If you walk slowly through downtown Helsinki during the day, taking in the splendid 19 th century buildings, white boats and noise of passing trams (有轨电车), you will start to understand why it is called a city of two colors: white and blue.
The sea is always present in Helsinki. When you take a walk over the great open space of the central square, you will hear seabirds screaming. When you take the tram, suddenly and unexpectedly, you are faced with a calm, shining blue sea. You may notice that people in Helsinki do not rush about as in other cities. Instead, they walk along the roads, politely letting other people by.
A usual way to see Helsinki for the first time is to start out by the boats. You will walk by the elderly women selling fish and vegetables in the market square and find yourself in front of a beautiful park. You may enjoy a pleasant walk in the park for a few hours and then take the tram. Trams are the perfect way to get around in Helsinki. Watching the old houses, parks, theatres, churches, shops, restaurants and people in the streets, you may have a slightly sad film feeling to it.
The pale summer nights are another wonder in the city. Following the waterfront（滨水区）of the city after sunset, you couldn’t help stopping and listening to the sweet silence, interrupted only by the screaming seabirds and leaving fishing boats.
However, in some way. Helsinki is also the most modern city in northern Europe. You will surely want to visit the white Glass Palace, the modern art museum, and all those extremely popular cafes and design stores.Helsinki is called a city of two colors mainly because of the colors of its ________.
| A．19th century white buildings and boats |
| B．19th century buildings and passing trams |
| C．white roads and blue trams |
| D．old buildings, boats and the sea |
The best way to see most of Helsinki is to go ________.
| A．by boat | B．by bus | C．by tram | D．on foot |
The 19th century buildings, the white Glass Palace and all those popular cafes and design shops show that Helsinki is _________.
| A．both western and eastern | B．both quiet and noisy |
| C．both historical and modern | D．both old and new |
This passage is most likely to be found in _________.
| A．a story-book | B．a geography textbook |
| C．a research report | D．a travel magazine |
I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband unexpectedly died of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her views with a classroom of students.
As the sunlight came in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there. She paused and said, “Before class is over, I would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is important. Each of us comes to this world to learn, share, love, appreciate and give. None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment.”
Her eyes beginning to water, she went on:
“So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn’t have to be something you see. It could be a scent of freshly baked bread from someone’s house, or it could be the sound of the wind slightly rustling the leaves in the trees…”
The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and left the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school.
Take notice of something special you see on your way home today. Go barefoot on the beach at sunset. For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn’t do.What is the purpose of the author’s writing the passage?
| A．To show his respect to his teacher |
| B．To ask us to appreciate every moment of our life |
| C．To ask us never to give in when facing difficulty |
| D．To show the influence that a teacher has on her students |
Why did the teacher talk about something unrelated to class?
| A．Because she had finished her class task |
| B．Because she could hardly control her feeling |
| C．Because she thought the class were not thoughtful enough |
| D．Because she wanted to share some of her views with the class |
What does the underlined word “scent” mean in Paragraph 4?
| A．smell | B．piece |
| C．color | D．taste |
What do we learn from the last sentence?
| A．We will be happy when we are old. |
| B．We will regret the mistakes that we made when we were young. |
| C．We will regret what we didn’t do though we might do it. |
| D．We will do what we couldn’t do in the past |
Golden sunlight danced in the treetops, and children’s laughter filled the park. The smell of popcorn played on the breeze, and life seemed good. It was one of the happiest Saturday mornings I had spent with my little daughter, Gigi.
That is, until two strangers threw her into their car and sped away. It seemed like a bad dream. I could barely whisper when the police questioned me. For hours we waited，but there was no word on the whereabouts of the car. Tears would start to come. Then nothing. I was numb with fear.
“Go home, Ma’am,” the police officer said. “I’ll have someone drive you. We’ll also want to monitor your telephone. The kidnappers might call, and we’ll want to keep track. Trust me, these guys can’t get far. ” After what had just happened, it was hard for me to trust anything.
My friend Gloria came over that afternoon. “I heard about Gigi on the radio,” she said. “Everyone is looking for the car. The interstates are all blocked.” She took my hand.
“Look here,” Gloria said. “ I want you to have this picture, and I want you to pray with me.”
It was a picture of a little girl sound asleep in her bed. Standing by the bed was a tall, blond angel. His hand was touching the girl’s shoulder as he smiled down at her.
My nerves were frazzled. “You know I don’t believe in that kind of thing!” I snapped. “I’m too exhausted for any hocus-pocus right now, Gloria！I want my daughter home!” I started to shake, and then I began sobbing.
Gloria placed the photo on our mantle and knelt down beside me. “Just pray with me,” she said, holding my hand.
I had no strength left, so we prayed and waited what seemed an eternity. Together, we waited by the phone until sunset. The phone never rang.
Suddenly, the front door swung open. I looked up and screamed.
There stood Gigi. “Gigi! Thank God!” I cried, throwing my arms around her, “Where did those men take you? How did you get home? Did the police find you?”
“No Mommy!” said Gigi. “I was really scared because those men said they were taking me far away. We were going really fast on an old rock road never seen before. But then a tall man walked out in front of the car, and they ran off the road and hit a tree.”
Then the tall man ran up and opened the car door and pulled me out. He was really nice, and said I would be okay now, and that those men couldn't hurt me. I must have gone to sleep, because then I woke up here in front of our house. He must have brought me home,”
“But who... how did he know... where to bring you?” My voice broke and trailed to a whisper.
“I don’t know, Mommy,” Gigi said. “But he was really friendly, and I wasn’t scared of him at all.”
Just then Gigi noticed Gloria’s picture on the mantle. “That's him!” She gave a loud cry, pointing at the picture. “Mommy, the tail blond man dressed like an angel. That’s the man that pulled me out of the car!”
I felt chill-bumps across my neck and arms. Gloria turned pale. “Are you sure that's the man?” Gloria asked.
“Yeah, that's him. Except he didn’t have wings, and he was wearing blue jeans and a tee shirt. But that's him exactly. I’d remember him anywhere!”
Later that night, the police found the injured kidnappers in their damaged car fifty miles from our home. When questioned-the driver remembered making a sharp turn to avoid hitting a tall blond man and the backseat door that Gigi sat by had been completely torn off its hinges.
Twenty years have gone by. We have never heard from anyone claiming to have rescued Gigi and there have been no logical explanations for Gigi’s miraculous escape and return home from a wreck so far away.
There have always been things that people can't explain. But, from that day forward, I believe that all experiences, positive and negative, are given to us for our strengthening and learning.
Gigi now takes her little girl to the park on Saturdays. They enjoy the sunlight as it dances in the treetops, the smell of popcorn, and the laughter of children. She keeps Gloria's picture on her mantle, and she remembers her angelic friend. And, like my daughter, I have a faith that has carried me through many trials since that day many years ago.The writer describes a happy scene at the beginning of the passage to___________.
| A．introduce a topic |
| B．attract readers’attention |
| C．make a sharp contrast |
| D．show the beauty of nature |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the pray together with Gloria?
| A．Doubtful | B．Curious |
| C．Grateful | D．Causal |
The main reason why the kidnappers could be arrested was that__________.
| A．the police followed and caught them |
| B．Gloria’s best friend helped the police to find them |
| C．an angel spotted them and took them to the police station |
| D．they had an accident when a tall man tried to stop their car |
What is conveyed in this passage?
| A．the police are not reliable sometimes. |
| B．any bad man will be punished one day. |
| C．we should believe in God and pray every day. |
| D．we should always stay positive whatever happens. |
We can learn from the passage that__________.
| A．the story was told from Gigi’s point of view |
| B．the man who rescued Gigi had known her before |
| C．Gigi was sure that the angel in the picture rescued her |
| D．the writer believed what Gigi said at the very beginning |
What can be best title for the passage?
| A．picture of an angle | B．power of God |
| C．Gigi’s escape | D．Mommy’s anxiety. |
Many phrases like “ no pains, no gains” give the impression that we ought to be suffering while we study. It’s almost as though the only way to know if we’re putting in enough work is the sense of hardship we bear.
When we haven’t taken the time to come up with another idea, all we know how to do is shut ourselves in a room with a book. It’s no surprise that we find revision boring and difficult. Just as children learn from playing, we can learn from doing, or at least from study techniques that interest us, rather than make us switch off.
Shutting yourself away can make you learn to hate studying. This leads to a situation where instead of being able to concentrate on your work, you are troubled by how unfair it is that you must study.
When you hate your work it’s very difficult to make yourself star, or approach it with any kind of structure or enthusiasm. This can be part of a vicious cycle(恶性循环) that traps you into ineffective revision, your poor progress fuelling further annoyance.
Just being around other people really helps fight against feelings of loneliness and, thankfully, it’s perfectly possible to work in the company of other people. We just need to learn how to deal with distractions(使人分心的事物).
It’s not necessary to avoid all company, just idle(懒散的) company. Studying in the same room as someone who is ironing or working out is perfectly possible. People who are bored and looking to be distracted, however, are terrible to work around. They constantly try to keep others in conversation.
It’s also a good idea to avoid the company of people involved in activities that you would rather be doing than studying. What would it be like working while sitting next to someone playing video games?
If being around others means working in a noisy environment, a pair of headphones and some background music can block out even noisy children. They also act as a psychological barrier, so that people think twice before interrupting you.
When you’re studying for a big exam, it seems like your whole life is taken up with study. Friends and family can lessen feelings of isolation(孤立). And connecting with other people makes us happy, so it’s important not to give that up and to make sure that we take the time to socialize.The author might believe that the phrase “no pains, no gains” _______.
| A．best describes how to study well |
| B．makes people treat study as a habit |
| C．encourages people to learn step by step |
| D．is not a good inspirational phrase for study |
Which saying about study might the author prefer?
| A．There is no smooth road to learning. |
| B．It’s better to work behind the closed door. |
| C．A positive motivation leads to good study results. |
| D．He who is ashamed of asking is ashamed of learning. |
Which might lead to an effective study based on this text?
| A．A correct goal. | B．A good teacher. |
| C．A favorable interest. | D．A hard task. |
The underlined sentence in Paragraph 7 implies that _______.
| A．playing video games is helpful for an effective study |
| B．one shouldn’t let a video player be his / her company |
| C．one should study from something that interests him/her |
| D．the more time one spends in playing games, the higher marks he / she will get |
If you are studying in a noisy environment, you’d better _______.
| A．show your not wanting to be interrupted |
| B．give up others’ company at once |
| C．think twice before taking any action |
| D．force yourself to be used to the environment |
| Art Calendar Walking Tours of the Museum’s collections (fee with admission contribution) are offered daily and on weekends by Museum-trained volunteers. No tours on November 29-December 1 and December 17-31 Weekdays Tuesday through Friday subject to Gallery hours
Weekends |
Walking tours of the Museum’s collections are offered on __________.
| A．November 29. | B．December 20 |
| C．December 31 | D．December 10 |
What time is the latest Chinese Art Class?
| A．1:45 | B．2:45 |
| C．10:30 | D．10:45 |
When is the last Old Master Paintings?
| A．Friday 7:00 | B．Tuesday 9:00 |
| C．Friday 1:00 | D．Thursday 1:00 |
Which one starts the earliest?
| A．Highlights of the Museum |
| B．Egyptian Galleries |
| C．Chinese Art |
| D．Ancient Mexico and Peru. |
The Hunan Satellite TV(HNTV) show “Where are we going, Dad?” is a big hit. Many famous stars brought their children to a strange village alone, and they had to spend 72 hours with their children there. The program fully showed us a modern version of the “how to be a good father”. As the young parents today are too busy to take care of their children, this new form of “Lost on the way” played by nanny Daddy and cute kids triggered（触发）a lot of people’s emotional resonance（共鸣）. Both the kids and their parents will find that their hearts are being drawn closer. But this kind of feeling has just proved that there is a big spiritual barrier between the modern parents and children.
The TV shows like “Children are hard to support!”, “Where are we going, Dad?”, “hot mom” and “cute kids” are becoming more and more popular. All of these show the new parents’ confusion in children’s education and the appeal for the balance between career and family.
In real life, on the one hand the young parents feel helpless because they are too busy to accompany their children under the pressures of work and life; on the other hand they continue to do so. The data collected by HNTV shows that nearly two-thirds of their audience are female, among whom 36% are aged from 25 to 34.We can imagine such a scene that one evening a young mother is watching the show with her young children, while her husband is still at work or trapped in socializing, or maybe is just playing computer games in the bedroom. The story of a child without the company of father is still going on. In fact, it is sometimes the same to mothers. In a modern family, it is often the old who take the responsibility of raising a child. The participation of mother in the children’s education is also very low.
It is just this kind of confusion where the parents have gone in the modern family education, and where the parents will guide their children to go that “Where are we going, Dad?” shows us. If a child wants to grow up healthily and safely into a modern citizen with independent personality and free spirit, it is very important for him or her to follow the parents who serve as their first teacher. Maybe this is the real reason why such kind of TV programs could get hot. The truth is that children will go where their parents go; and society will go where the children go.In raising a child in modern society, parents should ________.
| A．play computer games with their children |
| B．keep their children at home to avoid socializing |
| C．balance well between family and career |
| D．break down the barrier between children and teachers |
Which of the following can be inferred in the passage?
| A．Parents shouldn’t entirely leave the education of children to the old. |
| B．36% of the audience of the program are female aged from 25-34. |
| C．The program shows us the confusion where the parents and children will go to play. |
| D．In a modern family it is often mothers who are responsible for raising a child. |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．Confusion Behind “Where are we going, dad?” |
| B．Modern Education is Important |
| C．Nanny Daddy and Cute Kids |
| D．New problems in Modern Children’s Education |
What attitude towards modern family education does the author express in the second paragraph?
| A．Proud. | B．Worried. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Indifferent. |
What does the underlined word “participation” probably mean?
| A．taking responsibility |
| B．taking apart |
| C．taking part |
| D．keeping company |