1 . Do you jump out of bed early, wide awake and ready to start your day？If so, you would be called an “early bird”. Perhaps, you hate the sound of your alarm clock each morning and have little energy until afternoon. If so, you're probably a “night owl”．

Most people can be divided into such two groups, but what makes us this way？And is one better than the other？There are different opinions.

Usually, early risers have been praised as hard-working while those who prefer to get up late are considered lazy. Most people believe the early bird catches the worm.

Yet some scientists now believe “night owls” can really focus(集中) longer and produce more than early risers.

Research has found that the early bird does not always get the worm. In a Belgian study, both “morning people” and “evening people” were watched during their normal asleep and awake routines(常规)．After 10 hours of being awake, the “evening people” became more alert(思维敏捷的). However, the “morning people” became sleepy and less focused. Researchers believe the reason for this difference is that night owls receive a last-minute increase from their brains. This added energy allows them to stay alert for longer periods of time.

Environment, lifestyle, activities and childhood routines all may have an effect on sleeping habits, yet genetics(遗传学)may play the biggest role.

It is possible to change your sleeping habits through regular bedtimes, early exercise and by avoiding midnight snacks. But if you're happy rising early or staying up late, you're probably doing what works best for your own personal body clock.

1. The author introduces the subject by ________.

A．telling an interesting story

B．giving different opinions

C．showing research results

D．asking a question

2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 really mean?

A．Those who get up early achieve their goals.

B．Early to bed, early to rise is good for health.

C．“Night owls” can focus longer than “early birds”.

D．“Early birds” are as hard-working as “night owls”.

3. What did the researchers find in a Belgian study?

A．Late risers become sleepier than early risers.

B．Early risers become as focused as later risers.

C．Late risers can think quickly after being awaken for 10 hours.

D．Early risers can think clearly after being awake for 10 hours.

4. What opinion does the author finally agree to?

A．People should get up early.

B．Whatever time suits you, it’s OK.

C．Staying up late is good for health.

D．It’s impossible to change one’s sleeping habit.

2 . Every day, Americans throw away 500 million plastic straws, enough to circle the Earth twice. They are almost never recycled, and simply contribute to the great problem of plastic pollution; eight million tons of plastic is dumped into the oceans every year.

Plastic straws are now the target of a growing movement to reduce their use. Possibly the first of such campaigns, Be Straw Free was started in 2011 by Milo Cress, who was only nine years old at the lime.

“I noticed that whenever I ordered a drink at a restaurant, it would usually come with a straw in it, and I don’ I usually need a straw,” he said. “This seemed like a huge waste. Straws are made of oil, a precious and finite resource. Is making single - use plastic straws, which will be used for a matter of minutes before being tossed away, really what we want to do with this resource?”

Cress started asking restaurants in Burlington, Vermont, where he lived at the time, to stop providing straws automatically to customer and make them optional instead. Many agreed and his request made ripples (涟漪) nationwide. The restaurants that make the switch report a reduction in the number of straws they use between 50 and 80%.

The anti - straw sentiment has crossed borders into the UK, where straws have been included in a government plan to ban ail plastic waste by 2042.

Last year large pub chain Wetherspoons announced that it would replace plastic straws with paper alternatives across 900 outlets. After the announcement, many smaller chains and pubs across the country followed suit. According to Wetherspoons CEO John Hutson, the move will save 70 million plastic straws a year and the reaction from patrons has been “very positive”.

Offering alternatives or making plastic straws optional, rather than banning them completely, is a common trait among these campaigns. “There are many other viable alternatives to single - use plastic drinking straws that are less harmful to the environment, wildlife and humans,” said Jackie Nunez, founder of The Last Plastic Straw.

1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?

A．Plastic straws are too costly to produce.

B．All plastic straws are dumped into the sea.

C．Plastic straws are too small to be recycled.

D．Plastic straws cause great pollution.

2. What did Milo Cress ask his local restaurants to do?

A．To make plastic straws optional.

B．To stop the use of plastic straws.

C．To charge the use of plastic straws.

D．To reject the request for plastic straws.

3. What is the Wetherspoons’ effort to reduce the use of plastic straws?

A．To ban the use of plastic straws.

B．To close some of its outlets.

C．To offer customers alternatives.

D．To seek the government’s support.

4. What is the Wetherspoons customers’ attitude towards the move?

A．Uncaring.	B．Favorable.
C．Ambiguous.	D．Disapproving.

3 . Travel is one of the most exciting experiences a human being can have. Imagine how Italian traveler Marco Polo must have felt when he found himself on Chinese soil, seeing a way of life quite different from anything he’d seen before.

And how marvelous must it have been to listen to Zhang Qian when he returned to China from his journey through Central Asia and West Asia? His brain must have been packed with everything he’d seen and heard, leading to the founding of the Silk Road.

Some people have traveled all over the world, and travel is a way of life to them. They perhaps know what to expect before they travel. That’s why the best travel is when it’s for the first time. Imagine a person who has always wanted to travel to the United States. Of course, they’ve probably seen the Statue of Liberty a thousand times on TV, and the White House, and all the other famous sights. But none of that would compare to the thrill of looking out of the cabin window as the plane lands, watching the cities and streets of the real America come into view.

Although travel is often just for recreation, it’s also educational. We may not know that we are getting an education, but we still are.

We’re learning every day: new words in a new language, new people, and new ways of life. But this learning takes place in the school of the world, not the classroom. One of the lessons we learn is undoubtedly a moral one. As we get to know foreign places, we come to understand that there are many different ways to live, and that the way we live isn’t necessarily the best way. The British politician Benjamin Disraeli summed this up well when he said, “Travel teaches toleration.”

1. The author uses Marco Polo and Zhang Qian as examples to       .

A．explain how the Silk Road was founded

B．present travel as an amazing experience

C．show how the way people travel has changed

D．describe important cultural exchanges in history

2. By saying “the best travel is when it’s for the first time”, the author means that       .

A．one’s first trip is usually the most challenging

B．no other trip is better than one’s first trip

C．there is always much to learn on one’s first trip

D．people usually make better preparations for their first trip

3. The underlined word in paragraph 4 probably means       .

A．learning	B．knowledge
C．fun	D．risk

4. According to the last two paragraphs, the author believes that       .

A．traveling should be included in formal education

B．traveling improves people’s confidence in their lifestyle

C．a foreign journey may raise people’s cultural understanding

D．there is more to learn from adventures than being in classroom

4 . One day, I was on a bus and saw something sad. A father kept playing a game, completely ignoring his daughter sitting beside his. The little girl, aged 5, was talking to her father about her day, praising her father’s long nails--trying to draw his attention. He just nodded with his eyes fixed on the screen, busy passing the levels of the game. I watched the girl give a final try to at least get him to look at her, but it was no use. Then the little girl turned silent. It was a shame the father didn't notice that.

It broke my heart and got me wondering--what kind of game would make the father forget he has the most beautiful thing in the world, the person he loves with all his heart. W hat it meant when she couldn't look into her daughter's eyes and even stop to listen to the girl

Some parents are almost like the teenagers, always on their phones with mindless games. Perhaps parents have many things to deal with, but sometimes they are everything to their kids. The scene used to be seen among teenagers very often when parents complained how their children were crazy about their mobile phones. Look how the situation has changed! I'm uncertain whether to laugh or to cry. But my hope is that this storm passes.

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The girl failed to attract her father's attention.

B．The father felt sorry after his daughter turned silent.

C．The writer has much experience about being a parent.

D．Middle-aged parents have many mobile phones.

2. In the passage, the writer mainly wants to show_______.

A．children are crazy about mobile phones

B．parents are now able to use modern technology

C．the best smart phones cost parents too much money

D．parents should use new phones properly

3. What's the best title of the passage？

A．Middle-aged parents

B．A scene on the bus

C．Technology slaves（奴隶）

D．Harmful phone games

5 . The last few days before Christmas passed quickly and it was soon Christmas Eve. That night when everyone went to bed, Bunny couldn’t sleep. He still couldn’t think of what he wanted his Christmas gift to be. He wondered how Father Christmas would know what to bring him if he didn’t know himself.

            As he was sitting up in bed, Bunny heard a big noise on the roof (屋顶) and a sound downstairs. It was Father Christmas, he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and raced down the hall to the stairs hoping to have a look at the old man with his own eyes.
          By the time Bunny reached the bottom of the stairs, though, everything was again silent. Beautiful gifts were piled (堆积) under the Christmas tree, but Father Christmas was gone. He looked for him for a few minutes, but it was already too late. Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry.
            “Hello,” said Bunny. “Is somebody there?”
          He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of gifts to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. Bunny might have mistaken it for a dog, if it hadn’t been for the antlers (鹿角) on its head.
            “Are you a reindeer (驯鹿)?” asked Bunny.

“Yes,” replied the animal, “my name is Ralph.”

            “And you were pulling Father Christmas’sled (雪橇)?”
            “I was until I got airsick,” replied Ralph, “I’m afraid I wasn't cut out for the job. Now I’m stuck here and I don’t know how to get back to the North Pole.”
            “Well, if you like, you can stay with us as a friend,” said Bunny. As he made the offer, Bunny suddenly realized the gift he wanted from Father Christmas was a new friend!
1. Why couldn’t Bunny fall asleep on Christmas Eve?

A．He had a lot of things to do.

B．He was disturbed by a big noise.

C．He was thinking of what gift he would get.

D．He wanted to have a look at the reindeer.

2. As soon as Bunny came downstairs, he _____.

A．was probably very sad

B．found what he wanted

C．ran into a reindeer

D．heard a loud cry

3. The underlined part “cut out for” in the text probably means “_____”.

A．fit for

B．afraid of

C．proud of

D．interested in

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

A．A strange Christmas tree

B．A special Christmas gift

C．A quiet but smart boy

D．A lovely reindeer

6 . I have always been interested in making things. When I was a child, I enjoyed drawing, but I also liked making things out of clay (粘土). I won a prize for one of my paintings when I was fourteen. That may be why I went to art school four years later. But I studied painting at first, not pottery (制陶). I like being a potter because I like to work with my hands and feel the clay. I'm happy working by myself and being near my home. I don't like mass-produced (集体生产) things, because they are made by machines. I think crafts (手工艺) are very important and crafts-people make things cleverly with hands. They make our lives colorful. When I left school, I got some money. I hope to become a full-time crafts-woman. This work-place is small, but I wish to move to a larger one next year.

1. From the passage we are sure that the writer is a _______.

A．student

B．teacher

C．man

D．woman

2. The writer got into art school because of ______.

A．liking to make things

B．enjoying working near her home

C．a prize won when the writer was young

D．a wish to be a potter

3. When entering art school, the writer was about ______.

A．14

B．16

C．18

D．21

4. The writer is talking about her workplace _____.

A．unhappily

B．hopefully

C．seriously

D．angrily

7 . Over the past few decades, more and more countries have opened up the markets, increasingly transforming the world economy into one free-flowing global market. The question is: Is economic globalization _______ for all?
According to the World Bank, one of its chief supporters, economic globalization has helped reduce ___________ in a large number of developing countries. It quotes one study that shows increased wealth _________ to improved education and longer life in twenty-four developing countries as a result of integration (融合) of local economies into the world economy. Home to some three billion people, these twenty-four countries have seen incomes _______ at an average rate of five percent—compared to two percent in developed countries.
Those who _______ globalization claim that economies in developing countries will benefit from new opportunities for small and home-based businesses. _______, small farmers in Brazil who produce nuts that would originally have sold only in _______ open-air markets can now promote their goods worldwide by the Internet.
Critics take a different view, believing that economic globalization is actually _______ the gap between the rich and poor. A study carried out by the U.N.-sponsored World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization shows that only a few developing countries have actually _______ from integration into the world economy and that the poor, the uneducated, unskilled workers, and native peoples have been left behind. ____________, they maintain that globalization may eventually threaten emerging businesses. For example, Indian craftsmen who currently seem to benefit from globalization because they are able to ____________ their products may soon face fierce competition that could put them out of ____________. When large-scale manufacturers start to produce the same goods, or when superstores like Wal-Mart move in, these small businesses will not be able to ____________ and will be crowded out.
One thing is certain about globalization—there is no ____________. Advances in technology combined with more open policies have already created an interconnected world. The ____________ now is finding a way to create a kind of globalization that works for the benefit of all.1.

A．possible

B．smooth

C．good

D．easy

2.

A．crime

B．poverty

C．conflict

D．population

3.

A．contributing

B．responding

C．turning

D．owing

4.

A．remain

B．drop

C．shift

D．increase

5.

A．doubt

B．define

C．advocate

D．ignore

6.

A．In addition

B．For instance

C．In other words

D．All in all

7.

A．mature

B．new

C．local

D．foreign

8.

A．finding

B．exploring

C．bridging

D．widening

9.

A．suffered

B．profited

C．learned

D．withdrawn

10.

A．Furthermore

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Otherwise

11.

A．consume

B．deliver

C．export

D．advertise

12.

A．trouble

B．business

C．power

D．mind

13.

A．keep up

B．come in

C．go around

D．help out

14.

A．taking off

B．getting along

C．holding out

D．turning back

15.

A．agreement

B．prediction

C．outcome

D．challenge

8 . “Our aim is to take our art to the world and make people understand what it is to move,” said David Belle, the founder of parkour(跑酷).
Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what if making your morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale? Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has become popular worldwide.
Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is considered an extreme sport. As its participants（参与者）dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up walls and even move from roof top to roof top.
Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more than that.
Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy(理念) behind parkour. This is the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover said, “I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything.”
Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself. It is only a state of mind. It is when you trust yourself that you earn energy.
1. Parkour has become popular throughout the world because of ________.

A．its founder, David Belle

B．the varieties of participants

C．its risks and tricks

D．the film, Casino Royale

2. The underlined word “obstacles” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．streets	B．buildings
C．barriers	D．roofs

3. Which of the following is true of parkour?

A．It needs special training.

B．It is a good but boring sport.

C．It challenges human abilities.

D．It is a team sport.

4. As its participants move around a city, ________.

A．they should run to extremes

B．they may choose to escape

C．they can ask for help

D．they must learn to survive

5. Which of the following is the philosophy of parkour?

A．Sports and extremes.

B．Excitement and freedom.

C．Determination and freedom.

D．Dreams and success.

9 . Friendships can be difficult—because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people finally get hurt.

Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of themselves and their own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should be against.

The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friends the same way that you'd like to be treated(对待). This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friends everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she was in your shoes.

Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are problems that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these problems so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Problems like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are problems that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these friend problems so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.

1. This passage mainly talks about ________.

A．the importance of friendship

B．the advantages(益处) of friendship

C．the problems of friendship

D．the disadvantages(劣势) of friendship

2. According to the writer, problems with friendship may appear when ________.

A．one is honest	B．one is selfish
C．one is open	D．one is kind

3. According to the passage, the first and most important thing to be other people's friend is ________.

A．to treat your friend as you like to be

B．to give your friends whatever you have

C．not to hurt your friends' feelings

D．not to think of your own need any more

4. What's the purpose of understanding how to deal with friendship problems?

A．To have a comfortable life.

B．To build stronger and healthier friendships.

C．To be treated the way you want.

D．To get a boyfriend or girlfriend more quickly.

10 . The clock struck eleven at night. The whole house was quiet. Everyone was in bed except me. Under the strong light，I looked sadly before me at a huge pile of that troublesome stuff they call “books”．
I was going to have my examination the next day. “When can I go to bed？”I asked myself. I didn't answer, in fact I dared not.
The clock struck twelve. “Oh, dear！”I cried. “Ten more books to read before I can go to bed！”We pupils are the most wretched creatures in the world. Dad does not agree with me on this. He did not have to work so hard when he was a boy.
The clock struck one. I was quite desperate (绝望的) now. I forgot all I had learned. I was too tired to go on. I did the only thing I could. I prayed, “Oh, God, please help me pass the exam tomorrow. I do promise to work hard afterwards, Amen.” My eyes were so heavy that I could hardly open them. A few minutes later, with my head on the desk, I fell asleep.
1. When the author was going over his lessons, all the others in the house were ________.

A．asleep	B．working in bed
C．outside	D．quietly laughing at him

2. Reviewing his lessons didn't help him because ________.

A．it was too late at night

B．he was very tired

C．his eyes lids were so heavy that he couldn't keep them open

D．he hadn't studied hard before the examination

3. What do you suppose happened to the author?

A．He went to a church to pray again.

B．He passed the exam by sheer luck.

C．He failed in the exam.

D．He was punished by his teacher.

4. The best title for the passage would be ________.

A．The Night Before the Examination

B．Working Far into the Night

C．A Slow Student

D．Going Over My Lessons