---Why didn’t you finish the task?       

 ---I didn’t think it is ______ the effort.

A. worthwhile         B. deserving             C. valuable                D. worth

Adding math talk to story time at home is a winning factor for children’s math achievement, according to a new research from a university. The study from psychologists Sian Beilock and Susan Levine shows a marked increase in math achievement among children whose families used Bedtime Math, an iPad app that delivers engaging math story problems for parents and children to solve together.

Even children who used the app with their parents as little as once a week saw gains in math achievement by the end of the school year. The app’s effect was especially strong for children whose parents tend to be anxious or uncomfortable with math.

Previous research from this group has demonstrated the importance of adults’ attitudes about math for children’s math success. For example, a recent study found that math-anxious parents who help their children with math homework actually weaken their children’s math achievement.

The new findings demonstrate that structured, positive interactions around math at home can cut the link between parents’ uneasiness about math and children’s low math achievement.

“Many people experience high levels of anxiety when they have to solve a math problem, with a majority of adults feeling at least some worries about math,” said Beilock, professor in Psychology and author of Choke, a book about stress and performance. “These math-anxious parents are probably less likely to talk about math at home, which affects how competent their children are in math. Bedtime Math encourages a dialogue between parents and kids about math, and offers a way to engage in high-quality math interactions in a low-effort, high-impact way.”

 Study participants included 587 first-grade students and their parents. Families were given an iPad installed with a version of the Bedtime Math app, with which parents and their children read stories and answer questions involving math, including topics like counting, shapes and problem-solving. A control group received a reading app that had similar stories without the math content and questions related to reading comprehension instead. Children’s math achievement was assessed at the beginning and end of the school year. Parents completed a questionnaire about their nervousness with math.

The more times parents and children in the math group used the app, the higher children’s achievement on a math assessment at the end of the school year. Indeed, children who frequently used the math app with their parents outperformed similar students in the reading group by almost three months in math achievement at year’s end.

12. Bedtime Math is an iPad app that _____.

A. requires parents and children to answer reading comprehension questions

B. encourages children together with their parents to solve math story problems

C. teaches children how to count, recognize shapes and solve practical problems

D. assesses children’s math achievement and parents’ nervousness with math

13. The previous study found that _____.

A. children’s math achievement is related to parents’ attitude about math

B. help from math-anxious parents improves children’s math achievement

C. interactions around math at home will cut off the family relationship

D. children can achieve more success if they see the importance of math

14. We can infer from the passage that ______.

A. children using the app for three months can see gains in math achievement

B. children whose parents are uneasy about math outperform other students

C. it is the math problems related to the stories that make the great difference

D. the frequency of using the app has nothing to do with children’s achievement

15. Which is the best title for the passage?

A. High-anxiety parents influence children’s attitude about math.

B. Frequent use of app can develop problem solving ability.

C. Low-effort activities create good parent-child relationship.

D. High-quality math interactions improve math performance.

96. 和谐，一致，和睦 n.____________

97. 准确的，精确的 adj.____________

98. 象征，符号，标志 n.____________

99. 道歉，认错 n.____________

100. 有益的，有好处的 adj.____________

101. 受伤，损害，伤害 n.____________

102. 理论，原理，学说 n.____________

103. 维持，维护，保养 v.____________

104 小心，谨慎 n.____________

105. 否定的，消极的，负面的 adj.____________

106. 牢骚，抱怨，抗议，控诉 n.____________

107. 乐观的，乐观主义的 adj.____________

108. 变化，多样性 n.____________

109. 程序，手续，步骤 n.____________

110. 经济，节约 n.____________

111. 提及，引用，参考 n.____________

112. 例外 n.____________

113. 科学的，有关科学的 adj.____________

114. 有弹性的，灵活的adj.____________

115. 相似性，类似 n.____________

 Like a lot of people who want promotion, Jenny is ______ herself really hard.

A. pulling                  B. pushing                    C. devoting                   D. enjoying

At one time I was unemployed and money was running short. I needed a job   36    but it seemed as if no one was hiring.

A very good friend of mine   37    me one day with an offer. "I'm going to have to let this job go and I was wondering if you would like to take it   38   ?"

 "That would be great," I replied.

I went to speak with the   39    and he said he could use me, but never gave me a start date. Really needing the job, I made it a point to go and   40    with him every day. Finally he said, "You can start Monday morning."

I showed up for   41    extra early, ready to do my best. When I went inside I was   42   that I would be buffing(抛光) the floors. My friend was there to show me how to   43   the buffer.

"It's easy," he said, running the machine very   44   . He handed it over to me and said, "Here, you give it a try." I grabbed the handles with a "no problem"   45   . To my surprise, the buffer was rather   46   to operate.

Several times, I tried to run it again and   47   . I really had to fight that thing to make it go. "What am I going to do?" I   48    to myself. "I finally found a job and I can't do it. Am I going to have to tell them I have to quit?"

After several rough   49   of buffing, I finally made up my mind that I was going to do this. For about a week, I   50    with the buffer, putting all my weight and   51    into it. Eventually, I learned the   52    was not to struggle with it at all, just go   53    the flow of it, and by the second week, I was   54    and running it with one hand.

A few months later, I thought back and wondered what   55    have happened if I had given up that first week. I certainly would not have had the newfound confidence or a paycheck.

36.   A. quickly                     B. badly                        C. lightly                      D. comfortably

37.   A. approached               B. encouraged               C. instructed                 D. persuaded

38.   A. away                       B. in                             C. over                         D. up

39.   A. friend                       B. manager                   C. employee                  D. conductor

40.   A. catch up                   B. put up                      C. check out                 D. check in

41.   A. interview                  B. breakfast                  C. work                       D. practice

42.   A. commanded              B. warned                     C. informed                  D. recommended

43.   A. repair                       B. operate                     C. tend                         D. treat

44.   A. slowly                      B. gently                       C. thoroughly              D. smoothly

45.   A. attitude                     B. response                   C. phrase                      D. opinion

46.   A. hard                         B. light                         C. convenient                D. heavy

47.   A. failed                       B. wounded                  C. succeeded                D. won

48.   A. turned                      B. came                        C. referred                    D. thought

49.   A. weeks                      B. months                     C. days                        D. years

50.   A. met                          B. struggled                  C. combined                 D. lived

51.   A. courage                    B. spirit                        C. body                        D. strength

52.   A. trick                        B. technology                C. method                    D. message

53.   A. among                            B. against                            C. under                       D. with

54.   A. hanging about           B. showing off                     C. calming down           D. pulling through

55.   A. must                        B. should                      C. would                      D. can

KING LEAR

Part 3

NARRATOR: As soon as Goneril has got all she can from her father, she begins treating him disrespectfully. When Lear wants to speak to her, Goneril tells her servant, Oswald, to say she is sick. She encourages her staff to be disrespectful towards Lear and begins complaining about the hundred soldiers Lear has brought with him. However, King Lear soon has a friend by his side. The Duke of Kent, who Lear ordered to leave Britain, cannot abandon his king. He therefore comes to Lear disguised as a servant called Caius and asks for a job.

(Enter Lear, several of Lear's soldiers and Kent disguised as a servant.)

LEAR:      OK, Caius. I'll give you a trial. And if you prove to be good at your job, I'll keep you on as my servant. (Oswald enters.) Hey, you there. Where's my daughter? (Oswald ignores the king and hurries out of the room.) Hey. What's going on? Call him back. Is he deaf? (A Soldier rushes out after Oswald.) It's as though the whole world has gone to sleep. (Soldier reenters.) Where's that servant? Why didn’t he come back when I called?

SOLDIER:   Sir, he answered me very rudely and said he would not come back.

LEAR:      I don’t believe it!

SOLDIER:   Sir, I am sorry, to tell you this, but it seems to me that you are not being treated with the respect due to a king. Everyone here, including your daughter, is behaving very coldly towards you.

LEAR:      Mmm. I suspected the same, but I kept telling myself it was my imagination. Please tell my daughter I wish to speak with her. (Soldier bows and leaves. Oswald enters.) Ah, come here my man and answer me. Who am I?

OSWALD:   My lady's father.

LEAR:      Your lady's father? Is that all I am to you, you dog, you slave! (Lear raises his arm as though to strike Oswald.)

OSWALD:   I'll not be hit, my Lord.

KENT:      (Kent kicks Oswald's feet out from under him.) And you won't be laid flat on your back either, I suppose. Now get up and get out of here. (Oswald leaves.)

LEAR:      My thanks, Caius. I can see you will be a most valuable servant.

              (Enter Goneril.) What's up, daughter? You always seem to be frowning lately.

GONERIL:   Is it any wonder that I frown when your soldiers are continually drinking and fighting? I thought when I told you about their behaviour you would make them behave, but now I hear you have insulted Oswald. I do believe you are encouraging your soldiers in their bad behaviour.

LEAR:      Is this my daughter scolding me?

GONERIL:   I have had enough of your soldiers. They are expensive to keep and you don't need them. Besides, their drunken behaviour and bad manners are disgusting. You will send half of them away. And unless you want me to get rid of the rest of them too, I suggest you teach them how to behave properly.

LEAR:      That's a lie. My soldiers are good men who know how to behave properly. I won't stay here to be insulted. I still have one more daughter. She'll scratch out your eyes when she hears how you've treated me. Men! Get my horses ready and collect my baggage. I'll leave immediately. I won't stay where I'm not welcome. (Lear and companions leave.)

NARRATOR: Lear sends Kent on ahead to the castle of his other daughter, Regan, to tell her that he will soon be arriving. Goneril sends her servant Oswald to Regan to tell her side of the story.

67. Who does the underlined “him” probably refer to?

    A. Kent.                 B. Oswald.                 C. Lear.                         D. Soldier.

68. Why did the Duke of Kent disguise himself as a servant?

    A. To find a chance to meet Goneril.          B. To share some of the king’s wealth.

    C. To find a job in the court.                      D. To serve and help his king— Lear.

69. From the passage, what is the relationship between Goneril and Regan?

    A. Sisters.              B. Couple.                  C. Sister and Brother.      D. Brothers.

70. Which of the following best describe the character of King Lear in this passage?

    A. A wise king and father.                          B. A cold-hearted father.

    C. A cruel and selfish king.                        D. A stupid and a bit stubborn man.

Tea drinking was common in China for nearly one thousand years before anyone in Europe had ever heard about tea.People in Britain were much slower in finding out what tea was like,mainly because tea was very expensive.It could not be bought in shops and even those people who could afford to have it sent from Holland did so only because it was a fashionable curiosity.Some of them were not sure how to use it.They thought it was a vegetable and tried cooking the leaves.Then they served them mixed with butter and salt.They soon discovered their mistake but many people used to spread the used tea leaves on bread and give them to their children as sandwiches.

Tea remained scarce and very expensive in England until the ships of the East India Company began to bring it direct from China early in the seventeenth century.During the next few years so much tea came into the country that the price fell and many people could afford to buy it.

At the same time people on the Continent were becoming more and more fond of tea.Until then tea had been drunk without milk in it,but one day a famous French lady named Madame de Sevigne decided to see what tea tasted like when milk was added.She found it so pleasant that she would never again drink it without milk.Because she was such a great lady her friends thought they must copy everything she did,so they also drank their tea with milk in it.Slowly this habit spread until it reached England and today only very few British people drink tea without milk.

At first,tea was usually drunk after dinner in the evening.No one ever thought of drinking tea in the afternoon until a duchess (公爵夫人) found that a cup of tea and a piece of cake at three or four o clock stopped her getting “a sinking feeling” as she called it.She invited her friends to have this new meal with her and so,tea-time was born.

21.Which of the following is true of the introduction of tea into Britain?

A.British people were the first people in Europe who drank tea.

B.It was not until the 17th century that British people had tea.

C.British people got expensive tea from India.

D.Tea reached Britain from Holland.

22.What does this passage most probably talk about?

A.It talks about how British people got the habit of drinking tea

B.It talks about how tea became a popular drink in Britain

C.It talks about the history of tea drinking in Britain

D.It talks about how tea-time was born

23.People in Europe began to drink tea with milk because .

A.tea with milk stopped people getting a sinking feeling

B.people followed the way a French lady drank tea

C.tea with milk was then a fashionable curiosity

D.tea with milk tasted much more pleasant

24.We may infer from the passage that the habit of drinking tea in Britain was mostly due to the influence of      .

A.the upper social class                   B.the ancient Chinese

C.a famous French lady                  D.people in Holland

 Many of us who have never been to Egypt always _______ Egypt with the ancient pyramids.

A. associate                  B. abolish                  C. accumulate         D. acquire

    These days I realize one thing which amazes me so much: how perfect everything is in the world we are living in! Just look, all day long we are busy working and just when we get tired, the night comes in, so we may sleep and relax. One day we may enjoy the bright sun and another day, when we get tired of the sun, the rain pours down.

    A few months ago I was so happy with my life. Later, I got tired from the happiness. I wished I would have some trial to strengthen my character and learn something new about life. I got what I wanted. Shortly after I got severe angina (心绞痛), so I had to stay home for several weeks. During this period I had time to rethink my life and discover myself. The lessons were terrific, but I felt grateful for this time.

    Another example: I have a friend, who primarily thinks about having fun. Once I thought why we get along well with each other and what in me attracts her. A couple of days ago I found the answer. I like calmness and silence. She likes noise and agitation (热闹). We attract each other just to balance ourselves, in other words, to give some drive to me and some calmness to her!

    So remember that the universe is so wise that it will try to balance you. As for me, this is perfect because extremes create suffering: too much food – too little food, too cold – too hot, too much fun – too little fun.

1. We can learn from the first paragraph that the author ______.

   A. always feels down on rainy days

   B. feels happy with everything in life

   C. always tries his best to do everything

   D. is amazed at the changes in life

2. The example given in the third paragraph is to show that ______.      

   A. it’s necessary to get along with different people

   B. a person shouldn’t just think of fun in life

   C. there exists a kind of balance in life

   D. one should put others’ interests above his own

3. The author would probably agree that ______.

   A. life can be annoying sometimes       

   B. we should be nice to others and ourselves

   C. we should adapt ourselves to changes in life

   D. we shouldn’t go to extremes in life

4. Which of the following can best describe the author’s attitude towards life?

    A. Curious.                B. Aggressive.  

    C. Doubtful.               D. Objective.

Norm lives in a rural area some distance from the nearest city and a much longer distance from the nearest big hospital so when his wife got cancer several years ago Norm was faced with a four and a half hour drive to where she could be treated．That meant lots of expense for meals，fuel，hotels and so on but in the end the cancer took his wife anyway．

Norm was obviously very stricken by his wife’s passing but he was also very angry because he realized that other people were facing the same sorts of hardships．He wanted to do something but he didn’t want to give money to the charities(慈善机构)that support cancer research because he didn’t know how much of it would actually get to the researchers．What he did was start to hold parties．

About every three weeks on Saturday evenings there is a party in Norm’s garden．Neighbours，friends and relatives come and bring snacks and drinks；many bring instruments，there is music and lancing and at some point during the evening Norm tells about a family he has found who are having difficulties meeting the cost of supporting a cancer patient undergoing treatment far from home．Then a honey-pail is passed around and the money collected，every cent of it，goes directly to that family．

Norm’s passion to help the families of other cancer patients was born out of his grief but Norm’s personal loss has resulted in an act of kindness that honours the memory of the wife he has lost．He makes the world a better place．

24．What do we know about Norm’s wife?

A．She died for lack of money．                B．She worked in a distant hospital．

C．She lost the battle against cancer．        D．She took good care of her family．

25．How does Norm help others?

A．By giving money to charities．       B．By supporting cancer researchers．

C．By telling stories to his friends．              D．By raising money through parties．

26．At Norm’s party，the“honey-pail”is used to contain______．

A．snacks    B．drinks    C．honey   D．money

27．Through what he does，Norm probably wants to____________．

A．remember his wife                   B．hide his anger

C．regain his personal loss                   D．change the world

 -—How about your conference?

-—Pretty successful．It allowed both sides of us to better understand ____ each stood on many issues．

    A．which            B．that         C．what        D．where

 This park is ______ wonderful place for people to visit, ______ place where everybody can have a good time.

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

    Australia is a nation of pet lovers but it may be loving its animals to death because pet owners pass on rising levels of obesity(肥胖) by overfeeding their cats and dogs, the country's main animals welfare body says. Despite its image as a sports-mad country full of fit, sun-bronzed youth, Australia in reality is battling the obesity and challenging the United States as the world’s fattest nation. The problem now extends to household pets.

 Obesity rates for Australia have doubled over the past 20 years, with 62 percent of men and 45 percent of women overweight. The same trend applies to household pets, with an increase in the number of overweight cats and dogs being dealt with by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(RSPCA)， and even one case of a fat pet mouse. “It's a big problem, and quite reflective of what's happening in the human situation,” said Mark Lawrie, the RSPCA's chief . Australia is a nation of 20 million people, almost 4 million dogs, 2.5 million cats, 8.7 million pet birds and more than 12 million pet fish. It has one of the world's highest rates of pet ownership at 64 percent of households, compared to 62 percent in the United States and 44 percent in Britain.

Lawrie said that surveys had found that between 40 and 44 percent of dogs and more than one in three household cats were now overweight, due to poor diet and a lack of exercises. Fat cats and dogs were much easier to suffer from heart problems and liver disease. The RSPCA said low levels of exercises had an impact on pet obesity, but the key problem was over-eating.

32. In Australia many pets are involved in obesity problem due to the fact that __________.

   A. they are fed too much                    B. they dislike doing physical exercise

C. their owners suffer from similar problems    D. their diet is poor in nutrition.

33. It is certainly a problem to Australians that __________.

A. there are too many household pets in the country

B. they don't know how to deal with the overweight pets

C. their country is the world's fattest nation

D. more and more people are becoming over-weighted

34. We can infer from the passage that __________.

   A. there is a variety of households pets, mice included in Australia

   B. dogs are the most popular household pets in Australia

   C. all Australians love sports exercises

   D. nobody is really concerned about pet obesity

35. The passage is best titled with __________.

A. Love Me, Love My Dog              B. Loving Your Pets To Death

   C. How to Keep Pets                   D. A travel in Australia

This Too Shall Pass

       When my family moved to Ohio over the summer, I feared attending another new school and knowing no one because I was able to expect what was coming. I had bright red hair and enormous glasses. In addition, I was  31  and not very sociable.

       Boarding the school bus that first day, I felt like all eyes on me. I could hear the  32  "She's huge!" Obviously, the kids on the bus had known each other well. I spent that first bus  33  in silence.

       The following day was even  34 . I did not notice that a few boys had tied a shoelace across the aisle and thus fell face first on the bus,  35  everything I was carrying.  36  I was embarrassingly gathering my supplies, I could hear the laughter, and then the  37   "That felt like an earthquake!" Anyway, I  38  to find a seat. Looking out of the window, I  39  the tears welling up in my eyes.

       It was then that I sank into myself. I began walking everywhere. I would wander through the woods behind our house. I would also walk to a  40  about two miles down the road, where I would chat silently with God. I began  41  the afternoon school bus  42  , walking home instead. Then,  43 , I started losing weight. And as I became content with myself, I began making   44 .

       One of my newly-found friends also  45  with her weight, wanting to be a "perfect" cheerleader. She lived near my neighborhood so we would meet and  46  together. This became a daily activity with talking and laughing  47  the way—different from the lonely walks I had taken. My friend said that I didn't have to be perfect. I just had to be me, and be happy with  48 .

       While I would not want to relive that time of loneliness, sadness and embarrassment, I am  49  I made it through. Whenever I am struggling with any other problem in life, I always remember the proverb “This too shall pass.” If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't  50  anywhere.

31. A. outgoing        B. intelligent            C. overweight              D. friendly

32. A. whistles         B. whispers             C. rumors                   D. laughs

33. A. ride                B. lift                       C. drive                       D. travel

34. A. duller             B. longer                 C. funnier                   D. worse

35. A. finding          B. losing                 C. dropping                D. leaving

36. A. While             B. Though              C. Since                     D. Because

37. A. opinions        B. comments           C. statements             D. discussions

38. A. determined   B. attempted           C. managed                D. pretended

39. A. kept away      B. took back           C. put away                D. held back

40. A. garden          B. church                 C. market                   D. library

41. A. escaping       B. stopping              C. delaying                 D. missing

42. A. on purpose    B. by chance           C. in reality                 D. at ease

43. A. uninterestedly                              B. uncertainly         C. unexpectedly             D. unfortunately

44. A. changes        B. friends           C. efforts                     D. decisions

45. A. struggled      B. competed           C. dealt                      D. lived

46. A. run                B. walk                     C. chat                       D. play

47. A. along             B. across         C. by               D. in

48. A. oneself         B. myself                 C. herself                   D. itself

49. A. excited          B. upset                   C. regretful                 D. proud

50. A. lead               B. stretch                C. exist                       D. stay

You may not pay much attention to your daily elevator ride. Many of us use a lift several times during the day without really thinking about it. But Lee Gray, PhD, of the University of North Carolina, US, has made it his business to examine this overlooked form of public transport. He is known as the “Elevator Guy”.

“The lift becomes this interesting social space where etiquette (礼仪) is sort of odd (奇怪的),” Gray told the BBC. “They (elevators) are socially very interesting but often very awkward places.”

We walk in and usually turn around to face the door. If someone else comes in, we may have to move. And here, according to Gray, lift users unthinkingly go through a set pattern of movements. He told the BBC what he had observed.

He explained that when you are the only one inside a lift, you can do whatever you want – it’s your own little box. If there are two of you, you go into different corners, standing diagonally (对角线地) across from each other to create distance. When a third person enters, you will unconsciously form a triangle. And when there is a fourth person it becomes a square, with someone in every corner. A fifth person is probably going to have to stand in the middle.

New entrants to the lift will need to size up the situation when the doors slide open and then act decisively. Once in, for most people the rule is simple – look down, or look at your phone.

Why are we so awkward in lifts?

“You don’t have enough space,” Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin, told the BBC. “Usually when we meet other people we have about an arm’s length of distance between us. And that’s not possible in most elevators.”

In such a small, enclosed space it becomes very important to act in a way that cannot be construed (理解) as threatening or odd. “The easiest way to do this is to avoid eye contact,” she said.

40．The main purpose of the article is to _____.

A．remind us to enjoy ourselves in the elevator

B．tell us some unwritten rules of elevator etiquette

C．share an interesting but awkward elevator ride

D．analyze what makes people feel awkward in an elevator

41．According to Gray, when people enter an elevator, they usually _____.

A．turn around and greet one another

B．look around or examine their phone

C．make eye contact with those in the elevator

D．try to keep a distance from other people

42．Which of the following describes how people usually stand when there are at least two people in an elevator? 

43．The writer wrote the passage in a tone of ___________.

A．disapproved        B．objective          C．negative       D．supportive 

Wanted, Someone for a Kiss

We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.

Father Christmas

We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.

Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10∶30－16∶00.

Excellent pay.

Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.

Accountants Assistant

When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.

Wealden District Council

Software Trainer

If you are aged 24­45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of ￡15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV (简历) to Mrs R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.

25．Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?

A．Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.         B．Mrs Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.

C．The Enterprise Shopping Centre.       D．Wealden District Council.

26．We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who________.

A．is aged between 24 and 40              B．may do some training work

C．should deal with general duties         D．can work for about a month

27．Which position is open to recent school graduates?

A．Producer, London Kiss.               B．Father Christmas. 

C．Accountants Assistant.                D．Software Trainer.

28．What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited?

A．One with GCSE grade C level.        

B．One with some office experience.

C．One having good computer knowledge.  

D．One trained in producing music programmes.