1 . While astronauts in space get to do many exciting things，they miss out on ordinary things that we all take for granted—being able to walk on firm ground，hanging out with family and digging into a slice of hot steaming pizza． Though not much can be done about the first two things，there may soon be a solution to the third one，thanks to this cool 3-D pizza printer！
About a year ago，NASA offered $125 ,000 to Anjan Contractor， a 3-D technology expert，to build a device（设备）that would allow astronauts to make pizza on demand． The mechanical engineer promised that his invention would produce pies in large quantities that looked， tasted and even smelled like pizza made in common ovens．
Late last year， the engineer presented a video of his first prototype（原型）that begins by creating a single slice of dough（面团）that is cooked and printed at the same time．Then comes the tomato “sauce” — a mix of tomato powder，oil and water and finally，a protein slice that resembles cheese．While the video doesn’t show the baking process，the inventor says that once the pizza is printed，it can be ready to be consumed in 7 seconds．
While the pie in the video looks delicious enough to attract any pizza lover，Anjan Contractor is far from ready for astronauts．That’s because he still has to find a solution to make the food container in the printer last for 30 years．Though that may sound unrealistic，actually it is not．
Anjan Contractor believes that the only way that is possible is that the water is removed from all the ingredients（配料）and then they are reduced to the powder form．This，as you can imagine，will not be so easy．But，while the printer may not be ready for space，it certainly looks ready enough for people on earth．Hopefully，NASA and Contractor will consider selling it to those not fortunate enough to go to Mars！
1. Why does the author mention the things that astronauts in space cannot do？

A．To ask us not to take common things for granted．

B．To show they live a difficult life there．

C．To show their life is boring in space．

D．To introduce the topic of the text．

2. NASA offered $ 125，000 to Anjan Contractor mainly to _______．

A．create some new type of 3-D printer

B．attract more companies to work for NASA

C．help astronauts in space enjoy fresh pizza one day

D．produce pizza in large quantities to earn great profits

3. The biggest challenge that Anjan Contractor is faced with now is probably that _______．

A．he has no money left to go on with his research

B．the pizza doesn’t seem appetizing to pizza lovers

C．he has no way to make pizza that can last for thirty years

D．he cannot make the food container last for decades

4. What’s the best title of the passage？

A．NASA is trying its best to help astronauts eat better

B．Astronauts may soon be able to enjoy steaming hot pizza

C．NASA is working on making pizza for common people

D．A 3-D pizza printer has been used to make pizza

2 . A very close friend phoned me this weekend and asked a specific question about earning a few extra dollars each month online. For the benefit of keeping her name and details secret, I will call her Annie in this article. You see Annie suffers from a severe form of inaction syndrome(综合症); she is full of great ideas that never materialize into cash and she is having a problem finding the link that will achieve this.
Somebody once said that knowledge is power, yet we constantly find from readers of our website that they have knowledge to burn and still do not have power. Just look at the academics in universities all around the world; they have so much knowledge that they should control the wealth of the world. In truth they work for peanuts and very few of them ever achieve the power of independence. So knowledge certainly isn’t power. Therefore, we should change that “wise” statement to: “Power is the ability to use knowledge to your own benefit.”
That paragraph was inserted because Annie is a typical academic—strong on talk and plans but a little weaker on actions. In the period of a twenty-minute conversation, she expounded（阐述）a whole list of plans and ideas to make the extra few hundred dollars each month she was seeking. Any one of her many ideas was a potential money maker, but she had taken action on none of them. At one time she said, “I’m lost as to what to do next.”
That was my cue（提示）to get involved. “Take action,” I advised.
All that is wrong is that Annie was inactive without knowing it. In five minutes we drew up a plan of action and agreed to talk again in a month to review progress. When we finished the conversation, she sounded much happier and more motivated than when we started. Annie just needs a little ____into beneficial action.
1. What’s the problem with Annie?

A．She has too many great ideas.

B．She never puts her ideas into practice.

C．She suffers from a strange illness.

D．She knows little about making money online.

2. What is the most important according to the author?

A．The ability to use one’s knowledge.

B．The ability to acquire knowledge.

C．A great deal of knowledge.

D．A good understanding of oneself.

3. What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．Annie will succeed in later life.

B．Annie is going towards success.

C．Annie doesn’t realize her problems.

D．Annie talks too much in daily life.

4. The underlined word “nudge” in the last paragraph probably means________.

A．push

B．advice

C．training

D．Power

3 . Every Wednesday, I go to Cantata Adult Life Services, a local retirement community in Brookfield, Illinois, US, with my classmates to do community service.
After my very first visit to Cantata, my life changed forever. That may sound a bit dramatic, but volunteering with the elderly has changed my views on life.
Our visits last about an hour, and we bring 25-30 students every time. We play board games and cards with the residents while we’re there.
You can watch all the movies and TV shows you want about “life back then”, but nothing compares to talking to the people who were actually there. Just hearing their stories has touched me in a way I never thought possible.
Whether it was talking to 98-year-old “Hurricane Hilda” about her glory days as a roller skater or chatting with Lou about the times she danced with a famous actor, I was completely attracted by every single memory the residents wanted to share with me.
Even the residents who don’t have amazing memories make the experience satisfying . I remember visiting Mrs Robinson. She couldn’t recall much about her past, but she told me she’d never forget how kind I was just to listen to her “rambling (漫谈)”. It made me realize that it’s the little things that make life worth living. That’s something I won’t forget anytime soon.
If there’s one thing I’ve realized in my three years of visiting Cantata, it’s that presence – just being there – means more than anything to many of the residents. And despite how busy our lives are, there’s always time to make someone’s day.
For me, it feels great to be a source of happiness, a smile on a bad day or a listening ear for old memories. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.
It’s easy to feel like you don’t have anything in common with the elderly – especially when you’re a teenager. But that’s not true at all.
I hate to be overly clichéd (陈词滥调的) here, but age really is just a number. As young adults, it’s important for us to realize this sooner rather than later. We can learn a lot from the elderly, and they can often benefit from teenagers too.
1. What do the volunteers do according to the passage?

A．They share everything with the residents.

B．They play board games and cards with the residents.

C．They watch the residents play games.

D．They buy gifts for the residents.

2. According to the writer, what is the most important thing that volunteers can do for the elderly?

A．Playing with them.	B．Benefiting from them.
C．Helping them.	D．Being there with them.

3. What does the writer want to tell us by writing this passage ?

A．Young adults and the elderly can benefit from each other.

B．Age is just a number.

C．It is important to help the elderly.

D．We don’t have anything in common with the elderly.

4 . My husband and I insisted that our children were old enough to clean their rooms and make their beds. But they thought _______. My complaints, even self-justified shouting, were always landing on _______ ears. Very often a whole hour’s scolding would end with their _______ into tears, I felt very frustrated. I realized I needed to _______ my method of “mothering”.

One day when they were at school, I spent some time _______ their rooms. On their desks, in plain _______, I left the cards: “Dear Bill (the other card was _______ to Sarah), your room was messy this morning and I’m sure you like it clean. Love, the Room Fairy.” _______ arriving back, the children were _______ excited to receive the little note from the Room Fairy. The next day, their rooms were fairly tidy. Sure enough, there was another note from the Room Fairy __________ for them, thanking them for their nice “gift” of a clean room and __________ asking them to play a certain violin __________. Each day, thank-you notes would be written differently to keep the ideas __________.

Sometimes the Room Fairy would propose a little __________: “If you can finish your homework and __________ your lessons before dinner, I’d like to watch a particular television program with you tonight.” Sometimes some colored markers or other little items would be left in __________ of well-done jobs the day __________.

__________ I can’t remember how long “the Room Fairy” continued leaving her love notes. When they were age appropriate, we used various versions of Post-Its (贴条). The bathroom mirror became the __________ centre of our home. Appointments, notices about visiting relatives, lesson schedules, and changes in plans could be posted.

We all benefited from and __________ the idea of sharing reminders and daily details of life through notes. I believe the true advantage of the Room Fairy notes survives in our frequent and enjoyable communication.

1.

A．indifferently

B．gratefully

C．doubtfully

D．otherwise

2.

A．side

B．deaf

C．neither

D．either

3.

A．crying

B．breaking

C．bursting

D．bumping

4.

A．adjust

B．adopt

C．access

D．addict

5.

A．clearing

B．tidying

C．emptying

D．searching

6.

A．distance

B．words

C．speech

D．sight

7.

A．sent

B．read

C．delivered

D．addressed

8.

A．As

B．At

C．In

D．Upon

9.

A．more than

B．rather than

C．no more than

D．other than

10.

A．asking

B．waiting

C．praying

D．expecting

11.

A．politely

B．happily

C．gently

D．toughly

12.

A．music

B．song

C．piece

D．tone

13.

A．respectable

B．uninteresting

C．incredible

D．fresh

14.

A．challenge

B．question

C．suggestion

D．advice

15.

A．go with

B．look up

C．go over

D．look into

16.

A．response

B．answer

C．praise

D．honor

17.

A．ahead

B．before

C．over

D．ago

18.

A．Actually

B．Even so

C．Even if

D．Though

19.

A．life

B．main

C．memory

D．reminder

20.

A．learned

B．appreciated

C．shared

D．thanked

5 . Christmas in the United States is traditionally a time of gift-giving and family gatherings. But small towns across the country have their own traditions.

Middleburg, a small town in the state of Virginia, is known for its horses. For more than 50 years, Middleburg has organized a yearly Christmas parade(游行). Men and women ride horses through the woods and fields. They follow hunting dogs as they search for a wild fox. But first, these hunters ride in the yearly parade, wearing their bright red hunting clothes and hats.

John Hale, a citizen of Middleburg says many city people visit his town. “We have a lot of people from an urban area that come to visit, but it incorporates a lot of the o1d traditions.” The nighttime hay ride is one such tradition. Small groups gather under the moonlight on an open wagon filled with hay. The passengers sing as farm horses pull the wagon slowly across the fields.

There are some newer traditions, too. Trey Matheu works at the nearby Salamander Resort. He says a visit to Middleburg is a chance to slow down for a day. He says Middleburg can be a calming, peaceful place without tension.

“Middleburg is an opportunity to take a step back, to take a deep breath, and understand that   even though life is moving on at a very fast pace, there’s really an opportunity where you’re allowed to step off for a little bit.”

Parade organizers say more than 13,000 people attend even in below-freezing weather. But if you ask, you will hear many different reasons why people come to watch the parade:

“I come here because I’m from a small town. I like how everybody comes together. ”“I live right down that street; right there. And that’s my dog.”

Middleburg looks its best at Christmastime. That may be why so many people return each year.

1. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Middleburg Christmas parade

B．A small town known for horses

C．Christmas traditions in Middleburg

D．Newer traditions at Christmastime

2. At Christmas, people in Middleburg usually ___________.

A．visit friends and families

B．feed farm horses with hay

C．hunt for dogs in the woods

D．ride in the yearly parade

3. According to Trey Matheu, why do people visit Middleburg?

A．To relax themselves.

B．To enjoy the fresh air.

C．To escape competition.

D．To challenge themselves.

4. What do we know about the small town Middleburg?

A．It makes a large profit from tourism.

B．It attracts many people each year.

C．It is a good place for family gatherings.

D．It doesn’t respect Christmas traditions.

6 . Dear Sara，
As we drove off from Columbia，I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind．First，I want to tell you how proud we are．Getting into Columbia College shows what a great well-rounded student you are．Your academic，artistic，and social skills have truly blossomed in the last few years．Whether it is getting the highest grade in mathematics，completing your elegant fashion design，successfully selling your painted running shoes，or becoming one of the top speakers in Model United Nations，you have become a talented and accomplished young woman．You should be as proud of yourself as we are．
College will be the most important years in your life．It is in college that you will truly discover what learning is about．This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired，after which you must become self-learner．So do take each subject seriously，and even if what you learn isn’t critical for your life，the skills of learning will be important to you forever．
Follow your passion in college．Take courses you think you will enjoy．Don’t be trapped in what others think or say．Do your best in classes，but don’t let pressure get to you．Your mother and I have no expectations for your grades．If you graduate and learn something in your four years，we would feel happy．So please don’t give yourself pressure．
I told your mom I’m writing this letter，and asked what she wanted me to say．She thought and said：“Just ask her to take care of herself．”Please listen to your mother and take care of yourself．
So please treasure your college years，make the best of your free time，and become an independent thinker；learn and grow through your successes and challenges．
Love，
Dad(& Mom)
1. Sara’performance in the last few years makes his parents ____________．

A．annoyed

B．proud

C．upset

D．concerned

2. What did Father mainly write about in Paragraph 2 ？

A．Learning skills．	B．College courses．
C．Learning attitude．	D．Ways of self-learning．

3. What do we know about Mom and Dad from the letter?

A．They expect too much of Sara．

B．They put lots of pressure on Sara．

C．They love their daughter very much．

D．They advise Sara to make more friends．