Here are two places that you may want to pay a visit to.
Sark, Channel Islands
This is one of the few places in the world where tradition still stands and the traditional ways are fully respected. The roads here remain not cemented（铺水泥）, and are not even paved, and they are completely dark at night as there are no street lights. The residents of Sark are not allowed to drive cars, and if they do, they have to keep them outside Sark. The transportation you can use in Sark includes your legs, bicycles or a horse-drawn carriage. There are no motor vehicles here.
There are many activities you can enjoy here during the day, but when the night comes, the only thing you can do outside is look at the sky, which is really great. Because of the lack of artificial lights, the stars are very clearly visible.
Hyderabad, India
This southeastern city of India was the city where one of the wealthiest people in the world lived, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Now this city is the place where many global IT brands hold their head offices. But it hasn’t lost its historic looks, as it remains surrounded by ancient boulders（大圆石）, and the modern houses recently built are surrounded by traditional gardens and lakes. From the great hotel Taj Falaknuma Palace you can see the Old City where the old Indian tradition is well preserved.
The best time to travel to Hyderabad depends on whether you are going for the city itself, or you wish to go to some of the festivals that take place here. The Hyderabad Literary Festival takes place from the 23rd to the 26th of January, while a festival celebrating various cultures, the Deccan Festival, happens from February 25 to March I.
1.Sark on Channel Islands would most probably attract those who _____.
A. want to go hiking in a mountain
B. are interested in exciting nightlife
C. want to enjoy a very quiet holiday
D. want to visit a city with a long history
2.If you go to Sark on Channel Islands, you can _____.
A. try driving on unpaved roads
B. go everywhere on a motorbike
C. use a horse-drawn carriage for free
D. enjoy the beautiful starry sky at night
3.Why hasn’t Hyderabad lost its historic looks ?
A. Because many old buildings remain there.
B. Because an ancient place still remains there.
C. Because many buildings that are like old ones are built there.
D. Because traditional boulders, gardens and lakes remain there.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If you haven’t played games with an 80-year-old couple, you’re missing out. Each week, my best friend and I hang out with senior citizens. Volunteering at a retirement village provides us with a great opportunity to meet new people and enrich the lives of the people we meet. We have learned so much from talking with senior citizens, and we are blessed to have this opportunity to reach out to those in our community. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing the faces of the elderly light up when we walk into the room.
Though my school only requires 10 community service hours, I have continued to volunteer throughout high school. While our 10-hour requirement is a good start, schools should require more volunteer hours. Volunteering offers students an irreplaceable way to help their communities and expand their knowledge of the world.
Some believe that forcing students to volunteer is defeating the purpose of volunteering, because it’s not volunteering if you are required to do it. However, sometimes students need an extra push to reach out to their communities. It’s because some students don’t know the benefits of volunteering. After they start volunteering, they’ll realize that volunteering can benefit them a lot and they will want to volunteer more.
Through volunteering, I’ve learned many valuable life skills. Besides teaching valuable life skills, volunteering may lead to a part-time job opportunity as well. If students prove their reliability（可靠性）and hard work ethic while volunteering, employers may take that into consideration and offer them a job. My best friend got her summer job after volunteering several summers at the Boy Scout camp.
There are various other benefits of volunteering. Besides making a difference in people’s lives, students develop communication skills and acceptance of others. What’s more, reaching out to others who are less fortunate teaches us to be grateful for what we have.
All in all, volunteering is an extremely rewarding activity which should be required.
1.From Paragraph I we learn the author _____.
A. volunteers to enrich her own life
B. volunteers mainly in order to meet new people
C. enjoys volunteering at the retirement village a lot
D. does various types of volunteering work
2.Which of the following statements would the author most probably agree with ?
A. Every student should help the old in community service.
B. High schools shouldn’t force students to volunteer.
C. 10 community service hours are enough for most students.
D. High schools should require more community service hours.
3.By mentioning her best friend in Paragraph 4, the author shows that volunteering leads to ______.
A. hard work ethic B. better reliability
C. better employers D. part-time work opportunities
4.What would be the best title for the passage ?
A. Why should high school students volunteer ?
B. Why do high school students like volunteering ?
C. How long should high school students volunteer ?
D. What should high school students volunteer to do ?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As a child, I always thought about what the college admissions process would look like for me. I dreamed of the day when I’d get my first acceptance letter, and go on to learn as much as I could about many things as possible.
However, as I got older, my fears of going to college augmented. I’m a senior now, and the college admissions process isn’t exactly what I dreamt of when I was 7 years old. There are deadlines to meet, majors to choose, and how am I going to pay for all of this ? My mind plays tricks on me, convincing that my roommate will hate me and that my classes will be horribly boring and that each day will begin at five in the morning. To be honest, while I have many reasons to be excited for the next journey in my educational pursuits, I’m also scared to death.
I’ve invested hours upon hours studying for AP tests, SATs and ACTs. My peers and I sacrificed our Friday night football games, school dances and field trips to do better in studies in school. But is it all worth it ? What if the promise of college ends up being disappointing rather than a relief ?
In a year from now, my whole life will change. I’ll be a legal adult. My dorm might be in Paris, Los Angeles or Chicago. I’ll be doing my own laundry, cooking my own food and paying for things on my own. I’ll meet entirely new people and say goodbye to others. But isn’t that also the joy of life ? I want to experience joy, heartbreak, first times and new adventures.
College freaks me out, but you know what scares me more ? I must leave my life inside a comfort zone. It’s a big, bright and beautiful world, and I think it’s finally time for me to walk in it with the confidence at this time, I’ll be doing it right.
1.When the author was little, he _____.
A. considered going to college scary
B. didn’t study hard to prepare for college
C. often asked college students about college
D. often imagined what college would be like
2.What does the underlined word “augmented” in Paragraph 2 mean ?
A. Increased. B. Spread. C. Survived. D. Disappeared
3.From Paragraph 3 we learn the author _____.
A. didn’t like outdoor activities
B. prepared very hard for college
C. didn’t like being with his friends
D. considered going to college worthless
4.What makes the author frightened the most ?
A. Going to college.
B. Living far from home.
C. Experiencing heartbreak.
D. Leaving his comfort zone.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I was on vacation, and in my mind, vacation does not mean setting my hotel room alarm clock for 6 am. But when you’re in Aruba and hoping to reserve a beachside palapa（简陋草棚）, that’s exactly what you do.
Tourists begin lining up at the crack of dawn to secure these umbrella-like wood structures that are covered with dried and woven palm leaves. They then place towels on chairs and call them theirs for the day, whether they remain there or not. I knew nothing of this beach code of ethics on my first day in Aruba. I saw an empty chair covered with a towel and took it. It was a big mistake.
For many visitors, a week bathing in the sun is the only activity they wish to pursue. It sounded good to my girlfriend, Barbara, and me after Boston’s awful winter. Six more inches of snow was predicted on the day we left. The sun, the sand, and the beach seemed just about right.
Aruba’s slogan is “One Happy Island”, and it doesn’t take long to understand why. Aruba is said to be on “island time”. Translation: No one is in a rush to do anything. When in Aruba, you go with the flow, however slow and lazy that might be.
Cooling trade winds, white sandy beaches, turquoise（蓝绿色）waters, and dazzling sunsets are all good reasons to visit. But this 20-mile island offers more than lazy days walking on the beach. There is amazing night life, casinos, golf, scuba diving（水肺潜水）, fine dining, shopping, and a great national park.
But our first day was spent as you’d expect, swimming in the sea and enjoying cool drinks. Our drink of choice quickly became the Coco Loco. It’s as refreshing as it sounds.
1.Tourists get up at 6 am because they _____.
A. want to see the sunrise early
B. need to check out early
C. want to have fun longer
D. need to reserve a beachside palapa
2.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 refer to ?
A. Using whatever chair you like.
B. Waiting in a long line for a palapa.
C. Taking up a chair by placing a towel on it.
D. Covering a palapa with woven palm leaves.
3.Paragraph 4 shows life in Aruba is very _____.
A. relaxing B. expensive
C. frightening D. disappointing
4.What did the author do on his first day there ?
A. He went shopping.
B. He swam in the sea.
C. He went scuba diving.
D. He visited a national park.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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。
Easy Ways to Boost Your Confidence
Imagine being able to overcome any obstacle that might come your way at work or in relationships. Then try to picture yourself not having to ask for advice or someone’s approval every step of the way. 1. If you are low on confidence, read on because here are four easy ways to boost your confidence. Once you master them, everything in your life will change for the better.
Boost your self-image. If failure is getting you down, just remember that there is always a solution. 2. The best way to boost your self-image after a setback（挫折）is to write down all your accomplishments and star qualities. Make a list and put it ion your computer desktop or near where you spend most of your time. You can also make a list of all the things you should be grateful for.
3. You know your talents and strengths first. Then set your goals to match these. Reject those that are just beyoud your skills, abilities, qualifications or experience. This is where you can realistically assess your weaknesses and build on your strengths.
Get on the positive thoughts track. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. 4. Negative thinking may be useful when imagining failure situations, threats, and obstacles. But once you are trapped in negative thoughts, your brain ignores everything else and you only think of failure. The best solution is to build on positive thoughts.
Know being confident is an ongoing process. 5. Keep playing to the best of your ability and your confidence will always be there to support you.
A. Set realistic goals.
B. Stop playing different roles.
C. It isn’t a goal that you reach and then stop.
D. Why not keep comparing yourself with others ?
E. This is what self-confident people do every day.
F. So why are they positive thoughts and not negative ones ?
G. You may have to try again so you should boost your self-image immediately.
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。
My wife Andrea and I picked a great time to move to New York City just a few days before the super storm Sandy hit the place.
Although Sandy _________ my family to stay indoors for two days while the wind and rubbish swirled through my new neighborhood, it _________ some unusual opportunities for us to meet our _________ by serving them. Before the storm _________ , my family went for a walk. We knew we’d be closed up for a while. We should enjoy some _________ time while we could.
While we were walking we noticed a woman _________ a huge load of emergency supplies, _________ moving from the market to her _________ . She had three large piles of supplies. Each time she’d _________ 15 or 20 feet with a pile, set it down, then go back and get another.
The _________ was going to hit before she got all of her supplies up to her living place. _________ we were already set, we figured it would be a good _________ to get to know a neighbor.
So Andrea and I each _________ a pile of supplies and helped the woman get _________ home. We had a good time getting familiar with her. She was from the Caribbean. Andrea and I loved _________ her thick, rich accent. When the storm hit later that night, we felt a little less _________ because we had a friend just a few buildings _________ . After Sandy there were dozens of_________ of selfless acts of service on TV, as people helped friends, neighbors and strangers in need.
_________ others when you are in need of service yourself is a sign of greatness. As Luther King Jr. said, “Everybody can be _________ , because anybody can serve.”
1.A. invited B. expected C. forced D. ordered
2.A. missed B. awarded C. provided D. wasted
3.A. parents B. neighbors C. relatives D. customers
4.A. increased B. reduced C. disappeared D. hit
5.A. outside B. lost C. useless D. local
6.A. struggling with B. fighting for C. watching out D. turning to
7.A. quickly B. slowly C. hardly D. easily
8.A. office B. garage C. apartment D. village
9.A. drive B. run C. cycle D. walk
10.A. earthquake B. price C. car D. storm
11.A. Unless B. Since C. Until D. If
12.A. chance B. goal C. excuse D. experience
13.A. left B. lifted C. noticed D. bought
14.A. everything B. something C. nothing D. anything
15.A. dealing with B. listening to C. laughing at D. commenting on
16.A. busy B. excited C. friendly D. lonely
17.A. here B. before C. away D. inside
18.A. reports B. notes C. results D. causes
19.A. Refusing B. Advising C. Requesting D. Serving
20.A. upset B. successful C. great D. grateful
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，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。
I love my mother best. She is average in 1. (high). She has long silky hair, and she always carries a broad smile with her. I am always 2. (thank) to my mother. In the middle of her busy schedule at work, my mother makes sure that our house 3. (organize) well at all times. Like a busy bee, she prepares our meals, washes our clothes, and manages all other housework in perfect order.
4. my mother is very busy with her work, she squeezes her precious time to help me with my school work and attend outdoor activities with me. We both enjoy the time 5. we share my happiness and sorrow.
Last weekend, I joined my mother and her friends on a beach. Besides 6. (admire) the amazing sea snails, fish and catfish, we 7. (take) part in an interesting activity on the island—bicycle ride. We rented bicycles and enjoyed the ride up and down the hill. By the time we reached the top of the hill, I was 8. (extreme) tired. I was deeply touched that exhausted as my mother was, she helped me control my bicycle steadily 9. (make) sure I got down the hill safely.
Mother’s Day is just round the corner. I will make my mother 10. card. It is high time that I showed my thanks and love to my wonderful mother.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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：在错的词下划一横线，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 often felt so busy on weekdays. Besides for my regular school hours, I still hope to spare some time to do that I like. Therefore, the fact is that I spend most of my time doing assignments and few time is left for me to surf the Internet or listen to music. To be frankly, I really hope I can have some time watch Korean TV plays or play computer games. I am sure I can keep a balance between work and relaxation because my mother always gives me useful suggestion. She makes me aware that time is life. Once losing, it can’t be regained. So I will treasure my time and make good use of them.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
假设你是Lily，你的朋友Alice写信给你，诉说了她的问题，请你根据以下情况，给她写一封回信。
1．父母把她当小孩看待；
2．父母对她要求严格，不准上网聊天等；
3．父母不满意她的成绩。
注意：
1．词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．信的开头和结尾已写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Alice,
I know exactly how you feel !
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Yours,
Lily
难度: 困难查看答案及解析