1 . About six hours of walking in space! On August 20, 2021, Chinese astronauts Liu Boming and Nie Haisheng did the second spacewalk of the Shenzhou XII mission (任务). They set up equipment and lifted a camera outside the Tiangong space station. Spacewalks can be dangerous. There is no air in space, of course. And it’s filled with harmful radiation (辐射). But the spacesuits, although they are bulky, can protect astronauts.
A spacesuit is like a small space station. It has everything astronauts need when they carry out a spacewalk. For example, China’s Feitian spacesuits have six layers (层). The innermost (最里面的) layer collects astronauts’ urine (尿液). Then there are four layers that help control the temperature and air pressure inside the suit. Spacesuits are filled with air, so they look like they’re puffed up (肿胀). The sixth layer is made of special fibers (纤维) that protect astronauts from radiation.
Astronauts are connected to the space station with safety ropes. The suit has headphones and speakers for astronauts to communicate. There is also a mirror on the wrist (手腕). Astronauts can check their suits by looking at it.
The first Feitian suit was made in 2008. Zhai Zhigang wore it to carry out China’s first spacewalk for about 19 minutes. The suits Chinese astronauts wear today are the second generation (代) of Feitian. It can support walks as long as eight hours and can be used more often. The first generation could only be used five times within two years, while the second generation can be used 15 times within three years. Each suit costs around 30 million yuan and it takes four months to make just one!
1. According to paragraph one, which of the following is right?| A．Liu Boming and Nie Haisheng lifted a camera inside the Tiangong space station. |
| B．There is enough air in space. |
| C．The spacesuits are filled with harmful radiation. |
| D．The second spacewalk of the Shenzhou XII mission lasted about six hours. |
| A．Collects astronauts’ urine. | B．Controls the inside temperature. |
| C．Controls the outside air pressure. | D．Takes pictures while astronauts walk. |
| A．They use headphones and speakers to communicate. |
| B．They use a mirror on the wrist to communicate. |
| C．They use special fibers to communicate. |
| D．They use a mobile phone to communicate. |
| A．Show the first Feitian suit. | B．Show how the Feitian spacesuit has developed. |
| C．Show the second generation of Feitian. | D．Show the things a spacesuit has. |
2 . In the town of Lampang in northern Thailand, there is an unusual group of musicians. They play many different kinds of music — from traditional Thai songs to music by Beethoven. Both children and adults love this group. What makes them so popular? Is it their music? Their looks? Yes, it’s both of these things, but it’s also something else: they’re elephants.
These musical elephants are from the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) in Lampang. The TECC protects elephants. It teaches people to understand and care for these huge, but gentle animals. And, like many zoos around the world, the TECC encourages elephants to paint.
Richard Lair works with the TECC. He knew that elephants hear better than they see. So he had an idea: if elephants are intelligent and they have good hearing, maybe they can play music. To test his idea, Lair and a friend started the Thai Elephant Orchestra. During a performance, the elephants play a variety of instruments, including the drums and the xylophone. The animals also use their voices and trunks to make sounds.
But can elephants really make music properly? Yes, says Lair. They’re very creative. Humans may encourage the animals to play instruments, but the elephants make their own song; they don’t just copy their trainers or other people. There are new CDs of the group’s music, which make money for the TECC. And the music these artists create is pretty amazing.
1. What can be the best title for the passage?| A．Musical Elephants | B．An Introduction to the TECC |
| C．Richard Lair’s Achievements | D．Thai Elephant Orchestra |
| A．Musicians. | B．Children. | C．Adults. | D．Trainers. |
| A．Richard Lair started the Thai Elephant Orchestra by himself. |
| B．The elephants in the TECC can only play traditional Thai songs. |
| C．Richard Lair invited more people to join the TECC. |
| D．The CDs of the Thai Elephant Orchestra are popular with people. |
| A．ask people to save the elephants | B．invite more people to join the TECC |
| C．introduce the elephants’ special talents to people | D．make more money |
| A．A medical newspaper. | B．An animal magazine. |
| C．A storybook. | D．A guide book |
We all know that reading books builds a bridge between our life and the unknown world. In our country, people read books at any time. They enjoy reading books even when they’re on a break at the beach, or relaxing from a hike. Good reading habits lead you to a lifelong love of books. Here are some tips on how to develop good reading habits.
Choose the books which suit you. In most middle schools, teachers give students a reading list every few weeks. Most books are easy to read, like youth novels. The students themselves can also buy books which they’re interested in or the best-selling books.
Reading in short periods. 15 minutes after getting to school, 15 minutes while waiting for friends, 15 minutes before going to sleep. Then you can read books for about five hours every week in total.
Talk about your reading with your family or friends. This helps you have a better understanding.
How to | |
| What to read | 1. Read the books which 2. Read the books that you’re interested in. 3. Read the books which can be the best-selling. |
| 1. Read after getting to school. 2. Read while waiting for friends. 3. Read before going to sleep. The | |
| Who to talk with | Talk about your reading with your family or friends. This helps you |
4 . We all know that rice, wheat and corn are staples, but do you know there is another kind of staple food—potatoes? Potatoes have many advantages. They are a good source of vitamin C and potassium(钾). A potato’s vitamin C is as rich as 10 apples. What’s more,potatoes are low in calories(卡路里)-only three fourths of the same amount of wheat and corn, according toPeople’s Daily. Potatoes are easy to grow. It can be grown in both the north and the south during winter, spring and autumn. The plant is also able to bear drought(干旱). Some areas of China are facing water shortages, so the potato is safe to grow.
With these advantages, having potatoes as a staple food will make our menu more balanced. Now, many Chinese people treat potatoes more like vegetables, and eat them in the form of potatoes cooked with beef. But being a staple food, potatoes can be cooked differently. Scientists have succeeded in making potato flour(粉), noodles and other staple foods similar to those made of rice or wheat.
1. Which staple is mentioned in the passage?| A．Milk. | B．Beans. | C．Fish. | D．Rice. |
| A．Potatoes are low in calories. | B．China is facing water shortages. |
| C．The potato is safe to grow. | D．Potatoes can be cooked differently. |
| A．spring. | B．summer. | C．autumn. | D．winter. |
| A．Potato planting. | B．Potatoes and tomatoes. |
| C．The advantages of potatoes. | D．The disadvantages of potatoes. |
5 . On New Year’s Day, many people eat special food for good luck. In Spain, people eat twelve grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve — one grape for good luck in each month of the new year.
During the Spring Festival, Chinese people eat dumplings. Sometimes people put a coin in one of the dumplings. Everyone hopes to find the coin for luck in the new year. Of course they don’t eat it. In the south of China, people make rice cakes for New Year. People call rice cakes “Nian Gao”. It means “getting better year after year”.
Japanese eat noodles on NewYear’s Eve and on their birthdays. They think noodles may bring them good luck and long life.
The food may be different in each country, but the meaning is the same. People hope the food will bring them luck and fun in the coming year.
1. Why do people in Spain eat grapes on New Year’s Eve?
| A．Because grapes are delicious. | B．Because twelve is a lucky number. |
| C．Because they want good luck all year round. | D．Because there are twelve months in a year. |
| A．dumpling | B．coin | C．luck | D．rice |
| A．How to make dumplings. |
| B．Chinese people like eating dumplings. |
| C．Chinese people eat dumplings and Nian Gao during the Spring Festival. |
| D．Nian Gao is people’s favorite food. |
| A．Noodles. | B．Bread. | C．Chicken. | D．Rice cakes. |
| A．money | B．coin | C．gift | D．food |
6 . Around the world, people have different traditions and manners when it comes to dining. It’s important to respect these customs.
●Tipping (给小费)
Not all countries expect you to leave a tip after a meal. In fact, in Japan it is seen as rude behaviour. Waiters or waitresses in some Chinese restaurants are even not allowed to get tips. However, in other countries like France and Italy, people usually leave tips for the service they have received.
●Utensils (用具)
In Japan and China, you should never stand chopsticks in rice. In India, utensils aren’t always provided. You ought to eat a meal with your right hand, as the left is considered unclean. Thai restaurants will often provide customers with a fork and a spoon—they use the fork to push food onto the spoon instead of eating directly from it.
●Slurp (发出响声)
People in many western countries will never slurp during a meal, but in some places slurping is allowed. In Japan, slurping soup and noodles straight from the bowl is perfectly acceptable and making noise shows the hostess that you are enjoying your meal.
1. It’s considered impolite to leave tips after dining in a restaurant in ________.| A．China | B．Japan | C．Italy | D．France |
| A．use your left hand | B．use your right hand |
| C．only use a fork and a spoon | D．use chopsticks |
| A．you are impolite | B．you are a hostess |
| C．you are enjoying the meal | D．you are acceptable |
7 . Homework is a problem for students all over the world. As a student, you have lots of homework to do every day. It’s a major part of a student’s schooldays. It’s the best way to review what you have learned in class. And it helps you understand important concepts (概念). Luckily, there are several things you can do to make homework less difficult.
Be sure you understand the homework
Write your homework down in your notebook if you need to. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about it. It’s much easier to ask the teacher during or after class than to try to remember later that night!
Use your time at school
Many schools have study hall. It is designed to allow students to study on their own. It’s more interesting to play with friends. But the more homework you finish at school, the less you’ll have to do that night.
Take a break
It’s difficult to hold your attention for too long. So take some breaks while doing your homework. Sitting for too long without relaxing will make you feel very tired. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people.
Make a plan
If you don’t finish your homework at school, think about how much you have left, so you can budget your time. Most students have between 1 hour and 3 hours of homework a night. If it’s a heavy homework day, you’ll need to spend more time on it. It’s a good idea to make a homework timetable, especially when you want to enjoy sports or other activities.
1. The first paragraph is mainly about ________.| A．why homework is hard to do | B．why students should do homework |
| C．how much homework students should do | D．when students should do homework |
| A．do homework without taking a break |
| B．write your homework down in your notebook |
| C．try to finish your homework at school |
| D．make a plan for your homework |
| A．do less homework at night | B．do other activities first |
| C．make a homework timetable | D．take a break and do some chores |
| A．Too much homework means too much pressure. |
| B．Students should learn to relax. |
| C．Problems students meet when doing homework. |
| D．Ways to make homework easier. |
8 . There are many special buildings in the world. Let’s take a look!
 | What a big basket! This is the Basket Building. It is a seven-floor office building in the US. It took two years to finish the building in 1997. The most interesting part is that the people who work here sell baskets. The baskets might sell very well! |
 | This house is melting (融化)! In fact, the building just looks like a melting ice cream. The Crooked House is a shopping centre in Poland. It was built in 2004. The building has a green roof (屋顶), yellow walls and colorful glass windows. There are three floors in this building. Every year, many visitors come here to see this special building. |
 | This building looks quite different from most buildings. It looks like a picture frame (框). The building is in Dubai and it’s named Dubai Frame. It’s 150 metres high and 93 metres wide. There is a museum on the first floor. It shows the city’s history. On the top of the building, there is a bridge. People can see the city from a glass window. |
| A．In 1993. | B．In 1995. | C．In 1997. | D．In 1999. |
| A．Green. | B．Yellow. | C．Blue. | D．Red. |
| A．read books | B．have meals |
| C．take photos | D．know about Dubai’s history |
| A．The three buildings are from different countries. |
| B．There are seven floors in the Crooked House. |
| C．The Dubai Frame is 150 metres wide and 93 metres high. |
| D．People can buy baskets and ice creams in the Basket Building. |
| A．show some strange buildings |
| B．tell us the history of some buildings |
| C．ask people to visit some buildings |
| D．make people buy more products from some buildings |
9 . The 24th Beijing Winter Olympics will begin on 4th February, 2022. The Winter Paralympics(残奥会) will begin a month later. Let’s meet the mascots!
I’m Bing Dwen Dwen. I’m the mascot(吉祥物) of the 2022 Winter Olympics. I am a black and white panda wearing a full-body ”shell” made of ice. The red heart shape in my left palm(手心) means welcoming the friends from other countries. The bright colors of the circles around my face stand for ice and snow sports tracks, meaning connectivity and advanced technologies. I look like an astronaut, making full use of new technologies for a future with all kinds of possibilities.
Shuey Rhon Rhon is here! I’m the mascot of the 2022 Winter Paralympics. What do you think of when you see me? Does a red lantern come into your mind? That’s what I look like. Take a look at my head. There are paper cuttings of doves(鸽子). They make up a circle. Follow me. I’ll light the way to the Paralympics.
1. When will the 2022 Winter Paralympics start?| A．On 4th March, 2022. | B．On 4th January, 2022. |
| C．On 4th February, 2022. | D．On 4th February, 2023. |
| A．A child. | B．A lantern. | C．An astronaut. | D．A sports track. |
| A．It’s on Shuey Rhon Rhon’s face. | B．It’s on Bing Dwen Dwen’s neck. |
| C．It’s on Shuey Rhon Rhon’s lantern. | D．It’s on Bing Dwen Dwen’s left palm. |
| A．Paper cuttings of pandas. | B．Paper cuttings of doves. |
| C．Bright colors of the circles. | D．Chinese characters of Olympics. |
| A．The 2022 Winter Olympic Games are coming. |
| B．The 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be held, in Beijing. |
| C．Chinese culture will be used in 2022 Winter Olympic Games. |
| D．Let’s see mascots of the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. |
| Fragrant (香的) Hills Where can you go to enjoy red leaves? Yes, Fragrant Hills Park in Beijing is the best place to go. Getting there: Take No.333,318,360 or 904 bus from downtown (市区) Beijing. Opening hours: 6am-7pm, daily. |
| Talk to the Coffee Maker This coffee maker is cool. If you say “Set the coffee beating time”, it will answer “Please say the time”. It can understand what you say. Then it will start to work and make delicious coffee for you. |
| Home Wanted Five cute cats here want homes. They are good-looking and friendly. We can show them at any time and are glad to send one or more of them to good families for free. |
| A Football Match New Madrid Team vs Chinese Dragon Team. Time: 7pm, Sunday, April 17. Place: Star Stadium. Ticket Price: 300 yuan, 280 yuan, 80 yuan. Hotline:145-6754 |
| The Underwater World Here you will find different kinds of fishes and even some kinds of sharks. You will feel you are in the sea, but of course this is not true. If you like fishes, I suggest that you pay a visit to it. Time: 9:30 am—5:30 pm. |
| A．In the Star Stadium | B．In the Underwater World |
| C．Downtown Beijing | D．In Fragrant Hills Park |
| A．A shark | B．A machine | C．A stadium | D．A person |
| A．At 6 am. | B．At 7 pm. | C．At 9:30 am. | D．At 5:30 pm. |
| A．Leaves | B．Teams | C．Cats | D．Fishes |
| A．The cats are on sale. | B．Only good-looking people can own the cats. |
| C．Five cute cats want good families. | D．The Coffee Maker can’t understand what you say. |
