Mark Twain was a great writer. He was from the USA. He was born in 1835. He was also a famous speaker. He was famous for his sense of humour. Many people liked to listen to him , because he liked to tell some interesting stories to make people laugh all the time.
One day Mark Twain was going to a small town because of his writing. Before he was going to leave, one of his friends said to him that there were always a lot of mosquitoes(蚊子) in the town and told him that he’d better not go there. Mark Twain waved his hand and said, “It doesn’t matter. The mosquitoes are no relatives of mine. I don’t think they will come to visit me.”
After he arrived at the town, Mark Twain stayed in a small hotel near the station. He went into his room, but when he was just about to have a rest, quite a few mosquitoes flew about him. The waiters felt very sorry about that. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Mark Twain. There are too many mosquitoes in our town.” One of them said to him.
Mark Twain, however, made a joke, saying to the waiter, “The mosquitoes are very clever. They know my room number. They didn’t come into the wrong room.” What he said made all the people present laugh heartily.
But that night Mark Twain slept well. Do you know why? That was because all the waiters in the hotel were driving the mosquitoes away for him during the whole night.
1.That day Mark Twain went to the town _____.
A. to see one of his friends
B. because he wanted to do something there for his writing
C. because he was told there were a lot of mosquitoes there
D. to see one of his relatives
2.The waiters felt sorry because _____.
A. they did something wrong to Mark Twain
B. their hotel was too small
C. the room was not very clean
D. there were quite a few mosquitoes in Mark Twain’s room
3.All the people present laughed heartily because _____.
A. the mosquitoes were very clever and they didn’t come into the wrong room
B. the mosquitoes knew Mark Twain’s room number
C. Mark Twain gave the waiters some nice presents
D. Mark Twain made a joke
4.From the story we know _____.
A. no mosquitoes troubled Mark Twain in the night
B. the owner of the hotel told the waiters to look after Mark Twain well at night
C. Mark Twain didn’t have a good rest that night
D. there were not mosquitoes in the hotel any longer
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
More and more people are aware that an afternoon nap(小睡) can do a body good. But there are still doubters out there. To help spread the power of the afternoon nap, we list some common misunderstandings about napping we still hear.
Misunderstanding # 1 : Napping is only for the lazy.
Fact: Around a third of American adults nap on the average day, and for good reason: A short nap can improve everything from alertness(警觉) and memory to creativity and productivity(生产效率). And none of these sounds like laziness to us!
Misunderstanding # 2 : If I take a nap, I’ll only wake up feeling worse.
Fact: That weak feeling after you wake up from a nap is real (it even has a name: sleep inertia), but it’s not a guarantee(保证). How you feel after your nap is a factor of how long you sleep. Experts generally agree that a nap should last no longer than 30 minutes. “If it takes longer than 30 minutes, you end up in deep sleep. You’re going into a stage of sleep where you find it very difficult to wake up.” said sleep expert Michael J. Breus, Ph. D. Next time you’re in the mood for a nap, set your alarm for 20 to 30 minutes, tops.
Misunderstanding # 3 : You mustn’t nap at work.
Fact: In fact, in the office environment, we’re all for catching a few winks (眨眼) during the workday. Some companies have even created special rooms for afternoon naps as more and more employers come around to the idea that a well-rested workforce is a more productive workforce. If your employer doesn’t offer a place to lay your head, try to find an empty conference room where you can close the door and turn off the lights. Really want. You can also take a nap during your lunch break on a park bench or in your car.
Misunderstanding # 4 : I’ll be more productive if I just finish this task, rather than waste time sleeping.
Fact: Yes, you’ll be away from your desk if you spend 10 to 30 minutes sleeping. But you’ll likely make up for that “wasted” time afterward. “My research shows that people feel tired after a long time of work during the day,” Sara Mednick told Bloomberg Businessweek. “It’s difficult to keep energetic and productive all day.” However, a nap can leave you feeling refreshed and more ready to deal with the task at hand.
1.According to the passage, a short nap has the following benefits EXCEPT .
A. making people think more quickly
B. improving people’s memory
C. allowing old people to live longer
D. raising people’s work efficiency
2.How you feel after your nap is connected with ________.
A. the way of sleep B. the place of sleep
C. the environment of sleep D. the length of sleep
3.Sara Mednick indicates that _________.
A. taking a short nap at work is a waste of time
B. people become less productive without a nap
C. people become less productive after a nap
D. napping is only for the lazy and young children
4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. The advantages of taking a nap.
B. The more naps you take, the more productive you become.
C. 4 things people get wrong about napping.
D. How to take an afternoon nap correctly.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Contestants from around the world met in Pomona, California, this month to test their skills at things like driving a car, walking down stairs, and opening doors. Sounds easy, right? But the competitors weren’t people—they were robots!
The bots were participating in(参加) the final round of the US’s DARPA(Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Robotics Challenge. This event, which took place on June 5-6, tested robots on how well they could respond during a disaster and the winning team finally took home a $2 million grand prize.
The DARPA challenge was created after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. An earthquake caused a tsunami, which damaged a nuclear power plant. Workers at the plant needed to shut off an important valve(阀门), but it was too dangerous for humans to reach it. The US scientists at DARPA wondered whether the disaster could have been avoided if a robot had been sent to do the job. So they set up the robotics competition.
Turning a valve was just one task a robot might have to perform when entering a disaster zone. In addition to doing this, robots participating in the challenge had to navigate a course containing several other tasks: driving and exiting a vehicle, opening a door, walking over or clearing objects, cutting a hole in a wall, plus climbing a flight of stairs.
Teams had to complete the challenge in one hour, and points were awarded based on how quickly the robots completed a task. They didn’t have to attempt all the tasks. To make things even more realistic, challenge organizers caused short computer-system blackouts(断电) that prevented robots and the human operators controlling them from communicating. That means teams had to program their robots to be partially autonomous(独立的). Robots also couldn’t be attached to anything that could keep them from falling down, which happened a lot.
1.What do we know about this year’s DARPA challenge?
A. It lasted five days.
B. It was held in Japan.
C. Its winner got a cash prize.
D. Its winner will work in Fukushima.
2.What does the underlined part “the job” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A. To open a door. B. To close a valve.
C. To predict a tsunami. D. To rebuild a nuclear power plant.
3.The robots that participated in the US’s DARPA challenge were required to _____.
A. challenge all the tasks
B. have a good sense of smell
C. complete their tasks in an hour
D. act in the dark in the whole process
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. A nuclear disaster. B. A research program.
C. A robotics competition. D. A scientific organization.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Opening in 1934, the Brookfield Zoo quickly received a worldwide reputation for its special displays and unique(独一无二的) exhibits.
Address: 1st Avenue between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield, Illinois
Phone: 708-688-8000
Getting to the Brookfield Zoo by Public Transportation:
The Metra Rail Burlington Northern line runs from Union Station downtown to the “Zoo Stop”(Hollywood Station) and from there it’s only a 2-block northeast walk to the zoo.
Driving from Downtown:
Drive along the Eisenhower Expressway west to First Avenue exit. Head south about 2.5 miles and follow the signs to the zoo entrance.
Parking at the Brookfield Zoo:
Parking fees are $9 for cars and $12 for buses.
The Brookfield Zoo Hours:
The Brookfield Zoo is open 365 days per year.
Monday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Brookfield Zoo Tickets:
Adults(ages 12-64), $13.50;
Seniors(ages 65+), $9.50;
Children(ages 3-11), $9.50;
Children(ages 2 and under), free
The Brookfield Zoo Featured Exhibits:
Tropic World; WolfWoods; Living Coast; Seven Seas; Fragile Kingdom; Australia House; Havitat Africa.
About the Brookfield Zoo:
The Brookfield Zoo is located just 14 miles west of downtown Chicago. It’s home to a variety of animal species, and its use of natural barriers and moats(壕沟) is so much more relaxing and enjoyable than watching a lion pace back and forth in a cage. The absence of bars also makes for great wildlife photo opportunities. The Brookfield Zoo also focuses on education, with detailed displays about the animals being viewed and the interactive program that lets kids get some hands-on experience to learn what it takes to run a zoo as well as face painting and crafts.
For more information about the Brookfield Zoo, visit www. brookfieldzoo.org.
1.Where is the entrance to the Brookfield Zoo?
A. At 31st Street. B. At First Avenue.
C. At Ogden Avenue. D. At the Hollywood Station.
2.How much should a couple in their thirties and their 5-year-old twins pay if they want to visit the zoo?
A. $23. B. $32.5 C. $36.5 D. $46
3.What make(s) the Brookfield Zoo more attractive and enjoyable?
A. Its cheap tickets.
B. Its various activities
C. Its cage-less displays.
D. Its geographical advantage.
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。其中有两项为多余选项。
There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love.One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving birds. 1.____ She cared about them with love and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song.The girl felt great love for the birds.
2.____ The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage.The girl was so frightened that he would fly away. As he flew close，she grasped him wildly.Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing(捕捉) him.
3.___ She opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird.It was her desperate love that had killed him.
She noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the cage.She could feel his great need for freedom. He needed to fly into the clear，blue sky. 4.____ The bird circled once，twice，three times.
The girl watched delightedly at the bird’s enjoyment. 5.____ What she wanted to see was that the bird could fly happily.Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder.It sang the sweetest tune that she had ever heard.
Remember，the fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tightly；the best way to keep love is to give it wings!
A. She gave them some delicious food and left.
B. Suddenly she felt the bird go soft.
C. Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss.
D. One day she left with the two birds at home alone.
E. She took them home and put them in a small cage.
F. One day the girl left the door of the cage open accidentally.
G. She lifted him from the cage and threw him softly into the air.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
完形填空
Antarctica(南极) is like no other place in the world. It is ______ . It is very big. It is like the United States and Australia together. Antarctica is the ______ place in the world. The temperature is sometimes -87℃. August and September are the coldest months because there is no ______ .
Antarctica is the highest continent, about 10,000 feet high. Antarctica also has very strong winds. The wind sometimes ______ as fast as two hundred miles an hour. It is also the driest place in the world.
Antarctica is also ______ . There are huge glaciers and ice everywhere. A glacier is an area of ice that ______ slowly. The ice and glaciers are beautiful. But most plants and land animals cannot ______on the ice. There are no trees, no rivers, and no cities in Antarctica. Only penguins and other sea birds live there.
Antarctica does not ______ any one country. ______ , every country owns Antarctica. More than twenty countries have stations in Antarctica. A station is a place where scientists do experiments. The ______ are the only people who live in Antarctica.
Life on an Antarctica station is______ It is like life on a space station. The sun shines for six months, and then it is ______for six months. People usually have problems with sleeping and eating. They eat more ______they are not busy. In an emergency, it is hard to get ______ . Once, an American doctor Nielsen realized she was ______ . She had cancer. It was winter, and airplanes could not ______ in Antarctica. Dr.Nielsen had no choice but to ______ . An airplane dropped medicine to her, and she had to______ herself. Several months later, Dr.Nielsen ______ to the United States to get special medical help.
Today, ships go to Antarctica during the summer months from November to February. People want to ______this unusual place, but they don’t want to live there!
1.A. strange B. flat C. terrible D. unique
2.A. greatest B. cleanest C. coldest D. worst
3.A. sun B. air C. water D. food
4.A. comes B. blows C. rises D. drops
5.A. empty B. dangerous C. noisy D. important
6.A. forms B. happens C. shakes D. moves
7.A. remain B. produce C. live D. change
8.A. depend on B. complete with C. appeal to D. belong to
9.A. Above all B. In fact C. For example D. On average
10.A. scientists B. hunters C. fishermen D. sailors
11.A. hard B. interesting C. normal D. active
12.A. day B. night C. vacation D. winter
13.A. while B. so C. though D. because
14.A. messages B. replies C. help D. relief
15.A. alone B. anxious C. sick D. hungry
16.A. land B. remain C. stand D. fly
17.A. continue B. stay C. work D. adjust
18.A. took pride in B. felt sorry for C. pay attention to D. took care of
19.A. referred B. traveled C. returned D. drove
20.A. remember B. visit C. control D. save
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下列材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（一个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family, Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. She studied at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before1.______(return) to her family’s house in Amherst where she lived2.______ peaceful life. She kept in touch with her friends by writing letters and was 3._____(willing) to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room.
Dickinson’s poems are unique(独一无二的) for the time she lived in; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use half rhyme. Many of her poems deal 4.______ themes(主题) of death and immortality(永生). Dickinson wrote about 1,800 poems during her lifetime, but few of 5. _______ were published. Although most of her friends probably knew about Dickinson’s writing, they didn’t know 6._____ she had produced so many poems until after her death in 1886, when her younger sister Lavinia discovered the place where the poems were hidden. 7.______ her sister had not discovered them, the broadness of Dickinson’s work wouldn’t have become known.
Dickinson’s first collection of poetry was published in 1890, the content(内容) of 8._______was heavily edited(编辑) by the publishers 9. ______ (fit) the conventional poetic rules of the time. A complete and mostly unedited collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955. Now Dickinson 10. _______ (consider) to be one of the most important American poets.
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。
Now I’d like tell you something about my part-time job this summer vacation, in which I worked as the guide in a travel agency. It was the first time that I have earned money on my own. I’ve realized what hard my parents work to support for the family. I used to keep on ask them for money, but now I’ll learn to share worry with my parents. I’ve learned how to get along well with others. Beside, I have gained some social experience and you have learned something that can’t be learned from textbook. In a word, I had a wonderfully and valuable summer vacation.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
书面表达
假如你是李华，最近你班就“中学生听MP3”的现象进行了一次讨论，请你将以下讨论结果给某英文报社编辑（editor）写信，客观反映情况。词数100左右。
| 1. 时髦；2. 听英语焕发精神；3. 听英语提高英语水平。 |
| 1. 浪费时间、影响学习；2. 总听对听觉有害；3. 浪费金钱。 |
| 1. 合理利用；2. 控制时间。 |
难度: 中等查看答案及解析