1 . Solothurn is a picturesque town in the northwest of Switzerland known primarily for its closest relation with the number eleven. It seems like everything in this place was designed around this magical number, from the fact that there are precisely eleven churches, as well as eleven historical fountains, eleven museums and eleven towers, to the unusual clock in the town square that features an eleven­hour dial and the number twelve missing.

Although nearly everyone in Solothurn knows about the town's obsession with the number eleven, the origin of that is covered in mystery. The first mention of eleven in Solothurn's history dates back to 1252, when eleven members were first elected for the town's council. Another great example of Solothurn's obsession with the number eleven is the magnificent Cathedral of St. Ursus. Designed by Italian architect Gaetano Matteo Pisoni, it was built in eleven years. It features three sets of steps, each numbering eleven rows, eleven doors, eleven bells and eleven altars, one of which is made out of eleven different types of marble. Interestingly, the altars can be viewed at the same time from only one place in the cathedral, the eleventh black stone in the long central part.

The people of Solothurn also show an intense interest in the number eleven in their daily life. There are special celebrations held on eleventh birthdays, and there are local products and businesses that include the special number. There is “Öufi­Bier” (Beer eleven), “eleven­i Schokolade” (eleven­Chocolate), and even “öufiyoga” (eleven o'clock yoga). The mysterious relationship between Solothurn and the number has become one of the town's primary tourist attractions, and there is even a themed tour about the number eleven.

1. What is mainly discussed about Solothurn in Paragraph 1?

A．Its unique designs.	B．Its cultural origin.
C．Its natural attractions.	D．Its connection with nature.

2. What does   the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The number eleven.	B．The city of Solothurn.
C．Solothurn's love for eleven.	D．The history of Switzerland.

3. What is the Cathedral of St. Ursus like?

A．Its steps contain 33 rows in all.	B．Its doors are made out of marble.
C．It has eleven bells on each step.	D．It has eleven altars in the center.

4. What do we know about the people of Solothurn?

A．They attach great importance to tourism.	B．They bring number eleven to daily life.
C．They lead a busy but comfortable life.	D．They are expert at designing products.

2 . Interactions between people and elephants have a long history. Elephants have been trained and used by human beings for thousands of years, for everything from transportation to construction to logging to war.

In more recent times, Asian elephants have been used in entertainment and as a living ''machine'' to help move logs through the jungle as part of the logging industry. The latter changed in Thailand in 1989, when the Thai government banned the use of elephants in the logging industry. Owners of elephants had very little choice but to turn to tourism to earn enough to care for themselves and their elephants by offering elephant riding to tourists.

Mahouts (象夫) are the elephant handlers who you will see riding or managing the elephants at any camp you visit. The traditional mahout life isn't easy. They are bonded to their elephant and they rarely have time off or time for family.

These years, younger mahouts in Thailand have been more likely to leave the mahout life to find jobs in the city, resulting in elephants having to get used to multiple mahouts. This can lead to additional stress on the elephant, or result in abuse by a mahout trying to manage an elephant that hasn’t built any level of trust with him.

Opponents of elephant riding may suggest that elephant rides be illegal. My worry is that an immediate ban could lead to another massive change in how elephants are treated, similar to ending elephant logging in 1989. How will mahouts that are currently making a living and supporting their elephants through rides be able to continue to do so? The average lifespan of an elephant is 60 years. Any solution needs to take into account the long-term effects on the elephants currently employed giving rides.

1. What happened in 1989 in Thailand?

A．Elephants lost their jobs.	B．Elephants joined in tourism.
C．Entertainment was forbidden.	D．The government banned logging.

2. What will cause the ill treatment of some elephants?

A．The great stress to make money.

B．The former masters’ leaving them.

C．The heavy load on the elephants.

D．The owners' mistrust of the elephants.

3. What's the best title for the passage?

A．Will You Go to Thailand?

B．Why are Elephants Trained?

C．How do Mahouts Train Elephants?

D．Should You Ride Elephants in Thailand?

4. Why does the author write this passage?

A．To present a problem.	B．To criticize mahouts.
C．To introduce Thailand.	D．To record his experience.

3 . I sent a message to my sister at 12: 30 p.m. during my lunch to ask her about my father's progress. He was having his second knee surgery and my expectations were the same as the previous successful surgery. My brother picked me up from school and we headed for the hospital.

When we arrived at the hospital, my first question was “How is he doing?” My father was connected to a breathing machine and his face was very swollen. I tried my best not to cry because 1 was supposed to interpret for him what was happening as the nurses did not speak Spanish. I had never seen my father this way. He looked so fragile and different from the strong man I knew. I asked him how he was doing and he said he was fine. I returned to the lobby and I was in a state where I realized that my hero, best friend, and love of my life was in a dangerous state and at this point anything could happen.

I recalled on when I was a child. “I'm going to the store” were always his words, and that was without a doubt my cue to follow him. We would walk to the car, and sometimes if I was lucky, I got away with sitting in the front seat. We would arrive at the store and he always said “Get whatever you want and something for Ana”; Ana is my sister. My dad and I were best friends, he never showed preference with his children, but I just always happened to follow him. It was okay for me to cry when I wanted something because I was his youngest girl, he couldn't say no to me.

All along my father had dedicated his life to giving us the best. Growing up does not necessarily mean that one must distance from our parents because it is childish; it is a time to take action and embrace the feelings because it is the right thing to do. Life presents us signals to acknowledge and value what is the most important in life.

1. How was the author's father when she arrived at the hospital?

A．He was dangerously weak.	B．He was worried about his life.
C．He remained healthy and strong.	D．He was unconscious and couldn't speak.

2. How did the author feel after knowing her father's situation?

A．Sympathetic.	B．Worried.
C．Optimistic.	D．Indifferent.

3. What can we learn about the author's childhood?

A．She never took no for an answer.

B．She was her father's favorite child.

C．She followed her father a lot as a young girl.

D．She got away from her family at an early age.

4. What advice does the author give at the end of the text?

A．Value your loved ones and keep them close.

B．Grow up and share your parents' responsibility.

C．Care for your parents' health before it's too late.

D．Distance from your family and be independent.