I was excited to take my rescue Beagle (比格犬) to the river the other day, as it’s within walking distance of our new home. Having spent her first six years in a cage, Georgie had never seen a body of water, and I wanted to get there before sunset to watch her experience it.
I was growing increasingly impatient about all the stops her little Beagle nose required. She inspected the grass, dirt, and trees, and licked (舔) whatever was stuck to the road. These were all new discoveries for her, and she took her time studying them.
When I accepted that it was fruitless to hurry her along, I whipped out my cell phone and began texting. I thought that I needed something to do while Georgie was slowing us down. Then, for some reason, I heard the cicadas (蝉) ,and I remembered that the sound of cicadas is my favorite sound in the world. That awakened something buried within me that longed for the simple pleasures that had been replaced by technology.
I made a conscious decision to be present, and to enjoy the journey to the river Just like Georgie. Now, I admired the flowers and the winding ivy on our path. I smelled the grass and the flowers, and the dirt and the air. I treasured each one equally, as if discovering them for the first time.
As we neared our destination,1 realized something even more important: It didn’t matter if we even reached the river. Why must there always be a destination? Georgie had no idea that we had a destination. She was present for the journey, and she savored every bit of that sweet experience. There was no race and no finish line.
Now I’m not sure who rescued whom.
1.Why did the author take out the cellphone?
A.To kill time. B.To awaken the simple pleasures.
C.To hurry the dog along. D.To record the sound of cicadas.
2.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.How I enjoyed the journey. B.What I saw on the way.
C.Why I traveled to the river. D.Whether I reached my destination.
3.What does the underlined word “savored” in the fifth paragraph mean?
A.Smelt. B.Expected. C.Enjoyed. D.Deserved.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Say Goodbye to Cell Phones B.Think like a Dog
C.Learn to Get along with Pets D.Travel toward Destinations
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Walter Peak High Country Farm, on the western shores of Lake Wakatipu is famous in history. Its sheltered bays were used as camping sites by Maori travelling to the Mararoa and Oreti Rivers on Moa hunting and gathering expeditions.
Things to do
Situated on picturesque Lake Wakatipu’s wester shores, the farm is the perfect place to spend a few relaxing hours. The Farm Tour itself is a wonderful experience for the whole family, with something to keep everyone entertained and happy. Our rural host will meet you after you leave the steamboat and take you for a walking tour of the farmyard. The first stop is the holding to help feed the sheep and deer, and even get up close to the Scottish highland cattle. Then walk slowly through the lakeside gardens to the charming Colonel’s Homestead for morning or afternoon tea. Afterwards the farmer will lead you over to the shearing shed (剪羊毛棚) where you can watch the farm dogs rounding up sheep on the hills, and see the farmer cut the wool off a sheep. You will then board the steamboat for your cruise back to Queenstown.
Ticket Information
Child Ticket $ 22. 00
Adult Ticket $ 77.00
Visitor Information
Opening Time: 10 a.m.
Closing Time: 4 p.m.
Additional Information
All tickets purchased at MyFun must make a booking at +64-3441—8166. Please mention your My Fun barcode (条形码) number when making your booking. Please print out your voucher (收据) and take along with you to the attraction. Tickets are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
1.What can you do during the Farm Tour?
A.Ride on the farm. B.Feed the chicken.
C.Have morning tea. D.Cut the wool off a sheep.
2.How much should parents with a child pay for the Farm Tour?
A.$99. B.$ 121.
C.$ 176. D.$198.
3.What should the visitor who has bought tickets at MyFun do?
A.Call +64-3441-8166 to print out your voucher.
B.Take the voucher to the Farm.
C.Tell the Farm your MyFun barcode number.
D.Use the tickets after a year.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity. Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their selfworth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often lifeanddeath affairs. In their singleminded pursuit of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “I may have lost, but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one's selfrespect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve can we discover a new meaning in competition.
1.What does this passage mainly talk about?
A.Competition helps to set up selfrespect.
B.Opinions about competition are different among people.
C.Competition is harmful to personal quality development.
D.Failures are necessary experiences in competition.
2.The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means ________.
A.those who try their best to win
B.those who value competition most highly
C.those who are against competition most strongly
D.those who rely on others most for success
3.What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a “desire to fail”？
A.One's worth lies in his performance compared with others'.
B.One's success in competition needs great efforts.
C.One's achievement is determined by his particular skills.
D.One's success is based on how hard he has tried.
4.Which point of view may the author agree to?
A.Every effort should be paid back.
B.Fear of failure should be removed in competition.
C.Winning should be a lifeanddeath matter.
D.Competition should be encouraged.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
One of the main challenges facing many countries is how to maintain their identity in the face of globalization and the growing multi-language trend. "One of the main reasons for economic failure in many African countries is the fact that, with a few important exceptions, mother-tongue education is not practiced in any of the independent African states." said Neville Alexander, Director of the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa at the University of Cape Town.
In response to the spread of English and the increased multi-language trends arising from immigration, many countries have introduced language laws in the last decade. In some, the use of languages other than the national language is banned in public spaces such as advertising posters. One of the first such legal provisions(规定) was the 1994 "Toubon law" in France, and the idea has been copied in many countries since then. Such efforts to govern language use are often considered as futile by language experts, who are well aware of the difficulty in controlling fashions in speech and know from research that language switching among bilinguals is a natural process.
It is especially difficult for native speakers of English to understand the desire to maintain the "purity" of a language by law. Since the time of Shakespeare, English has continually absorbed foreign words into its own language. English is one of the most mixed and rapidly changing languages in the world, but that has not been a barrier to acquiring superiority and power. Another reason for the failure of many native English speakers to understand the role of the state regulation is that it has never been the Anglo-Saxon way of doing things. English has never had a state-controlled authority for the language, similar, for example, to the Academic Francaise in France.
The need to protect national languages is, for most western Europeans, a recent phenomenon-------especially the need to ensure that English does not unnecessarily take over too many fields. Public communication, education and new ways of communication promoted by technology, may be key fields to defend.
1.Neville Alexander believes that __________.
A. mother-tongue education is not practiced in all African countries
B. globalization has resulted in the economic failure of Africa
C. globalization has led to the rise of multi-language trend
D. lack of mother-tongue education can lead to economic failure
2.The underlined word "futile" (in paragraph 2) most probably means " ___________".
A. workable B. practical
C. useless D. unnecessary
3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. English has taken over fields like public communication and education.
B. Many aspects of national culture are threatened by the spread of English.
C. Most language experts believe it is important to promote a national language.
D. Europeans have long realized the need to protect a national language.
4.The best title for the passage is __________.
A. Fighting against the rule of English
B. Protecting local languages and identities
C. Globalization and multi-language trend
D. To maintain the purity of language by law
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As long as there have been exams, students have found ways to cheat. Today the correct answers are just a few taps away on a smart phone. So countries have come up with new ways to stop the funny business. Some use metal detectors, surveillance (监控) cameras, and mobile phone jammers (干扰器).1.
Cheating in high school leaving exams got so bad in Mauritania and Algeria that this year the authorities turned off the Internet for the entire country. Algeria did so for at least an hour during tests (which last about a week).2.Other countries, such as Iraq, Uzbekistan and Ethiopia, have for years been shutting down the Internet during exam time.
In each country students are under high pressure to do well in the tests, which often determine whether they can continue their education at a good university.3.But high marks are rare. In Algeria only around half of students passed the exams in recent years. In Mauritania the rate is much lower.
4.Darrell West of the Brookings Institution, a think-tank, estimates that in 2015-2016 Internet shutdowns ordered by governments cost countries at least $2.4bn. 5.
A.Turning off the Internet is expensive.
B.Teachers try to help — in their own way.
C.Others have taken a more severe measure.
D.A splendid grade may mean a scholarship abroad.
E.Mauritania cut access from morning until evening on exam days.
F.For that kind of money, countries could even improve their schools.
G.With so many students cheating electronically, governments are taking extreme steps.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
环保节约是我们每个地球人的责任。假设你是李华，最近正在和你的美国朋友Jack讨论如何进行“低碳生活”。请你就“低碳生活之我见”给Jack写一封回信，内容包括：1. “低碳生活”的重要性； 2. 如何做到“低碳生活”；3. 邀请对方参加“全球低碳行动”。
注意：1、词数100左右；
2、开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数；
3、可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
提示词：低碳生活：low-carbon life
Dear Jack,
How is everything going?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
His palms were sweating. The sun was as hot as the_____he faced today at the National Junior Olympics. The pole was______at 17 feet, three inches higher than his personal best. Michael Stone faced the most______day of his pole- vaulting(撑杆跳) career.
In his childhood, he used to have dreams about flying,______he would be running down a country road, racing between golden wheat fields. At one point, he would take a______and then lift ______the ground, soaring like an eagle. This______about flying was put to______training by Michael's father and coach ,who_____hard work and sweat. If you want something, work for it.
All of Michael’s vaults today seemed to be the reward for his hard work. a______would get him second place, but Michael would not allow himself the______of not winning.
He knew it was time for his_____ jump. Having_____off the tension from his legs, he began to stretch out his arms and upper body. He carefully picked up his pole, his heart beating ____.The running track______him felt like the country road he used to dream about. Visions of the golden wheat fields______his thoughts. The air around him was the purest and freshest he had ever______. Michael was soaring like an eagle in his dreams
Lying on his back with that wonderful hot sun on his face. he______he could see in his mind's eye the______on his mother's face. He knew his dad was probably smiling too,_____laughing. With all the media attention, Michael’s life would never be the same. It wasn’t just because he set a new world record. It was simply because Michael Stone is blind.
1.A. examination B. competition C. struggle D. debate
2.A. set B. broken C. kept D. designed
3.A. energetic B. attractive C. difficult D. interesting
4.A. what B. how C. which D. where
5.A. breath B. rest C. walk D. look
6.A. against B. to C. on D. off
7.A. hope B. imagination C. dream D. wish
8.A. strict B. occassional C. basic D. mental
9.A. took over B. believed in C. called off D. turned on
10.A. run B. miss C. step D. push
11.A. thought B. goal C. mind D. opinion
12.A. another B. first C. next D. final
13.A. put B. given C. shaken D. cut
14.A. regularly B. wildly C. suddenly D. normal
15.A. above B. beside C. below D. within
16.A. shaped B. confused C. filled D. attracted
17.A. seen B. tasted C. noticed D. sensed
18.A. said B. knew C. predicted D. understood
19.A. tears B. sweat C. sadness D. smile
20.A. even B. or C. still D. yet
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
A group of students 1.(range)from 9 to 13 are benefiting from a schedule which is run by the Confucius institute(孔子学院) at Newcastle University, which aims to build 2.(close) academic, cultural and social ties between China and the North East of England.
Staff at the institute work patiently with schools and the other day the pupils took part in weekly after-school sessions with the teacher Qiang Xingdi who gave them an 3.(introduce) to the Chinese language and culture.
Already the pupils, making progress in learning Chinese now,4.(award) certificates of achievement from the institute. Adam said, “I have always had an interest in Chinese culture and this course has been5. great way to teach me all about it.”
Confucius Institutes are worldwide non-profit public institutions6.(design)by the Chinese government to promote7.language and culture8. teaching plans and cultural exchanges.
The Confucius Institute at this university was set up in 2013, and it is the first in the North East.
Student Voice said last week, “Many thanks to the Confucius Institute at this university for 9.they have arranged for the students and Qiang Xingdi for her weekly enthusiasm,10.has without doubt made a significant impression on them.”
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：在错的词下画一横线，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。
I’m terrible sorry to make you disappointing for not having finished my homework on time. In fact, I had something else to do, that made me have no time for my homework.
My father was badly injured in a accident yesterday. Hearing the news, I hurried the hospital after school. I had a busy night, but I didn't do my homework. As what you know, I am an ordinary student in class and eager to improve your English. I find I have great difficulty concentrate on my study. Would you please give me some suggestions? Besides, I wish you could give me more chances to practise my English in class.
I’m looking forward to hear from you early.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析