Every time Lionel Messi breaks a record, it seems appropriate to compare him to the legends that came before him.
In 2012, he rewrote soccer history on multiple occasions, and his latest record came when he scored his 86th goal of the calendar year, breaking Gerd Muller’s previous mark, before wrapping up the year with 91 goals.
All statistics indicate that Messi is currently the best player in the world, and that he will go down in history as the top footballer of his generation. But when he is judged against all-time greats like Pele and Diego Maradona, he still has work to do.
We don’t know whether the Barcelona striker will have another year in which he records more than 90 goals, but he must still sustain(维持)a similar level of production for the next several seasons.
Messi has already taken part in three of Barcelona’s victorious Champions League(冠军联赛)campaigns, and he played an important role in two of them. In order to firmly establish himself as the greatest club football player in history, he must win the tournament a few more times.
Most importantly, the Argentine(阿根廷人)needs to win on the international stage. Regardless of what Messi does for Barcelona, his legacy will be incomplete if he cannot win the World Cup with Argentina.
Both Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers, and Messi’s performances for his country have been severely disappointing.
While he was still a teenager in 2006-and his lackluster(平淡的)showing is excusable due to his youth-he cannot brush off the disappointment that characterized Argentina’s performance in 2010.
But the 4-0 loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup Quarter Final seems to have sparked Messi. He scored 12 times for Argentina last year, and the next World Cup could finally be Messi’s breakout performance in blue and white stripes.
Due to all of his accomplishments, it is easy to forget that the extraordinary footballer is just 25 years old. If he can avoid injury or lengthy slumps(低潮状态)until his speed and skills start to decline due to age, he may continue to break records and win trophies.
1.What will Messi have to do in order to be complete in his soccer career?
A. He must win the World Cup with Argentina.
B. He must win the tournament a few more times.
C. He must defeat Pele and Maradona.
D. He must avoid injury or lengthy slumps.
2.How was Messi’s performance in 2010 World Cup?
A. Excellent. B. Inspiring.
C. Disappointing. D. Normal.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A. Messi has firmly established himself as the greatest club soccer player in history.
B. Messi will try his best to win the next World Cup with Argentina.
C. Messi can avoid injury and lengthy slumps to break records and win trophies.
D. Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Lionel Messi, the Best Soccer Player of All Time
B. Lionel Messi, the Greatest Soccer Player in History
C. Barcelona and Lionel Messi
D. World Cup and Lionel Messi
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Planning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs.
AVOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of accommodation and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival (19 Oct.) cost ￡169.15 at Booking.com. A week later, the same room cost ￡118.15.
If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid—or you're looking for a big event to pass your time—check out sites such as Whatsonwhen.com, which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category.
STAY AWAY FROM THE STATION If traveling to your destination by train, you may want to find a good base close to the station, but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday.
Don't be too choosy about the part of town you stay in. Booking two months in advance, the cheapest room at Travelodge's Central Euston hotel in London for Saturday 22 September was ￡95.95. A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was ￡75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just ￡62.95.
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff can cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. As an alternative consider checking into a self－catering flat with its own kitchen. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O'Neill Flat on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, available for ￡420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults.
GET ON A BIKE London's “Boris bikes” have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving you on public transport or car parking costs.
Among the smaller cities with their own programmes are Newcastle (casual members pay around ￡1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes, or ￡5 per day)．
1.The Brighton Comedy Festival is mentioned mainly to show big events may ________．
A. help travelers pass time
B. attract lots of travelers to the UK
C. allow travelers to make flexible plans
D. cause travelers to pay more for accommodation
2.“Farringdon” in Paragraph 5 is most probably ________．
A. a hotel away from the train station
B. the tube line to Covent Garden
C. an ideal holiday destination
D. the name of a travel agency
3.The passage shows that the O'Neill Flat ________．
A. lies on the ground floor
B. is located in central London
C. provides cooking facilities for tourists
D. costs over ￡100 on average per day in late September
4.Cardiff's program allows a free bike for a maximum period of ________．
A. half an hour B. one hour
C. one hour and a half D. two hours
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
While students in Yinchuan are quite used to clear skies, Beijing teenagers are not so lucky. As another warm winter approaches, the city can expect the normal clouds of smoke caused by air pollution.
But things may start to improve soon. The government is co-operating with a US-based environmental protection agency to update existing buses and trucks with clean fuel technology. The new technology could reduce air pollutants in existing diesel engines(柴油机)by 40 percent. The programme will begin by testing buses in Beijing to see if the technology can be applied to them.
“We encourage the development of public transports. But at the same time we need to reduce pollution from them, ”said an official.
Efforts are being made to improve the capital’s environment with tighter controls on emissions(排放). Some heavily polluting factories and construction sites, such as those owned by the steel giant Shougang Group, have been asked to cut production in November and December or be closed.
Beijing was the third polluted city in the world at the end of last century, according to the UN. But thanks to recent measures, the capital has made some progress. Last year 224 clear days were rated as having good air quality. In 1998 the air quality index(指数)gave just 100 days as good.
“I am glad to see an improvement, ”said a senior 1 boy living in the northwest of Beijing. “Compared to other places, the air quality of Beijing is still worrying though. I hate pollution. Once I was riding my bike in the morning when I almost had a traffic accident because I couldn’t see a car only metres away from me in fog. ”
In early October, the skies were covered by such a thick fog that a display show by the visiting French Air Force was called off.
Rapid development, industry, traffic fumes and sandstorms from the desert all contribute to the city’s bad air.
1.The passage is mainly about .
A. a programme aiming at improving Beijing’s air quality
B. progress made in Beijing’s air quality
C. Beijing’s air pollution
D. the differences between Yinchuan and Beijing
2.Which of the following is NOT the measure taken or to be taken to improve Beijing’s air quality?
A. Clean fuel technology will be used in public transports.
B. Some factories have been asked to cut production.
C. Some construction sites have been told to be closed.
D. A display show of airplanes has been called off.
3.We can infer from the passage that, with the aim of being an ecological city, .
A. far more still needs to be done
B. nothing else needs to be done
C. all traffic has to be closed
D. the development of the city has to be slowed down
4.Which of the following is NOT correct according to the passage?
A. Beijing’s air quality is getting worse and worse.
B. Rapid development, industry, traffic fumes and sandstorms are all the causes of bad air quality.
C. People see clouds of smoke in the sky in the winter of Beijing.
D. The government is making efforts to stop air pollution.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Every year Chris Brogan posts his three words for a new year. Many others and I have followed his lead for the past three or four years. They helped me a lot. My words for last year were “passion”, “focus” and “delegate” and I stayed true to them. This year, 2013, my goals are more personal and less professional.
FOCUS
Focus is making a repeat appearance on my list this year because I’m too much of a multitasker. The problem is that I have trouble finishing one thing with so many things calling me. When I was working as a writer, all my projects were handled via a schedule, I’m putting a fitness and housekeeping routine into my schedule.
HEALTH
I get so busy taking care of everyone else, and I forget to take care of myself and this has to change. My health suffers and my weight suffers. I have to get my health in check, not only for me but because I promised my 9-year-old son. I’ll make good food and lifestyle choices. I miss being thin, and it’s time to get it back.
CELEBRATE
What good is having it if I’m not taking time to enjoy it? I have a wonderful job, a happy family, and so much to be thankful for. So how come I spend all my time working? Last summer my family took our first vacation in four years, the best thing I’ve done for myself and my family in a long time. This year, I’m making sure to take time to enjoy life and celebrate its many blessings.
Do you have any words for 2014?
1.The underlined word “multitasker” probably refers to a person who .
A. makes a living by writing
B. always fails to finish a task on time
C. has several things to do at the same time
D. pays more attention to fitness and housekeeping
2.Why does the writer have “HEALTH” as one of his three words?
A. He wants to take better care of others.
B. He’s gaining weight and feeling bad.
C. He did not take any exercise in the past.
D. He got the idea from his son.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. The word “CELEBRATE” can remind the writer to enjoy life.
B. The writer has a vacation with his family every four years.
C. The word “FOCUS” can help the writer focus on his family.
D. The writer used to be overweight for lack of exercise.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Do you regularly get together to talk with your family about problems or the day’s events? 1. Want to improve your family's communication skills? Try these simple steps.
Create opportunities for talking.
Make time for talking by reducing the number of unnecessary activities your family is involved in. And if you do find yourself in the car running from place to place, turn off the cell phones, and use that opportunity to catch up on the day’s activities.
2.In addition to bringing everyone together for a wrap-up(总结) of the day’s activities, insist on a few standing family meals. Use the family dinner table as an opportunity to share what’s going on in each other’s lives.
Go on individual dates with your children.
3. Older teens might enjoy going out for a hamburger or a coffee at their favorite coffee place. Younger children often enjoy going to the supermarket, especially when you let them select their favorite food.
Listen more and speak less.
When trying to improve any relationship, listening is far more important than talking. It makes kids feel respected. 4.
5. Children feel comfortable sharing their problems with their parents, reducing the risk of peers(同龄人) having a negative influence on their lives. Parents remain connected with each other and their children, strengthening the family bond. And the whole family develops a communication style that can help improve the quality of relationships outside the home.
A.Insist on family meals.
B.Do you want to understand your children better?
C.Please think twice about what you say before you say it.
D. Spend time with each of your children and let them know that they matter.
E. When it comes to family communication, listen four times longer than you speak.
F. Maintaining positive family communication benefits your family in many ways.
G. Conversation is the key to any strong relationship, but family communication is especially important。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When I was a little girl, every time my dad was repairing something, he 1. ask me to hold the hammer, and meanwhile, have a conversation with me. I never saw my dad drinking or taking a night out. All he did after work was taking care of his family.
I grew up and left home for college and 2. then, my dad had been calling me every Sunday morning, no matter what. Several years later I bought a house, 3. my dad painted by himself for three days in the 80-degree summer heat. All he asked was for me to talk to him. But I was always busy, 4. (able) to find any time for conversation with him.
One Sunday morning we had a telephone talk as usual. I noticed that my dad had 5._(forget) some things we discussed lately. I was in a hurry, so our conversation was short. Later that day came a call 6. (say) my father was in hospital. Immediately I bought a ticket for a flight and on my way I was thinking about all the 7. (miss) occasions to have a talk with my dad.
8. the time I got to hospital, my father had passed away. Now it was 9. who did not have time for a conversation with me. I realized 10. little I know about my dad, his deepest thoughts and dreams. After his death I learned more about him, and even more about myself.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I used to be a very self－centered person, but in the past two years I have really changed. I have started to think about other people I think about myself. I am happy that I am becoming a person.
I think my started when I was at Palomar College. At first, I just wanted to get my and be left alone. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, so I hardly ever ____ to anyone in my classes. By the end of my first semester, I was really ____. It seemed as if everyone but me had made friends and was having fun. So I tried a(n) ____. I started asking people around me how they were doing, and if they were having trouble I ____ to help. That was really a big ____ for me. By the end of the year, I had several new friends, and two of are still my best friends today.
A bigger cause of my new ， however, came when I took a part－time job at Vista Nursing Home. One old lady there who had Alzheimer's disease became my . Every time I came into her room, she was so because she thought I was her daughter. Her real daughter never her, so I took her place. She let me ____ that making others feel good made me feel good too. When she died, I was ____， but I was also very grateful to her.
I think I am a much ____ person today than I used to be, and I hope I will not ____ these experiences. They have ____ me to care about other people more than about myself. I who I am today, and I could not say that a few years ago.
1.A. since B. before C. or D. unless
2.A. famous B. simple C. different D. skilled
3.A. education B. career C. tour D. change
4.A. balance B. homework C. degree D. interest
5.A. talked B. wrote C. lied D. reported
6.A. careful B. lonely C. curious D. guilty
7.A. argument B. game C. experiment D. defence
8.A. dared B. offered C. hesitated D. happened
9.A. dream B. problem C. duty D. step
10.A. us B. which C. them D. whom
11.A. attitude B. hobby C. hope D. luck
12.A. friend B. partner C. guide D. guest
13.A. polite B. happy C. strange D. confident
14.A. bothered B. answered C. visited D. trusted
15.A. explain B. guess C. declare D. see
16.A. homeless B. heartbroken C. bad-tempered D. hopeless
17.A. quieter B. busier C. better D. richer
18.A. forget B. face C. improve D. analyze
19.A. forced B. preferred C. ordered D. taught
20.A. miss B. like C. wonder D. expect
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
假定英语课上老师要求同桌中间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下便条。便条中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加个漏词符号（∧），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。
What do you want to say to your parents?
With the college entrance examination is drawing near, my parents are getting more and more anxious about me. They have bought a lot of learning material and healthful recipes for me, hoped that I can work harder and make a greater progress in my learning. However, what they did make me stressed out. But I would like to say the following words to them:
Dear Mum and Dad, please don’t push me too hard. I know I have to work hard to admitted into my dream university. Now with only months left, I have made up your mind to make full use of every minute to improve my study. I will be faced for the challenge brave and make my dream come true.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你叫李华, 你的一位朋友John刚从国外归来, 邀请你参加本周日在他家举办的朋友聚会, 但你不能参加。请你根据以下要点给他写一封电子邮件:
1. 表达想参加的意愿;
2. 忙于准备高考;
3. 由于感冒, 身体不适;
4. 表示歉意并另约时间。
注意:
1. 词数: 100左右。
2. 可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯;
3. 开头结尾已给出，不算字数。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析