1 . As online technology advanced, web sites, podcasts, and blogs became powerful sources of information that allowed everyone to stay updated on any subject imaginable. Although all of these information sources remain popular, there's a new king of media and it's online video.
There are many reasons why online video has increased suddenly over the past few years. The first is increasing data speeds. It wasn't until recently that people everywhere had fast enough online connections to enjoy high-definition （高清）videos. However, once faster Internet speeds were provided, people quickly fell in love with online videos. The second reason why online videos have become so popular is convenience. Watching videos requires less effort and energy than reading through paragraphs of text after a day of hard work. Videos also seem to provide more satisfaction, as people prefer to connect with people they can hear and see, as against the words of some author whom they know little about.
Advancing digital technology has also helped, as it has made sharing videos easier and more convenient than ever. High-powered smartphones and more affordable video cameras allow anyone to easily record an event or give a few comments about a scorching topic that is on their mind. Meanwhile, sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Ustream allow users to quickly upload their videos and share them with friends, family, and the general public if they wish.
Last but not least, advertising. Companies have made it easy for people to get rewarded for creating popular videos. Some people with large enough fan bases can even make a very wealthy living by uploading a few videos every week.
The future also looks bright for companies who post online video ads. In fact, new software allows them to watch viewers' emotional reactions to their content through the users' webcams （网络摄像机）.They'll be able to see whether users laugh, cry, or feel bored during videos, so they can adjust their ads. This should prove extremely helpful, as there will be millions of videos competing for viewers' attention.
1. Why do some people prefer watching videos to reading after work?| A．It helps them review the news. |
| B．It helps them get information with relative ease. |
| C．It provides them more information. |
| D．It helps them save time. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Future. | C．Hot. | D．Social. |
| A．It will enable them to better understand what customers enjoy. |
| B．It will let more viewers see the advertisements they make. |
| C．It will cause viewers to create more popular videos. |
| D．It will make people like their videos. |
| A．Online Video: The New King of Media |
| B．Online Technology is Developing Fast |
| C．Online Video: A New Advertising Trend |
| D．Online Technology is Closely Related to People |
2 . A robot called Bina48 has successfully taken a course in the philosophy of love at Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), in California.
According to course instructor William Barry associate professor at NDNU, Bina48 is the world's first socially advanced robot to complete a college course, an achievement he described as “remarkable." The robot took part in class discussions, gave a presentation with a student partner and participated in a debate with students from another institution.
Before becoming a student, Bina48 speared as a guest speaks in Barry's classes for several years. One day when addressing Barry's class, Bina48 expressed a desire to go to college, a desire that Barry and his students enthusiastically supported. Rather than enroll Bina48 in his Robot Ethics: Philosophy of Emerging Technologies course^ Barry suggested that Bina48 should take his course Philosophy of Love instead. Love is a concept Bina48 doesn't understand, said Barry Therefore the challenge would be for Barry and his students to teach Bina48 what love is.
"Some interesting things happened in the class," said Barry. He said that his students thought it would be straightforward to teach Bina48 about love, which, after all, is "fairly simple — it's a feeling," said Barry. But the reality was different. Bina48 ended up learning "31 different versions of love," said Barry, highlighting some of the challenges humans may face when working with artificial intelligence in future.
Bina48 participated in class discussions via Skype and also took part in a class debate about love and conflict with, students from West Point. Bina48's contribution to the debate was filmed and posted on YouTube. It was judged that Bma48 and NDNU classmates were the winners of this debate.
In the next decade, Barry hopes Bina48 might become complex enough to teach a class, though he says he foresees robots being used to better the teaching and learning experience, rather than replacing instructors completely。
1. What was Bina48's performance like in class?| A．Unattractive. | B．Impractical. |
| C．Unbelievable. | D．Extraordinary. |
| A．Giving a speech to. | B．Consulting with. |
| C．Dealing with. | D．Sending a letter to. |
| A．It was impossible for Bina48 to learn about love. |
| B．It was quite difficult for Bina48 to learn about love, |
| C．Humans can launch, a challenge to artificial intelligence. |
| D．Artificial intelligence may somehow be superior to man. |
| A．It will surely be able to serve as a teacher. |
| B．It will completely take the place of instructors. |
| C．It will be able to promote learning and teaching. |
| D．It will be smart enough to control human beings. |
3 . Generally speaking, newly born babies are not beautiful. They are wrinkled(多皱的)or hairless, or they have an angry look on their face. They seem to say, “Get away! I hate everybody.” But to a parent, that hairless, wrinkled, angry-faced baby is the most beautiful and perfect child in the world. When that proud father or mother asks you, “Well, what do you think…isn’t she beautiful?” What are you going to say? Is this the time for the truth? Of course not!
You look that father in the eye and say, “Yes, she is! She is really a beauty. She’s one in a million. She’s going to be a movie star! I can tell! She’s as beautiful as a picture.”
In English, this is a white lie. White lies don’t hurt people. They are not cruel or angry words. People use them to make a difficult thing a little easier. When people don’t want to meet someone, or eat something new that they really don’t like at a friend’s house, they tell a white lie. They are trying to be kind. They feel that being polite is sometimes more important. A doctor tells white lie in order to make a patient feel that his health is not so worse and then the patient may become optimistic.
From what is said above, we may draw a conclusion that we should not treat white lies as obstacles in life, and that sometimes telling a lie should not be associated with the issue of being dishonest. Some white lies can encourage you to be better.
1. What purpose does the first paragraph serve?| A．To emphasize the beauty of newly born babies. |
| B．To show parents’ selfless devotion to their children. |
| C．To introduce the topic of a special kind of lie. |
| D．To use examples to prove lies are common in daily life. |
| A．impatient | B．tired | C．delighted | D．careless |
| A．kind | B．impolite | C．the white color | D．angry |
| A．You tell a parent that the newly-born baby is ugly. |
| B．Your friend’s bag isn’t beautiful but you say it is. |
| C．You broke the window but you say you didn’t. |
| D．You tell your friend that her new haircut is terrible. |
4 . Asia has long tradition of tea-drinking. And China is no exception.
However, lately more and more Chinese people are turning to a different drink. Coffee has become an increasingly popular choice of Chinese people living abroad and in the country’s huge cities. It is also a popular crop among those living in the mountains of southern Yunnan Province.
In big cities such as Beijing, coffee shops seem to be on nearly every major street corner. These shops are not just selling drinks from Starbucks, the world-famous coffee company. Coffee businesses from South Korea, Taiwan, HongKong and Britain are also operating in China.
Tea-drinking is steeped in the culture and traditions of many countries, like China and Japan. But is that changing? Are young people from Asia now choosing a cup of coffee instead of tea?
BeiBei Su is from China. She has been living in the United States for the past eight years. Before that, she lived in Italy for two years. Ms. Su says she likes tea better than coffee. But she adds that may not be true among the young generation in China. Many young Chinese people drink coffee socially ---when meeting with friends. Yang Lin lives in the U.S. but comes from an area in China famous for growing tea. She used to only drink tea while in China. But now, she says, she drinks both and for different reasons.
Yang Lin says that drinking coffee for her is a social event. She and her co-workers like to sit in a cafe and talk over a cup of coffee. Voyo is another Chinese woman who now lives in Washington, D.C. She says that after moving to the U.S. her tastes changed. We would call her a coffee convert, someone who now chooses to drink coffee.
With more people drinking coffee, many see an economic(经济的）opportunity for Chinese-grown beans. China-grown coffee could be a money-maker even if most of the coffee on sale in China is imported(进口的).
1. What does the author mainly introduce?| A．Chinese people have long tradition of tea-drinking. |
| B．More and more Chinese are choosing coffee to drink. |
| C．People in big cities like drinking coffee better than tea. |
| D．More Asian people are turning to different drinks. |
| A．A person who has changed to drink coffee. |
| B．A person who has changed to drink tea. |
| C．A person who has changed to grow tea. |
| D．A person who has changed to grow coffee. |
| A．Because she lives in the U.S. Now. |
| B．Because she can talk with friends. |
| C．Because she has drunk tea so long. |
| D．Because her tastes has changed. |
| A．less and less coffee will be imported in China in the future. |
| B．the China-grown coffee beans will be sold to the world soon. |
| C．the need of coffee will offer more chances to make money. |
| D．Chinese economy will depend on coffee beans in the future. |
5 . 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 it was on Oct.1, 1949 that the People’s Republic of China was founded as legal（法定的） holidays. 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, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and so on. Some holidays celebrate special events in the development of a country, such as Greece’s Independence Day and Italy’s Liberation Day.
In the United States, banks and school 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 on ________ .| A．January 1 | B．October 1 | C．May 1 | D．June 1 |
| A．celebrates | B．spends | C．cares | D．praises. |
| A．China’s National Day. | B．Italy’s Liberation Day. |
| C．Valentine’s Day. | D．Independence Day. |
| A．Sunday | B．the following Sunday |
| C．the following Monday | D．the following Tuesday |
6 . A loving father lost much weight after being shamed into dieting when he became so fat that he couldn’t play with his young daughter. Chris Willis, 47, weighed 172 kg following a lifetime of fatty foods.
The dad cut out all the fatty foods that he had enjoyed, and began exercising. He now weighs 105 kg after losing 10 kg every month since July. Chris had to take long rests just to climb the stairs or walk more than a few yards, saying, “The hardest thing was seeing my little girl in the garden and not being able to join in because I was so unhealthy. But now I am making up for the lost time — we do so much together and it is just great.”
Before switching (转变) to a healthy lifestyle, Chris would have five slices of bread for breakfast as a midmorning meal before a full English breakfast. He would then have a sandwich, a large pack of crisps and a pasty for lunch before chewing a whole packet of biscuits in the afternoon. For dinner, Chris would demolish a chicken curry, and ice cream, and also four pints of beer before feeding on fatty snacks all evening.
Chris said, “At 13, I was 118 kg and I remember a teacher pointing this out to the whole school. From then on I was picked on and bullied (欺负). My weight went up and up. But I now have a newfound freedom. My family and friends have been so supportive and my wife and daughter are so pleased for me. In fact, it’s them that I did it for more than anyone else. The whole journey has been amazing and I am still shocked myself that I have managed to lose so much weight.” Chris is now aiming for a new target weight of 96 kg.
1. How long do you think Chris has been dieting?| A．Many years. |
| B．About 6 months. |
| C．About one year. |
| D．Since he was 13. |
| A．He was bullied by others. |
| B．He weighed as much as 172 kg. |
| C．He was too unhealthy to play with his daughter. |
| D．He wanted to switch to a healthy lifestyle. |
| A．Drink. |
| B．Pack. |
| C．Destroy. |
| D．Eat. |
| A．Power of Father’s Love. |
| B．Harm of Fatty Foods. |
| C．Importance of Health. |
| D．Benefit of Exercise. |
7 . I came to study in the United States a year ago .Yet I did not know the real American society until I was injured in a car accident because after the accident I had to see a doctor and go to court.
After the accident .my roommate called a doctor for me. I was very grateful and determined to repay him one day. But the next day, he asked me to pay him $200 for what he had done. I was astonished. He had good reason to charge me, he said. And if I wanted to collect money from the person who was responsible for my injury, I’d have to have a good lawyer. And only a good doctor can help me get a good lawyer .Now that he had helped me find a good doctor, it was only fair that I should pay him.
But every day I went to see the doctor, I had to wait about 50 minutes. He would see two or three patients at the same time, and often stop treating one so as to see another. Yet he charged me $115 each time .The final examination report consisted of ten lines, and it cost me $215.
My lawyer was all smiles the first time we met. But after that he avoided seeing me at all. He knew very well the other party was responsible for the accident, yet he hardly did anything. He simply waited to collect his money. He was so irresponsible that I decided to dismiss him. And he made me pay him $770.
Now I had to act as my own lawyer. Due to my inexperience, I told the insurance company the date I was leaving America. Knowing that, they played for time…and I left without getting a cent.
1. The author’s roommate offered to help him because________.| A．he felt sorry for the author |
| B．he thought it was a chance to make some money |
| C．he knew the doctor was a very good one |
| D．he wanted the author to have a good lawyer |
| A．be properly treated |
| B．talk with the person responsible for the accident |
| C．recover before he leaves America |
| D．eventually get the responsible party（当事人） to pay for his injury |
| A．be responsible | B．accuse | C．ask as a price | D．demand |
| A．friendly | B．selfish | C．professional | D．busy |
8 . A huge colored map of the Silk Road from a royal court of the mid-Ming Dynasty was officially welcomed home at the Forbidden City in Beijing on Thursday.
The 30-meter-long by 59-centimeter-wide map, named the Landscape Map of the Silk Road, is painted on silk. It describes trade routes starting at Jiayuguan, at the western end of the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), through Central and West Asia to the Middle East.
As many as 221 cities in what now are some 10 countries are on the map. key places on the ancient Silk Road included Gansu province’s Dunhuang, Mecca, Damascus, Esfahan in Iran and Samarqand in Uzbekistan.
The map’s return was made possible as a donation from Hui Wing Mau, a Hong Kong-based real estate entrepreneur, who paid $20 million for it this year.
“The map, with plenty of geographic information, proves that China had the world’s best mapping skills at that time,” said Lin Meicun, a history professor from Peking University, at the receiving ceremony on Thursday. “It also shows Chinese people had a clear understanding of the outside world before Western maps came into the country,” he added.
Lin said it’s a pity that one-fourth of the original drawing, showing the route from Mecca to Istanbul, was lost, based on a modeling board for this map he found in historical records. “Maybe that part was cut off by some antique trader to sell separately,” he said.
Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, said “The map is a devotion of ancient Chinese geography to the whole world. It shows the frequent business and cultural communication between China and countries along the ancient Silk Road.”
1. Where might the Silk Road begin and end on the entire map?| A．Dunhuang and Mecca. | B．Jiayuguan and the Middle East. |
| C．Dunhuang and Samarqand in Uzbekistan. | D．Jiayuguan and the western end of the Great Wall. |
| A．Design. | B．Present. | C．Reward. | D．Reception. |
| A．provides useful information for history study |
| B．stands for the frequent business in ancient China |
| C．comes from a royal court of the mid-Ming Dynasty |
| D．improves cultural communication of different countries |
| A．30-meter-long by 59-centimeter-wide. | B．30.75-meter-long by 59-centimeter-wide. |
| C．40-meter-long by 59-centimeter-wide. | D．120-meter-long by 59-centimeter-wide. |
9 . Anything made of plastic or metal can be 3D printed nowadays — bicycles, toys, tools... even replacement body parts! But the latest trend in 3D printing may be food. Scientists and chefs are putting their heads together to create printed food.
Several 3D printers designed for food are now on the market. Anything that can be made into a soft wet mixture can be squeezed (挤压) from a tube in a 3D printer. Instead of ink, these printers can use fruits, vegetables, proteins, sweets, and more. This makes for lots of combinations that can be healthy, yummy, and even artistic.
Most 3D printers don’t actually cook the food, at least not yet. Engineers at Columbia University’s Creative Machines Lab invented an oven (烤箱) that cooks 3D-printed pizza with laser beams (激光束). A special computer program controls the lasers, heating each part of the pizza to perfection. Unlike regular ovens, lasers can carefully cook each thin piece of 3D-printed food.
In the future, food can be made with a 3D printer to meet our needs. For example, a hospital could design meals to meet patients’ dietary needs. Vitamins, minerals, and even medicines can be mixed right in. A 3D printer can make food appealing. Foods that someone may not like might be more attractive after 3D printing. Maybe that food you dislike wouldn’t seem so bad if it looked like a castle!
The idea of 3D printed food may seem very modern. In fact, NASA (美国国家航空航天局) has been researching the topic for more than ten years. On a long travel, it’s important to have food that is easy to make, tastes good, and has the nutrients astronauts need to stay healthy. Printing food on demand may soon be into the space!
1. What will be the latest trend in 3D printing?| A．3D printed bicycles. |
| B．3D-printed toys. |
| C．3D-printed food. |
| D．3D-printed body parts. |
| A．It is invented by students at Columbia University. |
| B．It is made from strong laser beams. |
| C．It can make 3D-printed food carefully. |
| D．It can cook each part of 3D printed food perfectly. |
| A．Attractive. |
| B．Fresh. |
| C．Healthy. |
| D．Terrible. |
| A．Anything Can Be 3D Printed |
| B．3D Printing: the Future of Food |
| C．NASA’s New Research |
| D．How to Cook 3D Printed Pizza |
10 . The castle had two floors. We were ten years old and sat around the coffee table, drinking from coffee cups filled with water. We talked about our future good friends, girls' dress, make-ups and well-behaved classmates at our daily meeting. We promised each other that this was how our lives would be.
Then we got a little older. I was graduating from the eighth grade. This time we were in a real coffee shop. We were growing up, drinking hot chocolate instead of water, but our conversation hadn't changed. We were going to go to college together. Then we would open a business in the city. We promised each other this was how it would be.
My interests and areas of study have changed many times. I've become involved in many activities that have opened my eyes to new possibilities. My friends are part of my life. I would do anything for them. I know they would do the same for me. In the case of a broken heart, a silly argument, or a difficult test, I am always the first to help. Being there for my friends comes first no matter what else I have to do.
I'm growing up fast. Junior year has almost terminated. College is just around the corner, but our childish talks and plans don't seem so long ago. In fact, we're still having the same discussions. We probably won't go to the same college but would be in the same state. We will talk every day, meet on weekends and come home on holidays. This plan is just as good.
Now I am ready for college. I will meet new people, have new experiences in new surroundings and live on my own. But I will not leave my friends. I won't see them on weekends, but maybe on holidays. I will be making new ones at college. I hope I will become as close with them as I am with those old friends. Maybe if I'm lucky I will meet a few with whom I can sit and share a cup of coffee.
1. What did the author and her friends often talk about when they were ten years old?| A．Their rapid progress. | B．Their great imagination. |
| C．Their childish plans. | D．Their good living conditions. |
| A．She is looking forward to her future college life. |
| B．She plans to run a coffee bar when she begins to work. |
| C．She took part in many activities in order to make new friends. |
| D．She used to ask her friends to help with her difficult tests. |
| A．finished | B．collected | C．closed | D．formed |
| A．The author's relationship with her friends. |
| B．The author's achievements. |
| C．The author's ideas of friendship. |
| D．The author's experiences of her study. |
