Shanghai Xintiandi Style Mall is filled with a festive mood, featuring large-scale equipment, knit works and various activities, under the theme "kiss".
"Kissing is seldom taken as the theme of artworks because in oriental (东方的) culture, people restrain themselves from expressing their emotions," says Jiang Shan, who is in charge of the exhibition.
"Through the exhibition, we hope to encourage people to be confident and brave in expressing their love."
Inside the mall, which covers a large area from Zizhong Lu (Road) to Fuxingnan Lu (Road), dozens of colorful decorations, including balloons, lollipops and lip-shaped decorations are hung on the walls and from the ceiling.
Among the decorations, a bright-colored wool artwork attracts most eyeballs and brings about a feeling of warmth.
The designer, Gu Yeli, says the art piece, Kiss Forest, was inspired by US artist Andy Warhol’s 1963 experimental film Kiss, which featured various couples kissing for three and a half minutes each. Gu also organizes a small workshop to teach knitting (编织) to children.
Artist Wang Xuejun sets up a stainless-steel mirror at the mall's gate leading to Zizhong Lu. Visitors, including men, are invited to put on lipstick and kiss the mirror, thus kissing themselves.
The Beast Floral Shop, a flower shop in Shanghai, contributes two walls of flowers that are made into the shape of a book, named Kiss Book. Artifacts (手工艺品) of bees and butterflies are fixed among the blossoms, kissing the flowers. The work represents love and harmony in nature.
Architect Ma Ke creates a Kiss Bridge with transparent (透明的) acrylic boards and ceramic（陶瓷的）fishbowls. Bridges are often spots for dating lovers in traditional Chinese folk stories and the goldfish in the bowls are witnesses of the lovers' kisses.
In the south plaza, an 18-meter-high interactive tree-shaped light equipment encourages people to kiss. Each kiss turns a certain light on, reminding audiences of their sweet childhood memories of kisses.
At the side of the tree is a counter, in which each kiss is counted and represents a donation to charity organizations.
1. What is the main idea of the article?
A. It tells people how important kisses are to life.
B. It introduces an exhibition under the theme "kiss".
C. It describes what Shanghai Xintiandi Style Mall looks like.
D. It introduces various activities in Shanghai Xintiandi Style Mall.
2.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. people encourage themselves to express their emotions.
B. people teach themselves to express their emotions.
C. people discourage themselves from expressing their emotions.
D. people learn a lot from expressing their emotions.
3.What can we learn from the article?
A. Most people are interested in Jiang Shan's art piece, which brings about a feeling of warmth.
B. Most visitors will kiss each other in front of the stainless-steel mirror at the gate.
C. All the decorations in the mall are aimed at encouraging lovers to express their love bravely.
D. The 18-meter-high interactive tree-shaped light equipment will be on for each kiss.
4.The article above probably is taken from a ____________.
A. textbook B. science and technology magazine
C. travel leaflet D. news website
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Expensive and new gloves allow chatterboxes (话匣子) to take the term "handsfree" to a new level—by talking into them as they make a call. The gloves are known as "Talk to the Hand" and cost £1,000 a pair. They fixed a speaker unit into the thumb and a microphone into the little finger that can be connected to any mobile handset using Bluetooth.
Artist Sean Miles designed the new gloves that double as a phone in part of his project that shows the possibilities of gadget (小玩意) recycling. He uses outdated gloves and combines them with parts from mobile handsets recycled through O2, which took up the project. Mobile phone users will be able to keep their hands warm while they chat without taking their phones out of their pockets or handbags.
Mr. Miles designed two pairs of the new gloves — one in pink and the other in brown and yellow. They will appear in an exhibition this July and visitors will be able to win the gloves. If demand is high, they will then be produced on a larger scale. O2 Recycle, which backed the project, estimates that there are already 70 million unused mobile handsets in the UK. The service pays up to £260 to those who recycle gadgets including phones, handheld consoles (操纵台), MP3 players and digital cameras.
Designer Sean Miles hopes his work will get people thinking about recycling. The 41-year-old said, "I hope that my 'Talk to the Hand' project will get people to think again about the waste created by not recycling gadgets. If a few more people recycle their gadgets rather than send them to trash, I think this project will have fulfilled its aim."
Bill Eyres, head of O2 Recycle, urges people to recycle their phone responsibly. He said, "There’s a pressing need for all of us to look at outdated handsets, and all the gadgets that we move on from or upgrade each year. Whether they are consoles or cameras, we should think of them as a resource that we need to recycle responsibly rather than throw them away."
1.The underlined word "O2" in Paragraph 2 is probably the name of ______.
A. an artist B. a mobile
C. a company D. an exhibition
2. Consumers can buy the "Talk to the Hand" gloves ______.
A. in the exhibition
B. from Mr. Miles
C. after they recycle the gadgets
D. when they are mass-produced
3.The purpose of the project is to _______.
A. promote the technology of IT
B. enable people to talk to their hands
C. raise peoples awareness of recycling
D. attract visitors’ attention in the exhibition
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. New mobiles which are fashionable.
B. Outdated handsets which are upgraded.
C. Outdated gadgets which can be used for recycling.
D. New gloves which can be used for making phone calls.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault（断层）, which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?
Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings were almost all destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks（裂缝） opened in the ground.
The Mississippi River completely changed character, developing sudden fast-moving currents. Several times it changed its course, and once it appeared to run backwards. Few people were killed in the New Madrid earthquake, simply because few people lived in this area in 1811; but the severity of the quake is shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks were stopped in Washington, D.C.
Scientists now know that America’s two major faults are different. The San Andreas fault is a horizontal (水平的) boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the movement of these two masses suddenly leans (倾斜) forward.
The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical（垂直的）fault; at some point, millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes under the surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions start earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern Illinois.
Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate large ones are probably coming, but the scientists say they have no method of predicting when it will occur.
1. The New Madrid fault is _______.
A. responsible for forming the Mississippi River
B. a fault in the flat position
C. a fault caused by rocks moving directly upward
D. a worse fault than the San Andreas fault
2.Which of the following is NOT true about the New Madrid fault?
A. Not many people were killed in the quakes in 1811.
B. Bells were rung in church towers in Charleston to inform the coming quakes.
C. The quakes stopped the clocks in Washington, D.C.
D. The quakes were caused by sudden sinking motion.
3. It can be concluded from the passage that _______.
A. it is probably as dangerous to live in Missouri as in California.
B. the New Madrid fault will eventually develop a mountain range in Missouri
C. in the future California will become an island
D. California will be broken into small pieces by an eventual earthquake
4.The author suggests that________.
A. earthquakes occur only around fault areas
B. horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical ones
C. vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal ones
D. faults are cracks on the earth’s surface caused by past movements of the earth’s land masses
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In the famous fairy tale, Snow White eats the Queen’s apple and falls victim to a curse; in Shakespeare’s novel, Romeo drinks the poison and dies; some ancient Chinese emperors took pills that contained mercury, believing that it would make them immortal, but they died afterward.
Poison has long been an important ingredient in literature and history, and it seems to always be associated with evil, danger and death. But how much do you really know about poison?
An exhibition, The Power of Poison, opened last month at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, intended to give the audience a more vivid understanding of poison. The exhibition will continue until August, reported The New York Times.
The museum tour starts in a rainforest setting, where you can see live examples of some of the most poisonous animals: caterpillars, frogs and spiders. Golden poison frogs, for instance, aren’t much bigger than a coin, but their skin is covered in a poison that can cut off the signaling power of your nerves, and a single frog has enough venom to kill 10 grown humans.
The exhibition also features interactive activities. In an iPad-based game, visitors are presented with three puzzling illnesses and asked to identify the poisons based on symptoms. In one case, for example, a pet dog is found sick in a backyard and visitors have to figure out whether it was the toad (蟾蜍), the leaky batteries in the trash or the dirty pond water that did it.
''Poisons can be bad for some things,'' Michael Novacek, senior vice president of the museum, told NBC News. ''Yet they can also be good for others.''
This is what visitors learn from the last part of the exhibition, which displays how poisons can be used favorably by humans, including for medical treatment.
The blood toxins of vampire bats, for example, can prevent blood from clotting (凝结), which may protect against strokes. A poisonous chemical found in the yew tree is effective against cancer, which is what led to the invention of a cancer-fighting drug called Taxol. One chemical in the venom of Gila monsters can lower the blood sugar of its victims, so it has been used to treat diabetes.
The benefits from natural poisons are not limited to just medicine. Believe it or not, many substances that we regularly take in – chili, coffee and chocolate, etc. – owe their special flavors or stimulating effects to chemicals that plants make to poison insects.
1. By mentioning Snow White and Romeo at the beginning of the story, the author intends to________.
A. draw readers’ attention to the topic of the article
B. show that poison is always linked with evil and death
C. show that poison has long been involved in literature
D. get readers to think of more examples of the use of poison in stories
2. What is the main purpose of the exhibition The Power of Poison?
A. To inform people about which animals are the most poisonous.
B. To teach people how to handle poisonous animals.
C. To give people more in-depth knowledge about poison.
D. To show how poison has been used for medical treatment.
3.Which of the following statements about the exhibition is TRUE according to the article?
A. The exhibition will lead visitors to a real rainforest.
B. Those who visit the exhibition can join in some iPad-based interactive games.
C. Golden poison frogs are the most poisonous animals on display.
D. Visitors can listen to lectures on recent studies of poisonous animals.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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。
Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of a lift operator or the uniform of a five-star general 1. . Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian clothes. 2. . The television repairman who wears a uniform is likely to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a hairdresser, or a waiter to lose professional identity than to step out of uniform?
3. . They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are often more comfortable and more lasting than civilian clothes.
Primary facts among the arguments against uniforms are their lack of variety and the loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. 4. .
5. . Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.
A. Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems.
B. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
C. The importance of wearing a uniform is stated as follows.
D. People tend to expect higher quality from a man in uniform.
E. People enjoy wearing comfortable uniforms.
F. Uniforms also have many practical good points.
G. When looking alike, people are likely to think, speak and act similarly on the job at least.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C、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。
Three packs of cigarettes were lying there on the pavement. I went down from Shubentsov’s office doorstep, picked them up and pocketed them. Later, in a bar, when I opened the first pack, I found – to my – the twenty cigarettes were there.
I’m still at the bar, telephone in one and the cigarettes in the other. I’m dialing Shubentsov, who told me to call him the moment I felt the urge to . I feel it, feel it even than I felt Shubentsov’s healing(恢复) energy. That’s saying something, since Shubentsov is known around the world for smokers of their nasty habit, using a method. He sent his healing energy from his fingertips, he tells me – something he picked up from another man in Russia. "I help you for free," he told me in his muddy accent. "Just call me ."
I went to see Shubentsov. I think it’s time to because I’m getting old, and I can’t keep doing this to myself. But here’s the real problem. I should quit, but like a lot of you with the same habit, I really don’t want to.
Smoking has been very good to me. Cigarettes have never let me down, never abandoned me on , desperate nights. Smoking my head, helps me . Smoking has started conversations, driven away annoying people. Smoking helps me celebrate victories, get over losses, and comfort the comfortless. It also chases away the mosquitoes.
I will . Soon. My body and my mind are demanding that daily.
I claim to smoke for pleasure, but I realize that slowly I’m losing control of this close, special friend. I that. I realize it’s not just a "habit". I’m .
So here I am, attempting to again, at Shubentsov’s place. I’ve tried all the other quitting techniques . Anytime the urges to smoke , he said, just call him immediately and he’ll help. The funny thing is that I realize I’m not phoning him to stop me from lighting up. I’m phoning him so I can. If I call, I’ll have done my part. Then I can smoke this cigarette. Besides, I know that at 9.30 on a Friday night, I’ll get the answering machine. I do. "The office is open from ten to four. Call me back then. This machine does not take messages."
I put the phone down and I can honestly say I’m . You see, it’s not Shubentsov’s fault or anyone else’s fault that I’m still . It’s mine.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to smoke this cigarette. Whether I’ll really enjoy it, though, is another story.
1.A. sadness B. disappointment C. delight D. inspiration
2.A. pack B. bar C. pocket D. hand
3.A. smoke B. talk C. drink D. dial
4.A. weaker B. faster C. stronger D. harder
5.A. accusing B. helping C. developing D. curing
6.A. popular B. mysterious C. frightening D. dangerous
7.A. whenever B. whatever C. however D. whichever
8.A. start B. continue C. stop D. keep
9.A. struggling B. beating C. hitting D. playing
10.A. lovely B. friendly C. lonely D. daily
11.A. destroys B. hurts C. cuts D. clears
12.A. breathe B. smile C. see D. think
13.A. begin B. quit C. report D. study
14.A. hate B. love C. ignore D. miss
15.A. ill B. excited C. addicted D. fascinated
16.A. give out B. give up C. give off D. give away
17.A. available B. alike C. abnormal D. additional
18.A. strikes B. attacks C. indicates D. continues
19.A. disappointed B. unhappy C. satisfied D. relieved
20.A. living B. working C. smoking D. smiling
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（一个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
The idea of reading online 1. (take) on a whole new meaning lately as a lending library has opened on Line2 of Shanghai’s metro. This "underground" library allows subway riders to choose a book at one station and leave it at another station when they’ve finished reading it. 2. the service is free!
The idea is to encourage more people to read books and to make better use 3. their time while they ride back and forth to work. So far, it’s been 4. great success with most people 5. (return) the books and also leaving a one Yuan donation which is used 6. charity.
Shanghai’s underground library is an example of "guerilla libraries" (流动图书馆) which have been springing up all over the world. 7. (like) a traditional library, a guerilla library is usually set up by individuals 8. want to connect people of similar interests within a community. It may be a few shelves of books set up on the corner in a neighborhood, or just a book left in a coffee shop with 9. (instruct) inside to pass the book along after it’s read.
According to the guerilla library movement, e-books have taken the passion out of reading. They say people are losing out on the very emotion 10. comes with holding a real book in their hands and also the satisfaction that comes with sharing a book with another person.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
假定英语课上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，每句中最多有两处。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：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。
After the college entrance examination, most students will face a serious question: Should they choose a good major and a good university first? Some students preferred to consider majors first so that they can learn which they are interested in. This will make it possible for them to take their most favorite job in the future. Therefore, those who think differently believe that the learning environment is important and graduates from a leading university is more likely to find good jobs.
In my opinions, the best choice is a good major at a good university. If we cannot obtain all, the first thing to consider is a good major, because wherever they study, we can still achieve a lot in a certain field if we try our best.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
最近，你班就“90后的成长”话题进行了一项社会调查，调查显示，人们对“90后”青少年的现状褒贬不一。请根据以下要点用英语写一篇文章，介绍调查结果，并谈谈你自己作为一名“90后”的感想。
| 优点 | 缺点 | 你自己的感想 |
| 1. 思想独立、有志向…… 2. 乐于接受并尝试新事物…… 3. 自信、热情…… 4. 珍惜友情，善于交流…… | 1. 依赖性强…… 2. 心理抗挫能力不足…… 3. 缺乏责任感…… 4. 自控力差…… | (至少两点) |
注意：1. 对所给要点逐一陈述，适当发挥，不要简单翻译。
2. 词数120左右。开头和结尾已经写好，不计入总词数。
3. 参考词汇：挫折frustration
4. 文中不得提及考生所在学校和本人姓名。
Recently our class has conducted a survey about ''The growth of post-90’s generation''. People have different opinions on it.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析