When I was eight, I saw a movie about an island that had an erupting volcano and jungles filled with wild animals．The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano．It was a low budget movie, but to me, it represented the perfect life．But through the years, Tondalaya was forgotten．
The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end．My house, furniture and everything I'd owned was sold to pay debts that I didn't even know existed．In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my parents who had refused to accept a divorce in the family．
I'd lost everything except my four teenage children．I used every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to Hawaii．Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive．I was afraid they were right．
I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day．One night as I walked alone on the beach, I saw the red orange lava（火山岩） pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance．It was time to live my imagination!
The next day, I quit my job, bought some art supplies and began doing what I loved．I hadn't painted a picture in 15 years．I wondered if 1 could still paint．My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush．But after an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas（画布） in front of me．And as soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too．The first painting sold for $ 1500．
The past six years have been filled with adventures．My children and I have gone swimming with dolphins, watched whales and hiked around the crater rim （火山口边缘） of the volcano．We wake up every morning with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us．
The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now reality．I'm living freely and happily ever after．Why did the writer go to Hawaii?
| A．To make a living． |
| B．To spend her holiday． |
| C．To free herself from trouble． |
| D．To realize her childhood dream． |
Which of the following is the writer's dream?
| A．Get close to wildlife． |
| B．Live a free and happy life． |
| C．Live in nature with animals. |
| D．Become a successful painter． |
We can infer from the passage that _____．
| A．the writer had never done painting before |
| B．the writer's parents encouraged her to divorce |
| C．the writer's husband took away most of her money |
| D．the writer wasn't sure whether she could survive in Hawaii at first |
I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles”（风格）of directions every time I ask “ How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused（困惑的）in Japan because most streets there don’t have names. In Japan, people use landmarks（地标）in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “ Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat. In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “ Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map. They measure distance in time, not miles. “ How far away is the post office?” you ask. “ Oh,” they answer, “ it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “ Yes, but how many miles is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, “ Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “ I don’t know”. People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite. They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place, they usually _______ .
| A．describe the place carefully |
| B．show him a map of the place |
| C．tell him the names of the streets |
| D．refer to recognizable buildings and places |
What is the place where people measure distance in time?
| A．New York. | B．Los Angles |
| C．Kansas | D．Iowa |
People inYucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ________ .
| A．in order to save time | B．as a test |
| C．so as to be polite | D．for fun |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
| B．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
| C．People have similar understanding of politeness. |
| D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |
iPhone 6, which many people have been thirsty for, will be unveiled(揭幕) on September 9. It could go on sale to the public from Friday, September 19.
Apple has launched a new iPhone every year since it unveiled the range in 2007, selling more than 500 million units since then, and has traditionally launched key products in September.
The iPhone 6, Apple’s ninth iPhone model, is expected to be released in two different sizes:4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. The smaller of the two will be available first. Like iPhone5, the new model will come in silver , gold and space grey.
The iPhone 6 will be powered by new operating system iOS 8. Through iOS8, users will be able to monitor(监控) their health and fitness via HealthKit. HealthKit puts together numerous healthcare and fitness apps, such as blood pressure and heart rate monitors through partners including Nike, and allows them to communicate with each other.
Users will be able to control home appliances and other connected devices through HomeKit, Apple’s connected home framework. Similar to HealthKit, this app will organize your smart devices to control them in one place. One method of control will be via Siri-for example, you could tell Siri you were “going to bed”, and it could dim the lights, lock your doors, close the garage door and set the room temperature.
With the introduction of both of these key features, it’s likely the iPhone 6 will take on even more of a lifestyle device role. It is designed to organize our lives and make everyday tasks easier and more efficiently completed.
Suppliers are believed to be preparing to produce up to 80m of the new handsets by the end of December, according to the Wall Street Journal. In July, Apple announced strong financial results for its third quarter, with significant sales growth in China and profits ahead of expectations at $7.7bn.If you are a customer, when can you buy an iPhone6?
| A．After December 31. |
| B．From September 19. |
| C．After September 9. |
| D．At the moment. |
Who could Siri be according to the passage?
| A．It is a door keeper. |
| B．It is a health kit. |
| C．It is an app of iPhone 6. |
| D．It is an intelligent button on the wall. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Apple has the most advanced technology in the world. |
| B．iPhones enjoy increasing popularity in China. |
| C．Apple is the third biggest mobile phone producer in the world. |
| D．Chinese people buy more iPhones than people in other countries. |
What is mainly talked about in the passage?
| A．iPhone 6 will make more money than ever. |
| B．iPhone 6 has the most advanced technology. |
| C．iPhone 6 will enjoy great popularity around the world. |
| D．iPhone 6’s new features will make people’s life easier. |
Too many people want others to be their friends, but they don’t give friendship back. That is why some friendships do not last very long. To have a friend, you must learn to be one. You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules. Be honest; be generous; be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you do not tell the truth, people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven’t been honest you may lose your friends’ trust. Good friends always count on one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow. You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes of course. Instead you have to learn how to share things you enjoy, like your hobbies and your interest. Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings. These can be very valuable to a friend. They tell your friend what is important to you. By sharing them you help your friend know you better.
Sooner or later every one needs understanding and help with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be a first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend you must listen and understand. You must try to put yourself in your friend’s place so you can understand the problem better.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But all true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends, you must practise honesty, generosity, and understanding.Some friendships don’t last very long because ____.
| A．there are too many people who want to make friends. |
| B．those who never give others friendship receive no friendship from others. |
| C．those who give others friendship receive friendship from others. |
| D．they don’t know friendship is something serious. |
According to the passage honesty is _____.
| A．something good |
| B．the base of friendship |
| C．as important as money |
| D．more important than anything else |
Which of the following isn’t mentioned (提及)in the passage?
| A．Always tell your friend the truth. |
| B．Sharing your mind with your friend is of great value. |
| C．Discussing your problems with your friend often helps to solve the problem. |
| D．A friend who gives you his lunch money is a true friend. |
The best title of this passage is ______.
| A．Honesty Is the Best Policy |
| B．Friend in Need Is a Friend indeed |
| C．How to Be Friends |
| D．Three Important Points in Life |
The most popular names in the west
Every year in Englishspeaking countries，people list the most popular names. Here are some examples. In the United States at the moment the three most popular names for girls are Emily，Emma and Madison. For boys，they are Michael，Joshua and Mathew. In Britain a parent today might call their little girl Grace，Jessica or Ruby. If they have a little boy they could call him Jack，Thomas or Oliver.
In China names have very clear meanings. If a girl is called Mei，her name means “beautiful”. If a boy is called Wu，his name means “like a soldier”. Names in Englishspeaking countries are like this too. The girl's name Joy is probably partly chosen because the parents wish their daughter to be joyful and bring joy to others. If a girl is called Ruby，it may be because of the beautiful red precious（宝贵的）stone.
Parents often pick names that can be shortened. This can be confusing（困惑的）for Chinese people. Parents might choose such names because they want to be able to speak to their kid in a personal way.
For example，a popular name is William. But William can be shortened to Will，Willy，Bill and Billy. The same is true of the favourite old name for a girl，Elizabeth. Elizabeth can be shortened to Beth，Liza and Liz.
Another reason why kids get the names they do is that parents want to name their boy or girl after someone who is famous，such as an actor，a pop music star or a sports star. David is a popular name in Britain，partly because of the fame of the footballer David Beckham.In Britain，people may call a little girl ______.
| A．Emily | B．Grace |
| C．Mathew | D．Oliver |
Which name may have something to do with “gladness”？
| A．Mei. | B．Wu. | C．Joy. | D．Ruby. |
In Englishspeaking countries，parents often choose shortened names because they want to keep what they and their children talk about ______.
| A．short | B．quiet |
| C．loud | D．personal |
Across countryside, non-food crops are growing alongside wheat．Some are used in new alternatives（可供选择的事物） to plastics and other materials, but others will simply be burned．
Burning crops is becoming more popular because it is good for the planet．Doing so is also cheaper than burning fossil fuels．As more land is devoted to non-food crop production, the economics of crops for fuel are likely to become even more favorable．
Humans have been burning such biomass—organic materials from plants or animals— since they discovered fire．But that burning fossil fuels could have catastrophic consequences has brought biomass back into fashion．
Even allowing for emissions (排放) of carbon dioxide from fuel used in planting, harvesting, processing and transporting biomass fuel, replacing fossil fuel with biomass can typically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 percent．
Power stations around the world are experimenting with forms of biomass to add to their coal or oil, with encouraging results. Indeed, power companies could profit by turning to biomass, especially when the subsidies (补助) many governments offer for using renewable energy are taken into account．
Farmers can benefit from growing biomass．In Europe, the reduction of subsidies for certain crops is exposing farmers to market forces．Instead of being paid for whatever they produce, farmers must seek a clear demand for their product．Many believe that the demand for alternatives to fossil fuels could be just such a driver．
But while biomass offers a variety of potential alternatives, the world's infrastructure (基础设施) has developed around burning fossil fuels to such a stage that switching to biomass involves a change in conception that many companies have not accepted．
Also, there are problems with using biomass．Although most coal-fired power stations could take a small amount of their fuel from biomass without significant adjustment, few are built to run on biomass alone．Burning some forms of biomass also causes environmental problems．Oils and waste can be smelly, while wood produces smoke unless burned properly．
The supply chains for fossil fuels are set up well, but those for biomass are just the beginning. Sources of supply for biomass rely on farm production and can therefore be less reliable. They are necessarily limited and it wouldn't make sense to turn a very large amount of valuable agricultural land away from food crops．But as the world adjusts to the need to control greenhouse gas emissions, these problems may receive more attention．What do we know about biomass?
| A．It is a useful way of burning crops． |
| B．It is plant and animal matter used to provide power． |
| C．It is a popular approach to fighting against pollution． |
| D．It is a new alternative to be used widely． |
What are the advantages of using biomass?
a．It gives off less greenhouse gases．
b．It helps farmers receive subsidies for what they produce．
c．It has met the clear demand for energy．
d．It has brought subsidies for some power companies．
e．It is cheaper than burning fossil fuels．
| A．a, b, c | B．b, c, d |
| C．c, d, e | D．a, d, e |
For coal-fired power stations, ______．
| A．more effective ways to use biomass have been tried |
| B．using renewable energy has become their daily task |
| C．burning biomass alone would require considerable changes |
| D．setting up dependable supply channels needs governments' support |
What is the author's attitude towards biomass fuels?
| A．Objective． | B．Doubtful． |
| C．Negative． | D．Defensive |