1 . To Better Friendships

It is often said that when you went out to find a friend, friend could not be found. When you went out to be a friend you found them all around.     1     Here are some tips:

Look at everybody you encounter as a potential friend. Every day you probably encounter at least 2-3 people who you have a lot in common with and would be very good friends with. However, because they are co-workers, clients, or even complete strangers, we never open the door to any kind of friendship. Think back about how you met your best friends.     2     There are amazing people out there, don’t miss an opportunity to get to know one of them better.

Don’t be afraid to be nice.     3    . It is a part of our brains to be a little cautious of strangers and in some cases this can keep us out of trouble. But for the most part, you will not be coming across anybody that means you harm on a daily basis. Nobody is going to hurt you if you open a door for them or compliment them on their hair.

Let love direct your actions. You speak kinder, your face looks more friendly, and you become genuinely interested in what they are saying. This results in stronger connections with people and they leave the conversation feeling that you really cared about them. It won’t be long before many of these people will be seeking your friendship.     4    

Go and get them! In most cases people won’t come over to you and initiate a friendship because they are afraid of rejection. If you want to make more friends, you need to go out and get them and bring them into your group. It isn’t enough to wave at them or just say “hi” when you pass by.     5     When you do, they will appreciate it and you will instantly form strong bonds of a friendship that can last a long time.

A．Go and bring them in.

B．We all have our natural defense.

C．They just loved us unconditionally.

D．Be careful to approach them.

E．You’re likely to spend time with your friends a lot.

F．At some point they were just strangers.

G．How can we have more quality friendships?

2 . Mice were given a memory test in a lab at the University of New South Wales, in Australia. Scientist Margaret Morris set them in their usual box, but she rearranged the objects in the box. Some mice smelled them curiously, but others just moved on. They didn’t remember the objects were once in a different place.

The mice with sharper memory were fed with a regular diet of low-fat, healthy food. However, the mice that ate lots of junk food for two weeks – such as cake, meat pies, chips, and cookies – were forgetful.

Food can have the same effect on people, too. “If you’re eating junk food regularly, and not eating enough fruit and vegetables,” Morris said, “the changes inside your body may be affecting brain function” Changes inside the body can affect a person’s overall health, too.

Scientists have long known that the brain communicates with the stomach to control digestion. Recently, they have found that the stomach talks back. It may even tell the brain what to do.

Foods with too much salt and sugar affect the microbiome (肠道菌群) in your body by killing the right bacteria (细菌) in it. These bacteria protect you from illness and keep your mind sharp. Lacking them can lead to being overweight and depression.

Rob Knight is a scientist at the University of California, San Diego. He suggests eating yogurt, because it is packed with healthy bacteria. Does that mean no French fries? “Having them sometimes is okay,” Knight says. “It’s the long-term habits that really matter. Being good to your microbiome over the next six months is a lot more important than what you ate yesterday, or what you eat tomorrow.”

1. In the memory test, some mice moved on because ______.

A．they are forgetful	B．they eat a lot of food
C．they are not curious	D．they eat low-fat food

2. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 means ______.

A．the stomach may speak to brain	B．the stomach may affect brain function
C．the stomach can keep one’s mind sharp	D．the stomach can protect one from illness

3. Fatness and depression can be caused by ______.

A．microbiome	B．bacteria
C．too much salt and sugar	D．yogurt

4. Which of the following is true about Robert Knight’s advice?

A．People must not eat French fries to protect their mircobiomes.

B．Eating yogurt for six month is good for body health.

C．It’s necessary to maintain long-term healthy eating habits.

D．What you eat tomorrow is the most important thing.

3 . If you drive from the airport, go on the motorway and follow the ______.

A．signs

B．ways

C．points

D．designs

4 . Mother bought many tomatoes from the market two days ago, some of ______ have gone bad due to the hot weather.

A．those

B．which

C．whom

D．that

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

On my first Saturday in South Korea, I decided to climb Mount Bukhansan. I enjoy hiking, and everyone told me about Bukhansan National Park. They mentioned its beautiful forests, clean air,     1    historic temples. They didn't tell me about the huge     2     (crowd) that go there every weekend!

After following the crowd for an hour, I asked a group of hikers     3    far the summit was. The leader of the group Mr Choi saw I was alone and introduced me to his friends. We hiked together for an hour until the group decided     4     (stop) for lunch. I tried to get a sandwich from my backpack, but one of Mr Choi's friends said, “No, no, no. You will eat with us.” After they shared their meal     5    me, the group decided they     6     (walk) enough. They began walking back down the mountain.

I continued climbing, and finally arrived at the summit. A man     7     (stand) on the mountaintop introduced     8     (he) as Mr Kim. Together we shared a bottle of makgeolli, a     9     (tradition) Korean drink, and enjoyed the view. “In Korea,” he said, “we say that the people you meet on the mountain are     10    best people.” I thought about my day on Bukhansan, and I knew he was right.

6 . It's never too early to start thinking about your summer vacation. Here are tips on how to plan a summer vacation that's relaxing and cheap.

If your summer vacation window is wide open, why not consider skipping July and August altogether?     1    However, if you're set on travelling during high season, you can still save by being flexible. Flying out on a Tuesday instead of a Friday could save you a bit of money.     2     Portugal and Eastern Europe are much cheaper than France or the United Kingdom, while a trip to Southeast Asia could be more affordable than you might expect.

    3     If you plan on flying to your destination, for example, it will be much easier to find seats on your preferred flights if you book in March than if you were to wait until the last minute. The same thing applies to hotels.

With so many places to see and things to do, planning a trip can be very tiring.     4     Seasoned tour companies take the stress out of travel so all you have to do is show up and enjoy yourself. More importantly, when you break down the costs of joining a guided tour vs booking everything on your own, you'll often find the tour saves lots of money.

    5     Especially if you're flying on a cheap airline that does not include luggage, this can be a huge cost saver. Once you're on the ground, if you don't have luggage weighing you down, it will be easier for you to walk a mile to your hotel than take a taxi.

A．A package tour is a good choice if you're very tired.

B．There are so many fun things to do in the summer.

C．Don't forget about the destination you're considering.

D．Decide how much you have to spend on your vacation.

E．One of the smartest things you can do when travelling is pack light.

F．It's always in your best interest to book your summer vacation early.

G．It's better to travel in the spring or early fall when flights and hotels are cheaper.

7 . It was a perfect summer morning on the beach in Rio De Janeiro. A man set up his umbrellas and chair near the water and was ready to read his book. Just then, when he looked toward the sea, he noticed a small shape that came out of the water. It slowly made its way out onto the sand and began to flap its wings. It was obviously feeble and tired.

When the creature was just a few feet away, the man couldn't believe his eyes. A penguin? Penguins don't belong to Rio. The mans was amazed. He looked around to see if there was anyone else this strange sight.

A jogger soon appeared, followed by another. They stopped and stared. It was clear that the penguin was having trouble breathing. The first jogger looked at the sea and said, “Poor fellow, so far away form home.”

The penguin fell to its side. It had swum 2, 000 miles, trying to find the tiny fish that penguins like to eat. Why did the penguin need to travel so far? Perhaps it was confused by moving ocean currents and temperatures—common effects of global warming. The penguin needed help. It would not survive on the hot sand.

One of the joggers phone for help, and soon some firemen arrived. The man was relieved that the penguin would soon be safe, although he felt a little sad, too.

The event on the beach at Rio happened some time ago. It was only the beginning of penguin migration to Brazil. Since that time, hundreds of penguins have appeared on the coasts of Brazil. They come all the way from Patagonia and the Straits of Magellan, southern parts of South America. They land on the sands very tired and starving, and many of them die. Some are shipped or flown back to colder waters farther south.

Perhaps the experience of the penguins will help us better understand the serious effect of human activity on climate change and on the condition of our planet.

1. What does the underlined word “feeble” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Heavy.

B．Excited.

C．Dirty.

D．Weak.

2. Why did the man think it strange to see a penguin?

A．Penguins there had already died out.	B．Penguins do not live in Brazil.
C．The penguin was no afraid of him.	D．The penguin was moving very fast.

3. What probably caused the penguin to land on the beach of Rio?

A．Changes in ocean currents and temperatures.	B．Pollution in South America.
C．Energy from the sun.	D．Sea ice decreasing.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Beaches in Brazil.	B．A Penguin's Life.
C．The Penguin of Brazil.	D．Effects of Global Warming.

8 . 语法填空

Are you excited about the new app that you just downloaded to your smart phone? It might be fun now, but be     1     (care): Too much screen time may be harmful     2     your eyes.

The problem, says Sarah Hinkley,     3     is a professor at Ferris State University and the Michigan College of Optometry, comes from the blue light that screens give out. Staring at a smart phone might cause eye strain(劳损)，headaches, and dry eyes. Smartphone and computer screens present greater danger than watching television because the screens     4     (hold) closer to the eyes.

Many doctors and     5     (researcher) agree that you should limit smartphone use to no more than three hours per day. Limiting screen time might seem like a sacrifice (牺牲) now, but it' s worth it. One of my friends found out the hard way. “My eyes were hurting really bad, so I    6     (go) to the doctor,” he sạid. ''I was told that I had an eye strain and was not allowed     7     (look) at my phone for days.

If you eat healthy foods and exercise regularly, there is less of a chance that a medical problem will occur (发生) with your eyes. Taking     8     break every 15 minutes when you’ re working at a computer is also a smart     9     (decide).

Keep in mind: Your eyes are     10     (important) than an incoming text.

9 . In a school in England, a few years ago, a teenager girl heard a boy singing in a room.     1     The girl, Charlotte Jaconelli, also liked singing. Later, the music teacher at school suggested that they sing together.

They did and started singing together as a team. They also become very good friends.

    2    Charlotte wanted to enter the show with Jonathan but he was worried about the way he looked. However, Charlotte persuaded him and they went on the show.

They did the first audition (试音) in April 2012. When they came onto the stage, they were very nervous. The four judges didn’t think they looked good.     3    They sang very well, especially Jonathan. When they finished, people stood up and clapped (鼓掌).

All the judges thought Charlotte and Jonathan were great. One judge, Simon Cowell, said while the girl was good, the boy was fantastic.     4     .

Jonathan didn't think for long. He looked at his friend, and then looked back at the judges, and said that he wanted to stay in the competition with Charlotte.

They carried on together, but they didn't win the competition—they came second. However, they weren’t disappointed (沮丧的).

A few weeks later, Simon Cowell gave them the chance to record a CD.    5    They chose the word "Together’’.

A．Charlotte invited Jonathan to sing together with her.

B．But when they began to sing, everyone was amazed.

C．Simon asked Jonathan if he wanted to be his student.

D．They made the CD, and then they thought about a name for it.

E．So he suggested that Jonathan sing on his own without Charlotte.

F．She likes it, and found out that the boy’s name was Jonathan Antoine.

G．Around that time, there was a television show called Britain’s Got Talent.

10 . Recently I visited the classroom of Jeremy Coleman, a music teacher. Coleman was preparing for a fresh group of students at his school in Austin, Texas.

Coleman has taught classical guitar at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) for many years. “Everyone should be given a chance to learn music and guitar," he said.

The TSBVI was founded in 1856 to provide a specialized education for young Texans who couldn’t see clearly. In the early years, students made brooms (扫帚)and other products that were sold to pay for the school’s operational (运营的)costs.

Since then, the school has developed, and hundreds of students from across the state live and learn there. The educational focus (重点) has changed from vocational (职业的) training to academic (学业的) and life skills. Students also take part in sports, music, and other after-school activities.

Coleman brought classical guitar lessons to TSBVI in 2011. “Teaching guitar to students with poor eyesight isn’t easy,” Coleman said. For one thing, the music course has to be translated into Braille, a form of printing for blind people to read.

“Instead of sight reading, these students will read Braille music and remember it,” Coleman said. “Once they realize what they can do, they love making music.”

Coleman said that after kids leave his program, they often find it difficult to continue their study of music. “The real difficulty is when the students return to their own communities,” Coleman said. “Finding a proper teacher for lessons is sometimes impossible.”

For that reason, Coleman and some other TSBVI teachers developed an online program called “Let’s Play.” The program serves as a guide for classical guitar training for students with poor eyesight and their teachers.

“The program continues to grow,” Coleman said. He hopes that it will help musicians with poor eyesight continue to develop their skills.

1. Coleman’ s school is different from common schools in ________.

A．its class size	B．its opening time
C．its type of students	D．its type of teachers

2. What has changed as the TSBVI has developed over time?

A．Its entry requirements for students.

B．Its after-school activities.

C．What it teaches students.

D．How it keeps running.

3. What happened to Coleman eight years ago?

A．He founded the TSBVL.

B．He started leaning Braille music.

C．He sold handmade products for a living.

D．He started teaching classical guitar at TSBVI.

4. How does Coleman help kids who finish his program?

A．By setting up an online program.

B．By organizing after-school activities.

C．By connecting them with other teachers.

D．By visiting them in their own communities.