More student than ever before are taking a gap-year (间隔年)before going to university.It used to be called the “year off” between school and university.The gap-year phenomenon originated(起源) with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year.
This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provide
d by University and College Admissions Service (UCAS) .
That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. “Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible,” he said.
But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students(NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student had ship – young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. “New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to ￡15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and More students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree.NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods,”he said.
1.What do we learn about the gap year from the text?
A. It is flexible in length.
B. It is a time for relaxation.
C. It is increasingly popular.
D. It is required by universities.
2.According to Tony Higgins, students taking a gap year______.
A. are better prepared for college studies
B. know a lot more about their future jobs
C. are more likely to leave university in debt
D. have a better chance to enter top universities
3.How does Owain James feel about the gap-year phenomenon?
A. He's puzzled. B. He's worried.
C. He's surprised. D. He's annoyed.
4.What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics?
A. Attend additional courses. B. Make plans for the new term.
C. Earn money for their education. D. Prepare for their graduate studies.
Your house may have an effect on your figure . Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off . You can make your environment work for you instead of against you . Here are some ways to turn your home into part of diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights . Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating , for people are often less self-conscious（难为情）when they’re in poorly lit places-and so more likely to eat lots of food . If your home doesn’t have enough window light , get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors . Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites . In one study , people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room . Warm colors like yellow make tood appear more appetizing , while cold colors make us feel less hungry . So when it’s time to repaint , go blue.
Don’t forget the clock-or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories（卡路里） per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes, And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down , turn on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes, Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one ,total intake（摄入） jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.
1.The text is especially helpful for those who care about_______.
A. their home comforts B. their body shape
C. house buying D. healthy diets
2.A home environment in blue can help people_________.
A. digest food better B. reduce food intake
C. burn more calories D. regain their appetites
3.What are people advised to do at mealtimes?
A. Eat quickly. B. Play fast music.
C. Use smaller spoons. D. Turn down the lights.
4.What can be a suitable title for the test?
A. Is Your Hourse Making You Fat?
B. Ways of Serving Dinner
C. Effects of Self-Consciousness
D. Is Your Home Environment Relaxing?
My color television has given me nothing but a headache. I was able to buy it a little over a year ago because I had my relatives give me money for my birthday instead of a lot of clothes that wouldn’t fit .I let a salesclerk fool me into buying a discontinued model, I realized this a day later, when I saw newspaper advertisements for the set at seventy-five dollars less than I had paid, The set worked so beautifully when I first got it home that I would keep it on until stations signed off for the night, Fortunately, I didn’t got any channels showing all-night movies or I would never have gotten to bed.
Then I started developing a problem with the set that involved static (静电) noise. For some reason, when certain shows switched into a commercial, a loud noise would sound for a few seconds. Gradually, this noise began to appear during a show, and to get rid of it, I had to change to another channel and then change it back. Sometimes this technique would not work, and I had to pick up the set and shake it to remove the sound. I actually began to build up my arm muscles(肌肉) shaking my set.
When neither of these methods removed the static noise ,I would sit helplessly and wait for the noise to go away. At last I ended up hitting the set with my fist, and it stopped working altogether .My trip to the repair shop cost me $62, and the set is working well now, but I keep expecting more trouble.
1.Why did the author say he was fooled into buying the TV set?
A. He got an older model than he had expected.
B. He couldn’t return it when it was broken.
C. He could have bought it at a lower price.
D. He failed to find any movie shows on it.
2.Which of the following can best replace the phrase ”signed off” in Paragraph 1?
A. ended all their programs B. provided fewer channels
C. changed to commercials D. showed all-night movies
3.How did the author finally get his TV set working again?
A. By shaking and hitting it. B. By turning it on and off.
C. By switching channels. D. By having it repaired.
4.How does the author sound when telling the story ?
A. Curious B. Anxious
C. Cautious D. Humorous
4月23日是“世界读书日”（World Reading Day），假如你是班长，请你起草一份倡仪书，号召全班同学以实际行动迎接“世界读书日”的到来，为创建“书香校园”，多读书、读好书，养成课外读书的好习惯。字数100左右。
倡仪书应包括以下内容：
1．现状（ 看电视、上网时间多而读书的时间少）
2．列举一些阅读的好处
3．给同学们建议
开头已给，不计入词数。
Good morning! Boys and girls,
As we know, World Reading Day which falls on April 23rd is drawing near. The purpose of the global festival is to promote reading and publishing.
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误涉及一个单词的增加 、删除和修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词 。
删除：把多余的词用斜线划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
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。
The winter holiday is coming. My classmates and I are talking about how to do during the holiday. We can chose between staying at home and take a trip. If we stay at home, it is comfortable but there is no need to spend money. But in that case, we will learn little about world. If we go on a trip abroad, we can broaden your view and gain knowledges that we cannot get from books. Some classmates suggest we can go to places of interest nearby. I thought that it is a good idea. It does not cost many, yet we can still learn a lot.
Once there lived a rich man 1. wanted to do something for the people of his town. But first he wanted to find out whether they deserved 2. (he) help.
In the centre of the main road into the town, he placed 3. very large stone. Then he 4. (hide) behind a tree and waited. Soon an old man came along with his cow.
“Who put this stone in the centre of the road?” said the old man,5. he did not try to remove the stone. Instead, with some difficulty he passed around the stone and continued on his way.6. man came along and did the same thing; then another came, and another. All of them complained about the stone but not tried to remove7.. Late in the afternoon a young man came along. He saw the stone, saying to himself, “The night 8. (be) very dark. Some neighbors will come along later in the dark and will fall against the stone.” Then he began to move the stone. He pushed and pulled with all his strength 9. (move) it. How great was his surprise at last! 10. the stone, he found a bag of money.
