1 . Deep down in the sea there is the palace of the Sea King. It is said that once the Sea King had six daughters. The youngest was the most beautiful of them all. Though they were   beautiful, they had no _______, only a fish's tail. They were called mermaid.

_______ gave the youngest Princess greater pleasure than to hear about the world of human beings up above. One day the youngest Princess _______ up above the water. She saw so many beautiful things. She was most _______ in a big ship. There was a young and handsome Prince _______.

There was suddenly a _______ on the sea, and the ship sank. The Prince was _______ drowned. In order to save him the mermaid stayed with the Prince and carried him to the shore. She kissed the _______ Prince and sadly returned to her father's palace under the sea.

In order to win the love of the Prince, the mermaid wanted to _______ her fish's tail and to have a pair of legs. She went to the Sea Witch for help.

“It is very ________ of you.” said the witch. “But I will help you. Take the bottle of ________ with you, sit down on the shore and drink it. You will have legs, but it will hurt as if a sharp sword were ________ through you.”

“I'm willing to stand all the ________,” said the mermaid.

“But remember,” said the witch, “If you do not win the love of the Prince, and if he marries someone   ________, punishment will fall on you and you will become ________.”

“I am willing.” said the mermaid.

“But you have the most beautiful ________,” said the witch., “so I must have that in ________.” then the witch cut out the tongue of the little mermaid, who could not speak from then on.

The next morning, the mermaid did ________ the witch had told her to do. When the Prince saw her, he fell in love with her at once ________, before long, the Prince was going to a neighboring kingdom to   marry another princess. And the mermaid's heart seemed to be ________.

She decided to wish for the Prince's happy life with his beautiful wife. And she herself turned into foam on the sea .

1.

A．skin

B．hair

C．feet

D．heart

2.

A．Nothing

B．Something

C．Anything

D．Everything

3.

A．jumped

B．stood

C．flowed

D．rose

4.

A．anxious

B．eager

C．interested

D．longing

5.

A．on show

B．on board

C．on sale

D．on holiday

6.

A．darkness

B．lightning

C．storm

D．wind

7.

A．nearly

B．suddenly

C．immediately

D．instantly

8.

A．unanswered

B．untouched

C．unconscious

D．unspeakable

9.

A．get rid of

B．live along with

C．let alone of

D．give up to

10.

A．determined

B．brave

C．foolish

D．attractive

11.

A．pills

B．medicine

C．ash

D．soup

12.

A．putting

B．digging

C．going

D．cutting

13.

A．pain

B．difficulty

C．trouble

D．sorrow

14.

A．beautiful

B．better

C．later

D．else

15.

A．fish

B．foam

C．mermaid

D．wave

16.

A．shape

B．legs

C．voice

D．hair

17.

A．award

B．exchange

C．price

D．cost

18.

A．what

B．that

C．which

D．each

19.

A．Besides

B．In addition

C．Moreover

D．However

20.

A．breaking

B．beating

C．burning

D．sliding

2 . Music. We hear it everywhere, every day. Getting into a lift, going around a supermarket or simply relaxing at home, music is our constant companion. And music can have a significant effect on the way we think and feel, so it's worth paying attention to what we're listening to.

Music can have a powerful effect on our moods, in terms of both reducing and increasing stress. Listening to calm gentle music in bed can help us drop off to sleep. Some airlines play smoothing music on board planes at take-off and landing, to calm nervous travelers. Athletes often listen to fast loud music to help them prepare for games. The American swimmer Michael Phelps is known to listen to rap music before important races to help pump him up.

The mood-altering effect of music can be especially acute for the people who actually play the music. Musicians who do not have high self-esteem (自尊心) can suddenly overflow with confidence once they go on stage. It's as though the music gives them a different personality.

And it's not only those who feel ill at ease with themselves who can benefit. Scientists have conducted research into the effect of music on students studying for exams. They found that listening to calm music with a regular beat can actually help students recall facts and improve their performance in exams. Classical music, preferably something by Mozart, seems to have the most beneficial effect. A word of caution, however: it's best not to over-rely on this method, as you won't be able to listen to music in an exam.

For most of us though, music is one of life's great pleasures. And it's a pleasure that endures. Researchers have found that we don't often grow out of the music that we love as teenagers, because our musical tastes are such a huge part of our identity, personality and outlook on life. So don't delete those songs you downloaded when you were fifteen - you'll probably still love them when you're fifty.

1. What would be the best kind of music to play to nervous drivers stuck in traffic jam?

A．Rap music.	B．Gentle classical music.
C．Cheerful folk music.	D．Heavy metal music.

2. The word "acute" in paragraph 3 most probably means _______ in the passage.

A．powerful	B．controllable
C．complex	D．opposite

3. Which of the following statements about music is true according to the passage?

A．Pop music improves students' academic performance.

B．Music has magic power to change musicians' personality.

C．Music generally influence people's thoughts and emotions.

D．Sportsmen listen to fast music to relieve their stress before games.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Musical tastes affect our characters to a great extent.

B．We have to find ways to make the pleasure of music last.

C．We will be fond of different kinds of music as we grow up.

D．A part of our personality and tastes are well developed in our teens.

3 . My father enjoys bike riding．Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved going hiking with my dad．_______, as I became a teenager, other things began to draw my _______．Suddenly, it was important to do things with _______．I saw my dad every evening at home．Why did I have to _______ my Sundays, to all day bike trips with him, too? If my indifference （冷漠） hurt him, my father kept _______, but he would always let me know when he was planning a bike trip _______ I wanted to come．
It was a Sunday morning, and I was in low _______．Two of my friends had gone to the movies without inviting me．Just then my father _______ my room．"It's a beautiful day．Want to go for a _______, today, Beck?” “Leave me alone!” I impatiently ________. Those were the last words I said to him before he left the house that ________.
Several hours later, the police called us, ________ us that Dad had a traffic accident. My father’s injuries were serious. It took several days before he could ________ speak. Beside his bed I held his hand gently, ________ of hurting him.
“Daddy … I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”
“No,” I said, “I ________ what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”
“Sweetheart, I don’t ________ anything about that day. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He ________ a weak smile.
I felt regretful for my thoughtless remark, for I ________ wanted him to leave me alone. My teacher once told me that ________ have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the ________ to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.1.

A．Therefore

B．Instead

C．Besides

D．However

2.

A．attention

B．sight

C．effort

D．energy

3.

A．Dad

B．friends

C．teachers

D．brothers

4.

A．start

B．save

C．devote

D．waste

5.

A．silent

B．busy

C．asleep

D．awake

6.

A．unless

B．in case

C．so that

D．as if

7.

A．spirits

B．conditions

C．states

D．hopes

8.

A．left

B．checked

C．entered

D．knocked

9.

A．ride

B．walk

C．picnic

D．game

10.

A．whispered

B．warned

C．announced

D．shouted

11.

A．moment

B．morning

C．afternoon

D．evening

12.

A．convincing

B．reminding

C．informing

D．phoning

13.

A．eventually

B．generally

C．strictly

D．broadly

14.

A．tired

B．afraid

C．aware

D．sorry

15.

A．discuss

B．think

C．care

D．mean

16.

A．hate

B．forget

C．remember

D．like

17.

A．got

B．expressed

C．exchanged

D．managed

18.

A．often

B．never

C．even

D．once

19.

A．apologies

B．promises

C．smiles

D．words

20.

A．experience

B．honor

C．power

D．desire

4 . People all need friends because nobody wants to be lonely and a friend can help you in good and bad times. You have made friends since childhood, but you still don’t know who your true friends are. Here are some signs to tell you if your friend is a true friend:

Always honest

Honesty is important to keep a relationship alive. A true friend always tells you the truth. It may be hard sometimes but lying can destroy a friendship. It is important that your friend speaks honestly and never makes up stories.

There are always periods in your life when you have problems or difficulties. A true friend will always have time to listen to your problems and give advice. It may not be able to offer a solution to your problems but the fact that your friend made time to listen is a sign he/she cares for you. Your friend is not a true friend if he/she can never make time for you when you are in trouble. You also need to be reasonable and accept that your friend also has other things to do so he/she can’t always listen immediately to your problems.

Always respectful (尊敬的)

A true friend will always respect your opinion no matter whether he/she agrees or not. Your true friend may disagree but never insists that he/she is correct.

Always understanding

It is possible that some problems will arise between you and your friend. A true friend will always be forgiving (体谅的) and understanding even if it isn’t his/her fault. We are all different people and we all make mistakes. A true friend is always forgiving and understanding because he/she doesn’t want to take the risk of losing his/her best friend.

1. What’s the best title for the third paragraph?

A．Always there for you	B．Keep your secrets
C．Always happy for you	D．Remember your important days

2. According to the passage, a true friend will always________.

A．follow your advice

B．offer a solution for your problems

C．listen immediately to your problems

D．respect your opinion even if he/she disagrees with it

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Never tell lies to friends.	B．Making time for friends.
C．Sharing fun with friends.	D．Paying attention to a friend’s opinions.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A．To teach us how to make true friends.

B．To find out how long a friendship can last.

C．To introduce his experience in making friends.

D．To tell us how to find out if a friend is a true friend.

5 . I was sleeping in my room when my bed started shaking and a loud noise was heard. I woke up and my mom was screaming my name. Next moment I was running along with my younger sister, mom and dad. Before I ran out of the door, I realized my elder sister hadn’t come out yet. So I screamed her name at the top of my voice. My mom said she had gone to her class. Then the four of us, along with many others, were running on the staircase. We lived on the seventh floor, so I thought we would not be able to make it and the building would fall before we managed to reach even the fourth floor. My dad’s head was injured by something falling down. I did try to put my hand over his head. When we reached the sixth floor, the building split into two. We had no way to get down.

The next thing I remember is silence. There were around 30 people on the staircase and none could react. Five minutes later, someone opened the door of the sixth-floor flat. We all went in. We were wondering how would get down. From the balcony of the sixth-floor flat, I saw people standing on the ground floor. All eyes were stuck on us. I could see my elder sister crying.

Our first hope of surviving came when a worker climbed a rope to where we were. That was the first time we thought maybe we could get down. Half an hour passed and we were still trapped. Finally RSS people arrived with ropes. They got people down one by one. My biggest worry was how my dad would get down. Finally after two and a half hours, we all got down.

That day we saw the power of nature. It has taken more than two years to build the flats and it took just one and a half minutes to destroy the structure.

1. What is this passage mainly about?

A．Ways to survive an earthquake.

B．Reasons why earthquakes happen.

C．The love of parents in an earthquake.

D．The writer’s experience in an earthquake.

2. When the building split into two, the writer and his family ____________.

A．were still sleeping

B．were trapped on the sixth floor

C．were looking for a family member

D．were running on the staircase of the seventh floor

3. The first time the writer thought they would probably survive was when____________ .

A．he was encouraged by people on the ground floor

B．someone opened the door of the sixth-floor flat

C．a worker climbed up on a rope

D．RSS people arrived with ropes

4. The earthquake made the writer realize that____________.

A．there is always hope for people

B．the power of nature is really great

C．natural disasters can happen any time

D．human beings are strong in natural disasters

6 . Here is some must-know information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.

In Brazil

Brazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible, with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. But to be safe, be on time. Meals can stretch for hours — there’s no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social, preferring face-to-face communication over mails or phone calls.

In Singapore

Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small, polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal, so meetings and dealings often are fast-paced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions, even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines both people interact in meetings. For example, people avoid disagreeing outright with someone with a higher rank.

In the United Arab Emirates

In the UAE, status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So, do not pull away the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes, but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are one-to-one, if your host offers you coffee, you should refuse. It might seem odd, but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is always set out or presented.

In Switzerland

The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality (守时) is vital, something that comes from a deep respect for others’ time. Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higher-ups make the final decisions, even if others might disagree. Neat, clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.

1. The passage is mainly about _____________.

A．communication types

B．the workplace atmosphere

C．customs and social manners

D．living conditions and standards

2. Why do Singaporeans avoid arguing with their boss?

A．They put efficiency in the first place.

B．They dislike face-to-face communication.

C．They want to finish meetings as quickly as possible.

D．They are supposed to obey the person of a higher rank.

3. In the UAE, when should you refuse the coffee if it is offered?

A．When greeting seniors.

B．When meeting the host alone.

C．When attending a presentation.

D．When dining with business partners.

4. In which country do people care about where to put their hands at the dinner table?

A．In Brazil.	B．In Singapore.
C．In the United Arab Emirate.	D．In Switzerland.

7 . China has recently been faced with serious issues of product safety. In Panama，it is said that medicine made with a poisonous chemical sickened some people.A Chinese company had identified it as diethylamide glycol(乙二醇)，a lowcost substitute commonly used in automobile antifreeze(防冻剂).

Some countries have banned Chinese­made toothpaste containing diethylamide glycol. China has now told companies to discontinue its use，even though it says the toothpaste is safe. Another industrial chemical，melamine，was found in wheat flour used to make pet food in North America.

Thousands of dogs and cats became sick.

The United States has restricted some imports of Chinese seafood because they contained banned substance. And questions have been raised about other products，including children's toys covered with lead paint.

Chinese officials promised to provide the European Union，the biggest trading partner，with detailed reports on enforcement efforts against unsafe goods.

Meglena Kuneva，commissioner(理事) for consumer protection of the European Union said China should have kept its promise.

China recently closed three companies linked to the Panama and the pet food scare. And it dismissed the former head of its food and drug administration. He was found guilty of corruption(腐败)for approving unsafe drugs. This week，a conference of the State Council approved a proposed special measure on the supervision of food safety. The Xinhua News Agency said it calls for stronger controls over producers，greater responsibilities for government and more serious punishment for illegal activities.

But Chinese officials have accused some foreign media of overstating problems with goods made in China. They say food imports from the United States also fail inspection sometimes. Next week，American and Chinese food safety officials are planning to hold 5 days of meetings in Beijing to discuss cooperation.

1. How many cases with safety problems are mentioned in the passage?

A．Six.

B．Five.

C．Four.

D．Three.

2. How was Panama case dealt with afterwards?

A．Three companies linked to it were closed down.

B．The former head of food and drug administration was removed from his position.

C．More serious punishment was conducted for leaders linked to it.

D．Both A and B.

3. It can be implied but not clearly stated that________.

A．Chinese­made toothpaste is safe

B．the safety of “Made in China” is doubted

C．there are safety problems with one more Chinese products

D．stronger control over Chinese products is in need

4. The passage is mainly about________.

A．China is facing product safety problems

B．more controls are taken of Chinese goods

C．overstated problems with Chinese goods

D．China is losing its trade partners