_______ he was the last man I wanted to see, I did all that I could to help him.
| A．As | B．Now that | C．While | D．As though |
While learning the science lessons, I used to get a doubt--why ear, nose, tongue and eyes should be called as special senses? The basic reason is that these are the channels through which we maintain contact with the surroundings. Though apparently it may feel like these are individual sensory organs, they do show some connectivity. Interestingly, our hearing is less sharp after we eat a heavy food. Isn’t it good for a sound nap after a stomach-full meal? That does not mean we go deaf after a meal, but the hearing pitch（强度）does change after a heavy meal.
We usually give credit of the taste to our tongue, but do you know that unless saliva（唾液）dissolves something, our tongue cannot recognize the taste of the food eaten. Taste is nothing but the food chemicals dissolved in the saliva being sensed by the taste buds（味蕾）present on the tongue. Try to dry off your tongue and mouth with a tissue paper and then taste something.
Women are much better smellers than men. They are born with this characteristic ability and can correctly recognize the exact fragrance of the sample. We all can store almost 50,000 different smells, which are strongly tied to the memories.
Pupils（瞳孔）do not respond to light alone, but to the slightest bit of noise around too. Thus surgeons, watchmakers and those professionals who have to perform a much delicate job do prefer to have a sound-free environment. Even a small noise can enlarge their pupils, change the focus and make their vision less clear.
Each and every one of us has a particular or individualistic or characteristic smell, which is unique to us, except the twins. This smell is very subtle yet can be sensed even by a newborn. It may be due to this smell that the newborn recognizes the presence of his parents around.What may happen after you have had a rich lunch?
| A．Your eyes become weak and can not see well. |
| B．You may feel energetic and fresh. |
| C．Your hearing pitch may be decreased. |
| D．Your tongue may lose the function of taste. |
. What does the author mean by the underlined sentence in paragraph 2?
| A．Our tongues can’t be dried while eating something. |
| B．If your tongue is dried without any saliva on it, it will not work. |
| C．A tissue paper is the only thing that can be used to dry our tongues. |
| D．If your tongue is dried with a tissue paper, it may work as well as before. |
What makes each person different from anyone else except twins according to the passage?
| A．The number of sensory organs. |
| B．The functions of sensory organs. |
| C．The particular smell of a person. |
| D．The style of one’s behavior. |
Which of the following may be the best title of this passage?
| A．The Sensitivity of Sensory Organs |
| B．The Functions and Connections of Sensory Organs |
| C．A Newborn’s Sensory Organs |
| D．Different Senses Between Men and Woman |
Thousands of teenagers will be able to transfer to a new wave of “studio schools” at the age of 14 to improve their chances of finding a job in UK. A dozen new-style schools are designed to act as a bridge to the workplace and cut the number of NEETs--young people not in education, employment or training.
Under plans, schools will operate longer days and work outside standard academic terms.
Each pupil will be expected to spend between four hours and two days a week on work placements with businesses linked to the school and teenagers will be assigned a personal coach to act as an academic “line manager”.
The reforms are put forward due to the fears that too many teenagers are now finishing full-time education lacking the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. According to a recent report, more than two-thirds of employers believe school and college leavers lack important “employability skills” such as customer awareness, while 55 per cent say they are unable to manage their time or daily tasks. And the number of NEETs has hit a record high, with almost one-in-five young people being left without a job or training place.
The Department for Education will announce the establishment of 12 studio schools -- meeting the need of around 3,600 teenagers -- in areas such as Liverpool, Stevenage, Stoke-on-Trent and Fulham, west London. Each one, opening in 2012, will be linked to a series of local employers. Under plans, pupils will be able to transfer out of ordinary schools to attend them between the age of 14 and 19.
The Government said all subjects would be taught “through projects, often designed with employers” -- with disciplines such as science being linked directly to local engineering firms or hospitals. Schools will operate a longer day to give pupils a better understanding of the demands of the workplace. Along with their studies, pupils will carry out work placements for four hours a week, rising to two days a week of paid work for those aged 16 to 19. They will also get the chance to take professional qualifications linked directly to the needs of local employers.According to the passage, the NEETs are referred to those who ________.
| A．often miss classes from school |
| B．refuse to take any kind of part-time jobs after school |
| C．depend on their parents to find jobs after they graduate |
| D．have no jobs without accepting education and work training |
Compared to ordinary schools, studio schools will offer the young more ________.
| A．interesting and lovely cartoons to make study easier |
| B．chances to get future jobs with expert job training |
| C．possibilities to make friends without going outside |
| D．lessons helping them to be admitted to universities |
What makes the government decide to found studio schools?
| A．The determination to solve the problem of lacking workers. |
| B．The doubt about whether full-time education is perfect. |
| C．The worry about educated people lacking working skills. |
| D．The increasing number of teens who drop out early. |
What may most probably attract senior high school students at studio school?
| A．They can find suitable jobs earlier with good qualification. |
| B．They will be admitted to top companies with received training. |
| C．They needn’t go to university thanks to received training here. |
| D．They may have more free time to find part-time jobs after school. |
Michelle Obama made a daring decision to return to the same designer who created her Inaugural（就职）Ball dress four years ago --- and the risk paid off.
The First Lady looked extremely attractive in a red dress by designer Jason Wu. She teamed the dramatic dress with heels by Jimmy Choo and a diamond ring by Kimberly McDonald.
She surprised the fashion world by returning to a Wu design which had been made for her.
Four years ago at her first Inauguration Ball, Michelle shone in a white, one-shouldered floor-length dress by the designer.
Wu, who was 26 at the time and had only been working in fashion for three years, saw his career take off after the First Lady’s surprise decision to wear one of his dresses.
He said at the time that he was unaware she had chosen the dress and had been watching at home on his couch and eating pizza when she appeared.
After her 2013 decision, Wu told Women’s Wear Daily: “Mrs. Obama likes to keep her secrets. She fooled me again.”
Wu released a women’s clothing and accessories（配饰）collection at Target last year and continues to be popular with the First Lady for official appointments.
The sleeveless dress with low-cut back flattered （突出）49-year-old Michelle’s arms and neat waist.
It had been created especially for her by Wu and was a departure from the dark and plain color tone she stuck to at earlier inauguration events.
Vice-President Joe Biden’s wife Jill also looked attractive in a blue silk dress by Vera Wang at the Inauguration Ball.What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Mrs. Obama’s 2013 decision. |
| B．Wu, a great designer. |
| C．The First Lady’s secrets. |
| D．Michelle Obama’s inaugural ball dress. |
Michelle Obama’s brave decision proved to be a _________.
| A．risk | B．success | C．surprise | D．danger |
Which of the following best describes Jason Wu?
| A．Daring and gifted. | B．Unusual and cautious. |
| C．Talented and lucky. | D．Careful and brave. |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
| A．Wu was aware that Mrs. Obama had chosen his work again |
| B．Being First Lady, Mrs. Obama hasn’t stuck to her dark and plain color tone. |
| C．Mrs. Obama told Wu to give away her secrets |
| D．Mrs. Obama should have told Wu the truth |
--I am worn out after climbing the mountain, and you?
--Yes, _________. I could hardly rise to my feet.
| A．not in the least | B．not a little | C．not a bit | D．not really |
--He is so unhappy. What made him disappointed?
--It’s his plans. You can’t imagine what it’s like to feel that all your plans for the future have _________.
| A．set down | B．turned down | C．put down | D．broken down |