It is generally believed that we are getting cleaned when we step under a shower. We are, but we’re also giving a home to lots of tiny little creatures we didn’t even know about. A showerhead carries thousands of bacteria called Mycobacterium．These can cause problems like coughs and tiredness, and a general feeling of poorliness (身体不舒服). When you turn on the water, the bacteria go from the showerhead onto and into your body.

??? This is a finding of Norman R. Pace and his team at the University of Colorado, in the US. The scientists investigated bacteria in all kinds of human environment, including showers．Pace's team looked at 45 showerheads in nine American cities. They discovered that 30 percent of them had large amounts of flying Mycobacterium.

But Pace said that they pose few threats to the health．Only those with a weak immune system might need to worry．He told the New York Times that the bacteria are not as unpleasant as might be thought．He said that having a shower is no more dangerous than anything else we do in the morning．

But for those who feel sick about the idea of all those microorganisms (微生物), he had some advice. Let the water run for 30 seconds before getting into the shower. Why? The number of bacteria is smaller than that when the water is just turned on. If that seems like a waste of water, he added that you could also change your showerhead every few months.

??? However, Pace had good news too. He has also been testing the air in US subways. Apart from iron particles (粒子), which are ground off the track by the wheels of trains, subway air is fresh. The reason is that a train’s movement pumps fresh outdoor air into the tunnels.

??? Pace explained that he wanted to understand the natural microbial environments of public places. This kind of knowledge might help discover the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist (生物恐怖分子) attack.

1.From the finding of Norman R. Pace, after taking a shower, we might cough or feel tired because?????? .

A. it’s easy to get a cold when taking a bath

B. the showerhead carries many bacteria causing illness

C. we don’t get cleaned while showering

D. we don’t get a weak immune system

2.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A. Hot water could kill most of bacteria in showerheads.

B. Of 45 showerheads surveyed in nine cities, 30 carried large amounts of Mycobacterium.

C. Changing showerheads is the only way to avoid microorganisms.

D. Shower water contains much less bacteria after being left to run for 30 seconds.

3.We can learn from the third paragraph that ????? .

A. having a shower in the morning is more dangerous than at other time

B. the bacteria always threat people’s health

C. there is no reason to fear microorganisms for people with strong immune system

D. it is better to do some exercise in the morning than have a shower

4.The underlined word “pose” in the third paragraph probably means “______”．

A. cause     ?????????? B. avoid       ????????? C. describe ????????? D. promise

5.What contributes to fresh air in US subways?

A. The train’s movement.         ???????????????? B. Iron particles．

C. Train wheels. ???????????????????????????? D. Air conditioners on the trains．

It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.

How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.

Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.

Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.

1.What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1?

A. Feel shy.                       B. Stay calm.                      C. Keep up.                      D. Feel upset.

2.In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that ______.

A. problems cause troubles                                B. attitude is everything

C. challenges can be avoided                                        D. personalities are built on failures

3.According to the last paragraph, when we're in trouble, we ______.

A. can only depend on our parents                         B. are not alone

C. should only believe ourselves                  D. are not confident

4.What’s the writer’s purpose to write the passage?

A．To encourage.     B．To compare.         C．To prove.    D．To explain.

5.What can be the best title of the passage?

A．How to Avoid Problems

B．Challenges Are Everywhere

C．Face Your Challenges Bravely

D．You Are Loved Wherever You Are

B
London: It's well known that Charles Darwin's famous theory of evolution (进化) annoyed many people because it was against the Biblical view of creation. But few know that it also created problems for Darwin at home with his deeply religious wife, Emma.
"Darwin held back the publication of On the Origin of Species to avoid offending (触怒) his wife," says Ruth Padel, the naturalist's great－great－granddaughter. "Emma told him that he seemed to be putting God further and further off", Padel says in her north London home. "But they talked it through, and Emma once said, ‘Don’t change any of your ideas for fear of hurting, me.’ ”
As the world celebrates the 200th birthday of the man who changed scientific thought forever and the 150th anniversary of his book today, even his opponents admitted he was a giant figure.
Though opposition to his theory, continues, it is the elegant explanation of how species evolutes through natural selection that makes his 200th birthday such a major event.
More than 300 celebrations have been planned in Britain alone, where Darwin's face graces (使增光) the 10－pound bill along with that of Queen Elizabeth II.
Shrewsbury, the central England town where Darwin was born and raised, is holding a month-long festival for its most famous son. Down House, his former home near London, will hold a permanent exhibition recreating some of his most famous experiments.
Many more events have been planned all over the world.
What would he be doing if he were alive today? Padel thinks he would properly be studying DNA and the immune system.
45．The main purpose of the author is______.
A．to say something about Darwin and his wife
B．to introduce Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution
C．to sing high praise for the book On the Origin of Species
D．to report some celebrations of Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his books
46．Which of the statements is NOT true based on the passage?
A．Everyone agrees with Darwin now.
B．Darwin was brought up in Shrewsbury.
C．Emma was not really fond of his theory.
D．Darwin was very interested in living things.
47．The underlined phrase "held back" in the second paragraph probably means______.
A．prevented from                                                         B．kept a secret
C．cared about                                                                 D．put off
48．It can be inferred that the passage is most probably______.
A．a scientific report                                                     B．a news report
C．an English composition                                           D．a text

Directions: Complete the following passage by filling in each blank with ONLY ONE WORD that best fits the context.

In our day to day life we have so many tasks in our to-do list. Some are smaller, some are bigger, some are highly important and __1.___ are least important. We keep working __2.__ these throughout our lives. Sometimes we prioritize and sometimes we don’t. However I would emphasize that ___3.__ we prioritize the tasks, our daily lives can improve dramatically.

However, do you really understand the differences __4.__ urgent and important? ___5.__ really matters if you do.

“important” is something which can not and should not be ignored at any cost. “Urgent” means that a quick action is required to be done as soon as possible. Sometimes, urgent things are not very important, for example, turning a running tap off to avoid wastage of water __6.__ save the bills. However there are times __7.__ urgent things are most important as well, for example, helping __8.__ crying baby in the kitchen due to the fire stove.

There is a common belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever considered spelling unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, quite different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority (优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is how to encourage a child to express himself freely in writing without holding him back with spelling.

     If spelling becomes the only point of his teacher's interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to "play safe". He will write only words within his spelling range. That's why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.

     I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience: "This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling mistakes." It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupils' technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad thing for the teacher who had omitted (略过)to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child's deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the mistakes, but if his priority had centered on the child's ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more hope to seek improvement.

1.Teachers differ in their opinions about   _______ .

A. the difficulties in teaching spelling

B. the necessity of teaching spelling

C. the importance of the basic writing skills

D. the role of spelling in general language development

2.The expression "play safe" probably means ______.

A. to write carefully

B. to avoid using words one is not sure of

C. to use dictionaries frequently

D. to do as teachers say

3.Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that______.

A. students will be able to express their ideas more freely.

B. teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes.

C. students will have more trust in writing.

D. students will learn to spell words correctly.

4.The main idea of the passage is _______.

A. the importance of developing writing skills

B. the importance of spelling

C. the correct way of marking composition

D. the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition