What does the man want to know about the couch?

阅读理解

    Over the past few years I've had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been making changes to my brain. I'm not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I'm reading. Involving myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. That's rarely the case any more.

    I think I know what's going on. For over a decade, I've been spending lots of time online. The Web has been a godsend to me as a writer. Research that once required days in the rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes by a few Google searches. Even when I'm not working, I'm scanning headlines or just tripping from link to link.

The Net is becoming a universal medium where information flows through my eyes and ears and into mind. The perfect recall of silicon memory (硅制存储器) can be a blessing to thinking. But that comes at a price. As the media theorist Marshall Mcluhan pointed out, media are not just passive channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems to be doing is weakening my ability for concentration. Once I was a driver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a flying swallow.

    I'm not the only one. When I mention my troubles with reading to acquaintances, Bruce Friedman, a blogger, also has described how the Internet has changed his mental habits. His thinking has taken on a “staccato (破碎)” quality. “I can't read War and Peace any more” he admitted, “I've lost the ability to do that.”

    A recently published study suggests that when reading online, we tend to become “more decoders (解码器) of information”. We are not only what we read; we are how we read.

听材料，回答问题。

The father is c about his daughter who studies abroad.

完形填空
    It had been a nice and sunny day. I stepped slowly towards the edge of the cliff and looked out. The 1 was wonderful. I could 2 the gentle wind coming from the coast while watching the brilliant sunset.
    My dad and I used to enjoy the sunset together on that very 3. We would also watch the waves crash into the 4 below. My mother would always annoy us how 5 it was. I was never worried, 6 I always felt safe next to my father, who spent most of his life out 7 in his boat.
    I remember one time on his boat: I had 8 off the back and into the cold water accidentally. My dad immediately jumped off to 9 me. I would never forget that day, and from that point I knew 10 would prevent my dad protecting me if I was in danger.
    As I 11 there on top of the cliff, I remembered the times I spent with my dad. I looked down sorrowfully at the urn (骨灰瓮) 12. My father was my rock, someone I could 13 when I needed him most. But now he was gone, and I felt sorrowful and 14.
    It had always been my father's last 15 to have his ashes scattered out at sea. I 16 the urn, said a 17 farewell (告别) and then slowly twisted off the lid. The wind started to change 18. I looked last time down at my father's ashes and then 19 for a moment, I scattered the contents out over the cliff.
    I wiped away a tear, but it was perfect happiness rather than sadness, because I finally knew the man who 20 so much to me, my father, was finally at peace.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确。

The story of a woman (travel) back in time to meet her younger, childless mother and find herself a better father has broken the record of China's box office (票房) , becoming the country's highest-grossing (总额) film by a female director. (base) on a true story," Nihao, Li Huanying." or" Hi, Mom," is written and directed Jia Ling, one of China's most popular cross-talk performers, who also plays the daughter. Since premiering (首映) on Feb. 12," Hi, Mom" (earn) 3.6 billion yuan ($550 million) at the domestic box office, just behind the blockbuster" Detective Chinatown 3". It was considered as dark horse to top the holiday box office over the Lunar New Year, cinemas are usually full of people. (actual), this film is made in memory of Jia's mother Li Huanying. The film shows (self) love with truehearted artistic techniques (艺术技巧) , which has touched the hearts of countless people. It moved millions of (viewer) with the simple, pure and sincere emotion between mother and daughter." Li Huanying" in the movie is also the microcosm (缩影) of a great many mothers in real life. They are also ordinary great women.

假定你是李华，你校的美国交换生Bruce打算参加市里举行的自行车骑行比赛，于是他向

你打听相关信息。请你给他回复一封电子邮件。

要点如下：

1）比赛时间及地点；

2）参赛条件和报名方式；

3）自行运动的好处。

注意：

1）词数100左右；2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Bruce,

   

Yours,

Li Hua

阅读理解

"I'm going to fail! "My best friend cried. She and I had this conversation almost every day while we were in high school.

The truth was that my friend never failed in any subjects. I just think that she can't accept failures because she lives her life as a perfectionist (完美主义者). What she fails to understand is that a lot of good can come from failures.

For example, failure can help build relationships. Once was cooking dinner for a friend. I was tired, and several dishes I tried to make turned out bad. I grew more and more upset until my friend told me that I shouldn't worry. She cared more about our friendship than the dishes. That day, I learned that failure doesn't always make people dislike you. In fact, after she said those words to me, I grew closer to her.

Failure can make success ever more exciting. Every few years, there would be an important test in the PE class at our school. Students had to run a mile within eight minutes. I was never good at running, so I failed every time until the third year at school. Then I began working out regularly, and yet I still failed that year. A few days later, however, the teacher gave me and some other students another chance to run and I got a pass finally! You can't imagine how excited I was after that. I felt the memory of the success was as sweet as honey, because I had to overcome failure to reach it.

Now it's clear to see that failure can teach us good lessons. It's not an end — it can be a beginning.

_________ I went to the cinema once a week at university.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

My name is Svetlana and I have worked as a guide at Lake Baikal（贝加尔湖）for more than 10 years. (lie) in a pretty location in Siberia, the deep and fascinating lake with more than 300 rivers flowing into it is one of the world's greatest natural wonders. Lake Baikal holds between 20% and 23% of the world's surface water. is the world's oldest, clearest and deepest lake. The climate there is much milder than that of the (surround) area. Plant and animal life in the lake is rich and (vary). There are between 1500 and 1800 animal species at different (deep), and hundreds of plant species live on or near (it) surface.

Every season, I accompany and guide tourists. Baikal is territory with unique wildlife, breathtaking beauty, and vast local culture. Ancient, inspiring, mysterious, and beautiful, Lake Baikal appeals visitors like no other place on the earth. I feel (bless) to have been born here, and I am looking forward to many more years of welcoming visitors to a (memory) experience at Baikal.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式填空。

The college entrance examination (CEE) is coming . It was resumed in 1970s. It is very (compete). Anyone  wants to take the exam always makes (prepare) for it for a long time. it comes to CEE, not only it test the students, but also it tests the parents.

They are more nervous the kids. Only you insist on (study) hard, you must benefit the CEE. It is time that you (struggle)for your dream.

His son is intended for the medical(职业).

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

A Pen That Draws in Any Color

    The Scribble is a magical pen that can scan colors and instantly reproduce the colors. Hold the Scribble's scanner up to any color, and within a second that color is stored in its memory.

    Who can use the Scribble?

    Children will love the Scribble because it can create different colors, replacing even their biggest box of crayons. Besides, anyone working with color in their professional lives, such as artists, will be able to scan and reproduce colors instantly.

    Green! One of the most important characteristics of the Scribble is that, since it can reproduce any color, it replaces marking pens, greatly reducing the huge amount of plastic waste.

    What's inside the Scribble?

    There will be two different versions of the Scribble, the Scribble K and the Scribble S. The K will be able to reproduce exact colors on paper. It includes a color sensor and a rechargeable battery.  The S looks exactly the same as the K, but it is intended for use on screen.

    How did we create the Scribble?

    We've been in the design process for two years and the Scribble has gone through various design changes to get it to where we are now. Because of its small size we have created some ideas never seen before in the color reproduction industry.

    Thank you for your support.

     Thank you also for your support! Make sure to bookmark our website and check back often to see the progress as well as the updated times for production and delivery of your Scribble.

A. What do we need the Scribble for?

B. What's the Scribble's best colour?

C. It's the best birthday gift you may choose for your kids.

D. Thank you so much for your concern about the Scribble.

E. There is 1 GB of internal memory that will store over 100, 000 colors.

F. We created the Scribble for YOU and want you to be a part of the process.

G. Once stored, that color can be used to draw on paper or on a digital screen.

阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

One of the most effective skills you can have in life is powerful and effective time management. Here are vital time management tips for getting your goals.

Set goals the right way.

If you don't set your goals the right way, then you'll lack the proper targets, which will force you to fall off track. But when you set them the right way, the sky is the limit. Use proper goal setting method to help you see things through. And when you do set those goals, make sure you have powerful deep down meanings for wanting to achieve them.

Find a good time management system.

One of the tips for managing your time is to find the right system to actually do it. The quadrant(象限) time-management system is probably the most effective. Things are either urgent or important, both, or neither.

Take frequent breaks when working.

One study suggests that you should work for 52 minutes and break for 17 minutes. You might not have enough time to do that. But you should take frequent breaks. If you're a boss working for yourself, this is vital. It's easy to run out of energy and not even know it.

Make to-do lists in the evening for the next day.

Every single evening before bed, make a list for the next day. Look at your goals and see what you can do to help move you closer. It takes time. But by making to-do lists, you're effectively setting goals for the day. Daily goals are easier to achieve while helping to move us towards the longer and bigger goals. But that happens by creating to-do lists.

A. This doesn't happen overnight.

B. There's a right or wrong way to set goals.

C. Use your time wisely by abandoning your bad habits.

D. You cannot reach your goals without managing your time well.

E. Find a good friend who can help you solve the problem of time management.

F. It divides your activities into four quadrants based on urgency and importance.

G. Keep your mental, emotional and physical states at peak levels by breaking frequently.

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Grandpa's Bee

A long time before I was born， my grandma and grandpa moved into the house on Beech wood Avenue. They had a young family of 4 little girls. On weekend they dug a garden to grow some of their own food.

Everybody worked to keep the garden growing. All summer long，the family ate food from the garden and enjoyed the beautiful flowers. Grandma put up strawberry jam, tomatoes，beans, peppers, pears and peaches in canning jam. They were good to eat through the long winter.

Grandchildren grow up, and grandparents grow older. It became harder for Grandma and Grandpa to keep up the garden. So they made it a little smaller. There was still plenty to eat from the garden and lovely flowers to enjoy.

Then one summer when Grandpa was eighty-nine years old, all he could do was watch from his lawn chair as the vegetables grew and the roses bloomed. Summer slowly faded, and Grandpa died before it was time to bring in the harvest.

It was a lonely winter for Grandma. She sat near the window, looking out at the yard and wondering if she could plant the garden in the spring. It would be hard to care for it by herself. When spring came, she planted only a little garden.

One sunny day in the early summer, Grandma heard a commotion(喧闹) in the front yard and looked out the window to see a frightening sight一 a large group of bees filled the air between two tall trees. There was thousands of bees in the air, so many that the group reached the tree-tops! The buzzing sound was disturbing(令人烦恼的). Grandma watched as the bees made their way into a hole up in one of the trees. Before long, every one of those bees had disappeared into its new home.

注意:

1）续写词数应为150左右;

2）请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Grandma wondered what in the world she could do. …… One day, Grandma's brother F rank visited from Arizona.