Michelle Obama made a daring decision to return to the same designer who created her Inaugural (就職）Ball dress four years ago --- and the risk paid off.
The First Lady looked extremely attractive in a thin, sweeping, and ruby-colored dress by designer Jason Wu. She teamed the dramatic dress with heels by Jimmy Choo and a diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald.
She surprised the fashion establishment by returning to a Wu design which had been the custom made for her.
Four years ago at her first Inauguration Ball, Michelle shimmered（熠熠生輝）in an off-white, one-shouldered floor-length dress by the designer.
Wu, who was 26 at the time and had only been working in fashion for three years, saw his career take off after the First Lady's surprise decision to wear one of his dresses.
He said at the time that he was unaware she had chosen the dress and had been watching at home on his couch and eating pizza when she appeared.
After her 2013 decision, Wu told Women's Wear Daily: “Mrs Obama likes to keep her secrets. She fooled me again.”
Wu released a women's clothing and accessories（裝飾品）collection at Target last year and continues to be popular with the First Lady for official engagements.
The sleeveless, cross-halter neck dress with low-cut back flattered（突出）49-year-old Michelle's arms and neat waist.
It had been created especially for her by Wu and was a departure from the dark and plain colour tone she stuck to at earlier inauguration events.
Mrs Obama's new hairstyle -- she had bangs（美發(fā)沙龍）cut on her birthday last week  had been loosely tousled（蓬松的）for the special night.
Vice-President Joe Biden's wife Jill also looked attractive in a blue silk dress by Vera Wang at the Inauguration Ball.
小題1:What does the passage mainly talk about？

A．Michelle Obama’s inaugural ball dress.

B．Wu, a great designer.

C．The First Lady’s secrets.

D．Mrs Obama’s 2013 decision.

小題2:Michelle Obama’s brave decision proved to be a_________.

A．risk	B．danger
C． Surprise	D．success

小題3: According to the passage, which of the following is correct?

A．Mrs Obama’s inaugural dresses were made by the same designer.

B．Joe Biden’s wife Jill also had her dress created by Wu.

C．The colour tone at Michelle’s earlier inaugural events was not satifactory.

D．Mrs Obama had straight forehead hair as her new hairstyle for the special night.

小題4: Which of the following best describes Jason Wu?

A．Daring and gifted.

B．Unusual and cautious.

C．Careful and brave.

D．Talented and lucky.

小題5: From the 6th and 7th paragraphs we know that________.

A．Wu was aware that Mrs Obama had chosen his work again

B．Wu didn’t know Mrs Obama had chosen his creation again.

C．Mrs Obama told Wu to give away her secrets

D．Mrs Obama should have told Wu the truth

Schools and parents in Shenzhen City have been asked to take better care of children’s eyesight as 45 percent of them, were found to be shortsighted. Too much reading, poor lighting and too much TV are blamed. Of the city’s high school graduates who applied to attend college this summer, two-thirds had to have their choices limited because of poor eyesight, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily said.
小題1:This piece of news was reported by____ .

A．People’s Daily	B．Shenzhen Special Zone Daily
C．school in Shenzhen City	D．parents in Shenzhen City

小題2:The purpose of this passage is to _____ .

A．criticize children who are shortsighted

B．blame parents and schools for children’s being shortsighted

C．a(chǎn)sk the high school graduates to pay attention to their eyesight

D．draw people’s special attention to eye hygiene(衛(wèi)生)

小題3:Only____ of the children in Shenzhen City have good eyesight.

A．55 percent

B．less than half

C．45 percent

D．two—thirds

小題4:Because of being shortsighted many school graduates_____ .

A．weren’t allowed to enter college

B．couldn’t graduate from high school

C．couldn’t choose to study what they liked best

D．lost their limited time

There have been discussions about retire age limit recently. Does it make sense to make people retire at a particular age, say, 55? 60?
Some people work well into their 70s and 80s, running families, countries or corporations while other people, despite being fit and highly talented, are forced to retire in their fifties or even earlier. Here I will examine whether people should be allowed to continue working as long as they want or whether they should be encouraged to retire at a particular stage.
Some people think there are several reasons for allowing older people to continue working. Firstly, older employees are more experienced and their knowledge can be lost to his company or business if they are made to retire. Secondly, older employees are often extremely loyal and more willing to carry out company policies than younger staff. Another point is related to our society’s attitudes to the old. To force someone to retire at 50 or 60 indicates that the society does not value the contribution of these people, which may be regarded as age discrimination.
However, others believe that allowing older people to work indefinitely(無限期) is not a good policy. Age alone is no guarantee of ability. Old people are ambitious workaholics. Many young employees are more skillful than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives. Having compulsory retirement encourages new ideas in an organization. In addition, without age limits, many people would continue to work purely because they did not have any other plans. Another reason is that older people should be rewarded by society for their life’s labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy their leisure. We now have youngsters who can’t find jobs because old people refuse to retire. This new generation of “old people” may think they will never die due to modern advances in medicine.
With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, older workers are expected to retire. However, this can affect their right to work. I feel that giving workers more flexibility and choice over their retirement age will benefit both society and the individual.
小題1:All the following statements are reasons for allowing old people to continue working EXCEPT that _______.

A．their contributions should be valued

B．their experience should be appreciated

C．they can be ambitious workaholics

D．they are extremely loyal employees

小題2:The underlined sentence in the fourth passage suggests that _______.

A．retired people support the young to be creative

B．more fresh employees mean more fresh ideas

C．retired people are unwilling to praise new ideas

D．young employees are forced to be creative

小題3:The structure of the passage is arranged as __________

小題4:The author is likely to agree that ________’

A．it’s not wise to suggest lengthening the retirement age

B．it does make sense to set a particular retirement age

C．having different retirement age sounds unreasonable

D．when to retire should depend on the employees themselves

There are many great movie directors of all time and the following are five of those who have largely impressed audience with their body of work.
As a member of the New Hollywood gang, Francis Coppola is best remembered for The God father series. His decision to cast Marlon Brando in the lead also met with fierce opposition from the studio bosses. Good sense became popular, and The God father went on to become one of the most memorable movies ever. Critics may point out that he has become less creative after his seventies, but try as one might, no one can possibly take the place of this great director’s work.
Stanley Kubrick’s movies focus on the themes like sci-fi, horror, dark humor and war. He used symbolism in most of his movies, giving us some wonderful screen visuals, as shown in 2001: A Space Odyssey. His actors in Hollywood complained about the endless number of retakes, but they appreciated the performance he milked out of them. People argue about films like Lolita, A Clockwork Orange and Paths of Glory, but these are now seen as classics.
Steven Spielberg is a great success at the box office, and he is one of the world’s most popular filmmakers today. As the creator of classics like Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, ET, Indiana Jones series, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, no one can win his hold over the audience. His critics accuse him of being emotional and over the top, but the fact remains that his movies attract the audience, and set the cash registers ringing.
Woody Allen is a director who directs movies full of crime and hate. This comic genius has given us Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters and Midnight in Paris, which have also become classical. His movies constantly include characters who arouse the audience’s sympathy and laughter at the same time, as they set out on a journey of self-discovery. Hollywood star power has never fazed Allen. Thankfully, awards and honors do not interest him, which results in creativity that is original.
小題1:What do the directors mentioned in the passage have in common?

A．They are interested in awards for their works.

B．They are members of the New Hollywood gang.

C．They have created a lot of movies taken as classics.

D．They focus their themes on negative side of the society

小題2:The movie Indiana Jones series is directed by ______.

A．Francis Coppola	B．Woody Allen
C．Stanley Kubrick	D．Steven Spielberg

小題3:Stanley Kubrick’s works include the following except ______.

A．Midnight in Paris	B．2001: A Space Odyssey
C．A Clockwork Orange	D．Paths of Glory

小題4:It is implied in the underlined sentence Steven Spielberg ______.

A．was successful in amusing the audience

B．succeeded in making a great box office

C．became much better at creating classics

D．had set a cash register working for himself

小題5:What will be discussed in the paragraph that follows this passage?

A．Their contribution to the society

B．The difference between the directors

C．Another famous movie directors

D．More great movies from the directors

Anyone who ever wondered why a dying plant, say, a freshly-cut red rose may appeal to a lady friend, might take some comfort in science, which once again offers us a reasonable answer to one of the world’ s great mysteries.
Beyond a common preference in people for blue, “the long history of color preference studies has been described as ‘confusing and contradictory(矛盾的)’,” write scientists Anya Hurlbert and Yazhu Ling of England’ s Newcastle University, authors of a new study in the journal Current Biology. “This fact is perhaps surprising,” they said, “though the popularity of the concept that little girls differ from boys in preferring pink.”
But the scientists believe they have an answer to this scientific mystery, discovering women’s preference for red, hidden above the average liking for blue.
In their study, the pair quickly flashed color cards, displaying many different aspects, at 208 volunteers, mostly Britishers but with a number of Han Chinese, who moved to the United Kingdom recently. Tested in three different experiments, the researchers found out a small but significant preference for reddish colors in the female volunteers.
Puzzled, the authors realized that most of the difference between men and women came in the form of a preference for green VS red in the color cards, regardless of the other slight differences such as the slightly blue ones that everyone liked. Why might this be?
Evolution might offer an answer, they reason. Human color perception(感知), the assessment of three separate color types — red — green — blue— in our vision (視覺) is a relatively recent addition to our line of mammals(脯乳動物)
Adding weight to their argument, they found the women who are most typically feminine(女性的) on a psychological survey also had the biggest preference for reddish colors. “My love is like a red, red rose,” wrote the Scottish poet Rober Burns in 1794.
小題1:What does the first paragraph probably tell us ?

A．Scientific research can help people solve the mystery.

B．When we are tired, we can turn to science for help.

C．Science can make our study interesting and contradictory.

D．We should turn to scientific invention for comfortable life.

小題2:The word “pair” in Para.4 refers to _____.

A．boy and girl	B．the two authors
C．research and result	D．pink and blue

小題3:According to the passage, ______________.

A．boys like blue better than girls

B．girls like pink better than boys

C．men like red better than women

D．men and women both like green

小題4:How did the scientist do the research?

A．By asking questions	B．By telephoning the interviewees
C．By adding numbers	D．By doing experiments

小題5:What is the purpose of writing this article?

A．To sell products packed in red	B．To introduce the history of color
C．To inform us of a research finding	D．To analyze men’s taste for color

Mrs. Blake teaches English in a large school in the inner area of a big city on the west coast. Even since she was a young girl, she has wanted to become a teacher. She has taught eight years now and hasn’t changed her mind. After she graduated from high school, she went on to college. Four years later, she received her bachelor’s degree (BA) in English and her teaching certificate(證書). Then she went to teach in the secondary schools of her state. In the summers, Mrs. Blake takes more classes; she hopes to get a master’s degree ( MA ). With an MA, she will receive a higher salary and if possible, she hopes to get a doctor’s degree as well. The school day at Mrs. Blake’s high school, like that in many high schools in the United States, is divided into one hour each. Mrs. Blake must teach five of these periods. During her free period, which for her is from 2 to 3 P.M, Mrs. Blake must meet with parents, make our examinations, check assignments at all, Mrs. Blake works continuously from the time she arrives at school in the morning till the time she leaves for home late in the afternoon.
小題1:How long is it since Mrs. Blake graduated from middle school?

A．four years

B．eight years

C．twelve years

D．twenty years

小題2:According to the article, which is the right order of the degrees a person can receive after going to university?

A．a(chǎn) doctor’s degree – a bachelor’s degree – a master’s degree

B．a(chǎn) bachelor’s degree – a master’s degree – a doctor’s degree

C．a(chǎn) master’s degree – a bachelor’s degree – a doctor’s degree

D．a(chǎn) bachelor’s degree – a doctor’s degree – a master’s degree

小題3:How many degrees has Mrs. Blake achieved so far?

A．one

B．two

C．three

D．four

小題4:Which of the following sentences is not true?

A．Mrs. Blake teaches in the inner area of big city on the east of the United States.

B．Mrs. Blake has turned her wish of becoming a teacher into reality.

C．Mrs. Blake is still studying in her holidays in order to get higher degree.

D．The working hours in the school where Mrs. Blake works are similar to those of may other high schools in the states.

Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the beat by climbing to the summit(山頂) of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.
Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won’t miss the Pacaya-tour companies.
But climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2560 metres high, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above steaming. Hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you are near the active summit; the McKenney Cone(火山錐).
Many tours are timed so when you arrive at the cone of the volcano there is plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down .
小題1:What is the main purpose of this passage?

A．To attract tourists to Pacaya.

B．To describe the beauty of Pacaya.

C．To introduce guided tours to Pacaya.

D．To explain the power of nature at Pacaya.

小題2:Antigua is a city      .

A．where people can have a close-up view of the volcano

B．where the daring Pacaya tour starts

C．that lies on the summit of Pacaya

D．that is famous for its tour companies

小題3:Climbing to the McKenney Cone, people will    .

A．walk down to the active summit

B．hear the continuous loud screams from above

C．make greater efforts than to other summits

D．see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions

小題4:Many tours are timed for people to      .

A．get down the mountain in time when night falls

B．a(chǎn)void the smell from the upwind direction of the cone

C．enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky

D．a(chǎn)ppreciate the scenery of the 2560-metre-high mountain

小題5:The short passage probably comes from___________.

A．a(chǎn) travel journal	B．a(chǎn) popular science magazine
C．A novel	D．a(chǎn)n advertisement

Uganda is a country in East Africa and,as in many such countries,a high percentage of the population,about 80 percent,are village-dwellers living in huts,which are often no bigger than a garage. The walls of the huts are made of mud,which is held together by reeds and sticks,and the roofs of the older ones are thatched（覆蓋）with grass,although an increasing number of newer village houses have roofs made from corrugated（波紋形的）iron.
Several generations of the same family live together in the huts,which are usually divided into two sections by a curtain. The inner section,the one furthest from the open door of the hut,is where everyone sleeps and food is prepared and served in the outer part. If the family owns chickens or goats,they are kept in a small room attached to the main house.
Food is usually prepared on open fires although some people prefer to cook inside. However,this is quite dangerous and also means that the walls of the hut are stained by smoke and the atmosphere is acrid. The family sit in a circle on mats while they eat.
Newer village houses are almost always made of corrugated iron and are bigger,with one or two separate bedrooms and the kitchen in a smaller building beside the main house. But,old or new,the houses are not powered by electricity,and all homes are lit by paraffin（石蠟）candles called “tadobba”.
Nor is there any running water in the houses. Some villages have their own well,but in many cases,collecting water involves a long and arduous walk to a river or spring,carrying plastic containers or pots made of clay.
Children are the ones who have to fetch water,and they have to do this early in the morning before they go to school,or in the evening when they come home. They often have to climb high hills or walk through valleys with narrow paths through dense vegetation. It is no surprise that they grow up muscular and fit after such daily exercise,walking for several kilometres carrying such heavy weights.
小題1:Most Ugandans live        .

A．with their whole family in large mud houses in the countryside

B．in towns in small houses made of mud and iron

C．in villages in small houses made of wet earth,grass and wood

D．With their parents and children as well as their chickens and goats

小題2:Where is food usually prepared?

A．In the kitchen.

B．On the floor in the middle of the house.

C．On fires in front of the hut.

D．In a small room attached to the main house.

小題3:How are the old and new houses the same?

A．Both of them have roofs made of corrugated iron.

B．Neither of them have a garage or kitchen.

C．Neither of them have electricity,lights or running water.

D．Both of them have water inside but no electric light.

小題4:The majority of Ugandan children have to          .

A．go to a well or a river and often carry it for a long distance

B．do a lot of work cooking and carrying water

C．collect water on the way home from school

D．get water out of their own well

Dear Parents,
It is almost a week since school began. I hope that you and your child are settled and comfortable in the arrangement of the new school year. I would like to take this opportunity to give you news about the art project that the eighth grade students and I will be working on during this unit. 
My name is Molly Atkinson and I am a new middle school teacher here at MSAE in Kauai. I feel that it is important for you to know that my approach to classroom management is inspired by Maharishi’s Principle of Ideal Teaching. I believe that it is the most positive method for guiding our students’ education. I also believe that by keeping the lessons interesting, the classroom will be a creative environment for the students to explore the artistic process. My experience with the class this week makes me believe that the students and I will have a fruitful and caring experience in our time together.
The students’ first project is a three-part work that begins with the creation of a collage (拼貼畫). A pencil drawing of the collage will follow. The third part of the project will be a geometrical three-dimensional (幾何三維的) drawing of the collage. The students have jumped right into the project with enthusiasm (熱情) and focus. I can tell that we are going to have a very productive unit.
On October 30th, the students will have a showing of their work for you. I look forward to meeting all of you that day. If you would like to get hold of me before that time I will be here after school until 4:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays and can be available on other afternoons by appointment (預(yù)約). I may also be reached at my e-mail address: matkinson@kdsi.net. I am very happy to be here and look forward to working with the eighth grade students.
Sincerely,
Molly Atkinson
小題1:It can be learned that the letter was written _____.

A．a(chǎn)fter the school year ended

B．before the new school year started

C．in the middle of the school year

D．a(chǎn)t the beginning of the new school year

小題2:The letter was most probably written by _____. 

A．a(chǎn)n art teacher

B．a(chǎn)n eighth grader

C．a(chǎn) school gardener

D．a(chǎn) head teacher

小題3:In Paragraph 2, Atkinson mentions _____.

A．her long work experience

B．her close relationships with the students

C．the teaching method she applies

D．the training aim of the new term

小題4:The underlined words “that time” in the last paragraph refer to _____.

A．October 30th

B．4:30 on Mondays

C．4:30 on Wednesdays

D．other afternoons

Choose Winners Club, and you choose to be a winner! The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account（交易賬戶）where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers: No account keeping fees! You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees! Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow? The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits（儲蓄）without taking them out in a month. Convenient Teenagers are busy – we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet. You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!
Mega Magazine included along with your regular report, will definitely assure you  to receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members. The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool key – card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!
小題1:Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?

A．Special gifts are ready for parents.

B．The bank opens only on work days.

C．Services are convenient for its members.

D．Fees are necessary for the account keeping.

小題2:The Winners Club provides magazines which ________.

A．encourage spending

B．a(chǎn)re free to all teenagers

C．a(chǎn)re full of adventure stories

D．help to make more of your money

小題3:If you want to be a member of the Club, you must ________.

A．be an Internet user

B．be permitted by your parent

C．have a big sum of money

D．be in your twenties

小題4:What is the purpose of this text?

A．To set up a club.

B．To provide part-time jobs.

C．To organize key-cards.

D．To introduce a new banking service.