3 . Are you looking for some movies? You’ve landed on the right place. Let’s take a look at the list I’ve collected.

A Beautiful Mind

A Beautiful Mind is the story of John Nash, a mathematician who went on to win the Nobel Prize for his Game Theory. This movie brings his whole journey on screen—from his beginning to his downhill ride.

The first half is all about his rise to fame while the second half shows how he slowly falls into madness. After many years of fighting, he finally is victorious.

I.Q.

The story is about an auto mechanic who falls for Albert Einstein’s niece. The only problem is that she is engaged (已订婚的) to someone else. Fortunately, Einstein likes him. The young man pretends to be a physicist to run after her, but things don’t go as he has planned.

If A Beautiful Mind was a little too heavy for you, I.Q. would be the perfect fit. It’s a light drama that is funny and heartwarming for the most part.

Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting is a touching tale of a troubled young man called Will Hunting who is gifted with a natural talent in mathematics.

However, he is struggling to find his identity. He can solve any math problem, but not the one he seems to be struggling within his life. His life seems to be getting only worse until one day he meets Sean, a therapist, who helps him find direction in life.

Creation

Creation is a story of a famous scientist, Charles Darwin, best known for his Theory of Evolution. This movie attempts to bring his struggling days into focus, the time when he was dealing with the loss of his daughter and was suffering from hallucinations (幻觉). At the same time, he was working on a book called On the Origins of Species, which he finally completed.

All in all, Creation is a great historical drama.

1. If you are interested in a relaxing movie, which one can you see?

A．I.Q

B．Creation

C．A Beautiful Mind

D．Good Will Hunting

2. Who are experts in mathematics?

A．Will Hunting and Sean.	B．John Nash and Will Hunting.
C．Charles Darwin and Sean.	D．John Nash and Charles Darwin.

3. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To introduce movies.	B．To promote science.
C．To recommend actors.	D．To compare movies.

4 . Top Silk Road Attractions

Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑)

Type: History Museums, Historic Sites

Recommended Length of Visit: 3 hours

As the eighth wonder of the ancient world, it has a history of more than 2, 200 years. Oriental mummies (东方木乃伊) wait for you to discover their mystery.

Mogao Grottoes (莫高窟)

Type: Buddhism, Historic Sites

Recommended Length of Visit: 3 hours

Considered as the eastern Louvre Museum, Mogao Grottoes is a glorious treasure of ancient Buddhist cave art. The history of Mogao Grottoes can be traced back to the “Five Hu — 16Kingdoms” period (AD 304-439).

Big Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔)

Type: Culture & History, Buddhism

Recommended Length of Visit: 2 hours

For hundreds of years, this great pagoda has always been the symbol of Xi’an. It is famous for the great traveler Xuanzang of Tang Dynasty who traveled from China to India to learn the Buddhism and got back to China with many precious Buddhist scriptures (佛经).

Qinghai Lake

Type: Lake

Recommended Length of Visit: 5 hours

Known as the largest inland lake, as well as the largest salt water lake in China, it is the most visited and famous attraction in Qinghai Province. Here, you not only enjoy the fantastic natural beauty, but also experience the amazing culture here.

Please click here to add the attraction to your favorite list. Let us plan a private Silk Road Tour for you!

1. What do Mogao Grottoes and Big Wild Goose Pagoda have in common?

A．Both contain ancient Buddhist cave art.

B．Both are related to history and Buddhism.

C．Both are known as the symbol of Xi’an.

D．Both were constructed during the Tang Dynasty.

2. Which of the following provides tourists with breathtaking natural scenery?

A．Terracotta Warriors.	B．Mogao Grottoes.
C．Big Wild Goose Pagoda.	D．Qinghai Lake.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A novel.	B．A storybook.
C．A website.	D．A magazine.

5 . By now, we are all aware that social media has had a tremendous influence on our culture, in business, on the world-at-large. Social media websites revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. However, aside from seeing your friend’s new baby on Facebook, or reading about Justin Bieber’s latest conflict with the law on Twitter, what are some of the real influences?

Social networks offer the opportunity for people to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, share ideas and pictures, and many other activities. Users can keep pace with the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choices. Professionals use social media sites like LinkedIn to enhance their career and business development. Students can work together with their peers to improve their academic and communication skills.

Unfortunately, there are a few downsides too to social networking. If you are not careful, immoral people can target you for cyber bullying and disturbance on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall victim to online attacks which can create tension and suffering. If you are a victim of cyber bullying, do not take it lying down, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker.

Many companies have blocked social networks as addicted employees can distract themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work. In fact, studies show that British companies have lost billions of dollars per year in productivity because of social media addiction among employees.

Also, what you carelessly post on the Internet can come back to trouble you. Revealing (泄露) personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable (易受伤害的) to crimes like identity theft, stalking, etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Internet before hiring an employee. If a potential employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can greatly affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks.

Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as each coin has two sides. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to enhance their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to online dangers.

1. Paragraph 2 mainly shows that social networks ________.

A．help students finish their homework	B．offer professionals good chances
C．benefit users in various ways	D．guide users to make right choices

2. Faced with problems caused by social media, some companies ________.

A．forbid the use of social networks during work time

B．avoid posting embarrassing information

C．refuse to hire potential addicted employees

D．take legal action against the attackers

3. The main purpose of this passage is to ________.

A．share experiences in using social media	B．remind people to wisely use social media
C．provide some advice on social problems	D．raise public awareness of social problems

4. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?

A．	B．
C．	D．

6 . What’s On?

Electric Underground

7.30pm－1.00am   Free at the Cyclops Theatre

Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract? If so, come early to the talk at 7.30 pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce your music.

Gee Whizz

8.30pm-10.30pm   Comedy (喜剧)at Kaleidoscope

Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7.00pm for drinks and snacks(快餐).

Simon’s Workshop

5.00pm-7.30pm   Wednesdays at Victoria Stage

This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.

Charlotte Stone

8.00pm-11.00pm     Pizza World

Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta(面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.

1. Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?

A．Jules Skye.

B．Gee Whizz.

C．Charlotte Stone.

D．James Pickering.

2. At which place can people of different ages enjoy a good laugh?

A．The Cyclops Theatre

B．Kaleidoscope

C．Victoria Stage

D．Pizza World

3. What do we know about Simon’s Workshop?

A．It requires membership card.	B．It lasts three hours each time.
C．It is run by a comedy club.	D．It is held every Wednesday.

4. When will Charlotte Stone perform her songs?

A．5.00pm-7.30pm.

B．7.30pm－1.00am.

C．8.00pm-11.00pm.

D．8.30pm-10.30pm.

7 . Traveling on an airplane can be a very tiring task even in the best of conditions, Sophie Murphy noticed an awful tension on a recent flight from Sydney to Melbourne. She first thought it was caused by typical bad-tempered passengers. But as the flight neared its end, it became obvious that something was very wrong.

A teenage boy with Down syndrome (唐氏综合症) who was traveling with his family had become upset and would not return to his seat, regardless of the cabin crew’s warnings over the loudspeaker that it was almost time to land. The pilot was forced to circle above the airport, delaying the landing—and angering people on the already tense flight.

As the boy’s elderly parents failed to persuade him to get off the floor and back into his seat, Murphy, who had been a teacher for more than 20 years, stood up and quickly headed to the back of the plane.

She found the boy in the passage between rows of seats, lying on his belly. She began chatting calmly with him, asking his name, his favorite book, and his favorite characters. He told her he felt sick and she tried to comfort him.

Minutes later, he allowed her to hold his hand—and then together they got properly back into airplane seats. Murphy asked for sick bags, and held them as the boy threw up several times. As she helped him clean up, she repeatedly told him everything would be okay and that they’d get through it together.

After the plane was finally able to land, no one was impatient to step off the flight as one might expect. Instead, calmed passengers—obviously following Murphy’s amazing example—allowed the boy and his family to depart first, smiling at them as they passed. His parents tearfully thanked Murphy for what she had done, and a doctor sitting nearby also let her know he had even taken notes on her expert way of handling the situation.

1. Why was the landing delayed?

A．Because a family ignored the warnings.

B．Because a boy refused to sit in his seat.

C．Because smoke was coming out of the engine.

D．Because the pilot had to change the destination.

2. Murphy successfully handled the “awful tension” by _______.

A．fighting against unfair treatment

B．calling on other passengers to join her

C．communicating with the boy

D．asking an experienced doctor to help

3. What changed the angry passengers’ attitude at last?

A．The teacher’s efforts.	B．The plane’s safe landing.
C．The crew’s behavior.	D．The boy’s improvement.

4. Which of the following words can best describe Murphy?

A．Generous and careful.	B．Patient and energetic.
C．Wise and honest.	D．Kind and cool-headed.

8 . Benefits of Sports

Doing sports is a physical, mental and social adventure. It’s a great way for children to take a break from studies and release extra energy. It also helps them lead fuller and happier lives as regular sports have proven beneficial to overall well-being.

The physical benefits of doing sports are probably the most obvious. Regardless of your fitness level when you start playing sports, you’ll notice an increase in your overall fitness once you’re involved.     1     Basketball players focus on strength training; football players work on speed while track athletes train through longer runs. The training process helps promote physical fitness and performances in competitions.

    2     Playing sports also contributes to mental health, helping to increase confidence and self-worth. A pat on the back, a high five from a teammate, or a handshake after a match really boosts a child’s confidence. Words of praise and encouragement from the coach, parents and other players raise self-worth.     3     So after a game, it’s a better idea to ask “Did you enjoy the game?” rather than “Did you win?”

Children who participate in sports might also benefit from the social aspect, feeling part of a group, building up responsibility and leadership.     4     Teamwork involves both being dependable as a teammate and learning to rely on your teammates to achieve a positive outcome. Teamwork breeds responsibility and challenges you to be responsible for your actions. Being part of a team gives you an opportunity to be a leader.

Discipline is another social advantage. Most organized sports require a strict training and practice schedule. As a student-athlete, you need to balance studies and athletics.     5    

There is no shortage of reasons to find a sport to get involved in. Are you ready to go? Pick one and get moving!

A．It’s not just your body that benefits from sports.

B．Therefore, playing sports is going to make you more fit.

C．But remember, a child’s self-worth should not be distinguished by victory or loss.

D．If you play group sports, you’ll be part of a team that takes direction from a coach.

E．Nearly every sport requires physical activities and the competitive skills.

F．Among these, learning how to function as part of a team is the most important advantage.

G．Only with strict discipline can you be successful both in the classroom and in the sports field.

9 . Bertie knew there was something in the wind. His mother had been sad in recent days, not sick, just strangely sad. The lion had just lain down beside him, his head warm on Bertie’s feet, when Father cleared his throat and began, “You’ll soon be eight, Bertie. A boy needs a proper education. We’ve found the right place for you, a school near Salisbury in England.”

His heart filled with a terrible fear, all Bertie could think of was his white lion. “But the lion,” he cried, “What about the lion?”

“I’m afraid there’s something else I have to tell you,” his father said. Looking across at Bertie’s mother, he took a deep breath. Then he told Bertie he had met a circus owner from France, who was over in Africa looking for lions to buy. He would come to their farm in a few days.

“No! You can’t send him to a circus!” said Bertie. “He’ll be shut up behind bars. I promised him he never would be. And they will come to see him and laugh at him. He’d rather die. Any animal would!” But as he looked across the table at them, he knew their minds were quite made up.

Bertie felt completely betrayed. He waited until he heard his father’s deep breathing next door. With his white lion at his heels, he crept downstairs in his pyjamas, took down his father’s rifle from the rack and stepped out into the night. He ran and ran till his legs could run no more. As the sun came up over the grassland, he climbed to the top of a hill and sat down, his arms round the lion’s neck. The time had come. “Be wild now,” he whispered. “You’ve got to be wild. Don’t ever come home. All my life I’ll think of you, I promise I will.” He buried his head in the lion’s neck. Then, Bertie clambered down off the hill and walked away.

When he looked back, the lion was still sitting there watching him; but then he stood up, yawned, stretched, and sprang down after him. Bertie shouted at him, but he kept coming. He threw sticks. He threw stones. Nothing worked.

There was only one thing left to do. Tears filling his eyes and his mouth, he lifted the rifle to his shoulder and fired over the lion’s head.

1. Bertie’s mother was sad probably because she________.

A．had lied about her good health condition	B．had decided to send Bertie to a new school
C．knew selling the lion would upset Bertie	D．knew Bertie would hate to go to England

2. The underlined word “they” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to________.

A．some audience

B．other animals

C．Bertie’s friends

D．circus’s owners

3. In the last paragraph, the boy lifted the rifle at the lion to________.

A．kill the lion out of helplessness	B．protect himself from being chased
C．threaten the lion back to the wild	D．show his anger towards his father

4. The passage intends to show that________.

A．circuses are the last places for animals to live

B．animals belonging to the wild should be set free

C．parents are sometimes cruel to their children

D．people and animals can be faithful to each other

10 . My teacher held up a piece of broken glass and asked, “Who broke this window?”

Thirty boys tried to think about not only what they had done, but also what the teacher might have found out. She seldom became angry, but she was this time.

“Oh,” I thought. I was the one who broke the window. It was caused by a naughty throw of a baseball. If I admitted guilt, I would be in a lot of trouble. How would I be able to pay for a big window like that? I didn’t even get an allowance. “My father is going to have a fit as a result of it,” I thought. I didn’t want to raise my hand, but some force much stronger than I was pulled it skyward (朝向天空). I told the truth, “I did it.” It was hard enough to say what I had done.

My teacher took down a book from one of our library shelves and I had never known my teacher to strike a student, but I feared she was going to start with me.

“I know how much you like birds,” she said as she stood looking down at my guilt-ridden face. “Here is the field guide about birds that you are constantly checking out. It is yours now. It’s time we got a new one for the school anyway. You will not be punished, but remember that I am not rewarding you for your misdeed (恶行), but I am rewarding you for your truthfulness.”

I couldn’t believe it! I wasn’t being punished and I was getting my own bird field guide — the very one that I had been saving up money to buy.

The lesson my teacher taught me stays with me every day, and it will echo forever.

1. From the story, we can learn that the boy             .

A．didn’t break the window on purpose

B．lacked the courage to admit his guilt

C．tried to think about what he had done

D．didn’t know what the teacher had found out

2. If the boy admitted guilt, he thought he would NOT           .

A．be punished by the teacher

B．make his father angry

C．pay for the broken window

D．get a bird field guide

3. Which of the following best describes the changes in the boy’s feelings?

A．Afraid—Surprised—Thankful.

B．Frightened—Amazed—Proud.

C．Regretful—Guilty—Excited.

D．Nervous—Afraid—Satisfied.

4. What is the lesson the boy’s teacher taught him?

A．Every coin has two sides.

B．Honesty is always valued.

C．Bad luck never comes alone.

D．You can’t be too careful.