In Canada and the United States, there is a new group of children called “satellite kids”, who live in one place but whose parents live in another place.
Asians are immigrating to Canada and the United States in larger numbers than ever before. Most Asians immigrate because they believe that they can give their children a better education in the West. In Asia, especially in China, Japan, and Korea, it is difficult to go to university. Students must first pass the strict national examination. However, in Canada and the United States, it is easy to go to university and anyone who wants to go can go. As a result, Asian parents decide to leave their countries so that their children can go to university.
The problem is that when Asians arrive, they discover that finding a job and making money are more difficult in the West than in the East. Also, they find that they are very lonely, and that they miss their homes. Because of these two reasons, most Asian parents decide to go back to work while their children study in the West. Therefore, these children become “satellite kids”, and most of their parents do not know how sad it is to be a “satellite kid”.
Only until now are Canadians and Americans discovering the “satellite kid” problem. Because these children do not speak English and because their parents are not there to take care of them, they are often absent from school. To be a “satellite kid” means to grow up in a country where you know you are different and where you cannot make friends because you do not speak English well. Also, it means to grow up lonely, because your parents are elsewhere. What these “satellite kids” will probably say to their parents is that it’s better to have parents around than to have a university education.
小題1:Some Asian parents send their kids abroad because _______.

A．a(chǎn)ll foreign universities are better than the ones in their own countries

B．they hope their children may easily find a job there

C．the kids may not be accepted by universities in their own countries

D．the kids want to improve their English and make foreign friends

小題2:“Satellite kids” refer to Asian kids ________.

A．with university education	B．speaking no English
C．without parents	D．living abroad alone

小題3:What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Parents want better education for their kids.

B．Kids in foreign countries alone are badly in need of care from family.

C．Parents feel lonely and miss their families.

D．Canadians and Americans begin to notice the “satellite kids” problem.

First Lady Michelle Obama is a big fan of volunteering. Volunteering means working for free to help someone else. Mrs. Obama says volunteering is very important. “It should be part of everyone’s life, ” she says.
Many teens agree. They say that helping others feels great and makes a difference. These days, more teens volunteer than work for pay. Teens clean up parks, walk dogs at animal shelters , visit the elderly and more.
Some cities ---- including Seatle, Chicago, and Washingtong,D.C. ----require high school students to volunteer. Students must volunteer in order to graduate. The student volunteers learn new skills and help their communities (社區(qū)).
Many parents are in favor of the idea ---- they say volunteering helps teens build job skills. But most teens don’t want to be forced to volunteer. They say they are busy. And they say volunteering is only fun if it’s a choice.
Read both sides of the debate (辯論) and decide.
YES
● Volunteering can help teens get into college or get a job.
● Many cities and towns need help. Volunteers can help keep important programs going.
● Not all teens will volunteer if it isn’t required. Schools should repuire students to do all they can to get ready for adult life.
NO
● Most teens are already very busy with classes, homework, jobs and sports. Forcing them to do more isn’t fair.
● It should be up to each person. Helping out doesn’t feel as good if you have to do it.
● Finding a volunteer job isn’t always easy. Students shouldn’t be kept from graduating because of something they can’t control.
小題1:The writer mentions Michelle Obama in order to        ,

A．introduce the topic of the text

B．explain what volunteering is

C．tell what she does for the US

D．show she enjoys volunteering

小題2:According to the text, in Chicago,          .

A．finding a volunteer job is quite easy

B．more people would rather work for pay

C．volunteering is a must for high school students

D．college students have to volunteer before graduation

小題3:The underlined part “are in favor of “ in the text means”        .

A．drop

B．develop

C．catch

D．like

小題4:Which question does the text mainly discuss?

A．Is volunteering good for students?

B．What is the best time to volunteer?

C．Should students be required to volunteer?

D．Which volunteer jobs should students do?

Tired of all the pushing in supermarkets? Fed up with waiting in endless lines to pay for what you have bought? Angry at wasting time in traffic jams only to find no parking spaces when you eventually arrive at the store? If this is you, then online shopping is the answer to your dreams of trouble-free shopping.
Online shopping brings its own challenges. Here are a few things to bear in mind when browsing (瀏覽) various websites. The claim (聲稱) made by online sites is that shopping online is a safe and secure way to make purchases. The evidence challenges this. In any case, you only have to be the victim(受害者) of fraud (欺騙) once to experience all the problems that come with this form of stealing. Use only sites that have a trusted history and an excellent reputation(名聲).
Another problem is that the appearance of items in reality is often quite different from what you see on your computer screen. This might not be a problem if you are buying washing up powder but could be a major disappointment when that beautiful blue dress you ordered turns up in green. Also, product descriptions are sometimes simply untrue! Perhaps the wisest plan is to purchase items whose design and color are not essential to customer satisfaction.
Some even argue that online shopping indirectly contributes to global warming. Yes, your car can stay parked but how are online goods delivered? Often by some large van pouring out carbon monoxide and adding to our already desperate traffic problems. You are also by now becoming increasingly irritated(使煩惱) by the fact that the delivery is late !
Without question, online shopping is here to stay and it has its benefits. However, perhaps it is not as wonderful as some of its supporters claim it to be.
小題1:How can online shoppers avoid fraud?

A．By choosing big websites.

B．By collecting shopping evidence.

C．By seeking advice from the police.

D．By using only trusted websites.

小題2:What does the author tell us about online shopping in Paragraph 3?

A．Don’t believe product descriptions easily.

B．Product appearances are always not good.

C．It is usually wise to buy colorful products.

D．It is normal for a blue dress to change into green.

小題3:The author agrees with the fact that        .

A．online shopping is a safe way to make purchases

B．customers are never satisfied with products

C．online shopping has nothing to do with global warming

D．delivery delay often makes online shoppers unhappy

小題4:What is the author’s attitude towards online shopping?

A．It is very popular.

B．It is a wise choice.

C．It is a double-edged sword(雙刃劍).

D．It is a waste of time.

Women, as all research suggests, are far more critical of their appearance than men. Most of them are likely to feel dissatisfied with their reflection in the mirror.
It is quite possible that men looking in the mirror are either pleased with what they see or indifferent. Research shows that men generally have a much more positive body-image than women---if anything, they may tend to over-estimate their attractiveness. Some men looking in the mirror may literally not see the flaws in their appearance.
Why are women so much more self-critical than men? Because women are judged more on their appearance than men, and standards of female beauty are considerably higher and more inflexible. Women are continually bombarded (轟炸) with images of the “ideal” face. And constant exposure to idealized images of female beauty on TV, magazines and billboards makes exceptional good looks seem normal and anything short of perfection seem abnormal and ugly.  It has been estimated that young women now see more images of outstandingly beautiful women in one day than our mothers saw throughout their entire adolescence.
Also, most women trying to achieve the impossible standards of female beauty have in fact become progressively more unrealistic during the last century. In 1917, the physically perfect woman was about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed nearly 10 stone. Even 25 years ago, top models and beauty queens weighed only 8% less than the average women, now they weigh 23% less. The current media ideal for women is achievable by less than 5% of the female population---and that’s just in terms of weight and size. If you want the ideal shape, face etc., it’s probably more like 1%.
小題1:The passage is mainly to _____________.

A．compare different views on beauty between women and men

B．tell us that standards of female beauty are very high

C．explain why women are more critical of their appearance than men

D．show us that women pay more attention to their appearance than men

小題2:Which of the following is NOT the reason why women are more critical of their appearance?

A．People pay more attention to their appearance than men’s.

B．The criterion (標準；準則) used to judge women’s beauty is more critical and less changeable.

C．Idealized images of female beauty are constantly shown in different media.

D．Women tend to pursue perfection by nature.

小題3:Which statement is true about men?

A．Few men will feel pleased when they are looking themselves in the mirror.

B．Men looking in the mirror usually ignore the flaws in their appearance.

C．It is likely that men will consider themselves more attractive than they really are.

D．Men don’t care about their body image.

小題4:Nowadays, if an average woman weighs 110 pounds, then a physically perfect woman should weigh about _________.

A．85 pounds

B．101 pounds

C．90 pounds

D．135 pounds

小題5:What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Most women try to achieve the standards of beauty.

B．The standards of female beauty. in the past were more easily achieved than today.

C．Women are more unrealistic in their pursuit of beauty than men.

D．Less than 5% of the female population can achieve the current media ideal for women.

The porter brings your bags to your room and helpfully explains all you want to know. Then he points to the phone and says, “If there's anything else you need, just call.” All this time you have been thinking one thing, “How much should I tip(付小費) him?” To make your next trip a little easier, here's a guide to tipping across some Asian countries.
Bangkok
In general, the more Westernized the place is, the more likely you will be expected to leave a tip. Some top-end restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill. If not, waiters will appreciate you tacking on(附加) the 10% yourself. However, if you're eating at a lower-end(低檔的) restaurant a tip is not necessary. If you're staying at one of Bangkok's many five-star hotels, expect to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht(泰國貨幣單位), depending on how many bags you have. Taxis are now metered in Bangkok. Local custom is to round the fare(車費) up to the nearest five baht.
Hong Kong
Tipping is customary in this money-mad metropolis(大都市). Most restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill, but the extra money often ends up in the pocket of the owner. If the service is good, add another 10% to the bill, up to HK $100 in an especially nice restaurant. For HK $10 hotel porters should do it at all but the nicest hotels where a new HK $20 bill may be more acceptable. When in a taxi, round up(湊整數(shù)) to the nearest dollar.
Kuala Lumpur
Tipping in Malaysia is limited to the expensive Westernized hotels, which often add a 10% service charge to your meal or hotel room. If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10% service charge. But at local restaurants, there's no need to add a tip. At five-star hotels, one or two ringgit(馬來西亞貨幣單位) will content a porter. At lower-end buildings don't feel you have to tip. Like Bangkok, many taxis are now metered so you can just round up to the nearest ringgit.
Seoul
Tipping is not part of Korean culture, although it has become a matter of course in international hotels where a 10% service charge is often added. If you're at a Korean barbecue joint(燒烤處), there's no need to add anything extra. But a nice Italian restaurant may require a 10% contribution. If you're at a top-end hotel, so expect to pay 500～1 000 won per bag. Taxi drivers don't accept a tip. Keep the change for yourself.
小題1:In which of the following cities is it unnecessary to tip the taxi-drivers?

A．Bangkok.

B．Hong Kong.

C．Seoul..

D．Kuala Lumpur

小題2:Which of the following is NOT the unit of money?

A．Baht

B．Charge.

C．Won.

D．Ringgit.

小題3:From the text, we can infer tipping comes from _______.

A．the west

B．Hong Kong

C．Asian countries

D．Bangkok

小題4:If you stay at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, how much will you pay the porter at least?

A．one ringgit.

B．10% of service charge

C．half a ringgit.

D．two ringgit.

小題5:The writer seems _______.

A．to give the readers some advice on how to tip	B．to tell the readers how to travel
C．to ask the readers to go on a travel to Asian cities	D．to make the trip more pleasant

When you’re a preteen, a huge problem might be that you just have to have a new rock-rap CD,   1 your parents won’t give you the money for it. I thought life was so  2 when things like this happened-----until September 11, 2001.
I was in P.E. when the planes hit the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. As soon as I got home and for weeks before, I saw the disaster  3 on TV. Seeing the innocent people running for their 4 as the debris(瓦礫) started coming down the fire and smoke rose out of the  5 brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t help imagining what the people on the   6 and in the buildings were thinking and going through, not  7 what was going on. I admired the courage of the firefighters who rushed in and risked their own lives to   8 others. It tore my heart apart to watch the  9 looks on the faces of so many people who didn’t know if their loved ones were dead or alive while  10 in all the debris.
Then it  11 me: All my life I had thought mainly of myself. I had it easy in life and had been taking it all for granted.
A feeling of coldness  12 down my back, and I cried just thinking of the possibility that it could have easily  13 to my family. My mom or dad could have been killed like that, and I would never, ever see them again. I began to evaluate what a real  14 in life was.
This disaster  15 me that awful things can happen to anyone at any time. Now when my mom or dad or sister go somewhere, even if it’s just  16 the store, I try to remember to tell them that I love them because I know there is a   17 that I may never tell them that   18 .
Not getting a new CD is not going to   19 my life. I can live with those kinds of problems. But losing someone I love would  20 make my life miserable.
9/11 showed me just what I am.          

小題1:	A．or B．so C．but D．for

小題2:	A．unfair B．uncomfortable C．unbelievable D．uncertain

小題3:	A．happen B．occur C．strike D．unfold

小題4:	A．lives B．families C．houses D．friends

小題5:	A．curtains B．buildings C．gates D．bedrooms

小題6:	A．seats B．planes C．corners D．streets

小題7:	A．believing B．thinking C．caring D．knowing

小題8:	A．join B．save C．meet D．calm

小題9:	A．puzzled B．severe C．dirty D．desperate

小題10:

A．hidden B．found C．trapped D．placed

小題11:

A．hit B．surprised C．rewarded D．told

小題12:

A．cooled B．dropped C．ran D．passed

小題13:

A．happened B．compared C．related D．turned

小題14:

A．relationship B．problem C．need D．fate

小題15:

A．persuaded B．reminded C．taught D．informed

小題16:

A．to B．in C．a(chǎn)t D．on

小題17:

A．story B．doubt C．chance D．plan

小題18:

A．ever B．once C．enough D．a(chǎn)gain

小題19:

A．end B．save C．spare D．break

小題20:

A．rather B．truly C．probably D．frequently

Today is National Bike-to-Work Day. And on New York City’s jammed streets, people are cycling on hundreds of miles of new bike lanes. But New York’s widespread efforts to make streets safer for bikes have also left some locals complaining about the loss of parking spots and lanes for cars.
When the weather is good, Aaron Naparstek likes to pedal（用踏板踩）his two young kids to school on a special Dutch-made bicycle. Naparstek supports the new lane.
Aaron: The bike lane on Prospect Park West is really introducing a lot of new people to the idea that it’s possible to use a bike in New York City for transportation or to travel around. This is what 21^st century New York City looks like.
Prospect Park West is still a one-way road, but where it used to have three lanes of car traffic, now it has two, plus a protected bike lane. Supporters say that makes the road safer for everyone, including pedestrians, by slowing down cars and taking bikes off the sidewalk. But some longtime residents disagree. Lois Carswell is president of a group called Seniors for Safety. She says the two-way bike lane is dangerous to older residents who are used to one-way traffic.
Lois: We wanted a lane — the right kind of lane that would keep everybody safe, that would keep the bikers safe. But we want it to be done the right way. And it has not been done the right way.
Craig Palmer builds bars and restaurants in Manhattan. I was interviewing him for a different story when he brought up the bike lanes all on his own.
Craig: I think the biggest problem is that Bloomberg put all these bike lanes in. You took what used to be a full street and you’re shrinking it.
Then there are the Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who forced the city to remove a bike lane through their neighborhood. But polls show that the majority of New Yorkers support bike lanes by a margin of 56% to 39%. Bicycle advocate Caroline Samponaro of Transportation Alternatives calls that a mandate.
Caroline: If this was an election, we would have already had our victory. The public has spoken and they keep speaking. And I think, more importantly, the public is starting to vote with their pedals.
小題1:What does Aaron mean by saying “This is what 21^st century New York City looks like.”? 

A．There are hundreds of miles of new bike lanes in 21 st century New York City.

B．Drivers slow down their cars and bikes are taken off the sidewalk in New York.

C．Bikes are used as a means of transport in 21 st century New York City.

D．It’s possible to make the streets safe for pedestrians in New York.

小題2:According to the passage, which of the following CANNOT support the opponents of these new bike lanes?   

A．Drivers lose parking spots and lanes for cars.

B．The two-way bike lane is dangerous to older residents.

C．We took what used to be a full street so the road is broader than before.

D．The removal of one bike lane through a neighbourhood in Brooklyn was not supported by the majority of New Yorkers.

小題3:“A mandate” in Paragraph 8 was referred to a demand or command from ______.

A．the authority

B．the public

C．the supporters

D．the government

小題4:What of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．Ride on National Bike-to-Work Day	B．A New Bike Lane Appears in New York
C．A Bike Lane Divides New Yorkers	D．Who Wins an Election

Have you thanked your grandma today? You might want to consider it. A recent study found that kids live longer when a grandmother takes part in their daily lives.
Most animals die soon after their childbearing years are over. Women, however, often live for many years after they stop having kids.
　To try to understand why, researchers from Finland looked at birth and death records of two communities from the 18th and 19th centuries, one in Finland and one in Canada. In these communities, 537 Finnish women and 3,290 Canadian women were grandmothers who had lived past the age of 50.
For every decade they lived beyond 50, the researchers found that the women ended up with an average of two extra grandkids. It didn’t matter what the differences in health or living conditions were between the two communities or from family to family.
Grandchildren were also more likely to live into adulthood if their grandmothers were alive when they were born. If their grandmothers were younger than 60 at the time, that was even better. The study also found that women had children 2 to 3 years earlier if their own mothers were still alive at that time than those whose mothers had died.
The researchers suggested that grandmothers have provided important assistance in raising their grandchildren for at least the past 200,000 years. As a result, they helped extend everyone’s lifespan.
So, don’t take your grandma for granted!
小題1:How many women in the survey in the two communities were grandmothers who had lived past the age of 50?

A．537.

B．3,290.

C．3,827.

D．2,753.

小題2:According to the passage, what influence did it have on a woman if her mother was still alive?

A．She was also more likely to live into adulthood.

B．She had children 2 to 3 years earlier.

C．She ended up with an average of two extra grandkids.

D．It had no influence on her.

小題3:How did grandmothers help extend everyone’s lifespan?

A．They provided them with better living conditions.

B．They provided assistance in raising their grandchildren.

C．They helped with housework.

D．They made everyone happy.

小題4:According to the passage, we don’t know that _______.

A．kids live longer when grandmothers take part in their daily lives

B．most animals die soon after their childbearing years are over

C．women often live for many years after they stop having kids

D．grandchildren are less likely to live into adulthood if their grandmothers are alive

Have you felt annoyed when a cellphone rings during the class? Something must be done to stop this．Now in New York City, USA，a rule is carried out in schools．Students can’t even bring cellphones to schoo1．Is it a good thing or not?
Anxious parents say that cellphones are an important tool in holding New York city’s families together．
“I worry about it，” said Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, a mother of a middle school kid． It’s necessary in our everyday life．We have a washing machine. We have running water, and We have cellphones．”
Many American parents think cellphones connect them to their children on buses，getting out from subways, walking through unknown places．
“I have her call me when she gets out of school，”said Lindsay Walt, a schoolgirl’s mother． “No one in New York is going to let their child go to school without a cellphone”
What about the cellphone owners, the students? Most of the students said cellphones were essential and the cellphone was like all extra(額外的)hand or foot for them．
“I feel so empty，”said May Chom，1 4．There is also no way to listen to music on the way to school without my phone．It will be a really, really boring trip．”
小題1:You can use a cellphone___________．

A．to enjoy listening to music

B．to work as running water

C．to work as a washing machine

D．to send children to school

小題2:Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A． Many American parents don’t think cellphones are necessary for the students．

B．Cellphones only bring troubles to the school life．

C． Cellphones connect children with their families when they are outside．

D． All the school children agreed not to use cellphones at school.

小題3:What does the underlined word “essential” mean in Chinese?

A．時髦的．

B．必要的．

C．昂貴的．

D．浪費的

小題4:The article is about the____ in carrying out the rule not to use a cellphone in schoo1．

A．happiness

B．interest

C．problem

D．satisfaction

From the health point of view we are living in an amazing age．We are free from many of the most dangerous diseases．A large number of once deadly illnesses can now be cured by modem medicine．It is almost certain that one day medicines will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases, The expectation of life has increased greatly．But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of men, women and children on the roads．Man vs the motor-cart,It is a never-ending battle which man is losing．Thousands of people over the world are killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen．
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel （方向盤）, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become crazy when they are behind a steering-wheel .They are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year-olds and completely selfish．All their hidden angers and disappointments seem to be brought to die surface by the act of driving．
The surprising thing is that society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience.Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable(不宜居住的） because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is ruined by road networks; and the deaths become nothing more than a number every year, to be easily forgotten．
It is high time that a world rule was created to reduce this senseless waste of human life．With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are unbelievably lax（不嚴格）and even the strictest are not strict enough．A rule which was universally accepted could only have an obviously beneficial effect on the accident rate．Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done．The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through strict tests for safety each year．Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can damage a person's driving ability．Present drinking and driving laws should be revised much stricter．Speed limits should be required on all roads．Governments should lay down safety directions for car factories, as has been done in the USA．All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned．These measures may not sound good enough．But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the number of deaths．After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars．
小題1:What is the main idea of this passage?

A．Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists．

B．Thousands of people are killed each year．

C．The laws of some countries about driving are too lax．

D．Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents．

小題2:What does the author think of society towards motorists?

A．Society laughs at the motorists．

B．Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns．

C．Victims of accidents are nothing．

D．Society easily forgives their rude driving．

小題3:What does the author mean by saying " his car becomes the extension of his personality" in paragraph 2?

A．Driving can show his hidden qualities．

B．Driving can show the other part of his personality．

C．Driving can bring out his character．

D．Driving can represent his manners．

小題4:Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?

A．Build more highways．

B．Stricter driving tests．

C．Test drivers every three years．

D．Raise age limit and make safety specifications．

小題5:The author's attitude towards the traffic situation is ______．

A．positive

B．unsatisfied

C．promising

D．unclear