Singapore’s public transport system is one of the best in the world, so you should have no problem finding your way around like a local. There are three main forms of public transport that you would find in any other major city—trains, buses and taxis.

TRAINS

Trains run from 6:00 am to midnight. Single trip tickets start at 80 cents. If you buy an EZ-Link cars for $15, you can ride the trains and buses as you like.

If you need more information, just call Transit Link on 1800 767 4333.

BUSES

There are several bus services in Singapore and fares(费用) start at 80 cents. Be sure always to ask the driver the cost of your ticket as he can not give change.

If you need help, just call Transit Link on 1800 767 4333.

TAXIS

There are three main taxi companies—City Cab (6552 2222), Comfor (6552 1111) and Tibs (6552 8888). Booking can also be easily by calling the numbers listed above.

RENABLE CARS

Driving in Singapore is a pleasure and if you like to travel at your own pace, renting a car is a good choice. Renting takes away the hassle of getting to places around Singapore. Just sit back and enjoy the city. It also means you’ll get to see a lot more that a train or a bus won’t let you see.

For car rental, call Avis on + 65 6737 1668.

1.By an EZ-Link care, you can take ______.

2.When you take a bus there, always remember to ______.

3.What does the  underlined word “hassle” mean in the text?

4.What do you know about travelling in Singapore from the passage?

It doesn’t matter if you have one friend or 20, because there are only a few people in this world that can make you truly happy. For me, my family and my three best girlfriends mean everything to me.

Some days I didn’t want to go to school because I felt so disappointed in myself but I don’t regret a thing. It makes you stronger as a person, and if you are able to mend your friendships like I have done, then you can do anything.

My mom always told me, “Stephanie, remember that a friend is a gift that you give to yourself. A friend will always be there for the good and the bad. A true friend will never make fun of you. If a friend is a piece of work, then he or she has never been a friend at all. A friend is the biggest gift to you.”

Everyone is going to make mistakes but please don’t push them away, especially if it’s someone you really care about. I know when I make mistake I beat myself up about it. I just wish someone would have reached out a hand to help me back up on my feet like my best friend did. If someone is new or doesn’t have a friend, please reach out and befriend them because that small action could mean the world to them. Now that I’m older, I understand what my mom has been trying to tell me, and now I know that the friends that I choose will also be the kinds of friends that I would want to be surrounded by forever.

1.The writer was unwilling to go to school because ______.

A.      she was disappointed in herself

B.      she regretted something he had done

C.      she was busy trying to fix a friendship

D.     she went to by a gift for her mother

2. According to passage, a true friend should be a person that ______.

A.      often gives you gifts

B.      makes you happy

C.      does both good and bad things to you

D.     never makes fun of you

3. It can be inferred(推测) from the passage that the writer ______.

A.      doesn’t have many friends

B.      doesn’t think that friends will make her truly happy

C.      understands what a friend means to her

D.     has nothing except her family and three girlfriends

4.According to the passage, which is WRONG?

A.      Making friends with some lonely people will bring them warmth

B.      Your friend should not make mistakes in face of you.

C.      Mother told me what friend is.

D.     You should care about your friend.

My name is Chelsea Chowderhead. A chowder is a kind of soup. I was laughed at because of my last name as soon as I started school. So when my family moved to South Carolina, I asked my dad if I could change my name.
“You shouldn’t change who you are. Let people get to know you first and your name later. When you meet someone new, ask them a good question, something you’re really interested in. Once people start talking about themselves, they don’t judge(评价) you.”
Two days later I headed to my new school for the first day of class. At lunch, I noticed that there were twin brothers who were talking to each other. I remembered my dad’s advice, so I decided to try.
I noticed that their lunchboxes were identical. “What’s it like being a twin?” I asked.
They looked surprised. Then one said, “No one has ever asked us that!”
“Most of the time it’s good,” the other said. “When you’re a twin you always have someone to talk to and have lunch with.”
In no time we were laughing and talking. Then one of the brothers said, “I’m Nicholas, and this is my brother, Nathaniel. What’s your name?”
I took a deep breath and said, “I’m Chelsea Chowderhead.”
“Chowder? Like the soup?” asked Nathaniel.
“Yes,” I replied, looking down.
“Hey, cool! Do you want to come over after school and play basketball with us?” Nathaniel asked. I nodded.
And that is how I became friends with the twin brothers.
【小题1】Why did the writer want to change his name?

Over time, the custom of kissing developed as a way for adults to express their love and affection for one another. The roots of this form of affection can be traced back to primitive times, when mothers fondled their children, much as mothers do today.

Much later, in the sixth century, society apparently accepted the custom of kissing between adults as expression of their affection. Not surprisingly, France first accepted kissing in courtship (求爱).There, figure dancing was popular, and each dance was sealed with a kiss.

The custom of kissing swept from France through Europe to Russia, where Russian nobility loved to imitate the French. Eventually, the kiss was incorporated into marriage ceremonies, and today lip – locks couples into sweet matrimony.

The custom of kissing today, as well as in ancient times, serves to pay homage to another. For example, early Romans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another in a manner they thought to be dignified (valued and respected). One Roman emperor even ranked a person’s importance by the body part he was allowed to kiss. He allowed important nobles to kiss his lips, less important ones to kiss his hands, and the least important ones to kiss his feet.

In Russia, the highest sign of recognition from the Crown meant kiss from the Tsar himself. Today, natives of many African tribes pay homage to their Chief by kissing the ground over which he has walked.

61．What’s mainly talked about in the passage?

A．The way to express love and respect.

B．The expression of affection.

C．The custom of kissing.

D．The function of kissing.

62．Which of the following can best explain the word “homage” in the fourth paragraph?

A．Recognition.      B．Respect.    C．Importance.       D．Appreciation.

63．It can be learned from the passage that kissing            .

A．is a widely accepted way to show love and affection

B．used to be a proper way to show love on wedding ceremonies

C．is a universally accepted way of greeting in the world

D．from the Tsar is a sign of being accepted from the Grown

64．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．It was Russia that made the custom of kissing go to the whole world.

B．Early Africans kissed each other on the mouth or eyes to greet one another.

C．One Roman emperor allowed important nobles to kiss his nose.

D．Russian nobility followed the custom of kissing from the French.

65．We can infer from the passage that          .

A．mother developed the custom of kissing.

B．kissing means differently on different occasions

C．figure dancing was usually sealed with a kiss in Russia

D．society found it hard to accept kissing in public in the sixth century

Life on Mars could become a reality and it could happen in your lifetime.

A welcoming planet

Scientists say Earth’s neighbor Mars, a bright red planet about half Earth’s size, is the most likely to support human life. Mars even has frozen water on its surface.

Since the late 1990s, NASA has been exploring Mars using remote-controlled vehicles（装置）. Most recently Curiosity, a car-size vehicle, traveled through space on an unpiloted spacecraft(航天器) and landed on Mars in August 2012. Directed by NASA scientists , the vehicles move on the surface, taking pictures , collecting and analyzing soil, and looking for signs of life.

But what about human explorers? Plans are already in the works to send astronauts to Mars as soon as the mid-2030s.

_____________________________________

But before you start packing your bags, let’s consider the challenges. For starters, Mars is far away. Just getting there could take up to 10 months.

Scientists already know that time away from Earth’s gravity harms the human body. Bones and muscles get weaker. The body produces less blood. What damage would months and months of living in space do?

And then there is the matter of water, oxygen, food and fuel. Scientists will have to find solutions to these problems, or the first humans on Mars won’t survive very long in their new home.

Tiny Dangers

There’s another tinier risk. It’s so tiny that you can’t even see it: germs.

Some scientists believe that our germs could pollute the whole planet of Mars. Potentially killing Martian life before we have the chance to discover it. Worse, there is a small but terrifying chance that any microscopic life already there might be harmful to us .

Worse still, if any of those Martian germs(火星细菌) were brought back to Earth, the result could be disastrous. Animals, plants, and people could be wiped out.

Worth the $$$?

A more practical concern is the cost. The price could approach $ 1 trillion(万亿). How can we justify spending that much when so many problems—poverty, disease—could use the cash here on Earth?

1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the “A welcoming planet” part?

A. Mars is a little bigger than Earth.       

B. There are flowing rivers on Mars.

C. People haven’t been to Mars so far.  

D. Scientists have discovered signs of life on Mars.

2.Which of the following can best fill in the blank in the passage?

A. Living in space.                         B. Limited resources.

C. Extreme conditions.                    D. Interesting challenges.

3.By “Tiny dangers” the author means ________________.

A. there is no serious danger                  

B. people won’t be in any danger

C. it’s difficult for people to realize the danger   

D. the danger may be caused by very small things 

4.Which may cause the biggest danger?

A. Martian germs may be different from those on Earth.  

B. Martian germs may be brought back to Earth.

C. People may carry germs to Mars.                  

D. There may be germs on Mars.

5.Which section of a newspaper is the passage most probably taken from?

A. People        B. History        C. Science         D. Business