A “Gap Year” is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university. It is often spent travelling or working. It can give young people useful learning experiences and new skills.
Gap years are popular with European and Australian students, but remain less popular in America. However, in recent years, more and more American students are preparing for college by taking a gap year. The advantages of taking a gap year are as follows：
Learn about the World and Yourself
Although you don’t have to go abroad to experience gap years, most gap year students catch the chance to travel abroad. You are able to work out who you are and what you are for. The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons. You can learn more about the world and get to know yourself better.
Face Challenges and Have Fun
A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation, but also a time to face challenges. Gap year students usually work, volunteer or take service projects. You have to learn how to get along in the real world. This process isn’t always easy, but it is an important part of growing up. Only in this way can you enjoy life and have fun.
Save Money and Improve Your College Admission Chances
There’s a common thought that gap years are only for rich students, but it’ s not true. Actually, taking a gap year can save your money. Gap year students often take a part-time job. Besides, at the end of a gap year, students are much more likely to know what to study in college. Clear learning goals ran keep the students working hard instead of wasting time and money playing.
Imagine an admission officer trying to admit (錄取) only one between two students. Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation. Who do you think the admission officer will choose?
小題1:A “Gap Year” means       in the passage.
A．going abroad in a year for further education
B．travelling around the world in a year
C．taking a break before going to a university
D．doing a part-time job to make money during a vacation
小題2:Besides having fun, gap year students have to face the        .
A．moneyB．information
C．vacationsD．challenges
小題3:Having a gap year may make you       .
A．become very rich B．remain less popular
C．experience foreign culturesD．have no chance to break
小題4:The last sentence implies(暗含) that       will probably be admitted by the admission officer.
A．either of the two students
B．the student with high grades
C．neither of the two students
D．the .student with a gap year experience

小題1:C
小題2:D
小題3:C
小題4:D

試題分析：本文敘述了學(xué)生度過空檔年的好處�！翱諜n年”是學(xué)生在上大學(xué)之前的一段時期。在這一段時間，學(xué)生可以了解世界，也會了解自己。他們不僅玩得開心，也會面對許多挑戰(zhàn)。同時，學(xué)生可以在這一段時間為上大學(xué)積累錢。在空檔年的實踐經(jīng)驗也有利于學(xué)生被大學(xué)錄取。
小題1:詞義猜測題。根據(jù)A “Gap Year” is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university.可知“空檔年”是學(xué)生在上大學(xué)之前的一段時期。故選C。
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation, but also a time to face challenges.可知在空檔年，學(xué)生不僅度假玩得開心，而且還會面對一些挑戰(zhàn)。故選D。
小題3:細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons.可知在空檔年學(xué)生可以體驗一下外國的不同文化。 故選C。
小題4:推理判斷題。根據(jù)Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation可知兩個要被錄取的學(xué)生都是高分的，優(yōu)秀的，但是其中一個是有實踐經(jīng)驗或者在假期做過志愿者，相比之下，在空檔年有實踐經(jīng)驗的會被錄取。故選D。
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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The centerpiece of curling(冰壺)is the curling stone. Kays of Scotland has been making curling stones since 1851, when William Kay and his sons Andrew and Thomas set up a workshop in Mauchline, Ayrshire, in southwest Scotland. Kays is still owned by the relatives of the founder, and today it is the only curling stone maker left in Scotland.
Used in a highly competitive sport, the curling stones are made to exact standards. First, stones are sliced and then into round “cheeses”. Finally, the cheeses are shaped and polished into curling stones in a series of steps.
Each stone must weigh 44 pounds. Each must have a maximum diameter (直徑) of 36 inches. Polishing is done by hand on a wheel using water, diamond-talcum power, and felt. Finishing the stone’s “running edge” is done entirely by hand with a special kind of paper and a digital measure and magnifying glass (放大鏡). Lastly, a handle(把手) is fitted into holes on the top of the stone. Stones are computer-matched into pairs. Sixteen stones----8 pairs----are needed for a game, and since curling game field usually have 6 lanes, each game field needs 96 matched stones!
Kays is a small company, employing less than ten skilled workers. Master craftsman and co-owner James Wyllie is skilled at all phases of curling stone making and is also an enthusiastic curler, as well as active member of Mauchline’s Burns Club, which meets regularly to honor well-known Mauchline residents.
小題1:What is true about Kays?
A．It is a family business.
B．It’s a brand(牌子) of curling stones.
C．It’s a place in Scotland.
D．It’s the name of a curling stone dealer(業(yè)者).
小題2:How many curling stones are needed for two games happening at the same time?
A．8B．16 C．32D．96
小題3:What does the underlined word “sliced” mean in Chinese in the second paragraph?
A．切割B．鑲嵌C．移開D．固定
小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT RIGHT according to the passage?
A．Kays of Scotland has been curling stone maker for more than 150 years.
B．The weight of each curling stone must be 44 pounds.
C．We use a special machine to polish the curling stone.
D．The workers in Kays are all experienced.
小題5:What’s the passage mainly about?
A．The history of curling.
B．How to make a curling stone.
C．The rules of curling.
D．How to become a curling stone maker.

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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

I needed to buy a camera, one that was simply good at taking good snaps (快照). So I went on the net, spent 15 minutes reading product reviews on good websites, wrote down the names of three top recommendations (推薦) and headed for my nearest big camera store. There in the cupboard was one of the cameras on my list. And it was on special offer. Oh joy. I pointed at it and asked a salesgirl, “Can I have one of those?” “Do you want to try it first?" she said. It didn’t quite sound like a question. “Do I need to?” I replied. “There’s nothing wrong with it?” “No, no. But you should try it,” she said encouragingly. “Compare it with the others.”
I looked across at the others: shelves of similar cameras placed along the wall, offering different prices. With so many models to choose from, it seemed that I would have to spend hours weighing X against Y, always trying to consider Z and possibly H at the same time. But when I had finished, I would still have only the same two certainties that I had entered the store with: first, soon after I carried my new camera out of the shop, it would be worth half what I paid for it; and second, my wonderful camera would very quickly be replaced by a new model.
But something in the human soul whispers that you can beat these traps (陷阱) by making the right choice. In the end, I agreed to try the model I had chosen. The salesgirl seemed a kind girl. So I let her take out my chosen camera from the cupboard, show how it took excellent pictures of my fellow shoppers... and when she started to introduce the special features, I cut in to ask whether I needed to buy a carry-case and a memory card as well.
Why do we think that new choices still offer us anything new? Perhaps it is because they offer a chance to avoid facing the fact that our real choices in this culture are far more limited than we would like to imagine.
小題1:The salesgirl insisted that the writer should ______.
A．try the camera to see if there was anything wrong with it
B．compare the camera he had chosen with the others
C．get more information about different companies
D．trust her and stop asking questions
小題2:What does the writer mean by “it would be worth half what I paid for it”?
A．The camera was not good.
B．He should get a lower price.
C．The camera would soon fall in value.
D．The price of the camera was too high.
小題3:The writer decided to try the model he had chosen because he ______.
A．knew very little about it
B．didn’t trust the salesgirl any more
C．wanted to make sure he chose the best one
D．wanted to take pictures of his fellow shoppers
小題4: It can be inferred from the passage that in the writer’s opinion, ______.
A．salespersons are not always very kind
B．people waste too much money on cameras
C．cameras have become an important part of our daily life
D．we don’t actually need so many choices when buying a product

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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Pubs are an important part of British life. Pubs, formally public houses, are common in towns and villages in England.People usually talk,eat, drink,meet their friends and relax there.You can order soft drinks like orange juice,cola or coffee ,but many people go to pubs to have an alcoholic drink.Many types of alcoholic drinks are available, but the most popular drink is beer.
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Pubs are places where people go to enjoy themselves .People like to drink, eat ,talk with friends and have a good time.If you go to an English pub ,you will get a true taste of English life.
小題1:Traditional English beer is __________.
A．served slightly coldB．served in pint glasses only
C．Served by waitersD．called lager
小題2:The bar staff ___________________.
A．a(chǎn)re called waitersB．expect you to tip them
C．pour your drinks before you payD．pour your drinks after you pay
小題3:If you ‘buy a round’,you ______
A．pay for your drinks at the end of a meal
B．taste a variety of beers
C．share the cost of drinking with friends
D．pay for your own drinks
小題4:.Pub food _______
A．is cheese or hamB．doesn’t cost much money
C．is called a ‘bar snack’D．is special English meal
小題5:.Children _________
A．a(chǎn)re allowed in pubsB．can not drink alcohol
C．must not eat pub foodD．must buy rounds of drinks
小題6:English pubs______
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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

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Another secret to living a happy life is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities. Finally, many people find happiness in helping others.      Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping or help out with some things around the house for an elderly person.
If you do above, you will be happy.
小題1:How many suggestions of happiness are mentioned in this passage?
A．One.B．Two.C．Three.D．Four.
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A．listen to your favorite musicB．remember some problems
C．think about getting into collegeD．read a bad book
小題3:According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A．Money and success alone do notbring you lasting happiness.
B．If you want to feel happier, you can go shopping for an elderly person.
C．Spending so much time thinking about the future can enjoy the present.
D．Active person may live a happier life than inactive person.
小題4: What’s the main idea of this passage?
A．How to live a happy life.B．How to depend upon ourselves.
C．How to help the old people.D．How to get a good job.

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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Everyday is afraid of something.
Tommy, 11, is afraid of the dark. Rachel ,11, is most afraid of the big jellyfish （水母）in Australia. Morgan, 9 ,wishes she would stop being afraid to ride a bike on busy streets.
What’s fear ? Fear is a feeling that everyone has, and that’s a good thing because fear is there to protect us . When the fear comes ,it  means we may meet something dangerous.
For the fear of dark , a kid could have much imagination .What’s under my bed ? Is there someone
breaking into （闖入）my house ? With the help of a parent , kids can get more comfortable in the dark. Using a night light to see that there’s nothing there can also help fight that fear.
For other fears ,we needn’t fight . If you’re afraid to ride your bike on a busy street ,you’re right ! You should be afraid because it’s dangerous. There’s no need to fight a fear like that . Find a better place to ride.
It’s also ok for Rachel to be afraid of the big jellyfish because it’s really dangerous . But it lives only in some waters. So when she’s not swimming in one of them ,there should be no worries about the big jellyfish.
Here is some advice about fighting fears from kids.
Monique,10, says when you are scared, just think about happy times . Eight-year-old Jessica finds that taking a deep breath helps when you’re scared. Amanda ,10, thinks kids should talk with a parent . Dustin ,11, likes to talk with a group of friends.
小題1:What is Rachel afraid of ?
A．The dark.
B．Talking with others.
C．The big jellyfish.
D．Riding a bike on busy streets.
小題2:In Paragraph 4, the writer gives ________ way(s) of helping kids fight the fear of dark.
A．oneB．two
C．threeD．four
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A．TommyB．Rachel
C．MorganD．Dustin
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A．Talking with others.
B．Taking a deep breath.
C．Thinking about happy times.
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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Have you ever offered a helping hand to those who are in trouble?
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“Thank you,” ______ the woman, “you are very kind. You see I’m weak and ill.” Then she told them that she was now going to market to ______ the pears which grew on the only tree in her little garden.
“We are all going to the ______.” said the boys. “Let us have the basket.” And they took hold of it, one each side. They walked ______  with the heavy basket, but happily.
The other day, I saw a little girl stop and ______a piece of orange peel (皮), which she threw into the dustbin (垃圾桶), “I wish ______ would throw that on the sidewalk,” said she. “Someone may step on it and fall.”
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小題1:
A．boysB．girlsC．menD．women
小題2:
A．boredB．tiredC．pleasedD．surprised
小題3:
A．a(chǎn)skedB．toldC．repliedD．spoke
小題4:
A．bringB．buyC．takeD．sell
小題5:
A．townB．marketC．gardenD．school
小題6:
A．weaklyB．quicklyC．slowlyD．quietly
小題7:
A．take outB．cut offC．put downD．pick up
小題8:
A．nobodyB．everybodyC．somebodyD．a(chǎn)nybody
小題9:
A．littleB．goodC．greatD．bad
小題10:
A．payB．timeC．a(chǎn)dviceD．love

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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

It was a cold afternoon. Ginny and I were walking home after work when suddenly a young man asked us, "Do you want a hug（擁抱）?”He carried a sign in his hand which read "Free Hugo". I looked     and noticed there were other young people with him. They all lifted their handmade signs high. The message was the same on all of them - Free Hugs!
"Sure!" Ginny smiled and hugged him with all the     she had in her heart,
"WOW!" he shouted. "That is the best hug I've had all day!"
Then the young man looked at me and asked, 'How about a hug?"
"You got it!" I walked into his     arms. We held a hug briefly（簡短地）and parted at once.
Ginny and I stepped back and watched the "free huggers" hug those who     them. All of the young people offered hugs to them.
Not all the people accepted their offers, but the fact was that those who opened their arms in return, walked away with      on their faces.
I felt warmth in my heart. So warm that it seemed as if it were not a cold winter day. At that time, Ginny and I were going through       times. We had little money and were heavily in debt(負(fù)債). We were stressed and     , but that afternoon, for a short moment, we   ___    all our problems because of a hug with love.
It took a simple hug to make everyone smile and make everything better.
小題1: A. out                  B. down                  C. round
小題2:A. strength              B. feelings                C. love
小題3:A. open                 B. warm                  C. strong
小題4:A. accepted              B. attracted               C. admired
小題5:A. kindness              B. shyness                C. smiles
小題6:A. busy                 B. lonely                  C. difficult
小題7:A. bored                B. worried                 C. surprised
小題8:A. forgot                B. solved                  C. met

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科目：初中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Helen is a teenager who has growing problems. She posts her problems on her blog and gets a lot of advice from other bloggers.

Helen: My parents are annoying. They never stop going on about how I should keep my room tidy, keep my hair tidy and wear smart clothes. They even make me do the washing-up after dinner every night! None of my friends have got such parents. What should I do?
Why do you think you're the only one with parents like that? All parents are the same. They want us to look like them. Sometimes it's really annoying. They don't understand that fashions have changed in the last 30 years!
Tom, Canada
Hi, Helen. I think you should do what your parents ask. They're much older than you and you  should take their advice. It's their house you live in and their money you spend.
Emily, New Zealand,
Helen, why should your parents do all the washing-up? You should help around the house---it's only fair.
Simon, Scotland
I don't see why you are so unhappy. Your parents act like that because you are the one they love and care about. We share housework in my family. I even wash the car for my father. And I get paid for that.
Victoria. Australia
小題1:From the blog we know that Helen has problems with her        .
A．parentsB．friends
C．schoolworkD．holiday plan
小題2:Tom thinks that _______ partnts are the same.
A．Tom’s and Helen’sB．Tom’s and Simon’s
C．NoneD．All.
小題3:______thinks Helen should do the washing-up.
A．TomB．VictoriaC．SimonD． Emily
小題4:         gets money by washing his (her) father's car.
A．HelenB．EmilyC．TomD．Victoria
小題5:       of the 4 blotters have different opinions from Helen.
A．OneB．TwoC．ThreeD．Four

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