Please excuse me if I'm a little sad today. Mark is leaving, and I'm feeling kind of sad.
You probably don't know Mark, but you might be lucky enough to know someone just like him. He's been the heart and soul of the office for a couple of years combining great professional skills with a sweet nature. He just wants to do his job, and to do it superbly well. And now he's moving on to an exciting new professional opportunity. It sounds like it could be the chance of a lifetime, and we're genuinely, sincerely pleased for him. But that doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye to a dear friend and trusted colleague.
Life has a way of throwing these curve balls at us. Just when we start to get comfortable with a person, a place or a situation. A terrific neighbor moves away. Someone in the family graduates. A child finds new love and loyalties through marriage. The family's principle bread-winner is laid off.
But how do we do that? A friend of mine who works for the government once told me that the answer to life's problems can be summed up in four words: "Go with the flow."
"It's like surfing," Chris explained. "You can't organize the ocean. Waves just happen. You ride them where they take you, then you paddle back out there and catch the next one. Sure, you're always hoping for the perfect wave where you can get. But mostly you just take them the way they come.
I'm not exactly sure, but I think Chris was saying that life is a series of events—both good and bad. There will always be life-influencing factors over which you have no control. That doesn't mean you don't keep trying to make all your dreams come true. It just means that when things come up that aren't exactly in your plan, you work around them—and then you move on. Of course, some bumps along the road of life are easier to take than others. A rained-out picnic, for example, is easier to cope with than the sudden death of a loved one. But the principle is the same.
We're going to miss Mark, just like you'll miss that graduate, that neighbor or that newlywed. But rather than drown ourselves in the sadness of our parting, we'll focus on our hopes for a brighter future—for him, and for us. And then we'll go out and do everything we can to make that future happen.The passage is mainly about ___________.
| A．how to change yourself successfully |
| B．how to do if your colleague (同事) leaves |
| C．how to deal with unhappy things in life |
| D．how to deal with unexpected things in life |
In Paragraph 1 , the writer tells the story about Mike to _________.
| A．let us know his colleague | B．praise his colleague |
| C．introduce a topic | D．describe his life |
The leaving of Mike makes the writer feel _________________.
| A．really unpleasant | B．very angry |
| C．both happy and sad | D．a little disappointed |
Which is not an unexpected thing in life mentioned in the passage?
| A．A rained-out picnic. |
| B．A terrific neighbor’s apology. |
| C．The sudden death of a loved. |
| D．The graduation of a family member. |
In the writer’s opinion, one should ________ when unexpected things come up.
| A．accept them and hope for a better future |
| B．do as planned |
| C．overcome difficulties and let them in control |
| D．never give up until he succeeds |
Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen．The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster．Luckily, they are just the director' s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either．
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example．Once I took a trip to the glacier．Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years．They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top that I finally saw melting glaciers（融化的冰川）．My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second．
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact．Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that' s about the population of the entire Italy．According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water．
Our fortune is in our own hands．It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now．Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water．Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away．Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place．It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future．Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them．
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean． The earth does not belong to us．On the contrary, we belong to the earth． Please bear in mind that the earth is our home．It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality．Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ? __________.
| A．To give example． | B．To lead into the topic． |
| C．To make prediction． | D．To provide the evidence． |
How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier? ____________.
| A．Worried． | B．Puzzled． | C．Scared． | D．Bored． |
It can be inferred from the third paragraph that.
| A．56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level |
| B．Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050 |
| C．Human beings will be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming |
| D．It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality |
According to the passage, you are advised to.
| A．drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place |
| B．recycle everything that is used |
| C．go to see the movie 2012 at once |
| D．work together to take good care of our planet |
What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?
| A．Think twice before taking action. |
| B．It's our duty to protect the ocean． |
| C．Everyone together can make a difference． |
| D．It's important to save every drop of water． |
"Beating is a sign of affection, cursing (骂）is a sign of love."
Many may not expect to hear the words of the old Chinese saying in these modern times—with parents wealthier and better educated than they have ever been-but experts say they still ring true.
Today, it seems, Chinese parents are more likely to send their children to pre-college military academies in the United States in the hope that some tough love will pave the way tosuccess.
"Good education doesn't mean letting your child enjoy privileges, especially our boys," said Song Wenming, an entrepreneur(企业家）in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang province." They should be raised in tough conditions to know what to fight for in the future."
In August, Song sent his 17-year-old son to Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) in Pennsylvania. And he is far from alone, even though it takes a lot of money - around $48,000 per year —to send a child to a strict military school.
Statistics shows that an increasing number of Chinese students have been registering with such academies.
A few years ago, there were no Chinese students at Valley Forge. Today, there are 28."All of the Chinese students at Valley Forge came from wealthy families, some of them were spoiled," said Jennifer Myers, director of marketing and communications at the school.
Song's only son, Song Siyu, had a rocky start during his first six weeks at the school. The teenager said he went to the school voluntarily but did not expect it to be as difficult.
Now, three months later, he has perfected the art of taking a bath in 35 seconds, finishing a meal without looking at his food, and making his bed with precision. He can even take criticism, no matter how unreasonable.
"The training is hard but I know it is good for self-development of individuals," said Song Siyu.'The endless training and scolding are just ways to build up our character, they are not personal."
But his enthusiasm is not universal. Ten of the 13 Chinese students who joined the academy this year have transferred to other schools.
But for those who stick with it, there is a reward for all the hard work.From the second paragraph, we can know the old Chinese saying _____.
| A．is out of date in modern times. |
| B．is disagreed by rich parents. |
| C．is still worth trusting |
| D．is deeply believed by better educated parent. |
The underlined sentence means that _____
| A．Song sent his only son to military school, so he feels lonely. |
| B．Song is the only one who sends his child t to military school. |
| C．There are other people sending their children to military school besides Song. |
| D．The fee of the military school is so high that only Song can afford it. |
Song Siyu got some achievements in the military school except _____.
| A．taking a bath in a short time |
| B．having his meal with his eyes closed |
| C．taking unreasonable criticism |
| D．improving his character |
How many Chinese students are there at Valley Forge before this year?
| A．10 | B．13 | C．15 | D．25 |
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A.It's likely that more and more Chinese students will attend VFMA.
B. Most Chinese parents approve of educating their children by beating and cursing nowadays.
C.Song Siyu had no difficulty in adjusting to the life at VFMA.
D.Most Chinese students support the way of education at VFMA.
Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the beat by climbing to the summit(山顶) of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.
Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won’t miss the Pacaya-tour companies.
But climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2560 metres high, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above steaming. Hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you are near the active summit; the McKenney Cone(火山锥).
Many tours are timed so when you arrive at the cone of the volcano there is plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down .What is the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To attract tourists to Pacaya. |
| B．To describe the beauty of Pacaya. |
| C．To introduce guided tours to Pacaya. |
| D．To explain the power of nature at Pacaya. |
Antigua is a city .
| A．where people can have a close-up view of the volcano |
| B．where the daring Pacaya tour starts |
| C．that lies on the summit of Pacaya |
| D．that is famous for its tour companies |
Climbing to the McKenney Cone, people will.
| A．walk down to the active summit |
| B．hear the continuous loud screams from above |
| C．make greater efforts than to other summits |
| D．see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions |
Many tours are timed for people to .
| A．get down the mountain in time when night falls |
| B．avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone |
| C．enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky |
| D．appreciate the scenery of the 2560-metre-high mountain |
The short passage probably comes from___________.
| A．a travel journal | B．a popular science magazine |
| C．A novel | D．an advertisement |
It’s true that quite a few most respected scientific authorities have confirmed that the world is becoming hotter and hotter. There’s also strong evidence that humans are contributing to the warming. Countless recent reports have proved the same thing. For instance, a 2010 summary about the climate science by the Royal Society noted that: “The global warming over the last half-century has been caused mainly by human activity.”
You may not believe that humans could change the planet’s climate, but the basic science is well understood. Each year, billions of tons of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere because of human activity. As has been known for years, these gases hold heat that would otherwise escape to space, wrapping the planet in an invisible (看不见的) blanket.
Of course, the earth’s climate has always been changing due to “natural” factors such as volcanic eruption or changes in solar, or cycles concerning the Earth’s going around the sun. According to the scientific research, however, the warming observed by now matches the pattern of warming we would expect from a build-up of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere – not the warming we would expect from other possible causes.
Even if scientists did discover another reasonable explanation for the warming recorded so far, that would give birth to a difficult question. As Robert Henson puts it: “If some newly discovered factor is to blame for the climate change, then why aren’t carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases producing the warming that basic physics tells us they should be?”
The only way to prove with 100% certainty that humans are responsible for global warming would be to run an experiment with two identical Earths – one with human influence and one without. That obviously isn’t possible, and so most scientists are careful not to state human influence as an absolute certainty. In most scientists’ opinion, the global warming is mainly caused by ________.
| A．solar activity | B．volcanic activity |
| C．natural factors | D．human factors |
The text is developed by ________.
| A．giving typical examples |
| B．following the order of space |
| C．analyzing a theory and arguing it |
| D．comparing and finding differences |
The underline word “identical” in the last paragraph probably means ________.
| A．totally different | B．exactly the same |
| C．extremely important | D．partly independent |
Which of the following is not the cause of climate change?
| A．volcanic eruption |
| B．cycles concerning the Earth’s going around the sun |
| C．changes in solar |
| D．floods and droughts |
Which of the following can be the best title?
| A．Are All the Scientists Really Scientific? |
| B．Where Is Global Warming Leading Us to? |
| C．Are Humans Definitely Causing Global Warming? |
| D．What’s the Relation of Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases? |
We have proof that you become what you eat. When you know the effects of different types of food, you can use your knowledge well and eat what you want to become.
Food has an impact on our physical and mental health. Have you ever heard any of the following advice?
Lettuce (莴苣) or milk can make you sleepy.
To stop feeling sleepy you should eat peanuts or dried fish.
Everyone has their own advice to give, which they have read about or have been told by older relatives. Some of these pieces of advice seem to contradict each other.
Eating chocolate makes you fat and gives you spots.
Chocolate contains the essential minerals: iron and magnesium (镁).
What we need to figure out is what type of chocolate to eat to get the benefits and how much of it to eat. We can do this by reading the list of ingredients (原料) on the chocolate bar package. Exactly how much real chocolate is in there? And how much of that do we need to eat to get the benefits of the minerals it contains?
Future restaurants might be named after the physical or mental state they hope to create. Their menus will list the benefits of each dish and drink. Some restaurants have already started this concept, and list the nutritional (营养的) content of their dishes on the menus.
Let’s take the restaurant “Winners” as an example. Their menu would list dishes specifically designed to help you win sports competitions. Or you could choose the Go-faster salad, which is a large bowl of mixed raw vegetables in a light salad dressing, giving you energy without making you gain weight. And what kind of dishes do you think would be on the menu at the “Clever Café”?
So what’s going to happen to hamburgers and biscuits? Will the concept of eating food, because it’s tasty, go out of fashion? Of course not! Junk food is also changing. If ice-cream is not good for children, can’t we give them fat-free, sugar-free tofu ice-cream? Unhealthy food is going out of fashion, so brands are changing. We are told not to drink cola because of the sugar and caffeine content so cola companies are making sugar-free and caffeine-free drinks. We are told dried fruit is a healthier snack than biscuits so some biscuit companies are making biscuits with added vitamins.By saying “you become what you eat”, the writer means that ________.
| A．you will become your own food |
| B．you will know what food is good by its appearance |
| C．food has an effect on your health |
| D．you will know the effects of different types of food |
What does the underlined word “contradict” mean in the text?
| A．Oppose to | B．Help with |
| C．Have influence on | D．Benefit from |
How can we eat chocolate properly, according to the passage?
| A．To eat chocolate containing the essential minerals. |
| B．To read the list of ingredients on the package. |
| C．To get advice from others before eating real chocolate. |
| D．To learn how much chocolate we can consume before eating. |
Which is true about the future restaurants?
| A．The food in “Winners” can ensure you to win sports competitions. |
| B．They might list the nutritional content of their dishes on the menus. |
| C．Hamburgers will disappear in these restaurants. |
| D．The Go-faster salad helps you go faster. |
The concept of eating tasty food will not go out of fashion because ________.
| A．the junk food companies are changing their brand names |
| B．biscuit companies are making dried fruit |
| C．junk food will become healthier than before |
| D．Cola companies are still making cola |