1 . If you're out for a run, what difference does it make if you're able to tough it out for another 50 seconds? If you're less than a minute from the top of the hill, that extra time can make the difference between having reached your goal and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

How do you get those extra seconds of energy? A research team at the Texes Tech University developed a study to measure what effect listening to music would have on exercise tolerance. The researchers based the study on a stress testing. As part of the testing, they noted any changes in heart rate and blood pressure as participants underwent physically stressful exercise.

The tests were done on treadmills (跑步机), which increased in both speed and incline (坡度) through three stages. In the final stage, the treadmills moved at 10 miles per hour at a 14-percent grade. Most of these tests were designed to last up to 40 minutes. The average gym-goers lasted 30 minutes. For this study, they divided 127 participants into two groups. One listened to upbeat(快节奏) music, while the other group had earbuds in but did not listen to music.

The group that listened to music was able to outlast the non-music group by an average of 50.6 seconds. Again, being able to go an extra minute may seem like a no-brainer ,but “after 30 minutes, you feel like you are running up a mountain, so even being able to go 50 seconds longer means a lot," said the study's lead author, Waseem Shami, MD.

The study has confirmed something runners and gym-goers have suspected for years: Listening to music during workout can be beneficial to your endurance. "Our findings reinforce the idea that upbeat music can help you exercise longer and stick with a daily exercise routine," said Shami. When doctors are recommending exercise, they might suggest listening to music, too."

1. Why did Shami’s team conduct the research?

A．To test the effect of music on health.	B．To know the cause of failure in sports.
C．To improve runners' exercise tolerance.	D．To record the body change of participants

2. What did the researchers than about the Participants in the stress testing?

A．They ran much faster than average runners.	B．They created a new record of indoor sports.
C．They could run a little longer with music on.	D．They all enjoyed extreme physical challenge

3. What do the underlined words “a no-brainer” mean in paragraph 4?

A．A dull activity.	B．A foolish action.
C．A demanding task.	D．An easy practice

4. What did Shami suggest us doing in the last paragraph ?

A．Developing a daily exercise routine.	B．Listening to music while working out
C．Participating in physical stress testing.	D．Taking exercise as doctors recommend.

2 . Alice is a student who came to my class last year. Though she has already turned 60, Alice looks so fit and _______, with a bright smile and an enthusiastic attitude. I am Alice’s teacher in class, but I feel she is my teacher in life.

For my 2-hour class every Saturday morning, Alice has to take a 3-hour round-trip on the road. But she is never _______ for class. Alice is very passionate about learning English. She often says, “Don’t _______ me as a 60-year-old. I am just a new beginner who wants to learn anything _______. You know, I am very excited to come to the class!” So I feel a strong sense of _______ to make sure what I teach makes sense to her.

Alice came to me with very _______ English skills, but she turns out to be a very fast learner because she always puts English _______ on a daily basis. I _______ her homework before every class. Her homework is usually not what I _______ for the class, rather it is something that she ________ to put together. She makes various sentences using the important words and phrases she learned from our ________ class. I am always ________ by the quality of her work.

I feel fortunate to have a student like Alice. She has ________ me so much. Our ________ is a great learning experience for both of us. Though I have no idea why she learns English, I hope I can help her ________ her dream, whatever it is.

1.

A．strong

B．cheerful

C．generous

D．proud

2.

A．anxious

B．ready

C．late

D．meant

3.

A．treat

B．recognize

C．mistake

D．describe

4.

A．carefully

B．properly

C．literally

D．eagerly

5.

A．humor

B．achievement

C．responsibility

D．belonging

6.

A．special

B．basic

C．effective

D．complicated

7.

A．in place

B．in motion

C．in order

D．in use

8.

A．copy

B．check

C．mention

D．prepare

9.

A．adjusted

B．saved

C．assigned

D．collected

10.

A．volunteers

B．agrees

C．promises

D．hesitates

11.

A．lively

B．previous

C．typical

D．flexible

12.

A．encouraged

B．annoyed

C．confused

D．impressed

13.

A．taught

B．entertained

C．guaranteed

D．permitted

14.

A．appointment

B．arrangement

C．interaction

D．cooperation

15.

A．play safe with

B．try out for

C．let go of

D．get closer to

3 . When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Here are some British etiquette(礼仪) and customs international students ought to know.

Visiting

In most houses in Britain, the doors are usually kept closed. It is customary to visit people at a pre-arranged time and day. Usually, people are not comfortable if you just drop in. Nevertheless, if someone says to drop in at any time, feel free to do so as long as it is not in the middle of the night. When you go into someone's house, do take your hat off (men only). It is impolite for men to wear hats indoors especially in churches.

Greeting

In Britain, the handshake is a common form of greeting. When you meet people for the first time, it is normal to shake hands. A firm handshake is the norm(标准); there are no issues over gender in Britain. The usual formal greeting is ''How do you do? '' and a firm hand shake, but with a lighter touch between men and women. In Britain, unlike some other European countries, it is unusual to embrace or kiss the other person (unless they are family or a very close friend).

Gifts

During birthday and Christmas celebrations, it is common for the British to exchange gifts between family members and close friends. The gift doesn’t need to be expensive, but it should usually show an attempt to find something that is related to the recipient's(接受者) interests. When invited to someone's home, it is normal to take along a box of good chocolates, a bottle of good wine or a bunch of beautiful flowers. Note that gifts are opened when received.

Punctuality

The British are generally punctual(守时的), especially the scots. The British consider it impolite if you turn up late for an appointment. In most cases, the people you are meeting will be on time, call even if you will be 5 minutes later than you've promised. If you have been late or fail to keep your appointment, make an effort to contact the person to let them know. It is a good idea to telephone and offer your apologies.

1. What do the British men usually do when they meet for the first time?

A．Embrace or kiss each other.	B．shake hands firmly.
C．Bring an expensive gift.	D．Take off their hats immediately.

2. What present may the author recommend you if you attend a birthday party in Britain?

A．A book the receiver is interested in.	B．A pet that you think is cute.
C．A red envelope with some money.	D．A fantastic and expensive bike.

3. Which of the following may be considered not polite for visiting British people?

A．Visit them at a scheduled time.	B．Show up on time instead of arriving earlier.
C．Phone to tell them if one will be late.	D．Pay an unexpected visit to give them a surprise.

4 . Bill Bowerman was a track coach. He wanted to help athletes run faster. So he had learnt how to make running shoes. He had also started a shoe company with a friend. It was 1971.Running shoes at the time were heavy. They had spikes(鞋钉)on the sole(鞋底). The spikes tore up the track and slowed down runners.

To make a lighter shoe, Bill tried the skins of fish. To make a better sole, he wanted to replace the spikes. Bill dug through his wife Barbara's jewelry box. He hoped to find a piece of jewelry with an interesting pattern. He would then copy the pattern onto the new soles. Nothing worked. Bill was defeated.

Then, one Sunday morning, Barbara made Bill waffles(华夫饼)for breakfast. Bill watched her cook.

He studied the criss-cross pattern on a waffle iron.

Inspiration struck. The pattern on the waffle iron was just what Bill was looking for. The squares were flatter and wider than sharp spikes. The pattern would help the shoes hold any surface without tearing into it.

When Barbara left the house, Bill ran to his lab. He took the liquid chemicals that, when mixed, would harden into the sole of a shoe. He poured the mixture into the waffle iron---and the Waffle Trainer was born.

Bill’s company put the Waffle Trainer on market in 1974.It was a huge hit. Maybe you’ve heard of that company---it’s called Nike. And today it’s worth around $100 billion.

It was the waffle iron that had changed the course of Bill’s life---and helped turn Nike into a well-known name. Today, the waffle iron is kept at Nike headquarters. It serves as a reminder that if we keep trying, we can find a solution to even the most difficult problems. And those solutions can come from unlikely places, even the breakfast table.

1. What shortcomings did the old-style running shoes have?

A．They were hard to wear.	B．They were too large.
C．They were impractical.	D．They were easy to break.

2. Where did Bill get the inspiration to invent the famous Waffle Trainer?

A．From the skins of the fish.	B．From his wife’s jewelry.
C．From the colour of the iron.	D．From his wife’s cooking tools.

3. What can we learn from Bill’s success?

A．A cheerful wife is the joy of life.

B．Two heads are better than one.

C．Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

D．A bad workman quarrels with his tools.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Waffles and Nike	B．Inspiration and Invention
C．A Great Inventor	D．A Well-Known Company

5 . Craziest Food Festivals sounds like a joke topic, but once you start looking into it, you’ll realize they’re everywhere — the crazier, the better.

1. Bibimbap Festival

In the South Korean town of Jeonjuloves, their “mixed rice” dish is a hearty serve of rice topped with raw beef, a rainbow of vegetables, a raw egg and gochujang sauce so much. They take four days out of October to celebrate it.

Like any festival there’s music, entertainment and magic, but making it that little bit different is the bibimbap that’s whipped (搅拌) up in a big bowl by dozens of chefs and served to over 400 people.

2. Waikiki Spam Jam

Who knew this canned meat had so much love? Well, it turns out that a can of Spam is the go-to item in Hawaii, along with a grass skirt and garland (花环). The people of Hawaii love Spam so much that they even spend a day in May giving out the best Spam, a type of cheap canned meat made mainly from pork.

3. Bessieres Easter Egg Festival

At Easter time, for those in the French town of Bessieres it’s all about an egg far less sweet.

Here they celebrate the holiday by getting dozens of chefs to make one large omelette (煎蛋卷) — 15,000 eggs strong — for the townsfolk (市民).

4. Potato Days Festival

This festival actually takes place in Barnesville, Minnesota, the US. Over the last Friday and Saturday in August the town celebrates its potato-growing skills by hosting potato picking and peeling contests, as well as a Miss Tater Tot pageant (盛典) for five- and six-year-old girls.

1. What makes Bibimbap festival special?

A．They take four days to celebrate it.

B．The mixed rice is rich in many vegetables.

C．There’s music, entertainment and magic during the festival.

D．The rice dish needs to be mixed in one big bowl by dozens of chefs together.

2. What do we know about Waikiki Spam Jam ?

A．The spam is the most favorite for Hawii people.

B．People spend one day to prepare the Jam.

C．The Jam isn’t affordable for the plain townsfolk.

D．The Jam is mainly made from raw beef.

3. If you have time in August, you can go to ______.

A．Bibimbap Festival	B．Waikiki Spam Jam
C．Bessieres Easter Egg Festival	D．Potato Days Festival

6 . Finding time to do both homework and exercise is getting easier for students at a growing number of schools. Workout machines are appearing in many school libraries. The latest school to fix the Fit Desk Bike Desk is Troy University， which now has a total of six in the libraries. Over the past three years， the Bike Desks have also been fixed at four other universities.

The idea of pushing "active workplaces" is far from new. From standing offices to treadmill （跑步机）meetings， companies have been exploring the benefits of getting employees up from their desks-benefits that include higher morale （士气）and improved work performance. And a recent study that focuses on younger children suggests a strong connection between physical activities and good grades.

Chris Shaffer， who is director of library services at Troy University， says he thought it would be worth experimenting with the machines. "The final goal is to make the library a welcoming place that our students want to visit"， says Shaffer， "If we can find a way to let our students study and become healthier at the same time， then I am all for it. " He says the experiment is so successful so far that the university has ordered three additional Bike Desks.

Troy junior Niquette says the bikes have been in use every day he has visited the library. "Keeping a proper diet and exercise schedule during college is near impossible， "he says， "These offer a special way to study and I hope the university continues to add more." Senior Raven hasn't used the Bike Desks yet but says she wishes they'd been fixed sooner. "I remember being a junior and the gym is so crowded， with the smell of sweat， loud music and people moving around，" Raven says， "I think the machines are a great idea. You can do sports quietly while others focus on their study.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph？ ______

A．University students are doing more exercise now.

B．Doing homework is easy for university students now.

C．Troy University introduced the Bike Desk to other schools.

D．Fixing workout machines in libraries is becoming popular.

2. What is the second paragraph mainly about？ ______

A．The types of exercise at workplaces.

B．The explanation of work performance.

C．The development of active workplaces.

D．The benefits of exercising during work and study.

3. What is the purpose of fixing the Bike Desks according to Shaffer？ ______

A．To make the library attractive to students.

B．To make students become healthier.

C．To help students to get good grades.

D．To do experiments on the machines.

4. What do Niquette and Raven think about the bikes？ ______

A．They are easy to ride.

B．They are really useful.

C．They make the library noisy.

D．They distract students.

7 . On a recent trip to California, I was introduced to Smile Cards. I promised myself to _______ an act of kindness before I left California. I _______ thinking about it but I didn’t know what to do.

I reached the airport and the _______ was about to begin when I saw an ice cream store. I went in and told the guy at the store that I _______ to do an act of kindness. The guy, named Jose, looked confused. _______ I explained I had just attended a conference, where I was told Smile Cards and _______ to do an act of kindness. Jose showed _______. I told Jose, “Whoever is your next _______， treat them to some ice cream and then give them this Smile Card.” Jose _______ read the card and agreed with a smile that was both grateful and ________ at the same time.

Since this was my first time, I wanted to know the ________ of the receiver. “Jose, I have to catch a ________， but here is my cell phone number. Would you be ________ enough to call me and tell me the person’s reaction？” He ________．

I went to my gate, and as I was about to board, Jose ________， “I did the act of kindness. The person was very ________， and asked me to express thanks to the person who paid for it！” I again thanked Jose and boarded the flight feeling ________．

I really want to ________ this practice of kindness. I am a professor and I love my work ________ it makes a difference in the lives of others. And now, I realize that I can do that everywhere. The whole world is my ________．

1.

A．start

B．find

C．prove

D．explain

2.

A．practiced

B．kept

C．tried

D．enjoyed

3.

A．working

B．booking

C．shopping

D．boarding

4.

A．wanted

B．chose

C．managed

D．forgot

5.

A．Yet

B．Again

C．Then

D．Anyhow

6.

A．forced

B．encouraged

C．allowed

D．ordered

7.

A．relief

B．delight

C．satisfaction

D．interest

8.

A．customer

B．assistant

C．visitor

D．friend

9.

A．politely

B．calmly

C．curiously

D．nervously

10.

A．annoyed

B．tired

C．frightened

D．confused

11.

A．reply

B．expression

C．reaction

D．decision

12.

A．bus

B．flight

C．train

D．taxi

13.

A．kind

B．brave

C．wise

D．reliable

14.

A．refused

B．failed

C．sighed

D．agreed

15.

A．arrived

B．called

C．appeared

D．shouted

16.

A．happy

B．active

C．special

D．clever

17.

A．safe

B．lucky

C．energetic

D．proud

18.

A．introduce

B．describe

C．continue

D．explore

19.

A．once

B．if

C．because

D．though

20.

A．homeland

B．playground

C．battlefield

D．mainland

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does Mike look like?

A．He has a beard.

B．He's tall and heavy.

C．He has blue eyes and brown hair.

2. Who is the person the man is describing?

A．His mother.

B．The woman's mother.

C．Mike's mother.

3. How does the woman feel about what happened in the game?

A．Embarrassed.

B．Bored.

C．Sad.

4. What is the most important in the game the speakers are playing?

A．A person's appearance.

B．A person's character.

C．A person's career.

9 . What is the probable relationship between the speakers?

A．Friends.

B．Boss and employee.

C．Salesman and customer.

10 . When will the football program begin?

A．At 7:00.

B．At 8:25.

C．At 9:30.