Nick Vujicic is an Australian motivational speaker born with no arms or legs, but the brave man plays football and golf, swims, and surfs. Nick has a small foot on his left side, which helps

him balance and enables him to kick. He uses his one foot to type, write with a pen and pick things up between his toes.

“I call it my chicken drumstick,” joked Nick. “I’d be lost without it. When I get in the water I float because 80 percent of my body is lungs and my drumstick acts as a propeller (螺旋桨).”

When Nick was born, his father was so shocked that he left the hospital room to vomit(呕吐).

His distraught mother couldn’t bring herself to hold him until he was four months old.

“It was so hard for them, but right from the start they did their best to make me independent. My dad put me in the water when I was 18 months old and gave me the courage to learn how to swim,” said Nick.

Throughout his childhood Nick dealt with the typical challenges. At the age of seven, Nick tried out some specially designed electronic arms and legs, in the hope that he would be more like

other kids. During the short trial(试用) period of the electronic arms and legs, Nick realized that

even with them, he was still unlike his peers （同辈）at school, and they turned out to be much too heavy for Nick to operate, affecting his flexibility quite significantly.

“When I was 13 I read a newspaper article about a disabled man who had managed to achieve great things and help others,” said Nick. “I realized why God had made us like this—to give hope to others. It was so inspirational to me that I decided to use my life to encourage others and

decided to be thankful for what I do have, not get angry about what I don’t.”

“I tell people to keep on getting up when they fall and to always love themselves,” he said. “If I can encourage just one person then my job in this life is done.” By now, he has visited 35 different countries, touring the world as a motivational speaker.

21．What makes it possible for Nick to swim in the water?

A.   His small size.                                      B. His small foot.

C. His light weight.                                   D. His big lungs.

22.   The underlined word “distraught” in Paragraph 3 probably means                 .

A.   really crazy                                          B. cold-blooded

C. extremely upset                                    D. bad-tempered

23.   Which of the following statements is true?

A.   Nick’s parents were very strict with him.

B.   Nick’s mother was to blame for his disability.

C.   Nick learned to be independent at a young age.

D.   Nick’s family accepted his disability at his birth.

24.   Nick abandoned（放弃） the electronic arms and legs because           .

A.   his family couldn’t afford them

B.   his classmates didn’t like them

C.   they were too heavy to handle

D.   they affected his appearance

Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume（消 耗） rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to

stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.

After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.

In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity or extreme overweight among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.

25.   In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?

A.  They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.

B.  They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.

C.  They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.

D.  They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.

26.   This text is mainly the relationship between           .

A. Americans and the French                  B. life style and obesity

C. children and adults                             D. fast food and overweight

27.   The text is mainly developed              .

A. by comparison        B. by space             C. by process      D. by classification

BEIJING, China -- Chinese leaders announced on Thursday that they would officially end the country’s “one-child policy,” allowing couples to have two children instead. The policy, which was designed to help curb the country's population growth, has been one of the most controversial policies of the last century. Here's what you need to know now that the policy is on its way out.

Under Chairman Mao Zedong’s rule between 1949 and 1976, China’s population nearly doubled to 940 million people. That spike （ 剧 增 ） , combined with growing fears of global overpopulation, inspired China’s leaders to attempt to slow further growth.

China established the one-child policy in 1979. The “one-child” label itself is a bit of a misnomer（使用不当的名称）. While urban families have largely been limited to one child, many couples were given exceptions, including ethnic minorities（少数民族）, rural families whose first child was a daughter and couples who were both only children. Still, for decades anyone who

exceeded（超过） the birth limits was subject to escalating（使上涨）fines, as well as forced sterilizations(不孕) and abortions .

Chinese leaders and experts now see the policy as fueling（激起） massive economic and social problems. Limiting births has contributed to unfavorable demographics（人口统计资料）, with a shrinking number of people supporting an ever-growing retired population. The country’s economy once benefited from a  “ demographic dividend （ 红 利 ， 股 息 ）” of a swollen

working-age population, but China is starting to pay that debt down in the form of slowing growth and higher spending on health and retirements.

On top of age imbalances, the policy has also helped fuel an enormous sex-ratio（性别比例）

imbalance: Experts predict that by 2020 China will have 30 million more marriage-age men than

women. Traditional preferences for boys meant that families limited to one or two children often practiced illegal sex-selective abortions or abandoned newborn daughters. Authorities fear the resulting generation of bachelors（单身汉） could contribute to crime and social instability.

The Chinese Communist Party said it would allow for second children in all families, but further details on timing and regulations for “excess births” haven’t been announced. This is the latest and most decisive in a progressive series of steps to loosen the policy -- most notably, a change in 2013 allowed couples to have an extra child if either parent was an only child.

28.   Which is the closest meaning of the underlined word “curb” in para.1 ?

A.  advance                   B. cut                      C. control                  D. speed

29.   Which was NOT the exception that a couple could have a second child before now ?

A.  If they are ethnic minorities

B.  If they are families whose first child was a daughter

C.  If either parent was an only child

D.  If they are couples who were both only children.

30.    Why do experts predict that by 2020 China will have 30 million more marriage-age men than women?

A.  Due to people’s age imbalances

B.  Due to people’s practice of illegal sex-selective abortions

C.  Due to people’s abandoning their newborn babies

D.  Due to people’s traditional preferences for boys

31.   Which may be the economic problem fueled by the policy?

A.  A growing number of people supporting an ever-shrinking retired population

B.  Higher spending on health and retirements

C.  Crime and social instability

D.  An enormous sex-ratio imbalance

When a big exam is coming up, you probably feel anxious about any wasted time and want to begin school as soon as you probably can.

But tens of thousands of British high school students will soon be getting up later. They’re taking part in a new experiment by Oxford University to see if later classes can improve their exam results.

Grades 10 students in the UK have to take the nationwide General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. They have to pass these exams in order to study more advanced courses, and later apply for universities.

The Oxford University project means that GCSE students from more than 100 schools across England will start school at 10 am, more than one hour later than the current start time (8:50 am).

The project is based on scientific evidence that teenagers are “out of sync( 同 步 )” with

traditional  school  hours, the  Telegraph reported.  And  what they  need  is  more sleep  in the morning.

“We know that something funny happens when you’re a teenager, in that you seem to be out of sync with the world,” said professor Colin Epsie, who is leading the study. “Your parents think it’s because you are lazy and opinionated（固执己见的）and everything will be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings.”

Everyone follows a natural cycle of sleep and wakefulness. Biology has decided that teenagers go to sleep around midnight and don’t feel fully awake until 9-10 am, according to scientists. That’s two hours later than adults. And their body clocks stay like this until the age of around 21 for males, and 19 for females.

“Society provides school for learning, but the brain provides sleep. So we are exploring the possibility that if you delay the schools start time until 10 am, that will improve learning performance,” said Epsie.

The results could be positive, based on previous studies.

An early study at the UK’s Monkseaton High School in 2009 found that starting an hour later improved grades in core subjects by 19 percent.

The Oxford project is expecting to publish the results in 2018. It’s time to wait and see whether scientists will give us an excuse to get up late.

32.         According to the article, students who take part in the Oxford University project  .

A.  will start school one hour earlier

B.  will no longer have to take GCSE exams

C.  will perform better academically than those who don’t participate

D.  will be guaranteed more sleeping time in the morning 33．We can infer from the article that                                                            .

A.  the Oxford University project is targeted at all British high schools

B.  getting up late is a sign of laziness in the eyes of most British parents

C.  children and adults have different natural cycles of sleep and wakefulness

D.  there is still no scientific evidence that supports a late school start time

34.         What is the author’s attitude toward the Oxford University project ?

A Critical           B. Optimistic             C. Doubtful           D. Uninterested 35． What’s the best title of the article ?

A.  Wake up late to excel（优于，胜过）        B. It’s never too late to learn

C. The later you get up, the better you’ll learn     D. An excuse to get up late

A college education can be priceless. 36         If any of these following factors had a big influence on your decision, you’re probably right to second-guess yourself.

◆Because someone else expects it from you.

Perhaps you come from a family where everyone goes to college. Or maybe, you’re the kid that everyone is proud to believe will be the first to get there.                                    37        . It’s become so much a part of the air you breathe that you’ve never stopped to consider whether you want to go or whether you’re ready to go.

◆Because all your friends are going.

In only a few weeks’ time, the whole friend group will be scattered to a half dozen different colleges in a half dozen different places.                                         38         Friends would wonder what’s wrong with

you. Some would take it as a betrayal（背叛） of the dreams you’ve dreamed together and the

plans you’ve made.

◆         39       

It’s been tough to find even a summer job. You don’t have an alternative plan. Everyone else is doing it . You think you might as well go to school. That is the lamest of reasons to spend

$20,000 or more in the next year.

◆Because you are afraid you’ll regret it if you don’t go.

Your uncle tells you that his one regret in life is that he didn’t go to college. Others tell you that they could have gone so much farther in their career if only they had a college education.

        40         So this is not a persuasive reason for you to go to college.

A.  Not to go would be set yourself apart.

B.  Because you don’t know what else to do.

C.  That’s much too fine.

D.  It seems that for years everyone has just assumed（认为） that of course you’ll go.

E.  Everyone seems more excited than you are.

F. But maybe in your heart you know that you are going for the wrong reasons.

G.  Whatever the story is, there are always people who regret decisions they’ve made.