John Steinbeck once said, “All Americans believe they are born fishermen. For a man to admit to a distaste in fishing would be like denouncing (公开指责) mother – love or hating moonlight.”
I can’t say that I’m the biggest John Steinbeck fan. Actually, the only thing I can ever remember reading by him was “The pearl” when I was in middle school, but I couldn’t agree more with the man when it comes to fishing. Whether I am on a boat in the middle of the Lay Lake, fishing off the shores of the Florida Keys for tarpon or catching rainbow trout in the Shoshone River of Wyoming, fishing is my life.
According to the American Sports Fishing Association, the fishing industry brings in more than $ 116 billion per year from fishermen across the country.
Though a beautiful picture to imagine, fishing is much more than that. Fishing is a way of life for many people and a way to escape everyday stress. Being a fisherman makes me a member of a wonderful group of people extending to all walks of life. Even President Obama can be found fishing on his farm in Texas with his good friend Roland Martin when the job gets too stressful.
I can remember fishing with my grandfather when I was 5 years old on his boat at Lake Mitchell. Although I didn’t understand what I was doing, I did know that my grandfather was happy and that made me happy. Since then I’ve spent the past 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama.
After days of practice, before and after work, I slowly developed an understanding of fishing. My boss, Ric Horst, took me back to the Shoshone, and I managed to bring in a 19–inch cutthroat trout. Fishing with Ric was a life–changing experience for me. He not only showed me how to fish correctly, but also told me how fishing could be a way to escape your problems.
Since then, prime–time season seems to take forever to arrive.
Now, with the ending of February and beginning of March in sight, the excitement of heading out Lake Tuscaloosa or Lake Lurleen before classes and catching something has finally returned.What John Steinbeck said in the first paragraph implies that ______________.
| A．Americans are believed to be the offspring of fishermen |
| B．it is unthinkable for an American to admit his dislike of fishing |
| C．all Americans are expert at fishing |
| D．those who dislike fishing would not love their mother |
．The writer came to understand the real meaning of fishing ______________.
| A．when he was reading “The pearl” by John Steinbeck |
| B．when he went fishing with his grandfather at Lake Mitchell |
| C．after he had spent 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama |
| D．after he went fishing with his boss, Ric Horst on the Shoshone |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．The author is at most 21 years old. |
| B．The author regards fishing as a very important part in his life. |
| C．The author agreed with John Steinbeck the most when he was in middle school. |
| D．President Obama often goes fishing in public in order to collect idea for his job. |
．According to the author, __________________.
| A．people can get to know VIPs when fishing. |
| B．people can smooth away all the troubles by fishing |
| C．Fishing is a way of communication |
| D．Fishing is a way to make a living for most American people |
．What is the purpose of the writing?
| A．To describe the writer’s experience and understanding of fishing. |
| B．To explain the reason why so many Americans like fishing. |
| C．To make others understand the industry of fishing. |
| D．To express his opinions about fishing in different time of the year. |
Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden change in pronunciation started, with vowels (元音) being pronounced shorter and shorter. From the 16th century the British had contact (接触) with many people from around the world. This meant that lots of new vocabulary entered the language. The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to read. Spelling and grammar became fixed, and the dialect of London became the standard. In 1604 the first English dictionary came out.
Early Modern English and Late Modern English are mostly different in the number of words. Late Modern English has many more words, mainly because of the following two reasons: First, the Industrial Revolution (工业革命) led to the need for new words. Second, the British Empire covered one quarter of the earth’s surface, and the English language took in foreign words from many countries.
From around 1600, the English colonization (殖民地化) of North America led to American English. Some English pronunciations and words “froze” when they reached America. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English. Some expressions that are called “American English” are in fact from British expressions. They were kept in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain. Spanish also had an influence (影响) on American English. For example, words like canyon, ranch, stampede and vigilante are from Spanish. They entered English by the people of Spain who settled in the American West. French words and West African words also influenced American English.
Today, American English has a greater influence, because of the USA’s movies, television, popular music, trade and technology.The main difference between Early and Late Modern English lies in _____.
| A．vocabulary | B．pronunciation |
| C．spelling | D．grammar |
What helped to increase the vocabulary of Late Modern English?
a. the invention of printing
b. the Industrial Revolution
c. the colonization
d. the contact with other countries
| A．a, b, c | B．a, c, d |
| C．a, b, d | D．b, c, d |
From the passage, we can learn the word “canyon” is from _____.
| A．American dialect | B．African dialect |
| C．Spanish | D．French |
One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In order to have friends, you have to be a friend. But how can you be a good friend at school?
Listen — Listen when they are talking. Don’t say anything unless they ask you a question. Sometimes it’s not necessary for you to have anything to say; they just need someone to talk to about their feelings.
Help them — If your friend is ever in need of something, be there to help them. You should try to put them first, but make sure you don’t do everything they want you to do. Try to take an extra (额外的) pencil or pen with you to classes in case (以防) they forget one. Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need.
Be there for them — Try to make something for your friend to help make them feel better in hard times. Making cards and encouraging them are among the nicest things you can do for a friend. Marilyn Monroe, a famous U.S. actor, once said, “I often make mistakes. Sometimes I am out of control. But if you can’t stay with me at my worst, you are sure not to deserve (值得) to be with me at my best.” Always remember this! If you don’t want to stay with your friends when they’re in hard times, then you don’t deserve to be with them when they’re having a good time!
______ — Try to make plans with your friends. Go shopping, go for ice cream, have a party, go to a movie and so on. Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy. By planning things together, you both can have a good time. And you’ll remember these things when you’re all old! While your friend is talking to you about his or her feelings, you should _____.
| A．give him or her some advice |
| B．just listen unless asked |
| C．calm him or her down |
| D．share your feelings as well |
When we provide help for our friends, we should _____.
| A．try to do everything for them |
| B．put them before ourselves |
| C．change their bad habits first |
| D．ignore their faults |
What can we learn from Marilyn Monroe’s words?
| A．Life without a friend is death. |
| B．A friend is easier lost than found. |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| D．A man is known by his friends. |
Which of the following can be put in the blank of the last paragraph?
| A．Make plans. | B．Enjoy yourself. |
| C．Understand your friends. | D．Play with your friends. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How to find a good friend. |
| B．How to help friends in trouble. |
| C．How to be a good friend. |
| D．How to make more friends. |
Some colors people see late at night could cause signs of clinical(临床的) depression(沮丧). That was the finding of a study that builds on earlier study findings. They show that individuals(个人) who live or work in low levels of light overnight(整夜) can develop clinical depression. Doctors use the word “clinical depression” to describe severe form of depression. Signs may include loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, low energy levels and thoughts of death or suicide.
In the new study, American investigators designed an experiment that exposed hamsters(仓鼠) to different colors. The researchers chose hamsters because they are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night.
The animals were separated into four groups. One group of hamsters was kept in the dark during their night-time period. Another group was placed in front of a blue light, a third group slept in front of a white light, while a fourth was put in front of a red light.
After four weeks, the researchers noted how much sugary water the hamsters drank. They found that the most depressed animals drank the least amount of water.
Randy Nelson heads the Department of Neuroscience at Ohio State University. He says animals that slept in blue and white light appeared to be the most depressed. “What we saw is that these animals didn’t show any sleep uneasiness(不安) at all but they did mess up biological clock genes and they did show depressive sign while if they were in the dim(微弱) red light, they did not.”
Randy Nelson notes that photosensitive(感光) cells in the eyes have little to do with eyesight. He says these cells send signals to the area of the brain that controls what has been called the natural sleep-wake cycle.
He says there’s a lot of blue in white light. This explains why the blue light and white light hamsters appear to be more depressed than the hamsters seeing red light or darkness.Researchers use hamsters in the experiment because __________.
| A．they are similar to humans in dealing with colors |
| B．they are easy to observe and study |
| C．they are sensitive to colors like human beings |
| D．they are active at night and sleep during the day |
What sign shows that the hamsters are being depressed?
| A．They drink less sugary water. |
| B．They don’t sleep well. |
| C．Their eyesight becomes worse. |
| D．Their energy level becomes low. |
__________ tends to cause hamsters to be depressed.
| A．Dim light | B．Red light |
| C．Blue light | D．Darkness |
What can help people who work late at night to avoid being depressed?
| A．Not being exposed to dim red light when using computers. |
| B．Equipping their computer screens to put it more in the reddish light. |
| C．Living or working in low levels of light overnight. |
| D．Going to see doctors of clinical depression regularly for help. |
London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to stay in, but there are many budget hotels that offer accommodation(膳宿) at a reasonable cost. Please take careful note of the facilities (设施) described for each budget hotel; the very cheapest accommodation may offer good budget deals but a minimum(最少量) of facilities. The higher the price per room, the greater the number and quality of facilities you can expect.
Arriva Hotel
This 2-star Arriva Hotel lies at the heart of the city centre--just a short walk from King’s Cross Tube station London’s famous attractions are all easily accessible by foot or public transport. A short stroll(闲逛) will bring you to the British Museum and the fashionable area of Bloomsbury.
With 75 en-suite rooms(浴室套间) available, the Arriva Hotel is a large budget hotel that offers accommodation for tourists at a very reasonable price. Also, Wi-Fi Internet(无线网络) connection is available in most rooms and a Continental(欧式) breakfast is included in the rates.
From: $ 50.00
Accommodation Rating: ★★
Beaconsfield Hotel
The Beaconsfield Hotel is situated on Green Lanes, North London, famous for its Turkish community. The Beaconsfield Hotel is housed in an attractive Victorian building, which is also home to a traditional pub(客栈, 酒馆)--if you want to experience real British culture, an afternoon in the pub is the place to do it! Manor House Station is just a short walk to Beaconsfield Hotel, so you will find traveling around the city quick and easy. The Beaconsfield Hotel offers ten comfortable rooms, each with a television, fridge and kettle.
There is a shared kitchen where you can prepare your meals. Bathroom facilities at Beaconsfield Hotel are also shared, but there are enough facilities for all guests to use.
From: $ 30.00
Accommodation Rating: unratedWhat might be the purpose of writing the text?
| A．To show the problems of London hotels. |
| B．To give warnings to some illegal hotels. |
| C．To blame the travel industry of London. |
| D．To tell us two budget hotels. |
Budget hotels attract guests mainly because of their __________.
| A．good service |
| B．low prices |
| C．convenient locations |
| D．accommodation conditions |
Compared to the Arriva Hotel, the Beaconsfield Hotel ___________.
| A．is smaller |
| B．is rated higher |
| C．is more expensive |
| D．is nearer to the city center |
The Chinese art of paper cutting has a long history. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has recognized the art, called Jianzhi, on its Intangible Cultural Heritage List(无形文化遗产). But Jianzhi is at risk of disappearing. Voyo Woo, a Chinese immigrant(移民) to the US, hopes to bring the art back to life.
Voyo Woo loves paper cutting. And she works hard to celebrate the ancient art form. On a recent Saturday, Ms. Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center near Washington. She demonstrated the art for hours to crowds at the center.
Voyo Woo began to study the art of Jianzhi as a 14-year-old in her hometown in southeastern China. She says all the students at school had to learn the art. But she says she discovered a special love for it. So, her teacher gave her extra training after class. Later, she won second prize in a national painting and calligraphy competition. Ms. Woo came to the U.S. after she finished college in 2008. Soon after, she became involved in an event to support and expand understanding of Chinese paper cutting. She has been invited to demonstrate the art at a wide collection of events. She also has shown her skill at famous museums like the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer and Sackler art galleries in Washington. Ms. Woo says paper cutting represents Chinese cultural values, history and stories of people’s lives. She uses the art as a tool to present Chinese culture to people who know little about it.
Ms. Woo placed examples of her art around her as she demonstrated paper cutting at the shopping center. Some shoppers, like Ann Russ, took part in a workshop. Ms. Russ was struck by the finely detailed nature of the work. She said it put her at ease. Voyo Woo says Chinese art is for all people. “It is amazing how Chinese art can resonate, can echo with people from other cultural backgrounds.”What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
| A．Paper cutting is popular now in the US. |
| B．Jianzhi isn’t regarded as cultural heritage in the world. |
| C．Ms Woo hopes to make the art of Jianzhi come back to life. |
| D．Paper cutting has a long history in the US. |
Ms Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center to _________.
| A．earn more money |
| B．do her job for the United Nations |
| C．celebrate an art festival |
| D．make paper cutting well-known |
What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
| A．Ms Woo’s success as a paper cutting artist. |
| B．Ms Woo’s experience as a Jianzhi artist. |
| C．The story of Ms Woo and her teacher. |
| D．The school life of Ms Woo in China. |
The events mentioned in Paragraph 3 are developed __________.
| A．in order of time | B．in order of space |
| C．by giving examples | D．by comparison(比较) |