One day in winter, a couple of good friends headed for a frozen lake nearby to skate on ice. The boys were between five and ten years old. When they were skating, one of the boys headed deeper into the lake, but _____ he found himself skating on very _____ ice. Before he could _____ it, he had fallen through the ice into the icy water below. Having seen this, his friends _____ towards him but could not get him out of the lake _____ the ice layer had formed back and the boy was _____ under the transparent layer. They could see him _____ but could do nothing to help him. Then one of his friends _____ to see a tree in the distance. He skated to it as fast as he could, _____ a branch and then with all his ______ he started digging into the ice. His work proved ______ and he managed to make a hole ______enough to pull his friend out.

By the time the ambulance arrived, a small crowd had gathered. They were all ______ the rescuer for his ______and calmness. However, they were all surprised as well, and ______ how a young boy could break such a big branch. ______， the branch was bigger and heavier than what a person of that age group could carry, drag it to the spot and ______ it again and again to hammer a hole in the ice. It looked like a superhuman ______. How? How did he manage to do it? It was impossible! During the ______， an old man spoke up, “I know how he did it.” Everybody looked at him in ______. The old man said, “He could do it because there was nobody around him who said he couldn't！”

1.A. unfortunately B. probably C. unfairly D. hardly

2.A. cold B. heavy C. light D. thin

3.A. stand B. realize C. clear D. protect

4.A. shouted B. laughed C. rushed D. waved

5.A. because B. though C. if D. unless

6.A. sent B. pushed C. trapped D. seated

7.A. shaking B. struggling C. trying D. breathing

8.A. seemed B. continued C. wanted D. happened

9.A. borrowed B. touched C. broke D. climbed

10.A. strength B. wealth C. interest D. freedom

11.A. true B. successful C. attractive D. risky

12.A. bright B. deep C. large D. round

13.A. praising B. comforting C. encouraging D. advising

14.A. honesty B. bravery C. generosity D. knowledge

15.A. imagined B. replied C. imitated D. wondered

16.A. Obviously B. Hopefully C. Delightfully D. Occasionally

17.A. throw B. raise C. turn D. knock

18.A. sign B. lesson C. effort D. idea

19.A. performance B. break C. meeting D. discussion

20.A. advance B. silence C. despair D. belief

December 15, 2014

Dear Alfred，

I want to tell you how important your help is to my life.

Growing up, I had people telling me I was too slow, though, with an IQ of 150+ at 17, I’m anything but stupid. The fact was that I was found to have ADHD(注意力缺陷多动障碍). Anxious all the time, I was unable to keep focused for more than an hour at a time.

However, when something did interest me, I could become absorbed. In high school, I became curious about the computer, and built my first website. Moreover, I completed the senior course of Computer Basics, plus five relevant pre-college courses.

While I was exploring my curiosity, my disease got worse. I wanted to go to college after high school, but couldn’t . So, I was killing my time at home until June 2012 when I discovered the online computer courses of your training center.

Since then, I have taken courses like Data Science and Advanced Mathematics. Currently, I’m learning your Probability course. I have hundreds of printer paper, covered in self-written notes from your video. This has given me a purpose.

Last year, I spent all my time looking for a job where, without dealing with the public , I could work alone, but still have a team to talk to. Luckily, I discovered the job—Data Analyst—this month and have been going full steam ahead. I want to prove that I can teach myself a respectful profession, without going to college, and be just as good as, if not better than, my competitors.

Thank you. You’ve given me hope that I can follow my heart. For the first time, I feel good about myself because I’m doing something, not because someone told me I was doing good. I feel whole.

This is why you’re saving my life.

Yours,

Tanis

1.why did’t Tanis go to college after high school?

A. She had learned enough about computer science

B. She had more difficulty keeping foucesed

C. She preferred taking online courses

D. She was too slow to learn

2.As for the working environment,Tains prefers____.

A. working by herself

B. dealing with the public

C. competing against others

D. staying with ADHD students

3.Tanis wrote this letter in order to_____.

A. explain why she was interested in the computer

B. share the ideas she had for her profession

C. show how grateful she was to the center

D. describe the courses she had taken so far

India has a very vast history and heritage(遗产). The country has witnessed some of the most important events in the past and every event has an effect of its own on the culture, religion, lifestyle, and economy of the country. This is one of the leading reasons why tourists prefer India to travel and explore. Historical tours in India provide everything that a traveler expects from his/her journey. These historical tours give an opportunity to study and explore Indian history.

Historical tours of India generally consisted of four phases: ancient, medieval(中世纪的), modern India and contemporary（当代的）India. Some of the historical travel packages are:

Forts and Palaces

The rich cultural past of India is reflected in the countless forts（堡垒）and palaces across the country. Most of the forts were constructed as a defense device to keep the enemy away and palaces were made on the names of the kings and queens. Some of the famous forts and palaces are: Agra Fort (Agra), Fatehpur Sikri (Agra), Hawa Mahal (Jaipur), Amber Fort (Jaipur), City Palace (Jaipur), Gwalior Fort (Gwalior), Mysore Palace (Mysore), Red Fort (Delhi), etc.

India Heritage Tours

The main purpose of India Heritage tours is to make Indians as well as tourists familiar with the rich Indian legacy(遗产). The heritage of the country is at least 5000 years. Some of the heritage tours are: medieval heritage, Rajput heritage, Golden Triangle, splendid Gujarat, etc.

South India Historical Tours

The Southern India is known for its diversity and there are many places, whic(景区) in South India include Goa, Cochin, Kerala, Munnar, Periyar, Kottayam and the list goes on and on.

1.The main purpose of this passage is .

A. to report some important events in the history of India

B. to introduce some tours that can explore the history of India

C. to help study the culture and history of India

D. to tell us how to explore the history of India

2.Many tourists prefer to travel to and explore because .

A. modern India has little to study

B. Indian people have an interesting lifestyle

C. its culture is greatly influenced by its history

D. India’s history is longer than that of any other country

3.Most forts were built in order to .

A. honor the kings B. act as a palace for queens

C. keep enemies away D. attract tourists

4.According to the passage, Rajput heritage .

A. is a famous fort in India

B. is one of the heritages in India

C. has a history of no more than 200 years

D. lies in South India

The “Give It Up for Earth Day” encourages people to commit to giving up actions that are harmful to the environment, such as using poisonous cleaners.

Throughout the month of April, Canadians are being asked to “Give It Up for Earth Day！” Earth Day has been celebrated every year on April 22 since 1970. Earth Day Canada president Jed Goldberg says that as people become more environmentally aware, they want to find ways to reduce their environmental influence, not just celebrate one special event.

“Earth Day is a great launching_pad for thinking about environmental action every day，” said Goldberg. “Choosing healthier options, even for the short term, can lead to thinking about the influence of our decisions for a lifetime.”

That's the reason behind the “Give It Up for Earth Day” campaign. It's designed to encourage healthy habits that benefit people and the planet. It challenges everyone to help create a healthier world by making changes in their daily routine.

“We wanted to plan an actiontargeted campaign that will give people a chance to act on their concern for the environment in a positive way，” said Goldberg.

The campaign has identified four daily actions that can add up to huge environmental savings. They include pledging (保证) to turn off the TV, give up the use of poisonous cleaners, reduce consumption of consumer products and cut out meat.

At the end of April, all of the pledges will be recorded and converted (转化) into the number of TV hours not watched, dollars not spent on unnecessary items, electricity saved, greenhouse gas emissions (排放) avoided by cutting out meat, and poisonous chemicals produced from homes and landfills.

“What we're trying to achieve this year for Earth Day is to give people a chance to do something that is meaningful and measurable，” said Goldberg.

1.The aim of the campaign mentioned in the passage is to ________.

A. enable people to save more money for future use

B. help people develop environmentally friendly habits

C. prevent people from making changes in their daily routine

D. warn people against reducing consumption of consumer products

2.The underlined word “launching pad” (in Paragraph 3) probably means “________”．

A. starting point B. finishing line

C. exchanging stage D. reforming stage

3.We can conclude from the passage that ________.

A. Earth Day was first celebrated over half a century ago

B. short term decisions will by no means influence our lives

C. Earth Day Canada is actually an everyday environmental action

D. daily actions must be measured to benefit the environment

4.Which disagrees with the spirit of “Give It Up for Earth Day”？

A. Switching off TV.

B. Riding bikes.

C. Using poisonous cleaners.

D. Saving electricity.

I first met Li Meng at a friend birthday party five years ago. Then I invited Li Meng over in my place. We listen to my CDs together and soon became good friends. Three years ago, Li Meng’s parents invited I to spend a couple of wonderful week in Qingdao with them during the summer holiday. Li Meng and I loved walking along the beautifully beaches there. Last year I was ill but had to stay in hospital for a week. Li Meng came see me every day. Then, her father has changed jobs and they moved to another city. Since then we haven’t see each other much, but we’ve kept writing to each other.

Do you find yourself reaching for just one more cup of coffee to get through the day? Are you tired of being tired ? Instead of relying on things like coffee or sugar for energy, get happy by eating more foods that give you energy through nourishment. Here are four foods that can help improve your energy levels.

Hemp Seed

A complete protein, rich in fiber and omega-3s, hemp is a great low-glycemic (低胰岛素) addition to any diet. The glycemic index (GI) is a measurement of how fast the carbohydrates in food are broken down into glucose (葡萄糖) and how much it will affect your blood sugar. Fiber, fat and protein all lower the GI of a food, which is why hemp seeds (along with nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes)are low-glycemic. Look for hemp seed oil for salad dressing, and hemp seeds to be added into salads.

Soaked Almonds

Raw almonds are nutrient dense, and soaking them releases（释放） higher nutrition potential. Soaking increases vitamin levels and removes the enzyme (酶) inhibitors that slow down digestion. I soak my almonds in water overnight (at least eight hours) and then dry them.

Quinoa

It is 20-percent protein, making it a balanced source of carbohydrates. Even though you feel like you're too busy to make home-made meals, quinoa is a fast food that cooks in less than 15 minutes.

Green Tea

Caffeine from green tea feels steadier and less sharp than the spike and crash with caffeine from coffee. This is likely because green tea contains L-theanine, a kind of acid found in tea that helps promote relaxation.

1.The writer wrote the passage in order to______.

A. introduce four foods making people energetic

B. find reasons why people need some coffee

C. reach for something to get through the day

D. tell people way of keeping fit

2.Why did the almonds get soaked?

A. It helped increase the enzyme. B. It helped unlock the nutrition.

C. It helped make digestion slow. D. It helped lock nutrient dense.

3.From the fourth paragraph we can know quinoa_______.

A. is rich in protein B. includes much fiber

C. can be served quickly D. has less sharp flavor

My color television has given me nothing but a headache. I was able to buy it a little over a year ago  because I had my relatives give me  money for my birthday instead of a lot of clothes that wouldn’t fit .I let a salesclerk fool me into buying a discontinued model, I realized this a day later, when I saw newspaper advertisements for the set at seventy-five dollars less than I had paid, The set worked so beautifully when I first got it home that I would keep it on until stations signed off  for the night, Fortunately, I didn’t got any channels showing all-night movies or I would never have gotten to bed.

Then I started developing a problem with the set that involved static (静电) noise. For some reason, when certain shows switched into a commercial, a loud noise would sound for a few seconds. Gradually, this noise began to appear during a show, and to get rid of it, I had to change to another channel and then change it back. Sometimes this technique would not work, and I had to pick up the set and shake it to remove the sound. I actually began to build up my arm muscles(肌肉) shaking my set.

When neither of these methods removed the static noise ,I would sit helplessly and  wait for the noise to go away. At last I ended up hitting the set with my fist, and it stopped working altogether .My trip to the repair shop cost me $62, and the set is working well now, but I keep expecting more trouble.

1.Why did the author say he was fooled into buying the TV set?

A. He got an older model than he had expected.

B. He couldn’t return it when it was broken.

C. He could have bought it at a lower price.

D. He failed to find any movie shows on it.

2.Which of the following can best replace the phrase ”signed off” in Paragraph 1?

A. ended all their programs B. provided fewer channels

C. changed to commercials D. showed all-night movies

3.How did the author finally get his TV set working again?

A. By shaking and hitting it. B. By turning it on and off.

C. By switching channels. D. By having it repaired.

4.How does the author sound when telling the story ?

A. Curious B. Anxious

C. Cautious D. Humorous

For the first time in Hong Kong's history，an entertainer has been written into middle school textbooks. He is considered one of the best actors in Hong Kong. Yes，he is Chow Yun fat．

The example of his long hard struggle for success has been used in a chapter in a Hong Kong middle school textbook．Using his experience，students can learn to make the most of their time and to get every opportunity to succeed．

On hearing about this，Chow said happily，“I really hope that my experiences can make young people understand that one should not be afraid of difficulties and setbacks（挫折），for they are the only way to success．”

Indeed，Chow has travelled a long and difficult path to reach his success．In 1955，he was born into a poor family in Hong Kong. When he was 17，he had to leave school．He worked in a number of jobs—as a postman，camera salesman and taxi driver. These experiences paved the way for him to play all kinds of roles later in life．

Chow broke into the film industry in the late 1970s. He was one of the hardest working actors and starred in a number of popular TV dramas and films including “Shanghai Bund”（《上海滩》） and “A Better Tomorrow”． Since 1985， he has won many awards including Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards and Hong Kong Film Awards .

In 1995, he went to Hollywood． Although he was already in his 40s, he had to learn English．He even put chopsticks in his mouth to practise pronouncing certain sounds. His film， “Crouching Tiger，Hidden Dragon”，began to gain him more fame and recognition around the world．In 1998，the mayor of Chicago set aside January 12 as “Chow Yun fat Day．”

1.Chow Yun fat has been written into middle school textbooks mainly because________．

A. he plays best in Hong Kong

B. he keeps on struggling for success

C. his experiences are very special

D. he is well thought of

2.What can we infer from the passage？

A. Chow Yun fat is proud of his success．

B. Chow Yun fat is popular both at home and abroad．

C. Chow Yun fat prefers to make a living by selling cameras rather than by _________performing．

D. Chow Yun fat has won more awards than other actors．

3.The underlined sentence（in Paragraph 6） suggests _________．

A. chopsticks is of great help to practise English pronunciation

B. Chow Yun fat is willing to struggle with difficulties

C. Chow Yun fat has suffered a lot since he went to Hollywood

D. it is hard for a person who is over 40 years old to learn spoken English

4.The author wrote this passage to _________．

A. introduce Chow's way to success

B. praise Chow for his excellent performance

C. call on people to learn from Chow

D. show why Chow is popular

Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman’s smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion (困惑) across cultures. For example, many people in Russia consider smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don’t smile enough. In Southeast Asian culture, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile.

Our faces show emotions (情感), but we should not attempt to “read” people from another culture as we would “read” someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressions permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly.

It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural differences in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotions are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of “reading” the other person incorrectly.

1.What does the smile usually mean in the U.S?

A. Joy. B. Politeness.

C. Love. D. Thankfulness.

2.The author mentions the smile of the Vietnamese to prove that smile can _____.

A. show friendliness to strangers

B. be used to hide true feelings

C. be used in the wrong places

D. show personal habits

3. What should we do before attempting to “read” people?

A. Learn about their relations with others.

B. Figure out what they will do next.

C. Find out about their past experience.

D. Understand their cultural backgrounds.

4.What would be the best title for the test?

A. Cultural Differences B. Smiles and Relationship

C. Facial Expressiveness D. Habits and Emotions

Your teen is falling asleep in class

Teens have a busy morning schedule as they need to wake up and get moving very early in order to catch a bus and get to school by the required time. This means teens need to get their rest the night before or they will be too tired to learn anything at school. 1.

When a teen falls asleep in class, two things happen: he/she misses what is being taught and he/she loses the respect of the teacher. He/She may also receive a consequence from the school, depending on the classroom discipline policy. 2.

To prevent your teen from being sleepy in class, try these three tips:

* Set a time for “lights out” on school nights. This is never be any later than 10 p. m. and preferably 9 p.m. 3. Soft music can be on and used to help calm your teen.

* Help your teen develop a nighttime routine that involves activities that slow them down for the end of the day. 4. Turning off the computer and disconnecting from friends and the excitement of the day an hour before bedtime will also help your teen relax.

* 5. This will reinforce （增强）what it feels like to be rested and capable of accomplishing what he/she wants.

A. What’s worse, they may even fall asleep in class.

B. Taking a bath and reading are two activities that work well.

C. Set a good example and show him/her your love for learning.

D. Point out the positives after your teen has had a good night’s rest.

E. All of these things affect your teen’s academic success and can be avoided.

F. “Lights out” means the computer, television, lights and cell phone should be off.

G. While your teen keeps his/her goals in line with your expectations, he/she may have his/her own goals.