题型：阅读理解 题类：模拟题 难易度：较易
年份：2016
Happiness is in your genes, it seems, according to a research that shows the morepeople ina country who have a particular gene, the happier the nation will be. The FAAHgene, the DNA in question, makes a protein that affects feelings of pleasure and pain.People with a particular version of it tend to be cheerier souls.
The researchers believe that the finding can help explain why some of the world'spoorest nations are also the happiest. The team from Bulgaria looked at whether there wasa connection between the level of the FAAH gene in a population and the number of peoplewho said they were very happy in the global study of life satisfaction. Sweden, one of thehappiest countries in Europe and in the world, has lots of happy DNA. Some 26.3 percent of Swedes have the happiness gene, compared t0 23 per cent of the British, 21 percent of the French and 20 per cent of Germans. The happiness gene is even rarer insouthern Europe, where it is found in 18 per cent of Greeks and just 12 per cent ofItalians. In contrast, the people in Iraq and Jordan are among the least likely to ratethemselves as very happy and also have the lowest levels of the gene.
But the gene and optimism don-t always go hand in hand.For instance, Russiansscore very low on happiness, despite having the right DNA, the Journal of HappinessStudies reports. Climatic differences are also found to be closely associated with nationaldifferences in happiness. Study co-author Michael Minkov said, "We can notice the highoccurrence of the gene in equatorial(赤道的) and tropical environments in South Americaand Africa, and the lower occurrence of it around the Mediterranean Sea than in NorthernEurope. "
“Genetics is not the only determining factor (因素) of happiness," A spokesman forthe journal's publishersaid, "The economic and political difficulties continuouslyexperienced by Eastern European nations contribute to the very low happiness scores ofRussians. Nations not blessed with the right DNA aren’t necessarily miserable---happiness can still rise and fall for other reasons. "
| A. happiness |
| B. life satisfaction |
| C. the protein in question |
| D. the FAAH gene |
| A. Greece. | B. Germany. |
| C. Britain. | D. Iraq. |
| A. Climate has much to do with happiness. |
| B. The poorest countries are actually the happiest. |
| C. Genetics matters most to determine happiness. |
| D. Russians are not happy since they lack happy DNA。 |
| A. Researches on Genetic Science |
| B. Factors to Affect Happiness |
| C. Reasons for National Differences |
D. The Happi est Countries |
题型：阅读理解 题类：月考试卷 难易度：中档
年份：2016
In America, Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort: brilliant beaches, a lively boardwalk, plenty of restaurants and nightspots, and amusement rides sure to appeal to kids. Many believe Virginia Beach is at its best in the offseason, when the town is less crowded but the weather is still mild.
Meanwhile, some safety tips should be followed, enjoying the happiness and excitement the beach offers.
The number 1 safety tip concerns ocean safety: pay attention to Flag conditions posted on the lifeguard stands. Lifeguards post a red flag to warn when the ocean water is dangerous. Take them seriously! Tourists from landlocked regions are particularly easily attracted by the magic of the waves. However, a calm ocean can become risky without warning. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard. Swimming without lifeguard protection is almost five times as great as drowning at a beach with lifeguards.
Never swim alone. Many drownings involve single swimmer. When you swim with someone else, if one of you has a problem, the other may be able to get help, including signaling for assistance from others.
Don’t fight the current. The facts show that some 80% of rescues by lifeguards at ocean beaches are caused by currents. These currents are formed by surf and gravity, because once surf pushes water up the slope of a beach, gravity pulls it back. This can create concentrated rivers of water moving offshore. If you are caught in a rip current, don’t fight it by trying to swim directly to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax, then swim to shore. Most rip currents are narrow and a short swim parallel to shore will help bring you to safety.
| A. the towns nearby are empty and the tourists can enjoy quietness |
| B. the weather is hot and the tourists can swim in the sea |
| C. the beach can offer the tourists happiness and excitement |
| D. the weather is still mild and there are fewer tourists in the towns nearby |
| A. Land-locked tourists are more attracted by the beauty of the waves. |
| B. The red flag means the ocean is clam and safe. |
| C. Swimming near a lifeguard won’t bring you safety. |
| D. Fighting the current is exciting and fun. |
| A. one in five persons swimming in the sea is drowned |
| B. if one with a lifeguard were drowning, five persons without lifeguards would be |
| C. some 80% people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards |
| D. some 20% people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards |
题型：阅读理解 题类：月考试卷 难易度：中档
年份：2016
If you live in a big city, there are many things to drive you crazy on your daily route, and it’s not just overcrowded subway trains.
Vicky Zhao is a mainlander working in Hong Kong. For her, one thing she can’t put up with is people standing on the wrong side of the escalator(自动扶梯) in subway stations. “Escalators help us move faster and save time. It isn’t a place to rest,” the 24-year-old says. “I often see tourists block the way with their suitcases or chatting on the escalators during rush hours. It annoys me to no end.”
Admitting she is not the patient type, Zhao says things are much better in Hong Kong than in cities on the mainland where “stand right, walk left” signs are often ignored.
The logic behind the “stand right, walk left” escalator e
tiquette(礼仪) seems obvious. Even though you may want to catch your breath while you’re transported up or down, you should still consider others and leave enough space for people in a hurry, so that they can run and catch the train.
Many cities’ escalators, including London’s and Beijing’s, use the “stand right, walk left” system to speed up the flow of people. (Australia is an exception and you should stand on the left side instead.) But some cities discourage people from moving on escalators out of safety reasons. In Hong Kong’s subway stations there are regular announcements asking people to “stand still” on escalators. Even so, most people in this fast-paced city observe the “stand right, walk left” etiquette.
But the people who stand on esca
lators defend the
mselves by telling the walkers not to be so impatient. The BBC quotes one stander as saying: “If the person is in such a rush, why not just take the stairs? Even when the escalator is packed and there’s nowhere to move, I see these same people complaining about not being able to pass.”
Whatever the escalator etiquette is in the place you live or visit, do what most people are doing and always be mindful of others: leave enough space between each other, don’t stay at the end of the escalator, and if someone is blocking your way, a simple “excuse me” is enough.
| A. the author’s living in the big city of Hong Kong. |
| B. being crowded on the subway trains in rush hours. |
| C. people’s blocking the way or chat on the escalators. |
| D. people’s standing on the right side resting. |
| A. stand still as the railway stations require. |
| B. ignore the “ stand right, walk left” signs |
| C. use the stairs instead of escalators. |
| D. follow the “stand right, walk left” etiquette. |
| A. Not everyone follows the “stand right, walk left” etiquette. |
| B. The BBC is against the “stand right, walk left” etiquette. |
| C. People should be patient and take the stairs if possible. |
| D. People shouldn’t complain about the crowded escalators. |
| A. People should stand right no matter where they are. |
| B. People should do as the Romans do and consider others. |
| C. People should do as they like on the escalators. |
| D. People should be seriously criticized when they block the way. |
题型：阅读理解 题类：月考试卷 难易度：中档
年份：2016
Hu Liˈs heart sank due to the color of the air. Driving 140 kilometers from Tianjin City to Beijing last week，she held her breath as the air became a charcoal grey haze(炭灰色的阴霾)．The 39yearold businesswoman has lived in Beijing for a decade，and this past month，she said，brought the worst air pollution she has ever seen. It gave her husband a cough and left her sevenyearold daughter housebound(足不出户)．“My husband as well as I is working here，so we have no choice，” she said.“But if we had a choice，weˈd like to escape from Beijing.”
The extended heavy pollution over the last month，which caused punishment in return for a day last week－called the “airpocalypse” by internet users－has largel
y changed the way that Chinese think about the countryˈs air. On one day，pollution levels were 30 times higher than levels considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO)．Flights were cancelled. Roads were closed. One hospital in east Beijing reported they had treated more than 900 children for breathing issues. Bloomberg found that for most of January，Beijingˈs air was worse than that of an airport smoking area.
The smogˈs(烟雾) most threatening aspect is its high concentration(浓度) of PM 2.5－particulate matter that is small enough to breathe deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream，causing breathing infections，lung cancer and possibly damaging childrenˈs development. The WHO has estimated that outdoor air pollution accounts for two million deaths per year，65% of them in Asia.
| A. Hu Li is living in Beijing. |
| B. Hu Li traveled to Tianjin for business. |
| C. The haze is harmful to people. |
| D. The pollution is the worst in Beijingˈs history. |
| A. the way they traveled |
| B. the opinion about national air |
| C. the way they lived their life |
| D. the life style of internet |
| A. can lead to choke |
B. ca n cause heart cancer |
| C. will damage childrenˈs development |
| D. will damage peopleˈs organ |
| A. Hu Liˈs attitudes to Beijingˈs haze |
| B. The damages of Beijingˈs haze |
| C. WHO suggests improving Beijingˈs air |
| D. What caused air pollution in Beijing |
题型：阅读理解 题类：其他 难易度：中档
年份：2016
B
While there are many ways to offer help to people in need, being part of the solution can seem useful. There are many millions of starving children around the world. How can a single person who isn’t a billionaire have an impact? Where do you start? Start with one small act.
When Hilde Back was a schoolteacher in Sweden, she decided to sponsor one child’s education in Kenya. Hilde’s sponsorship of Chris cost about $15 per month. Most poor children in Kenya cannot afford to pay secondary school tuition. Unfortunately, without an education, an extremely difficult and poor life is practically guaranteed. Thanks to Hilde’s generosity, Chris avoided that fate.
Chris graduated from high school, went to University of Nairobi and then attended Harvard Law School. He became a U.N. Human Rights Advocate, and he started a charity. He got the name of his anonymous (匿名的) sponsor through the Swedish embassy and named his nonprofit organization the Hilde Back Education Fund (HBEF) after the sponsor he never met.
HBEF pays tuition for poor students in Kenya. Since the charity’s start, 350 children have been supported. Three hundred and fifty lives have been changed directly so far. That doesn’t even include the impact on their families. And who knows how many of these students will be inspired, as Chris was, to give back.
When talking about why he started HBEF to educate poor children, he said, “I think I want to see a world in which children have equal opportunity and are not robbed of their future by poverty, like so many of my friends in the village were.”
It’s interesting that the only reason why Hilde Back was even alive to support Chris was because of a stranger’s kindness. This is a reminder that we can all make a difference, and you never know what a big impact a small act of kindness can have.
| A. To tell a story. |
| B. To give an example. |
| C. To introduce the topic. |
| D. To list some questions. |
| A. She used to be a poor student in Kenya.
|
| B. She offered her salary to a poor student. |
| C. She did a small act to make a big difference.
|
| D. She did a small act to get a fund named after her. |
| A. Chris would be in poverty without Hilde Back’s help.
|
| B. Chris knew the name of his sponsor before graduation.
|
| C. Chris’ fund is aimed to help poor children in his village. |
| D. Chris proudly named his fund after meeting Hilde Back. |
| A. Sponsor the poor
|
| B. Start with one small act |
| C. Learn from Hilde Back |
| D. To be a generous sponsor |
题型：阅读理解 题类：期中考试 难易度：较易
年份：2016
| A. difficult | B. easy | C. funny | D. interesting |
| A. basic． | B. beautiful． | C. comfortable． | D. meaningful． |
| A. Where to Meet Friends？ |
| B. How to Make Friends？ |
| C. What Is a Friend Indeed？ |
| D. Everyone Needs Friends． |
题型：阅读理解 题类：期中考试 难易度：较难
年份：2016
| A. They are often forgotten by their owners． |
| B. They are used to living outdoors． |
| C. They build their own shelters． |
| D. They like to stay in warm places． |
| A. To know when to bring them inside． |
| B. To keep them from eating bad food． |
| C. To help them find shelters． |
| D. To keep them company． |
| A. run short of clean water |
| B. dig deep holes for fun |
| C. dirty the snow nearby |
| D. get lost in the wild |
| A. To solve a problem． |
| B. To give practical advice． |
| C. To tell an interesting story． |
| D. To present a research result． |
题型：阅读理解 题类：期中考试 难易度：较难
年份：2016
If Confucius（孔子）were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy (哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
| A. attract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| B. provide some key facts about Confucius |
| C. show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D. prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A. take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| B. have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| C. try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D. fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A. Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B. Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C. Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| D. Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| A. a biography |
| B. a history paper |
| C. a philosophy textbook |
| D. a newspaper |
题型：阅读理解 题类：期中考试 难易度：较易
年份：2016
I had my first job at the age of thirteen, when a friend of my mother who owned a bookshop hired me for six hours a week to help her in the shop. I was very proud to earn my own pocket money and my parents never interfered with how I spent it, even when I was spending it foolishly. Theybelievedthat by earning money, spending it, and learning from the mistakes, I would become more mature and responsible about how to handle work, relationships with others, and money.
Like many American parents, my parents also let me and my brothers do things over which they worried a great deal. When I was sixteen, for example, after I finished high school and before I entered university, I wanted to spend the summer months traveling around Europe. My mother was against the idea of my traveling alone at such a young age, but my father felt that it would be a great experience for me. In the end, my father won the argument on the condition that I limited my traveling to France, my motherˈ s home, where I had many uncles, aunts and cousins spread out through the country who could provide shelter and help if I needed them.
Three years later, my younger brother decided to take a year off after his first year in university and travel through the United States and the Caribbean. Again my mother was very worried and not eager to see my brother leave school, but my father encouraged him and my brother had a fascinating year working his way on trains and ships to earn passage to different ports and cities, and discovering many fascinating places and people.
These kinds of experiences are probably rare for children in many countries but in the US they are fairly common. Most parents start pushing their children at a young age to do small things by themselves. By the time they have finished high school, many American kids have already had part-time jobs, traveled around the US or other countries on their own, have selected the university they plan to attend and maybe even decided on their future career, and so on.
| A. it could make the kids become braver |
| B. the kids could earn some pocket money |
| C. it could bring good to the kidsˈ future |
| D. the kids could find jobs more easily |
| A. his brother earned a lot of money by working |
| B. his brother gained valuable experiences during the travel |
| C. his brother didnˈt disappoint his father |
| D. his brotherˈs travel was better than his to France |
| A. The author went to France in order to see his relatives. |
| B. The authorˈs mother managed to stop the kids doing dangerous traveling. |
| C. Many American parents encourage their kids do things independently to prepare for the future. |
| D. The authorˈs brother gave up his university to travel in the USA and the Caribbean. |
题型：阅读理解 题类：其他 难易度：中档
年份：2016
A couple of weeks ago, my friend had a yard sale, and she offered to sell some of our stuff for us. I thought it would be a good opportunity to clean my 7-year-old son’s room and get rid of some toys that he had long outgrown. We agreed that whatever we sold in toys would be his money.
The night before the sale, we loaded up the truck with toys and a little bike that he was now too tall for. He took the bike for a final ride but happily put it on the truck for the sale. This little bike had had at least 2 previous owners that we knew of. It was not in the best shape and it certainly was not shiny new but it was still a bike, and the tires were still good.
We put a price of $10 on it but it didn’t sell. So, when the sale was almost over, my friend put it on the sidewalk with a sign that said “FREE BIKE”. Within five minutes a little boy was standing there. His English was not very good but he asked if the sign was right. My friend said yes and said that he could have it for nothing. He smiled, jumped on the bike and rode away.
Later that evening when I told my son how much money he had made at the yard sale, he was very excited. Tomorrow we were going to take the money to the bank. He asked about a few of his things, wondering if they sold. When he asked about the bike, I told him about the little lucky boy who got the bike for free. The smile on my son’s face was truly priceless, much more than when I told him how much he had made. He was so thrilled to hear that someone else would get good use of that little bike.
The bike was given to us, so in this way, I guess we got to return the favor!
| A. experience the hardship of life |
| B. clean the room and get rid of some toys |
| C. do his friend a favor |
| D. save some money for his son |
| A. Because it was old and of poor quality.
|
| B. Because she intended to give it to a boy.
|
| C. Because she wanted to end the sale quickly.
|
| D. Because she knew nobody would spend money on it. |
| A. Brave and polite. |
| B. Smart and shy. |
| C. Honest and thankful. |
| D. Kind and generous. |
| A. didn’t care about whether his things sold well |
| B. got some money by selling his toys |
| C. planned to buy a new bike |
| D. intended to keep his bike at first |
