Many times when people hear the words social networking, their brains automatically go to sites such as Twitter or Facebook．However, there are sites for those into social networking and into reading． Sound crazy? It's really not．
If you' ve ever wanted a site where you can receive book recommendations, follow your favorite authors, and keep up with what your friends are reading．then look no further than Goodreads, com．
Goodreads provides useful services for those in the reading world, It is a site where you can win books by going to giveaways and simply entering your information．Some giveaways are even signed by the author．And the books aren't boring, old or torn copies - many of them are ARC’s （Advanced Readers Copies）, for which you can write a short review on the site．Anyone can post reviews of their favorite books or series so that others may feel inclined to read them as well．
Another function of the site is offering book clubs and interest groups．You can have interactive discussions with groups of people reading the same things, sort of like a blog．You can also make friends with people and post statuses similar to Facebook．Your friends can send you hook recommendations and you can add them to your shelf if you choose．
Shelves are by far one of the best features on the site．You can categorize your entire library and put hooks you want to read on your "to - read" shelf．These virtual （虛擬的）shelves allow you to see what you' ve read and also let you keep track of the number of books you' ve read in a year．
You can even read original writing for free because many people post their own writing on the site to gain feedback and advice on how to improve．Anyone can join this site for free and fall in love with not just a hook, but a book site as well．
小題1:People who go to the site Twitter mostly want to              ．

A．get more books to read	B．buy goods for their daily life
C．Set to know more people	D．post their book recommendations

小題2:According to the author, if you want to interact with others about reading,            ．

A．you have a lot of websites to log on

B．you'd better go to Goodreads．com

C．you should go to bookstores or libraries

D．you can go to Twitter or Facebook

小題3:The underlined part "feel inclined" in．Paragraph 3 is the closest in meaning to “____” ．
A． have a tendency                                                 C． have no difficulty
C． have a possibility                                                D． have no doubt
小題4:You can do all of the following things on Goodreads．com EXCEPT         ．

A．receiving books signed by the authors

B．publishing your comments on books

C．exchanging your ideas with other people

D．buying all kinds of books that you like

小題5:What do we know about the shelves on Coodreads．com?

A．They are filled with all kinds of books from some libraries．

B．They are real bookshelves presented to readers by the site．

C．That is where people put books they have read or want to read．

D．New books will continuously be added to readers shelves by the site．

Research shows that much of our predisposition （傾向） towards determination, sociability and self - control and sense of purpose is in our genes．In fact, our DNA plays a bigger role in influencing these traits （ characteristics）than our upbringing （兒童期的教養(yǎng)）and the company we keep．Taken together, these aspects of personality can make the difference between success and failure, say the Edinburgh University researchers．        
They questioned more than 800 pairs of twins about their attitudes to life to tease apart the influences of nature and nurture．Comparing identical twins, who share all their DNA and their up bringing, with non-identical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other brothers and sisters, is a technique often used by researchers to quantify the influence of genetics．
The results, published in the Journal of Personality, showed that genes play a much bigger role than lifestyle, with self-control particularly etched （銘刻） into our DNA．                   
Our genes a222so largely determine how determined and persistent we are．This is important in terms of success, as someone who refuses to give up is more likely to achieve their dreams than someone who throws in the towel at the first hiccough．
Researcher Professor Timothy Bates said, "Ever since the ancient Greeks, people Lave de hated the nature of a good life and the nature of a virtuous life．Why do some people seem to manage their lives, have good relationships and cooperate to achieve their goals while others do not? Previously,  the role of family and the environment around the home often controlled people' s ideas about what affected psychological well-being．However, this work emphasizes a much more powerful influence from genetics．"
However, those who haven' t been dealt a helpful hand of genes shouldn' t he too depressed．The professor says a sense of purpose is the key and advises those who are eager for success to focus their thoughts on making a difference．
小題1:What does the result of the research indicate?

A．Our DNA is the only factor to decide our traits．

B．Our DNA plays a decisive role, in achieving success．

C．Education plays little part in the formation of our character．

D．Society has Little effect on us in our personality．

小題2:The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to someone who                ．

A．is born successful	B．determines to make a difference
C．makes great effort	D．a(chǎn)dmits defeat easily

小題3:Timothy Bates mentions the ancient Creeks in order to indicate that          ．

A．some people can live a good life because they can manage their lives

B．people haven't made it clear yet what is the key personality trait（持點(diǎn),特征） to be a success

C．in ancient Greece the role of family and the environment was ignored

D．the relationship between personality and success has always been people's concern

小題4:According to the passage, the key personality trait is            ．

A．determination

B．kindness

C．politeness

D．sociability

小題5:What is the best title for the passage?

A．How do people work hard?	B．Why can some people succeed?
C．DNA determines success or failure	D．Several factors determine personality

Here are six steps to better studying.
Pay attention in class
Do you have trouble paying attention in class? Are you sitting next to a loud person? Tell your teacher or parents about any problem that is preventing you from paying attention.
Take good notes
Write down facts that your teacher mentions or writes on the board. Try to use good handwriting so you can read your notes later. It’s a good idea to keep your notes organized by subject.
Plan ahead for tests and projects
Waiting until Thursday night to study for Friday’s test will make it hard to do your best. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn’t happen is to plan ahead. Write down your test dates. You can then plan how much to do after school each day, and how much time to spend on each topic.
Break it up
When there’s a lot to study, it can help to break things into several parts. Let’s say you have a spelling test on 20 words. Instead of thinking about all of the words at once, try breaking them down into five-word groups and work on one or two different groups each night.
Ask for help
You can’t study effectively if you don’t understand the material. Be sure to ask your teacher for help. If you’re at home when the confusion occurs, your morn or dad might be able to help.
Sleep tight
So the test is tomorrow and you’ve followed your study plan—but suddenly you can’t remember anything! Don’t panic. Your brain needs time to digest all the information you’ve given it. Try to get a good night’s sleep and you’ll be surprised by what comes back to you in the morning.
小題1:We know from the passage that a loud person is       .

A．a(chǎn) student who always answers questions loudly in class

B．someone who likes to talk with others in a loud voice

C．a(chǎn) student who likes speaking with others in class

D．a(chǎn) person who makes a lot of noise in public places

小題2:According to the author, which of the following is an effective studying method?

A．Don’t try to review everything you have learned in one go.

B．Try to review what you’ve learned in one go.

C．To read all your notes the night before the test.

D．Try to remember everything on the first try.

小題3:If you don’t understand what you have learnt, you can       .

A．read your notes over and over again

B．turn to people around you for help

C．put aside the material for later review

D．a(chǎn)sk your teacher to explain it the next day

小題4:By saying “Sleep tight”, what does the author mean?

A．Sleep again after waking up.

B．Sleep holding your breath deep.

C．Get a good night’s sleep.

D．Go to sleep early every night.

Little Mark is only 6, but he has an IQ of 200, a genius among geniuses. But his intelligence comes at a cost. His parents must keep him intellectually simulated（啟發(fā)）while making sure he is like any other little boy.
Mark has been attracted by the way how the world works since he was a baby. When he was 3, Mark was reading fluently, mostly self-taught. His parents haven't been able to keep him away from books since.
"I tried many times to stop him reading. We worry about his crazy fond of reading because he constantly wants to read every-thing whatever it is.”
A psychologist at the Centre for gifted children tested Mark and gave him an IQ of 200. The average child of Mark's age has an IQ of 100. At 200, Mark is a genius-even compared with other child geniuses.
"With children like Mark you can tell that's a bright child as soon as they walk in. They just have this sort of intensity, and maybe they're not so good at communicating with people," the psychologist said. "He will never fit perfectly into a class where he's with children of his age.”But Mark's mother worries about the "socially isolated" labels. "Nobody wants their child to grow up with that image. I want him to communicate with others freely, but not to be frustrated academically, so it's really hard to find a balance," she says.
Helen Dudeney from the Talented and Gifted Children Association says Mark is one in a million with such a high IQ. She points out that geniuses are still rare and difficult for the public education system to handle. "The lack of coping comes because teachers aren't trained in teaching gifted children," says Dudeney.
Helen believes it's also extremely important for them to be recognized and supported in their talents. Mark's parents are trying to figure out how best to help Mark. At the moment, there are few options. Mark finds first year work boring and simple, but he must learn to complete the work. His mother says, "We just want to be happy. Just to have a happy childhood and want to go to school every day.”
小題1:By saying "But his intelligence comes at a cost. ",the author means that        

A．Mark must pay for his intelligence at a high price

B．Mark's intelligence brings him negative effects at the same time

C．Mark's intelligence results from his parents

D．Mark's parents make Mark clever at all costs

小題2:Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?      

A．Mark's parents are very satisfied with his love for reading.

B．Mark began to teach himself reading at the age of 3.

C．Many child geniuses are not good at communicating with others.

D．It is hard for parents to bring up a genius.

小題3:If there are 6. 6 billion people in the world, the number of geniuses with an IQ of 200 will be
________．

A．a(chǎn)bout 4,400

B．a(chǎn)bout 5,500

C．a(chǎn)bout 6,600

D．a(chǎn)bout 7,700

小題4:What would be the best title for the passage?        

A．A genius' craziness for books

B．The life of the genius' parents

C．The burden of being gifted

D．The characteristics of Mark

During the school year many parents take on the role of driver as they drive their children from one lesson to another .Understandably so. Many of us want our children to have a little taste of everything, from organized sports to music, dance and more. But we can overdo it, leaving our children feeling a little burnt out, and according to parent educator Diane Loisie ,it’s their school work which suffers the most. “After school, if they’re busy in a number of sporting events, besides they need to do their homework, then the time they’ll feel sleepy is in the classroom. Your child needs free time. So if you’re filling up that after school time, then it’s during the day that they’re going to be taking a break.”
Professor Claire McDermott agrees that there’s a lot to be gained from sometimes putting those scheduled lessons and activities away. “Relaxing time is important for children. It’s time just to do the things they want to do. A child can go up to their room, or they can play around. It doesn’t look like productive time; parents certainly wouldn’t be saying ‘Wow, are they ever learning things now?’ But this relaxing time gives both the body and the brain just a wonderful chance to relax after a day. It helps a child prepare for sleep, but it also helps to understand the learning that’s gone on that day.”
It’s hard to prevent signing our kids up for some activities and lessons. After all, many of us want our children to have a head start in life and the chance to join in great activities in the arts or sports is a part of that. However, Loisie feels that in the long run most children feel better with just a few key activities because it gives them an opportunity to master them. “When we get our children in too many activities because we want our children to experience everything, then what we’re doing is setting them up not to be good at one thing or gaining a skill.” So choose your children’s activities wisely. It may be one of the best things you’ve ever done for your kids… and for the family drivers!
小題1:What is the biggest disadvantage for children to attend too many lessons after school?

A．They can get bored easily about everything.

B．They might have no time to do the homework.

C．They might not pay much attention to learning.

D．They cannot easily focus on learning during the day.

小題2:What should we think of children’s playing around aimlessly?

A．It is productive.

B．It is helpful.

C．It is a bad habit.

D．It is a waste of time.

小題3:Why should parents limit the activities our children attend?

A．Because children have no time.

B．Because children cannot learn many things.

C．Because children do not have enough sleep.

D．Because children cannot focus on too many activities.

小題4:What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Don’t be children’s drivers after school.

B．Choose activities for your children wisely.

C．Make your children learn as much as possible.

D．Let children learn something from various subjects.

Many of us don’t like what we see around us but the last thing we do is to change it. I think that is the beginning of failure and that is why what we hate remains around us. If you don’t want to see things around you, don’t just hope it’ll change.
We have such an amazing power of creativity inside us to change the way things work around us. Only lazy people go about and say that is the way things have been working. I’ve come to discover that things around us depend on our actions and inactions. What I mean is that the circumstances that we like depend only on the things we do and the things we don’t do.
Do you want your country to change? Start by changing the small things around you. Before you think too far about any small thing to change, your habit should be the first thing to change. Change what you think about and talk about. Can you remember how difficult it was for you to break a habit that you desired to break some years back? If so, then you must accept that things aren’t just going to change by a magic thought. If it isn’t so easy to change yourself when you want to, it isn’t going to be so easy to change the people around you.
I think the best way I’ve changed people around me is that I changed myself. When you change, they’ll change. Just change yourself and see how many people will tell you later that you are the one who changes them. That’s one simple way young people can change their nations.
小題1: According to the text, why do we fail to change what we don’t like? _______

A．Because we lack the power of creativity.

B．Because we never plan to change them.

C．Because they cannot be changed.

D．Because we don’t have the ability.

小題2:The author can change people around him because he has realized that 　　　　.

A．things around us decide what we do

B．the further you think, the better

C．his actions can affect things around him

D．he has to change the nation first

小題3:The third paragraph aims at 　　　　.

A．telling readers one of the author’s interesting experiences

B．giving an example to show how to change things around us

C．showing readers how to change a nation

D．a(chǎn)sking us to remember to change our nation

小題4:What can we learn from the text? ________

A．Circumstance creates a person.

B．It is never too late to change your habits.

C．A long journey begins with the first step.

D．Changing ourselves means changing others.

閱讀下面短文，從短文后各題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。
Three kids to go until my turn to dive (跳水). At the front of the line, a girl in a pink swim suit is 36 and climbs onto the diving board. Will she change her 37, like I did last week, I wonder? Encouraged by the teacher, the Pink Girl 38. Only two kids to go. I feel very 39. You don’t have to do this, I tell myself. 40 next week is the pool party, my brain 41. You will be the 42 one who can’t go on the diving board.
As I am thinking, another girl dives into the 43. Then it’s my little brother Travis’ turn. I 44 my eyes, and then open them just in time to see him jump off the 45. He comes out of the water and smiles. I can’t help 46, too. Nothing scares that kid.
Then I realize it’s my 47. I climb onto the diving board. 48 are diving at the other end of the pool. Everywhere, everyone is 49. Except me.
“What are you 50?” asks the kid after my turn.
I step forward. Then I 51 Travis standing by the pool. “You can do it!” he shouts. That’s what I’ve 52 told him when he was 53 to tie his shoes or write his name.
I take a deep breath and step out into nothing. My body 54, and then I feel the water. I swim in the water for a while before I pull myself to the 55, where my face finds the sun. I DID IT!
小題1:          

A．slow

B．right

C．ready

D．tired

小題2:          

A．a(chǎn)nswer

B．mind

C．plan

D．role

小題3:          

A．climbs

B．jumps

C．kicks

D．walks

小題4:          

A．nervous

B．strange

C．surprised

D．a(chǎn)ngry

小題5:          

A．Because

B．Unless

C．But

D．Though

小題6:          

A．a(chǎn)rgues

B．doubts

C．decides

D．understands

小題7:          

A．same

B．next

C．last

D．only

小題8:          

A．sea

B．river

C．lake

D．pool

小題9:          

A．close

B．wipe

C．cover

D．hurt

小題10:      

A．roof

B．line

C．board

D．ladder

小題11:      

A．dancing

B．smiling

C．opening

D．stopping

小題12:      

A．way

B．hope

C．mistake

D．turn

小題13:      

A．Parents

B．Kids

C．Classmates

D．Teachers

小題14:      

A．moving

B．laughing

C．studying

D．changing

小題15:      

A．looking for

B．waiting for

C．paying for

D．caring for

小題16:      

A．imagine

B．remember

C．see

D．watch

小題17:      

A．never

B．seldom

C．sometimes

D．a(chǎn)lways

小題18:      

A．offering

B．a(chǎn)greeing

C．learning

D．refusing

小題19:      

A．drops

B．shakes

C．breaks

D．rests

小題20:      

A．surface

B．door

C．beach

D．sky

Sea lions and seals may swim in cold ocean water, but even they get chilly sometimes. Seeing an injured seal wrapped in a blanket at a marine(海的) mammal center gave Haley Humes and Hayley Jeffries an idea for a special Girl Scout project. They decided to make blankets to keep injured animals warm. They would give these blankets to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California.
“We knew we wanted to help animals,” Haley said. “We went to the center to ask questions about what they needed. They don’t have a heated floor, and all the babies crowded together to stay warm.”
Friends since kindergarten, Haley and Hayley made 12 blankets to keep the Marine Mammal Center’s seals and sea lions warm. Using fun images like Winnie-the-Pooh, the girls took two hours to make each blanket. The first sea lion to test out a blanket looked pretty in pink.
“It was a sick baby and really liked it,” Haley said. “It curled up in it right away.”
“The blankets are beautiful and the animals love them!” said the Mammal Center’s Michele Hunter. “It’s nice to see children taking pride in their work and doing something to help animals.”
During the project, the girls took dozens of pictures for the PowerPoint presentations they gave to Girl Scout leaders. Those presentations helped Haley and Hayley raise $250 to buy additional supplies the center needed.
This was the first project the girls ever worked on and took months to plan and carry out.
“I learned that in order to make something happen, you have to take it slowly and step by step,” Hayley said. Just as important, the girls discovered that two people really can make a difference. “Knowing you’re making a difference……with these animals is amazing,” Haley said. “It was like the animals became my new friends.”
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center cares for sea lions and seals, as well as for other marine mammals. Since opening in 1971,the center has saved more than 5,000 injured marine mammals.
小題1:          What does the underlined word“ chilly” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Sick.

B．Cold.

C．Afraid.

D．Bored.

小題2:          When Haley and Hayley saw an injured seal wrapped in a blanket, they_____.

A．decided to help animals	B．a(chǎn)sked Girl Scout for help
C．went to the animal center to work.	D．called on others to protect animals

小題3:          What can we learn about Haley and Hayley from the text?

A．They raised $2,500 for the Mammal Center.

B．They made 120 blankets by themselves.

C．It took them an hour to make a blanket.

D．They felt great about what they did.

小題4:          Which of the following words can best describe the work of Haley and Hayley?

A．Difficult.

B．Successful.

C．Experimental.

D．Dangerous.

小題5:          According to the text, the Mammal Center_____.

A．has a history of about 40 years

B．has an advanced heating system

C．has saved ten thousand animals so far

D．protects both land and marine mammals

Rhinos(犀牛) are big and can be dangerous. They are also shy and seldom seen. Once there were hundreds of rhino species, but today there are only five. One ancient rhino called Indricotherium was the largest land mammal that ever lived. It was 5m high at the shoulders, and 8.5m long— twice the size of today’s biggest elephant! The living rhinos are still big, averaging 2-3m long and weighing up to 3,600kg.
To see all five species of living rhino you would need to do a bit of exploring. First you might visit Africa for a look at the white rhino and the black rhino. They live in Africa’s dry woodlands and grasslands. Then you could head to India and Nepal for a look at the Indian rhino. It lives in the high grasslands near rivers, where you have to ride an elephant to find one. Finally you might travel to the rainforests on the islands of Indonesia to see the Sumatran and Javan rhinos. These are the smallest and rarest rhinos in the world and extremely difficult to find.
Most rhinos are gentle and timid (膽小的).They have a bad reputation for being very aggressive, but that may be partly because they get frightened easily. Also, they have poor eyesight. They rely on their strong sense of smell to tell them a stranger is approaching, but if the wind is blowing the wrong way, they may not know someone is there until it’s too late.
Rhinos can be found only in their habitats, which is why habitat destruction has caused rhino populations to decline. As they disappear from certain places, their absence leads to many changes to the landscape. For example, black rhinos in Africa only eat shrubs (灌木) and small trees, pruning (修剪) the plants and limiting their growth. Many other species benefit from this, and as rhinos disappear, so do many other animals sharing their habitat. Bushes and trees take over the land and force species like the antelope to leave in search of food. In a short time the whole habitat has changed.
小題1:          From the text we learn that ______.

A．rhinos are all big and dangerous

B．rhino numbers have declined greatly

C．rhinos are twice as large as elephants

D．Indricotherium is the world’s biggest living animal now

小題2:          The white rhino can be found in______.

A．Indonesia’s island

B．Nepal’s high grasslands

C．Africa’s dry woodlands and grasslands

D．India’s high grasslands near rivers

小題3:          What can we conclude from Paragraph 2?

A．Most rhinos live alone.

B．Rhinos are disappearing from their habitats.

C．The five rhino species are all different in colour.

D．Rhinos’ habitat ranges from rainforests to grasslands.

小題4:          The underlined word “aggressive” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by_____.

A．energetic

B．a(chǎn)ttractive

C．useless

D．fierce

小題5:          The example of the black rhinos in the last paragraph is mainly to show that_____.

A．rhinos only eat plants

B．a(chǎn)ll rhinos are endangered

C．a(chǎn)ll the habitat of rhinos has been damaged

D．the disappearance of rhinos has led to habitat change

The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills that they need to be confident, happy and clever.
Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework.
Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. Cooking demands patience and time. It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and lots of self-confidence.
Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. These activities are not merely teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important.
小題1:          Generally speaking, children’s skills __________.

A．come from their parents

B．have nothing to do with their education

C．may be different from child to child

D．have something to do with their marks in the exams

小題2:          The writer of this passage does not seem to be satisfied with_______.

A．the parents’ ideas of educating their children

B．the education system

C．children’s skills

D．children’s hobbies

小題3:          Doing some cooking at home helps children_________.

A．learn how to serve their parents

B．learn how to become strong and fat

C．benefit from it and prepare themselves for the future

D．make their parents believe that they are clever

小題4:          According to the passage, which of the following is True?

A．Chinese are not very generous on educating their children.

B．All Parents know how to teach their children well.

C．Teaching a child to cook can improve the skills that he will need in the future.

D．Poor parents cannot buy a computer for their children.

小題5:           Cooking_____
A demands patience  B demands time.
C. is an enjoyable but difficult experience.
D.above all