閱讀理解

1

Sweetest Day is always the third Saturday in October. This holiday is much more important in some regions than in others （Detroit， Cleveland and Buffalo are the biggest Sweetest Day cities）. It is a holiday that is gaining in popularity every year throughout the country.

Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick， aged， and orphaned （孤兒）， but also friends， relatives and companions whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.

Over 60 years ago， a Cleveland man， believing that the city’s orphans and patients too often felt forgotten， thought out the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by handing out small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors， he handed out these small remembrances （紀(jì)念品） on a Saturday in October. During the following years， other Clevelanders began to join in the celebration ceremony， which came to be called “Sweetest Day”. In time， the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor was broadened to everyone， and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small remembrance. And soon the idea spread to other cities all over the country.

Sweetest Day is not based on any single group’s religious feelings or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning.

Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift-giving， Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care， in a real way.

1. Sweetest Day is ___ .

A. celebrated on every Saturday in October B. an opportunity to remember the dead

C. important in every city in Europe D. a day to make someone happy

2. Which of the following cities was the first to celebrate Sweetest Day？

A. Detroit. B. Buffalo. C. Cleveland. D. Washington.

3. According to the passage， at the beginning small gifts were only given to ___ .

A. friends B. parents C. workmates D. orphans and patients

4. Why did people join in the celebration ceremony during the following years？

A. They want to remember others with a kind act. B. They want to have a strong family relationship.

C. It’s great fun for them to celebrate Sweetest Day. D. It’s a chance to express the deep religious feelings.

2

Diet Coke， diet Pepsi， diet pills， no-fat diet. or vegetable diet... We are surrounded by the word “diet” everywhere we look and listen. We have so easily been attracted by the promise and potential of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically （心理上） and physically.

Diet products weaken us psychologically. On one level， we are not allowing our brains to admit that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight， but in controlling the consumption （消耗） of fatty， high-calorie and unhealthy foods. Diet products allow us to jump over the thinking stage and go straight for the scale instead. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word “diet” in food labels （標(biāo)簽）.

On another level， diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink， we are telling ourselves without awareness that we don’t have to work to get results. Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain， and that life can be without resistance and struggle.

The danger of diet products lies not only in the psychological effects they have on us， but also in the physical harm that they cause. Diet foods can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are preventing our bodies from having basic nutrients. Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie only because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonderful products. Diet products may not be nutritional， and the chemicals that go into diet products are possibly dangerous.

Now that we are aware of the effects that diet products have on us， it is time to seriously think about buying them. Losing weight lies in the power of minds， not in the power of chemicals. Once we realize this， we will be much better able to resist diet products， and therefore prevent the physical harm that comes from using them.

1. What can we learn about diet products from Paragraph 1？

A. They fail to bring out people’s potential. B. People have difficulty in choosing them.

C. They are misleading people. D. People are fed up with them.

2. One psychological effect of diet products is that people tend to ___ .

A. try out a variety of diet foods B. hesitate before they enjoy diet foods

C. pay attention to their own eating habits D. watch their weight rather than their diet

3. In Paragraph 3， the underlined words “gain comes without pain” probably means “___”.

A. losing weight is effortless B. it costs a lot to lose weight

C. diet products bring no pain D. diet products are free from calories

4. Diet products indirectly harm people physically because such products ___ .

A. are over-consumed B. lack basic nutrients

C. are short of chemicals D. provide too much energy

3

December 9th， 2014—Canada： For those of you who have been following this story， the third suspect （嫌疑犯） in the Canadian Cat Mutilation （殘害） case has been caught. On June 8th， after just under a year of searching， the “Find Matt Campaign” received information that would comfort many. Now known as Matthew Kaczorowski， 21 years old， this cat mutilator was picked up by the police from the street of Vancouver.

In November 2013， three young men took a young cat， named “Kensington” after the area of town from where she was taken， from the street to a house. They began to cruelly treat and mutilate it to death， videotaping the attack. Two of the suspects， recognized as 21-year-old Jesse Champlain Power and 24-year-old Anthony Ryan Wennekers， were arrested shortly after the incident. Neither helped the police in an effort to find the third suspect， at the time known only as “Matt”.

In December 2013， Katie set up the “Find Matt Campaign”， with the goals of raising public awareness about animal cruelty and having as many eyes as possible look for Matt.

“I don’t think Matt would have been caught had it not been for Katie Woodward’s information，” said Detective Gordon Scott， one of the arresting officers.

Kaczorowski faces the charges of animal cruelty， theft under $5，000 and possession of property taken by crime， but one charge remains absent： that of animal cruelty. According to Canadian law， this kind of crime must be charged within six months.

The case is now before the courts. While finding Matt is a big step in the right direction of this case， it is not over. It remains that Kensington’s guardian （監(jiān)護(hù)人） has not yet come forward. It is important that her guardian speaks out to reduce the possibility of the charges being dropped.

1. What’s the purpose of setting up the “Find Matt Campaign”？

A. To draw the attention of the pubic on the incident. B. To receive information of Katie Woodward’s.

C. To call on people to protect animals. D. To scare the mutilator.

2. What charges does Matt certainly have to face？

A. Against animal-protecting law. B. Treating animal cruelly.

C. Taking other’s things illegally. D. Stealing $5，000.

3. What can we infer from the passage？

A. Catching Matt was easy for the police.

B. Very few people care about Matt’s case.

C. The final result of the case depends on the cat’s guardian.

D. Katie started the “Find Matt Campaign” to protect animals.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about？

A. A cat was killed cruelly in Canada. B. A Canadian cat mutilator was caught.

C. People should pay attention to animal protection. D. No crimes can escape from being charged.

4

What comes into your mind when you think about robots？ Do you imagine armies of evil metal monsters planning to take over the world？ Or， perhaps do you imagine of mechanical men who have been created as guards or soldiers by a mad genius （天才）？ Or maybe you think of man-like robots who act， think， and look like human beings. In fact robots are like these that have more to do with science fiction films than with real life. In the real world robots are machines that do jobs which otherwise have to be done by people. Robots are either operated by themselves or under the control of a person.

In a car factory， for example， robot machinery can put together and paint car bodies. On the sea bed remotely-controlled underwater machines with mechanical arms can perform tasks which are too difficult for divers. Robot spaceship can explore the solar system and send back information about planets and stars.

Many robots have computer brains. Some robots are fitted with cameras， sensors （傳感器）， and microphones which enable them to see， to feel， and to hear. And some robots can even produce an electronic speech.

All this does not mean that a robot can think and behave like a human being. Present day robots have to be programmed with a good deal of information before they can carry out simple tasks.

1. The robots in science fiction films and those in real life differ mainly in ___ .

A. mentality B. appearance C. material D. size

2. Robots in real life can ___ .

A. think by themselves B. control human beings

C. behave like human beings D. help us with a lot of work

3. Robots can perform many tasks for human beings because ___ .

A. they are supplied with computer programs

B. they have the ability to learn new things

C. they can imitate human beings

D. they have intelligence

4. Which of the following is TRUE about some of the robots according to the passage？

A. They are as creative as artists. B. They can communicate with human beings.

C. They will take the place of the human beings. D. They can help to produce cars.

5

Fallingwater has provided enjoyment to many people over the years—first as a weekend retreat （隱居處） for the Kaufmann family and their friends， and now as an unusual experience for visitors from near and far.

When Frank Lloyd Wright came to the site， he appreciated the powerful sound of the falls， the beauty of the young forest， and the amazing rocks. He understood that people were creatures of nature; therefore， an architecture which conformed to nature would conform to what was basic in people. For example， people inside Fallingwater are protected as in a deep cave， but their attention is always directed toward the outside by low ceilings. The house hardly has a main entrance; there are many ways in and out， just like in nature while the materials of the structure mix with the coloring of rocks and trees.

Fallingwater opened a new chapter in American architecture， and is perhaps considered Wright’s greatest work. This is the architecture that attracts our imagination， and allows us to see space and habitation in ways that seem new.

In 1936， even before it was finished， knowledgeable people talked about this new work of Frank Lloyd Wright. Later people thought that Wright had created a masterwork that appealed not only to professionals but to the public generally. Fallingwater was not much like the earlier architecture that had made Wright famous; it was just like any popular “dream house”. Yet now that Fallingwater has been tested by half a century of the widest exposure， one can say that it marks a high point in Wright’s great career， in American architecture， in the architecture of this century， and possibly in all architecture.

1. For what purpose was Fallingwater designed at first？

A. To attract people near and far to visit it.

B. To offer enjoyment to the public.

C. To show Frank Lloyd Wright’s great talent.

D. To provide a place for a family to spend their holidays.

2. According to the passage， the most impressive feature of Fallingwater is that ___ .

A. it lies in a man-made environment B. it is designed as part of nature

C. it is designed by a famous architect D. it can protect people inside perfectly

3. What can we know about Falling water？

A. It can inspire visitors’ imagination.

B. It stands on the hightest position of America.

C. It is a great house with no entrance in or out.

D. It has very wide caves and high ceilings inside.

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage？

A. Fallingwater is liked by both professionals and the public.

B. Frank Lloyd Wright is the greatest architect in American history.

C. Frank Lloyd Wright is famous for Fallingwater.

D. Fallingwater was built about 50 years ago.

6

That year， in the local school， there was a new math teacher， as well as some new pupils. One of the new kids was the stupidest child that anyone had ever seen. It made no difference how quickly or how slowly they tried explaining numbers to him; he would always end up saying something enormously stupid， like two plus two was five， seven times three was twenty-seven， or a triangle had thirty corners...

Before this boy arrived， math lessons had been the most boring of all. Now they were great fun. Encouraged by the new teacher， the children would listen to the pieces of nonsense spouted by the new kid， and they would have to correct his mistakes.

Whenever the new teacher asked questions， the stupid kid would stand up but made the wrong answers， the other students all wanted to be the first to find his mistakes， and then think up the most original ways to explain them. To do this they used all kinds of stuff： sweets， playing cards， oranges， paper planes， etc. It didn’t seem like any of this bothered the new kid.

However， little Lewis was sure that it was bound to make him feel sad inside. Lewis was sure he would see him crying. So， one day， he decided to follow the new kid home after school. On leaving school， the new kid walked a few minutes to a local park， and there he waited for a while， until someone came along to meet him...

It was the new teacher！

The teacher gave the new kid a hug， and off they went， hand in hand. Following from a distance， Lewis could hear they were talking about math.

1. The math lessons became interesting because of the new teacher’s ___ .

A. curiosity B. creativity C. imagination D. responsibility

2. The passage implies that the stupidest child mentioned ___ .

A. was by no means slow in math

B. had no gift for math and was slow to learn it

C. disliked both the new math teacher and his lessons

D. was in great need of the math teacher’s help after class

3. According to the passage， Lewis followed the stupid kid in order to ___ .

A. learn about where he lived B. find out if he felt upset

C. make friends with him D. comfort him

4. What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 3 refer to？

A. To think up the most original ways to explain. B. To find the new kid’s mistakes.

C. To follow him home after school. D. To use all kinds of stuff.

7

When I get off the bus， I’m usually greeted by the sounds of news on TV. My father welcomes me， and I help him with the usual things—changing the channel and some other tasks. My father has a disease that makes him unable to walk. Despite his disability， my father has always been my role model.

In my first year at middle school， my grades dropped greatly. My father told me I could improve. I currently keep a B plus average， and he confidently supports me in all my academic efforts.

He is against violence to the best of his ability. Love is his most important tool， and he makes sure we know that violence is never the answer.

He urges me not to fear， but to believe in what I think is right. “No matter what anyone tells me，” he says， “I believe what "I choose. If someone is discriminating against you for who you are， they don’t deserve your time.” My friends are the most caring people I’ve met， because I realize that they don’t judge me， and they like me as I am.

I’ve always found it strange that people pity me because of my father’s condition. He’s not inferior （次于的） to anyone. His disease doesn’t hold him back. He’s a normal person.

When I see disabled people out in public， I consider them equal to any other individual. No one is superior （優(yōu)越的） to anyone for any physical reason.

I thank my dad who teaches me the most important things I’ll ever need to know. My father is in no way inferior to anyone else. If anything， he’s even better.

1. Why does the author take his father as a role model？

A. His father is kind but sort of strict. B. His father is disabled but optimistic.

C. His father is independent but violent. D. His father is full of love but lacks confidence.

2. In Paragraph 4 the author’s father gives him some advice on how to ___ .

A. improve his studies B. help the disabled

C. learn from failure D. make friends

3. When the author sees disabled people in public， he feels they are ___ .

A. unlucky B. normal C. superior D. strange

4. What can we learn from the passage about the author？

A. He learns much from his father. B. He is likely to be fooled by his friends.

C. He encourages his father to do things himself. D. He is looked down upon because of his disabled father.

8

Dream House by Valerie Laken

336 pages. Harper. $24.99.

Kate Kinzler and her husband， Stuart， have been living in a rental apartment with a water-stained ceiling.

They are 29， full grown， seven years out of college， and still living like this. Then their parents give them the money to buy their own house. The one Kate chooses is a “project” with an overgrown lawn， fake wood paneling （嵌板） and years of grime （塵垢）. Unknown to them， it also comes with a history： a man was killed within its walls almost 20 years earlier.

Fool by Christopher Moore

311 pages. William Morrow. $26.99.

In Fool Christopher Moore takes on Shakespeare， with a retelling of “King Lear” through the eyes of Lear’s fool named Pocket. The plot and cast of characters are borrowed （more or less） from the original， with several Mooreian additions—a second fool， named Drool， and a refrain （疊句） that could come in handy for any adapter of Shakespeare， “There’s always a bloody ghost”.

Corner Shop by Roopa Farooki

355 pages. St. Martin’s Press. $24.95.

When we meet them， the characters in Corner Shop are living in London， pursuing their dreams.

Fourteen-year-old Luhith Khalil， known as Lucky， who cares more for soccer than for school， wants to win the World Cup for England. His mother， Delphine， a former marketing executive， now feels trapped as a stay-at-home mother.

She’d only wanted to get away from her village in rural France.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

541 pages. Knopf. $26.95.

Like his main character， Marion Stone， Abraham Verghese is a doctor born in Ethiopia who emigrated to the United States. Marion and his twin brother， Shiva， were left alone at birth when their mother died， and their father， a doctor， disappeared. Fleeing an act of political violence， Marion lands in New York， at a charity hospital called Our Lady of Perpetual Succour， where the events that happen force him to face his past.

1. Which book can you buy if you only have $25？

A. Corner Shop or Fool. B. Fool or Cutting for Stone.

C. Dream House or Corner Shop. D. Cutting for Stone or Dream House.

2. We may know from the passage Shiva is ___ .

A. Delphine’s son B. Kate’s husband C. Verghese’s twin brother D. Marion’s twin brother

3. Which book is the best choice to learn more about “King Lear”？

A. Fool. B. Corner Shop. C. Dream House. D. Cutting for Stone.

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

A. Abraham Verghese was not born in the U. S. A. B. Fool is the thinnest and also costs the least

C. Cutting for Stone is published by Harper D. Coner Shop is a book about history

9

Health， Wellness and Politics of Food

9： 00—9： 45 AM/Blue Tent

Panelists （專(zhuān)題討論小組成員）： Jami Bernard， David Kamp， Marion Nestle and Peter Singer.

Moderated （主持） by Denise Grady， science writer for The New York Times.

How does what we eat not only have effect on our bodies， but also the world？ This group of food and nutrition experts discuss the role that diet plays in both personal and global health and food politics.

Sports Writing： For the Love of the Game

9： 50—10： 35 AM/Blue Tent

Panelists： Christine Brennan， Ira Rosen， Joe Wallace and Joe Drape.

Moderated by William C. Rhoden， sports writer for The New York Times.

Whether catching that key moment of victory or defeat， or covering breaking news， sports writers are anything but audience. Listen as some of the industry’s professionals discuss their personal experience of reporting sports news.

The Art of the Review

11： 15—12： 00 AM/Green Tent

Panelists： John Freeman， Barry Gewen， David Orr， Celia McGee and Jennifer Schuessler.

Moderated by Sam Tanenhaus， editor for The New York Times Book Service.

How much of an effect does the book review have on book sales？ Join this group of critics （評(píng)論家） as they discuss the reality of book review and bestseller lists， and how they choose books for review.

New York Writers， New York Stories

3： 00—3： 45 PM/Green Tent

Panelists： Cindy Adams， Richard Cohen， Ric Klass and Lauren Redniss.

Moderated by Clyde Haberman， writer for the city part of The New York Times.

Join this inspired group of New York-centric writers as they talk about why New York is a gold mine of ideas for their works.

1. About the four activities， we know that they ___ .

A. are all about writing B. will last 45 minutes each

C. all can be attended freely D. will attract many readers

2. If you are free in the afternoon， you can only attend ___ .

A. The Art of the Review B. New York Writers， New York Stories

C. Health， Wellness and Politics of Food D. Sports Writing： For the Love of the Game

3. If you like sports writing， you will most probably ___ .

A. attend the Art of the Review B. enjoy Jami Bernard’s talk

C. listen to Christine Brennan’s talk D. go to Blue Tent at 11：15 am

4. If you want to know how critics choose books for review， you will most probably ___ .

A. attend Jami Bernard’s talk B. go to Green Tent at 11：30 am

C. listen to Cindy Adams’ talk D. enjoy the talk at Blue Tent at 10：00 am

10

Ashok Gadgil has spent the past three decades helping people in need—and he has no plans to stop. On May 2， Gadgil won the $100，000 Lemelson-MIT Award for Global Innovation. Each year， the honor is given to an inventor who has improved the lives of people in developing countries. Gadgil’s inventions have helped more than 100 million people around the world.

Gadgil is a professor and physicist at the University of California. When he’s not teaching， he works to find solutions to global problems such as energy efficiency and water safety. “I chose to focus on problems where my knowledge of science could help，” he said.

In the 1980s he came up with a program to make energy-efficient light bulbs more affordable for people in developing countries. Then in the 1990s， Gadgil designed his first life-saving invention， UV Waterworks. The device kills deadly disease—carrying germs （病菌） from drinking water. It costs just one cent to clean five liters of water. Gadgil was inspired to find an inexpensive solution to the clean water crisis after more than 10，000 people in his home country of India died from an outbreak of Bengal cholera， in 1993. The disease is spread through contaminated food and drinking water. So far， the invention has provided safe drinking water to more than five million people in poor areas.

As a professor， Gadgil encourages his students to stay positive about finding solutions to hard problems. “Be optimistic when you try a hard problem，” he says. “It’s when you solve a large problem that you can have a big impact on the world.”

1. Gadgil was given Lemelson-MIT Award for ___ .

A. his teaching experience B. his new physical research

C. his vast knowledge D. his helpful inventions

2. What can we learn about UV Waterworks？

A. It’s Gadgil’s first invention. B. It’s used to clean water.

C. It was designed for his home country. D. It saved 10，000 people in total.

3. The underlined word “contaminated” in Paragraph 3 probably means “ ___ ”.

A. wasted B. consumed C. polluted D. packed

4. According to the last paragraph， Gadgil encourages his students ___ .

A. to learn lessons from failures B. to find problems in peaceful life

C. to make inventions to help poor people D. to be confident when facing difficulties

11

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease but it can often be cured if treated early enough. Ultraviolet （UV） rays （紫外線） from the sun and tanning machines remain the main risky factors but the danger is also influenced by a person’s skin type.

“A study of 100，000 Scandinavian women showed that high UV ray exposure （暴露） in their youth was linked to problems later，” says biophysicist Ruediger Greinert of the Dermatological Center in Germany.

Doctors suggest regular skin check-ups. “A person should be checked all over every two months to see if there have been any changes. If anything itches （發(fā)癢） or bleeds for no reason， you should go to a doctor，” advises Eckhard Breitbart of the Hamburg-based ADP Working Group on Dermatological Prevention.

“When you check your birthmarks， you should use the so-called A-B-C-D rule，” says Breitbart.

The A stands for not being balanced. An at-risk birthmark will not have a regular shape， like the circles and ovals found in so many other skin blemishes （斑點(diǎn)）.

The B—for borders—is also important. “If the border isn’t regular or bleeds outside the original shape， then there is a reason for concern，” says Breitbart.

The C is for color. A harmless birthmark will tend to be a uniform light brown. Multi-colored birthmarks are a sign of possible danger.

Finally， there is the D for diameter （直徑）. Breitbart advises keeping a close eye on any birthmark with a diameter of 2 mm or more.

If there is a reason to think that a birthmark has changed， it is quite necessary to have a doctor examine it. An operation at this stage will usually leave nothing more than a small scar.

1. How can a person prevent skin cancer？

A. Try to avoid being exposed too much to the sun. B. Remove all the birthmarks.

C. Have irregular check-ups of his skin. D. Stay away from machines.

2. Which of the following may be the sign of skin cancer？

A. The change of birthmarks. B. Bleeding badly.

C. Itching badly. D. Light-colored skin.

3. From the passage we can infer that ___ .

A. skin cancer is the only cancer that can be cured

B. birthmarks can be the cause of skin cancer

C. those working outdoors are more likely to get skin cancer

D. those having more birthmarks are more likely to get skin cancer

4. Which of the following should be the best title of this passage？

A. Beating Skin Cancer following A-B-C-D B. Birthmarks—the Cause of Skin Cancer

C. An Easy Way to Cure Skin Cancer D. A-B-C-D—the Sign of Skin Cancer

12

“Sticks and stones may break my bones， but words will never hurt me.”

You probably heard those lines in grammar school， but do you really agree that harsh （嚴(yán)厲的） or negative words do not harm us？ Words have power. Surely we all have had our feelings hurt by something someone said.

We may not say words to hurt others， but the way we interpret （解釋?zhuān)?them and how we say them may cause great harm. Here’s an example：

An ancient king dreamed all his teeth had fallen out. He sent for a wise man to explain his dream to him： the dream means that all your relatives will die and you will be left alone！

The king was very angry and threw the interpreter into prison. He then sent for another interpreter who said， “Congratulations！ King！ You will live many more years. In fact， you will survive all your relatives. Long Live the King！”

Both interpreters gave the same interpretation， but there was a huge difference in the way they said it.

Our speech must be understood by those who hear our words， but the way we say things and the intention behind them have as much power as the words themselves. Words can cause anger or appreciation. Which would you rather receive？

People who say harsh and negative things may not mean to harm， but have you ever known anyone who is a naysayer？ They often look at the dark sides of things. They always see the glass as half empty rather than half full. How do you feel when you are around this type of person？ Remember： words have power. Use them wisely.

1. The author mentions the story of the ancient king to show that ___ .

A. good words can bring good luck to people B. people should be careful when talking to a king

C. one dream sometimes has different explanations D. different ways of saying things have different effects

2. The underlined word “naysayer” in the last paragraph refers to a person who always ___ .

A. talks big B. likes to be praised

C. has a negative attitude D. likes to repeat what others say

3. The author wrote the last paragraph to ___ .

A. advise people to stay away from negative people B. show how harsh and negative words hurt people

C. show how the dark sides of things affect people D. advise people to see and say things positively

4. The passage mainly talks about ___ .

A. the power of words B. the cruelty of the king

C. how to understand others D. how to build good relationships

13

Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee （裁判） and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don’t care much about who wins or loses， and it doesn’t seem to worry them if the game is not finished. Yet， they like games that depend a lot on luck， so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compare. They also enjoyed games that move in stages， in which each stage， the choosing of leaders， the picking-up of sides， or the determining of which side shall start， is almost a game in itself.

Grown-ups can hardly find children’s game exciting， and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple game again and again. However， it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person， and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinary afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident， too， in particular games， that it is his place to give orders， to pretend to be dead， to throw a ball actually at someone， or to kiss someone he has caught.

It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules， and more importantly， everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish， but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.

1. What can we leam about children when they play games？

A. They don’t need rules. B. They keep scores by themselves.

C. They want to be leaders. D. They can stop playing any time they like.

2. To become a leader in a game the child has to ___ .

A. be a useful partner B. wait for his turn

C. be confident in himself D. be popular among his playmates

3. Why does a child like playing games according to the text？

A. Because he can be someone other than himself.

B. Because he can become popular among friends.

C. Because he finds he is always lucky in games.

D. Because he likes the place where he plays a game.

4. What should be the best title for this passage？

A. Rules in Children’s Games B. Reasons for Children’s Games

C. How to Be a Popular Game Player D. Advantages of Playing Games for Children

14

As you are probably aware， the latest job markets news isn’t good： Unemployment is still more than 9 percent， and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy， of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think.

That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover data. After all， existing jobs open up every day due to promotions， resignations， terminations （終止）， and retirements. In both good times and bad， turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2013， when the economy was still humming along， job growth was only 132，000， while turnover was 4.7 million！

And as it turns out， even today—with job growth near zero—over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.

I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher， it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from （and compete for）.

But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going， even after repeated rejections.

So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.

1. The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate ___ .

A. makes many people lose job opportunities B. prevents many people from changing careers

C. should not stop people from looking for a job D. does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening

2. Where do most job openings come from according to the text？

A. Job growth. B. Job turnover. C. Improved economy. D. Business expansion.

3. The underlined word “humming” in Paragraph 2 probably means “ ___ ”.

A. falling B. satisfying C. growing D. disappointing

4. What is the key to landing a job according to the author？

A. Education. B. Intelligence. C. Persistence. D. Experience.

15

Tomato Festival

Started in 2005， the Tomato Festival has grown into a local tradition in Malta. In recent years， the festival has added amusement park-style rides and a yearly Creature Feature， which screens old horrible movies.There are also dance competitions， parades and pancake breakfast. Third weekend in August.

Address： 833 Tinkham Rd， Fountain Park， Wilbra-ham， Massachusetts 01095 "Phone： （413） 599-0010

Brat Days

Don’t mistake this festival for a day filled with poorly behaved children. Begun in 1953， the gathering is the biggest festival in the city each year and features more than 50 stands （攤位） selling the sausage， as well as a contest to see who can quickly eat the most bratwurst （德國(guó)式小香腸） in ten minutes. Early August.

Address： 17th and New Jersey sts， Kiwanis Park， She boygan， Wisconsin 53081 "Phone： （920） 457-9491

Hope Watermelon Festival

The festival dates back to the 1920s when many trains went through this small town and local watermelon growers would sell their watermelon to parched travelers.These days， the festival sees a Watermelon Queen crowned （加冠的） and sometimes a world-record watermelon grown.There are also more than 300 stands selling arts and crafts from a six-state area， as well as a car show and the Watermelon Olympics. Early August.

Address： 108 W 3rd St， Hope， Arkansas 71801 "Phone： （870） 777-3640

Oyster Festival （牡蠣節(jié)）

Featuring appearances from tall ships and oyster boats， this festival has regularly drawn 60，000 visitors a year since it began in 1978.More than 3，000 volunteers make the festival possible each year. Norwalk is less than a two-hour drive from many of New England’s larger cities， making it easy to attend the festival during a trip to New York or Hartford.Weekend after Labor Day.

Address： Sea view Ave， Veteran’s Park， East Nor-walk， Connecticut 06855 "Phone： （800） 866-7925

1. Which of the following festivals has the longest history？

A. Oyster Festival. B. Hope Watermelon Festival.

C. Brat Days. D. Tomato Festival.

2. The underlined word “parched” in Paragraph 3 probably means “ ___ ”.

A. tired B. hungry C. thirsty D. excited

3. In which of the following activities can you enjoy scary films？

A. The Creature Feature. B. The Watermelon Olympics.

C. The Eating-bratwurst Contest. D. Dance Competitions.

4. What can most probably be the reason for the Oyster Festival to attract many visitors？

A. The kind volunteers. B. The low expense.

C. The delicious Oyster. D. The convenient transportation.

16

Just what is a tiger mother？ Amy Chua is a law professor at America’s Yale University and her recent book on the subject is making waves. She’s been called “dangerous”， “outrageous”， even a “monster” for her descriptions of how she brought up her two daughters.

Her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother describes fighting with a daughter for hours at the piano to ensure the child gets a piece of music right. She rejected birthday cards made for her by her girls because she didn’t think they had made enough effort. She compared one child negatively with the other， threatening to burn their toys. Her rules include： schoolwork always comes first; an A— is a bad grade; children must be two years ahead of their classmates in math， and playing the violin or the piano is a must.

Ms Chua considers the Chinese hard work ethic （道德） as a way of creating happy， successful children—at least in her case. Although she’s had a large amount of flak for her theories， one thing can’t be ignored—the success of Chinese children in the education system.

In Britain， shocking research shows that Chinese girls， for example， are outperforming all other foreign groups at GCSE—79 percent getting 5 A C Grades， compared with 58 percent of white British girls. So what is it about Chinese parenting that’s leading to high achievers？ And how do Amy Chua’s theories play into that success？

She told me that if her daughter came back from school with 96/100 in a test， Chua would ask her what happened to the other 4 points. It’s about always knowing “you can do better”， she told me.

Interestingly， in China， the birthplace of the tiger mother， people are moving away from traditional Chinese parenting.They are following more western parenting styles.

1. After reading Amy Chua’s recent book， the public ___ .

A. feel very sorry for their own children

B. consider her a very successful mother

C. realize their methods of bringing up children are wrong

D. don’t think highly of her methods of bringing up her children

2. What can we learn about Amy Chua according to Paragraph 2？

A. She is very strict with her children. B. She doesn’t think her children are clever.

C. She is very interested in playing the piano. D. She knows playing is important to children.

3. The underlined word “flak” in Paragraph 3 probably means “ ___ ”.

A. attention B. criticism C. curiosity D. contribution

4. What does Paragraph 4 show？

A. Chinese children do well in their study. B. Chinese parents are proud of their children.

C. Chinese children are cleverer than British children. D. Chinese parents don’t think grades are very important.

17

Many jobs must be done with two people. One person takes the lead. The other helps. So it is with the human body. Much of our body depends on the cooperation between substances. When they work together， chemical reactions take place smoothly. Body systems are kept in balance.

Some of the most important helpers in the job of good health are the substances we call vitamins. The word “vitamin” dates back to Polish scientist Casimir Funk in 1912. He was studying a substance in rice. Funk believed the substance belonged to a group of chemicals known as amines （胺類(lèi)）. He added the Latin word “vita”， meaning life. So he called the substance a “vitamine”—an amine necessary for life.

Other studies found that not all vitamins were amines. So the name was shortened to vitamin. But Funk was correct in recognizing their importance.

Scientists have discovered 14 kinds of vitamins. They say vitamins help to carry out chemical changes within cells. If we do not get enough of the vitamins， we are at the risk of developing a number of diseases. This brings us back to James Lind of Scotland. In the 1740s， Lind was a doctor for the British Navy. He was investigating a problem that had existed in the Navy for many years.

The problem was the disease scurvy （壞血?。? The sailors were weak from bleeding inside their bodies. Even the smallest wound would not heal. Doctor Lind thought the sailors were getting sick because they failed to eat some kinds of foods when they were at sea for many months.

Doctor Lind separated twelve sailors who had scurvy into two groups. He gave each group different foods to eat. One group got oranges and lemons. The other did not. The men who ate the fruit began to improve within seven days. The other men got weaker.

However， which foods should be eaten to keep us healthy？ Let us look at some important vitamins for these answers.

1. Why was the name “vitamine” shortened to “vitamin”？

A. Because Funk was totally wrong. B. Because some vitamins are not amines.

C. Because vitamine is important for life. D. Because the latter was easy to remember.

2. The underlined word “This” in the Paragraph 4 probably refers to that ___ .

A. people tend to develop many diseases B. lack of the vitamins causes disease

C. vitamins help chemical changes within cells D. it is common for people to get no enough vitamins

3. How did Doctor Lind prove eating fruits can prevent scurvy？

A. By comparing. B. By analyzing. C. By surveying. D. By questioning.

4. What is the main idea of the passage？

A. The scientist who discovered vitamins. B. The benefits of vitamins.

C. Research into scurvy. D. Facts about vitamins.

18

Sunnyside School Bookshop Sunnyside Secondary School

A Warm Welcome To All Secondary Pupils！ Congratulations on getting into Singapore’s premier school. To do well in English， you must have a good English dictionary. May we recommend that you buy any of these two， which have been specially selected by the English teachers in the school. Select the one that fits your needs！

Foster’s Advanced Learners’ Dictionary

The most authoritative and up-to-date dictionary for intermediate （中級(jí)的） learners of English.

◆ Over 50，000 references， including new words created over the past ten years.

◆ 20 full-page colour illustrations.

◆ Grammar and spelling rules simply and completely explained.

◆ Lots of examples of how to use words in the correct context.

◆ 10 page appendix （附錄） on “How To Write More Effectively”.

Active Learners’ English Dictionary

A most useful dictionary which not only helps you to learn new words but also shows you different ways of using them in your writing. Particularly useful for foreign students and non-native speakers of English！

◆ Over 48，000 references with explanations focusing on a speaker’s attitude and intentions.

◆ Each definition together with tips on how to use the word or its synonyms （同義詞） in the correct context.

◆ Right margin （頁(yè)邊空白） gives a list of synonyms.

◆ Left margin gives information on grammar and spelling.

◆ Clear pronunciation guide.

1. The purpose of the notice is to ___ .

A. make sales B. welcome new pupils

C. educate the pupils D. advertise the bookshop

2. In what way is Foster’s Advanced Learners’ Dictionary different from Active Learners’ English Dictionary？

A. It has spelling tips. B. It has grammar tips.

C. It has more word entries. D. It has pronunciation tips.

3. Both dictionaries have ___ .

A. tips on spelling and grammar B. tips on pronunciation

C. colour illustrations D. tips on writing

4. Foster’s Advanced Learners’ Dictionary is particularly suitable for ___ .

A. very young learners B. foreign students

C. English learners at middle level D. non-native speakers of English

19

I thought it was rather strange when my friend from the nursing home asked me to push her wheelchair through the puddles （泥水坑）. To meet my friend’s request， although I didn’t really get it， we went off on our watery wheelchair walk. We made our way through each puddle together， a bit wet and smiling. In fact， after a few minutes， even I started looking for larger and more puddles to roll through.

After that we discovered something new that waited for us. As we headed down the street， there was a small pile of leaves. My friend asked me to roll her through them， and we did like rushing into piles of autumn leaves， which flew up into the air， softly moved around us and then fell gently back to the earth.

From wheelchair speeding through puddles and leaves， to bursting into laughter， and screaming for no particular reason， we were like two playmates realizing what it truly meant to enjoy life， taking no notice of the strange looks or unpleasant words from those around us. It was at that moment that I thought more deeply about my friend’s trouble. And now I see that the fun of the child had been locked inside her for all these years. So， all that she wanted to be with me was a child who was free—free to laugh， play and get wet.

Thanks to my friend， I am now on a journey to find all that make children come out and play.

1. The author decided to push the wheelchair through the puddles because ___ .

A. she understood her friend B. she also liked the puddles

C. she just wanted to please her friend D. she wanted to go out for fun with her friend

2. What can we know about the author’s friend？

A. She liked walking with the help of the wheelchair. B. She had great fun on the watery wheelchair walk.

C. She enioyed her life very much. D. She locked her children in the room when she was out.

3. What did the author think of the wheelchair walk？

A. She was not satisfied. B. They both felt unhappy.

C. They gained a lot from it. D. Only her friend was very pleased.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage？

A. A Wheelchair B. A Valuable Walk

C. An Important Friend D. A Life Journey

20

“Children who eat less salt and drink fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks may significantly lower their risks of obesity （肥胖），” researchers recently reported in the journal Hypertension.

“Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are a significant source of calorie intake in children，” said Feng J. He， a researcher at St George’s University of London， England. “It has been shown that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption is related to obesity in young people.” They wanted to know whether there is a link between salt intake and sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption.

Dr He and colleagues analyzed data from a 2013 national survey of more than 2，000 people between 4 and 18 in Britain. “We found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank less fluid （液體），” said He. “From our research， we estimated that 1 gram of salt cut from their daily diet would reduce fluid intake by 100 grams per day.”

The researchers also found that children eating a lower-salt diet drank fewer sugar-sweetened soft drinks. From their research， they predicted that reducing salt intake by 1 gram each day would reduce sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption by 27 grams per day. “If children aged 4 to 18 cut their salt intake by half， there would be a decrease of about two sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child， so each child would decrease calorie intake by almost 250 kilocalories per week，” Dr He said.

In previous studies， researchers found that a low-salt diet lowers blood pressure in children， and prevents the development of high blood pressure later in life. “Both high blood pressure and obesity increase the risk of having strokes and heart attacks，” Dr He said.

Dr He recommends that parents check labels and choose low-salt food products. “Small reductions in the salt content of 10 to 20 percent cannot be detected by the human salt taste receptors （感受器） and do not cause any technological or safety problems，” Dr He said.

1. According to the passage， obesity is directly linked to ___ .

A. high-salt foods B. sugar-sweetened soft drinks

C. high blood pressure D. strokes and heart attacks

2. The recent study found that ___ .

A. a lower-salt diet may mean less sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption

B. a low-salt diet keeps children out of high blood pressure

C. children face the risk of having strokes and heart attacks

D. parents should choose law-salt food products for children

3. Which of the following statements would Dr He agree with？

A. The less salt people eat， the healthier people become.

B. Children should reduce fluid intake in their daily life.

C. Drinking less water contributs to losing weight.

D. A low-salt diet may prevent both high blood pressure and obesity.

4. What kind of food products should parents choose according to Dr He？

A. Those that taste good. B. Those with low-salt content.

C. Those with beautiful labels. D. Those of famous brands.