1 . As more and more people speak the global languages of English, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic, other languages are rapidly disappearing. In fact, half of the 6,000-7,000 languages spoken around the world today will likely die out by the next century,             according to the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In an effort to prevent language loss, scholars from a number of organizations -----UNESCO and National Geographic among them—have for many years been documenting dying languages and the cultures they reflect.
Mark Turin, a scientist at the Macmillan Centre Yale University, who specializes in the languages and oral traditions of the Himalayas, is following in _______ His recently published book, A Grammar of Thangmi with an Ethnolinguistic Introduction to the Speakers and Their Culture, grows out of his experience living, working, and raising a family in a village in Nepal.
Documenting the Thangmi language and culture is just a starting point for Turin, who seeks to include other languages and oral traditions across the Himalayan reaches of India , Nepal, Bhutan, and China . But he is not content to simply record these             voices before they disappear without record.
At the University of Cambridge Turin discovered a wealth of important materials-including photographs, films, tape recordings, and field notes—which had remained unstudied and were badly in need of care and protection.
Now, through the two organizations that he has founded -----the Digital Himalaya Project and the World Oral Literature Project -----Turin has started a campaign to make such documents, for the world available not just to scholars but to the younger             generations of communities from whom the materials were originally collected. Thanks to digital technology and the widely available Internet, Turin notes, the endangered languages can be saved and reconnected with speech communities.
1. Many scholars are making efforts to ______.

A．rescue disappearing languages

B．promote global languages

C．search for language communities

D．set up language research organizations.

2. What does “that tradition’ in Paragraph 3 refer to ?

A．Telling stories about language users

B．Writing books on language teaching.

C．Having full records of the languages

D．Living with the native speaker.

3. What is Turin’s book based on?

A．The cultural studies

B．His personal experience in Nepal.

C．His language research in Bhutan.

D．The documents available at Yale.

4. Which of the following best describe Turin’s work?

A．Write, sell and donate.

B．Collect, protect and reconnect.

C．Record, repair and reward.

D．Design, experiment and report.

2 . Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, gentically mondified (GM, 转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the word,mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution?

Despite what it promises, GM technology actually has not increased the production potential       of any corp. In fact, studies show that the most widely grown GM crop. GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report than analysed nearly two decades of research on mojor GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.

Something else, however, has been on the rise, While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides（杀虫剂）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “The promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But neither is true,” said Bill Christison, President of the US National Farm Coalition.

At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.

As a matter of fact, scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.

1. The author develops the second paragraph mainly      .

A．by classification	B．by comparison
C．by example	D．by process

2. What does the underlined word “boost ” in the third paragraph probably mean?

A．Control.

B．Evaluate

C．Obtain.

D．Increase.

3. GM companies promise farmers that they will benefit from ______________.

A．practicing “green” farming	B．use of less chemicals
C．fair distribution of their crops	D．using more crops for fuel

4. Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards GM technology?

A．Optimistic

B．Defensive

C．Disapproving

D．Casual

3 . When people want to know about the weather,they usually go to their radios,TVs, newspapers,or to the Internet.However,you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses.Drops in air pressure(压力) produce an effect on small animals in many ways.Mice and deer are good weather indicators.People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that,before a storm,field mice come out of their holes and run around.Deer leave high ground and come down from the mountains.
Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways.For example,some birds become irritable(急躁的) and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread.Other birds chirp(叽叽喳喳) and sing just before a storm.It seems they know they won’t get another chance for an hour or two.Birds also seek safe places before a storm.You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building.Pre-storm low pressure makes the air so thin that birds have difficulty flying.
It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime,rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn.Watch for other weather signs if you see this.If they fly in the wrong direction,they may be flying ahead of a storm.
By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature,we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.
1. The word “indicators” in Paragraph 1 probably means______.

A．maps	B．services
C．signs	D．stations

2. There will be a storm if birds______.

A．make more noise than usual

B．fly in different directions

C．come down from tall trees

D．share a piece of bread

3. How can birds sense the coming of a storm?

A．By feeling a drop in air temperature.

B．By noticing the change of wind directions.

C．By feeling a drop in air pressure.

D．By noticing the movements of other animals.

4. The best title for the text would be______.

A．Signs of a Storm

B．Drops in Air Pressure

C．Animals’ Sharp Senses

D．Nature’s Weather Signs

4 . 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(恐慌) attacks,or depression.

When you are with good friends, you feel good about yourself, and you are glad to be with them.A friends 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(深度). 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(作用) 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.

2. The underlined word “superficial” means “ ”.

A．deep	B．hard
C．shallow	D．close

3. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed	B．What Kind of Person a Friend Should Be
C．To Be a Good Friend	D．How to Get on with Your Friend

5 . As a contestant on The X Factor, 13-year-old Rachel Crow seemed to have exactly what it took to win: strong praise from judges, a beautiful voice, and a lovable personality. Then she was voted off.
When the results were read, Rachel broke down, sobbing and screaming for her mom, who had to rush onstage to comfort her.
It was a humiliating moment for Rachel, but a great moment for The X Factor — just the kind of drama TV audiences love.
Some fans said Rachel’s breakdown proved she was too young to be on the show. And though there was nothing exceptional about someone Rachel’s age being on reality TV — children and teens appear in everything from Dance Moms to The Biggest Loser — Rachel’s meltdown did raise an important question: Should kids be on reality TV at all? Many psychologists are saying “No”.
It’s well known that early fame can be harmful and that many former child stars struggle as adults. Being followed by photographers 24/7 and having everything they do reported in newspapers and blogs can be hard for young people to deal with. It can make them feel as though their worth depends on what others say. Reality TV takes the pressure of early fame to a whole new level. Kids on reality TV don’t play characters. They play themselves. Cameras expose their most private moments for our entertainment.
Laws exist that protect child actors, making sure they go to school and limiting the hours they can work. In many states, though, these laws do not apply to kids on reality TV, because they are not considered actors.
Dangers aside, there’s no doubt that reality shows do offer exciting opportunities and the potential to make money. A 7-year-old girl who attends a TV show earns about $36,000 per season. After competing on The X Factor, One Direction went on to become international stars. Even Rachel made out OK. She released an album and voices a character in the movie Rio 2. And she showed resilience (适应力). “I’m not feeling great, but I’ll be fine,” she told reporters after breakdown. “I’m Rachel still.”
1. The underlined word “humiliating” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to “ _______”.

A．exciting	B．precious
C．important	D．embarrassing

2. We can learn from Paragraph 4 that some of Rachel’s fans thought that she _______.

A．was not good enough

B．deserved better results

C．should have been much stronger

D．shouldn’t have been on the show

3. Paragraph 5 is mainly about _______.

A．how kids should deal with pressure

B．why early fame can be harmful to kids

C．the importance of kids being themselves

D．what some former child stars have achieved

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Kids should look for more challenges.

B．Reality shows may change a kid forever.

C．Reality shows can benefit kids in some ways.

D．Kids can earn little money from reality shows.

6 . The Swiss army knife is a popular device that is recognized all over the world. In Switzerland, there is a saying that every good Swiss citizen has one in his or her pocket. But the knife had poor beginnings.
In the late nineteenth century, the Swiss army issued (发给) its soldiers a gun that required a special screwdriver (螺丝刀) to take it apart and clean it. At the same time, canned food was becoming common in the army. Swiss generals decided to issue each soldier a standard knife to serve both as a screwdriver and a can opener.
It was a lifesaver for Swiss knife makers, who were struggling to ask for cheaper German imports. In 1884, Carl Elsener, head of the Swiss knife manufacturer (maker) Victorinox, seized that opportunity with both hands, and designed a soldier’s knife that the army loved .It was a simple knife with one big blade (刀片), a can opener, and a screwdriver.
A few years after the soldier’s knife was issued, the “Schweizer Offizer Messer,” or Swiss Officer’s Knife, came on the market, Interestingly, the Officer’s Knife was never given to those serving in the army. The Swiss army purchasers considered the new model with a corkscrew (瓶塞钻) for opening wine not “essential for survival,” so officers had to buy this new model by themselves. But its special multi-functional design later launched(发行)the knife as a global brand. After the Second World War, a great number of American soldiers were stationed in Europe. And as they could buy the Swiss army knife at shops on army bases, they bought huge quantities of them. However, it seems that “Schweizer Offizer Messer” was too difficult for them to say, so they just called it the Swiss army knife, and that is the name it is now known by all over the world.
1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To emphasize the importance of the Swiss army knife.

B．To introduce the functions of the Swiss army knife.

C．To explain the origin of Swiss army knife.

D．To tell a story about the designer of the Swiss army knife.

2. What does “It” in the third paragraph refer to?

A．Canned food was becoming popular in Swiss army.

B．Every good Swiss citizen had a knife in his pocket.

C．The Swiss army needed a knife for every soldier.

D．Swiss knives were competing with imported knives.

3. Why didn’t the Swiss army purchase the Swiss Officer’s Knife?

A．The new design was not considered necessary for officers to own.

B．The army had no budge to the purchase.

C．The knife was sold out to American soldiers.

D．The design of the knife was too simple.

4. Who gave the name “ the Swiss army knife” to the knife discussed in the passage?

A．Swiss generals	B．Carl Elsener
C．German businessman	D．American soldiers.

7 . Whether you’re eating at a fancy restaurant or dining in someone’s home, proper table manners are likely to help you make a good impression. According to a US expert, Emily Post, “All rules of table manners are made to avoid ugliness.”

While Henry Hitchings of the Los Angeles Times admits that good manners can reduce social conflict, he points out that mostly their purpose is protective — they turn our natural warrior^_ like selves into more elegant ones.

So where did table manners come from?

In medieval England, a writer named Petrus Alfonsi took the lead to urge people not to speak with their mouths full. And King David I of Scotland also proposed that any of his people who learned to eat more neatly be given a tax deduction (减除).

Disappointingly, that idea never caught on. It was during the Renaissance, when there were real technical developments, opinions of correct behavior changed for good. “None of these was more significant than the introduction of the table fork,” wrote Hitchings. “Gradually, as forks became popular, they brought the new way of eating, making it possible, for instance, to consume berries without making one’s fingers dirty.”

Forks were introduced to Britain in 1608 and 25 years later, the first table fork reached America. Yet while most of the essentials (基本要素) are the same on both sides of the Atlantic, there are a few clear differences between what’s normal in the US and what holds true in the UK. For example, in the US, when food needs cutting with a knife, people generally cut a bite, then lay aside the knife and switch the fork to their right hand. Then they pick up one bite at a time. By contrast, Britons keep the fork in the left hand and don’t lay the knife down.

Though globalization has developed a new, simpler international standard of table manners, some people still stick with the American cut-and-switch method. The Los Angeles Times noted, “They are hanging on to a form of behavior that favors manners above efficiency.”

1. What does the story mainly talk about?

A．The importance of proper table manners.

B．The development of table manners in Western countries.

C．Some unwritten rules of table manners in the US and UK.

D．Differences between American and British table manners.

2. The underlined phrase “caught on” in the passage probably means ________.

A．worked in practice

B．became popular

C．drew attention

D．had a positive effect

3. Which of the following events influenced people’s table manners most according to the article?

A．The introduction of forks.

B．The tax deduction policy.

C．The rise of the Renaissance.

D．Petrus Alfonsi’s efforts in promoting table manners.

4. What can we conclude from the article?

A．British and American table manners are completely different from each other.

B．American people pay more attention to their table manners than British people do.

C．With globalization, the American cut-and-switch method has been abandoned in the US.

D．British people’s way of using a knife and fork may be more efficient than American people’s.

8 . Homework and stress are rarely reduced inside the classroom．Meanwhile，outside the classroom，the pressure is on to find scholarships for college．
According to Braintrack，a higher education database with worldwide reach，more than 3 billion US dollars (18 billion yuan) in private scholarships are awarded to college students annually．Average awards range from $2,000 to $3,000．
The scholarship application process is similar to the college application process: forms to be completed，test scores and transcripts to be sent，essays to be written and often interviews to be prepared for．
A few great places to start looking for scholarships are: www．fastweb． com，www．Finaid． org and www．collegexpress．com．Check out the annual scholarship guidebooks Scholarships，Grants & Prizes by Peterson’s and the Ultimate Scholarship Book: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships，Grants and Prizes by Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe．
Be selective．Thoroughly research the qualifications required by each of the scholarships．Don’t waste your time applying for those that are need          based if you can’t produce the appropriate documents．
Research past recipients (接受者)．Check out the websites of the organizations sponsoring the scholarships．Many post the biographies of past recipients．You don’t need to have cured cancer，but if you don’t think your résumé (履历) measures up to the past winners’，you might be better served by moving onto the next scholarship on your list．Prepare for the interview．
You’ll want to dazzle them with your personality，but above all you’ll want to be prepareD． Find someone you trust to conduct a similar interview with you – someone who will be honest with you and provide valuable suggestions．
Let your personality shine through in your essays．The essays are the best way for students to share who they are，where they’ve come from，what they’ve overcome and so on．Tell your story in an interesting and persuasive   way．And if you do have an interview，send a thank          you note afterward．
By Lee Bierer
1. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the article？

A．To explain where to find scholarships for US colleges．

B．To inform readers of the scholarship application process．

C．To introduce some typical scholarships offered by US colleges．

D．To give tips on applying for US college scholarships．

2. If you want to learn about past recipients of a scholarship，you can use ______．

A．www．collegexpress．com

B．the annual scholarship guidebooks published by Peterson’s

C．the websites of the organizations sponsoring the scholarships

D．The Ultimate Scholarship Book: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships，Grants and Prizes

3. The underlined word “dazzle” in Paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to ___．

A．influence

B．impress

C．guide

D．present

4. To increase your chance of winning a scholarship，you are advised to ____．

A．apply for as many scholarships as you can

B．tell an interesting story in your essay

C．do a similar interview to help you prepare for the real one

D．have a talk with past recipients and try to talk like they do

9 . It is common and usual to see people ____ when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens­, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1?

A．Feel shy.

B．Stay calm.

C．Keep up.

D．Feel upset.

2. In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that ______.

A．problems cause troubles

B．attitude is everything

C．challenges can be avoided

D．personalities are built on failures

3. According to the last paragraph, when we're in trouble, we ______.

A．can only depend on our parents

B．are not alone

C．should only believe ourselves

D．are not confident

4. What’s the writer’s purpose to write the passage?

A．To encourage.

B．To compare.

C．To prove.

D．To explain.

10 . When former American President Bill Clinton travelled to South Korea to visit President Kim Young Sam,he repeatedly referred to the Korean president’s wife as Mrs.Kim.By mistake, President Clinton’s advisers thought that Koreans have the same naming customs as the Japanese. Clinton had not been told that,in Korea,wives keep their family names.President Kim Young Sam’s wife was named Sohn Myong Suk.Therefore,she should be addressed(称谓) as Mrs.Sohn.
President Clinton arrived in Korea directly after leaving Japan and had not changed his culture gears.His failure to follow Korean customs gave the impression that Korea was not as important to him as Japan.
In addition to Koreans,some Asian husbands and wives do not share the same family names.This practice often puzzles(使困惑) English-speaking teachers when talking with a pupil’s parents.They become puzzled about the student’s correct last name.Placing the family name first is common among a number of Asian cultures.
Mexican naming customs are different as well.When a woman marries,she keeps her family name and adds her husband’s name after the word de(of).This affects(影响) how they fill in forms in the United States.When requested to fill in a middle name,they generally write the father’s family name.But Mexicans are addressed by the family name of the mother.This often causes puzzlement.
Here are a few ways to deal with such difficult situations:don’t always think that a married woman uses her husband’s last name.Remember that in many Asian cultures,the order of first and last names is reversed(颠倒).Ask which name a person would prefer to use.If the name is difficult to pronounce,admit it,and ask the person to help you say it correctly.
1. The story of Bill Clinton is used to______.

A．improve US-Korean relations

B．introduce the topic of the text

C．describe his visit to Korea

D．tell us how to address a person

2. The word “gears” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to______.

A．action plans	B．naming customs
C．travel maps	D．thinking patterns

3. When a woman marries in Korea,she______.

A．continues to use her family name

B．uses her husband’s given name

C．shares her husband’s family name

D．adds her husband’s given name to hers

4. To address a married woman properly,you’d better______.

A．use her middle name

B．use her husband’s first name

C．ask her which name she likes

D．change the order of her names