1 . Not only does the use of plastic water bottles hurt your wallet, it also increases pollution and wastes energy and water. Only 23% of all plastic in America ends up in a recycling bin, meaning over $ 1 billion worth of plastic is treated as rubbish a year. Recently, Skipping Rocks Lab has invented a kind of water bottle called Ooho.

It is a convenient, clear water bottle that can either be drunken or eaten. To drink it, you can either peel off the membrane (薄膜) or tear a hole in the membrane with your teeth to pour the water into your mouth. To eat it, you simply put the whole bottle in your mouth. One problem the scientists have run into is how to ship large amounts of Ooho bubbles(水泡) without arriving with a very wet truck. However, they have attempted to package units of individual bubbles together inside a larger and thicker membrane. It is targeting large outdoor events, such as marathons, music festivals, and sporting events, where tons of plastic bottles are used, and frequently left behind as litter. And too much plastic is sure to do harm to the environment, which could account for their purpose of such a new invention.

The team has been working for the past two years to develop the technology and materials needed to produce Ooho; they have recently applied a patent for their new advancements. The price for an individual bubble or a unit of bubbles has not been set yet, but they cost about two cents to create a unit, which is cheaper than plastic bottles. It has appeared at events in London, San Francisco, Boston, at conferences, festivals, and so on.

Ooho is catching many people’s attention and has raised over $ 1 million and gained 1,000 investors in only three days. It is mostly being sold at events at the moment to keep the consumer’s interest while the production machine is getting up and running. It is quickly making a rise,so keep an eye out this year for these bottles of the future.

1. How is most plastic dealt with in America?

A．It’s sold.	B．It’s recycled.
C．It’s buried.	D．It’s wasted.

2. Why did the team invent Ooho?

A．To make a profit for a company.	B．To protect the environtnent.
C．To make people eat as they drink.	D．To reduce the cost of plastic bottle.

3. What can we infer about Ooho from the text?

A．It is easy and safe to ship it in large amounts.

B．It has become popular since it began to be sold.

C．It might be sold at a lower price than plastic bottles.

D．It cost the team a lot of money to develop the technology.

4. What does the author really want to say in the last paragraph?

A．Ooho is to be a success in the future.

B．Ooho is being supported by smart people.

C．Ooho is taking the place of plastic bottles now.

D．Ooho is being produced to attract more investors.

2 . One winter, my cousin and I were playing toy blocks in the yard. My mom was out for shopping to get groceries and my dad was asleep upstairs in his room. Suddenly, it started to snow. First it was just a little. But then it started to pour heavily.

Then, we put the finishing touches to our blocks and headed back inside. Right when I opened the sliding glass door, my cousin fell down on the slippery wooden stairs. I let go of the door, my worst mistake, you see. The door locks automatically but I had put a rock, right next to the door so it wouldn’t close. But while I was running to my cousin’s aid I’d accidentally kicked the rock.

Now, my cousin and I were locked outside. And unfortunately it started to get really windy. It was really freezing with the snow. First we started to call my dad, but he was sleeping soundly. I mean, slept through a tornado soundly. It was of no use.

Then I tried to climb over the fence but it didn’t work because the fence was iced by snow and wind, and the fence is six feet high. So, I climbed up to my tree house and brainstormed some ideas on ways to get in. At one point, I was seriously considering jumping out of the tree house and using the trampoline (蹦床) to jump over the fence.

So, we got to work. First, I took out the trampoline. Then I started to jump. First try — I almost cracked my head. Second try — this time I convinced my cousin to do it but at the last second, he chickened out. Third try — I jumped and missed but at the last second, my hand caught the fence, and with a lot of pushing I finally climbed over the fence and luckily, I fell on a big snowdrift.

Then I got inside and unlocked the door for my cousin to get in. Finally, my mom came back. Then we shared this story with my mom and dad.

1. When the author wanted to jump in, the main problem was that ________.

A．the fence was icy

B．the fence was slippery and high

C．the trampoline couldn’t bear the weight

D．the trampoline was too small

2. The attitude of the author’s cousin towards jumping on the trampoline seems ________.

A．passive	B．positive
C．indifferent	D．objective

3. The words “chickened out” (Paragraph 5) most probably mean “________”.

A．fell down	B．cried out
C．jumped up	D．backed out

4. Which would be the best title of the text?

A．Climbing over the Fence in the Snow

B．An Adventure in the Yard

C．Friendship Produces Pleasure

D．We Are Independent

3 . What If We Don’t Get Along?

Teachers want to get along with you and enjoy seeing you learn. But teachers and students sometimes have personality clashes（人格冲突）.     1     If you show your teacher that you want to make the situation better, he or she will probably do everything possible to make that happen. Take these steps if the problem seems difficult to solve:

1. Talk to an adult you trust, such as a parent, guidance counselor, or both.

2.     2     You may not feel immediately comfortable with your teachers, but that may change as you get to know one another.

3. If you’ve given it time, talk with your parents about what to do next. Lots of times, a meeting can be set up to discuss the problem.     3     Everyone’s goal should be to create trust and kindness.

Your relationship with your teachers is often your first chance to develop a “business relationship”. They are different from your family relationships and friendships, which are built on affection and love.     4     But they don’t necessarily need to be good friends or like each other a lot. They simply need to respect one another, be polite, and stay focused on the jobs at hand.

When you act this way, and remember that you’re not the only kid in the class, you are

helping your teacher.     5     Teachers also like it when students follow directions and when they learn and obey the rules of the classroom. For instance, there may be rules about listening when another student is talking, about taking turns, or about raising your hand when you want to say something or ask a question.

A．Give it time.

B．This can happen between any two people.

C．This may clear the air and make things better.

D．Your teacher is likely to notice this and appreciate it.

E．Therefore, those teachers rarely show respect towards their students.

F．A teacher cannot necessarily answer all the questions his students ask.

G．In a business relationship, both parties get something out of the relationship.

4 . Find Your Adventure at the Space and Aviation(航空) Center

If you’re looking for a unique adventure, the Space and Aviation Center (SAC) is the place to be. The Center offers programs designed to challenge and inspire with hands-on tasks and lots of fun.

More than 750,000 have graduated from SAC, with many seeking employment in engineering, aviation, education, medicine and a wide variety of other professions. They come to camp, wanting to know what it is like to be an astronaut or a pilot, and they leave with real-world applications for what they’re studying in the classroom.

For the trainees, the programs also offer a great way to earn merit badges(荣誉徽章). At Space Camp, trainees can earn their Space Exploration badge as they build and fire model rockets, learn about space tasks and try simulated(模拟) flying to space with the crew from all over the world. The Aviation Challenge program gives trainees the chance to earn their Aviation badge. They learn the principles of flight and test their operating skills in the cockpit(驾驶舱) of a variety of flight simulators. Trainees also get a good start on their Wilderness Survival badge as they learn about water- and land-survival through designed tasks and their search and rescue of ＂downed＂ pilot.

With all the programs, teamwork is key as trainees learn the importance of leadership and being part of a bigger task.

All this fun is available for ages 9 to 18. Families can enjoy the experience together, too, with Family Camp programs for families with children as young as 7.

Stay an hour or stay a week — there is something here for everyone!

For more details, please visit us online at www.sac.com.

1. Why do people come to SAC?

A．To experience adventures.

B．To look for jobs in aviation.

C．To get a degree in engineering.

D．To learn more about medicine.

2. To earn a Space Exploration badge, a trainee needs to           .

A．fly to space

B．get an Aviation badge first

C．study the principles of flight

D．build and fire model rockets

3. What is the most important for trainees?

A．Leadership.	B．Team spirit.
C．Task planning.	D．Survival skills.

5 . 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.

6 . Before there was the written word, there was the language of dance. Dance expresses love and hate, joy and sorrow, life and death, and everything else in between.

    1    We dance from Florida to Alaska, from north to south and sea to sea. We dance at weddings, birthdays, office parties and just to fill the time.

“I adore dancing,” says Lester Bridges, the owner of a dance studio in Iowa. “I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.” Bridges runs dance classes for all ages. “Teaching dance is wonderful.     2    It’s great to watch them. For many of them, it’s a way of meeting people and having a social life.”

    3    “I can tell you about one young couple,” says Bridges. “They’re learning to do traditional dances. They arrive at the class in low spirits and they leave with a smile.     4    ”

So, do we dance in order to make ourselves feel better, calmer, healthier? Andrea Hillier says, “Dance, like the pattern of a beating heart, is life. Even after all these years, I want to get better and better.    5     I find it hard to stop! Dancing reminds me I’m alive.”

A．So why do we dance?

B．Dance in the U.S. is everywhere.

C．If you like dancing outdoors, come to America.

D．My older students say it makes them feel young.

E．I keep practicing even when I’m extremely tired.

F．Dancing seems to change their feeling completely.

G．They stayed up all night long singing and dancing.

7 . While famous foreign architects are invited to lead the designs of landmark buildings in China such as the new CCTV tower and the National Center for the Performing Arts, many excellent Chinese architects are making great efforts to take the center stage.

Their efforts have been proven fruitful. Wang Shu, a 49-year-old Chinese architect, won the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize — which is often referred to as the Nobel Prize in architecture — on February 28. He is the first Chinese citizen to win this award.

Wang serves as head of the Architecture Department at the China Academy of Art (CAA). His office is located at the Xiangshan campus(校园) of the university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Many buildings on the campus are his original creations.

The style of the campus is quite different from that of most Chinese universities. Many visitors were amazed by the complex architectural space and abundant building types. The curves(曲线) of the buildings perfectly match the rise and fall of hills, forming a unique view.

Wang collected more than 7 million abandoned bricks of different ages. He asked the workers to use traditional techniques to make the bricks into walls, roofs and corridors. This creation attracted a lot of attention thanks to its mixture of modern and traditional Chinese elements(元素).

Wang’s works show a deep understanding of modern architecture and a good knowledge of traditions. Through such a balance, he had created a new type of Chinese architecture, said Tadao Ando, the winner of the 1995 Pritzker Prize.

Wang believes traditions should not be sealed in glass boxes at museums. "That is only evidence that traditions once existed," he said.

"Many Chinese people have a misunderstanding of traditions. They think tradition means old things from the past. In fact, tradition also refers to the things that have been developing and that are still being created, " he said.

"Today, many Chinese people are learning Western styles and theories rather than focusing on Chinese traditions. Many people tend to talk about traditions without knowing what they really are, " said Wang.

The study of traditions should be combined with practice. Otherwise, the recreation of traditions would be artificial and empty, he said.

1. Wang’s winning of the prize means that Chinese architects are ___________.

A．following the latest world trend

B．getting international recognition

C．working harder than ever before

D．relying on foreign architects

2. What impressed visitors to the CAA Xiangshan campus most?

A．Its hilly environment.

B．Its large size.

C．Its unique style.

D．Its diverse functions.

3. What made Wang’s architectural design a success?

A．The mixture of different shapes.

B．The balance of East and West.

C．The use of popular techniques.

D．The harmony of old and new.

4. What should we do about Chinese traditions according to Wang?

A．Spread them to the world.	B．Preserve them at museums.
C．Teach them in universities.	D．Recreate them in practice.

8 . Cities usually have a good reason for being where they are, like a nearby port or river. People settle in these places because they are easy to get to and naturally suited to communications and trade. New York City, for example, is near a large harbour at the mouth of the Hudson River. Over 300 years its population grew gradually from 800 people to 8 million. But not all cities develop slowly over a long period of time. Boom towns grow from nothing almost overnight. In 1896, Dawson, Canada, was unmapped wilderness(荒野). But gold was discovered there in 1897, and two years later, it was one of the largest cities in the West, with a population of 30,000.

Dawson did not have any of the natural conveniences of cities like London or Paris. People went there for gold. They travelled over snow-covered mountains and sailed hundreds of miles up icy rivers. The path to Dawson was covered with thirty feet of wet snow that could fall without warming. An avalanche(雪崩) once closed the path, killing 63 people. For many who made it to Dawson, however, the rewards were worth the difficult trip. Of the first 20,000 people who dug for gold, 4,000 got rich. About 100 of these stayed rich men for the rest of their lives.

But no matter how rich they were, Dawson was never comfortable. Necessities like food and wood were very expensive. But soon, the gold that Dawson depended on had all been found. The city was crowded with disappointed people with no interest in settling down, and when they heard there were new gold discoveries in Alaska, they left Dawson City as quickly as they had come. Today, people still come and go — to see where the Canadian gold rush happened. Tourism is now the chief industry of Dawson City — its present population is 762.

1. What attracted the early settlers to New York City?

A．Its business culture.

B．Its small population.

C．Its geographical position.

D．Its favourable climate.

2. What do we know about those who first dug for gold in Dawson?

A．Two-thirds of them stayed there.

B．One out of five people got rich.

C．Almost everyone gave up.

D．Half of them died.

3. What was the main reason for many people to leave Dawson?

A．They found the city too crowded.

B．They wanted to try their luck elsewhere.

C．They were unable to stand the winter.

D．They were short of food.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The rise and fall of a city.

B．The gold rush in Canada.

C．Journeys into the wilderness.

D．Tourism in Dawson.

9 . Welcome to Holker Hall & Gardens

Visitor Information
How to Get to Holker

By Car: Follow brown signs an A590 from JB6, M6. Approximate travel times: Windermere-20 minutes, Kendal-25 minutes, Lancaster-45 minutes, Manchester-1 hour 30 minutes.

By Rail: The nearest station is Cark-in-Cartmel with trains to Carnforth, Lancaster Preston for connections to major cities & airports.

Opening Times

Sunday-Friday (closed on Saturday)11:00 am-4:00pm,30 March-2nd November.

Admission Charges

	Hall & Gardens	Gardens
Adults:	£12.00	£8.00
Groups	£9	£5.5

Special Events

Producers: Market 13th April

Join us to taste a variety of fresh local food and drinks. Meet the producers and get some excellent recipe ideas.

Holker Garden Festival 30th May

The event celebrate its 22nd anniversary with a great show of the very best of gardening, making it one of the most popular events in gardening.

National Garden Day 28th August

Holker once again opens is gardens in aid of the disadvantaged. For just a small donation you can take a tour with our garden guide.

Winter Market 8th November

This is an event for all the family. Wander among a variety of shops selling gifs while enjoying a live music show and nice street entertainment.

1. How long does it probably take a tourist to drive to Holker from Manchester?

A．20 minutes.	B．25 minutes.
C．45 minutes.	D．90 minutes.

2. How much should a member of a tour group pay to visit to Hall & Cardens?

A．£12.00.	B．£9.00.
C．£8.0	D．£5.50

3. Which event will you go to if you want to see a live music show?

A．Producers’ Market.	B．Holker Garden Festival.
C．National Garden Day.	D．Winter Market.

10 . Moving into a new home in a new neighborhood is an exciting experience. Of course, you want to make sure that you become an acceptable and valuable part of your neighborhood   . the easiest way to accomplish this is to make sure you conduct yourself as a good neighbor should.     1    

Perhaps one of the most important things you can do as a good neighbor is to keep your property(房产) neat, clean, and in good repair.     2     By choosing to keep the outside of the home in great shape, you will help to improve the look and feel of the area.

Second, take the overall appearance of the neighborhood seriously,. When going for a walk. Take a small garbage bag.     3     This small act will let your neighbors know that you care about the area.

    4     If a neighbor is going to be out of town, offer to collect mail and newspapers. If a neighbor suffers an illness, offer to do the grocery shopping . Let them know you are there to help in any way this acceptable, while still respecting the privacy of your neighbor.

    5     By following the basic rules of respecting others, taking care of what belongs to you, and taking pride in the appearance of the neighborhood in general, you will quickly become a good neighbor that everyone appreciate.

A．In general, keep an eye on their property while they are gone.

B．A good neighbor is also one who likes to help out in small ways.

C．Being a good neighbor is more or less about considerate behavior.

D．Sometimes neighbors may go to the supermarket together to do shopping.

E．Should you come across waste paper thrown out of a passing car, pick it up.

F．People tend to lake pride in keeping everything in their street fresh and inviting.

G．Here are a few tips to help you win over everyone in the neighborhood quickly