1 . Eat healthier. Exercise twice a week. Read more books. Lose weight. We make the same resolutions (决心) every year, but most of us fail, dying out after only a few days or, at best, weeks. Even the most successful among us crash and burn when it comes to personal change. President Barack Obama struggles to get out of his cigarette habit.

Professionals who help people make changes in their lives suggest the change is decided not by one’s surroundings, but one’s mind. Beginning with small goals or steps usually leads to a better result later, they say. But they notice that the experience is different for everyone.

“People are more likely to make positive changes in their lives not only when their friends do, but when their friends of friends do, and when their friends of friends of friends do,” said Nicholas Christakis, a professor of medical sociology at Harvard University. “People are better able to make changes in their lives—lose weight, quit smoking, become happy—when they do this with a large number of other people, and so taking advantage of your social network ties can contribute to your own efforts.”

Johnny Augustin understands that well. His resolution for 2008 was to reduce 30 pounds from his 237-pound frame. But the change didn’t come easily. He said, “I’m a huge procrastinator, I kept putting it off until tomorrow. I didn’t get to do it until the summer.” However, Augustin got encouraged when he saw his older brother working out. Today, Augustin weighs 190 pounds.

“Of course, change can happen only if people don’t set their expectations too high or try to deal with too many changes at once; one of the biggest mistakes we make is setting unrealistic goals,” said Dalia Liera, a psychologist at Lesley University. “You can’t accomplish in a few weeks what you haven’t accomplished in a few years,” said Liera.

1. From the first paragraph we can infer that _________.

A．change for a person is challenging

B．famous people have great resolutions

C．most people don’t want to change themselves

D．personal change is beyond belief

2. The word “procrastinator” in Paragraph 4 refers to those who_________.

A．have great determination to make a change

B．put off work especially because of laziness

C．have habitual carelessness and laziness

D．have no desire to do something great

3. According to the passage, Dalia Liera suggested that __________.

A．people should understand their goals well

B．people should try their best to change themselves

C．people should have confidence and positive habits

D．people should start with setting small goals to meet

2 . A decade ago, colored lights danced around the living room on New Year's Eve and happy music was played. Upstairs, the children were asleep. But I wasn't feeling happy. In mid-December, my husband and I had been informed that he had cancer and that he was going to die. He had less than a year left, the doctors said.

In the years since that painful season, I have come to look back upon New Year's Eve as an ending and a beginning. New Year's Eve brings a halt to the endless commitments that fill our daily lives and a chance to reflect.

New Year's Eve is full of possibility, and anticipation. What will be the surprising experiences and delightful successes in the coming year? But also, what disappointments are waiting for us in the next twelve months?

In many ways, New Year's Eve and the days that surround it are a line between past and future. That line is made up of a series of moments of transition that take us out of the old and into the new. Transition can be challenging for many of us. It's about letting go of the familiar and diving headlong （迅猛地）into the unfamiliar.

Just as, back then, I had to face letting go of the life I had led with my beloved husband and stepping into a new world as a widowed（丧偶的）mom. I find that each year I have to step out of the version of me that suited the year that is ending and ease into the version of me who will rise to the goals I am holding for myself for the year ahead.

Last year at this time, I sat in a chair in southern France and drank in the stillness and beauty of the countryside around me. The three children and I had brought into this world talked and laughed around the table beside me as we enjoyed a lunch of bread and cheese.

I was filled with a sense of joy and I had a glowing （热情洋溢的）heart that was full of hope. It was another ending and another beginning. May we all transition into the best of what lies ahead. May we all find happiness in this holiday season.

1. What made the author unhappy on New Year's Eve a decade before?

A．The pressure she faced in her work.

B．The health problem her husband faced.

C．The information received from her family.

D．The relationship between her and husband.

2. What does the underlined word "halt" in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Stop.

B．Beginning.

C．Meaning.

D．Tradition.

3. What does the author think people should do at a new year?

A．Set challenging goals for the next year.

B．Break with daily routines and form a new habit.

C．Spend more time with family members.

D．Think about the past and get ready for the future.

4. What is the author's attitude toward the future?

A．Calm.

B．Indifferent.

C．Doubtful.

D．Expectant.

5. What is the main purpose of the article?

A．To memorialize her husband.

B．To show how she got through a hard time.

C．To share her view of New Year's Eve.

D．To remind us that uncertainty is part of life.

3 . Directions: Read the following passages. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. (8%)

This Way to Dreamland

Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing.     1     They can seem forgetful and clumsy. They stare off into space and wander by themselves. They annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history.     2     Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

First, understand that some opportunities for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.     3     And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you’re daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It’s also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concentrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep.     4    

Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you are in the daydream zone.

Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A．Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B．Without wandering minds, we wouldn’t have relativity or Post-it notes.

C．At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

D．Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what’s happening around them.

E．It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm.

F．Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand

4 . Marie, an 85-year-old woman who had been bedridden (卧床不起的) for 10 years, was granted her biggest wish to look at the sea again with help from East Coast Radio and Netcare 911.

About 10 years ago, Marie had an unsuccessful back operation which left her bedridden. She then had to stay in an old age home and needed constant care. “The only time she could go outside was when she was taken to hospital over the years,” said Lucy, Marie’s daughter.

Lucy wrote an e-mail to East Coast Radio in April asking them to help her take her mother to the beach because it was her biggest wish. She told them that her mother just wanted to go and look at the sea and go back again to the home, that’s all. East Coast Radio did an interview with the family and agreed to make her wish come true.

Two weeks later, a team of Netcare 911 paramedics (医护人员) fetched Marie from the old age home and took her in a stretcher to Amanzimtoti Beach. One of the paramedics found a bucket and collected some sea water for her to put her hands in. She also got a chance to touch the sand.

Marie said, “Thanks to these kind people, I could get to the beach again, which may be the last time for me.”

1. Why did Marie become bedridden?

A．Because of her old age.	B．Because of a failed operation.
C．Because of a traffic accident.	D．Because of little medical care.

2. Who took Marie to see the sea?

A．Her family.	B．People from Amanzimtoti Beach.
C．East Coast Radio.	D．A team of Netcare 911 paramedics.

3. How did Marie probably feel when saying the words in the last paragraph?

A．Hopeful.	B．Embarrassed.
C．Thankful.	D．Disappointed.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．An old woman became bedridden because of bad luck.

B．Kind people helped a bedridden woman realize her wish.

C．East Coast Radio and Netcare 911 always help poor people.

D．Amanzimtoti Beach is a beautiful place people wish to visit.

5 . Remember Vitainwater’s “free of rolling screen for a year” challenge that dared people to be free from smart phones for a whole year will win $ 100,000? Well, Elana Mugdan, a New York woman, has been into it for eight months, and just four months away from claiming grand prize.

Vitaminwater made news headlines last December when it announced its unique challenge. Thousands of people applied to be chosen as the perfect candidate to spend a year without touching their smart phones, but in the end, the only person who got to try and survive for an entire year without a handheld smart phone was Elana Mugdan, a 29-year-old fiction writer from Queens, New York. Eight months into the challenge, she claims it has been a free and eye-opening experience that shows her just how dependent she becomes on her smart phone. Even though there are times when she misses her handheld smart phone, she plans to go on living without it even after the challenge ends, because she really doesn’t want to go back to days when she abused it, wasted time, stayed up all hours of the night on it, and was obsessed with social media.

But not having access to her smart phone really made certain situations a lot harder than she could have imagined them before. “Many people did me a favor. However, once, I almost got stranded (滞留) in the SeaTac airport because the phone number I’d written down was wrong, and I had no way of referring to the right one, no way of calling a cab, and no one in the state who could help me,” the young writer said.

Another time, her car’s “check engine” light turned on while she was driving in an unfamiliar area at night. She couldn’t use her phone’s GPS location feature, r even check what the light meant on Google or find a nearby car repair shop. Still, she learned to overcome these situations. And now she claims the last eight months of phone-free life have been one of the best adventures of her life and that she’ll keep it for another four months.

1. What’s the challenge “free of rolling screen for a year”?

A．People free from smart phones can live a richer life.

B．People living a telephone-free life can be awarded every year.

C．People living without computers for a year will win grand prize.

D．People spending a year free from smart phones will get a reward.

2. Which phrase can replace the underlined part “obsessed with” in paragraph 2?

A．satisfied with	B．accustomed to
C．addicted to	D．popular with

3. What does Elana Mugdan mainly want to express in paragraph 3?

A．It’s fantastic to have someone to help her all the way.

B．It’s unimaginable to lose her phone number on the way.

C．It’s unnecessary to refer to information with a smart phone.

D．It’s difficult to get out of the trouble without a smart phone.

4. What can we learn about Elana Mudgan?

A．She couldn’t live without a smart phone.

B．She finds no one can help her in the adventure.

C．She has not won the grand $ 100,000 prize yet.

D．She used to use her smart phone to write fiction.

6 . Keira age 15

I am very passionate about dancing. When I dance, it lights a spark inside of me. I get a burst of energy, and it gives me the power to go on and on. I don’t really know how to explain my love for dance, like I was born to dance.

I love my enthusiasm. When I’m in the moment of something amazing, I take it for everything it’s worth and share it with whoever will interest me!

Clara age 16

Art and acting. They make me feel confident and happy. I love seeing something from out of pencil marks on paper and the feeling while on stage. I’ve made great friends through these activities, too!

I don’t really know what I want to be when I grow up, but some of my first few choices include an architect, actress, artist, or author. I’m working to make my dreams a reality by working hard in school and trying to be my very best.

Isabelle age 16

When I grow up, I want to be a teacher because I am passionate about helping people and love playing with kids! At school, I help take the little kids to the bus and sit with them, and I play with the 1st graders at break.

Being nice also benefits me because if two friends are in a fight, I can listen to both sides of the story with kindness. It makes me the peacemaker. Being nice makes me feel good knowing that I put a smile on someone’s face.

1. Who likes dancing most?

A．Keira.	B．Clara.
C．Isabelle.	D．Kathleen.

2. How does Clara make her dream come true?

A．Acting on the stage.	B．Studying art and acting.
C．Making lots of friends.	D．Working hard in school.

3. What does Isabelle want to be?

A．An artist.	B．A dancer.
C．A teacher.	D．An actress.

7 . When Brody, a 4-year-old Connecticut boy, was asked what wish he wanted to come true, his only dream was that he could be able to play outside.

Brody was born premature (早产) at 27 weeks, which caused him to overheat and burn easily. That means he can't spend any time outside and he'll get burn blisters (水疱) on his face even when he is driven to the hospital. Besides, there are a lot of things he can't do. He has trouble walking and only began talking one year ago. Brody can't eat or drink and has to wear a backpack 24/7 that contains a pump that feeds him. “I can't even count the number of surgeries he's had since he was born,” Brody's mother said. “He's spent probably half his life at the hospital.”

When Make-A-Wish Connecticut, an organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, heard about Brody's request to play outside, they immediately jumped into action. “It's the most simple, most sweet wish, just to play outside but it seems to be the most difficult to realize.” said Debbie Artinian, the manager of Make-A-Wish Connecticut.

Artinian and her team determined that a temperature-controlled tent outside Brody's home where he could play and not be in the sun would be the best option. But they had to find a tent that could stand weather conditions like wind and snow and had the right material to block all UV rays. Luckily, Artinian found a company based in the United Kingdom that could design and make the tent. Make-A-Wish Connecticut learnt that Brody loves the beach, even though he is not able to go into water because of his backpack. So they filled the tent with water toys and a kids’ pool filled with balls to make Brody feel as much as possible like he's out at the beach.

Brody got his first look at the tent earlier this summer. “When he walked out of the door and I saw his face, it was just everything,” said Artinian. “Now when Brody says ‘Can I go out and play?’, his mom can say, “Yes.” “Brody is now enjoying spending nearly all his time "outside” in the tent.

It's hard to make life completely normal for Brody, but Artinian and her team tried to make it as normal as they could.

1. What can we learn about Brody?

A．He can't be exposed to sunlight.

B．He can't stand on his feet.

C．He can't be given surgeries any more.

D．He can't communicate with others.

2. Make-A-Wish Connecticut thought Brody's dream was __________

A．inspiring and heart-warming

B．simple but incredible

C．difficult and unachievable

D．challenging but worthwhile

3. Why does the author mention the beach in Paragraph 4?

A．To show that Brody is a boy who loves nature.

B．To prove that the design company was responsible.

C．To suggest that Artinian and her team were considerate.

D．To emphasize that the skill in building the tent was the latest.

4. What does the story mainly tell us?

A．One good turn deserves another.

B．A helping hand makes a difference.

C．All things are difficult before they are easy.

D．Tough life experience may result in success.

8 . Once upon a time，there was a little boy who wanted to meet the king. He set off，walking towards the king’s castle. After many years of walking，the king’s castle came into his view. However，as the boy drew closer to the outside of the castle，the guards took notice of him.

“Get out of here！” commanded the guards.

Well，the little boy didn’t have to be told twice. He turned...and ran right away. All he wanted to do was to tell the king wonderful things，and see all the beautiful things in the king’s house. But he couldn’t even get near the castle! The boy finally stopped running，sat down and cried.

A young man happened to be coming down the path at the very moment. He saw the little boy and came up.“What’s wrong，young man？” he asked.

“Sir，I walked and walked just to see the king. But these guards made me frightened. I wanted to tell the king how lovely everything is and just tell the king that I just wanted to see him！”

The man looked at the little boy thoughtfully.“Look，why don’t you try again. Don’t lose heart. I ’ll come with you this time.”

The little boy got up and took the man’s hand. The king’s guards spotted them.

“Look，mister，we don’t have to do this...I don’t want you to get hurt. We can just turn around now.”

The man held the little boy’s hand and went on. The boy really thought the man might be crazy until he looked back up at the guards. They were all smiling now. The little boy was surprised.

“Who are you？” asked the little boy in surprise.

“Why，I’m the king’s son. You can enter the castle and be with the king，” said the man.

The little boy broke into a huge smile.

1. Why did the boy want to see the king?

A．To ask the king to play with him.

B．To get some help from the king.

C．To invite the king to visit his beautiful village.

D．To share wonderful things with the king.

2. What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph mean?

A．The little boy understood the guards’ words right away.

B．The little boy didn’t understand the guards’ words at first.

C．The guards repeated the words to the boy.

D．The little boy had been to the castle twice.

3. According to the passage，the young man is         .

A．determined	B．stubborn
C．warm­hearted	D．mean

4. Which of the following best suits the story’s lesson for us?

A．Never judge a book by its cover.

B．Anything is possible if one tried hard enough.

C．Life can sometimes be unfair.

D．Make new friends and keep the old.

9 . Most children are full of the most impractical schemes for becoming policemen, firemen or train drivers when they grow up. When I was a child, however, I did not have such ordinary ambitions. I was going to have my own zoo.

At the time, this did not seem to me, and still does not seem, an unreasonable idea. My friends and relatives, who had long found me strange because I showed little interest in anything that did not have fur or feathers, accepted this as just another example of my strangeness. They felt that, if they ignored my often-repeated remarks about owning my own zoo, I would eventually grow out if it.

As the years passed, however, my determination to have my own zoo grew increasingly strong, and eventually, after going on a number of trips to bring back animals for other zoos, I was ready to start my own.

From my latest trip to West Africa, I had brought back a considerable collection and animals which were living, temporarily I assured her, in my sister’s suburban garden in Bournemouth. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to convince the local council to support my plans, I began to investigate the possibility of starting my zoo on the island of Jersey in the English Cannel.

I was introduced to a man named Hugh Fraser who, I was told, was a broad-minded, kindly soul. He would show me around the island and point out suitable sites. So, my wife and I flew to Jersey and were met by Hugh who drove us to his family home, probably one of the most beautiful old houses on the island. There was a huge walled garden with lots of outbuildings all built in the beautiful local stone. Turning to my wife, I said, “What a marvelous place for a zoo!”

To my relief, Hugh Fraser did not think my idea absurd, and asked whether I really meant what I said. Slightly embarrassed, I replied that I had meant it, but added hastily that I realized it was impossible. Hugh said he did not think it was as impossible as all that.

He went on to explain that the house and grounds were too big for him, and so he wanted to move to a smaller place in England. Would I care to consider renting the property for the purpose of establishing my zoo? I could not imagine more attractive surroundings for my purposes, and by the time lunch was over, the bargain had been sealed.

The alarm displayed by all who knew me when this news was announced was intense. The only exception to the general chorus of disapproval was my sister. Although she thought it a mad scheme, at least it would rid her back garden of the assorted jungle creatures who were straining her relationship with her neighbours.

1. How did the author’s friends and relatives respond to his childhood dream?

A．They approved of his idea.

B．They paid no attention to him.

C．They believed he’d give it up later on.

D．They thought he was overly ambitious.

2. What made the author decide to start his zoo on the island of Jersey?

A．Refusal by the local council to support his idea.

B．Inspiration from his last trip to West Africa.

C．Failure to get donation from other zoos.

D．The need for a larger suburban garden.

3. Why did Hugh eventually agree to rent his property to the author?

A．Hugh also loved animals very much.

B．Hugh found it hard to manage the property by himself.

C．Hugh didn’t like the place so decided to move to England.

D．Hugh was moved by the author’s eagerness to establish a zoo.

4. What can be inferred about the author’s sister?

A．She was fond of chorus.

B．She was sure of his success.

C．She didn’t get on well with her parents.

D．She was being troubled by his animals.

10 . Two Chinese sisters have landed a dream trip to Buckingham Palace and the Peppa Pig World theme park in the UK. Lately, their mother helped them express their wish online to meet Queen Elizabeth II, which not only caught millions of social media users’ attention but also the attention of the British ambassador (大使) to China.

Five-year-old twins Mi Ai and Mi Ni, who live in Beijing, appeared in a video on social media platform Weibo last week, where they spoke of their love of British cartoon Peppa Pig and their keen interest to visit the Buckingham Palace. Mi Ni said she and her sister wanted to visit the gardens at Buckingham Palace, just like Peppa Pig and her friends did in the cartoon program.

The British Ambassador answered their call with her own video, inviting the twins to her house in Beijing. “Hello Mi Ni and Mi Ai,” she said. “I’m the British ambassador. I’d like you to come and visit me in my house in Beijing and we can perhaps have tea and cookies in a British style.” The twins accepted the ambassador’s invitation and joined her for a traditional afternoon tea on Monday, when they ate cake and drew pictures of their favorite characters from Peppa Pig.

The ambassador has made arrangements for the girls and their parents to tour the UK. They are going to tour the studios where Peppa Pig is made, take a trip to Peppa Pig World in Hampshire and visit Buckingham Palace. The queen has not yet said if she will have time to welcome the girls.

The Peppa Pig series, introduced in the mid-2000s in China, has become extremely popular among Chinese children and adults. As this year is the Year of the Pig according to Chinese tradition, the country has set to mark the Chinese New Year with a film starring Peppa Pig, where audiences can see a number of Chinese cultural elements (元素).

1. How did the sisters tell their dream to the Queen?

A．By taking a personal trip to the UK.

B．By writing a letter to the Queen.

C．By expressing their wish online.

D．By giving a call to the ambassador.

2. How did the ambassador respond (回应) to the sisters’ wish?

A．She paid no attention to it.

B．She arranged the trip for them.

C．She sent her agreement by a call.

D．She would show them around the UK.

3. What are the two sisters going to do in the UK?

A．Enjoy a traditional afternoon tea.

B．Draw pictures in the Peppa Pig World.

C．Visit the studios producing Peppa Pig

D．Meet the Queen in Buckingham Palace.

4. Which is the best title of the passage?

A．An Afternoon Tea with the Ambassador

B．The Film Starring Peppa Pig Put on Soon

C．The Popularity of Peppa Pig Series in China

D．Twin Fans of Peppa Pig to Get Dream UK Trip