It is important for countries to develop. Sometimes development can do more harm than good for a country. Therefore, this development needs to be different from past development, which polluted the environment and wasted natural resources. One possible solution to this problem now being discussed is sustainable development. It focuses on preserving the environment and natural resources. It is all about creating better health care, education, housing and improved standard of living for everyone. This is a simple idea, but one that is hard to put into practice. However, it is something that we must do, because without sustainable development our future and the lives of our children and our grandchildren will be in danger.

Nearly everything we do in our modern lives requires the use of the Earth’s natural resources. These natural resources provide the energy for many important things. The list is almost endless. For all these things, we mostly depend on fuels such as coal, gas and oil to produce energy. We are now consuming these fuels at a much higher rate than they are being produced. On top of this, burning these fuels produces carbon dioxide, which is harmful to the environment. This is why many people are pushing for the use of alternative energy sources.

Alternative energy sources can be used without running out. Some examples of the alternatives are solar energy, wind energy and hydroelectricity. As people are becoming more aware of the need to protect the environment, these types of energy are becoming more and more popular.

In many parts of the world, tentative(试验性的) steps are being taken to introduce these forms of alternative energy. For example, some people in Nigeria are training to use solar power, and in Costa Rica, people are now using hydroelectricity to provide power for their small villages. The introduction of programmes like these will hopefully help end the systematic destruction of the environment and see alternative energy promoted around the world. This will mean good things for our future, our children’s future and our grandchildren’s future.

1.We know from the passage that sustainable development _________.

A. means to develop slowly

B. can bring little good to the people

C. has ended the environmental destruction

D. is an idea being discussed

2.It is important to preserve the natural resources because they _________.

A. consume the energy for important things

B. are running out

C. provide the energy for people to use

D. are being produced at a high rate

3. Hydroelectricity means ___________.

A. using the sun to provide electricity

B. using wind power to produce electricity

C. using water power to produce electricity

D. using water to protect the environment

4. What is the author’s attitude toward sustainable development?

A. Critical. B. Positive.

C. Tolerant. D. Doubtful.

Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy---they’re given after all. Choice can be hard.

I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2300 percent per year. I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me, I had just turned 30 years old , and I’d been married for a year, I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t , and I wasn’t sure what to expect, MacKenzie told me I should go for it. As a young boy, I’d been a garage inventor, I’d always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my passion.

I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people, and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park, listened carefully to me, and finally said, “That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job.” That logic made some sense to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision. Seen in that light, it really was a difficult choice, but ultimately, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing. And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.

After much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion, and I’m proud of that choice, For all of us, in the end, we are our choice.

1.What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?

A. His dream of being an inventor.

B. The support of his wife.

C. The greatly increasing usage of the Internet.

D. Millions of exciting titles.

2.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?

A. The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him.

B. He would be very excited if he tried it out.

C. He would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try.

D. The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him.

3.We can know from the passage that ______.

A. the boss thought the idea was suitable for the author

B. the author wanted someone else to try the idea

C. the author might not regret if he failed the idea

D. the author might go back to his boss if he failed

4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. Cleverness and Kindness B. The Starting of Amazon

C. Following My Passion D. We Are What We Choose

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。

Lately, there is a rising trend in families choosing to homeschool their child than send their child to a traditional educational institution. Let’s look at some of the benefits of homeschooling.

1. Flexible Schedule

Homeschooling enables a flexible schedule. 1. With homeschooling, your child can start homeschooling at 9 am or later depending on your preferred schedule. You can schedule your child’s homeschooling education as you see fit with materials or subjects that may be not available in a traditional school.

2. Individual Attention

With homeschooling, your child gets all the individual attention. For example, if your child is weak in maths, you could devote more time and energy to teaching maths. Your child’s homeschooling schedule can be adjusted for that. For example, if your child is better at science than at maths, simply devote more homeschooling hours to maths and cut back on science. With homeschooling, the choice is yours. 2.

3. Family Activity

The schooling of the child can become an extended family activity. Examples are field trips and experiments. Plus, the child also receives more quality time with his/her parents. 3. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure or influences.

4. 4.

With homeschooling, the child does not need to prove his/her abilities to other children. Parents are able to plan the learning program according to his strengths and weakness.

Parents can also change the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. 5. Some children even learn better from experiencing or seeing things in action.

A. No peer pressure

B. Religion Learning

C. Traditional schools can’t do that.

D. There is more time for family bonding.

E. For example, the child needn’t wake up at 7 every morning.

F. Plus, it is quite impossible to provide individual attention to all students.

G. For example, some children learn better from reading while others need to write.

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，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

One night I decided to spend some time building a happier and closer relationship with my daughter. For several weeks she had been me to play chess with her, so I suggested a game and she eagerly . It was a school night, however, and at nine o’clock my daughter asked if I could________ my moves, because she to go to bed; she had to get up at six in the morning. I ________ she had strict sleeping habits, ________ I thought she ought to be able to ________ some of this strictness. I said to her,“ ________ , you can stay up late for once. We’re having ________ .” We played on for another fifteen minutes, during which time she looked ________ . Finally she said, “Please, Daddy, do it quickly.” “No.” I replied. “If you’re going to play it________ , you’re going to play it slowly. ”And so we ________ for another ten minutes, until ________ my daughter burst out crying, and ________ that she was beaten.

Clearly I had made ________ . I had started the evening wanting to have a ________ time with my daughter but had ________ my desire to win to become more ________ than my relationship with my daughter. When I was a child, my desire to win ________ me well. As a parent, I ________ that it got in my way. So I had to change.

1.A. guiding B. asking C. training D. advising

2.A. followed B. expected C. replied D. accepted

3.A. change B. repeat C. hurry D. pass

4.A. agreed B. needed C. begged D. hated

5.A. knew B. learned C. guessed D. heard

6.A. so B. for C. but D. or

7.A. put up B. take up C. pick up D. give up

8.A. As usual B. Go ahead C. By the way D. Come on

9.A. patience B. luck C. fun D. success

10.A. excited B. proud C. anxious D. angry

11.A. well B. again C. fairly D. regularly

12.A. discussed B. continued C. counted D. argued

13.A. nervously B. immediately C. strangely D. suddenly

14.A. promised B. admitted C. wondered D.discovered

15.A. a mistake B. a decision C. an attempt D. an effort

16.A. free B. different C. full D. happy

17.A. managed B. recognized C. allowed D. reduced

18.A. important B. attractive C. practical D. interesting

19.A. offered B. served C. controlled D. taught

20.A. realized B. apologized C. imagined D. explained

His first book _______ next month is based on a true story.

A. published B. to be published

C. to publish D. being published

_____ from the appearance, it is very peaceful; but in fact, a war will break out soon.

A. Judged B. Judging C. Having judged D. To judge

Film has a much shorter history, especially when _____ such art forms as music and painting.

A. having compared to B. comparing to

C. compare to D. compared to

tomorrow , we would put off the match till next Monday.

A. Should it rained B. Were it to rain

C. If it would rain D. Had it rained

_____ he realized it was too late to return home.

A. No sooner it grew dark than

B. Hardly did it grow dark when

C. It was not until dark that

D. It was until dark that

The naughty boy demanded that he to go on studying the next week.

A. could permit B. could be permitted

C. must permit D. be permitted