1 . Why is music so important to children? Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.
Music has a positive (积极地) effect on young children’s development!
New research shows that music has a good influence on young children’s cognitive (认知的) skills, such as spatial reasoning (空间推理) and memory. Research also shows that offering children an interesting environment can support children’s healthy growth and development,
Young children enjoy making music with others!
Making music with others gives children a wonderful feeling of belonging to the group. Children might have difficulty joining in activities with others because they are shy, have limited language ability or special needs, but they can freely take part in a music activity.
Music makes young children happy!
Children seem to experience much pleasure and joy when listening to music, making music and dancing to music. Whether they are singing along to a CD, playing an instrument or dancing to music around the classroom, most children seem to thoroughly (彻底地) enjoy participating in a music activity. How wonderful it is to offer children the chance to do some activities about music!
1. New research shows that music can improve young children’s ________ skills.| A．cognitive | B．reading | C．writing | D．speaking |
| A．They don’t know others. | B．They want to play games alone. |
| C．They are shy. | D．They don’t like music. |
| A．come into | B．arrive at | C．take part in | D．get used to |
| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
| A．How to Make Music with Others? | B．The Influence of Music on Children |
| C．What Wonderful Music! | D．The Importance of Music in Early Childhood |
2 . Huang Yu’s beloved cat Dasuan died. Huang was quite sad. But 66 days later, Dasuan “came back”. Huang got a new cat that looks almost the same as Dasuan thanks to cloning technology (克隆技术).
Most people are interested in cloned pets. The cat was born inside a lab owned by a company in Beijing. To clone the cat, the company’s working stuff took cells from Dasuan and created an embryo (胚胎). Then they put it into a cat mother.
________ In 2001, the world’s first cloned cat was born in the US. In 2005, the world’s first cloned dog was born in South Korea. However, there are arguments against pet cloning. Though the cloned pets copy the dead pet’s appearance, they have different personalities. Some pet lovers like Huang think a clone is a good replacement (替代品) for their dead pets. But others worry that having the same appearance but a different personality will lead to more pain in the long run. Knowing this, the company says it hopes to use AI and other technologies to move memories to cloned pets in the future.
It’s known that cloned pets aren’t as healthy as naturally born pets. They may live shorter lives. Some animal lovers think cloning pets is unacceptable because a large number of stray animals (流浪动物) still need homes. They say there is no need to clone.
1. ________ helps Huang Yu own a new cat which looks the same as Dasuan.| A．A US company | B．An AI | C．The cat’s memory | D．Cloning technology |
| A．Cat is the easiest kind of pets to clone. |
| B．In fact, cloning pets is not a new thing. |
| C．Dasuan is China’s first successful cloned cat. |
| D．Huang thought it was impossible to have his cat back. |
| A．shorter | B．more interesting | C．healthier | D．more lovely |
| A．personality | B．color | C．cell | D．size |
| A．cloning a new pet | B．stopping keeping pets |
| C．accepting stray animals | D．keeping the pet’s memory |
3 . It’s hard to believe that a beautiful silk dress comes from thousands of small insects! Silk is made by insects called silkworms (蚕). It takes about 5,500 silkworms to make 1 kilogram of silk. The process was discovered by the Chinese about 5,000 years ago.
How is silk made? The process starts with the eggs of a certain kind of insect. The eggs are collected and kept warm. After a few days, the silkworms come out of the eggs. They are fed with leaves from mulberry trees every 30 minutes, all night and all day. The room is kept warm, and the silkworms must not be influenced by loud noises or bad smells. After a month, they start to make a cocoon (茧). After four days, the cocoon is ready.
The cocoons are heated. Then the cocoons are put into water to make the silk loose (松散的). The silk from three or four cocoons is put together and made into a thread (线). One cocoon can make a thread that is 1 kilometer long.
Finally, the silk threads are made into cloth, and the cloth is used for things like dresses and scarves. Today, silk is produced in many countries, including India and Thailand, but more than 80 percent of the world’s silk comes from China. Every year, enough silk thread is produced, which can go from the earth to the sun 300 times. People love clothes made of silk because they are very beautiful. Also, they are comfortable to wear—silk feels cool in warm weather and warm in cool weather.
1. ______ discovered the way of making silk.| A．Silkworms | B．Insects | C．Japanese | D．Chinese |
| A．dry and noisy | B．noisy and dirty | C．warm and quiet | D．dirty and warm |
① Silkworms start to make cocoons.
② Threads are made from the cocoons.
③ Cocoons are heated and put into water.
④ Feed the silkworms with mulberry leaves.
⑤ Collect the eggs of a certain kind of insect.
| A．⑤④①③② | B．⑤④①②③ | C．④①③②⑤ | D．④①②③⑤ |
| A．beautiful and cool | B．cool and warm | C．beautiful and warm | D．beautiful and comfortable |
| A．Why is silk so popular? | B．How is silk made? |
| C．Why is silk so expensive? | D．Where can people buy silk? |
4 . For many years, thousands of people have gone to the North Pole (北极) in summer, but few in winter. In the winter of 1990, the French artist Jannot Derit was invited to have the opening of his exhibition (展览) in a building in the little village of Jukkasjarvi. The building, named the Arctic Hall, was made of snow. Many visitors went there. One night, a group of visitors decided to sleep in the Arctic Hall. The following morning, the brave visitors were very pleased with their experience and the idea of an ice hotel was born. Today, the ICEHOTEL is world—famous.
As soon as winter begins, a team of builders from all over the world come to Jukkasjarvi and they make the hotel for that year. As one part is completed, it opens to visitors, while the other parts are still being built. The first part is completed in December and each week after that a new part opens. The hotel isn’t usually completed until January 7th. The ICEHOTEL is built under the open sky, using the natural materials of the winter season. So the completion date depends on ______ and sometimes the plan changes. In spring, as the weather gets warmer, hotels will melt (融化).
No matter how cold it may be outside, the temperature inside the hotel is never colder than -5℃ to -8℃. Winter outer (外面的) clothes are included in the cost of visitors` stay at the hotel. If you are planning to come to the hotel, you can buy warm sweaters, socks and some other things on the ICEHOTEL website. They will be sent to your room when you check in.
1. The idea of building an ice hotel was born in ________.| A．1970 | B．1980 | C．1990 | D．2000 |
| A．The building process of the ICEHOTEL. | B．Why people build the hotel in winter. |
| C．What difficulties the builders have. | D．The weather conditions in Jukkasjarvi. |
| A．Location. | B．Staff. | C．Traffic. | D．Nature. |
| A．The artist Jannot Derit came up with the idea of building the ICEHOTE. |
| B．The cost of staying at the ICEHOTE includes sweaters and outer clothes. |
| C．Visitors can come and sleep in the ICEHOTE before it is finished each winter. |
| D．The temperature inside the ICEHOTE changes with the temperature outside. |
| A．The Arctic Hall | B．A special hotel | C．A famous town | D．A trip to the Arctic |
Exercise is important not only for the body but also for the mind. Now more and more people have realized the importance of doing exercise,which is a good thing. Here are a few ways to stay fit at home.
Cardio(有氧运动)is made to keep our hearts beating faster. In return, our hearts will be stronger and we’ll lose weight. Many of us are taking up activities like jumping rope or watching many people’s exercise videos online. By following how others exercise, people train themselves in a more scientific way.
Walking is another great activity to help us keep fit. There are many machines, like a watch, used to record our steps, sleeping forms and other things with our bodies. We can just walk around gardens or up and down the hallways.
Practising yoga(瑜伽) is helpful to our body. It plays a role in protecting us from being hurt badly. Finally, power training can be done at home by simply lifting bags of rice or boxes instead of heavy things.
There are really many ways to help us stay fit at home. For those who are busy and can’t go out to exercise, ten minutes a day of rope jumping or lifting a bag of rice may not only help our fitness, but also be good for our mind.
The title: | |
Cardio | ★It makes our heart stronger and makes us lose weight. ★People often |
Walking | It is a great activity to help us keep fit. ★We can just walk around gardens, and there are many machines that can |
Yoga | ★It ★It protects us from being hurt badly. ★We can choose to do |
6 . A mini-program on WeChat has changed people’s lives at West Lake, as they can now make appointments(预约) to sell recyclables—things that can be recycled.
For a long time, the problem of recyclable rubbish troubled restaurants and hotels around the lake. Lots of recyclables have low value and high recycling costs,so collectors don’t feel like recycling them door-to-door.
In order to solve the problem, the Management Committee of West Lake Scenic Area worked with a company to develop the Jingling Recycle mini-program. Now, people can make an appointment on WeChat, and the next day collectors will come to pick up recyclables. The mini-program helps people to deal with plastic bottles, foam packing cases(泡沫包装箱), cardboard (硬纸板), newspapers and other low-value recyclables. People are paid to sell them.
The local people speak highly of the mini-program. “No collectors came to my restaurant in the past. Thanks to the Jingling Recycle mini-program, it has changed. I can make a little money by selling recyclables. At the same time, it protects the environment,” said the owner of a restaurant.
1. The mini-program is used for making appointments to ________.| A．buy takeaway | B．sell recyclables | C．buy clothes | D．sell desserts |
| A．high value and low recycling costs | B．low value and high recycling costs |
| C．high value and high recycling costs | D．low value and low recycling costs |
| A．are against the mini-program | B．don’t like the mini-program |
| C．think the mini-program is useless | D．think the mini-program is helpful |
| A．Recyclable rubbish troubled hotels around the lake for long. |
| B．The mini-program can help to protect the environment. |
| C．People can make a lot of money by selling recyclables. |
| D．The mini-program has changed people’s lives at West Lake. |
| A．A cool mini-program. | B．How to sell recyclables. |
| C．Things that can be recycled. | D．How to make appointments. |
7 . The simple activities below will make everyone in our family leave the chair and help you get closer while burning some calories(卡路里).
Rope Jumping Rope jumping burns about 600 calories an hour. Jump ropes are cheap. The cheapest is less than one dollar. Also, because jump ropes are easy to carry, parents can pack one in their suitcase for exercise while they travel. |
HulaHooping Hula Hoops(呼啦圈) became popular in the late 1950s and are still a lot of fun for families. Hula hooping can burn more than 500 calories an hour. |
Dancing Why not dance to music when you’re at home? Having a family dance party lets parents and children get happy and also get some exercise. Hip hop dancing can burn about 400 calories an hour. |
Wakinga Dog Studies have shown that owning a dog can make you healthier. One reason may be that you are able to take more walks when you walk a dog. Walking the dog can burn about 200 calories an hour. If your daily walks have become more like a chore, add some fun. Go with a friend, pick different ways each day, or do some running. |
| A．Rope jumping | B．Walking a dog | C．Hula hooping | D．Hip hop dancing |
| A．can only be done outdoors | B．can help family members get closer |
| C．are not interesting at all | D．are difficult to do |
①take less walks ②go with a friend
③choose different ways each day ④do some running while you are walking a dog
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．②③④ | D．①③④ |
| A．Walking a dog can burn more calories than dancing to music. |
| B．The author likes doing chores. |
| C．Hula hoops were created in the late 1950s. |
| D．Jump ropes are easy to carry. |
| A．travel book | B．website about pets | C．family magazine | D．storybook |
8 . 
Confucianism (儒家思想) has been followed by Chinese people for more than two thousand years.
To help people understand how to behave towards others, Confucianism teaches the Five Constants (五常). These are ren, yi, li, zhi and xin. They are general virtues (美德) around the world. The most important two are ren and li.
Ren is the feeling of care and love we should have for others. Confucius explained ren could best be understood as loving others. He is famous for teaching people “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others”. It is quite similar to what is known in the West as the Golden Rule (treat others as you wish to be treated).
While the meaning of ren is easy to understand, li is a little harder to express. It can be thought of as duty or even respect. Generally, li is the way we should connect with people in our everyday life. In Confucian writings, discussions about li include the proper way to drink tea and how to remember ancestors (祖先). While ren is mostly about our opinions and feelings, li is about how we express our opinions and feelings towards others and towards the world around us.
Perhaps the most well-known Confucian virtue is xiao. This is the duty children have to their parents. Xiao means loving, respecting, obeying and taking care of one’s parents in their old age. In Confucianism, xiao is important for a harmonious (和谐的) society: Without it, the whole world would fall into a mess.
1. Which are the most important of the Five Constants?| A．Ren and yi. | B．Ren and li. | C．Li and xin. | D．Yi and zhi. |
| A．博学于文，约之以礼。 | B．学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。 |
| C．己所不欲，勿施于人。 | D．君子和而不同，小人同而不和。 |
| A．Building a peaceful society. | B．Taking care of one’s children. |
| C．Obeying rules for drinking tea. | D．Learning all through one’s life. |
| A．Its general virtues. | B．Its long history. |
| C．Its new challenges. | D．Its golden rules. |
Do you feel senior high school is still far away? Do you know how to prepare for it? Some US high school graduates have shared their advice in order to help you prepare.
Stay organized
“The biggest thing is to stay organized,” says Philip Smith, a graduate from Bayport High School. Philip is now at Stony Brook University. You can use paper notes that you take in class to help with your studies. And online tools can be very helpful, too. You’d better transfer（转换）paper notes online and make study plans. Then you’ll have no trouble getting good grades.
Ask for help
“I think a lot of kids are afraid to ask for help,” Sachem North High School’s Erin Maryzek says. If you don’t understand a concept（概念）, let the teacher know. “Most of my teachers offered after-school review every day. Even if I understand what the teachers said, it doesn’t hurt to go over it again,” Maryzek says.
Find healthy ways to cut down stress and have fun
“It’s not just study, study, study,” says Roslyn High School’s Todd White. “I was a runner. That was a way for me to cut down stress from study.” Sachem North’s Maryzek agrees, “Though school work is important, having a little fun is also important.”
High school is busy but it can also be fun. Please remember: if you prepare for it early, it will be easy.
| The title: | |
| Stay organized | ◆ This is the biggest thing. ◆ You can use |
| ◆ You shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. ◆ If you don’t understand a concept, let the teacher know. | |
| Find ways to cut down stress | School work is important, but it’s important |
| Conclusion(结论) | |
10 . Madame Tussauds is a wax(蜡像) museum in London, UK. French artist Marie Tussaud founded this museum over 200 years ago. It shows waxworks of famous and historic people, as well as popular film characters.
There are 16 Madame Tussauds in many big cities around the world, including New York, Tokyo and Sydney. The newly-opened Beijing museum is the fourth Madame Tussaud in China, following Hong Kong, Shanghai and Wuhan.
Each year, Madame Tussauds Studio makes about 40 to 50 figures. It takes nearly four months to make each sculpture, from getting the subject’s physical measurements to completing the work. Most famous people love to be portrayed(描绘) in wax. Some even donate their own clothes for the works. Boris Johnson, mayor of London, took off his suit and donated it after his sitting. His trousers still have a small hole that he tore(撕裂) on his bicycle chain.
However, Madame Tussauds is about more than just wax figures. It plays a role as a witness(见证者) to history. “For most people, history is biography and the story of famous people, and Tussauds are always good at portraying them,” Pamela Pilbeam, author of Madam Tussaud and the History of Waxworks, told The Guardian.
1. There are ______ Madame Tussauds in China, according to the story.| A．only one | B．two | C．three | D．four |
| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
| A．There are 18 Madame Tussauds in the world. |
| B．It takes exactly half a year to make each sculpture. |
| C．Not all famous people like to be portrayed in wax. |
| D．Madame Tussauds never portrays movie characters. |
| A．Madame Tussauds | B．Boris Johnson | C．Pamela Pilbeam | D．Jackie Char |
| A．Famous actors love Tussauds | B．The function of Madame Tussauds |
| C．Madame Tussauds—A Witness to History | D．The origin of Madame Tussauds |
