The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues (疫病) that people receive.
   The most widespread fallacy (谬误) of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are
caused by viruses(病毒) passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact,
directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable
to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated arctic regions
explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from
the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes.
     During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches (战壕), cold and wet,
showed no increased tendency to catch colds. In the Second World War prisoners at the Auschwitz
Concentration Camp (奥斯维辛集中营), naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom
had colds. At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in experiments in which
they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot
baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet (湿透) in drafty (通风的) room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain
until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was
actually dropped in his nose.
    If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the
winter? Despite the most pains-taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation
offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other time,
and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.
    No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors(止痛片) such as
aspirin, but all they do is relieve the symptoms.

1. The writer offered _______ examples to support his argument.

A. 4            
B. 5              
C. 6              
D. 3

2. Arctic explorers may catch colds when _______.

A. they are working in the isolated arctic regions
B. they are writing reports in terribly cold weather
C. they are free from work in the isolated arctic regions
D. they are coming into touch again with the outside world

3. Volunteers taking part in the experiments in the Common Cold Research Unit probably _______.

A. suffered a lot                      
B. never caught colds
C. often caught colds                  
D. became very strong

4. The passage mainly discusses _______.

A. the experiments on the common cold
B. the fallacy about the common cold
C. the reason and the way people catch colds
D. the continued spread of common colds

     Today we will talk about expressions with "apple". "Apple pie order" means very well organized.
Nobody is sure when and where this expression began. It is said that the women of New England loved
to have everything in its place, especially when they were making apple pie.
     Another expression "apple of discord" describes the opposite condition. The ancient story says that
all the gods and goddesses were celebrating a marriage when Discord, one of the gods, threw a golden
apple on the table which was to be given as a prize to the most beautiful goddess. How could they
choose among Juno, Minerva and Venus? When Paris decided to give the golden apple to Venus, Juno
and Minerva were very angry and threatened(威胁)him. This began the long Trojan War.
     Calling a tomato "a love apple" was a mistake. In the sixteenth century, Spain imported the tomato
from South America to Morocco, and then Italian businessmen took it to Italy. The Italian name for the
tomato was pomo di Moro-apple of the Moors(荒野). When French growers imported it from Italy,
they thought di Moro meant d'amour, the French word for love. And so pomo di Moro became the
apple of love.
     People believe many things about the apple. One belief is that it has great powers of keeping people
healthy. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Another belief is based on fact. "One rotten apple
spoils the barrel." The expression has come to mean that one bad person in a group can cause everyone
to act badly.

1. Which of the following expressions means badly organized?

A. Apple pie order.
B. Apple of discord.
C. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
D. One rotten apple spoils the barrel.

2. Which of the following statements is WRONG?

A. Discord is the name of a god.
B. Di Moro means love in Italian.
C. "Apple pie order" means very well organized.
D. Many people believe apples can keep them healthy.

3. We can most probably hear this passage in a radio program about ______.

A. famous people in America
B. traveling in America
C. eating in America
D. words and their stories

     In December, 2010, many American newspapers publish a list of the best books of the year.
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is one of the most repeatedly praised books on this year's list of
favorites. It tells about the ups and downs of the Berglund family over many years. Mr. Franzen fills the
book with sharp
observations about American politics, culture and society.
     Jennifer Egan's book A Visit from the Goon Squad takes place in 13 chapters over 40 years. The
story moves back and forth in time, from different viewpoints. One main character is former rock
musician Bennie Salazar who works for a record company. The other main character is a troubled
young woman named Sasha who works for Bennie. The reader learns about their pasts and those of their
friends.
     The main character in The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman is a failing English Language newspaper published in Rome, Italy. Each chapter of the book tells about a reporter or editor working for this paper. Their stories are filled with intelligence and great personality.
     Two of the most popular nonfiction books of 2010 were about rock and roll stars. Just Kids is by
rock singer Patti Smith.It tells about her friendship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe in the 1960s and
1970s before they became famous. Life is the autobiography of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. It
is an honest and exciting look at the development of rock and roll and the wild times this famous band has experienced.
     Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells about a man named Louis Zamperini. She tells about his
extraordinary survival story after his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean during Would War Two.
     Stacy Schiff has received great praise for her book Cleopatra: A Life. It tells about one of the most
misrepresented and famous women in his story, Cleopatra. She ruled ancient Egypt about 2,000 years
ago.One critic said Ms. Schiff has brought Cleopatra to life again by unearthing her story from centuries
of lies.

1. How many books are mentioned in the passage?

A. 5.  
B. 6.  
C. 7.  
D. 8.

2. The following books are related to music EXCEPT________.

A. A Visit from the Goon Squad
B. The Imperfectionists
C. Just Kids
D. Life

3. If your major is the history of ancient Africa, you may pay attention to ________.

A. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
B. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
C. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
D. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

4. Which book will give you a practical understanding of the USA?

A. Freedom.
B. Cleopatra: A Life.
C. Life.
D. A Visit from the Goon Squad.

5. The last sentence of the passage implies that ________.

A. Stacy Schiff is an archaeologist
B. Stacy Schiff tells a story about an imaginary Egyptian queen
C. the critic speaks highly of Cleopatra in history
D. the critic finds the character in the book very real

     The meaning of the word "volunteer" may be a little different in different countries, but it usually means
"one who offers his or her services." There are many different ways in which people can volunteer, such
as taking care of sick people, working in homes for homeless children, and picking up garbage (垃圾) from
beaches and parks. Volunteers may work within their own countries or in other countries. They are often
people with a strong wish to help those who are less fortunate than themselves. Volunteers don't expect any
kind of pay.
     At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help
other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a new idea of
what being a volunteer means. She worked for two and a half weeks in one of Mother Teresa's homes in
Calcutta. The following is her story.
     "I first heard about Mother Teresa in my high school, we watched a video (录像) about her work in India
and all over the world. I was so moved by her spirit to help others and her endless love for every human being
that after I graduated from high school, I too wanted to try her kind of work. So with two friends I flew to
Calcutta for a few weeks."
     "I was asked to work in a home for sick people. I helped wash clothes and sheets, and pass out lunch.
I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer the up. I felt it was better to
share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don't think I was helping very much.
It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help, but to learn about and experience another culture
(文化) that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world."

1. According to the text, a volunteer refers to a person who _____.

A. is willing to help those in need without pay
B. can afford to travel to different places
C. has a strong wish to be successful
D. has made a big fortune in life

2. Tracy started her work as a volunteer _____.

A. after she met Mother Teresa
B. after she finished high school
C. when she was touring Calcutta
D. when she was working in a hospital

3. Why did Tracy choose to be a volunteer?

A. She liked to work with Mother Teresa.
B. She had already had some experience.
C. She was asked by Mother Teresa's example.
D. She wanted to follow Mother Teresa's example.

4. What is Tracy's "new idea" (Paragraph 2) of being a volunteer?

A. Going abroad to help the sick.
B. Working in Mother Teresa's home.
C. Doing simple things to help the poor.
D. Improving oneself through helping others.

     Given Australia's size and the fact that early settlements were far apart, Australian society is
remarkably homogeneous (同种的). Its citizens are fundamentally prosperous and the way of life
in the major cities and towns is much the same however many miles divide them. It_takes_a_sharp
_ear_to_identify_regional_accents.
     However, there is some difference in lifestyle between city dwellers and the country people.
Almost 90 percent of the population lives in the fastpaced cities along the coast and has little more
than a passing familiarity with the desert. The major cities preserve pockets of colonial heritage, but
the overall impression is modern, with new buildings reflecting the country's youth. In contrast, the
rural communities tend to be slowmoving and conservative. For many years, Australia was said to
have "ridden on the sheep's back", a reference to wool being the country's main moneyearner.
However, the wool industry is no longer dominant. Much of Australia's relatively sound economy
is now achieved from natural coal and wheat, and by being the largest diamond producer in the
world. Newer industries such as tourism and wine making are also increasingly important. Australians
are generally friendly and relaxed, with a selfdeprecating sense of humour. On the whole, Australia is
a society without hierarchies (等级制度), an attitude generally held to stem from its prisoner
beginnings.
      Yet, contrary to widespread belief, very few Australians have true prisoner origins. Within only
one generation of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants.
Originally coming almost entirely from the British Isles, today one in three Australians comes from
elsewhere. Australia's liberal postwar immigration policies led to an influx of survivors from wartorn
Europe, most notably Greeks, Italians, Poles and Germans.
     The emphasis has shifted in recent years and today the majority of new immigrants are from
Southeast Asia. Today Australia is a 'blend of nations' and although some racism exists, it has
generally been a successful experiment and the country is justifiably proud to have one of the most
harmonious multicultural communities in the world.

1. What does the writer mean by saying "It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents." in the first
     paragraph?
A. Australians speak Standard English with no local accents whatsoever.
B. You have to practice a lot to learn to understand the different accents.
C. The Australian regional accents are very difficult to understand indeed.
D. There is not much difference between the accents in different areas of Australia.

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Most Australians have ancestors who were prisoners.
B. The Australian economy is dependent on sheep exports.
C. The majority of people living in Australia come from Europe.
D. The pace of life is different in the city and in the country.

3.The underlined pronoun "it" in the final paragraph refers to "________".
A. community  
B. racism
C. blend of nations  
D. Southeast Asia

4. We can infer from the passage that ________.
A. there are no signs of Australia's colonial past in its modern cities
B. Australia's recent immigration policy encourages immigrants from Southeast Asia
C. immigrants from Southeast Asia have brought racial problems
D. "riding on sheep's back" resulted in slow development in rural communities

5. This passage mainly focuses on Australia's ________.
A. society  
B. economy
C. racial problems  
D. history

     After successfully serving their term for 4 years, military service men and women are given the choice
to stay in the military or return to civilian life.
     For some, having to readjust to civilian life is one of the most challenging assignments our returning
soldiers and marines(水兵)will ever to undertake. While people may think readjusting should be simple,
they must take into consideration all physical and mental stress our servicemen went through.
     Post-traumatic Stress Disorder(创伤后应急障碍),or PTSD, is a mental disorder that can occur
following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat(打仗).
     Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. In the military, the marines are given a
two-week course on how to return to civilian life.
     Unfortunately, some will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get
worse over time. These individual may develop PTSD.
     People who suffer from PTSD have difficulty sleeping because they are often reliving the experience
through nightmares(梦魇)and flashbacks, and feel deserted or often stand off, and these symptoms can
be severe enough and last long enough to significantly damage the person's daily life.
     Fullerton College, like most colleges, has its own Veteran's(老兵)Office. Ray Bustos has been running
the office for 3 years. Bustos acts as a liaison(联络) for the school and the veteran students. He makes
sure the veterans returning to school get the right benefits. There are various types of financial aid for
soldiers and marines. He strongly encourages the use of the Veteran Affairs website.
     The website is very informative and extremely helpful for veterans as well as for friends and relatives
of veterans who want to learn more.

1. One purpose of the writer in writing the passage is ________________.

A. to introduce some methods to cure PTSD
B. to instruct PTSD patients to return to civilian life
C. to recommend a website to veterans and people concerned
D. to give military service men and women advice on civilian life

2. What problems will some returning soldiers and marines meet with?

A. How to readjust to civilian life.
B. how to get rid of mental diseases.
C. How to get along with PTSD patients.
D. How to return to school for benefits.

3. Which of the following is true about Ray Bustos?

A. He's a veteran who has just come back from a military combat.
B. He runs Fullerton College with a veteran office.
C. He's in charge of an office dealing with veteran affairs.
D. He provides a lot of financial aid for soldiers and marines.

4. The best title for the passage is __________.

A. PTSD: Killer of A Civilian Life
B. The Last Assignment For All Military Persons
C. How to Overcome PTSD.
D. Ready for a Civilian Life?

     Several years ago, the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, visited Germany, a leader in green roof design. Later he decided to have vegetation planted on Chicago City Hall. Today, the tops of many other buildings also
look like parks. In Canada, the Coast Plaza Hotel in Vancouver has a forest on its roof. New York City
has an unusual example farm for hydroponics. The farm is on a boat called the Science Barge. Rainwater
and river water are used to grow lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. The farm shows the
possibilities for designing rooftop systems.
     Green roofs are designed to save energy and capture rainwater. Rooftops covered with plants help
keep buildings cool. They can extend the life of a roof. And they can reduce water running off into streets
and storming water systems.
     Experts say green roofs usually do not get much above 27℃. So temperatures might not be a problem for growing. But rooftop gardeners have to be careful not to put too much weight on the roof. This is true whether plants are grown in soil or water.
     Earlier in 2008, researchers in Texas reported that green roofs can reduce a building's air conditioning
costs by about one fifth compared to blacktop roofs. But they also reported that not all green roofs
perform equally well. They found that designs differ in their ability to keep buildings cool and to capture
rainwater. The researchers put experimental roofs on top of metal insulated (隔热的) boxes, to recreate
green roof conditions. The study compared products from six companies to help businesses understand
how to improve their designs. Each rooftop had sixteen different kinds of plants native to Texas. The
researchers say the presence of native plants likely helped all the green roofs capture water better
compared to sedums. Sedums are plants that need little water and often are used on green roofs. The
native plants could take in more water and release more of it to the atmosphere.

1. The author gave Paragraph 1 to _____.

A. tell us what is green roof design
B. tell us Germany is the country that leads or guides the  green roof design
C. introduce some famous hotels in the world
D. lead to the topic of the passage 

2. The advantages of green roofs are mentioned in the passage  EXCEPT _____.

A. changing the local weather
B. prolonging the roof's life
C. keeping the house cool
D. reducing the house's air conditioning costs

3. According to the passage, which conclusion is WRONG?

A. Sometimes green roofs may break down the house.
B. Not all the green roofs can reduce the building's air  conditioning costs equally.
C. Different designs of green roofs have different effects on buildings.
D. Sedums are a kind of plants native to Texas.

4. The experiment is mentioned in the last paragraph _____.

A. to find out how many different plants in Texas
B. to show us how to design green roofs
C. to introduce a kind of roof made of metal
D. to provide proofs to improve the design of green roofs

     Grammarphobia is the fear of grammar. This fear attacks almost everybody at one time or
another, and it's most likely to strike during English or language arts classes. Even people who
love reading and writing have been known to get feverish and insecure when they are aware
of the possibility of turning in homework with grammar or spelling mistakes. Though writing
may be enjoyable, being corrected is definitely not!
     Grammarphobes, it's time to put your fears behind you.Grammar isn't that dreadful (可怕的).
Here's why.
     Let's assume you like hearing and telling stories and that you enjoy joking with friends. You
probably also like emailing and instantmessaging.  Well, what do you think makes all these
possible? Grammar!
     Grammar is simply the art of putting words together to make sentences. Whenever you use
words to express yourself, you're using grammar. You do this all the time without even thinking.
     So why think about it? Because good grammar helps you convey the ideas you intend. If your
words aren't right, or if they are not in the right order, the person you are talking to might get the
wrong idea. This can have embarrassing results.
     Grammar helps us understand each other.  It's like a manual (手册) for assembling the words
in your head. You have to put your words together the right way if you want them to make sense.
They can't do what you want if they aren't put together correctly.
     What if everybody you know had a different manual? How would you agree on what others'
words mean? People with different grammar manuals might be speaking different languages.
     Communicating is similar to playing cards.  To make sense, we have to play the same game,
by the same rules. What are the rules for playing the game of English? You already know most of
them without having to open a book.

1. Grammarphobes refer to people who ________. 

A. consider grammar to be boring
B. are worried about grammar homework
C. mind grammar too much in writing
D. are afraid of making grammar mistakes

2. The underlined word "assembling"  in Paragraph 6 may    mean ________.

A. directing                  
B. remembering
C. bringing together        
D. looking for

3. What does playing cards have in common with communicating? 

A. Both need standards.
B. Both can be interesting games.
C. Both can be learned easily.
D. Both can make sense for our life.

4. What might be the main idea of the passage?  

A. Forgetting grammar when writing.
B. Grammar is not horrible.
C. Improving grammar through writing.
D. What is grammarphobia?

    Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter  movement.  The  celebration  of World Laughter
Day is a positive activity for world peace and is intended to build up a global sense of brotherhood
and friendship through laughter. The first "World Laughter Day" gathering took place in Mumbai,
India, on 11th January, 1998. 12,000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended
it. Now there are over 5,000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.
     "HAPPYDEMIC" was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th
January, two years after the Mumbai gathering.  In Copenhagen, Denmark, more than 10,000 people
gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World Records."World Laughter
Day" is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. Hundreds of people gather worldwide
on that day to laugh together.
     Today, many people fear widespread international terrorism. The world has never faced so much
unrest before. People are at war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language, which has the
ability to unite humanity without religion. Laughter can build a common connection between various
religions and create a new world order. The idea may sound overambitious(野心太大的), and maybe
it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep belief that laughter and only laughter can unite the world, building
up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship.
     Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following:  lower blood  pressure;  lighten
depression;  reduce stress; work out the heart, especially for those who are unable to perform physical
exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body-because it's
good for you.

1. The purpose of celebrating World Laughter Day is ________.  

A. to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter
B. to build a common connection between various religions
C. to reduce stress and lighten depression
D. to lower blood pressure

2. The first World Laughter Day gathering outside India took place________.

A. on 11th January, 1998  
B. on the first Sunday of May
C. on 9th January, 1996    
D. on 9th January, 2000

3. The author's attitude towards laughter movement is ________.  

A. positive                    
B. negative
C. uninterested                
D. objective

4. The passage is mainly about ________. 

A. World Laughter Day and its significance
B. the worldwide laughter movement
C. a universal language
D. laughter