September is an exciting month in every college freshman’s life. For many, it’s the first time that they’ve left home to live in a new environment. But after the hustle and bustle of a few weeks, excitement gives way to a less enjoyable emotion— homesickness.

Homesickness manifests itself in many ways. You may miss mum’s cooking, your pets, or even your old bed. All this becomes a fond memory of the past. Homesickness can be a bitter feeling for many students, especially when faced with the challenges of settling into an unfamiliar environment.

But remember, you’re not alone. According to a recent BBC article, 70 percent of British college students experience homesickness. In this increasingly globalized world in which people migrate to faraway places for a relationship, education or work, homesickness is a feeling shared by many adults.

Homesickness can have similar symptoms to depression and in extreme cases it can develop into a panic attack. As for the term, homesickness or nostalgia wasn’t invented until the 17th century. It was considered a disorder by a Swiss physician, who attributed soldiers’ mental and physical discomfort to their longing to return home, “nostos” from Greek, and the accompanying pain, “algos”.

Studies in recent years, however, have shown that nostalgia may have some benefits to our mental health. After a decade of surveys and researches, Constantine Sedikides, a US social psychologist, found that nostalgia is what makes us human. He explains that nostalgia can resist loneliness, boredom and anxiety. Therefore, it’s necessary for college students to learn some ways to overcome the uncomfortable feeling.

1. From the first two paragraphs, we can infer that __________.

A. homesickness means a fond memory of the past

B. only a few students will experience homesickness

C. homesickness is an enjoyable emotion among freshmen

D. college freshmen usually suffer from homesickness after weeks

2.According to the passage, we can know that _________.

A. homesickness may cause mental diseases      

B. homesickness is a feeling only shared by adults

C. homesickness won’t do any good to our health

D. homesickness is also called nostalgia in Switzerland

3.What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?

A. some benefits about homesickness            

B. other problems in college freshmen’s life

C. how to make campus life more meaningful     

D. some tips on how to cope with homesickness

4.The attitude of Sedikides towards homesickness is _________.

A. negative     B. supportive     C. skeptical      D. critical

5.What is the best title for the passage?

A. Let’s embrace homesickness

B. How to fit into the college life

C. A harmful emotion—homesickness

D. The disadvantages of homesickness

Most students, when asked about their ideal graduation gift, would probably reply, “A car”, or “Money for a deposit on a house”. Cai Kaiyuan, 21, made a different choice. As a graduation gift to himself, he decided to work as a volunteer teacher in a remote village in Tibet.

Cai, a senior majoring in electrical engineering at Huan Railway Professional Technology College, originally planned to cycle from Sichuan to Tibet. During his journey, Cai’s idea for a different graduation gift to himself began to take shape. “I did not know beforehand what the journey would mean to me. I just want to gain a unique experience and have pleasure in appreciating the view there,” he said.

It turned out cycling on a plateau was extremely challenging. And it has kept changing his outlook on life. Cai’s fingers even became frostbitten while cycling up a 5008-meter-high mountain, where temperatures often dropped to 18 below zero. At night, the ice covered the road and he fell off his bike three times. The lack of oxygen made him feel dizzy and weak. “At the most serious moment, I felt that my life was on the line,” said Cai.

However, he also gained something unexpected. At Ya’an, a city in Sichuan, he met a group of tourists who are also university students. A girl called Wu Ling told him that she planned to work as a teacher in a primary school in Tibet after her journey. He was impressed by the idea as she looked slender and weak.

It was not until he reached a family-run hotel in Shigatse that Cai’s spirits began to rise. The hotel manager’s two daughters enjoyed talking with him. The kids asked about his experiences on his trip, and showed him the beautiful local lakes. “They told me that they always liked to talk to guests, as they wanted to improve their Mandarin,” he said, “Their parents and many locals can only speak Tibetan.”

Cai was touched by the girls’ story. Their situation is tough and the local people have little chance to learn Mandarin because the schools are short of teachers. “I want to do something to improve the situation for kids like them,” said Cai. His parents finally gave their agreement and his teachers also supported him.

1.According to the passage, Cai Kaiyuan’s graduation gift to himself is _________.

A. to have money for a deposit on a house      

B. to travel by cycling from Sichuan to Tibet

C. to own a new car and marry a slender girl     

D. to work as a volunteer teacher in Tibetan school

2.What words can be used to describe Cai’s journey to Tibet?

A. unique and pleasant             B. challenging but rewarding

C. relaxing but unexpected          D. freezing cold and boring

3.The underlined phrase “on the line” in the third paragraph means “ ____________”.

A. in a dilemma                B. making a phone call

C. at risk                     D. very painful

4.The purpose of writing this passage is to ____________.

A. tell us about an unusual graduation gift      

B. introduce a dangerous journey to us

C. give advice on how to travel to Tibet        

D. encourage us to be a teacher in Tibet

5.Which of the followings is NOT the reason for Cai to make his decision?

A. He met Wu Ling and was impressed by her plan.

B. His parents and teachers persuaded him to go to Tibet.

C. He was moved by the kid’s desire to improve their Mandarin.

D. A lack of teachers makes the local people have little chance to learn.

阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。

Silence means no sound. But in fact, there is no  1.  thing as true silence for a living being, because silence  2.    is an exposure of the mind and the heart.

Some people use silence as a disguise(伪装) of the 3.  (empty) of the head. Some use it as  4.  means to describe their puzzlement and sadness. And some use it as a way of  5.  (express) their angers.

What do silent people say? They say that “silence is golden”, but  6.  is the nature of this “gold”? It can include honesty and kindness; it can stand for separation  7.  fame and fortune;   8.  it can also act as an excuse for untruthfulness and cunning.

Is it true that permanent silence 9.  (represent) by death?

Perhaps even death cannot represent true silence, for the carrier of the soul can turn into dust, so that the sincere and wise voices 10.  are from the bottom of the heart will cause long-lasting echoes in the seas of human hearts.

If you ask me when I became a mom, I can tell you that the day I became a mom was not the day my daughter was born, but seven years later when I did the best thing I could do for my daughter and myself. I      us from the home that wasn’t really a home at all.

That day, my daughter and I were sitting in our      home having a quiet dinner just as I had always wanted for her. We were talking about what she had done in school and suddenly her little hand      the full glass of milk by her plate. As I watched the white tablecloth and      painted white wall become dark brown, I looked at her small face. It was filled with      , knowing what the outcome of the event would have meant in her father’s      a week before. When I saw that look on her face and looked at the      running down the wall, I simply started      . I am sure she thought I was    , but then she must have realized that I was thinking, “It’s a good thing your      isn’t here!” She started laughing with me, and we laughed until we      . These were tears of joy and      and were the first of many tears that we cried together. That was the day we knew that we were going to be okay.

That was the day I really became a mom. I    that being a mom isn’t only going to ballet, and attending every school concert. It isn’t keeping a(n)      house and preparing perfect meals. It certainly isn’t       that things are always normal when they are not. For me, being a mom started when I could laugh over spilt milk.

1.A. protectedB. removedC. separatedD. prevented

2.A. newB. oldC. beautifulD. cold

3.A. went overB. picked upC. took onD. knocked over

4.A. firmlyB. carelesslyC. slowlyD. freshly

5.A. pleasureB. fearC. painD. smile

6.A. absenceB. patienceC. presenceD. arrival

7.A. jamB. juiceC. milkD. water

8.A. laughingB. shoutingC. scoldingD. praying

9.A. sadB. excitedC. sickD. crazy

10.A. friendB. fatherC. grandmaD. brother

11.A. criedB. faintedC. sleptD. stopped

12.A. braveryB. horrorC. surpriseD. peace

13.A. questionedB. discoveredC. wonderedD. remembered

14.A. splendidB. messyC. spotlessD. lifeless

15.A. describingB. pretendingC. creatingD. meaning

假如你是成都七中的学生叶子，你的网友Peter听说美国第一夫人米歇尔(Michelle Obama)访问了你的学校，他想了解当时的情况。请按照以下要点给Peter回一封邮件。

1. 具体情况：1）发表演讲并与学生互动；2）与40名学生上了一堂英语课；

             3）参与了一节太极课。

2. 发表自己的感想。

注意：1．词数100左右；     2．可以适当增减细节，以使行文连贯；

      3．开头语已为你写好； 4. 参考词汇：太极------ Tai Chi

Dear Peter,

In the last letter, you’d like to know something about Mrs. Obama’s visit in our school.                                              

Yours sincerely,

Ye Zi

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句最多有两处，每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（\） 划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;

2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Dear Tom,

I am delighted that you have passed the exam successful. What you have gained are the result of your hard work. How time flies! It’s two years before you came to study Chinese in Beijing. In the passed two years, you have helped us a lot, without that we couldn’t have made great progress in English.

Before you leave, many classmate and I intend to hold a farewell party for you, hope that you can remember the wonderful time we spent together. By the way, the party will be held on this Saturday evening in my house. We can take the No.1 bus at the hotel gate and get off bus at the Booking Building. I will be there meeting you.

We’re looking forward to your coming.

Yours sincerely,

                                         Li Hua

I can never wipe off the memory that I met my current stepmom for the first time. After I parted with my father for ages, I moved to America and was     with him. In the beginning, she made sure to let me know that I was welcome in her    . I remember when I first saw her at the    . It was different, but not    . Over the past years there is     I needed that she did not provide. I’m the young woman I’m today because she made sure to     me properly. Yesterday I went to see her for Mother’s Day. When I gave her    , she held my face in both of her hands and kissed me straight on the mouth     I had the flu.

Her simple act of affection     me back to my first night in America. After I was     up from the airport we went home and she     my luggage and took me shopping for new clothes since the ones I had brought with me from Africa were a bit    . That night before I went to bed, she came to my room, the first room I had ever had for my own. She told me she was     to have me and that she would take good care of me. Before she     she asked me for a hug. That was my     first hug and I was 11 years old at that time.

I’m 23 years old now and I have received many     over the past years, but none has given me a greater     or deeper impression. I regarded her as my     mother because my new life began when I came to     with her. Today I say to my mother, Mrs. Sherrill Kirundi, thank you, mom. Thank you for your giving me my     childhood back.

1.A. connectedB. reunited    C. associated    D. attached

2.A. life        B. mind        C. bedroom    D. office

3.A. shop    B. railway stationC. airport        D. bus-stop

4.A. strange    B. easy        C. unforgettableD. uncomfortable

5.A. somethingB. anything    C. nothing    D. everything

6.A. approachB. raise        C. criticize    D. value

7.A. gifts    B. keys        C. money        D. dresses

8.A. so that    B. in case        C. as though    D. even though

9.A. paid    B. took        C. talked        D. companied

10.A. brought    B. looked        C. picked        D. called

11.A. grasped    B. unpacked     C. mended    D. added

12.A. more    B. newer         C. cheaper    D. worn

13.A. glad    B. hard         C. unlucky    D. anxious

14.A. died    B. awaked     C. left        D. entered

15.A. very     B. quite         C. ever        D. just

16.A. letters     B. offers         C. hugs         D. presents

17.A. success     B. advance     C. future     D. excitement

18.A. step     B. second     C. hope         D. birth

19.A. discuss     B. stay         C. share         D. work

20.A. last     B. happy     C. sad         D. real

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

A few things to do during weekends to improve your life

Weekend at last! Something you’re so looking forward to after a tiring week at work. Here are several tips on how to make the most of your weekends.

Spend time with loved ones. Reconnect with family members or friends you neglected(疏忽) lately. Don’t do it out of guilt or because you have to. Do it because you want to. Reach out to them to see how they are doing.   1.  Return their calls if you were busy when they last tried to reach you. Talk to them. Listen to them. Be there for them.

  2.  Stay away from TV, iPad, iPhone and any other electronic devices. Unplug! Your brain needs to clear up from all the stress you’ve put on yourself during the week. Why not read a book instead? A paper one. Seriously, when was the last time you did that?

Laugh, laugh and laugh again. You can never have enough of it. Laugh is the best medicine ever.   3.  For example, it helps you manage stress, strengthen your immune system and you are 40 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.

Express appreciation. 4.    Be grateful for your family, friends, health, the food you put on the table, the clothes you wear and the air that you breathe.

There you are. Doing a few things during weekends will have a positive long-term effect on your life.    5.   .

A. Apply the “no technology” rule.

B. Pause and pay attention to your thoughts.

C. Friendship is the best source of happiness.

D. Don’t call them only when you need them.

E. Put them into practice and you’ll beat the Monday Blues.

F. It benefits your mental and physical health in so many ways.

G. This is something you should be doing every day, not only on weekends.

The Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, is the best place in Europe for discovering dinosaur bones. Dinosaur Farm Museum was established in 1993. Since then, the museum has introduced the study of old bones to many more people.

What we offer

Visitors can enjoy our displays, or watch us cleaning dinosaur bones and other fossils found on the island’s beaches.

The museum has a variety of different fossils, many of them never displayed to the public before. As more are discovered all the time, you can be sure of seeing something new each time you visit.

We have a free Fossil Identification Service, so you can bring in any fossils you have and find out what they are. In addition, we have a reasonably-priced Museum Shop, where you can buy a souvenir of your visit. You could also bring a picnic and relax in our special picnic area.

Activities

Fossil hunts are organized from the museum and run all year round. Groups of up to 25 are guided on a local beach where they can search for fossils. All these hunts are fully licensed and insured, and guides can help to identify any fossils found and point out things of interest.

Due to the popularity of these hunts, all trips must be booked by a personal visit to Dinosaur Farm Museum.

Did you know…?

The BBC programme “Live from Dinosaur Island” was filmed along the coast here, and Dinosaur Farm Museum was the base for the television crew.

Find out more

Check out our website at www.isleofwight/dinosaurfarm to learn in detail how we dig for dinosaurs. You can also read about the many different kinds of dinosaurs which lived in this area, which was connected to Europe 120 million years ago.

1.Why are there always new fossils to see at the museum?

A. New fossils are discovered constantly.

B. People keep donating fossils to the museum.

C. Only a few of the fossils are displayed each day.

D. The museum exchanges fossils with other museums.

2.Which of the following is free of charge at the museum?

A. Food for a picnic.                 

B. Attending fossil hunts.

C. Having fossils identified.           

D. A souvenir of the museum.  

3.One can book a fossil hunt _____.

A. through a BBC programme         

B. through the museum’s website

C. by making a call to the museum     

D. by visiting the museum personally

Shirley Temple, who died on February 10, 2014, was that rare example of a Hollywood child star who, when the cameras stopped rolling, carved out a new career.

For four years, she was Hollywood’s biggest box-office star representing the kind of sweet, innocent girl that everyone wanted as their daughter. However, years later, she reappeared as a successful politician.

Shirley Temple was born in Santa Monica, California on 23 April 1928. Encouraged by her mother, she learned to dance while she was just three.

In 1934, Stand Up and Cheer became her first film and the film was a great success. At the age of six she was earning $1,250 a week — more than $21,000 at today’s values.

Across the world, audiences flocked to see her in films such as Little Miss Marker, The Little Colonel and The Littlest Rebel.

In 1935 she was awarded a special Oscar (Academy Award) and her foot and hand prints were added to those of stars such as Jean Harlow and Mary Pickford outside Grauman’s Chinese theatre in Hollywood. The peak of her film career came in 1939 when The Little Princess became a box-office success.

Temple starred in a total of 43 feature films. But she found it difficult to maintain her film career in adulthood and retired from Hollywood in 1950.

She disappeared from the spotlight for nearly 20 years. She returned to the public eye in 1967, as a Republican candidate for Congress. When Nixon became president, he rewarded her with an appointment to the American delegation to the United Nations. Then, in 1974, President Ford appointed her the United States Ambassador(大使) to Ghana. George Bush Snr, appointed her Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.

Shirley Temple drew a line between her childhood stardom and her later political career. “Some people are stuck on this image of the little girl,” she once said. “She is not me. We shouldn’t live in the past; my life is now.” Nevertheless, for many across the world, the name Shirley Temple always called to mind a superstar child.

1.Shirley Temple died at the age of _____.

A. 75             B. 80            C. 86           D. 90

2.What happened to Shirley Temple when she was 7 years old?

A. She won a special Oscar.          

B. She began to learn to dance.

C. She appeared in her first film.      

D. She retired from Hollywood.

3.Which of the following represents the peak of Shirley Temple’s film career?

A. Stand Up and Cheer.              B. Little Miss Marker.

C. The Little Colonel.                D. The Little Princess.

4.We can infer that _____.

A. the films in which Shirley Temple starred in adulthood were not popular

B. Jean Harlow and Mary Pickford appeared in the same film with Temple

C. Shirley Temple succeeded in being elected as Congresswoman in 1967

D. Shirley Temple was the youngest person to receive an Academy Award