In Europe, many people make friends across the borders between their countries through town twinning. Town or city twinning means two towns in different countries agree and decide to become “twins” with sister city relationship.
Their citizens find pen friends in the twin town. They exchange newspapers and stamps. The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town. Officials visit the twin town for celebrations. Ordinary citizens travel to the twin town, too, but not very often if it is far away.
Sometimes, schools even exchange their classes for two or three weeks! For example, German middle school students study for a while at the school in their twin town in Britain, staying with British families. A few months later, their British friends come to study in Germany.
Some towns even arrange exchange visits for theatre groups, choirs（合唱团）and orchestras （ 管弦乐队）. Others send lecturers to the twin town who tell the people there all about their own town , and show photos and slides.
Town twining can help make friends and motivate（促进） people to learn from each other. It helps students to improve their language skills, and it contributes to （有助于）strengthening peace and understanding between different nations.Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．Town Twinning |
| B．Friendly Towns |
| C．Exchange Teachers and Students |
| D．Peace and Understanding |
Twin towns develop ________.
| A．between European countries and China |
| B．in the English-speaking countries only |
| C．in the same country |
| D．between different countries in Europe |
One of the advantages of town twinning is __________.
| A．to earn more money |
| B．to set up schools |
| C．to improve students language skills |
| D．to develop industry and agriculture |
Grace Kane hangs onto an Olympic dream of clinging to a granite(花岗岩)wall by her fingertips 70 feet from the ground.The fearless girl is only 10，but already has scaled great heights in the sport of rock climbing.
Last week，Kane won a bronze in the 11 and younger sport class at the USA Climbing Youth National Championships in Atlanta.She was the only competitor of the 31 there with no climbing coach or topflight facilities in which to train.Climbing will become an exhibition at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil.The hope of enthusiasts is that the sport will gain full status in 2020.“I'm already training for that，” said Kane.“Climbing is my passion，my love，and I want to make something of it.”
Her dad took her to climb rocks on her fourth birthday for the first time and today he can't keep up with her.“It's the freedom to let loose，” she said.“When I'm up there，I'm so focused and don't hear anything.I always feel comforted knowing people are supporting me.”
The bronze in Atlanta qualified Kane for the USA team and November's International Championships in Ecuador.That's a trip she might have to miss because it's too expensive.
Kane held a backyard music concert—she played the guitar and the piano and wrote inspirational songs—and raised $600 for her $1,500 trip to Atlanta.She's also been sponsored by a shoe company，but must rely heavily on donations from family and friends for travel expenses.
Her mom Heather Kane said the family has chosen “to do whatever we need to help her achieve her goals”．One of Grace's biggest challenges is finding balance in her life.There's school，her music and church to fit around climbing.
“Climbing is going to mean sacrificing things other kids might pursue，” Grace said.“But it doesn't bother me.It's like playing the piano；you can't take a break or you'll lose your touch.”What would be the best title of the passage?
| A．Rock Climbing Gains Popularity |
| B．Grace Kane Likes Challenges |
| C．A Young Climber Follows Her Dream |
| D．An Amazing Victory for a Young Rock Climber |
We can learn from the second paragraph that rock climbing ______.
| A．is not an exhibition at the Olympics now |
| B．is an official event at the Olympics now |
| C．is not open to children |
| D．will gain full status in 2020 |
Which of the following is TRUE about Grace Kane?
| A．She is only interested in rock climbing. |
| B．She is a girl with many talents. |
| C．Rock climbing has affected her study. |
| D．She has won gold medals in several matches. |
One of Grace's biggest challenges is to ______.
| A．find a capable coach for her |
| B．get qualified for the USA team |
| C．raise enough money for International competitions |
| D．keep balance between rock climbing and other activities |
Is this a car? Is it a smart phone? Is it a gaming machine?
Yes to all three. The Toyota Fun-Vii is a pleasure palace on wheels.
If Toyota has its way, paint jobs could become a thing of the past, because it has introduced an amazing car that can change its whole look in an instant.
The Vii in Fun-Vii, which stands for “Vehicle,Interactive, Internet” It is a small three-seater car that looks like a smart phone, so it is called a smart phone on wheels．Inside and out, most aspects of the car can interact（互相作用） with the internet and be controlled by a smart phone．The magical car allows the owners to download pictures from their phones onto the outside, so that the look of the car could be changed instantly．The color inside could also be changed to reflect the owner’s mood．Just as the company president Akio Toyoda said, "A car must appeal to our emotions．If it’s not fun, it’s not a car．"
Its outside and inside are not made of solid paint but touch screens that can display pictures and videos．A network update function downloads all the latest software to make sure the car is always up-to-date, and it can provide the latest entertainment as well as information about its surroundings to the driver．As you drive around, the thoughtful car allows you to communicate with your friends in the nearby cars．It also helps you find your way from one place to another． It’s all because the car is networked with all the other cars on the road and drives itself． The smart car is a practical, family sized vehicle fuelled by hydrogen, and it is one of the futuristic concept cars under the theme of "fun to drive, again"．It heralds （预示） a not-too-distant future where people, cars and society are linked． Which of the following may not be a key word for the concept car?
| A．Fun． |
| B．Interactive． |
| C．High-speed． |
| D．Smart． |
According to the text, Toyota Fun-Vii is _____．
| A．a new concept car not powered by gas |
| B．an amazing car without any pollution |
| C．the latest software from network |
| D．a gaming machine with high speed |
The owners of the Fun-Vii can reflect their mood by _____．
| A．downloading images to change the outside |
| B．interacting with computers while driving |
| C．changing the color inside the car |
| D．changing the speed of the car |
What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?
| A．The ways of driving the Fun-vii． |
| B．How can you find your way in the Fun-Vii． |
| C．The unusual look of the Fun-Vii． |
| D．The new functions of the Fun-Vii． |
Name: Off the Beaten Path
Cover price: $30.00
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The best-selling Reader's Digest travel book has 40% new content including over 200 new sites, over 200 new full-color photographs, and all-new, up-to-date maps. It spotlights over 1,000 of the United States'
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Name: Container Gardens by Number
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A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter and
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Name: Best Weekend Projects
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Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed
projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone.
Name: 1801 Home Remedies（治疗方案）
Cover price: $40.00
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Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound.
Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters to allergies, and hiccups. You can most probably read the passage in a _____.
| A．travel guide |
| B．medicine booklet |
| C．textbook |
| D．newspaper |
How much money could you save if you want to buy a travel book?
| A．$10. 20. |
| B．$6.46. |
| C．$13.96. |
| D．$19.80. |
Which of the following could help you to deal with common diseases without a doctor?
| A．Off the Beaten Path. |
| B．Container Gardens by Number. |
| C．1801 Home Remedies. |
| D．Best Weekend Projects. |
Feel tired lately? Has a doctor said he can’t find anything wrong with you? Perhaps he sent you to a hospital, but all the advanced equipment there shows that there is nothing wrong with you．
Then, consider this: you might be in a state of subhealth (亚健康)．
Subhealth, also called the third state or gray state, is explained as a borderline state between health and disease．
According to the investigation by the National Health Organization, over 45 percent of subhealthy people are middle-aged or elderly．The percentage is even higher among people who work in management positions as well as students around exam-week．
Symptoms(征兆)include a lack of energy, depression(压抑),slow reactions, insomnia(失眠),agitation, and poor memory．Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating and aching in the waist and legs．
The key to preventing and recovering from subhealth, according to some medical experts, is to form good living habits, alternate work and rest, exercise regularly, and take part in open air activities．
As for meals, people are advised to eat less salt and sugar．They should also eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, fish because they are rich in nutritional elements…vitamins and trace elements …vitamins and trace elements…that are important to the body．
Nutrition(营养)experts point out that it is not good to eat too much at one meal because it may cause unhealthy changes in the digestive tract(消化系统)．They also say that a balanced diet is very helpful in avoiding subhealth． According to this passage, which of the following is true?
| A．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should stay at home and keep silent. |
| B．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should go to see a doctor and buy some medicine. |
| C．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should have yourself examined in foreign countries. |
| D．When you are in a state of sub-health, you should find out the reasons and relax yourself. |
It may be easy for middle-aged people to get sub-healthy because _________.
| A．they have used up their energy |
| B．they have lost their living hopes |
| C．they have more pressure in life and work |
| D．they begin to get older |
The key to preventing you from falling into a state of sub-health is that you should ________.
| A．work hard |
| B．sleep more |
| C．form good living habits |
| D．take more medicine |
As for food, experts suggest that ________.
| A．we should never eat meat |
| B．we should have a variety of food |
| C．we should eat less than usual |
| D．we should have meals without salt and sugar |
Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs，considered among the greatest American CEOs of his generation，died on Wednesday at the age of 56，after a yearlong and highly public battle with cancer.
Jobs' health had been a hot topic for years.His battle with cancer had been a deep concern to Apple fans，investors(投资人)and the company's board alike.
Jobs' death was announced by Apple in a statement late on Wednesday.The Apple.com homepage featured a blackandwhite picture of him with the words “Steve Jobs,1955—2011”．A message on the site read，“Apple has lost a creative genius，and the world has lost an amazing human being.”
“Steve's brilliance，passion and energy were the source of countless creations that enrich and improve all of our lives.The world is immeasurably better because of Steve，” Apple said in a statement announcing Jobs' passing.
The news caused an immediate outpouring of sympathy.Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates said he will miss Jobs “immensely”．
“By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage，he was a typical example of the spirit of American ingenuity(独创性)．By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets，he made the information revolution not only accessible but fun.And by turning his talents to storytelling，he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike，” said President Barack Obama.
Now，despite investor confidence in Cook，who has taken the place of his boss during three leaves of absence，there remain concerns about whether the company would stay creative without its founder at the helm(掌舵)． What can we learn about Jobs?
| A．People knew little of his disease before he died |
| B．He didn't suffer much before his death. |
| C．A lot of people were concerned about his health. |
| D．He didn't know that he was seriously ill. |
The blackandwhite picture of Steve Jobs is featured to ______.
| A．tell people the story of Steve Jobs |
| B．let more people learn about Apple |
| C．seek support for his battle with cancer |
| D．announce that Jobs is dead |
We can learn from the text that Apple ______.
| A．is busy looking for a new CEO to replace Jobs |
| B．sings high praise for Jobs' contributions |
| C．didn't trust Jobs any longer after he got ill |
| D．helped Jobs win the public battle with cancer |
After Steve's death，______.
| A．Cook will be the leader of Apple |
| B．Bill Gates will take over Apple |
| C．Apple won't no longer be so creative |
| D．President Obama is still confident in Apple |
Where might you read the text?
| A．In an English newspaper. |
| B．From Apple.com homepage. |
| C．In a storybook for children. |
| D．In Obama's speeches. |