A report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly，courteous and helpful most Americans were to them．To be fair，this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians，and should best be considered North American．There are，of course，exceptions．Small-minded officials，rude waiters，and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US．Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment．For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence．
Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another．Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion，and brought news of the outside world．The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality．
Someone traveling alone，if hungry，injured，or ill，often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement．It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers．It reflected the harshness of daily life： if you didn‘t take in the stranger and take care of him，there was no one else who would．And someday，remember，you might be in the same situation．Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler．Yet，the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US，especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails．“I was just traveling through，got talking with this American，and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner—amazing．” Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon，but are not always understood properly．

小題1:In the eyes of visitors from the outside world，___________．

A．rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the US

B．small-minded officials deserve a serious comment

C．Canadians are not so friendly as their neighbors

D．most Americans are ready to offer help

小題2:It could be inferred from the last paragraph that ___________．

A．culture exercises an influence over social interrelationship

B．courteous convention and individual interest are interrelated

C．various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friends

D．social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions

小題3:Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers ___________．

A．to improve their hard life

B．in view of their long-distance travel

C．to add some flavor to their own daily life

D．out of a charitable impulse

小題4:The tradition of hospitality to strangers ___________．

A．tends to be superficial and artificial

B．is generally well kept up in the united States

C．is always understood properly

D．has something to do with the busy tourist trails

小題5:What’s the author’s attitudes toward the American‘s friendliness？ 

A．Favorable．	B．Unfavorable．
C．Indifferent．	D．Neutral．

There was a 17% fall in the number of first year undergraduates at UK universities in the first year of higher tuition fees, official figures show.
In 2012-13 UK universities were allowed to treble their yearly fees to ￡9,000.
England saw a 12% fall in new full-time undergraduate students overall.
The government acknowledged the fall but stressed that demand for full time higher education has already "returned to record levels".
A spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said the figures were influenced by a higher number of students taking up places the previous year, rather than having a gap year.
"A reduction in entrants in 2012 was well documented and the numbers were affected by the significant number of students who opted not to defer their place from the year before," she said.
'Direct consequence'
The decline had not continued into the current year, she added.
"Application rates for some of the most disadvantaged young people have risen to an all time high in England and more students than ever before are being successful in securing a place at their first choice institution."
The figures, collated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), are official confirmation of other indications that there was a fall in the number of people going to university last year.
Previously released figures had shown declines in applications and offers of places, and the admissions body Ucas also reported a fall.
小題1:What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The number of undergraduates in Uk has decreased due to the higher fees .

B．The government says undergraduate numbers have 'returned to record levels'.

C．The reduction is the direct result of the significant number of students who opted not to defer their place from the year before.

D．Application rates for some of the most disadvantaged young people have risen to an all time high in England

小題2:What does the underlined word “treble” in paragragh 2 mean?

A．make a change

B．cut down on

C．increase three times

D．bring down

小題3:Which of the following is Not True according to the passage?

A．The government refused to admit the decrease.

B．The demand for full time higher education has already "returned to record levels".

C．More than one media reported the same result.

D．The number of the students who are successful in applying for their first choice institution is the largest.

小題4:What is the attitude of the spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills?

A．contradictory

B．positive

C．negative

D．indifferent

Thanks to a combination of young businessmen, large numbers of university students and revitalization (新生) efforts by the local and national governments, today’s Nanjing has an           of youthful exuberance (繁茂) that would have been        only a few decades ago.     , the city, a booming city of 6.5 million on the banks of the Yangtze River some 185 miles west of Shanghai, bears         resemblance to the former capital of China that suffered the worst cruelty and violence of World War II.
    Nanjing has shown a remarkable capacity for reinvention during its 2,500-year history. And in recent years, the city has moved         its tragic past to become a vital engine of China’s economic growth, thanks         to its position in the middle of China’s prosperous eastern seaboard. Growth has also         thanks to improved ground transportation: A new bullet train linking Nanjing and Shanghai started service last year,         travel time between the cities from several hours to just 75 minutes, and a Beijing-Shanghai high-speed line is        to open later this year, with a stop in Nanjing. Within the city, two metro lines were built in the last few years; 15 more are planned to begin service by 2030.
Signs of Nanjing’s         wealth and optimism can be seen everywhere. In the heart of the downtown Xinjiekou district, a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen,         the father of modern China, looks         over a busy        area.
There is perhaps no more         symbol of the city’s transformation than the Zifeng Tower, a 1,480-foot skyscraper that opened its doors last May.         offices, restaurants and an InterContinental hotel, the tower is the second-tallest building in China and billed as the seventh-tallest in the world.
Underlying all this development is a large Chinese and        student population — there are several major universities, plus a branch of Johns Hopkins’s international studies school. In fact, art and music         in all sorts of places.
On a larger        , local government officials and private investors are pushing the city as a rising center for contemporary art and architecture, hoping to attract         from the neon-bathed streets of its neighbor Shanghai.

小題1:	A．a(chǎn)dvance B．a(chǎn)ffection C．a(chǎn)ir D．a(chǎn)bility

小題2:	A．unforgettable B．unthinkable C．unbearable D．unnecessary

小題3:	A．Actually B．Regretfully C．Hopefully D．Consequently

小題4:	A．close B．slight C．much D．little

小題5:	A．Because B．But C．As D．Since

小題6:	A．beyond B．on C．off D．out

小題7:	A．in addition B．in all C．in part D．in fact

小題8:	A．started B．enlarged C．existed D．a(chǎn)ccelerated

小題9:	A．removing B．cutting C．dividing D．lowering

小題10:

A．scheduled B．invented C．desired D．meant

小題11:

A．a(chǎn)ttractive B．well-received C．newfound D．discovered

小題12:

A．thought B．treated C．considered D．elected

小題13:

A．out B．a(chǎn)t C．a(chǎn)bout D．for

小題14:

A．remote B．regional C．rural D．commercial

小題15:

A．universal B．visible C．traditional D．political

小題16:

A．Keeping B．Consisting C．Opening D．Housing

小題17:

A．British B．western C．American D．foreign

小題18:

A．spring up B．stand up C．set up D．keep up

小題19:

A．extent B．degree C．scale D．level

小題20:

A．businessmen B．students C．tourists D．painters

Three-point-four billion riders on New York City subways and buses a year. This amazing number equals one-third of all mass transit trips in the United States. Ridership is at its highest in almost 60 years in almost every American city.
A commuter advocacy group, “Straphangers Campaign,” attributes it to younger Americans, said Gene Russianoff.
“Millenials（千禧一代）, those people born around the turn of the past century are much less car-oriented," he said. "They are urban. They like not owning cars, they like less responsibility and there are a lot of them."
In addition to millenials, many people believe public transit is economical and eco-friendly. In 2012 across America, people took 10.7 billion trips.
“When we talk about insurance rates going up, price of automobiles going up, then people are waking up and realizing: wait, here’s this huge asset(優(yōu)點)that has been underutilized," said Richard Rudolph, chairman of the Rail Users Network. "Why not take advantage of this particular opportunity. It certainly makes more sense to get people out of automobiles into subways and into commuter and passenger railroads.”
New York is not standing still -- as passenger demand requires several major expansion projects. A new $4.5 billion subway line on New York’s Second Avenue -- which was recently excavated underneath businesses and apartment houses -- will take an overload of passengers off of other subway lines. Its first phase completion is scheduled in 2016.
People who work in New York’s financial district will soon be using a new transit subway transfer center. Almost all lines converge in lower Manhattan and the new center will give riders an easier way to get around the city and into New Jersey.
And, probably the most controversial and costly project is a $7 billion tunnel connection from Long Island into Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal. Trains from there will have access to New York’s midtown business district.
Andrew Albert, a board member of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, said there were many other reasons the public was riding in increasing numbers.
“The system has gotten a lot more dependable. We have new cars. We have countdown clocks to tell you when the next train is coming. We have expanded facilities in places," he said.
New York’s 24-hour, 7-day-a-week, transit system costs a $1.5 billion a year to maintain. It is one of the world’s oldest, with its first subway line having opened in 1904.
小題1:Who is more likely to use public transmit?
A.People living in suburb          B.American young people     
B.People living in the countryside     D.American old people.
小題2:What does the underlined word in the 5th paragragh “underutilized” mean?

A．Not be put forward	B．not be noticed
C．not be made full use of	D．not be thought of

小題3:What does the underlined sentence in the 6th paragragh “New York is not standing still” mean?

A．New York is taking action to expand public transmit.

B．New York will encourage more people to use public transmit.

C．New York will make public transmit faster.

D．New York is waking up and realizing the importance of public transmit.

小題4:Which is Not the reason why the public is riding subways and buses in increasing numbers.

A．Public transport facilities are better than before.

B．Many people believe public transit is economical and eco-friendly.

C．The system has gotten a lot more dependable.

D．It is more convenient to ride city subways and buses.

In the Harry Potter films, Hermione Granger is better than her male friends and is considered the brightest pupil in her grade. Isn’t it often the same in schools of our real world? A great many boys fall behind their female classmates.
“It’s surprising but true that most of the top students have been girls since primary school. Girls are class leaders, club presidents and the top ones in exams,” said Wang Feixuan, 15, who studies at a Chengdu school. By any measure, Wang herself is a high-achiever. She is a top student, a team leader in her school’s sports club and a winner in national English and IT competitions.
But why do so many girls outperform their male peers（同輩）?
In Sun Yunxiao’s latest book Save Our Boys, he points out that the education system is “more suited to girls, who are good at memorizing and like to sit quietly and read.” Yet he also says that girls have to do so much more when they compete with males for honors, top universities and later good jobs. They can feel great pressure（壓力）nearly every day.
This seems to be the same in most countries in the world. Young women in the United States are also reported to feel the same pressure to be perfect.
“Let’s look at what we ask of our teenage girls,” says an American professor Stephen Hinshaw in an interview.
He thinks that it’s no longer enough that a girl does well in school and is a caring friend. On the TV, on the Internet, and everywhere, girls see images of impossible perfection（完美）.
Today’s young women must be good learners, good athletes, and fill their after-school lives with other activities. But they’re also asked to have the styles and looks of popular stars. “Be pretty, sweet and nice. Be athletic, competitive and get straight. Be impossibly perfect.” Stephen Hinshaw sums up.
小題1:The passage suggests that________.

A．our society asks far too much of teenage girls

B．teenage girls shouldn’t be so perfect at school

C．boys are always lazy ones rather than girls

D．American girls have less pressure than Chinese girls

小題2:According to the passage, it is true that   .

A．boys are less smart than girls throughout school life

B．boys usually don’t have so much pressure as girls do

C．girls are all fond of the Chinese education system

D．girls are better at school because boys don’t work hard

小題3:The underlined word outperform means_________.

A．mistake

B．misunderstand

C．ignore

D．defeat

小題4:What’s the best title for the passage_________?

A．Impossibly Perfect Is Possible.	B．Why Are Girls So Perfect?
C．Perfect? Pressure Every Day!	D．Perfect: Boys or Girls?

San Francisco，unofficially regarded as one of the homeless capitals of the US，counts nearly 6,500 homeless people, with 4,300 living on the street．

Among the many problems that the homeless face is little or no access to showers．San Francisco only has about 16 to 20 shower stations to accommodate them．But Doniece Sandoval has made it her task to change that．
“Homelessness is something you can’t really miss，”the 51-year-old woman said．She started Lava Mae，a sort of showers on wheels, a new project that aims to turn old city buses into shower stations for the homeless．
“One day I passed a woman in the street and she was very dirty and basically crying，and I heard her say that she would never be clean．But I was wondering what her opportunities were to actually get clean,” Sandoval said．
Sandoval was inspired to start Lava Mae. The project has already been welcomed with open arms in the city．The Transportation Agency has donated one bus for the cause and is willing to donate three more if the project succeeds．Sandoval hopes the first bus will be able to hit the road in May this year．The Public Commission has also agreed to let the buses plug into fire hydrants(消防龍頭)around the city if Lava Mae  pays for the water．
One of Lava Mae’s biggest supporters is Bevan Dufty, the director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships & Engagement under the mayor of San Francisco．“For people who are unhoused，access to showers is very difficult．Shower buses are something that could potentially be deployed (部署)in response to an emergency，so it is relevant to all San Franciscans," Dufty said．“Doniece has done an incredible job as a citizen who cares about helping the poor．We are very excited to see Lava Mae become real soon．”  
Each bus will have two shower stations and Sandoval expects that by 2015，they’ll be able to provide 2000 showers a week．
小題1:What problem does San Francisco face according to the text?
A．The city has the most homeless people in the USA．
B．There are no shower stations for the homeless in the city．
C．It’s hard for homeless people in the city to take showers．
D．Few citizens in the city care about the homeless．
小題2:What does the underlined word ''them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．City problems．

B．Shower stations．

C．Old buses．

D．The homeless．

小題3:Which of the following best describes Doniece Sandoval?

A．Brave and independent．	B．Caring and responsible．
C．Honest and determined．	D．Friendly and humorous．

小題4:What can we learn from Dufty’s words?

A．All San Franciscans are excited to use Lava Mae．

B．Emergencies in San Francisco will be prevented by Lava Mae．

C．Dufty thinks highly of Doniece's way of helping the poor．

D．The mayor of San Francisco will support Doniece financially．

小題5:What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A newly invented way of shower

B．Showers on Wheels for the Homeless

C．The health problem of the homeless

D．Lave Mae-a new name for old city buses

閱讀下面短文, 從短文后所給各題的A、B、C、D四個選項中，選出可以填入空白的最佳選項。
The Voice of America began during the World WarⅡ. When Germany was broadcasting a radio program to get international       , American officials believed they should        the German broadcast with words that they thought were the facts of world events. The first VOA news report began with words in       . “The        may be good or bad, but we shall tell you the truth.” Within a week, other VOA        were broadcasting in Italian, French and English.
After the World WarⅡended in 1945, some Americans felt VOA’s        had to be changed,      the Soviet Union became enemy of America．They wanted to         Soviet listeners. Then VOA began broadcasting in Russian.
In the early years VOA began adding something new to its broadcast that was      “ Music USA”. Another new idea came along in 1959．VOA knew that many listeners did not know      English to completely understand its        English broadcast. So VOA        a simpler kind of English,        uses about 1,500 words and is spoken        of course, it is special English.
In the        of most VOA listeners, the most        program is the news report. News from around the world        into the VOA news rooms in Washington 24 hours a day. It comes from VOA reporters in        cities and also from other        like BBC．VOA writers and editors use these materials to        news reports, which are being broadcast in 43 languages.

小題1:	A．business B．culture C． support D．information

小題2:	A．reply B．a(chǎn)nswer C．join D．interrupt

小題3:	A．same B．short C．English D．German

小題4:	A．news B．problems C．effects D．opinions

小題5:	A．stations B．news C．a(chǎn)nnouncers D．officials

小題6:	A．home B．position C．purpose D．results

小題7:	A．if B．supposing C．considering D．in order that

小題8:	A．reach B．satisfy C．a(chǎn)ttack D．support

小題9:	A．known B．reported C．called D．printed

小題10:

A．American B．British C．standard D．enough

小題11:

A．normal B．fast C．good D．exact

小題12:

A．invented B．discovered C．taught D．stopped

小題13:

A．it B．who C．which D．that

小題14:

A．slowly B．rapidly C．normally D．loudly

小題15:

A．pleasure B．course C．opinion D．a(chǎn)dvice

小題16:

A．difficult B．important C．various D．common

小題17:

A．flies B．sends C．delivers D．pasts

小題18:

A．a(chǎn)ll B．major C．American D．news

小題19:

A．broadcasts B．forms C．newspapers D．countries

小題20:

A．broadcast B．a(chǎn)nnounce C．translate D．prepare

In the Caucasus region of Russia, nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people in 100,000 reach 100. But these Russian old people aren’t alone. The Pakistanis, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Ecuadorans of the Andes Mountains seem to share the secret of long life, too.
These people remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and 70s, some Caucasians aged 100 to 140, work in the fields beside their great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When asked “at what age does youth end?”most of these old people had no answer. Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.”
What accounts for this ability to survive to such old age, and to survive so well？First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived people. They begin their long days of physical labor as children and never seem to stop. For example, Mr . Rustam Mamedov is 142 years of age. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married for 90 years. Mr. Mamedov has no intention of retiring from his life as a farmer. “Why？What else would I do？”he asks. All these people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations of 1,660 to 1,000 meters above sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced-oxygen environment makes the heart and blood vessel(血管) system stronger.
Another factor that may contribute to the good health of these people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the pressures and worries of industrial society. Inherited factors also play some role. Most of the longest-lived people had parents and grandparents who also reached very old ages. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.
小題1:The example of Mr. and Mrs. Mamedov implies that some Caucasians aged 100 to 140 ____.

A．become weak and hopeless

B．a(chǎn)re too old to work in the fields

C．benefit from physical work

D．a(chǎn)re still working in the fields

小題2:What is the main way of life for all of these long-lived people?

A．Retiring from their lives as farmers.

B．Having been married for 90 years.

C．Hard physical work.

D．Having no intentions.

小題3:Which of the following factors isn’t helpful to people’s health and long life?

A．Clean mountain air.	B．Daily hard work.
C．Good genes	D．Stress and pressure.

Recently, professor of philosophy（哲學(xué)）in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our daily life has more meaning than we usually think. One of the exercises he asked his students to do is to keep a record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money, they can see what they really value in life.
He says our relations with others often become clearly defined（清晰的）when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful relationship with somebody and you think that you are very good friends. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend some money. If he does, it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before or it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn’t. This person may say that he has a certain feeling, but if it is not carried out in the money world, there is something less real about it.
Since money is so important to us, we consider those who possess a lot of it to be very important. The author interviewed some millionaires in researching his book.
Question: What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich, because you are a self-made man?
Answer: The most surprising thing is how people give me so much respect. I am nothing. I don’t know much. All I am is rich.
People just have an idea of making more and more money, but what is it for? How much do I need for any given purposes in my life? In his book, the professor uncovered an important need in modern society: to bring back the idea that money is an instrument rather than the end. Money plays an important role in the material world, but expecting money to give happiness may be missing the meaning of life.
小題1:According to the first paragraph, people have not realized ______.

A．how important money is in their daily life

B．how one spends money shows what is important to him

C．that money is more important than their philosophy of life

D．that their understanding of life is more important than money

小題2:The author seems to believe that asking your friend to lend you some  money ________.

A．is a good way to test your friendship

B．will do harm to your friendship

C．will strengthen your friendship

D．is a good way to break off your friendship

小題3:What does the American professor of philosophy want to explain in his book?

A．Money is an end．	B．Money is a means．
C．Money is everything．	D．Money is unimportant

小題4:The underlined phrase “enter the picture” in the second paragraph can be replaced by “_________”.

A．is used up	B．is spent on pictures
C．is paid in the right way	D．is paid attention to

小題5:What can we learn about the millionaire from his answer in the interview?

A．He doesn’t feel that he is well educated.

B．He doesn’t think he is a very important person.

C．He doesn’t consider himself to be very successful.

D．He doesn’t think that being rich deserves so much attention.

When a magazine for high school students asked its readers what life would be like in twenty years, they said: Machines would be run by solar power. Buildings would rotate（旋轉(zhuǎn)）so they could follow the sun to take maximum advantage of its light and heat. Walls would “give light” and “change color with the push of a button.” Food would be replaced by pills. School would be taught by electrical impulse（電脈沖）while we sleep. Cars would have radar（雷達）. Does this sound like the year 2000? Actually, this article was written in 1958 and the question was, “what will life be like in 1978?
The future is much too important to simply guess about, the way the high school students did, so experts are regularly asked to predict accuately. By carefully studying the present, skilled businessmen, scientists, and politicians are supposedly able to figure out in advance what will happen. But can they? One expert on Cities wrote: Cities of the future would not be crowded, but would have space for farms and fields. People would travel to work in “airbuses”, large all-weather helicopters carrying up to 200 passengers. When a person left the airbus station he could drive a coin-operated car equipped with radar. The radar equipment of cars would make traffic accidents “almost unheard of”. Does that sound familiar? If the expert had been accurate it would, because he was writing in 1957. His subject was “The city of 1982”.
If the professionals sometimes sound like high school students, it’s probably because future study is still a new field. But economic forecasting, or predicting what the economy will do, has been around for a long time. It should be accuate, and generally it is. But there have been some big mistakes in the field, too. In early 1929, most forecasters saw an excellent future for the stock market. In October of that year, the stock market had its worst losses ever, ruining thousands of investors who had put their faith in financial foreseers.
One forecaster knew that predictions about the future would always be subject to significant error. In 1957, H.J. Rand of the Rad corporation was asked about the year 2000, “Only one thing is certain,” he answered. “Children born today will have reached the age of 43.”
小題1:How many examples does the author offer to describe the future life?

A．Three

B．Four

C．Five

D．Six

小題2:The high school students’ answers to “What would life be like in 1978?” sound __________.

A．a(chǎn)ccurate

B．imaginative

C．correct

D．foolish

小題3:In the second paragraph, the writer gives examples to show _________.

A．predicting about the future can be done in a humorous way

B．no predictions are based on careful research

C．experts are always better than others in figuring out what the future will be like

D．forecasting the future is not an easy job even for experts in this field

小題4:From the third paragraph we can learn that _________.

A．economy forecasting is rather a new field

B．experts began economy forecasting in 1929

C．the predictions about economic situation caused the investors to lose lots of money

D．good, accurate forecasting helped the stock market overcome the difficulties

小題5:H.J.Rand’s prediction about the year 2000 shows that ________.

A．it is easy to figure out in advance what will happen

B．it is difficult to figure out in advance what will happen

C．only professionals can figure out in advance what will happen

D．very few professionals figure out in advance what will happen