Many people believe that you lose the ability to learn new languages as you get older. Language experts, however, will tell you that you’re never too old to learn a new language. As you get older, it can be more difficult to learn a new language, though.

Children and adults learn new languages in different ways．For children, language is their life. They study for thousands of hours every year, because they need to learn languages to become part of their communities. Adults, on the other hand，are already part of a language community. Learning a new language means becoming part of another language community, and adults seldom get the chance to practice as much as young children do.

Moreover, children learning a new language are expected to make mistakes. This gives them freedom when learning to be daring and confident. Adults, however, often feel pressured to be perfect when learning a new language. This can discourage many people and make it even harder to learn a new language.

Research has shown that children who learn a new language when they are very young will not be likely to have a “foreign” accent when speaking a different language. Some scientists also believe that it can take up to 10,000 hours of study to master a new language. This can be difficult for adults to achieve, but young children can accumulate(积累) those hours over several years as they grow up.

When young children learn a new language, they come to see multiple languages as a “normal” part of society. This mindset (思维模式) helps them learn a new language without feeling like they’re doing something unusual or “too hard”.

So if you want to learn a new language, go for it! It’s never too late to learn a new language. If you’re older, it may take more work, but it can be done. If you’re a young child, though, now is the time to step out and learn a new language!

1.By “language is their life”, the author means that children ________.

A. can’t live without language

B. lead a happy life every day

C. practice a new language a lot

D. are good at speaking language

2.What may make it hard for the old people to learn a new language?

A. They usually have too many interests.

B. They are afraid of being laughed at.

C. They think making mistakes is natural.

D. They always make all kinds of mistakes.

3.According to the author, a new language ________.

A. can be grasped by the old people easily

B. can never be learned by the old people

C. can be learned by both the old and the young

D. is an important skill for the old people

4.The author develops this passage by ________.

A. making several comparisons(对比)

B. presenting research findings

C. offering some typical examples

D. telling some interesting stories

Airport Express

With the Airport Express, you are never far from town. There is a train every 10 minutes, ready to rush you between the airport and Hong Kong Station in the heart of the shopping and downtown district in about 24 minutes. Or travel to the Asia World-Expo in just 1 minute from the airport.

Airport Express service hours

Mon.-Fri.: 5:50am to 1:15am

Sat.-Sun.: 5:00am to 2:00am

Tickets

There are three types of ticket for travelling to and from the Airport: Single Journey, Round Trip and Same Day Return. Single Journey Ticket and Same Day Return Ticket are valid(有效的) on day of issue(发放). Round Trip Ticket is valid for 30 days from day of issue. You can also use the Octopus Card for the Airport Express. (The Octopus Card is an electronic store-value ticket and it can be used on most public transport. The fare will be deducted(扣除) from the stored value each time, so you do not have to carry heavy coins. The card is valid for three years after value has been added.)

Travel tips

Children under 3 travel for free.

Passengers travelling on the Airport Express are now able to write email and do online searches with Wi-Fi service.

For more information about Airport Express, please visit www.hongkongairport.com or call 00852-21818888.

1.What is good about a Octopus Card?

A. It saves money for its users.

B. It is sold in every store.

C. Its validity is unlimited.

D. It avoids its users carrying coins.

2.What can you know about Airport Express?

A. Hong Kong Station is just 1 minute distance from the airport.

B. Single Journey Ticket is acceptable for 30 days.

C. Children are free of charge for tickets.

D. Passengers can surf the Internet on the Airport Express.

3.What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To provide suggestions about the Airport Express.

B. To advertise the Octopus Card.

C. To inform readers of the Airport Express service.

D. To introduce the Airport Express schedule.

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。

Stress(压力) is a popular cause of major diseases affecting people worldwide. It is so common that people have begun to search for the best and easiest ways to reduce stress. 1.

Exercise for a better life.

Regular runners say that there is no better feeling than the one you get when you finish your daily run. Exercising is a good way for you to remove stress from your life. 2. And it can also lift your mood. An additional benefit of exercising is that it keeps you fit and healthy!

Organize it.

Keeping your workplace and home organized is also a way for you to avoid stressful situations. Working in a messy(凌乱的) area keeps your brain thinking on several different things at the same time. 3.

Manage your time wisely.

4. Sticking to(坚持) your schedule gives you focus and a goal to work on. It also helps you avoid missing out on deadlines which are a great source of stress. Managing your time wisely means managing your stress.

In a word, we shouldn’t let stress stop us living a normal and healthy life. Stress will naturally appear due to the modern way of life. 5. Don’t let stress get the better of you and make you lead an unhappy life.

A. Avoid stressed people.

B. Know what causes your stress.

C. Plan your day ahead and stick to it.

D. Here are some ways to say goodbye to stress.

E. Regular exercise gives you time to think things.

F. And it gets hard to focus on (思想集中) just one thing.

G. But just like fire, if we control stress it can’t hurt us.

完形填空

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

The other night, I had to go to a meeting, which lasted past my daughter’s bedtime. I _________ home and was brushing my teeth when I _________ , and there on the bathroom mirror was a note in the _________ of a heart. It said, “Hi, Mom! I Love You. Laurel. ” _________ , I cut a heart out of a piece of paper, and pasted(贴) a(n) _________ next to hers, saying, “I Love You, too, Laurel. Love, Mom”, which she _________ the next morning.

Our family has _________ that by integrating(互相) writing into our _________ activities, we become more thoughtful of each other. Meanwhile, our daughter is learning to enjoy writing and becoming a(n) _________ writer.

While teaching in a primary school, I _________ how influential parents can be as children learn to write. _________when our daughter first began to scribble（乱涂）, I became _________ by her work. I offered praise for her _________, for I found that scribbling is far more complex and important than I had _________ . It was obvious that her scribbles, _________ being lovely art objects, showed a lot about her _________ of the world of writing.

Gradually, our family began writing a great deal. I sensed that writing helped Laurel learn _________ to read. As a matter of fact, by _________ my own child and her friends and by reading professional books, I became more and more _________ about how writing develops and how _________ can help children become eager writers.

1.A. left B. returned C. missed D. headed

2.A. turned up B. turned down C. looked up D. looked on

3.A. size B. shade C. model D. shape

4.A. ImmediatelyB. Suddenly C. Finally D. Usually

5.A. pictureB. article C. note D. page

6.A. felt B. wrote C. read D. heard

7.A. found B. imagined C. dreamed D. doubted

8.A. boring B. useful C. daily D. personal

9.A. important B. ordinary C. poor D. skilled

10.A. learned B. regarded C. considered D. discussed

11.A. Yet B. Though C. But D. So

12.A. disappointed B. attracted C. puzzled D. worried

13.A. effects B. efforts C. suggestions D. methods

14.A. cared B. insisted C. realized D. proved

15.A. besides B. far from C. instead of D. less than

16.A. argumentsB. fear C. understandingD. dislikes

17.A. when B. how C. what D. whether

18.A. noticing B. discovering C. checking D. observing

19.A. particularB. clear C. anxious D. crazy

20.A. teachers B. friends C. books D. parents

语法填空

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Nearly all of us have dreamed about winning the big prize in a lottery(彩票). We dream about 1. we would do with the money, but we seldom stop to think about how the money would change us.

For most of us, our way of life is 2. (close) connected with our social economy. The different parts of 3. lives fit together like a jigsaw(拼板) — work, home, friends, hobbies and sports make up our world. A sudden fortune would change it all and break the jigsaw. For example, some people like the idea 4. not having to work, but winners have found that without work there is no reason to get up in the morning. It seems great 5. (move) to a bigger house in a wealthy area, 6. if you do that, you leave old friends behind.

Usually, winners 7. (advise) not to make their addresses and phone numbers known, but begging letters still arrive. 8. they are not careful, most of their money will be spent 9. the 10. (protect) of their possessions(财产).

短文改错

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加，删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2、只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Dear Abby，

How are you? Today I’ve got a wonderful news to tell you. I have offered a scholarship at a university in Australia for my further education. One hundred and twenty students took exam for it, but only a few was chosen and I was one of them. However, my parents are not happy about it. They are strong against me going there. They say it is too far away that they will not see me for a whole year and they are afraid of I will feel lonely. They can’t imagine a girl so young live alone. They ask me study in the capital instead. Then I’ll be able to continue living with them. How can I persuade them to accept the fact I have grown up？

Best wishes,

Jane

书面表达

假定你是李华，从互联网（the Internet）上得知一个国际中学生组织将在澳大利亚(Australia)举办夏令营，欢迎各国学生参加。请写一封电子邮件申请参加。

内容主要包括：

1.自我介绍（包括英语能力）；2.参加意图（介绍中国、了解其他国家）；3.希望获准。

注意：

1.词数100左右。

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

3.邮件开头和结尾已为你写好。

Dear Sir or Madam,

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Regards,

Li Hua

The stories we share with one another are important. They show wisdom and provide inspiration. They are important to our development. But sometimes people choose not to tell.

Consider the negative effects of not sharing a story in the news: People are wondering if public health officials are holding back too much information about the recent outbreak of Ebola.

There is a danger in holding back stories that ought to be told. Bobette Buster said it like this, “The fact is, history has shown us that stories not told can become like a dangerous genie (妖怪) left in a bottle. When they are finally uncorked, their power to destroy is set free.”

There are a number of reasons why we hide parts of our story: they often show our weaknesses or expose our disadvantages; they require courage and strength to share; and of course, there are some stories that should be kept secret—especially those that embarrass someone else.

Most of us have two selves: the one we display on the outside and the one we actually are on the inside. And the better we get at hiding the stories that show our true selves, the more damage we may be causing to ourselves and to others.

Honesty and openness is important: It proves we are trustworthy. It displays we are human. We are not perfect or better. It highlights the importance of hard work and personal development. Hard work may not allow us to overcome our disadvantages completely. But with hard work, we do not have to be restricted to our mistakes.

Does this mean we admit every weakness, every disadvantage, and every secret regret to everybody we meet? No, of course not. There is a time and a place and a certain level of relationship necessary for some stories to be told in an appropriate manner.

1.What’s the function of the example in Paragraph 2?

A. It reflects that people are concerning about the spread of Ebola.

B. It shows the bad effect caused by sharing a story.

C. It proves not sharing a story can cause trouble.

D. It concludes that one should share a story at a proper time.

2.One of the reasons why people are unwilling to share experiences is that _______.

A. story-sharing highlights the importance of hard work

B. people are used to exposing their weaknesses

C. people sometimes have no courage to share their stories

D. some stories make themselves feel uneasy

3.Which is close in meaning to the underlined word “uncorked” in Paragraph 3?

A. freed B. broken C. unfolded D. untouched

4.The writer aims to convince us to _______.

A. be open to people close to you by sharing some secrets

B. share stories appropriately for the good of others and ourselves

C. remove the dangers that can be caused by untold stories

D. realize the importance of being honest when making friends

CANYOUIMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKETHIS? Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a second thought. Actually, the ancient Greeks wrote this way. The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers, though. As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time, sentences switched directions. A sentence read from left to right. The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc. The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They • put • something • that • can • separate • words • in • a • sentence. The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a dot.

When the 5th century arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points. The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading. Then in the 13th century, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation. He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence. He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause. Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma (逗号).

Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family. The exclamation mark (感叹号) comes from the Latin word io. It means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question. Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question.

Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays. New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways. Take for example the “interrobang”. This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both. For example, “She did what?” or “How much did you pay for that dress?” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized yet, but its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.

1.From the first paragraph, we can know that _______.

A. good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks

B. a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece

C. ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks

D. the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times

2.The passage is developed _______.

A. by time B. by space

C. by comparison D. by importance

3.We can learn from the passage that _______.

A. ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks

B. exclamation and question marks came from Latin

C. spaces and slashes were already used before the 5th century

D. Aldus Manutius first started to use commas

4.What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A. The combination of two marks will not work.

B. It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks.

C. Old punctuation marks need to be standardized.

D. Punctuation marks are still changing today.

Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago. He studied the observations of comets (彗星) which other scientists had made. The orbit（轨道）of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.

However, Halley had a friend named Isaac Newton, who was a brilliant mathematician. Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse(椭圆形).

Now Halley set to work. He figured out(解决，计算出)the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearance had been 75 to 76 years apart.

This seemed very strange to Halley. Three different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again.

It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain to make a prediction(预言)of what would happen in the future. He decided that this would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley’s prediction could be tested. In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet had been called Halley’s comet, in his honor.

1.Edmund Halley figured out the orbit of ____.

A. some different comets appearing several times

B. the same comet appearing at different times

C. three different comets appearing at the same time

D. several comets appearing at the same time

2.Halley made his discovery ____.

A. by doing experiments

B. by means of his own careful observation

C. by using the working of other scientists

D. by chance

3.Halley made a surprising, but correct prediction in the year____.

A. 1704 B. 1705 C. 1706 D. 1707

4.This passage in general is about ____.

A. Halley and other scientists B. the orbit of a comet

C. Newton and Halley D. Halley and his discovery