1 . When we were small children trying to get to sleep, a creaking floorboard was really scary. Who or what could be making the noise? The only way to make sense of the experience was to fantasize: there’s probably a crocodile under the bed.

Children scare themselves silly like this, but while they have no knowledge of heating pipes, they have to engage with make-believe to bridge the gap between experience and knowledge. As time passes and children learn about the effect of heat on pipes and floorboard, they still often prefer the crocodile theory. Fear, within a safe context, is fun.

Children are born with all kinds of human emotions, but they are also inexperienced and longing to explore their feelings. Fantasy is an excellent, “safe” way to do it-going out to find real crocodiles to play with is neither practical nor safe.

Fantasy offers children an exploration of the too big, too wide, too dangerous world that is getting closer and more real every day. Fantasy needn’t just be dragons-it can be any element of pretend. As they grow, children need stories that include divorce, loss, war, falling in love, becoming a hero and saving the world, which help them develop emotions in various situations and get them ready for real life when it hits.

Most importantly, fantasy isn’t just for children. Growing up, facing failure and defeat, coming to terms with betrayal (背叛) and disappointment-all the stuff of emerging adult life also has to be faced and coped with. Psychological analysis and comforting have their place, but the most important tool, with which we as humans face reality, is the creation of the fantasy story.

Taking one step away from reality to the “safe” place of pretend prepares us to look at the world’s hard realities in the face. From there we can name the horrors and celebrate the joys before going back to reality, with a clearer perspective on situations that bother us.

1. Why does the author mention "crocodile" in paragraph 1?

A．To make a naughty prediction.	B．To relax the reader’s mood.
C．To explain a childish joke.	D．To give a typical example.

2. What does fantasy actually mean for children’s growth?

A．Realization of heroic dreams.	B．Good memories to keep along.
C．Safe emotional preparations.	D．Giving up childish explorations.

3. What does the underlined "it" in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Fantasy.

B．The world.

C．An emotion.

D．Real life.

4. How can fantasy help us to face the hard reality?

A．By making us get used to fear.	B．By pushing us into the real world.
C．By providing us with clearer views.	D．By offering us a safe hiding place.

2 . Agatha Christie, the creator of one of the most enduring figures in crime literature-Hercule Poirot, is the best-selling author of all time.

She was born on 15 September, 1890 in Torquay, South West England, into a comfortably well off middle-class family. Although her mother, Clara, an excellent storyteller, did not want her to learn to read too early, she taught herself to read by the age of five. Agatha read the children’s stories of the time, invented imaginary friends and began writing poems when she was very young. At the age of eleven there was a shock. Her father, not well after suffering financial difficulties, died after a series of heart attacks. There were more money worries and talks of selling their house, but Clara and her daughters managed to find a way forward.

By the age of 18 Agatha was amusing herself with writing short stories. But it was during the First World War that Agatha turned to writing detective stories. Her debut detective novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles took some time to finish and even longer to find a publisher. She started writing partly in response to a bet from her sister Madge that she couldn’t write a good detective story and partly to ease the tiredness of working in a Red Cross Hospital in Torquay. Her new knowledge in poisons was also put to good use. The murderer’s use of poison was so well described that when the book was eventually published Agatha received a special honour for a writer of fiction-a review in Pharmaceutical (药学) Journal.

The inspiration for Hercule Poirot came from Agatha’s own life experience. During the First World War there were Belgian refugees (难民) in most parts of the English countryside, Torquay being no exception. Although he was not based on any particular person, Agatha thought that a Belgian refugee, a former great Belgian policeman, would make an excellent detective for The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Hercule Poirot was born.

1. What can we know about Agatha’s young age?

A．Her mother encouraged her to read.	B．Her talent for language was shown.
C．Her father died in a medical accident.	D．Her family always had financial problems.

2. What does the underlined word “debut” probably mean?

A．The first known.	B．The most thrilling.
C．The best praised.	D．The last published.

3. What is one of the reasons why Agatha began to write detective stories?

A．She wanted to prove something to her sister.	B．She had nothing else to do during the war.
C．She could use her knowledge of poisons.	D．She met a former great Belgium policeman.

4. What happens in The Mysterious Affair at Styles?

A．The murder takes place in Belgium.	B．The detective is named Hercule Poirot.
C．Hercule Poirot is born in a refugee’s family.	D．A Torquay policeman commits the murder.

3 . Antarctica is one of the last untouched frontiers on the planet. Despite its tough conditions, an Antarctic trip is far less dangerous nowadays than in the past. Here are the most popular routes to Antarctica, with different start points, pathways, and modes of transportation.

1. Ship tour from Argentina

Departing from Ushuaia is the most popular route when going to Antarctica from South American ports. Ushuaia is situated closer to Antarctic Peninsula (半岛) than other departure points, hence you can have more time spent on the scenic peninsula admiring icebergs, glaciers and abundant wildlife. There are a variety of ships from Ushuaia to choose.

Duration: 6 to 24 days

Cost: Between USD 6,000 and USD 25,000

Good to know: If you still want to visit some other incredible South American destinations, some suggestions are the Galapagos Islands, Rio de Janeiro and Machu Picchu.

2. Fly-ship tour from Chile

If you want to avoid spending two days crossing the Drake Passage and encounter rough seas in the bad weather, you can choose a fly-ship package. This involves flying to King George Island, which is right off the west coast of Antarctica Peninsula, to join a ship trip. You can also go ashore to experience the same sightseeing and wildlife opportunities.

Duration: 8 days

Cost: Between USD 10,000 and USD 15,000

Good to know: If you have limited time and do not wish to spend more time on a ship than is necessary, then the fly-ship option is ideal.

3. Ship tour from Australia or New Zealand

Although you are unlikely to encounter any other ship all the way, you will see huge icebergs, Mount Erebus (an active volcano), emperor penguins, scientific bases and the sites of historic 20th century Antarctic adventures. If you are looking for a feeling of vast isolation and remoteness, this is the trip to take!

Duration: 26 to 30 days

Cost: USD 16,000 and USD 30,000

Good to know: Ships departing from New Zealand and Australia are smaller and carry no more than 50 passengers. These trips are rare and should be booked well in advance.

1. Which of the following is the closest to the Antarctica Peninsula?

A．The Galapagos Island.	B．Ushuaia.
C．King George Island.	D．Mount Erebus.

2. Where will you set off considering saving the most time on the ship?

A．Argentina.

B．Chile.

C．Australia.

D．New Zealand.

3. Which route is the cheapest about the average daily cost?

A．Ship tour from Argentina.	B．Fly tour from Rio de Janeiro.
C．Fly-ship tour from Chile.	D．Ship tour from Australia or New Zealand.

5 . 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。

Probably, most of you had the feeling before, at least once—you had been waiting for a long time, yet being afraid of getting. It was exactly my state of mind before the first day at college. I had been working hard to pass the necessary tests and have my application to the undergraduate programme in management approved. And when the time had come for me to visit the college for the first day of the study,I couldn't sleep all night because of being anxious about how to look good physically in front of the whole new world I was about to enter. However,the positive attitude and readiness to accept support from others helped a lot in a new environment.

It was Monday morning. Being too excited to sleep the night before, I came to the college half an hour earlier for the first lecture and was walking nervously through the hallway. About 15 minutes after I came, the hallway started to be full of students. Professors who walked on their business probably didn't pay attention to me. I knew which hall to go to and had already checked that it was open. However,I was hesitant to enter the hall and sit there alone. People were moving around me as if they hadn't seen me. I felt disappointed with the fact that I had nobody to talk to in the new and seemingly unfriendly place.

Suddenly,a well-dressed man who seemed to be in his late twenties approached me. He introduced himself as Mathews and asked whether I was lost and whether he could help me with anything.In that situation,I realized it was very kind of him and that he was exactly the person I wanted to ask in my thoughts a minute before, but then I was too nervous for a friendly chat. As a result, instead of welcoming the opportunity to make the first acquaintance （相识）, I told the man to mind his business and leave me alone since I was an adult capable of finding my class without anybody's assistance.

注意∶
1.续写词数应为 150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Luckily,the man didn't seem to be angry.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Professor Mathews turned out to be an excellent speaker and the lecture went really well.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . I was at the post office a few weeks ago.I was being _________ while an old man with obviously significant _________ problems was also trying to pay his electricity bill next to me. He was _________to walk with a walking stick,and his hands were_________all the time. It looked as if he were going to fall. I found the old man was in_________for lack of 20 cents!

The lady behind the counter had the old man in such a state further_________20 cents. He searched his pocket,shaking violently and _________looking upset. But instead of leting the man go, she_________that if his bill wasn't going to be paid in full, the electricity company would probably give a _________on next electricity bill for the__________fee. It meant he would pay more the next time.

I was__________to have heard that and the scene really made me upset. So I went over and asked the cashier to give all of the money back to the old man and then paid the__________for him. The old man was__________and said,"It's very kind of you. But why were you doing this?"I said,"Because it was the right thing to do."He thanked me over and over and smiled at me on his way out of the post office.

The__________part in all of the event was that the old man walked straight to a supermarket and purchased a basket of food, which he wouldn't have been able to afford if I had not got __________at the post office.

1.

A．accompanied

B．served

C．comforted

D．doubted

2.

A．discipline

B．attitude

C．health

D．communication

3.

A．struggling

B．claiming

C．hesitating

D．threatening

4.

A．bleeding

B．relaxing

C．drawing

D．trembling

5.

A．field

B．trouble

C．debate

D．request

6.

A．dealing with

B．arguing about

C．giving up

D．seeking for

7.

A．gratefully

B．apparently

C．briefly

D．scarcely

8.

A．wrote

B．promised

C．insisted

D．inquired

9.

A．call

B．fine

C．discount

D．favour

10.

A．unpaid

B．uninformed

C．negotiated

D．earned

11.

A．confused

B．pleased

C．sorry

D．curious

12.

A．punishment

B．rent

C．prize

D．bill

13.

A．silly

B．proud

C．embarrassed

D．moved

14.

A．awful

B．concrete

C．best

D．saddest

15.

A．involved

B．infected

C．stuck

D．lost

7 . Humans have a lot of emotions. Expressing anger over a broken promise or a lost opportunity is as healthy as expressing joy and sadness and should be encouraged. However,if anger is frequently expressed, it can prove to be harmful for many reasons.     1     Let's take a look at some ways that you can manage your anger.

    2    A recommended way to do with anger and recognize how frequently you have this emotion is by keeping a journal to track your emotions. In order to understand your feelings better, note the causes that push you to outbursts, as well as the thoughts that run through your mind when this happens.

Try positive exercises. When you feel the obvious signs of your anger building up, try to focus on positive practices like deep breathing to calm yourself down.    3     This can help to prevent an outburst and the negative outcomes that accompany it.

Reach out to loved ones. Just as you would open up to loved ones over the pain of heart break or the joy of a promotion, calling loved ones when you're about to lose control of your temper is a healthy way of dealing with the emotion.    4    

See a psychologist. Sometimes you feel that your emotions are too strong and unstable to be contained through self-help.     5     It's always a welcome way to get things under control.

A．Keep a mood journal.

B．Note all the thoughts in your mind.

C．Seeking professional guidance is your best choice

D．Repeat the exercise until your anger is controlled.

E．They can act as a support group, calming you down.

F．But joy is a necessary part of your well-being in life.

G．So learning to deal with this emotion becomes important.

8 . Researchers have been looking into silicon carbide(碳化硅),a promising alternative material for the semiconductor(半导体)industry,for several years now. Size,weight and efficiency are three important factors for power electronic to fit in e-cars. Silion carbide meets all three factors. It is more efficient but leaves a smaller footprint than conventional semiconductors such as silicon.

Even so, silicon carbide isn't to be found in any e-cars on the road today. This semiconductor material is still limited to research labs. To shift it from the lab to the factory, the Si on Carbide Module(模块)project has taken into consideration all the conditions of industrial production. The module's design is a good case: researchers at the Fraunhofer IZM are basing it on the structure of the classic printed circuit board that the industry has long favored. This should speed up its first display.

The module is also benefiting from the latest scientific advances. Instead of wire-bonding the semiconductor to the package, the researchers decided to put it directly in the circuit. The team also brought the potential customer on board for this development effort. In the project’s first year,they drew up a specification(规格)sheet illustrating the requirements for the module and semiconductor. The researchers worked closely with users, catering to their wishes when they determined the product specification.

Automakers, component suppliers and OEMS were directly involved in the effort to map out the power-electronic module's size, layout and electrical circuits. The group sought to make the most of the space available in the vehicle's power train. Lars Bottcher, group leader at the Fraunhofer IZM and head of the SiC sub-project, says,"The major goal is to advance the new semiconductor material silicon carbide to mass production."

1. What do we know about silicon carbide?

A．It is larger than silicon.

B．It is still under research.

C．It has been used in some e-cars.

D．It has been shifted to the factory.

2. Why did researchers bring the potential customer?

A．To draw up a formal agreement.

B．To adjust the module accordingly.

C．To witness their effort and success.

D．To wire-bond the semiconductor to the package

3. What was the main purpose of the group according to the last paragraph?

A．To mass-produce silicon carbide.

B．To change the shape of the module.

C．To increase the volume of the module.

D．To expand the production of powered vehicles.

4. What is the author's attitude towards the research?

A．Optimistic.	B．Tolerant.
C．Doubtful.	D．Indifferent.

9 . "I’ll be there in a few minutes. I'm playing a game with a friend,a guy named Scuzbll,"my 15-year-old son shouted from his room."Oh,what is Scuzzball's real name?"I asked."I have no idea,"he said."Where is he from?"I continued. He responded,"I think somewhere in Canada. Oh, wait, it doesn't even matter because Scuzball just left the game and he has been replaced with a robot."

"Your friend is replaced by artificial intelligence?""It doesn't matter, Dad. It happens all the time! The game continues."My son doesn't mind playing with a person or a robot,which is typical of gamers these days. I wonder whether the face-to-face experience of friendship that I grew up with will be lost by our children.

Aristotle,a great thinker and educator,has pointed out that shallow friendship is easily formed but also easily abandoned because such bonds are fragile. Deep friendship,by contrast, is when you care for your friend for his sake, not for any benefit you can get. This is selfless friendship. You can have only a couple of these friends because they require lots of time and effort. You must make sacrifices for each other.

Presence in friendship requires"being with"and"doing for". Perhaps the most defining feature of deep friendship is "doing for",as my friend has my back in trouble or brings me soup when I'm sick. Only strong bonds have the power to motivate real sacrifices.But it is unclear why online"friends"would bother to do the hard work of friendship. When I asked my students whether they had people in their lives who would bring them soup when they were sick,they laughed at my Stone Age question and said they'd just order soup online.

Digital life fills and absorbs waking life time so that people do not join in example cases of friendship,like sports, collective arts, free range childhoods,etc. In this way,digital life produces false friendships.

1. How does the author lead in the topic of the text?

A．By quoting mottos.

B．By presenting a conversation.

C．By introducing a game.

D．By showing robots' storage data.

2. What does the author mainly explain in paragraph 3?

A．Selfish friendship.	B．Selfless sacrifices in life.
C．The formation of shallow friendship.	D．The meaning of deep friendship.

3. What does the author want to tell his students in paragraph 4?

A．Strong bonds are formed easily.	B．Ordering food online is convenient.
C．Robots will have our back in trouble.	D．Virtual friends won't make real sacrifices.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Digitalized friendship.	B．The benefits of digital life.
C．Face-to-face communication.	D．The sacrifices of online friends.

10 . In my first year of teaching in Houston, I was asked to act as a batman at a birthday party.

One night,the headmaster handed me a costume and said, "Tomorrow you're going to be batman." I knew a batman with a moustache at the party was a huge red flag. I knew it was specially bad for my image,but I didn't want to change my physical appearance because that would mean I was funnier, so I chose not to shave.

The party was at a huge public park, and I had to park my car far enough away so that the children couldn't see me. Then I walked to it secretly, but unluckily,the children saw me coming from about 300 meters away.

I started to regret not to shave. When I got close enough for them to see my face clearly the entire party broke into laughter. I wanted to turn around and run back in embarrassment, but then the laughter changed into cheering and applause. I ran into the party and saw the "birthday"boy with his dad.The dad laughed,"I told you,son.A batman has a moustache."Then he showed me the huge birthday cake with a batman drawn on it,and the batman had a moustache. I just stared at it in disbelief. But it was a thick black line drawn underneath his nose, just like my moustache.

All the children said,"A batman doesn't have a moustache."Instead of admitting the cake was messed up, the parents tried to save face, saying,"No,a batman always has a moustache. He just shaves it for his movies."Naturally,the children were doubtful, but my moustache became the detail that confirmed what the parents had said. Those children of the perfect age still believed in wonders and superheroes and they were pleased to find something kept hidden from others.

That year,I struggled a lot with my identity.Was I a teacher or a clown（小丑）? But that day, I may not have been the hero they ordered,and crtainly I wasn't the hero they expected, but I was the hero they needed.

1. What does the underlined phrase"a huge red flag"in paragraph 2 mean?

A．A big loss.	B．A red sunrise.
C．A great honor.	D．A disadvantageous thing.

2. Why did the author have his car parked far away?

A．To buy a huge birthday cake.

B．To take a walk before the party.

C．To avoid being noticed by the children.

D．To keep away from the thick black line.

3. How did the author feel when the whole party burst out laughing?

A．Awkward.	B．Relieved.
C．Happy.	D．Puzzled.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．A Funny Father

B．A Famous Clown

C．A Superhero with a Secret

D．A Perfect Age for Wonders