1 . I woke up with drool (口水) on my pillow this morning. The alarm clock rang, and I reached over to turn it off. As I laid my face back down on the pillow, I felt the wet drool on my pillow case. I opened my eyes and saw a smiling, panting (喘气的), furry face gazing down at me. I tried to get up, but she was too fast. My face was suddenly covered in kisses with one going straight up my nose and another right in my ear. I laughed, reached out and picked up the eight-pound love machine and held her away from my wet face. It was just another morning in a life with dogs.
Why do we welcome them into our homes and our hearts? We know that most likely we are going to outlive them and have our hearts broken when they age quickly and pass away after ten to fifteen years. We know that there will be vet bills, flea baths and enough fur to make a vacuum cleaner cry. We know that our ears will ring from the barking, that we will be picking up the animal waste every single day and that we will never get to finish a full sandwich again.
Yet, when we are feeling down or blue, there will always be a soft head on our lap needing to be pet. When we get home after a long day’s work, there will be a happy face at the door waiting for us. Our lives will be full of balls to throw, bellies to scratch, and love and loyalty that will warm our hearts and uplift our souls.
For thousands of years, dogs have been our best friends. They remain one of the greatest gifts life has ever given us. Even if they can’t love us for the rest of our lives, they will always love us for all of theirs.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “outlive” in Paragraph 2?| A．Hate. | B．Survive. | C．Donate. | D．Kill. |
| A．The dog slept in the writer’s bed last night. |
| B．The dog wakes up the writer every morning. |
| C．The writer will keep the dog company for about 50 years. |
| D．The writer enjoys the dog’s company despite the trouble. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Negative. | C．Favourable. | D．Indifferent. |
2 . Maryland has plenty of attractive history, with many of its sites kept in good condition. Here are four of the best.
Fort MacHenry (Baltimore)
When the British attacked Baltimore in 1812, the buildings became important to the city’s self-protection. Francis Scott Key, a Washington lawyer, watched the battle through the night. He was so moved by the sight of the American flag still flying by dawn’s early light that he penned a poem, which would become the US national anthem (国歌). Visitors can learn about the history by films and introductions offered here.
Casselman River Bridge (Grantsville)
This beautiful stone bridge was built in the early 19th century, serving as an important link on the National Road in the past. It was the nation’s first major highway, connecting the Potomac and the Ohio River. It is a popular area for fly fishermen, photographers, and history lovers. The nearby Spruce Forest Artisan Village has historic houses, small hotels,and recreated buildings.
Washington Monument (纪念碑) State Park (Boonsboro)
The largest stone monument on the top of South Mountain, built in 1827, is the nation’s first-ever monument honoring George Washington. During the Civil War, the Union Army used this high point as its signal station. Today, you can climb up inside and enjoy attractive views of the surrounding Maryland countryside. There are many historical things related to the monument and the Civil War battle of South Mountain.
B&O Railroad Museum (Ellicott City)
This small building is the nation’s oldest surviving railroad station. Dating from 1830, it was the B&O Main Linens first stop out of Baltimore, 13 miles distant. According to a local story, it also was the finishing line for machines replacing all horses within the year. Today, the station is a museum showing the early first years of America.
1. What can we know about Francis Scott Key?| A．His poem was used as the US national anthem. |
| B．He liked recording wars by poems. |
| C．He fought in the war of 1812. |
| D．His protection of the American flag moved people. |
| A．has convenient transportation | B．was designed to honor a soldier |
| C．played an important role in wartime | D．is the earliest monument in the country |
| A．Fort MacHenry. | B．Casselman River Bridge. |
| C．Washington Monument State Park. | D．B&O Railroad Museum. |
3 . Mrs Black lives in a small village. Her husband is dead. Her son, Jack, lived with her. He worked in a shop in the village, but then he found a job in town named Green sea. He went to live there. Mrs Black was very angry. She got on a train and went to see her son. Then she said to him, "Jack, why do you never telephone me?"
Jack laughed, "But, mother, you haven't got a telephone. " "No. "she answered, "I haven't, but you have got one. "
1. The old Black ________.| A．is dead | B．lives with his wife |
| C．went to a small village | D．worked in a shop |
| A．before | B．when | C．after | D．so |
| A．a big city | B．a small village | C．a town | D．a man’s name |
| A．he had no phone | B．he was very busy |
| C．his mother had no phone | D．he went home every day |
| A．Jack didn’t want to ring her up |
| B．Jack had a telephone but she hadn’t |
| C．she didn’t know how to make a telephone |
| D．she didn’t know she couldn’t be called |
4 . On New Year’s Eve
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, people in Rome, Italy, throw out all the things they no longer want. The streets are filled with old chairs, beds, clothes and dishes. In Madrid, Spain, the new year comes in more quietly. People flock to the main square. Each holds a bag of grapes. As the clock strikes twelve, the people eat the grapes— one for each stroke.
In Tokyo people eat noodles on New Year’s Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning, some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise of the new year.
In china, New Year’s food include a whole fish and a chicken.The chicken must be presented with a head,tail and two feet to symbolize（象征）completeness.
1. This story is about New Year’s Eve in ________.| A．Italy and Spain | B．China and Japan | C．Japan | D．both A and C |
| A．Throwing everything | B．playing games |
| C．eating some special food | D．drinking coke |
| A．are Spanish | B．are Japanese | C．are Chinese | D．are Italians |
| A．grapes | B．noodles | C．fish and chicken | D．a whole fish and a chicken |
5 . A teenager from the UK almost died because of an addiction to unhealthy exercise.
Lisa Fouweather, 19, was so addicted to working out that she ran half marathons before breakfast. She started to practice running, hoping to become excellent at her running club, but quickly became addicted.
She was hardly eating to keep in shape. The teen’s meals would only include a few pieces of food from her “safe foods” list which was mainly fruit and vegetables. She would avoid anything containing sugar or fat. “I would throw my orange juice and bread out of the window when my parents left the room,” she said. At one point, her weight dropped to just 75 pounds — around 34 kg.
This helped to improve her running in the short-term when, in fact, her whole life was falling apart. It affected her education as she would turn up late to school every day to finish her morning running. She said, “Six-mile runs became half marathons, all on an empty stomach before breakfast. Upon my return, I would eat only fruit.”
However, although warned by her parents, Lisa refused to admit she had a problem and wouldn’t give up her way of working out until one day she had a heart attack after her running and was rushed to hospital, where she was diagnosed with anorexic (厌食症) and banned from exercise. “I was told that I could have died because my heart was under great pressure.” She was given dieting advice by doctors to help treat her eating disorders. Thanks to hard work and professional help, she managed to put a stop to her extreme exercise and dieting and has been in recovery for nearly three years.
Lisa said, “I want people who are going through the same problem as I did to know that there is help and support out there, and don’t wait until you’re at breaking point to seek that help.”
1. Why did Lisa start practicing running at first?| A．To become great at the running club. |
| B．To keep in shape. |
| C．To help her with her diet. |
| D．To improve her education. |
| A．She ran half marathons on an empty stomach. |
| B．She had an unhealthy way of eating. |
| C．She didn’t get any warning from others. |
| D．She wouldn’t quit her wrong way of exercise at first. |
| A．There are many people going through the same problem as Lisa did. |
| B．Lisa can provide help and support to people with the same problem. |
| C．You can wait for help if you’re going through the same problem. |
| D．People with the same problem should ask for help in time. |
| A．Science. | B．Technology. |
| C．Health. | D．Nature. |
6 . About ten men in every hundred suffer from color blindness in some way. Women are luckier, only about one in two hundred is affected in this matter. Perhaps, after all, it is safer to be driven by a woman!
There are different forms of color blindness. In some cases a man may not be able to see deep red. He may think that red, orange and yellow are all shadows of green. Sometimes a person cannot tell the difference between blue and green. In rare cases an unlucky man may see everything in shades of green -a strange world indeed.
Color blindness in human beings is a strange thing to explain. In a single eye there are millions of very small things called “cones”. These help us to see in a bright light and to tell difference between colors. There are also millions of “rods”, but these are used for seeing when it is near dark. They show us shape but no color.
Some insects have favorite colors. Mosquitoes prefer blue to yellow. A red light will not attract insects, but a blue lamp will. In a similar way human beings also have favorite colors. Yet we are lucky. With the aid of the cones in our eyes we can see many beautiful colors by day, and with the help of the rods we can see shapes at night. One day we may even learn more about the invisible colors around us.
1. According to the passage, with the help of the “cones”, we can _________.| A．tell different shapes | B．see in a weak light |
| C．kill mosquitoes | D．tell the difference between blue and green |
| A．Women are more careful. |
| B．There are fewer color-blind women. |
| C．Women are fonder of driving than men. |
| D．Women are weaker but quicker in thinking. |
| A．red light | B．yellow light |
| C．blue light | D．green light |
| A．color and its surprising effects | B．women being luckier than men |
| C．danger caused by color blindness | D．color blindness |
7 . Wine and beaches, fireworks and music... our readers recommend some fantastic festivals.
Festa delTUva e del Vino, Italy
Set on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, this grapes and wine festival takes over the small town of Bardolino for four days every October. With local wines, food, art projections, fireworks and live music. people come from miles around to celebrate. First and foremost，it’s about great wine，but it’s worth visiting to soak up the great atmosphere.
Free，1-5 October
Quest festival, Vietnam
This is a weekend camping festival held just a 40-minute drive from Hanoi, bringing together locals and visitors in a celebration of underground live and electronic music culture. Held in the beautiful Son Tinh campsite, there are usually about 30 local and international DJs and 10 bands. There are also workshops, pop-up cafes, fire performances, dancing and much more.
Weekend tickets about £25, 6-8 November
Estiv al Switzerland
This is a free festival of jazz which takes place in the first weekend in July in the pretty squares and lakeside beaches and parks around the southern Swiss town of Lugano. The palm trees and summer air to see some of Europe’s up and coming jazz bands and enjoy Swiss
Free, every July
Irish Redhead Convention, County Cork
A friendly gathering for all red-haired people is held in the small seaside village of Crosshaven where redheads from all over the world take part in light hearted events. There’s live music, art exhibitions, lectures and of course the traditional Parade of Redheads through the village led by the newly crowned Redhead King and Queen.
Free, Every August
1. Jennifer, a girl with red hair, may be interested in ________.| A．Estival. | B．Quest festival. |
| C．Festa deirtlva e del Vino. | D．Irish Redhead Convention. |
| A．They offer local food. |
| B．They have fireworks. |
| C．They are free of charge. |
| D．They have music activities. |
| A．In a textbook. |
| B．In a magazine. |
| C．In a news report. |
| D．In a research paper. |
8 . Over the years, you've probably known a good number of people-some for only a short period and others for a much longer time. If you spend a moment thinking back on the people who have meant the very most to you, selflessness will be the same thing they share. There might have been a person who really believed in you. Someone taught you something important. Someone cared for you in his or her own way. Someone has simply always remained your friend.
Many years ago, I traveled through the beautiful, history-rich country of Greece. With only a small backpack, I stayed at youth hotels, visiting city after city. One day, a shoulder strap on my backpack broke. I didn't speak any Greek and the owner didn't speak any English. I went to the front desk of my hotel and tried to ask him if there might be a shop nearby where I could have it repaired. He was clearly very busy. But he asked someone to watch over the front desk and then signed to me to follow him. We walked together for a few blocks,arriving at a little shoe repair shop. Within ten minutes, my backpack was repaired, and then the hotel owner insisted on paying for it!
I was shocked by this powerful, unexpected kindness. More than any other thing, it's what I recall most often when I think about my trip to Greece. Sometimes, you may not have even realized how much your selflessness toward someone has mattered. As the saying goes, "To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world."
1. What's wrong with the author's backpack？ ________| A．One of its shoulder straps was broken. | B．It was got dirty by a cleaner. |
| C．One of its pockets was broken. | D．There was a hole in it. |
| A．Mean. | B．Warm-hearted. | C．Clever. | D．Humorous. |
| A．He became a lifelong friend of the hotel owner. | B．He spent all his money in travelling in Greece. |
| C．He picked up Greek while travelling in Greece. | D．He'll never forget the hotel owner's kindness. |
| A．To show his love of travelling. | B．To explore the value of selflessness. |
| C．To give a short introduction to Greece. | D．To introduce a shoe repair shop in Greece. |
9 . Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the street. Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, and the life of American people. Most of the radio programmes are music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape. Some of the money from these tapes goes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk (民间) music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is called western or country music. This was started by cowboys (牛仔) who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.
1. Which of the following is talked in this passages?| A．popular, folk and country music | B．pop music, folk music |
| C．pop music and western music | D．folk, pop and classical music |
| A．are loved by all the young people | B．make a CD or tape |
| C．make much money | D．are wanted to sing on the radio |
| A．common life of Americans | B．school life in America |
| C．life of cowboys | D．country life and love stories |
| A．Everyone in America wants to meet pop singers wherever they go. |
| B．Students with cars in America like to listen to music while driving. |
| C．Adult drivers in America listen to music all the time while driving. |
| D．Most students in America like popular music. |
10 . Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, the aged, and children who have lost their parents, but also friends, workmates, relatives and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago, when a Cleveland man noticed that some people, such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed, too often felt forgotten and neglected, he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors, he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration, which came to be called "Sweetest Day". Over time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor, the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a positive way.
1. What group of people is the Sweetest Day intended for?| A．The sick. | B．The aged. | C．The orphans. | D．All the people. |
| A．Ignored. | B．Forgotten. | C．Remembered. | D．Loved. |
| A．He felt lonely and wanted to be noticed. |
| B．He wanted to be helpful to those who need love. |
| C．He needed someone to give out some small gifts. |
| D．He was helped by his friends and neighbors. |
| A．A gift is always needed on Sweetest Day. |
| B．Only those sick and children need to be remembered. |
| C．Sweetest Day is limited to families and friends. |
| D．It's a chance for everyone to express your care. |
