1 . Coca-Cola is probably the most famous brand in the world, and in some areas you can even access it easier than clean drinkable water. Although the company is trying to present itself as a health-conscious company, you can’t really say that drinking cola is healthy for you. Still, we all drink cola, some more and some less, and we tell ourselves that it’s all okay as long as we don’t overdo it. However, Coca-Cola has other functions besides drinking.
Cola removes the tarnish (暗锈) from old pennies. Got some old rusty (生锈的) pennies? Don’t worry! Put them inside a glass of cola and let them rest for a while. When you get them out, you’ll have shiny pennies that will look as if they were coined a couple of days ago. If you couldn’t clean those pennies with industrial acids (酸), just buy a can of cola and let it do its magic!
You can remove gum from your hair with cola. If you’ve got gum stuck in your hair and don’t know a better way to get it out, don’t worry, you won’t have to cut it. Just pour some cola into a bowl and dip the part of your hair with gum on it inside. Leave it for a couple of minutes and then simply wipe off the gum.
You can make an exploding fountain (喷泉). You probably know about this one. You can make an exploding fountain by putting a mint (薄荷糖) inside a two-liter bottle. Then move away from the bottle and get ready for a Coca-Cola explosion (爆炸). This is a fun thing to do, but it is also a warning — don’t eat a mint and drink cola at the same time, because a similar thing could happen to your stomach.
1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 imply?| A．The expense of Coca-Cola is low. | B．Coca-Cola enjoys great popularity. |
| C．Coca-Cola is safe for people to drink. | D．Coca-Cola is harder to get than drinkable water. |
| A．Make pennies shiny. | B．Destroy the gum. |
| C．Improve people’s hair. | D．Take the place of acids. |
| A．It can cause harm to our stomach. |
| B．It might make our stomach smaller. |
| C．Mints with cola will produce heat. |
| D．The mint will release poisonous substances (有毒物质). |
| A．The major ingredients (原料) of Coca-Cola. |
| B．Why we can’t drink Coca-Cola too often. |
| C．Some of the strangest uses of Coca-Cola. |
| D．Why Coca-Cola is popular among the young. |
2 . My folks bought their first house in the early 1940s after Dad got a better job in Marquette, Michigan. We lived just inside the city limits in what was still a rural area.
In the spring of 1948, when I was 6 years old, my parents bought a calf (小牛) to replace our cow, which had been killed the year before. So one day we drove to a local farm and returned with a white and brown calf we named Tubby.
We didn’t own a truck, so Tubby rode home in the backseat of Dad’s car with my 9-year-old brother, Steve and me. As you can imagine, the trip was a lot of fun for us kids.
Later that summer, Mom thought it would be cute to take a picture of me sitting on Tubby’s back. All went well until the flashlight of the camera sent Tubby charging off on a run, with me holding on for dear life and my heart pulled to my throat.
I lasted for about 30 feet before I hit the ground. Mom was quick enough to shoot a follow-up picture, so we had photos of me both on and off Tubby!
When summer had passed, the day arrived for poor Tubby to fill our freezer (冰柜). I must have been somewhere else with my mom on the fateful (决定性的) day, because I have no memory of what happened. All I knew was that the barn (畜棚) was empty, and that we had plenty of meat for dinners.
I hadn’t lived on the farm like my mother, so I didn’t understand that what had happened to Tubby was not unusual. Livestock (家畜) aren’t meant to be pets, and most farm kids know and accept the truth.
Whenever we had beef for dinner, I would tearfully ask, “Is this Tubby?” This went on for a couple of months until Dad had enough and declared, “No more cows!” That made me feel better about poor Tubby.
1. Why did the parents buy Tubby?| A．To raise it for meat. | B．To produce enough milk for the kids. |
| C．To keep the kids company. | D．To have Tubby help with farm work. |
| A．The writer witnessed Tubby killed. |
| B．The writer felt happy to see the freezer filled with meat. |
| C．The writer’s mother thought it natural to kill Tubby for meat. |
| D．The writer felt excited on Tubby’s back when it was running off. |
| A．Sad. | B．Thankful. | C．Moved. | D．Hopeless. |
3 . When my son Gene was about 12 years old, I started helping him learn to
After several weeks’ successful work, I began to
Then I asked him if he had
I was just astonished at the question in my own
| A．work | B．cook | C．count | D．share |
| A．play | B．raise | C．train | D．observe |
| A．save | B．keep | C．buy | D．borrow |
| A．nest | B．feed | C．meat | D．soup |
| A．given back | B．brought in | C．picked up | D．left over |
| A．satisfied | B．cautious | C．excited | D．worried |
| A．fortune | B．choice | C．deal | D．contribution |
| A．hear | B．affect | C．predict | D．notice |
| A．said | B．reminded | C．thought | D．criticized |
| A．private | B．enough | C．pocket | D．much |
| A．missed | B．finished | C．enjoyed | D．wasted |
| A．appreciating | B．bearing | C．gathering | D．laying |
| A．balanced | B．measured | C．reduced | D．increased |
| A．delighted | B．shocked | C．confused | D．disappointed |
| A．forgive | B．accept | C．research | D．know |
| A．silence | B．discussion | C．negotiation | D．absence |
| A．fewer | B．less | C．more | D．fresher |
| A．life | B．case | C．mind | D．job |
| A．explanation | B．example | C．significance | D．trick |
| A．actually | B．instead | C．rather | D．finally |
4 . Love your parents
Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling （满意的）part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part a source of who you are. Here are some ways to love your parents.
Respect them more and cherish（珍惜）these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, journal about your feelings, or talk to a friend.
Obey their requests. It will make your attitude better and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes.
Keep company with them. Do things with your parents like watching TV, or go somewhere with them.
Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. .
| A．There can be realistic reasons for this, family violence for example. |
| B．Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. |
| C．Tell them you love them every morning. |
| D．Forgiveness is the key. |
| E．Parents will turn express their love to you. |
| F．After this, share your feelings with your parents. |
| G．Please remember parents are as important as friends. |
5 . Procrastinators (拖延症患者)，take note: If you’ve tried building self-control and you’re still putting things off, maybe you need to try something different. One new approach: Check your mood.
Often, procrastinators attempt to avoid the anxiety or worry aroused by a tough task with activities aimed at repairing their mood, such as checking Facebook or taking a nap. But the pattern, which researchers call “giving in to feel good,” makes procrastinators feel worse later, when they face the consequences of missing a deadline or making a last-minute effort, says Timothy Pychyl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University.
Increasingly, psychologists and time-management consultants are focusing on a new strategy: helping procrastinators see how attempts at mood repair are destroying their efforts and learn to control their emotions in more productive ways.
The new approach is based on several studies in the past two years showing that negative emotions can damage attempts at self-control. It fills a gap among established time-management methods, which stress behavioral changes such as adopting a new organizing system or doing exercises to build willpower.
Researchers have come up with a playbook of strategies to help procrastinators turn mood repair to their advantage. Some are tried-and-true classics: Dr. Pychyl advises procrastinators to just get started, and make the doorstep for getting started quite low. “Procrastinators are more likely to put the technique to use when they understand how mood repair works,” says Dr. Pychyl, author of a 2013 book, “Solving the Procrastination Puzzle.” He adds,“A real motive power comes from doing what we intend to do—the things that are important to us.”
He also advises procrastinators to practice “time travel”—projecting themselves into the future to imagine the good feelings they will have after finishing a task, or the bad ones they will have if they don’t. This cures procrastinators’ tendency to get so stuck in present anxieties and worries that they fail to think about the future.
Another mood-repair strategy, self-forgiveness, is aimed at dismissing the self-blame. University freshmen who forgave themselves for procrastinating on studying for the first exam in a course procrastinated less on the next exam, according to a recent study led by Michael Wohl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton.
Thomas Flint learned about the technique by reading research on self-control, including studies by Dr. Sirois and Dr. Pychyl. He put it to use after his family moved recently to a new house. Instead of beating himself up for failing to unpack all the boxes gathered in his garage right away, Mr. Flint decided to forgive himself and start with a single step. I’d say, "OK, I’m going to take an hour, with a goal of getting the TV set up, and that's it, he says; then he watched a TV show as a reward. Allowing himself to do the task in stages, he says, is “a victory.”
1. What does Timothy Pychyl mean by mentioning the “giving in to feel good” practice in Paragraph 2?| A．It probably does more harm than good. |
| B．It prevents procrastinators from giving up. |
| C．It helps procrastinators meet the deadline. |
| D．It effectively drives away anxiety and worry. |
| A．Sticking to one’s intention. |
| B．Doing things that really matter. |
| C．Getting started from a low doorstep. |
| D．Learning important techniques of mood repair. |
| A．To make their future plan more practical. |
| B．To accelerate the speed of finishing the task. |
| C．To stop people from worrying about their travel. |
| D．To free people from the present negative emotions. |
| A．Self-blame prevents students from putting things off. |
| B．Procrastinators are still able to get good scores in exams. |
| C．University freshmen can get rid of procrastination easily. |
| D．Self-forgiveness is an effective way to cure procrastination. |
6 . It always seemed like having traditions was a good thing. They create
The kids were excited as we pulled the freshly
Our hearts seemed to
Years later when my daughter Darla was home from college she
Then during the laughter Darla suddenly got very
Then I
My daughter taught me life’s very important
| A．wonders | B．imaginations | C．memories | D．interests |
| A．took over | B．put out | C．turned down | D．set up |
| A．cut | B．bought | C．grown | D．decorated |
| A．unless | B．before | C．while | D．though |
| A．whisper | B．swing | C．talk | D．dance |
| A．amazement | B．curiosity | C．excitement | D．anxiety |
| A． admire | B． treasure | C．evaluate | D．explore |
| A． hesitated | B．refused | C．pretended | D． offered |
| A．disappointed | B．regretful | C．grateful | D． puzzled |
| A．lasting | B．unique | C． unusual | D． pleasant |
| A．feature | B．schedule | C．celebration | D． souvenir |
| A． serious | B．depressed | C．annoyed | D．quiet |
| A．language | B．shape | C．image | D．expression |
| A．casually | B．shyly | C．humorously | D．gently |
| A．ever | B．yet | C．never | D．just |
| A．explained | B．realized | C．admitted | D．remembered |
| A．comfort | B．hurt | C．understand | D．express |
| A．silently | B．roughly | C．gradually | D．unfairly |
| A．patience | B．desire | C．love | D．determination |
| A．knowledge | B．inspiration | C．technique | D．lesson |
7 . Yao Ming was born in Shanghai in 1980. At 229 centimeters, he was the third tallest player in NBA history. Yao made his first appearance in the NBA during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He surprised many critics with his first games, and was fast becoming an international fan favorite, as he broke Michael Jordan’s record for votes (投票) received. In July 2011 Yao announced his retirement from the NBA due to frequent problems in his left foot.
He continuously works to raise awareness of endangered species and even went as far as to stop using shark fin soup at his wedding in 2007. Yao has been saying no to shark fin soup since 2006 when he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador (亲善大使) for wildlife protection. “Shark’s are friends of human beings. They are not our food.” Since his retirement he has become a surprise international force in the field of wildlife protection, and he is using his fame to tell us the difficulties faced by sharks.
Most recently he went to Houston Zoo, as part of his continuing effort to educate young people about the importance of wildlife protection. He is part of a large campaign (运动) by the wildlife protection charity WildAid, and has traveled through Africa to see and document the difficulties facing elephants and rhinos in the wild. With elephant and rhinoceros poaching (偷猎) on the rise, Yao also said, “When the buying stops, the killing can too. Get rid of the demand for rhino horn and ivory right at the source. That’s what I want to do.”
Although Yao is not the first Chinese player in the NBA, it could be argued that he is the most important one, not just for his taking part in charity and wildlife protection work. He built a bridge between two completely different worlds and introduced millions to the Chinese way of life, and the American lifestyle separately.
1. The first paragraph mainly tells us ____________.| A．the history of MBA | B．how high Yao Ming is |
| C．the life of Michael Jordan | D．Yao Ming’s basketball life |
| A．Because shark fin soup is not food. |
| B．Because he wants to set a good example. |
| C．Because sharks are not endangered species |
| D．Because shark fin soup is too expensive for him. |
| A．The demand for wildlife leads to killing. |
| B．He wants to appeal to others to stop illegal selling. |
| C．WildAid plays an important role in wildlife protection. |
| D．Young people make a difference in wildlife protection. |
| A．The first Chinese player in the NBA |
| B．A super basketball star -- Yao Ming |
| C．Yao Ming and his wildlife protection |
| D．When the buying stops, the killing can too |
8 . These people are studying English. However, they are now facing some problems.
I am Pablo. I work 50 hours a week as a taxi driver, so I talk to people all day. They understand me, but I know I make a lot of mistakes. No one corrects me. My vocabulary is strong. Grammar is my problem. I'm trying to change little by little. For example, I don't use the past tense (时态). I always say, “I drive him to the office this morning” instead of “I drove him to the office this morning”. |
My name is Maria Luisa. I'm teaching myself English, and I'm good at grammar. However, it's really difficult to find ways to practice English. I live in an area where everyone speaks my language. My neighbors and friends speak Spanish. I can speak Spanish in the supermarket and at the post office. |
I am Li Ping. I understand the grammar and the readings in my class and I think my writing is good, but I'm very nervous when I speak English. I don't want to make any mistakes because I'm afraid people will think that I'm stupid. Also, my pronunciation isn't good. When I speak, people often say, “What? Say that again”. |
I am Yoshi. I have been in the United States for one year. I'm studying hard and I know grammar well, but the vocabulary is very difficult. When I listen, I don't understand many of the words. When I try to read, there are three or four new words in every sentence. I feel discouraged. |
| A．Pablo. | B．Maria Luisa. | C．Li Ping. | D．Yoshi. |
| A．Try to have a wide vocabulary. | B．Develop a good knowledge of grammar. |
| C．Read as many English books as possible. | D．Make friends with Englishspeaking people. |
| A．She can't pronounce words in English correctly. | B．She speaks at a very fast speed. |
| C．Her grammar is terrible. | D．Her voice is very low. |
9 . Very few of us become fluent in another language by studying it in high school.
I made a (an)
After I was
While I’d always considered myself as a quick
Now, a couple of
But most of all, I’ve learned that it really is never too late to learn something new.
1.| A．effort | B．offer | C．mistake | D．appointment |
| A．disgusting | B．pointless | C．cheerful | D．simple |
| A．worst | B．hardest | C．least | D．best |
| A．stay | B．improve | C．decline | D．disappear |
| A．dropped in at | B．took part in | C．paid attention to | D．signed up for |
| A．tested | B．expected | C．requested | D．forced |
| A．advanced | B．middle | C．special | D．introductory |
| A．bothered | B．struck | C．moved | D．scared |
| A．ever | B．even | C．also | D．still |
| A．listener | B．trainer | C．learner | D．interviewer |
| A．absorbed | B．prepared | C．employed | D．noticed |
| A．come back | B．turn up | C．break off | D．slip away |
| A．passages | B．words | C．meanings | D．tips |
| A．months | B．weeks | C．years | D．days |
| A．conversation | B．quarrel | C．speech | D．presentation |
| A．arrange | B．show | C．accomplish | D．trust |
| A．courage | B．time | C．money | D．chance |
| A．mutual | B．renewed | C．poor | D．familiar |
| A．hardly | B．occasionally | C．suddenly | D．completely |
| A．listening | B．relaxing | C．thinking | D．doubting |
The very next day, I grabbed my camera and a bottle of water and set off to spend a few hours walking in a nature reserve, even though it was pouring with rain. Within a couple of minutes I felt alive again. To be honest, I felt like a young school girl again and had to stop myself from hopping along the path singing, "I'm singing in the rain", a song I used to sing when I was a child. I think as adults we often try too hard to control our inner children and as a result we limit our own spirits, which only leads to depression and stress.
Interestingly, it has been shown that people who spend 40 minutes walking in a nature reserve have a drop in their blood pressure levels, but this does not happen when they spend a similar amount of time walking in a busy city center.
If you feel a little low in spirit and know that you have spent too much time indoors, relax completely, remove your shoes and let your inner child come out and play.
1. The reason why the author felt depressed is that_______.
| A．she was afraid she couldn’t finish her work on time |
| B．she spent too much time indoors in front of her computer |
| C．her every waking hour was consumed by the project |
| D．the project was very important to her |
| A．adults should express their inner feelings freely |
| B．depression is usually caused by hard work |
| C．walking in a busy city center harms people's health |
| D．a bath can make people relaxed |
| A．explanation | B．warning |
| C．introduction | D．reminder |
