1 . Student reading marathon is a real page-turner
The University of Nottingham Ningbo China’s Centre for English Language Education (CELE) has launched a reading marathon. Organised by CELE’s Self Access Centre, the idea behind the marathon was to encourage students to read as many books as they could over a 10-week period.
Almost 300 first-year students took part in the competition, reading close to 600 books. Among them, Qinyu He, student of International Business Division and winner of the competition, read an impressive 30 books and was awarded a book voucher (代金券) for ￥200 (£ 20). The highlight of her reading was Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. “What I like about Sense and Sensibility is the character of Eleanor. She is the kind of person I would like to become. Many people in China today are looking to find a balance between sense and sensibility; Eleanor sets a good example.”
The reading marathon was open to young people with all levels of English reading sills, with the emphasis on students enjoying reading and learning to love books. Ben Heasley, Deputy Director (副主任) of CELE, explained, “We recommended books that have had their original language graded for vocabulary, complexity of grammar structures and also by the number of words. They can be graded to cater for all levels from beginners to advanced. Naturally, we expected our students to read in the upper reaches of the scale, intermediate (中级的) to advanced. The advantage is that the student reader can focus on the story without constantly being interrupted by having to use a dictionary. Following the success of this year’s competition, we are already planning to run the reading marathon in the following year.”
1. What is the reading marathon aimed at?| A．Discovering the best student who is skilled at reading. |
| B．Encouraging students to improve their reading ability. |
| C．Introducing Jane Austen’s book Sense and Sensibility. |
| D．Offering awards to students who are interested in English. |
| A．Qinyu He was a first-year student in the university. |
| B．Eleanor inspired Qinyu He to read more books. |
| C．Qinyu He won ￥ 200 for reading 30 books. |
| D．Jane Austen set a good example for Qinyu He. |
| A．To make it more complex. | B．To adjust the reading rate. |
| C．To suit all levels of students. | D．To classify the reading materials. |
| A．Many students sing high praise for the character Eleanor. |
| B．Whoever wins the competition will be given a big prize. |
| C．More and more students show interest in learning English. |
| D．Ben Heasley is in favor of the reading marathon competition. |
I still remember how I became a good table tennis player. The first day I go to high school, I saw some of me classmates playing table tennis. Amazed at how skillful they was, I was determined to be just as good. Later on, I often watched them careful to learn their techniques. Then I kept practice until I became confident enough challenge the good players. At the end of the term I became one of the best player in my class. I am really proud with this experience, because it helps me realize that what we all can fulfill our potential but achieve our goals through hard work. It also helps me better understand a proverb “Practice makes perfect.”
3 . A cancer survivor has become the first woman to complete an exhausting “Sea to Summit” triathlon which saw her swim, cycle, and run over 330 miles in just five days. Andrea Mason was overjoyed when she crossed the finish line early Wednesday morning.
The race was set in the French Alps. Setting off at 6:15 am on Friday, 39-year-old Mason battled through severe pain, and hallucinations, but she pushed on — managing to complete the race in an impressive four days, 23 hours, and 41 minutes. Andrea had been diagnosed with cancer and needed life-saving surgery. Following a successful operation, she is now hoping to raise awareness of women’s health. In the past year, Andrea set up her own charity, Lady Talk Matters, in order to normalize the conversation surrounding female health.
Andrea, from Blackpool in Lancashire, England, said, “I am so happy all went according to plan as there were so many things that could have gone wrong. It was bigger than I imagined, the impact on my body was huge, but every time I felt like giving up, I thought about all the women out there in pain or who still hadn’t been diagnosed. That is why I insisted on this.”
Andrea had to swim 23 miles around Lake Annecy, cycle 205 miles with 30,000 feet of vertical climbing around Mont Blanc, and run 105 miles with 4,000 feet of vertical climbing around The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. You could say Andrea’s actually made a lifetime effort for an event like this. She completed her first three-mile race “powered by chocolate bars” when she was just four.
1. What brought Andrea Mason so much joy?| A．She swam and ran over 330 miles in five days. |
| B．She battled bravely and defeated cancer finally. |
| C．She completed a marathon in just five days. |
| D．She finished an exhausting triathlon lately. |
| A．To help the poor women. | B．To promote women’s health. |
| C．To focus on women’s life. | D．To raise the status of women. |
| A．Thinking of other women who might have cancer. |
| B．Thinking of other women who had more pain. |
| C．Her strong willpower to win. |
| D．Her family’s support. |
| A．Andrea liked sports very much. | B．Andrea faced huge challenges. |
| C．As a little girl, Andrea won many races. | D．Andrea’s success lay in long-term effort. |
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Alex,
Thanks for your e-mail. I am a bit like you.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wish you good health!
Yours,
Li Hua
5 . As is often the case, it is human nature to lead a sedentary（久坐的）lifestyle and most of us are so involved in our busy schedules that we don't even notice our bad habits. Many worry about the right time or "right age" to start working out.
Master your mind. Most people argue that they are too tired or old to start exercising. Doing so is much easier than trying to change the busy lifestyle. Change your mindset and be more confident in improving your health.
Easy does it. Once you have chosen a fitness program, start slowly and increase it in stages. Begin with just a few minutes of gentle exercises and stretches.
Always warm up. Always remember to warm up your muscles before exercising. Gentle warm-ups will reduce your risk of injury, aches and pains, and increase blood circulation and flexibility.
Cool down. When you finish your routine, you need to cool your muscles and let your heart rate slow gradually.
| A．Don't overload your body. |
| B．Never ignore your potentials. |
| C．Tell your body to be more active and say, "I can do it." |
| D．However, nobody cares about what you have done for them. |
| E．Go next to some mild activity such as walking, jogging or cycling. |
| F．Cooling down will help your body to return to its pre-exercise level. |
| G．But it's never too late for them to start exercising and all they need is enough determination. |
6 . There are lots of skiing lovers around the world. To get the most out of your time on the mountain you should think through each part of your adventure- equipment, clothing, food, and travel.
Equipment
Your skiing equipment — composed of your skis, poles, bindings, helmet, and goggles — should be checked over, and possibly tuned up, before you pack your bags for the mountain.
Clothing
Your jacket and snow pants should be properly fitting and recently cleaned. Make sure your gloves are in good shape and offer a sense of comfort.
Food
Anyone who has ever purchased lunch at the ski lodge knows just how expensive it can be. Packing your own lunch saves you money and gets you back on the slopes faster.
Know your way to the mountain before you hit the road and consider writing down directions if you know you’re heading into areas with spotty service. At the mountain, choose a designated meeting place in case the group becomes separated- a spot near the main lift often works well. Check the forecast and current conditions of the mountain. Many ski resorts will have live updates on the number of open trails and lifts.
| A．Routes and planning |
| B．Spots and conditions |
| C．If you are fully prepared |
| D．The more prepared you are |
| E．While bringing a bottle of water with you on the mountain isn’t recommended |
| F．Besides, long underwear goes a long way in keeping your legs warm and comfortable |
| G．If you are taking your skis onto the slope for the very first time, they may also need a fresh wax |
7 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses （球场） in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?| A．Cycling around a lake. |
| B．Motor racing in the desert. |
| C．Playing basketball in a gym. |
| D．Swimming in a sports center. |
| A．It is popular in Portugal and Spain. |
| B．It causes water shortages around the world. |
| C．It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes. |
| D．It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green. |
| A．it is an outdoor sport |
| B．it improves our health |
| C．it uses fewer resources |
| D．it is recommended by experts |
| A．show us the function of major sports |
| B．encourage us to go in for green sports |
| C．discuss the major influence of popular sports |
| D．introduce different types of environment-friendly sports |
1. Who wrote the story about a little boy and a little mouse?
| A．Bill Bosworth. | B．Michelle O. Donovan. |
| C．Dr. Joseph L. Rose. | D．Gloria Coykendall. |
| A．9781462031795 | B．9781412027854 |
| C．9780595433582 | D．9781462058679 |
| A．Those who are searching for the meaning of life. |
| B．Those who are trying to be spiritual leaders. |
| C．Those who study the art of writing. |
| D．Those who like traveling abroad. |
| A．Seeking the Edge. |
| B．Creation or Evolution. |
| C．Joshua, Helmut, and Bethlehem. |
| D．More Things in Heaven. |
You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday between 9 a.m and 8:30 p.m (3:30p.m on Saturday). There are 10 kilometers of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country. You will need a riding hat.
Opening hours: Monday through Friday:9:00a.m—8:30 p.m.
Phone: (412) 396—6754 Fax: (412)396—6752
Sailing Club:
Our Young Sailor’s Course leads to the Stage 1 Sailing qualification．You’ll learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid．Have fun with other course members , afterwards in the clubroom．There are 10 weekly two-hour 1essons (Tuesdays 6 p．m．—8 p．m．)．
Opening Hours：Tuesdays：6：00 p．m．—8：00 p．m．
Phone：(412)396—6644 Fax：(412)396—6644
Diving Centre:
Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need swimming costume and towel. Reduced rates for couples.
Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6∶30 p. m.—8∶30 p. m.
Phone: (412) 396—6312 Fax: (412) 396—6706
Medical Center:
The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university．The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems．Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation．Also，all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores．
Opening Hours：24 hour from Monday to Sunday
Phone：(412)396—6649 Fax：(412)396—6648
Watersports Club:
We are a two-kilometer length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing, A beginners’ course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently, but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with lessons all through the day.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00a.m. —4:00 p.m.
Phone: (412)396—6899 Fax: (412)396—6890
1. If you want to swim and enjoy activities which are fast and a bit dangerous, you should join _____ ．
| A．Watersports Club | B．Diving Centre | C．Sailing Club | D．Riding School |
| A．(412)396-6648 | B．(412)396-6754 | C．(412)396-6752 | D．(412)396-6890 |
| A．Watersports Club | B．Diving Center | C．Sailing Club | D．Riding School |
| A．Good equipment |
| B．Well trained staff members |
| C．Various less expensive medicines |
| D．Nursery for newly-born babies |
