1 . If you're out for a run, what difference does it make if you're able to tough it out for another 50 seconds? If you're less than a minute from the top of the hill, that extra time can make the difference between having reached your goal and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

How do you get those extra seconds of energy? A research team at the Texes Tech University developed a study to measure what effect listening to music would have on exercise tolerance. The researchers based the study on a stress testing. As part of the testing, they noted any changes in heart rate and blood pressure as participants underwent physically stressful exercise.

The tests were done on treadmills (跑步机), which increased in both speed and incline (坡度) through three stages. In the final stage, the treadmills moved at 10 miles per hour at a 14-percent grade. Most of these tests were designed to last up to 40 minutes. The average gym-goers lasted 30 minutes. For this study, they divided 127 participants into two groups. One listened to upbeat(快节奏) music, while the other group had earbuds in but did not listen to music.

The group that listened to music was able to outlast the non-music group by an average of 50.6 seconds. Again, being able to go an extra minute may seem like a no-brainer ,but “after 30 minutes, you feel like you are running up a mountain, so even being able to go 50 seconds longer means a lot," said the study's lead author, Waseem Shami, MD.

The study has confirmed something runners and gym-goers have suspected for years: Listening to music during workout can be beneficial to your endurance. "Our findings reinforce the idea that upbeat music can help you exercise longer and stick with a daily exercise routine," said Shami. When doctors are recommending exercise, they might suggest listening to music, too."

1. Why did Shami’s team conduct the research?

A．To test the effect of music on health.	B．To know the cause of failure in sports.
C．To improve runners' exercise tolerance.	D．To record the body change of participants

2. What did the researchers than about the Participants in the stress testing?

A．They ran much faster than average runners.	B．They created a new record of indoor sports.
C．They could run a little longer with music on.	D．They all enjoyed extreme physical challenge

3. What do the underlined words “a no-brainer” mean in paragraph 4?

A．A dull activity.	B．A foolish action.
C．A demanding task.	D．An easy practice

4. What did Shami suggest us doing in the last paragraph ?

A．Developing a daily exercise routine.	B．Listening to music while working out
C．Participating in physical stress testing.	D．Taking exercise as doctors recommend.

2 . Do you want to live another 100 years or more？Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.

“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生),”said Michael Zey，a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. “I think by 2075 we will see it and that's a conservative estimate（保守的估计）.”

At the conference in San Francisco，Donald Louria,a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nano technology（纳米技术）make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. “There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.”

However, many scientists who specialize in aging are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less diseases, they say failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.

Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live." It remains to be seen if you pass 120, you know; could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life？" said Leonard Poon，director of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre." At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all."

1. By saying “we are knocking at the door of immortality”, what does Michael Zey mean?

A．they believe that there is no limit of living

B．they are sure to find the truth about long living

C．they have got some ideas about living forever

D．they are able to make people live past the present life span

2. What is Donald Louria's attitude towards long living ?

A．people can live from 120 to 180 years

B．it is still doubtful how long humans can live

C．the human body is designed to last past about 120 years

D．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future

3. What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 4 refers to?

A．a great push	B．the idea of living from 200 to 300 years
C．the idea of living beyond the present life span	D．the conservative estimate

4. What would be the best title for this text？

A．Living Longer or Not	B．Science，Technology and Long Living
C．Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living	D．No Limit for Human Life

3 . There are plenty of things you can do right now to prepare if you live in an area where earthquakes often happen.

① Make sure each member of your family knows what to do no matter where they are when earthquakes happen:

Agree on a meeting place where you can all reunite afterward.

Find out about earthquake plans developed by children’s school or day care.

Remember transportation may be affected, so keep some emergency supplies--food, liquids, and comfortable shoes, for example—at work.

② Make sure all family members know where your gas, electric and water main shutoffs are and how to turn them off if there is a leak or electrical short.

③ Find the exact position of your nearest fire and police stations and emergency medical places.

④ Talk to your neighbors--how could they help you, or you them after an earthquake?

⑤ Take Red Cross First Aid and CPR Training Course.

⑥ Make your disaster supply bag. Beyond the usual flashlights, batteries and radios, include a first-aid bag; work gloves; shoes or boots; a week’s supply of medicine you or your family might need; credit card and cash; personal identification; extra set of keys; matches in a waterproof container; map of your area; phone numbers of family and other important people; copies of insurance policies and other important documents; a certain amount of water per person; three-day supply of food per person; hand tools; something for joy (toys, books, coloring books and crayons, playing cards)

⑦ Make sure bookcases, cupboards, tall furniture, and etc. stand well. Move the items which are heavy or easy to break to lower shelves. Fasten drawers and cabinet doors with latches or locks. Look for other steps you can take in your home and workplace to reduce your chances for injury and loss.

⑧ Ask about the safety of your home and/or business. It’s well known that some brick buildings can fail quickly during earthquakes. A check by an engineer now can help you decide what to do so that your buildings can withstand shaking.

1. How can you prepare your family for a possible gas leak caused by an earquake?

A．Keep food and liquid supplies at work.

B．Tell them where the main shutoffs are and how to shut them off.

C．Find the exact position of your nearest fire station.

D．Make agreement with the neighbors to help each other.

2. According to the passage, the following items should be included in the disaster supply bag EXCEPT ________.

A．Flashlights	B．Some medicine
C．Some water and food	D．Bookcases and cupboards

3. If you have doubt about the safety of your building, you should ________.

A．make sure the heavy items do not fall	B．add more bricks to your building
C．go to your company and raise some questions	D．ask an engineer to check it

4 . It was about seven years ago. I just picked up my three­year­old daughter from the nursery. I was weighed down with shopping bags, and with my daughter’s things. We arrived at a pedestrian crossing and she pressed the button. In the distance, I heard alarms, told my daughter to wait and watched a police car approaching.

Little did I know, as the_green_man flashed, that my daughter had begun to run into the road. I watched the police car speed toward us—that’s when you sounded your horn and waved wildly to me. My daughter was about a meter from the path of the police car, hidden from their view by your car.

I screamed her name and ran toward her. She stopped and was shocked by the rush of the police car as it sped past. She wondered why you had blown your horn, asking, “Mom, why was that woman so rude？” not realizing you had saved her life.

She wondered why I picked her up and burst into tears. My legs gave way as I reached the other side of the road. I should have followed my “wait” with a hand on her shoulder, or an explanation of why we were ignoring the green man this time, especially as I had in effect conditioned her to cross the road at the sight of the green flash.

I beat myself up for months, and still do, with flashbacks and horrible assumptions about what might have been. But for your sounding your horn, seeing what I hadn’t seen, I would have been left a mother on the other side of the road, totally broken. I apologize for putting you in that position—I can imagine that it upset you, too. You saved her life and I am so grateful.

1. What does the underlined part “the green man” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．A pedestrian.	B．A policeman.
C．A traffic sign.	D．A button.

2. Why did the woman sound her horn?

A．To stop the police car.

B．To show her impatience.

C．To greet passing pedestrians.

D．To draw the mother’s attention.

3. What can we infer from the incident?

A．The mother didn’t regret what had happened.

B．The daughter didn’t follow the traffic rules.

C．The woman responded quickly and properly.

D．The police drove beyond the speed limit.

4. How did the mother feel when taking hold of her daughter?

A．Angry and shocked.	B．Scared but relieved.
C．Guilty and confused.	D．Grateful but sad.

5 . International Volunteering in New Zealand

If you’re visiting New Zealand and would like to volunteer, DOC (Department of Concentration) welcomes you to get involved.

Before you come to New Zealand

You do not need a work visa to volunteer with DOC. You ran volunteer on entry to New Zealand as long as you do not receive payment or benefits.

You may need a police certificate

Depending on the volunteer work you do with us, you may be required to provide a police certificate to DOC. Your police certificate would need to be written and certified in English. It’s easier for you if you get a police certificate before you leave your country.

How to get a new police certificate if you’re already in New Zealand. (Click here)

International students

Volunteering with DOS is an option to gain experience. However, DOC does not offer opportunities to students who study at:

●universities outside New Zealand, or other education providers outside New Zealand.

Insurance

For all volunteers with DOC, we strongly advise you gel comprehensive (综合的) travel insurance and unlimited medical cover. DOC does not accept responsibility for any:

● personal medical or accident events.

● loss or damage to personal items of equipment, or other associated costs while you're volunteering with DOC.

1. What may you offer to DOC if you want to volunteer as a foreigner in New Zealand?

A．A work visa.	B．A police certificate
C．A university diploma.	D．A driver license.

2. Who cannot volunteer with DOC in New Zealand?

A．An American official who is travelling in New Zealand.

B．A Chinese businessman with some volunteering experiences.

C．A Chinese exchange student in the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

D．An English college student who has just been visiting his uncle in New Zealand for a few days.

3. Where is this passage probably from?

A．A story book.	B．A newspaper.
C．A website.	D．A travel guide book.

6 . A meteorite（陨石）moved quickly across the sky and exploded(爆炸）over central Russia on Feb. 15, raining fireballs over a vast area and causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured 1,200 people.

People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt the shock wave, according to a Reuters journalist in the industrial city 1 , 500 km east of Moscow.

The fireball, travelling at a speed of 30 km per second according to Russian Federal Space Agency （Roscosmos） , had blazed（熊熊燃烧）across the horizon（地平 线），leaving a long white trail that could be seen as far as 200 km away.

Car alarms went off, thousands of windows were broken and mobile phone networks were interrupted for a short time. The Interior Ministry said the meteorite explosion, a very rare sight, also released a great explosive sound.

“I was driving to work. It was quite dark, but it suddenly became bright as if it were day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident（居民）of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains. felt like I was blinded by headlights（车前灯）.”

The meteorite, which weighed about 10 tonnes and may have been made of iron, entered Earth's atmosphere and broke apart 30 km—50 km above ground, according to Russia's Academy of Sciences.

“The energy released（(释放）when it entered the Earth's atmosphere was equal to a few kilo tonnes," the academy said, “the power of a small atomic weapon exploding. ”

No deaths were reported but the Emergencies Ministry said 20, 000 rescue and clean-up workers were sent to Ural Region after President Vladimir Putin told Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov to ease and help the victims.

The Interior Ministry said about 1,200 people had been injured, at least 200 of them were children, and most from broken pieces of glass.

1. What do we learn about the meteorite from the passage?

A．It is a very huge ball made of iron.

B．It quickly broke apart on the ground.

C．It exploded over Russia's Ural Region.

D．It's similar to an A-bomb in weight.

2. The underlined word “smashed" in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “_____”.

A．broke	B．melted
C．burned	D．cleared

3. We can know from the passage that _____.

A．Moscow is 1,500 kilometers away from the east of Chelyabinsk

B．many houses were destroyed, with lots of people reported missing

C．Viktor Prokofiev became blind after seeing the rare sight

D．the shock wave briefly influenced mobile phone networks

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

A．"Meteorite Rush” Begins in Russia

B．President Putin Orders Assistance

C．Meteorite Hits Russia, 1,200 People Hurt

D．Meteorite Flies Quickly Across Russia

7 . Born in the 1950s, shopping malls were once the symbol of the U.S. consumer culture, but many are now dying out.

Dying shopping malls can be found across the United States, often in middle-class suburbs. Economic decline in certain areas together with an upward trend towards online shopping and new forms of urban shopping centers have pushed the once seemingly unbeatable shopping malls into decline. It is estimated that 15 to 50 percent of shopping malls may close in the coming decades.

American shopping culture follows its housing culture. Numerous shopping malls were therefore born after the Second World War, as Americans with cars and fat wallets moved to the suburbs. U.S. shopping malls were built at a rapid pace as shoppers fled cities, peaking in the mid-1990s when they were being built at a rate of 140 a year. Thus, too many shopping malls are left though construction has gradually decreased since then.

Currently, there are around 1,500 shopping malls across the U.S. Most share a handful of similar feature. They usually contain two or three stories of stores separated by walkways. Food courts serve pizza and other fast food. Parking lots are big enough to easily misplace a car.

Shopping malls in Europe might contain grocery stores or childcare centers, while those in Japan are often built around mass transit (交通枢纽). But the suburban American shopping malls are hard to get to and mainly sell clothes and gifts.

As many shopping malls became redundant (过剩的), leaders in many U.S. towns who once fought for malls now struggle with how to transform them to new uses. Highland Mall in Texas is being transformed into a community college campus, and Lakeland Mall in Florida now houses a megachurch (大型教会). Others have been redeveloped to include housing, offices and even green space. However, it is hard to imagine every shopping mall meeting the demands for such transformations.

1. What is this passage mainly about?

A．The introduction to American consumer culture.

B．The changes in Americans' shopping habits.

C．The growth of American shopping centers.

D．The decline of American shopping malls.

2. When did the construction speed of IS shopping malls reach the highest point?

A．After the Second World War	B．In the mid-1990s.
C．After mass transit appeared.	D．In the 2000s.

3. What do many U.S. towns do to solve the redundant shopping malls?

A．They make them look different from each other.

B．They make them more accessible to the public.

C．They change them to serve other purposes.

D．They move them to the urban areas.

8 . School Counselors (辅导员) Matter

Overwhelmed (压垮) by homework? Worried about a friend? Feel like you don't fit in? Sometimes it's impossible to _______ tough times alone. Problems can build up and you may suffer from insomnia (失眠), have difficulty concentrating, or even become depressed. It's time for you to talk to someone. Your school counselor can be a great place to start.

A high school counselor who is a licensed professional offers a variety of _______ to high school students. He or she often provides advice and resources to students regarding their future college and _______ plans. A counselor may also help students who are _______ behavioral problems, family issues and stress. He or she often acts as a grief counselor to students in the event of an accident or other _______ situations. The job is quite demanding. _______, high school counselors are often very knowledgeable about developmental and family psychology, and skilled at providing direct therapy for troubled individuals.

Counselors meet with students individually or in small groups. Group meetings can really help people who are dealing with _______ issues. Not only do you get great ideas in a group setting, but it can also help to know that other students are experiencing the same thing and that they understand. How _______ you meet with your counselor depends on the issue. Some concerns are dealt with in a one-time meeting. Others require regular meetings for a while.

School counselors are all about helping to make your school experience the best it can be. The role of the school counselor today is very _______ what it was like in the past. Instead of just focusing on schoolwork and careers, today's counselors are there for students in a broader way. They help students address almost any problem that might get in the way of learning, guide students to productive futures, and try to create a __________ environment for everyone at school.

1.

A．get off

B．get through

C．get in

D．get to

2.

A．services

B．activities

C．opportunities

D．arguments

3.

A．housing

B．career

C．training

D．family

4.

A．accustomed to

B．sticking with

C．committed to

D．struggling with

5.

A．unfamiliar

B．unreasonable

C．unforgettable

D．unexpected

6.

A．Otherwise

B．However

C．Therefore

D．Rather

7.

A．difficult

B．personal

C．similar

D．emergent

8.

A．long

B．soon

C．much

D．often

9.

A．different from

B．dependent on

C．close to

D．famous for

10.

A．competitive

B．positive

C．social

D．working

9 . By the mid-1920s, Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. had been one of the most celebrated men .In 1957, when Pablo Picasso was in his seventh decade, he joked that x-ray technology might one day reveal a lost work underneath one of his early paintings. Today, that prediction became reality although the technology involved goes far beyond x-rays.

Using hyper-modern tools to peer into one of his Blue Period paintings, researchers have not only shown a hidden piece of art history in astonishing new detail, they have revealed a striking amount of insight into Picasso's creative process and style.

The investigation focused on"La Miséreuse accroupie, "or" Crouching Woman, "painted in 1902 and currently owned by the Art Gallery. The painting, an oil on canvas (画布) piece drawing a crouching (蜷坐的) woman who wears a long coat, shows Picasso’s typical Blue Period colors: grey, green, blue and white. It shows that the innovative modernist was inspired by the lines of an underlying landscape painted by an unknown artist.

The analysis also exposes several changes to the woman described in the painting,many of which Picasso ultimately abandoned. Researchers released their findings on Saturday’s press conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Austin, Texas. “We think now it's a landscape painted by someone enrolled at the fine arts academy in Barcelona, someone in Picasso’s orbit but not in his close circle, ”says Kenneth Brummel, assistant curator of modern art for the Art Gallery of Ontario.

As to why Picasso would have “recycled” another artist’s canvas(油画布), reasons could range from economic necessity, as a young artist still establishing himself, to deep inspiration driven by the lines of the image already laid down there. Picasso often re-used canvases for this reason."

“He didn't shave off the canvas or put a preparatory layer over it,” Brummel says.“ Picasso saw this landscape, found inspiration, and decided he was going to paint it immediately."

1. According to the text ,the most likely process of Picasso's painting?
①Picasso reused another artist's canvas.
②Inspired by a landscape painting, Picasso decided to paint one too.
③Picasso painted a woman on the landscape painting.
④Not happy with the landscape, Picasso covered it totally.
⑤Picasso made changes to the woman

A．②③④	B．④②③
C．①③⑤	D．②①④

2. How did Picasso deal with the landscape painting?

A．He reused it because he hated wasting anything.

B．He hid his own paintings beneath the landscape.

C．He took the advantage of it and created a new one.

D．He kept it to himself with the permission of its owner.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．People often celebrated Picasso’s success.

B．Picasso was not well-off when he started his career.

C．Picasso became successful overnight.

D．Picasso was good at imitating other artists’ works.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Picasso's predication turned out to be joke.

B．High technology uncovered art mysteries.

C．Seeing is not always believing.

D．Lost Artwork Found Under Famous Picasso Painting.

10 . When Zhangzijun was a little kid. He was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything: tutors, cards, special learning….. everything they could think of. Finally they took him to a catholic（天主教的）school.

After the first day, Zhangzijun came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn’t kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and Zhangzijun was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening.

Finally, Zhangzijun brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and to her surprise, Zhangzijun got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity.

She went to his room and asked, ”Son, what was it? Was it the nuns (修女)?”

Zhangzijun looked at her and shook his head, “No. ”

“Well then,” she asked again. “What was it?”

Zhangzijun looked at her and said, “Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed (钉)to the plus sign, I knew they weren’t joking. ”

1. Why did Zhangzijun’s parents send him to a catholic school?

A．Because he could eat well there.

B．Because he could learn more about nuns.

C．Because his parents wanted him to do better in his math.

D．Because his parents didn’t want him to learn math any more.

2. Zhangzijun’s mother felt surprised that his son _______.

A．was still the same as usual	B．ate so much at dinner
C．didn’t kiss her hello after school	D．worked hard but said little

3. The last sentence in the passage shows that _______.

A．Zhangzijun felt sorry for the mail

B．Zhangzijun was afraid of being nailed

C．Zhangzijun didn’t like the plus sign

D．Zhangzijun liked playing jokes on others

4. From the passage, we can infer that _______.

A．mistaking might do good sometimes

B．teachers should be strict with their students

C．a catholic school is much better than other ones

D．nuns are good at helping children with their math