【题文】Communication is an important part of any relationship. Many of us are         to share our experiences or emotions with our friends. But when it's our turn to lend a(n)      ,we soon become bored or are short of idea on how to _       and offer advice.
That's because of what researchers call "listener burnout（倦怠）”．A friend might talk to us         ,often complaining about the same              problems. When we offer quick advice to        the situation, we may be unconsciously trying to        0urselves from bumout. However, good listeners         their natural tendency to solve the other's problems hurriedly and to keep the  conversation brief.
To be a good__       ，you need to use "active listening". It starts with the real _       to  help others and think through their feelings. Don't        things. You can start by putting your phone__        and sitting close to your friend. Let your facial expressions      一what he or she is  saying.__     you are able to fully understand,acknowledge the other person's          by reflecting them back:"That must be really hard for you.”Use         words or even sounds such as“yes”， "right”,and"hmm"”to          the other person to continue.
0f course,a.        can be extremely hard if the other person is too critical.But don't get  defensive. Effective listeners don't         negative criticism.Instead,they listen and understand  what the person ls trying to convey        responding.

【小题1】

A．afraid B．hesitant C．shy D．eager

【小题2】

A．shoulder B．hand C．ear D．eye

【小题3】

A．respond B．explain C．argue D．quit

【小题4】

A．aimlessly B．endlessly C．deliberately D．cautiously

【小题5】

A．difficult B．old C．acute D．sensitive

【小题6】

A．fix B．discuss C．create D．describe

【小题7】

A．forgive B．protect C．discourage D．prevent

【小题8】

A．follow B．display C．form D．overcome

【小题9】

A．reader B．partner C．listener D．speaker

【小题10】

A．demand B．habit C．desire D．ability

【小题11】

A．skip B．rush C．overlook D．postpone

【小题12】

A．away B．off C．out D．up

【小题13】

A．record B．restrict C．reflect D．replace

【小题14】

A．Whether B．Since C．While D．If

【小题15】

A．suggestions B．purposes C．responses D．feelings

【小题16】

A．big B．tough C．strong D．shone

【小题17】

A．force B．remind C．encourage D．convince

【小题18】

A．conversation B．suggestion C．problem D．lecture

【小题19】

A．give up B．make up C．leave out D．block out

【小题20】

A．after B．before C．while D．once

【题文】Picking a university is a tense period of asking yourself which institution is most relevant. That's why university rankings play such a vital role in students searching for their next academic direction. Rankings are also an inescapable part of the reputation and brand image of universities. "No university website is complete without the claim to be in the top 100 for something  or other," reported the BBC. The reason is simple: Rankings help them to attract students, staff and research investment.
Currently there are numbers of university rankings, and each has its own list of criteria. But the main categories are the same: academic reputation, graduates' performance and faculty resources.
However, experts point out the ranking process isn't entirely reliable. Mark Kantrowitz, a US financial aid researcher, said university rankings were mostly just for show. He wrote in The New York Times. "It may give your parents better bragging rights, but that's about it."
Moreover, it's not difficult to see the limitations of university rankings. Many rankings focus on the number of times research work is cited (引用) by other researchers. It helps British and US universities to dominate global rankings because English is the favored language of academia, John O'Leary, a member of the QS academic advisory board, told The Gunrdian,.     Also, rankings such as QS mainly focus on the qualities of the university rather than its students. "Any university ranking is likely to help students make better decisions about where to study, but the need to balance them with other more human factors is also important," said Phil Moss, an education and admissions consultant.  "Advice from graduates or current students can be as valuable in providing a genuine insight into the experience or quality of a particular degree program. It can also add an element that rankings can never convey-the actual emotion of a university experience."
【小题1】Why do universities consider rankings important?

A．Rankings make them more appealing.

B．Rankings are students' only reference.

C．Rankings can increase their academic level.

D．Rankings help them complete their websites.

【小题2】What does the underlined "It" in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Acadenuc research work.

B．The number of researches.

C．The way of ranking universities.

D．The limitation of university ranking.

【小题3】According to John O'Leary, what helps British and US universities rank well?

A．The wide use of English in academia.

B．Their outstanding qualities.

C．Their graduates' excellent performance.

D．The academia's favor to them.

【小题4】Besides ranking, what does Phil Moss suggest you should refer to if you're picking a university?

A．Investment in education.

B．Guidance from professors.

C．Information on websites.

D．Suggestions from students.

【题文】In US, the potato is one of the most widely consumed crops. French fries are commonly found in typical American fast-food burger joints and cafeterias. French fries were introduced to the US when Thomas Jefferson served them in the White House during his presidency from 1801 t0 1809. Potato chips are popular with consumers as well.
The humble potato is more than just a kind of food. In many ways it's part of the American pop culture. Let's take a look at some pop culture potatoes.
Mashed Potato dance
The Mashed Potato dance is a craze that began in 1962. The name of the dance came from the song it accompanies, Mashed Potato Time, performed by American R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp. The move vaguely resembles that of the Twist dance style, by Sharp's fellow Philadelphian,
Chubby Checker.
Hot Potato!
Hot Potato!  is an action puzzle video game released in 2001. In the game the player must drive a bus and clear the road of alien potato beings. The potato beings are either red or blue; when two like-colored potatoes touch each other, they disappear. .Over the years, Hot Potato! has received mostly positive reception from critics.
Mr. Potato Head
Mr. Potato Head is an American toy invented by George Lerner in 1949. The toy consists of a plastic potato model and a variety of plastic parts like hands, feet, ears and mouths. In 1952, Mr. Potato Head became the first toy advertised on television. This commercial revolutionized marketing and caused a boom that solidified this toy's place in American pop culture.
【小题1】Which is the newest to the American pop culture?

A．French fries.	B．Mashed Potato dance.
C．Hot Potato!	D．Mr. Potato Head.

【小题2】What can we infer from the text?

A．French fries were popular in US when first served in the White House.

B．Mashed Potato Time came from Mashed Potato dance.

C．Players can play Hot Potato! on their phone.

D．Mr. Potato Head can be taken apart.

【小题3】Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Enjoy American Fast Food

B．Have Fun with Potatoes

C．Different Uses of Potatoes

D．American Food Culture

【题文】The Internet is full of headlines that grab your attention with buzzwords (流行词). But often when we click through, we find the content hardly delivers and it wastes our time. We close the page, feeling we've been cheated. These types of headlines are called "click bait".
A headline on Busin,esslnsider.com reads:  "This phrase will make you seem more polite". First, when you click through, you find another headline: "Four words to seem more polite." Then, on reading the article, you find it's actually an essay about sympathy. And what are the four words? They're  "Wow, that sounds hard." On some video websites, you might encounter headlines such as  "Here's what happens when six puppies visited a campus". Turns out it's just some uneventful dog footage (镜头).
Nowadays, with the popularity of social media, many news outlets tweet (推送) click bait links to their stories. These tweets take advantage of the curiosity gap or attempt to draw the reader into a story using a question in the headline. These click bait headlines are so annoying that someone is attempting to save people time by exposing news outlet click bait through social media. The Twitter account @SavedYouAClick, run by Jake Beckman, is one such example.
Beckman's method is to grab tweets linking to a story and retweet them with a click-saving comment. For example, CNET tweeted "So iOS 8 appears to be jailbreakable but...", with a link to its coverage of Apple's product announcements. Beckman retweeted it with this comment attached: "... it hasn't been jailbroken yet."
Since founding the account, Beckman's Twitter experiment has brought him more than 131,000 followers. Beckman said that @SavedYouAClick is  "just my way of trying to help the Internet be less temble." Asked about his goal, he said, "I'd love to see publishers think about the experience of their readers first. I think there's an enormous opportunity for publishers to provide readers with informative updates that include links so you can click through and read more.
【小题1】The article on Businesslnsider.com turns out to be___.

A．useful suggestions on politeness

B．an essay about another topic

C．an article hard to understand

D．a link to a video website

【小题2】Why are readers often cheated by tricky headlines?

A．Social media has become more popular.

B．Readers have questions to be solved.

C．Such headlines are fairly attractive.

D．There're always stories behind them.

【小题3】Beckman attached his comment to CNET's tweet to ___

A．criticize CNET

B．save readers' time

C．advertise apple's new product

D．tell readers something about iOS 8

【小题4】In the last paragraph, Beckman appeals that _____

A．publishers be more responsible for the link

B．readers think about their needs before reading

C．publishers provide more information for readers

D．people work together to make the Internet less temble

【题文】When I first heard about geocaching（地理寻宝），I was skeptical. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like an interesting idea.I at least wanted to try it once.
Having familiarized myself with how the game works,I set out in search of my first cache. My trip took me through a series of lively hutong（胡同）,past a number of small temples, and right into the courtyard of a quiet youth hotel.I spent several minutes looking around, but couldn't find anything. Just before l was about to give up,I spotted a colorful object in the crack of a wall. Could it be the hidden cache?
At that moment a group of backpackers amved. According to the game's rules, people who are not in the game must not be allowed to find out about secret caches. So I pretended to make a phone call while waiting for them to leave. When the coast was clear,I grabbed the object. It was the cache!  I opened it and pulled out a crumpled（皱的）sheet of paper with several names and celebratory messages written on it.I added my own and replaced the cache in its hiding place, ready for the next geocacher to find.
It may seem like a simple game, but the idea that there are caches hidden all around us is exciting. Once you're hooked, it's easy to set yourself the goal of finding every single cache in a neighborhood or even an entire city. The real treasure, however, is not the cache itself, but the places it takes you to.
Hunting for further caches has since introduced me to places which I didn't even know existed. Some are peaceful parks, while others are forgotten historical sites.A few caches have even been in places I passed regularly without giving them any thought. Now,Ifeel a much closer connection.
【小题1】What was the author's initial attitude to geocaching?

A．He thought it interesting.

B．He wanted to try it at once.

C．He showed little interest in it.

D．He found it unsuitable for him.

【小题2】Where did the author find the cache?

A．In a hutong.	B．In a temple.
C．In a well.	D．In a hotel.

【小题3】When a group of backpackers were approaching, the author____.

A．pretended to be cleaning the yard

B．made a call to other geocachers

C．didn't allow them to come in

D．tried to keep the cache secret

【小题4】In what way does the author benefit from geocaching?

A．He's more familiar with the city.

B．He has found much treasure.

C．He has made more friends.

D．He has mastered hunting.

【题文】第一节短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅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：在错的词下画一横线，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。
One year ago,I had a special English lesson hold at the railway station. It was quite different  from the regular English classes we were familiar to, for we had no textbooks, no blackboard or no  fixed seats.
Gathering at the entrance of the station, we told to collect as many English words and  sentences as possible here. Curious and excited, we walked around the station and looked  everywhere, search for any information in English. Whenever an English word comes into sight, the  class would burst into the cheers as if we had discovered a new world. With the Chinese translation  and vividly pictures, we could figure out its meaning with ease.
Now, this unforgettable lesson still encourages me to be an active learner where I go.

【题文】We all face quantities of stresses in day-to-day living, whether at work, in the home, or anywhere in between.  【小题1】  Here's how stress can help us on an everyday basis.
◆Sharperung your memory.
Did you ever notice that sometimes when you are stressed, your memory seems to improve? Remember that test you passed where the answers seemed to come out of nowhere?   【小题2】It's because of stress hormones（荷尔蒙）that increase your alertness when it's most needed.
◆   【小题3】
Successful employees turn stress into motivation. Have you ever noticed that you get the least amount of work done when you have the fewest deadlines? Too little stress can affect how  much you actually get done. When you take risks and choose to get over the difficulty, it  improves your mental toughness and self-confidence.
◆Helping you resist the attack of illness.
【小题4】 Believe it or not, the right kind of stress can help your body's defenses against illness. When you get sick, stress causes you to make hormones that battle threats to  your health. That burst of stress is helpful to your immune system when your body faces a  threat.
◆Making your life more interesting.
Think about some stressful situations that we consciously put ourselves in to make life more  interesting and enjoyable, like asking someone out on a first date, conquering a known fear, or learning something new. These may not immediately come to mind when you think of stress  because of the positive outcomes.   【小题5】

A．Helping you get an advantage at work.

B．Helping you get through difficult times.

C．This will happen whenever you are stressed.

D．That's one way your brain responds to stress.

E. You need a healthy immune system to help fight off diseases.
F. But they're the types that can help you achieve fulfillment and happiness.
G. But handled properly, stress can have many benefits for the body and mind.

【题文】假定你是李华。近来电子红包在中国正成为一种时尚。请给你的美国朋友Peter写一封信，介绍有关情况。要点包括：
1．红包特点
2．时间、途径
3．参与人群
4．你的看法
注意：1.词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
3．参考词汇：电子红包-e-hongbao
Dear Peter,
I'm writing to tell you something about e-hongbao, which is becoming popular in China.
Best wishes.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Yours
Li Hua

【题文】You may like reading novels for fun. But you need to get  【小题1】   (organize) if you are reading  a novel for school. Here 【小题2】    (be)a few tips.
First, pay attention to characters. What do they do in the novel? What do they want? Everything【小题3】    is about a character can help us to understand him, from his__【小题4】   (appear) to the kind of food he eats.
Besides, the order of the story and the plot are  【小题5】   (equal) important. Make sure that as  you read, you make 【小题6】    _ quick note of what happens in each chapter. This will help you bring  the things you have noticed about the character, setting, language and so on together. It's also  an enormous help for you to retell the story after you have read it.
Next, themes. They are ideas that a novel explores.【小题7】      is a must to get the hang of the theme  if you want to fully appreciate the novel. Perhaps love is a major theme, or justice, or 【小题8】     (survive).
Furthermore, novels are made up【小题9】    language. Writers use language in a special way   【小题10】    (make) their novels work. They may use metaphors, invent symbols, or show different characters' personalities through their speech styles.