1 . Whether you’re after a quiet beach holiday or an adventure-packed trip, with over 700 islands and 30 territories, the Caribbean offers many choices. Here we will provide practical tips to help you plan your dream Caribbean vacation.

Choosing the Best Time to Visit

Generally speaking, the Caribbean has a tropical climate with hot and humid weather year-round. Hurricanes are common during the summer months, so it’s advised to avoid travel during this season if possible. The best time to visit typically starts in November and runs through April. Be sure to check local weather forecasts before your trip.

Experiencing the Local Culture

The Caribbean is home to a variety of cultures. The local culture is a key part of the Caribbean experience, so make sure to soak up as much as you can. Visit museums and historical sites to get a deeper understanding of the local heritage, or explore local festivals for a display of music, dance, and art. Moreover, the people of the Caribbean are well known for their friendliness, so don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation.

Planning Your Activities

Whether you’re into diving, hiking, shopping, or simply lying on the beach, you will be able to pick between endless activities. Besides, you can try your hand at deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, or even bungee jumping. If you’re looking for something more laid back, take a guided tour of the island’s botanical gardens or explorer its national parks. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to review safety guidelines and pack all the necessary equipment before your adventure.

In conclusion, the Caribbean offers a diverse travel experience that caters to different preferences and budgets. With careful planning and a bit of research, you can plan a vacation that is truly unforgettable. So don’t wait — start planning your dream Caribbean trip today!

1. Which month is the best time to visit the Caribbean?

A．July.

B．December.

C．August.

D．June.

2. What is known about the Caribbean experience?

A．Visitors can experience different cultures and activities.

B．Visitors can have the opportunity to play local music.

C．Visitors have to be concerned about the safety of accommodation.

D．Deep-sea fishing is not allowed for the reason of ocean protection.

3. Where is the passage most probably taken from?

A．A fashion magazine.	B．A shopping guide.
C．A geography textbook.	D．A travel brochure.

2 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Tea is a simple drink. And it is central to the lives of millions of people worldwide.

There are six major types of tea in China-green tea, black tea, Oolong tea, dark tea, white tea, and reprocessed tea, distinguished     1    (main) by different methods of production.

China,    2     (recognize) as the homeland of tea, is a leading producer and consumer, and the     3    (discover) and the usage of tea have a history of 4, 000 to 5, 000 years. Drinking tea first    4    (start) to become popular in the Tang and Song Dynasties.

The origin of tea is lost among history and legend.    5     can be roughly confirmed is that tea originated in southwest China. In Yunnan and elsewhere, some wild tea trees that     6    (be) over 1, 000 years old still exist.

Many traditional Chinese families drink tea after dinner or when     7    (greet) visitors. This is not only a     8    (health) habit but also reflects rich culture and history. Chinese people can chat with a friend or enjoy themselves for a whole afternoon     9    a pot of good tea.

It was in the Tang Dynasty that teahouses came into being, and in some big cities then, there were also tea shops,    10     stored large quantities of tea leaves and prepared tea for their customers.

3 . Children from four Buckingham shire primary schools visited Epilepsy Society to plant a hedge (树篱) as part of a Plant-for-the-Planet project. The children from these schools were planting a hedge in the garden of the Queen Elizabeth House at the charity in Chalfont St Peter. Plant-for-the-Planet gives children across the globe the opportunity to learn about the threats of global warming to the environment, and then put their new knowledge into practice as they plant new trees.

The day was organised by Bob Sherren who showed the children how to plant the planet-friendly line of trees in protective chambers (防护室) to shield them from hungry wildlife as they settle in their roots. Bob said, “The day really was ‘Thinking Globally, Acting Locally’ put into action. The children learned about the importance of planting trees as a way of helping to bring about climate justice (正义) for many living in poorer nations and of course enjoyed planting the trees too.” The eventual hedge, which will grow to full size over ten years behind the Queen Elizabeth House, is made up of trees such as oaks, silver birches and so on.

Bob added, “The children were also able to help people living at Epilepsy Society because they will gain some well-needed privacy from the hedge in time. The natural wildlife benefits too from the fruits and nuts that a hedge made from native species can provide as well as the possibility for any number of nesting sites.”

Emma Darlington, Epilepsy Society’s volunteer officer, said, “I think it’s so important to encourage the younger generation that the future is in their hands and that they can make a difference, whether it is through taking part in projects like this or spreading awareness. We hope they learn a little bit about the work we do at Epilepsy Society too — the trees they planted will be enjoyed by everyone here for years to come.”

1. What is the purpose of the Plant-for-the-Planet project?

A．To help children learn more about society.

B．To offer children colourful after-school activities.

C．To raise children’s awareness of global warming.

D．To teach children how to protect natural wildlife.

2. What does the underlined word “shield” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Separate.

B．Take.

C．Get.

D．Protect.

3. How did Bob Sherren feel after organising this activity?

A．Tired.

B．Proud.

C．Discouraged.

D．Peaceful.

4. What can we learn from Emma Darlington’s words in the last paragraph?

A．She hopes to popularise volunteering work.

B．She tries to drive the children to study hard.

C．She expects the children to take positive action.

D．She believes the younger generation are promising.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

One afternoon after school, Mary and her brother, Keith, were eating at a cafe near their home. That afternoon, they had to share their table with another person. That person was a young lady in her twenties. After eating, she went to the restroom. Without realizing, she had left her cellphone on the table. Five minutes later, she came out and walked out of the cafe without looking back.

Mary saw the cellphone on the table. She quickly told Keith, “Keith, the girl left behind her cellphone.”Keith looked at the cellphone. It took his breath away. It was one of the latest models on the market. Keith had always wanted a cellphone. But his parents had told him, “You don’t need one. You can always use the house phone.” He stared at it for some minutes. Then, he said slowly, pausing on every word, “I want to take the cellphone.” Mary could not believe her ears. She only stared at her brother, “You can’t! What if the owner comes to look for it?”

After making the decision, Keith quickly got the cellphone and put it in his schoolbag. Then, he took Mary’s hand and led her out of the cafe quickly.

Once back home, Keith locked his room door with trembling (颤抖的) hands. Inside his room, he took out the piece of beauty. Oh, he liked it so much. He had his own cellphone. Soon, he was polishing it happily. But Mary told him, “Keith, you cannot keep the cellphone. What will you tell our father about this? He will ask you how you got the cellphone.” Keith said quickly, “I will say a friend lent it to me.” Mary said, “Now you are lying too. Oh dear! When had Keith turned so dishonest?”

Then, Mary saw a house phone number on the cover of the cellphone. “This is the girl’s phone number. Why don’t we just call this number? We will talk to her and ask her to come and take back her cellphone,” she was trying to talk some sense into him.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

That night, Keith turned over in bed from time to time.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mary was very happy to hear that.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Do you like Chinese traditional painting and dance? They are two important parts of the traditional Chinese art. But what about when they meet each other?

This year, a dance drama titled Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (《只此青绿》) was staged on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala and became popular.

According to CCTV, this poetic dance program was inspired by the 900-year-old Chinese painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains (《千里江山图》), created by Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng at about 18. The painting is amazing in its sweeping size, rich coloration and the expressive details, reported by CCTV. It shows a Chinese blue-green landscape: mountains and groupings of infinite (无限的) rise and fall between cloudless sky and rippling (涟漪的) water.

When the dancers moved elegantly, audiences seemed to be looking at the moving mountains and rivers. “It brings me a pure experience of beauty. It is not only a drama but also an exhibition. Vast mountains and rivers are coming to life!” Internet user Mo Weisha wrote in a review. “More than a thousand years later, green mountains and rivers still impress people as they did long ago.” Some people even decided to watch the dance again when it was staged in the theaters later. In fact, in recent years, more and more modern shows have featured Chinese traditional culture and received warm welcome. As for the reason, it is due to people’s great love for traditional culture.

“The younger generations have grown up with a more open mind. They accept Chinese culture and are proud of it,” Yao Wei, director of Henan TV Station’s Innovation Center, told China Daily.

1. What’s the writing purpose of paragraph 1?

A．To raise a question.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To describe the art world.	D．To show a doubtful thought.

2. What pushed the poetic dance?

A．CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala.	B．A Chinese blue-green landscape.
C．Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng.	D．An old Chinese traditional painting.

3. Why did this poetic dance enjoy welcome?

A．Traditional culture is accepted and loved by people.

B．Green mountains and rivers greatly impress people.

C．The poetic dance can be staged in the theaters later.

D．Increasing modern shows feature Chinese traditional culture.

4. What’s the main idea of the whole text?

A．It explains why Chinese art enjoys popularity.

B．It shows us art can come to life through dance.

C．It highlights the beauty of Chinese traditional art.

D．It tells us the love for Chinese traditional painting.

6 . 假如你是李华，你校计划举办介绍中国传统文化的主题班会，并在英文网站上展示。请你给外国友人Chris写封信，向他了解哪些中国传统文化更吸引外国朋友。内容包括：
1. 阐明写信事由；
2. 征求建议；
3. 表达感谢。
注意：
1·字数80左右；2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Chris,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

7 . When will the flight arrive?

A．At 1:00 pm.

B．At 1:30 pm.

C．At 2:30 pm.

8 . 假设你是李华，最近你因为与同桌(deskmate)产生矛盾而苦恼，写信向英语报社“知心话栏目”求助，要点如下：
1. 写信目的；
2. 事件经过及你的感受；
3. 请求帮助。
注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . In 1990, Hal Donaldson was 23 years old, fresh out of college and found himself in Calcutta, India, where he was asked to interview Mother Teresa.

Donaldson says about the great woman famed for feeding the hungry, “She wasn’t wearing shoes and her ankles were swollen. She sat down with me and was very polite.” After the interview, Mother Teresa asked him, “What are you doing to help the poor?” Donaldson admitted that he was young and wasn’t focused on helping others. With a smile on her face, Mother Teresa said, “Everyone can do something.”

Those words deeply struck Donaldson and forced him to face hard truths about himself.

Hal Donaldson grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. When he was 12 years old, his parents were hit by a drunk driver; his father died, and his mother was seriously injured. To make ends meet, they went on welfare. Donaldson says, “I had holes in my shoes and clothes. When you’re teased at school for that, you just want to escape.”

He managed to do just that. Donaldson got into college and turned his focus to making money for himself. He says, “I was just trying to find my way out of insignificance.” However, it’s easy to overlook others along the way. I was the guy that would see a homeless person and cross the street, so I didn’t have to confront (面对) him. My focus was on climbing to the top instead of helping those trying to climb with me.

Donaldson returned home from India with a different thought. He traveled to eight cities in America and stayed on the streets and listened to stories of the homeless. “My heart broke,” he says. “I knew I could no longer just live for myself.”

Inspired by Mother Teresa’s words and the stories he’d heard across America, Donaldson loaded a pick up truck with $300 worth of groceries and handed them out to anyone who needed help. In 1994, Donaldson created the nonprofit organization, Convoy for Hope, which works with communities across America and around the world. Their work focuses on feeding children, women’s empowerment, helping farmers and disaster services.

1. What did 23-year-old Hal Donaldson do in India?

A．He interviewed Mother Teresa.

B．He fed the hungry with Mother Teresa.

C．He attended an job-interview for a college.

D．He did something to help the poor.

2. What can we learn about Hal Donaldson from paragraph 4?

A．He was born with disability.	B．He led a hard life as a child.
C．He was well treated at school.	D．He survived as an orphan.

3. How does Hal Donaldson describe himself in college?

A．Self-centered

B．Sympathetic

C．Popular

D．Generous

4. How did Hal Donaldson change after he returned home from India?

A．He preferred traveling to volunteering.

B．He suddenly fell in love with journalism.

C．He turned his focus to living for himself.

D．He gradually devoted himself to helping others.

10 . “Tell me the story of me, Momma,” my daughter Sophie always asks when we sit on my grandmother’s rocking chair at the end of the day. “The first time I saw your beautiful face, it was nearly covered by a blue-and-white hat. You were surrounded by a soft blue blanket (毛毯). All I could see was a rosy face.” “And I looked like a tiny fairy baby?” she asks. “You did, and you weren’t older than a minute,” I always answer. “The nurse handed a tiny little girl to me, and I was so surprised because you felt so light. I thought if I threw off the blanket, I’d find no baby there at all, only air.”

From that moment, I became a mother. But that moment was just special and magical as if she’d come from my body directly into my arms. From that day on, she was my daughter in every way that mattered.

It’s easy sometimes to forget there was another mother out there with whom I share my title. Sophie’s birth mother, who was also my friend, lost her life to cancer not long after giving birth to Sophie. And I’ll never forget that it was her difficult decision — her tears and her pain — that made me a mom.

As my daughter grows, she will understand that sometimes life is a relay race (接力赛), and you never know who in this world will hand you your baton (接力棒). It could be someone you know for years, or it could be someone who you even never meet, someone you will never be able to repay for giving you the life you always wanted.

1. How does the author start the text?

A．By remembering her grandmother.

B．By asking her daughter questions.

C．By describing her past life.

D．By showing a conversation.

2. What can we learn about Sophie?

A．She was given up by her birth mother.

B．She and the author aren’t related by blood.

C．She had a hard time growing up.

D．She hated her birth mother.

3. How does the author feel towards Sophie’s birth mother?

A．Disappointed.

B．Worried.

C．Thankful.

D．Surprised.