A 33-year-old financial analyst in California recently quit his job to devote himself to an unpaid job teaching math on the Internet, and his lessons are reaching almost 100,000 people a month. Salman Khan’s voice is heard every day on the net --- by tens of thousands of students around the world who are hungry for help learning math. He has posted 1,200 lessons on YouTube ... lessons that appear on an electronic blackboard, which range from basic addition to advanced mathematics for science and finance. And they are free.

Khan lives in Silicon Valley, with his wife, a doctor, and their new baby. He got the idea for his “Khan Academy” four years ago, when he taught a young cousin how to convert kilograms to grams. With Khan’s help, the cousin got good at math, and Khan began a new career.

Now, Khan records his lessons himself, but he never goes on camera. “It feels like my voice in their head. You’re looking at it and it feels like someone’s over your shoulder talking in your ear, as opposed to someone at the blackboard, which is distant from you,” he said.

When Springfield High School in Palo Alto, California invited Khan to speak in person --- he immediately connected to the students there.

The idea of short lessons that can be played over and over again attracted high school senior Bridget Meaney. She says she had trouble with math in the seventh grade. “I think the teachers are good, but they can’t teach at a speed that’s perfect for everyone,” she said. “I like the idea of learning something in class but then going back and pressing pause or rewind and actually getting a deeper understanding of it.”

Originally, Khan kept his lessons short because of YouTube restrictions. Now, he thinks short is better. “Education researchers now tell me that 10 minutes is how long someone can have a high level of concentration. And anything beyond that and your brain switches off,” he said.

For Khan, teaching math, science, and finance is just the beginning. He says he’s ready to expand his YouTube site to include other subjects as well.

41. What gave Khan the idea of teaching math online?

A. His success in helping his cousin learn math.

B. His discovery that many students found learning math difficult.

C. A suggestion made to him at a local high school.

D. His interest in Internet teaching.

42. Why does Khan never go on camera?

A. He’s too shy to show his face on camera.

B. It’s restricted by YouTube for education videos.

C. He wants to keep distance from the viewers.

D. He wants to create a more relaxed learning atmosphere（氣氛）.

43. From the passage, we know that ________.

A. Khan travels to many schools to promote his lessons

B. Khan plans to include more subjects in the future

C. Khan gives live math lessons every day for free

D. Khan set up the Khan Academy with his wife

44. Why does Bridget Meaney like Khan’s lessons?

   A. Khan teaches seventh grade math better than her teacher.

   B. The lessons can be watched repeatedly until fully understood.

   C. She can perfectly follow the pace of Khan’s teaching.

   D. She cannot concentrate when learning in class.

45. What does Khan mean by “short is better” in the 6^th paragraph?

   A. Keeping the lessons short can ensure better concentration.

   B. YouTube recommends short lessons for its site.

   C. Short lessons encourage students to return to the website.

   D. Students enjoy short mathematics lessons more.

When I was 14, I was employed for an after-school job selling subscription（訂單）to my hometown newspaper, the Houston Post. I 31         (send) to some of the city’s worst neighborhoods to ask door to door. Even though I was often searching for garage apartments after dark, I was grateful 32        the work. It was a challenge because people didn’t like 33       stranger to knock on their door, especially a kid 34       (try) to get them to buy something. One time, a man slammed（砰地關(guān)上）35     door in my face and screamed, “I don’t want a paper”. 36       I forced myself to knock again and was able to tell him how great the paper was. I ended up selling him a subscription. I was soon 37    the top subscription sellers and, like other successful salesman, was given the 38       (responsible) for training newcomers. Having all those doors slammed in my face as a kid 39      (give) me the strength to stand up again, 40      helped me a lot in my life.

Two old beggars were sitting on a busy street corner. They watched helplessly as scores of people walked by, some purposely __16___ them and others too caught up in their own cares to even notice their ____17____. Every so often, a kind-hearted woman or a small child would drop a few coins in the _____18____ which lay in front of them.

As the crowd began to die down, they started to _____19_____ their things and go back to their evening shelter. Just as they were getting ready to leave, they noticed a man walking toward them. He was obviously a rich man—they could tell that from his finely tailored business suit.

The first beggar whispered to the second with _____20_____, “He’s coming our way!”

The two tried not to look ____21____ at the man as he stepped closer to them, but they couldn’t ____22____ looking up with hope as he reached into his pocket and took something out.

“Thunk” was the only sound they heard as what looked like a piece of hard _____23_____, wrapped in tissue paper hit each of their waiting hats. The rich man _____24____ and continued on his way, not making a backward glance.

“How insulting(侮辱人的)!” said the first beggar. “He could have_____25______ left us a few coins or a spare bill, but he makes fun of us with a piece of rock candy. Who does he think we are? ____26____? There’s no way we can even eat this—we have no _____27_____.” He picked up the object and threw it into the gutter.

“I haven’t had anything like this for ages,” the second beggar thought. “I can’t chew it, but I can suck on it for a while, and the sugary juices will stay in my _____28_____ for a long time. How nice of that man to offer me something so sweet！”

With that, he ____29____ the white tissue paper, but to his ____30____, there was no hard rock candy inside. However, into his fingers fell a shiny white pearl worth thousands of dollars.

11.   The old man was born and lives in the neighborhood, so he _________ _________ ________ (熟悉) this area.

12.   Nelson Mandela is willing to ________ all his life _________ ________ （致力于為…而斗爭(zhēng)）for the equal rights for the black people.

13.   _______ _______ ________ （在…幫助下）of my teacher, I have made rapid progress in English.

14.   In China, most parents ________ ________ ________（認(rèn)為…很重要）to their children’s education now.

15.    With time going by, my memory seems to get worse.

= ________ _______ ________ by, my memory seems to get worse.

1.      We all have some ___________(缺點(diǎn)) and we should improve ourselves.

2.      Does environment___________(決定)one’s character?

3.      She refused to give the taxi___________(費(fèi)用) because of the delay.

4.      Do you have any ______________(保險(xiǎn))on your car?

5.      What’s your _____________(態(tài)度) to this idea? Is it good or bad?

6.      Since Li Ming _________________ here, he has got along well with his neighbours. （settle）

（李明在這里定居后，和鄰居們相處得很好。）

7.      While_________( walk) the dog, you were careless and it got loose and was hit by a car.

你在遛狗的時(shí)候，你不小心讓狗松開(kāi)了，結(jié)果被車撞了。

8.      When people use words and ____________(express) different from the “standard language”,it is called a dialect.(當(dāng)人們用不同于“標(biāo)準(zhǔn)語(yǔ)言”的詞語(yǔ)和表達(dá)時(shí)，那就叫做方言。)

9.      Earthquakes are one of the most deadly natural________(災(zāi)難) in the world.

10.    More ________(避身處)for the homeless should be built in some big cities.

假設(shè)你是紅星中學(xué)的高中生李華。你參加了上周日學(xué)校組織的社會(huì)實(shí)踐活動(dòng)。請(qǐng)根據(jù)以下提示用英語(yǔ)寫(xiě)一篇日記，記錄本次活動(dòng)的內(nèi)容及感受。
1 乘坐學(xué)校大巴車去郊區(qū)（suburb）。
2 活動(dòng)內(nèi)容：幫助農(nóng)民采摘蔬菜水果，體驗(yàn)田間勞動(dòng)；和農(nóng)民進(jìn)行交流，感受農(nóng)村巨大變化。
3對(duì)此次活動(dòng)的感受。
注意：1) 詞數(shù)100左右；
          2) 不要逐條翻譯，可適當(dāng)增加細(xì)節(jié)，以使行文連貫；
          3) 文章開(kāi)頭已給出，不計(jì)入總詞數(shù)。

詞匯提示：郊區(qū)suburb

      Sunday                                                 Sunny

Today, I felt very happy to participate in the social practice in the countryside, organized by our school, which_________________________________________________________________________

假定英語(yǔ)課上老師要求同桌之間交換修改作文，請(qǐng)你修改你同桌寫(xiě)的以下作文。文中共有10處語(yǔ)言錯(cuò)誤，每句中最多有兩處，每個(gè)錯(cuò)誤涉及一個(gè)單詞的增加、刪除或修改。

增加：在缺詞處加一個(gè)漏字符號(hào)（∧），并在其下面寫(xiě)出該加的詞。

刪除：把多余的詞用斜線（＼）劃掉。

修改：在錯(cuò)的詞下劃一橫線（__），并在該詞下面寫(xiě)出修改后的詞。

注意：1每處錯(cuò)誤及其修改僅限一詞。

      2只允許修改10處，多者（從第11處起）不計(jì)分

  Patience is of great important in our daily life. Once I waited a bus to come at a stop. 30 minutes past, but no bus came. Both upset and annoyed, I decided to walk on feet. But no sooner had I left than the bus arrived. I thought if I had waited for one more minute, I would have caught it. If I chose to take a next bus, I would have to wait for other 30 minutes. Only then do I realize my problem. Be impatient will probably waste all the effort what we have put in. Now whenever I am about to losing my patience, I’ll think of this experience.

Jealous of the kids at school who are smarter than you and seem to learn more quickly? Don’t worry.   __71 

   72  However, according to a recent study, IQ can rise—not just by one or two points, but by as many as 21 points!

    Scientists have found that IQ changes are linked to changes in part of the brain called gray matter, which was seen to grow and become denser（更加密集）in the brains of people whose IQs improved greatly.

  73  One is to train your short-term memory. Previous research has proven that short-term memory is the basis for intelligence, so trying to recognize or retell something that you have seen or heard can help raise your overall brain power.  74 

A good night’s sleep will also help improve your concentration.   75  It helps you stay focused for longer the next day.

Scientists have also found that exercise helps. Walking 30 minutes a day five times a week and doing exercise will help you become more knowledgeable—as well as healthier and fitter.

A. There are several ways of increasing your brain’s gray matter.

B. Your brain deals more efficiently with things you truly like.

C. With a bit of brain training, the chances are that you can be as smart as they are.

D. So maybe it’s a good idea to get your brain in training right away.

E. Getting enough sleep is like pushing the reset button in your brain.

F. The more you work on it, the better you will become.

G. People used to assume that a person’s IQ was unchangeable.

For centuries, in the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated. The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty to its rulers, and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country’s romantic name was “Land of the White Elephant”.

Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant’s problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage.

How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand’s expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country.

In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen. This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest—a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants.

    By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13,397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another 1,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand’s forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation (采伐森林) is the central point of the elephant’s difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant’s role as a beast of burden decreased.

67. Thailand was once called “Land of the White Elephant” because________.

A. the white elephant was a national symbol until the 1920s

B. the white elephant is rarely seen now and thus very special

C. the white elephant has helped kings to gain the ruling authority

D. this name was so romantic that it was popular among visitors

68. Why is the Thai elephant “out of work”, according to the author?

A. Because there are too many elephants but too few jobs.

B. Because the elephants can’t do labor work any longer.

C. Because the government pays little attention to the problem.

D. Because the elephants are no longer useful to their owners.

69. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the elephant population at various times?

A. There were at most 100,000 domesticated elephants at the turn of the last century.

B. 20,000 elephants were employed in transport in Thailand at the turn of the century.

C. By 1950 the elephant population in Thailand had been quite small.

D. Today the elephant population is estimated at 5,150.

70. The passage is most probably from________.

A. a travel magazine   B. a history book     C. a research report    D. an official announcement

You Are What You Eat

      Genetic engineering is the scientific change of the genetic material in a living organism. It allows scientists to identify specific genes, to remove them from an organism's chromosomes (染色體), improve them, analyze them, and possibly clone them, and to then reinsert the changed gene into the original organism, or a completely different organism．Unlike traditional breeding, where a desired quality would be bred within the same species, genetic engineering can insert desired ones into organisms of different species. Wow…Did you catch that?

     Genetic engineering creates many positive contributions to agriculture. For example, by genetically engineered（GE）foods, anti-cancer agents, minerals and vitamins can be increased. Improved taste, shelf life, and better transport are all possible. Also, GE plants can increase pest and bacterial resistance, therefore, making the food safe for consumers.

    But some argue that the possible negative effects outweigh the positives, and critics are starting to voice their concerns. Unlike Europe, in the United States labeling is not required on genetically engineered foods or on foods that contain genetically engineered products. Most Americans do not realize that they are, in fact, eating GE foods.

    The public is also concerned about the unknown health risks. With limited understanding of genes, scientists cannot predict possible effects. Because most genes introduced into GE plants come from sources not introduced into the human body, it is impossible to know if they will cause reactions. Moreover, due to the lack of labeling if allergies develop, it will be extremely difficult to find the origin of them.

    There is also a major moral question in many minds. For many, the conflict is not if it is safe or not, but it disturbs them because it is unnatural and unnecessary. We are currently producing one and a half times the amount of food needed to feed the world, yet one in seven people are starving. GE food is unnecessary, and fails to address the root of hunger. Many believe that the only people who will benefit are the corporations that produce it.

    Scientists cannot foresee the possible effects of GE foods, but we eat them every day without even knowing it. We already have enough food, so why create more that could be potentially harmful to us, to the Earth and to all wildlife? I think that the benefits are amazing, but until we know for sure how these foods will affect us, they are not worth the risk．

63. According to the passage, traditional breeding is different from genetic engineering in that_____.

A. traditional breeding changes the genes in the same species

B. traditional breeding changes the genes in different species

C. traditional breeding takes place within the same species

D. traditional breeding is more scientific

64. “The lack of labeling” in Paragraph 4 indicates_________.

A. information concerning gene sources is unavailable to customers

B. it is currently possible to find the origins of some allergies

C. scientists try to hide potential dangers from customers

D. the US government is responsible for GE food

65. According to Paragraph 5, GE food is unnecessary because________.

A. it won't help solve the problem of hunger in the world

B. there are potential dangers in producing GE food

C. we're now producing more food than before

D. customers will benefit from GE food

66. What is the author's attitude towards genetic engineering?

      A. Welcoming             B. Disapproving          C. Unconcerned          D. Optimistic