1 . An eight-year-old girl heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.

She hurried to a drugstore with the money in her hand.

“And what do you want?” asked the salesman.

“It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.”

“Pardon?” said the salesman.

“My brother Andrew has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?”

“We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.

“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.” said the girl.

A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”

“I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man.

“$1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.

“Well, what luck,” smiled the man.“$1.11, the price of a miracle for little brother.”[

He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.

How much did the miracle cost?

1. What was the trouble in the little girl’s family?

A．Miracle was hard to get in the drugstore.

B．They were poor and no one can lend them money.

C．Her brother was badly ill and her family couldn’t afford the operation.

D．Nothing could save her brother.

2. In the eye of the little girl, a miracle might be _______.

A．something interesting	B．some useful medicine
C．something beautiful.	D．some good food

3. The little girl said again and again “I can try and get some more.” That shows ____.

A．she had still kept some money

B．she hoped not to be refused

C．There was no need to worry about money

D．she thought money was easy to get

4. What made the miracle happen?

A．The girl’s love for her brother.	B．The girl’s money.
C．The medicine from the drugstore.	D．Nobody can tell.

5. From the passage we can infer that _______.

A．The salesman didn’t sell miracle to the girl

B．Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought

C．The little girl is lovely but not so clever

D．A miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

2 . Specialists say it is not easy to get used to life in a new culture. “Culture shock” is the term these specialists use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. There are three stages of culture shock, say the specialists. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.

There are some obvious factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems—the telephones, post office, or transportation—may be difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.

     Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their own community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without any identity. They have to build a new self-image.
     Culture shock gives rise to a feeling of disorientation (迷失方向). This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create an escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience — these are the long-term solutions to the problem of culture shock.
1. When people move to a new country, they _______.

A．will get used to their new surroundings with difficulty

B．have well prepared for the new surroundings

C．will get used to the culture of the country quickly

D．will never be familiar with the culture of the country

2. According to the passage, factors that give rise to culture shock include all of the following except __________.

A．language communication	B．weather conditions and customs
C．public service systems	D．homesickness

3. According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, _______.

A．the fewer difficulties you may have abroad

B．the more difficulties you may have abroad

C．the more money you will earn abroad

D．the less homesick you may feel abroad

4. When people are homesick, they tend to ______.

A．find some people to talk to	B．go outside to have a walk
C．visit their friends far away	D．stay indoors all the time

5. The writer tells us that the best way to overcome culture shock is to ______.

A．protect ourselves from unfamiliar environment

B．develop a strange sense of self-protection

C．get familiar with new culture

D．return to our own country

3 . 假定你是李华，对中国传统医药很感兴趣。你获悉中国药学家屠呦呦因发现了青蒿素被授予2015年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖。请给你的美国朋友David发一封邮件分享此消息。信件须包括以下内容：
心情：骄傲和激动。
评价：她找到了治疗疟疾的方法，数千万人从中受益。
志向：立志考入屠呦呦的母校北大，造福人民。
注意：1．词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
参考词汇：
1．药学家：pharmacologist
2.青蒿素：artemisinin
3. 2015年诺贝尔生理学或医学奖：The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
4.疟疾：malaria

4 . My fiance (未婚夫）and I were excited about shopping for our first home. But our funds (资金) were _______, and none of the houses in our price range seemed satisfactory.

One agent (代理人)_______ a house in particular. Although her description sounded wonderful, the price was _______ our range, so we declined (拒绝). But she kept urging (催促) us to have a look _______.

We finally did and it was _______ at first sight. It was Our Home, small and charming, overlooking a quiet lake. Walking through the rooms and talking with the owners, a nice elderly couple, we felt the warmth and _______ of the marriage within that home. As perfect as it was, the price remained too high for us. But every day, we would sit by the lake, looking at the house and dreaming of _______ it would be like to live there.

Days later, we made a(n)_______ —far below the asking price. Surprisingly, they didn’t _______ us. They renewed their offer ________. It was also much more than we could afford but far ________ than the original asking price.

The next day, we got a ________ message that another buyer had offered a much higher price. Even so, we decided to talk with the ________ directly. We made our final offer, which ________ was thousands of dollars less than the other buyer’s bid. We knew it,________ we had to try.

“Sold!” said the owner. Then he ________: He’d seen us sitting by the lake all those times; he knew how much we loved the place and that we’d ________ the years of work they had put into their home; he realized he would take a ________ by selling it to us, but it was worthwhile; we were the people they wanted to live there. He told us to consider the ________ in the price as “an early wedding present.”

That’s how we found our home and how I learned that when people are ________ they are not strangers, only friends we haven’t yet met.

1.

A．needed

B．limited

C．enough

D．large

2.

A．recommended (推荐)

B．decorated

C．sold

D．rented

3.

A．below

B．within

C．beyond

D．between

4.

A．at least

B．at most

C．at times

D．at hand

5.

A．relief

B．concern

C．love

D．curiosity

6.

A．pride

B．happiness

C．challenge

D．desire

7.

A．which

B．why

C．that

D．what

8.

A．effort

B．offer

C．promise

D．profit

9.

A．come across

B．look after

C．depend on

D．laugh at

10.

A．instead

B．indeed

C．aside

D．apart

11.

A．worse

B．better

C．less

D．higher

12.

A．relaxing

B．disappointing

C．pleasant

D．regular

13.

A．agents

B．buyers

C．managers

D．owners

14.

A．already

B．still

C．generally

D．ever

15.

A．so

B．or

C．for

D．but

16.

A．apologized

B．complained

C．criticized

D．explained

17.

A．check

B．analyze

C．appreciate

D．ignore

18.

A．loss

B．risk

C．chance

D．lead

19.

A．increase

B．difference

C．interest

D．average

20.

A．kind

B．polite

C．smart

D．energetic

5 . The jobs of the future have not yet been invented.     1     By helping them develop classic skills that will serve them well no matter what the future holds.

1. Curiosity

Your children need to be deeply curious.     2     Ask kids, “What ingredients (配料) can we add to make these pancakes even better next time?” and then try them out. Did those ingredients make the pancakes better? What could we try next time?

2. Creativity

True creativity is the ability to take something existing and create something new from it.     3     There are a dozen different things you can do with them. Experimenting with materials to create something new can go a long way in helping them develop their creativity.

3. Interpersonal Skills

Understanding how others feel can be a challenge for kids. We know what’s going on inside our own head, but what about others? Being able to read people helps kids from misreading a situation and jumping to false conclusions.     4     “Why do you think she’s crying?” “Can you tell how that man is feeling by looking at his face? If someone were to do that to you, how would you feel?”

4. Self-expression

    5     There are many ways to express thoughts and ideas — music, acting, drawing, building, photography. You may find that your child is attracted by one more than another.

A．Encourage kids to cook with you.

B．And we can’t forget science education.

C．We can give kids chances to think about materials in new ways.

D．So how can we help our kids prepare for jobs that don’t yet exist?

E．Gardening is another great activity for helping kids develop this skill.

F．We can do this in real life or ask questions about characters in stories.

G．Being able to communicate ideas in a meaningful way is a valuable skill.

6 . Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony(和谐) in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.

However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.

In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘Dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘Cat’.

What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was previously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.

The significance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets -- to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.

1. The underlined word “swimmingly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.

A．early

B．sweetly

C．quickly

D．smoothly

2. Some cats and dogs may fight when ______.

A．they are cold to each other

B．they look away from each other

C．they misunderstand each other’s signals

D．they are introduced at an early age

3. It is suggested in Paragraph 4 that cats and dogs ______.

A．have common interests

B．are less different than was thought

C．have a common body language

D．are less intelligent than was expected

4. What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?

A．We should learn to live in harmony.

B．We should know more about animals.

C．We should live in peace with animals.

D．We should learn more body languages.

7 . Although most people know there are Seven Wonders in the Ancient world, only few people can name them. This is because most of them are no longer there except the pyramids. However, there is a growing list of wonders of the world today.

About nine years ago, UNESCO’s World Cultural and Nature Heritage (自然文化遗产) List had 411 places and 136 countries were responsible to protect them, and the list keeps on growing. Usually it is the task of a group of 21 experts to decide which places go on the list. The experts are chosen to work for six years. Their work is to examine and discuss the suggestions from different countries. They also manage the World Heritage Fund (基金)which can offer help to countries for protection work. Over the past centuries a lot of cultural or historic places have been destroyed by man or nature. Protecting our natural and cultural heritage is a long and difficult task. Earthquakes, floods, pollution, wars, or even tourism are some of the dangers that harm the heritage.

When a historic place is in great danger, it is put on the World Heritage in Danger List and necessary things will be done to protect it. Places which are on the danger list include Historic Bridges of Indiana, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Rosenwald School in Southern U.S., etc.

1. .The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World include ________.

A．Golden Gate Bridge	B．Sydney Opera House
C．the Great Wall	D．the pyramids

2. According to the passage, ______ may provide some money for protecting the cultural relics.

A．UNESCO (联合国教科文组)

B．the World Heritage Fund

C．the 21 experts

D．some countries

3. Why does the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List keep on growing?

A．There are more cultural heritages beginning to appear.

B．More countries begin to build cultural heritages.

C．A lot of cultural or historic places have disappeared.

D．More and more cultural heritages are in great danger.

4. Which of the following statements is true?

A．People can still visit the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World today.

B．Rosenwald School is a newly built school in Southern U.S.

C．More places will be added to the UNESCO list.

D．The list is decided mainly by the governments of different countries.

5. What would be the best title for this passage?

A．Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

B．21 Experts.

C．The Growing List of Wonders of the World.

D．Some Historic Places in Danger.

8 . Someone who deeply impressed you may have appeared in your life for just a few minutes.
To celebrate my 10th birthday, I invited some friends to a fast food restaurant. We____ hamburgers and Coca Cola at the counter. When our ______ came, I started walking towards a(n) ____ table. By bad luck, my purse strap（带子）got_____ on a chair and the tray(托盘) that I was holding slipped from my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents, ____ on a man who was just about to ____ a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly ____, as the drinks wet his white shirt badly.
Then I closed my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of ____ Instead, he said, “ It’s OK” to comfort me before he disappeared into the washroom.
Still shaky and ____ what to do next, my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look ____ A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and ____ our table. My heart almost stopped beating. I thought he was going to ask for my father’s ____ and call him.
To my surprise, he ____ smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “Buy yourself new hamburgers.” He then walked ____ away without even finishing his food.
He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, but he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still ____ in this world. I’ll never forget his actions.1.

A．made

B．ordered

C．required

D．demanded

2.

A．food

B．turn

C．bill

D．menu

3.

A．tidy

B．full

C．empty

D．crowded

4.

A．fixed

B．caught

C．cut

D．tied

5.

A．knocked

B．hung

C．threw

D．fell

6.

A．taste

B．take

C．swallow

D．chew

7.

A．discouraged

B．disappointed

C．shocked

D．annoyed

8.

A．bitterness

B．anxiety

C．anger

D．sorrow

9.

A．unsure

B．unrest

C．frightened

D．puzzled

10.

A．mild

B．honest

C．modest

D．calm

11.

A．drew

B．approached

C．pushed

D．laid

12.

A．help

B．position

C．number

D．job

13.

A．suddenly

B．strangely

C．excitedly

D．merely

14.

A．hurriedly

B．gradually

C．finally

D．slowly

15.

A．kindness

B．happiness

C．politeness

D．brightness

9 . Runners in a relay race pass a stick in one direction. However, merchants（商人） passed silk, gold, fruit, and glass along the Silk Road in more than one direction. They earned their living by traveling the famous Silk Road.
The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B.C. to about 1300 A.D., when sea travel offered new routes. It was sometimes called the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe.
The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft(嫁接) different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to world-wide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.The people along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared their beliefs. The Silk Road provided pathways for learning, diplomacy(外交), and religion (宗教).
1. It’s probable that traders along the Silk Road needed ____________.

A．to remember the entire trade route

B．to deal with a lot of difficulties

C．to receive certain special training

D．to know the making of products

2. The Silk Road became less important because ____________.

A．it was made up of different routes

B．silk trading became less popular

C．people needed fewer foreign goods

D．sea travel provided easier routes

3. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Silk was the most prized product.

B．The Silk Road led to world-wide business.

C．People traded many goods along the route.

D．The Silk Road used to be the world’s longest highway.

4. New technologies could travel along the Silk Road because people ___________.

A．traded goods along the route

B．shared each other’s beliefs

C．learned from one another

D．earned their living by traveling

5. What is the best title for the passage?

A．The Silk Road: East Meets West

B．The Silk Road: Past and Present

C．The Silk Road: Routes Full of Dangers

D．The Silk Road: Pathways for Learning

10 . She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckle (雀斑)-faced image of innocence. It was ______ outside, the kind of rain that spilt over the top of gutters (檐槽), so much in a hurry to ______ the Earth.

We all ______ there inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We all waited, some patient, others ______, because nature messed up their hurried day. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens ______ away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running and splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome ______ from the worries of my day.

Her voice was so sweet as it ______ the depressing atmosphere. “Mom, let’s run through the rain,” she said.

“What?” Mom asked.

“Let’s run through the rain!” She repeated.

“No, honey. We’ll wait until it ______ down a bit.” Mom replied.   

The young child waited another minute and repeated: “Mom, let’s run through the rain.”

“We’ll get wet through if we do.” Mom said.   

“No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning.” The young girl said as she ______ at her Mom’s arm, “Don’t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, if God can get us through this, he can get us through ______!”

The entire crowd stopped dead ______. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom ______ and thought for a while about what she would say. This was a moment of affirmation (肯定) in a young child’s life, a time when ______ trust could be nurtured (培育) so that it would bloom into ______. “Honey, you are ______ right. Let’s run through the rain. If we get wet, maybe we just need washing.” Mom said. Then off they ran.

We all stood watching, smiling as they ran past the cars. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. Soon they were ______ by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

______ or people can take away your material possessions, your money, your health or sometimes your happiness. But no one can ever take away your ______ memories. So, don’t forget to take the opportunities to ______ memories every day!

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. I do hope you will ______ the time to run through the rain.

1.

A．howling

B．pouring

C．freezing

D．cheering

2.

A．slip

B．mix

C．hit

D．bear

3.

A．lay

B．rested

C．sat

D．stood

4.

A．annoyed

B．relaxed

C．excited

D．astonished

5.

A．running

B．driving

C．washing

D．turning

6.

A．relief

B．reward

C．remark

D．refund

7.

A．extended

B．disturbed

C．awoke

D．broke

8.

A．calms

B．slows

C．settles

D．passes

9.

A．pulled

B．dragged

C．stared

D．pointed

10.

A．something

B．anything

C．anybody

D．everybody

11.

A．silent

B．content

C．touched

D．inspired

12.

A．reasoned

B．paused

C．mourned

D．converted

13.

A．definite

B．concrete

C．apparent

D．innocent

14.

A．ambition

B．assumption

C．faith

D．truth

15.

A．absolutely

B．loosely

C．actually

D．considerably

16.

A．assessed

B．followed

C．reserved

D．advocated

17.

A．Circumstances

B．Procedures

C．Chances

D．Occasions

18.

A．private

B．proper

C．precious

D．particular

19. .

A．build

B．make

C．refresh

D．promote

20.

A．take

B．value

C．occupy

D．arrange