At the age of 16, Julia Butterfly Hill quit school and worked at a restaurant. For many years, she was only interested in making money and material things. Then one day she had a serious car accident, which changed her life. Hill said: “I realized I wanted to find a more powerful purpose for being here on this planet.”
As soon as she recovered, Hill traveled to California. There she saw ancient redwood trees, which are the largest trees in the whole world. The wood from redwood trunks is very hard. So the Pacific Lumber Company cut down many of the huge redwoods to use for construction. There are not many forests of these trees left. Many environmental activists want to protect the remaining trees. The redwoods are very important to the environment.
In 1997 Hill learned a group called Earth First was working to protect a particular group of trees. They decided to send someone up into a redwood tree, hoping this would stop the company from cutting the trees down. Julia Butterfly Hill volunteered.
Hill lived in the tree for over two years without ever coming down. Her home was a 6-by-8-foot tree house, 180 feet up. It is always cold and wet in a redwood tree. There were even very serious winter storms while Hill was in the tree. The wind and cold almost knocked Hill out of the tree. But she did not fall — she survived.
Finally, after years of arguing, the company decided to protect Luna, the tree Hill lived in. They signed an agreement to never cut down this huge redwood tree or the trees around it. When Hill put her feet on the earth again, she began to cry. But from that moment on Hill hasn’t stopped working to protect the environment.
1.Julia Butterfly Hill traveled to California _____.
A. to find a new job
B. to build a tree house
C. with the hope of joining Earth First
D. in expectation of doing something meaningful
2.The redwood trees were cut down mainly _____.
A. because they might fall over at any time
B. because they had great economic value
C. to protect other trees in the forest
D. to make space for constructions
3.Julia Butterfly Hill’s living conditions in the tree were _____.
A. comfortable B. cool C. tough D. satisfying
4.What can we learn about Julia Butterfly Hill from the text?
A. She has a sense of social responsibility.
B. She failed to protect the redwood tree.
C. She built a new house in the forest.
D. She is a self-centered woman
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Clara Barton, born on Christmas in 1821, is widely known as one of the most honored women in American history. She began teaching school when most teachers were men at that time. Later, she became one of the first women ever to be employed by the government.
Her career in helping the sick began when her brother David became her first patient. He fell down from the roof of a house when Clara was just 11 years old. She stayed by his side and looked after him for three years, learning how to give him all his medicines.
When the Civil War began in 1861, she immediately recognized that the poorly equipped soldiers needed help. Instead of waiting for others to step in, Clara collected necessary things on her own, asked the public for donations and learned how to store and distribute them to soldiers. She also read to the soldiers and wrote letters for them.
After the Battle of Cedar Mountain in northern Virginia in 1862, Clara arrived at a field hospital at midnight with a vehicle full of supplies. A doctor named Paul Smith at that hospital would later write, “I thought heaven had sent out an angel that night — her assistance arrived at exactly the right time.”
In 1869, Clara went to Europe and learned about the International Committee of the Red Cross. Upon her return to the United States, she successfully founded the American Red Cross. She led the organization for the next 23 years. Her last field mission (使命) as president of the American Red Cross was to help the victims of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. She did not retire (退休) from the American Red Cross until she was 83. True to her nature, Clara always went to where the need was the greatest.
Today, the American Red Cross continues the mission Clara started more than 100 years ago. With the help of thousands of volunteers, the American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters, as well as helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to all sorts of emergencies.
1.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that Clara Barton was _____.
A. honest B. caring C. talented D. modest
2.After the Civil War broke out, Clara Barton _____.
A. joined the army and fought bravely
B. went to Europe for further study
C. continued to work as a teacher
D. did a lot to help soldiers
3.Seeing Clara Barton’s arrival, Dr. Smith must have felt _____.
A. excited and grateful B. proud and joyful
C. shy and nervous D. sad and sorry
4.What is mainly described in Paragraph 5?
A. The aim of the American Red Cross.
B. The importance of voluntary donations.
C. Clara Barton and the American Red Cross.
D Clara Barton’s contribution to the Civil War.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
There are a lot of products out there that make your life easier. Some, however, are a little sillier than others — so much that they seem like joke products. Here are a few products that sound crazy, but actually rule.
Sleep Phones
It’s hard to imagine something sillier than a music-playing headband you wear while you sleep, but they exist — and are quite popular. Sleep Phones won’t give you the highest quality sound in the world, but if you prefer to fall asleep to music, they’re far more comfortable than normal headphones. While they’re a bit expensive, they might be perfect for you. There’s also a wireless version (版本) if you prefer.
Onion Goggles
If cutting onion brings on the waterworks no matter what you try, it’s time for desperate measures. We tested a bunch of methods for avoiding onion tears, and found the best solutions came down to cutting the onion under a vent (通风孔), or wearing these stylish and awesome goggles.
Lock Laces
There’re some great ways to tie your shoes better, but if you long for the laceless shoes of your childhood days, Lock Laces are a pretty good choice. They’re basically elastic (有弹性的) laces that remove the need to tie your shoes. Sure, people will make fun of you, but you can make fun of them after they trip over their own untied laces. Or you can make your own slip-on shoes with elastic tubing.
2D-Glasses
Hate 3D-movies, but have to go to one? The difference between 2D-glasses and 3D-glasses lies in their lenses (镜片). Each lens of 2D-glasses blocks the same picture, so each eye gets the same picture, while each lens of 3D-glasses blocks a different picture, so each eye gets a different picture which the brain interprets as 3D. Now you have a pair of glasses that can save you from the headache caused by wearing 3D-glasses which are popular in our movie theaters. You can buy them or make a pair for yourself.
1.What do we know about Sleep Phones?
A. There are two versions.
B. They’re comfortable but unhealthy.
C. They give you the best quality sound.
D. They’re cheaper than other headphones.
2.The underlined part “brings on the waterworks” in the text probably means _____.
A. makes your eyes water
B. makes your fingers hurt
C. destroys your water pipes
D. adds to your washing work
3.What is the advantage of Lock Laces?
A. They are strong and lasting.
B. They help you walk comfortably.
C. They are stylish and eco-friendly.
D. They save you from tying your shoes.
4.Compared with 3D-glasses, 2D-glasses _____.
A. are cheaper and thinner
B. won’t give you a headache
C. let you see a different picture
D. are more popular in movie theaters
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Darek Fidyka, a 38-year-old Bulgarian, had been paralysed (瘫痪的) from the chest down for four years after a knife attack. Scientists from Britain and Poland took cells from his nose, transplanted (移植) them into his back and re-grew his spinal cord (脊髓). Now he can walk and even drive a car. The doctors were delighted but said it was the first step in a long journey.
The breakthrough came after 40 years of research by Professor Geoff Raisman, who found that cells had the possibility to repair damage to nasal (鼻腔的) nerves, the only part of the nervous system that constantly re-grows. “The idea was to take something from an area where the nervous system can repair itself, and does so throughout life, and put it into an area that doesn’t repair itself,” Professor Raisman said.
Polish doctors injected the nasal cells into Mr Fidyka’s spinal cord above and below the injury and used some nerves from his ankle to form a bridge across the damaged tissue. The nasal cells appear to have caused the spinal nerves to repair themselves.
Professor Raisman achieved this with rats in the late 1990s, but this is his greatest success. “I think the moment of discovery for me was Christmas in 1997 when I first saw a rat that couldn’t control its hand put its hand out to me. That was an exciting moment, because I realized then that my belief that the nervous system could be repaired was true.”
Doctors chose the easiest case for their first attempt — it might not work for others. But there is a real sense of hope that an idea once thought impossible has been realized.
David Nicholls, who helped provide money for the breakthrough, said information about the breakthrough would be made available to researchers across the globe.
“What you’ve got to understand is that for three million paralysed people in the world today, the world looks a totally brighter place than it did yesterday,” he said.
1.Why did Professor Geoff Raisman choose cells from the nose?
A. The nervous system in the nose can repair itself.
B. Cells in the nose can be easily transplanted.
C. Cells in the nose re-produce rapidly.
D. He just wanted to give it a try.
2.What made Professor Geoff Raisman believe the nervous system can be repaired?
A. His study on animals.
B. His operation on a paralysed patient.
C. His sudden thoughts about Christmas.
D. His unusual experience with a sick rat.
3.David Nicholls’ words suggest that _____.
A. the world is becoming better and brighter
B. paralysed people have the hope of recovery
C. the report of the breakthrough will be published soon
D. researchers across the globe will carry out the operation
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。
Top reasons to become a teacher
Teaching is a special calling. It is not a job well-suited to everyone. In fact, many new teachers leave within the first 3-5 years of teaching. However, there are many rewards that come with this career.
Student successes
1. Seeing a student who didn’t understand a concept and then learned it through your help can be very rewarding. And when you reach that student that others have written off as being unteachable, this can truly be worth all the headaches that come with the job.
Keep learning
2. I remember my first year teaching history. I thought I knew what I was doing. However, the students’ questions just made me dig deeper and learn more.
Daily humor
Sometimes it will be silly jokes you make up as you teach that might get a laugh from your students. 3. And sometimes students will come out with the funniest statements without realizing what they’ve said.
4.
As a teacher, you will have a couple of months off in the summer. Further, you typically get a few weeks off during the Spring Festival, which can be a huge benefit and provide much-needed rest time.
Job security
5. If you are willing to work hard in any type of environment, you’ll find that you can always get a teaching job.
A. Stay younger
B. School holidays
C. The world will always need teachers.
D. This is often what drives teachers to continue.
E. Sometimes it will be jokes that kids share with you.
F. You will never learn a topic better than when you start teaching it.
G. During the holidays, teachers can often choose to travel around and just relax themselves.
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中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
We all know that sports may help us become stronger. But their _____ go far beyond this. Research shows that sports that _____ aiming and hitting skills, for example, tennis, badminton and baseball, help children increase _____. They help develop leadership qualities and _____ team spirit in kids. They involve competition. Playing sports teaches them to accept _____ with a positive spirit when they lose a game.
Playing sports does a lot of good to the development of _____ skills. Sports teach you to communicate with people and work together as a _____. Sports improve collective thinking and help develop your planning and organizational skills, too. Sports build _____, since winning a game always gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Playing sports requires you to strategize (制定策略). You need to be very _____to score goals or earn points. You need to _____ strategies to win. You need to judge your competitor’s strategy and revise yours _____ . This certainly involves clever thinking, which sports _____. Studies show that kids who play sports _____do well in school and college.
Playing sports brings you _____. Jumping about, running around, racing to get ahead, _____, falling and standing up again, all of them are a(n) _____ of playing sports. There is no _____to the happiness this brings. _____, sports are a form of exercise which produces happiness molecules (分子) in your body, thus improving your mental health. You can’t be sad_____ playing sports. Sports produce _____energy in you and the people around you.
1.A. courses B. benefits C. challenges D. decisions
2.A. add B. fit C. lack D. involve
3.A. focus B. courage C. weight D. strength
4.A. break B. shake C. raise D. change
5.A. explanations B. Punishments C. congratulations D. failures
6.A. musical B. social C. medical D. technical
7.A. team B. nation C. class D. family
8.A. friendship B. judgment C. confidence D. enthusiasm
9.A. brave B. smart C. generous D. humorous
10.A. put off B. make up C. take over D. work out
11.A. accordingly B. generally C. equally D. largely
12.A. prepare B. recognize C. encourage D. promise
13.A. formally B. frequently C. naturally D. completely
14.A. hope B. honor C. pride D. pleasure
15.A. cheering B. dreaming C. chatting D. quarreling
16.A. case B. field C. part D. amount
17.A. method B. match C. risk D. trouble
18.A. For example B. As a result C. In addition D. In other words
19.A. while B. before C. unless D. since
20.A. serious B. nervous C. positive D. creative
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或括号内单词的正确形式。
Whales are beautiful and clever animals. Most people are aware 1._ the fact that commercial (商业的) whaling endangers whales and agree that whales should not be killed to make money. If you whales 2. __ (drag) out of the sea and cut up, you might be shocked. And it might make you reflect on 3. _ whaling should be continued. But there are still a few countries like Iceland 4. _ continue commercial whaling.
In 1883 the first whaling station was set up in Alptafjordur, Iceland. Seeing the 5.__(succeed) of the whaling station, people set up another five on the island between 1896 and 1903. Whale catching reached its limit in 1902, when 1,305 whales were caught6. _ (produce) oil.
7._ban on whaling was passed in Iceland in 1915. Conservation played an effective role in preventing whales from being killed and it was not until 1935 8.__an Icelandic company established another whaling station. Between 1948 and 1975, an average of 250 fin, 65 sei, and 78 sperm whales were taken annually. 9.__(like) the majority of commercial whaling at the time, this operation was based on the sale of frozen meat 10. _ than on oil.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
短文改错
As we all know , walking is an useful way of exercising and is beneficial to our health. It can not only reduce the risk of many kinds of diseases but also builds up the bones. It’s safe than many other ways of exercising, especially for the elderly and it’s easy to do without consider rules. Beside, walking can also help us lose weight.
What should we pay attention during the walk? First, we should wear loose clothes or good shoes so that we can relax. Second, we should walk fast enough to cause us to breath with difficulty but still be able to talk. Third, that is very important to walk with our arms moving freely. Most important, we should do it every day.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
书面表达
假设你参加所在年级的英文写作比赛，请按下面文字中的道理完成一篇短文：
A drop of water +two drops +many drops =sea
A tree +two trees +many trees = forest
One person +two persons +man persons =society
难度: 困难查看答案及解析