The state of Nevada holds a number of famous attractions.

Great Basin National Park

Great Basin National Park is located in eastern Nevada, which features the Lehman Caves, an ideal destination for tourists interested in underground exploration. Activities include camping, biking, hiking, star gazing, skiing and snowboarding in winter. Entry to the Great Basin National Park is free; however, it is closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

775-234-7331

nps.gov/grba

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam is located in the Black Canyon. It is one of the largest hydroelectric power(水力發(fā)電) plants in the world. The visitor center is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily, except for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Prices for the tour are $11 for adults and $9 for seniors, children and military personnel.

702-294-3517

usbr. gov/lc/hooverdam

National Automobile Museum

The National Automobile Museum is located in Reno, Nevada, which houses vehicles from the long history of automotive technology, most notably from the 19th century until the 1960s. Visitors are welcome from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm from Monday to Saturday and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday. The facility is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Prices are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and $3 for children aged 6 to 18. Those under 6 are free. Parking is free all year round.

775-333-9300

automuseum.org

Wolf Creek Golf Club

Experience the unique desert scenery of Nevada while you are playing golf. Wolf Creek Golf Club is located within a desert view that is unusual among golf courses. The surrounding bluffs (懸崖峭壁) and valleys are a striking contrast to the rich green colors of the fairway. The club is closed on Christmas.

866-252-4653

golfwolfcreek.com

1.If you can only go to Nevada on Thanksgiving Day, you can only go to _____.

A. Hoover Dam

B. Wolf Creek Golf Club

C. Great Basin National Park

D. National Automobile Museum

2.If you want to go skiing in winter, you can visit the website of ____.

A. nps.gov/grba B. automuseum.org

C. golfwolfcreek.com D. usbr. gov/lc/hooverdam

3.Which number will you call if you are interested in cars?

A. 775-234-7331 B. 702-294-3517

C. 775-333-9300 D. 866-252-4653

We started out in a great morning and were heading over the mountain range to Ellensburg. We stopped at Snoqualmie summit for a quick rest. About a mile from there, we heard a loud sound and thought we might hit a rock. However, we were wrong.

As we were turning into the rest area, we heard a loud banging sound again, and all I could do was get this car pulled over and stopped. Once we got stopped, and tire pulled off, we found that the bolt （螺栓），which is necessary for the brake to work, had been missing. Had I hit the brake with any more speed, I am sure the car would have turned over and we could have all been killed.

The first thing we needed to do was get a new bolt, so my husband went to get a cup of coffee and to ask whether there would be an auto parts store. They told him where, and then he came back to find we had no way to get there. That was when the Angel showed her wings! One of the coffee volunteers was getting off her shift and offered to take him to the auto parts store. So this angel took him to Ellensburg to get the part, only to find out that it was the wrong part. So she came back to see if everything fit and sure enough, she offered to take him to the hardware store in town to see if they could find this bolt!

She spent well over 4 hours with us, driving us around to help fix our car and protect us until we were safe. She even followed us for a short time on the freeway until she knew we were well on our way safely. We were blessed that day, and when I told her she was an angel she just said we would do the same thing, and she was right, I would and I will again!

1.What actually happened when the writer heard the loud sound at the first time?

A. The car hit a rock and its tires were broken.

B. The car pulled over because of the steep road.

C. The brake couldn’t work because of the lost bolt.

D. The car turned over because the bolt was missing.

2.What is the implied meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 3?

A. The author wished someone would help them.

B. Someone appeared to give them what they needed.

C. Someone transported them to the right place.

D. Someone appeared at that time to help them.

3.Which of the following words can best describe the volunteer?

A. Kindhearted and patient.

B. Humorous and helpful.

C. Patient and humorous.

D. Helpful and funny.

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. An angel in the mountains!

B. A terrible accident in the mountains!

C. An unusual situation in the mountains!

D. An unbelievable sound in the mountains!

Rebecca, who is a 25-year-old woman, has a rare condition. She can remember all the events she has experienced in her life. The events are so vivid, as if they happened just moments ago. But her vivid memories often become a reality. Rebecca said, “When I relive memories, the emotions come back. So if it’s something that happened when I was younger, my emotions are about what I felt then. I also re-experience pain. For example, I remember falling over and hurting my left knee when I was three. When talking about it now, I’m getting pain in my left knee.”

However, there are times when Rebecca’s memories prove to be too overwhelming, and she has learnt relaxation and mindfulness(聚神) techniques to solve. “At school, it is a hindrance. I’m not very quick at processing things, so there is always so much going through my mind. At night, I have to sleep with the radio on and a soft light. If it’s too dark or quiet, my mind just recalls all these memories and I can’t sleep,” Rebecca said.

In addition, Rebecca has no control over whether the memories she recalls will be positive or negative – recalling painful experiences with such vividness that she has suffered from post-traumatic (創(chuàng)傷后的) stress disorder. Rebecca said, “Recently, I went back to my old school for my sister’s high school graduation. Being in that building again brought all those memories flooding back. I burst into tears and had to leave.”

Rebecca and her mother Mrs. Barnes got in touch with the University of California in 2011. It was there that Rebecca knew she had Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM). It’s reported that Rebecca is one of just 80 people worldwide, who have HASM. “Finding out about HASM has been such a positive experience. Now, Rebecca has been more positive and able to do things independently, which has been excellent,” Mrs. Barnes said.

1.What’s wrong with Rebecca?

A. She hardly sleeps well at night.

B. She usually gets hurt easily by others.

C. She can’t distinguish between reality and dreams.

D. Her vivid memories lead her to experience sufferings.

2.What does the underlined word “hindrance” mean in Paragraph 2?

A. Priority B. Difficulty.

C. Advantage. D. Opportunity.

3.What can we learn from Paragraph 3?

A. Rebecca had a strong dislike of going to school.

B. Rebecca was moved to tears at her sister’s graduation.

C. Rebecca and her sister once studied in the same school.

D. Rebecca enjoyed a happy life during her high school years.

4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that Rebecca_____.

A. has got her life improved gradually

B. was influenced by her mother to be positive

C. was admitted into the University of California

D. became well-known due to her rare condition

The biggest challenge faced by travelers especially those who like to have a backpacking trip is how to ensure a steady supply of clean clothes. Now, thanks to a great invention called Scrubba Wash Pack, that worry may be a thing of the past.

The portable washing machine was invented by Ash Newland in 2010, while planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Struck by the limited packing space, he got inspiration from traditional washboards to create a bag that could be used to clean clothes. Then he quitted his career as a lawyer and focused on perfecting the bag’s design. By 2012, the bag was ready for the public. It weighed only 180 grams and required very little storage space, making it perfect for anyone wishing to travel light.

Not surprisingly, the bag worth 55 dollars was an instant hit with travelers, university students and even passengers. However, Newland was not satisfied. He still saw a flaw with his invention – dirty clothes had to be carried around in a separate bag! The recently introduced Scrubba Wash Pack solves that problem.

In order to make the pack active, dirty clothes are placed inside the bag along with two to three liters of water. The bag is then shut tightly to ensure all air is squeezed out and the clothes are massaged for a few minutes. After a quick wash, they are clean and ready to be dried. According to Newland, the pack can clean anything from jeans to smelly socks! What’s even more amazing is that with a capacity to hold 13-liters of water, it can be used to wash more clothes at a time.

The best part is that the 99-dollar pack that will be available for sale later this year, only weighs 300 grams and is completely foldable, making it easy to store when it’s not in use. With the Scrubba Wash Pack, wandering through foreign cities searching for a washing shop, or paying for washing machines may soon be a thing of the past!

1.What led Ash Newland to create the Scrubba Wash Bag?

A. His job requirements.

B. B. A traditional washboard.

C. His interest in invention.

D. His personal experience.

2.Why wasn’t Ash Newland satisfied with his former invention?

A. Clothes couldn’t be washed well.

B. The invention was not so convenient.

C. The bag couldn’t contain enough water.

D. The cost of the invention was very high.

3.It can be inferred that the improved Wash Pack ______.

A. turns to be much environmentally friendlier

B. will replace the traditional washing machines

C. will be widely used by more travelers in the future

D. can encourage more people to travel a long distance

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Introducing a great new invention.

B. Explaining the development of backpack

C. Listing some common problems for travelers.

D. Comparing two kinds of washing machines.

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項為多于選項。

Nobody wants to reach the end of their life and experience regret. Instead, we desire to experience satisfaction with the life we’ve been given. 1. . To live a life without regret in the future, you should try to stay away from the following four common unhealthy habits.

2. It is good to have a destination to go to but it is the journey that matters in the end. Too often, we live our lives from destination to destination. But life is not lived merely in these destinations. In fact, it is far more often lived in the pathways between them. We should appreciate the joy in the journey rather than always hurry to the next destination.

Be defined by your negative circumstances. Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. This is an important truth and an important promise. Our lives should not be defined by the negative circumstances that happened in our past. They may have affected our lives, but they do not write the final chapter. 3.

Focus entirely on yourself. The size of our universe becomes smaller considerably when we place ourselves at the center. 4. On the contrary, those who see their life as an opportunity to bring joy to others quickly find it themselves.

5. Every excess (過量) adds burden to our lives. And yet we continue to pursue and accumulate more than we need—more houses, more cars, more clothes, and more dishes. Owning less means less cleaning, less burden, less anxiety, and less stress each day. It provides the space and opportunity to pursue the things in life that bring lasting satisfaction to our lives.

A. Blame everybody else.

B. Carry more than you need.

C. It is we ourselves who hold the pen.

D. Miss the joy of the journey for the destination.

E. Only a fool believes the wide road is necessarily the right road.

F. The fact is that too many people experience regret at the lives they chose to live.

G. And the people who are most focused on themselves are the least satisfied in life.

完形填空

閱讀下列短文，從短文后各題所給的四個選項（A,B,C和D）中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。

James Baldwin, an author, once said, “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” Looking back, I have found this was _________ . As a child, I was not the best _________ , but I did learn valuable lessons by _________ my elders.

While in elementary school, I was caught in a _________. A classmate had a quarrel with me because of some _________ and he even threatened to beat me. I didn’t know how to _________ him and I was even_________ to go to school.

Then my father _________ my trouble and decided to go to school _________ me. I wasn’t sure what he was planning to do, but I felt _________ around him. When at school, he talked _________ to me and the boy I had issues with. He explained that we needed to solve our differences and learn to_________our friendship. He told us a _________in which he had resolved（化解） the differences by an earnest talk and made friends with another man. Then he _________ and we had to solve the problem ourselves. There we stood, face to face without a word. I broke the _________ first and a heated discussion followed. Gradually, both of us _________ we had a lot in common apart from the differences. At last, as my father _________ , we extended our hands and put our differences _________ . It was at that moment that a lifetime friendship formed.

What my father said did not impress me much but he set a good example of _________ this kind of problem. This is a reminder that it is more effective to teach children by our _________ .

1.A. true B. hard C. happy D. rich

2.A. boy B. reporter C. friend D. listener

3.A. respecting B. observing C. imitating D. helping

4.A. test B. dilemma C. subject D. classroom

5.A. cases B. differences C. qualities D. conditions

6.A. turn to B. turn down C. get used to D. get rid of

7.A. unwilling B. eager C. curious D. unsatisfied

8.A. avoided B. shared C. knew D. considered

9.A. to B. with C. towards D. by

10.A. nervous B. bored C. safe D. proud

11.A. heatedly B. sadly C. cautiously D. sincerely

12.A. destroy B. bring C. find D. cherish

13.A. story B. secret C. task D. lie

14.A. annoyed B. appeared C. left D. predicted

15.A. silence B. glass C. word D. relationship

16.A. realized B. imagined C. heard D. confused

17.A. wondered B. described C. knew D. expected

18.A. up B. forward C. aside D. out

19.A. studying B. handling C. ignoring D. supporting

20.A. prizes B. bodies C. gestures D. Actions

閱讀下面材料，在空白處填入適當(dāng)?shù)膬?nèi)容（1個單詞）或括號內(nèi)單詞的正確形式（不超過3個）。

It was September, 2003 and I was struggling to find work. Nothing 1. (go) well with me. I sat in the house and constantly worried I would spend the night in the street as soon as 2. (I) savings ran out.

I decided to find some volunteer work to occupy my thoughts when I 3. (tell) not to be employed. The first 4. (choose) of mine was the Arizona Humane Society (AHS). 5. (be) with all kinds of animals was the only time when I 6. (true) felt I had a place in the world. That was where I found peace at a time when I was 7. (scare) and unsure of everything life was throwing at me.

I hadn’t been around a horse for nearly 15 years 8. I found it was difficult for me to handle it. But 9. the help of other volunteers, I did well very soon. During my stay there, I had a great time working with humans and animals equally.

I believe the peace which comes from working with our animal brothers is something that can make the world 10. more harmonious place!

短文改錯

假定英語課上老師要求同桌之間交換修改作文,請你修改你同桌寫的以下作文。文中共有10處語言錯誤,每句中最多有兩處。每處錯誤僅涉及一個單詞的增加、刪除或修改。

增加:在缺詞處加一個漏字符號(∧),并在其下面寫出該加的詞。

刪除:把多余的詞用斜線(﹨)劃掉。

修改:在錯的詞下劃一橫線,并在該詞下面寫出修改后的詞。

注意:1.每處錯誤及其修改均僅限一詞;

2.只允許修改10處,多者(從第11處起)不計分。

We all knew we can’t live on our own. A lot of things are very important in our lives, such as animals which are usual considered as one of the most essential part. They help us in many ways except providing their meat for us and making our diet variously. Moreover, people get much fun and pleasure when lived with them. In my opinion, how the animals give us may be more than the things we do for them, but they are our great and honest friends. So in the return, we should do our best protect them because we can not live without them.

書面表達

假如你是李華，你的朋友Tom邀請你下周去他們學(xué)校參加文化交流活動并向外國朋友介紹中國的傳統(tǒng)繪畫。 但你忙于準(zhǔn)備期末考試，不得不謝絕邀請。請根據(jù)下面的要點用英語寫一封信：

1. 謝絕邀請；

2. 說明理由；

3. 推薦朋友Mary參加，并說明原因。

注意：1. 詞數(shù)100左右；

2. 可以適當(dāng)增加細(xì)節(jié)，以使行文連貫；

3. 信的開頭和結(jié)尾以為你寫好（不計入總詞數(shù)）。

Dear Tom,

Thank you very much for your invitation. ______________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

When you are travelling in Thailand, which means of transport is the best choice?

You can rent a variety of motorbikes or bikes in Thailand. It seems to be very popular in most of the beaches and islands along the places in the north. The most popular bikes are the little 125 cc Honda Dream which you can get for about 150 baht (銖) a day or as little as 3,000 baht per month, making it the cheapest way to tour Thailand for the people from other countries.

Sometimes you will have to go somewhere by taxi. When you are in cities in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, always remember to get a taxi that is traveling on the roads. Some drivers outside hotels refuse to use the meter(計程表). They will ask a price which is several times the price when they use the meter!

The quality of the roads in Thailand is generally pretty good, so renting cars is another way to get around. The big car rental companies may offer you slightly older cars at a very reasonable(合理的) price. It is a little surprising considering that the cost of buying a car in Thailand is more than that in the West. Petrol is also reasonably priced in Thailand, more expensive than American prices, but much cheaper than what is paid in Europe. In the past, Bangkok could be a difficult place to drive in—signs were generally in Thai only, making it a hard job to find exactly where you were by looking around. But now, the situation is improved. In a lot of places, even the farthest corners of the country, street signs are in both Thai and English.

1.To a foreigner, the most economical way to get around Thailand is renting a ________．

A. motorbike B. car C. taxi D. bike

2.What is the writer's advice about taking a taxi in Thailand?

A. To make sure there is a meter in it.

B. To take a taxi parked outside hotels.

C. To take a taxi going on the road.

D. To bargain with the driver over the price.

3.It was difficult to drive in Bangkok in the past because ________.

A. there were too many traffic jams on the roads

B. the signs were written only in their own language

C. there were no signs at the farthest corners

D. the quality of the roads was not good