Decreasing grain prices along with growing costs of production means Chinese farmers are unlikely to see a significant rise in income next year.

China’s economic planning chief Ma Kai expressed the concern as the government undertakes an ambitious program to improve rural people’s lives.

Grain prices have been dropping since April; and prices of wheat, corn and rice fell 5 per cent from August to October compared with the same period last year, Ma, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, told an annual meeting on development and reform held over the weekend.

Meanwhile, prices of production materials rose 9.1 per cent year on year during the first 10 months.

The situation makes it difficult to achieve a “new socialist countryside,” which was last week highlighted（引起注意）as a new concept and “common action” of the whole Party and nation.

Vice-Minister of Agriculture Yin Chengjie also said China’s entry to the World Trade Organization also creates hurdles for income rises for the country’s 780 million farmers.

Farmers’ income is expected to increase by 5 per cent this year, hitting the target set by the central government at the beginning of this year.

Last year, per capita net income（个人平均纯收入）of Chinese farmers reached 2,936 yuan (US$362), up 6.8 per cent year on year, and the highest increase since 1997.

Ma also said China would continue to seek fast, steady economic growth in 2012 but more efforts will be made to deal with the challenges brought about by overheating in some industrial sectors (区域).

(from China Daily, December 5, 2011)

1.The writer thinks it difficult to achieve a “new socialist countryside” because _____.

A. grain prices decrease and production costs grow

B. “new socialist countryside” is a new concept

C. prices of production materials rose 9.1 percent

D. many farmers are working in industrial sectors

2.The underlined word “hurdles” in Paragraph 6 means _____ .

A. promotion B. fear

C. difficulties D. possibility

3.From1997 to 2011, the highest increase in farmers’ income was achieved in _____.

A. 2009 B. 2010 C. 2011 D. 2008

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。

In less than ten months, you will go to different universities and lead a new life. In your new life, making new friends is a must. Then, how can you make new friends quickly?

Everybody knows friends come and go. You have friends for every time and season of your life from youth to old age. Sometimes people change their goal in life. Perhaps you’ve made a change yourself, such as a new job or moved to a new location. ­­­­___1.____ Making new friends quickly is possible once you go about it the right way.

In order to make friends, you must first be a friend. Consider joining groups and associations that are of interest to you. ____2.___ Go out of your way to be friendly, and you’ll make new friends quickly.

___3.__ If you need help, there are millions of books on the subject of good manners.Treat people with politeness and you will see people start to flock to you because of your pleasant personality.

Become good at something. You can do well in a sport, an instrument,writing, languages or whatever else you enjoy. ___4.___ This makes you interesting and gets people to be attracted to you. It’s not about doing this for the sake of attracting attention, but having a skill at something is another way to make new friends quickly.

Share contact information with people you meet who seem interesting. Then invite them to do things with you. ____5.____ Showing interest in people by actually inviting them to do things will help you create friends quickly.

A. It could be as simple as drinking coffee together.

B. Always practice good manners.

C. You don’t have to be an expert, but at least good enough to help others with your skill.

D. Get to know your friends’ friends.

E. This may also change your circle of friends.

F. You are likely to find others who share things in common with you.

G. It is not necessary to be skillful in something.

阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项中，选出可填入空白处的最佳选项。

I was having my dinner at McDonald’s one evening when an old couple slowly walked in. They _______ their meal, took a table near the window and started _______ food out of the plate. There was one hamburger, one order of French fires(炸薯条) and one drink. The man ______ the food into two halves and carefully placed _______ before his wife.

He took a sip(一小口) of the drink. His wife also took one and then _____ the cup down between them. “That _______ old couple! All they can ______ is one meal for the two of them,” thought I. _______ the man began to eat his French fires, I ______ to my feet, went over and said that I was _____ to buy another meal for them. But he ______ refused me and said that they made it a _____ to share everything.

____, the lady didn’t take a bite. She sat there _____ her husband eat, and taking turns sipping the drink. Again I _____ to buy them something but was refused. When the man finished eating and was ______ his face with a napkin. I _____ no longer stand it. I made an offer to them a third time. _______ being politely refused, I asked the lady ____, “Madam, why aren’t you eating? You said that you share everything. ______ is it that you are waiting for?” “The teeth,” she answered.

1.A. served B. requested C. collected D. ordered

2.A. carrying B. taking C. fetching D. bringing

3.A. divided B. cut C. changed D. formed

4.A. it B. this C. that D. one

5.A. got B. settled C. set D. torned

6.A. funny B. crazy C. strange D. poor

7.A. afford B. pay C. demand D. choose

8.A. While B. Since C. As D. Until

9.A. came B. struggled C. rushed D. rose

10.A. anxious B. willing C. satisfied D. quick

11.A. warmly B. proudly C. kindly D. seriously

12.A. way B. habit C. case D. model

13.A. Surprisingly B. Sadly C. Shockingly D. Bitterly

14.A. seeing B. noticing C. watching D. finding

15.A. wanted B. asked C. planned D. attempted

16.A. wiping B. touching C. bathing D. washing

17.A. should B. could C. might D. would

18.A. In B. Upon C. After D. With

19.A. curiously B. carefully C. naturally D. plainly

20.A. How B. Who C. Why D. What

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Spending more than an hour on your smartphone each day may be a sign that you are suffering from depression, ___1.____new study has suggested. The more time is spent___2.___( use ) a phone for any reason including texting and going online, the more likely volunteers were___3.___have the blues.

Monitoring people’s comings and___4.___ ( go ) using GPS tracking on their phones also helped track mood. Spending most of your time at home was also___5.___ ( link ) to depression, as was having an__6.___ ( regular) daily schedule, such as unusual shift patterns. “___7.__people are depressed, they tend to withdraw and don’t have the motivation and energy to go out and do things,” said senior author David Mohr. “The data__8.___showed depressed people tended not to go many places____9._ ( reflect ) the loss of motivation seen in depression. ”

“The significance of this is that we can detect if a person has depressive symptoms and the severity(严重程度) of those symptoms___10.___asking them any questions. Phones can provide data obviously and with no effort on the part of the users. ”

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。

I had a interesting dream last night. I dreamed that I joined a race. At first, I could not run very fast and fell behind. So I didn’t lose my heart and kept running. All the students on the playground cheer me on, “Come on!”

I was too encouraged that I ran faster and fast till I caught up with all the other runners. I felt as if flying like a superman. In the end, I got to the finishing line first. I won the race. I felt very proudly of myself. Many of my classmate threw me up into the air. Just at that time, I woke up and found me still in bed!

假如你是李华,你的美国网友Jack想参加一档娱乐节目中国新歌声（Sing！China），请你根据所给要点提示给他写一封回信,告知相关事宜。

要点提示：

1. 简单介绍中国新歌声：普通人展示才艺的舞台，深受观众喜爱；吸引了世界各地的歌唱爱好者。

2. 参赛选手展示才艺：演唱、创作歌曲等；

3. 报名：网上提前报名；

4. 建议：学一些简单的汉语。

注意：1.字数100字左右； 2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯; 3.书写整洁。

参考词汇：参赛选手 participant

Dear Jack,

Yours,

Li Hua

How to save money to visit Shanghai Disneyland?

The “happiest place on earth” is a top destination on many families' bucket lists. But taking a vacation to Disney World can be difficult to do on a budget. There are some considerations that you can make to reduce the cost of your Disney World vacation.

1. Buy Souvenirs in Advance

Disney has influenced practically every industry, which makes it easy to find Disney items anywhere, from Walmart, Target, and your local grocery store to department stores and Amazon. You can save a lot of money by purchasing items before your trip at these less-expensive places than at Disneyland.

2. Make an Autograph Book

An autograph book is seen as a must-have by many Disneyland enthusiasts and is a memory you can take home with you. These books can cost anywhere from $7.95 to $19.95 at the Disney Store and up to $30 for the latest-and-greatest autograph book at Disneyland, such as the park’s 60th anniversary edition. Other choices can get the job done for under $5. For example, you can buy a small photo album; cute pads or notebooks.

3. Eat Breakfast Before You Arrive

Breakfast is almost as pricey as lunch or dinner if you eat inside the Disneyland parks. If you have a hotel with a free breakfast, take advantage of it. If you want to eat out, eat at a local restaurant that is inexpensive or has a kids’ menu, such as McDonald’s which is close to the park.

4. Take Advantage of Discounts Offered to Special Groups

Disney offers a wide variety of discounts, including for military service members, college students, teachers, and youth groups. If you think you might qualify for a special discount or group rate, call the Disneyland Resort to book tickets.

1.It may take you more money to buy souvenirs at_____.

A. Disneyland B. Department stores

C. Walmart D. Amazon

2.How much do you pay for the park's 60th anniversary edition?

A. $7.95 B. $19.95 C. $5 D. $30

3.What is one piece of the author’s advice on breakfast?

A. You had better eat at Disneyland.

B. You can eat at a local restaurant.

C. You should prepare it well at home .

D. You can ask the hotel to supply it for free.

When Allison Winn was eight and her family adopted a dog named Coco, they had no idea how much the little creature would change her life. “Coco helped me feel better,” says Allison, who was recovering from l4 months of treatment for a brain cancer at the time. “She would cuddle（偎依) with me when I didn't want to play.” Allison loved Coco so much that she told her parents she wanted to help other sick kids find the same kind of comfort.

She started small, raising money by selling lemonade and home-made dog biscuits in front of her house. Her first customer was the mailman. By the end of that summer, she had raised nearly $l,000, enough to adopt and train two dogs and give them to children with cancer. Now, a little more than two years later, some groups gather to make dog treats for Allison's cause.

Her organization, the Stink Bug Project, named after a picture she drew in memory of the end of her treatment, is run and managed in partnership with the Morgan Adams Foundation. Stink Bug helps families adopt pets from the Trained K9 Companion Program, where the rescued dogs are taught commands. Allison's mother, Dianna Litvak, who helps run Stink Bug, hopes to extend the pet-adoption program statewide and continue donating some of the money to help fund children's cancer research.

“Allison has figured out how to help - in a way that no one else has,” Litvak says. “We involve her younger sister, Emily, her friends, the adopting families, and some others. It took the love of a little girl to wrap all that together into one amazing package.”

Go to stinkbugproject. org to donate or to buy Allison's dog biscuits.

1. At the beginning, Allison's family .

A. wanted other sick children to get the same comfort

B. didn't know the sufferings of fighting a cancer

C. thought a dog's company would harm her health

D. didn't expect a dog could change her so much

2.How did Allison start her cause?

A. She helped advertise lemonade and home-made dog biscuits.

B. She earned some money by doing small business.

C. A mailman donated some money to her.

D. Some groups gave her a hand.

3.According to Paragraph 4, Allison's mother feels .

A. calm B. worried C. embarrassed D. proud

4.What's the passage mainly about?

A. Helping to make dog treats.

B. Adopting a dog for your child.

C. Giving dogs and love to kids with cancer.

D. Raising money to train pets.

Many children first learn the value of money by receiving an allowance. The purpose is to let children learn from experience at an age when financial mistakes are not very costly.

The amount of money that parents give to their children to spend as they wish differs from family to family. Timing is another consideration. Some children get a weekly allowance. Others get a monthly allowance.

In any case, parents should make clear what, if anything, the child is expected to pay for with the money.

At first, young children may spend all of their allowance soon after they receive it. If they do this, they will learn the hard way that spending must be done within a budget. Parents are usually advised not to offer more money until the next allowance. The object is to show young people that a budget demands choices between spending and saving. Older children may be responsible enough to save money for larger costs, like clothing or electronics.

Allowances give children a chance to experience the things they can do with money. They can share it in the form of gifts or giving to a good cause. They can spend it by buying things they want. Or they can save and maybe even invest (投资) it.

Saving helps children understand that costly goals require sacrifice: you have to cut costs and plan for the future. Requiring children to save part of their allowance can also open the door to future saving and investing. Many banks offer services to help children and teenagers learn about personal finance. A savings account is an excellent way to learn about the power of compound interest (利息). That may not seem like a lot. But over time it adds up.

1. Parents give their children allowance to ________.

A. show off their wealth

B. let them make more money

C. let children manage family finance

D. learn the value of money

2. Why are parents advised not to offer young children more money in advance?

A. To show them how to make a budget.

B. To save money for larger costs.

C. To let children make fewer mistakes

D. To give them more allowance next time.

3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. Children need not save their allowance.

B. Saving can help children plan future finance.

C. Children can buy everything with their allowance.

D. All children must have a savings account.

4. The author intends to ________.

A. make parents aware of the children’s allowances

B. show the methods of investing

C. give advice on how to save money

D. introduce the advantages of allowances

The loneliest chimp(黑猩猩)in the world just got the best surprise------a hug from a new friend．Ponso has been by himself for nearly three years，finding himself alone after his wife and children died on the island where they were abandoned by a medical testing company many years ago．

For years a nearby villager named Germain has been Ponso’s only company，visiting him so often to bring bananas and bread—the chimp’s only source of food on the tiny island．It was clear how much Ponso missed companionship when he was recently visited by Chimpanzee Conservation Centre Director Estelle Raballand．The chimp immediately embraced Estelle Raballand in a huge hug and laughed as she reached out for him，with his smile from ear to ear．

For those who know Ponso’s backstory，his immediate ease and trust in humans might be surprising．Ponso was one of 20 chimps，all between the ages of 7 to 11 years old，relocated to an island off the Ivory Coast after being used for testing by the New York Blood Centre．After the tests were completed in 2005，the lab reportedly transferred the chimps to a string of islands，occasionally dropping off food and water because there was none in the chimps’ new homes．

Disease and hunger soon left only Ponso，his mate and their two children standing．But at the end of 2013 they died within days of each other and Ponso was now completely alone．

A group called SOS PONSO is trying to raise money for the poor lonely chimp，already achieving its goal of $20,000 - all of which will be used for Ponso’s care．

1.What do we know about the chimp Ponso?

A．He was deserted by his family．

B．He found many sources of food．

C．He came to the island for a test．

D．He suffers from loneliness greatly．

2.How did Ponso feel about the visit of Estelle Raballand?

A．Excited． B．Frightened．

C．Embarrassed． D．Confused.

3.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The chimps’ new settlement．

B．How Ponso came to the island．

C．Why Ponso was used for a test．

D．The medical test about chimps．

4.What can be inferred from the text?

A．Germain won’t visit Ponso any more．

B．A new lab will be built on the island．

C．Many people show concern for Ponso．

D．More chimps will be brought to the island．