On August 27, 1783, the people of the village of Gomesse, in France, looked up into the sky and saw a strange and terrible animal. It was huge and round, flying down from the sky. It landed in the field just outside the village. It was clear to the people of Gomesse that they had to defend themselves. The animal was clearly some kind of terrible “spirit”. They were afraid of the spirit but they were also very brave. They rushed out into the field and fought the animal with knives and sticks and farming tools. The “spirit” made terrible noises, like an animal that can breathe only with great difficulty.
But that was not the worst thing. When the villagers cut into the spirit's skin, it gave off a horrible smell, and even after the villagers had cut the thing open, it still moved. Finally the villagers tied it to a horse. The horse ran through the fields and the “Spirit” was torn to pieces. What was the terrible spirit? The answer is that it was one of the first “hot air balloons”. Its skin was made of silk and a kind of rubber. The terrible smell was the hot air inside the balloon. When the air got out through the cuts in the skin, it also caused the horrible noises.
60. The terrible noises were made because ______.
A. the spirit could hardly breathe
B. the spirit wanted to frighten the villagers
C. the spirit was afraid of the villagers
D. hot air got out through the skin
61. The terrible smell was ______.
A. the smell of silk and rubber
B. the hot air inside the balloon.
C. the smell of burnt house
D. the smell of burnt crops
62. The spirit didn't stop moving until ______.
A. the hot air in it ran out completely
B. the villagers cut into its skin
C. the villagers cut it open
D. it gave off a horrible smell
63. The villagers tied the spirit to a horse ______.
A. shortly after they caught sight of the spirit
B. because it didn't stop moving though it was cut open.
C. after it was torn to pieces
D. because the villagers wanted to take it away
Tired of all the pushing in supermarkets? Fed up with waiting in endless lines to pay for what you have bought? Angry at wasting time in traffic jams only to find no parking spaces when you eventually arrive at the store? If this is you, then online shopping is the answer to your dreams of trouble-free shopping.
Online shopping brings its own challenges. Here are a few things to bear in mind when browsing (浏览) various websites. The claim (声称) made by online sites is that shopping online is a safe and secure way to make purchases. The evidence challenges this. In any case, you only have to be the victim(受害者) of fraud (欺骗) once to experience all the problems that come with this form of stealing. Use only sites that have a trusted history and an excellent reputation(名声).
Another problem is that the appearance of items in reality is often quite different from what you see on your computer screen. This might not be a problem if you are buying washing up powder but could be a major disappointment when that beautiful blue dress you ordered turns up in green. Also, product descriptions are sometimes simply untrue! Perhaps the wisest plan is to purchase items whose design and color are not essential to customer satisfaction.
Some even argue that online shopping indirectly contributes to global warming. Yes, your car can stay parked but how are online goods delivered? Often by some large van pouring out carbon monoxide and adding to our already desperate traffic problems. You are also by now becoming increasingly irritated(使烦恼) by the fact that the delivery is late !
Without question, online shopping is here to stay and it has its benefits. However, perhaps it is not as wonderful as some of its supporters claim it to be.How can online shoppers avoid fraud?
| A．By choosing big websites. |
| B．By collecting shopping evidence. |
| C．By seeking advice from the police. |
| D．By using only trusted websites. |
What does the author tell us about online shopping in Paragraph 3?
| A．Don’t believe product descriptions easily. |
| B．Product appearances are always not good. |
| C．It is usually wise to buy colorful products. |
| D．It is normal for a blue dress to change into green. |
The author agrees with the fact that .
| A．online shopping is a safe way to make purchases |
| B．customers are never satisfied with products |
| C．online shopping has nothing to do with global warming |
| D．delivery delay often makes online shoppers unhappy |
What is the author’s attitude towards online shopping?
| A．It is very popular. |
| B．It is a wise choice. |
| C．It is a double-edged sword(双刃剑). |
| D．It is a waste of time. |
First Lady Michelle Obama is a big fan of volunteering. Volunteering means working for free to help someone else. Mrs. Obama says volunteering is very important. “It should be part of everyone’s life, ” she says.
Many teens agree. They say that helping others feels great and makes a difference. These days, more teens volunteer than work for pay. Teens clean up parks, walk dogs at animal shelters , visit the elderly and more.
Some cities ---- including Seatle, Chicago, and Washingtong,D.C. ----require high school students to volunteer. Students must volunteer in order to graduate. The student volunteers learn new skills and help their communities (社区).
Many parents are in favor of the idea ---- they say volunteering helps teens build job skills. But most teens don’t want to be forced to volunteer. They say they are busy. And they say volunteering is only fun if it’s a choice.
Read both sides of the debate (辩论) and decide.
YES
●Volunteering can help teens get into college or get a job.
●Many cities and towns need help. Volunteers can help keep important programs going.
●Not all teens will volunteer if it isn’t required. Schools should repuire students to do all they can to get ready for adult life.
NO
●Most teens are already very busy with classes, homework, jobs and sports. Forcing them to do more isn’t fair.
●It should be up to each person. Helping out doesn’t feel as good if you have to do it.
●Finding a volunteer job isn’t always easy. Students shouldn’t be kept from graduating because of something they can’t control.The writer mentions Michelle Obama in order to ,
| A．introduce the topic of the text |
| B．explain what volunteering is |
| C．tell what she does for the US |
| D．show she enjoys volunteering |
According to the text, in Chicago, .
| A．finding a volunteer job is quite easy |
| B．more people would rather work for pay |
| C．volunteering is a must for high school students |
| D．college students have to volunteer before graduation |
The underlined part “are in favor of “ in the text means”.
| A．drop | B．develop | C．catch | D．like |
Which question does the text mainly discuss?
| A．Is volunteering good for students? |
| B．What is the best time to volunteer? |
| C．Should students be required to volunteer? |
| D．Which volunteer jobs should students do? |
Moving in with a boyfriend causes women to eat more unhealthily and put on weight. But the opposite is true for men, whose long-term health benefits when they move in with a female partner.
Dieticians at Newcastle University said both partners try to please one another, and so change their dietary habits to suit their other half.
It leads men to eat more light meals, such as salads, fruit and vegetables, while women choose to make creamier, heavier dishes like curry or rich pasta sauces, which may please their partner.
Women still have the strongest long-term influence over the couple’s diet and lifestyle, as they still have the traditional role of shopper and cook in most households.
The report, by Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition Research Centre, reviewed the finding of a variety of research projects from the UK, North America and Australia, which looked at the eating and lifestyle habits of couples.
The research shows that women are more likely to put on weight and increase their consumption of foods high in fat and sugar when they move in with their partner.
Women also use food as a comfort when dealing with emotional stress and have been found to gain weight when a relationship ends, while the same finding has not been observed in men.
Many couples reported food as being central to their partnership, and eating together in the evening was particularly important to many.
Report author and registered dietician Dr. Amelia Lake said, “The research has shown that your partner is a strong influence on lifestyle and people who are trying to live healthier lives should take this factor into consideration.”The underlined word “light” (in Paragraph3) probably means _______.
| A．not very heavy | B．gentle | C．less in fat and sugar | D．not serious and important |
According to the report by Newcastle University’s Human Nutrition Research Centre,
______.
| A．eating together in the evening is a good way to communicate for couples |
| B．women put on weight only because they want to suit their other half |
| C．when men are faced with emotional stress, they will change their dietary habits |
| D．it is wrong to change your dietary habits to suit your partner |
According to the passage, moving in with a girlfriend, men _______.
| A．have to eat more unhealthy food |
| B．have few changes of their dietary habits |
| C．don’t like foods high in fat and sugar at all |
| D．try to eat foods that their girlfriends like |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Don’t be silly any more, women! | B．Dr. Amelia Lake and his study |
| C．Boyfriends make you fat. | D．Which are better dietary habits? |
In Canada and the United States, there is a new group of children called “satellite kids”, who live in one place but whose parents live in another place.
Asians are immigrating to Canada and the United States in larger numbers than ever before. Most Asians immigrate because they believe that they can give their children a better education in the West. In Asia, especially in China, Japan, and Korea, it is difficult to go to university. Students must first pass the strict national examination. However, in Canada and the United States, it is easy to go to university and anyone who wants to go can go. As a result, Asian parents decide to leave their countries so that their children can go to university.
The problem is that when Asians arrive, they discover that finding a job and making money are more difficult in the West than in the East. Also, they find that they are very lonely, and that they miss their homes. Because of these two reasons, most Asian parents decide to go back to work while their children study in the West. Therefore, these children become “satellite kids”, and most of their parents do not know how sad it is to be a “satellite kid”.
Only until now are Canadians and Americans discovering the “satellite kid” problem. Because these children do not speak English and because their parents are not there to take care of them, they are often absent from school. To be a “satellite kid” means to grow up in a country where you know you are different and where you cannot make friends because you do not speak English well. Also, it means to grow up lonely, because your parents are elsewhere. What these “satellite kids” will probably say to their parents is that it’s better to have parents around than to have a university education.Some Asian parents send their kids abroad because _______.
| A．all foreign universities are better than the ones in their own countries |
| B．they hope their children may easily find a job there |
| C．the kids may not be accepted by universities in their own countries |
| D．the kids want to improve their English and make foreign friends |
“Satellite kids” refer to Asian kids ________.
| A．with university education | B．speaking no English |
| C．without parents | D．living abroad alone |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Parents want better education for their kids. |
| B．Kids in foreign countries alone are badly in need of care from family. |
| C．Parents feel lonely and miss their families. |
| D．Canadians and Americans begin to notice the “satellite kids” problem. |
Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that generally things turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply “yes” to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may well be successful atwork and in love.
But you may be misguided because things don’t turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (for example，you may fail to obtain a new job，another chance will come around soon), Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams in your face. That's bitter reality.
Now a book has been published which confirms what we pessimists(悲观者）have suspected all along. It's called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, “What’s interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation’s outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better. ”
So far, so good. This is not rocket science. Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on a date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a back-up plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” and “ Don’t count your chickens until they hatch. “ To have a confident and optimistic approach to life’s problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien，the American comedian says, ”Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem.”
There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don’t feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A book that has recently been published. |
| B．The dangers of being too optimistic. |
| C．How to become successful in life. |
| D．The benefits of defensive pessimism. |
The underlined sentence “This is not rocket science” in paragraph 4 means.
| A．it is quite simple to understand | B．there is no real proof |
| C．it’s not a dangerous thing to do | D．the cost is not so high |
The writer would probably describe himself as.
| A．an optimist | B．a defeatist | C．a realist | D．a scientist |
Which of the following English expressions would a defensive pessimist believe?
| A．“Every cloud has a silver lining.” | B．“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” |
| C．“Whatever will be, will be.” | D．“The glass is half full not half empty.” |