1 . In a recent email to an old friend, I mentioned that our family planned on taking our four-week road trip in our motor home. My friend emailed back and said he thought I was very “brave” to set out on such an adventure with two young children (aged two and five). I laughed when I read his email and wondered if he knew how much he was missing out on by giving up the idea of such a fun RV (旅行房车) trip with one5s family.

My husband and I have been “RVing” for over ten years. When we first started traveling, we certainly had some troubles that were not so funny at the time but seem to be funny now. We forgot our pillows and failed to cook dinner on an outdoor grill for lack of a flashlight. Then we decided to make our dinner in the motor home but could not get the oven lit! So we went to bed a little hungrier than we had planned!

However, that’s nothing compared with the amazing natural wonders we experienced during our RV trips. In addition, we have discovered a new world of family fun and family bonding. We saw the Grand Canyon when our son was only six months old. We play games inside and : out, walk together, talk together, read, solve puzzles, and enjoy music and movies. We have got used to doing things with one another. Our kids love to pick out good, old-fashioned postcards to send off via snail mail to different family members on every trip.

As our world gets more and more overloaded with cell phones, texting, emails and video games, our family sticks more and more tightly to the wonderfully simple idea of unplugging electronic devices for a while and jumping into the seat to take a trip in our motor home. Then we come home with fun pictures of our wandering, and we’re able to build special memories for our kids. Now we want to spread the word and tell families of all kinds what enjoyment can be had from packing up for a trip in the RV.

1. What did the author’s old friend think of her travel plan?

A．A family trip should not last for too long.

B．A family RV trip might bring unexpected troubles.

C．It was wise of her to let children experience RV trips.

D．It was a good opportunity to teach children to be brave.

2. What can we learn about the first author’s family?

A．It was a pleasant experience.	B．It was ruined by bad weather.
C．They didn’t prepare well for it.	D．They lost many things during it.

3. How did the authors family benefit from RV trips according to Paragraph 3?

A．They learnt how to solve problems.	B．They built a closer family relationship.
C．They developed a great love for nature.	D．They fell in love with adventure travels.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To show how to make RV trips interesting.

B．To encourage kids to take part in RV trips.

C．To advise families to take RV trips together.

D．To share an unforgettable traveling experience.

5 . When she looked ahead, Florence Chadwick saw nothing but a solid wall of fog. Her body was numb. She had been swimming for nearly sixteen hours. Already she was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. Now, her goal was to become the first woman to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast.

On that Fourth of July morning in 1952, the sea was like an ice bath and the fog was so dense that she could hardly see her support boats. Against the freezing cold water, she struggled on-hour after hour-while millions watched on national television.

In one of the boats alongside Florence, her mother and her trainer offered encouragement. They told her it wasn’t much farther. But all she could see was fog. They urged her not to quit. However, with only a half mile to go, she asked to be pulled out.

Still warming her chilled body several hours later, she told a reporter, “Look, I’m not excusing myself, but if I had seen land, I might have made it.” It was not tiredness or even the cold water that defeated her. It was the fog. She was unable to see her goal.

Two months later, she tried again. This time, despite the same dense fog, she swam with her faith intact and her goal clearly pictured in her mind. She knew that somewhere behind that fog was land and this time she made it! Florence Chadwick became the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel, overshadowing the men’s record by two hours!

1. What can we learn about that fourth of July morning in 1952?

A．The thick fog cleared by mid-morning.

B．Chadwick managed to swim the Catalina Channel.

C．The support boats accompanied Chadwick all the way.

D．A live broadcast of Chadwick’s swim was watched on TV.

2. What did Florence Chadwick think was the reason for her failure?

A．Sharks threatened her life.

B．She was completely worn out.

C．The chilly water made her body numb.

D．The destination was out of sight due to the fog.

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “intact” in Paragraph 5?

A．Changed.

B．Undamaged.

C．Weakened.

D．Unexplored.

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To explain why Chadwick failed in the first attempt.

B．To stress the importance of picturing a clear goal in the mind.

C．To introduce the process of Chadwick’s swimming the Catalina Channel.

D．To report Chadwick was the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel.

8 . 语法填空

Studying abroad in Amman, Jordan, was a life changing experience for me. There were so many challenges and cultural norms I had to adapt     1    , and I needed to learn how     2     (behave) in new surroundings and cooperate     3     people from different cultural backgrounds. Fortunately, everyone I met there was understanding and welcoming. I applied through International Studies Abroad (ISA), and they were incredibly helpful and made the process less     4     (depress) and overwhelming. Studying abroad let me see things from new     5     (angle) and learn more about cultures around me. I hope everyone     6     (grasp) the opportunity to pursue further studies abroad and to gain     7     understanding of different cultures, too. I believe studying abroad can help you     8     (strength) your abilities in cross­cultural communication and improve your general     9     (competent).

9 . 课本语法填空

Good morning! My name is Sarah Williams. It’s     1     honour to be here and to share     2     you the story of how music has had an impact     3     my life.

Have you ever faced a time     4     things looked dark and you had no hope at all? Two years ago, I was told I had a serious disease     5     was difficult to cure. My body     6     (ache) all the time and thus I thought I didn’t have much longer to live. I was very afraid and I felt so alone and     7     (discourage). Then one day, I had to go through a two-hour medical     8     (treat). The doctor wanted me     9     (relax), so he had me listen to some music, and one of the songs was “Happy”. The song made me feel so much better     10     from then     11     I began to listen to music all the time. John A Logan said, “Music is the medicine of the mind.” And it’s true. Music     12     (help) me recover.

Music gave me     13     (happy). When I listened to music, it made my     14     (spirit) fly like a kite in the wind. Music gave me     15     (strong) and     16     (bring) me relief. It was the rock I leant     17     to become strong and     18     (get) through those hard times. Moreover, music gave me hope and a sense of     19     (satisfy). It     20     (become) my best friend. It spoke words of     21     (encourage ) to the deepest part of my being. Of course, I hope none of you have to go     22     the same kind of suffering     23     I did.     24     the same time, we all go through various     25     (period) when we feel sad or alone. During those times, music can help you in the same way     26     it helped me. I hope all of you will somehow begin to treasure music and make it     27     part of your life.