Pilling a cat can be a 'terrible” experience. Cats don’t want something pushed down their throats, and they’ll fight with all their strength to prevent it. In fact, it’s amazing how powerful their small bodies can be.
The easiest way of pilling a cat is to press the pill into powder. Then mix the powder with a small amount of wet food. If your cat usually eats dry food, she will probably view the wet food as a treat and eat it up.
If your cat won’t eat the wet food that contains the pill or if she is too ill to eat, you can get a “pill gun”. There are some basic instructions. Getting your cat’s mouth to open is going to be the most difficult part. First, be sure the pill is in a handy place. Then you can put your cat on a bookshelf with her bottom in a corner or you can put her on your lap firmly tied. Have your cat facing to the right if you’re right-handed. With your left hand, hold your cat at the cheekbones, putting your palm (手掌) at the top of her head. Keeping your finger off the trigger (扳機), with your right hand, insert the pill gun until the pill is positioned over the tongue and open throat. Be sure to give your cat a treat directly after giving the pill.
If you don’t feel comfortable using a pill gun, you can try giving the pill by hand. Push your cat’s head backwards just far enough so that her nose is pointing towards the ceiling. At this point, most cats will slightly open their mouths. With the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill, open the bottom jaw a little more. You may need to hold her top jaw with your other hand while doing this. Aim straight and lightly throw the pill or drop it. Most cats will then swallow the pill.
【小題1】Pilling a cat can be a terrible experience because cats ______.

A．a(chǎn)re amazingly powerful and dangerous

B．may fight with all their strength against pills

C．refuse something pressed down their throats

D．a(chǎn)re difficult to treat once they’ve got ill

【小題2】Which of the following statements is true according to the second paragraph?

A．Wet food with medicine is usually a treat to cats.

B．Cats used to dry food must reject wet food.

C．The easiest pilling is to press the pill into powder.

D．Cats are most likely interested in something new.

【小題3】Using a “pill gun”, you had better hold your cat ______ if you’re left-handed.

A．facing to the right

B．with your right hand

C．a(chǎn)t the head

D．on your lap firmly

【小題4】A cat probably opens its mouth naturally when ______.

A．its nose is straight upwards	B．it is touched by fingers
C．its head is turning around	D．it is served with its favorite pills

Successful athletes today are able to earn enormous salaries and many of them choose to share the wealth they have by donating to charities.



Perhaps the generosity displayed by these athletes will inspire others to join them in helping the less fortunate.
【小題1】What do we know from the passage?

A．Donating to charities is common among famous athletes.

B．All the athletes mentioned in this passage are famous basketball players.

C．Some athletes mentioned in this passage will donate all their money in future.

D．Successful athletes will be scolded if they don’t donate their money to people in need.

【小題2】Who has a foundation that is named after him/ her?

A．Ron Artest.	B．Steve Nash.
C．Tiger Woods.	D．Hannah Teter.

【小題3】How many athletes mentioned by the author mainly help the school children?

A．Two.

B．Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

【小題4】This passage was written in order to___________.

A．tell us the successful athletes are generous

B．tell us there are a lot of charities in the US

C．inspire more and more people to help the needy

D．praise the successful athletes for their good deeds

Read about some teenage problems on a website for students and Linda’s replies to their online messages.


【小題1】 Linda advises Simon ____.

A．not to laugh at others	B．to get on well with his friends
C．to follow his friends	D．to be strong to make decisions

【小題2】The underlined word “anorexia” probably means _____.

A．酗酒

B．肥胖

C．厭食

D．嗜睡

【小題3】The text mainly talks about _____.

A．the pressure from our neighbours

B．some wrong behaviours at school

C．problems of losing confidence among teenagers

D．some teenage problems and certain suggestions

If you want to see climate change, head north and keep going until you run out of globe. That is easier said than done. The Arctic (北極) is home to few people and covered in ice much of the year. But those who make their way to the icy seas of the Arctic Ocean will see a part of the planet that is warming and changing faster than anywhere else.
In September, scientists announced at the National Snow and Ice Data (數(shù)據(jù)) Center that Arctic summer sea ice had fallen to its second lowest level since 1979, and probably long before that. The Arctic has lost an area of ice greater than the area of all U.S. states east of the Mississippi River. And what ice remains appears to be getting thinner and weaker.
Nick Toberg and Till Wagner are polar ice scientists who are doing sea ice fieldwork. “There is plenty of data to suggest that the ice is becoming thinner as well as smaller in area,” they say.
The changes happening in the Arctic are a warning for the entire world .  As polar expert Walt
Meier puts it, “What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.”
Some scientists worry that Arctic sea ice may be going from a downward spiral (螺旋線) to a “death spiral”, one from which there is no escape. As more ice melts (融化), more dark open water appears. The darkness absorbs (吸收) more heat, which speeds up the pace of melting.
Until recently, many scientists thought it might take until the end of the century for the North Pole to become completely ice free during the summer. Now some believe it could happen by 2030 or even earlier. “The melting is happening faster in the real world than it has in the models,” says Nick Toberg.
【小題1】The purpose of the first paragraph is to tell readers __________.

A．it’s difficult to arrive at the Arctic

B．it is too cold for people to live in the Arctic

C．what caused the climate change in the Arctic

D．we can see the most obvious climate change in the Arctic

【小題2】From the second paragraph we can learn Arctic summer sea ice __________.

A．is still decreasing

B．began reducing in 1979

C．fell to its lowest level in September

D．is equal to the Mississippi River

【小題3】What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．The changes don’t affect the Arctic at all.

B．The changes will only happen in the Arctic.

C．The changes happening in the Arctic will stop.

D．The changes will also affect other parts of the world.

【小題4】Nick Toberg may agree that __________.

A．the ice in the North Pole will stop melting

B．the ice in the North Pole is melting faster than expected

C．the ice in the North Pole will melt before 2030 or even earlier

D．the ice in the North Pole will not disappear until the end of the century

Nelson Mandela was a figure of international fame, and many details of his life and career were public knowledge. But here are four things you may not have known about the late South African leader.
1. He was a boxing fan.
In his youth, Nelson Mandela enjoyed boxing and long-distance running. Even during the 27 years he spent in prison, he would exercise every morning. "I did not enjoy the violence of boxing so much as the science of it. I was curious by how one moved one's body to protect oneself, how one used a strategy both to attack and retreat, how one paced oneself over a match," he wrote in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.
2. His original name was not Nelson.
Rolihlahla Mandela was nine years old when a teacher at the primary Methodist school where he was studying in Qunu, South Africa, gave him an English name “Nelson” in accordance with the custom to give all school children Christian names.
3. He forgot his glasses when he was released from prison.
Mr. Mandela's release on 11 February 1990 followed years of political pressure against apartheid(種族隔離). Mr. Mandela's reading glasses stayed behind in prison.  Mr. Mandela and his then-wife Winnie were taken to the centre of Cape Town to address a huge and exciting crowd. But when he pulled out the text of his speech, he realized he had forgotten his glasses and had to borrow Winnie's.
4. He had his own law firm, but it took him years to get a law degree.
Mr. Mandela studied law on and off for 50 years from 1939, failing about half the courses he took. A two-year diploma(學(xué)位證書) in law on top of his university degree allowed him to practice, and in August 1952, he and Oliver Tambo set up South Africa's first black law firm, Mandela and Tambo, in Johannesburg. He kept on studying hard to finally secure a law degree while in prison in 1989.
【小題1】What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Nelson Mandela’s life in the prison.

B．Unknown things about Nelson Mandela.

C．Nelson Mandela’s hobbies and career.

D．The achievements of Nelson Mandela.

【小題2】Why did Nelson Mandela love boxing?

A．Because he wanted to be a boxer.

B．Because he loved the science in boxing.

C．Because he enjoyed the violence of boxing.

D．Because he had nothing else to do in the prison.

【小題3】What happened to Mandela when he was about to give the speech?

A．He broke his glasses into pieces.

B．He left his own glasses at home.

C．He had to use his wife’s glasses.

D．His wife wanted to borrow his glasses.

【小題4】Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Nelson Mandela was not his original name.

B．Nelson Mandela was the name given by his teacher.

C．Nelson Mandela had started his own law firm before he got a law degree.

D．Nelson Mandela had been studying the law nonstop for 50 years.

Most people are aware of what the adoption process is because it has become rather common in our society. Adoption is where a child is legally placed with guardians (監(jiān)護人) or parents (or perhaps a single parent) other than the birth mother or father. Once an adoption is finalized, all parental rights are turned over to the adoptive parents and there is no legal difference between adoptive parents and natural birth parents. There are generally two types of adoption, which are closed adoption and open adoption.
When an adopted person has access to his or her adoption file and original records, it is referred to as an open adoption. The term is also used to describe any contact that may be between the adoptive family, the birth parents, and the adopted child. The level of openness can change greatly in such contact depending on each individual relationship. There can be indirect contact between the natural birth parents and the child through the form of letters and photographs, or there can be actual physical contact.
A semi-open adoption is where the birth parents may have contact with the adoptive parents before the birth of the child, either once or several times. After the birth there is no more contact. A semi-open adoption may remain as it is or it can become either open or closed.
A closed adoption is where only the medical and historical information about the biological parents is given to the adoptive family. Typically, the birth and adoptive parents do not know each other’s identities. The record of the birth parents is kept sealed (密封). A closed adoption is usually only effective in the adoption of babies. The adoption of an older child who already knows his or her birth parents cannot be kept closed.
【小題1】How many adoption types are mentioned in the passage?

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

【小題2】Which of the following statements is TRUE about the closed adoption?

A．The birth parents may have indirect contact with the adoptive parents.

B．The biological parents may often go to see their birth child.

C．No information about the biological parents is given to the adoptive parents.

D．Generally speaking, the adoptive parents do not know the birth parents’ identities.

【小題3】Suppose someone adopts a child and his biological parents often get contact with the child by telephone. We can call this adoption _____.

A．a(chǎn) closed adoption	B．a(chǎn)n open adoption
C．a(chǎn) semi-open adoption	D．a(chǎn) semi-closed adoption

【小題4】From the passage, we know adoption is _____.

A．where a child is brought up by the government

B．where a child is legally sent abroad by the birth parents

C．where a child is legally placed with adoptive parents

D．where a child is sent to live with the children whose parents have died

Shakespeare once called the English countryside “the precious stone set in the silver sea”- and he is not the last to sing high praises of its beauty and historical charm(魅力).
The countryside is particularly beautiful during the summer, especially in August and September. As one travels the countryside, you’ll find more of its treasures: so many plants and animals, romantic castles(浪漫的城堡), secret gardens, and villages so unchanged in the last decades that they seem to have been caught under a fairy’ s spell.
Must-sees include Derbyshire, called “the heart of England” and home to the National Park. The great peaks were the muse（創(chuàng)作靈感）of the Bronte sisters (and if you love the book Jane Eyre, you can visit North Lees hall, where the real Eyre family once lived).
History lovers will enjoy a visit to Lincoln city (its most famous son is Lord Alfred Tennyson). It is also known for its cathedral(大教堂), the charming tea shops, a small castle. One would never guess its violent past—built by Romans, it was once a center for arrow(箭) making.
Harry Potter fans shouldn’t miss a visit to Alnwick, which is better recognized as the “Hogswarth” in the movies.
Let’s not leave out the Wessex region, where one can see one of England’s greatest mysteries, Stone Henge. You can also go to the City of Bath, which has been famous for its medicines springs since the Roman times. Other popular tractions include Salisbury Cathedral, and landscaped(景色優(yōu)美的) gardens of Stourhead, and the cobbled(用鵝卵石鋪的) streets of Shaftesbury. This is also home to Oxford, one of the world’s most famous universities.
Art lovers will also like a visit to East Anglia, whose landscapes inspired the painter Constable (he was born in Dedham village). This is also home of the University City of Cambridge, and the famous architectural(建筑上的) attraction, King’s College Chapel. Be sure to visit the aircraft museum of Duxford.
【小題1】What was Shakespeare’s attitude towards the English countryside?

A．Uninterested.	B．Dissatisfied(不滿意的).
C．Surprised.	D．Admiring.

【小題2】According to the text, Lincoln city________.

A．produced arrows in the past

B．will be enjoyed by music lovers

C．was the place where the Eyre family once lived

D．has one of the world’ s most famous universities

【小題3】When traveling in the countryside, Harry Potter fans are advised to visit ________.

A．the Wessex region

B．Derbyshire

C．Yorkshire

D．Alnwick

【小題4】The text is most probably taken from ________.

A．a(chǎn) travel guide

B．a(chǎn) book review(書評)

C．a(chǎn) history paper

D．a(chǎn) newspaper report

Among rich countries, people in the United States work the longest hours. They work much longer than in Europe. This difference is quite surprising because productivity(生產(chǎn)力) per hour worked is the same in the United States as it is in France, Spain and Germany, and it is growing at a similar speed.
In most countries and at most times in history, as people have become richer they have chosen to work less. In other words they have decided to “spend” a part of their extra income on a fuller personal life. Over the last fifty years Europeans have continued this pattern, and hours of work have fallen sharply. But not in the United States. We do not fully know why this is. One reason may be greatly lower taxes in America, which increase the rewards to work. Another may be more satisfying work, or less satisfying personal lives.
Longer hours do of course increase the GDP(國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值). So the United States has produced more per worker than, say, France. The United States also has more of its people at work, while in France many more mothers and older workers have decided to stay at home. The overall result is that American GDP per head is 40% higher than in France, even though productivity per hour worked is the same.
It is not clear which of the two situations is better. As we have seen, work has to be compared with other values like family life, which often get lost in its interest. It is too early to explain the different trends（趨勢）in happiness over time in different countries. But it is a disappointing idea that in the United States happiness has made no progress since 1975, while it has risen in Europe. Could this have anything to do with trends in the work-life balance?
【小題1】Which of the following countries has more of its people at work?

A．Spain.

B．France.

C．Germany.

D．America.

【小題2】What message can we get from the text?

A．The GDP of Europe is higher than that of America.

B．Two possible reasons are given for working longer hours in the US.

C．People all over the world choose to work less when they are richer.

D．Americans are happier than Europeans.

【小題3】Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．Americans and Europeans

B．Staying at Home

C．Work and Productivity

D．Work and Happiness

Where Are We Going, Dad? has become one of China's most popular television shows, since its debut (首次登場) in October, averaging more than 600 million viewers each week. Sponsorship rights (冠名權(quán)) for the show's second season were sold for 312 million yuan (about $ 50 million), more than ten times higher than the rights to the first season.
What accounts for its popularity? The show features a new generation of Chinese fathers, who, as part of the country’s new middle class, have faced more problems with modern child-raising techniques such as taking an active role with their children.
Part of the appeal of the show is the chance to throw a glance at the lives of Chinese celebrities (名流) and their children. Audiences are interested in watching the failed attempts of celebrity dads making dinner, doing hair, and disciplining (管教) children -- tasks often left to mothers in a society still influenced by the saying that “men rule outside and women are inside.” “In traditional Chinese culture, fathers are strict and mothers are kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentler on their kids and more involved in their upbringing, ” said Li Minyi, an associate professor. “This show raises an important question for modern Chinese society -- what is the role of fathers in today’s China?”
After each episode (集) goes to air, the Chinese internet explodes with comments on each celebrity's parenting style.
Actor Guo Tao tries to communicate with his son, Shitou, but is seen as a more traditional Chinese father, and has been criticized online for being too harsh. Zhang Liang. a supermodel, is an audience favorite for treating his son. Tiantian, more like a friend. The show’s most famous celebrity. Lin Zhiying, a film star, was originally praised as patient with his son Kimi. But as the season progresses, fans begin to criticize him for raising a spoiled, undisciplined boy. Director Wang Yuelun is at a complete loss when it comes to care of his daughter’s hair.
Even the People's Daily is pleased with the success of the show.
【小題1】Sponsorship rights for the show’s first season were sold for about______.

A．312 million yuan

B．50 million yuan

C．31 million yuan

D．600 million yuan

【小題2】According to the passage, the show______.

A．gives audiences the chance to raise the star's children themselves

B．invites some famous film stars to take part in it

C．lets people think about the role of fathers in modem families

D．raises people's concern about women's role in the society

【小題3】 The underlined word “harsh" in the fifth paragraph most probably means “______”.

A．careless

B．strict

C．clumsy

D．kind

【小題4】According to the writer, ______is the most successful father.

A．Guo Tao

B．Zhang Liang

C．Lin Zhiying

D．Wang Yuelun

The other day I heard a few local musicians talking:
"I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韻律)."
"Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."
One younger musician said, "There are several clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."
I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him.
Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive (積極的) or negative (消極的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (責備) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support (支持) your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative ones on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.
Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.
【小題1】The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is there to show that ______.

A．musicians’ living conditions are not good

B．people in that town have poor taste in music

C．young people are more likely to succeed

D．different people have different attitudes

【小題2】The underlined part "they’re all rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 6 means ______.

A．they’ll push you ahead

B．they’ll help you realize your dreams

C．they’ll keep you from moving on

D．they’ll have an influence (影響) on you

【小題3】Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?

A．He is more active than the others.

B．He can earn more than the others.

C．His attitude is more positive than the others.

D．He has more things to do than the others.

【小題4】We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.

A．the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend

B．one should avoid (避免) making friends with people who have lots of difficulties

C．the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful Friends

D．one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people