1 . Aaron Carter isn’t like other 12-year-olds. He doesn’t go to school, and he’s already got a job. He is a big pop star. A few years ago he started his singing with Crazy Little Party Girl, which became a hit at once. Now he goes around the world and his songs are in the tops.

Because he’s traveling around all the time Aaron doesn’t have to go to school, but don’t envy him too much — he still has to do lessons and homework. And he is good at learning.

“I have to fit my schoolwork around my singing,” he explains. “But I’m lucky because I have a private tutor who travels with me. I sometimes have to have lessons on a plane. That’s really interesting!”

Aaron’s favorite subject is math but he hates history. He knows clearly that having a good singing career doesn’t mean he can go without schoolwork.

“It would be easy to think that I don’t need to do well in exams, but that would be crazy,” he says. “It’s important to get my qualifications (资格) so that I have something to fall back on. Besides, it’s interesting to learn about other people and cultures.”

Aaron’s favorite type of music is rock ‘n’ roll. “The best thing about being a singer” he says, “is that you get to travel all around the world. But the worst thing is that you’re away from home so much that you don’t get to see your friends or family.”

1. According to the passage, we learn that Aaron Carter is________.

A．a composer

B．a successful singer

C．a history lover

D．a young businessman

2. Which of the following statements is True?

A．Aaron Carter doesn’t go to school because he likes singing better.

B．Aaron Carter has his own teacher.

C．Aaron likes math as well as history.

D．Aaron Carter likes traveling all around the world and dislikes seeing friends and family.

3. The underlined phrase “fall back on” in the fifth paragraph has the similar meaning as________.

A．check in

B．return to

C．depend on

D．decide on

2 . Yu Pengnian is an 88-year-old real estate Chinese businessman. He amassed a fortune of $1.3 billion dollars during his career but instead of keeping the money and living like an emperor, he decided to give it all away. All of his fortune will be spent on helping poor Chinese students get a better education.

And Yu isn’t the only super-rich person in China who has this spirit of giving. Chen Guangbiao, a Jiangsu recycling tycoon, has given millions of dollars to charity and promises to give all of his money to charity when he dies.

Yu and Chen are among the many businessmen who have become prosperous during China’s economic rise. An American business magazine, Forbes, estimates that there are 117 billionaires in China and hundreds of thousands of millionaires. What sets Yu and Chen apart from the rest, though, is their tremendous generosity when it comes to donating money to charity.

Last week Bill Gates and Warren Buffett came to Beijing. Gates and Buffett, two of the world’s richest men, are also the world’s biggest philanthropists. They invited fifty of China’s richest people to have dinner with them and talk about the spirit of giving. At first, only a few people accepted their invitation. It seemed some of the invited guests were afraid that Buffett and Gates were going to pressure them into giving their wealth to charity.

A lot of people are angry at the billionaires who are not willing to give away their fortunes. They criticize them for being miserly and not caring about the poor and the less fortunate. But I think this criticism is wrong. A gift, any gift, should come from the heart. Instead of criticism, these reluctant billionaires should be encouraged to follow the examples of Yu Pengnian and Chen Guangbiao. Encouragement is always a better strategy than criticism. As we say in English, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

1. He amassed a fortune of $1.3 billion dollars during his career… The word “amassed” means________.

A．stimulated

B．contemplated

C．immigrated

D．accumulated

2. Yu Pengnian will spend all of his fortune in ________

A．helping poor Chinese students get a better education

B．helping the students in earthquake-stricken area

C．helping his off-springs lead a rich life in the future

D．achieve his aim of living like an emperor

3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Yu Pengnian is the only super-rich person in China who has the spirit of giving.

B．Chen Guangbiao is a real estate Chinese businessman.

C．Yu and Chen become wealthy during the rise of China’s economy.

D．When Bill Gates and Warren Buffett invited fifty of China’s richest people to have dinner with them, they all felt honored and accepted their invitation at once.

4. What sets Yu and Chen apart from other rich people in China?

A．When it comes to charity work, they are very generous.

B．They had dinner with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, talking about the spirit of giving.

C．They are pressured into giving their fortune to charity.

D．They are both businessmen.

5. According to passage, why does the author end the passage with the English saying “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”?

A．The author wants to tell us that flies prefer honey to vinegar.

B．The author wants to prove that encouragement is always a better strategy than criticism when it comes to charity.

C．The English saying expresses the main theme of the passage.

D．The author wants to criticize those billionaires who are not willing to give away their fortunes for being miserly and not caring about the poor and the less fortunate.

3 . 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. applies       B. casually       C. considered       D. customary       E. empty       F. fellow G. individual       H. literally       I. longevity       J. regards       K. related

Whether you’re ringing in Chinese New Year with a bottle of champagne, making a toast at a wedding, or     1     drinking baijiu, a popular type of Chinese alcohol with your friends, knowing a few Chinese toasts to say will always liven the mood. Here is a beginner’s guide to short Chinese toasts and other Chinese drinking culture tips. Ganbei,     2     translating into “dry your cup”, essentially means “cheers”. This phrase can either be a very casual toast or sometimes this toast is an indication for each person to     3     the glass in one gulp. If it is the latter case, this only     4     to men during the first round of drinks at the beginning of the night, and women are only expected to take a sip. Suiyi is the same as “at random” or “arbitrarily”. But with     5     to giving a toast, it also means “cheers”. This toast indicates you want each person to drink as he or she wishes. Wan shou wu jiang is a toast used to wish for     6     and health.

Now that you know what to say, how do you actually give a toast? When giving a toast in Chinese, raise your glass as you give the toast. Depending on where you are, your     7     drinkers will either raise their glasses and then drink, clink glasses and then drink, or tap the bottom of the glasses against the table and then drink. If you are giving a toast with a table full of people, it is not expected that anyone clink glasses. But there will be times when you find yourself clinking glasses with a(n)     8    . If that person is your superior, it is     9     that you touch the rim (边缘) of your glass below the rim of their glass. To exaggerate that you acknowledge this person’s higher status, touch the rim of your glass to the bottom of their glass. This custom is especially important when it comes to business meetings.

The host of the party or meeting will be the first to make the toast. It is     10     rude if anyone besides the host makes the first toast. The host will also give the last toast to indicate that the event is coming to an end. Now that you know how to give a Chinese toast, drink up and enjoy socializing!

4 . 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.

I’ve always enjoyed walking but never in a million years     1     I imagine I would end up walking over 200 kilometers in 10 days, become a fan of walking holidays, and end up developing self-guided hiking routes in Portugal with a local tour operator as part of my business. The shift from being someone who was content with an easy three-hour walk to an     2     (experience) multi-day hiker began with a brief taste of the Portuguese Camino de Shantiago, and ancient pilgrim trail (朝圣者道路) through Portugal to Snatiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain.

Back in 2013 I did a guided one-day hike along one of the most beautiful and     3     (challenge) stretches of the Camino, north of Ponte de Lima, so it was hard work, but the views from the top of Labruja Mountain made the climb worthwhile. My guides were so enthusiastic about the thrill of arriving at Sangtiago de Compostela Cathedral after the challenges of day after day on the Camino     4     I began to think I might want to give it a go,     5     not being religious.

Fast forward a few years and I set off from Barcelos with a friend of mine     6     (follow) the Portuguese Camino de Santiago. Apart from suffering from back pain, I thought I was quite fit but nothing had prepared me for     7     exhausted I would feel at the end of each walking day.

This was truly a slow travel experience, as we were averaging about 20 kilometers per day. I     8     (expect) plenty of sightseeing but that ended up being minimal. Quickly, I realized the moral of this unique travel experience: The Camino was all about making the most of the journey rather than the destination.

I will never forget the sense of achievement and progress tit the end of each walking day, and the relief and pride I felt when we finally made     9     to Santiago de Compostela.

We met people     10    , from all walks of life, managed to walk the Camino several times and I can totally understand how it can become addictive.

5 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. kill       B. connection   C. powered     D. producer     E. potential F. expected   G. catch       H. developed     I. protected     J. react     K. measured

Love it or hate it, flying is necessary if we want to get to a faraway destination. For those of us who love to read e-books or listen to music on our phone to     1     the time, however, taking a flight can be a boring experience.

This is because airlines didn’t allow smartphones to be     2     on during flights, even in flight mode. The reason behind the ban is something called electromagnetic interference(电磁干扰). According to a study by plane     3     Boeing in 2014 published by CNN, electromagnetic interference can sometimes cause flight equipment to     4    .

During the study, Kenny Kirchoff, a Boeing engineer,     5     the radio signals sent out by a laptop’s(笔记本电脑的) Wi-Fi radio. He found that some of the signals from the laptop actually jump over the limit, which means there’s a     6     that this piece of equipment could interfere with plane instruments.

This issue is worse with mobile phones, which constantly send and receive strong signals while they search for a     7     to the network. Even in flight mode, many phones still do this.

Despite this, there were just 29 cases of electromagnetic interference caused by mobile phones reported worldwide between 2003 and 2009, according to CNN. Besides, the instruments in modern planes are     8     from electromagnetic interference by metal “shields (护罩)”.

Many airlines are now     9     to allow passengers to use their smartphones freely, meaning that we can finally     10     up on our favorite books and songs while at 30,000 feet in the air.

6 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Birthdays are an occasion for reflection. In the 15 years since its founding in 2004, Facebook has altered America in three notable ways. First, the company has created a virtual “me-economy” where people share their feelings, photos and comments. The company has done this twice: once with its flagship social network, which became the pastime and addiction of college students and high scholars in the mid-2000 and again with Instagram, which is the most popular photo sharing App. It has shaped what it means and feels like to be young.

Second, Facebook has changed attitudes to privacy. The social network thrives through trust. After Facebook was launched, for the first time people felt comfortable sharing intimate details online, including their phone number, relationship status, likes and dislikes, location and more, because they felt they could control who had access to them. Users were vaguely aware that Facebook was starting to make a fortune by inappropriately using this data and selling advertisers access to specific types of users, but they mostly did not object.

Third, Facebook has left a lasting mark on politics. The social-networking firm has become an invaluable tool for politicians seeking office, both through paid advertisements to reach voters and free content that spreads on the social network. “You’d find it difficult to name a politician who’s been elected in the last ten years who didn’t use Facebook,” says David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect, a history of the social network.

Can the social-media giant stay as influential in the next 15 years as it has already been? At the risk of being wrong about Facebook again, that seems unlikely. This is partly because its impact has already been so extensive. But it is also because of growing unease with the platform. As with all new technologies, from the printed book to the telegraph, social media can be used both for good and bad.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . Spanish-American Institute

Student Cub Notes

Free and Low Cost Gyms, Health Clubs and Pools

NYC Department of Parks Recreation Centers

www.nycgovparks.org

Recreation Centers: The NYC Department of Parks has many Recreation Centers throughout New York City. Recreation Centers offer a wide range of free and membership programs and services. Some have indoor swimming pools. Almost all have weight rooms, basketball courts, dance studios, boxing rings, art studios, game rooms, etc. 

All Recreation Centers offer a wide range of programs such as aerobics, dance, tai chi, fencing, computer classes, and art. Many programs are free and open to the general public but many require membership. 

You do not need to be a New York City resident to use a Recreation Center. You may use your annual membership at any and all Centers. Use one near the Spanish-American Institute and then use one near your home. 

Costs: Free and membership programs. Standard annual membership is $50 for Recreation Centers and $75 for Recreation Centers with pools. (Do you know anyone 55 and older? The senior membership is only $10 a year.)

Standard annual membership provides scheduled access to the gym, pool, and all the other facilities. Instructor-led courses such as aerobics, martial arts, music, or yoga may require an additional fee. 

Membership and Program Information: Go to the www.nycgovparks.org home page. On the “Facilities” menu, click on “Recreation Centers.” On the “Recreation Centers” page, you will find information about membership and fees. You will also see links to Recreation Facilities by borough (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island).

On the “Facilities” menu, you may also want to check out other NYC Department of Parks facilities such as beaches, ice skating rinks, nature centers, running tracks, soccer fields, etc.

Recreation Centers: There are several Parks Department Recreation Centers in each borough. After you go to the “Recreation Centers” page and click on a borough, you will find a list of the centers in that borough with their addresses, phone numbers, and web links. The list will look like that for Manhattan below. Click on the link for a particular Center to learn more about its services, schedules, and programs.

1. What special benefits can an annual member of Recreation Centers enjoy?

A．Having access to all the facilities all year.

B．Experiencing all programs and services free.

C．Taking free Instructor-led courses.

D．Using only the center near your home free.

2. If your parents and grandparents (both over sixty) want to get the memberships, how much will they pay?

A．At least $20.

B．At least $120.

C．At least $180.

D．At least $220.

3. You will probably fail to find ________ on the www.nycgovparks.org home page.

A．the cost for various memberships	B．the locations of recreations centers
C．the staff and provided services	D．the facilities, phones and web links

8 . The World Trade Organization (WTO) was formed in January of 1995. It deals with the regulation of international trade.     1     Although the key focus is on trade agreements themselves, there are many ways in which it works to enhance the welfare of the international community at large.

Here we will focus on two of those aspects: doing business internationally and raising living standards worldwide. Before the WTO, countries relied on independent partnerships to accomplish trade. Doing trade was often expensive, as tariffs were high. With one place for all of these countries to meet, and discuss new trade deals together, it is easier for them to make trade deals that are advantageous for all parties.     2     When employees work only from home, they will need to communicate a lot with their coworkers to accomplish something. But when they all work in the same building, holding regular meetings, it becomes much faster and easier to discuss things.

How does the WTO raise the standard of living globally? In modern life, we rely heavily on trade to have the things we need and want. For example, China exports a lot of manufactured items to many countries. These frequent international transactions can also raise living standards by introducing new jobs to different countries. Without international business and trade, there would be far fewer jobs in all countries.     3     In addition, because of the WTO being an international organization, they must meet international standards for health and environmental protection.

There are many benefits of being in the WTO. However, sometimes it leads to international disputes.     4     Though globalization can be a good thing, it can sometimes lead to loss of local culture. In addition, sometimes the WTO requirements are too difficult for developing nations to meet.

A．It is similar to having an office to accomplish work.

B．With jobs, citizens are able to earn income and have a better life.

C．The WTO also seeks to increase awareness of unity and cooperation.

D．It currently has over 160 participating members.

E．The functions of the WTO are constantly changing and developing.

F．Some have accused the WTO of promoting too much globalization.

9 . “Chinese tourists have overtaken (超过) Germans as the world’s biggest-spending travelers after a decade of rapid growth in the number of Chinese vacationing abroad,” the United Nations World Tourism Organization said.

Chinese tourists, known for travelling in organized tours and ________ luxury fashion abroad, spent $102 billion on foreign trips last year, 41 percent more than the year before, ________ deep-pocketed travelers from Germany and the United States.

Tourists from other fast-developing economies with a growing middle class, such as Russia and Brazil, also ________ spending in 2012. In decline-hit Europe, however, French and Italian tourists controlled their holiday ________.

“The impressive growth of tourism spending from China and Russia reflects the ________ into the tourism market of more middle classes from these countries,” said Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organization, which is based in Madrid.

The German Travel Association said it was to be expected that the Chinese tourists would ________ overtake Germans in spending, given that the country had more ________ than North America, Russia, and Europe put together.

“But that they have overtaken us already is ________,” said Juergen Buechy, president of the German Travel Association.

“The Chinese make more long-distance trips than Germans, who ________ go to Mediterranean (地中海) destinations, meaning that the ________ vacation spending per holiday was greater,” he added.

China is the world’s fastest-growing tourist-source market, ________ higher spendable incomes in the world’s second-largest economy and looser foreign travel restrictions.

Chinese tourists made 83 million ________ trips in 2012, compared with 10 million in 2000.

“Hotels, tour companies, restaurants and even taxi drivers will need to improve ________ of Chinese cooking, culture and language if they are to ________ them away from favourite destinations such as Thailand and the Maldives,” European tourism officials have said.

Other countries in the top 10 posted growth in travel spending. ________, only Russia came close to China’s huge growth, with a 32 percent increase in vacation budgets (预算).

1.

A．starting

B．buying

C．showing

D．designing

2.

A．costing

B．passing

C．beating

D．controlling

3.

A．increased

B．limited

C．postponed

D．checked

4.

A．lengths

B．budgets

C．destinations

D．plans

5.

A．inquiry

B．investigation

C．research

D．entry

6.

A．eventually

B．secretly

C．suddenly

D．normally

7.

A．businessmen

B．housewives

C．residents

D．immigrants

8.

A．exciting

B．frightening

C．amazing

D．interesting

9.

A．usually

B．reluctantly

C．purposefully

D．ideally

10.

A．public

B．additional

C．free

D．average

11.

A．in spite of

B．thanks to

C．except for

D．in addition to

12.

A．family

B．business

C．exploratory

D．foreign

13.

A．knowledge

B．appreciation

C．criticism

D．ability

14.

A．tear

B．attract

C．drive

D．cheat

15.

A．Otherwise

B．Therefore

C．Besides

D．However

10 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. efficiently	B. leading	C. working	D. attracted	AB. travelling	AC. managed
AD. talented	BC. opportunities	BD. competition	CD. business	ABC. measure

New York City and Shanghai

New York City is always thought of as the financial capital of the world. However, there is     1    . London has been challenging this, and there is an emerging challenger from the east, the city of Shanghai. Shanghai has become the base for many international and     2     Chinese companies. In fact, Shanghai has been called the New York of the East. One thing that is vibrant (充满活力的) in both cities is the strong sense of a     3     environment.

New York is famous for its financial market on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Index (道琼斯指数) is the measure used to record how stocks and shares in companies are rising or falling in value. It is also famous for its international business network. New York financial service companies have a huge number of     4     people who can make decisions quickly, with profit as the main focus. Shanghai, like New York, has also     5     the best of the talent, but from Asia. Many leading companies are also establishing their Asian regional headquarters in Shanghai. The main    6     of the stock market’s rise and fall in China is the Shanghai Composite Index (上证综合指数).

For people     7     in these cities, the main forms of transport are subways and bus networks. Shanghai’s subway system is much newer than New York’s, but for both cities, good transportation is the key to keeping them as financial centers. The world of finance demands that people are on time and can travel     8     from meeting to meeting.

When it comes to business culture though, there are many differences. In China,     9     are often based on long-term relationships which have grown over a period of time. However, modern trading and investment often requires quick decisions, so this is a difference that has to be    10    . In New York, business relationships are often based on similar interests and investments.