“Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local(当地的) family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor’s language ability,” said a teacher during a school meeting last term. “Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won’t be disappointed.”
After this special meeting, I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month, I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London, a place where I had wanted to go since years ago.
As we were still young, we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London, we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family(寄宿家庭) was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them, too.
The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast, a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sight-seeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben, the London Bridge, and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities.
The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet, time really flew fast. Three weeks later, we had to leave “home” for Hong Kong

  1. 1.

    In the “homestay” program, a visitor can _____

    1. A.
      learn more about holidays
    2. B.
      understand his culture better
    3. C.
      improve the language ability
    4. D.
      take part in foreign meetings
  2. 2.

    The writer had wanted to visit London since _______

    1. A.
      last month
    2. B.
      a long time ago
    3. C.
      the special meeting
    4. D.
      her stay abroad
  3. 3.

    The writer’s host family ______

    1. A.
      was very kind to her
    2. B.
      went sight-seeing with her
    3. C.
      had two white daughters
    4. D.
      was interested in her activities
  4. 4.

    From the passage, we know that the writer ______ in London

    1. A.
      wished to stay a little longer
    2. B.
      had a wonderful time
    3. C.
      had classes in many interesting places
    4. D.
      helped the teacher take the students in a car

Have you ever heard the saying “All roads lead to Rome”? At one time, this was pretty much true. During the Roman Empire, lots of roads were built in order to move armies, send messages by courier (信使), and make trade easier. This construction work went on for five centuries! If all the roads built during the Roman Empire were put together end to end, they would circle the equator twice.
The network of Roman roads was begun in 312 BC. It was demanded that the roads be built strong so that they would not fall down. Roman soldiers, supervised (监督) by engineers, laid down the roads in a special pattern of layers. The first layer was made of sand. Next, the builders added rocks and rubble. On top of these materials came gravel. On this solid foundation, the road builders placed paving stones.
Also, Roman roads were cambered. This means that they were built higher in the middle than on the edges, allowing rainwater to run off, which prevented flooding. We use the same technique in building roads today. The Romans also laid out roads over hills when necessary, setting them down in a zigzag pattern to make the road rise gradually.
All Roman roads had milestones (里程碑), placed every thousands paces (a Roman mile). The milestones told when the road was built, who was emperor at the time, the road’s destination, how far the traveler was from the destination, and how many miles had been traveled since the beginning of the road. This information was a great help to travelers.
Because of their excellence in construction, it really is no surprise that many parts of Roman road still exist today. These roadways are one of the most impressive accomplishments of the Roman Empire

  1. 1.

    What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?

    1. A.
      The Roman Empire was very powerful
    2. B.
      Lots of roads were built during the Roman Empire
    3. C.
      The roads built during the Roman Empire were very long
    4. D.
      The roads built during the Roman Empire were very convenient
  2. 2.

    Which of the following correctly shows the structure of the Roman roads?

    1. A.
      Paving stones
      Gravel
      Rocks & rubble
      Sand
    2. B.
      Gravel
      Rocks & rubble
      Sand
    3. C.
      Sand
      Rocks & rubble
      Gravel
      Paving stones
    4. D.
      SandRocks & rubble
      Gravel
  3. 3.

    What information can you find on the milestones?

    1. A.
      The builders of the road
    2. B.
      The materials used in building roads
    3. C.
      The distance from one city
    4. D.
      The time spent in building roads
  4. 4.

    The passage mainly ______

    1. A.
      explains the saying “All roads lead to Rome”
    2. B.
      praises ancient Romans for their great achievements
    3. C.
      shows how great the Roman Empire was
    4. D.
      introduces the construction of the Roman roads

Q: My daughter is a junior in high school and has been on an individualized education program since fourth grade. She plans to go to college and intends to finish with a master’s degree. Her performance in general is fairly good, but test scores are very low. She has held many leadership and volunteer positions. We have been advised to have her write an essay about how her learning disability is a barrier that she has to get over. Will that help or hurt her chances for admission?
---- Deborah
A: First let me answer the question on low standardized test scores (ACT/SAT). There are hundreds of colleges that are “test optional” which means students can choose not to release their test scores in the application process. Admission decisions at these colleges for students who do not submit their test scores are made based on other factors. A list of test optional colleges can be found at fairtest.org. It is important, however, to make sure that the college is the right fit academically regardless of the test optional policy.
You also asked if your daughter should write about her disability and if this would hurt her chances of being admitted. Please know that colleges do not deny admission based on disability. “Disclosing” a learning disability in a personal statement within the college application can certainly help. By writing a personal statement, students can potentially demonstrate, for example, their understanding of the challenge they face. They might also prove an improved grade trend in that subject area, and show interest in more complex courses in spite of this disability. More importantly, a student disclosure can show self-confidence, motivation and an understanding of the disability.
---- Ms. Kravis

  1. 1.

    What do we know about Deborah’s daughter?

    1. A.
      She is applying for a master’s degree
    2. B.
      She is very active in her high school
    3. C.
      Her disability prevents her studying well
    4. D.
      She has difficulty getting over her learning disability
  2. 2.

    The underlined word “demonstrate” in the last paragraph probably means “_____”

    1. A.
      show
    2. B.
      develop
    3. C.
      gain
    4. D.
      change
  3. 3.

    What is Ms. Kravis’ attitude towards one’s declaring his/her learning disability?

    1. A.
      Supportive
    2. B.
      Critical
    3. C.
      Doubtful
    4. D.
      Unconcerned
  4. 4.

    According to the passage, Mr. Kravis is probably _____

    1. A.
      an editor
    2. B.
      a school leader
    3. C.
      a psychological doctor
    4. D.
      an educational expert

New technology links the world as never before. Our planet has shrunk. It’s now a “global village” where countries are only seconds away by fax or phone or satellite link. And, of course, our ability to benefit from this high-tech communications equipment is greatly increased by foreign language skills.
Deeply involved with this new technology is a kind of modern businesspeople who have a growing respect for the economic value of doing business abroad. In modern markets, success overseas often helps support domestic business efforts.
Overseas assignments (指派) are becoming increasingly important to advancement within executive (行政) ranks. The executive stationed in another country no longer need fear being “out of sight and out of mind.” He or she can be sure that the overseas effort is central to the company’s plan for success, and that promotions often follow or accompany an assignment abroad. If an employee can succeed in a difficult assignment overseas, superiors will have greater confidence in his or her ability to manage back in the United States where cross-cultural considerations and foreign language issues are becoming more and more common.
Thanks to a variety of relatively inexpensive communications devices (装置) with business applications, even small businesses in the United States are able to get into international markets.
English is still the international language of business. But there is an ever-growing need for people who can speak another language. A second language isn’t generally required to get a job in business, but having language skills gives a candidate the edge when other qualifications appear to be equal.
The employee posted abroad who speaks the country’s language has an opportunity to fast-forward certain negotiations, and can have the cultural insight (洞察力) to know when it is better to move more slowly. The employee at the home office who can communicate well with foreign customers over the telephone or by fax machine is an obvious asset (有价值的人或物) to the firm

  1. 1.

    With the increased use of high-tech communications equipment, businesspeople ________

    1. A.
      are eager to work overseas
    2. B.
      have to get familiar with modern technology
    3. C.
      are gaining more economic benefits from domestic operations
    4. D.
      are attaching more importance to their overseas business
  2. 2.

    In this passage, “out of sight and out of mind” (Line 3, Para. 3) probably means ________

    1. A.
      leaving all care and worry behind
    2. B.
      being unable to think properly for lack of insight
    3. C.
      being totally out of touch with business at home
    4. D.
      missing opportunities for promotion when abroad
  3. 3.

    According to the passage, what is an important consideration of international corporations in employing people today?

    1. A.
      Ability to speak the customer’s language
    2. B.
      Connections with businesses overseas
    3. C.
      Technical know-how
    4. D.
      Business experience
  4. 4.

    The advantage of employees having foreign language skills is that they can ________

    1. A.
      fast-forward their proposals to headquarters
    2. B.
      better control the whole negotiation process
    3. C.
      easily make friends with businesspeople abroad
    4. D.
      easily find new approaches to meet market needs

There used to be a term that was used to describe someone who drove their vehicles down the highway while staring at the scenery. These drivers just drove slowly, taking their own sweet time, as if they had nothing to do and no place in particular to go. Thus, the expression, “Sunday driver”, was born. Consequently, a Sunday driver wasn’t necessarily someone who was driving on a Sunday. A person could be a Sunday driver any day of the week. The expression simply meant that the person was an obstacle to other drivers who were in a hurry.
The expression probably came about because there was a time when people would often decide to go for a relaxing drive on Sunday afternoons. A Sunday drive was a common occurrence years ago and especially on a nice warm sunny day. There were no stores open on Sunday because of the “blue laws”, so you needed to be sure and fill up the gas tank and make any other needed purchases before Sunday arrived.
Some of the states had strict blue laws that even prohibited some activities on Sunday. However, there is still a lot to be said for the slow, gentle life that once existed. It was a time when very few people worked on Sunday except for those professions vital to our well-being such as those in the medical profession. It was a day “set apart” that was used to rest, visit with neighbors and friends, or maybe go to grandma’s house for supper. Today there are many who return to work and children who go back to school overly tired on Monday due to a lack of rest. Perhaps there would be less stress related illnesses if we really kept Sunday as a day of rest

  1. 1.

    According to the passage, “Sunday driver” refers to the person who ______

    1. A.
      drives his vehicle on Sundays
    2. B.
      drives for fun and relaxation
    3. C.
      enjoys a weekend break
    4. D.
      makes a Sunday purchase
  2. 2.

    What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph l mean?

    1. A.
      Sunday drivers affected traffic flow
    2. B.
      Sunday drivers drove too slowly
    3. C.
      Sunday drivers increased traffic speed
    4. D.
      Sunday drivers felt hatred for other drivers
  3. 3.

    What kind of activity was strictly prohibited on Sunday by the laws?

    1. A.
      Visiting with neighbors and friends
    2. B.
      Going to the hospital to see a doctor
    3. C.
      Having a family get-together
    4. D.
      Selling goods or services
  4. 4.

    According to the author, Sunday rest would help people______

    1. A.
      earn a lot more money
    2. B.
      experience less pressure
    3. C.
      keep pace with society
    4. D.
      improve academic performance

You’re finishing up your history homework when your cell phone rings. You’ve got 30 minutes to reach head-quarters, get your equipment packed and receive your task. There’s a lost hiker in the mountains near the edge of town. Your task: find the missing person; provide emergency medical treatment, if necessary; and be prepared to operate 48 hours on your own with only the supplies you carry.
Sounds like some kind of film’s plot? Not if you’re a member of the Arapahoe teen rescue patrol in the suburbs of Denver. About 25 teen guys and girls are active members of this search, rescue and emergency organization, and they know firsthand that you don’t have to be an adult to save lives.
These 9th-through-12th graders are the real deal when it comes to emergency services. In fact, they’re the only teen-commanded patrol in the nation. Sure they have adult advisers to turn to if necessary, but in the field it’s a teen patrol officer calling the shots — sometimes even giving direction to adults.
Members are trained in rock-high-angle，swift-water and avalanche rescue (雪崩施行营救), winter and alpine operation , wilderness life support and emergency care, among other skills. They also regularly ride along with the local fire and police departments, providing support such as security details and evidence searching.
When asked what qualities make a good patrol member, founder and president Stan Bush named good physical conditioning and an interest in helping people. “We put in lots and lots of hours helping people in trouble,” he says. “So if a person is not really interested in doing that kind of thing, he won’t last as a member.”

  1. 1.

    In the first paragraph, the author describes ______

    1. A.
      a plot in some kind of film
    2. B.
      a teen patrol member’s life
    3. C.
      an emergency rescue
    4. D.
      a lost hiker in trouble
  2. 2.

    Which of the following is NOT true about the Arapahoe teen rescue patrol?

    1. A.
      They are trained to have many special skills
    2. B.
      They also work with local firemen and policemen
    3. C.
      They turn to adults for help sometimes
    4. D.
      They think they can save lives only when growing up
  3. 3.

    If you want to become a good rescue patrol member, you must ______

    1. A.
      be strong and interested in offering help
    2. B.
      be a 9th-through-12th grader
    3. C.
      finish your history homework first
    4. D.
      spend many hours helping people first
  4. 4.

    What would be the best title for the passage?

    1. A.
      What qualities make a good patrol member?
    2. B.
      The Arapahoe teen rescue patrol
    3. C.
      How to become a rescue patrol member
    4. D.
      Skills a rescue patrol member needs

In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.
　　As a writer I know about winning contests, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.
　　A revelation (启示) came last week when I asked her, “Don’t you want to win again?” “No,” she replied, “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”
　　I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously (自发地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
　　Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting (借用) my daughter’s experience.
　　While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices

  1. 1.

    What did the author say about her own writing experience?

    1. A.
      She was constantly under pressure of writing more
    2. B.
      Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers
    3. C.
      Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations
    4. D.
      She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer
  2. 2.

    Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?

    1. A.
      She wanted to share her stories with readers
    2. B.
      She had won a prize in the previous contest
    3. C.
      She was sure of winning with her mother’s help
    4. D.
      She believed she possessed real talent for writing
  3. 3.

    The author took great pains to refine her daughter’s stories because ________

    1. A.
      she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dream of becoming a writer
    2. B.
      she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance
    3. C.
      she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so much
    4. D.
      she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing
  4. 4.

    What’s the author’s advice for parents?

    1. A.
      Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions
    2. B.
      Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience
    3. C.
      Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in
    4. D.
      A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue

When I was at University I studied very hard. But a lot of my friends did very little work. Some did just enough to pass exams. Others didn’t do quite enough. Fred Baines was one of them. He spent more time playing than working in the library.
Once at the end of the term, we had to take an important test in chemistry. The test had a hundred questions. Beside each question we had to write “True” or “False”. While I was studying in my room the night before the test, Fred was watching TV. Fred usually worried a lot the night before a test. But on that night he looked perfectly calm. Thenhe told me of his plan. “It’s very simple. There are a hundred questions and I have to get fifty correct to pass the test. I’ll just toss（掷）the coin to decide the answers. That way, I’m sure I’ll get half the questions right.”
The next day, Fred came happily into the exam room. As he sat tossing a coin for half an hour he marked down his answers. Then he left, half an hour before the rest of us.
The next day, he saw the chemistry professor in the corridor. “Oh, good,” he said to the teacher, “Have you got the result of the test?” The teacher reached into his pocket and took out a coin. He threw it into the air, caught it in his hand and looked at it.
“I’m terribly sorry, Fred,” he said, “You failed!”

  1. 1.

    This story mainly wants to tell us          

    1. A.
      chemistry is really hard to learn
    2. B.
      there are many questions for students to prepare
    3. C.
      good exam results really need studying hard
    4. D.
      tossing a coin can not always decide the result
  2. 2.

    Fred Baines was one of those who          

    1. A.
      did just enough to pass an exam
    2. B.
      didn’t work hard enough for their studies
    3. C.
      had more important work to do than study
    4. D.
      were quite good at passing exams
  3. 3.

    Fred came happily into the exam room because          

    1. A.
      he had got ready for the exam
    2. B.
      he knew the answers already
    3. C.
      one excellent student would help him
    4. D.
      he had his special way to finish the exam
  4. 4.

    Which of the following about the chemistry exam is TRUE?

    1. A.
      The chemisty exam was not very difficult at all
    2. B.
      It in fact took an hour to finish the chemisty exam
    3. C.
      The chemisty exam had more than one hundred questions
    4. D.
      The chemisty exam needed to be done by tossing a coin
  5. 5.

    The professor tossed a coin to tell Baines that          

    1. A.
      he was satisfied with Baines’ way for the exam
    2. B.
      he wanted to make friends with Baines
    3. C.
      Baines’ way for the exam would never work
    4. D.
      the exam result depended on the coin

If a diver surfaces too quickly, he may suffer the bends. Nitrogen (氮) dissolved (溶解) in his blood is suddenly liberated by the reduction of pressure. The consequence, if the bubbles (气泡) accumulate in a joint, is sharp pain and a bent body — thus the name. If the bubbles form in his lungs or brain, the consequence can be death.
Other air-breathing animals also suffer this decompression (减压) sickness if they surface too fast: whales, for example. And so, long ago, did ichthyosaurs (鱼龙). That these ancient sea-animals got the bends can be seen from their bones. If bubbles of nitrogen form inside the bone they can cut off its blood supply. This kills the cells in the bone, and consequently weakens it, sometimes to the point of collapse. Fossil(化石)bones that have caved in on themselves are thus a sign that the animal once had the bends. 
Bruce Rothschild of the University of Kansas knew all this when he began a suty of ichthyosaurs bones to find out how widespread the problem was in the past. What he particularly wanted to investigate was how ichthyosaurs adapted to the problem of decompession over the 150 milllion years. To this end, he and his colleagues traveled the world’s natural-history museums, looking at hundreds of ichthyosaurs from the Trassic period and from the later Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
When he started, he assumed that signs of the bends would be rarer in younger fossils, reflecting their gradual evolution of measures to deal with decompression. Instead, he was astonished to discover the opposite. More than 15% of Jurassic and Cretaceous ichthyosaurs had suffered the bends before the died, but not a single Trassic specimen showed evidence of that sort of injury.
If ichthyosaurs did evolve an anti-decompression means, they clearly did so quickly — and, most strangly, they lost it afterwards. But that is not what Dr Rothchild thinks happened. He suspects it was evolution in other animals that caused the change.
Whales that suffer the bends often do so because they have sufaced to escape a predator (捕食动物) such as a large shark. One of the features of the Jurassia oceans was an abundance of large sharks and crocodiles, both of which were fond of ichthyosaurs lunches. Trassic oceans, by contrast, were mercifully shark-and crocodile-free. In the Trassic, then, ichthyosaurs were top of the food chain. In the Jurrasic and Cretaceous, they were prey (猎物) as well as predator —and often had to make a speedy exit as a result

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is a typical symptom of the bends?

    1. A.
      A twisted body
    2. B.
      A gradual decrease in blood supply
    3. C.
      A sudden release of nitrogen in blood
    4. D.
      A drop in blood presure
  2. 2.

    The purpose of Rothchild’s study is to see              

    1. A.
      how often ichthyosaurs caught the bends
    2. B.
      how ichthyosaurs adapted to decompression
    3. C.
      why ichthyosaurs bent their bodies
    4. D.
      when ichthyosaurs broke their bones
  3. 3.

    Rothchild’s finding stated in Paragrapg 4            

    1. A.
      confirmed his assumption
    2. B.
      speeded up his research process
    3. C.
      disagreed with his assumption
    4. D.
      changed his research objectives
  4. 4.

    Rothchild might have concluded that ichthyosaurs          

    1. A.
      failed to evole an anti-decompression means
    2. B.
      grdually developed measures against the bends
    3. C.
      died out because of large sharks and crocodiles
    4. D.
      evoled an anti-decompression means but soon lost it

I began working in journalism（新闻工作）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 nickle（五分镍币）. It was the first nickle I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence（自信）, 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 competiton 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(失望的)
  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 phrase “this battle”（last paragraph） refer to?

    1. A.
      The war between the boy’s parents.　
    2. B.
      The arguing between the boy and his mother
    3. C.
      The quarrel between the boy and his customers.　
    4. D.
      The fight between the boy and his father
  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
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