Dear Alfred,

I want to tell you how important your help is to my life.

Growing up, I had people telling me I was too slow, though, with an IQ of 150 at 17, I’m anything but stupid. The fact was that I was found to have ADIID(注意力缺陷多动障碍). Anxious all the time, I was unable to keep focused for more than an hour at a time.

However, when something did interest me, I could become absorbed. In high school, I became curious about the computer, and built my first website. Moreover, I completed the senior course of Computer Basics, plus five relevant pre-college courses.

While I was exploring my curiosity, my disease got worse. I wanted to go to college after high school, but couldn’t . So, I was killing my time at home until June 2012 when I discovered the online computer courses of your training center.

Since then, I have taken courses like Data Science and Advanced Mathematics. Currently, I’m learning your Probability course. I have hundreds of printer paper, covered in self-written notes from your video. This has given me a purpose.

Last year, I spent all my time looking for a job where, without dealing with the public , I could work alone, but still have a team to talk to. Luckily, I discovered the job—Data Analyst—this month and have been going full steam ahead. I want to prove that I can teach myself a respectful profession, without going to college, and be just as good as, if not better than, my competitors.

Thank you. You’ve given me hope that I can follow my heart. For the first time, I feel good about myself because I’m doing something, not because someone told me I was doing good. I feel whole.

This is why you’re saving my life.

Yours,

Tanis

1.why did’t Tanis go to college after high school?

A. She had learned enough about computer science

B. She had more difficulty keeping foucesed

C. She preferred taking online courses

D. She was too slow to learn

2.AS for the working environment,Tains prefers____.

A. working by herself

B. dealing with the public

C. competing against others

D. staying with ADHD students

3.Tanis wrote this letter in order to_____.

A. explain why she was interested in the computer

B. share the ideas she had for her profession

C. show how grateful she was to the center

D. describe the courses she had taken so far

“Did you hear what happened to Adam Last Friday?”Lindsey whispers to Tori.

With her eyes shining, Tori brags, “You bet I did, Sean told me two days ago. ”

Who are Lindsey and Tori talking about? It just happened to be yours truly, Adam Freedmam. I can tell you that what they are saying is (a) not nice and (b) not even true. Still, Lindsey and Tori aren’t very different from most students here at Linton High School, including me. Many of our conversations are gossip(闲话). I have noticed three effects of gossip: it can hurt people, it can give gossipers a strange kind of satisfaction, and it can cause social pressures in a group.

An important negative effect of gossip is that it can hurt the person being talked about. Usually, gossip spreads information about a topic- breakups, trouble at home, even dropping out-that a person would rather keep secret. The more embarrassing or shameful the secret is, the juicier the gossip it makes. Probably the worst type of gossip is the absolute lie. People often think of gossipers as harmless, but cruel lies can cause pain.

If we know that gossip can be harmful, then why do so many of us do it? That answer lies in another effect of gossip: the satisfaction it gives us. Sharing the latest rumor(传言)can make a person feel important because he or she knows something that others don’t. Similarly, hearing the latest rumor can make a person feel like part of the “in group.”In other words, gossip is satisfying because it gives people a sense of belonging or even superiority(优越感).

Gossip also can have a third effect: it strengthens unwritten, unspoken rules about how people should act. Professor David Wilson explains that gossip is important in policing behaviors in a group. Translated into high school terms, this means that if everybody you hang around with is laughing at what John wore or what Jane said, then you can bet that wearing or saying something similar will get you the same kind of negative attention. The do’s and don’ts conveyed through gossip will never show up in any student handbook.

The effects of gossip vary depending on the situation. The next time you feel the urge to spread the latest news, think about why you want to gossip and what effects your “juicy story” might have.

1.The author uses a conversation at the beginning of the passage to ______.

A. introduce a topic B. present an argument

C. describe the characters D. clarify his writing purpose

2.In the author’s opinion, many people like to gossip because it ______.

A. gives them a feeling of pleasure

B. help them to make more friends

C. makes them better at telling stories

D. enables them to meet important people

3.Professor David Wilson think that gossip can ______.

A. provide students with written rules

B. help people watch their own behaviors

C. force school to improve student handbooks

D. attract the police’s attention to group behaviors

4.What advice does the author give in the passage?

A. Never become a gossiper B. Stay away from gossipers

C. Don’t let gossip turn into lies D. Think twice before you gossip.

For many years, I was convinced that my suffering was due to my size. I believed that when the weight disappeared, it would take old wounds, hurts and rejections with it.

Many weight-conscious people also mistakenly believe that changing our bodies will fix everything. Perhaps our mistake is believing that being thin equals being loved, being special, and being cherished. We fantasize (幻想) about what it will be like when we reach the long-awaited goal .We work very hard to realize this dream. Then, at last, we find ourselves there.

But we often gain back what we have lost. Even so, we continue to believe that next time it will be different. Next time, we will keep it off. Next time, being thin will finally fulfill its promise of everlasting happiness, self-worth, and, of course, love.

It took me a long time to realize that there was something more for me to learn about beauty. Beauty standards vary with culture. In Samoa a woman is not considered attractive unless she weighs more than 200 pounds. More importantly, if it’s happiness that we want, why not put our energy there rather than on the size of our body? Why not look inside? Many of us strive hard to change our body, but in vain. We have to find a way to live comfortably inside our body and make friends with and cherish ourselves. When we change our attitudes towards ourselves, the whole world changes.

1.The passage tries to stress the importance of ____________.

A. body size B. different beauty standards

C. culture difference D. attitudes towards life

2.What does the word “everything” in paragraph 2 mean?

A. The whole world B. All the problems.

C. All the properties.D. The absolute truth.

3.What can be inferred about the author?

A. The author is a Samoan.

B. The author succeeded in losing weight.

C. The author probably got wounded in wars or accidents.

D. The author has been troubled by her/his weight.

4.According to the author , what is the common view of those who have lost some weight first and gained it back later ?

A. They feel optimistic about future plans on weight control.

B. They are indifferent to the regained weight.

C. The feel angry about the regained weight.

D. They think they should give up their future plans on weight control.

A long weekend is a great opportunity to do something a little different. Many people use a long weekend for a getaway, a short trip to leave the stress of their everyday lives behind and explore, learn, or relax.

Hotel Romance

Many hotels and resorts feature something special to start the getaway, such as champagnes (香槟酒), flowers, or a fruit basket in the room on arrival. Getaway packages usually include a room with something special, a heart shaped bed, for example. Additional benefits could be room service meals or other private dining, plus tickets or discounts for local attractions.

Visit a Spa

Spa getaways can take place at a location that focuses only on spa services or at a hotel that offers a spa as one of its features. Some spas emphasize treatments fit for their geographic area or a local attraction. A spa in a grape growing region might provide grape juice masks, or a hotel near a hot spring could offer mineral baths. Most spas offer a range of massage (按摩), health and beauty treatments, so a spa getaway can be relaxing with other benefits.

Learn a Skill

A long weekend may not be enough time to become an expert at something new, but it provides a way for people to begin their explorations. Some organizations offer intensive(集中的)courses that last two or three days. People with special interests can get away from their routines while learning such things as how to make beer, speak a new language, or take better photos.

Help Others

Some organizations cooperate with businesses to have accommodations and activities for short-term volunteers. Most volunteer vacations involve ecology friendly or charity activities. A volunteer getaway is a way to relieve stress and help others at the stone time.

Stay in a National Park

For those who want to relax in a rural environment, a national park fits the bill. Most national parks provide camping areas for tents and trailers. Several have cabins (小屋) within the parks available to rent. A getaway to a national park provides privacy, stress relief, and the time to get to know some important natural resources.

1.The underlined word "getaway’’ in this passage most probably means_____.

A. an exciting exploration B. an interesting location

C. a short vacation D. an unforgettable experience

2.It can be learned from the text that_____.

A. spas are offered in the tourist attractions all over the country

B. intensive courses of some organizations help people get away from home

C. helping others at weekend makes people feel more stressful

D. people may get close to nature in a national park

3.Which of the following can be rented in a national park?

A. Cabins. B. Trailers.

C. Camping areas. D. Tents.

4.The best title of the passage can be_________.

A. Away from Our Busy Work B. Good Ways to Relieve Stress

C. Enjoy Life and Help Others D. Long Weekend Getaway

Secret codes（密码）keep messages private. Banks, companies, and government agencies use secret codes in doing business, especially when information is sent by computer.People have used secret codes for thousands of years.1.Code breaking never lags（落后）far behind code making. The science of creating and reading coded messages is called cryptography.There are three main types of cryptography.2.For example, the first letters of “My elephant eats too many eels” spell out the hidden message “Meet me.” 3.You might represent each letter with a number, for example. Let’s number the letters of the alphabet, in order, from 1 to 26. If we substitute a number for each letter, the message “Meet me” would read “135520135.”A code uses symbols to replace words, phrases, or sentences. To read the message of a real code, you must have a code book.4.For example, “bridge” might stand for “meet” and “out” might stand for “me.” The message “Bridge out” would actually mean “Meet me.”5.However, it is also hard to keep a code book secret for long. So codes must be changed frequently.

My fiance (未婚夫) and I were excited about shopping for our first home. But our funds were , and none of the houses in our price range seemed satisfactory.

One agent a house in particular. Although her description sounded wonderful, the price was our range, so we declined. But she kept urging us to have a look .

We finally did and it was at first sight. It was Our Home, small and charming, overlooking a quiet lake. Walking through the rooms and talking with the owners, a nice elderly couple, we felt the warmth and of the marriage within that home. As perfect as it was, the price remained too high for us. But every day, we would sit by the lake, looking at the house and dreaming of it would be like to live there.

Days later, we made a(n) —far below the asking price. Surprisingly, they didn’t us. They renewed their offer . It was also much more than we could afford, but far than the original asking price.

The next day, we got a message that another buyer had offered a much higher price. Even so, we decided to talk with the directly. We made our final offer, which was thousands of dollars less than the other buyer’s bid. We knew it, we had to try.

“Sold!” said the owner. Then he : He’d seen us sitting by the lake all those times; he knew how much we loved the place and that we’d the years of work they had put into their home; he realized he would take a by selling it to us, but it was worthwhile; we were the people they wanted to live there. He told us to consider the in the price “an early wedding present.”

That’s how we found our home and how I learned that when people are they are not strangers, only friends we haven’t yet met.

1.A. needed B. limited C. enough D. large

2.A. recommended B. decorated C. sold D. rented

3.A. below B. within C. beyond D. between

4.A. at least B. at most C. at times D. at hand

5.A. relief B. concern C. love D. curiosity

6.A. pride B. happiness C. challenge D. desire

7.A. which B. why C. that D. what

8.A. effort B. offer C. promise D. profit

9.A. come across B. look after C. depend on D. laugh at

10.A. instead B. indeed C. aside D. apart

11.A. worse B. better C. less D. higher

12.A. relaxing B. disappointing C. pleasant D. regular

13.A. agents B. buyers C. managers D. owners

14.A. already B. still C. generally D. ever

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

16.A. apologized B. complained C. criticized D. explained

17.A. check B. analyze C. appreciate D. ignore

18.A. loss B. risk C. chance D. lead

19.A. increase B. difference C. interest D. average

20.A. kind B. polite C. smart D. energetic

A man came to the USA from another country. After 1. (settle) down at an island, he went into a cafeteria to get something 2. (eat). He sat down at an empty table and waited for someone to take his order, but nobody did. 3.(final), a woman with a tray full of food sat down opposite him and informed him 4. the cafeteria worked.

“Start out at that end,” she said. “Just go along the line and pick out what you want. At 5. other end they’ll tell you how much you have to pay.”

“I soon 6. (learn) how everything worked in the USA,” the man told his friend. “Life’s a cafeteria there. You can get anything you want as long as you are willing to pay the price. You can even get success, 7. you’ll never get it if you wait for someone to bring it to you. You have to get up and get it 8. .”

You can’t change the inevitable thing. The only thing you can do 9. (be) to control your attitude. Once you reach that point in life, happiness and 10. (satisfy) can’t be too far away.

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：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），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。

My brother Donald didn’t do well in math. When the day of the exam comes, Donald sat next to Brian, which was always good at math. Donald careful copied Brian’s answers. At end of the exam, the teacher collected the papers and graded it. Then she decided to give a prize to the student who got the high grade. But it was a bit of difficult for her to make a decision, because Donald and Brian got the same grade. The teacher thought about that and made on her mind to give the prize to Brian. Donald said it was unfair. “That’s true,” the teacher said. “Therefore, Brian’s answer to Question 18 was ‘I don’t know’. Your was ‘Neither do I’.”

假设你是李华，在互联网上看到英国高中生David登的一则启事 ：希望结识一位中国朋友，以便学习中国的语言、文化。请你以李华的名义用英文给David发一封电子邮件，主要内容包括：

(1)你怎样得知David的愿望

(2) 你愿意成为他的朋友

(3) 你打算如何帮助他。

注意：(1)电子邮件的格式已为你写好，不计入总词数

(2)词数：100左右。

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Calvin Gillian didn’t believe that Norway was the place for an adventurous holiday. However, some friends told him to go there and he loved it.

“I’m an extreme-sports maniac. I’ve traveled to many different countries, but I didn’t expect Norway to be a good place for an extreme holiday. Tourists usually visit Norway because of its old Viking history or to go fishing and boating in the famous fjords(峡湾) to enjoy a relaxing holiday, or to go climbing to enjoy the beauty of nature. But I didn’t go for fishing; I wanted adventure.

“Skiing is the best thing you can do in Norway. Svartisen, the Black Ice glacier(冰川）, is wonderful. The ice is not the usual white but a deep blue color, like the sea. However, you have to wear special clothes, because skiing on a million-year-old glacier can be very dangerous.”

“Then, there is Hunderfossen Family Park for Toll Park. You can go water skiing and ice skating. It is certainly a beautiful place but it is more expensive than visiting other parts of Norway.

“I also visited the Homenkollen Ski Jump in Oslo. The view from the top of the ski jump was wonderful and the the ski museum was very interesting. I wanted to try a jump but unfortunately, it’s only for professional ski-jumpers. Anyway, I was very tired and I needed a break, so I went back to my hotel and got some sleep.

“Next year, I am going to take my girlfriend to Norway, too. She is having her holiday in Australia now and she wants to have a different type of adventure for next year.”

1.How did Calvin Gillian feel about his trip?

A. Bored B. Relaxed

C. Satisfied D. Disappointed

2.The underlined word “maniac”(in para.2) refers to someone who___.

A. has a strong interest in something

B. has a bad opinion of something

C. expects things to be successful

D. likes to compete with others

3.What did Calvin Gillian do in Norway?

A. Ski-jumping B. Climbing

C. Fishing D. Skiing

4.What’s the best title for the text?

A. Calvin Gillian’s Holiday Countries B. Travel in Different Countries

C. Historical Places in Norway D. A Norwegian Adventure