There is a lake near a forest in Sweden. The water in the lake is very clear and everything is quiet and still. On the far side of the water is some farmland and further away, across the field, is an old church built on a hill. It has just stopped raining. The brook flowing into the lake is full and there is still some half melted snow from last winter on the ground.

The reason the water is so clear, and everything is so quiet and still, is that most of the plant and animal life in and around the lake is dead. There are no birds because all the fish and insects, which the birds need for food, have disappeared. Many trees in the forest are losing their leaves and bark, and are sick and dying. Others were blown down by the high winds of last winter. A farmer is working in a field planting something, but unless he plants a stronger kind of seed this year, the crop will be between 25 to 40 per cent lower than a few years ago. The stones of the old church tower are turning to powder and unless the tower is repaired soon, it will fall down.

All the death and destruction in this place is caused by the smoke coming out of factories and poisonous gases from cars and trucks. And yet this silent lake is hundreds of kilometers away from the nearest factory and highway.

1. Why are there no animals or birds in or around the lake?

A. The weather is terribly cold.          

B. The lake is quiet.

C. The area is polluted.                

D. They have all been killed.

2. The farmer has to plant a stronger kind of seed because ____________.

A. the soil becomes less and less.

B. few plants can grow because of the pollution.

C. the water in the lake can’t be used to irrigate the field.

D. the wind is strong.

3. What do you think is the best title of the passage?

A. A Beautiful Place of Interest.       

B. A Polluted Place. 

C. A Quiet Place in Sweden.          

D. A Faraway Mountain Area.                                    

We do not know when man first began to use salt, but we do know that it has been used in many different ways throughout history. Historical evidence shows, for example, that people who lived over 3,000 years ago ate salted fish. Thousands of years ago in Egypt, salt was used to preserve (保存) the dead.

Stealing salt was considered a major crime (罪行) during some periods of history. In the eighteenth century, for example, if a person was caught stealing salt, he could be put in prison and his ears could be cut off.

In the Roman Empire, one of the most important roads was the one that carried salt from the salt mines to Rome. Guards were stationed along the route to protect against salt thieves, and they received their pay in salt, thus bringing the English word, salary. Any guard who fell asleep while on duty was thought to be “not worth his salt”, and as a result he would get a little less salt on his next payday. The expression, “not worth his salt”, is still used today in English.

In the modern world salt has many uses beyond the dining table. It is used in making glass and airplane parts, in the growing of crops, and in the killing of weeds (杂草). It is also used to make water soft, to melt (融化) ice on roads and highways, to make soap, and to fix colors in cloth.

Salt can be got in various ways besides being taken from mines underground. Salt water from the ocean, salt water lakes or small seas can be used to make salt. Yet, no matter where it comes from, salt will continue to play an important role in the lives of people everywhere.

4. According to the text, salt can be used in the following EXCEPT _____.

A. keeping dead bodies             

B. punishing thieves

C. protecting crops                  

D. making industrial products

5. In the Roman Empire many people were employed as guards to _____.

A. protect the city of Rome           

B. watch people carrying salt

C. prevent thieves from stealing salt     

D. carry salt from the mines to Rome

6. The expression “not worth his salt” used today refers to the one who _____.

A. fails to do his work well           

B. should not be paid in salt

C. doesn’t want to work at all         

D. should use less salt

7. The main purpose of the text is to tell readers _____.

A. how salt was found and got           

B. salt is important in people’s life

C. salt was difficult to get in the past      

D. what salt brings to the English language

Everyone wants to know the secrets of a long and healthy life. Here are some discoveries from health experts.

Many studies looking into the lives of centenarians(百岁老人) look at what they eat. Many people who live into their hundreds live in the Mediterranean  (地中海), so their diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats like olive oil, gets a lot of attention. The diet has been linked to a healthier older age, lower risk for heart disease, and even protection against memory loss.

Education is related to a longer life. A 2012 report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics found that people with a bachelor’s degree or higher live about nine years longer than people who don’t graduate high school. James Smith, a health economist at the RAND Corporation, is also a supporter of the argument for staying in school for better life expectancy. His findings show education should be an even bigger factor than race and income. Educated people are more likely to land better jobs, plan for their future, and make healthier lifestyle choices.

Being a hard worker doesn’t necessarily mean job-stress will harm you. The Longevity   长寿Study found that plenty of hard workers lived long lives. “Skeptics(怀疑者) may wonder if hard workers really are enjoying life.” the authors write, “We found that productive, hardworking people (even in old age) are not stressed or miserable, but tend to be happier, healthier, and more socially connected than their less productive peers.”

Having a strong social group is associated with a longer life. We often turn to friends and family for support, and taking care of the people that matter to us may help us take better care of ourselves, some evidence shows. Some research even suggests that immune(免疫) function is improved when we are around our friends, and that they help with stress management.

Research shows that sitting for long period of time put people at risk for shorter lifespans and other health risks. A 2011 study found that each hour people spent sitting down and watching TV after age 25 was linked to 22 minutes from their overall life expectancy.

8. According to James Smith, which makes the greatest difference to a long life?

A. Race           B. Income             C. Education         D. Books

9. From the fourth paragraph, we know_____.

A. Hard workers suffer from greater stress

B. Less productive workers tend to be happier and healthier

C. Nobody doubts that hard workers really are enjoying life

D. Hard workers are likely to enjoy a longer life

10. According to the passage, in order to live a long life, we should_________.

A. sit still frequently and have a good rest      

B. find a job after middle school and work hard

C. be social and make more friends

D. settle down in the Mediterranean           

11. The passage is mainly about ________.

A. diet and health                    

B. some discoveries on health

C. the value of good education           

D. the secret of a happy life

    Do you think that you lack confidence in your daily life? Do you want to be more confident? The following tips will help you build your confidence.

 Look At Yourself—Really look at yourself. Stand in front of your mirror and take a good look.This is really hard for a lot of kids to do，but try—it's important.That's your face that you're looking at and your face is going to be with you for a long time，so it would be really helpful if you would stop worrying so much about it and start liking it.Learning to look at yourself in the mirror and accepting all the good and not so good things about your face is an important step in feeling more comfortable with you and then，with everyone else.

Practice—It needs practice to make your face look perfect.But，if you look at other people's faces，you will see that no one looks perfect.You may think your favorite singer or actor looks perfect，but everyone's idea of perfection is different.Your job is to start seeing the beautiful things about you.It needs practice.You might notice that the expression on your face makes a big difference in how you look.

Dress for Comfort—It's important that clothes make you feel physically and emotionally comfortable.Clothes say a great deal about the person who's wearing them.Kids who want to get along well with others should wear clothes that are similar to what their classmates are wearing.Kids who wear very different clothes can't be welcomed by other kids.

   Hygiene(卫生)—Now that you've paid attention to your face and your clothes，let's work on cleaning.The simple fact is that if a kid smells bad and has dirty teeth，other kids and grown－ups won't want to come too close.

12．The author advises you to look at yourself in order to ________．

A．practise smiling at others

B．help yourself find your beauty

C．accept your face as it is

D．improve your facial expression

13．According to the writer，if you want to make others come close to you，one should ________．

A．take a bath with soap every week

B．brush your teeth at least twice a day

C．wear different clothes from others

D．look at yourself in the mirror every day

14．What would be the best title for the passage?      

A．How to get along with others

B．How to dress beautifully

C．How to show facial expressions.

D．How to build confidence.

15．According to the passage，the expression on your face ________．

A．plays an important role in communicating with others

B．can tell others whether you are polite or not

C．can make you as attractive as singers and actors

D．have nothing to do with your confidence

    Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? __16__ The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

Make a plan for achieving goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively(消极地) when you are surrounded by people who think that way. __17__

When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self pity. Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks(挫折) to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the things back to their favor.

__18__ These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.

__19__  Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously(下意识地) putting yourself in a better mood.

Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.

Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness. __20__

A. There are some tips in life that lead to happiness.

B. It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself

C. On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy，their emotional state will be      easily passed to you.

D. Being overweight or not eating foods containing nutrition have a negative effect on your mood.

E. What makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy.

F. These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves.

G. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy.