1 . As an ordinary man, I have a special habit to confess. Whenever I walk down the street, I offer to pour a bottle of water from the nearby river into the dirt of a street tree. It’s just my personal habit, and I think it doesn’t make a difference, but I’d like to do it. I mention this in light of a campaign launched by the Arboricultural Association to call on the public to water new street trees.

The UK government has committed to planting millions of trees to help meet climate targets and aims to increase tree cover from 14.5% to 16.5% by 2050. However, as John Parker, chief executive of the Arboricultural Association, says, “Planting a tree is just the start of the story. The health and survival of new urban trees is threatened by increasingly dry weather. It is recommended that the newly planted trees be given about 50 litres of water per week for the first three years.” While in rural settings, the newly planted trees and woods can take care of themselves and adapt, the challenging conditions mean trees in the urban areas need a bit more care.

Long ago, I assumed that the good of street trees was to soften the hard edges of urban environments. But, what an underestimation of tree power that was! A study from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities illustrates they can provide inspiration or a calming atmosphere in an otherwise crowded city. Trees are responsible for easing urban heat island effects and air and pollutant filtration. And I think they provide the habitat for wildlife, especially birds.

Trees can’t run away. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for urban residents, city trees are stuck with us. If we want to continue enjoying all the good they do, we should try to understand their needs and do all that we can to support them. A bottle of water won’t do much, but next time you all together have a bucket of water to pour, you know what big effect will happen.

1. What does the author think of his personal habit?

A．It is of little effect.	B．It is enforced.
C．It is of much significance.	D．It is common.

2. What does John Parker say about urban trees?

A．They have started to be watered regularly.

B．More work needs to be done for their living.

C．They are threatened by the increasing flood.

D．The newly planted ones can’t look after themselves.

3. What can we learn about street trees from paragraph 3?

A．Their usage is overrated.

B．Their value is thought highly of by the public.

C．They benefit residents physically and mentally.

D．They can thoroughly solve environmental problems.

4. What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A．When in need, ask for it.	B．Tall trees catch much wind.
C．Many hands make light work.	D．Misfortunes seldom come alone.

2 . I bet you have heard about the story of the frog and the boiling water. If you have no idea what the story is all about, here it is…

It is a famous fable which surrounds the personal development industry that describes a frog in boiling water. If you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will jump out, but if you put the frog into a pot of lukewarm (不冷不热的) water and then slowly boils the water, the frog will eventually be heated to death due to its unconsciousness of the gradual temperature change.

Many people go through life without noticing the gradual changes, which causes them all sorts of problems. When you are in your twenties, you can eat whatever you want, ice-creams, junk foods, chips, chocolates, and you can even party all night without feeling tired or exhausted the next day. But when you get to your forties, you will notice the change. You will feel that you’re not as energetic as when you’re in your twenties. Plus, your metabolism rate will decrease. And if you continue to eat and put in all junk foods into your stomach, you will develop a bloated belly.

The story of the frog and the boiling water gives us a good hint about how our failure to notice gradual changes in our life can cause us huge problems. If you keep spending without saving, when you get to your fifties, you will regret not saving enough for retirement.

If you blame and make excuses every day and you don’t work on your future, after 10 years down the road, you will have hoped that you started earlier. You will wish that you have a time machine so that you can start over again.

Never let the “slow boiling water” kills you. Instead, learn to improve and cope with whatever you can right now. You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment to start. You don’t have to know and understand everything only to begin. You can start right now.

1. What results in the death of the frog in the lukewarm water?

A．Its personal development industry.	B．Its unawareness of the rising temperature.
C．Its surrounding industry’s great influence.	D．Its adaptation to the slowly rising temperature.

2. How does Paragraph 3 develop?

A．By contrast.

B．By time.

C．By reasoning.

D．By assumption.

3. What will most probably be talked about in the next paragraph?

A．Good hints.	B．Tips to improve.
C．“Slow boiling water” skills.	D．The best moment to start.

4. What can we learn from the text?

A．Still waters run deep.	B．Good wine needs no bush.
C．Great minds think alike.	D．A young idler, an old beggar.

3 . Courtney Rich of Utah, was running in the Salt Lake City marathon. But as she headed into Mile 24, she began to feel the one thing that she didn’t want to do: collapse. It began creeping up on her and then suddenly overtook her.

“I wanted them to see Mom finish strongly. Those are things I tell my kids as often as I can when things are hard or they’re playing in their own sports. ‘Just do your best and that best is going to be a little different every day,’” she said. But at that moment, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to finish the race. “When I can feel my legs slowing down and I know I’m going to disappoint my kids,” Rich said. “By Mile 24… I looked at my watch and that’s when I called my husband and was in tears,” she said. “I was just having a little pity party for myself for a minute.”

“Next thing I knew, my daughter ran out,” Rich recounted. “I kind of saw her out of the corner of my left eye and I realized it was Avery. I just put a huge smile on my face. I stuck out my hand, she grabbed it and all of a sudden, my legs that were hurting and the heaviness of my body just felt lighter and we just ran to the finish line hand in hand.”

The proud mom said Avery told her that she did what she knew her mom needed at that moment. “That is absolutely Avery’s character. She sees people. She has sympathy. She notices people and is aware of just feelings and needs,” Rich said.

“Don’t ever brush aside the inspiration to do a small act of kindness for someone because you just never know what impact that will have on people,” Rich added.

1. What happened to Rich on Mile 24?

A．She was disturbed by a party.	B．She was overcome by tiredness.
C．She was struggling to cross the finish line.	D．She received an unexpected call from her husband.

2. How did Rich feel when Avery ran out?

A．Confused.

B．Refreshed.

C．Astonished.

D．Worried.

3. What does Rich think of Avery?

A．She is reliable and creative.	B．She is energetic and friendly.
C．She is sympathetic and considerate.	D．She is ambitious and intelligent.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Failure is often the case in our life.

B．Inspiration is more important to a successful mother.

C．We should hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

D．The smallest moment of kindness can have a huge impact.

4 . Driving herein the mountains can be a challenge in the summertime. The holes and stones in the road make it a _________ride. The low hanging trees, full of green leaves,_________your view. And you always have to be on the lookout for dogs, cats and deer _________the road.

I saw an incredibly _________sight here just the other day. As I was_________along, I saw a baby deer lying dead along the side of the road. Its white spots were still on it. It was so heart-breaking to see it like that and I _________in ease more deer were coming down the mountains to drink from the_________that ran alongside the highway. When I _________another curve(拐弯处), felt a(n)_________inside my heart and a voice inside my mind, saying “Slow down, more!”

I__________my speed again.

Suddenly two adult deer leaped across the road. I __________on the brakes until I came to a complete__________, and just as I stopped, two baby deer appeared from the woods after their parents,__________them pass and felt__________that I hadn’t hit those baby deer. Then I__________and thanked myself for having listened to that __________in my heart and mind.

So many times I have__________a whispered urging in my heart to says something__________or to help someone in need.

May you always listen to the__________in your heart. They will turn you into a better__________.They will always lead you Home!

1.

A．rough

B．long

C．steady

D．straight

2.

A．widen

B．improve

C．limit

D．injure

3.

A．breaking

B．crossing

C．blocking

D．destroying

4.

A．interesting

B．annoying

C．funny

D．sad

5.

A．driving

B．running

C．slipping

D．walking

6.

A．cried out

B．ran away

C．slowed down

D．looked backward

7.

A．cup

B．river

C．car

D．tree

8.

A．desired

B．missed

C．ignored

D．rounded

9.

A．urge

B．pain

C．hope

D．sign

10.

A．checked

B．saw

C．reduced

D．forgot

11.

A．rested

B．relied

C．fell

D．stepped

12.

A．success

B．stop

C．challenge

D．repair

13.

A．watched

B．made

C．heard

D．pulled

14.

A．worried

B．scared

C．relieved

D．amused

15.

A．lied

B．froze

C．hiked

D．smiled

16.

A．lecture

B．message

C．noise

D．news

17.

A．felt

B．changed

C．kept

D．hidden

18.

A．special

B．different

C．kind

D．important

19.

A．struggles

B．arguments

C．stories

D．whispers

20.

A．guide

B．person

C．driver

D．parent

5 . 请观察下图，描写图中人物，阐释图画的内涵，并抒发你的感悟。

注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 题目自拟。
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . One night, our daughter informed us that her loose tooth had finally come out. My husband and I told her to put it under her _________ so the tooth fairy would pay her a visit at night. Our daughter _________ and skipped to her room, _________ holding the tooth. We _________ ourselves to pay for her tooth later. However, we were so _________ of heavy housework that night that we _________ forgot our promise to each other.

The next morning, we were _________ by our daughter’s scream calling us to see the tooth fairy’s prize. I exchanged _________ glances with my husband and then _________ we did forget to place her prize. Quickly, we rushed to our daughter’s room and found her looking out the window at a __________.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked, and her eyes shone with __________.

As my daughter stared out the window at her __________ in the sky, I reached under her pillow to “check for any other __________ that she might have overlooked”. Then we advised her to __________ under her pillow again.

“Wow! Two prizes!” she said, proudly waving the dollar bill she “must have __________” during her first treasure hunt.

Later, as I __________ the situation, I realized that the tooth fairy had left a hidden __________ for me as well: a reminder that when __________ rains on our carefully devised plans or even sends us unexpected __________, there are always treasures to be __________. We just need to look for the rainbows of life.

1.

A．pillow

B．bed

C．desk

D．clothes

2.

A．refused

B．agreed

C．abandoned

D．doubted

3.

A．casually

B．carefully

C．secretly

D．impatiently

4.

A．warned

B．convinced

C．guaranteed

D．reminded

5.

A．tired

B．fond

C．aware

D．sick

6.

A．occasionally

B．completely

C．formally

D．reasonably

7.

A．disturbed

B．attracted

C．awakened

D．inspired

8.

A．drunk

B．worried

C．confused

D．excited

9.

A．confirmed

B．admitted

C．explained

D．apologized

10.

A．balloon

B．plane

C．rainbow

D．fairy

11.

A．shame

B．fear

C．appreciation

D．respect

12.

A．wish

B．prize

C．dream

D．name

13.

A．treasures

B．teeth

C．money

D．jewels

14.

A．search

B．stay

C．wait

D．sleep

15.

A．preserved

B．wondered

C．judged

D．ignored

16.

A．complained about

B．reflected upon

C．blamed for

D．involved in

17.

A．pleasure

B．meaning

C．gift

D．beauty

18.

A．fortune

B．growth

C．society

D．life

19.

A．thoughts

B．beliefs

C．surprises

D．storms

20.

A．admired

B．afforded

C．recognized

D．found