I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my husband was struggling to look out of my window. This frightened me, since his eyes should be on the road in front of him. I asked him what he was looking at out of the windows, and he quietly replied, “Nothing.”

After a few minutes, I looked over at my husband and noticed a tear running down his cheek. I asked him what was wrong. This time he told me, “I was just thinking about Pop and a story he had once told.” It had something to do with Pop, his friend from childhood, and I wanted to know the story, so I asked him to share it with me.

He said, “When I was about 8 years old, Pop and I were out fishing and he told me that the pine trees know when it is Easter.”

I had no idea what he meant by that, so I pressed him for more information.

He continued on... “The pine trees start their new growth in the weeks before Easter because spring is drawing near. If you look at the tops of the pine trees, you will see the yellow shoots(嫩芽). As the days get closer to Easter Sunday, the tallest shoot will branch off and form a cross. By the time Easter Sunday comes around, you will see that most of the pine trees will have small yellow crosses on all of the tallest shoots.”

I turned to look out of the window and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a week before Easter, and you could see all of the trees with the tall yellow shoots stretching to the sky.

The tallest ones shone in the sunlight like rows of tiny golden crosses. May you find your Easter season filled with beautiful golden crosses!

【1】How did the author feel when she found her husband looking outward while driving?

A. Curious.B. Calm.

C. Afraid.D. Excited.

【2】Why did the husband cry?

A. He saw something strange out of the window.

B. He was scolded by his wife for driving carelessly.

C. He was too frightened to drive the car on the road.

D. He thought of an old friend and was moved by his story.

【3】What can we infer from the text?

A. The author knew Pop’s story very well.

B. Pop was traveling together with the couple.

C. The author was amazed at the appearance of pine trees.

D. Pine trees have something to do with the origin of Easter.

【4】What does the author intend to tell us?

A. We should be careful while driving.

B. Pine trees are more beautiful before Easter.

C. Easter should be decorated with golden crosses.

D. Easter promises hope with the coming of spring.

Try a generous choice of differing forms of art. If you have never spent much time creating art, it may feel challenging to try to become an artist. 【2】 They just need to express their creative ideas in a great way. If there is a specific type of art you would like to learn more about, go for it, but don't be afraid to branch out and try other forms as well. Some of the most basic forms of art include drawing, painting, sculpting, and photographing.

Do your research and learn the basics. 【3】 Learn as much as you can about the medium-read books and articles, watch educational videos, and research various methods and other artists. One of the best ways to learn is by studying the work of others who have come before you. If you put effort, it is completely possible to teach yourself how to be a great artist. Need help? 【4】 I’ll work for sure.

【5】 Many artists devote their lives to creating art. While you do not have to spend every single second of your day working on a painting, do try to dedicate some time each day (or every other day) to working on your project, whatever it might be.

A. Make creating art your favorite.

B. Make time for your art every day.

C. The truth is that all people are artists.

D. Pick up some books on your chosen form(s).

E. You can always further your research with an art class.

F. A key part of being an artist is observing the world around you.

G. Whichever path you are on, be clear that everyone is an artist.

● 【2】.

If someone tells you “You are a fool.”, don’t believe it in your mind. People who hurt you can never really harm you unless you allow yourself to be defined by these words. You are a child of God. You are very valuable in the sight of God, so never allow yourself to feel inferior just by the words of other people.

● Turn those words into positive thoughts within you.

If there is something wrong with your actions, and others are trying to correct you, it can sometimes hurt your feelings if their words are hurtful. 【3】. Think like this in your mind, “Yes, I’m wrong, but I’ll find out ways to improve. Now I have hope because I know I can change.”

● Respond softly.

If someone speaks in a hurtful way, take a deep breath first and try to speak softly and kindly in response. 【4】. On the contrary, an angry answer is like a sword, which will bring harm instead of healing.

● Be silent.

【5】. It’s none of your business. We need not respond to every personal comment from people. It’s not your problem that they keep on hurting you on purpose. So simply leave it.

A. A soft answer turns away anger

B. Don’t worry about what others say

C. It is wise to correct others’ mistake by soft words

D. Never let negative words of others define who you are

E. In that case change those words into positive thoughts

F. If someone is purposefully hurting you for no reason, simply be silent and ignore it

G. Today I will share a few tips on how to handle the effect of negative words spoken to you

Over the past nine years, Street Kids International (S.K.I.) has been working with partner organizations in Africa, Latin America and India to support the economic lives of street children and develop opportunities for street children to earn income.

The S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service first started in the Sudan. Street children who took part in it were given bicycles, which they used to deliver parcels and messages. A similar program was taken up in Bangalore, India. The Shoe Shine Collective was a program with the Y.W.C.A. in the Dominican Republic. The children in this project were lent money to buy shoe shine boxes. They were also given a safe place to store their equipment, and facilities for individual savings plans. The Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative in Zambia is a program with the Red Cross Society and the Y.W.C.A. Street youths are supported to start their own small business through business training, life skills training and access to credit.

During the program, The S.K.I. and partner organizations have drawn lessons from the past: First of all, being a businessman is not for everyone, nor for every street child. And it is important for all loans to be linked to training programs that include the development of basic business and life skills. Secondly, small loans are provided firstly for buying fixed assets such as bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials for a market stall. As the children gain experience, they can be given more loan amounts. And all S.K.L. programs have charged interest on the loans. Generally the rates have been lower than bank rates. Most importantly, it is believed that credit must be given with other types of support that help the young develop key life skills as well as productive businesses.

【1】How does S.K.I. help the street children?

A.By giving the street children chances to go to school.

B.By encouraging the public to give money to street children.

C.By creating chances for street children to make money.

D.By drawing the attention of governments to help street children.

【2】Street youths can be lent money to buy shoe shine boxes in _______.

A.The Dominican RepublicB.Zambia

C.IndiaD.Sudan

【3】The underlined word “assets” in the last paragraph probably can be replaced by _______.

A.clothingB.vehicleC.equipmentD.belongings

【4】From the last paragraph we know _______.

A.each child can only enjoy one kind of loan

B.not all loans should be linked to training programs

C.any child can apply for the business training and loan

D.the children have to pay back slightly more money than they borrow

The finding that music therapy offers a real medical benefit to depression sufferers comes from a review by the Cochrane Collaboration, a non-profit group that reviews health care issues. Some studies looked at the effects of providing music therapy to patients who were receiving drug treatment for depression. Others compared music therapy to traditional talk therapy. In four out of five of the trials, music therapy worked better at easing depression symptoms than therapies that did not employ music, the researchers found.

“While the evidence came from a few small studies, it suggests that this is an area that is well worth further investigation.” said lead author Anna Maratos. Ms. Maratos notes that music therapy might be particularly useful for adolescents who may reject a traditional form of counseling. Some older patients also may not be comfortable talking about their feelings but do tend to express themselves through songs.

There are two main types of music therapy. Sometimes, a therapist will listen to music with a patient and talk about the feelings or memories that it arouses. In another form, the therapist is a skilled musician and will improvise (即兴创作) music with the patient. If the patient doesn’t play an instrument, he or she might be given a simple percussion (击打) instrument and the therapist will play along.

Other studies have shown a benefit from music therapy in the treatment for dementia, learning disabilities, strokes and pain management during labor and birth. The problem is that there isn’t very much high-quality research. “It doesn’t easily attract serious research funding. It’s difficult to do high-quality, large-scale trials.” said Ms. Maratos.

【1】Which of the following treatments is NOT mentioned in the research?

A.Drug treatment.B.Talk therapy.C.Music therapy.D.Play therapy.

【2】What’s the attitude of Anna Maratos to music therapy?

A.Positive.B.Negative.C.Indifferent.D.Neutral.

【3】According to the passage, music therapy might not be beneficial to a patient of _______.

A.depressionB.learning disabilitiesC.heart attackD.strokes

【4】We can learn from the passage _______.

A.a middle-aged patient won’t benefit from music therapy

B.patients using music therapy must be able to play an instrument

C.only patients suffering from depression benefit from music therapy

D.high-quality research on the effects of music therapy is limited by funding

Corona Heights Dog Park

Often visited by residents from all over the city because of its nearness to the Randall Museum, Corona Heights Dog Park offers pets and owners breathtaking view after a steep hillside climb, and a fenced dog area that allows dogs to let loose without a leash（狗链）. Owners will also enjoy the playground, tennis courts and basketball courts.

Dolores Dog Park

The grounds of Dolores Park once served as camps for those who were left homeless by the 1906 earthquake, but now are often visited by crowds of Mission District people. Four-legged friends can also wander about carefree off-leash while making friends with other members of the doggie community.

Pine Lake Dog Park

Famous for its place as a rest stop for hundreds of species of birds to fly to and from warmer climates, Pine Lake Park is also prized by city dogs and their owners for their nice hiking paths, picturesque lake suited for swimming, and off-leash area on the park’s west end that lets dogs run free.

Buena Vista Dog Park

With a history of 146 years, Buena Vista Park is San Francisco’s oldest park. Dogs and owners with plus energy will love burning it on this park’s steep paths and winding staircases. Dog owners should have good control over their dogs, as it’s quite easy for dogs to get separated when going through Buena Vista’s many twists and turns.

【1】Why do dog owners take their pets to Dolores Dog Park?

A. To let them socialize. B. To give them rescue lessons.

C. To help them lose weight. D. To increase their physical activities.

【2】Which dog park is popular with bird lovers?

A. Dolores Dog Park. B. Pine Lake Dog Park.

C. Buena Vista Dog Park. D. Corona Heights Dog Park.

【3】What is special about Buena Vista Dog Park?

A. Dogs can go climbing. B. It is close to a museum.

C. Dogs must be on a leash. D. It is suitable for swimming.

【1】What are the speakers talking about?

A. Places for entertainment.B. Construction of the hotel.C. Competition of sports.

【2】What can be done in the recreation center?

A. Jogging.B. Cycling.C. Playing golf.

【3】What’s the probable choice of a music-loving customer?

A. The amusement center.B. The garden.C. The teahouse.

About twenty years ago, I arrived in Australia. Searching for a place in a map in the street, I was approached by an elderly man who asked “How are you? Are you lost? How can I help you?”, which really impressed and warmed me. Another time, as I was pushing my bike on the sidewalk one night, a young lady shouted to me: “Carry me please” and then jumped onto my bicycle. While we had a little chat, she got where she wanted and hopped off my bike with “Thanks, bye!” At that moment, I had a sense as much of pleasant surprise as of “being trusted”.

Still in Australia, two of my friends decided to hitch（搭便车）their way to Sydney in order to save money. A young driver stopped, and luckily he was also going to Sydney, so he let them in and even allowed them to drive while he went to sleep on the back seat. About eight hours later, they arrived and he woke up. Saying thanks to each other, they went their separate ways.

In my opinion, no matter how developed and advanced it is, if in general a place presents itself with a cold and indifferent（冷漠的）face to people, especially to strangers, even keeping them highly alert（警惕的）not to be cheated all the time, can perhaps hardly be classified as a land of civilization（文明）. In a sense, the attitude towards strangers that the people have in the city mirrors its warmth.

【1】What do the words “human touch” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A. A certain temperature. B. Interpersonal communication.

C. Advanced ideas. D. Unique culture.

【2】What do the native people have in common?

A. Trustful and warm. B. Watchful and alert.

C. Cold and indifferent. D. Caring and guardless.

【3】Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. My Experience Abroad B. The Warmth of a City

C. A Land of Civilization D. Valuable Memories

【4】By what is a city’s civilization decided?

A. Its people’s self-guard sense.

B. Its fast development.

C. Its advanced equipment.

D. Its people’s attitude towards strangers.

1. 当地景点及费用；

2. 当地特色及文化；

3. 注意事项。

注意：1. 词数100左右；

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

参考词汇：特色specialty

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One of the things I like best about Beijing is the beautiful parks. One that is less well-known by Western visitors is called Taoranting. It 【1】 (lie) to the west of the Temple of Heaven. 【2】 (open) in 1956, Taoranting was the 【3】 (early) modem city park constructed after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Some 60,000 visitors come here every day.

The park gets 【4】 ( it) name from the Taoran Pavilion, which 【5】 ( build) in 1695. Scholars often gathered in this pavilion to read and write poetry. In the 20th century several famous revolutionaries (革命家) were 【6】 (close) associated with the Taoran Pavilion.

In common 【7】 other Chinese parks，this one also has a “park within a park” —Huaxia Mingyuan. The mini-park contains 36 pavilions in all, 10 of 【8】 are full-sized copies of famous pavilions in 10 Chinese cities.

One of the things I also love about Chinese parks is the way people come together to sing and dance and practice 【9】 (tradition)Chinese martial arts such as tai chi.

All in all, Taoranting is a joyful park 【10】 (experience) at any time of the year, and at only RMB 2 to get in, it has to be one of the best value places to visit in the entire capital.