5．Do you like shopping？Or does the thought of wandering round the shops fill you with terror？For some of us，shopping is an enjoyable way of spending our spare time and our money．For me，it's something I would rather avoid．Thank goodness for the Internet!It's more convenient to buy CDs，electrical items，even food，from the comfort of your sofa．But that's not the only reason：price is an important factor．We can buy goods and services cheaper online．But sometimes the problem is knowing what to buy．This has led to a type of shopping called"showrooming"．
Showrooming is something I've done．I will go to a shop to see，touch and try out products but then go home and buy them online at a lower price．I'm not alone in doing this．Research by a company called Foolproof，found 24%of people showroomed while Christmas shopping in 2013．
Amy Cashman，Head of Technology at TNS UK，says the reasons for this new shopping habit are that"people are lacking time，lacking money and they want security about the products they are buying．"She explains that consumers are not only shopping online at home but they are using the Internet in store or on their smartphones to shop around．
But does this mean technology will kill shops？Certainly shops will change．They will have to offer more competitive prices or encourage people to buy more by giving store discounts or free gifts．
We mustn't forget that buying in a shop means you can get expert advice from the sales assistant and you can get good aftercare．It's good to speak to a real human rather than look at a faceless computer screen but at least by showrooming，you get the best of both worlds!
8．The two questions in Paragraph 1 are raised toB
A．give two examples                   
B．introduce the topic
C．compare different opinions          
D．get answers from readers
9．What does showrooming mean in the text？A
A．Trying in shops and buying online．
B．Showing products in a room．
C．Buying something in a store．
D．Shopping on the Internet．
10．What can be inferred from Paragraph 4？C
A．Online shops will disappear．
B．Free gifts will surely promote sales．
C．Shops need necessary changes．
D．Shops will be replaced by online shops．
11．The author's attitude towards showrooming isD．
A．critical             B．negative         C．casual       D．supportive．

4．Are you concerned about the effect of the haze（雾霾） in Singapore on the health of your children？Then you should read the following passage．
"Young children，especially those with lung or heart illness，should avoid outdoor activity at PSI（Pollution Standards Index---used in Singapore） levels above 100，"says Dr Biju Thomas．
The immune system（免疫系统） of children is not mature．（36）AExposure to the haze can result in symptoms such as a blocked nose，dry throat，breathing difficulty，and so on．
Children who are exposed to the haze and experience any of these symptoms which are not serious should recover on their own in time if they limit their exposure to the haze．（37）CTo keep children safe during the haze in Singapore，parents should keep doors and windows closed at home．Ensure children drink plenty of pure water every day．（38）G
 The answer is that there aren't any N95 masks designed for use by children．That's because these masks are made to create a seal（密封） around the mouth and nose of the adult user so particles（颗粒） can not get in．（39）DSurgical masks may not offer enough protection from the harmful particles in the haze，which is very small （2.5 microns or less）．There is usually some gap between the surgical mask and the face，through which the haze particles may easily get in．（40）FHowever，if it is necessary to take children outdoors during a haze，parents may wish to offer children's surgical mask to their children，if it brings them comfort，such as filtering out the smell from the haze．

A．So during a haze，children are especially at risk．
B．Allow children for regular travels from one building to another．
C．However，if the symptoms continue，they should ask a doctor for help．
D．The available N95 masks may not fit tightly on the face of a child．
E．So you can use a conditioner instead of opening the windows regularly．
F．So it is best to keep children indoors to protect them from the haze when the PSI is high．
G．Are N95 masks and surgical masks suitable for children？

3．-Will my son be all right soon，doctor？
-Well，he ___ be，if he takes these tablets．（　　）

A．

may

B．

must

C．

should

D．

can

2．I've ridden a lot of buses in my time．There was the one in India that was so crowded，I had to climb onto the top just to breathe．Neither will I forget the bus in South Africa that was almost taken up by monkeys．No matter how entertaining they were at the time，none can compare to my first ride on what I now call the Leisure Village Local．
When I first moved into Leisure Village，I didn't even know bus transportation was provided．Then I had an operation on my left foot and I couldn't drive．As I didn't want to keep making trouble for friends to shop for me，I decided to try out the Leisure Village Local．
The next morning，undaunted，I stood with the support of my crutches（拐杖） and waited．Suddenly，the bus arrived．As soon as I boarded the bus，I discovered I was all by myself．Then the bus approached another stop，and four women climbed aboard．They sat next to me and introduced themselves．
A few minutes later，we arrived at the Wal-Mart in Middle Island．As soon as we entered，one of my new friends showed me how to operate the motorized shopping cart（购物车）．Another walked alongside the entire time，waiting to help if something was out of reach．One hour later，another insisted on carrying my bags onto the bus．And the fourth woman carried my bags to my front door when we got back．I thanked them all for their help，and told them I would see them soon．
The next day morning，I found a brown paper bag at the front door．Inside was a giant bowl of chicken soup，and a note．
"Get well soon．"It was signed，"Your guardian angels．"
I rode the Leisure Village Local two more times later，but didn't see any of my guardian angels．Maybe they're helping someone else，I thought．Or，maybe they flew south for the winter．
21．Why did the author decide to try out the Leisure Village Local？D
A．He had an operation to carry out．
B．He has no other transportation choices．
C．He was not permitted to drive by local law．
D．He was too considerate to trouble his friends again．
22．The four women passengersB．
A．helped the author onto the bus
B．were friendly even to strangers
C．each cooked the author a bowl of soup
D．finally became the author's friends
23．The underlined sentence shows the writer's sense ofC
A．guilt        B．panic        C．humor            D．security
24．Which of the following can be the best title for the text？D
A．An Unexpected Gift                   B．An Unforgettable Trip Abroad
C．A Pleasant Shopping Experience       D．A Chance Meeting with Angels．

1．Australia is known as the"lucky country"with its sunny zones，beautiful beaches and relaxed lifestyle．But did you know that it is also a"happy"country，at least according to well-being measures？
In fact，Australia scores above average in almost all of the 11well-being dimensions measured by the OECD Better Life Index．It does exceptionally well on the environment and health．Australians breathe some of the cleanest air，with far less of the tiny particulate matter that gets into the deepest part of the lungs than in many other countries-a PM10level of only 13.1micrograms per cubic metre，as opposed to the average of 20.1micrograms for the OECD．They can expect to live up to 82 years of age，compared with an average of 80years in the OECD．And as well as being healthy，they score highly on civic engagement，thanks largely to the compulsory voting system：93% of Australians turned out to vote in the most recent general elections，the highest percentage in the OECD．
Australia's regions are also happy．In fact，according to the OECD's new Regional Well-Being，all eight Australian states rank among the best 20% of all 362regions studied around the world in civic engagement，environment and income．And Canberra，the Capital Territory，ranks first in Australia，beating the other regions in six of the nine well-being dimensions．Even the low-performing regions still fare better than the OECD average in most of the well-being indicators．
But it is not a perfect score sheet．There is wide inequality between the Australian regions，especially in health and safety where the country ranks fourth and fifth worst in terms of disparities．Education is also a problem in some regions，as the share of workers with at least a secondary diploma living in the lowest performing Australian regions is 8percentage points lower than the OECD average．
Perhaps the most surprising result of all is Australia's low score in work-life balance．More than 14% of Australian employees work for more than 50 hours per week，much more than the OECD average of almost 9%．This hardly squares with the country's reputation for an easy and leisurely lifestyle，a fact that has been picked up by the Australian users of the Better Life Index，ranking work-life balance as the most important factor for a better life．

58．According to the passage，the author most likely agrees thatD．
A．Australians vote out of consciousness of civil rights
B．Australia is a paradise in the world free from smog
C．Australia is a country poor in safety and education
D．Australians'long life mainly relies on environment
59．What does the underlined phrase square with （in Para 5）most likely mean？C
A．collide with        
B．submit to       
C．correspond with       
D．consist in
60．What would be the best title for the text？A
A．Australia：The Happy Country     
B．Australia：The Surprising Country
C．Australia：The Lucky Country       
D．Australia：The Unequal Country．

18．假如你班李津（男）和王英（女）两位同学在高三阶段有不同的学习方法，请描述下列各图，并谈谈你的看法． 

注意：
（1）词数不少于100；
（2）可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
（3）开头己给出，不计入总词数．
Li Jin and Wang Ying are two students of Senior Three．They both work hard but they have different learning methods．
LiJin often sleeps in class instead of listening to the teacher．（高分句型一）As a result，he misses lots of points that the teacher makes and it usually takes him more time to finish his homework．（高分句型二）So he has to stay up late and doesn't get enough sleep．
　　However，Wang Ying has quite a different way of learning．She listens attentively and tries to catch everything that the teacher says in class．Because of this，she spends less time doing her homework，which makes it possible for her to go to bed early．（高分句型三）
　　In my opinion，Wang Ying learns more effectively in class and has more free time to enjoy herself，so I prefer her learning method．（高分句型四）．

17．Wouldn't it be wonderful to travel to a foreign country without having to worry about the headache of communicating in a different language？
    In a recent Wall Street Journal article，technology policy expert Alec Ross argued that，within a decade or so，we'll be able to communicate with one another via small earpieces with built-in microphones．That's because technological progress is extremely rapid．It's only a matter of time．Indeed，some parents are so convinced that this technology is imminent that they're wondering if their kids should even learn a second language．
    It's true that an increase in the quantity and accuracy of the data loaded into computers will make them cleverer at translating"No es bueno dormir mucho"as"It's not good to sleep too much．"Replacing a word with its equivalent （同义词）in the target language is actually the"easy part"of a translator's job．But even this seems to be a discouraging task for computers．
    It's so difficult for computers because translation doesn't--or shouldn't--involve simply translating words，sentences or paragraphs．Rather，it's about translating meaning．And in order to infer meaning from a specific expression，humans have to interpret a mass of information at the same time．
    Think about all the related clues that go into understanding an expression：volume，gesture，situation，and even your culture．All are likely to convey as much meaning as the words you use．
    Therefore，we should be very skeptical of a machine that is unable to interpret the world around us．If people from different cultures can offend each other without realizing it，how can we expect a machine to do better？Unless engineers actually find a way to breathe a soul into a computer，undoubtedly when it comes to conveying and interpreting meaning using a natural language，a machine will never fully take our place．

51．What does the underlined word"imminent"i n Paragraph 2 probably mean？B

A．Ready．

B．Approaching．

C．Helpful．

D．Advanced．

52．Why is it hard for computers to replace a word with its equivalent？B
A．Their data is not adequate enough．
B．The real meaning of words can vary．
C．Their accuracy needs big improvement．
D．A soul hasn't been breathed into them．
53．What view does the author hold about translation？A
A．Proper translation can be tough for humans．
B．Slight distinctions matter little in translation．
C．Some machines will interpret our world properly．
D．Culture deserves more attention than words used．
54．What is the best title for the text？D
A．An Expert's Precise Prediction
B．The Way of Translation
C．Who Will Be a Better Translator
D．Will Language Barrier Actually Fall
55．What is the author's attitude towards the modern technology？D

A．Unclear．

B．Objective．

C．Optimistic．

D．Negative．

16．Food festivals around the worldStilton Cheese Rolling
    May Day is a traditional day for celebrations，but the 2，000 English villagers of Stilton must be the only people in the world who include cheese rolling in their annual plans．Teams of four，dressed in a variety of strange and funny clothes，roll a complete cheese along a 50-metre course．On the way，they must not kick or throw their cheese，or go into their competitors'lane （赛道）．Competition is fierce and chief prize is a complete Stilton cheese weighing about four kilos （disappointingly but understandably the cheeses used in the race are wooden ones）．All the competitors are served with beer or port wine，the traditional accompaniment for Stilton cheese．
Fiery Foods Festival 一The Hottest Festival on Earth
    Every year more than 10，000 people head for the city of Albuquerque，New Mexico．They come from as far away as Australia，the Caribbean and China，but they all share a common addiction-food that is not just spicy，but hot enough to make your mouth burn，your head spin and your eyes water．Their destination is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival which is held over a period of three days every March．You might like to try a chocolate-covered habanero pepper-officially the hottest pepper in the world-or any one of the thousands of products that are on show．But one thing's for sure-if you don't like the feeling of a burning tongue，this festival isn't for you!
La Tomatina-The World's Biggest Food Fight
    On the last Wednesday of every August，the Spanish town of Bunol hosts La Tomatina-the worlds largest food fight．A week-long celebration leads up to an exciting tomato battle as the highlight of the week's events．The early morning sees the arrival of large trucks with tomatoes-official fight-starters get things going by casting tomatoes at the crowd．
    The battle lasts little more than half an hour，in which time around 50，000 kilograms of tomatoes have been thrown at anyone or anything that moves，runs，or fights back．Then everyone heads down to the river to make friends again-and for a much-needed wash!
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
    Australia's cultural capital has hosted this 20-day festival for 20 years，a showcase of the continent's culinary （烹调用的）mastery through cooking demonstrations，special tours and food tastings throughout the city．Meet celebrity chefs and artisan food crafters，go to gala dinners and discover Down Under's most fantastic flavors．

36．In the Stilton cheese rolling competition，competitors on each team mustC．
A．wear various formal clothes
B．kick or throw their cheese
C．roll a wooden cheese in their own lane
D．use a real cheese weighing about four kilos
37．Where is the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival held according to the passage？C
A．In Australia．
B．In the Caribbean．
C．In the USA．
D．In Mexico．
38．The celebration of La Tomatina lastsB．
A．three days
B．seven days
C．less than three days
D．more than seven days
39．Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？C
A．The chief prize for the Stilton cheese rolling competition is beer or port wine．
B．More than 10，000 Chinese take part in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival．
C．Thousands of spicy foods are on show in the Fiery Food and BBQ Festival．
D．An exciting tomato battle takes place at the beginning of La Tomatina．
40．In which food festival you may meet cooks？A
A．Melbourne Food and Wine Festival．
B．La Tomatina．
C．Stilton Cheese Rolling．
D．Fiery Foods Festival．

15．If you_____to my advice carefully，you wouldn't have made such a terrible mistake．（　　）

A．

Listened

B．

had listened

C．

would listen

D．

have listened

14．Only when he apologized for his ignorance_____him．（　　）

A．

I forgave

B．

I did forgive

C．

forgave I

D．

did I forgive