When looking at Western Europe, we don’t usually think about poverty—but in fact, some people in modern-day Britain are so hard up that they can’t afford to buy food.
Back in 2008, the financial crisis caused a lot of unemployment. Then there were the cuts to the welfare system in 2013 which added to the problem—and many British people fell into debt. It’s estimated that 500,000 people in the UK have turned to food banks, just to get by.
Steph Hagen, who works in a Nottingham food bank, says：“People do not go to a food bank because it's an open door. It’s a case where they go to it because they need to. With our food bank—we are an independent one, and we have limited stocks—everyone who comes through our door has no income.”
There are checks to make sure nobody is abusing the system. If a doctor or a social worker thinks someone needs to use a food bank—even for a short time—they can give them vouchers(凭证). Then the people in need take them along to the food bank and they get handouts for three days.
Churches and individual donors provide most of the food in the banks. But some businesses might help out too.
And what sort of food is offered in food banks? Hagen says：“Basically, we’ve got porridge. We do occasionally get fresh produce but it’s very rare, especially in the winter months. It’s like tinned fruit, tinned ready meals. We have to give out‘no-cooking’food parcels because people can’t afford the gas and electricity”.
Community spirit has a lot to do with food banks. Volunteers say they are a great meeting place for people who are lonely and depressed. And when facing a crisis, some beneficiaries might need to feed not only their belly—but also their soul.
1.According to the text, the food bank is a place ________.
A．which is funded by the government
B．where people can get food randomly
C．which helps poor people live through crisis
D．where there is enough food supplies
2.What does the underlined word“them”in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A．Systems． B．Doctors．
C．Social workers． D．Vouchers．
3.Why do food banks mainly offer“no-cooking”food?
A．Poor people have no money for gas and electricity.
B．The volunteers hate to supply cooked food.
C．Food banks can’t afford cooked food.
D．This kind of food is easy to store.
4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A．Community spirit can cure those who are depressed.
B．Food banks benefit poor people mind and body.
C．People can have great fun in food banks.
D．Volunteers tend to feel lonely and depressed in food banks.
Researchers from France and Italy discovered that Canadian parents are less strict with their children than mothers and fathers in France and Italy.
“Our most important finding was the difference between Canadians and the others,” said Professor Michel Claes, the lead author of the study.“Canadians focus on independence and negotiation. On the other hand, Italians, for example, exercise more control. We found Canadians seem to focus on negotiation in case of a conflict.”
Claes said Canada, France and Italy were selected for the study because they share important cultural and social factors.“We chose FrenchCanadians because they share the same language as France, and originally came from France and share certain values．Italy was included because it was considered to have similar，strong and important family values，” he explained.
The researchers examined the emotional ties between parents and their children by questioning 1,256 students aged 11 to 19 years old.
Canadian students reported less control and more free actions, according to the study. Italian parents were stricter and French parents were somewhere in the middle.
Claes explains that the differences lie in education in Canada, France and Italy.
“North America has its own educational values, which promote individualization. Tolerance and comprehension are encouraged. Italy, on the other hand, promotes respect of authority, control, and the need for permission.” he said.
Children from all three countries described their mothers as warm and communicative. Italian and Canadian children had similar feelings about their fathers, and reported high levels of emotional ties. But French fathers were generally thought by their children to be more distant and cold.
“We were surprised by this,” Claes admitted.“It seems as though the relationships between French mothers and their children were becoming closer over time, while fathers maintain a form of distance and coldness, which is more of a source of conflict in France than in the other countries.”
1.Professor Michel Claes believes that Canada, France and Italy ________.
A．have the same family spirit
B．have some similar cultural traditions
C．have experienced some similar social changes
D．have experienced similar cultural developments
2.How did the researchers carry out the study?
A．By collecting answers of parents from Canada, France and Italy.
B．By collecting answers of children from Canada, France and Italy.
C．By questioning parents and their children from Italian Canadian families.
D．By questioning children from FrenchCanadian families.
3.According to Michel Claes, what mainly leads to the differences in parentchildren relationships among Canada, France and Italy?
A．Educational opportunities.
B．Traditional ideas.
C．Educational values.
D．Historical events.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
In the cold and plain living room, Matt is sitting in his chair. His eyes don’t shine anymore. He looks extremely old and weak. Today is his birthday, and he is by himself. The only thing that he has been doing all day is thinking about how sad and lonely his life is. As he was looking at some old pictures, he found one special with him and his friends from college. This picture brought back the days when he had friends and his life was full of happiness. Also, it brought him a sad memory. This memory happened forty years ago, during his last year of college.
Throughout college, Matt had a friend named Mark. Mark was tall and skinny. He wore thick glasses. He was shy, smart and responsible. Also, Mark didn’t have as many friends as Matt had. He considered Matt as his best friend. As good friends, they knew everything about each other, and they hung out. Also, they overcame many problems together. They were really good friends.
On his twenty-fourth birthday their life changed. On the night before his birthday, Mark called Matt, “Hi! Matt,” his voice sounded strange. He continued, “ I have an important project to work on. I’m having some problem with this. Maybe, you could come over and help me with it giving me some new ideas. Could you?” Matt asked, “What time?” Mark kept in silence for a minute, and then he said, “At 8 pm. Is it good for you?” Then Matt answered, “OK! See you later.” At that night, it was Matt’s birthday. So, he didn’t want to spend his birthday helping Mark with his project. Matt went to a club with some other guys.
The next morning, Matt noticed that Mark was acting differently. When he went to talk to Mark, Mark ignored him completely. He left the classroom without saying one word. As Mark was walking away, Matt said in an angry voice, “You are selfish. You are just thinking about yourself. I was having fun on my birthday. Why can’t you understand it?”
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
While he was saying it, Mallory, one of his classmates and friend, stood up and started to say, ...
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Paragraph 2:
Tears fell from his eyes.
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阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Human cloning is expected to be ______1._______ (benefit) to mankind in many ways, although some people object to ______2.______ (carry) out human cloning research. Below is a list that is far from completion.
Dr. Richard Seed, one of the leading _______3._______ (support) of human cloning technology, indicates that it may someday be possible to reverse(颠倒) the aging process because of what we learn from cloning.
Scientists, who are also in _____4._______ of human cloning technology, believe that heart attack victims may get treated ______5.________ (appropriate) if their healthy heart cells are cloned and then injected into the areas of the heart that have been damaged.
______6.________, there has been a breakthrough _______7.______ human stem cells. Embryonic(胚胎的) stem cells can be grown to produce organs to repair or replace damaged _______8._______. By combining this technology with human cloning technology it may be possible to produce needed organs for suffering people _______9._______ will be free of rejection by their immune systems. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart failure, and other problems may _______10._______ (cure) if human cloning and its technology are not banned.
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I’m a wheelchair user. However, I’m not wheelchair-bound, or ______ to my wheelchair. My disability has not made me ________ or admirable, or deserving a pat on the head ______ you can reach it. As a matter of fact, I _______having my head patted.
I have total feeling in all limbs(四肢), so when you said, “You ______ didn’t feel that”, rather than _______ for kicking me, you were wrong. I don’t have ______ shoulders from pushing a wheelchair: my shoulders were born weak for that very reason.
Waiting at bus stops, I’m a passive ______ for those who incorrectly assume my experience with the health care system and create a(n) ________ in your last doctor’s appointment, or what ______ to the lady who lives down your street.
If given the _______, I’m really good at putting people at ease. My communication with this able-bodied world depends on it. I can’t ______ without the help of others, but it works best for everyone if I can _______ when and how it is offered. If you are not sure whether you are going to offer to help, just ask, and don’t be _____ if the answer is no.
If I make you feel uncomfortable, please _______ that you would manage to live as I do. There is no other choice. Please don’t pass on your _________ to children by pushing them for staring, or wanting to touch and ________ my wheelchair.
I’m sorry if I don’t remember your name or the occasion we met — there are more ________ adults in my life than wheelchair users in your life. And the answers to the questions are: my ________ chores(家庭杂务) are done on my own; and yes I can, and I do, as often as opportunity ________.
1.A. connected B. tied C. linked D. submitted
2.A. stubborn B. courageous C. impressive D. depressed
3.A. when B. unless C. because D. though
4.A. appreciate B. hate C. risk D. consider
5.A. occasionally B. slightly C. probably D. hopefully
6.A. apologizing B. accounting C. paying D. calling
7.A. sick B. strong C. unfit D. broad
8.A. passenger B. speaker C. listener D. passer-by
9.A. surprise B. problem C. guess D. interest
10.A. happened B. turned C. approached D. came
11.A. permission B. confidence C. privilege D. chance
12.A. get by B. go off C. give in D. put up
13.A. predict B. estimate C. guide D. learn
14.A. offended B. frightened C. stressed D. regretted
15.A. wonder B. admit C. realize D. forget
16.A. worry B. discomfort C. disappointment D. sadness
17.A. admire B. explore C. stop D. watch
18.A. healthy B. happy C. helpful D. successful
19.A. daily B. ordinary C. universal D. common
20.A. appears B. matters C. fails D. allows
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。
When it comes to the benefit of volunteering, a lot of people think it’s all about the warm feeling after helping someone. ___1.___ As is known, charity work requires a wide variety of people to do a wide variety of things for everything to work. It means that there are some surprising benefits for volunteers. For example, volunteering:
*Teaches you new skills
From helping make websites to teaching immigrant kids your native language, or to arranging events for charity, volunteering can really be almost anything. It means that when you get involved in charity work, a lot of the time you will face challenges. ___2.___
*Can teach you what truly matters
It’s a great way to find new perspectives on life. When you’ve been at it for a while, you just might find yourself re-evaluating your advantages. ___3.__ One of my friends went from wanting to be a lawyer to discovering a true passion for teaching.
*___4.___
Maybe it’s not so surprising, but what might surprise you is how genuine these friends are. Some of my long-term friends are people I’ve met through volunteering. I’m not the kind of guy that makes friends for connections, but sometimes it’s very convenient to have a broad network.
Summed up in one line: Volunteering helps you grow. ___5.___ You meet a very wide variety of people you don’t have a lot in common with. You learn to get along with people involved in many different walks in life. You learn to know what you are to do. So if you’ve ever considered volunteering, what are you waiting for?
A. Helps you make new friends.
B. Can help improve social skills.
C. You might even decide on a completely new path to take in life.
D. As it turns out, that’s far from the only benefit.
E. Volunteering helps you look outside yourself and your problems.
F. Through overcoming the challenges you learn completely new skills.
G. Not only as a person but it helps you develop your skill set as well.
