题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
Most of my friends are moving outside the city to avoid the noise， smog， traffic， and crime of the city. One friend says， “The air is heavily polluted in the city， so I prefer to live outside， where the air is clean.” Another friend is unpleased with the traffic， “Downtown is crowded with cars！ You can’t find a parking place， and the traffic jams are terrible.” Everyone is worried about crime， “The city is full of criminals—it’s too dangerous.”
For them， the rural (乡村的) life is a cure for all problems， green grass， flowers， swimming pools， barbecues， and so on. Yet after they have lived there for a year or so， they realize that rural life is not so pleasant as they were expecting. Why？ Their gardens！ They soon learn that the main part of rural life is yardwork. After they work all weekend in their gardens， they’re too tired to swim in their pools or cook some meat on their barbecues. And they can’t live in the countryside without a car. Most of them moved to the countryside to avoid traffic， but now they’re blocked on a busy freeway two hours every day to drive to work downtown.
My opinions about urban life are different—I love to live downtown！ Why？ First， in the city， I can enjoy nature. I can walk through the park， smell the flowers， sit on the grass and visit the animals in the zoo. Yet I don’t have to do yardwork or feed the animals. Also， I can get everywhere by bus； if there is a traffic jam， I can walk home. I think the criminal life will reflect changes in society too； if people are buying homes outside the city， the criminals will soon follow. Criminals want to avoid noise， smog， and pollution， too. Then， overcrowding and crime will be problems of the suburbs instead of the city！
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
How do you spend your time? To get it, Paul T. Rankin asked sixty-eight individuals to keep an accurate, detailed record of what they did every minute of their waking hours. He discovered that 70 percent of their waking time was spent on one thing only — communication. Put that evidence alongside the research findings uncovered by the Human Engineering Laboratories, they discovered that, vocabulary, more than any other factor yet known, predicts financial success. New words make us better thinkers as well as communicators. What better reason for beginning right now to extend your vocabulary? But how? You should use the CPD formula.
Through Context (上下文). When students in a college class were asked what should be done when they came across an unknown word in their reading, 84 percent said, “Look it up in the dictionary.” If you do, however, you short-circuit the very mental processes needed to make your efforts most productive.
But there’s another reason. Suppose someone asks you what the word “fast” means. You answer, “speedy or swift”. But does it mean that in such context as “fast color” or “fast friend”? And if a horse is fast, is it securely tied or running at top speed? It could be either. It all depends. On the dictionary? No, on the context. After all, there are over twenty different meanings for “fast” in the dictionary. But the dictionary doesn’t tell you which meaning is intended. That’s why it makes such good sense to begin with context.
Through Word Parts. Now for the next step. Often unfamiliar words contain one or more parts, which, if recognized, provide definite help with meaning. Take the word “monolithic” for example. Try to separate the parts. There is the prefix（前缀） mono-, meaning “one”, and the root –lith, meaning “stone”. Finally, there’s the suffix（后缀） –ic, meaning “consisting of”. Those three parts add up to this definition: “consisting of one stone”.
To speed up your use of word parts, you will be introduced to the fourteen most important words in the English language. The prefix and root elements in those few words are found in over 14,000 words. With those amazingly useful shortcuts, you can build up vocabulary, not at a snail’s pace, one word at a time, but in giant leaps, up to a thousand words at a time.
Through the Dictionary. Now you can see why you should consult the dictionary last, not first. You’ve looked carefully at the context. You’ve looked for familiar word parts. Now you play Sherlock Homes. In light of context or word parts, you try to solve a mystery. What exactly does that strange word mean? Only after you go through the mental gymnastics to come up with a tentative (不确定的) definition should you open the dictionary to see if you’re right.
You are now personally involved. Your increased interest will lead to a better memory of both word and meaning. It also encourages your development of the habits needed to speed up your progress. And when you see in black and white the definition you had expected, what a feeling of achievement is yours. In that way, the CPD Formula provides the exact approaches for maximum effectiveness.
Well, there it is, your new formula — Context, Parts, Dictionary. Use it! The results will be like the money in the bank.
C. Speaking or using many languages. D. Involving more than one language.
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States or Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes that will give them a head start in life. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is. So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter.
However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.
Parents can see that their children’s skills vary, skilled in some areas while poor in others. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today’s children lack self-respect and self-confidence.
The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills they need to be confident, happy and clever.
Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework.
Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. Cooking demands patience and time. It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and a lot of self-confidence.
Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important.
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
Music was a constant presence in my childhood home: Sunday lunches, housework, homework, and afternoons in the garden. It was a rush of Van Morrison, Supertramp, Kate Bush and so on, and all three of us could sing their songs.
Some moments seem scored on my memory: my dad playing Sixteen Candles on my birthday, a school morning with my mum as she played Phil Collins's No Jacket Required. And when I stop to consider it now, I see how much music has shaped and strengthened my relationship with my parents.
I often think it was my mum who gave me lyrics (歌词): a delight in the sound, color and weight of words. My dad gave me music: jazz, blues and rock. He would take me to record markets, where I would stand quietly among the rows and listen to the beautiful music. He would make me CDs, send me messages about his latest favorite music, and greet my return home saying, “Have you heard the new Kanye, Jane?”
My dad and I are still talking about music. When I went home recently, we sat at the kitchen table having supper while he explained what he loved about music. And when my parents went to see Bon Iver play in Manchester this autumn, he emailed me the following morning to express his feelings about the show.
It was my mum who introduced my dad to music: some time around 1970 she bought a CD in Manchester and forced him to listen to it. Even since, music has been a support in our family.
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
B
My father got his first job when he was eleven years old, cleaning up the garbage outside of the bowling alley（保龄球场）. Two years later his dad died, and my father took odd jobs to help put food on the table during the Depression. Ten years after that, Dad fell in love, married Mom and had a baby girl. Eight more children followed. During those years, Dad slipped into a routine he never broke. He woke up before six, took the train to work and wouldn’t get home until after five thirty. After supper, Dad spent the rest of the evening in the basement making dental parts for extra money.
Two years ago, at the age of sixty-four, Dad retied. When I was young, Mom and Dad did well to hide the fact that we were poor. All nine of us attended Catholic schools and we always had plenty of school supplies. We slept in wooden beds, shared one bathroom and watched television from a tiny black-and-white set in the living room. Mom and Dad never bought anything for themselves. They clipped coupons（优惠券）, wore the same pair of sneakers for twenty years and sewed worn clothing together every Saturday afternoon.
At his retirement party, I wanted to thank Dad for all his hard work and sacrifice by buying him the best present I could think of. As I shopped though, I realized there was nothing I could buy for Dad. Dad taught me through his own faith that the greatest gifts come from the heart. Finally, I left my present on the kitchen table for Dad to find before he left for his final day at work.
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
Disney World, Not To Be Missed!
Are you still looking for an amusement park to enjoy yourself? Then, Disney World is your best choice! Disney World has four theme parks. A single—day admission ticket to any of these four theme parks is $67 for adults and $56 for young children above three years. The very best time to come here includes middle of April to late May, and Labor Day to middle of November or early December. Youˈll surely have a fantastic and memorable experience!
Magic Kingdom
This is the original Disney park from which the entire Disney World has expanded. Once you get here, you can pose for pictures with the Disney characters at the entrance. But if you want to save time, go straight to the Main Street. The children would almost certainly desire to see the Dumbo and Winnie. Just remember the parking lot is usually packed. You will need to walk to the entrance gate.
Epcot
Epcot is divided into two sections: World Showcase and Future World. Future World is all about
futuristic rides and high—tech attractions like Test Track and Turtle Talk with Crush. World Showcase,
which lies along a lake, shows international styles from different parts of the globe, including Germany,Canada, Mexico, China and a lot more.
Disneyˈs Hollywood Studios
You will discover plenty of huge attractions inside this movie park. Indiana Jones, Playhouse Disney Live, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, and also the Lights, Motors, Actions Extreme Stunt show are just few of what you need to watch out for. It is also the very best spot for taking pictures with Disney characters.
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily，it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love（早恋）may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression. The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.
Dr Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression. She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.
Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughters or sons，they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
The biggest challenge faced by travelers especially those who like to have a backpacking trip is how to ensure a steady supply of clean clothes. Now thanks to a great invention called Scrubba Wash Pack, that worry may be a thing of the past.
The portable washing machine was invented by Ash Newland in 2010, while he was planning a six week trip to Africa. Struck by the limited packing space for only a few changes of clothes, he got inspiration from traditional washboards (搓衣板) to create a bag that could be used to clean clothes. Then he quitted his career as a lawyer and focused on perfecting the bag's design. By 2012, the bag was ready for the public. Called as “the world's smallest washing machine,” it weighed only 180 grams and required very little storage space, making it perfect for anyone wishing to travel light.
Not surprisingly, the bag worth 55 dollars was an instant hit with travelers, university students and even passengers. However, Newland was not satisfied. He still saw a significant flaw with his invention-dirty clothes had to be carried around in a separate bag! The recently introduced Scrubba Wash Pack solves that problem. The waterproof pack can be used to transport clean clothes and wash them whenever the need arises.
In order to make the pack active, dirty clothes are placed inside the bag along with two to three liters of water. The bag is then shut tightly to ensure all air is squeezed out and the clothes massaged (揉) for a few minutes. A quick wash and they are clean and ready to be dried. According to Newland, the pack can clean anything-from jeans to smelly socks! What's even more amazing is that with a capacity to hold 13-liters of water, it can be used to wash more clothes at a time.
The best part is that 99-dollar pack that will be available for sale later this year, only weighs 300 grams and is completely foldable, making it easy to store when not in use. With the Scrubba Wash Pack, wandering through foreign cities searching for a washing shop, or paying for washing machines may soon be a thing of the past!
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
Dear Amy,
I am a 30-year-old woman with no friends. I have always been shy and a bit of lonely.
In the first couple of years after graduation I kept in touch with most of my friends but gradually they scattered around the country. My best friend Lily and I were roommates for a while but we had a fight. We both admitted mistakes but refused to apologize. Then she moved across the country and that just made it harder to repair our friendship.
About three years ago I was seriously injured in an accident. After that I got chronic(慢性的) pain. I had to change my job as a result. I get along well with the colleagues(同事) at my new job but no friendship really form, mostly because of large age differences. And at the same time, the friends from my old job gradually gave me up. They said that I never gave them enough attention.
I live in a small town with very little to do. The entire social place is only made up of bars, bars and more bars. It’s really not my thing. It’s really no fun to go to a bar and be the only person there who doesn’t drink.
I don’t think I’m a difficult person. I’m kind, patient, and a good listener. People seem to like me, but no one seems to want to be friends with me. What should I do?
Yours,
Erica
题型：阅读理解 题类：期末考试 难易度：中档
年份：2016
B
Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2011 holiday season 58 percent of those making online purchases were women.
"It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming", said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study. Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the most dramatic increases in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However, three-quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2011. They worried about credit card security, or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
"But even if shoppers don't buy online, websites are becoming promotion tools for stores," said Dan Hess, vice president of Comscore Networks Inc. Hess said that actually most stores' websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time. "It's all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more
comfortable." Hess said.
B. There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2011.
C. Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women.
