1 . 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.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

During summer vacation, I went on a three-day camping expedition (远足). We had to carry all of our own clothes and food, as well as tents, cooking pots and first aid kits(急救药箱).

On the first day, our instructor taught us how to read maps. It's not too difficult     1     (understand) maps, but walking with a 13-kg backpack under the burning sun     2    (be) not the most ideal situation. Each of us carried two liters of water to drink as well.

On the second day, we had to find our own way to the next campsite. My group set     3     at 9 am full of confidence, but soon found     4    (we) lost on a farm!     5     (luck), each group had a tracker (跟踪器) that allowed our instructors to see     6     we were. We were quickly found and got back on     7     right path. We finally got to camp at 7 pm. Having walked 25 km over 10 hours, my body was aching. The third day was a bit     8     (easy). We successfully made     9     back to the car park where our coach was waiting.

I learned so much from this expedition—not just map reading skills,     10     also teamwork and how to deal with emergency situations. It pushed me to achieve something I never thought I could do and gave me important life skills.

3 . The only thing I ever stole in my life was a book. I was six years old and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, bound in wonderful red Moroccan leather. No one would read it in a million years — it was about the abolition (废除) of slavery — but it was_________because I learned to read with it.

I was born in South Africa and_________in an orphanage (孤儿院). The first thing I ever remember is being hit. A temporary teacher called Miss Bornstein was the first person to take a(n)_________in me. I trusted her and I asked her to help me read that_________book. She must have thought there was_________in this little kid, for she agreed. From then on, she sent me a book a month and it_________my life. Through books, I could escape the orphanage, in my head_________, and go anywhere a story took me.

Reading_________me and I finished up winning a_________to an expensive boarding school.__________reading, I'd have become a railway repairman or a drunk. I used to invent stories and serialize (连载) them for the bullies, in exchange for not being__________.

The very first book I totally__________was Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, which I read when I was about nine years old. Like me, he was alone, poor and led an__________life. So here was this excellent story about someone in a hopeless situation, yet things__________well. It gave me__________.

Probably the most__________book I've read is The Pearl by John Steinbeck. It's very short—and I've read thousands of books since — but it was the first time I__________saw how beautiful words could be, and how astonishing a story could be.

It has a great__________about a young Mexican couple who discover an incredible pearl. Greed is a theme, but__________, it's one of those stories that tells you everything about life. If you want to know the truth, there is one place you can go—__________.

1.

A．boring

B．magic

C．difficult

D．popular

2.

A．observed

B．locked

C．raised

D．discovered

3.

A．interest

B．pleasure

C．pride

D．delight

4.

A．missing

B．abandoned

C．deserted

D．stolen

5.

A．nothing

B．anything

C．something

D．everything

6.

A．saved

B．disturbed

C．wasted

D．recorded

7.

A．at most

B．in brief

C．in contrast

D．at least

8.

A．ruined

B．inspired

C．adopted

D．acknowledged

9.

A．membership

B．championship

C．scholarship

D．friendship

10.

A．With

B．Without

C．Beyond

D．Upon

11.

A．beaten

B．hunted

C．cured

D．loved

12.

A．referred to

B．identified with

C．put aside

D．gave up

13.

A．amusing

B．innocent

C．unhappy

D．awkward

14.

A．broke out

B．ruled out

C．put out

D．turned out

15.

A．faith

B．hope

C．frustration

D．life

16.

A．beautiful

B．awful

C．annoying

D．unusual

17.

A．actually

B．consequently

C．gradually

D．occasionally

18.

A．history

B．fantasy

C．dream

D．plot

19.

A．by the way

B．on the contrary

C．in a way

D．by no means

20.

A．homes

B．churches

C．schools

D．books

4 . I am a shy girl.I find it quite difficult to start small talk when I meet someone for the first time.I always wonder how the other kids my age can be so natural when they are introduced to people they' ve never met before.

On the morning of my first day in high school, I was on edge.I'd heard lots of the first day in high school stories.Many high schoolers had bad memories that they Just couldn't let go of for quite a while.On the way to school I was thinking about what to do when I walked into the classroom."Shall I wave to those students who’re in the classroom? Or shall I just give them a smile and nod at them? What if they didn't wave back or didn't smile back?" I couldn't stop imagining the worst situation of my first day in high school

I kept my head down when I got close to my classroom."Hello, little miss, I'm Mrs Sccar, would you like to start your high school life with a game?" What a relief (放松的事) it was to hear your new teacher talking to you in such a pleasant way.Sure, I'd love to.I answered in a low but happy voice

Mrs Sccar gave me a piece of paper and it was a new school Bingo game.On the paper there were 40 squares, with 20 having questions and 20 empty.The questions were like "Have you ever visited England? Do you have three older sisters? Holding these pieces of paper, we went to the other classmates and asked them the questions.If any of them answered "yes" to a question, I wrote down his or her name in the empty square following the question.When I'd filled in all the empty squares, I knew everyone in my classroom.I quite enjoyed my first day in high school, especially the Bingo game

1. What does the underlined part “I was on edge" in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．I was proud.

B．I felt nervous.

C．I was at risk.

D．I looked unfriendly

2. What did the author do on the way to school?

A．She waved to other people

B．She considered seeing smiling faces

C．She imagined some bad situations.

D．She nodded to other people

3. How did the author feel when Mrs Sccar talked to her?

A．Warm

B．Lost

C．Afraid

D．Lucky

4. What did the author do during the Bingo game?

A．She asked Mrs Sccar questions.

B．She talked about her own sisters.

C．She collected her classmates' names.

D．She wrote down"" in the squares

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。

My last trip was part of a three-year project photographing whales that focused on their culture and behaviors.

Perhaps my favorite observation     1     (take) place in the Canadian Arctic with belugas (白鲸). One aspect of their lives was     2     complete surprise-they play games with little rocks. Their daily lives are busy and     3    (challenge). They have to catch food and take care of their young. They deal with social situations,     4     no doubt conflicts occur. Yet they still make time     5    (play). In this shallow, three-foot-deep water, they will occasionally pick up pebbles (鹅卵石) with their     6     (mouth). They'll carry them around for a while, and then drop them. Another whale then swims by to pick the pebble up again.

We can see     7     (we) in these creatures. Humans also speak different languages, enjoy different foods, and pass down family traditions. But perhaps most     8    (strike), we also rely a rely on one other. The moments we spend with our     9    (love) ones are often the most treasured     10     meaningful in our lives. Just as belugas do, it's essential for us to make time for other things-things that bring joy.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is Mr. Carson doing when Mr. Prince calls him?

A．He is having a talk with his customer.

B．He is having a meeting.

C．He is out for lunch.

2. What's Mr. Prince's number?

A．Hong Kong 68261427 extension 4063.

B．Hong Kong 8626l427 extension 4036.

C．Hong Kong 6826l427 extension 4036.

3. What's the relationship between the woman and Mr. Carson?

A．Teacher and student.

B．Husband and wife.

C．Boss and secretary.

7 . When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming a chef. My dad, however, ______ that I was too young to ______ cooking. For many years, he only ______ me to observe him cook. All I did was to watch him in the ______ . I studied how he ______ the ingredients (配料), cut meat and vegetables, and stirred (搅拌) it all together every now and then.

However, there were also not so good kitchen ______. There was a time when the ______ became very big, which made me ______ to be in the kitchen and learn how to cook. Since then, I didn’t really want to go ______ than just watching. It took about a decade for me to reduce my fear of fire.

When I was already 18, my dad ______ allowed me to start cooking on my own. However, I had to ask him or my brother to open the stove for me. Unlike many others who ______ a simple fried egg or other fried ______ , my first dish was already more ______ . The years of watching my dad made it ______ to cook more complex foods like beef stew, sautéed (炒) vegetables, and even making a cake. All these surely ______ me happy.

Indeed, I will not forget my first ______ in the kitchen—where I started and how my knowledge and ______ gradually developed; how I simply watched and waited; how I overcame my ______ ; and how I loved and ______ cooking, creating whatever I like.

I wish that someday the whole world was like the kitchen to me—where I can ______ my life according to my heart’s desires and dreams.

1.

A．demanded

B．advocated

C．insisted

D．admitted

2.

A．learn

B．register

C．handle

D．maintain

3.

A．forbade

B．allowed

C．advised

D．forced

4.

A．yard

B．distance

C．kitchen

D．fireplace

5.

A．considered

B．balanced

C．measured

D．prepared

6.

A．experiences

B．moments

C．practices

D．regulations

7.

A．fire

B．smoke

C．explosion

D．spray

8.

A．annoyed

B．joyful

C．confused

D．afraid

9.

A．faster

B．beyond

C．further

D．rather

10.

A．definitely

B．gradually

C．willingly

D．finally

11.

A．pick up

B．give up

C．start with

D．deal with

12.

A．foods

B．snacks

C．cakes

D．eggs

13.

A．popular

B．appealing

C．delicious

D．advanced

14.

A．quicker

B．easier

C．better

D．nicer

15.

A．made

B．broke

C．closed

D．lit

16.

A．lessons

B．experiences

C．dishes

D．reflections

17.

A．qualities

B．standards

C．skills

D．horizons

18.

A．worries

B．fears

C．concerns

D．challenges

19.

A．enjoyed

B．delayed

C．practised

D．finished

20.

A．control

B．burn

C．imitate

D．cook

8 . One weekend, a woman headed for her hotel room carrying a bucketful of coins she won at a slot machine. As she was about to walk into the _________ she noticed two men already aboard.

Both were _________ and one of them was a very, very big figure. She first thought: "They are going to _________ me." Then she comforted herself: "They looked nice."

But fear seized her. She stood and stared at the two, anxious and ashamed. She hoped they didn't _________ her mind. Surely they realized her hesitation about _________ them. With an effort of will she picked up one foot and _________ the elevator, turning her back to them.

Seconds passed. The elevator didn't move. Panic _________ her.

"I'm about to be robbed!", her heart _________ .

"Hit the floor", one of them said. Her sweats poured... Without delay, she threw out her arms and _________ on the carpet, the bucket of coins flying upwards. A __________ of coins rained down on her.

"Take my money and __________ me," she prayed. One of them said __________ : "Ma' am, if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to, we'll __________ the button." He couldn't help laughing.

__________ , she struggled to her feet. "I asked my man to hit the button for our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor." He bit his __________ , having a hard time not laughing.

She was too __________ to speak. She wanted to make an apology, but words __________ her.

They helped gather up the coins and refill her __________ . When the elevator arrived at her floor, she slid to the room, hearing them laughing.

The next morning a bunch of roses were delivered to her room. Attached to the roses was a card __________ :"Thanks for the best __________ we've had in years." It was signed, Eddie Murphy& Michael Jordan.

1.

A．room

B．hotel

C．hall

D．elevator

2.

A．properly-dressed

B．well-behaved

C．bad-tempered

D．strong-built

3.

A．rob

B．help

C．recognize

D．grab

4.

A．change

B．read

C．slip

D．speak

5.

A．knowing

B．greeting

C．joining

D．judging

6.

A．exited from

B．stepped onto

C．dashed into

D．headed off

7.

A．freed

B．stopped

C．consumed

D．escaped

8.

A．sank

B．broke

C．ached

D．bled

9.

A．rolled

B．slept

C．lay

D．collapsed

10.

A．handful

B．shower

C．bag

D．bunch

11.

A．spare

B．save

C．forgive

D．forget

12.

A．rudely

B．loudly

C．politely

D．madly

13.

A．click

B．pull

C．push

D．untie

14.

A．Delighted

B．Confused

C．Shocked

D．Worried

15.

A．tongue

B．teeth

C．nail

D．lip

16.

A．scared

B．surprised

C．frustrated

D．embarrassed

17.

A．failed

B．hurt

C．warmed

D．discouraged

18.

A．bucket

B．pocket

C．handbag

D．wallet

19.

A．writing

B．drawn

C．saying

D．posted

20.

A．coins

B．laugh

C．flowers

D．apology

9 . I’d like to talk about my first teaching experience. It was in the fall of 2010—I had to teach integral calculus (积分学). I had taught before but it was always 2-3 students at a time. I had no experience of classroom teaching. So I had butterflies in my stomach.

Anyway, the appointed hour came and I had no choice but to go on. I introduced myself, asked each one of them to do a brief introduction and got down to business. Fortunately, it was a worksheet session, so I didn’t have to do much. The students were well prepared—most of them had done AP calculus. The first day was a success.

As the quarter went by, I found the work more and more easygoing. So I was lax and stopped preparing the homework problems beforehand. How wrong I was!

One day we were doing surfaces of revolution. I used to do them in a more different way than it was taught in the text. I tried to do the first problem but it wasn’t just a piece of cake—I had to step back and think for five minutes before the solution came to me. To the credit of my students, no one showed any sign of impatience in the meantime. I was feeling doubly uncomfortable because it was a day of observation by the school leaders.

The next class I tried to give some additional resources on advanced materials, especially to students who would stay after the class or come to my office hours.

My evaluations were mixed. Two major complaints were about my accent and my handwriting on the board.

I learned a lot about teaching after this course. In my view, teaching is like a performing art. No amount of reading or attending workshops will prepare you for the challenge. You only get better with practice.

1. What made the author feel uneasy at first?

A．Teaching a difficult subject.	B．Lack of teaching experience.
C．Missing the appointed hour.	D．Failure of choosing a topic.

2. What does the underlined word “lax” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Careless.

B．Tense.

C．Annoyed.

D．Amused.

3. Why did the author feel slightly embarrassed?

A．Because he delayed doing surfaces of revolution.

B．Because the students showed no sign of interaction.

C．Because he was stuck in his class watched by leaders.

D．Because the leaders blamed him for his performance.

4. What does the passage imply?

A．Do as the Romans do.	B．Well begun is half done.
C．It never rains, but it pours.	D．Practice holds the key to progress.

10 . Easy reading is hard writing

In an interview with The Daily Beast Last year, Maya Angelou, an American author and poet, discussed her writing career and her daily work habits.

I keep a hotel room in my hometown and pay for it by the month. I go around 6:30 in the morning. I have a bedroom, with a bed, a table, and a bath. I have Roget's Thesaurus =, which is a dictionary, and the Bible. Usually, a deck of cards and some crossword puzzles. Something to occupy my “little mind”. I think my grandmother taught me that. She didn't mean to, but she used to talk about her “little mind” . So when I was young, from the time I was about 3 until 13, I decided that there was a “big mind”and a “little mind”. And the “big mind”would allow you to consider deep thoughts, but the “little mind” would occupy you, so you could not be distracted. It would work at crossword puzzles or play cards, while the “big mind” would delve（探究） deep into the subjects I wanted to write about.

I have all the paintings and any decoration taken out of the room. I ask the management and housekeeping not to enter the room, just in case I've thrown a piece of paper on the floor. I don’t want it discarded（丢弃）. About every two months I get a note slipped under the door. “Dear Ms. Angelou, please let us change the bed sheet. We think it may be moldy（发霉的）!”

But I've never slept there. I am usually out of there by 2. And then I go home and I read what I've written that morning, and I tried to edit them.

Easy reading is hard writing. But if it's right, it's easy. It's the other way round, too. If it's carelessly written, then it's hard to read. It doesn't give the reader what the careful writer can give the reader.

1. What usually occupies Maya Angelou's “little mind”?

A．The Bible.

B．Her dictionary.

C．Her hotel room.

D．Crossword puzzles.

2. Why does Maya Angelou not allow the housekeeping into her room?

A．She thinks that they will ask for something from her.

B．She fears that they may clear up her writing.

C．Her grandmother can help her with the cleaning.

D．She doesn't sleep there and no cleaning is needed.

3. How does Maya Angelou like easy writing?

A．It is fun to read.

B．It is easy to read.

C．It is hard to read.

D．It is no use reading.

4. Where does Maya Angelou edit her writing?

A．At home.

B．In the hotel.

C．At a library.

D．In her grandmother's house.