1 . It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.
My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn’t full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas’ sage, so I asked him, “What was the best time of your life?”
Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, “Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question.”
“When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.”
“The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.”
“When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life.”
“When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.”
“And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life.”
1. Why did the author feel anxious according to the article?| A．He would be 30 in two days. |
| B．He was worried about getting old. |
| C．He didn’t go to the gym to exercise. |
| D．Nicholas asked questions he didn’t want to answer. |
| A．He spent his childhood with his grandparents in Austria. |
| B．He dropped out of school, found a job and got paid. |
| C．He took part in the Second World War and met his wife. |
| D．He started a family and became a young father in Canada. |
| A．Casual. | B．Anxious. | C．Positive. | D．Negative. |
| A．Live a day at a time. | B．You get what you pay for. |
| C．Every man has his price. | D．Strike while the iron is hot. |
2 . How to Apply China Visa (签证)
How to apply China visa is the most concerned question for international tourists who plan to travel to China. Here you will find the useful information about China visa requirements and instructions.
China Visa Requirements
▶The valid (有效的) passport
Original passport valid for at least 6 months with blank visa pages, and a photocopy of data page (with your photo on it)
▶China visa application form and photo
The applicants must fill in a complete visa application form and attach it with a recent-taken colour passport photo.
So what is the requirement of the photo? The photo you submit must be passport-type (bare-head, full face) and standard with the correct dimension and background colour.
▶Effective proof of legal stay or resident status (it applies to those who do not apply for China visa in their countries of citizenship).
Supporting Application Documents
For C-Visa, a letter of guarantee issued by a foreign transport company or an invitation letter issued by a relevant authority from China side shall be provided.
For D-Visa, the original and a photocopy of foreign permanent residence identification form issued by China’s Ministry of Public Security shall be provided.
For F-Visa, an invitation letter issued by relevant authorities or individuals from China side shall be provided.
For G-Visa, an onward air (train, bus, ship) ticket with confirmed date and seat to the third country or region shall be provided.
For L-Visa, the tour itinerary (行程) and documents with round trip flight tickets and accommodation reservations, or an invitation letter issued by relevant authorities or individuals from Chinese side shall be provided.
For M-Visa, documents of business activity, trade fair invitation letter or other invitation letter issued by trade partners in China shall be provided.
Further reading: click the link China visa knowledge and types.
1. In what situation do people have to prove the legal stay for the application?| A．Not being in his country of nationality. |
| B．Without documents of business activity. |
| C．Without photos that match the requirements. |
| D．Not being invited by trade partners in China. |
| A．C-Visa and M-Visa. | B．L-Visa and D-Visa. |
| C．G-Visa and L-Visa. | D．F-Visa and M-Visa. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A hotel poster. | D．A web page. |
3 . Bill Gates was born in 1955. He grew up in Seattle, Washington. When he was young, he was good at science and maths. And he wanted to be a scientist.
Bill started to play with computers when he was 13. At that time, computers were very large machines. Once he was interested in a very old computer. He and some of his friends spent lots of time doing unusual things with it. In the end, they worked out a software program with the old machine. Bill sold it for 4,200 dollars when he was only 17.
In 1973, Bill went to Harvard University. He developed the Basic Language for the first microcomputer. In his third year, he left Harvard. Bill began his company in 1975 with his friend Paul Allen. They thought that the computer would be a very important tool in every office and in every home, so they began developing software for personal computers. They developed the software to make it easier for people to use computers.
In 1999, Bill wrote a book. In the book, he told people how computer technology could solve business problems in new ways. It was one of the best-sellers on The New York Times’ list. Bill Gates has many hobbies. He enjoyed reading very much. He also enjoys playing golf and bridge.
1. When did Bill begin to play with computers?| A．In 1968. | B．In 1966. | C．In 1965. | D．In 1972. |
| A．17 years old. | B．18 years old. |
| C．19 years old. | D．20 years old. |
| A．how to do unusual things |
| B．how to play computer games |
| C．how to work out a software program |
| D．how to solve business problems with the help of computers in new ways |
| A．Bill worked for Microsoft before he went to Harvard University |
| B．Bill sold his first software program for 420 dollars |
| C．reading is one of Bill’s hobbies |
| D．Bill began his company in 1976 with his friend |
| A．Bill Gates developed the Basic Language for the first microcomputer. |
| B．Bill Gates enjoys playing computer games. |
| C．Bill Gates wrote many science books. |
| D．Bill Gates books are on the top of best-sellers. |
4 . Getting into an air-conditioned space during extreme heat is the best way of protecting yourself against heat-related illness, Dr. Pryor says. But there are a few additional things you can do to serve the purpose.
Focus on hydrating(补水), even before you go outside
“
Go for lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothes, like a cotton shirt. Heavy, form-fitting clothing obviously won’t feel great when your skin badly needs to breathe. Meanwhile, dark-colored clothes take in the sun’s heat and make you feel hotter.
Rethink your dinner menu
Cooking meals will give off a lot of heat and can make your space even steamier.
Cut down on exercise needing great energy
“
Take a cool shower
This kind of shower has an air conditioning effect, Dr. Pryor explains.
| A．Choose your proper clothing |
| B．You’d better work out at a gym. |
| C．Bring a change of clothes with you |
| D．Cool water helps lower your body temperature quickly |
| E．If you are going to be outside in high heat, start hydrating early |
| F．Exercise is OK if you know how to reduce the time of the workout |
| G．Instead, consider making a meal that requires no heat, like no-cook dinners |
5 . I have been in England three months now. I hope you don’t think I’ve forgotten you. There have been so many places to see and so many things to do that I’ve not had much time for writing letters.
I shall soon be starting my studies at King’s College. So far I’ve been learning about England and British ways of living. I won’t tell you about London. There are lots of books you can read and lots of pictures you can look at about this famous city. I’m sure you’ll be more interested to know what I think about life here.
I find some of the customs interesting. People here do not shake hands as much as we do in the mainland of Europe. During the first few weeks I was often surprised because people did not put out their hands when I met them. Men raise their hats to women but not to each other.
1. The writer came to London from _______.| A．Asia | B．the mainland of Europe | C．America | D．Africa |
| A．she had forgotten her friend | B．she was lonely and sad in this strange land |
| C．she was too busy to write | D．she was too busy with her courses at King’s College |
| A．Happy. | B．Angry. | C．Sad. | D．Interesting. |
| A．to make a living | B．to study |
| C．to learn British ways of living | D．for sightseeing only |
| A．Men raise their hats to women but not to each other. |
| B．Men often shake hands with others when they meet. |
| C．Men raise their hats to all friends when they meet. |
| D．Men do not shake hands with friends when they meet. |
1. Where did the fire take place?
| A．On Central Street. | B．On Oxford Street. | C．On East Street. |
| A．Because a lion is sitting in the middle of the road. |
| B．Because a big crowd is standing in front of the cars. |
| C．Because someone is driving on the wrong side of the road. |
| A．Wild animals. | B．International news. | C．Weather forecast. |
| A．10:00 a. m. | B．11:00 a. m. | C．12:00 noon. |
8 . How exercising changed their life
Name: Katelyn Block, 19 The problem: At the end of her junior year of high school, she fell into a serious eating disorder. The change: She was an athlete, but while she was sick, she stopped running. Later, she decided to get back into running. She made the decision to build her body back from the ground up. With a few months of hard work and determination, she graduated from high school with a healthy body. | Name: Amalia Biro, 24 The problem: Amalia was a horseback rider with her sight set on the Olympics, until one day she was thrown off a horse, leaving her left knee badly injured. The change: She ran a 5K at the request of her friend. Running lets her clear her head. She found herself starting to turn to running instead of breaking away from her social life. And she was in good shape and felt better than before. |
Name: Sarah Jane Parker, 28 The problem: She had a lot of fear and anxiety about different things. The fear was taking over her life. The change: She tried indoor rock climbing with her friend’s encouragement. When she finally managed to climb to the top, she fell in love with the sport. Eventually she used the courage she got from climbing to break away from her fear. | Name: Kimberly Whittaker, 25 The problem: Two car accidents in one month made Kimberly have joint problems in both knees and pain in her lower back. The change: She joined a gym and worked with a physical trainer three times a week to help her become healthy again. She took spin classes (动感单车) the most often because she felt like she was able to focus her energy just on riding. |
| A．She got a fever. | B．She was anxious. |
| C．She couldn’t eat normally. | D．She hurt her knees. |
| A．They had the same dream. | B．They attended the Olympics. |
| C．They didn’t trust themselves. | D．They should thank their friends. |
| A．By changing her diet. | B．By seeing a doctor. |
| C．By joining a gym. | D．By studying hard. |
| A．shall we | B．will you | C．do we | D．do you |
| A．is cleaned | B．are cleaned | C．be cleaned | D．cleaned |
