1 . What kind of amusing activities will you participate in during your life? Will you be spending your free time doing safe sports with little danger or will you always be one of the first people to try the next popular extreme activity? Scientists have been interested in finding out why some people seem to prefer dangerous activities.

Although there are exceptions, researchers have found that in most cases men are less cautious than women. Men often try to impress women by proving that they are courageous and fearless, and they are more likely to take risks when women are watching them or when they are competing against other men.

Research also shows that as people get older they usually behave more responsibly and avoid taking unnecessary risks. In addition, when people are in stable relationships, they seem to be less attracted to daring activities.

Some people seem to be more daring than others, but there are many different types of risks and some people take one type of risk, but not another Psychologists have identified a number of categories of risk. These include financial risks, risks related to health and safety, amusing risks and social risks. Psychologists discover that some people will take risks in one area, but not in another. Just if a person enjoys bungee (蹦极) jumping, it doesn't mean he or she will take chances when investing (投资) money or that he will tell a joke to a group of strangers.

Interestingly, research shows that women take more social risks than men. They are more likely to make career changes as they get older and to express unpopular opinions in business meetings.

Yet, at the end of the day, the likelihood of particular people taking a risk depends on their personalities. In general, optimistic people are more likely to take risks because they focus on the possible positive outcomes of their actions. On the other hand, those with opposite personality are much more likely to avoid taking a chance.

1. What have researchers discovered about women?

A．They are always changing jobs.	B．They are good at doing business.
C．They are more willing to take risks.	D．They are more conservative than men.

2. Why do men try to prove they are brave?

A．To attract women to watch them.	B．To have favorable effects on women.
C．To announce risks are too dangerous.	D．To show their strength to the competitor.

3. What mainly determine whether people take risks possibly?

A．The potential consequences.	B．Their characters.
C．Their problems of finance.	D．The focuses of their work.

4. What is the text mainly talking about?

A．People's sense of taking risks.	B．Risks at people's different ages.
C．Different types of people's risks.	D．Risks between men and women.

2 . One day, a little monkey and a little fox went out to play. They saw an apple tree on the other side of the river. There were many big and red apples on it. But there was no bridge over the river. The monkey thought hard and had an idea. They pulled down a tree and put it over the river as a bridge.

The monkey said, “My old friend, you go there first.” But after the fox went to the other side, he kicked(踢) the tree into the river and ran to the apple tree. “How can I get there without the tree?” cried the monkey. The fox laughed and said, “You just stand there and watch me eating the apples.” The monkey was very angry.

Suddenly it began to rain. The water level(水位) in the river rose（上涨） and tree flew away with the water.

“You can eat all the apples. But you can’t come back,” shouted the monkey.

The fox stopped eating and looked at the monkey sadly.

1. The little monkey and the little fox wanted to _____ on the other side of the river.

A．build a bridge	B．eat the apples
C．pull down a tree	D．play games

2. The fox kicked the tree into the river because he wanted to _____.

A．eat all the apples by himself	B．share the apples with the monkey
C．get the apples first	D．play a joke on the monkey

3. The fox could not come back because _____.

A．the monkey had taken away the tree	B．he was angry with the monkey
C．it began to rain	D．the tree had flown away

3 . Unlike China, where the majority of society belongs to the Han ethnic group, the United States is home to people from many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, creating great diversity within its lively society.

However, historical events that created this diversity also led to racial disputes and prejudice that have lasted until today. Around days like Martin Luther King Day, people in the US are especially sensitive to racist comments and behavior.

Recently, a Facebook message posted by a white student at my boarding school started a wave of anger among African American students and started heated conversations about minority groups at the school.

The students posted an article written by someone else who stated that Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general during the US Civil War, should be commemorated(纪念). As the Confederates broke from the Union in order to keep slavery in their states, they were usually seen as racists. The post received a flood of comments from both white and black students within minutes, and conversation about the topic spread across campus quickly.

A fishbowl conversation was organized the evening the article was posted, and students and faculty (学院) members talked about their feelings and opinions. During the discussion, students from minority groups, including African American, Jewish, Asian and Indian students, spoke up about how they felt about living in a society mainly made up of people who are different from them. It turned out that many people felt isolated because of their differences from other people.

The diversity of society can open up interesting opportunities, but the great differences between people can also create huge gaps and misunderstandings if they are not treated carefully. Thus, effective communication is essential.

After the fishbowl conversation, the atmosphere in the school seemed to be changing, at least from my point of view. Students seemed to be talking and acting more freely than before, and the expressions of judgement were seen less on their faces.

1. The main purpose of Paragraph 1 is to ______.

A．draw attention to the fact that racial problems still exist in America.

B．show that the United States has a wonderfully diverse culture.

C．explain how sensitive people in the US are to racist comments and behavior.

D．point out the differences between American culture and those of other countries.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE? ______.

A．The post was offensive to black students.

B．The post was aimed at African American students.

C．The author of he post was strongly in favor of slavery.

D．The author of the post held a negative attitude toward minority groups.

3. According to the article, the fishbowl conversation was held mainly to ______.

A．figure out whether the article should be posted or not.

B．educate students on how to express their opinions appropriately.

C．improve the lives of people who belongs to minority groups on campus.

D．get people to communicate how they felt and thought about the post.

4. What did the author learn from the incident? ______.

A．We should learn to live with others’ differences.

B．We should always feel free to share our feelings.

C．Effective communication is very important in a diverse society.

D．If there is no difference, then there is no misunderstanding.

4 . Body language is the “silence language” of every culture. It is important to know the body language of every country, or we may be misunderstood.

In the United States, people greet each other with a handshake in a formal introduction. The handshake must be firm. If the handshake is weak, it is a sign of weakness or unfriendliness. Friends may place a hand on the other’s arm or shoulder. Some people, usually women, greet a friend with a hug.

Space is important to Americans. When two people talk to each other, they usually stand about two or a half feet away and at an angle, so they are not facing each other directly. Americans get uncomfortable when a person stands too close. They will move back to have their space. If Americans touch another person by accident, they say “Pardon me” or “Excuse me”.

Americans like to look the other person in the eye when they are talking. If you don’t do so, it means you are bored, hiding something, or are not interested. But when you stare at someone, it is not polite.

Learning a culture’s body language is sometimes confusing. If you don’t know what to do, the safest thing to do is to smile.

1. Suppose you are meeting a customer from United States, how will you greet him?

A．Greet him with a hug	B．Stare at him
C．Place a hand on his arm	D．Shake his hand firmly

2. If you stand too close to Americans, they will ________.

A．face you directly	B．move back
C．Say “Pardon me”	D．stare at you

3. Which of the following statements is True according to the text?

A．Americans stand side by side when talking with friends.

B．Americans show their respect by shaking hands weakly.

C．Americans say “Excuse me” to each other when talking.

D．Americans like to look the other person in the eye when talking.

4. If you know nothing about a culture’s body language, you can ________.

A．listen carefully with no expression	B．hide your opinions
C．smile	D．stare at others

5 . An earthquake is one of the most common natural disasters． It may cause great damage． So it is wise to learn some simple safety tips to protect yourself or your family members．

Fragile items， like those made of glass should usually be placed on a lower surface， near the ground instead of placing them on cupboards higher up． Never place them near your bed， sofas and other furniture where you would be sitting or lying down． When there is a strong movement，these pieces will fall on the floor directly and not on you．

There is a strong chance of short circuits （短路） and fire breakouts during an earthquake． Make sure you turn off electrical connections and gas immediately when an earthquake happens．

During an earthquake， lie beneath an object that is not easily damaged． Do not go near objects that could directly fall on you． Never use the elevator to go down． Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside． Research has shown that most injuries happen when people inside buildings try to go out． Use the staircases at all times．

If you are outdoors， do not take shelter under a tree， streetlights， electric poles or tall buildings． If you are driving， stop your car and stay in a safe place． Do not park your car under a tree or any tall object．

If trapped in debris （瓦砾堆）， cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing． Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can find you． Use a whistle （哨子） if one is available． Never shout for help． Shouting can cause you to breathe in dangerous amounts of dust． Do not light a match because you may burn yourself． Do not move about or kick up dust．

1. The purpose of the passage is to tell readers ．

A．the damage caused by earthquakes

B．the rescue work after earthquakes

C．what to do about earthquakes

D．how to prevent earthquakes

2. The underlined word "Fragile" in Paragraph 2 probably means ．

A．easily broken

B．easily found

C．expensive

D．heavy

3. During the earthquake， people are advised to ．

A．go out the building at once

B．turn off power and gas immediately

C．take shelter under a tree

D．drive to a safe place

4. What should people NOT do when they are trapped in debris？

A．Cover their mouth with a handkerchief．

B．Tap on a pipe or wall for help．

C．Use a whistle for help．

D．Light a fire for help．

5. If you are driving， what should you do in the earthquake？

A．take shelter under a tree

B．stop your car and stay in a safe place

C．park your car under a tree

D．park your car under a tall object

6 . Many people have tried to simplify （简化） the spelling of English words． Unlike other languages， English sometimes spells the same sounds in very different ways． For example， there is "light" but "white"，"loan"but"phone" ，and there are at least seven different ways of pronouncing "ough"： "though"， "through"， "bough"， "cough"， "enough"， "ought" and"thorough"．

The American President Theodore Roosevelt almost succeeded in simplifying English spelling． In 1906， Andrew Carnegie started the Simplified Spelling Board． He was one of the richest men in the United States of America． The board's plan was to make the spelling of words nearer to the way they sound． For example， the word "though" would be spelt "tho" and "through" would become "thru"． Other people on the board were Melvil Dewey， the head of the New York libraries， and Professor Brander Matthews of Columbia University． They explained their idea to President Roosevelt， who thought that it was indeed logical． He immediately asked the government printer to use simplified spelling in all government letters．

But people didn't like the change， even if it made life easier． So the new simpler spelling was not popular． More importantly， when the American politicians （政客） discussed the plan， they did not like it either． Because Roosevelt did not want to have any problems with the politicians， he changed his mind and told the printer to go back to the old way of spelling．

Since then no one in any government has dared to simplify English spelling． However， people do simplify some words， mainly in advertisements． For example， we often see "tonite"instead of"tonight"and"thru"instead of"through"．

1. Many people have tried to simplify English spelling because ．

A．English words are too long to remember

B．there are many mistakes in English words

C．lots of words are spelt in many different ways

D．sometimes the same sounds have different spellings

2. Who is NOT a member of the Simplified Spelling Board？

A．Andrew Carnegie．

B．Melvil Dewey．

C．Theodore Roosevelt．

D．Brander Matthews．

3. What was Theodore Roosevelt's attitude towards simplified spelling？

A．Worried．

B．Supportive．

C．Uncertain．

D．Doubtful．

4. Roosevelt's plan to simplify English spelling ．

A．failed in the end

B．proved quite successful

C．won wide support

D．influenced English greatly

5. Why did Theodore Roosevelt told the printer to go back to the old way of spelling？

A．Because people didn't like the change．

B．Because politicians did not like the new simpler spelling．

C．Because Roosevelt did not want to have any problems with the politicians．

D．Because Roosevelt did not like the new simpler spelling．

7 . Many years ago mathematics was my enemy． I was afraid of it and I hated it so much that you could not imagine．

Then came a new teacher to our village． On the first day， he entered the classroom with huge steps， reached the blackboard in a few seconds， and wrote his name on the blackboard． Some letters were in higher places and some were in lower places； some were as big as the board itself and some were so small that we had to open our eyes a lot to see them； some were wide enough， but on the other hand some were too thin．

As he turned around， the class suddenly became still and silent， trying to make out what it was． As we read his name， we were all smiling， no laughing out loud． Soon we realized that he had a special and lasting sense of humor and we began to learn mathematics in a relaxed and happy mood （心情）．

As for my mathematics study， the barriers（障碍） began to turn into pieces， and the fear began to disappear slowly． What was dark and colorless suddenly became exciting， challenging， interesting and above all simply fun．There was some humor added to every sum （算术） and there was fun in every problem．

Thanks to this special teacher， math became the most enjoyable subject to me．

1. The writer thought mathematics was very before he met the new math teacher．

A．interesting

B．easy

C．boring

D．challenging

2. The underlined phrase "make out" in Paragraph 3 means " "．

A．see

B．hear

C．write

D．feel

3. The writer became interested in math because of ．

A．his parents

B．his teacher

C．his classmates

D．his friends

4. What did the math teacher write on the blackboard？

A．His name

B．A picture

C．A word

D．A sentence

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

A．A teacher made math fun

B．First day of my school

C．Math teacher's handwriting

D．The way to learn math

8 . It is a long time since I took up teaching. During my teaching career, I often ask my students to read the text until they can recite them, and I tell them that recitation is an important part of their homework. However, some of my students are tired of doing so, thinking that it is both hard and useless. They argue that it takes a long time to recite a text from memory and text itself never appears in a test paper.

In my opinion, it does take time to recite a text, but it is worth doing so. When you are able to recite a text, you are sure to be familiar with the words and expressions. When you need them in reading or writing or doing exercises, they will come to your mind quickly, and so you will give quick response to all kinds of language situation. How can we say that it is useless?

Besides, many students complain that they soon forget what they were once able to recite. This is true, but you don't need to worry. While you are reading and forgetting the texts, your language level is being raised. Sure you don't remember your Chinese texts that you once read in the primary school, but now you are able to read novels and newspaper. So , recitation of the texts will help you improve your language ability．

1. What do the students think about the teacher's advice? ______

A．The English teacher asks them to do something useless．

B．The English teacher is very kind to them．

C．The English teacher should let them study on their own．

D．The English teacher tries his best to help them with English．

2. According to the text，which of the following is correct? ______

A．The teacher thinks the students are too naughty to learn English well．

B．The students think they spend a lot of time in reciting the texts and get nothing．

C．The students say that they often forget the words．

D．The students take no interest in English．

3. When the students are against his suggestion, the writer ______ ．

A．often criticizes them

B．wants to give up his idea

C．patiently explains to them why they should recite the texts

D．is afraid that he is criticized by the headmaster．

4. Why does the writer suggest that the students recite the text? ______

A．Reciting the texts can greatly improve the classroom teaching．

B．Reciting the texts is the best way of learning English．

C．The students should remember all the texts that the teacher has taught them．

D．Reciting the texts can improve the ability of applying (应用)English．

9 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.

“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.

Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.

“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.

For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”

1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?

A．It promoted the sales of artworks.	B．It attracted a large number of visitors.
C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes.	D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models.

2. What does Hill say about Chinese women?

A．They are setting the fashion.	B．They start many fashion campaigns.
C．They admire super models.	D．They do business all over the world.

3. What do the underlined words “taking on” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．learning from

B．looking down on

C．working with

D．competing against

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World

B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York

C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics

D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends

10 . In England, some food companies across the whole country have been told to carry out urgent (紧急的) tests on all beef products. Do you know why? That’s because some food companies used horse meat to make beef products.

There are some examples about the horse meat matter. In January, 2013, in a number of UK supermarkets, frozen hamburgers were found to havetracesof horse meat in them. Some frozen beef products made by food company FINDUS were found to contain horse meat. All of the beef products made by this company have been removed from sale.

The government said that there’s nothing to suggest any health risk from the products. Food minister David Heath said people should not throw away frozen meat products and carry on eating meat. The government will tell people not to eat meat if the meat is not safe.

Food safety has been an important matter all over the world. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure the safety of food.

1. In England, some food companies have been told to ________ urgently.

A．stop making beef products	B．test all their beef products
C．test all their products	D．remove all their products from sale

2. What else did some food companies use to make beef products in England according to the passage?.

A．Horse meat	B．Beef
C．Fish	D．Chicken

3. What does “traces”mean in the second paragraph?

A．描绘	B．追踪
C．痕迹	D．探索

4. What should people do with meat products according to David Heath’s suggestions?

A．Send them back to the food companies

B．Throw them away.

C．Never eat them

D．Go on eating them.

5. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure _______________.

A．Horse meat out of products	B．the food safety
C．the test food	D．the food sale