1 . If you have ever had a cat, or have watched one of the many funny cat videos online, you’ll know that cats have a mind of their own. A lot of the things they do are hard to understand—they like to climb up tall furniture, fit themselves in small spaces and attack small objects for no reason at all.
Now scientists have managed to figure out what exactly is going on in the brains of our little friends. According to Tony Buffington, a professor at Ohio State University in the US, cats’ strange behavior largely comes from their way of life back in the wild. “Cats today still have many of the same instincts that allowed them to live in the wild for millions of years.” he said in a TED Talk. “To them, our homes are their jungles.”
In the wild, cats are hunters. Their bodies and great balancing abilities allow them to climb to high spots to better look at the environment. Even though they don’t have to hunt any more in human houses, they still keep the old habit of viewing the living room from, for example, the top of the refrigerator.
Cats’ hunting instinct is also what makes them attack small things like keys and USB drives. In the wild, they hunt whatever they can get, and most of the animals they kill are small.
However, cats can also be prey. This explains why they like to stay in small spaces like drawers or washing machines— they are hiding, or they think they are hiding, from more dangerous animals. This is also why cats prefer a clean box: a smelly one could easily show enemies where they are.
Knowing how cats’ minds work is not only useful for better understanding them. It may also help cats’ owners to better meet cats’ needs. For example, owners could try to make climbing easier for cats by moving their furniture around. They could also use “food puzzles” to make eating feel more like hunting instead of just giving food to the cats.
1. According to Tony Buffington, ________.| A．cats’ strange behavior is difficult for humans to understand |
| B．cats are more used to living in the wild than in humans’ homes |
| C．cats’ instincts are as helpful to them today as they were millions of year ago |
| D．cats behave strangely mainly because they still have some instincts in the wild |
| A．Cats like to climb up high because they want to hide from dangerous animals. |
| B．Cats attack keys and USB drives because they have a habit of hunting small animals. |
| C．Cats enjoy staying in small spaces because they usually live in small caves in the wild. |
| D．Cats’ preference for a clean litter box has something to do with their hunting habits. |
| A．an animal that is hunted |
| B．an animal that is too shy |
| C．an animal that keeps itself clean |
| D．an animal that likes hiding games |
| A．describe cats’ past wild experience to readers |
| B．explore the reasons for cats’ strange behavior |
| C．tell cat owners how to make life easier for cats |
| D．compare cats’ behavior in human homes with that in the wild |
2 . “How much money am I getting this year? That’s the question I ask my mom every February. And every year she replies，”You will see” in her Chinese accent.
February usually marks the month of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar. But for me, Chinese New Year is a payday. Usually I receive red envelopes (“hongbao”) which are the equivalent ( 同等物) of Christmas presents. Instead of wondering what the present will be, it is the amount of money inside that is the mystery. I always have to wait weeks to find out how much money my parents have in store for me.
I never knew how the traditions of Chinese New Year derived,_and I never gave it much thought, until my mom forced me to attend a special Chinese school where I learned about the origins of the traditions behind the famous celebration and had a knowledge of how the hanging of red lanterns or fireworks developed. But before that, the only part of the holiday that had ever concerned me was the “hongbao” and as selfish as it may sound.
But now Chinese New Year is a wonderful holiday for me not because of the “hongbao”， but the profound Chinese culture I have learned from the special school.
The excitement that comes with expecting Chinese New Year is one I will never get tired of. While the real celebrations are taking place in China, my family holds its own traditions. I can always count on my mom to make delicious Chinese food every year, and there is consolation (安慰) in knowing that as my sisters and I open our “hongbaos”， our cousins so many miles away are doing the same.
1. What did the author care about most on Chinese New Year at first?| A．The amount of money she received. |
| B．The traditions behind the celebration. |
| C．Various activities during Chinese New Year. |
| D．The presents that her parents would give her. |
| A．Worked. | B．Continued. |
| C．Began. | D．Changed. |
| A．She has a strong feeling towards China. |
| B．She knows little about Chinese traditions. |
| C．She always gives her children a lot of money. |
| D．She tends to surprise her children on western festivals. |
| A．New Year Hongbao |
| B．My Mom and China |
| C．Closer Attachment to China |
| D．Unforgettable Moments |
3 . What do you think of your Chinese? If you think your Chinese is good enough, you can take part in the competition named Chinese Characters Dictation Competition（中国汉字听写大会）.
Today teenagers are using more and more smart phones. They spend too much time in shopping, chatting, playing games and so on. Many of them cannot stop using smart phones to help with their study. Overuse of smart phones will make students too lazy to think and write. Some of them even forget how to write Chinese characters by hand. Teachers and parents are very worried about it.
In order to draw people’s attention to the problems above, in 2013 CCTV held the first Chinese Characters Dictation Competition. About 200 students from 32 teams took part in it. They stood on the stage to write down Chinese characters by dictation. Lu Jialei, a 14-year-old girl from Zhejiang, got first place.
Since then, the competition has been popular among teenagers. Many people are interested in this kind of competition, too. They like to write down the characters while the competitors（参赛者）are writing them.
Can you be the next winner?
1. From Paragraph 2, we know that teenagers are using more and more _____．| A． cars | B．money | C．books | D．smart phones |
| A．eating too much | B．walking too much |
| C．using too much | D．singing too much |
| A．About 400. | B．About 300. | C．About 200. | D．About 100. |
| A．Lu Jialei, a girl from Zhejiang. | B．Lu Jialei, a girl from Guangxi. |
| C．Liao Yilin, a girl from Zhejiang. | D．Liao Yilin, a girl from Guangxi. |
4 . A holiday is any day when people lay aside their ordinary duties and cares. The word came from Old English. At first, holidays honored some holy events or persons. People in Great Britain and other countries speak of holidays as Americans speak of vacations.
Every nation has its special holidays. China observes New Year’s Day (January 1), May Day and National Day as legal holidays, as it was on Oct.1,1949 that the People’s Republic of China was founded. The Chinese have long celebrated the Chinese lunar year. In the United States, congress has declared several days as legal holidays such as New Year’s Day (January 1), Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, Washington’s birthday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and so on. Some holidays celebrate special events in the development of a country, such as Greece’s Independence Day, Italy’s Liberation Day and India’s Independence Day.
In the United States, banks and schools usually close on a legal holiday. When such a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday is usually observed. Schools and organizations often observe days known as traditional holidays, although schools and business do not close then. Those holidays include Valentine’s Day and Halloween.
1. From the passage we know that China’s National Day is ___________.| A．January 1 | B．May 1 | C．October 1 | D．December 25 |
| A．praises | B．spends | C．celebrates | D．cares |
| A．Chinese will no longer observe the Spring Festival |
| B．students don’t have to go to school on any holiday |
| C．Chinese and Americans share at least one holiday |
| D．Americans can easily draw money from banks on legal days. |
| A．China’s National Day | B．Valentine’s Day |
| C．Italy’s liberation Day | D．Independence Day |
5 . A car needs gas to run and your body also needs food to work for you. Eating the right kind of food is very important. It can help your body grow strong, so take care of what you eat.
There are four main food groups altogether. The dairy group has food like milk, cheese and sour milk. The other three groups are the meat and fish group, the fruit and vegetable group, and the bread and rice group. Each meal should have at least one food from all four main groups. With all these food together, you will be given enough energy during the day.
It is easy to get into bad eating habits. You may eat your breakfast in a hurry to get to school on time. Or you may not have time for a good lunch. It may seem easy to finish your supper with fish and chips all the time. But you will find yourself tired these days and you can not think quickly.
Watching what you eat will help your body remain healthy and strong. It is also good to take some exercise. It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air. Having a good eating habit with some exercise is the key to your health.
1. Which of the following diets do you think is the best one?| A．Corn, fish, cream and pork | B．Milk, bread, cabbages and beef |
| C．Eggs, tomatoes and chicken | D．Rice, bean curd(豆腐), apples, fish and chicken |
| A．Going to school without any breakfast. |
| B．Eating your lunch in a very short time. |
| C．Eating fish and chips for supper all the time. |
| D．Having at least one food from all four groups in each meal. |
| A．a farm where cows are kept | B．the shop that sells milk and butter |
| C．the food made out of cows such as milk and butter | D．a place where milk products are made |
| A．enough energy helps people think more quickly |
| B．taking exercise can keep your body strong |
| C．every person needs food to grow well |
| D．right kind of food with exercise will keep you healthy |
6 . It was late one evening. I can’t remember what it was about, but my Dad and I had a very big argument when my mother was away. We both said things we didn’t mean, and in the end I said, “I’m leaving.” And he said, “Good. The sooner, the better.”
I threw a few things in the suitcase and closed the door violently behind me, not knowing where I was going. After walking aimlessly for 20 minutes, I stopped at a local supermarket. Then my phone rang. It was my mom calling. She said, “Hey, Mary. Where are you? Dad is worried about you.”
“How can he worry about me? I’ve been away for nearly half an hour, but he didn’t call.” I said with annoyance. My anger returned and I remembered all the hateful things he’d shouted to me. “Listen, Mom. You can tell Dad that I’m fine. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I said and hung up.
I walked around the supermarket, trying to get my thoughts together. By the time I paid for my purchases, it had been much later than I used to be out alone. When I left the supermarket, a large piece of white paper was in front of me. On the piece of white paper were these words: “Please come home! I miss you and I’m worried about you!”
Then a car pulled up beside me. Hanging out of the window was my Dad. Besides him, smiling gently, sat my mom. And that’s when I started laughing. I laughed so hard that I cried. Despite(尽管) my best effort to run away from home, my father finally managed to track me down. I couldn’t leave now, not with him sitting there with caring eyes.
1. Why does Mary leave home ?| A．had to make her own living | B．had a bad performance at school |
| C．had an argument with her mother | D．had a big argument with her father |
| A．tried to calm down | B．forgave her father |
| C．became angrier than before | D．agreed to go home |
| A．goods Mary bought | B．actions Mary regretted (后悔) |
| C．telephone calls Mary made | D．lessons Mary learned |
| A．Mary still refused to go home. | B．Mary returned home happily. |
| C．Mary’s father became angry again. | D．Mary’s mother was angry with her father. |
7 . People seem to have a natural need for friends and with good reason, friends increase your enjoyment of life and relieve feelings of loneliness. They even can help reduce stress and improve your health. Having good friends is especially helpful when you are going through any kind of hard time such as when you are experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, or depression.
When you are with good friends, you feel good about yourself, and you are glad to be with them. A friend is someone who —
●you like, respect, and trust, and who likes, expects and trusts you.
●doesn’t always understand you, but accepts and likes you as you are, even as you grow and change.
●allows you the space to change, grow, make decisions, and even make mistakes.
●listens to you and shares with you both the good times and the bad times.
●respects your need for secrets, so you can tell them anything.
●lets you freely express your feelings and emotions without judging, laughing at or criticizing you.
●accepts the limitations you have put on yourself and helps you to remove them.
A person once said. “Friendship is a continuing source of bonding (连接), releasing, and creating in yourself and with the other person, there is an emotional bond between the two people.”
A good friend or supporter may or may not be the same age or the same sex as you, and may not have the same educational, cultural, or religious background, or share interests that are similar to yours. Friendships also have different depths. Some are closer to the heart and some more superficial, but they’re all useful and good.
1. Which of the following is not a function of a friend?| A．He brings you some happiness. | B．He helps you feel less lonely. |
| C．He helps you get over the difficulties. | D．He helps you cheat in the exam. |
| A．deep | B．shallow | C．hard | D．close |
| A．A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed | B．How to Get on with Your Friend |
| C．Ways to Be a Good Friend | D．What Kind of Person a Friend Should Be |
8 . A year ago, I decided to create a more environmentally friendly kitchen, focusing on reducing the single-use products such as plastic bags and paper towels. I’m not going to sugarcoat my experience. It takes com mitment and a willingness to change long-held habits. In creating my kitchen, I tried a lot of different alternative products and some plain old com mon sense； the result, however, has been worth the effort. I’m recycling more and relying less on single-use products and I’m saving money too.
I’m not kidding when I say that I used to really love plastic storage bags, so this was, perhaps, the biggest challenge for me. Switching to reusable storage bags is a financial investment, but the cos is reasonable considering that I previously spent at least $ 100 annually on single-use plastic bags and wrap. I willcheck online periodically for recycling updates, where a zero-waste box for kitchen items is offered, from party supplies to mixed-materialfood containers.
I’m a clean freak (怪人) and used to go through an amount of paper towels on a daily basis, butit’s easy enough to take old T-shirts ortowels and cutthem up to use to wipe down surfaces. I’m also a fan of bamboo paper towels, which have the look and feel of traditional paper towels, yet are made from a highly renewable source and also break down in just 45 days. Better yet, they can be reused up to 100 times. As for kitchen sponges (海绵擦), I keep an eye out for those made with natural and recyclable materials.
When purchasing household items online from companies like Amazon or Jet, I will ask to have them shipped in as few boxes as possible or as small a box as possible if a single item is to be sent. I’ll let the company know that they should pay more attention to how It is packaging items for delivery.
1. What is the author’s main purpose of creating her kitchen?| A．To save money. | B．To reduce waste and recycle more. |
| C．To change her long-held habits. | D．To make it cleaner and more practical. |
| A．M ake attractive. | B．Getinterested. |
| C．Show off. | D．Give up. |
| A．Begins to recycle more single-use plastic bags. |
| B．Goes through an amount of paper towels on a daily basis. |
| C．Checks online periodically to buy zero-waste box. |
| D．Chooses to use the recyclable or reusable kitchen items. |
| A．She has strong environmental awareness. |
| B．She is used to traditional paper towels. |
| C．She has a good knowledge of financialinvestment. |
| D．She prefers to have her purchases packed in small boxes. |
9 . Volunteer Opportunities Abroad
Working place: Brasov, Romania Living place: Host families Age requirements: 16~19 years old Local official language: Romanian |
For those looking to break into the competitive world of journalism, this is for you! You will be working at “The Village”, an English and Romanian language magazine. As a writer you will work on special tasks, reporting local events with guidance from the editor. You will be interviewing local people, writing reports, and taking photographs. You will also have the chance to live with a local host family to experience their culture.
Working place: Koh Sdach, Cambodia Living place: Host families Age requirements: 15~19 years old Local official languages: English & Khmer |
Volunteers joining our project in Cambodia will travel to the island of Koh Sdach. You will become part of this tiny island, learn to dive (潜水), and take part in valuable social projects.
During your stay you will complete a course to learn to dive. After that you will take part in dives to clean up rubbish under the sea and collect information on rare fish. During the two weeks you may also have the chance to join in a village fun day where volunteers play games with the village children.
Working place: Accn, Ghna Living place: Host families Age requirements: 16~19 years old Local official languages: English &Twi |
On this project you will spend two weeks living with a host family and coaching soccer in friendly West Africa! You will spend your two weeks in Accra helping local children develop their soccer skills. You will develop their skills and confidence while having fun playing soccer at the same time.
1. What will the volunteers in Cambodia do?| A．Help with fishing. | B．Give a diving course. |
| C．Do some cleaning work. | D．Teach the village children. |
| A．nursing | B．watching |
| C．playing | D．teaching |
| A．work for two weeks | B．be at least 16 years old |
| C．stay with local families | D．learn the local language |
10 . China’ Forbidden City----traditionally off-limit at night for anyone except emperors and visiting dignitaries (显要人物）---- was decorated with lanterns as China celebrated the end of the Chinese New Year holiday. The complex, home to Chinese emperors for five centuries, was opened at night for the first time since it was reopened as the Palace Museum 94 years ago.
The complex and palace walls were illuminated with red lanterns and a light show, designed to recreate the feelings of the royal court, while the China National Traditional Orchestra and the Peking Opera performed. An image of a treasured scroll called A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains was cast onto the palace roof.
Most of China’s 1.3 billion people, however, had to watch the show on television. Only 3,000 people were allowed in: 2,500 invited guests and 500 people who booked their tickets online. “The 3,000 visitors can show off for the whole year,” one person said on Weibo. When booking for the second day opened at midnight, the booking system crashed for more than an hour due to great demand. The free tickets were quickly taken when it reopened. A lively secondary market soon appeared. Scalpers were selling tickets for as much as 9,999 yuan on online trading sites.
The Palace Museum is now on a campaign to attract more visitors, with its former curator Shan Jixiang saying he wants to make traditional Chinese culture more accessible to the general public. More than 80 percent of the palace is now accessible to visitors, up from 30 percent in 2012. Shan has set a target of 85 percent by 2020 to mark the palace’s 600th anniversary . Creativity today has made the Palace Museum younger and drawn traditional culture closer to the public.
1. What does the underlined word “illuminate”probably mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Cared for. | B．Lit up. |
| C．Picked out. | D．Kept safe. |
| A．By watching TV at home . |
| B．By grabbing free tickets online |
| C．By buying tickets from the secondary market. |
| D．By receiving invitation from the Forbidden City. |
| A．The campaign between museums will be better. |
| B．Creativity will make the Palace Museum younger. |
| C．Traditional Chinese culture will be recreated by foreigners. |
| D．About 85 percent of the palace will be accessible to visitors. |
| A．A Brief Introduction of the Forbidden City |
| B．Difficulties in Getting Tickets to the Forbidden City |
| C．Performances During the Light Show in the Forbidden City |
| D．Forbidden City’s First Opening to General Public at Night |
