1 . When Lenore Skenazy let her 9-year-old son take the New York subway home by himself 10 years ago, you would have thought that she’d carried out a crime. Now Skenazy started the movement Free Range (放养的) Kids to bring up safe and independent children. Just this month, Utah became a free range state, changing its law to protect parents from being charged with neglect (疏忽)for letting their kids walk alone, or wait in a car for an adult.
Skenazy argues that the risks of giving children some freedom are exaggerated (夸大). Skenazy’s mother used to send her outside at 5 to walk to school. That was just normal back then. And suddenly we hear stories about parents getting punished for letting their 10-year-old son play outside.
We get so used to not knowing our neighbors, not letting our kids walk to school, or play outside, that nowadays, the kids are either in a car or in the backyard, and they don’t get to know the neighborhood. In fact, the world has become safer. We have the technologies to keep track of almost everything our kids do. And so you think you must control them, and you think your child is something that has to be tracked like a package.
The famous case for many parents was the Etan Patz case in New York in 1979. Patz’s parents gave him permission for the first time to walk to the bus stop nearby. He was killed. The story is so terrible that we remember it two generations later. And we don’t allow our kids to walk alone because of one terrible thing that happened 39 years ago. But we don’t say, “I want to drive you to the dentist, but what if we get in a car accident? Think of those people who died in a car accident 39 years ago. I don’t want to be like them. No, we’re not going.” And we recognize that it would be funny to think that way.
1. What do we know about Lenore Skenazy?| A．She used to have full control of her son. |
| B．She was in favor of Utah’s previous law. |
| C．She suggests kids be allowed more freedom. |
| D．She was once punished for neglecting her son. |
| A．People remain distant. |
| B．Kids dislike outdoor activities. |
| C．Parents know little about accidents. |
| D．The crime rate is slightly increasing. |
| A．Unclear | B．Supportive. | C．Indifferent. | D．Unfavorable. |
| A．To prove accidents are like crimes. |
| B．To warn parents of a terrible crime. |
| C．To argue against some parents’ worry. |
| D．To point out the real danger to children. |
2 . Many studies have now showed that there is an increased risk of heart attacks and high blood pressure associated with a lack of sleep.
Do get the required sleep. As parents, they should ensure their kids get enough sleep on a regular basis each week. As we know, most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep daily to perform well the next day.
Prepare for sleep. When going to bed, parents can put their kids to bed 20 minutes earlier each night before the scheduled sleep time.
Use light to your advantage.
A good night’s sleep is the secret to a productive day. So following the tips, you’ll work and live healthily and efficiently.
| A．Use electronics carefully |
| B．Most kids sleep as long as adults |
| C．Light can help adjust your body clock |
| D．They and their kids can read for a while |
| E．Electronic devices may help you sleep earlier |
| F．Here are some tips to improve people’s sleep for the coming day |
| G．Kids have different requirements for sleep depending on their ages |
3 . In our meditation (冥想) group on Monday morning, one of the ladies asked if the group leader could take us through meditation to ease worries.
Later that day, I thought that I would reach out to her just to let her know that I was there for her. I must admit all sorts of reasons why I shouldn’t reach out came to mind, but I allowed myself to get rid of my weakness and sent an email anyway.
It was through one of those messaging type things that I could see the other person was reacting. I could see that quite soon after, the lady was writing a reply. However, she must have changed her mind and decided to give it up and not send it after all.
Anyway, 2 days later, this morning, she sent me a nice message which opened up a short talk about our past and present experiences and we found a common connection. In the end, I invited her to an online group where we could meet every Sunday just to connect and chat. She promised to join us. I knew that she was glad that I had reached out.
Afterwards, I realized that I did have a new friend. When I learned about her difficult life, I offered to help her get through difficulty. When I had problems, she was always there. What a real lucky thing is to step into someone’s life situation and come together with them on their journey. I always think it is the most pleasant thing in the world! I’m so thankful to have had a new friend today!
1. What can we learn about the lady on Monday morning?| A．She felt anxious then. |
| B．She was unfit for the group. |
| C．She turned to the author for help. |
| D．She was eager to have a new friend. |
| A．She ignored it completely. |
| B．She quit answering it halfway. |
| C．She took back the email she had sent. |
| D．She directly refused to answer the author. |
| A．To communicate regularly. |
| B．To replace the former activity. |
| C．To set up a commercial project. |
| D．To join the same meditation group. |
| A．A friend is easier lost than found. |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．A friend without faults will never be found. |
| D．A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody. |
4 . A Trip to Madagascar
You’ll have unique experiences in Madagascar, a wonderful country, with landscapes like nowhere else.
Day 1: Andasibe ReserveIn the morning, meet Anselme. After his short introduction to Andasibe Reserve and work to protect this unique ecosystem, set out into the forest, guided by Anselme. Boating, sunset mountain walks and exploration are ready for you. Return to the hotel for lunch, and then in the afternoon, you’ll be back in this wonderful forest.
Day 2: JoffrevilleA flight to the city of Antsiranana. On arrival, you are welcomed by your guide and then begin your journey to Joffreville, the main access town for Amber Mountain National Park. There is usually time for a short tour of Antsiranana, known for its wonderful setting and harbour. The city is full of buildings in the old style, two-storey town houses, markets and shops.
Day 3: Amber Mountain National ParkEstablished by the French in 1958, this protected area with its volcanic rocks and surrounding forests is one of the most exciting parks to visit. The area of mountainous rainforest is home to extraordinary plants and animals. Explore the network of paths that cut through the trees. In the evening, take a night walk in the reserve.
Day 4: Ankarana Special ReserveBegin your 3-hour drive to Ankarana East. On the way, stop at the Tsingy Rouge, a unique geological formation, which gives it the wonderful red colour. Ankarana, an undeveloped park, where wild creatures, bats for example, hide in underground caves and forests. In the evening, explore on foot, in search of the night-time creatures that live in the dry forest environment.
1. What is Anselme likely to be?| A．A traveller. | B．A shopkeeper. | C．A tour guide. | D．A hotel manager. |
| A．Cut down trees. | B．Enjoy a free local lunch. |
| C．Discover ancient volcanic remains. | D．Appreciate old-fashioned architecture. |
| A．Bat caves. | B．Flight. | C．Red houses. | D．Wildlife. |
5 . The World Full of Eye-catching Things
The following flowers and plants might not be so eye-pleasing, but are certainly eye-catching, since they all look like some objects.
Lady’s Slipper
The lady’s slipper orchid is considered to be the rarest type of wild orchid. Now Lancashire in England is the only place where this plant can be found.The flower was so unique that people picked almost all of them. A single cutting of this plant is sold for US $5,000. Fortunately, strict protection policies have been established to protect it since 1917 when this endangered plant was once declared extinct in England.
Hot Lips
When you see a plant like this in reality, don’t get confused! No. They are not a woman’s lips! You can find these plants in countries with tropical rain forests, such as Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama. Due to the cutting down of trees, these unique and rare plants have become endangered. This plant bears a bright red flower which is similar to the lips of a woman with red lipstick.
Black Bat Flower
The black bat flower is an unusual flower that grows in the wild and tropical forests of Yunnan Province in China. It is famous for its bat-shaped black flowers. This flowering plant is often confused with a flying bat. The flower may also appear in white and brown shades. It needs specific environmental conditions to grow. This is the reason why it is an endangered species.
All the plants mentioned above are becoming nearly extinct. Hopefully, there are other unique and rare flowers left undiscovered. This proves the world is full of surprising things!
1. Where can the Lady’s Slipper be discovered currently?| A．In Panama. | B．In Colombia. |
| C．In Lancashire in England. | D．In Yunnan Province in China. |
| A．Forest destruction. | B．Human picking. |
| C．Lack of awareness. | D．Specific locations. |
| A．Its red flowers. | B．Its bat-shaped flowers. |
| C．Its slipper-shaped flowers. | D．Its white and brown flowers. |
6 . What Friendship Means to Me
When deciding what is most important in life, some people choose money, while others choose things like security and comfort.
Friendship means not being alone. Once I was travelling for sightseeing by myself. I didn't mind being alone, but when I saw all of the tourists having their pictures taken together. I began feeling sad. I ended up returning to the train station and spending the rest of the day in the waiting room.
Friendship means having someone to rely on. Last year, I left my schoolbag on a trolleybus, and I lost all of my notes for the final exam.
Friendship means being committed to others.
Friendship means a lot to me in a word.
| A．You can imagine how worried I was. |
| B．What’s worse, I couldn’t find my wallet. |
| C．It gives me a sense of purpose and belonging. |
| D．The best way to have a friend is to be a friend. |
| E．Life is no fun without a companion to share it with. |
| F．Friendship provides support in both good and bad times. |
| G．However, for me, the most important thing in life is friendship. |
7 . In recent years, there has been great progress in the study of genetics. With this progress, doors have been opened up to technologies that never existed before. While many people are excited about these new technologies, these same technologies frighten others. Nowhere is this truer than with genetically modified (GM) (转基因的) food.
There are two ways in which a plant or an animal can be genetically modified. First, new material can be inserted into its DNA to give the plant or animal qualities which it would never have in nature. Second, material can be taken from the DNA of a plant or an animal in order to remove qualities which are not desired.
One aim of GM research is to produce food which will make us healthier. So far, this technology has been used to produce plants which are better able to defend themselves against pests and disease. Supporters of GM food argue that GM plants are healthier and have larger harvests. While there has been research in GM animals such as pigs, no GM meat is being sold at present.
Many questions have been raised about GM food. No one really knows whether it is safe for animals or humans to eat. Scientists admit that more tests should be done on GM food. Research has been limited to increasing production profits, rather than making sure that GM food is safe. GM food could therefore be dangerous to eat.
There is also a question as to whether GM plants are safe for the environment. Since GM crops are planted outside, they are part of the food chain — insects and other animals eat them or use their products, and these insects and animals will be eaten by other animals. No one knows what effects the GM material might have on the food chain.
Since no one really knows whether GM food is safe, many countries have hesitated to give permission for the production of GM food, as they would rather be cautious with this new technology.
1. How does the author introduce the topic in paragraph 1?| A．By giving examples. | B．By giving definition. |
| C．By listing numbers. | D．By making comparison. |
| A．To make healthier food. | B．To produce enough meat. |
| C．To produce stronger plants. | D．To make people disease-free. |
| A．Negative. | B．Supportive. | C．Cautious. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．GM food: hope or danger? | B．GM research: safe or not? |
| C．GM food: stop or continue? | D．GM research: right or wrong? |
8 . If you come to China for the beautiful natural sceneries, we guess national scenic areas may meet all your expectations. Here are some of the best.
Mount Emei
Mount Emei, a UNESCO heritage site, is one of the best scenic areas in China. Among the four famous sacred Buddhist mountains in China, Mount Emei is the highest. The stunning sceneries of Mount Emei may deeply impress you.
Location: Sichuan Province, China
Best time to visit: the whole year.
Jiuzhai Valley
Jiuzhai Valley is a beautiful place, where you may get the best water sceneries. It is the first nature reserve in China whose main aim is to protect natural landscapes. With lakes, forests, waterfalls, rare plants and animals, and also snow-capped peaks, Jiuzhai Valley is a true wonderland for breathtaking water views.
Location: North of Sichuan Province, China
Best time to visit: April, May, September and October
Stone Forest
The Stone Forest is famous for the stone. Formed by erosion over 270 million years, this extraordinary set of limestone groups perfectly represents the most stylistic karst land forms. Here you can see various shapes of stones, lakes, waterfalls and karst caves inside the park.
Location: Yunnan Province, China
Best time to visit: all year round
Potatso National Park
Potatso National Park is the first national park in mainland China. It combines lakes and rivers, forests and alpine meadows, with plenty of rare animals and plants. Wild yaks and horses are easy to meet. What a poetic and peaceful picture!
Location: Yunnan Province, China
Best time to visit: spring and autumn
1. Which is the first scenic area whose main aim is to protect the natural landscapes?| A．Stone Forest. | B．Potatso National Park. |
| C．Jiuzhai Valley. | D．Mount Emei. |
| A．Jiuzhai Valley and Potatso National Park. |
| B．Stone Forest and Potatso National Park. |
| C．Jiuzhai Valley and Mount Emei. |
| D．Mount Emei and Stone Forest. |
| A．A tour magazine. | B．A science paper. |
| C．A health weekly. | D．A public speech. |
9 . Travelling is undoubtedly one of the most valuable learning experiences one can have. Whether it’s the people you meet or the things you see, travelling provides more valuable life lessons than school.
Travelling forces you out of your comfort zone.
School provides a safe environment where you feel comfortable with people who share similar cultures and backgrounds. Meanwhile, travelling means new foods, cultures, languages, people, and places to explore.
Travelling allows you to see and experience new ways of life.
Moving to a new place far away from home requires you to adapt to a new culture, language, and customs. Overcoming these challenges and accomplishing things you never thought possible will build your confidence and self-esteem(自尊心).
Travelling helps you be comfortable with uncertainty and the unexpected.
If there’s only one thing you can be sure of while travelling, it’s that trips don’t always go according to plans. There are plenty of things that can go wrong and that can force you to change your plans. Travel teaches you to be flexible, go with the flow, and accept uncertainty.
In conclusion, travelling is an enriching experience that provides valuable life lessons that cannot be learned in a classroom. It helps you grow as a person, build confidence, appreciate different cultures, and become more adaptable to change.
| A．Travel with an open mind. |
| B．Travelling helps you build confidence. |
| C．It pushes you out of your comfort zone. |
| D．Instead of being told something, you experience it. |
| E．Travellers love to make plans, but they also like to break them. |
| F．This skill is necessary in life as plans often change unexpectedly. |
| G．Nothing compares to experiencing a different way of life firsthand |
10 . The “selfie” is not new; many people have always produced self-portraits (自画像). Personally I didn’t enjoy art at school, but I did remember that we were always drawing pictures of our faces. However, I think this shows just how old the self-portrait is. The only thing that has really changed is the technology which we use to create self-portraits. We have gone from pencil to the digital camera. The digital version has now become “selfie” (a word now so popular that it is named the Oxford English Dictionary Online’s “Word of the Year”).
Traditionally, the best way to take a selfie was to stand in front of a mirror. This was fine though it did look a little silly as, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t hide the camera. Of course, phones now have cameras on both the back and the front so you don’t need a mirror to guide you. The drawback (缺点) to this more modern method is that you can usually see the photographer’s arm in the photo.
I don’t really understand the attraction of the selfie. Taking a photo of yourself in the bathroom doesn’t provide the best scenery (especially if you forget to put the toilet seat down, gentlemen).At famous tourist attractions, it always saddens me to see people take selfies; travelling on your own is fine, but are you so mistrustful of strangers that you cannot ask a passer-by to take the photo for you?
However, there have been a lot of arguments over the selfie. Recently, one New York tourist took a selfie with a man threatening to commit suicide (自杀) on the edge of a bridge behind her; and, even more recently, Barack Obama, along with David Cameron and the Danish prime minister, Thorning Schmidt, took a “group selfie at Nelson Mandela’s funeral.
1. Why is the word “selfie” named the Oxford English Dictionary Online’s “Word of the Year”?| A．It can be written in pencil easily. |
| B．It is very important in the dictionary. |
| C．It means the development of technology. |
| D．It is a new word used widely and popularly. |
| A．There are arms in the picture. |
| B．The camera is always in the picture. |
| C．The picture is often not very clear. |
| D．The mirror can hardly be avoided. |
| A．may lead to commit suicide |
| B．may bring unlucky things to us |
| C．is not suitable at some moments |
| D．is popular on the ledge of a bridge |
| A．Doubtful. |
| B．Negative. |
| C．Objective. |
| D．Optimistic. |
