Willy, a merchant, returned home to his own country from a faraway continent, where he had succeeded making a small fortune by hard work. He found on arriving at the port that all his relatives were having a large party.
He was in such a happy mood and in the joy of the moment, he did not even bother changing his grey flannel（法兰绒）suit which had become a little worn during the trip home.
When he entered the brilliantly lit room, his relatives and friends gave him a rather cold welcome because they had noticed his modest suit and immediately imagined that he had come back a poor man.
A young man who happened to be accompanying him was quite irritated at this and said to Willy, “What a wonderful reception you have received from these people. They have not even the intention of shaking your hand after all these years that you have been away from home.”
“Just wait and see!” whispered Willy, “They will soon change their looks!” Saying this he slipped a precious ring on his finger. All of a sudden the faces of all those present lit up and immediately Willy was surrounded by so many people that he didn’t know what to do. A man shook his hand, a cousin threw his arms around him, and he had so many invitations from the people present that he thought he would be unable to make any other appointments for several years.
“Has this beautiful, precious ring of yours the power of magic people?” asked the young man.
“Oh, no!” replied Willy, “They see in this glittering diamond ring something that makes them think I am rich, and, unfortunately, they place wealth above everything else.”
"What blind people!" 
exclaimed the young man. “It is not the ring that has drawn them to you but their desire for riches. Is it possible to appreciate more a piece of yellow metal surrounded by little stones than the goodness of my Lord? And indeed how foolish are people who place their trust in riches rather than in virtues（美德）!” In what way did Willy go to attend the party held by his relatives and friends?
| A．In such a modest mood. | B．In travel-soiled clothes. |
| C．Wearing a precious jewel. | D．Without being accompanied. |
The word “irritated” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to “______”.
| A．excited | B．pleased | C．angry | D．envious |
According to the young man, people should ______.
| A．give up all the physical wealth | B．appreciate more jewelry than goodness |
| C．observe carefully when judging a person | D．avoid being blinded by the desire for wealth |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．The Diamond Ring | B．The Welcome Party |
| C．The Modest Clothes | D．The Joyful Crowd |
“Cool” is a word with many meanings. Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold. As the world has changed, the word has had many different meanings.
“Cool”can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything.
When you see a famous car in the street, maybe you will say, “It's cool. ”You may think, “He's so cool, ”when you see your favourite footballer.
We all maximize（扩大） the meaning of“cool”. You can use it instead of many words such as “new” or “surprising”. Here's an interesting story we can use to show the way the word is used. A teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall（瀑布）they had visited. On one student's paper was Just the one sentence, “It's so cool. Maybe he thought it was the best way to show what he saw and felt.
But the story also shows a scarcity（缺乏）of words. Without “cool”, some people have no words to show the same meaning. So it is quite important to keep some credibility（可信性）. Can you think of many other words that make your life as colourful as the word “cool”? I can. And I think they are also very cool.We know that the word "cool" has had________.
| A．only one meaning | B．no meanings |
| C．many different meanings | D．the same meaning |
In the passage, the word “express” means “________”.
| A．see | B．show | C．know | D．feel |
If you are _______ something, you may say, “It’s cool.”
| A．interested in | B．angry about |
| C．afraid of | D．unhappy with |
The writer takes an example to show he is ________ the way the word is used.
| A．pleased with | B．strange to |
| C．worried about | D．careful with |
In the passage, the writer suggests（暗示）that the word “cool”________.
| A．can be used instead of many words |
| B．usually means something interesting |
| C．can make your life colourful |
| D．may not be as cool as it seems |
阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
Dick lived in England. One day in January he said to his wife, "I'm going to fly to New York next week because I've got some work there." "Where are you going to stay there?" his wife asked. "I don't know yet." Dick answered. "Please send me your address from there in a telegram (电报)," his wife said. "All right," Dick answered.
He flew to New York on January 31st and found a nice hotel in the center of the city. He put his things in his room and then he sent his wife a telegram. He put the address of his hotel in it.
In the evening he didn't have any work, so he went to a cinema. He came out at nine o'clock and said, "Now I'm going back to my hotel and have a nice dinner."
He found a taxi (出租车) and the driver said, "Where do you want to go?" But Dick didn't remember the name and address of his hotel.
"Which hotel are my things in?" he said, "And what am I going to do tonight?" But the driver of the taxi did not know. So Dick got out and went into a post office. There he sent his wife another telegram, and in it he wrote, "Please send me my address at this post office."Dick flew to New York because_____.
| A．he went there for a holiday |
| B．he had work there |
| C．he went there for sightseeing (观光) |
| D．his home was there |
Why did his wife want a telegram from him?
| A．Because she didn't know his address yet |
| B．Because she wanted to go to New York, too |
| C．Because she might send him another telegram |
| D．Because she couldn't leave her husband by himself in New York |
Where did Dick stay in New York?
| A．In the center of the city. | B．In a hotel. |
| C．In a restaurant. | D．At his friend's house. |
Who would send him the name and address of his hotel?
| A．The manager (经理) of his hotel. |
| B．The police office. |
| C．The taxi driver. |
| D．His wife. |
Which of the following is not true?
| A．Dick stayed at a nice hotel in the center of the city. |
| B．Dick didn't work on the first night of his arrival. |
| C．Dick forgot to send his wife a telegram. |
| D．Dick wanted to go back to his hotel in a taxi. |
Scrooge looked around him angrily. It was Christmas and his only friend Jacob Marley, had been dead for seven years. What was there for him to celebrate? He listened with growing anger to the people calling out greetings in the street and growled at his nephew Bob Cratchit, who was just ready to go home. “Merry Christmas, uncle,” called Bob as he hurried out of the door.
Scrooge sighed. He might just as well go to bed. Aware that he should not waste his candle, he quickly undressed and climbed into bed. But no sooner had he done so than the ghost of Marley, covered in chains, appeared. “What’s the matter, Jacob?” he asked. “There are the chains I made in my life,” answered the ghost. “I’m forced to wander around with no rest and no peace. I have come here to warn you that if you do not change, this too will be your fate. You will be visited by three spirits. Expect the first one tomorrow when the clock strikes one. Expect the second and the third on the following nights at the same hour.” With that Marley vanished. “Nonsense!” he said and going back to bed, fell fast asleep.
When Scrooge awoke it was dark. The clock struck one. At the sound, light flashed into the room and there stood a young boy. “Who are you?” asked Scrooge in an unsteady voice. “I’m the spirit of Christmas past,” replied the spirit. “Come with me.” “Do you remember this?” he asked. Scrooge did. He heard the happy cries of people, and looking around he found himself, as he used to be, sitting on a chair and reading. It was a Christmas. Suddenly Scrooge watched his younger self joined in a band, dancing and laughing. “Strange,” said the spirit, “that such little things should make people so happy.” The ghost let him go and Scrooge sank down into a deep sleep.
When he awoke again the second night, the clock sounded one again. Before he doubted the second spirit already turned up. The fat and jolly spirit was smiling,“I’m the spirit of Christmas present.”Again Scrooge grasped the spirit’s hand and was transported to a small house filled with a number of children and their mother. “Why, it’s my nephew Bob’s house,” cried Scrooge in astonishment. His surprise increased when the door opened and in came Bob carrying a small, sick boy, Tiny Tim. “Sit down,” cried Bob to his family. “Let’s have the best Christmas dinner!” They all began to eat eagerly. Scrooge watched at the happiness and contentment of his poor nephew’s family. “A Merry Christmas to us all!” cried Bob. “God bless us everyone!” added Tiny Tim, who sat very close to his father and Bob held his thin hand tightly. “No, not for the uncle, but for you and the children. Nobody knows better than you how mean that man is.” exclaimed Bob’s wife. “Spirit,” cried Scrooge. “Will Tiny Tim live?” “If the future remains the same,” said the spirit, “there will be an empty chair next year.” Again the spirit moved Scrooge away, and he fell asleep as he fell back into his bed.
The third night he woke and waited for the hour and the third spirit. This time the spirit didn’t come in a flash of light but arrived quietly wearing a black cloth that covered its face and form. “I’m the spirit of Christmas that is to come.” The spirit pointed and led him to a large stone. It was at the foot of a grave(坟墓) that was clearly neglected. Scrooge looked closer with trembling fingers and with horror read his own name on the stone. “Oh, spirit, no, no!” The spirit’s finger remained steady pointing at the grave. “I will honour Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year,” cried Scrooge in terror. He reached out to hold the spirit’s hand, but it slipped away. Scrooge looked around him. he saw he was in his own bed with his own thing around him.
“I have learned from the past, present and the future,” he rushed to the window and shouted to the boys below: “What day is it today?” “Why, it’s Christmas Day,” they replied in amazement. “Wonderful,” cried Scrooge. He rushed to his office to wait for Bob. When he entered, Scrooge pretended to look angry. “Do you know what day it is, my boy?” he asked Bob. “I’m not going to stand for this any longer,” he continued, “and so I’m going to raise your salary.” Bob looked amazed. “A Merry Christmas, Bob,” cried Scrooge slapping him on the back. “I want to help you and your family. Let’s talk about it this very afternoon.”What do the underlined words “growled at” mean in the first paragraph?
| A．said happily to | B．said calmly to |
| C．said slowly to | D．said angrily to |
From the second paragraph, we can learn that ________.
| A．Scrooge was even mean to himself |
| B．Scrooge believed what his friend told him |
| C．Marley lived with chains before his death |
| D．Marley came to say “Merry Christmas” to Scrooge |
When did Scrooge meet three spirits?
| A．At Christmas Eve. |
| B．On the 3 different nights before Christmas. |
| C．On Christmas Day. |
| D．On the 3 different days before Christmas. |
Which is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Scrooge died the next year. |
| B．Bob’s son, Tiny Tim, died the next year. |
| C．There is more than one child in Bob’s family. |
| D．The third spirit showed Scrooge his well-cared-for grave. |
What do you think Scrooge would be in the following years?
| A．Kind and poor. | B．Kind and generous. |
| C．Happy and mean. | D．Miserable and mean. |
Which of the following saying best describes the passage?
| A．No pains, no gains. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| D．It will pay to be kind to others. |
Pupils remember more and behave better when 3D images are used in lessons, research suggests. They are quicker to learn and absorb new concepts, and display higher levels of concentration.
Professor Anne Bamford studied the effectiveness of 3D content in 15 schools across seven countries. In each school, one class studied science in 2D classes and another did the same lesson using 3D resources. Pupils in 3D classes could remember more than those in 2D classes after four weeks, improving test scores by an average of 17 percent compared with 8 percent for 2D lessons.
The researchers commented that the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding, increased attention span, more motivation and higher engrossment in the lessons.
One teacher in the study said, “ In class with 3D you have the ‘wow’ effect. The pupils are too interested to be disruptive(制造混乱的). They get involved and forget to be naughty.” Another said, “The class certainly pay more attention to the learning in the 3D classes. They are more focused. That is important in this class --- eight out of the 26 pupils in this class have attention problems, so I am thrilled with the impact of 3D. They are really attentive.” The study also found that teachers could use the 3D animations without specific training. Schools would need 3D-enabled projectors(放映机), laptops with good graphic capabilities, 3D software and glasses for children to introduce animations into classrooms.
But Danny Nicholson, from the Association of Science Education, said the technology would be impractical to use in schools and could be too expensive. He said, “While I think the idea of 3D technology is very interesting --- and I’m speaking as a fan of interactive whiteboards and projectors as a technology in the classroom --- I worry that 3D is a bit of an expensive gimmick (小玩意儿). There are a few cases where a true 3D image might help, but a lot of the time, good 2D models that can be moved, would be just as effective.”
In Colorado, the US, one school district is already in the process of having 1,000 3D projectors installed in classrooms. And the University of California, which carries out scientific research into the Lake Tahoe Basin, has used 3D presentations with Grade Six pupils. Those who watched the 3D presentations were more engaged and reported a general increase in their interest in science compared with students who watched the 2D version.What method did Professor Bamford use to prove the advantages of 3D lessons?
| A．Argument. | B．Description. |
| C．Comparison. | D．Narration. |
What does the underlined word “engrossment” in the third paragraph probably mean?
| A．Encouragement. | B．Concentration. |
| C．Contribution. | D．Consequence. |
Teachers think pupils in 3D classes ____________.
| A．find it hard to concentrate on the lesson |
| B．are too naughty to get involved in 2D classes. |
| C．have less motivation and lower engagement in the lesson |
| D．have deeper understanding and increased attention span |
Which of the following statement is TRUE?
| A．3D presentations have been used with Grade Six pupils throughout the US. |
| B．3D technology would replace 2D models in the future. |
| C．Teachers would use the 3D technology by training. |
| D．Many pupils are now more interested in science than before. |
What can we learn from Paragraph 5?
| A．2D will be replaced by 3D because it is neither interesting nor effective. |
| B．Danny Nicholson tends to think that 3D is only a bit of gimmick. |
| C．3D would be impractical to use in schools because of finance problem. |
| D．Danny Nicholson doesn’t like to use whiteboards and projectors in the classroom. |
What is the article mainly about?
| A．How schools can make full use of 3D technology. |
| B．Pupils behave better when 3D images are used in classes. |
| C．2D models are always more effective than 3D images. |
| D．The differences between 3D and 2D images. |
Top 8 food and beverage（饮品）companies in China
No 1 COFCO Group
COFCO Group is the largest company of various products and services in the agricultural products and food industry in China. It is devoted to providing healthy and nutritious food, as well as contributing to improvement of people’s living standards and social development.
No 2 Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd
Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd is a dairy company. It is engaged in processing and producing milk products, including ice cream, milk powder, milk tea powder and fresh milk under “Yili”brand. It is headquartered（总部位于）in Hohhot. The company was an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
No 3 Shuanghui Group
Shuanghui Group is a privately-owned meat processing company headquartered in Luohe, Henan, China. The company’s businesses include pig raising, consumer meat products, and so on. It is the largest meat producer in China. On May 29, 2013, Shuanghui announced it would sell American pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc.
No 4 China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd
China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd is a producing company of dairy products and ice cream in China. The company is based in Inner Mongolia and produces dairy products under the Mengniu brand.
No 5 Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd
Bright Food (Group) Co Ltd is a food and beverages company headquartered in Shanghai. Bright Food has four listed branches, Bright Dairy & Food Co Ltd, Shanghai First Provisions Store Co Ltd, Shanghai Maling Aquarius Co Ltd and Shanghai Haibo Co Ltd. The company got a 60 percent stake in the British breakfast cereals producer Weetabix Ltd in 2012 and agreed to acquire a 56 percent stake in the Israeli Dairy producer Tnuva in 2014.
No 6 Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd
Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd is a private company, and the largest non-alcoholic beverage producer in China. The company is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
No 7 Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd
Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd is a Chinese alcoholic beverage company. It specializes in producing baijiu, and is best known for Wuliangye. Headquartered in Yibin, Sichuan Province, the company sells its products all over the market at home and abroad.Wuliangye reportedly ranks first in terms of market share compared with other baijiu brands.
No 8 Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd
Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd is China’s largest company to produce beer. It was founded in 1903 by a German. The beer is produced in Qingdao in Shandong province and it gets its name from the city’s name. The beer’s present-day logo displays an image of Zhan Qiao, a famous pier on Qingdao’s southern shore.Which company was set up by a foreigner?
| A．Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd. |
| B．Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd. |
| C．Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd. |
| D．Shuanghui Group. |
Which two companies produce the similar products?
| A．Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd & Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd |
| B．Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd & COFCO Group |
| C．Shuanghui Group & Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd |
| D．Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd & China Mengniu Dairy Co Ltd |
What is the underlined word “pier” related to?
| A．a person | B．a place |
| C．a beer | D．a picture |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Bright Food (Group) Corp Ltd got a 56 percent stake in the British breadfast cereals producer Weetabix Ltd in 2012. |
| B．Headquartered in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd was an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. |
| C．Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd is the largest state company producing non-alcoholic beverage. |
| D．Wuliangye Yibin Co Ltd, headquartered in Yibin, Henan, sells its products all over the world. |