1、. Grammar and Vocabulary Section ADirections: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits eac
2、h blank.Martin Bechtel sits at West Palm Beachs Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtels “me” time. And (21) more Americans, shes not alone.A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone
3、 in America. More than half (53%) have breakfast alone and nearly half (46%) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime (22) we eating together, 74% according to statistics from the report.“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know?” Bechtel said, (23) (look) up for her book. Be
4、chtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often (24) (work) through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on (25) shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today, I just wanted some ti
5、me to myself,” she said.Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local video-grapher, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom hes on a first - name basis (26) he wants to have a little interaction. “ I reflect on (27)
6、 my days gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “Its a chance for self-reflection. you return to work (28) (refresh) and with a plan.”That freedom (29) (choose) is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for
7、one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smart- phones to keep us company at the table. “It doesnt feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,” said Laurie Demeritt, (30) company provided the statistics for the report.Section BDirections: Fill in each blank with a prope
8、r word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.A. modernityB. miseryC. insteadD. patentE. limitsF. passionateG. giftedH. outlookI. favoredJ. blessedK. exhaustingTime: is there ever enough of it? In todays modern world, most of us are 31 wi
9、th so-called time-saving devices and technological advancements and work less both at the office and at home. But why do we still feel busier? A study by Derek Thompson on the “myth” of being busy suggests that while 32brought us convenience, it also brought us new headaches. Consider the idea of FO
10、MO (fear of missing out). Knowing exactly what were missing out makes us feel guilty or anxious about the 33for our time and our ability to use iteffectively.While being informed is important, it can lead to anxiety about keeping up with the times. If you find yourself unable to stop scrolling throu
11、gh Twitter, turn off the phone and take a mental break. Practice JOMO (joy of missing out), a(n) 34 on life thats a direct contradiction to FOMO. Get rid of feelings of guilt and “shoulds” and replace them with mindfulness and living in the moment.Another thing technology has 35 us is the blurring（难
12、以区分）between work and downtime. Whileconstant connection has made the workday much more flexible, its also harder to turn off at the end of the day. Always being “on” is a(n) _36 state of mind. Consider putting a hard stop on media and electronic devices an hour or two before bed.Of course, if you wa
13、nt to move up the corporate ladder and get a bigger paycheck, working long hours has long been a 37 strategy. But if you dont have passion for your job or care about what you do, you might just be working yourself into more 38 .People working the same hours feel completely different levels of time p
14、ressure depending on their passion. If most of the hours are spent doing something you dont feel 39 about, its no wonder you start to feel out of control and anxious about your time. Taking back control of your time can ease this mental stress. Therefore, your time management goal shouldnt be to fig
15、ure out how to do more, but 40 to figure out how to want less. Reading ComprehensionSection ADirections: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.The expression, “everybodys doi
16、ng it,” is very much at the center of the concept of peer pressure. It is a social influence applied on an individual in order to get that person to act or believe in a(n) 41 ways as a larger group. This influence can be negative or positive, and can exist in both large and small groups.People are s
17、ocial creatures by nature, and so it is hardly 42 that some part of their self-respect comes from the approval of others. This instinct explains why the approval of peers, and the fear of 43 , is such a powerful force in many peoples lives. This instinct drives people to dress one way at home and an
18、other way at work, or to answer a simple “fine” when a stranger asks “how are you?” even if it is not necessarily true. There is a(n) 44 aspect to this: it helps society to function efficiently, and encourages a general level of self-discipline that 45 day - to - day interaction between people.For c
19、ertain individuals, seeking social acceptance is so important that it becomes a(n) 46 : in order to satisfy the desire, they may go so far as to 47 their sense of right and wrong. Teens and young adults may feel forced to use drugs, or join gangs that 48 criminal behavior. Mature adults may sometime
20、 feel 49 to cover up illegal activity at the company where they work, or end up in debt because they are unable to hold back the desire to buy a house or car that they cant afford in an effort to 50 the peers.However, peer pressure is not always negative. A student whose friends are good at 51 may b
21、e urged to work harder and get good grades. Players on a sports team may feel driven to play harder in order to help the team win. This type of 52 can also get a friend off drugs, or to help an adult take up a good habit or drop a bad one.Although peer pressure is sometimes quite obvious, it can als
22、o be so 53 that a person may not even notice that it is affecting his or her behavior. For this reason, when making important decisions, simply going with a(n) 54 is risky. Instead, people should seriously consider why they feel drawn to taking a particular action, and whether the real 55 is simply
23、that everyone else is doing the same thing.41. A. traditionalB. similarC. peculiarD. opposite42. A. understandableB. believableC. acceptableD. surprising43. A. disapprovalB. failureC. absenceD. independence44. A. uncertainB. practicalC. impossibleD. vague45. A. promotesB. preventsC. simplifiesD. inc
24、reases46. A. challengeB. inspirationC. promiseD. addiction47. A. recognizeB. abandonC. decreaseD. define48. A. avoidB. encourageC. declineD. punish49. A. pressuredB. respectedC. delightedD. regretted50. A. catch sight ofB. stay away fromC. make fun ofD. keep up with51. A. competitionsB. interactionC
25、. academicsD. adaptation52. A. knowledgeB. interestC. assistanceD. influence53. A. abstractB. ridiculousC. subtleD. reasonable54. A. consciousnessB. motivationC. instinctD. encouragement55. A. motivationB. dangerC. supportD. achievementSection BDirections: Read the following three passage. Each pass
26、age is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.(A)“You can use me as a last resort（选择）, and if nobody else volunteers, then
27、 I will do it.” This was an actual reply from a parent after I put out a request for volunteers for my kids, lacrosse（长曲棍球）club.I guess that theres probably some demanding work schedule, or social anxiety around stepping up to help for an unknown sport. She may just need a little persuading. So I tr
28、y again and tug at the heartstrings. I mention the single parent with four kids running the show and I talk about the dad coaching a team that his kids arent even on. At this point the unwilling parent speaks up, “Alright. Yes, Ill do it.”Im secretly relieved because I know theres real power in shar
29、ing volunteer responsibilities among many. The unwilling parent organizes the meal schedule, sends out emails, and collects money for end-of-season gifts. Somewhere along the way, the same parent ends up becoming an invaluable ember of the team. The coach is able to focus on the kids while the other
30、 parents are relieved to be off the hook for another season. Handing out sliced oranges to bloodthirsty kids can be as exciting as watching your own kid score a goal.Still, most of us volunteers breathe a sigh of relief when the season comes to a close. That relief is coupled with a deep understandi
31、ng of why the same people keep coming back for more: Connecting to the community as you freely give your time, money, skills, or services provides a real joy. Volunteering just feels so good.In that sense, Im pretty sure volunteering is more of a selfish act than Id freely like to admit. However, if
32、 others benefit in the process, and I get some reward too, does it really matter where my motivation lies?56. What can we infer about the parent from her reply in paragraph 1?A. She knows little about the club.B. She isnt good at sports.C. She just doesnt want to volunteerD. Shes unable to meet her
33、schedule.57. What does the underlined phrase “tug at the heartstrings” in paragraph 2 mean?A. Encourage team work.B. Appeal to feeling.C. Promote good deeds.D. Provide advice.58. What can we learn about the parent from paragraph 3?A. She gets interested in lacrosse.B. She is proud of her kids.C. She
34、ll work for another season.D. She becomes a good helper.59. Why does the writer like doing volunteer work?A. It gives her a sense of duty.B. It makes her very happy.C. It enable her to work hard.D. It brings her material rewards.(B)(You may read the questions first.)History Fair CompetitionUnderstan
35、ding history is vital to understanding ourselves as a people and as a nation.History is much more than the study of dusty old objects and events long past. It is an essential part of who we are today and who we will become. Thornton Middle School History Fair Competition makes understanding history
36、exciting, engaging, and fun!This Years ThemeAll participants must address how communication or transportation technology has promoted the quality of life for Americans throughout history. To many people, technology means computers, hand-held devices, or vehicles that travel to distant planets. Howev
37、er, technology is also the application of scientific knowledge to solve a problem, touching lives in countless ways.Individuals or groups may enter one of the following categories:* Performance* Documentary* Essay WritingCategory RequirementsPerformance: A dramatic presentation of the topic no more
38、than 10 minutes long. If special clothes are used, they should truly represent a given period.Documentary: A visual presentation (such as a video, slide show, or computer project) no more than 10 minutes long. A desktop computer, screen, projector, and loudspeakers will be available. Students must p
39、rovide their presentations on CDs before Friday, March 23.Essay Writing: An academic paper of 2,000 to 2,500 words. No illustrations are allowed. Please do not include covers. A list of references must be included.Important DatesJanuary 5Submit a topic proposal to your history teacher. The teacher m
40、ay require a second proposal if the first is off-topic or unclear.February 5Submit a first draft of your essay, performance script, or documentary highlights. February 19A committee of teachers will evaluate materials and give opinions. Students then have an opportunity to improve their products.Mar
41、ch 9Submit a final draft of your essay.March 15Performance and documentary committee preview March 24Thornton Middle School History Fair Competition7:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M.Participants signing in at the gym 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.Competition and judges review 7:00 P.M.Awards ceremony and picnic60. What
42、is the theme of this years competition?A. Technology advances science.B. Science interacts with technology.C. Science has made the study of history easy.D. Technology has improved the life of Americans.61. What would a participant have to do with an essay of 1,500 words to meet the category requirem
43、ent?A. Include more information in the essay.B. Remove the references.C. Provide a cover for the essayD. Explain the details with illustrations.62. What will the committee of teachers do on February 19?A. Preview performances and documentaries.B. Make comments on the materials.C. Improve the partici
44、pants first draft.D. Collect a second proposal from the participant.(C)When prehistoric man arrived in new parts of the world, something strange happened to the large animals. They suddenly became extinct. Smaller species survived. The large, slow - growing animals were easy game, and were quickly h
45、unted to extinction. Now something similar could be happening in the oceans.That the seas are being over-fished has been known for years. What researchers such as Ransom Myers and Boris Worm have shown is just how fast things are changing. They have looked at half a century of data from fisheries ar
46、ound the world. Their methods do not attempt to estimate the actual biomass (the amount of living biological matter) of fish species in particular parts of the ocean, but rather changes in that biomass over time. According to their latest paper published in Nature, the biomass of large predators (an
47、imals that kill and eat other animals) in a new fishery is reduced on average by 80% within 15 years of the start of exploitation. In some long-fished areas, it has halved again since then.Dr. Worm acknowledges that the figures are conservative. Once reason for this is that fishing technology has im
48、proved. Todays vessels（船）can find their prey using satellites and sonar, which were not available 50 years ago. That means a higher proportion of what is in the sea is being caught, so the real difference between present and past is likely to be worse than the one recorded by changes in catch sizes. In the early days, too, long-lines（多钩长
