The English test will be removed from China’s college entrance exam by 2020, according to the Ministry of Education. The national college entrance exam, known as the “Gaokao” has been used to evaluate Chinese students for three decades. The Ministry of Education has worked out a plan for reforming exams and enrollment. Tests will be held several times a year to allow students to choose when and how often they sit the exam so as to reduce study pressure and change China’s once-in-a-lifetime exam system.
The decision has aroused a heated discussion among Shanghai educators and parents who doubted the reform would reduce the burden of learning English or if the substitute test could reflect a student’s English skills and help students learn English better. Cai Jigang, a professor from Fudan University said, “The reform shows China is to give students more test-taking chances. But more chances might become more of a burden since Chinese students are likely to repeat the test until they get the highest score.”
“In my opinion, the reform doesn’t mean English is no longer important for Chinese students after it will be excluded from the unified college entrance exam,” said Yu Lizhong, chancellor of New York University Shanghai, “In a way, English is even more important than before since the test would only serve as reference, while every college and university, even every major, canhave different requirements of a student’s English skills under a diverse evaluation system.”
Yu said some students will have their study pressure reduced if the major they choose doesn’t need excellent English while others still need to study hard if they want to be among the best students.
The education ministry said the reform would not affect students attending the college entrance exam over the next three years. But parents with younger children are concerned. Zhang Hui, the mother of a fourth-grade girl at Pudong Zhuyuan Primary School, said English was her daughter’s strength, so canceling the English test would not favor her child.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．English will become less and less important in the stage of compulsory education. |
| B．It has been 30 years since English became one subject of Chinese “Gaokao”. |
| C．China’s once-in-a-lifetime exam system is unacceptable at all. |
| D．The system that tests are held several times does more good than once-in-a-lifetime |
According to the passage, some Shanghai educators and parents argue that _____.
| A．the new exam and admission system will make no difference |
| B．English shouldn’t be removed from China’s college entrance exam |
| C．the reform may accomplish the very opposite |
| D．Western educational system does not apply to China |
According to Yu Lizhong, _______________.
| A．Students needn’t lay a good foundation during the period of high school. |
| B．Whether students should study English hard may depend on their major. |
| C．Students can constantly strive for perfection only in their major. |
| D．English must be close to full mark. |
What’s the purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To advise students not to devote themselves to learning English. |
| B．To call on Education Department to remove English from “Gaokao”. |
| C．To support Education Department’s act of removing English from “Gaokao” |
| D．To report people’s opinions on English being removed from “Gaokao” |
It was a cold morning at a metro station in Washington DC, a man started to play the violin. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the tin without stopping, and continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3-year-old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most beautiful pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment.
The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we enjoy beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected situation?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?”Few people stopped to listen to Joshua Bell playing because____________.
| A．it was too cold in the subway |
| B．they were not interested in music |
| C．people were in a hurry |
| D．the performance was not good enough |
Which of the following is true about Joshua Bell’s performance?
| A．Nobody gave him money |
| B．Nobody recognized him. |
| C．Nobody appreciated it |
| D．Nobody organized it |
Joshua Bell played in the metro station in order to ____________.
| A．make more money on the street |
| B．practice his skills in playing music |
| C．made an advertisement for his concert |
| D．find out people’s reaction under such a circumstance |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?.
| A．The Importance of Music | B．A Talented Violinist |
| C．A Subway Violin Performance | D．The Things We Miss |
Optional evening workshops will be held at small restaurants or other meeting places near the conference hotel. Meals and other costs are not included but are also optional. Locations will be announced at the conference site. Workshops are very loosely organized and most represent discussions that have been held at Society for Economic Botany (SEB) meetings over a series of years.
Workshop 1: Student Network
Date: Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th
Chairs: Hugo de Boer and Arika Virapongse
Sponsor: Society for Economic Botany
Description: Student members of the SEB hold a networking mixer each year in order to meet each other and to become familiar with a variety of educational programs and faculty advisors(大学指导老师). Faculty members who are part of training programs are encouraged to join the mixer to meet and talk with students.
Workshop 2: Botanical Film Making
Date : Wednesday evening, Feb. 5th
Chair : David Strauch
Sponsor : University of Hawaii
Description : Digital film making is a particularly useful tool of linking cultural information to recognizable plants. This workshop is aimed towards increasing the quality of material recorded by giving participants greater control over the medium. We will cover technical aspects (e.g. camera settings, audio), technical aspects (framing, lighting, focus), and some ways of presenting the material. Experienced filmmakers are encouraged to attend, and participants are welcome to bring their own camera equipment.
Workshop 3: Collections for Botany
—Collections Development and Management
Date: Friday evening, Feb. 7th
Chair: Jan Salick
Sponsor: Society for Economic Botany
Description: SEB is a network of researchers who have been developing standards for the development of collections of artifacts, plant samples and related materials. Participants discuss successes, problems, and funding sources for solving management issues.One of the purposes of a networking mixer held each year is to ________.
| A．provide students with greater control over the media |
| B．help the students to be familiar with educational programs |
| C．help the students to deal with most of the environment issues |
| D．link cultural information to recognizable plants |
Which of the following is true according to the poster?
| A．Evening workshops will be held at small restaurants with meals included. |
| B．Faculty advisers can join the mixer without training experience. |
| C．Workshops have nothing to do with the discussions held at SEB meetings. |
| D．Participants have more than one option on Feb. 5th than another night. |
You are a college student, interested in plants and good at taking TV pictures. Which of the Evening Workshops is most suitable for you?
| A．Collections for Botany. | B．Botanical Film Making. |
| C．Student Network. | D．Society for Economic Botany. |
Many people in high school cannot wait to go to college and leave their hometown behind. Questions arise, though, when it comes to all of the decisions involved in choosing a college.
One of the first considerations may be finance. State and public colleges are often the least expensive. Often, though, the better colleges are private and more expensive. It is sad when gifted students cannot attend a college of their choice just for financial reasons.
Another major factor is location. Whether the college is in a small town or large city can have a major impact on its activities. A water lover probably will be more comfortable spending four years near an ocean or a lake. Those who cannot tolerate heat will probably be more comfortable at a northern college. Distance from home may also come into consideration. If family is a top priority, that person should stay close to home; on the other hand, if independence is desired, a campus farther from home would be more appropriate.
School size also plays a major role in the decision process. If you want to get to know your teachers, a small college is suitable. For those of you who consider yourself a “ people person” and want a wide range of activities, a large college is more fitting. Your area of interest is another factor to consider in the decision-making process if you want to get the most from your education. The whole point of college is to learn what is of interest to you.
Crucially(至关重要地), one must take into consideration the colleges by which you can realistically be accepted. An Ivy League school for an average student would probably not be a good match. Similarly, an average school for an above-average student would not work well. The college should provide enough of a challenge for the student to work hard. Although there may not be the perfect college out there, there probably will be one that is close. Those who cannot find a suitable college are probably not looking hard enough.When it comes to going to college the author thinks ________.
| A．financial situation is the first to consider |
| B．students are unwilling to leave their home |
| C．students will become homesick |
| D．students are eager to attend their ideal university |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．Students can be independent at college. |
| B．A long distance will make students upset. |
| C．The location of the college is a main factor. |
| D．The climate must be taken into consideration. |
What does the underlined part people person in the passage mean?
| A．A person of great capacity. | B．A very particular person. |
| C．A very sociable person. | D．A person of great importance. |
Which is the most important factor when choosing a college?
| A．The location of a college. |
| B．The examination result. |
| C．School size. |
| D．The coming challenges. |
Amy Pankratz spent a few nights in the hospital with her daughter, Isabella, who caught a bad flu. “Lying in bed beside Isabella, I could hear the cries of children in pain, ”says Amy. “It completely broke my heart. ”
When Isabella was getting well and could leave her room, she wore her prized possession—a “superhero cape(短斗篷)”Amy had sewn to encourage her—and walked into the hallway. The pink cape was an instant hit with the other young patients, who were doing exercise around the nursing station. Then, all the kids were taking turns wearing the cape, giggling, ”Amy says. “These were some of the same children I had heard crying the night before, and here they were playing and having fun—kids just being kids! ”
From that moment on, Amy began making Comfort Capes for little ones battling with serious illnesses. “I felt God presenting an opportunity, ”she says. “I hoped Comfort Capes can help these kids feel brave, to lift some of the fear away. ”
Since then, Amy has made and donated more than 5, 000 capes in the United States. Amy usually pays for materials herself, although she accepts donations.
The capes she makes for kids in treatment are different from those her own children have. Before Amy starts to sew she learns what image or character the little boy or girl connects with. “ I choose the pattern, color and theme specially for each child,” explains Amy.
When she is not sewing, Amy is raising awareness of childhood cancers and looking into ways to get Comfort Capes to more kids who need them, “ If a cape can help a child, even only for a moment, forget his illness, its worth the time spent sewing, she says.What made Amy feel sad when she was staying with her daughter in the hospital?
| A．Her daughters serious illness. |
| B．The cries of children in pain. |
| C．The tiredness from sewing the cape. |
| D．The illness of children in her daughters room. |
What purpose did Amy have when she began making Comfort Capes for sick children?
| A．To make them feel warm. |
| B．To find friends for her daughter. |
| C．To make them happy and fearless. |
| D．To raise the awareness of childrens illness. |
According to the passage, we can get that the authors attitude toward Amys behaviour is ________.
| A．indifferent | B．neutral |
| C．negative | D．supportive |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Turning Sick Kids into Superheroes |
| B．How to Treat the Sick Children |
| C．A Strong Mom Who Helps Others |
| D．Amy: a Considerate Woman |
Christmas in the United States is traditionally a time of gift-giving and family gatherings. But small towns across the country have their own traditions.
Middleburg，a small town in the state of Virginia，is known for its horses. For more than 50 years, Middleburg has organized a yearly Christmas parade(游行). Men and women ride horses through the woods and fields．They follow hunting dogs as they search for a wild fox．But first，these hunters ride in the yearly parade, wearing their bright red hunting clothes and hats．
John Hale, a citizen of Middleburg says many city people visit his town. “We have a lot of people from an urban area that come to visit，but it involves a lot of the old traditions.” The nighttime hay ride is one such tradition．Small groups gather under the moonlight on an open wagon filled with hay. The passengers sing as farm horses pull the wagon slowly across the fields．
There are some newer traditions, too. Trey Matheu works at the nearby Salamander Resort. He says a visit to Middleburg is a chance to slow down for a day. He says Middleburg can be a calming, peaceful place without tension．
“Middleburg is an opportunity to take a step back, to take a deep breath, and understand that even though life is moving on at a very fast pace, there’s really an opportunity where you’re allowed to step off for a little bit.”
Parade organizers say more than 13,000 people attend even in below-freezing weather. But if you ask，you will hear many different reasons why people come to watch the parade：
“I come here because I’m from a small town. I like how everybody comes together.”“I live right down that street; right there. And that’s my dog.”
Middleburg looks its best at Christmastime. That may be why so many people return each year．Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．Middleburg Christmas parade |
| B．A small town known for horses |
| C．Christmas traditions in Middleburg |
| D．Newer traditions at Christmastime |
At Christmas, people in Middleburg usually ___________．
| A．visit friends and families |
| B．feed farm horses with hay |
| C．hunt for dogs in the woods |
| D．ride in the yearly parade |
According to Trey Matheu, why do people visit Middleburg?
| A．To relax themselves． |
| B．To enjoy the fresh air． |
| C．To escape competition． |
| D．To challenge themselves． |
What do we know about the small town Middleburg?
| A．It makes a large profit from tourism． |
| B．It attracts many people each year． |
| C．It is a good place for family gatherings． |
| D．It doesn’t respect Christmas traditions． |
A time capsule buried by Apple founder Steve Jobs 30 years ago has been discovered after its location was long forgotten.
In 1983, the young tech innovator was attending a conference in Aspen when he and the group decided to bury as a trick during a design convention. The tube that was filled with an eclectic collection of goods- ranging from the then-new apple mouse to a six-pack of beer for the people who discovered the time capsule- was meant to be dug up 20 years later. There was a problem with that plan, however, as everyone involved forgot where it was buried.
The final discovery happened at the hands of the crew from the National Geographic Channel’s reality show called Diggers. The discovery was well documented and is surely going to be featured on an upcoming episode, and even the experts had problems finding this particular treasure. CNET reports that in spite of their preparations and clear idea of where the 13-foot-long tube was, it still took them two hours to dig it up using heavy machinery.
To anyone removed from the tech industry, the accomplishment in finding the tube appears to be the biggest accomplishment. To others, the most interesting object would likely be the Lisa Mouse placed in the tube by the hands of a then-28-year-old Jobs. The Lisa Mouse, which Jobs named after his daughter, was one of the first commercial computer mice soled publicly, making it a rarity at the time.
The Aspen Historical Society is going to help the show creators make a list of the tube’s contents-but no word yet whether or not the Diggers cracked open one of the six bottles of Boddington’s Ale that was left inside for the people who found the tube.Why didn’t people dig up the tube as planned?
| A．Because it was difficult to dig it up. |
| B．Because the tube was too heavy. |
| C．Because everyone involved forgot where it was buried. |
| D．Because Steve Jobs died. |
What is the meaning of the word "eclectic" in paragraph 2?
| A．electronic | B．original |
| C．various | D．extreme |
Who discovered the time capsule?
| A．Steve Jobs | B．the crew from Diggers |
| C．Lisa | D．the experts |
What is the best title of this passage?
| A．A time capsule was buried by Apple founder Steve Jobs. |
| B．A time capsule has been discovered after its location was long forgotten. |
| C．the accomplishment in finding a tube. |
| D．the origin of Lisa Mouse. |
While considering the importance of education in the life of children, according to a recent survey on the net, most of the parents want to send their children to the best of the schools. There is no doubt that many schools must be located near to your neighborhood area that provides good education to your children.
However, you need to do a little research about the lessons of various schools so that you can be sure that your children are also following path as you have been since your childhood. Besides public and private schools, there are Christian schools that teach knowledge about Christianity along with the school lessons. A parent can compare between all the schools and their decision will depend entirely on their beliefs, thinking and neighborhood area.
The main focus of Christian schools is religion and you can send your children to such schools if you want to focus on religion in your child’s life. Every person has his own priority(优先考虑) and no one can force anyone with their own personal beliefs. If you feel that your child is not able to gain the right principles in other schools, then you can consider Christian schools for the right education of your children. There are Christian elementary schools that focus on reading, writing and arithmetic so as to strengthen the primary skills in children.
These schools take students from pre-school to high school to make them prepare for handling all types of situations in the future. So, use Internet to search a good school that help your child to have a better and brighter future.Parents who choose schools for their children mainly depend on the following factors EXCEPT_____.
| A．schools’ decision | B．their thinking |
| C．neighborhood area | D．their beliefs |
Christian schools differ from public and private schools in that _____.
| A．they offer free school lessons |
| B．they offer different school lessons |
| C．their main focus is religion |
| D．they offer a brighter future |
We can know Christian elementary schools _____.
| A．focus on religion only in students’ life |
| B．value the basic skills of children |
| C．allow students to have their own beliefs |
| D．are fit for all children |
The article is most likely to be taken from _____.
| A．a newspaper | B．a magazine |
| C．the Internet | D．a textbook |
OUR KIDS ARE AMAZING－especially compared with everybody else’s (who seem to cry all the time). How do you show your love for your kids this holiday season? With toys that are smooth and colorful, interactive and exciting. And with ones that have educational value－because you are the boss.
1. FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET
Here is a toy that doesn’t need power－and the bike have to put it together themselves. This 50 piece puzzle set is made of soft edged hardwood and makes a complete hospital, with an X ray room. It also includes eight patients, a car and a driver. $135; flaxart.com.
2. TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL
Sure, it’s cool, but this colorful baby toy also develops problem solving and motor skills. It has a head and legs, a magnetic(磁性的) hand and a tail. Suitable for little ones from 6 to 36 months. $19.95; tinylove.com.
3. ROBOSAPIEN
This small, remote control robot is really powerful. It performs 67 preprogrammed functions(功能), including throwing, kicking, picking up and dancing. You can even program your own function which, sadly, does not include doing windows. $99; robosapienonline.com.
4. MINI PEDAL CAR
Want a Mini Cooper but can’t fit the family inside? Get one for the kids. They can jump into this Mini car, which comes in hot orange with a single adjustable(可调的) seat, and ride away. But it could spoil them for that used car they’ll be driving when they turn 16．For ages 3 to 5．$189; minus A. com (click on “gear up,” then “Mini motoring gear”).Which toy is said to have the special design for children’s safety?
| A．ROBOSAPIEN |
| B．MINI PEDAL CAR |
| C．FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET |
| D．TINY LOVE ACTIVITY BALL |
Which toy are fit for three year old kids?
| A．1 and 3． | B．2 and 4． | C．I and 2． | D．3 and 4． |
Educational value is mentioned in all the toys EXCETP _________.
| A．FLAX ART HOSPITAL PUZZLE AND PLAY SET |
| B．TINY LVE ACTIVITY BALL |
| C．ROBOSAPIEN |
| D．MINI PEDAL CAR |
Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience? Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus the limits of person's intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, now held by most experts, can be supported in a number of ways.
It is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be in intelligence. Thus if we take two unrelated people at random from population, it is likely that their degree of intelligence will be completely different. If, on the other hand, we take two identical twins, they will very likely be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar intelligence, and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth.
Imagine now that we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might send one, for example, to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other, but who are not related at all are likely to have similar degree of intelligence.Which of these sentences best describes the writer’s point in Paragraph 1?
| A．To some extent, intelligence is given at birth. |
| B．Intelligence is developed by the environment. |
| C．Some people are born clever and others born stupid. |
| D．Intelligence is fixed at birth, but is developed by the environment. |
It is suggested in this passage that_______.
| A．close relation usually have similar intelligence |
| B．unrelated people are not likely to have different intelligence |
| C．the closer the blood relationship between people, the more different they are likely to be in intelligence |
| D．people who live in close contact with each other are not likely to have similar degrees of intelligence |
The phrase “at random”(Line3, para.2) means _______ .
| A．purposely | B．frequently |
| C．aimlessly | D．independently |
The best title for this article would be_______.
| A．What Dose Intelligence Mean ? |
| B．On Intelligence |
| C．We Are Born with Intelligence |
| D．Environment Plays a Part in Developing Intelligence |
The new high speed railway line between Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur self-governing region, and Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province, has cut train travel time by half to less than 12 hours.
The dramatic improvement will benefit many families planning reunions for Spring Festival.
"For the first time, I feel home is not that far away after all," said Liang shaofu as he boarded a high speed train in Urumqi with six members of his family.
The 35 year old left Lanzhou to set up a dry fruit business in Xinjiang eight years ago, and he has now settled in Urumqi.
The 1,776 km line, which passes through Qinghai province and is the country's first high speed railway built in a high altitude region, came into service on Dec 26.
"We normally drive home for Spring Festival to avoid the difficulties of buying seven train tickets for the whole family during the peak season," Liang said. "Driving can be very tiring and dangerous sometimes, so one year we even decided not to go back to Lanzhou simply to avoid the trip.
More than 600,000 passengers traveled on the line during its first month, and the Urumqi Railway Bureau said the introduction of high speed services will ease transport pressure during the Spring Festival peak season.
The existing usual railway line could no longer support Xinjiang's development. All passenger trains will gradually shift to the new link, leaving the old one to be used for goods. As a result, Xinjiang's annual goods ability could reach 200 million metric tons from the current 70 million.
The line passes through areas that experience high winds, and it also crosses parts of the deserted Qinghai Tibet Plateau and the bone dry sands of the Gobi Desert.
The project could help China to promote its high speed railway technology abroad, said Ma Xizhang, director of the Lanzhou Xinjiang railway project's management department in Xinjiang. How long did it take to go from Urumqi to Lanzhou by the usual train before?
| A．about 12 hours. | B．About 6 hours. |
| C．About 18 hours. | D．About 24 hours. |
What’s the main advantage of the new high speed railway?
| A．It takes more time to go to Urumqi to Lanzhou. |
| B．It will be more convenient for people all over the country to Xinjiang. |
| C．All the people in Lanzhou can return home on festivals. |
| D．It helps to improve Xinjiang’s development. |
From the passage we can learn _______.
| A．Xinjiang’s annual goods ability can increase nearly four times |
| B．the new railway technology may help more railway lines to be built abroad |
| C．the high speed railway lines can’t be built across the bone dry sands |
| D．the old railway lines can only carry goods now |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．The new high speed railway line is good for all people to go home. |
| B．The new high speed railway line benefits businessmen to carry goods. |
| C．Taking the new train is safer than driving home from Urumqi to Lanzhou. |
| D．Businessmen seldom went home for Spring Festival before. |
When we say older people shrink, we don't mean they become tiny enough to fit in your pocket! We just mean that it's common for older people to become a little shorter over time. This kind of shrinking can't be reversed, although people can slow or stop this process. But why does shrinking happen at all?
Because of gravity (the force that keeps your feet on the ground) , cushions between the bones in the spine (脊骨), get compressed (压缩), which makes a person lose a little height and become shorter.
Another reason why some older people shrink is because of osteoporosis (骨质疏松). Osteoporosis occurs when bone is broken down and not enough new bone material is made. Over time, bone is said to be lost because it's not being replaced. Bones become smaller and weaker and can easily break if someone with osteoporosis is injured.
Older people—especially women, who generally have smaller and lighter bones to begin with—are more likely to develop osteoporosis. As years go by, a person with osteoporosis can get small breaks in bones that are called compression fractures(受压骨折). These breaks cause collapse of the spine and over time the person with osteoporosis can become hunched over (驼背).
Did you know that every day you shrink a little, too? You aren't as tall at the end of the day as you are at the beginning. That's because as the day goes on, water in the disks of the spine gets compressed due to gravity, making you just a tiny bit shorter. Don't worry, though. Once you get a good night's rest, your body recovers, and the next morning, you're standing tall again!
Smoking and drinking alcohol can make this problem worse. Want to do something right now to build strong bones? I believe what I will say will help you.Which of the following statements is true?
| A．For shrinking, people can do nothing about it. |
| B．If someone is injured, he will become shorter. |
| C．Women have smaller and lighter bones than men. |
| D．We aren't as tall at the end of the day as we are at the beginning. |
What should we do if we don't want to shrink faster?
| A．We should try to reduce gravity. |
| B．We should be careful not to be hurt by others. |
| C．We should sleep as long as possible. |
| D．We should keep away from smoking and drinking alcohol. |
What is the topic of the passage?
| A．How can we stop shrinking? |
| B．Why do we shrink? |
| C．Some tips on how to keep tall. |
| D．How to live a healthy life. |
About osteoporosis, we know that _______.
| A．gravity is one of the causes of osteoporosis |
| B．once our bone is broken down, osteoporosis will occur |
| C．women are more likely to develop osteoporosis |
| D．if we develop osteoporosis, we are more likely to be shorter |
What will the author talk about in the paragraph to be followed?
| A．Tell us how to grow taller. |
| B．Tell us how to become healthier. |
| C．Tell us how to avoid being shrinking. |
| D．Tell us what to do to have strong bones. |
Treasure hunts （寻宝）have excited people’s imagination for hundreds of years both in real life and in books such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island .Kit Williams ,a modern writer ,had the idea of combining the real excitement of a treasure hunt with clues （线索）found in a book when he wrote a children’s story Masquerade, in 1979. The book was about a hare ,and a month before it came out, Williams buried a gold hare in a park in Bedfordshire .The book contained a large number of clues to help readers find the hare ,but Williams put in a lot of “red herrings ”,or false clues ,to mislead them.
Ken Roberts ,the man who found the hare ,had been looking for it for nearly two years .Although he had been searching in the wrong area most of the time ,he found it by logic （逻辑）,not by luck .His success came from the fact that he had gained an important clue at the start .He had realized that the words :“One of Six to Eight” under the first picture in the book connected the hare in some way to Katherine of Aragon ,the first of Henry VIII’s six wives. Even here ,however ,Williams had succeeded in misleading him .Ken knew that Katherine of Aragon had died at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire in 1536 and thought that Williams had buried the hare there .He had been digging there for over a year before a new idea occurred to him. He found out that Kit Williams had spent his childhood near Ampthill ,in Befordshire and thought that he must have buried the hare in a place he knew well ,but he still could not see the connection with Katherine of Aragon ,until one day he came across two stone crosses in Ampthill Park and learnt that they had been built in her honor in 1773.
Even then his search had not come to an end. It was only after he had spent several nights digging around the cross that he decided to write to Kit Williams to find out if he was wasting his time there .Williams encouraged him to continue ,and on February 24th 1982 ,he found the treasure. It was worth £ 3000 in the beginning ,but the excitement it had caused since its burial made it much more valuable .
The underlined word “them”（paragraph1）refers to .
| A．red herrings | B．treasure hunts |
| C．Henry VIII’s six wives | D．readers of Masquerade |
What is the most important clue in the story to help Ken Roberts find the hare ?
| A．Two stone crosses in Ampthill |
| B．Stevenson’s Treasure Island |
| C．Katherine of Aragon |
| D．Williams’ hometown |
The stone crosses in Ampthill were built .
| A．to tell about what happened in 1773 |
| B．to show respect for Henry VIII’s first wife |
| C．to serve as a road sign in Ampthill Park |
| D．to inform people where the gold hare was |
Which of the following describes Roberts’ logic in searching for the hare ?
a.Henry VIII’s six wives
b.Katherine’s burial place at Kimbolton
c.Williams’ childhood in Ampthill
d.Katherine of Aragon
e.stone crosses in Ampthill Park
| A．a—b—c—e—d | B．d—b—c—e—a |
| C．a—d—b—c—e | D．b—a—e—c—d |
What is the subject discussed in the text ?
| A．An exciting historical event |
| B．A modern treasure hunt |
| C．The attraction of Masquerade |
| D．The importance of logical thinking |
Hearing live music is one of the most pleasurable experiences available to human beings. The music sounds great, but it sounds greater when you get to watch the musicians as they create it. No matter what kind of music you love, try listening to it live.
This guide focuses on classical music, a tradition that originated before recordings, radio, and the Internet, back when all music was live music. In those days live human beings performed for other live human beings, with everybody together in the same room. When heard in this way, classical music can have a special excitement. Hearing classical music in a concert can leave you feeling refreshed and energized. It can be fun. It can be romantic. It can be spiritual.
Classical music concerts can seem like snobby (高傲的) affairs full of foreign terms and unusual behavior. It can be hard to understand what’s going on. It can be hard to know how to act. But don’t worry. Concerts are no stranger than any other amusement, and the rules of behavior are much simpler and easier to understand than the stock market, football, or system software upgrades.
If you haven’t been to a live concert before, or if you’ve been confused by concerts, this guide will explain, so you can relax and enjoy the music.From Paragraph 1, we can see that the author encourages us _______.
| A．to watch the musicians to compose music |
| B．to experience the spirit of classical music |
| C．to attend live concerts and enjoy live music |
| D．to obtain pleasure from different kinds of music |
Which of the following can replace the underlined word “originated” in Paragraph 2?
| A．listened | B．started |
| C．performed | D．disappeared |
The author considers that live classical music _______.
| A．is full of foreign terms |
| B．is too difficult to understand |
| C．is stranger than other amusements |
| D．is exciting to both players and listeners |
The passage is _____ which focuses on live classical music.
| A．a review | B．a conclusion |
| C．a summary | D．an introduction |
It was a sunny winter day. I had gone down the tower when a blind man came toward me. He kept close to the wall, touching it lightly with his arm. I stood still and looked at him walking toward the tower.
"What does a blind man want to climb up the tower for?" I wondered, "Not the view (景色) certainly, perhaps he wants to jump. "Thinking of this terrible reason, I thought I should follow him.
He went up slowly and stopped from time to time. I followed him a few steps behind. When he got to the first corner of the bell tower, I came close to him. "Excuse me," I said as politely as I could, "but I wonder why you came up."
"You'd never guess." he said.
"Not the view or the fresh air on this winter day?"
"No." he said.
"Tell me, then."
He smiled, "Perhaps climbing up the tower. You have noticed - and yet, not being blind, perhaps you won't - how the sun shines into the tower through the windows here and there, so that one can feel the cool steps suddenly become quite warm, even in winter. But behind the wall there is shade (阴影). There is no place so good as this for feeling the difference between light and darkness. Though I'm blind, I also want to feel the happiness brought by the sunlight. In fact, it isn't my first time to be here." He said and seemed as pleased as a child.
I had never thought that even a blind man could have his way to enjoy the beautiful life. But we often paid no attention to its value because we never lost it.
We went down the tower together and I left him. From then on, I began to treasure what life has given me.The winter met the blind man on .
| A．a sunny winter day | B．a rainy winter day |
| C．a sunny summer day | D．a rainy summer day |
The writer thought the blind man wanted to .
| A．see the view | B．breathe the fresh air |
| C．warm himself | D．jump off the tower |
What did the writer learn from the blind man?
| A．To take exercise | B．To feel happiness |
| C．To enjoy sunlight | D．To treasure life |
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