B
One hot afternoon I became a thief of music.
For the first time, I created an original piano arrangement of my favorite song. Using only my ears and iPod, I created complex harmonies and voices into something I could perform with only two hands. No help, no guide: I did it on my own.
I’ve been a pianist since before my hands were big enough to reach an octave: with a musician as a father, I was all but born on the piano bench. For many years, my musical identity was defined by the notes others had written before.
This was why, when I added the finishing touches to my piano version of a modern rock song, I was proud of myself : this arrangement was mine. What I’d done seemed magical: an ability to take what had already existed—to “steal” a song from my favorite band—and to change it into something different and all my own. I was a thief, but I was also an artist.
In music, as in other aspects of life, I believe trueoriginality rarely exists. Almost everything has, in one form or another, been done before. The most romantic novel may well be a slightly changed version of a play by Shakespeare, which is likely to be borrowed from the works of Ancient Greece: same themes, different characters. But, the novel is no less deserving of praise just because its uniqueness is compromised. Adaptation is not a symbol for failure.
The gift of creativity is the ability to do what I did on the piano: to find something beautiful, to analyze and twist it, and then to make it new. Such an act is not copying; it is finding inspiration and having the strength to use it as fuel for your own masterpiece. I believe it is my job, as an artist, to rearrange this world into what I imagine it to be.
I refuse to live as if I were trapped within the walls of a museum: looking but never touching, afraid to ruin the so-called perfection of the artifacts inside. Therefore, I will embrace my ability to be a thief, because if I don’t steal what the world has to offer, I’ll never have the tools to share with others a creation of my own.
My life is my own arrangement, and because of that, anything is possible.Which can be the best title?
| A．The Love for Music. |
| B．Changes from a Thief to an Artist. |
| C．My Stolen Piano Lessons. |
| D．A Man Who Steals Music. |
According to the passage , which statement is true ?
| A．Actually there was originality only in music |
| B．He was born on the piano bench. |
| C．The author created the original piano arrangement all by himself. |
| D．The author was once a thief who stole music from his favorite band. |
Why did the writer feel proud of himself ?
| A．Because he became a real artist without others’ help. |
| B．Because he changed a song into a piano arrangement by himself. |
| C．Because he has a father who was a composer. |
| D．Because he could play the piano at an early age. |
What does the underlined word “embrace” mean?
| A．Hug | B． Explain | C．Adapt | D．Quit |
From the passage we can learn that the writer______
| A．never accept others’ advice. |
| B．likes to recreate songs whenever it is possible. |
| C．would rather not turn to his father for help. |
| D．is more of a leader than a follower. |
Compared with the previous week, air quality in Shanghai became worse last week , according to the latest report from the Shanghai Environment Monitoring Centre．
The average air pollution index （API） for sulphur dioxide （SO2） remain almost unchanged from the previous week, but the APIs for nitrogen oxide （NOx） and total suspended （悬浮） particles （TSP） rose by 35 and 27 percent．
The overall quality still belonged to class 2 category．Nitrogen oxide, caused mainly by vehicle exhaust and burning of cooking gas, was still the major pollutant of the week．
The Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Centre operates six automatic air monitors in the city’s Putuo, Yangpu, Luwan, Hongkou, Jing’an and Xuhui districts．
Judging from the chart, on which day was the air quality the worst?
| A．October 13． | B．October 14． | C．October 17． | D．October 18． |
Which of the following can be used to describe the air quality of the week?
| A．Good． | B．Seriously polluted． |
| C．Excellent． | D．Slightly polluted． |
Six automatic air monitors are operated in the city except ________．
| A．Putuo District |
| B．Xuhui District |
| C．Chang’an District |
| D．Hongkou District |
In shanghai, nitrogen oxide mainly comes from ________．
| A．the burning natural gas |
| B．the burning cooking gas |
| C．the burning coal |
| D．dust raised by vehicles |
This passage is obviously taken from ________．
| A．a magazine about air pollution |
| B．a scientific report from TV |
| C．the weather column in a newspaper |
| D．the traveling guide to Shanghai |
OF course, Ms Cratty wasn’t really my aunt and, out of fear, I never called her that to her face. I only called her “My Aunt Fannie (俚语)” because the name always made my father chuckle (轻声地笑) and caused my mother to look seriously at both of us – at me for being disrespectful of my elder, and at my father for encouraging my bad behavior. I enjoyed both reactions so I looked for every opportunity to work the name into as many conversations as possible.
As a young woman, my mother had worked in the kitchen of a large farmhouse owned by Ms Cratty and her twin brother. Neither had married, and they had no children. My father once told me that it was because they were both too mean to share their family’s money or pass it on. Ms Cratty was famous for her jam and for never sharing the recipe with another one. Even though my mother knew the recipe , she never made the jam without Ms Cratty kitchen to direct the process and keep the secret.
Each August, my mother would prepare me for Aunt Fannie’s visit. One year, after I had been particularly helpful with the jam process Aunt Fannie gave me a quarter and then made me promise that I would never spend it. “Hold onto this quarter,” she said, “and someday you will be rich. I still have my very first quarter, given to me by my grandfather.” It had obviously worked for her. So, I put the quarter in my dresser drawer, and waited to become rich.
I now have the jam recipe and the quarter from Aunt Fannie. Neither has made me wealthy, but I keep them as reminders to hold onto the valuable things in life. Money can make you feel rich for a while, but it is the relationships and the memories of time spent with friends and family that truly leave you wealthy. And that is a fortune that anyone can build.
| A．Because she wanted to show respect for her. |
| B．Because she believed that made her seem closer to her. |
| C．Because she loved to see her parents’ responses to it. |
| D．Because she didn’t like her and thus made fun of her. |
| A．owned the large farmhouse with Aunt Fannie |
| B．disliked Aunt Fannie’s meanness and the way she would never share |
| C．didn’t know the exact way to make the jam |
| D．tried to make Aunt Fannie believe that the secret recipe was safe |
| A．was a reminder of the valuable things in her life |
| B．would bring her good luck and make her rich |
| C．was a small reward for her help with the jam process |
| D．was the exact one that Aunt Fannie had received from her grandfather |
| A．have a certain secret recipe |
| B．have lasting love and friendship |
| C．share our wealth with others |
| D．have good fortune and money |
I have two sons．They are as different as night and day．My youngest is sweet, loveable, easy-going, and finds joy in everything．My oldest we’ve nicknamed the “Evil Genius” is ambitious, self-confident, and suffers no fools．
Whenever we mentioned Santa my husband and I were rewarded with major eye rolling and deep sighs from my oldest．At first we both tried to ignore it．
We both knew that our eldest had figured out the big secret．But I’d be damned(指责) if he was going to ruin it for his six-year-old brother who had plenty of Santa-loving years ahead of him．I looked at my husband in the eye and said, “I’ll handle this．” to which he responded “Okay just be careful because I’m not sure he knows - he might just be acting like it．” But I knew．And I had it in my mind that he was about to break his younger brothers spirit and break the news to him．I was afraid he was going to take the Christmas spirit away from my sweet innocent youngest and stamp all over it．I had to protect him．I needed to control this now before it got out of control．I rushed into the play room where my oldest was playing alone．I looked him dead in the eyes and said: “Well you know Santa isn’t real, right?” And as I stared at my eight-year-old son for what seemed like a long time of silence, his eyes started to fill with tears． And a tear dropped down his cheek when he screamed out, “He’s not?”
“Um well it’s not that he’s not real (shut up you idiot- stop saying he’s not real), but he doesn’t really make and deliver all the toys．Dad and I get some of them for you．So he’s real．He’s just got a little help from us．”
The Evil Genius wasn’t buying it．He just sat there looking at me with an expression of doubt．
You know when you make a terrible mistake but you can’t stop yourself from making it worse? That was me because I just had to know．I had to know why he had seemed to be over Santa． So I asked him why he rolled his eyes and sighed every time his father and I mentioned Santa, to which he replied that kids at school had been saying Santa wasn't real but that he still thought he was．What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Two different sons |
| B．Santa secret given away |
| C．Protecting one, ruining the other |
| D．Making a mistake worse |
What did the writer conclude when “Evil Genius” rolled his eyes and sighed?
| A．“Evil Genius” had discovered Santa was not real． |
| B．“Evil Genius” had broken the secret to his younger brother． |
| C．“Evil Genius” had passed his Santa-loving years． |
| D．“Evil Genius” had been influenced by his classmates． |
What does the underlined sentence mean in the passage?
| A．“Evil Genius” refused to buy toys． |
| B．“Evil Genius” didn’t believe his mother’s words． |
| C．“Evil Genius” wanted to keep silent． |
| D．“Evil Genius” would not give away the secret． |
What lesson can we learn from the story?
| A．Lies can never change facts． |
| B．Honesty is the best policy． |
| C．No one is perfect． |
| D．We should think twice before we act． |
The child of today owes much of its pleasant school life to the work of Maria Montessori and others who felt as she did．
Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in northern Italy． Both her parents were well educated．
While Maria was a student, she took great interest in the study of the particular nature of the child's mind． It came to her that small children should have freedom to learn．
Maria became a doctor and a professor at Rome University．In 1907, after working with backward students, she was given a chance to try out her ideas on children．There were sixty children, aged three to six, in the Children's House．The rooms were bright and colorful．Maria let the children make their own choice of what they wanted to do and work with their own speed． They became busy, peaceful and happy．
Maria Montessori was one of the world's great teachers．She traveled in Europe, America and Far East．She thought that true education, providing(提供) for the real needs of the child, would produce wise and happy grown-ups and therefore a peaceful world． Her original way of education has changed our whole idea of what childhood is．
Maria Montessori died in Holland at the age of eighty-two．
The short passage is mainly about_________．
| A．the education of backward students |
| B．a new idea of education |
| C．the importance of proper education |
| D．the life of Maria Montessori |
Maria traveled a lot in the world to ________．．
| A．teach the backward students |
| B．enjoy her life in real nature |
| C．spread her ideas of teaching |
| D．study the situation of education |
In what way did Maria teach the children in the Children's House?
| A．She taught them the best way of learning well． |
| B．She let them learn in a very pleasant way． |
| C．She taught them by showing them how to do things． |
| D．She just let them choose the most interesting subjects． |
We learn from the passage that ________．
| A．Maria left her homeland in order to study abroad |
| B．Maria didn't get married |
| C．Maria's own parents were her teachers |
| D．Maria fully understood the child's mind |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Camp All-Star
One of a Kind Summer Camps for Kids
Welcome to Camp All-Star, your No．1 summer sports camp for kids! Located on the famous Kents Hill School campus by the beautiful lake, Camp All-Star hosts kids from around the world． When thinking about your next overnight summer camp, consider the best—Camp All-Star!
Great Sports Summer Camps for Kids
Camp All-Star stands out among the successful camps in the U.S．We have the best sports fields and courts to make your child’s sports camp experience a successful one．Your child can enjoy playing for hours in any of our more than 30 sports and activities each day．Our camper to staff rate is three to one, which makes it possible for children to receive more careful instruction．
We have a wide variety of activities and sports to choose from: fishing, dance, basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis．Boys and girls, aged 8-16, can customize their own schedules in our 2, 3, 4 or 6 week summer camp session for kids.
The aim of Camp All-Star is to develop athletic skills, encourage abilities in leadership, fair play and team work, and provide a fun, rewarding and memorable summer sports camp experience．Our staff have the experience and qualified training necessary to ensure that your child has a successful, memorable and enjoyable time at our summer camp.
Call Today About Our Overnight Summer Camps for Kids
Don’t let your kids waste another summer playing video games and sitting around． Let them enjoy their time and get some exercise at our exciting and friendly summer sports camp．Information for our upcoming camps can be found on our website．For additional information or questions, contact us today．We hope your kids can join us at Camp All-Star!Camp All-Star stands out among the others because it ______.
| A．is surrounded by a beautiful lake |
| B．provides various activities and sports |
| C．offers timely information on its websit |
| D．allows children to play outside all day long |
One of the goals of Camp All-star is to ______.
| A．fire kids’ imagination |
| B．build up kids’ confidence |
| C．develop kids’ leadership skills |
| D．promote kids’ self-control |
This advertisement is intended for ______.
| A．parents |
| B．coaches |
| C．staff |
| D．campers |
If you're tired of the Mediterranean and don't want to head to Disney again，perhaps it's time for a summer holiday in space．Russia has declared plans for its first floating hotel，217 miles above earth，and it is something of an offering with good service．
Hosting just seven guests in a four cabins，the accommodation will boast huge windows with views back to earth and tasty microwave meals will be served instead of the ones often used by astronauts．
Just getting there will be an adventure in itself—it will take two days aboard a Soyuz rocket—and it won't exactly be a budget holiday: A five-day stay will cost you￡100，000 to￡500，000 for your journey．The hotel is due to open by 2016 and，according to those behind it，will be far more comfortable than the International Space Station (ISS) used by astronauts and cosmonauts．
In the weightlessness of space，visitors can choose to have beds that are either vertical or horizontal．Tourists，who will be accompanied by experienced crew，will dine on food prepared on Earth and sent up on the rocket，to be reheated in microwave ovens．Many kinds of delicacies will be available．
Iced tea，mineral water and fruit juices will be available，but alcohol will be strictly prohibited．Toilets will use flowing air instead of water to move waste through the system．Waste water will be recycled．
Sergei Kostenko，chief executive of Orbital Technologies which will construct the hotel，said: “Our planned module inside will not remind you of the International Space Station．A hotel should be comfortable inside，and it will be possible to look at the Earth．The hotel will be aimed at wealthy individuals and people working for private companies who want to do research in space．” The hotel can also be used as an emergency bolthole (避难处) for astronauts aboard the International Space Station if there is a crisis．
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Russia declares the design for its first space hotel |
| B．The first space hotel is under construction now |
| C．The astronauts will have a second home in space |
| D．Russia has the advanced technology in exploring space |
What does the underlined word “budget” in the 3rd paragraph mean?
| A．expensive |
| B．worthwhile |
| C．economic |
| D．uncomfortable |
What kind of accommodation will the guests have in the space hotel?
| A．They will have the same food as the astronauts have． |
| B．Many kinds of drinks are available including alcohol． |
| C．Guests can have beds that are either vertical or horizontal． |
| D．Tourists are accompanied by the astronauts from the ISS． |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The space hotel is built to remind you of the International Space Station． |
| B．The hotel is constructed with big windows so that tourists can see the earth． |
| C．The company，Orbital Technologies，has already begun to build the space hotel． |
| D．In the near future，a space trip for most of the people can be realized． |
Kids Wall Art
Large wall posters for kids. Your kids will love these cool posters by artist Carla Daly. Your kids will enjoy decorating their bedroom walls with these posters and their friends will think they are the coolest!
| Name: ABC Wall Art Size: 44×72cm (17.5″×28″) Time: 9:00 am every day Prices: $ 6.8/piece Colorful ABC art for your kids’ bedroom and playroom. A fun, educational art piece that all kids will enjoy. Kids and babies will love learning their animals and the ABC at the same time! |
| Name: Kids World Map Size: 45×75cm (17.5″×29.5″) Time: 2:00 pm on Wednesday Prices: $ 7.2/piece A colorful, large print by artist Carla Daly. Your kids will love this world map showing the lands, oceans and the fun animals that live in them. An educational map that will keep your kids happy for hours! |
| Name: Skateboard Park Size: 44×60cm (17.5″×23.5″) Time: 9:00 am on weekends Prices: $ 8.8/piece Fun zebra children’s wall art! Children and kids will love these fun animals enjoying this popular kids’ sport. Boys and girls will enjoy decorating their bedroom walls with this colorful bedroom wall art. |
| Name: City Slickers(城市佬) Size: 44×55cm(17.5″×23.5″) Time: 2:00 pm every day except Friday Prices: $ 6.5/piece Cute kids wall art of two cool giraffes taking a drive through the city, unusual, fun style for kids’ walls! Your kids will love this fun giraffe wall art. Boys and girls will have fun decorating their bedroom walls with this colorful bedroom wall art. |
Jane, who would like to buy a poster with the size of 45×75cm, will probably buy ________.
| A．ABC Wall Art | B．Kids World Map |
| C．Skateboard Park | D．City Slickers |
David plans to buy two posters. He should at least take ________ with him.
| A．$ 15.3. | B．$ 14. | C．$ 12. | D．$ 13.3. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Kids can find two cool giraffes on Skateboard Park. |
| B．Kids can just learn some English letters on ABC Wall Art. |
| C．Kids can enjoy fun zebra children’s wall art on City Slickers. |
| D．Kids can get some geography knowledge on Kids World Map. |
The evidence for harmony may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on well with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels.
An important new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is happier than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive today’s young people seem to be about their families,” said one member of the research team. “They’re expected to be rebellious（叛逆的）and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well. There’s discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process. They don’t want to rock the boat.”
So it seems that these parents are much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17-year-old Daniel LaSalle. “I always tell them when I'm going out clubbing. When they know what I'm doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Cromer, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call talk or discussion. For example, when I’d done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”
Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected. It is possible that the idea of teenage rebellion is not based on real facts. A researcher explains, “Teenagers were thought to be different from others in a part of time in our social history. But to our surprise, they say they are getting on well with their parents. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled.”The study shows that teenagers don't want to ______________________.
| A．share family duties |
| B．cause trouble in their families |
| C．go boating with their family |
| D．make family decisions |
Compared with parents of 30 years ago, today’s parents ___________________.
| A．go to clubs more often with their children |
| B．are much stricter with their children |
| C．care less about their children’s life |
| D．give their children more freedom |
According to the writer, teenage rebellion ____________________.
| A．may be a wrong opinion |
| B．is common at present |
| C．always happened in the 1960s |
| D．was caused by changes in families |
Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?
| A．Discussion in family |
| B．Teenage education in family |
| C．Teenage trouble in family |
| D．Harmony in family |
Children have their own rules in playing games．They seldom need a referee (裁判) and rarely take trouble to keep scores．They don’t care much about who wins or loses，and it doesn’t seem to worry them if the game is not finished．Yet，they like games that depend a lot on luck，so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compared．They also enjoy games that move in stages，in which each stage，the choosing of leaders，the picking-up of sides，or the determining of which side shall start，is almost a game in itself．
Grown-ups can hardly find children’s game exciting，and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple game again and again．However，it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons．He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person，and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinary afraid．He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn．He can be confident，too，in particular games，that it is his place to give orders，to pretend to be dead，to throw a ball actually at someone，or to kiss someone he has caught．
It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control．Everyone knows the rules，and more importantly，everyone plays according to the rules．Those rules may be childish，but they make sure that every child has a chance to win．
What is true about children when they play games?
| A．They can stop playing any time they like． |
| B．They can test their personal abilities． |
| C．They want to pick a better team． |
| D．They don’t need rules． |
To become a leader in a game，the child has to _________．
| A．be a useful partner |
| B．wait for his turn |
| C．be confident in himself |
| D．be popular among his playmates |
Why does a child like playing games?
| A．Because he can be someone other than himself． |
| B．Because he can become popular among friends． |
| C．Because he finds he is always lucky in games． |
| D．Because he likes the place where he plays a game． |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．Rules in Children’s Games |
| B．Advantages of Playing Games for Children |
| C．Reasons for Children’s Games |
| D．How to Be a Popular Game Player |
My family moved around a lot when I was growing up．In 2nd grade，I lived here in Washington D．C，where I made an amazing group of friends．I was upset when my parents told me we were moving again and I would have to leave all my best friends behind．
In 7th grade．we moved back to Washington D．C．And I could not have been more excited and I felt like I was finally home again．But things had changed．There were two new girls，who decided that they didn’t like me，which meant no one else could，not even all my former best friends．
And then one day during school，I opened my locker，only to find a note lying on the floor．The note said：Die．Nobody likes you．
My heart started beating faster and I felt the blood rushing to my face．I had no idea what to do．The note wasn’t signed and I had no idea who had written it，but I figured the new girls were behind it．I had to sit in class all day with my head down，wondering who else knew about this shame．I felt horrible and sure that nothing would ever be good again．
I decided that the perfect way to end all of this was with another note，left on the bathroom mirror at school．
It’s sad for someone to bully(欺负)other classmates to make themselves feel better or look cool．Bullying others is a way to impress others．It’s common，but that doesn’t mean it's okay．Looking cool is not worth making others feel bad．Obviously I’m very happy now，but it doesn’t mean I’11 ever forget about that note or how it made me feel．And to those of you that are current victims(目前的受害者) of bullying—know that you are NOT alone．It will get better．I promise．
Why was the author unhappy when she left Washington D．C．?
A．She couldn’t adapt herself
B．She had to leave best friends．
C．She was growing up there．
D．She hated traveling a lot．
When the author opened the locker，she felt .
| A．satisfied | B．cheerful | C．amused | D．ashamed |
In the end，the author turned things around ．
| A．under her teacher’s guide |
| B．by compromising to others |
| C．with her best friends’ help |
| D．through her own efforts |
What suggestion does the author give to the teenagers?
| A．Meet friends whenever possible． |
| B．Make efforts to fight back hard． |
| C．Be optimistic and let a thing slide． |
| D．Go on well with others． |
It was the end of my first day as a waitress in a busy New York restaurant. My cap had gone away, and my feet hurt. The loaded plates I carried seemed to be heavier and heavier. Tired and discouraged, I didn’t seem able to do anything right. As I made out a check for a family with several children who had changed their ice-cream order a dozen times, I was ready to stop. Then the father smiled at me as he handed me my tip. “Well done,” he said, “you’ve looked after us really well.” Suddenly my tiredness disappeared. I smiled back, and later, when the manager asked me how I’d liked my first day, I said, “Fine!” Those few words of praise had changed everything. Praise is like sunlight to human spirit; we cannot flower and grow without it. And yet, most of us are only too ready to apply to others the cold criticism（批评）, but are unwilling to give our fellows the warm sunshine of praise. Perhaps that is why one word of praise can bring such pleasure.
It’s strange how chary we are about praising. Perhaps it’s because few of us know how to accept it. It’s especially rewarding to give praise in areas in which effort generally goes unnoticed．An artist gets admired for a glorious picture，a cook for a perfect meal．But do you ever tell your laundry （洗衣房）manager how pleased you are when the shirts are done just right? In fact，to give praise costs the giver nothing but a moment’s thought and a moment’s effort．Which of the following can’t describe the writer’s situation before she got her tip?
| A．She was tired． | B．She was busy． |
| C．She was sorry． | D．She was confident． |
According to the passage，which of the following is least likely to be given praise?
| A．An artist． | B．A cook． |
| C．A waitress． | D．A laundry manager． |
The underlined word “chary” in Paragraph 2 means_________.
| A．careless | B．cautious |
| C．unwilling | D．greedy |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Why Do You Praise Others? |
| B．Why do You Criticize Others? |
| C．Be Generous to Give Others Praise! |
| D．Don’t Criticize Others! |
STRANGERS parties go wild these days. The main idea of them is to never let the people know who their matches are until the last minute. These are some popular practices that are storming the world’s youth on this V-day.
Speed dating
It’s exactly what the name implies. Complete with a timer, a whistle and 50 willing singles, speed dating is not the traditional dinner and a movie type of first date. Singles pay US $35 for three minutes with more than two dozen future dates. They ask questions and try to get to know each other. At the sound of a whistle, they do the same thing all over again―25 times in all.
Lock and key party
Women are given a lock and men are given a key, upon arriving at the party. Each key and lock has several matches. One can hunt for his/her later-to-be sweetheart in various groups, and try out the key or lock. Each time a lock and key match the pair are entered into a ballot（票数） for top prizes!
Dinner in the dark
Waiters wearing night vision glasses guide the guests through the pitch-black dining room. They are seated at the table and familiarized with the wine glass and plate. Food is handled with the fingers. People will not see the food they are eating or the guests at their table until the dessert course. At that moment, dining partners will appear.
Message party
Have A Cocktail, Leave A Message! When you arrive, you get a tag with a number and a pad of post-it notes. If you see someone you like, write a message on the message board. But wait… You’ve got a message… Go and collect it! You can make new friends and win lots of gifts. The more messages you leave on the bulletin board, the more chances you have of winning prizes.What do you think the similarities of these parties are?
| A．All the parties have very strict rules for their members. |
| B．If you want to go to any of the parties, you have to buy a ticket. |
| C．All the parties are aimed at strangers who want to be lovers. |
| D．All the parties are suitable not only for the young but for the old. |
In which party does a participant have to be careful with the time?
| A．Speed dating. | B．Lock and key party. |
| C．Dinner in the dark. | D．Message party. |
If you go to the Dinner in the dark, ____________.
| A．you have to wear night vision glasses |
| B．you have to eat with your hands |
| C．guests eat all the courses in the darkness |
| D．your dining partners will help you choose the food |
How many of the parties offer gifts or prizes?
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
Every one of the gymnasts who went to National Qualifiers (国家冠军赛资格赛) showed up with that goal in mind. Everyone gave it their all.
And I hate admitting it, but I was an exception. I did not do my best. Not for the ribbon exercise, nor for the club exercise. Knowing that I could have reached a little further to catch my ribbon, focused a little more so the stick wouldn’t slip through my fingers, tried a little harder to clean up those errors, but I didn’t, still bothers me.
After my disappointing competition, I tried my best to keep my eyes dry. But soon tears burned the edges of my eyes, and as I blinked, the first tear rolled down my cheek. Even though I angrily wiped my tears away before she looked at me, the evidence of my self-pity session presented itself clearly in the form of dirty makeup and reddened eyes.
My mom hated to see me cry, especially because I had no right or reason to. I had messed up--that wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine--and crying wouldn’t help at all. “Why are you crying, Amanda?” she asked, perhaps more pointedly (尖刻地) than intended, but I heard the concern in her voice. Unable to form all the emotions into words, I just looked away and avoided her questions.
“Tell me now why you’re crying.” Her voice this time wasn’t as gentle as it was before; it was filled with frustration and impatience. “Why are you crying?” she whispered again, but this time her voice was shaky and flooded with pain. This was the first time I’d ever seen my mom cry; my mom, who was always so strong and was there to encourage me through the roughest times, was now crying, and I was the reason for it. Finding my voice, I tentatively asked, “Why are you crying?”
She looked at me and answered exactly what I was afraid to hear, “I hate to see you hurting yourself.” So it was my fault. I had put those tears in her eyes. I had filled her with pain, with helplessness and with sadness.
I’ll never forget her pained expression. It forced me to realize how shortsighted and close-minded I’d been. I decided that no matter what happens in the future, I will never lose myself to regret.Why did Amanda feel regretful after the competition?
| A．Because she wasn’t admitted to the club. |
| B．Because she dropped her ribbon suddenly. |
| C．Because she broke the rule of the competition. |
| D．Because she didn’t try her best to compete. |
What did Amanda try to hide on the way back?
| A．Her silent tears. |
| B．The disappointing scores. |
| C．Her dirty makeup. |
| D．The evidence of failure. |
Which words reflect the change of the mother’s emotions?
| A．Painful--impatient—concerned |
| B．Concerned--frustrated--painful |
| C．Satisfied--painful—frustrated |
| D．Frustrated--angry--painful |
What did Amanda determine to do?
| A．Never cry in face of her mom. |
| B．Never compete as a gymnast. |
| C．Never involve herself in self-pity. |
| D．Never make up before games. |
The best title of the passage is probably _________.
| A．My painful experience as a gymnast |
| B．The tears I wiped away for my mother |
| C．The fiercest competition I lost |
| D．The worst thing I ever felt: regret |
For thousands of years, man has enjoyed the taste of apples. Apples, which are about 85 percent water, grow almost everywhere in the world but the hottest and coldest areas (地区). Among the leading countries in apple production are China, France and the United States.
There are various kinds of apples, but a very few make up the majority of those grown for sale. The three most common kinds grown in the United States are Delicious, golden Delicious, and McIntosh.
Apples are different in colour, size, and taste. The colour of the skin may be red, green, or yellow. They have various sizes, with Delicious apples being among the largest. The taste may be sweet or tart (酸的). Generally, sweet apples are eaten fresh while tart apples are used to make applesauce (苹果酱).
Apple trees may grow as tall as twelve metres. They do best in areas that have very cold winters. Although no fruit is yielded during the winter, this cold period is good for the tree. It can be learned from the text that delicious apples are _______________
| A．grown in France. | B．sold everywhere. | C．very big. | D．quite sweet. |
Cold winter weather is good for _______________
| A．the growth of apple trees. | B．producing large apples. |
| C．improving the taste of apples. | D．the increase of water in apples. |
China, France and the United States are considered to _______________
| A．be large producers of apples. | B．be large producers of applesauce. |
| C．have the longest history in apple production. | |
| D．have the coldest winter among apple producing countries. |
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