1 . On a freezing day, one motivated and ambitious 8-year-old boy, named Tristan Regini, stayed outside to make sure his neighbour stayed warm. Tristan Regini braved the cold Saturday by selling hot cocoa in his front yard to raise money for Children’s Hospital.

“It’s really cold,” he said while shivering. He owed all he did to doctors there for helping his best friend, Cade, who was fighting against cancer, so he wanted to pay them back. “I was thinking of doing a lemonade stand, but I figured that I could not do it in winter,” Tristan said. “Children’s Hospital saved his life, so now I’m trying to sponsor it even more.” The price of the hot cocoa is $1 a cup,$2 with marshmallows(棉花糖).You can watch the video above to learn how much money Tristan raised.

Tristan’s dad, Steve, said he was proud of his son, who came up with the idea all on his own. “You know what? He’s a warm-hearted little boy and it’s just awesome to see him want to do it,” he said. “It’s ambition and it’s also caring because of his friend, so it’s nice to see him do both, you know?” At one point, Steve said he wasn’t sure whether Tristan would actually go through with the sale, considering the temperature. “I wasn’t surprised, you know? That’s pretty much Tristan. That’s the way he is,” he said.

But Tristan proved him wrong, and planned to donate the money on Sunday. “If he had done this with me, he would have been very excited,” he said.

1. Why did Tristan Regini choose to sell hot cocoa on a freezing day?

A．To have fun.

B．To raise money.

C．To excite his father.

D．To help poor people.

2. Tristan Regini didn’t make a lemonade because ________.

A．it was too cold to sell out	B．it was not popular to people
C．it was not enjoyed by everyone	D．it was too cheap to raise enough money

3. What’s the attitude of Steve to Tristan’s behaviour?

A．Neutral.

B．Disappointed.

C．Approval.

D．Aggressive.

2 . The first astronauts

Since the earliest times, people have looked up at the stars, the moon and the planets. Today people use modern machines ________at the sky. This is very different from the situation________years ago when people could only use their eyes. Perhaps they dreamed of________the universe.

When did humans first go into space? The story began not so very long ago,________the first astronauts were not people﹣they were animals.

Scientists wanted to make travelling to space as ________ as possible for humans. So they decided to experiment with animals and test________ in spaceflights. Insects, mice, frogs, dogs and monkeys were some of the animals________first went into space. Many of them ________, but they helped to make space travel safer for humans. For their great service, we________forget these animals.

Albert Ⅱ was the first monkey to go into space in 1949. Sadly he died ________ his spaceship landed back on Earth.

________ the result was different for Ham the Monkey. His story ended happily when he return to earth________very good health.

Scientists wanted to know the answer to the important question: could ________ animal like Ham do the same things in space as he could do on Earth? The answer came when Ham________ into space in 1961. Yes, he did everything well and lived for ________ 16 years.

1.

A．look

B．to look

C．looking

D．looked

2.

A．thousand

B．thousands

C．thousand of

D．thousands of

3.

A．explore

B．to explore

C．explored

D．exploring

4.

A．as

B．or

C．but

D．so

5.

A．safe

B．safer

C．safest

D．the safest

6.

A．they

B．them

C．their

D．theirs

7.

A．whom

B．what

C．that

D．whose

8.

A．die

B．died

C．have died

D．will die

9.

A．shouldn’t

B．may not

C．don’t have to

D．needn’t

10.

A．if

B．because

C．after

D．since

11.

A．Luck

B．Lucky

C．Unlucky

D．Luckily

12.

A．at

B．on

C．in

D．for

13.

A．a

B．an

C．the

D．/

14.

A．send

B．sent

C．is sent

D．was sent

15.

A．another

B．other

C．others

D．the others

3 . What comes into your mind when you think of British food? Probably fish and chips, or a Sunday dinner of meat and two vegetables. But is British food really so uninteresting? Even though Britain has a reputation for less-than-impressive cuisine, it is producing more top class chefs who appear frequently on our television screens and whose recipe books frequently top the best seller lists.

It’s thanks to these TV chefs rather than any advertising campaign that Britons are turning away from meat-and-two-veg and ready-made meals and becoming more adventurous in their cooking habits. It is recently reported that the number of those sticking to a traditional diet is slowly declining and around half of Britain’s consumers would like to change or improve their cooking in some way. There has been a rise in the number of students applying for food courses at UK universities and colleges. It seems that TV programmes have helped change what people think about cooking.

According to a new study from market analysts, 1 in 5 Britons say that watching cookery programmes on TV has encouraged them to try different food. Almost one third say they now use a wider variety of ingredients (配料) than they used to, and just under 1 in 4 say they now buy better quality ingredients than before. One in four adults say that TV chefs have made them much more confident about expanding their cookery knowledge and skills, and young people are also getting more interested in cooking. The UK’s obsession (痴迷) with food is reflected through television scheduling. Cookery shows and documentaries about food are broadcast more often than before. With an increasing number of male chefs on TV, it’s no longer “uncool” for boys to like cooking.

1. What do people usually think of British food?

A．It is simple and plain.	B．It is rich in nutrition.
C．It lacks authentic tastes.	D．It deserves a high reputation.

2. Which best describes cookery programme on British TV?

A．Authoritative.

B．Creative.

C．Profitable.

D．Influential.

3. Which is the percentage of the people using more diverse ingredients now?

A．20%.

B．24%.

C．25%.

D．33%.

4. What might the author continue talking about?

A．The art of cooking in other countries.	B．Male chefs on TV programmes.
C．Table manners in the UK.	D．Studies of big eaters.

4 . In the early 1990s, Eric Domb, a highly successful lawyer, came up with the idea of building a bird park. His father-in-law ________ the idea in the beginning, but when the ________ started to make shape he backed out. Domb thus had to ________ money from former clients, his two brothers and father as well as a bank to build a zoological park known as Pairi Daiza.

After the park opened in 1994, his inexperience led to many ________, but he pushed on with his venture (冒险). By 2000, the park was turning a profit, and Domb’s ambitions were ________. The park needed more than birds, he believed, and other creatures and cultural gardens would help turn it into something ________.

Since his childhood he has been fascinated by Chinese ________. In 2006, he built the first Chinese garden, Dream of Han Wu Di in his zoo. It was said to be the largest Chinese garden in Europe. Domb kept ________ new elements. It finally took more than six years to complete the project.

Domb felt ________ by the joint panda breeding program. Domb and his people spent the following months ________ building giant panda houses with no guarantee that Pairi Daiza would be fortunate enough to ________ giant pandas. The huge enclosure built includes a pool, cave and ________ plantation.

Now, Domb is eager to tell how he ________ a pair of giant pandas, Xing Hui and Hao Hao in February 2014. The sense of ________ is all the more profound in that Pairi Daiza is one of the few private zoos outside China to ________ giant pandas.

1.

A．rejected

B．supported

C．doubted

D．raised

2.

A．project

B．rule

C．law

D．document

3.

A．steal

B．win

C．earn

D．borrow

4.

A．rewards

B．wonders

C．mistakes

D．regrets

5.

A．missing

B．spreading

C．shaking

D．growing

6.

A．extreme

B．unusual

C．irregular

D．essential

7.

A．culture

B．food

C．poetry

D．dream

8.

A．containing

B．changing

C．adding

D．removing

9.

A．embarrassed

B．surprised

C．confused

D．inspired

10.

A．willingly

B．enthusiastically

C．automatically

D．confidently

11.

A．take charge of

B．pay attention to

C．get hold of

D．gain knowledge of

12.

A．grass

B．tea

C．coffee

D．bamboo

13.

A．bought

B．protected

C．received

D．tracked

14.

A．pride

B．humor

C．security

D．duty

15.

A．hide

B．house

C．train

D．save

5 . It’s not our fault.

It’s not our fault that we failed to earn straight A’s, make perfect College Board scores, and get into our first choice of college. It’s not our fault that we failed to earn millions of dollars in our twenties and billions by thirty-thus getting ourselves on the cover of Forbes.

It’s not our fault that our start didn’t glow white hot. However, early 21^st century society has made us feel shame exactly for that, for not exploding out of the starting blocks like an Olympic sprinter-for not blooming early. Parents, schools, employers, and the media are now crazily over celebrating early achievement as the best kind of achievement or even the only kind.

It wasn’t always so. Joanne, 55, is late bloomer. Her teenage years were unstable and unhappy. In school, Joanne earned above-average grades but hardly good enough to earn high honors and distinction. A teacher recalls Joanne as bright but not extraordinary. A quiet girl, Joanne passed through high school with few remembering her. She was rejected by her dream college but went to a fallback college instead. After graduation, Joanna worked as a secretary. Bored, she married a man she met on an outing and they had a baby girl. The marriage didn’t survive two years.

At the age of 30, Joanne saw herself at a dead end, with no job and a dependent child. She was diagnosed with depression, which prevented her from working much and earning. Strangely enough, it is this situation that took her closer to her gift. She started to write. Writing was her unique talent. In the months she depended on welfare to feed her baby, she made her name Joanne Kathleen(J.K.) Rowling known around the world with her popular Harry Potter series. And now she is a self-made billionaire who regularly appears on the Forbes.

The fact is that many of us are late bloomers of some kind. At some point, we got stuck though. Be patient, late bloomers will find their way eventually.

1. What does the underlined “that” refer to?

A．Succeeding later.

B．Exploding suddenly.

C．Blooming earlier.

D．Growing wildly.

2. Which of the following words best describe Joanna in school?

A．creative

B．ordinary

C．dependent

D．bored

3. What is the correct order of the events in Joanna’s life?
a. She was diagnosed with depression.
b. Her name appeared on the Forbes.
c. She worked as a secretary.
d. She started to write.
e. She got divorced.

A．cbdea

B．ceadb

C．eacdb

D．ebdac

4. Which statement will the author probably agree with?

A．A good start actually means half done.

B．Slow learners will achieve success if pushed.

C．Children develop and adapt at different paces.

D．Writing is effective in inspiring depressing hearts.

6 . Recently the air was turning warm. I went for a drive ___ the local countryside, having no ___ in mind. It was sunny and the animals were out ___ freely in the forest.

____, I came across a car on the side of the road. I___ an old woman get out of her car and walk down to the ditch (沟渠).

I wondered ___ happened to her. Maybe she had some problems with her car or a medical situation. I became ___and, to see if I could be of any ___, I decided to stop my car. First, I___myself, and then I asked if she was all right.

She ____ me that she had just stopped to pick up ____ that had been ____ thrown out of the window by some travellers. She____ me to look inside her car and see how much rubbish she had already ____.

I told her that I wrote articles for the ____ paper and asked her if I could use her name. “Oh, no,” she said without ____. “I’m not doing this for recognition. We live in a beautiful country, and I try to do my little part to help keep it that way.”

So the next time you go out for a drive, be____ that there are people there who choose to be good ____ of the Earth. And consider taking some time to keep your little ____ of the roadside clean. You’ll get some exercise, fresh air and a good feeling knowing that you have ____ to helping keep our country beautiful.

1.

A．through

B．over

C．beyond

D．with

2.

A．movement

B．progress

C．destination

D．match

3.

A．crying

B．surviving

C．running

D．floating

4.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Obviously

D．Suddenly

5.

A．discussed

B．watched

C．contacted

D．exchanged

6.

A．whether

B．what

C．that

D．who

7.

A．concerned

B．professional

C．ordinary

D．strict

8.

A．encouragement

B．assistance

C．improvement

D．importance

9.

A．admired

B．reported

C．employed

D．introduced

10.

A．requested

B．warned

C．told

D．suggested

11.

A．books

B．animals

C．rubbish

D．trees

12.

A．nervously

B．immediately

C．normally

D．thoughtlessly

13.

A．promised

B．invented

C．challenged

D．invited

14.

A．produced

B．collected

C．thrown

D．designed

15.

A．local

B．popular

C．expensive

D．secret

16.

A．pride

B．question

C．hesitation

D．regret

17.

A．attractive

B．thankful

C．embarrassed

D．relaxed

18.

A．protectors

B．family

C．workmates

D．experts

19.

A．traffic

B．distance

C．moment

D．part

20.

A．contributed

B．added

C．exchanged

D．followed

7 . New efforts are being made to prevent American college campuses from cigarette smoking. Twenty colleges in the United States recently received money to help protect their campuses from the harm of cigarettes.

Supporters say that every child deserves to grow up in a safe and healthy environment free from harmful second-hand cigarettes. And in November, smoking at college campuses may become illegal.

Before banning smoking at college campuses, the US has passed laws banning smoking at most workplaces. 27 American states ban smoking in all indoor workplaces.

Those supporting smoke-free at workplaces and college campuses give one major reason: the bad influence of smoking on health.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says smoking has a great influence on health. They think cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. Smoking is responsible for 480,000 deaths every year.

Supporters say the bad influence of second-hand smoke makes it a public health problem. Some also say that college campuses are a good place to ban smoking.

Gary Reedy, the CEO of the American Cancer Society, said it was important to stop college students from smoking, and he expected to successfully create a cigarette-free generation (世代).

The CDC found that 13 percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 24 smoke cigarettes. Reedy says that reducing the number of college students who smoke can help reduce the number of older adult smokers. He also says once a person starts smoking, it is hard to stop.

1. Who are the new efforts good for?

A．College students.	B．The CDC.
C．Young smokers.	D．People in public places.

2. What makes the action to ban smoking possible?

A．The bad influence of smoking.	B．Money wasted on cigarettes.
C．Laws passed by the US.	D．Public attention to health.

3. Which one is Reedy’s opinion?

A．Smoking spreads easily among college students.

B．Smoke-free campuses have a long-term influence.

C．It is easier for college students to stop smoking.

D．There’re more older adult smokers in the world.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Second-hand smoke is affecting college students too

B．Groups take steps to protect college students

C．Cigarettes should be totally banned in college

D．Banning smoking is being tried at US colleges

8 . By reading books, you can learn about different cultures and ways of looking at the world. It might also help you to discover a new favourite series or author.

So that you can choose and buy the new books you want, when you want, the team at National Book Tokens has created Bookily. With a Bookily card, you’ll get a monthly amount of money just for books, and you can spend it in hundreds of bookshops and online.

The benefits of Bookily

With a Bookily card, you receive a monthly books budget. The Bookily card is made from board that is not harmful to the environment and arrives in packaging (包装) with all the information you need to get started. You can also change your card into an eGift, making it even easier to spend whenever you want.

Around the world

We could fill a whole book with reading recommendations from across the world. Here are a few to get you started on your trip:

United States

Front Desk

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets and she wants to be a writer. It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she go for her dreams?

Egypt

Death Sets Sail

Our heroes Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells are hoping for a relaxing cruise (乘船游览) along the Nile, admiring the architecture (建筑) of ancient Egypt. What they discover instead is a strange secret society ...

Holland

The Unadoptables

In 1880, five babies are discovered at the Little Tulip Orphanage. They are determined to stay together. When danger comes, they escape in search of a home.

India

Asha & the Spirit Bird

Asha lives in the foothills of the Himalayas. When her papa suddenly stops sending his wages (工资), her family finds themselves in serious trouble. Asha decides to cross the highest mountains to find her father ...

1. Why did the team create the Bookily card?

A．To introduce global writers.

B．To encourage readers to buy books.

C．To get new people to join a reading club.

D．To recommend bookstores in the world.

2. What do we know about the Bookily card?

A．It has been created mainly for online shopping.

B．It will be given to readers without any guide.

C．It provides readers with a weekly budget.

D．It is environmentally friendly.

3. Which book describes some children looking for a home?

A．Front Desk.	B．Death Sets Sail.
C．The Unadoptables.	D．Asha & the Spirit Bird.

9 . Mobile phones and iPads are now wonderful tools for learning and teaching English. With the help of the thousands of education and language apps available online, students can make effective use of them to learn in an interactive environment. Given below is a list of some of the best apps for learning and teaching English.

Grammar Up

Grammar is the heart of any language and, thus, the Grammar Up app is one of the most highly recommended apps for English learners. This app is specifically designed for people who want to improve their grammar, vocabulary and word selection. It consists of more than 1,800 multiple－choice questions grouped under twenty different grammar categories.

iFPoems

iFPoems is a fantastic app for poetry lovers. This app consists of a great collection of poems from famous poets around the world. It also allows users to save their favorites along with recording their own readings of the poems.

iBooks

iBooks is a complete book library for the iPad users. It includes the iBookstore and allows users to download and read books. The app features a beautiful bookshelf, on which you can browse various books or even add notes to your favorite paragraphs in the book. You can also create your own texts and upload them into the app.

SpeakingPal

Recommended as one of the best apps for English educators and learners, SpeakingPal allows you to record your speech and compare it with a native English speaker. This amazing app combines video with automatic speech recognition software that tests your English speaking skills. You just have to speak with a video character and get immediate response on how well you speak English.

1. What do these apps have in common?

A．They can be found online.

B．They are free of charge.

C．They improve users’ grammar.

D．They’re designed by teachers.

2. What can we do with iBooks?

A．Download books for free.

B．Write notes on it with pens.

C．Save notes and texts.

D．Create a bookstore.

3. What is special about SpeakingPal?

A．It offers video call service.

B．It evaluates users’ speech.

C．It offers talks with a native speaker.

D．It includes English speaking contests.

10 . I did return to college. But the pressure of a full-time job and college classes was hard to bear.

One Friday afternoon, a co-worker asked about my weekend plans. I tried to avoid these conversations because I had no money and schoolwork was demanding. To prevent any further conversation, I said, “Oh, I am taking a mini vacation, just a little weekend holiday.” There was surprise but no further conversation.

“What a cheat I am,” I thought. “And they will want details on Monday. It will just stress me more when they all find out that I lied.”

On the long drive home from work, I made a plan. I could pretend I was on vacation and never go anywhere. At home, I pulled down all the shades, checked my messages and shut off the phone. Then I jumped in the shower and put on sweats. With some snacks in my easy reach, I took out three books that I had been anxious to read for the past months. “Well, I am on vacation. This can be my imaginary holiday. I will check in with the world on Monday morning,” I said to myself. Then I cracked open the first book. By Sunday evening, I was well into the third book.

When the alarm went off on Monday morning, I dressed, had breakfast and went to work. I was busy when several co-workers came by. “Wow,” they said, “you must have had a great vacation. You look so rested.” It wasn’t until then that I realized I wasn't stressed anymore.

“Maybe,” I told them, “it was just an imaginary holiday.” They laughed and went off to their desks.

I did graduate from college eventually and got a job with some paid vacation. But I still take imaginary holidays where I turn off the phone and electronics, tell everyone that I will be “away” and spend a weekend reading.

I have decided that imaginary holidays are one way I can take care of myself. Perhaps that was part of my college education.

1. How did the author feel when talking about weekend plans?

A．Grateful.

B．Surprised.

C．Excited.

D．Embarrassed.

2. What did the author do that weekend?

A．She went on a mini vacation.	B．She buried herself in reading.
C．She checked in with the world.	D．She took a virtual trip overseas.

3. How did the author feel on Monday morning finally?

A．Tired.

B．Refreshed.

C．Stressed.

D．Imaginative.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．An imaginary holiday	B．My college education
C．An embarrassing experience	D．The importance of vacation