1 . The idea that red means stop and green means go has influenced our lives in more ways than just traffic signals（信号）. We have been taught from a young age that the color red means danger and green means it's okay to move forward. But why were those colors chosen for traffic lights in the first place? For something we have to look at every day, why couldn't they have been prettier colors?
Well, it's important to know that before traffic lights for cars, there were traffic signals for trains. At first, railway companies used red to mean stop, white to mean go, and green to mean warn．As you could imagine, trains ran into a few problems with white meaning go. For example, one train mistook a bright star for a white light and something unexpected happened. Because of that, railway companies finally moved green meaning go and used yellow to mean warn. And it's been that way ever since.
Red has always been a color that mean danger, long before cars were even around．This most likely started because it's the color with the longest wavelength（波长）so it can be seen somewhere farther than other colors.
But, believe it or not, yellow was once used to mean stop. Back in the 1900s, some stop signs were yellow because it was too hard to see a red sign in a poorly lit area. Finally, highly reflective materials（高反射材料） were developed and red stop signs were born. Since yellow can be seen well at all times of the day, school zones, some traffic signs, and school buses continue to be printed yellow.
So next time you are impatiently waiting at a traffic light, don't get so mad at them, they've certainly come a long way.
1. What were traffic signals for before traffic lights for cars?| A．Trains. | B．Boats. | C．Planes. | D．Bicycles. |
| A．Red. | B．Yellow. | C．White. | D．Green. |
| A．Because it's the brightest color. | B．Because it can be seen far away. |
| C．Because railway companies say so. | D．Because it has the shortest wavelength. |
| A．Because yellow is a prettier color. | B．Because yellow once meat danger. |
| C．Because yellow can be seen well in daytime. | D．Because yellow means it's OK to go forward. |
| A．How important traffic lights are. | B．Which color has the longest wavelength. |
| C．What red，yellow and green can be used for. | D．Why traffic lights are red，yellow and green. |
2 . Running is becoming popular these days. Many of us run for our health. Doctors say many of the health problems come from these bad habits: eating too much, drinking too much, smoking and not taking enough exercise. Doctors tell us, “Eat and drink less, don't smoke, and exercise more.”
Running is a good form of exercise because it helps build a strong heart. It also helps most people lose weight. One 68-year-old woman runs three times a week. She runs to lose weight. “I love to eat," she says.
Running is good for health in other ways, too. Many runners say running keeps colds and other small health problems away. “Running is my doctor,” says one man.
Running can also help people to relax. So today men and women of all ages enjoy running.
1. Many people enjoy running because they want to__________.| A．eat much | B．keep healthy | C．run fast | D．drink more |
| A．not to smoke | B．not to eat much |
| C．not to drink much | D．all the above |
| A．疾病 | B．健康 | C．体重 | D．速度 |
| A．running helps people to relax | B．runners have many health problems |
| C．running helps build a strong heart | D．running is good in many ways |
| A．how to run | B．how to lose weight |
| C．running is a good way to keep healthy | D．running is better than doctors |
3 . Teeth are important. Strong, healthy teeth help you chew（咀嚼）foods that help you grow. They help you speak clearly. And yes, they help you look best. Here are some tips for you to take care of your teeth:
1. Brush your teeth in the right way.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day—after breakfast and before bedtime. If you can, brush after lunch or after sweet snacks, too. Brush all of your teeth, not just the front ones. Spend time brushing teeth along the sides and back of your mouth. Spend at least three minutes each time you brush. Play a song you like to help pass the time. Get a new toothbrush every three months. When you buy toothbrush, be sure it has soft bristles（鬃毛）.
2. Learn how to floss（用牙线清洁牙齿）your teeth.
Flossing is a very important way to keep your teeth healthy. Food may hide between two teeth. Flossing can help get rid of it. You'll need to floss your teeth at least once a day.
3. Have good eating habits.
You need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Eating sugar is a main cause of tooth decay（蛀牙）. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink water instead of soda（苏打）.
1. How many times at least should we brush our teeth a day?| A．1 | B．2. | C．3 | D．4. |
| A．Not brushing teeth. | B．Not changing toothbrush. |
| C．Eating sugar. | D．Not flossing teeth. |
| A．Never. | B．Three times a month. |
| C．Every three months. | D．Every month. |
| A．Only brush front teeth. |
| B．Not brush teeth before sleeping. |
| C．Spend at most three minutes to brush teeth each time. |
| D．Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink water instead of soda. |
4 . Sing the Language You’re Learning
How can you remember a song from your childhood to this day? Why do your teachers use songs to teach you English? It seems there is a scientific reason for this.
Researchers are now studying the relationship between music and remembering a foreign language. They find that remembering words in a song is the best way to remember even the most difficult language.
“Singing could be a new way of learning a foreign language. The brain likes to remember things when they are used in a catchy and meaningful way”, said Dr. Karen Ludke. The findings may help those who have difficulties learning foreign languages. On his blog, Dr. Ludke writes, “A listen-and-repeat singing method can support foreign language learning, and opens the door for future research in this area.”
Many language teachers know the value of using music and singing. Hua Zhuying, a teacher at a Chinese language school in Washington, D.C. depends heavily on songs in teaching Chinese. She says, “I use music all the time to teach children Chinese. For little kids usually we use the music. Not only does it work, but it is fun for kids.”
“Sometimes, I think if I were taught English that way, maybe I could speak much better English than now,” Hua Zhuying adds.
Our brain likes music, especially for remembering. So, if you’re still struggling in learning a language, why not try singing it out ?
1. According to the passage, the best way to remember a foreign language is to ________.| A．read and write more |
| B．listen to the teacher carefully |
| C．copy the words many times |
| D．remember words in a song |
| A．艰涩难懂的 | B．悦耳易记的 |
| C．枯燥乏味的 | D．震耳欲聋的 |
| A．using the listen-and-repeat singing method |
| B．listening to all kinds of famous music |
| C．writing songs with the language |
| D．reading the lyrics again and again |
| A．is interested in writing English songs |
| B．teaches children English by using music |
| C．teaches Chinese in an American school |
| D．is a researcher in a language school |
| A．many researchers realize the importance of language studying |
| B．your brain remembers a language better if you sing it |
| C．many language teachers know the value of famous music |
| D．you will never learn a language well unless you can sing |
The exact origin（起源）of the holiday is unclear．One of the thoughts is that during the Middle Ages，when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land，a Christmas Box was placed by a priest （神父）on each ship．Those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box．It wassealed upand kept on board until the ship came home safely．Then the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks for the success of the sailing．The priest wouldn’t open it to share the contents with the poor until Christmas．
One more thought is about the “Alms Box” placed in every church on Christmas Day. Worshippers (做礼拜的人)put gifts for the poor into it. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas，that is why that day became know as Boxing Day．
Today，many businesses，organizations and families try to keep the traditional spirit of Boxing Day alive by donating（捐赠）their time，services and money to aid Food Banks，providing gifts for the poor，or helping families in need．Besides，spending time with family and shopping are popular Boxing Day activities now．
1. If Christmas Day is on a Saturday，Boxing Day will be celebrated on ．
| A．December 25th | B．December 26th | C．December 27th | D．December 28th |
| A．save the poor |
| B．pay for the priest |
| C．discover new land |
| D．pray for sailing safely |
| A．密封 | B．悬挂 | C．归还 | D．传递 |
| A．offering gifts to the poor | B．supporting families in need |
| C．spending time with family | D．giving money to aid Food Banks |
| A．to praise the kindness of priests |
| B．to introduce the origins of Boxing Day |
| C．to call on people to help the poor |
| D．to compare Boxing Day with Christmas Day． |
6 . Job interviews can be very different from country to country. An interviewer's "body language" and questions, and the form of an interview are not the same around the world.
If you are at a job interview in Japan, don't look directly into the eyes of the interviewer. It is considered impolite. But if you are at an interview in the US, you should make eye contact with the interviewer. If you don't, the interviewer may think you are not sure about your ability.
In the US and some other countries, interviewers aren't supposed to ask questions about family and personal information. In more countries, interviewers aren't supposed to ask questions about family and personal information. In more countries, personal questions are very common during job interviews.
In Germany, your interview might begin with a very short conversation followed by a formal interview. In Mexico and many other countries, the whole interview might not be formal.
1. In Japan, looking directly into the eyes of the interviewer is________.| A．boring | B．humorous | C．impolite | D．dangerous |
| A．Making eye contact. | B．Sitting by the interviewer. |
| C．Asking personal information. | D．Talking about family background. |
| A．the US | B．Mexico | C．Japan | D．Germany |
7 . Americans with small families own a small car or a large one. If both parents are working, they usually have two cars. When the family is large, one of the cars is sold and they will buy a van（住房汽车）.
A small car can hold four persons and a large car can hold six persons but it is very crowded（拥挤）. A van hold seven persons easily, so a family with three children could ask their grandparents to travel together.
Mr. Hargen and his wife had a third child last year. This made them sell a second car and buy a van. There are seven seats in the van, and two of them are used to put things on, for a family of five must carry many suitcase（衣箱）when they travel. When they arrive at their grandparents’ home, the suitcase are put into the two seats. And then they can carry their grandparents.
Americans call vans motor homes. A motor home is always used for holidays. When a family are traveling to the moutains or to the seaside, they can live in their motor home for a few days or weeks.
All the members of a big family can enjoy a happier life when they are traveling together. That is why motor homes have become very popular. In America there are many parks for motor homes.
1. From the passage, a van is also called .| A．a motor | B．a motor home |
| C．a motorbike | D．a big truck |
| A．sold their old house | B．moved to their grandparents’ house |
| C．built a new place for a van | D．sold their second car |
| A．a baby | B．much money |
| C．more than two kids | D．interest in vans |
| A．to travel with all the family members on holiday. |
| B．to do some shopping with all the family members. |
| C．to visit their grandparents at weekends. |
| D．to drive their children to school every day. |
| A．they can take people to another city when people are free. |
| B．they can let families have a happier life when they go out for their holidays. |
| C．some people think motor homes are cheap. |
| D．big families can put more things in motor homes. |
8 . China is famous for tea. Drinking tea is very popular in China and even around the world. It's said that a Chinese ruler called Shen Nong was the first to discover tea as a drink. A few thousand years later, Lu Yu, "the saint of tea", mentioned Shen Nong in his book Cha Jing. The book describes how tea plants were grown and used to make tea.
Nowadays, according to different processing ways, there are mainly four kinds of Chinese tea. They are green tea, black tea, Oolong tea and scented (有香味的) tea. without fermentation (发酵), green tea keeps the original color of the tea. If the green tea is fermented before baking, it will be black tea. Oolong tea is partially (部分的) fermented. And if fragrant flowers are mixed in the tea during the processing the scented tea will be made.
Tea is produced in many different areas in China. For example, Xi'an and Hangzhou are widely known for their tea. Tea plants are grown on the sides of mountains. When the leaves are ready, they are picked by hand and then are sent for processing. Later, the tea is packed and sent for many different countries and places around China.
It's believed that tea was brought to Korea and Japan during the 6th and 7th centuries. In England, tea didn't appear until around 1660. The tea trade from China to Western countries took place in the 19th century.
Tea is good for people's health and plays an important role in Chinese social life.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。
1. Who discovered tea as a drink first according to the passage?
| A．Shen Nong. | B．Lu Yu. | C．Hou Yi. | D．Yu Gong. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．悦耳的 | B．难闻的 | C．难看的 | D．芳香的 |
①Later, the tea is packed.
②When the leaves are ready they are picked by hand and then are sent for processing.
③Then it is sent for many different countries and places around China.
④Tea plants are grown on the sides of mountains.
| A．④③②① | B．④②①③ | C．④③①② | D．②④①③ |
| A．During the 6th and 7th centuries. | B．Around 1660. |
| C．In the 19th century. | D．In the 1990s. |
9 . It might be fun to use your smartphone, but be careful. Too much screen time may be harmful to your health.
First, it is bad for your eyes. A researcher called Sarah Hinkley says the problem comes from the blue light that the screen gives out. Looking at a smartphone for a long time can cause eye strain（劳损）, headaches and dry eyes. So it is a good idea to take a break every 15 minutes when you are working at a computer or using a smartphone.
Second, screen use can do harm to children’s brains. A new study shows that using screens too much can affect（影响） how children’s brains grow. If children use screens for more than one hour a day, they might have lower levels of white matter in their brains. White matter is a key to the development of language and reading skills. So it is wise to cut down the time of children using all kinds of screens.
Third, using screens too much will affect your sleep. According to a study, about 95% of the people between the ages of 13 and 64 use electronics before bed, especially the young people under 20. Doctors say that the light from those electronics at night may make you excited before you go to bed. Then it’s hard for you to get enough sleep. So you’d better turn off smartphones, TVs, and all other screens an hour before your bedtime.
To keep healthy, doctors and researchers strongly advise that you shouldn’t use screens for long hours.
1. The blue light from your screens can cause ________.| A．eyestrain | B．headaches | C．dry eyes | D．all of the above |
| A．take a break every 15 minutes | B．have lower levels of white matter |
| C．use screens too much before bed | D．are the people from 13 to 64 |
| A．Using smartphones for long hours does harm to your eyes. |
| B．A lot of screen time affects children’s brain growth. |
| C．The light from electronics at night may make you excited. |
| D．People of all ages mustn’t use electronics. |
| A．a science magazine | B．a travel diary | C．a guide book | D．a novel |
| A．The ways to keep healthy. | B．The harm of using screens too much. |
| C．The ways to use screens. | D．The advantages of using screens. |
10 . In your spare time, do you help your parents with chores (杂活) around the house? Can you cook for your family?
In order to stress (强调) the importance of hard-working spirit education (劳动教育) among students of different ages, the Communist Party of China Central Committee (中共中央) recently released (发布) a guideline (指导纲要).
The guideline calls for students to respect labor work. Students should learn basic life skills and form good working habits through such education.
The government has been trying to stress the importance of hard-working spirit education. But this has been overlooked (忽视) in recent years. Many teenagers do not value the importance of working hard and aren't interested in doing so.
According to a study of nearly 3,000 students that was done by Ningbo Evening News in March, only 22% of students help with everyday chores around the house.
Schools and families play an important role in teaching students about the value of working hard, the guideline says.
Primary and middle schools should provide students with hard-working spirit classes every week, according to the guideline. Schools can also hold activities to give students real-world work experience. For example, schools can teach children how to plant trees on Tree-Planting Day.
As children's first teachers, parents should also encourage children to learn how to do chores at home. Students should master one or two life skills every year. These skills can include cooking, washing their own clothes and tidying their rooms.
1. The guideline was released recently in order to ___________.| A．stress the importance of hard-working spirit education |
| B．ask students to work hard at English and any other subjects |
| C．teach students how to help their parents do chores at home |
| D．help students of different ages solve life problems |
| A．the government | B．hard-working spirit education | C．basic life skills | D．the recently released guideline |
| A．give homework to parents | B．give the guideline to every student |
| C．teach students how to cook in the school | D．provide chances of real-world work for students |
| A．About two thirds of students help with housework at home. |
| B．Students should master at least three life skills every year. |
| C．Schools should provide students with hard-working spirit classes every day. |
| D．Parents should also encourage children to learn how to do chores at home. |
| A．Spirit of Hard-working Education | B．How to Value the Experience |
| C．The Importance of All Subjects | D．How to Do Everyday Chores |
