China is a land of bicycles．At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country．Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle．Millions of them，all black．Cars were rare．Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true．There are millions of cars．However, people still use their bicycles to get around．For many, it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel today．Bicycles also come in different colors—silver, green, red, blue，yellow, whatever you want．
It’s fun people biking．They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic，and ride even on sidewalks．Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide．
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture，I decided to buy a bicycle．Great weather accompanied my great buy．I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home．
My first ride home was orderly．To be safe, I stayed with a“pack”of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times．I didn't want to get hit．So I took the ride carefully．
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States．The streets here were wide，so crossing took time，skill and a little bit of luck．
I finally made it home．The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful．I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people．Biking made me feel alive．
1.According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?
A. Because they are traditional and safe．
B. Because they are convenient and inexpensive．
C. Because they are colorful and available．
D. Because they are fast and environment friendly．
2.How did the author feel about his street crossing?
A. It was boring． B. It was difficult．
C. It was lively． D. It was wonderful．
3.Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience?
A. The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills．
B. The author was annoyed by the air while riding．
C. The author was praised by the other bikers．
D. The author took great pleasure in biking．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble (发牢骚) afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, “For instance, I’m much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you’re dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed.”
In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons.
● Not making introductions
Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because “talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache”. Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves.
● “Quite” good
Using “quite” to mean “very” happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as “quite good” if you want to express high praise. To Britons’ ears, “quite” detracts from the “good”: the meal was OK but could have been better.
● Money Talk
Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, “Talking about how much we make is unthinkable — even 1ess so than discussing our feelings.”
● Over-politeness
“It’s not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: ‘How are you today?’” says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as “honey” or “sweetie”. But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating.
1.Margolis’ dining experience in Paragraph 1 shows that_______.
A. Britons are particular about foods
B. Britons are not good at complaining
C. Americans usually complain directly
D. Americans complain more than Britons
2.Which of the following might Margolis agree with?
A. Britons enjoy talking about their feelings.
B. Americans introduce themselves at parties.
C. Americans dislike talking to strangers at parties.
D. Britons feel happy if treated like close friends.
3.The underlined phrase “detracts from” in the text probably means ____.
A. differs greatly from B. increases the quality of
C. reduces the strength of D. draws attention away from
4.What does the text mainly talk about?
A. How to get on well with westerners.
B. How to start conversations with Britons.
C. Ruth Margolis’ tips on public behavior.
D. Some American habits that annoy Britons.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
If you had a strange sound in your ear, what would you do? One man in Wales who thought he had a fly in his ear called 999, the emergency services number in Britain. And so did a woman who was worried about her green potatoes. Could she make chips with them? Were they poisonous? She didn’t hesitate about calling the local ambulance service to ask. According to a recent report, more than 31,000 non-urgent calls were made to the Welsh Ambulance Service in the last year.
Inappropriate calls are a headache for health professionals everywhere. In the US, prank calls to 911 happen on a daily basis. Many callers use apps which hide their identity. But those who try to be funny shouldn’t be surprised if the police have the last laugh. One man from Colorado was arrested for making more than 1,200 prank calls, according to a report on the US television station KOAA—TV.
People who take these calls are trained to stay calm and keep a straight face, no matter how strange the call sounds. “There’s no way for us to know whether the call is real, accidental or a prank call,” said a public safety worker interviewed by the American TV channel.
The Head of Clinical Services at the Welsh Ambulance Service, Richard Lee, has a warning for prank callers. He says:“ When people misuse the service it means our precious time is being taken away from someone who really does need our help.” Indeed, these hotlines are supposed to help the seriously ill or those with a life-threatening injury. You never know, one day, the person who needs assistance could be you or someone in your family.
1.How does the author introduce the topic of the text?
A. By giving examples. B. By telling a story.
C. By listing figures. D. By making a comparison.
2.According to the text, prank calls are usually________.
A. meant to be helpful B. dealt with in time
C. thought highly of D. made to play tricks
3.What does the underlined phrase “have the last laugh” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. win at last. B. never find them.
C. laugh at them. D. know nothing.
4.What does the author intend to suggest in the text?
A. Prank calls are usually easy to identify.
B. Operators feel annoyed by strange callers.
C. Prank calls may cause serious results.
D. Prank callers should be punished by law.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Have you ever run into a careless cell phone user on the street? Perhaps they were busy talking, testing or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new “species” of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name — phubbers (低头族).
Recently, a cartoon created by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities bury themselves in their phones. A doctor plays with his cell phone while letting his patient die, a pretty woman takes selfie in front of a car accident site and a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events eventually leads to the destruction of the world.
Although the ending sounds overstated, the damage phubbing can bring is real. Your health is the first to bear the effect and result of it. “Constantly bending your head to check your cell phone could damage your neck,” Guangming Daily quoted doctors as saying. “The neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching.” Also, staring at cell phones for long periods of time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report.
But that’s not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. At reunions with family or friends, many people tend to stick to their cell phones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported.
It can also cost you your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed of their cell phones in broad daylight.
1.For what purpose does the author give the example of a cartoon in Para. 2?
A. To inform people of the bad effects of phubbing.
B. To advertise the cartoon made by students.
C. To indicate the world will finally be destroyed by phubbers.
D. To warn doctors against using cell phones while treating patients.
2.Which of the following is NOT a risk a phubber may have?
A. His social skills could be affected.
B. His neck and eyesight will be gradually harmed.
C. He will cause the destruction of the world.
D. He might get separated from his friends and family.
3.Which of the following may be the author’s attitude towards phubbing?
A. Supportive. B. Opposed.
C. Optimistic. D. Objective.
4.What may the passage talk about next?
A. Advice on how to use a cell phone.
B. People addicted to phubbing.
C. Measures to reduce the risks of phubbing.
D. Consequences of phubbing.
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。
While serious training is important for all dogs, playtime is just as important. 1. Use these games to help teach your dog how to play.
1. Hide and Seek
Hide and seek isn’t just for kids. Dogs can really enjoy this game. Pick up one of your dog’s favorite toys or treats. Tell your dog to stay. 2. When you are ready, call your dog to come to you. If possible, squeak (使吱吱叫) the toy or shake the treats. Reward your dog with praise and the toy or treat when she finds you.
2. Fetch
Many dogs have a natural ability to fetch. Other dogs can be taught how. 3. Play indoors with a soft toy or outdoors in a fenced-in area with a ball or disc. For dogs that really love to run, try this game of fetch!
3. Find the Treat
Dogs have superior senses of smell, and most love to use their noses to find food. Let your dog use her brain and her nose to find hidden goodies. First, have your dog stay out of sight. Then, hide her favorite treats in various places around the room. 4. If help is needed, you can lead her around or point to areas for her to explore.
Whatever the game, safety comes first! Remember to watch your dog for signs of exhaustion or overheating when you are playing. Stop if your dog seems tired or shows signs of anxiety. 5. When other dogs or people are around, it may create a dangerous distraction.
A. Then, go to find a good hiding place.
B. Try different games to see which your dog responds to best.
C. A good game of fetch can be played almost anywhere.
D. You can include games in training as well.
E. Also be aware of your surroundings when playing with your dog.
F. Encourage your dog to play with other dogs.
G. Bring your dog back in and tell her to “go find!”
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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。
My wife and I moved into our home two years ago. We had a yard with a lot of ________. Very often when we have flowers, Denise or I would plant some between the rocks, just to add some __________ to the area.
Last summer, I found a tiny little ________ in the yard that I could not immediately identify. I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise said she didn’t either. We decided to let it ________ growing until we could find out what it was.
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the ________ plant, it appeared to be a sunflower. I decided to ________ the weeds around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something ________ . The sunflower had not ________ where I saw it begin. It actually had begun under a big ________ and grown under and around it to reach the ________ .
That’s when I ________ that if a tiny little sunflower didn’t let a big rock stand in its ________ of developing, we too have the ability of doing the same thing. If we ________ ourselves like that little sunflower, we can reach where we ________ to go and get what we need for growth.
We need to believe in ourselves knowing we have the ________ to achieve our goals. Like the ________, it knew it had the ability to get over the rocks because it had ________ in itself that it would succeed. Stand tall like the sunflower and be ________ of who and what we are, then the environment will begin to ________ us. We will find a way to go under or ________ any “rocks” in order to reach our goals.
1.A. flowers B. rocks C. insects D. vegetables
2.A. shape B. water C. fertilizer D. colour
3.A. weed B. seed C. plant D. rock
4.A. continue B. stop C. improve D. escape
5.A. weak B. strange C. lonely D. pretty
6.A. collect B. tend C. watch D. remove
7.A. wonderful B. terrible C. unusual D. valuable
8.A. started B. passed C. left D. died
9.A. tree B. rock C. table D. wall
10.A. air B. sun C. top D. house
11.A. hoped B. doubted C. regretted D. realized
12.A. way B. place C. course D. process
13.A. fill in B. put in C. believe in D. worry about
14.A. forget B. aim C. hate D. wait
15.A. idea B. wish C. plan D. ability
16.A. sunflower B. yard C. home D. summer
17.A. energy B. virtue C. faith D. courage
18.A. aware B. proud C. afraid D. tired
19.A. forgive B. affect C. upset D. support
20.A. around B. into C. through D. From
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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。
The local elementary school had just let out and I found myself behind a school bus as I was driving home. The bus stopped by a house 1. (stand) on top of a hill. A little girl no more than seven years old jumped down the bus steps and 2. (start) running up the driveway toward the house.
I looked up the hill to see 3. she was going and saw her Dad waiting for her. As she got closer and closer her Dad smiled and bent down to greet her. When she got to him, he folded her in 4. powerful arms and gave her a huge hug.
My eyes watered a bit as I watched this scene and remembered all the times 5. my own children had ran into my arms with 6. (smile) faces. Every single hug from them 7. (be) a fountain of youth and a treasure of joy.
My lovely trip down memory lane was interrupted when I heard the car behind me sound its horn (喇叭). I saw 8. school bus quickly pulling away. I started to follow it again with a 9. (light) spirit than I had before. I took that beautiful moment and stored it 10. (safe) in my soul where I knew it would remain forever.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
假定英语课上英语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，每句中至多有两处。错误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限一词。
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Today I visited the Smiths — my first time visit to a American family. They live in a small peacefully town. It was very kind for them to meet me at the railway station and drove me to their home. The Smiths did their best to make me feel at home. They offered myself coffee and other drinks. We have a good time talking and laughing together. They eager to know everything about China and asked me lots of question. In fact, they are planning to visit China in next year.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华，准备参加学校举办的主题为“健康成长”的英语作文比赛。请按要求写一篇短文，主要内容包括：
1.乐观的人生态度； 2.努力学习； 3.参加体育锻炼。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
3. 文章的开头已给出不计入总次数。
We all want to grow up happily and healthily, and for this goal we must do several things.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析