1 . When asked about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, an absolute delight, which seems to get rarer the older we get.
For kids, happiness has a magical quality. Their delight at winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫无掩饰的).
In the teenage years the concept of happiness changes. Suddenly it’s conditional on such things as excitement, love and popularity. I can still recall the excitement of being invited to dance with the most attractive boy at the school party.
In adulthood the things that bring deep joy—love, marriage, birth—also bring responsibility and the risk of loss. For adults, happiness is complicated (复杂的).
My definition of happiness is “the capacity for enjoyment”. The more we can enjoy what we have, the happier we are. It’s easy to overlook the pleasure we get from the company of friends, the freedom to live where we please, and even good health.
I experienced my little moments of pleasure yesterday. First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunch-box and had the house to myself. Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing, which I love. When the kids and my husband come home, I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.
Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a mix of enjoyable leisure time and satisfying work. I don’t think that my grandmother, who raised 14 children, had much of either. She did have a network of close friends and family, and maybe this what satisfied her.
We, however, with so many choices and such pressure to succeed in every area, have turned happiness into one more thing we’ve got to have. We’re so self-conscious about our “right” to it that it’s making us miserable. So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success, without noticing that the people who have those things aren’t necessarily happier.
Happiness isn’t about what happens to—it’s about how we see what happens to us. It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative. It’s not wishing for what we don’t have , but enjoying what we do possess.
1. As people grow older, they ____.

A．feel it harder to experience happiness

B．associate their happiness less with others

C．will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness

D．tend to believe responsibility means happiness

2. What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 5 and 6?

A．She cares little about her own health.

B．She enjoys the freedom of traveling.

C．She is easily pleased by things in daily life.

D．She prefers getting pleasure from housework.

3. What can be inferred from Paragraph 7?

A．Psychologists think satisfying work is key to happiness.

B．Psychologists’ opinion is well proved by Grandma’s case.

C．Grandma often found time for social gatherings.

D．Grandma’s happiness came from modest expectations of life.

4. People who equal happiness with wealth and success ______.

A．consider pressure something blocking their way

B．stress their right to happiness too much

C．are at a loss to make correct choices

D．are more likely to be happy

5. What can be concluded from the passage?

A．Happiness lies between the positive and the negative

B．Each man is the master of his own fate.

C．Success leads to happiness.

D．Happy is he who is content.

2 .         Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours (绕行路) in life than by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But it was quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
        For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest, easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hate confinement (限制) and have strong opinions about everything.
        Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
        But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
        That is how I found myself on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through. We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shake out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They’d get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
        We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons (见识).
        We eventually arrived at my parents’ doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
        I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling. I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead. I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
          Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyone adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey—and the best part of yourself.
1. Why did the author use to take freeways to her parents’ home?

A．It was less tiring.

B．It would be faster and safer.

C．Her kids would feel less confined.

D．She felt better with other drivers nearby.

2. The author stopped regularly on the country roads to _____.

A．relax in the fresh air

B．take a deep breath

C．take care of the lamb

D．let the kids play with Banner.

3. What does the author discover from the trip according to Paragraph 6?

A．Freeways are where beauty hides.

B．Getting close to nature adds to the joy of life.

C．Enjoying the beauty of nature benefits one’s health.

D．One should follow side roads to watch wild animals.

4. Why did the author ask the kids to get out of the car on their way back home?

A．To give herself some time to read.

B．To order some food for them.

C．To play a game with them.

D．To let them cool down.

5. What could be the best title for the passage?

A．Charm of the Detour

B．The Road to Bravery

C．Creativity out of Necessity

D．Road Trip and Country Life

3 . Guide to Stockholm University Library
Our library offers different types of studying places and provides a good studying environment.
Zones
       The library is divided into different zones. The upper floor is a quiet zone with over a thousand places for silent reading, and places where you can sit and work with your own computer. The reading places consist mostly of tables and chairs. The ground floor is the zone where you can talk. Here you can find sofas and armchairs for group work.
Computers
       You can use your own computer to connect to the wi­fi specially prepared for notebook computers; you can also use library computers; which contain the most commonly used applications, such as Microsoft Office. They are situated in the area known as the Experimental Field on the ground floor.
Group­study Places
       If you want to discuss freely without disturbing others, you can book a study room or sit at a table on the ground floor. Some study rooms are for 2­3 people and others can hold up to 6­8 people. All rooms are marked on the library maps.
       There are 40 group­study rooms that must be booked via the website. To book, you need an active University account and a valid University card. You can use a room three hours per day, nine hours at most per week.
Storage of Study Material
       The library has lockers for students to store course literature. When you have obtained at least 40 credits (学分), you may rent a locker and pay 400 SEK for a year’s rental period.
Rules to be Followed
       Mobile phone conversations are not permitted anywhere in the library. Keep your phone on silent as if you were in a lecture and exit the library if you need to receive calls.
       Please note that food and fruit are forbidden in the library, but you are allowed to have drinks and sweets with you.
1. The library’s upper floor is mainly for students to________.

A．read in a quiet place

B．have group discussions

C．take comfortable seats

D．get their computers fixed

2. Library computers on the ground floor________.

A．help students with their field experiments

B．contain software essential for schoolwork

C．are for those who want to access the wi­fi

D．are mostly used for filling out application forms

3. What condition should be met to book a group­study room?

A．A group must consist of 8 people.

B．Three­hour use per day is the minimum.

C．One should first register at the university.

D．Applicants must mark the room on the map.

4. A student can rent a locker in the library if he________.

A．can afford the rental fee

B．attends certain courses

C．has nowhere to put his books

D．has earned the required credits

5. What should NOT be brought into the library?

A．Mobile phones.	B．Orange juice.
C．Candy.	D．Sandwiches.

4 . Last night’s meteor (流星) shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers. According to Gabe Rothschild, Emerald Valley’s mayor, people gathered in the suburbs of the city, carrying heavy telescopes, expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city’s lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.

“My family was so frustrated,” admitted town resident Duane Cosby, “We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

Astronomers — scientists who study stars and planets — have been complaining about this problem for decades. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds, bats, frogs, snakes, etc. For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating (迁徙的) birds. According to the International Dark-Sky Association, “100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.”

Countless more animal casualties (伤亡) result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly, people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings. But some scientists think it can be harmful for humans, too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a person’s chances of getting cancer.

Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution. For years, Flagstaff, Arizona, has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory. Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night.

1. It happened last night that _____.

A．the city’s lights affected the meteor watching

B．the meteors flew past before being noticed

C．the city light show attracted many people

D．the meteor watching ended up a social outing

2. What do the astronomers complain about?

A．Meteor showers occur less often than before.

B．Their observation equipment is in poor repair.

C．Light pollution has remained unsolved for years.

D．Their eyesight is failing due to artificial lighting.

3. What is the author concerned about according to Paragraph 4?

A．Birds may take other migration paths.

B．Animals’ living habits may change suddenly

C．Varieties of animals will become sharply reduced

D．Animals’ survival is threatened by outdoor lighting.

4. Lighting regulations in Flagstaff, Arizona are put into effect to _____.

A．lessen the chance of getting cancer

B．create an ideal observation condition

C．ensure citizens a good sleep at night

D．enable all creatures to live in harmony

5. What message does the author most want to give us?

A．Saving wildlife is saving ourselves.

B．Great efforts should be made to save energy.

C．Human activities should be environmentally friendly.

D．New equipment should be introduced for space study..

5 . As I held my father’s hands one night, I couldn’t help but notice their calluses (老茧) and roughness. His hands tell the story of his life as a ______, including all his struggles.

One summer, I remember, a drought (旱灾) hit Ontario, turning it into a ______ desert. On one of those hot mornings I was picking sweet corn with my dad to fill the last ______ from the grocery store. Fifty dozen was all we needed, which ______ took twenty minutes. That morning, however, the process didn’t ______ quickly. After forty minutes of aimlessly walking in the field, we ______ needed twenty dozen. I was completely frustrated (挫败的) and ______. Dropping the basket heavily, I declared, “If the store wants its last twenty dozen, they can pick it themselves”. Dad ______. “Just think, my little girl, only ten dozen left for each of us and then we’re ______.” Such is Dad----whatever problem he ______, he never gives up.

____, the bad effects of the drought were felt all over our county. It was a challenging time for everyone,______ Dad remained optimistic (乐观的). He ______ to be grateful for other things like good health and food on our plates. Only then did I truly begin to ______ Dad and his faith that guided us through the hard times.

Dad is also a living example of real ______. From dawn to dusk, he works countless hours to ______ our family. He always puts our happiness ______ his own and never fails to cheer me on at my sports games ______ his tiredness after long days. His loving and selfless nature has encouraged me to become more sympathetic (有同情心的) and ______, putting others first.

Dad, the life ______ I have learned from you will stay with me forever. You are my father, teacher, friend and, most importantly, my hero.

1.

A．teacher

B．gardener

C．farmer

D．grocer

2.

A．stormy

B．lively

C．disappearing

D．burning

3.

A．order

B．form

C．room

D．position

4.

A．repeatedly

B．normally

C．finally

D．really

5.

A．go

B．begin

C．happen

D．change

6.

A．yet

B．still

C．even

D．nearly

7.

A．surprised

B．nervous

C．angry

D．frightened

8.

A．apologized

B．cried

C．complained

D．laughed

9.

A．lost

B．done

C．gone

D．touched

10.

A．meets with

B．brings up

C．works out

D．thinks about

11.

A．Thankfully

B．Hopefully

C．Unfortunately

D．Strangely

12.

A．or

B．for

C．so

D．but

13.

A．happened

B．seemed

C．continued

D．looked

14.

A．face

B．appreciate

C．examine

D．question

15.

A．love

B．pride

C．friendship

D．honesty

16.

A．support

B．settle

C．start

D．impress

17.

A．after

B．before

C．beside

D．under

18.

A．in spite of

B．in support of

C．in control of

D．in place of

19.

A．careful

B．regretful

C．considerate

D．humorous

20.

A．history

B．stories

C．patterns

D．lessons

6 . Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954 to a Mexican American family. As the only girl in a family of seven children, she often felt like she had “seven fathers,” because her six brothers, as well as her father, tried to control her. Feeling shy and unimportant, she retreated(躲避) into books. Despite her love of reading, she did not do well in elementary school because she was too shy to participate.
In high school, with the encouragement of one particular teacher, Cisneros improved her grades and worked for the school literary magazine. Her father encouraged her to go to college because he thought it would be a good way for her to find a husband. Cisneros did attend college, but instead of searching for a husband, she found a teacher who helped her join the famous graduate writing program at the University of Iowa. At the university’s Writers’ Workshop, however, she felt lonely----a Mexican American from a poor neighborhood among students from wealthy families. The feeling of being so different helped Cisneros find her “Creative voice.”
“It was not until this moment when I considered myself truly different that my writing acquired a voice. I knew I was a Mexican woman, but I didn’t think it had anything to do with why I felt so much imbalance in my life, but it had everything to do with it! That’s when I decided I would write about something my classmates couldn’t write about.”
Cisneros published her first work, The House on Mango Street, when she was twenty-nine. The book tells about a young Mexican American girl growing up in a Spanish-speaking area in Chicago, much like the neighborhoods in which Cisneros lived as a child. The book won an award in 1985 and has been used in classes from high school through graduate school level. Since then, Cisneros has published several books of poetry, a children’s book, and a short-story collection.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Cisneros in her childhood?

A．She had seven brothers.	B．She felt herself a nobody.
C．She was too shy to go to school.	D．She did not have any good teachers.

2. The graduate program gave Cisneros a chance to _____.

A．work for a school magazine	B．run away from her family
C．make a lot of friends	D．develop her writing style

3. According to Cisneros, what played the decisive role in her success?

A．Her early years in college.	B．Her training in the Workshop.
C．Her feeling of being different.	D．Her childhood experience.

4. What do we learn about The House on Mango Street?

A．It is quite popular among students.

B．It is the only book ever written by Cisneros.

C．It wasn’t success as it was written in Spanish.

D．It won an award when Cisneros was twenty-nine.

7 . Michael Fish may soon be replaced as a weather forecaster by something truly fishier---the shark(鲨鱼).

Research by a British biology student suggests that sharks could be used to predict storms. Lauren Smith, 24, is close to completing her study on shark’s ability to sense pressure. If her studies prove the theory, scientists may be able to monitor the behavior of sharks to predict bad weather. Miss Smith had previously studied the behaviour of lemon sharks in the Bahamas. She then used their close relatives, lesser spotted dogfish, for further research at Aberdeen University.

Her work---thought to be the first of its kind to test the pressure theory ---- resulted from the observation that juvenile blacktip sharks off Florida moved into deeper water ahead of a violent storm in 2001.Miss Smith said: “I’ve always been crazy about traveling and diving and this led me to an interest in sharks.” “I was delighted to have been able to research in the area for my degree. I know there’s so much more we need to understand ---- but it certainly opens the way to more research.”

It has been discovered that a shark senses pressure using hair cells in its balance system. At the Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas, Miss Smith fixed hi-tech sensors to sharks to record pressure and temperature, while also tracking them using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology.

In Aberdeen, she was able to study the effects of tidal(潮汐的) and temperature changes on dogfish----none of which were harmed. She also used a special lab which can mimic(模拟) oceanic pressure changes caused by weather fronts.

She is due to complete her study and graduate later this year. She says she will be looking for a job which will give her the chance to enrich her experience of shark research.

1. The passage is most probably taken from _____.

A．a short-story collection	B．a popular science magazine
C．a research paper	D．a personal diary

2. What do we learn from the first two paragraph of the passage?

A．Sharks may be used to predict bad weather .

B．Sharks’ behaviour can be controlled.

C．Michael Fish is not qualified for his job.

D．Lauren Smith will become a weather forecaster.

3. Lauren Smith conducted her research by _______.

A．removing hair cells from a shark’s balance system

B．measuring the air pressure of weather fronts

C．recording sharks’ body temperature

D．monitoring sharks’ reaction to weather changes

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．A popular way of forecasting weather.

B．A new research effort in predicting storms.

C．Biologists’ interest in the secrets of sharks.

D．Lauren Smith’s devotion to scientific research.

8 . We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively（被动地）. We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning．

We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else．Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it’s not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers．

Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem．It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay and rumor（谣言）．

Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn’t show it to anyone．Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person．That person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game．The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it．Then the two written statements are compared．Typically, the original message has changed．

That’s what happens in daily life．The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story．Then, too, most people listen imperfectly．And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping（打上标记）it with their own personal style．Yet those who hear it think they know．

This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be restated as a fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts．

1. According to the passage, passive learning may occur in _______．

A．doing a medical experiment	B．solving a math problem
C．visiting an exhibition	D．doing scientific reasoning

2. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refers to _____．

A．active learning	B．knowledge
C．communication	D．passive learning

3. The author mentions the game Rumor to show that _____．

A．a message may be changed when being passed on

B．a message should be delivered in different ways

C．people may have problems with their sense of hearing

D．people tend not to believe in what they know as rumor

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Active learning is less important．

B．Passive learning may not be reliable．

C．Active learning occurs more frequently．

D．Passive learning is not found among scholars．

9 .        You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing (内化) your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.

Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred (神圣的) moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.

Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish (沉溺) in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others—and even themselves—to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.

In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life.

In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.

1. What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?

A．People and things around you.	B．Opportunities and problems.
C．Creators and their choices.	D．Victims and their sufferings.

2. According to Paragraph 2, creators __________.

A．seem willing to experience failures in life

B．possess the ability to predict future life

C．handle ups and downs of life wisely

D．have potential to create something new

3. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A．Creators and victims face quite different things in life.

B．Creators and victims are masters of their lives.

C．Victims can influence more people than creators.

D．Compared with victims, creators are more emotional.

4. The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that _______________.

A．strong attachment to sufferings in life pulls people into victims.

B．people need family support to deal with challengers in life.

C．it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains.

D．one’s experiences determine his attitude toward life.

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

A．To define victims and creators.

B．To evaluate victims against creators.

C．To explain the relationship between victims and creators.

D．To suggest the transformation from victims to creators.

10 . 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.