My son ,Izzy, was a nine-year-old boy and had been begging me to please let him find his way home by subway, by himself. After all, we live in New York City, and getting around by public transportation is a basic part of life. It is also the first step toward feeling grown-up. So on that sunny Sunday，I gave him a subway map, a transportation card,$20 for emergencies, and a couple of coins so that he could call me if necessary. I didn’t give him a cell phone because nine-year-olds lose things. A few days later, I wrote about his adventure，or non-adventure for a newspaper. Little did I realize the idea that a kid could tour the city on his own, and that a mom would let him, was big news.
It turned out that many TV shows called me and asked for an interview. Bloggers were going crazy, so I started a blog, too, and letters came pouring in. Finally I found out why this was such a big story: we have become fearful for our children. Fear is hardly a new thing for parents, of course. But the fear of letting our children out of sight for even a second-that’s new. How did this happen? How did it become too scary to let kids be kids? I asked the question when the reporter Trevor Butterworth interviewed me.
“News reports,” he answered. “News reports scare the pants off you. What is scarier than a kidnapped(绑架) kid no matter how far away？Because there are so many such stories, it starts to feel as if kidnappings are happening all the time. That’s why the kid-on-the-subway story surprises the whole world.”
Izzy probably did a good job. He simply proved that kids could leave home alone and return home safely! But he didn’t think it was a big deal. “It was fun,” he said. “But I missed some classes because of the interviews.” Sometimes it really pays to be brave.
1.Why did the author let her son take the subway alone?
A. Because she always let her son do whatever he wanted.
B. Because she believed that her son had memorized the subway map.
C. Because she thought it would be big news around the whole world.
D. Because she felt traveling by subway in New York was a basic life skill.
2.The author gave her son all the following when he traveled alone EXCEPT_______.
A. a map. B. a cell phone.
C. a transportation card D. some money.
3.The author didn’t expect that after she wrote her son’s story for a newspaper, __________.
A. a blog would be started in her name
B. her son would receive so many letters
C. many TV shows would want to interview her
D. many TV stations would want to film her son’s story
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Several weeks ago, kidsPost did a story on “The Art of Video Games” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The exhibition has created debate with some people saying that as fun as video games are ,they are not works of art. Other people say that videos games may be a new form of art and that they belong to in museums. We asked readers for their opinions on the topic. Here are a few of the letters we received.
A video game is like a painting on a screen. In order to make a video game, you have to think of something original(新颖的)to reach the players. This is the point of Art.
---Mary Pottanat,13
I believe video games are not a form of art. Art should be a visual (视觉的)and creative expression of feelings. Although it is arguable that video games are visual ,they do not express feelings in any way.
---Prannab Kirshnan,12
However exciting video games are, they are not art. Painting is art, but not video games. Art has beauty and culture that no technology could ever compare to. Even though you can create art in some video games, the “ Mona Lisa” wasn’t painted with Nintendo.
---Caroline Kaplan,10
Art is a way of communicating ideas to the public in a way that is fun to them. The “public”, who in this case are kids and adults, are finding these video games from different time periods interesting. Video games would not have been art if it had not been for the kids and adults attracted by “the art of video games”.
---Ryan Puthumana,10
1.Who’s the author?
A. An artist.
B.A video game creator.
C. Someone who works at KidsPost.
D. Someone who works in a museum.
2.Ryan Puthumana holds the view that video games________.
A. aren’t fun enough to be art.
B. are so interesting that they are art.
C. can’t express feelings as well as art.
D. are not so popular with kids as before.
3.We can learn from the text that ______.
A. Caroline Kaplan disagrees with Mary Pottanat.
B. Only one kid thinks video games are similar to art.
C. Prannab Kirshnan doesn’t like playing video games.
D. The older the kids are ,the more they like video games.
4.The text mainly discusses____________.
A. the differences between video games and art.
B. why people like or hate video games.
C. whether video games are art or not.
D. what can be considered works of art.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In the history of Hawaii, surfing is a serious thing. Ancient leaders used the sport as a training exercise to keep themselves strong. They also used surfing competitions instead of wars to solve conflicts between people. For a long time ,this tradition of surfing was known mainly to the people of Hawaii. Then Duke Kahanamoku came along and changed the world.
When he was 21years old, Duke broke two world swimming records. Not surprisingly, Duke easily made the Olympic swimming team in 1912.During his Olympic career, Duke won three gold medals and two silver medals in swimming.
When Duke finished winning medals at the Olympics, he toured the world. He also brought along his surfboard. Duke had been surfing ever since he was a little boy. In 1917,he rode a single wave for more than a mile! Duke amazed people by riding his 16-foot-long board. He is considered the father of modern surfing.
Since Duke was handsome and strong, people loved to watch him. His next career move was clear. Duke headed for Hollywood. From 1925 to 1955,he made more than 30 movies.
One day in 1925, Duke and a few other surfers were hanging out on the beach when a boat turned over not far from them. The surfers hit the waves with their big boards and saved 12 of the passengers. Duke alone saved eight of them! After that, lifeguards at beaches started using surfboards to save swimmers. Helping others was a big thing in Duke’s life.
In 1932,Duke became sheriff(治安官)of Honolulu, Hawaii, holding the position for almost 30 years. As sheriff, in fact, his job was to greet visitors who came to the city .From the Olympics to Hollywood, Duke Kahanamoku had put Hawaii on the map when it was still a little known island.
When he was 75 years old, Dukes name was added to both the Swimming Hall of Fame and the Surfing Hall of Fame. He died in 1968 at the age of 78.
1.The first paragraph serves as a(an)_______.
A. explanation B. introduction
C. comment D. background
2.What can we infer about Duke according to paragraph 5?
A. He was modest and honest.
B. He was clever and confident.
C. He was brave and kind-hearted.
D. He was generous and open-minded.
3.What is the text mainly about?
A. The development of Hawaii.
B. The achievements of Duke.
C. The personal life of Duke.
D. The history of surfing.
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。
Ways to create calm in your daily life
Most of us need some space for calm in our lives. A few simple minutes can create much needed moments of calm.___ 1.____ You can use these skills to create calm in your busy schedule.
Go walking. Walking is perfect and you can do it well anywhere. Simply walking and taking in the view is stress reducing. ___2.___ It makes room for new ideas to take root.
Appreciate nature. When we think of nature we think of getting out into the open, and that’s great if you can.____ 3.____ Actually, nature is everywhere. Find a park or a small patch(小块地)of green, or just stick your head out of the window! You have many ways to appreciate nature.
Listening to music. Many people listen to music to calm themselves down. Music actually lifts us out of ourselves. Discover what music works for you.___ 4.______
Do some activities .Certain activities like yoga and tai chi need quiet focus. _5.___They are good for the body, mind and spirit. Classes are a good place to begin, but once you learn the skills, you can practice anywhere: home, school or even on the road.
Try out some of these ways and you’ll soon be practicing “moments of calm.”
A. Notice the animals around you.
B. But what if you are in the city?
C. They are perfect for active calming.
D. It’s a time to get stressful thoughts out of your head.
E. Music is a way to express the way that they are feeling.
F. With enjoyable music even work can be “music to your ears”.
G. You don’t have to find a mountain to sit on, or empty your mind of all thoughts for hours.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
完型填空
Each of us has goals for life. Some of these may be long-term (长期的) or lifetime ones, and other dreams or wishes for more immediate satisfaction.
Just as you great pleasure when you’re trying to short-term goals, there’s also power in having long-term and lifetime goals. Both are valuable and serve each other. In order to be in achieving a short- or long-term wish or goal, you must place your focus on the result and train your mind on either a moment-to-moment, day-to-day, month-to-
month, or year-to-year level.
For example, a farmer is to plow (耕地) a straight line, he must keep his eye on a faraway point. If his attention is just a few feet in front of him, he will not plow straight. So, in order for his field to be plowed straight, he must and focus on his long-term goal.
Focusing on a long-term goal can the energy to get things done in the . For instance, when a runner sets a(n) to run a mile, he’ll be tired when he the one-mile mark. if this same runner sets a goal to run ten miles, he probably won’t even be sweating (出汗) upon this same one-mile mark. If this very same runner was to set a goal to run 26 miles and keep his mind on the completion of this long , not only wouldn’t he be sweating, but most likely he wouldn’t even be out of breath as he ran by the mark.
Long-term goals, , can’t be achieved without first achieving goals. We may have a goal to climb a ladder (梯子), but we have to take one step at a time in order to reach the top.
1.A. even B. just C. also D. rather
2.A. understand B. experience C. explain D. welcome
3.A. set B. keep C. prevent D. achieve
4.A. terms B. dreams C. types D. thoughts
5.A. successful B. special C. interested D. different
6.A. important B. certain C. final D. happy
7.A. if B. when C. although D. because
8.A. received B. attracted C. directed D. paid
9.A. correct B. forget C. believe D. know
10.A. choose B. influence C. report D. provide
11.A. dark B. present C. end D. future
12.A. date B. story C. goal D. example
13.A. probably B. personally C. partly D. quietly
14.A. remembers B. reaches C. discovers D. records
15.A. And B. But C. So D. Or
16.A. waiting for B. searching for C. preparing D. passing
17.A. race B. game C. drive D. flight
18.A. twenty-six-mile B. thirteen-mile C. ten-mile D. one-mile
19.A. however B. besides C. instead D. therefore
20.A. lifetime B. short-term C. common D. big
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A．阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Mary: Do you use an anti-virus program 1.________ (protect) your computer?
Mike: Yes. Because here are so many bad things on the Internet and so many people 2.________ are trying to use the Internet to hurt other users. You have to be very careful and keep your computer clean.
Mary: How often do you run your anti-virus program?
Mike: I usually run it every five days.
Mary: Oh, my new computer 3.________ (attack) several times so far. Would you like to suggest an anti-virus program for me?
Mike: How about trying this one? It’s very good and you can download it4.________ free.
Mary: That 5._______ (sound) very good. Which website should I visit to download it?
Mike: Just a minute ... go to this one. 6.________ only takes a few minutes to download it. Then you have to go through the set-up procedures.
Mary: What do you use your computer for?
Mike: Surfing the net and word processing (文字处理). I also do a lot of work with photographs.
Mary: Photographs? You’re a really 7.________ (intelligence) person.
Mike: No doubt 8.___it is easy to learn a computer program and you can edit and resize photographs.
Mary: Computers are great in 9. ________ way, aren’t they? I should download some programs and learn 10._______ to use them.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
B：根据首字母提示及语境填写单词或短语
1.She ______________(高度赞扬) the teacher ,although she complained about his strictness.
2.Whoever breaks the law won’t e_______ being punished.
3.The vase d_______ with valuable jewels is very beautiful.
4.To live a meaningful life, one should ________(为…设定目标) his life ,and work hard to achieve it.
5.I think I’ll have a cold drink ______（而不是）coffee.
6.Last year I _________ (被选入) a football team, in which I played as a forward as well as being captain.
7.One of the host’s r_______________is to keep competition fair .
8.He _____________（同…讨价还价）his customers to offer part of service free of charge.
9.In this way, I can make up new moves using my “_____________”(人工智能).
10.This activity is c_______to broaden students’ horizons and make good preparations for the future development.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
A．根据语境用适当的关系词填空：
1.There are many reasons _____ people like traveling.
2.This is the iPad _____ I spent 3,000 yuan.
3.We are living in an age ____ many things are done on computer.
4.Is there anyone in your class _______ family is in the country?
5.Nowadays people are more concerned about the environment __they live.
6.Until now , we have raised 50,000 pounds for the poor children ,___ is quite unexpected.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
B.用所给词的适当的时态，语态填空：
1.If his interview is not successful ,he _______(not allow) to work in that company.
2.We won’t start the work until all the preparations _____(make ).
3.Don’t hand in your composition until it _________(finish).
4.Great changes _____________(take place) in our country since the 2008 Olympic Games.
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。
When I began my senior high school years, I had difficulty to learning English. I dared not speak English in the public because of my poor pronounce. I could not get high marks, but I always used bad grammar. Afraid of be laughed at, I never put up my hand answer questions in class. When my English teacher Miss Li learned about this, she encouraged me and lend me a hand, that helped improve my English. With her help, I became interest in English and finally got high marks. Miss Li, like a shining star, shines on her path to success.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
书面表达
随着网络的普及，越来越多的中学生上网交友。某英语报社就“Should students make friends online?”这个主题进行了征文大赛。 请你给该报社投稿。
内容要点：1.网上交友优点：（轻松交友，畅所欲言，帮助学外语）
2.网上交友弊端：（浪费时间，分散精力，有时会上当受骗）
3.你自己的看法。
要求：1.词数120 字左右；（开头已给，不计入总词数）
2.内容充实， 结构完整，语句连贯。
Should Students Make Friends Online?
Whatever your age is , the Internet is a great place to hang out, where you can not only have fun but also make friends.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析