Alabama
Students in Alabama take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam, which consists of multiple-choice questions. In the classroom, Alabama high school students must prove specific skills in English and take certain math classes.
Among the 2013 U.S. News Best High Schools in Alabama, two were awarded gold medals, 16 received silver medals and 72 were considered bronze medal schools. One of the gold medal schools, Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School, lies about 90 miles south of Birmingham in the state capital of Montgomery, within the Montgomery County School District.
Alaska
To graduate, Alaska high school students must get at least 21 credits, including a half credit in Alaska history. Alaska judges students from the third grade through senior grades. Students first take the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Examination at the tenth grade. It includes math, reading and writing skills.
10 schools were awarded silver medals and 21 received bronze medals among the U.S. News Best High Schools in 2013. While Alaska's capital is Juneau, several of the state's Best High Schools are in or near Anchorage, in the Anchorage School District.
Delaware
Delaware students have a high GPA（平均绩点）and 10 hours of community service. If they hand in their FAFSA（自愿联邦奖学金）by a certain date, they may get the Inspire Scholarship, which helps pay for tuition at Delaware State University. Before they go to college, however, students must pass the Delaware Student Testing Program Exams.
Among the Delaware schools in the 2013 U.S. News Best High Schools, there are three silver medal schools and four bronze medal schools. The top school in the state is Delmar Senior High School. It is part of the Delmar School District and is about 50 miles from Delaware's capital, Dover.What's the passage mainly about?
| A．The introduction to the Best High Schools in three states. |
| B．The different examinations in several high schools. |
| C．Scholarships in the Best High Schools in three states. |
| D．The things students should do before going to college. |
It can be inferred from the text that______.
| A．students with a high GPA can get the Inspire Scholarship |
| B．reading and writing skills are included in the tests in all the schools |
| C．Alabama has the most best high schools of the three states |
| D．at least 21 credits are needed to graduate from all the schools |
Which of the following in TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The High School Graduation Exams are multiple-choice questions. |
| B．Both the gold medal schools in Alabama are in its capital. |
| C．There were 21 silver medal schools in Alaska in all. |
| D．Delmar Senior High school is the best in Delaware. |
Alaska's graduation exam is different from the others' in the aspect that______.
| A．it includes all the subjects the students learn |
| B．it includes its own state history as well |
| C．it includes math, reading and writing skills |
| D．it includes 10 hours of community service |
The Inspire Scholarship is a prize______.
| A．that any student in gold medal schools can apply for |
| B．that is given to the top students in gold medal schools |
| C．that helps to pay for tuition at Delaware State University |
| D．that is very difficult to get for students in silver medal schools |
The historic center of Vienna has been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. Thus, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Imperial Palace and many other historic buildings are now recognized as being among the 700 outstanding cultural and natural monuments of mankind - others include the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, the historic center of Rome, the Kremlin with the Red Square, the Chinese Wall, the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon.
Vienna's historic center, in its unity, is considered one of the most beautiful city landmarks in Europe. Three eras left their mark on the former residence of the Habsburgs: the Middle Ages with Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral whose spire points toward heaven, one of Vienna's landmarks; the Baroque whose most important achievement is the Imperial Palace with its sumptuous cupolas (奢华的圆顶). And the Ring Boulevard era of the late nineteenth century, when such splendid buildings as the Vienna State Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts were built to replace the former city walls.
The imperial flair of the center of Vienna is enhanced (加强) by numerous churches, mansions and parks, as well as by rich art collections gathered by wealthy rulers. And the centuries-old musical tradition ranges from the Court Chapel of the Imperial Palace to Mozart's immortal (不朽的) music and the waltzes of Johann Strauss. Also inseperably linked to the center of the city are the delights of Viennese cuisine, the gemütlichkeit of Viennese coffeehouses and nostalgic shopping at former purveyors (伙食承办商) to the imperial court.Which of the following is not mentioned as cultural and natural monuments ofman-kind?
| A．the Taj Mahal |
| B．the Pyramid Fields |
| C．the Kremlin with the Red Square |
| D．the Court Chapel |
The second paragraph is developed mainly by ____.
| A．following the order of place | B．providing examples |
| C．making comparisons | D．analyzing causes |
What does the underlined words “imperial flair” in the last paragraph mean?
| A．culture atmosphere | B．art style |
| C．royal style | D．royal palace |
What is the passage mainly about ?
| A．The universal value of the world heritage in Vienna |
| B．Vienna’s becoming one of the cultural and natural monuments of mankind |
| C．The introduction of the historic center of Vienna |
| D．The special culture atmosphere of the historic center of Vienna |
Experience the newly opened Grand Canyon (大峡谷) West Skywalk in Colorado. Departing from Grand Canyon's South Rim by Airplane to Grand Canyon's West Rim, you will land and take a ground tour to the Skywalk! Walk on air for 70 feet over the edge of Grand Canyon West.
This Skywalk has been open since March 28, 2007. Daily visitorship to the Skywalk has been over 4,000 people. Please be patient to enjoy your moment on the Skywalk.
After you have experienced the one and only Grand Canyon Skywalk Glass Bridge, you will return to the Grand Canyon West Airport and take your Airplane for a flight back to the South Rim of the Canyon. This is a tour never to be forgotten as you will have walked on air over the Grand Canyon.
Tour Itinerary (行程)
| Tour Duration |
5.7 Hours |
The Grand Canyon Adventure Skywalk |
| Flight from Grand Canyon South Rim to Grand Canyon West |
1 Hour |
Experience a bird's-eye view of the Grand Canyon as you make your way to Grand Canyon West. |
| Light Lunch at Guano Point at Grand Canyon West |
2 Hours |
You'll be taken by bus to Guano Point withbreathtaking views of the westernpart ofthe Grand Canyon wheretheCalorado River makes its way into LakeMood. Every table for lunch has a view. |
| Walk on the World Famous Skywalk |
1.5 Hours |
Finally you'll board your bus to EaglePoint, home of the Grand CanyonSkywalk. Now it is time for you to walkon air for 70 feet over the Grand Canyon. |
| Flight Back to Grand Canyon South Rim |
1.2 Hours |
After time on the Skywalk, you'll returnto the Grand Canyon West Airport and return to Grand Canyon South Rim in time for dinner and sunset. |
This advertisement is for ____.
| A．Grand Canyon West | B．the Skywalk |
| C．Grand Canyon | D．Grand Canyon South |
The package fee does NOT cover the cost of ____.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk Bridge is made of glass because ____.
| A．it looks stranger |
| B．it is cheaper to build |
| C．it gives you a better view |
| D．it looks more beautiful |
According to the Tour Itinerary, the route is ____.
| A．South Rim→West Airport→Guano Point→Eagle Point→West Airport→South Rim |
| B．South Rim→Guano Point→West Airport→Eagle Point→West Airport→South Rim |
| C．South Rim→West Airport→Eagle Point→Guano Point→West Airport→South Rim |
| D．South Rim→West Airport→Eagle Point→West Airport→Guano Point→South Rim |
“Soon, you’re going to have to move out!” cried my neighbor upon seeing the largest tomato plant known to mankind, or at least known in my neighborhood.
One tiny 9-inch plant, bought for $1. 25 in the spring, has already taken over much of my rose bed, covering much of other plants, and is well on its way to the front door.
Roses require a good deal of care, and if it weren’t for the pleasure they give, it wouldn’t be worth the work. As it is, I have a garden full of sweet-smelling roses for most of the year. Bushes must be pruned(剪枝) in early spring, leaving ugly woody branches until the new growth appears a few weeks later. It was the space available in the garden that led me into planting just one little tomato plant. A big mistake.
Soil conditions made just perfect for roses turn out to be even more perfect for tomatoes. The daily watering coupled with full sun and regular fertilizing(施肥) have turned the little plant into a tall bush. The cage I placed around it as the plant grew has long since disappeared under the thick leaves.
Now the task I face in harvesting the fruit is two fold(方面): First, I have to find the red ones among the leaves, which means I almost have to stand on my head, and once found I have to reach down and under, pick the tomatoes and withdraw my full fist without dropping the prize so dearly won. Second, I found two full-blown white roses completely hidden as I picked tomatoes in June, but they were weak and the leaves already yellow for lack of light.
Here I am faced with a painful small decision: To tear up a wonderful and productive tomato plant that offers up between ten and twenty ripe sweet tomatoes each day or say goodbye to several expensive and treasured roses. Like Scarlett in Gone With the Wind, I’ll think about that tomorrow.What are the requirements for the healthy growth of roses?
| A．Frequent pruning and fertilizing. |
| B．Tomato plants grown alongside. |
| C．Cages placed around the roots. |
| D．A lot of care and the right soil. |
The writer planted the tomato because ____.
| A．there was room for it in the garden |
| B．it cost only $1. 25 |
| C．the soil was just right for it |
| D．the roses’ branches needed to be covered |
This year the writer’s roses were ____.
| A．removed from the rose bed |
| B．picked along with the tomatoes |
| C．largely hidden under the tomato plant |
| D．mostly damaged by too much sunlight |
By saying “the prize so dearly won” in paragraph 5, the writer wants to ____.
| A．show the hardship of growing the roses |
| B．show the difficulty in picking the tomatoes |
| C．express her liking for the roses |
| D．express her care for the tomatoes |
Someday a stranger will read your email without your permission or scan the websites you've visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it's likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a policeman or a criminal. Whoever it is，they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen—the 21st century equal to being caught naked(裸露的)．
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, though it's important to reveal(透露) yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. Actually few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs (面包屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are，where you are and what you like. In some cases，a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not， increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter? For many Americans, the answer apparently is “no”．
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found a majority of people are pessimistic about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me”．
But people say one thing and do another. Only a small part of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费亭)to avoid using the EZPass system that can track(跟踪) automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquits has run a series of tests that reveal people will submit personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50centsoff coupon(优惠券)．
But privacy does matter at least sometimes. It's like health：when you have it，you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.From Paragraph 2，we can infer________.
| A．criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology |
| B．people tend to be more frank with each other in the information age |
| C．in the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets |
| D．people's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge |
What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
| A．There should be a distance even between friends. |
| B．There should be fewer quarrels between friends. |
| C．Friends should always be faithful to each other. |
| D．Friends should open their hearts to each other. |
According to the passage，privacy is like health in that________.
| A．its importance is rarely understood |
| B．it is something that can easily be lost |
| C．people will make every effort to keep it |
| D．people don't treasure it until they lose it |
Travel Information 
It is said that the love story about Xu Xian and the White Snake happened on _____.
| A．Dragon Tower |
| B．West Lake |
| C．Water Cube |
| D．Disneyland |
If a person in Hangzhou feels like visiting Water Cube, he should call _____to getinformation.
| A．010-28315589 |
| B．0451-82187899 |
| C．0571-68345576 |
| D．0l0-28135589 |
Disneyland, which attracts a lot of tourists from home and abroad every year, is in_____ according to the travel information.
| A．Beijing |
| B．Harbin |
| C．Hong Kong |
| D．Hangzhou |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the travel information?
| A．Water Cube is special in design. |
| B．The price of a ticket for West Lake is the highest. |
| C．In Disneyland.you can't see any cartoon characters. |
| D．The price of a ticket for Dragon Tower is the lowest. |