Come on! All of us are cutting math. Who wants to take that quiz? We’re going to take a walk and get lunch instead. Let’s go!” says the coolest kid in your class. Do you do what you know is right and go to math class, take the quiz? Or do you give in and go with them?
People who are at your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence you how to act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure. It’s something everyone has to deal with—even adults.
Peers influence your life, even if you don’t realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It’s only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system. Or you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone is reading it. Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them.
It’s difficult to say “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
It can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who is willing to say “no” too. If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust, a parent, or a teacher. They can help you feel much better and prepare you for the next time you face peer pressure.With his words in the first paragraph, the kid is ________.
| A．planning some interesting activities after school |
| B．talking about a dinner party |
| C．asking other kids to take a quiz with him |
| D．encouraging other kids to cut a class |
According to the author, _________.
| A．peer pressure does kids more harm than good |
| B．math is the most difficult subject for most kids |
| C．kids today are under greater pressure than before |
| D．peer pressure exists among people of all age groups |
What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
| A．Peer pressure. | B．Your time. |
| C．Your life. | D．Human nature. |
It’s suggested in the last paragraph that the readers _______.
| A．make more close friends while at school |
| B．learn to refuse their friends in a polite way |
| C．get support from someone else if it’s necessary |
| D．build closer relations with their parents and teachers |
What’s the best title for the text?
| A．Cutting a class | B．Peer pressure |
| C．Asking for help | D．Problems in school |
It has happened to all of us．You want to talk about an object，but you forgot the name of it．Or you never knew the name at all．Maybe you are not even sure there is a word for it．
For example，that thing, that you need to fix your bicycle．Or perhaps it is something you need for your computer·Or that part on your motorcycle that never，ever seems to work．
What are these things?
They are called“doohickies"·A doohickey is a word you use when you do not know，or you have forgotten，the real name of an object·
The MacMillan Dictionary defines doohickey as“something such as a small object or tool that you cannot remember the name of"·The American Heritage Dictionary says it is“something，especially a small device or part，whose name is unknown or forgotten"．
Language experts say the word first started being used in the United States in the early 1900s· But other experts say they have seen examples of words like that in writings from the middle 1800s．
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary for Learners of American English gives this example of how native speakers might use doohickey：“I need one of those doohickeys，you know，with the long handle．”
Merriam-Webster adds that doohickey may be a combination of two other words：“doodad" and“hickey" ．Strange as it may be，both of these words mean the same as doohickey．The dictionary lists a lot of strange words as.synonyms for doohickey．The most common are whatchamacallit，whatnot and whatsit．
You will probably never see these words in official documents or newspaper reports·But you might hear them in informal American English，when people are talking to each other·
“Hey，what does this doohickey do，anyway?”
"Dude，bring me that thingamajig，willya·”
"Janine，can you get me one of those whatchamacallits?”
Most Americans will know what you are talking about if you use one of those words.Just point at the object，use one of these words，and they will bring it to you·When people need a doohickey it means they need something＿＿·
| A．which can be used to repair a bicycle |
| B．which can be used to fix a computer |
| C．whose name is forgotten |
| D．whose handle is very long |
The words similar to doohickey were most likely to be seen in＿＿for the first time．
| A．1800 | B．1850 | C．1900 | D．1950 |
You are sure to find the word whatchamacallit in＿＿
| A．the Macmillan Dictionary |
| B．the American Heritage Dictionary |
| C．an Official document or a newspaper report |
| D．the Merriam-Webster Dictionary for Learners of American English |
The above，passage is mainly about＿＿·
| A．a special word |
| B．American English dictionaries’ |
| C．the development of American English |
| D．the way to learn and use American English |
Are you ready to take off? Launch into the adventure of a lifetime when you join the ranks of Space Camp where explorers train to live and work in space．This is your opportunity to command，navigate（航行）and contribute to an advanced space mission simulation（模拟）．
Space Camp is located at the U.S.Space＆Rocket Center，the Official Visitor Center for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center．The program encourages trainees to pursue science，technology，engineering and math disciplines through, exciting，hands-on educational activities．
During the five-night program，trainees participate in two，one-hour simulated missions．Our trainers guide participants through the past，·present and future of space exploration with the help of high-fidelity（高保证的）test articles or actual rockets and shuttles．visitors explore the first rocket that put an American in space-the real National Historic Landmark Saturn V moon rocket-and actual capsules earlv
astronauts used during their missions·Trainees experience walking on the moon in the 1/6th gravity chair to feel what it's like to work in a frictionless environment．
Space Camp trainees also climb the tallest mountain on the red planet with the Mars Climbing Wall and experience four times the gravity of Earth with the takeoff force of the Space Shot simulator．They get an astronaut's view of Earth while watching amazing films in the IMAX Spacedome Theater and Digital Theater．
Space Camp begins on Sunday afternoon and graduation is on Friday morning.Parents and family members are encouraged to attend the graduation ceremony。
There is no other camp like it！
Whom is the Space Camp intended for?
| A．Tourists. | B．Students. |
| C．Astronauts | D．Scientists. |
How long will the Space Camp last?
| A．About a day | B．About three days． |
| C．About six days | D．About twelve days. |
Space Shot simulator will let the trainees know＿·
| A．the takeoff force of a rocket |
| B．the highest mountain on mars |
| C．the history of space exploration |
| D．the feeling of being in the 1/6th gravity environment |
Picking a university is a tense period of asking yourself which institution is most relevant. That's why university rankings play such an important role in students searching for their next academic direction. Rankings are also an inescapable part of the reputation and brand image of universities. "No university website is complete without the claim to be in the top 100 for something or other," reported the BBC. The reason is simple: Rankings help them to attract students, staff and research investment.
Currently there are numbers of university rankings, and each has its own list of criteria. But the main categories are the same: academic reputation, graduates' performance and faculty(全体员工) resources.
However, experts point out the ranking process isn't entirely reliable. Mark Kantrowitz, a US financial aid researcher, said university rankings were mostly just for show. He wrote in The New York Times. "It may give your parents better bragging（吹牛）rights, but that's about it. "
Moreover, it's not difficult to see the limitations of university rankings. Many rankings focus on the number of times research work is cited(引用) by other researchers. It helps British and US universities to dominate(控制) global rankings because English is the favored language of academia, John O'Leary, a member of the QS academic advisory board, told The Gunrdian,. Also, rankings such as QS mainly focus on the qualities of the university rather than its students. "Any university ranking is likely to help students make better decisions about where to study, but the need to balance them with other more human factors is also important," said Phil Moss, an education and admissions consultant. "Advice from graduates or current students can be as valuable in providing a genuine insight into the experience or quality of a particular degree program. It can also add an element that rankings can never convey the actual emotion of a university experience. "Why do universities consider rankings important?
| A．Rankings make them more appealing. |
| B．Rankings are students' only reference. |
| C．Rankings can increase their academic level. |
| D．Rankings help them complete their websites. |
What does the underlined "It" in paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．Academic research work. |
| B．The number of researches. |
| C．The way of ranking universities. |
| D．The limitation of university ranking. |
According to John O'Leary, what helps British and US universities rank well?
| A．The wide use of English in academia. |
| B．Their outstanding qualities. |
| C．Their graduates' excellent performance. |
| D．The academia's favor to them. |
Besides ranking, what does Phil Moss suggest you should refer to if you're picking a university?
| A．Investment in education. |
| B．Guidance from professors. |
| C．Information on websites. |
| D．Suggestions from students. |
Revenge is one of those things that everyone enjoys. People don’t like to talk about it, though. Just the same, there is nothing more satisfying or more rewarding than revenge. The purpose is not to harm your victims but to let them know that you are upset about something that they are doing to you. Careful planning can provide you with relief from annoying coworkers, gossiping friends or talkative family members.
Coworkers who make comments about the fact that you are always fifteen minutes late for work can be taken care of very simply. All you have to do is get up extra one day. Before the sun comes up, drive to each coworker’s house. Reach under the cover of your coworker’s car and disconnect the center wire that leads to the distributor（配电盘）cap, the car will be unharmed, but it will not start, and your friends at work will all be late for work on the same day. If you’re lucky, your boss might notice that you are the only one there and will give you a raise.
Gossiping friends at school are also perfect targets for a simple act of revenge. A way to trap either male or female friends is to leave false messages on their lockers(柜子). If the friend that you want to get is male, leave a message that a certain girl would like him to stop by her house later that day. With any luck，her boyfriend will be there. The girl won’t know what’s going on, and the victim will be so embarrassed that he probably won’t leave his home for a month.
When Mom and Dad and your sisters and brothers really begin to annoy you, harmless revenge may be just the way it makes them quiet down for a while. The dinner table is a likely place. Just before the meal begins, throw a handful of raisins (葡萄干) into the food. Wait about five minutes and, after everyone has begun to eat, cover your mouth with your hand and begin to make strange noises. When they ask you what the matter is, point to a raisin and yell. “Bugs!” They’ll throw their food in the dustbin, jump into the car, and head for McDonald’s. That night you’ll have your first quiet, peaceful meal in a long time.
A well-planned revenge does not have it hurt anyone. The object is simply to let other people know that they are beginning to bother you. According to the passage, a harmless revenge is ________.
| A．to amuse the victim |
| B．to hurt nobody emotionally |
| C．to react to those who bother you |
| D．to prevent one from disturbing others |
As a harmless revenge, you might come first and get a raise by ________.
| A．pleasing your boss |
| B．destroying your colleagues’ cars |
| C．making your colleagues come late |
| D．getting up earlier than your colleagues |
The family members threw their food in the dustbin because ________.
| A．they wanted to eat out |
| B．they didn’t like the food with raisins |
| C．they wanted to have a peaceful meal |
| D．they thought their food had been ruined |
The topic of the passage is how to ________.
| A．make a harmless revenge |
| B．silence gossiping friends |
| C．avoid talkative family members |
| D．deal with annoying coworkers |
The 87th Academy Award nominations(提名) were announced on Jan 15, and The Grand Budapest Hotel stood out as a favorite with nine nominations, including Best Picture. Check out some other Best Picture nominees to see if you missed any of last year’s top Hollywood films.
The Imitation Game
This historical thriller is about British computer scientist, Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the father of artificial intelligence. At the start of World War II, Turing was asked to join a select team of mathematical geniuses to decode（解码） the system the Nazis used to send military messages. Besides the actual breaking of the code, Cumberbatch’s portrayal（扮演）of Turing’s personality, a mixture of decency（正派）and shyness, is also a highlight of the movie.
Birdman
This dark comedy film is about how Riggan Thomson, a faded star once famous for his superhero roles, struggles to regain fame. American actor Michael Keaton, 63, who has a similar experience to Thomson’s, plays the leading role.
Selma
A stellar cast(主要演员) including talk show queen Oprah Winfrey may be one reason to see Selma. But that the film focuses on Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle for civil rights also makes it worth viewing. Based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches, the film is a chronicle(编年史) of King’s (David Oyelowo) campaign for political rights for African-American people.
The Theory of Everything
We know English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking for his significant scientific discoveries, especially his black hole theories. This biographical film reveals the scientist’s (played by Eddie Redmayne) secret romantic relationship with Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones), whom he meets and falls in love with at Cambridge and who later becomes his first wife.
Boyhood
American Director Richard Linklater did an experiment in this film, using the same cast for 12 years to record a boy’s growth. In two and a half hours, we see Mason, a Texas boy from a divorced family, grow from 6-year-old boy to a freshman in college. How many Best Picture nominees are mentioned in the text?
| A．Five | B．Six | C．Eight | D．Nine |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
| A．Michael Keaton became famous overnight after starring in the movie Birdman. |
| B．Alan Turing is a talented and outgoing man in The Imitation Game. |
| C．Selma is the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight for voting rights for African-Americans. |
| D．The Theory of Everything is about how Stephen Hawking discovered his black hole theories. |
What is Boyhood mainly about?
| A．How Richard Linklater did his decade-long experiment. |
| B．The wonderful life of Mason. |
| C．The growth of a young boy. |
| D．How Mason spent his college years. |
What is the main purpose of the text?
| A．To analyze why these films were nominated for the 87th Academy Awards. |
| B．To give a brief introduction to the 87th Academy Award nominees. |
| C．To list some of the best nominees in the Academy Awards’ history. |
| D．To prove that the Academy Award nominees cover a broad range of topics. |