1 . Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki has become the first female artist in the Arab world to be nominated (提名) for an Academy Award ,or Oscar.
Labaki directed the film Capernaum, a film about a Syrian refugee (难民) boy and a Kenyan baby who live without parents on the streets of Beirut. It was nominated for best foreign language film.
Labaki will be one of the few female directors to compete for an Oscar this year. She told the Associated press "I wish there were a lot more women filmmakers this year represented, nominated in the Oscars. But I am sure in a few years we won't be having this problem anymore."
Unlike in the West, women filmmakers are industry leaders in Lebanon.
Capernaum received a 15-minute standing ovation (热烈欢迎) at this year's Cannes Film Festival. It won the Jury Prize — the third-highest award given at Cannes.
The United Nations has publicly praised the film. Lebanon's Foreign Minister said.
Capernaum put a Lebanese touch on the international film industry.
The Oscar nomination of Capernaum is the second for Lebanon in two years in the film group. It demonstrates the country's rising star power.
Labaki called making the movie a life-changing experience. She said Capernaum helps humanize the real struggles of refugees only briefly talked about in the news.
We can't help but acknowledge that there is a fear of refugees in general around the world and there are these walls we are building, and this fear that keeps growing," Labaki said.
Capernaum will compete against four other films for the Oscar, including awards season favorite Roma. Directed by Mexico's Alfonso Cuaron, it earned 10 Oscar nominations, including for best picture.
1. Where does Labaki come from?A．Syria. | B．Kenya |
| C．Lebanon. | D．Mexico. |
| A．Few women directors have been nominated in the Oscars. |
| B．She was the first female artist to compete for an Oscar. |
| C．More women directors will enter for Oscar this year. |
| D．Female directors have problems with their films. |
| A．It is the best foreign language film. |
| B．It shows the rising power of women. |
| C．It has won the first prize at Cannes. |
| D．It is highly thought of. |
| A．Capernaum. | B．The Oscar. |
| C．Roma. | D．Best picture. |
2 . Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who comes in contact with them. Their values — this can’t be repeated too often — are not necessarily our values. Physical comfort, cleanness and order are not necessarily the most important things. The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a flat with decaying food covered by small worms, and an old person lying alone in bed, taking no notice of the worms. But is it interfering (干涉) with personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of. Some social workers, the ones who clear up the worms, think we are in danger of carrying this concept of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.
Indeed, the old can be easily hurt or harmed. The body is like a car, it needs more mechanical maintenance (机械维修，保养) as it gets older. You can carry this comparison right through to the provision of spare parts. But never forget that such operations are painful experiences, however good the results will be. And at what point should you stop to treat the old body? Is it morally right to try to push off death by seeking the development of drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate the old body, knowing that it is designed to die? You can't ask doctors or scientists to decide, because so long as they can see the technical opportunities, they will feel bound to give them a try, on the principle that while there’s life, there’s hope.
When you talk to the old people, however, you are forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.
1. What does the passage mainly tell us?| A．The values are different between the old and the young. |
| B．The moral problems raised by old people. |
| C．The personal freedom for the old. |
| D．Old people’s viewpoint on life. |
| A．very old people would like to live alone to have more personal freedom |
| B．very old people are able to keep their room clean |
| C．very old people like to live with their children |
| D．social services have nothing to do with very old people |
| A．The older a person, the more care he needs. |
| B．Too much emphasis has been put on old people’s values. |
| C．The human body can’t be compared to a car. |
| D．It is easy to provide spare parts for old people. |
| A．their money or their health |
| B．the conclusion you come to |
| C．your talk to the old people |
| D．whether age is happy or unpleasant |
3 . We always convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married，have a baby，then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We always tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse(配偶) gets his or her act together.When we get a nice car，and are able to go on a nice vacation when we retire. The truth is，there's no better time than right now. If not now，when? Our life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to ourselves and decide to be happy anyway.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred Souza. He said，“for a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin a real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way，something to be gotten through first，some unfinished business，time still to be served，a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have.
And remember that time waits for no one. So stop waiting until you finish school，until you go back to school；until you get married，until you get divorced；until you have kids；until you retire；until you get a new car or home；until spring; until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...
Happiness is a journey，not a destination. So，work like you don't need money，love like you've never been hurt，and dance like no one's watching.
1. In the third paragraph，the author uses Alfred Souza's quote in order to________．| A．support his viewpoint |
| B．introduce one more topic |
| C．enrich the content of the article |
| D．compare their different views on happiness |
| A．life will be better after we get married，have a baby and another |
| B．our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together |
| C．when we retire，we are able to go on a nice holiday |
| D．our life is always filled with challenges |
| A．Owning the Present Is Owning the Future |
| B．Pursuing Happiness Is Nature of Us Humans |
| C．Happiness Is a Journey，Not a Destination |
| D．How to Possess Real Happiness |
| A．only when we get whatever we want can we feel our life is complete |
| B．whatever happens in our life，we should live at present |
| C．we shouldn't enjoy happiness at present but in the future |
| D．we cannot enjoy happiness now because we are facing many challenges |
There is a plan to build a new supermarket on the edge of the Whitefields housing estate（住宅区）, on the land where the local library now is. I live at Whitefields, and I would like to express my concern about this plan. It is not that I am completely against the idea of building a supermarket—I just think that as a community we need to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages before committing ourselves.
It is clear that the library is under-used and in poor condition. It is also clear that there are very few shops near here and a supermarket would be a good thing to have. But the people who want to build the supermarket seem to think that no one wants the library any more, and that it isn’t a must because of the Internet and so on. Is this necessarily true, especially for elderly people? What about young people who don’t have the Internet at home and need to go to the library to do their homework? Where can they study if they have to share a room with a younger brother or sister?
On the other hand, there is an argument that a new supermarket would not only bring more choice of shopping and more convenience for local people, but it would also bring some much-needed jobs for younger people in the town—and this is a good point. What we need to do is consider the effect a supermarket will have on our quality of life. Certainly local people, including me, will find shopping a lot easier and more convenient. But there will also be extra traffic. In a few years from now, the roads in and around will be full of cars in the daytime and delivery lorries at night, and not only that—we will have got used to it, too. Are more jobs and more convenience worth such an influence on our daily lives? Perhaps, but this is what we have to ask ourselves.
I believe that all the people of Whitefields, and the authority, need to discuss this question in an open-minded way—and I hope that by the time a decision is taken, we will have had a full and fair discussion of the issues involved, and that the local authority will have really listened to everyone’s view. Is that too much to ask?
Yours faithfully,
Tom Watkins
1. The supporters of the supermarket probably think ________.| A．the library is no longer needed |
| B．the library is too poor to be rebuilt |
| C．the supermarket brings down goods price |
| D．supermarket increases local workers’ income |
| A．Shopping convenience. | B．Job opportunity. |
| C．Life quality. | D．Traffic condition. |
| A．Approving. | B．Neutral. |
| C．Negative. | D．Confident. |
| A．To promote effective public reading. |
| B．To call for concern over an urban project. |
| C．To discuss ways of improving life quality. |
| D．To express dissatisfaction with public equipment. |
5 . Can people in developing countries benefit from free trade？I quite think so. The most common advantage of free trade is fewer or no barriers between countries. This allows a freer flow of labor and goods between member countries. As free trade agreements become more common around the world, the positive influence on developing countries has been considered as one of the greatest successes of them. There are several advantages for developing countries that take part in free trade.
As developed countries are able to move their operations into developing countries, new job opportunities open up for local workers. Increased levels of employment lead to a higher standard of living and more consumer purchasing. This finally does good to the country's economy and may help to develop locally-owned businesses. As locally-owned businesses develop, more local people can find jobs there.
Child labor exists in developing countries for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is lack of technology. Free trade allows companies to spend more money on equipment and pay higher wages to adult workers. With higher family incomes, children are able to attend school rather than work.
Not only does free trade allow foreign-owned companies to establish themselves in developing countries, it also allows native companies to sell products to foreign markets. This is particularly true for small businesses in developing countries. These companies no longer have to worry about barriers to market entry and can sell their products freely.
An increase in employment levels and incomes in developing countries can lead to better medical care there. The final result is an increase in the average lifespan（寿命）and a drop in infant（婴儿）deaths.
As is shown above, we can say that free trade really benefits developing countries.
1. What does the underlined word "them" in Paragraph 1 refer to？| A．Positive advantages. |
| B．Developing countries. |
| C．Free trade agreements. |
| D．Barriers between countries. |
| A．more higher-skilled jobs |
| B．higher employment rates |
| C．higher market competitiveness |
| D．more foreign-owned companies |
| A．They don't have to work. |
| B．They can receive higher wages. |
| C．They don't have to attend school. |
| D．They can learn more about new technologies. |
| A．Small businesses can get more skilled employees. |
| B．Free trade provides small businesses with new markets. |
| C．Foreign-owned companies can sell their products to developing countries. |
| D．Free trade can lead to greater competition between foreign and local companies. |
6 . Cameron is no ordinary dog, and not just because he was born on Valentine's Day. To Maggie, a first grader at Burgundy Farm Country Day School, the dog who spends most days on campus is more like a friend. When Cameron is near, Maggie feels "really, really, happy," she said, "I feel safe around him, she added. "He '11 lie down and ask me to scratch his tummy," she explained, because Cameron likes Maggie.
Cameron is one of a handful of dogs at Burgundy, a K-8 private day school in Alexandria, Virginia. Dogs started showing up there when the head of school, Jeff Sindler, brought his clumsy Labrador, Luke, to the main office building where Sindler works. After Luke died, Sindler adopted Cameron and brought him to campus, too, where the dog Maggie described as really cute" became a school favorite.
“They don’t care if you are good at basketball or a great reader, or popular," Sindler said. “They just want to be loved — equal opportunity," he added. "Cameron and the other dogs on campus—are always fastened with a rope and with their owner一go a long way toward improving students' social and emotional well-being," he said. They reduce tension and ease anxiety, and inspire happy feelings from students.
“They bring out some important emotions/' he said, “and are especially helpful to children and adults who struggle in social communication, Children often came from challenging backgrounds: many lived in poverty, or had to travel through dangerous neighborhoods to get to school, or shared a too-crowded home. When these emotionally needy children met the dogs, they relaxed and were more prepared to learn.
Just as important, dogs on school grounds set a positive, welcoming tone. They help preserve the school climate that is accepting, supportive and curious・"Dogs are one way to hold on to Sindler said, adding that "schools should be fun and exciting, and dogs can be a big part of that."
For Sindler, including Cameron was all part of an effort to create a safe environment where learning could flourish.
1. What makes the dog Cameron really special?| A．His rare species | B．His particular birthmark. |
| C．His attractive appearance. | D．His friendly nature. |
| A．By playing fetch together fondly. |
| B．By offering them comfort equally. |
| C．By playing basketball together freely. |
| D．By walking a long way together happily. |
| A．A positive tom. | B．The school ground. |
| C．A welcoming attitude. | D．The school atmosphere. |
| A．To encourage schools to bring in more dogs. |
| B．To explain why dogs help students with learning. |
| C．To introduce a way to help students grow healthily, |
| D．To explore the possibility to challenge no-dog rules. |
7 . Every year around the world, humans waste an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food.This happens even though many people go hungry. So some people have made it their life's work claiming food before it goes to waste and then giving it to people who are hungry.
One of those people is Brett Myers. In 2011, Myers started Nourish Now, a food recovery and food bank in the U.S. state of Maryland. This non-profit organization collects food and then gives it to the poor and organizations that support them.
“Nourish Now is a food recovery-based food bank that recovers food from restaurants, catering companies, grocery stores, hotels, farms and more. And then donates that food directly to families in need, kids in need at local schools.”
Each month, it recovers more than 20,000 kilograms of food and serves 700 needy families, schools and social organizations. Every day, staff and volunteers repackage the donations and distribute them to recipients.
A woman named Rhoda is one of the recipients. She describes the quality of the food delivered to her family by Nourish Now. “It consists of fresh food, fruits and vegetables. You will get bread. Sometimes you get dairy products such as yogurt or milk. And you will get some meat items also. And if you get lucky you might get cooked food, or prepared salads, and stuff like that.”
The supplies can feed a family for five days. Each recipient is able to receive food every 30 days. And the packages are made to fit the dietary needs of each family.
Besides families, the organization also donates small meals called snacks to several nearby schools and social organizations.
Nourish Now has grown considerably since it opened. Brenda is one of them. Part of her job as a volunteer is to make sure that none of the food goes to waste.
“In the morning, I make sure that all the things that came late yesterday, get put away so that we use that last, and we used the things that came the day before first, so that we’re always giving fresh food and we're not throwing out anything.”
1. What do we know about Nourish Now?| A．It donates money to the poor. |
| B．It benefits from collecting food. |
| C．It gets food from many places. |
| D．It distributes food only to the poor. |
| A．Nourish Now. | B．The poor. | C．Food banks. | D．Organizations. |
| A．The recovered food is fresh and rich. |
| B．She isn’t satisfied with the food supplied. |
| C．Eating better can keep people healthier. |
| D．She can get food donations every five days. |
| A．People Should Take Care of the Weak |
| B．The Poor Are Suffering from Starvation |
| C．Nourish Now Calls on People to Save Food |
| D．Group Uses Leftover Food to Feed the Hungry |
8 . My challenge for you is this： to read a book for 15minutes every single day for a month.
Let me explain a bit, by telling you where the challenge came from. I have many things in common with my dad, like music taste and sense of humor, but sadly reading isn't one of them. I can happily spend a whole day with a book, but my dad can't read a book for longer than about 5 minutes. He reads emails, websites and papers for work, but not books. He's busy, so I think sitting down to read for just 15minutes a day is a good way to relax and to introduce him to reading.
My dad is not the only person who avoids books. I know lots of people would rather relax on their computers or in front of the TV. Everyone is different and has their own interests, but I think there are lots of benefits to reading, which screen﹣based activities don't have.
Firstly, it's better for your eyes. Looking at screens can be very stressful for your eye muscles, and clearly you should avoid looking at screens for an hour before bed, to get a good night's sleep．
One thing I personally love reading, is being transported to another world﹣I often forget the time or things around me! Reading is a great way to switch off before you go to bed, because you think more about the world of the book, rather than the real world, so you can truly relax. I know you can be transported to a different world in a film or a TV show, but I think books do it better．
I also enjoy hearing what people are doing and finding out what they think. Reading gives me the chance to get to know hundreds of new people! It also teaches you to see things from other people's point of view, and understand other people's decisions or opinions. With a book, you can hear everything a character is thinking or feeling﹣you really can be inside someone else's head!
So give it a go! Take 15 minutes when you are waking up, going to bed, eating lunch, or having a coffee. If you read a lot, why not try 15 minutes of an English book, or pass the challenge on to someone else? Good luck, and happy reading!
1. The author mentions his father in the text to show ．| A．his father is busy |
| B．reading is important |
| C．his father likes reading |
| D．many people have no habit of reading |
| A．his personal experience |
| B．some scientific experiments |
| C．his father's personal advice |
| D．knowledge from books |
| A．helping readers sleep well |
| B．making readers feel relaxed |
| C．transporting readers to a different world |
| D．reminding readers of the real world |
| A．Negative． |
| B．Uncertain． |
| C．Supportive． |
| D．Doubtful． |
9 . Next time you’re in a public place, take a look around you, and count how many people are using their phones. I can tell you now that it is probably more than half, whether you’re on public transport, in a cafe or simply walking down the street.
I’m not saying that I am not an example of this, but it always amazes me how people can spend so much time on their phones without actually talking to anyone in particular.
For example, I recently visited London and travelled on the tube while I was there. Apart from the people asleep, almost everybody else was on their phones, and because of the nature of the tube, it is difficult not to see exactly what they are all doing. Of course, being underground it is difficult for you to get any signal, which rules out texting or using the Internet, but there is still plenty you can use your phones for. People were playing games, reading articles and listening to music, and I am sure that as soon as they emerged from the train station they would start texting or calling or checking their emails.
Recently, my smartphone broke and had to be sent off to the warehouse for repair for a week or so. In the meantime I had to use a really old, basic phone just to keep me in touch with my family and friends. All I could do on this phone was send text messages, make calls and play one game. And I loved it. I loved being free from the Internet, and I really didn’t mind not having constant updates about what my friends were doing or what the latest celebrity story was. It allowed me to spend more lime taking in my surroundings.
However, I knew that as soon as I got my smartphone hack I would be one of those people once again. Perhaps I should just go back to using the basic phone and forget my smartphone.
1. Why are you asked to look around in Paragraph 1?| A．To ensure your safety. |
| B．To communicate with people. |
| C．To count the people around you. |
| D．To count the number of people using the phones. |
| A．Using mobile apps. |
| B．Talking with each other. |
| C．Reading printed books. |
| D．Checking social network sites. |
| A．He felt great actually. |
| B．He found it very inconvenient. |
| C．He couldn’t see much difference, |
| D．He felt terrible at first but better later. |
| A．People without mobiles. |
| B．People using basic phones. |
| C．People using smartphones reasonably. |
| D．People spending a lot of time on mobiles. |
Study Techniques
You should always study in the same place. You shouldn’t sit in a position that you use for another purpose. For example, when you sit on a sofa to study, your brain will think it is time to relax. Don’t watch TV while you are studying. Experts warn that your concentration may be reduced by 50 percent if you attempt to study in this way. Always try to have a white wall in front of you, so there is nothing to distract (make less concentrated) you. Before sitting down to study, gather together all the equipment you need. Apart from your textbooks, pens, pencils and knives, make sure you have a dictionary. If your study desk or table is needed when you are not studying, store all your equipment in a box beside it.
Your eyes will become tired if you try to read a text which is on a flat surface. Position your book at an angle of 30 degrees.
Be realistic and don’t try to complete too much in one study period. Finish one thing before
beginning another. If you need a break, get up and walk around for a few minutes, but try not to telephone a friend or have something to eat.
Test-taking Skills
All your hard work will be for nothing if you are too nervous to take your test. Getting plenty
of rest is very important. This means do not study all night before your test! It is a better idea to have a long-term study plan. Try to make a timetable for your study which lasts for a few months.
Exercise is a great way to reduce pressure. Doing some form of exercise every day will also
improve your concentration. Eat healthy food too.
When you arrive in the examination room, find your seat and sit down. Breathe slowly and
deeply. Check the time on the clock during the test, but not too often. Above all, take no notice of everyone else and give the test paper your undivided attention.
1. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．You should study in a different place every day, so you don’t get bored. |
| B．Your concentration will improve if you study and watch TV at the same time. |
| C．Check the time during the exam at a certain time. |
| D．Staying up all night and studying is tiring, but you will learn a lot using this method. |
| A．Your study desk or table. | B．Your textbook. |
| C．Your dictionary. | D．The equipment you need. |
| A．You shouldn’t look at everyone else during the test. |
| B．You will have enough energy to deal with your study and exams by eating healthy diet. |
| C．You’ll concentrate more if there is nothing to distract you. |
| D．If you feel tired during study, you can walk around for a few minutes. |
