Passage 5 (2015 浙江杭州，C) 

       Are you shy? If you are,you are not alone.In fact,close to 50 percent of people are shy. Almost 80 percent of people feel shy at some point in their lives.These days,shyness is becoming more and more common.Now,scientists are tiying to understand shyness.They have some interesting ideas about why people are shy.

     Is it possible to be born shy? Many scientists say yes.They say 15 to 20  percent of babies behave shyly.These babies are a little qui?eter and more watchful than other babies.Interestingly,these shy ba?bies usually have shy parents. As a result,scientists think that some shyness is genetic.

     Family size might cause people to be shy as well. Scientists at Harvard University studied shy children.They found that 66 percent of them had older brothers and sisters. The scientists said that these children were often bullied (欺侮) by their older brothers and sislers. As a result,they became shy. At the same time,children with no brothers and sisters may be shy as well.Growing up alone,they often play by themselves. They are not able to learn the same social skills as children from big families.

     You may also be shy because of where you were bom. When scientists studied shyness in different countries,they found surprising differences.InJapan,most people said they were shy.But inIsrael,only one of three people said so. What explains the difference? One scientist says the Japanese and Israelis have different opinions of fail?ure. InJapan,when people do not succeed,they feel bad about them?selves.They blame ( 責(zé)備) themselves for their failure. InIsrael,the opposite is true.Israelis often blame failure on outside reasons,such as family,teachers,friends,or bad luck.InIsrael,freedom of opinion and risk-taking are strongly supported.This may be why Israelis worry less about failure and are less shy.

      For shy people,it can be difficult to make friends,speak in class,and even get a good job. But scientists say you can get over your shyness.They suggest trying new things and practicing conversa?tion. And don't forget—if you are shy,you are not the only one.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

   A. Happiness. B. Shyness.

   C. Kindness. D. Loneliness.

2. What does the underlined word “genetic” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

  A. Passed down from parents.

  B. Learned from friends.

  C. Taught by teachers.

  D. Made up by brothers.

3. What can be learned from the passage?

  A. Most little babies are horn shy and quiet.

  B. If you are shy now,you will be shy forever.

  C. Many shy children have older brothers and sisters.

  D. Most Israeli people are shy of expressing opinions.

4. We can learn from the passage that may cause shyness.

  A. genetics,grown-ups and birthplace

  B. genetics,family size and birthplace

  C. family size,grown-ups and failure

  D. genetics,family size and freedom 

5. Scientists suggest that shy people can get over their shyness by .

  A. blaming their failure on outside reasons

  B. trying new things and practicing conversation

  C. getting themselves away from their shy parents

  D. trying to understand reasons for their shyness 

6. Which of the following shows the structure (結(jié)構(gòu)) of the passage? (P = Paragraph)

  A.    B.

  C.   D.

Passage 4(2015 內(nèi)蒙古包頭，C) 

       In English,people use many expressions with the word dog.People inBritainandAmericalove their dogs and treat them well. They take their dogs for walks,let them play outside and give them good food and medical care.However,dogs without owners to care for them lead a dif?ferent kind of life.The expression,to lead a dog’s life,means living an unhappy life.

      Some people say we live in a dog-eat-dog world. Thaimeans many people are competing for the same thing,like good jobs.They say that to be successful,a person has to work very hard;to put it in another way,he has to work like a dog.Such work can make people dog-tired. And ihe situation will be even worse if they become sick as a dog.

      Sometimes we should let a sleeping dog lie, which means we’d better not trouble a person who is likely to cause problems. And if someone says you’ve a lucky dog,heis just saying you’re very lucky.

      Very often,people say every dog has its day.This means that every person enjoys a successful period during his or her life. To a- chieve one^ goal,people often have to learn new skills.Yet some peo?ple say thal you can never teach an old dog new tricks.They believe that older people do not like to learn new things and will not change the way they do things.

      Dog expressions are also used to describe the weather.The dog days of summerare the hottest clays of the year. A rainstorm may cool the weather.But we do not want it to rain too hard.In other words,we do not want it to rain cats and dogs.

1. What does the passage mainly talk about?

   A. How to live with dogs. B. Expressions about dogs.

   C. People's love for dogs. D. Ways to train dogs.

2. According to what you have read above,working too hard can make people  .

   A. let a sleeping dog lie   B. become a lucky dog

   C. live in a dog-eat-dog world   D. work like a dog 3. What can we learn from the passage?

  A. It may be difficult for the young to learn new skills.

  B. Dogs play an important part in language and culture.

  C. We can be successful if we learn from our own mistakes.

  D. Dogs like the hottest days in summer very much.

4. If we say a person lives a dog's life,he might be  .

  A. a student who does quite well in English

  B. a baby that is well taken care of by its mother

  C. a person who has endless work to do

  D. an old person who refuses to accept new things

3(2015 重慶，D) 

       When a computer works on a group of programs,it can get very hot.Cooling the computer can cost a lot. So some scientists wonder what would happen if the heat from the computer could be used.

        Large Internet companies (公司）such as Google and Microsoft have thousands of computers. As these computers deal with informa?tion,they produce lots of heat,so they need huge cooling systems ( 系統(tǒng)) .These systems send the heat into t.he air.

        A company in Holland (荷蘭) thinks paying to make the com?puters work and then paying again to cool them are a waste of energy. So the company developed a special device—the e-Radiator.

       Boaz Leupe,head of the company,says the e-Radiator works as a heating system and saves money. He explains that the energy is used twice—once to heat the home and once to cool the computer and that the users don't have to pay to cool their computers.

       Five homeowners in Holland are testing the heating system in their homes.

     “We pay for the computer using,so, in that way,homeowners get heating for free,^，? Boaz says.

Jan Visser is one of the homeowners.^” If you use the computer more,the e-Radiator produces more heat,” he says. “It cannot provide enough heat if you don't use your computer often." But he is ready to try it.It's a great help for his family.

       The company says e-Radiators produce heat temperatures of up to 55°Csays the system could save its users about $440 a year.

1. Before the e-Radiator appears,usually the heat of a computer  .

  A. is sent into the air 

  B. helps the five homeowners 

  C. is used twice 

  D. makes the computer work better 

2. The e-Radiator is mainly used  .

  A. to drive the computer

  B. to help Microsoft 

  C. to heat the computer 

  D. to provide heat

3. The Chinese meaning of the word 'device^， in this passage is prob?ably "

   A. 節(jié)能  B.實(shí)驗(yàn)   C. 儀器   D. 開關(guān)

4. The best title of the passage may be  

   A. An Environrnenl Problem   

    B. A New Way to Heat Homes   

    C. Tlie Future Computers   

    D. The Energy to Be Wasted

Passage 2( 2015 天津，C) 

     Vanuatu is an island nation in the South Pacific.lt 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 almost every day,some?times 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 it^’s 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I限運(yùn)動) . 

     Land Diving 

     Most people are familiar with bungee jumping,but do you know bungee jumping started on Pentecost Island inVanuatuand 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,is?land natives (men only) still take part in this amazing activity.

1. In Line 2 ,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 inVanuatu.

  D. It came loVanuatufrom 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 worUPs best volcano surfer and land diver.

      Do you enjoy visiting a museum? Did you ever make a plan before a visit? Every museum must have something that attracts you. And there are many possible ways to enjoy yourself in a museum.

      If you follow these steps below,you'll know what is worth seeing and doing,so thal you can make the most of your time at the museum.

      Decide viiiat museum you will visit. There are so many different kinds of museums and you first need to find one. that you like.Ifs easy for you to choose one and start an enjoyable visit!

      Do some research online. Every museum now has a website which allows you to look through the information about it. On the website,you may look for such things as：

•   The exhibits (展品) 一See what is on show at the museum at all times,and what special exhibitions are held for a short time.

•   The history of the museum—There will often be very interesting stories about the exhibits and the benefactors (捐贈者) . That can make your visit more interesting.

•      Activities—See whether there are talks,tours or special activi?ties on the day when you visit. Many museums hold some activities that meet the interests of all age groups.

•       Cost,food and storage—It's important to know how much the visit will cost. You have to decide whether or not you can eat there. You might also need to find out about transportation needs,as well as storage for coats,bags etc.

      Learn at least one thing on your visit. It is always good to take away something new from your visit.

     Plan breaks into your visit.When you walk around,standing here and studying exhibits there,you may become very tired.So it is important to take breaks.A break is a good opportunity for you to think of what you have seen and what else you might want to do in the museum.

      Take a friend or two. Visiting museums is always a lot more fun when you are with someone else. You can talk over what youVe seeing. A friend also brings another way of thinking when you talk a- bout the exhibits.

1.According to the passage,we should first  .

  A. do some research online 

  B. make a plan for lunch 

  C. decide on a museum to visit 

  D. choose a friend to go with 

2. To make our visit more interesting,we can  .

  A. organize activities like special shows and talks 

  B. read the stories about exhibits and benefactors 

  C. learn about the interests of all age groups 

  D. walk around the museum without breaks

3. If we visit a museum with friends,we can  .

  A. share the experience with them 

  B. come up with strange ideas 

  C. cut down the cost of the visit 

  D. discuss the next visit plan 

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

  A. What to do in a museum.

  B. When to visit a museum.

  C. Where to find a museum.

  D .How to enjoy a museum.

Passage 8(2012 鹽城，B) 

       Doing experiments can be interesting,and you may try the fol?lowing experiments at home. Make sure that you’ll do them with an adult.

1. How many experiments are there in the pictures?

   A. Six. B. Five. C. Three. D. Two.

2. The following are the instructions on how to do “ Step 2” in these experiments. Which one is the right order?

  a. Pour 3/4 of the water away.

  b. Put a balloon on the bottle.

  c. Put the bottle in a bucket of hot water.

  d. The air rises into the bal?loon.

   A. a,b ，c   B. a,c,b   C. b,a,c   D. c,a,b 3. What can you see in the bottle at last in Experiment A?

  A. Some ice.

  B. Some water.

  C. Some ice and water.

  D.A cloud and some water.

4. What will happen to the balloon in “Step 3” in Experiment C?

   A. It will be bigger. B. It will be broken.

   C. It won’t change.  D. It will be in the bottle.

Passage 9(2011 連云港，D)    

       Robots have come a long way since 15th century. We’ve got robots to build cars,carry heavy things,work in dangerous places and explore planets.But things haven’t stopped there.

       The world's first robot teacher is Saya.With her human-like face,she can show expressions like happiness,surprise,sadness,dislike,fear and she can even smile or show anger at students,which look much like a real teacher^.To do this,her rubber skin is pulled from the back with motors inside .And her eyes and moutli have wires (電線) too. She can also say some simple words like“ hello” or“ thank you 

      In the UK,the development of   robots is exciting.The mini-robots       will send food,clean floors,collect       and throw away waste.These robots can       open doors by themselves and stop if       anything or anyone is in the way.

      These mini-robots are very useful for controlling infection (傳染) .Usually clean and dirty work is done by the same person,but here,you’ll have robots that do “ dirty work ”，like collecting dirty sheets,or taking away hospital waste;and you’ll have robots that do“ clean work”，like bringing meals or clean sheets to patients. The robots have separate work so there no way for infection,which is great.But of course,ro?bots would not take the place of humans,but would free up more time for nurses to be with patients.

      But if this is what it's like in 2011,what's it going to be like in 2021?

1. In the following,which is ASIMO’s behavior?

   A. Smiling at people,saying“hello”.

   B. Sending food or opening doors by himself.

   C. Fighting,climbing or running fast.

   D. Collecting waste for patients.

2. What makes Saya look real?

   A. Her face and rich expressions.

   B. Her clothes and shoes.

   C. Her walking and running speed.

   D. Her rich knowledge.

3. Which of the following is tme according to the passage?

   A. Robots have come a long way since 1986.

   B. The first robot teacher was made by Honda.

    C. Saya looks like a small astronaut.

    D. lf anyone or anything is in the way,mini-robots will stop.

4. The main idea of Paragraph 5 is that   .

      A. nurses would have more free time with patients

     B. robots would not take the place of humans

     C. dirty and clean work is always done by the same person

     D.   mini-robots are useful for controlling infection

Passage 7 (2013 南京，C)

     “ My dear ladysays Holmes. “You’re shiv- ering. Are you cold? Do you want a cup of hot tea?"

     “ I'm not coldthe woman rep ies, “ I fear for my life!”

      ^“We are here to help you.Don^ worry about anything. I don't know you. But I know many things about you. For example,I know how you travel. You come to London by train. You also ride to the train station on a horse-drawn wagon (馬車) . ”

    “Why,yes.You’re right.But how do you know these things?”

     ^“I see a return ticket in your glove.I see fresh mud on the left arm of your dress.Now tell us your problem."

   “ My name is Helen Stoner”’ she states ,“ My mother and father are dead.I am living with my stepfather,Dr Grimesby Roylott.He comes from a rich family.But they are no longer rich.They have nothing except a small piece of land and a huge old house. We are living in the house. Dr Roylott is using my mother's money for expenses (開支) .Pari of il was for my sister and me.It was for our marriages."

     Holmes is sitting in his chair.His eyes are closed.He is listening carefully to Helen's story.He hears every detail.

     Helen continues.My stepfather has no friends. He fights with everyone. He is strong and gets angry quickly. Everyone is afraid of him."

     ^“He has no friends at all?”asks Holmes. 

      ^“No. He talks to no one except the Gypsies. They are poor people who travel from place to place. A band of Gypsies is staying on our land right now."

      ^“Are you and your sister afraid of the Gypsies?"

      ^“ My clear Mr. Holmes. You are making me so sad. My sister is dead.That is why I am standing here in this room."

1. Paragraph 6 beginning with My name is...” is mostly about  .

  A. Helen's dead sister

  B. Helen's trip to London

  C. the house Helen lives in

  D. Helen's stepfather and the family 

2. What is Holmes doing while Helen is telling her story?

   A. Walking slowly. B. Listening carefully.

   C. Standing sadly. D. Writing quickly.

3. Which of the following can best describe the Gypsies according to the passage?

  A. They are very rich.

  B. They are afraid of other people.

  C. They live on a horse-drawn wagon.

  D. Tliey move from one place to another.

4. The passage is probably from  .

   A. a novel   B. a guide

   C. a poem   D. an advertisement

Passage 6(2014 鎮(zhèn)江，A) 

       Some people say extreme (極限) sports are dangerous—and they’re probably right—but hey,if you’re not afraid of getting hurt,you might as well do it with style!It is reported that regular sports are not completely safer than extreme ones.Here is an introduction to three new extreme sports.

1. According to the passage,why is ostrich racing seriously strange?

 A. Because ostriches may bite and kick people.

 B. Because supporters have chances to ride ostriches.

 C. Because four or even ten ostriches are marching forward at a time.

 D. Because it has two homes,South Africa and Jacksonville,Florida,theUSA.

2. The following places are suitable for BASE jumping except .

   A. the Little Mermaid   B. Mount Fuji

   C. the Leaning Tower of Pisa   D. the Tower Bridge 

3. What is NOT the function of the bird man suit?

 A. It helps control flying speed.

 B. lt helps squirrels and bats fly.

 C. It helps people experience gliding through the air.

Passage 5 (2014 蘇州，A) 

      Chris Rock was bom in the state of South Carolina in the United States.When he was a child,his family moved,and he grew up in a poor area in Brooklyn,New York.

      As a teenager,Rock left high school and started telling jokes in comedy clubs in New York City.Even at age 18 ,Chris Rock was very funny.He told jokes about his family ( his parents were very strict) , and about growing up in Brooklyn in the 1980s. Many of his jokes were also about high school,which Hock says was terrible.

     Famous comedians (備劇演員) went to see Rock's performances.One comedian ( Eddie Murphy) helped him get work on television and in the movies.Chris Rock still acts in movies,but he does not want to be a serious actor. For him,comedy is more important.lt makes people laugh,but it can also make people think.

    Today ,Chris Rock still does live comedy shows around the world.He also created a TV show called ^uEverybody Hates Chris^”.Tt is about his teenage years growing up and going to school in Brooklyn.In 2006,it was considered as one of the best comedy shows on American television.

1. What is this passage mainly about?

  A. How to tell a good joke.

  B. Where the best comedy clubs are.

  C. One comedian's life.

  D. The funniest people in theUnited States.

2. Chris Rock tells a lot of jokes about  .

   A. South Carolina   B. Brooklyn

   C. Los Angeles   D. Texas Which sentence about 

3. Chris Rock is true?

  A. As a teenager,he was not funny.

  B. He started working in clubs after he graduated from college.

  C. He loved going to high school.

  D. A famous comedian helped him get work on TV and in the mov?ies.

4. Today,what does Chris Rock say is the most important?

   A. Being a serious actor. B. Making people laugh.

   C. Helping teenagers. D. Having his own club.