1 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.

While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.

But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.

In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and

philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.

So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.

Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.

As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.

1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.

A．provide some key facts about Confucius

B．attract the readers' interest in the subject

C．show great respect for the ancient thinker

D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations

2. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students___________.

A．have a great interest in studying Chinese

B．take an active part in Chinese competitions

C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams

D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese

3. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Forgotten Wisdom in America

B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language

C．Chinese Culture for Westerners

D．Old Thinker with a Big Future

4. The passage is likely to appear in__________.

A．a personal biography	B．a history paper
C．a cultural newspaper	D．a philosophy textbook

2 . The baby is just one day old and has not yet left hospital. She is quiet but alert (警觉的). Twenty centimeters from her face researchers have placed a white card with two black spots on it. She stares at it carefully. A researcher removes the card and replaces it by another, this time with the spots differently spaced. As the cards change from one to the other, her gaze(凝视) starts to lose its focus—until a third, with three black spots, is presented. Her gaze returns: she looks at it for twice as long as she did at the previous card. Can she tell that the number two is different from three, just 24 hours after coming into the world?

Or do newborns simply prefer more to fewer? The same experiment, but with three spots shown before two, shows the same return of interest when the number of spots changes. Perhaps it is just the newness? When slightly older babies were shown cards with pictures of objects (a comb, a key, an orange and so on), changing the number of objects had an effect separate from changing the objects themselves. Could it be the pattern that two things make, as opposed to three? No again. Babies paid more attention to squares moving randomly(随意地)on a screen when their number changed from two to three, or three to two. The effect even crosses between senses. Babies who were repeatedly shown two spots became more excited when they then heard three drumbeats than when they heard just two; likewise(同样地) when the researchers started with drumbeats and moved to spots.

1. The experiment described in Paragraph 1 is related to the baby's ________.

A．sense of hearing	B．sense of sight
C．sense of touch	D．sense of smell

2. Babies are sensitive to the change in ________.

A．the size of cards	B．the colour of pictures
C．the shape of patterns	D．the number of objects

3. Why did the researchers test the babies with drumbeats?

A．To reduce the difficulty of the experiment.

B．To see how babies recognize sounds.

C．To carry their experiment further.

D．To keep the babies' interest.

4. Where does this text probably come from?

A．Science fiction.	B．Children’s literature.
C．An advertisement.	D．A science report.

3 . Monster Zoo

Monster Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, covering more than 15 km squares. It is home to more than 50 species of rare and native animals. The zoo is located 70 km from the city New South Australia.

Monster zoo was founded in 1983 as a breeding area (繁殖区). Officially open to the public in October 1993, Monster Zoo is now home to more than 500 animals.

Opening Hours

Monster zoo is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm with last entry at 3:00 pm. The zoo is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. The exception to this is if the forecast temperature for Monster Zoo is 40 degrees or above, it will be closed.

To get the most out of your visit we recommend setting aside a minimum of four to five hours to fully enjoy the Monster zoo.

Tickets

Child (4-14 years old) : AU $28.50

Adult (15 years old and over) : AU $ 51.75

Family / Mini Group: AU $132.75

Meet the Keeper

Monster zoo offers various daily zoo keeper talks and animal feeds that give guests the chance to interact (互动) with our friendly workers and learn about the zoo’s unique residents.

Looking for a more unique animal experience? Consider booking a Behind the Scenes Animal Experience to come face to face with some of our special animal residents.

Café

Ketabi Café is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm daily and offers a variety of tasty treats, small snacks and hot meals.

Picnics

For those who prefer to bring their own meals, special picnic areas are available close to the Visitor Center. Please note that due to fire risk, the zoo does not allow for the use of BBQs.

1. What can we learn about the zoo from the text?

A．It is the largest zoo in the world.

B．It is open daily all year except Christmas Day.

C．It is open to the public ten years after it was founded.

D．It is home to 500 species of animals.

2. If three young men aged 12, 14 and 19 visit the zoo, how much will they pay?

A．AU $155.25.	B．AU $108.75.
C．AU $85.25.	D．AU $132.75.

3. Where does this text most probably come from?

A．A health newspaper.	B．An animal book.
C．A travel website.	D．A fashion magazine.

4 . Optimism (乐观) doesn’t mean paying no attention to things that cause stress. But when bad things happen, optimistic people are less likely to be unhappy about themselves and more likely to see the bad things as something that lasts a short time.

A new research has found a direct connection between optimism and healthier diet and exercise behaviors, as well as better heart health, a stronger immune system (免疫系统), better lung function, and lower death risk. “Optimistic people, regardless of sex, often have goals and the confidence to reach them,” Lee said. “Those goals could include healthy habits that contribute to a longer life.”

Studies find only about 25% of our optimism is controlled by our genes (基因), and the rest is up to us. It turns out we can actually train our brain to be more positive. Researchers studied the brains of monks (僧侣) and found surprising results: Tens of thousands of hours of meditation(冥思) had changed the function (机能) of their brains, which support positive qualities. And that may be key in producing the effect on the body.

There are simple mental exercises to develop an optimistic attitude. One of the most effective ways to increase optimism is called the “Best Possible Self” method. That is to imagine ourselves in a future in which we have achieved all our life goals. And keeping a diary in which we list the positive experiences we had can also help shape our attitude. Taking a few minutes each day to write down what makes us thankful can improve our view on life, too.

1. What is the meaning of Lee’s words?

A．Goals can lead to confidence.

B．Better lung function lowers death risk.

C．Optimism is connected with length of life.

D．Sex should be taken into consideration when studying optimism.

2. Why are the brains of monks studied?

A．To lengthen their life.

B．To improve their brains’ function.

C．To prove optimism can be learned.

D．To show genes’ connection with optimism.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．How to be a positive person.	B．How to make people thankful.
C．What to write about in a diary.	D．What to do to achieve the goals.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A science magazine.	B．A guidebook.
C．A novel.	D．A diary.

5 . Growing Green Thumbs

Children's Community Garden

2200 Bowling Green Ave.,940/349-2883
www.cmga.com

LEARN:Join the weekend work at the community garden,where caregivers and master gardeners help kids aged 5 or older plant and water new vegetables,and harvest from the gardens. All harvested foods are either sold at the community's farmers' market or donated to the area food bank. The instructors also lead games about nutrition,beetles and butterflies and more. Work begins in May, 10 a. m. - 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

COST:Free

Coppell Community Garden

255 Parkway Blvd,Coppell
www.coppellcommunitygarden.org

LEARN: Kids(aged 6 but not turning 12 before Dec. 31 this year) with a parent can volunteer at either the Helping Hands Garden, 25 Parkway Blvd. or Ground Delivery Garden, 45 S. Denton Tap Road. Children will have the opportunity to till(耕）the ground, plant vegetables, ·harvest from the garden and more. Work begins every Saturday at about 9 a. m.

COST:Free

Callie's Kids by Calloway Nursery

Denton,940/591-8865; Flower Mound,972/691-2650
www.mytexasgarden.com..........

LEARN: Kids aged 5 to 10 years old can explore and plant in the Calloway gardens with a caregiver's supervision at 9:30 a. m. on the first or third Wednesdays from June to August. A garden expert will share tips and advice for the best gardening practices during the 45-minute session beginning on June 2. Preregistration online is required.

COST:Free
1. How is Children's Community Garden different from others?

A．It is based in Denton.

B．Kids may take harvests home.

C．It is under supervision throughout the year.

D．It will cater to those who are fond of insects.

2. What is the age range required by Coppell Community Garden?

A．5-8.

B．5-10.

C．6-11.

D．6-12.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A food industry committed to charity.'

B．An institution offering learning programs.

C．A supermarket offering voluntary programs.

D．A website promoting kids' gardening facilities.

7 . The Isle of Wight, of the south Coast of England, is the best place in Europe for discovering dinosaur bones. Dinosaur Farm Museum was established in 1993. Since then, the museum has introduced the study of old bones to many more people.

What we offer

Visitors can enjoy our displays or watch us cleaning dinosaur bones and other fossils found in the island' beaches.

The museum has a variety of different fossils, many of them never displayed to the public before. As more are discovered all the time, you can be sure of seeing something new each time you visit.

We have a free Fossil Identification Service, so you can bring in any fossils you have and find out what they are. In addition, we have a reasonably-priced Museum Shop, where you can buy a souvenir of your visit., You could also bring a picnic and relax in our special picnic area.

Activities

Fossil hunts are organized by the museum and run all year around. Groups of up to 25 are guided on a local beach where they can search for fossils. All these hunts are fully licensed and insured, and guides can help to identify any fossils found and point out things of interest.

Due to the popularity of these hunts, all trips must be booked by a personal visit to Dinosaur Farm Museum.

Did you know...

The BBC program "Live from Dinosaur Island" was filmed along the coast here, and Dinosaur Farm Museum was the base for the television crew.

Find out more

Check out our website at www. isleofweigh/diosaurfarm to learn in detail how we dig for dinosaurs. You can also read about the many different kinds of dinosaurs which lived in this area, which was connected to Europe 120 million years ago.

1. What can visitors do at the museum according to the passage?

A．They can have a souvenir shop about dinosaurs.

B．They can help clean the dinosaur bones for free.

C．They can have a free Fossil Identification Service.

D．They can find out more details about dinosaurs worldwide.

2. Why must the fossil hints be looked by visiting the museum personally?

A．Because the hunts are fully licensed and insured.

B．Because the hunt are enjoyed by a large number of people.

C．Because the hunt are organized by the museum and run all years round.

D．Because the hunts are guided on a local beach where visitors can search for fossils.

3. The passage is most probably taken from ____________.

A．A history book

B．A science fiction story

C．A travel magazine

D．A conference interview

8 . Instead of using a credit card or smartphone to pay for your goods, Amazon wants you to use your hands. In a blog post. Dilip Kumar, vice president of Amazon Physical Retail introduced the company's' palm recognition(掌纹识别) technology, known as Amazon One. The technology, first rolling out in Amazon's home market of Seattle: will use people's palms to identify(确认身份) them and combine that with details of the palm, such as lines and ridges, to build “palm signature.”

In addition to the trial in the company's stores in Seattle, starting today, Kumar added that Amazon One will come to other Amazon stores and will be used for more than just paying with your palm. "We believe Amazon one has broad applicability beyond our retail stores, so we also plan to offer the service to third parties like retailers(零售店), stadiums, and office buildings so that more people can benefit from this ease and convenience in more places, "Kumar added.

Though Amazon has introduced other ways to pay for goods at its physical stores. including the use of Cameras and an app linked to your Amazon account. Kumar explained palm recognition offers another level of privacy.

"We selected palm recognition for a few important reasons, Kumar wrote. "One reason was that palm recognition is considered more private than other biometric (生物统计的) identifiers because you can't determine a person's identity by looking at a picture of their palm. It also requires users to make an intentional gesture by holding their palm over the device to use. This puts customers in control of                                 when and where they use the service. What's more, it's contactless, which we think customers will appreciate, especially in current times.

To use Amazon One, people don't need an Amazon account, but simply phone number and a credit card. For those concerned about privacy, Kumar wrote, users can delete their biometric data if they decide they no longer want to use it.

1. Which of the following best describes Amazon One?

A．Convenient and safe.	B．Private and inexpensive.
C．Widespread and user-friendly	D．Healthy and popular.

2. From the first three paragraphs we can infer that_______.

A．Amazon One is designed for Amazon online stores.

B．Amazons' palm recognition technology is the best in the world.

C．Amazon One has not yet been used in places beyond Amazon stores.

D．Amazon provides various services for society.

3. What makes palm recognition a better way to pay than using a camera and an app.

A．Palm recognition makes fewer mistakes.

B．Customers don't need to make intentional gestures.

C．Customers can use their palm to open an Amazon account.

D．Customers can control when and where to use it.

4. Which section of a website is the passage most possibly from?

A．Online shopping.	B．Business news.
C．Education.	D．Advertisement.

9 . Everyone can be angry. But if you take the time to actually examine your anger instead of just “feeling angry” you’ll have a better understanding of yourself. Knowing why you feel so angry can provide you with some surprising answers. These answers can enable you to grow spiritually and mentally.

I can give you a personal example. I went to a meeting once and I was verbally attacked(言语攻击) over an application I supported at my workplace. Various people went on and on about how terrible this system was and that it never worked. That didn’t bother me that much. But I was absolutely furious at the comment, “Your job is pointless.”

I was upset that they would treat me that way. But once I took the time to think about what was really making me so mad, I learned a lot. I realized that the comment was more true than I wanted to admit. In the big scheme of things, my job was pointless. It wasn’t what I really wanted to be doing with my life and this is what frustrated me the most. Here I was pouring part of my heart and soul into a job I didn't even want to do. I was using it as crutch(依靠) because I didn’t have the confidence in myself to take the scary(令人害怕的) road toward what I really wanted to do. As soon as I realized that, a lot of my anger just melted away. I also realized that I needed to start focusing on what I really wanted to do.

I now consider this incident as a great gift. It got me back on track to move in the direction I want to go with my life. I probably wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn’t taken the time to figure out why I was really so angry.

1. What does the underlined word “furious” probably mean?

A．Surprised.	B．Relaxed.
C．Amazed.	D．Angry.

2. Why did the author admit that his work was pointless ?

A．Because he didn’t do his job wholeheartedly.

B．Because he didn’t make enough money.

C．Because he couldn’t get on well with his colleagues.

D．Because he didn’t have the chance to realize his potential.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The author isn’t easy to become angry any longer.

B．The author has achieved success in his present career.

C．The author received a lot of gifts after the incident.

D．The author was forced to quit his job.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A guidebook.

C．A magazine.

D．A novel.

10 . Health experts have long known that vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth. It may also help to protect the body against diseases such as diabetes and cancer. And now, researchers say vitamin D might help fight brain diseases called dementia (痴呆).
Dementia is a brain disease that damages thinking and memory processes, which scientists call “cognitive (认知) abilities.” Dementia is difficult to treat. Taking care of someone who has dementia is extremely demanding. And the disease is very frightening to sufferers. Chris Roberts suffers from dementia. He says the worst part of living with this disease was getting lost while driving. “The worst thing that I found was getting lost in the car, not just forgetting where I was going— I wouldn’t know where I was.” More than 47 million people around the world suffer from dementia. The World Health Organization reports that 60 percent of them live in low- and middle-income countries.
We get vitamin D from some foods like nuts, lentils (扁豆) and fatty fish. We also get vitamin D from the sun. But that is not dependable. In some parts of the world, there is not enough sunlight to provide enough vitamin D. Also, sunblock prevents the vitamin from entering the body. To add to the problem, the skin’s ability to process vitamin D weakens as a person ages.
Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey are exploring the relationship between vitamin D and dementia. The team recently measured vitamin D levels and cognitive ability in older people. Nutritional sciences professor Joshua Miller led the team. He said cognitive abilities differed among the study subjects. He said tests showed that about 60 percent of the group was low in vitamin D.
1. Which of the following is true about vitamin D?

A．Vitamin D can decrease people’s risk of heart diseases.

B．Vitamin D helps the body fight against cancer.

C．Vitamin D is mainly obtained from the sun.

D．The need for Vitamin D decreases as people age.

2. What does the underlined word “demanding” mean in Paragraph 2?

A．Boring but rewarding.

B．Disturbing and frightening.

C．Disgusting and stressful.

D．Hard and tiresome.

3. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．How vitamin D affects people’s health.

B．Where people get vitamin D.

C．Whether sunlight can produce vitamin

D．D. Why people’s age influences the production of vitamin D.

4. Where can we most probably read the passage?

A．In a travel brochure.

B．In a literature magazine.

C．In a science journal.

D．In a commercial advertisement.