第I卷
第一部分
阅读理解
（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
A 难度：★★
Scientists are developing unmanned planes called drones that can gather weather information from the atmosphere. The drones could help weather experts improve their predictions.
Meteorologists (气象学家) say their weather forecasts would be more accurate (准确的) if they had information from many parts of the atmosphere. They already place satellites and balloons at different altitudes. And they use radar and gather information from devices (装置) on towers. But that information only helps experts predict weather conditions for the next few days. It does not help predict changes in the next few hours. This is very important where sudden, violent storms happen. To solve the problem, scientists at Oklahoma State University are developing new drones to gather information from more parts of the earth’s atmosphere. This will help forecasters improve predictions about local weather conditions.
Jamey and other scientists at the university are developing small drones that do not cost a lot of money but can fly for hours, gathering information from many atmospheric levels. Jamey said, “Oklahoma is a really good example, because even though we’re already a very weather-dynamic state, Oklahoma only has two balloon launches a day — one at dawn and one at dusk (黄昏) — from a single location in the state, and that’s where all the weather forecasting information comes from. So it’s difficult for meteorologists to get a very good idea about how that weather is changing from these very limited numbers of data points.”
Jamey says the drone program should give researchers a low-cost way of understanding storms better, and improve computer-based forecasting. The drone can measure atmospheric conditions, send live video to forecasters, and help search for people hurt in storms. “Our real goal is to try to develop systems that are really helpful and there may be the possibility of replacing weather balloons,” Jamey says.
1. Scientists are developing drones with the purpose of ____.
A. helping improve weather predictions
B. better examining the earth’s atmosphere
C. replacing weather balloons and satellites
D. gathering information to detect air pollution
2. Drones are different from other devices because ____.
A. drones can fly in the sky at any altitude we need
B. other devices can’t offer accurate weather information
C. drones help do research on violent storms in remote areas
D. drones help predict weather changes in the following hours
3. What can we know from the last paragraph?
A. Scientists will spend large amounts of money building drones.
B. Weather balloons may be replaced by drones some day.
C. The drone program has not been recognized by meteorologists.
D. The drones can’t be used in extreme weather conditions.
B 难度：★★★
Earlier this month, 24-year-old college student Dart wrote out his very first check and handed it to his grandparents who raised him. He said the $15,000 would pay off their mortgage (抵押贷款) and pay for a trip to the Bahamas to help celebrate.
“I had to sacrifice a lot such as friendships, relationships, going around and partying,” Dart said, “But I gladly sacrificed going out with friends so I could either work and make money, or stay home to save it, to reach my goal of helping grandparents who took me in at a young age.”
?I promised God in the second grade I would pay off you guys mortgage and help you retire. A promise I would never break. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, or touched... but are felt by the heart,” Dart wrote in a Facebook caption (说明文字) of a photo that showed him holding a check and standing between his grandparents. “Even with this, I could never repay you for what you’ve done for me.”
Dart has worked various jobs to save money. In high school, he worked at a grocery store. He later put in hours at a call center, worked at Pizza Hut and earned licenses to sell life insurance. Dart says he currently works as a material handler for Exxon and does a part-time job as a loan officer. He also works on Caring Heart Youth, a nonprofit he helped create that provides supplies for poor children and teens.
?My grandparents aren’t struggling by any means but why are they living to pay bills? That’s not the way of life I want them to have,” Dart said. “If I can do anything, I will sacrifice because I don’t know how long they have on this earth. I will sacrifice that fun, because that fun is temporary.”
Dart’s grandparents do not plan to retire just yet despite their grandson’s generous gift. And that’s just fine with Dart. “They want to work still, but they don’t have to,” he said. “They’re working to pay off a car, and various bills. And they’re party animals and they want to travel. They want to live a better life. And that’s what it’s about it. It’s all about living.”
4. What can we learn about Dart from the passage?
A. He is born alone and dislikes making friends.
B. He has lost some friendships over his choice.
C. He is very proud of what he has done for his grandparents.
D. He doesn’t want others to know what he has done for his grandparents.
5. How many types of work did Dart do to earn money?
A. Four types.
B. Five types.
C. Six types.
D. Seven types.
6. In Dart’s opinion, his grandparents ____.
A. has paid a great price to raise him up
B. are the most important people in his life
C. can’t pay for their living expenses themselves
D. should live a happy life in their late years
7. What kind of people are Dart’s grandparents?
A. They love Dart more than themselves.
B. They are living a very poor life.
C. They don’t know how to enjoy life.
D. They like to go to kinds of social gatherings.
C 难度：★★★★
Shortening the school week to four days has a positive impact on elementary school students’ academic performance in mathematics, according to researchers at Georgia State University and Montana State University. The study analyzed the impact of a four-day school week on students’ achievement by comparing fourth-grade reading and fifth-grade math test scores from the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) for students who participated in a four-day school week, versus (与……相对) those who attended a traditional five-day school week.
The researchers found a four-day school week had a statistically significant impact on math scores for fifth-grade students, while reading scores were not affected. The study suggests there is little evidence that moving to a four-day week hurts students’ academic achievement, an important finding for U.S. schools seeking ways to cut costs without hurting students’ achievement.
揥e thought that especially for the younger, elementary school kids, longer days on a shorterl school week would hurt their academic performance because their attention spans (持续的时间) are shorter. Also, a longer weekend would give them more opportunity to forget what they had learned,” researcher Mary Beth Walker said.
A number of schools in the United States have moved from the traditional Monday through Friday schedule to a four-day week schedule as a cost-saving measure to reduce overhead (经费) and transportation costs. Four-day weeks have been in place for years in rural schools in western states, particularly in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. Over one-third of the schools in Colorado have adopted a four-day schedule. The alternative schedule has also been considered in schools in Oregon, Missouri, Florida and Georgia.
The researchers have speculated (推测) on why the shortened school week positively affected students but there are not enough data to draw definite conclusions. “ We thought that a four-day school week lowered absenteeism (旷课), so students who had dentists’ appointments or events might be able to put those off until Friday and not default school.” Walker said.
?My own personal guess is teachers liked it so much—they were so enthusiastic about the four-day week—they did a better job. There’s some evidence in other labor studies that four-day work weeks improve productivity.” Walker notes the results are only applicable to smaller and more rural schools. Further studies should be performed to understand the effects on urban schools, she said.
8. What can we know about the study?
A. It showed moving to a four-day week would hurt students’ academic performance.
B. Its results were completely opposite to what the researchers expected.
C. It compared the same grade reading and math test scores of different students.
D. Its results showed a four-day school week had an obvious effect on reading.
9. What does the underlined phrase “default school” mean?
A. Attend classes.
B. Prepare classes.
C. Skip classes.
D. Disturb classes.
10. Which of the following may Walker agree with?
A. It is uncertain whether four-day work weeks can be applied to urban schools.
B. The four-day school week is more popular with teachers than students.
C. The reason why the shortened school week positively affected students is clear.
D. Schools’ adopting a four-day schedule is not a good way to reduce costs.
11. What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. Four-day school weeks can worsen students’ academic performance.
B. Most American schools have adopted a four-day school week.
C. Four-day school weeks may improve elementary school students’ math scores.
D. Five-day school weeks can worsen students’ academic performance.
D 难度：★★★
If you haven’t seen the film “Blackfish,” I suggest you sit down, watch it, and return to this article. If you’ve seen it, I have some bad news for you. I remember as a child being brought to SeaWorld and thinking what a fantastic place it was, one where children and adults could bear witness to the fascinating creatures that stared back at us through glass walls. However, unlike a zoo that keeps animals for protection and research, SeaWorld keeps its animals only for profit.
The film is based on the life of Tilikum, an orca (虎鲸), and I’m sorry to say his misery continues. Tilikum is best known for the death of the trainer, Dawn Brancheu, which people think is the result of mistakes made during her interactions (交流) with the orca, but this isn’t the case. It’s entirely caused by the stress involved of being taken away from one’s family, deprived of (剥夺) everything that is natural and important to orcas in the wild, and constant negative training from trainers.
Orcas at SeaWorld, on average, die at 13 years old, while orcas in the wild can live up to 50 years. Despite many attacks and deaths by orcas at SeaWorld, there’s only a reliable report of an orca harming a human being in the wild. Every male orca at SeaWorld has a collapsed dorsal fin (塌下的鱼鳍), which is the result of a lack of free space to swim, while they would swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild.
Orcas are highly social animals and rely heavily on the strong bonds they form with families, but babies are taken away from their parents for breeding and performance, which leads to their physical and mental suffering.
Sadly, this week, Tilikum appears to have an infection in his lungs, and he may have only a few days left to live. Tilikum lives out his final days alone. I am devastated by the tragedy Tilikum has had to suffer, and I hope stories like this won’t happen in the future, but until something changes, Tilikum is just another news story to ignore and another dead animal for SeaWorld to clear away.
12. Why did Tilikum kill his trainer according to the author?
A. The trainer made some mistakes during her training.
B. The trainer didn’t give what he really wanted.
C. He wanted to break away from the trainer.
D. He suffered more than he could bear.
13. The author introduces orcas in Paragraph 3 by ____.
A. providing some examples
B. making comparisons
C. listing some scientific facts
D. analyzing causes
14. The underlined word “devastated” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “____.”
A. frightened
B. discouraged
C. shocked
D. embarrassed
15. Which statement about Tilikum does the author most probably agree with?
A. He is the first orca to attack human beings.
B. He should have free space to swim from now on.
C. His unfortunate experiences should be reported.
D. He is only one of those orcas treated cruelly at SeaWorld.
第二节 （共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）
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。
Things you should know while growing up
There are so many things I wish I had known while growing up.
16
Maybe it’s because they think it’s just something you have to experience firsthand (亲身) to understand. Here are a few things nobody tells you while you’re growing up that would’ve been nice to know beforehand:
17
Nothing lasts forever. Enjoy every moment that you have. Enjoy life because it goes by extremely fast. There will be both good and bad times. It’s important to really enjoy the good moments in life because you’ll need those memories to reflect back on (回味) when the bad times come.
18
When you’re a teenager, you’re just at the beginning of your life’s lessons. Life is a cruel teacher. She gives the test first and then the lesson. Life will throw everything that it can at you. Life is also about change; don’t fight it and just go with it. Learn from your mistakes and grow. Let go of things you can’t change.
Attitude determines your altitude. Attitude is everything and that抯 not something they teach you in school.
19
It makes life easier and happier when you have a positive outlook (t人生观) and are able to keep your attitude light and flexible when dealing with other people and life’s challenges.
Love more and keep your heart open. Love is all that really matters in the end.
20
Try to be patient, understanding, caring and gentle with other people. Treating people with respect can get you a long way in the world. Being nice to people really does matter to people. Love people for who they are, just as they are, and realize that everyone is a work in progress!
A. Life is hard.
B. Time is a limited resource.
C. Give of yourself more than anything.
D. No one ever tells you the hard truths of life.
E. Enjoy being young while you are still young.
F. Be prepared to deal with changes in relationships.
G. Having a good attitude can make all the difference in your life.
第二部分 英语知识运用（共两节，满分45分）
第一节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
My redheaded granddaughter, Ava, was four. She would soon
21
out five candles on her birthday cake. We were all at her house and I said, “Baby girl, what would you like as a birthday
22
?”
Ava sat there and
23
for a few minutes. It was a big
24
for her, so she had to make the right choice. She said some possibilities. But she
25
that Jenny needed a friend because she was
26
. Jenny is my granddaughter’s
27
with beautiful clothes and shoes. We’d also bought a wooden
28
for Jenny. This was the gift that had made Ava’s face light up. She
29
liked it.
The next day my husband Paul and I walked to the store where we’d bought Ava’s first doll, Jenny. We
30
a new friend for Jenny, and we were delighted that we found one with
31
hair like our sweet girl. At Ava’s birthday party, she couldn’t wait to see her new gift. She was very happy and tore the paper off the box
32
. Apparently, Ava loved it very much. She screamed in
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, “Look! Jenny has a friend! She won’t be alone any more. And now she’ll have
34
to hold the horse while she gets on!”
As a little girl, my granddaughter knows
35
is important. Indeed, we all have friends, and we have been blessed with some
36
ones. They will be there with us during
37
times and will cheer for us during good times. And sometimes they’ll tell us hard truths — not because they want to
38
us, but because they want the best for us. They care really about us and want us to be happy. Aren’t you
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for your true friends? I know I am! Appreciate your true friends and tell them how
40
they are to you.
21. A. hand
B. blow
C. put
D. pick
22. A. card
B. party
C. song
D. present
23. A. thought
B. stayed
C. slept
D. waited
24. A. problem
B. chance
C. decision
D. plan
25. A. agreed
B. admitted
C. hesitated
D. stressed
26. A. funny
B. lonely
C. clever
D. lovely
27. A. classmate
B. sister
C. doll
D. pet
28. A. horse
B. bed
C. house
D. bridge
29. A. rarely
B. usually
C. finally
D. really
30. A. made
B. invited
C. chose
D. met
31. A. black
B. red
C. white
D. blonde
32. A. quickly
B. carefully
C. slowly
D. politely
33. A. disappointment
B. surprise
C. fear
D. excitement
34. A. somebody
B. anybody
C. nobody
D. everybody
35. A. trust
B. friendship
C. love
D. honesty
36. A. terrible
B. common
C. interesting
D. amazing
37. A. hard
B. easy
C. happy
D. spare
38. A. help
B. worry
C. hurt
D. remind
39. A. sorry
B. grateful
C. fit
D. eager
40. A. suitable
B. friendly
C. precious
D. useful
第Ⅱ卷
第二节 语法填空 (共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面材料，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。
Flights coming from the US to Europe normally benefit 41.______ the powerful winds from the jet stream, 42.______ can boost speeds by up to 300 km/h. But a new study says that advantage will 43.______ (weaken) with a continuing rise in emissions of CO2.
Climate change could increase the jet stream wind by 15 per cent. Flights from New York would speed up. But journeys from London would be 44.______ (two) as likely to take seven hours. The overall result is that round trips would get 45.______ (significant) longer with planes spending 46.______ extra 2,000 hours in the air, costing around $22 million every year.
While the study only looked at flights between Europe 47.______ the US, the authors believe the same impact is likely 48.______ (see) in other places as well.
And with the temperature being higher and higher due to global warming, 49.______ (fly) to the US could be longer and 50.______ (expensive). Therefore, airlines seek to make up for their costs through higher ticket prices.
41. _______________
42. _______________
43. _______________
44. _______________
45. _______________
46. _______________
47. _______________
48. _______________
49. _______________
50. _______________
第三部分 写作（共两节，满分35分）
第一节 短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
此题要求改正所给短文中的错误。短文中有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（^），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：
1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词。
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Fire is only one of our greatest friends, but also one of our greatest enemies. Many a big fire are caused by carelessness. A lighting cigarette thrown out of a car or a train window, or the broken bottle lying on dry grass can start a fire. Sometimes, however, a fire can start by its own. Fires have been ever destroyed a whole city. In the l7th century, a small fire which begins in a baker’s shop burnt down near every building in London. Even today, in spite of modern fire-fighting methods, fire causes million of pounds’ worth of damage each year both in big cities or in the countryside.
第二节 书面表达 （满分25分）
假设美国交换生Andy到你的学校进行交流活动，对你们刚举行的运动会很好奇。请你用英语向他简单介绍该次运动会，内容应包括：1. 运动会举行的时间；2. 运动会的内容；3. 你的感想。要求：词数100左右。
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