In the past，they were laughed at for being eggheads(书呆子) wearing glasses with a passion for the pointless.But now，being a member of their group has become a source of pride，with Collins online dictionary naming the term “geek” as UK's “Word of the Year” on December 16.
“Geek” tops the list for 2017 because of its “positive makeover”，a spokeswoman for Collins Dictionary told The Scotsman newspaper.
The word originally appeared in the 19th century as a variant(变形) of “geck”，meaning “a simpleton(傻瓜)”.
“In the 1980s，the word still had a negative meaning，referring to someone who was boring and socially awkward.However，from the late 20th century，due to the increasing importance of technology in society，the word has come to mean a clever，switched－on and cool person，” noted The Scotsman.
In September，the dictionary changed the main definition of “geek” from “someone
preoccupied with computing” to “a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about a
specific subject”.
“‘Geek’ is a great example of a word that has evolved from having a negative meaning to
having a positive one.” Ian Brookes，consultant editor to Collins Dictionary told The Guardian.“This change in meaning represents a positive change in views of specialist expertise(专长；专业知识)，and is a result of the influence of technology on people's lives.”
The Telegraph's John Bingham believes that the transformation of the word was helped along by the success of the US movie The Social Network，about the creation of the US website Facebook.“Commentators said the film showed that it had become fashionable to be a geek”，Bingham wrote.
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇说明文。戴着瓶底眼镜的书呆子们曾经被嘲笑为无用的“geek”，然而时代在变化，咸鱼也有翻身的一天！科林斯字典给了这个词一个全新的、积极的含义。
1.The underlined word “makeover” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A.evolution
B.result
C.influence
D.response
2.When did the word “geek” begin to have a positive meaning?
A.In the 20th century.
B.From the 1990s.
C.In the 1980s.
D.At the end of 2017.
3.According to the article，“geek” now mainly refers to ________.
A.someone who is addicted to computing and new technology
B.someone who is boring and unfashionable
C.someone who is smart but awkward in social situations
D.someone who is well－informed and devoted to a certain field
4.What helped to transform the meaning of “geek” from negative to positive according to the article?
a.The effect of technology.
b.The news media's promotion.
c.The influence of Collins Dictionary.
d.The popularity of The Social Network.
A.a，b
B.b.c
C.a，d
D.c，d
Dear Gregory，
Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone.You are a good and responsible 13-year-old boy and you deserve this gift.But with your acceptance of this present come some rules and regulations.Please read through the following list of rules.I hope that you understand that it is my job to form you into a well-rounded，healthy young man who can coexist with technology without being ruled by it.Failure to comply with(遵守) the following list will result in termination(终止) of your iPhone ownership.
1.It is my phone.I bought it.I pay for it.I am loaning(借) it to you.Aren't I the greatest?
2.If it rings，answer it.It is a phone.Say hello and use your manners.Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or
“Dad”.
3.It does not go to school with you.Have conversations with your friends in person.That's an important life skill.But half days，field trips and after－school activities will require special consideration.
4.If it falls into the toilet，breaks up on the ground or disappears into thin air，you are responsible for the replacement or repair costs.Mow lawns，take up babysitting or save up your
birthday money.Accidents will happen，so you should be prepared.
5.Turn it off，silence it and put it away in public—especially in a restaurant，at the movies
or while speaking with another human being.You are not a rude person.Do not allow your new
toy to change that.
6.Live within your experiences.They will be stored in your memory forever.Don't take too
many pictures and videos.There is no need to document everything.
7.Learn to live without it.Be bigger and more powerful than your “FOMO”—fear of
missing out.Leave your phone at home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision.It is not alive，nor is it an extension of your body.
8.Keep your eyes up.See the world happening around you.Stare out a window.Listen to
the birds.Take a walk.Wonder without Googling.
9.If you mess up，I will take away your phone.We will sit down and talk about it.We will
start over again.You and I，we are always learning.I am on your side and we are in this
together.
Love，
Mom
【语篇解读】 本文是一封母亲写给孩子的信，主要讲述了母亲为了避免孩子成为手机控而与孩子之间的约法守则。
5.The author's main purpose in writing the article is to ________.
A.explain to Gregory the functions of the new mobile phone
B.show Gregory how much thought has been put into this gift
C.inform Gregory of good manners he has to follow in public
D.make a deal with Gregory on the use of his Christmas gift—iPhone
6.If Gregory loses his iPhone，he ________.
A.will get a new one from his parents
B.has to pay for a new one himself
C.will never receive gifts from his parents
D.must learn to live without a phone
7.We can learn from the article that Gregory's parents ________.
A.set rules and regulations in every aspect of his life
B.expect him to do something in return for this gift
C.are worried about his manners and carelessness
D.don't want him to be addicted to electronic products
8.Gregory has to follow the rules below except that ________.
A.be sure to answer his parents' calls
B.keep the phone in silence when he's at the cinema
C.record his life as much as possible using the phone
D.bring the phone with him on field trips when necessary
The fourth round of heavy smog that hit Beijing in four weeks
has sent more people to the hospital with respiratory(呼吸的) illnesses and led to calls for laws to control the pollution.
Pan Shiyi，a real estate developer，said he is planning to propose (提出) a Clean Air Act to the local government.As a representative of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress，he started an online survey at 9：20 a.m.Within three hours，more than 25，000 web users，or 99 percent of total respondents，welcomed his proposal on Sina Weibo，China's Twitter.
They have good reasons to stand alongside Pan.The latest round of haze(雾霾) reduced visibility to under 500 meters in many parts of the city.The smog has also led to a great increase in respiratory illnesses，particularly among children and the elderly.Anxious parents and doctors almost all blame the smoggy air for the illnesses.Though most schoolchildren are home for the winter holidays，the bad air can easily move indoors.Besides，ordinary medical masks fail to provide adequate protection，so some people have turned to gas masks and respirators (呼吸器).
The causes of the scary smog are rather mysterious，though experts blame excessive emissions and the mountains around Beijing that trap pollution in winter，unless there is adequate wind to clear it away.Some critics have pointed fingers at China's top two oil firms，China National Petroleum Corp and China Petrochemical Corporation，saying the companies' outdated production technologies produce large quantities of substandard，high－polluting gas fuel.
Meanwhile，concerned Beijingers have moved their brainstorming sessions to cyberspace.If Pan's proposal for a Clean Air Act is adopted，netizens say the new law should include items providing for “car－free days” in times of smog，higher standards for vehicle fuel，stricter restrictions on industrial and exhaust gas emissions，and more effective protection for the public.
Beijing is not the only city that has ever lost the blue sky.Five days of thick fog caused thousands of deaths in Britain in December 1952，urging the government to pass the first Clean Air Act in 1956，which introduced smokeless zones and cleaner fuels to reduce pollution.That may provide some experience for Beijing to refer to.
【语篇解读】 北京持续的雾霾天气引发了公众对空气污染的关注，网民们纷纷呼吁政府制定《清洁空气法案》。
9.Why did Pan Shiyi start an online survey?
A.To investigate the public's opinions on pollution.
B.To tell people the danger of the smoggy weather.
C.To call on more people to support his proposal.
D.To collect supporting evidences for his proposal.
10.What can we learn from the passage?
A.People are clear about the causes of the smoggy weather.
B.Children staying indoors will not get respiratory illnesses.
C.Smog is worse for people with lower resistance to diseases.
D.Masks can give people protection against the smoggy weather.
11.Britain is mentioned in the last paragraph to ________.
A.suggest Beijing should learn from other countries
B.let people know many places have this problem
C.tell people the situation in Britain is worse
D.call on the government to pass Britain's Clean Air Act
12.What's the best title for this passage?
A.The Use of Gas Masks and Respirators
B.Beijingers Call for a Clean Air Act
C.Effective Protection for Blue Sky
D.The Mysterious Causes of the Scary Smog
In October 2010，I left my hometown and family in Virginia and moved to Iowa so I could be coached by Liang Chow.I'd been dreaming of an Olympic gold medal since I was eight—but gradually，that dream seemed like a million miles away.
On January 2，2017，while Mom was visiting me in Iowa，I told her，“I don't like gymnastics anymore.I want to try
dancing，or become a singer.I can get a job in Virginia.I just want to come home.”
Mom's eyes narrowed and her expression turned to stone.“You're breaking my heart，Brie，” she said.“You've been doing gymnastics for ten years，and now you want to quit? Have you lost your mind？”
I hadn't lost my mind，but I had lost my fire.It's an entirely different thing to push toward that dream when you feel alone.
“I'm not trying to break your heart，Mom，” I said.“I just don't want to do it anymore.”
“I know you miss home.But you've signed a contract that says you will represent your country to the best of your ability.You've got a responsibility to your teammates.And now you just want to walk away? I will not let you be dishonorable.If you don't like gymnastics，then at the very least，you will finish the season.”
The next afternoon as I dragged myself into Chow's gym，I thought of the efforts Mom had made in order to pay for my training.I thought of my two sisters：Arielle，who gave up ballroom dancing，and Joyelle，who stopped ice skating so that our single Mom could afford to keep me in gymnastics.
For now，here's what you need to know：Exactly 210 days before I ever attempted my first vault (跳跃) in the London Summer Olympics，my leap of faith came this close to ending in a crash of disaster.
【语篇解读】 作者因为想家想要放弃体操训练，但母亲的鼓励以及姐姐们的付出让她最终选择了坚持，并继续追求自己的梦想。
13.The author wanted to give up gymnastics because ________.
A.she thought she loved music more
B.she was overcome with homesickness
C.an Olympic gold was beyond her reach
D.the training for the Olympics was too hard
14.How did the author's mother feel on hearing her words?
A.Heart-broken.
B.Sympathetic.
C.Helpless.
D.Calm.
15.We can infer from the passage that the author ________.
A.was born into an athletic family
B.realized her Olympic dream
C.changed her mind in the end
D.had a bad childhood
16.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.A dream come true
B.My leap of faith
C.My mother
D.A quitter
More and more people come to realize that negative self－talk and negative energy can affect you in many ways and cause you additional stress.Because of this，developing more positive self－talk is an important way to reduce stress in your life.You can help yourself maintain a positive frame of mind，which will help with positive self－talk by surrounding yourself with positive energy in your life.You can get that by adding some elements to your life.
Listening to music that not only has a pleasant melody，but an uplifting message，can be great for developing positive self－talk.Have you ever had a song “stuck__in__your__head” for a few hours or days，the lyrics repeating themselves in your mind? If those lyrics were positive and inspirational，that would be a good thing.It's a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints，criticisms of self－limiting thoughts，or even songs that had more depressing or sad lyrics.
Books on strength，personal power，enlightenment，or self－help can be good resources to help you change your outlook and the things you say to yourself.Rather than bringing habitual self－defeating thoughts，you can find yourself thinking of new can－do concepts when times get tough.
One of the most important ways you can get and keep positive energy in your life is with the company you keep.Do your friends uplift you，or bring you down? Are they critical，or approving? Ideal friendships provide support when you're down，fun when you're up，wisdom when you're lost.Good friends can inspire you to reach greater heights，and see your strengths even when you don't always.Pay attention to how your friends make you feel，and if they're less than supportive，start putting your energy and time toward people who are better suited to be your friends.
In addition，positive affirmations (肯定) can certainly change your self－talk from negative to positive.Now，why not begin working positive affirmations into your life
in some creative ways?
【语篇解读】 越来越多的人认识到，消极的自我对话和负能量在很多方面会影响你，使你产生额外的压力。因此，我们要用多种方法来为我们营造充满正能量的环境。
1.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Adding some colorful elements to your life.
B.Changing your self－talk with positive affirmations.
C.Getting positive energy from the company you keep.
D.Reducing stress by surrounding yourself with positive energy.
2.If you have something “stuck in your head”，you'll probably ________.
A.be developing positive self－talk
B.regard the lyrics of a song as positive
C.keep thinking of this thing all the time
D.keep singing the same song for a long time
3.According to the passage，your best company should be those who ________.
A.uplift you or bring you down
B.are supportive when you are strong
C.provide fun when you're depressed
D.encourage you to do things better
4.What will probably be talked about in the following paragraph?
A.Some great ways of making great friends.
B.How negative self-talk influences a person.
C.Some creative ways of practicing affirmations.
D.How positive self-talk reduces stress in one's life.
After students come home from a tiring
day at school，they tend to worry a lot about their homework.
Whether students are working on English or chemistry
homework，they are simply working on the assignment in order
to get it done，attempting to memorize the concepts for the time
being and do not absorb any of the information afterward.Students are wasting their time on insignificant assignments
rather than
effectively
using
that
time
to
achieve
other
accomplishments.According to www.dailymail.com many
parents are concerned that homework is being assigned rather
than being used to integrate (整合) what teachers are covering
in the classroom.In their eyes，if less homework is assigned，students would have less stress and could focus more on their
passions and hobbies.
Homework gets in the way of participating in community service events as well as opportunities for getting a job or being a part of an extra－curricular activity.These responsibilities are important for teenagers to take on because they prepare the teenagers for the “real world”.Without the proper exposure to work that is not school－related，students will find themselves lost after they graduate.If homework were no longer given，students would have more time to mature in other fields rather than being educated only on academics.
In spite of the fact that teachers want students to do better in tests and absorb
the
material
that they
are
teaching，homework is not accomplishing its purpose.Because school is
becoming
increasingly
more
competitive
and
challenging，homework is becoming a setback rather than extra practice.Its
removal would benefit the well－being of teenagers as well as encourage them to get out in the “real world” and discover themselves instead of staring at a pile of assignments.
【语篇解读】 这是一篇议论文。学生在学校上了一天的课，回到家里还要担心家庭作业。本文评论了“家庭作业”这一现象，认为学生放学后应该有时间进行各种社会活动，而不是回家就埋头做与自己的生活无关的家庭作业。家庭作业会削弱学生的社会生存能力。
5.Students are wasting their time on insignificant homework because________.
A.they are working on it carelessly and hurriedly
B.they attempt to get only part of the information memorized
C.they spend too much time doing it without understanding
D.they fail to take in the information after finishing it
6.Many parents think that teachers should ________.
A.help students integrate the homework
B.simplify what they teach in the classroom
C.reduce homework to develop students' own interests
D.assign more effective homework for students
7.From the third paragraph，we can infer that homework might ________.
A.leave students lack of job opportunities
B.make students lose the sense of responsibilities
C.weaken students' social adaptation ability
D.cause students to feel lost after graduation
8.The author insists that homework should be ________.
A.made simpler and easier
B.completely cancelled
C.connected with social activities
D.switched over to subject competitions
With the development of society，the choice of food and drinks for children is more diversified than ever before.However，every coin has two sides.Many facts suggest that children are overweight and the situation is getting worse，according to the statistics.I feel there are a number of reasons for this.
Some people blame the fact that we are surrounded by shops selling unhealthy，fatty foods，such as fried chicken and ice cream，at low prices.This has turned out a whole generation of grown－ups who seldom cook a meal for themselves.If there were fewer of these restaurants then probably children would buy less take－away food.
There is another argument that blames parents for allowing their children to become overweight.I agree to this，because good eating habits begin early in life，long before children start to visit fast food shops.If children are given fried chicken and chocolate rather than healthy food，or are always allowed to choose what they eat，they will go for sweet and salty foods every time，and this will carry on throughout their lives.
There is a third reason for this situation.Children these days take very little exercise.They do not walk to school.When they get home，they sit in front of the television or their computers.Not only is this an unhealthy pastime (消遣)，but it also gives them time to eat more unhealthy food.What they need is to go outside and play active games or sports.
The above are the main reasons for this problem，and therefore we have to encourage young people to be more active，as well as guiding them away from fast food shops and bad eating habits.
【语篇解读】 本文为议论文。题材为儿童肥胖问题。本文作者阐述了造成儿童肥胖问题的原因并提出了解决问题的方法。
1.What is suggested by the author to deal with “overweight”？
A.Blaming the shops selling unhealthy and fatty foods.
B.Asking young children to walk to school every day.
C.Living an active life and removing bad eating habits.
D.Not watching TV or playing computer games after school.
2.Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?
3.The author writes the passage to ________.
A.show people a social problem
B.provide facts for government
C.advise solutions to a problem
D.compare opinions with people
4.The underlined word “diversified” in the first paragraph most
probably means ________.
A.various
B.difficult
C.expensive
D.available
Historians usually just study great things that happened in the
past time，but Drew Faust has made history! On February 11，2007，Faust was named president of Harvard University.She is the first
woman to hold the position in the school's 371－year history.“I am a
historian，” she said.“I've spent a lot of time thinking about the
past，and about how it shapes the future.No university in the country，perhaps the world，has as remarkable a past as Harvard has.”
“And our common enterprise is to make Harvard's future even more remarkable than its past.That will mean recognizing and building on what we already do well.It will also mean recognizing what we
don't do as well as we should，and not being satisfied until we find
ways to do better.”
It is her great desire for improvement and willingness to try out
new ideas that have given Drew success in a world controlled by
men.“This is a man's world，my girl，and the sooner you learn that，the better off you'll be.” Drew Faust recalls her mother telling her
this when she was young，but she didn't buy it.
Faust grew up in a well－off family in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley in the 1950s.Even then，she was a trailblazer(先驱).A conversation with her family's black handyman (零工) and driver inspired her
to write a letter，on school notebook paper，to President Dwight Eisenhower.She asked that he help bring US citizens together in the south，a much divided part of the country at the time.“Drew Faust is a historian with her eyes on the future，” said Susan Graham，a professor of Harvard.Many of the university's schools said that they believe Harvard will have a brighter future under the leadership of Drew Faust.
【语篇解读】 本文为记叙文。题材为人物传记。历史学家经常研究过去发生的重大事件，但历史学家德鲁·福斯特却创造了历史，她成为了哈佛大学371年历史中的第一位女校长。此外在管理哈佛大学方面，她还有自己独特的理念。
5.Why does the writer say Drew Faust has made history?
A.Because she is a historian.
B.Because she was president of Harvard University.
C.Because she was the first woman to be president of Harvard University.
D.Because Harvard has a remarkable past.
6.What do we know about historians?
A.They usually study great things that happened in the past.
B.They are usually presidents of universities.
C.They are usually born in well－off families.
D.They are usually women.
7.What does the underlined word “buy” in the third paragraph mean?
A.Accept.
B.Expect.
C.Purchase.
D.Afford.
8.What did her mother mean by saying “This is a man's world，my
girl...”？
A.To encourage her to do a man's work.
B.To tell her to do things as a girl should do.
C.To ask her to be well－off.
D.To expect her to be a historian.
Raising Confident Kids
Self－esteem (自尊) is a collection of beliefs or feelings we have about ourselves.Having a healthy self－esteem can protect us
through difficult times and help us remain focused on what is
important to us.Research shows that children with high self－esteem
grow up to be more confident adults.Self－esteem building should
start from young.__1__
Praise Actions
Young children need feedback.It's how they measure their actions and it plays a role in learning from experience.Provide specific praise about actual actions performed and efforts made in the process.__2__
Identify Strengths
Preschoolers are always watching each other.On the bright
side，they learn new things from each other.On the other side，they can become self－critical when they see a peer accomplishing something they still struggle to do.__3__ Tell your children to
focus on their strengths when they start to draw comparisons.
Foster (培养) a Sense of Belonging
Young children may not understand how peer pressure (同龄人的压力) works，but they feel it when they're being excluded (排除).Show your children that they are important by listening to and responding to their needs and ideas as much as possible.Save grown－up conversations for later so that you can have family conversations.__4__
__5__
As much as they need us，they also need to work on taking
small steps toward independence.When they know they can do
things，they feel more confident.Teach problem－solving skills.Step
aside and let them work on challenges before jumping in to help.Help by asking “How can we do this in a different way? Let's come up with some ideas together.” Getting kids involved in problem－solving teaches them how to deal with challenges in the future.
Building and maintaining healthy self－esteem can be a lifelong process，but the sooner you start，the more confident your children will become.
A.Encourage Independence
B.Spend quality time with children
C.Try to address their concerns as they arise，no matter how minor.
D.If praise is only attached to success，kids will focus on “winning”.
E.Be sure to point out your children's strengths regularly and be specific.
F.Below are some tips to help you promote your children's self－esteem.
G.Each parent has the responsibility to help children to become confident.
【语篇解读】 研究表明自尊的孩子长大后更有可能成为有自信的成年人，文章给出了一些培养孩子自信心的建议。
How to Prepare a Lecture
Being invited to give a lecture is an honor.It means that people regard you as an authority on a given field，subject，or issue.It means you are worth listening to.__6__
You have to make
sure your lecture is interesting，and full of wisdom，from which the
audience can take valuable insights.This is why it is important for
you to prepare your lecture well.
1.Think of a good topic.
You most likely will be assigned to talk about a certain topic.If that's the case，you only need to make an outline and do some research.But in some cases，you will have to think of your own topic.Although it gives you more freedom to do it，thinking of a topic can be tricky.__7__ or pick a topic that is timely and socially relevant.
2.Make an outline for the lecture.
Start by listing down the points that you will discuss，and then fill in each point with subpoints.If necessary，make a research about your topic.__8__
But if in doing so you end up with a very long outline，figure how you can shorten the topic or cut where cutting is needed.
3.__9__
Statistics，figures，medical information，historical accounts，and similar
information should all be checked and it will save your credibility as an authority on the subject you are talking about.
4.Add humor.
Don't engage your audience in a dragging soliloquy (独白).__10__ Humor will interest your audience.Of course，make sure the elements in your lecture are in line with your main topic and are not nonsense，racial，and offensive jokes.
A.Check your lecture for accuracy.
B.Giving a lecture is challenging，though.
C.If necessary，provide your contact information，such as an email address or blog site.
D.Instead，make your audience smile，or burst into laughter at certain points in your discussion.
E.To make it easier，consider what will interest your audience.
F.It should summarize your whole talk in one sentence.
G.Don't be afraid of exploring the topic，as this will allow you to discover other points that need discussion.
【语篇解读】 如何准备一个演讲？被邀请来演讲是一种荣誉。你必须确保你的演讲很有趣，充满智慧，听众从中可以获取有价值的见解。因此，准备好你的演讲很重要。