1 . Have you ever been in a bathroom, dressing room or another private area with a mirror and had that feeling that someone is watching you? You can check to see if a mirror is transparent by observing how it is installed and using a few simple techniques to determine if there’s a wall behind it.     1    

Check out the lighting. For a two-way mirror to be effective, the light on the mirrored side needs to be 10 times brighter than the light on the other side. If the lighting is dimmer, it’s possible to see through the glass to the observation area. Look around and determine whether the lighting seems extraordinarily bright.     2    

    3    Press your face up to the mirror and cup your hands around it, creating a dark tunnel to block out as much light as possible. When you do this, if the light in the observation room is at all brighter than the light on your side of the mirror, you should be able to see something through the glass.

Sound it out. The sound of tapping a two-way mirror has also been described as bright or sharp as opposed to a thud (砰的一声) from an everyday mirror. Tap on the surface of the mirror with your knuckle (指节).     4    An observation mirror will produce an open, hollow and echoing sound because there is an open space on the other side.

    5    Then hold a flashlight to the mirror (it can be the “flashlight” on your smartphone). If it is a two-way mirror, the room on the other side will be illuminated and you’ll be able to see it.

A．Turn off the lights.

B．Try to look through the glass.

C．Observe how the mirror is installed.

D．If so, you might be looking at a two-way mirror.

E．There are some accurate ways to tell if a mirror is two-way or not.

F．A normal mirror will produce a dull, flat sound, since it’s placed in front of a wall.

G．People standing on the other side of the wall can observe someone looking in the mirror.

2 . Terrie Mitchell, 34, from Sheffield, received an unexpected present when she was finally reunited with her beloved cat — 11 years after she first went missing. Chloe, who only has one eye, was discovered living in an overturned wheelie bin just a few streets away from where she was last seen.

Chloe was first brought into her family home as a kitten, when Ms. Mitchell was aged 21 and still living at home with her mum, Jean. When she moved out with her partner, she let the long­haired black cat stay in the house she was used to. But when Ms. Mitchell’s mother died unexpectedly at the age of 60, Chloe disappeared and could not be found anywhere.

Despite searching for her, she all but gave up hope of ever seeing her cat again until she spotted a Facebook post featuring the long­haired cat. Postwoman Andrea Hurst had been delivering a parcel to an elderly lady, when she spotted the cat living in the wheelie bin. On her next round, she asked about the cat and was told she had been staying there for more than six years as the woman had been feeding her. The kindly woman asked a local cat shelter to collect Chloe, before using the social media site to locate the original owners. She wrote, “This is probably a long shot,but does anyone recognize this beautiful cat?”

Ms. Mitchell noticed the post by chance and commented, “Omg, this is my cat!!!!! I can’t stop shaking!!!!! Her name is Chloe!!! Please whoever knows contact me...”

The vet, who confirmed Chloe was more than 10 years old, told her owner it was nothing short of a miracle. Today Chloe is settling in well at her new home and even responds to her original name. Her delighted owner added, “Now I feel guilty that I didn’t search for her better, because she was obviously around. It could give hope to people who haven’t seen their pets for years.”

1. What do we know about Chloe from the first two paragraphs?

A．She is a short­haired cat with only one eye.

B．She disappeared before Mitchell’s mother died.

C．She stayed in Jean’s house before she disappeared.

D．She was discovered in a wheelie bin far from Mitchell's house.

2. Who helped reunite the pair?

A．Jean.

B．An unknown person.

C．The vet.

D．Andrea Hurst.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Mitchell’s feeling when she saw the post?

A．Amazed.

B．Worried.

C．Hopeless.

D．Guilty.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Best Gift	B．A Kind Woman
C．An Unexpected Reunion	D．A Missing Cat

3 . People with social anxiety disorder often have trouble feeling confident when communicating with others. However, you can build up your confidence by making sure that your body language sends a positive message about yourself. Even if you don’t feel confident, practising confident body language can make you feel better about yourself.     1    

    2     Look confident by keeping eye contact in social activities. Good eye contact shows others that you are interested and comfortable. Look into the other person’s eyes most of the time. If direct eye contact feels too frightening, you can start by looking at a place close to the person’s eyes.

Keep your chin up. Do you look at the ground when you are walking? Is your head always down? If so, you need a change by walking with your head up and your eyes looking forward. You may feel unnatural at first.     3    

Give a firm handshake. How is your handshake?     4     So work on making sure that you offer a firm handshake when meeting others. After practice, it will come naturally.

Slow your movements.     5     Everything from hand gestures to your walking pace can make a difference. Slow down and practice to find the walking pace that suits you, which will make you feel more confident.

A．Avoid looking at others.

B．Make eye contact throughout the conversation.

C．Fast movements make you look more anxious.

D．So it’s important to have confident body language.

E．A weak one is an clear sign of a lack of confidence.

F．But gradually, you’ll get used to this more confident gesture (姿势).

G．Here are some tips to increase your confidence through body language.

4 . We all know at least one person shows confidence and grace (优雅) without working at it.     1    , make sure to avoid the following common body-language errors.

Slouching (佝背)

Slouching is a huge no-no.     2    . It may be caused by our habit of sitting in front of computers for long periods, but as soon as you get up from your chair, it’s time to straighten out that back. Try squaring out your chest slightly while keeping your shoulders back.

Weak Handshaking

It’s programmed in our minds to consider somebody with a weak handshake as untrustworthy. Unfortunately, there’s no way around it—you either have a firm handshake and appear trustworthy or you don’t. It’s not a good idea to have a crushing (太用力的) handshake, either.     3    

Rolling Your Eyes

This is the classic way of showing discomfort or anger.     4    , but your partner will definitely feel offended by your way of letting them know what they said isn’t worth a second thought.

Leaning (倾斜) Back

    5    . It shows that you’re not threatening. However, there’s a fine line between leaning back right and leaning back wrong. If done incorrectly, you’ll appear to be uninterested in what your partner has to say. It’s better to play it safe and keep a straight back.

A．So try to stand straight

B．If you want your body to make the same impression

C．Sitting backward a bit can be good for your conversation

D．All cultures are different in terms of proper social conduct

E．But it’s one of the most commonly made body- language errors

F．It can feel good to respond to a silly statement by rolling your eyes

G．You can respond with similar amount of pressure that your shaking partner gives

5 . Recent research indicates that the ability to remain calm under pressure has a direct link with work performance. Talent Smart has conducted research on over a million people and found that 90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress.     1    .

Research conducted at the University of California found that people who focused daily on feeling grateful for what they’d experienced improved moods, energy, and physical health.     2    , with them focusing the brain’s attention on something that is completely stress-free. Any positive thought will act to keep the brain's attention away from stress.

Taking regular time off to relax can help keep stress under control. Technology enables constant communication and the expectation that you should be available all the time.     3    . Turning off work emails and mobile phones provides a break from these possible sources of stress.

    4    , so an adequate amount of sleep is essential. During sleep the brain ‘recharges’, organizing the day’s memories and storing or abandoning them, so that you wake up clear-headed. Self-control, attention and memory are all reduced without enough sleep.

The easiest way to make stress off-and-off lies in something that people do every day: breathing. The practice of focusing on breathing teaches the brain to let go of stressful thoughts for a while. Close the door and just sit in a chair and breathe.     5    , which prevents the mind from wandering.

A．We should learn to take control

B．Sleep shortage raises stress levels

C．In addition, positive thoughts help reduce stress

D．However, this exposes people to stress more frequently

E．The goal is to spend the entire time focusing only on breathing

F．In the following section four effective ways to manage stress will be outlined

G．A big step in managing stress involves controlling your reactions to situations

6 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter

While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.

Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.

1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?

A．Yellowstone National Park.	B．Joshua Tree National Park.
C．Grand Canyon National Park.	D．Virgin Islands National Park.

2. What do we know about the Grand Canyon National Park?

A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there.	B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs.
C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter.	D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather.

3. Which activity is mentioned in all of the parks?

A．Hiking.

B．Skiing.

C．Swimming.

D．Hunting.

7 . It was a February afternoon in a Brooklyn classroom. Sixteen-year-old Taylor Engler came face to face with a cow. But it was all in her head. She was transported by a virtual reality (VR) headphone. It took the Berkeley Carroll School junior and eight other classmates to a northern New York farm. The farm was 250 miles away. For students, the technology means field trips are no longer kept within the length of a bus ride.

It's unknown how many classrooms have or will use the technology, but experts say few classrooms do or will do. Headphones that require a user's phone can cost as little as $20 or $30, but systems and software for classes run into thousands of dollars. The problem of not having good software is disappearing as more companies enter the market. But the rules for use haven't kept abreast of the development of the technology. In New York, for example, virtual reality lab experiments are not included in the state's hands-on lab time requirements.

Experts say science classes are where virtual reality holds promise for classrooms. “The biggest problem, I think, is going to be how closely it mimics the real world." That's according to David Evans, the director of the National Science Teachers Union. However, he said, “The ability to do dangerous things and to run many, many more cases in a virtual space as opposed to the real physical space stands for a huge learning chance.”

Lamb taught chemistry and he agreed. “Too often in schools, when you do experiments in labs, you mix these together, you mix those together and you get this result. And if you don't get that result, you have done something wrong. But we don't have enough resources for you to redo it, “he said. “In virtual reality, all I do is hit reset on the computer. I don't have to actually use chemicals.”

1. What was Taylor Engler doing?

A．Riding a bus.

B．Giving a lesson.

C．Designing a farm.

D．Experiencing VR.

2. What does the underlined part “kept abreast of" in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Led to.

B．Focused on.

C．Caught up with.

D．Broken away from.

3. What did Lamb think of the use of VR in the classroom?

A．Helpful.

B．Troublesome.

C．Interesting.

D．Challenging.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To point out the importance of practice.	B．To introduce the use of VR in teaching.
C．To give information about modern schools.	D．To show the appearance of VR technology.

8 . Summer Courses for Students

Writing Project for Students

Contact: Ms. Cathy

Phone: 571-206-4987

Website: www. mvip. org

Grade: 7~12

The Writing Project for Students is a two-week writing program for 120 students. The young writers work with writing teachers in the George Mason University (GMU) and then take photos with the teachers as souvenirs. Their writing works are issued in a collection and they can take them. One copy per student.

Research Science Institute

Contact: Mr. George

Phone: 703-448-9662

Website: www. cee. org

Grade: 11

The Research Science Institute is a six-week summer program in which some of the excellent high school students from the US and around the world come together to carry out science and mathematics research. They undertake research projects under the guidance of umiversity professors.

Summer Communication Institute

Contact: Mr. Xavier

Phone: 434-924-3371

Website:   www. virginia. edu

Grade: 11~12

The University of Virginia's Summer Communication Institute offers eight-week programs in Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Russian, Spanish and Chinese. These 9 programs are designed to serve people who wish to attain an intermediate level of competence in the new system of communication in speech in just one summer. A participant attends classes 5 days a week 8 hours a day. The limited class size allows for individualized and group instruction not usually available in standard classrooms.

Youth Conservation Camp

Contact: Ms. Elizabeth

Phone: 804-559-0324

Website: www: vaswed. org

Grade: 9~12

For more than 30 years, the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts has sponsored a fortnight's summer conservation camp for Virginia high school students on the campus of Virginia Tech. The program brings together about 70 interested students to learn about Virginia's natural resources from conservation professionals from Virginia Tech. Most of the instruction is hands-On and outdoors.

1. What can the participants get before they leave the GMU?

A．A certificate offered by the GMU.

B．A chance to do scientific research.

C．A collection of their works' photos.

D．A publication about their own writing.

2. What would the participants do to learn language?

A．Ask Ms. Cathy.	B．Visit www. virginia, edu.
C．Consult Mr. George.	D．Call 804-559-0324.

3. Which of the following programs have the same duration（时长）?

A．Research Science Institute and Summer Communication Institute.

B．Summer Communication Institute and Youth Conservation Camp.

C．Writing Project for Students and Youth Conservation Camp.

D．Writing Project for Students and Research Science Institute.

9 . Lost &Found

Recently, CTtransit changed the Lost &. Found policy and procedures. If you have lost an item on a CTtransit bus, you must first call Lost & Found and speak with a Customer Service Representative for your area. If CTtransit is in possession of your lost item, and you can confirm ownership, then you may schedule a time to get your item back.

If you have scheduled a time with Customer Service to get back your lost item, when you arrive at the facility gate, give your name to the security guard. You must have a photo ID available to show CTtransit Security or another form of valid ID to confirm your date of birth and address. The security guard will direct you to the pick-up location.

If you misplace something on the bus, there is a good chance that we will find it. Each day, operators pick up articles left on their buses and turn them in to the office. Lost items that are recovered are kept for 30 days. CTtransit is not responsible for items left on the buses.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER FOR LOST & FOUND

New Haven Area

2061State Street

Hamden, CT 06517-3834

203-624-0151

Phone number for the Hearing-Impaired (听障人士): 203-785-8960

Phone Center Hours: Monday to Saturday 6: 30 am to 6: 30 pm；Sunday/Holidays 7: 00 am to 6: 00 pm

Lost &Found: Monday to Friday 8: 30 am to 4: 30pm.

Hartford Area

100Leibert Road

Hartford, Connecticut CT 06120

860-525-9181

Phone number for the Hearing-Impaired：203-785-8960

Phone Center Hours: Monday to Saturday 6: 30 am to 9: 30 pm；Sunday/Holidays 7: 00 am to 7: 00 pm

Lost & Found: Monday to Friday 8: 30 am to 4: 30 pm.

Stamford Area

21 Elm Court

Stamford, CT06902

203-327-7433

Phone number for the Hearing-Impaired：203-327-2404

Phone Center Hours: Monday to Saturday 6: 30 am to 6: 30 pm

Lost &Found: Monday to Saturday 6: 30 am to 6: 30 pm.

1. Who will take you to the spot where you can get your lost items?

A．The security guard.	B．The operator.
C．The customer service representative.	D．The bus conductor.

2. When can you call the Lost &Found in the Hartford Area?

A．At 6: 00 am on Saturday.	B．At 6: 40 am on Sunday.
C．At 9: 50 pm on Monday.	D．At 2: 30 pm on Christmas Day.

3. What can we learn about the Lost &Found in the Stamford Area?

A．You can find it at 21 Elm Court.

B．A deaf man can call 203-327-7433.

C．It is open for five days a week.

D．Recovered lost items are kept for a fortnight.

10 . You accidentally step into quicksand(流沙）. You begin to sink. Can you drown? Quicksand is sand with so much water between its particles (颗粒) that is soupy. Quicksand can no longer support weight. So does this mean one can drown in quicksand?

The truth is that it is very rare to drown in quicksand. This is because of two things. The first reason is that most quicksand pools are not deep. Usually, a person will sink only a few inches before hitting solid ground. If it is a deep pool, an adult will usually hit solid ground after sinking only to his or her waist. Deeper pools are rare, but even then, there is a reason why people are not swallowed（吞没）up after accidentally stepping into quicksand.

The reason is that quicksand is dense（稠密）. When something is dense, its particles are crowded close together. Quicksand is denser than the human body. This means that humans will naturally float in quicksand! The upward push of quicksand is greater than the downward push of the human body.

Usually you will sink to your chest before you begin to float. Your lungs, acting like giant balloons, help you float. You will only sink further if you are loaded down, perhaps with a heavy pack. Take off your pack, and you cannot drown. You cannot be swallowed.

One man escaped from quicksand after he sank up to his chest. How did he do it? He swam. People can swim in quicksand if they move slowly enough. The man slowly made swimming motions with his arms and legs. He swam slowly and carefully for an hour. He did not stop making the swimming motions once. Finally, he reached the edge of the quicksand pool. He did not drown. He climbed out unharmed.

1. According to the text, quicksand is sand_________.

A．with high temperature	B．mixed with a lot of water
C．that we see on the beach	D．that can pull everything into it

2. What can we infer from the passage?

A．People often drown in quicksand.

B．Most quicksand pools are very deep.

C．Only fat people can be trapped in quicksand.

D．People won’t be swallowed up even in deep quicksand pools.

3. Why do people float in quicksand?

A．Quicksand pools are usually not deep.

B．Quicksand can support heavy weight.

C．Quicksand is denser than the human body.

D．The downward push of quicksand is greater.

4. The text mainly talks about________.

A．quicksand pools.

B．the safety of quicksand.

C．the dangers of quicksand.

D．ways to escape from quicksand.