1 . The Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China’s Sichuan Province enjoyed huge popularity during the three-day Qingming Festival holidays by receiving nearly 20,000 visitors on the peak day, after the new archaeological discoveries brought international attention.
According to media reports, the museum saw over 15,000 visitors on Saturday, the first day of the Qingming Festival, breaking its record for daily visitors. And on the next day, more visitors swarmed into the museum to exceed 19,800. To cope with the large flow of people, on Sunday afternoon, the official Weibo account of the Sanxingdui Museum released the message to remind visitors of avoiding rush hours or rescheduling their visiting time.
The Sanxingdui Museum showcases various kinds of precious cultural relics unearthed at the site, such as the 2.62-meter-tall standing statue, 1.38-meter-wide bronze mask, 3.95-meter-high bronze tree. Earlier on March 20, Chinese archaeologists announced some new major discoveries made during the 37th excavation (挖掘) since its last excavation 35 years ago. The ruins were first discovered in the late 1920s and first excavated in 1934.More than 500 important cultural relics have been unearthed in the six newly-found pits. Since the new discoveries were known to the public, the number of people visiting the Sanxingdui Museum has increased sharply.
The museum said although they are open as usual, the newly-found pits have not opened to the public yet and the newly-excavated cultural relics are still under restoration and cannot meet the public currently. But a hall for cultural relic conservation and restoration will be in pilot operation in April and officially open on May 18. Visitors to it can see how the relics are restored, according to Zhu Yarong, vice director of the Sanxingdui Museum.
Dating back about 3,000 years, the Sanxingdui Ruins have shed light on the ancient Shu civilization and cultural origins of the Chinese nation, and have been regarded one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the 20th century.
1. What mainly brought about a surge in tourists visiting the Sanxingdui Museum?| A．Tourists’ enthusiasm. |
| B．Sichuan Province’s policy. |
| C．Qingming Festival holidays. |
| D．New archaeological discoveries. |
| A．The official Weibo account linked the museum with the public. |
| B．Newly-excavated cultural relics on display attracted tourists very much. |
| C．The Sanxingdui Museum reacted immediately to the large flow of tourists. |
| D．Tourist numbers reached the peak on the first day of the Qingming Festival. |
| A．Trial. | B．Private. | C．Official. | D．Personal. |
| A．The Sanxingdui Museum gives tourists insights into Chinese history. |
| B．Chinse people make full use of Qingming Festival holidays to travel. |
| C．The Sanxingdui Ruins is a perfect tourist attraction over Qingming Festival. |
| D．New discoveries make Sanxingdui Museum more popular during Qingming Festival. |
2 . Life for miners on the goldfields in Victoria, Australia during the 1850s was quite difficult.The name to a miner at that time was “digger”.Few diggers actually found any gold and even fewer struck it rich.Mostly diggers struggled in poor conditions.They struggled with the weather and living conditions in an often poor environment and they were often ill-equipped.
The worst thing about being a digger was the requirement to pay for a mining licence（许可证）.This licence allowed a miner to search for gold.Without the licence a digger had to pay money as a punishment.The police always went to mining camps to check mining licences.Few miners could afford the money to get a licence and hated the law which they believed was unjust.In June 1854 Governor Hotham announced that the police would carry out mining licence checks twice a week.This made the miners outraged and set them towards armed rebellion（叛乱）against the police.
The rebellion at the Eureka diggings in 1854 is often referred to as the Eureka Stockade.Led by Peter Lalor, the diggers constructed a wall preventing people from going through and burned their unfair licences as a form of rebellion.The miners said, “We stand truly by each other to protect our rights.”
The diggers lost the battle of the Eureka Stockade but they won the legal battle that their rebellion led to.In 1855 the Victorian Government introduced a mining tax（税）, as a tax on gold found, to take the place of the unfair miner’s licence which had to be paid no matter whether the miner found gold or not.In Australia’s history the Eureka Rebellion is the only time armed rebellion has been used to change unfair laws.
1. What is a digger in the next?| A．A gold miner. | B．A citizen in Victoria. |
| C．A machine for digging. | D．A rebellious Australian. |
| A．The weather on the goldfields. |
| B．Having to pay a mining tax. |
| C．Having to pay for a licence. |
| D．Poor living conditions. |
| A．Angry. | B．Worried. | C．Doubtful. | D．Ashamed. |
| A．The miners won. | B．It resulted in a new tax. |
| C．The wall was brought down. | D．It led to the introduction of new licences. |
3 . When talking about being overcome with emotions, both good and bad, we have a somewhat strange expression to describe that situation：to be beside yourself. So, if I say I am beside myself with joy, I am filled with joy! However, I can also be beside myself with sadness, anger, or any other emotions. The expression is useful and simple，but queer. It sounds as if someone has become two people. How can you be next to yourself? Being “beside yourself ” is technically impossible.
In American English，you can simply say “I’m beside myself ” to mean you are very upset. For example，if you have a bad quarrel with a close friend, you might be beside yourself. You might shout, write an angry letter to your friend, or just go somewhere by yourself and cry.
Here’s another situation. A high school student applies to several colleges. If all her applications are refused, she could be beside herself. She might stay up all night worrying about what to do next.
If a person becomes seriously ill, he could start talking in a way that does not make any sense. The patient may also start behaving strangely, walking around the room—back and forth. A doctor might say, “He is beside himself.”
We have another expression that is very similar to “being beside yourself”.We can also be “out of our minds”. We use this expression in the same way we use “beside oneself ”. So we can be out of our minds with fear, with love, with happiness，or with any other emotions. And just like “beside oneself”.we also use this expression on its own without a specific emotion. So, if someone says or does something crazy—like learning how to ride a motorcycle on a dark, rainy night, you can simply say, “She is out of her mind!” You could also say the person is crazy or has lost her mind.
1. What does the underlined word “queer” probably mean?| A．Easy. | B．Difficult. | C．Common. | D．Strange. |
| A．Excited. | B．Unhappy. | C．Relaxed. | D．Frightened. |
| A．By asking some questions. |
| B．By telling some stories. |
| C．By giving some examples. |
| D．By listing some data. |
| A．The usage of the phrase “out of one’s mind”. |
| B．The difference between the two expressions. |
| C．An example about “being beside yourself ”. |
| D．More expressions about different feelings. |
4 . You may not know that up to 40 percent of college students at some schools usually don't get enough to eat. Though some receive assistance through social services and colleges’ food pantries (储藏室）,it often isn’t enough. In fact, almost 600 colleges and universities across the U.S. belong to the College and University Food Bank Alliance(CUFBA) and it is likely that even more have food pantries for their students. Along with community colleges, CUFBA members include private colleges, well-respected state universities and Ivy League schools.
The problem can lead to bad consequences. Like other young adults, these students worry about how they are regarded and know that not having enough money for food results in pity or worse, being looked down on. To be honest I had been judgmental before. I questioned the ability of the other students to manage their resources (财力)and how their parents could ignore the fact that their child was mooching off (乞求）others. I never thought about the money simply not being there. Few will share details of their situation, never mind asking for help. Many of these students finally drop out of school, finding the challenges insurmountable.
One would think that our children would see this need and act correctly, whether by helping personally or starting programs, but teens and young adults rarely see beyond their own experiences. This is not a criticism—it is simply where most are;they haven’t yet had life experiences to show them things can be different. As awareness of this problem has increased, more resources have been made offered, some organized by student groups. But more still needs to be done.
Since awareness of a problem is the first step in solving it, talk to your kids. Ask them to pay more attention to see it, talk to your kids. Ask them to pay more attention to see if they have any classmates in need. Talking openly and non-judgmentally about the problem is important.
1. What does the author want to show in Paragraph 1?| A．Hunger is a serious problem in college. |
| B．There are few food pantries for students. |
| C．Many colleges don’t provide enough food. |
| D．CUFBA failed to help students from private colleges. |
| A．Parents’ not having enough money. |
| B．Parents’ not taking action immediately. |
| C．Students’ being frightened to ask for help. |
| D．Students’ inability to use their money wisely. |
| A．Worthy. | B．Undiscovered. |
| C．Sad to know about. | D．Unable to overcome. |
| A．Ask teens to act properly. | B．Be mindful of the problem. |
| C．Broaden students’ experience. | D．Organize various social groups. |
5 . Have you ever thought of taking a train and having an adventure? Riding the train can be a real adventure. That is how I feel every time I take Amtrak. I often take a four-hour trip to visit my children. Every time I take this trip I never know what will happen.
Last week when I was on the train and over an hour into the train ride, there was a man sitting by himself in the back of the train carrying on a mobile phone conversation — in another language. It was loud and disturbed most of the people on the train. I think it was annoying.
Fortunately I sat next to a wonderful old lady who was taking a two-day trip by train. She said her two daughters were distraught at the thought of her driving for three days to reach her home, although she had no trouble driving. The train ride was the only choice for her. She loved to look out of the window and watch the world go by on the train.
She was fun to talk to and asked me when my children started being parents. That is a very good question. Both of us are old and have children. She asked that same question from time to time.
There are always many people on the train from all walks of life, different countries, and many languages. Riding the train is a great way to increase your knowledge and take in all kinds of cultures. If you get hungry, you can buy food in the food car at any time. If you need to use the restroom there is always one available.
It sure beats driving the car, which has to stop for food and restrooms. And it is better than taking the bus.
1. According to the passage, the purpose of the author's train ride was .| A．to do business |
| B．to see her children |
| C．to visit places of interest |
| D．to see her old friends |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Satisfied. | C．Worried. | D．Pleased. |
| A．the services are quite good |
| B．the food is terribly expensive |
| C．all the passengers are polite |
| D．all the passengers are American |
| A．A wonderful lady |
| B．The history of Amtrak |
| C．A painful experience on the train |
| D．Train ride—a cultural experience |
6 . Saving Money
Where you save your money often depends on what you are saving for. If you are saving to buy a dictionary or to go to a concert, then you probably keep your money somewhere in your room.
If you are saving for a big purchase like a mountain bike or a school trip, where would you save your money?
One place to save money is the bank. Putting your money in a savings account will help your money earn more money. If you put your money in a piggy bank (猪形储蓄罐子), one year later you'll still have the same amount of money you put in. If you put your money in a savings account, one year later, you'll have more money than you put in. Why?
When you keep your money in a bank, your money earns interest. Interest is the amount of money a bank pays you to use your money. The bank uses your money (and the money of other people, too) to loan money to people and businesses.
The bank will send you a statement several times a year. A bank statement tells you how much money there is in your account. It also tells you how much interest you have earned. If you leave your money in the bank, you can watch it grow!
Another way you can save money is to buy a certificate of deposit or CD. If you have some money that you don't need to use for a long time, this is a good way to make your money grow.
You can buy a CD at a bank. You agree not to use the money for a certain period of time. That period might be from six months to five years. You can't touch your money during that time. If you do, you must pay a penalty, or fee.
Since the bank is using your money for that time period, it will pay you interest. You will earn more interest with a CD than in a savings account. Can you guess why? It's because you promise to leave your money in the bank for a certain period of time. Banks pay different rates of interest. So, you may want to compare rates in newspaper ads before buying a CD.
1. Which way will help your money earn more money?| A．Putting your money in your room. | B．Putting your money in a piggy bank. |
| C．Putting your money in your pocket. | D．Putting your money in a savings account. |
| A．a bank lends to people | B．a bank loans to businesses |
| C．a bank pays you | D．a bank uses |
| A．the amount of money you have in the bank |
| B．the current rates of interest |
| C．the current rates of exchange |
| D．the best way to save your money |
| A．"deposit" | B．"borrow" |
| C．"use" | D．"cash" |
7 . “Serena, don’t forget your promise to me that you will mow (割) Mrs Matin’s yard this weekend,” said Dad, “Don’t let me down.” Serena was the oldest child in the family, and one of her chores was to mow their yard. Mrs Martin, their elderly neighbor, was unable to take care of her yard, so Serena’s dad had volunteered Serena for this job. Since Mrs Martin’s yard was not very big, Serena knew the job would go quickly.
However, she still resented her dad’s promise.
“Why didn’t you ask me first?” Serena had complained.
“Did you ask me first when you volunteered me to be in the school festival last fall?” asked Serena’s father.
“Well, no, I didn’t ask you first, but you would have done those things anyway. You’re always willing to help.”
“I try when I can,” Dad answered.
“Serena, we have known Mrs Martin for a very long time. She has often helped our family. Now we can do something for her. Besides, the feeling you get from helping someone makes you wonder who is really helping whom.”
“I don’t know, Dad,” said Serena. “The only feeling I get from mowing our yard is tired.”
“Just you wait and see,” said Dad.
After breakfast, Serena made her way to Mrs Martin’s yard. She was good at her job and soon had Mrs Martin’s yard looking tidy. Mrs Martin came outside with a big glass of orange juice and offered it to her. Serena stopped her work and gratefully enjoyed the drink, while Mrs.Martin talked to her about all of the flowers in her yard. Seeing the joy in Mrs Martin’s eyes, Serena began to understand how much the yard meant to Mrs. Martin.
After finishing her drink, Serena returned to work with a new attitude. A warm feeling began to spread through her body. Her dad was right. It was hard to tell who was helping whom!
1. The underlined word “resented” (Paragraph 2) means___________.| A．understood | B．welcomed |
| C．broke | D．disliked |
| A．Through Dad’s words. | B．Through Serena’s actions. |
| C．Through Mrs Martin’s behaviour. | D．Through the author’s statement. |
| A．Annoyed. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Guilty. | D．Pleased. |
| A．Serena likes the job of mowing her family’s yard. |
| B．Mrs. Martin and Serena did the work together. |
| C．Mrs Martin shared her love for the yard with Serena. |
| D．Dad volunteered himself to take part in the school festival. |
8 . When you go on a trip to America, you will see the word Motel on signs and notice boards. It is made up of “motor” and “hotel” and it is really a hotel for people who arrive by car (however, you don’t need a car to stay at one). You have to pay when you arrive for your room, which usually has a bath. Meals are not provided but there will certainly be a cafeteria. Americans eat a lot of salads and sandwiches. Along the main roads there are a lot of motels. Each tries to offer more than the others. Some provide television in every bedroom; others have swimming pools and so on. Motels are especially useful when you are in the country, far from a town or city. You will also find them in big national parks.
In these great national parks, you may meet guests you don't expect to see. An American friend told me a short story. In the middle of a moonless night，she heard strange noises outside her motel window in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Thinking it might be a thief, she jumped out of bed, opened the door and crept towards a dark shadow. As she got close, she saw the thief. She was dreadfully frightened: it wasn’t a human thief-it was a big black bear. The bear was turning over some empty tins with its paws, looking for tasty bits of food. My friend decided to leave that particular thief alone!
There are also, of course, places called “rooming houses”, where they provide lodges（客房).You will see such signs as Tourists or Rooms Rent, and you could try one of these. A word of warning-looking for a room in New York during the tourist season is like looking for gold on the moon!
1. Motels provide all the following EXCEPT .| A．bath | B．TV | C．meals | D．swimming pools |
| A．moved slowly | B．rushed out | C．threw away | D．ran fast |
| A．tourists can find gold there |
| B．it is difficult to find a room there |
| C．tourists can have a sweet dream there |
| D．there is a warning for tourists to New York |
9 . That morning, I dropped our eldest at kindergarten and returned home to let our two younger children play while I worked on my medical report. It was a wonderful chance to work from home, but it hit me that my career in hospital wasn't making a difference in anyone's life. I needed something that would stretch my limits and push me to grow. My career enabled me to work from home. I could work from home, and become a foster mother, providing safety for a child who needed it desperately.
On Monday morning. I picked up the phone and dialed the number I had Googled for the nearest Department of Children's Services. The man on the other end was receptive to my questions and explained the next step of training, involving eight weeks of classes designed to prepare and educate foster parents. We continued through all the classes, the home visits, background checks, and seemingly endless steps.
Five long months after we were approved, the phone rang. In the middle of the night, I woke my husband and rushed to East Tennessee Children's Hospital. Our placement was waiting for us in the emergency room, sick and lack of nutrition. It didn't take long for us to realize the full depth of her suffering. Six months later, her half-brother came to us by our request. We now had five children under our care.
On August 12, 2016, our family of seven walked into a small courtroom. The children's lawyer and social worker were there. With just a few words, our adoption was finalized. These two amazing children weren't going home, because they were already home. We are their forever family, and they are our forever children. We may not be able to change the entire world, but we have changed the world entirely for our new children.
1. How did the author feel about her hospital work?| A．Lacking of motivation. | B．Filled with challenge. |
| C．Highly motivating. | D．Unusually Demanding. |
| A．She felt sympathetic for abused children she knew. |
| B．She wanted to make a difference in other people. |
| C．She felt confident about her ability to raise children. |
| D．She experienced training to raise children properly. |
| A．The child to be adopted. | B．The need to get trained. |
| C．The approval of adoption. | D．The official at the hospital. |
| A．To put the adopted kids elsewhere. | B．To receive another adopted child. |
| C．To make the adoption officially legal. | D．To begin the kids' adoption in her home. |
10 . With the cost of college rising in the U.S.， some students are washing their hands of the American education system, grabbing their passports, and seeking cheaper degrees abroad. The number of students doing so has increased 2 percent annually in recent years, according to the Department of Education.
In 2009， Jessica Fuller, then 25， was employed at a small private university in Philadelphia as a clerk in an office. Bored with her job and becoming increasingly interested in healthcare industry, Fuller knew she would need a master's degree in public health for her dream career.
At first, Fuller wanted a school in New York and Pennsylvania, but with many programs costing over 30， 000 per year for tuition alone, she decided on an option she could better afford-the Netherlands. A similar degree in health economics cost less than 17， 000 for a one-year program.
To finance her education at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Fuller took out$30,000 bank loan through her mother's credit, which covered tuition fees, as well as air travel and living expenses for her year abroad.
The cost may be lower, but is the quality of education overseas just as good as an American university？ Jessica Fuller says in her case, yes she found a consulting job with Marsh Inc. as an International Knowledge Manager shortly after she graduated from Erasmus University, and said that the university——and its location——were definitely a factor.
"Many Erasmus professors were world-famous experts in their fields, "said Fuller. "Considering the variety of the students, the class discussions were very robust. Having an ' international 'advantage made a huge difference.
1. Why did Jessica Fuller want to study for a master's degree？| A．She could afford tuition at Erasmus University. |
| B．Her job required more professional skills. |
| C．She was bored with healthcare industry. |
| D．Her interest was public health. |
| A．using her own credit card |
| B．having a part-time job |
| C．getting a scholarship from the university |
| D．obtaining a loan from a bank |
| A．awkward and fruitless | B．strong and vigorous |
| C．peaceful and pleasant | D．brief and informal |
| A．choose to study overseas | B．look for jobs abroad |
| C．seek education of higher quality | D．take a one-year program |
