You must have heard these words like how happy it is to be a child． But would you  16  change places with a child? Think of the years at school: the years  17  living in constant fear of examinations and school  18 ． Every movement you make, every thought you think is  19  by some adults． Think of the  20  you had to go to bed early, you had to eat  21  thing that was supposed to be good for you． Remember  22  “gentle” pressure was given to you with words like “If you don’t do as I say, I will…”． I’m sure you will never forget!

 23  these are only part of child’s  24 ． No matter how kind and loving parents may be, children often  25  from some terrible and illogical  26  since they can’t understand the world around them． They often have such fears in the dark or in the dream． Adults can  27  their fears with other adults  28  children have to face their fears alone．

But the most  29  part of childhood is a period when you  30  to go out of it, the period when you go into adolescence（youth）．Teenagers start to be  31  their parents and this causes them great  32 ． There is a complete lack of self-confidence during this time． Adolescents pay much attention to their  33  and the impression they make on others．They  feel shy, awkward and clumsy（笨拙的）． Feelings are strong and hearts  34  broken． Teenagers  35  moments of great happiness or black despair． And through this period, adults seem to be more unkind than ever．

1.A．willing    B．unhappily          C．friendly             D．honestly

2.A．spent      B．taken         C．had  D．devoted

3.A．results            B．exercises           C．reports      D．teachers

4.A．observed        B．seen           C．known       D．watched

5.A．years      B．times         C．evenings           D．days

6.A．helpful  B．harmful             C．hateful       D．delicious

7.A．what       B．why   C．that  D．how

8.A．Though            B．Even so      C．But    D．Therefore

9.A．difficulties  B．life         C．trouble      D．fears

10.A．gain      B．suffer         C．receive      D．get

11.A．troubles        B．fears          C．diseases    D．worries

12.A．enjoy  B．deliver       C．share         D．break

13.A．while    B．when         C．so      D．however

14.A．exciting         B．interesting     C．painful       D．forgettable

15.A．have     B．need          C．remember               D．begin

16.A．dislike           B．be against      C．cheat         D．be for

17.A．unhappiness  B．interests       C．happiness               D．determination

18.A．confidence            B．patience           C．appearance       D．action

19.A．really  B．truly           C．naturally           D．easily

20.A．pass      B．experience        C．face            D．take

BRITAIN is a popular tourist place, but tours of the country have pros and cons.

GOOD NEWS

Free museums. No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities.

Pop music. Britain is the only country to compete with the US on this score.

Black cabs. London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night.

Choice of food. Visitors can find everything from Japanese to Swedish restaurants.

Fashion. Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too.

　　BAD NEWS

　　Poor service. “It’s part of the image of the place. People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced,” says Professor Tony Seaton, of Luton University’s International Tourism Research Center.

　　Poor public transport. Trains and buses are promised to disappoint the keenest tourists, although the over crowded London tube is unbelievably popular.

　　Rain. Still in the number one complaint.

　　No air-conditioning. So that even splendidly hot summers become as unbearable as the downpours.

　　Overpriced hotels. The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark.

Licensing hours. Alcohol(酒) is in short supply after 11 pm even in “24-hour cities”.

What do tourists complain most?

A. Poor service.        　　                B. Poor public transport.

C. Rain.            　　                    D. Overpriced hotels.

What do we learn about pop music in Britain and the US through this passage?

A. Pop music in Britain is better than that in the US.

B. Pop music in Britain is as good as that in the US.

C. Pop music in Britain is worse than that in the US.

D. Pop music in Britain is quite different from that in the US.

When is alcohol unlikely to be available in quantities?

　 A. At 8: 30 pm.     B. At 9: 30 pm.         C. At 10: 30 pm.        D. At 11: 30 pm.

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

　 A. The public transport is poor there.

　 B. It’s very cheap to travel by taxi there.

　 C. You cannot find Chinese food there.

D. You have to pay to visit the museums.

I studied engineering after enjoying top marks, as high school came relatively easy. Then university life came!

I thought that I must have some learning disorder, as it seemed that everyone else was absorbing the material and making progress while to me it was an insurmountable(不能克服的) struggle. There were never enough hours in the day and weekend to attend the lectures, study the lessons and then do the assignment.

During my darkest hour I called home to speak to my father: “Dad, I don’t think I can handle this.” My father then said something, which cut through me like a knife: “There is no returning home. If you quit, then you are on your own.”

I hung up thinking what a terrible heartless thing to say. Then, I determined to somehow gut it out(坚持到底). There seemed to be no other choices available! Soon afterwards, I noticed a sigh posted in a campus common area stating: “Studying Skills” with a place & time to meet. It said that “there is help available”. I attended that meeting! I soon discovered there were several others in a similar situation and that everyone wanted to help each other get through this challenging first term. I soon found a study partner, who helped me a lot, and I was grateful to him for his kind help.

Yes, it was still a very challenging first year, but I found the needed strength and support to get through it. In fact my father has been helping me since then, but he has done it in another way. I know now in my heart that he did the very best help he could to help me fly. Thanks Dad for the push!

1.The story happened when the author _____.

A．just came to the new high school

B．was in his first term in university

C．was in the last year of high school

D．had been in the university for one year

2.What was the author’s problem?

A．His father refused his request of returning home.

B．His father said some terrible words to him.

C．He found the course difficult to understand.

D．He could not understand his teachers.

3.How did the author get through his challenge successfully?

A．He got help from his father in another way.

B．He changed the place and time for study.

C．He joined those who helped each other.

D．He paid more attention to study.

4.Which of the following is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Differences between high school and university

B．My time in university

C．The importance of being strict with children

D．Push from my father

I was sitting at the bar of a local restaurant having __36__ and taking a break. A pretty girl who looked about 25 walked in and sat down in a booth(饭馆的小隔间) __37__ for her friend. It didn’t take long __38__ I saw she was trying to stay __39__ from other people’s gazes(注视) and my heart sank. You could see her hair was __40__ and, at such a young age, she was receiving chemo(化疗).

I sat there watching her trying to remain composed(镇静的) and she was having a __41__ time of it. I __42__ for her, imagining what it must be like to go through this and yet I know some of her __43__.

You see I __44__ my wife, the love of my life just a few short years ago and watched her slowly fade away. I needed to give a message of __45__ to this girl. But how? What could I do?

Then it __46__ to me! I called over her waitress and explained that I wanted to buy the girl and her friend’s lunch but I also told her not to tell her it was me. I also __47__ the waitress a note to give to the girl.

The note __48__ as follows:

“ Someone today thought you were beautiful; someone today thought your smile glowed __49__ excitement; someone today thought your eyes __50__ up the world; someone today cared and wanted you to know this. Enjoy the rest of your day, pretty young lady.”

About 15 minutes later, the young girl asked for her __51__ and I watched as she was told it was paid for. She asked why? Who? What for? The waitress simply handed her the note and __52__ to her the gentleman who did it left.

I watched as she slowly read the note. Her eyes tore up, for only a moment, and then came the smile! A huge, beautiful, hopeful smile! She lit up the room and then sat up straight, not __53__ who saw her.

It’s not __54__ we look or what we have; it’s not our houses or how many cars we have; nor is it how much money we can earn. It’s all about how much we care and what we do, __55__ it’s making someone feel pretty only for a moment.

1.A. meal           B. lunch        0C. tea            D. breakfast

2.A. searching      B. hoping       C. looking          D. waiting

3.A. so             B. before       C. after            D. until

4.A. hidden         B. stubborn      C. focused         D. sighted

5.A. falling in     B. falling over  C. falling out D. falling behind

6.A. easy           B. good         C. tough            D. great

7.A. sank           B. ached        C. trust            D. puzzled

8.A. idea           B. view         C. trouble         D. pain

9.A. left           B. deserted     C. buried           D. valued

10.A. dream         B. hope         C. energy           D. wish

11.A. struck            B. happened     C. occurred         D. hit

12.A. handed            B. presented    C. provided        D. brought

13.A. told         B. spoke        C. read             D. wrote

14.A. for           B. on           C. of               D. with

15.A. tore          B. lit          C. cheered          D. lifted

16.A. bill          B. meal         C. check            D. share

17.A. explained     B. informed     C. warned           D. reminded

18.A. knowing       B. ignoring     C. risking          D. caring

19.A. what          B. when         C. why              D. how

20.A. even though   B. as though        C. as if        D. if only

On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探测器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.
My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.
I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.
I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.
Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.
Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.
My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.
In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.
People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.
The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.
This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.
And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.
【小题1】 The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.