1 . I applied to be a first-grade teacher’s assistant. The job paid the lowest wage, and I could hardly afford to pay my rent. I had no desire to go into education, so I didn’t know why I was attracted to this position. Working with children was not my motivation at that time. But later I found that it was all I wanted to do.

There was a student, Ashley, in my class who was very creative and interested in writ-ing. I helped Ashley write her first short story. Ashley and her mother Shirin walked into our classroom every morning. Shirin often volunteered to work in our classroom and would always give me a hug. She asked me questions about her daughter and my writing. At that time, I was working on a new romantic comedy script, and Shirin gave positive comments when I told her the plot.“I can’t wait to see this in the theater!” My confidence increased. I would also exchange some ideas with her. We became very good friends. Shirin also showered me with gifts. For holidays or my birthday, she’d get me some nice gifts. She was always finding ways to wrap me in love and encouragement.

I had worked as a teacher’s assistant for three years. Then I decided to start teaching cre-ative writing. Shirin and I had stayed close, and she kept encouraging me. I was forever grateful that I became a teacher’s assistant and met Shirin. She appeared in my life at just the right time.

1. What did the author think of her job at first?

A．Amazing.

B．Educational.

C．Unsatisfied.

D．Ordinary.

2. What can we know from paragraph 2?

A．Shirin was very good at writing plays.

B．The author was always ready to help others in life.

C．The author’s play was successfully adapted into a film.

D．The encouragement from Shirin made the author move on.

3. Which of the following can best describe Shirin?

A．Responsible.

B．Kind.

C．Ambitious.

D．Humorous.

4. What does the author want to convey by telling the story?

A．Ups and downs make one strong.	B．Family relationship influences children.
C．Writing comes from life and enriches heart.	D．Encouragement can change one’s attitude to life.

2 . 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。

Referred to as my hero, Jack, my brother, held significance in my life. Since he did everything before me, he always guided me and shared with his experiences I would have never had otherwise. As a master of learning and sports, he always accompanied me to study and take exercise. And he even got me through difficulties in life.

My first steps into high school were exciting but nervous, and I believed my extracurricular grades would be seen and valued by colleges. However, this sudden shift was difficult for me. Luckily, my brother noticed it all.

During that time, Jack was beginning his senior year and was finished with all the stressful subjects from junior year while I was studying for my very first math exam. Rather than just break into my room and sit down next to me, he let me decide by myself. He didn’t want to bother me because having someone sit next to me and micromanage my every move made me feel uncomfortable, leading to more stress and a feeling of distrust. Knowing this, he would leave me chips and snacks by my door, so I could pick them up whenever I felt like taking a break. He was there to help whenever I needed. With his encouragement and company, I became more confident while doing my homework.

The workload was just a major struggle for me during high school. Homework from advanced classes began piling up, and I was often stressed about different projects and deadlines. Moreover, there was also a math competition that my parents valued a lot, which needed plenty of practice every single day.

Even though I liked the time my brother gave me to figure out things on my own, it was reassuring to always have somebody who was willing to help me when I was stuck on an unsolvable problem. He would help me memorize formulas, explain different terms to me, and point out traps in different questions. And with his reputation as the best math student in our school, he could make those topics and questions simple to understand.

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

I began to spend hours at my desk focusing on getting a good score in the math competition.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Later Jack and I went to the same college and joined the same sports club.

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3 . Virtually, there is nothing that man cannot do. Only what he has to do is keep doing and doing without being discouraged. Success will come someday or other, though it may apparently be the conception about something that it cannot be done.     1     But the reality is that man’s success depends on whether he can do the toughest tasks successfully. It is because our life is complicated and tough. And to succeed in this tough battle, perseverance and hard work are a must     2    . We can prove this fact when we look at the reality of life and the history of man’s success. Perseverance helps us do what we otherwise would consider impossible to do.

What the world-famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton had done by twelve years’ constant hard work was burnt out by his pet dog. But that could not discourage him a little.     3     It is only for his undefeated perseverance that’ we have been able to have many inventions and discoveries.

    4     He went through thick and thin to reach his destination after months of the strenuous voyage on the sea. He discovered the way from Spain to America and offered the world a new route of communication with America. This outcome of his perseverance will be generated by the world forever.

All the great men in history have written their names in golden letters by means of perseverance.     5     If we all are perseverant in whatever we do, we are sure to stand out as a successful nation in the near future.

A．Every action has its reaction.

B．It is a unique precondition to success in life.

C．In human life, perseverance plays a very important role.

D．Their success will always remain as perfect examples to us.

E．Columbus has left us an adventurous story of perseverance.

F．The task that is easily done at the first attempt is undoubtedly very easy.

G．He was able to do it again through years of hard work and perseverance.

4 . From the moment we are born, we interact with the world through movement. We move our lips to smile or to talk. We extend our hand to touch. How does our brain remember this wide range of motions? How does it learn new ones? How does it make the calculations necessary for us to grab a glass of water, without dropping it, squashing it, or missing it?

Technion Professor Jackie Schiller from the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and her team examined the brain at a single-neuron (单神经元) level to shed light on this mystery. They found that calculation happens not just in the interaction between neurons, but within each individual neuron. It turns out that each of these cells is not a simple switch, but a complicated calculating machine.

This discovery, published recently in the Science, promises changes not only to our understanding of how the brain works, but better understanding of conditions ranging from Parkinson’s disease to autism. And if that isn’t enough, these same findings are expected to advance machine learning, providing inspiration for new architectures.

“We used to think of each neuron as a sort of whistle, which either rings, or doesn’t,” Prof. Schiller explains. “Instead, we are looking at a piano. Its keys can be struck at the same time, or in order, producing an infinity (无限) of different tunes.” This complex music playing in our brains is what enables us to learn and perform an infinity of different, complex and precise movements.

These same findings can also serve as an inspiration for the machine learning community. Deep neural networks, as their name suggests, attempt to create software that learns and functions somewhat similarly to a human brain. Although their advances constantly make the news, these networks are primitive compared to a living brain. A better understanding of how our brain actually works can help in designing more complex neural networks, enabling them to perform more complex tasks.

1. Why does the author raise the questions in paragraph 1?

A．To pursue answers.	B．To raise his puzzles.
C．To introduce the topic.	D．To share his interest

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The result of the research.

B．The function of a single neuron.

C．The way the research was conducted.

D．The aspects the discovery can be applied to.

3. What does Schiller stress in her explanation in paragraph 4?

A．The way that neurons work.

B．The music that neurons play.

C．The difficulties that researchers encounter.

D．The process where neurons produce memory.

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

A．Individual Neuron Works like a Piano

B．Calculation Happens Between Neurons like a Machine

C．Complex Neural Networks in the Brain Enable People to Learn

D．The Mystery of Learning and Remembering Movement Has Been Uncovered

5 . Some 20 percent of adults are procrastinators (拖延症患者). Everyone might put off a task or two, but long-term procrastinators do it at home, at school, at work and in their relationships.

For years, researchers have focused on the personalities of people who procrastinate. The results suggest procrastinators may be impulsive (冲动), worriers and have trouble regulating their emotions. But procrastinators are not lazy. They’re actually very busy doing other things than what they’re supposed to be doing. Though procrastinators may think they perform better under pressure, studies have reported the opposite. And when deadlines are uncertain, procrastinators tend to delay their work.

When people put off a tough task, they feel good-in the moment. Procrastinating is a way to avoid the negative emotions linked to the task. But the relief it provides is only temporary, and many seek out ways to stop procrastinating.

In fact, most research today suggests procrastination is a behavioral pattern, which means it’s something you can change, regardless of whether you’re impulsive. What works best is still under research. Some scientists have reported success with time management. But the evidence for that is all over the map. That’s because poor time management is a symptom not a cause of procrastination.

For some procrastinators, seemingly obvious tips can work. Researchers advise students to simply put down their smartphones. Silencing notifications or studying in the library rather than at home can regulate distractions and keep people on task. But that won’t be enough for many people. Stubborn procrastinators may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (认知行为疗法). This type of therapy, which involves managing thoughts and emotions and trying to change behavior, seemed to be the most helpful. Still, not many studies have examined treatments, and there’s room for improvement.

1. What does procrastination mean to longtime procrastinators?

A．A personal advantage.	B．A habitual behavior.
C．A working motivation.	D．An excuse for laziness.

2. What do experts think of procrastinators?

A．They are inactive.	B．They are efficient.
C．They are anxious.	D．They are careful.

3. What causes people to procrastinate?

A．Their temporary relief from the stress.

B．Their imperfection in personalities.

C．Their poor time management at work.

D．Their high ability to deal with hard work.

4. What may be the best procrastination treatment according to the text?

A．Avoiding smartphones.	B．Proper studying places.
C．Good time management.	D．Cognitive behavioral therapy.

6 . A New Campaign to Stress the Benefits of a Balanced Diet

Look out for a new TV campaign, entitled “Eat Balanced”, which will highlight the continued benefits of eating meat and dairy (奶制的) products as part of a balanced diet.

Introduction

The campaign spearheaded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) will appear on TV, social media and supermarket packaging and aims to highlight the nutritional benefits of enjoying red meat and dairy, while showing Britain’s world-class standards in food production and sustainability.

Basis

The campaign will be built on the following three key messages about meat and diary products:

●Meat and dairy products contain vitamin B12, an essential nutrient not naturally present in vegan diet;

●Red meat and dairy products from Britain are produced to world-class standards;

●Red meat and dairy products from Britain are among the most sustainable in the world.

The Aim

AHDB is conveying a message to consumers for a bright new year—enjoy the food you eat.

AHDB’s Chief Communications and Market Development Officer Christine Watts says, “In Britain, we have so much to be proud of when it comes to the food we eat, how it’s produced and the entire journey from farm to fork. Our farmers operate farms in the excellent way, so our food meets the international criterion. This campaign is aimed to balance the negative commentary around farming, as well as highlight the importance of eating meat and dairy products as part of a balanced and healthy diet.”

1. What is the new campaign based on?

A．British eating habits.	B．Corporate advertising.
C．Some supermarket regulations.	D．Some important food information.

2. What message does Christine Watts convey?

A．British food is up to standard.	B．British food is short of supply.
C．British farmers are fond of meat.	D．British farmers are hard-working.

3. What section of a magazine is the text most probably taken from?

A．Society and economy.	B．Health and diet.
C．Industry and production.	D．Agriculture and farming.

7 . Hong Kong to Macau Transportation

It is really convenient and swift for travelers to travel between Hong Kong and Macau, with a straight-line distance of about 60 kilometers.

Helicopter (直升机) Transport

Helicopter transport is the most swift and convenient means for transportation between Hong Kong and Macau. The length of time for a journey is only 15 minutes.

Service time: The helicopter departs every 30 minutes from 9:00 to 23:00. Passengers should arrive at the waiting room at least 15 minutes before the departure time.

Tel: 2872 7288 (Macau) and 2108 9898 (Hong Kong). Passengers can book a ticket via these telephone numbers.

Approximate ticket fares: The price of a helicopter transport is about 2,700–2,900 yuan per person.

Ship Transport

The length of time for a journey by ship between Hong Kong and Macau is about 50 minutes, which is much longer than that taking a helicopter. However, the ticket fare is much cheaper than taking a helicopter.

Service time and departure interval: The ship departs every 15 minutes from 7:00 to 24:00, and then departs at 0:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:30, 4:00, 4:45 and 6:00.

Approximate ticket fares: There are different kinds of ticket fares, for day sailing and night sailing and for common seats and luxury seats. The price is from 133 to 268 yuan per seat.

Jetfoil (水翼喷射船) Transport

Passengers also can take a jetfoil: a five-star Premier Jetfoil with luxurious services of high quality coming and going among Macau, Hong Kong and Hong Kong International Airport, and the length of time for each route is about 55 minutes.

Service time and departure interval: The jetfoil departs every 1 hour from 8:00–22:00.

Approximate ticket fares: The common seat for day sailing is 250–320 yuan per person. The luxury seat for day sailing is 450–560 yuan per person.

1. What are the helicopter passengers required to do?

A．Arrive at least a quarter earlier.	B．Check the departure time online.
C．Choose the kind of seat on the spot.	D．Pay for an extra insurance fee.

2. What is the advantage of jetfoil transport over the other two?

A．Its comfort level.	B．The price of tickets.
C．The length of time.	D．The frequency of transportation.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A textbook.	B．A travel diary.
C．A travel website.	D．A science report.

8 . 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。

Ever wonder    1    it would feel like to hide away in a dark cave without being connected to the outside world for 40 days? Fifteen people in France just did that. The group    2    (live) in a cave as part of the Deep Time project. The project was conducted by scientists from the Human Adaptation Institute, who wanted to see how they would react to and cope with being    3    (total) disconnected from the modern world. Since the volunteers    4    (cut) off from the outside world, they had to rely    5    their body clock to know when    6     (wake) up, go to sleep and eat. As expected, those in the cave lost their sense of time. “Time seemed to pass more slowly in the underground cave, where there were neither clocks    7    sunlight,” said Deep Time’s director Christian Clot.

The majority of the volunteers said they enjoyed the experience of total isolation. Two-thirds expressed a desire to remain underground a while    8    (long) in order to finish projects they had started. “The experience tested humans’ ability to adjust    9    (they) to the sudden huge changes in living conditions and environments,” said Clot. “We hope to better understand how our brains are capable of    10    (find) new solutions, whatever the situation.”

9 . Left-handed people make up around 12% of the global population. One really interesting fact that I picked up was from a scientist who believed that left-handed people tended to be more independent as a result of having to adapt to a world that is largely built for right-handed individuals.    1    !

More likely to have allergies and sleep disorders

A study found that left-handed people were 11 times more likely to suffer from allergies than right-handed folk.    2    .

Left-handed people use the right side of the brain the most

    3    , meaning that the right side controls the left side of the body and the other way around. Hence there is a well-known saying “only left-handed people are in their right minds”. The right-hand side of the brain is thought to control the left side of the body and tasks to do with the arts and creativity.

Are left-handed people smarter?

    4    ! One 2007 study “Effect of handedness on intelligence level of students”shows that lefties are more likely to have higher IQ. However,another 2010 study “The relationship between hand preference, hand performance, and general cognitive ability” suggests the exact opposite!

    5    

Experiments showed that when given two tasks to complete simultaneously (同时), lefties performed best. This is because right-handed people tend to solve problems by breaking them down into parts and analyzing each piece one at a time. While left-handed people tend to look at the problem as a whole and use pattern-matching to try and solve it.

A．Better at multi-tasking

B．Smarter than the right-handed

C．As we know, the brain is cross-wired

D．This one varies depending on how dated your source is

E．Here are a few more fascinating left-handed people facts

F．Mixed-handed children are more likely to experience language issues

G．And lefties were two and a half times more likely to suffer from sleep disorders

10 . Traveling to Europe can be expensive, butif you get creative and avoid tourist hot spots like London and Paris, you may be able to avoid high price tags. According to average hotel prices,flight deals,available vacation packages and affordable attractions, you can choose the best cheap European vacations.

Prague

Apart from the price of flying here,you won’t have to dish out too much money to experience Prague. Many of the city’s most popular attractions are free to visit, including Old Town Square, the Charles Bridge and PetrinHill. You can also find five-star hotels for less than $200 per night here, plus plenty of solid three and four star accommodations with even cheaper rates.

Porto

This cheap Portuguese destination is getting increasingly popular,so make sure to visit while it’s still affordable. Right now, you can take the train from Porto to Lisbon for as little as $ 30 one way. Once you arrive in, you’ll be delighted to learn that several top attractions here, such as the Dom Luis I Bridge, the Porto Cathedral and the Crystal Palace gardens, are free to visit.

Valencia

Valencia has numerous beautiful beaches. It is also a lot more affordable. The city offers a diverse range of free things to do, including relaxing on the sand, wandering through Plaza del Ayuntamiento, exploring the Valencia Cathedral and shopping at the Central Market, one of the oldest food market areas in Europe.

Tallinn

Tallinn draws travelers to Estonia with its charming atmosphere and historical attractions. Start by walking through the capital’s Old Town, which is webbed with cobblestone streets, old-world buildings and all kinds of medieval delights. Then, explore the city’s museums. If you plan on visiting multiple museums, it may cost about $ 65.

1. What do Prague and Porto have in common?

A．They are tourist hot spots.

B．They have cheap five-star hotels.

C．They offer some free top attractions.

D．They are famous for historical attractions.

2. Which place best suits people who are interested in seashore?

A．Valencia.	B．Prague.
C．Tallinn.	D．Porto.

3. What do we know about Tallinn?

A．It is too crowded.	B．It charges for museums.
C．It offers many free things to do.	D．It’s the most popular destination.