We are much happier in our new house because it has a large garden, and you know how enthusiastic we both are about gardening. When we moved in a month ago, Mary wanted to get a dog to keep out burglars. However, we finally decided that it would be cheaper to put an iron grille in front of the door and get a burglar alarm.
Last week, I went to a shop and bought an alarm for just over £200. It consists of a control unit with three smaller units. I put the control unit in the lounge and put the other units in place by the front door, back door and lounge windows.
That night I soon fell asleep because I was confident that no one could get into our house undetected. At about 1:50 a.m. I woke up suddenly and heard the siren. It was like an ambulance driving right through our bedroom. I couldn’t leave the siren on all night. I went downstairs in the dark. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I switched on the light and looked around. Oh my gosh. The back door was unlocked. I rushed to lock it and it was just at that exact moment that the ‘burglar’ disappeared behind a curtain. Guess what? It was an ordinary house lizard(蜥蜴).Apparently the alarm system had been made for American or European homes in which lizards are never seen. I switched the alarm off and sat down to watch. A few moments later, a lizard ran across a wall, right in front of one of the alarm units.
I won’t bother to finish this story but if you’d like a burglar alarm system free of charge, just let us know.
1.What do we know about the author and his wife?
A. They are pet lovers.
B. They love plants and flowers.
C. They are fond of catching lizards.
D. They hate technology.
2.What happened after they got the alarm system?
A. It worked unexpectedly.
B. It did not work.
C. A burglar broke into the house.
D. Their neighbors complained about it.
3.What will the author do after the incident?
A. He will sell the alarm to someone else.
B. He will buy a dog to keep out burglars.
C. He will fix the alarm system immediately.
D. He will file a complaint to the company.
4.How does the author sound when telling the story?
A. Curious. B. Anxious. C. Cautious. D. Humorous.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A new retail phenomenon from Japan which allows customers to walk away with free products is to launch in Britain. From tomorrow, visitors to SampleTrend’s central London store can try anything on its shelves, and all of the products can be taken home without charge.
For an annual membership fee of £60，users are free to enter the shop once a month and help themselves to no less than £250 worth of goods every year. The only ‘catch’ is that shoppers are asked to complete a simple questionnaire about each product they try. Known as ‘try-vertising’，the concept allows manufacturers to test products and receive consumer feedback(反馈）before launching onto the open market. It is already a sensation in Japan and now looks set to transform the fortunes of the embattled UK retail industry. If everything goes well, countries such as Germany and France will give it a try. According to new figures, stores are facing a Christmas crisis with the weakest high street trading for six months. Michael Ghosh, the founder behind SampleTrend, said, “The concept behind SampleTrend is unique in the UK. It allows shoppers the opportunity to walk away with a number of real, full-size products of their choosing without handing over a penny.” The concept of in-store try-vertising is simple but effective. Businesses across all sectors from cosmetic manufacturers to beverage makers, place new products on the shelves at SampleTrend and wait for consumers to try them out.
Customers complete a short 10-point questionnaire about the product. The feedback they provide is used to make any finishing touches before the product is brought officially to market. The SampleTrend store stocks everything from cosmetics, food and drink, and household goods. Ghosh, the former advertising and sales director for Disney Europe, said such feedback may also build brand loyalty from the outset— a particularly appealing prospect for new businesses.
1.The most attractive part of the idea for customers is that_____.
A. they only pay £60 for a life-long membership
B. they can help to make the products better
C. it won’t take much time to finish the questionnaire
D. they can take things home without paying for them
2.The idea of ‘try-vertising’ originates from_____.
A. Germany B. Britain C. Japan D. France
3.The purpose of ‘try-vertising’ is to_____.
A. get feedback for their new products
B. sell more products at Christmas time
C. encourage people to buy more products
D. give customers free products as gifts
4.What does Michael Ghosh think of this business idea?
A. Puzzling. B. Unpractical.
C. Promising. D. Surprising.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Are you a travel lover? If you are, attention then. No matter whether you’re looking for big international events, delicious food, natural wonders or simply relaxation on a beach, these places should be on your checklist.
Brazil
Attractions: Festivities for the 2014 World Cup
The world is casting its eye on Brazil for hosting two of the most popular sporting events — the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics two years after. Except for watching exciting games and cheering for your favorite team and players, you can also take a trip to ‘the lungs of the earth’，the Amazon forest, to escape the crowds and embrace nature.
Belgium
Attractions: Europe’s underrated gem
Many grand and spectacular museums are located in picturesque cities like Bruges, Antwerp and Brussels. Art lovers can fully engage themselves in the numerous treasures dating back to the medieval period. Exploring the quiet towns and appreciating their Gothic architecture is also an opportunity not to be missed.
Seychells
Attractions: Paradise within reach
This so-called ‘playground for millionaires’ is open to everyone. The wallet-friendly hotels, guest houses and self-catering apartments make tours comfortable. With more than 100 diving islands scattered on the Indian ocean, many activities await, such as sunbathing, fishing, diving, sailing, and going on boat tours. The Seychelles islands are blessed with a warm tropical climate all year round, so you can go there whenever you want.
1.The 1st paragraph aims to tell us______.
A. what you can expect from a trip
B. how to find a place to holiday
C. what this passage is really about
D. what to do on a holiday trip
2.If you visit Brazil in 2014, you can______.
A. watch the Summer Olympics
B. enjoy medieval treasures in museums
C. take a trip to the Amazon forest
D. cook your own food in a guest house
3.Which of the following has the closest meaning with wallet-friendly？
A. cheap B. attractive C. expensive D. affordable
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Our body clock, or natural body rhythm, influences our energy and alertness. Paying attention to it can help us choose the suitable time of the day when we best perform specific tasks.
The reality, however, is that most of us organize the time around work demands, school deadlines, commuting or social events. Doing whatever the body feels like doing is a luxury in today’s fast-paced modern society.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. Obeying our body clock has significant health benefits. Disrupting our natural body rhythm, on the other hand, has been linked to problems such as depression, obesity, or headache, says Steve Key, a biology professor.
When the body clock can synchronize (使……同步) the rhythms of its natural processes, it “gives us an advantage in daily life”, says Key.
According to him, when it comes to cognitive (认知的) work, most adults perform best in the late morning. As our body temperature starts to rise just before awakening in the morning and continues to increase until midday, our memory, alertness and concentration gradually improve.
However, he adds, our ability to concentrate typically starts to decrease soon thereafter. Most of us are more easily distracted (分心) between noon and 4 pm.
Alertness also tends to fall after eating a meal and sleepiness tends to peak around 2 pm, making that a good time for a nap.
Surprisingly, tiredness may increase our creative powers. For most adults, problems that require open-ended thinking are often best dealt with in the evening when they are tired, according to a study in the journal Thinking & Reasoning.
When choosing a time of the day to exercise, paying attention to your body clock can improve results. Physical performance is usually best from about 3 to 6 pm, says Michael Smolensky, a professor of biomedical engineering.
Of course, not everyone’s body clock is the same, making it even harder to synchronize natural rhythms with daily plans.
1.If we know our natural body rhythm well, we can ______.
A. find out the suitable time to do specific tasks
B. organize our time around work demands
C. do whatever our body feels like doing
D. be sure to be healthy
2.Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Our alertness is influenced by our natural body rhythm.
B. Doing whatever your body feels like is very difficult in our modern society.
C. Obeying our body clock is good for our health.
D. Disrupting our natural body rhythm must lead to obesity.
3.Inspiration (灵感) to solve a difficult problem will most probably come to us
______.
A. when we get up in the morning
B. when we are tired in the evening
C. when we are full of energy in the late morning
D. when we are asleep at night
4.Which of the following can be the suitable title for the passage?
A. What is natural body rhythm?
B. Natural body rhythm is good for us.
C. Something about natural body rhythm.
D. The latest research about natural body rhythm.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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。
If you think about your circle of friends and family members, you can certainly pick out one or more people who are not good listeners. 1. If you’re fortunate, that person is a good friend, a loved one or a teacher.
All too often, we associate the benefits of good listening skills with achieving very specific outcomes, like following the boss’s orders (aimed at getting a job promotion).
2. We think of them as something basic, which we mastered in our formal schooling, along with dictation and obeying instructions, etc. This is a shame. We should know listening skills are the focus of lifetime learning and development, related to our communication skills.
3. All of these occur because two people or groups don’t listen to each other. We don’t analyze the root problem, or work on improvement steps.
We still tend to treat listening skills the way we treat learning to walk: we think that once we’ve acquired them, we’ve got them. We are ready to move on to the next thing. Wrong. 4.
Poor listening skills often damage effective dialogue between people. 5. If we were able to reduce misunderstandings in our conversations by 20-30%, there would be benefits in efficiency and the elimination (消除) of tiresome repetition.
A. However, think about the upside potential.
B. We’re surrounded by this kind of outcome.
C. We tend to undervalue the importance of our listening skills.
D. Think about the number of failures, misunderstandings and arguments.
E. Equally you can think of someone you know who is a very good listener.
F. The challenge of listening is determining when the speaker wants a response or advice.
G. The problem is that people and language are far more complex than the roads we travel on.
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（A、B、C和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。
Elaine was a saleswoman，who drove all over the city five days a week．When all the freeway lanes were at a dead stop, she would drive quickly along the emergency lane．While driving she usually ______ on her cell phone. Drinking a soda or eating a sandwich----her hands，legs，and mouth were always______ while she was driving．
Last night she got ______ in Friday evening rush hour．She was going to be______for her date．She was already______ when things seemed to be getting worse and all the traffic stopped．Elaine drove ______over to the emergency lane．Soon she saw the red flashing lights in the mirror． She had to ______her car．A good-looking officer walked up．“Officer, I’m pregnant．I have constant morning sickness．I’m just trying to get to the nearest store to buy my______” She looked at the officer with ______eyes．
He looked at her pitifully, then said______．“Okay，ma'am． Take the first exit you come to．I hope you'll be feeling better.”
The officer walked back to his car and Elaine drove on． This was the second time that ______had worked for her．She had one more thing to do before she got home． She had to mail a package．When she got to the shopping mall at 7 pm，no parking was ______ ，except for the handicapped(残疾人的)space． Elaine drove right into it．It would only be a minute，and she told______．All she had to do was______ the mailbox store，get the package ______，and pay the clerk．
Fortunately，there was no______in the store．Everything was done so______that she was whistling while she walked back out to her car．Then she stopped______．There was an envelope on the windshield．She opened it slowly．She knew ______ it was，but not how much it was．She screamed when she saw the______. A dog started barking．
1.A．depended B．carried C．talked D．sold
2.A．full B．open C．free D．busy
3.A．hurt B．stuck C．annoyed D．punished
4.A．late B．ready C．excited D．mad
5.A．satisfied B．angry C．exhausted D．calm
6.A．unwillingly B．immediately C．guiltily D．gratefully
7.A．stop B．start C．discard D．speed
8.A．gas B．ticket C．medicine D．package
9.A．proud B．aggressive C．addicted D. innocent
10.A．softly B．rudely C．strictly D．skeptically
11.A．officer B．excuse C．driver D．mistake
12.A．adoptable B．accessible C．acceptable D．available
13.A．the clerk B．the guard C．the worker D．herself
14.A．take out B．get out C．run into D．push into
15.A．weighed B．bought C．repaired D．paid
16.A．car B．line C．police D．service
17.A．quickly B．slowly C．strangely D．quietly
18.A．talking B．driving C．thinking D．whistling
19.A．how B．why C．what D．that
20.A．letter B．order C．amount D．invitation
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（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
1.__(base) on recent researches， distance learning is slowly proving as _2. (value)as the traditional campus-based form．It is a fixed truth that this form of learning is 3. the increase．Moreover, both students and teachers have expressed their 4. (happy)with these courses．The best part of distance learning courses is their flexible format．Students can continue to work and study at the same time without any kind of difficulty．You will __5.__ (provide)with the facilities of a virtual(虚拟的)classroom and a virtual campus．Anyone 6. wants to upgrade their professional knowledge to a new level can apply for these courses．With an online study format，the tests and notes can be 7. (access)with just a mouse click from your home computer．However, a student8. (attend)an online course must take the time management 9. (serious)．Every online student must keep 10. in mind that proper management of time and study schedule is the key towards success in this format．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
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。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(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，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仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I was often laughed at my classmates before I turned 14 because I was always very nervous when talking to someone. Helpful and sad, I felt that I could hardly do nothing. You cannot imagine what great difficulty I have in my life. And later, something happened, what changed my life completely. It was an English speech contest and my mother encouraged me to take part in it. I tried my best to remember the whole speech “Believe in yourself” and practised them over 100 times. Believe it or not, I finally won the first prize. Heard the cheers from the teachers and students, I stood there, with my eyes full with excited tear.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
假如你是李华。你看到美国留学生Sharon 在网上发贴，希望有人能帮助她提高普通话（Mandarin）水平，她可以教英语作为回报。请根据以下提示用英语给她写一封电子邮件。
1.表达给她提供帮助的意愿； 2.说明你能胜任辅导的理由；
3.给出讲好普通话的两点建议； 4.提出你学习英语的具体需求。
注意：
1. 词数100字左右，开头语已为你写好；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 文中不得透漏个人姓名和学校名称；
Hi Sharon,
This is Li Xia. I learned from your post that you want to improve your Mandarm
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析