Wang Jiaming from Beijing Chenjinglun High School says he is a lucky boy. He’s happy that he’s sitting the senior high school entrance exam (中考) in 2014 instead of 2016.
On Oct 22, Beijing Municipal Commission of Education (北京市教委) announced that, from 2016, the English scores in the senior high school entrance exam will be reduced from 120 to 100. Of the 100 points, the listening ability scores will increase to 50. Meanwhile, the points for Chinese will increase from 120 to 150.
“The change won’t affect me. I feel so lucky because English is my strongest subject,” said Wang.
Why such a change? It places the importance on Chinese in our study, and reduces students’ pressure, said Li Yi, spokesman of the commission.
“The change will also push us to pay attention to the practical usage of English,” said Li. “ Students will be encouraged to learn to understand English menus and read English news on mobile phones.”
There isn’t news that other cities will have the same change. But several places are making changes to English tests in the college entrance exams.
For example, Shandong is considering taking out the listening part of the English exam in its gaokao.
But, “being tested for less points doesn’t mean the subject can be taken lightly.,” Bai Ping wrote in China Daily.
English has long been the world’s most commonly used language. Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji once said: “In a globalizing economy, if you cannot interact with foreighers, how can one be part of the world economy?”
Wang Jiaming said he understood the change. “Chinese, not English, is our mother tongue,” he said. “But still, I think English is both interesting and useful.”
【小题1】 In the Beijing senior high school entrance exam of 2016, __________.

My dad used to say he knew I would be a singer. When I was a baby, I was always singing loudly. Dad was a big sports fan, but he was happy I loved music.
After dinner, Dad would often ask me to sing. He always said I sang I Will Always Love You much better than Whitney Houston!
At every school concert he cheered me on. The look of pride on his face made me happy.
My life was full of concerts, singing lessons and laughter. Though my mum and brothers helped me, they did not share our love for music.
Our lives changed when Dad was told that he had cancer. We always hoped that something would happen and he would get better, but the doctors told us that they could not save him.
About a week before my dad died, he fell into a coma (昏迷). The nurses said even though Dad did not reply, he could still hear me.
The nurses said I should sing him a song. I sang one of our favorites. As I sang, my dad gave a big smile, and clapped (鼓掌).
I will always remember that smile. I was so pleased to know that Dad had heard me sing one more song.
My dad died on May 14, 2000. It was hard to believe: he was so full of life. I don’t know how to say how much I miss him.
Now I have all the memories of him and his beautiful smile deep inside my heart. I will always know that he is listening from his front row seat in heaven.
He used to say: “Sing from your heart.”
My dad has been and will always be my hero.
【小题1】According to the story, Whitney Houston is probably ______.

Swimming is very popular in summer. People like swimming in summer because water 【小题1】m______ people feel cool. If you like swimming and swim in a wrong place, it may not be safe(安全的). Last summer, more than ten people died 【小题2】w______ they were 【小题3】e_______ themselves in the water, and 【小题4】m______ of them were students. But some people are 【小题5】s_____ not careful in swimming. They often think they swim so well that【小题6】n_____ can happen to them in water. Summer is here again , if you go swimming in summer, don’t forget that better swimmers have died in 【小题7】w______. They 【小题8】d______ only because they were not 【小题9】c______, not because they could not swim. So don’t get into water when you go swimming 【小题10】y______, go with your teachers or your parents. If there are “No 【小题11】S______” sign, don’t get into water, either. If you 【小题12】r______ these, swimming will be safer.

阅读下面短文，根据短文内容及首字母提示，在空白处填入一个适当的单词。  

A poor young man went to Paris, expecting that his father’s friend could help him find a business for living.

“Are you 1.g_________ at maths?” his father’s friend asked him.

The young man 2.s________ his head.

“How is your history?” “How 3.a________ your law?”

The young man lowered(低下) his head sadly.

His father’s friend asked again and again, but the young man could4.o_________shake his head. He himself couldn’t find out any advantages.

“Then write down5.y_______ address first.”

The young man wrote his address and turned to leave, 6.b_______ he was stopped by his father’s friend. “Your name is written very beautifully, which is your advantage. You shouldn’t satisfy yourself with finding a 7.j_______ for living.”

Many8.y_______later, the young man wrote the classical works that was well-known in the world. He was Alexandra Dumas(大仲马), a9. f________French writer of the 18th century.

There are many ordinary persons in the world who all have many small advantages, but they can’t find 10.t__________. In fact, there is a gold mine(矿)in every ordinary life. If you’re willing to dig, you will dig out treasures that surprise yourself.