1 . Have you ever felt like you needed your own space? Sometimes we all need to be alone. Plants need to have their own space, too. You can walk away or shut your door when you want to be alone, but what can plants do? They can’t walk or run anywhere. They use allelopathy (植化相克).
All plants need water to grow, but in some dry places there isn’t much water, so the plants have to use allelopathy to keep on living. Also all plants want to have as much soil for their roots to grow in as possible, and one way to do this is to make other plants’ roots die by using allelopathy. Finally, all plants need sunlight to live. If other plants grow nearby, their shade means less sunlight, so the plants use allelopathy to stop other plants from growing too close to them.
Here’s an example — pine trees. Each year the needles (针叶) from pine trees fall to the ground. These needles that cover the ground have a kind of acid (酸) in them. The acid doesn’t hurt the pine trees, but it won’t let other plants grow.
1. If a plant wants to have its own space, it can ______.| A．walk away | B．close its leaves | C．use allelopathy | D．cover the ground |
| A．To make other plants’ roots die. | B．To stop other plants from getting sunlight. |
| C．To cover the ground with acid needles. | D．To get enough water for other plants. |
| A．hurt the pine trees | B．help other plants grow |
| C．stop other plants growing | D．make the soil richer |
| A．How do plants look after their own space? | B．What makes plants grow well? |
| C．Why do plants need to stay alone? | D．What plant needs allelopathy? |
2 . You have finished all your homework on Sunday afternoon. You lie on the sofa to watch a new TV show. You plan to watch two or three episodes (集) at most. Yet, you don’t stop until it’s past midnight. You’ve gone through the whole season. You’ve gone on a binge-watching TV shows (疯狂刷剧)!
Binge-watching has something to do with a part of our brain that makes us feel good. When we start binge watching, our brain produces something that makes us feel pleasure. As we watch more and more episodes, it grows, so we feel great.
Writers and directors also try to get us to binge-watch. They design shows that keep people’s interest. Something exciting usually happens at the end of each episode. This is called a cliffhanger, and its purpose is to keep viewers wondering “What will happen next?” So, they keep watching.
Although binge-watching can be enjoyable, it may become an unhealthy habit. It keeps people from doing more productive activities. For example, instead of sitting in front of the TV, you could exercise, do housework, or study for exams. It may also cause problems for people the next day. Staying up late to finish a show means you get less sleep. So you perform poorly at work or school. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to stop this bad habit.
For starters, try to remind yourself to say “no” to the next episode. If you have trouble with it, then try to stop the shows in the middle when exciting things aren’t happening.
1. Why do some people keep on binge-watching?| A．It is a good way to relax. | B．It makes their brain work faster. |
| C．It is good for their health. | D．It gives them a feeling of pleasure. |
| A．To get us to binge-watch. | B．To tell us interesting stories. |
| C．To keep us use our brain. | D．To help us study for exams. |
| A．A happy point | B．A fantastic point. | C．A sad point. | D．A terrible point. |
| A．Staying up late. | B．Doing productive activities. |
| C．Making people feel sad. | D．Stopping people’s bad habits. |
| A．what binge-watching is | B．the feelings of binge-watching |
| C．how to stop binge-watching | D．the advantages of binge-watching |
3 . There must be many teachers in your school life. Would you like to describe one of your teachers in a word?
| Zhang Miguo, 12, Henan If I use one word to describe Ms. Li, I think it would be helpful. When I first came back to China from the US in 2021, I was quite worried to start the 8th grade because I was so behind on all the subjects, especially Chinese. What’s more, I was going to a new school. I feared that my classmates would be cold toward me. But it was not that bad. My Chinese teacher, Ms. Li, did her best to help me catch up with the rest of the class. She lent me her 7th-grade teaching notes and helped me a lot. She always had faith (信心) in me that I would make it. She never gave up on me, and for this, I will be forever thankful for what she did for me. |
| Zhang Tao, 13, Chongqing Mr. Lu is my English teacher. He is only 25. I like him because of his humorous (幽默的) teaching style. He likes to do some warm-up activities in class by telling jokes. One day, he asked my deskmate John and me to role-play a conversation. I played a waiter while John played a guest. When my deskmate asked me how much a bowl of noodles was, I told him that it was 100 yuan. After we finished the role playing conversation, Mr.Lu told the class not to spend money in this restaurant because the waiter was too greedy (贪婪的). Everyone was made to laugh by his words. As he expected, this helped us remember the English conversation well. |
1. Why was Zhang Miguo worried when she came back to China in 2021?
| A．She couldn’t do well in her subjects. | B．She couldn’t speak Chinese. |
| C．Her teacher didn’t like her. | D．Her classmates were cold to her. |
| A．Kind. | B．Funny. | C．Relaxed. | D．Warm-hearted. |
| A．They both teach English. |
| B．They are both good teachers. |
| C．They always encourage students. |
| D．They are both humorous. |
4 . When it comes to Chengdu, people may think of its delicious food and interesting places. These days, a hotpot-themed (火锅主题的) bus has combined (结合) these things.
The bus first appeared in Chengdu in January, 2023. It gives a new experience to both locals (当地人) and travelers in Chengdu. People can not only eat hotpot on the bus but also enjoy the beauty of Chengdu along the way. There is also a guide (向导) talking about the culture of hotpot and the stories of the places of interest. People have so many things to do on the bus, so their trip is never boring.
At first, the bus only ran at 19: 00 every day. Now it runs twice a day at 15: 00 and 19: 00. It has 8 dining tables inside. In order to let people enjoy their food and the city’s beauty safely, the bus doesn’t travel fast. It takes 90 minutes to travel about 10 kilometers.
The food on the bus comes from a famous hotpot restaurant. It is ready-to-eat food. People can eat it directly (直接地). ▲ However, everyone can find something they like on the bus.
Now the hotpot-themed bus is popular. There will probably be more buses with different themes on the roads in Chengdu in the near future.
1. What does the underlined word “It” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．The road. | B．The bus. | C．The city. | D．The hotpot. |
| A．where the bus goes | B．what people can do on the bus |
| C．when the bus first appeared in Chengdu | D．what the guide talks about along the way |
| A．It runs twice a day. | B．It runs every morning. |
| C．It travels very quickly. | D．It carries 8 people at a time. |
| A．The meal is quite large. | B．The hotpot there tastes good. |
| C．They travel to many interesting places. | D．Travelers from different places have different tastes. |
| A．A cool hotpot bus | B．An interesting trip |
| C．Hotpot, a healthy meal | D．Chengdu, a wonderful city |
5 . It was 10 pm. A car came to the forest. Two boys aged 12 and 15 and a l2-year-old girl came out. The driver drove away.
They were three miles away from their summer camp. They must find their way through the forest back to the camp.
This is the traditional Dutch (荷兰的) game known as a “dropping”. The leaders drop groups of children in a forest. They expect them to find their way back to their camp. It is hard work. The kids can often get back at 2 am or 3 am.
Adults may trail (跟踪) the teams of children to make sure they are safe. They do not guide them. If this sounds like a surprise to you, that is because you are not Dutch.
Dutch parents teach children not to depend too much on adults. Parents let children solve their problems. This is the idea behind droppings. Even for children who are tired, hungry, and easy to get lost, it is exciting to do things by themselves.
The mother of one child dropped said that the time had come for him to take on greater responsibility. She said, “He is growing up, and he will make decisions for himself.”
Droppings are a normal part of Dutch children’s life. A parent said, “You just drop your kids into the world. Of course, you make sure they do not die, but other than that, they have to find their own way.”
One child said, “It tells you, even in very hard times, to keep walking, to keep going.”
1. The children often need to spend at least _________ hours on a dropping game.| A．4 | B．6 | C．7 | D．8 |
| A．adults trail the teams of children | B．adults don’t guide children |
| C．children can find their way back | D．adults drive away without children |
| A．how to live without their parents | B．how to fight with wild animals when they get lost |
| C．how to get on with others | D．how to solve their problems by themselves |
| A．责任 | B．成功 | C．支持 | D．机会 |
| A．The Camp near the Forest | B．A Surprising Summer Camp |
| C．A Traditional Dutch Game | D．A Normal Part of Dutch School |
6 . We are living longer. But living long doesn’t mean living well. In 20 years of general practice, I got hundreds of simple opinions for living longer and living better. You will live a wonderful life if you make these opinions into your life.
There are three kinds of food in our life. Let’s look at them now.
The first are starchy (含淀粉的) foods. These should be about a third of our total daily food intake. They are an excellent source of energy and include bread, potatoes and rice. In fact, starchy food doesn’t gain our weight. And the scientists say starchy foods contain less than half the calories of fat. The second is fat. We need some fat in our diet as a store of energy, but sadly most of people in the Western world eat too much fat. This result is in weight gain. Fat should form no more than 35% of your total daily intake. The third is sugar. Most of us are eating too much sugar. Eating too much sugar is harmful to our health and it may make us fat. And a survey from Britain shows that the amount of eating vegetables is falling. Stop eating too much sugar and eat more vegetables from now on! |
1. Which kind of food doesn’t gain our weight?
| A．Fried food. | B．Fat food. |
| C．Sweet food. | D．Starchy food. |
| A．They eat too many vegetables. | B．They eat too much fat. |
| C．They drink too much coffee. | D．They eat too much sugar. |
| A．The amount of eating vegetables is falling. |
| B．The amount of eating sugar is falling. |
| C．The amount of eating vegetables is rising. |
| D．The amount of eating sugar is rising. |
7 . Did you see the partial lunar eclipse (月偏食) on Nov 19, 2021? About 97 percent of the moon went into Earth’s shadow.
Lunar eclipses happen when Earth comes between the moon and the sun. In a total lunar eclipse (月全食), the whole moon falls within Earth’s shadow. But some light still travels through our atmosphere (大气层) to reach the moon. Only red and orange light can go through the atmosphere. This gives the moon a dark red color. The latest eclipse was almost a total one, so you might have also seen the red moon.
The eclipse lasted more than three hours. NASA said it was the longest partial lunar eclipse in 580 years! Many partial eclipses only last about one or two hours. So why was this one so long? The moon was at its furthest point from Earth this time. The moon travels more slowly there, so it took longer to pass through Earth’s shadow.
If you missed this one, don’t worry. Lunar eclipses happen twice a year, and there will be a total lunar eclipse between May 15 and 16, 2022, according to the website TimeAndDate.
1. Why might we see the red moon?| A．Because the whole moon falls within Earth’s shadow. |
| B．Because Earth comes between the moon and the sun. |
| C．Because light travels through our atmosphere to reach the moon. |
| D．Because only red and orange light go through the atmosphere to give the moon. |
| A．More than three hours. | B．Two hours. |
| C．One or two hours. | D．Less than two hours. |
| A．Lunar Eclipses. | B．How Do Lunar Eclipses Form. |
| C．Partial Lunar Eclipse. | D．Lunar Eclipse Report. |
8 . We all know that a small kindness can make our life journeys brighter and more enjoyable. Kindness doesn’t cost money or take up time but it can make a big difference to how you feel. A random (随意的) act of kindness is doing something for someone else without expecting to be rewarded (奖励) for it. It’s an unplanned active action, and you can do it for others.
In our daily life, there are many ways of being kind. You can show kindness anywhere—at home, at school or in your community. For example, if you notice a person drop his gloves on the ground, you can pick them up and give them back to him. You can look for chances too, such as holding a door open, praising someone or tidying up your classroom.
And then you may surely wonder how kindness is good for people. Actually, everyone benefits (得益) from kindness. It includes the person who receives it, the person who carries out the kind act, and even anyone watching it happen. Kindness can spread among people. When seeing an act of kindness, you’re more likely to do something kind for another person by yourself. Studies show that being kind to others can make you feel more optimistic. You will see the future is hopeful and your life is quite happy. It is also a great way to feel closer to each other and you can get a lot of energy from it.
Just try to think more about the people around you. Remember that true kindness isn’t expecting to be thanked or to get anything in return.
1. What can we know about a random act of kindness?| A．It costs money. | B．It gets a reward. |
| C．It takes up time. | D．It is unplanned. |
| A．A lot of people can benefit from kindness. | B．What a random act of kindness means. |
| C．There are many ways to show kindness. | D．Kindness can spread among people. |
| A．Honest. | B．Positive. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Serious. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Advice about How to Be Kind | B．Meanings of Being Kind |
| C．Ways to Own Better Relationships | D．A Call for People to Be Kind |
9 . Do you know the history of money? It has changed a lot during thousands of years. Here is some information to help you learn about the changes.
1. How does the writer begin the text?
| A．By showing a fact. | B．By telling a story. |
| C．By using an old saying. | D．By asking a question. |
| A．About 200 years ago. | B．About 2,800 years ago. |
| C．About 3,200 years ago. | D．About 11,000 years ago. |
| A．It was beautiful and clean. | B．It didn’t break easily. |
| C．It was light and easy to carry. | D．It was easy to create. |
| A．Introduce the development of Chinese money. | B．Describe different forms of money. |
| C．Explain the method of paying with phones. | D．Discuss the importance of money. |
10 . Do you have a house cleaning schedule (计划表)? With a good house cleaning plan, cleaning is much easier for me. Here’s an example of my cleaning plan.
House Cleaning Schedule
In the morning:
◇Make the bed.
◇Clean the glass and sink (水槽) of the bathroom.
◇Put clothes away or put them in the laundry basket (洗衣篮).
◇Put magazines and books on the table or in the bookcase.
In the afternoon:
◆Wash and fold clothes.
◆Do the dishes.
◆Clean up the kitchen.
◆Sweep the floor of the dinning room.
◆Take out the rubbish.
In fact, having a house cleaning plan can help you have more free time. The schedule can clearly show what you need to do. You’ll be more effective (有效的). It can also make sure you won’t forget the things you need to do.
1. After making a schedule, the writer thinks cleaning is ________.| A．difficult | B．necessary | C．easy | D．fun |
| A．three | B．four | C．five | D．six |
| A．Cleaning the bathroom. | B．Putting clothes away. |
| C．Making the bed. | D．Taking out the rubbish. |
| A．Tell your family how to do the cleaning. |
| B．Help you get interested in cleaning. |
| C．Show you clearly the things you need to do. |
| D．Tell you the time to do the cleaning. |
| A．She doesn’t like the housework at all. | B．A house cleaning schedule is very useful. |
| C．It’s not difficult to make a house cleaning schedule. | D．People must make a house cleaning schedule. |
