Part Ⅲ　Writing (45 marks)

Section A (10 marks)

Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the numbered blanks by using the information from the passage.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

(2014•湖南桑植一中、皇仓中学联考)A gap year (also known as year abroad, year out, year off, deferred year, bridging year, time off and time out) is a year during which students take time off and do something other than schooling, such as travel or work. The gap year is most commonly taken after secondary school and before starting university.

The practice of taking a gap year developed in the United Kingdom in the 1960s. During a gap year, a student might travel, engage in volunteer work overseas or undertake a working holiday abroad.

In 1978, the Prince of Wales and Colonel John Blashford-Snell began what is now known as Raleigh International by launching “Operation Drake，” a gap year expedition voyage around the world following Sir Francis Drake's route. The Center for Intermin Programs in the United States was originally founded in 1980 to assist students in making a more effective transition from high school to college.

The gap year has grown very popular among students in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. A trend for gap years is to participate in international education programs that combine language study, homestay, cultural immersion, community service, and independent study.

The high pressure increasingly leaves students of high school tired out and longing for refreshment.

Also, counselors are coming to bless the gap-year option, and colleges increasingly are offering a delayed enrollment option as more and more “gappers” arrive on campus with enhanced motivation and maturity—all of which prepares well foe their undergraduate years in college.

In 2010, gap year travel has increased among school, college and university leavers, as this is seen as an attractive option for future career development.

__51__

__52__ It is a year without schooling.

When to take it A secondary graduate usually takes it __53__

How to take it ●__54__

●doing voluntary work overseas

●undertaking a working holiday abroad

Famous gap year

programs ●__55__(the UK)

●the Center for Intermin Programs(the USA)

Trend for gap years Participate in __56__：

●language study

●homestay

●cultural immersion

●__57__

●independent study

Reasons for its

popularity ●Students want to escape __58__.

●Colleges want more__59__and mature students.

__60__ Gap year travel is an attractive option for future career development.

答案　51.A gap year/Gap years　52.Definition　53.before starting university　54.travelling　55.Raleigh International　56.combined educational programs　57.community service　58.high pressure　59.motivated　60.Conclusion

Section B (10 marks)

Directions: Read the following passage. Answer the questions according to the information given in the passage.

(2014•湖南湘中名校大联考)A vast dust storm that blew in from the deserts of Australia's red centre has blanketed the country's largest city and eastern coast in a red fog，causing widespread traffic chaos and severe flight delays.

Residents from Sydney in New South Wales to Canberra inland and towns in southern Queensland awoke to a red sky and greatly reduced visibility after the country's worst dust storm in 70 years blew in overnight. The Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House were covered in the red fog and hundreds of people were reported to have breathing problems. Children, the elderly and those suffering from asthma (哮喘) or heart or lung diseases were advised to stay indoors, as even healthy adults reported “itchy throats” and a metallic aftertaste in their mouths after walking through the thick fog.

Commuters used face masks, originally intended to protect them from the spread of swine flu, to hurry across the blocked streets on their way to work. Some schools were closed and sports activities were called off as the conditions pushed air pollution levels to 1500 times their normal levels—the highest on record.

Passengers at the busy Sydney Airport faced delays of up to six hours for international flights and three hours for domestic trips，and even some international flights were cancelled as visibility was reduced to just a few feet.

Locals, phoning radio stations to express their shock at the red dawn. “It's like a nuclear winter morning，” tourist Peter Wilson told Daily Telegraph, “It is so terrible.” adding that when he awoke the sky was “bright red” and “all the cars were covered in dirt”.

The dust hanging over Sydney had largely cleared by mid-afternoon, although national carrier Qantas said severe delays would last all day because of direction-changed and late-running flights.

The sand storm, which measured more than 310 miles wide and 620 miles long, was caused by dust clouds blowing east from Australia's dry places, which has been attacked by the worst drought on record. It covered dozens of towns and cities in two states as strong winds swept away tons of topsoil threw it high into the sky and carried it hundreds of miles.

61.What was the face mask originally intended for?

(No more than 10 words)                                           (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

答案　Protecting people from the spread of swine flu.

62.When did most residents of Sydney discover the vast storm?

(No more than 3 words)                                          (3 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

答案　In the morning.

63.What do you think the underlined word Qantas is?

(No more than 3 words)                                           (2 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

答案　A flight company/An airline.

64.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

(No more than 10 words)                                          (3 marks)

________________________________________________________________________

答案　The cause of the dust/sand storm.

Section C (25 marks)

Directions: Write an English composition according to the instructions given below.

最近的一项调查显示，我国每年餐桌上浪费的食物高达2 000亿元，相当于2亿多人一年的口粮。近日，某英语报以Join in the “Clean Your Plate” Campaign为题向中学生征文。请根据提示，用英语写一篇短文应征。内容包括：浪费的原因;浪费的后果;你的看法和措施。

注意：1.词数不少于120;

2.可根据提示和内容要点适当发挥;

3.短文的标题和开头已给出，不计入总词数。

参考词汇：资源resource;剩菜leftovers

Join in the “Clean Your Plate” Campaign

We often see people waste food because_______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

【参考范文】

Join in the “Clean Your Plate”  Campaign

We__often__see__people__waste__food__because they order too much for their meals，or the food is not delicious enough or not properly kept.

A survey indicates each year China wastes 200 billion yuan worth of food，which is enough to feed over 200 million people.

Food waste means wasting money as well as wasting precious resources.When food is thrown away，it becomes rubbish which can be harmful to the environment and people's health.

It's meaningful to join in the “Clean Your Plate” Campaign，which helps us realize how difficult it is for a grain of rice to come on our plate and how important it is to save food.It's wise to order a proper amount of food for our meals.If there're leftovers，it's better to take them home.To save food，we should start with ourselves and start from now.

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