1 . Around this time of year when the weather gets cooler in Arkansas, there are a lot of homeless people, as well as people with different situations who just need help.
Oftentimes Our family serves at a soup kitchen where they give out bags of food to needy families in our area. And we’ll help put those bags of food together and hand them out, among other things.
There are a lot of reasons why serving the community is important to me, but one of them has to do with my father. My grandfather died when my father was 4 years old and my grandmother had four kids all under the age of 5, all born pretty close together. That was a time when things were so bad in the country. There wasn’t work and often the family hardly made ends meet, so my grandmother put the kids in a childrenˈs home so that they could at least have food to survive.
My dad said he never forgot the local charity would bring the kids a gift for Christmas. The kids worked hard in the children’s home and the only present they got was from the local charity. He never forgot this kindness and always appreciated the local charity for what it did when he Was a little boy.
My dad was such a hardworking worker- family meant the world to him. I was the seventh baby in my family and my mother had me just after she turned 40. She was one of those high-risk pregnancy moms, and Iˈm so grateful she had me. My mom and dad made a happy home for us, and I’m so grateful for that. I hope my children are catching those lessons, not just from Mom and Dad, but from grandparents and everyone else in their lives.
1. Why does the author consider serving the community important?A.His father led a hard life in his childhood. |
B.He was inspired by his fatherˈs life experiences. |
C.He was grateful for what his father had done for him. |
D.His father worked hard and took good care of the family. |
A.The family had too many children. |
B.The kids were born too close together. |
C.It provided food for the kids to survive. |
D.The kids could lead a very comfortable life there. |
A.Kind and creative. | B.Strict and helpful. |
C.Devoted and patient. | D.Grateful and hardworking. |
A.Father meant the world to the family. |
B.The author hopes his kids learn to be grateful. |
C.The kids received Christmas gifts from their parents. |
D.The author’s family opens a soup kitchen to offer help. |
2 . It goes without saying that many Western wedding customs are completely different from those of Asian cultures. Some are so rooted in history that many Westerners have no idea whether they even exist.
Traditionally,June has been the most popular month for people to get married. One reason is that June 1 was the date of an ancient Roman festival celebrating the marriage of the god Jupiter and his wife Juno.Another reason will likely. astonish you. Centuries ago, taking a bath was not as common as it is today. Some people took a bath only once a year, typically in May. Since June was a time most wedding guests would not be too smelly, that month was preferred.
Another wedding custom is for the bride to "wear something old, something new,something borrowed,and something blue."Having something old is said to protect the newlyweds' future baby, while the new item shows optimism for the future. Meanwhile, something borrowed is meant to bring good luck, and something blue is a promise of being faithful. Lesser known is the fact that the bride is also supposed to have a sixpence in her shoe for prosperity(兴旺)。 Interestingly,in Sweden, brides are given two coins before getting married-one gold from her mother and the other silver from her father-also to put in her shoes. These fascinating customs show just how important certain wedding traditions are in Western cultures.
The concept of the “white wedding”, in which the bride wears a white wedding dress, is a familiar one. It is thought, mistakenly though, that this is a tradition that developed in ancient times and originates from the belief of white being a symbol of purity. Actually, the custom of brides wearing this color dates back less than 200 years and is attributed to the wedding of Queen Victoria. The queen's choice of white for her wedding was unusual for the time as other colors, especially red, were much more common.
After news of Victoria's highly publicized wedding to Prince Albert spread, not just around the United Kingdom,but to other nations including the United States,women began following in her footsteps and wearing white dresses at their wedding ceremonies. With white being the choice of a powerful royal figure like Queen Victoria, the color became associated with wealth. nobility. and the fashion-conscious.
1. Based on the text, June has been a popular month to get married probably becauseA.Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in June of 1840 |
B.June is the month in which Romans recall the soul of gods |
C.some people didn't take a bath before May in ancient times |
D.it is considered to be the luckiest time of year to get married |
A.Wearing something old. |
B.Wearing something blue. |
C.Wearing a shoe with a coin in it. |
D.Wearing something borrowed. |
A.The white wedding dress is a symbol of purity and nobility. |
B.Red rather than white was once popular in English weddings. |
C.Queen Victoria wore white in the hope of breaking old customs. |
D.The custom of the white wedding started thousands of years ago. |
A.Routines of marriage ceremonies. |
B.Highlights of traditional weddings. |
C.Reflecting on old traditions. |
D.Exploring western wedding customs. |
3 . Facebook is an American online social media and social networking service. The Facebook website was launched on February 4, 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates.
The founders had limited the website’s membership to Harvard students at first; however, later they expanded it to various other universities, and eventually to high school students as well. Since 2006, anyone who claims to be at least 13 years old has been allowed to become a registered(注册了的)user of Facebook, though differences exist in the youngest age requirement, depending on local laws. Facebook has more than 2 billion monthly active users as of June 2017. As of April 2016, Facebook was the most popular social networking site in the world, based on the number of active user accounts.
Facebook may be accessed by a large range of desktops, smartphones over the Internet and mobile networks. After registering to use the site, users can create a user profile showing their names and so on. Users can add other users as “friends”, exchange messages, post photos and so on.
Facebook makes most of its income from advertisements which appear on screen, marketing access for its customers to its users.
1. What does the underlined word “launched” in Paragraph 1 mean?A.Prevented. | B.Started | C.Permitted. | D.Supplied. |
A.Harvard students. | B.High school students. |
C.Students in all universities. | D.Old people. |
A.How to become a Facebook member. | B.How Americans communicate today. |
C.A brief story of Mark Zuckerberg. | D.A brief introduction to Facebook. |
4 . I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time I ask “How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don’t have names; in Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually ______.A.describe the place carefully. | B.show him a map of the place. |
C.tell him the names of the streets. | D.refer to recognizable buildings and places. |
A.New York. | B.Los Angeles. | C.Kansas. | D.Iowa. |
A.To show cultural differences in showing directions. |
B.To show how to ask the way properly in different countries. |
C.To explain why people have similar understanding of direction. |
D.To share the experience of traveling around the world. |
5 . The fitness center offers a variety of activities for members of all ages throughout the week.
Activities for Monday 12 July, 2017:
Learn to swim. Classes for preschool children aged five and under start at 10 am. Classes last 30 minutes and parents must attend with their children. Don't forget to book in advance, as places are limited, and to pack some warm clothes for after the lesson.
Woman's aerobics(有氧运动). Sessions are for one hour and begin at 10:45 am, led by Melissa. Come along and join us every Monday for an exhilarating hour of exercise and fun. Leave your kids at the nursery and take time out for yourself. Wear a tracksuit or something similar.
Lunch time yoga. Take a break at lunchtime (1:00-2:00 pm) for an hour of meditation and yoga. Enjoy the peace and quiet of our meditation room, and relaxing sessions designed for active people with busy lives. Use your own mat(垫子)for floor work or huy one from us with some money.
Family Shootaround. 10:00-5:30 pm. Family Shootaround is open for members and guests to bring the family out for basketball. Half court games are only during this time. There are no full court games during Family Shootaround hours. All participants must sign in at the front desk and wear a wistband during the play.
1. When will Melissa be working?A.From 10:00 am to 10:30 am |
B.From 10:45 am to 11:45 am. |
C.From 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. |
D.From 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. |
A.Lunchtime yoga. | B.Women's aerobics. |
C.Learn to swim | D.Family Shootaround. |
A.The need to sign in |
B.The need to book in advance. |
C.The need to bring something. |
D.The need to become a member. |
6 . Mohandas Gandhi, widely considered the father of his country, was the most important Indian political and spiritual leader of the 20th century.
Gandhi was born into a middle-class Hindu family. In 1888, he traveled to England for further education. After graduation, he became a lawyer. At the age of 23, Gandhi worked for an Indian company offering guidance on legal problems in South Africa, where like many other Indians, he was treated unfairly. So he devoted himself to the fight for equal rights. He founded a community against European rulers and developed a political movement based on the methods of non-violent civil disobedience (非暴力不合作),which he called “satyagraha”.
In 1915, Gandhi returned to India and helped settle many local arguments, thus winning lots of respect throughout the country. India’s most well-known writer, Rabindranath Tagore, gave Gandhi the title Mahatma (“Great Soul”). Gandhi himself, however, refused the honor even though within the Hindu culture, being called “Mahatma” is a symbol of great respect. From 1920-1922, he led a national “non-cooperation movement” calling upon Indians to stop cooperating with the British and become independent.
After World War Ⅱ,Gandhi was involved in the deliberations (审议)that led to India’s independence. The same deliberations, however, also led to the separation of India into two countries: modern-day India (primarily for Hindus) and Pakistan (for Muslims). On January 30,1948, Gandhi was murdered at the age of 78. The killer hated Gandhi for the separation of the country.
Gandhi believed in the unity of all mankind under one god. He viewed life as a very long series of small steps towards his goals. By the time he died, India had finally become an independent country, free of British rule. Gandhi is remembered as a political leader, whose methods were later followed by many political leaders around the world. Gandhi is also remembered for his belief and practice to seek the true kindness of mankind. As such, he changed the world.
1. Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?A.![]() | B.![]() |
C.![]() | D.![]() |
A.By answering violence with violence. |
B.By keeping a close relationship with the British. |
C.By asking for more support from Britain. |
D.By fighting against the British rule in a peaceful way. |
A.He himself thought highly of the title. |
B.He considered the title a symbol of power. |
C.He wasn’t willing to accept the honor. |
D.He enjoyed the honor he deserved. |
A.The Fight for Equal Rights | B.The Road to Independence |
C.A Man of Great Soul | D.A Deadly Deliberation |
7 . The journey to the moon had been the first step toward future exploration(探险) in space. The distance between the Moon and Earth is very short indeed when compared with the distances between Earth and the other planets. Mars, the nearest planet to Earth is millions of miles away. Traveling to the planets will be man’s next aim. Such travels will be more challenging than the trip to the moon and certainly more adventurous.
Recently, two American spaceships, Vikings 1 and 2, landed on Mars trying to discover whether that planet has any life on it. So far the signs of life on Mars has neither confirmed(确认) nor ruled out. Russians have discovered that the surface of Venus(金星) is so hot that it is almost certain that there is no life there. Also the atmosphere of Venus is extremely dense(稠) and the pressure is nearly a hundred times greater than that of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Scientists believe man may find planets which have the same conditions as those we have on Earth, but man should realize Earth will be his only home for a long time and begin to love and care for it.
1. According to the passage, traveling to the planets will be ________.A.much easier and even more interesting |
B.far more exciting and dangerous |
C.man’s final aim |
D.man’s first step |
A.Mars is nearer to the earth than the moon. |
B.The moon is much nearer to the earth than Mars. |
C.Of all the planets, Mars is the nearest to the earth. |
D.All the planets are much farther to the earth. |
A.there is life on Mars |
B.there is no life on Mars |
C.the atmosphere of Mars is not so dense as that of Venus |
D.scientists will have little hope to find the answers |
A.much too hot surface | B.the same pressure as we get on earth |
C.normal atmosphere as we have on earth | D.both B and C |
1. Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars.
A.cheap and strong | B.cheap and long |
C.fast and expensive | D.strong and slow |
A.he made many cars | B.his cars are many |
C.he made lots of cars of the same kind | D.both A and B |
A.which was his father’s will | B.which was against his own will |
C.which was against his father’s will | D.which was his teacher’s will |
A.before 1908 | B.between 1982 and 1908 |
C.before 1892 | D.after 1908 |
A.in 1903 | B.in 1908 | C.in 1913 | D.in 1897 |
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, red?
A.On the other hand, black is depressing. |
B.They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favorite color as grow up — we are born with our preference. |
C.The rooms are painted in different colors as you like. |
D.If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. |
E.Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. |
F.Life is like a picture or a poem, full of different colors. |
G.Colors do influence our moods—there is no doubt about it |
Foreign tourists are often confused(困惑的)in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks(地标)in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn't know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don't know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don't know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!
1. When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
A.describe the place carefully |
B.show him a map of the place |
C.tell him the names of the streets |
D.refer to recognizable buildings and places |
A.New York. | B.Los Angles. |
C.Kansas C. Iowa |
A.in order to save time | B.as a test |
C.so as to be polite | D.for fun |
A.It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
B.It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
C.People have similar understanding of politeness. |
D.New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |