1 . Step out of your door and what do you see? Ever since humans walked here and there on the Earth, we have been crazy about nature. And this gave birth to the subject called “natural history”.
It began with ancient scientists who looked at the diversity (多样性) of the natural world. Soon, more and more “naturalists”—those who study and practice natural history-were busy studying, collecting and naming the world’s animals, plants and so on. Observing (观察) skills are the key tools of a naturalist. They helped naturalists find out the secret of life on the Earth.
Today, natural history museums around the world offer people a place to think about natural history. But it has a long way to go.
In China, natural history as a field is developing quickly. Books and apps (应用程序) on plants and animals are very popular. Environmental protection groups and activities have all seen great growth during the past years. And behind it is China’s push to build an ecological civilization (生态文明).
Natural history is now seen as a kind of lifestyle. When you visit a natural history museum or just step out in the nature, you can enjoy the nature and learn about the secret of life at the same time. “Naturalist lifestyle” is good for the mind and the body.
We need naturalists now more than ever. The secret of life on the Earth is still incomplete, and the pieces are changing rapidly. So come on and discover your part!
1. What are the key skills of a naturalist?| A．Reading skills. | B．Listening skills. | C．Observing skills. | D．Studying skills. |
| A．It is growing rapidly. |
| B．It has become an online culture. |
| C．It builds the ecological civilization. |
| D．It records environmental protecting activities. |
| A．Natural history is a popular subject. |
| B．Naturalist lifestyle is good for people. |
| C．People like travelling more than before. |
| D．People love to visit natural history museums. |
| A．Not correct. | B．Not simple. | C．Not known. | D．Not whole. |
| A．To Be Good Readers | B．To Live as Naturalists |
| C．To Be Crazy about Nature | D．To Discover the Secret of History |
2 . “Happiness is a habit,” says Talia Soen, CEO of Happy Things, a platform (平台) that helps you develop those habits through daily lives. “Many people think happiness is hard to achieve, but we want to make it easy to understand and teachable.” she says, “Let’s examine the habits of happy people.”
The experience of joy is related to the good, meaningful life. Happiness can be found in the small moments of our daily lives. For example, showing thankful feeling has been proved to increase happiness. Take a moment to think about the help you receive from others and thank them deeply. It can bring great joy to your life.
Reducing stress can improve your overall happiness. It’s not a good idea to worry about too much. Soen suggests that spending time in nature is helpful for stress reduction. Even if you don’t have time or access to go outdoors all year round, you can feel better by listening to nature sounds. And a study has shown that people feel less stressed if they have two to five hours of free time every day.
“There have been several studies on happiness and exercise,” Soen says. “Many studies show that our happiness levels are influenced by moving our bodies a little bit more.” The exact reason remains unclear, but even short periods of exercise can achieve this. As Soen mentioned earlier, exercising outdoors can have a double influence.
Having strong social relationships, such as friends, family, or other meaningful connections, can contribute to happiness. These relationships provide support when you need it. A researcher says, “Happy people spend more time with their friends and family members and are simply around other people more often.” So, why not have lunch with your family or reach out to an old friend?
As you can see, happiness is all around us as long as we develop good habits.
1. Of which platform is Talia Soen the CEO?| A．Happy Moments. | B．Joyful Life. | C．Happy Things. | D．Reducing Stress. |
| A．They can provide support we need. | B．They can bring great joy to our life. |
| C．They can help develop good habits. | D．They are the only cause of happiness. |
| A．problems | B．reports | C．chances | D．meals |
| A．Showing thankful feelings often. | B．Spending time with friends and family. |
| C．Not worrying about small things. | D．Reading more books when we’re free. |
| A．Happiness is hard to achieve for everyone. | B．Developing good habits leads to happiness. |
| C．Exercising outdoors is the key to happiness. | D．Relationships have no influence on happiness. |
3 . In a recent small group activity in Mrs. Johnson’s 9th-grade class, students came together to discuss how a growth mindset (思维模式) can greatly influence our life. Here are the opinions on developing a growth mindset shared by the students.
| Steps | Opinions from Group Discussions |
| Believe in Yourself | Start by believing yourself that you have the power to change your habits. Your habits are shaped by your beliefs and strengths. Use positive statements to welcome changes into your life and prepare your mind for a new way of thinking. |
| Accept and Overcome Weaknesses | Whatever your weakness is, accept and explore different approaches (方法) to overcome it. Be kind to yourself and focus on finding solutions instead of being angry with yourself. If you have to get out of bed early in the morning, try setting the alarm earlier or preparing things in advance to make mornings easier. |
| Welcome Challenges for Growth | Stepping out of your comfort zone (区)and taking on new challenges helps you improve your skills and broaden your knowledge and experiences. Whether it’s learning a new sports skill or making progress in your studies, look for challenges that push you to grow. Appreciate the unexpected challenges along the way. |
| Work with Your Learning Styles | Find out how you learn best, as it will help you learn more effectively. Some learners need to see things to understand them, while others do better with listening or talking. Take your time to learn and look for excellence by practicing and repeating. Accept applying what you learn, even if you make mistakes, as they help you become more skilled. |
Developing a growth mindset not only reduces worry but also brings happiness. By celebrating your achievements and enjoying the journey of growth and learning, you can create a satisfying and successful life.
1. According to the passage, what is the first step to changing your habits?| A．Believing in yourself. | B．Using positive statements. |
| C．Shaping your beliefs and strengths. | D．Preparing a new way of thinking. |
| A．By explaining the words. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By telling a story. | D．By showing the sayings. |
| A．Accepting challenges is the key to success. |
| B．Overcoming weaknesses leads to a satisfying life. |
| C．Practicing helps you become more skilled. |
| D．Growth mindset reduces worry and brings happiness. |
| A．Why is it important to pay no attention to weaknesses? |
| B．How can you avoid making mistakes in your daily lives? |
| C．What can you do to welcome change and believe in yourself? |
| D．Can you explain why accepting challenges is not necessary? |
4 . I have always admired students who hand their homework in on time and never forget anything important to do. Me, on the other hand… I’m terrible at getting myself organized! The following tips are from my friends.
| Lou | Hi, Amy. My tip is to have a big noticeboard in your bedroom, divide it into different parts. I’ve got a whiteboard. I write a to-do list for each subject on it to make sure I’ll finish everything in time. |
| Gloria | Lately I’ve started keeping a small study diary, I write down everything I need to do in it. I also write a reminder before some important dates. It’s helping. |
| Hana | I always spend about five minutes at the end of the day tidying up the desktop on the computer and make a copy of important documents. According to must-do things, I write them on the sticky paper and put it on the front door to keep in mind. |
| A．On the computer. | B．On a whiteboard. |
| C．On the sticky paper. | D．In a study diary. |
| A．Amy. | B．Lou. | C．Gloria. | D．Hana. |
| A．By tidying up the noticeboard. | B．By keeping a diary. |
| C．By writing a to-do list. | D．By making a copy of them. |
5 . Parts of a Plant
There are more than 400,000 kinds of plants on Earth. Some plants are as big as tall buildings; others are as small as rice. Plants are key parts of the food circle. They play an important part in the nature because they give out oxygen—the gas that all animals need for breathing.
What is a plant?
Most people have no difficulty finding the differences between an animal and a plant. That is because animals can move around, but plants can’t. What makes a plant a plant? Like animals, plants are living things that are made up of lots of cells (细胞). Unlike animals, plants make their own food by photosynthesis (光合作用). Most plants have roots, stems, and leaves, and most plants reproduce by growing flowers and making seeds. All plants need energy to stay alive and grow, and they get it from sunlight instead of food.
How does a plant grow?
Most animals grow in a certain way, and genes control their growth. That is to say, even when they are small, it’s easy to know what they will look like after they grow up. Plants are different. Their growth is controlled by genes too, but their final shape also depends on where they live. For example, a tree can be big and round if it grows up in an open space, but much taller and thinner if it grows in the woods with other trees all around. Plants are unable to move from one environment to another, so it is important that they are able to get used to the environment.
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．The number of plants. | B．Different sizes of plants. |
| C．The importance of plants. | D．Planting more trees. |
| A．By comparing. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By giving numbers. | D．By telling stories. |
| A．Flowers and seeds are the most important parts of a plant. |
| B．Plants and animals grow in the same way. |
| C．Only environment controls the plants’ growth. |
| D．It’s important for the plants to get used to the environment. |
| A．Different Kinds of Plants | B．The Life of Plants |
| C．Plants and Animals | D．All About Plants |
6 . The Internet has changed the world, people are able to get and share information in seconds. Nowadays, people begin to wonder: Is the Internet good or bad? “It’s impossible to answer that question because the Internet means so many things,” says psychologist (心理学家) Patricia Greenfield.
Some are truly wonderful. In many ways it makes life easier and simpler. It helps us get things done more quickly. It opens up the world to us. And if a friend lives far away, the Internet makes it easy to stay in touch.
However, the issue (话题) isn’t black and white. Some can become real problems if we don’t take care. Spending too much time online is bad to people’s health. It may even cause them to be less social with family and friends. Aside from that, some people attack the web or use the Internet to steal others’ personal information, even banking information. Most of the young students think the Internet is simply an icon (图标) on the screen (屏幕). Kids won’t realize that the Internet is a network of millions of computers until about 10 years old.
The Internet can be a useful tool, but don’t let it take up all of your time. Use the Internet properly and carefully and it can make your life more colourful.
1. By saying “the Internet means so many things”, Patricia Greenfield means that________.| A．the Internet is hard for people to search | B．the Internet brings advantages as well as disadvantages |
| C．the Internet has more advantages than expected | D．the Internet has more disadvantages than expected |
| A．Accidents will happen. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Every coin has two sides. | D．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
| A．bad | B．simple | C．difficult | D．everything |
| A．The Internet helps us get and share information quickly. | B．Not everything on the Internet is safe. |
| C．Using the Internet for a long time is not good for our health. | D．Young children should not use the Internet. |
| A．Advantages of using the Internet. | B．Disadvantages of using the Internet. |
| C．How to stop using the Internet. | D．How to use the Internet wisely. |
7 . Happy Rain on a Spring Night
DuFu
Good rain knows its time right;
It will fall when comes spring.
With wind it steals in night;
Mute, it moistens (使湿润) each thing.
O’er wild lanes (小路) dark cloud spreads;
In boat a lantern looms.
Dawn sees saturated reds;
The town’s heavy with blooms.
Translated By Xu Yuanchong
This famous poem, with four couplets (对句), was written by Du Fu (712-770, Tang Dynasty) when he was living and farming in Chengdu. This farming experience taught him to be thankful to nature.
The very first word, “good”, shows the poet’s joy and love for the spring rain. The rain is good because it “knows” the proper time to come. Here the poet uses personification (拟人), as if the rain was smart enough to come in time for the farmers’ busy season.
When the rain comes, it appears during the night without making any noise. Unlike the summer storms, the spring rain finishes its task without being known.
In the third couplet, the poet describes peaceful scene to us. In the night sky, the clouds look dark and heavy. It’s a sign that there will be enough rain during the night. The light from the riverboat makes the dark scene a bit bright.
Lastly, the poet starts to imagine. Tomorrow morning, he thinks, the city of Chengdu will become beautiful when all of the flowers bloom (盛开) after the rain.
1. What’s the Chinese title of the poem Happy Rain on a Spring Night?| A．《春望》 | B．《春夜喜雨》 | C．《夜雨寄北》 | D．《旅夜书怀》 |
| A．Because it comes quietly without any noise. |
| B．Because it’s just right for this busy farming season. |
| C．Because it appears during the night. |
| D．Because it has enough energy to make the whole city dark. |
| A．Busy. | B．Dark. | C．Quiet. | D．Heavy. |
| A．With wind it steals in night. |
| B．In boat a lantern looms. |
| C．The town’s heavy with blooms (blooming flowers). |
| D．O’er wild lanes dark cloud spreads. |
| A．Did the writer show his thanks to nature? |
| B．Did the writer love and enjoy farming? |
| C．Did the writer expect the flowers to bloom? |
| D．Did the writer miss his hometown? |
8 . 5G networks have been considered as one big thing for this century. They allow people to get faster services. Downloading information takes only seconds, instead of minutes.
But no true 5G phones are able to be used now. It won’t work with 5G until such services are built.
Users will need an adapter to bring in 5G signals. There’s completely no need for users to worry about the safety of 5G signals.
Where will we probably see 5G first? The answer is in our living rooms. The speeds, about 20 times faster than the standard home Internet connection, are very likely to do wonders in our living rooms. Many users are tired of spending $100 or more monthly in booking cable (有线的) TV. They no more choose cable TV and begin to use streaming (在线播放) services connected to their broadband (宽带) service instead.
Besides faster access, connectivity might get a little cheaper in future for users only if a complete 5G network is set up. However, the cost of programs and apps will go up. Meanwhile, users are in great need of ordering more monthly services. Comparatively speaking, users are likely to pay more for 5G services. So far now, it’s mainly used at home.
1. People can feel 5G’s advantage directly by its ________.| A．surprising speed | B．comparatively low cost |
| C．powerful function | D．convenient Internet connection |
| A．Because services are limited. |
| B．Because special equipment isn’t built yet. |
| C．Because 5G signals are not strong enough. |
| D．Because the safety of 5G signals is not for sure. |
| A．A story book | B．A science fiction |
| C．A popular science book | D．A research report |
9 . Some people don’t like storms, but I think they are very exciting.
There are often storms at the end of a hot summer day. The clouds are small and white at first.
However, they get bigger and bigger until they make one large black cloud. The sky gets dark and it starts to rain hard. And then the streets are like swimming pools. There is a flash of bright light in the sky and then, after a few seconds, you can hear the loud “bang” of thunder.
Light travels very fast, so we always see the lightning (闪电) before we hear the thunder. If the clouds are one kilometer away, you can count to three, between the lightning and the thunder.
Lightning is very beautiful but it can also be dangerous. Lightning is electricity (电流) “jumping” to the ground from a cloud. It usually hits tall things, so if you are outside when there is thunder and lightning, don’t stand under a tree or tall building. You’d better stay in a car.
1. The streets are like swimming pools because ________.| A．the cloud is large and dark | B．the sky gets dark |
| C．it rains hard | D．it’s a hot summer day |
| A．three | B．six | C．nine | D．twelve |
| A．Climb up a tree. | B．Stand under a tree. |
| C．Stand under tall things. | D．Stay in a car. |
10 . Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents, however, it is not true. Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it’s hard for you to communicate with your parents, don’t worry about it. Here are some advice for you to bridge the generation gap (代沟).
Don’t argue with your parents. Don’t get to your parents when you are angry. Your parents probably won’t consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can’t express (表达) yourself well if you are angry. Go some places to cool off. Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter.
Try to reach a compromise (和解). Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael’s mother didn’t agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days.
Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect (尊重) to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong.
Talk about your values (价值观). The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life.
A good relationship with your parents can make you a better and happier person. It is worth having a try!
1. According to the passage, who have a communication problem?| A．Parents and other people. | B．Only school kids and their parents. |
| C．Teachers and their students. | D．Parents and children of all ages. |
| A．to make yourself happy | B．to get yourself quiet and relaxed |
| C．to have a good rest | D．to hide yourself quickly |
| A．We should write a letter. | B．we should express ourselves well. |
| C．we should show our respect and love. | D．we should tell them our values. |
| A．How to Bridge the Generation Gap | B．How to Deal with Family Problems |
| C．How to Be Good Parents | D．How to Be a Good Child |
