The battle for the leadership of Britain’s Labour Party ended on September 25. Five candidates competed for the top job, but it turned out to be a tale of two brothers. Victory went to Ed Miliband, 40, with his elder brother David, 45, coming a close second. Ed’s Miliband’s job will now be to try to lead his party back into power and oppose Prime Minister David Cameron.
The two Milibands were both ministers in the Gordon Brown government. David Miliband, as Foreign Secretary, held the third most important post in UK politics. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described him as “vibrant and attractive”. Ed, who had a lesser role in government as Minister of Climate Change, was valued for his contribution to policy discussions and for his performance at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change last December.
The Miliband brothers were born to political parents. Their father, Ralph, was a Marxist scholar. He came to Britain from Belgium in 1940, fleeing the Nazis. Ralph Miliband was buried beside Karl Marx in London’s Highgate Cemetery. His wife Marion, the brothers’ mother, remains an active party member at 76.
The two brothers represent different wings of the Labour Party. David supported former Prime Minister Tony Blair; Ed was a follower of Blair’s great rival Gordon Brown, the last Labour PM.
“We’re determined to make sure that family comes before politics, and I don’t think there’s any chance that politics is going to get in the way,” David Miliband said before the vote.
After the result, the two embraced in front of the cameras.
In his acceptance speech, Ed Miliband said to his brother: “David, I love you so much as a brother. And I have such extraordinary respect for the campaign that you ran.”
But some feel their warm words were for the media and for the sake of party unity. There had been reports of anger on David’s part when his younger brother chose to stand against him. David may feel that the leadership was stolen from him-and by his own brother. Ed himself was reported to be concerned that he might have hurt David. According to the Guardian, after the result, Ed’s first reaction was: “what have I done to David?”
Ed suggested that he was prepared to make his brother shadow chancellor. But David has decided it is time to move on. He will not have a role in the Shadow Cabinet in the future.
In effect, he has fallen on his sword for the Party. David Miliband said the priority was to allow his brother to make a success of leading Labour: “I believe this will be harder if there is constant comparison with my comments and position as a member of the shadow cabinet.”. Ed Miliband became head of Britain’s Labour Party because ______.
| A．he played an important role in the previous British government. |
| B．his arguments at political discussions and his performance at an international conference |
| C．Hillary Clinton thought highly of him |
| D．his brother supported him both at home and politics. |
. According to the passage, which is NOT TRUE?
| A．Ed and David both worked in the government. |
| B．Ralph Miliband came to Britain because of the Nazis. |
| C．Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron are all Labour Party Prime Ministers. |
| D．David Miliband and Ed Miliband’s mother is still alive. |
.What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．David Miliband and Ed Miliband fought against each other both at home and politics. |
| B．Ed was concerned about David’s feelings after the election. |
| C．David and Ed were born into a political family. |
| D．David and Ed agreed with each other on most of the issues |
.What does the underlined sentence mean?
| A．David accepted his brother’s invitation to be a shadow chancellor. |
| B．David was determined to fight against his brother. |
| C．David was so upset that he would end his life with a sword for the Party. |
| D．David refused his brother’s offer for him to be a shadow chancellor. |
.Which of the following can best describe the relationship between David and Ed?
| A．Brothers and political rivals | B．Partners in the political campaign |
| C．Partners in public and enemy in private | D．Representatives of different wings of Labour Party |
阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
UK education is all about giving you inspiration to develop your knowledge and skills, freedom to be creative, and support to help you achieve your best.
On a UK course you will benefit from excellent teaching and facilities. In order to accept students, UK education centres must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and education bodies.
With such a good reputation for research and education, universities and colleges in the UK attract some of the world's leading academics and professionals. You will be encouraged to express your own ideas and think for yourself.
The attention to quality is reflected in the UK's excellent results:
Four of the top six universities in the world are in the UK.
The UK is a world-leading research nation. 54% of the research conducted by UK universities and colleges is classed as either “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”.
At the most recent inspection, 97% of further education colleges were judged satisfactory or better, for their overall effectiveness.
In the recent BIS Tracking International Graduate Outcomes survey, more than 88% of international higher education graduates said they were satisfied with their UK learning experience.
Likewise, in the Higher Education Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey of UK postgraduate students, 93% rated the quality of teaching positively.
For English language students, you'll find the UK has long been at the forefront of language teaching, and pioneered many of the techniques now used around the world. The emphasis is on learning the language through fun and participation: Instead of just listening to your teacher, your classes will involve games, problem-solving and discussions. You might also listen to songs, watch television or read magazines to practise your comprehension skills.
The UK’s boarding schools also offer excellent teaching, facilities and support. At UK independent schools (most boarding schools are independent), a teacher has just 9.4 pupils on average, so teachers have more time to give you individual support. This is reflected in the results: 91% of students from UK independent schools go on to higher education.What do the education centres do to accept students?
| A．To develop knowledge and skills. |
| B．To help achieve your best. |
| C．To meet strict quality standards. |
| D．To benefit from excellent teaching. |
How many foreign students are said to be satisfied with their learning in the UK?
| A．About 97%. | B．Below 54%. |
| C．93% or so. | D．Over 88%. |
How do the students learn English in the UK?
| A．By listening to the teacher. |
| B．By working in the class. |
| C．By teacher's support. |
| D．By playing and discussing. |
What's the purpose of the author to write this passage?
| A．To introduce the education in the UK. |
| B．To make their students love the UK. |
| C．To attract foreign students. |
| D．To show his pride in the UK. |
Years ago, I owned the very best dog in the world. I was a child when we got her. She grew up with me, and was always there when I needed her. She died during one of my college vacations. My heart broke then, and I knew that there would never be another dog like her.
However, I was wrong. My next dog came into my life when I was married. My husband traveled for a living. and I was often lonely. This dog taught me to be patient. He always stayed at my side until the children were born, and then he became their guardian(保护者), too. When he passed away, my heart broke. I was sure I would never love another dog as much as I loved him.
I was wrong again. We got the next one when the children were little. When he played with the children, he made them laugh. These days he spends more time with me since the children aren’t around so much. He is, of course, the very best dog in the world.
I wonder if that’s part of the lesson: To teach us that love has a spirit that returns again and again and never really dies.
It’s amazing. They make room for one another. And they fit into our families, our lives, and our hearts— because they always have been and will be the best dogs in the world.According to the story, the writer may agree with the opinion that .
| A．love me, love my dog |
| B．love never really dies |
| C．a dog is necessary to a family |
| D．where there’s love, there’s a dog |
What does the writer think about the third dog she owns?
| A．He brings happiness to the children. |
| B．He is better than the other two dogs. |
| C．He loves to play with children rather than adults. |
| D．He is lonely since the children have left home. |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means.
| A．they leave the room when the family needs a new one |
| B．each dog has a single room to live in |
| C．they leave the house when the family no longer needs them |
| D．they come into the writer’s life one after another |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The writer doesn’t keep a dog at the moment. |
| B．The writer was very sad every time the dog died. |
| C．The second dog stayed longer than the first one. |
| D．The writer’s husband doesn’t like dogs. |
How many dogs are mentioned (提及)in the author’s life?
| A．one | B．two | C．three | D．four |
When you sleep somewhere else—like at summer camp or a friend's house—you know you're in for a fun time. It can be exciting to get away from the same old bed in the same old room in the same old house. But fun as this is, for some kids being away from home can be scary and sad. They want to go and have fun with their friends, but once they're there, they start to miss their good old bed, their good old parents, and all that everyday stuff at home. It's called being homesick.
Homesick means you're upset, sad, and maybe scared. But don't feel surprised. A lot of people get homesick, even grownups. When you're used to having certain people and things around you, it can be scary when they're gone. When you're dealing with other problems, you will feel homesick, too. Some kids may feel more homesick than usual if their parents are getting divorced or if someone they loved has recently died.
Here are some ideas to help you feel less homesick.
Bring a little bit of home with you. If you're going away from home, bring your pillow or pictures of the people you'll be apart from and look at them any time you want.
Keep busy. The more fun stuff you do, the less time you'll have to feel homesick. Try to join in activities wherever you are.
Stay in touch. You can make a plan for when you'll call your mom or dad. You can also email or text message to stay in touch with family and friends. When you do get in touch with someone, make sure to talk about the fun things you're doing!
Talk to someone where you are. Maybe you can tell a friend that you feel homesick. He or she might have some ideas to help you feel better.One feels homesick means he's not ________.
| A．upset | B．sad | C．scary | D．full |
________ is NOT TRUE according to the passage.
| A．Kids can keep touching with their family with telephone |
| B．You can tell friends you are feeling homesick |
| C．Bringing some familiar things with you can help to feel less homesick |
| D．Only kids get homesick, grownups never feel homesick |
Kids won't feel homesick when ________.
| A．they are dealing with the problems |
| B．the people and things they get used to are around them |
| C．someone they loved has recently died |
| D．their parents are getting divorced |
There are ________ ideas to help you feel less homesick mentioned in this passage.
| A．five | B．four | C．three | D．Two |
The BEST title for this passage is “________”.
| A．Homesickness |
| B．Why Do You Feel Homesick |
| C．How to Be Less Homesick |
| D．When Will Kids Feel Homesick |
Valentine’s Day（情人节） was coming. Helen felt hurt and lonely because this was her first Valentine’s Day after the divorce（离婚）.
Helen’s twelve-year-old son, Jack, looked at his mother, knowing that this was a difficult time for both of them. In order to make his mother happy, he prepared a present, and handed it to her on Valentine’s Day.
It was a beautiful gift package （纸盒）. Helen couldn’t believe what was happening. She opened it and took out a lovely card and a small box.
“Now,” he said, “read the card.” It reads as follows:
“I know that this isn’t easy for you because it has been a hard year for both of us. I know that Valentine’s Day is a special day for people in love. I want you to know that I love you. I know that Valentines are supposed to get chocolate. I went to the store today to buy some for you. Luckily, I got the last piece. I told the clerk it was just perfect.”
Helen stood there for a moment and looked at her son. Her eyes sparkled in the light as tears formed in each corner. Jack knew he had done the right thing. Slowly she opened the small box, careful not to tear the paper. She would never forget the moment. She found a chocolate heart that was broken into pieces along with a note:
“I am so sorry that Dad left us, Mom. And all you were left with was a broken heart. But I just want you to know we still have each other.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Your son,
Jack”Which of the following words can best describe Jack?
| A．Hard-working. | B．Humorous. |
| C．Brave. | D．Caring. |
Why did Jack think it was a difficult time for his mother and him?
| A．Because he hadn’t heard from his father for a long time. |
| B．Because his mother had been out of work for a long time. |
| C．Because his father left them and his mother felt hurt and lonely. |
| D．Because he had no money to buy a gift for his mother |
Which of the following wasn’t in the gift package?
| A．A card | B．A flower |
| C．A small box. | D．A chocolate heart. |
Jack wrote a card to his mother in order to ____.
| A．show his love to her |
| B．explain why he felt lonely |
| C．ask her to give him some money |
| D．express he missed his father |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Helen felt hurt and lonely when Valentine’s Day was coming. |
| B．Jack knows his mother’s feelings and prepared a present on Valentine’s Day. |
| C．Jack’s mother still loves Jack’s father. |
| D．Helen was moved by her son when she received Jack’s gift. |
Imagine your body is like the house you live in. Every day, your family creates rubbish. The rubbish builds up until it is put out for the weekly garbage collection.
Now, say you put three bags of garbage out, but because one of the collectors was away sick, only two bags are collected. You take the leftover bag inside to be put out again next week. The following week you put on another three bags, plus the leftover bag from last week. But again, only two bags are collected. Imagine this cycle is repeated over the following weeks.
This is a simple description of what happens to your body when your kidneys (肾脏) don’t work efficiently. Your body is not thoroughly emptied of waste products. Other areas of the body such as blood pressure and red blood cell production are affected and the insidious process that may lead to kidney failure begins.
It’s not uncommon for people to lose up to 90% of their kidney function before developing any symptoms. There may be no warning signs. This makes early detection (诊查) difficult.
Kidney’s main job is to remove toxins (毒素) and unwanted water from our blood. Every day our kidneys clean an average of 200 litres of blood. Kidney failure may be a gradual and silent process, going unnoticed because there is no apparent pain.
Research shows that more than 25% of the patients requiring dialysis (透析) do not see a kidney specialist before they have to do so. Some risk factors for kidney disease such as age and genetic make up are out of our control; however, some changes in lifestyle may help prevent kidney damage．Two major risk factors for kidney disease, diabetes (糖尿病) and high blood pressure, have been on the rise over the last few decades．Both conditions are chiefly affected by being overweight and not getting enough exercises, which are the potential risk factors for the kidney disease.The author gives the example of the house we live in to indicate that _______.
| A．it’s safe and harmless for our body to keep some waste |
| B．it’s important for our body to empty the waste in time every day |
| C．our body will not produce any waste if our kidneys work efficiently |
| D．it doesn’t matter much if the waste in our body is not emptied in time |
The underlined word “insidious” in the third paragraph means _______.
| A．smooth and safe | B．obvious and fast |
| C．gradual and unnoticed | D．long and painful |
We can infer that when we find some symptoms related to our kidneys, _______.
| A．the kidney failure begins |
| B．the kidneys can still work properly |
| C．we have lost about 10% of kidney function |
| D．the kidneys may have been seriously damaged |
Which of the following helps prevent kidney damage most effectively?
| A．Go to see a kidney specialist shortly before dialysis starts. |
| B．Take enough exercise and make early detection of kidney disease. |
| C．Try to keep low blood pressure and a stable lifestyle. |
| D．Go to hospital whenever you find any warning signs. |