1 . When I tried out for the football team during the summer before 9th grade, I never imagined how important this sport would become in my life. Football is a _____ sport, at times almost painful, and practices really _____ a team’s physical and mental limits. Without trust in my own ability and a strong sense of commitment, I would never have managed to continue after years of hard work as a player, and with countless _____.

In the first year, I played on the defensive line. This was an amazing _____ that gave me a great sense of achievement. But in the last game of the season, I was seriously injured. I was prohibited from any physical activities for six months. After going _____ a series of physical treatments, I returned to the field as a team captain. I practiced harder than ever to make up for my _____ time.

In September, during my junior year, my name was mentioned in the local newspaper as the key defensive lineman on the team. After playing a fantastic season, I was given the _____ of the Most Valuable Player.

_____, my skills in football do not magically extend to other sports. During the winter break, I went on a snowboarding trip and seriously injured my right shoulder. I had to have four _____. Since I could not use my right arm for two months, I had to learn how to write and eat using my left hand.

______ life must go on. I knew that my own present efforts would decide my future, so I ______ the strict training program to build up strength and improve flexibility in my ______. After an eight-month recovery, I was back to the field playing football, the sport I ______.

In this sense, the world of football has taught me an important life lesson: ______ and commitment make what seems impossible ______. This lesson from football is the one that can be applied to every part of life.

1.

A．tough

B．popular

C．typical

D．dynamic

2.

A．set

B．control

C．test

D．require

3.

A．mistakes

B．adventures

C．accidents

D．injuries

4.

A．performance

B．position

C．moment

D．advantage

5.

A．with

B．over

C．through

D．into

6.

A．valuable

B．lost

C．extra

D．regular

7.

A．pride

B．choice

C．name

D．honor

8.

A．Unfortunately

B．Similarly

C．Happily

D．Gradually

9.

A．practices

B．tryouts

C．seasons

D．operations

10.

A．But

B．Or

C．So

D．And

11.

A．examined

B．changed

C．provided

D．completed

12.

A．shoulder

B．hand

C．leg

D．foot

13.

A．explore

B．avoid

C．love

D．support

14.

A．Knowledge

B．Belief

C．Experience

D．Opinion

15.

A．enjoyable

B．possible

C．sensible

D．responsible

2 . 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

3 . 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.

4 . 假设你是红星中学高一（1）班的学生李华，你的英国笔友Chris刚刚转学，感到一切都很陌生。他在邮件中向你询问如何尽快融入新环境。请你根据以下信息回信。
1. 多跟同学交流沟通；
2. 积极参加学校活动；
3. 向老师寻求帮助。
注意：1. 词数不少于90；
2. 可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出, 不计入总词数。

5 . If you choose only to complain and escape from a misfortune, it will always follow you wherever you go. But if you decide to be strong, the hardship will turn out to be a fortune on which new hopes will arise.

In an accident, a boy lost both his arms and his father------who was the main source of support for the family. Since then, he has had to depend on the arms of his younger brother. In order to take care of him, his younger brother became his shadow, never leaving him alone for years. Except for writing with his toes, he was completely unable to do anything in his life.

As the two brothers grew up together, they had their share of problems and they would often quarrel. Then one day, his younger brother wanted to leave, living his own life, as many normal people do. So he was heart-broken and didn't know what to do.

A similar misfortune happened to a girl, too. One night her mother, who suffered from chronic（慢性的）mental illness, disappeared. Her father went out to look for her mother, leaving her alone at home. She tried to prepare meals for her parents, only to overturn the kerosene (煤油) light on the stove, resulting in a fire which took her hands away.

Though her elder sister who was studying in another city, showed her willingness to take care of her, she was determined to be completely independent. At school, she always studied hard. Most of all she learned to be self-reliant (依靠自己).

One day, the boy and the girl were both invited to appear on a television interview program. The boy told the TV host about his uncertain future at being left on his own, while the girl was full of enthusiasm for her life. They both were asked to write something on a piece of paper with their toes. The boy wrote: My younger brother's arms are my arms; while the girl wrote: Broken wings, flying heart.

1. What attitude should we take towards a misfortune in the author's opinion?

A．Trying to find an escape from it.

B．Facing it bravely with a positive mind.

C．Asking for help from your relatives.

D．Ignoring it and living a normal life.

2. After the accident, the boy________.

A．decided to live with his brother	B．learnt to do things with his toes
C．made a living all by himself	D．depended wholly on his brother

3. What did the girl mean by "Broken wings, flying heart"?

A．Never give up hopes in face of hardship.

B．It's not easy for her to live a normal life.

C．If a bird loses its wings, it cannot fly.

D．If you lose your hands, your life will be hard.

4. How does the author develop the text?

A．In the order of time.	B．By listing facts.
C．By making a comparison.	D．In the order of importance.

7 . Learning to say “yes, and”

When I first heard about the improvisation (即兴交流) class, I was hesitating. As a quiet and shy girl, I feared improvising in front of strangers. However, I knew I wanted to work as a science communicator after finishing my Ph.D., so it seemed like a perfect chance to learn how to speak and communicate with others effectively. I signed up, knowing the experience would give me help.

During our first class, we learned an important concept of improvisation: “yes, and.” It means that, as improvisers, we’d better accept what fellow performers say. If someone says that rhinos (犀牛) are librarians, for example, then rhinos are librarians. We do not question the logic; we say “yes” and then continue with the scene as if nothing is wrong.

The first few scenes were hard, but as weeks turned into months, I became more comfortable and even started to enjoy our classes. I became better at listening, relating to my conversation partners, and communicating clearly in the moment. Once when I was giving a presentation about my science, an audience member surprised me with a question that didn’t grow out of the information I’d presented. Instead of getting confused and nervous, I took the “yes, and” approach—accepting the question and letting my mind focus on why it was asked. That helped me find an appropriate answer. I got pretty excited about it.

The benefits of improvisation go beyond communication. Before attending the class, I would get stuck when my experiments produced unexpected data, thinking that I had made a mistake. But now, instead of getting discouraged, I will stay open to the possibility that the results are real, keep exploring the data and end up identifying a new type of cell—one that isn’t behaving as expected.

I think all scientists can benefit from this lesson. If the data say rhinos are librarians, then it’s worth finding out whether rhinos are, in fact, librarians. As scientists, our job isn’t to challenge data that support, a preconceived story, but to say “yes, and.”

1. Why did the author attend the improvisation class?

A．To get a different experience.

B．To finish her Ph.D. at university.

C．To give up her job as a science communicator.

D．To improve her speaking and communicating ability.

2. What was the author’s change after attending the improvisation class?

A．She formed her own idea quickly.

B．She came up with lots of creative responses.

C．She paid more attention to the logic of answers.

D．She became a good listener before giving an opinion.

3. The author mentions applying the “yes, and” approach to her scientific experiments to ________.

A．explain the process of using the method

B．prove the benefits of the improvisation class

C．share her own research experiences with readers

D．attract fellow scientists to attend the improvisation class

4. What can be inferred about scientists from the last paragraph?

A．They should attend the improvisation class.

B．They should question all preconceived ideas.

C．They should carry on research by admitting earlier data.

D．They should try to improve their academic knowledge.

8 . Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum

Location and History

Arbeia Roman Fort is situated on Hadrian's Wall. It was the most important structure built by the Romans in Britain, and now it has been a World Heritage Site. Built around AD 160, Arbeia Roman Fort was the military supply base for the soldiers who were stationed along Hadrian's Wall. The fort has been gradually uncovered and some original parts have been revealed. There are reconstructions that show how Arbeia Roman Fort would have looked.

The Reconstructions

The reconstructions of the Commanding Officer's house and soldiers' quarters are strikingly different. The accommodation for soldiers is dark and uncomfortable, while the Commanding Officer's house is spacious and luxurious, with courtyards with fountains for him and his family to enjoy.

The Museum

Visit the museum and see many objects that were found at Arbeia. They are historically important and show what daily life was really like at that time. You will see weapons, tools, jewellery, and so on. You can also discover how the Romans buried their dead and see tombstones which survive to this day. There is a "hands-on" area allowing visitors to dig on a certain site and study their findings with the help of museum staff. You can piece together pottery (陶器), or try writing just as the Romans would have done. For children, they can build this Roman fort with building blocks by themselves.

Opening Times and Getting There April 1—October 31: Monday to Saturday 10:00am—5:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm—5:00pm. November 1—March 31: Monday to Saturday 11:00am—4:00pm, closed Sunday. (Closed December 25—26 and January 1) Entry is free. Arbeia is only a ten—minute walk from the bus station at South Shields. Free car park nearby. Website: www.twmuseums.org.uk/arbeia

1. According to the passage, Arbeia Roman Fort ________.

A．was related to the military	B．got reconstructions around AD 160
C．was built in a small area in Rome	D．provided a comfortable life for soldiers

2. What can visitors do in the museum?

A．See historical objects.	B．Build tombstones for the dead.
C．Write to Romans,	D．Try using old tools and weapons.

3. What time does Arbeia Roman Fort close?

A．On April 1.	B．On October 31.
C．On November 1.	D．On December 26.

9 . Almost everybody in America will spend a part of his or her life behind a shopping cart(购物手推车). They will, in a lifetime, push the chrome-plated contraptions many miles. But few will know—or even think to ask—who it was that invented them.

Sylvan N. Goldman invented the shopping cart in 1937. At that time he was in the supermarket business. Every day he would see shoppers lugging(吃力地携带) groceries around in baskets they had to carry.

One day Goldman suddenly had the idea of putting baskets on wheels. The wheeled baskets would make shopping much easier for his customers, and would help to attract more business.

On June 4, 1937, Goldman’s first carts were ready for use in his market. He was terribly excited on the morning of that day as customers began arriving. He couldn’t wait to see them using his invention.

But Goldman was disappointed. Most shoppers gave the carts a long look, but hardly anybody would give them a try.

After a while, Goldman decided to ask customers why they weren’t using his carts. “Don’t you think this arm is strong enough to carry a shopping basket?” one shopper replied.

But Goldman wasn’t beaten yet. He knew his carts would be a great success if only he could persuade people to give them a try. To this end, Goldman hired a group of people to push carts around his market and pretend they were shopping! Seeing this, the real customers gradually began copying the phony(假冒的) customers.

As Goldman had hoped, the carts were soon attracting larger and larger numbers of customers to his market. But not only did more people come—those who came bought more. With larger, easier-to-handle baskets, customers unconsciously bought a greater number of items than before.

Today’s shopping carts are five times larger than Goldman’s original model. Perhaps that’s one reason Americans today spend more than five times as much money on food each year as they did before 1937—before the coming of the shopping cart.

1. Why was Goldman disappointed at first?
2. Why did Goldman hire people to push carts around his market?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
The purpose of Goldman’s invention was to make shopping easier and show off his imagination.
4. What do you think of Goldman? Please briefly explain. (about 40 words)

10 . In June 2014, Huffington Post and Mail Online reported that three-year-old Victoria Wilcher, who had suffered facial scarring, had been kicked out of a KFC because she was frightening customers. Later, KFC announced that no evidence had been found to support the story. This phenomenon is largely a product of the increasing pressure in newsrooms that care more about traffic figures.

Brooke Binkowski, an editor, says that, during her career, she has seen a shift towards less editorial oversight in newsrooms. “Clickbait is king, so newsrooms will uncritically print something unreal. Not all newsrooms are like this, but a lot of them are.”

Asked what the driving factor was, a journalist said, “You’ve an editor breathing down your neck and you have to meet your targets. And there are some young journalists on the market who are inexperienced and who will not do those checks. So much news that is reported online happens online. There is no need to get out and knock on someone’s door. You just sit at your desk and do it.”

Another journalist says, “There is definitely pressure to churn out (粗制滥造) stories in order to get clicks, because they equal money. At my former employer in particular, the pressure was on due to the limited resources. That made the environment quite horrible to work in.”

In a February 2015 report for Digital Journalism, Craig Silverman wrote, “Today the bar for what is worth giving attention to seems to be much lower. Within minutes or hours, a badly sourced report can be changed into a story that is repeated by dozens of news websites, resulting in tens of thousands of shares. Once a certain critical mass is reached, repetition has a powerful effect on belief. The rumor(传闻) becomes true for readers simply by virtue of its ubiquity.”

And, despite the direction that some newsrooms seem to be heading in, a critical eye is becoming more, not less important, according to the New York Times’ public editor, Margaret Sullivan. “Reporters and editors have to be more careful than ever before. It’s extremely important to question and to use every verification(验证) method available before publication.” Yet those working in newsrooms talk of doubtful stories being tolerated because, in the words of some senior editors, “a click is a click, regardless of the advantage of a story”. And, “if the story does turn out to be false, it’s simply a chance for another bite at the cherry.”

Verification and fact-checking are regularly falling victim to the pressure to bring in the numbers, and if the only result of being caught out is another chance to bring in the clicks, that looks unlikely to change.

1. According to Brooke Binkowski, newsrooms produce false news because _____.

A．resources are limited	B．clicks matter a lot
C．budgets are inadequate	D．journalists lack experience

2. What’s Margaret Sullivan’s attitude towards false news online?

A．Supportive.

B．Negative.

C．Sceptical.

D．Neutral.

3. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Consequences of false stories.	B．A craze to get clicks.
C．Incompetence of journalists.	D．Causes of online false news.