The morning had been a disaster. My tooth was aching, and I’d been in an argument with a friend. Her words still hurt: “The trouble with you is that you won’t put yourself in my place. Can’t you see things from my point of view?”I shook my head stubbornly-and felt the ache in my tooth. I’d thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday ,but the pain was really unbearable. I started calling the dentists in the phone book, but no one could see me immediately. Finally, at about lunchtime, I got lucky.
“If you come by right now,” the receptionist said, “the dentist will fit you in.”
I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car. But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist. What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice? Why wasn’t he as busy as the others?
In the dentist’s office, I sat down and looked around. I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried. The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice-cold one.
When I told her my fears, she laughed and said, “Don’t worry. The dentist is very good.”
“How long do I have to wait for him?”I asked impatiently.
“Come on, he is coming. Just lie down and relax. And enjoy the artwork,” the assistant said.
“The artwork?”I was puzzled.
The chair went back. Suddenly I smiled. There was a beautiful picture, right where I could enjoy it: on the ceiling. How considerate the dentist was! At that moment, I began to understand what my friend meant by her words.
What a relief!
1.Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling that morning?
A. Cheerful.
B. Nervous.
C. Satisfied.
D. Upset.
2.What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist?
A. The dentist’s agreeing to treat her at very short notice.
B. The dentist’s being as busy as the other dentists.
C. The surroundings of the dentist’s office.
D. The laughing assistant of the dentist.
3.Why did the author suddenly smile?
A. Because the dentist came at last.
B. Because she saw a picture on the ceiling.
C. Because she could relax in the chair.
D. Because the assistant kept comforting her.
4.What did the author learn from her experience most probably?
A. Strike while the iron is hot.
B. Have a good word for one's friend.
C. Put oneself in other's shoes.
D. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It happened to me recently. I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of our President. A friend I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words ,“a brilliantly written book” However, he then went on to talk about Mr. Obama in a way which suggested he had no idea of his background at ail. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar.
And it seems that my friend is not the only one. Approximately two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t. In the World Book Day’s “Report on Guilty Secrets”, Dreams From My Father is at number 9. The report lists ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading, and as I’m not one to lie too often (I’d hate to be caught out), I will admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire top ten. But I’m pleased to say that, unlike 42 percent of people, I have read the book at number one ,Gorge Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s really brilliant.
The World Book Day report also has some other interesting information in it. It says that many people lie about having read Jane Austin Austen, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky (I haven't read him, but haven’t lied about it either) and Herman Melville.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to “impress” someone they are speaking to. This could be tricky if the conversation became more in-depth!
But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, people named J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, Sophie Kinsella (ah, the big sellers, in other words). Forty-two percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing this story (I will come clean: I do this and am astonished that 58 percent said they had never done so.).
1.How did the author find his friend a book liar?
A. By judging his manner of speaking.
B. By looking into his background.
C. By mentioning a famous name.
D. By discussing the book itself.
2.Which of the following is a “guilty secret” according to the World Book Day report?
A. Charles Dickens is very low on the top-ten list.
B. 42% of people pretended to have read 1984.
C. The author admitted having read 9 books.
D. Dreams From My Father is hardly read.
3.By lying about reading, a person hopes to ________.
A. control the conversation
B. appear knowledgeable
C. learn about the book
D. make more friends
4.What is the author’s attitude to 58% of readers?
A. Favorable. B. Uncaring.
C. Doubtful. D. Friendly.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The least-visited countries in the world
It’s every traveler’s dream — a corner of the planet still undisturbed by tourists. And obviously, such places do exist. The United Nations World Tourism Organization lately reported the four least-visited countries globally.
Liechtenstein (69,000)
The sixth smallest country in the world is also one of the most undiscovered.
Lying between Austria and Switzerland, Liechtenstein is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground. It’s the only country in the world to be totally in the Alps and a summer destination for hiking and cycling and snow-covered skiing perfection in winter, for those who can afford it.
French Guiana (199,000)
French Guiana is the least-visited country in South America, with some of the world’s most diverse plant and animal life.
While there is much to attract tourists to the area, not least its miles of jungle, the construction is in need of some attention.
Montserrat (9,000)
Once a popular holiday spot, this Lesser Antilles island has never quite recovered from a series of natural disasters. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 hit 90 per cent of the island and in 1995 the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted.
These days, its volcano is now actually one of Montserra’s main attractions, together with its beautiful beaches. Visitors can also go diving in its clear waters.
Comoros (24,000)
This collection of islands in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar serves as the perfect destination for those who want to get away from everyday city life.
Comoros offers beautiful volcanic scenery, fruitful forests, and remote sleepy towns. There are even some of the best undiscovered reefs(礁) just waiting to be explored by divers.
1.Which country is the best choice for snow skiing lovers?
A. Montserrat. B. Comoros.
C. Liechtenstein. D. French Guiana.
2.What do we know about French Guiana?
A. It has a rich diversity of species.
B. Its construction is new and advanced.
C. It is the least-visited country in the world.
D. Its most popular attraction is large areas of jungle.
3.What do Montserrat and Comoros have in common?
A. They have thick forests.
B. They are destinations for divers.
C. They have recovered from natural disasters.
D. They were badly destroyed by volcanic eruptions.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The vast majority of us spend our entire lives pulled down by gravity. Then there are astronauts.
This small population of space travelers has given researchers a rare look at what happens to the human body when it’s able to spend large amounts of time outside the downward pull of the Earth. This week, a study on one of the largest groups of astronauts yet ---34 participants---was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
In the new study, a team of international radiologists supported by NASA looked at MRIs of the brains of astronauts before and after their trips to space. The scientists found that upon returning to Earth, many of the astronauts’ brains had become repositioned inside their skulls, floating higher than before. In addition, the space between certain brain areas appeared to have shrunk. The changes were more common in astronauts who took longer trips into space.
The team characterized astronaut trips as short (an average of less than 14 days) or long (an average of about 165 days). Radiologists who didn't know each astronaut's duration（持续时间）in space compared MRIs from before and after their trips.
Of the 34 total astronauts involved in the study, 18 took long trips to space—spending most of that time on the International Space Station —and of those, 17 returned to Earth with smaller areas between the frontal lobe（脑前额叶）and parietal lobe（顶叶）. The same area of the brain also shrank for three of the 16 astronauts who took shorter trips with the US Space Shuttle Program. The researchers also found that 12 of the ISS astronauts and six of the space-shuttle astronauts returned home with their brains sitting slightly higher in their skulls than before.
It’s not clear what, if anything, these brain changes mean for the health of space travelers. In general, it appears the human body tolerates space travel fairly well: the time astronauts have spent in zero-gravity environments so far doesn’t seem to have had any strong or long-lasting effects.
1.What is the finding of the study?
A. Astronauts have great brain power.
B. Astronauts’ duration in space is updated.
C. Astronauts’ skulls expand after space trips.
D. Astronauts return to Earth with raised brains.
2.How did the scientists draw the conclusion?
A. By analyzing astronauts’ symptoms.
B. By comparing each astronaut’s MRIs.
C. By monitoring astronauts’ brain activities.
D. By observing countless astronauts’ behaviors.
3.What does the author say about the changes inside astronauts’ skulls?
A. They are totally harmless.
B. Their effects are hard to assess.
C. Their occurrence is unavoidable.
D. They will heavily influence astronauts.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. Effects of zero gravity
B. Valuable experiences of space travel
C. Space travel changes astronauts’ brains
D. Flying long house increases health risks
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Curiosity is at the heart of lifelong learning. It not only gives children an advantage in school, but today’s business leaders agree that it's also at the heart of successful organizations.
Psychologists view curiosity as a life force, vital to happiness, intellectual growth, and well-being. 1. It points students toward the knowledge, skills, relationships, and experiences that they need to live full and productive lives.
1. 2.
Often, the temptation（诱惑）is to benefit students when their curiosity leads to a desired outcome or good grade. But it’s more important to notice and strengthen curiosity when you see it in action. When you praise students by describing how their questions and explorations are contributing to their own or classroom learning, you let them know that they are valued for their motivation, regardless of the grade they achieve.
2. Teach students how to ask quality questions.
Quality questions are vital for curiosity; Google, is great at finding answers but doesn’t motivate the formation of questions. 3. An excellent book for understanding the art of questioning is A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger.
3. Spread the curiosity around.
4. Curiosity is influential in groups working toward a real-world common goal, helping to inspire questions and new ideas.
4. Explore a variety of cultures and societies.
How is one culture or society uniquely different from another one? Encourage students to explore their genetic or emotional links to other cultures. 5.
A. Value and reward curiosity.
B. Teach students to be critical.
C. Good questions contain “why,” “what if,” and “how”.
D. Why do they relate to certain beliefs or values that other societies hold?
E. The greatest advantage of curiosity lies in its power to motivate learning.
F. Create opportunities for more curious and less curious students to work together in learning.
G. How can students create a new poem, science experiment or product from their explorations?
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
There is usually a turn at some point where we will need to look toward the future. But how do we make a _________ and set ourselves up for success?
I recently brought this _________ to a friend of mine, David, who advises and invests in companies. I asked him how he had moved so _________ between opportunities and always seemed to find success with them. I was expecting some words of _________ that would make it all _________. What I wasn’t expecting was a word from a movie.
He told me about The Gumball Rally, a movie about a group of _________ who take part in a secret cross country race. In one particular _________, an Italian participant _________ a car and the first thing he _________ is rip off the rearview mirror（掰断后视镜）. The other man in the car asks, “Why did you do that?” And he __________, “What’s behind me is not __________.”
And that was David’s __________.
After further conversation I fully __________ the thought behind Raul Julia in his role as the Italian racer. Raul was in the driver’s seat. He was going to __________ the race, against all difficulties, and the only way he was going to do it was by __________ ahead, not behind. Setting ourselves up for success, is to actually focus on the __________ at hand. What’s behind us is not important; being __________ is.
So I challenge you to think about your last big win, or even big loss, and be __________ with yourself. Have you allowed yourself to fully seize your next opportunity, or are you still thinking of old memories, old __________? Or, are you focusing all your attention on the now and the __________? Because at some point or another, we all need to drive like the Italian.
1.A. start B. change C. living D. promise
2.A. plan B. method C. question D. suggestion
3.A. quietly B. smoothly C. quickly D. carefully
4.A. encouragement B. fact C. wisdom D. praise
5.A. clear B. easy C. impressive D. possible
6.A. students B. teachers C. readers D. drivers
7.A. scene B. moment C. point D. place
8.A. seeks for B. brings back C. jumps into D. gives up
9.A. does B. likes C. learns D. checks
10.A. argues B. replies C. wonders D. apologizes
11.A. available B. relevant C. important D. interesting
12.A. secret B. dream C. ability D. puzzle
13.A. believed B. enjoyed C. understood D. needed
14.A. stop B. win C. avoid D. get
15.A. looking B. calling C. working D. walking
16.A. preparation B. opportunity C. success D. difficulty
17.A. straight B. right C. alive D. present
18.A. patient B. concerned C. honest D. satisfied
19.A. races B. victories C. companies D. mysteries
20.A. truth B. challenge C. future D. failure
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Tea is one of the most popular 1.(drink) in the world. You make it by pouring hot water over the 2.(dry) leaves of a tea plant. For centuries people believed that tea could cure illnesses, and they used it as medicine. Today scientists know that tea contains chemicals that prevent cells from 3.(die). Most teas have caffeine in them, a substance that makes you feel more active. Some people have problems drinking tea because it can cause 4.(sleep).
The tea plant grows best in tropical and temperate places 5. rain falls throughout the year. Tea plants can be grown from sea level 6. about 2,000 meters above sea level, but the best quality grows in higher regions.
Tea 7.(come) from the leaves and buds of tea plants. Wild plants can be up to 9 meters high but on tea plantations they 8.(cut) back to a bush of about a meter in height so that workers can pull the leaves 9.(easy). It takes a plant tree to five years before it is ready for picking.
A picker can harvest about 20 kg of tea a day. On large tea plantations the leaves are harvested by machines, 10. the quality of tea is higher when the leaves are picked by hand.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你门桌写的以下作文。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。
Li Ping and Liu Ying were classmates and they got alone well with each other. Li Ping did very well in the mid-term examination and felt pride of himself, while Liu Ying fail to pass it. However, Liu Ying made up her mind to catch up. She worked hardly at her lessons than ever before. After school Liu Ying would stay behind to ask his teacher some questions. In the evening she should do her homework carefully and went over her lessons. In a result she made great progress. But Li Ping was quite different. Much more of his spare time spent playing basketball or online games. In the final exam, Liu Ying did more better while Li Ping didn’t. Now, it was Li Ping which felt sad this time.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华。你的英国朋友Jim在给你的邮件中提到他对中国历史很感兴趣，并请你介绍一位你喜欢的中国历史人物。请你给Jim回信，内容包括：
1、该人物是谁；
2、该人物的主要贡献；
3、该人物对你的影响。
注意： 1. 词数不少于100；
2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Yours
Lihua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析