1 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main points of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Animated movies use drawings instead of real people. Artists must draw thousands of pictures and each picture must be a little different. For example, if the movie-maker wants to show a girl running, the artist must draw her feet in different places in each picture. When the pictures are shown very quickly, one after the other, it looks like the girl is running. Walt Disney was not the first or only person to use animation in movies, but he is the most renowned. His first Mickey Mouse cartoon, produced in 1927, was called Plane Crazy. This was a short, silent movie about the adventures of a little mouse.

Many people in the movie business thought that animation was only appropriate for short cartoons. Disney did not agree with them. He believed that he could tell any kind of story using animation. His first long movie was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney spent all his money making this movie. Fortunately, it was a great success. He made Pinocchio next and then Dumbo (about a baby elephant), and he didn’t look back after this.

When we think of Disney, however, we don’t only think of movies, we also think of Disneyland. There are Disneylands in Japan, the United States of America and France. They are large parks where people can meet Disney’s characters and visit scenes from his movies.

Although Walt Disney made many of the famous movies many years ago, they are as popular now as they were when he made them. Today we can buy them on video and see them in movie theatres from time to time. When Walt Disney began making his animated cartoons all those years ago, people drew all the pictures by hand. Nowadays computers do much of his work.

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2 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main points of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

You still need a better reason to plant a tree?

Police aren’t cheap and neither are lawyers, judges, and all the other layers that make up the justice system. But trees and some grass, in comparison, are a real bargain, and they prove to be effective in lighting crimes.

Many cities used to launch programs to plant vegetation along roadways to help absorb rainwater. After tracking 14 types of crime in nearby areas, Michelle Kondo, a social scientist found that a variety of crimes including property crimes such as theft and burglary, and violent crimes such as armed fights and mayhem in those areas decreased to 27 percent, a stunning 18 percent fall. Kondo believed the appearance of city trucks and vans in the landscaped areas— for planting and maintenance— was enough to scare away potential criminals.

Kondo’s study also worked on the link between grassland care and decrease of the crime in downtown areas. It’s tempting to use income as the connection. After all, if you have the crime and money to water your lawn, you probably live in a neighborhood that sees less crime. But actually, people are less likely to hang in those areas where the streets are maintained or cleaned. “You will see less kids hanging on the corners.’’ Kondo said. He argued that caution of the local people implied by the organized greenery helped to frighten away ill-intentioned guys, by announcing to would-be criminals that there are “eyes on the street’’ that care for their neighborhood and would be more likely to report a crime.

We already know greenery is beautiful to look at and can help improve mood and health while reducing pollution. Now we can add crime-fighting to the list of vegetation’s many benefits. Therefore, are you ready to plant a tree?

3 . Most of us have no difficulty recognizing luck when it’s on apparent display, as when someone wins the lottery. But _________ often plays out in delicate ways and it’s easy to construct narratives that portray success as out of everything but luck. These misleading stories have surprising implications for human mindset, downplaying the power of chances.

Consider the history of the Mona Lisa. After having staved in the _________ for most of its early existence, the painting was pushed into the spotlight in 1911 when it was stolen from Louvre. The famous theft remained _________ for two years until a maintenance worker was arrested after trying to sell the painting. His arrest caused a second wave of _________, with the painting on everyone’s lips. As in the art world, it is so too in the world of work. Almost every career path consists of a sequence of steps, each of which depends on former ones. Inevitably, some of those _________ steps can be influenced by chance factors, which, as a result, are sure to affect the following process. So it is reasonable to conclude that _________ all successful careers involve at least a certain degree of luck.

One’s date of birth _________, for example. According to a study, most children born in the summer tend to be among the youngest members of their class, which explains why they are less likely to hold _________ positions during high school and thus, less likely to land good jobs later in life.

To acknowledge the power of chance events is not to suggest that success is independent of _________. Charlie Munger has said. “The safest way to get what you want is to __________ what you want.”

Of course, luck counts too. Being born in a good education system is a kind of luck we can control— that is, at least we can decide how lucky our children will be. But in America, we’ve been doing a bad job as the budget for education has __________. The human tendency to __________ luck’s role has caused this troubling state by unwillingness to invest in education, the strong system of which can produce __________ for the next generation.

Luckily, there is a solution. Guiding people to __________ their good fortune tends to make them more willing to contribute to the __________, according to a study. So try to engage your successful friends in reviews about their experiences with luck. In the process, the next generation’s odds of success may well increase and meanwhile, all the social members are more likely to enjoy the improved public service.

1.

A．randomness

B．potential

C．masterpiece

D．success

2.

A．emergency-

B．maintenance

C．review

D．shade

3.

A．accidental

B．unsolved

C．official

D．objective

4.

A．protest

B．suspicion

C．publicity

D．investigation

5.

A．previous

B．negative

C．realistic

D．entire

6.

A．virtually

B．sustainably

C．adequately

D．negatively

7.

A．occurs

B．contracts

C．matters

D．approaches

8.

A．accessible

B．original

C．superior

D．secure

9.

A．effort

B．logic

C．relationship

D．investment

10.

A．deserve

B．evaluate

C．modify

D．exploit

11.

A．shone

B．shrunk

C．ballooned

D．flown

12.

A．preserve

B．popularize

C．underestimate

D．revolutionize

13.

A．challenge

B．luck

C．motivation

D．experience

14.

A．reflect on

B．save on

C．adjust to

D．live on

15.

A．mutual understanding

B．mental fitness

C．family value

D．common good

5 . You take it for granted that you are a unique person, different from everyboy else on Earth, and you understand that everybody else is also unique. Identical (完全一样的) twins are fascinating because they______this idea: they are unique people, of course, not only in terms of appearance. They often share opinions, mannerisms and personality trails.

Identical twins are ______ occuring in about three out of every 1000 births. Although there may be tiny differences in physical appeaances between two identical twins, which allow family and close friends to ______ , they do have exactly the same DNA.

For scientists, the non- ______ similarities between identical twins are the most interesting: are they the result of growing up together in the same home, or are they the result of their identical DNA? By studying identical twins who have not grown up ______, researchers can see which similarities remain and which disappear. In other words, they can learn which aspects of a person’s ______ are determined by genes and which are influenced by the environment.

Identical twins Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were only four weeks old when they were ______: each infant was taken in by a different adoptive family. At age five, Lewis learned that he had a twin, but he said that the ideas never ______ “soaked in” until he was 38 years old. Springer learned of his twin at age eight, but both he and his adoptive parents believed the brother had died. The two Jims were finally reunited at age 39.

The ______ the twins shared not only amazed one another, but also amazed researchers at the University of Minnesota. The very fact that both twins were given the same name was a big ______. But there’s more.

As youngsters, each Jim had a dog named “Toy”.

One Jim had named his son James Allan and the other Jim had named his son James Alan

Both were fingernail biters and suffered from migraine headaches.

…

While not as mysteriously similar as the Jim twins, many more ______ of strange likenesses can be found among twins who were raised apart. For example, identical twins Tom Patterson and Steve Tazuni had very different ______ . Raised in a Christian family in rural Kansas, Tom still managed to choose the same ______ as his brother. Steve, who lives in Philadelphia, was raised in a Buddhist household. Both men own body-building gyms.

It’s obvious from these twins’ stories that ______ are a major factor in shaping who we are. This means that our personalities as adults are largely determined before we are born — and there is very little that we, or anybody else, can do to ______ them.

1.

A．challenge

B．confirm

C．promote

D．capture

2.

A．typical

B．rare

C．considerable

D．encouraging

3.

A．get them across

B．take them around

C．tell them apart

D．see them off

4.

A．existent

B．identical

C．principal

D．physical

5.

A．together

B．normally

C．alone

D．happily

6.

A．life

B．experience

C．appearance

D．identity

7.

A．separated

B．isolated

C．united

D．recognized

8.

A．hardly

B．truly

C．obviously

D．legally

9.

A．opinions

B．resources

C．similarities

D．feelings

10.

A．issue

B．opportunity

C．secret

D．coincidence

11.

A．instincts

B．reasons

C．instances

D．lessons

12.

A．characteristics

B．upbringings

C．objectives

D．attitudes

13.

A．career

B．option

C．value

D．strategy

14.

A．backgrounds

B．genes

C．families

D．surroundings

15.

A．diagnose

B．acquire

C．change

D．foresee

6 . The Decision That Changed My Life

We make decisions every day. Whether it is a small decision like what to wear that day or a big decision like where to go to college, these decisions have at least some influence on the rest of our lives. I wanted to talk about a decision I made that has changed my life forever.    1    I know that it seems like such a tiny decision, but it truly has changed my life.

I gave up soda about a month and a half before my trip to the Bahamas as a healthy step towards “getting in shape” for my trip. At first I thought it was going to be really hard giving it up, but after that first two weeks I wasn’t thinking about soda at all. One tiling led to another and I started eating better, working out more and just generally living a healthier life. I had already seen a difference in my life following this healthier life style.    2     During my trip I was extremely tempted to drink soda because all we were drinking was water.    3    

That was because I wanted to show those who maybe thought I wouldn’t be able to do it that they were wrong. Soon the urge to drink soda somewhat disappeared and I really did not even become tempted by it by the end of the trip. I got home to the States and when I got back home I decided to weigh myself. I had lost 20 pounds on my trip!

I also wanted to give some advice for those who were in the same situation as I was, where you wanted/needed to give up something that you think you can’t live without.    4     My friends really helped me out by supporting me and reminding me of the reason why I was doing it. Lastly, remember why you are giving it up. Use the goal of you losing weight or being generally healthier to motivate you through the struggle. In the end, giving up soda changed my life and I don’t regret my decision what so ever.

A．You need a support system.

B．I almost gave up a couple of times but stayed strong.

C．I felt happier, more energized and just all around better.

D．Weeks and weeks went by and I still was not missing drinking soda.

E．I hope you are inspired by my story to give up something that is bad for you.

7 . Kids take risks.

According to Laurence Hammerstein, professor of psychology at Temple University, there’s not much parents can do to stop that._________ seems to be pre-programmed into young brains, especially in adolescence (青春期).

Trying to get kids not to take risks, he says. “is an uphill battle against evolution, and we’re not going to _________ it,” he says. “Going out in the world is a(n)_________ risky thing to do.” Kids have to take those risks in older to become adults. So how can parents start _________ that help kids take the healthy risks—and avoid dangerous ones?

To start with, it’s never too early for parents to encourage kids to think about _________, both good and bad. So if kids have questions about risky situations, parents can _________ questions of their own, like “Why do you want to do this? Do you think something good will happen? Do you think anything bad might happen?”

Middle school kids are approaching adolescence, when body chemistry makes them more likely to _________ risks—both good and bad. So parents can talk with them about the fact that they’re going to need to take more risks as they grow up, and start conversations about how to _________ whether something is a good risk or a bad one. This is also a good time for parents to _________ kids to think about questions like, what are the chances this will turn out well? What are the chances something might __________?

The risks high school kids are likely to take might seem __________. But Hammerstein says it’s important for parents to realize that from the kid’s point of view, “there’s a positive side that may only be __________ to the adolescent.” That’s a good place to start a conversation. Understanding what motivates a kid to take a risk can help parents direct that motivation in positive ways and kids __________ dangerous risks. Kids don’t take those dangerous risks because they don’t know better, says Hammerstein. If you ask teenagers __________ about risky behaviors, “they all know that they’re risky because they have read many articles on the psychology of risk-taking.”

__________, “while they are taking risks,” says Hammerstein, “the reasonable part of kids’ brains is often overpowered (被打败的).”So part of helping kids managing risk is helping them think about the kind of situations they do and don’t want to be in before they get into them.

1.

A．Problem-solving

B．Science-learning

C．Risk-taking

D．Brain-washing

2.

A．win

B．afford

C．take

D．start

3.

A．extremely

B．naturally

C．amazingly

D．disappointingly

4.

A．instructions

B．requests

C．explanations

D．conversations

5.

A．wishes

B．solutions

C．results

D．measures

6.

A．answer

B．discover

C．ask

D．discuss

7.

A．engage in

B．suffer from

C．turn down

D．show up

8.

A．tell

B．wonder

C．express

D．admit

9.

A．cause

B．forbid

C．encourage

D．order

10.

A．go wrong

B．take place

C．work well

D．prove itself

11.

A．courageous

B．unpleasant

C．endangered

D．incomprehensible

12.

A．visible

B．practical

C．hidden

D．available

13.

A．select

B．avoid

C．affect

D．arouse

14.

A．in fact

B．in total

C．in theory

D．in detail

15.

A．Otherwise

B．Similarly

C．Therefore

D．However

8 . Transhumanism, first coined in 1957 by biologist Julian Huxley, meant “man remaining man, but going beyond himself by realizing new possibilities of and for his human nature.” Generally speaking, transhumanism in its modern meaning implies that human beings can be enhanced by the means of science to the extent when they rise above biological limitations and capabilities programmed by nature. The species into which humanity transforms this way will be called post human, or trans human, as it would have been something new — based on human nature, but going beyond it at the same time.

There are numerous areas which, according to transhumanists, require enhancement, as well as there are countless proposals on the means of such enhancement. In particular, transhumanists work on such problems as overcoming the physical boundaries of the human body. Starting with aging, which they believe to be rather a disease than a natural process, and ending up with replacing organs with their artificial ones, transhumanists believe that the human body is imperfect, and that it should be improved. All kinds of nanotechnologies for repairing damaged organs; nerve stimulants and drugs to alter mood and eliminate negative emotions; brain implants and implanted technologies to allow interconnectivity between multiple human beings and to advance intelligence—these and many more actions are just some of the means transhumanists plan to use to make humanity better. Some of the technologies transhumanists plan to employ to push the boundaries of humanity are available already. For example, gene therapy allowing to cure or stop certain diseases that were considered terminal; CRISPRi or SHARP-2 methods, which were discovered not so long ago, have already proved to be efficient in treating a number of complicated medical conditions, and in case further research is conducted, they might significantly improve the quality of medicine worldwide. Virtual reality, another technology from science-fiction movies of the late 1980s, has become not so virtual either, after all. VR device can be easily purchased from online stores, and the prices are affordable — given that we are speaking of technology capable of substituting actual reality. So far, it has been mostly used for games and education, but in the future, the range of its useful applications will definitely broaden. Other technologies, which have not yet been invented but which definitely will, include large scale engineering, self-copying robotics, artificial intelligence, mind uploading technologies, molecular manufacturing, space colonization, and other technological wonders.

About a hundred years ago, the idea of flying in the skies seemed absurd, until Wilbur and Orville Wright proved this assumption wrong. Who knows, perhaps in a couple of decades the concepts listed here, no matter how fantastic they look now, will become reality. Moral aspects and the price humanity will have to pay for such advancements are a different subject.

1. Which of the following statements is true about transhumanism?

A．Promoting human health but remaining their physical appearances

B．Improving the human condition through social and cultural change

C．Developing human beings beyond their natural capabilities by technology.

D．Going beyond human beings physical limitations through natural evolution.

2. Transhumanists’ plan is based on the belief that_________.

A．replacing organs with their artificial ones is ideal

B．aging is rather a disease than a natural process

C．it’s practical to use nanotechnologies to improve life

D．the human body is imperfect and needs improvement

3. The underlined word “absurd” (last paragraph) is closest in meaning to_________.

A．ridiculous

B．creative

C．reasonable

D．practical

4. This passage is particularly written about_________.

A．various kinds of definitions of transhumanism

B．different technologies substituting human reality

C．proposals on the human beings enhancement

D．artificial intelligence and human beings life

9 . While people who are both trustworthy and capable are the most sought after when it comes to team assembly, friendliness and trustworthiness are often more important factors than ability.

“We assume that people are_________for important task forces and teams because of the knowledge, skills and abilities they bring to the table. However, this research suggests that people may often get picked because team members feel_________with them,” said Cynthia Maupin, assistant professor of organizational behavior and leadership in Binghamton University’s School of Management. “People may be willing to_________a bit in terms of performance in order to have a really positive team experience.”

Maupin and her colleagues focused on a group of MBA students to conduct their study. Students were_________ assigned to teams at the beginning of the semester to work on class projects and assignments. Toward the end of the semester, students were asked to form their own teams and _________why they selected each member of their group.

“We wanted to find out what people did to_________ to others that they might be someone who would be good to team up with in the future,” Maupin said.

The researchers_________looked at how students signaled their human capital, the ability to do their tasks well, and their social capital, the_________to which they were friendly and trustworthy, to other students by studying their use of either challenging or supportive voice:

●Challenging voice: Communicating in a way that challenges the present circumstances and is _________new ideas and efficiency.

●Supportive voice: Communicating in a way that __________ social ties and trust, and builds friendly unity of a team.

The researchers found that people who__________both abilities, through the use of challenging voice, and trustworthiness, through the use of supportive voice, were the most in-demand people when it came to__________teams.

“As might be expected, anyone who was very strong in terms of signaling both their human and social capital were extremely sought after. They’re doing all the right things to__________that they’re both trustworthy and a good worker,” Maupin said.

However, the researchers found that students who only exhibited social capital through__________voice were more sought after than those who only signaled their ability through the use of challenging voice.

“Our findings suggest that when people feel like they can trust you, even if you’re not__________ the best worker, they’re going to be more likely to want to work with you,” Maupin said. “They know that there are likely to be fewer interpersonal issues in that case.”

1.

A．qualified

B．selected

C．examined

D．accounted

2.

A．dissatisfied

B．favourite

C．permanent

D．comfortable

3.

A．sacrifice

B．exchange

C．prohibit

D．contribute

4.

A．deliberately

B．originally

C．randomly

D．purposefully

5.

A．bargain

B．assess

C．negotiate

D．neglect

6.

A．signal

B．contribute

C．devote

D．manage

7.

A．indefinitely

B．frequently

C．considerably

D．specifically

8.

A．occasion

B．mission

C．degree

D．opinion

9.

A．engaged in

B．focused on

C．gotten across

D．taken off

10.

A．adjusts

B．decreases

C．monitors

D．strengthens

11.

A．exhibited

B．developed

C．evaluated

D．concealed

12.

A．separating

B．dominating

C．assembling

D．maintaining

13.

A．establish

B．resolve

C．analyze

D．estimate

14.

A．challenging

B．moderate

C．healthful

D．supportive

15.

A．doubtfully

B．necessarily

C．questionably

D．fortunately

10 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Rising To the Challenge

Cyclists must dig deep to complete what’s been called the toughest climb in the world. They race up to Wuling Peak to the finish line in the King of the Mountain (KOM) Challenge. Every October some of the world’s best cyclists battle     1    the title. Starting at sea level, the route climbs to   a height of 3, 275 meters at the end, covering 105 kilometers.

Ever since I started cycling seven years ago, completing the KOM climb     2     (be) a goal of mine. Every year I thought that I needed to prepare for it and used that as my excuse. But     3     (look) back, I realize I would have been fine. Cycling uphill was no problem for me then- it was thrilling. Now it’s exhausting.

Last summer I finally decided to take on Wuling with some friends. Our 89-kilometer route started at the base of the mountain and was a little shorter than the official KOM race. But it’s the final 10 kilometers     4    are the most demanding: This is the steepest part,     5    makes the climb so hard.

We began early in the morning as a group of 17 riders. But only three of us would make it to the top. A support car was necessary, especially on a ride like this,     6     (help) keep us energetic.

The first part of the ride went through Taroko Valley, a magnificent park. I’ve hiked there,     7    I’ve always wanted to bike it. I saw dramatic rocky outcrops, canyons, waterfalls and forests as I zipped through the valley and up the mountain road. Even though it was August, the weather was perfect. Unfortunately, the support car that carried our lunch     8     (delay). By the time it arrived, I was starving. Being consumed of energy even for that short time affected the rest of my ride. When the hard last 10 kilometers arrived, I really struggled to complete them. At one point I     9     see how close the top of the peak was, but it still felt so far away. Fortunately, determination carried me to the finish.     10     (exhaust), I conquered Wuling! What a tremendous feeling!