1 . I cannot remember a point in my life when I desired anything other than becoming a teacher. At the beginning of my senior year in high school, I began applying to the University of Connecticut. But what I didn’t realize was how expensive my dream was. I came from a middle-class family, and it seemed as though we’d always struggled to make ends meet.
I wasn’t the smartest person in my class, not even close; but my heart was in the right place, and I was determined. I applied for every scholarship I could get my hands on. What did I have to lose? And then my guidance counselor told me about the financial aid system. I applied, but I didn’t think I would qualify for that either.
After the holidays, my friends started receiving their acceptance letters from colleges, and I eagerly anticipated mine. Finally, a letter arrived from the University of Connecticut. Feelings of fear and joy overwhelmed me when I opened the envelope with trembling hands. I had done it! I cried for a while, feeling both extremely excited and afraid. I had been working a full-time job, but that was barely enough to pay for tuition, and it was impossible for my parents to finance my education.
Months went by before a letter from the financial aid office arrived. I opened it eagerly, but it was only a letter requesting more information to process my application. This happened over and over, and my hopes kept getting shot down. Finally, a bulky envelope arrived, the one that would determine whether I could attend college. Not only was financial aid going to help me out with my expenses, but also I won two of the scholarships I had applied for! I had actually made my dream come true.
I am now a junior at the University of Connecticut, pursuing a degree in English.
1. What was the author’s main trouble in realizing her dream?| A．She lacked determination. |
| B．Her family was short of money. |
| C．She didn’t know which university to apply to. |
| D．Her parents disapproved of her attending university. |
| A．By taking up part-time jobs. |
| B．By receiving her parents’ support. |
| C．By turning to her guidance counselor for help. |
| D．By applying for scholarships and financial aid . |
| A．To test her determination. |
| B．To inform her of their refusal. |
| C．To ask for supplemental information. |
| D．To check the process of her application. |
| A．Never say never. | B．More haste, less speed. |
| C．Aiming higher, achieving more. | D．Pride hurts, modesty benefits. |
| A．difficulty; to make | B．difficulty; with making |
| C．difficulty; making | D．difficulties; in making |
| A．fond | B．curious | C．afraid | D．aware |
4 . Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children, Kevin and Jenny. The whole family are all busy, so they often leave notes to each other. Here are these four notes of today.
| 3:30 pm To Kevin, Mr. King rang, telling there is no football practice today, and he asked you to get ready for the football match tomorrow. Jenny | 4:00 pm To Jenny, It’s your turn to walk our pet dog Teddy and play with him after school. Kevin |
| 6:45 pm To all, Has anyone found my tennis shoes? I’m doing my homework in my bedroom. Kevin | 9:00 pm To Kevin, I saw your shoes this morning. They smelt terrible so I put them outside the back door. Good night, dear! Mum |
| A．Mum | B．Kevin | C．Jenny | D．July |
| A．Play with Teddy. | B．Play tennis. | C．Play in a football match. | D．Go shopping |
| A．Teddy doesn’t like to stay at home. | B．Mr. King may be a coach. |
| C．Mum washed Kevin’s shoes. | D．Teddy doesn’t like to go shopping |
5 . Will printed newspapers disappear one day? It’s quite possible. Here are some reasons.
First of all, printed newspapers aren’t the only way to get information. You can find the same information on the Internet. Besides, you can read a lot of information online for free, which makes the Internet even more attractive.
Lots of people are becoming Internet users and most of Internet users read news online. For example, I usually get new information about events that happen in the world by reading short messages on Twitter. As far as I know, students in our university hardly read newspapers. One can argue that older generations may have been used to reading printed newspapers and do not want to change anything, but research proves the opposite. According to a study, the number of Internet users aged between 70 and 75 has increased greatly within four years. This fact sounds strange, but some of Internet users are over 73 years old.
Where do newspapers get their money? The answer is “advertisers”. It is quite expensive especially when you have a lot of other opportunities. Online advertisements are becoming more and more popular. It is good to both sides because it is easier to track (追踪) how many clicks have been made on this link than to find out how many people have actually read a newspaper and paid attention to advertisements.
Also, printed newspapers are not environmentally friendly. They need tons of wood, lots of electricity and many delivery (运输) ways to produce and transport the papers.
1. The first reason for the possibility of printed newspapers’ disappearance in the near future is that_________.| A．newspapers are not available to everyone. |
| B．newspapers is the only source of information. |
| C．the news in the printed newspapers is very boring. |
| D．the Internet provides a lot of the same information free of charge. |
| A．Old people also love new things. |
| B．Newspapers are losing their aged readers. |
| C．More old people are used to reading newspapers. |
| D．Old people are willing to change their bad habits. |
| A．They are not good for the environment. |
| B．They are cheaper and cheaper because of the Internet. |
| C．An increasing number of people become Internet users and read news online. |
| D．Advertisers prefer online advertisements because it is easier to track how many clicks have been made. |
| A．How people read news today. | B．Why the Internet is important. |
| C．Why printed newspapers may die away. | D．How people get information today. |
6 . If having to make a choice between reading an e-book and a printed book, which would most people choose? Some would go for an e-book while some still prefer the hard-printed book.
Undoubtedly, e-books do have benefits. Firstly, changes to an electronic publication are relatively easy to make. They are quicker to obtain. E-books are more easily updated. The printed books on many subjects can become outdated very quickly. Secondly, e-books can be easily and quickly kept up to date. You usually get far more than just the e-books. Most e-books are sold with bonuses and related information that usually do not come with the purchase of a printed book. Moreover, they take up less space. Instead of a big library, you can fit literally thousands of books on your computer. It also makes it easier to share this information with families and friends.
For nearly twenty years, additionally, futurists have been predicting the development of printed books. The conventional view has been that digital e-books are on the verge of replacing paper books. However, this has not been the case. A printed book has its advantages too. Firstly, it is an object that can be carried and used alone. It needs no electric outlet (插座), no batteries, nothing. Secondly, e-books will always require some forms of support that the printed book does not need.
I believe that the online publishing has not taken off because people want real books. What is being published online more and more are pamphlets (小册子) and things that really do not need to be in print. These are stuff that people throw away afterward. More often, people do not want to read a book on the computer. What could be better than a paper book? It lasts a long time. These books are designed to last a long time without disappearing.
To sum up, there is no denying that the printed book is still very much preferred over its digital cousins. Reading electronic publications is just not the same when it comes to books. People are still very interested in real books and notebooks.
1. What can we know about an e-book?| A．It will never be out of date. | B．It always gives you an added bonus. |
| C．It can deliver information quickly. | D．It has taken the place of printed books. |
| A．Printed books will disappear. | B．Printed books can be used alone. |
| C．E-books have many restrictions. | D．E-books have no drawbacks. |
| A．The low demand for book industry. | B．The expectations from people. |
| C．The guidance of policy. | D．The desire for the printed books. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Unpredictable. | C．Costly. | D．Promising. |
7 . The world’s craziest festivals
Crazy festivals all over the world are out there just waiting to be celebrated. Join Cornelia Kumfert on a trip to the most unusual events taking place around the globe.
Burning Man Festival
Every year in Nevada (US) there is artwork and cunosities galore to marvel at when the Black Rock Desert changes into a mammoth art exhibition.
In August and September, some 70,00 people come here to celetrate the Burning Man Festival.
San Diego Comic Con
Surely superheroes don’t queue? Well, at San Diego’s Comic Convention they do. Each July hey open their dos to fans of Superman and other comic figures. More than 100,000 annual visitors have paid homage to their mythical heroes.
Crying Baby Festival, Tokyo
At the Crying Baby Festival in Tokyo (Japan), sumo wrestlers do what they can to bring babies to tears.
Sadists run riot? Certainly not! It’s a 400-year-old tradition based on a Japanese proverb, which says that crying babies grow fastest and parents believe the event brings good health to their children.
Palio Contest, Siena
Fame and honour await the winner of the Palio contest in Siena (Italy).
In July and August, ten inhabitants of different districts of the city jockey for first place in a spectacular horse race.
The trophy goes to the contestant whose horse crosses the finishing line first—whether he’s still in the saddle or not.
1. Which of the festivals offers a view of art?| A．Burning Man Festival. | B．Palio Contest, Siena. |
| C．Crying Baby Festival, Tokyo. | D．San Diego Comic Con. |
| A．On the basis of a proverb. | B．Based on a phrase. |
| C．According to a story. | D．At the request of the public. |
| A．A burning man show. | B．A comedy play. |
| C．A horse race. | D．A baby-crying show. |
8 . Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptile in the world and can eat large prey(猎物). They hide at the edge of the water, waiting for prey. Then, without warning, they lunge. They grab their prey in their powerful jaws and drag it under water. Saltwater crocodiles don’t often miss their target.
One day, David George found himself in a swamp. It was the home of saltwater crocodiles. David knew they were there because he could see their tracks.
David thought his only chance of survival was to climb a tree and tie himself to a branch. Two big saltwater crocodiles, however, waited under the tree. He would have to come down sometime!
At night, David could see their red eyes and hear them bellowing.
Days went by, David climbed higher in the tree and made a platform of sticks to lie on. He finished his two meat sandwiches.
David could hear helicopters, but it was hard for anyone to see him. He hung toilet paper over the tree and waved his shirt like a flag. He tried to make a flash of light by holding a tin box towards the sun.
After six days in the tree, David was seen at last and was winched away from the stalking crocodiles.
David was one of the luckiest survivors. However, animals don’t usually attack people for no reason. A very hungry animal might attack something that looks like food. Most animals are very protective of their young. If anything comes close, they will attack to defend their family. Many animals attack to protect their territory.
It is very important for people to know animals. People need to know why animals can be dangerous.
1. Which of the following best describes saltwater crocodiles according to the first paragraph?| A．Slow and cold-blooded. | B．Quick and poisonous. |
| C．Hairy and ugly. | D．Cruel and dangerous. |
| A．A flat area higher than the ground. | B．Land that an animal thinks of as its own. |
| C．Very wet, flooded ground. | D．A long body part around the mouth. |
| A．Understand animals. | B．Protect animals. |
| C．Keep yourself away from animals. | D．Be friendly to animals. |
| A．In Saltwater Croc Territory | B．A Long Wait |
| C．Saltwater Crocodiles | D．A Lucky Survivor |
9 . E-bikes are becoming more and more popular. It opens cycling to older people, those with disabilities, people who live in hilly cities where regular cycling requires serious effort.
Three things are needed to make e-bikes popular—a safe place to ride, good affordable bikes and a secure place to park. Safety comes first. For bike lanes (车道) to work, the network has to be continuous, not just forcing cyclists into the middle of a busy street. It should be well protected so that the cyclists won't feel they'll be knocked down by cars. It's necessary to provide good affordable e-bikes to customers either in physical stores or in online stores. Only in this way can people consider buying one as their means of transportation. Parking remains an avoidable problem if we want to encourage more people to ride e-bikes. In Netherlands or Copenhagen, large bike parking lots at train and bus stations encourage varieties of transport. People can easily find bike parking everywhere. This is going to be needed in other cities too for e-bikes to really become a form of transportation.
As a matter of fact, people have found that e-bikes are effective transportation choices. A recent study shows that people who ride e-bikes increase their travel distance from 2. 1 to 9. 2 km per day on average. That is sure to do good to their health. It's also believed that if just 15% of a city’s population turn to e-bikes, it would reduce the carbon emissions (排放) from transportation by 12%.
All of these lead me to conclude that e-bikes are a far better way of dealing with transportation emissions than electric cars. They won't work for everyone, but they don't have to.
1. What is the most important for cyclists?| A．Their safety. | B．Affordable bikes. | C．Good parking lot. | D．Fast transportation. |
| A．To show their good e-bikes. | B．To show their e-bikes are affordable. |
| C．To show cyclists have safe places to ride. | D．To show they offer good bike parking lots. |
| A．The rules of riding bicycles. | B．The advantages of riding bicycles. |
| C．The health benefits of riding bicycles. | D．The harmful influence of riding bicycles. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unconcerned. |
10 . On a cold winter day, Don took his dogs, Milo and Duke, out for their usual morning walk at Bark Park. But this peaceful walk was interrupted by Mike, an anxious dog owner who was missing his best friend. His small gray dog, Jackson, had gotten lost somewhere in the park- and he'd already been gone for quite some time. Small dogs don't do very well in cold weather. Knowing that there was no time to waste, Don and his own dogs immediately started searching the park. Unfortunately, Jackson was nowhere to be found.
If Don hadn't had his own dogs with him, Jackson might never have been found in time. Don was about to give up on the search and was already heading back to his car. But as Don and his dogs were crossing the bridge, Milo suddenly noticed something in the water. Thinking that his dog had seen a duck or something else, Don tried to pull on the leash, but Milo wouldn't listen. Duke joined in, and the two dogs insisted that something was going on.
Don looked out across the bridge and saw a small, gray shape struggling in the icy river. The reality of the situation clicked, and Don immediately began running down to the water's edge. Don called 911, but he knew that help wouldn't arrive in time. Without even sparing a thought for himself, the brave man jumped into the water and moved straight towards the terrified dog. Jackson was trapped in ice and barely holding himself above water. Don used his arms to break the ice and quickly pulled the dog into his arms. The two swam out of the water and back onto dry land. Mike was waiting for Jackson and rushed him straight to a nearby vet clinic. It's reported that Jackson didn't suffer any harm from the incident and is as cheerful as ever.
1. What was Don doing when he met Mike?| A．Swimming. | B．Playing games. | C．Taking exercise. | D．Walking his dogs. |
| A．Don. | B．Mike. | C．Milo. | D．Duke. |
| A．Jackson was his best friend. | B．He loved the dog very much. |
| C．Milo and Duke asked him to do so. | D．There wasn't enough time waiting for the rescue. |
| A．Brave dogs: Milo and Duke | B．Missing dog found in the river |
| C．Brave man saves dog trapped in ice | D．A walk on a cold morning in the park |
