1 . Sometimes, you are not good at some of your subjects.     1     You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessary so, however. Anyone can become a better student if you want to. Here’s how:

Plan your time carefully. When you plan your work, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list, you should make a schedule of your time. First your time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc., then decide a good, regular time for studying.     2     A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you to realize what is happening to your time.

Find a good place to study. Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or television! When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.

Make good use of your time in class.     3     Listening carefully in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teachers say.

Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes, review the important points that your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read that material.     4     If you do these things regularly, the material will become more meaningful, and you will remember it longer.

Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. It helps you remember your new knowledge. The world won’t end if you don’t pass a test, so don’t be over worried.

    5     You will probably discover them after you have tried these.

A．Maybe you are an average student.

B．This will help you understand the next class.

C．Don’t forget to set aside enough time for entertainment.

D．No one can become a top student unless he or she works hard.

E．There are other methods that might help you with your studying.

F．Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teachers say.

G．Make full use of class time to take notes of what the teachers say in class.

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

Table manners vary from culture to culture.     1     is acceptable in one country may be considered extremely rude in another. Here we will tell you about the traditional table manners     2     the modern table manners in Korea.     3     (tradition), it was the woman’s job     4     (cook) food and set the table. The woman would sit     5     her husband to make sure that he had everything he needed for a pleasant meal. Only     6     the husband finished would the woman and her children eat. Nowadays, table manners have changed a lot.     7     of the family members eat together at the same time. It is common to see everyone help with the meal,     8     (include) the husband. One tradition, however, has not changed. It is the oldest person that starts the meal.     9     (stay)until the oldest person is finished is considered to be     10     basic tradition of Korean table manners.

3 . I am a single mom and have a child. Knowing that I could not ______ to get him anything at all for his birthday had broken my heart. _____, I decided to post a(n) _____ on wishuponahero. com for people to _____ my son birthday cards. I knew he loved to _____ the mailbox and always asked if there was anything for him. I ______ that if he could get a few cards, it would make him smile and maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t be so ____ that I wasn’t able to get him anything.
The cards just started ______ in and my little child was absolutely _____. Every day more and more cards came and this went _______ for about three weeks. The smile on his face and the sparkle in his eyes brought me to _______.
Then. he started thinking about Christmas and he _______ knew that there really would not be much under the _______ for him due to my finances, but it didn’t seem to _______ to him. All he talked about was how much he wanted to make other children _______ So he decided that what he wanted to do was to earn money to buy Christmas cards and send them to other children from _______ families. My son went out daily and walked some dogs and such to make money. Not only did he make the money to buy, the cards, but he also made enough money to buy all the stamps and lollipops(棒棒糖)to put in the _______. He sent out about 100 cards. Doing this ______ him that same smile and sparkle in his eyes as did the birthday cards that he received. I was so _______ of him.
My son and wishuponahero. com have given me renewed ______ that there are still people in this world that care about others.1.

A．agree

B．pretend

C．expect

D．afford

2.

A．Instead

B．However

C．So

D．Besides

3.

A．letter

B．wish

C．job

D．advertisement

4.

A．show

B．sell

C．design

D．send

5.

A．check

B．produce

C．address

D．receive

6.

A．explained

B．thought

C．regretted

D．promised

7.

A．angry

B．curious

C．upset

D．lucky

8.

A．breaking

B．happening

C．pouring

D．improving

9.

A．excited

B．troubled

C．disappointed

D．worried

10.

A．away

B．off

C．up

D．on

11.

A．surprise

B．difficulty

C．respect

D．tears

12.

A．already

B．still

C．even

D．never

13.

A．control

B．gifts

C．tree

D．help

14.

A．matter

B．object

C．belong

D．refer

15.

A．understand

B．change

C．continue

D．smile

16.

A．ordinary

B．poor

C．familiar

D．distant

17.

A．mailbox

B．house

C．cards

D．stamps

18.

A．saved

B．brought

C．owed

D．taught

19.

A．proud

B．aware

C．careful

D．full

20.

A．excuse

B．suggestion

C．fact

D．hope

4 . Noah Webster, born on October 16, 1758, is known for The American Dictionary of the English Language. He has been called the “Father of American Scholarship and Education.” His “Blue-Backed Speller” books were used to teach spelling and reading to five generations of American children. But how much do you know about him beyond that?

At the age of 16, Noah Webster began attending Yale College, Unfortunately, he spent his four years at Yale during the American Revolutionary War, and, because of food shortages, many of his college classes were held in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Later, he served in the army. Having graduated from Yale in 1778, Webster wanted to continue his education in order to earn his law degree. He had to teach school in order to pay for his education. He set up many small schools that didn’t survive, but he was a good teacher because instead of forcing his students to learn, like what most teachers did, he rewarded them.

He earned his law degree in, 1781, but did not practice law until 1789. Once he started he found the law was not to his liking. Webster did not have much money.

In 1793, Alexander Hamilton lent him $ 1500 to move to New York City to edit a newspaper. In December, he founded New York’s first daily newspaper, American Minerva, and edited it for four years. For decades, he published textbooks, political essays, a report on some diseases, and newspaper articles for his party. He wrote so much that a modern list of his published works required 655 pages.

Noah Webster died on May 28, 1843 and was buried in the Grove Street Cemetery.

1. Which of the following best describes Webster’s life at Yale?

A．Tough.	B．Smooth.
C．Normal.	D．Tiring.

2. What did Noah want to be after graduation from Yale?

A．A teacher.	B．A lawyer.
C．A headmaster.	D．A scholar.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

A．Webster was a most productive author.

B．Webster led a miserable life in New York City.

C．Webster’S books added up to 655 pages.

D．Webster didn’t write any political Works.

5 . Most of the inhabitants (居民) can’t afford to buy houses of their own, because the price is rising __________.

A．all the way	B．at last
C．at the same time	D．in total

6 . Born in 1963 in Sierra Visa, Arizona, USA, Jessica learned to live her life with her feet. Born without arms, she faced many ____
There were many questions at the time about whether Jessica would be able to live a “ ____ ” life. However, Jessica’s father said he ____ had a tear about her birth condition. He had full confidence in her potential.
With the ____of her parents and family, Jessica became confident in herself as an adult and continued to ____ the world with her feet.
As a child, Jessica studied dance in her hometown. When her first ____ arrived, she asked to be put in the back row. Her dance teacher told her there was no ____ row.
Tentatively she took the stage with the other students and performed her ____ When she finished, the applause from the audience gave her encouragement and ____to continue dancing for 14 years. ____, Jessica earned her first Black Belt in the International Taekwondo Federation at the age of 14.
After ____ from high school, Jessica attended the University of Arizona ____she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. When talking about her degree, she frequently ____ that psychology trusts the way people think has a greater ____ on their lives than a physical limitation.
Jessica’s most famous accomplishment was learning how to ____ It took three states, four airplanes, two flight instructors and a discouraging year to ____ the right aircraft: a 1946 415C Ercoupe Airplane. She ____ the Guinness World Record ____ being the first person certified to fly an airplane with only her feet.
Jessica now ____a motivational speaker. She travels the world sharing her story and ____people to be creative and innovative.1.

A．challenges

B．trouble

C．advantages

D．influences

2.

A．unique

B．special

C．normal

D．unusual

3.

A．frequently

B．never

C．ever

D．certainly

4.

A．argument

B．understanding

C．opposition

D．support

5.

A．decorate

B．explore

C．explode

D．establish

6.

A．performance

B．image

C．exhibition

D．appearance

7.

A．back

B．front

C．edge

D．middle

8.

A．line

B．emotion

C．routine

D．behaviour

9.

A．sympathy

B．sorrow

C．doubt

D．confidence

10.

A．Unfortunately

B．Delightedly

C．Disappointedly

D．Hopefully

11.

A．admitting

B．entering

C．graduating

D．settling

12.

A．which

B．when

C．what

D．where

13.

A．dreamed

B．ignored

C．explained

D．refused

14.

A．symbol

B．frustration

C．evidence

D．impact

15.

A．board

B．fly

C．seat

D．launch

16.

A．find

B．lose

C．cancel

D．seek

17.

A．experienced

B．scheduled

C．received

D．praised

18.

A．for

B．against

C．beyond

D．within

19.

A．describes as

B．regards as

C．treats as

D．works as

20.

A．amazing

B．encouraging

C．enjoying

D．astonishing

7 . This is a story from 28 years ago. My dad was a used car salesman. Every Thursday night, he would head off to Shreveport, LA for an auction. Most of the time, I drove a car over there for him so he could sell it at the auction.
One day, I was riding with my dad when he noticed a hitch-hiker with a backpack. Without hesitation, he pulled the car over and offered him a ride. Dad asked him his name, and proceeded to talk to him about all sorts of things. Dad asked him where he was going. The hitch-hiker told him he was heading for the west. I can’t recall why but he told Dad a lot of things that had occurred to him and that persuaded him to make that decision . He talked about the tragic events that occurred to him several years before. He was low in spirits, but I could see that the hitch-hiker’s attitude was changing as someone was really listening to him.
We drove 45 minutes before the hitch-hiker got off. We pulled over and Dad told him to keep his head up and things would start looking up for him soon. He reached into his pocket and handed the hitch-hiker a twenty-dollar bill. The guy smiled. He nearly lit up right there on the cold, dark highway.
We drove on and my dad did not say a single thing. I was still completely amazed by what I had just witnessed. I was always told by everyone never to pick up a hitch-hiker and yet my dad did it every single time he saw one. While reflecting upon that story I came to understand that just one single kind act could change someone’s life, and I am sure that my father’s deed made that poor man’s day.
1. The underlined words “that decision” in Para. 2 refer to ___________.

A．catching the car	B．heading for the west
C．talking about his experiences	D．driving 45 minutes

2. What made the hitch-hiker become less upset?

A．The writer’s father offering him a free ride

B．The writer’s father really listening to him

C．The writer’s father agreeing to driving him to his destination

D．The writer’s father talking to him about all sorts of things

3. When his father helped the hitch-hiker, the writer ___________.

A．was deeply moved	B．strongly disagreed
C．admired his father	D．couldn’t understand

4. Which of the following words cannot be used to describe the father?

A．willing to help

B．easy-going

C．far-sighted

D．full of sympathy

5. The author wrote the text mainly to _________.

A．show his respect for his father

B．tell a story about his kind father

C．prove his father is the best teacher

D．advise people to learn from their fathers

8 . Talking plants might sound like characters in a fairy tale. But recent scientific studies have shown that plants communicate with each other and with other living things in a surprising number of ways. To understand them, scientists say, we just have to learn their language. Farmers are especially interested in what plants have to say.
“Plants are able to communicate with all sorts of organisms (有机体). They can communicate with giant bacteria, with other plants and with insects. They do this chemically，” said Cahill, an Ecology Professor of the University of Alberta in Canada.
Plant scientists are just beginning to understand this chemical “language”. Cahill says studies have shown, for example, that plants can evaluate (评估) conditions in their immediate environment and take appropriate actions. Plants have an ability, for example, to signal pain or discomfort caused by anything from temperature extremes to an insect attack. Jack Schultz, a professor of chemical ecology at the University of Missouri, says when a plant senses that it's being eaten, it cannot walk away from trouble; on the contrary, it will release a chemical vapor(蒸汽) that____other plants nearby.
“Their language is a chemical language, and it involves chemicals that move through the air that are easy to be changeable, and most of all are smells that we are familiar with，” Schultz explained.
“All plants responded to the attack by changing their chemistry to defend themselves，” Schultz recalled. “But we were quite surprised to find that nearby plants also changed their chemistry to defend themselves, even though they were not part of the experiment.”
Studies have also shown that plants under attack release pleasant chemicals. Those chemicals attract friendly insects that attack the pests eating the plant.
In the end, plants' ability to communicate their needs—and our ability to understand them—could help farmers reduce the use of poisonous chemicals, cut operating costs and limit damage to the environment.
1. The recent scientific studies have shown that plants can ______.

A．communicate with other living things in a chemical way

B．hardly react to any sudden change in temperature

C．use a very special chemica1 language which is familiar to us

D．respond to the attack by giving off poisonous chemicals

2. When being eaten by an insect, the plant will ________.

A．walk away from trouble

B．change its chemistry to kill the insect

C．release a chemical vapor to “ask” other plants for help

D．give off nice chemicals to attract friendly insects killing the pest

3. The underlined word “alert” most probably means “______”．

A．warn	B．protect
C．threaten	D．allow

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Communication between Plants

B．A Chemical “Language”

C．Plants Can Talk

D．How Plants Protect Themselves

9 .

Because of his family’s Jewish background, they are sent to live in the concentration camps(集中营). Scared and alone, Joshua one day makes frinds with a little mouse he calls Bethlehem who becomes his closest friend.	In his More Things in Heaven, Bill Bosworth presents the highlights of his 83 years of life, including his trips to India and the study of the writings of several great spiritual leaders. More things in Heaven will appeal to anyone who insists on finding the deepest meaning for their existence based on their own experience.
It is an easy-to-read collection of poems originally written to encourage in faith and to be a cure for chronic depression(长期抑郁)…cure to strengthen identity and purpose.
	Were humans created, or did they evolve? How old is the Earth? The debate between science and religion continues to be heated. In Creation or Evolution, Michael Ebifegha examines these two opposed world views within the structure of empirical(实证的) science.
Seeking the Edge provides the tools and techniques to find that edge in one’s life. －driving readers to achieve success whether in your current job, finding a new job, in education, family,or even hobbies.

1. Who wrote the story about a little boy and a little mouse?

A．Bill Bosworth.	B．Michelle O. Donovan.
C．Dr. Joseph I. Rose.	D．Gloria Coykendall.

2. The ISBN for the book of poems is ________.

A．9781462031795	B．9781412027854
C．9780595433582	D．978 1462058679

3. What kind of readers will probably like reading More Things in Heaven?

A．Those who are searching for the meaning of life.

B．Those who are trying to be spiritual leaders.

C．Those who study the art of writing.

D．Those who like traveling abroad.

4. Which of the following books explores the origin of humans?

A．Seeking the Edge.

B．Creation or Evolution.

C．Joshua, Helmut, and Bethlehem.

D．More Things in Heaven.

10 . If you and your friends wish to share a secret, you can write it in code, and no one else will be able to read it. Codes are one way of writing in secret. Ciphers (暗码) are another. In a code each word is written as a secret code word or a code number. In a cipher each letter is changed.
Codes and ciphers have played an important role in the history of the world. Julius Caesar, the Roman ruler who defeated almost all the countries in Europe about 2,000 years ago, used a cipher when he sent secret messages to his troops. During the American Revolution, George Washington's spies used a kind of code to send his information about the enemy before his military action. In World War II, the Americans“broke”or figured out Japan's most important navy codes and got enough information to destroy a powerful Japanese fleet.
Storekeepers use codes to mark their goods. The codes show how much is paid for the goods or when they are added to the stock. Businessmen use codes to hide plans from their business enemies. Sometimes personal letters or diaries are written in code. Many people enjoy figuring out codes and ciphers simply as a hobby.
In the 16th century, codes and ciphers were very popular among scientists. They wrote messages to each other in code so that no one else would learn their secrets. Geronimo Gardano, an Italian astrologer (占星家), mathematician, and doctor, invented the trellis cipher. He took two sheets of paper and cut exactly the same holes in each one. Then he sent one sheet, which he called a trellis, to a friend and kept the other for himself. Whenever he wanted to write a message, he put his trellis over a clean sheet of paper and wrote the secret message through the holes. There he removed the trellis and filled the rest of the paper with words that would make sense. When his friend received it, he put his trellis over the writing and read the secret message.
1. The best title of this passage would be________.

A．Codes and ciphers

B．Differences between codes and ciphers

C．History of codes and ciphers

D．Inventors of codes and ciphers

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Ciphers can be broken or figured out more easily than codes.

B．You could read some words in Geronimo’s letter without his trellis.

C．The first person who ever used a cipher in history was Julius Caesar.

D．Fondness of using codes was the hobby of the scientists in the 1600s.

3. According to Geronimo Gardano, a trellis is ________.

A．a piece of paper with many small holes

B．a secret message with a lot of small holes

C．a letter with unreadable words and sentences

D．a sheet of paper with groups of Arabic figures

4. It is NOT mentioned in the passage that codes and ciphers are used for the purpose of ________.

A．military affairs

B．commercial secrets

C．scientific achievements

D．personal enjoyment