It was Monday.Mrs.Smith’s dog was hungry,but there was not any meat in the house.
Considering that there was no better way,Mrs.Smith took a piece of paper,and wrote the following words on it “Give my dog half a pound of meat.” Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently,“Take this to the butcher,and he’s going to give you your lunch today.”
Holding the piece of paper in its mouth,the dog ran to the butcher’s.It gave the paper to the butcher.The butcher read it carefully,recognized that it was really the lady’s handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to.The dog was very happy,and ate the meat up at once.
At noon,the dog came to the shop again.It gave the butcher a piece of paper again.After reading it,he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
The next day,the dog came again exactly at noon.And as usual,it brought a piece of paper in the mouth.This time,the butcher did not take a look at paper,and gave the dog its meat,for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers (顾客).
But,the dog came again at four o’clock.And the same thing happened once again.To the butcher’s more surprise,it came for the third time at six o’clock,and brought with it a third piece of paper.The butcher felt a bit puzzled.He said to himself,“This is a small dog.Why does Mrs.Smith give it so much meat to eat today?”
Looking at the piece of paper,he found that there were not any words on it!The little dog went to the butcher’s altogether during the two days.
| A．three times | B．four times | C．five times | D．six times |
The butcher did not give any meat to the dog .
| A．before he felt sure that the words were really written by Mrs.Smith on Monday |
| B．when he found that the words on the paper were not clear |
| C．because he had sold out all the meat in his shop |
| D．until he was paid enough by Mrs.Smith |
From the story,we can know that the dog was very .
| A．kind | B．clever | C．honest | D．foolish |
At the end of the story,you’ll find that .
| A．the dog was clever enough to write on the paper |
| B．the dog dared not go to the butcher’s any more |
| C．the butcher was told not to give any meat to the dog |
| D．the butcher found himself cheated(欺骗) by the dog |
A Korean wave is sweeping across China, with many Chinese women worshipping South Korean actors Kim Soo Hyun and Lee Min Ho as demigods (半神半人). Chinese netizens have always been divided over South Korean TV dramas, but there is no doubt that programs from the neighboring country are now enjoying a new round of popularity in China. And a big part of the credit for that goes to You Who Came From The Star, the South Korean TV series which is on the air now.
Top South Korean actors Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo Hyun recently earned a popularity rating of 24.8 percent in their country, considered strong by Nielsen Korea. You Who Came From The Star and The Heirs have been subjects of hot online discussions throughout Asia. Besides, the book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, read by the hero in You Who Came From The Star was a hard-to-get item on Amazon for a while.
The two TV programs have several common elements: a tall, handsome, and rich hero who loves the heroine blindly and always protects her, and an equally handsome man madly in love with the same woman. Both programs portray the purity of love, which is expressed through a kiss or a warm hug. Perhaps that’s the secret of their success; perhaps people are still fascinated by Cinderella-type stories.
The growing wealth gap is a matter of social concern both in South Korea and China, and the challenges that young people face in their search for a better life might have prompted (激起) many ordinary girls to dream of marrying rich, caring men. This is precisely what the popular South Korean TV dramas portray. In fact, South Korean TV dramas are tailored to meet the market’s demands.
In contrast, Chinese TV screens are flooded by knock-off (山寨) or poorly made soap operas. There are too many Chinese TV dramas that are either of the stereotyped (刻板的) war theme or just blindly copy foreign programs. The lack of good stories has resulted in loads of TV series on time travel or fights in the harems (后宫) of Qing Dynastyemperors. These, in short, are the pain of Chinese TV productions.
The shooting for South Korean productions generally starts when the scripts (脚本) are just one-third ready. Many popular productions have their own websites, where scriptwriters post part of the finished scripts, inviting viewers to leave messages, discuss the plot and come up with suggestions for future events. This not only keeps viewers’ interest in the TV dramas alive, but also helps scriptwriters and directors make changes to the storylines to suit the audience’s demand.
Hopefully, the innovation-induced (创新引导的) success of South Korean TV programs will prompt Chinese TV drama makers to think up new ideas and abandon their bad practice of copying foreign productions in order to attract more viewers at home, and possibly abroad.The main point the author emphasizes in this passage is ________.
| A．why Korean actors are more popular than Chinese actors |
| B．how the three Korean actors became famous around East Asia |
| C．what modern TV dramas need is not copying foreign programs but innovation |
| D．the Cinderella-type stories are an ever-lasting theme people are fascinated with |
Which of the following best explains people’s favor for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane?
| A．The celebrity effect is powerful. |
| B．Drama stars are the best advertisements. |
| C．Rich and handsome heroes in dramas usually love reading. |
| D．A successful drama generally originates from a good novel. |
According to the passage, the secret to Korean TV dramas’ being successful is that ________.
| A．drama stars must be tall, rich and handsome or beautiful |
| B．scriptwriters should choose the appropriate themes for all viewers |
| C．drama producers have creative ideas to adapt to viewers’ interest and demand |
| D．people’s concerns such as wealth gap both in Korea and China are taken good care of |
What does the last paragraph imply?
| A．Abandoning copying foreign productions is the only way to attract viewers. |
| B．The Chinese TV drama makers should follow in the footsteps of the Koreans. |
| C．It’s hard to predict what the future TV dramas in China and Korea will be like. |
| D．A bright future of Chinese TV dramas can be expected prompted by the Koreans. |
| Music |
|
 |
Little Red Katy B Katy B has clearly made it to the world stage since the release of her 2011 debut (首次) album On a Mission. Three years later, she’s fully established herself as a dance floor singer. On her new album Little Red, the 24-year-old British singer sounds more confident and assured, and finds meaningful connections in club-friendly songs with real heart. |
 |
Here’s to the Good Times Florida Georgia Line The debut album of the US country duo (两人搭档) was released in late 2012, but it didn’t gain popularity until almost a year later when the single (单曲) Cruise became a chart-topping hit. The song is certainly excellent for its catchy chorus and overall country/rock sound, but the rest of the album is also full of energy and emotion. |
| Games |
|
 |
Toca Cars The new gaming app made by children’s app developer Toca Boca is just as fun for adults. It’s simple to pick up and play. Players choose a racer and then start steering (操舵) it around a virtual environment simply by touching the screen. The game also allows players to create the racing ground from scratch (白手起家) by placing buildings and objects. |
 |
Jet Car Stunts 2 The free gaming app by True Axis is the long-awaited sequel to the physics-based racing and stunt (绝技) car game that was a hit way back in 2009 in the App Store. This new installment expands on the original game with new tracks, cars, and game modes that are both fun and addictive. |
The newspaper’s special column is to inform the readers of ________.
| A．some brief accounts of new computer games |
| B．some up-to-date information about entertainment |
| C．the introduction of some celebrities and their works |
| D．the introduction of catchy chorus and overall rock sound |
We can infer from the Music that ________.
| A．the last three years has witnessed Katy B going up to the world stage |
| B．the single Cruise that became a chart-topping hit was released in early 2013 |
| C．the US country duo gained their popularity on the release of their debut album |
| D．in her debut album On a Mission Katy B sings club-friendly songs with real heart |
Which of the following is true of the Games?
| A．Toca Cars is enjoyed by children and adults alike. |
| B．Jet Car Stunts 2 was a hit in 2009 in the App Store. |
| C．Both of the games provide confidence for car racers. |
| D．Both games offer players chances to create new racing grounds. |
On 23rd December, 2013, Michael Schumacher — the famous Formula-One race car driver — received serious brain injuries after hitting his head on a rock while downhill skiing with his son. The accident happened during a family holiday in the French Alps. Although he was wearing a helmet, which broke apart on impact, the F1 celebrity was moving at speeds of up to 62 mph and skiing outside the off-piste safety demarcations (滑雪场地外的安全区). Doctors reported that he would have died on impact if he hadn’t been wearing a helmet. He has been in a coma (昏迷) since arriving at a nearby hospital where he was airlifted to from the site of the accident.
Michael Schumacher grew up in frugal (简朴的) conditions and started what would become his remarkable professional career when his working class father — a bricklayer — built him a go-kart from where he started participating in competitions. He started his adult career racing for Formula Ford in 1988 and later raced for Formula One Ford, Ferrari, and Mercedes AMG. He holds numerous F1 world records including most race victories, fastest laps, and most races won in a single season. According to the Formula One website, he is “statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen”. Also notable are his contributions to charity, during the peak of his career he has given away more than 50 million Euros to a variety of charity organizations, most to help children around the world.
Millions of Europeans and other fans around the world are holding their breath and waiting for information about his hopeful recovery. We wish him and his family the best.Michael Schumacher is in a coma after ________.
| A．crashing in an airlift accident |
| B．a Formula One Ford car crash |
| C．a skiing accident during his holiday |
| D．a bump onto a rock in a skiing race |
What is a go-kart most likely to be?
| A．A medical instrument. |
| B．A small car-racing field. |
| C．A racing-car driver’s safety helmet. |
| D．A small motor vehicle used for racing. |
From the passage we can learn that Michael Schumacher ________.
| A．is recovering quickly at the Alpine Hospital in France |
| B．gave all his money to charity during the height of his career |
| C．raced for Ferrari and Mercedes before becoming a celebrity |
| D．came from humble origins to become the greatest F1 driver ever |
Americans plan parties for many reasons. As in other cultures, many Americans attend parties for weddings and religious or national holidays. But some parties are especially American. For example, a group of neighbors may gather on their street to eat food, play music and visit with one another. This is called a block party. A woman might invite a group of women to a party called a baby shower for a friend who is about to give birth. Guests bring presents for the new baby.
Americans also attend tailgate parties. A tailgate is the back end of a truck or other vehicle that opens down. The tailgate parties are a big part of sports culture in the United States. Friends bring food and drink to a sports event. They eat together in the parking area of the sports stadium.
Birthday parties are also very popular. Many parents organize a party for their child around a theme. Birthday parties usually include gifts and a birthday cake with candles. In many parts of the United States, cupcakes have become a popular replacement for cakes.
Birthday parties can be low cost or very costly. Some parents take their children’s birthday parties very seriously, even when the child is too young to fully understand the celebration.
One group of parents started a website called Birthdays Without Pressure. They decided that some parents were under too much social pressure to plan costly parties for their children. The group sees this movement as an example of America’s culture of “too much stuff”. The group’s website gives suggestions on how to keep birthday celebrations simple, meaningful and fun without spending a lot of money. Their advice may be very helpful during this period of economic recession（萧条）.What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Reasons for parties |
| B．Birthdays without pressure |
| C．American parties |
| D．Different parties in the world |
How many kinds of parties does the passage mention?
| A．5. | B．6. | C．7. | D．8. |
Eating together in the parking area of the sports stadium belongs to _________parties.
| A．block | B．baby shower | C．sports | D．tailgate |
The purpose of Birthdays Without Pressure is to advise people to _________.
| A．relieve people’s pressure |
| B．have meaningful birthday parties with low cost |
| C．make birthday parties meaningful and costly |
| D．spread America’s culture |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Block party is especially American. |
| B．Some parties in America are the same as in other countries. |
| C．There’s a party for the mother before her new baby is born. |
| D．Birthday parties are the most popular in America. |
Cheating can happen in a lot of different ways. When people cheat, it’s not fair to other people, like the kids who studiedfor the test or who were the true winners of a game.
Many people like the action of cheating. It makes difficult things seem easy, like getting all the right answers on the test. But it doesn’t solve the problem of not knowing the material and it won’t help on the next test --- unless the person cheats again.
Some people lose respect for cheaters and think less of them. The cheaters themselves may feel bad because they know they are not really earning that good grade. And, if they get caught cheating, they will be in trouble at school, and maybe at home, too.
Some kids cheat because they’re busy or lazy and they want to get good grades without spending the time studying. Other kids might feel like they can’t pass the test without cheating. Even when there seems to be a “good reason” for cheating, cheating isn’t a good idea.
If you were sick or upset about something the night before and couldn’t study, it would be better to talk with the teacher about this. And if you don’t have enough time to study for a test because of swim practice, you need to talk with your parents about how to balance swimming and school.
A kid who thinks cheating is the only way to pass a test needs to talk with the teacher and his or her parents so they can find some solutions(解决办法) together. Talking about these problems and working them out will be better than cheating.The author thinks that when kids cheat in class,________.
| A．it does harm to their heath |
| B．it is unfair to other people |
| C．teachers should punish them |
| D．teachers shouldn’t stop them at once |
Some students like cheating mainly because_________.
| A．the material in the test is very difficult |
| B．they want to do better than the others |
| C．they have little time to study their lessons |
| D．cheating can make hard things seem very easy |
The fourth paragraph mainly tells us______.
| A．cheating isn’t a good idea |
| B．why kids cheat in the test |
| C．some kids can’t pass the test without cheating |
| D．some kids don’t spend the time studying |
In the passage those cheaters are advised to_______.
| A．spend more time on school than on sports |
| B．try hard to be intelligent rather than lazy |
| C．find good solutions instead of cheating |
| D．ask their classmates for good methods of study |