2 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.

“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.

Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.

“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.

For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”

1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?

A．It promoted the sales of artworks.	B．It attracted a large number of visitors.
C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes.	D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models.

2. What does Hill say about Chinese women?

A．They are setting the fashion.	B．They start many fashion campaigns.
C．They admire super models.	D．They do business all over the world.

3. What do the underlined words “taking on” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．learning from

B．looking down on

C．working with

D．competing against

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

A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World

B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York

C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics

D．Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends

3 . With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation(孤独), more families are choosing to live together.

The doorway to peace and quiet, for Nick Bright at least, leads straight to his mother-in-law, she lives on the ground floor, while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.

Four years ago they all moved into a three-storey Victorian house in Bristol - one of a growing number of multigenerational families in the UK living together under the same roof. They share a front door and a washing machine, but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room on the ground floor.

“We floated the idea to my mum of sharing at a house,” says Kathryn Whitehead. Rita cuts in: “We spoke more with Nick because I think it’s a big thing for Nick to live with his mother-in-law.”

And what does Nick think? “From my standpoint, it all seems to work very well. Would I recommend it? Yes, I think I would.”

It’s hard to tell exactly how many people agree with him, but research indicates that the numbers have been rising for some time. Official reports suggest that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325,000 in 2001to 419,000 in 2013.

Other varieties of multigenerational family are more common. Some people live with their elderly parents; many more adult children are returning to the family home, if they ever left. It is said that about 20% of 25-34-year-olds live with their parents, compared with 16% in 1991.The total number of all multigenerational households in Britain is thought to be about 1.8 million.

Stories like that are more common in parts of the world where multigenerational living is more firmly rooted. In India, particularly outside cities, young women are expected to move in with their husband’s family when they get married.

1. Who mainly uses the ground floor in the Victorian house in Bristol?

A．Nick.

B．Rita.

C．Kathryn

D．The daughters.

2. What is Nick’s attitude towards sharing the house with his mother-in -law?

A．Positive.

B．Carefree.

C．Tolerant.

D．Unwilling.

3. What is the author’s statement about multigenerational family based on?

A．Family traditions.

B．Financial reports.

C．Published statistics.

D．Public opinions.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Lifestyles in different countries.	B．Conflicts between generations.
C．A housing problem in Britain.	D．A rising trend of living in the UK.

4 . My First Marathon（马拉松）

A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.

I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P.E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and then hit a softball. I didn’t do either well. He later informed me that I was ＂not athletic＂.

The idea that I was ＂not athletic＂ stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!

The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn’t even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.

Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces(鞋带) became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!

At mile 3, I passed a sign: ＂GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!＂

By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt badly. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.

By mile 21, I was starving!

As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.

I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.

Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a ＂marathon winner＂.

1. A month before the marathon, the author ____________.

A．was well trained	B．felt scared
C．made up his mind to run	D．lost hope

2. Why did the author mention the P.E. class in his 7th year?

A．To acknowledge the support of his teacher.

B．To amuse the readers with a funny story.

C．To show he was not talented in sports.

D．To share a precious memory.

3. How was the author’s first marathon?

A．He made it.	B．He quit halfway.
C．He got the first prize.	D．He walked to the end.

4. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．A man owes his success to his family support.

B．A winner is one with a great effort of will.

C．Failure is the mother of success.

D．One is never too old to learn.

5 . 假定你是李华，想邀请外教Henry一起参观中国剪纸（paper-cutting）艺术展。请给他写封邮件，内容包括：
1.展览时间、地点；
2.展览内容。
注意：1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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6 . While English is getting more important in our schools, Chinese has become popular among foreign kids. But Chinese can be more difficult to learn. At least 16-year-old Piao Chenglong thinks so. “English is easier for me. Chinese characters (汉字) have too many strokes (笔画),” said Piao. “But I want to learn it. I want to study at Beijing University when I grow up.” Piao is from Korea. He came to China in 2008.

In Korea, there are more than 300, 000 Chinese learners like Piao. Some Korean students begin to learn to write the language on their first day at school. To help students learn Chinese, Korea holds speaking competitions for high school students every year.

Chinese isn’t just popular in Korea. People from all the world want to learn it. The Ministry of Education of China says that nearly 130 million people from 85 countries are learning Chinese. This number will be increasing to 800 million in the coming years.

In America, Chinese is the second most popular foreign language after Spanish. Some American middle schools have Chinese classes. Students learn to make jiaozi and tie Chinese knots (中国结). Some even try to write and draw in the Chinese way!

People want to learn Chinese because China is becoming such an important country. Foreign countries want to understand China better to help them with business. The Chinese government is also helping the world learn Chinese. It has sent more than 200 Chinese teachers to more than 60 countries in the world. Many more Confucius Institutes (孔子学院) will be set up in the world. These institutes will teach Chinese to foreign students.

1. Which of the following is the topic sentence for the text?

A．Chinese has become popular among foreign kids.

B．Chinese can be more difficult to learn.

C．In America, Chinese is the second most popular foreign language after Spanish.

D．Students learn to make jiaozi and tie Chinese knots.

2. Where does Piao Chenglong come from?

A．China.

B．America.

C．Korea.

D．Spain.

3. According to the text, some American middle school students learn to do the following EXCEPT ________.

A．making jiaozi

B．writing and drawing in the Chinese way

C．tying Chinese knots

D．singing Chinese songs

4. Why do foreign people want to learn Chinese?

A．Because Chinese is getting more important in their schools.

B．Because Chinese characters have too many strokes.

C．Because the number of people learning Chinese will be 800 million.

D．Because China is becoming more and more important in the world.

7 . The Homeless Hero

For many, finding an unattended wallet filled with £400 in cash would be a source（来源）of temptation（诱惑）. But the ________ would no doubt be greater if you were living on the streets with little food and money. All of this makes the actions of the homeless Tom Smith __________ more remarkable.

After spotting a ________ on the front seat inside a parked car with its window down, he stood guard in the rain for about two hours waiting for the __________ to return.

After hours in the cold and wet, he __________   inside and pulled the wallet out hoping to find some ID so he could contact（联系）the driver, only to __________ it contained £400 in notes, with another £50 in spare change beside it.

He then took the wallet to a nearby police station after __________ a note behind to let the owner know it was safe. When the car’s owner John Anderson and his colleague Carol Lawrence returned to the car—which was itself worth £35, 000—in Glasgow city centre, they were __________ to find two policemen standing next to it. The policemen told them what Mr. Smith did and that the wallet was __________.

The pair were later able to thank Mr. Smith for his __________.

Mr. Anderson said：＂I couldn’t believe that the guy never took a penny. To think he is sleeping on the streets tonight __________ he could have stolen the money and paid for a place to stay in. This guy has nothing and

__________ he didn’t take the wallet for himself；he thought about others __________. It’s unbelievable. It just proves there are ________ guys out there.＂

Mr. Smith’s act __________ much of the public’s attention. He also won praise from social media users after Mr. Anderson __________ about the act of kindness on Facebook.

Now Mr. Anderson has set up an online campaign to __________ money for Mr. Smith and other homeless people in the area, which by yesterday had received ￡8,000. ＂I think the faith that everyone has shown __________ him has touched him. People have been approaching him in the street; he’s had job __________ and all sorts,＂ Mr. Anderson commented.

For Mr. Smith, this is a possible life-changing __________. The story once again tells us that one good turn deserves another.

1.

A．hope

B．aim

C．urge

D．effort

2.

A．still

B．even

C．ever

D．once

3.

A．wallet

B．bag

C．box

D．parcel

4.

A．partner

B．colleague

C．owner

D．policeman

5.

A．turned

B．hid

C．stepped

D．reached

6.

A．discover

B．collect

C．check

D．believe

7.

A．taking

B．leaving

C．reading

D．writing

8.

A．satisfied

B．excited

C．amused

D．shocked

9.

A．safe

B．missing

C．found

D．seen

10.

A．service

B．support

C．kindness

D．encouragement

11.

A．when

B．if

C．where

D．because

12.

A．rather

B．yet

C．already

D．just

13.

A．too

B．though

C．again

D．instead

14.

A．honest

B．polite

C．rich

D．generous

15.

A．gave

B．paid

C．cast

D．drew

16.

A．learned

B．posted

C．cared

D．heard

17.

A．borrow

B．raise

C．save

D．earn

18.

A．of

B．at

C．for

D．in

19.

A．details

B．changes

C．offers

D．applications

20.

A．lesson

B．adventure

C．chance

D．challenge

8 . When a leafy plant is under attack, it doesn’t sit quietly. Back in 1983, two scientists, Jack Schultz and Ian Baldwin, reported that young maple trees getting bitten by insects send out a particular smell that neighboring plants can get. These chemicals come from the injured parts of the plant and seem to be an alarm. What the plants pump through the air is a mixture of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds, VOCs for short.

Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs when being attacked. It’s a plant’s way of crying out. But is anyone listening? Apparently. Because we can watch the neighbours react.

Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away. But others do double duty. They pump out perfumes designed to attract different insects who are natural enemies to the attackers. Once they arrive, the tables are turned. The attacker who was lunching now becomes lunch.

In study after study, it appears that these chemical conversations help the neighbors .The damage is usually more serious on the first plant, but the neighbors, relatively speaking, stay safer because they heard the alarm and knew what to do.

Does this mean that plants talk to each other? Scientists don’t know. Maybe the first plant just made a cry of pain or was sending a message to its own branches, and so, in effect, was talking to itself. Perhaps the neighbors just happened to “overhear” the cry. So information was exchanged, but it wasn’t a true, intentional back and forth. Charles Darwin, over 150 years ago, imagined a world far busier, noisier and more intimate (亲密的) than the world we can see and hear. Our senses are weak. There’s a whole lot going on.

1. What does a plant do when it is under attack?

A．It makes noises.	B．It gets help from other plants.
C．It stands quietly	D．It sends out certain chemicals.

2. What does the author mean by “the tables are turned” in paragraph 3?

A．The attackers get attacked.

B．The insects gather under the table.

C．The plants get ready to fight back.

D．The perfumes attract natural enemies.

3. Scientists find from their studies that plants can ________.

A．predict natural disasters

B．protect themselves against insects

C．talk to one another intentionally

D．help their neighbors when necessary

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The world is changing faster than ever.

B．People have stronger senses than before

C．The world is more complex than it seems

D．People in Darwin’s time were imaginative.

9 . When I was in fourth grade, I worked part-time as a paperboy. Mrs. Stanley was one of my customers. She’d watch me coming down her street, and by the time I’d biked up to her doorstep, there’d be a cold drink waiting. I’d sit and drink while she talked.

Mrs. Stanley talked mostly about her dead husband, “Mr. Stanley and I went shopping this morning.” she’d say. The first time she said that, soda(汽水) went up my nose.

I told my father how Mrs. Stanley talked as if Mr. Stanley were still alive. Dad said she was probably lonely, and that I ought to sit and listen and nod my head and smile, and maybe she’d work it out of her system. So that’s what I did, and it turned out Dad was right. After a while she seemed content to leave her husband over at the cemetery(墓地).

I finally quit delivering newspapers and didn’t see Mrs. Stanley for several years. Then we crossed paths at a church fund-raiser(募捐活动). She was spooning mashed potatoes and looking happy. Four years before, she’d had to offer her paperboy a drink to have someone to talk with. Now she had friends. Her husband was gone, but life went on.

I live in the city now, and my paperboy is a lady named Edna with three kids. She asks me how I’m doing. When I don’t say “fine”, she sticks around to hear my problems. She’s lived in the city most of her life, but she knows about community. Community isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. You find it whenever people ask how you’re doing because they care, and not because they’re getting paid to do so. Sometimes it’s good to just smile, nod your head and listen.

1. Why did soda go up the author’s nose one time?

A．He was talking fast.	B．He was shocked.
C．He was in a hurry.	D．He was absent-minded.

2. Why did the author sit and listen to Mrs. Stanley according to Paragraph 3?

A．He enjoyed the drink.	B．He wanted to be helpful.
C．He took the chance to rest.	D．He tried to please his dad.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “work it out of her system”?

A．recover from her sadness	B．move out of the neighborhood
C．turn to her old friends	D．speak out about her past

4. What does the author think people in a community should do?

A．Open up to others.	B．Depend on each other.
C．Pay for other’s help	D．Care about one another.