I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part. in. and live in.
With this unshakable belief, I, at. fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people's writing can one discover what works, what doesn't and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.
Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作品)．As a. law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter-the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime. What can be inferred about the author as a child?
| A． He never watched TV. |
| B． He read what he had to. |
| C． He found reading unbelievable. |
| D． He considered reading part of his life |
The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means "_______".
| A． an idea |
| B． a sound quality |
| C． a way of writing |
| D． a world to write about |
What effect does reading have on the author?
| A． It helps him to realize his dream. |
| B． It opens up a wider world for him. |
| C． It makes his college life more interesting. |
| D． It increases his interest in worldwide travel. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this text?
| A． Why do I read? |
| B． How do I read? |
| C． What do I read? |
| D． When do I read? |
阅读理解
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
Hearst Castle is a palatial(宫殿式) park on the central California coast and a National Historic Landmark. It was designed by architect Julia Morgan for William Randolph Hearst from 1919 until 1947. In 1957, the Hearst Corporation donated the fortune to the state of California. Since that time it has been maintained as a state historic park where the estate and its considerable collection of art and antiques are open for public tours. In spite of its location far from any urban center, the site attracts roughly one million visitors every year.
Guided Tours
There are several tours which highlight various parts of the castle and gardens.
lTour One is recommended for first time visitor. It now includes the movie, Hearst Castle Building the Dream.
lTour Two gives visitors a closer look at the main house's upper floors, Mr. Hearst's private suite, the libraries, and the kitchen.
lTour Three looks at the Castle's North Wing, guest rooms and guest house Casa Del Monte.
lTour Four features the impressive gardens and grounds, the largest guesthouse, the wine basement, and the Hidden Terrace.
lThe evening tour is a special tour that allows visitors to experience the Castle at night as one of the Hearst's own visitors might have.
Ticket Prices
Hearst Castle accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. Free day use parking is available for automobiles, motorcycles, tour buses and recreational vehicles.
| TOURS |
ADULT |
Ages 6-17 |
| Experience Tour |
$ 24 |
$ 12 |
| Tours 2, 3 or 4 |
$ 24 |
$12 |
| Evening tour |
$30 |
$15 |
Children under 6 are free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Reservation Information
While tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Center upon arrival, tour reservations are strongly recommended and may be reserved online now or by calling 1-800-444-4445, see below for time.
| Reservation Call Center Hours |
||
| Dates |
Monday-Friday |
Saturday-Sunday |
| March-September |
8AM. to 6PM. |
8AM. to 6PM. |
| October-February |
9AM. to 5PM. |
9AM. to 3PM. |
Visit www. Hearst castle. org for more information.Who does the Hearst Castle belong to at present?
| A．William Randolph Hearst. |
| B．Julia Morgan. |
| C．The state of California. |
| D．The Hearst Corporation. |
If a young couple take Tour One with their 5-year-old son, how much will they pay for the tickets?
| A．$36. | B．$60. | C．$48. | D．$75. |
31. Which of the following is the available time to book tickets by phone?
| A．At 8 AM on Monday in February. | B．At 9 AM on Sunday in March. |
| C．At 7 PM on Friday in September. | D．At 6 PM on Saturday in October. |
32. What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To attract visitors to Hearst Castle. |
| B．To introduce Hearst Castle. |
| C．To introduce California's scenery. |
| D．To introduce Hearst Castle' scenery. |
阅读理解
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
How much do you hate waiting for another beer in a crowded bar? Josh Goodman invented a pretty obvious solution —self-service beer taps. Goodman, 36, recalled the exact moment in late 2008 when his frustration boiled over. "I was hanging out with my friends at a Baltimore sports bar before an Orioles(金莺队) game," he said. "We just couldn't get another beer served to us quickly."
Even more than annoyed, Goodman was struck by how much money the bar must be losing. Almost immediately, he got to work on a self-service beer concept. Within a few months, Goodman had launched Pour My Beer in Chicago (where he'd relocated to be with his wife).
He invested （投资）$20,000 of his own funds and partnered with a U.S. manufacturer to make beer tables with two to four self-service taps. In February 2009, Goodman landed his first client（客户）: A Baltimore tavern. He spent the next two years growing the business and adding more bars and restaurants. In 2011, Pour My Beer introduced self-service "beer walls," which let people pour their own beer from taps on a wall.
Pour My Beer has expanded to over 200 restaurants and bars in 28 states and Canada. The concept will roll out in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport this week and in Italy and Brazil later this year. The tables start at $4,000 and the beer walls cost as much as $16,000. It generated more than $400,000 in sales in 2013 and doubled that in 2014. Goodman expects to take in close to $2 million in revenue this year(2015) —which would make it the company's first profitable（赚钱的）year. "Our business customers tell us that they've cut down on waste and they're selling twice as much beer on average," said Goodman.The underlined phrase “boiled over” in Paragraph 1 probably means__________.
| A．came to an end | B．was extremely unbearable |
| C．threw up | D．was too hot |
Josh Goodman decided to invent the self-service beer taps when__________.
| A．His friends advised him to do so. |
| B．He realized the loss in waiting for beers. |
| C．He set up Pour My Beer in Chicago. |
| D．His company started to make profits. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Goodman was a businessman before he invented the self-service beer taps. |
| B．Pour My Beer has expanded to over 200 restaurants in 28 states and Australia. |
| C．Goodman did his business all by himself at first. |
| D．Goodman’s company will make more profits in the future. |
Which of the following can best describe Josh Goodman?
| A．far-sighted | B．strong-willed |
| C．kind-hearted | D．bad-tempered |
阅读理解
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
Last week I was riding my special motorbike and then stopped at a convenience store. As I was getting my wheelchair off the back, a man watched me from his car and I noticed a wheelchair in his back seat. We spoke for a moment and I asked him about the wheelchair. He answered that it was for his daughter. “Well, do you think she would like to go for a ride on my motorbike with me?” I asked. He seemed shocked that a total stranger would ask him this. He thought about it for a second and said, “OK, as long as I can follow you.” He introduced me to Amy and he sat her on my back seat. Her father followed me for a few miles and she talked non-stop about what she wanted for Christmas.
As we came back to the convenience store, she said, “This ride is the best Christmas present I could ever receive. I have been in a wheelchair my whole life and didn’t know I could do this.” I told her about some of the other things I do (ski, travel the world by myself, etc.). As her father was taking her off my bike, she turned to him and said, “Oh Daddy, I’m going to be OK. Mr. Bryant does all kinds of things, and I will too.” Her father turned away as a tear of joy rolled down his cheek. He hugged me and said, “I was sitting here praying for a gift for Amy that would encourage her. She often felt that her life was dull compared to other children. God answered my prayer just now. Now I pray that God will bless you for your gift to Amy today.” I believed what he said. Being kind and thoughtful to others, we can be an answer to prayer.How did the father feel at first when the author invited his daughter for a ride?
| A．He was happy because his daughter could gain excitement. |
| B．He felt surprised because he didn’t know the author. |
| C．He was moved because the author offered to help his daughter. |
| D．He felt nervous because he was worried about his daughter’s safety. |
What can we know about the author?
| A．He was a disabled man. |
| B．He worked in a convenience store. |
| C．He often helped people who were in trouble. |
| D．He usually drove too fast. |
According to the passage, the girl ____________.
| A．used to be a completely healthy person |
| B．was not allowed to do some fierce sports |
| C．usually felt sad about life due to her disability |
| D．was unwilling to communicate with a stranger |
What did the author’s gift refer to according to the girl’s father?
| A．The motorbike. | B．The wheelchair. |
| C．The blessing. | D．The ride. |
阅读理解
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
Long ago in a small town, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit it.
When he arrived, he bounced(跳) happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1,000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1,000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “ This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit often.”
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1,000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1,000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, “This is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again.”
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see on the faces of the people you meet?Why was the first dog surprised when he entered the house?
| A．Because he didn’t expect to see so many happy dogs. |
| B．Because he didn’t know there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| C．Because he was always in a mixed mood. |
| D．Because he saw so many dogs smiling at him. |
Why did the first dog like the house?
| A．Because there were 1,000 mirrors in the house. |
| B．Because he thought he could keep himself warm in the house. |
| C．Because he liked everything presented to him. |
| D．Because he felt he was welcome here. |
The underlined word growl probably means ______.
| A．make an unfriendly noise | B．smile |
| C．say hello | D．stare |
Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．A Small happy Little Dog |
| B．The House of 1,000 Mirrors |
| C．The Wonderful Place and the Horrible Place |
| D．Two Little Dogs |
阅读理解。阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
Though problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn’t mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or the other, you’ll have to stand up and say — problem, I don’t want you in my life.
Of course, we’ve been fighting troubles ever since we were born. Problems with friends, parents, girlfriends, husbands, and children — the list goes on. Apart from these, the inner conflicts within ourselves work, too. These keep adding to our problems. Problems come in different shapes and colors and feelings.
But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.
Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help. But the truth is that when you talk about, you’re setting free the negative energies that have been gathering within you. Talking helps you move on and let go.
Write your problems. Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don’t want a real person to talk with. When you write down your problems, you’re setting free all the tension from your system. You can try throwing away the paper on which you wrote your problems. By doing this, imagine yourself throwing away the problems from your life.
Don’t lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don’t lose faith and hope. Even if you lose all your money, family ..., you should still have faith. With faith and hope, you can rebuild everything that you lose.
Your problems aren’t the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there’re another one million people whose problems are huger than yours. Tell yourself: when they can deal with them, why can’t I? Your problems might just seem big and worse, but in reality they can be removed.
Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.What is the text mainly about?
| A．How to find problems. |
| B．How to change problems. |
| C．How to live without problems. |
| D．How to deal with problems. |
According to the text, the first paragraph is trying to ________.
| A．upset the readers |
| B．encourage the readers |
| C．laugh at the readers |
| D．please the readers |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?
| A．There are different kinds of problems in our life. |
| B．Problems are too difficult to deal with. |
| C．We have to fight problems in our whole life. |
| D．We have more and more problems. |
According to the text, when you talk about your problems to others, ________.
| A．you will be completely understood by others |
| B．you can find a way out from others |
| C．you will create another problem |
| D．you can live on more easily |