| A．distinction | B．admission | C．impression | D．ambition |
2 . In spring, chickens start laying again, bringing a welcome source of protein at winter’s end. So it’s no surprise that cultures around the world celebrate spring by honoring the egg.
Some traditions are simple, like the red eggs that get baked into Greek Easter breads. Others promote the egg into a fancy art, like the heavily jewel-covered “eggs” that were favored by the Russians starting in the 19th century.
One ancient form of egg art comes to us from Ukraine. For centuries, Ukrainians have been drawing complicated patterns on eggs. Contemporary artists have followed this tradition to create eggs that speak to the anxieties of our age: Life is precious, and delicate. Eggs are, too.
“There’s something about their delicate nature that appeals to me,” says New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast. Several years ago, she became interested in eggs and learned the traditional Ukrainian technique to draw her very modern characters. “I’ve broken eggs at every stage of the process — from the very beginning to the very, very end.”
But there’s an appeal in that weakness. “There’s part of this sickening horror of knowing you’re walking on the edge with this, that I kind of like, knowing that it could all fall apart at any second.” Chast’s designs, such as a worried man alone in a tiny rowboat, reflect that delicateness.
Traditional Ukrainian decorated eggs also spoke to those fears. The complex patterns were believed to offer protection against evil.
“There’s an ancient legend that as long as these eggs are made, evil will not take over in the world,” says Joan Brander, a Canadian egg-painter who has been painting eggs for over 60 years, having learned the art from her Ukrainian relatives.
Although the tradition dates back to 300 B. C., the old symbols on the eggs still reflect their good wishes. A decorated egg with a bird on it, given to a young married couple, is a wish for children. A decorated egg thrown into the field would be a wish for a good harvest.
1. Why do people in many cultures prize the egg?| A．It is a welcome sign of the coming of spring. | B．It is their major source of protein in winter. |
| C．It can easily be made into a work of art. | D．It can bring wealth and honor to them. |
| A．They are shaped like jewel cases. | B．They are cherished by the rich. |
| C．They are heavily painted in red. | D．They are favored as a form of art. |
| A．Eggs serve as an enduring symbol of new life. | B．Eggs have an oval shape appealing to artists. |
| C．Eggs reflect the anxieties of people today. | D．Eggs provide a unique surface to paint on. |
| A．She never knows if the egg will break before the design is completed. |
| B．She can add multiple details to the design to communicate her idea. |
| C．She always derives great pleasure from designing something new. |
| D．She is never sure what the final design will look like until the end. |
| A．The Russians prefer baking red eggs into breads. |
| B．It has a history of over two thousand years. |
| C．It is the most time-honored form of fancy art. |
| D．It is especially favored as a church decoration. |
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1. What’s the purpose of the text?| A．To introduce four scholarship-winning programs. | B．To share the experience of winning scholarships. |
| C．To describe requirements of four clubs. | D．To help students apply for colleges. |
| A．VIP Voice Scholarship | B．The Redefine Black Scholarship |
| C．The Law Offices of Joel J. Koksky Scholarship | D．Oleg Fastovsky Outstanding Citizen Scholarship |
| A．A 15-minute video about the causes of many accidents. |
| B．A two-minute video about it texting while walking. |
| C．An eye-opening video about drunk driving. |
| D．A well-designed video about criminal law. |
| A．It is difficult for college students to win it. |
| B．It will be given to the applicant with the highest points. |
| C．It offers students more money than the other scholarships. |
| D．It asks students to complete three surveys before signing up. |
| A．An article in a fashion magazine. | B．The front page of a newspaper. |
| C．The homepage of a company. | D．The website of a university. |
| A．which | B．what | C．whether | D．that |
| A．what | B．that | C．whose | D．which |
| A．Having encouraged | B．To encourage | C．Encouraged | D．Encouraging |
| A．permanently | B．deliberately | C．necessarily | D．temporarily |
8 . Trees should only be pruned (修剪) when there is a good and clear reason for doing so and, fortunately, the number of such reasons is small. Pruning involves the cutting away of overgrown and unwanted branches, and the inexperienced gardener can be encouraged by the thought that more damage results from doing it unnecessarily than from leaving the tree to grow in its own way.
First, pruning may be done to make sure that trees have a desired shape or size. The object may be to get a tree of the right height, and at the same time to help the growth of small side branches which will thicken its appearance or give it a special shape. Secondly, pruning may be done to make the tree healthier. You may cut diseased or dead wood, or branches that are rubbing against each other and thus cause wounds. The health of a tree may be encouraged by removing branches that are blocking up the centre and so preventing the free movement of air.
One result of pruning is that an open wound is left on the tree and this provides an easy entry for disease, but it is a wound that will heal. Often there is a race between the healing and the disease as to whether the tree will live or die, so that there is a period when the tree is at risk. It should be the aim of every gardener to reduce that risk of death as far as possible. It is important to make the area, which has been pruned, smooth and clean, for healing will be slowed down by roughness. You should allow the cut surface to dry for a few hours and then paint it with one of the substances available from garden shops produced especially for this purpose. Pruning is usually done in winter, for then you can see the shape of the tree clearly without interference from the leaves and also it is very unlikely that the cuts you make will bleed. If this does happen, it is, of course, impossible to paint them properly.
1. Why should pruning be done?| A．To make the tree grow taller. | B．To improve the shape of the tree. |
| C．To get rid of the small branches. | D．To make the small branches thicker. |
| A．gives a tree a special shape and a definite height |
| B．removes small side branches and makes a tree look less thick |
| C．allows too many branches to grow in the middle |
| D．has a tree surrounded by many other trees |
| A．To prevent disease entering a wound. | B．To cover a rough surface. |
| C．To make a wound smooth. | D．To help a wound to dry. |
| A．The author tends to favor pruning frequently. | B．It’s easy to find a reason to prune trees. |
| C．Pruning trees properly is not easy. | D．Pruned trees will always grow taller. |
| A．Discussing different methods of pruning. |
| B．Introducing some potential risks of pruning a tree. |
| C．Explaining how trees develop disease. |
| D．Giving practical instructions for pruning a tree. |
| A．point to | B．turn to | C．attend to | D．belong to |
— Come with me. I’ll take the nearest route and you ______ be in time for your flight.
| A．shall | B．need | C．dare | D．have to |
