For well over a thousand years，smallpox was a disease that everyone feared．The disease killed much of the native population in South America when the Spanish arrived there in the early sixteenth century．By the end of the eighteenth century，smallpox was responsible for about one in
ten deaths around the world．Those who survived the disease were left with ugly scars on their sjun．
It had long been well known among farmers that people who worked with cows seldom caught smallpox；instead，they often caught a similar but much milder disease called cowpox (牛痘) ．A Bridsh doctor called Jenner was extremely interested in this，and so he studied cowpox He believed that，by vaccinating (给接种疫苗) people with the disease，he could protect them against the much worse disease smallpox．In 1796，he vaccinated a boy with cowpox and，two months later，with smallpox．The boy did not get smallpox．In the next two years，Jenner vaccinated several children in the same way，and none of them got the disease．
News of the success of Jenner’s work soon spread．Vaccination soon became a common method to protect people against other diseases caused by virus，such as rable (狂犬病)，and vaccines (疫苗) were sent across the world to the United States and India．
It took nearly two centuries to achieve Jenner’s dream of getting free of smallpox from the whole world．In 1967，the world Health Organization (WHO) started a great vaccination program，and the last known case of smallpox was recorded in Somalia in 1977．The story of vaccinations does not end there，however．There are many other diseases that kill more and more people every year．Besides，many new diseases are being discovered．The challenge for medical researchers will，therefore，probably continue for several more centuriesSmallpox was so serious that by the end of l8th century
| A．its death rate was up to ten percent |
| B．those who caught it were certain to die |
| C．one in ten people in the world died of smallpox |
| D．one in ten deaths in the world was caused by smallpox |
Edward Jenner discovered that vaccination with cowpox could
| A．make smallpox much milder |
| B．stop people from getting smallpox |
| C．protect people against any disease |
| D．prevent people’s scars after smallpox |
Which of the following statements is not true?
| A．The first experiment with cowpox was made by a British doctor |
| B．After 1977 smallpox disappeared around the world according to WHO． |
| C．Vaccination had existed among ordinary farmers before being discovered |
| D．Vaccination can be used to protect people in the world against not only smallpox |
The author of the passage thinks that
| A．vaccinations bring many new problems |
| B．vaccinations end the spread of diseases |
| C．there is a long way to go to fight against diseases |
| D．there is along way to go to discover new diseases |
Dear Michelle,
My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have “joint custody” (共同监护). What a joke! I am 15, my brother is nine, and we have a life of hell, frankly.
We live one week on and one week off. This was the brilliant idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away.
A Hopeless Ant
Dear Hopeless Ant,
First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents.
You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation.
If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents.
Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time.
I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children.
Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweetheart, and you will grow up and have your own life.
Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going.
MichelleThe Hopeless Ant wrote the letter to ________.
| A．express dissatisfaction with his parents |
| B．ask for advice seriously |
| C．make his father punished |
| D．just make a joke |
The Hopeless Ant hated his father because ________.
| A．his father always told a lie |
| B．his father wasn’t friendly to his mother |
| C．his father divorced his mother |
| D．the Hopeless Ant couldn’t stay with his parents |
According to the text, which of the following is the Hopeless Ant in need of at present?
| A．Keep himself/herself away from danger |
| B．Have a talk with his/her parents. |
| C．Have his/her own family plan |
| D．Write letters to families. |
In which part of a magazine will the text probably appear?
| A．Entertainment | B．Advertisement | C．Life | D．Education |
Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday. The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its 111-year history. Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was “overjoyed and scared”.
Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan — a pen name for Guan Moye, grew up in Gaomi, Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing.
He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country’s unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a productive writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages.
The awarding ceremony will be held on December 10. The winner will win a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $1 million. How did Mo Yan feel when he was told about the news?
| A．Excited and proud. | B．Worried and cautious. |
| C．Happy and surprised. | D．Uncertain and shocked. |
One of Mo Yan’s characteristics of writing is that he ________.
| A．writes about topics he is familiar with |
| B．focuses on social problems in the country |
| C．describes his characters in a unique way |
| D．explains difficult matters in simple words |
What’s the best title for this passage?
| A．How Mo Yan Gets Nobel Prize |
| B．An Introduction to Nobel Prize |
| C．Mo Yan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature |
| D．A World Famous Writer, Mo Yan |
If you are planning to study in the United States, you need to consider several factors. Everyone has different opinions about where is the best place to live in. Also, the best places to live in are not always home to the best schools. Finally, many schools specialize in different areas of study. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example, is a great school for computer science and technology-related fields of study. However, if you want to study oceanography（海洋学）, your interests may be better served by attending school in a place that is on a coastline or near the ocean.
Now I am sure that you know which schools are considered the best in the country. So I will tell you about which states I believe are the best to live in.
California is a nice state. Northern California specifically has very good weather. Los Angeles in southern California is another story, though. Life in LA is full of excitement and fast, and sometimes dangerous. As for me, I enjoyed the time I spent in Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland and these states have a lot of history and culture. The weather is not as perfect as Northern California, but it is still quite nice. My favorite area of America is the Mid-west. Middle America, I think, is home to the true American sense of values. In addition, there are many good universities there.
Also, you need to think about your likes and dislikes and then research the various states. You like sunshine and hate snow? Then you probably won’t like the Midwest or even the Northeast. Open space, nature and peace? Then you probably should stay away from America’s large cities. Are you interested in government? Then Washington D. C. is the only place for you. Whatever you decide, put some thought into it. The place you live in could be the difference between a great study-abroad experience and a state of great suffering on earth.What, according to the author, should be considered first if you want to study in the USA?
| A．The climate | B．The scenery |
| C．The study condition | D．The living condition |
What is California like?
| A．California is the best place to live in. |
| B．California is the worst place to live in. |
| C．California is a state with the largest city. |
| D．California is a state with different climates. |
If you study in Middle America, you can probably _______.
| A．find the best universities |
| B．feel the real character of the nation |
| C．meet the most famous professors there |
| D．face more difficulties |
What can we conclude from the text?
A.All American famous universities lie in nice places.
B. Los Angeles is the most dangerous city in the USA.
C. Washington D.C. is the political centre of the USA.
D. It is always raining in the Midwest of the USA.
It's an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My wife says no because we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what's the point if you can't go on holiday. The joy of a recession (不景气) means no argument next year - we just won't go.
Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday A YouGov survey of 2, 000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples.
Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money may be different things to men and women. “People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it's for.” he explains. “They'll say it's to save, to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them.” He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they've achieved something.
“The biggest problem is that couples assume each other know what's going on with their finances, but they don't. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you're doing, who's paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don't have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it.”What does the author say about going on holiday in Paragraph 1?
| A．It will cost them too much money. |
| B．Few people can afford it without working hard. |
| C．It makes all the hard work worthwhile. |
| D．It is the chief cause of family quarrels. |
According to the text, what does Kim Stephenson believe?
| A．Money is often a symbol of a person's status. |
| B．Money means a great deal to both men and women. |
| C．Men and women spend money on different things. |
| D．Men and women view money in different ways. |
The author suggests that couples should ______ .
| A．put their money together instead of keeping it separately |
| B．discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationship |
| C．make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgets |
| D．avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic |
Do you know the following expressions?
Faustian bargain
According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life．The devil（魔鬼）, Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul．he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge．Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul goes to the hell．A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin．It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration．
A three-ring circus
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion．There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed．The expression comes from the world of entertainment—the circus．The area where the artists perform their acts is called the “ring”．In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different “rings”．The audience had to decide which “ring” they wanted to focus on．
In the swim（of things）
When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in “I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things.” In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word “swim” to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty．So, if you are a fish man and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be “in the swim”!If a person makes a Faustian bargain, _____．
| A．he might come to a bad end |
| B．he would be considered clever |
| C．his life would become satisfying |
| D．he would gain power and knowledge |
In the past, why did a circus perform different acts at the same time ?
| A．It was the audience’s requirement. |
| B．The time was limited. |
| C．The circus was very big. |
| D．They wanted to earn more money. |
What do we learn about the expression “in the swim（of things）”?
| A．It means having a lot of things to do． |
| B．It has nothing to do with swimming． |
| C．Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing"． |
| D．Patients use it to express their desire for health. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．The development of English phrases |
| B．Some old and interesting stories |
| C．Some phrases' meanings and origins |
| D．Some misunderstandings about words |