It was a comfortable sunny Sunday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited to hear all his news.
My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem - I could text him to say I would be delayed. He would understand. But… where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd forgotten it at home.
No mobile phone. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, on edge and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: two-thirds of us experience ‘nomophobia’, the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. That's according to a study from 2012 which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones.
It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, that women are more ‘nomophobic’ than men, and that 18-24 year-olds are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.
Do you have nomophobia ?
· You never turn your phone off
· You obsessively check for texts, missed calls and emails
· You always take your phone to the bathroom with you
· You never let the battery run out
It's funny to think that around 20 years ago the only people with mobile phones would be businessperson carrying their large, plastic ‘bricks’. Of course, these days, mobile phones are everywhere. A UN study from this year said mobile phone subscriptions would outnumber people across the world by the end of 2014.
And when there are more phones than people in the world, maybe it's time to ask who really is in charge? Are you in control of your phone, or does your phone control you?
So, what happened with my university friend? When I arrived a few minutes late he just laughed and said: "You haven't changed at all – still always late!" And we had a great afternoon catching up, full of jokes and stories, with no interruptions and no nagging(嘮叨的) desire to check my phone.
Not having it with me felt strangely liberating. Maybe I'll leave it at home on purpose next time.
【小題1】What does the passage talk about ?

A．The history of mobiles.

B．The story of meeting an old university friend.

C．The addiction of playing mobile phone.

D．The terrible feeling of being without their mobiles.

【小題2】The underlined phrase “on edge”in the third paragraph probably means_______.

A．nervous

B．energetic

C．crazy

D．surprised

【小題3】Which word is used to describe old mobile phones according to the passage?

A．digital phone

B．cell phone

C．bricks

D．smart phone

【小題4】What’s the author’s attitude towards the using mobiles?

A．Worried

B．Favorable

C．Neutral

D．Critical

It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible．Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel．It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter．
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense．It takes the most cool－h(huán)eaded drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving．On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting．A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and becomes so necessary in modern traffic conditions．But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough．Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it．
However , misplaced politeness can also be dangerous .Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may not be able to stop in time .The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to .
An experienced driver , whose manners are faultless , told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings .Unfortuanately , modern drivers can’t even learn to drive , let alone master the roadmanship .Years ago , experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give –and –take from all road users .It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart .
【小題1】The passage mainly talks about________．

A．traffic jams	B．road politeness
C．good manners	D．modern drivers

【小題2】Troubles on the road are often caused by________．

A．the behavior of the drivers	B．traffic jams
C．great speed	D．terrible road conditions

【小題3】According to the writer, a good driver should________．

A．be able to recognize politeness when he sees it

B．beat back when forced to face rude driving

C．encourage old ladies to cross the roads whenever they want to

D．join in traffic stream quickly however other people feel

【小題4】The following statements are right EXCEPT that________．

A．some modern drivers are not good at driving

B．road politeness is good sense as well as good manners

C．a(chǎn) friendly driver should nod or wave thanks in answer to an act of politeness

D．it is also right to have a tiger in the driver's seat

【小題5】It is not always right for drivers to________．

A．master roadmanship

B．recognize politeness when they see it

C．give a friendly nod in answer to an act of politeness

D．encourage old ladies to cross the road whenever and wherever they want

Swiss International Air lines（SWISS）will introduce daily non-stop flights between Beijing and Zurich．
The new service to the financial center of Switzerland is expected to start on Dec．12,2012，which marks an expansion of services for the Chinese market．In May 2008，SWISS already started direct flights to Shanghai．
The first flight to Europe has a special price of 2,680 yuan，which does not include taxes and fuel surcharges．
“I am delighted the airlines of Switzerland can contribute to growing economic ties between the two countries with new daily flights scheduled，”says SWISS CEO Harry Hohmeister．
“We are witnessing a growing demand for tourist travel in both directions．”
Apart from Shanghai and Hong Kong，Beijing will be the third Chinese destination for SWISS．
The new route marks a return to Beijing for SWISS：the airlines previously flew to the Chinese capital as late as June 2003．
SWISS will initially operate its new daily non-stop Beijing-Zurich flights with an Airbus A340-300（219 seats）and Airbu: A330-300（236 seats）air-crafts．
The modem SWISS business class offers the most suitable comforts since the seats can be adjusted into a two-meter-long bed．
Seating firmness and softness can be adjusted thanks to air cushions．
With the introduction of the new SWISS service from Beijing，the Lufthansa Group Airlines may attract more Chinese customers when traveling to Europe．
SWISS．Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines already connect five Chinese cities with Europe and beyond．
This airlines group is the leading European airlines network in the Chinese market．
In the summer of 2011，the Lufthansa Group operated 78 weekly flights from China including Hong Kong to Europe．
SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group as well as a member of the Star Alliance，the world's biggest airlines grouping．
【小題1】According to the passage，from Dec．12,2012，      ．

A．it will only take us a day to fly from Beijing to Zurich

B．we can fly directly from Beijing to Zurich

C．the first flight from Beijing to Europe will only cost you 2,680 yuan

D．the direct flight to Shanghai started by SWISS will be canceled

【小題2】Why is the new flight added?

A．SWISS wants to offer good service to Chinese people．

B．SWISS wants to contribute to growing economic ties between the two countries

C．There is a growing demand for tourist travel in both directions．

D．SWISS wants to create more opportunity for people to work．

【小題3】What's special about the Airbus of the new flight?

A．The Airbus can carry more passengers than other planes．

B．The seats in it can be adjusted into comfortable beds．

C．It offers all kinds of services for passengers to choose from．

D．It has two kinds of air cushions on its seats．

【小題4】What's the right relation between SWISS，Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines?

A．SWISS is the customer of the Lufthansa Group Airlines

B．Austrian Airlines is a part of SWISS．

C．SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group．

D．SWISS belongs to Austrian Airlines．

【小題5】What is the passage mainly about?

A．SWISS already started direct flights to Shanghai．

B．SWISS adds direct flights from Beijing to Europe．

C．Beijing will be the third Chinese destination for SWISS．

D．SWISS is the world's biggest airlines grouping．

Welcome to Australia
The Great Outdoors
Australia is the world’s oldest continent and indigenous Australians have one of the world’s oldest culture．
In Australia you will see unique plants and animals and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world．Many parks have information centres offering advice on where to go, what to see and how to see it--for both your personal safety and to protect our sensitive, natural environment．
Banks and Money Matters
Banks are generally open between 9:30am and 4pm on Monday to Thursday and 9:30am and 5pm on Friday．
Foreign currency or traveller’s cheques can be changed at all banks and some of the larger hotels．There are currency exchange facilities at all international airports．
___________________
Take care! Our sunlight is very strong and you can get sunburnt．
For best sun protection, it is advisable to wear:
A broad-brimmed hat
A shirt with a collar and sleeves
Sunscreen with high protection factor．
Swimming
We have so many beautiful places to swim--beaches, lakes, rivers and creeks．
Many of our waters are safe for swimming, but if you have any doubts, ask before entering the water．
Most of our popular ocean beaches have patrols with life-saving service．Red and yellow flags mark the area that you are advised to swim within．
If there are no flags and no life guards on the beach, talk to local people about the best areas to swim．
Staying Safe on the Roads
Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road．
For safety, everyone in the car, including children, must wear a seat belt．
Motor cyclists and bicyclists are required to wear a helmet．
Watch out for native animals crossing the roads, especially at night．Road signs are erected in places where animals are commonly seen．
【小題1】What is the best title of the third part of the passage?

A．The Sun	B．Enjoy the Sun
C．Warning	D．Outdoor Activities

【小題2】If you arrive in Sydney at 5:10pm on Friday, where can you probably get your money changed on that day?

A．At a bank．	B．At any hotel．
C．At a store	D．At the airport

【小題3】What advice can you get at the park information centre?

A．Advice on how to wear a broad-brimmed hat．

B．Advice on how to drive safely in the park．

C．Advice on how to protect our environment

D．Advice on where to go to see a kangaroo．

【小題4】How can you ensure your safety when swimming?

A．You can swim in whichever lake you like

B．You should swim with the life guard．

C．You can swim where there are red flags．

D．Always find a local person to ask about how to swim．

【小題5】Which of the following word might be the closest in meaning with the underlined word “erected”?

A．set up

B．protected

C．stood

D．noticed

However urban life strikes you，cities worldwide have been growing even more rapidly．Some of this growth has occurred in the developed world，but the most dramatic increase has been in the Third World．Almost all the world’s population growth over the next 30 years will take place in the cities of developing countries
By the year 2030，for the first time in history，60 percent of the world’s people will be living in cities．
This is actually good news in some ways．“Cities are the fundamental building blocks of prosperity,” says Marc Weiss，chairman of the Prague Institute for Global Urban Development，“ both for the nation and for families．” Industrial and commercial activities in urban areas account for between 50 and 80 percent of the gross domestic product （GDP） in most countries of the world“ there’s the crazy notion that the way to deal with a city’s problems is to keep people out of them,” Weiss continued．“But the problems of the rural life are even more serious than those of the city．” For better or worse，urban-watchers are clear on one point: The quality of life for most people in the future will be determined by the quality of cities．Those cities will be bigger than ever．And yet，population numbers by themselves don’t determine a city’s prospects； after all，Addis Ababa，Ethiopia，and Hamburg，Germany，have the same population．Nor is explosive growth necessarily the determining factor．“City problems,” one authority points out，“mostly have to do with weak，ineffective，and usually unrepresentative city governments．”
【小題1】The passage mainly discusses ______________．

A．Big cities．	B．City life．
C．Population．	D．Gross Domestic Product．

【小題2】According to the passage，in the year of 2030 _______．

A．there will be 21 cities having a population of more than 10 million．

B．rural area will be extinct．

C．most people will live in cities．

D．the third world will keep abreast with the developed world．

【小題3】In the author’s opinion，_________．

A．better city，better life

B．both urban and rural areas have a larger population

C．the larger population，the faster a city develops

D．both urban and rural areas have larger gross domestic products

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

A．The developing countries develop faster than the developed countries．

B．Cities contribute more to the GDP than the villagers．

C．Some problems are more easily solved in cities than in country．

D．It’s impossible to solve urban problems by getting people out of cities．

【小題5】The last paragraph implies that ____________．

A．public services are ineffective．

B．cities are increasing too fast．

C．population is not linked with development．

D．government should be responsible for the problems in the cities．

iPhone owners are vainer (虛榮) and spend more on clothes and grooming(儀容) than those who have BlackBerrys and Android phones, new research claims.

BlackBerry owners earn the most and are more likely to have long-term relationships, while people with Android handsets are most creative and the best cooks.
The study, carried out by TalkTalk Mobile, surveyed 2,000 owners of the three major smartphone brands to determine whether the choice of handset was an extension(延伸) of their personality. The study rated users in various walks of life using a point scoring system including personalities, daily habits and the type of industries they work in.
Other results from the study found that people with an iPhone are more image conscious  and generally rate themselves more attractive than those with other handsets. They are most likely to describe themselves as adventurous, bright and are most likely to work in media, publishing and education. They also believe their boss rates them highly. Apple owners also tend to have done more travelling and are the most active on social media sites.
BlackBerry owners were found to be the least punctual(準(zhǔn)時(shí)的) ,but despite putting in the least hours at work they are the most active phone user—sending more texts and making more calls in the average day than any other phone user. They are more social and have more friends overall. They also earn nearly two and a half thousand pounds a year more than other smarphone owners, with an average salary of $27,406. BlackBerry users classed themselves so loud and mainly work in the health, finance or property sectors. They were also found to drink more tea and coffee each day than any other phone user.
Android owners were found to watch more TV than others and drink the most alcohol—consuming more in an average week than iPhone and BlackBerry drinkers. They have the most jobs in engineering, the government and public services and environmental services. They have the best manners and are more shy and relaxed than their counterparts.
Dan Meader, Director of Mobile at TalkTalk, said, “Many of us have our mobile phones on us almost constantly so they do become an extension of us in many ways. It’s interesting to see then how the choice in handset may reflect different aspects of personality and the results do show some unusual differences.”
【小題1】What do we know about BlaceBerry users?

A．They work latest.	B．They drink most alcohol.
C．They are the highest earners.	D．They are values most by their bosses.

【小題2】The underlined words “image conscious”(Paragraph4) mean caring about        .

A．income

B．a(chǎn)ppearance

C．social media

D．interpersonal relationships

【小題3】What were Android users found to be like?

A．Loud.

B．Brave.

C．Polite.

D．Confident.

【小題4】Dan Meader may agree that the kind of mobile phone we use           .

A．will decide the way we live our life

B．can be a window into the lives we lead

C．can change our personalities gradually

D．has become the most important part of our life

【小題5】How is the text organized?

A．By drawing comparisons.	B．By giving reasons only.
C．By providing examples.	D．By giving solutions.

Fumbling with the buttons to find a good song while driving has been linked to increased risk of crashes, but is listening to music risky? “It depends on the music,” says a report published in the October issue of Accident Analysis & Prevention.
The study found teenage drivers who played their own music had significantly more traffic violations（違規(guī)） compared with background music designed by the researchers to minimize driving distractions, or no music.
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel recruited(招募) 85 drivers about 18 years old; just over half were male. The subjects were each assigned to drive six challenging road trips that were about 40 minutes long, accompanied by an experienced driving instructor. Music was played on four trips, two with selections from the drivers' playlists, mostly fast-paced vocals, and two with background music, which was a mixture of easy listening, soft rock and light jazz designed to increase driver safety. No music was played on two trips. Subjects rated their mood after each trip and in-car data recorders analyzed driver behavior and errors.
All 85 subjects committed at least three errors in one or more of the six trips; 27 received a warning and 17 required steering or braking by an instructor to prevent an accident. When the music was their own, 98% made errors; without the music, 92% made errors; and while listening to the safe-driving music, 77% made errors. Speeding, following too close, inappropriate lane use, one-handed driving and were the common violations.
The male subjects were more aggressive drivers and made more serious errors than female subjects. The teens played their own music at a very loud volume but significantly decreased the sound level when listening to the safe-driving music, researchers said. Mood ratings were highest on trips with driver-preferred music.
【小題1】What is the key information the author wants to give in Paragraph 1?

A．Many drivers played their favorite music while driving.

B．Drivers shouldn’t search for the buttons to find a good song.

C．Song selection has nothing to do with increased risk of crashes.

D．Listening to certain types of music can increase drivers’ errors.

【小題2】What does the underlined word “ subjects” refer to in this passage?

A．Something being discussed.	B．People being written about.
C．People being tested.	D．Areas of knowledge or study.

【小題3】In the research, soft rock and light jazz are likely to _______.

A．increase drivers’ safety

B．a(chǎn)dd to the pleasure of driving

C．change drivers’ idea of safe driving

D．lower drivers’ guard against danger

【小題4】It can be inferred from the passage that in the research ______.

A．the teens committed the most errors

B．the male were more skillful in driving

C．traveling with no music made the least errors

D．driver-preferred music increased the mood ratings

It’s great fun to explore new places—it feels like an adventure，even when you know you’re not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
　　● Do the map reading if you’re being driven somewhere. It’ll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you’re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn or you’ll have to move to the back seat.
　　● Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You'll need a good map, a compass , a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies . Tell someone where you’re going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
　　● See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc.)in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it’s not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.
【小題1】Sitting beside the driver, you should___________.

A．direct the driver when necessary

B．look ahead to see where there’s a turn

C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable

D．keep looking at the map to find a place to go to

【小題2】Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?

A．To get information when in danger.

B．To be saved in case of an accident.

C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration.

D．To tell him/her what’s going on with the group members.

【小題3】Orienteering activities can______________.

A．make people work fast

B．help people stay healthy

C．help people organize other activities

D．make people get prepared for sports

【小題4】The text mainly talks about____________.

A．the fun of exploration

B．what to bring for exploration

C．the way to use a map in exploration

D．how to prevent getting lost in exploration

Dear Alcohol,
You've been around forever. I can remember all the pain you've caused for me.
Do you remember the night you almost took my father's life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He's addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn't the only one hurt by you that night.
Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were intrigued by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. "I'm so embarrassed," they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit (嘔吐). "I'm sorry," they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. "This won't happen again," they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.
Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn't realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it's all your fault.
I wish you'd walk out of my life forever. I don't want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you've caused. Sure, you've made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you've caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring (引誘) in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.
Sincerely,
Anonymous
【小題1】What is author's purpose in writing to alcohol?

A．To introduce Mr. Alcohol to the readers

B．To describe the harm alcohol did to his family.

C．To show how much alcohol can hurt people.

D．To show the great fun that alcohol can bring to people's life.

【小題2】What did alcohol do to the author's father?

A．It made him crash into two other cars and killed his life.

B．It made him drink too much and he had to get his stomach pumped.

C．It made him kill two other people when driving.

D．It made him get into a car accident and badly injure himself.

【小題3】The underlined phrase "were intrigued by" is closest in meaning to ______.

A．were familiar with	B．were interested in
C．were disappointed with	D．were satisfied with

【小題4】What is the tone of the article?

A．Critical.

B．Doubtful.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Humorous.

Handshaking, though a European practice is often seen in big cities of China. Nobody knows exactly when the practice started in Europe. It is said that long long ago in Europe when people met, they showed their unarmed(無(wú)武器的) hands to each other as a sign of friendship. As time went on and trade in cities grew rapidly, people in cities began to clap each other's hands to make a deal or to reach an agreement. This practice was later changed into shaking hands among friends on meeting or leaving each other. "Let's shake (hands) on it" sometimes means agreement reached.
Do the Europeans shake hands wherever they go and with whomever they meet? No. Sometimes the Chinese abroad reach out their hands too often to be polite. It is really very impolite to give your hand when the other party, especially when it is a woman, shows little interest in shaking hands with you and when the meeting does not mean anything to him or-her. Even if, for politeness, he holds out his unwilling hand in answer to your uninvited hand, just touch it slightly. There is generally a misunderstanding(誤解) among the Chinese that westerners are usually open and straightforward, while the Chinese are rather reserved(保守的) in manner. But in fact some people in western countries are more reserved than some Chinese today. So it is a good idea to shake hands with a westerner only when he shows interest in further relations with you.
【小題1】In the old days in Europe, people put out their unarmed hands to each other ______.

A．to make a deal	B．to greet each other
C．to show friendliness	D．to reach an agreement

【小題2】The first paragraph mainly tells us ______.

A．where handshaking was first practised

B．how handshaking came about

C．a(chǎn)bout the relationship between handshaking and trade

D．a(chǎn)bout the practice of handshaking both in Europe and in China

【小題3】 According to the text, which of the following statements is true?

A．Westerners are more reserved than the Chinese.

B．Westerners are unwilling to shake hands.

C．We should make a judgement before shaking hands.

D．We shouldn't shake hands with European women.

【小題4】The main purpose of the text is ______.

A．to tell us some differences between the East and the West

B．to offer us some important facts about handshaking

C．to introduce us to some different customs in the West

D．to give us some advice before we travel abroad