1 . What do three hearts, eight arms and one huge brain add up to?
An octopus is a creature that can do amazing things. Octopuses are very clever. As they don’t have teeth or sharp claws to defend (保护) themselves, they have ever learnt a few tricks to get out of dangerous situations. Do you know how they do that?
They often hide themselves in the sand on the bottom (在……底部) of the ocean floor. Some octopuses like to stay in more shallow water where there are rocks. Because octopuses have very soft bodies, they can hide themselves into small spaces between the rocks to get rid of enemies.
The octopus is like a chameleon (蜥蜴) because it can change the color of its skin to match the sand. This color change happens in less than a minute.
Another way an octopus can protect itself is by shooting ink (墨汁). It can shoot ink into the water. The ink forms a cloud to blind its enemies. It’s like a magician doing a disappearing act.
If an octopus is being attacked(攻击), it can make itself look like a sea snake. It will bury (掩埋) itself in the sand except two arms. It will change the color of those arms to match a sea snake.
But what if there’s no time to escape (逃跑)? It can break off one of its arms. The arm will then change colors and move around the water. As the enemy starts chasing after the arm, the octopus can swim away quickly. Don’t worry, though. The octopus’ arm will grow back soon.
1. How many tricks for octopuses to get out of danger are mentioned in the text?
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
| A．It has three hearts. | B．It has eight arms. |
| C．It can make itself look like a snake. | D．It can change the color of its skin |
| A．Run after its enemy. | B．Break off one arm. |
| C．Fight with sharp teeth | D．Move around the water. |
| A．To describe what octopuses look like. |
| B．To explain how octopuses eat and play. |
| C．To show how dangerous octopuses are. |
| D．To explain how octopuses protect themselves. |
| A．On a train timetable. | B．In a guiding book. |
| C．On a movie poster. | D．In a science magazine. |
Taking kids to the movies sounds like fun. Now we have some suggestions for you.
Choose the right movie and date.
Make sure that you’ve chosen a suitable movie for your children’s ages and that the running time isn’t too long. Avoid opening days, especially with younger children, as too many people can mean long lines and more noise.
Buy the tickets ahead of time and bring your own snacks.
Save yourself time at the ticket box and snack bars. You can buy your tickets online. And bringing snacks from home saves money as well as time. You can bring a box of popcorn to share. Also, bringing small drinks can help to avoid toilet trips.
Let the kids know the rules.
It’s time to talk about a few rules. Make sure your children know the usual cinema rules about being quiet, staying in their seats and not disturbing (打扰) other people. Ask them to tell you some rules before you go inside the cinema—that’ll make sure they can remember them.
Save the attention span (持续时间) for the movie.
Trying to keep your kids sitting for two hours can be difficult. Make it easy on them by skipping (跳过) the endless previews (预告片) and ads at the start of the movie. Ask about when the movie will start and don’t get into the theater until then.
Title: | |
| Choose the right movie and date. | ※Choose a movie that is suitable for your children’s ages. ※Don’t go to the movies |
| Buy the tickets ahead of time and bring your own snacks. | ※Buy tickets online. ※Bring snacks from home to save |
| Let the kids know the rules. | ※Talk about the rules with your children and make sure they can |
| Save the attention span for the movie. | ※Skip the previews and ads at |
When two people meet, there are a lot of ways of greeting. The ways of greeting are not always the same in different countries.
In America, two people usually greet each other with a handshake. It is a way to show respect (尊重) to the other person. Athletes (运动员) from opposite teams shake hands before a game for the same reason. However, most Americans don’t shake hands when they meet people they already know well. When American friends meet each other, they might only wave (挥手), or maybe just nod (点头) their heads.
Kissing is sometimes used as a way to greet someone. In France, when people meet, they kiss each other on the face.
In Japan, people bow to each other every time they meet. Even family members bow to each other. How low to bow depends on how respected the other person is.
Today, new ways of greeting are created all the time. People can do this with a quick “hi”, a handshake, or even a simple smile. The important thing is that the people they are greeting understand them.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?2. Why do athletes from opposite teams shake hands before a game in America?
3. Do all American friends greet each other with a handshake when they meet each other?
4. Where do French men kiss each other when they meet?
5. How low does one Japanese bow to the other person?
4 . Museums are an important way to exchange different cultures and help people understand each other better. So, have you ever heard of International Museum Day (IMD)?
Every year, ICOM (the International Council of Museums) organises events to celebrate it on May 18. The main objective (目的) of the festival is to make people realise the importance of museums in the development of our society. Here are some facts about it.
Before creating International Museum Day, ICOM brought the international museum community together for a 1951 meeting called Crusade for Museums. They wanted to discuss the theme (主题) “Museums and Education”. Then the idea of International Museum Day was born. In 1977, ICOM decided to celebrate IMD on May 18 every year. Over the years, IMD has gained increasing attention. In 2009, 20,000 museums in over 90 countries took part in the celebration. In 2018, the number jumped to 40,000 in over 150 countries.
Every year, ICOM chooses a theme for the day. This year’s theme is “Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion (多元和包容)”. In China, an online symposium (研讨会) was held at the Nanjing Museum this year. Scholars (学者) from the UK, South Korea and the USA took part in the online event. They discussed the development of the world’s museums.
The best way to celebrate this day is to visit a nearby museum with family and friends. But because of the unusual situation this year, most museums in China held online exhibitions. Chinese people had great fun “visiting” museums online.
1. On which day is International Museum Day celebrated each year?| A．January 18th. | B．May 18th. | C．July 18th. | D．October 18th. |
| A．ICOM. | B．UNESCO. | C．ICCROM. | D．IMD. |
| A．Celebrating the establishment of museums. |
| B．Increasing museum ticket sales. |
| C．Boosting museum merchandise sales. |
| D．Promoting the relationship between museums and education. |
| A．Museums and Education. |
| B．Museums and Cultural Exchange. |
| C．Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion. |
| D．Museums and Development of Society. |
5 . Floods, droughts (干旱), storms, hot days…extreme (极端的) weather is becoming more and more common all over the world.
This is caused by greenhouse gas emissions (温室气体排放) from human activities, reported China Daily.
This summer, big storms hit areas of Europe. At least 13 people died in Austria, France and Italy by Aug 19. In Portugal and Spain, huge wildfires have forced thousands to leave their homes.
In the US, more than 80 percent of the west is in drought, up from just 20 percent in 2021. Three-quarters of farmers in these areas have stopped growing food.
In China, the heat has hit the south since June. The duration (持续时间) of this year’s high temperatures will break the 62-day record in 2013, becoming the longest heat wave in 61 years.
Extreme weather events are not only killing people and destroying homes. They also drive more people into hunger. Millions in East Africa have little food to eat today, according to the World Health Organization. For four years, there wasn’t enough rain during its rainy seasons and the land was too dry to grow food.
Extreme weather has also made 218 of the known 375 infectious diseases (传染病) more serious, including malaria, cholera and anthrax, according to the journal Nature Climate Change. As viruses (病毒) try to adapt to (适应) higher temperatures, they become stronger and harder to kill.
1. What is causing extreme weather events worldwide, according to the passage?| A．Wildfires. | B．Droughts. |
| C．Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. | D．Heat waves. |
| A．The countries that suffer from extreme weather the most. |
| B．The number of people who died from extreme weather. |
| C．The causes of different types of extreme weather. |
| D．The effects of extreme weather in different areas. |
| A．Extreme weather events are killing people. |
| B．Extreme weather events are destroying homes. |
| C．Extreme weather events drive more people into hunger. |
| D．Extreme weather events badly influence people’s life. |
| A．It causes viruses to become stronger. |
| B．It weakens people’s health. |
| C．It offers more food to viruses and serious diseases. |
| D．It increases the number of infectious diseases. |
6 . ①Most people want to be happy, but few know how to find happiness. Money and success alone do not bring lasting happiness. Aristotle, a Greek thinker, said, “Happiness depends on ourselves.” In other words, we make our own happiness. Here are a few suggestions to help you be happier.
②The first secret of happiness is to enjoy the simple things in life. Too often, we spend so much time thinking about the future, for example, getting into college or getting a good job——that we fail to enjoy the present. You should enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as reading a good book, listening to your favorite music, or spending time with close friends. People who have several close friends often live happier and healthier lives.
③The second secret of happiness is to be active. Many people go dancing or play sports. People can forget about their problems and only think about the activities.
④Finally, many people find happiness in helping others. Studies show that people feel good when they spend their time helping others. If you want to feel happier, do good things for someone. You can help a friend with his or her studies, go shopping to buy food for an elderly person, or simply help out around the house by washing the dishes.
1. What’s the main idea of this passage?| A．The importance of money and success for happiness. |
| B．Aristotle’s philosophy on happiness. |
| C．Secrets to living a happy life. |
| D．The disadvantage of spending too much time on hobbies. |
| A．they focus too much on the future | B．they have too many close friends |
| C．they spend too much time on hobbies | D．they disregard the value of money |
| A．Reading a good book. | B．Listening to favourite music. |
| C．Being active and having hobbies. | D．Spending time with close friends. |
| A．To provide additional examples of simple pleasures. |
| B．To explain why helping others is important for happiness. |
| C．To introduce a new secret to living a happy life. |
| D．To summarize the main points of the passage. |
Boredom (无聊) is something that we all have experienced. Its basic meaning is “the state of being bored”. We experience boredom when we have nothing to do like standing at a bus stop and waiting for a bus. And when we do the same task over and over again, we also get bored.
Boredom isn’t good or bad. What matters are the choices that we make. How can boredom be good for us? Just consider boredom as a “time-out” to clear your mind. This time can be used to create reflection, and discover new thoughts and possibilities.
1.It helps inspire creativity (激发创造力).
When you let yourself to be bored, you make your mind wander (走神) and rest at the same time. Giving your mind a break can inspire creativity.
2. It helps increase self-reflection (自我反思)．
Being bored gives your mind a quiet space to think and reflect on your emotions and thoughts. Self-reflection can help you understand yourself better and make improvements.
3. __________________
Boredom gives us time and energy to pay attention to something different and new. You may discover a new hobby that you’ll enjoy learning. So it can make your boredom interesting!
Learning how to make use of boredom is one way to make sure you never get bored. Boredom can be good for you. When boredom appears, it lets your mind to break for a while. Let it reflect on what it is and what is needed.
1. When do we get bored? (One example is OK.)2. To make boredom good for us, what can we consider it as?
3. What can be the subtitle (小标题) of the third advantage?
4. Do you think boredom is good or bad? Why? Write 30 words or more.
Tea and coffee are two of the most popular drinks in the world. However, people usually like one more than the other. These drinks also have very different uses.
Tea drinking started in China over 4,000 years ago. These days, some people drink tea for health, using it to help with stress or losing weight. However, most people in tea-drinking countries think of tea as more than just a healthy drink. In fact, tea drinking in some countries is a part of the culture. In Turkey, tea is always there when people meet. Whether in someone’s home or a company, tea is always offered as a way of welcome. In the UK, homes and offices usually have tea time. Tea and other dishes are served at tea time in the afternoon. It is a way of relaxing with friends or co-workers (同事).
Coffee came much later than tea, just over 1,000 years ago. Coffee is made from beans. Something in the coffee beans makes a person feel active. Most people do not drink coffee to relax. Instead, they drink coffee to get going. Many people drink coffee in the morning to help them wake up. Others will also drink coffee during short breaks in the afternoon to keep going through the working day. Some people may visit coffee shops just to meet and talk with friends. However, many people in coffee shops drink coffee while working on their computers.
Is tea or coffee more common in your country? Between the two, which do you like to drink more?
Tea and Coffee —Two of the Most Popular Drinks | |
Tea | Chinese people have drunk tea for Now when people feel stressed or get Most people in tea-drinking countries think tea is not only a drink but also a People in Turkey offer tea as a way of welcome. In the UK, tea is served with other dishes at tea time in the afternoon. |
Coffee | Coffee appeared over 1,000 years ago. Most people drink coffee in order to make themselves Some people go to the coffee shops to meet friends while many people go there to |
9 . Wukong, Tiangong, Tianwen... Do you know where the name s of Chinese space programs come from?
Wukong, the Dark Matter Particle Explorer satellite (暗物质粒子探测卫星), is named after a Chinese superhero the Monkey King. According to Journey to the West, the Monkey King has a pair of sharp (锐利的) eyes which can tell the difference between good and evil. The Wukong satellite is just as sharp-eyed as the Monkey King to help scientists search for dark matter in space.
The name of the space station, Tiangong, means “Heavenly Palace (天宫)”. In Chinese myths (神话), this is the home of Tian Di. Now Tiangong Space Station is a home for Chinese astronauts in space. And China welcomes foreign astronauts to Tiangong so that they can work together.
Tianwen, China’s Mars mission (火星任务), gets its name from the poem Tianwen by Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan is a well-known poet (诗人) from ancient China. In Tianwen, he had the questions about the sky, stars, nature, myths and the real world, showing his hunger for truth. Perhaps the Tianwen mission will end up answering some of Qu Yuan’s questions.
If you look into more names of Chinese space programs, you will find that they all have beautiful meanings. We, the Chinese people, have a long-cherished (珍藏已久的) space dream. So the naming of Chinese space programs is taken very seriously.
1. The underlined word “evil” means “________”.| A．诚恳 | B．善良 | C．邪恶 | D．丑陋 |
| A．It’s used for searching dark matter. | B．It’s used as a home for the astronauts in space. |
| C．It’s used to explore (探索) the Mars. | D．It’s used to send astronauts to the space. |
| A．a superhero | B．a book | C．a palace | D．a poem |
| A．They’re both sharp-eyed. | B．They’re both superheroes. |
| C．They both help the good and punish the bad. | D．They both help with scientific studies. |
| A．What Meaningful Names! | B．What Beautiful Space! |
| C．What A Famous Poem! | D．What A Sweet Dream! |
10 . We all know the folk musician Abing and his famous erhu piece Erquan Yingyue. But how much do you know about the erhu?
Erhu is a traditional Chinese instrument with a long history. The modern erhu developed from the xiqin, which was played by many ethnic minorities (少数民族) during the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, musicians began to use the erhu to perform different kinds of music, and it became quite a popular instrument. With the rise of some forms of folk art, the art of the erhu developed quickly during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It became an important accompanying (伴奏) instrument in different folk music. At present, it is used in both traditional and modern music, such as in pop, rock and jazz. It has even become a solo (独奏) instrument.
As the erhu was mainly played by common people and the playing skills were passed down orally (口头地), there are few written records about the erhu that can be found. To study the history and the development of the erhu, historians usually turn to ancient paintings. The earliest pictures of this instrument were found in Yulin Caves and Eastern Thousand Buddha Caves in Gansu Province, where five erhu pictures were discovered on murals (壁画).
1. Erhu became popular ________.| A．in the Tang Dynasty | B．in the Song Dynasty |
| C．in the Ming Dynasty | D．in the Qing Dynasty |
| A．when the erhu became an important instrument | B．who played the erhu first |
| C．the rise of different folk arts | D．the development of the erhu art |
| A．a person who studies history | B．a person who studies music |
| C．a person who plays the erhu | D．a person who writes the erhu pieces |
| A．The erhu can’t be used to play pop music. |
| B．People can find a lot of written records about the erhu. |
| C．The earliest picture of the erhu was found in Gansu. |
| D．The erhu has been a solo instrument since the Qing Dynasty. |
| A．travel | B．health | C．nature | D．culture |
