News report 1：
Is a college education worth the price? This is a question more and more Americans are
asking as college costs continue to rise and jobs are increasingly difficult to find upon college graduation.
Attending a four-year private college in the United States can cost more than 540,000 a year Many students have to borrow money to pay for their education. However,a recent study suggests that a college education is worth the price, at least in the
United States. The study found that someone with a four-year
college education earns twice as much as a high- school graduate over a lifetime.Generally,college
majors that require skills in mathematics have high lifetime earnings.
Researchers noted that future earnings should not be the only reason for choosing a college
major.They said,“Personal enjoyment, having a meaningful job,and meeting a social need should
also enter into a student's decision-making."
答案：1. D 2. C 3.D
News report 2:
Every year for half a century UCLA surveys freshmen across the country to study their mental health.The latest findings aren't encouraging: The mental health of the college freshmen is at an all-time low.Nearly one in ten students said they often felt depressed.
Along with the higher rate of depression in the UCLA study,students reported spending less
time with friends,which also hits an al-time low.
The UCLA study also indicates that many students understand that they need help with
their interpersonal skills.Only half of the freshmen surveyed said their interpersonal skills
were a major strength,another all-time low. This result is in sharp contrast with how highly
the students rated their critical thinking andproblem-solving skills.
答案：1. B 2. B 3.D
Conversation 1:
Robert: Hi.My name is Robert.
Alice: I'm Alice.It's nice to meet you.
Robert: Do you know about this professor? I've heard he's very strict.
Alice: I have no idea.This is my first year.
Robert: You're a freshman?Me too.Where are you from?
Alice: I'm from San Francisco.
Robert: I've been there a few times. It's a great city.
Alice: here are you from?
Robert: I grew up in this area.
Alice: So,you know all the fun places to hang out,right?
Robert: Yeah.The best place is over by the water.There're a lot of clubs and bars.You should go.
Alice: Sounds like a good idea.Have you decided on your major?
Robert: Not yet.I want to study computer science, but if I can't, I'll choose business. How about you?
Alice: Mmm …I still don't know what I want to major in.I've always had a hard time making decisions.
Robert: Well,that's common with us freshmen. But you must have a list of possibilities, right?
Alice: Yes, I love art and design,and medicine is kind of cool,so is history. So, that's the problem, I like so many different things,but I can just pick one of them.
Robert: Why not go to the advisor for some suggestions?
Alice: That's a good idea.
Robert: Oh.The professor is coming.I'll talk to you later.
Alice: All right.
答案：1.B 2. C 3.D
Conversation 2:
I=Interviewer;A =Adamu
I:I am talking to Adamu Uba,a young inventor from Kenya.So,Adamu,how did your story begin?
A:Well,when I was young,I could see that my community had many problems. I really wanted to help. I noticed that problems with electricity were making life especially difficult, so I became determined to solve them.
I:And how did you do that?
A:I managed to make a battery out of rubbish that I found.It was able to power 10 homes. No one could believe it!
I:Wow!What impact did this have on the community?
A:It gave people control over their lives.They could read at night and educate themselves. They could communicate with the outside world and do business.It was huge.
I: Was this when some film-makers helped make you famous?
A:Yes,about this time they made a short film about me.
I:You even made some TV appearances,right?
A:Yes, I'm very happy about the recognition and opportunities I have been given.
I: So,would you say that now your dreams have been realized?
A: Oh,no,not at all.My goal has always been to improve people's lives.And that is a project
that will never end.
答案：1.A 2.B 3.B 4.C
Passage 1:
Last week,23-year-old Anika Bedi was made the winner of the Miss England Beauty Contest. However,people around the country did not just fall in love with her looks,but also her brains.
Anika's family arrived in England from India when she was nine.The family were too poor to buy
books,so Anika studied every day in the public library.
During her last years at school, Anika started modeling to help her family out with money.
During this time,she continued to take her studies seriously,and she was eventually accepted to study
medicine at a top university.
Anika continued modeling to support herself throughout her education in medicine.Then,in her last year at university,she was selected for the finals of Miss England.Anika says that balancing her last year at university with her preparations for the Miss England contest was not always easy. However,she is glad that she kept on trying.
“Winning the beauty contest and becoming a doctor were very meaningful yet very different
experiences. Being a doctor means I can contribute to society,and that means a lot more to me than
just being pretty."
答案：1.B 2. A 3.C
Passage 2:
Tonight,Channel 8 is showing the film Life in the Extreme.The film shows real people rock climbing
in France,surfing in Hawaii,and doing many other dangerous sports.
You will see people attempting almost impossible goals on land,at sea and in the air
The film's director,Simon Hunt,had this to say:
“Too many of us lead very safe lives:We try to avoid accidents of any kind.Extreme sports fans
follow the opposite lifestyle.They love to feel their hearts beating at top speed.”
However,Hunt says that extreme sports are so much more than just excitement and showing off.
"By looking death in the face,these people also learn about what it means to be alive.”
Extreme sports fans push themselves to the edge, and for what?To win our respect,and make us
feel that we ourselves can achieve anything.
Most people go their whole lives never taking part in an extreme sport.However,tonight we can share the excitement of other people as they perform actions that we never could ourselves.
答案：1.D 2. C 3.D 4.B
