1 . For many years the school system in Finland has been very successful. In the PISA survey, which compares reading, math and science knowledge of 15-year-olds around the world, Finland is not only the top European country but also competes with Asian giants like Shanghai, Singapore and South Korea. But what makes the educational system in this small country so different from others in the western world?

Until the 1960s Finland’s school system had been influenced largely by its neighbor, the Soviet Union. Most students left school after six years; some went on to private schools. Only the wealthy ones got a better education. In the middle of the 1960s the Finnish government saw the need to change and modernize their education system if they wanted to be internationally competitive. Lawmakers made a simple decision: a basic school for all the 7- to 16-year-olds. Compulsory education begins at 7. The government makes it possible for all children to attend preschool as well.

Most of Finland’s schools get their money from the government. The people who are in charge of the education system, from teachers to officials are trained teachers, not politicians like in other countries.

Teachers work with their pupils in school as much as possible. When teachers are not with the pupils, they spend a lot of time in schools working on the curriculum and new projects. Schools in Finland are small, at least for international standards. So teachers know every pupil in their school and try everything to succeed with their pupils. That is why dropout rates are low compared to other countries. In contrast to other nations, teachers in Finland are highly respected. Finland selects its teachers very carefully: only talented students go on to a university and receive a master’s degree in education. Finland only takes the best to educate its youth.

All Finnish children, whether they come from the city or the country, whether from a rich or poor family, have the same chances in education. There are not so many differences between the wealthy and poor, as in America or other western European countries. Education experts say that there is very little difference between very good and the worst students. Two thirds of Finnish pupils move on to higher education, the highest rate in the European Union.

1. What did the Finland government do in the middle of the 1960s?

A．They changed the school system.

B．They lengthened preschool education.

C．They encouraged students to go to private school.

D．They learned modern education from neighboring countries.

2. We can learn from the text that ______________.

A．the children in Finland are educated equally

B．the children in Finland attend preschool at the age of six

C．the school system in Finland is better than that in Singapore

D．the school equipment in Finland doesn’t meet international standards

3. The author mentions Shanghai, Singapore and South Korea to show________.

A．Asian countries are successful in school education

B．the school system in Finland has been very successful

C．students in these places are better than those in European countries

D．theeducational system in Asia is different from that in the western world

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．What Differences European Schools Have

B．What Good Schools Provide Students with

C．Why Finland’s School System Is Successful

D．Why Finland’s School System Has Changed

2 . Climbers at Qomolangma are being asked to clean up after themselves.

Qomolangma has earned the nickname (绰号) the World’s Highest Garbage Dump (垃圾场).

Climbing Qomolangma, the world's highest mountain, just becomes more challenging. The government of Nepal is telling climbers they cannot leave trash on the trails. Each climber will have to come down the mountain with at the least 18 pounds of garbage. That’s the average amount of trash a climber leaves behind on Qomolangma.

Officials say climbers are responsible for their own trash. “We are not asking climbers to pick up trash left by someone else,” said the Nepal Tourism Ministry. “We just want them to bring back what they took up.”

More than 4,000 people have reached the 29,035-foot summit (顶峰) in more than 60 years. Leaving trash along the way helps climbers keep their bags light so they have energy to reach the summit. “The trash problem in Qomolangma is not new.” Burlakoti says. “When the people started to climb the mountain, they started to leave their garbage there.” They have left behind bottles, food boxes and equipment.

The new rule came into effect in April, 2014. To make sure it is followed, climbers will have to deposit money (交保证金) before they climb. Once they climb back down the mountain, officials will check climbers at a return camp to make sure they have the required 18 pounds of trash. If they do, their money will be returned to them. If they do not, climbers will not receive their deposit and they will not be given a permit the next time they want to climb Qomolangma.

The goal is to make sure no more litter will be left on Qomolangma. “As we offer Qomolangma to all the people of the world they should take responsibility to clean it.” Burlakoti says, “After seeing the results from this, we will also apply this rule to other mountains.”

1. Why does Qomolangma get the nickname the World’s Highest Garbage Dump?

A．The white snow on it looks like white trash.

B．The government of Nepal transported trash onto it.

C．There is too much trash left on it by climbers.

D．The government of Nepal has used up the resources on it.

2. Climbers left trash along the way in order to______.

A．provide guidance for other climbers

B．help climbers themselves find their way

C．get timely medical rescue when in danger

D．reach the summit without too much load

3. If climbers want to climb Qomolangma again, they must______.

A．get the climbing license

B．have a large bag

C．get the permission from the local people

D．bring back the required trash in the last climbing

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Protect our beautiful mountains

B．Bring back your litter when climbing

C．A new rule of protecting the earth

D．Qomolangma belonging to the world people

3 . During my first year in China, I spent the summer holiday     1     my family at the seaside in Beidaihe. The hotel     2     we were staying in was near the sea, so we used to spend most of our time     3    (swim). Now, my wife is from Switzerland and when she was at home, she bought me a watch as     4     present. The watch she bought     5    (be) waterproof(防水的) and I never took it off, even when I was having a bath. When I went swimming at Beidaihe, I didn’t take my watch off either. On the last day of our holiday, I went swimming and     6    (come) out of the sea without my watch. As I was leaving, the manager of the hotel said, “Leave your address and phone number so that we can send your watch to you if we can find it.” I did so but I wasn’t very     7    (hope). One week later, I got a phone call form the hotel. The man who     8    (find) my watch was a PLA man. He picked it up when he was out     9    (walk) on the beach one day and handed it in at the police station. After several     10    (day), I got my watch back and it was still working.

4 . Any foreigner who has tried to learn Chinese can tell how hard it is to master the tones required to speak and understand. And anyone who has tried to learn to play the violin or other instruments can report similar challenges.

Now researchers have found that people with musical training have an easier time learning Chinese. Writing in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience，researchers from Northwestern University say that both skills draw on the same parts of the brain that help people discover changes in pitch(音调).

One of the study's authors，Nina Kraus，said the findings suggested that studying music “actually tunes our sensory system”.This means that schools that want children to do well in languages should hesitate before cutting music programs，Dr. Kraus said. She said music training might also help children with language problems.

Mandarin(普通话)speakers have been shown to have a more complex encoding(编码) of pitch patterns in their brains than English speakers do. This is because in Mandarin and other Asian languages，pitch plays a central role. A single­syllable word can have several meanings depending on how it is intoned.

For this study，the researchers looked at 20 non­Chinese speaking volunteers，half with no musical background and half who have studied an instrument for at least six years.

As they were shown a movie，the volunteers also heard an audio tape of the Mandarin word “mi” in three of its meanings:squint，bewilder and rice. The researchers recorded activities in their brain stems to see how well they were processing the sounds. Those with a music background showed much more brain activities in response to the Chinese sounds.

The lead author of the study，Patrick C.M.Wong，said it might work both ways. It appears that native speakers of tonal languages may do better at learning instruments.

1. When learning Chinese，a foreigner will find ________.

A．he has a difficult time learning music at the same time

B．he has an easier time learning music at the same time

C．it is hard to master the tones required to speak and understand

D．it is easy to use the brain to help him discover changes in pitch

2. Why does Chinese learning have something to do with music training?

A．Because there is the same difficulty in learning Chinese and music.

B．Because skills to learn the two make use of the same parts of the brain.

C．Because music training might help people with language study.

D．Because people who do well in Chinese study do well in music.

3. The underlined word “intoned” in the fourth paragraph can be replaced by the word “____”.

A．created

B．spelled

C．seemed

D．pronounced

4. What would be the best title for this passage?

A．Mandarin Speakers Are Smarter than English Speakers

B．Skilled Ear for Music May Help Language Study

C．Pitch Plays a Central Role in Chinese Learning

D．Schools Need to Develop Music Programs

5 . Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.     1    

One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories.     2     We   know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.
Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons(神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.       3    

Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right.     4    The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

If Tononi’s theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night’s, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size.     5     “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

A．We should also try to sleep well the night before.

B．It’s as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

C．Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

D．The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.

E．That’s why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

F．“Sleep is the price we pay for learning,” says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea.

G．Tononi’s team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice.

6 . When a leafy plant is under attack, it doesn’t sit quietly. Back in 1983, two scientists, Jack Schultz and Ian Baldwin, reported that young maple trees getting bitten by insects send out a particular smell that neighboring plants can get. These chemicals come from the injured parts of the plant and seem to be an alarm. What the plants pump through the air is a mixture of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds, VOCs for short.

Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs when being attacked. It’s a plant’s way of crying out. But is anyone listening? Apparently. Because we can watch the neighbours react.

Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away. But others do double duty. They pump out perfumes designed to attract different insects who are natural enemies to the attackers. Once they arrive, the tables are turned. The attacker who was lunching now becomes lunch.

In study after study, it appears that these chemical conversations help the neighbors .The damage is usually more serious on the first plant, but the neighbors, relatively speaking, stay safer because they heard the alarm and knew what to do.

Does this mean that plants talk to each other? Scientists don’t know. Maybe the first plant just made a cry of pain or was sending a message to its own branches, and so, in effect, was talking to itself. Perhaps the neighbors just happened to “overhear” the cry. So information was exchanged, but it wasn’t a true, intentional back and forth. Charles Darwin, over 150 years ago, imagined a world far busier, noisier and more intimate (亲密的) than the world we can see and hear. Our senses are weak. There’s a whole lot going on.

1. What does a plant do when it is under attack?

A．It makes noises.	B．It gets help from other plants.
C．It stands quietly	D．It sends out certain chemicals.

2. What does the author mean by “the tables are turned” in paragraph 3?

A．The attackers get attacked.

B．The insects gather under the table.

C．The plants get ready to fight back.

D．The perfumes attract natural enemies.

3. Scientists find from their studies that plants can ________.

A．predict natural disasters

B．protect themselves against insects

C．talk to one another intentionally

D．help their neighbors when necessary

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The world is changing faster than ever.

B．People have stronger senses than before

C．The world is more complex than it seems

D．People in Darwin’s time were imaginative.

7 . New research shows how kids’ brains reorganize as they learn math.
All the time you spent memorizing multiplication tables(乘法表)may have made you a better mathematician, according to a new study. A team of scientists from Stanford University, in California, have shown how the brain reorganizes itself as kids learn math.
After a certain amount of time spent practicing math, kids can put away the calculator(计算器). They don’t even need to count on their fingers. They simply know the answers to subtraction(减法), addition, and multiplication facts. The quicker kids can recall basic math facts, the easier it is for them to solve more complicated math problems.
The Stanford University researchers observed the brain activity of 28 students aged 7to 9 for the study. They took scans of the students’ brains as the students solved math calculations without the help of a calculator, pen or paper. A calculation—three plus four equals seven, for example—flashed on a screen. The students pushed a button to say if the answer was right or wrong. The scientists also recorded the response speed, and what parts of the brain became active as the kids pushed the button.
These observations showed a process called fact retrieval(事实检索). Rather than using their fingers to count, or writing out answers on a piece of paper, the students pulled the answers from memory. It’s as if the answers to basic math problems are kept in a long-term storage area in the brain, which was built from repetition. “Experience really does matter,” said Dr. Kathy Mann Koepeke.
Children make the shift(转换)from counting to fact retrieval when they are 8 to 9 years old, the study shows. This is the time when most students are learning basic addition and subtraction. When kids have basic math facts memorized, the brain has more free space to learn more complicated math.
This process has benefits for the future. The study shows as kids grow older, their answers rely more on memory and become quicker and more accurate. Less brain activity is devoted to counting. Some children make this shift quicker than others.
1. What did the researchers do when students worked out the given problems?

A．They recorded the students’ brain activities.

B．They pushed a button linked to the students.

C．They noticed whether they used a calculator.

D．They found out who responded most quickly.

2. Fact retrieval is a process when the students________.

A．calculate answers using pens

B．use their fingers to count out

C．repeat the answers they remember

D．find the answers from their memory

3. What plays a key role in solving a math problem?

A．Intelligence	B．Experience
C．Learning method	D．Constant practice

4. What happens to kids when they are 8 to 9 years old?

A．Their brains are more active than before.

B．They depend on fact retrieval for answers.

C．They become more interested in learning math.

D．They work out complicated problems more quickly.

8 . Avoid Internet Addiction

    1    Many people suffer from addition to the Internet and have a hard time paying attention to the important things around them．How can we prevent ourselves from going online too much？

Admit you have an addition．    2    Realize more and more people in the world are becoming addicted．You are not the only one with this problem．Do not be embarrassed；find others with the same problem and help each other beat it．

Limit your computer time．Make sure not to turn it on too many times a week．Before using your computer，decide on a time limit such as 30 minutes．Set the clock and make sure that you get off the computer when the time is up．    3    

Try using the computer at the library．You won't be as attracted to look at certain websites and they do have a limit on how long you can stay online．    4    ．So you won't be as attracted to be on the Internet as at home．

    5    Go for a run with a friend or get exercise some other way．Keep up with the local events in your neighborhood．There may be talks，films，concerts and sports events etc．Find some，as long as it is not on the Internet，and get involved．

A．You will be happier if you use the Internet less．

B．There is no use avoiding the truth．

C．Also，it is a good place to get some good books and magazines to read．

D．Get a hobby or an interest．

E．Internet addition affects a lot of people．

F．Get your family to remind you if you've been on a long time．

G．Try to reduce the amount of time by 5minutes each time．

9 . Farah was sitting in the kitchen going over the party list with her mother.The exams were over and Farah wanted to invite her friends for a party.
“Farah，aren’t you going to invite Hafsa？”her mother asked.Hafsa had been her best friend since childhood.
“Mother，you know I am now a part of Purple Girls Club and we have some rules about people we can be friends with，”Farah answered.
“Really？And what are the rules？”her mother asked.
“Well，only very pretty girls can be part of our group.And Hafsa is so...you know...dark.”
“I cannot believe it，”her mother said angrily.
As Farah left the kitchen，her father called   her from the living room.
Farah went to her father and paled when she saw the exam report in his hands.“Farah，what has happened to your grades？You have failed in Mathematics，”her father said.
Farah had no answer.The truth was that the activities of Purple Girls Club left her with very little time for studies.
“Farah，it says that you can take part in supplementary exams(补考).If your grades don’t improve then，I’ll cancel(取消) your trip to Spain.”
Farah went to her room and called Gina，the leader of Purple Girls Club， “Gina，can you help me to complete my notes before the exams？”
Gina laughed.“Exams？Who cares about exams？”
One by one，she called her friends in the club but no one seemed to care or wanted to help.
Farah knew Hafsa would help her.Farah also knew Hafsa had been hurt by her，but Hafsa said，“If you need any help，just let me know.We can study together till your exams.”
Next Monday，as two friends entered the school together，Gina called out.
“Farah，you know our rules.You cannot be friends with those who do not belong to our club.”
“Gina，I have a new rule about friendship，”Farah replied.
1. After Farah became a member of Purple Girls   Club，she chose a friend according to a person’s________.

A．looks

B．usual activities

C．grades

D．favorite colors

2. Farah became pale after going to her father because________.

A．he didn’t allow her to go to Spain

B．she didn’t do well in her exams

C．she had to leave Purple Girls Club

D．he asked her to improve her grades

3. Which word can best describe Hafsa?

A．Silly.

B．Beautiful.

C．Rude.

D．Kind.

4. What lesson can we learn from the passage?

A．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

B．A perfect friend will never be found.

C．Be slow in choosing a friend.

D．Friendship can be developed easily.

10 . Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, dancing, walking or any of dozens of other activities can help your heart.    1     Whether it is a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, all exercise adds up to having a healthier heart. Here are some tips for exercise success.

●Choose activities that are fun and add variety. Develop several activities that you can enjoy.    2    

●Wear comfortable, properly fitted shoes and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing appropriate for the weather and the activity.

●Find a convenient time and place to do activities.    3     If you miss an exercise opportunity, work activity into your day another way.

●Use music to keep yourself entertained.

●    4     Decide what kind of support you need. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Exercise with you regularly or occasionally? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Try not to ask you to change your exercise routine? Share your activity time with others. Ask your family members, friends or co-workers for help.

●Don’t overdo it, especially at first. You can slowly increase the time and intensity (强度) of your activities as you become more fit.    5    

●Keep a record of your activities. Reward yourself at times. Nothing will inspire you more than success!

A．Try to make it a habit, but be flexible.

B．They all cause you to feel warm and breathe heavily without being out of breath.

C．Be an active role model for your children.

D．That way, exercise will never seem boring.

E．If you are overweight or have a high risk of heart disease, see your doctor for medical advice before exercising.

F．Surround yourself with supportive people.

G．Gradually, work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60 minutes.