1 . Many schools across the US hold graduation ceremonies this time of year. In some schools, even 5 and 6-year-olds observe their graduation from kindergarten. And so can older people, much older. Meet 70-year-old Jerry Reid, who just graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He earned a bachelor’s degree.

Mr. Reid might not look like the average college student; his hair is definitely grayer. But still Jerry Reid’s age is easy to forget, other UVA students know him as one of their own.

Mr. Reid sat into the “Hoo Crew,” a group that cheers loudly for the school at sports events. He also joined a men's group on campus. He sang drinking songs along with many other students. Mr. Reid’s school friends say they can talk to him just about anything.

About a half century ago, in his 20s, Mr. Reid was not in school. Instead, he was racing cars and chasing girls. But he says his friend Bill invited him to UVA parties.

“Bill told me what a terrible life I had unless I came up here and went to school with him,” said Reid.

That was in 1963. Jerry Reid says it took him 48 years to take that advice. In 2011, he entered college. UVA Professor Luke Wright says Mr. Reid influences students. He opened the minds of the young adults. The teacher says Mr. Reid showed them that life does not end at 40. Instead, the 70-year-old college graduate believes that getting older can be the beginning of a dream.

“Remember that path that you left waits for you. It’s there. It’s yours. All you must do is to get out of your own way and get back to it. And, that's exactly what I did,” said Reid.

Mr. Reid says that he and his wife Susan now would take some time off to enjoy his college degree. Then, he’ll return to UVA to begin studying for his graduate degree.

1. Which of the following is true of Mr. Reid?

A．He was laughed at by other students.

B．He was interested in study in his youth.

C．He enlarged the views of young people.

D．He got his graduate degree at the age of 70.

2. From the third paragraph, we can infer that Mr. Reid was _________.

A．considerate	B．independent
C．intelligent	D．energetic

3. What does Paragraph 6 mainly discuss?

A．How Mr. Reid realizes his dream.

B．What teachers think of Mr. Reid.

C．When Mr. Reid entered college.

D．Why the students likes Mr. Reid.

4. What lesson can we learn from the story of Jerry Reid?

A．It is never too late to learn.

B．Two heads are better than one.

C．Actions speak louder than words.

D．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

2 . Five years ago, when I taught art at a school in Seattle, I used Tinkertoys as a test at the beginning of a term to find out something about my students. I put a small set of Tinkertoys in front of each student, and said: “Make something out of the Tinkertoys. You have 45 minutes today — and 45 minutes each day for the rest of the week.”

A few students hesitated to start. They waited to see what the rest of the class would do. Several others checked the instructions and made something according to one of the model plans provided. Another group built something out of their own imaginations.

Once I had a boy who worked experimentally with Tinkertoys in his free time, his constructions filled a shelf in the art classroom and a good part of his bedroom at home. I was delighted at the presence of such a student. Here was an exceptionally creative mind at work. His presence meant that I had an unexpected teaching assistant in class whose creativity would infect(感染) other students.

Encouraging this kind of thinking has a downside. I ran the risk of losing those students who had a different style of thinking. Without fail one would declare, “But I’m just not creative.”

“Do you dream at night when you’re asleep?”

“Oh, sure.”

“So tell me one of your most interesting dreams.” The student would tell something wildly imaginative. Flying in the sky or in a time machine or growing three heads. “That’s pretty creative. Who does that for you?”

“Nobody. I do it.”

“Really-at night, when you’re asleep?”

“Sure.”

“Try doing it in the daytime, in class, okay?”

1. The teacher used Tinkertoys in class in order to ________.

A．know more about the students

B．make the lessons more exciting

C．raise the students’ interest in art

D．teach the students about toy design

2. What do we know about the boy mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A．He liked to help his teacher.	B．He preferred to study alone.
C．He was active in class.	D．He was imaginative.

3. What does the underlined word “downside” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Mistake.	B．Drawback.
C．Difficulty.	D．Burden.

4. Why did the teacher ask the students to talk about their dreams?

A．To help them to see their creativity.

B．To find out about their sleeping habits.

C．To help them to improve their memory.

D．To find out about their ways of thinking.

3 . The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says more than half of the world’s wildlife population has been lost, which the conservation group says has placed the health of the planet at risk.
The WWF recently released its 10th Flagship Living Planet Report. The group warns the condition of the world's animals is worse than its earlier reports showed, indicating worldwide action is needed.
The WWF is worried about the loss of and damage to Earth’s environment. The report provides information about more than 10,000 animal populations from 1970 to 2010. These populations are called “vertebrate species,” or animals with backbones — like fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. The report shows these populations have dropped by 52 percent in just 40 years. It warns freshwater species have fallen by 76 percent, which is almost twice the loss of land and ocean species. Most of these losses are in the tropics, with the biggest drop in Latin America.
Marco Lambertini, the WWF’s International Director-General said, “This is about losing natural habitats. This is about converting forests, grasslands, and wetlands into agriculture mainly, and it is about unsustainable use of wildlife. Illegal hunting has been actually increasing over the last 10 years, which definitely a driving force for extinction, particularly of large species.”
The report also notes what it calls the world’s “Ecological Footprint”, that is, the effect of human activities on the planet. Mr. Lambertini says there has been an increase in carbon dioxide gases and the pouring of nitrogen into oceans and rivers from fertilizers used in agriculture, which certainly cannot continue.
“We are consuming on average every year about the equivalent of about 1.5, one and a half times the resources available to the planet. That means we are cutting trees more quickly than they can be restored. We are fishing the oceans more quickly than fishing stocks can reproduce, and we are emitting in the atmosphere more CO₂ than the natural systems can actually absorb, which is clearly not sustainable.”
Mr. Lambertini warns climate change affects almost everyone on the planet and that whole species may disappear if the world does not reduce the effects of humans on the climate.
1. According to the passage, what kind of species faces the biggest drop in population?

A．Land and ocean species.

B．Animals with backbones.

C．Freshwater species in Latin America.

D．Freshwater species in the tropics.

2. All the following can contribute to the loss of world’s wildlife population EXCEPT ________.

A．turning wildlife habitats into agriculture land.

B．making sustainable use of wildlife.

C．hunting illegally.

D．emitting CO2 gases and pouring nitrogen.

3. Which does the underlined word “converting” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Conserving.	B．Conveying.
C．Exchanging.	D．Transforming.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A．Marco is much concerned about human’s current behaviors towards wildlife.

B．what the planet provides now can satisfy human’s sustainable development.

C．more than half of the world’s wildlife population has been lost.

D．if humans reduce the effects on the climate, the whole species will not disappear.

4 . Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum

Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don’t need to book. They end around 21:00.

November 7th

The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early “civil engineers”.

December 5th

Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London’s ice trade grew.

February 6th

An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play.

March 6th

Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames had many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest.

Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book

More into:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson

London Canal Museum

12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT

www.canalmuseum.org.uk   www.canalmuseum.mobi

Tel:020 77130836

1. When is the talk on James Brindley?

A．February 6th.	B．December 5th.
C．November 7th.	D．March 6th.

2. What is the topic of the talk in February?

A．The Canal Pioneers.	B．An Update on the Cotsword Canals
C．Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands	D．Ice for the Metropolis

3. Who will give the talk on the islands in the Thames.

A．Miranda Vickers	B．Malcolm Tucker
C．Chris Lewis	D．Liz Payne

5 . Military training has long been considered a ritual(仪式) that freshmen must go through in order to officially start their college lives. While some question the necessity of such training. Many students see military training as a campus tradition that should be maintained.
Early in February, the Ministry of Education issued a new regulation that colleges and universities should carry out a minimum of 14 days compulsory military training for freshmen.
In a report by Beijing Evening News, Hou Zhengfang, a Beijing-based education PhD, questioned the benefits of military training. “The training routine does little to improve students’ physical fitness over only two weeks’ time. Maybe some disaster prevention training, such as earthquake survival or escaping from fires would be of greater benefit.”
Meng Yang, a 19-year-old freshman at Guangxi University, fainted during training. She said that many students, especially girls, are willing to train under direct sunshine. “For me, military training is physically challenging and even damages my health.”
According to Li Jian from the student affairs office of Guangzhou University, feeling dizzy   happens frequently during military training and the school has received a lot of complaints from both students and parents: “But I still think military training is a good thing. Students are easier to manage after the military training. They became more positive about their new environment after the training.”
Although autumn is fast approaching Beijing, the noon heat burns 3300 freshmen on Tsinghua University’s campus. Chu Jinjing, a freshman majoring in medicine, did feel some discomfort while training in sweaty clothes in the glaring heat, the 18-year-old still enjoyed being part of group going through strict exercises. “By going through this tough training, students bond faster and a sense of belonging to the school can be formed. I’ve made a lot of friends already.”
According to the Ministry of Education, the purpose of military training is to teach students discipline, the spirit of teamwork and endurance. But in reality, according to Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21^st Century Education Research Institute, the effect is not satisfying. “Such goals require long-term development. It is unrealistic to expect military training to make a difference in only 14 days.” He thus suggests that it should be up to schools to conduct military training in a way that best suits their students.
However, Wang Wenhui, an 18-year-old freshman from Xi’an Jiaotong University, sees military training as a tradition that reaches beyond character building. “From junior and senior high school to college, we join military training to start a new journey. I would feel a bit incomplete without it.”
1. How many people expressing their opinions are mentioned in this passage?

A．4

B．5

C．6

D．7

2. According to Hou Zhengfang, it seems much more beneficial to give freshmen_____________.

A．survival skills

B．military training

C．the spirit of teamwork and endurance

D．strict exercises

3. What is the author’s attitude towards military training?

A．Supportive	B．Subjective
C．Objective	D．Rejective

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．A Policy Made by the Ministry of Education

B．Military Training under Fire

C．A New Journey

D．A Best Way to Teach Students Discipline

6 . The National Gallery

Description:

The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.

Layout:

The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th-to15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.

The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronese.

The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.

The East Wing houses 18th-to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.

Opening Hours:

The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.

Getting There:

Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).

1. In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?

A．The 20th	B．The 17th
C．The 18th	D．The 13th

2. Where are Leonardo da Vinci’s works shown?

A．In the East Wing.	B．In the main West Wing.
C．In the Sainsbury Wing.	D．In the North Wing.

3. Which underground station is closest to the National Gallery?

A．Charing Cross.	B．Leicester Square.
C．Embankment.	D．Piccadilly Circus.

7 . .
Bill Gates was born on October 28th, 1955. He and his two sisters grew up in Seattle. Their father, William H. Gates II, was a Seattle lawyer. Mary Gates, their late mother, was a school teacher.
Gates attended public elementary school before moving on to the private Lakeside School in North Seattle. It was at Lakeside that Gates began his career in personal computer soft- ware, programming computers at age 13.
In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, who is now Microsoft's president. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version (版本) of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer---the MITS Astair. In his junior year, Gates dropped out of Harvard to devote his energies full-time to Microsoft, a company he had started in 1975 with his boyhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the personal computer would be a valuable tool on every office desk-top and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers.
Gates' foresight has led to the success of Microsoft and the software industry. He plays an important role in the technical development of new products. Much of his time is devoted to meeting with customers and staying in touch with Microsoft employees around the world through e-mail.
In the dozen years since Microsoft went public, Gates has donated more than $ 800 million to charities (慈善机构), including $ 200 million to the Gates Library Foundation to help libraries in North America make use of new technologies and the Information Age.
1. Where did Bill Gates begin his career in personal computer software?

A．At public elementary school.	B．At the private Lakeside School.
C．At Harvard University.	D．At Microsoft Company.

2. Why did he drop out of Harvard?

A．To change school.	B．To spend all his energies to Microsoft.
C．To find a full-time job.	D．To earn money.

3. How does Gates spend much of his time?

A．Meeting with people.	B．Travelling around the world.
C．E-mailing some friends.	D．Meeting with customers and e-mailing Microsoft employees.

4. What does the underlined word "donated" in the last paragraph mean?

A．gave.

B．earned.

C．made.

D．received.

8 . Driving a car is not just handling controls and judging speed and distance. It requires you to predict what other road users will do and get ready to react to something unexpected. When alcohol is consumed, it enters your bloodstream and acts as a depressant (抑制药), damaging eyesight, judgment and co-ordination(协调), slowing down reaction time and greatly increasing the risk of accidents. Even below the drink driving link, driving will be affected.
Alcohol may take a few minutes to be absorbed into the bloodstream and start action on the brain. Absorption rate is increased when drinking on an empty stomach or when consuming drinks mixed with fruit juice. To get rid of alcohol from the body is a very slow process and it is not possible to speed it up with any measures like taking a shower or having a cup of tea or coffee.
The present Road Traffic Ordinance states clearly that the limit of alcohol concentration is:
● 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood; or
● 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath; or
● 67 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of urine (尿液).
Drivers who cause traffic accidents, or who commit a moving traffic offence or are being suspected of drink driving will be tested.
Any driver found drinking beyond the limit will be charged. The driver declared guilty may be fined a maximum of HK $25,000 and be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison and punished for 10 driving-offence points; or temporarily banned from driving.
The same punishment applies to failing to provide specimens (样本) for breath, blood or urine tests without good excuse.
Drink driving is a criminal offence（违法犯罪行为）. Be a responsible driver, think before you drink. For the safety of yourself and other road users, never drive after consuming alcohol.
1. The first paragraph is mainly about ________.

A．the introduction of driving skills

B．the damage of drinking to your body

C．the effect of drinking on driving

D．the process of alcohol being absorbed

2. The underlined word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “________”.

A．alcohol

B．absorption

C．blood

D．process

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

A．Drinking below the drink driving limit has no effect on driving.

B．Alcohol is taken in more quickly when drunk with fruit juice.

C．Having a cup of tea helps to get rid of alcohol from the body.

D．50 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of breath is below the drink limit.

4. A driver suspected of (被怀疑) drink driving ________.

A．should provide specimens for testing

B．will be forbidden to drive for 3years

C．will be punished for 10 driving-offence points

D．should pay a maximum fine of HK $25,000