Next time you raise an eyebrow at the views of your partner, friend, sibling （兄弟姐妹） or colleague, remember they could be helping to make you smarter. New research shows that intelligence is not fixed but can be improved throughout adulthood by family members, bright mates and intellectually challenging careers. The study challenges the commonly held belief that intelligence is fixed by the age of about 18.
Scientific consensus suggests that intelligence is controlled by genes, with environmental factors such as schooling and nutrition playing a partial role up to this age. After this point, IQ scores become steady（稳定的）. But James Flynn, professor of political studies and psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, argues that people can "upgrade" their own intelligence throughout their lives. He believes intellectual stimulation（刺激）from others is important as the "brain seems to be rather like a muscle - the more you use it, the stronger it gets". However, the opposite is also true - so people sharing a home or workplace with those who are intellectually challenged risk seeing their IQ levels nosedive as a result.
Professor Flynn analyzed US intelligence tests from the last 65 years and created new IQ "age tables". He found a bright ten-year-old with brothers and sisters of average intelligence will suffer a five to ten point IQ disadvantage compared to a similar child with equally bright brothers and sisters and special educational treatment to help pull them up.
Professor Flynn also concluded that although genetics and early life experiences determine about 80% of intelligence, the remaining 20% is linked to lifestyle. This means that people can raise their IQ, or allow it to fall, by ten points or more. He suggested the best way to improve IQ levels is to mix with bright friends, find an intellectually challenging job and marry someone cleverer.
1.According to the text, it is commonly believed that ______ .
A. people' s IQ level falls as they age
B. it is wise to share family members' views
C. people cannot improve their intelligence during adulthood
D. doing something challenging is good for one's intelligence
2.The underlined word "nosedive" in paragraph 2 probably means ______ .
A. vary B. develop
C. change D. fall
3.Which of the following can help improve one's intelligence according to Professor Flynn？ ______
A. Making many friends.
B. Staying with smart people.
C. Doing exercise every day.
D. Learning from brothers or sisters
4.The purpose of the text is to ______ .
A. inform B. advertise
C. entertain D. persuade
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How Important Is Fashion？ Is looking fashionable more important than being comfortable？ Many people seem to think so， judging by the things they wear． But fashion is not everything． It is more important to be a healthy and good person．
People go to great lengths to be fashionable． Some people think they have to have a certain body type， so they go on extreme， unhealthy diets in order to change their bodies． In addition， many women wear uncomfortable fashions， such as high-heeled shoes that create blisters（水泡）， tight body shapers that limit blood flow， and sticky false eyelashes． Men and women alike spend time and money on products that change their natural hair color and use hot irons and blow dryers to curl or straighten their hair． Some people spend several hours a day in front of a mirror． Is fashion important enough to spend so much time and effort on changing how you look like？
If the purpose of fashion is to make a person feel good， it does not make sense that he or she would go through so much discomfort to be fashionable． Fashion should not come first． People should prioritize（优先考虑）being healthy and positive． What people wear does not indicate anything about their personalities． Instead of spending hours choosing a suit， perhaps you should call your friends and do something together! Instead of going on strict diets and starving， why not eat some healthy foods and then exercise？ By doing these things， you can keep a healthy lifestyle and truly grow as a person．
1.The author's main purpose in writing the text is to ______ ．
A. show readers advantages and disadvantages of dieting
B. persuade readers to value health more than fashion
C. amuse readers with a story about a fashion-school student
D. tell readers of the latest fashion styles
2.Which statement best represents the author's viewpoint？ ______
A. People need to diet to lose weight．
B. When you look good， you feel good．
C. Fashion increases famous people's self-respect
D. Fashion can make people do some unhealthy things．
3.Which of the following activities would the author most likely recommend？ ______
A. Going skating with friends．
B. Shopping for bargain clothes．
C. Starting a new diet with a friend．
D. Changing the hairstyle every week．
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
People from Britain and Ireland first came to live in Australia in 1788. They brought different dialects （方言）of English with them. These different kinds of English began to mix and change. The newcomers soon began to speak with their own typical accent（口音） and vocabulary. More and more people came to Australia during the Gold Rush in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some came from Britain and Ireland； others came from non-English speaking countries. Australian English continued to grow and change.
Australian English has also been influenced by American English. During the Second World War, there were many American soldiers staying in Australia. More importantly, American television shows and music have been popular in Australia since the 1950s.
Australians use many words that other English speakers do not use. The famous Australian greeting, for example, is G'day! A native forest is called the bush and central Australia is called the outback. Many words were brought to Australia from Britain and Ireland. For example, mate means "friend",and it is still used in Britain. Some of these words have changed in meaning. Some words have come from Australian original languages, many of which are names for animals, plants and places, like dingo and kangaroo.
Australian spelling comes from British spelling. In words like organise and realise, -ise is the expected and taught spelling method. In words like colour, favourite, -our is the normal, but nouns such as the Labor Party and Victor Harbor are spelled with -or. Program, on the other hand, is more common than programme.
There are also differences in the definition （定义）of words Australians use in different parts of the country. For example, football means "rugby" in New South Wales and Queensland, but "Australian rules football" in everywhere else in Australia. In New South Wales, a swimming costume is called a cossie or swimmers, while in Queensland it is called togs and bathers in Victoria.
1.According to the passage, which of the following is spoken only by Australians？ ______
A. Mate. B. Outback.
C. Program. D. Rugby.
2.What can we conclude from the last paragraph？ ______
A. The same word might have different meanings in different parts of Australia.
B. There arc different expressions about sports in Australia.
C. Australian rules football is the most popular sport in Australia.
D. Australians are fond of sports and games.
3.What might be the best title for the text？ ______
A. The History of Australia.
B. The Development of Australian English.
C. The Birth of Australian English.
D. Different Kinds of English Across the World.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If you feel depressed （消沉的） it's best to do something about it -depression doesn't just go away on its own. In addition to getting help from a doctor here are four things you can do to feel better.
Exercise.
Take a 15-to-30-minute walk every day or dance if you prefer.1.But make yourself do it anyway. Once you get in the exercise habit it won't take long to notice a difference in your mood.
Provide yourself with good nutrition （营养）.
Depression can affect appetite （食欲）. Some people may not feel like eating at all while others might overeat.2.So eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get regular meals.
Find out troubles.
3.When you know what's got you feeling blue and why talk about it with a caring friend. Talking is a way to receive some understanding. If there's no one to tell pouring your heart out to a journal works just as well.
4.
Depression affects a person's thoughts making everything seem unhappy and hopeless. If depression has you noticing only the negative, make an effort to notice the good things in life. Try to notice one thing and then try to think of one more. Consider your strengths or gifts.
Most of all don't forget to be patient with yourself.5.
A. Depression takes time to heal.
B. Take action to solve problems.
C. Look on the bright side.
D. Proper nutrition can affect a person's mood and energy.
E. Try to make out any situations that have led to your depression.
F. People who are depressed may not feel much like being active.
G. With depression a person's creativity and sense of fun may seem blocked.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Can you love someone too much？_______ you can express the wrong kind of love, but I'm sure you can't _______ too much.
One of my favorite stories tells of a woman who finally _______ to ask her boss for a raise in salary. All day she felt_______. Late in the afternoon she worked up the _______ to speak to her employer. To her delight, he _______ a raise.
The woman arrived home that evening to a beautiful _______ set with their best dishes. Her husband had come home early and_______ a festival meal. She wondered if he _______ knew that she would not get turned down.
She found him in the kitchen and told him the good ________. They kissed and then sat down to the wonderful meal. Next to her plate the woman found a beautifully lettered ________. It read, "Congratulations, darling! I knew you'd get the raise! These things will ________ you how much I love you."
After supper, her husband went to do some ________. As he left the room, she ________ a second card that had fallen from his pocket. Picking it off the floor, she read, "Don't worry about not getting the raise, You ________ it anyway! These things will tell you how much I love you."
The measure of love is when you love without measure. What this man tried to show his wife was ________ acceptance and love. Whether she________ or not, he loved her regardless. Sometimes his love might celebrate her victories and other times it was there to give ________.
Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa said, "What can you do to promote world ________？ Go home and love your________." Yes, love your family, and also love your friends. Love them without pressure. And don't worry about spoilage（变质）. So remember, "Potatoes spoil, people don't spoil."
1.A. Thus B. Perhaps C. Surely D. Then
2.A. show B. keep C. explain D. gain
3.A. hesitated B. failed C. decided D. agreed
4.A. excited B. nervous C. disappointed D. sad
5.A. chance B. power C. excuse D. courage
6.A. turned down B. agreed to C. thought of D. dealt with
7.A. floor B. cupboard C. table D. chair
8.A. prepared B. ordered C. served D. chose
9.A. anyway B. almost C. still D. somehow
10.A. news B. tale C. story D. place
11.A. envelope B. message C. mark D. card
12.A. tell B. guide C. warm D. teach
13.A. shopping B. walking C. washing D. sporting
14.A. realized B. noticed C. searched D. accepted
15.A. want B. favor C. deserve D. understand
16.A. average B. extra C. necessary D. total
17.A. succeeded B. regretted C. knew D. forgot
18.A. advice B. directions C. comfort D. lessons
19.A. trade B. peace C. progress D. environment
20.A. friends B. fortune C. neighbors D. family
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，两周前你从网上订购了一套英语书虫系列读物（Bookworm Series），昨天才到货，且包装破损、数量不足．请就此向网店客服写邮件投诉．要点如下：
1．介绍购物情况；
2．反映存在问题；
3．提出解决方案．
注意：
1．词数100左右：
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数．
可能用到的生词：投诉complaint n．
To whom it may concern，
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking forward to your reply．
Li Hua．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文， 根据所给情节进行续写， 使之构成一个完整的故事．
Twenty years ago， I drove a taxi for a living． One night I went to pick up a passenger at 2：30 a． m． When I arrived to collect her， I found the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window．
I walked to the door and knocked， "Just a minute，" answered a weak， elderly voice．
After a long time， the door opened． A small woman in her eighties stood before me． By her side was a small suitcase．
I took the suitcase to the car， and then returned to help the woman． She took my arm and we walked slowly towards the car．
She kept thanking me for my kindness． "It's nothing，" I told her． "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated．"
"Oh， you're such a good man．" She said． When we got into the taxi， she gave me an address， and then asked， "Could you drive through downtown？"
"It's not the shortest way，" I answered quickly．
"Oh， I'm in no hurry，" she said． "I'm on my way to a hospice （临终医院）． I don't have any family left． The doctor says I don't have very long． "
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter （计价器）． For the next two hours， we drove through the city． She showed me the building where she had once worked， the neighborhood where she had lived， and the furniture shop that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl．
Sometimes she'd ask me to slow down in front of a particular building and would sit staring into the darkness， saying nothing．
At dawn， she suddenly said， "I'm tired． Let's go now．" We drove in silence to the address she had given．
"How much do I owe you？" she asked．
"Nothing．" I said．
"You have to make a living，" she answered． "Oh， there are other passengers，" I answered． She said thanks to me， but she looked so sad．
注意：
1．所续写的短文词数应为150左右；
2．应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3．续写部分分为二段，每段的开头语已经为你写好；
4．续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语．
Para 1：
Almost without thinking， I bent and gave her a hug．
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Para 2：
I was on my way to visit her．
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析