1 . There is no shortage of tipsters (提供内幕的人) around offering 'get rich-quick' opportunities. But if you are a serious private investor, leave the Las Vegas mentality to those with money to fritter(挥霍) .The serious investor needs a proper 'portfolio' - a well-planned selection of investments, with a definite structure and a clear aim. But exactly how does a newcomer to the stock market go about achieving that?

Well, if you go to five reputable stock brokers (经纪人) and ask them what you should do with your money, you're likely to get five different answers, --- even if you give all the relevant information about your age, family, finances and what you want from your investments. Moral? There is no one 'right' way to structure a portfolio. However, there are undoubtedly some wrong ways, and you can be sure that none of our five advisers would have suggested sinking all (or perhaps any) of your money into a fictitious company.

So what should you do? We'll assume that you have sorted out the basics - like mortgages, pensions, insurance and access to sufficient cash reserves. You should then establish your own individual aims. These are partly a matter of personal circumstances, partly a matter of psychology.

For instance, if you are older you have less time to recover from any major losses, and you may well wish to boost your pension income. So preserving your capital and generating extra income are your main priorities. In this case, you'd probably construct a portfolio with some shares (but not high risk ones), along with bonds, cash deposits, and perhaps convertibles or the income shares of split capital investment trusts.

If you are younger, and in a solid financial position, you may decide to take an aggressive approach - but only if you're blessed with an optimistic personality and won't suffer sleepless nights over share prices. If you recognize yourself in this description, you might include a couple of exciting growth stocks in your portfolio, alongside your more pedestrian investments. Once you have decided on your investment aims, you can then decide where to put your money. The golden rule here is spread your risk - if you put all of your money into a fictitious company, you're setting yourself up as a hostage to fortune.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the first paragraph?

A．Las Vegas mentality only belongs to rich people.

B．There are many short- cuts to becoming rich.

C．A newcomer with a proper portfolio can invest.

D．A well-planned selection is needed for serious investors.

2. Which of the following is INCORRECT according to the last two paragraphs in the passage?

A．Older people should take a moderate approach in investment.

B．The main priority for older people is to take aggressive shares.

C．Younger people may adopt an aggressive approach in investment.

D．Younger people can be comparatively more positive towards loss.

3. What does the phrase “a hostage to fortune” in the last paragraph mean?

A．A man lucky enough to have a lot of money.

B．An unlucky man for the loss of money.

C．A wise and fortunate man for the investment.

D．A risk spreader to a very large extent.

2 . One hundred years ago, “Colored” was the typical way of referring to Americans of African descent. Twenty years later, it was purposefully dropped to make way for “Negro”. By the late 1960s, that term was overtaken by “Black”. And then, at a press conference in Chicago in 1988, Jesse Jackson declared that “African American” was the term to welcome. This one was chosen because it echoed the labels of groups, such as “Italian Americans” and “Irish Americans”, that had already been freed of widespread discrimination.

A century's worth of calculated name changes point to the fact that naming any group is a politically freighted exercise. A 2001 study cataloged all the ways in which the term “Black” carried connotations (涵义) that were more negative than those of “African American”.

But if it was known that “Black” people were viewed differently from “African Americans”, researchers, until now, hadn't identified what that gap in perception came from. A recent study, conducted by Emory University's Erika Hall, found that “Black” people are viewed more negatively than “African Americans” because of a perceived difference in socioeconomic status. As a result, “Black” people are thought of as less competent and as having colder personalities.

The study's most striking findings shed light on the racial discriminations permeating the professional world. Even seemingly harmless details on a CV, it appears, can tap into recruiters' (招聘人员) discriminations. A job application might mention affiliations (关系) with groups such as the “Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers” or the “National Black Employees Association”, the names of which apparently have consequences, and are also beyond their members' control.

In one of the study's experiments, subjects were given a brief description of a man from Chicago with the last name Williams. To one group, he was identified as “African-American”, and another was told he was “Black”. With little else to go on, they were asked to estimate Mr Williams' salary, professional standing, and educational background.

The “African-American” group estimated that he earned about $37,000 a year and had a two-year college degree. The “Black” group, on the other hand, put his salary at about S29,000, and guessed that he had only “some” college experience. Nearly three-quarters of the first group guessed that Mr Williams worked at a managerial level, while only 38.5 percent of the second group thought

Hall's findings suggest there's an argument to be made for electing to use “African American”, though one can't help out get the sense that it's a decision that papers over (掩盖) the urgency of continued progress. Perhaps a new phrase is needed, one that can bring everyone one big step closer to realizing Du Bois' original, idealistic hope: “It's not the name - it's the Thing that counts.”

1. Why did Jesse Jackson embrace the term “African American” for people of African descent?

A．It is free from racial biases.

B．It represents social progress.

C．It is in the interest of common Americans.

D．It follows the standard naming practice.

2. What do Erika Hall's findings indicate?

A．Most recruiters are unable to control their racial biases.

B．Racial biases are widespread in the professional world.

C．Many applicants don't attend to details on their resumes.

D．Job seekers should all be careful about their affiliations.

3. What does Erika Hall find in her experiment about a man with the last name Williams?

A．African Americans fare better than many other ethnic groups.

B．Black people's socioeconomic status in America remains low.

C．People's conception of a person has much to do with the way he or she is labeled.

D．One's professional standing and income are related to their educational background.

4. What is Dr. Du Bois's ideal?

A．All Americans enjoy equal rights.

B．A person is judged by their worth.

C．A new term is created to address African Americans.

D．All ethnic groups share the nation's continued progress.

3 . Benedict Cumber-batch is not exactly conventionally handsome. However, in recent years, Cumber -batch has frequently been listed among the list of “World's Sexiest Faces”, a compliment that Cumber-batch himself finds _________, “I've grown up with his face and it's been in the industry for ten years and now it's getting on these hottie lists - it doesn't make any sense, because I am nowhere near the thousandth hottest face. So I know a lot of it is projection, which is a(n) _________ for the work I suppose”. Although he is “self-deprecating, ” he revealed _________ that could not be concealed from his words. Cumber-batch said frankly he was very happy to receive so much _________ for his looks. “I don't know anyone on earth who doesn't,” he replied.

However, the path of acting was not _________ with flowers and applause at first. It was not until 2010 that audience worldwide got to know him. Cumber-batch was praised for his vivid image of Sherlock Holmes that he successfully shaped, for which he _________ many awards locally and globally.

The difference between one's success and failure often depends on whether he dares to face up to his own _________ . In his respect, Cumber-batch does do a better job than most. FAcing all sorts of tricky questions from the media and the Internet, he can always step outside of himself, _________ himself from a fresh perspective, and then give people the intelligent and _________   answer. Cumber-batch said that he was accustomed to self-criticism, so it was not difficult for him to accept the __________ of others. Perhaps such way of thinking is exactly why he has the flexibility to play such __________ characters.

Despite the success, Cumber-batch is __________ about it all. “The __________ thing is amazing, but it won't carry on forever, and I want my work to carry on forever, ” he said. “I really, really love my job. ” For him, acting is a(n) __________ career. Now, Cumber-batch still remembers his “beginner's mind” at the critical point of his career. Although he played a lot of heroes, for Cumber-batch those are just __________. “I never forget that I'm mortal,” he said at last.

1.

A．amusing

B．convincing

C．confusing

D．appealing

2.

A．praise

B．judgement

C．inspiration

D．issue

3.

A．confirmation

B．confidence

C．suspicion

D．confession

4.

A．recognition

B．admission

C．congratulation

D．contribution

5.

A．littered

B．crowded

C．paved

D．jammed

6.

A．pocketed

B．grabbed

C．expected

D．boasted

7.

A．accomplishments

B．criticisms

C．advantage

D．shortcomings

8.

A．examine

B．reflect

C．inspect

D．criticize

9.

A．relevant

B．aggressive

C．appropriate

D．considerate

10.

A．obligation

B．negative

C．sympathy

D．timidity

11.

A．leading

B．various

C．distinct

D．heroic

12.

A．desperate

B．cautious

C．rational

D．doubtful

13.

A．admiration

B．acting

C．performance

D．outlook

14.

A．specific

B．lifelong

C．entertaining

D．temporary

15.

A．dreams

B．roles

C．fantasies

D．blessings

4 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. spoiled       B. inheritance       C. assumed       D. undisturbed       E. economically F. guardians       G. instability       H. longing       I. practically       J. coincidence       K. fascinated

In the British Museum on a Sunday afternoon, ancient faces look back at children and adults alike. Inside their glass cases, pharaohs (法老) and priests are     1     by the crowds. And crowds there always are, for these are painted coffins and carved masks of ancient Egyptians, relics (文物) of a culture that has     2     the world for thousands of years.

Ancient civilization is part of the world's heritage, and in recent times it seemed nothing could seriously threaten that     3    .Tourists visited such sites as Giza in Egypt and Olympia in Greece safe in the     4     knowledge that we were seeing wonders that would always be available to admire.

Yet the     5     of the world in 2012 is a threat to the apparently peaceful monuments of antiquity (古董) . In Greece, anxiety and alienation (疏远) as the weakest economy on the euro-zone faces terrible pressure to transform its way of life and a troubling reflection at Olympia last week, where a museum of the ancient Greek games was attacked by thieves. Perhaps this was     6    , but it is the second recent museum robbery in Greece.

Meanwhile in Egypt, tourism levels have decreased since the revolution, and hotels are half-empty.

This is where the word “tourism” becomes in itself harmful. People who visit Egypt to see ancient art are certainly tourists, in the country that was at the heart of the very idea of modern tourism. But this word has unfairly come to imply a selfish, shallow form of consumer spending,     7     valuable to poor countries but irrelevant to the higher concerns of national self-determination and democratic change.

To reduce the problems of the Egyptian tourists industry to these cold terms is wrong. Many people visit Egypt with a passionate     8     to gaze on the eyes of Tutankhamun and stand at the foot of the Great Pyramid. More     9    , the money from tourism helps keep Egyptian sites and museums going. To say these places are only of interest to “tourism” would be tragic and miserable.

Both Greece and Egypt are     10     of sites and objects of the highest importance to the entire world, if we shrug and write off (注销、报废) antiquity as the stuff of tourism and scholarship, “irrelevant” to these extraordinary times, we are already well on the way to barbarism (野蛮).

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Countries are beginning to emerge from economic lockdown. As they do, the statistics show     1     different parts of the population have been affected by the pandemic. And the evidence is clear that the virus has widened divides between professionals, low-paid workers and the young.

    2     (start) with the most fortunate. Many professionals can easily work at home, replacing one-to-one meetings with phone calls and group meetings with Zoom gatherings or Google hangouts. These “Zoomers” are mostly working on full pay and     3     (spare) the daily commute. For them, the lockdown may be an inconvenience (particularly if they have children) but it is not a threat to their standards of living.

For many others, however, the pandemic is a serious threat. Some are key workers, who     4     attend their jobs and are at more risk from the virus. Others cannot work from home and have either lost their jobs or seen their incomes cut,     5     help from government schemes. Many in this group were already in a weaker position than the Zoomers, because they were in jobs with lower wages or less security.

A further clue to the loss on the low-paid came from the latest American non-farm payroll figures,     6     findings showed that average hourly earnings rose by 4.7% in April, the biggest monthly gain on record. That sounds like good news but isn't. It is the result of low-wage workers losing jobs in sectors like hospitality. The same trend can be seen in Britain, where the average wage of those in shut- down sectors is less than half of     7     working at home, according to the Resolution Foundation.

The mortality rates make even grimmer news. The low-paid (and ethnic minorities) have suffered most. Figures from Britain's Office for National Statistics showed that death rates of security guards, care workers and bus drivers were much higher than average,     8     those in “professional occupations” had death rates well below the mean.

Another great divide is between those already established in the workforce and Generation Z-those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s who are now coming of age. They are entering a job market extremely hostile (有敌意的) to their prospects. Around 30% of British employees     9     (age) under 25 worked in one of the shut-down sectors, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, another think -tank, compared with 13% of those aged over 25.

The short-term shock of the pandemic will leave long-term scars. The Resolution Foundation estimates that the pandemic means those emerging from education this year will be     10     (likely) to have jobs within three years' time. The likelihood of being in employment would fall by 13% for graduates and 37% for those with the fewest qualifications.

6 . Traveling with small children has a lot of challenges. From the near constant complaining about being uncomfortable and thirsty to the never-ending need to see every bathroom along the way. it is a wonder that anyone survives. But. everyone does it because family holidays are fun. They are supposed to be fun right?

Too often what could be great memories are overshadowed by the stress of just keeping the kids from killing each other. I am not going to tell you that I can make a long car or plane trip pleasant or instruct you to happily sing songs in the front seat to spread your joy around. That is all crazy talk. What you can do is try a few things that might make the portion of your holiday you spend confined in a small space with your offspring bearable.

Load your Phone. Before you leave, go the app store and load up your iPhone with kid' games. There are a ton of tree games that will keep your kids busy for hours. Even if you have to spend $ 1.99, it's worth it. As a backup. toss a couple movies on there too. I am telling you, the thrill of even holding a parents' phone is a thrill for kid: having it loaded with activities is even better. By the way, bring headphones unless you like hearing the Sponge-Bob game lyrics for hours.

Make surprise bags for the children. Take little brown bags or whatever is handy and put in a little inexpensive toy or game, stickers, a little coloring book and crayons. Make one for each hour you will be in the car or plane and pass them out accordingly. Hopefully, it will keep them occupied for about twenty minutes of each hour.

The most important of all travel tips is to take it easy on yourself. The more upset you get, the worse your child will behave. They sense stress and it gets them stressed out too. Finally, and this is really important, w hen you arrive at your destination pour yourself a big glass of wine. You earned it.

1. Why is travelling with children a headache to parents?

A．Because children get along badly with their parents.

B．Because children are active and restless during travelling.

C．Because children make a lot of trouble on purpose.

D．Because there are many activities children can't attend.

2. The second paragraph mainly tells parents that ______.

A．with enough preparations. they will definitely enjoy their travelling

B．they should lend an ear and share happiness with your children

C．they can do something to make the trip as tolerable as possible

D．they should stop young children from talking nonsense

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a travel tip?

A．Prepare some little surprises.

B．Download Games apps in advance.

C．Bring some crayons and colored pencils.

D．Try to have them join in your conversation.

4. The best title for this passage is ______.

A．How to travel with children

B．How to make your children happy

C．How to make your travel unforgettable

D．How to drive away boredom during the trip

7 . Australians have long been known for having a relaxed and casual attitude to life. According to Dr. Tanya King, senior lecturer from Victoria's Deakin University. "It's Australians' egalitarianism ,sense of humor and informal language that are most commonly mentioned as examples of this attitude. "

Egalitarianism roots in the way that the nation was built. In Australia's founding car in the late 1700s, criminal settlers were often cruelly treated and robbed of their basic human rights by governors. The criminal class. who were mostly working-class Brits and Irish. was unable to seek civic positions that were reserved for immigrants w ho were not the criminal, with the latter arguing that if criminals gained equal rights it would be "rewarding criminality ". Because of this, an egalitarian spirit was worn as a symbol of honor by many criminal settlers. They may not have had power, education or wealth. but they had a shared belief in equality.

The informal way Australians use language is also believed to root in criminal times. Philologist Sidney Baker once wrote that "no other class would have a better talent for creating new terms to fit in with their new conditions in life. " Cockney rhyming slang brought over by the British working class was abbreviated even further - so " have a Captains Cook"（have a look）. became "ava captains". This same practice was used to economize ordinary clauses. Words like "good day" became "g' day". and barbecue was "barbie".

The tough conditions of settler times also played a part in Australians' dry self-criticizing and sarcastic（讽刺的） sense of humor. While in many countries it's considered poor taste to find humor in difficult circumstances. Australians lend to look at the lighter side. On one road trip, as I hit the stale line and entered Victoria. I drove past some blackened trees, the leftovers of a recent bush-fire. A road sign warning drivers about wildlife was half-melted and bent, but the shape of a hopping kangaroo was still distinct. Behind the figure, someone had drawn flames making it look as though the animal's tail was on fire. I couldn't help but laugh - it was a brilliant reminder of the country's "nothing upsets us" and anti-authoritarian attitude.

And one thing you can't help but notice when driving around Australia is the country's plentiful amounts of space. This. along with considerable leisure time plus favorable climate, all contributes to Australian's relaxed attitude.

1. The underlined word "egalitarianism" is closest to ______ in meaning.

A．criminality

B．cruelty

C．equality

D．governmentalism

2. Which of the following is feature of the way Australians use language?

A．They use more slangs than other people.

B．They give new meaning to existent words.

C．They favor shortened forms of expressions.

D．They coin terms in memory of criminal times.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A．Kangaroos' living conditions are getting tougher.

B．Forest fires threatened Australian's life to a great extent.

C．Potential danger is here and there on the roads in Victoria.

D．Australians' jokes may not be as careless as they seem on the surface.

4. The passage mainly talks about ______.

A．how the late 1700s impacted Australia

B．why Australians enjoy casual life so much

C．what contributes to Australians' relaxed lifestyle

D．how Australians present their attitude towards life

8 . A macular hole, a hole at the most crucial part of the retina brought Bonny Huang who is from Hong Kong to the Singapore National Eye Centre for treatment. The retina is the light sensing nerve tissue at the back of the eye. In no time the potentially blinding condition was treated and his vision is now restored.

"In April 2008, I noticed straight lines started to become distorted, and white patch appeared in the centre of my vision. I went to the Singapore National Eye Centre immediately. The ophthalmologist, a medical doctor who specializes in eye care and surgery, found a central macular hole in my left eye."

The treatment of this condition involves delicate judgment dependent on the experience of the doctor. The success of the recovery, however, relies largely on the face- down posture by the patient.

"The Ophthalmologist explained to me the operational procedures, and taught me how to comply with the post- surgery face- down posture. The best part is that when I forgot some of the key points he told me, he showed no sign of resentment but instead comforted me not to worry before he went through the points again. I underwent an operation which lasted for only one hour, and maintained a face- down posture for three weeks. The result was very successful."

"I once consulted my Ophthalmologist during his lunch time, and he attended to me without finishing his lunch. His understanding and concern shown towards his patients can be scarcely found in other medical centres. I am very pleased to have received timely treatment in Singapore National Eye Centre where the doctors care about their patients."

50 senior and experienced eye surgeons, total staff strength of 460 Ultra- modern facility with state- of- the- art technology and equipment Quality assurance programme backed by 100% clinical audit of outcomes High impact research teams leading to latest treatment strategies Multi- expert approach to treatment of complex eye conditions 250,000 outpatient visits, 14,000 major eye surgeries, 13,000 laser procedures annually Singapore National Eye Centre 11 Third Hospital Avenue, Singapore 168751, International Patient Service 24- hour Hotline: 65-6100- 9393 E-mail: ips@snec.com.sg or visit www.snec.com.sg

1. According to this passage, the Eye Centre is _______.

A．a charity organization helping people solve their eye problems

B．an institute focusing on eye-treatment research

C．a hospital specializing in eye-problem treatment and research

D．an international institute treating people's diseases

2. Mr. Huang's case in the advertisement is intended to _______.

A．give people advice on how to find good doctors to treat eye diseases

B．assure people of high quality of SNEC

C．explain the consequences of neglecting eye problems

D．tell foreigners they are welcome to SNEC

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE of SNEC?

A．Patients outside Singapore can call SNEC on work days.

B．Latest treatment strategies result from multi- expert approach to treatment of eye diseases.

C．High impact research teams are invited to deal with complex conditions.

D．Low impact research teams are invited to deal with simple conditions.

9 . Rome can be pricey for travelers, which is why many choose to stay in a hostel (旅社). The hostels in Rome offer a bed in a dorm room for around $25 a night, and for that, you’ll often get to stay in a central location (位置) with security and comfort.

Yellow Hostel

If I had to make just one recommendation for where to stay in Rome, it would be Yellow Hostel. It’s one of the best-rated hostels in the city, and for good reason. It’s affordable, and it’s got a fun atmosphere without being too noisy. As an added bonus, it’s close to the main train station.

Hostel Alessandro Palace

If you love social hostels, this is the best hostel for you in Rome. Hostel Alessandro Palace is fun. Staff members hold plenty of bar events for guests like free shots, bar crawls and karaoke. There’s also an area on the rooftop for hanging out with other travelers during the summer.

Youth Station Hostel

If you’re looking for cleanliness and a modern hostel, look no further than Youth Station. It offers beautiful furnishings and beds. There are plenty of other benefits, too; it doesn’t charge city tax; it has both air conditioning and a heater for the rooms; it also has free Wi-Fi in every room.

Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes

Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes is located just a 10-minute walk from the central city station and it’s close to all of the city’s main attractions. The staff is friendly and helpful, providing you with a map of the city when you arrive, and offering advice if you require some. However, you need to pay 2 euros a day for Wi-Fi.

1. What is probably the major concern of travelers who choose to stay in a hostel?

A．Comfort.	B．Security.
C．Price.	D．Location.

2. Which hotel best suits people who enjoy an active social life?

A．Yellow Hostel.	B．Hostel Alessandro Palace.
C．Youth Station Hostel.	D．Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes.

3. What is the disadvantage of Hotel and Hostel Des Artistes?

A．It gets noisy at night.	B．Its staff is too talkative.
C．It charges for Wi-Fi.	D．It’s inconveniently located.