1 . It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of sadness. It was the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.
Mr Lorry was sitting in his hotel in Dover when a young lady arrived. She was pretty, with golden hair and blue eyes. Mr Lorry asked the young lady to sit down.
“Miss Manette,” he said. “I have a strange story to tell you, about one of the customers of Tellson’s Bank. That’s where I work.”
“About twenty years ago, Mr Manette, a French doctor married an English lady. They had a daughter, but just before she was born, her father disappeared. Nobody knew what had happened to him. Not long after his unhappy wife died, and their daughter was brought back to England.”
“I brought you—their daughter from France to England, and Tellson’s Bank has taken care of you since then. You were told that your father had died. But think, Miss Manette. Perhaps your father wasn’t dead. Perhaps he was in prison (监狱). Not because he had done something wrong! But just because he had a powerful enemy—an enemy with the power to send him to prison and to keep him there, hidden and forgotten, for eighteen years!”
“Can it be true? Is it possible that my father is still alive?” Lucie Manette looked at Mr Lorry. Her face was white and her hands trembled (颤抖). “It will be his ghost—not him!”
“No, Miss Manette,” said Mr Lorry gently. “He is alive, but he has changed very much. We are going there to bring him back to life.”
(adapted from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens)
1. When did the story begin?| A．About 1, 775 years ago. | B．In the year 1775. |
| C．Over three centuries ago. | D．In the 17th century. |
| A．He had a house in Dover. | B．He had golden hair and blue eyes. |
| C．He worked in a bank. | D．He was Miss Manette’s father. |
| A．Her father. | B．Her mother. | C．Mr Lorry. | D．A servant. |
| A．Angry. | B．Excited. | C．Sad. | D．Surprised. |
| A．Gone With the Wind. | B．Pride and Prejudice. |
| C．Dream of Red Mansion. | D．A Tale of Two Cities. |
2 . “Ching-ching”! Here comes the “bus”! For some kids in Barcelona, Spain, the way they go to school on Friday has become a little different.
In September, five children in Eixample, Barcelona, started up a “bike bus” program. Each Friday, they ride their bikes to school with their parents. Each time before doing so, they post their route (路线) online for other people to see. Anyone who wishes to join them can do so. The group has quickly grown to hundreds of riders.
The bike bus begins at about 8 a.m. every Friday and lasts for about 25 minutes. There are a few schools along the route. When students reach their school, they leave the “bus” and park their bikes. Instead of riding only in bike lanes (车道), the bike bus takes over the whole street. The local police support the program. They ensure the safety of the kids and parents by riding in front of the group and behind it.
Before the bike bus program, it wasn’t very safe for kids in Eixample to go to school by bike. The bike lanes are not wide and the traffic is busy. Parents hope that the bike bus program will change people’s ideas about getting around. Biking, they say, is a great form of exercise. It’s also more environment-friendly than driving.
1. “Ching-ching” most likely refers to the sound of ________.A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．In the police office. | B．On the Internet. |
| C．In local newspapers. | D．On school notice boards. |
| A．Every day. | B．Once a week. | C．Twice a week. | D．Three times a month. |
| A．They don’t care about the program. | B．They are against the program. |
| C．They support the program. | D．Some of them don’t agree on the program. |
3 . I’ll always remember the first time I tried ballet. My mother was a dancer and I wanted nothing more than to be like her, but after making mistakes during my first class, I felt like I wanted to stop right away. However, I told my mom I couldn’t wait to dance again because it was only my first day.
Weeks passed and my dancing didn’t get any better. Then my dance teacher said that we were going to perform in a show. I was scared of falling on my face in front of hundreds of people and disappointing my mom.
Even though I practiced hard for the show, I couldn’t get the hang of it. Finally, I went to my mom to tell her how I felt. She simply laughed and told me she would teach me all she knew about ballet.
My mom quickly discovered how bad at ballet I was, but she still taught me with the greatest patience, love and understanding. When I jumped and fell, she was there to catch me. When I lost my balance, she held me up. By the time the show arrived, I was as prepared as I could be.
The music began and my heart started to race. Breathing calmly, I began moving to the music without missing a step. When the music stopped, I ran off the stage and laughed in excitement.
My mom found me and gave me a huge hug, telling me how proud she was. I looked my mom in the eye and told her that I couldn’t do well without her. Through this, I realized one important fact: My mom will always be there to catch me if I fall.
1. What happened to the writer before she performed in a show?| A．She learned ballet by herself. |
| B．She made no mistakes while dancing. |
| C．She practiced hard and prepared for the show. |
| D．She hurt herself and lost her balance all the time. |
| A．Learned to do it well. | B．Lost interest in ballet. |
| C．Had trouble with ballet. | D．Jumped high in the air. |
| A．Nervous and worried. | B．Calm and cared. |
| C．Excited and surprised. | D．Patient and understanding. |
| A．To tell people not to be afraid to disappoint others. |
| B．To show the readers a mother’s love is the greatest. |
| C．To warn kids not to try something they are not good at. |
| D．To encourage moms to be proud of their children’s progress. |
4 . “Why can’t Grandpa just be normal? Why does he take wave ski as a hobby? He’s so weird,” Carter asked Grandma.
Grandma laughed. “I’ve wondered that for many years.”
They were sitting on the beach watching Grandpa and some of his friends in the ocean.
“None of my friends even knows what a waveski is,” Carter continued.
“Just tell them it’s a lot like surfing but the riders sit on top of a waveski. When the waves come, they will ride the wave just like a surfer, only they paddle (划桨) to get out to the waves.”
“Nobody’s grandpa does this.”
Grandma laughed. “Well, what should he be doing instead?”
“I don’t know. Maybe things that old people do.”
“Look! A big wave is coming in!” Grandma pointed to the ocean.
Carter saw Grandpa in front of his friends. He was leaning (倾斜) forward and paddling hard, just ahead of the large incoming wave. Carter was surprised at how hard Grandpa was paddling and how fast he was moving. Just then, another huge wave came. Carter jumped to his feet and held his breath. This was not good. What if something bad happened?
As the wave drew near, Grandpa paddled harder. He was suddenly lifted by the water and stopped paddling. He leaned toward the wave, changing the direction of the waveski. Now, he was riding the wave, moving fast. Carter was amazed. Grandpa was totally in control.
Carter now realized his grandpa wasn’t weird at all. He was amazing. Absolutely amazing! “Go Grandpa!” Carter shouted, even though he knew Grandpa couldn’t hear him.
When the wave was gone, Grandpa turned toward the beach and waved to Carter and Grandma. He looked so happy.
Carter waved back. He wasn’t sure why, but he had tears in his eyes. He quickly dried them and then waved again.
“Do you think I can be the one riding waves like him?”
“Of course,”Grandma said.
1. What does the underlined word “weird” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．strange and unusual | B．normal and shy |
| C．outgoing and generous | D．friendly and helpful |
| A．When he learned from Grandma what waveski was. |
| B．When he saw Grandpa paddling ahead of the wave. |
| C．When Grandpa was riding the wave and moving fast. |
| D．When Grandpa turned toward the beach and waved to him. |
| A．Buy a new waveski for Grandpa. | B．Share his own hobby with Grandma. |
| C．Encourage Grandma to try waveski. | D．Ask Grandpa to teach him to waveski. |
| A．An exciting experience. | B．A “weird” grandpa. |
| C．A happy family. | D．A smart grandson. |
5 . Liam Garner was just 17 years old when he started out his adventure—a 32,000 kilometer bike trip. In early January, he finally finished his trip, 17 months after he started.
After Liam graduated from high school, he wondered what it would be like to bike from the point farthest north in the USA all the way to the most southern point in South America. And Liam set out from Alaska on August 1, 2021. He had a tent, a sleeping bag, a phone, and some spare parts for his bike. Other than some food and water, he didn’t have much else.
At first Liam’s parents weren’t too happy about him taking such a long bike trip by himself. But as he carried on, his parents became his strongest supporters.
Liam wasn’t too worried about the path that he took. “As long as I was going south every day, I was going in the right direction,” he said. By early December, he had reached Mexico.
Liam met challenges in Mexico. He was robbed there. At one point, he considered quitting because the hot weather made biking very difficult. But things cooled down once he reached Central America, and he decided to keep going.
In all, he was robbed five times on the trip. He got very sick more than once. In Colombia, he had a bike accident that left him injured. In spite of it all, he kept going, through rain, sun, heat, cold, deserts and mountains.
Liam finally arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina on January 10, 2023, after he started. He had travelled through 14 countries along the way.
When he gets home, he hopes to write a book about his adventures. He also hopes his experience will motivate others. He says, “The most important thing is getting confidence in yourself.”
1. How long did it take Liam to finish his adventure?| A．About 17 days. | B．About 2023 days. | C．About 510 days. | D．About 32,000 days. |
| A．Liam is a boy who is interested in travelling. |
| B．Liam is a boy who is brave and strong-willed. |
| C．Liam is a boy who is fond of riding bikes. |
| D．Liam is a boy who is strong and clever. |
| A．Mislead. | B．Encourage. | C．Scare. | D．Support. |
a. He was robbed in Mexico. b. He decided to write a book.
c. He graduated from high school. d. His parents didn’t support his idea.
| A．b-a-d-c | B．c-d-b-a | C．a-d-b-c | D．c-d-a-b |
6 . What would you paint if someone asked you to tell him about China?
12-year-old Mao Mofei is a student from Chengdu Xichuan Middle School. Her painting, Future Is Coming, is on show at the International Youth Art Invitation Exhibition in Florence, Italy.
“My picture shows my opinion of what my hometown of Chengdu will be like in the future: there are skyscrapers (摩天大楼) and robots everywhere, as well as green forests, clean rivers and wild animals; scientists are sending rockets into space, while artists are performing Sichuan opera,” said Mao. “I want to show the beauty of China to the world.”
Mao started to learn painting at an early age. The paper and brushes have helped her to build friendships. When she was in second grade, she visited an Indonesian school. There, Mao used fun pictures to tell Indonesian students the meanings of different Chinese characters. The students really enjoyed her paintings. She even made close friends with one of her “fans”.
“People around the world speak different languages. However, ▲ and we can all understand it,” said Mao. “To improve understanding and share ideas—that’s what I love most about art.”
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。1. From the second paragraph, we can learn the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．how old Mao is | B．where Mao studies |
| C．when Mao’s birthday is | D．where Mao’s painting is |
| A．Chengdu will be crowded and polluted |
| B．wild animals in Chengdu will live in the city |
| C．robots will perform Sichuan opera for people |
| D．people in Chengdu will lead a comfortable life |
| A．Mao loves collecting paper and brushes. |
| B．Paper and brushes are Mao’s best friends. |
| C．Paper and brushes are very useless for Mao. |
| D．Mao made many friends through painting. |
| A．art is an important subject | B．art is a common language |
| C．it’s difficult to understand others | D．it’s hard to learn a new language |
7 . Wang Yaping is one of China’s famous astronauts. She was born in a small village in Yantai, Shandong Province in 1980. She had been a long-distance runner since primary school, and competed in local sports meetings.
In 1997, Wang Yaping was a high school student. Her classmates encouraged her to be one of the seventh batch (批) of female pilots in China because she was good at sports and didn’t wear glasses. Luckily, Wang passed all the tests as well as physical examinations!
Wang Yaping’s dream of becoming an astronaut started in 2003, when Yang Liwei finished his space flight. “Now China has its first man in space. When will our country have its first woman?” Thought Wang. At that time, she was working as a fighter pilot in China’s air force (空军). In May 2010, Wang bcame a member of China’s first batch of female astronauts. Wang is also China’s second woman in space, after Liu Yang make history by joining the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2012.
On October 16, 2021, China sent the Shenzhou-13 spaceship into space successfully. Wang Yaping was one of the three astronauts in the flight crew. On November 7, 2021, Wang Yaping has become China’s first female astronaut to walk in outer space. She has left her mark on history thanks to her “bravery”.
For this mission, Wang Yaping has trained for over 6000 hours. One tough (艰苦的) exercise is the underwater training. It lasts seven hours each time. She had to wear a 200-kilogram suit and do tasks in 10-meter-deep water without eating or going to the toilet. No matter what difficulties she faces, Wang Yaping never give up!
1. In primary school, Wang Yaping ________.| A．loved watching a space program on TV |
| B．loved listening to stories about Yang Liwei |
| C．was a long-distance runner |
| D．visited places of interest in Yantai |
| A．In 1997. | B．In 2003. | C．In 2010. | D．In 2012. |
| A．Honest. | B．Outgoing. | C．Brave. | D．Kind-hearted. |
| A．Wang’s prepared for long as an astronaut. |
| B．Wang’s met a lot of difficulties in her life. |
| C．Wang’s become a great hero in China. |
| D．Wang’s received special training. |
a. She completed the spacewalk successfully.
b. She worked as a fighter pilot in the air force.
c. She became one member of the Shenzhou-13 mission.
d. She was a sports player at local sports meetings.
| A．a-c-d-b | B．d-b-c-a | C．b-a-d-c | D．c-a-b-d |
8 . One day a man saw an old lady standing by her expensive car, clearly in need of help. So he stopped his old truck and got out. Although he was smiling, the old lady was worried. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe.
The man could see that she was frightened, so in his friendliest voice he said, “I’m here to help you, madam. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.” Bryan quickly fixed the car and the lady thanked him. Then she asked how much she should pay him.
But Bryan wanted no money. He was just giving a hand to someone in trouble. This was normal for him. He said, “If you really want to repay me, next time you see someone in need, help them and think of me.”
After saying goodbye, the lady continued down the road until she reached a small café where she decided to stop for something to eat. As the pretty waitress took her order, the lady noticed she was nearly eight months pregnant (怀孕的). Although the waitress looked tired, she was very kind. As the lady was going to pay the $10 bill, she remembered Bryan’s words.
She paid with a hundred-dollar bill. But when the waitress returned with the change the lady was gone. On the table she saw a small note. There were tears in her eyes when she read it, “Somebody once helped me the way I’m helping you. If you want to pay me back, continue being kind to others.” Under the note were nine more $100 bills.
Was the old lady an angel? The waitress was so excited that she called her husband to tell him the news. “Bryan Anderson, my dear...you’re not going to believe what just happened...”
1. What can we learn about the old lady from the story?| A．She was never kind to others. | B．She was probably very wealthy. |
| C．She was usually quite careless. | D．She was not a very good driver. |
| A．the change | B．the bill | C．the order | D．the note |
a. The waitress called her husband to tell him the exciting news.
b. The old lady paid with a hundred-dollar bill.
c. Bryan stopped his old truck and got out to fix the old lady’s car.
d. The old lady left the waitress nine more $100 bills.
e. The old lady came to a small café for something to eat.
| A．c→e →d→b→a | B．c→b→e→d→a |
| C．c→e→b→d→a | D．c→d→e→b→a |
| A．Actually, the old lady paid the $10 bill in the small café. |
| B．Bryan Anderson wished the old lady to help the people in need. |
| C．In fact, the old lady helped Bryan Anderson’s wife. |
| D．At first, the old lady thought Bryan Anderson was a bad man. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
Linda is excited. Today she will go hiking in Mount Washington. Her teachers, Mrs. Green and Mrs. Chang, love to hike, who know a lot about hiking and mountain safety.
Mount Washington is the tallest mountain in New England. It is almost 6,300 feet high. Mount Washington can get twenty-six feet of snow in a year! So much snow can take a long time to melt.
Mrs. Green leads the way. There are seven girls and two adults. Mrs. Chang makes sure everyone hikes safely.
Everyone has a full bag. The hikers need lots of water, snacks, and lunch. They have more clothes too. Everyone needs a jacket, a raincoat, a hat, and gloves. Even in summer, mountain weather can be cold.
“I’m tired,” Inez says. After a rest, Linda and Inez sing songs. Inez feels better. “Hiking is hard work,” Linda says, “but I love it!” The group hike higher up Mount Washington. Linda finds the snow first. “I can’t believe there is snow in July,” Linda shouts, “My brother won’t believe me!” The girls put on their jackets, gloves, and hats, and they play in the snow. They feel cold now. The wind blows. They are happy to have warm clothes.
After another rest, Mrs. Green calls the girls. “We have to hike back now,” she says. “Can we come again next summer?” Inez asks. “Please!” Linda says, “Next year I want to hike to the top!”
1. What do Mrs. Green and Mrs Chang know about?2. How many people go hiking in Linda’s group today?
3. What should be brought when hiking in Mount Washington?
4. Why do hikers have to wear more clothes?
5. Do you think hiking is good or bad ? Why?
10 . Barry and Lisa Moss live in a pretty village in Suffolk. England. They left London two years ago, but they still can’t believe how much their life has changed.
In London, they were successful. And they were very wealthy. They had a big apartment and two expensive cars. They used to spend a lot of money on clothes and vacations. They did all these things without thinking because they had lots of money. But did they enjoy their life?
One day, Lisa was driving home. She suddenly realized (意识到) that it was always dark when she left home in the morning and dark when she left the office in the evening. She usually came home in a bad mood. And she used to work most weekends, too. Barry was too busy to have time for his hobbies cooking and fishing. So both of them thought it was time to change.
The Mosses sold their apartment and cars, found a house in a village and set up a small restaurant. “it’s perfect,” says Lisa. “We grow all the fruit and vegetables for the restaurant. Barry does the cooking and I love talking to customers.”
The Mosses still work hard. but their life now is quite different from that in London. “Though now we don’t make as much money as we did before.” laughs Barry, “we have time to do all the things we like.”
Do they miss London? “We’re happy with fewer things! And in fact, we don’t think about London anymore!” says Lisa.
1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “wealthy” in Paragraph 2?| A．Clever. | B．Active. | C．Rich. |
| A．Their hobbies. | B．Their busy life. | C．The beauty of the village. |
| A．They run a hotel. | B．They run a restaurant. | C．They run a clothing store. |
| A．They love it. | B．They don’t like it. | C．They don’t mind it. |
