Scotland is a unique place, loaded with history, where you can find aristocratic（贵族的）palaces and castles, as well as the traditional parades in national costumes.
In order to see and discover the true soul of Scotland today and what formed the character of this splendid region, we have to go towards the northern regions, to the Grampian Mountains（格兰扁山区）, beautiful and plain. The Scots conquered the environment with simple spades and strong arms, for it was difficult to farm.
The history of this ancient struggle, and its people’s ancient love with the hard land, can be felt within the walls of the Angus Folk Museum. You are able to get a feel of the typical rural atmosphere of times past from the everyday artifacts displayed here.
From coastal Aberdeen in towards the Grampian Mountains there runs the Castle Trail, a road that touches on many fortresses（堡垒）, which are witnesses of continual fights against the control of neighboring England in Scottish history.
Perhaps the most exciting moment for Scottish autonomy is the one experienced inside this ancient church of Arbroath, where, in 1320, the Declaration of Independence was celebrated, at the instigation（鼓动）of King Robert the Bruce. He carried out the plan for autonomy drawn up by the great popular hero William Wallace, for whom cinema has designed the wonderful film Brave Heart, the winner of the five Oscars.
This is Glamis Castle, where King Macbeth and Queen Elizabeth used to live. Among the most frequent guests here are the predictable ghosts, if not actually created, by ancient popular beliefs. These have been handed down over the centuries by people tending to live with mystery, with the forces of the supernatural.
Another attraction here is a legendary monster: the Loch Ness Monster. Whether it’s real or imaginary, this monster, which has been nicknamed Nessie, has collected a good 3,000 sightings over the last 50 years.
The true flag of Scotland, tartan, is recognizable from the brightly colored plaid patterns which are used to distinguish the various social groups.
Bagpipes and dancing open the competitions of local sporting events, which are called Highland Gatherings.Take a look at the Angus Folk Museum, and we can learn about _______. .
| A．the love of ancient Scottish to the hard land |
| B．the rural atmosphere in Grampian Mountains |
| C．ancient Scottish people’s fighting against the enemy |
| D．the history of the Scottish famous palaces and castles |
What were the fortresses built for?
| A．Fighting against the invaders of England. |
| B．Developing business with neighbor areas. |
| C．Preventing the people from moving around. |
| D．Providing a shelter from tough weather for travelers. |
In the fifth paragraph, the underlined “the one” refers to the moment of _______.
| A．the film Brave Heart winning the five Oscars |
| B．the plan for Scottish autonomy being carried out |
| C．the instigation of King Robert the Bruce |
| D．the celebration of the Declaration of Independence |
According to the passage, which one is TRUE?
| A．The film Brave Heart is mainly about King Robert Bruce. |
| B．The Scottish film industry is one of the attractions of the land. |
| C．Highland gatherings are often marked with bagpipes and dancing |
| D．The supernatural forces in Glamis Castle may change a person’s belief. |
The purpose of the writer is to _______.
| A．advise readers to pay a visit to Scotland |
| B．teach students about the customs of Scotland |
| C．introduce cultural background about Scotland |
| D．analyze the geographic formation of Scotland |
Larry was on another of his underwater expeditions(探险)but this time, it was different. He decided to take his daughter along with him. She was only ten years old. This would be her first trip with her father on what he had always been famous for.
Larry first began diving when he was his daughter’s age. Similarly, his father had taken him along on one of his expeditions. Since then, he had never looked back.. Larry started out by renting diving suits from the small diving shop just along the shore. He had hated them. They were either too big or too small. Then, there was the instructor. He gave him a short lesson before allowing him into the water with his father. He had made an exception. Larry would never have been able to go down without at least five hours of theory and another similar number of hours on practical lessons with a guide. Children his age were not even allowed to dive.
After the first expedition, Larry’s later diving adventures only got better and better. There was never a dull moment. In his black and blue suit and with an oxygen tank fastened on his back, Larry dived from boats into the middle of the ocean. Dangerous areas did not prevent him from continuing his search. Sometimes, his was limited to a cage underwater but that did not bother him. At least, he was still able to take photographs of the underwater creatures.
Larry’s first expedition without his father was in the Cayman Islands. There were numerous diving spots in the area and Larry was determined to visit all of them .Fortunately for him, a man offered to take him around the different spots for free. Larry didn’t even know what the time was, how many spots he dived into or how many photographs he had taken. The diving spots afforded such a wide array of fish and sea creatures that Larry saw more than thirty varieties of creatures.
Larry looked at his daughter. She looked as excited as he had been when he was her age. He hoped she would be able to continue the family tradition. Already, she looked like she was much braver than had been then. This was the key to a successful underwater expedition.In what way was this expedition different for Larry?
| A．His daughter had grown up. |
| B．He had become a famous diver. |
| C．His father would dive with him. |
| D．His daughter would dive with him. |
What can be inferred from Paragraph2?
| A．Larry had some privileges. |
| B．Larry liked the rented diving suits. |
| C．Divers had to buy diving equipment. |
| D．Ten-year-old children were permitted to dive. |
Why did Larry have to stay in a cage underwater sometimes?
| A．To dive into the deep water. |
| B．To protect himself from danger. |
| C．To admire the underwater view. |
| D．To take photo more conveniently. |
What can be learned from the underlined sentence?
| A．Larry didn’t wear a watch. |
| B．Larry had a poor memory. |
| C．Larry enjoyed the adventure. |
| D．Larry was not good at math. |
Protagoras was among the great teachers of ancient Athens. He taught many subjects, including the laws of argument(辩论) and the right use of language. It is said that he was the first teacher to accept money for his services.
A student, Evalthus, heard of this famous teacher and asked him to give him lessons. However, Evalthus didn’t want to pay for his lessons at once, and after some discussion it was finally agreed between them that Evalthus should pay only if he won his first case in the court. For if he won, it would prove that he had been taught well.
The lessons began and Evalthus proved himself to be a good student. But he refused to pay Protagoras anything at the end of his studies.
Protagoras therefore took Evalthus to the court and told the judges that he wanted his money. He explained that he must be paid whether he won or lost the case. “Whatever you decide,” he declared(宣称)to the judges, “ I must be paid. For if you decide in my fovor , then I win the case, and so I must be paid . But If you decide against me, then Evalthus has won his first case in the court; according to our agreement, he must pay his lessons. Therefore I shall get my money whatever happens.”
The Athenian judges found no fault in it, so they asked Evalthus to reply.
“No, it’s quite clear,” said Evalthus, “ that I need not pay. If the judged decide in my favor, then I have won the case, and I need not to pay. But if Protagoras wins, then I have lost my first case. Therefore, according to our agreement, I do not have to pay. So I need not pay in any event.”
As both arguments appeared to be faultless, the judges were unable to come to a decision. They therefore ordered the two men to appear before them again one hundred years later.Evalthus would pay Protagoras _______________.
| A．before he started his lessons |
| B．after he finished his lessons |
| C．after the court decided against him |
| D．after the court proved that he was taught well |
What do we know about Protagoras?
| A．He won the judges’ favor in the end and got his money. |
| B．He was probably the first teacher to accept money for his lessons. |
| C．He didn’t teach Evalthus well because Evalthus didn’t pay. |
| D．He was not confident of his winning the case in the court. |
Why did the judged ask Protagoras and Evalthus to come to the court one hundred years later?
| A．They couldn’t make a decision. |
| B．They needed to think it over again. |
| C．They wanted to make fun of them. |
| D．They wanted more money from them. |
What is probably the best title for the text?
| A．A Smart Student---- Evalthus |
| B．A Great Teacher---Protagoras |
| C．Come Here One Hundred Years Later |
| D．A Fight Between Teacher and Student |
We already know the fastest, least expensive way to slow climate change: Use less energy. With a little effort, and not much money, most of us could reduce our energy diets by 25 percent or more—doing the Earth a favor while also helping our wallets.
Not long ago, my wife, PJ, and I tried a new diet—not to lose a little weight but to answer an annoying question about climate change. Scientists have reported recently that the world is heating up even faster than predicted only a few years ago, and that the consequences could be severe if we don’t keep reducing emissions(排放) of carbon dioxide(CO2) and other greenhouse gases that are trapping heat in our atmosphere.
We decided to try an experiment. For one month we recorded our personal emissions of CO2. We wanted to see how much we could cut back, so we went on a strict diet. The average US household(家庭) produces about 150 pounds of CO2 a day by doing common-place things like turning on air-conditioning or driving cars. That’s more than twice the European average and almost five times the global average, mostly because Americans drive more and have bigger houses. But how much should we try to reduce?
For an answer, I checked with Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers:How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth. In his book, he had challenged readers to make deep cuts in personal emissions to keep the world from reaching extremely important tipping points, such as the melting(融化) of the ice sheets in Greenland or West Antarctica. “To stay below that point, we need to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent, ”he said.
Good advice, I thought. I’d opened our bedroom windows to let in the wind. We’d gotten so used to keeping our air-conditioning going around the clock. I’d almost forgotten the windows even opened. We should not let this happen again. It’s time for us to change our habits if necessary.Why did the author and his wife try a new diet?
| A．To take special kinds of food. |
| B．To respond to climate change. |
| C．To lose weight. |
| D．To improve their health. |
The underlined words “tipping points” most probably refer to “”.
| A．freezing points | B．burning points |
| C．melting points | D．boiling points |
It can be inferred from the passage that.
| A．it is necessary to keep the air-conditioning on all the time |
| B．it seems possible for every household to cut emissions of CO2 |
| C．the average US household produces about 3, 000 pounds of CO2 a month |
| D．the average European household produces about 1, 000 pounds of CO2 a month |
Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Saving Energy Starts at Home |
| B．Changing Our Habits Begins at Work |
| C．Changing Climate Sounds Reasonable |
| D．Reducing Emissions of CO2 Proves Difficult |
B
If John wants to express his love to his wife, the book number he may choose is.
| A．1404185526 | B．0071460152 |
| C．0312283202 | D．140039404X |
Which of the following will save the most money for you?
| A．I Love You, Sweetheart |
| B．Eat Right for Your Metabolism |
| C．The Girls |
| D．The Twelve Dogs of Christmas Gift Set |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Not only I Love You, Sweetheart but also The Girls is paperback. |
| B．There are many beautiful songs in I Love You, Sweetheart. |
| C．Eat Right for Your Metabolism tells us the importance of keeping healthy. |
| D．The Girls is thicker than The Twelve Dogs of Christmas Gift Set. |
You know how wonderful you are, and you know that others know how wonderful you are, but what do you do when admiration crosses over the line into jealousy？For most teens there will come a day when you realize that one of your friends is jealous and that this jealousy is hurting your friendship. When this happens it can seem like there is nothing that you can do, but the good news is that there is. Don’t let jealousy spoil your relationships. Tackle it head on and you might be back to normal much sooner than you think.
It can be hard to walk up to a friend and ask them what the problem is, but if you want to save your friendship you’ll have to do just that. Don’t approach them and ask why they are jealous of you (unless of course you want to appear totally conceited), just take some time alone with them and let them know that you’ve been feeling like there’s been something coming between you. If they refuse to respond, then use the opportunity to explain how you have been feeling. Chances are that something you say will strike a nerve and your friend will open up as well.
When you figure out what is annoying your friend，ask him or her what (s)he thinks would make the situation better. If ,for example, (s)he says that (s)he feels like (s)he doesn't get to spend any time with you because of your being off with your new friends from the swim team then maybe you could invite her along the next time or block off one day a week for just the two of you. Remember, though, that whatever solution you decide on should be a compromise. Don’t limit your own talents or opportunities simply because your friend is unhappy. Try instead to include him or her in your new life and see how that works out.
Even the best of friendships can be tinged by jealousy. This destructive emotion is rarely productive and can turn best friends into worst enemies. Before taking extreme action, chat with your jealous friend to see if the two of you can work out a compromise. If you can’t, be prepared to know exactly how far you will go to keep your friend and how far you won't.According to the author，the jealousy emotion is ________.
| A．normal | B．productive | C．destructive | D．extreme |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to confront your friend when jealousy happens?
| A．Walking up to him/her and asking him/her why he/she is jealous of you. |
| B．Walking up to him/her and asking him/her what the problem is. |
| C．Spending some time with him/her and letting him/her know how you feel. |
| D．Spending some time with him/her and letting him/her know you think there’s something coming between you. |
What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
| A．There's always a solution to solve the problem of jealousy. |
| B．Jealousy can turn best friends into worst enemies. |
| C．You may lose a friend to keep your own gifts，chances or self-development. |
| D．You should go a long way with your friend to work out a solution |
The purpose of the passage is ________.
| A．to explain what causes jealousy |
| B．to offer some advice on making friends |
| C．to introduce the way to cope with a jealous friend |
| D．to explain how destructive the jealous emotion is |