The candidate who is longing for election to the highest office in the United States must be native-born American citizen who is at least 35 years old and who has lived in the United States for at least 14 years. The election course is complicated, and the road to the Oval Office is long.
Potential candidates must present papers stating their intention to seek their party’s recommendation; delegates(代表) then choose from among those running some months later at the national conferences. Before that, however, each state holds a primary election that determines how the state’s voters want the party’s delegates to vote. Methods of choosing the delegates vary from state to state. At the conferences, there are speeches and often heated discussions. It may take several rounds of voting before delegates can agree on a candidate. On the final day of the meeting, the presidential candidate announces his or her choice for vice president.
Election Day, by law, is the Tuesday that follows the first Monday in November. On this day, registered voters may cast their votes for president, vice president, and candidates for other federal state, and local offices. The popular vote, however, does not determine who will be president. The president is chosen by a vote of the Electoral College, a group of 538 citizens from the 50 states and the District of Columbia who are chosen to cast votes for the president and vice president.
The rules for choosing electors, as with the delegates, vary. Each state also decides whether its electoral votes must reflect the popular vote. The number of electors in each state is determined by the number of representatives and senators that a state sends to Congress and, therefore, may change every 10 years, depending on the results of the United States census (人口普查). The winner must get at least 270 of the electoral votes when the Electoral College meets in December of the election year. The election results are not official, however, until the following January, when Congress meets in a joint conference to count the electoral votes.
At the end of the road to the Oval Office is the swearing-in ceremony, at which the new or reelected president takes the oath of office on January 20.
小題1:Which of the following is not a requirement for candidates for the presidency of the USA?

A．Minimum age of thirty-five years old.

B．Native of the United States of America.

C．Bottom residency of fourteen years in the State

D．Previous experience in an elective office.

小題2:According to the passage, we can conclude that _______.
A. ways to select the delegates of each state are very much the same in the USA.
B. the candidate who wins the popular vote will be the winner of the election
C. the change of a state’s population barely has effects on the presidential election.
D. the presidents of the United States are theoretically picked by the citizens directly.
小題3:Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．The Various Ways of Presidential Election in the USA

B．The Qualifications for Being the President of the USA

C．The Process of the Election for the President of the USA

D．The Rules for Choosing Presidential Candidates in the USA

If you give employees the right to telework, be careful! The very technology that enables working from home could be   1  its value to your company. Although productivity may increase in the short term, working from home may prevent your teams from working   2 .
While remote workers may indeed be happier, more carefree and   3 , that doesn’t mean it’s good for their   4 . A company is more than just the work that needs to be done, plus the workers who are there to do it.
A healthy organization has a   5  that allows the sharing of values and ideas and the   6  
of competitive spirit that allows a company to be flexible and creative.
However, working from home can fail to motivate remote workers in the same way as a/an
  7  company environment. As a result, companies   8  — despite the increases in productivity and happiness that come with teleworking.
In work environments where co-workers socialize and have   9  lunchtime chats, some real learning gets done. A lot of information   10  takes place, which allows the very same workers to increase their   11  to the organization. There is something   12  about spending the time together, about sharing meals, about   13  ideas, and about asking.
Magical or not, the fact remains that teleworking generally doesn’t work well. As technological change   14  and marketplace pressures increase, companies need to become more flexible and creative, just to keep up.
Strange as it sounds, the very technology that made teleworking a real option is now requiring workers to remain in the   15 .

小題1:	A．testing B．destroying C．keeping D．a(chǎn)ssessing

小題2:	A．effectively B．normally C．formally D．separately

小題3:	A．a(chǎn)ttentive B．talkative C．productive D．sensitive

小題4:	A．workers B．companies C．health D．family

小題5:	A．leader B．rule C．party D．culture

小題6:	A．sense B．cost C．way D．lack

小題7:	A．independent B．different C．special D．shared

小題8:	A．develop B．survive C．suffer D．expand

小題9:	A．official B．regular C．required D．planned

小題10:

A．exchange B．technology C．gap D．search

小題11:

A．a(chǎn)vailability B．damage C．value D．disappointment

小題12:

A．reasonable B．magical C．psychological D．typical

小題13:

A．discussing B．changing C．welcoming D．selling

小題14:

A．varies B．differs C．a(chǎn)ccelerates D．stops

小題15:

A．place B．house C．distance D．office

Ever wonder how this season’s celebrations affect the environment? Guest blogger Krista Fairles takes an amusing look at this very topic:

The holidays are a wonderful, cheerful time when most people wait for Santa to bring them presents. But I’m not like most people. I spend my time wondering just what the environmental impacts of Santa Claus and his reindeer are, and more importantly, how I can calculate those impacts.
Lately I’ve been particularly curious as to whether Santa’s old sled is a clean green flying machine, or if he should be replacing his 8 reindeer with an environmentally-friendly car.
I should mention that, surprisingly, I was unable to find statistics specific to Santa’s magical flying reindeer, so these calculations use numbers from various sources and may not represent actual pollution caused by Santa and his animals. In other words, don’t complain to the government about the damage Santa is causing the environment based on this article.
Santa’s yearly trip around the globe is 44,000km long, twice the average of a North American driver. If we assume that the magic provides the altitude for this trip, then reindeer power only needs to push Santa’s sled forward. To complete the trip in 12 hours, I estimate they must travel at a speed of about 3100km/h. To travel at this speed, for this length of time, the reindeer need to eat an incredible 980 million calories each!!
So the next question is: how much food is in 980 million calories? Well, if they’re eating corn, they’d need to eat 16,500 lbs each — or 1.6 acres of food. Growing 12.8 acres of corn has its own implications for the environment that we’ll leave for another calculation.
We now need to consider that during the global trip the reindeer are “l(fā)etting out” some of that corn in the form of methane (甲烷，沼氣). A resting cow produces 110 kg of methane per year, so flying reindeer would each let out about 4.8 tons. With methane causing 20 times the global warming damage of CO₂, and the altitude increasing that damage by 1000% that another 20 times, we can put Santa’s round-trip emissions at 15,488 tons. This is much more than the 100 tons an environmentally-friendly car would release on the same trip!
Bad Santa.
小題1:Which aspect does the writer NOT include in her analyses about reindeer’s influence on environment?

A．Distance covered.	B．Calories consumed.
C．Tons of waste let out.	D．Money spent on food.

小題2: According to Paragraph 6, how many acres of corn would Santa need to feed 10 reindeer?

A．1.6.

B．16.

C．12.8.

D．128.

小題3:Which of the following statements would the writer most probably agree with?

A．Christmas celebrations are really a waste of money.

B．Vegetarians are more likely to survive than meat-eaters.

C．Raising animals has a negative influence on environment.

D．The car industry does less harm to environment than farming.

小題4:Which of the following words best describes the language style of the passage?

A．Humourous and concerned.	B．Cheerful and friendly.
C．Academic and formal.	D．Serious and boring.

小題5:Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．Is Santa driving clean and green?

B．Santa, watch where you’re going!

C．Santa Claus is coming to town!

D．Let’s reduce waste on Christmas celebrations!

In this day and age when we have a tendency to toss toys that are even slightly worn, it is tough to believe that there is a “hospital” where dolls can be repaired and brought back to their original glory. What is even more amazing is that such a place has existed for a century and is still going strong. Welcome to Sydney’s “original Doll Hospital” that celebrated its l00th birthday, on February 22^nd, 2013.
In 1913, a general store owner in Sydney began importing dolls. However, the rubber bands(橡皮圈) that held them together would often break. Luckily for him, his brother Harold Chapman Sr., was a good handyman and set aside a little “hospital” area in the store to repair the delicate toys. But when customers found out about this, they began bringing in their raggedy dolls, stuffed animals and even leather goods and umbrellas—starting what would become a family business for many generations.
In l930, Chapman’s son also, named Harold, relocated the doll hospital and expanded the business even further, by agreeing to repair anything that could be fixed, no matter how big or small. While business was robust, the real boom came in 1938 during World War Two. Faced with extreme restrictions, new dolls and toys became a rarity, and young girls and boys had no option, but to get their existing ones lovingly restored.
While it does not have as many employees today, the hospital that is run by his son Geoff  Chapman now sits in a spiffy location with a beautiful store-front that features everything a little girl could possibly wish for, from new to lovingly restored, to even extremely rare and valuable  dolls. Also in keeping with modern times and dolls, the doctors are now specialists—some focus on bringing back to life modern dolls, while others stick to antiques. And then there are also the soft toy experts and accessory repair experts.
Though it may not appear to be, the doctors say their jobs are very interesting given that no two dolls are the same or need the same repairs and that just like medical doctors they have no idea what obstacle they will have to face when they come to work each day. The one advantage? There are no emergency night calls to worry about!
小題1:We can learn from Paragraph 2 that __________.

A．people showed little interest in having their toys repaired at first

B．most of the toys that had broken were thrown away by Harold

C．stores in Sydney didn’t produce toys for kids at the beginning of 1900s

D．the toy repairing business came into being rather accidently

小題2: The underlined word “robust” in Paragraph 3 shows the family’s business __________.

A．was struggling hard	B．was greatly stricken
C．was developing very well	D．was enjoying its best time

小題3:What can we learn about people working in the toy repairing hospital?

A．They work in that hospital mainly because they love toys.

B．Most of them focus on repairing modern dolls for little kids.

C．They are not capable of repairing toys that are extremely rare.

D．There are different experts who specialize in different types of toys.

小題4:Which of the following words can describe the doctors’ work according to the last paragraph?

A．Simple.

B．Boring.

C．Worthless.

D．Challenging.

In America, Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort: brilliant beaches, a lively boardwalk, plenty of restaurants and nightspots, and amusement rides are sure to appeal to kids. Many believe Virginia Beach is at its best in the off-season, when the town is less crowded but the weather is still mild.
Meanwhile, some safety tips should be followed, enjoying the happiness and excitement the beach offers.
The number l safety tip concerns ocean safety: pay attention to Flag conditions posted on the lifeguard stands. Lifeguards post a red flag to warn when the ocean water is dangerous. Take them seriously! Tourists from land-locked regions are particularly easily attracted by the magic of the waves. However, a calm ocean can become risky without warning. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard. Swimming without lifeguard protection is almost five times as great as drowning at a beach with lifeguards.
Never swim alone. Many drownings involve single swimmers. When you swim with someone else, if one of you has a problem, the other may be able to get help, including signaling for assistance from others.
Don't fight the current. The facts show that some 80% of rescues by lifeguards at ocean beaches are caused by currents. These currents are formed by surf and gravity, because once surf pushes water up the slope of a beach, gravity pulls it back. This can create concentrated rivers of water moving offshore. If you are caught in a rip current, don't fight it by trying to swim directly to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax, then swim to shore. Most rip currents are narrow and a short swim parallel to shore will help bring you to safety.
小題1:When coming to Virginia Beach, children can enjoy the happiness of     .

A．walking on the road made of wood	B．joining the nightspots
C．having interesting rides	D．skiing in the sea

小題2:Many people believe the best time to visit Virginia Beach may be     .

A．a(chǎn)fter autumn school term beginning	B．in the slimmer vacation
C．during the Christmas holiday	D．in the cold winter

小題3:Swimming in the sea you'd better not swim     .

A．with a friend	B．within the sight of the lifeguard
C．with the current	D．a(chǎn)s far as you like

小題4:From the passage, we can know     .

A．one in five persons swimming in the sea is drowned

B．if one with lifeguard were drowning, five persons without lifeguard would be

C．some 80% people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards

D．some 20% drowning by the currents are rescued by life guards

小題5:The passage mainly tells us      .

A．some safety tips when swimming in the sea

B．the happiness and excitement the beach offers

C．Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort

D．the dangers for tourists from land-locked regions to swim in the sea

"Oh, you must have been a spoiled(寵壞的) kid. You must be really bossy. I wonder what you're going to be like to deal with?" That's often the response Angela Hult gets when people find out she's an only child, she told ABC News, Despite such negative(消極的) remarks, Hult has decided to have only one child herself. And she's not alone.
According to the US' Office for National Statistics, women approaching the end of their childbearing years had an average of l.9 children in 2004, compared with 3.1 for their counterparts in 1976. The percentage of one-child families in Britain had risen from 18 percent in 1972 to 26 percent in 2007.
But even though only children are becoming increasingly common, the traditional view that they're selfish, spoilt and lack social skills holds strong. Even parents of only children, like Hult, are made to feel guilty about having only one child. Worried that they're being selfish and endangering their child's future, they flock to online discussion forums seeking advice. Soon, however, they ask themselves: is this social prejudice really reasonable?
"There have been hundreds and hundreds of research studies that show that only children are no different from their peers(同齡人) ," Susan Newman, a social psychologist at Rutgers University in the US, told ABC News.
This raises another question: why are only children still viewed with such suspicion?
"There is a belief that's been around probably since humans first existed that to have just one child is somehow dangerous, both for you and for the continuation of your race," Toni Falbo, a professor of educational psychology, told the Guardian." In the past a lot of children died, You'd have had to be crazy to only have one. "
Times, of course, have changed and infant mortality(嬰兒死亡率) has largely reduced. So what do only children themselves say?
Kayley Kravitz, a blogger for The Huffington Post, grew up as an only child and highly recommends the experience. "Being an only child taught me the most valuable skill of all: the ability to be alone," she said.
小題1:Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．Are only children lonely?

B．Are only children common?

C．Are only children dangerous?

D．Are only children different?

小題2:What does Susan Newman mean?

A．Only children are as good as their peers.

B．Only children are more selfish and spoiled.

C．Parents feel guilty about having only one child.

D．Parents will endanger their only child's future.

小題3:What is the common belief since human existed?

A．The infant death rate always stays high.

B．People are crazy to have only one child.

C．It's easy for only children to earn their living.

D．It's hard to continue the family line with only one child.

小題4:An only child like Kayley _______.

A．must be difficult to persuade

B．can possibly learn to be alone

C．should value special skills

D．need ignore bad experience

小題5:What's the author's attitude towards having only one child?

A．Neutral.

B．Negative.

C．Positive.

D．Doubtful.

A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International. Baby Nargis was born at 07:25 local time (01:55GMT) in Mall village in India's Uttar Pradesh state. Plan International says Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born. In addition to baby Nargis in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies. The United Nations estimated that on Monday 31 October, the world's population would reach seven billion.
Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia. At the same time, low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages.
Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October 1999. They predict nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century. China's population of one and a third billion is currently the world's largest. India is second at 1.2 billion. But India is expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around 2025.
India will also have one of the world's youngest populations. Economists say this is a chance for a so-called demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth, although high, may not create enough jobs. Also, the public education system is failing to meet demand and schooling is often of poor quality. Another concern is health care. Nearly half of India's children under the age of five are malnourished(營養(yǎng)不良).
Michal Rutkowski, the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank, says reaching seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action. He says, “I think the bottom line of the story is that the public policy needs to become really, really serious about sex equality and about access to services—to fight against malnutrition, and to provide for access to health services, water and schooling.”
小題1:What is true about the world's seven billionth person?

A．Baby Nargis is not the only child chosen as the seven billionth baby.

B．Baby Nargis has been chosen carefully so it is exactly the seven billionth baby.

C．Three countries have all declared Baby Nargis as the seven billi011th baby.

D．The United Nations declared Baby Nargis as the world's seven billionth person.

小題2:Which of the following problems do many European countries worry about?

A．Labor shortage.	B．Poor health care.
C．Not enough jobs.	D．Schooling of poor quality.

小題3:According to population experts, how long will it take for population to grow from six billion to nine billion?

A．About 12 years.

B．About 40 years.

C．About 50 years.

D．About 110 years.

小題4:What does the underlined phrase “demographic dividend” in the fourth paragraph refer to?

A．Possibility of lower birth rate.

B．Benefit gained by working young people.

C．Chances for more employment.

D．Disadvantages caused by aging population.

小題5:Which of the following public policies does Michal Rutkowski call on?

A．To encourage late marriage.	B．To reduce world's population.
C．To gain economic equality.	D．To improve health and education.

Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship, some give protection, and some do hard work which man can not do for himself. Dogs , which serve man in all three capacities(能力), are found in various species in all countries of the world. The    Husky can live in the cold polar regions,and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa.The inhabitants (居民)of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous, places, is a familiar sight.
Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as  long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require.
All domestic animals need proper food .It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps(剩飯), and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.
Even well-cared-for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free of at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health.
小題1:What main idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?

A．There exists thousands of species of animals in the world.

B．Man came to establish a close relationship with a number of animals.

C．In some regions a donkey seems to be a very useful beast.

D．An animal will be useless unless domesticated.

小題2:When an animal doesn’t get enough food, it will probably    

A．refuse to obey its master	B．immediately fall ill
C．require its master to offer some food	D．seek for food on its own

小題3:Which of the following is NOT true of dogs according to the passage?

A．They can act as friends, guards ,and servants to man.

B．They have great adaptation for the environment.

C．There live a great variety of species of dogs on the globe.

D．The Husky and the Saluki are the strongest species ever known in the world

小題4:To keep a domestic animal physically fit, its owner is advised    

A．not to hesitate to spend enormous amount of money on it

B．to pay attention to its proper feeding

C．not to allow it to take excessive amounts of exercise

D．to join some sort of pet-keeping organizations

小題5:Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A．Domesticated Animals-Man’s Best Friends	B．Proper Diet- the Road to Health
C．The Advantages of Raising Domestic Animals	D．Some Tips on Pet- keeping

Nowadays more and more Chinese teenagers find life more difficult without their parents. They don’t know how to do       . Because their parents do almost __   for them at home . This is a big __ __.
Joy is 14 years old. One day her __ __ went away       business, so she had to stay at __ __alone. At first she thought she would be happy       her parents were not in. She could do everything      she liked. But it was six o’clock in the afternoon, she felt    . “Oh, it’s time to have __ __. Where can I get my __ _?” she said to _ __. Later she found some food in the fridge, but she       know how to cook. At that moment, she missed her       very much. At last she could only go to the supermarket and       some food to __ __.
Many__ _ are      as Joy. So I think they should learn some basic _ _ skills, like cooking, tidying up their rooms or dressing themselves      . They shouldn’t depend too much on their parents.

小題1:	A．homework B．housework C．business D．some shopping

小題2:	A．nothing B．something C．everything D．some

小題3:	A．question B．quarrel C．fight D．problem

小題4:	A．parents B．uncle C．a(chǎn)unt D．brother

小題5:	A．in B．a(chǎn)t C．with D．on

小題6:	A．school B．church C．hospital D．home

小題7:	A．because B．so C．but D．until

小題8:	A．when B．who C．where D．that

小題9:	A．full B．hungry C．excited D．bored

小題10:

A．supper B．breakfast C．lunch D．brunch

小題11:

A．book B．orange C．drink D．food

小題12:

A．herself B．himself C．myself D．themselves

小題13:

A．couldn’t B．didn’t C．might not D．wouldn’t

小題14:

A．cousin B．a(chǎn)unt C．parents D．brother

小題15:

A．made B．gave C．bought D．saw

小題16:

A．drink B．eat C．make D．give

小題17:

A．men B．women C．a(chǎn)dults D．teenagers

小題18:

A．the same B．difficult C．different D．warm-hearted

小題19:

A．school B．study C．life D．play

小題20:

A．properly B．carelessly C．a(chǎn)ctually D．Slowly

When was the last time your family sat down together to have a dinner?
The speed at which we live today no longer allows for slow eating habits. Most people work long hours. There is lots of fast food and eating out is now on the increase. Often, food is eaten in front of the television in silence, or a child eats alone in front of the computer.
When I was a child, every evening around the same time, one of the children would be asked to set the table, and then we'd go and wash our hands: before the meal. This was the time of day when we would talk about our day at school. But now things have changed a lot.
A family environment plays an important role for children in learning to communicate with others and understanding table manners, such as waiting for others to finish before leaving the table and not speaking with a mouth full of food. Parents’ likes and dislikes of a certain food will also influence a child's own likes and dislikes. Studies have shown that children who often eat with their families have better results at school than children who eat with their families less than twice a week.
Regular meal times give children the chance to discuss their problems with family members. They can also learn to respect others around the table. Talking to your children over dinner is the best way of having their-trust. Children learn good eating habits from their parents at a very young age. Family meals are important. Prepare them for your children.
小題1:Some families eat less together because __________.

A．most children live in a school

B．people are busy with their work

C．table manners change a lot

D．food in the restaurant is better

小題2:Children who often eat with their families _________.

A．turn out to do better in their studies

B．prefer to share food with others

C．show concerns about families

D．a(chǎn)re interested in cooking

小題3:Which word can best describe the writer's attitude towards eating together with families?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Worried.

D．Grateful.

小題4:Which would be the best title of the passage?

A．Table manners of a family	B．The importance of meals
C．Why should the family eat together?	D．How to choose food for your family?