What do you think of stress? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
Most of the students think stress can do harm (伤害)   46  them in some ways. There’s a story about a teenager in a middle school. He even   47  his study because of the stress from school and family. We also usually   48  that someone turns to psychological doctors because of heavy working stress. There is no doubt (疑问) that some people think stress is a dangerous wolf.
On the other hand, other people argue that stress is not a bad thing. They   49  stress can produce momentum (动力）in the end. For them, right attitude and action can reduce (减少) stress and make it   50 . When I was a child, my mom always pushed me to study hard. She wished I could go to an ideal   51  for further education. I experienced stress for the first time. To a poor family, I deeply knew   52   was not easy for us, and everything my mom did to me was just to hope I could live a better life in the future.   53  the saying goes, “No pains, no gains.” So I did what my mom expected because I didn’t want to let her down. At last, I did measure up (达到标准）to my mom’s expectation and go to college   54 . Thanks to my mom’s push! Thanks to the stress! In this way, I don’t think stress is a bad thing.
Overall, stress is not a bad thing in   55 . The key is how we deal with it.

【小题1】

A．for B．in C．to D．of

【小题2】

A．began with B．gave out C．gave up D．gave away

【小题3】

A．wonder B．decide C．look D．hear

【小题4】

A．doubt B．believe C．disagree D．forget

【小题5】

A．useful B．difficult C．strange D．terrible

【小题6】

A．company B．college C．factory D．village

【小题7】

A．life B．sport C．opinion D．silence

【小题8】

A．Then B．But C．As D．Or

【小题9】

A．quietly B．wildly C．specially D．successfully

【小题10】

A．himself B．myself C．itself D．yourself

How do you pay for things? Do you usually use cash(现金), or do you like to pay by credit card(信用卡)? If you are like a lot of people, you probably have at least one credit card. Also, you might use it more often than you probably should.
Credit cards first became popular in the 1920s, At that time, businesses, such as hotels and companies, gave credit cards to their best customers(顾客). Unlike today's credit cards, customers could only use these cards at the Store or business that gave out the card. Customers had to pay for things in full. They couldn't pay for something a little at a time.
In 1950, a businessman named McNamara started a credit card company — Diners Club. Unlike earlier credit cards, this card could be used by customers at many restaurants. Customers liked the card because they didn't have to carry a lot of cash with them. Restaurant owners liked the card, too. Why? They found out that customers usually spent more money when they could pay by credit card.
In its first year of business, Diners Club issued 200 cards, The customers who got the cards from the Diners Club could use them at 27 different restaurants. Today, Diners Club has about 8 million customers, and they can use their cards in over 7. 6 million businesses in more than 200 countries.
【小题1】What can we know about the earlier credit cards from the passage?

A．They could be used everywhere.

B．Customers had to pay for things in full.

C．They were very popular before the 1920s.

D．Everyone could get this kind of credit card.

【小题2】 The underlined word "issued" here probably means "      ".

A．showed

B．took

C．borrowed

D．provided

【小题3】 This passage is mainly about       .    

A．part of the development of credit cards

B．how to use cash

C．the number of people who use credit cards in the world

D．how credit cards help businessmen

How do you usually get to school? Buy bus? On foot? Roby Burch, 16, a US student, gets to school a little 36__________---he goes by horse (马).
Burch has been riding his white horse 4 miles to and from school 37 __________the beginning of the semester. “Every morning, wearing my blue jacket and jeans, I’m on my way at 6 am.” Burch says, “The streets are mostly 38__________ at this time of morning. It’s a nice way to start the day.”
The idea was his 39__________. His family were enjoying their vacation on their farm this summer, “My dad just said, ‘Roby, you 40__________ ride your horse to school every day.’” says Burch. He thought it really was a good idea.
When they got back home, Burch asked for permission from the headmaster (校长), Joe Cox, and surprisingly, he got the green light. Cox even 41__________ Burch to keep the horse next to the headmaster’s house. Then his dad helped Burch find the best route to school. It is along back streets and has 42__________cars than the others.
For the return trip every afternoon, Burch leaves school at 5:45 pm. Even now, as the days grow shorter and colder, he 43__________ to ride his horse. “ I will ride my horse even in the coldest weather.” he says.
Burch says the first time he sat on a horse as a four-year-old boy he was afraid. 44__________ now, “it’s what I do best.” It’s no surprise that he wants to be a cowboy (牛仔) when he grows up. “I love riding horses more than 45 __________ else.” He says, “It’s really a guy thing.”

【小题1】

A．normally B．casually C．differently D．actually

【小题2】

A．for B．since C．before D．after

【小题3】

A．empty B．crowded C．busy D．awful

【小题4】

A．sister’s B．brother’s C．mom’s D．dad’s

【小题5】

A．will B．won’t C．should D．shouldn’t

【小题6】

A．invited B．allowed C．taught D．urged

【小题7】

A．fewer B．few C．more D．many

【小题8】

A．begins B．stops C．continues D．refuses

【小题9】

A．so B．or C．and D．but

【小题10】

A．anything B．nothing C．everybody D．somebody

How do North Americans dress? What do they wear in special      
【小题1】      
days? In fact, there is very few formal days, though there are some            【小题2】
festivals such as Easter, Christmas, Halloween, or Thanksgiving              【小题3】      
Day. What people wear depend on their likes and dislikes. On birthday,        【小题4】      
some child wear paper party hats. At Christmas, some people wear           
【小题5】      
Santa Claus hats. In winter, Canada people usually wear coats, gloves,       【小题6】     
boots and hats. It is near the same in northern China. Generally, people         【小题7】                     
in Canada and the United States wear suits for work in offices, as            【小题8】      
well as for most formal occasions, just as people do in China. People          【小题9】      
in cities around a world wear rather similar clothes.                        【小题10】      

How many kinds of music do you know ? There is classical music,   36  music, country music, rap (说唱音乐) and so on. I think every type of music has its own   37  . For example, I think country music is so beautiful and rap is very cool. My favorite kind of music is pop music   38  it is very interesting and exciting. It can make me feel very   39   .
Now I want to tell you   40  about my favorite singer and music group. My favorite singer is Jolin. Her Chinese name is Cai Yilin. She has a very beautiful       41  and her songs very wonderful. I love her song Say Love You, The Smell of Lemon Grass and Pirates best. What do you   42   these songs ? I hope Jolin has a good time every day.  
43  my favorite music group ? That is S.H.E. Their songs are so cool that I have never   44   a chance to watch their performances.
45  to music is also good for me. It can make me feel relaxed and less lonely when I stay at home alone.
【小题1】A. thrilling                B. pop                   C. sweet
【小题2】A. features                B. players                C. interests
【小题3】A. although               B. so                    C. because
【小题4】A. happy                 B. sad                    C. afraid
【小题5】A. something              B. anything               C. everything
【小题6】A. sound                 B. noise                   C. voice
【小题7】A. hear of                B. think of                 C. care about
【小题8】A. What if               B. What about               C. Why not
【小题9】A. missed                B. forgotten                C. found
【小题10】A. Speaking              B. Replying                C. Listening