Don’t you just love ice skating every winter？I am sure，that since winter is approaching，your skates are set to come out，just waiting to be used.Impress your friends with your new trick on how to iceskate backwards with the help of these tips.Skating backwards on ice is a bit difficult but once you master the basic，there’s nothing like it.Follow the steps given below and you will be able to skate backwards in no time.
Stand Straight
The first thing that you need to do is，stand straight.If you feel that you are falling backwards，then just put your chin(下巴) up and slightly bend your knees.Don’t worry；this happens to all.
Confidence Is What You Need
The most important step while learning how to skate backwards，is having enough confidence in yourself and in what you are doing.How can you achieve this？By practice.Just practice rolling backwards down a gentle slop every single day or just by pushing off from a wall or something of that sort.But before you do that，make sure that the place where you are practicing is free from any kind of debris(碎片) because otherwise，you could land up in the hospital due to some accident.While going backwards，just get used to the feeling of moving backwards.One of the important ice skating tips and techniques is that if you feel that you are losing your balance，then scissor(做剪式运动) your skates.Keep practicing this till you are confident about it.
Maintain Speed
Confident now？Great！Now the next step is to maintain your speed.While rolling in a straight line with one skate，with the other try sculling(划桨)，that is，keep pushing yourself backwards with an outwards stroke(滑动)．Now bring the skate which you were using to scull，and then again，repeat the same process.Make sure that you put most of your weight on the skate which is moving straight and not the one with which you are sculling.Now，try the same thing using the other foot.Again keep doing this till you are confident enough.
Increase Your Speed Now
Once you are confident that you can scull with either foot，the next thing that you have to do is increase your speed.Try some of your own tricks now.Scull with either foot or with both at the same time.
Scull and Be Aware
While you keep one foot straight，keep sculling with the other.You can do that simultaneously with both feet.Concentrate on what you are doing but don’t get so involved，that you don’t see where you are going.If you are not watching your back，you might just bang against something or someone.According to the text confidence comes from ______.
| A．high speed | B．strict coaches |
| C．constant exercise | D．good techniques |
Which is the right order of iceskating backwards?
a．Increasing your speed.
b．Being able to scull with one foot.
c．Being about to stand straight.
d．Trying some different tricks.
| A．c→a→d→b | B．c→b→d→a |
| C．a→c→b→d | D．c→b→a→d |
In order to keep balance when skating backwards you should ________.
| A．skate in a scissor gesture |
| B．use both your feet to scull |
| C．skate forward first and then backward |
| D．put most of your weight on the skate with which you are sculling |
The purpose of the text is ________.
| A．to compare different ways of iceskating backwards |
| B．to introduce the culture of iceskating backwards |
| C．to explain advantages of iceskating backwards |
| D．to offer some advice on iceskating backwards |
(Q =" Question;" A = Answer)
Situation I
Q: If someone sits right next to me in an empty movie theater, is it rude to move?
A: Maybe, but nobody will fault you for it. Chances are that the close sitter doesn’t realize he disturbs you, so he may miss your annoyance. You undoubtedly aren’t the first person he’s met who needs enough room. Forgive his bad judgment, move quietly and enjoy the show.
Situation II
Q: If I use the bathroom at a store, do I need to buy something?
A: Consider frequency and urgency. Is this a one-time thing or an emergency? If so, you don’t have to buy anything, but it would be kind if you did. However, if you regularly use the bathroom at this place, then you are a customer, and you should act like one.
Situation III
Q: If someone is talking loudly on the bus, is there a nice way to ask him to keep it down?
A: No. Try other means: 1) Stare at him until he gets aware of it and quiets down. 2) Lift your finger in a silence motion(动作) and smile. 3) Put on earphones and ignore him.
Situation IV
Q: If I remember my friend’s birthday a day late, should I apologize or just wish her a happy birthday like nothing happened?
A: This is the reason why the word belated was invented. “Happy belated birthday!” is short for: “Well, I know I forgot, but then I remembered. Forgive me and happy birthday.”
Situation V
Q: Can I lie about seeing a text because I was loo busy or lazy to respond to it?
A: Don’t lie. Receiving a text does not mean you need to respond(回复) to it. Why waste a perfectly good lie when the truth will serve? “Yes,” you can say if ever asked, “I saw it.” No explanation is needed as to why you don’t respond.How will you quiet someone down in a public place?
| A．By talking to him directly. |
| B．By pointing angrily at him. |
| C．By looking purposefully at him. |
| D．By making fun of him continuously. |
The underlined word “belated” in Situation IV probably means ________.
| A．delayed | B．returned | C．predicted | D．regretted |
You will get annoyed in a theater when ________.
| A．a person is too rude to you |
| B．a person sits too close to you |
| C．a person is too active |
| D．a person talks too loudly |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Different ways to change others’ manners. |
| B．Good manners to talk to people. |
| C．Proper manners to offer help to others. |
| D．Modern ways to mind your manners. |
My roommate Lily was well organized, while I was not. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Lily got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Lily came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming. “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Lily answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Lily had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Lily and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.What made Lily so angry one evening?
| A．She heard the author shouting loud. |
| B．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill. |
| D．She couldn’t find her books. |
How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?
| A．By analyzing causes. |
| B．By following time order. |
| C．By showing differences. |
| D．By describing a process. |
The author tidied up the room most probably because _______.
| A．she wanted to show her care |
| B．she hated herself for being so messy |
| C．she was asked by Lily to do so |
| D．she was scared by Lily’s anger |
What might be the best title for the story?
| A．Hard Work Pays Off | B．Learning to Be Roommates |
| C．My Friend Lily | D．How to Be Organized |
Online shopping has become more and more popular these years. Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2013 holiday season 58 percent of those shopping online were women.
“It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming,” said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study. Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the surprising increase in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However, three-quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2013. They worried about credit card security(安全), or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
“But even if shoppers don’t buy online, websites are becoming promotion(促销) tools for stores, ” said Dan Hess, vice president of Com Score Network Inc. Hess said that actually most stores’ websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time.
“It’s all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more comfortable.” Hess said.Which of the following statements is true?
| A．There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2013. |
| B．More women shopped online than men in 2013. |
| C．Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women. |
| D．People in the US were more likely to buy gifts online. |
What does the underlined part “dashed off” probably mean ?
| A．关闭 | B．推迟 | C．匆忙 | D．起飞 |
According to Dan Hess, shopping online ______.
| A．is unsafe | B．is convenient |
| C．is a waste of money | D．is cheaper |
It was lucky to have a teacher at home. Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren: correcting our grammar; starting us on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks; or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her ailing in her later years. At eighty-five, she suffered a stroke(中风) and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whirr,” she said weakly.
“Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whirr,” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly.
Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could muster said, “Not was, say were!”
It suddenly occurred to us that Mom was correcting brother Jim’s last sentence. “If it was up to me…”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads…this time in awe of a remarkable teacher.When Mom said, “Whirr”, what did she really want to do?
| A．She wanted to tell her sons her will. |
| B．She wanted to have something to eat before she died. |
| C．She wanted to correct the mistakes Jim made while talking. |
| D．She wanted to teach her sons more because she was dying. |
Which of the following statements is NOT right?
| A．Mom was a good teacher and never wanted to stop her teaching. |
| B．Mom was always making her teaching fun. |
| C．Mom didn’t forget her teaching until she died. |
| D．Mom was no longer a teacher when she was at home. |
Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
| A．Once a teacher, always… | B．Mom’s will |
| C．A teacher’s life | D．A teacher’s story |
Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills began to be used in the ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(磨碎)wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher costs. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.From the text we know that windmills _______.
| A．were invented by European armies |
| B．have a history of more than 2,800 years |
| C．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered |
| D．used to supply power to radio in remote area |
The underlined word in Paragraph 2 probably means________.
| A．making something cleaner |
| B．making something flow freely |
| C．making something flow in a particular direction |
| D．making something into small parts |
One of the reasons wind was discovered in the 1970s is that_______.
| A．it is one of the oldest power sources |
| B．wind power is cleaner |
| C．it was cheaper to create energy from wind |
| D．coal and gas failed to meet the needs |
What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A．The global trend towards producing power from wind. |
| B．The design of wind power plants. |
| C．The worldwide movement to save energy. |
| D．The advantages of wind power. |