He proved himself a true gentleman and the beauty of his ______ was seen at its best when he worked with others.
A．temper B．appearance C．talent D．character
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
--- If you like, I can do some shopping for you.
---That’s a very kind ________.
A．service B．suggestion C．point D．Offer
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Although New Zealand has a huge variety of scenery, some of the best can only be ______ on foot, as it ranges from glaciers to subtropical forests.
A．accelerated B．progressed
C．accessed D．Processed
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has already ______ to lease part of its collection to a museum in Japan.
A．contracted B．admitted
C．contrasted D．Adjusted
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As I grew up in a small town at the foot of a mountain, the visit to the village _______scenes of my childhood.
A．caught up B．called up
C．caught on D．called on
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
--- Four dollars a pair? I think it’s a bit too much.
---If you buy three pairs, the price for each will _______ to three fifty.
A．come down B．take down
C．turn over D．go over
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
After the arrival of the first humans into the uninhabited land, such large areas of forest were destroyed that many animals and plants became ______ , including the giant moa.
A．influential B．extinct C．specific D．Domestic
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Compared with Mary, Jerry is even more________ to, and more easily troubled by, emotional and relationship problems.
A．skeptical B．addicted C．sensitive D．Available
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Tomorrow there will be _______ sunshine with cloudy intervals so he has made a plan for a picnic with his family.
A．mainly B．occasionally C．roughly D．Extremely
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
In 2001, she was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize in Literature, one of Spain’s most important distinctions, for her brilliant works ________ freedom and Third World causes.
A．in celebration of B．in face of
C．in memory of D．in defense of
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
At age 14, 15 and 16, the way we looked was the most important thing in the world to us. My friends and I wanted nothing less than perfection.
In high school, we joined the gymnastics team, and our became even more important to us. We had no fat, only muscle. On the weekends, we would go to the beach, of our flat stomachs.
One summer day, all my friends were at my house . At one point, I was running back to the pool. I on a bee, and while it was dying under my foot, it stung (蛰) me. I instantly started to feel . That night, I began to run a high fever and my leg and foot were red, hot and swollen. I couldn’t walk. I could barely .
When my foot started to go numb, everyone became more . My foot was not getting enough blood. I had to go to the , and my leg hurt as if it were badly broken. I couldn’t move. All I could do was think about how soft my middle was becoming. That me more than any concern over my leg.
That would all when I heard the doctors mention possibly cutting off my foot. It was still not getting the supply it needed. The doctors would have to speed up their treatment.
Never before did I have such great for my foot. And walking seemed like a from the gods. Less and less would I want to hear my friends talk about and who was wearing what. More and more I expected visits from other kids in the hospital, who were quickly becoming my friends.
One girl came to visit me . Every time she came, she brought flowers. She was recovering from cancer and felt she should come back and the other patients.
She still had no hair, and she was swollen from medications she had been taking. I would not have given this girl a second before. I now loved every inch of her and looked forward to her .
Finally, I was improving and soon I went home. My leg was still swollen, I was walking, and I had my foot! When I would go back to the hospital, I often saw my friend. She was still visiting people and good cheer. I thought if even there was an angel on this earth, it had to be her.
1.A. grades B. brains C. bodies D. clothes
2.A. ashamed B. proud C. sure D. tired
3.A. dancing B. chatting C. jogging D. swimming
4.A.stepped B. focused C. held D. took
5.A. upset B. fearful C. sick D. anxious
6.A. jump B. run C. stand D. rest
7.A. concerned B. relieved C. surprised D. interested
8.A. beach B. hospital C. gym D. school
9.A. blamed B. impressed C. shocked D. troubled
10.A. change B. bother C. help D. happen
11.A. nutrition B. blood C. time D. air
12.A. observation B. devotion C. appreciation D. evaluation
13.A. gift B. hand C. promise D. treat
14.A. homework B. appointment C. movies D. gymnastics
15.A. suddenly B. regularly C. eventually D. recently
16.A. advise B. encourage C. serve D. instruct
17.A. choice B. thought C. glance D. chance
18.A. words B. ideas C. flowers D. visits
19.A. but B. then C. so D. for
20.A. enjoying B. gaining C. discovering D. spreading
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
The search for beauty spans centuries and continents. Paintings of Egyptians dating back over 4,000 years show both men and women painting their nails and wearing makeup. In 8th-centuryFrance, wealthy noblemen wore large wigs (假发）of long, white hair to make themselves attractive. Today, people continue to devote a lot of time and money to their appearance.
There is at least one good reason for the desire to be attractive：beauty is power. Studies suggest that good-looking people make more money, get called on more often in class, and are regarded as friendlier.
But what exactly is beauty? It's difficult to describe it clearly, and yet we know it when we see it. And our awareness of it may start at a very early age. In one set of studies, six-month-old babies were shown a series of photographs. The faces on the pictures had been rated for attractiveness by a group of college students .In the studies, the babies spent more time looking at the attractive faces than the unattractive ones.
The idea that even babies can judge appearance makes perfect sense to many researchers. In studies by psychologists, men consistently showed a preference for women with larger eyes, fuller lips, and a smaller nose and chin while women prefer men with large shoulders and narrow waist.
According to scientists, the mind unconsciously tells men and women that these traits —the full lips, clear skin , strong shoulders —equal health and genetic well-being.
Not everyone thinks the same way, however. " Our hardwiredness can be changed by all sorts of expectations —mostly cultural, " say C. Loring Brace, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan. What is considered attractive in one culture might not be in another. Look at most Western fashion magazines：the women on the pages are thin. But is this "perfect" body type for women worldwide? Scientists' answer is no; what is considered beautiful is subjective and varies around the world. They found native peoples in southeast Peru preferred shapes regarded overweight in Western cultures.
For better or worse, beauty plays a role in our lives. But it is extremely difficult to describe exactly what makes one person attractive to another. Although there do seem to be certain physical traits considered universally appealing, it is also true that beauty does not always keep to a single, uniform standard. Beauty really is, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder.
1.People's ideas about beauty __________
A. have existed since ancient times
B. can be easily described
C. have little influence on a person's success
D. are based upon strict criteria
2.In Paragraph 3, the babies in the study __________.
A. were rated for their appearance
B. were entered in a beauty contest
C. were shown photos of a group of college students
D. were able to tell attractive faces from unattractive ones
3.A skinny woman in southeast Peru is more likely to be considered as _______ by the locals
A. unattractive B. charming
C. unknown D. ordinary
4.We can learn from the passage that __________
A. the ideas of beauty vary as people grow up
B. the search for beauty is rooted in lack of confidence
C. the standards for beauty are based on scientific researches
D. the understanding of beauty depends on cultural backgrounds
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as yon need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.
Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year. One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn't get home until eight or nine o'clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. "I always wanted to have a farm hen," says Daniel, "and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It's taken some getting used to, but it's been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it's made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.
Liz, however, is not quite sure. "I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I'm not really a country girl, but I suppose I'm gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all."
1.What do the first two paragraphs tell us?
A. People seldom work long hours to make money.
B. People hardly buy more things than necessary.
C. People are sure everything they own is in the right place.
D. People realize there is more to life than just making money.
2.When Daniel was a reporter he _________________.
A. lived in central London B. disliked his job
C. missed his children D. was well paid
3.People who downshifts probably means the ones _________.
A. repairing their car by themselves
B. spending money carefully
C. moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life
D. living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week.
4.According to the last paragraph, Liz thinks the downshifting__________.
A. disapproving B. comfortable
C. acceptable D. Discouraging
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As we grow old, we realize that we have so little time to read and there are so many great books that we’ve yet to get around to. Yet re-readers are everywhere around us. For certain fans, re-reading The Lord of the Rings is a conventional practice annually. One friend told me that Jane Austen’s Emma can still surprise him, despite his having read it over 50 times.
New sudden clear understandings can be gained from the process of re-reading. Journalist Rebacca Mead, a long-time Englishwoman in New York, first came across George Eliot’s Middlemarch at 17. Since then, she has read it again every five years. With each re-reading, it has opened up further; in each chapter of her life, it has resonated (引起共鸣) differently. Mead evidenced the large number of ways in which really good books not only stand the test of repeat reads, but also offer fresh gifts each time we crack their spines. These kinds of books grow with us.
Scientists have also recognized the mental health benefits of re-reading. Research conducted with readers in the US found that on our first reading, we are concerned with the “what” and the “why”. Second time round, we’re able to better appreciate the emotions that the plot continues to express. As researcher Cristel Russell of the American University explained, returning to a book “brings new or renewed appreciation of both the great book and its readers.”
It’s true that we often find former selves on the pages of old books (if we’re fond of making notes on the pages). These texts can carry us back to a time and place, and remind us of the kind of person that we were then. We’re changed not only by lived experience but also by read experience – by the books that we’ve discovered since last reading the one in our hand.
More so than the movie director or the musician, the writer calls upon our imaginations, using words to lead us to picture this declaration of love or that unfaithfulness in life. A book is a joint project between writers and readers, and we must pour so much of ourselves into reading that our own life story can become connected with the story in the book.
Perhaps what’s really strange is that we don’t re-read more often. After all, we watch our favorite films again and we wouldn’t think of listening to an album only once. We treasure messy old paintings as objects, yet of all art forms, literature alone is a largely one-time delight. A book, of course, takes up more time, but as Mead confirms, the rewards make it adequately worthwhile.
1.The two books are mentioned in Paragraph 1 mainly to __________.
A. attract the attention of readers
B. introduce the topic of the passage
C. provide some background information
D. show the similarity between re-readers
2.The underlined expression “crack their spines” in Paragraph 2 refers to ________.
A. recite them B. re-read them
C. recall them D. retell them
3.It can be learned from the passage that __________.
A. reading benefits people both mentally and physically
B. readers mainly focus on feelings on their first reading
C. we know ourselves better through re-reading experience
D. writers inspire the same imaginations as film directors do
4.The purpose of the passage is to __________.
A. call on different understandings of old books
B. focus on the mental health benefits of reading
C. bring awareness to the significance of re-reading
D. introduce the effective ways of re-reading old books
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When people reunite with their loved ones, it’s usually a wildly happy moment. But what is their most common response to seeing them again? It may seem strange, but most of the time they break down in tears.
Now a group of psychologists from Yale University in the US say they have found the reason why, and that crying tears of joy may well be the body’s way of restoring emotional balance.
“They seem to take place when people are unable to tolerate strong positive emotions, and people who do this seem to recover better from those strong emotions,” Oriana Aragon, the lead researcher, told The Telegraph.
Aragon and her fellow psychologists looked at hundreds of participants’ emotional responses to different things, including happy reunions（重逢）and cute babies.
Many participants said they would react in a negative or aggressive way to the positive things — to cry at happy moments and want to pinch（捏）a cute baby’s face or even tell them “I want to eat you up!”
But then researchers found that these people were able to calm down from strong emotions more quickly.
“We want a happy, middle spot. Extreme is not good. It’s hard on our bodies,” Aragon told The Washington Post.
There are many other examples of times when people respond to a positive experience with a negative emotional reaction.
At an exciting concert, fans scream in horror at their idols. People who have just had a big lottery win are often in floods of tears.
“These findings advance our understanding of how people express and control their emotions, which is importantly related to mental and physical health, the quality of relationship with others, and even how well people work together,” said Aragon.
The psychologists then went further and claimed that the reverse（颠倒）was also true. Strong negative feelings may also bring out positive expressions.
For example, people often laugh when they are nervous or they are in a difficult or frightening situation.
Also, have you ever seen a character smiling at a time of extreme sadness in a movie? Their acting is not over the top, as reacting with this type of expression is just human nature, said researchers
1.What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. A group of psychologists. B. People’s loved ones.
C. Strong positive emotions. D. Crying tears of joy.
2.Which of the following words best describes the language style of the passage?
A. Academic and formal. B. Cheerful and friendly.
C. Humorous and concerned. D. Serious and boring.
3.We can conclude from the first two paragraphs that .
A. crying in the happy moment can also do good
B. a character’s smile in a movie makes no sense
C. people reveal their emotions by either crying or laughing
D. negative emotional reaction is always harmful
4.The writer wrote the passage in order to ______________.
A. argue that crying is no worse than laughing.
B. inform readers about the effect of crying and laughing.
C. entertain readers by relating some happy occasions.
D. instruct readers how to cry and laugh.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In the gym of Croxteth Community School, Liverpool, 50 boys have completed a course on boxing that is seen as a pilot for its return to state schools.
The Schools Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) has developed the Kid Gloves scheme (方 案），a -non-contact (非接触)version of the sport where outside coaches teach a range of basic skills.
Chris Andrews, assistant secretary of the SABA, said the scheme was regarded as a way of changing the decline in boxing in state schools which began 25 years ago.
Safety fears and the poor image of professional boxing had accelerated the sport’s decline. Concern was worsened by incidents such as the death of the professional boxer Bradley Stone. But the Croxteth example was winning more supporters. Mr. Andrews said the idea was particularly well received in the north-east of England.
“The interest shown so far has been enormous,” he said. “I believe that boxing will come back into schools. A video has been produced to promote boxing in schools, and a bid has been made for a Sports Council grant (拨款）.”
He said, “I think there is a genuine recognition that there are aspects to boxing, if it is controlled and properly run, that really are very beneficial for children. This scheme takes away the dangers. I hope boxing can be promoted throughout the country in a more coordinated way.” Such an idea horrifies such groups as the British Medical Association (BMA) and the British Safety Council, both critics of the idea.
Dr Jeffrey Cundy, the joint author of a BMA report on boxing, accepted that the scheme in Liverpool was non-contact, but he was still opposed. He said, “We feel that children should still not be introduced to boxing, because they will then be encouraged to take up an activity which is uniquely dangerous when actual contact takes place.”
He added, “There is a whole range of sports which will teach the discipline that comes from boxing without the dangers. We see this reintroduction in schools as an unhealthy development.”
At the 800-pupil Croxteth school, Steve Stewart, head of PE, said boxing had helped to improve self-confidence, self-discipline, self-awareness and self-respect in those taking part. Everybody could get involved and, because all were starting from scratch, the improvements could be quickly seen.
Certificates were presented to the pupils at the end of the course by Paul Hodgkinson, a local boxer who is a former world champion. Next year, the course will be repeated and if possible girls will be allowed to take part following requests from them.
Gerry Thompson and Tony Curry, both 12，have enjoyed the boxing sessions and say they will both join a local boxing club. “I thought it was brilliant,” said Gerry. “I would rather be a professional boxer than a footballer. It’s more enjoyable•”
1.What’s the present situation of the Croxteth school boxing course?
A. It’s declining due to the safety worries.
B. Girls can be admitted as long as they’re willing to.
C. It’s becoming increasingly popular among the children.
D. Some pupils have been trained to be world champions.
2.Dr. Cundy’s attitude towards the return of boxing to schools can be described as__________.
A. supportive B. unconcerned
C. disapproving D. objective
3.The Kid Gloves scheme is developed by SABA primarily to___________.
A. provide more fun for students
B. encourage students to be better-behaved
C. help students gain a sense of achievement
D. promote the boxing course in a less dangerous way
4.In which section of a newspaper can we most likely to read the passage?
A. Lifestyle B. Education
C. Science D. Business
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
1.Before Pandora went to the earth to live with the rest of mankind, she was given a box which she was ordered ________________________ under any circumstances. (open)
潘多拉到地球上去和其他人类一起生活之前，她得到了一个盒子并且被要求无论如何都决不把它打开。
2.Statistics show that the words “money” and “buy” are ______________________ characters in our daily life. (use)
统计数据表明，“钱”和“买”是我们日常生活中使用最频繁的两个字。
3.Since 2013, cities in China have constantly seen gray, smoggy days, but the public have no idea _____________________________ for it. (blame)
从2013年以来，中国各大城市都不断地经历了雾霾天气，但公众却不知道谁该为此负责。
4.____________________ all the time, you can lose yourself very easily and lose your own identity. (copy)
总是效仿别人，你很容易失去你自己和你自己的身份。
5.TMall. Com is Alibaba’s other big state, __________________________ brand name goods from Nike and Unilever near the lowest prices. (find)
天猫是阿里巴巴的另一个网站，在那儿你可以找到几乎是最低价的大牌商品，从耐克到联合利华等。
6.The more curious we are about a topic, _________________ to learn information about it. (easy)
我们越对一个话题感兴趣，就越是容易了解此话题有关的信息。
7.It is reported that the work-life balance of male scientists ________________________as other aspects of family life. (study)
有报道称，关于男性科学家们工作生活的平衡研究得没有家庭生活的其它方面好。
8.Such __________________today that we are all eager to go out for a picnic in the park. (weather)
今天的天气太好了我们都很想出去到公园野炊。
9.If I had not lent my car to my brother yesterday, I ________________________ a bus to school this morning. (take)
如果昨天我没有把车借给我弟弟，那我今早就不会坐公交来上学。
10.Was it by plane ___________________________ to England last summer? (travel)
去年夏天你们是坐飞机去英国旅游的吗？
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
You can’t stop things from happening, but you can control your reaction from making things worse and react positively.
注意：①无须写标题，不得照抄英语提示语；
②除诗歌外，文体不限；
③文中不得透露个人姓名和学校名称；
④词数为120左右。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析