On the eve of our daughters’ weddings, I gave both of them what I considered to be excellent marital advice: never leave your husband unsupervised (无人监督的) with pruning shears (修枝剪).
If only I had taken my own advice. I recently let my guard down. Thirty-some years of marriage can do that to a woman. Give a man pruning shears and electric trimmers (电动修剪器) and he will give new meaning to “armed and dangerous.”
One day earlier this year, my husband said that the crab apple tree was dead.
“Why do you think it is dead?” I asked.
“Look at it. There’s not a leaf on it.”
“There’s not a leaf on anything. It’s March,” I said.
“It looked sick last fall and with this bitter winter we had, I’m convinced it’s dead.”
The truth is he’s never liked the crabapple. Sure, it has beautiful blooms in the spring, but then it gets a disease, the leaves curl, and it drops those little apples that sit on the driveway.
Each passing week he pronounced the tree dead. Eventually I began to believe him. Though he agreed it would be a regrettable loss, there was a twinkle in his eye. He armed himself a couple of weeks ago and began trimming. A branch here, a branch there, a small limb, then a large limb. I watched and then decided to check the wood on some of the branches closer to the trunk. I broke one off and saw green.
The crabapple was not dead. It just hadn’t had time to leaf out. The tree was now falling to one side, but it was not dead. I would have told him so, but he had moved on to a maple. Once the man starts, he can’t stop. One trim leads to another.
“Please, stop!” I called.
He smiled and nodded, but he couldn’t hear because he had started the hedge (树篱) trimmers and was getting ready to fix a line of hedges.
Zip (飕飕声), zip, zip.
“What do you think?” he shouted.
“It’s supposed to be a privacy hedge; now all that will be private are our ankles.”
He started the trimmers again.
“Stop!” I called, “Come back!”
“Why?” he shouted.
“You’re in the neighbor’s yard.”
1.By saying “if only I had taken my own advice.” the author means that ___________.
A. she didn’t follow her own advice about pruning shears
B. she feels regretful about her marriage after many years
C. she should have kept a closer watch on her husband
D. she shouldn’t have given that marital advice to her daughters
2.We can learn from the article that the author’s husband ____________.
A. has a great talent for gardening
B. nearly ruined their neighbor’s garden
C. mistook their crab apple tree for a maple tree
D. had never used pruning shears before
3.What does the article mainly talk about?
A. Why the author’s husband insisted on trimming their crab apple tree.
B. Why husbands shouldn’t be left to trim trees alone.
C. How the author has survived her “thirty-some” years of marriage.
D. How the author’s husband killed their crab apple tree.
4.What is the tone of the article?
A. Anxious. B. Critical.
C. Serious. D. Humorous.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How cool can libraries be in an era of iPods and Kindles? More than you think．Only if you know where to go.
Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States
The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening. The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the Chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime.
Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library's oldest books. The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps（竖琴）in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland.
Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States
At first glance, it looks like a spaceship. Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels. The library hosts “Dinner in the Library,” which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from distinguished authors．
TU Delft Library: The Netherlands
The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum．The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can't really see the actual Library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill. The roof covers 5,500 square meters. And it has become one of the most striking and greenest structures in the area.
1.Which of the four libraries has the longest history?
A. Central Library B. Trinity College Library
C. Geisel Library D.TU Delft Library
2.What makes Geisel Library different from the others is that _____________.
A. Queen Elizabeth I founded the library
B. it has a roof of grassy hill
C. famous writers often deliver speeches there
D. it is the largest single library in the world
3.In Central Library, you can _________________.
A. drink cocktails B. buy souvenirs
C. enjoy sci-fi films D. see the old harp
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
“A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smart phone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website” is the definition of “selfie” in the Oxford English Dictionary. In fact, it wasn't even in the dictionary until August of last year. It earned its place there because people are now so obsessed with (对……痴迷) selfies ─ we take them when we try on a new hat, play with our pets or when we meet a friend whom we haven't seen in a while.
But is there any scientific explanation for this obsession? Well, you should probably ask James Kilner, a neuroscientist(神经系统科学家) at University College London.
Through our lifetime we become experts at recognizing and interpreting other people's faces and facial expressions. In contrast, according to Kilner, we have a very poor understanding of our own faces since we have little experience of looking at them ─ we just feel them most of the time.
This has been proved in previous studies, according to the BBC.
Kilner found that most people chose the more attractive picture. This suggests that we tend to think of ourselves as better-looking than we actually are. To further test how we actually perceive our own faces, Kilner carried out another study. He showed people different versions of their own portrait ─ the original, one that had been edited to look less attractive and one that was made more attractive ─ and asked them to pick the version which they thought looked most like them. They chose the more attractive version.
But what does it say about selfies? Well, isn't that obvious? Selfies give us the power to create a photograph ─ by taking it from various angles, with different poses, using filters (滤色镜) and so on ─ that better matches our expectations with our actual faces.
“You suddenly have control in a way that you don't have in non-virtual(非虚拟的) interactions," Kilner told the Canada-based CTV News. Selfies allow you “to keep taking pictures until you manage to take one you're happy with”, he explained.
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The definition and fun of taking selfies.
B. A study of why people love taking selfies.
C. How taking selfies influences people’s daily lives.
D. How to interpret people’s facial expressions in their selfies.
2.The underlined word “perceive” in Paragraph 5 can be replaced by “______”.
A. interpret B. beautify C. choose D. explain
3.What did Kilner discover from his researches?
A. People tend to believe they look more attractive than they actually are.
B. People tend to spend more time looking at their faces than at others’.
C. People interpret others’ facial expressions worse than their own.
D. People who like taking selfies know more about their facial expressions.
4.According to Kilner, people like taking selfies probably because they think ______.
A. it is a good chance to learn more about their actual faces
B. it allows them to satisfy their expectations with their appearances
C. it enables them to interact with their friends in social media
D. it is a way to respond to others’ facial expressions correctly
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Canadian short story writer Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Eighty-two-year-old Munro is only the 13th woman to win the 112-year-old prize．
Munro didn’t publish her first collection of short stories until she was 37 years old, but her stories have always been well-received. Lots of her stories share similar themes and characters, but each story has its own twists and turns.
Even though she’s won Canada’s most famous literary award, the Giller Prize, twice, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature is the cherry on top of Munro’s career. “It brings this incredible recognition，both of her and her career，and of the dedication to the short story, ”said one person.
Along with the well-respected title comes 1.3 million dollars. Munro said everything was “so surprising and wonderful” and that she was “dazed by all the attention and affection that has been coming my way.”
Munro knew she was in the running—she was named the second-most likely person to win this year’s prize, after Haruki Murakami（村上春树）of Japan—but she never thought that she would win.
Munro’s win also represents the long way Canadian writers have come. “When I began writing there was a very small community of Canadian writers and little attention was paid by the world. Now Canadian writers are read, admired and respected around the globe,” Munro said on Thursday.
She is technically not the first Canadian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, but many like to think that she is．In 1976 Saul Bellow, who was born in Quebec but moved to Chicago when he was still a child, won the prize. Even though he was born in Canada, he is mostly considered to be an American writer.
“This is a win for us all. Canadians, by our very nature，are not very nationalistic,” said Geoffrey Taylor. “But things like this suddenly make you want to find a flag．”
She wasn’t sure whether she would keep writing if she won the prize，saying that it would be “nice to go out with a bang. But this may change my mind.”
1.What is the feature of Munro’s stories？
A. They have specific themes for children．
B. They have similar story backgrounds．
C. They have their own complicated contents．
D. They have the same characters in each book．
2.For Munro, the Nobel Prize for Literature is an award for______．
A .her love for Canadian culture
B. her devotion to the short story
C. her special form of writing
D. her career of editing short stories
3.What is implied in the sixth paragraph？
A. Canadian writers have long been ignored．
B. Canadian writers are just a small community．
C. Canadian writers paid little attention to the prize．
D. Canadians have a long way to win the prize．
4.What does the passage mainly tell us？
A. How Alice Munro wins the Nobel Prize for Literature．
B. An introduction to the Nobel Prize for Literature．
C. Alice Munro wins the Nobel Prize for Literature．
D. A world-famous writer, Alice Munro．
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。
This is the season for giving. Looking to get in touch with your generous side? Learn these four habits of truly thoughtful gift givers.
1. 1.
Considerate gift giving is as much about planning as it is about how well you know the person. Take time to think about his or her personality and interests to figure out how he or she will get the most value.
2. They don’t focus on cost.
The practice of thoughtful giving offers a wealth of benefits, but that doesn’t mean givers should focus on expensive gifts. 2. It seems that having more cash could actually reduce compassion(同情). And isn’t compassion what this time of year is all about? So don’t take it too hard if you don’t have a lot to spend. 3.
3. They make gifts personal.
Gifting is an opportunity to let a person know how much you appreciate and love him, and show how well you know him. 4. Book a massage (按摩), take them to a wine tasting event, or get a couple of tickets to a concert or show. If you’re buying for a parent, taking their kids for an evening could be the best gift of all.
4. They think about the presentation.
5. See what you have around your house to customize packaging. You can use pretty towels to cover something like a bottle of wine. You can also tie on a decoration that fits the theme of your gift.
A. They plan ahead.
B. Instead, get creative.
C. They enjoy giving more than receiving.
D. In fact, thoughtful gift givers don’t concentrate on the cost of presents.
E. Thoughtful gift givers pay attention to detail, including how their gifts are packaged.
F. Make a list of your ideas ahead of time to make sure you find the perfect fit for everyone.
G. If you’re buying for someone who seems to have everything, consider gifting an experience.
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。
As I rushed among the tables, suddenly, a ________ asked if I could mind a child. I was quite ________ but I could tell the man was quite desperate. So I had to make a________ with him that if he wanted his son to stay and wait for him, he had to ________ something in the shop．
This was quite ________ for the man to do; I could ________ he was quite poor by the ________ he was dressed. It looked as if he had tried to come in his ________ clothes. But they still looked a bit old and worn out ________ he had often worn them, just to make himself look best. Looking down I could see his________ were also a bit torn and the heels were in a terrible state. I thought he was going for a job interview. In the end he bought a small box of ________ for his little son and seated him down in the corner. I could tell the boy was feeling down and only could ________with a bit of cheering up．
Seeing that the kid sat there for quite a while, I was a bit ________ as the poor little kid was sitting________ his own. People watched him and some kids even came over to pick on him. I was ________ to see one of them even knocked his cookies off the table．He quickly went and got them back without saying a word．I was hoping his father would________ up and come back for his son's ________ .
At closing time, the only person left was the little boy．After a while, the father finally came in with a tiresome look. I ________ he didn't get any job．As they were leaving, I offered the kid a little cake, but the man rejected it. I________ he felt as if I had just abused him．Of course I didn't mean to．But I could understand why he felt like that．I only wished them good ________ whatever happened．
The man opened the door to leave－father and son hand in hand．
1.A. good B. bad C. new D. casual
2.A. commitment B. appointment C. preference D. success
3.A. managed B. agreed C. hesitated D. decided
4.A. did B. mentioned C. shared D. missed
5.A. greet B. inspire C. introduce D. remember
6.A. kindness B. happiness C. stories D. sadness
7.A. still B. often C. never D. even
8.A. whispered B. explained C. reported D. replied
9.A. surprise B. challenge C. concern D. moment
10.A. cashier B. customer C. beggar D. secretary
11.A. mark B. sign C. symbol D. flag
12.A. paying for B. picking up C. paying off D. picking out
13.A. occasionally B. usually C. probably D. hardly
14.A. unoccupied B. unnoticed C. unorganized D. unquestioned
15.A. wisdom B. existence C. generosity D. appreciation
16.A. society B. love C. holiday D. family
17.A. encouraging B. inviting C. helping D. affecting
18.A. dropped B. bought C. found D. fell
19.A. strange B. lucky C. cool D. funny
20.A. after B. though C. unless D. when
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)或括号内单词的的正确形式。
Many people travel during the holiday season but do not make sure that their houses and homes __1._ (protect). Crime goes up __2._ (rapid) during the winter and summer holiday seasons. Here are some things that you should keep in mind when you go __3.__ a holiday.
Always give __4. (strange) the feeling that you are at home. Have the snow __5. __(clean) off your stairs or out of your driveway during the winter season. You might ask someone to park __6._ cars in your driveway.
Tell your newspaper deliverer that you are not at home. __7.__ (have) a pile of newspapers and other mail on your doorsteps tells people that you are not at home, so you could also have a neighbor __8.__ a relative get your mail every day.
Fix a timer in some of your rooms _9.___ turns lights on and off during different times of the day. Some TVs also come with a timer that you could set to be turned on during certain times. Have motion (运动) sensitive lights outside your house that keep thieves away__10.__you are not at home.
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。
Dear Jack,
Welcome to my school! Upon your arrival, there will be a party for you organizing by my classmates. You may attend to English classes to feel a differently learning style. After that, you can go to your host family that you can experience the Chinese way of life. You can have meals together chatting about whatever interest you.
The host family will also show you off some famous scenic spots. You can see people selling kites everywhere because our city was home to kites．There are varieties of kites to choose. So isn’t that a good idea to buy some for your friends? Write to me unless you have any questions about the schedule．
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
书面表达
请你为《21st Century》写一篇报道, 介绍我校为高三学生创立的 “心灵城堡（Soul Castle）”专栏(column)，并谈谈自己的感想。
内容要点包括：
1.开设目的：缓解压力, 确保健康 2. 专栏优势：专业指导
3. 专栏内容：建议, 心声 4. 你的感想
注意：
1. 词数120左右
2. 开头语已为你写好(不计入总词数)
Our school has set up a column called “Soul Castle” for senior 3 students.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析