| 1. 难度：中等 | |
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On 29 May last year, I was doing my swim training for a half Ironman race in the bay near my home. I was finishing my first loop (圈) when I felt jaws coming around my body and a sharp pain. The water was dark, so I couldn’t see anything. It just came out of nowhere and then it was gone in a flash. I knew it was something really big and assumed it was a shark. I panicked, but knew I needed to get out of the water. I was kicking wildly in case it came back. There was a lifeguard boat close by, so I waved my arms in the air and screamed for help. It got to me within 20 seconds. At that point I didn’t feel anything; adrenaline (肾上腺素) had taken over. The lifeguards held me under the arms and pulled me up out of the water. Then the pain kicked in and it was pretty hard to bear. Some muscle had been bitten off my right arm. I felt a lot of warm, gushing blood. My chest felt heavy, as if someone had put their foot on it, and I was having trouble breathing. It was extremely painful. When I got to the hospital, I told the nurses to put me to sleep because of the pain. I just wanted them to fix me. I woke up after surgery four hours later. My doctor was amazed when I managed to move my fingers: the bite just missed a major nerve. My right lung had been damaged; I had several broken bones and a nerve in my leg was cut, so I have reduced feeling at the top of my leg. The shark also bit through my upper back muscle. Local experts determined that the shark was probably 9-10 feet long. It was young, about seven years old. It just attacked me, left and didn’t come back because it figured I wasn’t food. 1.The writer mentions Adrenaline in Paragraph 2 to ________. A. explain why she didn’t feel pain at that time B. offer a possible reason the shark attacked her C. show how dangerous the situation was then D. describe the suffering a shark bite could cause 2.The writer of the text can be best described as ________. A. grateful B. confident C. tough D. aggressive 3.Which of the following might be the best title for the text? A. A Shark from Nowhere B. Surviving a Shark Attack C. A Race against Time D. No Panic over Sharks at Sea
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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It is made from grapes grown without pesticides (杀虫剂) and chemicals, is kind to the environment and rarely causes hangovers (酒后头痛). Sales of organic wine are booming in the UK. According to the organic food and farming group Soil Association, sales of organic beers, wines and spirits rose by 14.3% last year to reach nearly £6 million, driven by the demand from consumers who are increasingly seeking “natural” food. “It seems that people are rediscovering their link with the environment through organic food. Organic wines also taste better, perhaps due to less use of man-made chemicals.” said Finn Cottle of Soil Association. As well as the benefits of producing grapes without using pesticides, organic wine also contains less sulphur dioxide (二氧化硫), which can contribute towards hangovers. Supermarkets are increasing supplies on their shelves to meet consumer demand, while the switch to online shopping has also helped, as people are more easily able to find what they are looking for. Vintage Roots is now one of the UK’s biggest online shops of organic wine, while Ocado provides more than 100 different organic wines and Daylesford, best-known for its organic vegetable boxes, has branched out into organic wine and spirits. The discount supermarket Aldi is set to start its first collection of so-called “green” wines this week, offering eight wines with organic certificates. Aldi expects the wines to appeal to the young shoppers who are increasingly concerned about the environmental influence of the produce that they are buying and consuming. English organic wine producer Oxney Estate’s Noir Rosé recently won the Waitrose prize for the most outstanding rosé wine at the competition. A spokeswoman for Waitrose said: “Organic wine is a growing trend globally and we have seen sales increase by 16% in the last year”. 1.Sales of organic wine are increasing probably because ________. A. consumers are now more environmentally aware B. it offers a very different taste from traditional wine C. consumers are tired of hangovers after drinking D. it contains no sulphur dioxide or pesticide 2.What’s the main idea of paragraph 4? A. UK supermarkets welcome organic wine and spirits. B. Online shopping promotes the sales of organic wine. C. There’re not enough supplies of organic wine in the UK. D. Supermarkets should go online to sell more wine. 3.“Waitrose” in the last paragraph is probably ________. A. a wine producer B. an organic wine C. a wine competition D. a news agency 4.The writing purpose of the text is to ________. A. persuade readers to go green while drinking B. compare organic wine and traditional wine C. share with readers wines without hangovers D. introduce a new consuming trend in the UK
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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It’s official. Denmark—as well as being the world’s best country to live in for women with the second-happiest people and one of the best healthcare systems in Europe—has the most contented babies. Or, at least, the ones who cry the least. According to research published in the Journal of Pediatrics, Danish, German and Japanese babies cry the least, while British, Canadian and Italian babies cry the most. “I’m not surprised,” Danish parenting expert and co-author of The Danish Way of Parenting Jessica Alexander tells me. “The first year of a child’s life is considered so important in Denmark. Danish parents are much less stressed because they get good maternity and paternity leave (孕产假). The atmosphere is much calmer and, if mothers are getting more time off, that goes hand in hand with less stress, more contact, more routines and less crying.” She pauses before throwing in a final tip: “Oh, and Danish babies sleep outdoors a lot.” In Denmark, a woman is given four weeks pregnancy leave followed by 52 weeks of paid leave that can be shared between parents. And Alexander thinks there is another important reason why Danish babies cry less: breastfeeding. “It’s just the done thing in Denmark,” she says of a country that has the world’s highest breastfeeding rates. “In other countries, there are continual discussions about whether you should or shouldn’t breastfeed. In Denmark, breastfeeding has never gone out of style. And everyone does it for a year.” For Iben Sandahl, Alexander’s co-author, it comes down to the Danish attitude to life in general. “We are an honest and pure people,” she tells me. “We are surrounded by social support and are less likely to become angry, sad or annoyed when our babies are crying. And we are good at embracing (拥抱) all kinds of feelings, so we aren’t scared. Instead, we try to connect with the babies when they cry. It’s how babies communicate and it’s about trying to understand it.” 1.Which of the following can make a baby cry less? A. An effective healthcare system. B. More company from a parent. C. An energetic busy mother. D. More chances to meet fellow babies. 2.It can be learned from the text that ________. A. something in the milk from breastfeeding can keep babies happy B. Demark is second to none in protecting its females’ rights C. Danish parents’ attitudes to a baby’s first year vary considerably D. breastfeeding is a common and accepted practice in Denmark 3.When babies cry, Danish parents will probably ________. A. try to figure out what they want B. put them outdoors for a good sleep C. seek social support for guidance D. wait a moment for them to calm down
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| 4. 难度：中等 | |
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Make Your Brain Smarter You know that eating a proper diet and getting plenty of exercise help make your body healthy and strong. But did you know that there are ways to make your brain healthier and smarter? Studies show that when the brain is forced to do something new, it creates new neural (神经的) pathways. 1. ● Limit your TV viewing. Watching an average TV show requires very little brain power and brings the same result as neglecting (忽视) physical exercise. 2. If you watch TV, choose something educational and informative. ● Use your non-dominant (非支配的) hand. If you are right-handed, use your left hand for everyday activities, or use your right hand if you are left-handed. Doing familiar things in a new way will cause your brain to create new neural networks. Brushing our teeth is something we do daily. 3. But maybe we should. Experts suggest that we can force the brain to work by changing things up and working with our non-dominant hand. So the next time you brush your teeth, open the tube, apply your toothpaste and brush with the opposite hand. ● 4. Jump in the shower and shut your eyes. Even if you drop the soap—that’s okay. 5.Searching for the soap while feeling the textures (质地) with your eyes closed works. Using your fingers to make fine distinctions between objects or textures can reconnect the brain areas involved in touch, suggests Larry Katz, a professor of neurobiology at Duke University Medical Center and author. A. Shower with your eyes closed. B. Smart people rarely follow a set pattern. C. The more pathways you have, the smarter you will be. D. Use your different senses. E. We really don’t put that much thought into it. F. Put your brain to best use. G. Your brain will become weak just as your muscles do.
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| 5. 难度：中等 | |
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As a high school coach, I did all I could to help my boys win their games. I cheered as hard for _________ as they did. A dramatic _________, however, following a game in which I was a referee, changed my _________ on victories and defeats. It was a league championship basketball game between New Rochelle and Yonkers High. New Rochelle was _________ by Dan O’Brien, Yonkers by Les Beck. The gym was _________, and the noise made it impossible to hear. The game was well played and _________ competed. Yonkers was _________ by one point as I _________ at the clock and discovered there were but 10 seconds left to play. New Rochelle, _________ the ball, passed off and shot. The ball __________ around the rim (篮筐边沿) and off. The fans __________. New Rochelle recovered the ball, and tapped it in for what looked like victory. The noise was __________. I looked at the clock and saw that the game was over. I hadn’t heard the final buzzer (终场哨) because of the noise. I __________ with the other official, but he could not help me. So, I __________ the timekeeper, a young man of 17 or so. He said, “Sir, the buzzer __________ before the final tap-in was made.” Yonkers won! I had to tell O'Brien the sad news. His face __________. The young timekeeper came up and said, I’m sorry, Dad. The __________ ran out before the final basket.”__________, like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, O’Brien’s face lit up. He said, That’s okay, Joe. You did what you had to. I’m __________ of you. The two of them then walked off the __________ together, the coach’s arm around his son’s shoulder. 1.A. honesty B. devotion C. victory D. glory 2.A. conversation B. incident C. gesture D. challenge 3.A. view B. comment C. theory D. impression 4.A. organized B. represented C. fancied D. coached 5.A. crowded B. cleared C. quaked D. arranged 6.A. happily B. closely C. smartly D. randomly 7.A. moving B. progressing C. leading D. shooting 8.A. waved B. glanced C. signaled D. stared 9.A. in possession of B. in charge of C. in need of D. in place of 10.A. stuck B. fell C. swung D. rolled 11.A. laughed B. jumped C. yelled D. danced 12.A. annoying B. amazing C. thrilling D. deafening 13.A. examined B. watched C. researched D. checked 14.A. criticized B. approached C. interviewed D. reminded 15.A. broke down B. faded away C. went off D. carried on 16.A. clouded over B. softened up C. sweated over D. wrinkled up 17.A. audience B. ball C. time D. player 18.A. Certainly B. Similarly C. Fortunately D. Suddenly 19.A. ashamed B. proud C. aware D. fond 20.A. court B. course C. track D. field
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| 6. 难度：中等 | |
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Alex and Donna Voutsinas are like many couples; they met at work, fell in love and were preparing for the coming 1. (marry). Days before their wedding, the couple was looking at old family 2. (photo) when Donna came across a picture of herself as a child 3. vacation at Disney and showed it to her boyfriend. But Alex was more interested in the man 4. (walk) in the background behind Donna’s smiling family and the character Mr. Smee from Disney’s Peter Pan. Alex recognized the man in the background because it was his father, 5. was pushing a stroller (婴儿车) during their own family trip to Disney. Decades before they met as adults, the couple 6. (cross) paths at Disney as kids. “Just 7. (be) in the same picture with my wife when we were 8. (basic) babies, it’s unbelievable,” Alex Voutsinas said. The chance meeting is more unbelievable because the two families lived countries apart. 9. the photo was taken, Donna’s family was living in Florida and Alex’s family called Montreal home. I was glad he asked me to marry him before the picture, Donna said, because I know that it’s because he loves me and 10. because he thought it was meant to be, it was fate.
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| 7. 难度：中等 | |
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假定你是李华。校学生会打算举办一个美国文化节，急需一些美国杂志。请你给美国笔友Jimmy写一封email求助，让他帮忙选购一些能反映美国社会、适合中国学生的杂志寄过来，并告知会承担相关费用。 内容包括： 1. 求助的原因； 2. 对杂志的要求； 3. 费用。 注意： 1. 词数80左右。 2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
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| 8. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。 If you take a look at the best-selling books in the UK these days, it is almost certain that there will be a lot of autobiographies (自传) in that list. Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and actor Michael J Fox have all written them. An autobiography is the story of a person’s life, written by that person. It is usually a very famous person who might tell us all about their childhood, how they became famous and any other interesting things that have happened in their lives. Traditionally, someone would write an autobiography when they were older because they had had a long, successful life. However, these days there are many magazines with stories and photos of the stars which sell very well. Reality TV shows are extremely popular and lots of people become famous very easily just from being on the TV rather than being able to sing or act well. As a result, people become famous very quickly and as soon as they are famous, a lot of money can be made from writing an autobiography, even if they are very young. So now you can find an autobiography from almost everyone who is in the public eye. Even though we can follow the lives of the stars very closely on TV or in magazines nowadays, we maybe don’t know how they live their lives from day to day. Autobiographies often give the information we never knew about the stars. The British public are very curious to find out more so they are very eager to read autobiographies. Not every star wants to write though. Sometimes stars employ writers to write their life stories for them. The writer will interview the stars, listen to everything they want to say, record interviews and then write books based on their words. David Beckham did this with his book My Side. Not everyone likes to read books regularly but they might like to read about the lives of stars. Autobiographies are helping to get more British people reading books. About 100 million autobiographies are sold in Britain every year. More stars depend on them for extra income and as more of these books appear in the shops, more people are sure to keep buying them. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
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