Fifteen years ago, I took a summer vacation in Lecce in southern Italy. After climbing up a hill for a panoramic (全景的) view of the blue sea, white buildings and green olive trees, I paused to catch my breath and then positioned myself to take the best photo of this panorama.

Unfortunately, just as I took out my camera, a woman approached from behind, and planted herself right in front of my view. Like me, this woman was here to stop, sigh and appreciate the view.

Patient as I was, after about 15 minutes, my camera scanning the sun and reviewing the shot I would eventually take, I grew frustrated. Was it too much to ask her to move so I could take just one picture of the landscape? Sure, I could have asked her, but something prevented me from doing so. She seemed so content in her observation. I didn’t want to mess with that.

Another 15 minutes passed and I grew bored. The woman was still there. I decided to take the photo anyway. And now when I look at it, I think her presence in the photo is what makes the image interesting. The landscape, beautiful on its own, somehow comes to life and breathes because this woman is engaging with it.

This photo, with the unique beauty that unfolded before me and that woman who “ruined” it, now hangs on a wall in my bedroom. What would she think if she knew that her figure is captured (捕捉) and frozen on some stranger’s bedroom wall? A bedroom, after all, is a very private space, in which some woman I don’t even know has been immortalized (使……永存). In some ways, she lives in my house.

Perhaps we all live in each others’ spaces. Perhaps this is what photos are for: to remind us that we all appreciate beauty, that we all share a common desire for pleasure, for connection, for something that is greater than us.

That photo is a reminder, a captured moment, an unspoken conversation between two women, separated only by a thin square of glass.

1.What happened when the author was about to take a photo?

A. Her camera stopped working. B. A friend approached from behind.

C. Someone asked her to leave. D. A woman blocked her view.

2.In the author’s opinion, what makes the photo so alive?

A. The woman’s existence in the photo.

B. The perfect positioning of the camera.

C. The rich color of the landscape.

D. The soft sunlight that summer day.

3.The photo on the bedroom wall enables the author to better understand ________.

A. the need to be close to nature B. the shared passion for beauty

C. the joy of the vacation in Italy D. the importance of private space

4.The passage can be seen as the author’s reflections upon _______.

A. the art of photography B. the pleasure of traveling

C. a particular life experience D. a lost friendship

This is a time of year when high school students and their families are thinking hard about college. As seniors，juniors，and parents identify their top choices，discussions typically focus on the college itself. Is the institution small or large? How strong are the academics？What is the social life like? Do I like the campus? Such considerations are important, but they can cover the all-important question：Where will these college years lead?

Applicants should think seriously about which college on their list can best prepare them for the real world. They should look for campuses that offer well-structured programs to help them form a direction for their lives and develop the capacity to take steps along that path.

One of the most striking recent phenomena about college graduates in America has been the “boomerang” student: the young person who goes away to college, has a great experience, graduates, and then moves back home for a year or two to figure out what to do with his or her life. This pattern has left many graduates – and their families – wondering whether it makes sense to spend four or more years at college, often at great expense, and finish with no clear sense of who they are or what they want to do next.

The trend points to one of the great shortcomings of many of our nation’s leading colleges and universities. Structured opportunities to think about life after graduation are rare. The formal curriculum focuses almost universally on the academic disciplines of the arts and sciences. Advising on how various majors connect to pathways into the workplace is typically haphazard (没有条理的). Career planning offices are often shorthanded and marginal (不重要的) to college life.

It doesn’t need to be this way, and in recent years some of the country’s top colleges have enriched their academic offerings with opportunities for students to gain real-world experiences.

1.According to the author, what do typical discussions on college choices ignore?

A. The function of college education in employment.

B. The difficulty in finding jobs after graduation.

C. High school students’ interests.

D. The academics of college.

2.Which accounts for the “trend” mentioned in the text?

A. Students failing to behave themselves.

B. Parents overprotecting their children.

C. Students choosing majors blindly.

D. Schools lacking proper guidance.

3.What will be probably discussed in the following paragraph?

A. Recipes for academic achievements.

B. Good academic programs in college.

C. Academic tips for college students.

D. Disadvantages of present college course.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A. A good way to choose a college.

B. A new trend in top colleges.

C. Connect subjects with life beyond college.

D. Make college one of life’s richest experiences.

I read somewhere that we spend a full third of our lives waiting. But where are we doing all of this waiting, and what does it mean to an impatient society like ours? To understand the issue, let’s take a look at three types of “waits”.

The very purest form of waiting is the Watched-Pot Wait. It is without doubt the most annoying of all. Take filling up the kitchen sink (洗碗池) as an example. There is absolutely nothing you can do while this is going on but keep both eyes fixed on the sink until it’s full. During these waits, the brain slips away from the body and wanders about until the water runs over the edge of the counter and onto your socks. This kind of wait makes the waiter helpless and mindless.

A cousin to the Watched-Pot Wait is the Forced Wait. This one requires a bit of discipline. Properly preparing packaged noodle soup requires a Forced Wait. Directions are very specific. “Bring three cups of water to boil, add mix, simmer three minutes, remove from heat, let stand five minutes.” I have my doubts that anyone has actually followed the procedures strictly. After all, Forced Waiting requires patience.

Perhaps the most powerful type of waiting is the Lucky-Break Wait. This type of wait is unusual in that it is for the most part voluntary. Unlike the Forced Wait, which is also voluntary, waiting for your lucky break does not necessarily mean that it will happen.

Turning one’s life into a waiting game requires faith and hope, and is strictly for the optimists among us. On the surface it seems as ridiculous as following the directions on soup mixes, but the Lucky-Break Wait well serves those who are willing to do it. As long as one doesn’t come to rely on it, wishing for a few good things to happen never hurts anybody.

We certainly do spend a good deal of our time waiting. The next time you’re standing at the sink waiting for it to fill while cooking noodle soup that you’ll have to eat until a large bag of cash falls out of the sky, don’t be desperate. You’re probably just as busy as the next guy.

1.What is the difference between the Forced Wait and the Watched-Pot Wait?

A. The Watched-Pot Wait needs directions.

B. The Forced Wait makes people passive.

C. The Forced Wait requires some self-control.

D. The Watched-Pot Wait engages body and brain.

2.What can we learn about the Lucky-Break Wait?

A. It doesn’t always bring the desired result.

B. It is less voluntary than the Forced Wait.

C. It is more fruitful than the Forced Wait.

D. It doesn’t give people faith and hope.

3.What does the author advise us to do the next time we are waiting?

A. Take it seriously. B. Don’t lose heart.

C. Do something else. D. Don’t rely on others.

4.The author supports his view by _________.

A. exploring various causes of “waits”

B. describing detailed processes of “waits”

C. revealing frustrating consequences of “waits”

D. analyzing different categories of “waits”

Mary had feared the day she would draw a blank during a presentation. Then one day during a 45-minute speech, it happened. 1.. To help herself get back on track, Mary asked the audience to look at the handout and tell her what topic was up next. At the end of her presentation, audience members gave her top marks for organization.

“What I learned is that the audience doesn’t care if you mess up, and what they care about is what you are going to do about it,” Mary said. “My nervousness went away when I concentrated not on myself, but instead just thought, ‘How is my speech going to help the audience?’2.. Every single step of the way，ask yourself, ‘What’s in it for them?’”

● 3.

Carter is the founder of Canada-based presentation skills training company. When possible, he gets to the location of his presentation the day before to make sure all the electronic aids work. He wants to ensure the screen, lighting and inputs all work properly. “In addition, build an extra plan before you present.” he said.

●  Involve the audience

Whether you are giving a one-on-one talk or a speech in front of 400 people, think “story-telling”. 4.. The way to a person's head is through his heart. Sometimes all it takes is a few seconds to connect an audience member with a story.

Moreover, one thing that shocks people back into attention is to leave an almost uncomfortably long pause. 5..

A. Keep order

B. Be prepared

C. That brings them back to the speaker

D. She forgot what she was going to say

E. Once you do that, it gets rid of the fear

F. Story-telling makes messages easy to remember

G. Stories combine data and information with emotion

It was on the beach near my house that I first met the 6-year-old girl. I was fired that day and I went there trying to ________ all the annoyance out of my mind, so when she looked ________ and told me she was building a sandcastle, I ________ nodded and continued my walk. Suddenly, a seagull flew by. “That’s courage,” said she, “My mom always says that seagulls can bring you courage.” I just responded ________ for my mind was still in a mess. “I’m Elizabeth. What’s your name?” She wouldn’t give up. “Hi, Elizabeth. I’m Chris Johnson.” I answered. “You’re ________,” she said, laughing, and despite my low ________, I laughed too. She followed me and talked all the way when I walked on. ________, I felt better accompanied by her. Finally, when it was time for us to ________, she smiled to me and said, “Come again, Mr. Johnson, and we’ll have another great day.” I smiled back and ________, watching her little ________ disappear into a cottage nearby.

The following days and weeks ________ the same thing, finding a job, but in vain. Facing the suffering life ________ at me, I felt so depressed and nearly lost heart. “I need a seagull,” I said to myself. Meanwhile, it occurred to me that I had a(n) ________ to make with Elizabeth. However, when I got there, she was not there. Therefore, I ________ for the cottage and knocked on the door. A young woman opened the door. “Hello, I’m Chris Johnson. Is Elizabeth here?” Hearing my words, she said ________ and her voice faltered, “Elizabeth died last week, Mr. Johnson. She had a heart disease. She did feel happy the first several weeks but she ________ rapidly last week…” Shocked by the terrible news, I felt dizzy and tears ________ in my eyes. Not for long, She handed me a(n) ________, with MR. J printed in ________ letters, inside which was a drawing in bright crayon of a yellow beach, a blue sea and a seagull. Underneath was a sentence, which ________ “A SEAGULL BRINGS YOU COURAGE”.

1.A. fade B. clean C. clear D. kill

2.A. at B. in C. down D. up

3.A. just B. even C. ever D. right

4.A. rudely B. actively C. coldly D. politely

5.A. kind B. boring C. depressed D. funny

6.A. opinion B. mood C. feeling D. heart

7.A. However B. Somehow C. Therefore D. Instead

8.A. greet B. end C. part D. break

9.A. promised B. approved C. protested D. ensured

10.A. shadow B. appearance C. shape D. figure

11.A. belonged to B. resulted in C. accounted for D. dealt with

12.A. came B. dropped C. threw D. gave

13.A. appointment B. acquaintance C. conversation D. point

14.A. set B. headed C. went D. arrived

15.A. calmly B. angrily C. warmly D. excitedly

16.A. died B. decreased C. declined D. passed

17.A. welled up B. rolled down C. turned down D. showed off

18.A. letter B. envelope C. note D. message

19.A. small B. childish C. ugly D. interesting

20.A. wrote B. printed C. meant D. read

Worried about the 1. (prepare) for her feast, Lala quickly turned for home with her collection of nuts, melons, and other fruit. She had almost reached her destination 2. a delicious smell arrested her progress and she stopped. The smell of cooking meat filled the air surrounding her, and her senses became dizzy with hunger. Abruptly she sat down, only 3. (scoop) up by her sister Luna. Lala smiled with relief.

Just then Dahu, her husband, came up behind her. He had a large square face, with 4. (strong) pronounced eyebrows and cheekbones. Over his shoulder he carried several fish and some pieces of wood under his arm. Lala smiled and handed some stone scrapers over to Dahu,5. smiled and went outside the cave to begin his task.

First he looked carefully at the scrapers and then went to 6. corner of the cave and pulled out some more tools. He 7. (choose) one large stone and began to use it like a hammer striking the edge of the scraper that needed 8. (sharpen). Now and then Dahu would stop, look at it and try it 9. his hand before continuing his task. He stopped when he felt the scrapers were sharp enough to cut up the meat and scrape the fish. As he passed 10. to Lala, the first of the guests from the neighbouring caves began to arrive for dinner.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。 温馨提醒：改错题需按要求规范答题，否则不能得分！

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(Λ)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;

2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Ladies and gentlemen, today I’m going to share something amazed about dolphins. For ages, the sailors have said that it is good luck to see dolphins swimming alongside boats. Their presence meant that land is near, which will be vital informations if a boat and its crew are in danger. Some dolphins have even protected sailors which suffer shipwreck from sharks. There is no wonder that these unique and fascinating creatures have long known as our friends.

Dolphins are thought to be intelligent animals because of its quick ability to learn. They seem to communicate with each other through a combination of whistles and clicks. While scientists don’t know exact what they are talking about, it is thought that dolphins are telling each other that food is nearby, or warn each other of approaching danger.

假定你是星光中学的高中毕业生李华，母校将为高一新生举办主题为“What to learn in senior high school?”的英语沙龙活动，特邀请你结合自身经历谈谈自己的体会。请根据以下提示准备一份英语发言稿。

1.学会学习：方法，习惯等；

2.学会做人：真诚，友善；

3.学会其他：考生自拟。

注意：1.词数100左右；

2.发言稿开头和结尾已给出，不须抄在答题卡上，不计入总次数。

Good morning, everyone! It is my honor to be here to share with you my opinions on what to learn in senior high school.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you!

Controlling your food longings and dropping pounds fast is easy: Just eat breakfast. The editors of Eat This, Not That! carried out researches to determine some best breakfast food for weight loss.

Black Beans

Protein, per 1/2 cup: 7g

Black beans will not only fill you up for hours but also help slim you down. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researchers found that with black beans consumed daily, study participants’ fat reduced by 4 percent over two years.

Peanut Butter

Protein, per 2 tbsp: 7—8g

While processed peanut butter is filled with sugar and oils, the real stuff is made with just two ingredients: salt and peanuts. The peanut is filled with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Nutritionist and personal trainer Kristin Reisinger suggests using the healthy fat in an AM smoothie.

Almond Butter

Protein, per 2 tbsp: 7—8g

“Almond butter is high in protein, fiber and monounsaturated fats,” says Martha McKittrick, RDN, CDE. “Studies have also shown that people who eat nuts are less likely to become overweight than those who avoid them, likely because it helps you feel fuller.” To get the benefits at breakfast, McKittrick suggests spreading some nut butter on the whole grain toast.

Eggs

Protein, per two large eggs: 13g

“Eggs are an excellent source of protein and other healthy nutrients including fat-burning choline(胆碱),” says McKittrick. Choline, also found in lean meats, seafood and collard greens, attacks the gene mechanism that causes your body to store fat around your liver, according to Zero Belly Cookbook. The more eggs you eat, the less egg-shaped you get.

1.Which two foods contain the same amount of protein?

A. Black beans and eggs

B. Almond butter and eggs

C. Black beans and peanut butter

D. Peanut butter and almond butter

2.How does Almond Butter help control weight?

A. It helps people sleep better B. It offers people more protein

C. It makes people feel fuller D. It makes people burn more calories

3.Which of the following foods contains fat-burning choline?

A. Shellfish B. Corn

C. Fat D. Tomatoes

4.What food will a doctor advise heart patients to eat?

A. Eggs B. Black beans

C. Peanut butter D. Almond butter

My three-year-old granddaughter, Tegan, went with her parents to a family gathering at the home of her other grandparents. Everyone was having a wonderful time visiting and catching up on all the latest family news.

Like most children, Tegan was having a good time playing with all the toys that were different from her own and that were kept for children to play with at her grandparents’ house. In particular, Tegan had found a little tea set and had begun pretending that she was having a tea party. She set up all the place settings and arranged her table with the great care and elegance that only a three-year-old can create. Meanwhile, her Daddy concentrated on conversation, and as he continued to chat with his family, Tegan would hand him a cup of "tea". Her Daddy, who always tries to participate in her games, would pause for a few seconds from his conversation, and say all the proper words and gestures for her tea party which would thrill Tegan. He would request two lumps of sugar. He would tell her how wonderful her tea tasted, and then he would continue his adult conversation with his family.

After going through this routine several times, her Daddy suddenly awoke to reality as he had a flash of concern in his mind: "She is only three years old, where is she getting this ‘tea’ that I've been dutifully drinking?" He quietly followed her, without her knowing, and his fears were growing stronger as he saw her turn and go through the bathroom door. Sure enough, there she was stretching up on her tippy toes reaching up to get her ‘tea’ water out of the container of water that grandpa used to soak (浸泡)his false teeth!

1.At the family gathering, the adults__________.

A. drank tea while chatting

B. arranged tables for children’s games

C. talked about what happened at home

D. watched their favorite TV programs

2.Tegan’s daddy followed her secretly to find out ___________.

A. whether there was any tea left

B. what kind of tea he had drunk

C. where she got the sugar for tea

D. where she got the tea

3.The water of the tea Tegan’s father drank is ________.

A. fresh and clean

B. boiled at the bathroom

C. taken from Tegan’s home

D. the water of soaking false teeth

4.What do we know from the text?

A. Tegan’s father always played with her in games

B. Tegan refused to apologize for what she had done

C. Tegan was unhappy to be left alone at the gathering

D. Tegan’s father cared nothing about what she was doing