It's not much, but it's home. Francis Chan, an engineer, lives in Hampstead, north London, in a flat that's just 4ft wide by 21ft long. He loves it.

Tiny though it is, it has got all the comforts. Peter Baynes, Chan’s architect (建筑师),has achieved a clever piece of design, according to architectural experts.

The Chan mini-house was built on what was once a path down the side of a big Victarian house. Not an inch of space is wasted.

When you step in through the front door, you're standing in the shower, on Britain' s only self-cleansing doormat (自动清洁门垫). A door opens on to an equally tiny toilet with washbasin. Two steps further in comes the kitchen, complete with full-sized cooker and fridge, and washer/ drier. A worktop folds down from the wall.

Another step and you're into the dining/ office area. Four people can sit here for dinner, says Chan as he sets the table-top into place. He even has a fold-down drawing-board for when he's working at home. The bed is hidden under a cover board right at the back. "I don't even have to make the bed," Chan says." I just put the cover down. "

Chan's business suits hang neatly on the wall over the bed. Daylight comes in through the skylight. The house feels like a very small boat and Chan admits he toyed with the idea of naming it the "boat-house".

"It cost around £4,700 to build last year. Now it's been valued at £30,000. It proves that good design doesn't need to cost more. It just needs a lot of care." says Chan.

1.By saying "It's not much" (line 1, para. 1), the author means that Chan's flat______.

A. is cheap                  B. has cheap furniture       C. has a simple design        D. is fairly small

2.Where is Chan's flat?

A. Next to a big house                       B. Under an old building   

C. In a busy London street       D. By the side of a country road

3.Which of the following is the right order of things described in the text?

A. Shower, kitchen, toilet, dining table and bed

B. Shower, toilet, dining table, kitchen and bed

C. Shower, toilet, kitchen, dining table and bed 

D. Shower, kitchen, toilet, bed and dining table

4.What is the purpose of this writing?

A. To sell Chan's flat for more money                  

B. To tell people how to take care of small flat

C. To introduce to readers a cleverly-designed flat 

D. To call on engineers to design their own home

 

In Canada and the United States, there is a new group of children called “satellite kids”, who live in one place but whose parents live in another place.

 Asians are immigrating to Canada and the United States in larger numbers than ever before.Most Asians immigrate because they believe that they can give their children a better education in the West.In Asia, especially in China, Japan, and Korea, it is difficult to go to university.Students must first pass the strict national examination.However, in Canada and the United States, it is easy to go to university, and anyone who wants to go can go.As a result, Asian parents decide to leave their countries so that their children can go to university.

         The problem is that when Asians arrive, they discover that finding a job and making money are more difficult in the West than in the East.Also, they find that they are very lonely, and that they miss their homes.Because of these two reasons, most Asian parents decide to go back to work while their children study in the West.Therefore, these children become “satellite kids”, and most of their parents do not know how sad it is to be a “satellite kid”.

         Only until now are Canadians and Americans discovering the “satellite kid” problem.Because these children do not speak English and because their parents are not there to take care of them, they are often absent from school.To be a “satellite kid” means to grow up in a country where you know you are different and where you cannot make friends because you do not speak English well.Also, it means to grow up lonely, because your parents are elsewhere.What these “satellite kids” will probably say to their parents is that it’s better to have parents around than to have a university education.

1.Some Asian parents send their kids abroad because ________.

A. they hope their children may easily find a job there

B. the kids may not be accepted by universities in their own countries

C. all foreign universities are better than the ones in their own countries

D. the kids want to improve their English and make foreign friends

2. “Satellite kids” refer to Asian kids ________.

A. without patents

B. living abroad alone

C. with university education

D. speaking no English

3.Some Asian immigrant children become “satellite kids” because their parents ______.

A. want to leave their own country

B. want them to go to university

C. return to their countries to work 

D. want them to be independent

4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Parents want better education for their kids.

B. Parents feel lonely and miss their families.

C. Canadians and Americans begin to notice the “satellite kids” problem.

D. Kids in foreign countries alone are badly in need of care from family.

 

Suppose you want to go abroad and learn about the foreign exchange in culture in different countries. Here is some information you may need.

 

Name: Susan Lane       Age: 22

Place: Reykjavik, Iceland, 2010.

Cost: $7,000

Organization: AFS

Experience: “I think it was a turning point in my life. I began to understand more about my own culture by experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live.”

 

Name: Sara Small        Age: 23

Place: Crivitz, Germany, 2012.

Cost: $8,000

Organization: EF Foundation

Experience: “I love the traveling and I made a lot of friends. I found the European school system to be hard but I am fluent now in German so it was worth it I did miss my family and friends in Australia but I would love to do it again.”

 

Name: David Links       Age: 16

Place: Stuttgart, Germany, 2012..

Cost: $6,000

Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange

Experience: “I wanted to try something that was very different in culture. In Germany everything was different but I soon got settled. The family I was with was great and I really feel as though I have a second family.”

 

Name: Tom Jennings      Age: 21

Place: Conflans, France, 2011..

Cost: $7,000

Organization: Southern Cross Cultural Exchange

Experience: “There were times when it was difficult but I liked it, experiencing a different culture. You just have to play each situation as it comes. If there is one thing you learn when you are on a student-exchahge program it is how to take care of yourself.”

 

Name: Linda Marks       Age: 19

Place: Chonburi Province, Thailand, 2010.

Cost: $3,500

Organization: Rotary International

Experience: “There are lots of ups and downs, but you always come back for more. I had a few problems but there was always someone to turn to and that was great.”

 

1. According to the information, taking part in a foreign exchange program can cost _________.

A. from $6,000 to $8,000                             B. from $3,500 to $8,000

C. anything from $3,500                 D. no more than $7,000

2.Which organization held more foreign exchanges?

A. EF Foundation                        B. AFS

C. Rotary International                   D. SCCE

3.The students who refer to both the good and bad times as an exchange student include _________.

A. Susan Lane and Sara Small             B. Linda Marks and David Links

C. Tom Jennings and Linda Marks         D. Susan Lane and Tom Jennings

4.As a result of his experience in the foreign exchange program Tom Jennings learnt to become _________.

A. independent and adaptable                    B. determined and independent

C. selfish and defensive                D. defensive and determined

5.If a student wanted to take part in a foreign exchange program, but had not enough money, then the best place would be _________.

A. Iceland and America                B. Thailand and France

C. Germany and Iceland                 D. Germany and Thailand

 

阅读下列应用文和相关信息,并按照要求匹配信息。

每个人都有烦心事,下面5个人也碰到了自己的问题,根据他们的信息,从A—F中找出合适的建议来对他们进行引导。

A.Find some new friends or colleagues to help you to ease (缓解) the working pressure and loneliness. Making friends is a great pleasure. At the same time, call your family regularly and tell them you are fine here.

B.It is very important to take care of yourself. Caring more about your own body will help you be more energetic to take care of your family members. So treat yourself well.

C.It is a good lifestyle to eat fresh vegetables and fruit. Have a backup plan for the days when you plan to eat well. And sometimes physical exercise will do good to your health, so do regular activities often.

D.Give yourself a reward when you get some small success, which will lead to achieving your overall goals. And celebration takes active part in successful changes. So make a list of some more interesting reasons to keep you go on fighting for your own future.

E. Have a rest or have a trip. Family as well as work is important in people’s life. Just as some sayings go:People who know how to rest know how to work; All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. So stay with your family and enjoy the beautiful life.

F. You should trust yourself and your ability, and have a positive (积极的) attitude to work. Sometimes you can list some past success, which can help you to remind that you are an able man. So self-confidence is very important to you.

阅读下列人物信息,并试为其选择合适的建议。

1.Mike is an engineer of computer, but he doesn’t’ believe in his own working ability. He actually works very hard but he doesn’t get a rise in his company. So he feels very sad.

2. Cedric is alone in this company, and he doesn’t’ t like to stay at the dorm, which he thinks will make him more homesick and miss his family in Sichuan.

3. Vicky doesn’t have outside work. Actually she is a housewife. She uses almost all of her time to cook the meal, clean the house and take care of her babies. She feels very tired and she thinks her health condition is getting worse and worse.

4. Cathy is a busy businesswoman, but her business is not very successful. She cares little about her success and she doesn’t’ have any motivation(动力) to improve her business.

5. Fiona has worked for 4 weeks without having a rest. So she feels very worried about her young daughter, who is only 8 years old. She is very tired now and she misses her family very much.

 

A little boy asked his mother, “Why are you crying?” “Because I’m a woman,” she told him.

“I don’t understand,” he said. His mum just hugged him and said, “You  36 will.”

Later the little boy asked his father, “Why does my mother seem to cry for no reason?” “All women cry for no reason,”  37  so much could his dad say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still  38  why women cry.  39  he gave a call to God, and when God got on the phone, he asked, “God, why do women cry so  40 ?”

God said, “When I made the woman she had to be  41 . I made her shoulders 42 enough to carry the weight of the world; yet, gentle enough to give  43 .”

“I made her  44 childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children. I gave her hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else  45 , and to take care of her family in spite of sickness and fatigue (劳累) without  46 . I gave her the sensitivity to  47 her children under any and all circumstances,  48  her child has hurt her very badly. I gave her wisdom to carry her husband through his 49 . I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never  50 his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him  51 . And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. She can use it whenever it is needed.”

“You see, the beauty of a woman is not in the  52 she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she  53 her hair. The  54 of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart and the place where love  55 .”

1.                A.surely          B.never          C.probably D.seldom

 

2.                A.only           B.even           C.almost    D.hardly

 

3.                A.hoping         B.knowing        C.wondering    D.expecting

 

4.                A.Actually        B.Generally       C.Luckily   D.Finally

 

5.                A.easily          B.rarely          C.simply    D.excitedly

 

6.                A.clever          B.beautiful        C.special   D.ordinary

 

7.                A.thick           B.fat             C.wide     D.strong

 

8.                A.sympathy       B.comfort         C.kindness D.mercy

 

9.                A.stand          B.load            C.accept   D.burden

 

10.               A.gives in         B.gives away      C.gives up   D.gives out

 

11.               A.difficulty        B.danger         C.rest  D.complaining

 

12.               A.control         B.love           C.respect   D.satisfy

 

13.               A.even if         B.in case         C.so that    D.as though

 

14.               A.disagreements   B.misunderstandings    C.faults D.quarrels

 

15.               A.minds          B.helps          C.refuses    D.hurts

 

16.               A.nervously       B.tiredly          C.determinedly   D.unselfishly

 

17.               A.clothes         B.smile          C.hair D.glasses

 

18.               A.washes         B.dyes           C.cuts D.combs

 

19.               A.figure          B.intelligence     C.beauty    D.appearance

 

20.               A.hides          B.lives           C.stores     D.comes

 

 

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