Why do people travel? Well, many people travel because they want to see other countries and visit places that are famous, interesting or beautiful. People also travel to meet new friends, to try new kind of food, to experience life in other parts of the world or simply to get away from cold weather. Yet there are other reasons why people travel. Many of today’s travelers are looking for an unusual experience and adventure travel is becoming more and more popular. Here is a quick look at two popular activities: hiking and rafting.
HIKING
Hiking is a great way to travel. You will get close to nature and take exercise at the same time. Hiking is easy to do and doesn’t have to be very expensive. You can hike close to home or travel to other places. The basic equipment you need for hiking is simple: good shoes, clothes and a backpack. You can hike in the mountains, in a forest or along a river. You can also go for a hike in the city.
Hiking is fun and exciting, but you shouldn’t forget safety. Here are some basic tips for successful hiking: 1. Don’t hike alone. 2. Tell someone where you are going; 3. Bring water and a good map; 4. Watch out for dangers, such as spiders, snakes, or poisonous plants; 5. Wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun; 6.Bring a mobile phone if you have one.
RAFTING
Another exciting adventure is rafting. A raft is a small boat that you can use to paddle down rivers and streams. Rafting is a good way to experience nature. If you want a normal rafting trip, choose a quiet stream or river that is wide and has few trees and other dangers. The name “whitewater” comes from the fact that the water in these streams and rivers looks white when it moves quickly.
As with hiking, you should always think about your safety and wear good clothes. You also need to learn the basic skills of rafting, such as how to handle the raft, how to paddle and how to get in and out of the raft. You should not go rafting unless you know how to swim, and you should always wear a life jacket.Adventure travelers want to _______.
| A．experience fun and excitement |
| B．meet new friends. |
| C．try new kinds of food |
| D．visit famous sites or beautiful places |
Hiking is a kind of adventure travel because _________.
| A．it is not expensive |
| B．you will often put yourself in danger. |
| C．you need a lot of equipment for it |
| D．it is not only exciting but inexpensive |
While hiking or rafting, it is important to think about________.
| A．cost | B．excitement |
| C．safety | D．fun |
While you go rafting, you have to _________.
| A．have rafting skills | B．know how to swim |
| C．wear leather shoes | D．put on a life jacket. |
When I met him, I had a lot of anger inside of me. I’ve lived my whole life in Spanish Harlem, but in my neighborhood, there are shoot-ups all the time. I know kids who have been shot or beaten up. I have friends who ended up in prison. I could have ended up that way, too, but Mr. Clark wouldn’t let that happen.
Mr. Clark worked long hours, making sure I did my work. My grades rose. In fact, the scores of our whole class rose. One day, he took our class to see The Phantom of the Opera, and it was the first time some kids had ever been out of Harlem. Before the show, he treated us to dinner at a restaurant and taught us not to talk with our mouths full. We did not want to let him down.
Mr. Clark was selected as Disney’s 2000 Teacher of the Year. He said he would draw three names out of a hat; those students would go with him to Los Angeles to get the award. But when the time came to draw names, Mr. Clark said, “You’re all going.”
On graduation day, there were a lot of tears. We didn’t want his class to end. In 2001, he moved to Atlanta, but he always kept in touch. He started giving lectures about education, and wrote a bestselling book based on his classroom rules, The Essential 55. In 2003, Mr. Clark took some of us on a trip to South Africa to deliver school supplies and visit orphanages (孤儿院). It was the most amazing experience of my life. It’s now my dream to one day start a group of women’s clubs, helping people from all backgrounds.
56. Without Mr. Clark, the writer .
A. might not have won the prize B. might have been put into prison
C. might have joined a women’s club D. might not have moved to Atlanta
57. The Essential 55 is .
A. a show B. a speech C. a book D. a classroom rule
58. How many students’ names were finally drawn out of a hat by Mr. Clark?
A. None B. Three C. Fifty-five. D. All.
59. In the passage, the writer intends to tell us that .
A. a good teacher has a good influence on his or her students
B .Mr. Clark helped to set up a group of women’s clubs
C. a good teacher can help raise his or her students’ scores
D. Mr. Clark went to South Africa because he liked travelling
In Western countries people have been using the installment plan since the first half of the twentieth century. Today, a large number of families in Great Britain buy furniture, household goods and cars by installments. In the U. S., the figure is much higher than in Great Britain, and people there spend over 10 percent of their income on the installment plan.
The price of an article bought on installments is always higher than the price that would be paid by cash. There is a charge for interest. The buyer pays one quarter or one third of the price as a down payment when the goods are delivered to him. He then makes regular payments, weekly or monthly, until the full price is paid up. The legal ownership of the goods remains with the seller until the final payment has been made.
Installment buying has advantages and disadvantages. It can help couples with small incomes to furnish their homes and start housekeeping. It increases the demand for goods, and in this way helps business and employment. There is, however, the danger that when business is bad, installment buying may end suddenly, making business much worse. This may result in a great increase in unemployment. If the people on the installment plan lose their jobs, they will probably not be able to make their payments. If great numbers of people are not able to pay their installment debts there is a possibility that businessmen cannot collect their debts and will therefore lose money. If businessmen lose money or fail to make a satisfactory profit, it becomes more likely to have a depression. This is why, in some countries, the government controls the installment plan by fixing the amount of the down payment and installments to discourage people from buying more than they can pay for on the installment plan.
56. Which of the following is NOT true about the installment plan?
A. A lot of British families use the installment plan.
B. More than 10 percent American families buy things on installments.
C. Americans depend more on installment than British people do.
D. Americans spend one tenth of their income on installment buying.
57. Goods bought on installments are more expensive than goods bought by cash because ______.
A. the buyer has to pay extra money as interest
B. the delivery of the goods charges extra money
C. the buyer has to pay a down payment
D. the service offered by installment plan charged extra money
58. What will happen to a buyer if he fails to make the full payment for an item bought on installments?
A. He might lose his job.
B. He will stop owning the item he has bought. 
C. He will have to sell what he has bought.
D. He will go into debt.
59. The advantage of installment buying might include all the following EXCEPT that ________.
A. purchasing power is strengthened
B. employment might be increased
C. people develop a good habit of saving money
D. young couples are able to furnish their homes
60. In some countries, the governments control the installment plan to ________.
A. increase employment
B. avoid depressions
C. ensure that businesses make good profits
D. ensure that people can pay for what hey buy
One of the worst feelings in the world is trying your hardest at something but still falling short. In the case of schoolwork, studying for hours and bringing home disappointing grades may make you feel hopeless or helpless, but this is far from the truth. If you are dealing with disappointing grades, promise to change your study habits and you'll be amazed by the results.
Act Fast
The most important rule about dealing with disappointing grades is to act fast. Don't sit around and let them get worse, and definitely don't ignore them. Instead, admit that you need help and go in search of it soon. The faster you face up to the problem, the faster you can find a solution and see some results.
Tweak your routine
If you are studying hard and still dealing with disappointing grades, it's probably time to tweak your routine a little. Remember, if you keep doing the same thing all the time you'll undoubtedly keep getting the same results. Mix things up by asking for help, whether from a friend or fellow student, your teacher or a private tutor. Ask for help with the subject matter and tips for studying on your own.
Study Successfully
Of course it doesn't matter where you study or who you study with if you are studying the wrong things. Make sure that you are studying successfully by:
*Reviewing your textbooks.
*Looking over your notes from class.
*Taking new notes while you study.
*Investing in study guides.
*Answering all of the review questions you can find.
*Talking through events or concepts that are integral (整体) to your lessons.
Learn From Your Mistakes
If, after all of your changes and redoubling your study efforts, you are still disappointed with your grades, then it is time to figure out exactly where you are going wrong. Look over exam papers and assignments to see if you are having trouble with a particular kind of question (multiple choice, true or false, etc.) or concept. Examine your essays to see if you are explaining your ideas clearly and completely, or if it is the mechanics of your writing (spelling, grammar, etc.) that is letting you down. Request an appointment with your teacher and use this time to discuss your work and get his/her feedback as well.
Dealing with disappointing grades is something that every student will face at one time or another. It won't be fun, but take a realistic look at your attention in class, your study habits and your performance on past assignments and exam. Figure out where you are having trouble and dedicate yourself to fixing these problems.
51. The purpose of this passage is _______.
A. to introduce practical ways to solve worrying school problems
B. to persuade students to change their attitude toward schoolwork
C. to offer advice on how to improve academic grades at school
D. to emphasize the importance of dealing with disappointing grades
52. The underlined phrase to tweak your routine means _______.
A. to stick to the same study plan and seek help when possible
B. to mix things up before you work out a practical solution alone
C. to examine your everyday life to make room for self improvement www..com
D. to make necessary alterations in your study habits and plans
53. According to the passage, it is desirable to _______.
A. adopt a great variety of successful study methods and work on your own
B. have a study partner who act fast to face up a problem and study successfully
C. find out your weak points by reviewing schoolwork and seek necessary help
D. make an appointment with your teachers and develop useful examination skills
54. The author of this passage is probably a(an) _______.
A. psychologist B. examiner C. parent D. instructor
55. The author thinks that dealing with disappointing grades calls for _______.
A. a strong will power B. a down-to-earth attitude
C. creativity and dedication D. undivided attention
In communities north of Denver, residents are pitching in to help teachers and administrators as the Vrain school District tries to solve a $13.8 million budget shortage blamed on mismanagement. “We’re worried about our teachers and principals, and we really don’t want to lose them because of this,” one parent said. “If we can help ease their financial burden, we will.”
Teachers are grateful, but I know it may be years before the district is solvent (有综合能力的). They feel really good about the parent support, but they realize it’s impossible for them to solve this problem.
The 22,000-student district discovered the shortage last month. “It’s extraordinary. Nobody would have imagined something happening like this at this level,” said State Treasurer Mike Coffman.
Coffman and district officials last week agreed on a state emergency plan freeing up a $9.8 million loan that enabled the payroll (工资单) to be met for 2,700 teachers and staff in time for the holidays.
District officials also took $1.7 million from student-activity accounts of its 38 schools.
At Coffman’s request, the District Attorney has begun investigating the district’s finances. Coffman says he wants to know whether district officials hid the budget shortage until after the November election, when voters approved a $212 million bond issue for schools.
In Frederick, students’ parents are buying classroom supplies and offering to pay for groceries and utilities to keep first-year teachers and principals in their jobs.
Some $36,000 has been raised in donations from Safeway. A Chevrolet dealership donated $10,000 and forgave the district’s $10,750 bill for renting the driver educating cars. IBM contributed 4,500 packs of paper.
“We employ thousands of people in this community,” said Mitch Carson, a hospital chief executive, who helped raise funds. “We have children in the school, and we see how they could be affected.”
At Creek High School, three students started a website that displays newspaper articles, district information and an email forum. “Rumors about what’s happening to the district are moving at lighting speed,” said a student. “We wanted to know the truth, and spread that around instead.”
46. What has happened to the Vrain School District?
A. A huge financial problem has arisen.
B. Many schools there are mismanaged.
C. Lots of teachers in the district are planning to quit.
D. Many administrative personnel have been laid off.（A）
47. How did the residents in the Vrain School District respond to the budget shortage?
A. They felt somewhat helpless about it.
B. They accused those responsible for it.
C. They made their efforts to help solve it.
D. They demanded a thorough investigation.（C）
48. In the view of State Treasurer Mike Coffman, the educational budget shortage is ________.
A. unavoidable B. unbelievable C. insolvable D. invisible（B）
49. Why did Coffman request an investigation?
A. To see if the financial problem was covered up on purpose
B. To find out how serious the consequence of the case would be.
C. To make sure that the school principals were innocent.
D. To stop the voters approving the $212 million bond issue.（A）
50. Three high school students started a website in order to ________.
A. attract greater public attention to their needs
B. appeal to the public for contributions and donations
C. expose officials who neglected their duties
D. keep people properly informed of the crisis
I’m a 20-year-old boy, and the following is my story.
A month after I graduated from high school in August, 2007, I was coming home from swim practice in the training centre of the city and was involved in a car accident. I was so seriously injured that I was in a coma for more than two months at Prince Georges Hospital.
I suffered a lot from the experience of dying eight times during my coma and I couldn’t open my mouth to talk or to communicate when I eventually came around. At that time, it seemed that walking was never going to happen again due to all the extreme injuries. Just like my body, my dreams were completely destroyed. But I was not going to let my injuries stop me from realizing my dreams.
After receiving a total of 15 operations and 36 blood transfusions, I had to make every great effort to learn to talk, eat, walk, shower, and live on my own again. When I was out of hospital, I still had to go to outpatient therapy in Waldorf, Maryland. After I spent a few months in a wheelchair, I took baby steps to walk on my own. It was a miracle that I was able to walk again, but I still wanted to prove that I could not only walk, but also run. When it came true, I wanted to get back into the pool again. After having a few lung tests, I was able to go in the pool a little bit each week. After a few months of swim training, I began my freshman year at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and then became a proud member of the swim team.
By telling my story, I want to make a positive influence on the world. I am just trying to live each day to the fullest and inspire other people never to give up their dreams no matter how bad a situation is to them. I remember when I was still in my hospital bed, I would have my mom and dad push me round in my wheelchair to the other rooms to see the other patients and chat with them and their family members. I wanted to let them know that everything was going to be okay. Somehow, things would work out for the best.
41. The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph 2 probably has the meaning of “_______”.
A. operation B. unconsciousness C. treatment D. emergency
42. According to Paragraph 3, it can be inferred that the author _______.
A. was unable to talk or communicate B. was in despair
C. faced physical and mental challenges D. felt anxious about his state
43. What is the correct order of the following events?
a. went to outpatient therapy
b. received membership of the swim team
c. was pushed around to visit other patients
d. walked like a baby
e. learnt to live all by himself
A. d、a、c、b、e B. e、c、d、a、b
C. d、c、a、b、e D. e、c、a、d、b
44. In the last paragraph, the author mainly wants to show _______.
A. his positive influence on other patients B. his meaningful life
C. his purpose of sharing his story D. his great achievements
45. The best title for the passage would be “_______”.
A. Attitude is everything B. Actions speak louder than words
C. Everything happens for a reasonD. A good beginning is half done