At the beginning of every school year, I feared coming home with the heavy homework of the first day after a summer of fun.  And I feared getting another teacher who had a long list of rules and a stare that could kill a cat.

But there was always one part of beginning a new school year that I enjoyed.  I always liked going to the store to arm myself with new school supplies-even if I didn’t need them.

Sure, my pencils, erasers and notebooks from the previous school year may have had some life left in them.  But this didn’t matter.  Every year, Dad would pile us into the car, take us to Wal-Mart and let us buy the newest and coolest pencils, rainbow-colored erasers and spiral notebooks.

Besides school supplies, many parents also take their kids on annual shopping spree for new clothes and book bags just in time for school.  During the whole process, children are in high spirits, buying a lot of stuff and are back home exhausted.

Every year, most of my classmates and I show up to school on the first day with something smelling like a new car.  We’d put our new stationery on top of the desks, just to make sure others see them.

Leftover supplies from past years were always stuffed into the living room desk.  Used clothes that had lost their appeal were sent to second-hand shops, where they would be sold for 50 cents a piece.

However, all of the new stuff could only make us excited about going to school for one week, after which the usual boredom and fear come back.

65. What is NOT TRUE about the author at the beginning of a new school year in the passage?

       A. He often has to face a new teacher. 

       B. He doesn’t enjoy the load of work from school.

       C. He doesn’t appreciate strict teachers

       D. He obtains new school supplies from the school.

66. Why do the students look forward to getting new pencils every year?

       A. Because the old ones are used up.

       B. Because new pencils help them to study better.

       C. Because they want to show their new stuff off.

       D. Because it’s required by the school.

67. The underlined word “spree” in the passage probably means ______.

       A. competition              B. considerable embarrassment

       C. wild celebration        D. emotional pain

68. How are the old supplies dealt with?

       A. They are put aside and forgotten.     B. They are given to poorer children.

       C. They are sold online. D. They are treasured by the students.

.

 Section B

Directions: Read the following three passages.  Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements.  For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D.  Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.

At the beginning of every school year, I feared coming home with the heavy homework of the first day after a summer of fun.  And I feared getting another teacher who had a long list of rules and a stare that could kill a cat.

But there was always one part of beginning a new school year that I enjoyed.  I always liked going to the store to arm myself with new school supplies-even if I didn’t need them.

Sure, my pencils, erasers and notebooks from the previous school year may have had some life left in them.  But this didn’t matter.  Every year, Dad would pile us into the car, take us to Wal-Mart and let us buy the newest and coolest pencils, rainbow-colored erasers and spiral notebooks.

Besides school supplies, many parents also take their kids on annual shopping spree for new clothes and book bags just in time for school.  During the whole process, children are in high spirits, buying a lot of stuff and are back home exhausted.

Every year, most of my classmates and I show up to school on the first day with something smelling like a new car.  We’d put our new stationery on top of the desks, just to make sure others see them.

Leftover supplies from past years were always stuffed into the living room desk.  Used clothes that had lost their appeal were sent to second-hand shops, where they would be sold for 50 cents a piece.

However, all of the new stuff could only make us excited about going to school for one week, after which the usual boredom and fear come back.

65. What is NOT TRUE about the author at the beginning of a new school year in the passage?

       A. He often has to face a new teacher. 

       B. He doesn’t enjoy the load of work from school.

       C. He doesn’t appreciate strict teachers

       D. He obtains new school supplies from the school.

66. Why do the students look forward to getting new pencils every year?

       A. Because the old ones are used up.

       B. Because new pencils help them to study better.

       C. Because they want to show their new stuff off.

       D. Because it’s required by the school.

67. The underlined word “spree” in the passage probably means ______.

       A. competition              B. considerable embarrassment

       C. wild celebration        D. emotional pain

68. How are the old supplies dealt with?

       A. They are put aside and forgotten.     B. They are given to poorer children.

       C. They are sold online. D. They are treasured by the students.

.
This is my third day of the English camp here in Australia. It has been an amazing experience. I can’t believe how many different nationalities are here. Because we all speak so many different languages, we are forced to use our English in order to communicate. I really like Jim, the leader of my small group. There are only five other students in our group; Jim is very easy-going and is very good at getting all of us to chat and have fun together.
There are classes every day, but they are not boring, like my English classes at school. We learn new vocabulary every day and then must practice it immediately in conversation or in real life situations. The teachers are very professional---and very skilled at making us feel comfortable and eager to talk. The writing classes are the most difficult for me; the teacher is very strict, but I like her a lot. She has very high standards, but her step-by-step method leads us slowly but surely to her final goal.
I can feel myself growing a lot personally. In just three days, I have much more confidence than ever before to express myself in English. I’ve also noticed that I’m much more comfortable with different kinds of people---not nearly so shy as when I’m at home. It seems that being shy is just my way of hiding when I’m afraid. Here at the camp, the teachers and other leaders have kindly but firmly forced me to push past my fear. I’m learning a lot about myself. In fact, after staying here for only three days, I have realized that in the past I used my shyness as an excuse for my poor English. I’ve realized that I’m not really being shy, but I’m being afraid of embarrassment--- and my fear has hurt not only my English ability but my social skills. Here at the camp I’m not only learning English but also learning how not to be afraid.
68. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. The English Camp only offers a three-day study.
B. The writer is the leader of his small group.
C. There are altogether five members in the writer’s group.
D. The members in the English camp are from different countries.
69. What does the writer think of his English classes at school?
A. They are not boring.
B. They are dull.
C. They are interesting.
D. He likes them better than the classes in the English camp.
70. What can we learn about the writer from the passage?
A. His English used to be poor because of his shyness.
B. His English used to be poor because of his fear.
C. He doesn’t like English.
D. He is not as comfortable with different kinds of people as at home.
71. By saying “my fear has hurt not only my English ability but my social skills”, the writer means all of the following except ________.
A. he has learnt both English and social skills in the English camp
B. he has much more confidence than ever before to express himself in English now
C. he has grown a lot personally at the English Camp
D. he is not learning much about himself at the English Camp

.

This is my third day of the English camp here in Australia. It has been an amazing experience. I can’t believe how many different nationalities are here. Because we all speak so many different languages, we are forced to use our English in order to communicate. I really like Jim, the leader of my small group. There are only five other students in our group; Jim is very easy-going and is very good at getting all of us to chat and have fun together.

There are classes every day, but they are not boring, like my English classes at school. We learn new vocabulary every day and then must practice it immediately in conversation or in real life situations. The teachers are very professional---and very skilled at making us feel comfortable and eager to talk. The writing classes are the most difficult for me; the teacher is very strict, but I like her a lot. She has very high standards, but her step-by-step method leads us slowly but surely to her final goal.

I can feel myself growing a lot personally. In just three days, I have much more confidence than ever before to express myself in English. I’ve also noticed that I’m much more comfortable with different kinds of people---not nearly so shy as when I’m at home. It seems that being shy is just my way of hiding when I’m afraid. Here at the camp, the teachers and other leaders have kindly but firmly forced me to push past my fear. I’m learning a lot about myself. In fact, after staying here for only three days, I have realized that in the past I used my shyness as an excuse for my poor English. I’ve realized that I’m not really being shy, but I’m being afraid of embarrassment--- and my fear has hurt not only my English ability but my social skills. Here at the camp I’m not only learning English but also learning how not to be afraid.

68. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. The English Camp only offers a three-day study.

B. The writer is the leader of his small group.

C. There are altogether five members in the writer’s group.

D. The members in the English camp are from different countries.

69. What does the writer think of his English classes at school?

A. They are not boring.

B. They are dull.

C. They are interesting.

D. He likes them better than the classes in the English camp.

70. What can we learn about the writer from the passage?

A. His English used to be poor because of his shyness.

B. His English used to be poor because of his fear.

C. He doesn’t like English.

D. He is not as comfortable with different kinds of people as at home.

71. By saying “my fear has hurt not only my English ability but my social skills”, the writer means all of the following except ________.

A. he has learnt both English and social skills in the English camp

B. he has much more confidence than ever before to express himself in English now

C. he has grown a lot personally at the English Camp

D. he is not learning much about himself at the English Camp