1 . About ten men in every hundred suffer from color blindness in some way. Women are luckier; only about one in two hundred is affected in this matter. Perhaps, after all, it is safer to be driven by a woman!
There are different forms of color blindness. In some cases a man may not be able to see deep red. He may think that red, orange and yellow are all shadows of green. Sometimes a person cannot tell the difference between blue and green. In rare cases an unlucky man may see everything in shades of green -- a strange world indeed.
Color blindness in human beings is a strange thing to explain. In a single eye there are millions of very small things called "cones". These help us to see in a bright light and to tell the difference between colors. There are also millions of "rods", but these are used for seeing when it is near dark. They show us shape but no color.
Some insects have favorite colors. Mosquitoes (蚊子) prefer blue to yellow. A red light will not attract insects, but a blue lamp will. In a similar way human beings also have favorite colors. Yet we are lucky. With the aid of the cones in our eyes we can see many beautiful colors by day, and with the aid of the rods we can see shapes at night. One day we may even learn more about the invisible (看不见的) colors around us.
1. The passage is mainly about______ .| A．color and its surprising effects. |
| B．women being luckier than men. |
| C．danger caused by color blindness. |
| D．color blindness. |
| A．tell different shapes. |
| B．see in a weak light. |
| C．kill mosquitoes. |
| D．tell orange from yellow. |
| A．Women are more careful. |
| B．There are fewer color-blind women. |
| C．Women are fonder of driving than men. |
| D．Women are weaker but quicker in thinking. |
| A．red light. | B．yellow light . | C．blue light. | D．green light. |
2 . Charlie is a teacher and his wife, Maria is an artist. The night before last, just before the longest day of the year, Charlie was sitting in a deckchair enjoying the warm summer air when Maria touched his shoulder and he could tell immediately she was a little worried about something. He asked her what the matter was and she replied that there was a strange thing on the jacket that was hanging in the bedroom. They had both lived in the West Indies (西印度群岛) and had seen a lot of strange creatures in their house before. But now they were living in England and so Charlie just laughed and said he would have a look at the “thing”.
He walked to the bedroom. He saw a jacket hanging in the bedroom and went up to it to have a closer look at the “thing”. The moment he touched it, the thing sprang into life. Now Charlie experiences fear like the rest of us but when this creature opened its wings, he jumped out of his skin and ran screaming from the room like a small child doing about 100 miles an hour.
For a moment the next-door neighbours thought that Charlie was murdering his wife because of the noise they could hear. In fact, it was a bat that frightened Charlie.
Eventually Charlie managed to trap the bat in a box and took it to the garden to let the bat fly. Maria, who had been playing the guitar while Charlie was upstairs, asked Charlie if he had found out what the thing was. “Oh, nothing to worry about”, he said casually hoping that the terror could not be seen in his eyes, “it was just a bat.”
1. Why was Maria a little worried one night?| A．Because she couldn't find her guitar. | B．Because she saw something strange. |
| C．Because it was too hot for her. | D．Because she had quarreled with her husband. |
| A．stood up | B．was very frightened |
| C．threw off his clothes | D．was very excited |
| A．It was killed by Charlie. | B．It was badly wounded. |
| C．It was set free by Charlie. | D．It was kept as a pet. |
| A．Charlie was afraid that his wife would laugh at him if she knew the truth |
| B．the neighbours would report to the police about Charlie murdering the bat |
| C．the bat wouldn't come to Charlie's room again because it was frightened |
| D．Maria heard her husband screaming downstairs and became frightened |
3 . Gifts.com provides more than just ideas. Sure, our unique (独特的) and unforgettable gift suggestions are a big part of why people love us, but we also offer endless ideas and tools to make every day a reason to celebrate. Here are our Great Christmas Gift Ideas:
Christmas Gifts for Parents
You love your parents like no one else, and you want to give them something special for Christmas. But what would make their holiday bright? Finding them the perfect Christmas gift will be easy this year, with all our top picks in one place.
Christmas Gifts for Parents Under $45
Holiday Gift Baskets
The gift basket is a great way to give a gift to a group. Our gift basket ideas come from all the top stores online, so you can easily find everything from fruit gift baskets to wine gift baskets in one place.
Gift Baskets Under $50
Ideas for Teens
Trying to find the right gift for a teen? Teens can be a challenge (挑战). What do they want? What could they use? They're all unique, but we think we've got something for them, even though they're a special group that are hard to deal with.
Top Picks for Teens Under $20
The Secret Santa Exchange (交换)
The Secret Santa is a great way to exchange gifts in the office, when it's often impossible to give everyone a present. We've got an office guide right here to help you find proper gifts for the workplace. And then there's always the gift basket, with things that are sure to please everyone in the office.
Business Gifts Under $25
1. What makes Gifts.com popular?| A．Its special gift ideas. |
| B．Its endless new gifts. |
| C．It is organized according to personal taste. |
| D．It gives people a good reason to celebrate. |
| A．They are much cheaper. |
| B．They make a holiday brighter. |
| C．They list popular gifts in one place. |
| D．They include top choices from parents. |
| A．provide gift baskets |
| B．sell gifts from top stores online |
| C．have a guide to help people choose gifts |
| D．are designed for people working in offices |
| A．a parent | B．a teenager |
| C．a group | D．a businessman |
4 . The trouble started at 9:30 p.m. last New Year’s Eve, in Newmark. When the fire engines arrived at the fire, a very old woman was sitting in a third floor window. The firefighters placed a ladder (梯子) against the wooden house, and 26-year-old Marcus Reddick climbed 35 feet to the third floor.
The woman, 60 years old and very fat, was sitting with both feet out of the window. When Marcus reached the top of the ladder, the woman, afraid and nervous, put her two legs around him. Suddenly Marcus fell backwards off the ladder, with the large woman sitting on him. Marcus landed first — hitting a wall beside the front stairs — and broke the woman’s fall. She fell no more, but he fell another ten feet down the stairs. When the fire officer reached him, Marcus was unconscious.
Within an hour, a doctor told the men that Marcus was nearly brain dead, and would only get worse. Doctors talked of turning off the life-saving machine and asked if the family would like to give away his heart. The answer was “yes”.
On January 6, firefighters lifted Marcus’ coffin — covered with an American flag — onto a yellow fire engine. Hundreds of firefighters from all over the state joined the procession (行列) through Newmark streets. Children watched silently from school windows. The day Marcus died, his heart was given away to a young girl. His family said that it was the second life Marcus had saved.
1. What happened last New Year’s Eve in Newmark?| A．An old woman was killed. | B．A fire engine was missing. |
| C．A firefighter was murdered. | D．A wooden house caught fire. |
| A．was very afraid and nervous | B．couldn’t see anything clearly |
| C．found it difficult to get down | D．was knocked off and got hurt |
| A．homeless | B．senseless | C．breathless | D．helpless |
| A．sad but proud | B．shy but excited |
| C．angry and doubtful | D．worried and surprised |
5 . In the summer between my first year and second year in college, I was invited to be an instructor at a high school camp. On the first day, when we were dancing and playing games, I noticed a boy under the tree who was small and thin. His shyness made him appear weak. I walked towards him, introduced myself and invited him to join in the activities and meet some new people. He quietly replied, "No, I really don't want to do this." I could understand that he was in a new world but I knew it wouldn't be right to force him, either. Actually, the boy didn't need a close talk but a friend.
At lunch the next day, I was leading camp songs when 1 saw the boy under the tree sitting alone. I tried again with the same invitation, but he refused once again. That evening I was told the boy's name was Tommy. Then I asked the campers to pay special attention to the boy and spend time with him when they could.
The days went by and the time came when we had to leave. We held a big, warm party to celebrate the closing of the camp. All the campers shared their wonderful moments. To my surprise. 1 found the boy from under the tree dancing joyfully with two girls. I couldn't believe it was the same person.
In October of my second year, I received a phone call from Tommy's mother. She told me that Tommy was hit by a car and killed. I offered my deep sadness. The mother said: “'Tommy mentioned you so many times. I want you to know that he went back to school and made new friends with confidence. You made a difference for Tommy during his last months.”
At that moment, I realized how easy it was to give a bit of yourself every day. You may never know how much each gesture may mean to someone else. I hope that everyone can pay attention to their own “boy under the tree”.
1. Before the writer came to the high school summer camp，he was a (n) _______.| A．instructor | B．camper | C．student | D．reporter |
| A．Once | B．Twice | C．Three times | D．Many times |
①The boy danced joyfully with two girls.
②The boy went back to school and made new friends.
③The boy refused to join in the activities.
④The boy's mother made a phone call to the writer.
| A．①②③④ | B．②③①④ | C．③①②④ | D．④③②① |
| A．thankful | B．helpful | C．faithful(忠实的) | D．harmful |
6 . If you are looking for the place that has everything, there is only one place to visit, and that’s New York. It’s a whole world in a city.
The World of Theater: All of New York is a stage. And it begins with Broadway. Where else can you find so many hit shows in one place? Only in New York!
The World of Music: Spend an evening with Beethoven at Lincoln Center. Swing to the great jazz of Greenwich Village. Or rock yourself silly at the hottest dance spots found anywhere.
The World of Art: From Rembrandt to Picasso. From Egyptian tombs to Indian teepees. Whatever kind of art you like, you will find it in New York.
The World of Fine Dining: Whether it’s roast Beijing duck in Chinatown, lasagna in little Italy, or the finest French coq au vin found everywhere, there is world of great taste waiting for you in New York.
The World of Sights: What other city has a Statue (雕塑) of Liberty? A Rockefeller Center? Or a Bronx Zoo? Where else can you take a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park? Only in New York!
1. From the text we know that “Rembrandt” is most likely to be the name of a famous .| A．actor | B．painter |
| C．cook | D．musician |
| A．To enjoy a Beethoven concert. | B．To taste the finest French coq au vin. |
| C．To see the Statue of Liberty. | D．To eat Roast Beijing Duck. |
| A．a handbook for English learners | B．a pocketbook for businessmen |
| C．a guidebook for foreign travellers | D．a storybook for local readers |
7 . I remember the day when I first learned to ride a bike. It was a frightening, yet fun experience. My granddad was the one who taught me and he helped me when I got hurt. The first time I got on a bike, I had no idea what I was doing, and just about everything went wrong. My granddad told me to just put my feet on the pedals and start pedaling (骑自行车). He also told me he would hold onto the back of the bike the whole time, yet he didn’t.
As soon as I started trying to balance myself, he let go. I happened to look back just then. I was scared, to death that I was going to fall and hurt myself. When I was scared, my mind went blank from pedaling, and I just wanted off. I forgot how to use the brakes (车闸) and fell right off the bike. My granddad kept encouraging me to get up and try again, and after about 15 minutes, 1 finally stopped crying, got up and tried again.
As soon as I started pedaling again, my pants got caught in the chain, and I fell flat on my face and hit my nose. Since that happened t my granddad decided to call it a day and try again the next morning. The next morning I woke up bright and early, and was very eager to try to ride my bike. My nose felt better, so I wasn’t that afraid of falling anymore.
Though I knew there were a lot of difficulties on the way to mastering the skills in riding a bike, I believed I could do well with my granddad’s help. After all, riding a bike was what I wanted to do eagerly.
1. How was the author when he was on the bike first?| A．He didn’t know where he would be going. |
| B．He thought balancing himself was easy. |
| C．He was nervous and didn’t know what to do next. |
| D．He put his feet on the pedals and started pedaling. |
| A．Remember what happened this day. |
| B．Make the author feel happy. |
| C．Stop practicing bicycling. |
| D．Go on to ride a bike. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Grateful. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Negative. |
| A．The Experience of My First Riding a Bike |
| B．The Difficulty I Met with My Granddad |
| C．The First Time I Got My Own Bike |
| D．The Great Moment When I Stayed with My Granddad |
8 . I am a strong believer that if a child is raised with praise, he will learn to love himself and will be successful in his own way.
Several weeks ago, I was doing homework with my son in the third grade and he kept standing up from his chair to go over the math lines. I kept asking him to sit down, telling him that he would concentrate better. He sat but seconds later, as if he didn’t even notice he was doing it, he got up again. I was getting frustrated, but then it hit me. I started noticing his answers were much quicker and accurate (准确的) when he stood up. Could he be more intent (专心的) while standing up?
This made me start questioning myself and what I had been raised to believe. I was raised to believe that a quiet, calm child was a sure way to success. This child would have the discipline (纪律) to study hard, get good grades and become someone important in life.
Now those same people perhaps come to realize that their kids are born with their own sets of DNA and personality traits (特点) and all you can do is loving and accepting them. As parents, throughout their growing years and beyond that, we need to be our kids’ best cheerleaders, guiding them and helping them find their way.
I have stopped asking my son to sit down and concentrate. Obviously, he is concentrating just in his own way and not mine. We need to learn to accept our kids’ ways of doing things. Some way may have worked for me but doesn’t mean we need to carry it through generations. There is nothing sweeter than being individual (个人的) and unique (独一无二的). It makes us free and happy and that’s just the way I want my kids to live their own life.
1. At the beginning, the author tried to keep his son seated in order to make him _____.| A．pay more attention to his study | B．keep silent in the room |
| C．finish his homework on time | D．get right answers |
| A．the importance of parents | B．the old form of education |
| C．the relationship between kids and their parents | D．the good grades of some kids |
| A．We should help kids correct their wrong ways. |
| B．Parents should study their kids’ DNA. |
| C．Kids should be taught to behave themselves. |
| D．Parents should love and accept their kids. |
| A．Study hard and you’ll be successful |
| B．Be friendly to your children |
| C．Children’s success in their own style |
| D．Parents’ help with their children’s study |
9 . Dr Dian Fossey, one of the world’s leading women scientists, had a remarkable career. The work she devoted her life to protecting and studying the mountain gorillas (大猩猩) of Africa --- has proved highly effective and has resulted in the steady (平稳的) increase of this most endangered great apes.
Fossey made her first trip to Africa in 1963. Three years later, she returned to Africa to begin a long-term study of the mountain gorillas. She set up camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo but moved to Rwanda because of political reasons in 1967. She established her “Karisoke” Research Centre camp on September 24, 1967.
Fossey’s aims were to study gorilla ecology (生态学) and social organization. She found that in order to achieve this, she needed to recognize individual gorillas, which required that the gorillas get used to her presence (出现). By copying gorillas’ behaviour and sounds, Fossey began to gain their trust, and in 1970 an adult male gorilla she had named “Peanuts” reached out to touch her hand.
Close observations over thousands of hours enabled Fossey to gain the gorillas’ trust and bring forth new knowledge about their behaviour. Stories and photographs of her work were published in National Geographic Magazine and elsewhere.
In 1977, one of Fossey’s favorite gorillas, Digit, was killed by poachers and she established the Digit Fund to help raise money for gorilla protection efforts in the same year.
On December 26, 1985, Fossey was murdered while going back to her house in Karisoke. Her body was discovered near the research centre. Most probably, Dian Fossey had been killed by the poachers she’d fought against. On her tombstone (墓碑) “No one loved gorillas more ...”
In 1988, the life and the work of Fossey were made into a movie based on her story.
1. Why does the author say that Dr Dian Fossey had a remarkable career?| A．Because she travelled all over the world. |
| B．Because she liked to play with gorillas. |
| C．Because she studied gorilla ecology. |
| D．Because she made great apes increase steadily. |
a. She established the Digit Fund.
b. Her story was shown in a movie.
c. She was killed probably by the poachers.
d. She established her “Karisoke” centre.
| A．a. d. c. b | B．a. c.d. b |
| C．d. c. b. a | D．d. a. c. b |
| A．sell drugs against the law |
| B．hunt animals against the law |
| C．hate successful people |
| D．like to do harm lo people |
| A．Fossey was the person who loved gorillas most |
| B．after Fossey died, no one loves gorillas |
| C．Fossey was the first one to study gorillas |
| D．everybody loves gorillas as Fossey did |
10 . The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is mostly a desert. However, this has not stopped the country from creating great building projects. On September 26, UAE officials announced another ambitious project — Mars Science City. Expansive deserts and miles of coastline provide plenty of options for safe rocket launches (发射). And its position on the Earth makes it especially appealing as the spin of the Earth provides an extra push, meaning less fuel is needed to get payloads into orbit. All these seem to make it possible.
The Mars City Project, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, or BIG, will provide a realistic model to simulate (模仿) living on the surface of Mars, the red planet. It is part of the UAE’s Mars 2117 Project to lead the global race to land humans on Mars and be the first to build a settlement there. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai, says, “The UAE seeks international support to develop technologies that benefit humans, and lay the foundation of a better future for more generations to come.”
Built outside Dubai, the 1.9 million square feet city is expected to cost $135 million. It will consist of several dome-shaped laboratories, similar to the ones imagined for the first Mars settlers. Scientists from around the word will be invited to conduct research to come up with methods to create food, water and energy, using techniques which can be copied onto the red planet. The living spaces, where the researchers can live for up to a year, will simulate the planet’s conditions as much as possible.
The research city will also include a museum featuring famous space achievements to help educate and inspire children to undertake space exploration and discovery. To discover whether the construction method works on Mars, the museum’s walls will be 3D printed using the sand from the nearby desert. Now, if they would only add some living quarters for the general public to experience life on Mars without leaving Earth, life would be perfect.
1. What can we conclude about the United Arab Emirates?| A．It is short of fine weather. |
| B．It is a nice place for launching. |
| C．It can provide adequate fuel supply. |
| D．It has the greatest architects in the world. |
| A．Educate visitors on trips to Mars. |
| B．Develop the Mars settlers’ imagination. |
| C．Find ways to produce food, water and energy on Mars. |
| D．Create a climate-controlled environment for future use. |
| A．To show famous space techniques. |
| B．To make full use of the nearby desert. |
| C．To inspire children to love exploration. |
| D．To test building skills used by Mars settlers. |
| A．UAE to Build Mars Science City |
| B．UAE’s Great Exploration of Mars |
| C．UAE to Build First Mars Settlement |
| D．UAE’s Scientistific Contribution to Humans |
