It is not difficult to ______ Mr. Huang from among a crowd because he is above average height.

A. leave out                         B. pick out                            C. run into                            D. look into

 Many Chinese college graduates leave their country to get further education in America with the ______of getting better jobs in the future.

A. communication              B. intention                          C. permission                       D. impression

 People who are ______ modern city life may think it is rather dull to live in the countryside.

A. in honor of                      B. in charge of                     C. in favor of                        D. in control of

 His first book ______ next month is based on a true story of his family.

A. published                        B. to be published              C. to publish                 D. being published

We have so many first days in our lives. First days are milestones(里程碑) in our lives. They      the beginning of a new experience or journey and they are also filled with        feelings. They can be a little frightening as we step into the unknown, but they can also inspire us as they give us fresh       for the future.

I want to share a      that perfectly shows this point. Trisha was told that    is the key to knowledge. She watched her older brother      he read his schoolbooks and could hardly      the day when she would learn to read.

But after Trisha     started school, she found that she was not able to understand words like the other boys and girls. However hard she     , she saw only confusion. Trisha     , the teacher and the other children laughing at her, and she began to believe that she was not      .

By the time Trisha entered the fifth grade, she had lost the    in herself. That was the year when she met Mr. Falker. He was     . He praised Trisha’s talents, and he wouldn’t tolerate the other children laughing at her. After some time, Mr. Falker    that Trisha didn’t know how to read, but he knew she could     some help.

He found an expert, and together they    with Trisha after school. They     her to understand words      one day Mr. Falker handed her a book and she could read it all by herself. She didn’t even notice the tears in his eyes.

This is a true story. The little girl is Patricia Polacco, a famous     , and Thank you Mr. Falker is the twenty-sixth book that she has written. Mr. Falker gave her a fresh new      and made a difference in her life.

1.A. cause                                      B. mark                                 C. describe                           D. show

2.A. absurd                                    B. strange                    C. mixed                               D. strong

3.A. blood                                      B. evidence                          C. hope                                 D. air

4.A. belief                                      B. story                                 C. view                                  D. concern

5.A. reading                                  B. speaking                           C. listening                           D. thinking

6.A. before                                    B. since                                 C. as                             D. though

7.A. look for                                  B. wait for                   C. ask for                              D. wish for

8.A. gradually                          B. mostly                                C. finally                                D. firmly

9.A. breathed                          B. tried                                   C. managed                          D. pressed

10.A. took off                                B. stayed up                         C. kept on                   D. fell behind

11.A. smart                                    B. hard-working                  C. healthy                    D. easy-going

12.A. memory                               B. balance                            C. chance                             D. confidence

13.A. shy                                  B. proud                                 C. different                          D. strict

14.A. doubted                              B. witnessed                        C. represented                    D. realized

15.A. with                             B. besides                   C. including                          D. within

16.A. sang                                      B. worked                   C. danced                             D. chatted

17.A. helped                                 B. forced                              C. begged                    D. allowed

18.A. when                                    B. once                                 C. until                                  D. whether

19.A. teacher                                B. writer                               C. expert                              D. guide

20.A. school                                  B. start                                  C. home                                D. attention

The grandfather of Nell Trent owns a shop of odds and ends. He wants to make sure his grandfather is provided for when he dies. His memory of his daughter’s suffering and early death gives him a fear of poverty. Gambling(赌博) becomes an addiction for Nell’s grandfather, which results in his financial and physical ruin. Nell and her grandfather flee from their home and begin a journey that has no destination. For Nell, all she wants is a peaceful existence with enough to live on.

         They come across many interesting people on their travels and often meet with the kindness of strangers. Yet, in a colorful world, they also face the reality of the Industrial Revolution. From simple villages and fields of flowers, they go into a dirty city full of mass unemployment and plague (瘟疫) victims --- where children die of starvation and many are abandoned.

         The story isn’t only about Nell and her grandfather, but also the people who are connected to them directly or indirectly. There is Richard Swiveller, a careless young man who is a friend of Nell’s older brother, who wants Swiveller to marry Nell for the fortune he thinks she has. Daniel Quilp is a cruel moneylender, who manages to fool the grandfather into borrowing large sums of money from him. There is honest Kit, a boy employed at the shop, who becomes a victim even though he never harms other people. Kit desires to help Nell, whom he considers an angel that has always inspired the best in him. The mysterious Bevis Marks, who is a generous customer to some people and an enemy to others, also has his own reasons for looking after Nell and her grandfather.

         Unlike Dickens’ other works, The Old Curiosity Shop is a book of contrasts: the purity of Nell compared to the dishonesty of Quilp, fresh air and scenic villages to the polluted, stone-covered city, etc. Even people’s reaction to the book presented a cruel contrast. At first, Nell Trent was praised and considered Dickens’ best character. Later, she was criticized by many well-known people like Oscar Wilde. While characters in Dickens’ other books are moving towards a better future, Nell and her grandfather are fleeing for their life and their story is moving towards a sad ending. 

1.We can infer from the first two paragraphs that ___________.

A. Nell’s mother died young because of poverty

B. Nell’s grandfather made a fortune by gambling

C. Nell died of starvation during her journey

D. Nell had no one to turn to on her travels

2.What’s the third paragraph mainly about?

A. The plot (情节) of the story.                              B. The characters in the story.

C. The background of the story.                            D. The inspiration behind the story.

3.The Old Curiosity Shop is different from Dickens’ other works because it ___________.

A. is full of contrasts                                                B. has a surprise ending

C. reflects Dickens’ own life                                   D. is set in the Industrial Revolution

Much of European train is about efficiency and comfort --- leaving and arriving on time and having a comfortable seat. But the following European trains don’t necessarily offer the fastest journeys --- just the most memorable.

1.Travelling from Montreux to Broc on the Chocolate Train, you ____________.

A. will spend about five hours

B. have to go in winter and spring

C. will see a famous chocolate factory

D. can have lunch on the train

2.Which of the following websites offers more information about Francisco de Goya?

A. www.trans-siberia.com                                                B. www.visitflam.com

C. www.raileurope.com                                                    D. www.elipsos.com

3.Which of the following trains can help you learn about Russian culture?

A. Trans-Siberian Railway.                                       B. The Chocolate Train.

C. Francisco de Goya.                                                       D. The Bernina Express.

4.The passage is most probably taken from a _____________.

A. news report                                                                   B. book review

C. travel magazine                                                             D. geography textbook

Almost everyone is afraid of something --- snakes, heights, public speaking and so on.

         It is normal and can even be helpful to experience fear sometimes. In dangerous situations, fear can keep our bodies alert (警醒的) so that we can act quickly to protect ourselves.

         But for some people, fear develops into a “phobia”, which is a strong and unreasonable fear of something. For example, the majority of us feel a little scared when looking down from a tall building. But people with height phobia may have trouble breathing, feel dizzy or turn down a great job just because the company is on the 20th floor.

         Phobias can prevent you from living a normal life. “People with spider phobia would stay out of their home or dormitory room for days if they thought a spider was present,” Katherina Hauner, a researcher at Northwestern University, US, told ABC news. This is why scientists have been trying to find a cure for this disease.

         Since fear comes from experience --- from what we are told, what we see others experience and what happens to us --- some scientists think if they can “rewrite” these unpleasant memories, they might be able to help people overcome their phobias.

         In a study by Hauner and other scientists, participants with spider phobia were asked to first touch a spider with a paintbrush. Seeing that it was not actually dangerous, they then tried touching it while wearing a glove. Finally, they could hold it with their hands.

         Certain medicine has also been found to be helpful. Back in 2010, researchers at the University of Hiroshima, Japan, injected (注射) a special medicine into a fish --- who was afraid of light --- to turn off the fear center in its brain. From then on, the fish no longer feared light.

         While the search for solutions to phobias is making great progress, it’s an open question whether getting rid of fear is good. Some people want to use these methods to make soldiers fight harder in wars by taking away their sense of fear. Dave Smithson of the charity Anxiety UK thinks that’s a bad idea. “It’s fear that prevents us from doing crazy things,” he says. “There’s a name for people who don’t have fear of consequences: psychopaths (精神变态者).

1.The main point of the article is to ___________.

A. show us what kind of role fear plays in our lives

B. discuss if it is good to try to get rid of fear

C. inform us of fear and phobia

D. discuss scientific studies related to fear

2.How does the writer make the meaning of “phobia” clear?

A. By making comparisons.                                     B. By giving examples.

C. By giving data in numbers.                               D. By giving descriptions.

3.Which of the following shows the progress scientists have made in finding solutions to phobia?

A. New medicine can shut off fear centers in animal brains whenever needed.

B. They can use phobias to keep our bodies alert so that we can protect ourselves.

C. They can now reduce the pain which is connected with phobia.

D. They have succeeded in helping some people ignore memories related to phobia.

4.Which of the following would Dave Smithson probably agree with?

A. There is nothing to fear except fear itself.    

B. We should not let fear affect our decisions.

C. Fear is not a completely bad thing.

D. Without fear, everyone would be brave.

Koala bears as pets might be appealing to many of us. However, there are quite a few points to consider even before thinking of adopting one.

         Koala bears are one of the most lovely Australian animals. In certain cases where the koala has been raised by hand, they have turned out to be quite affectionate pets. These people tied a piece of fur to a pillow and placed it beside a joey (a baby kola) as a substitute (替代物) for the mother koala. This trick seemed to work well with the baby koala. However, it is a known fact that human handling causes stress to koalas. In my personal opinion, this aspect clouds the fact that koala bears can be tamed (驯服).

         In Australia the koala is a priority animal as far as conservation status assessment is concerned. It was hunted to near extinction (灭绝) for its fur. In fact the koala had been wiped out from South Australia in the 1920s. However, rehabilitation efforts have brought the animal back in the state. As for the Australia government, the koala is not a threatened animal, but the US government does list the koala as one.

         Although they may live in 40 to 60 kinds of eucalyptus trees, they prefer only 10 to 14 specific kinds. Koalas sleep for most part of the day, which is about 16 to 18 hours, and for most of their waking hours all they do is eat. Koala bears eat the leaves of eucalyptus trees. A full-grown koala can eat almost 2 to 3 pounds of leaves in a day. Despite their slow movements and sweet look, koala bears can be vicious when hungry. Other than this, there are the stress caused to koalas due to human handling and the fights that start in koalas.

         Almost everyone finds koalas lovely in the zoo. However, as far as having koala bears as pets is concerned, there are legal issues to consider. Other than that, being able to provide for its diet and habitat is another point that needs some attention before any law legalizing their adoption as pets is passed.

1.What’s the author’s attitude towards people raising the koala?

A. Optimistic.              B. Grateful.                           C. Cautious.                          D. Enthusiastic.

2.Why did Australians hunt the koala?

A. To get its fur.     B. To eat its meat.                 C. To wipe it out.                 D. To have it for fun.

3.The underlined word “vicious” in Paragraph 4 probably means __________.

A. fierce and dangerous                                                  B. patient and friendly

C. afraid and defensive                                                    D. lovely and interesting

4.It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

A. koala bears tend to live in groups                            

B. koala bear care can be very demanding

C. koala bears are not particular about their food     

D. koala bears are the No. 1 threatened animal in the US

认真阅读下面短文，并在表格内的空白处填上一个合适的单词，注意：每空一词。

The average human experiences a lot of dreams while they sleep at night. But what exactly do they mean? The following explanations deal with four most common dreams and some of the possible meanings behind them, according to experts. Please note that, while certainly interesting, dream analysis is a highly subjective(主观的) field of study.

         Dreams about being chased (追逐)

         Dreaming about being chased generally means you may be avoiding a person or something painful, annoying or fearful.

         It could be a reminder that trying to avoid the problem could lead to more such dreams. Most people dream about being chased at one point or another. It’s both common and natural.

         Dreams about death

         According to Jeffrey Sumber, a psychotherapist (精神治疗师) and author, dreams about death often indicate “the ending of something, whether that’s a job or a relationship”. He suggests a dream about death can also indicate attempts to remove anxiety or anger. These dreams don’t suggest a person will actually die, he explains.

         There are no tricks when it comes to avoiding such dreams. The only way is to do our inner work and make peace with it.

         People who have dreams about death tend to be those who are entering an uncertain period in their life. It could be a life-changing event that creates anxiety and fear of the unknown.

         Dreams about falling

         Dreaming about falling can have a physiological basis, according to Cathleen O’ Connor, Ph. D. As the body goes deep into sleep and the nervous system begins to be quiet, blood pressure and heart rate drop and this change can cause a falling dream.

         O’Connor says that dreaming about falling is the mind’s way of warning the dreamer of a situation in his or her waking life where they feel out of control.

         “If dreams of falling bring feelings of fear, you should realize that the goal is not to avoid them but rather to work with those dreams in your waking state and deal with the fear so you can regain your balance,” O’ Connor says.

         Dreams about celebrities (名人)

         “Celebrities carry some kind of message that’s associated with personal achievements or lack,” says Shelley Smith, founding director of the Yoga Health & Therapy Center. “A person dreaming about a celebrity is looking for inspiration … or some characteristic that is associated with that celebrity.

         “That’s one of the features of dream images, and they are not under our control,” Smith says. “Your experience while you’re sleeping is coming from a place that’s totally unconscious (无意识的).”

         “There is no one group that we can say has this particular dream more than another,” she says, “The image is energetic and specific to what the person’s need is. For example, accomplishment, health, and rising to the top --- whatever is associated with that celebrity.