I was nervous,no doubt about it,but I felt pretty fearfully sitting there unmoving on top of the horse,so I picked up my canter（使馬慢跑）.I went a few times around the stadium,saying I was warming up my horse.But really,I was taking some time to collect my thoughts and prepare myself before I jumped.Or to put it in a more simple and realistic tone,I was delaying.

Finally the time eame when I had to just suck it up and jump the horse.I swallowed,turned,and began heading straight for the jump.My palms began to sweat and I tightened myself.There was no turning back from this now.

I sat up in my jumping position as my horse picked up his speed to jump.Fear rushed through me as well as a sense of excitement.Before I knew it,I was up in the air,flying over the jump.As scared was,I was determined not to mess this up.My horse landed with a small beat on the other side of jump and continued cantering around the field like nothing had ever happened.Miraculously,I was seated firmly on the horse,unharmed.Surprised,I slowed down to a smooth running to process the that I hadn't just been thrown off a leaping animal.

My riding instructor congratulated me,proud that I got through it.I admit that I was proud as well.I'm not usually the kind of person that faces their fears.Instead,I usually run away from them.

1.What is the author's real purpose to go around the stadium several times?

A. To warm his horse up. B. To judge the distance. C. To make sure to succeed. D. To calm himself down.

2.How did the author feel before the horse landed?

a.interested b.excited c.frightened d.proud

A. a; b B. b; c C. c; d D,a; d

3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. The instructor used to be proud of the author. B. The author used to stay away from challenges.

C. The author feared nothing much from then on. D. The instructor believed the author could succeed.

A bite from a tsetse fly is an extremely unpleasant experience.To make matters worse,several species of tsetse fly can transmit diseases.One of the most dangerous is a parasite（寄生蟲）that causes "sleeping sickness".

After the initial bite,sleeping sickness symptoms often start with a fever,headaches and aching muscles.As the illness goes on,those infected become increasingly tired,which is where it gets its name.

It is worth noting that sleeping sickness is no longer as deadly as it once was.In the early 20th Century several hundred thousand people were infected each year.By the 1960s the disease was considered "under control" and had reached very low numbers,making its spread more difficult.But in the 1970s there was another major infection,which took 20 years to control.Since then,better screening programs and earlier treatments have reduced the number of cases dramatically.In 20is this figure dropped to fewer than 3,000.The World Health Organization (WHO) hopes the disease will be completely removed by 2020.More problematically,a series of new studies have shown that the parasite is more complicated than previously believed.

Sleeping sickness has always been considered—and analyzed—as a blood disease,because the parasites can readily be discovered in the blood of its victims.However,in a recent study found that the parasite can stay in the skin and fat,as well as in the blood.There may even be a higher density（密度）of the parasite in the skin than in the blood. That means a person can have no symptoms but still both harbor the disease and spread it.The finding could explain the mysterious 1970s infection,and why the disease can spring up in areas that had previously been cleared.

1.What's the danger of a tsetse fly bite?

A. It makes people sleepy. B. It causes skin disease.

C. It brings about deaths. D. It transmits deadly parasites.

2.What can we infer about sleeping sickness from Paragraph 3?

A. It's still a threat to human health. B. It's not that dangerous at present.

C. It's incurable in the early 20th century. D. It's completely under control in the 1960s.

3.What does the underlined "harbor" most probably mean?

A. carry B. resist C. exchange D. hide

4.What does the latest research indicate according to the passage?

A. Sleeping sickness is a blood disease. B. Skin is more suitable for the parasite to grow.

C. Sleeping sickness can be spread with no signs. D. Parasites in the skin caused the 1970s infection.

There's a curious thing about people.All of us are driven in some way or another to achieve—we want to run faster,be more creative,win more awards,and earn more money.But here's the thing: if you want to offer warm of wisdom,constructive criticism or "360-degree feedback",then think again.Most of us would rather not hear it.

Our easily-broken egos（自尊心）are partly to blame.We all want to meet our own expectations of ourselves,and so being critiqued can present a huge threat to our egos.Yet as decades of psychological theory and research have indicated,people have endless tricky strategies of remaining positive in the face of criticism.For this reason,rather than us welcoming feedback with open arms,our first response is often an automatic defense.These reactions serve to make us feel better about ourselves.

Psychological research exposes this unhealthy appetite for ignorance.In one study,students watched a false educational film about a serious disease called "TAA Deficiency".In fact,TAA Deficiency is completely fictional,but the students were not told this information;instead,they were asked whether they wished to provide a cheek test for assessing（評(píng)估）their risk of developing the disease.Half of the students were told that if they ever developed TAA Deficiency,then the treatment would involve them taking a two-week course of pills.Of this group,52% agreed to provide the cheek test.The other half of students learned the treatment would involve taking the pills for the rest of their lives.Of this group,only 21% agreed to the test.

These findings show a common pattern seen in other studies within and beyond the context of healthcare.That is,people are especially resistant to hearing feedback when they believe it could lead them to do something difficult- or unpleasant.

1.The author implies in Paragraph 1 that people should .

A. be cautious when giving advice B. be satisfied with what he has

C. offer constructive criticism D. care less about others

2.How do people usually react when facing criticism?

A. They try to avoid it. B. They deal with it seriously.

C. They tend to defend themselves. D. They turn to psychological theory.

3.Why didn't most of the second group agree to the test?

A. They didn't believe in it. B. They knew it was just an experiment.

C. They were sensitive to the negative result. D. They didn't like the way they were treated.

4.What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Meeting Criticism B. Rethinking Feedbacks

C. Improving Healthcare D. Fighting TAA Deficiency

How to Buy Used Electronics

We buy used cars,furniture,and sometimes clothes but buying used electronics may be the riskiest of all.1.. Still,buying used electronics may save you money and help reduce environmental waste.Fortunately,you can come out on top if you ask the right questions and take the following steps.

●Research the product itself.

2..Some do not last as long,for instance they might have an expensive rechargeable battery that cannot easily be replaced if it has worn out.

●Ask about who fixed the product.

If the producer did it,then there is less risk involved than if it was done by a third party.3..

●Make sure the product comes with a proper insurance.

If you are buying from a retail chain or other respectable sellers,chances are that some sort of insurance is available.Find out how long this lasts and what it covers.

●4..

If you are buying from someone besides a retail chain,this is especially important.While this will not guarantee that it will not break later,it at least makes sure that you have a current working product.

●Hold on to any receipt you received.

This is especially important if you are paying with cash.Receipt can prove that you purchased it and when.5.. You never know when it can come in handy.

A.Keep it in a safe place.

B.Test the product before buying it.

C.Some products have lots of life left.

D.Ask about return and exchange policy.

E.They do not always have a solid quality.

F.You will be told if there is anything missing.

G.You might also need to find out what was fixed.

I became a gardener when I was twelve.My early____of gardening nay not have originated from my____for nature.It was to annoy my parents.

At that time,we had a big yard in which a beautiful maple tree stood.But my mother often looked with____at this work of natural art.Those golden leaves seemed like tons of rubbish to her.Seeing the neighbors busy with____, my father ever thought it a waste of time.

At that age,I always did something____to whatever my parents did!If gardening were something they found ____,I would plant a garden!

I planted some lily seeds in the yard.But they____to come up.I continued to plant sunflower seeds and roses. Wild____joy,I found the first rose bloom.One by one,the flowers bloomed their heads off.Eventually,I was____by this land of wonder.

____,my parents showed no interest in my garden.My father even____at me because he found it was____to move around my garden to the driveway.To my mother's ____,I put in her vase my real roses which,in her eyes,were simply weeds rather than____.

Regardless of their____,I kept on planting my garden and____to enjoy the pleasure of gardening.Plants make such good companions: they breathe,they bloom,they____to care and love.

It has been many years since I made my first garden out of my desire to____my parents.Today I become known as Mrs.Greenthumbs,teaching gardening and hosting a gardening show which makes my parents feel very____.And now I could say it is my affection for____that makes me a real gardener.

1.A. memory B. dream C. intention D. design

2.A. hope B. need C. idea D. love

3.A. doubt B. appreciation C. surprise D. excitement

4.A. working B. playing C. gardening D. travelling

5.A. equal B. similar C. superior D. opposite

6.A. harmful B. valuable C. upsetting D. interesting

7.A. failed B. liked C. grew D. happened

8.A. to B. with C. in D. by

9.A. puzzled B. defeated C. caught D. touched

10.A. Instead B. However C. Therefore D. Besides

11.A. shouted B. laughed C. glanced D. jumped

12.A. unusual B. troublesome C. impossible D. dangerous

13.A. sadness B. displeasure C. delight D. relief

14.A. beauty B. kindness C. flowers D. plants

15.A. dislike B. encouragement C. threat D. suggestion

16.A. decided B. waited C. continued D. struggled

17.A. devote B. turn C. respond D. lead

18.A. educate B. satisfy C. respect D. challenge

19.A. proud B. comfortable C. strange D. disappointed

20.A. freedom B. life C. growth D. nature

A team of engineers1.(create)a super-thin material that could help keep buildings cool.The team developed the revolutionary new material,2.is very thin and can cool objects even under direct sunlight.The material does not need energy to work3.does it need water to help keep things cool.The engineers say4.new material could provide an answer to air conditioners,which are expensive5.(run).The material is unlike anything6.(find) in nature.It is just 50 micrometers thick.That's slightly7.(thick) than the aluminum foil（錫箔紙）we use for cooking.

The engineers explained how their new material works.They said when it is put on top of something,two things happen.It cools the object underneath by8.(reflect) the sun's rays back into space.At the same time,the material removes the object's own heat and sends that into the air.An engineer said:"We're excited about the opportunity to explore potential uses in different scientific9.(field)."Another researcher said:"Just 10 to 20 square meters of this material on the rooftop could10.(nice) cool down a house in summer."

假定英語課上老師要求同桌之間交換修改作文，請(qǐng)你修改你同桌寫的以下短文。短文中共有10處錯(cuò)誤，每句中最多有兩處。錯(cuò)誤涉及一個(gè)單詞的增加、刪除或修改。

增加：在缺詞處加一個(gè)漏字符號(hào)（∧），并在此符號(hào)下面寫出該加的詞。

刪除：把多余的詞用斜線（＼）劃掉。

修改：在錯(cuò)的詞下劃一橫線，并在該詞下面寫出修改后的詞。

注意：1.每處錯(cuò)誤及其修改均僅限一詞；

2.只允許修改10處，多者（從第11處起）不計(jì)分。

I hardly remember my grandmother.She used to holding me on her knees and sing old songs.I was only four when she passes away.She is just a distant memory for me now.I remember my grandfather very much.He was tall, with broad shoulder and a beard that turned from black toward gray over the years.He had a deep voice,which set himself apart from others in our small town,he was strong and powerful.In a fact,he even scared my classmates away during they came over to play or do homework with me.However,he was the gentlest man I have never known.

假定你是李華，是你班班長。學(xué)校外教James發(fā)電子郵件對(duì)沒能參加你班上周日組織的登山活動(dòng)表示抱歉并詢問活動(dòng)情況。請(qǐng)你根據(jù)以下提示，用英語回復(fù)郵件。

內(nèi)容應(yīng)包括：

1.對(duì)老師表示理解；

2.介紹活動(dòng)的情況；

3.你們的愿望。

注意：

1.可適當(dāng)增加細(xì)節(jié)，以使行文連貫；

2.詞數(shù)100左右。

At the Magazine we welcome your contributions! We love to publicize authors, bloggers and businesses. And there are several spots available for writers.

Author Spot

This is a regular page devoted to new and experienced authors. Click here to see the questions and you simply reply as you wish. To appear on Author Spot, your book must be already published. Please enclose a color photo of yourself plus a color photo of your book cover.

Top Tips

Are you an expert in your field? We welcome “Top Tips” on any subjects such as working from home, building up a business, writing — please contact us if you have an idea and look at the top tips posts on this site to see how to craft your own.

Press Releases

Do you have some news about your business, company or charity? We are always on the look out for great press releases to publish on our site. Simply submit your press release here or email it to ali- son@ feature world. co.uk.

Opinion pieces and Reviews

Got a subject you feel strongly about? Or would you like to review a book for us? We are happy to look at all other opinion pieces or reviews as long as they fit with the general ethos (思想信仰)of the site.

General Submission Guidelines

Due to the number of submissions received we cannot guarantee that your submission will be published. There might be a wait of a few weeks before your submission goes live.

We reserve the right to edit submissions — although as they are personal to the writer,we endeavor not to do this.

Any questions? Contact us here.

1.Which is a necessary requirement to contribute a book?

A. One photo of you and your book.

B. A book never published.

C. Answering some questions.

D. An expert in your field.

2.What does the underlined part “we endeavor not to do this” in the sentence mean?

A. We try not to be personal.

B. We try not to change your writing.

C. We try not to reserve the right.

D. We try not to delay the publication.

3.Where does the passage come from?

A. A magazine.

B. A textbook.

C. A website.

D. A newspaper.

Dyslexia(失讀癥) is a learning disorder, it interferes with the ability to recognise words, and for some readers to understand what they have read.

Experts say dyslexia affects about five to ten percent of the population of the United State. Researchers have long known that people with dyslexia write or read words and letters backwards in the wrong order.

But a new study shows that people with dyslexia may have trouble redirecting(重新傳入) their attention between senses, from seeing something to hearing something. The study suggests something that might help dyslexic people learn more quickly — play video games.

Vanessa Harrar of Britain's University of Oxford led the study. She reported the findings in the journal Current Biology. The study suggests that dyslexic people may have trouble moving quickly from what they read to what they hear. Doctor Harrar calls this a "sluggish shifting of attention across the senses."

"So, if you are trying to read something and then trying to listen to somebody who's reading aloud and you're trying to follow along with what they are reading -- they have to switch their attention from hearing what they are saying to looking at the piece of paper and back again. So we found they have quite sluggish shifting of attention across the senses," said Harrar.

In the study, Doctor Harrar tested 17 people with dyslexia, and 19 others without reading problems. The volunteers were asked to push a button as quickly as possible when they heard a sound, saw a light or experienced both together. Doctor Harrar compared the speed of their reactions.

She found that people with dyslexia were just as fast as the others when they saw only a picture or heard only a sound. But the dyslexics had a slower reaction time when they heard a sound and saw a picture at the same time.

Doctor Harrar feels like playing action video games could help dyslexic people shift from seeing to hearing more quickly. She adds that images in video games force the eyes to move and focus quickly.

"Video game types of things pop out of here and there, they move your eyes around the screen quite quickly in response to things quite quickly, and the more you play a video game the faster you get that kind of thing. So, the video game is really training the attention system to move quickly," said Harrar.

The study also shows that dyslexic people have the most difficulty going between what they saw and what they heard, this may have an effect on how dyslexic children are taught how to read.

When children learn the alphabet, they usually see the letter first and then hear the sound, or they see and hear the letter at the same time. The study shows that dyslexics might learn more quickly if they hear the sound of a letter or word first before seeing it.

1.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Video games are good for children.

B. Study suggests video games might help dyslexics

C. A study about Video Games is being carried out.

D. Children with dyslexics can learn better by playing video games.

2.What does the underlined word “sluggish” in Paragragh 4 mean?

A. slow B. wrong

C. specific D. accurate

3.Why can playing video games help dyslexic people learn more quickly?

A. While playing video games, people will train their reading and hearing.

B. While playing video games, people will have a good knowledge of the system.

C. While playing video games, people should move their eyes around the screen quite quickly train the attention system to move quickly.

D. Video games can arouse their interest in reading.

4.What is the importance of the finding?

A. The finding will prove video games are not necessarily bad for children.

B. People with Dyslexia will be cured by playing video games.

C. People with Dyslexia will not be made fun of by others.

D. The finding may have an effect on the way to teach dyslexic children how to read.