1．　　Because of smart technology, especially varied kinds of great smart inventions, people's life has changed and improved a lot.

2．　　Several years ago, two teenagers Poppy and Amy, with a group of friends, started a project named Silver Surfers. They had a clear goal: They wanted to help elderly people to feel more connected (有联系的) to other people, through the use of the Internet.
　　The two teenagers started the idea after seeing how the Internet had changed their own grandparents' lives. Their grandparents could use the Internet a little but wanted to learn more. After the two girls had given them a few IT lessons, they were able to use the computer more confidently and became users of Skype, Facebook and email.
　　The two students were so encouraged (鼓励) by the success that they got several of their friends to join them. Together, they started to visit elderly people in the local town. Many of the people there couldn't even turn on a computer without help. But the young people were surprised how much they had learned after only a few lessons.
　　The silver surfers had different interests. Some of them wanted to use Facebook to stay in touch with family members who were far away from them. Others were interested in getting ideas for travelling, learning how to play an instrument or cooking. _____ 89-year-old Shelia, together with a friend, managed to create a YouTube cooking program; 93-year-old Merlyn succeeded in making a rap video; Albert, 89, wanted to learn how to use the web to find friends he fought with in World War Ⅱ. And in doing so, he was surprised by how easy it was to reconnect online with people he hadn't seen many years. He even managed to use his new skills to get together with his daughter whom he had lost touch with.
　　This project has been reported in several countries and a number of follow-up projects have been started. They are all helping the elderly people to have fun through the Internet — thanks to a wonderful example by two teenage girls.

3．　　On a boat near Costa Rica, a team of scientists is helping a turtle (海龟). The animal is having trouble breathing, and the team discovers why — there is something inside its nose. A scientist tries to take out the object, but the turtle cries in pain. At last, after eight long minutes, a long object is pulled out: It is a plastic straw (塑料吸管).
　　The video about how the turtle was saved has been watched millions of times on YouTube. It has helped to realize a growing problem: The world's seas are full of plastic. Since 2000, there has been a huge increase in worldwide plastic production, but we recycle less than one-fifth of it.
　　A lot of plastic waste ends up in the sea. Today, scientists think about 8.1 billion kilos goes into the sea every year. Most of this plastic will never biodegrade (生物分解的). This sea plastic hurts millions of sea animals every year. Some fish eat plastic because it looks and smells like food. "Imagine you ate lunch and then just felt weak... and hungry all day," says Matthew Savoca from Columbia University. In some cases, eating pieces of plastic can even result sea animals in death.
　　Plastic is useful to people but this is bad news for sea animals. According to Savoca, "Single-use plastics are the worst." These are things that are used only once before we throw them away. Some common examples include straws, water bottles and plastic bags. About 700 sea species (including the turtle from the video) have eaten this kind of plastic. Luckily, the turtle got saved and backed to the sea.
　　How will plastic have an influence (影响) to sea animals in the long term? "I think we'll know the answers in 5 to 10 years' time," says Savoca. But by then, another 25 million tons of plastic will already be in the sea.

4．　　Rick is a student at an expensive private university. He is lucky because he has a wonderful offer from the university's sports department. He can study for free because he is a great basketball player, and the team needs him. But Rick likes going to parties more than studying. He goes out with his friends four or five times a week. Rick misses a lot of classes because he usually doesn't feel well in the morning after partying all night. He tries to do his best at basketball practice, but he feels sick there sometimes too.
　　Rick gets some teammates to go out with him on a Wednesday night. They are all having lots of fun very late that night and drinking a lot. They decide to play basketball outside. As they play, one teammate falls and breaks his arm. They have to take him to the hospital, and they are all very upset.
　　Naturally, Rick's coach (教练) is very angry. "I spoke to your teachers," his coach says.
　　"You miss lots of classes and your grades are very bad. And if you do not improve your grades, you will have to leave the team and the university. You have some thinking to do."
　　Rick is shocked at his coach's words. He does not want to leave the team! He thinks about his parents and his grandparents. They are so proud of him, and his little brother told Rick he was his hero. Rick knows that he can do much better.
　　Rick wants to show his family and his team that he is responsible. And most of all, his dream is to play basketball at a big university! He will not throw it away by partying and drinking too much. From now on, Rick decides to be temperate (节制的) and enjoy what he loves most.

5．根据短文内容, 选出能填入空白处的最佳选项. 选项中有一项为多余选项.
A. Try to be active in thinking.
B. Consider your skills.
C. Don't be angry if you don't get the job you want.
D. Think about your interest.
E. Try to be excited about volunteer work.
F. Don't try to do more work than you can.

　　Young Volunteers is a club for students to do volunteer activities. If you're interested, it's necessary for you to know something about the club.
　　(1)       What kind of things do you get excited about? Do you love to teach kids, work outdoors or help people in need? Your interest may help you do volunteer activities better.
　　(2)       Are you good at things like sports or computers? Most volunteer groups are looking for people with skills and abilities.
　　(3)       It's much better if you can come up with new ideas. With all the ideas, you may find a volunteer chance that has never happened to you. All you do could lead to something surprising.
　　(4)       Your first volunteer job may be less than perfect. Although it's not the job you want, it can still be a good learning experience.
　　(5)       If you can't manage the work you volunteer to do, it may be difficult for the group and it will make you feel uncomfortable.
　　If you want to get more information about Young Volunteers, you can visit our website: youngvolunteers.com.

6．通读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后在各题所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D)中选一个最佳选项。
　　A little river ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests, then it (1)       a desert (沙漠). The river then thought, "I've been through so many obstacles (障碍). I should have no (2)       crossing this desert!"
　　But once she tried, she found herself disappearing into the sand. She tried and tried, but still failed (3)      .
　　"Maybe I'm not able to get to the sea," she said to herself.
　　At this time, a deep voice came, saying, "If a breeze (清风) can cross me, so can a river." It was the voice of the (4)      .
　　The little river replied, "That's because a breeze can fly, but I cannot."
　　"That's because you keep to what you are. If you want to give it up, and let yourself go with the breeze, it can take you across (5)      ."
　　The little river had never (6)       such a thing. "Give up myself and disappear into the breeze? No! No!" After all she had never experienced anything like that before.
　　"How do I know if it is (7)      ?" she asked.
　　"The breeze can carry the vapor (蒸气) across the desert and let it down (8)       rain.
　　"The rain will form a river again to continue," answered the desert. "Will I still be what I am now?" she asked.
　　"Yes and no. Either you're a river or vapor, your inside nature (9)       changes. You keep to the fact that you're a river (10)       you don't know your inside nature," answered the desert.
　　Deep down, the river (11)       remembered that it was perhaps also the breeze that had carried her up a high mountain, where she turned into rain and fell down and (12)       a river.
　　At last the little river ran into the open arms of the breeze.
　　The course (过程) of our lives is like the (13)       of the river. Sometimes we may believe that (14)       we work hard, we can clear all the obstacles, but we forget the (15)       that things are changing and developing. So when the environment cannot be changed, we must try to change ourselves.

7．阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的词，或填入括号内所给单词的正确形式。将答案填写在答题纸的相应位置。
　　Most people pick up a cube (魔方) and twist a few sides, then put it down, deciding it is too hard. (1)             their surprise, some people pick it up again and again. They enjoy (2)            (solve) it so much that they try to get faster. These are the people (3)            (call) speed cubers who usually race against the clock to set a record. Many speed cubers go to competitions to meet other cubers and get advice, and to see (4)             fast they can solve a cube. Luke, the founder of KewbzUK, (5)             online cube shop, says that it is easy to solve the cube. It just needs you to remember a few (6)            (step). Harrison, a speed cuber, believes that learning the ways will come (7)            (final). "Take your time and enjoy it. Don't worry if it takes a bit (8)            (long) than you expect." He thinks cubing is great because it (9)            (improve) your memory in the future if you keep it as a hobby. He adds that, (10)             you often solve cubes on your own, it is very social (社交的). Getting out to talk with other cubers is a part of it.
　　Cubing is just super-fun! Come and join the speed cubing!

18．假设你是 Sam，以下是你的朋友 Jack 发给你的一封电子邮件，请你根据该邮件内容给Jack 回一封邮件，请认真阅读他写给你的邮件，根据邮件内容用英语回复。
注意：
1. 词数 80 左右，开头已经写好，不计入总词数；
2. 回复须包括所有要点，可适当发挥，使短文连贯、通顺；
3. 文中不得提及真实的人名、校名等相关信息。


Dear Jack,
　　I'm sorry to hear that you have so many worries. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Sam