As you grow rapidly through your teenage years you will experience a lot of changes.
     The changes may seem monumental and they may seem to happen quickly.Don't panic! You will
deal successfully with this time! The changes may seem difficult and your new-found responsilbilities
may seem daunting (令人畏懼的) but you're not alone.Everyone that you've grown up with is going
through the same things!
     With more responsibilities you will find more freedom to make your own choices. This is a time to
be well informed about your choices so that you can make healthy balanced decisions that will help shape
your future. You may already know your career path or you may have no idea at all of what you want to
do. Both situations are fine!If you are diligent, the right opportunity will be ready for you.Young adulthood
means greater freedom and more choices. You will probably begin to want to do things independently of
your family/ care-givers. Try not to shut your family out of your life and remember to be considerate even
though you are older and are capable of looking after yourself.Your family have been with you since you
came into this world and they will be around you when you leave this world.
     It is also perfectly natural in this time of transition to want to spend more time with your friends than
your family.Choose your friends wisely. Real friends are rarer than hen's teeth.A true friend will stand
with you, whatever the circumstances are.
     This period of transition is a part of the circle of life. There are some people who will be with you
throughout the life's journey and there will be some people with whom you part and go separate ways.
Leaving school/college can be hard. The reality is that you may not ever see all of your classmates again.
Sure, there may be reunions and you will keep in touch with some of them.But the fact is you will need
to leave some of them behind as you move forwards on the path that you feel is right for you.

1. Facing the changes, some teenagers may feel frightened because _____.

A. they feel alone when their family and friends leave them
B. they have no freedom to make their own choices
C. there are usually difficult things for them to deal with
D. they have no life plans and feel helpless

2. The author thinks teenage stage is _____.

A. too hard for young students to get through
B. a very important time for young students to break away from their parents
C. so exciting and challenging that the young should make balanced decisions for their future
D. a period when young students may pay little attention to their future plans

3. In the last paragraph, the underlined words "some people" probably refer to _____.

A. parents
B. classmates
C. relatives
D. brothers

4. Some teenagers think that leaving school can be hard because _____.

A. reunions with schoolmates are not within the foreseeable future
B. they wouldn't like to choose their careers so soon
C. they never have ideal grades at school
D. they are too worried about their future

To the Editor:
     I have been reading your newspaper, the Hometown Gazette, for the past two years,ever since I moved to
Smithville. We moved here from New York City, so I am accustomed to reading excellent newspapers such as
The New York Times. In fact, we still have the Times delivered on Sundays. The entire family enjoys reading
the recipes in the paper, as well as the Styles section.
     The Times is great, but _____. I've never read an article that doesn't contain at least three or four spelling
or grammatical errors. For instance, in last week's issue, you misspelled the word "secretary", used a singular
verb with a plural noun, and used "it's" as a possessive. And that was just in the lead story! In case you never
went to elementary school, "it's" means"it is". It's not a possessive adjective!
     It's a pity that this tiny little hick (土氣的) town has only one newspaper, because I'd like to have an
alternative to the rag you publish. I find it hard to believe your news stories. If you can't spell correctly, how
can you get your facts right?
     I've been meaning to get this off my chest for some time. Please cancel my subscription. And buy yourself
a dictionary. 
                                                                                                                                       Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                       Jane Z. Jones

1. What's the main purpose of the writer writing the letter? (Please answer within 10 words.)
    ______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Fill in the blank with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence. (Please answer within 10 words.) 
    ______________________________________________________________________________________
3. What's the major problem with the Hometown Gazette? (Please answer within 10 words.) 
    ______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese. 
    ______________________________________________________________________________________
5. What would you do in response to the letter if you were the Editor? (Please answer with in 20 words.) 
   ______________________________________________________________________________________

     While in Banff ,make time for a walk around town. A special treat is to go up the mountainside on the
Banff Gondola for a surprising view of the valley below .Here is The Pines ,whose cook has developed a
special way of mixing foreign food such as caribou ,wild boar ,and reindeer with surprising sauces .
     Best time to visit is during the off-season ,from early May to mid-June ,or in October .This way you
can avoid sharing the high way with mobile(移動的)homes which can be pulled by cars .But whatever
the season ,take some lunch with you from Banff ,because there are only a few food stops on the road.
     Forty minutes north of Banff ,side by side with the Banff National Park ,sits world-famous Lake
Louise .This surprisingly small body of water is attractive with towering mountains around it .Glaciers ,
huge masses of ice ,moving very slowly against rocks ,produce what is called glacier rock flour ,making
its water dark to see .It is worth taking a walk around the grounds of the Chateau Lake Louise ,another
beauty ,proud of its early 20th century history.
     Back on the road , and it's time to continue north past the astonishing Columbia Icefield ,then turn off
the highway and take the short road to the base of the Athabaska Glacier .You can rent ice cleats(夾板)
and do some climbing or do a more pleasant snowmobile tour .Either way ,you can enjoy endless beautiful sights.
     Finally you'll reach Jasper ,the usual turning around the place for the Banff-Jasper loop(回路).It's
worth riding the Jasper Skytram ,and be sure to visit the wonderful Jasper Park Lodge ,also dating back
to the 1920s.If you can have lunch there ,do it .The restaurant has an adventurous menu and their wine
list would put a smile on any visitor's face.

1. According the passage ,The Pines is a ________.

A. place in which you can see many mobile homes
B. mountain where you can get a good view of the valley
C. town which happens to be near the Banff National Park
D. restaurant where you can ask for some special kinds of food

2. What will probably happen when visitors come at the end of June?

A. They may have trouble finding a restaurant.    
B. They may come across traffic jams.
C. They may travel more easily with cars.        
D. They may do much more sightseeing.

3. Similar to the Chateau Lake Louise,________.

A. the Banff National Park is to the west of Banff
B. the Columbia Icefield lies between Lake Louise and the Banff National Park
C. the Jasper Skytram  has a history of more than 80 years
D. the Jasper Park Lodge was built in the 1920s

4. Besides the beautiful sights in Jasper Park Lodge ,visitors to Jasper can enjoy themselves by _____.

A. taking the Jasper Skytram and eating in the restaurant
B. taking the Banff-Jasper loop and Jasper Skytram
C. having a lot of food to order in the restaurant
D. taking the Jasper Skytram back to Banff

     As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room
will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your
bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own
a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
     Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for.
Getting material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the
long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very
little time or energy for family. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.
     Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year. One couple who downshifted is
Donald and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for
an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving
their two children with a nanny (保姆). Most evenings Donald wouldn't get home until eight or nine o'clock,
and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of
money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
     Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. "I always wanted to have a farm here," says
Donald,"and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It's taken some getting used to, but it's
been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any
holidays. However, I think it's made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier."
      Liz, however, is not quite sure."I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours.
I'm not really a country girl, but I suppose I'm gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I
do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same
is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all."

1. What do the first two paragraphs tell us?

A. People seldom work long hours to make money.
B. People hardly buy more things than necessary.
C. People are sure everything they own is in the right place.
D. People realise there is more to life than just making money.

2. When Donald was a reporter he _____.

A. lived in central London
B. disliked his job
C. lost his children
D. was well paid

3. Daniel and Liz both agree that the move to the farm _____.

A. was easy to organise
B. has improved family life
C. was extremely expensive
D. has been a total success

4. The underlined word "downshifting" in the second paragraph means _____.

A. going downtown and repairing your car by yourself
B. earning a lot of money and spending it very carefully
C. moving to the countryside for a simpler and better life
D. living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out often 

5. What does Donald mean by saying "It's taken some getting used to, but it's been worth it" ?

A. He thinks that he has made the big and right decision.
B. It will be quite some time before he's used to the life there.
C. It's worth thinking twice of spending money on car repairs.
D. He is not too pleased with the present life on the farm.

     For many years, parties have been an important social event. When 25 people or more gather at a certain
location in order to have fun and engage in conversation, it can be considered a party. Parties usually have
different drinks and food choices, and music is a large part of the event, very often.
     Birthday parties are held in honor of an individual who is having a birthday, and presents and gifts are
usually brought by attendees (出席者).The song "Happy Birthday to You" is very often sung by partygoers
for the person who is having a birthday.
      There are different kinds of Birthday parties. Adults may have birthday parties in restaurants or nightclubs, while children usually have parties at home or at funhouses. Sometimes children may have parties at water
parks or amusement parks, as well.
     Birthday parties may also happen in the manner of a surprise party, where the person having a birthday is
not told about the birthday preparations. Surprise parties include guests hiding in a location where the party is
to take place, then shouting"surprise!" when the guest of honor enters.
     Sporting event parties usually take place around a specific sports happening, such as the Super Bowl, the
World Cup or the World Series. People gather and eat, drink, and laugh as they talk about the happenings of
the games within that sporting event. These types of parties are very lively and usually loud.
     Nightly socialization parties include house parties and dance parties. House parties sometimes are held by
teenagers and young adults of college age in a set location; private houses are often the location of choice.
People who manage the music are hired to provide musical entertainment. Usually alcohol is included, resulting
in trouble for the attendants of the party.
     Dance parties include energetic music like disco or pop. People gather at these parties to dance, drink, and
have a good time. Usually people at these parities will be of younger ages between 18-28.

     "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is a popular saying in the United States. Other countries have similar sayings. It is true that all of us need recreation. We cannot work all the time if we are going to keep good health and enjoy life.
     Everyone has his own way of relaxing. Perhaps the most popular way is to take part in sports. there
are team sports, such as baseball, basketball, and football. There are individual sports, also, such as golf
and swimming. In addition hiking, fishing, skiing, and mountain climbing have a great attraction for people who like to be outdoors.
     Not everyone who enjoys sports events likes to take part in them. Many people prefer to be onlookers, either watching them on television, or listening to them on the radio. When there is an important baseball game or boxing match it is almost impossible to get tickets; everyone wants to attend.
     Chess, card-playing, and dancing are forms of indoor recreation enjoyed by many people. It doesn't
matter whether we play a fast game of ping-pong, concentrate over the bridge table, or go walking through the woods on a brisk autumn afternoon. It is important for every one to relax from time to time and enjoy
some form of recreation.

1. The underlined word "recreation"(paragraph 1)here means_______.

A. walking and climbing B. form of play or amusement  
C. creating somethingD. joy and happiness

2. according to the passage, perhaps the followings are our ordinary ways of relaxation for
    common people except______.

A. listening to music              
B. playing card
C. going out for fishing        
D. boxing match

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE to the passage?

A. The popular British saying mentioned in the passage has familiar doing in other countries.
B. All of us need recreation in our lives if we cannot work all the time.
C. Sometimes those who enjoy sports events like to take part in them, too.
D. It is almost impossible for everyone who wants to watch an important baseball to get a ticket.

     Most people want to know how things are made. They honestly admit, however, that they hardly know
a thing when it comes to understanding how a piece of music is made. Where a composer (作曲家) begins,
how he manages to keep going-in fact, how and when he learns his trade-all are covered in complete darkness.
The composer, in short, is a man of mystery (神秘).
     One of the first things the common man wants to know about is the part inspiration (靈感) plays in a
composer's work. He finds it difficult to believe that composers are not much interested in that question.
Writing music is as natural for the composer as eating or sleeping for all. Music is something that the composer
happens to have been born for.
     The composer, therefore, does not say to himself:"Do I feel inspired?" He says to himself:"Do I feel like
working today?" And if he feels like working, he does. It is more or less like saying to himself:"Do I feel sleepy?"
If you feel sleepy, you go to sleep. If you don't feel sleepy, you stay up. If the composer doesn't feel like
working, he doesn't work. It's as simple as that.

1. What would be the best title for the text?

A. Composer: a man of mystery
B. Practice makes good music
C. Relation between sleeping and music
D. Music: product of nature

2. The words "covered in complete darkness" underlined in Paragraph 1 most probably mean _____.

A. difficult to be made
B. without any light
C. black in color
D. not known

3. Most people seem to think that a composer _____.

A. finds it difficult to write music
B. considers it important to have a good rest
C. should like to talk about inspiration
D. never asks himself very simple questions

4. The author will most probably agree that composers _____.

A. are born with a gift for music
B. are people full of mystery
C. work late at night for their music
D. know a lot about eating and sleeping

     I am a good mother of three children.I have tried never to let my passion stand in the way of being a
good parent.
     I no longer consider myself the center of the universe.I show up.I listen.I try to laugh.I am a good
friend to my husband.I have tried to make marriage vows (誓言) mean what they say.I am a good friend
to my friends, and they to me.Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today.
    So here's what I want to tell you today:Get a life.A real life, not a desire of the next promotion (提升),
the bigger paycheck, the larger house.
     Get a life in which you are not alone.Find people you love, and who love you.And remember that love
is not leisure (休閑), it is work.Pick up the phone.Send an email.Write a letter.And realize that life is the
best thing and that you have no business taking it for granted.
     It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes.It_is_so_easy_to_exist_instead_
of_to_live.I learnt to live many years ago.Something really, really bad happened to me, something that
changed my life in ways that, if I had my choice, it would never have been changed at all.And what I
learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all.
     I learned to love the journey, not the destination.I learned to look at all the good in the world and try
to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and totally.And I tried to do that, in part, by
telling others what I had learned.
     By telling them this:Read in the backyard with the sun on your face.Learn to be happy.And think of life as a deadly illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion (激情) as it ought to be lived.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A. the author is a success in personal life
B. the author didn't try her best to work well
C. the author spent all her time caring for her children
D. the author likes traveling very much

2. How did the author form her view of life?

A. Through social experience.
B. By learning from her friends.
C. Through an unfortunate experience.
D. From her children and husband.

3. By the underlined sentence "It is so easy to exist instead of to live" in the fifth paragraph,
     the author really means that people tend to________.

A. make a living rather than live a real life
B. work rather than enjoy life
C. waste a lot in life
D. forget the most important lessons in life

4. What's the author's attitude toward work?

A. Do it well to serve others.
B. Earn enough money to make life better.
C. Try your best to get a higher position and a pay raise.
D. Don't let it affect your real life.