1 . Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to
The moment I arrived in Paris, I was
I left France with many
A.discuss | B.express | C.announce | D.argue |
A.approved | B.knew | C.warned | D.denied |
A.stubborn | B.anxious | C.universal | D.interesting |
A.boring | B.upsetting | C.thrilling | D.promising |
A.expected | B.liked | C.doubted | D.feared |
A.greeted | B.witnessed | C.sponsored | D.supported |
A.since | B.until | C.when | D.while |
A.move | B.travel | C.walk | D.rush |
A.housekeeper | B.leader | C.colleague | D.roommate |
A.learn | B.appreciate | C.speak | D.master |
A.contrasted | B.evolved | C.placed | D.fitted |
A.added | B.introduced | C.devoted | D.adapted |
A.term | B.week | C.month | D.vacation |
A.dreams | B.suitcases | C.presents | D.stories |
A.concerned | B.disturbed | C.embarrassed | D.surprised |
A.exploring | B.analyzing | C.describing | D.investigating |
A.need | B.shall | C.must | D.can |
A.generous | B.independent | C.similar | D.distant |
A.but | B.or | C.and | D.so |
A.instructions | B.friendships | C.facts | D.data |
2 . Laugh is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more infectious than any cough or yawn. When laughter is shared, it unites people together and increases happiness and understanding. In addition to “the domino effect” of joy and amusement, laughter also produces healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, improve your energy, reduce pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
Laughter is a powerful cure to stress, pain, and disagreement. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh after a quarrel. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and ready to act.
With so many advantages, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a great resource for defeating problems, improving your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health.
More than just a break from sadness and pain, laughter gives you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in the most difficult times, a laugh-or even simply a smile-can go a long way toward making you feel better. And laughter is really infectious-just hearing laughter trains your brain to smile and join in on the fun.
Laughter is your birthright and a natural part of life. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a family where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.
Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humor and laughter, as you might with working out, and build from there. Eventually, you’ll want to add humor and laughter into your life, finding it naturally in everything you do.
1. In the passage, “the domino effect” means ______.A.laughter can bring some unexpected results like cold |
B.physical changes will be influenced without laughter |
C.laughter causes other similar positive changes to happen |
D.the sound of roaring laughter sounds like the sound of falling cards |
A.It makes others regard you as a humorous and attractive person. |
B.People of different languages can communicate by it. |
C.A person takes it more easily than other kinds of medicine. |
D.It wastes no money and it can be reached in any time and any place. |
A.Keep silent and go out of the room slowly. |
B.Give a smile or laugh from the heart. |
C.Play a trick on the other one at once. |
D.Give up one’s opinion and accept the other’s. |
A.Laughter stands for a positive attitude and inspires you. |
B.Laughter strengthens a person’s heart and cures patients. |
C.People should learn to escape from the sad and painful world. |
D.People should often make trips to find chances of laughing. |
A.How to choose courses to equip you with rich knowledge. |
B.How to create chances to make you enjoy the benefit of laugh. |
C.How to make your spare time or after-school activities colorful. |
D.How to become a humorous person to make you like a gentleman. |
3 . My mother, Marisol Torres, came with her family to Australia in the early 1960s. Then my parents’ marriage ended and Mum began the study of precious stones. Her interest in opals (猫眼石) took her to the New South Wales remote town of Lightning Ridge. There were no luxuries (奢华的享受), but she was closer to nature and had a chance to find black opals and make some money.
My mother was beautiful with dark hair and brown eyes, but she was also quiet and shy. Early in the Ridge years, she kept to herself, but later, she started going to the neighbourhood centre to make friends.
It was her dream to mine, but her get-rich-quick thinking was unrealistic. She was cheated and she was never very successful. But she kept a sense of humour and a charming smile.
Then, just as friendships began to blossom, she was diagnosed with cancer and had to return south for treatment. She had the intention of cooking Spanish food as special treat for her Ridge friends, but died too soon. In her honour, my aunt, Marisa, and I fulfilled (实现) her desire when we visited the Ridge in March last year.
People who mine (采矿) the Ridge come from a cross section of society, from lawyers to travels. Looks don’t mean much: it can be hard to tell who is millionaire and who is poor. Opals attracted Sebastian and Hanna Deisenberger to Lightning Ridge. They planned a two-year stay, but became permanent residents.
Then there’s Neil Schellnegger, 45, who moved to the area with his parents when he was a child. He lives with his son, Luke. Luke is a shy 19-year-old boy who enjoys helping his dad. They haven’t had much luck over the past couple of years, but their passion for opals conquers disappointment. They love the peaceful lifestyle.
Danny Hatcher, 38, is a second-generation miner and president of the Lightning Ridge Miners’ Association. He is an optimistic man, driven by the desire to find the perfect opal. “It’s magic,” he explains. “Once you start opal mining you don’t want to do anything else… There is always the potential for finding a million dollars. Nothing beats it.”
It’s a place where dreams—spiritual or material—can be fulfilled; a place, for one last bet in life.
1. What made the author’s mother go to Lightning Ridge?A.The luxurious life there. | B.Her new marriage there. |
C.Her interest in opals. | D.Her passion for nature. |
A.treating her mother’s Ridge friends with Spanish food |
B.writing a biography about her whole life |
C.decorating her house in Lightning Ridge |
D.finding a lot of black opals in Lightning Ridge |
A.the rich and the poor can be distinguished by their looks |
B.Luke is a successful miner, just like his father |
C.Sebastian is planning to leave Lightning Ridge |
D.Danny Hatcher’s parents were miners in Lightning Ridge |
A.there are precious stones and life is peaceful |
B.there are people from all walks of life |
C.there are rich people who can help poor people |
D.there is a lot of gold hidden in the ground |
A.To show the magic power of opal mining. |
B.To tell people it isn’t always hard to mine opals. |
C.To warn people not to take up this kind of job. |
D.To persuade people to look for more resources for the country. |
4 . Welcome to the world of Disney’s The Lion King!
It is a famous musical based on the 1994 film of the same name. After opening on Broadway in 1997, the show has become one of the most successful shows in the history of Broadway, winning Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, Theatre World Awards and so on.
Director and designer Julie Taymor shows us a colorful, imaginative and highly creative world. The musical includes Nicholas Afoa as Simba, Janique Charles as Nala, Mark Roper as Pumbaa, Richard Frame as Timon, Nadine Higgin as Shenzi and David Blake as Banzai. The New Zealander Nicholas Afoa made his first appearance in the role of Simba in the West End.
The musical’s running time is 2.5 hours which includes one interval. The Lion King is suitable for those aged five and over. Children under three will not be allowed into the theatre. Those aged 16 or under must be accompanied (陪同) by an adult and may not sit on their own. And parents may be asked to take their noisy children away from the theatre. All persons entering the theatre, no matter how old they are, must have a ticket.
The Lyceum Theatre is about 300 metres from Covent Garden subway station. You can also take trains to London Charing Cross, which is about 550 metres from the Lyceum Theatre.
1. What can we know about the musical?A.It has won many awards. |
B.It was produced in London. |
C.It was first opened on Broadway in 1994. |
D.It is more famous than the 1994 film of the same time. |
A.He directs it. |
B.He writes its theme song. |
C.He plays the role of Simba. |
D.He designs the lighting of the stage. |
A.Mike, aged 2, with his parents. |
B.Tom, aged 17, with no partners. |
C.William, aged 75, with no tickets. |
D.Mary, aged 15, with her classmates. |
A.The show lasts over three hours. |
B.The musical is not as popular as before. |
C.Noisy kids may be asked to leave the theatre. |
D.The Lyceum Theatre lies in the heart of London. |
A.To advertise a famous musical. |
B.To introduce the film The Lion King. |
C.To show the popularity of Disney’s musicals. |
D.To give us advice on visiting the Lyceum Theatre. |
5 . As I was walking along a river this evening, I intended to do something nice for a stranger. I started to look around for a
As I tried to walk along, he
Seconds later, just when I felt really
As I rushed away, I was shaken up, but at the same time had feelings of
A.permit | B.reason | C.chance | D.promise |
A.approached | B.arrested | C.recognized | D.praised |
A.so | B.but | C.for | D.or |
A.proud | B.busy | C.sad | D.calm |
A.beaches | B.farms | C.benches | D.buses |
A.suggested | B.minded | C.avoided | D.kept |
A.idea | B.direction | C.style | D.topic |
A.do | B.get | C.prove | D.play |
A.courageous | B.energetic | C.polite | D.strict |
A.tired | B.useless | C.puzzled | D.helpless |
A.gave in | B.came along | C.broke out | D.sat down |
A.practiced | B.hated | C.started | D.admitted |
A.weeping | B.swearing | C.debating | D.commenting |
A.comforting | B.ordering | C.begging | D.teasing |
A.agreed | B.finished | C.left | D.entered |
A.explaining | B.pointing | C.driving | D.walking |
A.responsibility | B.appreciation | C.satisfaction | D.sympathy |
A.purpose | B.effect | C.difficulty | D.power |
A.Therefore | B.Besides | C.Otherwise | D.Instead |
A.honesty | B.humour | C.kindness | D.patience |
6 . Professional critics and news consumers alike have long blamed the news media for running sensational (轰动的) content, but is sensationalism in the news media really such a bad thing?
According to NYU professor Mitchell Stephens, sensationalism has been around ever since early humans began telling stories. “I have never found a time when there wasn’t a form for the exchange of news that included sensationalism. This goes back to societies before written language appeared,” he said. In the 19th century, newspaper wars broke out and some businessmen were accused of sensationalizing the news in order to sell more papers. Whatever the time or setting, sensationalism is unavoidable in news.
Sensationalism serves a function by improving the spread of information to less-educated audiences and strengthening the social structure, Stephens said. “While there is plenty of silliness in various tales, they do manage to serve various important social or cultural functions. They help establish or question, for example, norms(规范) and limitations,” Stephens said .
Critics of sensationalism have always complained that when there is a limited amount of space available for news, the important news gets put aside when more sensational content comes along. That argument might be popular when the news universe was limited to newspapers and radio. But it doesn’t really make sense in an age when it’s possible to call up news from every corner of the world, from various newspapers, blogs, and news sites.
There’s another point to be made about sensational news stories: We love them. Sensational stories are the junk food of our news diet, the ice cream that you eagerly want. You know it’s bad for you but it’s delicious, and you can always have a salad tomorrow. It’s the same with news. Despite what high-minded critics might say, there’s nothing wrong with that. Indeed, an interest in the sensational news stories seems to be an all-too-human quality.
1. What do we know about sensational news from Paragraph 2?A.It has a long history. |
B.It was first created to make money. |
C.It was seldom read by ancient people. |
D.It quickens the development of written language. |
A.helps broaden people’s imagination | B.brings benefits to social development |
C.has greatly changed people’s lifestyle | D.leads to the popularity of confusing news |
A.makes sensational news less attractive |
B.puts pressure on traditional news media |
C.causes people to pay less attention to important news |
D.is unlikely to make sensational news replace important news |
A.To tell us the characteristics of false news. |
B.To encourage people to develop a balanced diet. |
C.To suggest that reading sensational news is normal behavior. |
D.To show that sensational news can be harmful to mental health. |
A.How to identify real news? | B.The harm of sensational news. |
C.The development of the news media. | D.Why is sensational news necessary? |
7 . In the long discussion of water on the Moon, a new study contradicts (与……相矛盾) some recent reports that say the Moon had water at the time of its formation. A group of researchers report in the journal Science that when the Moon was created, some 4. 5 billion years ago, there was not much hydrogen (氢气) on it, and therefore no water.
The researchers surveyed and evaluated this by analyzing chlorine (氯) isotopes found in lunar rock samples from Apollo missions. The range of chlorine isotopes in lunar samples was 25 times that found in samples from Earth.
“If the Moon had significant levels of hydrogen, as Earth did, this range would have been far less,” said Zachary D. Sharp, a scientist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the study’s lead author.
“The chlorine would have stuck together with hydrogen, forming compounds like hydrogen chloride, and escaped from the Moon’s surface,” he said. The abundance of chlorine indicates a lack of hydrogen and water.
“The amount of water on the Moon was too low for life to possibly have existed there,” he said.
Most scientists believe the Moon was formed when a large object struck Earth, breaking off a chunk (a vast piece) that has since orbited Earth.
On Earth, goes one theory, water was released as steam from molten basalts (玄武岩) over time, eventually forming bodies of water.
“An understanding of whether the Moon was dry or wet will help us understand how water appeared on Earth,” Dr. Sharp said.
1. A new study indicates that ______ on the moon.A.there is plenty of water | B.water is unlikely to exist |
C.water existed in the past | D.there is a little water now |
A.why there is no water on the Moon | B.how the Moon was formed |
C.when the Earth struck the Moon | D.where the Moon orbited |
A.Neither hydrogen nor water on the Moon. |
B.Too much chlorine isotopes on the Moon. |
C.Not being much hydrogen, no water on the Moon. |
D.More chlorine exists on the Moon than Earth. |
A.Zachary D. Sharp, a scientist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences was in charge of the new study. |
B.Chlorine isotopes are 25 times on the Moon larger than on Earth. |
C.The more abundant chloride, the shorter hydrogen and water. |
D.The new study is beneficial to understand how water appeared on Earth. |
A.There is enough water and hydrogen on the Moon. |
B.Hydrogen chloride easily escaped from the Moon’s surface. |
C.The Earth had significant levels of hydrogen. |
D.Water on Earth is directly from molten basalts. |
8 . I was doing a big clean-up one day and my son was helping. As he searched through boxes, he
Three years ago, I went to work in a health clinic in Niger. Arriving by taxi, I began to
In the weeks that followed, I
A.got through | B.came across | C.looked into | D.picked out |
A.promised | B.admitted | C.considered | D.refused |
A.special | B.private | C.expensive | D.useful |
A.shape | B.Work | C.value | D.point |
A.explained | B.remembered | C.persuaded | D.replied |
A.uncover | B.unlock | C.unload | D.unfold |
A.clothing | B.luggage | C.furniture | D.equipment |
A.believing | B.recognizing | C.saying | D.warning |
A.sight | B.control | C.place | D.order |
A.difficult | B.serious | C.precious | D.strange |
A.thought | B.trouble | C.danger | D.debt |
A.examined | B.guarded | C.calculated | D.exhibited |
A.regret | B.mercy | C.fear | D.distrust |
A.reminded | B.found | C.called | D.questioned |
A.angrily | B.eagerly | C.shyly | D.bravely |
A.Honestly | B.Kindly | C.Naturally | D.Jokingly |
A.wonder | B.joy | C.shock | D.worry |
A.included | B.Required | C.Charged | D.represented |
A.shame | B.despair | C.pain | D.dislike |
A.With | B.Despite | C.Against | D.Upon |
9 . Daniel Lamplugh remembers going shopping with his dad on Black Friday. “Waking up at a. m. the day after Thanksgiving is what I grew up doing, ” says the University of New Orleans film student.
A lot has changed since those childhood days. Online retailers(零售商) have forced many chains out of business. Consumers are increasingly shopping with their smartphones. But a funny thing happened on the way to the future: Most shoppers are not going all-digital(全数码化的). Surveys show they’re eager for good experiences at retail stores.
This November and December, for the first time ever, retailer websites will get more traffic from mobile users than computer users, predicts Adobe Digital Insights. “We live our lives with a combination of the physical and the digital,” says Kit Yarrow, author of the book “Decoding the New Consumer Mind.” “Retailers have to understand it’s not question of either/or. It’s a question of combining the two. ”
Heather Howe, an MBA student, said, “Consumers like shopping on their phones and online because it’s more convenient and because there are more options. I went to the Vans store to try on shoes and then I actually purchased them online while I was in the store. ” While mobile sales are growing, the widest use of smartphones in stores is researching products or looking up product information (58 percent), closely followed by checking or comparing prices (54 percent), according to a survey.
“My phone plays a huge role in online shopping, because I am on the email list for all of my favorite brands, so I get many emails daily informing me of sales, says Rachel Lynch, who works at a Boston public-relations agency.” Also, a store has an app that allows me to chat with other users about the products, and read reviews. Online reviews are one of the first things I look at when I am about to buy a new product.”
“Electronics and kitchen equipment are definitely online purchases for me, since they’re heavy to get home on the subway and often cheaper online,” says Michael Miller-Ernest, a manager in Brooklyn, N. Y.
1. What did Daniel do when he was a kid?A.He bought gifts for his dad. |
B.He woke up quite early every day. |
C.He went shopping on Thanksgiving. |
D.He visited stores the day after Thanksgiving. |
A.Do shopping all-digitally. |
B.Use computers to do online shopping. |
C.Do window shopping in shopping malls. |
D.Go to physical stores with their smartphones. |
A.Reaching both online and offline consumers. |
B.Focusing on either the physical or the digital. |
C.Encouraging consumers to use smartphones. |
D.Providing more convenience for computer users. |
A.They offer wider choices. |
B.They sell high quality goods. |
C.They will replace physical stores. |
D.They are burning shoppers’ patience. |
A.She buys heavy goods online. |
B.She often writes users’ reviews. |
C.She is fond of sending producers emails. |
D.She tries to learn about other users’ experience. |
10 . Home party marketing originated in America in the early last century. At that time, direct selling had become a very common part of American life. Door-to-door salesmen would travel throughout the country selling anything from sewing machines to cure all medicines. In 1931, a man named Frank Stanley Beveridge who had dug enough gold by doing this selling started a company called Stanley Home Products. The company sold cleaning supplies to housewives.
Soon after Mr. Beveridge began his company, one of his salesmen began selling Stanley products at home parties. The salesman would organize a Stanley Party where he could give a cleaning demonstration(演示) to a room full of guests. It allowed him to sell Stanley products to many different customers at once, and it proved to be much more effective than standard door-to-door sales. The practice quickly became the main marketing strategy of Stanley Home Products.
Next, during the 1940s, many housewives started selling Stanley products to make extra money for their families. The job was perfect for housewives because Stanley sellers could work from home and set their own schedules. A single mother named Brownie Wise took full advantage of this opportunity and quickly became one of Stanley’s top sellers.
Not long after that, she started her own direct selling business called Tupperware Patio Parties, which focused on selling a new type of plastic food container, Tupperware, using the Stanley home party system. Wise had realized Tupperwvare was perfect for the home party system. She could show her customers its patented airtight seal, and she could also take away their anxiety about the safety of plastics -- a fairly new invention at the time. Wise’s company was very successful, and it was soon selling more Tupperware than department stores.
Today, many other companies have adopted home party marketing plans. So, next time you leave your friend’s party with a hundred dollars’ worth of new Tupperware or jewelry, you can thank Frank Stanley Beveridge and Brownie Wise for your unintended purchase.
1. When did home party marketing originate in America?A.In the early 19th century. |
B.In the late 19th century. |
C.In the early 20th century. |
D.In the late 20th century. |
A.He was an inventor of many home products. |
B.He was an experienced door-to-door salesman. |
C.He was the president of Tupperware Patio Parties. |
D.He was the first person to organize a Stanley Party. |
A.They liked holding parties at their house. |
B.They could make some money quickly. |
C.They needed hardly any pre-job training. |
D.They could work under a flexible schedule. |
A.It was liked by party organizers. |
B.It required a demonstration. |
C.It sold badly in department stores. |
D.It was especially made for the system. |
A.time and events |
B.comparison and contrast |
C.cause and effect |
D.argument and explanation |