1 . Here are some after-Christmas best sales happening online right now:
J. Crew
When it comes to big discounts on the most popular gifts of the year, J. Crew has been the go-to spot all season long. You can still save money on some favorite items.
Anthropologie
You can get an extra 40% off all sale products, and get an extra 30% off sale furniture at Anthropologie. Just head to the site or one of their store locations and see for yourself just how good it really gets.
Carter's
Right now at Carter's, you can get up to 70% off sale items for babies' and kids' clothes, and the savings are amazing. If you're trying to buy a few pajamas(睡衣), this sale is a great way to save on fashion for your little ones.
Levi's
Denim(牛仔衣)will never go out of style, and neither will saving huge amounts of money on it, which is why this big end-of-season sale at Levi's makes my fashion-loving heart screaming with delight. You can get up to 50% off select denim jeans, jackets, and so on from now until January. You can also get free shipping on orders over $100, which is always a win-win.
Prices were exact at the time this article was published but may change over time.
1. In which store can you get the most savings for babies' clothes?| A．J. Crew. | B．Anthropologie. | C．Carter's. | D．Levi's. |
| A．It sells pajamas. | B．It offers free shipping. |
| C．It gives more discounts. | D．Customers can bargain there. |
| A．They may be changeable. |
| B．They rise a lot with time. |
| C．They remain the same as before-Christmas. |
| D．They are different in online sales and stores. |
2 . Yesterday was my final day as an English language assistant in Paris. I have loved every single moment of my time teaching, and could not have asked for a better school, with the most wonderful students. When applying to be a language assistant. I was a little worried about what the students would be like.
Upon arrival, I found the easiest approach to creating lesson plans was to focus on what was happening right here and now. For example, when it was Halloween in the UK, I found plenty of brainchildren to help me teach my students all about the different cultures and traditions they do not have in France. They loved it! And now, seven months later, it's all over!
The whole experience has been amazing. I highly recommend being a language assistant. I don't want to become a teacher，and I didn't before I arrived, but the skills and experience I have gained from these entire seven months of working is indescribable. Now, I'm finding myself still walking down the street and having ideas pop into my mind and saying, “Oh! 1 can teach mv class about that next week!” It's very bizarre(异乎寻常的).
I think this first week of having no work and not needing to think of potential lesson plans will be the hardest，and it was surprisingly difficult to say goodbye to most of my classes. But deep down，I know that my time teaching in Paris has given me so much experience and a completely new outlook on how to communicate with younger people with different needs and learning styles.
1. Where did the author work as a teaching assistant?| A．In America. | B．In England. | C．In France. | D．In Canada. |
| A．Clever children. | B．Different assistants. |
| C．Successful experience. | D．Sudden good ideas. |
| A．The writer thought it useless. | B．The writer liked it very much. |
| C．The writer found it very strange. | D．The writer had no idea about it. |
| A．My Teaching Experience in Paris |
| B．An English Language Assistant in Paris |
| C．How to Communicate with Younger People |
| D．How to Become an Amazing Language Teacher |
3 . As online technology advanced, web sites, podcasts, and blogs became powerful sources of information that allowed everyone to stay updated on any subject imaginable. Although all of these information sources remain popular, there's a new king of media and it's online video.
There are many reasons why online video has increased suddenly over the past few years. The first is increasing data speeds. It wasn't until recently that people everywhere had fast enough online connections to enjoy high-definition （高清）videos. However, once faster Internet speeds were provided, people quickly fell in love with online videos. The second reason why online videos have become so popular is convenience. Watching videos requires less effort and energy than reading through paragraphs of text after a day of hard work. Videos also seem to provide more satisfaction, as people prefer to connect with people they can hear and see, as against the words of some author whom they know little about.
Advancing digital technology has also helped, as it has made sharing videos easier and more convenient than ever. High-powered smartphones and more affordable video cameras allow anyone to easily record an event or give a few comments about a scorching topic that is on their mind. Meanwhile, sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Ustream allow users to quickly upload their videos and share them with friends, family, and the general public if they wish.
Last but not least, advertising. Companies have made it easy for people to get rewarded for creating popular videos. Some people with large enough fan bases can even make a very wealthy living by uploading a few videos every week.
The future also looks bright for companies who post online video ads. In fact, new software allows them to watch viewers' emotional reactions to their content through the users' webcams （网络摄像机）.They'll be able to see whether users laugh, cry, or feel bored during videos, so they can adjust their ads. This should prove extremely helpful, as there will be millions of videos competing for viewers' attention.
1. Why do some people prefer watching videos to reading after work?| A．It helps them review the news. |
| B．It helps them get information with relative ease. |
| C．It provides them more information. |
| D．It helps them save time. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Future. | C．Hot. | D．Social. |
| A．It will enable them to better understand what customers enjoy. |
| B．It will let more viewers see the advertisements they make. |
| C．It will cause viewers to create more popular videos. |
| D．It will make people like their videos. |
| A．Online Video: The New King of Media |
| B．Online Technology is Developing Fast |
| C．Online Video: A New Advertising Trend |
| D．Online Technology is Closely Related to People |
4 . Earthquake rescue robots experienced their final tests in Beijing. Their designers said with these robots, rescuers would be able to buy more time to save lives during an earthquake.
This kind of robot looking like a helicopter is a flying robot. It’s about 3 meters long, and it took about 4 years to develop the model. Its main functions (功能) are to collect information from the air, and send goods of up to 30 kilos to people trapped by an earthquake. It has a high-definition 360-degree panoramic (全景的) camera. It can work day and night and is also able to send the latest pictures from the quake area.
Dr Qi Juntong, a researcher at Chinese Academy of Sciences, said, “The most important feature of this flying robot is that it doesn’t need a distant control. We just set the destination information on it, and then it takes off, and lands by itself. It flies as high as 3, 000 meters, and as fast as 100 kilometers per hour.
This robot has a different function—it can change as the environment changes. Its main job is to search for any signs of life in places where human rescuers are unable to go. As well as a detector (探测器) that finds victims and detects poisonous gases, a camera is placed in the 3-metre-long robot, which can work in the dark. Another use for the rescuers is the supply bot. With its 10-metre-long pipe, people who are trapped in the ruins will be able to get supplies including oxygen and liquids.
Experts have said that the robots would enter production and serve as part of the national earthquake rescue team as soon as possible.
1. What does Dr Qi Juntong think makes this robot mainly different from the others?| A．It has more functions. | B．It has a unique shape. |
| C．It has more advanced cameras. | D．It can work by itself once given the information. |
| A．A camera. | B．A detector. | C．A rescuer. | D．A supply. |
| A．It is carried by the helicopter. | B．It weighs about 30 kilos. |
| C．It is a machine with a length of 10 meters. | D．It hasn’t been put into production so far. |
| A．What the robot looks like. | B．An introduction to a robot. |
| C．How the robot is made. | D．Information about earthquakes. |
5 . Football is my favorite sport. I loved to watch it, but I had never played in a football game before I went to college. I lacked self－confidence and I doubted if I could do well in a team, which was why I hardly did sports together with others. I just loved practicing playing football in the backyard of my house.
About one month after I went to college, one day some of my classmates said they'd play a football game with some players of another class. I really looked forward to it but never thought I'd join them to play. That day finally came and I went to watch with my classmates. However, just about ten minutes after the game started, one member of our football team got injured and could no longer play. The other members looked worried. Then one of them came to me and asked, “Can you play?” At first, I shook my head, but then I nodded. “Great! Come and play,” he said. I followed him, having no idea at all what to do. To my joy, he asked me to play in defense (防守). Defense was my favorite because I found it more fun and less complicated (复杂的). Then the game began again. There weren't a lot of big kids on the offensive line (攻击线) of the other team and I suddenly gained some self－confidence. About five minutes later, the ball was kicked toward the guard. I thought it was a good opportunity for me. I quickly ran past the guard and got the ball. When the guard came to the offensive line, I kicked the ball. I scored and all my classmates cheered. You may not believe it, but I scored twice that time. The final score was 6—2 and we won. My teammates thought that I did very well and none of them believed I hadn't played in a game before.
That game really changed me. I am a really confident person now and often play football games with my teammates.
1. Why didn't the author play sports with others before?| A．He wasn't interested in sports. |
| B．He wasn't popular with others. |
| C．He couldn't afford time for sports. |
| D．He wasn't confident about his ability. |
| A．excited | B．boring |
| C．anxious | D．angry |
| A．got nervous about watching football games |
| B．decided to become a full－time football player |
| C．was considered the best football player at school |
| D．fell in love with joining others in playing football |
| A．My first football game. |
| B．My most unforgettable experience. |
| C．My way of finding self－confidence. |
| D．My way of scoring at football games. |
6 . Ancient China produced many types of beautiful works of art. Among them, calligraphy (书法), poetry (诗歌) and painting are the most famous. Often they would be put together in art.These became important starting with the Song dynasty.
Calligraphy is the art of handwriting. In the old times the Chinese considered writing as an important form of art. Calligraphers would practice for years to learn to write perfectly, but with style. Each of the over 40,000 characters (汉字) needed to be written correctly. And each stroke (笔画) in a character had to be written in a certain order.
Poetry is also an important form of art. Great poets were famous all over the country, and all educated people were expected to write poetry. During the Tang dynasty poetry was so important that writing poetry was part of the examinations to become a civil servant (文官)and work for the government.
Chinese painting is often connected with calligraphy. It is one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world. The most traditional way of Chinese painting is known as “national painting” or “native painting” which is quite different from Western painting. People can draw mountains, buildings, birds, trees and water.
1. Calligraphers needed to write over _____ characters correctly in the old times.| A．10,000 | B．20,000 | C．30,000 | D．40,000 |
| A．Painting. | B．Calligraphy. | C．Writing poetry. | D．Playing music. |
| A．Calligraphy, poetry, and painting are the most famous works of art in ancient China. |
| B．The strokes of each character can be written in any order. |
| C．Poetry is an important form of art like calligraphy. |
| D．Chinese painting is often connected with calligraphy. |
| A．Chinese art. | B．Chinese examinations. |
| C．Chinese history. | D．Chinese dynasties. |
7 . Things you need to notice before travelling
Luggage
We ask you to keep what you bring with you down to one medium-sized suitcase per person on board the bus.
Seat Arrangements (安排)
Special needs for particular seats can be made on most bus breaks when booking, but since arrangements are made on a first-come-first-served basis, early booking is advisable. When bookings are made with us, you will be offered the best seats we have on the bus at that time.
Travel Documents
When you have paid your deposit (定金), we will send you all the necessary documents (文件), so that you receive them in good time before setting off. Certain documents, for example air or boat tickets, may have to be kept and your driver or guide will then give them to you at the proper time.
Special Diets
If you need a special diet, you must tell us at the time of booking and provide us with a copy of the diet. This will be passed on to the hotel or hotels on your bus break. However, on certain bus breaks, the hotels used are tourist class and they may not be able to prepare special diets. Any extra costs must be paid to the hotel yourself before leaving the hotel.
Programs
Some of our hotels arrange extra programs which include music, dancing and film shows, etc. They are all offered by the hotel, but not sure.
1. Your air tickets ________.| A．will be held by your bus driver until you need them |
| B．will be sent to you at your departure point |
| C．will be kept by yourself |
| D．will be given to you with other documents |
| A．tell the hotel when you arrive | B．pay extra money |
| C．book a tourist class hotel | D．tell the bus company when booking |
| A．offered by the bus company | B．offered by the hotel at any time |
| C．an extra offer, so extra money must be paid | D．offered by the hotel, but may not run |
8 . Meat and vegetables are measured in grams and kilograms. Milk and other liquid foods are measured in liters or milliliters. These units only measure quantity: they do not measure the value of the food to the body. The unit which measures the quality or value of food is the calorie(热量单位：卡). This measurement tells how much energy a certain food has when it is completely used by the body.
Our bodies use various amount of calories. The more exercise we take, the more calories we burn. If we eat food which contains more calories than we use up, then it is possible that we would increase in weight. In order to avoid becoming overweight, it is advisable to eat a balanced diet and not to eat too many foods that have more calories. The table below gives you some idea of the number of calories in food.
| Meats | Fruits | Sweets and Pastries | Vegetables |
| Slice of bacon 50 | Apple 70 | Small chocolate bar 190 | 60g bean 15 |
| Hamburger 300 | Orange 60 | Large chocolate bar 225 | 60g carrot 18 |
| Slice of beef 100 | Pear 80 | Slice apple pie 300 | 60g potato 60 |
| Sausage 180 | Banana 80 | Doughnut 200 | 60g onion 25 |
| Meat pie 500 | Plum 20 | Scoop of ice cream 85 | 60g cucumber 10 |
| Sausage roll 350 | Tomato 20 | Bag of potato crisps 145 | 60g cabbage 15 |
1. Which is the best title of this passage?
| A．The units of measurement. | B．How to measure the quality of food. |
| C．How to keep fit | D．Calories in foods. |
| A．6. | B．7. | C．5. | D．8 |
| A．chocolate | B．meat pies | C．apple pies | D．fruit |
| A．When we sleep. | B．While watching a play. |
| C．While working in the fields. | D．After getting up. |
9 . A holiday is any day when people lay aside their ordinary duties and cares. The word came from Old English. At first, holidays honored some holy events or persons. People in Great Britain and other countries speak of holidays as Americans speak of vacations.
Every nation has its special holidays. China observes New Year’s Day(January 1), May Day and National Day as it was on Oct.1, 1949 that the People’s Republic of China was founded as legal（法定的） holidays. The Chinese have long celebrated the Chinese lunar year. In the United States, Congress has declared several days as legal holidays such as New Year’s Day(January 1), Martin Luther King, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and so on. Some holidays celebrate special events in the development of a country, such as Greece’s Independence Day and Italy’s Liberation Day.
In the United States, banks and school usually close on a legal holiday. When such a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is usually observed. Schools and organizations often observe days known as traditional holidays, although schools and business do not close then. Those holidays include Valentine’s Day and Halloween.
1. From the passage we know that China’s National Day is on ________ .| A．January 1 | B．October 1 | C．May 1 | D．June 1 |
| A．celebrates | B．spends | C．cares | D．praises. |
| A．China’s National Day. | B．Italy’s Liberation Day. |
| C．Valentine’s Day. | D．Independence Day. |
| A．Sunday | B．the following Sunday |
| C．the following Monday | D．the following Tuesday |
10 . Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizers are encouraging people living in Japan to help make the medals for the games by donating(捐赠)their useless smart phones for recycling.It will avoid waste and benefit the environment.
The organizing committee says that it has cooperated with NTT Docomo,a telecommunications giant in Japan,and hopes to collect up to 8 tons of metal from useless electronic devices(设备).
“Tokyo 2020 Olympic medals will be made in order to avoid waste,”said three-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Kohei Uchimura.“I think thereis an important message in this for future generations.”
Collection boxes will be put in more than 2,400 NTT Docomo stores throughout Japan.The organizing committee says that millions of smart phones will be needed to hit the 8-ton target－enough to make 5,000 medals.Collection will stop when the target has been reached.
“The weight of a medal around your neck is always a good weight,”says American former athlete Ashton Eaton,a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder.“And when an athlete at Tokyo wins a medal,the weight of it will not be from the gold,silver or bronze;it will be the weight of a nation.The great project makes me want to come out of retirement and compete for one.”
Previous(先前的)Olympic Games have used recycled metal to make medals,but Tokyo 2020 will be the first to choose materials from useless electronic devices.Organizers claim that all gold medals will be made 100 percent from recycled materials.
“We are asking people to recycle voluntarily,”says Hidemasa Nakamura,the chief financial officer of the 2020 Games.“The idea is recycling and sustainability(可持续),which shows the ideas of the Olympic Movement,it is also about participation.”
1. Useless smart phones are collected because of.| A．the idea to reduce waste |
| B．the demand of many athletes |
| C．the pressure from lack of metal |
| D．the competition from other countries |
| A．Go to the community where you live. |
| B．Visit an NTT Docomo store in Japan. |
| C．Write to one of the public offices. |
| D．Contact the Olympic organizers. |
| A．He will join in the 2020 Olympics. |
| B．He thinks gold medals are very important. |
| C．He focuses on the weight of medals. |
| D．He thinks highly of the recycled medals. |
| A．It will be the first to make medals by recycling metal. |
| B．It will make more medals than previous Olympics. |
| C．It will make medals from recycled electronic devices. |
| D．It will require more volunteers to promote recycling. |
