1 . In an incredible display of compassion and kindness, a man from Turkey was spotted trying to warm a pigeon in the most creative way.
Sabahattin Yılmaz was at home one chilly day. After a rain shower had passed, he noticed something landed on the sill (窗台) outside his window—a cold and wet pigeon. The animal was trembling and soaked; it clearly didn’t have the chance to seek shelter before the rain began. Feeling for the poor pigeon, Yılmaz thought of a way to dry him off.
Rather than pick him up and take him inside to warm up, Yılmaz plugged in a hairdryer and used it to dry off the bird. Little did he know that his neighbor captured the whole moment on video. In the video, Yılmaz can be seen leaning out of his window. He was stretching his arm as far as he can so the hot air can reach the pigeon. The bird willingly let the man warm him up, crouching (蹲伏) to let his outer feathers dry.
Yılmaz told the media that he spent about fifteen minutes drying off the bird. He said he had just opened his window when he saw the pigeon around the corner of the sill. He described it as wet and “about to freeze” from the cold and rainy weather.
After fifteen minutes, Yılmaz gave the pigeon birdseed, which he ate happily. However, the bird remained wet still. “I saw that it was still there so I warmed it up again, after the pigeon recovered again, and after eating a good amount of seed, it flew away,” Yılmaz recalled.
He also didn’t know that he was being recorded at the time and that the video was shared online. He simply did it out of the kindness of his heart. “The pigeon is a living creature and deserved to continue living, that is why I did it,” he said.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．An online video about a pigeon became a hit. |
| B．A man warmed up a wet and cold pigeon. |
| C．A man invented a creative way to help birds. |
| D．A man lives in harmony with a pigeon. |
| A．It was scared and flew away. |
| B．It was annoyed and refused his help. |
| C．It was ready to accept his assistance. |
| D．It was happy to settle in his home. |
| A．A man was filming Yılmaz’s kindness. |
| B．A pigeon was jumping back and forth when dried off. |
| C．Yılmaz was warming a pigeon in a novel way. |
| D．Yilmaz was stretching his arms to catch a pigeon. |
| A．Indifferent but creative. | B．Patient and ambitious. |
| C．Talented but careless. | D．Sympathetic and warm-hearted. |
2 . Here are four activities in October. Go and get yourself out of your house.
1. Hope with Every Step 5K Race
It will be held on Saturday, October 3 at Taglienti Field on the Spruce Mountain High School campus. This event is held in honor of Josh Brochu, 13 and his sister Brook Brochu, 10, both of whom have a rare disease that affects children. All the money collected from the event will go to the A-T Childrens’ Project, a non-profit (非盈利的) organization which raises money for medical research and health centers. Visit www.atcp.org for more information.
2. A Free Movie Supported by Farmington Baptist Church
It will be shown at 7: 00 pm on October on 194 Whittier Road in Farmington. The movie When the Game Stands Tall tells the true story of the De La Salle Spartans High School football team, which set 151-game winning streak (连胜) record. Football coach Bob Ladouceur’s belief was always. “We don’t expect you to play perfectly. but to give a perfect effort.”
3. Wilton Free Public Library’s Birthday Party
The library is turning 100 years old! All are welcome to attend the party celebrating 100 years of the beautiful library building. From 10:00 am to 1: 00 pm on October 3, families are welcome to come to the library for some food and fun! There will be historical displays, fun book-themed food, face painting, and games and presents for kids. Please come and celebrate!
4. The Fourth Annual Pumpkin Festival
It will take place on Saturday, October 10. There will be various family activities, including movies, dog shows and children’s gifts. All events will take place in the Front Street Neighborhood. For more information, please visit the website: farmingtonpumpkinfestival.net.
1. Which is one of the purposes of Activity 1?| A．To raise money. | B．To explore nature. |
| C．To advertise a school. | D．To start an organization. |
| A．Hope with Every Step 5K Race. |
| B．The Fourth Annual Pumpkin Festival. |
| C．Wilton Free Public Library’s Birthday Party. |
| D．A Free Movie Supported by Farmington Baptist Church. |
| A．Activities 1&4 | B．Activities 2&3 |
| C．Activities 2&4 | D．Activities 1&33 |
| A．They are both held every year. |
| B．They can both entertain kids. |
| C．They both need people to sign up online. |
| D．They both provide a chance to taste food. |
| A．At Taglienti Field. | B．On 194 Whittier Road. |
| C．In Wilton Free Public Library. | D．In the Front Street Neighborhood. |
3 . I was unbelievably proud of my nine–year–old daughter, Emily. Determined to buy a mountain bike, she’d been saving her pocket money all the year, as well as doing small jobs to earn extra money.
By Thanksgiving Day, she had collected only＄49. I said, “You can have your pick from my bicycle collection.” “Thanks, Daddy. But your bikes are so old.” She was right. All my girls’ bikes were 1980s models, not the kind kids today would likely choose.
As Christmas drew near, Emily and I went bike shopping. As we left one store, she noticed a Salvation(救助) Army volunteer standing next to a big pot. “Can we give something, Daddy?” she asked. “Sorry, Emily. I’m out of change.”
Throughout December, Emily continued to work hard. Then one day, she made a surprising decision. “You know all the money I’ve been saving?” she said hesitantly. “I’m going to give it to the poor people.” So one cold morning before Christmas, Emily gave her total savings of＄58 to a volunteer who was really very thankful.
Affected by Emily’s deed, I decided to contribute one of my old bicycles to a car dealer who was collecting used bikes for poor children. As I selected a shiny model from my collection, however, it seemed as if a second bike took on a glow（发光). Should I contribute two? No, one would be enough. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should give a second bike. When I later delivered the bikes, the car dealer said, “You’re making two kids very happy, sir. Here are your tickets. For each bicycle contributed, we’re giving away one chance to win a girls’ mountain bike.”
Why wasn’t I surprised when that second ticket turned out to be the winner? I like to think it was God’s way of rewarding a little girl for a sacrifice（牺牲）beyond her age—while giving her dad a lesson in the process.
1. The father took pride in his daughter probably NOT because_____.| A．she’d been saving her pocket money all the year |
| B．she’d been doing small jobs to earn extra money |
| C．she made up her mind to buy a mountain bike |
| D．she presented her total savings of＄58 to a volunteer |
| A．Emily was angry with her father as he didn’t give his change. |
| B．The volunteer wasn’t moved by Emily’s donation of her savings. |
| C．The car dealer exchanged two tickets for the father’s two bikes. |
| D．The father made his final decision that he should give one more bike. |
| A．The car dealer cheated people of their contributions. |
| B．Two girls really appreciated receiving donated bikes. |
| C．Emily got a mountain bike for her kindness finally. |
| D．The father felt regretful for winning a girl’s mountain bike. |
| A．One good turn deserves another. | B．Two heads are better than one. |
| C．Do as you would be done. | D．Great minds think alike. |
4 . Hundreds of years ago，news was carried from place to place by people on foot or by horse. It took days，weeks and sometimes months for people to receive news. Now it is possible to send words and pictures around the world in seconds. Billions of people learn about news stories of their own country and all over the world every day，either by watching TV or reading newspapers.
Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life since the 18th century. Many countries have hundreds of different newspapers. How do newspaper editors decide which news stories to print? Why do they print some stories and not others? What makes a good newspaper story?
Firstly，it is important to report news stories.TV stations can report news much faster than newspapers. Yet，newspapers give more about the same story. They may also look at the story in another way，or they may print completely different stories to those on TV.
Secondly，a news story has to be interesting and unusual. People don’t want to read stories about everyday life. As a result， many stories are about some kind of danger and seem to be “bad” news. For example，newspapers never print stories about planes landing safely；instead they print stories about plane accidents.
Another factor is also very important in many news stories. Many people are interested in news in foreign countries， but more prefer to read stories about people，places and events in their own country. So the stories on the front page in Chinese newspapers are usually very different from the ones in British，French and American newspapers.
1. The difference between newspaper stories and TV news reports it that________.| A．people can learn more about the same news story from a newspaper |
| B．people can read the news story more quickly in a newspaper |
| C．people can read news stories in other countries |
| D．people can read news stories about their own country |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．You often play football with your friends after school. |
| B．Your teacher has got a cold. |
| C．A tiger in the city zoo has run out and hasn’t been caught. |
| D．The bike in front of your house is lost. |
| A．News stories on the front page of every country are always the same. |
| B．People like to read interesting and unusual news. |
| C．Not only TV but also newspapers can help people to learn what is happening around the world. |
| D．Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life for more than three hundred years. |
Recently, your mother and I were searching for an answer on Google. Halfway through entering the question, Google returned a list of the most popular searches in the world. At the top of the list was “How to keep him interested.”
It surprised me a lot. I scanned several of the countless articles about how to be sexy and sexual, when to bring him a beer versus a sandwich, and the ways to make him feel smart and superior.
And I got angry.
Little One, it is not, has never been, and never will be your job to “keep him interested.”
Little One, your only task is to know deeply in your soul — in that unshakeable place that isn’t upset by rejection and loss - that you are worthy of interest.
If you can trust your worth in this way, you will be attractive in the most important sense of the world: you will attract a boy who is both capable of interest and who wants to spend his one life investing all of his interest in you.
Little One, I want to tell you about the boy who doesn’t need to be kept interested, because he knows you are interesting.
I don’t care if he can’t play a bit of golf with me — as long as he can play with the children you give him and revel in all the glorious and frustrating ways they are just like you. I don’t care if he doesn’t follow his wallet — as long as he follows his heart and it always leads him back to you. I don’t care if he is strong — as long as he gives you the space to exercise the strength that is in your heart. I couldn’t care less how he votes — as long as he wakes up every morning and daily elects you to a place of honor in your home and a place of respect in his heart. I don't care about the color of his skin. I don’t care if he was raised in this religion or that religion or no religion
Little One, if you come across a man like that and he and I have nothing else in common, we will have the most important thing in common: You.
Because in the end, Little One, the only thing you should have to do to “keep him interested” is to be you.
Your eternally interested guy,
Daddy
1. What shocked Daddy when he was surfing on the Internet?| A．Girls’ knowing nothing about trusting themselves. |
| B．Girls’ giving priority to finding ways to please boys. |
| C．Girls’ bringing foods and drinks to boys from time to time. |
| D．Girls’ being upset by being rejected constantly. |
| A．keep the boy interested. | B．know she deserves a boy’ interest. |
| C．attract a boy willing to invest all in her. | D．find a boy who can please her. |
| A．feel depressed. | B．become puzzled. | C．look around. | D．enjoy himself. |
| A．To advise his daughter to trust her worth. |
| B．To inform his daughter how to keep others interested. |
| C．To show his daughter how to find her true love. |
| D．To help his daughter find someone with common interests. |
6 . Futurologists(未来学家)predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields of activity，from entertainment to technology.First of all，it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050.Instead，people will choose a programme from a “menu”(菜单)and a computer will send the programme directly to the television.Today，we can use the World Wide Web to read newspaper stories and see pictures on a computer thousands of kilometres away.By 2050，music，films，programmes，newspapers and books will come to us by computer.We will also be able to see，smell and touch the things that we see on television.
In transport，cars will run on new，clean “gas” and they will go very fast.Cars will have computers to control the speed of the car and there won't be any accidents.Today，many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are.By 2050，the computer will control the car and drive it to where you want to go.Space planes will fly all over the world and people will fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo in just two hours.
In technology，robots will have replaced people in factories.Many factories already use robots.Big companies prefer robots — they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike，and they work 24 hours a day.By 2050，we will see robots everywhere — in factories，schools，offices，hospitals，shops and homes.
Last but not least，medicine technology will have conquered many diseases.By 2050，we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again.Scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look，how they behave and how much intelligence they have.
1. What is NOT true about television by 2050 according to this passage?| A．One will be able to smell the food on television. |
| B．One can have a try of the food he or she sees on television. |
| C．There will be no channels for us to choose programmes. |
| D．Televisions will be completely controlled by computers. |
| A．Cars will go at a very high speed on their own. |
| B．Space planes will fly all over the world in a short time. |
| C．There will be less pollution and no car accidents. |
| D．Computers will tell people where they are going. |
| A．people will live more healthily and longer |
| B．computers will control the speed of cars |
| C．people can read newspapers through a computer |
| D．there will be no people working in factories |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Sad. |
| C．Happy. | D．Worried. |
7 . A new report connects eating eggs to an increased risk of heart disease. The results follow several earlier studies that found eating eggs was generally healthy. The study collects data from six other earlier studies. It shows a 6 percent increased risk of heart disease when the number of eggs a person ate each day increased by half an egg.
Norrina Allen, an associate professor at Northwestern University said that, in the United States, eggs are generally one of the top sources of cholesterol(胆固醇)in a person’s daily food. People with higher levels of cholesterol in their food are at increased risk of the development of heart disease later in life. However, Allen added that she would not say that eggs are completely unhealthy. “I’m not saying that people should take them completely out of their food,” she said. “I’m just suggesting that people eat them in a proper amount.”
Some experts believe the new study does not prove that eggs are causing heart disease. “Cholesterol’s role in the development of heart disease has been discussed for more than 30 years,” said Bruemmer, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “This study does have clear shortcomings, including self-reporting at a single time point,” he added.
Bruemmer said, “Eggs in moderation(适度)are probably acceptable from a nutritional standpoint.” “Moderation,” he added, “is less than one egg a day, including eggs in foods such as bread”.
Holly Andersen, a doctor at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, agrees that the study has “real shortcomings”. One problem Andersen has with the study is that a lot of the egg-eating people in the study also appeared to be eating much meat and processed meat. “If you’re taking a lot of processed meat, it doesn’t matter how many eggs you’re eating,” Andersen said.
Also, Andersen said, “The study can only show there is a relation between eggs eating and heart disease. But it cannot prove eggs are the cause of the disease. It may just be that people eating a lot of eggs are also taking a lot of bacon.”
1. What does Norrina Allen agree with?| A．Eggs are completely unhealthy. |
| B．Eggs contain the most cholesterol. |
| C．Eggs should be eaten in a right amount. |
| D．Eggs have no connection with heart disease. |
| A．Interested. | B．Doubtful. | C．Concerned. | D．Hopeful. |
| A．Eggs and meat cannot be eaten together. |
| B．Processed meat may cause heart disease. |
| C．Processed meat should be avoided. |
| D．The study is supported by evidence. |
| A．Do eggs cause heart disease? |
| B．Are eggs the top source of cholesterol? |
| C．What’s the proper amount of eggs eaten? |
| D．Is the cholesterol to blame for heart disease? |
8 . The secret to happiness is keeping busy, research has found.
Keeping the mind occupied with tasks — no matter how meaningless — keeps off negative emotions, the study found.
However, the bad news is that humans are seemingly born to be lazy in order to save energy, according to Professor Christoper Hsee, a behavioral scientist at Chicago University.
In a study, 98 students were asked to complete two surveys. After they had completed the first, they were made to wait 15 minutes to receive the next one. They were given a choice of either handing in the first survey nearby or at a more distant location they had to walk to. Whichever option they chose, they received a chocolate bar. It turned out that approximately two-thirds (68 students) chose the lazy option. Those who had taken the walk reported feeling happier than those who had stayed put.
Prof. Hsee concluded that keeping busy helped keep people happy. He said the findings, reported in the journal Psychological Science, had policy implications.
“Governments may increase the happiness of idle citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless,” he proposed.
At the individual level, he advised, “Get up and do something. Anything. Even if there really is no point to what you are doing, you will feel better for it.” He added, “Incidentally, thinking deeply or engaging in self-reflection counts as keeping busy, too.”
“You do not need to be running around. You just need to be engaged, either physically or mentally.”
1. Keeping busy can make people happy because________.| A．it can help people get rid of laziness | B．it can make people sleep better |
| C．it can help get rid of negative emotions | D．it can give people a sense of achievement |
| A．The finding may contribute to politics. |
| B．The officials have taken Prof. Hsee’s advice. |
| C．In the study half students handed in the first survey nearby. |
| D．Governments can increase citizens’ happiness by building bridges. |
| A．Everybody is born to be happy. |
| B．Only by keeping working all the time can you gain happiness. |
| C．Prof. Hsee’s finding was published in Psychological Science. |
| D．Keeping busy goes against human nature. |
| A．To explain what happiness is. |
| B．To advise people not to sit around. |
| C．To advise people to do what they like to. |
| D．To show people how to take life correctly. |
9 . Civita, the dying town
Some 120 kilometers north of Rome, street signs along the road tell drivers they’re bound for “the dying town” Civita di Bagnoregio. The village stands on a declining plateau(高原). It has gone through landslides(泥石流), earthquakes, and erosion (腐蚀) since humans’ first settlement about 2, 500 years ago. Nowadays Civita has been reduced to only 90 by 150 meters.
In the Middle Ages, the size of the plateau was three times its size nowadays, and the population was over 3, 000, yet the river surrounding Civita gradually made the town collapse from the bottom up. Since 1695, when a destructive earthquake took place in Civita, many people were forced to escape from their hometown, and the population there has never recovered. By the 1920s, there were merely 600 residents in the town. Currently, there are only about 10 residents. What a small population it has!
The survival of Civita is uncertain. However, as the news that the town was about to disappear started to widely spread, more and more people wanted to visit it. Now up to 10,000 people visit Civita per day. And there is doubt as to whether it is dying. The flood of people and money leads to natives longing for the rescue of the town.
Yet the actual situation in Civita is that there are no grocery stores, hardware, or convenience stores. People living there can only have access to a handful of restaurants and tourist shops. Besides, they have to get supplies through a narrow, 300-meter-long bridge that connects them to the outside world.
Today, Civita is pursuing a UNESCO World Heritage designation, in order to earn official recognition of its landscape and adaptability to nature. Recently, the town presented a 242-page document to the UNESCO, hoping that it will help strengthen Civita’s role as a site of historical and cultural significance. Also, Civitas UNESCO team plans to create tourist attractions in the surrounding towns. If Civita recovers successfully, other towns in the same situation could find a direction based on its experience.
1. What has made Civita become smaller?| A．The inconvenient transport. |
| B．The natural conditions. |
| C．The settlement of humans. |
| D．The decrease of the population. |
| A．Because they want to rescue it. |
| B．Because they are attracted by its scenery. |
| C．Because they are interested in its natives. |
| D．Because they want to catch the last chance to see it. |
| A．The stores in the town. |
| B．The daily activities of local people. |
| C．The appearance of the town. |
| D．The living conditions in the town. |
| A．Unchangeable. |
| B．Hopeful. |
| C．Disappointing. |
| D．Doubtful. |
10 . When I was a child, my mom liked to make food for dinner every now and then．And I remembered one night in particular when she made dinner after a long, hard day at work．
On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad．I remembered waiting to see if anyone noticed．Yet all my dad did was to reach for his toast, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school．I didn't remember what I told him that night, but I did remember watching him smear（涂上）butter on that toast and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remembered hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast．And I would never forget what he said, "Baby, I love burnt toast．"
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy goodnight and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned．He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Son, your mom spent a hard day at work today and she's really tired．And besides, a little burnt toast never hurts anyone!"
You know, life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people．I'm not the best housekeeper or cook．What I've learned over the years is that trying to accept faults of each other and choosing to embrace differences of each other are the most important keys to creating a healthy and lasting relationship．
1. Which of the following is NOT TRUE about the author's mom?| A．She was always careless when making toast． |
| B．Her workday could be long and hard sometimes． |
| C．She enjoyed making supper for her family at times． |
| D．She felt soy after serving the burnt toast to her husband． |
| A．Proud and crazy． | B．Thoughtful and caring． |
| C．Cautious and kind． | D．Generous and patient． |
| A．Everyone is supposed to go after perfection in life． |
| B．A person can't be both a good housekeeper and a good cook． |
| C．More tolerance and understanding help people stay in good heath． |
| D．Accepting faults and differences is important for an impressive relationship． |
