1 . After I made it to the city center, I started to feel it might be easy for a foreigner to deal with the great size of Beijing. With growing confidence, I decided to take the subway to the hotel, not realizing that the network didn’t go that far. Impressed with the cleanliness of the station, I bought a ticket and boarded the first subway that came along.
After a few minutes I asked in English a young man seated next to me where I should get off closest to the Friendship Hotel. Wearing a smart business suit and tie, he would surely speak English, wouldn’t he? Unfortunately, he couldn’t understand me but seemed very friendly. I showed him the room card with all the information of the Friendship Hotel in Chinese characters. He looked at it, and then his eyes moved quickly to the carriage (车厢) subway map. Next, he raised three fingers of his right hand.
In Australia, raising fingers at someone is not usually nice, but this man wasn’t smiling. At the next station he showed me two fingers. Now in Australia, that’s really rude, but I got the message. When we stopped at the third station, he didn’t just point to the door, but got up, took me out of the train, and led me to the top of the stairs, and out onto the street. Then he stopped a taxi and told the driver where to take me.
All this came from a man who couldn’t speak my language, and I couldn’t speak his. I was now speechless, especially when he refused my offer of money. I felt a little embarrassed having even thought he would accept a tip.
This experience made it clear I had to learn some Chinese quickly or my adventures might start turning into misadventures.
1. Why does the author decided to take the subway?| A．Because he believed in his ability to deal with the trip |
| B．Because the network covered most of the stops |
| C．Because he lived near the city center |
| D．Because he had a good impression of its cleanliness |
| A．still remained puzzled | B．understood the author well |
| C．answered the author directly | D．pointed at the subway map |
| A．helpful. | B．impolite. | C．warm-hearted. | D．responsible. |
| A．To prove the importance of being careful |
| B．To introduce a young man who didn’t know English |
| C．To complain some cultural misunderstanding |
| D．To describe one of his adventurous experiences |
2 . When I was 12 years old, I already knew that my teen years were going to be the worst years of my life. I was a total outsider, bullied (欺凌) at school. I felt completely alone in my small town.
But by starting to do volunteer work when I was 14, I turned my problem into a passion for helping others. The opportunity to practice kindness made me feel like my life had a greater purpose. The more positive energy I shared, the more kindness and appreciation I received. I realized that my purpose in life would be to reach out to people, specifically teenagers, and help them feel less alone.
Books were my true friends back then. I was so thankful that the authors wrote those books. The kindness they offered me with their books saved my life. One of my biggest dreams was to become an author so I could write books that would help other teenagers the way those books helped me.
After surviving terrible experiences at school and at home, I made a choice to take the optimistic, positive road in the next steps of my journey. My dream career, one I thought was only possible for the authors I loved, is what I am doing now. I have been a full-time author of teen novels since 2007 and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to reach out to readers every single day.
Kindness saved me when I needed help the most. Even small acts of kindness can change someone’s life. You never know what someone else is going through. But by practicing daily kindness, you become an architect of positive change.
1. What was the author’s life like when he was 12?| A．Boring. | B．Peaceful. | C．Painful. | D．Meaningful. |
| A．It made him popular in his town. | B．It helped him find the meaning of life. |
| C．It helped him understand others’ lives better. | D．It helped to shape his dream career. |
| A．He was inspired by his teacher. | B．He could pass positive energy to readers. |
| C．He wanted to share his school experiences. | D．He found he had a talent for writing. |
| A．Say “no” to bullies bravely. | B．Make positive changes in their lives. |
| C．Treat others with kindness in daily life. | D．Learn to care more about others’ feelings. |
3 . Running is often tiring and a lot of hard work, but nothing beats the feeling you get after finishing a long workout around the track.
But while it’s long been believed that endorphins (内啡肽) —chemicals in the body that cause happiness—are behind the so-called “runner’s high”, a study suggested that there may be more to this phenomenon than we previously knew.
According to a recent study published by a group of scientists from several German universities, a group of chemicals called endocannabinoids (内源性大麻素) may actually be responsible for this familiar great feeling.
To test this theory, the scientists turned to mice. Both mice and humans release high levels of endorphins and endocannabinoids after exercise. After exercising on running wheels, the mice seemed happy and relaxed and displayed no signs of anxiety. But after being given a drug to block their endorphins, the mice’s behavior didn’t seem to change. However, when their endocannabinoids were blocked with a different drug, their runners’ high symptoms seemed to fade.
“The long-held notion of endorphins being responsible for the runner’s high is false. Endorphins are effective pain relievers, but only when it comes to the pain in your body and muscles you feel after working out,” Patrick Lucas Austin wrote on science blog Lifchacker.
Similar studies are yet to be carried out on humans, but it’s already known that exercise is a highly effective way to get rid of stress or anxiety. The UK’s National Health Service even prescribes (开药 方) exercise to patients who are suffering from depression. “Being depressed can leave you feeling low in energy, which might put you off being more active. Regular exercise can improve your mood if you have depression, and its especially useful for people with mild to moderate (中等的) depression,” it wrote on its website.
It seems like nothing can beat that feeling we get after a good workout, even if we don’t fully understand where it comes from. At least if we’re feeling down, we know that all we have to do is to put on our running shoes.
1. What did scientists from German universities recently discover?| A．Working out is a highly effective way to treat depression. |
| B．The runner’s high could be caused by endocannabinoids. |
| C．Endorphins may contribute to one’s high spirits after running. |
| D．The level of endorphins and endocannabinoids could affect one’s mood. |
| A．To find what reduces the runner’s high symptoms. |
| B．To see the specific symptoms of the runner’s high. |
| C．To identify what is responsible for the runner’s high. |
| D．To test what influences the level of endocannabinoids released. |
| A．Effect. | B．Goal. | C．Opinion. | D．Question |
| A．They can help ease depression symptoms. |
| B．They are the best way to treat depression. |
| C．They only work for those with serious depression. |
| D．They can help people completely recover from depression. |
4 . Afroz Shah, a lawyer in Mumbai, hasn’t had a weekend off in four years. But he hasn’t spent this time preparing for
His mission? Saving the world’s oceans from
It’s a calling he found in 2015 after moving to a community in Mumbai called Versova Beach. He had played there as a child and was
“The whole beach was like a
In October 2015, Shah began
For Shah, the work has always been a
He’s now spent 209 weekends on this mission,
“This world talks too much. I think we must talk
| A．teaching | B．court | C．housework | D．cleaning |
| A．river | B．soil | C．plastic | D．oil |
| A．upset | B．excited | C．delighted | D．hesitant |
| A．grown | B．changed | C．reserved | D．protected |
| A．pure | B．golden | C．shiny | D．visible |
| A．carpet | B．curtain | C．painting | D．photograph |
| A．temporary | B．permanent | C．ugly | D．pretty |
| A．sticks to | B．keeps off | C．gives back | D．ends up |
| A．killer | B．cleaner | C．guest | D．decoration |
| A．sweeping | B．attacking | C．visiting | D．beautifying |
| A．pulling | B．thinking | C．picking | D．looking |
| A．came | B．failed | C．went | D．spread |
| A．involved | B．lived | C．stuck | D．paid |
| A．easy | B．tough | C．personal | D．general |
| A．known | B．regarded | C．decided | D．honored |
| A．cause | B．case | C．position | D．fame |
| A．requiring | B．rejecting | C．inviting | D．inspiring |
| A．originally | B．finally | C．politically | D．theoretically |
| A．fewer | B．less | C．better | D．worse |
| A．honor | B．beauty | C．hope | D．love |
5 . Every festival has its own meaning. Labor Day, for example, celebrates the value of hard work. Thanksgiving is about showing thanks to people around you. And Valentines’ Day is a time when you express love to your loved ones. But somehow it now seems that all festivals we just care about one thing — shopping. And that can be a big problem.
“In a way, over-consumption (过度消费) is the mother of all our environmental problems,” Kalle Lasn once told CNN. Lasn is the organizer of Buy Nothing Day, a day set up in Canada in 1992 to fight against unhealthy spending habits, and has now become an international event. It’s held on the day, which is known as Black Friday — a famous shopping day in the US and Canada.
You can see the irony (讽刺) here.
Even though the idea of Buy Nothing Day was brought up 26 years ago, we seem to need it now more than ever. It’s just as Lasn said, all the different kinds of pollution in our lives today — bad air quality, the reduction of forest area, endangered animal species, and plastic bags found in the ocean — seem to be the same cause: over-consumption.
The latest example is the Singles’ Day shopping craze of Nov 11, which saw a new sales record. But as Nie Li, a campaigner at Greenpeace, told Reuters, “Record-setting over-consumption means record-setting waste.” And it was reported that last year the Singles’ Day packages left more than 160,000 tons of waste, including plastic and cardboard. The Collins Dictionary has also just named “single-use” its Word of the Year, pointing out the problem that there’re too many things we tow out after only using them once.
So, Buy Nothing Day might only be here for one day a year, but it’s not just to remind us to the a break from shopping on that day, but to change our lifestyle completely, focusing on fun “with people we care about” rather than wasting money on useless things.
1. What’s the authors purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To express the people’s love for all festivals. |
| B．To talk about the meaning of the festivals. |
| C．To appreciate the value of the festivals. |
| D．To bring out the topic of the passage. |
| A．To help people save money. | B．To cut the cost for daily life. |
| C．To prevent over-consumption. | D．To set up a new sales record. |
| A．Opposed (反对的). | B．Supportive. |
| C．Unknown. | D．Neutral (中立的). |
| A．Creating a New Lifestyle | B．Buy Nothing Day |
| C．Festivals Around the World | D．A Change in People’s Life |
6 . Are you looking for some movies? You’ve landed on the right place. Let’s take a look at the list I’ve collected.
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind is the story of John Nash, a mathematician who went on to win the Nobel Prize for his Game Theory. This movie brings his whole journey on screen—from his beginning to his downhill ride.
The first half is all about his rise to fame while the second half shows how he slowly falls into madness. After many years of fighting, he finally is victorious.
I.Q.
The story is about an auto mechanic who falls for Albert Einstein’s niece. The only problem is that she is engaged (已订婚的) to someone else. Fortunately, Einstein likes him. The young man pretends to be a physicist to run after her, but things don’t go as he has planned.
If A Beautiful Mind was a little too heavy for you, I.Q. would be the perfect fit. It’s a light drama that is funny and heartwarming for the most part.
Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting is a touching tale of a troubled young man called Will Hunting who is gifted with a natural talent in mathematics.
However, he is struggling to find his identity. He can solve any math problem, but not the one he seems to be struggling within his life. His life seems to be getting only worse until one day he meets Sean, a therapist, who helps him find direction in life.
Creation
Creation is a story of a famous scientist, Charles Darwin, best known for his Theory of Evolution. This movie attempts to bring his struggling days into focus, the time when he was dealing with the loss of his daughter and was suffering from hallucinations (幻觉). At the same time, he was working on a book called On the Origins of Species, which he finally completed.
All in all, Creation is a great historical drama.
1. If you are interested in a relaxing movie, which one can you see?| A．I.Q | B．Creation | C．A Beautiful Mind | D．Good Will Hunting |
| A．Will Hunting and Sean. | B．John Nash and Will Hunting. |
| C．Charles Darwin and Sean. | D．John Nash and Charles Darwin. |
| A．To introduce movies. | B．To promote science. |
| C．To recommend actors. | D．To compare movies. |
7 . Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and Henry noticed a change in their older son. Suddenly he seemed to be talking far more to his friends than to his parents. “The door to his room is always shut,” Joanna noted.
Tina and Mark noticed similar changes in their 14-year-old daughter. “She used to cuddle up (依偎) against me on the sofa and talk,” said Mark. “Now we joke that she does this only when she wants something. Sometimes she wants to be treated like a little girl and sometimes like a young lady. The problem is understanding which time is which.”
Before age 11, children like to tell their parents what’s on their mind. “In fact, parents are first on the list,” said Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers. “This completely changes during the teen years,” Riera explained. “They talk to their friends first, then maybe their teachers, and their parents last.”
Parents who know what’s going on in their teenagers’ lives are in the best position to help them. To break down the wall of silence, parents should create chances to understand what their children want to say, and try to find ways to talk and write to them. And they must give their children a mental (思想的) break, for children also need freedom, though young. Another thing parents should remember is that to be a friend, not a manager, with their children is a better way to know them.
1. “The door to his room is always shut” suggests that the son ________.| A．keeps himself away from his parents | B．begins to dislike his parents |
| C．is always busy with his study | D．doesn’t want to be ignored |
| A．Their daughter isn’t as lovely as before. |
| B．They can’t read their daughter’s mind exactly. |
| C．They don’t know what to say to their daughter. |
| D．Their daughter talks with them only when she needs help. |
| A．Teenagers talk a lot with their friends. | B．Teenagers do not understand their parents. |
| C．Teenagers talk little about their own lives. | D．Teenagers do not talk much with their parents. |
| A．Parents shouldn’t be angry with teenagers. |
| B．Parents have to talk with children face to face. |
| C．Parents are unhappy with their growing children. |
| D．Parents should try to understand their teenagers. |
8 . I have dreamed of taking a trip to Hawaii since I graduated, but the best thing always needs waiting.
I took a trip with my friends to Haleakala National Park, which lies in Hawaii.
When we arrived at Haleakala National Park, we were advised to watch the early morning sunrise. I was lost in the sightseeing (观光) that afternoon, so I could hardly wait to see the sunrise. The next morning, we all got out of bed very early and got to the seaside at 3 o’clock. In the first half an hour, we imagined how wonderful it would be when the first light came out through the thick clouds and how soft it would be when the light touched our skin, so we waited and waited. However, another half an hour later, I gradually lost my patience since there was nothing but the chilly darkness, and I felt that I was frozen to death. (冻死) But my friends were still extremely cheerful.
Nearly another one hour later, “Amazing!” Judy burst out and we all shouted to welcome the light, which was really unbelievable. Until today, I dare say that it is the most impressive sunrise in my life. However, waiting in the morning darkness is also one memory I can’t forget forever.
Waiting sometimes is really a hard thing for most of us as it needs patience and strong-willed determination (决心) , but what about the result after that? It might turn out to be pleasing and unbelievable. So, it is really worth (值得的) waiting for the best.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．he author’s friends and the author took a trip to China. |
| B．Hawaii is a good place to enjoy the sunrise. |
| C．Sometimes, it is worth waiting for the best. |
| D．The author enjoyed the worst sunrise in his life. |
| A．About 3 o’clock. | B．About 4 o’clock. |
| C．About 5 o’clock. | D．About 6 o’clock. |
| A．Total. | B．Cold. | C．Terrible. | D．Interesting. |
| A．Excited all the time. | B．Afraid all the time. |
| C．Firstly excited then afraid. | D．Firstly excited then impatient. |
9 . “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade (柠檬水).” It is a good saying, but life throws at us more serious problems than lemons, doesn’t it? What do we do when we lose a family member? What do we do when we have been through events that leave us feelings? Can any failure be turned into success?
Most of us realize we can learn one or two things from failure. When we fail, we think, “Well, I won’t try that again! ”or “I won’t trust anyone again! ”But this is not useful learning. It is suggested that we ask challenging questions. For example, “How could I try that again?” There are a lot we can learn and get from failure if we keep asking good questions on how to do better next time.
Failure or pain can be good for developing our character if we choose to face it in a positive way. Our own suffering often makes us understand others better. It can give us wisdom or knowledge to share with others, which can prevent them from similar failure. If we have been hurt by others because of another person’s poor character, it may improve us to be better persons.
Failures can make us experience many things that we didn’t experience before. If you lose your job, it doesn’t mean you lose everything and probably you may get more. As we know, no job often leads to self employment; no job has been the beginning of many highly successful businesses. It is common that we don’t like changing, but change, even unfortunate change, brings new opportunities. Sometimes only failure brings us better opportunities or greater success.
1. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 means that ________.| A．any lemons can be made into lemonade |
| B．problems always bring us lots of trouble |
| C．problems can never be avoided in our life |
| D．failure can also be turned into a success |
| A．We should learn more when we fail |
| B．We must be careful to trust anyone |
| C．We must ask questions when we fail |
| D．We should deal with failure positively |
| A．avoid hurting others in the same way |
| B．find a better way to hurt him bravely |
| C．try to prevent him from hurting others |
| D．thank him for making you more perfect |
| A．Failure Decides success | B．Failure Creates Opportunities |
| C．Failure Brings Everything | D．Failure Makes a Perfect Person |
10 . There is nothing more important than the safety of our children. Did you know that unintentional injury(意外伤害) is the main cause of death in children under 14 years old and with a third of them happening in the home? One of the top reasons a child under the age of three will visit an emergency room is because of household injuries and sadly, 70% of children who die from unintentional injuries are under the age of four. Every room in the home will have its own set of child safety problems. Two of the main danger zones are the kitchen and the bathroom.
Before I became a young mother, I crawled(爬) around the house on my hands and knees to see things from a child’s perspective(视角). You would be amazed at what you can discover by doing something so simple. We didn’t have toilet covers. A child is top heavy because their heads are bigger than their bodies and can easily fall into the toilet.
You might be surprised with the number of children falling out of windows every year, especially during the summer months. Something as simple as a child leaning against a window screen can result in a serious injury. The best way to prevent this type of injury is by setting up a child safety window guard.
As parents, we do the best we can by providing as much protection as possible to make sure of the safety of children. And as there are so many products(产品) out there to help us do this, there is nothing like good old-fashioned supervision(监护). So, use common sense and products that help to keep your child safe, and you will have provided a safe environment for your children.
1. What’s the main reason for death in children under 14 according to Paragraph 1?| A．Age problems. | B．No sense of safety. |
| C．Danger areas. | D．Unexpected injuries. |
| A．To cover the toilet slowly. |
| B．To protect her child carefully. |
| C．To look for something interesting. |
| D．To discover danger from a child’s point. |
| A．Keep away from a window. | B．Place a safety window guard. |
| C．Move away the window screen. | D．Lean(倚) against the window firmly. |
| A．Tips on keeping children safe. | B．Products for children. |
| C．Growth speed of children. | D．Ways to look after children. |
