Hi, everybody. Over the past couple months, most of the political headlines you’ve read have probably been about the government shutdown and the launch of the Affordable Care Act(平价医疗法案). And I know that many of you have rightly never been more frustrated with Washington.
But if you look beyond those headlines, there are some good things happening in our economy. And that’s been my top priority（优先考虑）since the day I walked into the Oval Office.
After decades in which the middle class was working harder and harder just to keep up, and a punishing recession（衰退）that made it worse, we made the tough choices required not just to recover from crisis, but to rebuild on a new foundation for stronger, more durable economic growth.
Five years later, we have fought our way back. Our businesses have created 7.8 million new jobs in the past 44 months. Another 200,000 Americans went back to work last month.
The American auto industry has come back with more than 350,000 new jobs –-- jobs putting out and selling the high-tech, fuel-efficient cars the world wants to buy. And they’re leading the charge in a business that has added jobs for the first time since the 1990s –-- a big reason why our businesses sell more goods and services “Made in America” than ever before.
We decided to stop our addiction to foreign oil. And today, we produce more renewable energy than ever, more natural gas than anybody, and for the first time in nearly 20 years, America now produces more oil than we buy from other countries.
We decided to fix a broken health care system. And even though the task has been rough, so far, about 500,000 Americans gain health coverage starting January 1st. And by the way, health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years.
And one more thing: since I took office, we’ve cut our deficits (赤字) by more than half. And that makes it easier to invest in the things that create jobs –-- education, research, and so on.
Imagine how much farther along we could be if both parties were working together. Think about what we could do if the few didn’t hold the economy hostage (人质) every few months, or waste time on dozens of votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act rather than try to help us fix it.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll keep talking about my plan to build a better bargain for the middle class. Good jobs. A good education. A chance to buy a home, save, and retire. And yes, the financial security of affordable health care. And I’ll look for any willing partners who want to help.
Because of your hard work and tough sacrifices over the past five years, we’re pointed in the right direction. But we’ve got more work to do to keep moving that way. And as long as I’m President, I’ll keep doing everything I can to create jobs, grow the economy, and make sure that everyone who works hard has a chance to get ahead. Thanks, and have a great weekend.Which of the following is not the reason for people’s frustration with the government?
| A．The government shutdown |
| B．Unemployment rate |
| C．The addiction to foreign oil |
| D．Cancelling the Affordable Care Act |
Why does the president mention more goods and services “Made in America”?
| A．To show that American goods and services are very popular. |
| B．To indicate that American people should be dependent on themselves. |
| C．To show that the employment rate has been increased. |
| D．To show that American auto industry enjoys high technology. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “repeal”?
| A．put an end to | B．try hard to fix | C．make stronger | D．get accustomed to |
According to the speech, which of the following can be implied?
| A．American people have every reason to feel frustrated with the government. |
| B．Health care costs are growing at the slowest rate in 50 years. |
| C．The president feels sorry that the economy is not moving in the right direction. |
| D．Some government officials don’t agree with the president on the medical care system. |
Harriet Tubman was an AfricanAmerican woman who fought against slavery. She was born in 1820. She helped many people escape from slavery through the Underground Railroad. It was an organized effort to help slaves from the southern states to areas that banned slavery.
Slaves could be sold freely. Families were often separated. Harriet married a free black man named John Tubman in 1844, yet she remained a slave. In 1849, the farmer who owned her died. Then she ran to the home of a white woman who had offered to help her.
This woman told her how to reach another home where she could hide. Harriet Tubman went from place to place in this way. This was how the Underground Railroad operated. Finally，she went into the northern state of Pennsylvania. During the next ten years，she led an expanded Underground Railroad，and helped 300 slaves escape.
Harriet Tubman found another way to fight against slavery during the Civil War. She went into the southern states to spy(做间谍) for the North. After the Civil War，Harriet Tubman settled in New York State. She gave speeches to raise money for better education for black Americans, worked for women's rights and sought help for older adults who had been slaves.
Harriet Tubman died in 1913.By that time, she had been recognized as an American heroine(女英雄)．What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．The Underground Railroad. |
| B．The history of American slavery. |
| C．Harriet's hard life and bravery. |
| D．Harriet's fight against slavery. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．The Underground Railroad was a way to freedom. |
| B．Everyone knew that there was a way to free land. |
| C．Black people were cared about by many white people. |
| D．Black people looked down upon white people. |
From Paragraph 4, we learn that when the Civil War broke out, Harriet________.
| A．worked for the South |
| B．did a lot of work for the patients as a doctor |
| C．helped everyone to go to school |
| D．got secret information for the North |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Harriet was recognized as a heroine. |
| B．Harriet fought against slavery in many ways. |
| C．Harriet helped only black people in her life. |
| D．Harriet helped black people to get better education. |
London’s newest skyscraper (摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶). He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city. London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ______.
| A．its cost | B．its size |
| C．its shape | D．its height |
When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to ______.
| A．change London’s skyline |
| B．inherit London’s tradition |
| C．imitate the Egyptian style |
| D．attract potential visitors |
Some people criticize the Shard for the following reasons except that_______.
| A．it has a spire shape |
| B．it is too tall a building for London |
| C．the design of its surfaces is somewhat outdated |
| D．it ruins the beauty of London |
The critics who refer to social division think the Shard ______.
| A．is only preferred by the rich |
| B．is intended for wealthy people |
| C．is far away from the poor area |
| D．is popular only with Londoners |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Shard: Cheers and Claps |
| B．The Shard: Work of a Great Architect |
| C．The Shard: New Symbol of London? |
| D．The Shard: A Change for the Better? |
People aren’t walking any more---if they can figure out a way to avoid it..
I felt superior about this matter until the other day I took my car to mail a small parcel. The journey is a matter of 281 steps. But I used the car. And I wasn’t in any hurry, either. I had merely become one more victim of a national sickness: motorosis.
It is an illness to which I had thought myself immune, for I was bred in the tradition of going to places on my own two legs. At that time, we regarded 25 miles as good day’s walk and the ability to cover such a distance in ten hours as sign of strength and skill. It did not occur to us that walking was a hardship. And the effect was lasting. When I was 45 years old I raced –and beat—a teenage football player the 168 steps up the Stature of Liberty.
Such enterprises today are regarded by many middle-aged persons as bad for the heart. But a well-known British physician, Sir Adolphe Abrahams, pointed out recently that hearts and bodies need proper exercise. A person who avoids exercise is more likely to have illnesses than one who exercises regularly. And walking is an ideal form of exercise--- the most familiar and natural of all.
It was Henry Thoreau who showed mankind the richness of going on foot. The man walking can learn the trees, flower, insects, birds and animals, the significance of seasons, the very feel of himself as a living creature in a living world. He cannot learn in a car.
The car is a convenient means of transport, but we have made it our way of life. Many people don’t dare to approach Nature any more; to them the world they were born to enjoy is all threat. To them security is a steel river thundering on a concrete road. And much of their thinking takes place while waiting for the traffic light to turn green.
I say that the green of forests is the mind’s best light. And none but the man on foot can evaluate what is basic and everlasting.What is the national sickness?
| A．Walking too much |
| B．Traveling too much |
| C．Driving cars too much |
| D．Climbing stairs too much. |
What was life like when the author was young?
| A．People usually went around on foot. |
| B．people often walked 25 miles a day |
| C．People used to climb the Statue of Liberty. |
| D．people considered a ten-hour walk as a hardship. |
The author mentions Henry Thoreau to prove that________.
| A．middle-aged people like getting back to nature |
| B．walking in nature helps enrich one’s mind |
| C．people need regular exercise to keep fit |
| D．going on foot prevents heart disease |
What is compared to “a steel river” in Paragraph 6?
| A．A queue of cars | B．A ray of traffic light |
| C．A flash of lightning | D．A stream of people |
What is the author’s intention of writing this passage?
| A．To tell people to reflect more on life. |
| B．To recommend people to give up driving |
| C．To advise people to do outdoor activities |
| D．To encourage people to return to walking |
Following some of the tips for green living helps save our planet. All of these involve just a few changes to our daily habits.
Just walk and limit the use of your car. One of the poster images of pollution is our vehicles. It burns fuel. It is not as efficient as we hope it could be, and we use it every single day. To lessen the effects of the air pollution caused by our vehicles, we should limit their use. If we can walk to our destination then just let us go. Not only do we lessen our carbon dioxide emissions, but we also get a good exercise out of it.
Use a laptop instead of a computer desktop. Laptops are more energy efficient compared to their bigger counterparts. A laptop is generally 50 percent more efficient in using electricity. Aside from that there are other benefits of a laptop. It is portable so you can work anywhere you like and that you get powerful features without the large size of desktop units.
Turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth. It is always a better idea to use a glass when we are brushing our teeth and not to just let the faucet keep on running. Therefore，there is less water to waste while we are cleaning our pearly whites. Simply turn off the faucet when you are not using it.
Make good use of natural light. We have a great and natural lamp --- the sun, and we should learn how to take full advantage of it during daytime. So instead of turning on our lights or lamps even if it is still not evening, we should pull up the drapes and let the natural light come in from the windows.
These are just some of the best tips for green living, but of course there are still many of these tips if you just search for them. But you can do your own variation any time just always prioritize how you can use less energy and produce even lesser trash and pollution.What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Save Our Planet |
| B．How to Change Our Daily Habits |
| C．Tips for Green Living Today |
| D．Green Living and Serious Pollution |
Compared with a computer desktop, a laptop is__________.
| A．less energy efficient | B．faster at work |
| C．easy to repair | D．easy to carry |
How many tips does the passage mention for green living today?
| A．Three | B．Four |
| C．Five | D．Six |
The underlined word “prioritize” in the last paragraph can be replaced by the word_________.
| A．decrease | B．consider |
| C．imagine | D．guess |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．A few changes to daily habits can help a lot. |
| B．While washing teeth we should turn off the faucet. |
| C．Vehicles bring pollution and we should try to avoid. |
| D．In the daytime we should not pull up the drapes. |
Susan was born as the ninth child in a Catholic family. She suffered from learning disabilities ever since her birth because of her mother’s poor health.
School was difficult for Susan and she was bullied because of her different behaviors. Her siblings, who were much older, had life experiences that were unknown to their little sister. From the time of her birth, Susan was a screamer. The only really safe place that she would use as a repeat was her bedroom. There she would hang posters of her musical idols on the wall and sing popular music into a hairbrush that she pretended was a microphone.
One by one the siblings moved away from home and then Susan’s father died. This left her alone with an aging mother and a cat. The siblings accused her mother of not expecting more out of Susan. She had seen many professionals and remembered hearing the word “borderline” but didn’t know what it meant. She tried volunteer work. Her best state of mind, however, was found when she was singing and so she would regularly join others in karaoke or pubs where she could show her skills and receive appreciation from the crowd.
When Susan announced at Christmas that she was planning to compete in the Britain’s Got Talent contest, her siblings tried to discourage her. It was a wonder that she was even able to do the audition considering the troubles she faced just physically getting to the right place.
“The Woman I Was Born to Be” is a beautiful story written in the simple but humorous voice of the author, Susan Boyle. She tells her story from birth to the present in an interesting and educational manner. The writing is supplemented by photos from her albums.
I love this book! In fact, I read the whole thing in one day!
There is something in the stories that not only teaches the reader but also inspires us to reach for our dreams — no matter how impossible they may seem to be!This passage should be ___________.
| A．a news report | B．a biography |
| C．a book review | D．an introduction |
When Susan was young, ____________.
| A．her mother died of an illness |
| B．her siblings liked her very much |
| C．she was fond of music |
| D．she was envied at school |
According to the passage, which was NOT true?
| A．Susan’s mother expected too much out of her. |
| B．Susan tried doing a lot of volunteer work. |
| C．Susan’s siblings tried to stop her from competing in the Britain’s Got Talent contest. |
| D．Susan’s performances were well received by the customers in pubs. |
The book “The Woman I Was Born to Be” ______________.
| A．is always a best-seller | B．is written in a serious voice |
| C．is full of sad stories | D．contains some photos of Susan |
What does the author think of Susan Boyle？
| A．Pitiful and selfless. | B．Shy and passive. |
| C．Great and generous. | D．Determined and inspiring. |