1 . Tales of the homework-burdened American students have become common, but are these stories the exception or the rule.

The National Education Association recommends that homework time increase by ten minutes per year in school. For example, a third grader would have 30 minutes of homework, while a seventh grader would have 70 minutes. Studies have found that schools tend to follow these guidelines.

A study out of the University of Michigan found that students aged six to eight spend 29 minutes doing homework per night while 9- to-12-year-old students spend 50 minutes doing homework. For high school students, they spend an average of 6. 8 hours on homework outside of school per week.

To be more specific, 45 percent of students in grades three to 12 spend more than an hour a night doing homework, including the six percent of students who report spending more than three hours a night on their homework. The study also found that 70 percent of students in grades three to 12 had at least one homework assignment in math each day. 62 percent had at least one homework assignment in a language class (English. reading, spelling, or creative writing courses) every two days and 42 percent had at least one in a science class each week.

Regardless of how much homework kids are actually doing every night, most parents and teachers are happy with the way things are; 60 percent of parents think that their children have the “right amount of homework”, and 73 percent of teachers think their school assigns the right amount of homework.

Students, however, are not necessarily on board: 30 percent of students in grades seven through 12 and 28 percent of students in grades three through six report being “very often/often” stressed out by their homework.

1. How much time are ninth graders recommended to spend on their daily homework?

A．30 minutes.

B．50 minutes.

C．70 minutes.

D．90 minutes.

2. What are the statistics in paragraph 3 about?

A．The actual amount of homework for different subjects.

B．The unbalanced homework burdens in different schools.

C．The recommended daily homework for different students.

D．The average time different graders spend on daily homework.

3. Which subject has daily homework?

A．Language.

B．Art.

C．Math.

D．Science.

4. What can be inferred about the amount of homework in the US?

A．The majority of students feel stressed out.

B．It might be reduced just for some students.

C．The government guidelines are not scientific.

D．Most parents and teachers are unhappy with it.

2 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What’s the relationship between smoking and drinking?

A．Dependent.

B．Unrelated.

C．Contradictory.

2. What do we know about nicotine?

A．It helps quit drinking.

B．It makes people sleepy.

C．It weakens the effect of alcohol.

3. What is mentioned at last?

A．The method of the research.

B．The subjects of the research.

C．The significance of the research.

3 . What is Lynda?

A．A person.

B．A website.

C．A course.

4 . Why is the girl upset?

A．She has no friends now.

B．Her mother is out of work.

C．Her family is about to move.

5 . The harvest season falls at different times of the year depending on region and climate, but festivals celebrating its arrival are held all over the world Some are the start of the season and the fist crops, while other are celebrations to give thanks for the blessing of a harvest.

Rice Harvest Festival (May ~ June)

The harvest festival is dedicated to Dewi Sni-the goddess of rice and fertility(丰产) celebrated by the people of Bali, Indonesia.

Mid-Autumn Festival (September ~ October)

Mooncakes and tea are served on Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Moon Festival, because it coincides with the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is also a time of family gatherings.

Yam Festival (August or September)

Men are carrying yams(山药) at the Yam Festival on the Trobriand Islands, Papua NewGuinea. The people there celebrate the end of the rainy season and the first appearance of yams.

Sukkoth (September ~ October)

Jewish people decorate the family Sukkah for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. A Sukkah is a temporary building where meals are taken for the week. The 8-day festival gives thanks to the harvest.

Pongal (January)

The 4-day festival of Pongal is a celebration of the rice harvest period. Held after the winter solstice(冬至), it celebrates the return of longer days of life-giving sunlight. Its name comes from a Tamil word, meaning “to boil”, and is also the name given to a rice dish that is prepared during this time.

1. Which festivals are related to rice?

A．Yam Festival and Sukkoth.

B．Mid-Autumn Festival and Yam Festival.

C．Rice Harvest Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival.

D．Pongal and Rice Harvest Festival.

2. What can you enjoy if you visit China during the Mid-Autumn Festival?

A．Mooncakes.

B．Dumplings.

C．Sweet dumplings.

D．Zongzi.

3. What will the Jewish people prepare for Sukkoth?

A．Rice dishes.

B．Special houses.

C．Tea

D．Flowers

6 . On discovering that Morrie ____ by a severe illness, Mitch starts visiting him at his house on Tuesdays.

A．is weakened

B．is weakening

C．is being weakened

D．has weakened

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Good friends always make life seem much easier and better. In our busy lives, sometimes when we feel     1    (stick) and isolated, it is our friends who spend their time     2    us. Though it might be     3    (necessary) to know the definitions of a good friend, it is important to know the qualities of a good friend and the skills to be a good friend!

Full acceptance is     4    key element of any human relationship. To be a good friend, you must     5    (full) accept your friend with his/her faults. An important test of friendship is the reliability of a friend.

If you look horrible in that dress you     6    (buy) last week, a true friend will always tell you! Honesty is essential in any relationship. True friends,     7    often speak from their minds, are ready to give you a taste of the bitter truth. Often when you feel sad or depressed, you need not ever explain to your friend     8    you are feeling bad. A true friend knows when you are upset. Understanding without words is     9    (high) level of friendship. To be a good friend requires patience     10    (understand) your friend.

8 . What kind of mask is the man wearing?

A．A N95 mask.

B．A cloth mask.

C．A KF95 mask.

9 . Where are the speakers?

A．At a restaurant

B．At a supermarket.

C．At a movie theater.

10 . The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index has just published the latest ranking of the best places to live in the world. Look at some of the top cities.

Calgary, Canada

Overall rating: 96.3

Stability:95; Healthcare: 100; Culture&-Environment : 90; Education: 100; Infrastructure（基础设施）:100 Calgary is a place where nature and urban living go hand in hand. You can see mountains from nearly anywhere within the city，and outdoor wonderlands like Lake Louise and Banff National Park are just a couple hours away. Meanwhile, there is a boost in food and cultural activities—just check out the world-famous Calgary Stampede for proof.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Overall rating :95.3

Stability: 90; Healthcare:100; Culture&-Environment97.2; Educationi:91. 7; Infrastructure: 96.4

You know Amsterdam’s oh-so-famous central canal, rightly named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Add in broad green space, storied red-brick buildings, and museums filled with Van Gogh paintings—not to mention an incredible healthcare system—and you have yourself one of Europe’s best places to live.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Overall rating :98

Stability: 100; Healthcare:95.8; Culture&-Environment;95.4; Education: 100; Infrastructure:100

Besides the cutting-edge restaurants and hotels, Copenhagen has an ageless charm that makes you want to keep going back. The dreamlike 1800s-era Tivoli Garden puts all other amusement parks to shame. The city is expensive, but you don’t necessarily need a fat wallet to enjoy it. There are many public parks and free galleries, and the infrastructure makes it one of the most bike-friendly places in the world.

Vienna, Austria

Overall rating: 99.1

Stability:100; Healthcare:100; Culture & Environment:96. 3; Education: 100; Infrastructure: 100

Vienna has earned a perfect score in nearly every category, benefiting from a prosperous（繁荣的）art and culture scene and incredible healthcare and education. Between visiting the opera and touring the gardens at Schonbrunn Palace, you’ll never get bored here. Plus, the local government puts a lot of resources behind infrastructure and housing, so the living cost is far lower than incomparable European cities.

1. Which city enjoys the best culture and environment?

A．Calgary.

B．Amsterdam.

C．Copenhagen.

D．Vienna.

2. Which of the following wins Copenhagen over other cities?

A．The ancient amusement garden.

B．The incredible healthcare system.

C．The well-paid working opportunities.

D．The harmony between urban and nature.

3. What can contribute to the low living cost in Vienna?

A．Favorable natural conditions.

B．Low expectation of life quality.

C．Adequate supply of daily necessities.

D．Government investment in construction.