1 . A while back I caught a news report on something called ―couch surfing and the network of trusting souls who make this phenomenon possible. They offer to put up travelers free of charge and help them on their ways. At first, it sounded unbelievable. I mean, inviting strangers into one’s home for one or two nights? Give me a break.

However, I was intrigued. I decided to find it out. The only way to truly learn about this phenomenon was to dive in. So I planned a trip to Finland, a country I’ve always wanted to explore. I would couch surf at every stop there.

If ever any anxiety existed when stepping into the unknown, it disappeared when my first host met me at the train station. Ari looked like my idea of a typical Finn: tall and blue-eyed. Finns were also supposed to be famously reserved (寡言少语的). Ari was anything but. He was a live wire, giving me a warm welcome and walking with me to his apartment, where he showed me the sleeper sofa, served me tea, and engaged me in warm conversations. He also handed me a key to come and go as I pleased.

If this was what couch surfing was all about—trust and friendship—then I had gotten off to a good start. As I boarded my next train to continue my journey, I began to think about this couch-surfing idea. What encouraged these people to open their homes to strangers? I concluded that there was a desire to lend a hand to like-minded folks who might enrich their own lives.

Seven cities in 14 days. Seven hosts. Seven new friends. If couch surfing taught me anything, it’s this: Most people are good and generous. Where will couch surfing take me next? Who knows? But I can’t wait to find out.

1. Which of the following best explains the underlined word in the second paragraph?

A．relaxed.	B．bored.
C．interested.	D．pleased.

2. What can we know about Ari?

A．He was reserved like most Finns.

B．He talked less but he was friendly.

C．He treated the author as a friend.

D．He saw off the author at the train station.

3. Why did people offer couch surfing to strangers?

A．To take an adventure with strangers.

B．To exchange houses for a short time.

C．To learn more about others’ family lives.

D．To enrich their own lives by helping others.

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

A．Travel on Trust and Couches

B．A Free Travel in Finland

C．Experiences in Strangers’ Houses

D．A Plan for Couch Surfing

2 . 假如你是李华，你的英国笔友Andrew不久前去美国留学，他给你写信说很不适应那里的生活。请你根据以下提示用英语给他写一封回信，鼓励他勇敢面对。
1. 尊重当地的风俗习惯；       
2. 与美国学生多交流；
3. 积极参加户外活动；          
4. 注意与人交往时的礼仪。
注意：
1.可根据内容要点适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
2.词数在100-120之间，开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。
3.参考词汇:custom风俗习惯       manners礼仪
Dear Andrew,

How nice to hear from you again!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

3 . Hobbies let you explore interests outside your work. They make you be creative and try all kinds of new things.    1    How can you choose the hobby that suits you from these options? Here are some tips.

Look at what interests you. And examine what takes up your spare time, when you have it. Do you enjoy reading books? Maybe you want to try your hand at writing them.    2    

    3    Do you value wisdom or courage? Do you admire artistic expression? Let those traits(特点) guide you when choosing a hobby. For instance, you could take up painting because you admire people who can express themselves with art.

Examine your skills and personality. Certain hobbies require certain skill sets. If you don't have a great deal of patience, then maybe hand sewing isn't something you'd enjoy. However, if you love building things, maybe you should consider a hobby like working on older cars or building furniture.    4    

Pay attention to what excites your passion. The way you talk about issues can also reveal your passions and those passions can be developed into a hobby. Think about the topics you go on endlessly about.    5    Now, think about what it is about that subject that you enjoy so much and determine how it can be transformed into a hobby. For instance, maybe you are passionate about local politics, and getting involved in the community voluntary work could become your hobby.

A．Play to your strengths.

B．Think about what you value most.

C．Develop your creative personality.

D．Turn what you already love into a hobby.

E．There are plenty of options available to you.

F．Ask your friends and family what you seem to talk about the most.

G．Don’t forget to take a look at your budget before choosing a new hobby, as some can be expensive.