My daughter Kelly is a cautious person. She needs to warm up to situations, and is hesitant to try new things. When with close friends, she becomes a leader who laughs loudly and chants, “Girls rule, boys drool.” But when that comfort zone is not around her, she is shy and nervous.

This has been challenging for me at times. “Shy” is not a word that I think has ever been used to describe me. But this bas been a year of firsts for my girl that has filled her with a new sense of confidence. This year she moved to lap lane in swimming where she was preparing for a swim team. This year she learned to ride a bike without training wheels. And this year she completed her first kids’ triathlon (三項(xiàng)全能).

On Saturday, with a thunderstorm coming soon and my son’s birthday party later in the day, we all went out in the dark of the morning for Kelly to participate in her first triathlon. We practiced transitions from swim to bike to run with her, we got all the equipment she'd need, and we kept talking about the race. But as we waited the two hours for the older kids to finish before her turn, she held my leg a little harder and told me she loved me a few too many times. She was nervous but trying to keep it together.

And then it was her turn. From the second she jumped into the water, my heart soared. My daughter transformed into the most confident human being I had ever seen. She dominated that swim, crushed that bike ride and ran to the finish with the biggest smile on her face.

I can honestly say that I never felt so proud of someone in my entire life. It wasn’t because she did a sport or anything like that. It was because she was afraid of something and conquered that fear with confidence and a fire I hadn't seen before.

All day I would find myself just looking over at her and smiling. She might be wearing the finalist medal but I felt like I won that day. I won the chance to see my girl shine.

Shine on, sweet baby.

1.Kelly is nervous when .

A. boys are around her

B. she changes into a leader

C. she is away from her mom

D. situations are new to her

2.We can know from Paragraph 3 .

A. the race began in the early morning

B. the whole family gave Kelly support

C. Kelly was eager for her turn in the race

D. Kelly prepared for her brother’s birthday party

3.Seeing Kelly’s performance in the race, the author felt .

A. excited and proud

B. anxious and uneasy

C. worried and hesitant

D. curious and concerned

4.In Paragraph 5, the underlined word “conquered” probably means .

A. to defeat someone especially in a competition

B. to succeed in dealing with or control something

C. to become very popular or successful in a place

D. to take control of a country or a city and its people by force

5.In the ending paragraphs the author “felt like I won that day” because Kelly .

A. overcame the fear

B. expressed love to her

C. won the gold medal

D. took part in the sport

You know the saying “You’re as young as you feel." Well, there may be some truth to that, according to researchers at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ellen Langer, a Harvard psychologist who studies how the mind influences the body, and colleagues reviewed the scientific literature for evidence that a person’s perception of their age might influence their health. They published their results in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science.

In one study that Langer led, 47 women had their hair done. The women who thought their new hairdos made them look younger did look younger to objective observers, who were shown before-and-after pictures. The women who thought they looked younger also showed a drop in blood pressure. Another study involving 4,421 men found that those who became bald (秀頂)at a relatively young age were more likely to get cancer and heart disease than men who did not. Similarly, another study involving 2,017 men found that those who lost their hair early were more likely to develop heart disease. “We believe that the feelings associated with being older than one’s real age account for some of these health outcomes,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers also described studies that found that women who had children later in life were more likely to be healthier and live longer than those who had children early, which they attributed to the fact that these mothers tend to spend more time with younger women. Similarly, people who many younger partners tend to live longer than those who marry older partners, according to other studies.

Taken together, the research “supports the general mind-body hypothesis (假說）that when a younger mind is prepared, a younger body can accompany it.” While the mechanism（機(jī)制） remains unclear, the researchers figured that suggestions associated with aging can “make one unconsciously or consciously aware of old age and set in motion a series of physiological processes that can have real effects on short-term and long-term health."

1.The underlined word “perception” in Paragraph 2 means ________.

A. view B. appearance

C. influence D. creation

2.Which of the following statements is true according to Paragraph 3?

A. Blood pressure is highly related to hairdos.

B. Feeling older than real age may be tied to health problems.

C. Getting cancer or heart disease is the cause of hair losing.

D. The women who love hairdos look younger than those don’t.

3.It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ________.

A. a younger mother is more likely to live longer

B. the younger one of a couple lives much longer

C. often staying with younger people can benefit people's health

D. people who want to live longer need to many young

4.The passage mainly tells us that ________.

A. Getting bald too early is not good for health

B. Women had better give birth later in their life

C. Feeling younger to a couple is very important to their health

D. People’s feeling of their age may have an effect on their own health

5.From which page of a newspaper may the passage be most likely taken?

A. Entertainment B. Health

C. Economy D. Politics

Conventional wisdom is a major barrier to innovation (創(chuàng)新) that threatens the survival of companies everywhere. It’s based on the assumption that old ideas will always work, so they shouldn't be challenged. While this may be a valid assumption in situations that don't change, it’s unlikely to hold true in a changing situation. In today’s rapid changing global environment, old methods often don’t work, and stubbornly using them can lead to major problems.

Most people seem to agree with conventional wisdom because it gives one a false sense of security. If everyone else believes it, then it must be true. Individuals who use conventional wisdom are certain that they are right, and being right is good. They want to continue using old ideas rather than take risks with changes that might not work. In 1977, Ken Olsen, co-founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), stated “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” Despite being a dominant leader in the computer industry, DEC no longer exists. People seem to forget that since innovation is a change, there can be no innovation without change. Unfortunately, conventional wisdom prevents leaders, followers and companies from changing and therefore innovating. If companies don’t innovate, but their competitors do, the future is likely to be problematic. Breaking from conventional wisdom has led to many of the most innovative companies and products in history across many industries, so it has a powerful effect on business success.

Ted Turner (founder of CNN) knew little, if anything, about the news business, but he knew it was inconvenient to watch news only at the dinner hour, as was common before CNN. Turner's solution was to create a cable channel dedicated to news 24 hours a day. The news establishment reflected conventional wisdom at the time, and predicted his idea would fail because no one wanted to watch the news all day. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that viewers don’t have to watch the news all day for the CNN to work. Viewers just have to watch when they want to get information. Due to conventional thinking, the critics failed to recognize the opportunity that was clear to Ted. They assumed that only what was familiar to them could work in the future.

Conventional wisdom prevents creativity, flexibility and risk-taking, so unconventional leaders enthusiastically break from it. To survive, thrive and maintain competitive advantage, companies must be flexible when reacting to change.

1.The author's attitude to conventional wisdom is .

A. disapproving B. approving

C. supportive D. indifferent

2.DEC has disappeared probably because .

A. the consumers didn’t like its products

B. the CEO stuck to the conventional ideas

C. the leaders lacked the sense of security.

D. the employees took many risks with changes

3.The founding of CNN is used as an example to prove .

A. missing opportunities could lead to failure

B. changing could contribute to business success

C. watching news at the dinner hour is convenient

D. conventional wisdom influences business success

4.What does the underlined part probably mean in Paragraph 3?

A. Rocket scientists can ensure the CNN works properly.

B. Most of the viewers don’t like to watch the news at work.

C. It’s necessary to understand when people watch the news.

D. It’s easy to know people needn't watch the news all the time.

5.The passage is mainly written to tell us that .

A. old methods are changing with time

B. opportunities lead to business success

C. conventional wisdom limits innovation

D. successful companies need wise leaders

Given that motivation is so central to our lives, what do we truly understand about how it operates and about its role in our lives? The assumption is that it’s driven by a positive, external (外部的）reward. Do this, get that. But the story is much more complex.

One of the most striking aspects of motivation is that it often drives us to achievements that are difficult, challenging and even painful. You may think that you would be happy to spend all your time sitting on a white-sand beach drinking and that as long as you get to fill your days this way, you would be happy forever. But while a few days of enjoyment might be fun from time to time, I can’t imagine that you would be satisfied by spending your days, weeks, months, years and even your life this way.

Research that examines the differences between meaning and happiness finds that the things which give us a sense of meaning don’t necessarily make us happy. Moreover, people who report having meaningful lives are often more interested in doing things for others, while those who focus mostly on doing things for themselves report being only superficially happy, in other words, just externally and apparently delighted. The essential quality of “meaning” has to do with having a sense of being involved in something bigger than the self.

We all know people obtain a great sense of meaning even in the most unpleasant of circumstances. Many volunteers spend portions of their lives working in dangerous, war-tom areas, tiding to keep disease and death from innocent civilians or teaching orphans to read. Their pain is real; their sense of doing something truly meaningful is substantial (豐富的).They show how our deep-rooted desire to believe that our lives have purpose beyond our lifespan drives us to work extra hard, even to the point of our own personal suffering, in order to gain more meaning.

The point is that these seemingly unusual and irrational (不合理的）motivations get us to do things that are complex, difficult and unpleasant. But they go beyond helping people in need. They motivate us in every aspect of our lives 一 whether in our personal relationships, in our individual pursuits or in the workplace.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage? (No more than 10 words)

2.Why is motivation so significant to our life? (No more than 15 words)

3.What is the meaning of the underlined word “superficially” in Paragraph 3? (No more than 1 word)

4.What can volunteers obtain working in dangerous, war-tom areas? (No more than 10 words)

5.Do you agree with the opinion that motivation is driven by a positive, external reward? Why or why not? (No more than 20 words)

為了吸引更多的留學(xué)生到你校學(xué)習(xí)，校學(xué)生會決定拍攝一部反映學(xué)校生活的小電影，現(xiàn)在招募學(xué)生演員。請你以學(xué)生會的名義，根據(jù)以下提示撰寫一個(gè)通知。

(1)此次活動的目的；

(2)演員需要具備的條件：溝通能力強(qiáng)，擅長英語……（可以適當(dāng)發(fā)揮)；

(3)小電影的內(nèi)容簡介；

(4)最后報(bào)名期限：下周一前到學(xué)生會報(bào)名。

注意：

(1)詞數(shù)不少于100；

(2)可適當(dāng)加入細(xì)節(jié)，使內(nèi)容充實(shí)、行文連貫；

(3)通知格式己給出，不計(jì)入總詞數(shù)。

NOTICE

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Students’ Union

China has announced its abolishing its one-child policy.What difference has it made,statistically speaking?

400 million births prevented

The one-child policy,officially in place since 1979,has prevented 400 million births.Parents have faced fines and other punishments for having more children.

The majority of the decrease in China's fertility rate happened in the 1970s.It dropped from 5.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.7 in 1978.Despite the one-child policy the rate had only fallen to 1.7 by 2013.

21:28-baby deaths rate

Since the one-child policy was introduced,baby girls have become more likely to die than boys.

In the 1970s,according to the United Nations,60 males per 1,000 live births died under the age of one.For girls the figure was 53.In the 1980s,after the one-child policy became official,the rate for both was 36.By the 1990s,26 males per 1,000 live births died before the age of one-and 33 girls.The 2000s saw 21 boys per 1,000 live births dying and 28 girls.

1.16 boys born for every girl

Sexually selective abortions have been considered as a major cause of China's unusual imbalance.

Gietel-Basten,associate professor in social policy at Oxford University,says the births of many girls are not registered if parents have broken the rule by having two children,adding officials often turn a blind eye.It's estimated there are now 33 million more men than women in China.

4:2:1 families

With the ageing of China's population and the continuation of the one-child policy,a "4:2:1" home is the description given to households in which there are four grandparent,cared for by two working age parents,who themselves have one child.

By 2050,it's predicted that a quarter of China's population will be 65 or order.The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.

1.When was the baby deaths rate for both boys and girls equal?

A. In the 1970s. B. In the 1980s.

C. In the 1990s. D. In the 2000s.

2.What makes the one-child policy abolished accoring to the passage?

A. The decline of birth rate. B. The rise of baby deaths rate.

C. The change of family structure. D. The decline of working age people.

3.The passage sums up the one child policy by .

A. number B. example

C. contrast D. analysis

The giant Sequoia trees in California grip tightly into the floor,but with shallow root,with little depth.Constantly challenging the natural elements and fighting off destruction,the giant Sequoia is "king of the forest".These trees are so tall and strong that eventually they become their own worst enemy.For you see,the Sequoia can resist lightning, storm,and wind,but eventually their roots cannot support their own weight and strength.After hundreds or thousands of years,they tumble to the ground like giant skyscrapers that have fallen from their bases after powerful explosives are detonated（引爆）.

In many ways,many of us are like those giant Sequoias,so proud,so bit,so strong,withstanding wind and fire,yet not allowing our roots to seek deep into life's meaning.Many people have only shallow roots in soft ground,leaving them constantly on the edge of falling over to their destruction.

The first step we should take is to anchor ourselves with the firm intention of establishing strong roots of life and belief.We must trust the ground we stand on,and allow ourselves to plant the rich seeds of passion into our life's soil,nurturing it with the rain of love and joy,then allowing the fertilizer to soak into the very "veins" of the roots, leading to the trunk's healthy development.We've all seen many men with a strong trunk but no roots.They place the material dimension of wealth and finance above their own roots and foundational beliefs.They become so heavy with possessions,money,and the burden of wealth that they finally fall over as the giant Sequoia uproots itself and self-destructs.

1.The Sequoia is called "king of the forest" because it .

A. grips tightly into the forest floor B. grows to be very tall and strong

C. lives to thousands of years D. looks like a skyscraper

2.What does the underlined word "tumble" mean?

A. Explode. B. Reach.

C. Build up. D. Break down.

3.The writer's purpose in introducing the Sequoia is to .

A. tell a life truth

B. encourage struggling people

C. show the meaning of happiness

D. warn people about the danger of becoming strong

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Life Is Rooted in A Strong Belief. B. Our Biggest Enemy Is Ourselves.

C. The Meaning of Life. D. Build Firm Life Foundation.

Many people rush into the commitment of bringing home a four-legged family member,only to find out that they are not ready for a pet.This often results in the dog being turned over to a shelter where it may not find another home.This can be avoided if potential pet owners take the time to figure out if they are truly ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Being a responsible pet owner involves a financial commitment that goes beyond buying dog food.There are also parasite（寄生蟲）prevention,boarding costs while traveling and the cost to care for the pet should it become ill or injured.That is not to say that one must be rich in order to have a dog,but it is important to be prepared for the expenses that come with being a pet owner.

Another consideration is the time commitment.An owner away from home for 14 hours every day is not an ideal situation for a dog.A potential dog owner must also consider the time it takes to care for his or her pet,the time it takes to feed,walk,play with,bathe and clean up.Also,dogs require attention.Be prepared to spend time each day petting and playing with it.

Dogs are dogs,and will act like dogs.This includes barking,digging,having accidents in the house and,possibly, destroying some of the owner's prized possessions,such as furniture,shoes and cell phones.If the above would cause an owner to want to get rid of the dog,then he or she is not yet ready to be a pet owner.Many wonderful pets end up in shelters simply because they acted like dogs!

1.Who might be qualified to be a dog owner according to the text?

A. Kari,a teacher who works eight hours a day.

B. Jim,who has a daughter sensitive to dog's smell.

C. Dick,a jobless teenager who can hardly pay his rent.

D. Steven,a business man who travels a lot on business.

2.To be a responsible dog owner you need to do all the following EXCEPT .

A. buying dog food and feeding it

B. taking it to hospital when necessary

C. spending time each day playing with it

D. finding a shelter for it when you are bored with it

3.What does the underlined part in the first paragraph probably mean?

A. Rush to adopt a dog formally.

B. Commit to buy a dog and take it home.

C. Run into a pet shelter and take one home so quickly.

D. Decide to be a pet owner without thinking about it carefully.

4.What might be the best title for the text?

A. Dogs Are Dogs B. Ready for a Pet?

C. Have Time for a Dog? D. Pets Are Family Members

I had a great time this past summer visiting Stone Mountain Park with my twin grandsons.I had the opportunity to spend the day with them seeing the various sights and attractions.One thing that my grandsons had really wanted to do that particular day was to climb to the top of the mountain.Stone Mountain isn't a particularly tall mountain and fortunately has walking trails to the top,but for two 5-year-olds,along with grandpa,it's a formidable task.

Since my grandson's enthusiasm was much greater than mine,I decided to start the slow walk up the mountain. The beginning part of the trail was slow and gradual.It seemed like we were taking forever to climb just a short distance,but I had to remind myself that it took 3 of their steps to equal 1 of mine,so I found myself walking ahead of them,then having to stop and let them catch up,over and over again.

I was tired and sweaty,just wanting to get to the top of the mountain so I could rest well before starting my way back.I learned early on during our walk that this wasn't going to be the case.We had to stop and look at every large rock with someone's name carved in it.We looked at unusual plant formations.We examined large trees and we explored small rock overhangs that reminded the kids of caves.My grandsons viewed the walk as an exciting adventure.Climbing the mountain was a trial to me but my grandsons were not focused at all on the trial of climbing the mountain;they were simply enjoying the journey of the walk.

I know when I face a trial in life,I tend to always think of the problem.I want the trial to be over quickly and let life get back to normal.What can I learn during the course of the trial? At some point,the trial will be over and we'll be joyous for sure.

However,the real joy should not be that the trial's over,but I am celebrating what I learned during the journey.

1.What does the underlined word "formidable" in Paragraph 1 mean?

A. Relaxing. B. Meaningful.

C. Strange. D. Difficult.

2.What can we know from Paragraph 2?

A. The writer kept challenging his grandsons to catch up with him.

B. Old as the writer was,he walked much faster than his grandsons.

C. The writer and his grandsons walked up the mountain very fast at the beginning.

D. The writer was more eager to climb to the top of the mountain than his grandsons.

3.Why did the writer only want to reach the mountain top?

A. To have a good rest. B. To get a better view.

C. To enjoy unusual plants. D. To see large rocks carved with names.

4.What can be the best title of the text?

A. A tiring day spent with grandsons. B. Joy coming from mountain-climbing.

C. A life lesson learnt from grandsons. D. Learning to enjoy the journey.

1.What we consider polite at home isn't always accepted outside our borders.Don't be regarded rude or disrespectful on your travels.

Gift giving should be a happy,positive experience.2.Giving sharp,pointy objects as gifts is considered unlucky.Be careful when presenting flowers to a friend or a business partner in Russia.Yellow blooms suggest cheat or a relationship breakup.3.Writing cards or notes while visiting South Korea,be mindful of your pen's ink color. Writing a person's name in red ink traditionally suggests that the person has passed away.

4.If you are invited to someone's home for a meal,it's recommended that you arrive 10 to 15 minutes later than the requested time.When having a meal in Egypt,don't use the salt shaker（調(diào)味瓶）which means that you find the meal terrible.Japan is a very polite nation,and their politeness extends to the mealtime use of chopsticks. According to Japanese custom,it's considered ill-mannered to point or play with chopsticks.5.Using the end that touches your mouth is extremely offensive（冒犯的）,not to mention the fact that it's unhygienic（不衛(wèi)生的）.

A.When selecting a present in the Netherlands,don't buy kitchen knives or scissors.

B.Punctuality is considered to be good manners all over the world.

C.When traveling,it's important to learn about the customs of the global village.

D.Red carnations（康乃馨）are usually presented to Mothers.

E.While eating,use the opposite end of your chopsticks to secure food from a shared plate.

F.Being early or on time is viewed as being rude in Venezuela.

G.Traditionally,red carnations are placed on the tombs of the dead.