In much society, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin; Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressures even within the same group, if some members are darker than others.

The result is that skin lightening has become very common across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world and more people with dark skin are using skin-lighting products, even if it means they may face health risks. They believe that having whiter skin will improve the quality of their lives. Many people think they will have a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.

Some beauty care（美容） products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter. However, some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural barrier(障礙) to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, which just makes things even worse. Doctor Ly says some chemicals are so dangerous that they may lead to blackened fingernails, infections(感染) and serious skin damage.

And these are not the only problems. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regretful and sad. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to live and accept their skin color as it was.

1.What’s the result of the wrong understanding of darker skin?

A. Many people with dark skin try to make their skin whiter.

B. Many people with whiter skin live a better life than others.

C. People with darker skin try to marry people with light skin.

D. People with darker skin try to protect themselves against social pressures.

2.The third paragraph is about.

A. some medical effects that skin-lightening products have brought about

B. the mental damage that skin-lightening products have caused

C. the physical damage that skin-lightening products have caused

D. the causes why skin-lightening products can make skin whiter

3. Why are chemicals in beauty care products dangerous?

A. They can damage the skin’s color producing progress.

B. They can control people’s emotions and feelings.

C. They can make the fingernails and skin black.

D. They make more people decide to change their skin colors.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Different Colors of Skin

B. The Dark Side of Skin Lightening

C. What Is Beauty?

D. Light Skin or Dark Skin?

根據(jù)短文內容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。并在答題卡上將該項答案涂黑。選項中有兩項為多余選項。

We all wish we had just a bit more time．Just think what you could do with an extra hour or two each day: you could finally stick to an exercise routine, or spring-clean the house, or write your novel, or learn the guitar and so on．

1. But I can help you find more hours in your day for the things that really matter．

1．Get Out of Bed Earlier

If you normally get up at 7; 30 a.m., try getting up at 7:00 a.m.. That half-hour might not sound like much, but it could be time that you use to exercise, to read that book you've been meaning to finish． 2.

2．Do the Important Tasks First

Once you get to work, get the important ones done first（not the easy ones, or even the urgent ones）. 3.

If you work like this, you'll usually save time. The urgent tasks will still get done, and you won't miss the important ones．

3．Reduce Interruptions

If colleagues have a habit of hanging around your desk to chat, or if the phone is constantly ringing, you might find that it takes you half the day to finish a simple task like writing a letter. 4.

4． 5.

A few minutes chatting, browsing the web, and so on, can easily turn into hours of wasted time over the course of a day. If your concentration is slipping, take a proper break: go and get a glass of water, or stretch your legs a bit. And if you’re facing a difficult task, try breaking it into small steps or stages so that it’s easier to deal with.

A. Stay Focused on Your Work

B. Take Breaks When Necessary

C. Constant interruptions don't just eat up time, they also break your concentration．

D. You can afford to spend at least an hour working on big, important tasks rather than on

all those little urgent ones．

E. Would you want me to make your day longer?

F. I can't magically make all your days 25 hours long．

G. Or simply to get your day off to a calm and organized start．

完形填空

閱讀下面短文，從短文后所給各題的四個選項(A、B、C和D)中，選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項, 并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。

The young woman was feeling a little down on that Sunday in May. ________, it was Mother's Day ... and 800 miles________ her from her parents in Ohio. She had called her mother that morning to wish her a ________ Mother’s Day, and her mother had mentioned how ________the yard was now that spring had arrived. As they talked, the young woman could ________ smell the peaceful purple lilacs (丁香花) hanging on the big bush outside her parents' back door.

Later, when she mentioned to her husband how she ________ those lilacs, he immediately drove her and two children to a hill ________ with purple lilacs. With a smile, the young woman buried her ________in the flowers, drinking in the sweet smell and the ________ it brought back. And then, carefully, she picked a lilac here, another one there until her arms full of them.

_________, they returned to their car for the trip home. While the kids ________ talked and the man attentively drove, the woman sat with a smile, surrounded by her flowers, a ________ look in her eyes. They stopped at a nursing home, where an elderly ________ was sitting in her wheel-chair, ________, head bowed, her back to most of the other patients. ________, across went the flowers to the old woman. She slowly ________ her head , and smiled.

For a few moments, the two women chatted, and both ________with happiness. As they drove back for home, the kids asked, "Mom, who was that? Why did you give her our flowers? Is she somebody's mother? "

The mother said she didn't know the old woman, ________ it was Mother's Day, and she seemed so lonely, and who wouldn't be________ by flowers? "Besides," she added, "I have all of you, and I still have mother, _____she is faraway. That woman needed those flowers more than I did. "

1.A. Above allB. At leastC. What's moreD. After all

2.A. freedB. tookC. separatedD. blocked

3.A. sadB. happyC. clearD. busy

4.A. colorfulB. largeC. dullD. noisy

5.A. thusB. almostC. simplyD. hardly

6.A. valuedB. forgotC. missedD. respected

7.A. coveredB. filledC. piledD. wrapped

8.A. feetB. faceC. eyesD. mouth

9.A. memoriesB. wishesC. dreamsD. imagination

10.A. SuddenlyB. FinallyC. NaturallyD. Certainly

11.A. impatientlyB. gentlyC. calmlyD. excitedly

12.A. farawayB. lonelyC. tiredD. sleepy

13.A. nurseB. doctorC. patientD. professor

14.A. unfortunateB. satisfiedC. helplessD. alone

15.A. SuddenlyB. HappilyC. HopefullyD. Eventually

16.A. noddedB. shookC. liftedD. touched

17.A.calmed downB. showed offC. came throughD. lit up

18.A. whileB. butC. asD. although

19.A. cheeredB. movedC. encouragedD. surprised

20.A. and yetB. in caseC. even ifD. as though

語法填空

The Internet is an amazing information resource. Students, teachers, and researchers use it as __1._ investigative tool. Journalists use it to find information for stories. Doctors use it to learn more about unfamiliar diseases and the _2._ (late) medical development. Ordinary people use it for shopping, banking, bill-paying, and communicating with family and friends. People all over the world use it to connect with individuals from _3._ countries and cultures. However, __4._there are many positive developments __5.__ (associate) with the Internet, there are also certain fears and concerns. __6.___concern relates to a lack of control over__7.__ appears on the Internet. With television and radio there are editors to check the accuracy or appropriateness of the content of programs, and with television there are _8._ (restrict) on what kinds of programs can __9._ (broadcast) and at what times of the day. With the Internet, parents cannot check a published guide to determine what is suitable __10._ their children to see.

短文改錯

文中共有10處語言錯誤，每句中最多有兩處，每處錯誤僅涉及一個單詞的增加、刪除或修改。

增加：在缺詞處加個漏字符號（∧），并在其下面寫出該加的詞。

刪除：把多余的詞用斜線（\）劃掉。

修改：在錯的詞下劃一橫線，并在該詞下面寫出修改后的詞。

注意：1. 每處錯誤及其修改均僅限一詞；

2. 只允許修改10處，多者（從第11處起）不計分

On my way to the bookstore, I noticed a group of people surrounded two anxious foreigners. I stopped and found that they were tourist from Canada who careless left a very important wallet in a taxi. I accompanied them to the nearest police station and without their help, we got in touch with the taxi company. We told a moment ago a driver had just turned in a wallet and then a policeman drive us to the company without delay. The two Canadians happily claimed their wallet, that contained their passports, flight tickets, some cash or credit cards.

They expressed our thanks to me. I feel it is really a great pleasure to help the others.

書面表達

假如你是一名中學生，叫李華，根據(jù)下表內容用英語寫信給某報社Just ask 欄目的主持人Witman, 請求幫助解決一個長期困擾你如何與同桌相互交流、溝通的問題。

注意：1、開頭已寫好，只需接著寫 2、可適當發(fā)揮，使文章更連貫3、詞數(shù)100左右

參考詞匯：發(fā)脾氣 lose one’s temper

Dear Witman,

I’m a middle school student．________________________________________________

When Kathryn was 6 years old, she sat outside for three hours at her home and did not make a sound.Her parents wondered why she was so quiet, only to discover that she was drawing a picture of a flag outside. She recalled. “That’s what I wanted to do that day,” said Kathryn, who is now 23 years old. And in the future, she continued to do art as a hobby.

Recently, Kathryn was named Lake Placid’s first artist in the neighborhood. She will be there for at least four weeks and possibly more. During that time, she will teach an art class and focus on her own art. Much of her work includes creating photos. She said: “There is always something there that you haven’t included, so you can never stop when painting a photo.”

Kathryn ended up as the first artist just by chance. She said her sister was on vacation in Florida and looking for a job in Lake Placid. The sister got the job and moved there.

Kathryn said she visited her sister and was ordered to do wall paintings inside a building. Later, her sister saw a demand for an artist on line and suggested she should apply.

Kathryn said she’s the first artist in her family, but added that her parents are creative. Her father loves to create things from wood, she said. “Anything you can make out of wood, he has made it,” she said.

Her own creativity with art continued through college. While at college, she was once employed to recreate a photo of a couple on a vacation to Florida and one of a sunset in either North Carolina or South Carolina.

Kathryn said she’s looking at other forms of art. The time she spends here will help her to “figure out who I am as an artist,” she said.

1.From the first paragraph, we can know that________.

A. Kathryn had few words at her early age

B. Kathryn would sit outside in silence

C. Kathryn used to keep silent at home

D. Kathryn liked art since her childhood

2.While painting a photo, Kathryn thinks ________.

A. It’s hard to finish a perfect job.

B. you can’t stop half way

C. you may miss the photos somewhere

D. you have to finish it at a time

3.Talking of her father, Kathryn________ .

A. praised him for his wood art

B. was ashamed of his form of wood art

C. was greatly proud of him

D. felt pity for his creative talent

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A. A young artist treats art more than a hobby.

B. A hobby becomes a pursuit(追求) for an artist.

C. A girl finds her value in her own hobby.

D. A girl walks out of her hobby as an artist.

Nobody likes having to deal with an upset child. If your little one is hurt, scared or sad, your heart breaks for her. If she’s mad, it can make you mad. You want to be there for her and comfort her, but the best way to do that will depend mainly on two things: why she’s upset and how old she is. Be calm and open-minded when trying to comfort your upset child.

Try to find out why your child is upset, because that affects how you should respond and what will be most effective in trying to comfort her. Take her aside and sit down to talk on her level, physically and emotionally. Be sure she knows she has your complete attention while she’s telling you about the friend who wouldn’t share her new toy and so on. Even if you’ve got 20 other things you need to get done, make yourself take a break and focus on her for a few minutes.

Listen carefully to what your child says, and also pay attention to what she’s not saying. If she says she’s upset because “she hates her stupid school”, you must “choose to accept it” — to read between the lines. Maybe she’s struggling with her studies, or the teacher scolded(責備) her in front of everybody. Patiently listen and try to draw her out so you know what kind of problem you’re dealing with.

Sometimes just knowing someone hears her pain goes a long way toward comforting an upset child. Don’t make excuses or blame others, just let her know her feelings are natural and understandable. Give her permission to feel sad for a little bit or even cry a little, and give her a big hug. Then help her think of ways to get over the hurt and refocus her attention on another activity or friend.

1.What is the purpose of the author in the passage?

A. To show an upset child is very tough.

B. To share his experience of keeping a child.

C. To tell how to comfort an upset child.

D. To get advice on how to raise a child.

2. When faced with an upset child, the parents________.

A. may feel at a loss(不知所措）what to do next

B. should turn to experts for advice

C. should keep him company all the time

D. will easily get angry and frustrated

3.When parents have a talk with their child patiently, she can .

A. focus her attention on the talk

B. understand her parents easily

C. talk about her new toy with you

D. open her heart to the parents

4.The underlined part in the passage means to________.

A. advise her to tell the reason

B. drive her out of home

C. take her to the outside

D. blame her

“Wake up. Alicia is waiting for you outside,” my mother called from the kitchen. My mother didn’t like me going for this weekend to my friend’s house in the mountains. “I trust you, but I don’t trust the people out there,” she said seriously. “I’m going to be fine,” were my last words before closing the door of the Jeep. The vehicle went along the dusty road and my mother grew smaller in the distance.

The trip over the rough road was uncomfortable. It was scary to climb the steep hills surrounded by great pines. After a long trip we finally arrived at the house. From the moment I got there I knew I would forever love the house. It was decorated like an old country home. My room was small, yet set up nicely. That night I went to sleep early, not because I didn’t want to continue my search, but because I was tired after the long trip.

In the morning, the singing of the birds woke me up. The light was just getting through the window. A strong smell of baking and fresh coffee came from the kitchen. I wandered around looking for a living soul, but the house was empty. I had the whole day to myself; my friend had gone hiking. I didn’t want to go with her. The main reason for this trip was to spend some time alone to think about the events happening in my life.

After an icy shower, my energies were at their fullest. With basket in hand, I started my hunt. I did not mind walking alone; it was a wonderful feeling to be in contact with nature for the first time. The sound of the water running through the rocks gave me great peace. I never felt such independence in my soul before.

1. According to the first paragraph, we can know that________.

A. the author took a cold attitude towards her mother

B. the author had an argument with her mother

C. the author preferred to live in the mountains

D. the author’s mother was worried about her safety

2.How did the author find the trip to her friend’s house?

A. Interesting and impressive.

B. Interesting and comfortable.

C. Easy and exciting.

D. Rough but very exciting.

3.The purpose of the trip for the author is to________.

A. enjoy the quiet and beautiful nature

B. continue her search for special things

C. give herself a chance to think alone

D. go hiking in the mountains with her friend

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Her close friend.

B. The peaceful life.

C. A favorite trip.

D. The distant village.

The Christmas season is often considered the season of giving. Many of us spend a lot of effort and money in an attempt to give our friends and loved ones the best possible gift. But what is the best gift you could possibly give?

Imagine that your bank gave you an account with $86,400 every morning of every day. You could use this amount of money for anything you want. But at the end of every day, the bank tells you that money in the account can only be used within that day. How would you choose to spend this money?

This is the attitude we should take towards the time. Time can never get back. It is the only resource that no one can get more than another person.

Around the holiday season, we find ourselves very busy. It is a point in the year where how you spend your time is crucial. Spending this valuable time to help another human being in need is one of the greatest gifts we can give. We never know when even giving a short amount of time to help or listen to a stranger, could make the rest of their day much more pleasant.

However, the saying that money is time is one of the truest statements ever made. By the act of donating money to a non profit organization which helps — for example, you are allowing that single mother to spend more time looking after her children, instead of being forced to spend time looking for a temporary second job. By donating some money, you have helped someone else use their time for a better cause.

One organization I personally would encourage you to consider spending your time and/or money would be Eva Initiatives, an organization created for the homeless. I have volunteered there twice. It was a very positive experience, and being able to learn more about who lived there really gave me a perspective on the real struggles of the people around us.

1.What is the function of the first paragraph?

A. To imply choosing the proper gifts for others.

B. To introduce the theme of the passage.

C. To arouse attention from the readers.

D. To show giving gifts is a common practice.

2.What can we conclude from the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs?

A. Lost time never returns.

B. Time is sure to tell the truth.

C. Time tries friends as fire tries gold.

D. Time can create great wonders.

3.What do you think of the author in the passage?

A. Warm-hearted.

B. Responsible.

C. Encouraging.

D. Strong-minded.