题目内容
How to improve our life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my destiny. I cannot change it."
Of course not! You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your life depends on you, not on other factors.
I know a woman who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, and then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routine cycle follows.
Huh! Is this what she calls "doing her best"? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that has been intended for her and that her luck can only change if God wills it. She hasn't realized that we have to do our share of making the effort to live the life of our dreams.
Remember that you harvest what you sow. You have to get off the sofa, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone (unless it’s helpful to your success), and get your mind and body to work! Don't expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary(暂时的) problem; Instead, learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It's not enough to think positively; you also have to act positively.
If someone's life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don't just stand or sit there, do something to improve your life.
【小题1】According to the woman mentioned in Para. 3, her life ___________.
| A．doesn't need improving |
| B．will be better some day |
| C．can’t improve itself |
| D．will be worse in the future |
| A．Positive | B．Disturbing |
| C．Colorful | D．Negative (消极的) |
| A．Your temporary problem is not discouraging. |
| B．You should treat yourself in the way you treat friends. |
| C．Your luck can be changed by your own efforts. |
| D．You can only achieve success when God wills it. |
| A．positive thinking |
| B．positive action |
| C．hope for the best |
| D．intention to succeed |
| A．improve your life |
| B．understand yourself |
| C．believe in yourself |
| D．change your normal way |
【小题1】C
【小题2】D
【小题3】C
【小题4】B
【小题5】A
解析试题分析：文章大意：本文是关于人们对待生活的态度，要积极的采取行动去改变现状，而不是被动的接受生活的安排。
【小题1】推理判断题。根据第三段的描述，该女性天天都重复这种平稳的生活，没有去努力改变现状，故她的生活是得不到改善的。故C正确。
【小题2】推理判断题。根据文章3,4段内容，尤其是第四段最后一行She hasn't realized that we have to do our share of making the effort to live the life of our dreams.说明她没有主动去改变现状，只是被动的接受安排，故他的生活是被动的。故D正确。
【小题3】推理判断题。根据第五段第一行Remember that you harvest what you sow说明种瓜得瓜。即我们付出努力就能改变自己的生活。故C正确。
【小题4】细节理解题。根据第五段Don't expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback; instead, learn your lesson,说明不要期待着运气降临在你的身上，而是要主动的采取行动。故积极的态度才是关键所在。故B正确。
【小题5】写作意图题。从文章的首句和尾句How to improve my life? Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my fate, my destiny. I cannot change it."和It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don't just stand (or sit) there, do something to improve your life.可知本文讲述的是如何改善我们的生活。故A正确。
考点：考查教育类短文阅读
To win an Oscar is an achievement at any age. To do so at 22, as Jennifer Lawrence has, is just amazing. Recently, the American star won Best Actress at this year's Academy Awards for her role in the film The Silver Linings Playbook. According to Time magazine's Richard Corliss, Lawrence is that rare young actress who "lends a mature intelligence to any role".
Though Lawrence has found great success through her big screen work, Lawrence wasn't sure what she really liked doing before the age of 14. She thought she'd go to college and maybe find a career as a doctor or a travel agent.
Lawrence's two brothers were star athletes and one of them was a straight-A student. Unlike them, she suffered through school, never quite finding where she belonged. However, during a trip to New York, Lawrence suddenly realized that she wanted to be an actress. When she was enjoying the beautiful city, a model seeker asked if he could take her picture, and the next day he called her in for an audition (试镜).
"I read the script and it was the first time I had that feeling like I understand this," Lawrence said. "Within 20 minutes, in the cab ride from the hotel room, I decided I didn't want to be a model. In fact, I wanted to be an actress." Having appreciated this young lady's performance, the agency was so impressed with her reading that they signed her on the spot. But she insisted on finishing high school so she could give her full attention to her acting career.
Lawrence burst onto the Hollywood scene last year with The Hunger Games, which established her as the highest-grossing (票房最高的) female action hero of all time. Rolling Stone called her “the most talented young actress in America".
【小题1】What can we know about Jennifer Lawrence from Paragraph 3?
| A．Her parents were really strict with her. |
| B．She seemed not to fit in with her school days well. |
| C．Her school performance made her today's fame. |
| D．Her two brothers were doing well in all school subjects. |
| A．a model interview |
| B．her brothers' examples |
| C．the taxi-ride to her hotel room |
| D．the beautiful scenery of New York |
| A．confidence | B．ambition | C．independence | D．talent |
| A．Choosing Right | B．Acting Wisely |
| C．Winning Young | D．Following Dreams |
As the new semester begins，millions of college students across the country are trying hard to remember how best to write a paper-or，more likely，how best to delay that paper．
Procrastination is the thief of time and a lot of students suffer from it．They can spend whole days in the library doing nothing but staring into space，eating snacks，surfing the Internet，watching videos and looking at their pretty peers sitting around them，who，most likely，are doing nothing either．
Paralyzed by their habit to procrastinate，they write micro blogs about their fears，asking their online friends if they sometimes have the same issue．But this does nothing to solve their problems．
According to a recent report by the BBC，95 percent of us procrastinate at some point and 20 percent of the world’s population are procrastinators，complicating their lives with their continual delaying of tasks．
Procrastinators like to find excuses to justify their behavior，but BBC columnist Rowan Pelling says they are all wrong．Many procrastinators tell themselves they are perfectionists who work best under pressure．Pelling says this is nonsense，as work done at the last minute is more likely to have mistakes than work done on time．
She says the behavior of procrastinators often makes them feel flustered and ashamed，inconveniences others，and annoys loved ones．
Fortunately，social seientists have made tireless efforts to understand this behavioral shortcoming and offer strategies to control it．Piers Steel，a Canadian social scientist and author of The Procrastination Equation，believes humankind is“designed”to procrastinate．Nevertheless，he suggests a couple of good ways to get through the task at hand．
The first one is obvious：Break the task down into small pieces and work your way through them methodically．
The second is clever：Give a trusted friend a sum of money and tell them that if you don’t complete the task you have undertaken by a specific time，they can keep it or donate it to a cause you hate.
【小题1】．What does the underlined word“Procrastination” in the second paragraph refer to?
| A．A bad habit of putting work or tasks off． |
| B．A thief who steals time and money in college. |
| C．A college student who learns nothing． |
| D．A study way of doing nothing in the library. |
| A．College students can have their papers written if they delay them． |
| B．Many students don’t know what to do in the library． |
| C．Students can’t solve their procrastination by writing micro blogs． |
| D．20％of the procrastinators make their life complicated． |
| A．can find reasonable excuses for their behavior |
| B．are able to work best under pressure |
| C．are more likely to avoid mistakes at work |
| D．may upset themselves and their loved ones more frequently |
| A．Human beings are not born to be procrastinators． |
| B．Complete your tasks or work step by step． |
| C．Give your trusted friend money and ask him to help you finish your tasks． |
| D．You can’t control procrastination but you can avoid it． |
| A．Who steals my time? |
| B．The solutions to procrastination |
| C．I’ll do it tomorrow，I swear! |
| D．Don’t do nothing! |
The following are letters to the editor of a school newspaper.
Dear editor,
I’d like to express my opinion about grades. Students should be allowed to study without worrying about grades. Fortunately, most educators are becoming aware of the fact that students have different interests and abilities. I understand that grades are useful, but grades often limit creativity. Competing for better grades causes many students to turn down opportunities to pursue music, dramatics and sports. Grades force an arbitrary(武断的) standard of success on everyone. I do not demand as some extremists do, that grades be removed immediately. However, I do believe that less emphasis should be placed on grades. I hope that someday grades will become optional at Village High School.
Magdalena Smith
Drama Club
Dear editor,
I’d like to say something about grades. Let’s face the facts about grades. Grades perform three basic functions. First, grades motivate(激发) students to work at their highest level of competence（能力）. Second, they act as a reward for hardworking students and as a punishment to students who do not work hard. Finally, grades are used as an effective standard by which to measure students’ achievement. Good grades help students to get jobs and to get into university. I've spoken with a number of students who have jobs, and most of them say that they were hired primarily on the basis of their grades. My grades helped me land a part-time job and will help me get into university next year. I think grades are extremely important at Village High School.
Simon Harper
Science Club
【小题1】Which of the following is not Magdalena Smith’s opinion?
| A．Grades should not be used to measure a person’s success. |
| B．Students may give up the chance to learn music and sports for grades. |
| C．Students’ creativity may not be developed for grades. |
| D．Grades should be taken away at once. |
| A．is concerned about students' creativity |
| B．believes in the benefits of good grades |
| C．doesn't work too hard at his studies |
| D．supports students' interests and abilities |
| A．student | B．teacher |
| C．headmaster | D．advertiser |
Chinese International School
Application Form
Before an applicant can be invited to take part in an assessment, an application form should be returned to the Admissions Office, and the application fee of HK$1,000 cannot be returned. For overseas applicants wishing to pay in currencies other than HK dollars, the fee is US$145. Checks are also good for payment to “Chinese International School”.
The application should include:
※ Applicant’ academic report from the last school year.
※ A recent passport-sized photo (attached to the application form). [来源:学,科,网]
※ A copy of the applicant’s Hong Kong ID card or a passport showing a valid Hong Kong visa.
※ Only for applicants applying under a Corporate Nomination(提名) Right: A company letter confirming the nomination.
Please note that the application fee is non-refundable. Applicants who would like to re-apply for another academic year are asked to submit a new application and application fee.
Acceptance
Applicants will be informed of their acceptance status in writing by postal mail. Initial (最初的) offers for Reception will be sent out from late March once all assessments have been completed.
Some applicants who have been assessed may be held on a reserve list. Acceptances may also be made on a conditional basis among the applicants on the reserve list.
Applicants who have been assessed but who have not been admitted are welcome to reapply for the next academic year. Please note that such applicants will be asked to submit a new application and application fee.
Confirmation of Acceptance and Enrollment (录取)
Once an applicant has been admitted, the applicant family will be asked to confirm acceptance and hold the student’s place with immediate payment of the required fees for the Nomination Right (HK$ 500), plus the sum of HK$ 7,500 as the first tuition (学费) payment.
In addition, enrollment will not be considered complete until the following have been received, normally one month before the start of the new school year:
Physical examination results
Tuition (first month)
【小题1】 According to the passage, if the applicants reapply for an academic year, ______.
| A．the application fee can be reduced to a half |
| B．applicants on a reserve list needn’t be assessed |
| C．the initial application form should be returned to the Admissions Office |
| D．a new application and application fee are to be required |
| A．Once applicants are refused, they can’t apply for it again. |
| B．Applicants held on a reserve list will not be admitted. |
| C．The applicants should show either a Hong Kong visa or a Hong Kong ID card. |
| D．Applicants don’t have to get a company letter to confirm their application. |
| A．By fax. | B．By e-mail. |
| C．By regular mail | D．By telephone. |
| A．HK$ 500 | B．HK$7, 500 |
| C．HK$1, 000 | D．US$ 145 |
| A．will be asked to submit a new application |
| B．will receive physical Examination results |
| C．will be asked to only pay the first month fee |
| D．will be asked to confirm acceptance and pay the fees |
To most of us，school means classes，teachers，schedules，grades，and tests.But for the children at Sudbury Valley School in Massachusetts，school is very different.
Firstly，there are no lessons.All the children，aged between 4 and 19，do whatever they want.There are no teachers—only “staff members”．The idea behind this is that you do not need to make children learn，because children want to learn anyway.“You do not need to say to a three yearold，‘Go explore your environment.'You can't stop them！” says Daniel Greenberg，a founder of the school.“But if you make children do what you want all day，they will lose all taste for learning.”
At Sudbury Valley School，you will permit children to talk，read，paint，cook，work on computers，study French，play the piano，climb trees or just run around.Two boys spent three years just fishing!
The other way that Sudbury Valley School is different is that the children can decide the rules.Every week，there is a school meeting where both children and staff have one vote each—even the fouryearolds.They decide the school rules，how to spend the school budget，and even which staff they want and do not want any more.
When the school first opened in 1968，people said it would never work.But today，the school has 200 students，and 80%of its students go on to college. Even the two boys who went fishing all the time have successful careers today.One of them is a musician and the other is a computer scientist.
【小题1】What is the main topic of the article?
| A．An unusual school. | B．Children's hobbies. |
| C．A school without rules. | D．Education in the US. |
| A．Teachers cannot teach children Well. |
| B．Children learn best when they do what they want to do. |
| C．Learning is for adults—children should only play. |
| D．Children should only learn about one thing at a time. |
| A．They love learning. |
| B．They are very naughty. |
| C．They want to be outside all the time. |
| D．They are too young to learn anything. |
| A．The older children have more power than the younger children. |
| B．A child has more power than an adult. |
| C．The younger children have more power than the older children. |
| D．Everybody has equal power. |
A recent study, published in last week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, offers a picture of how risky it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a fatal accident as a teenager driving alone. By contrast, the risk of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional passenger.
The authors also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased dramatically after 10 p.m., and especially after midnight. With passengers in the car, the driver was even more likely to die in a late-night accident.
Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with “really stupid behavior” than with just a lack of driving experience. “The basic issue”, he says, “is that adults who are responsible for issuing licenses fail to recognize how complex and skilled task the driving is.”
Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to mitigate (减轻) the problem is to have states institute so-called graduated licensing systems, in which getting a license is a multistage process. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove himself capable of driving in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving with passenger restrictions, before graduating to full driving privileges.
Graduated licensing systems have reduced teenage driver crashes, according to recent studies. About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place, but only 10 of
those states have restrictions on passengers. California is the strictest, with a novice (初学者) driver prohibited from carrying any passenger under 20 for the first six months.
【小题1】Which of the following situations is most dangerous according to the passage?
| A．Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p.m. |
| B．A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car. |
| C．Adults driving with three or more teenage passengers late at night. |
| D．A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight. |
| A．their lack of driving experience??? |
| B．their frequent driving at night |
| C．their improper way of driving??? |
| D．their driving with passengers |
| A．Teenagers should spend more time learning to drive. |
| B．Driving is a skill too complicated for teenagers to learn. |
| C．Restrictions should be imposed on teenagers applying to take driving lessons. |
| D．The licensing authorities are partly responsible for teenagers' driving accidents. |
| A．driving in the presence of an adult should be made a rule |
| B．they should be prohibited from taking on passengers |
| C．the licensing system should be greatly improved |
| D．they should not be allowed to drive after 10 p.m. |
| A．is under discussion????? |
| B．has been put into effect |
| C．is about to be set up?????? |
| D．has been perfected |
It’s not easy being a teenager nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager．You can make your child feel angry, hurt or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself．It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while gently letting him know that you’ll still be there for him when he needs you．
Expect a lot from your child，just not everything．Except for health and safety problems，such as drug use or careless driving，consider everything else open to discussion．If your child is unwilling to discuss something，don’t insist he tell you what’s on his mind．The more you insist， the more likely that he’ll clam up．Instead，let him try to solve things by himself. At the same time，remind him that you’re always there for him if he seeks advice or help．Show respect for your teenager’s privacy(隐私)．Never read his mail or listen in on personal conversations．
Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family. If your child talks on the family’s telephone for too long，tell him he can talk for l5 minutes，but then he must stay off the phone for at least all equal period of time．This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls，but teaches your teenager moderation(节制).Or if you are open to the idea，allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part-time job．
【小题1】The main purpose of the text is to tell parents ．
| A．how to get along with a teenager |
| B．how to respect a teenager |
| C．how to help a teenager grow up |
| D．how to understand a teenager |
| A．become excited | B．show respect |
| C．refuse to talk | D．seek help |
| A．to use the phone in a proper way |
| B．to pay for his own telephone |
| C．to share the phone with friends |
| D．to answer the phone quickly |
| A．Not allow him to learn driving or take drugs. |
| B．Give him advice only when necessary. |
| C．Let him have his own telephone. |
| D．Not talk about personal things with him. |