1. Where can you find the passage?
| A．In a textbook about education. | B．On the travel booklet. |
| C．On a college brochure. | D．On a webpage of application. |
| A．Prepare for the documents. |
| B．Pay the service fee first. |
| C．Choose an ideal college. |
| D．Seek guide to coming to China. |
| A．Processing fee should be paid as early as possible. |
| B．The specific service charge varies, depending on several factors. |
| C．You can choose to pay the processing fee or the service charge. |
| D．The more difficult the application is, the higher service charge is. |
2 . When little kids line up for school picture day, there’s the typical nervousness and joking as they get ready to show off their brightest smiles. Maybe they’re wearing their best clothes or even sporting a new haircut.
But the children who sit in front of the camera as part of Project Picture Day are a special kind of subject. They’re kids in low-income communities who get to be the focus of attention for maybe the very first time.
Jules Alonzo brainstormed with his professional photographer friend, Jen Campos, about a way they could combine a love for photography and working with children in poor areas around the world. They came up with a concept and, in 2015, they had a trial run in Africa, taking photos of kids at school.
“I had gone on a five-week volunteer project a few years back and still had connections there. We got in touch with a school director there who spoke English well and was happy to have us,” said Alonzo.“It turned out to be a huge success.” Since then, the non-profit organisation has reached 1,765 students in 14 schools in three countries.
The Project Picture Day team of four to six members goes into a school and sets up two stations with a camera, a tripod (三脚架), and so on. Campos decides where the best spots will be — whether inside or outside the classroom or school. Then the team spends two or three days photographing the students and editing and printing their photos. They also take a class photo and faculty pictures. On the final day,each student receives a 4×6 school portrait.
“The majority of the students laugh. It’s funny and maybe even embarrassing seeing a photo of yourself. They love to show their peers and everyone gets a good laugh,” said Alonzo.
“There’s a sense of pride.What we didn’t expect and love to see is,sometimes the students will exchange photos with their best friends. It’s actually really cute. Others run to their parents to show them. Honestly, the reactions are the best part of all of this.”
1. In what aspect are children lining up for Project Picture Day special?| A．They are too nervous. |
| B．They are smiling happily. |
| C．They are from poor areas. |
| D．They are informally-dressed. |
| A．A project to help poor kids complete their education. |
| B．A project to help children know the world more and better. |
| C．A project to help children dreaming of becoming film stars. |
| D．A project to help children who have few chances to take a photo. |
| A．It lasted five days. |
| B．The place was in Asia. |
| C．It was not very successful. |
| D．They chose a school whose director spoke English well. |
| A．What they do in a school. |
| B．Who are to be taken photos of. |
| C．Why the organization is not for profit. |
| D．How they are warmly received in schools. |
3 . If you asked me to describe the rising philosophy of the day, I'd say it is data-ism. We now have the ability to gather huge amounts of data. This ability seems to carry with it certain cultural assumptions—that everything that can be measured should be measured; that data is a transparent and reliable lens that allows us to filter out emotionalism and ideology; that data will help us do remarkable things — like foretell the future.
Over the next years, I'm hoping to get a better grip on some of the questions raised by the data revolution: In what situations should we rely on intuitive pattern recognition and in which situations should we ignore intuition and follow the data? What kinds of events are predictable using statistical analysis and what sorts of events are not confess I enter this in a skeptical frame of mind, believing that we tend to get carried away in our desire to reduce everything to the quantifiable. But at the outset let me celebrate two things data does really well.
First, it's really good at exposing when our intuitive view of reality is wrong. For example, nearly every person who runs for political office has an intuitive sense that they can powerfully influence their odds of winning the election if they can just raise and spend more money. But this is largely wrong.
After the 2006 election, Sean Trende constructed a graph comparing the incumbent (在任者的) campaign spending advantages with their eventual margins of victory. There was barely any relationship between more spending and a bigger victory.
Likewise, many teachers have an intuitive sense that different students have different learning styles: some are verbal and some are visual; some are linear, some are "holistic" (整体的). Teachers imagine they will improve outcomes if they tailor their presentations to each student. But there's no evidence to support this either.
Second, data can illuminate patterns of behavior we haven't yet noticed. For example, I've always assumed people who frequently use words like "I," "me," and "mine" are probably more self-centered than people who don't. But as James Pennebaker of the University of Texas notes in his book, The Secret Life of Pronouns, when people are feeling confident, they are focused on the task at hand, not on themselves. High-status, confident people use fewer "I" words, not more.
Our brains often don't notice subtle verbal patterns, but Pennebaker's computers can. Younger writers use more negative and past-tense words than older writers who use more positive and future tense words.
In sum, the data revolution is giving us wonderful ways to understand the present and the past. Will it transform our ability to predict and make decisions about the future? We'll see.
1. What do data-ists assume they can do?| A．Transform people's cultural identity. |
| B．Change the way future events unfold. |
| C．Get a firm grip on the most important issues. |
| D．Eliminate emotional and ideological bias. |
| A．Use data analysis to predict the election result. |
| B．Win the election if they can raise enough funds. |
| C．Manipulate public opinion with favorable data. |
| D．Increase the chances of winning by foul means. |
| A．They think students prefer flexible teaching methods. |
| B．They will be able to try different approaches. |
| C．They believe students' learning styles vary. |
| D．They can accommodate students with special needs. |
| A．The importance of using pronouns properly. |
| B．Repeated use of first-person pronouns by self-centered people. |
| C．Frequent use of pronouns and future tense by young people. |
| D．A pattern in confident people's use of pronouns. |
| A．Data may not be easily accessible. |
| B．Errors may occur with large data samples. |
| C．Data cannot always do what we imagine it can. |
| D．Some data may turn out to be outdated. |
4 . International governments’ inaction concerning sustainable development is clearly worrying but the proctive（主动出击的）approaches of some leading-edge companies are encouraging. Toyota, Wal-Mart, DuPont, M&S and General Electric have made tackling environmental wastes a key economic driver.
DuPont committed itself to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 10 years prior to 2010. By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2 billion a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year. General Electric aims to reduce the energy intensity of its operations by 50% by 2015. They have invested heavily in projects designed to change the way of using and conserving energy.
Companies like Toyota and Wal-Mart are not committing to environmental goals out of the goodness of their hearts. The reason for their actions is a simple yet powerful realization that the environmental and economic footprints fit well together. When M&S launched its “Plan A” sustainability programme in 2007, it was believed that it would cost over £200 million in the first five years. However, the initiative had generated £105 million by 2011/12.
When we prevent physical waste, increase energy efficiency or improve resource productivity, we save money, improve profitability and enhance competitiveness. In fact, there are often huge “quick win” opportunities, thanks to years of neglect.
However, there is a considerable gap between leading-edge companies and the rest of the pack. There are far too many companies still delaying creating a lean and green business system, arguing that it will cost money or require sizable capital investments. They remain stuck in the “environment is cost” mentality. Being environmentally friendly does not have to cost money. In fact, going beyond compliance saves cost at the same time that it generates cash, provided that management adopts the new lean and green model.
Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries. The size of the opportunity is enormous. The 3% Report recently published by World Wildlife Fund and CDP shows that the economic prize for curbing carbon emissions in the US economy is $780 billion between now and 2020. It suggests that one of the biggest levers for delivering this opportunity is “increased efficiency through management and behavioural change”-in other words, lean and green management.
Some 50 studies show that companies that commit to such aspirational goals as zero waste, zero harmful emissions, and zero use of non-renewable resources are financially outperforming their competitors. Conversely, it was found that climate disruption is already costing $1.2 trillion annually, cutting global GDP by 1.6%. Unaddressed, this will double by 2030.
1. What does the author say about some leading-edge companies?| A．They operate in accordance with government policies. |
| B．They take initiatives in handling environmental wastes. |
| C．They are key drivers in their nations' economic growth |
| D．They are major contributors to environmental problems. |
| A．The goodness of their hearts. |
| B．A strong sense of responsibility. |
| C．The desire to generate profits |
| D．Pressure from environmentalists. |
| A．They are bent on making quick money |
| B．They do not have the capital for the investment. |
| C．They believe building such a system is too costly. |
| D．They lack the incentive to change business practices. |
| A．It helps businesses to save and gain at the same time |
| B．It is affordable only for a few leading-edge companies. |
| C．It is likely to start a new round of intense competition |
| D．It will take a long time for all companies to embrace it. |
| A．They have greatly enhanced their sense of social responsibility. |
| B．They do much better than their counterparts in terms of revenues |
| C．They have abandoned all the outdated equipment and technology. |
| D．They make greater contributions to human progress than their rivals |
5 . Welcome to Fresh Start February! This week Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that I would transition to the private sector. Today, my last official day as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs. After serving 6 years in the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser and 2 of those years as Director, of the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs, I am very excited and look forward to starting this next phase in my career.
I am humbled and grateful to Mayor Bowser for trusting in me to be a leader in her administration and to serve as the primary liaison between you-the members of the community, and 13 community affairs offices to foster relationships across all 8 Wards. What can I say, other than it has been an amazing journey and I am grateful!
This journey has been the very foundation of our work in partnership and collaboration between District of Columbia residents and the Executive Office of the Mayor. We have established partnerships with communities, conducted and coordinated several events, town halls, forums, and projects in support of carrying forward mayoral initiatives at the community level.
We have built stronger ties between the Mayor and community organizations civic groups, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) while attending to the intersectional needs of the community.
Also, thank you to the 90+ MOCA staff members that have helped me up to provide support to our office directors and District residents throughout the years. Interacting with you all and having the opportunity to work with such dedicared individuals is something I have and will never take for granted. I have often been inspired by the creativity and innovation that they bring to the respective offices. Our work has left a lasting impression on my life.
Again, thank you to our first female two-term Mayor, Muriel Bowser for her leadership and for allowing me to be a part of this great work! I want to thank you for your support throughout this journey, and I am excited about the great work that will continue to go forward. I leave with fond memories of my 8 years total in the John A. Wilson Building.
2 years in the office or Councilmember Anita Bonds and with memories that I will forever cherish. I also know that MOCA is well-positioned to go to the NEXT LEVEL! It has been one of my greatest privileges to serve with you. Until we meet again.
1. А_______________ is a person whose job is to make sure there is a good relationship between two groups or organizations.| A．mayor | B．resident | C．director | D．liaison |
| A．2 | B．6. | C．8. | D．10. |
| A．Muriel Bowser. | B．The private sector. |
| C．Local residents. | D．MOCA staff members. |
6 . At the age of twelve years, the human body is at its most vigorous. It has yet to reach its full size and strength, and its owner his or her full intelligence; but at this age the likelihood of death is least. Earlier, we were infants and young children, and consequently more vulnerable (易受伤害的), later, we shall undergo a progressive loss of our vigor and resistance which, though unnoticeable at first, will finally become so steep that we can live no longer, however well we look after ourselves, and however well society, and our doctors, look after us.
This decline in vigor with the passing of time is called ageing. It is one of the most unpleasant discoveries which we all make that we must decline in this way, that if we escape wars, accidents and disease we shall eventually “die of old age”, and that this happens at a rate which differs little from person to person, so that there are heavy odds in favor of our dying between the ages of sixty-five and eighty. Some of us will die sooner, a few will live longer—on into a ninth or tenth decade. But the chances are against it, and there is a virtual limit on how long we can hope to remain alive, however lucky and robust we are.
Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it. We are so familiar with the fact that ma ages, that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigor with time, of becoming more likely to die the older we get, was something self-evident, like the cooling of a hot kettle or the wearing-out of a pair of shoes. They have also assumed that all animals, and probably other organisms such as trees, or even the universe itself, must in the nature of things “wear out”.
Most animals we commonly observe do in fact age as we do, if given the chance to live long enough; and mechanical systems like a wound watch, or the sun, do in fact run out of energy in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (whether the whole universe does so is a moot point at present). But these are not analogous (类似的)to what happens when man ages. A run-down watch is still a watch and can be rewound. An old watch, by contrast, becomes so worn and unreliable that it eventually is not worth mending. But a watch could never repair itself —it does not consist of living parts, only of metal, which wears away by friction. We could, at one time, repair ourselves—well enough, at least, to overcome all but the most instantly fatal illnesses and accidents. Between twelve and eighty years we gradually lose this power, an illness which at twelve would knock us over, at eighty can knock us out, and into our grave. If we could stay as vigorous as we are at twelve, it would take about 700 years for half of us to die, and another 700 for the survivors to be reduced by half again.
1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?| A．Our first twelve years represent the peak of human development. |
| B．People usually are unhappy when reminded of ageing. |
| C．Normally only a few of us can live to the eighties and nineties. |
| D．People are usually less likely to die at twelve years old. |
| A．remaining alive until 65 | B．remaining alive after 80 |
| C．dying before 65 or after 80 | D．dying between 65 and 80 |
| A．It is usually a phenomenon of dying at an old age. |
| B．It is a fact that people cannot live any longer. |
| C．It is a gradual loss of vigor and resistance. |
| D．It is a phase when people are easily attacked by illness. |
| A．Normally people are quite familiar with the ageing process. |
| B．All animals and other organisms undergo the ageing process. |
| C．The law of thermodynamics functions in the ageing process. |
| D．Human’s ageing process is different from that of mechanisms. |
7 . 4 Days Beijing and Xi’an Highlights Budget Tour
Tour Code: CBT08 Tour Duration:4 Days Destination: Beijing,Xi’an
Tour overview:Enjoy the marvelous ancient relics including the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, the Great Wall,the imperial Forbidden City and Summer Palace... Also,experience the traditional Beijing local life by taking a Hutong tour in Rickshaw.
B=Breakfast,L=Lunch,D=Dinner
| Tour Dates | Destinations | Services Provided | Meals Included | |||
| Day 1 | Beijing | Be greeted by our local guide upon your arrival and then be transferred to your hotel.Experience a unique Hutong tour by taking rickshaw for the rest day.Details... | / | |||
| First Class | Deluxe Class | Tourist Class | ||||
| Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Wangfujing | Sunworld Hotel Beijing | Redwall Hotel | ||||
| Day 2 | Beijing | Visit The Temple of Heaven,Tiananmen Square and Forbidden Citv.Details... | B | |||
| First Class | Deluxe Class | Tourist Class | ||||
| Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Wangfujing | Sunworld Hotel Beijing | Redwall Hotel | ||||
| Day 3 | Beijing/Xi’an | Visit Badaling Great Wall,Ming Tombs,The Sacred Way. In the evening,he transferred to railway station to take overnight soft sleeper train to Xi'an.Details... | B | |||
| Day 4 | Xi'an | Arrive in Xi'an in the morning,your local guide will greet you at the exit of the railway station and transfer you to the hotel.After breakfast,visit The Terracotta Army and Horses,Ancient City Wall and Bell Tower. After the tour,you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight to next destination.Details... | B | |||
| Season | Tour Class | Group Size | ||||
| 2-5pax | ||||||
| Low Season | 3*(Tourist Class) | $539 | ||||
| Peak Season | 3*(Tourist Class) | $539 | ||||
| Shoulder Season | 3*(Tourist Class) | $539 | ||||
| 1. Normally hotels allow a maximum of 3 adults per room with an extra bed,at extra charge.Some hotels will allow three adults and a small child. 2. Tour price is indicative only,please enquire for a detailed quotation. 3. More people more discounts.Please enquire for more details. | Free Inquiry | |||||
Price Inclusions and Exclusions
Price Include
A. Entrance fees :To scenic spots as listed above in the itinerary.
B. Meals :All meals as specified in the itinerary.
C. Private Transfers : Among airports ,hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing in the above cities by the private air conditioned vehicle.
D. Guide and Driver:As outlined in the itinerary,a well selected English-speaking guide and driver will accompany you throughout the entire tour in that city.They do not fly with you from one city to another.
E. Hotels:Hotel Based on two persons sharing one room with twin beds.All hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily western or Chinese breakfast.All rooms are air-conditioned with private facilities unless specified.
F. Luggage Transfers: Between airports and hotels.
G. Service Charge & Government Taxes.
H. Travel insurance in mainland China during the above travel period.
I. Arrangements:The tour cost includes planning ,handling ,operational and communication charges.
Price Exclude
A. Entry or Exit China International Airfare or train tickets.
B. Visa Fees.
C. Excess Baggage Charges.
D. Personal Expenses: Expenses of a purely personal nature such as laundry,drinks,fax,telephone call,optional activities,sightseeing or meals which are not included in the itinerary.
E. Meals:Any meals which are not specified with “B”，“L” or “D”.
F. Single Room Supplement.
G. Insurance coverage of personal loss,illness or damages incurred during your trip.
H. Tips to Guides and Drivers.
1. Who would be most probably interested in the information above?
| A．Tourist agencies trying to expand their business in China. |
| B．Experts specializing in the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses. |
| C．High school students planning for the summer vacation. |
| D．Foreign Tourists interested in traditional Chinese culture. |
| A．The overnight soft sleeper train to Xi’an. | B．A Hutong tour in rickshaw. |
| C．Compensation for a piece of lost luggage. | D．Breakfasts for 3 days. |
| A．Sunworld Hotel Beijing is superior to Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing Wangfujing. |
| B．Tourists will visit nine scenic spots and experience a special tour all together. |
| C．The price for each tourist remains the same regardless of the season or their class. |
| D．Tourists will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide on their way to Xi’an. |
8 . I was born in the city of York,in England,in the year 1632.My father was a man of some wealth,able to give me a good home and send me to school.It was his wish that I should be a lawyer but my head began to be filled very early with thoughts of travel,and I would be satisfied with nothing but going to sea.My father gave me strong advice against it,but with little effect.One day,being at Hull,I met a school-fellow who was about to sail for London in his father’s ship,and he invited me to go with him,and in an evil hour,without asking God’s blessing or my father’s,I went on board.
On the way to London,a storm arose,the ship was wrecked,and we barely escaped with our lives.I went on foot to London,where I met with the master of a vessel which traded to the coast of Africa.He took a fancy to me,and offered me a chance to go with him on his voyages,which I gladly accepted.
A great storm came up,and the ship was tossed about for many days,until we did not know where we were.Suddenly we struck a bank of sand,and the sea broke over the ship in such a way that we could not hope to have her hold many moments without breaking into pieces.So in this distress we launched a boat.After we had been driven four or five miles,a mountainous wave struck us so hard that it overturned the boat at once.Though I swam well,the waves were so strong that I was dashed against a rock with such force that it left me senseless.But I recovered a little before the waves returned,and,running forward,got to the mainland safely.
1. Why did the author go on foot to London?| A．The ship he took was destroyed in a storm. |
| B．His father did not supply the fare for the journey. |
| C．He went against his father's strong advice not to do so. |
| D．His school-fellow invited him to go together. |
| A．They knew they were near the shore. |
| B．The big waves were about to overturn the ship. |
| C．Their ship had been knocked about for many days on the sea. |
| D．Their ship had struck sand and was about to break into pieces. |
| A．searched everywhere for his lost companions |
| B．fell down on the ground senseless |
| C．was safe and sound |
| D．ran forward to escape being washed back into the sea |
| A．knew he was in Africa |
| B．did not know where he was |
| C．was not aware he was back in England |
| D．got in touch with his family and asked for help |
9 . Some of the world’s most significant problems never hit headlines. One example comes from agriculture. Food riots and hunger make news. But the trend lying behind these matters is rarely talked about. This is the decline in the growth in yields of some of the world’s major crops. A new study by the University of Minnesota and McGill University in Montreal looks at where, and how far, this decline is occurring.
The authors take a vast number of data points for the four most important crops: rice, wheat corn and soybeans. They find that on between 24% and 39% of all harvested areas, the improvement in yields that took place before the 1980s slowed down in the 1990s and 2000s.
There are two worrying features of the slowdown. One is that it has been particularly sharp in the world’s most populous countries, India and China. Their ability to feed themselves has been an important source of relative stability both within the countries and on world food markets. That self-sufficiency cannot be taken for granted if yields continue to slow down or reverse.
Second, yield growth has been lower in wheat and rice than in corn and soya beans. This is problematic because wheat and rice are more important as foods, accounting for around half of all calories consumed. Corn and soybeans are more important as feed grains. The authors note that “we have preferentially focused our crop improvement efforts on feeding animals and cars rather than on crops that feed people and are the basis of food security in much of the world.”
The report qualifies the more optimistic findings of another new paper which suggests that the world will not have to dig up a lot more land for farming in order to feed 9 billion people in 2050, as the Food and Agriculture Organization has argued.
Instead, it says, thanks to slowing population growth, land currently ploughed up for crops might be able to revert to forest or wilderness. This could happen. The trouble is that the forecast assumes continued improvements in yields, which may not actually happen.
1. What does the author try to draw attention to?| A．Food riots and hunger in the world. | B．News headlines in the leading media. |
| C．The decline of the grain yield growth. | D．The food supply in populous countries. |
| A．Their self-sufficiency is vital to the stability of world food markets. |
| B．Their food yields have begun to decrease sharply in recent years. |
| C．Their big populations are causing worldwide concerns. |
| D．Their food self-sufficiency has been taken for granted. |
| A．They fail to produce the same remarkable results as before the 1980s. |
| B．They contribute a lot to the improvement of human food production. |
| C．They play a major role in guaranteeing the food security of the world. |
| D．They focus more on the increase of animal feed than human food grains. |
| A．The growing population will greatly increase the pressure on world food supplies. |
| B．The optimistic prediction about food production should be viewed with caution. |
| C．The slowdown of the growth in yields of major food crops will be reversed. |
| D．The world will be able to feed its population without increasing farmland. |
10 . ___________: 6 Tricks to Improve Your Life
1.Stop Early Meows(Pets)
With the longer days and the birds sing at the crack of dawn, your kitten is likely an early riser now. Should you feed him when he meows? That will just encourage his inappropriate new habit. Instead, install blackout shades or blinds to block the sun. Then stick to strict feeding times:once before you leave in the morning and once shortly before you go to bed.
2. Keep Fruits and Veggies Fresh(Food)
Most refrigerators have crisper drawers with adjustable vents that you can close to reduce airflow (and create more humidity) or open(to lower the humidity). The best way to extend the life of your fruits and vegetables is to set one drawer at low humidity and use it for anything that rots easily, such as peaches and melons. Set the other drawer at high humidity to store thin-skinned or leafy vegetables such as lettuce and fresh herbs.
3. Let Your Computer Breathe(Technology)
“Don't put your computer on the carpet or up against a wall,” warns Ben Carmitchel , CEO of Data recovery. com. “Doing so can cause heat to build up, and if it can't melt away, it can damage the hard drive and other components.”
4. Create a Corkscrew( )
There are few things in life more frustrating than finding yourself with a nice bottle of wine to drink—but no corkscrew. The next time that happens, take out your house keys and drive one of them into the cork at 45-degree angle until it is all the way in. Slowly twist the key around and up, until you are able to hold the cork and pull it out. Cheers!
5. Stop a Radiator Leak(Auto)
A heat wave has hit town, and your old car radiator isn't too happy about it. If it suddenly overheats and you think the cause is a pinhole leak, pepper can provide a short-term solution.Simply pour a handful of ground pepper into the radiator. That will temporarily plug the leak and likely won't cause any damage to your car until you can get it to a mechanic for repair .
6. Take a Photo of Your Passport(Travel)
It may be your most important document, but travel blogger Suzanna advises against carrying your passport every day while you're travelling."I take a photo of my passport and keep it in my e-mail drafts folder so I can access it if needed," she explains."When shopping and filling out tax reclaim forms, I've used the photo in stores without an issue."
1. Which of the following can best fill in the blank in the 4th paragraph?| A．Health | B．Entertaining | C．Decoration | D．Communication |
| A．Once your pet cat becomes an early riser , you should feed him immediately . |
| B．Pepper can save you the trouble of further repair by solving the leak of your car. |
| C．You'd better switch your computer off to prevent the over-heating of it |
| D．It's recommended that food be classified and stored accordingly in your fridge . |
| A．We Played a Trick | B．We Invented a Thing |
| C．We Found a Fix | D．We Created a Masterpiece |
