First published in 2001, the book Life of Pi written by Canadian author Yann Martel won the Man Booker Prize and an Asian American Prize for Literature. It is the story of a young boy named Pi who spends 227 days at sea with a small group of animals after disaster strikes their ship and is an account of his journey of survival and hardship.
Piscine “Pi” Molitor Patel, on whom Life of Pi is based, is a young boy living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns a zoo. The story starts when Patel’s family decide to move to Canada, along with their zoo animals for their new home.
However, because of the bad weather, the ship sinks. Pi along with an orangutan (猩猩), an injured zebra, a hyena (鬣狗) and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker are the only survivors who take shelter in a small lifeboat. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed and eaten by the hyena. The tiger in turn kills and eats the hyena, leaving just the two of them alone on the boat now.
In an effort to avoid being eaten by Richard Parker, Pi acts himself as the head of the group and remains safe from harm. Since he does not want the tiger to die for fear of going mad by being alone on the boat, he fishes and feeds the two of them in order to stay alive.
The life of Pi then enters its third stage when their lifeboat washes up on the shores of Mexico and the tiger escapes into a nearby forest leaving Pi alone. After the Mexicans refuse to believe Pi’s story, he changes his tale by replacing the animals with his mother, a cook and a sailor and asks the Mexicans which one they prefer. They prefer hearing the first story though they do not believe a word of it.
In my view, Life of Pi is a must read book for all those who love reading.
1.We can learn that the book Life of Pi _____.
A. was written in 2001
B. was awarded two prizes
C. tells a story about friendship
D. is based on the author’s personal experience
2. In the book Life of Pi the hyena is killed by _____.
A. Pi
B. the zebra
C. the orangutan
D. Richard Parker
3. How does Pi escape being eaten by the tiger?
A. By catching fishes for the tiger.
B. By locking the tiger in a cage.
C. By being the leader of the two of them.
D. By fighting with the tiger.
4. What happens after Pi arrives in Mexico?
A. The tiger dies.
B. He tries to escape.
C. The Mexicans feel sorry for him.
D. The Mexicans doubt his experience.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Jean Driscoll can go faster in her wheelchair than the world’s best marathoners(马拉松运动员) can run!
In April, Jean finished the Boston Marathon in 1 hour 34 minutes 22 seconds. That’s about 33 minutes faster than the winning male runner! She competed on the track, too. She was second in the 800 meter wheelchair race at the 1992 Olympics.
Jean doesn’t like to be told she’s brave. “I’m in sports because I’m a competitive person!” Jean was born with spine bifida(脊柱裂), a birth illness that damages the spine（脊椎）. She began to use a wheelchair to get around in high school. Then she tried wheelchair race and was amazed.” Players crashed into each other and fell out of their chairs,” she says, “It was fun.”
Jean tried other wheelchair sports. At the University of Illinois, her wheelchair basketball team won two national titles.
Now Jean coaches and teaches. She tries to get people to set goals.
1.What made Jean take part in sports?
A．She was brave. When I sign my autograph（亲笔签名）,says Jean, “I write, dream big and work hard.”
B．She was competitive.
C．She was strong.
D．She was disabled.
2.What kind of education did she receive?
A．High school.
B．Junior middle school.
C．High education.
D．Primary school.
3.What is Jean’s advice on how to succeed?
A．Work hard.
B．Hope for the best.
C．Dream a lot.
D．Have great wishes and work hard.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn’t exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahan: its shortened form Taj Mahan means “pride of the palace”. In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne. He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen.
He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahan, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 67 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four corners. The Taj itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble.
The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across river at the tomb of his beloved wife.
1.The whole passage tells us about ______.
A. a beautiful fairy tale
B. the story of the Taj Mahal
C. white and black marble tombs made for two emperors
D. the love story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife
2.Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Taj Mahal?
A. It was completed quickly owing to the efforts of the best artists and workers.
B. A lot of people took part in the building work
C. It is a magnificent building.
D. It is a tomb for the emperor’s beloved wife.
3.The emperor’s own tomb was designed to be ____________.
A. 61 meters high B. eight-sided
C. black-coloured D. white-colored
4.The emperor _____________.
A. died soon after Taj Mahan died
B. was killed by his son
C. was beloved by his people
D. died after 1648
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860 - 1935)
Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She created shelters, education opportunities and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907 - 1964)
Rachel Carson was born in the rural river town of Springdale, Pennsylvania in America. The popular 1962 book “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson made people realize the dangers and the harmful effects (影响) of pollution on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Angela Merkel (1954 - )
In 2005, Germans chose Angela Merkel as their first woman head of the country. She had been a scientist in the past. As Germany’s leader, she has had an effect on the whole world.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 - )
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work because she was a woman. However, she became the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court (最高法院) in 1981 after years of hard work.
Margaret Thatcher (1925 - )
In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first woman Prime Minister (首相). She served until 1990, which made her the first British leader to serve three terms in a row. Because of her high standards and strong will, people called her Britain’s Iron Lady.
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
Polish-born scientist Marie Curie discovered that some types of metal give off energy called radiation (辐射能). Her research led to new medical treatments and arms. She received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911.
1. Who once won the Nobel Prize?
A. Jane Addams and Marie Curie.
B. Jane Addams and Margaret Thatcher.
C. Marie Curie and Angela Merkel.
D. Marie Curie and Rachel Carson.
2.What do Angela Merkel and Margaret Thatcher have in common?
A. Both of them were scientists before coming to power.
B. Both of them are the first woman head of their country.
C. Both of them are famous for being strict.
D. Both of them have worked for three terms.
3. Who once failed to find a job?
A. Jane Addams. B. Sandra Day O’Connor.
C. Rachel Carson. D. Margaret Thatcher.
4. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Great women B. Famous scientists
C. Strong leaders D. Ways to success for women
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
One day, Nancy came home from school crying. Taking her in her arms, Mummy tried to her. After a while, she stopped crying and asked, “Mummy am I ?” “No, you are not,” said Mummy, “but let us discuss this after you ，OK?”
Several minutes later, Nancy began to have supper with Mummy.
“Who that you are bad?” asked Mummy.
“Phillips, my friend. He asked me for help with his maths but I because I wanted to read the new book Daddy gave me. He got and said I was a bad girl,” said Nancy.
“You are ,” said Mummy. “Phillips has often helped you with your English. You should have helped him. Why don’t you phone him and say to him?”
“But he called me bad and with me. I don’t want to go,” Nancy cried.
“Though you have done bad, it does not make you a bad person. You are a good person.”
Nancy showed a look on her face. “How can that be, Mummy?” she asked.
“Our is always good. So never believe that you are bad,” Mummy replied with a smile.
flooded on Nancy’s face. “Am I good, Mummy?” she asked.
“Yes, you are good, and always will be so. But that does not mean that you should not the wrong that you do. You will have to call and to Phillips. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Mummy,” said Nancy slowly. “Thank you for telling me this. I feel much better now,” said Nancy “I am going to Phillips right away, and I am never going to that I am always good.”
1.A. calm B. protect C. trick D. praise
2.A. shy B. foolish C. bad D. strong
3.A. get up B. grow up C. wash up D. turn up
4.A. said B. saw C. heard D. doubted
5.A. cried B. refused C. admitted D. allowed
6.A. excited B. comfortable C. nervous D. angry
7.A. wrong B. brave C. wise D. careful
8.A. goodbye B. sorry C. thank you D. hello
9.A. competed B. lived C. worked D. argued
10.A. everything B. anything C. something D. nothing
11.A. always B. sometimes C. ever D. never
12.A. worried B. puzzled C. confident D. satisfied
13.A. chance B. choice C. condition D. nature
14.A. Fear B. Patience C. Shock D. Joy
15.A. really B. hardly C. already D. gradually
16.A. account for B. pay for C. look forward to D. rely on
17.A. devote B. apologize C. introduce D. turn
18.A. coldly B. sadly C. gratefully D. pitifully
19.A. consult B. change C. teach D. call
20. A. agree B. explain C. forget D. confirm
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据所给单词或括号内汉语提示，用其适当形式填空。
1.The two teaching buildings are about 50 meters (相距).
2.If you want your products to sell well,you should (登广告)them.
3.Children like (下载) songs from the Internet.
4.If a small part of the plane were to fail,the plane would (爆炸) in the sky.
5.In my (判断),it is well worth doing.
6.Real friendship is more than money.(value)
7.The player from America has rich experience in playing,so he is a strong (compete)for you.
8.As we all know,Confucius is a great (educate).
9.His (devote) to the cause of education inspired the young people to be teachers.
10.No books can (borrow) from the school library without a library card.
11. children were calling for their mothers.(frighten)
12.Don’t spend all your time on such a job.(use)
13.Let’s give him our on his passing his driving test.(congratulate)
14.There was only one (survive)in the plane crash.
15.He is waiting for the result of the interview (hope).
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
英汉短语互译(共20小题；每小题0.5分，满分10分)
1.如此……以致于……_________________
2.献身于，致力于_________________
3.设立，建立 _______________________
4.结果___________________________
5.失业 _____________________________
6.代表，象征 ____________________
7.仿佛，好像________________________
8.人类___________________________
9.被判处……(徒刑) __________________
10.丧失勇气或信心__________________
11.处于危险或困境中 _________________
12.严重受损，破败不堪______________
13.right away ________________________
14.one after another__________________
15.take part in ________________________
16.dig out __________________________
17.solve problems _____________________
18.with the help of ___________________
19.a (great) number of ________________
20.watch over ______________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
此题要求改正所给句中的错误。按下列情况改正：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：此题没有正确的题。
1.A number of people who were killed or seriously injured reached more than 400, 000.
2.Only then we decide to answer violence with violence.
3.Slow, the city began to breathe again.
4.He is so a great man that we all show our respect to him.
5.With time went by, I was made smaller.
6.Workers built shelters for survivors who homes had been destroyed.
7.After try hard, I got a job in a gold mine.
8.We were put into a position which we had either to accept we were less important, or fight the government.
9.That is in the summer Olympics that you have the running race, together with swimming, and sailing.
10.So even the olive wreath has replaced.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假如你是李华，你最喜欢的歌手Justin Bieber（贾斯汀·比伯）下个月将到你市演出。近日你准备和几个朋友成立Justin Bieber的歌迷俱乐部。请你给你的加拿大笔友Freddy发一封100词左右的e-mail，表明你们喜欢Justin Bieber的理由，并希望Freddy就如何办好歌迷俱乐部提出一些建议。
注意：1. 可适当发挥，以使行文连贯。
2. 词数100词左右。
参考词汇：
市：city 演出：perform 歌迷俱乐部：fan club 希望：hope 建议：advice
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析