I'd like to talk about the school system in Australia today. The school system in Australia does depend on 1.________ you go to a private school or a public school. In the state I’m from, there are a lot of private schools, and generally they are single-sex high schools. The public high schools are generally 2._______ (mix). All of the private high schools insist that you should wear their school uniforms, 3.____that might mean4. (wear) a school tie and a school jacket. However, the public high schools often give you a 5. ______(choose) of whether you want to wear a uniform or not. The school classes generally start anywhere6. ____ 8:30 and 9 o’clock in the morning and run 7. _____ 3:30 in the afternoon, and they’re followed by after-school 8._____ (active) like sports and music theater. The school year generally starts in the9. ____ (begin) on February, after our summer vacation, which lasts about six weeks around the Christmas period.

The only thing I don't like about our school system is the idea of the difference in quality of education between the private and the public schools. It remains10. ___(see) whether you can get a better education, even if you are in a private high school. Most of our public high schools are quite good.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, after its shocking disappearance, has caught the attention of millions around the world as the search for the airplane and its passengers and crew continues. What happened to the flight’s 239 passengers and crew after the plane left Kuala Lumpur on Saturday? It is becoming an increasingly desperate question as the days pass.

But it’s hardly the first mystery of its kind. Here are some half-solved and unsolved airline mysteries that kept investigators clueless for years.

Air France Flight 447: An Airbus A330 flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris plunged into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board. But it took a full five days for search and rescue teams to find the wreckage（残骸）and another three years for investigators to report that ice crystals had caused the autopilot (自动驾驶仪) to disconnect. The bodies of 74 passengers remain unrecovered.

Amelia Earhart: Top pilot Amelia Earhart disappeared in her twin-engine monoplane Electra over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to travel around the globe. No sign of her plane was ever found even after a multi-million dollar search effort, and Earhart was officially declared dead in 1939.

Flying Tiger Line Flight 739: A U.S. military flight left Guam in 1962 with more 90 personnel headed for the Philippines, but it never arrived. The pilots never issued a distress call, and 1,300 people involved in the U.S. military search never found any sign of wreckage.

British South American Airways: It took more than 50 years to find any trace of the 11 people aboard a 1947 flight that disappeared in the Andes Mountains. A pair of Argentineans rock climbers discovered engine wreckage in the Andes in 1998, and an army expedition later found human remains as well.

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571: A flight headed to Santiago, Chile carrying 45 passengers and crew crashed into the Andes Mountains in poor weather in 1972, killing twelve people. In the meantime, eight were killed in an avalanche (雪崩) that hit the plane’s wreckage where they were taking shelter, and the rest stayed alive by eating the flesh of the dead before they were finally found more than two months after disappearing out of the sky.

1.The underlined word “plunged” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _____.

A. jumped B. broke C. dived D. flew

2.What can we learn from Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571? _____.

A. 12 people were lost until now.

B. 25 people were rescued immediately.

C. The rest who stayed alive killed 8 people.

D. 8 were killed by a fall of a large mass of snow down a mountainside.

3.From the passage, what could have led to British South American Airways crash?

A. The bad weather. B. Not mentioned.

C. The ice crystals. D. The lightning.

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage? _____.

A. Earhart was declared dead by the local government two years later.

B. The bodies of Flight 447 had all been found after three years.

C. Two Argentineans rock climbers discovered the dead in the Andes.

D. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was regarded as the largest air crash.

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。(特别提示：请将答案填在答题卷上)

How to Write A Good Letter

Do you want to write a good letter? Here are two main secrets. Don't try to be fancy. Don't try to impress your reader. You will be successful if you follow these seven Cs.

Clear. Use short, direct sentences. 1. Talk as if the reader were right there with you. Above all, don't use an introduction.

Correct. 2. Don't guess, even for spelling. Refer to your dictionary. If you need to, check a reference book too. Use them as much as you need to.

Complete. Don't leave your points loose. 3. This is good organization too.

Courteous. Be friendly rather than overly casual. Present your information nicely even if you are complaining about something. In all letters, treat others as you want them to treat you.

Concise. Make each point as clearly and briefly as you can.

Conversational. This is really the secret of good writing. 4. Such a letter has a natural, friendly tone. Let your personality come through naturally.

Considerate. 5. Write about what you believe the reader needs or wants to know. Try to be helpful. This will build good feeling toward you.

The seven Cs are about writing letters. But how about school papers? Use the seven Cs. Write as if you are talking to your teacher or professor. You'll be surprised. You'll almost instantly become a good writer. And you might even enjoy writing from now on.

A. Just “talk” to the person.

B. Think of the readers’ point of view as you write.

C. Make them easy to understand.

D. Include long sentences in your letter.

E. Make sure what you say is correct.

F. Writing should not be taken too seriously.

G. Finish one point completely before going on to the next.

The professor ______ sit in his study for hours when he worked on the new project.

A. couldB. mightC. wouldD. should

Can you _____ me a job when I get there? You know, I have to work in order to pay for my schooling.

A. provideB. guaranteeC. arrangeD. apply

Money is the root of all evil and new study claims there may be some truth behind the saying. Scientists at the University of California. Berkeley, US，announced on February 27 that rich people are more likely to do unethical (不道德的)things, such as lie or cheat，than poorer people.

The scientists did a series of eight experiments. They published their findings online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS，《美国国家科学院院刊》).

They carried out the first two experiments from the sidewalk near Berkeley. They noted that drivers of newer and more expensive cars were more likely to cut off other cars and pedestrians at crosswalks. Nearly 45 percent of people driving expensive cars ignored a pedestrian compared with only 30 percent of people driving more modest (不豪华的)cars.

In another experiment，a group of college students was asked if they would do unethical things in various everyday situations. Examples included taking printer paper from work and not telling a salesperson when he or she gave back more change. Students from higher-class families were more likely to act dishonestly.

According to the scientists，rich people often think money can get them out of trouble. This makes them less afraid to take risks. It also means they care less about other people’s feelings.

Finally，it simply makes them greedier. “Higher wealth status seems to make you want even more，and that increased want leads you to bend the rules or break the rules to serve your self-interest，’’said Paul Piif, lead scientist of the study.

Piff pointed out that the findings don’t mean that all rich people are untrustworthy(不能信赖的)or all poor people honest. He said the experiments were to show how people living in different social situations express their instincts and values in different ways.

1.By saying “money is the root of all evil”，the author wants to___________.

A. draw readers’ attention to the research

B. link wealth with bad behavior

C. show how the saying proves the findings

D. defend rich people who do unethical things

2.Which of the following is TRUE about the experiments the scientists did，according to the scientist quoted?

A. Most wealthy people are not trustworthy.

B. The findings were not persuasive enough and the scientists will do further experiments.

C. Drivers of more expensive cars are more likely to break traffic rules.

D. Students from poorer families are not as honest as students from richer families.

3.Why did the scientists do the experiments?

A. To show how social status affects people's ethics.

B. To show people’s instincts and values in different ways.

C. To test whether the saying “money is the root of all evil” is true.

D. To show the difference between higher-class people and lower-class people.

4.What does the article really want to show us?

A. Money is the root of all evil.

B. The rich are more likely to act badly.

C. The saying is reasonable.

D. All rich people are untrustworthy.

Like many new graduates, I left university full of hope for the future but with no real idea of what I wanted to do. My degree, with honors, in English literature had not really prepared me for anything practical. I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world somehow, but I had no idea how to do that. That’s when I learned about the Lighthouse Project.

I started my journey as a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers. I knew it would be a lot of hard work, and that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time. In short, I did not take my decision to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly. Neither did my family.

Eventually, however, I won the support of my family, and I sent in all the paperwork needed for the application. After countless interviews and presentations, I managed to stand out among the candidates and survive the test alone. Several months later, I finally received a call asking me to report for the duty. I would be going to a small village near Abuja, Nigeria. Where? What? Nigeria? I had no idea. But I was about to find out.

After completing my training, I was sent to the village that was small and desperately in need of proper accommodation. Though the local villagers were poor, they offered their homes, hearts, and food as if I were their own family. I was asked to lead a small team of local people in building a new schoolhouse. For the next year or so, I taught in that same schoolhouse. But I sometimes think I learned more from my students than they did from me.

Sometime during that period, I realized that all those things that had seemed so strange or unusual to me no longer did, though I did not get anywhere with the local language, and I returned to the United States a different man. The Lighthouse Project had changed my life forever.

1.According to the Paragraph 2, it is most likely that the author

A. discussed his decision with his family.

B. asked previous volunteers about voluntary work

C. attended special training to perform difficult tasks

D. felt sad about having to leave his family and friends

2.In his application for the volunteer job, the author

A. participated in many discussions

B. went through challenging survival tests

C. wrote quite a few papers on voluntary work

D. faced strong competition from other candidates

3.On arrival at the village, the author was

A. asked to lead a farming team

B. sent to teach in a schoolhouse

C. received warmly by local villagers

D. arranged to live in a separate house.

短文改错。

请修改以下短文：文中共有10处语言错误，错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在该词下面写出修改的词。删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。修改：在错的词下面划一条横线（_），并在该词下面写出修改的词。注意：1.每处错误及修改均仅限一词；2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分

The time we have is usual limited. However, even an hour is of much valuable. We should make full use of your time to do useful things. As students, we mustn’t study hard so as to serve for our society and our nation in the future. But it is pity that there are a lot of people who didn’t know the importance of time. They spend their valuable time smoke and drinking. They don’t realize that wasting time is the same as wasting a part of their life. Remember, don’t put off which you can do today until tomorrow.

The United States does not require business to pay workers who are sick or caring for a new baby. President Obama and some other U.S. lawmakers want to change time-off policies. Supporters say paid leave is the right thing to do. Opponents say it will kill economic growth.

In 2014, the United Nations reported that Papua New Guinea(巴布亚新几内亚) and the U.S. are the only two -- out of 185 -- countries in the world that do not offer workers paid time off to care for newborns. However, several state governments and some private businesses in the U.S. have provided the benefits for their workers.

Not every American agrees that requiring businesses to pay workers for leave is a good idea.

Tricia Baldwin is a business woman. She is secretary and treasurer for her family's company. Her company employs 400 workers. She says giving all of them paid leave would ruin her company. Instead, Reliable Contracting gives paid leave to employees who have stayed with the company for at least five years. She says paid leave is simply another government order that adds more costs to doing business.

President Obama supports paid leave for workers. Recently, he proposed a measure called the Healthy Family Act. It would allow workers to earn up to seven paid days of sick leave a year to care for themselves or family members.

Mr. Obama also wants Congress to approve a measure giving all workers six weeks of paid leave to have and care for a new baby.

U.S. lawmakers who support the proposed measure say paid leave is good for the families and for businesses. Representative Don Beyer says paid leave is an encouragement to parents to return to the job. Mr. Beyer says training a new employee can cost a company a year's worth of income. But U.S. lawmakers who oppose the bill say they do not want to restrict businesses by requiring them to provide paid leave. They are offering a different measure. The Working Families Flexibility Act would allow employees to work extra hours and earn either time off or more pay.

1.If a woman in the U.S left to care for her newborn baby, she _________.

A. wouldn’t get extra time off

B. would get lower pay

C. would pay for her leave or she will be fired

D. wouldn’t get paid leave

2.Tricia Baldwin opposes paid leave because it will ________.

A. kill the national economic growth

B. not be enough to relieve the workers’ burden

C. add more costs to doing business

D. ruin companies rules

3.Some of the lawmakers are opposed to the proposed measure to require paid leave because they think ______.

A. it encourages parents to return to the jobs

B. it will add companies’ cost of training new employees

C. it gives workers more economic guarantees

D. it reduces employees’ working time

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A. How to reform the Rules of Paid Leave in the U.S.

B. Will the U.S Pay Workers for Family Leave?

C.Is it Good for the U.S to Pay Workers for Family Leave?

D. Why Doesn’t the U.S Pay Workers for Family Leave?

完形填空

阅读下面短文, 从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中, 选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

It’s a blessing to do somebody a favor, but sometimes it’s a blessing to let another person do something for you.

The notice was posted next to the mailbox in the tenants’ apartment. “a Mitzvah(善行) for Mrs. Green, ” it ________ , “ Sign up to drive Mrs. G in #3B home from her chemotherapy treatment twice a month.” The word was always ________ in my thoughts after I went upstairs. But according to my grandmother, it had ________ meaning. She was always ________ to me because she noticed that I thought it a shame to ________ people do things for me.

One evening, snowflakes had been falling for several hours ________ it came time to leave for class. I ________ to the bus stop, reaching it just as a bus went by. For an hour, I prayed _______ that a bus would come. Then I gave up. But as I pushed the door of my ________ open, I found myself face to face a woman at the mailbox with ________ in her hand. Obviously she had a car and was going ________ . In that split second, I blurted(脱口而出)， “Could you give me a ________ ?” A strange look ________ her face and she agreed. She ________ me off where I had been heading. Back home as I walked up, I met her again. “Good night, Mrs Green. See you tomorrow,” said a neighbor inside. Shocked, I had asked a person who ________ with cancer to give me a lift in a snowstorm. ________ went down and I stammered(结结巴巴地说), “Please forgive me.”

She visited me later and said, “ I used to do thing for others but now ________ keeps doing things for me. It’s not that I don’t ________ it, but I don’t have chances. Tonight before I went out to get my ________ , I prayed to God to let me feel like ________ of the human race again. Then you came along…”

1.A. read B. wrote C. advised D. explained

2.A. squeezing B. repeating C. draining D. wandering

3.A. other B. another C. little D. no

4.A. holding on B. insisting on C. pointing out D. carrying out

5.A. help B. enjoy C. ask D. let

6.A. so B. after C. since D. when

7.A. rode B. labored C. flew D. drove

8.A. helplessly B. patiently C. desperately D. hopelessly

9.A. apartment B. room C. mailbox D. office

10.A. books B. letters C. keys D. combs

11.A. down B. back C. out D. upstairs

12.A. hand B. lift C. coffee D. break

13.A. crossed B. lightened C. boomed D. froze

14.A. threw B. took C. showed D. dropped

15.A. struggled B. coped C. met D. suffered

16.A. Tiredness B. Tears C. Anxiety D. Snow

17.A. someone B. everyone C. nobody D. none

18.A. know B. see C. appreciate D. get

19.A. trouble B. key C. box D. mail

20.A. part B. history C. role D. top