Sam Allred suffers from a rare and incurable kidney (肾脏) disease. One day, when his sister was playing a song repeatedly, Sam sang along. His sister thought it was funny so she recorded it and posted the video online. The video — and Sam — became a hit. Only 8 years old at the time, he couldn’t have expected the response.
“(The television show) The Doctors called and wanted me on their show so they paid for me to go to California,” says Sam, now 13, “and we got to stay in a hotel where all the movie stars stayed.”
During that visit to California, Angie Allred, Sam’s mother, had an idea about Sam writing a children’s book. Together, she and Sam wrote Opening Hearts, which tells Sam’s experience of living with a chronic (慢性的) illness.
“I wrote the book to teach people to be kinder to people,” Sam says.
Moreover, Sam wanted to send pillows to sick children staying in hospitals around the country to make their stay more comfortable, an idea that came from a time when he was in the hospital.
“A few kind boys came in with pillows and they gave me one and it meant a lot to me that someone cared about kids in the hospital,” says Sam.
Angie thought of starting a nonprofit organization to provide a way for people to contribute money to realize Sam’s ideas. She named the nonprofit Kindness for Kids.
Since then, Sam has taken pillows to children staying at Providence Hospital in Anchorage.
Sam’s father, Scott Allred, owns a small business that contracts (承包) shipping services with FedEx Ground. He asked the company for help.
“FedEx Ground learned about Sam’s pillow project,” says Erin Truxal, manager of public relations for FedEx Ground. “We thought, ‘What a perfect way for us to get involved.’”
The company provided shipping services for Sam to ship about 5,000 pillows to hospitals.
Sam wants to send more pillows to all of the children’s hospitals in every state. His goal is simple: “Kids in the hospital as happy as they were before they got sick,” he says.
1.We can learn from the text that Sam Allred _____.
A. was a healthy boy
B. was popular at an early age
C. sang the song with his sister
D. worked in his father’s company
2. Opening Hearts is a book that _____.
A. is a best seller
B. is about Sam’s sister
C. was published when Sam was 13
D. was written by Sam and his mother
3.What is FedEx Ground’s attitude towards Sam’s career?
A. Doubtful. B. Surprised.
C. Approving. D. Uninterested.
4.Which of the following can best describe Sam Allred?
A. Optimistic and warm-hearted.
B. Honest and responsible.
C. Unusual and confident.
D. Friendly and brave.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Census Bureau (人口普查局) data released Thursday show that 48 of the 50 most populous (人口稠密的) U.S. cities have grown since 2010, compared with only 40 of the top 50 in the first two years after the 2000 Census. Of the top 100, 93 have grown since 2010, compared with just 72 a decade ago.
Many of the biggest, such as New York, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego and Dallas, are outpacing the nation’s 1.7% growth rate since 2010.
“Urban America is recovering faster than more remote places,” said Robert Lang, a professor of urban affairs.
Only two big cities - Detroit and Cleveland - lost population between 2010 and 2012.
The urban recovery is led by mid-sized cities including Austin and Fort Worth and Charlotte. Austin grew 6.6% in two years, becoming the USA’s 11th-largest city. In 2000, it was No. 17.
Other trends:
• New York City grew 2%, adding about 161,500 people since 2010. By far it is the USA’s most populous city.
• The population of New Orleans continues to grow. In 2005 a terrible natural disaster happened to the city, causing the population to decrease. Now it has a population of three hundred and sixty-nine thousand. The number has grown by 7.4% since 2010.
• Government budget crunches (紧缩) have put state capitals in difficulty. Half are behind the growth rate of their regions.
Perhaps the biggest exception to the capital crunch is Austin. It has grown more than 26% since 2000. Population expert William Frey says Austin enjoys a number of qualities that make it attractive. It’s a high-tech city with a state university. And it’s in Texas, an attractive place for newcomers. “In some ways it’s a model of what other cities would like to become,” he says.
Frey notes that Charlotte, which grew 5.4% since 2010 has grown into a high-tech and financial center whose industries do business not just with those in other U.S. cities but with the rest of the world.
1.The statistics in Paragraph 1 suggest that _____.
A. there were fewer cities in the USA a decade ago
B. remote areas in the USA have more people now
C. the population in the USA has grown since 2010
D. many big cities in the USA face population problems
2.William Frey thinks Austin’s growth _____.
A. is due to its education
B. is the steadiest in the USA
C. attracts well-educated people
D. deserves the attention of other cities
3.According to the text, Charlotte _____.
A. is a political center
B. has grown slowly since 2010
C. is the USA’s 11th-largest city
D. does business at home and abroad
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Gabriela Mistral was born on April 6, 1889, at Vicuña, a small town in northern Chile. Her parents were schoolteachers, but her father abandoned the family when she was 3. Taught by her mother, she began instructing in 1904, achieving success in many high schools. In 1909, her first love died. Shortly afterward her second love married someone else. In 1922 the Mexican minister of education, José Vasconcelos, invited her to assist in his reform program, and the peak of this career came the following year, when she was awarded the Chilean title “Teacher of the Nation”. In 1925 she retired but remained active.
Gabriela Mistral devoted much time to diplomatic (外交的) activity, serving as honorary consul (名誉领事) in Madrid, Lisbon, Nice, and Los Angeles. She also served as a representative to the United Nations. In fulfillment of these responsibilities, she visited nearly every major country in Europe and Latin America. She also continued her early literary pursuits.
In 1922 Gabriela Mistral’s first book, Desolation, a collection of poems previously published in newspapers and magazines, was released through the efforts of Federico de Onís, Director of the Hispanic Institute of New York. It reflected personal sorrow.
Two years later her second book, Tenderness, appeared; it contained some of the poems from Desolation and several new ones. Fourteen years passed before the next, Felling, appeared. It was much happier in tone.
Her last book, Wine Press, in 1954, dealt with most of the subjects previously treated but in a different manner. The winning of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1945 did not assuage (减轻) the loss of her nephew. Furthermore, by 1944 she had developed diabetes (糖尿病).
Gabriela Mistral went to the United States for medical aid in 1946, living in various places and, after her appointment to the United Nations, moving to Long Island. It was there that she died of cancer on Jan. 10, 1957.
1.According to Paragraph 1, Gabriela Mistral _____.
A. had a short happy marriage B. was born in a poor family
C. was a devoted teacher D. had a beloved father
2. The second paragraph is mainly about Gabriela Mistral’s _____.
A. retired life B. achievements
C. works of literature D. diplomatic activity
3. The theme of Gabriela Mistral’s early works is _____.
A. death B. happiness
C. teaching life D. personal suffering
4.Which of the following is the correct order to describe Gabriela Mistral’s life according to the text?
a. She retired.
b. She developed diabetes.
c. She published her first book.
d. She began instructing in school.
e. She won the Nobel Prize for literature.
A. e-d-c-b-a B. d-c-a-b-e
C. d-a-b-e-c D. e-c-b-d-a
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
A new pollen (花粉) study showed that drought was responsible for the extinction of civilizations more than 3,000 years ago during the Bronze Age.
The reason behind why the civilizations in and around modern-day Israel suddenly broke down more than 3,000 years ago has remained a mystery up until now. A new pollen study by Tel Aviv University researchers finally solved this Bronze Age mystery.
Prof. Israel Finkelstein showed that owing to serious climate changes, the entire world of the Bronze Age crumbled in a short period of time. The discovery was made on the basis of a high-resolution analysis of pollen grains taken from sediments (沉淀物) beneath the Sea of Galilee and the western shore of the Dead Sea.
Prof. Finkelstein received support from the European Research Council to conduct research aimed at reconstructing ancient Israel. Researchers of the part of the project that dealt with climate change extracted (提取) about 60 feet of samples of gray muddy sediment from the center of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. They had to drill through 1,000 feet of water and into 65 feet of the lake bed and were able to recover evidence dating over the past 9,000 years.
“Pollen is the most enduring organic material in nature,” explained Dr. Dafna Langgut, a pollen researcher who carried out the actual work of sampling. “These grains tell us about the plants that grew near the lake in the past and therefore prove the climatic conditions in the region.”
Researchers noted a sharp decrease in Mediterranean trees like oaks and pines in the Late Bronze Age. According to study experts, this could be because of repeated periods of drought. The droughts may have resulted in long famines, forcing people to migrate from north to south.
1.The underlined word “crumbled” in Paragraph 3 means _____.
A. settled B. changed
C. established D. disappeared
2.Prof. Finkelstein conducted the new pollen study to _____.
A. earn some money
B. recreate ancient Israel
C. learn more about local plants
D. discover the ancient civilizations
3.By conducting the study, scientists found _____.
A. Mediterranean trees were rare in the Early Bronze Age
B. climate change was to blame for the lost civilization
C. people in the Late Bronze Age starved to death
D. droughts were rare during the Bronze Age
4.The text is most probably taken from _____.
A. a travel magazine B. a history textbook
C. a newspaper report D. an agricultural book
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。选项中的两项为多余选项。
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks around the world. 1. Experts claim that there are more flavors of coffee than there are of wine. Coffee contains caffeine, an element (成分) that raises our awareness, keeps us from falling asleep or simply gives us a kick in the morning or after lunch.
2. For a long time doctors have told people not to drink too much coffee, because it may lead to heart problems, high blood pressure, insomnia (失眠) and headaches.
Scientists have now found out that it is the quality of coffee and the way it is brewed (冲泡) that holds the key to our health. 3. Among other things, this is linked to the consumption of a strong brew of coffee. Experts also point out that different roasts and types of coffee beans have different effects on our health.
A new study by a Harvard research group says that there is no link between coffee and health problems. 4. Doctors, however, warn against drinking too much coffee, as it can lead to stomach problems.
Coffee has many advantages, as the new study suggests. While alcohol makes people sleepy and slow-moving, coffee gives them energy. 5.
Although a lot still needs to be uncovered about coffee, it seems to reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes. Reports show that people who drink coffee may develop Parkinson’s disease later in life, or maybe not at all.
A. There are many different types of coffee.
B. Scientists ask people not to drink coffee at night.
C. Elderly people in Greece live longer than normal.
D. But experts are still undecided on how healthy coffee is.
E. Sugar can change the different levels of caffeine in a cup of coffee.
F. Drinking several cups of coffee a day is not connected with heart diseases.
G. Getting together for a cup of coffee also has a positive effect on relationships.
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（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
A baby is in danger and its mother is crazy with worry. This is something anyone can relate to, even though we are talking about a mother elephant that has been separated 1. her child.
A video capturing(捕捉)the reunion between the elephant and her 8-month-old baby in Kenya was one of the 2. (impressive)scenes in 2012. The baby fell inside 3. man-made hole and was unable to climb out, according to the video released by the Amboseli Trust for Elephants. Despite the best efforts of her desperate mother, the baby seemed helpless 4. a team of conservation workers rushed to help. They had to chase the overprotective mother away first, so that 5. could get close enough to rescue the baby. They 6.(struggle)to pull the baby out with ropes and a vehicle.
7. (lucky), the workers managed to pull the baby to safety. 8. followed was a touching scene. As soon as the baby was free, it ran away across the plain. In the 9.(distant), the cries of her mother could be heard as she came running from the opposite direction. The two were reunited, 10. (hug)each other with their trunks.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A little boy wanted to meet God. He thought it was a long trip to where God lived, he packed his suitcase with lots of food and drinks and he started his .
When he had gone about three blocks, he an elderly man. The boy sat down next to him and his suitcase. He was about to take a drink when he noticed that the man looked , so he offered him a drink.
The man it and smiled at the boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he him another one.
The man smiled at him. They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy it was time to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he , ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man him his biggest smile ever.
When the boy home a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of on his face. She asked him what made him so happy.
He replied, “I had lunch with God, and God’s got the most beautiful I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the elderly man returned to his home. His son was by the look of joy on his face and asked him the question as the little boy’s mother. The elderly man replied, “I ate and drank in the park with God.” However, he , before his son responded, “You know, he’s much than I expected.”
Too often we underestimate the of a touch, a smile, a kind word, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. We should treat the people we meet ; they come into our lives for a reason. Embrace all equally!
1.A. if B. so C. but D. or
2.A. work B. study C. journey D. exploration
3.A. came across B. picked up C. learned from D. took away
4.A. hid B. opened C. examined D. ignored
5.A. worried B. anxious C. thirsty D. tired
6.A. refused B. avoided C. received D. accepted
7.A. lent B. bought C. made D. offered
8.A. again B. still C. only D. just
9.A. imagined B. realized C. announced D. pretended
10.A. played around B. sat around C. turned around D. got around
11.A. gave B. promised C. supplied D. begged
12.A. left B. called C. missed D. returned
13.A. joy B. confidence C. disappointment D. horror
14.A. drink B. food C. face D. smile
15.A. sad B. nervous C. amazed D. excited
16.A. same B. strange C. unique D. unusual
17.A. replied B. added C. reminded D. thought
18.A. braver B. shorter C. younger D. cleverer
19.A. power B. quality C. favor D. difficulty
20.A. differently B. proudly C. calmly D. kindly
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。
Mr. Johnson is a hardworking teacher. Every day, he spends too much time with his work. With little sleep and hardly any break, so he works from morning till night. Hard work have made him very ill. “He has ruined his healthy. We are worried about him. ”That is which other teachers say. Yesterday afternoon, I paid visit to Mr. Johnson. I was eager to see him, but outside her room I stopped. I had to calm myself down. Quietly I step into the room. I saw him lying in bed, looking at some of the picture we had taken together. I understood that he missed us just as many as we missed him.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
假设你的英文名为Jack,是英国诺丁汉大学的中国留学生。你负责为在该校就读的32名中国学生筹划暑假期间的苏格兰之行，为期7天，请你给诺丁汉的STA(Students’ Travel Agency)经理Phil发一封电子邮件，联系有关事宜。要点如下：
1. 希望能够派车接送；
2. 需要一名说标准英语，并非常熟悉苏格兰的导游；
3. 请求告知旅行日程及就餐、旅馆、费用等情况；
4. 你的联系方式：电子邮箱地址：Jackwang@yahoo.com.cn或电话号码：07747745007
注意：（1）词数：100词左右；
（2）开头和结尾已为你写出，不计入总词数；
（3）参考词汇：诺丁汉大学Nottingham University; 旅馆住宿accommodation；旅行日程安排itinerary；长途客车coach。
Hi, Phil,
I’d like you to organize a trip to Scotland for us.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Yours truly,
Jack
难度: 困难查看答案及解析