I have nothing to say about whether or not “A Day Without Immigrants(移民)” had a positive or negative effect on the question of how the federal government should deal with the huge population of undocumented illegal immigrants in this country. I'll leave that question to others.
Regardless of how you feel about the event, one conclusion is obvious. Using the theme of “A Day Without” as a way to focus national attention on a particular subject is a great idea, and could serve as a method for increasing public consciousness about other issues that affect daily life in America. Here are my top three examples:
“A Day Without Speeding.” How hard could this be? If all drivers would strictly obey every posted speed limit on highways, downtown, on neighborhood streets, and in parking lots for one 24-hour cycle, the benefits would be huge.
“A Day Without Losing Your Temper.” A higher degree of difficulty here, and I know that from personal experience. When something goes wrong at home or on the job, there may be brief satisfaction in yelling or kicking the furniture, but bursting into anger usually has nothing to do with the approach to the heart of the matter.
“A Day Without Having All The Answers.” I would like to get a break from hearing anyone speak the phrase, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong.” Right now the US is packed with citizens who believe they can point out the cause of every single problem in existence and then solve it in a moment. I believe they need to be quiet sometimes and use their ears instead of their voices.
I wonder how would average Americans react to such a national pause? Would it be a day of reaction against anger, or joyful celebrations?
小題1:The first paragraph suggests ________.

A．the writer is against “A Day Without Immigrants”

B．immigrants are not equally treated by the US government

C．the immigrants issue is so complex that the author has to refer to others

D．some move to America without the permission of the US government

小題2:The author uses his “top three examples” to________.

A．criticize the undocumented illegal immigrants in America

B．show public consciousness of some subjects could be raised

C．encourage common people to create more similar activities

D．indicate some bothering issues affecting people’s daily life

小題3:According to the author, losing one’s temper is ________.

A．unpleasant

B．pointless

C．relaxing

D．personal

小題4:The writer suggests “a day without having all the answers”, because ________.

A．he thinks the Americans are too proud

B．he wants to have a chance to speak his mind

C．he expects others to keep quiet and calm

D．he hopes to get a break from the problems

America’s Beauty Is in Its Diversity
America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I     the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be      , and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.
The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim, and keeping my head covered is a       of maturity（成熟）and respect toward my       and to Allah’s will.      , I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be a(n)      , not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the       that I’d get at school.
I      on my own that sixth grade was the       I should start wearing the hijab. I was      about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or       be scared of me and       my headscarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no       of differences.
On the first day of school, I put all those       thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but       I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.
I was       about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions —    — about the hijab and why I wore it.
I did hear some kid was making fun of me,       there was one girl—she wasn’t even in my class, and we never really talked much–and she spoke       me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.
Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the      of America.

小題1:	A．believe in B．stick to C．carry out D．push for

小題2:	A．independent B．free C．sensitive D．different

小題3:	A．signal B．sign C．reminder D．cause

小題4:	A．religion B．country C．parents D．status

小題5:	A．In a word B．In general C．To be exact D．To be honest

小題6:	A．princess B．heroine C．individual D．a(chǎn)dult

小題7:	A．praise B．punishment C．reaction D．reflection

小題8:	A．hoped B．expected C．realized D．decided

小題9:	A．time B．chance C．case D．occasion

小題10:

A．disappointed B．scared C．enthusiastic D．a(chǎn)ngry

小題11:

A．still B．a(chǎn)lready C．even D．ever

小題12:

A．show off B．pull off C．pick up D．put up

小題13:

A．rejection B．ignorance C．a(chǎn)wareness D．a(chǎn)cceptance

小題14:

A．negative B．optimistic C．serious D．strange

小題15:

A．often B．inside C．only D．outside

小題16:

A．concerned B．particular C．wrong D．convinced

小題17:

A．respectfully B．cautiously C．suspiciously D．critically

小題18:

A．a(chǎn)nd B．so C．but D．or

小題19:

A．in terms of B．in front of C．in charge of D．in favor of

小題20:

A．significance B．beauty C．value D．power

A father in Wuhan, nicknamed "Eagle Dad" for his controversial parenting style, has dismissed critics' claims that he pushes his 4-year-old son too hard.
Police officer Wang Shaoyan came under the spotlight this month after his child took part in an 18-kilometer race in the Hubei provincial capital.
Some parents attacked his methods of extreme physical training, while others reacted strongly to his admission that he regularly exposes the youngster to cold showers. "I just want my son to reach his full potential," Wang said, adding that 4-year-old son not only runs 3 km every day he also takes cold showers from time to time to strengthen his body's resistance and willpower.
"He has never taken any sick leave from kindergarten," he said proudly. However, some parents find his methods too extreme.
"I'm not sure a 4-year-old is prepared for such intense training," said Zhang Ruxia  a woman who gave birth to two boys in October in Tianjin. "You can have good intentions to train your child at an early age but you also have to consider whether he can take it." Wang responded by saying children are too young to make decisions, and it is up to parents to lead them on the right path.
"I read many materials before and the whole process is step-by-step without pushing or imposing on my son," Wang said. The father said he was not acting rashly but following a scientific way of education. He said the doubts about his methods reflect the declining standards of modern education.
"Many people in Japan give their children cold showers too ,and no one is fussing about it，" he said. The traditional way of education applied by most of his peers might not necessarily help bring the best out of a child he said.
Wang said in addition to the physical training, he has also laid out a detailed and particular program to strengthen the intelligence of the child. "I have hired some university students to expand his knowledge in natural sciences, while playing the video for English-language teaching as well," he said.
小題1:For what reason was Wang made known to the public?

A．He employed some college students to teach his son.

B．He made his kid take a long distance race.

C．He exposed his 4-year-old to cold showers.

D．He forced his youngster to run 3 km every day.

小題2:Which statement is supported by the parents who hold the opposite opinion?

A．Extreme physical training can explore children's full potentials.

B．Taking cold showers regularly is beneficial for children's development.

C．It's up to parents to lead children on the right path.

D．The way to educate children should agree with their age.

小題3:What does the phrase "fussing about” probably mean in the 8th paragraph?

A．Minding about.	B．Paying attention to.
C．Laughing at.	D．Talking about.

小題4:In Eagle Dad’s opinion, his extreme parenting was questioned because____.

A．he didn’t take it step by step in a scientific way

B．the highly tense work-out was misunderstood

C．modern education is not challenging enough

D．some parents were jealous of his success

We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people.“Did Jerry really care when I broke up with Helen?” When I got that great job, did Jim really feel good about it, as a friend? Or did he envy(嫉妒)my luck?”“And Paul-why didn’t he pick up that he was friendly just because I had a car?”When we look back, doubts like these can make us feel bad. But when we look back, it’s too late.
Why do we go wrong about our friends or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meaning. And if we don’t really listen we miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, “You’re a lucky dog.”that’s being friendly. But“l(fā)ucky dog”?There’s a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn’t see it himself. But bringing in the “dog” bit puts you down a little. What he may be saying is that he doesn’t think you deserve your luck.
“Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for ”is another noise that says one thing and means another . It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem as part of your life as a whole. But is he? Wrapped up(包藏) in this phrase is the thought that your problem isn’t important. It’s telling you to think of all the starving people in the world when you haven’t got a date for Saturday night.
How can you tell the real meaning behind someone’s got a date for Saturday night? Good look at the person talking. Do his words fit the way he looks? Does what he says agree with the tone of voice? His posture(姿態(tài))?The look in his eyes? Stop and think. The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning of what people to you may save another mistake.
小題1:This passage is mainly about_____.

A．how to interpret(understand) what people say

B．what to do when you listen to others talking

C．how to avoid mistakes when you communicate with people

D．why we go wrong with people sometimes

小題2:According to the author, the reason why we go wrong about our friends is that_______.

A．we fail to listen carefully when they talk

B．we tend to（傾向）doubt what our friends say

C．people usually state one thing but means another

D．people tend to be annoyed when we check what they say

小題3:In the sentence “Maybe he doesn’t see it himself.”In the second paragraph, the pronoun “it”refers to____.

A．being friendly

B．a(chǎn) bit of envy

C．lucky dog

D．your luck

小題4:When we listen to a person talking , the most important thing for us to do is _______.

A．notice the way the person is talking

B．take a good look at the person talking

C．mind his tone, his posture and the look in his eyes

D．examine the real meaning of what he says based on his manner, his tone and his posture

Without mutual(相互的)respect, any relationship will be an unhappy one . People who respect each other: a) value each other’s opinions, b) listen to each other, and c) disagree without screams or insults（侮辱）. And remember, your parents have lived longer than you—don’t discount their experience and knowledge.
Your parents want to know what’s going on in your life. If you don’t tell them they won’t know when you need their help or whether they can trust you. Tell them what you’re doing, share your thoughts and feelings with them, and ask for their advice for your problems( you don’t have to follow it). Communication builds closeness. Trust is your key to freedom. The way to build trust is through honesty and responsibility. Honesty means you don’t lie or manipulate(作假). Responsibility means that you are reliable(可依賴的) and make good choices to use good judgment. When your parents trust you, it’s a lot easier for them to say “Yes.”
These guidelines(指導(dǎo)方針) work both ways. If sometimes, your parents break any of these guidelines, talk to them about it. Pick a time when you are both calm and feeling good toward each other(never when you are angry). Then , explain to them what they did, how it makes you feel, and what you’d like them to do instead.
Unfortunately, these guidelines don’t always work. Since we can only control what we do, and not what our parents do, sometimes we just cannot change a bad relationship. If this is the case, try to use these guidelines to at least improve things a little, and talk with a trusted adult who may be able to help you
小題1:What’s the probable meaning of the underlined word” discount” in the first paragraph?

A．To think or say that something is not important or not true.

B．To disagree with somebody’s opinions.

C．To respect somebody’s opinions

D．To accept somebody suggestions.

小題2:The main idea of the second paragraph is about_______

A．feelings

B．a(chǎn)dvice

C．closeness

D．communication

小題3:From this passage we know that the writer may be________.

A．a(chǎn)n editor

B．a(chǎn)n expert

C．a(chǎn) doctor

D．a(chǎn) teacher

小題4:The main purpose of the passage is_______.

A．to show that your parents want to know what’s going on in your life.

B．to discuss how to have great relationship with your parents.

C．to discuss how to talk with a trusted adult who may be able to help you

D．to discuss how to respect your parents.

Beware of those who use the truth to cheat. When someone tells you something that is       , but leaves out important information that should be         , he can create a false impression.
For example, someone might say, “I just          a hundred dollars on the lottery. It was great. I took that dollar ticket back to the store and          it for one hundred dollars!”
This guy’s a winner,        ? Maybe, maybe not. We then discover that he bought two hundred           , and only one was a winner. He’s really a big          !
He didn’t say anything that was         , but he deliberately left out some important      . That’s called a half-truth. Half-truths are not technically         , but they are just as not         .
Untrustworthy candidates in           campaigns often use this strategy. Let’s say that during Governor Smith’s last term, her state lost one million jobs and        three million jobs. Then she          another term. One of her opponents runs an advertisement       , “During Governor Smith’s term, the state lost one million jobs!” That’s true.         , an honest statement would have been, “During Governor Smith’s term, the state had a net gain of        million jobs.”
Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths. It’s         the law to make false claims so they try to mislead you with the         . An advertisement might boast (吹噓), “Nine out of ten doctors recommend Yucky Pills to cure nose pimples.” It          to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Corporation.
This kind of cheat happens too often. It’s a sad fact of life: Lies are lies, and sometimes the truth can lie as well.

小題1:	A．false B．true C．interesting D．boring

小題2:	A．included B．contained C．involved D．referred

小題3:	A．lost B．found C．donated D．won

小題4:	A．swapped B．took C．turned D．made

小題5:	A．right B．well C．really D．though

小題6:	A．books B．papers C．tickets D．balls

小題7:	A．winner B．loser C．fighter D．thinker

小題8:	A．true B．real C．doubtful D．false

小題9:	A．details B．information C．mistakes D．errors

小題10:

A．stories B．truth C．facts D．lies

小題11:

A．pleasant B．exciting C．honest D．clever

小題12:

A．political B．commercial C．personal D．public

小題13:

A．stopped B．found C．a(chǎn)voided D．gained

小題14:

A．seeks B．gets C．a(chǎn)chieves D．searches

小題15:

A．writing B．reading C．saying D．speaking

小題16:

A．Otherwise B．However C．In fact D．This way

小題17:

A．one B．two C．three D．four

小題18:

A．for B．to C．a(chǎn)gainst D．in

小題19:

A．words B．facts C．data D．truth

小題20:

A．fails B．tries C．manages D．plans

Suppose you don't need your car today.And suppose，as it happens that a stranger in your area does need a car.Would you be willing to rent yours out?
Several car­sharing start­ups，including Getaround，RelayRides and JustSharelt，are eager to connect car owners with renters this way.The companies have different rules，but participating owners receive，generally speaking，about two­thirds of the rental earnings.RelayRides says an owner of a mid­size，late­model sedan who rents out a car for 10 hours a week could expect to clear about $ 3,000 a year.
Peer­to­peer car­sharing remains in the trial stage；it can be found in San Francisco and a few other places.It has a long way to go before it becomes the auto equivalent of Airbnb，the  surprise success story for peer­to­peer sharing of space in apartments and houses.
Shelby Clark，founder of RelayRides，says potential investors in his company have been concerned that owners will be afraid to hand their car over to strangers.To address that，he points to Airbnb，saying，“Letting people sleep in your living room is much more of a disturbance into your personal space than letting someone use your car.”
All of these companies offer their own insurance coverage for their renters，which are supposed to put owners' minds at ease.But only two states—California and Oregon—have passed  laws to clarify that an owner will not suffer any consequences should a car­sharing renter have an accident.
“In all the other states，legal ambiguity remains，” Shelby Clark says.“If a renter should be involved in a serious accident in those states，the victim can be expected to go after every party possible，including the car's owner.”
Also to remove the worries of car owners，the driving records of renters are checked for recent serious violations..
小題1:What does the underlined word “sedan” in Paragraph 2 probably refer to?

A．A kind of car.

B．An owner of a car.

C．A renting company.

D．A car­sharing renter.

小題2:Which of the following is true of Aribnb?

A．It cares little about personal privacy.

B．It deals with house­sharing successfully.

C．It is a very popular car­sharing company.

D．Its ideas are being tried out in some states.

小題3:If a car­sharing renter should have an accident in California，the car's owner ________.

A．has to take legal responsibility

B．will not suffer the consequence

C．is not covered by health insurance

D．must pay the insurance for the renter

小題4:According to the text，more car­owners will participate in the service，if ________.

A．legal ambiguity is clarified in all the states

B．renters are warned not to violate traffic rules

C．more money is given to participating owners

D．people are aware of the importance of sharing

小題5:It can be learned from the text that car­sharing ________.

A．makes no profit

B．remains in popularity

C．is against the state law

D．is a new business model

All Ric O Barry wants is to stop the dolphin­killing, so he is headed to this seaside Japanese town, Taiji.The American activist, who is the star of a new award­winning documentary that portrays the dolphin­killing here, got an unwelcome reception when he showed up here this week for the start of the annual hunt.
His movie, The Cove(海豚灣), directed by National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, was released in the United States a month ago but has not yet to come out in Japan.
Scenes in the film, some of which were shot secretly, show fishermen banging on metal poles stuck in the water to create a wall of sound that scares the dolphins— which have supersensitive sonar(聲納系統(tǒng))—and sends them fleeing into a cove.
There, the fishermen sometimes pick a few to be sold for aquarium shows, for as much as $150,000. They kill the others, spearing(刺) the animals repeatedly until the water turns red. The meat from one dolphin is worth about 50,000 yen, and is sold at supermarkets across Japan.
Greenpeace and other groups have tried to stop the hunt for years.Activists hope The Cove will bring the issue to more people internationally—and eventually in Japan.
Already，the Australian town of Broome dropped its 28­year sister­city relationship with Taiji last month，partly because of the movie.
“Some regions have a tradition of eating dolphin meat，” said fisheries official Toshinori Uoya. “Dolphin­killing may be negative for our international image, but it is not something orders can stop.”
The town government in Taiji—which has made whales and dolphins its trademark—refused to comment about The Cove, or the growing international criticism against dolphin­killing.
Many in Taiji take the dolphin hunt for granted as part of everyday life. They are defensive about The Cove，seeing themselves as powerless victims of overseas pressure to end a simple and honest way of making a living.
小題1:Ric O Barry made The Cove because he wanted to ________.

A．stop the dolphin­killing

B．win an international award

C．support Greenpeace's efforts

D．make Taiji well­known in the world

小題2:Viewers can learn from The Cove ________.

A．the advanced techniques to catch dolphins

B．the cruel and bloody dolphin­killing

C．the beautiful Japanese seaside town Taiji

D．the sale of dolphin meat around the world

小題3:What is the response to The Cove on the Japanese side?

A．Taiji broke up with its western sister­city Broome.

B．Japanese officials decided to ban dolphin­killing.

C．The town government in Taiji kept silent on criticism.

D．Most Japanese people were against eating dolphin meat.

小題4:What does the underlined word “defensive” probably mean?

A．Feeling guilty for killing dolphins.

B．Protecting themselves against criticism.

C．Attacking those against dolphin­killing.

D．Making the determination to change.

小題5:What can we infer from the passage?

A．Many people in Japan have seen The Cove in the cinema.

B．The Cove has not influenced Japan's international image.

C．Taiji's dolphin­killing industry has been seriously damaged.

D．The Cove has brought international attention to dolphin­killing.

Parents are creating an “I want it now” generation by indulging children's every demand at Christmas，say experts.Youngsters are becoming increasingly selfish，claim the education analysts.
Consumer­savvy children are forcing their families into racking up huge debts and risk becoming spoilt and dissatisfied in the future.
Behavioural consultant Chris Calland said，“Parents are desperate to make Christmas into a magical fairy tale for their kids.There's nothing wrong with that as such.The problem arises when it means always giving in to all our children's demands—even if they are beyond our price range or not age­appropriate.”
Ms.Calland，who runs “Santa Says No” style sessions with colleague Nicky Hutchinson，added, “Many of us go into so much debt providing the gifts our children want that we spend the rest of the year paying off the bills.Yet so often the parcels we've carefully wrapped，once opened，are just pushed away because the very thing our little boy or girl was once so desperate for, they have now lost interest in.”
Ms. Calland and Ms.Hutchinson have drawn up a list of guidelines to help parents manage their offspring's Christmas lists this year.They say that adults can actually improve their relationships with their children by resisting “pester (糾纏) power”．
Ms.Calland said，“All too often we say yes because we want an easier life when the fact is that we're only building up problems for the future.We are helping create a generation of youngsters who are blind to the needs of others and the necessity of hard work.”
“Children learn fast—if we sometimes change our mind，they quickly realise it might be worth lying on the floor and screaming for it.Make sure you and your partner are working together on this.Be consistent.And try not to get caught up in competition with other families or friends.”
小題1:How is the “I want it now” generation created?

A．Parents can't afford the gifts for their children.

B．Parents become heavily in debt.

C．Parents are trying to make Christmas into a magical fairy tale.

D．Parents give children whatever they want at Christmas.

小題2:What is the main problem with the “I want it now” generation?

A．They are quite self­centered.

B．They like to live in fairy tales.

C．They waste a lot of money on gifts.

D．They can't keep their interest in gifts.

小題3:What is probably the aim of “Santa Says No” style sessions?

A．To advise on how to wrap gifts properly.

B．To keep children's interest in the gifts.

C．To tell parents how to say no to children's demands.

D．To advise parents on what gifts to buy for children.

小題4:According to the passage，we can infer that Ms.Calland intends to ________.

A．a(chǎn)nalyze children's behavior

B．give advice to parents

C．introduce a new generation

D．give her support to parents

小題5:Ms.Calland would agree that parents should ________.

A．buy nothing for children at Christmas

B．choose gifts carefully for children

C．let children choose their own gifts

D．a(chǎn)void competing with others

Does Fame Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today's stars, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine.They are at the center of much of the world's attention.Paparazzi (狗仔隊(duì)) camp outside their homes, cameras ready.Tabloids (小報(bào)) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives.Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to pyschologist Christina Villarreal, celebrities—famous people—worry constantly about their public appearance.Eventually, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names.“Over time，” Villarreal says, “they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages.In the 4th century B．C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers.When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold－out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain (抱怨) about his lack of privacy.Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film－stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be.Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras.When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren't all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it.Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities.They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice.Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are.They are tired of being famous already.
小題1:It can be learned from the passage that stars today________.

A．a(chǎn)re often misunderstood by the public

B．can no longer have their privacy protected

C．spend too much on their public appearance

D．care little about how they have come into fame

小題2:What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A．Great heroes of the past were generally admired.

B．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history.

C．Well－known actors are usually targets of tabloids.

D．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers.

小題3:What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?

A．Availability of modern media.

B．Inadequate social recognition.

C．Lack of favorable chances.

D．Huge population of fans.

小題4:What is the author's attitude toward modern celebrity?

A．Sincere.	B．Sceptical.
C．Disapproving.	D．Sympathetic.