When we think of green buildings, we tend to think of new ones-the kind of modern, solar-paneled masterpieces that make the covers of architecture magazines．But the US has more than 100 million existing homes, and it would be incredibly ________ to tear them all down and ________ them with greener versions．
An enormous amount of energy and resources went into the construction of those houses．And it would take an average of 65 years for the ________ carbon emissions (排放) from a(an) __ _ energy-efficient (节能) home to make up for the ________ lost by destroying an old one．
So in the broadest sense, the greenest home is the one that has already been built．But at the same time, ________ half of US carbon emissions come from heating, cooling and powering our ________, offices and other buildings．"You can't deal with climate ________ without dealing with existing buildings," says Richard Moe, the president of the National Trust．
With some exceptions, the oldest homes tend to be the ________ energy-efficient．Houses built before 1939 use about 50% more energy per square foot than those built after 2000, mainly due to the tiny cracks and gaps that ________ over time and let in more outside ________.
,there are a vast number of relatively simple changes that can green older homes, from ________ ones like Lincoln's Cottage to your own postwar home．And efficiency upgrades (升级) can save more than just the earth; they can help ________ property owners from rising power ________.
1.A． terrible B．wasteful C．wonderful D．useful
2.A．put B．build C．replace D．take
3.A．reduced B．increased C．used D．destroyed
4.A．old B．fashionable C．new D．beautiful
5.A．magazines B．trees C．materials D．resources
6.A．nearly B．hardly C．rarely D．mostly
7.A．libraries B．schools C．homes D．stores
8.A．improvement B．appearance C．stability D．change
9.A．most B．really C．very D．least
10.A．expand B．narrow C．strengthen D．weaken
11.A．dust B．air C．smoke D．water
12.A．Oppositely B．Unfortunately C．Fortunately D．Frankly
13.A．historic B．worthless C．ordinary D．meaningless
14.A．charge B．protect C．punish D．warn
15.A．prices B．costs C．businesses D．bargains
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
It was a dreadfully cold and cloudy afternoon. I was on the bus with my children, aged four and two, heading home when it started to rain. I realized this would mean a wet walk home ________1.________ the bus stop.
2.________my house was merely two blocks away, it was not a pleasant walk with one small boy asleep in the pram (手推婴儿车), the other one in a raincoat and no umbrella for myself. A pick-up truck passed us on the road. I tried to thumb a ride but failed. My little boy woke up with a start and began to cry. I 3.________ (convince) that things might become worse and nobody would bother to help on such a terrible day.
A few minutes later, ________4. truck drove by, but to my surprise, I saw it ________5. (pull) back and the driver looking directly at us.
A young man put the window down. “Hey, here’s an umbrella for you, please take ________6.________.” He called out.
I stood there ________7. (astonish), barely believing that the man ________8.________ existence was unknown to me only moments ago, could be so ________9.________ (consider). “Come on, give this to your mummy,” he said to my older son. I accepted the offer and expressed my gratitude to him.
This man might have needed the umbrella for himself later during the day but preferred to give it to me. It was a lesson to me ________10. it’s possible to give without expecting anything in return.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I decided to go back to school in the fall of 2008 after not being happy with my current job and financial status. I obtained my Associate’s Degree in May 2002 in Commercial Arts. After graduation, I had trouble obtaining a job in that field. For years, I was going from one job to another feeling unfilled, and I was not satisfied with the instability.
I decided to go back to school for either International Business or Psychology. I weighed the pros and cons of both professions and Psychology won. I like helping my friends and family, when they go through hard situations in their life by giving them sound advice and being honest with them. Also, I was interested in “the mind”.
I was searching for online schools because my work schedule at my current job would not allow me to attend a regular class. I was nervous about starting online classes because I heard mixed stories from other friends who were taking online classes. I decided to do it anyway to experience something different. I wanted to find an online school that was affordable and reputable. Through my search, I discovered Walden University, which is specially for working adults who want to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher. The process of getting accepted was easy, which included writing an essay on why I wanted to attend their school, transferring my previous credits, etc.
I am currently enrolled in the Bachelors program for psychology, and I am paying for college via financial-aid loans and grants. This experience has been interesting yet trying as sometimes it was difficult to balance work, school and home life. I learned a lot about psychology and myself. For example, I like writing about current events, relationships and traveling. I thought my English composition was ordinary, but after taking a few classes at Walden University, I improved my English composition and it made me feel confident enough to start writing professionally so I became a freelance (自由撰稿) writer. Currently, I am only three classes away from obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology! It was one of the best decisions I made in my life.
1.What did the author study originally when he was in college?
A. Psychology B. Commercial Arts C. International Business D. English Composition
2.What do we know about the author from Paragraph 2?
A. He decided to study International Business at first.
B. He wanted to study two majors.
C. He liked Psychology better.
D. He chose his major with the help of his friends.
3.Why was the author nervous about starting online classes?
A. Because he heard some negative remarks about it.
B. Because he was worried that he didn’t have enough time to study.
C. Because he feared he would fail the entrance exam.
D. Because he was afraid that he didn’t have enough money.
4.Which of the following best describes the author’s learning experience?
A. Dull and challenging. B. Interesting and easy.
C. Interesting and challenging. D. Dull and easy
5.According to the passage, the author _________.
A. was not able to find a full-time job
B. is most interested in writing
C. pays for his schooling with the help of his family
D. is satisfied with his achievements.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Regarded as one of the English language’s most gifted poets, John Keats wrote poetry that concentrated on imagery, human nature, and philosophy. Although Keats didn’t receive much formal literary education, his own studies and passion brought him much success. Additionally, his own life situation influenced his poetry greatly.
Growing up as a young boy in London in a lower middle-class family, the young John didn’t attend a private school, but went to a public one. His teachers and his family’s friends regarded him as an optimistic boy who favored playing and fighting much more than minding his studies. After his father’s death in the early 1800s, followed by his mother’s passing due to tuberculosis (肺结核), he began viewing life differently. He wanted to escape the world and did so by reading anything he could get his hands on.
At around the age of 16, the teenage John Keats began studying under a surgeon so that he too might become a doctor. However, his literary appetite had taken too much of his fancy, especially with his addiction to the poetry of Ehmund Spenser. He was able to have his first full poem published in the Examiner in 1816, entitled O Solitude! If I Must With Thee Dwell. Within two months in 1817, Keats had written an entire volume of poetry, but was sharply criticized by a magazine. However, the negative response didn’t stop his pursuit of rhythm (韵律).
John Keats’ next work was Endymion, which was published in May 1818. The story involves a shepherd who falls in love with the moon goddess and leads him on an adventure of one boy’s hope to overcome the limitations of being human. Following Engymion, however, he tried something more narrative-based and wrote Isabella. During this time, John Keats began seeing his limitations in poetry due to his own limit in life experiences. He would have to have the “knowledge” associated with his poems. His next work was Hyperion that would attempt to combine all that he learned. However, a bout (发作) with tuberculosis while visiting Italy would keep him from his work and eventually take his life in 1821.
1.John Keats’ attitude towards life changed because of _________.
A. his early education from school B. the deaths of his parents
C. Edmund Spenser’s poetry D. the criticism of a magazine
2.What is the common thing between John Keats and his mother?
A. They read many books.
B. They had a bad childhood
C. They died of the same disease.
D. They showed strong interest in poetry
3.What do we know from the passage?
A. Keats received little education at school.
B. Keats once had a chance of becoming a doctor.
C. In 1816 Keats spent two months writing a poem.
D. Endymion was about a real love story.
4.While pursuing his dream of becoming a poet at first, John Keats was __________.
A. determined B. experienced C. knowledgeable D. impatient
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A. Keats’ family must have been very poor when he was young.
B. Edmund Spenser was the greatest poet in Keats’ time.
C. It is likely that Keats rewrote his poem Isabella.
D. The poem Hyperion wasn’t completed by Keats.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
There is an old Chinese proverb that states "One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade," and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy (等级) of responsibility and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, says, "I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn't consider her my best friend. Best friends don't pay for your wedding. Best friends don't remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don't tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you.” This doesn't mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren't speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother's emotional well-being. It isn’t that they don't care deeply about their mothers. It's just that they shouldn't be burdened with their mother's well being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always "trumps" friend.
1.The underlined word “preclude” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
A. differ B. prevent C. benefit D. change
2.Why do many mothers and adult daughters keep a rewarding relationship?
A. Because they have a lot in common.
B. Because they have common family values.
C. Because they have no generation gap.
D. Because they keep a constant relationship.
3.What do we know from the passage?
A. The mother and daughter relationship can be replaced by a best friend.
B. A mother’s love brings her and her daughter a close friendship.
C. The mother and daughter relationship goes beyond best friends’ friendship.
D. Marina has a troubled relationship with her mother.
4.The author proves his statements mainly by _________.
A. listing data B. giving explanations C. quoting sayings D. making examples
5.What is the best title for the passage?
A. How to be a good mother and daughter
B. Who is a mother’s best friend?
C. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
D. Can a mother be a daughter’s best friend?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
For medical students, real experience begins not in a classroom but at a teaching hospital. These doctors in training are guided. But sometimes accidents happen and the students get injured.
For example, they might stick themselves with a needle while treating patients. Such needle sticks are common. But a recent study found that medical students often fail to report them. Failing to report an injury like this can be dangerous if a patient, or a medical worker, has an infectious disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, did the study, which involved a survey answered by almost 700 surgeons in training in the United States.
Almost 60% said they had suffered needle stick injuries when they were in medical school. Many said they were stuck more than once. Yet nearly half of those whose most recent incident happened in school did not report it to a health office. If they had, they would have been tested to see if they needed treatment to prevent an infection like HIV or hepatitis.
Most known cases of HIV or hepatitis are reported, but other possible infections often are not. Martin Makary, the lead author of the study, says medical students who are stuck put themselves and others in danger from infectious diseases.
Doctor Makary said, "A needle that goes through the skin needs to be as sharp as possible.” Doctors in training may have to do hundreds of stitches (缝线) in some cases to close the skin after an operation.
Doctor Makary said, “I support using blunt tip needles which are considered safer. This needle is still sharp enough to go through body tissue, but it does have a blunt tip, so that if it accidentally goes into my finger, it's much less likely to hurt me."
How common are needle sticks among health care workers? An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 of these and similar injuries are reported each year in the United States. But Doctor Makary says the real number may be much higher.
The study advises doctors to protect their hands by wearing two sets of gloves. It also urges hospitals to establish a special telephone number for medical workers and students to call if they are injured. The idea is for hospitals to send a clear message that there is no reason not to report this kind of accident.
1.It is dangerous for medical students not to report needle stick injuries because _________.
A. they don’t know how to treat themselves.
B. they may meet more needle sticks
C. it may cause some diseases
D. it may make patients sad.
2.If they report needle stick injuries, medical students will __________.
A. receive treatment B. be forbidden to use sharp needles
C. spend more time on training D. receive tests
3.The underlined word “blunt” in Paragraph 7 is the closest in meaning to “__________”.
A. not sharp B. not safe C. not long D. not thick
4.What do we know from the passage?
A. Doctors who don’t report needle stick injuries will be punished.
B. Needle sticks among health care workers will reduce sharply in the future.
C. Most needle stick injuries happen in the United States.
D. Two suggestions are given to protect medical workers and students.
5.Where can this passage most probably be found?
A. In an entertainment magazine B. In a science magazine
C. In a storybook D. In science fiction
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下列应用文及相关信息，并按照要求匹配信息。
首先请阅读下列六个网站的相关介绍：
Friendster
This social networking website allows the users to make new friends, most often based on their preferences, and communicate with them. It also allows the users to share messages, videos, photos, etc. With more than a hundred million registered (注册的) users to its credit, Friendster is indeed one of the most popular social networking websites in the world.
B. Hi5
Hi5 is a social networking website which is quite popular, especially among youths. Other than helping you stay in touch with your friends, this website also allows you to play online games. More recently, Hi5 has developed into more of a social gaming website, with the intention of providing a platform for game developers.
C. Travellerspoint
Quite popular among travel and tourism enthusiasts, Travellerspoint allows its users to discuss their travel experiences through forums and blogs. Basically a travel guide, this website also allows its users to upload photos and maps of various tourist destinations in the world.
D. Twitter
What started out as microblogging website has quickly grown into a social messaging platform and one of the top social networks in the world. Twitter is a phenomenon that transcends (优于) social networking to provide an outlet for news, the buzz, and chat among many other uses.
E. Last.fm
Building itself as a social music site, Last.fm allows members to create their own radio station that learns what the person likes and recommends new music based on those interests. In addition to this, you can listen to the radio stations of friends and other Last.fm members.
F. LinkedIn
As one of the top social networking sites for business development, LinkedIn invites people to be “connections” instead of “friends”. LinkedIn is somewhat similar to a job search website which is built on a social networking platform. The best part of LinkedIn is that it allows people to develop more contacts in the same field, with the intention of spreading their business.
然后阅读下列人员的相关信息，把每个人与其感兴趣的网站匹配起来。
1.Carl is a 40-year-old businessman. Because of the rapid development of his company, he has to hire five more experienced people to work for him.
2.Edward has a strong curiosity about the current affairs at home and abroad. Also, he likes to make what happens around him public. He is interested in the latest trend as well.
3.Daisy is a lover of music. For her, nothing is more pleasant than staying home listening to her favorite songs in her spare time.
4.Joseph is a college student majoring in computer science in New York University. He prefers to play various games on the Internet when he has no class at night.
5.Lily and her parents intend to visit places of interest in Beijing during the Spring Festival. Because it’s the first time for them to come to Beijing, they want to get some information from other travelers.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
请根据以下内容，用英语给“中国日报”写一篇简讯，介绍我国著名的游泳运动员——孙杨。
【写作内容】
1. 出生日期：1991年12月1日；
2. 出生地点：杭州；
3. 个人情况：中国泳坛明星，中国人的骄傲；
4. 毕业学校：浙江大学；
5. 专长：大学毕业后专攻长距离自由泳*；
6. 成绩：伦敦奥运会获两块金牌；2013年巴塞罗那**“世界锦标赛”***男子400米、800米、1500米自由泳冠军，4 x 200米自由泳接力季军，
7. 并被评为本届世锦赛最佳男运动员，成为历史上首次获得这一奖项的亚洲游泳选手。
参考词汇：自由泳* freestyle swimming 巴塞罗那** Barcelona 世界锦标赛***championships
【写作要求】
1. 只能使用五个句子表达全部内容；
2. 文中不能出现真实姓名和学校。
【评分标准】
句子结构准确，信息内容完整，篇章结构连贯。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英文短文。
Every morning, on his way to work, Mike passed an old man who was always at the same place with a cup in his hand hoping to get a bit of change from those who passed by. For most people, this person was someone to be ignored as if he didn’t exist, someone who they didn’t want to be bothered with. However, Mike would always say good morning to him and wish him a nice day and sometimes would drop a dollar or two in his cup. This behavior went on for several years until one day before retirement.
He told the man that he would no longer pass by because it was his last day on the job. The man took his hand and shook it warmly saying that he had always looked forward to seeing Mike not because he dropped a few dollars in his cup. He said he would miss him because he was one of the few people who said hello and bid him good day. The man also said that his warm words always brightened his day and helped him to continue.
We all have the power of words and we often do not recognize that some can be devastating(毁灭性的) while some can be encouraging.
【写作内容】
1. 以约30个词概括上文的主要内容；
2. 然后以约120个词就言语的力量的话题发表你的看法，并包括以下要点：
（1）你对上文中Mike的做法持什么看法；
（2）谈谈日常生活中言语的力量；
（3）以你或他人的经历举例论证言语的力量。
【写作要求】
1. 在作文中可以使用自己亲身的经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接引用原文中的句子；
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。
【评分标准】
概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，篇章连贯。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析