The Couch Surfing network is an online community stretching across the globe with over one and a half million members. The basic concept is to provide a platform for travelers to contact people who are willing to put them up free of charge. Travelers connect with potential hosts online and, if they like each other, exchange details to make farther arrangements.
Basil is one traveler from Switzerland who is currently couch surfing with a Chinese host in Beijing. "I thought staying in hostel is nice but you mostly meet foreigners and speak English. If you use Couch Surfing you have chance to meet people living here and really get a chance to know the life of the place you visit. " Basil was speaking during a regular meeting of Beijing network of Couch Surfing with a membership of almost 2,000.
Although some people may have concerns about meeting complete strangers and giving them full access to your house, Beijing group member Fred Sharp from California says that the Couch Surfing community is one that generally attracts trustworthy people.
"I have never had a problem with guests. I'd say that this Couch Surfing community worldwide is a fairly trustworthy community like I say, always be cautious, make sure that you read everyone's profile that you're considering hosting, and if it doesn't feel right just say' no', it's OK. "
Originally launched in the US as a non-profit organization in 2004, Couch Surfing is growing fast across the world. China is no exception with around 30,000 members and hundreds more signing up each week. One of them is Beijing resident Hai Yan who joined in November 2009. She says the first time she hosted a guest was a very positive experience. "My first guest was from Italy. He was very kind and helpful. He bought me a present from Italy, a handbag. It's a famous brand!"
As the organization grows from strength to strength, hotel owners across the world will be watching very closely and possibly thinking twice about raising their prices too high.
1.The Couch Surfing network is intended to __________ .
A. offer travelers convenience to find suitable hosts for free accommodations
B. provide people with a platform to contact each other
C. find potential hosts who want to supply travelers with couches
D. give reliable information about hotels
2.According to Fred Sharp, ______________.
A. couch surfers can fully rely on Couch Surfing community
B. Couch Surfing community enables you to meet different people
C. Couch Surfing community is trusted by all couch surfers
D. Hosts may form a judgment on couch surfers and make a final decision
3.We can infer from the passage that ________________.
A. Couch Surfing has a long history
B. Hai Yan is satisfied with her host
C. Couch Surfing is getting popular in China
D. Basil works at the Beijing Network
4.The last paragraph suggests that hotels will ___________ .
A. be replaced by the organization
B. probably not charge too much
C. not consider raising their prices
D. show no concern about the organization
In English the spelling of words does not always represent the sound. So people say /rait/ but spell it right or write, or even rite. Combinations of letters may be pronounced in many ways. And some words just seem to have too many letters.
For Americans things are a little bit easier, thanks to the work of Noah Webster, a teacher who graduated from Yale University in 1778. As a young man, he had fought against the British in the American War of Independence, and he felt that written English in the newly independent United States should have a distinctive American look.
So he began his work on American English. His first book, The Elementary Spelling Book, suggested simplifying the spelling of English words. The book was extremely popular. By the 1850s, it was selling one million copies a year, making it one of the most popular school books ever.
Many of the suggestions were quickly adopted. Center instead of centre, program instead of programme, and flavor instead of flavour. Others, however, such as removing silent letters like s in island or the final e in examine, were not .
Webster is best known for his American Dictionary of the English language, which first appeared in 1828. It introduced lots of new American words, with information about their pronunciation and use, and, of course, the new spelling. The British criticized the dictionary, but it quickly became a standard reference book in the States. Today, Webster's dictionary is still the number one dictionary for American students.
1.What is the text mainly about?
A. Webster and his best sellers.
B. British and American English.
C. The history of American English.
D. The man who made spelling simple.
2.Which is the right order according to the text?
①Webster graduated from Yale University.
②American Dictionary of the English language came out.
③Webster's book was selling one million copies a year.
④Webster took part in the American War of Independence.
A. ②①③④ B. ③①②④ C. ④①③② D. ①②③④
3.What can we learn from the text?
A. All the spelling of words does not represent the sound.
B. The Elementary Spelling Book was published in the 1850s.
C. Webster's suggestions were accepted completely.
4.What attitude do the British have towards Webster's dictionary?
A. They thought highly of it.
B. They found fault with it.
C. They argued bitterly about it.
D. They followed the examples of it.
All people need to sleep. Sleep is a necessary process that promotes proper body functioning and can improve the quality of your life. Not only is the quantity of sleep important, but also the quality of sleep.
Your bedroom should be shaped to your taste and allow you to sleep in a peaceful environment. One of the biggest mistakes people make in their sleep is to use their bedroom for activities other than sleep. If your bedroom also functions as a command station for your life and work, the likelihood of your sleeping being poor is rather high. Bedrooms should be designed, decorated and used for sleep mainly. TVs, computers and other things should not be in your bedroom if at all possible.
Establishing regular sleeping and waking times can help improve the quality of your sleep especially for those suffering from sleeplessness. Avoid hot food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol at least 4 to 6 hours before your sleep time. Develop a regular exercise program. Proper exercise and nutrition will help improve sleeping patterns. However, avoid exercising 2 hours before sleeping, since this may stimulate your body and make sleeping more difficult.
Establish a pre-bedtime rule that will help you focus on sleep. You can try deep thought，reading or deep breathing and relaxation. Your bedtime rule should be yours. Do not worry about it fitting into a specific category. Do what is best for you.
Things such as room temperature, noise and light levels and even your bed mattress(床垫) can have a lot of effect on the quality of sleep that you experience. Block out distracting noises and lights. You are in your bedroom to sleep and not be distracted by environmental interferences.
1.Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A. How to Deal with Sleep Problems
B. What is the Process of Sleep
C. Where Should We Sleep
D. How to improve Sleep Quality
2.According to the author,
A. The bedroom has many functions than expected
B. Computers can make people sleep fast
C. The bedroom is better used only for sleep
D. Amusements are forbidden in the bedroom by law.
3.If you have sleep problems,
A. A well-decorated bedroom is important to you
B. You’d better have steady sleeping and waking time
C. Cold food and sugar are good for you
D. You need proper exercise just before sleep
4.The main idea of the last paragraph is
A. a good sleep environment contributes to good sleep
B. blinding lights can make for a good sleep
C. bed mattress plays a key part in sleep
D. distracted people are sleepless
假如你是李华。你的两位朋友Tom与Peter几天前发生了争吵。3月9日是Peter生日，Tom想送他一个礼物来缓和关系，修复友情，特地发来邮件寻求你的建议。请你根据以下要点给Tom回一封邮件：
1.礼物选择
2.你的理由
3.其他和解建议
注意：
1.词数100左右
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
3.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数
Dear Tom,
I’m glad to hear that you are considering making up with Peter.
LiHua
下面短文中有10处语言错误。请在有错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写上该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。
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
I’d like to tell you what our school had worked out a new program. The purposes of the program is to make our school more beautiful, and to turn our school into the better place for us to study and live in. According on the program, we will plant different kinds of trees, flower and grass around our school. Beside, we will build a small garden in where we can do some reading and take a rest. What’s more, some statues of famous people will set up to encourage us work harder. Don’t you think it a wonderful program?
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（每空不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
China's Tea Villages
In most Chinese tea villages, March is the time of year in ___1.___ locals start to pick and process tea. The usually quiet villages suddenly become busy centers of activity, as people take out special tools and prepare ___2.___ tea processing. In some villages, local residents hold traditional ceremonies, __3.___ (thank) heaven for its blessing. The price of tea ___4.___ (pick) in March is extremely high because __5.___ is fresh, tender and contains multiple trace elements.
China ___6.___ (be) famous for tea production since ancient times. Of the goods transported and traded along __7.___ Old Silk Road linking China to the Middle East and Europe, the importance of tea was matched only by silk. China produces Oolong, black, green, white, yellow __8.___ dark (aka post-fermented) tea. The Oolong, green and black __9.___ (vary)are most notable for their high quality.
Most of China's tea villages are found in remote mountainous areas in the country's south and southwest, __10.___ the beautiful scenery is often hidden under clouds.
