The summer I turned 16, my father gave me his car --- a gift wasted on me at that age. The important thing was that Hannah and I could drive around.
Hannah was my best friend, a year younger but much taller, almost five foot ten. “Hannah's a knockout,” my mother always said. And that summer she signed with a modeling agency. She was already doing runway work.
A month after my birthday, Hannah and I went to the movies. On the way home, we stopped at the McDonald’s drive-through, putting the fries on the seat between us to share. “Let’s ride around a while,” I said. It was a clear night, full moon slung low over the desert. Taking a turning too fast, I plowed (撞)through a neighbor’s wall and drove into a full-grown tree.
We were taken in separate ambulances. I’d cracked(使裂开)my cheek bone; Hannah’s forehead had split wide open. End of her modeling career. What would I say to her?
When her mother, Sharon, came into my hospital room, I started to cry. She sat beside me and took my hand. “I rear-ended(追尾) my best friend when I was your age, ”she said, “I totaled her car and mine.”
“I’m so sorry.” I said.
“You’re both alive,” she said, “The rest is window dressing. I forgive you. Hannah will too.”
Sharon’s forgiveness allowed Hannah and me to stay friends throughout high school and college, to be at each other’s weddings … The scars are so faded that no one else would notice, but in the sunlight I can still see it just below her hairline --- for me, a mark of grace(优雅).
1. Why did the author think her father’s present was a waste?| A．It wasn’t necessary for her. | B．She had already owned a car. |
| C．Her family was very poor then. | D．She didn’t have a driving license. |
| A．They went for a drive. | B．They enjoyed beautiful scenery. |
| C．They made a visit to a neighbor. | D．They worked at the Mcdonald. |
| A．A valuable gift from my father. | B．The meaning of friendship. |
| C．An unforgettable journey. | D．The gift of forgiveness. |
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【推荐1】Time is very important in our lives. It organizes our everyday moments. However, time never had any importance in my life until I received a watch from father.
I got this gift on a cloudy day. I had to go to the airport at 9:00 a. m. to meet my uncle and take him to my father’s house. However, I forgot it because I was playing with my friends. Later on that day, around 11:00 a. m, I remembered my uncle, but I was late for him. He had left the airport and taken a taxi to my father’s house.
I got to my father’s house at 2:00 p. m. the same day and felt ashamed of myself at that moment. After I said “hi” to my angry father and my tired uncle, my father asked me to sit next to him and handed me this watch which was a gift from him. He said, “Essa, did you have fun with your friends today?”
“Yes, Dad, and I’m sorry about not meeting my uncle at the airport.”
“I hope today you learned something important, and this watch will be a reminder (提醒物) for you.” He told me to take this watch and use it as an organizer of my life.
I learned a very important lesson from my father: To respect time and never be late to do something. The watch is important to me, not because of its price, but because of the lesson that I learned from it.
1. How did the writer’s uncle come to visit them?| A．By car | B．By boat | C．By air | D．By taxi |
| A．Essa forgot an important thing. | B．Essa cared little about other people. |
| C．Essa wasted too much time. | D．Essa often spent a lot of time with friends. |
| A．punish Essa. | B．comfort Essa. | C．praise Essa. | D．teach Essa. |
| A．It was a useless gift. | B．It was a priceless gift. |
| C．It was a common gift. | D．It was a strange gift. |
【推荐2】Everyone can try his best to achieve something. We don't need to be the best, but to challenge the limits of what we are capable of. I gained this belief from my third grade teacher, the most special, honored, trustworthy, and beloved person in my life.
Mr. Myrus was always perfectly dressed and spoke with the belief that talking to an eight－year－old child didn't mean he had to sacrifice proper statements or grammar. And he was demanding,__but he wasn't unreasonable or cruel. He simply felt that no matter what your best was, you should achieve it.
Luckily enough, I met him again as my eighth grade math teacher. I was not, nor ever will be, gifted in math. I remember my struggles in class. “I don't know the answer，” I would say. “I can't do it！” “Perhaps you don't know the answer，” he would say quietly. “Do you think we might figure it out together? How do you know what you can do if you don't have a try？”
Mr. Myrus lived around the corner, and I would often stop by to talk while he worked in his garden. I knew there was someone who let me know that if I had really tried, that was enough. “Don't be so hard on yourself，”he'd say.“Stop blaming yourself. Did you try your best? Well，then you're not a failure，” he often told me these words.
Mr. Myrus died in 1978. I had never thought about his death. He was too young. I felt sorry. But when I think about him now, I don't feel so sorry. He taught me to be kind, not only to others，but to myself. He taught me my own value. He taught me about honor, about truth, and about doing my best and he also taught me that all feelings and beliefs have dignity and deserve respect. And of all the things I know, I believe that we can't all be “the best”， but we can, each of us, be our best. And I know that's true because Mr. Myrus told me that.
1. What does the underlined word “demanding” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．Strict. | B．Indifferent. |
| C．Critical. | D．Careful. |
| A．Mr. Myrus became his teacher again. |
| B．Mr. Myrus was his teacher for eight years. |
| C．He became interested in math because of Mr. Myrus. |
| D．He developed a good relationship with Mr. Myrus. |
| A．The author may have become a teacher. |
| B．The author liked to recall his childhood. |
| C．The author believed he would be the best of all. |
| D．The author ended up being a man of self－confidence. |
| A．He is usually indifferent to the students. |
| B．He is responsible for his students and his teaching. |
| C．He is a person who isn't particular about what he wears. |
| D．He is sometimes cruel and unreasonable to his students. |
【推荐3】I still remember that busy autumn evening as I hurried with my eldest daughter, Athena, to get to her classroom on time for the parent-teacher night. We walked in and all eyes were on me. A few adults quickly quieted their kids’ whispers. A classmate yelled to my daughter, “What’s wrong with your mom’s face?” Shocked, I started to explain my condition, but my six-year-old daughter looked at him and said, “It’s my mom’s birthmark! Don’t be rude!” I was extremely proud of how she handled that situation.
I was quite young when I realized I looked different because of my large facial birthmark. I always thought I would be alone because of it. Being compared to Batman’s evil Two-Face made me believe I could never find love. But I was lucky enough to meet my husband, who saw me for who I am inside. When I had my first daughter, I was overjoyed, but I began to worry if the world would judge my children. I always worried I might pass my condition onto my children; I didn’t want them to grow up feeling judged. Unfortunately, my facial difference has influenced my children. My daughters get disinvited from birthday parties or sleepovers, or I learn certain kids are no longer friends with mine after their parents saw me at school.
When my kids were young, I explained how my special purple skin was rare and we talked about acceptance and never judging others on how they look. When my girls kiss my purple-skinned cheek, I feel “normal” around them and their unconditional love. With time going by, both my daughters have become my strongest supporters. Thanks to them, I’ve begun to feel more self-confident as I try to be a good role model.
Their worldviews are similar to mine. We see the world a little differently and with a kinder, more accepting heart. As the saying goes, your daughters will grow up to be your best friends. I know that will be the case for me!
1. What happened when the author went to attend the parent-teacher night?| A．Athena defended her mother against her classmate’s rudeness. |
| B．Athena was praised by others for her bravery and optimism. |
| C．Some parents criticized their kids because of their misbehaviour. |
| D．The author felt shocked at her daughter’s response to her classmate. |
| A．Friendship needs to be watered by love. |
| B．We should accept other people’s differences. |
| C．We should treat our children as best friends. |
| D．Our ability to handle difficulties can be developed. |
| A．They have to drop out of school. |
| B．They have difficulty keeping friendships. |
| C．They have the same physical condition as me. |
| D．They feel worried because they are often judged. |
| A．A Birthmark to Live with |
| B．A Kind and Accepting Heart |
| C．My Strongest Supporters |
| D．The Importance of not Judging |
【推荐1】One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw my classmate Kyle walking home from school. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.”
As I went on walking, I saw five kids running toward him. They knocked all his books down and tripped him, so he fell into the dirt. His glasses went flying. He looked up, and I saw the terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So I walked to him, and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw tears in his eyes. Then I handed him his glasses. He thanked me with a smile. I helped him pick up his books and asked him where he lived. Surprisingly, he lived near me, so we talked all the way home.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
On graduation day, Kyle was chosen to speak, “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers—but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story.”
I just looked at Kyle with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to run away from home over the weekend, He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker and was carrying all his things home so his mom wouldn't have to do it later. He gave me a little smile. Not until that moment did I realize the depth of his smiles. “Thankfully, my friend made me give up the idea of running away from home.”
1. What did the author think of Kyle when they first met?| A．He was too weak. | B．He was easy-going. |
| C．He was a little bit unusual. | D．He was too shy to speak to strangers. |
| A．He never imagined saving someone's life. |
| B．He didn't realize that he was Kyle's best gift. |
| C．He didn't realize he made a big difference to Kyle. |
| D．He never thought that Kyle would behave that well. |
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed. | B．One can kill two birds with one stone. |
| C．Things of one kind come together. | D．With one small act, one can change a person's life. |
| A．The Power of Your Ideas | B．A Meaningful Graduation Speech |
| C．The Best Gift from My Friend | D．An Encouraging Story on Friendship |
【推荐2】Before you make friends, you have to decide who you want to be your friends. Most people like to have friends who like to do the same kinds of things they do.
The quickest way to make a friend is to smile. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy at first to smile, but remember most people will stay away from a scared or angry looking face.
One easy way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about him. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn’t it make you want to keep talking to that person?
Ask your new friends questions about themselves. Who’s their favorite singer, where do they live, what do they do after school are all good questions to start a conversation. Make sure you have something to add to the conversation, too. When someone asks you a question, do have an answer for them. There’s nothing that will stop a conversation quicker than a shrug（耸肩）for an answer.
Kids who show an interest in other kids and who are kind and friendly make good friends. Remember, everyone wants to be around people who like to do similar things and people who are nice to them.
1. This passage gives us some advice on ________.| A．the importance of smile |
| B．what kind of person you can make friends with |
| C．how to start a conversation |
| D．how to make friends |
| A．who are sad every day | B．who are fond of talking |
| C．who share the same interest | D．who say bad things to them |
| A．making no answer | B．being very proud |
| C．knowing nothing | D．not hoping to answer |
【推荐3】How to mend a broken friendship? It may be hard, but fixing a broken friendship will make it even stronger than before. Here are some tips that will be useful.
Be the one to reach out before the other.
If your friend refuses to see or speak with you, or visiting them in person isn’t an option, you may want to just back off for a while. Your friend wants space and that should be respected. Use the time to reflect on the situation and prepare what you want to say. Don’t push your friend if it’s clear they want space. It will only upset them and make them frustrated with you.
Talk about the problem honestly and openly.
Explain what you feel is the problem and be honest about it. Then ask them to do the same. Let them talk for as long as they need to. Really listen and don’t interrupt them.
Apologize to them and accept their apology.
Even if you didn’t do anything and you believe the situation is their fault, opening with an apology sets the tone. You could say “I’m really sorry things have gotten to this point. I want things to be better between us.” If you did wrong them in some way, apologize to them sincerely.
Avoid restarting an argument.
It’s important that you don’t say or do anything hurtful during this conversation.
| A．Let go of your anger or frustration. |
| B．Respect your friend’s need for space. |
| C．If they apologize to you, accept their apology. |
| D．Come up with a plan for rebuilding the friendship. |
| E．Argument will only further damage the friendship and make things worse. |
| F．If you aren’t talking to each other, someone will have to make the first move. |
| G．This way you both get to tell your side of the story and get everything out on the table. |
One day I saw a boy wrapped in a towel on the side of the pool.He was no bigger than I was,so I thought him
I was frightened and felt ashamed.How could I tell his position when he was wrapped in a bath towel and so small?I decided to apologize immediately.“I am sorry,”I said,“I mistook you for a Grade Four boy.You are so small.”He didn’t seem pleased at all,so I added in a most brilliant word.“
1. The writer thought Amery “a fair game” because the boy______.
| A．looked like an animal |
| B．was fond of games |
| C．was of similar size |
| D．was good at sports |
| A．he was laughed at by other boys |
| B．Amery turned out to be in the same grade |
| C．he pushed Amery hard and hurt him |
| D．he played a joke on an outstanding athlete |
| A．tried to please Amery |
| B．challenged Amery |
| C．threatened Amery |
| D．admired his father |
| A．The writer could run faster than Amery. |
| B．The writer liked playing jokes on boy of all sizes. |
| C．Amery was a student in Grade Four. |
| D．Amery forgave the writer for his rude behavior. |
【推荐2】Nearly every family trip we went on when I was a kid was spent flying across the plane from Boston to Rio de Janeiro, and then driving to the tiny town where my grandparents grew up in Minas Gerais. There you’ll find rolling hills as far as you can see. That’s where my cousins live, work and grow coffee. That trek — a five-hour flight, then an eight-hour flight, and then a road trip — was always just the lead-up to the last leg of the journey.
I here we’d drink the coffee out of little glass cups and get to catching up by the wood stove. My brother and I would sometimes wander out while the adults were talking. Coffee in Minas Gerais is usually served sickly sweet, but never with milk, and never iced, even in the middle of summer.
Most of the highest-quality beans in Minas Gerais are sold abroad. When I was a kid especially, there wasn’t really a coffee culture in Brazil the way there is in New York or Boston.
But in college, I worked at a cafe. There I was taught to notice all those things I’d never learned about coffee, even though I’d seen the coffee fruit on the trees and watched firsthand as my cousins spread the fruit onto big, wavy multicolored sheets under the sun to dry.
I learned then that my cousins’ process for preparing coffee was just one of many ways to do it — you could dry it in the sun or in a big machine, or it could be fermented, or washed first. All these methods could change the way the coffee tasted. I also learned that different regions have different taste profiles. I learned to think about tasting coffee as playing a word-association game. What does it make you think of? What memory comes up for you?
Today when I get up and make my first cup of coffee, I do it like performing a sacred ritual. I know that those beans traveled far, and were cared for. They were grown, and watered, and dried, and then roasted. Someone probably lost sleep over them when frost was in the forecast. And when I take my first sip, I make sure to let my brain go blank, listen to the coffee and see where it takes me.
1. What was the author’s family journey to Minas Gerais like?| A．Short but tiring. | B．Long but exciting. |
| C．Long and wearing. | D．Short and appealing. |
| A．What effect the coffee culture had on the author. |
| B．Why coffee from different regions tastes different. |
| C．How the author’s cousins’ farming differs from other regions’. |
| D．What the author obtained during his dealing with coffee. |
| A．It’s a kind of coffee culture. |
| B．It is his daily routine. |
| C．The coffee comes from his hometown. |
| D．It takes great effort to grow and produce coffee. |
| A．Live to learn. | B．Love what you do. |
| C．Cherish something after knowing it. | D．Prepare before acting. |
【推荐3】We know that every person has its own words or expressions to express his ideas and feelings. Some of these words and expressions are commonly used for many years. Others are popular for just a short time. One such American expression is “Where's the beef?” It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be. In the early 1980s “Where's the beef?” was one of the most popular expressions in the United States. It seemed as if everyone using it at the time.
Beef, of course, is the meat from a cow, and food is more popular in America than a hamburger made from beef. In the 1960s a businessman named Ray began building small restaurants that sold hamburgers at a low price. Ray called this “McDonald's”. Ray became one of the richest businessmen at last in America.
Other business people watched his success. Some of them opened their own hamburger restaurants. One company called "Wendy's" said its hamburgers were bigger than those sold by McDonald's or anyone else. The Wendy's Company began to use the expression “Where's the beef?” to make people know that Wendy's hamburgers were the biggest. The Wendy's television advertisement showed three old women eating hamburgers. The bread that covered the meat was very big, but inside there was only a bit of meat. One of the women said she would not eat a hamburger with such a little piece of beef. “Where's the beef?” she shouted in a funny way. The advertisement for Wendy's hamburger restaurants was success. As we said, it seemed everyone began using the expression "Where's the beef?".
1. ______ started McDonald's restaurant．| A．Ray | B．McDonald | C．Wendy | D．Three old women |
| A．they could sell hamburgers at a low price | B．hamburgers were easy to make |
| C．beef was very popular in America | D．they could make a lot of money |
| A．with many old women eating hamburgers | B．by a television advertisement |
| C．while selling bread with a bit of meat in it | D．at the McDonald's restaurant |
| A．The beef in hamburgers is not as much as it is said to be |
| B．The hamburgers are not as good as they are said to be |
| C．It is used when something is not as good as it is said to be |
| D．Wendy's is the biggest |
【推荐1】“It’s raining, it’s pouring. The old man is snoring (打鼾). He bumped his head when he went to bed, and he couldn’t get up in the morning.” Why couldn’t the old man in the children’s song get up? (Let’s kindly suppose that he just didn’t want to get up.) This was possibly because in the absence of sunlight, the body was still producing the hormone melatonin (褪黑素), which makes people sleepy.
There are many ways that rainfall affects human behavior. But how much does rain really affect people’s moods and behavior?
In 2008, researchers from the University of Minnesota and Lanzhou University published a paper. They proposed that decreased rainfall was influential in social upheaval (社会动荡) and the downfall of the Tang, Yuan and Ming dynasties in ancient China. This is thought to be related to reduced rice cultivation.
But how might rain affect social behavior in the modern world? A 2009 New York Times investigation found that murder rates in New York drop significantly on rainy days. Meanwhile, in Britain, Dr. Peter Langmead-Jones of Greater Manchester police published a study in 2015 detailing an analysis of 6.6 million police records over one decade in Manchester. “The research showed that the heavier the rainfall, the lower the recorded crime,” he said.
Langmead-Jones also found that there is a strong association between heavy rain and relatively few violent crimes recorded including domestic abuse. This might be because heavy rain stops people from going out to buy alcohol and the reduced alcohol consumption results in fewer crimes.
It’s not all good news though. One study in 1997 concluded that the behavior of children can predict oncoming storms — they were observed to exhibit their worst behavior when barometric pressure (气压) fell. Another study in 2012 found that women are much more likely to be affected psychologically by rain and that they report much lower levels of life satisfaction than men on rainy days.
For all the complaints about rain, it does have some characteristics that hold broad appeal. The sound of raindrops can be very comforting and often features in sleep-inducing relaxation apps. The theory behind this is that the pitter-patter of raindrops is a form of “pink noise.” It can decrease brain activity and consequently improves the quality of sleep. So if it’s raining where you are, the best thing to do may be to have a nap.
1. The author uses the lyrics of a song in the first paragraph to _______.| A．introduce the interesting song to readers |
| B．voice his understanding of why the old man couldn’t get up in the morning |
| C．illustrate one way that wet weather influences human behavior |
| D．explain why people often get up late on rainy days |
| A．people prefer to take a nap at home when it’s raining |
| B．most people are depressed on rainy days |
| C．people are too lazy to go out when it’s raining |
| D．alcohol consumption is reduced due to wet weather |
① decreased grain output
② relatively few criminal records
③ higher chance of feeling low in spirits
④ more possibility of feeling sleepy
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ |
| C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．The sound of raindrops helps people sleep better. |
| B．On rainy days, all people can get more sleep. |
| C．It offers a good chance to listen to relaxing music. |
| D．People feel more satisfied with themselves when it’s raining. |
【推荐2】Air pollution may be causing baldness, scientists have shown for the first time. A new study found that fine particulate matter emitted by cars would damage the skin that holds hair follicles in place. A series of laboratory tests on human cells showed that levels of the crucial proteins needed for hair to grow and be retained decreased when they were exposed to pollution particles. While there is a growing body of evidence showing how these tiny particles can damage internal health, including by entering the bloodstream through the lungs, this is the first to demonstrate such a risk to the surface of the body.
The study was conducted by exposing cells from the human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) ,to various concentrations of PM10-like dust and diesel particles. After 24 hours the researchers performed a process, known as western blotting, to detect the levels of specific proteins in the cells.
The results showed that the presence of PM10 and diesel particles decreased levels of B-catenin, the protein responsible for hair growth. The study also revealed that the levels of three other proteins—cyclin DI, cyclin E and CDK2, which are responsible for hair growth and hair retention, were decreased by PM10-like dust and diesel particles in a "dose-dependent" manner.
Dr Hyuk Chul Kwon, who led the study at the Future Science Research Centre, said, “While the link between air pollution and serious diseases such as cancer and lung diseases is well established, there is little-to-no research on the effect of particulate matter exposure on the human skin and hair in particular. Our research explains the mode of action of air pollutants on HFDPCs, showing how the most common air pollutants lead to hair loss. ”
Sources of PM include the burning of fossil fuels--petrol and diesel, as well as other solid fuels, and other industrial activities such as building, mining and the manufacturing of building materials like bricks.
“While it is difficult to escape from the surrounding pollution, limiting the time for walking in busy streets, especially during rush hour, should help reduce exposure, ”said Dr Kwon. "If you are exercising outdoors, try to do so in areas that are less polluted and do not spend too much time waiting at traffic hot spots such as traffic lights. "
1. What did the new study find?| A．Air pollution can do great harm to our lungs. |
| B．The color of our skin can be influenced by air pollution. |
| C．Serious air pollution can probably prevent hair from growing. |
| D．Air pollution can affect hair growth by entering the bloodstream. |
| A．His new research is superior to previous research. |
| B．The research he conducted is really of great importance. |
| C．The results of his new research need to be further improved. |
| D．A link between air pollution and diseases needs to be established. |
| A．To do as much exercise as possible. | B．To take action to reduce air pollution. |
| C．To avoid being exposed to air pollution. | D．To take public transport to avoid traffic jams. |
【推荐3】The Boy Made It!
One Sunday, Nicholas, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute.
Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.
He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter(避难所) from the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him.
Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could.
By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could—he huddled(蜷缩) in his cave and slept.
The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Nicholas was saved.
Nicholas might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life. In each episode(一期节目) of Man vs. Wild, Grylls is abandoned in a wild area and has to find his way out.
When Grylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed(印象深刻的) that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.
1. What happened to Nicholas one Sunday afternoon?| A．He got lost. | B．He broke his skis. |
| C．He hurt his eyes. | D．He caught a cold. |
| A．He kept on skiing. | B．He built a snow cave. |
| C．He drank water. | D．He went to sleep. |
| A．returned to his shelter safely | B．got stuck in the snow |
| C．was saved by a searcher | D．stayed where he was |
| A．was very hard-working |
| B．created some tips for survival |
| C．watched Grylls’ TV program regularly |
| D．did the right things in the dangerous situation |
