1 . Dad is a reserved man of few words but is always strict. What's more, he is quite
When I was 8, Dad
This time bitter tears were in his eyes,
Twenty years later, the Ph. D. graduation ceremony was around the
A.optimistic | B.different | C.stupid | D.positive |
A.father | B.friend | C.enemy | D.son |
A.busied | B.blamed | C.praised | D.teased |
A.right | B.acceptable | C.wrong | D.amusing |
A.blow | B.frighten | C.confuse | D.pat |
A.spots | B.stains | C.symptoms | D.scars |
A.correspond | B.fight | C.debate | D.explore |
A.polish | B.scold | C.belt | D.criticize |
A.depend | B.take | C.turn | D.concentrate |
A.better | B.worse | C.healthier | D.poorer |
A.pick | B.write | C.bring | D.give |
A.cast | B.moved | C.led | D.pointed |
A.reading | B.screaming | C.saying | D.laughing |
A.success | B.review | C.service | D.failure |
A.corner | B.crossing | C.center | D.pavement |
A.accidentally | B.honorably | C.casually | D.unwillingly |
A.sang | B.whispered | C.smiled | D.cried |
A.problems | B.sentences | C.emotions | D.words |
A.rising | B.going | C.welling | D.keeping |
A.naughty | B.warmhearted | C.independent | D.outgoing |
2 . When you open your closet (壁橱), chances are that you will see some unwanted clothes lying in the corner. But instead of throwing them away, wouldn’t you rather give them a second chance to shine? Well, people around the world are doing just that.
This spring, upcycled denim (牛仔布) and sustainable (可持续的) lace are gaining popularity. They are part of the “ethical” (合乎道德的) and “sustainable” trends that have become the biggest buzzwords in fashion in recent years, the Guardian reported.
Upcycling, according to sustainability website TriplePundit, is a way to process an old item to make it just as good, or even better, than it was originally. For example, you could turn some old pajamas (睡衣) into a new summer dress.
Among upcyclable fabrics (面料), denim is one of the most comfortable and fashionable. That’s why many people like to create their own unique upcycled denim items, such as cutting a headband (头带) from a denim shirt.
Many fashion companies have also joined the trend. For example, there are upcycled denim companies that combine the spirit of vintage (复古的) denim with the principles of sustainability. “For as long as denim has been around, we have found ways to reuse it and upcycle it,” US stylist Kelly Nagel told fashion website sulky.com. “Denim is such a great fabric for so many things, and I especially love it when it has been ‘worn-in’ (磨平的). That is when denim has the most character.”
Lace is another timeless fabric that can be repurposed. According to the Guardian, it can be created from recycled fishing nets and other nylon (尼龙) waste products and used for making elegant dresses or beautiful decorations.
Indeed, fashion holds up a mirror to society. Now, the fashion industry cares not only about creating new looks, but also about its impact on the environment. “Choosing better fabrics is essential to us transforming this industry for the better,” Clara Vuletich, a Sydney-based sustainability expert, told the Guardian. “If you consciously decide to purchase clothes made using a recycled material or an exciting new fiber (纤维), such as cruelty-free leather (皮革) made in a lab, you are supporting companies creating new markets, and avoiding the negative impacts associated with conventional textiles (纺织品).”
1. What is likely to be the most suitable title for the passage?A.Unwanted clothes to shine | B.Denim or lace ,which is getting more popularity? |
C.Fashion, a mirror to society. | D.Trend for recycled fashion |
A.Making use of advanced production techniques. |
B.Making money for charity with unwanted clothes. |
C.Being more friendly to the environment. |
D.Changing fashion trends as quickly as possible. |
A.It is a material that lasts a long time. | B.It shows character after being worn in. |
C.It matches well with many other fabrics. | D.It is the cheapest fabric to upcycle. |
A.How fashion reflects social changes. | B.How fashion benefits from social development. |
C.The bright future of the fashion industry. | D.Potential problems of upcycling. |
3 . The Top 4 Beaches on the East Coast
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Great point, at the easternmost end of the island of Nantucket, is one of the most secret beaches in the world. That's because you need a four﹣wheel drive vehicle and a beach permit to get there. Once you do, you'll find miles of beachfront and a historic lighthouse.
Block Island, Rhode Island
Accessible by ferry, Block Island oozes New England charm. It's worth the effort to get to Mohegan Bluffs, where you can experience a set of 141 wooden steps leading down to the sand. With clay cliffs and a view that reaches Montauk at the eastern tip of Long Island, this beach is especially unique.
East Hampton, New York
Named the best beach in the county in 2013, Main Beach in East Hampton is known for its wide stretch of sand plus a snack bar, bathrooms, and lockers. On﹣site parking is only available to village residents but there are free beach shuttles available.
Jekyll Island, Georgia
Located off the coast of Georgia, this 5, 700﹣acre barrier island is famous for its nesting sea turtles and hermit crabs. Glory Beach got its name because producers of the 1989 movie Glory, featuring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, built a long boardwalk to the beach that remains in place.
1. Which has one of the most private beaches in the world?A.Jekyll Island, Georgia. |
B.Block Island, Rhode Island. |
C.Nantucket, Massachusetts. |
D.East Hampton, New York. |
A.Climbing the clay cliffs. |
B.Experiencing the warm sand. |
C.Admiring the scenery of Montauk. |
D.Walking along a set of 141 wooden steps. |
A.Jekyll Island is famous for its nesting sea fishes and hermit crabs. |
B.Jekyll Island is located on the east coast of the United States. |
C.There is a wide boardwalk to Glory Beach on Jekyll Island. |
D.Glory Beach is named after the producers of the movie Glory. |
4 . Chicago's Open Books ﹣ a 13﹣year﹣old organization ﹣ tries to put books into every child's hands citywide, starting at birth. The group, which sells donated books online to raise money for its programs, has teamed with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to expand its reach to children who most need libraries of their own. In just a few months, Open Books has accepted nearly 1, 000 children into the program. The process behind the Imagination Library is simple. Parents fill out a form to sign up their children to have a free book mailed to each child every month, from birth to age 5.
This means a child can receive up to 60 books, chosen by a group of early education experts, before he or she enters kindergarten. "Our job is to get children served, and to raise money so that we're paying the cost of the books and they remain free to parents, " said Eric Johnson, Open Books' director. That's one reason Open Books chose to team up with the Imagination Library ﹣ because Parton has the ability to get high﹣quality books at the lowest cost, Johnson said.
The imagination Library has started in the underserved and low﹣income neighborhoods of Austin, Garfield Park, Little Village and North Lawndale. Parents in those neighborhoods can sign up their children now. Open Books will continue to expand the Imagination Library to other neighborhoods soon, so other Chicagoans should be patient.
Studies show that a home﹣based library can lead to a child's school success ﹣ and on average a middle﹣class family has about 13 books for each child, Johnson said. Yet, in Chicago and nationwide, more than 60 percent of low﹣income households have no children's books. "That's an important difference, since a child's greatest brain growth takes place from birth to age 5, and by age 3, almost 85 percent of a child's brain is already formed, " Johnson said. "The possibility to get kids 'kindergarten ready' is endless. "
1. What does Open Books do for children under 5?A.It encourages them to visit libraries. |
B.It builds some kindergartens for them. |
C.It mails them each a free book monthly. |
D.It gives them money for books monthly. |
A.The director of Open Books. |
B.Experts in early education. |
C.Children themselves. |
D.Children's parents. |
A.Every family should have a home﹣based library. |
B.Each child should finish 13 books before kindergarten. |
C.More attention should be paid to early children's mental development. |
D.Children should be well prepared for kindergarten as early as possible. |
A.To show his love of children's books. |
B.To introduce an Open Books program. |
C.To share his childhood reading experience. |
D.To advertise Parton's Imagination Library. |
5 . Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生),” said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “I think by 2075 we will see it and that’s a conservative estimate(保守的估计).”
At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology(纳米技术) make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what was possible in the past. “There is a great effort so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.”
However, many scientists who specialize in aging are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live. “It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know; could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life?” said Leonard Poon, director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre. “At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all.”
1. By saying“we are knocking at the door of immortality”,Michael Zey means_________.A.they have got some ideas about living forever |
B.they believe that there is no limit of living |
C.they are able to make people live past the present life span |
D.they are sure to find the truth about long living |
A.the human body is designed to last past about 120 years |
B.it is possible for humans to live longer in the future |
C.it is still doubtful how long humans can live |
D.people can live from 120 to 180 |
A.a great effort |
B.the conservative estimate |
C.the idea of living from 200 to 300 years |
D.the idea of living beyond the present life span |
A.No Limit for Human Life |
B.Living Longer or not |
C.Science,Technology and Long Living |
D.Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living |
6 . As the train picked up its speed, the passengers slowly settled down on their seats. A(n)
It was 4:50 pm. So, bed time was still in a long way. I couldn’t
She
Suddenly my
She smiled and I continued to say: “Aunty, you must be feeling so
Perhaps, this question
I was astonished at her heart breaking story! But I admired the old lady from the core of my heart.
1.A.elderly | B.famous | C.stubborn | D.smart |
A.response | B.exploration | C.research | D.amazement |
A.dynamic | B.calm | C.silent | D.positive |
A.resist | B.forgive | C.deserve | D.demand |
A.cared about | B.stared at | C.attended to | D.watched over |
A.anxiety | B.embarrassment | C.appreciation | D.curiosity |
A.visiting | B.charging | C.sentencing | D.reminding |
A.puzzled | B.frightened | C.astonished | D.excited |
A.entertained | B.attracted | C.hurt | D.impressed |
A.Besides | B.Therefore | C.Still | D.Anyway |
A.club | B.league | C.party | D.army |
A.shared | B.counted | C.bought | D.buried |
A.sold | B.donate | C.connect | D.expand |
A.sorrow | B.shock | C.sickness | D.energy |
A.unbelievable | B.unbearable | C.unemployed | D.unmarried |
7 . My daughter was being thrown out of the sixth grade. The teacher said, “She may not be up to what we’re trying to accomplish.” He was really saying she didn’t have the intelligence. I got mad because I knew she was smart, just as my father had known I was smart when I was failing in school. We had her tested. I decided to get myself tested as well, and found that the troubles she was having were exactly what I had had — dyslexia. By then I was a successful television writer, and had won an Emmy Award for “The Rockford Files.”
If I had known earlier that something beyond my control could explain why I was a low achiever, I may not have worked so hard in my late 20s and early 30s. I was writing and writing. I was working for no other reason than to hear people praise me, because I did badly in all my courses.
I once asked a friend who had always gotten an A, “How long did you study for this?” He said, “I didn’t. I just glanced at it.” So he must be smarter. I began to ask, “What will happen to me when I’m not good at anything?” Despite my doubts, I did become successful, and people now say to me, “So you’ve overcome dyslexia.”
No. You don’t overcome it, you learn to compensate for it. Some easy things are very hard for me. Most people who go through college read twice as fast as I do. I avoid dialing a phone if I can, because I sometimes have to try three times to get the number right.
Despite my weaknesses I view dyslexia as a gift, not a curse (诅咒). Many dyslexics are good at right-brain, abstract thought, and that’s what my kind of creative writing is. And I can write quickly, and can get up to 15 pages a day. Writing is my strength.
The real fear I have for dyslexic children is not they have to struggle in school, but that they will quit on themselves before they get out of school. Parents have to create victories for them, whether it’s music, sports or art. You can make your dyslexic child able to say, “Yeah, reading is hard. But I have other things I can do.”
1. The writer decided to get himself tested as well because he________.A.wanted to know if they had the same problem |
B.didn’t believe his daughter had the problem |
C.had to take a regular medical examination |
D.accepted that his daughter was not smart |
A.struggled and got better grades |
B.didn’t work hard when he was young |
C.was praised for overcoming dyslexia |
D.was thankful not knowing of dyslexia earlier |
A.is less intelligent | B.always fails in school |
C.reads more slowly than normal people | D.performs worse in left-brain activities |
A.Clumsy birds have to start flying early. | B.God shuts one door but opens another. |
C.Never judge a person by his appearance. | D.No one can make a good coat with bad cloth. |
8 . Don’t you have time for reading? If you are interested in non-fiction books, here are some good choices for you.
A Room of One’s Own
This essay by English writer Virginia Woolf is based on several lectures given to two women’s colleges at Cambridge University in 1928. In the essay, Woolf describes that it’s circumstance not talent alone, that allows men to be more successful at writing. Women, in other words, spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and tending to their children that they have no time left for art. To write well, therefore, a woman must have a “room of her own”. While on its surface, this essay appears to be only about writing, it is actually about wealth and class, freedom and confinement, and the power struggle between sexes.
The Art of War
Written by ancient Chinese warrior Sun Tzu, The Art of War is widely considered to be one of the best books about military strategies in human history. Consisting of 13 chapters, each dealing with a separate aspect about how to fight a war, the book has been translated into every major language and has thousands of editions. For centuries, it has been used to train world leaders for its detailed study of military strategies and effective leadership.
Letter to My Daughter
This book of essays by Maya Angelou, a respectable African-American poet, is written for “the daughter she never had” — the millions of women, both young and old, that she considers to be her “family”. From the viewpoint of a caring, older relative, this book contains lessons selected from her own life experiences, including the birth of her only child, a son, as well as the development and loss of friendship.
A Brief History of Time
If you’re short of time, then why not read about, well, the creation of time? This book, first published in 1998 from brilliant scientist and mathematician Stephen Hawking, explores mind-bending questions about the creation of the universe, including if and when it will end, and if so, how. Despite its heavy subject matter, Hawking addresses these questions in a way that’s easy to understand, even for those who know little about physics.
1. What can we learn about the four books?A.A Brief History of Time mainly focuses on the matter of time. |
B.Letter to My Daughter is actually a common family letter. |
C.The Art of War gives advice on how to be a world leader. |
D.A Room of One’s Own is more than about writing. |
A.As a physicist,Hawking is equally famous in writing. |
B.Maya devotes herself to fighting for women’s rights. |
C.The book by Sun Tzu is helpful in policy-making. |
D.Woolf looks down upon men in writing. |
A.To make comparisons among the four books. |
B.To recommend the four books to readers. |
C.To make comments on the four books. |
D.To promote sales of the four books. |
9 . Kids nowadays are growing up “connected”, learning to use technology at a surprising speed. Technology is a regular part of school now! Kids as young as Kindergarten are using smartboards, IPads, and computers to complete tasks in the classroom. Older children rely on the Internet for research, getting homework, sending work to teachers, and even accessing( 获得) textbooks. In fact, today’s kids have been given the name “digital(数字)natives” because they are facing technology almost from birth, so new things have never been a greater challenge in the hands of our children. The Internet,Facebook, iPods, pictures and texting on cell phones and all of these are the ways kids communicate today. They have become a central part of their lives. It allows them a private life that most of us know very little about.
Kids just don’t think about the results of the new world of social networking and text messaging. They don’t think that it is dangerous to send a photo of a particular person to a foolish person, who might send it to some friends that may send it to a hundred others and the next thing you know, it’s on many Facebook sites and all over the Internet forever. They don’t think that way because they don’t have the life experience that we do. We have to help them.
The key to knowing how they manage this privacy(隐私) is our “connection” to them. How closely do we connect with our kids and pay attention to what they’re doing? And how often do we talk to our children... and really listen to them? If they believe in us and know that we will be there for them, they are more likely to follow our advice. If we talk openly about what we believe in, what we stand for, those values will become their own before long.
1. What is the author’s opinion about children?A.They are good at accepting modern things. | B.They are well understood by their parents. |
C.They almost like to surf on the Facebook. | D.They know the Internet dangers well. |
A.Kids. | B.Adults. | C.Internet users. | D.Internet teachers. |
A.They only understand their own private lives. | B.They are badly influenced by new things. |
C.They do not have life experience. | D.They don’t depend on their parents. |
A.When they are surfing on the Internet. | B.When they meet some dangerous situations. |
C.When parents believe in what they are doing. | D.When parents communicate with them deeply. |
10 . The clockwork radio is the only radio that doesn’t need electricity. It works by turning the handle (手柄)for a minute. Nowadays, thousands of these radios are made every day. They are bought by people in some places, where there isn’t any electricity. The clockwork radio was invented in 1991 by Trevor Bayliss, a British inventor. He had the idea within half an hour while he was listening to some news in the radio about Africa: some Africans were dying of AIDS and there was no easy way to send them information about the disease. The first one he made ran for 14 minutes before needing to turn the handle again, but one year later, it improved. However, people didn’t know it until it appeared on a television programme called Tomorrow’s World.
At the beginning, no one would help Trevor develop his idea for a new kind of radio. Finally, in 1994,his invention was shown on the TV programme, and afterwards, a South African businessman watched it and decided to help him. The first Freeplay radios were built in South Africa in 1995. Since then, the radios have been a great success. And then Trevor has become famous. He has been given many awards(奖品),including one from Nelson Mandela.
Mr. Bayliss, whose latest project is a wind-up walking stick, created a website offering inventors suggestions on patenting (专利)and marketing. After that, he also invented electric shoes, which produce electricity as you walk. And the self-weighing suitcase is also his invention- you pick it up and the handle tells you how much it weighs. That’s very useful when you go to the airport.
1. When did the radio appear on Tomorrow’s World?A.In 1991. | B.In 1992. | C.In 1994. | D.In 1995. |
a. He invented electric shoes. b. He met a South African businessman.
c. His clockwork radio was welcomed by people. d. He improved his radio.
A.acdb. | B.bcda. | C.cadb. | D.dbca. |
A.To introduce his ideas about inventions. | B.To help inventors with their patents. |
C.To sell the clockwork radios. | D.To show his awards on it |
A.The invention of the clockwork radio. | B.The good use of the clockwork radio. |
C.Mr. Bayliss’ patent protection. | D.Mr. Bayliss’ inventive ideas. |