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, it’s worth the time spent sewing,” she says.
1.What made Amy feel sad when she was staying with her daughter in the hospital?
A.Her daughter’s serious illness.
B.The cries of children in pain.
C.The tiredness from sewing the cape.
D.The illness of children in her daughter’s room.
2.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 children’s illness.
3.According to the passage, we can get that the author’s attitude toward Amy’s behaviour is ________.
A. indifferent B. neutral C. negative D. supportive
4.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
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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.
1.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
2.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.
3.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.
4.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.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Evening Workshops
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.
1.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
2.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.
3.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.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
According to a new US study, couples who expect their children to help care for them in old age should hope they have daughters because they are likely to be twice as attentive overall.
The research by Angelina Grigoryeva, a sociologist at Princeton University, found that, while women provide as much care for their elderly parents as they can manage, men do as little as they can get away with and often leave it to female family members. Her analysis of the family networks of 26,000 older Americans concluded that gender (性别) is the most important predictor(预示物) of whether or not people will actively care for elderly parents.
In a paper being presented at the annual conference of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco, she concludes that simply having a sister makes men statistically likely provide less care.
Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been tracking a cross-section of over-50s for the last decade, she calculated that women provide an average of 12.3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5.6 hours.
“Whereas the amount of elderly parent care daughters provide is associated with limitations they face, such as employment or childcare, sons’ caregiving is associated only with the presence or absence of other helpers, such as sisters or a parent’s spouse(配偶),” she explained.
“Sons reduce their relative caregiving efforts when they have a sister, while daughters increase theirs when they have a brother.”
“This suggests that sons pass on parent caregiving responsibilities to their sisters.”
In the UK, the 2011 census(人口普查) showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities — a figure which has risen by a tenth in a decade.
But many are doing so at the risk of their own health. The census showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a full-time job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their working counterparts(相对应的人) who are not carers.
1.What’s the most important factor to predict if people will actively care for the elderly?
A. Gender. B. Education. C. Career. D. Family networks.
2.The US study finds that ________.
A.sons are twice likely as daughters to care for parents in old age
B.having a sister makes men less likely to do their fair share
C.sons and daughters seem to give equal care to their parents
D.sons are unwilling to leave caregiving responsibilities to female family members
3.What does the author stress in the last paragraph?
A.People should give up their jobs to care for the elderly.
B.Many care providers work longer hours than others.
C.People shouldn’t pass on caring responsibilities to others.
D.Many care providers have potential health problems.
4.The author develops the text by ________.
A.explaining social networks of careers
B.describing people’s experiences
C.analyzing various research and data
D.comparing different gender behavior
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Kids with Special Needs
Kids with special needs refer to any kid who might need extra help because of medical, emotional, or learning problems. For example, disabled kids need wheelchairs. They not only need the equipment that helps them get around, but they might need to have ramps(斜坡) or elevators available. 1.________
Kids with an illness would have special needs, too. 2.________Kids with sight problems might need Braille books to read. Kids with hearing problems might need hearing aids.
__3.______It might be harder to do normal things—like learning to read or just getting around school. The good news is that parents, doctors, nurses, teachers, and others can help. The goal is to help kids be as independent as possible.
Other kids also can be a big help. How? By being a friend. Kids who use a wheelchair or have lots of health problems want friends just as you do. But meeting people and making friends can be difficult. 4.________
Be sure to tell a teacher if you see someone being bullied(欺侮) or teased.
_5._______ You might carry the person’s books or do something simple, such as asking him or her to join you and your friends at lunch. It’s also important not to be “overly helpful” when no help is needed. Why? Because just like you, kids with special needs like to be as independent as they can be.
Being friendly to kids with special needs is one of the best ways to be helpful. As you get to know, they may help you understand what it’s like to be in their shoes. And you’ll be helping fill a very special need, one that everybody has—the need for good friends.
A.Some kids might laugh at or make fun of them.
B.They also might need to get a special bus to school.
C.Life can be challenging for a kid with special needs.
D.It’s good manners to try to offer help to kids with special needs.
E.Also try to be helpful if you know someone with special needs.
F.Kids with special needs usually live a harder life than normal kids.
G.They might need medicine or other help as they go about their daily activities.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
完形填空
阅读下面短文。从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和 D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳 选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
One day I was taking a bus. The driver didn't _________to start the bus soon because it was not yet _________. A middle-aged woman got on. Tired and sad, she told her story _________, not to anyone particular. On her way to the station, half of her _________ was stolen. The other half was hidden under her blouse, so she _________still had some left. A few minutes later, she stopped crying, but still looked _________.
When all the seats were taken, the driver started the engine. The conductor began to collect the fares. When she came to an old man in worn-out clothes, he_________that he had spent all his money as he accidentally got on a wrong bus and now was trying to go home. On hearing this, she ordered the old man to _________ the bus. The old man was almost in tears as he _________ her to let him take the bus home. The driver took the conductor's side and repeated the conductor's _________.
The woman was watching the incident. _________the driver and the conductor raised their voices at the old man, she interfered.
“Stop _________ him! Can't you see he's only trying to get home” “He doesn't have any money!” the driver _________.“Well, that's no _________ to throw him off the bus.” She insisted.
Then she reached inside her blouse, took out the _________ money, and handed it to the conductor. “Here's his fare and mine. Just stop giving him a _________time.
All heads turned to the woman. “It's only money,” she shrugged.
She rode the rest of her way home _________ a happy smile, with the money she'd lost earlier _________. On the road of life, the help of strangers can _________ our loads and lift our spirits. How much sweeter the _________ will be when we make it a little smoother for others!
1.A. try B. intend C. decide D. care
2.A. empty B. ready C. crowded D. full
3.A. carefully B. seriously C. tearfully D. calmly
4.A. money B. possession C. fare D. wealth
5.A. strangely B. happily C. fortunately D. secretly
6.A. unsatisfied B. weak C. excited D. unhappy
7.A. explained B. declared C. admitted D. found
8.A. get off B. get over C. get on D. get into
9.A. thanked B. scolded C. praised D. begged
10.A. command B. action C. suggestion D. request
11.A. Unless B. When C. Until D. Although
12.A. attacking B. wronging C. blaming D. bothering
13.A. warned B. whispered C. repeated D. shouted
14.A. problem B. need C. reason D. matter
15.A. spending B. lost C. remaining D. borrowed
16.A. busy B. hard C. cold D. fearful
17.A. giving B. taking C. wearing D. forcing
18.A. forgotten B. used C. earned D. returned
19.A. move B. increase C. lighten D. carry
20.A. world B. journey C. smile D. friendship
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下列材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1 个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Two little children were sitting by the fire one cold winter’s night. Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door. “Who can it be?” they wondered. One ran 1.________ (curious) to open it. There, outside in the cold and the darkness, stood a child 2.________no shoes on his feet and dressed in old thin garments. He was trembling with cold, 3.________ he asked to come in and warm himself.
“Yes, come,” cried both the children. They drew the little stranger to their warm seat, 4.________(share) their supper with him, and gave him their bed, and they slept on a hard bench.
On the night, they 5.________ (awake) by sweet music, 6. ________ was played by a band of children in shining garments. Suddenly the stranger child stood in front of 7.________: no longer cold and ragged, but dressed in silvery light. He said, “I am the Christ Child, 8.________(wander) through the world to bring peace and 9.________ (happy) to good children as you. As you have helped me so much, this tree will give rich fruit to you every year.”
When he was saying that, he broke 10._________ branch from the tree that grew near the door, planted it in the ground and disappeared. But the branch grew into a great tree, and every year it bore wonderful golden fruit for the kind children.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有 10 处语 言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改 10 处，多者(从第 11 处起)不计分。
I’m very glad to have received the letter you sent me two weeks before. I have been thought about the question raised in your letter. In my opinion, you should go back after you finish your studies at abroad. For one thing, that you are studying is badly needed nowadays in our country. It will be quite easily for you to find a good job. In fact, I know that a few big company in our city hope to hire people like you. For another, I think it will be more convenient for you look after your parents because they are getting older and older. And this is only my point of view. It is up to me to make a right choice.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
假设你叫李华，你将作为高三毕业生代表，根据以下要点在毕业晚会上用英文做一简短的告别演讲：
1. 对三年高中生活的怀念；
2. 对老师的感谢；
3. 对母校的祝福。
注意：1. 词数 100 左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头已经给出，不计入总词数。
My dear teachers and fellow students,
In a couple of weeks, we’ll say goodbye to our mother school.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析