There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to be patient and wise. So he asked them to take turns looking at a pear tree that was far from their home.
The first son went in winter, the second in spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in fall. After they came back, he called them together and asked them what they saw.
The first son said that the tree was ugly and weak.
The second son didn’t think so—he said there were green buds in the tree and it was full of hope.
The third son didn’t agree with them. He said there were many flowers that smelled sweet and the tree looked beautiful.
The last son also had his own idea. He said the tree was ripe and full of fruit.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all correct because each of them saw just one season in the tree’s life.
He told them that you cannot judge（评价）a tree or a person by only one season. You can see how someone changes and grows as time goes by—some periods（期间）are happy, while others are sad. If you give up on someone when they are living through the “winter” of their lives, you will miss the promise of their spring, the beauty of their summer, and the greatness（伟大）of their fall.
1. Why did the man ask his four sons to look at the pear tree in turns?| A．To teach them a lesson. | B．To help the pear tree grow. |
| C．To ask them to be strong men. | D．To enjoy this beautiful tree. |
| A．In spring. | B．In summer. | C．In autumn. | D．In winter. |
| A．生硬的 | B．带刺的 | C．发芽的 | D．成熟的 |
| A．There is no need to follow other people. |
| B．There is strength in a tree. |
| C．Don’t judge a whole life by just one period. |
| D．Don’t answer a question too quickly. |
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【推荐1】To test whether doing something good every day can keep us healthy, I took part in an experiment. Two scientists from King’s College London have provided a lot of help to finish it.
Soon I received a box. Every morning, noon and night for seven days, I collected my saliva （唾液）with some little plastic tubes（管子） and they were sent back to the scientists to get my cortisol （皮质醇）levels.
During the first four days I did what I was told. For the next three days, I did good things. On the fifth day, I found my spirits were lifted and I felt happier. I bought a small box of chocolates for a kind lady at the library. At a flower shop, I opened the door for an elderly woman. For the next two days, I bought sandwiches for a homeless man. I prepared some cookies for my husband and his friends to eat.
After seven days, I collected the saliva and sent it back to London. About two weeks later, I received the results.
They found that during the last three days when I did good things, my cortisol levels were lower than that during the first four days, showing that my stress levels were low. On my first day of doing good things, my cortisol levels are quite high, but by noon they’re down—because I’ve already started doing good things.
I realized that it’s easy to do good things and we may become healthier by helping others.
1. Who provided a lot of help for the writer to finish the experiment?| A．Two doctors from China. | B．Two homeless men on the street. |
| C．Two college students from Japan. | D．Two scientists from London. |
| A．He always wanted to stay alone. |
| B．He felt less excited and more peaceful. |
| C．His spirits were lifted and he felt happier. |
| D．His cortisol levels didn’t change and he felt hopeful. |
| A．Taking Part in Scientific Experiments Is Popular |
| B．Doing Good Things Makes Us Healthier |
| C．Eating Chocolate Brings No Harm to Us |
| D．Stress Levels Depend on Eating Habits |
【推荐2】①When someone says you’re humorous, it means you are given a great gift — a sense of humor. It is generally considered the most valuable personality (个性). A person without humor is just like a spring without flowers, or like a dish without salt. In a way, your personality lies in your sense of humor.
②Humor answers your question and makes you think outside the box. One day, a young painter went to visit the famous German painter Adolpyh Menzel and said to him, “I can’t understand why I only spend one day on a painting but have to wait for one year to sell it out?” Menzel said, “My dear, please try to turn upside down your mind. If you spend one year on it, you can sell it in a day.” With these humorous words, your worries may go away like smoke, and you could be full of energy once again.
③Humor can help you when you are under provocation. Sometimes, people make trouble on purpose. One day the famous German poet Goethe met a critic (批评家) in a small road. The critic said to Goethe, “You know, I’ve never given a way to a stupid man.” Goethe answered, “But I am the opposite of you.” Then he moved on his side and let the critic pass by. As you see, humor gives a lesson to those who want to laugh at others.
④People with a good sense of humor may become wise and creative. People with a good sense of humor look happier and healthier. A sense of humor is really one of the keys to happiness. It gives hope and pleasure to life to make it worth living.
1. What does the underlined word “provocation” in Paragraph ③ mean in Chinese?| A．挑衅 | B．感化 | C．怂恿 | D．教训 |
| A．Humor cannot cheer you up easily. |
| B．Humor helps you think in the same way. |
| C．Humor guides you to happiness and health. |
| D．Humor gives a lesson to those who can’t help laughing. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．The Pleasure of Life | B．The Value of Humor |
| C．The Stories of Happiness | D．The Stories of Humorous People |
【推荐3】When Christopher Reeve made the first Superman film, people always asked him the definition (定义) of a hero. He used to answer that it was a person who did something heroic without considering the results. But later he said his definition was different — a hero is a common person who finds the strength to go on living although he faces lots of difficulties.
Reeve used to be a very lucky person. He was tall, good-looking and talented. Apart from his acting ability, he was also very good at sports. He could ski, dive (滑雪、潜水), fly a plane, ride a horse, etc.
However, everything changed on a day in 1995. Reeve got hurt badly when he fell off a horse. He hit his head on the ground and broke his neck. Just after the accident, Reeve’s mother thought he should be allowed to die. She couldn’t imagine that he would want to live in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Reeve himself wasn’t sure, either. The only person who was able to make him believe that life was still worth living was his wife Dana. She told him, “It’s your life and you have to make the decision. But I want you to know that I’ll be with you. You’re still you and I love you.” This was the key to his recovery (恢复).
Just three months after he left hospital, Reeve appeared at a big film festival in a wheelchair. Although he couldn’t’ breathe without artificial (人工的) help, he worked hard and didn’t give up hope.
1. The writer begins the passage by ________.| A．introducing a film | B．giving a suggestion |
| C．describing a problem | D．making a comparison |
| A．skiing | B．diving | C．riding a horse | D．flying a plane |
| A．Reeve’s wife’s support. | B．Reeve’s wife’s decision. |
| C．Reeve’s mother’s support. | D．Reeve’s mother’s decision. |
| A．a sport | B．his friends | C．his family | D．an accident |
| A．Having ups and downs is a natural part of life. | B．Luck comes to those who are prepared. |
| C．Sports help a person stay healthy. | D．Heroes are born, not made. |
【推荐1】Whenever I tell people that I teach English at the Berlin (柏林) Zoo, I almost always get a questioning look because of my job. Behind it, the person is trying to find out who exactly I teach...the animals?
I help the panda keepers at the zoo to feel more comfortable and confident speaking English. Why do they need English? Who do they speak English with?
The panda keepers need to talk to the crowd of international visitors and to Chinese zookeepers who often come to check on the pandas in English. As you know, English is widely spoken in the world while German isn’t. They also need to be ready to give interviews in English with international reporters. This is why they need an English trainer.
So what are they learning? Basically, they are learning how to describe a panda’s life. And here’s what I’ve learned from them so far:
| Note 1: Pandas eat bamboo, lots of bamboo! They can eat up to 30 kilograms a day, and when they’re not eating, they’re sleeping. Note 2: The two pandas Mengmeng and Jiaoqing live in separate enclosures (围场) at the zoo because that is how they live in nature. Pandas live on their own, not in groups. Note 3: Giant pandas come from the cool, foggy mountains of Southwest China. Note 4: They are endangered, with fewer than 2,000 of them living in the wild today. |
It’s been an honor to watch the panda program develop and to see the pandas get used to their new home. As a little girl, I wanted to be a zookeeper when I grew up. Now, I’m living out that dream indirectly by helping the panda keepers do their job in English.
1. Why does the writer ask the two underlined questions in Paragraph 2?| A．To introduce the following text. |
| B．To show her own doubts. |
| C．To offer back ground information. |
| D．To show the results. |
| A．They wish to be confident in English. |
| B．They want to please the Chinese zookeepers. |
| C．They must interview reporters in English. |
| D．They have to speak English in some situations. |
| A．Pandas can eat up to 30 kilos of bamboo a week. |
| B．Pandas live in groups. |
| C．Giant pandas come from the southeast part of China. |
| D．Fewer than 2,000 of pandas live in the wild today. |
| A．She wants to show her meaningful work. |
| B．She tries to realize her dream indirectly. |
| C．She wants to encourage people to learn English. |
| D．She expresses her love for pandas. |
Do you know how blueberries(蓝莓) grow? They grow on bushes(灌木). Each blueberry is small and round. Many blueberries grow on one bush.
At first, the blueberries are green. The green berries are not ready to eat. They need a lot of sun and rain to help them become fat and sweet.
When the berries turn blue, they are ready for us to eat. Some farmers grow blueberries in big fields. They need a lot of people to help pick(摘) the blueberries. These people are happy to do it because they will get a lot of money from the farmers. After the blueberries are ripe(成熟的), the farmers put them into boxes and bring them to stores and supermarkets.
People buy the blueberries and take them home to eat. After they wash the berries, they eat them one by one. Many people like to cook with blueberries. Some like to make blueberry muffins(松饼). Some like to make blueberry juice. Others like to make blueberry ice-cream. No matter how you eat them, blueberries taste great!
1. A blueberry is ________.| A．like a bush | B．big and fat |
| C．small and round | D．blue at first |
| A．plant them in big fields | B．take them home to eat |
| C．cook different foods with them | D．sell them to stores and supermarkets |
| A．they can take some home | B．they can make much money |
| C．they can eat blueberries while picking | D．they can enjoy the big fields |
| A．种植 | B．销售 | C．品尝 | D．烹调 |
【推荐3】A cold is a common (普通的) illness. It often starts with a sore throat. You sneeze (打喷嚏) and your nose runs, you usually have a headache, too. It’s not a serious illness, but you can feel very bad.
What should you do when you have a cold? You should have a good rest. It’s good to drink a lot of water, too. You can see a doctor and take some medicine. Maybe you can try some Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine is now very popular all over the world.
Where does Chinese medicine come from? A long time ago, when people were not feeling well, they found that some plants could make them feel better. They ate the leaves, the roots (根), the fruit or the seeds (种子) of the plants. Today people make much Chinese medicine from those plants.
1. A common cold often starts with ________.| A．sneeze | B．a headache | C．a sore throat | D．runny nose |
| A．see a dentist | B．drink little water | C．play games | D．take Chinese medicine |
| A．interesting | B．popular | C．funny | D．important |
| A．seeds | B．roots | C．leaves | D．plants |
| A．Health. | B．Sports. | C．Business. | D．Education. |
【推荐1】The Chinese paddlefish(中华鲟)－also called the “panda of the Yangtze”－is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. With its long nose and mouth, the paddlefish could grow as long as seven meters. It has lived on Earth since 125 million years ago. It survived unimaginable changes, such as the extinction(灭绝) that killed the dinosaurs.
But the scientists said the Chinese paddlefish had dropped greatly since the 1970s. The drops came as major dam building projects were carried out along the Yangtze. Building of the Gezhouba Dam began in 1970 and was completed in 1988. Researchers discovered 332 different kinds of fish in the Yangtze in 2017 and 2018. But they did not find a single Chinese paddlefish. They thought the fish disappeared between 2005 and 2010.
Pan Wenjing is a forest and oceans expert with Greenpeace East Asia. She said the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish was “a huge loss” for nature. She said the development confirms that the Yangtze River is experiencing major environmental damage. “The ecology of the Yangtze River is close to collapse because of human activity in past years,” Pan said. She stressed China had taken measures to improve the Yangtze’s environment, including a 10-year ban(禁令)on fishing.
After the extinction was reported in the news, some Chinese media and Internet users took a look back at the large creatures. Many people appeared to haven’t heard of the Chinese paddlefish before it was declared extinct.
“It’s farewell at first sight,” reported the official China Youth Daily. Many Internet users shared similar feelings on social media services like China’s Weibo. But some expressed hope that a Chinese paddlefish might still be discovered in the river.
“Every time I see the news of another species going extinct, my heart aches,” wrote one Weibo user. “Humans should not live alone on this planet,” the user added.
1. What do we know about the Chinese paddlefish according to the passage?| A．It is a kind of ancient fish. |
| B．It is the largest freshwater fish in the world. |
| C．It appeared earlier but lived longer than dinosaurs. |
| D．It is as well-known as pandas, so it is also called the “panda of the Yangtze”. |
| A．The design problems of the Gezhouba Dam. |
| B．The environmental problem in the Yangtze River. |
| C．The population development of the Chinese paddlefish. |
| D．The reason for the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish. |
| A．Curious. | B．Doubtful. | C．Worried. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| B．To protect animals is to protect humans. |
| C．When the buying stops, the killing can too. |
| D．It is better to teach someone to fish than to give them fish. |
【推荐2】My sister has a nice room. There is a bed near the desk. A bookcase is between the bed and the desk. There is a jacket and a ring on the bed. A baseball is under the bed. There is a chair next to the desk. There is a computer on the desk. Her hat and keys are on the chair. Her schoolbag is under the chair. Some books and CDs are in the bookcase.
There is a photo on the wall （墙）. You can see some plants （植物） in the photo. Our family photo is on the wall, too. You can see my father, my mother, my sister and me in the photo. It is a nice photo.
1. What is between the bed and the desk?| A．A chair. | B．a bookcase. | C．A sofa. | D．A table. |
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
| A．My family | B．My family photo | C．My sister | D．My sister’s room |
Andy and his best friend Ken were out of school for the summer. They played happily every day. But this afternoon, they were so bored. “What are we going to do today?” Ken said. “We’ve done just about everything. I almost wish school was starting soon.” Andy thought for a minute and said to Ken, “Let’s make some popcorn and lemonade (柠檬水) and sell them outside.”
The boys went inside and asked Andy’s mom if she would help them. “Sure,” said Andy’s mom. She got the lemons from the kitchen and also some sugar. She mixed up the lemonade when the boys started making the popcorn. In about five minutes, the popcorn was ready, and so was the lemonade.
Andy and Ken set up a small table outside Andy’s house. “How much should we charge?” asked Andy. “One dollar for a bag of popcorn and one dollar for a cup of lemonade,” said Ken.
The boys sat for about ten minutes before they got their first sale. Mrs. Jenkins was walking her dog and stopped for a drink. Then the boys were busy selling popcorn to Mr. Lawrence. He was walking down the street. They thought it was easy and fun.
Soon the boys had only three bags of popcorn left. “Wow, I didn’t think it would sell that fast.” Andy said. “We made 12 dollars,” Ken said. “If we get bored again before school starts, we can try selling more popcorn and lemonade next time.”
1. The story happened ________.| A．on a summer morning | B．on a winter morning |
| C．on a summer afternoon | D．on a winter afternoon |
| A．Ken | B．Andy | C．Ken’s mom | D．Andy’s mom |
| A．要价 | B．赔偿 | C．借款 | D．预付 |
| A．Hard but fun. | B．Easy and fun. | C．Hard and boring. | D．Easy but boring. |
| A．Andy and Ken made 19 dollars. |
| B．Andy and Ken sold all the popcorn. |
| C．Mr. Lawrence helped the boys sell popcorn. |
| D．Mrs. Jenkins bought the first cup of lemonade. |
