1 . Many of the highest-scoring students owe their success to some surprisingly simple habits. It's not about brains, or about the amount of time spent studying.    1    .

♦Schedule your time. When a teacher assigns a long paper, you can draw up a timetable, dividing the project into small pieces so it isn't so challenging. It's like eating a steak.     2     Of course, even the best students delay sometimes. But when that happens, they face up to it. Sometimes it comes down to late nights. Still, if you want A's, you should make sure you hit the deadline.

♦Study anywhere or everywhere. When you learn English words, you can post a vocabulary list by the cupboard. Learn a new word every day while brushing your teeth. Study time was strictly a matter of personal preference.     3     Some wake up early to study. Still others study as soon as they come home from school when the work is fresh in their minds.

♦    4     If you want to study well, you should have your own learning system. Immediately file the day's papers in color-coded folders by subject so they'll be available for review at the exam time. Even you don't have a private study area, remain arranged in an orderly way. A backpack or drawer keeps essential supplies together and cuts down on time-wasting searches.

♦Learn how to read fast.     5     You not only increase your words per minute but also learn to look at a book's table of contents, graphs and pictures first. Then, when you begin to read, you have a sense of the material, and retain a lot more.

A．Get organized.

B．Review properly.

C．You should chew it one bite at a time.

D．The best way to improve your reading efficiency is speed-reading.

E．Some straight-A students work late at night when the house is quiet.

F．You can read the whole book like swallowing the steak if you do try to.

G．Here's a handful of their secret ways that will help you become a straight-A student.

2 . More than 100 scientists traveled to faraway places to collect wild crop seeds in an effort to help battle climate change. The scientists have been likened to the hero of the Indiana Jones movies. Like him, they had to face blood-sucking creatures and fierce tigers. Sometimes, they had to use elephants for transportation because they couldn't find any other means of transportation.

A report on the project was published last week. It described the results of a six-year search to collect thousands of wild seeds. The seeds could be important in feeding a growing human population at a time when rising temperatures are affecting crop production in some areas.

The scientists traveled on foot, by four-wheeled vehicles, boat and riding horses and they even rode elephants to reach faraway areas. They collected 4,644 seed samples of 371 wild relatives of 28 crops. Many of those wild relatives are said to be endangered.

The Crop Trust, a nonprofit organization that works to save different kinds of crops, was directing the project. The group was working in partnership with Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens and Millennium Seed Bank. Additional financial support came from Norway. The project is believed to be the largest organized international effort yet to collect and protect crops' wild relatives.

Some relatives of widely grown crops have developed so they can survive usual and severe conditions such as low rainfall, flooding, extreme temperatures and poor soils. Scientists say the wild crops offer a largely unused source of diversity for protecting crops against climate change.

Some crops are threatened because of destruction of forests, conflict and expanded cities. Experts say losing this diversity could endanger food security around the world. A United Nations report says that food supplies are under severe threat. The report notes that the number of animal and plant species are quickly disappearing as the world deals with how to feed a rising population.

1. What happened to the scientists during the journey to collect the seeds?

A．They sowed many wild crop seeds.

B．They met with some dangers and difficulties.

C．They discovered many unknown plant species.

D．They solved many issues caused by global warming.

2. What do we know about the wild crops?

A．They grow widely all over the world.

B．Some of them have adapted to extreme climates.

C．They can take the place of the present non-wild crops.

D．Some of them are endangered due to developed tourism.

3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．Natural disasters endanger food security.

B．Animal and plant species are becoming diverse.

C．The lack of food supplies causes a population decline,

D．Human activity has a negative effect on some crops.

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

A．New Varieties of Crops Will Be Developed

B．Animal and Plant Species Are Rapidly Disappearing

C．The Crop Trust Is Working on Studying Wild Plants

D．Scientists Collect Wild Seeds for Climate Change Fight

3 . This afternoon, a friend asked if she could come by to spend some time with me in stillness.

Two days back, she got the news that her grandmother passed away on the other side of the globe. They were very close, and due to some duties in the coming days, she couldn't leave right away to be by her side.

I am a priest. Although we are opposite sex and I actually don't know her well, there was a resonance in values that connected us. She had attended a few gatherings that some friends and I hosted, and her attendance had always added a gentle and friendly atmosphere to the circle, and in the talks she'd find herself in. I was touched by the way she asked for help — and her intention to spend time in silence and in a sacred space to honor and connect with her grandmother.

I was very busy that day, and I was already behind on a few deadlines. I had hoped to work late on to catch up. But it was so clear to stop and make time for this. This friend has such a modest personality, and I could tell it had been an uncertain couple of days since she received the news. “Of course, come by please,” I told my friend.

When she arrived a couple of hours later, I handed her a cup of tea. It was 5:30 pm. She had wanted to sit in silence to honor her grandmother first, but because she had missed eating lunch, she gently brought a container of leftovers to share an early dinner instead.

I listened to her memories and stories. Her grandmother was the joyous community elder and had experienced the peaks and valleys in life with a lightness of heart.

After the meal, we sat together in stillness for an hour. When it was over, daylight had been absorbed by the night sky.

1. What did the author's friend request him to do?

A．Stay with her for some time.	B．Tell her some stories.
C．Spend some time in her home.	D．Go to have an early dinner with her.

2. Which of the following best describes the author's friend?

A．Wise.

B．Easy-going.

C．Warm-hearted.

D．Helpful.

3. Why did the author's friend put off sitting in silence first?

A．To drink tea.

B．To eat food.

C．To have lunch.

D．To recall her grandmother.

4. When did the author and his friend end the memorial sitting?

A．At dawn.

B．At noon.

C．In the afternoon.

D．In the early evening.

4 . The Most Attractive Trips for You

The Bicester Village Tour	Look for designer goods with this shopping day trip to Bicester Village from London. Just an hour from the capital, the luxury shopping store there is home to British and international brands such as Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith and Stella McCartney. You'll also get a VIP pass for further savings on select brands.
The London Eye Boat Tour	Many of London's top attractions lie along the Thames River. This boat cruises by most of them and includes a London Eye ride to see them from above. Get to know the city's beating heart and great differences as you pass historic sites such as Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of Tendon as well as modern landmarks.
The Best Movie Tour	You can visit London locations used to film scenes from the world- famous Harry Potter movies during this family-friendly tour. Exploring the city with a guide means that you'll get insider information and movie news that you won't find in the guide books, and you don't have to worry about getting lost among the central London crowds.
The Private Tour	See London with your own private driver who shows you around the city in a classic mini car. During the tour, your driver-guide shows you both top attractions including Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and lesser-known favorites like Borough Market — the oldest food market in London. Get an insider's view on the best places to go and have fun.

1. What can be known about Bicester Village?

A．It is a good place to buy luxury goods.

B．It lies on the bank of the Thames River.

C．It has the oldest food market in London.

D．It is internationally famous for boat tours.

2. What can you do on the Private Tour?

A．Enjoy classic movies.

B．Have fun on the boat.

C．Let your driver guide the tour.

D．Drive a lorry around the Tower of London.

3. During which tour can you see the filming spot of Harry Potter?

A．The Bicester Village Tour.

B．The London Eye Boat Tour,

C．The Best Movie Tour.

D．The Private Tour.