1 . 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. |
2 . 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. |
3 . 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. |
4 . We often hear such statements “I spilled juice, but it wasn’t my fault.”, “I got in trouble at school, but it wasn’t my fault.” Or “I was in a car accident, but it wasn’t my fault.” That “It’s not my fault.” is a go-to response for so many people and especially teenagers.
Parents complain they are tired of the “excuse”. The reason why variations(变体) of “It’s not my fault.” are so popular is that it lets us off the hook from guilt and blame. I’m a fan of not owning responsibility for things that I can’t control. Teens who often say “It’s my fault.” when something bad happens tend to be highly self-critical, perfectionistic and more easier to be troubled by anxiety and depression.
While it is important to recognize a lack of reason to blame oneself, many teens over-rely on “It’s not my fault.” When trying to get them to take responsibility, parents usually attempt to convince their teens that something is their fault. The approach tends to be ineffective and turn into a power struggle. No one wins. A more effective approach can be to stress significant drawbacks to consistently focusing on removing our responsibility with this phrase.
Overuse of the phrase can result in feelings of lack of ability to control their own lives. This sense has been shown to cause low motivation. Besides creating feelings of lack of ability, overuse of “It’s not my fault.” focuses a teen’s attention on what is done as opposed to what needs to be done.
People may not have caused all their problems, but they have to solve them anyway. The example I frequently share with teens is the question of what one will do if he is pushed into a deep lake. One can certainly stay in water, yelling, “It’s not my fault.” However, that won’t get him out of water. He needs to swim to the shore, regardless of the fault.
If you take a proper approach to communicating with your teens, you can help them avoid over-reliance on “It’s not my fault.”.
1. What phenomenon is described in Paragraph 1?| A．The teenagers’ dislike for school life. |
| B．The common trouble faced by teenagers. |
| C．The reasons for blaming others for accidents. |
| D．The tendency for people not to be responsible for mess in life. |
| A．Those lacking confidence and ambition. |
| B．Those allowing others to find excuses. |
| C．Those unable to get along well with others. |
| D．Those often blaming themselves for some incidents. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Neutral. |
| A．It’s harmful to overuse “It’s not my fault.”. |
| B．It’s important to learn lessons from faults. |
| C．It’s difficult for people to admit their fault. |
| D．It’s absurd to often find excuses for mistakes in life. |
| A．We should try to avoid troubling others. |
| B．We should focus on how to solve problems. |
| C．We should dare to point out others’ mistakes. |
| D．We should be self-critical as much as possible. |
5 . I was ready for bed when the phone rang. “This cannot be good,” I thought as I hurried to see why I was called so late at night. My mind quickly ran through the list of family members that might need my help.
“Lindy, this is Leslie,” she said. “I hope I didn’t disturb your sleeping.” I was confused that she should call me at 11 pm. We occasionally spoke with each other at some community events, but to say we were friends was a stretch.
I asked what she needed. She replied, “Do you have room for turkeys in your freezer?” We had lots of room in our freezer. My husband’s business had taken a downturn and we were pretty much at the bottom of our food supply. “Sure,” I responded. “Did your freezer break down?” “Not exactly,” Leslie replied. “But if you give me directions to your house, I will explain when I get there.”
Later a huge freezer truck pulled into the driveway. Leslie and her husband got off the truck. Leslie explained her husband owned a small grocery store that had just lost its lease(租约). They had to empty all the freezers before midnight that night. They thought it was a shame to just cast all this good food into garbage cans. So she began to go through her list of contacts, dropping off food to those who might be willing to take it. When Leslie put turkeys in our freezer, she asked, “Is it OK if we just fill this up?” She told me that ours was the last place they planned to stop at and anything left would have to be discarded.
At last, I asked her, “When will you come back for all this?” Leslie just laughed and replied, “We don’t want it back. It is yours. We have been delivering food since 5 pm and have exhausted our list of contacts. That’s the end of it. Thanks for helping out.”
Over the next several months we ate well and shared turkeys with friends, family and neighbors. When the food in our freezer finally ran out in May, we were back on our feet. Our income increased and buying groceries was no longer a problem.
1. How did the author respond to the call from Leslie according to Paragraph2?| A．She felt excited about it. | B．She felt anxious about it. |
| C．She felt indifferent to it. | D．She felt unexpected about it. |
| A．Because they disliked storing much food. |
| B．Because their freezer was out of order. |
| C．Because they lacked money for groceries. |
| D．Because they wanted Leslie to use it. |
| A．Sorted out. | B．Handed out. |
| C．Taken away. | D．Thrown away. |
| A．Patient and cautious. | B．Thoughtful and selfless. |
| C．Honest and humorous. | D．Optimistic and ambitious. |
| A．The author’s family’s finance improved quite a lot. |
| B．The author’s relationship with her husband was better. |
| C．The author’s many friends came to her family’s help. |
| D．The author’s generosity was recognized by Leslie and others. |
6 . 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 |
7 . 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? |
8 . 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. |
9 . Do you want to join a club in our school? Here are some clubs that you might be interested in.
Chinese Culture Club
The Chinese Culture Club focuses on exploring Chinese culture. You don’t have to speak the Chinese language; you’re just required to have a true interest in the Chinese way of life. The club regularly explores Chinese culture through traditional Chinese food, movies, and celebrations. Contact Ms Huang if you would like to learn more. Meet every Thursday after lunch in Room 805.
Chess Club
Come out and join the Chess Club! We will meet to explore chess theory and strategy. We will also test our newly-acquired knowledge through competitive games. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced one, players of all levels are welcome! Meet on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm, in Room 701 with Mr Longino.
Science Club
We’ll be doing experiments and prepare ourselves for the annual Science Olympiad. All the students are welcome! Members of Science Club meet on Thursdays from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm in Room 702, with Mr Underriner.
Robotics Club
The club aims at providing the students with an opportunity to design their own robot in order to compete in the NYC FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in the late fall and winter.
Also, if you are a parent willing to help with expertise, feel free to contact Mr. Irimina. Meet on Fridays in Room 103 from 3:00 pm-4:55 pm.
Chorus(合唱队)
The Chorus is an opportunity for students to sharpen their vocal(发声的) skills and overcome stage fright. Students will sing songs, but our focus is Soul, R&B, and rock. All chorus members are expected to participate in the school musicals as well as other shows. Meet after school on Thursdays with Mr. Copeland in Room 602.
1. What is a requirement if you want to join Chinese Culture Club?| A．Being able to speak Chinese. |
| B．Knowing well about Chinese culture. |
| C．Knowing the ways to cook Chinese food. |
| D．Being interested in the Chinese way of life. |
| A．It doesn’t offer students chances to join competitive games. |
| B．It doesn’t accept students without basic knowledge of chess. |
| C．It improves students’ chess theory and ability to play chess. |
| D．It opens to students for two hours a week. |
| A．Robotics Club | B．Science Club |
| C．Chess Club | D．Chinese Culture Club |
| A．To help students design robots for a competition. |
| B．To inspire parents to take part in their children’s activities. |
| C．To organize the FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in NYC. |
| D．To raise money for scientific research done by the schools in NYC. |
| A．has a strong writing ability | B．has special talent for stage design |
| C．wants to master singing skills | D．wants to learn musical instruments |
10 . 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 |
