1 . Just as we take care of our friends and families, our homes and Mother Earth take care of us. Our homes give us a place of shelter that ________ between us and the rest of the world. The earth is a(n) _________ giver of life and the keeper of our physical and spiritual needs. Her rich ________ bring us up, give us air, and offer us cooling shade. Her waters ________ our thirst. Yet it is easy to take both of these wonderful _________ for granted. ________ the thanks you feel toward your home and Mother Earth for the gifts each   ________   you. It can help you stay   ________ of where many of the gifts in your life come from. Each time you give thanks, you’ll be ________ of the importance of caring for your home and for Mother Earth. There is a simple and beautiful _________ you can find to show your thanks. Begin by finding a ________ place where you can be alone. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply ________ you feel relaxed and then read the following out loud:

“Thank you, home, for allowing me to live ________ your walls. Thank you for allowing me to stay strong and ________ me. Thank you, Mother Earth, for the land I ________ on and farm. Thank you, plants, minerals (矿物质), and animals on the land for allowing me to ________ your beauty and your amazement of life, and for the ________ of living with all of you on this earth. Thank you for the wisdom and       ________ you bring to us.”

You can do so as often as you like and anytime you feel particularly thankful for the many gifts that you have ________. Each time you do this, you’ll strengthen your connection with all that _________ and supports you.

1.

A．bend

B．handle

C．react

D．stand

2.

A．unselfish

B．skillful

C．cheerful

D．amazing

3.

A．animals

B．oceans

C．plants

D．waters

4.

A．promote

B．show

C．influence

D．satisfy

5.

A．sources

B．memories

C．power

D．strength

6.

A．Express

B．Accept

C．Ban

D．Deserve

7.

A．attacks

B．attracts

C．appreciates

D．provides

8.

A．fond

B．aware

C．informed

D．confident

9.

A．accused

B．robbed

C．warned

D．reminded

10.

A．road

B．word

C．way

D．place

11.

A．safe

B．dull

C．quiet

D．public

12.

A．though

B．because

C．unless

D．until

13.

A．beside

B．beyond

C．within

D．in

14.

A．admitting

B．supporting

C．challenging

D．surviving

15.

A．live

B．call

C．focus

D．feed

16.

A．examine

B．explain

C．experience

D．describe

17.

A．adventure

B．wisdom

C．loss

D．honor

18.

A．anger

B．worry

C．joy

D．desire

19.

A．brought

B．purchased

C．exchanged

D．received

20.

A．shocks

B．monitors

C．protects

D．follows

2 . My previous home had a stand of woods behind it and many animals in the backyard. That first year, I ______ feeding peanuts to the blue jays, then the squirrels. The squirrels had no _______coming up right to me for them. As the months went by, the rabbits saw that I was no ______ and didn’t escape. When I threw carrot slices (薄片), they even came for a nibble (啃). Slowly they came to ______ me, and by the end of the year they were eating out of my hand.

That second year, the rabbits ______ me, and one would even sit up for slices! While I was feeding them. I ______ that a groundhog who used to run away was now taking an ______ interest in this food situation. I carefully extended a long ______, with a keen eye on those teeth, and ______, there were times I would have the groundhog sitting next to a rabbit, both munching (津津有味地咀嚼) on carrots. A few months later, while ______, she would even turn her back to me._______ when she was facing away, I reached out and ______ scratched (搔) her back with my finger. She didn’t move.

By year three, the rabbits and the groundhog were back. The groundhog ______ didn’t have a problem with me scratching her back, and I got an idea. I’d always ______, while slicing up carrots, that the end looked like a cap. ______ one day, just to see what she would do, I gently ______ one on top of the groundhog’s head. Again, not a ______. The next time, I had my camera ready to record what you see here, one of several dozen such pictures. ______ she had a slice to eat, she never ______ the one on her head. It was a fair______— I got a pleasure, and she had yet another tasty treat.

1.

A．avoided

B．started

C．stopped

D．suggested

2.

A．business

B．fun

C．problem

D．right

3.

A．help

B．cheat

C．threat

D．exception

4.

A．play

B．miss

C．admire

D．trust

5.

A．feared

B．discovered

C．touched

D．remembered

6.

A．proved

B．decided

C．noticed

D．understood

7.

A．extreme

B．increasing

C．additional

D．inspiring

8.

A．squirrel

B．rabbit

C．peanut

D．carrot

9.

A．before long

B．long ago

C．over and over

D．all over again

10.

A．eating

B．playing

C．sitting

D．sleeping

11.

A．Next

B．Once

C．Soon

D．Lately

12.

A．carefully

B．suddenly

C．violently

D．patiently

13.

A．also

B．thus

C．just

D．still

14.

A．thought

B．doubted

C．designed

D．realized

15.

A．While

B．Or

C．So

D．For

16.

A．fixed

B．placed

C．hung

D．kept

17.

A．surprise

B．delay

C．move

D．shake

18.

A．Even if

B．Ever since

C．As far as

D．So long as

19.

A．welcomed

B．minded

C．hated

D．expected

20.

A．trade

B．chance

C．task

D．life

3 . New technology rules the whole world now. But I still remember when I was a child, I did not have a cell phone or a computer because it was not necessary at all in those days. The internet was not popular, and the touch screen technology was unknown.

At this time here in the US smartphone are really a need, especially for young and business people. There are many applications really useful like maps, dictionaries, e-mails and games.

For me, I use my smartphone to check the weather and to look for something on the internet and of course to keep communicating through calls and texts. Besides, I like music applications, GPS and Facebook.

Many tests have discovered that cell phones cause damages to us because they send out radioactive(具有放射性的) waves to our bodies and this could cause cancer.

Psychologists say that these devices can affect behavior and I believe everyone knows it is harmful to the eyes if we are sitting for a long time in front of computer. However, it seems to be difficult for us to give up, even if we know how bad it is for our health. The use of technology becomes more and more important in our lives.

I think the use of technology has brought us unimaginable things. If we use technology correctly, I am sure it would be possible to decrease the damage to our bodies.

Keep in mind that it is important not to focus only on technology, but to spend time with our families and people close to us.

1. What can we know from the passage?

A．The author is a businessman working for a cell phone company.

B．The author has suffered a lot from the use of electrical devices.

C．The author knows little about the functions of modern cellphones.

D．The author is quite pleased with the various functions of cell phones.

2. Which of the following does the author agree with?

A．It’s not necessary to add more applications to the cell phone.

B．Cell phones have made our world a boring place to live in.

C．New technology has done people more harm than good.

D．New technology makes people separated from each other.

3. What does the underlined word “decrease” in paragraph 6 mean?

A．keep

B．cause

C．reduce

D．add

4 . Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers tried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.

In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes, was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.

For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.

The Irish are famous for being warm－hearted and friendly. Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.

1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?

A．How the Irish fought against the English.

B．How Ireland gained independence.

C．How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland.

D．How two “Irelands” came into being.

2. We learn from the text that in Ireland ________.

A．food shortages and a lack of work in the 1840s led to a decline in population

B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside

C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker

D．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments

3. The last paragraph is mainly about ________.

A．the Irish character	B．the Irish culture
C．Irish musical instruments	D．a famous Irish writer

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Life in Ireland	B．A Very Difficult History
C．Ireland, Past and Present	D．The Independence of Ireland

5 . Did you know that the color of uniforms can influence the performance of an athlete? It may sound strange, but a study suggests this might be true.

Two British scientists studied the results of four sports in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where the athletes had been given either a red or a blue uniform. They discovered that when there was a big difference in the score, color had no influence on the result. But if it was a close match, the athlete in a red uniform was more likely to win. Then they looked at the uniforms of the soccer teams at the Euro 2004 tournament. Again, teams wearing red won more games.

The two scientists got their idea from earlier studies of wild animals. It had been discovered that when a male show red on its body, it sends a signal of its power and strength. For example, in many kinds of monkey, the more the male shows off its red scars, the more females it can attract.

Based on this fact, the British scientists thought that the idea might work for humans, too. According to them, when an athlete sees a competitor in a red uniform, he gets a feeling that his competitor could be stronger than him. And that kind of feeling may have a bad influence on the player’s performance in the actual game.

Although the idea is Interesting, most people don’t accept that color signals in the animals world can really be useful to humans in sports. They think that it is unreasonable to develop an idea based on such a small number of examples. Much more research has to be done to prove the influence of uniform colors on the performance of athletes.

1. What did the scientists find out about the 2004 Athens Olympic Games?

A．Athletes played equally well in four sports.

B．Game results had a big influence on the athletes.

C．Athletes dressed in red scored more in a close match.

D．There was a big difference in red and blue team’s scores.

2. What may the red scars of a male animal suggest?

A．It is quite strong.	B．It is a failure.
C．It has power over other males.	D．It has attracted a lot of females.

3. The underlined part “that kind of feeling” in the text refers to a feeling of ________.

A．weakness

B．pride

C．danger

D．shame

4. What is most people’s opinion to the scientists’ idea?

A．Interested.

B．Satisfied.

C．Doubtful.

D．Thankful.

6 . I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (给贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. So we both got tired of each other.

War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened,I saw my shoes flying at me.I jumped to my feet and started yelling (叫喊). She yelled back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬行) under her covers (被子), sobbing (哭啼). Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart. Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”

Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the meaning of living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.

1. What made Kate so angry one evening?

A．She couldn’t find her books.

B．She heard the author shouting loud.

C．She got the news that her grandma was ill

D．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed.

2. The author tidied up the room most probably because_____.

A．she was scared by Kate’s anger	B．she hated herself for being so messy
C．she was asked by Kate to do so	D．she wanted to show her care

3. How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A．By showing differences.	B．By analyzing causes.
C．By describing a process.	D．By following time order.

4. What might be the best title for the story?

A．My Friend Kate	B．Hard Work Pays Off
C．Learning to be Roommates	D．How to be Organized

8 . You may have been told before not to be afraid of anything. Fear is often associated with weakness. Fear is something to be avoided. But that’s not true, according to Time For Kids magazine. Fear can be good for us. Fear tells us about danger. Without fear, we wouldn’t know to run away from a tiger or step back from a cliff (悬崖).

In a study published in the Justice Quarterly journal in August, researchers from Michigan State University said that a healthy fear of crime keeps teenagers away from potentially dangerous people, places, and activities. Fear makes us jump, scream and sweat. But interestingly, sometimes we make ourselves feel fear on purpose. Think about scary books and movies, and also the long lines for a scary roller coaster ride (过山车).

Margee Kerr, a US sociologist, explained why to Time For Kids. Fear fills our brain with healthy chemicals, especially endorphins and dopamine, and these things create feelings of happiness and excite us, according to Kerr. In addition, when you’re scared, your body produces a chemical which helps people bond with each other.

“Watch people walking out of a haunted house (鬼屋), and you’ll see lots of smiles and high fives (击掌),” Kerr told Time For Kids. That also explains why schools and companies organize challenging trips and physical activities to build up team spirit. People experience and deal with fear in different ways. If you happen to be a “coward” who gets scared easily, don’t worry. There is some evidence that being scared can help a person manage stressful situations.

Kerr said that things like giving a report in front of your class or performing in a school play help build a sort of endurance (忍耐力) to fear that makes us more confident. “You become more comfortable with the physical experience of fear, and so you’re better able to work through it during tense situations,” said Kerr.

So learn to love your fear. It only grows when we forget how helpful our fear is trying to be.

1. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Ways to build up team spirit.	B．Different ways to deal with fear.
C．Love your fear.	D．Fear, a sign of weakness.

2. Which of the following is True according to the passage？

A．Experiencing fear helps us to build a sort of endurance to fear.

B．People who get scared easily have no chances to get changed.

C．Fear is harmful to our health.

D．Fear is something to be avoided.

3. The underlined phrase “bond with” is closest in meaning to        .

A．fight against

B．look down upon

C．be more careful with

D．get closer to

4. Which of the following is Not mentioned to experience fear?

A．Attend challenging trips or physical activities.

B．Take some medicine containing endorphins and dopamine.

C．Read scary books or see scary movies.

D．Take a scary roller coaster ride.

9 . I’m Grace, 13 years old and in seventh grade in Florida. I was in the six grade last year. That school year was _______. My family and I spent that year _______ all over Europe, seeing amazing places, meeting all kinds of people, understanding different cultures, and getting _______ in the process.

When my _______ decided to travel to Europe, we were excited. _______ we had a problem. We couldn’t rent a car that had enough _______ to work for our five-member family, so my dad bought a bigger one. It became our new _______ during the trip. I had to leave a lot of my things behind because so little of it would _______ into my tiny new room. We had to be careful to save our water. And we were doing homeschooling, _______ worked out great. We lived in a (n) ________ home, but my family ________ got along really well.

No matter what, I made sure to ________ my window every morning, because the view was ________ every day--- England, then France, Italy, Greece … each special in its own way. We toured around country after country, tried to pick up little bits of the local ________, but that didn’t help us much. Luckily, we kept ________ people who knew some English. Everywhere we went, we saw the most amazing things. I love reading about places, in my text-books and then getting ________ our car midway to look right at them. I can’t pick a favorite one, because every place we were at seemed to be the ________.

After our ________ ended, we moved back to Florida. But it makes me ________ that my family had this great year long ________ together. I’m thankful for that.

1.

A．normal

B．long

C．unusual

D．painful

2.

A．walking

B．driving

C．flying

D．painting

3.

A．shocked

B．closer

C．bored

D．weaker

4.

A．family

B．classmates

C．team

D．teachers

5.

A．And

B．So

C．But

D．Or

6.

A．wheel

B．space

C．gas

D．horsepower

7.

A．guide

B．hotel

C．friend

D．home

8.

A．fit

B．turn

C．look

D．lead

9.

A．who

B．that

C．when

D．which

10.

A．large

B．open

C．small

D．empty

11.

A．actually

B．possibly

C．hardly

D．recently

12.

A．clean up

B．look for

C．look out of

D．fix up

13.

A．strange

B．similar

C．ordinary

D．different

14.

A．people

B．language

C．food

D．custom

15.

A．missing

B．troubling

C．finding

D．helping

16.

A．off

B．in

C．on

D．down

17.

A．simplest

B．best

C．funniest

D．clearest

18.

A．business

B．dream

C．trip

D．story

19.

A．happy

B．calm

C．regretful

D．nervous

20.

A．imagination

B．suffering

C．relationship

D．experience

10 . I woke up by my dog barking in the early morning. I went outside to find a koala (考拉) at the yard gate wanting to enter. It was the first time that I had _______ a koala in my neighbourhood. What a welcome _______! 

I was wondering why he was here, as koalas _______ came down from the trees and didn’t like walking, either._______, there was no eucalyptus (桉树) around. Was he hungry or lost? Or maybe the bushfire across Kangaroo Island _______ him here? 

He just sat there, apparently _______, and sort of looked at me with a look, like helping me out of my suffering. At a(n) _______ look, I discovered a long cut at his back with bloods,_______ of attacks or cuts of something sharp in some other way. 

I rushed into my room and came out with some iodophor (碘伏药水). It was not a _______ problems as I was a nurse. This poor soul seemed to quite ________ my kindness when I ________ the cut with the liquid. It ________ me that he came to seek my ________! 

After the treatment, I watched the koala finally ________ in the wild, hoping he was able to ________ the hard time and live his life as he should.

1.

A．caught

B．encountered

C．searched

D．missed

2.

A．chance

B．relief

C．surprise

D．message

3.

A．frequently

B．slightly

C．mostly

D．rarely

4.

A．Once more

B．Ever since

C．Just then

D．Then again

5.

A．sought

B．drove

C．followed

D．cast

6.

A．in pain

B．in order

C．in comfort

D．in disappointment

7.

A．quick

B．close

C．eager

D．anxious

8.

A．features

B．symbols

C．signs

D．series

9.

A．crucial

B．small

C．distinct

D．tricky

10.

A．ignore

B．answer

C．understand

D．expect

11.

A．touched

B．felt

C．patted

D．treated

12.

A．appealed to

B．referred to

C．occurred to

D．addressed to

13.

A．help

B．advice

C．approval

D．fortune

14.

A．exploring

B．rushing

C．jogging

D．disappearing

15.

A．experience

B．survive

C．escape

D．have