1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What are the speakers doing?

A．Discussing their schedule.

B．Packing for a journey.

C．Deciding on a present.

2. What does Jacques like doing?

A．Swimming.

B．Playing basketball.

C．Reading books on modern art.

3. What will the speakers most probably do next?

A．Find a basketball.

B．Leave home.

C．Call a taxi.

2 . Nearly half of all employees are close to “breaking point” at work due to increased stress levels. A survey of 2,000 professionals found the average working adult feels stressed for almost a third of their working day.

The mounting pressure faced in their job also contributes to five hours of lost sleep per employee every week. Checking work emails after hours, last-minute deadlines, having to do a speech or presentation and an overly demanding manager were named as some of the biggest causes of workplace stress.

It also revealed that in the average week, employees will complain about their boss for 31 minutes and their job in general for another two hours and 45 minutes. Richard Jenkins, psychologist and spokesman for well-being charity CABA, said: “Everyone will experience pressure day-to-day.”

“A level of pressure can actually make us work better, however too much pressure that rises to an unmanageable level leads to stress. The working public needs to know how to manage their pressure to avoid reaching boiling point. Some people cope by blowing off steam through physical activity like the gym or going for a run while for some, things like breathing exercises can help. Everyone will have a strategy that they find works better to help them release the pressure. Unfortunately, in many cases we don’t introduce these decompressing (减压) moments in our lives which can help release the pressure and reduce stress. Finding ways to manage your stress is essential, it is also worth addressing the root causes of your stress to try to manage the source rather than just treat the symptoms.”

The study also found seven in 10 adults have vented about their workplace to a colleague, partner, family member or friend. 46 percent of those who have felt stressed at work didn’t end up doing anything about it, hoping the problem would go away on its own. Of those who do take action, 38 percent have told their manager about it, while 51 percent have gone for a walk to cool down.

1. What is the possible result of pressure faced by workers?

A．Giving a public presentation.	B．His demanding department head.
C．Loss of about 5 hours’ sleep weekly.	D．Constantly checking email after work.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Pressure will not do you any good in your daily life.

B．It’s better to turn to medicine when one is faced with great stress.

C．Women tend to feel more pressure at work than their male colleagues.

D．Almost everybody will adopt his own way to deal with their stress in their lives.

3. What does the underlined word “vented” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．complained.

B．argued.

C．wandered.

D．asked.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards the pressure people feel at work?

A．Indifferent.

B．Objective.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.

3 . Lifestyle Changes to Make You Healthier and Happier

All people want to stay healthy and happy, but most of our focus is on sick-care, not healthcare.    1    

Food for health

Everyone knows we should eat certain amount of fruit and vegetables a day,     2     Make the effort to eat just a little more a day and go for different colors to ensure a variety of nutrients (养分).

Do exercise

    3     Another study finds walking an hour or more a day will add 1.4 years for men and 1.2 for women. If you can’t afford so much time, just remember: Anything is better than nothing.

    4    

Getting less than five hours’ sleep a night doubles the risk of death from heart disease, according to a study, and other studies have shown that it speeds up ageing. And it plays a big part in our mental health, too.

Friends for life

    5     Besides, they reduce blood pressure and other health risks. So pick up the telephone or chat online to see if there is a game you can share with a friend or family member.

A．Research shows 15 minutes’ exercise a day could add 3 years to your life.

B．Here’s how you can start to improve your health and happiness.

C．Friendships actually change our body chemistry.

D．yet only 28% of adults are hitting this target.

E．Sleep well

4 . We were on our way! In Wyoming we would have a new home. It was 1980 and my husband Gary and I were driving to Wyoming with our kids. After driving all day, we were hungry. So we stopped at a restaurant to have dinner.

After the dinner, we were on our way again. Suddenly our vehicle hit ice on a bridge. As soon as the car started to slide, Gary touched the brakes (刹车) but failed to control the car. We were thrown from side to side against the guardrails (护栏).It took some time before we slid to a stop, but unfortunately our car was totally destroyed.

Only minutes later, a car stopped by and the driver asked how he might help. With his help, my husband was able to have our car taken to Rapid City. Then he drove us to a hotel in the city. He made sure we were safe before he said goodnight and left. The next morning, the driver returned and drove us to find our car so that we could take back our valuables. He lost at least half a day of work, all for a family he had never met and would never see again.

With no car, our family finally arrived in Gillette, where we had no friends. Though we were a little lonely, we all felt lucky and thankful to the amazing stranger whose service made such a difference to our family.

1. Why did the family go to Wyoming?

A．They liked to go traveling.

B．They had a restaurant to run there.

C．They would have a new home there.

2. What happened to the author’s car?

A．It hit ice on a bridge.

B．It was touched by a car.

C．It slid into the river.

3. Why did the driver come back the next morning?

A．To repair the family’s car.

B．To say goodbye to the family.

C．To help the family get their valuables.

4. What kind of person was the driver?

A．Helpful.

B．Honest.

C．Humorous.

5 . Four female pioneers from different fields will soon appear on some US coins. Generations to come will look at the coins bearing these designs and be reminded of what can be accomplished with determination and a desire to improve opportunities for all.

Anna May Wong

Wong was the first Chinese American film star in Hollywood, appearing in more than 60 movies. Her coin shows her resting her head on her hand, surrounded by the round lights of a stage.

Maya Angelou

The late writer, performer and social activist has already received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, won a National Book Award, and published more than 30 bestselling poems.

Angelou’s coin will show her with her arms uplifted, in front of a bird in flight and a rising sun. Those images are inspired by her poetry and symbolic of the way she lived.

Sally Ride

The late astronaut, physicist and educator is best known as the first American woman—and youngest American—to travel to space. After her retirement, she devoted herself to inspiring young people, particularly girls, in science, engineering, technology and math.

Her coin design shows her standing next to a window on a spaceship, which is inspired by what she once said. “When I wasn’t working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth.”

Wilma Mankiller

Mankiller was the first elected female chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1987, and is celebrated as an activist for Native American and women’s rights. During her two terms in office, she doubled her community’s employment and built new housing, health centers and children’s programs in northeast Oklahoma. Under her leadership, infant death rate declined and educational levels rose.

Mankiller’s coin shows her in a traditional dress in front of the seven-pointed star of the Cherokee Nation.

1. Which symbol is related to Maya Angelou?

A．A setting sun.

B．A flying bird.

C．A window.

D．A seven-pointed star.

2. Who has been to space?

A．Sally Ride.	B．Maya Angelou.
C．Anna May Wong.	D．Wilma Mankiller.

3. What is special about Wilma Mankiller?

A．She cared about education.	B．She was a social activist.
C．She was an elected official.	D．She starred in many movies.

6 . Blue waves, yellow beaches and green mountains make the Mediterranean coast the best destination in the world.

Kayak Kornati

Rowing boats along Croatia’s unimaginably blue waters leads wanderers through a delightful network of more than 1,200 islands. A wilder side can be found in Kornati National Park, where campers can bed down on islands used by herders (游牧者) for 2,000 years.

Hike Atlas

For Europeans and North Americans, hiking in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains offers astonishing scenery paired with cultural adventure on the Mediterranean’s northern shores. The dramatic mountains are home to the rich culture of the Berbers, an independent-minded native people who took to the hills during ancient Arab invasions (入侵). Today the Berbers welcome tired walkers with their famous mint tea.

Windsurf Alacati

Turkey’s beautiful coastlines and clear waters draw millions of visitors each year. But those looking for reliable winds tend to go to a sleepy fishing village called Alacati. Between May and October north winds blow reliably here across the Cesme Bay, which is one of the best windsurfing resorts in the world.

Ski Abruzzo

Fun in the Mediterranean sun needn’t always include sand and surf. Snow sports are also available not far from the lapping waves. Italy’s Abruzzo region offers surprisingly reliable snow and picturesque villages. Visitors to Abruzzo will share slopes like Roccaraso and Campo Felice with far more Italians than tourists, who are typically drawn to the more famous Alpine resorts to the north. In addition, visitors can enjoy the quieter corner of Italy at very low prices.

1. What are visitors recommended to do in Kornati National Park?

A．Ski with local people.	B．Camp on wild islands.
C．Ride with Arab herders.	D．Windsurf along coastlines.

2. Which place is known for a kind of special tea?

A．Atlas.

B．Kornati.

C．Alacati.

D．Abruzzo.

3. What do the last two attractions have in common?

A．The high prices.	B．The same sports activities.
C．The cold weather.	D．The quiet environments.

7 . With almost all the spare time spent watching television and playing video games, many of today’s children have never experienced the rewards (回馈) of a hobby.

Not long ago, _________ to a large audience, I asked, “How many of you, when you were children, had a hobby?” Nearly everyone _________ their hands. I then asked them to keep their hands in the air if at least one of their children had a hobby. Most of the hands _________ down.

Thirty years ago, almost every kid in my neighborhood had some kind of hobby. Collecting and trading baseball cards was a(n) _________ hobby, as were coin and stamp collecting. One of my friends was into photography. He’s now a well-known _________. Another enjoyed building radios and he’s now an electrical engineer. So you can see, hobbies often _________ lifelong interests, even careers (事业).

Hobbies benefit children in many ways. Because they are _________ of personal achievement and a way of self-discovery, hobbies help build _________. Hobbies are actually educational _________, too. For example, a child who becomes __________ making rockets learns about propulsion (推进力) and aerodynamics (空气动力学). By working on hobbies, children learn to set goals, make __________, and solve all kinds of problems.

Some parents __________ that hobbies will not influence the kids’ lessons positively. However, studies have shown that children with an active hobby __________ do better in school. Hobbies sharpen their focus and open their minds, __________ kids academically (学业上).

In a word, having a hobby outside of school will enrich kids’ lives and can provide many extra benefits you might not be __________ of.

1.

A．pointing

B．applying

C．performing

D．speaking

2.

A．raised

B．lent

C．gave

D．waved

3.

A．slowed

B．went

C．broke

D．calmed

4.

A．bad

B．formal

C．popular

D．dangerous

5.

A．photographer

B．doctor

C．driver

D．expert

6.

A．take control of

B．focus on

C．work out

D．turn into

7.

A．expressions

B．impressions

C．destinations

D．discussions

8.

A．profiles

B．friendships

C．strength

D．confidence

9.

A．games

B．tools

C．masters

D．adventures

10.

A．responsible for

B．suitable for

C．interested in

D．confused about

11.

A．promises

B．recommendations

C．comments

D．decisions

12.

A．request

B．fear

C．pretend

D．stress

13.

A．actually

B．fluently

C．obviously

D．extremely

14.

A．injuring

B．challenging

C．benefiting

D．annoying

15.

A．proud

B．careful

C．afraid

D．aware

8 . A study session with friends can be an excellent way to learn. If you make it a regular event (e.g. weekly), a study session can help you to fully understand difficult material, prepare for exams, and finally earn strong grades. By making careful choices when you are forming the group, you can be sure your study session with friends will be successful.

• Teach one another. One of the most effective (有效的) ways to learn is actually to teach other people.     1     This greatly benefits both the “teacher” as well as the whole group.

• Take quizzes. Another great aspect of working with a group is the ability to quiz one another.     2     This means quizzing one another orally. Or, different members can create quizzes for different parts and give them to the other members to take.

• Share notes.     3     Try exchanging the notes that you each took in class. When you put all of that together, you’ll walk away with a much stronger understanding of the material.

•     4     Knowing what you don’t understand and putting that into a question for your group is an excellent exercise. The attempt (尝试) to answer each other’s questions as a group is great for every member as well as the group.

• Create a routine (常规). If you can make some kind of routine within your study session, you are likely to be more productive.     5     You may have to try out different methods with your group to see what works for you.

A．It may take a little time.

B．Answer each other’s questions.

C．Three or four heads are better than one!

D．Receive the challenge and give the answer.

E．You can simply ask each other questions out loud.

F．Time will tell that the first routine works well with your group.

G．Try giving each member a different task and take turns teaching each other.

9 . New York City (NYC) is a great place to visit for adults and kids. But it’s not cheap. Check out our top five places to visit without charge (收费). That’s right— you will pay absolutely nothing!

Central Park

Relax away from the busy city center by visiting Central Park— over 800 acres of parkland right in the middle of Manhattan. Wonderful for children.

Don’t miss:

•free walking tours and sports programs

•musical performances and plays

Address: Manhattan, bounded by 5th Ave and Central Park W
Opening hours: 06:00 to 01:00
Website: www.centralparlnyc.org

The New York Public Library

Enjoy a book or two in this beautiful world- famous library.

Don’t miss:

•the amazing 3rd-floor reading room

•free guided tours

Address: 5th Ave at 42nd St
Opening hours: 11:00 to 18:00 Mon; 11:00 to 19:30 Tue and Wed; 10:00 to 18:00 Thurs-Sat; 13:00 to 17:00 Sun
Website: www.nypl.org

The Brooklyn Bridge

Walk across this landmark bridge, which connects Manhattan to Brooklyn.

Don’t miss:

•the amazing views of Manhattan

•the way the bridge is lit up at night

Address: On Manhattan side, entrance at Park Row and Center Street or City Hall; on Brooklyn side, entrance at Tillary/ Adams Street or Prospect St

Times Square

Join the 26 million people who visit Times Square cach year!

Don’t miss:

•the famous Broadway performances nearby

•the lights and atmosphere (氛围) of this area by night

Address: 40th St S, 53rd St N, 9th Ave W, 6th Ave E
Website: www.timessquarenyc.org

Grand Central Terminal

You don’t have to be traveling anywhere by train to visit this beautiful landmark of NYC.

Don’t miss:

•views of the train station from above

•musical performances and exhibits (展览)

Address: Park Ave at 42nd St
Opening hours: 05:15 to 02:00
Website: www.grandcentralterminal.com
1. When can you visit The New York Public Library?

A．10:00 to 18:00 on Monday.	B．11:00 to 19:30 on Wednesday.
C．10:00 to 19:30 on Saturday.	D．10:00 to 17:00 on Sunday.

2. Where should visitors go if they want to see exhibits?

A．Central Park.	B．Times Square.
C．The Brooklyn Bridge.	D．Grand Central Terminal.

3. What do these five places have in common?

A．They are free of charge.

B．They have free guided tours.

C．They can help you relax away from the city noise.

D．They hold different kinds of musical performances.

10 . A national park is created for the purpose of conservation. Yellowstone National Park in the US was the first national park in the world. Here are some other national parks in the world.

Northeast Greenland National Park, Denmark

The national park is the largest one in the world. It covers an area of 927，000 km²，It is also the most northern national park in the world.

Around 5,000 to 15,000 musk oxen (麝香牛) as well as polar bears live in the park. Some of the birds also live there.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia

The park is the second largest national park in the world. It protects a large part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef from being damaged in any way.

All commercial ships must stay on specific shipping routes that avoid the most sensitive areas of the park. The Great Barrier Reef has the world's largest number of corals and other sea life.

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Mozambique

This national park covers an area of 99,800 km².It joins some of the famous wildlife areas in southern Africa into a huge conservation area.

In 2006, the Giriyondo tourist access between the Limpopo and Kruger national parks was opened. There were 5,000 animals moving from Kruger to Limpopo National Park, including over 1,000 elephants.

Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada

The park was created in 1922 to protect the wood bison (森林野牛) whose population had dropped from 40 million in 1830 to less than 1.000 by 1900.

The park consists of 44,807 square kilometers of northern plains. It is also the world's only natural living place of the cranes (鹤).

1. Which of the following is the earliest national park?

A．Wood Buffalo National Park.	B．Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.
C．Northeast Greenland National Park.	D．Yellowstone National Park.

2. What can you see in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park?

A．Some sea animals.	B．A lot of polar bears.
C．Many cranes.	D．Hundreds of elephants.

3. What do we know about Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park?

A．It has an area of 44,807 km².	B．It is home to the wood bison.
C．It lies in southern Africa.	D．It is the largest national park.