A new argument has been put forward as to whether penguins are disturbed by the presence of tourists in Antarctica. 

Previous research by scientists from Keil University in Germany monitored Adelie penguins and noted that the birds’ heart rates increased dramatically at the sight of a human as far as 30 meters away.  But new research using an artificial egg, which is equipped to measure heart rates, disputes this.  Scientists from the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge say that a slow moving human who does not approach the nest too closely, is not viewed as a threat by penguins. 

The earlier findings have been used to partly explain the 20 per cent drop in populations of certain types of penguins near tourist sites.  However, tour operators have continued to insist that their activities do not adversely affect wildlife in Antarctica, saying they encourage non-disruptive behavior in tourists, and that the decline in penguin numbers is caused by other factors.

Amanda Nimon of the Scott Polar Research Institute spent three southern hemisphere summers at Cuverville Island in Antarctica studying penguin behavior towards humans.  “A nesting penguin will react very differently to a person rapidly and closely approaching the nest,” says Nimon.  “First they exhibit large and prolonged(延长) heart rate changes and then they often flee the nest leaving it open for predators (掠夺者) to fly in and remove eggs or chicks.”  The artificial egg, specially for the project, monitored both the parent who had been ‘disturbed’ when the egg was placed in the nest and the other parent as they both took it in turns to guard the nest.

However, Boris Culik, who monitored the Adelie penguins, believes that Nimon’s findings do not invalidate his own research.  He points out that species behave differently – and Nimon’s work was with Gentoo penguins.  Nimon and her colleagues believe that Culik’s research was methodologically flawed（使无效） because the monitoring of penguins’ responses needed capturing and restraining（控制） the birds and fitting them with heart-rate transmitters.  Therefore, argues Nimon, it would not be surprising if they became stressed on seeing a human subsequently.

67.  According to the passage, what overall message is presented?

A. No firm conclusions are drawn.

B. Neither Culik’s nor Nimon’s findings are of much value.

C. Penguin reduction is closed related to tourist behavior.

D. Tourists are not responsible for the fall in penguin numbers.

68.  Which ONE argument of the following is stated in the passage?

A. Penguins are harder to research when they have young.

B. Tour operators should encourage tourists to avoid Antarctica.

C. Not all penguins behave in the same way.

D. Penguins need better protection from tourists.

69.  What do you notice about the views presented in the passage?

A. They are groundless.    B. They are factual.

C. They are descriptive.    D. They are conflicting.

70.  What does the underlined word (final line) probably mean?

A. later on   B. calmly   C. separately   D. in the same place

You can help your firm innovate(创新) by creating a culture in which all employees are actively encouraged to put forward ideas. But how do you get the best from people and encourage them to be at their most creative?

Stress the importance of creativity.    36   . If they don’t understand innovation can keep your firm competitive, your efforts at encouraging creative thinking risk falling flat.

Make time for brainstorming. Find some time for new ideas to come out. For example, set aside time for brainstorming, hold regular group works hops(研讨会) and arrange team days out. A team involved in a brainstorming session is likely to be more effective.  37   . You should also give individuals the space to reflect privately on their work if you think they need it.

Challenge the way staff work.    38   .  Ask people whether they have considered alternative ways of working and what might be achieved by doing things differently.

  39    .  Motivate individuals or teams who come up with winning ideas by actively recognizing creativity, for example through an award scheme. You can reward those who just have a rich flow of suggestions, regardless of whether they are put into action at work.

Act on ideas. Creative thinking is only worthwhile if it results in action. Provide the time and resources to develop and carry out those ideas worth acting on.   40     . In addition, the flow of ideas may well dry up if staff feel the process is pointless.

A. Reward creativity.

B. The problem is that our minds are lazy.

C. Be willing to make mistakes.

D. Make sure all your employees know that you want to hear their ideas.

E. Individuals within the team can test and improve the ideas together.

F. Encourage employees to keep looking at the way they approach their work.

G. Failure to do so means that your firm may fail to benefit from innovation.

 The suit fitted him well 　　　 the colour was a little brighter. 

A. except for                    B. in addition to

C. except that                   D. apart from

Ella Wood will graduate from Miami University next year with a master’s degree in public health. she is hoping to get a job in public health. But she has some worries. 

Public service doesn't pay much, and her study at Miami University costs about $50,000 a year with living expenses. Ella has a scholarship from Miami University that covers just $4,000 a year and has taken out loans to pay for the rest. She would spend years paying back her student loans and not have money left over.     

The good news is that in 2008, Congress recognized that there were so many students in 

Ella’s position that it passed the College Cost Reduction Act. There were two programs established by this act that Ella could look into. The first is the income-based repayment plan, which allows lower-income graduates with a lot of debt to reduce their monthly payments. “Depending on a graduate's income and level of debt, the program, could limit her annual educational loan debt repayment to 15 percent of real income.” said Peter William, vice chairman of the College Saving Foundation.

The second is the public service loan forgiveness（贷款减免）plan, in which the federal government will 

forgive the remaining debt of borrowers who make 10-year loan payment while working full time in public-service jobs. But the graduate must have a certain loan which is listed in the plan. “Typically, it is projected that a borrower who performs public service under this program will repay only about one-fourth to one-half as much money as a borrower who does not,” William said. He also pointed out that public service is broadly defined and includes any government and nonprofit organization job.

21. What might Ella Wood be concerned most when she graduates next year?

A. She might not a master’s degree directly.

B. She might not find a job in public health easily.

C. She had to pay back her scholarship to Miami University.

D. She wondered how to ease the pain of being in debt for years.

22. How can Ella benefit from the first program mentioned in the passage?

A. The income tax will be cut down.

B. One four of debt will be forgiven.

C. The total amount of debt will be reduced.

D. Ella will have more time to pay back the debt.

23. We can learn from the passage that______.

A. every graduate will get a scholarship like Ella.

B. graduates who work in public service get the highest payment.

C. the federal government encourages graduates to work in public service.

D. the College Cost Reduction Act only helps graduates with master’s degree.

24.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A. The total expense in American universities is too high.

B. The US government is trying to relieve graduates from heavy debt.

C. There are a lot of different programs to help students pay their tuition.

D. The US government forces all students to choose public-service jobs.

After my first class in college I felt a little hungry , and I hurried to the cafeteria . I   41   my tray with sandwiches and was   42   for the seat when I accidentally stepped on a piece of cheese and that was how the accident happened .

In the seconds after my   43   I thought how nice it would be if no one had   44   . But as all the students in the cafeteria came to their feet ,   45   and clapping , I knew they had .

For the next three days I dined alone on nothing more than   46   , and some junk food . On the fourth day I thought I needed some   47   food badly . Perhaps three days was   48   enough for the campus population to have   49   me . So off to the cafeteria I went .

I made my way through the food line and   50   sat down at a table . Suddenly I heard a crash that sounded   51   . I looked up to find that another poor soul had met the same   52   as I had . My heart went out to him   53   people began to cheer and clap as they had for me . I expected him to slip out of the cafeteria as I had , but to my   54   , he didn’t . He got up , smiling as if nothing had happened . And that’s when I realized I had been   55   myself far too seriously .

Who   56   whether I dropped a tray or not ?   57   . This wasn’t like high school . Once I realized that I had no one’s   58   to live up to but my own , I   59   . Popularity was not so important ; running with the   60   was no longer a law of survival . In college , it didn’t matter . This was my big chance to do my own thing and to be myself .

41. A. piled                  B. returned                C. bought               D. found

42. A. hoping                     B. paying                   C. heading             D. waiting

43. A. decision                   B. fall                         C. meal                         D. class

44. A. experienced             B. fallen                            C. noticed              D. left

45. A. cheering           B. wondering                    C. praying              D. fighting

46. A. regret                B. shame                   C. anger                        D. terror

47. A. real                   B. hot                        C. stupid                   D. special

48. A. kind                   B. easy                      C. hard                   D. long

49. A. recognized        B. forgiven                C. known                   D. forgotten

50. A. carefully            B. unconsciously              C. regularly            D. instantly

51. A. interesting         B. familiar                  C. special               D. unnatural

52. A. fate                   B. tray                       C. cheese                 D. students

53. A. until                   B. so                         C. as                      D. once

54. A. joy                            B. surprise                C. disappointment         D. excitement

55. A. taking                B. regarding                     C. treating              D. protecting

56. A. wondered          B. questioned                   C. cared                        D. saw

57. A. Somebody        B. Nobody                 C. Anybody            D. Everybody

58. A. achievement            B. rules                            C. expectations      D. shadows

59. A. survived            B. suffered                C. relaxed              D. hesitated

60. A. crowd                B. reality                    C. mistake              D. shyness

 “I don’t think it’s my _______ that the TV blew up. I just turned it on. That’s all.” said the boy.

A. error                 B. mistake

C. fault                 D. duty

   你的美国朋友Chris目前在北京学习汉语，他对中国传统文化非常感兴趣。本周五下午你校将要举办—个文化讲座, 请你根据以下提示给他写一封电子邮件，邀请他来参加。

1.农业大学张教授讲解中国茶文化的历史和传播；

2.讲座后有交流和品茶活动；

3.你将陪同Chris并帮其翻译讲解。

注意:1.字数不少于100；

     2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

     3.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Hi Chris,

Yours,

Joe

进入高三以来，同学们普遍感到压力倍增。就此问题，最近你班开展了一次以“压力”为主题的班会。在班会上，大家各抒己见，就如何缓解压力提出了自己的看法。请你为学校英文报写一篇短文，内容要点包括：

1. 压力的来源。

2. 压力与成败的关系。

3. 你自己的看法。

注意：1.词数：不少于120词；

           2.开头已给出，不计入总词数。

Recently we have held a class meeting to discuss the pressure upon Senior Three

students.____________________________________________________________

Doctors say anger can be an extremely damaging emotion, unless you learn how to deal with it. They warn that anger can lead to heart disease, stomach problems, headaches, emotional problems and possibly cancer.

36   Some people express anger openly in a calm reasonable way. Others burst with anger, and scream and yell. But other people keep their anger inside. They can not or will not express it. This is called repressing anger.

For years many doctors thought that repressing anger was more dangerous to a person’s health than expressing it. They said that when a person is angry, the brain releases the same hormones (荷尔蒙). They speed the heart rate, raise blood pressure, or sugar into the blood, etc.  37 

Some doctors say that both repressing and expressing anger can be dangerous. They believe that those who express anger violently may be more likely to develop heart disease, and they believe that those who keep anger inside may face a greater danger of high blood pressure.

38   They say the first step is to admit that you are angry and to recognize the real cause of the anger, then decide if the cause is serious enough to get angry about. If it is, they say, “  39  Wait until your anger has cooled down and you are able to express yourself calmly and reasonably.”

Doctors say that a good way to deal with anger is to find humor in the situation that has made you angry.   40 

A. In general the person feels excited and ready to act.

B. They said that laughter is much healthier than anger.

C. Expressing anger violently is more harmful than repressing it.

D. Anger may cause you a cancer.

E. Do not express your anger while angry.

F. Anger is a normal emotion that we all feel from time to time.

G. Doctors say the solution is learning how to deal with anger.

Attitude Is Everything

The story is about how a donkey got out of a deep hole. The donkey’s owner, a farmer, thought ___1___ impossible to save his donkey and decided to bury it. ___2___, the donkey managed to get out ___3____ the help of the soil put in by its owner.

From the story we can see that the donkey was brave and clever enough to save himself. Attitude is everything. I think it’s ___4___ (absolute) true. ___5___ we meet with some difficulties, we should calm down and ___6___ brave to face them. Don’t lose yourself in ___7__ (sad) and never give up. We can look at things in a different way. If we change our attitude ___8___ the difficulties, we will find they are not so bad ___9__ they seem.

What’s more, we should try ___10___ ways to solve the problems. Sometimes, we can turn to our friends, teachers and parents so that we can get help and settle the problems as quickly as possible.

More student than ever before are taking a gap-year (间隔年)before going to university. It used to be called the “year off” between school and university. The gap-year phenomenon originated(起源) with the months left over to Oxbridge applicants between entrance exams in November and the start of the next academic year.
       This year, 25,310 students who have accepted places in higher education institutions have put off their entry until next year, according to statistics on university entrance provided by University and College Admissions Service(UCAS).

That is a record 14.7% increase in the number of students taking a gap year. Tony Higgins from UCAS said that the statistics are good news for everyone in higher education. “Students who take a well-planned year out are more likely to be satisfied with, and complete, their chosen course. Students who take a gap year are often more mature and responsible,” he said.

But not everyone is happy. Owain James, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS), argued that the increase is evidence of student hardship – young people are being forced into earning money before finishing their education. “New students are now aware that they are likely to leave university up to ￡15,000 in debt. It is not surprising that more and more students are taking a gap year to earn money to support their study for the degree. NUS statistics show that over 40% of students are forced to work during term time and the figure increases to 90% during vacation periods,” he said.

32. What do we learn about the gap year from the text?

  A. It is flexible in length.         B. It is a time for relaxation.

  C. It is increasingly popular.       D. It is required by universities.

33. According to Tony Higgins, students taking a gap year______.

  A. arc better prepared for college studies    B. know a lot more about their future jobs

  C. are more likely to leave university in debt

D. have a better chance to enter top universities

34. How does Owain James feel about the gap-year phenomenon?

  A. He's puzzled  .B. He's worried.  C. He's surprised.   D. He's annoyed.

35. What would most students do on their vacation according to NUS statistics?

  A. Attend additional courses.       B. Make plans for the new term.

  C. Earn money for their education.  D. Prepare for their graduate studies.

We all know that eating junk food can make us fat. However, a new study suggests that it can do more than that—it can also make us lazy, reported CBS News.

In the study, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, US divided 32 female rats into two groups. The first group was fed a diet of healthy food such as corn and fish, while the second was given a diet of highly processed (加工的) food rich in sugar, namely “junk food”.

  Within three months, the rats in the second group were already much fatter than those on the healthy diet. And when researchers trained the rats to do simple tasks, they found even more differences between the two groups rather than weight.

  During the task – pushing a lever (杠杆) to receive a reward of sugar water – the rats on the junk food diet were found to be less willing to move, and they took longer breaks between each push than the lean(瘦的) rats did.

  “It is as if the rat is thinking ‘This is too much work’,” Aaron Blaisdell, leader of the study, told the Los Angeles Times.

  But what about the possibility that the fat rats were less passionate about getting sugar water because they were already eating lots of sugar in their daily diet? That’s why researchers repeated the tests by rewarding fat rats with plain water when they were extremely thirsty. However, the results came out just the same.

  According to researchers, these differences suggest that junk food changed the chemistry in the rats’ brains.

  The experiment didn’t end there. After six months, the rats’ diets were switched, and the overweight rats were given a healthy diet for nine days. However, this change didn’t help reduce their weight or improve their ability to perform tasks, which means the effects of their junk food diet persisted (持续存在). “There’s no quick fix,” said Blaisdell.

  For a long time, we’ve believed that people become fat because they are lazy. But this study has proven the opposite to be true as well, which indicates that laziness and obesity are a “vicious cycle (恶性循环)”.

  So, if you constantly feel tired, lacking any urge to get up from your chair, it could be that you’ve been studying too hard. But you should also pay attention to your diet.

66. During the first three months of the experiment by researchers at the University of California, ______.

A. rats from the healthy diet group ate nothing but corn and fish

B. rats on the junk food diet ate more than those on healthy diet

C. rats on the healthy food diet performed better at simple tasks than those on the junk food diet

D. rats on the junk food diet seemed uninterested in sugary food

67. The researchers rewarded thirsty rats with plain water in the lever test to ______.

  A. help them control their weight

  B. test whether fat rats lost interest in the test because they had taken enough sugar 

 C. change the diet habits of fat rats

  D. find out the influence of sugar on rats’ brains 

68. The underlined word “there” refers to ______.

A. after the rats on the junk food diet had worked hard to get sugar water

B. after the type of food rats prefer had been identified

C. after a quick cure for obesity had been found

D. after the fact that fatter rats are lazier than lean rats had been found

69. We can conclude from the article that ______.

A. fat people are usually lazier than lean people

B. people should switch between different types of diets to keep healthy

C. being overweight and being lazy can feed into each other

D. laziness is the main cause of weight problems

70. Which of the following is Not Right according to the passage?

A. Eating junk food can make us fat.

B. Researchers got different results after repeated the tests to fat rats.

C. For a long time, we’ve believed that people become fat because they are lazy.

D. If you constantly feel tired or study too hard, you need to pay attention to your diet.

Why send a greeting card when you can send a potato? That’s the reason behind one e-commerce site，which mails actual __61__ (potato) with personalized messages from their customers for $ 8 to $10. PotatoParcel.com offers customers the chance   62   (make) a friend laugh or lighten the mood. The company   63  (usual) offers their product in two sizes. For example, a “medium” potato,   64 can fit 100 characters, is first picked by the senders. And then the company writes their note directly on the potato skin  65  a special pen. After that the potato   66   (mail) to the receiver in a “tiny envelope” from  the company in Texas. There’s no cash   67  (include) inside—it is just   68   actual potato with black writing. Past potato receivers have shared pictures of   69   own experiences with others on social media. “That is the best thing   70   I' ve received in the mail! "wrote one young woman ,who got a potato from her boyfriend.

To Drive out Your Back Pain

Is your back bothering you, and are you wondering how to get rid of your back pain? If the phrase “Ouch, my back!” is a regular part of your life, you’re not alone: 65 million Americans have back pain.  16 

1. Stand Better

Standing for long periods can be stressful on your lower back. If you have to stand for work, try placing one foot on a stool（凳子） or other low objects.  17   This will help take the pressure off your lower back. Wearing cushioned shoes or standing on a think rubber mat can also help relieve pressure when you have to stand for long hours.

2. Start Exercise Gradually

  18  But if you’ve been inactive for a while, start slowly. Begin with a low-impact exercise such as walking, stationary biking, or swimming for about 30 minutes a day. Adding gentle stretching or yoga may also help your muscles.

3. Sit Comfortably

If your job requires you to sit for long periods, make sure your chair has a straight back, an adjustable seat, and armrests.  19  If you need extra support, place a rolled towel behind the lower part of your back. Resting your feet on a low stool can also help ease back pain when sitting.

4. Choose the Best Sleep Position

Sleeping on your side is the most common sleeping position. Placing a small pillow between your knees helps keep the back in a good position. If you must sleep on your back, try using a pillow under your knees. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as this can make back pain worse.

5.   20 

Carrying extra weight on your body means more work for your lower back muscles. This is especially true if the extra pounds are around your waist. The heavier you are, the more impact there is on your back with each step. Losing weight can also help protect the muscles and joints in your knees and hips

A. Then change feet every so often.

B. Don’t push with straight arms.

C. Your work station can affect your back’s health.

D. Keep Your Weight Down.

E. Some people prefer more support than others.

F. Here are some ideas for you to prevent the pain.

G. Exercise is a great way to keep your back healthy.  

    Don't you just love ice skating every winter? I am sure, that since winter is approaching, your skates are set to come out, just waiting to be used. Impress your friends with your new trick on how to ice-skate backwards with the help of these tips. Skating backwards on ice is a bit difficult but once you master the basic, there' s nothing like it. Follow the steps given below and you will be able to skate backwards in no time.     

Stand Straight

    The first thing that you need to do is, stand straight. If you feel that you are falling backwards, then just put your chin up and slightly bend your knees. Don't worry; this happens to all.

Confidence is What You Need

    The most important step while learning how to skate backwards, is having enough confidence in yourself and in what you are doing. How can you achieve this? By practice. Just practice rolling backwards down a gentle slope every single day or just by pushing off from a wall or something of that sort. But before you do that, make sure that the place where you are practicing is free from any kind of debris（碎片）because otherwise, you could end up in the hospital due to some accident. While going backwards, just get used to the feeling of moving backwards. One of the important ice skating tips and techniques is that if you feel that you are losing your balance, then scissor (做剪式运动) your skates. Keep practicing this till you are confident about it.

Maintain Speed

    Confident now? Great! Now the next step is to maintain your speed. While rolling in a straight line with one skate, with the other try sculling (滑浆), that is, keep pushing yourself backwards with an outwards stroke (滑动). Now bring the skate which you were using to scull, and then again, repeat the same process. Make sure that you put most of your weight on the skate which is moving straight and not the one with which you are sculling. Now, try the same thing using the other foot. Again keep doing this till you are confident enough.

Increase Your Speed Now

    Once you are confident that you can scull with either foot, the next thing that you have to do is increase your speed. Try some of your own tricks now. Scull with either foot or with both at the same time.

Scull and Be Aware

    While you keep one foot straight, keep sculling with the other. You can do that simultaneously with both feet. Concentrate on what you are doing but don't get so involved that you don't see where you are going. If you are not watching your back, you might just bang against something or someone.

46. According to the text, confidence comes from ________.

   A. constant exercise B. strict coaches C. high speed D. good techniques

47. Which is the right order of ice-skating backwards?

   a. Increasing your speed.   b. Being able to scull with one foot.

   c. Being about to stand straight.  d. Trying some different tricks.

   A. c→a→d→b  B. c→b→d→a C. c→b→a→d D. a→c→b→d

48. In the last paragraph the author mainly wants to express _________.

   A. one must be brave to learn to ice-skate backwards      

   B. skating and keeping cautious are both important

   C. it's difficult to concentrate when ice-skating backwards

   D. it' s a common thing to hit someone when ice skating backwards

49. The purpose of the text is _______.

   A. to offer some advice on ice-skating backwards

   B. to introduce the culture of ice-skating backwards

   C. to explain advantages of ice-skating backwards

   D. to compare different ways of ice-skating backwards 

— How about dinner tonight? It's on me.

    — ______ .

A. You are welcome                     B. Oh, I'd like to     

C. Well, I'm afraid so                 D. That's all right

They are always short of water to drink, __________less to bathe in.

    A. much     B. too     C. rather     D. no

 —We are going there by_________ sea.

  —Don't you think it too slow? Why not take________ train?

  A. the; 不填      B. the; the     C. 不填；不填      D. 不填; the

He is sure to win—the current situation is in his ____.

A. term    B. mind    C. favor      D. expectation

  在班级活动中，当你的想法与大多数同学不一致时，你是坚持自己的观点并说服别人，还是尊重大多数同学的意见？请你以“When I Have a Different Opinion”为题，用英语写一篇120词左右的短文。要求如下：

1．从以上两种做法中选择一种；

2．以具体事例阐述你选择的理由。

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