A couple of weeks ago, a few friends and I had an opportunity to attend a dear friend’s wedding in New York. After the wedding and reception, rather accidentally four of us gathered in a hotel room and began to explore the deeper meaning of life and death. What does it mean to live truly? If we are all getting closer to death, is all the material accumulation worth it? It is not exactly the type of conversations one has at a wedding.
While the answers varied from person to person, I was left with more questions than answers and a feeling of gratefulness to be surrounded by friends who were asking the “right” questions. As the clock kept ticking past 3 a.m., one of the roommates suggested we watch a short film titled “Last Days of Zach Sobiech”. The film is about a teenager’s journey through the last days of his incurable illness. The film brought up a lot of mixed emotions but one quote that stood out for me was Zach’s simple explanation of happiness, “ What makes one happy is seeing someone else smile because you put it there.” By 4 a.m. , there was this energy in the room that had to be shared! With a few packages of post-it notes, we hit the halls of the hotel. We decided to leave short inspirational words on guests’ doors, so when they opened their doors few hours later a smile would turn up.
We ended up sticking post-it notes on all the doors until we ran out of them. The note on the door of the newly-weds properly said, “Where there is love, there is life.”
1.About “explore the deeper meaning of life and death” at a wedding, the author thinks______.
A. it is rather meaningful.
B. it is interesting.
C. it is natural.
D. it is not proper.
2.After watching the film, what impressed the author most?
A. Zach’s mixed emotions
B. Zach’s poor fate
C. Zach’s simple explanation of happiness
D. Zach’s struggle with illness
3.What did the author and his friends do after they saw the film?
A. They knocked door to door to offer help in the hotel.
B. They shared happiness with the workers of the hotel.
C. They stuck notes with encouraging words on guests’ doors.
D. They thanked the wedding couple gratefully for invitation.
4.What can we learn from the author and his friends’ action?
A. One who brings happiness to others is also happy oneself.
B. Helping others in trouble is good to oneself.
C. Friends are your valuable treasure.
D. Good is rewarded with good.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Almost one in five drivers had dozed off behind the wheel, a shocking news report had showed. Of those who were dozing off, 29% have done so with their cars speeding at 70 miles per hour. The report also found a quarter of men have fallen asleep while driving, making it almost twice as many as women.
The Safety on Wheel Report, by Post Office Insurance, also looked at how often tiredness or a lack of concentration caused accidents. Three in ten drivers have experienced an accident, from passing a walker crossing to hitting another vehicle, because of a lack of concentration. Meanwhile, almost half (49%) of UK drivers have driven when they do not concentrate.
Paul Havenhand, head of insurance at Post Office, said, “ When tiredness strikes, drivers should avoid the roads.” There is no measurement for tired driving, unlike driving under the influence of alcohol, yet it could result in an equally dangerous accident.
Drivers are advised to take a 15-minute break from driving every two hours. However, a third (36%) are so eager to reach their destination that they will ignore feelings of tiredness. What’s more, almost one in five (18%) will drive for longer than four hours without a break, while 6% carry on for up to 6 hours. Just over a quarter (27%) choose a quick stop to buy a cup of coffee, which is a very popular way for drivers to get rid of tiredness, and only 17% stop to have a rest until they feel energetic again. Mr. Havenhand added, “Drivers should plan ahead and rest before starting a long journey; besides, they can take regular breaks to recharge their batteries while on road; in some cases, if they do feel too tired to concentrate on the roads, they could consider an alternative means of transport.”
1.Which suggestion is NOT put forward by Mr. Havenhand?
A. Preparing well for a long journey and taking a complete rest before it.
B. Having breaks regularly in order to feel refreshed.
C Choosing another method of transport instead.
D. Choosing a quick stop to grab something to eat.
2.What does the underlined phrase “recharging their batteries” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Put a new supply of electricity into their batteries.
B. Get back their energy by resting for a while
C. Accuse them of stealing batteries
D. Pay twice more money for their batteries
3.It is implied in the last paragraph that for drivers the most popular cure for tiredness is _____.
A. drinking coffee
B. talking with others
C. ignoring feelings of tiredness
D. singing songs
4.What’s the purpose of the writer in writing this passage?
A. To warn people of the danger of tired driving
B. To tell people to be careful when walking on the street
C. To inform people of the importance of a good rest
D. To introduce some dangers while driving on the roads
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Tulou, the special residential architecture of Fujian Province was included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List during the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee in Quebec, Canada.
In the fourth century, Han Chinese living in the Central Plains area began to migrate south, gradually gathering in Fujian and forming the Hakka communities. As a defence against enemies, the Hakkas chose to live in compact(紧凑的) communities, and the tulou was their preferred houses. Tens of thousands of such earthen structures were constructed in Fujian Province.
Most tulous are to be found in the valleys, surrounded by high mountains, and some are in the depths of the great mountains. Most are three to four stories high, and look like circular blockhouses（堡垒）. Rooms on the first floor are used as kitchens, rooms on the second floor are used as barns(谷仓), and rooms on the third and fourth floors are for bedrooms and living rooms. For defensive purposes, the rooms on the first floor have no windows.
Raw materials for the tulou were obtained locally. Their main building material was a mixture of clay, sand, lime and water, and egg whites, brown sugar and rice water were added as adhesive agents（粘合剂）. It was then mixed to form the walls. Once they dried, the walls were so hard that driving a nail into them would have been difficult. Fir branches, which are extremely strong and do not rot, were used to strengthen them, and many centuries later they have remained their original look.
Tulous are located in a region where earthquakes happen frequently, and their circular construction helps them resist the regular shocks.
The proven design even inspired one famous Peruvian architect, who paid several visits to Yongding, to build a tulou back home. Not long after, an earthquake struck only 10 kilometers away, and while all the houses around the earthen building fell down, his tulou remained.
1.From the passage , we know that Tulou ______.
A. is a special residential architecture of Han Chinese in Fujian even today
B. was once the place where the Hakkas chose to live together
C. stands in the valleys and is also modern people’s preferred houses
D. looks like circular blockhouses but easy to fall down in the earthquake
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Hakkas built tulous when they lived in the Central Plains area
B. Raw materials for the tulou were obtained from far away
C. It is difficult to dig a hole into the walls of the tulou
D. Fir branches may help them resist the regular shocks
3.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. One of UNESCO’s World Heritage List
B. The Function of Tulous
C. Yongding County and The Hakkas
D. The special Earthen Architecture of Fujian
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Statue of Liberty Basics:
Statue of Liberty Phone:212-363-3200
Statue cruise phone:877-LADY-TIX
Nearest subways to Statue of Liberty :4/5 to Bowling Green; N/R to Whitehall Street;1 to South Ferry (you must be in the first 5 cars of the train to exit at South Ferry). Follow the signs to Castle Clinton to buy tickets for the ferry(轮渡) to the Statue of Liberty.
There is plenty of room for running around and relaxing on Liberty Island.
For children 7-12 there is a Junior Ranger Program available. Pick up a free booklet on Liberty Island.
Admission to Liberty State Park is free, but you must buy a ferry ticket to get there.
Statue Cruises Ferry Ticket Prices: Adult:$13; Senior Citizens (62+) $10; children (4-12)$5; Children 3 and under free. You can buy your tickets for the ferry online at http//:www.statuecruises.come/ferry-service/welcome.aspx.
Ferry ticket included with the New York Pass----- present New York Pass in Castle Clinton bookstore for ticket.
Statue of Liberty Tour Hours
Ferries to the island leave from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Liberty Island closes at 6 pm and the last ferry returns to Battery Park by 6:30. Schedules are updated and revised frequently, so please check the official ferry schedule.
Statue of Liberty Tour Reservation
Climb the Crown of the Statue of Liberty with a Crown Ticket, which costs an additional $3 and includes access to the Museum and Pedestal as well.
Museum/ Pedestrian Tickets are free (with ferry ticket purchase).
Order your tickets in advance: 877-LADY-TIX or online when you purchase your ferry ticket.
Tour tickets are time specific.
1.How much is the ferry fee for a family of two adults and two children aged 3 and 6?
A. $ 26 B.$ 31 C.$32 D.$36
2.You can get a ferry ticket EXCEPT__________
A. at Castle Clinton
B. with New York pass
C. when you pay admission to Liberty Statue Park
D. online at http//:www.statuecruises.come/ferry-service/welcome.aspx.
3.In order to catch the last ferry back to downtown, you should ______.
A. take the ferry back by 4:30
B. arrive at Battery Park by 6:30
C. check first in case of any change
D. take the first ferry to the island at 8:30
4.If you want to buy a tour ticket in advance, you should _____
A. call 212-363-3200
B. call 877-LADY-TIX
C. go to Castle Clinton `
D. get a booklet on Liberty Island
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.
Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off . You can make your environment work for you instead of against you. ______1.________.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating , for people are often less self-conscious（难为情）when they’re in poorly lit places and so more likely to eat lots of food. 2. .
______3._____ . Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites . In one study , people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room . Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing , while cold colors make us feel less hungry . So when it’s time to repaint , go blue.
Don’t forget the clock or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories（卡路里）per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes, And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down , turn on relaxing music. 4. .
Downsize the dishes. 5. . We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one ,total intake（摄入） jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.
A. Mind the colors .
B. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
C. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
D. The smaller , the better .
E. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
F. Colors are important.
G. Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat.
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。
A trip across the Pacific will guarantee you a different experience with a tipping culture you’ve never come across in China.
In the US, giving a little _________ money to service workers on top of your bill is a common _________ .
Though US national law _________that businesses pay workers at least $7.25 (45 yuan) per hour, employees receiving tips—often waiters and waitresses—are the exceptions. They _________ only receive $2.13 an hour, and tips _________ the difference. As the Wall Street Journal put it, “The American system of tipping holds the promise of great _________ for waiting staff.”
So how should you tip if you are in the US?
_________ you pay tips as a percentage of the bill. Offering an extra 15 percent of the _________ to the waiter or waitress in a restaurant and to the delivery man or woman is customary and _________ . You can offer more for great service and less for _________ service.
Yet there is an_________ . For take-out food, you don’t have to _________ tips for the sellers. Tips are not expected at fast food restaurants, cafés or ice cream shops either, though a tip jar _________ be right by the cash register (收银机). Don’t feel obligated to throw some money in, remembering that it doesn’t hurt. Those workers do not _________ on tips.
Other service workers also receive tips. For taxi drivers, 15 percent is the norm (标准), _________ if they help with your bags. The same goes for tour guides.
Today, you can even pay tips on a credit card. When receiving a copy of the bill to sign, you are _________ to fill in how much you’d like to tip.
_________ thinking about when to tip and how much you should tip causes a big _________ for many Chinese people, it’s important to _________ in mind that as long as you show respect and use your reasoning, things will be just _________ .
1.A. good B. pocket C. extra D. lucky
2.A. method B. practice C. way D. agreement
3.A. requires B. believes C. hopes D. agrees
4.A. rarely B. usually C. seldom D. always
5.A. put up B. take up C. hold up D. make up
6.A. praises B. prizes C. awards D. rewards
7.A. Fortunately B. Naturally C. Normally D. Surprisingly
8.A. bill B. note C. check D. tip
9.A. expected B. limited C. illegal D. casual
10.A. superb B. poor C. splendid D. new
11.A. example B. incident C. exception D. opportunity
12.A. provide B. pay C. charge D. demand
13.A. need B. should C. must D. might
14.A. put B. live C. work D. rely
15.A. less B. bigger C. more D. smaller
16.A. eager B. free C. willing D. delighted
17.A. Though B. Now that C. As if D. when
18.A. dilemma B. enjoyment C. headache D. change
19.A. stay B. bear C. bring D. take
20.A. terrible B. various C. valuable D. fine
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Saying goodbye to a sport you love is hard. But Kobe Bryant took an even harder, _____1.______(pain) route: His goodbye lasted for nearly three years.
For many, Bryant is a legend. He started out as a basketball prodigy(神童) ____2.___skipped college and took his talents directly to NBA. It was his quick action and aggressive personality _____3.___earned him the nickname Black Mamba. __4.____ competing in the finals or practicing jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game. Fans remember him_5.____ the player who helped the Lakers win five NBA championships in his two-decade long career.
Bryant’s final game ______6._____(hold) on April 13 at the Staples Center in his home city of Los Angeles. For Bryant, the occasion was bittersweet. In __7.______ interview with ESPN, Bryant explained _8.___ much these last few games meant to him. “There’s _9.____I love more than being able to play this entire season,” Bryant said, “to go through these tough times, and to play in these buildings one last time.”
Kobe's millions of fans around the world congratulate him on an outstanding NBA career and thank him for so many 10.___(thrill) memories.
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。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仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Recently we had a class meeting on the topic of My Chinese Dream. Some mentioned the inspired Chinese Dream was put forward by President Xi .And others talked enthusiastically about his understanding of the Chinese Dream. We all believe that this dream will come true in the future. I also talked about my own dream. I had always wanted to be a doctor. Not only can doctors save people’s life but also they are doing a respectable job. Doctors can also help people to live a better life without their professional knowledge. To realize my dream, I can try to work hard from now on. I must learn as much as I can get into a good medical college, where I can prepare myself adequate for the job of a doctor.
I believe hard work is that it takes to accomplish my goal.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
书面表达
假如你是李华， 你的加拿大朋友Mike在与你同一城市的国际学校读书。你收到他的email了解到他最近因为一次考试没有考好而烦恼， 请按照以下内容给Mike写一封回信。
1. 宽慰
2. 给予改进学习的建议（查找失败原因；向老师求助； 劳逸结合）
3. 邀请周末去打篮球。
注意：1. 字数100字左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出， 不计入字数。
Dear Mike ,
I’m sorry to hear that you failed in the last exam._____________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Hoping everything will be fine with you .
Yours
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析