2 . One summer during high school, my mom volunteered me to help Grandpa research our family tree. Great, I thought, imagining hours spent pawing through dusty, rotting boxes and listening to boring stories about people I didn't know. "You'll be surprised," my mom promised, "Family histories can be very interesting."

In truth, Grandpa didn't want to limit my work to just research, hoping to also preserve our family memories. He'd discovered a computer program that helps digitally scan old pictures and letters to preserve their contents before they crumble from old age. Grandpa wanted me to help him connect the scanner and set up the computer program. He could type documents and send emails, but had never used a scanner.

Soon after, I became fascinated with my relatives' lives. I asked Grandpa to tell the story behind every picture and letter we scanned. The stories, which turned out not to be boring at all, helped me not only understand but also relate to my relatives. I became so hungry for more information that Grandpa needed additional props to keep me satisfied. He showed me a chest filled with random stuff, all covered in dust.

Perusing through their belongings, I felt I was opening a window into the world of my relatives, a world long since gone. Grandpa showed me a bundle of letters he had sent to Grandma from the front lines of World War II and I could almost smell the gunpowder. I turned the pages of my great-grandmother's recipe book and could picture her cooking in her kitchen. All of the people who had been merely names to me now had faces to match.

Later, Grandpa admitted, "I probably could have done this project myself. I just wanted someone to share it with." I can't thank him enough for sharing the experience and making me appreciate the family members who have made me the person I am. I will cherish family memories and hope that someday will be able to pass them down to my own grandchildren.

1. Which of the following can best describe the author's first impression of research?

A．Delightful.	B．Tiresome.
C．Surprising.	D．Interesting

2. What does the underlined word "crumble" in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Come to life.	B．Tear apart.
C．Fall to pieces.	D．Break through.

3. Why did Grandpa give the author a chest?

A．To show him a bundle of letters.	B．To keep him away from boredom.
C．To give him something to sort out.	D．To fulfill his desire to know more.

4. What can we learn about Grandpa from the passage?

A．He used to serve in the army.	B．He knew nothing about computer.
C．He buried the letters under gunpowder.	D．He loved sharing what he had with others.

5. The best title of the passage is _______.

A．Precious family memories	B．My grandpa and his belongings
C．My grandpa and his family tree	D．Helping my grandpa in summer

3 . Some people say that friendship is the only channel through which human beings can ever experience the value of life. In our daily life, it is likely that you share some common interests with others-they may like the same sport, go to the same school or like the same kind of music as you do. Since you often meet them, they become your acquaintances（相识的人）. Although some people develop many acquaintances, only a few become their good friends in their lifetime because there are differences between acquaintances and friends.

It is said that true friendship begins when someone knows what you are really like, but still likes you anyway. A true friend shows loyalty（忠诚）from the very beginning of the relationship. A friend will go through challenges to help you without expecting anything in return. A “friend” today may probably become a “true friend” tomorrow when they get involved in unexpected circumstances（条件）together with you-for example, when you are going through a difficult experience and your friend is there to help you out. However, some acquaintances might leave you when you badly need their help. At this time, you can experience what true friendship is.

In our life, some people seem to go through life with plenty of friends. They may be funny or they may have a bright and pleasant personality（性格）. For these people, wherever they go, people seem to like them and welcome their company. But when they go through challenging life experiences, some of their friends are not there to help them. Therefore we can say some of their friends are not real friends and their friendship is just skin-deep.

However, others seem to go through life with no friends at all. They like to be alone, to travel by themselves or to do their own things. It’s a pity that few of these people find success in life because they have no friends. They lack the best gift in life-friendship.

1. What can we learn about acquaintances from the passage?

A．You seldom meet them in your life.

B．Not all of them can become your friends.

C．They are sure to become your good friends.

D．They have all of the same interests as you do.

2. You may get to know the meaning of friendship better when you ______.

A．get into trouble	B．see your friend often
C．go to the same school as your friend	D．enjoy the same kind of music as your friend

3. According to the passage, we can know that ______.

A．it’s easier to lose a friend than to get one

B．people without friends are always successful

C．it doesn’t matter whether one has friends or not

D．people with bright personality are easy to have friends

4. What does the underlined word “skin-deep” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Very deep.	B．Not deep at all.
C．As precious as skin.	D．Hidden under the skin.

5. What is the author’s attitude towards people without friends in their life?

A．Interested.	B．Angry.
C．Hopeful.	D．Regretful.

4 . Traveling alone can be daunting. I have traveled by myself many times but, on every occasion, there was someone to meet me at the other end of the bus, train or plane journey. This time was different.

Last week I had a holiday, from work, but none of my friends had the same week off. I decided that I still wanted to do something, so I booked a train ride to Toronto and reserved a bed in a hostel for one week.

One week by myself. Would I be lonely? Would I be bored? Quite the opposite. In fact, there are many benefits that come from traveling alone. Firstly, I was able to do whatever I wanted. I spent hours in museums that would have seemed boring and dull to some of my friends. I walked all around the city, which' some people may have found too exhausting. Instead of relying on someone else to remember directions or to suggest activities to do, I discovered my' independence and developed map-reading skills that I didn’t know I had. I could get up and go to sleep when I wanted and I didn’t have to wait for anyone else to shower and get ready every morning. Being in the safe environment of a hostel with like-minded travelers also gives a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, which can help combat loneliness.

In spite of the benefits, I found that there were also some disadvantages of traveling alone. I missed having someone to talk to and to bounce ideas off. Experiences are often more enjoyable if they are shared, and part of the fun of traveling is the memories you have afterwards. Without a travel partner, I won’t be able to laugh about and remember my Toronto adventure with a friend or family member in years to come.

In addition, eating in a restaurant or cooking in the hostel was less fun on my own.

I am very proud of myself for traveling alone, and I had a fantastic time in Toronto. However, in the future, I think I will always prefer to travel with another person or in a small group. Though, maybe it depends on who you travel with I would rather be by myself than with someone who is lazy, difficult and argumentative.

1. What happened to the author last week?

A．She traveled alone to Toronto during a work vacation.

B．She felt lonely away from home and missed her family.

C．She found someone meeting her during a trip to Toronto.

D．She made a trip as her friend during the same week to Toronto.

2. We can learn from the article that the author ________.

A．finds it boring and dull to visit museums

B．has already acquired great map-reading skills

C．believes she could benefit by traveling alone more

D．enjoys sharing traveling stories with family and friends

3. What does the underlined word “combat” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Learn about.

B．Adapt to.

C．Fight against.

D．Live with.

4. What can we know from the last 2 paragraphs?

A．She is proud of cooking in a hostel.	B．She will find it fun to travel with anyone.
C．She favors travelling with good company.	D．Argumentative travelers1 will be ideal choices.

5. Which of the following words can best describe the author?

A．Optimistic and talkative.	B．Humorous and generous.
C．Ambitious and imaginative.	D．Enthusiastic and independent.

5 . Round and Round They Go

Space is becoming more crowded. On December 3, a Falcon 9 rocket made by Space X thundered into the sky. On board were 64 small satellites, more than any American company had launched before in one go. They have a variety of uses, from space-based- radar to the monitoring of radio-frequency- emissions.

These objects are part of the latest breed of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites. This launch is just taste of what is planned. Space X and One Web, a communications firm, plan to launch satellites in their thousands, not hundreds. The pair are set to double the total number of satellites in orbit by 2027.

That promises to change things dramatically on Earth. LEO satellites can bring internet connectivity to places where it is still unavailable or unaffordable. This will also be a lasting source of new demand for the space economy. Morgan Stanley, a bank, projects that the space industry will grow from $350 billion in 2016 to more than $1. I trillion by 2040. New internet satellites will account for a half this increase.

For that to happen, however, three worries must be overcome. Debris(碎片)is the most familiar concern. As long ago as 1978, Donald Kessler, a scientist at NASA, proposed situation in which, when enough satellites were packed into low-Earth orbits, any collision could cause a chain reaction which would eventually destroy all space craft in its orbital plane(平面). The syndrome which bears Mr. Kessler's name weighs heavily on the minds of executives at the new satellite firms. Debris could cause entire tracts(广阔的一片) of space to be unusable for decades.

Solutions exist. One is to grab malfunction satellites and pull them down into Earth's atmosphere. Another is to monitor space more intensively for debris; a US Air Force program me called Space Fence is due to start in 2019. But technology is only part of the answer. Rules are needed to govern the safe disposal(清除) of old satellites from low-Earth orbit. The United States' Federal Communications Commission is revising its regulations with this in mind. Other countries should follow suit.

Cyber-security is a second, long-standing worry. Hackers could take control of a satellite and seal intellectual property, redirect data flows or cause a collision. The satellite industry has been slow to respond to such concerns. But as more of the world's population comes to rely on the infrastructure of space for access to the internet, the need for action intensifies.

The third issue follows from the first two. If a simple mistake or a cyber-attack can cause a chain reaction which wipes out hundreds of billions of dollars of investment, who is liable? Underwriters(保险商) are studying the plans of firms that wish to operate large numbers of satellites. But there is a long way to go before the risks are well understood, let alone priced.

As space becomes more commercialized mind-bending prospects open up: packages moved across the planet in minutes by rocket rather than by plane, equipment sent to other small planets, passengers launched into orbit and beyond. All that and more may come, one day. But such activities would raise the same questions as LEO satellites do. They must be answered before the space economy can truly develop.

1. What can we learn about LEO satellites from the passage?

A．They are supposed to limit the space economy.

B．They are expected to increase in large numbers.

C．They are designed to move beyond the Earth as far as possible.

D．They are mainly intended to bring internet connectivity to remote areas.

2. To deal with debris in space, the author suggests________.

A．depending entirely on the modern technology

B．monitoring the movement of spaceships carefully

C．strengthening rules to remove old satellites safely

D．destroying all the satellites with problems instantly

3. What does the underlined word “intensify” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Measure.

B．Increase.

C．Spread.

D．Repeat.

4. Which of the following can be classified as the third worry?

A．Lack of satellite regulations.

B．Loss of intellectual property.

C．Crisis of confidence in the field.

D．Slow response of satellite industry.

5. What is the author's attitude toward the launch of LEO satellites?

A．It should be further confirmed for its ownership.

B．It should be continued because of its advantages.

C．It should be done carefully to avoid potential risks.

D．It should be stopped in face of the space economy.

6 . Lack is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity," said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I've never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it' s probably worth listening to.

Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you're a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump（树桩）for a rabbit to run out and break its neck.

Richard Wiseman, the UK psychologist, conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups: those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, "Stop counting There are 43 photographs in this newspaper," was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message.

It's easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are "lucky", in fact, keep an open mind and don't go through the same routine every day.

I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do, Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I've had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I've also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman's studies I think not.

As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational（理性）thinking, but it's important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem.

Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English.

1. What do you know about Oprah Winfrey?

A．She is a good organizer of a talk show in America.

B．She became famous through her family background.

C．She was lucky and seldom fell flat on her face.

D．She became successful entirely by her own effort.

2. The writer quoted the Chinese tale of a farmer in order to show________.

A．luck is in your own hand

B．bad luck can turn into good

C．you can't wait for an opportunity

D．man can conquer nature

3. From the experiment Wiseman drew the conclusion that________.

A．lucky people are quick-minded

B．unlucky people are slow to read

C．lucky people often have an open mind

D．unlucky people are not routineers

4. The underlined word "spot" is the closest in meaning to "________”.

A．recognize

B．mark

C．make

D．receive

5. Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer's point?

A．Make the best of a bad situation.

B．Rome was not built in a day.

C．All is not gold that glitters.

D．A good heart conquers ill fortune.

7 . Diwali（Deepavali）is a festival of lights observed in October or November each year in Canada. During the festival, various community groups, businesses, schools and associations celebrate it in different ways. Some companies have Diwali dinners and some communities organize gatherings that feature firework displays, dances, street lighting, and plays.

Many women wear fine jewelry and silk outfits to celebrate Diwali. Some women and girls use Mehendi, a dye decoration which can last a limited time, on their palms, and then they will finally get colorful hand paintings. Many homes that celebrate Diwali have various types of sweets, salty and spiced food as well as Diwali herbs （香料）. Various lights, candles and sparklers are lit inside and outside homes, particularly in courtyards, on Diwali. Diwali is not a nationwide public holiday in Canada but it is a prevalent festival celebrated in many towns and cities. There may be traffic jams and parking places may be full in areas where events are held to celebrate Diwali. Some Indian businesses may close early on Diwali.

Diwali is called the "Festival of Lights" and is celebrated to honor Rama, a hero who once fought and won a battle against the demons（恶魔）. In the past, people lit their houses to celebrate his victory over demons（light over darkness）. At the same time, every household did careful and complete cleaning at home in advance. It is believed that the goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi travels around the Earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean, and bright.

Diwali celebrations may vary in different communities but its spiritual meaning is generally "the awareness of the inner light". As the word “Deepavali” means “a row or cluster of light”, the festival symbolizes the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness.

1. What can we learn about Diwali from the first two paragraphs?

A．It is celebrated on a fixed day.

B．It centers on various local food.

C．People stay up late to prepare for It.

D．People from all walks of life enjoy celebrating it.

2. What does the underlined word "prevalent" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Popular.	B．Free.
C．Serious.	D．Funny.

3. According to Paragraph 3, why did people make their houses bright and clean on Diwali?

A．To pray for good journey.

B．To expect joy and good luck.

C．To create a romantic atmosphere.

D．To welcome their friends to visit.

4. What's the present meaning of Diwali?

A．Showing respect for others.

B．Staying straight and positive.

C．Valuing your family members.

D．Improving your living environment.

5. What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?

A．To stress the importance of a public holiday.

B．To tell an interesting story about a Canadian festival.

C．To briefly introduce a traditional festival in Canada.

D．To show different holiday celebrations in Western cultures.

8 . Great Barrier Reef Choking on Pollutants

Attempts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are failing. A report released Monday by the government in Australia says water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is far below what it should be. It showed that pollution have decreased, but not enough to reach environmental targets.

Sediment (沉淀物) and chemicals can weaken coral, hurting its ability to feed and grow. Coral are live animals that take root in the ocean floor, but they are not plants. Reefs are the hard skeletons (骨架) left at the bottom of the sea by small marine creatures called polyps (珊瑚虫). The polyps then form the larger structure of a reef. Corals also are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the entire planet. They can make a home for invertebrates, crustaceans, fish, and sea snakes.

Steve Miles is Queensland’s environment minister. He says the research shows the Reef needs more protection. “Over that five-year period, we did see some progress towards our targets. Sediment is down 12 percent and pesticides (杀虫剂) loads are down 30 percent. But what is most disturbing is that these results are far from our targets. Progress towards these targets flat-lined in the period 2013-2014. If one of my kids came home with a report card like this, I would be a bit disappointed. There is more bad news here than good news. ” said Steve Miles.

The report also found that fewer than one-third of Queensland’s sugar plantations used techniques to reduce the use of pesticides. Only 28 percent of land managers managed their land properly. They had reduced harmful water run off to protect the health of the Reef. The official target is a 90 percent reduction in pesticide use within three years.

Scientists at the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences published their findings Wednesday, July 18 in the journal Science Advances. It found between 1992 and 2010, the recovery rate dropped by an average of 84 percent. But there is hope. The study also found some corals can recover quickly if “acute and chronic stressors” are lessened.

Meanwhile, the Australian government released its updated reef protection plan Friday. It clearly states global temperatures must be stopped from rising in order to save the world’s largest living structure.

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

A．Diverse ecosystems.	B．Sediment and chemicals.
C．Reefs and corals.	D．Small sea creatures.

2. What can be learned from what Steve Miles said?

A．He is satisfied with the protection of the Reef.

B．He thinks that the Reef needs more protection.

C．He feels angry with what his children did.

D．He is very happy about the Reef progress protection.

3. What does the underlined word “flat-lined” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Not increase significantly.	B．Disappear.
C．Speed up.	D．Miss the chance.

4. The report found the majority of land managers in Queensland   ________.

A．were tough to deal with	B．failed to manage their land properly
C．reduced the amount of harmful water	D．were eager to quit pesticide soon

5. Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A science fiction.
C．A book review.	D．A guide book.

9 . These days, it's not unusual to see middle-aged men collecting Star Wars action figures, office workers wearing Hello Kitty accessories, or celebrities like David Beckham playing with Lego bricks. It's becoming more and more common to see adults taking an interest in toys, comic books and the activities that are traditionally associated with children. This phenomenon has given rise to a new word: kidult.

What lies behind the phenomenon? One is about adults' nostalgia （怀旧之情）for the carefree days of childhood, and this is especially true with today's fast-paced, stressful lifestyles. Another is about a societal change in recent decades where people are starting families later. As a result, they have more time and money to spend on themselves. Some adults could only window-shop for their dream toys when they were kids, but now they can afford that radio controlled car or high-priced doll they have always wanted.

Businesses have been quick to exploit the kidult trend, and the number of toy stores that target adults has risen. Companies are repackaging products from past decades and also bringing out new ones for adults. Lego, for example, has brought out an architectural series featuring landmarks from around the world.

Society traditionally disapproves of adults who refuse to put aside childhood interests, viewing the refusal as a sign of social immaturity and irresponsibility. Those who agree with this view sometimes claim that kidults are suffering from the pop-psychology concept known as Peter Pan Syndrome, an anomaly （异常）that people remain emotionally at the level of teenagers. On a grander scale, these kidult opponents （对手）argue that such delayed adulthood causes couples to marry later and have fewer children. This in turn can lead to shrinking national economies, for there needs to be a generational replenishment （补充）of the workforce.

From the standpoint of kidults, though, this phenomenon is seen as nothing but harmless fun. Kidults insist that having youthful interests keeps them young, happy and creative, and their refusal to conform to society's acceptable tastes shows independent thinking. Besides, they argue that being part of the social trend of delayed adulthood is not purely a personal choice. The real causes include expensive housing, increased educational requirements for employment and poor work opportunities.

Whether the kidult phenomenon will continue to grow or prove to be a passing trend is anyone's guess. As the debate about it continues, remember that there is nothing wrong with being young at heart.

1. What does the kidult phenomenon refer to?

A．Adults act like children.

B．Adults have child-like tastes.

C．Adults go in for collecting toys.

D．Adults like playing with children.

2. Which of the following might cause the emergence of kidults?

A．Different living conditions.

B．More choices about toys.

C．High pressure of modern life.

D．Good memories of childhood.

3. What does the underlined word “exploit” probably mean?

A．Get used to.

B．Look forward to.

C．Take advantage of.

D．Make way for.

4. How does the text deal with the debate about kidults?

A．By strongly opposing kidult opponents.

B．By convincing readers to accept kidults.

C．By refusing to take a stand on the issue.

D．By presenting both sides of the argument.

5. What can we infer about the author's attitude towards the phenomenon from the last paragraph?

A．Doubtful.	B．Positive.
C．Disapproving.	D．Uncaring.

10 . If I could give today's young people three wishes, they would be: More hugs. More time outside in nature. More belief in their own power to change the world. While most people understand the importance of the first two wishes, the third one leaves some folks wondering why young people's belief in their own power is so essential.

Let's start with the idea that all of us-especially young people-need heroes. We need them to be our guides on the difficult trail(足迹)we call life and to show us just how far we can go. And we need heroes today more than ever. Our modern society is terribly confused about the difference between a celebrity and a hero. And the difference: is vital. A celebrity is all about fame(名望)-temporary, superficial fame, usually for qualities that are easy to see: a pretty face, a great dance move. A hero，by contrast, is about character-qualities under the surface that aren't visible until they take action.

Heroes are all around us. They truly hold our world together, through their unselfish devotion to helping others, teaching children, and protecting the environment. They don't want fame, or glory; they just want to help. In so many ways, these unsung heroes pilot the boat in which all of us sail.

Yet, young people hear a lot more about celebrities than about heroes in the media. The hidden message they get from all this is that their self-worth comes from what they buy-which shoes, which cell phone--not who they are down inside. What gets lost in this? Young people's sense of their own potential for heroic qualities--their own power to make a positive difference in the world. Truth is, there is a potential hero, a future difference maker, in every young person. Each of them, from whatever background, is a positive force who can do something. All it takes for that to be true is belief.

How do we help young people believe in their own power? The best way is simply to share examples, of other young people who have made a difference.

Ryan, age 11, has worked tirelessly to raise money to provide clean drinking water to African villages. When he first heard about the plight(困苦)of African children who died from impure water, Ryan was only six years old. In the next five years, he raised over $500,000-enough to build over 70 water wells.

Barbara, age 17, grew up on a farm in Texas. When she realized that local farmers were pouring their used motor oil into rivers, causing pollution, she organized the creation of a recycling center for crude(未加提炼的)oil. Her project has grown to include 18 recycling centers in Texas.

The list could continue.These are but a few examples of young people who have discovered that they can build on their own energy to do something great.

1. What is the author's purpose in writing Paragraph 2?

A．To give examples of celebrities and heroes around us.

B．To discuss the differences between celebrities and heroes.

C．To provide definitions of the words “celebrity” and “hero” .

D．To explain the details about being celebrities and heroes.

2. Read the origin of the underlined word“superficial”.

from the Latin super-("on top of")and -facies("face")

Based on this information, what is the meaning of the word “superficial” in Paragraph 2?

A．Not known.

B．Unexpected.

C．Undeveloped.

D．Without depth.

3. What could be inferred from Paragraph 3?

A．Heroes make the world go round.

B．Heroes must believe in themselves.

C．Heroes focus on social welfare programs.

D．Heroes promote cooperation between people.

4. What can we learn from Paragraph 4?

A．Heroes and celebrities are both valued today.

B．Society doesn't support the development of heroes.

C．The media turn ordinary celebrities into real heroes.

D．Young people don't have the belief in their own strength.

5. How does the author advance his view that young people have the potential to be a hero?

A．By defining the qualities that make a young person a hero.

B．By contrasting the achievements made by different young people.

C．By giving examples of young people who show the qualities of a hero.

D．By providing examples of qualities that have made young people famous.

6. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．More heroes are needed in the world.

B．Celebrities are reported too much in the media.

C．Adults should become role models for young people.

D．Young people should believe in their ability to make a difference.