Life is difficult.
This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend (超越) it. Once we truly know that life is difficult — once we truly understand and accept it — then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties represent a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation.
What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause us sadness, or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.
Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we desire to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, those things that hurt, instruct. It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems

1. 1.

   The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ________

   1. A.
      save space
   2. B.
      persuade readers
   3. C.
      make readers laugh
   4. D.
      get readers’ attention
2. 2.

   According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to________

   1. A.
      encourage them to learn
   2. B.
      teach them to fear the pain of solving the problem
   3. C.
      help them learn to deal with pain
   4. D.
      teach them how to respect for problems
3. 3.

   From the passage, it can be inferred that _________

   1. A.
      everybody has problems
   2. B.
      we become stronger by meeting and solving the problems of life
   3. C.
      life is difficult because our problems bring us pain
   4. D.
      people like to complain about their problems

1. 1.

   According to the survey, people left alone on a desert island would most want their ________

   1. A.
      MP3 player
   2. B.
      dog
   3. C.
      spouse/ partner
   4. D.
      celebrity
2. 2.

   Which of the following is true about George Clooney?

   1. A.
      He has been trained in wilderness survival
   2. B.
      He may not be able to help you survive
   3. C.
      He does not think Roseane is beautiful
   4. D.
      He is the choice of most South African women
3. 3.

   The survey results are analyzed in terms of the respondents’ __________

   1. A.
      sex, age and nationality
   2. B.
      race, nationality and sex
   3. C.
      marriage, age and race
   4. D.
      age, sex and marriage

Nowadays more and more young athletes are taking part in the risky activities called “extreme sports” or “X-sports”.
In the past young athletes would play baseball. Today, they want risk and excitement — the closer to the edge, the better. They snowboard over cliff and hike deep mountains.
Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports such as golf. A city kid who couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment could get a skateboard and have fun. But now it has become a whole new area of sports, with specialized equipment and high levels of skill. There is even an Olympics for extreme sports, called the winter x-game, which includes snow mountain hiking and ice climbing.
What makes extreme sports so popular? Maybe it’s because people love the risk. City people want to be outdoors on the weekends and do something challenging. The new equipment is so much better that people can take more risks without getting hurt. Sure there’s a risk. Once you go mountain hiking or snowboarding, it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing. It’s just too boring.
Now even the older crowd is starting to join in. Every weekend, groups of friends in their early 30s get together. On weekdays they work as computer programmers in the same office. On weekends they hike mountains together.
Extreme sports are certainly not for everyone. Most people still prefer to play basketball or watch sports on TV. But it has been a fact that extreme sports are gaining popularity

1. 1.

   Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports because _______

   1. A.
      people didn’t like to play golf
   2. B.
      some city kids couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment
   3. C.
      there is an Olympics for extreme sports
   4. D.
      extreme sports are gaining popularity
2. 2.

   More and more young athletes are taking part in extreme sports because _______

   1. A.
      people want risk and excitement
   2. B.
      it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing
   3. C.
      people can take more risks without getting hurt
   4. D.
      the older crowd is starting to join in
3. 3.

   To have extreme sports, you should _______

   1. A.
      have specialized equipment and high levels of skill
   2. B.
      be very young at age
   3. C.
      do snow mountain hiking and ice climbing
   4. D.
      afford expensive sports equipment
4. 4.

   The author gives the example of the computer programmers in the same office to show _______

   1. A.
      young people love risks
   2. B.
      they can’t afford golf
   3. C.
      they don’t like to play basketball or watch sports on TV
   4. D.
      extreme sports are gaining popularity
5. 5.

   The main idea of this passage is _______

   1. A.
      extreme sports are certainly not for everyone
   2. B.
      the benefits and costs of extreme sports
   3. C.
      the development of extreme sports
   4. D.
      what makes extreme sports so popular

Has Tiger Mom gone soft? One year after the release of her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua is back in the spotlight, reflecting on how overnight infamy (恶名) affected her life, her family and her parenting.
“I have changed a lot,” she told the Huffington Post. “In October, we had 30 kids at our house! We have hosted parties with lots of food and music.”
Last January, the Wall Street Journal published an excerpt (节选) from Chua’s book with the headline “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”. In the excerpt, Chua described how her daughters were never allowed to have sleepovers (在外过夜的儿童聚会), appear in school plays, or earn any grade lower than an A. Chua, an author and professor at Yale Law School, spent much of 2011 on the defensive. In fact, many of her interviews seemed to lend fuel to her critics’ fire.
Now, with the book out in paperback, she said, “I put passages in the book and used very harsh words that I regret. Everybody has those moments you wish you could take back.”
For those who still read Battle Hymn as an advice guide, Chua argues that so-called tiger parenting should be employed mainly during a child’s early years, ideally between the ages of 5 and 12. These “super-strict parenting tactics” are not meant for all ages. Remaining strict after middle school makes you a helicopter parent, according to Chua. And she is quick to point out how different that is from being a tiger mom.
“By the time kids get to high school, helicopter parents are hiring all these tutors, carrying their kids’ sports bags. I never checked older daughter Sophia’s papers because I knew she knew how to sit down and focus,” Chua said.
As for younger daughter Lulu, 15, the rebel for whom the book was written, Chua has really backed off. Instead of forcing Lulu to practise violin for hours a day—the source of their biggest fights, Chua “let her give that up”. “My compromise (妥协) is that I’m going to still be as strict academically, but in exchange she has a lot of social freedom. Lulu has had four sleepovers in the last two months!” Chua said. Chua predicts she’ll only get more easygoing with age

1. 1.

   What does the passage mainly tell us?

   1. A.
      How Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother came out
   2. B.
      Tiger Mom persuaded readers to follow her example
   3. C.
      Tiger Mom has changed and wants to be soft
   4. D.
      How Tiger Mom became the worldwide spotlight
2. 2.

   From paragraph one we can know that after the publication of the book______.

   1. A.
      Tiger Mom became stricter with her children
   2. B.
      Tiger Mom’s life and family were influenced
   3. C.
      Tiger Mom was thought highly by the public
   4. D.
      Tiger Mom became wealthy and easygoing
3. 3.

   Lulu quarreled with her mother mainly over______.

   1. A.
      whether she could do well at school
   2. B.
      when she could have sleepovers
   3. C.
      what should be written in the book
   4. D.
      how long she practiced the violin

I stopped at a grocery store the other day because I was about to go on a long drive and I wanted to buy my favorite beverage for the trip. It wasn’t the store I normally go to, just one I passed along the way.
As I walked up to the entrance, I noticed a man and a boy who was about 10 or 12 years old standing at the front of the store. Customers walked past, as the man handed them half-sheets of white paper. I walked up to them with curiosity, wondering what cause they were representing. As I got closer, I saw that they had two carts starting to fill with groceries.
I said hello and the man greeted me and handed me one of the pieces of paper, explaining that they were collecting donations for the local food pantry. On the paper was a simple list of food items: peanut butter, noodles, pasta sauce, canned fruits and vegetables. It also included a short story about the boy and his efforts to collect food donations since the age of 8. I was really touched that someone so young would be so interested in helping others. I told him it was an awesome idea and that he should be proud of himself. He smiled.
Then, I went inside to get my drink. Unfortunately, the store didn’t have it in stock. But, I wasn’t upset, because by then I felt I had another mission. I went through the store, picking things from the list, then brought them back out to the boy and put them in the cart. I also gave the man the white sheet of paper back to reuse for another customer. They thanked me and offered me a treat (candy, I think) but I said to pass it on to someone else.
As I walked back to my car, the boy’s well-intentioned spirit stuck with me. How inspiring to encounter a young boy with a resolve to do good deeds, and the courage to act on it. It made my day!

1. 1.

   What do we know from the passage?

   1. A.
      The author wasn’t a regular customer to the store
   2. B.
      The store was owned by the man and the boy
   3. C.
      The store didn’t deal in drinks
   4. D.
      The author refused their treat because he didn’t need it
2. 2.

   What does the author mainly want to tell readers in paragraph 4?

   1. A.
      He didn’t get his drink
   2. B.
      He carried out another mission
   3. C.
      He got thanks and was offered a treat
   4. D.
      He wasn’t upset though not getting his drink
3. 3.

   What’s the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      A Day for a Boy
   2. B.
      A Young Boy’s Determination
   3. C.
      An Inspiring Boy
   4. D.
      A Young Boy’s Groceries
4. 4.

   We can infer from the description of the author that the boy is _______

   1. A.
      noble-minded
   2. B.
      hard-working
   3. C.
      well-educated
   4. D.
      open-minded

The rapid growth of cities worldwide over the next two decades will cause significant risks to people and the global environment, according to analysis.
Researches from Yale and Stanford predict that by 2030 urban areas will expand by 590,000 square miles—nearly the size of Mongolia—to meet the needs of 1.47 billion more people living in urban areas.
“It is likely that these cities are going to be developed in places that are the most biologically diverse,” said Karen Seto, a famous scientist at Yale University. “They are going to be growing and expanding into forests, biological hotspots, savannas(热带稀缺大草原), coastlines—sensitive and vulnerable places.”
Urban areas, they found, have been expanding more rapidly along coasts. “Of all the places for cities to grow, coasts are the most sensitive. People and buildings along the coast are at risk of flooding and other environmental disasters,” said Seto.
The study provides the first estimate of how fast urban areas globally are growing and how fast they may grow in the future. “We know a lot about global patterns of urban population growth, but we know significantly less about how urban areas are changing,” she said. “Changes in land cover associated with urbanization lead to many environmental changes, from habitats loss and agricultural land conversion(转化) to changes in local and regional climate.”
The researchers examined studies that used satellite data to map urban growth and found that from 1970 to 2000 the world’s urban footprint had grown by at least 22,400 square miles—half the size of Ohio.
“This number is numerous, but, in actuality, urban land expansion has been far greater than what our analysis shows because we only looked at the published studies that used satellite data,” said Seto. “We found that 48 of the most populated urban areas have been studied using satellite data, with findings in journals. This means that we’re not tracking the physical expansion of more than half of the world’s largest cities.”
Half of urban land expansion in China is driven by a rising middle class, whereas the size of cities in India and Africa is driven primarily by population growth. “Rising incomes translate into rising demand for bigger homes and more land for urban development, which has a great effect on biodiversity conservations, loss of carbon sinks and energy use.”

1. 1.

   According to the passage, the most dangerous place for city expansion is the _____

   1. A.
      forest
   2. B.
      desert
   3. C.
      savannas
   4. D.
      coastline
2. 2.

   The underlined word “vulnerable” (in Para. 3) probably means “____”

   1. A.
      diverse in plants
   2. B.
      beautiful in scenery
   3. C.
      easily damaged
   4. D.
      very productive
3. 3.

   From Para. 5, we can infer that ____

   1. A.
      urbanization is a good way to improve people’s standards of living
   2. B.
      cities develop very fast and more and more people come to live in cities
   3. C.
      more and more agricultural farmlands are used to make room for local animals
   4. D.
      in the past, researchers focused their attention on the expanding urban areas
4. 4.

   Cities in Africa become bigger and bigger mainly because of their ____

   1. A.
      growing population
   2. B.
      rising middle class
   3. C.
      unique living patterns
   4. D.
      economic development

I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home.
“How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.
“None.”
“Where did you go?”
“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“What did you do?”
“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“You just stood there?”
“Didn’t sell a single one.”
“My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel. It was the first nickel I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love

1. 1.

   Why did the boy start his job young?

   1. A.
      He wanted to be famous in the future
   2. B.
      The job was quite easy for him
   3. C.
      His mother had high hopes for him
   4. D.
      The competition for the job was fierce
2. 2.

   From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______

   1. A.
      excited
   2. B.
      interested
   3. C.
      ashamed
   4. D.
      disappointed
3. 3.

   What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?

   1. A.
      She forced him to continue
   2. B.
      She punished him
   3. C.
      She gave him some money
   4. D.
      She changed her plan
4. 4.

   What does the underlined word “nickel” most possibly mean?

   1. A.
      a note that is worth ten dollars
   2. B.
      a bill signed in acknowledgement of debt
   3. C.
      a list showing how much you have to pay
   4. D.
      a coin that is worth five cents
5. 5.

   What is the text mainly about?

   1. A.
      The early life of a journalist
   2. B.
      The early success of a journalist
   3. C.
      The happy childhood of the writer
   4. D.
      The important role of the writer in his family

Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen．The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster．Luckily, they are just the director' s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either．
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example．Once I took a trip to the glacier．Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years．They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top that I finally saw melting glaciers（融化的冰川）．My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second．
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact．Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that' s about the population of the entire Italy．According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water．
Our fortune is in our own hands．It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now．Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water．Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away．Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place．It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future．Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them．
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean． The earth does not belong to us．On the contrary, we belong to the earth． Please bear in mind that the earth is our home．It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality．

1. 1.

   Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ?

   1. A.
      To give example．
   2. B.
      To lead into the topic．
   3. C.
      To make prediction．
   4. D.
      To provide the evidence．
2. 2.

   How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier?

   1. A.
      Worried．
   2. B.
      Puzzled．
   3. C.
      Scared．
   4. D.
      Bored．
3. 3.

   It can be inferred from the third paragraph that______.

   1. A.
      56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level
   2. B.
      Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050
   3. C.
      Human beings will be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming
   4. D.
      It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality
4. 4.

   According to the passage, you are advised to______.

   1. A.
      drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place
   2. B.
      recycle everything that is used
   3. C.
      go to see the movie 2012 at once
   4. D.
      work together to take good care of our planet
5. 5.

   What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?

   1. A.
      Think twice before taking action
   2. B.
      It's our duty to protect the ocean．
   3. C.
      Everyone together can make a difference．
   4. D.
      It's important to save every drop of water．

— Would you open the window , please ?
— Yes , I ____

1. A.
   will
2. B.
   would
3. C.
   do
4. D.
   can