For one tired out from work, autumn is one of the best times to step into the open air to kick back and enjoy some great music. And that’s what many Beijingers have done this past weekend.
Family, friends, laughter; beautiful grass, fresh air and live music echoing (回响) off the forest and the Great Wall that surround this place. A weekend in this music paradise（乐园） just seems too short. Besides, a brand new world-class outdoor theater has just been open at this year’s festival, which will surely make the festival a better and more permanent experience.
A full house is before the new outdoor amphitheater (圆形剧场). Even the thunderstorm couldn’t break up the crowd completely absorbed in the music. Thanks to the new theater, this year’s Great Wall Forest Festival offers even more superb acoustics（音效的）and an overall outdoor theatrical experience, even though the project is still half complete.
The festival is now in its fourth year. Since its first show in 2010, the festival has seen a steady increase in festival-goers and has expanded its length from two days to four days, divided over two weekends. It has also been experimenting with a variety of styles, from classical to pop, with this year’s theme “Celebrating 20 Years of Chinese Folk Song.” Folk Song legend Lao Lang explains how folk songs have helped encourage more amateur folks to express themselves through music.
“Before music was reserved for the professionals. But folk songs made young people realize that they can express themselves through music as well. And that’s what characterizes folk songs. It’s popular music and it always has a story.” said Lao Lang.
Unlike some of the other outdoor festivals, the Great Wall Forest Festival appeals to a wide range of audiences. It’s a rare place where teens, parents and families can all enjoy the outdoors and have a great time.
Great music and scenery aside, many children’s workshops, master music classes, and interactive art activities have also been introduced this year. If music is the reason to come to the festivals, you’ll find even more reasons not to leave.What is the meaning of the underlined phrase “kick back” in Paragraph 1?
| A．to hit with legs. | B．to work harder |
| C．to relax oneself | D．to make people leave |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The place where the Festival is held is near the Great Wall. |
| B．The completed project adds to the attraction of this year’s Festival. |
| C．The audience attending the festival bury themselves in the music. |
| D．The year 2010 saw the beginning of the Great Wall Forest Festival. |
The 2014 Great Wall Forest Festival has got improved in the following aspects except that _________.
| A．it has included different types of music |
| B．it has attracted a wide range of audiences |
| C．it has introduced more activities besides music |
| D．it has been expanded from 2 days to 4 days in a week |
According to Lao Lang, we can know that _________.
| A．folk songs can help amateur singers become famous easily |
| B．folk songs are the ones just intended for the professionals |
| C．a folk song, always with a story, belongs to popular music |
| D．popular songs are used by the young to express themselves |
One day newly wedded Nancy lost her ring while helping to plant potatoes. Friends were called and the field was searched long but in vain. Later, when the potatoes were harvested, Everyone looked out for the ring but it remained lost. Another year came round and all the farmers working in the field kept their eyes open. The following year was the same. And year after year, whoever had business in the field aways had Nancy’s ring in his mind.
Then the farm changed hands but it went no farther than to cousins. So the memory of the lost ring remained alive until thirty-eight years had passed. Then came a spring day when a man was ploughing the field behind a pair of horses. Even after thirty-eight years he still looked out for the ring, and knew just which part of the field Nancy had lost it in. At this time, when he came there, he found it .He picked it up, put it carefully into his pocket, left his horse, and ran all the way down to the village and placed it into Nancy’s hand.
56．How did Nancy come to lose her ring?
A. She lost it while helping to harvest tomatoes in the field
B. She lost it while watering the plants in the field.
C. She lost it while working in the field.
D. She lost it while helping to plant potatoes in the field.
57. What was done so that the lost ring could be found?
A. Friends were asked to join in the search.
B. The field was searched for a long time.
C. Dogs were called to look for it.
D. Both A and B
58. Why did people keep looking for the ring even after the farm changed hands?
A. It was a very expensive ring B. They all wanted to solve the mystery.
C. They all loved Nancy. D. Everybody wanted to have this ring.
59. What did the ploughman do after finding the ring?
A. He picked it up and put it in his pocket.
B. He ran back to tell everybody in the village.
C. He placed it in a secret spot.
D. He returned it to the owner.
60. What can you infer from the story?
A. The ring was invaluable.
B. People on the farm were honest and helpful.
C. The ring’s mysterious disappearance was the work of supernatural power.
D. Nancy no longer expected that her ring would be found again.
The first newspapers were handwritten sheets which were posted in pubic places. The earliest recorded newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC. In the 700’s the world’s first printed newspaper was developed in China. The paper was printed from carved(雕刻的) wooden blocks and sent out among the citizens. Europe didn’t have a regularly(定期的) published newspaper until 1609, when one was started in Germany.
The fist regularly published newspaper in the English language was printed in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published weekly. The first daily English newspaper was the Daily Courant, which didn’t appear until March 1702.
In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston. But the local(当地的) government soon stopped its publication. In 1704, John Campbell started The Boston News-letter, the first newspaper to be published daily in America. By 1760, the whole America had more than thirty daily newspapers. There are now about 1800 daily papers in the United States.
Today, as a group, English language newspapers have the largest circulation(发行量) in the world. The largest circulation for a newspaper, however, is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which sells over eleven million copies every day.
51．In Europe, the newspaper was first regularly published_____.
A .in England B. in Germany
C. in France D. in London
52．The first English newspaper printed and sold every day appeared _________.
A. in 1620 B. in 1609
C. at the end of the 17th century D. at the beginning of the 18th century.
53．How many years earlier was the newspaper printed in China than in America?
A. 9 or 10 centuries. B. More than 1000 years.
C. 700 years or so D. Less than 800 years.
54．Which of the following newspapers have the largest number of readers in the world?
A. Italian language newspapers.
B. German language newspapers.
C. English language newspapers.
D. Japanese language newspapers.
55．Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?
A. The World’s First Newspaper.
B .History of Newspaper.
C. The First Daily Newspaper in American.
D. A Remarkable Man-Benjamin Harris.
第三部分：阅读理解（共两节 第一节20小题，每小题2分，第二节5小题，每小题1分,满分45分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项
Hunting with birds is a very old sport. In some countries the golden eagle is used for hunting wild animals. They are used for hunting foxes and wolves.
Training an eagle to hunt takes a long time. Hunters catch young eagles in nets made of hair. After being trained the eagle is taken to a field. A blindfold over the bird’s eyes keeps it quiet until the hunter is ready.
The eagle sits in the arm of the hunter. The hunter’s arm is covered with a long, special glove to protect it from the sharp claws of the bird. In the field, as soon as the hunter sees a fox or a wolf, he removes the blindfold. The eagle quickly flies into the air and began to look for the wild animal.
The eagle sees the animal and catches it with claws like steel. Its beak and claws are strong enough to hold the animal. Usually, the bird carries the animal back to the hunter. Sometimes fast animals with good eyes can get away.
41．A hunting eagle is trained when_________.
A. it is still young
B. it is taken to a field
C. its eyes are covered with a blindfold
D. the hunter is ready
42．Hunters use nets made of hair to ________.
A. train young foxes B. catch young wolves
C. train young eagles D. catch young eagles
43．The trained eagle_______.
A. carries the hunter home
B. wears a blindfold when hunting an animal
C. is covered with a long, special glove
D. has strong claws like steel
44．A hunter wears a special glove to _______.
A. protect his arm from the sharp claws of a trained eagle
B. protect his arm from the sharp claws of a young fox
C. protect his arm from the sharp claws of a young wolf
D. protect his arm from the sharp claws of wild animals
45．According to the text, which of the following is true?
A. Fast animals with sharp eyes are sometimes difficult to catch
B.As soon as the blindfold is removed, the eagle flies into a tree
C. Hunters always blindfold young eagles before training them.
D. Sometimes hunters train young foxes they have caught.
In ancient Japan, if you saved someone’s life, they would make it their duty to spend the rest of their life serving you. Nowadays, if you rescue someone’s story, he or she will feel the same kind of gratitude (感激).
It happens all the time. Someone in a group is telling a story and, just before their big point, BOOM! There’s an interruption. Someone new joins the group, a waiter with a plate of biscuits comes over, or a baby starts crying. Suddenly everyone’s attention turns to the new arrival, the food on the plate, or the “charming” little child. Nobody is aware of the interruption — except the speaker. They forget all about the fact that the speaker hasn’t made his or her point.
Or you’re all sitting around the living room and someone is telling a joke. Suddenly, just before their big punch line (妙语), little Johnny drops a dish or the phone rings. After the crash, everyone talks about little Johnny’s carelessness. After the call, the subject turns to the upcoming marriage or medical operation of the caller. Nobody remembers the great punch line got unfinished — except the joke teller. When it’s you entertaining everyone at a restaurant, have you ever noticed how you can almost set your clock by the waiter coming to take everyone’s order just before your funny punch line?
Most joke and story tellers are too shy to say, after the interruption, “Now, as I was saying …” Instead, they’ll spend the rest of the evening feeling bad they didn’t get to finish. Here’s where you come in. Rescue them with the technique I call “Lend a Helping Tongue.”
Watch the gratitude in the storyteller’s eyes as he stabilizes where his story sunk and he sails off again toward the center of attention. His expression and the appreciation of your consideration by the rest of the group are often reward enough. You are even more fortunate if you can rescue the story of someone who can hire you, promote you, buy from you, or otherwise lift your life. Big winners have excellent memories. When you do them subtle favors like Lend a Helping Tongue, they find a way to pay you back.
53. Very often, a storyteller cannot make his point because _________.
A. people are more interested in food than his story
B. many guests bring their babies to the party
C. he is interrupted by something unexpected
D. his story is easily forgotten by the listeners
54. From Paragraph 3, we know that when someone is telling a joke, _________.
A. something bad will surely happen just before their punch line
B. listeners’ attention is often drawn to something else
C. the only person really interested in the joke is the joke teller
D. the waiter knows when to take everyone’s order
55. How can we help the joke and story tellers when they are interrupted?
A. By giving them a chance to finish.
B. By comforting them to make them happy.
C. By going on telling the story for them.
D. By teaching them some useful techniques.
56. What is the text mainly about?
A. People should learn how to take turns in a conversation.
B. We can win someone’s heart by getting him back to his story.
C. Telling jokes will make you the center of attention.
D. It is impolite to cut in on someone’s talk.
第二部分：阅读理解(第一节20小题，第二节5小题;每小题2分，满分50分)
第一节：阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D) 中, 选出最佳选项。
Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores (杂务). I started to dream of retirement. Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering. I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books. I told myself that I wouldn’t sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule.
My first day of retirement came at last! I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends. On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper … On the third day, … This is retirement? I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition (过渡), that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough. But something was missing.
A former colleague asked a favor. A group of students was going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods. Would I interrupt my newfound “happiness” and return to the students, just this once? One trip. That’s all. My bags were packed and by the door.
The trip was very inspiring. I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip. When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization. The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work.
Now, it seems, the tables have turned。Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student. These young people have reawakened my commitment (责任感) to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war. Most important, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions. In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas. I’ve gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!
41. What did the writer expect to do after he retired?
A. To stay away from busy schedules.
B. To write some great books.
C. To teach his grandchildren.
D. To plan for his future.
42. Why did the writer decide to go to Jamaica?
A. He missed his students in that country.
B. He couldn’t refuse his colleague’s favor.
C. He was concerned about the people there.
D. He was not satisfied with his retired life.
43. The underlined part “the tables have turned” (Paragraph 5) means that the writer _________.
A. improved the situation in his school
B. felt happy to work with students again
C. became a learner rather than a teacher
D. changed his attitude toward his retired life
44. What does the writer think of his retired life now?
A. Disappointing. B. Troublesome. C. Relaxing. D. Meaningful.