1 . 
Sugar painting, as the name means, is a painting made of sugar. It’s the sugar for us to taste, and the painting for us to admire.
Since the Warring States Period (战国时代), the ancient people loved sweets and developed methods of producing sugar. In the Tang Dynasty, there was huge progress in the technology of sugar making. And sugar, the precious product once only served to the emperors and princes, also went into common people’s homes. With the cultural and economic (经济的) development of Song and Yuan Dynasties, people became less interested in only tasting sweetness. In the Ming Dynasty, some people added pictures with good luck into the bowl of sugar, and sugar painting appeared.
Sugar painting is different from normal painting. Sugar painters use syrup (糖浆) as the material, a spoon as the “paintbrush”, and a smooth table as the “paper”. To make syrup, they have to make sugar hot before painting. Since syrup may become hard if it cools, the painters have to produce the work very quickly. They move the spoon full of syrup up and down, left and right. Soon a sugar painting is done.
However, it’s a pity that this folk art is dying recently. The sugar painting that used to be rich in shapes has become poorer and poorer because of fewer needs. What’s worse, few people seem to be willing to pass on the art except those aging sugar painters.
For most people, painting is a kind of art and difficult to understand. However, sugar painting has pulled the art down into people’s daily lives. Through it, we may see the spiritual support of the ancient people across centuries. Now, sugar painting has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in China. Therefore, the art should be remembered, missed and passed on.
1. What does the underlined word “precious” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Valuable and expensive. | B．Useful and cheap. |
| C．Special but worthless. | D．Simple but priceless. |
| A．In the Warring States Period. | B．In the Tang Dynasty. |
| C．In the Yuan Dynasty. | D．In the Ming Dynasty. |
| A．To show their excellent skills. | B．To avoid syrup becoming hard. |
| C．To protect the spoon and the table. | D．To reduce people’s waiting time. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Doubtful. | C．Worried. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Exploring the Art of Sugar Painting | B．Improving the Taste of Sugar Painting |
| C．Effects of the Sugar Producing Technology | D．Ways to Change the Future of Sugar Painting |
2 . ①Plants have roots, leaves, and flowers. They have seeds (种子), too. New plants grow from seeds. Some seeds fall on the ground. New plants grow next to the old plants. When plants grow this way, they are too crowded to get enough sunshine and water. So some of them die. But some plants spread their seeds even far from where they live. These seeds grow in new places. There are many ways of the seeds’ travel.
②The wind helps seeds to travel. Some plant seeds have little wings. When the wind blows, the seeds fly away. Soon they fall to the ground and new plants may grow there. Some plants dry up. The wind pulls them from the ground, but they are so big that they can’t fly. They roll along the ground, dropping off their seeds.
③Other plants grow near the water. Their seeds drop into the water and go away with it. They may travel many miles before they stop.
④Some seeds have special parts called “stickers”. The stickers help the seeds travel far. How? These seeds wait for an animal to walk by. Then they stick into its fur to get a free ride. Sometimes it’s a long trip. Birds carry some plant seeds to new places, too.
⑤Seeds can’t walk. They can’t run. But they can travel with the help of wind, water and animals.
1. What will happen if new plants are crowded?| A．Some of them will travel. | B．Some of them will die. |
| C．Some of them can grow taller. | D．Some of them can live better. |
| A．Wings. | B．Seeds. | C．Plants. | D．Birds. |
| A．Leaves, roots and flowers. | B．Birds, stickers and wings. |
| C．Wind, water and other plants. | D．Animals, water and wind. |
| A．The growth of the plants. | B．The kinds of the seeds. |
| C．The parts of the plants. | D．The travel of the seeds. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
3 . Li Fang is an engineer during the day, but in the evening, she becomes a student at a night school in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. She is trying new hobbies with her 4-year-old daughter, including art and jazz dancing. She used to spend evenings watching her daughter play in the park. Now, she can experience new things together with her daughter at a night school.
A growing number of Chinese people go to night schools. They can get colorful courses from dancing and sports to wine tasting. These courses usually cost hardly anything. They have become popular among young people who want to look for new skills, hobbies and friends.
In the 1980s, many people studied at night schools for middle school courses. However, night schools disappeared because of the popularization of higher education. The latest fashion came to Shanghai last autumn, when more than 650,000 people competed for 10,000 places at the city’s night schools.
Night schools have also rapidly appeared in other cities. Miss Wang in Wuhan thinks night schools are good places to make friends. “I used to spend much of my time alone. Since I attended the night school, І have felt more connected with modern society. Besides, chatting to people with similar hobbies is a lot of fun,” she said.
Young people strongly wish to improve themselves and make their cultural lives colorful. That has made night schools popular.
1. What did Li Fang use to do in the evening?| A．Watch her daughter play. | B．Experience new hobbies. |
| C．Try new things. | D．Learn jazz dancing. |
| A．A little. | B．Much. | C．Little or nothing. | D．Too much. |
| A．there are more young people | B．there are more night schools |
| C．the night schools are very popular | D．the night schools are only in Shanghai |
| A．Good places to connect with society. | B．Good places to spend time alone. |
| C．Good places to take up hobbies. | D．Good places to chat with old people. |
| A．To make friends. | B．To taste wine. |
| C．To do sports. | D．To improve themselves. |
4 .
| |
| Degree of burns
| Treatment If you have a first-degree burn, follow these steps:❶Cool the burnt area under cool running water. ❷Remove jewellery (去除配饰) and any clothing unless stuck to the burn. ❸Apply (涂抹) a burn ointment or aloe vera. Don’t use ice, eggs or oil.
If the burn is serious, call 120 or go to the hospital at once. |
Prevention ▲Avoid touching hot water directly.▲Stay away from fire. ▲Deal with chemicals under instructions. ▲Be careful when using electricity. | |
FIRST AID FOR BURNS
1. How many degrees of burns are shown in the material?
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Oil. | B．Aloe vera. | C．Eggs. | D．Ice. |
①Keep away from fire. ②Don’t use electricity alone.
③Follow instructions when using chemicals. ④Don’t touch hot water directly.
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．Health Care. | B．Science Study. | C．Sports News. | D．Travel Life. |
Welcome to the Amazon rainforest. As the largest rainforest in the world, it plays an important role in keeping the balanced ecosystem (生态系统) on the Earth. With an area of around 6 million square kilometers, the Amazon rainforest is more than half the size of China. This area has a great many species (物种). Actually, one in ten known species in the world can be found here.
Of the 390,000 plant species known to us, more than 40,000 can be found in the Amazon. There are different levels in the forest. At the bottom is a system of roots under the ground. Above that is leaf litter on the dark forest floor. The next level is made up of shorter plants with large leaves. Then there are the towering ancient hardwoods, and finally the tops of the trees which are taller than any other level of trees in the forest. Each level of the forest forms its own little world, home to different kinds of living things.
More than 1,300 species of birds and over 400 species of mammals (哺乳动物) hide among the forest’s plant life. This jaguar is one example. While a large number of jaguars survive here, they are only one part of this forest's food chain (食物链). They feed on at least 87 species, including frogs. These frogs, in turn, feed on insects which eat leaves and fruit.
The Amazon rainforest is a treasure house of species that can be used for food or medicine. What’s more, the Amazon rainforest breathes life into the planet by producing over 20 percent of all the Earth’s oxygen (O2). So it is often known as the “lungs of the planet”.
The Amazon Rainforest | ||
| Introduction | The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world, which helps keep the | |
| Species | Plant species | Number: over 40,000 species |
| Different levels in the forest: ●the bottom: a system of roots ●the second level: leaf litter ●the third level: shorter plants with large leaves ●the fourth level: towering ancient hardwoods ●the top: the tops of the | ||
| | Number: more than 1,300 species of birds and over 400 species of mammals | |
| One of the food chains in the forest: leaves and fruit→ | ||
| Importance | ●The Amazon rainforest is a treasure house of species that can be used for food or medicine. ●Known as the “lungs of the planet”, the Amazon rainforest | |
6 . What will the world of tomorrow be like? Many people today believe that technology is going to help solve some problems we have today. New technology may solve old problems, and it may also create new ones. No technology is perfect. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Here are three examples.
When we dream about the future, many of us think that we will be able to fly to the sky in our own flying cars. We could fly at 480 km per hour, avoiding traffic lights and busy roads. However, if too many flying cars are in the air, there will be trouble with traffic control.
3D printing is another new technology for the future. 3D printers are already used to make life-size models of car parts (部件), and man-made body parts, like ears. As we move into the future, 3D printing will change the way we make things and the way we treat sick people. The disadvantage is that such a machine is very expensive.
Finally, people are trying to make a robot suit (套装). This is an electronic suit. It allows people to lift heavy things and walk a long way. It might help people walk again after an illness or an accident. However, one disadvantage at the moment is the cost.
It is easy to imagine a future. We will be able to fly to work, print out a new pair of shoes or lift a car above our heads. Although there are some problems to solve, we can certainly dream of a world. In this world, technology makes people’s life easier and safer, and it can solve some of the most difficult problems we have today.
1. How does the writer start the passage?| A．By asking a question. | B．By giving a report. |
| C．By giving advice. | D．By telling a story. |
| A．If too many flying cars are in the air, there will be problems with traffic control. |
| B．3D printing won’t change the way we make things. |
| C．A robot suit costs too much at the moment. |
| D．Technology can solve some of the most difficult problems we have today. |
| A．It might help people fly to the sky. | B．It might help people make models. |
| C．It might help people walk again. | D．It might help people save money. |
(Paragraph1=① Paragraph2=② Paragraph3=③ Paragraph4=④ Paragraph5=⑤)
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
| A．Traffic. | B．Machines. | C．Clothes. | D．Technology. |
7 . What year were you born in? Are you a dragon? That is to say, were you born in the Year of the Dragon?
As we know, the Year of the Dragon has arrived with us for a while, and everyone is excited about talking about dragons. Many of them have noticed that more and more people are using the word “loong” instead of “dragon” in their daily life. Actually, the loongs in Chinese culture, believe it or not, are far different from the dragons in Western culture.
First, let’s talk about their origins (起源). Loongs are connected to stars and rain. They are believed to have to do with the power of emperors in the past. Dragons, however, are related to floods and dangerous waters underground.
Second, let’s dig into their stories. Loongs are like messengers between the sky and the earth. They help out the rulers, who become kings because of them. Dragons, though, are troublemakers. They fight with the rulers and can even beat them! But as time passes, dragons lose their shine and heroes start killing them.
Third, let’s look at what they mean. Since loongs represent (代表) power, they are seen as a symbol of the emperor and an important part of ceremonies and traditions. Dragons, though, are bad news. They are a symbol of evil (恶), and beating the dragons is seen as a victory over evil.
Lastly, let’s check out how they look. Loongs are like a mix of animals, with heads like camels and necks like snakes. They don’t need wings to fly because they are already skilled at it. Dragons are more like snakes, living underground and causing problems. They don’t have wings either, but people add those to make them look more impressive.
1. Why does the writer start the passage by asking questions?| A．To make a report. | B．To do a survey. |
| C．To introduce a normal year. | D．To catch readers’ interests. |
| A．Stars and the moon. | B．The power of emperors. |
| C．Troublemakers and evil. | D．Dangerous waters underground. |
| A．Rulers. | B．Snakes. | C．Heroes. | D．Loongs. |
| A．Loongs have wings. | B．Dragons are good news. |
| C．Loongs are used in ceremonies. | D．Dragons’ heads are like camels. |
| A．The origins of dragons and loongs. | B．The meanings of dragons and loongs. |
| C．The stories between dragons and loongs. | D．The differences between dragons and loongs. |
8 . April 24th is Space Day of China. Ever since Yang Liwei made it to space in 2003, about 20 Chinese astronauts have been sent into space.
In space, astronauts face many problems. There is little gravity (重力) there, which influences their bodies. Also, being away from family and friends and staying in a tiny spaceship for a long time can make them feel sad or stressed out. What’s more, if something goes wrong suddenly, they have to fix it under huge pressure. That’s why astronauts have to be smart, strong, and ready for any challenge before they can go to space.
To make sure that Chinese astronauts complete their tasks and return to Earth safely, 8 kinds, including over 200 subjects of training, are set. Besides physical training, basic science knowledge and mock (模拟) tasks are included. Before astronauts can go to space, they train like this for at least three and a half years.
In China’s manned space project, one of the most difficult parts of the training is the underwater training. This helps astronauts get ready for the weightless environment in space. And they wear diving suits (潜水服) over 100 kilos and stay underwater for six hours every time.
1. What problem do astronauts face according to paragraph 2?| A．They have to train under huge pressure. |
| B．They are influenced by little gravity in space. |
| C．They often worry about their family and friends. |
| A．Master basic science knowledge. |
| B．Experience 8 subjects of training. |
| C．Get three years of underwater training. |
| A．A diving suit. | B．Underwater training. | C．China’s manned space project. |
| A．Work Hard to Live in Space | B．Train Hard to Work in Space | C．Deal with Problems in Space |
9 . We all want to do things well. For example, as students all of us want to have a good performance in study and get good grades. However, growing up also includes accepting when things go wrong. In fact, mistakes can lead to some of the most interesting and meaningful results.
Aiming for good results can help you focus on (关注) your goals, but it’s also important to focus on enjoying the process. Getting too hung up on whether things go as planned can put a lot of pressure on you and lead to worry. That’s why it’s good to leave some room for mistakes and imperfections.
Dr. Rekha Vara is a doctor who helps people with their mental health (心理健康). She says getting things wrong is part of growing up. “We also have to experience the uncomfortable feeling when we get things wrong. This helps us to become stronger,” says Dr. Vara. “Or we’ll be too scared to make mistakes. This fear can lead us to put off doing difficult things or avoid trying new things.”
Learning from your mistakes is necessary during growing up. The most important thing is what you choose to do next. Try not to take it too seriously, blame (责备) yourself or feel too disappointed or upset. Dr. Vara explains, “Remember you’re a common man. Humans make mistakes.” ______, then these feelings will soon pass and then you’ll feel happier.
Instead, thinking about what you might do differently next time helps a lot. In one study, if students were reminded to forgive (宽恕) and be kind to themselves when they failed a test, they felt more encouraged to try again, while other students were less pleased to have a second try.
1. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．执迷 | B．懊悔 | C．遗憾 | D．忽略 |
| A．Fear leads us to try new things. |
| B．Failure is normal in growing up. |
| C．Good results make us stronger. |
| D．People hardly ever get things wrong. |
| A．Everyone will grow up | B．Process is really important |
| C．You should enjoy your feelings | D．You might feel uncomfortable at first |
| A．By telling stories. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By listing numbers. | D．By describing a problem. |
| A．Stick to your goals | B．Avoid making mistakes |
| C．Imperfection can be a gift | D．Pressure is the key to success |
How do we know the time? A clock, a watch or a mobile phone can help us. However, many years ago there were no clocks and knowing the time was not so easy. Over the centuries people have developed different ways of timekeeping (计时).
About 5,500 years ago, the Egyptians invented the sun clock. This was the tall stone building. Its shadow (影子) showed the movement of the sun. So people were able to know midday (正午). The Egyptians made a sundial about 3,500 years ago. It was smaller than the sun clock, and could let people know the time for half a day. On cloudy days or at night, it was impossible to tell the time with the sun clock or a sundial. Water clocks were the first clocks not to use the sun. The idea is simple. Water flows from one bottle to another. When the water reaches a certain level (高度), it shows the hours. The Egyptians used the water clocks about 3,400 years ago. These clocks were popular in the Middle East and China. But people still couldn’t know the exact time.
In the 13th century, the mechanical clock was invented. This was more exact, but it was expensive to make one. Over the next few centuries, it was developed. For example, springs (发条) were added around 1500. This enabled people to get the exact time and allowed clocks to be smaller.
In1927, the first quartz (石英) watch was developed. Clocks became cheaper to make. It’s also cheaper for common people to own a clock. People began to depend on them more and more to run business, markets and so on.
More recently, in 1956, came the digital clock. And nowadays satellites send our mobile phones the time to the exact second.
There has been a lot of progress in timekeeping. Clocks are always changing but some things never change. Many of us still have trouble getting out of bed on time and not being late for school or work.
1. ________ of timekeeping
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