Ereading and ebooks are slowly conquering the world.Compared to traditional paper books，ebooks in some schools and universities attract more interest because the information flow seems much easier to manage and comes in a greatly higher quantity.
Japan is known for the reformminded attitude towards the gadget(精巧装置) world and for the fact that it is one of the first countries that encouraged in the educational system the emailing of homework.
The digital textbook looks like the logical step in the world of learning.It is natural but it is also completely untraditional.
The plan of the largest publishing companies to get in line with the trend is to save a large quantity of paper and make the kids become interested in learning using a cool gadget.Many USA universities and colleges have made students be used to the procedure of downloading the courses and of course the procedure involves interactive software and also the chance of using the computer.
The traditional education system is still unwilling when it comes to giving up books.The standard approach of information taught out of a book and Shakespeare read out of an old school novel makes studying English as traditional as it can be.
In a world where kids would rather see the movie than read a book，the digital age has brought along a completely different flavor to reading.Bringing that flavor in school will make teaching a greener and also a completely different matter.Why are ebooks so popular in the world?
| A．It's cheap to buy. | B．It's effective to use. |
| C．It's convenient to bring. | D．It's the latest fashion. |
Which of the following words can best take the place of the word “reformminded” in the second paragraph?
| A．Oldfashioned. | B．Aggressive. |
| C．Rejecting. | D．Progressive. |
In America，the students are encouraged to________．
| A．apply the procedure of downloading the courses |
| B．communicate with their teachers using computer |
| C．research some interactive software for their studies |
| D．do their homework in computer instead of in paper |
What's the author's attitude to the digital textbooks?
| A．Being against. | B．Being for. |
| C．Not mentioned. | D．Being neutral. |
You’ve probably heard of the expression “A leopard can’t change its spots.” This, of course, is true of leopards. But isn’t it true of people? Can people change themselves? Are we humans just creatures of habits? Do we not have any control over our actions and habits?
One guy said, “Bad habits are like a comfortable bed. They’re easy to get into, but hard to get out of.” Someone else said, “The chains of habits are too small to feel until they’re too strong to break.” So breaking the mould of our bad habits takes effort.
Habits are like the roads we take through our life every day. The problem is that not every road takes us where we need to go. Actually, our routes through life often become our ruts (惯例) in life. We end up stuck in them and find it hard to dig ourselves out. That’s why we must change our bad habits as soon as possible before they become our second nature. You see, our habits become our character and our character becomes our life. As one wise person said, “First we make our habits, and then our habits make us.”
But we humans don’t like to change. So we come up with excuses, like “I can’t be different; that’s just the way I am.” And the good excuse is “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But that’s just it: we’re not dogs or animals. In fact, we’re the only creatures who have the freedom and power to change and choose the kind of person we want to become.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that .
| A．getting rid of bad habits is very hard |
| B．people can’t find their bad habits themselves |
| C．entering bad habits is hard |
| D．people don’t have the courage to change their bad habits |
What’s mainly talked about in Paragraph 3?
| A．What bad habits are. |
| B．How bad habits are formed. |
| C．How to change our bad habits. |
| D．Why we should change our bad habits. |
The author’s attitude towards changing one’s bad habits is .
| A．doubtful | B．optimistic |
| C．negative | D．indifferent |
Le Val de Cantobre, Aveyron (France)
It’s in the grounds of a medieval house. There’s a swimming pool, a river and a pizza restaurant. The scenery (景色) around the park is beautiful and great for walking. A week’s stay will cost you about €280.
For more information please go to www.eurocamp.co.uk.
Four Seasons Tented Camp, Golden Triangle (Thailand)
This must be one of the best campsites ( 野营地) in the world. Instead of tents, there are “canvas cabins (帆布船舱)”. And there’s a gourmet restaurant, a spa and a pool. There are only 15 of cabins to rent so you’ll have to book early. The campsite can only be reached by river boat, but once there you can learn to ride an elephant. Unfortunately, it isn’t cheap, and two nights at the Four Seasons will cost you about €1,500!
For more information please go to www.Fourseasons.com/goldentriangle.
Three Cliffs Bay, Gower (Wales)
The Three Cliffs Bay is in a beautiful part of the country, and it won’t cost you much either: a family tent (2 adults, 2 children) is about €28 a day. There’s a camp shop where you can buy food and drinks, and there are pubs and restaurants nearby so you won’t even have to cook. You can water-ski from the beach, or go walking along the Gower Way.
For more information please go to www.Threecliffsbay.com.
Longitude 131, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia)
Situated in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, near the massive (巨大的) red rock formerly known as Ayer’s Rock, this is more like a hotel than a campsite. There’s a restaurant, a pool and even a library. The only problem is that it’s a bit expensive — around €1,500 a night.
For more information please go to www.Longitude131.com.au.If a couple want to stay in Le Val de Cantobre for two days, they will have to pay about .
| A．€56 | B．€280 | C．€160 | D．€80 |
Visitors can do all the following in Four Seasons Tented Camp EXCEPT .
| A．enjoy a spa | B．rent a cabin |
| C．ride an elephant | D．visit a pub |
If families like water-skiing, they can find information on .
| A．www.eurocamp.co.uk |
| B．www.Threecliffsbay.com |
| C．www.Longitude131.com.au |
| D．www.Fourseasons.com/goldentriangle |
What do we know about Longitude 131?
| A．It is the most expensive. | B．It is made of rocks. |
| C．It is located on a bay. | D．It is a real hotel. |
What kind of pets do people have in your country? Dogs? Cats? How about a duck, hippo or lion? Here are two cases of animal owners with unusual pets.
Barrie Hayman has a pet duck called Star. Barrie adopted (领养) him after his brothers and sisters stayed away from him at birth. Barrie, a duck breeder, realized the little duck needed special attention. So he began taking Star with him everywhere he went. “I would put him in my pocket while I did my shopping,” said Barrie. Now, at five months, Star is too big for Barrie’s pocket, but the two are still inseparable. They watch sports together and even share a drink together. Barrie said, “He is one fantastic duck. I’ve never known any like him.” Star even has his own Facebook page, with more than 2,000 Facebook friends.
Then there’s the case of Tonie and Shirley Joubert in South Africa. They live with their pet hippo, Jessica. Tonie saved Jessica from floodwaters when she was only a day old. Jessica lives outside their riverside house, but she knows how to open the kitchen door, and often goes there for a snack. Tonie recently said, “I don’t know whether Jessica sees me as a hippo or whether she sees herself as a human.” Shirley is more certain, “Jessica sees herself as our child and I see Jessica as my daughter. I can’t imagine my life without Jessica.” Jessica is free to leave, and often visits wild hippos that live nearby. But she always returns home at night. Jessica’s website notes that she has three hippo boyfriends, but one in particular, Fred, is her favorite. They often go grazing (吃青草) together and Fred has recently moved onto the Jouberts’ house as well.What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Some websites are set up to protect pets. |
| B．Some unusual pets are adopted by people. |
| C．People should take good care of their pets. |
| D．Pets sometimes can be very interesting. |
What does the underlined word “inseparable” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．Always together. | B．Always separated. |
| C．Always friendly. | D．Always healthy. |
Barrie took Star everywhere he went because .
| A．he had never seen a duck like Star |
| B．he set up a Facebook page for Star |
| C．he wanted to care more about Star |
| D．he needed Star to drink with him |
We can learn from the passage that Jessica .
| A．came to the Jouberts’ home when she was 5 months old |
| B．loves eating in the Jouberts’ kitchen |
| C．doesn’t see herself as a human being |
| D．has more than three boyfriends |
Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park,” he’d told his wife. “I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”—Mike, Randy, and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast, daddy.” When food had not appeared within thirty seconds, Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum. Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat（节拍）. Mike chanted “Where’s my toast, where’s my toast” in the background. Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare centre (日托所）.“I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?” The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.When his wife left home. Brad expected to .
| A．enjoy his first day off work |
| B．watch TV talk show with his children |
| C．go out for a walk in the park |
| D．read the newspaper to his children |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A．Drawing on the wall | B．Reading in a room |
| C．Feeding the fish. | D．Eating apple jam |
Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help?
| A．Because he wanted to clean up his house. |
| B．Because he suddenly had to go to his office |
| C．Because he had to take his wife back |
| D．Because he found it hard to manage his boys at home. |
This text is developed _____________.
| A．by space | B．by time |
| C．by process | D．by comparison |
At first, Brad thought he would be __________ on his first day off .
| A．relaxed | B．embarrassed |
| C．bored | D．unhappy |
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A． From her relatives. | B． From books and pictures. |
| C． From her mother. | D． From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt_______.
| A．confused | B．worried |
| C．excited | D．amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A．studied in three different schools |
| B．did not think about her future |
| C．often lost her way |
| D．got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A．She helped her family with her English. |
| B．She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C．She paid telephone bills for her family. |
| D．She worked as a translator. |
The author believes that______.
| A．her future will be free from troubles |
| B．good things will happen if one keeps trying |
| C．there are more good things than bad things |
| D．it is difficult to learn to become patient |