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Once there was a man who lied to eat mangoes. One day he decided to get the sweetest mango from the very top of the tree. Mangoes which are exposed to the sun the most are the sweetest.
So he climbed up to the top, where the branches were thin. He managed to pick up a few sweet reddish fruits, but, in an attempt to climb down, he slipped and started falling towards the ground. Fortunately, he caught the branch as he was falling and remained helplessly hanging on the tree. Then he started to call nearby villagers for help. They immediately came with a ladder and sticks, but could do little to help him.
Then after some time one calm and thoughtful person arrived - a well-known sage who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were very curious to see what he would do, as he was famous in solving many people’s problems in the area and sometimes very complicated ones.
He was silent for a minute and then picked up a stone and threw it at the hanging man.
Everybody was surprised. The hanging mango lover started to shout: What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Do you want me to break my neck?” The sage was silent. Then he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man was very angry: “If I could just come down, I would show you!”
That’s what everybody wanted - that he came down. But how? Now everybody was tense, as to what would happen next! Some wanted to chastise the sage, but they didn’t. The sage picked another stone and threw it again at the man, even more forcefully. Now the man on the tree was enraged and developed a great determination to come down and take revenge.（复仇）
He then used all his skill and strength and somehow reached the branches which were safe to start going down. And he made it! Everybody was amazed.
However, the rescued man found the sage gone. He stood there, realizing that the man really sed him because he induced（引诱）him to try his best and save himself.
“I should be thankful and not angry.”
1.From the story we know that the sweetest mango must be the one________.
A．on the very top of the a tree
B．hidden in the middle of a tree
C．on the tree for the longest time
D．exposed to sunlight less often
2.What happened after he had picked a few sweet reddish mangoes?
A．He slipped and fell to the ground suddenly.
B．He was climbing down quickly but carefully.
C．He remained hanging helplessly on the tree.
D．He shouted loudly for help but no one helped.
3.How did the man feel when the sage hit him with a stone?
A．He was nervous. B．He kept silent.
C．He felt surprised. D．He was angry.
4.What do you think motivated the man to climb down?
A．Courage. B．Revenge. C．Carefulness. D．Assistance.
5.What does the story imply?
A．Anger saves one’s life. B．Wisdom does count.
C．Skill and strength count. D．Anger is the biggest enemy.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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At railway stations all across Britain next week, groups of students will gather with their backpacks to wait for the trains that will carry them home for Christmas. This is as large a movement of human beings as before, but with more contradictory traffic flows, so that trains filled with the young pass each other travelling in every direction.
At first, I went home every weekend with my washing, but then those visits became less regular. How did I let my parents know I was coming? They had no phone. Perhaps I wrote to them ("Expect me with dirty shirts this Friday afternoon"), but more likely I didn't let them know, and just turned up or didn't turn up, not understanding that my parents' dashed hopes of seeing me were a greater casualty of my carelessness than a spoiled tea.
And in all this I suspect I was typical, at least of young men. As for our fathers and mothers, none of them talked of "empty-nest syndrome", even though its implication that the principal human duty is to protect and feed the young would have suited their generation better than ours. Then, the feelings of loss went without a name. Today, it's a condition with remedies, which will make parents feel more enjoyable in their life. The Mayo Clinic, for example, suggests you try to maintain regular contact with your children through "visits, phone calls, emails, texts or video chats". If you feel depressed, lean on loved ones or your mental health provider. Above all, stay positive: "Thinking about the extra time and energy you might have to devote to your marriage or personal interests after your last child leaves home might help you adapt to this major life change."
What can’t be denied, however, is that children often leave home. In modern societies, this is what they do. Christmas is the very time they can be depended on to return. For the non-religious, that may be this season’s true comfort and significance.
1.The main reason for the busy traffic across Britain next week is that________.
A．young students will travel home for Christmas
B．young people will travel in every direction
C．it is a large movement of human beings
D．the traffic flows will be more contradictory
2.From the second paragraph we can learn that the writer________.
A．went home every week to wash dirty clothes
B．understood his parents’ desire of seeing him
C．didn’t understand his parents’ feelings
D．went home to see his parents regularly
3.The underlined word “remedies” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ________.
A．reasons B．excuses C．habits D．solutions
4.From the last paragraph we know that________.
A．in modern society, children should leave home
B．Christmas is likely a time for family reunion
C．the significance of Christmas is celebration
D．Christmas is not a comfort for the non-religious
5.From the passage we can infer that by writing the article the writer’s purpose is to________.
A．persuade the young to show concern for their parents
B．ask the young to go home regularly
C．make the young understand their parents’ interests
D．enable the young to be more independent
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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The organization representing British universities has expressed concern about the potential effect of tuition fees（学费）after figures showed a drop of more than 6% in student applications with less than a month to go before the deadline for 2013 applications.
Data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) showed there were 265,784 university applications by UK-based candiates up to 17 Decemeber, 6.3% down on the parallel period in the admissions cycle the year before. While this is less than the 8.4% year-on-uear fall seen in earlier Ucas figures, released in mid-November, the coming January deadline makes it ever more likely that the total 2013 applicant figure will see a second sizeable fall following the introduction of annual fees of up to ￡9,000.
Nicola Dandridge, the chairman of Universities UK, said : “However, we must be concerned about any drops in the numbers applying to university and in particular, we must look closely at how the increase in graduate contributions in England may be affecting the decisions of promising students. However ,the December figures show a drop in numbers across the UK, suggesting that it is not only a question of tuition fees in England putting off from applying.”
A report of the Uncas figures to mid-December shows a 6.5% fall for applicants in England and 11.7% for those in Wales, with smaller drops of 3.9% for Scotland and 0.5% for Nortern Ireland. Scotiish students at home insitiutions pay on fees, while those from Nothern Ireland have fees capped to ￡3,575 for Northern Irish universities.
Dandridge added: “No one should be put off applying to university because of worries about finance.”
“It is important that no one is put off applying to university because they do not have information about the student support available to them. Most new students don’t need to pay directly. There will be more financial support for those from poorer families and everyone will make lower loan repayments thatn they do now once they are in well paid jobs.”
1.A drop of more than 6% for 2013 applications is probably the effect of________.
A．the increased tuition fees
B．the approaching deadline
C．the concern from applicants
D．the difficulties with applications
2.Compared with the previous year, the fall in student applications is ________.
A．3.9% B．6% C．6.3% D．8.4%
3.Why is the fall for application the smallest in Soctoland and Northem lreland?
A．Because they have more financial support.
B．Because the tuition is much cheaper for them.
C．Because the education is better there.
D．Because the universities are free for them.
4.Which of the following is true?
A．The application for universities is on a rise continuously.
B．The fall for applications is due to family problems.
C．The education in Scotland and Northern Ireland is worse.
D．The rise of tuition fees has an effect on applications.
5.The last paragraph tells us that ________.
A．everyone should apply to university
B．students may get financial supports
C．lower loan repayments is unavailable
D．most new students will not pay fees
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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All parents know that one of their most important tasks is to prepare their children for an independent life, but any parent can tell you that it’s hard to let go of your children. That balance between keeping your children safe and allowing them to learn from their own mistakes can be heartbreaking. Years of experience means that parents often do know best, but on the other hand, the young, being less bound by tradition, are often more creative, more able to find new solutions to old problems. Revolutions are led by the young.
Good teachers make the growth of critical (批判性的) thinking easier in their students, only to find that this can lead to a questioning of the teachers’ basic beliefs. Schools encourage parents to become involved, but are often embarrassed when parents have reservations about some of the educational methods being used. Governments encourage unimportant groups to empower themselves in order to participate fully in the development process. And they are often surprised when the new leaders of these groups turn around and attack the policies of that same government. The rebellions (叛逆的)young and the newly unimportant groups are important in social development. They are not necessarily representatives of those they want to represent or not realistic in their demands, but their voices must be heard.
Good parents know that just forbidding particular behaviors does not prevent their children from finding ways to engage in these forbidden activities. Indeed, sometimes the forbidden fruit is more inviting, just because it is not accepted by authority. Parents must work with their children to educate them on the facts, know as much as possible about he lives of their children, provide a good example, encourage more wholesome activities but also support their children when they don’t follow what is expected of them. But the most important point is that they also need to learn how to let go.
1.By saying “Revolutions are led by the young”, the author indicates that young people are more ________.
A．conventional B．realistic C．creative D．heartbreaking
2.From the second paragraph we know ________.
A．teachers’ basic beliefs should be questioned by students
B．schools encourage parents to question their education methods
C．movement is satisfied with the new leaders’ attack on the policies
D．the voice of the rebellious young should be heard by the government
3.In order to educate children well, parents should ________.
A．forbid particular behaviors in their daily life
B．know them well and set a good example to them
C．educate them with facts and expect much of them
D．know as much as possible as their children
4.From the passage we can learn that the author prefers ________.
A．free parenting B．traditional parenting
C．critical parenting D．smart parenting
5.What is the best title of the passage?
A．Letting Go – for Children’s Independent Life
B．Parents’ Tasks – in Children’s Development
C．Way of Growth – for the Young Groups
D．Teaching Methods – for Teachers and Schools
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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阅读下面微博上的短文，然后按要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
I have know Li Yong, my friend, since my childhood and we have been studying in the same class of the same middle school, so we have been together almost every day and have built up very close friendship.
Li Yong actually used to be a good example for me to follow because be was a top student in study and got along very well with us fellow classmates. He was once responsible, active, positive and s army guy street with himself, so both teachers and classmates thought well of him. However, 3 months ago, everything changed. He often came late for class. When at class, be often did something that had mouthing to do with study. Last week, he even fought with a student of another class over a very small thing, which had a very bad influence on our class. He let us all a little bit down!
But this afternoon, when school was over, he was alone in the classroom, writing something with a knife on his desk. Coming closer to him I found carved on the desk were the words: “For my class, I must change! Action speaks louder than words.” From these words I could read his determined mind, which make me moved, while at the same time, it seemed as if the desk were crying and wanted to say something to him because of the carving.
[写作内容]
1．以约30个词概括以上博文的主要内容。
2．然后以约120个词就李勇的做法发表你的看法，内容包括：
（1）李华为何因李勇的行为而感动，并说明其理由；
（2）假如你是“课桌”，你想对李勇说什么，为什么？
（3）作为学生，你是如何为班级做出自己的贡献的？
[写作要求]
1．作文中可以使用亲身经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接引用原文中的句子。
2．作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。
[评分标准]
概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，语篇连贯。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
