The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States, becoming a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather than the year in which it is held, with Super Bowl I being the 1966 season championship game, when the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Super Bowl XLVI (46) was played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on February 5, 2012, to determine the champion of the 2011 season; the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots.

The game was created as part of a merger agreement between the NFL and its rival league, the American Football League (AFL). It was agreed that the two leagues’ champion teams would play in an AFL--NFL World Championship Game until the merger was to officially begin in 1970. After the merger, each league was appointed as a “conference”, and the game was then played between the conference champions. Currently, the National Football Conference (NFC) leads the series with 25 wins to 21 wins for the American Football Conference (AFC).

The day on which the Super Bowl is played, now considered to be an existing American national holiday, is called “Super Bowl Sunday”, though it is not determined by the government. It is the second—largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. In addition, the Super Bowl has frequently been the most watched American television broadcast of the year.

Because of its high viewership, commercial airtime during the Super Bowl broadcast is the most expensive of the year. Due to the high cost of investing in advertising on the Super Bowl, companies regularly develop their most expensive advertisements for this broadcast. As a result, watching and discussing the broadcast’s commercials has become a significant aspect of the event. In addition, many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event’s pre-game and halftime ceremonies because of the exposure’s attracting more fans.

1.What does the Super Bowl use to show each game?

A．The year when the game is held.

B．English letters.

C．Roman numerals

D．Arabic numerals

2. What does the underlined word “merger” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．Union.                                B．Appearance.

C．Division.                              D．Competition.

3.According to the third paragraph, we can know that_______.

A．the Super Bowl Sunday is an official national holiday

B．the Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day for U.S. food consumption

C．the Super Bowl has owned the biggest TV audience among all games

D．Thanksgiving Day is the second--largest day for U.S. food consumption

4.We can infer from the last paragraph that________.

A．singers and musicians perform during the event’s ceremonies to get more attention

B．people seldom discuss the broadcast’s commercials

C．commercial companies make much money by broadcasting advertisements

D．commercial companies are not interested in the Super Bowl

Forest guards in western India are using cell phones with ringtones（手機鈴聲）of cows mooing, goats bleating and roosters crowing to attract leopards （豹）that have wandered into human settlements, officials said on Monday.

The wild cats in the state of Gujarat often get into villages near forests in search of food, say officials, adding that this results in attacks on people. But rather than use methods such as live bait（活誘餌）like goats tied to trees to lure (引誘) the leopards, which then fall into large pits dug by guards, officials say they have found a safer method to trap the cats.

“The moos of a cow, and bleating of a goat from the phone have proved effective to trap leopards,” said D. Vasani, a senior forest official in Gujarat. “This trick works.” Vasani said forest guards have downloaded the sounds of over a dozen animals as ringtones on their mobiles which they attach to speakers and fix behind a cage. They then play the ringtone continuously for up to two hours until the curious leopard appears and moves into the cage looking for its easy meal.

At least five leopards have so far been lured from villages since the new ringtone method was introduced three months ago. The cats have all been released （釋放）back into forest areas.

Wildlife activists welcomed the new initiative (新方案) saying that previous methods of trapping the cats using pits often resulted in the animals getting injured.

1.What can be the best title of the passage?

A．Cell Phones to Hunt Animals               B．Practical Uses of Cell Phones

C．Wildlife And New Technology              D．Phone Ringtones to Catch Leopards

2.Forest guards in India try to catch leopards mainly because _______.

A．leopards attack villagers                  B．they want leopard fur

C．leopards attack animals                   D．they have new ringtones

3.According to the wildlife activists, the new method is _______.

A．appreciated because it benefits leopards     B．not good because it may injure animals

C．effective because ringtones work           D．not safer than the former one

4.We can learn from the passage except that _______.

A．forest guards don’t mean to hurt the leopards

B．forest guards no longer use pits to trap leopards

C．forest guards used goats to attract leopards

D．recorded animal sound are used to lure leopards

5.What will be needed to trap the leopards using the new method?

a. cell phones  b. animals  c. sounds of animals  d. cages  e. large pits

A．abcd             B．bce              C．ade              D．acd

Ideas about polite behavior are different from one culture to another. Some societies, such as America and Australia for example, are mobile and very open. People here change jobs and move house quite often. As a result, they have a lot of relationships that often last only a short time, and they need to get to know people quickly. So it's normal to have friendly conversations with people that they have just met, and you can talk about things that other cultures would regard as personal.

    On the other hand there are more crowded and less mobile societies where long-term relationships are more important. A Malaysian or Mexican business person, for example, will want to get to know you very well before he or she feels happy to start business. But when you do get to know each other, the relationship becomes much deeper than it would in a mobile society.

     To Americans, both Europeans and Asians seem cool and formal at first. On the other hand, as a passenger from a less mobile society puts it, it's no fun spending several hours next to a stranger who wants to tell you all about his or her life and asks you all sorts of questions that you don't want to answer.

     Cross-cultural differences aren't just a problem for travelers, but also for the flights that carry them. All flights want to provide the best service, but ideas about good service are different from place to place. This can be seen most clearly in the way that problems are dealt with.

     Some societies have 'universalist' cultures. These societies strongly respect rules, and they treat every person and situation in basically the same way.

     'Particularist' societies, on the other hand, also have rules, but they are less important than the society's unwrinen ideas about what is right or wrong for a particular situation or a particular person. So the normal rules are changed to fit the needs of the situation or the importance of the person.

     This difference can cause problems. A traveler from a particularist society, India, is checking in for a flight in Germany, a country which has a universalist culture. The Indian traveler has too much luggage, but he explains that he has been away from home for a long time and the suitcases are full of presents for his family. He expects that the check-in official will understand his problem and will change the rules for him. The check-in official explains that if he was allowed to have too much luggage, it wouldn't be fair to the other passengers. But the traveler thinks this is unfair, because the other passengers don't have his problem.

1.Often moving from one place to another makes people like Americarts and Australians

A. like traveling better

B. easy to communicate with

C. difficult 1o make rcal friends

D. have a long-term relationship with their neighbors

2.People like Malaysians prefer to associate with those

A. who will tell them everything of their own

B. who want to do business with them

C. they know quite well

D. who are good at talking

3.A person from a less mobile society will feel it_____ when a stranger keeps talking to him or her, and asking him or her questions.

A. boring       B. friendly        C. normal            D. rough

4.Which of the following is true about "particularist societies"?

A. There is no rule for people to obey.

B. People obey the society's rules completely.

C. No one obeys the society's ruies though they have.

D. The society's rules can be changed with different persons or situations.

5.The writer of the passage thinks that the Indian and the German have different ideas about rules because of different__________.

A. interests        B. habits and customs

C. cultures        D. ways of life

Mary Jean Price Walls graduated second in her class in 1950.She had high hopes when she applied to a local college,Southwest Missouri State College.But after sending off her application，she spent months waiting for a reply.It never came.

Worse than simply being denied admission(拒絕接收)，the school didn’t reply to her at all.It wasn’t a matter of her school records，but of her skin color：Wallsis African American，and in those days，that fact alone closed a lot of doors. “I was sad and I was hurt,”Walls told ABC News.“I did not expect the skin color would affect my application.I thought I could go to university like other students.”

Four years later，the government declared that all schools should not discriminate against(歧視)African Americans— but it was too late for Walls.She’d moved on with her life, becoming a wife and a mother，and working as an elevator operator.She retired last year，at the age of 77.

She stayed quiet about the unfairness she’d faced in Missouri State.Her son，Terry，went through school records and found that she’d been the first black student to ever apply to the college.Today,four percent of the Southwest Missouri State College body is African American—including Terry.

Although it’s too late for Missouri State to change the past，the school is awarding Walls with an honorary degree(榮譽學位)from the school.While she knows it’s too late for herto change the course of her own life with the degree，it’s a chance for her to show her family that Missouri State has changed in the last 60 years，and there’s not a single door closed to them anymore.

1.Walls couldn’t enter the local college because________.

A．her examination performance is too bad

B．girls were not allowed to go to college

C．she was an AfricanAmerican student

D．her parents had no enough money to support her

2.Before she was denied Walls thought that________.

A．her application would be accepted as others’

B．it was hard to become a college student

C．it was impossible for her to be admitted

D．she could be the best student in her college

3.What can we know about Walls’s son?

A．He helped his mother get the honorary degree.

B．He is a good student who teachers like best.

C．He was admitted by the college once his mother applied to.

D．He wants to be a government official who can help his mother.

4.What can we infer from the passage?

A．Walls did not fight for her right to education.

B．The college did not receive Walls’s application.

C．Walls got a good job after she received the degree.

D．The government gave Walls some money for the wrongs.

5.Walls’s honorary degree suggests that________.

A．she could change her life with the degree

B．her dream of going to college has come true

C．she has been leading a happy life with her family

D．great changes have taken place in Missouri State

Two friends have an argument that breaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, "In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence". Given that this is the ease, why aren't students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive ears, or stay physically fit?

First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult. For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn't in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.

Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution: stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well Rude words, namecalling, and accusations only add fuel to the emotional fire. On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.

After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution : listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker's position. Then the two people should change roles.

Finally, students need to consider what they are hearing. This doesn't mean trying to figure out what's wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these: How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid of? As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn't, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.

There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn't mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, “64 percent of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75 percent of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92 percent of the students felt better about themselves”. Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.

1.This article is mainly about ________.

A．the lives of school children

B．the cause of arguments in schools

C．how to analyze youth violence

D．how to deal with school conflicts

2.From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ________.

A．violence is more likely to occur at lunchtime

B．a small conflict can lead to violence

C．students tend to lose their temper easily

D．the eating habit of a student is often the cause of a fight

3.Why do students need to ask themselves the questions stated in Paragraph 5?

A．To find out who is to blame.

B．To get ready to try new things.

C．To make clear what the real issue is.

D．To figure out how to stop the shouting match.

4.After the conflict resolution program was started in Atlanta, it was found that ________.

A．there was a decrease in classroom violence

B．there was less student cooperation in the classroom

C．more teachers felt better about themselves in schools

D．the teacher-student relationship greatly improved

5.The writer's purpose for writing this article is to ________.

A．complain about problems in school education

B．teach students different strategies for school life

C．advocate teaching conflict management in schools

D．inform teachers of the latest studies on school violence

A． “Better road design and training hold the key to cycle safety”, the new Transport Secretary said today as he pledged to restore Britain’s safety record. Patrick McLoughlin told Conservative Party Conference that while cycling was enjoying a post-Olympics boom, the number of casualties among cyclists was also rising. “But the number of accidents has gone up too. That means it needs better design and better education too.” Mr McLoughlin said in his first speech as Transport Secretary. 

B.  Cycling in the UK will become safer through “sheer weight of numbers,” the founder of one of the world’s leading cycle brands has said as he backed The Times’s Cyclesafe campaign. Simon Mottram, founder and chief executive of Rapha, has added his support to 40 cross-party MPs who have signed a letter urging David Cameron to use his speech at the Conservative Party Conference to promote measures to make the streets safer for cyclists.

C.  Commuters who cycle to work face an increased danger as the casualty toll during peak hours rose by 10 percent last year. The rate at which cyclists were killed or seriously injured rose sharply last year, official figures showed yesterday.

D.  In future decades, Londoners will look back on the way cyclists jostled with buses and lorries on major roads as an absurd anachronism. Some risks are unavoidable. But other risks survive only because we are too slow to embrace bold solutions. That is the message from designers who are proposing an ambitious plan to create cycle lanes suspended above London’s busiest streets. London is one of the most dangerous places in the world for cycling. “SkyCycle” would remedy that problem by attaching dedicated cycle paths to existing railway viaducts.

E.  Money should be apportioned from the funding for major transport projects, such as the new Forth Crossing, to create a pot of cash for cycling, campaigners have told MSPs. Cycle groups have given warning that not enough money is being put into routes and promotion. They want the Scottish government to take a percentage of the funding allocated to key national projects and create an “active transport” fund to be distributed gradually.

F.  We’d like you to tell us why you love cycling by sending a photo of yourself, a family member or friend with their bike and a note about why it is so brilliant. To take part, instagram your photo with the hashtag #ilovemybike or email it to us at ilovemybike@thetimes.co.uk. We’ll post the best pictures here ilovemybike.tumblr.com.

請閱讀以下信息，并為他們匹配合適的新聞內容。

1.“Cycle lanes in the sky” answer to traffic danger

2.More cyclists are seriously injured on Britain’s roads

3.Share a picture of you and your bike and help us promote the fun and freedom of cycling

4.“Weight of numbers” will bring safe cycling

5.Transport Secretary calls for better road design and training to help cyclists

Below is a web page from http://www.parents.com/.

         Kid of the Year Photo Competition

         Enter your kid’s photo today and win! We’re giving away 52 weekly $250 prizes from Readers’ Choice votes. PLUS our editors will select one entry to win our grand prize of $7,000.

         Official Competition Rules

         No purchase necessary to enter or win.

        The Kid of the Year Photo Competition entry period begins at 12:00 a.m. January 23, 2011, and ends January 21, 2012 (“Entry Period”). Entries must arrive by 9:00 p.m. on January 21, 2012 (“Entry Deadline”). Entries will not be acknowledged or returned.

         SPONSOR(贊助商): Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa.

         ENTRY: There will be two methods of entry.

         Share My Entry:

         Visit http://www.parents.com/photos/photo-contests-1/kid-of-the-year/ and click the button to enter.

         Facebook Entry:

         Visit http://Facebook.com/ParentsMagazine and click the Kid of 2011 tab.

         Then complete the registration form and follow the instructions to upload one album of up to six photos of your child aged three months to eight years. You may provide one description and one album title that will be applied to all photos. Photos, without any brand names or trademarks, must be taken by participants, non-professional, unpublished and may not have won any prize or award. Photos must be .jpeg or .bmp image formats (格式) and cannot be over 3 MB.

         This promotion is in no way sponsored, supported or run by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to Parents Magazine and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used to run the promotion and register for Parents.com.

         LIMIT: One entry per family, per child, per week. One weekly prize per child. For entries of more than one child in a family, the entry process must be completed separately for each child. No group entries.  

1.We can learn from the passage that ___________.

A. you should buy something first before you enter the contest

B. your entry will not be returned even if you don’t win the contest

C. you should send your entry before 9:00 p.m. on January 21, 2011

D. the editors of the contest will decide who will win the 20,000 dollars in prizes

2.Linda, a mother with seven-year-old twins, wants to enter the competition. She must ___________.

A. provide a description and an album title for the kid’s photos

B. go to Meredith Corporation to fill out the registration forms

C. complete the entry process separately for each of her kids

D. provide the information to Facebook if she chooses Facebook Entry

3.To enter the competition, photos must ___________.

A. be taken by non-professional participants

B. have won some prize or award

C. contain brand names or trademarks

D. contain parents’ personal information

4.The purpose of the passage is ___________.

A. to advertise the website Facebook. com

B. to attract photographers’ interest in a photo contest

C. to introduce two methods of entering a photo contest

D. to encourage parents with children to enter a photo contest  

1.A visitor can apply for a free audio tour ___________.

A. in the Courtyard              B. in the State Apartments

C. at the Admission Center        D. at St George's Chapel

2.What is specially offered to visitors with kids?

A. A security guard    B. A pushchair    C. A free toy      D. A baby carrier

3.Who can get re-entry permits?

 A. Visitors wishing to eat outside the Castle

 B. Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops

 C. Visitors buying water from the Courtyard

 D. Visitors eating outside St George's Chapel

4.Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phones?

 A. To ensure the safety of others

 B. To ensure the security of the Castle

 C. To prevent them from disturbing others

 D. To prevent the use of the built-in cameras

5.In the last part, a "working royal palace" refers to one_____.

 A. still being constructed            B. still used by the royal family

 C. where the Queen usually works     D. where works of art are on show

Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Often it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits died hard, and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.

Many roads and places in Singaporeare named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries ---- in both the West and the East.

Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus ---- obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.

Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay. Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.

A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent（月牙） because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.

1. We learn from Paragraph 1 that _____.

A．the government is usually the first to name a place

B．a ceremony will be held when a place is named

C．many places tend to have more than one name

D．people prefer the place names given by the government

2. Which of the following places is named after a person?

A．Raffles Place.                          B．Selector Airbase.

C．Piccadilly Circus.                        D．Paya Lebar Crescent.

3. What does the underlined phrase “die hard” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Change suddenly.                       B．Change greatly.

C．Disappear quickly.                       D．Disappear very slowly.

4. Bras Basah Road is named _______.

A．after an activity                         B．after a place

C．after a person                          D．by its shape

5. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The way Singaporeans name their places is unique.

B．Some places in Singapore are named for military purposes.

C．Some place names in Singapore are the same as in Britain.

D．Young Singaporeans have forgotten the pioneers.

Now, there is a growing movement to pay the students in American schools---in some cases, even just for coming to class.

Students at one school in New Mexico can earn up to three hundred dollars a year for good attendance. In Baltimore, Maryland, high scores in state graduation tests can be worth more than one hundred dollars. And a New Jersey school system plans to pay students fifty dollars a week to attend after---school tutoring programs.

Schools that pay students can be found in more than one---fourth of the fifty states. Other schools pay students with food or other rewards.

Robert Schaefer is a public education director. He says paying students may improve performance in the short term, but students develop false expectations for the future. He sees a lack of long term planning in these programs because of the pressure on schools to raise test scores.

Public schools need to show improvement under the education reform law. Low---performing schools may lose their federal money; teachers and administrators(行政人員) may lose their jobs. Often these schools are in poor neighborhoods where getting students to go to school can be a continual problem.

Critics(評論家) say paying students sends a message that money is the only valuable reward. But some students say it makes school more exciting. And some teachers have reported getting more requests for extra help.

In two thousand four, the city schools in Coshocton, Ohio, launched a program. They wanted to see if paying elementary school students as much as one hundred dollars would help in passing the state exams.

Now, Eric Bettinger of Case Western Reserve University (EUCWRU) has reported mixed results. Math scores increased, but only white students were able to get paid. And there was no evidence of higher scores in reading, social studies and science. Official will decide later this year whether to continue the program.

1.Paying students who show improvement in tests __________.

A．has been done in most American schools

B．is becoming a growing practice in the USA

C．is not very popular with teachers

D．only aims at high scores at school

2.According to the text, Robert Schaefer _____________.

A．is a very excellent teacher

B．thinks highly of paying students

C．thinks students will show improvement in study in the future

D．thinks people should make a careful plan for the paying program

3.From the last paragraph we can see __________.

A．EBCWRU has got great success in its paying program

B．not all the students in EUCWRU have made progress in all subjects

C．only students who study math can get paid

D．EBCWRU will go on with the paying program

4.The text is mainly written to _____________.

A．persuade teachers to give students more prizes

B．tell people how to become an excellent student

C．introduce something about American paying students program

D．explain the advantages of American paying students program

I had an experience some years ago, which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves．One January, I had to hold two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community．Both had died “full of years”, as the Bible would say．Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence （吊唁） calls on the two families on the same afternoon.

At the first home, the son of the deceased （已故的） woman said to me, “If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today．It’s my fault that she died.” At the second home, the son of the other deceased woman said, “If only I hadn’t insisted on my mother’s going to Florida, she would be alive today．That long airplane ride, the sudden change of climate, was more than she could take．It’s my fault that she’s dead.”

You see that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty．Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course — keeping Mother at home, putting off the operation — would have turned out better．After all, how could it have turned out any worse?

There seem to be two elements involved in our willingness to feel guilty．The first is our pressing need to believe that the world makes sense, that there is a cause for every effect and a reason for everything that happens．That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds.

The second element is the view that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen．It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault．The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood.

A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it．He wakes up in the morning and summons the rest of the world to its tasks．He cries, and someone comes to attend to him．When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him．Very often, we do not completely outgrow that childish view that our wishes cause things to happen.

1.The author had to hold the two women’s funerals probably because __________________.

A．he wanted to comfort the two families

B．he was an official from the community

C．he had great pity for the deceased

D．he was priest of the local church

2.People feel guilty for the deaths of their loved ones because _______________________.

A．they couldn’t find a better way to express their sorrow

B．they believe that they were responsible

C．they had neglected the natural course of events

D．they didn’t know things often turn out in the opposite direction

3.According to the passage, the underlined part in paragraph 4 probably means that ______.

A．everything in the world is predetermined

B．the world can be interpreted in different ways

C．there’s an explanation for everything in the world

D．we have to be sensible in order to understand the world

4.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Life and death is an unsolved mystery.

B．Every story should have a happy ending.

C．Never feel guilty all the time because not every disaster is our fault.

D．In general, the survivors will feel guilty about the people who passed away .

The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The term is most commonly used to refer to those eight schools considered as a group. The term is also connected with academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism(精英主義).

The term became official, especially in sports terminology, after the formation of the NCAA Division I athletic conference in 1954, when much of the nation polarized around favorite college teams. “IV” was used because originally the league consisted only of four members. The use of the phrase is no longer limited to athletics, and now represents an educational philosophy inherent to ( 固有的，內在的)the nation's oldest schools. In addition, Ivy League schools are often viewed by the public as some of the most prestigious （著名的）universities worldwide and are often ranked amongst the best universities in the United States and worldwide. The eight institutions are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.

All of the Ivy League's institutions place near the top in the U.S. News & World Reportcollege and university rankings and rank within the top one percent of the world's academic institutions in terms of financial endowment(捐助). Seven of the eight schools were founded during America's colonial period; the exception is Cornell, which was founded in 1865. Ivy League institutions, therefore, account for seven of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The Ivies are all in the Northeast geographic region of the United States. All eight schools receive millions of dollars in research grants and other subsidies from federal and state government.

Undergraduate enrollments among the Ivy League schools range from about 4,000 to 14,000, making them larger than those of a typical private liberal arts college and smaller than a typical public state university. Ivy League university financial endowments range from Brown's $2.01 billion to Harvard's $26 billion, the largest financial endowment of any academic institution in the world.

1.Which meaning can the term “the Ivy League” convey today?

A．The largest enrollment.                   B．The strongest government support.

C．The most expensive schools.               D．First-class education.

2.From the passage, we know the word “Ivy” in “the Ivy League” was first chosen to refer to _______.

A．a plant            B．a number          C．a sport            D．a spirit

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A．There is no longer sports competition in the Ivy League.

B．Seven colleges were set up before the USA was founded.

C．Brown University has the smallest number of students.

D．Typical public state universities are larger than the Ivies.

4.What is special about Cornell University in the League?

A．It is the oldest one.                      B．It was founded by colonists.

C．It has the smallest endowment.             D．It is the youngest one.

5.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．The ABC of “The Ivy League”

B．Best Universities in the USA

C．The Financial Income of American Universities

D．How to Apply to an Ivy League University

There are stories about two U．S . presidents，Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren，which attempt to explain the American English term OK．We don’t know if either story is true，but they are both interesting．

The first explanation is based on the fact that President Jackson had very little education．In fact，he had difficulty reading and writing．When important papers came to Jackson，he tried to read them and then had his assistants explain what they said．If he approved of a paper, he would write “all correct”on it．The problem was that he didn’t know how to spell．So what he really wrote was “ol korekt”．After a while，he shortened that term to “OK”．

The second explanation is based on the place where President Van Buren was born，Kinderhook，New York．Van Buren’s friends organized a club to help him become President .They called the club the Old Kinderhook Club，and anyone who supported Van Buren was called“OK”．

1.．The author  __________.

2.According to the passage，President Jackson_____________.    

3.．According to the first story, the term “OK”_______________.  

4. .According to the second story，the term “K”_____________.  

5.．According to the second story, the term “OK” was first used ______________

閱讀下列應用文及相關信息，并按要求匹配信息。請在答題卡上將對應題號的相應選項字母涂黑,選擇項有一項是多余的。

首先閱讀下列國外媒體上介紹性文字：

A. Cornwall

You can find that 'weekend feeling' every day of the year, in the country's favourite holiday destination. Some find it in a rock pool on a golden beach, while for some it can only be discovered on wild moors and quiet woods. Art lovers are sure to find all the inspiration they could wish for in a lively arts scene, while gastronauts can savour the secret ingredients that make Cornwall a foodie's heaven.                                                   

Start planning, start discovering; get your free 2011 official Cornwall guide and visit the website.

B. Cornwall, paradise found

The gardens of Cornwall are the envy of the world. With its warm sunshine Cornwall is the perfect home for a flourishing variety of plants, trees and flowers. For seasoned horticulturists, keen amateurs or energetic families looking for a fun day out, there is maybe a hidden vista or a startling splash of colour.

With over 70 gardens to choose from you can walk amongst wild woodlands or stand and admire the formal splendour of a country estate. Kitchen gardens, perfumed gardens, and even Japanese gardens - you will discover something fresh, whatever the season.

Click the 'request brochure' button for your FREE guide or visit the website for more information.

C. Peak District

Come to the Peak District and get right to the heart of a great holiday - right at the heart of the UK. Our world-class destination is a stone's throw from everywhere. From Hollywood film locations to superb landscapes and quality accommodation to luscious local food, we've got it all. You have the perfect recipe for a brilliant break. Order your free copy of our 2011 Visitor Guide now!

D. Discover the stunning Channel Island of Guernsey in 2011

It doesn't take long to get to the stunning Channel Island of Guernsey, but once you're here, you'll feel a long way from home - Discover its unforgettable blend of stunning scenery, unique character and rich heritage for yourself in 2011.

Welcome to the islands of Guernsey. Lying close to the north coast of France and bathed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the islands are the perfect escape.

So take some time to look around and start planning your perfect break.

E. Visit the English Riviera - South Devon’s Beautiful Bay

Torquay, Babbacombe, Paignton and Brixham boast stunning beaches and award-winning visitor attractions.

But it's not just palm trees and a famously mild climate, there is treasured literary and natural heritage just waiting to be discovered. Explore Agatha Christie's place of birth and the inspiration behind fictional tales and her real life story.

Visit the website to request your free Accommodation Guide and prepare to explore South Devon's beautiful bay.

F. Pure Jersey

Whether you're looking for a short break or longer holiday, Jersey has it all! Discover breathtaking beaches, cosmopolitan shopping, leafy country lanes, award-winning attractions and fascinating WWII history.    With over 30 departure points from the UK, you can fly in less than an hour or sail by fast ferry. What's more, with its lovely mild climate, Jersey is the warmest place in the British Isles.

以下是幾位計劃出行者的情況介紹。請將介紹與說明性文字匹配起來。

1. Doris , an amateur photographer , is now learning English in the UK. She is planning for a short visit to a place where she can not only has inspiration but also enjoys good food. Any season would be fine as long as there are colourful flowers and warm sun shine.

2. Rainy, a housewife, is taking a short break to relax herself from boring daily routine, but wishes to spend some days outdoors with her three young girls. She hates the cold winter and is ready to travel by any means of transportation so long as it won’t take a long time. She prefers street shopping to on line shopping.

3.Shirley, a professional column writer, is expecting to experience the UK in a special and unforgettable way. She writes about review on food, introduction to customs and lifestyle of the British.

4.Kathy, an artist, has great passion for nature. She is enthusiastic about exploring the unknown , learning from tradition, enjoying the amazing scenery and bathing the sun on the beach. She wants to pain Agatha Christie. She usually reads a lot about the persons she paints before she starts working on it.

5. King, a scholar, a nature lover, has written quite a few books on wars. On the other hand, he is particular about food. He is planning to spend one or two days simply enjoying the beauty of nature and quietness of the woods.

With the average home in the capital selling for 19,548 yuan a meter in November, a tiny mobile home built by a 24-year-old office worker is creating a stir(震動) online.

  Dai Haifei built the 6-square-meter pad(住所) because he could not afford to buy or rent in the capital.

  Dai’s new home costs him 6,400 yuan and he has been living in it for nearly two months in courtyard at Chengfu

Road, Haidian district.

  Dai, who is one of the millions of migrants who moved to the capital from other parts of China seeking a better

life and better job, said he realized his financial burden had become too great.

  The Hunan native said he simply could not make ends meet(收支相抵) when he became an intern at a

Beijing-based construction design company in 2009.

  “I rented a home at the very beginning--a small room in an apartment that cost me about 900 yuan per month,”

said Dai in an interview with local media. “It was too expensive for me. ”

  Dai’s father works on a construction site in his hometown and his mother is a cleaner.

  Dai, who ended up becoming a formal employee of the company, figured out his own way to solve the

problem---with inspiration from a housing design project at his company’s exhibition early this year.

  The project, named“An egg given birth to by the city”, included a series of egg-like movable houses, with a

karaoke house, chair house and trader’s house in it.

  Dai, who borrowed 6,400 yuan from an older cousin and who got additional help from several friends, decided to

make one of his own. He spent nearly two months building his“egg house”in his hometown, a village in southeast

Hunan that is around 1,700 kilometers from Beijing.

1.Where is this passage probably taken from?

A. A story book.                  B. A cartoon film.        C. A news report.          D. A research report.

2.What is Dai Haifei?

A. An official of government.               B. A journalist.

C. An office worker of a company.           D. A manager of a company.

3.Why did he build the pad?

A. Because he will sell it for money.

B. Because he has no house to get married in.

C. Because he doesn’t have enough money to buy or rent a house.

D. Because he wants to get help from the society.

4.Which statement is not TRUE?

A. He comes from a Hunan village.       

B. He has lived in the egg home for two months.

C. He got the idea from a friend.         

D. He once rented a room.

5.What’s the writer’s attitude?

A. Supporting.            B. Puzzled.                 C. Criticizing.                           D. Objective.

England was one of the first countries to set aside a day to recognize mothers．In the eighteenth century,      many people worked as household servants for the     , "Mothering Sunday" was _     for them to return home to be with their mothers．Though this      stopped when the Industrial Revolution altered the working and living patterns of people, one     for mothers was established as a holiday in the twentieth century．

In the United States, Mother's Day did not become a（n）       holiday until 1915．Its establishment was      due to the perseverance and love of one      , Anna Jarvis．Anna's mother had provided strength and support as the family      their home in West Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania      her father served as a minister．

When Mrs Jarvis died on May 5, 1905, Anna was determined to       her．She asked a minister at the church in West Virginia to give a sermon（布道）      memory of her mother．

On the same Sunday in Philadelphia, ministers there honoured Mrs.Jarvis and all mothers with a (n)      Mother's Day service．Anna Jarvis began writing to congressmen, asking them to       a day to honour mothers. In 1910, the governor of West Virginia proclaimed(宣布) the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and a year later every state       it．

On Mother' s Day morning some American children       the tradition of serving their mothers breakfast in bed．Other children will give their mothers      which they have made themselves or bought in      ．Adults give their mothers red carnations, the official Mother's Day flower．If their mothers     , they may bring white carnations to their grave（墳墓）sites．This is the busiest day of the year for American       ．On the special day, family members do not want Mom to cook dinner!

1.A．before         B．since             C．when              D．until

2.A．rich             B．poor                  C．living             D．injured

3.A．protected            B．reserved               C．changed         D．persuaded

4.A．form          B．custom            C．habit            D．plan

5.A．Monday                B．Wednesday            C．Sunday                  D．Friday

6.A．ordinary        B．common             C．regular          D．official

7.A．nearly         B．largely                 C．deeply           D．highly

8.A．mother         B．sister                  C．daughter         D．waitress

9.A．destroyed    B．found                 C．made            D．left

10.A．where      B.  when                     C．why           D．how

11.A．reward       B．honour                C．award                   D．inspire

12.A．on                 B．at                      C．in               D．for

13.A．special               B．expensive             C．simple           D．easy

14.A．put off               B．give up                C．take on        D．set aside

15.A．understood          B．received                C．celebrated              D．prevented

16.A．follow            B．refuse                C．accept           D．support

17.A．letters               B．gifts                    C．calls                    D．toys

18.A．schools               B．churches             C．stores           D．hospitals

19.A．went ahead     B．moved on                 C．stayed up        D．passed away    

20.A．restaurants            B．departments        C．offices           D．markets  

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     First copy the code THIRDOFFGIFT. At the checkout, enter your voucher code for your discount!

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    First copy the code NEW15PROMO. At the checkout, enter your voucher code for your discount!

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     Free Delivery on Orders at www.alwayspersonal.co.uk.

     As a personalized gifts website, alwayspersonal.co.uk offers many gifts for us to choose from, including Photo clocks, Personalized Bags, Photo Key rings, plus more. Al1 our products come with Free Standard Delivery! The majority of our products are dispatched within 24 hours.

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     First copy the code SUPERSAVER. At the checkout, enter your voucher code for your discount!

     Special activity time: 24/09/2013-04/01/2014.

1.You can learn about the credit of an online store by________.

A. the speed of delivering goods         B. the length of running online stores

C. the independent tick rating           D. the varieties of goods

2.If you've chosen some items from all the four websites above, the earliest date for special sale is_________.

A. September 23, 2013                 B. November l, 2013

C. September 24, 2013                 D. December l, 2013

3.If you want to buy sportswear with a school name on it, you may visit_________.

A. www. jessops. com/photo            B. www. subsidesports. com

C. www. alwayspersonal. co. uk          D. www. personalisedmugs. co. uk

4.If you have chosen your themed gift for graduation, you'll enter code _________ for your discount.

A. THIRDOFFGIFT                     B. NEW15PROMO

C. Free Delivery                      D. SUPERSAVER

No one could name themselves when they were born. That is,     has his or her name given by others. So we needn’t care too much about our names, which are just      . They are used to refer to you. Though your parents probably meant your name to last a lifetime, never forget that the hopes and dreams they cared for may not      your needs. If your name no longer seems to fit you, don’t lose heart. Screen stars      change their names, and with some determination, you can, too.

Legal rules are more      in this matter than you may expect. Many newlyweds,     , realize that no law requires a woman to      her husband’s name. Even more, parents can give their children any name they wish,      it’s not that of either parent.

If you do wish to have a new name, you don’t need to make the change     . Under common law,      is necessary to start using the name of your choice. More importantly, you     to use it everywhere.    , you must change all your identification and     . Be sure to practice your new      until you write it naturally and     .

Making friends and fellow workers      you Leach instead of Lola may be harder than any paperwork involved, and you are      to meet official resistance, too. Whatever happens, be sure that no law should      you from using the name you have chosen,      you use it for the purpose of cheating. Please enjoy your right to be called by      name you choose!

1.A.  nobody     B.      everyone C.      all   D.      someone

2.A. symbols      B.      presents   C.      souvenirs D.      patterns

3.A .know B.      trust         C.      satisfy        D.      agree

4.A. regularly    B.      legally       C.      seldom      D.      bravely

5.A. rigid   B.      available   C.      practical   D.      flexible

6.A. in fact         B.      as a result C.      for instance       D.      in name

7.A. assume     B. handle        C.  call     D.  acquire

8.A. as if    B.      only if        C.  even if        D.      if only

9.A. popular      B.      official       C.      known       D.      academic

10.A. what         B.      that  C.      it       D.      which

11.A. are used  B.      are supposed    C.  are hoped  D.      look forward

12.A. Instead     B.      Besides     C.      Luckily      D.      Otherwise

13.A. values      B.      notes         C.      records     D.      accounts

14.A. signature B.      handwriting       C.  need  D.      pronunciation

15.A. consistently      B.      constantly          C. beautifully     D.      attractively

16.A. to call       B.      call   C.      calling       D.      called

17.A. probable B.      impossible         C.      convenient        D.      likely

18.A. admit        B.      tolerate    C.      prohibit    D.      permit

19.A. unless      B.      when         C.      if       D.      because

20.A.whose       B.      no matter what

C.      which        D.      whatever

One of my. next-door neighbor is a sweet 92-year-old Polish lady. A few days ago, I came back from a trip. As I was  16 . my clothes in my room, I heard a(n)  17  , frantic(發(fā)瘋的) knock on the door. It was 10:30 pm, and I wasn’t sure who it could be. I went downstairs and  18  the peephole, and saw that it was our sweet next-door neighbor.

I quickly  19  the door, and she seemed really distressed and kept  20 , Please help me. I need your help. The fire alarm won’t go off. Please help me.” I  21  told her that everything would be okay, and  22  her to her house to see what was going on  23  the fire alarm.

She  24  that the alarm had been going on and off inconsistently(反復無常的) for the past two hours, and that her  25  to call her daughter to come and fix it was fruitless. So I took a chair from her dining room table,  26  it, and looked at the tire alarm.

After twisting the fire alarm off, I blew into it, because sometimes  27  causes it to make strange noises. She seemed  28  but was literally shaking out of fear. I asked her  29  she was okay, and she said she was  30  , so I gave her a hug. I felt her shaking in my embrace, and held her  31  for a few minutes until she stopped shaking and sighed a breath of relief.

We then  32  and talked for ten minutes, until I felt that she was okay. and safe to sleep. She was so generous with  33  for being with her, but I thanked her for  34  me that hugs are indeed good tools! So, sometimes, a(n)  35  hug is a good and powerful way to hold someone going through a difficult period.

1.A. collecting           B. designing                         C. unpacking                        D. setting

2.A. constant             B. flexible                    C. rhythmic                          D. impressive

3.A. looked through          B. made out                         C. cut off                               D. turned to

4.A. closed                          B. moved                              C. locked                              D. opened

5.A. thinking              B. repeating                         C. complaining           D. screaming

6.A. frequently                   B. briefly                               C. immediately           D. roughly

7.A. required            B. accompanied                  C. inspected                         D. observed

8.A. for                       B .to                                       C. by                             D. with

9.A. predicted                    B. warned                   C. mentioned                       D. proved

10.A. attempt            B. suggestion                       C. responsibility                  D. permission

11.A. pressed            B. revolved                          C. crashed                            D. climbed

12.A. power                         B. dust                                   C. paper                                D. switch

13.A. determined               B. terrified                           C. relieved                           D. devoted

14.A. when                          B. how                                   C. why                                   D. if

15.A. afraid                          B. tired                                  C. sleepy                               D. pleased

16.A. casually                      B. tightly                               C. automatically                   D. abruptly

17.A. broke down               B. sped up                            C. sat down                          D. turned around

18.A. suffering                   B. regret                              C. shame                    D. gratitude

19.A. advising            B. reminding                       C. encouraging                   D. advocating

20.A. simple                        B. special                             C. official                             D. sudden

My friends, Emma Daniels, spent the summer of 1974 traveling in Israel. During her monthlong stay in Jerusalem she often went to a café called Chocolate Soup. It was run by two men, one of whom – Alex – used to live in Montreal. One morning when Emma went in for coffee, while chatting with her new friend Alex, she mentioned that she had just finished the book she was reading and had nothing else to read. Alex said he had a wonderful book she might like, and that he’d be happy to lend it to her. As he lived just above the café, he quickly ran up to get it. The book he handed to Emma just minutes later was Markings, a book by a former Secrcetary-General of the United Nations (UN).

Emma had never read it, nor had she ever bought a copy. But, when she opened it up, she was floored to see her own name and address inside the cover in her own handwriting.It turned out that the summer before, at a concert back in Montreal, Emma had met a Californian who was in town visiting friends. They decided to exchange addresses, but neither of them had any paper. The man opened up a book he was carrying in his backpack and asked Emma to write her name and address inside. When he returned to California, he left the book behind in Montreal, and his friend Alex kept it. When Alex later moved to Jerusalcm, he took the book along.

1.Alex lent Emma the book, Markings,__________.

A．to show his friendliness to her

B．to show his interest in reading

C．to tell her about the importance of UN

D．to let her write her name and address inside

2.How did Emma feel the moment she opened the book?

A．Pleased.                              B．Satisfied.

C．Worried.                              D．Surprised.

3.We can learn from the text the Californian________.

A．met Emma at a concert

B．invited Emma to a concert

C．introduced Emma to his friend

D．left Emma his backpack

4.Who was supposed to be the first owner of the book?

A．An official of the UN.

B．A coffee shop owner.

C．A friend of the author’s.

D．Alex’s friend from California.