1 . 
①Wool is a great natural material that has been used by humans. It comes from the soft coat of sheep. Humans have been wearing wool for over 12,000 years. Today, more than 1.3 billion sheep around the world are used each year for woollen products, like sweaters and scarves.
②Why do so many people like woollen products? One of the great things about wool is that it is a fantastic insulator. This means it keeps us warm when it’s cold outside. It also has tiny air pockets that trap (锁住) heat, making it perfect for those cold days.
③Another advantage of wool is that it is breathable. It allows air to pass through, keeping us cool in the summer as well. Unlike other materials, it can prevent us from overheating, and make us feel comfortable.
④Wool is not only warm and breathable, but it is also durable (耐用的) and long-lasting. It’s strong enough for outdoor activities like hiking or playing in the snow. Woollen clothes can be passed down from one generation (一代) to another, creating a beautiful connection between family members.
⑤Making wool products requires a lot of efforts and a series of processes, which start with cutting. The sheep farmers cut the wool off the sheep completely by hand in spring. Don’t worry: cutting is safe and painless for the sheep, just like getting a haircut! After the cutting, hundreds of kilos of wool are packed together. Once the wool is collected, it goes through a process called scouring. It means wool is washed to remove any dirt and oil. Then the wool is made into yarn (毛线), which is used to make different woollen products. After the yarn is coloured, skilled workers make it into various products.
⑥Wool is made into all kinds of woollen products after processing and is used widely in our daily life.
1. How does the writer show that wool is a great material in Paragraph 1?| A．By telling stories. | B．By explaining ideas. | C．By showing facts. | D．By comparing reasons. |
| A．It can be used for a long time. | B．It can stop air from passing through. |
| C．It can produce and give out heat. | D．It can be made into products easily. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
2 . “Are we alone? What’s out there?” Looking up at the stars, people have always wanted to learn more about space, and scientists have been working hard to find the secrets of the universe. Here we’re going to go through a timeline of the important moments of space exploration.
The Big Bang Theory is an idea about how our universe began. Many scientists believe that everything in the universe was pressed together and then it separated into smaller pieces very quickly about 14 billion years ago to create the universe. The Big Bang is thought to be the beginning of everything in the universe.
What is the Hubble Space Telescope?The Hubble Space Telescope was put into space in 1990. Hubble is as long as a large school bus and it weighs as much as two elephants. In order to stay above the atmosphere, it travels around the earth at about 5 miles a second. Hubble is able to get clear pictures of faraway stars. A picture called “Hubble Ultra Deep Field” shows some of the farthest galaxies. Pictures from Hubble help scientists learn more about the universe.
What is FAST?China’s Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope is better known as FAST. It is in Guizhou, China, and it has been used since September 25th, 2016. Its 500-metre dish is the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope. Scientists can use it to search for signals of communication that are not coming from the earth. If scientists find such things, maybe there is life somewhere else in the universe!
What is Shenzhou-16?Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship was sent into space from Jiuquan on May 30th, 2023. Shenzhou-16 connected with Tianhe Core Module 6.5 hours later, with three astronauts inside it. Surprisingly, one of the three astronauts is a university teacher. In the next months, the three astronauts will do some scientific tests and carry out several spacewalks outside China’s Space Station. Besides, they will give science lessons to students on the earth from the faraway space.
1. When did Georges Lemaître suggest the idea of the Big Bang Theory?| A．In 1927. | B．In 1990. | C．In 2016. | D．In 2023. |
| A．It is long and heavy enough. | B．It takes clear photos of space. |
| C．It can move 5 miles a second. | D．It travels far away from some galaxies. |
| A．FAST can send signals into the universe to help find life. |
| B．FAST is a dish-like radio telescope travelling in the universe. |
| C．The astronauts in Shenzhou-16 will work in space for several months. |
| D．The three astronauts are university teachers and good at giving lessons. |
| A．Space Exploration: Searching for Life in Space |
| B．Space Exploration: Exciting Moments of China |
| C．Space Exploration: A Better Future for Scientists |
| D．Space Exploration: Great Progress Humans Made |
3 . 
The Adventures of Tintin was created by the cartoonist Herge. Tintin, a journalist for a newspaper, has been popular with people of all ages. But do you know how Herge created Tintin and his around the world adventures?
In fact, Tintin appeared as a young man of age 15 to 19, with a round face and short red hair just like Herge’s younger brother Paul. Herge grew up together with him. As a result, Paul’s image stayed in his mind and he created a cartoon hero according to Paul.
It’s also believed that a French journalist, Robert Sexe prompted the creation of Tintin. Robert travelled with his best friend Milhoux while Tintin’s small white dog, Snowy, had a similar French name Milou. What’s more, Robert toured the same countries as Tintin did in the first few of Tintin’s adventures.
There is another real-life person in Tintin’s adventures. That’s “Chang”, a friend of Tintin’s. In 1934, Herge started to write about Tintin’s journey to China, but Hergé hadn’t been to the country yet. To know about China, he made friends with Zhang Chongren, a young Chinese student in an art college. With the help of Zhang, Tintin’s adventure The Blue Lotus came out. In this book, Zhang became “Chang” under the pen of Herge, introducing real China to Tintin as well as readers in Europe.
Herge’s works got ideas from his own life. No other stories may cover so much information from the real world like Tintin!
1. According to the passage, who did Tintin look like?| A．Milhoux. | B．Herge. | C．Robert. | D．Paul. |
| A．Cause. | B．Notice. | C．Avoid. | D．Celebrate. |
| A．He wrote The Blue Lotus for Herge. |
| B．He worked as a journalist for a newspaper. |
| C．He provided information about China for Herge. |
| D．He appeared in Tintin’s stories with his real name. |
| A．what Tintin’s stories talk about |
| B．where Tintin’s stories happened |
| C．who helped create Tintin’s stories |
| D．why Tintin’s stories are so popular |
4 . 
Are you sitting comfortably? Just stop for a moment and look at your posture (姿势) without making any changes. What are your legs doing?
Are they crossed? And are you a right or left crosser? Some 62 percent of people cross right over left, 26 percent go the other way, and 12 percent have no preference. There are typically two ways to sit in a chair and cross your legs. One is at the knee and the other is at the ankle (踝关节). But as comfortable as it may be to sit with your legs crossed, it is bad for your health and posture.
For a start, research shows that sitting cross-legged can increase the misalignment of the hips (髋关节错位), with one being higher than the other. And it changes the speed at which blood moves in the lower part of the body, which can increase the risk of blood clots (凝块).
Most of the research suggests crossing at the knees is worse than the ankles. Indeed, sitting this way can cause an increase in your blood pressure (血压) because of the pooling of blood and your heart having to work harder against this. And this can increase the risk of damage to your blood vessels (血管), which is why when you take your blood pressure, you should put your feet on the floor.
The longer and more often you sit cross legged, the more likely it is that you’ll have changes in the muscle and bone in your hip. Your neck can also be affected because one side of the body becomes weaker than the other.
So, in order to keep a healthy body, do not cross your legs when you’re reading on a chair or watching TV on the sofa.
1. The writer introduces the topic by ______.| A．giving a suggestion | B．raising questions |
| C．giving background information | D．showing facts with numbers |
| A．about 12% | B．about 26% |
| C．about 62% | D．about 88% |
| A．Sitting cross legged makes your heart work harder. |
| B．Research shows crossing at the ankles is worse than the knees. |
| C．Sitting cross-legged can change the muscle and bone in your neck. |
| D．Sitting cross-legged can make it possible for blood to clot in the whole body. |
| A．Are You a Leg-crosser? | B．Mind Your Blood Pressure |
| C．Sit Without Your Legs Crossed | D．Sit With Proper Posture |
The British have many traditions but there is nothing more special than “taking” afternoon tea. It was the invention of afternoon tea that turned drinking tea into a popular activity.
This social activity has been a tradition dating back to the 1840s, as a light snack to bridge the gap (间隙) between lunch and dinner. It went on to become popular for the nobles (贵族).
Now there is a resurgence (复兴) in its popularity in the UK and it’s available (可获得的) to anyone who is able to buy it. Although it can be enjoyed at home, the best way to experience it is at a smart hotel or cafe. But if you’re thinking of visiting such a place, remember the rules to stop from being asked to leave.
*Make sure you order the right thing—it is afternoon tea not high tea, or a cream tea. These are something different.
*Dress smartly—it’s an important occasion. Certain places require a man to wear a jacket and tie and ladies should wear a hat.
*Stir (搅拌) your tea correctly—do not knock (放) your spoon against the cup and do not leave it in the cup! Stir back and forth not around in circles.
*Start by eating the sandwiches first before moving on to the sweet things.
*The sandwiches are called “finger sandwiches” and therefore eaten by hand not with a knife and fork.
*When eating, take small bites and eat slowly. This will let you join in the conversation without always having a full mouth.
*Although you can ask for more sandwiches and cakes, don’t put them in your handbags to eat later!
1. Why did the British invent afternoon tea?| A．Because something was needed between lunch and dinner time. |
| B．Because the British couldn’t live without tea. |
| C．Because the British want to make delicious sweets to choose from. |
| D．Because the nobles are interested in it. |
| A．It was invented more than a thousand years ago. |
| B．Now it’s popular again for anyone in the UK. |
| C．It used to serve the rich and the nobles. |
| D．The best place to enjoy it is at someone’s home. |
| A．talk with other people with a full mouth |
| B．eat sandwiches with your hands |
| C．take away food to eat later |
| D．start eating with your favourite cake |
| A．How popular British afternoon tea used to be. |
| B．Who can afford the afternoon tea in the UK. |
| C．How to do well at a British afternoon tea. |
| D．Where the British like to enjoy afternoon tea. |
DISAPPOINTED
Disappointment happens when something you’re hoping or wanting to happen doesn’t end up happening. Disappointment is a feeling that you can feel about yourself or toward others. Read below to find out how you can start dealing with feeling disappointed!
________Disappointment is not a good feeling. It especially hurts because of the excitement and happiness that you were feeling before. It’s OK to feel sad and hurt when something you really hope for doesn’t happen. Allow yourself to feel, instead of trying to pretend that it doesn’t hurt or acting like you don’t care. Disappointment will usually disappear if you are honest about how you are feeling.
________Talking about feelings is always helpful. When you are disappointed, you share how you are feeling with the person who disappointed you or with a close friend or family member. Sometimes it’s helpful for people to know how their actions made you feel so that they try not to do it again. When you share your feelings, others can also help you feel better.
________Though you might be disappointed, can you think of any positives in the situation? When you are disappointed, it can be easy to only focus on all the bad things or to think about all the time when you’ve been let down in the past. Sometimes it can be helpful to say, “I’m disappointed, but at least...” and then think of something positive to say, you can think of all the things you do well. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, nobody is perfect.
________What can you do to keep from feeling so disappointed next time? Sometimes, it can be helpful to have a backup plan because what you’re really wishing for may not happen sometimes. For example, if you’re supposed to go to the park, but it looks like it might rain, you could say, “I’m really excited about going to the park, but if it rains, I’ll be OK.” And then you think of other fun things to do instead, just in case!
为每一小段选择合适的副标题，有一个多余选项。A. Look at the positives
B. Stop thinking of your past
C. Share how you are feeling
D. Prepare a backup plan
E. Accept how you’re feeling
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. 根据文章选择正确答案。
What can we know about disappointment from the passage?
| A．It’s not a bad feeling, but it may hurt us. |
| B．It happens when something we hope comes true. |
| C．We may feel disappointed with ourselves as well as others. |
| D．We may feel disappointed when we are not honest with ourselves. |
It’s easy for us to feel disappointed, but it may not naturally
7 . More than 50 years have passed since anyone set foot on the Moon. But soon, astronauts will return there with a new type of spacesuit (宇航服). Those old ones were really heavy and didn’t fit every astronaut well, especially for women. So, NASA has to make some changes to them for the first time in 40 years.
“The astronauts will find big improvements in these spacesuits,” said NASA engineer Carly Meginnis. The new suit has more joints (关节), especially in the lower part of the body. This will offer astronauts more flexibility to perform tasks like kneeling and walking (not “rabbit jumping”) on the moon. The gloves need to be protective and allow astronauts to do work as freely as possible. The new gloves have heaters (加热器) to keep fingers warm, since fingers become the coldest parts of body in space. Also, the spacesuit has a cooling system with water moving around to take away the unwanted heat. Another change is that the new helmet (头盔) provides a better view for astronauts. It even adds lights and an HD camera inside to take clearer videos.
There are still some problems that need to be solved. For example, it still takes up to four hours to put on the spacesuit, even with the help from their partners (搭档). Moreover, scientist hope that spacesuits will be able to be designed to help astronauts work together with robots in the future.
1. NASA made changes to the spacesuit because ________.| A．the old spacesuit was too expensive to make |
| B．the old spacesuit was not comfortable to wear |
| C．NASA astronauts needed more beautiful spacesuits |
| D．NASA usually changes the spacesuit every 40 years |
| A．It has fewer joints in the lower part. | B．There’s an HD camera outside the helmet. |
| C．An astronaut can put it on more easily. | D．It moves unneeded heat away from the body. |
| A．the time of exercise | B．the teamwork of astronauts |
| C．the easiness of movement | D．the way of communication |
| A．Astronauts Return To The Moon | B．The Spacesuit Helps Robots |
| C．NASA Plans For Future Space Travel | D．New Spacesuit Comes Out |
Build a mini solar desalination plant. It’s a beautiful day, so, let’s get outside and do some science. Here’s an amazing experiment (实验) that uses solar energy. You will need:
◎A tall glass ◎Some salt ◎A stone ◎Some plastic wrap (包装膜) Steps: ◎Put the water into the large bowl. Put the salt in the water. ◎Put the glass in the middle of the bowl. The top of the glass must be above the water. ◎Put the plastic wrap over the bowl and the glass. Put a stone on top of the plastic wrap. ◎Put the bowl outside in the sun. What will happen? The water will get hot and then become gas. The salt will stay in the bowl, and the gas will rise and hit the plastic wrap. Then it will become water again and fall into the glass. If you take the plastic wrap off the bowl, you’ll see water in the glass. If you taste the water, you’ll find that there isn’t any salt in it. |
DO IT YOURSELF SCIENCE
1. What do you need for the experiment?
| A．A small bowl. | B．Some salt. | C．A paper cup. | D．Apple juice. |
| A．Put the water into the tall glass. |
| B．Put the bowl over the top of the tall glass. |
| C．Take the bowl to a room without any sunlight. |
| D．Use the plastic wrap to cover the bowl and the glass. |
| A．Only water will go into the glass. | B．Only water will stay in the bowl. |
| C．There will be no salt in the bowl. | D．There will be salty water in the glass. |
9 . Eczema (湿疹) is a disease which influences children and teenagers much more often than adults.
The symptoms (症状) of eczema are different among people, such as dry, itchy (发痒的) skin with redness, or sores. Eczema can happen on any part of the body, such as hands, feet, knees, face and neck. The condition can last for more than one year. Most children will not get eczema as they grow up. However, some people have eczema again when they get older. This means that they need a long-lasting treatment.
Why do people get eczema? Your genes (基因). Doctors found that if both parents have eczema, their child is 3-5 times more likely to have one as well. Meanwhile, some doctors found that kids who live in cities may have the higher possibility of getting eczema than those who live in the country. Other causes of eczema include types of soap, dry wintertime air, and some clothes that make the skin uncomfortable.
Eczema can have a large effect on a person’s life. The itchy feeling of eczema can be so serious that it keeps many patients awake at night, which makes them more tired and nervous during the day. The itchiness can also make it hard to focus on work or school. Also, if viruses get under the skin, sometimes they can cause more serious diseases. So people with eczema are more likely to get ill than people with healthy skin. Finally, people may lose confidence because of looking different.
There are plenty of ways to treat eczema or to stop it from getting worse. The most important is to make sure to use moisturizers (润肤膏) often. They moisturize the skin and prevent it from getting dry. When moisturizer does not work, doctors may tell patients to take medicines to help with eczema. If those ways can’t help patients at all, doctors will suggest other treatments like light therapy (疗法), which uses specific waves of light by machine. But if you do have eczema, avoid hot showers or baths to keep the skin from getting itchy. Remember to keep clear of some clothes like sweaters. Now you can help others learn about eczema too!
| A．makes people’s skin wet | B．needs a short-time treatment |
| C．influences people of all ages | D．happens on certain parts of the body |
| A．Patients’ genes may be changed. |
| B．Patients suffer from sleeping loss. |
| C．Patients look at others differently. |
| D．Patients move away from the country. |
| A．Sunlight can stop eczema from spreading. |
| B．Moisturizers are helpful to make patients better. |
| C．Wearing sweaters will make people comfortable. |
| D．People can take hot showers to stop itchy feelings. |
| A．Eczema and Its Symptoms | B．Eczema: A Way to be Beautiful |
| C．New Discoveries in Health | D．Eczema: A Great Enemy of Skin |
10 . It’s common to see the coffee art, but have you seen the art in a cup of tea? This kind of tea art is called Dian Cha, a main tea drinking method in the Song Dynasty. The process of making it is not easy but people really enjoy Dian Cha especially because of the nice patterns on the surface of the tea.
The tea art begins with adding hot water over the fine powdered (粉末的) tea. This action creates a paste (糊状物) on the tea. Then add more water while whisking (搅动) it by hand with a bamboo whisk. It usually requires whisking about 200 times before the thick foam (泡沫) appears. Then, one can begin drawing. But drawing on the tea foam is not the same thing as drawing on the paper. One may use the hard teaspoon against the soft foam, which requires great attention. Unlike normal spoons, the teaspoon used in Dian Cha is quite thin and has a pointed end to help to draw, just like a pen.
In the Song Dynasty, many famous people regarded Dian Cha as an important free-time activity. Emperor Song Huizong even wrote a book called Treatise on Tea which included some details of tea-whisking. According to the book, good tea should be white and fine. The better the tea was, the whiter it should be, and the longer the foam should last.
In 2019, Dian Cha was listed as a cultural heritage (遗产) in Zhenjiang, China. A growing number of people now want to learn and spread this traditional skill. Han Zheming, a designer from Shanghai, has created nearly 200 images on the tea and put the process of Dian Cha online. “I want more people to understand and appreciate the beauty of Dian Cha.” Han says.
| A．Its long history. | B．Its patterns on the tea. |
| C．Its special taste. | D．Its tea-making process. |
A． | B． | C． | D．  |
| A．Better tea has much less foam. |
| B．Han Zheming tries to spread this tea art. |
| C．It was chosen as a cultural heritage in Shanghai. |
| D．Many famous people wrote Treatise on Tea together. |
| A．art and culture | B．sports and health | C．life and history | D．nature and travel |
