1 . 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.
◆12-Day Tour in China
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.
Price: $1,669 per person
◆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.
Price: $1, 629 per person
◆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. |
2 . “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 |
3 . Creative alarm clocks
Dumbbell（哑铃） alarm clock
It is not a real dumbbell, but you have to shake it up and down 30 times to stop the alarm clock. And there is no stop button. Of course you will be totally refreshed by then. Don’t be lazy and take some exercise in the morning.
Target alarm clock
The alarm is ringing at the time you set it for！Do you see the target？Then hit it to stop the sound with a laser gun（激光枪）. Of course you have to be fully awake if you don’t want to miss the target.
Flying alarm clock
I’m sure you won’t be able to simply ignore this alarm as you usually do, because it flies！Its propeller（螺旋桨）flying off the alarm is the key. Before the frightening alarm sounds drive you crazy， you’d better quickly put the key back.
Banclock
Have you been keeping a pocketful of change for some time without knowing what to do with it？Maybe you can put those coins in your alarm. This is both an alarm clock and a money box. It only stops ringing if you put a coin in it.
IQ alarm clock
What about a brain workout in the morning？ IQ alarm will go off and ask you a set of IQ questions. Don’t even think about removing the battery, because it is hard to open. The only way to shut it off is to answer all questions correctly.
Mr. Bump-off-the-wall alarm clock
An alarm clock is so annoying when you are too tired and sleepy to get up. You can release your anger on Mr. Bump. It looks like a blue ball covered with “bandages（绷带）”. Just throw this alarm at the wall to silence it.
1. How can we turn off Target alarm clock？| A．By shooting at it. | B．By shaking it 30 times. |
| C．By putting the key back on it. | D．By answering questions shown on. |
| A．Improving people’s sleep. | B．Asking people to do exercise. |
| C．Testing people’s intelligence. | D．Helping people to save money. |
| A．It hangs on the wall. | B．It is difficult to break. |
| C．It was invented by Mr. Bump. | D．It rings louder than any other clocks. |
4 . 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. |
5 . Do you look down when you speak? Play with your hair? Lean to one side? Every last gesture tells a story. What you are saying to others is not only reflected in the words coming from your mouth, but also through the gestures and motions you make with your body. Kristin Appenbrink, Associate Editor for RealSimple. com, shows what your body language is saying about you.
Standing with your legs together is considered more of a conservative stance (站姿). It looks like a solider facing his officer. This way of standing usually indicates respect.
This way you move your body reflects your attitude. And shifting your weight from side to side or front to back indicates that you are anxious or disappointed. Basically, this is a physical representation of what is going on in your head: you are having so many unsettling thoughts that you can’t stop moving from one to the other.
Crossing your arms and legs is a defensive position. Take note of the surroundings. More often than not, this just means a person is cold. Many people also find this position to be comfortable.
Pointing toes (脚趾) in, big toe to big toe, indicates you are closing yourself off because you feel awkward or insecure. But, if you’re sitting up straight with your shoulders aligned (对齐的) and your head up — signs of an open body position — your feet may be betraying you.
Opening up your hands by spreading your hands means you are open to new ideas being offered. Facing your palms down or grasping your fists firmly shows you have a strong position — one that may not be so flexible.
1. Which of the following does Kristin Appenbrink probably agree with?| A．Body language will replace spoken language. |
| B．Standing with arms crossing indicates respect. |
| C．Body language can express what we want to say. |
| D．Our bodies’ motions are different from our gestures. |
| A．Making comparisons. | B．Analysing causes. |
| C．Raising questions. | D．Giving examples. |
| A．Satisfying. | B．Upsetting. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Unconscious. |
| A．He feels embarrassed and unsafe. |
| B．He thinks someone has betrayed him. |
| C．He feels like hiding something from others. |
| D．He’s willing to accept new ideas from others. |
6 . TGBWP(the Great Books Winter Program) is an experience like no other in American education. For the past eleven years, TGBWP has gathered outstanding middle and high school students from across the world to read selections from the greatest works of literature, experience college-level lectures, engage in lively discussions and enjoy winter camp fun with other literary-minded students.
Here is a sample of what you will get at Great Books:
Membership in an international community of enthusiastic young learners and distinguished college teachers who read and discuss great books and big ideas. You will discuss the likes of Plato, Mark Twain, Dickens, and Tolstoy with other teens from around the globe who love literature just as much as you do!
Find your voice in the classroom. TGBWP gives students the opportunity to grow academically and socially as they prepare for high school and college. Open discussions encourage students to express themselves and give power to their ideas. Students gain confidence in their ability to read a text closely and express their ideas clearly both orally and in writing.
Experience time away from home and spend it at a top college -- choose from two campus settings: Amherst College in Massachusetts and Stanford University in California. This is the perfect opportunity to preview life on a college campus!
Don’t miss this opportunity to join students from 47 states and 28 countries in this unique learning environment.
| Categories | Reading/Writing Arts/Photography/Film Music/Singing/ Dancing Travel/ Touring Academic/Pre-College |
| Ages | 11-18 |
| Type | Overnight/Residential |
More information: CLICK HERE
1. What do we know about TGBWP?| A．A course on literacy skills improvement. |
| B．An education department of universities. |
| C．A camp suitable for teen literature lovers. |
| D．A program of studying American literature. |
| A．College-level evaluation in literature. |
| B．Admissions to world famous universities. |
| C．Free literature courses and literature works. |
| D．Chances to experience college life beforehand. |
| A．Contact information. | B．Membership benefits. |
| C．Registration requirements. | D．Activity arrangements. |
7 . Do you feel bored during your holidays? Here are some books for the stay-at-home who are fond of reading to pass time during their holidays.
A License to Heal(By Steven Bentley,www.iuniverse.com, $11. 95 sc, $ 3. 99 eb)
In the world of emergency medicine,there is pain,blood and tragedy(悲剧），but there is also hope and compassion. The book shows readers the stories from an ER doctor that brings this dynamic world to life. In this highly personal narrative,an emergency room physician describes the world of the ER as one filled with pain,fear and grief,but also compassion,hope,and a surprising amount of humor.
Imperfect Family(By Leyland A. King,www.xlibris.com, S 19. 99 sc, $3. 99 eh)
This book is a novel showcasing an ordinary family's union,strength,ambition and determination that made it possible for one generation to climb the slippery and shabby ladder from poverty to the security of American middle-class.
Walking the Stones of Time(By Oswald Brown,www.xtibris.com, $ 18. 99 sc, $3. 99 eb)
It is an extraordinary love story of an awkward young man and an equally awkward young woman who,despite their lack of social skills,developed a love that was stronger than all their inadequacies.
Honeyball (By Pete Liebengood, www.xlibris.com, $19. 99 sc, $3. 99 eb)
A group of women pull together in a dedicated campaign to find success at the box office while their leader finds the love of her life and the persons responsible for the death of her father in a plane Crash.
Batting Rocks over the Barn(By Lawn Griffiths,www.xlibris.com, S 19. 99 sc, $ 3. 99 eb)
The rhythm of rural life during the 1950s and 1960s comes alive through the eyes of a boy who grew up to become a newspaper journalist and film editor. Follow his journey in this book.
1. What can we learn about Steven Bentley's book?| A．It is a tragedy | B．It is the most expensive. |
| C．It is written in a narrative way. | D．It is a humorous story about a doctor.. |
| A．Lcyland A. King. | B．Lawn Griffiths. |
| C．Steven Bentley | D．Oswald Brown. |
| A．A License To Heal and Imperfect Family. |
| B．Imperfect Family and Honeyball. |
| C． Batting Rocks over the Barn and Walking the Stones of Time . |
| D．Walking the Stones of Time and Honeyball. |
8 . Najib is an Afghan who grew up in Iran. He led a tough life. When he found his children would be in the same situation, his family initially returned to Afghanistan. But with the country filled with conflicts, they decided to leave for Indonesia.
“When we first came here, we were in a bad situation. Its language, culture and even weather were different. We had moved away from friends and family,” says Najib. “I was in a tough position but I acted strong because there were no other choices.”
Refugees (难民) cannot work in Indonesia and there are limited choices for refugee children to attend local schools. Determined to avoid such a fate, a group of refugees in Puncak took action and scraped together (东拼西凑) their resources to set up a school—the Refugee Learning Center (RLC).
“Our only goal and task is to provide basic education, and prepare the refugee children for their future,” says Abdullah Sarwari. “We’re also trying to provide a normal life as much as possible for them.”
The RLC has also started offering Bahasa Indonesia classes to the refugee community. “Between the refugee and the local community, I feel like there’s a language barrier which stops the refugee from having an honest and open interaction with Indonesians,” says Abdullah.
“If you try your best, to learn the language of a particular place or country, it really helps make things easier,” says Najib. He is among those who signed up for classes, although he admits progress has been slow. But life has improved in some ways for him and his family.
Najib says, “The centre is an opportunity for refugee to show that they are not a burden. If they have the opportunity, they can accomplish big and great things like this.”
1. Why did Najib decide to leave for Indonesia?| A．To escape the conflict in Afghanistan. |
| B．To experience Indonesian culture. |
| C．To help refugees in Indonesia. |
| D．To get equal rights to vote. |
| A．To help them learn English. |
| B．To make them stay away from bad luck. |
| C．To provide them with chances to live in Indonesia. |
| D．To make them have access to receiving basic education. |
| A．He is the leader of refugees. |
| B．He founded the RLC himself. |
| C．He studies Indonesian in the RLC. |
| D．He lives a wealthy life in Indonesia. |
| A．The Goal of Founding a School |
| B．A School for Refugees by Refugees |
| C．A Reason for Leaving for Indonesia |
| D．The Benefit of Learning a New Language |
9 . I grew up in California but have spent about four years living in various parts of the UK. The first thing I noticed was that my West-Midlands host family did not sound like the queen. I’ve since learnt that accents change almost every five miles. As far as America goes. I can tell the West Coast from the East or the South, but I can’t tell you a state, much less a county (郡).
The next thing I couldn’t imagine was the quiet, stare-ahead norm of public transportation- if you talk to somebody on the Tube, you’re probably a serial killer or a lost tourist.
I’ve had to deal with the Tube from Heathrow to Victoria with heavy bags more times and Victoria Station is not exactly tourist friendly. Each time I’ve had someone walk up and ask to help with my bags. Not once have they been English. In America, at least from what I’ve experienced, people will start a chat if they see you’re travelling by yourself, and I always immediately have someone taller offer to put my things in an overhead bin (行李箱).
Opening hours-especially Sunday trading laws have also taken so much to get used to. In America, 24/7 fast food, grocery stores. petrol stations, etc. are the norm. In my first year in the UK,I forgot it was Easter Sunday, and went into town at 2：00 pm. Imagine my surprise when 1 found the city center was deserted, and there wasn’t a single car at Tesco. Approaching the building, I saw a large sign announcing opening times. I had to make do with plain bread until 9：00 am Monday, when I’d be able to pay for groceries again.
Speaking of groceries, it took so many people telling me I was crazy to convince me to eat eggs here- they’re not refrigerated, and they’ll often have bits of feather or chicken waste on the outside. 1 am now aware that they ‘re safe, but coming from a childhood of perfectly clean, white, large AAA eggs, I was convinced I’d die a terrible salmonella (沙门氏菌) death.
1. What’s the author’s impression of the transportation of the UK?| A．It’s very dangerous to use public transportations. |
| B．It’s easy for a tourist 10 get lost on public transportations. |
| C．British people willingly offer help on public transportations. |
| D．British people don’t talk to each other on public transportations. |
| A．He left the city center. | B．He failed to buy any food. |
| C．A supermarket closed down. | D．A restaurant opened in a tall building. |
| A．Try to speak like the queen. |
| B．Avoid eating unhealthy eggs. |
| C．Store some plain bread in the fridge. |
| D．Pay attention to the opening hours of the shops. |
| A．How to Get Used to Life in the UK |
| B．What do I Find Strange about the UK |
| C．How Difficult It Is to Travel in the UK |
| D．What Can a Foreigner Expect in the UK |
10 . Mercury(水星) is the closest planet to the sun. It is a planet slightly larger than the Earth’s moon. It is covered in craters. Some craters have ice in them, even though the planet is hot. Sunlight never touches some parts because of the planet’s special position. Without air, there are great temperature differences between the coldest and hottest parts. Mercury days are so long that there are big differences between temperatures on the daylight side and the night side.
Mercury was created billions of years ago, when big rocks ran into each other. After these accidents, the planet was frequently visited by meteorites (流星) for several hundred million years. There were also many volcanic eruptions. As the planet cooled, the thin, rocky outside shell reduced in diameter(直径) by about 3 kilometers.
The Caloris Basin is one of the largest craters on Mercury. This big crater is 1, 300 kilometers wide and was formed when a large rock, about 100 kilometers across, knocked into the surface. Beethoven, another large crater, is 643 kilometers across.
The cliffs on Mercury are up to 2 kilometers high and hundreds of kilometers long. The cliffs were formed when the thin surface fell apart, as volcanic activity slowed down and Mercury became cooler.
One Mercury day lasts about 59 Earth days. Mercury takes about 88 Earth days to have a complete year, instead of the 365 days that we have on the Earth. Mercury speeds around the sun so that there are three Mercury days every two Mercury years! Mercury has a strange relationship with the Earth. Every 117 days, when Mercury is closest to the Earth, it always has the same side facing us.
Mariner 10 is the only spacecraft to visit Mercury. It made three visits to Mercury in, the 1970s, taking photos of many cliffs and craters. Although the first three visits answered many questions, they have raised others.
1. What is the surface of Mercury like?| A．It’s generally flat. | B．It’s hot everywhere. |
| C．It’s bright everywhere. | D．It’s cold in some parts. |
| A．A drop in temperature changed its size. |
| B．A great many meteorites ran into it. |
| C．It got out of shape as time passed. |
| D．Lots of surface rocks fell off. |
| A．One Mercury day lasts about 88 Earth days. |
| B．It turns around the sun faster than the Earth. |
| C．Six Mercury days are two Mercury years. |
| D．It has more cliffs than large craters. |
| A．Another spacecraft visited Mercury. |
| B．New cliffs and craters were formed. |
| C．New signs of volcanic activity appeared. |
| D．Lots of new puzzles needed to be solved. |
