Mum，it’s me．Hopefully，this Mothering Sunday you will get to hear those three words．I will，of course，try to phone you．I hope we will be able to speak for the allowed 10 minutes．But I suspect many inmates will be using the phone，so if I don’t call and if we don’t speak，then this is what I would have said：
It’s not your fault that I am here．I know that deep in your heart you have questioned whether my current circumstance is somehow your fault，if the reckless stupidity of my past is somehow a failure on your part．It is not．Only one person is to blame，only one person should hurt — me．You have always taught me that when the room goes dark，you can wait for the lights to be switched back on or you can search in the dark and turn the light on yourself．You are my light．You always have been and always will be．There is nobody I admire more，nobody I have strived harder to please in my life，which is why my current failure hurts me so much．
I am so sorry that I will not be there to see you，but I want you to know that now，as always，you are here with me．In my darkest hours，and in the coldest loneliness of my past few months，my mind has so often wandered to the past，to when it was you and me — and I have been able to smile．Yours is the strength that I draw upon．
A parent’s job is to make sure that they pass on the best of themselves to their children．You have done that．It is the inner you in me that will get me through this．
I have failed you so epically，but you have never failed me．If I think back to the tears I shed when Dad left，all those years ago，I see you through their misty glaze．You holding me and you telling me we’d be OK，and we will be．We are and always will be the best team．
Childhood heroes such as footballers，actors and rock stars are clichéd．If the job’s done right，a child’s heroes should be their parents — you are mine．The strength you showed after the divorce from Dad to find your biological parents，to go to university and get your teaching qualifications，to begin your life again，is the strength that I draw on now．It is the belief in myself，it is the belief you have in me，that tells me that once I am released I can and will rebuild my life．I will make you proud again．I will make you happy to have me as your son．Yours is the will that gets me through every day．
I don’t believe you can judge a person for the mistakes they make，as we all make them，but you can judge them for what they do afterwards．And after this，when it is all over，you will still have a son with the same hopes and dreams．They have not diminished．If you can dream it，then you have to believe it can happen — right？
So this Mothering Sunday，please think back to that morning in the 80s，the first Mother’s Day without Dad，when a six year old me got up early and made breakfast for you．Do you remember it？Could you ever forget？A slice of bread a doorstep thick and a wedge of cheese equally dense．You didn’t have to eat it，but you did，chewing every dry mouthful．I know now why you forced yourself — because it had been made with love．Well，things don’t change this year — this letter is that bread and cheese (it sure has plenty of the cheese！)．
I love you so much．I am sorry I have let you down，but you have taught me that we will always pick ourselves up and become better than we were before．Thank you for everything and this year，more than ever：
Happy Mothering Sunday．
Love，your sonAccording to the passage，what made the author most upset at present？
| A．Losing his freedom temporarily． |
| B．Being unable to phone his mother． |
| C．Failing to live up to his mother’s expectations． |
| D．Having no chance to spend the weekend with mother． |
What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 4 refer to？
| A．Mothering Sunday |
| B．Dark time |
| C．His mistake |
| D．Near future |
What did the author do in the loneliness of his past months？
| A．He summed up the causes of the failure in his life． |
| B．He planned to help his mother find her birth parents． |
| C．He recalled the fond memories of being with his mother． |
| D．He prepared himself to go to university for further studies． |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “clichéd” in Paragraph 6？
| A．Ridiculous |
| B．Liberal |
| C．Explicit |
| D．Common |
Which of the following can best describe the author’s mother？
| A．Selfless but stubborn |
| B．Guilty but determined |
| C．Selfish but responsible |
| D．Caring but envious |
Is it okay to keep exercising when you have a cold? What about the flu? With winter viruses going around, it’s important to know how to alter your training if you do catch a germ or two.
“The guidelines are pretty easy,” says Dr Lorenzo Masci from the Alphington Sports Medicine Clinic. “Anything above the neck --- so if you’ve got a cold for example, a runny nose or a sore throat --- then you should probably cut down your exercise by half and do 50 percent of what you normally do.”
“If you’ve got anything below the neck, like muscle pain, joint pain or fever, you shouldn’t really exercise at all until those general symptoms settle down,” Lorenzo says. He points out that a cough would also fall into this more serious category. “For example, if anyone comes in with a fever and a runny nose, I’d tell them to stop exercising until the fever and the muscle ache settles. Then they can start their training again at 50 percent once all those symptoms settle, even if they’ve got a bit of a runny nose or a sore throat.”
“The reason we tell people to stop exercising is because if you exercise when you’re unwell it can make the illness worse and prolong it.” There is a second reason Lorenzo advises his patients to stop exercising when they have “below the neck” symptoms. In the event you have an illness which affects your heart, exercise can sometimes actually lead to death.
Lorenzo advises to take zinc (锌) and vitamin C as a way of preventing colds. But he admits that this is controversial --- some studies have shown that these supplements can improve immune function while other studies have cast doubt on the issue. The good news is that if you exercise regularly, you’re likely to improve your immune function. “If you exercise too much, it can predispose (使倾向于) you to coughs and sniffles,” he points out. This is often the case for excellent athletes who train every day, such as triathletes (铁人三项运动员). “But what we do know is that if you exercise at a moderate level, your immune system improves such that you’re probably at a lower risk of developing coughs and colds.”How many guidelines does Dr Lorenzo mainly suggest on doing exercises when people catch a cold?
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
How should people do exercises with a fever or a cough?
| A．They should probably reduce their training time by 50%. |
| B．They should stop exercising until they recover. |
| C．They should start exercising at 50% after their runny nose settles. |
| D．They should do half of what they normally do. |
What is the worst result if people don’t stop exercising when they are unwell?
| A．Worsening the illness. |
| B．Prolonging the illness. |
| C．Affecting the heart. |
| D．Bringing about threat to life. |
What can be proved from the last paragraph?
| A．Zinc and Vitamin C can help to prevent colds. |
| B．The more exercises we do, the stronger our immune function will be. |
| C．Doing exercises regularly can help us prevent colds. |
| D．Excellent athletes seldom get coughs or sniffles. |
What is this passage mainly about?
| A．Relationship between exercises and flu. |
| B．How to do exercises. |
| C．How to cope with flu. |
| D．When to do exercises. |
Cool temperatures, golden colors of autumn and dramatic events are just three reasons to visit Oregon’s Washington County this fall. The season brings a large number of places to see and things to do. We’ve collected some of the best reasons why you should plan a trip here in the coming months.
It’s a Harvest Season
Autumn marks the height of the agricultural season, which not only means a variety of autumn fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ markets, but also means that the season is heating up with fun, family farm events. Three apple festivals this fall will celebrate the diversity and deliciousness of Oregon-grown apples.
The Colors Are Changing
On a cool, autumn day, the rural, agricultural and forested scenery of Oregon’s Washington County comes alive with bright red, orange and yellow leaves --- a stark contrast to the deep, dark green of the trees that share these landscapes.
Bird Migration Season Is in High Season
September and October are busy months for bird watchers. Migratory and native birds call Washington County “home”, whether it’s for the winter or they’re just visiting on their southern voyage.
Wine Harvest Season Brings Signature Tasting Events
Celebrate the splendor of Oregon wine at two of the region’s biggest wine events, which happen annually in the fall. The North Willamette Harvest Trail and Grand Tasting is a full-day guided bus tour to three wineries featuring hands-on experiences, vineyard exploration, a wine country lunch, and wine tastings.
Experience Tree-to-Tree Adventures at Sunset
Enjoy the crisp temperatures and rich colors of the season at Tree to Tree Adventure Park, an aerial ropes course with six challenging courses and zip-line park, all rolled into one. These are the final months to enjoy this fun and exciting attraction until it closes for the season in November.
Plan your own Oregon’s Washington County autumn getaway. Read this great digital visitor guide for ideas and inspiration.When you go to the farmers’ markets ______.
| A．you can get kinds of apples for free |
| B．you can make friends with farmers |
| C．you can join in the celebrations |
| D．you can feel satisfied with fun |
The bird watchers go to Washington County ______.
| A．because they are attracted by colorful leaves |
| B．because the native birds leave their home |
| C．because they can see different kinds of birds |
| D．because the birds start their southern voyage |
It can be inferred from the fifth paragraph that ______.
| A．the wine event is to be held in the coming winter |
| B．farmers are good at growing grape in Oregon |
| C．the three wineries are most famous in America |
| D．few tourists like tasting the wine in wineries |
If you love the aerial ropes course ______.
| A．you must face six competitions in Oregon |
| B．you should have experience in rolling |
| C．you must take ropes course in advance |
| D．you can visit Oregon in the fall season |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．Reasons to Visit Oregon’s Washington County |
| B．Washington County Welcomes its Best Season |
| C．Charm of the Colorful Season |
| D．Take Adventures in the Coming Autumn |
BEIJING，Feb．5，2013（Xinhua）－Chinese health authorities on Tuesday launched a campaign to fight against assisted reproductive technology （ART：辅助生育技术） abuse．Unauthorized ART use，surrogate motherhood and the illegal collection and supply of sperm and eggs，as well as the illegal sale and abuse of ovulation induction（诱导排卵） medicine，will be targeted．
The Ministry of Health and health department of the People's Liberation Army General Logistics Department jointly announced the campaign at a conference．Both departments also ordered all of their local branches to suspend permits for new organizations that wish to offer ART treatments．That is，new organizations will not appear recently．Official figures showed that at the end of 2012，China had 358 organizations authorized to conduct ART treatment．
The health ministry also delivered a brief statement of the country's current infertility rate（不孕率） and ART use．The infertility rate in China is now between 7 and 10 percent，the ministry said．Some 70 to 80 percent of women who are suffering from infertility can be pregnant after changing their lifestyles and receiving medical treatment．Around 20 percent of infertile couples have to resort to ART to have babies．In 2011，about 350，000 people received ART treatment and more than 60，000 infertile couples successfully had children with the help of ART，the ministry said．ART abuse DOSEN'T include________．
| A．surrogate motherhood |
| B．unauthorized ART use |
| C．the regular usage of medicine |
| D．the illegal supply of sperm and eggs |
What does the underlined word “suspend” （paragraph 2） probably mean?
| A．Support． | B．Pause． | C．Allow． | D．Ban． |
From the last paragraph we can know________．
| A．Nearly10 percent of couples could not have their own babies |
| B．70 to 80 percent of women could not be pregnant now |
| C．Over 350，000 infertile couples had their babies with the help of ART |
| D．About one fifth of infertile couples have to turn to ART for help |
What's the best title of the passage?
| A．China targets ART abuse |
| B．ART is used in China |
| C．ART is illegal in China |
| D．China increases ART using |
Growing strawberries in pots
·The best way to start growing strawberries is to buy pot-grown strawberry plants m spring：5 plants are plenty for a hanging basket and 10 for the average 13 inch-sized pot．
·Plant them immediately in soil-based compost（混合肥料） and they will produce a modest crop in their first year．The second year should see a bumper（特大的）crop，followed by a slightly lower yield（产量）the third summer ．Then start again with fresh stock ．
·Careful watering and feeding are essential If you are to harvest a good crop，you must never let the compost dry out, particularly when the fruit is forming and ripening；if you do．most of your crop will drop off血e bush almost immediately．
·Water well then leave the pots for up to 3 weeks，until they reach the point of drying out be careful not to overwater them during the winter months．
Pruning apple trees
·A one-year-old tree is known as a “maiden”．It has a single stem when purchased．Immediately after planting, cut it back by about half to leave 4 good buds at the base of the stem．．This will force growth from the base or the plant during the summer．
·In the second year ,prune in winter by cutting all side branches back by about one-third, Make sure each cut is made cleanly just above an outward-facing bud．In the third and fourth years, new side branches will have emerged from the previous year’s growth．Cut back all these new side branches by a third, pruning to an outward-facing bud．
·By the fifth year the tree should have a well-balanced shape．From then on ,cut back all new branches by one-third in winter．Remove any diseased wood and broken branches, and ensure the centre is open to air circulationThe two pieces of advice probably appear in_________
| A．a scientific repot | B．a gardening guide |
| C．a book review | D．a fashion column |
A good crop of strawberries mainly depends on_________
| A．the size of a pot |
| B．the season of harvesting |
| C．the number of plants in a pot |
| D．careful watering and feeding |
Cutting back all side branches by a third is to__________
| A．remove the diseased and broken branches |
| B．keep the whole tree open to air circulation |
| C．force the apple tree to grow from the base in winter |
| D．help the apple tree to form a well-balanced shape |
The two pieces of advice suggest that planting is closely related to_______
| A．season | B．water | C．compost | D．cutting |
The breaking news of Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday evening soon aroused public curiosity of the 57yearold Chinese writer: Why was it him that was favored by the Swedish Academy?
Born in 1955 into a rural family，Mo dropped out of school and became a farmer when he was a teenager．He joined the military and devoted himself to writing after the Cultural Revolution （1966－1976）．
Less than half an hour after the announcement，Mo's works turned to soldout status at China's major online book sellers．One lucky buyer wrote in an online comment: “Rushed to purchase，but to my shame，I have not read any of his novels．”
Although Mo was entitled one of the top domestic literature awards before the Nobel Prize，he is not the most popular novelist in China，in either the book market or in reputation．
Mo's novel “Big Breasts & Wide Hips，” translated by Howard Goldblatt，tells a story of a mother who struggled and suffered hardship and intertwined fates with Chinese people in the 20th century．His more recent work “Frog” more directly criticized China's onechild family policy，which helped control the country's population explosion but also brought tragedies to rural residents in the past 60 years．
“I think the reason why I could win the prize is because my works present lives with unique Chinese characteristics，and they also tell stories from a viewpoint of common human beings，which is above differences of nations and races，” Mo said on Thursday evening to Chinese journalists．Mo also said many folk arts originated from his hometown，such as clay sculpture，paper cuts，traditional new yearpaintings，have inspired and influenced his novels．
With more Chinese writers like Mo，the world could learn a more real China．Perhaps，this is another reason for the Swedish Academy's choice．What can we conclude from the second paragraph?
| A．Mo's life experiences． |
| B．Mo's family life． |
| C．Mo devoted himself to writing． |
| D．Mo had a gift for writing． |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Mo didn't got any national awards before he won the Nobel Prize． |
| B．Mo was the top novelist in China before he won the Nobel Prize． |
| C．Mo's novels have attracted many people to read． |
| D．Mo's novels are all based on his daily life． |
Which of the following have no effect on Mo's novels according to the passage?
| A．Clay sculpture． | B．Paper cuts． |
| C．Folk arts． | D．Beijing opera． |
According to the passage，we know that________．
| A．Big Breasts & Wide Hips' leading role is one happy mother |
| B．Big Breasts & Wide Hips criticized China's onechild family policy |
| C．Frog came out earlier than Big Breasts & Wide Hips |
| D．Frog shows benefit as well as shortcoming of one China's policy |