Many Americans take their summer vacations in August. President Obama and his family are among them. This August the first family visited the Florida Gulf Coast. The president wants to promote tourism in the area after the BP oil spill (漏油). The first family took a ten-day vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts.
Martha’s Vineyard is known for the sailing, sunsets and its tall cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The island is about 13 kilometers off the coast and is less than 260 square kilometers. Homes designed like those of earlier times line the streets of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. These are the major towns on Martha’s Vineyard.
For most of the year, the population of Martha’s Vineyard is about 15 000. In summer, more than 100 000 people crowd the island. In addition to the Obamas, you might see some Hollywood stars and other rich and famous people. Many visitors return year after year.
During warm weather the Vineyard is a good place for many different activities. People can play golf or catch fish. They can rid
e in sailboats or motor boats. They can waterski and swim. They can take quiet walks along sandy beaches and among the thick green trees.
One of the popular places for families with children is the Flying Horses Carousel in Oak Bluffs. It is the oldest continually operated merry-go-round ride in the United States. The colorful wood horses that turn in a circle were created in 1876. One of the best places for children to swim is the Joseph A. Sylvia state beach. The water there is warmer and calmer. Families also enjoy the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary where they can observe much of the island wildlife.
Visitors watch the sunsets sitting on the beach and on rocks in the fishing village of Menemsha. As the sun goes down in the sky it paints yellow, red, and other colors on the clouds. Fishing boats rise and fall with the waves. Bells sound to help guide the boats to land as darkness covers the water.
Historians say British mapmaker Bartholomew Gosnold first made a map of the island for the rulers of England in 1602. Gosnold named the island to honor his baby daughter, Martha. The Vineyard part of the name came from the many wild grape vines Gosnold found on the island. Later, King Charles of England gave the island to businessman Thomas Mayhew of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, whose son established the first European settlement on the island in 1642. By the middle of the nineteenth century, ships from the 
American mainland began bringing visitors to the island. Big hotels were built near the edge of the water. Martha’s Vineyard was on its way to becoming the visitors center that it is today. .
We can infer that ______.
| A．the BP oil spill has a negative effect on the tourism along the Florida Gulf Coast |
| B．the BP oil spill has contributed to the tourism along the Florida Gulf Coast |
| C．President Obama went to the Florida Gulf Coast to deal with the BP oil spill |
| D．this was the first time that President Obama and his family had taken the vacation on Martha’s Vineyard |
.
Which month is the peak time for tourism in Martha’s Vineyard?
| A．January. | B．August. | C．December. | D．March, |
.
If children want to see wild animals, the family should go to ______.
| A．the Flying Horses Carousel | B．the Sylvia state beach |
| C．the fishing village of Menemsha | D．the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary |
.
Bartholomew Gosnold named the island Martha in honor of _______.
| A．his mother | B．the king of England |
| C．his daughter | D．his father |
With his game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, Jeremy Lin (林书豪) finished the New York Knicks' dramatic reversed(扭转) victory to defeat the Toronto Rapters.
The Knicks have won six games in a row, and Jeremy Lin has put up impressive numbers during the continuous period of competitions. Although the season is still young, the Knicks have reversed course in just one week from the NBA's most disappointing team to a playoff (季后赛) contestant. Lin, not team's high-paid stars, has saved the Knicks season and likely coach D'Antoni's job.
After nearly 15 years of disappointing, sometimes unsuccessful seasons, Madison Square Garden is alive again, and New York City can't stop talking about the Knicks. To put things into perspective（角度）, consider this: Just several years back, Knicks fans protested nightly outside of the Garden calling for the team's ownership to fire their resented coach Isiah Thomas.
Now, Madison Square Garden Co. shares are at a record high, the Knicks' average household television rating is up 70 percent since Lin joined the starting lineup (首发阵容), and jersey sales are increasing very quickly. I watched the Knicks-Lakers game at a bar in Harlem, and have not felt that kind of energy from fans since the great playoff between the Knicks and Miami Heat in the late 1990s.
Beyond the Knicks, Lin may be saving the NBA as well. Just a few months back, the NBA took a massive credibility（威信）hit during a multi-month lockout（停工）, where the owners did not allow the players to go back to play until they accept the new salary levels. As a consequence, the season did not even begin until Christmas Day. Over the past few years, LeBron James' (勒布朗﹒詹姆斯) relatively long and unpleasant free-agent (自由职业球员) events, combined with poor play around the league, have angered fans and damaged the league's brand.
Lin is leading a one-week NBA basketball revival. His legendary story has inspired Asian-Americans, increased NBA sales in China, and turned the basketball world upside down. The passage is mainly about______
| A．why the New Yorkers thought well of Jeremy Lin |
| B．why Jeremy Lin became a member of the Knicks |
| C．how the Knicks defeated its opponents in a great playoff |
| D．how Jeremy Lin saved the Knicks, probably including the NBA |
According to the passage, Jeremy Lin's excellent performance saved the following except___
| A．The NBA |
| B．Coach Isiah Thomas |
| C．The Knicks |
| D．Madison Square Garden Co.’s shares |
The underlined word “young” in Paragraph 2 probably means "______"
| A．not old yet. | B．not completely grown. |
| C．in the development | D．in the early stage |
The NBA suffered the credibility crisis months ago because____
| A．The NBA delayed the season because of players’ wage disagreements |
| B．the NBA was disappointed at James’ free-agent event. |
| C．The NBA canceled the basketball match for the coming Christmas |
| D．James had a bad performance in the basketball court |
Which one of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．These Knicks’ stars who were paid well saved the Knicks season |
| B．The Knicks didn’t satisfy its fans for nearly 15 years until this season |
| C．The fans objected to dismissing Coach Isiah Thomas outside the Garden |
| D．The owners and the players didn’t agree on raising the TV ratings |
How many times have you got upset because someone wasn't doing his job，because your child isn't behaving？How many times have you been irritated (恼怒的) when you've planned something carefully and things didn't go as you'd hoped?
This kind of anger and irritation happens to all of us—it’s part of the human experiences.
One thing that irritates me is when people talk during a movie，or cut me off in traffic. Actually, I have a lot of these little annoyances—don't we all？And it isn’t always easy to find peace when you’ve become upset or irritated.
Let me tell you a little secret to finding peace of mind: see the glass as already broken .
See, the cause of our stress, anger and irritation is that things don't go the way we like, the way we expect them to. Think of how many times this has been true for you. And so the solution is simple：expect things to go wrong, expect things to be different than we hoped or planned，expect the unexpected to happen. And accept it.
One quick example: on our recent trip to Japan, I told my kids to expect things to go wrong—they always do on a trip. I told them, “See it as part of the adventure.”
And this worked like a charm. When we inevitably(不可避免地) took the wrong train on a foreignlanguage subway system, or when it rained on the day we went to Disney Sea, or when we took three trains and walked 10 blocks only to find the National Children's Castle closed on Mondays...they said, “It's part of the adventure！” And it was all OK—we didn't get too bothered.
So when the nice glass you bought inevitably falls and breaks some day, you might get upset. But things will be different, if you see the glass as already broken, from the day you get it. You know it'll break some day, so from the beginning, see it as already broken. Be a timetraveler, or someone with timetraveling vision, and see the future of this glass, from this moment until it inevitably breaks. And when it breaks, you won't be upset or sad—because it was already broken, from the day you got it. And you’ll realize that every moment you have with it is precious.The author’s children could enjoy their trip to Japan because________.
| A．everything went smoothly |
| B．they had a lot of adventures |
| C．they had expected things to go wrong |
| D．they could soon get used to the customs there |
The author would probably agree that________.
| A．we should control our anger and irritation |
| B．we must get well prepared for the future |
| C．optimism can help us overcome our anger and irritation |
| D．anger and irritation is a natural part of our life |
The purpose of the author is to________.
| A．tell us his own experience in life |
| B．advise us how to find peace of mind |
| C．tell us a happy trip he took with his children |
| D．ask us to see things from both sides |
By the underlined part (in Para.3), the author tells us to________.
| A．get ready for the worst result of things |
| B．enjoy the process of things |
| C．expect little from life |
| D．find the relationship between cause and effect |
We can learn from the passage that the author________.
| A．often gets angry in his life |
| B．can adjust his state of mind accordingly |
| C．always expects others to act in his way |
| D．always suffers from his anger and irritation |
An Invisible Smile
Mr. Dawson was an old grouch, and everyone in town knew it. Kids knew not to go into his yard to pick a delicious apple. Old Dawson, they said, would come after you with his gun.
One Friday, 12-year-old Janet was going to stay all night with her friend Amy. They had to walk by Dawson's house on the way to Amy's house, but as they got close, Janet saw him sitting on his front porch and suggested they cross over to the other side of the street. Like most of the children, Janet was scared of the old man.
Amy said not to worry. Mr. Dawson wouldn't hurt anyone. Still, Janet was growing more nervous with each step closer to the old man's house. When they got close enough, Dawson looked up with his usual frown (皱眉), but when he saw it was Amy, a broad smile changed his entire face as he said, "Hello Miss Amy. I see you've got a little friend with you today."
Amy smiled back and told him Janet was staying overnight and they were going to listen to music and play games. Mr. Dawson said that sounded fun, and offered them each a fresh picked apple off his tree. They gladly accepted. Mr. Dawson had the best apples in the whole town.
When they left, Janet asked Amy, "Everyone says he's the meanest man in town. How come he was so nice to us?"
Amy explained that when she first started walking past his house he wasn't very friendly and she was afraid of him, but she pretended he was wearing an invisible smile and so she always smiled back at him. It took a while, but one day he half-smiled back at her.
After some more time, he started smiling real smiles and then started talking to her. Just a "hello" at first, then more. She said he always offers her an apple now, and is always very kind.
"An invisible smile?" questioned Janet.
"Yes," answered Amy, "my grandma told me that if I pretended I wasn't afraid and pretended he was smiling an invisible smile at me and I smiled back at him, sooner or later he would really smile. Grandma says smiles are contagious."
If we remember what Amy's grandma said, that everyone wears an invisible smile, we too will find that We're always on the go trying to accomplish so much, aren't we? It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life that we forget how simple it can be to bring cheer to ourselves and others. Giving a smile away takes so little effort and time, let's make sure that we're not the one that others have to pretend to be wearing an invisible smile. Kids were scared of Mr. Dawson because _____.
| A．he was wearing an invisible smile |
| B．he would fire them with a gun |
| C．he was mean with his apples |
| D．he was always very cold |
We can infer from the passage that_____.
| A．Janet was so lovely a girl that Mr. Dawson couldn't resist her smiles |
| B．Janet and Amy were going to invite Mr. Dawson to listen to music and play games |
| C．Mr. Dawson was friendly to Amy because she always wore an invisible smile |
| D．it was Grandma's advice that helped bring Amy and Mr. Dawson closer |
The underlined word "contagious" in Paragraph 9 means _____.
| A．infectious | B．supportive | C．moving | D．meaningful |
What is the main message that the writer intends to send us readers?
| A．Always wear an invisible smile. |
| B．Smile whenever we can. |
| C．Try our best to transform others. |
| D．Pretend that we are happy even if we are not. |
Walking is the exercise of choice for most dieters. You don't need a gym membership to do this effective exercise. Here's how to prepare:
The only equipment you really need is a decent pair of walking shoes. What matters most is comfort. When you're shopping for shoes:
●Wear the socks you plan to exercise in. That way you'll get the best fit.
●Try on both shoes. Most people's feet aren't exactly the same size. Choose a pair that fits your larger foot.
●Allow a little extra room. Feet swell when you walk, so buy a pair with about a thumb's width between your longest toe and the toe of the shoe.
Sure, walking comes naturally. But the following tips will help you stay comfortable and get the most out of your walk:
●Look ahead. Keep your neck straight and your head held high. If you have to look down to see where you're going, lower your eyes, not your head.
●Move both arms. Let your arms swing naturally at your sides, and you'll burn up to 15 percent more calories by keeping your arms moving.
●Don't carry unnecessary weight. Some people try to get in extra exercise by carrying a couple of light dumbbells(哑铃), but fitness-walking experts say that's risky: The weights can pull you off balance and tighten muscles in your back or legs.
Walking is one of the safest activities. Still, the following tips may be helpful:
●If you're walking at night, wear a piece of reflective clothing.
●If the path is dimly lit, bring a good flashlight.
●When the weather's hot, be sure to drink some water before you set out and better take a bottle of water with you if you plan to walk quite a long time.
●If your path is rough, protect your ankles. Consider wearing a comfortable bandage for support. According to the text, which of the following is correct?
| A．Wearing a piece of reflective clothing can make you look smart. |
| B．Moving both arms while walking can help you lose more weight. |
| C．You should buy shoes with a little extra space for your smaller foot. |
| D．Losing weight by walking is always easy and effective without any danger. |
What are possibly necessary if you walk through our town and then up a hill along a winding path on a hot evening?
a. good walking shoes b. reflective clothing c. light dumb-bells
d. a flashlight e. a bandage f. a bottle of water
| A．a, b, c, d, e, f | B．a, c, d, e, f | C．a, b, d, e, f | D．a, d, e, f |
What can be inferred about the author of the text?
| A．He/She once got his/her legs injured while walking carrying light dumb-bells. |
| B．He/She might live in a small town with dimly lit streets. |
| C．He/She needs just a decent pair of walking shoes while walking. |
| D．He/She is quite experienced in the exercise of walking. |
"This past year has been one of great celebration for many. The enthusiasm which greeted the Diamond Jubilee was, of course, especially memorable for me and my family.
It was humbling that so many chose to mark the anniversary of a duty which passed to me 60 years ago. People of all ages took the trouble to take part in various ways and in many nations. But perhaps most striking of all was to witness the strength of fellowship and friendship among those who had gathered together on these occasions.
On the barges and the bridges and the banks of the river there were people who had taken their places to cheer through the mist, undaunted by the rain. That day there was a tremendous sense of common determination to celebrate, triumphing(战胜) over the elements.
That same spirit was also in evidence from the moment the Olympic flame arrived on these shores. The flame itself drew hundreds and thousands of people on its journey around the British Isles, and was carried by every kind of deserving individual, many nominated for their own extraordinary service.
As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes. In pursuing their own sporting goals, they gave the rest of us the opportunity to share something of the excitement and drama.
We were reminded, too, that the success of these great festivals depended to an enormous degree upon the dedication and effort of an army of volunteers. Those public-spirited people came forward in the great tradition of all those who devote themselves to keeping others safe, supported and comforted.
For many, Christmas is also a time for coming together. But for others, service will come first. Those serving in our armed forces, in our emergency services and in our hospitals, whose sense of duty takes them away from family and friends, will be missing those they love.
At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship(崇拜) the Christ child. From that day on he has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others.
This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son 'to serve, not to be served'. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is my prayer this Christmas Day that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas. "Who most probably is the maker of this speech?
| A．Queen of Great Britain. | B．King of Great Britain. |
| C．Prime Minister of Great Britain. | D．Mayor of London. |
What might be the main purpose of this speech?
| A．To make a summary of what has been done in the past years. |
| B．To offer congratulations on the arrival of Christmas. |
| C．To hold an anniversary celebration of an event. |
| D．To express respect for and loyalty to God. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the speaker?
| A．Enthusiasm and Friendship. |
| B．Dedication and effort. |
| C．Sacrifice and service. |
| D．Civilization and peace. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The speaker was too busy to attend the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games. |
| B．Volunteers played a key role in the success of the Diamond Jubilee. |
| C．The speaker showed great respect for those still at work at Christmas. |
| D．The strength of the Christmas story lies in the worship of Jesus Christ. |