1 . When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden, carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier. Far happier.

These are the findings of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. ＂Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence(能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society,＂ said George Vaillant, the psychologist(心理学家) who made the discovery. ＂And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them.＂

Vaillant’s study followed these males in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25,31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men’s mental-health scores with their boyhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.

The link between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly sharp. Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people, five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out.

Working — at any age — is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence — the underpinnings(基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this. Yet work isn’t everything. As Tolstoy once said, ＂One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work.＂

1. What do we know about John?

A．He enjoyed his career and marriage.

B．He had few childhood playmates.

C．He received little love from his family.

D．He was envied by others in his childhood.

2. Vaillant’s words in Paragraph 2 serve as　　　　.

A．a description of personal values and social values

B．an analysis of how work was related to competence

C．an example for parents’ expectations of their children

D．an explanation why some boys grew into happy men

3. Vaillant’s team obtained their findings by　　　　.

A．recording the boys’ effort in school

B．evaluating the men’s mental health

C．comparing different sets of scores

D．measuring the men’s problem solving ability

4. What does the underlined word ＂sharp＂ probably mean in Paragraph 4?

A．Quick to react.	B．Having a thin edge.
C．Clear and definite.	D．Sudden and rapid.

5. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Competent adults know more about love than work.

B．Emotional health is essential to a wonderful adult life.

C．Love brings more joy to people than work does.

D．Independence is the key to one’s success.

2 . Earth Day is on April 22nd. People say thanks to the Earth and learn ways to keep the Earth safe and clean. But saving the Earth is not just for grow-ups. Kids are also taking an active part in it.

The American writer and filmmaker Lynne made a film called Young Voices for the Planet. It lists a lot of stories about different kids who help to keep our environment clean.

Team Marine, USA group of students at Santa Monica High School started an organization called Team Marine. They tell people why plastic bags are bad for sea animals and environment. In 2011, they successfully made lawmakers (立法者) in their city stop people using plastic bags.

Felix, 15, Germany In 2007, a 9-year-old boy, Felix, started a club，Plant for the Planet. It encourages children around the world to plant trees in their own countries. Felix helped plant 25 million trees in Germany and 120 million trees worldwide.

Alec, 17, US When he was 12, Alec set up Kids VS Global (全球的) Warming. It teaches kids about weather change and ways to stop the world getting warmer and warmer. Alec travels widely to encourage people to help stop global warming. He has given more than 70 talks across the country.

Olivia, 13, US When Olivia was 11, she heard about the 2010 oil spill (漏油) in the Gulf of Mexico. She painted 500 pictures of birds to raise money for the clean-up. She raised more than $200,000 to protect (保护) birds and other wild animals.

1. What is the purpose of setting up the “Earth Day” and who can do something for the Earth?

A．To keep the earth peaceful and beautiful by adults and kids

B．To keep the earth balanced by adults only

C．To keep the earth safe and clean by adults and kids

D．To keep the earth safe and clean by kids only

2. Young Voices for the Planet made by Lynne is ________.

A．a book	B．a TV play
C．a film	D．a club

3. According to the passage, we know ________ doesn’t agree to use plastic bags.

A．Team Marine

B．Felix

C．Alec

D．Olivia

4. Alec travels widely to encourage people to ________.

A．raise money

B．plant trees

C．protect wild animals

D．help stop global warming

5. The passage is mainly about how ________.

A．kids are saving the Earth

B．parents are planting trees

C．students are raising money

D．grow-ups are using plastics bags

3 . Blind imitation (模仿) is self-destruction. To those who do not recognize their unique worth, imitation appears attractive; to those who know their strength, imitation is unacceptable.

In the early stages of skill or character development, imitation is helpful. When I first learned to cook, I used recipes (菜谱) and turned out some tasty dishes. But soon I grew bored. Why follow someone else’s way of cooking when I could create my own? Imitating role models is like using training wheels on a child’s bicycle; they help you get going, but once you find your own balance, you fly faster and farther without relying on them.

In daily life, imitation can hurt us if we subconsciously (下意识地) hold poor role models. If, as a child, you observed people whose lives were bad, you may have accepted their fear and pain as normal and gone on to follow what they did. If you do not make strong choices for yourself, you will get the results of the weak choices of others. In the field of entertainment, our culture glorifies celebrities. Those stars look great on screen. But when they step off screen, their personal lives may be disastrous. If you are going to follow someone, focus on their talent, not their bad character or unacceptable behaviors.

Blessed is the person willing to act on their sudden desire to create something unique. Think of the movies, books, teachers, and friends that have affected you most deeply. They touched you because their creations were motivated by inspiration not desperation. The world is changed not by those who do what has been done before them, but by those who do what has been done inside them. Creative people have an endless resource of ideas. The problem a creator faces is not running out of material; it is what to do with the material knocking at the door of imagination.

Study you role models, accept the gifts they have given, and leave behind what does not server you. Then you can say, “I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors’ tragedies and declare victory, and know that they are cheering on.”

1. Imitation proves useful when you     .

A．know you are unique	B．lose the balance of life
C．begin to learn something new	D．get tired of routine practice

2. To avoid the bad result of imitation, we should     .

A．forget daily fear and pain	B．choose the right example
C．ask others for decisions	D．stay away from stars

3. According to the author, the world moves on because of those who are .

A．desperate to influence others with their knowledge

B．ready to turn their original ideas into reality

C．eager to discover what their ancestors did

D．willing to accept others' ideas

4. The trouble a creator faces is       .

A．the lack of strong motivation

B．the absence of practical ideas

C．how to search for more materials

D．how to use imagination creatively

5. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?

A．To highlight the importance of creatively.

B．To criticize the characters of role models.

C．To compare imitation with creation.

D．To explain the meaning of success.

4 . As we have seen, the focus of medical care in our society has been shifting from curing disease to preventing disease—especially in terms of changing our many unhealthy behaviors, such as poor eating habits, smoking, and failure to exercise. The line of thought involved in this shift can be pursued further. Imagine a person who is about the right weight, but does not eat very nutritious (有营养的) foods, who feels OK but exercises only occasionally, who goes to work every day, but is not an outstanding worker, who drinks a few beers at home most nights but does not drive while drunk, and who has no chest pains or abnormal blood counts, but sleeps a lot and often feels tired. This person is not ill. He may not even be at risk for any particular disease. But we can imagine that this person could be a lot healthier.
The field of medicine has not traditionally distinguished between someone who is merely “not ill” and someone who is in excellent health and pays attention to the body’s special needs. Both types have simply been called “well”. In recent years, however, some health specialists have begun to apply the terms “well” and “wellness” only to those who are actively striving to maintain and improve their health. People who are well are concerned with nutrition and exercise, and they make a point of monitoring their body’s condition. Most important, perhaps, people who are well take active responsibility for all matters related to their health. Even people who have a physical disease or handicap (缺陷) may be “well” in this new sense, if they make an effort to maintain the best possible health they can in the face of their physical limitations. “Wellness” may perhaps best be viewed not as a state that people can achieve, but as an ideal that people can strive for. People who are well are likely to be better able to resist disease and to fight disease when it strikes. And by focusing attention on healthy ways of living, the concept of wellness can have a beneficial impact on the ways in which people face the challenges of daily life.
1. Today medical care is placing more stress on ________.

A．keeping people in a healthy physical condition

B．monitoring patients’ body functions

C．removing people’s bad living habits

D．ensuring people’s psychological well-being

2. In the first paragraph, people are reminded that ________.

A．good health is more than not being ill

B．drinking, even if not to excess, could be harmful

C．regular health checks are essential to keeping fit

D．prevention is more difficult than cure

3. Traditionally, a person is considered “well” if he ________.

A．does not have any unhealthy living habits

B．does not have any physical handicaps

C．is able to handle his daily routines

D．is free from any kind of disease

4. According to the author, the true meaning of “wellness” is for people ________.

A．to best satisfy their body’s special needs

B．to strive to maintain the best possible health

C．to meet the strictest standards of bodily health

D．to keep a proper balance between work and leisure

5. According to what the author advocates, which of the following groups of people would be considered healthy?

A．People who have strong muscles as well as slim figures.

B．People who are not presently experiencing any symptoms of disease.

C．People who try to be as possible, regardless of their limitations.

D．People who can recover from illness even without seeking medical care.

5 . WELCOME
Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor is one of the official residences (住所)of the Queen, who sometimes stays here.
Audio tours
Free audio tours are available on leaving the Admission Centre at the start of your visit. There is a descriptive audio tour for blind and poor sighted visitors.
Guided tours
Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart at regular intervals throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments.
Visitors with children
For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends. Please note that, for safety reasons, pushchairs are not permitted in the State Apartments. However, baby carriers are available to borrow.
St George’s Chapel
Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from March to October are advised to visit St George’s Chapel first before it closes.
Shopping
Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewellery, and children’s toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service.
Refreshments
Bottled water can be purchased from the Courtyard and Middle Ward shops. From April to September ice cream is also available. Visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain reentry permits from the castle shops. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments of St George’s Chapel.
Photography and mobile phones
Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments of St George’s Chapel. Mobile phones must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel in consideration of other visitors.
Security
As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace , visitors and their belongings should get through airport-style security checks. For safety and security reasons a one-way system operates along the visitor route.
1. A visitor can apply for a free audio tour_______.

A．in the Courtyard	B．in the State Apartments
C．at the Admission Center	D．at St George’s Chapel

2. What is specially offered to visitors with kids?

A．A security guard	B．A pushchair
C．A free toy	D．A baby carrier

3. Who can get re-entry permits?

A．Visitors wishing to eat outside the Castle

B．Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops

C．Visitors buying water from the Courtyard

D．Visitors eating outside St George’s Chapel

4. Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phones?

A．To ensure the safety of others

B．To ensure the security of the Castle

C．To prevent them from disturbing others

D．To prevent the use of the built-in cameras

5. In the last part, a “working royal palace” refers to one_______.

A．still being constructed

B．still used by the royal family

C．where the Queen usually works

D．where works of art are on show

6 . The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphone, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic (怀旧的）skill. However，while today’s educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful---both in school and in life.

Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.

Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks---both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.

In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to know well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.

Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe(转换）“those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct then over time.

“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won't have knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”

1. What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?

A．The absence of blackboard in classroom.

B．The use of new technologies in teaching.

C．The lack of practice in handwriting.

D．The popular use of smartphones.

2. Berninger’s study published in 2009 .

A．focused on the difference between writing by hand and on a computer.

B．indicated that students prefer to write with a pen and paper.

C．found that good essays are made up of long sentences.

D．discussed the importance of writing speed.

3. Which of the following best shows the role of spelling?

A．Spelling improves one’s memory of words.

B．Spelling ability is closely related to writing ability.

C．Spelling benefits the translation from words into ideas.

D．Spelling slows down finding exact words to express ideas.

4. What does “mind’s eye” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Window.	B．Soul
C．Picture.	D．Imagination.

5. What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?

A．Computers can help people with their choice of words.

B．Spell checks can take the place of spelling teaching.

C．Handwriting still has a place in today’s classrooms.

D．Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade.

7 . Still seeking a destination for your weekend break? There are some places which are probably a mere walk away from your college.
King's Art Centre
A day at the Centre could mean a visit to an exhibition of the work of one of the most interesting contemporary artists on show anywhere. This weekend tees the opening of an exhibition of four local artists.
You could attend a class teaching you how to 'learn from the masters' or get more creative with paint ---- free of charge.
The Centre also runs two life drawing classes for which there is a small fee.
The Botanic Garden
The Garden has over 8,000 plant species; it holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for Cambridge University.
The multi-branched Torch Aloe here is impressive. The African plant produces red flowers above blue-green leaves, and is not one to miss.
Get to the display house to see Dionaea muscipula, a plant more commonly known as the Venus Flytrap that feeds on insects and other small animals.
The Garden is also a place for wildlife-enthusiasts. Look for grass snakes in the lake. A snake called 'Hissing Sid' is regularly seen lying in the heat of the warm sun.
Byron's Pool
Many stories surround Lord Byron's time as a student of Cambridge University, Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of "mess and drunkenness". However, it seems as though Byron did manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. I'm not just talking about the pet bear he kept in his roans. He spent a great deal of time walking in the village.
It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. A couple of miles past Grantchester in the south Cambridgeshire countryside, the pool is surrounded by beautiful circular paths around the fields. The cries of invisible birds make the trip a lovely experience and on the way home you can drop into the village for afternoon tea. If you don't trust me, then perhaps you’ll take it from Virginia Woolf- ----over a century after Byron, she reportedly took a trip to swim in the same pool.
1. As mentioned in the passage, there is a small charge for_____.

A．attending the masters' class	B．working with local artists
C．learning life drawing	D．seeing an exhibition

2. "Torch Aloe" and "Venus Flytrap" are_____.

A．common insects	B．impressive plants
C．rarely-seen snakes	D．wildlife-enthusiasts

3. We can infer from the passage that Byron seemed_____.

A．to fear pet bears	B．to like walking
C．to be a heavy drinker	D．to finish university in 1805

4. In the passage Byron's Pool is described as a lake_____.

A．surrounded by fields

B．owned by Lord Byron

C．located in Grantchester

D．discovered by Virginia Woolf

5. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Some places for weekend break

B．A way to become creative in art.

C．The colourful life in the countryside.

D．Unknown stories of Cambridge University.

8 . In the kitchen of my mother’s houses there has always been a wooden stand（木架）with a small notepad（记事本）and a hole for a pencil.

I’m looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother. Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, the current paper and pencil look the same as they always did. Surely it can’t be the same pencil? The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is definitely the original one.

“I’m just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these year.” I say to her, walking bank into the living-room with a sheet of paper and the pencil. “You still use a pencil. Can’t you afford a pen?”

My mother replies a little sharply. “It works perfectly well. I’ve always kept the stand in the kitchen. I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in these days.”

Immediately I can picture her, hair wild, blue housecoat covered in flour, a wooden spoon in one hand, the pencil in the other, her mouth moving silently. My mother smiles and says, “One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a brilliant thought, but the stand was empty. One of the children must have taken the paper. So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back. It turned out to be a real breakthrough for solving the mathematical problem I was working on.”

This story—which happened before I was born—reminds me how extraordinary my mother was, and is, as a gifted mathematician. I feel embarrassed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work. Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards. Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics. Those symbols have traveled unaffected through fifty years, rooted in the soil of a cheap wooden breadboard, invisible（看不到的）exhibits at every meal.

1. Why has the author’s mother always kept the notepad and pencil in the kitchen?

A．To leave messages.	B．To list her everyday tasks.
C．To note down maths problems.	D．To write down a flash of inspiration.

2. What is the author’s original opinion about the wooden stand?

A．It has great value for the family.

B．It needs to be replaced by a better one.

C．It brings her back to her lonely childhood.

D．It should be passed on to the next generation.

3. The author feels embarrassed for_______.

A．blaming her mother wrongly.

B．giving her mother a lot of trouble.

C．not making good use of time as her mother did.

D．not making any breakthrough in her field.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The mother is successful in her career.

B．The family members like traveling.

C．The author had little time to play when young.

D．The marks on the breadboard have disappeared.

5. In thauthor’s mind ,her mother is_________.

A．strange in behavior.	B．keen on her research.
C．fond of collecting old things.	D．careless about her appearance.

9 . The first time I remember noticing the crossing guard was when he waved to me as I drove my son to school. He_______me with a puzzle—all because he waved to me like someone does_______seeing a close friend. A big,_______smile accompanied his wave. For the next few days I tried to_______his face to see if I knew him. I didn’t. Perhaps he had_______me for someone else. By the time I contented myself with the_______that he and I were strangers, we were greeting each other warmly every morning like old friends.

Then one day the_______was solved. As I_______the school he was standing in the middle of the road_______his stop sign. I was in live behind four cars.________the kids had reached the safety of the sidewalk, he lowered his sign and let the cars________. To the first he waved and ________in just the same way he had done to me over the last few days. The kids already had the window down and were happily waving their reply. The second car got the same ________from the crossing guard, and the driver, a stiff-looking (表情刻板的) businessman, gave a brief, almost________wave back. Each following car of kids on their way to school________more heartily.

Every morning I continued to watch the man with________. So far I haven’t seen anyone________to wave back. I find it interesting that one person can make such a (n)________to so many people’s lives by doing one simple thing like waving and smiling warmly. His________armed the start of my day. With a friendly wave and smiling face he had changed the________of the whole neighbourhood.

1.

A．hit

B．disappointed

C．presented

D．bored

2.

A．on

B．from

C．during

D．about

3.

A．false

B．shy

C．apologetic

D．bright

4.

A．research

B．study

C．recognize

D．explore

5.

A．praised

B．blamed

C．mistaken

D．respected

6.

A．conclusion

B．description

C．evaluation

D．introduction

7.

A．argument

B．disagreement

C．mystery

D．task

8.

A．visited

B．approached

C．passed

D．left

9.

A．drawing back

B．putting on

C．handing in

D．holding out

10.

A．Once

B．Before

C．Unless

D．While

11.

A．in

B．through

C．out

D．down

12.

A．cried

B．cheered

C．smiled

D．gestured

13.

A．idea

B．reply

C．notice

D．greeting

14.

A．awkward

B．angry

C．elegant

D．patient

15.

A．came

B．responded

C．hurried

D．appeared

16.

A．surprise

B．frustration

C．interest

D．doubt

17.

A．fail

B．try

C．wish

D．bother

18.

A．offer

B．sacrifice

C．promise

D．difference

19.

A．effectiveness

B．cheerfulness

C．carefulness

D．seriousness

20.

A．trends

B．observations

C．regulations

D．feelings

10 . 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A, B, C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
My wife and I moved into our home two years ago. We had a yard with a lot of_______Very often when we have flowers, Denise or I would plant some between the rocks, just to add some_______to the area.
Last summer, I found a tiny little_______in the yard that I could not immediately identify. I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise said she didn’t either. We decided to let it_______growing until we could find out what it was.
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the_______plant, it appeared to be a sunflower. I decided to_______the weeds around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something_______The sunflower had not_______where I saw it begin. It actually had begun under a big_______and grown under and around it to reach the________.
That’s when I________that if a tiny little sunflower didn’t let a big rock stand in its________of developing, we too have the ability of doing the same thing. If we________ourselves like that little sunflower, we can reach where we________to go and get what we need for growth.
We need to believe in ourselves knowing we have the________to achieve our goals. Like the________, it knew it had the ability to get over the rocks because it had________in itself that it would succeed. Stand tall like the sunflower and be________of who and what we are, then the environment will begin to________us. We will find a way to go under or________any “rocks” in order to reach our goals.1.

A．flowers

B．rocks

C．insects

D．vegetables

2.

A．shape

B．water

C．fertilizer

D．colour

3.

A．weed

B．seed

C．plant

D．rock

4.

A．continue

B．stop

C．improve

D．escape

5.

A．weak

B．strange

C．lonely

D．pretty

6.

A．collect

B．tend

C．watch

D．remove

7.

A．wonderful

B．terrible

C．unusual

D．valuable

8.

A．started

B．passed

C．left

D．died

9.

A．tree

B．rock

C．table

D．wall

10.

A．air

B．sun

C．top

D．house

11.

A．hoped

B．doubted

C．regretted

D．realized

12.

A．way

B．place

C．course

D．process

13.

A．fill in

B．put in

C．believe in

D．worry about

14.

A．forget

B．aim

C．hate

D．wait

15.

A．idea

B．wish

C．plan

D．ability

16.

A．sunflower

B．yard

C．home

D．summer

17.

A．energy

B．virtue

C．faith

D．courage

18.

A．aware

B．proud

C．afraid

D．tired

19.

A．forgive

B．affect

C．upset

D．support

20.

A．around

B．into

C．through

D．From