1 . What’s your opinion on spicy food? Some people cannot handle even the smallest amount of chili peppers in their dinner while others can’t get enough of them.

Scientists have long been puzzled by why some people love the chili while others loathe it. Plenty of research has been done on the subject, dating as far back as the 1970s. Previous results showed that a love of chilies is related to childhood experiences, and that cultural influences affect our taste too. But the latest study has found that a person’s love of spicy food may be linked to his or her personality (性格) more than anything else, CBC News reported.

“We have always assumed that liking drives intake — we eat what we like and we like what we eat. But no one has actually directly bothered to connect personality with intake of chili peppers,” said Professor John E. Hayes from Pennsylvania State University, who led the study.

But before you look at the study, you should first know that “spicy” is not a taste, unlike sour, sweet, bitter and salty taste. It is, in fact, a burning feeling that you feel on the surface of your tongue. This got scientists thinking that maybe a love of spicy food is brought about by people’s longing for thrill, something they usually get from watching action movies or riding a roller coaster.

In the study, 97 participants, both male and female, were asked to fill out questionnaires about their personality, for example, whether they like new experiences or tend to avoid risks. They were then given a glass of water with capsaicin (辣椒素), the plant chemical that makes a chili burn, mixed into it.

By comparing the answers to the questionnaire and what participants said they felt about the spicy water, researchers found that those who tended to enjoy action movies or take risks were about six times more likely to enjoy the spicy water.

Interestingly, we used to believe that the reason why some people can withstand (耐受) spicy food is that their tongues have become less sensitive to it. However, this latest study has found otherwise. “It’s not that it doesn’t burn as badly, but that you actually learn to like the burning feeling,” Hayes explained.

1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “loathe” in the second paragraph?

A．Dislike.	B．Fear.
C．Put up with.	D．Adapt to.

2. What did Professor John E. Hayes and his team discover from their study?

A．What we eat actually helps to develop our personality.

B．Males are more likely to enjoy spicy food than females.

C．Those trying to avoid risks tend to be less interested in spicy food.

D．People are wrong to treat " spicy" as a kind of taste rather than a feeling.

3. Why do some people like spicy food according to the recent study?

A．Because their taste has become less sensitive.

B．Because they love the burning feeling.

C．Because they want to challenge themselves.

D．Because the more they try spicy food, the less it burns.

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．What one likes to eat mainly depends on one’s personality.

B．Whether one enjoys spicy food depends largely on one’s personality.

C．One’s personal experiences have nothing to do with their taste.

D．Different people have different taste.

2 . One day, a college student was taking a walk with a professor. As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes. They supposed the shoes belonged to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day’s work.

The student turned to the professor, saying, “Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his confusion when he cannot find them.”

“My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by tricking on the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him.”

The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling something hard, he bent down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen on his face.

He fixed his eyes on the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin. His feelings overcame him. He fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and cried a sincere thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely help, from some unknown hand, would save from dying.

The student stood there, deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, “are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?”

The youth replied, “You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget.”

1. The student wanted to play the poor man a trick to ________.

A．find the truth	B．show his wisdom
C．amuse himself	D．teach him a lesson

2. After finding the two coins, the man felt ________.

A．helpless

B．interested

C．peaceful

D．thankful

3. What does the story intend to tell us?

A．A small act of kindness brings great joy.

B．God helps those who help themselves.

C．Where there is a will, there is a way.

D．Actions speak louder than words.

3 . Each time Chinese New Year is approaching, preparations are underway around the world. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to mark the day.

London

Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is perfectly formed little firework that knows how to see in the year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics（杂技）, martial arts（武术）,dance and opera nearby.

San Francisco

San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the United States. The city was the main entry-point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between the Grant Avenue and the Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bangkok

With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty treats, clothes, toys and antiques. Sunday market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.

Mauritius

Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Established in the early years of the 20^th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Chinese Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the Dragon Dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional lion dances through the streets.

1. According to the text, which of the following has the longest history?

A．London’s Chinatown.	B．San Francisco’s Chinatown.
C．Mauritius’s Chinatown.	D．Bangkok’s Chinatown.

2. What’s special about Bangkok’s Chinatown?

A．It is crowded with Chinese restaurants.	B．It is the major entrance for the Chinese.
C．It is well-known for its gold business.	D．It is when you can enjoy fireworks.

3. If you want to enjoy the Dragon Dances, you can go to ______.

A．Rue Royale in Port Louis, Mauritius	B．the Sunday market in Bangkok
C．the Grant Avenue in San Francisco	D．the Chinese community in London

4 . Sales Executive

Pindan Labor Solutions is expanding and we require a Sales Executive. Working hours from Monday to Friday, 12 months a year. However, some weekend work may be required. You will be assisting our team of consultants with business development. You can get a monthly income of $5,200. Essential requirements include previous sales experience, strong communication skills, high level of computer competency (能力）,WA driver's license.

For more information, please e-mail to Stefan @ tigerhospitality.com or phone 0452 236 541.

Martial Arts Trainer

Go-Kan-Ryu Karate has a number of positions available for people who have an interest in the martial arts. The position will involve training new students on working days. An expected first year income of $45,000. Excellent people skills and previous experience are essential. Own car and license required.

Please contact Tim Hort on 0285 371 464 or kvle@hospitalio.com for further information.

Workshop Manager

Located in Wongan Hills WA, Beckman Machinery want a Service/Workshop Manager to join our successful team. Your role will be to provide the best possible service to customers, Monday to Friday. You must have trade certificate, excellent communication and computer skills. Knowledge of agricultural products is essential. You can get at least $50,000 in your first year.

Please call Stuart 0427 111 105 or email to stuart@boekemans.com.au if any further information is needed.

Farmhand

A general farmhand is required to work on a farm located 40kms from Condobolin. A driver's license is essential. Duties include: Sheep, Cattle work; Cropping & irrigation. Weekends off, except during sowing and harvest periods. $39,000 a year.

If you are interested in farm work, please e-mail to diane.moisis@cwcc.nsw.edu.au or call 0167 327 047 for detailed information.

1. Of the four positions, which offers the top yearly income?

A．A sales executive.

B．A martial arts trainer.

C．A workshop manager.

D．A farmhand.

2. If you are without any working experience and don't want to work on weekends, you can e-mail to _______ for detailed information.

A．Stefan@tigerhospitalitv.com

B．kyle@hospitalio.com

C．stuart@boekemans.com.au

D．diane.moisis@cwcc.nsw.edu.au

3. If you want to apply for the position as a farmhand, you must have _______.

A．sales experience

B．a driver’s license

C．a trade certificate

D．your own car

5 . What will you do if you can’t eat everything bought in the canteen?     1     According to a survey, what students waste every year could feed over 10 million people.

    2     According to Xinhua News Agency, the food wasted by Chinese people is about 50 million tons of grain every year, which could feed 200 million people.

Food waste, which has become a global issue, serves as a mirror that reflects various cultural and social issues in different countries. In the West, for instance, consumerism, the belief that it’s good to use a lot of goods and services, is often to blame for food waste.     3     Chinese people are well known for being hospitable and generous. Many even feel that they lose face if their guests have eaten all the food. On campus, a generation of single children is less aware of the food waste issue. Students nowadays are well protected by their families and hardly have any concept of how much toil others go through in order to provide them with the food they eat.

    4     There are 925 million hungry people in the world. They don’t have enough food to eat. And farmers work very hard to grow the crops.     5     It’s also important that everyone thinks about how they can do their bit to reduce food waste. Recently a campaign against food waste launched on line in China might make you think twice about being so wasteful.

A．Students waste is extremely serious,

B．To reduce food waste is a big task, and it needs time.

C．China, in turn, features its own eating culture.

D．But canteen waste is merely the tip of the iceberg.

E．So we shouldn’t waste our food.

F．Students can never realize the serious food waste situation.

G．Most of us would simply throw away any leftover food.

6 . Pacific Science Center Guide

◆Visit Pacific Science Center’s Store

Don’t forget to stop by Pacific Science Center’s Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located(位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.

◆Hungry

Our exhibits will feed your mind, but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour before Pacific Science Center closes.

◆Rental Information

Lockers are available to store any belongings during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.

◆Support Pacific Science Center

Since 1962, Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion(热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today, Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter.org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.

1. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?

A．In Building 1.

B．In Building 3.

C．At the the Laser Dome.

D．At the Denny Way entrance.

2. What does Pacific Science Center do for schools?

A．Train Science teachers.

B．Distribute science books.

C．Inspire scientific research.

D．Take science to the classroom.

3. What is the purpose of the last part of the text?

A．To encourage donations.

B．To advertise coming events.

C．To introduce special exhibits.

D．To tell about the Center’s history.

7 . Parents feel that it is difficult to live with teenagers. Then again, teenagers have_______feelings about their parents, saying that it is not easy living with them. According to a recent research, the most common _______between parents and teenagers is that regarding untidiness and daily routine tasks. On the one hand, parents go mad over _______rooms, clothes thrown on the floor and their children’s refusal to help with the _______. On the other hand, teenagers lose their patience continually when parents blame them for _______the towel in the bathroom, not cleaning up their room or refusing to do the shopping at the supermarket.

The research, conducted by St. George University, shows that different parents have different _______to these problems. However, some approaches are more _______than others. For example, those parents who yell at their children for their untidiness, but _______clean the room for them, have fewer chances of changing their children’s _______. On the contrary, those who let teenagers experience the ________of their actions can do better. For example, when teenagers who don’t help their parents with the shopping don’t find their favorite drink in the refrigerator, they are forced to ________their actions.

Psychologists say that ________is the most important thing in parent-child relationships. Parents should ________to their children but at the same time they should lend an ear to what they have to say. Parents may ________their children when they are untidy but they should also understand that their room is their own private space. Communication is a two-way process. It is only by listening to and ________each other that problems between parents and children can be settled.

1.

A．natural

B．strong

C．guilty

D．similar

2.

A．interest

B．argument

C．link

D．knowledge

3.

A．noisy

B．crowded

C．messy

D．locked

4.

A．homework

B．housework

C．problem

D．research

5.

A．washing

B．using

C．dropping

D．replacing

6.

A．approaches

B．contributions

C．introductions

D．attitudes

7.

A．complex

B．popular

C．scientific

D．successful

8.

A．later

B．deliberately

C．seldom

D．thoroughly

9.

A．behavior

B．taste

C．future

D．nature

10.

A．failures

B．changes

C．consequences

D．thrills

11.

A．defend

B．delay

C．repeat

D．reconsider

12.

A．communication

B．bond

C．friendship

D．trust

13.

A．reply

B．attend

C．attach

D．talk

14.

A．hate

B．scold

C．frighten

D．stop

15.

A．loving

B．observing

C．understanding

D．praising

8 . With these increased pressures and difficulty in ensuring a graduate job, more people are turning to recruitment (招聘) agencies for help. Luke Harper wrote for the Independent warning students to be cautious when using graduate recruitment agencies in their job hunt. The article’s main argument against graduate recruitment agencies is that they are looking to sign people up to the agency and harvest data, without having any real intention to personally find them a job.

The fundamental problem with this approach is a basic misunderstanding of how the recruitment sector works. One of the more common ways is that recruitment agencies aim to find you a job to secure a fee from their clients. Recruitment agencies operate as a business, not a careers service and are not expected to find you a job while you wait around.

There is no denying that amongst the recruitment agencies, there are some CV(简历) hungry, cut and shut agencies that are uninterested in the candidates they have on their books. However, nowadays these are in the minority and don’t tend to last very long.

Paul Farrer, Chief Executive of a leading recruitment agency is worried that a few bad apples are ruining the reputation of what is an excellent sector. Farrer said “The trouble with such an imbalanced and misleading article is that some graduates may now be put off approaching recruitment agencies who may well be able to help them.”

Professionals in the industry are cautious of how some of the less respectable agencies operate. Earnest recruiters believe that graduates should be aware that some of these agencies will take on graduates for all their details rather than helping them find a job, like Harper mentioned. To fight this, Farrar advises that “Graduates should have a simple checklist before approaching any agency. Has the agency taken the time to talk to me? Have they invited me to a face-to-face meeting? Have they guaranteed not to forward my CV to any employer without my permission? These three steps will safeguard every application.”

Farrer also pointed out that that is not the only safety net that graduates can rely on. He said “Graduates can also check to see if the agencies are members of either APSCo or the REC, the two trade bodies they can make an official complaint to. The vast majority of recruitment agencies are professional organizations that help place thousands of graduates every year and poorly researched articles help no one.”

1. The main purpose of this passage is ______ graduate recruitment agencies.

A．to advise readers to be cautious of

B．to argue against some misjudgment against

C．to explain why there is a prejudice against

D．to seek the solutions to the problems caused by

2. Which of the following is RIGHT according to the passage?

A．Luke Harper holds the same idea about jobs with Paul Farrer.

B．Recruitment agencies actually do the same work as a careers service.

C．Job hunters’ detailed information is of value to recruitment agencies.

D．A member of APSCo or the REC will not cheat its clients.

3. What advice does Paul Farrer give graduates to avoid less respectable agencies?

A．Consulting professionals before giving their personal details to an agency.

B．Making a face-to-face investigation into an agency before approaching it.

C．Guaranteeing that the agency will not forward their CV to any employer.

D．Selecting some agencies that are monitored by official trade bodies.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards graduate recruitment agencies?

A．Neutral.

B．Positive.

C．Negative.

D．Not Clear.

9 . 根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项，选项中有两项为多余选项。       
                                                               How to Make a Good First Impression (印象)
Have you ever met someone and walked away with "fool" or "loser" in mind? Are you afraid of being that someone and having others not like or understand you? Happily, you can get rid of these worries and fears by learning some effective skills on how to make a great and lasting first impression. Let’s get started.Talk about your interests and hobbies.    1    . It is always a great conversation starter! Ask if they like a specific band or singer. The more you have in common, the easier it will be to carry on the conversation.Smile. Especially when first meeting someone. It's not necessary to show your teeth, just a meaningful grin(露齿而笑) will do.    2    , or people will feel you're being fake or that you don't like them.    3    . Stay focused on the person you are speaking with and certainly not on anything else to avoid them feeling unappreciated and unwanted. Often if the person has an eye problem, like an eye that turns in, you're put off by this. Instead, focus on the person's nose or mouth.Have a sense of humor. Born funny people are just themselves and the humor shows. Don’t worry if you are not a born funny person.    4    . Don't keep serious all the time while you are talking to a new friend.Be yourself. Don't pretend to be someone you're not, or you are stuck with that label forever. Be yourself. That may be what everyone says but it is entirely true!    5    . If somebody finds out you have been lying to him or her, they will be very hurt and it will be hard for them to forgive you easily.

A．Appreciate others

B．Make eye contact.

C．Never lie to anybody about yourself and always be honest.

D．Keep smiling when you are talking to a new friend.

E．People who try to be funny can be funny if they try hard.

F．Be careful not to change from a smile to a straight face too quickly

G．Ask the other person about what their hobbies are

10 . Peter loved to shop used articles. Almost a month ago, he bought popular word game that used little pieces of wood with different letters on them. As he was purchasing it, the salesgirl said, “Uh, look, the game box hasn’t even been opened yet. That might be worth some money. ”

Peter examined the box, and, sure enough, it was completely covered in factory-sealed plastic. And he saw a date of 1973 on the back of the box.

“You should put that up for auction (拍卖) on the Internet, and see what happens.” the salesgirl said.

“Yes, you’re right. People like something rare.” Peter agreed, “I can’t imagine there being very many unopened boxes of this game still around 40 years later.”

“Don’t forget to tell me if you sell it.” the salesgirl smiled.

“No problem.” Peter said.

After he got home, Peter went online to several auction websites looking for his game. But he couldn’t find it. Then he typed in the name of the word game and hit Search. The search result was 543 websites containing information about the changes of the game. Over the years, the game had been produced using letters in different sizes and game boards in different colors. He also found some lists of game fans looking for various versions of the game. Peter emailed some of them, telling them what he had.

Two weeks later, Peter went back to the shop.

“Hello. Do you still remember the unopened word game?”

The salesgirl looked at him for a second, then recognized him and said, “Oh, hi!”

“I’ve got something for you,” Peter said. “I sold the game and made $1,000. Thank you for your suggestion.” He handed her three $ 100 bills.

“Wow!” the salesgirl cried out. “Thank you, I never expected it.”

1. Which of the following best describes Peter’s word game?

A．It was made around 40 years ago.

B．It had game boards in different sizes.

C．It was kept in a plastic bag with a seal.

D．It had little pieces of wood in different colors.

2. What did the salesgirl probably think of Peter’s word game?

A．Old and handy.	B．Rare and valuable.
C．Classic and attractive.	D．Colorful and interesting

3. What happened at the end of the story?

A．Peter gave the girl $300 as a reward.

B．The salesgirl became Peter’s friend.

C．Peter returned the word game for $ 1,000.

D．The salesgirl felt confused to see Peter again.

4. What is the main theme of the story?

A．It’s important to keep a promise.

B．It’s great to share in other people’s happiness.

C．We should be grateful for the help from others.

D．Something rare is worth a large amount of money.