1. According to the passage, the ancient Greek Olympic Games lasted for ______.

A. less than 1,000 years
B. more than 1,000 years
C. about 600 years
D. about 380 years

2. The ancient Greek Olympic Games were held once every four years for the purpose of ______.

A. training sportsmen
B. choosing the best athletes
C. honoring their god
D. winning peace between countries

3. Modern Olympic Games are different from ancient Olympic Games in many ways except that modern Olympic Games ______.

A. have more strict rules
B. are held in different places
C. are held e very four years
D. have more sports programmes

     Teenagers in England do much the same as children in America do. They enjoy sending messages by
their mobile phones and they also like swimming, listening to the latest music, watching TV and surfing the
Internet.
      How do teenagers in England spend their free time and holidays? Let's follow Sally, a British teenager, and spend five days with her during her school holiday.
      Day One
     After breakfast, Sally's mother went out and left her alone at home. She checked her mobile phone
during lunch -one of her friends sent her a message early in the morning. Dinner was at 6:30 p.m. After
that, she finished her English homework. Then she surfed the Internet.
     Day Two
     Sally and her mother paid a visit to their friends and went swimming together. Later, they went shopping for clothes and books, and had dinner in a restaurant.
     Day Three
     She went to the supermarket with her mother to buy fish and chips for lunch as well as some pens.
After she got back home, she spent the next few hours surfing the Internet and watching TV.
     Day Four
     She surfed the Internet. Her mother took her out for lunch before she went to work. She then read
stories after lunch.
     Day Five
    She woke up at 2 p.m., and so did her mother. They went to a park. Her mother met some friends
there. When they got home, it was already time for dinner. Afterwards, she did her homework until 10
p.m.

1. Sally and her mother went shopping again to buy _____.

A. food for lunch and pens
B. some books and pens
C. some fish and clothes
D. food and books

2. Which of the following things did Sally do on Day Four?

A. She went swimming.
B. She went out for breakfast.
C. She read books. 
D. She went shopping.

3. According to the passage, it can be inferred that _____.

A. a park is the best place to meet a friend
B. parents shouldn't leave teenagers alone at home
C. teenagers don't usually do their homework during their school holidays
D. surfing the Internet has become an important part of teenagers' lives

     The Inspiration
     Greeks in ancient times believed in many deities (神) or gods. One way they showed their devotion to
gods was to build temples in their honor.
     A Shaky Start
     The Greeks were building the original Parthenon in about 480 B.C. when the Persians captured
Athens.The Greeks swore an oath (誓言) called "The Oath of Plateau". They swore to fight to death.
They also vowed never to rebuild the city's monuments. The Greeks survived the invasion. They used the
remains of the monuments to build a defensive wall around the city. After thirty years' peace, the Greeks
broke their oath.Their ruler, Pericles, ordered the rebuilding of Athens. They started work on Parthenon.
     Fit for a Godness
     The Greeks used expensive white marble to build the Parthenon. The Parthenon was 60 feet high and was surrounded by 46 tall Doric columns. The temple was decorated with many sculptures. A continuous
sculpture formed a border around the outside of the building. This horizontal band is called a frieze. Only
325 feet of the original 525 feet of the frieze still exist. A huge 40-foot gilt and ivory statue of Athena was
placed inside the temple.
     Changes in Purpose
     Over time, many different groups of people used the Parthenon. It was first a Greek temple. Then in
the sixth century, Christians made it a church. Later, in the 1400s, Muslins used it as a mosque. At one
point, it was nearly destroyed by war. Turkish invaders used it to store ammunition. An explosion
destroyed the inside of the building.
     The Parthenon stands as a ruin today. Pollution has harmed the outside. Despite the changes over
time, the Parthenon remains one of the most famous buildings in the world.

1. In the long history, the Parthenon had been used as the following except _____.

A. a temple
B. a church
C. a storehouse
D. a mosquito net

2. Why didn't the Greeks rebuild the Parthenon for thirty years after the Persian invasion?

A. They were unwilling to rebuild it.
B. They had no money to rebuild it.
C. They were angry with Athena for allowing the invasion.
D. They had sworn an oath not to rebuild.

3. What caused the temple to lie in ruins? 

A. Passing of time, lack of money and people's neglect.
B. Passing of time, an explosion and pollution.
C. An explosion, a volcanic eruption and an earthquake.
D. Pollution, rain and wind.

     "Give me your tired, your poor,
     Your huddled  masses yearning to breathe free…
     Send these, the homeless,…to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
     The Stature of Liberty, with those immigrant-welcoming words by writer Emma Lazarus engraved (刻)
upon it, turns 125 Friday and begins carrying the torch for technology.
     Lady Liberty, whose real given name is "Liberty Enlightening the World," will get we bcameras placed
around her torch, showing live vistas (遠(yuǎn)景) of the New York City skyline and New York Harbor, her
torchand the view looking down. "You don't have to be afraid of her crown, face and historic Fort Wood all from your computer or smartphone," said David Luchsinger. Jane Ahern, the spokeswoman, says
visitors can even see themselves at the statue's base via webcamera, or tell mom and dad back home to
look for them.
     Go to nps.gov/stli to join in the birthday celebration Freday when the five webcameras are due to be
switched on. Also on schedule:125 immigrants are due to be sworn in, Broadway stars will be present
and actress Sigourney Weaver has been tapped to read the Lazarus poem. The public can try to attend
the festivities by taking a ferry. You can also take an e-tour of Lady Liberty online.
     The statue, a gift to the US from the people of France, has become an international symbol fo
democracy and freedom. After 9.11, it was closed for security reasons. The pedestal (基座) reopened
in 2004, and the statue began readmitting visitors in 2009.
     The birthday ceremony is also a temporary farewell. The statue is due to close Saturday for uop to a
year so that new stairways and elevators can be istalled among other improvements. However, Liberty
Island will remain open. Ahern says 86% of visitors to the island never step inside the Statue of Liberty.

1. Via webcamera, vistors to the Statue can probably see the following EXCEPT          .

A. Lady Liberty
B. Fort Wood
C. Themselves
D. Their parents at home

2. The third paragraph mainly tells us about  _____ .

A. Lady Liberty's birthday celebration
B. Broadways stars' performances
C. an open ceremony for webcameras
D. an activety only for visitors online

3. The underlined word "tapped" can be replaced by ____ .

A. striken
B. selected
C. touched
D. monitored

4. What will happen immediately after the celebration?

A. Lady Liberty will close for up to a year.
B. The Statue of Liberty will remain open.
C. Some improvements will be done to the Statue.
D. Most visitors to the island will step into the Statue.

     Valentine's Day is a holiday honouring lovers. It is named
after Saint Valentine, an early Christian (基督教的)  churchman
who helped young lovers. Valentine was killed for his Christian
beliefs on February 14 more than 1 700 years ago, but the day that
has his name is even earlier than that.
      More than 2 000 years ago, the ancient Romans celebrated a
holiday for lovers. As part of the celebration, girls wrote their
names on pieces of paper and put them in a large container(容
器) .  Boys reached into the container and pulled one out.  The girl
whose name was written on the paper became his lover or sweet
heart for a year.
      Lovers still put their names on pieces of paper and they send
each other Valentine's Day cards that tell of their.love.  Sometimes
they also send gifts, like flowers or chocolate candy. Americans
usually send gifts and cards through the mail system. But some
use another way to send this message. They have it printed in a
newspaper. The cost is usually a few dollars. Some of the
messages are simple and short, "Jane, I love you very much. "
Others say more. This one, for example, "Dan, roses are red.
Violets are blue. I hope you love me as much as I love you.
Forever.  Mary. "
     Most of the newspapers that print such messages are local,
but USA Today is sold throughout the United States and 90 other
countries as well. This means someone can send a Valentine
message to a lover in a faraway city or town almost anywhere in the
world.  These messages cost 80 dollars or more.  An employee (雇
員) of USA Today says readers can have a small heart or rose
printed along with their messages this year. Will this kind of
Valentine's Day message reach the one you love? Well, just make
sure he or she reads the newspaper.

1. When was the day named after Valentine?  

A. More than 1,700 years ago before Valentine's death.
B. More than 2,000 years ago.
C. On February 24.
D. It is not mentioned in the passage.

2. Which is NOT true about the ancient Roman holiday?    

A. Girls put into a large container pieces of paper with their own names on them.
B. Boys and girls became sweet hearts by chance.
C. Girls and boys send gifts and cards through the mail system.
D. It was celebrated as a holiday for lovers.

3. What can be inferred from the passage? 

A. Printing a message to show one's love in USA Today will cost 80 dollars or more.
B. Valentine was killed for helping lovers.
C. Readers of USA Today can send roses to their lovers along with the printed messages.
D. Valentine was honoured by people for his firm Christianbelief and warm heart.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?  

A.To briefly introduce the origin of Valentine's Day and the modern style.
B.To advertise for USA Today.
C. To tell you that Americans are open to express their love.
D. To sell roses on Valentine's Day.

     Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from
coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount
of anxiety or stress for young athletes (運動員). Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological,
and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or
quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.
     The early years of development are critical years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is
one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to
cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their
lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can
greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents' and coaches' criticisms to heart
and find a flaw (缺陷) in themselves.
     Coaches and parents should also be cautious that youth sport participation does not become
work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of
learning the sport and other life lessons. In today's youth sport setting, young athletes may be
worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game,
many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters' performances.
Positive reinforcement should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that
positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism
can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.

1. An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is ________.

A.  to make sports less competitive
B.  to make sports more challenging
C.  to reduce their mental stress
D.  to increase their sense of success(C)

2. According to the passage sport is positive for young people because ________.

A.  it can help them learn more about society
B.  it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves
C.  it enables them to find flaws in themselves
D.  it can provide them with valuable experiences(D)

3. Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes ________.

A.  without realizing criticism may destroy their self confidence
B.  in order to make them remember life's lessons
C.  believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development
D.  so as to put more pressure on them(A)

4. According to the passage parents and coaches should ________.

A.  help children to win every game
B.  pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports
C.  enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports
D.  train children to cope with stress(B)

5. The author's purpose in writing the passage is ________.

A.  to persuade young children not to worry about criticism
B.  to stress the importance of positive reinforcement to children
C.  to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement
D.  to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout(B)

1. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A. Where to pan for gold.
B. How gold-panning works.
C. What tools are needed.
D. A promising area for panning.

2. What is the author's attitude toward modern gold-planning?

A. Opposed.
B. Indifferent (漠不關(guān)心的).
C. Positive.
D. Neutral (中立的).

3. In which part of a newspaper would you probably find this article? 

A. Lifestyle.
B. Health.
C. Travel.
D. Sports.

     Culture shock has many stages. Each stage can appear only at certain times. Culture begins with the
" honeymoon". This is the period of time when we first arrive in which everything about the new culture
is strange and exciting. This honeymoon stage can last for quite a long time. Afterwards, the second stage
presents itself. A person may encounter some difficult times in daily life. This period of culture adjustment
(調(diào)整) can be very difficult and lead to the new arrival rejecting the new culture. This"rejection stage" can
be quite dangerous because the visitor may develop unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking too much.
     The third stage is characterized by gaining some understanding of the new culture. A new feeling of
pleasure and sense of humor may be experienced. And you are becoming stronger by learning to take care
of yourself in the new place. Things are still difficult, but you are now a survivor! This is called the"adjustment
stage".
     The fourth stage can be called" at ease at last". Now you feel quite comfortable in your new environment.
You can deal with most problems. You may still have problems with the language, but you know you are
strong enough to deal with them. If you meet someone from your country who has just arrived, you can be
the expert on life in the new culture and help them to deal with their culture shock.
     The fifth stage is the stage that is called the"re-entry shock." This occurs when a return to the country
of origin is made. One may find that things are no longer the same. For example, some of the newly learned
customs are not in use in the old culture.

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

A. How to Fight Cultural Shock
B. Stages of Cultural Shock
C. Origin of Cultural Shock
D. How to Adjust to New Cultural

2. In which stage may people miss their friends and relatives and feel homesick most?

A. The "honeymoon stage"
B. The "rejection stage"
C. The "adjustment stage"
D. The "re-entry shock"

3. Why do people experience the "re-entry shock"?

A. The place is not the same as before
B. The old customs have changes over the years
C. They are not used to the local customs.
D. They are no longer what they used to be.

     Every culture has a recognized point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed
and tests passed.
     In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult
when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is
learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive
into the grownup world.
     "Nobody wants to ride the cheese bus to school, " said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She brought the
pressure back to memory, especially for kids from wealthier families. "It's like you're not cool if you
don't have a car, " she said.
     According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19yearolds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985.
Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get parttime jobs to help pay.
     Not all families can afford cars for their children. In cities with subways and limited parking, some
teenagers don't want them. But in rich suburban areas without subways, and where bicycles are more
for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.
     But police say 16yearolds have almost three times more accidents than 18 to 19yearolds. This has
made many parents pause before letting their kids drive.
     Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17 to apply for his
learner's permit.
     Chad said he has accepted his parents' decision, although it has caused some teasing from his friends.  "They say that I am unlucky, " he said, "But I'd rather be alive than driving, and I_don't_really_trust_my
_friends_on_the_road,_either."
     In China as more families get cars, more 18yearolds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to
becoming an adult?

1. Which may serve as the best title of the article?

A. Cars Helping You to GrowUp
B. Driving into the GrownUp World
C. Teenagers' Driving in America
D. Recognized Point of Becoming an Adult

2. 16yearold drivers have more accidents possibly because________.

A. they want to show themselves off
B. they are never experienced drivers
C. older people always drive better
D. they never drive carefully on the road

3. Which may NOT be taken into consideration when deciding whether to buy a car?

A. How well off the family is.
B. Whether the kid is old enough.
C. What traffic condition there is around.
D. Whether it's practically needed.

4. When Chad said "I don't really trust my friends…h(huán)e meant that________.

A. he might run into his friends if he drove
B. he didn't agree with his friends
C. he might not be safe if his friends drove
D. he was afraid that his friends might well lie to him

5. The passage mainly gives information about ________.

A. an American culture
B. a cultural difference between America and China
C. a change in the Chinese culture
D. the relationship between driving and a person's development