1 . 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。

As a child, Olympic figure skaters' shining costumes, smooth movements and thrilling jumps attracted me. Olympic-level skaters make their sport look easy, but in fact, skating     1     (event) are full of challenges.

Figure skating was the first winter sport to be added to the Olympics. And then men’s speed skating     2    (put) on the list several years later. In the Olympics,     3     wide variety of skating competitions challenge both male and female competitor strength and agility (敏捷度).

The term “figure skating” comes from figures skaters make on the ice. Until 1991 certain figures were required     4    (test) competitors’ certain skills. Now that this requirement has been removed, skaters     5    (usual) focus on jumps. They take off in different positions and spin (旋转) several times in the air before landing on one foot.

    6    (be) a form of figure skating, ice dancing was inspired by ballroom dance.     7    (like) figure skating, ice dancing only allows jumps of one complete turn. A man can lift his partner, but no     8    (high) than his head. Instead, dancers focus on moves     9     keep them moving in unison (一致地) on the ice.

While figure skating requires strength and agility, speed skating requires different skills. The goal is simple: Cover the distance as quickly     10     possible. Naturally this requires leg strength.

At high levels of competition, skating requires athletic ability and hours of practice, but ordinary people can also get out on some ice and enjoy the sport of skating.

2 . Business etiquette in Singapore

Be polite, professional and patient at all times. This lead to good relationships which you will need in order to do business in Singapore.

    1     And there are rules of etiquette（礼节）that you must follow. Status vey important, and the eldest person in the group is always respected.

You will need to plan ahead.     2     Nowadays appointments can be made by phone or email, although writing to the person concerned is the most formal way to organize a meeting. Many businesses close during Chinese New Year.     3    .

Make sure you arrive on time for business meetings. This is a matter of respect. If you are going as a group, make sure you are lied up cording to your status. Likewise, wait to be seated.

    4     Only use personal names or nicknames（昵称）when you are invited to do so, or when you have known someone for along time.

Business cards are exchanged the beginning of meetings and are always handed out so that the writing faces the receiver. Etiquette demands that you hold the card with both hands and examine it carefully; before putting the card into our card case, smile in order to show that you have noted who the other person is.     5     Make sure your own business cards are in perfect condition before you hand them out.

A．This is a form of respect to that person.

B．Bear in mind that business is done very formally in Singapore.

C．Therefore, there is no point in even trying to fix a meeting at this time.

D．Before business discussions begin, there is often a period of small talk.

E．As a sign of respect, Singaporeans don't always look people in the eye.

F．Whenever possible, appointments should be made at least two weeks in advance.

G．When meeting someone in formal meetings, always use the person's title and family name.

3 . What's the hottest topic in your country? Whaling (捕鲸) is one topic that's been dividing nations for many years now.

By the 1940s, more than 30,000 whales were being caught worldwide every year. Oil from whales lit the lights of major cities in the US and Europe, and whale oil was used to make soaps, paint and even the glaze on photographs.

In order to manage the development of the global whaling industry, the International Whaling Commission (TWC) was formed in 1946. However, in 1986, the IWC decided to ban whaling. The biggest concern was the huge decrease in whale populations across the planet. Indeed many people say that it came too late and that commercial (商业的) whaling has already resulted in many animals dying out. According to Greenpeace, sei whales and fin whales are listed as "endangered animals".

But there are many other good reasons to fight against whaling. Whales are very intelligent animals. They have social networks very similar to those of humans. On top of that, whaling is also a cruel industry.

Still, some countries continue to hunt whales. hunts more than 1,000 whales a year — all of them are caught as part of a supposed "scientific research" programme run by the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research. Many people argue that this "research" is nothing more than a front for commercial whaling. The situation was not helped in 2001, when Masayuki Komatsu from the Japanese Fisheries Agency described minke whales as the "cockroaches (蟑螂) of the sea" in an interview.

Many groups have tried to stop the hunts. The Ady Gil (a ship belonging to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society) was hit by a whaling ship. The Ady Gil later sank. At present, the world is fairly divided on the topic with Iceland, Japan and Norway on the pro-whaling side, and the US, Australia, and the EU on the anti-whaling side. Asked recently to give a number between one and ten to show how difficult his job was, Dr Simon Brockington, the chairman of the IWC, said "about a twelve"!

1. What fact is presented in the second paragraph?

A．Whale oil was of no use.

B．Whaling was once a big industry.

C．Few whales were killed by humans.

D．The US was the biggest whaling country.

2. What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．A concern.	B．A suggestion.
C．The global ban on whaling.	D．The endangered animals list.

3. What did Brockington think of anti-whaling?

A．It was effective.	B．It was not realistic.
C．It was a dangerous attempt.	D．It was difficult to carry out.

4 . George Mason University looks like any other big college with its tall buildings, student housing and green lawns (草坪)—except for the robots.

This Northern Virginia university recently set up several dozen meal delivery (递送) robots from Starship Technologies to make it easier for students to get food.

Many colleges across the country have set up delivery robots—including University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and Northern Arizona University—but George Mason University is the first college in the United States to include robots in its student dining plan. The school is partnering with food service provider Sodexo for the program.

"We were amazed by the volume of orders (订单量) that we had when we turned the service on," Starship Technologies manager Ryan Tuohy says. "But what's really touching is how the students in the university have accepted the robots."

Student Grace Pereira-Plaza says she finds the robots "pretty cute" and at first students were crazy about them - taking pictures, dressing them up for holidays. But they slowly got used to them. “We find it normal now. When we see them go by, it’s like ‘Oh there they are,”" Pereira- Plaza says.

How does it work? Students can place an order through an app for food from any restaurant that is part of the program. The cost is $1.99 per delivery. Then, they wait. The goal: a 30- minute delivery. Students can watch robot as it travels toward them- at 4 miles an hour.

The robot is equipped with nine cameras and sensors to navigate (导航) its surrounds. Humans are still needed to put the food into the robots and they can monitor (监控) them from far away and step in if there are any problems. But these are self-learning machines that can adapt. So, if they see a student start across the road they’ll know what to do, "Mark Kroner, head of the school's food operations, says. " So they are learning and its fun to watch them progress. "

1. What is the purpose of the robots?

A．To send food.	B．To cut lawns.
C．To cook tasty food.	D．To teach cooking courses.

2. How did Ryan Tuohy feel when the robot was first used at George Mason University?

A．Nervous.

B．Regretful.

C．Disappointed.

D．Surprised.

3. What will happen if a robot finds itself in a difficult situation?

A．The orders will be canceled immediately.

B．It will return using the way it came.

C．It will signal the customers for help.

D．The human monitors will help.

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

A．Robots Deliver Food to Students

B．Robots Are Changing with the Times

C．Robots Are Putting People out of Jobs

D．Robots Make Colleges More Attractive

5 . Blek le Rat is a French street artist who calls himself "The Man Who Walks Through Walls". He is a pioneer of street art. He began his work as a city decorator in Paris in the early 1980s, when he was twenty. Blek began his artwork in 1981, painting (用模板制成的图案) of rats (老鼠) on the walls of Paris streets.

His real name is Xavier Prou, and he does not draw violent images, only reflective ones, and he says, "My images are a present I make for everyone to enjoy, even children. " He has had a great influence on today's graffiti (涂鸦) art, the main drive of his work being social awareness and his wish to bring art to people. His dream is to be allowed to provide art to the city streets without having any problems. Once he was caught by the police, and afterwards he turned to putting posters instead. They are after all better for the walls, aren't they?

His designs, based on life-size stencils of human beings and animals, don't just decorate cities but awaken people's emotions. Their social observation makes them touching, humorous and political. In 2006 he began his series of images representing the homeless, in attempts to bring attention to what he views as a global problem.

He says that when you go on the street with a spray can (喷漆罐)，and pry your name，you will go back and see it, because when you leave something in the street, you leave part of yourself. Street artists cannot help coming back to admire their own work; it is the main reason for doing it.

The Internet has made street at a global movement, but it is the art of the common people and not of highly paid and respectable artists. There is nothing bigger culturally in the world at the moment than street art. It is taking over the planet Mot cites are covered with it, so much so that it is noticeable when there isn’t any. It is even bring sold, like "real" woks of art.

1. What did Blek le Rat do in 1981?

A．He gave up his job.	B．He took up street art.
C．He made his name as an artist.	D．He drew people on the street.

2. What is Blek le Rat’s art like?

A．It is good-sized.	B．Ii violent and black.
C．It presents social realities.	D．It employs cartoon characters.

3. What do we know about street art at present?

A．It attracts well-known artists.	B．It is culturally important.
C．It is high-priced in Paris.	D．It becomes less popular.

4. What's the best title for the text?

A．The History of Street Art	B．Global Love for Modern Art
C．Stencil Art Pioneer Blek le Rat	D．The Big Comeback of Graffiti Art

6 . Laura

Laura Stanley is only 15 and has already produced an impressive collection of poems and short stories. But she also used to enjoy singing and was a great artist and dancer. For a long time she thought she might follow one of those paths as a career, as at the time she didn't really know whether she was good enough at writing. But in the end she has decided that writing is what she loves.

Haruki

Haruki Kato is a highly enthusiastic young sculptor (刻师).At the age of 16, he has already had his work shown in galleries and won several competitions. He says he is encouraged not by successful artists, but by anyone who is driven and determined to get where they want. I have a lot of people around me who have helped me and made sure I improve and grow as an artist. In the future, I’d like to do the same for children like me who have a talent but need.

Elena

Elena Mancini is 17-year-old make-up artist with plans for the future. She’s already working in local theatres and has even helped on a film set. "People in our village have always put on plays and my mom does all the make-up. I used to ask her to let me help her. If she had stopped me from helping, I wouldn’t have found out how much I enjoy doing make-up. "

Joel

Joel Bailey, who is 15, wants to be a music journalist and he has already had some interviews published in music magazines. "I’m a big fan of rock music. I enjoy writing as well, and one day I just came up with the idea that I could be a journalist and specialise in music. So I started writing articles and sending them off to magazines. Some I didn't even get paid for, but I didn't mind, because if you want to succeed in any business, you have to get recognized and learn your skills. "

1. What does Haruki want to do in the future?

A．Write some short stories.

B．Give support to children.

C．Meet world-famous artists.

D．Develop an interest in the arts.

2. Which of the following can best describe Joel?

A．Polite.

B．Friendly.

C．Responsible.

D．Determined.

3. What do these four young people have in common?

A．They are pioneers in science.

B．They are good at teaching kids.

C．They are professional future planners.

D．They are on the way to successful careers.

7 . 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,并将答案填写在答题卡相应的位置，

Chen Yifan, 17, a high school student, hit a     1     (value)SUV on his way to deliver some food, leaving a 20 centimeter scratch(划痕)and a broken mirror.

    2     nobody else was at the scene, Chen left all his money, 31l yuan($45), for compensation(赔偿),and a letter of apology. When the owner Mr. Xue saw the money and letter, he     3     (touch)by the student's deed and decided to return the money.

The owner finally got in touch     4     Chen. "I saw the owner's telephone number on the car window, but I dared not call him. I was afraid of     5     (blame)and decided to leave a short letter, "Chen said. The teenager,     6     does part-time delivery jobs during vacations and earns 60-70 yuan every day, is a high-school student from a low-income family.

“Some people would leave without     7     (word) after hitting a car, but the boy left money and     8     apology letter. His behavior    9     (deep)moved me."

Xue has offered 10, 000 yuan to help Chen's future studies. "He is a kind boy and should be rewarded for his     10     (honest),"Xue said.

8 . This summer, many areas of the US have been suffering historic droughts (干旱). Climate change has brought very high temperatures and less-than-normal rain and snow to the country.    1    . It also means hot weather, which can be hard to take.

    2    . Their civilization once thrived (繁荣) with its amazing architecture of pyramids and cities. One of the cities, Tikal, was built in what is now Guatemala. “It was quite a remarkable place, with temples towering above the top of the rainforest,” says Dunning.

Although the region is a tropical rainforest, Tikal was built in a place that got little rain for half the year. Additionally, it had no year round lakes or river—although it did have an important spring. The Maya also did not have a system to reach groundwater.     3    .

“As Tikal grew, people there would have had to cut down parts of the surrounding rainforest to raise food.    4     to meet their needs for wood and other resources,” Dunning says. Dunning compares it to today's practice of chopping down much larger parts of the Amazon rainforest raise cattle for beef. He calls this deed “bad for the health of local environment and the global environment, too.”

The Maya would have used cut-and-burn techniques and let the forest grow back after a few years.

Although the Maya changed the environment with their farming and other practices, they had much less impact on the climate than we do now. The Maya understood that they have to have balance.    5     You'll pay a price, or someone will.

A．If you abuse the world, it's going to come back

B．At the same time, they left enough of it in place

C．So they built tanks to collect and store rainwater

D．They would have served different, important purposes

E．That means there is less water to drink and less water for crops

F．Tikal was home to tens of thousands of people during the years 600 to 800

G．Thousands of years ago, the Maya people suffered from the same problems

9 . We've long known that crows exhibit extraordinary intelligence. These birds have inspired legends for centuries. But the more scientists know about their brain structure and behaviors, the more crows seem to resemble humans.

John Marzluff, a professor from the University of Washington, has been studying crows for decades. He's explored the exceptional size and function of crow brains, their long life and lifestyle. “Big brain, long life and sociality, those are really linked features,” Marzluff says. “You put those together, and it should sound pretty familiar.”

To top that off, just last fall other researchers determined that crows seem to exhibit a level of consciousness shown only in humans and very few of our mammal relatives. The breakthrough study published in Science showed that crows have an ability to draw on subjective experiences from the past in order to solve a task. This means the birds keep new information, or memories, in the front of their brains for extended periods, and use it in reasoning and dealing with new situations they meet.

That is, for people and crows alike, the forebrain deals with higher tasks, including reasoned decision-making, problem-solving and executive function. Taken together, these findings help explain the problem-solving and tool use in crows. The New Caledonian crow, for example, has recently gained welcome for not only tool use, but its ability to make compound tools out of various materials. These birds have been known to make hooks and sharp spears that they use to catch insects in hard-to-reach places. In research labs, they've successfully bent wire to grab baskets with food inside.

“They understand the concept of hooking and-pulling and spearing and what tools are needed to do that,” Marzluff says. These reasoning skills appear to be significantly more advanced than primitive tool use—such as using rocks to break open shells and other food—that researchers have observed in some other animals.

1. What does Marluff mean by saying “it should sound pretty familiar”?

A．He knows how to study crows.	B．He was very familiar with crows.
C．The way crows live is related to humans.	D．Crows have features similar to those of humans.

2. What can we infer about crows according to the passage？

A．They can draw pictures.	B．They like to eat insects.
C．They use tools creatively.	D．They existed for centuries.

3. What makes Marzluff think crows are more advanced than other animals?

A．Crows' special size.	B．Crow's better reasoning skills.
C．Crows' longer life.	D．Crows' way of raising babies.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Crows, Like No Other	B．Legends of Crows
C．Crows, More Humanlike	D．Evolution of Crows

10 . For better or worse, many of us never forget those typical British school days—and with a site that now has over 32, 200 educational institutions as well as a growing number of users, you won't have to.

SchoolMates is a nice networking platform which offers a refreshing alternative to traditional social media in that the focus is on building more meaningful relationships and encouraging interaction between users. While social media sites are customarily designed to form an interactive online community, SchoolMates aims to help people find friends from their past.

“At SchoolMates, our mission is simple. We've created a platform aimed specifically to help people reconnect and keep in touch with former classmates,” explains founder and CEO Chris Goodwin. “Our site encourages people to revive those special relationships from their youth, letting them look back to the ‘good old days’ of summer holidays spent with friends, memorable school trips, as well as less memorable moments like those awful school lunches.”

SchoolMates brings together more than 32, 000 schools, colleges, academies and universities across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and is aimed to help users get back in touch with former classmates. Aimed at the 35 plus age group, which represents 50% of the population, the easy-to-use website enables users to recall and share conversations, jokes, stories, memories and photographs.

Chris was diagnosed with a tumour at the age of 18. He couldn't move and could only sit in a wheelchair. Determined to conquer the world of the Internet and own a successful online business since completing his studies in computer science, he did not let his disability become an excuse to give up on his dreams; he had a successful business career before going on to start up SchoolMates.

1. Why did Chris Goodwin found SchoolMates?

A．To make old classmates closer.	B．To increase the number of users.
C．To help people make new friends.	D．To replace traditional social media.

2. What does the underlined word “revive” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Review.

B．Retell.

C．Check.

D．Control.

3. What can we learn from Paragraph 4?

A．SchoolMates' target group is age-free.	B．It's easy for users to search for information.
C．SchoolMates designed to be user-friendly.	D．SchoolMates has the biggest number of users.

4. Which of the following best describes Chris Goodwin?

A．Smart.

B．Ambitious.

C．Generous.

D．Demanding.