1 . If something that you’re doing doesn’t challenge you, then it doesn’t change you. We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all.     1     So challenge the following limits:

1.Figure out what you’re scared of and do it continuously.

If you’re a salesman, and you’re scared of talking to people personally or over the phone now, instead of being scared and thinking you’ll fail, spend at least five minutes a day to pick up the phone and make a call.     2     But don’t stop on the first try! Eventually, you can look at fear in the eye and say, “Go on. I’m not scared!”

2.     3    

Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this. Some examples might be cooking, sewing, painting and so on. Apart from helping you challenge yourself, taking a class for your hobby may also give you extra income.

3. Set aside at least nine minutes a day for physical exercise.

    4     A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself. Exercise can not only help you maintain your regular weight, but also make you feel better about yourself.

4.Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people.

Don’t just limit yourself to your fellow travelers, try to connect with the service staff. You never know what kind of people they’re going to be. Get out of your house or go online to book your ticket right now.     5    

A．Someone may hang up on you.

B．You should do it continuously.

C．You don’t need to go to the gym.

D．Running in the gym may be a better choice.

E．Start to travel now and learn to challenge yourself.

F．Take a class for a hobby you’ve been wanting to develop.

G．You can never see any improvement if you stick to your comfort zone.

2 . Chinese cuisine is widely known and enjoyed all around the world. Who doesn’t long for a favorite Chinese dish? But there is one interesting concept concerning Chinese food which is almost unheard of in the West, and which is becoming increasingly ignored by the youth of the East—the ancient custom of “tonic food”.

Tonic food is food which is consumed to improve one’s well-being or avoid sickness. For instance, it was once the custom for new mothers to eat a sesame oil(麻油) chicken soup every day for the first month after giving birth. It was believed that this dish would benefit the muscles, reduce pain, improve circulation, stimulate sweating, and warm the body. Some foods, such as goat meat and spinach, are seen as “hot”, while others, such as Chinese cabbage and radishes, are seen as “cold”. One should be careful not to eat too much of either “hot” or “cold” food. However, how much “hot” or “cold” food one should eat depends on the time of the year, how the food is prepared and what it is prepared with, and the individual’s health.

The custom of employing tonic food for a healthier life also influences the catering industry. Chinese herbal medicines, such as wolfberry(枸杞子), can be found on many a restaurant menu, either added to fruit tea or as a beneficial addition to a dish. These herbs attract customers, such as overworked office staff, in need of a modest pick-me-up.

So, whether you need to boost your strength with a large helping of chicken soup, or increase your mental powers with a serving of fish soup, you may find that this ancient Chinese custom could be just the tonic you were looking for.

1. What is the present situation of tonic food?

A．It is catching less attention.	B．It is enjoyed by many young people.
C．It is well-known worldwide.	D．It is becoming increasingly popular.

2. What is believed to benefit new mothers?

A．Chinese cabbage.	B．Fruit tea.
C．Sesame oil chicken soup.	D．Fish soup.

3. Which of the following best explains “catering” underlined in Paragraph 3?

A．Medicine.

B．Restaurant.

C．Manufacture.

D．Agriculture.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Charm of Chinese Cuisine	B．The Popularity of Tonic Food
C．An Introduction of Chinese Tonic Food	D．Differences Between “Hot” Food and “Cold” Food

3 . I’ve been a volunteer in the Macmillan@Glasgow Libraries programme for just over a year. I got involved because I was looking for something to volunteer for after I retired from work. I thought being a Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Volunteer might be a good way to do that by using some of the skills I learned at work.

At one time, I felt I made a real difference when a lady come to use the service. She was very upset, but she was not the person with cancer. It was her partner. She had lots of things on her mind. We, together with a counselor, had a chat about her to help deal with all the emotions she felt. We knew we could arrange something, so we discussed with her what could be done for her family. She was relieved that we could get something arranged for her and liked the fact that we managed to get the ball rolling during her visit.

The good thing about having the services in the library is that the environment is non-clinical and therefore more relaxing than the hospital or doctor’s surgery. The team in the library are not medically trained. That means we do not use big words or medical terms very often.

It’s great that the people who volunteer all work well together, helping each other to get a solution for people who come in. It’s good to have to team at the other end of the phone whenever we get something unusual. It is a pleasure to be able to help as a volunteer.

1. What can we infer about the author?

A．He is a retired doctor.

B．He is volunteering in a hospital.

C．He is a counselor in cancer.

D．He has fought against cancer before.

2. Why did the lady feel upset?

A．Because she was affected by cancer.

B．Because her husband suffered from cancer.

C．Because she didn’t know how to treat cancer.

D．Because she had a poor relation with her husband.

3. What do we know about the volunteers?

A．They do well in teamwork.	B．They receive medical training.
C．They all waited to be helped.	D．They often meet unusual things.

4. Why does the author write this text?

A．To call on readers to do voluntary work.

B．To show us how to help those in trouble.

C．To share his experiences as a volunteer.

D．To teach us how to take care of cancer patients.

4 . Our family once got into a difficult situation. My father’s _______ came to a stop after a serious crisis (危机). All that my father was _______ with was some experience. At the same time, he had to be _______ for a family of four.

My father was a very hard­working person and he did not lose _______ even when he was facing difficulties. As he was the only person that earned money in our family, he had _______ in deciding what to do at first. He didn’t know _______ it was better to find a job or to start a new business, but he chose the latter in the end. This was because he thought he had many _______ and had nothing to fear, as he had nothing to lose. He was a person _______ to follow his dreams and was not afraid of the challenges and troubles he faced. He kept approaching (接洽) different companies and _______, the business was successful.

He used to tell me when you stop ________, it is then that you fail. From him I learnt that if you believe in yourself and ________ moving towards your goals, then there is nothing you cannot ________.

Today, our business is going well. This has had an important effect on me. I feel that by following my father’s qualities I have become a better person. I see myself ready to ________ him on the journey to success. It is from him that I have learnt that when we are facing a ________, or are not able to realise our dreams, we don’t always have to do anything ________ — we just need to try harder.

1.

A．situation

B．business

C．job

D．car

2.

A．left

B．forgotten

C．offered

D．given

3.

A．famous

B．concerned

C．necessary

D．responsible

4.

A．interest

B．face

C．heart

D．weight

5.

A．chance

B．difficulty

C．danger

D．surprise

6.

A．when

B．what

C．whether

D．how

7.

A．possibilities

B．plans

C．abilities

D．wonders

8.

A．eager

B．worried

C．unable

D．ready

9.

A．quickly

B．entirely

C．usually

D．finally

10.

A．talking

B．considering

C．trying

D．thinking

11.

A．put on

B．come on

C．hold on

D．keep on

12.

A．enjoy

B．settle

C．receive

D．achieve

13.

A．follow

B．miss

C．discover

D．protect

14.

A．matter

B．problem

C．duty

D．doubt

15.

A．normal

B．special

C．strict

D．familiar

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining global popularity. According to a government white paper. TCM    1     (introduce) in 183 countries and regions around the world so far.

Westerners’ understanding of TCM, however, maybe limited to acupuncture (针灸), cupping (拔罐) and massage. As    2     matter of fact, Chinese herbs play a more important role than physical    3     (treat) in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body    4     good condition in the TCM treatment system.

Herbs are made into pills, powder and soup,     5     are used for different kinds of illnesses.

The herbs,     6     (they) quality and quantity, and the processing of the ingredients jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription.TCM,     7     (compare) with Western medicine, lacks standardization because the chemical composition and functions of its medicines are unclear and their effects are    8     (stable).     9     (fortunate), standardization has improved in recent decades, with an increasing number of factories     10     (produce) patented TCM drugs.

6 . Sometimes people around you can change your life. The change may not be sudden or_________, but little habits can produce big ideas that make you think about what is important in your life. The person who changed my life is Julia Masi. She has_________me so many things that I will carry with me throughout my life.

One thing I've learned from Julia is how to balance_________. Julia has shown me how to plan ahead so that I can finish all my school work, enjoy sports and_________have time for my friends. She has taught me that you can do anything if you are_________—never give up. I've also learned that you can find anything_________if you connect it with something that you enjoy.

Last year I hated studying vocabulary, but I loved playing on my computer. Julia_________the two and showed me a website called "freerice.com" where you can_________a word game that gives you 5 grains of rice to donate to the poor with every correct word. She_________me to learn a hundred new words by filling up the rice bowl. I liked playing the game so much that I__________about 1,000 words in just one month.

Julia has always__________me to try new hobbies. She showed me that going to the theater could help me become a better writer.__________, she taught me that discussing a play can excite an interest in reading.

If it weren't for Julia, I probably wouldn't have__________how easy it is to help the poor. There are so many ways that one person can__________. I've learned to be more appreciative of what I own. I am__________for the opportunities that I have been given. I will continue to think of ways to help those less fortunate for the rest of my life.

1.

A．simple

B．impressive

C．necessary

D．slight

2.

A．taught

B．served

C．offered

D．bought

3.

A．work

B．money

C．career

D．time

4.

A．never

B．seldom

C．yet

D．still

5.

A．excited

B．determined

C．careful

D．patient

6.

A．important

B．hard

C．possible

D．interesting

7.

A．shared

B．remembered

C．combined

D．separated

8.

A．watch

B．play

C．raise

D．improve

9.

A．challenged

B．invited

C．permitted

D．reminded

10.

A．learned

B．read

C．used

D．spelled

11.

A．allowed

B．warned

C．forced

D．encouraged

12.

A．Therefore

B．Besides

C．However

D．Otherwise

13.

A．realized

B．observed

C．imagined

D．dreamed

14.

A．turn away

B．make a difference

C．show off

D．make a mistake

15.

A．eager

B．sorry

C．thankful

D．anxious

7 . Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. Sixth-grader Jamaria Crump has already set an example. It took her one year to perfect her _______ lemonade recipe along with some desserts that made her business, LemonTopia, a _______. And what is even more amazing is that, with some help from her _______, Jamaria built LemonTopia herself.

“She had _______ for a lemonade stand for a year before I let her do it,” said her mom, Jasmine Hall. When Jamaria's previous school announced a bake sale, it was the perfect _______. But the school told her she had to offer baked food _______ lemonade. So Jamaria added cookies and cheesecake. After the bake sale, she kept _______ at school and community events.

“It continued in different places _______ she served a party at the city hall,” Jasmine said. “We made a fortune at the party.” And with that money, Jamaria _______ her mother for working at the stand. “She's a kid. so sometimes she wants to ________, such as going to the concert,” Jasmine said. “If I have to ________ for her, she will offer me money hourly.” The market manager said, “Jamaria's drinks and snacks are the special, cheerful presence in the market.” ________, the market is competitive so Jamaria has to ________ ways to drum up business. Fortunately, she has always shown her ________ as she developed lemonade with new flavors.

“I'm very ________ of my daughter for sticking with it,” said Jasmine.

1.

A．complex

B．expensive

C．unique

D．familiar

2.

A．hit

B．joke

C．record

D．test

3.

A．dad

B．mom

C．friends

D．classmates

4.

A．applied

B．looked

C．acted

D．begged

5.

A．challenge

B．phenomenon

C．opportunity

D．achievement

6.

A．in spite of

B．in memory of

C．in place of

D．in addition to

7.

A．selling

B．wandering

C．exhibiting

D．advertising

8.

A．when

B．until

C．unless

D．after

9.

A．praised

B．pleased

C．paid

D．persuaded

10.

A．study

B．succeed

C．play

D．work

11.

A．fill in

B．give in

C．take in

D．cut in

12.

A．Therefore

B．However

C．Otherwise

D．Besides

13.

A．put up with

B．catch up with

C．make up with

D．come up with

14.

A．decision

B．choice

C．enthusiasm

D．expectation

15.

A．fond

B．ashamed

C．aware

D．proud

8 . A new device works like a solar panel, except that it doesn't harvest energy from the sun. It absorbs energy from the cold night sky.

A prototype(原型)of the device produced enough electricity at night to power a small light bulb. A bigger version might one day light rooms or charge phones. It also could power electronics in remote or low-resource areas that lack electricity.

The device makes use of the temperature difference between Earth and outer space.It then uses that difference to create electricity. As long as one side of it is cooler than the other, the generator can produce electricity.The cooler side faces the sky and is attached to an aluminum plate. That plate is sealed beneath a transparent(透明的)cover and surrounded with insulation(隔热材料)to keep out heat.The bottom of the generator is attached to an exposed aluminum plate. That plate is warmed by the local air. At night, the top plate can get a couple of degrees Celsius cooler than the bottom of the generator.

Researchers tested a 20-centimeter prototype one clear December night in Stanford,California. The generator produced up to about 25 milliwatts of power per square meter of device. That was enough power to light a small light-emitting diode, or LED bulb. Further improvements might increase its production to at least 500 milliwatts per square meter. To do that, the system might need more insulation around the cool top plate.

The device also could help power remote weather stations or other environmental devices,says Aaswath Raman. He is a materials scientist who worked on the device at the University of California, Los Angeles. This may be useful in polar regions that don't see sunlight for months at a time,Raman says. “If you have some low-power load and you need to power it through three months of darkness, this might be a way.”

1. What can we know about the new device?

A．It gains energy from the sun.	B．It 's been widely used in life.
C．It is cooler than a solar panel.	D．It'll be popular in special areas.

2. What does the author mainly talk about in Paragraph 3?

A．Application fields of the device.	B．The developing process of the device.
C．The working principle of the device.	D．Significant effects of the device.

3. How can the device produce more electricity?

A．By putting more insulation around the top plate.

B．By using it in extremely cold and clear nights.

C．By making its bottom cooler than the top plate.

D．By powering remote environmental devices.

4. What could be a suitable title for the text?

A．A Device Using the Cold Night Sky to Produce Electricity

B．A Device Bringing New Hope for Those in the Cold Night

C．The Difference Between a Solar Panel and a New Device

D．The Temperature Difference Between Earth and Outer Space

9 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

“Today's test score will decide who has topped the class, so be ready,” announced Miss Natasha in the classroom.

Miss Natasha got everyone's test papers, cleared her throat to announce the results and distributed the test papers among the students. Everyone was nervous about their scores that would be announced soon.

Ali and Bob have been competitors since class one and each year either one of the two came first in the class. This year, there was tough competition between both of them, and they eagerly awaited the results.

“Peter, 18,”announced Miss Natasha as she handed him his paper,“Eric, 16, Ali, 20, Bob, 19 ... and lastly Alia, 15.”

When Miss Natasha had distributed the test papers in class, everyone found out that Ali beat Bob by one mark and topped the class. Everyone congratulated him and Ali was happy as he accepted everyone's congratulations.

As Ali was about to put his paper in his bag, he noticed that by mistake Miss Natasha had given him two marks for an incorrect answer. He was shocked. He rechecked his answers and realized that all his answers were correct except for that one. Now if he informed Miss Natasha about it, he would not only lose two marks but also his first position.

Considering the situation, he remained quiet and went home. But all day he kept thinking about it. Should he or shouldn't he tell Miss Natasha about it? He thought that it had been already done, and no one would notice if he didn't tell anyone, but then another thought crossed his mind. If he didn't tell the teacher about it and stayed the position-holder in class, he wouldn't rightfully take the position as it clearly belonged to Bob.

This situation put Ali in a hard position. His parents always taught him to do the right thing, but doing the right thing here meant he would lose his first position. He remembered how everyone cheered for him and congratulated him in class.

注意:1. 续写词数应为150 左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

He knew that by informing the teacher about it, he would lose it all.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“My son, you are a brave and honest boy so just do what you think is right,”his mum continued.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . Wind turbines (涡轮) and solar panels that generate electricity are examples of “green” technology. A new study finds that such renewable energy might be green in another sense. Large collections of those turbines or solar panels appear capable of bringing rains to the desert and would allow more plants to grow.

Building large wind or solar farms just to study their question was not an option. It would be too costly. So experts Kalnay and Safa developed a model of North Africa’s Sahara Desert to find out how wind turbines and solar farms might alter the desert’s climate.

The team ran its model several times. In one run, it assumed that people would set up wind farms only. Another run assumed people would install just solar farms. A third assumed people would build both. They would affect the desert’s weather with temperature and average daily rain increased—but differently. Installing a mix of solar farms and wind turbines brought about a bigger change—not in temperature but in rainfall. In the Sahara, having both wind and solar farms more than doubled the amount of rain that fell, up to 215.4 millimeters per day.

The models predicted that the average rainfall would increase over time, as more plants grew. Plants move water from the ground to the air. Warmer air can carry more water. So as this air rises, it can ferry more water up to become clouds. Those clouds can release rain, relieving the thirst of plants below. Over time, this process repeats itself over and over. This positive feedback can greatly boost rains.

Such rainfall changes could lead to better agriculture, says Safa. “More rain also would help wild plants grow. We believe that the countries in the Sahara should seriously consider investing in wind and solar power”, he added.

1. What is the new finding of the research?

A．Deserts will be suitable for farming.

B．It costs much to get deserts greener.

C．Renewable energy can green a desert.

D．Clean energy helps plants grow better.

2. What discouraged experts from building energy farms?

A．High construction expenses.

B．A lack of suitable test sites.

C．Shortage of manpower.

D．Terrible climate.

3. What was the advantage of the third run?

A．Saving more energy with less cost.

B．Doubling global rainfall per year.

C．Raising daily rainfall in the desert.

D．Decreasing temperature in the desert.

4. What may Safa advise the countries in the Sahara to do?

A．Build more farms to grow crops.

B．Save more water for agriculture.

C．Invest in wind and solar power.

D．Consider moving to other places.