.

D．Some clever scrub jays often steal their food back.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．Do animals lie?

B．Does Mother Nature fool animals?

C．How do animals learn to lie?

D．How does honesty help animals survive?

6 . I used to be a very self-centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people _______ I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a _______person:

I think my _______started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my _______, and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever _______to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really _______. It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So I tried a(n) _______. I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I _______to help. That was really a big _______for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of ________are still my best friends today.

A bigger cause of my new ________, however, came when I took a part-time job at a Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer s disease became my ________. Every time I came into her room, she was so ________because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never ________her, so I took her place. She let me ________. That making others feel good make me feel good, too. When she died, I was ________, but I was very grateful to her.

I think I am a much ________, person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not ________these experiences. They have ________e to care about other people more than about myself. ________who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.

1.

A．since

B．before

C．or

D．unless

2.

A．famous

B．simple

C．different

D．skilled

3.

A．education

B．career

C．tour

D．change

4.

A．balance

B．homework

C．degree

D．interest

5.

A．talked

B．wrote

C．lied

D．reported

6.

A．careful

B．lonely

C．curious

D．guilty

7.

A．argument

B．game

C．experiment

D．defence

8.

A．dared

B．offered

C．hesitated

D．happened

9.

A．dream

B．problem

C．duty

D．step

10.

A．us

B．which

C．them

D．whom

11.

A．attitude

B．hobby

C．hope

D．luck

12.

A．friend

B．partner

C．guide

D．guest

13.

A．polite

B．happy

C．strange

D．confident

14.

A．bothered

B．answered

C．visited

D．trusted

15.

A．explain

B．guess

C．declare

D．see

16.

A．homeless

B．heart broken

C．bad-tempered

D．hopeless

17.

A．quieter

B．busier

C．better

D．richer

18.

A．forget

B．face

C．improve

D．analyze

19.

A．forced

B．preferred

C．ordered

D．taught

20.

A．miss

B．like

C．wonder

D．expect

7 . Michael Greenberg is a very popular New Yorker. He is not famous in sports or the arts, but people in the streets _______ him, especially those who are _________.

For those people, he is “Gloves” Greenberg. How did he get that _______? He looks like any other businessman, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase(公文箱). But he’s _______. His briefcase always has some gloves(手套).

In winter, Mr. Greenberg does not _________ like other New Yorkers, who look at the sidewalk(人行道) and _______ the street. He looks around at _________. He stops when he _________ someone with no gloves. He gives them a pair and then he _________, looking for more people with cold ____________.

On winter days, Mr. Greenberg ______________ gloves. During the rest of the year, he ____________ gloves. People who have heard about him ____________ him gloves, and he has many in his apartment(公寓).

Mr. Greenberg ______________ doing this 21 years ago. Now, many poor New Yorkers know him and ______________ his behavior(行为). But people who don’t know him are sometimes ____________ him. They don’t realize that he just wants to make them ____________.

It runs in the ____________. Michael’s father always helped the poor as he believed it made everyone happier. Michael Greenberg feels the ____________. A pair of gloves may be a __________ thing, but it can make a big difference in winter.

1.

A．know about

B．learn from

C．cheer for

D．look after

2.

A．old

B．busy

C．kind

D．poor

3.

A．job

B．name

C．chance

D．message

4.

A．calm

B．different

C．crazy

D．curious

5.

A．act

B．sound

C．feel

D．dress

6.

A．cross over

B．drive along

C．hurry down

D．keep off(不接近)

7.

A．cars

B．people

C．street numbers

D．traffic lights

8.

A．helps

B．chooses

C．greets

D．sees

9.

A．holds up

B．hangs out(闲逛)

C．moves on

D．turns around

10.

A．hands

B．ears

C．faces

D．eyes

11.

A．searches for

B．stores up(储存起来)

C．gives away(赠送、分发)

D．puts on

12.

A．borrows

B．sells

C．returns

D．buys

13.

A．call

B．send

C．lend

D．show

14.

A．delayed(推迟)

B．remembered

C．began

D．enjoyed

15.

A．understand

B．dislike

C．study

D．excuse

16.

A．sorry for

B．satisfied with

C．proud of

D．surprised by

17.

A．smart

B．rich

C．special

D．happy

18.

A．city

B．family

C．neighborhood

D．company

19.

A．honor

B．pain

C．same

D．cold

20.

A．small

B．useful

C．delightful(高兴的)

D．comforting

8 . Who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860 - 1935)
Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She created shelters, education opportunities and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907 - 1964)
Rachel Carson was born in the rural river town of Springdale, Pennsylvania in America. The popular 1962 book “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson made people realize the dangers and the harmful effects (影响) of pollution on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Angela Merkel (1954 -     )
In 2005, Germans chose Angela Merkel as their first woman head of the country. She had been a scientist in the past. As Germany’s leader, she has had an effect on the whole world.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 -     )
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work because she was a woman. However, she became the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court (最高法院) in 1981 after years of hard work.
Margaret Thatcher (1925 -     )
In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first woman Prime Minister (首相). She served until 1990, which made her the first British leader to serve three terms in a row. Because of her high standards and strong will, people called her Britain’s Iron Lady.
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
Polish-born scientist Marie Curie discovered that some types of metal give off energy called radiation (辐射能). Her research led to new medical treatments and arms. She received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911.
1. Who once won the Nobel Prize?

A．Jane Addams and Marie Curie.

B．Jane Addams and Margaret Thatcher.

C．Marie Curie and Angela Merkel.

D．Marie Curie and Rachel Carson.

2. We can infer from the text that Rachel Carson worked to _____.

A．help the poor

B．spread geographic knowledge

C．protect the environment

D．protect the rights of women

3. What do Angela Merkel and Margaret Thatcher have in common?

A．Both of them were scientists before coming to power.

B．Both of them are the first woman head of their country.

C．Both of them are famous for being strict.

D．Both of them have worked for three terms.

4. Who once failed to find a job?

A．Jane Addams.	B．Sandra Day O’Connor.
C．Rachel Carson.	D．Margaret Thatcher.

5. What would be the best title for the text?

A．Great women	B．Famous scientists
C．Strong leaders	D．Ways to success for women

9 . When I came to my new school three years ago, I was surprised at how lonely I felt. Then one of my classmates invited me to her house for a dinner_______ I was a little anxious, but finally I gladly_______.

Not really knowing how_______the bus ride should be, _______ when I saw the landmarks _______ on my friend's hand drawn map. But when I got close enough to the _______. I found none of the streets were shown on the map. I was_______on a busy road with cars driving past without a person in sight. I had no_______when the next bus would come, _______ when a bus did come by, I ________ got on. I told the bus driver where I wanted' o go and he said that I had caught the ________bus, but he let me stay on. After he had finished his scheduled bus route, he________ to help me out. I grateful showed him my little hand--drawn map but________did not help much.

He finally ________ me off at a main road to catch a different bus and was________that he could not help me more. After a few minutes of walking, I noticed a bus pull up near me. It was the ________ bus driver. He explained that he didn't want to leave me there________. He sent out a call and someone radioed back, saying that the bus I needed to catch was about ten minutes away. At last I made it to the dinner party________. I was over an hour late, I am forever thankful for the ________ that this bus driver had for me. His act of kindness left a________ on my heart.

1.

A．meal

B．party

C．meeting

D．time

2.

A．accepted

B．refused

C．got

D．received

3.

A．far

B．difficult

C．long

D．bad

4.

A．drove on

B．walked away

C．hurried by

D．got off

5.

A．show

B．showing

C．shown

D．to show

6.

A．street signs

B．tall buildings

C．traffic lights

D．back yards

7.

A．queuing

B．siting

C．standing

D．waiting

8.

A．meaning

B．idea

C．problem

D．way

9.

A．so

B．yet

C．but

D．still

10.

A．suddenly

B．luckily

C．finally

D．quickly

11.

A．right

B．wrong

C．best

D．fastest

12.

A．supplied

B．refused

C．offered

D．wanted

13.

A．it

B．he

C．she

D．they

14.

A．kept

B．dropped

C．drove

D．turned

15.

A．eager

B．worried

C．sorry

D．disappointed

16.

A．same

B．next

C．kind

D．silly

17.

A．helpless

B．lonely

C．unaccompanied

D．alone

18.

A．after

B．although

C．until

D．when

19.

A．respect

B．concern

C．help

D．love

20.

A．mark

B．sign

C．symbol

D．line

10 . Make Up Your Mind to Succeed

Kind-hearted parents have unknowingly left their children defenseless against failure. The generation born between 1980 and 2001 grew up playing sports where scores and performance were played down because “everyone’s a winner.” And their report cards sounded more positive (正面的) than ever before. As a result, Stanford University professor Carol Dweck, PhD, calls them “the overpraised generation.”

Dweck has been studying how people deal with failure for 40 years. Her research has led her to find out two clearly different mind-sets that have a great effect on how we react to it. Here’s how they work:

A fixed mind-set is grounded in the belief that talent is genetic - you’re a born artist, point guard, or numbers person. The fixed mind-set believes it’s sure to succeed without much effort and regards failure as personal shame. When things get difficult, it is quick to blame, lie, and even stay away from future difficulties.

On the other hand, a growth mind-set believes that no talent is entirely heaven-sent and that effort and learning make everything possible. Because the ego (自尊) isn’t on the line as much, the growth mind-set sees failure as a chance rather than shame. When faced with a difficulty, it is quick to rethink, change and try again. In fact, it enjoys this experience.

We are all born with growth mind-sets. (Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to live in the world.) But parents, teachers, and instructors often push us into fixed mind-sets by encouraging certain actions and misdirecting praise. Dweck's book, Mind-set: The New Psychology of Success, and online instructional program explain this in depth. But she says there are many little things you can start doing today to make sure that your children, grandchildren and even you are never defeated by failure.

1. What does the author think about the generation born between 1980 and 2001?________________.

A．They don’t do well at school.

B．They are often misunderstood.

C．They are eager to win in sports.

D．They are given too much praise.

2. A fixed mind-set person is probably one who______________.

A．doesn’t want to work hard

B．cares a lot about personal safety

C．cannot share his ideas with others

D．can succeed with the help of teachers

3. What does the growth mind-set believe?____________________ .

A．Admitting failure is shameful.

B．Talent comes with one’s birth.

C．Scores should be highly valued.

D．Getting over difficulties is enjoyable.

4. What should parents do for their children based on Dweck’s study?______________.

A．Encourage them to learn from failures.

B．Prevent them from making mistakes.

C．Guide them in doing little things.

D．Help them grow with praise.