Every year in late April, students at Renmin University of China become the subjects of admiration and jealousy of their peers on other campuses in Beijing. Why? Because they get a week off in the middle of term, the so-called spring break.
“It’s been a unique tradition of our school for a decade,” said Wang Yueran, 20, a journalism major at Renmin University, who organized a weeklong trip to Sichuan with 12 classmates last year.
But having fun is just one dimension of the spring break. Field trips, voluntary work, and social projects are all on students’ to-do lists. Experts say the spring break is not just for students to enjoy a few days off, but for them to gain new experiences beyond the campus walls.
Push them out
The traditional Chinese belief of the exploration of knowledge and truth emphasizes “reading 10,000 books and traveling 10,000 miles”, which indicates the importance of experience as much as theory. But while Chinese universities have the tradition of spring outings, what’s the benefit of making spring break an institution?
Qin Jianguo, of the student affairs office at Shenzhen University, thinks the idea of the spring break in some universities in China comes from the intention of pushing students out of the ivory tower to experience more diversity in their lives.
“Take traveling for example. A week traveling is a very different experience to a one- or two-day outing,” said Qin. “Students are expected to acquire the spirit of teamwork and compromise, and learn survival and communication skills when put out there in an unfamiliar context.”
Diverse approaches
Many countries have similar vacations in the middle of the semester for students to do things out of their own interest. Taking Japan as an example, instead of partying like their US counterparts, many Japanese students choose to work as interns or engage in study-related projects.
“The spring break is an opportunity for many of our students to put their learning to use,” said Hiroshi Kanno, dean of the Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy at Hitotsubashi University, in the school’s description of a recent spring break project.
As for Chinese students who take a week off around the Labor Day holiday, many tend to do volunteer work. Duan Zhipeng, a 22-year-old economics major at Renmin University, applied for a project to go back to his hometown in Jiangxi province to introduce his university’s enrollment policies and campus culture to local high school students.
Not a trend yet
Apart from Renmin University, only a few other universities, such as Yantai University, have a spring break for their students. The concept in China is still far from the culture and norms built around it in the US.
Wei Xiang, a professor specializing in holiday economics at Beijing International Studies University, said that the spring break is a good experiment for universities to make study schedules smoother in order to give students more options to arrange their own leisure and study activities.According to the text, up to now, Apart from Renmin University, which University has a spring break for their students.
| A．Yantai University |
| B．Peking University |
| C．Suzhou University |
| D．Nankai University |
The underlined word “it” refers to ______
| A．field trips | B．exploration of knowledge |
| C．spring break | D．ivory tower |
According to the passage,why do the students in the other universities admire the students at Renmin University?
| A．Because they tend to do volunteer work. |
| B．Because they go home to meet their relatives. |
| C．Because they get a spring break. |
| D．Because they have lesser courses . |
Which of the following is the best title?
| A．Reading 10,000 books and traveling 10,000 miles |
| B．Spring break expands horizons |
| C．Enjoy yourselves |
| D．A weeklong trip |
Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?
| A．Spring break can help students to gain new experiences beyond the campus walls. |
| B．Students are expected to acquire the spirit of teamwork through pring break. |
| C．Spring break can help students tolearn survival and communication skills when in an unfamiliar context. |
| D．Spring break is not common in the US. |
Do you like to eat out? Do you like to eat quickly? Do you like inexpensive food? Some people go to fast-food restaurants for these reasons. In the past, people usually went to diners (小饭馆 )for these reasons, too. In fact, many people in the States still go to diners today for the same reasons.
A man named Walter Scott had the first "diner" in 1872. It wasn't really a diner. It was only a food cart. People on the street walked up to the cart to buy food. These carts served late- night workers who wanted a cup of coffee and a late-night meal. The meal was a sandwich or boiled eggs. In 1887, Samuel Jones built the first diner big enough to allow the customers to come inside. However, they did not sit down. Later, people built diners with counters and stools, a
nd people sat down while they ate.
Before long, many diners stayed open around the clock. In other words, people were able to eat in a diner at any time. Diners changed in other way, too. The original menu of sandwiches and coffee became bigger. It included soup, favorite dishes, and a breakfast menu. In addition, diners soon became permanent buildings. They were no longer carts on wheels.
Diners today look similar to the diners of the early 1900s. They are usually building with large windows. Inside, the diners have shining counters
with stools, booths, tables and chairs. People can eat all three meals in a modern 
diner.
Today, many people eat in fast-food restaurants such as Mc Donald's and Burger King. However, the diner remains an American tradition, and thousands of people still enjoy eating there. It was popular a century ago, and it is still popular today. What kind of meal did the first "diner" serve?
| A．Only breakfast. | B．Only lunch. | C．Only supper. | D．All of the above. |
According to Paragraph 3, diners changed in .
| A．two ways | B．three ways | C．four ways | D．five ways |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Diners existed before fast-food restaurants. |
| B．The menu included more food than sandwiches and coffee. |
| C．Burger King is a fast-food restaurant. |
| D．Sandwiches became bigger. |
The main idea of the passage is that .
A．the diner is a traditional, popul ar place to eat in  the United States |
| B．Samuel Jones built the first diner big enough to allow the customers to come inside |
| C．American diners serve many types of food 24 hours a day to their customers |
| D．diners are different from fast food restaurants in many ways. |
Ellis Island is located in New York Harbor. Ellis Island is open daily year-round from 9:30am to 5:00pm, with extended hours during summer. It is closed on December 25. There is no admission charge to Ellis Island; donations are gratefully accepted.
At Your Fingertips
Park information (212) 363- 7620
Emergencies (212 ) 363- 3260
Ferryboat information (212) 269- 5755
Lost and found (212) 344- 7620
Dining, gifts, & audio tour (212) 344- 0996
Transportation
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry: Boats leave from Battery Park, Manhattan, and from Liberty State Park, New Jersey. They run about every 30 to 45 minutes beginning at 9: 15 am(ferry schedule subject to change).
Hours: May vary; call the number below
Closed: December 25
Ferry fees (Includes Liberty and Ellis Islands): adults, $ 7; senior citizens, $6; children(age 3 to 17), $ 3. (lower group rates are available for 25 or more adults)
Ticket & schedule information: (212) 269- 5755In summer, visitors will have ___________ to visit Ellis Island.
| A．no enough money | B．a longer time | C．a shorter time | D．a wonderful time |
Which number would you call if your friends were suddenly ill?
| A．(212) 344- 0996 | B．(212) 363- 7620 | C．(212 ) 363- 3260 | D．(212) 269- 5755 |
Which of the following is NOT true?
1．People can visit Ellis Island free of charge.
2．The boats departure time from Battery Park is at 9:15 a.m. all the year round.
3．Ferry fees for children are cheaper than for adults.
4．Ferry fees for group visitors can be reduced. We may infer from the passage that _____________.
| A．visitors prefer to go to Ellis Island by boat | B．there are more visitors in winter |
| C．Ellis Island is open every day | D．Boat is the only transportation to Ellis Island |
Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members, especially their parents, don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is often for brothers 
and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice. 
It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something difficult to say to their family members.
However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of “choice” is an interesting one. Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Who choose your friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like? Many teenagers think their _______ know them better than their parents do.
| A．friends | B． teachers | C．brothers and sisters | D． classmates |
When teenagers stay alone, the usual way of communication is to _________.
| A．go to their friends | B．talk with their parents |
| C．have a discussion with their family | D．talk with their friends on the phone |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
| A．Parents should like everything their children enjoy.] |
| B．In all families, children can choose everything they like. |
| C．Parents should try their best to understand their children better. |
| D．Teenagers can only go to their friends for help. |
The main idea of this passage is that ___________.
| A．Teenagers need friends |
| B．Friends can give good advice |
C．Parents often choose their children’ s friends for them |
| D．Good friends can communicate with each other |
Tuvalu, north of Fiji, is a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean.
Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five metres above sea level. Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable.It fears it will be swallowed up by the sea. Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered.
But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea. Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24cm over the past 100 years. Experts say that it will have sunk another 20-50cm by 2050. A century ago, St. Mark's Square, the lowest point in the city, flooded about nine times a year. Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times.
While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
The average global temperature has increased by almost 0.5 centigrade degree over the past century; scientists expect it to rise by an extra 1-3 degrees over the nex
t 100 years.
Warmer wea
ther makes glaciers melt, adding more water to the ocean. The warmer temperatures also make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise. The sea level has risen about 10-25cm in the last 100 years.
People have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2, through burning coal, oil and gas. This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even warmer.
Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes. The sea level could rise by one metre this century.
Should this come true, millions of homes would be swallowed up by the sea and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere else to live. We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ______.
| A．Tuvalu is in danger of being swallowed up by the sea |
| B．all Tuvalu’s islands are about five meters above the sea level |
| C．drinking water in Tuvalu has been destroyed |
| D．Tuvalu is often flooded by storms and waves |
The author uses Tuvalu and Venice as examples in order to explain ______.
| A．they are the first places sinking into the sea |
| B．they are both sinking into the mud where they stand |
| C．they will disappear in the future |
| D．their trouble is caused by global warming |
What does the underlined word “refugees” mean?
| A．People forced away from their homeland. |
| B．Sudden changes caused by world climate. |
| C．Animals whose lives are closely connected with weather. |
| D．Bad effect of climate changes. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
| A．The main cause of global warming is human pollution. |
| B．The average global temperature has risen by 1-3 centigrade degrees over the past 100 years. |
| C．The warmer temperature causes the sea level to rise. |
| D．There will be huge climate changes unless the warming is stopped. |
According to the passage, the root cause of global warming is _______.
| A．the burning of coal, oil and gas | B．the position change of the solar system |
| C．human pollution | D．carbon dioxide emission |
Ted Turner, achieved high goals and great success by the time he was 43. Best known for his CNN, Ted Turner launched a second nationwide all-news network, Headline News, purchased the Atlanta Braves baseball team, and became the world's best yachtsman at the America's Cup in 1977. In 1982 Ted Turner was named by Forbes one of the 400 richest people in the US. He was named Time magazine's "Man of the Year" in 1992. How did Ted Turner accomplish all of this at such a young age?
Ted Turner's father, Ed, was a self-made millionaire who demanded that his only son try to achieve similar success. He instilled in the boy a strong belief that hard work was good. Besides reading a new book every two days, Ted Turner was also charged rent at home during summer vacations from boarding school. Ed Turner was a strong influence in his son's life.
As a child, Ted Turner lived a very lonely life, often separated from his family. He was enrolled in a military academy in the fifth grade and eventually went to Brown University. He attended college off and on, became involved in sailboat racing, and became a member of the U.S. Coast Guard. In his early twenties, Ted Turner became general manager of one of his father's branch offices in Georgia.
Two years later after his father’s suicide, Ted Turner took over the company. He soon discovered that he was more skilled than his father in managing the business. During the next twenty years, Ted Turner worked hard to accumulate enough power and money to fulfill his father's dream.
Reflecting on his father's death, however, Ted Turner realized that it was dangerous to put too much emphasis on material possessions. He decided to use his hard-earned influence to serve the public. Concerned about the environment, Ted Turner established the Better World Society in 1985. The purpose of this organization was to produce documentaries to educate people about pollution, hunger, and the danger of building weapons of mass destruction. In 1986 Turner began sponsoring the Goodwill Games to promote world peace. The Turner Tomorrow Awards were created to encourage writers and thinkers to focus their attention on solving world problems. The Turner Family Foundation was established in 1992. What is CNN according to the passage?
| A．It’s a broadcast-news company. | B．It’s a basketball team agency. |
| C．It’s a charity organization. | D．It’s a publishing house. |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 1?
| A．The creation of CNN encouraged broadcasters to be more successful. |
| B．Towering goals and hard work led to fame and prosperity. |
| C．Ted Turner was expert at sailboat racing and playing basketball. |
| D．Ted Turner became very successful at an early age. |
As a student in a military academy, Turner ______.
| A．wasn’t as lonely as he looked because his many friends at school. |
| B．missed his family very much despite having friends at school. |
| C．served as a member of the US Coast Guard for a while. |
| D．showed little interest in studying but other affairs. |
The author seems to believe that Ted Turner is ______.
| A．slow moving | B．incompetent | C．goal-oriented | D．modest |
Which of the following best describes an important change in Ted Turner’s life?
| A．He became more determined and was feared by this workmates. |
| B．He developed respect and admiration for his employees. |
| C．H e revised his view of the world and his responsibility in it. |
| D．He demanded the same level of success as he father. |