| 1. 难度：中等 | |
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As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us. Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks. The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem. Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days. Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool. The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction(灭绝)—up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins. But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu. In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations. Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years. These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins. Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products. These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life. Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business. The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury(奢侈的)goods has become a fullscale war. The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming. Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for highend products that rely on killing animals. 1.The underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________. A．show B．keep C．follow D．change 2.From the passage, we know ________. A．Jackie Chan and Ang Lee make fin soup popular B．a lot of wild animals have been killed for products C．Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspires us to protect sharks D．the number of African elephants has been increased 3.．What can we infer from the passage? A．More animals for highend products will be saved. B．People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup. C．Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants. D．Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals.
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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On May 23rd the United States Department of Agriculture will meet to discuss the pressing topic of wild pigs. These beasts, which number 6 million or so, are an increasing bother. At their worst, they can damage crops, spread diseases, attack humans and kill farm animals. And things are getting worse: a study show that they are likely to double in number over the next 3 years. Why is it so hard to control wild pigs? Introduced to America in the 16th century, and related to the wild pigs found in Europe, wild pigs can be found in 75% of all states. No single law exists to control them and regulations differ between states: while in Missouri they can only be shot if met by chance, in Texas hunting is actively encouraged. A “pork chopper” law allows Texan hunters to shoot wild pigs from helicopters, and some people in Louisiana have even built their own pighunting drone(无人机). As well as being popular with hunters, wild pigs are cheaper for game raisers to breed(饲养)than deer. In Michigan and Pennsylvania suggested bans on the private breeding of pigs for hunting have caused quarrels between game raisers and wildlife officials. Wild pigs' double nature——considered pests by farmers, but valued by hunters——makes it hard to pass laws to control them. Two other factors also contribute. Nearly 70% of land in America is privately owned. And it is difficult for lawmakers to impose(强加)breeding and hunting laws on private landowners. Secondly, it is hard to define a wild pig. In some states, laws are being introduced to redefine the term “wild animal” to keep out wild pigs. This is good news for those raising pigs for hunting, but less are to those who consider them pests whose number should be limited. Meanwhile, discussions continue over how to deal with this problem. 1.People are not permitted to hunt wild pigs freely in ________. A．Texas B．Michigan C．Missouri D．Louisiana 2.Why do the game raisers prefer raising wild pigs to deer? A．It's difficult to raise deer. B．Wild pigs are in large numbers. C．Deer are not popular with hunters. D．They can benefit more from wild pigs. 3.Which is NOT the reason for the difficulty in controlling wild pigs? A．The difficulty of passing effective laws. B．The high percentage of land owned privately. C．The farmers' unwillingness to shoot wild pigs. D．The popularity of raising wild pigs in many states. 4.What is the best title of the text? A．Why are wild pigs so hard to control? B．Are wild pigs pests or wild animals? C．Wild pigs——an increasing danger in the US. D．How to deal with the problem of wild pigs?
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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Steve knew he'd been adopted as a baby, and when he turned 18, in 2003, he decided he'd try to track down his birth mother. The agency from which he'd been adopted gave him his mother's name: Tallady. But online searches didn't turn up any results about it, and Steve had to let it go. In 2007, though, he searched for the name again online. This time, the search results included a home address near the Lowe's store where Steve, then 22, worked as a deliveryman. When he mentioned the coincidence to his boss, his boss said, “You mean Tallady, who works here？” Steve and Tallady, a cashier, had said hello to each other a few times at the store, but they'd never really talked. He hadn't even known her name. Steve thought there was no possible way she was his mother though they shared the same name. For a few months, Steve avoided Tallady. “I wasn't sure how to approach her，” he told a local reporter. Finally, the agency volunteered to arrange their reunion. When Tallady realized that the nice guy she'd been waving at was his son, she sobbed. She'd always hoped to meet her birth son one day. Later that day, mother and son talked for almost three hours at a nearby bar. She'd given him up for adoption in 1985, when she was 23. “I wasn't ready to be a mother，” she told him. Married with two other children, Tallady says, “I have a complete family now.” 1.Steve gave up the online search for his birth mother in 2003 because ________. A．the agency didn't give him any help B．there was no information about his mother C．his mother didn't turn up online D．he missed the information about his mother 2.．What did Steve find about his mother online in 2007? A．Her home address. B．Her full name. C．Her boss's name. D．Her new job. 3.Why Steve avoided Tallady for months? A．Because she didn't want to talk to him. B．Because he wasn't fully prepared for the reunion. C．Because she was very difficult to approach. D．Because he didn't think she was his birth mother. 4.The best title for the text is ________. A．The Love of Mother B．An Unexpected Meeting C．The Power of the Internet D．An Unusual Reunion
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| 4. 难度：中等 | |
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To Friend or Not to Friend We all love our parents and turn to them when we're in need, but would you like them to hear the conversations you have with your friends on the school playground or lunch queue? Social networking sites have become extensions of the school hallways, so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends? In the past the generation gap included a technology gap, where children were up to date with latest technology and parents were left behind, content to continue their day to day lives as they always had because they had no need to know more about technology. However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives. This realization has given many parents the motivation to educate themselves about social networking sites. These days many people are attracted to social networking sites because they can choose who they have around them; there's also a certain amount of control over privacy that we don't get in real life. Sometimes we feel that privacy is violated when we must accept a “friend” request from a parent or family member. It's a difficult choice whether or not to allow a parent to become a part of our online lives. On the one hand we don't want to “reject” their request because that might hurt their feelings or make them feel you have something to hide. On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before. A recent survey suggested that parents shouldn't take it personally if their child ignores their request: “When a teen ignores a parent's friend request, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are hiding something, but it could mean that this is one part of their life where they want to be independent.” Perhaps talking with parents and giving explanations would help soften the blow if you do choose not to add them to your friends list. 1.From Paragraph 2, we learn that ________. A．parents feel secure about their privacy online B．social networks successfully fill the generation gap C．parents have realized the importance of social networks D．social networks offer a platform for parents to communicate 2.Teenagers may refuse a parent's friend request because ________. A．they hide something from their parents B．they are unwilling to be watched by parents C．their parents tend to fall behind in technology D．their parents make negative comments on them 3.The passage is mainly about ________. A．privacy online B．social networks C．the generation gap D．parents' friend requests 4.The passage is written mainly for ________. A．parents B．teenagers C．teachers D．researchers
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| 5. 难度：中等 | |
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Music to My Ears Robby was 10 for his first piano lesson in my class. Much as he tried, he ____ even the basic rhythm. However, he dutifully reviewed the pieces that I required. Over the months he tried and tried while I ____ and encouraged him. At the end of each lesson he'd always say, “My mom's going to hear me play some day.” ____ it seemed hopeless. I only knew his mother from a ____ as she waited in her aged car to pick him up. Then one day Robby stopped coming. I was secretly ____ that he stopped because of his lack of ability. Weeks later I informed the students, including Robby, of the coming recital(独奏). To my ____， Robby asked me if he could be included. I told him he really did not qualify because he had ____ out. He said his mom had been sick and unable to take him to lessons but he was still ____ . “I've just got to play！” he ____. Something inside me let me allow him to. Then came the recital night. The gym was ____ with parents. I put Robby up ____， thinking that I could save his poor performance through my “curtain closer(谢幕)．” The recital went off smoothly. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair was ____. “Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night？” I thought. Robby pulled out the piano bench and began. I was not ____ for what I heard next. His fingers were ____ on the keys. Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people of his age. After he ended, everyone was ____ their feet in wild applause. In ____ I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby. “I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How did you ____ it？” Robby explained, “Well, Miss Hondorf…remember I told you my mom was sick? …____ she had cancer and passed away yesterday. She was born deaf, so tonight she could hear me play in heaven. I wanted to make it special.” There wasn't a ____ eye in the house. That night I felt he was the teacher and I was the pupil, for it was he who taught me the meaning of perseverance and ____. 1.A.lacked B．had C．showed D．got 2.A.listened B．learned C．checked D．played 3.A.And B．But C．So D．Or 4.A.conversation B．performance C．distance D．picture 5.A.guilty B．sad C．anxious D．glad 6.A.relief B．surprise C．pleasure D．satisfaction 7.A.stepped B．worn C．run D．dropped 8.A.acting B．performing C．practicing D．recording 9.A.insisted B．suggested C．complained D．threatened 10.A.lined B．packed C．piled D．covered 11.A.least B．most C．first D．last 12.A.messy B．cool C．neat D．dull 13.A.eager B．concerned C．prepared D．grateful 14.A.hesitating B．dancing C．touching D．crawling 15.A.over B．under C．in D．on 16.A.chaos B．tears C．silence D．return 17.A.find B．feel C．make D．like 18.A.Gradually B．Suddenly C．Frequently D．Actually 19.A.dry B．curious C．bright D．wet 20.A.regret B．talent C．love D．courage
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