1 . A survey done by the University of Michigan shows a big drop in the number of teenagers who say they smoke cigarettes.
In the survey, over 44, 000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12, from 424 schools across the country were asked about their smoking habits. The results show that smoking among 8th graders went down from 21 percent in 2002, to 12 percent in 2007. In the same period, smoking dropped from 30% to 21% among 10th graders and from 37% to 30% among 12th graders.
Anti-smoking organisations think educating kids about smoking risks is the cause of the drop. “These important drops in teen smoking did not just happen by chance,” said study director Lloyd D, Johnston, “A lot of individuals and organisations have been trying to bring down the high rates of teenagers.”
Others say the higher price of cigarettes is an important reason teens are cutting back.
Whatever the reason, the drop in teen smoking is news to everyone, even cigarette-making companies warn their product is only for adults, not kids. Health experts are particularly paying attention to teenage smoking habits because lifetime smokers often get hooked on smoking at an early age.
But some say that the new figures aren’t exactly the cause for celebration. While it is true fewer teens are smoking today than five years ago, the rate of teen smoking is still higher than it was.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in this country. “Our survey suggests that a lot of teens still do not understand the dangers of smoking particularly the younger teens,” Johnston said.
1. The rate of teen smoking among 12th graders dropped by according to the survey.| A．7% | B．30% | C．9% | D．21% |
| A．educating kids about smoking risks |
| B．efforts from health experts and organisations |
| C．the higher price of cigarettes |
| D．the cut down of the number of cigarettes |
| A．Become interested in. | B．Get tired of. |
| C．Give up. | D．Take no interest in. |
| A．The rate of teen smoking is far lower than it was. |
| B．Cigarette smoking can be stopped sooner or later. |
| C．There is a different idea about the drop in teenage smoking. |
| D．No younger teens really understand the dangers of smoking. |
2 . The gender gap in maths-related subjects is obvious. In almost all countries, far fewer women than men choose STEM（理工科）careers.
It's not that girls and women are bad at maths. In the UK in 2019, for example, 39% of 18-year-old girls who studied maths at A-level achieved an A or A*, compared to 42% of boys. For A-level physics, 29% of girls achieved the top two grades, compared to 28% of boys. But in both subjects, boys heavily outnumbered girls-by more than 3:1 in the case of physics. So why are so many girls turning their backs on these subjects?
A study published recently in the journal PNAS suggests that the answer may in fact lie in male-female differences in academic ability, but the ability in question is reading, not maths. Thomas Breda, at Paris School of Economics, and Clotilde Napp, at Paris Dauphine University, wondered whether this male-female difference in reading could help explain the gender gap in STEM careers. Every three years, hundreds of thousands of 15-year-olds in more than 60 countries take part in the PISA study. Students complete tests in maths, reading and science, and answer questions about their future career intentions. When Breda and Napp looked at the data from PISA 2012, they realized they were on to something.
"There were small gender gaps in maths performance at 15 years old, but these gaps were too small to explain the huge gender segregation（隔离）in STEM," says Breda. But for reading, the tables were turned; the girls were much better than the boys. As a result, when a boy and a girl had similar scores in maths, the girl usually had an even better score in reading.
When Breda and Napp compared each student's scores in reading and maths, they found the greater a student's advantage in reading, the less likely they were to plan a career in maths, even when their maths score was also high. Notably, this was true for both boys and girls.
"It makes a lot of sense," says Sarah Cattan, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. "It shows that what matters most when boys and girls choose their field of study is not how good they are in maths or in reading, but how good they are in maths relative to reading."
1. What do the data in Paragraph 2 show?| A．The average gender difference in maths performance is small. |
| B．Those who are good at maths are also good at physics. |
| C．Physics tends to be easier for girls than maths. |
| D．Girls are not better than boys at maths. |
| A．Tom whose maths is worse than reading. |
| B．Lisa whose maths is better than reading. |
| C．Lily whose reading is better than maths. |
| D．Jack whose reading is as good as maths. |
| A．Their comparative strength instead of absolute ability. |
| B．Their gender advantages in a specific academic field. |
| C．Their future job landing possibility in an industry. |
| D．Their particular interest in a certain subject. |
| A．Why are we drawn to STEM careers? |
| B．Are boys worse at reading and writing? |
| C．Why are girls bad at maths-related subjects? |
| D．Are good readers more likely to give up maths? |
3 . Some people say global English is no longer just controlled by British or American English,but is running free and developing uniquely local forms.Can you figure out the following terms?
“I like your smile,but unlike you put your shoes on my face.”This is a way of saying“Keep off the grass.”Or“people mountain,people sea”,which means“very crowded”.
These examples are what we call Chinglish.When it comes to Chinglish,if all you know is“good good study,day day up”,you will be considered“out man”.
Nowadays,more Chinglish words have been created,for example,a Chinese idiom is translated as“smilence”,a combination by the English word smile and silence.
Chinglish usually offers a humorous look at misuses of the English language in Chinese street signs,products,and advertising.They are favoured by some English speaking tourists and visitors.Dominic Swire has been living in Beijing for a couple of years.“I think many Chinese people complain about the Chinglish and badly translated English.But you know,sometimes for us foreigners,it’s actually quite charming to see them.I think if the translations of English in China were all perfect,then something would be lost from Chinese culture.”
However,Chinglish will probably become a“cultural relic”in the near future.Beijing has made a comprehensive plan to improve foreign language services and correct Chinglish within five years.“It is very ridiculous to see Chinglish on the signs in some scenic spots.And they are a kind of barrier for communication between Chinese and people from other countries,”a Beijinger said.
Some Chinese university experts side with Chinglish.They argue that English has absorbed elements from other languages such as French and Spanish in its growth,and now it’s Chinese’s turn.
1. What can we call Chinglish?| A．English words which get new Chinese meanings. |
| B．The Chinese words which are difficult to translate. |
| C．The words combining English vocabulary and Chinese grammar. |
| D．The local words preventing foreigners from learning Chinese well. |
| A．Saying nothing but to smile. | B．Smiling without being noticed. |
| C．Laughing at somebody. | D．Knowing little about speech. |
| A．It can show the humour of Chinese. | B．It will attract more foreign tourists. |
| C．It helps him to learn Chinese well. | D．It seems part of Chinese culture. |
| A．Because it has become a unique bridge between Chinese and English. |
| B．Because Chinglish is a chance to enrich Chinese and English. |
| C．Because it improves the understanding between Chinese and foreigners. |
| D．Because Beijing is determined to get rid of Chinglish signs. |
4 . Music is an art that almost everyone enjoys. Everyone can make sounds by singing，banging a stick, plucking(弹) a tight string or blowing through pipe. All over the world, many kinds of music have developed as people find out how to make sounds in different ways. There are so many kinds of music to hear that you can soon find a kind that you like.
People can get all kinds of feelings hearing music. Music can make you march of dance; it can make you feel happy or sad. More than other arts, music can affect your moods and feelings. This is why music is so popular.
Every country has its own kind of music. In France many people like dance music played on the accordion(手风琴), and many Americans enjoy banjo(班卓琴) music. Spain is famous for its guitar music, and India for the twanging sound of the sitar.
Many people like music in their own national style. But there are also people who enjoy classical music and pop music, which have spread throughout the world with the help of the record player and radio.
However, there are still great differences between the music of the west and that of the east. Many of the instruments are very different. The guitar and the sitar are both instruments in which strings are plucked by fingers, but they two not sound alike.
The musical differences between the east and the west are not only in the instruments, but also in ways the notes are put together.
1. Music is an art that is very popular in the world because ______．| A．everybody can make a beautiful music |
| B．people can get different feelings from music |
| C．music can only make people happy |
| D．music is much better than other arts |
| A．America | B．France |
| C．India | D．Spain |
| A．all countries and races have the same kind of music |
| B．the musical differences between the east and the west are only in the instruments |
| C．all the French people enjoy dance music played on the accordion |
| D．different people like different kinds of music |
| A．Music | B．Music—the Best Art |
| C．How to Enjoy Music | D．Different Music |
5 . When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings. Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked. ''Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like ? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said. ''
I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it. ''That's just for you, '' he said. ''You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. ''
Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do. Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice.
1. What did the father do after he had heard his daughter's complaint?| A．He agreed with her "enemy". |
| B．he let her continue to put up with her "enemy". |
| C．He told her not to pay attention to what her "enemy" had said. |
| D．He told her to write down all her "enemy" had said about her. |
| A．Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out to me. |
| B．She had made a list of my shortcomings and she kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer. |
| C．I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on. |
| D．Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious. |
| A．Because he believed that what her daughter's "enemy" said was mostly true. |
| B．Because he had been so angry with her daughter and wanted to keep silent |
| C．Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment. |
| D．Because he was not quite sure which girl was telling the truths. |
| A．Not an Enemy, but the Best Friend |
| B．My Father |
| C．The Best Advice I've Ever Had |
| D．My Childhood |
6 . What is a family? Why does it matter? What does it teach us that we can’t learn on our own? These questions seem especially relevant in the holiday season when it is often our tradition to gather as families and celebrate together.
My mother was one of twelve children. As they grew up, married and had children of their own, most of them lived near enough to gather for holidays at my grandparents’ home in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina.
I don’t recall getting many gifts from them .I remember the sense of belonging, of being part of something that assured me I was loved and not alone.
I delighted in the laughing, playing and fighting with my crazy cousins. I watched my granddad and uncles sit on the porch, rain or shine, smoking and joking, arguing about politics and trying to solve the problems of the world. I listened to my grandmother, mother and aunts stir (搅拌) pots on the stove and talk about their lives, hopes, dreams and disappointments, and gossip about any sister who failed to show up.
The food was always plentiful and delicious-country ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, biscuits and my grandmother’s banana pudding. But for me, the food was never the highlight. The highlight was simply being together. A family.
However, they’re all gone now. My parents and grandparents, my aunts and uncles have left this world for the next. My cousins are scattered here and there. And yet the memories linger, along with the love that we shared.
I treasure those memories and the things they taught me. They told me that families aren’t perfect, but they prepare us to find our way in an imperfect world. They made me realize that all families are crazy in their own particular ways.
My husband and I are growing a new family, while keeping close to the surviving members of the families. It’s a beautiful blend (混合) of kindness, traditions, nurturing (养育) and friendships, which grows year after year.
I hope this holiday season will fill you with lovely memories of the family that raised you, and surround you with all the people who mean “family” to you now.
1. What do we know about the author’s family according to the article?| A．She didn’t get on well with her cousins. |
| B．Her grandpa and uncles were politicians. |
| C．Her family delighted in their gatherings. |
| D．The female members liked to show off. |
| A．there was a lot of inviting food |
| B．special gifts were selected thoughtfully |
| C．they brought the family closer together |
| D．she got to see relatives who seldom visited |
| A．Disappear. | B．Remain. |
| C．Increase. | D．Fade. |
| A．Good families should live together. |
| B．Imperfect families may help us adjust to the world. |
| C．Memories of perfect families deserve treasuring. |
| D．It’s necessary to create crazy family traditions. |
7 . Do you know a famous Chinese saying, "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man?" We can help you realize your dream now.
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Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English-speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors. Giant pandas
Try biking on the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi'an, or tour by electric car. Have a once-in-a-life chance to get close to the incredibly cute treasure---Pandas.
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◆8-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English- speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Take rickshaw（人力车）through the Hutongs and get close touch with the original Beijing lifestyle. Experience the Bund, classical garden, modern and old in contrast in Shanghai.
Price: $1,159 per person
◆10-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English-speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Walk into a local family, learn to cook Chinese food and dine with the hosts in their home.
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◆15-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English-speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall, Forbidden City. Terracotta Warriors
Enjoy the breathtaking landscape along Li River and escape from the busy and noisy city life. Unwind with a Yangtze River sail tour and see the Three Gorges.
Price: $2.699 per person
1. Which tour provides visitors with a chance to see pandas?| A．8-Day Tour in China. | B．10-Day Tour in China. |
| C．12-Day Tour in China. | D．15-Day Tour in China. |
| A．Nature lovers. | B．Folk custom and culture lovers. |
| C．Swimming lovers. | D．Animal lovers. |
| A．It costs visitors the least to visit. | B．It lets visitors communicate with local people. |
| C．Visitors can visit ancient buildings. | D．Visitors can see water scenery. |
8 . “Are personal sad stories a must to win talent shows?” “Shouldn’t talent be judged on the basis of itself without needing a sad story of struggle to win?” These are questions Sanya Malhotra posed on a recent Facebook post.
This morning I came across this interesting post by Sanya Malhotra. She revealed that she loved dancing and dreamt of becoming an actress, but got defeated in “Dance India Dance” because her background story wasn’t sad and inspiring enough. That’s when she started doubting her artistic gift.
This really set me thinking. Why are people attracted to sob stories? Why do we always appreciate only those people who have achieved something after going through a lot of hardships? Why does the headline of a newspaper “Taxi-driver’s Son Stands First In UPSC Exam” find more readers? I think it is because most people, who are in a similar situation, find it comforting that someone has succeeded with so many hardships. I know it is really very difficult for people with financial, health, or family problems to overcome obstacles and succeed. I really feel proud of them and I am often touched and inspired by their stories.
Now come back to what Sanya has said. I think this is a talent show rather than a story-telling competition. When it comes to a competition of singing or dancing or any fine arts, all the competitors should be judged without any bias (偏见). No one should lose because they don’t have a sad story of struggle to tell. It’s very unfair. They can be given opportunities otherwise, but should not be judged because of their stories.
Maybe, the TV channels do it to attract more viewers, because the most important element of any reality show is these touching stories. But as Sanya has said, it’s unfair to those who haven't such a story and are equally talented.
1. What do we know about Sanya Malhotra?| A．She entered a talent show. | B．She won “Dance India Dance”. |
| C．She had a sad story to tell. | D．She was rejected in a film. |
| A．experienced many hardships | B．is a famous actress in Indian |
| C．has a great gift for gymnastics | D．used to be confident in her artistic talent |
| A．A Millionaire Donated Money To Harvard University. |
| B．A Gifted Indian Teenager Won “Dance India Dance”. |
| C．An Armless Girl Was Admitted To Harvard University. |
| D．A Freshman Paid Off Loans By Getting A Part-time Job. |
| A．Winners Should Be Determined By Public Judges |
| B．Sanya Malhotra Displayed A Great Artistic Gift |
| C．Competitors Should Not Be Judged By Sob Stories |
| D．Talent Shows Competitors Can Tell Their Stories |
9 . Like you and your pet dog, plants are living things: they eat, drink, and grow. Unlike you and your dog, they can't run away, use fists or teeth, or hide under the covers when they're threatened. But they can fight back.
Why would a plant need to fight back? To avoid being eaten, of course! Plants have several ways of protecting themselves. A plant can grow in a hidden or hard-to-get-to place. Think of plants you've seen growing on steep, rocky cliff (悬崖). Or, a plant could make only some parts of itself attractive to hungry insects and animals. For instance, if a plant produced really tasty leaves, herbivores (creatures that eat only plants) might eat the leaves instead of the seeds, which the plant needs for making more plants. Some plants have sharp or slippery (滑的) parts that discourage insects and other animals from getting too close, like the thorns(刺) on a rosebush.
But the most interesting way that plants fight back is by using chemicals. Plants take minerals from the soil and combine them into chemicals that do a lot of work. For example, plants produce chlorophyll(叶绿素), which helps convert sunshine and water into the sugars that plants eat.
They also produce chemicals to help protect themselves. One kind of tobacco plant releases a chemical into the air whenever small bugs begin to eat it. The chemical signals large bugs, saying "Dinner's ready!" The big bugs come to eat the little ones and save the plant.
Most plants use chemicals in a more direct way against their enemies. In other words, plants make poison.
1. What does the underlined word "convert" mean?| A．Change | B．Separate |
| C．Form | D．Produce |
| A．Some plants hide under the covers when faced with threat. |
| B．A plant grows in a hard-to-get-to place to draw people's attention. |
| C．Some plants produce tasty leaves to protect their seeds. |
| D．Plants produce chemicals to meet the needs of big bugs. |
| A．Different effects that different plant poisons cause on plant eaters. |
| B．Different kinds of plants in the world. |
| C．Why plants make poison? |
| D．How to protect plants? |
| A．Plant information. | B．Plant enemies. |
| C．Plant poisons. | D．Plant protection. |
10 . Four Inspiring Movies
Forrest Gump（1992）
Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low IQ but good intentions. This movie follows the fictional story in which the simple man makes his way through some of the more turbulent（动荡的）times from the 1960s through 1980s. This film took home six Oscars, inspired a “Weird Al” song, and proves that a big heart is the most important thing.
It's a Wonderful Life（1946）
No movie list would be complete without a nod to the past. Let's go with this Christmas classic, about a man with serious financial troubles who intends to commit suicide（自杀）by jumping off a bridge. His guardian angel Clarence Odbody stops him and tells him what life would have been like for those close to him had he never been born. Realizing how much he means to others, he rushes back home and all sorts of happy, inspirational, Christmassy things happen.
Dead Poet's Society（1990）
John Keating（Robin Williams）is a high school English literature teacher at a famous all-male boarding school who gets into trouble with the school administration after encouraging his students to challenge authority and think for themselves. It is certainly inspirational, if not also frustratingly sad.
A Beautiful Mind（2001）
This movie tells the story of John Nash（Russell Crowe）, a professor at Princeton, a US university, who revolutionized the field of game theory and fell into madness as a result of paranoid schizophrenia（精神分裂症）. With the love and support of his family as well as the help of medical professionals, he managed to overcome his mental illness and continued to make contributions to the field of mathematics.
1. What can we know about It's a Wonderful Life?| A．It proves a big heart important. |
| B．It has a happy ending. |
| C．It tells a story of friendship. |
| D．It is famous for the leading role. |
| A．Forrest Gump. | B．I's a Wonderful Life. |
| C．Dead Poet's Society. | D．A Beautiful Mind. |
| A．became a famous expert in psychology |
| B．got his family's support for studying game theory |
| C．gained lots of experience in treating schizophrenia |
| D．defeated the disease and went on to pursue maths |
