| 1. 难度：中等 | |
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Nowadays women appear to have a positive image of themselves as safer drivers than men. In a survey done for insurer MetLife, 51% of women said they drive more safely. The evidence is on their side: Men are 3.4 times more likely than women to get a ticket for careless driving and 3.1 times as likely to be punished for drunk driving. “Women are on average less aggressive and more law abiding (守法的) drivers, which leads to fewer accidents,” the report says. However, not all male drivers share the same opinion. Of the men surveyed by MetLife, 39% claimed male drivers were safer. The findings did back them upon one point: automotive knowledge. The report showed that more men are familiar with current safety equipment such as electronic stability control，which helps prevent rollover accidents. Auto safety unavoidably matters to Money. Insurance companies focus on what classes of drivers have the lowest dollar amounts of claims, and for now, that mainly includes women. In general, women pay about 9% less for auto insurance than men. A study by the website Insweb also showed that auto insurance rates are lower for women in most states. Among individual states, women get the greatest, advantage in Wyoming (where they pay 20% less), South Dakota and Washington, D.C, where their insurance costs are 16% lower. “More than 11,900 male drivers died in US traffic accidents in 2009，compared with just under 4,900 women drivers” according to the study. “Based on miles traveled, men died at a rate of 2.5 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, vs.1.7 deaths for women.” 1.According to the study，female drivers ________. A. are more aggressive while driving B. are more interested in auto knowledge C. are more likely to stick to driving laws D. are more familiar with safety equipment 2.Insurance companies focus on female driver clients probably because they________. A. cause more accidents on the road B. pay more money to the insurance companies C. take the most part of the insurance clients D. have the lowest amount of money on insurance claims 3.We can infer from the passage that________. A. men are 3.1 times more likely to get tickets than women B. all women in the USA pay the same for their auto insurance C. more female drivers die every year than male drivers D. women are generally safer drivers than the opposite gender 4.The writer mainly develops paragraphs by________. A. giving examples B. making comparisons C. drawing a conclusion D. presenting an argument
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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On countless mornings over the past year, I stood with my son, James, in our driveway, watching our neighbor hurry off to kindergarten. My wife and I wanted to give James the best education, but that meant we’d have to change our jobs and spend less time with our kid. I asked myself, “Would this trade-off be worth it?” When I look at the research on child development, I think it might not. Where our kids go to school might matter less than most American parents think. Social scientists have long tried to determine why some children grow up to be successful. In a 2001 study, Greg Duncan, a professor of education at the University of California, measured the influence that the people in a child’s life have on how well the child does in school. Duncan and his team found almost no relationship between how students did on the test and whom they sat beside in class, whom they hung out with after school and who lived in their block. The only meaningful link they found was between siblings（兄弟姐妹）and twins in particular. For a long time, scholars thought that a family’s income heavily affected how well kids did in life. But that might not be the case. When Susan Mayer at the University of Chicago looked at the relationship between family income and lifetime achievement, she ran a series of experiments to measure it, finding such outcomes weren’t caused by income. She argued that the things that make a difference are relatively inexpensive: the number of books a kid has or how often his family goes to museums. Lareau, another scholar began one of the most in-depth observations of American parenting. He concluded that success is much more related to the amount of time parents spend with their children. He said “Many parents I interviewed are anxious about their children’s futures．But they have exaggerated（夸大）the sense of the risks involved if they don't give their children the best of everything..” So at last, we decided to leave things as it were. More time with our kid is the best we can provide. 1.The first paragraph is intended to __________. A. introduce the topic of the passage B. confirm the result of a research C. stress the importance of good education D. support a research on child development 2.From the passage we know that most American parents _________. A. spend a lot of time with their children B. like to buy a variety of books for their children C. think children's achievement largely depends on schools D. believe their income cannot afford children's education 3.Who believes children's brothers and sisters may influence their academic performance? A．Lareau． B．Greg Duncan． C．Susan Mayer． D．James． 4.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? A. Parents' time matters to children's future． B. School education determines children's future． C. Family income counts to children's achievements． D. Less education means more risks for children's success．
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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What will power your house in the future？Nuclear, wind or solar power？According to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, it might be leaves — but artificial (人造的) ones. Natural leaves are able to change sunlight and water into energy. It is known as photosynthesis (光合作用). Now researchers have found a way to imitate this seemingly simple process. The artificial leaf developed by Daniel Nocera and his colleagues at MIT can be seen as a special silicon chip with catalysts (催化剂). Similar to natural leaves, it can split water into hydrogen and oxygen when put into a bucket of water. The hydrogen and oxygen gases are then stored in a fuel cell，which uses those two materials to produce electricity，located either on top of a house or beside the house. Though the leaf is only about the shape of a poker card, scientists claimed that it is promising to be an inexpensive source of electricity in developing countries. “One can imagine villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology,” said Nocera at a conference of the American Chemical Society. The artificial leaf is not a new idea. The first artificial leaf was invented in 1997 but was too expensive and unstable for practical use. The new leaf, by contrast, is made of cheap materials, easy to use and highly stable. In laboratory studies, Nocera showed that an artificial leaf prototype (原型) could operate continuously for at least 45 hours without a drop in activity. The wonderful improvements come from Nocera’s recent discovery of several powerful, new and inexpensive catalysts. These catalysts make the energy transformation inside the leaf more efficient with water and sunlight. Right now, the new leaf is about 10 times more efficient at carrying out photosynthesis than a natural one. Besides, the device can run in whatever water is available; that is, it doesn’t need pure water. This is important for some countries that don’t have access to pure water. With the goal to “make each home its own power station” and “give energy to the poor”，scientists believe that the new technology could be widely used in developing countries，especially in India and rural China. 1.Which of the following orders correctly shows how the artificial leaf is used to produce electricity? a. artificial leaves split water into hydrogen and oxygen b. the hydrogen and oxygen gases are stored in a fuel cell c. the artificial leaves are put in water d. the fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity A. c, a, b, d B. c, b, a, d C. b, c, a, d D. c, a, d, b 2.The purpose of the scientists at MIT in developing the new artificial leaf is to ________. A. build up more power stations in the world B. provide cheaper energy for developing countries C. offer people in developing countries access to pure water D. gain a deeper understanding of the photosynthesis process 3.The main idea of this passage is ________. A. an introduction to the history of artificial leaves B. a mixture of water power and solar energy C. giving energy to the poor D. an invention copying photosynthesis
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| 4. 难度：中等 | |
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If you feel at present that you don’t have enough friends in your life, one reason may be that you have let yourself become too busy to make time for the relationships you already have. Starting and keeping friendship requires effort and commitment. Our lives let many of us become so busy with work and other things that we don’t get around to scheduling time for pleasure and renewal（叙旧）with the friends, relatives and acquaintances we already have. Making the effort to call your friends more regularly and accept more of the invitations you receive from others can improve your social life quickly! Are there any people you could call right now and are assured of a pleasant welcome? Are there people that you could count on to help you in time of difficulty? Can you have close talks with them? Do you have fun when you are together? Are you happy to have them in your life? If you haven’t seen most of them lately, is it because you have become too busy? Have you lived apart? Was there an argument? If the main reason you haven’t been getting together with the people you already know is that you have got too busy, take a good look at how you spend your time. Compare it with your real values and priorities（优先考虑的事）in life. Is your busy lifestyle really bringing you the quality of life that you want? If you have become too busy to have time for friends, why has this happened? Are you seeking material joys in your life at the expense of relationships with other human beings? Have you allowed your time to be over-committed because you never say “No” to anyone? Do you insist on doing things by yourself that could be delegated to others? If so, why? Do you believe that everything depends on you? Examine whether the way you are now spending your time accurately reflects your deepest values and priorities. Make sure that you schedule adequate time for the things that are truly most important to you. If you really want to keep friends in your life, make space in your schedule and in your heart for them. 1.In this passage the author mainly discusses ____. A. how to balance friendship and work B. how to spend our spare time C. whether we should keep friendship D. whether we should invite friends to dinner 2.Which of the following doesn’t indicate a good relationship? A. You have someone to count on when you are in trouble. B. You have someone to have close talks with. C. You have fun when you are with someone. D. You feel depressed with others in life. 3. .What does the underlined word “ delegated ” in Paragraph 7 probably mean? A. declined B. replaced C. appointed D. handled 4.What is the most important feature of the writing style of the passage? A. Offering arguments B. Raising questions C. Making comparisons D. Giving examples
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| 5. 难度：中等 | |
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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。 Sometimes willpower is a lot like the television remote control—hard to find just when you want it most. __1.__ But there are ways to increase your willpower. Don’t try to change your economic situation, win a promotion and lose weight all on the same morning. Set one clear, specific goal and make a realistic plan to achieve it .Extra willpower sometimes requires extra energy, so don't spread yourself too thin. 2. Whatever your goal is, don't expect to achieve it overnight, _3.__ If you are trying to kick a coffee habit, start by replacing your morning cup of coffee with a glass of water, instead of promising never to drink coffee again. Congratulate yourself on the small achievements. These successes help your willpower grow. __4.__ Ask friends, family or colleagues for assistance and tell them exactly how they can help. If your credit card bills have risen, for instance, let friends know that you are cutting back on expenses. Suggest having a common dinner instead of meeting at an expensive restaurant. Find a support group or organization related to your goal and attend their meetings. You can get valuable advice, understanding and information. If possible, change your environment to encourage positive behavior. Want to get in shape? Keep an extra set of workout clothes in your office as a reminder to stop by the gym on the way home. Quitting smoking? __5.__ A. Real success takes time. B. Focus on one goal at a time. C. Change your environment to change your life. D. Improve your willpower by a support network. E. Changing your behavior requires more than willpower. F. Avoid bars or restaurants where you might be attracted to light up. G. Breaking a bad habit or forming a new and healthy one can be difficult.
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| 6. 难度：中等 | |
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Youth sports teach kids to develop a winning state of mind as well as the ability to become team leaders. Although having is a major part of athletics, the only purpose of sports is to compete and create the mentality（心态）people need in sports. have the extremely hard task of getting their young athletes to learn how to play the sport and become disciplined, and ready to play the sport to the best of their ability. , I was at my younger brother’s baseball game the other night and his team was by five runs in the last part of the game. While most teams in this situation would be desperately trying to regain their for heroics, his team just seemed to slowly walk around, sunflower seeds, and laugh at jokes made by teammates. I asked my brother after the game why everybody was so about the loss and he said it was because some kid’s mom brought really good snacks. Some parents have a with coaches shouting at their child. If a child makes a mistake, it is the coach’s to correct the problem. When parents get involved in telling the coach how to the team, problems . Some parents feel if they pay their money, they should have an equal on how to coach the team. In order to have a successful learning experience, the coach needs to feel like he can control his team and the parents from having the last say. Without that, the coach feels as if he needs to the parents by giving more playing time to their kids who actually don’t it. With youth sport programs becoming less competitive, club teams are on the . More teens can get an easier access to them. Club teams more of what high school and junior high coaches are looking for, the competitive edge that is absolutely necessary in . While having fun is important, skills and a mentality is worth more in the world of sports. 1.A. fun B. dignity C courage D. patience 2.A. social B. competitive C. healthy D. responsible 3.A. Coaches B. Parents C. Experts D. Headmasters 4.A. As a result B. In addition C. For example D. On the contrary 5.A. up B. below C. above D. down 6.A. scores B. goals C. spirits D. dreams 7.A. chew B. spit C. count D. swallow 8.A. worried B. happy C. serious D. casual 9.A. joke B. problem C. contact D. compromise 10.A. duty B. experience C. awareness D. turn 11.A. dismiss B. unite C. handle D. assess 12.A. stand out B. break out C. work out D. come out 13.A. say B. guidance C. response D. reward 14.A. protect B. defend C. excuse D. discourage 15.A. assist B. motivate C. please D. blame 16.A. want B. deserve C. value D. appreciate 17.A. way B. decline C. go D. rise 18.A. offer B. require C. seek D. preserve 19.A. academicsB. sports C. exams D. competitions 20.A. risking B. controlling C. winning D. cooperating
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| 7. 难度：中等 | |
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Chinese proverbs are rich and they are still widely used in Chinese people’ daily life. 1. these proverbs there are often interesting stories. For example, the proverb, “pulling up a crop __2. (help) it grow”, is based on the following story. It is said that a short-tempered man in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) was very anxious to help 3. rice crop grow up quickly. He was thinking about 4. day and night. But the crop was growing much slower than he expected. One day, he came up with an idea 5.__ he would pluck up all of his crop a few inches. He did so the next day. He was very tired __6. doing this for a whole day, 7. he felt very happy since the crop did “grow” 8. (high). His son heard about this and went to see the crop. Unfortunately the leaves of the crop began to wither. This proverb is saying we have to let things go in their 9. (nature) course. Being too anxious to help an event develop often __10. (result) in the contrary to our intention.
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| 8. 难度：中等 | |
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Do you read reviews after you see a movie? I use to do that, but I usually regretted. I read so much about a movie on advance that I often ended up not go to see it at all. The writers point out everything that is wrong with the film, but seldom mentions anything good about one. They also tell many things and even the ending of the movie. Lately I have changed way I choose movies to watch. I read reviews afterwards if necessary. What is very importance to me is that I don’t watch the talk shows in that people discuss movies. And I don’t ask other people how they like of it. Now, I enjoy myself even more.
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| 9. 难度：中等 | |
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假设你是李明。上周末你的美国网友Jack在给你的电子邮件中问你打算在大学里学什么专业。请你根据下面的提示，给他回一封100词左右的邮件。 礼节性的开头语并引出问题。 首先打算学农学。理由是： 农业是人类生存的基础。 还有很多人在挨饿。 你的雄心壮志。 学医也行；希望Jack提供建议 Dear Jack, ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
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