1 . I became a magician by accident. When I was nine years old, I learned how to make a coin disappear. I’d read The Lord of the Rings and ventured into the adult section of the library to search for a book of spells—nine being that curious age at which you’re old enough to work through more than 1,200 pages of fantasy literature but young enough to still hold out hope that you might find a book of real, actual magic in the library. The book I found instead taught basic sleight-of-hand technique, and I dedicated the next months to practice.

At first the magic wasn’t any good. At first it wasn’t even magic; it was just a trick—a bad trick. I spent hours each day in the bathroom running through the secret moves in front of the mirror. I dropped the coin over and over, a thousand times in a day, and after two weeks of this my mom got a carpet from the hardware store and placed it under the mirror to muffle the sound of the coin falling again and again.

I had heard my dad work through passages of new music on the piano, so I knew how to practice—slowly, deliberately, going for precision rather than speed. One day I tried the illusion in the mirror and the coin vanished. It did not look like a magic trick. It looked like a miracle.

One of the lessons you learn very early on as a magician is that the most amazing part of a trick has nothing to do with the secret. The secret is simple and often dull: a hidden piece of tape, a small mirror, a duplicate playing card, diversion of the audience’s attention. In this case, the secret was a series of covert ( 暗 中 的 ) technique to hide the coin behind my hand in the act of opening it, a dance of the fingers that I learned so completely I didn’t even have to think. I would close my hand, then open it, and the coin would vanish not by skill but by real magic.

1. What book did the author intend to find in the library when he was nine years old?

A．A book teaching people how to make a coin disappear.

B．The second book of The Lord of the Rings.

C．A book on how to become a magician.

D．A book of real magic.

2. The underlined word “muffle” probably means ______.

A．clean	B．punish
C．lower	D．kill

3. What did the author learn from his dad playing the piano?

A．Without music, life   is of no value.	B．Practice makes perfect.
C．Great liars are also great magicians.	D．No pains, no gains.

4. Which of the following is not mentioned as a magician trick?

A．Carrying out skillful hand moves.

B．Using real magic to create miracles.

C．Hiding some stage tools inside the coat.

D．Guiding the audience to focus on something unimportant.

2 . Before I turned 10, I lost my parents. My siblings (兄弟姐妹) left Hyderabad after my relatives _________ them, but I insisted on slaying back to continue my _________. And I began to deliver newspaper to _________ myself. I would be up every morning by 5 a. m. and _________ five kilometers to the newspaper office. By 6 a. m., I would be _________ my copies of the Urdu Daily. The area I was _________ for spanned 3 kilometers. After distributing the _________. I would rush home, quickly eat and be off to high school.

One wintry morning in 1945. I got home after my _________ to find a boy of my age at my doorstep. He _________ himself as Afzal and said his father wanted to see me.

I was greeted at the door by Afzal’s mother, Nazeem. Afzal’s father, Mr. Kader, ____________ us as Nazeem served me tea and snacks. Nazeem gently asked me about my daily ____________ . I told her about my morning job and school. They were ____________ that I had to walk so much in one day. Later, as I was about to leave, Mr. Kader ____________into another room, and when he reappeared, he was ____________ a new bicycle. “This is for you!” he said.

It took a few seconds for this act of kindness to ____________. I didn’t realize that ____________ were rolling down my face. Mr. Kader said, “Your newspaper editor is a friend of mine. He gave me your ____________, so I knew you lived close by. Then Afzal told us more about you.”

I bowed, ____________ shook hands with them and left. The ____________ brought convenience to my life and taught me a life-long lesson: Help should always be need-based. Never try to ____________ a person who is dying of thirst.

1.

A．abandoned

B．comforted

C．betrayed

D．adopted

2.

A．training

B．career

C．education

D．relationship

3.

A．occupy

B．support

C．improve

D．please

4.

A．cycle

B．walk

C．drive

D．wander

5.

A．collecting

B．publishing

C．selling

D．buying

6.

A．famous

B．helpful

C．responsible

D．suitable

7.

A．copies

B．files

C．brochures

D．books

8.

A．studies

B．deliveries

C．efforts

D．tasks

9.

A．regarded

B．behaved

C．considered

D．introduced

10.

A．wanted

B．invited

C．joined

D．left

11.

A．work

B．routine

C．deals

D．burdens

12.

A．shocked

B．confused

C．embarrassed

D．disappointed

13.

A．spun

B．broke

C．disappeared

D．escaped

14.

A．mending

B．sending

C．designing

D．wheeling

15.

A．sink in

B．get in

C．set up

D．take up

16.

A．thanks

B．smiles

C．apologies

D．tears

17.

A．name

B．identity

C．secret

D．address

18.

A．gently

B．gratefully

C．kindly

D．firmly

19.

A．newspaper

B．conversation

C．bicycle

D．job

20.

A．feed

B．help

C．treat

D．choose

3 . Ultrasound（超声）is used widely in medical imaging, but in recent years scientists have started developing it for another use: stimulating nerves to treat disease. In two new studies in mice, researchers focused the sound waves on nerves in the spleen（脾）that communicate with the immune system, reducing symptoms. If the approach proves safe and effective in people, it could serve as a treatment for diseases such as arthritis（关节炎）.

In one study, led by scientists at the Feistein Institute and GE Research, mice receiving a few minutes of ultrasound treatment to the spleen nerve had a diminished symptoms to an injected（注射）poison. In another study, researchers at the University of Minnesota and their colleagues reduces symptoms of arthritis in mice by stimulating their spleen nerves for 20 minutes every day for a week. “Zeroing in on the spleen may provide a more precise approach than focusing on the vagus nerve（交感神经）, which connects with the immune system via a second nerve that stimulates the spleen.” says Hubert Lin, lead author of the latter study. “When we’re targeting the spleen we have less of an effect all over the body.”

“Little is known about how repeated ultrasound affects the spleen or whether it has other harmful effects,” says neuroscientist Denise Bellinger of Loma Linda University, who was not involved in either study. An ongoing clinical trial aims to assess the treatment’s safety in humans with arthritis. A bigger unknown is how ultrasound activates in general. Scientists are now exploring the use of ultrasound on other parts of the nervous system, including the brain. “We know how to control nerves with electricity, and we’ve been doing it for more than 100 years,” neuroscientist Kevin Tracey says, “But the idea of controlling nerve signals with ultrasound is a brand-new field.”

1. What do scientists expect of the new application of ultrasound?

A．It'll be applied in medical imaging

B．It'll be used to activate nerves to treat disease.

C．It’ll be applied in spleen transplantation.

D．It'll be employed to rebuild immune system.

2. What does the underlined word “diminished" in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Complicated.	B．Worsened.
C．Decreased.	D．Associated.

3. What is the concern of Denise Bellinger?

A．Side effect.	B．Time length.
C．The procedure.	D．The cost.

4. What is most likely the next step of the study?

A．Assessing the treatment' s safety on humans.

B．Activating nerves in general with ultrasound.

C．Exploring the use of ultrasound on the brain.

D．Controlling nerve signals with ultrasound.

4 . Every man wants his son to be somewhat of a clone, not in features but in footsteps. As he grows you also age, and your ambitions become more unachievable. You begin to realize that your boy, in your footsteps, could probably accomplish what you hoped for. But footsteps can be muddied and they can go off in different directions.

My son Jody has hated school since day one in kindergarten. Science projects waited until the last moment. Book reports weren’t written until the final threat.

I’ve been a newspaperman all my adult life. My daughter is a university graduate working towards her master’s degree in English. But Jody? When he entered the tenth grade he became a “vo-tech” student (技校学生). They’re called “motorheads” by the rest of the student body.

When a secretary in my office first called him “motorhead”, I was shocked. “Hey, he’s a good kid, ” I wanted to say. “And smart, really.”

I learned later that motorheads are, indeed, different. They usually have dirty hands and wear dirty work clothes. And they don’t often make school honor rolls (光荣榜).

But being the parent of a motorhead is itself an experience in education. We who labor in clean shirts in offices don’t have the abilities that motorheads have. I began to learn this when I had my car crashed. The cost to repair it was estimated at $800. “Hey, I can fix it,” said Jody. I doubted it, but let him go ahead, for I had nothing to lose.

My son, with other motorheads, fixed the car. They got parts from a junkyard, and ability from vo-tech classes. The cost was $25 instead of $800.

Since that first repair job, a broken air-conditioner, a non-functioning washer and a non-toasting toaster have been fixed. Neighbours and co-workers trust their car repairs to him.

These kids are happiest when doing repairs. They joke and laugh and are living in their own relaxed world. And their minds are bright despite their dirty hands and clothes.

I have learned a lot from my motorhead: publishers need printers, engineers need mechanics, and architects need builders. Most important, I have learned that fathers don’t need clones in footsteps or anywhere else.

My son may never make the school honor roll. But he made mine.

1. What used to be the author’s hope for his son?

A．To avoid becoming his clone.	B．To resemble him in appearance.
C．To develop in a different direction.	D．To reach the author’s unachieved goals.

2. What can we learn about the author’s children?

A．His daughter does better in school.

B．His daughter has got a master’s degree.

C．His son tried hard to finish homework.

D．His son couldn’t write his book reports.

3. The author let his son repair the car because he believed that       .

A．his son had the ability to fix it	B．it would save him much time
C．it wouldn’t cause him any more loss	D．other motorheads would come to help

4. What did the author realize in the end?

A．It is unwise to expect your child to follow your path.

B．It is important for one to make the honor roll.

C．Architects play a more important role than builders.

D．Motorheads have greater ability than office workers.

5 . In many cultures, small talk is a big deal. Although it may seem like a pointless conversation to __ the time or avoid awkward silence, it is _____ very important for communicating and bonding with others.

According to US inspirational speaker Melissa Wadsworth, "Small talk is about ______possibilities." Having good small talk skills is the best way to _______ new people, which can lead to friendships, jobs, or other _____. Not only that, small talk is shown to __ brainpower by encouraging empathy （同感），making you __ what another person feels or thinks.

If small talk is so important, how do you do it? What's the best way to __ the ice and start a talk? Well, some of the most common ____ include the weather, hobbies, work, family and travel. These topics are ____ for small talk because they are _____ It's easy for people to talk about them.

Another way to start small talk is to remark your ______. For example, you can talk to your schoolmates about your classes or that teacher who __ everyone crazy. If you're at a party, you might _____ the snacks, music, or the number of people there.

Sometimes, it may seem a bit ____ to start a conversation with someone you don't know. Wadsworth has the best advice for this _____: "Approach the conversation excited about the friendship, the good laugh, the _____ story, the job opportunity, the date, the joy, or something related to this __ experience."

Small talk might __ be the first step to something much __.

1.

A．take

B．waste

C．pass

D．keep

2.

A．fully

B．actually

C．meanwhile

D．nearly

3.

A．gaining access to

B．becoming connected with

C．getting used to

D．running away from

4.

A．involve

B．notice

C．challenge

D．meet

5.

A．goals

B．achievements

C．processes

D．wonders

6.

A．remove

B．strengthen

C．protect

D．guarantee

7.

A．explore

B．read

C．consider

D．abandon

8.

A．make

B．overcome

C．recognize

D．break

9.

A．rules

B．numbers

C．topics

D．forms

10.

A．clear

B．great

C．formal

D．serious

11.

A．popular

B．awkward

C．visible

D．fresh

12.

A．colleagues

B．schools

C．tastes

D．surroundings

13.

A．expects

B．drives

C．believes

D．knows

14.

A．offer

B．purchase

C．remark

D．imagine

15.

A．shy

B．simple

C．complex

D．tough

16.

A．problem

B．conversation

C．aim

D．plan

17.

A．amazing

B．confusing

C．satisfying

D．fascinating

18.

A．shared

B．respected

C．varied

D．accepted

19.

A．even

B．still

C．just

D．ever

20.

A．simpler

B．bigger

C．easier

D．messier

6 . The Giraffe Center in Nairobi is one of the oldest giraffe conservation organizations in the world. When it was founded in 1979, there were only 150 Rothschild's giraffes left in Kenya.

Stanley Kosgey, in charge of conservation education at the center, says the tallest animals in the world have never really gotten the same attention from conservationists and governments that other African mammals have. In some ways, he thinks, it's because they're hard to miss. In Kenya, it's not rare to see half a dozen of them as you drive past some fields on the highway. It can take you several safaris （旅行队）before you catch sight of a lion.

“Giraffes are in what I would call a silent extinction," Kosgey says.

In a lot of ways, he says, a perfect storm has fallen on the species. Climate change means longer droughts and new diseases; civil unrest means giraffes become easy food; and as African countries grow, humans have encroached （入侵）on wildlife areas and the removal of trees becomes a huge problem. Giraffes are huge creatures, and they require a lot of space and plants.

Kosgey says the good news is that the world has begun to pay attention. In Kenya, which has some of the best conservation policies on the continent, there is a plan underway to treat giraffes in the same way that lions, rhinos and elephants are treated. That's to put in place detailed action plans and programs to make sure those animals thrive. The first step for giraffes is to get a deeper understanding of their population by conducting a survey.

Kosgey says their conservation effort alone has saved the Rothschild's giraffe. There are now about 650 of them in Kenya. Worldwide, there are 1,671 Rothschild's, about 26 percent more than there were in the 1960s, according to the IUCN （International Union for Conservation of Nature）.

“They are tall, graceful animals and they should be heard/⁵ Kosgey says.

1. What can we learn about the giraffes from the first two paragraphs?

A．They run the fastest in the world.

B．They are in danger of extinction.

C．They are harder to see than lions in Kenya.

D．They draw conservationists' more attention.

2. What does the writer want to tell us about giraffes in Paragraph 4?

A．It is hard for them to survive.	B．A terrible storm attacks them.
C．They live where humans live.	D．Removing trees leaves them space.

3. What does the underlined word "thrive" mean in Paragraph 5?

A．become healthy	B．hang out
C．move away	D．grow strong

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

A．Protecting the Earth.	B．Living with Animals.
C．Saving the Giraffes.	D．Loving Peaceful Nature.

7 . Carnival was originally a Catholic holiday celebrated from two days to two weeks. The festival has spread throughout the world. Here are some famous carnivals you should go to see if you have the chance.

1. Curasao, Netherland

This former territory of the Netherlands has a long parade with plenty of live soca and calypso music. No need to stand along the curb on this one though: you can plan and pay in advance to actually join one of the carnival groups and have a costume waiting for them when they arrive.

2. Nice, France

The Nice Carnival entered the history books in 1294 when a prince was in attendance, but it likely goes back much further. The two-week event helps the folks on the French Riviera survive the colder days of winter.

3. Venice, Italy

Venice's Carnival has been around since 1268. There is something so classic, cool and magical about a 5-day carnival in this city of canals. Ifs all about the fine masks which were traditionally made of glass and decorated with feathers.

4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Who doesn't think Rio when they hear the word Carnival? It is the world's largest and perhaps the most extravagant. But this 7-day festival only dates back to 1723, a newcomer when compared to Europe. Beyond the formal parade there are also many local street celebrations. The music and dancing never seem to stop.

1. Where will you go if you want to spend money joining the carnival parade?

A．Venice, Italy.

B．Curasao, Netherland.

C．Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

D．Nice, France.

2. How long does the Nice Carnival last?

A．2 days.	B．5 days.
C．7 days.	D．14 days.

3. What is special about the Carnival in Rio?

A．People celebrate it wearing masks.

B．It belongs to a newcomer in Europe.

C．It combines local street performances.

D．It has the longest history in the world.

8 . Najib is an Afghan who grew up in Iran. He led a tough life. When he found his children would be in the same situation, his family initially returned to Afghanistan. But with the country filled with conflicts, they decided to leave for Indonesia.

“When we first came here, we were in a bad situation. Its language, culture and even weather were different. We had moved away from friends and family,” says Najib. “I was in a tough position but I acted strong because there were no other choices.”

Refugees (难民) cannot work in Indonesia and there are limited choices for refugee children to attend local schools. Determined to avoid such a fate, a group of refugees in Puncak took action and scraped together (东拼西凑) their resources to set up a school—the Refugee Learning Center (RLC).

“Our only goal and task is to provide basic education, and prepare the refugee children for their future,” says Abdullah Sarwari. “We’re also trying to provide a normal life as much as possible for them.”

The RLC has also started offering Bahasa Indonesia classes to the refugee community. “Between the refugee and the local community, I feel like there’s a language barrier which stops the refugee from having an honest and open interaction with Indonesians,” says Abdullah.

“If you try your best, to learn the language of a particular place or country, it really helps make things easier,” says Najib. He is among those who signed up for classes, although he admits progress has been slow. But life has improved in some ways for him and his family.

Najib says, “The centre is an opportunity for refugee to show that they are not a burden. If they have the opportunity, they can accomplish big and great things like this.”

1. Why did Najib decide to leave for Indonesia?

A．To escape the conflict in Afghanistan.

B．To experience Indonesian culture.

C．To help refugees in Indonesia.

D．To get equal rights to vote.

2. What’s the main purpose of founding the RLC for refugee children?

A．To help them learn English.

B．To make them stay away from bad luck.

C．To provide them with chances to live in Indonesia.

D．To make them have access to receiving basic education.

3. What can we learn about Najib according to the text?

A．He is the leader of refugees.

B．He founded the RLC himself.

C．He studies Indonesian in the RLC.

D．He lives a wealthy life in Indonesia.

4. What’s the best title for this text?

A．The Goal of Founding a School

B．A School for Refugees by Refugees

C．A Reason for Leaving for Indonesia

D．The Benefit of Learning a New Language

9 . The cultures of the East and the West are really different from each other a lot. This is because the culture systems are two separate ones on the whole.

The origin (起源) of the Eastern culture is mainly from two countries: China and India. Both of the two cultures are developed by rivers — the Yellow River in China and the Hindu River in India. They helped the two cultures develop for centuries and form their own styles.

When the two mother rivers gave birth to the Eastern culture, another famous culture was up on the Mesopotamian Plain — the Mesopotamian Civilization. This civilization later on developed into the cultures of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. And these two are well-known as the base of the European culture. Like the Chinese culture, the European culture also crossed waters. When the British settled down in America, their culture went with them over the Atlantic Ocean. So the American culture doesn’t have much difference from the European culture.

At the same time, some other differences add to the cultural differences. Take the language system for example. In the East, most languages belong to the pictographic (象形) language while the western languages are mostly based on the Latin system. Other causes like human race differences count as well. But what’s more, due to the far distance and the steep areas between the East and the west, the two cultures seldom communicate until recent centuries. So they grew up totally in their own ways with almost no interference from the other.

The differences are everywhere. They are obvious and make people’s ways of thinking and their views of the world different. But different cultures make the world of 21st century more colorful. The cultural difference should not be the obstacle (障碍) to the civilization of human being. It ought to be the driving force of our going farther.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A．The origin of cultures.	B．Culture differences.
C．Language systems.	D．Colorful world.

2. Why is the American culture similar to the European culture?

A．Both of the two cultures have a very long history.

B．They have the same mother rivers as the Chinese culture.

C．The early settlers from Britain brought their culture to America.

D．Both the British and the American live along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “interference” in paragraph4?

A．difference	B．influence
C．confidence	D．environment

4. Where is the passage most likely from?

A．A diary.	B．A magazine.
C．A novel.	D．A guidebook.

10 . The Art Museum of Chicago

•Visiting time

The museum is open daily 10:30 am - 5:00 pm. The museum and its shops are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Highlights (亮点）of the Art Museum

•American Art

Discover how artists have expressed many aspects of the American experience through the rich variety of this collection.

•Impressionism: Monet, Degas, Renoir and More

Learn about the color and excitement of late 19th-century life as you view one of the most admired collections of French Impressionism in the world.

•Hidden Histories

Hear stories about artists and their artworks that may be overlooked or under-appreciated for one reason or another.

•For families with children

It is free for kids under 14 and Chicago teens under 18, and the Art Museum is the perfect place for an outing with the whole family. Visit the Family Room in the Ryan Education Center, build architectural wonders with colorful blocks, and learn about art through stories and games.

1. When can you visit the museum?

A．On Thanksgiving Day.	B．On Christmas Day.
C．On April Fool’s Day.	D．On New Year’s Day.

2. Who of the following has to pay for his/her visit?

A．A 19- year-old Chicago student.	B．A 13-year-old girl.
C．A 17- year-old Chicago girl.	D．A 9- year-old pupil.

3. What can people do in the Art Museum of Chicago?

A．Tell stories about artists and their artworks.

B．Learn about the color and excitement of 18th-century life.

C．Discover how artists have expressed the African experience.

D．Pay a visit to the Family Room in the Ryan Education Center.