1 . Voluntourism — a new trend (趋势) of volunteer tourism

Have you ever thought about going abroad to volunteer? Nowadays there’s a trend that more and more people are interested in volunteer tourism.

Making a difference in a country less lucky than your own is seen by most as a really good thing to do. More and more volunteers are seeking meaning and a sense of purpose in life. “They use their skills to help on projects abroad, such as building hospitals, teaching English in schools, looking after children in orphanages (孤儿院), etc.”

However, some people are against this so-called “voluntourism”. Volunteers take away jobs from locals who would have otherwise done that work. Yes, sometimes volunteers have specific knowledge which can benefit communities, such as IT skills or speaking English as a native language. But sometimes they are put to work on construction sites (建筑工地), for example, depriving (使失去) locals of a job on project.

Besides, many young travelers are untrained for the role. This could become a health and safety problem on construction sites or when caring for children. I volunteered myself last year in a library and school in Ghana. I helped to reshelve books, talked to the librarian about the running of the library and played games with the children. However, I’m not an experienced teacher or librarian, and I felt like the locals were far too trusting of my opinions and decisions, just because I come from a more developed country.

Furthermore, volunteer tourism is seen by some as just that-an industry, a way for companies to make money. About $2 billion was spent by volunteers in 2015.Surely it would be better if this money were directly given to places where it is needed the most. Instead, most of the money is going to tourism companies, while local communities only see a very small amount of it. I met some Danish girls who had paid €7,000 each to a company to volunteer at an orphanage, but very little was spent on the orphanage itself.

I think volunteering abroad helps us develop as a person, and is a shining addition to a CV. Volunteer projects are usually very valuable for communities, but often good for those who take part in voluntary work just as much, if not more, as those they are helping.

1. What do we learn about volunteers working abroad?

A．They have no safety problems.

B．They may cause the locals out of job.

C．They become less willing to be volunteers.

D．They would like to work in richer countries.

2. Which statement is true according to the passage?

A．Volunteer tourism has become an industry.

B．Volunteers spend lots of money helping with the charity work.

C．Some volunteer travelers are very experienced and suitable for the role.

D．Volunteer tourism provides locals with more and more job opportunities.

3. What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．Voluntourism offers volunteers good jobs.

B．Volunteering gives a lot to poor countries.

C．Voluntourism brings volunteers advantages.

D．The quality of volunteering needs improving.

4. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?
I：Introduction            P：Point             Sp：Sub-point (次要点)        c：Conclusion

A．

B．

C．

D．

2 . Sunday evening, October 30, 1938, was peaceful in New York City. Some people were returning home from a trip to the countryside, and others were sitting down to dinner. In those days, televisions were not very common. Most people listened to the radio for news and entertainment.

At eight o’clock that evening, there was a concert of dance music, but Suddenly, the programme was cut off by a news report: a large spaceship had landed in a field and an army of Martians (火星人) was moving towards New York City and then the radio went silent.

People felt worried. Some drove out of the city as quickly as possible, but soon the roads were crowded with cars. Some people put wet towels on their faces because they thought there was a gas attack. In New Jersey, some farmers went out with guns. Although it was dark, they found a large cylinder (圆柱体) standing in a field, and, thinking it was the Martian spaceship, the shot at it many times.

Many people were so frightened that they did not hear the next announcement on the radio: “Ladies and gentlemen, you are listening to a radio play called The War of the Worlds.”

A message was sent to police stations that there was no real Martian attack, and the police Offices soon returned calm to New York City.

Many people were very angry that they had been fooled by the play, and complained to the radio station. But what about the spaceship that the farmers found in the field? The next morning, they found that they had damaged a large water tank (罐)!

1. According to the news report, ___________.

A．a Martian spaceship had landed	B．a spaceship was found at the airport
C．there would be a concert that evening	D．there was a gas attack in New York City

2. The road was crowded with cars because ___________.

A．many people wanted to see the Martians

B．the Martian army was standing in the way

C．people were trying to get home from work

D．many people were trying to leave New York City

3. Who went out in the fields with guns to fight the Martians?

A．Policemen.

B．Firemen.

C．Dancers.

D．Farmers.

4. What can we learn about the radio station from the article?

A．it was fooled by a news reporter.

B．It played a joke on the listeners.

C．It called the police to catch the Martians.

D．It often announced the news about spaceships.

3 . 用方框中所给词或短语的适当形式填空

inspire       carry on          engage in        hesitate        energetic       turn one’s back on       creative            be curious about

1. His bravery has given him the will to ________ with his life and work.
2. She was so angry with me that she ___________ me and never spoke to me again.
3. Despite her old age, she always looked __________ and could get things done.
4. The boy walked slowly on the way home and ___________ over whether to tell his mother about the exam result.
5. She ___________ everything like a kid.
6. He was ___________ painting the furniture.
7. He delivered an impressive and ____________ speech at the graduation ceremony.
8. You have to think _________ if you want to be successful in this game.

4 . 阅读下列短文,根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词,在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Unfortunately, in 1995 disaster     1     (strike) Reeve. While horseback riding, he was thrown     2     his horse and broke his neck. His injuries were so severe that he had no     3     (move) or feeling in his body at all and even needed a machine to help him breathe. He wished that he was dead and even thought of ending his life. He fell into a depression     4     lasted for many months. It was only due to the ongoing support of his wife, parents and friends that he eventually found the will to live again.

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Parents often believe that they have a good relationship with their teenagers. But last summer, Joanna and her husband noticed a change in their older son: Suddenly, he seemed to be talking far more to his friends     1     to his parents. “Usually, the door to his room     2     (shut).” Joanna noted.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求回答问题。

People face all kinds of problems in life. There are personal crises, such as illness, loss of a loved one, abuse, bullying, job loss, and financial instability. People have to learn to cope with and work through very challenging life experiences. In those experiences, resilience is the key factor for people to overcome challenges.

Resilience is the ability of people to feel better quickly after something unpleasant. Resilient people do experience stress, setbacks, and difficult emotions, but they tap into their strengths and seek help from support systems to overcome challenges and work through problems. Resilience empowers people to accept and adapt to a situation and move forward. It is the core strength people use to lift the load of life.

Kids confront any number of challenges as they grow — from starting school and making new friends to adverse experiences, such as bullying and abuse. Building resilience can help children manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Young people need help learning to develop resilience in a stressful world. It isn’t as easy as telling them to try again. They need social support. Parents can help children develop resilience through positive behaviors and thoughts, such as setting realistic goals, maintaining a daily routine, encouraging self-discovery, accepting change as part of life and so on. Young people live up or down to the expectations that are set for them and need adults who love them unconditionally and hold them to high expectations. Most importantly, how parents model resilience for young people is far more important than what they say about it.

Building resilience is a process by which people use flexibility to reframe thought patterns and learn to tap into a strengths-based approach to working through challenges. With resilience, a person may feel equipped to manage stresses. Resilience is not a long-lasting state but resilience can be learned.

1. What is resilience?
________________________________________________
2. Why do people need resilience?
________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
What parents say plays a more important role in helping young people to develop resilience.
________________________________________________
4. What can you do to build your resilience?
________________________________________________

7 . How to Deal with FOMO in Your Life

FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” is becoming increasingly common and can cause significant stress in your life. It applies to anything from a party to a promotion at work and affects just about anyone. It always involves a sense of helplessness that you are missing out on something big.

    1     However, while it has been around for centuries, it has only been studied during the past few decades, beginning with a 1996 research paper by Dr. Dan Herman.

With social media becoming popular, FOMO has become more obvious. As more research on FOMO is conducted, we are getting a clearer picture of how it affects us.     2     Aside from feelings of unhappiness, fear of missing out can lead to greater involvement in unhealthy behaviors. For example, the same study in Computers and Human Behavior found that FOMO was linked to distracted driving, which in some cases could be deadly.

Moreover, one study found that the fear of missing out was linked to a greater smartphone and social media usage.     3     They create a platform where things, events, and even happiness seem to be in competition, which may lead you to wonder what you are lacking. Greater engagement with social media can make us feel worse about ourselves and our lives, not better.

    4     Feelings of loneliness are our brain’s way of telling us that we want to connect with others and increase our sense of belonging. Unfortunately, social media engagement is not the way to accomplish this—you might be running from one bad situation right into an even worse one.

Rather than trying to connect more with people on social media, why not arrange to meet up with someone in person? Making plans with a good friend, or doing anything social that gets you out with friends can be a nice change of pace.     5    

A．It can help you to shake that feeling that you are missing out.

B．The idea that you might be missing out on a good time is not new.

C．Rather than focusing on what you lack, try noticing what you have.

D．The picture is not pretty, as there are many negative effects of FOMO.

E．Smartphone usage was related to fears of negative evaluations by others.

F．Smartphone and social media have made the FOMO phenomenon worse.

G．Understanding where the problem lies can be a great first step in overcoming it.

8 . Have you ever enjoyed a trip to a zoo, but wondered whether it is acceptable for humans to keep so many treasured animals in cages. You are not alone. Many people concerned about the fate of zoo animals and feel conflicted about the very existence of zoos. However, there is no reason to worry.

Most zoos around the world provide the highest level of care and cleanliness for their animal residents. In fact, animals in zoos often experience far healthier lives than they would in the wild due to the access to medical care.

Zoos provide opportunities for people of all ages to view and connect with animal life that they would otherwise not encounter. By interacting with wild life, people can gain a greater appreciation for the animals of the world. Zoos offer educational experiences through which people can learn why it is so important to protect and maintain the diversity of animal life on Earth.

Zoos also function as places where these often rare or endangered animals can be studied. By keeping and raising animals in cages, extensive research can be conducted on the animals to help scientists understand them. This scientific understanding, in turn, contributes to conservation efforts around the world. Because zoos are a safe place for animals to be observed, scientists are able to make important discoveries about their lives.

While it is true that not all zoos are as well maintained and equipped, there is growing international pressure for universal regulations that will ensure the monitoring of all public zoos. This type of legal support will allow the world’s zoos to continue their important research programs, many of which are adjusted toward breeding programs designed to make more endangered species come in. Breeding programs are essential to continue certain species which are nearly wiped out from the wild, and zoos are the ideal place for these programs to promote the increase of the animals. In this manner, zoos contribute to restoring balance in the wilderness by giving endangered species a second-chance at survival.

If you visit a top-ranking zoo, you will enjoy viewing animals in a habitat designed to support their health. You can rest assured that by supporting such zoos as a visitor, you are also supporting valuable science and conservation efforts. Your interactions with the animals and exhibits might educate you further about creatures in parts of the world you haven’t been exposed to.

When people are inspired, they tend to take action more readily, and zoos are an inspiring example of this truth. Zoos provide an unforgettable experience in appreciating animal life and take concrete action towards advocating for their future.

1. According to the passage, most zoos ________.

A．worry about the fate of rare and treasured animals

B．create ways for people to observe and learn animals’ life

C．provide poor care and unclean environment for the animals

D．educate people to try their best to control the diversity of animals

2. We can learn from the passage that ________.

A．public zoos around the world are all monitored

B．only the endangered animals should be kept in zoos

C．visiting zoos contributes to protecting endangered animals

D．Top-ranking zoos allow visitors to study animals’ habitats

3. The attitude of the author towards animals’ living in zoos is probably ________.

A．critical

B．cautious

C．supportive

D．anxious

4. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Are Zoo Animals Healthy?	B．Are Zoos Really Bad News?
C．Why Should We Study Animals?	D．Should Animals Be Kept in Cages?

9 . An Incredible Journey

Ian William Halliwell was born on the 24th of April 1958, in Wigan UK. Just like most people have dreams, so did Ian.

Ian started playing Golf in 1972 and has been a keen golf player throughout his life. He participated in golf tournaments in many countries, dreaming of trying to get in the Senior Tour. But life has other plans.

In 1996, Ian was diagnosed with a brain tumor on his left side. As a result of the disease, his right-side hearing was lost. The talented player had to put a hold on his passion for a while. However, he knew he would come out stronger. In 1997, after going through two major surgeries, Ian recovered from the deadly illness.

But another disease completely turned his life over. In 2006, he suddenly had a stroke (中风) which was so critical that it ended with him being severely disabled to the extent that the doctors told him that he might not walk ever again, let alone playing Golf.

Upon realizing that he has lost the chance of playing the Senior Tour, he was heartbroken. But it wasn’t powerful enough to destroy the high-spirited individual. Ian took it as a challenge. He not only decided to start writing but also creating stroke awareness and promoting Golf for the disabled.

With the optimistic thinking of “A disability is not an inability,” Ian became a part of the British Inclusive Golf, which works to bring together the disabled and non-disabled players and create golf-related events.   

Ian has donated a large number of his life earnings to The Stroke Association. While spending a huge deal of time creating vast funds for the organization, Ian has played a huge role in enlightening others on how his recovery was aided by Golf, promoting the affected ones to make sure of the effective sport.

Ian has authored the book “The Social Golfer,” published in 2008. The book has successfully raised a total of £ 20,000, which the former golf player has donated to The Stroke Foundation. Ian also wrote “Living the Dream,” published in 2012. The book was an extension of the journey of his recovery, intending to inspire the readers.

Ian is a man of bravery. How he fought to recover from the deadly illness, followed by the stroke, is nothing but an incredible journey that is an inspiration to people.

1. What happened to Ian in 2006?

A．He lost his right-side hearing.

B．He recovered from a deadly illness.

C．He published the book “The Social Golfer”.

D．He was disabled and couldn’t walk any more.

2. From the passage we know that ________.

A．Ian stopped playing golf after getting a brain tumor

B．Ian was destroyed mentally and physically by a stroke

C．Ian participated in golf tournaments throughout his life

D．Ian donated a lot of his money to The Stroke Association

3. According to the passage, which words can best describe Ian William Halliwell?

A．Determined and devoted.	B．Confident and humorous.
C．Generous and enthusiastic.	D．Responsible and independent.

4. What can be concluded from the passage?

A．Hard work pays off.

B．Nothing is to be got without pain.

C．Man should be the master of his own fate.

D．Contribution to the society requires responsibility.

10 . 阅读短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写一个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise. However, its role in learning     1     (debate) by teachers and students. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and     2     (potential) harmful. But the internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. Students value the flexibility and accessibility     3     (offer) by digital education. Educators should welcome these advantages.