When I was a kid, I was close to my dad, but as I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did not talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father’s requirement.
Two weeks after moving back, we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I’m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like two kids enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips. The author and his father became further apart because______________.
| A．they had different views on things |
| B．they lived very far from each other |
| C．they only communicated by phone |
| D．they seldom went to see each other |
What made the author come back to Tennessee?
| A．Because his father invited him to go fishing. |
| B．Because he decided to live in a different city. |
| C．Because his father is ill and needs caring. |
| D．Because he regretted being rude to his father. |
For the author，fishing with his old father___________ .
| A．helps cure his father’s disease |
| B．is a good way to get close to nature |
| C．makes him realize the importance of exercise |
| D．offers a chance for them to communicate |
According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The writer’s car is always breaking down. |
| B．Father intended me to be a fisherman. |
| C．I was unwilling to come back. |
| D．Father used to think it was useless to attend college.. |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Forgiving Is Difficult | B．Fishing Brings Us Together |
| C．Memories of Old Days | D．My Beloved Father |
As more and more people speak the global languages of English, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic, other languages are rapidly disappearing. In fact, half of the 6,000-7,000 languages spoken around the world today will likely die out by the next century, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In an effort to prevent language loss, scholars from a number of organizations- UNESCO and National Geographic among them –have for many years been documenting dying languages and the cultures they reflect.
Mark Turin, a scientist at the Macmillan Center, Yale University, who specializes in the languages and oral traditions of the Himalayas, is following in that tradition. His recently published book, A Grammar of Thangmi with an Ethnolinguistic Introduction to the Speakers and Their Culture, grows out of his experience living, looking and raising a family in a village in Nepal.
Documenting the Tangmi language and culture is just a starting point for Turin, who seeks to include other languages and oral traditions across the Himalayans reaches of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. But he is not content to simply record these voices before they disappear without record.
At the University of Cambridge Turin discovered a wealth of important materials- including photographs, films, tap recordings, and field notes- which had remained unstudied and were badly in need of care and protection.
Now, through the two organizations that he has founded—the Digital Himalaya Project and the World Oral Literature Project- Turin has started a campaign to make such documents, found in libraries and stores around the world, available not just to scholars but to the youngers.
Generations of communities from whom the materials were originally collected. Thanks to digital technology and the widely available Internet. Turin notes, the endangered languages can be saved and reconnected with speech communities.According to the passage, many experts like Mark Turin are devoted to ____.
| A．looking for the lost languages |
| B．spreading the knowledge of global languages |
| C．saving the languages that are dying out |
| D．organizing new language research groups |
Why some languages are dying out?
| A．Because some people are ashamed of their native language. |
| B．Because the local people are forbidden to use them. |
| C．Because the global languages are widely used . |
| D．Because the people who use them are dying out. |
What does Turin do in his work?
| A．Listen, copy and store. |
| B．Copying, experiment and protect. |
| C．Protect , collect and report. |
| D．Document, protect and reconnect. |
Which of the following may be useful in Turin’s work?
| A．Cameras and radios. | B．Recorders and computers. |
| C．Telescopes and TVs. | D．Telephones and fax. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Some scientists are trying to rescue disappearing languages. |
| B．Some languages are becoming extinct. |
| C．There are various languages in the world. |
| D．Not all languages are in use. |
Earlier this month, California police cleared what was said to be the largest homeless encampment in the United States. About 200 homeless people were living at the camp in San Jose, California. Officials said police officers and city workers acted because the area was unclean.
The homeless people were living near Silicon Valley, the country's high technology center. Some people there have made millions, even billions of dollars from high-tech devices and services. But others have no money and no place to live.
Federal officials believe there are hundreds of thousands of homeless people nationwide on any given day. Each one lacks a permanent place to live. Reasons for homelessness can include the high cost of housing, poverty and unemployment. Other reasons are mental health problems and just plain bad luck.
In Los Angeles, a group called PATH searches along flood channels and major roads for homeless camps.. Its workers look for people who have no permanent shelter.
Jorge Guzman was one of the people hoping to help the homeless. He says they make their camps where they are not seen -- behind buildings or in forests or parks.
"They just don't want to be noticed. They're doing their thing out here and, you know, they're just trying to survive."
City workers periodically clear away small trees and plants, uncovering homeless campers. Workers in Whittier try to move people out of homeless camps and into a home of their own. But housing is costly. Still, worker Tomasz says he has been able to help some people.
"It's really good to see the steps when people are leaving their encampments and they're transitioning to either transitional housing, and after when they obtain their own housing."
But there are many other homeless people still living on the streets or in camps, moving when their campsites are taken down.Why did California police clear the homeless encampment?
| A．Because the area was unclean. |
| B．Because the homeless people often fight. |
| C．Because the government has built new houses for them. |
| D．Because they badly affected the image of the city. |
Which is NOT the reason causing homelessness?
| A．Mental health problems | B．Plain bad luck |
| C．Being abandoned. | D．The high cost of housing, |
According to the passage ,where may the homeless live?
| A．In buildings behind parks. |
| B．In camps in forests. |
| C．In apartments near Silicon Valley |
| D．In permanent shelters. |
We can describe Tomasz as ____.
| A．generous | B．honest |
| C． grateful | D．helpful |
Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “take down”?
| A．Write down. | B．Break down. |
| C．Pull down. | D．Set down. |
第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分）
A
North Georgia Water Planning District
2015 High School Video Contest
Here’s the Scoop on Pet Waste!
Submission Deadline March 27, 2015.
| Eligibility Ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students that attend schools located in Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties are invited to participate in the video contest. Entries can be a team or individual effort. Guidelines » Each video must be uploaded to YouTube. The video’s YouTube link must be included in the entry/release form. » Team members must be from the same school. » The video must be between 30-60 seconds in length. » No professional assistance or use of copyright material is allowed, including background music. » Each student participating in the contest or appearing in the video must fill out a form. For teams, submit an entry/release form for each team member. » One video per team or individual. » All entry/release forms must be postmarked or received by Friday, March 27, 2015. Email: kvaIlianos@atlantaregional.com OR Mail: 2015 Water Video Contest Metro Water District 40 Courtland Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30303 |
Judging Submissions will be judged based on the following criteria: » incorporation of the “Here’s the Scoop on Pet Waste’’ message. Use the "Here's the Scoop on Pet Waste’’ messaging fact sheet for background information on the issue. » Composition (length, technical construction, audio quality). » Entertainment value. » Accuracy of information. » Creativity. Prizes » 1st Place $1500 » 2nd Place $1000 »3rd Place $500 50% of the prize money will go to the individual or team who submits the video and 50% to the high school they attend. Winners will be notified directly.  |
| Page 1 of 3 www.northgeorgiawater.org |
What does the underlined word “criteria” probably mean?
| A．Standards. | B．Qualifications. |
| C．Suggestions. | D．Grades. |
When entering the contest, ________.
| A．one must ask his or her teacher to sign the entry form |
| B．winners can earn at least $750 as a prize |
| C．one can invite friends from other schools to act in the video |
| D．participants had better add some humor and fun to the video |
Which of the following videos can be involved in the contest?
| A．A video that is submitted on March 30, 2015. |
| B．A video that is made with the help of the teacher. |
| C．A video that is downloaded from YouTube. |
| D．A video that is produced by Class Two, Grade Twelve in DeKalb. |
What is purpose of the passage?
| A．To inform the readers of the Scoop on Pet Waste. |
| B．To give the readers some suggestions on raising pets. |
| C．To advertise the 2015 High School Video Contest. |
| D．To give some advice on how to win the prize. |
E
An old man in a faded yellow shirt sat in a windowless room on a raised concrete form. The only source of heat came from somewhere beneath the plastic mattress and the rough blanket the blank-faced police woman had handed him after taking his thumb prints. He heard voices and metallic clang as the cell door swung open.
At the front desk a tired looking policeman handed the old man back his belongings, his worn-out cap and the Seiko watch that had stopped working the day his beloved Evelyn left. The policeman dramatically held the blue plastic bag at an arm’s length to the old man who took it and made sure its contents were undamaged: the goat meat, palm oil, leaves and spices. He ignored the confused expression on the officer’s face and signed the document declaring he had been returned the possessions they had taken off him the night before.
No one spoke to him as he walked slowly towards the exit. “Mr. Easy-nwa?” He stopped and prayed to the God who now took care of Evelyn to please take him far away from this unhappy place of expressionless faces, clipped accents and people who did not even attempt to pronounce his name right.
“Ezenwa,” He said and looked at a woman with tangerine lips, her name tag said Jessica Harlow, Social Services. “A bit far from home，，，she said as she drove fast and with confidence the way Evelyn used to. He wondered if she meant the 50 miles from Liverpool or the 50,000 miles from Enugu，a city in Nigeria. He did not bother replying as this woman had plenty to say about the weather, bad drivers, her daughter’s school play...
At last she drew up outside the block of flats where he lived.
“Got here in the end”，said she seriously, “Really Mr. Easy-nwa, if you keep getting lost, we will have to consider moving you into a home”.
“No need, I was not lost，，，he answered. He carefully rolled up the sleeves of the oversize bomber jacket he wore and turned on the tap to wash his hands, relieved the pipes were not frozen. In a clean pan he placed the chopped pieces of goat meat. The herbs and spices that had taken him three months to track down, the uziza seeds had taken him into the heart of Granby Market in Liverpool, his uchanwu leaves down a shady back alley in Manchester, and yesterday, among other food items, the finest goat meat from a Sierra Leonean Butcher in Birmingham. That had taken some time, so much he missed the last train and when the police found him shivering outside the locked up station, so cold he couldn’t answer loudly enough the pink-faced big copper who yelled in his face, “What’s your name sir?” spraying his face with spittle (吐沫）as he did so, leaving them with no choice but to search an exhausted, frozen old black man and finding him in possession of mysterious condiments (调味品）including a bag of dried bitter-leaf which could of course be mistaken for anything that resulted in him getting read his rights and charged with ...possession???
He lifted the lid of the bubbling soup, the room was filled with the rich and spicy scent of his culinary (烹饪的）effort. He served two bowls, taking the chipped one and placing the other opposite where Evelyn would have sat. He would tell her about his adventure, it was their anniversary and this was the perfect pepper soup to celebrate.
Ken Onyia, UK (Nigeria) Commonwealth Sport Short Story PrizeMr. Ezenwa was taken to the prison for a night because________________.
| A．he was too weak to move |
| B．he couldn’t find his way back home |
| C．he then had nowhere else to go |
| D．he was suspected of possessing drugs |
Which is the right order of the following events?
a. Ezenwa cooked the buddling soup.
b. Ezenwa searched for all kinds of condiments.
c. A social worker drove him back home
d. Ezenwa was sent to prison.
e.Evelyn passed away.
| A．b, e, c,a ,d | B．d, e, c, b, a |
| C．e, b, d,c,a | D．e, d, b, a, c |
Why did Mr. Ezenwa cook the buddling soup?
| A．To give his wife a present. |
| B．To give a surprise to his wife. |
| C．To entertain himself. |
| D．To celebrate their wedding anniversary. |
What words can be used to describe Mr. Ezenwa?
| A．Hopeless and pessimistic. |
| B．Mysterious and troublesome. |
| C．Affectionate and persistent. |
| D．Energetic and sympathetic. |
D
With America's national debt continuing to climb, Congress is constantly debating ways to save money. The Dollar Coin Alliance, a lobbying group, says billions could be saved if dollar coins were used instead of paper bills.
But many people won't use them. The U.S. government tried to push dollar coins again in recent years, but then suspended almost all production in 2011.
American likes paper dollars, but Jim Kolbe, co-chairman of the Dollar Coin Alliance, thinks switching to the coin is worth it.
“The coin does cost more to produce, roughly on the neighborhood of 17 cents versus the 5 or 6 cents that a paper dollar costs to produce," he said. "However, the coin lasts 35 years, and it’s made of mostly recycled metals, and the paper has to be produced from new materials, and we shred 3 billion of those every year because they wear out.”
For years, the former Arizona congressman has been pushing legislation that would prop up the dollar coin by phasing out the greenback — a move that has met resistance from both politicians and the public. But today, he said, the climate has changed, and a recent poll indicates 61 percent of Americans like the idea.
“When they learn of the savings that can be involved with this, they will support the idea of substituting the coin for the paper dollar,” he said.
Major savings
Kolbe points to a study by the Government Accountability Office, which investigates how the government spends taxpayer dollars. The GAO estimates taxpayers would save more than $4 billion over 30 years, and that figure could be much higher. That appeals to taxpayer Christy Thompson, who said, “I’d probably say, yes, we need to do it.”
But plenty of people aren't convinced, including Kim Doering of Alexandria, Virginia. “It’s easier to carry the paper bill than a bunch of coins. They’re louder; they’re heavier in your pocket,” she said.
Washington, D.C. restaurant owner Sue Fouladi doesn’t like the idea of having more dollar coins in her cash register.
"It’s very inconvenient," she said. "If I don’t have a choice, then I’ll do it, but I’ll be a very unhappy person.”
Adding to the problem is that the gold- and silver-colored metal coins are about the same size as the 25-cent quarter. Robert Blecker, an economics professor at American University in Washington, says the dollar coins should be a different size and thickness.
“And if we can design a dollar coin that’s not so big and bulky, probably Americans would like it better,” he added.
But that doesn’t bother college student Emily Sturgill.
“Sometimes they fit into your pocket easily and you don’t have to worry about them slipping out, like a dollar bill would if you brought your keys or your phone out,” she said.Which of the following is the advantage of dollar coins according to the passage?
| A．They cost less than paper bills . |
| B．They are convenient to carry. |
| C．They are not easy to wear out. |
| D．They are produced from new materials. |
What does the underlined sentence” the climate has changed” in paragraph 4 mean?
| A．America's national economy has changed. |
| B．Most of Americans support using dollar coins. |
| C．Only small percentage of Americans subscribe to using dollar coins. |
| D．The majority of Americans are for paper bills. |
Which of the following is in favor of using dollar coins?
| A．Kim Doering | B．Emily Sturgill. |
| C．Sue Fouladi | D．Robert Blecke |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Dollar Coins or Paper Bills |
| B．Different Opinions about Coins |
| C．Ways to Solve America's National Debt |
| D．The Advantages of Dollar Coins. |