1 . At eleven, I decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at the YMCA offering exactly the opportunity. My mother continually warned against it, and kept fresh in my mind the details of each drowning in the river. But the YMCA pool was safe.
I had a childhood fear of water. This started when I was three years old and my father took me to the beach.The huge waves knocked me down and swept over me.
The pool was quiet. I was afraid of going in all alone, so I sat on one side of the pool to wait for others. Then came a big boy. He yelled, “Hi, how’d you like to be ducked?” With that he picked me up and threw me into the deep end.I landed in a sitting position, and swallowed water. But I was not frightened out of my wits—when my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump to come out of the surface. It seemed a long way down. I gathered all my strength when I landed and made what I thought was a great spring upwards. Then I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water. I tried to yell but no sound came out. I went down, down, endlessly.
When I came to consciousness, I found myself lying on the bed in the hospital.
I never went back to the pool. I avoided water whenever I could. This misadventure stayed with me as the years rolled by.It deprived(剥夺) me of the joy of boating and swimming. Finally, I decided to get an instructor. Piece by piece, he built a swimmer. Several months later, the instructor was finished, but I was not .Sometimes the terror would return.
This went on until July. I swam across the Lake Went worth.Only once did the terror return. When I was in the middle of the lake, I put my face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. I laughed and said, “Well, Mr Terror, what do you think you can do to me?” I had conquered my fear of water.
1. What was the author’s original fear of water caused by?| A．His poor skill in swimming. |
| B．His mother’s warning of drowning. |
| C．An outing to the beach with his father. |
| D．An unpleasant memory of the pool. |
| A．He knew how to swim in the pool. |
| B．He felt that the YMCA pool was safe. |
| C．He was waiting for others to save him. |
| D．He came up with an idea to go upwards. |
| A．He was still a poor swimmer. |
| B．He had not overcome the fear yet. |
| C．He was not afraid of drowning any more. |
| D．He was not satisfied with the swimming training. |
| A．Goodbye,Mr Terror |
| B．Hello,Childhood Fear |
| C．A Swimming Adventure |
| D．My Passion for Swimming |
要点提示：1.什么是情商；2.情商为什么重要；3.怎样提高情商。
注意：1.词数120左右；2.信件的开头和结尾已经给出但不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,
I’ve learned about your puzzle and I'd like to tell you something about EQ this time._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
China’s latest war epic The Battle at Lake Changjin has rocketed to
The film
The
4 . Nothing beats live music, but the venue makes a difference. When you're able to score tickets to an incredible concert in an incredible place, you won't forget the experience. Here are some of the coolest music venues from around the world. If you haven't been to any of these, you've got some traveling to do.
Red Rocks, Morrison, the United States
Red Rocks might be the most beautiful and famous venue in the United States. At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks is a geologically formed natural stage. Its massive sandstone provides a perfect stage for jam bands. If you're into the blues and jazz, you'll have no trouble finding something in line with your interests.
Meet Factory, Prague, Czech Republic
Smallest venues on this list, Meet Factory is an art gallery, theater, and music venue. The venue only accommodates 1,000 people, so you won't see any huge names come through. Still, it's a great place to see up-and-coming local acts, and if you've got an eye for contemporary art, you'll love your time here.
Arena of NÎmes, NÎmes, France
Originally built around A. D. 70, the Arena of Nimes presents concertgoers with an interesting question: Should they enjoy the music, or marvel at the architecture? The Arena is, after all, one of the world's best-preserved Roman theaters. Many major touring acts plan stops at the Arena of Nimes, especially during the venue's annual festival.
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most famous performing venues. I's also one of the most distinctive buildings in Sydney, thanks to the breathtaking design by Danish architect Utzon. It hosts about 40 events per week, so whether you're into jazz, rock, classical music, or opera, you'll find something to watch.
1. Where can you enjoy music in natural beauty?| A．At Red Rocks. | B．At Meet Factory. | C．At Arena of Nimes. | D．At Sydney Opera House. |
| A．It enjoys breathtaking scenery. | B．It hosts both musical and artistic events. |
| C．It is the largest venue of all. | D．It is famous for contemporary music. |
| A．They have a long history. | B．They are built near the sea. |
| C．They accommodate thousands of people. | D．They are beautiful tourist attractions. |
5 . We live in a town with three beaches. There are two parts less than 10 minutes’ walk from home where neighborhood children gather to play. However, what my children want to do after school is pick up a screen — any screen — and stare at it for hours. They are not alone. Today’s children spend an average of four and a half hours a day looking at screens, split between watching television and using the Internet.
In the past few years, an increasing number of people and organisations have begun coming up with plans to counter this trend. A couple of years ago film-maker David Bond realised that his children, then aged five and three, were attached to screens to the point where he was able to say “chocolate” into his three-year-old son’s ear without getting a response. He realised that something needed to change, and, being a London media type, appointed himself “marketing director from Nature”. He documented his journey as he set about treating nature as a brand to be marketed to young people. The result was Project Wild Thing, a film which charts the birth of the World Network, a group of organisations with the common goal of getting children out into nature.
“Just five more minutes outdoors can make a difference,” David Bond says. “There is a lot of really interesting evidence which seems to be suggesting that if children are inspired up to the age of seven, then being outdoors will be on habit for life.” His own children have got into the habit of playing outside now: “We just send them out into the garden and tell them not to come back in for a while.”
Summer is upon us. There is an amazing world out there, and it needs our children as much as they need it. Let us get them out and let them play.
1. What is the problem with the author’s children?| A．They often annoy their neighbours. | B．They are tired of doing their homework. |
| C．They have no friends to play with | D．They stay in front of screens for too long. |
| A．By making a documentary film. | B．By organizing outdoor activities. |
| C．By advertising in London media. | D．By creating a network of friends. |
| A．records | B．predicts | C．delays | D．confirms |
| A．Let Children Have Fun | B．Young Children Need More Free Time |
| C．Market Nature to Children | D．David Bond: A Role Model for Children |
6 . Australia, France or… Mars? When considering a place to emigrate to, Mars might not be the best choice in your list, but according to an online survey, more than one in ten of British would accept a one-way ticket there. Yes, you read that correctly —because the Mars One mission is looking to emigrate to Mars, the first voyagers will not be able to return back to Earth. The organizers suggest applicants think over their applications, because the agreement didn’t come with a return ticket. But still thousands of people agreed to it.
The Mars One aims to construct a human settlement on Mars. Thankfully, applications for the program are entirely voluntary and potential astronauts can back out at any time during the strict selection process.
In order to apply, the candidate must be over 18, have A2 English level and be adaptable and curious. The following selection process consists of four rounds.
The first round is an online application including general information and a one-minute video in which the applicant answers some given questions and explains why he or she should be among the first humans to set foot on Mars. At the end of the first round, a team of Mars One experts will decide which applicants will pass to the next round.
The remaining applicants must then provide a medical statement from their doctor stating that they have met all the requirements. Successful candidates will then be briefly interviewed by Mars One’s chief medical officer Norbert Kraft.
One-hundred healthy, smart candidates are then in the third round which will test their team work ability and communication skills through a series of group challenges.
The final part of the testing process is the ability to stay alone. Even the best astronauts in history can hardly enjoy the silent space. Following this challenge, the forty remaining candidates will be reduced to thirty who will then undergo the Mars Settler Suitability Interview. Following on from the first selection series, international crews of up to six groups of four will become full time employees of Mars One.
1. What is the organizers’ attitude towards the online survey result?| A．Understandable. | B．Satisfied. | C．Unexpected. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Stop carrying out the agreement. | B．Move out of space backwards. |
| C．Drive aircrafts backwards and leave. | D．Fail to pay attention to the advertisement. |
| A．Test the candidates’ English level. | B．Check the basic information of participants. |
| C．Interview the candidates and collect the forms. | D．Determine whether candidates are eager to learn. |
| A．Their skills to communicate with others. | B．Their excellent physical health at present. |
| C．Their abilities to cooperate with the team. | D．Their long-time adaptability to being alone. |
7 . Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot “greener” toward the environment. “We didn’t know at that time there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it,” says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement .Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. “The understanding has increased many， many times,” says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first. According to US government reports, emissions (排放)from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 tons .The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of “Green thinking” has become part of practices.
Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.
Twenty –five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it’s hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. “Until we do that, nothing else will change!” says Bruce Anderson.
1. According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about ___.| A．the social movement | B．recycling techniques |
| C．environmental problems | D．the importance of Earth Day |
| A．The grass –roots level. | B．The business circle. |
| C．Government officials. | D．University professors. |
| A．They have cut car emissions to the lowest. |
| B．They have settled their environmental problems. |
| C．They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities. |
| D．They have reduced pollution through effective measures. |
| A．Education. | B．Planning |
| C．Green living | D．CO reduction |
8 . Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic (经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own home town of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt (破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的)and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward . If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different , even though that might be the more risky choice.
1. What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?| A．Some of them are not attractive. |
| B．Most of them ate too expensive to preserve. |
| C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area. |
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in. |
| D．No one understands why people speak against new buildings. |
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．put things in a different place |
| C．respect people’s feelings for historical buildings |
| D．choose new architectural styles |
| A．To explain why people dislike change. |
| B．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
| C．To warn that we could end up living in caves. |
| D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings. |
9 . The National Gallery
Description:
The National Gallery is the British national art museum built on the north side of Trafalgar Square in London. It houses a diverse collection of more than 2,300 examples of European art ranging from 13th-century religious paintings to more modern ones by Renoir and Van Gogh. The older collections of the gallery are reached through the main entrance while the more modern works in the East Wing are most easily reached from Trafalgar Square by a ground floor entrance.
Layout:
The modern Sainsbury Wing on the western side of the building houses 13th-to15th-century paintings, and artists include Duccio, Uccello, Van Eyck, Lippi, Mantegna, Botticelli and Memling.
The main West Wing houses 16th-century paintings, and artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Cranach, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bruegel, Bronzino, Titan and Veronese.
The North Wing houses 17th-century paintings, and artists include Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Van Dyck, Velazquez, Claude and Vermeer.
The East Wing houses 18th-to early 20th-century paintings, and artists include Canaletto, Goya, Turner, Constable, Renoir and Van Gogh.
Opening Hours:
The Gallery is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm (Fridays 10 am to 9 pm) and is free, but charges apply to some special exhibitions.
Getting There:
Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross (2-minute walk), Leicester Square (3-minute walk), Embankment (7-minute walk), and Piccadilly Circus (8-minute walk).
1. In which century’s collection can you see religious paintings?| A．The 20th | B．The 17th |
| C．The 18th | D．The 13th |
| A．In the East Wing. | B．In the main West Wing. |
| C．In the Sainsbury Wing. | D．In the North Wing. |
| A．Charing Cross. | B．Leicester Square. |
| C．Embankment. | D．Piccadilly Circus. |
10 . Michael Greenberg is a very popular New Yorker. He is not famous in sports or the arts, but people in the streets
For those people, he is “Gloves” Greenberg. How did he get that
In winter, Mr. Greenberg does not
On winter days, Mr. Greenberg
Mr. Greenberg
It runs in the
| A．know about | B．learn from | C．cheer for | D．look after |
| A．old | B．busy | C．kind | D．poor |
| A．job | B．name | C．chance | D．message |
| A．calm | B．different | C．crazy | D．curious |
| A．act | B．sound | C．feel | D．dress |
| A．cross over | B．drive along | C．hurry down | D．keep off(不接近) |
| A．cars | B．people | C．street numbers | D．traffic lights |
| A．helps | B．chooses | C．greets | D．sees |
| A．holds up | B．hangs out(闲逛) | C．moves on | D．turns around |
| A．hands | B．ears | C．faces | D．eyes |
| A．searches for | B．stores up(储存起来) | C．gives away(赠送、分发) | D．puts on |
| A．borrows | B．sells | C．returns | D．buys |
| A．call | B．send | C．lend | D．show |
| A．delayed(推迟) | B．remembered | C．began | D．enjoyed |
| A．understand | B．dislike | C．study | D．excuse |
| A．sorry for | B．satisfied with | C．proud of | D．surprised by |
| A．smart | B．rich | C．special | D．happy |
| A．city | B．family | C．neighborhood | D．company |
| A．honor | B．pain | C．same | D．cold |
| A．small | B．useful | C．delightful(高兴的) | D．comforting |
