高中英语阅读理解

A． FREE AT LAST
The author，Matthew Hunt，who spent half of his life in jail for a crime he did not do，has written the moving story of his lengthy fight to be set free．Now out of prison，he has taken the advice of judge to describe his experience in the book．
Call Tom at 23233388．Free delivery for the book．
B． WANTED
A 3-bedroom apartment in the city center is for rent．Very comfortable home with great garden．Free parking．49 bus stops directly outside the apartment．
Rent fee below $ 800 per month．Call Tony at 38363688
C． SINGLE CLUB
A club for singles who are looking for new friends．
Ages: 25-4 S
Activities: parties，meals，swimming，concerts，dances…
Time: We meet every Thursday at 8:30 p．m．
Address: 19 Jiangnan Road．
Tele: 34283488
D． SUNSHINE CLUB
Join us for a 10-mile country walk on Saturday，October 11th．Experienced guide offers some advice on how to keep fit．
Children and pets are welcome．
Meet at the No．I Super Market at 2 p．m．
Call at 68484866
E．SUMMER JOB
Do you like to talk with people？ Do you like to write stories？ Do you want to develop your imagination？ Do you have something special to share with the readers？ Do you want to work for a magazine？ Then come and work for us as a reporter．
Please call Laura at 55558888
F．GREEN TEAHOUSE
This teahouse is designed for couples--most of the tables are for two．And all the tables look different．Good music and excellent atmosphere．The food is a little expensive，but the service is the best．Free car parking．
Please call at 75658318 for reservation．
请阅读以下读者的相关信息，然后匹配他／她感兴趣的广告。
Adam has just graduated from Beijing University recently，He would like to be a newspaperman．
Summer holiday is coming．Silvia is looking for a book．She likes reading true stories which people have written about themselves．She's particularly interested in people who have had unusual or difficult lives．
It is Mr．Brown and his wife's third wedding anniversary．He plans to invite his wife out to a romantic place to celebrate．
Anthony is on a business trip to Brighton．His wife and the five-year-old daughter are coming with him．They will stay there for 3 months．They figure it would be cheaper to rent a house than live in a hotel．They want to find a house with convenient transportation in the center of the city．
Susan is a famous dancer with attractive figure．She is putting on weight these days，though．She is anxious to take some efficient action．

According to Warranty Limitations， a product can be under warranty if ______．
A． shipped from a Canadian factor
B． rented for home use
C． repaired by the user himself
D． used in the U．S．A．
According to Owner’s Responsibilities， an owner has to pay for ______．

A．the loss of the sales receipt

B．a servicer’s overtime work

C．the product installation

D．a mechanic's transportation

Which of the following is true according to the warranty？

A．Consequential damages are excluded across America．

B．A product damaged in a natural disaster is covered by the warranty．

C．A faulty cabinet due to rust can be replaced free in the second year．

D．Free repair is available for a product used improperly in the first year．

Why does the writer mention Warranty Limitations ？

A．To arouse the readers’ attention

B．Users must know something about the product in case that you are involved in some problems

C．Users must know something about the product．

D．Know something about the products used on a commercial or rental basis

What can we know from the passage？

A．It informs all aspects of the Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product about the warranty

B．Anything wrong about the Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product can be in warranty．

C．Servicer can use the Home Laundry Automatic Dryer Product freely

D．Service must be performed by an Amana servicer．

Consumer electronics once again topped the list of the most wanted gifts this holiday season．“Seventy-six percent of consumers who plan to buy holiday gifts say that they will spend money buying at least one technology product; definitely a solid vote of confidence for technology．” Steve Koenig is with the Consumer Electronics Association． He says the group’s latest research also shows that Americans this year are spending more on technology products．
“Here in 2012，$252 on average–the technology spend for consumers this year．” From tablet computers to smart phones， American shoppers have been lining up to get the newest and coolest electronic devices on the market． There are more choices today than ever before．“It’s kind of hard to make a decision．”
Tablet computers are one of the best-selling products this year． Brian Tong is Senior Editor of CNET． com． The website reports on tech news and examines the latest electronic products． He says the Apple iPad Mini is one of the most popular tablets． Its starting price is $329．One of Apple’s biggest competitors is the Google Nexus 7．It starts at $199．
“The hardware inside is more powerful than what’s in the iPad Mini， but also it offers you a lot of things like maps that work better than Apple’s maps．” Brian Tong says there is one reason why people may like the iPad Mini more than the Nexus 7．“If you just want to read books and surf the Internet， you don’t really need to get an iPad Mini， but if you want the largest group of apps that’s where the iPad and Apple’s ecosystem shines the most．”
Elman Chacon is with the electronics store Best Buy．He says another hot product this season is smart cameras． They connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi． This makes it easy for users to email or upload photographs directly from the camera． “You can literally take a picture， upload it into your Facebook in a matter of seconds． These things are pretty cool because they do a lot of things．”
Streaming media boxes also connect to the Internet．People are able to watch web content such as movies and YouTube videos on their televisions．Another popular item is wireless speaker systems．The newest ones work with any device that has Bluetooth technology，including smart phones，laptops and tablets．
With the growing popularity of Internet shopping，many consumers will visit a store first to look at a product，and then go online to find it at a lower price．Stores like Best Buy understand that and they want to stay competitive．
“We have something called the perfect match promise which means if you buy a certain device and you find it cheaper within 30 days we’ll go ahead and price match that for you．” Elman Chacon said．
According to Brain Tong，________．

A．the Apple’s iPad Mini is more suitable for enthusiastic readers

B．the hardware in iPad Mini is more advanced than that in Nexus 7

C．iPad Mini is more eco-friendly

D．Nexus 7 has fewer apps than iPad Mini

If you’ve discovered that a certain device you bought at Best Buy is more expensive than one at another store，________．

A．you are sure to get double the amount you paid

B．the store will return the price differences

C．you can return the device and get your money back

D．the store will lower the price within 30 days

Which of the following would be the best gift for a cab driver？

A．Smart cameras．

B．Streaming media boxes．

C．Tablet computers．

D．Wireless speaker systems．

What is true about the smart cameras？

A．To show the varieties of products

B．The smart cameras are more powerful

C．It can make the users upload their photographs easily

D．The smart cameras makes it more convenient to go on Internet

From the passage ，we can infer _______．

A．Electronics have become one of the biggest consumer industries in the US．

B．There are many electronics in the United States．

C．The US becomes the Number One electronics consumers．

D．We can buy much cheaper products in US．

Alibaba started taking the lead in China， simply enough， by connecting big Chinese manufacturers（制造商） with big buyers across the world． Its business-to-business site， Alibaba． com allowed business to buy almost everything． Alibaba’s advantage wasn’t hard to identify: size． Alibaba is just big， even by Chinese standards． Its marketplaces attract 231 million active buyers，8 million sellers，11．3 billion orders a year—and Alibaba is just the middleman．  It encourages people to use its markets—not charging small sellers a percentage of the sale．
If you want a quick look into the influence of Alibaba on daily Chinese life，take my experience．I moved to Beijing almost a year ago and quickly got tired of visiting small stores across the crowded，polluted city of 20 million people in search of new electronics，bathroom furnishings，and anything else my wife wanted． “You’re looking for what exactly？ Why not try it？ ” my Chinese teacher asked me one day．With that，my wonderful new relationship with Alibaba began．
Alibaba’s original business-to-business model now is secondary to consumer buying．Chinese retail（零售）buying makes up 80% of Alibaba’s profit，and leading that group is Taobao，with 800 million items for sale and the most unbelievable selection of things you’ll ever find． TMall．com is Alibaba’s other big site，where you can find brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices．
What I have a hard time explaining to friends and family back in the U．S．is how China has gone beyond traditional shopping—big-box retailers especially —in favor of online purchases on Taobao and a few other sites．In smaller towns than Beijing，where big retailers have not yet traveled，shopping online is shopping，and shopping is Taobao．
I have a list of some of my recent purchases on Taobao for a sense of how extensive the marketplace is．Almost everything arrived a day or two after ordering with free shipping．I’m not even a big buyer，because I need friends to help me search the Chinese-language site．When I was searching my purchase history on my Chinese teacher’s iPad，which helps me buy goods，I looked through with great difficulty about 10 of her purchases for every one of mine．
Alibaba’s advantage mainly lies in ___________．

A．its big size

B．its business-to-business service

C．its not charging small sellers

D．its low price

What can we learn from the underlined sentence in the passage？

A．Alibaba is of middle size among all the online sites

B．Alibaba will continue to develop．

C．Alibaba stands out as the best online site．

D．Alibaba acts as a bridge between the buyers and sellers．

What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A．a new store

B．Alibaba

C．a business

D．a foreign website

What can be inferred from the passage？

A．The author’s Chinese teacher is also an online purchase lover．

B．Taobao has no obvious advantage over other similar online sites．

C．Alibaba’s business-to-business service earns more money than retail now．

D．TMall．com provides more profit than Taobao．

What is the passage mainly about？

A．Shopping online is TaoBao．

B．The influence of shopping online goes beyond traditional shopping．

C．Alibaba greatly influences people’s daily purchase in China．

D．How the author purchases online in China．

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was born Agatha May Clarissa Miller in Devon，England in 1890，the youngest of three children in a conservative，well-to-do family．Taught at home by a governess and tutors，as a child Agatha Christie never attended school．She became skillful at creating games to keep herself occupied at a very young age．A bashful child，unable to adequately express her feelings，she first turned to music as a means of expression and，later in life，to writing．
In 1914，at the age of 24，she married Archie Christie， a World War I fighter pilot． While he was off at war， she worked as a nurse． It was while working in a hospital during the war that Christie first came up with the idea of writing a detective novel． Although it was completed in a year， it wasn’t published until 1920，five years later．
“The mysterious Affair at Styles” gave the world the unique Hercule Poirot， a retired Belgian police officer who was to become one of the most enduring characters in all of fiction． With his waxed moustache and his “little grey cell，” he was “meticulous (careful to do things correctly)，a tidy little man， always neat， orderly and a bit absurd． ”
Christie wrote more than 30 novels featuring Poirot． Among the most popular were” The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”(1926)，“Murder on the Orient Expredd”(1934)，and “Death on the Nile” (1937)．
Another of Christie’s most well-known and beloved characters was introduced in “Murder at the Vicarage” in 1930．Miss Jane Marple， an elderly single in the old- fashioned English village of St． Mary Mead， solved all manner of mysteries with intense concentration and instinct．
Christies ultimately (finally)became the acknowledged Queen of the Golden Age． In all， she wrote over 66 novel， numerous short stories and screenplays， and a series of romantic novels using the pen name Mary Westmacott． Several of her works were made into successful feature films， the most notable being Murder on the Orient Express (1974)．In short， she is the single most popular mystery writer of all time． In 1971 she was awarded the high honor of becoming a Dame of the British Empire．
Which of the following is the correct order in which the events happened？
A． Agatha became a Dame of The British Empire．
B． Agatha worked as a nurse
C． The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published．
D． Murder on the Vicarage Express was published
e． Murder on the Orient Express was filmed
f． Archie Christie went to the front as a fighter pilot．
A． f-b-d-c-e-a
B． f-b-c-d-a-e
C． f-d-b-c-a-e
D． f-d-c-b-e-a
What does the underlined word “bashful” probably mean？

A．Shy	B．Conservative
C．Stupid	D．Sensitive

Mary Westmacott is_________________．

A．Agatha’s governess

B．the name of Agatha’s novel

C．another name for Agatha

D．the heroine of Agatha’s novel

Which of the following is NOT true about Hercule Poirot？

A．He was once a policeman

B．He paid much attention to details

C．He sometimes seems rather foolish

D．He solved mysterious with a sixth sense

In Agatha Christie’s life， What were the most popular novels that she wrote？

A．biography

B．detective novel

C．romantic fiction

D．science fiction

Only two countries in the advanced world provide no guarantee for paid leave from work to care for a newborn child． Last spring one of the two，Australia， gave up the bad distinction by setting up paid family leave starting in 2011．I wasn’t surprised when this didn’t make the news here in the United States—we’re now the only wealthy country without such a policy．
The United States does have one explicit family policy， the Family and Medical Leave Act， passed in 1993．It entitles workers to as much as 12 weeks’ unpaid leave for care of a newborn or dealing with a family medical problem． Despite the modesty of the benefit， the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups fought it bitterly， describing it as “government-run personnel management” and a “dangerous precedent（先例）．” In fact， every step of the way， as (usually) Democratic leaders have tried to introduce work-family balance measures into the law， business groups have been strongly opposed．
As Yale law professor Anne Alstott argues， justifying parental support depends on defining （定义） the family as a social good that， in some sense， society must pay for． Parents are burdened in many ways in their lives: there is “no exit” when it comes to children． Society expects—and needs—parents to provide their children with continuity of care． And society expects—and needs—parents to persist in their roles for 18 years， or longer if needed．
What do we learn about paid family leave according to Paragraph 1？

A．It came as a surprise when Australia adopted the policy．

B．Setting up this policy made Australia less influential．

C．It has now become a hot topic in the United States．

D．No such policy is applied in the United States．

What makes it hard to take work-family balance measures in the States？

A．The incompetence of the Democrats．

B．The opposition from business circles．

C．The lack of a precedent in American history．

D．The existing Family and Medical Leave Act．

What is Professor Anne Alstott’s argument for parental support？

A．Children need continuous care．

B．Good parenting benefits society．

C．The cost of raising children has been growing．

D．The U．S．should keep up with other developed countries．

Why is the author against classifying parenting as a personal choice？

A．Parenting is regarded as a moral duty．

B．Parenting relies largely on social support．

C．Parenting produces huge moral benefits．

D．Parenting is basically a social responsibility．

The Loss of Innocence
Innocence is such a precious gift． It’s explained as freedom from guilt or wrong doing． Just imagine never having to worry about anything and having a guilt free mind． Some people wish to save this kind of innocence from being lost from childhood to adulthood．
What would the world be like if innocence were never lost？One way it would benefit humanity is the lack of hatred （仇恨）among the world． During youth，there may be an occasional argument， even a little physical fight， but nothing like firing a handgun at a fellow human being． And children are blind towards the racial differences of others． A kid will hang out with any other kid． It is the lack of innocence and the ignorance we learn from adults that influence children otherwise． Another benefit is the constant desire for fun and adventure． With very little if any time at all for fun， the adventurous mind is lost in time with the responsibilities placed upon adults．If innocence were kept alive， these ambitions would never depart from our lives．
However， other people actually hate the idea of innocence lasting forever． They feel that the lack of organization and mental power of those with innocence would cause extremely destructive consequences to society in general． A large number of individuals would never have the urge to learn，work， and act upon the necessary needs for humanity to survive． Without a proper education which is usually provided by those who no longer live in a world of innocence， people would not have the desire to succeed， get a good job in life， or provide income for their families， which would hurt the lives of children．
The lack of a good education and career would also harm the economy． As long as innocence is kept alive， no one would be terribly angered at the lack of effort people put out in the workplace， resulting in a strong decline in production and quality of needed goods．
Maybe it is wrong in wanting to save innocence． It sure is a nice thought，though． Perhaps innocence was meant to be lost． It was god’s will to make things the way they are， and there is a good purpose for everything． All that remains to be said about innocence is to enjoy it while it lasts．
The author believes that the loss of innocence in adulthood should be _______．

A．avoided

B．condemned

C．accepted

D．inspired

Lifelong innocence would be beneficial to society in that _______．

A．proper education would be provided

B．there would be no racial discrimination

C．more happy families would be guaranteed

D．people would realize their childhood dreams

According to the author， people with innocence can hurt the economy with their lack of _____．

A．motivational will

B．mental ability

C．adventurous ambitions

D．needed goods

Which of the following shows the structure of the passage？

A．

B．

C．

D．

Lights Out at Bedtime
There are plenty of good reasons to power up a personal desktop or laptop computer in the evening — writing e-mails， chatting on social networks or making purchases over the Internet， for instance． But various studies indicate that people who stare at a PC’s bright monitor shortly before going to bed probably sleep less soundly than they would otherwise because the light seriously affects their natural wake-sleep cycle．"They haven't proved it though，" says Dieter Kunz， the team's director at Charite's Psychiatric Clinic in St． Hedwig's Hospital in Berlin．
Similarly， exposure to just 10 minutes of normal bathroom lighting is enough to free the sleep hormone melatonin， which regulates people's natural wake-sleep cycle and makes them sleepy at nightfall．
Ten years ago， a team of British and American researchers detected a photo-pigment（光敏色素） in the human eye that signals to the body whether it is day or night， summer or winter． The photo-pigment is especially sensitive to blue light．
"The blue light more or less tells the body， It's daytime， be awake，'" Kunz says． Monitors have a mostly cold white light content and scientists suspect the photo-pigment may react similarly to it． So the longer people look into the bright light， the more awake they become - and then sleep poorly．
A lot of people have difficulty "switching off" in the evening． About half of the women in Germany and a quarter of the men sleep poorly．
Environmental factors are only one of the possible causes． Job stress as well as personal and health concerns are also the main reasons for their sleep problems．
In addition， electronic objects' standby lights and indicator lamps can be annoying in the dark and affect sleep．"Sound scientific evidence is still lacking on this matter，" Kunz notes．
According to Kunz， those who cannot go without their computer in the evening should turn down the blue content if possible and lower the brightness somewhat．"But nobody does that because， after all， you want to concentrate while working at the computer and the light helps the brain．"
The passage is mainly about ____________．

A．natural wake-up cycles

B．the effect of light on sleep

C．personal and health concerns

D．functions of computer monitors

The underlined word “which” in Paragraph 2 refers to_____．

A．normal bathroom lighting

B．10-minute exposure to lighting

C．the release process of a chemical

D．a chemical affecting one’s sleep cycle

We can learn from the passage that ______．

A．the blue light has a calming effect．

B．the photo-pigment tells people day or night

C．women in Germany use computers more often than men

D．it has been proved that standby lights affect people’s sleep

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。
I had to knock on the taxi to get his attention． Finally， the driver， a man about 60，looked up from behind the wheel and apologized，“I’m sorry， but I was reading a letter．” He sounded as if he had a cold or a cough．
Since I was in no hurry， I told him to finish his letter． He shook his head， explaining that he had already read it several times and almost knew it by heart． Curious， I asked whether it was from a child or maybe a grandchild． “This isn’t family，”he replied． “though he might just as well have been a regular member of the family． Old Edand I grew up together．”
They were always friends． But since he moved away from the neighborhood 30 years ago， it’d generally just been postcards at Christmas time between them． A couple of weeks ago， Ed died． “I should have kept in touch．” He repeated this， more to himself than to me． To comfort him， I said sometimes we just didn’t seem to find the time．“But we used to find the time，” he said． “Take a look．” He handed the letter over to me．
The first sentence “I’ve been meaning to write for some time， but I’ve always delayed it．” reminded me of myself． It went on to say that he often thought about the good times they had had together． When I read the part where it said “Your friendship really means a lot to me， more than I can say because I’m not good at saying things like that”，I found myself nodding in agreement．
We had gone several kilometers and were almost at my hotel, so I read the last paragraph: “So I thought you’d like to know that I was thinking of you.” And it was ended with “Your Old Friend, Tom.”
“I thought your friend’s name was Ed,” I said.
“I’m Tom,” he explained. “It’s a letter I wrote to Ed before I knew he’d died. I never put it in the mailbox. I guess I should have written it sooner.” His face was pale as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.
When I got to my hotel room I didn’t unpack right away． I had to write a letter and post it．
Who wrote the letter？
A． Tom
B． Old ED．
C． The author．
D． The driver’s grandchild．
It can be inferred from the passage that the driver regretted_____．

A．missing Ed’s funeral

B．moving away from his neighborhood

C．forgetting to send Ed Christmas cards

D．not being able to keep in touch with Ed

From Paragraph 4，we learn that the author _______．

A．often fails to write to his friends

B．has no intention to write to his friends

C．had many great moments with his friends

D．was good at expressing his feelings to friends

What message does the passage probably try to convey？

A．Comfort your friends when they are feeling down．

B．Life is unpredictable so live each day as if it were your last．

C．Remember to always mail your letters after expressing your words．

D．Always make time to value and experience your lasting friendships．

When I heard the piano, I walked to Mrs. Windsor’s house and waited outside as I always did. That meant she was working with another student, and I was not supposed to bother them by ringing the bell. I stood against the wall and daydreamed what I’d rather be doing. “Almost anything”, I sighed dejectedly. I had been tutored enough to read, understand, and even write some musical compositions, but I just didn’t have a gift for it. It didn’t come to me naturally. I thought back to happier times when I was writing stories and acting them out with my friends, cutting up old clothes to make dresses that performers wear in plays, and building scenery out of old things we found. But Mrs. Windsor had offered to give me the lessons for free, so I felt my duty to try.
The door opened and Wendy Barton came out. I walked in, sat down on the piano bench and began to sort through my sheet music.
“Hello,” I heard a voice behind me say softly. I turned around to see a little girl standing behind me, eating an apple. But before I could make any response, Mrs. Windsor walked into the room in her usual urgent manner and announced,“Jennifer, this is my niece, Pasha. Pasha, this is Jennifer. Pasha will be giving you your lesson today. I’m up to my ears in something else!” she then exited to the kitchen.
Pasha set her apple down on the side table and slid beside me on the piano bench.
“What piece do you like best?”she asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “They’re all the same to me. I don’t know.
“You mean you don’t have a favorite?”
“No, not really.”
Pasha looked at me, rather puzzled, then opened my sheet music to the beginning page and asked me to play. I arranged my fingers on the keys and studied the notes on the page for a moment. Then I frowned and concentrated to make the notes on the page match the finger movements. I have to admit I was a rather mechanical pianist.
After about a page or two, Pasha gently put her hand on top of mine as if to calm my fingers. There was a long pause. “What are you hearing in the music?” I looked at her rather strangely and admitted I didn’t know what she meant.
“Like a story. What story is being playing out within the music?”
“I guess I’ve never thought about it before. I don’t know.”
“Here, let me try and you listen,” Pasha advised.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting her fingers dance lightly over the keys. Then, she began to play. “See, it begins here beside some kind of river. Hear the water flowing beside you?”
Her fingers rose and fell gently on the keys.“Now the princess appears and she’s picking flowers from the water’s edge.”A carefree, happy piece of music filled the air in time to Pasha’s dancing fingers. “Oh, but she slips!”The music changed. “And our princess is being carried off by the fast-flowing stream. Quickly, the princess’s horse sees her plight (困境),” Pasha continued, and races to the river’s edge where he swims out to let her catch hold of him. They make it to the bank and she hugs her faithful horse and swears she will never again wear princess skirts that weigh her down. She will only wear jeans and T-shirt from now on.” Pasha finished with a big smile and then looked at me.
“Aren’t you the girl who tells the stories?” she asked.
“I guess. I do tell a lot of stories.”
“Oh, yes! All the kids talk about them. I’ve heard about you. Well, all you have to do is learn to hear the stories in the music. That’s all there is to it.”
“I’ve never thought it that way.”
“Let’s try another one, shall we?”Pasha smiled and together we played that afternoon, finding the stories in the music and learning that sometimes it takes a friend to pull you out of the river onto dry land again.
The underlined word “dejectedly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______

A．nervously	B．desperately
C．impatiently	D．unhappily

Jennifer got lost in thought when she ________

A．played the piano with Pasha for the first time

B．listened to Pasha tell her story about the princess

C．remembered happier times of writing stories and acting them out

D．discovered that Mrs. Windsor’s niece would be giving the piano lesson

By describing herself as a mechanical pianist, the author showed ______

A．she could remember the notes in a short time

B．she was playing the piano without thinking

C．Pasha was showing off her skills

D．it had been a long time since she played last time

Which of the following can best describe Pasha?

A．Creative	B．Naughty
C．Humorous	D．Brave

Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Never Give up	B．A Piano Lesson
C．Why I Hated Playing the Piano	D．A Friend for Ever

This text would be probably found in ______

A．a collection of stories about friendship and learning

B．a book of daily records about famous young musicians

C．a magazine series about the challenges of overcoming fears

D．a series of newspaper articles about musical instruments

The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphone, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic (怀旧的)skill. However, while today’s educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful---both in school and in life.
Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.
Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks---both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.
In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to know well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.
Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct then over time.
“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won’t have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”
What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?

A．The absence of blackboard in classroom

B．The use of new technologies in teaching.

C．The lack of practice in handwriting.

D．The popular use of smartphones.

Berninger’s study published in 2009 ___________.

A．focused on the difference between writing by hand and on a computer.

B．indicated that students prefer to write with a pen and paper.

C．found that good essays are made up of long sentences.

D．discussed the importance of writing speed.

Which of the following best shows the role of spelling?

A．Spelling improves one’s memory of words.

B．Spelling ability is closely related to writing ability.

C．Spelling benefits the translation from words into ideas.

D．Spelling slows down finding exact words to express ideas.

What does “mind’s eye” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Window.	B．Soul
C．Picture.	D．Imagination.

What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?

A．Computers can help people with their choice of words.

B．Spell checks can take the place of spelling teaching.

C．Handwriting still has a place in today’s classrooms.

D．Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade.

You're not doomed to toss and turn every night. Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that relate to your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips.
No. 1: Stick to a sleep schedule
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces （加强） your body's sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. If you don't fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing. Go back to bed when you're tired.
No. 2: Pay attention to what you eat and drink
Don't go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine — which take hours to wear off — can ruin quality sleep.
No. 3: Create a bedtime ritual
Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to light music. Be careful of using the TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime has impact on sleep.
No. 4: Get comfortable
Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to you. If you have children or pets, set limits on how often they sleep with you — or insist on separate sleeping quarters.
No. 5: Limit daytime naps
Long daytime naps can affect nighttime sleep — especially if you're struggling with poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the mid-afternoon.
If you work nights, you'll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight — which adjusts your internal clock — doesn't interrupt your daytime sleep.
No. 6: Include physical activity in your daily routine
Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is important, though. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep. If this seems to be an issue for you, exercise earlier in the day.
No. 7: Manage stress
When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace to your life, consider healthy ways to manage stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and dividing tasks. Give yourself permission to take a break when you need one. Share a good laugh with an old friend.
Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night — but if you often have trouble sleeping, contact your doctor. Identifying and treating any underlying causes can help you get the better sleep you deserve.
Which of the following is helpful to have quality sleep at night?

A．listening to light music before bed

B．working out in the gym only in the day time

C．using expensive pillows that sell well

D．drinking lots of water instead of coffee before bed

Which of the following sleep tips is not mentioned in the passage?

A．Control your daytime sleep time.

B．Adopt healthy ways to handle stress.

C．Follow a flexible sleep timetable.

D．Schedule your daily physical activities.

According to the passage, in what situation do you need to contact your doctor?

A．You can not nap in the day time.

B．You frequently have trouble sleeping.

C．You do not fall asleep within 15 minutes.

D．You have too much to think about before bed.

What’s the purpose of this passage?

A．To provide advice on promoting better sleep at night.

B．To inform readers of different sleep habits before bed.

C．To offer tips on various relaxing activities before bed.

D．To convince readers of the importance of quality sleep at night.

Tens of thousands of ancient pictures carved into the rocks at one of France’s most important tourist sites are being gradually destroyed. Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations.
The mountain, believed to have once been a site for prayer, is scattered (散布) with 4,000-year-old drawings cut into bare rock. They include pictures of cows with horns, cultivated fields (耕地) and various gods and goddesses. But as the popularity of the site increases, the pictures are being ruined by thoughtless graffiti (涂鸦).
Jean Clottes is the chairman of the International Committee on Rock Art. He says, “People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there. But if the damage continues at this rate there will be nothing left in 50 years.”
He describes seeing tourists stamping on the drawings, wearing away the rock and definition (清晰) of the artwork as they do so. Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs. “When people think they can’t take a good enough photograph, they rub the drawings to get a clearer picture,” he said. “The drawings are polished by the weather, and if the sun is shining and the visitors can’t see them properly they simply rub them to make them look fresher.” Other researchers describe how people arrive carrying long sticks with sharp ends to scratch (刮) their own drawings, or even their names, in the rocks.
But experts are divided over the best way to preserve the drawings. Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a “no-go” area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours. Otherwise, he says, not only will the site be completely destroyed but important research work will be reduced.
Clottes disagrees, “The measure suggested by Henry de Lumley is the most severe, and while it is the most effective, it is also certain to bring about protests from people who live there,” he said. “The site was classified as a historic monument years ago by the Ministry of Culture, and we must do as much as possible to save what is there.”
David Lavergne, the regional architect, also wants to avoid closing the site. “Henry de Lumley’s idea isn’t ideal,” he said. “Our department feels that the best solution is to let people look at the site, but because the area is very big it is difficult to prevent visitors from damaging it. I would prefer that everyone was able to look at it, but the main problem is money. We do not have the funds to employ the necessary number of guards. We may have to consider charging a fee. It doesn’t seem to be possible to get the government support.”
In Nice, Annie Echassoux, who also worked on researching the site, is alarmed that as the mountain becomes easier to reach — tourists can now avoid the three-and-a-half-hour walk by hiring vehicles — the damage will increase rapidly. She thinks that the only solution is to rope off the area and provide guides. “You can’t say the plan can’t go ahead because there is no money,” she said. “That is not good enough. Money must be provided because the Ministry of Culture has classified this area as a historic site. If we don’t take steps, we will be responsible for losing the drawings for the next generation.”
Jean Clottes says that people who visit the mountain____.

A．do not believe the drawings are old.

B．believe they are allowed to paint there

C．think the drawings should be left alone

D．think the drawings will not disappear

According to Jean Clottes, some of the visitors to the area have____.

A．helped to clean the drawings

B．taken bits of the rock home

C．been unable to take photographs

D．misunderstood what the pictures mean

Henry de Lumley is eager to ____.

A．set up research projects

B．protect public rights

C．keep out individual visitors

D．ban traffic in the area

Which word best describes Annie Echassoux’s attitude towards saving the historic site?

A．Supportive.	B．Disappointed.
C．Worried.	D．Hesitant.

This passage has been written about Mont Bego to ____.

A．advertise the closing of the site

B．warn visitors about the dangers of the site

C．encourage scientists to visit the site

D．describe fears for the future of the site

In 2009, the Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers were invited to perform in Belgium, France, Germany, and Luxemburg. In 2011, they were voted as one of the world’s top five performance groups by audiences of Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s Amazing Voice program.
Thinking back the group’s first tour in Europe, Camake Valaule, a physical education teacher and the founder of the Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers, admitted that he felt very nervous. He was worried that the audience would fall asleep since most of the 75-minute performance was a cappella, that is, singing without instrumental sound. Surprisingly, the audience listened with full focus and high spirits. Camake said, “They told me afterward that through our performance, they had a vision of our country, our village, without having to visit it. This experience greatly increased our confidence.”
According to Camake Valaule, singing traditional ballads has helped students and their parents to re-understand their culture. “It used to be that the only ones who could sing these songs were tribal elders aged between 50 and 60. Now with the children performing the pieces, parents are beginning to ask, ‘Why do we not know how to sing these ballads?’ Many times nowadays, it is the children who teach the songs to their parents, putting back the pieces of a blurred memory.”
Winning international fame, however, was neither the original intention nor the main reason why Camake founded the group in 2006. The most important thing was to make children understand why they sing these songs and to preserve and pass on their culture. Referring to the relocation of Taiwu Elementary School and Taiwu Village following Typhoon Morakot in August 2009, Camake said, “We could not take the forest or our houses in the mountains with us; but we were able to bring our culture along. As long as the children are willing to sing, I will always be there for them, singing with them and leading them to experience the meaning of the ballads.”
Which of the following is true about Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers?

A．The group was first established in 2009.

B．The group was founded by a PE teacher.

C．The singers usually sing popular folk songs.

D．The singers learn to sing from their parents.

On his first trip to Europe, why did Camake think the audience might fall asleep?

A．The average age of the audience was between fifty and sixty.

B．Most of the performance was not accompanied by any instrument.

C．Nobody could understand the language and the meaning of the songs.

D．The audience could not visualize the theme sung by the school children.

What does the underlined part “the pieces of a blurred memory” in the third paragraph most likely refer to?

A．The fading memories about old tribal people.

B．The children’s ignorance of their own tradition.

C．The broken pieces of knowledge taught at school.

D．The parents’ vague understanding of their own culture.

What did Camake realize after the incident of Typhoon Morakot?

A．The significance of the relocation of Taiwu Elementary School.

B．The need to respect nature to avoid being destroyed by it.

C．The importance of passing on the traditional culture.

D．The consequence of building houses in the forest.

Are you trying to learn a new language in a foreign land? You might be better off if you stopped looking at that picture of your family and friends.
New research from Columbia University found that prompting (提示) someone who is learning a new language with images and reminders of their own culture could temporarily ruin everything that the brain was trying to build.
When native Chinese students were asked to talk with a Caucasian avatar (白种人的虚拟头像) and a Chinese avatar, their English skills were so different. Simply exposing students to a Chinese person affected their ability to speak English. Subjects who talked with the Chinese version felt more comfortable in their speech, but they produced 11% fewer words per minute. They actually became less fluent speakers.
To make sure it wasn’t just the avatar, researchers also showed people random images of China while the participants told a story. When pictures of their homeland appeared, fluency dropped 16% and volunteers were 85% more likely to use a literal (照字面的) translation, for example, calling pistachios “happy nuts”, because that’s literally what the Chinese word for pistachio means.
When the students were shown pictures of fish with one swimming ahead of the others, their culture would change how they look at the photo. With Chinese prompt, like photos of the Great Wall or Chinese Dragon, etc. they saw more students thinking that the fish was being chased, while an American prompt, like pictures of Marilyn Monroe or Superman, saw those students believing that it was a leader fish.
The bottom line is: when attempting to learn a new culture it is far better to surround yourself with that culture than create an island of the old one.
Why does the author use a question in the first paragraph?

A．To raise a question.

B．To arouse readers’ awareness.

C．To introduce the topic.

D．To tell a story.

The underlined word “pistachios” in the fourth paragraph refers to ______.

A．pictures	B．volunteers
C．an image	D．a kind of food

From the passage we can infer that ______.

A．different images would change with different people

B．different cultures would affect how students look at the photo

C．with Chinese prompts, more students thought that it was a leader fish

D．with an American prompt, more students thought that the fish was being chased

According to the research, which is a better way for a student in a foreign land to learn a new culture?

A．To surround himself with that culture.

B．To create an island of the old one.

C．To see random images of China.

D．To talk with a Caucasian avatar.