Jim Denevan is an amazing artist whose work is admired by all, but owned by none — that’s because all of Jim’s art is created on an unusual canvas (画布) — the soft sand. He sometimes spends days working on a piece, only to see it washed away by the sea or a storm and that is just the way he likes it.
Denevan discovered his artistic talents about ten years ago, when he was wandering aimlessly on the beach with a stick. He ended up drawing a 12-foot-long fish. Since then, Jim has traveled over 1,800 miles while creating over 600 pieces of sand art.
Over the years, his drawings have become bigger, but the tools he uses haven’t changed — All he needs is a stick, a garden rake (耙) and most importantly, his lively imagination!
Just like any good artist, Jim is quite particular about the “quality” of his canvas, sometimes walking for miles, in search of perfect sand. His latest piece of work, which is also the world’s largest freelance (自由职业的) drawing, was created in the desert sands of Nevada. It took Jim three trips, eight days and over 100 miles of walking to create this 3-mile work of art. It took the storm just one night to destroy it! However, Jim says he actually enjoys watching the waves or rain wash his paintings away.
Jim’s art has become very popular over the years and was even the topic of a documentary named “Sandman” in 2005. Jim Denevan is not just about art in the sand — he is also an excellent cook and founder of an organization called “Outstanding in the Field”, whose motto (座右铭) is to celebrate food at its source. Accordingly, group dining events are held outdoors on farms, with the diners being treated to a delicious meal. The events, which are held in different farms throughout America, are always sold out the minute the schedule is announced.
1.What do we know about Denevan?
A.He used to be a cook.
B.He has a gift for creating sand art.
C.He puts his work on show regularly.
D.He showed artistic talents at a very young age.
2.What can we learn from the text?
A.Denevan walks a lot to complete his work.
B.It is not hard for Denevan to find suitable sand.
C.It takes a long time for the storm to destroy Denevan’s work.
D.Denevan is very particular about his drawing tools.
3.What does Denevan enjoy about his work according to the text?
A.Walking a long distance. B.Waiting for the storm to come.
C.Looking for a suitable canvas. D.Watching nature destroy his work.
4.Which of the following can best describe Denevan?
A.Generous. B.Open-minded.
C.Imaginative. D.Traditional.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Elephants on the coast of Thailand are acting strangely. They stamp their feet and signal toward the hills. The sea draws back from the beaches. Fish fall heavily in the mud. Suddenly, a huge wave appears. This is no ordinary wave. It is a tsunami (海啸)!
Tsunami waves are larger and faster than normal surface waves. A tsunami wave can travel as fast as a jet plane and can be as tall as a ten-story building. Imagine dropping a stone into a pond. The water on the surface ripples (起涟漪). A tsunami is like a very powerful ripple. Tsunamis begin when the ocean rises or falls very suddenly. Large amounts of seawater are displaced. This movement causes huge waves.
If a tsunami happens, there must be some kind of force that causes the ocean water to become displaced. Most tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes. However, volcanoes, landslides (塌方), large icebergs, and even meteorites (陨石) are able to cause one of these giant waves.
Tsunamis are extremely powerful. Ordinary waves lose power when they break. Tsunami waves can remain powerful for several days. Because tsunami waves are so strong, they can kill people, damage property, and completely ruin an ecosystem in just one hour.
Scientists have no way of predicting when a tsunami will hit. However, if a powerful enough earthquake happens, scientists can send out a warning or a watch. A warning means that a tsunami will very likely hit soon. A watch means that conditions are favorable for a tsunami. When people are informed of a watch or a warning, they have more time to prepare. It is best not to get caught unaware when a tsunami is on the way!
1.Why are elephants acting strangely before the Tsunamis?
A.They dislike the huge wave.
B.They are afraid of the big fish.
C.They can sense something out of the ordinary.
D.They see the ocean drawing back from the beaches.
2.What does the underlined word “displaced” in paragraph 2 mean?
A.Moved out of normal place. B.Pushed by human force.
C.Pulled to great heights. D.Hung down quickly.
3.Why do Tsunamis cause so much destruction?
A.They are not familiar to most people.
B.They are very powerful and long-lasting.
C.They break on the coast, unlike normal waves.
D.They are caused by underwater earthquakes.
4.What is this text mainly about?
A.How to guard against tsunamis. B.Differences between wave types.
C.What to do with tsunami waves. D.Causes and effects of tsunamis.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
We have arrived in the hot, wet city of Bangkok．This is our first trip to Thailand(泰国)．All the different smells make us want to try the food．We are going to eat something special for dinner tonight．The hotel we are staying in is cheap, and very clean．We plan to stay here for a few days, visit some places in the city, and then travel to Chiang Mai in the North.
Tuesday, March 27th
Bangkok is wonderful and surprising! The places are interesting．We visited the famous market which was on water, and saw a lot of fruits and vegetables．Everything is so colorful, and we have taken hundreds of photos already! Later today we will leave for Chiang Mai．We will take the train north, stay in Chiang Mai for two days, and then catch a bus to Chiang Rai.
Friday, March 30th
Our trip to Chiang Rai was long and boring．We visited a small village in the mountains．The village people here love the quiet life--no computers or phones．They are the kindest people I have ever met．They always smile and say “hello”．Kathy and I can only speak a few words of Thai, so smiling is the best way to show our kindness．I feel good here and hope to be able to come back next year.
1.The diaries above show the writer’s _____ days in Thailand.
A.3
B.7
C.15
D.30
2.Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Chiang Mai is a beautiful city in the south of Thailand.
B.The writer is traveling alone in Thailand.
C.Chiang Rai is a boring city in the mountains.
D.The writer left Chiang Mai for Chiang Rai by bus.
3.The people in the village _____.
A.are friendly to others
B.like to speak English
C.are very weak
D.hope to live in the cities
4.What is the best title for the whole diary?
A.My First Travel
B.The Outside World
C.Traveling in Thailand
D.A Country on the Train
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Two years ago I was very lonely and didn’t talk with anyone about my feelings. At the time I didn’t have many friends. I wanted someone to share my experiences and secrets with.I wanted someone to understand me. I started to imagine this friend. Often I imagined our conversations and what we would do, but I didn’t give my imagination a face.
Some weeks later we started a new project in school and I was working with one of my schoolmates. We had never worked together before but we got along well. After the project we started to spend some time together in school. One day we decided to take a walk. Ever since that walk we’ve been best friends. We listened and really understood each other.
I had wished for a best friend, but the universe gave me so much more. I have met one of my soul mates (挚友). We can sense each other, and it just takes one look and we know what the other is thinking. I didn’t think our friendship could grow much stronger. But now we have known each other for two years and our friendship is growing all the time.
It hasn’t only been easy. We have gone through both easy and hard times. But I’m grateful for the hard times, because they have forced me to grow and taught me a lot. My best friend has changed me. She has made me believe in myself. And I am now focusing on achieving one of my biggest dreams. Without her I wouldn’t even have realized what my biggest dream is.
I know there are soul mates out in the world for you. I am so grateful to have met one of mine. Believe in them, and your paths will cross!
1.What did the author do before meeting her soul mate?
A.She chose to stay alone. B.She spent time with other friends.
C.She told others about her feelings. D.She pictured a friend in her mind.
2.How did the author get to know her soul mate?
A.By taking a walk. B.By attending a party.
C.Through a school project. D.Through a friend’s introduction.
3.What do we know about the author and her soul mate?
A.Their friendship is still developing.
B.She is the author’s only soul mate.
C.They are trying hard to realize their dreams.
D.She has little confidence in their friendship.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How to stay focused in class
1. No matter how much you want to sit with your friends during the class, try your best to stay away from them. Talking with friends is not going to help you stay focused (集中注意力的) in class and will cause trouble, too.
Look at the teacher. Your teacher is not just standing up there talking — they’re trying to give you an acceptable education. Show the teacher that he or she has your full attention, by looking him or her in the eye. 2.
Take notes. By taking notes, you’ll be able to “get into” the lesson. 3. Listen for key phrases such as, “This is important,” “This is the main idea,” etc. This can help you listen more carefully; you’ll have something to do and focus on.
Join in class discussions. This is a wonderful way to become a more focused, successful student. When a teacher asks a question, offer to answer it. 4. This shows the teacher that you’re listening carefully during the class.
Ask a question. 5. This really shows your teacher that you want to be better, and can recognize the things you’re having difficulty with. Maybe someone else in the class has the same question but he or she is too afraid to ask. When the question is asked by you, he or she will be relaxed and so will you.
A. Do your best.
B. Don’t sit with friends.
C. Don’t try to finish your homework in class.
D. This person should have your full attention at all times in class.
E. Write down key points as your teacher speaks.
F. If you don’t understand something, never be afraid to ask.
G. When he or she asks for an opinion, share your own.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
One day, it was raining heavily and I didn’t have an umbrella, I had just_______a bus and had to walk back to my house.I_______walking in that direction, when I heard somebody shouting,“Sister,”“Sister.” I looked back and_______the stationery（文具）shopkeeper.I went to him and asked what was the_______.He said that since it was raining heavily, I could take a_______in his shop, have a look at his new_______and go home when the rain stopped.For a moment I hesitated（犹豫）,but the_______of getting to have a look at the pens made me nod.
To my surprise, I found that the_______was larger than I thought.The stationery shopkeeper offered me a chair and took out the pens for me.I_______a beautiful parker（派克）pen and had a try.It________so smoothly that I wanted to buy it with all my heart,________as expected, it was very expensive. The shopkeeper said, “I can give you the pen for ninety-five dollars________one hundred.” I looked up and thanked him for the________,but refused politely as it was________quite expensive for me. By that time, the rain had________,and after appreciating his________,I quickly walked back to my house.
After that day, the shop became my________place to hang out .The shopkeeper used to________me pens always at discount prices and very often also offered me tea.He had much information about all kinds of pens and other writing instruments.________both of us knew nothing about each other,we had a deep friendship based on our common ________.
1.A.run into B.got on C.run after D.got off
2.A.tried B.started C.considered D.avoided
3.A.observed B.answered C.saw D.remembered
4.A.matter B.trouble C.doubt D.reason
5.A.drink B.seat C.breath D.test
6.A.umbrella B.books C.tea D.pens
7.A.importance B.dream C.idea D.result
8.A.shop B.station C.factory D.bar
9.A.made use of B.ran out of C.caught sight of D.took care of
10.A.moved B.ran C.walked D.wrote
11.A.and B.but C.so D.or
12.A.instead of B.up to C.due to D.in addition to
13.A.convenience B.choice C.offer D.deal
14.A.even B.again C.ever D.still
15.A.come down B.stopped C.continued D.poured down
16.A.bravery B.politeness C.kindness D.carefulness
17.A.favourite B.personal C.only D.secret
18.A.share B.sell C.introduce D.send
19.A.Once B.Unless C.Since D.Although
20.A.interests B.lifestyles C.goals D.habits
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（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Dear Tom,
I have received your letter and I am glad to give you some 1. (suggestion). First of all, don’t be 2. (disappoint). English is more or less difficult. Many students find 3. hard to write well. 4.my opinion, if you want to improve your writing, you can do 5. following things.
First, do some study with useful expressions and sentence structures.6.(try) to make some sentences with them. Second, read as much as possible. There are many things 7. can’t be learned at a time. You must see them many times. So in order 8. (write) well, you must learn to read much. 9. (final), you’d better recite some good passages.
By the way, a meeting 10. (hold) next week in our class to discuss the problems. Welcome to it!
Good luck!
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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；
3. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Last summer I go to Hangzhou with two Americans. I became their guide. First, we went to the West Lake, that is a famous place of interest in Hangzhou. We looked around it by the boat. After that, we went shop. The sellers couldn’t speak English. Though it was very harder, I tried my best to listen their words carefully and translate the sentences. They bought many things with their help. Next, we went to a small zoo but took some pictures. When we felt hungry, we went out and had lunch. After lunch, we visited some old house. All of us had a greatly time that day.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，打算寒假去英国伦敦旅行一星期，学习当地的文化，并顺便拜访你的英国朋友Jack。请你写信告知，内容包括：
1. 到伦敦的时间以及要呆多久；
2. 请他推荐值得参观的景点；
3. 询问他方便被拜访的时间。
4. 期待答复。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 困难查看答案及解析