Recently I paid a visit to Harvard University, where there are top class scientists and professors and
the best academic(學(xué)術(shù)的)system in the world.
     I was pretty shocked when I first stepped onto the campus(校園). Well, it's not even really a campus.
It's more like a district in a small town.
     Harvard's main buildings are from the 18th century. They look very old and simple. You might even
say they're a little old. They don't fit the modern idea of university at all. The buildings are surrounded by
grass and trees, so I felt as if I had walked into a medieval castle(中世紀(jì)的城堡). But when I looked
across the street, busy shops and in-fashion students made me feel like I was in the 21st century again.
It creates a strong contrast(對(duì)比)and brings a special atmosphere to the school.
     Our tour guide Gary took us around and told us: "You see this grass field in the center of the school?
Here is where they host their graduation ceremony(畢業(yè)典禮). They just set up tents and benches and
have a very simple ceremony." Unbelievable! Who would think the most talented students just graduate
on the lawn?
     I saw some students put a blanket on the grass and lie down to read a book. When I listened to the
soft sound of pages turning, along with singing of the birds, I felt very calm. There was no competitive
feeling at all.
     Harvard has the world's first computer in its science center and there are hundreds of high-end
computers too. Its religion and the literature departments are also among the best. It is the perfect mix of
tradition and new technology. It makes Harvard a very attractive place to study in.
     I hope one day I'll attend my dream school - Harvard.

1. The article is mainly about        .  

A. the author's campus life in Harvard
B. the author's impression of Harvard
C. Harvard's old buildings
D. the academic system at Harvard

2. The author was most impressed by        , according to the article.  

A. Harvard's mix of tradition and new technology
B. the classes held on beautiful lawns at Harvard
C. Harvard students not taking their graduation ceremony seriously
D. the feeling of not living in modern society on the campus

3. What can we conclude from the article?  

A. Harvard campus is actually a district of a big city.
B. There are no competitions at Harvard University.
C. Graduation ceremonies are not complex(復(fù)雜的)at Harvard.
D. All Harvard buildings date back to the 18th century.

4. According to the article, in which fields is Harvard top in the world?  

A. Literature, arts, and law.
B. Religion, law and arts.
C. Literature, arts and computer science.
D. Religion, computer science and literature.

5. Which word can be used to describe the Harvard campus?  

A. modern
B. competitive   
C. peaceful  
D. old

     Feeling lonely can make you sick.Doctors have long known that loneliness is associated with heart
troubles, viral infections, and higher death rates.What they didn't know is how this feeling causes illness.
A study in the September issue of the online journal Genome Biology suggests that loneliness actually
affects the very core of our bodies-our genes.
    In a small population of patients, researchers surveyed more than 20,000 genes using DNA skills to
compare how the genes of lonely and nonlonely individuals express themselves in molecular (分子)
processes and, ultimately, in personal health.They found that gene expression is different at 209 sites in
chronically lonely people and that many of those changes fit a pattern of elevated immune activation,
inflammation (炎癥), and depressed response to infection."We now have a molecular framework for
understanding the relationship between social experience and physical health, "explains the study's lead
author, Steve Cole.
The study found that loneliness decreases the response of some body receptors, cutting off the immune
control and anti－inflammatory effects of the stress－related hormone that also helps regulate the
conversion of carbohydrates (碳水化合物) to energy.The depressed response of the stress－related
hormone concurs with the known effects of loneliness and provides a potential target for treatment.
"This study-the first to link feelings with gene changes-is in some sense groundbreaking, "says Emma
Adam, an associate professor at Northwestern University."It fills in the black box."
     According to John Cacioppo, an author of the study and a psychologist from the University of
Chicago, the work suggests that loneliness is a warning sign, much like physical pain."This very process
of feeling bad because of disconnection contributes to what it means to be human, "he says."It makes us
care for other people and want to reconnect when we're disconnected."

1. From the passage we know lonely people________.  

A. have higher rates of diseases
B. have bad and little genes
C. are full of energ
D. are quick to the responses of some body receptors

2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The lonely people's gene expression is quite different from the gene pattern of some diseases.
B. Researchers and doctors can deal with loneliness by regulating the stress－related hormone.
C. Loneliness is a warning sign of physical pain.
D. The study of loneliness is of little value at present.

3. The underlined word "it" in the last paragraph refers to__________.

A. the work  
B. the process of feeling bad
C. loneliness  
D. to be human

4. Which of the following is the best suggestion to lonely people?

A. Go to hospital to have a medical examination once a week.
B. Take more social activities.
C. Take more physical exercises.
D. Ring your friends when you need their help.

5. What's the best title for the passage?

A. Feeling Lonely Can Make You Sick
B. A Survey on Loneliness
C. Why Loneliness Is Bad for You
D. Genes and Loneliness

     An apprenticeship is a form of on-the-job training that combines workplace experience and classroom
learning. It can last anywhere from one to six years, but four years is typical for most. An apprentice spends
the majority of the time in a workplace environment learning the practical skills of a career from a journeyman-
someone who has done the job for many years. The rest of the apprentice's time is spent in a classroom
environment learning the theoretical skills the career requires. Being an apprentice is a full-time undertaking.
     One of the advantages of apprenticeship is that it does not cost apprentices anything. The companies that
hire them pay for school. What's more, it offers apprentices an "earn while you learn" opportunity. They usually
start out at half the pay of a journeyman, and the pay increases gradually as they move further along in the job
and studies. Near the end of the apprenticeship, their wages are usually 90 percent of what a journeyman would
receive. Apprenticeship also pays off for employers. It can offer employers a pool of well-trained workers to
draw from.
     Despite the advantages, apprentices are usually required to work during the day and attend classes at night,
which leaves little time for anything else. Sometimes, they might be laid off (下崗) if business for the employers
is slow.
     Once they have completed the apprenticeship and become journeymen, they receive a nationally recognized
and portable certification and their pay also increases again. Some journeymen continue employment with the
companies they apprenticed with; others go onto different companies or become self-employed contractors.

       
1______2______3______4______5______
6______7______8______9______10______

     One in five US teenagers have some degree of hearing loss, according to researchers who said the
problem is growing."Teenagers really underestimate how much noise they are exposed to" Dr Josef
Shargorodsky said.__①__
     The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, compared national
surveys between the early 1990s and the mid2000s.In the first survey, about 15 percent of teenagers
had some degree of hearing loss.__②__Most of the hearing loss was in one ear only.While it was
usually slight, one in 20 adolescents had more pronounced (顯著的) problems-up 50 percent since
the first survey.
     Hearing loss is very common in the elderly, Grimes said, but she added that it was concerning to
see it come into the younger age groups.In babies and young children, hearing problems are known
to delay language development, which in turn influences performance in other areas.Slight hearing loss,
for instance, makes it difficult to distinguish between highfrequency consonants like "s" and "f"
     __③__The science is less clear for adolescents, but it is easy to imagine how being hard of hearing
could influence learning, said Grimes."We know from a lot of data that noisy classrooms are one of the
biggest challenges to learning."
     The reasons for the rise are still uncertain.When asked about noise exposure-on the job, from
firearms or recreational activities, for instance-the teenagers didn't indicate any change.But
Shargorodsky said, "We knew from before that it is difficult to ask this age group about noise
exposure-they underestimate it."__④__Although it's not clear that these devices are to blame,
Grimes said it was still a good idea to turn down the volume.But she pointed out the advice would
likely fall on deaf ears.She said the American Academy of Hearing had also contacted Steve Jobs,
the CEO of Apple, about adding a volume limiter on iPods, but never heard back.

1. In which place should the sentence "Few people would call it noise when they listen
    to music on their MP3 players, for instance." be put?

A. ①  
B. ②  
C. ③  
D. ④

2. What's the main idea of the third paragraph?

A. Hearing loss was very common in the elderly in the country.
B. The sounds like "s" and "f" are hard to distinguish by babies.
C. The number of teenagers with hearing problems is decreasing.
D. Babies and teenagers are also facing problems of hearing loss.

3. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The reasons of the hearing loss are known to the researchers.
B. The surveys have been carried out for at most 15 years.
C. The reasons for the rise are clear to the researchers.
D. The results of the surveys have been published in a newspaper.

4. The American Academy of Hearing contacted the CEO of Apple in order to________.

A. share the surveys with the CEO of Apple
B. get more help in finance from the Apple Company
C. remind the company to add a volume limiter on iPods
D. express warning and threat to the CEO of Apple

Below is a passage adapted from the network edition of China Daily.
                                                                       Event
     Li Yang, one of China's most famous English teachers, apologized for beating his American wife more
than a week after she posted photos of her injuries on the web and set off a bomb of criticism.  "I
wholeheartedly apologize to my wife Kim and my girls for committing domestic violence. This has caused
them serious physical and mental damage," Li said on his mieroblog at Weibo.com, the country's most
popular social media site, on Saturday. Li, 42, is a mechanics major but is best known for his "Crazy
English," a popular method of language learning that involves yelling at the top of one's lungs.  He was at
the center of public criticism after his wife Kim Lee put up posts on the web accusing him of abuse,
showing her swollen forehead and knees.
                                                                    Voices
     @Xuemanzi, angel investor  Anti-domestic violence laws should be made as soon as possible, giving
protection to the rights of women and children lawfully. Police should not stand back from domestic
violence any longer, even if no one reports them. Society, as a whole, should attach greater importance to
the crime.  @Zhangxiaomei  Chinese are never taught about marital(婚姻的) relations, which mean not
merely living together. A good marriage needs to overcome three differences: family background, gender
and personalities. In addition to these, there is cultural gap in Li Yang's case. If the effects of these
differences are not well understood, after the honeymoon period, they will turn into conflicts and endanger
the marriage. Li's domestic violence is a reminder that China needs such education.  @Wuxiaolong,
Sina Weibo user  Li Yang's choice to resort to domestic violence really reflects his character. Students
who have attended his Crazy English Camp may know what I mean: Li wants his students to worship him
as an idol. I still remember he once had his students kowtow to him. He always teaches English by
imposition(權(quán)威強(qiáng)制), which directly reflects his desire for power.  @Sikaozhe, Sina Weibo user  In the US, the punishments for domestic violence are even more severe than strealing. If the police arrive at the
wife's call during a fighting between a couple nd find injuries on her, they will immediately arrest the
husband. Even if the wife doesn't call the police, they may also show up as neighbors could well do their
part.  @ykxin Sina Weibo User  Don't blindly worship anyone, because in every closet there may hide
a skeleton. As a famous Chinese saying goes, "Only they who do well in their daily routine tasks can
fulfills their dreams on great occasions". Not surprisingly, one who focuses too much on his career and
ignores his family, like Li Yang, will fail in both. Don't judge a person by his career success, wealth, or
any other material aspect, because what finally decides a person is his character.
                                                             Aftermath(余波)
     Although Li Yang publicly apologized to his wife, promising to love his daughters even if he and Lee
divorce, the damage, perhaps permanently, has been done to his wife, his three daughters and the whole
family.  Wang Xingjuan, founder of the Maple Women's Psychological Consulting Center, a non-profit
organization, said nearly half of domestic violence abusers are people who have higher education, senior
jobs and social status. She said this was probably because such people were usually under more mental
stress.

1. This passage is focused on Li Yang's           .

A. English-teaching career
B. international marriage
C. microblog article
D. domestic violence

2. Zhangxiaomei holds the view that           .

A. laws should be passed to protect women and children
B. crazy personality accounts for violence and ill temper
C. overcoming background gap is necessary for marriage
D. Li is wrong to have his students worship him as an idol

3. Who thinks that character plays the most important role in one's life?

A. @Xuemanzi
B. @Wuxiaolon
C. @Sikaozhe
D. @ykxin

4. According to Wang Xingjuan,        .

A. people under stress lend to have domestic violence
B. people of higher education won't easily lose temper
C. people in lower social status often beat their wives
D. people with senior jobs seldom have family trouble

     Do you enjoy reading? Here readers of your age from all over the United States recommend (推薦) great
books for you to read:
     My favorite book is Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel. I love all her books, but this was the first
one I read and I have to say, it is by far my favorite. It doesn't end like other books, and I cried while reading.
     I think Nancy Drew is great! Nancy is a detective (偵探) who has many fantastic ideas! I love it because
it's a book from when my grandma was my age, and I can share the fun with her!
     I highly recommend Skinny Bones by Barbara Park. It is funny so please add it on your book list. You
don't want to miss out funny stories!
     I would suggest ______ by Judy Blume. It is based on real things that happened to Judy Blume. It is about
a girl, Alice, who meets some girls at a new state. They become friends, make a club and meet once a week.
They stop after two weeks because they all like a boy in their class and put him as number one. I think every
girl should read this because it is about our growing up.
      I read a book called Neela: Victory Song and it was so good I read it twice! It takes place in India in 1936
and this 12-year-old girl named Neela tries to save her father! It has lots of history in it! I also learned a lot
about different cultures! The author's name is Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

1. According to the reader, Skinny Bones can be described as a ________ story.

A. sad
B. history
C. funny
D. detective

2. From which book can we learn different cultures?

A. Skinny Bones.
B. Nancy Drew.
C. Don't Die, My Love.
D. Neela: Victory Song.

3. The best name of the 4th book is ________.

A. My Secret
B. Growing Trouble
C. Three Friends
D. Alice Learns a Lesson

4. Which is TRUE about Nancy Drew?

A. Both the reader and the reader's grandma love this book.
B. It's based on real things that happened to the author.
C. It's about a12-year-old girl who tries to save her father.
D. It doesn't have a common ending like other books.