1 . Alaska state officials are hosting Walmart executives in the state capital this week in an effort to resolve a months-old argument over Alaskan salmon fisheries’ sustainability qualifications.

The seeds of the quarrel were planted several years ago when several Alaskan fisheries decided to end their relationship with the Marine Stewardship Council—the famous global organization that states and proves the truthfulness of sustainable fishing—to seek out other means assuring customers of their sustainable practices. But last June, Walmart told Alaskan fisheries that it would not be buying salmon sourced from fisheries not certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.

Now Walmart is caught between two forces–Alaska fisheries and “buy American” enthusiasts who think the company’s first responsibility should be to American industry, and environmentalists who think Walmart should make as strong a commitment to environmentally sustainable industry as possible.

But from a broader perspective, this latest noise is an object lesson in why the concept of corporate (公司的) responsibility has shortcomings to begin with. Walmart—like most successful corporations—is pretty good at offering products their customers want at low prices. When it tries to promote broader public goods, like a clean environment, or lower unemployment for veterans, it’s nowhere near as successful. Here’s a few of Walmart’s more notable corporate-responsibility confusion:

The Buy-American Debacle: Walmart’s first major corporate responsibility push was an effort in the 1980s to promote American-made products. But the campaign ran aground (搁浅) after a NBC investigation revealed that the company was actually selling products manufactured in India as “Made American.”

The Going Green Campaign: Walmart launched on a sustainability campaign aimed at making the retail giants operations much more environmentally friendly. Though Walmart and the media have done much to raise visibility of these efforts, the actual results have been lacking. According to a recent report from the Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR), Walmart’s sustainability campaign is much more focused on making its operations appear green to customers than stopping doing things that would actually help the environment, like reducing emissions.

In reality, these examples simply show that one can’t realistically expect corporations to behave in a way that is opposite to making profits. But that doesn’t mean that the goal of fishing sustainability isn’t achievable. It’s just that the corporate structure isn’t our best means of achieving them—the government is.

1. What is the function of the Marine Stewardship Council?

A．To advocate sustainable fishing practices.

B．To persuade supermarkets to buy its products.

C．To solve disagreements between fisheries and supermarkets.

D．To guarantee the safety of goods supplied by supermarkets.

2. According to the author, Walmart’s corporate responsibility is ________.

A．confusing	B．heavy
C．environmental-friendly	D．unsatisfying

3. From Paragraph 5, we know ________.

A．Walmart’s sustainability campaign worked well

B．Walmart might have profited at the cost of the environment

C．ILSR’s report was part of Walmart’s campaign plan

D．Walmart had no intention to protect the environment at all

4. Who should be mainly responsible for achieving the goals of fishing sustainability?

A．The company structure	B．Walmart
C．The government	D．The Marine Stewardship Council

2 . Thailand's southern beaches attract travelers with their clean water and dramatic cliffs (峭壁), but there's more to explore in this Southeast Asian country.

Lopburi for history buffs

Bypass the tour groups at the ancient city of Ayutthaya and head two hours north of the capital, Bangkok, for a peaceful walk through Thai history. Lopburi, one of Thailand's oldest cities, boasts Khmer-era temples and the uncrowded ruins of King Narai's Palace, which was built in the 1600s. It's also known for the monkeys that gather at Phra Prang Sam Yot temple in the center of town.

Ban Krut for beach bums

In Ban Krut, travelers will find one of the cleanest and quietest stretches of white sandy beach within driving distance of Bangkok. This sleepy seaside community, known mostly by locals, is a five-hour drive or six-hour train trip down the Gulf of Thailand. Don't miss the magnificent Wat Tang Sai, a huge, fairy tale castle-like Buddhist temple.

Cave for holiday hikers

Hiking trails, wetlands and forests make Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park a weekend adventure worthy of topping your Thailand to-do list. The park's crown jewel is the extraordinary Phraya Nakhon Cave. Come early to catch the picturesque chamber flooded with morning sunshine that spotlights the royal pavilion that sits inside.

River Kwai for nature lovers

Most visitors come for the beaches, but the rivers and parks in Thailand's Kanchanaburi province have much to offer. Scenic trails and waterfalls abound in Sai Yok and Erawan national parks. Just two hours from Bangkok is the bridge made famous in the book Bridge over the River Kwai by French author, Pierre Boulle, and the 1957 Academy Award-winning 1957 film adaptation of the same name. Stay on the river at one of Kanchanaburi's many floating hotels, where you can travel to your front door.

1. From which of the following can you learn more about Thai history?

A．Ban Krut

B．Kanchanaburi

C．Phraya Nakhon Cave

D．Lopburi

2. What can tourists do in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park?

A．Visit temples.

B．Meet lovely monkeys.

C．Go hiking.

D．Go to the beach.

3. What can we know from the passage?

A．River Kwai was made famous by a book and a film

B．Tourists can stay at the floating hotels on River Kwai.

C．Most visitors visit Thailand for rivers and parks

D．Travellers can find Khmer-era temples in Ban Krut.

3 . How cool can libraries be in an era of iPods and Kindles? More than you think. Only if you know where to go.

Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States

The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening. The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the Chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime.

Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland

The Trinity College Library in Dublin is in Ireland, founded at the end of the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library's oldest books. The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps（竖琴）in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland.

Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States

At first glance, it looks like a spaceship. Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels. The library hosts “Dinner in the Library,” which invites readers for cocktails, and also special speeches from distinguished authors．

TU Delft Library: The Netherlands

The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can't really see the actual Library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill. The roof covers 5,500 square meters. And it has become one of the most striking and greenest structures in the area.

1. Which of the four libraries has the longest history?

A．Central Library	B．Trinity College Library
C．Geisel Library	D．TU Delft Library

2. What makes Geisel Library different from the others is that _____.

A．a spaceship designer founded the library

B．it has a roof of grassy hill

C．famous writers often deliver speeches there

D．it is the largest single library in the world

3. In Central Library, you can _____.

A．drink cocktails	B．buy souvenirs
C．create paintings	D．book events

4 . I used to think the whole purpose of life was pursuing happiness. Everyone said the path to happiness was success, so I searched for that ideal job, that perfect boyfriend, and that beautiful apartment. But instead of ever feeling fulfilled, I felt anxious and lost. Eventually. I decided to go to graduate school for positive psychology to learn what truly makes people happy.

And what's the difference between being happy and having meaning in life? Many psychologists describe happiness as a state of comfort and ease, feeling good in the moment. Meaning, though, is deeper. The famous psychologist Martin Seligman says meaning comes from belonging to and serving something beyond yourself and from developing the best within you. Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but I came to see that seeking meaning is the more fulfilling path.

There are four pillars of a meaningful life.

The first pillar is belonging. Belonging comes from being in relationships where you're valued for who you are and where you value others as well. For many people, belonging is the most essential source of meaning.

For others, the key to meaning is the second pillar: purpose. Finding your purpose is not the same thing as finding that job that makes you happy. A doctor told me her purpose is healing sick people. Many parents tell me, “My purpose is raising my children.” The key to purpose is using your strengths to serve others. Without something worthwhile to do, people flounder, thus losing the aim of life.

The third pillar of meaning is also about stepping beyond yourself, but in a completely different way: transcendence (超然). Transcendent experiences can change you. Transcendent states are those rare moments when you're lifted above the hustle and bustle of daily life, your sense of self fades away, and you feel connected to a higher reality. For me, I’m a writer, and it happens through writing. Sometimes I get so in the zone that I lose all sense of time and place.

The fourth pillar is storytelling, the story you tell yourself about yourself. Creating a narrative from the events of your life brings clarity. It helps you understand how you became you. But we don’t always realize that we're the authors of our stories and can change the way we’re telling them. Your life isn't just a list of events. You can edit, interpret and retell your story, even as you're constrained by the facts.

That’s the power of meaning. Happiness comes and goes. But when life is really good and when things are really bad, having meaning gives you something to hold on to.

1. What can we know from the first two paragraphs？

A．Life might be fulfilled by landing ideal jobs．

B．Life dilemma is challenging for us to get out of．

C．Meaning is highly valued in our culture．

D．Happiness is what most people try to achieve．

2. Which word is the closest to the underlined word?

A．Confused	B．Distracted
C．Disappointed	D．Saddened

3. Which pillar can describe an artist obsessed with her work despite repeated failures?

A．Belonging	B．Purpose
C．Transcendence	D．Storytelling

4. The passage aims to tell us that _______________．

A．meaning is superior to happiness

B．meaning is the way to success

C．chasing meaning can make people happy

D．meaning has deeper psychological significance

5 . Victor Frankl， the author of Mans Search for Meaning， once wrote， "'Everything can be taken from a person but one thing： the last of human freedoms-to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances．" Frankl was right． Attitude is a choice． You could be faced with a thousand problems， many or most over which you have absolutely no control． However， there is always one thing you are in complete and absolute control of and that is your own attitude．

To be honest， it wasn't until I was in my late 20s that I finally understood its full impact． All through my teens and into my early adult life， I can't tell you the number of times that I heard， "Bob， if you'd just change your attitude， you would do a lot better．" At that time， I didn't know what attitude was， let alone know how to change it!

Attitude and results are inseparable， They follow one another as night follows day． One is the cause， while the other， the result． There is a term we use to distinguish this "cause and effect " relationship， which is called The Law of Cause and Effect． Simply stated， if you think in negative terms， you will get negative results； if you think in positive terms， you will achieve positive results． Some people always see wrong things in the world． These individuals are quick to blame circumstances or other people for their problems， rather than accepting responsibility for their life and their attitude． Thus， it would appear as if they were born with bad luck and it has followed them around their whole life． However， there are others who are forever winning and living the good life． They are the real movers and shakers who make things happen． They seem to go from one major accomplishment to another． They're in control of their life． Their wins are a matter of choice．

You can experience that kind of life as well， you only need to decide． Dorothea Brand once said， "Act as if it were impossible to fail， " and I challenge you to do so． By simply becoming aware that you can choose your thoughts each and every day， you will change your entire outlook． You have the power to choose an abundant life no matter what your circumstances are． Don't wait to experience all the wonderful things the universe has in store for you． Start today by working on your attitude and welcome the abundant life that you are meant to lead．

1. What can we know from Paragraph 1？ ______

A．Freedom is the last thing we can control．

B．Most problems in life are in our control．

C．We can choose our attitude at any time．

D．A man can lose anything but freedom．

2. Why does the author use the example of himself in Para． 2？ ______

A．To show attitude is important to the old．

B．To show understanding attitude takes time．

C．To prove attitude impacts greatly on people．

D．To prove the author was very stubborn．

3. Knowing "The Law of Cause and Effect" helps readers ______ ．

A．understand what causes a good attitude

B．analyze the effect of a negative attitude

C．understand "cause and effect" relationship better

D．know the benefit of choosing active attitude

4. What is the writer's message conveyed in this passage？ ______

A．Winning is a matter of control．

B．Success begins with positive attitude．

C．Bad attitude results in bad results．

D．Attitude and results are inseparable．

6 . Occasions like anniversaries, weddings and reunions call for special event venues （场地）.The following places may have a way out. There's no need to spend money creating atmosphere at special event venues. It's built right in!

Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage

415 E. STREET, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501

Events, like great music are born of inspiration. Featuring a 13,600-square-foot facility that will seat 275 guests with private event space, we pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional experience with a rock and roll twist for each of our guests.

Business Expo Center

1960 S. ANAHEIM WAY, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA 92805

The Business Expo Center is Orange County's premier event venue in Anaheim, California. Our flexible 36,000-square-foot expo center is home to space for conferences, trade shows and celebrations. We pride ourselves on providing a memorable experience with excellent flexibility, services, and cost savings. We won't charge customers for on-site parking and provide high-speed Wi-Fi.

Automobile Driving Museum

610 LAIRPORT STREET, EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA 90245

Centrally located in the South Bay beach community of El Segundo, California, the ADM offers a wonderful venue for private parties and corporate events. Conveniently located 5 minutes south of LAX, right off the 405 and 105 Freeways, the 610 Lairport space has a vintage feel surrounded by our primary automobile collection. We offer several different venues inside and outside our facility for diverse events. To better our service, reservations are needed.

Yamashiro Hollywood

1999 N. SYCAMORE AVE., LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90068

Yamashiro Hollywood is a restaurant and therefore, all food and beverages must be handled in house. However, guests are allowed to bring in outside wine and champagne for a corkage fee.

1. What can you do in Business Expo Center?

A．Enjoy free parking.

B．Bring in outside wine.

C．Experience a rock and roll twist.

D．See some automobile collections.

2. Which venue do you need to book in advance?

A．Business Expo Center.

B．Yamashiro Hollywood.

C．Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage.

D．Automobile Driving Museum.

3. What do the four venues have in common?

A．They offer optional places.

B．They are open to special events.

C．They are located in the same state.

D．They enjoy convenient transportation.

7 . SYDNEY —Australian scientists have designed a system which uses microwaves to break down plastic into an environmentally friendly by-product.

Head of Electrical Engineering at Australia’s James Cook University, Prof. Mohan Jacob revealed on Thursday that by using microwaves, plastic waste can be converted into biochar(生物炭), charcoal that can be used as a soil conditioner.

“We are developing a processing room, which could process many kinds of plastic materials, up to 5 kilograms of waste,” Jacob said. “It will be a typical example system for the development of biochars from different types of plastics under various conditions.” Jacob explained that microwave energy is used to heat the plastic waste above 600 degrees centigrade within the custom-made room, where it ends up as a biochar, which can then be used to improve the properties of soil.

Currently underway is step one of the project, testing the room, after which, step two will involve improving the energy efficiency of the system and maximizing the yield of by-products. If all goes to plan, step three will be to construct a medium scale waste processing system which is customizable and can be installed remotely.

Jacob said that with the average person using 130 kg of plastic every year, there is an urgent need for developing better ways of processing it.

“Perhaps contrary to popular opinion, plastic is an indispensable material in modern life. It is cheap, competent, lightweight, and has many benefits like maintaining food quality and safety and preventing waste,” he said.

However, “abandoned plastics endanger our marine wildlife, and have begun to enter the food chain. There is an urgent need for developing technologies to recover plastic waste.”

1. How does the system function?

A．Microwaves are used to produce plastic.

B．Plastic waste is heated in the microwaves.

C．Plastic waste is cut into pieces and buried into the soil.

D．Microwaves change plastic waste into biochar by heating.

2. Which statement is true according to Jacob?

A．Plastic consumption now is acceptable.

B．Plastic should be abandoned in our life.

C．The system of processing plastic has come into use.

D．Finding better ways to deal with plastic waste is urgent.

3. What does “recover” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Make up for a loss in time.

B．Find or regain lost possession.

C．Extract or recycle an energy source for reuse.

D．Return to a normal state of health, mind or strength.

4. What does the passage mainly tell about?

A．3 steps of processing plastic waste.

B．A way of producing plastic products easily.

C．A new system of breaking down plastic waste.

D．A program designed for plastic use in the daily life.

8 . I never saw my father home from work late or ill, nor did I ever see my father take a “night out with the boys”. He had no hobbies but just took care of his family.

For 22 years, since I left home for college, my father called me every Sunday at 9:00 am. He was always interested in my life----how my family was doing. The calls even came when he and my mother were in Australia, England or Florida.

Nine years ago when I bought me first house, my father, 67 years old, spent eight hours a day for three days, painting my house. He would not allow me to pay someone to have it done. All he asked was a glass of iced tea, and that I hold a paintbrush for him and talk to him. But I was too busy, for I had a law practice to run, and I could not take the time to hold the paintbrush, or talk to my father.

Five years ago, my 71-year-old father spent five hours putting together a swing set (秋千) for my daughter. Again, all he asked was that I get him a glass of iced tea, and talk to him. But again, I had laundry to do, and the house to clean.

The morning on Sunday, January 16, 1995, my father telephoned me as usual, this time he had seemed to have forgotten some things we had discussed the week before. I had to get to church, and I cut the conversation short.

The call came at 4:40 am. That day my father was sent to hospital in Florida. I got on a plane immediately, and I vowed (发誓) that when I arrived, I would make up for the lost time, and have a nice long talk with him and really get to know him.

I arrived in Florida at 1:00 am, but my father had passed away at 9:12 pm. This time it was he who did not have time to talk, or time to wait for me.

In the years since his death I have learnt much about my father, and even more about every single day.

1. We know from the reading that the father_____.

A．liked to paint houses

B．had no friends around him

C．was not healthy in his youth

D．thought of his family as his all

2. When her father painted her first house, the daughter_____.

A．could only afford a glass of iced tea

B．was too busy to talk to her father

C．could do nothing but hold a paintbrush

D．spent eight hours a day working with her father

3. On January 16, 1995, the daughter felt that her father_____.

A．seemed to be a little different

B．had no time to phone her as usual

C．became interested in church

D．had forgotten to discuss some things with her

4. Which is the best title of the reading?

A．Painting Houses

B．Daughter’s Family

C．Father and I

D．Father’s phone calls

9 . My roommate Lily was well organised, while I was not. Each of her things had its place, but mine were always hidden somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签于) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Lily got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.

War broke out one evening. Lily came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming. “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed! “Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Lily answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.

Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so lost in my work that I even didn’t notice Lily had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression a kind of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”

Lily and I stayed roommates for the rest of the college years. We didn’t always agree, but we learned.

1. How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A．By analyzing causes.	B．By following time order.
C．By showing differences.	D．By describing a process.

2. What made Lily so angry one evening?

A．She heard the author shouting loud.

B．She saw the author’s shoes under her bed.

C．She got the news that her grandma was ill.

D．She couldn’t find her books anymore.

3. Why did the author clean up the room?

A．Because she wanted to show her care for Lily.

B．Because she hated herself for being so messy.

C．Because Lily required her to do so.

D．Because she was scared by Lily’s anger.

4. What might be the best title for the passage?

A．Hard Work Pays Off	B．Learning to Be Roommates
C．My Friend Lily	D．How to Be Organised?

10 . Learning is so complex that there are many different psychological theories to explain how people learn. A psychologist named Albert Bandura suggested a social learning theory which shows that observation, imitation (模仿), and modeling play a primary role in this process.

In Albert Bandura’s opinion, people can learn through observation. Observational learning doesn’t even necessarily require watching another person join in an activity. We can also learn by reading, hearing, or watching the actions of characters in books and films. However, just observing someone else’s actions isn’t always enough to lead to learning. Your own mental state also plays an important role in determining whether a behavior is learned or not. In addition, though in many cases, learning can be seen immediately when the new behavior is displayed, yet sometimes we can learn things even though that learning might not be immediately obvious, which means people can learn new information without showing new behaviors.

Not all observed behaviors are effectively learned. Certain requirements need to be related to the observational learning process. For example, you need to be paying attention. Also your retention is an important part of observational learning as you need to pull up information later and act on it during the process. Once you’ve paid attention to the model and kept the information, it’s time to actually perform the behavior you observed. Further practice of the learned behavior leads to improvement. Finally, you have to be motivated to imitate the behavior that has been modeled.

Social learning theory have many real-world applications. For example, researchers employ it to look into and understand ways that positive role models can be used to encourage desirable behaviors. Besides, it’s also applied in the field of education, and today, both teachers and parents recognize how important it is to model appropriate behaviors.

1. What can we infer about observational learning from Paragraph 2?

A．Its effects on a person tend to be very obvious.

B．Its effectiveness is determined by the mental state.

C．Its most useful means should be careful watching.

D．It doesn’t necessarily lead to a change in behavior.

2. What does the underlined word “retention” in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Curiosity.	B．Creativity.
C．Memory.	D．Imagination.

3. What should you do to make observational learning successful?

A．Learn to be judgmental.	B．Look for a motivator.
C．Try to be imaginative.	D．Focus on the process.

4. According to the text, the social learning theory ___________.

A．was doubted at first	B．remains to be tested
C．is of practical use	D．is based on experiments