In my opinion, the wheel is the most important thing that human beings have ever invented. It might seem strange to say that something so simple-looking and so ordinary (普通的) could be so important. But if you consider the following points, you will probably agree with me.
Firstly, wheels influence almost every part of our lives. Wheels are used, for example, in clocks, engines (发动机) and trucks. If you visit just one factory, you will see how important wheels are. You will see wheels on almost every machine.
Secondly, wheels play a great part in food production. Wheels are used to grind (磨碎) different kinds of corn into flour (面粉). They are then used to mix flour and other foods into bread. We also need wheels to transport the wheat. If we did not have the wheel, we would have much difficulty in food production.
Thirdly, our world would be completely different if we did not have the wheel for transport. Before the wheel was invented, people used to have to travel on foot or by riding on an animal. That is what we would be doing now if we did not have the wheel. Everything would take longer to do.
We would be back to the Stone Age if some of our clever ancestors (祖先) had not invented the wheel. Our modern world would simply be impossible. The wheel is surely the most important invention of all time.
1. How does the writer start the passage?A.By telling a story. | B.By making a report. | C.By giving an opinion. | D.By offering a suggestion. |
A.The clock. | B.The truck. | C.The engine. | D.The wheel. |
A.Two. | B.Three. | C.Four. | D.Five. |
A.Safe. | B.Busy. | C.Slow. | D.Dangerous. |
(P1=Paragraph 1 P2=Paragraph 2 P3=Paragraph 3 P4=Paragraph 4 P5=Paragraph 5)
A. | B. | C. | D. |
2 . A Survey About Three-child Policy
Li Qiang (age: 27) I drive a bus in Wuhan. Though I like children, it’s hard for me to afford the cost of raising three children. One child will feel lonely. I would like to have two children. Two kids can help each other and share the happiness and sadness. They won’t feel lonely. They can help each other and share the happiness and sadness. |
Liu Mei (age: 13) I’m a middle school student from Nanjing. I don’t want my parents to have another child. If they have another child, they will pay more attention to him. I think I can’t get on well with him. |
Grandma Li (age: 68) I live with my third son, but the other three children often come to visit me and take care of me. I want all my children to have a third child each. After the third baby grows up, he’ll be able to look after his old parents together with his elder brothers or sisters. |
Wang Yun (age: 30) Hello, my husband and I are both doctors. We have a 3-year-old daughter named Anne. We don’t want a second child. We have no time and energy to care for another child because of our busy work. |
A.None. | B.One. | C.Two. | D.Three. |
A.She is fourteen years old. | B.She is a student from Nanjing. |
C.She wants a little brother or sister. | D.Her parents don’t want another child. |
A.lives alone | B.used to be a doctor |
C.is sixty-six years old | D.supports three-child policy |
A.she is too busy to raise another child |
B.her husband doesn’t like another child at all |
C.she thinks raising two children costs too much |
D.Anne doesn’t like to have a little brother or sister |
A.Grandma Li has four children. | B.Li Qiang drives a bus in Wuhan. |
C.Liu Mei studies in a middle school. | D.Wang Yun and her husband are in the same hospital. |
3 . In the USA, a question is asked millions of times every day in the supermarket: “Paper or plastic?” Well, which kind of bag would you choose?
In fact, all kinds of bags have some influence on the environment. But we are always told that paper bags are better. For example, they break down easily and can be recycled. However, making paper bags takes more energy than making plastic bags. How can this be true?
Studies show that paper bag production requires four times as much energy as plastic bag production. And the amount of water used to make paper bags is twenty times higher. And the influence on forests is more serious. It takes about fourteen million trees to produce ten billion paper bags. As for recycling, some people believe that paper bags more environment-friendly than plastic ones. However, this idea can be quickly discarded. Research shows the opposite is true.
Even though paper bags might be more harmful than plastic ones, plastic still seems to be considered by governments as the more harmful of the two. In Ireland, people have to pay 22 cents for every plastic bag, and as a result, their use has dropped quickly.
It seems wise to reuse these bags. However, we’re not doing that a lot. That may be because they are easily broken. If so, cloth bags are a better choice, but still their production also has a bad influence on the environment. So what should we do? How should we answer the question of “Paper or plastic?” It seems that we first need to ask ourselves the following question: “What can I do to help the environment?”
1. The question in Paragraph 1 is used to ________.A.tell reader how to shop | B.explain the writer’s problem |
C.show what will be discussed in the passage | D.show the hard work in the supermarket |
A.need less water to produce | B.recycle less energy to recycle |
C.have a worse influence on forests | D.take more time to break down |
A.分享 | B.抛弃 | C.讨论 | D.提出 |
A.letting people pay for them | B.not allowing people to use them |
C.providing people with paper bags | D.not providing them in the supermarkets |
A.Paper or cloth? | B.Paper or plastic? |
C.A small bag or a big one? | D.A new bag or your own one? |
4 . Summer jobs have always been a great way to earn money, learn important skills and become more independent. Staff shortages in shops and restaurants in the UK mean that there are now more job opportunities for older teenagers this summer. Besides shop and restaurant jobs, there are many other ways for young people to work, such as walking dogs, washing cars, watering plants and running errands for neighbors.
Some say that young people should enjoy their summer break while they can. However, others feel that summer jobs teach valuable life lessons. Young people can find a job that’s proper for their age and skills. Should young people have jobs over the summer?
YES | Three reasons young people should have summer jobs |
1. Summer jobs teach you how to be responsible and the importance of being on time.
2. Working helps children and young people develop soft skills, such as problem solving, communication and teamwork. These are essential to success in jobs and also in life.
3. Children and young people with jobs earn their own money and learn how to manage their hard-earned cash.
NO | Three reasons young people should not have summer jobs |
1. Children and young people work hard during the school year. They need a break over the summer.
2. Summer is a good time to take classes, improve at sports, visit relatives or pursue a personal interest such as music or drawing.
3. Enjoying summer holidays is a big of childhood. Children and young people have their whole lives ahead of them to work.
So what’s your opinion on this matter?
1. The writer writes the passage in order to ________.A.solve a problem | B.show proper steps | C.have a discussion | D.provide some example |
A.their important skills | B.other ways to work | C.their independence | D.staff shortages |
A.value their hard-earned money | B.do all kinds of jobs at their age |
C.enjoy their summer break | D.develop personal interests better |
A.take messages to protect young people | B.make a further survey on the website |
C.help young people develop soft skills | D.write a report to the government |
A.Should young people have summer jobs? | B.How can young people earn money? |
C.Who will most probably have summer jobs? | D.Will young people need valuable life lessons? |
5 . Taking after-school classes is often seen these days among students, especially in big cities. Should students have extra (额外的) classes each week? Please read the students’ debate (辩论).
Pros (正方): Jane
I think it’s a golden chance for me to make a lot of new friends in the after-school classes. I met my best friend Lucy in a math class and we found a lot of things in common. To be as good as her, I often asked her for advice about study during the weekend. Meanwhile (同时), going to cosplay party is our interest.
In the past, I was afraid to speak in front of the whole class on school days because there were about 60 classmates looking at me. However, everything changed because of after-school classes. I was not shy any longer when only 5 students were listening to me in my after-school class. And, I was encouraged to answer the questions. I got such a strong feeling of achievement (成就) when I got an A last Saturday.
Cons (反方): Mike
In my opinion, it’s just a waste of time and money. When I was in primary school my parents sent me to different kinds of these classes, too. But later I found I didn’t want to do that anymore. I began to spend more time on reading, doing sports and taking social (社会的) activities. However, I didn’t fall behind others in study. After-school classes are ahead of school classes. Some knowledge is taught in advance. As a result, we are not willing to take classes seriously at school. Some of us will have bad habits of not listening to the teacher carefully.
1. Why does Jane think the after-school classes are helpful?A.Because there are fewer students there. |
B.Because she can make many new friends. |
C.Because she can learn more knowledge ahead. |
D.Because she wants to make mamy achievements. |
A.Because he doesn’t have enough time. |
B.Because he doesn’t mind his exam result. |
C..Because he enjoys being with best friends. |
D.Because he prefers to save time for things he likes. |
A.适当地 | B.提前地 | C.无效地 | D.快速地 |
A.Extra classes give more chances to answer questions. |
B.Many students get into bad habits in after-school classes. |
C.Most students are interested in taking after-school classes. |
D.Having after-school classes is a good way to get friendship. |
A.More students agree to take after-school classes. |
B.It is better to practice sports than learn exam skills in extra classes. |
C.The older students are, the more seriously they take extra classes. |
D.It depends on students’ needs whether to take extra classes or not. |
All the family love you very much and pay most attention to you because you are the only child in your family. But what will happen if you have a brother or a sister? How will things be different? From October, 2015, one couple can have two children in China.
Soon you may have a brother or a sister. You can play with him or her. You can talk about a lot of things with them and tell your secrets to them. You may even take care of each other. But there could be hard time, too. You may fight and pull each other’s hair. You may compete for your parents’ attention, food, the bathroom and even TV. So life with a brother or a sister will be unpredictable(不可预料的).
A birth order can make a difference. The US psychologist(心理学家), Kevin Leman says birth order help develop children’s personalities(性格). According to Leman, parents are usually nervous and strict with their first child. They always set high goals for children. So the eldest child in a family is wanted to be perfect.
But parents are much more relaxed about the late-born kids. So the younger children have fewer rules. Therefore, they are often more creative. They also try to be funny, so they can get attention from their parents.
1. When can one couple have a second child?A.From September, 2014. | B.From October, 2014. |
C.From September, 2015. | D.From October, 2015. |
A.To share a bathroom. | B.To take care of each other. |
C.To fight with each other. | D.To talk about a lot of things. |
A.吸引 | B.吵闹 | C.争夺 | D.要求 |
A.A brother. | B.A sister. | C.A birth order. | D.Parents’ attention. |
A.The eldest child in a family must be perfect. |
B.The younger child in a family may be more creative. |
C.Life with a brother or a sister will be terrible. |
D.Parents are usually strict with their second child. |
7 . Are Sports Important?
Sports are all around us. We watch and read sports news. There are also sports clubs, and even sports-only channels (频道) on TV. In many countries, players make millions of dollars every year.
But why are sports so important? They’re only games, right?
Our readers(读者) answer:
Vlad (Ukraine乌克兰)
Sports bring people together. In 2006, our team was able to play in the 2006 World Cup for the first time. Everyone was happy. Rich and poor, old and young, men and women—everyone was in the streets together!
Mike (U.S.A.)
Sports bring people together, but they divide them too. Fans of different teams fight all the time—they shout and hit each other. And here’s another example: My brother plays high school baseball. Last week, his team played an important game. At the game, two parents fought (争吵) about a call(裁判的裁决). Come on … baseball is only a game! Sports are so competitive (有竞争力的) these days. It’s all about winning. Then the game isn’t interesting.
Oba (South Africa)
Right now, some of the world’s best soccer players are from African(非洲的) countries, and the 2010 World Cup games held in South Africa(南非). Yes, some players made a lot of money—maybe too much, but sporting events(事件) (like the World Cup) bring tourists(旅游) and money to countries and people. And that is good for Africa.
1. What’s the idea of Vlad to the sports?A.They make people rich. |
B.They bring people happiness all the time. |
C.They bring people together. |
D.They can divide people. |
A.It’s important. | B.It’s exciting. | C.It’s not fun. | D.It’s not competitive. |
A.Because sports can make money for a country. |
B.Because sports can make players rich every year. |
C.Because sports can make people happy. |
D.Because sports can bring people together. |
A.分开 | B.戏弄 | C.相聚 | D.讨厌 |
A.Sports are popular all over the world. |
B.Sports divide people from different countries. |
C.People have different opinions(观点) about sports. |
D.Sports are only games. |
All over the world, thousands of animals are used for wildlife tourism. People travel to watch monkey shows, hug baby tigers and swim with dolphins. It might look like fun, but there are reports that animals are hurt now and again. The World Animal Protection (WAP) says that up to 550,000 wild animals are exposed (暴露) to ill treatment around the world; in Cambodia, for example, it’s been reported that elephants have died after carrying tourists for long in hot weather. This is getting attention—over 100 travel companies have promised that they will no longer open up such places. However, some people argue that animal tourism isn’t always as bad as it seems. So what do you think?
Group Yes | Group No |
●Animals weren’t put on this planet for enjoyment. They should be free to live as they choose. ●The way animals are treated is often cruel and causes much pain. Even if treated well, they can’t act in the same way as they would in the wild. ●We don’t need wildlife tourism. We can see animals close up in their natural home in TV programs. There’s no need to disturb (打扰) them in real life. | ●It is enjoyable and educational for people to communicate with the wonderful animals. The more people know about them, the more they want to protect them. ●Wildlife tourism brings money to poor area and may be the only way for some people to make a living. ●Not all animals are treated badly. Some endangered animals are under the protection of programs that look after rare species (稀有物种). |
A.More than 100. | B.Hundreds. | C.Thousands. | D.About 550,000. |
A.foreign travelers | B.sick elephants | C.wildlife protection | D.animal tourism |
A.Animals can live wherever they like. | B.Wildlife should be protected. |
C.Animal tourism supports poor people. | D.Wildlife is well looked after. |
A.in Cambodia | B.in travel companies | C.in real life | D.in poor areas |
A.Ways of protecting rare species. | B.Different opinions on wildlife tourism. |
C.How to bring tourists enjoyment. | D.Whether to collect information on wildlife. |
9 . President Xi encouraged the country’s youth to study hard and take in the knowledge like sponge (海绵). Xi has valued the development of Chinese youth. Now, let’s have a look at what he has said to us:
Be eagerly interested in learning more.
Youth is an important time to train a person’s thinking and abilities, and young people should be thirsty for knowledge and eager to learn about something that is new.
Study for the rise of our country.
Young people should have a good understanding of the things that happened in the past and progress of the Chinese people’s hard work in modern times. They should give themselves away to the motherland, the people and the nation.
Long Road of the life.
The road of life for young people is long. Along the way, there is sunshine as well as rains and winds, joy as well as sadness.
Always expect the best and hold on to your dream.
Young people should smile and try their best forever when facing difficulties. They should dare to dream and work very hard to realize their dreams.
The way to realize the Chinese Dream.
Learning is necessary for young people’s growth and progress. The qualities and abilities of young people will have a strong influence on realizing the Chinese Dream.
Be interested in learning | Young people should be thirsty for knowledge and eager to learn about |
Study for our country | Young people should have a good understanding of the things that happened in the past and progress of the Chinese people’s |
Expect and hold on to your dream | Young people should smile and difficulties. |
The way to realize the Chinese Dream | For young people’s growth and progress, it is |
10 . When an Italian man went to work with a mask (口罩) to protect himself from the COVID-19, he was criticized (批评) by his workmates for causing panic (恐慌). But in China and other Asian countries, almost everyone wears a mask during outbreaks (爆发). Why do the East and the West have different ideas about wearing masks?
In the West, people wear masks only when they get sick. People see masks as a tool to protect sick people and stop disease (疾病) from spreading, so healthy people don’t need to wear them. If a person goes out with a mask, other people may look at him like a virus (病毒) spreader. Even their friends tried to stay away from them. Some Western people say wearing a mask in public makes them feel “worried”, “shy”, and “afraid of being looked at differently”. But as the number of COVID-19 cases (病例) keeps growing around the world, more and more healthy people are starting to wear masks to protect themselves, people in the West are changing their ideas.
In Asian countries like China and Japan, wearing masks is common. In 1910, Chinese doctor Wu Liande invented the modern medical mask. During the 2003 SARS, people used masks widely in China and East Asia. Many Chinese also wear masks to keep warm in winter or protect against air pollution.
In Japan, some young women may wear masks when they don’t have their makeup (化妆) on. Many pop stars in Asia also wear masks to protect their privacy (隐私) when they go out. This cultural background has made it easier for people in the East to wear masks during the COVID-19 outbreak.
1. How did the Italian man’s workmates feel about him?A.He caused panic. | B.He was too worried to work. |
C.He didn’t want to go to work. | D.He wanted to protect himself. |
A.Because they are afraid to look ugly with face masks. |
B.Because they don’t want others to know they are ill. |
C.Because they hope to comfort other people in this way. |
D.Because they don’t think healthy people need masks. |
A.In England. | B.In China. | C.In Japan. | D.In the USA. |
A.Asian people wear masks to protect their privacy. |
B.Asian people wear masks to protect against air pollution. |
C.Asian people wear masks to stop disease from spreading. |
D.Asian people wear masks to make them look fashionable (时尚的). |
A.Western people’s trouble of wearing masks. |
B.The reasons why masks are popular in Asian culture. |
C.Different ideas of using masks in Eastern and Western countries. |
D.The importance of wearing masks during the COVID-19 outbreak. |