4 It was Christmas Eve. When everyone went to bed,Bunny couldn’t fall asleep. He still couldn't think of what he wanted as a special Christmas present. He wondered how Santa — Father Christmas would know what to bring him if he didn't know himself.

As he was sitting up in bed,Bunny heard a big noise on the roof (MIS) and a sound downstairs. It was Santa Claus,he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to the stairs. He hoped to take a look at the old man before Santa left for his next stop.

By the time Bunny was at the bottom of the stairs,everything was silent again. Lots of presents were put under the Christmas tree,but Santa was gone. A little disappointed (失望的) ，Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry.

“Hello ,” said Bunny. “Is somebody there?”

He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of presents to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. It also had antlers (鹿角) on its head. Bunny almost mistook it for a dog. “Areyouareindeer?”askedBunny.

“Yes”， replied the brown animal with antlers. “My name is Ralph. ”

“And you were pulling Santa's sled (雪橇) ？” 

“I was until I got air-sick,” replied Ralph. ^" Santa had to leave me here and go on with the other seven reindeer. ”

^" Isn't it a bit unusual for a reindeer to get airsick? I mean,isn’t flying what reindeer are famous

“Not me,I'm afraid. It makes me scared. I always feel sick when it comes to flying ,” replied Ralph. “But everyone wanted me to pull Santa's sled,so when it was my turn I gave it a try. I'm afraid I just wasn't cut out for the job. Now I'm stuck here and I don't know how to get back to the North Pole."

“Well,if you like,you can stay with us as a friend ,” said Bunny. As he made the offer,Bunny suddenly realized the special present he wanted from Santa was a new friend!

() 1. Why couldn^'t Bunny fall asleep on Christ mas Eve?

   A. He wanted to take a close look at Santa Claus.

   B. He was waiting for his special present from his father.

   C. He was thinking about what present to get from Santa.

   D. He was woken up by a noise on the roof of his house.

() 2. The underlined phrase “cut out” probacy means .

   A. suitable   B. famous

   C. ready   D. bad

() 3. What can we learn from the article?

   A. Ralph is a brown dog with antlers.

   B. Ralph is afraid of flying in the air.  

   C. Bunny got a sled as a Christmas present.

   D. Bunny sent Ralph back to the North Pole.

() 4. This article seems to tell us that .

   A. Santa lives in the South Pole with his reindeer

   B. Santa usually puts Christmas presents on the roofs

   C. Santa uses dogs to bring children presents on Christmas Eve

   D. Santa knows what presents children want without being told (2015江蘇蘇州)

3 

Molly Boylan is one of the most successful business women in Canada after setting up her cosmetic (化妝品) company Blazes in 1992. Though she is very successful,she says that she finds it harder every year to balance her business with her family life. She sometimes feels that her two children know more about their baby-sister than they do about her.

Molly employs (雇傭) around eighty people in her factory and warehouse,and ten others in her two new fashion stores,but her newest employee is the most important one for her. After years of worrying about her business more than her family,she has decided to make Sally Pamonte new general manager in her company. Molly will still be involved in decision-making,and she's going to stay in touch with the people who work for her,but Sally is going to look after day-to-day running of the business so that Molly can spend more time with the kids.

The new arrangement (安排) is going to start on Monday,and both of them are already excited about it. Sally says, “I'm very nervous,actually,but I'm sure Molly will help me a lot in the early days,even though I hope she feels she can trust me not to make too many mistakes."

Molly,on the other hand,seems quite relaxed about the whole thing. “I know that Sally's going to be a very nice manager ,” she says, “She's only been here a couple of days and she's already shown me how to work out a few problems we were having. The best thing though is that I feel a hundred times happier than I've been in years. I mean,I honestly can't remember the last time I felt as relaxed as this,and my kids are really excited about my being at home more. To be honest,I wish I had made this decision years ago. ”

() 1. The passage is mainly about .

   A. Molly and her children

   B. Molly finding a new manager

   C. the baby-sitter and the kids

   D. Molly making a change about her business

() 2. The underlined phrase “be involved in”in the passage probably means .

   A. be interested in

   B. take part in

   C. be nervous about

   D. learn about

() 3. Sally seems to be a good manager because

   A. she has set up a new Blazes

   B. she keeps in close touch with the workers

   C. she has been able to solve a few problems

   D. she has been working for the company since 1992

() 4. According to the passage,Molly .

   A. will not run her business any more

   B. seems satisfied with the new arrangement

   C. was not pleased with the baby-sitter

() 5. The best thing for Molly now is that

   A. she has more than eighty people working for her

   B. her kids know more about the baby-sitter

   C. she can have more time to be with her kids

   D. she has got a new general manager in her company (2015武漢)

2 

How much do you know about Albert Einstein?

Albert Einstein,bom on March 14 ,1879 in Germany,was a great scientist in the world. He i was strange,because he hated haircuts and new clothes. He believed in peace. All his life,he hated wan However,his most famous idea,E =mc², helped create the world's most dangerous weapon (武器) Many people think he was the smartest person in the world. But Einstein said that he thought like a child with many questions and unusual ideas.

What did he like?

Einstein liked learning sailing (帆船運(yùn)動(dòng)) .He!sailed in small boats all his life. He once joked,

“Sailing is the sport that takes the least energy!”

When Einstein was a child,his mother made him take violin lessons. At first,he didn't like the violin. But then he learned to love music and became a good violinist. Later,he said, “ Love is the best teacher."

Why is the sky blue?

In 1910,Einstein asked a question which many children often ask ,“Why is the sky blue?” After his careful research,he answered the question like this: “It's because light is made up of many colors including blue. When light travels to Earth,gas particles (氣體微粒) spread the blue ight all over the sky. ” His answer is true in physjcs.

() 1. According to the passage,Albert Einstein haircuts and new clothes.

   A. forgot   B. minded

   C. disliked

() 2. The underlined part actually shows Albert Einstein was a/an person.

   A. clever   B. imaginative

   C. childlike

() 3. Einstein learning sailing and pla ying the violin.

   A. was interested in

   B. looked forward to

   C. was known for

() 4. From Paragraph 3 we know that .

   A. mother teaches the best

   B. without mother's push,we can't love anything

   C. when we love something,we'd like to learn about it

() 5. Einstein offered a explanation for the question why the sky is blue.

   A. magic   B. scientific

   C. careful (2015成都)

(三) C篇類

1 When he was a teenager,Hunter Adam was very unhappy and he spent many years in a special hospital with people with mental (心理的) health problems.

When he left the hospital,Adam decided to become a doctor,so he went to a medical school in Virginia,USA. But when he was there,he did things in a different way. For example,he didn't like the doctor's white coats,so he wore shirts with flowers on them when he visited his patients and he tried to make them laugh. The doctors at the medical school didn't like Adams,because he was too different.

But Adams believed that people in hospital need more than medicine. He saw unhappy and lonely people,and he tried to help them as parents,but as people,too. He spent a lot of time with children in the hospital and often dressed up like a clown to make the children laugh.

When he finished medical school and become a doctor,Adams opened his own hospital,called “the Gusundheit Institute”，together with some other doctors. They wanted it to be a place with a different way of working with sick people.

Hunter Adams became famous during the 1980s,and in 1988,Universal Pictures made a film about his life. It was very successful. In the film,Robin Williams played Adams. Williams said ,“ Hunter is a really warm person,who be-lieves that patients need a doctor who is a "friend.I enjoyed playing him. ”

() 1. When did Adams have mental health problems?

   A. After he left medical school.

   B. During the 1980s.

   C. When he was a teenage boy.

   D. After the film came out.

() 2. Why did the doctors at the medical school dislike Adams?

   A. Because he was a warm person.

   B. Because he had mental health problem.

   C. Because he was a clown.

   D. Because he wasn’t the same as others.

() 3. The Gusundheit Institute .

   A. was a hospital

   B. belonged to Universal Pictures   C. could make films

   D. was a medical school

() 4. According to the passage,which state ment is NOT true?

   A. Adams wore shirts instead of white uniforms when visiting patients.   

   B. Robin Williams believed that patients need a doctor who is a friend.   

   C. In Adams’ opinion,not only medicine was needed for patients.

   D. Robin Williams was an actor.

() 5. The passage mainly tells us about .

   A. how to cheer up patients

   B. people with mental health problems

   C. a film about Adams

   D. a doctor named Hunter Adams (2015山東青島)

10 

Mobile phone has become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have banned (禁止) students from carrying mobile phones during school hours.

Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for schools. Several children have got mobile phones from parents and friends as Christmas gifts,and more students will want them.

Lucy Bluett,an expert,said mobile phone use was a distraction to students dur ing school hours. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.

She said some schools had tried to ban mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t call up their children.

Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school,but if there was a good reason,they could leave their phones at school office.

Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones,but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.

() 1. Some middle schools in Australia have banned students from carrying mobile phones .

   A. when they are at home

   B. when they are free

   C. when they are at school

() 2. We know from the passage that some children get mobile phones from .

   A. the makers and sellers

   B. the passers-by and strangers

   C. their parents and friends

() 3. What does the underlined word “cheat”mean in the passage?

   A. Behave dishonestly.

   B. Behave honestly.

   C. Behave correctly.

() 4. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t during school hours.

   A. use their mobile phones

   B. call up their children

   C. help the teachers with their work

() 5. The passage tells us that .

   A. students shouldn’t have mobile phones at school except for some special reasons

   B. many people can't understand why parents would want their children to have phones

   C. all parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t use their phones at school (2015湖南益陽(yáng))

Close your eyes for a minute and imagine what life would be like if you couldn't see. Imagine having to read this page,not with your eyes but with your fingers. How do you feel,then?

With medical knowledge and skills today,twothirds of the world's 42 million blind people should not have to suffer. Unluckily,rich countries have this knowledge,but developing countries do not.

ORBIS is an international charitable (慈善的) organization. Its goal is to help fight blindness all over the world. Inside a DC-8 airplane,there is a teaching hospital with television room and classroom. Doctors are taught the latest technology of helping the blind get sight again here. ORBIS is always trying to keep a closer relation among countries.

ORBIS helps those developing countries by providing sight-saving training. It has taught over 35 ,000 doctors and nurses. They continue to treat thousands of blind people every year. They have traveled around the earth 3 times,visited 76 countries and treated over 20 ,000 blind people. They need your help to continue their work and free people from blindness.

For just $ 38,you can help one person see; for $ 380,10 people can see; $ 1,300 helps train a doctor new skills;and for $ 13,000,you can provide a training program for a group of doctors who can make thousands of blind people see a-gain.Your love can help them open their eyes to the world.

() 1. How many blind people should not have to suffer with medical knowledge and skills today?

   A. 14 million. B. 42 million.

   C. 28 million. D. 200 million.

() 2. A lot of blind people in the world have to suffer because .

   A. ORBIS didn't do its best to offer help

   B. there is no good medical knowledge and skills

   C. some countries can't afford medical knowledge and skills

   D. developing countries don't pay much attention to the blind

() 3. According to this passage,ORBIS helps fight blindness by doing the following EXCEPT .

   A. writing this kind of articles to ask for help

   B. providing sight-saving training

   C. treating thousands of blind people every year

   D. trying to keep a close relation among countries

() 4. The last paragraph is mainly about .

   A. how much a training program for a group of doctors costs

   B. why ORBIS needs your help to continue their work

   C. who can make thousands of blind people see again

   D. what you can do to help blind people open their eyes

() 5. The writer writes this passage in order to .

   A. introduce an international charitable organization

   B. ask people to give the blind a hand

   C. tell how you feel if you lose your eyes for a minute

   D. explain why ORBIS helps fight blindness (2015呼和浩特)

8 

Have you ever heard of e-waste ( electric waste 電子垃圾) ，which can be produced every day? How do you deal with your computers,MP4 players and mobile phones when they’re broken or you want a new one?

Most people just throw them away. With the development of electric industry,e-waste pollution has become a serious problem. According to the United Nations,in 2014,people around the world produced 41. 8 million tons of e-waste and only recycled 6. 5 million tons. The US was the biggest waster,producing 7. 1 million tons. China came second,with 6 million tons.

It's important to pay attention to e-waste. It can either be valuabe or harmful (有害的) ，depending on how we deal with it. E-waste is a valuable urban mine (城市礦藏）. The value of the metals,like gold and silver in the waste around the world,is amazing. And the metals can be reused. But if people throw them away,the toxic chemicals (有毒化學(xué)物質(zhì)) can get into the earth or air,effecting the environment and people's health.

Apple,for example,now recycle people's used products in China when they are buying new ones. The company will test and repair the used ones and sell them at lower prices. To help reduce (減少) ewaste,we can also take computers and phones to see if companies offer recycling programs.

() l.The following can become e-waste EXCEPT

   A. computers   B. mobile phones

   C. plastic bags

() 2. Which country produced most e-waste last year according to the United Nations?

   A. America. B. China.

   C. Japan.

() 3. What does the underline word “affecting” mean in this passage?

   A. 保護(hù)   B. 影響

   C. 改善

() 4. From Paragraph 4 ,we learn that .

   A. the recycle Apple products will be sold at higher prices.

   B. buying longer lasting electronic products is a good way to reduce e–waste.

   C. ifs better to keep the unwanted electronics in your bedroom.

() 5. The main purpose of this passage is to .

   A. prove that e-waste is useless

   B. encourage people to buy more electronic products

   C. advise people to deal with e-waste properly to reduce pollution (2015長(zhǎng)沙)

7 

Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific. It is one of the smallest countries in the world. But for those who are interested in adventure and sport,there is a lot to do. Vanuatu's islands offer visitors two of the most exciting and dangerous activities in the world:volcano (火山) surfing and land diving.

Volcano Surfing On Tanna Island,Mount Yasur rises 300 meters into the sky. Yasur is an active volcano,and it erupts (爆發(fā)) almost every day,sometimes several times a day. For centuries,people have climbed this mountain to visit the top. Recently,people have also started climbing Yasur to surf the volcano. In some ways,volcano surfing is like surfing in the sea,but in other ways ifs very different. Volcano surfers try to escape the erupting volcano——without getting hit by flying rocks!It's fast,fun and dangerous—the perfect extreme sport (極限運(yùn)動(dòng)) Land Diving Most people are familiar with bungee jumping,but do you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island in Vanuatu and is almost fifteen centuries old? The activity,first called land diving,is part of a religious ceremony (宗教儀式) .A man ties tree vines (樹藤) to his legs. He then jumps head-first from a high tower to touch the earth with the top of his head——without breaking the vine. Every spring,island natives (men only) still take part in this amazing activity.

() 1. In the first paragraph,what does the word “those” mean?

   A. People. B. Animals.

   C. Activities. D. Islands.

() 2. According to the passage,Mount Yasur.

   A. is no longer active

   B. is on Pentecost Island

   C. erupts almost every day

   D. rises 800 meters into the sky

() 3. Why have people recently started climbing Mount Yasur?

   A. People can climb it easily.

   B. People can make money.

   C. People can watch snow on it.

   D. People can surf the volcano.

() 4. Which of the following about land diving is true?

   A. It is not dangerous at all.

   B. It was first called “bungee jumping”.

   C. It is a traditional activity in Vanuatu. 

    D.It came to Vanuatu from another country.

() 5. What is the purpose of the passage?

   A. To tell people not to do dangerous sports.

   B. To explain what volcano surfing and land diving are.

   C. To talk about the worlds best volcano surfer and land diver.

   D. To compare activities in Vanuatu with sports in New Zealand.

(2015天津)

6 

Have you noticed your life becoming a little easier? Now,when you go to a certain shopping mall,you can enjoy its free WiFi there. When you want to take a taxi,you can book one with your phone. In fact,all these can be seen as the basic parts of a smart city.

The idea of a smart city was brought up by US company IBM in 2010. Generally,a smart city is a city that uses digital technologies such as the Internet to improve city planning,save money and resources,and make our life convenient. How smart can a city be? Here are great exam-ples that we can learn from.

In 2009,Dubuque became the first smart city in the US. The city used smart water meters to take the place of traditional water meters. They can detect (探測(cè)) water waste and leakage (泄漏) and send data to let the house owner know. The same system is used for other city resources like electricity and natural gas. This way,people know how they use their resources and are glad to help reduce waste.

Santander in Spain also gives us a look at the future. If people point a phone toward a nearby bus stop,the phone immediately shows all bus lines that serve the stop as well as their arrival times. The government organized a research team and provided an App (應(yīng)用程序) that collects data on almost everything：light,temperature,and the movements of cars and people. Opening the App near a supermarket provides immediate information on special offers.

() 1. According to the passage,which of the following is RIGHT?

   A. Digital technologies are used in smart cities.

   B. An English company first raised the idea of a smart city.

   C. A smart city is mainly made up of free Wi-Fi and phones.

   D. A smart city is still an idea and hasn’t come into being.

() 2. The underlined word “convenient” is the closest in meaning to .

   A. useful   B. normal

   C. suitable   D. easy

() 3. Compared to traditional water meters,smart water meters do better in .

   A. cleaning water

   B. supplying water

   C. saving water

   D. producing water

() 4. The example of Santander shows the use of smart systems in aspects (方面) EXCEPT .

   A. business

   B. health care

   C. traffic controlling

   D. public transportation

() 5. What's the main idea of the passage?

   A. Digital technologies help improve city planning.

   B. Smart cities will make our future life better and smarter.

   C. Smart cities are very common in both Dubuque and Santander.

   D. Spain and the US take the leading position in building smart cities.

(2015福州)

5 

The first part of a new science-fiction series (系列劇) was shown on NBC last night. Star Trek is about a spacecraft (宇宙飛船) which travels faster than the speed of light. The show is developed from three ideas about the 22nd century. First,well find other life forms with great tools which will make amazing things possible.

Let's think about these predictions. If we find life forms on other planets,will they be intelligent? I hope so. But we human beings might not be friendly—I don't think we’ll believe in the idea of peace one hundred years from now. But this is science fiction,so we can be optimistic!And Star Tre's idea of life in the future is ^" communicators ".And we will be able to have conversations with people who are on because youll have an electronic notebook. And if you get ill,the doctor won’t have to examine you,a machine will “read” your body. The strangest machine includes a “teleport” which will take people to a different place in a second!

The ideas are interesting,and in my opinion,there's only one problem with star trek: the acting.The TV company (公司) will have to get better actors. If they do that,the show might be a success. If the acting doesn’t improve,Star Trek won't last for more than one series.Of course,my prediction may be wrong. I can't see into the future!

() 1 . What is Star Trek?

   A. A TV play.

   B. A popular song.

   C. A spacecraft.

   D. An alien.

() 2. What does the underlined word ^" optimistic” mean?

   A. Lucky and happy.

   B. Hopeful and confident.

   C. Helpful and creative.

   D. Thankful and popular.

() 3. What's the writer's opinion about Star Trek?

   A. The life forms on other planets are stupid.

   B. Interesting ideas make a new series popular.

   C. The new series might not be suc-cessful without better actors.

() 4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

   A. Aliens on Other Planets.

   C. A Science Fiction.

   D. A New Series about Future.

(2015江西)