Traditionally, business people would get to know each other over a round of golf. But road cycling is fast catching up as the preferred way of networking recently.

“When you play golf with somebody you have to decide if you‟re going to beat them, or let thembeat you,” says Peter Murray, a chairman of the NLA centre. “If they‟re your customers and youdon‟t want to beat them, sometimes you might have to make some kind of cheating in order to lose. That seems to me not a good way of doing things.”

Group cycling, and especially long-distance riding, is a shared experience, Mr Murray says. Riders often work together and help each other out, taking turns to be at the front so that the riders in their group can save almost a third of the effort needed to travel at the same speed.

How someone rides a bike can give you a real insight into what a person is like, says Jean-Jacques Lorraine, founding director of Morrow Lorraine, a team member of Cycle to Cannes. “Some riders are very single-minded, others more collaborative; some are skillful, others an open book.”“If I walk into a meeting and somebody says „I‟ve done Cycle to Cannes‟ , it‟s a done deal really,” says Mr Lorraine.

Mr Mottram, CEO of Rapha, believes it is easier to get to know people by cycling than in other situations. “T here is an easy environment about conversations on a bike.” Mr Lorraine makes the point more directly: “I feel open and honest to others. I often find I‟m saying things on a bike which I wouldn‟t normally say, and equally I‟ve been confided (吐露秘密) in when I wasn‟t expecting it.”

Why do cycle rides lend riders so well to networking? “Getting a quick lunch or drink after work doesn‟t give you long enough to get to know someone,” Mr. Murray says. He believes long ridesget people together. “A younger rider can be cycling along with a boss and help him in some wayand you get a reversal of the relationship. This changes the relationship when they are off theride too.”

Perhaps the main reason why cycling is a good way to network is that it‟s a passion (激情) and away of life. “Getting out on the bike is what we‟re all dreaming of doing while we‟re sitting at our computers,” says Mr Mottram. And a shared passion is a fantastic way to start any relationship.

1.We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ______.

A．golf is a sport full of cheating

B．cycling is less popular than golf

C．deciding on winners in golf is hard

D．golf might also have disadvantages

2.In Paragraph 4, Mr Lorraine thinks that ______.

A．getting a quick lunch after work helps get people together

B．telling what a person is really like by cycling is a way of life

C．riders need to volunteer to be at the front to save their energy

D．it‟s much easier for people to make a deal if they are all riders

3.Which of the following is TRUE about cycling?

A．Businessmen used to prefer cycling to golf.

B．Cycling is a good way to get to know people.

C．Group cycling is always a long-distance riding.

D．It‟s not acceptable for the riders to talk on the bike.

4.What could be the best title of the passage?

A．Advantages and Disadvantages of Cycling.

B．Two Good Ways of Networking.

C．Cycling Is the New Golf.

D．Cycling Develops Fast.

Five Ways to Rock the Rest of the Semester

With exams around the corner, how can you possibly pack in one more English word, let alone the causes of the Cold War? Don’t worry. Here is our handy guide to help you

Power Down

So you stayed up too late last night reading Mockingjay for the fifth time. Oops! When you’re that fired, your schoolwork suffers. Instead of studying inefficiently while you are sleepy, allow yourself a 15-minute afterschool power nap. Studies show that even a few minutes of shut-eye can improve memory and concentration.

Take Notes

Not quite grasping that super complicated concept in your chemistry class? You may need to change the way you take notes. Instead of recording every word your teacher says, try using visual hints like pictures, symbols and word bubbles. You can even switch computer fonts or pen color for the important stuff.

Dream On

Your bed’s not just for zzz’s. Experts say it may be good to study in bed, too. Why? We’re able to absorb more right before bed because we’re less distracted and the new information stays in our minds as we sleep. So, slide into bed with a textbook or notes, read for 15 minutes, and then turn off the lights for some sweet and smart dreams.

Brain Food

You’re in the middle of a biology exam when your mind goes blank. You knew this stuff cold at home, but now you can’t tell a ribosome from a chloroplast. What’s going on? Your brain’s in need of some refueling. Have some snacks like apple slices or cheese before class, and have plenty of water, too. If your teacher doesn’t mind, pop in a piece of gum during an exam. Some scientists think the chewing increases the flow of oxygen to the brain.

Smart Move

Ugh! You’re taking an English test and you cannot remember the past participle of “understand”. What to do? Skip it. Test taking is all about timing, so don’t waste it on tricky questions. Move ahead and answer everything you know before returning to the ones you don’t. Chances are, once you get back to the toughies, you’ll recall the answer or at the very least, you’ll have a little more time to come up with one that works.

1.When taking notes, we can do all these except ______.

A．draw pictures

B．change the typeface

C．switch on the computer

D．colour the key points

2.According to the passage, _____.

A．it’s good to study under the covers for some time every day

B．you cannot skip the difficult questions and go on to the rest

C．you can have some snacks and drink enough water to refresh yourself in exams

D．when taking notes, you should record whatever the teacher says

3.What does the underlined phrase “knew this stuff cold” mean?

A．had no clue about it

B．were a cold fish

C．knew it was cold

D．were familiar with

閱讀短文，根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的五個選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。每個選項(xiàng)只能用一次。

Learn to Refuse

Believe it or not, I’ve always been a people pleaser. I often put others before myself because I want to make my friends happy. ______1.. “Can you help me with English practice?” Grace asked me on the first day after she became my desk mate. “Of course,” I replied without hesitation (猶豫). Grace has been working really hard on her studies and needed my help — although I didn’t have much time left for her.

One day after school, while I was doing a huge amount of homework, Grace’s phone call came. She complained a lot and it made me feel bored, but I still felt bad about saying no. When Grace ended the call, the clock said it was 00:15 am. ______ 2.. This was bad for a Junior 3 student who is going to take an important exam this June.

Finally I burst into tears. I felt so tired and realized that the stress had an effect on my health. I tried to get myself out. ______ 3., so Grace has to come the second. It’s now important for me to say no, no, no.

“Can you do me a favor?” Grace asked. “Sorry … I just have to review my biology notes,” I answered. “All right, it’s up to you,” she said. ______4.. Anyway, it’s not so hard to say no at all.

To be honest, I have felt much happier since learning to refuse. I have more time to spend on my study at present. ______5., but sometimes I say no because I know everyone has a limit

A. But I still had homework left and I wanted to sleep

B. If anyone asks me for help, I always, “yes!”

C. I felt completely relaxed when I heard her reply

D. Studying is more important than other things

E. I still try my best to help others

閱讀短文，根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容回答問題。

Crazy about Selfies

Since the 2014 Oscars ceremony selfie (自拍) of Bradley Cooper stormed the Internet, it seems that every one shows great interest. And now people are sharing even their most private moments. TV star Kim Kardashian could be called “the queen of the selfie”. She’s turned hundreds of her selfies into a book — at every possible moment, in all poses.

If Kardashian is the queen, then you could say Barack Obama is the king. But though Kardashian has nothing to lose by sharing too much, the same can’t be said of the US president. Politicians have to be careful with selfies. The photo he took at the funeral (葬禮) of Nelson Mandela divided public opinions. Some felt it made him look like one of us — glad to record a moment with his “mates”. Others felt the head of state behaved like a crazy teenager.

Unfortunately for the US congressman (國會議員) Anthony Weiner, his habit of sending his private selfies to women killed his political career (事業(yè)).

Being crazy about selfies can also harm your health. Todd Fassler from California ended up in hospital after he found a snake — he tried to take a selfie with it. The animal wasn’t interested in the idea and bit him.

Why do we take so many selfies? Dr. Terri Apter, from Cambridge University, told the Daily Telegraph: “We all like the idea of being in control of our image and getting attention, being part of the culture. There’s celebrity (名人) culture — unless you’re being noticed, you’re nobody. You have to get enough attention and show your life is amazing, even if it isn’t.”

The word selfie was Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year in 2013. But many believe it started much earlier in 1839 as Robert Cornelius, a chemist from Philadelphia, uncovered the lens (鏡頭), ran into the shot for a minute before running back to cover the lens again. These days, you don’t need to run for a photo anymore and soon, you don’t even have to spread your arms. Now you are even able to take a selfie by drone (無人機(jī))! Fix your camera onto it, and it will follow your every move. Does it sound exciting to you?

1. What could Kim Kardashian be called?

______________________________________________________________

2.Do politicians have to be very careful with selfies?

______________________________________________________________

3.What happened when Todd Fassler tried to take a selfie with a snake?

______________________________________________________________

4. According to the passage, why do the celebrities take selfies?

______________________________________________________________

5. Do you think the selfie is good? Why?

______________________________________________________________

文段表達(dá)。

假定你是中學(xué)生李華，你的美國朋友Eric想在下個月來中國旅游，時間一個星期，請你寫一封郵件給他，介紹一處旅游景點(diǎn)，內(nèi)容如下：

1.景點(diǎn)名稱及位置；

2.特點(diǎn)或特色；

3.詢問對方到達(dá)中國的具體時間，是否需要接機(jī)，購票等。

Dear Eric,

Looking forward to your reply and your coming to China!

Regards,

Li Hua

It’s necessary for you _____ exercise every day.

A. taking B. to take C. take D. takes

You will fall behind others you work hard.

A. if B. unless C. though D. since

— Does my question sound enough?

— I don’t think so. You can ask more by using “could” instead of “can”.

A. polite; politely B. politely; polite

C. politely; politely D. polite; polite

If you meet some new words, you'd better ________ in a dictionary.

A. look out them B．look them out

C．look up them D．look them up

— Is AC Milan Italian football club?

— Yes. It’s one of most successful clubs in Italy.

A. an; / B. /; the C. an; the D. /; /