1 . The year 2024 celebrates the Year of the Dragon. Among the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac (生肖), the dragon is the only one that is not real. Though it looks scary, Chinese people respect it and even see themselves as the “descendants (后代) of the dragon”.
Wen Yiduo (1899—1946), a well—known Chinese scholar (学者) of his time, said that the idea of a Chinese dragon formed gradually during tribal (部落的) wars. When a strong tribe that highly respected snakes beat other tribes, the tribe mixed the features of its enemies’ totem (图腾) animals with its own to create something truly strong.
Guo Dashun, an archaeologist (考古学家), believes that the idea of a dragon began to grow in northeastern China. There, in Fuxin city, Liaoning province, archaeologists found in 1982 what appeared to be a dragon made up of granite (花岗岩) pieces. Dating back to 6000 BC, it is the oldest craft (工艺品) that looks like a dragon.
In northeastern China, archaeologists also found many small jade (玉) dragons that date back to as early as 3500 BC.
“If you look really closely, they “look like” ... a newborn – be it a pig, a bear, or a deer ...” said Teng Shu—ping, a leading scholar from Taiwan who studies ancient Chinese jade.
These jade dragons, created by people whose society and art were still in the early time, show “a deep—felt surprise with the [changing] force of life,” she said. She said this is what gives the Chinese dragon its “heartbeat ”.
1. When was the oldest dragon—like craft found in China?| A．1899. | B．1982. | C．3500 BC. | D．6000 BC. |
| A．Pig. | B．Bear. | C．Deer. | D．Rabbit. |
| A．Because it is the only animal that is not real. |
| B．Because it looks powerful. |
| C．Because they see themselves as descendants of the dragon. |
| D．Because it is mixed with snakes, which were respected in ancient times. |
| A．Fully grown animals. | B．Ancient artifacts. |
| C．Newborn creatures. | D．Mythological creatures. |
| A．To create something truly strong. |
| B．Because they admired their enemies’ totem animals. |
| C．Because they wanted to confuse their enemies. |
| D．Because they didn't have their own totem animals. |
2 . ①In May 2022, a video of a group of reality show fans pouring milk out of bottles and collecting the bottle tops caught our attention online. They wanted the tops, which had QR codes printed inside, so that they could support (支持) their idols in the TV show.
②What they did is common in fan quan, where most of fans are minors (未成年人). According to China Daily, the rise of fan quan has caused many worries. For example, the fans spend too much time and money to make their idols as popular as possible, and some people even say something bad about other stars on the Internet.
③Moreover, these youngsters are often led to raise money to support their idols. Because they have little social experience and can’t tell good or bad by themselves. It is bad for forming health y social behavior (行为) among teenagers, said China Daily.
④However, these improper behaviors will not be allowed any more. In June, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC, 国家网信办) started a two-month nationwide activity called “Clear and Bright” to clean up the online environment. Until 2024, more than 10 stars have been punished because they disobeyed the law.
⑤Hopefully, such negative behaviors will be dealt with in the near future and the stars should have the sense to set a good example for the minors.
1. According to Paragraph 1, people were pouring milk to ________.| A．share information about their idols | B．show thanks to their idols |
| C．collect bottle tops | D．draw people’s attention online |
a. fans waste time and money.
b. different group of fans say something bad about each other’s idols
c. minors in fan quan are easily misled
d. the reality show develops too fast
| A．abc | B．abd | C．acd | D．bcd |
| A．the success of the activity “Clear and Bright” |
| B．minors’ hopes of the activity “Clear and Bright” |
| C．some actions of the activity “Clear and Bright” |
| D．the reasons for the activity “Clear and Bright” |
| A．teenagers are not allowed to speak about their idols online |
| B．teenagers are no longer allowed to support their idols |
| C．supporting idols by raising money is not allowed |
| D．nobody is allowed to organize any kind of fan quan |
| A．①/②/③④⑤ | B．①②/③/④⑤ | C．①/②③/④⑤ | D．①②/③④/⑤. |
Although students are busy studying, it is important to remember another area of study—life skills, such as washing clothes and growing vegetables. They are useful in our daily life. Here are some opinions about life skills education.
Mrs. Blair Children need to learn most of the life skills at school. As parents, we can help them take part in activities around the house and in the neighbourhood.
Li Ping We have life skills classes at school. They’re quite useful. They help prepare for everyday real-life situations, from washing dishes to preparing a meal. These classes give us knowledge we need to live on our own.
Kevin I’m not sure whether it is necessary because I haven’t tried life skills classes yet. In my school, many students pay no attention to learning life skills. They don’t think it will improve their chances of getting into college.
Mary Having life skills classes at school is important. Besides, there are other ways for us to learn life skills. We can watch videos on the Internet. We can also learn from our parents and take part in the activities with them.
1. These opinions probably come from________.| A．parents and advisers | B．students and teachers |
| C．parents and students | D．journalists and teachers |
| A．Knowledge for college. | B．Chances to help our neighbours. |
| C．Knowledge for living alone. | D．Chances to learn from our parents. |
| A．they are not interested in it | B．it’s helpless for attending college |
| C．they are not sure what to learn | D．it’s useless to improve living level |
| A．Li Ping, Kevin and Mary. | B．Mrs. Blair, Kevin and Mary. |
| C．Mrs. Blair, Li Ping and Kevin. | D．Mrs. Blair, Li Ping and Mary. |
①making videos online ②cooking ③doing dishes
④washing clothes ⑤growing vegetables
| A．①②③④ | B．②③④⑤ | C．①②④⑤ | D．①③④⑤ |
4 . Now there are many ways to lock the phone to protect our information. Which way do you like to use to protect your information? Let’s look at the following four students.
Lisa thinks the fingerprint (指纹) unlock is her favorite, because it can unlock her phone more quickly. And the pattern (图案) unlock is not safe, because other people might see the pattern and memorize it.
“I think the fingerprint unlock is safer, for everyone’s fingerprint is not the same. Some people like to use numbers as their passwords (密码). I think the numbers can be forgotten easily,” Michael says. But, Maria doesn’t agree, “I think fingerprint unlock is not safe, because fingerprints can be copied. I prefer the face unlock.”
For John, he doesn’t like the pattern unlock as it’s not safe. In his opinion, many people use patterns shaped like “Z”, “L”, or “W”, which are easy to guess.
1. How many ways to unlock the mobile phones are mentioned (被提到) in the passage?| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．The fingerprint unlock. | B．The pattern unlock. |
| C．The face unlock. | D．The voice unlock. |
| A．The numbers passwords. | B．The fingerprint unlock. |
| C．The pattern unlock. | D．The face unlock. |
| A．It’s very good. | B．It’s quite quick. |
| C．It can be copied. | D．It’s not safe. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
5 . Arts venues, such as theaters, cinemas and opera houses, lost a lot of money during the COVID-19 when they closed. The public missed out, too, because people couldn’t go to shows. Going to a show, especially around festivals, is enjoyable. The excitement starts as the lights dim and the heavy curtain (幕布) rises. However, tickets can be very expensive: for example, it can cost more than £100 for a ticket to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre in London. Even when shows are not as costly, many people cannot afford (负担得起) the ticket prices, so they miss out. Some places are trying to make sure that nobody is left out because of cost by asking audiences to pay what they can afford. What do you think? Should all shows be “pay what you can”?
Agree | Disagree |
| 1. Arts and culture should be open to all, no matter your income or background. Pay what you can opens the arts to everyone. 2. Many arts venues are charities and also get public money, so they should give back to the audiences. 3. Being open and inclusive (包容的) may cause people to give more money to the venues, so that more people can go to its shows. | 1. The price of the ticket affects the quality of the art. “Pay what you can” would mean “pay nothing”, it makes the work seem less valuable (有价值的) . 2. Studies found that it’s not the price of a ticket that puts people off going to see a show but the thought that the show won’t be any good. 3. It is expensive to put on a good show and those who enjoy the show should share in that cost and support the performers. |
Tell us what you think by voting (投票) at our website. We’ll announce the results next week.
1. What may the underlined word venues mean?| A．places where shows are put on | B．artists who play a part in the show |
| C．musicians who give a concert | D．tickets to the art performance |
| A．write an e-mail | B．get public money | C．support the venues | D．vote at a website |
| A．Should all arts and culture be free? | B．Should all shows be “pay what you can”? |
| C．Should venues give money to the public? | D．Should the public give money to venues? |
| A．Science | B．Health | C．Culture | D．Environment. |
| A．tell the public the condition of venues | B．make the public interested in art |
| C．ask the public not to pay for the shows | D．get the public to talk about the topic |
6 . It was a very cold day and the wind was blowing. But Li Yungang didn’t feel it. He even felt hot. After all, this 14-year-old student from Beijing Jingshan School was cutting grass for three hours.
This was the first time this city boy had done any farm work. “It was not that easy. My legs and arms were sore,” he said.
From now on, more Beijing middle school students will have a similar experience. More than 5, 500 students from 13 city middle schools will take part in a one-week farm work program in the autumn and spring, according to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
About 250 students from Beijing Jingshan School took part in it from Oct. 25th to 30th. They dug peanuts (花生), cut grass, swept fallen leaves and did other farm work.
Lin Ruohan, 13, thought the work was hard, but she also felt it was very enjoyable. “When we dig peanuts out, we must be quick to pick them up. If not, they may be covered in the ground again. We must be patient and work as a team,” she said.
But when she tasted the fresh peanuts, she felt happy. “I had never eaten such sweet peanuts before,” she said.
Some of her classmates also learned what kind of fruits and peanuts grow in the ground. “We learned a lot about farming by seeding (播种 ) them rather than just reading about them in textbooks,” she said.
The farm not only gave them knowledge but also gave them a new view. “I didn’t see high buildings, but instead colorful leaves and endless fields. I felt very comfortable, and I felt closer to nature,” said Qin Yupeng, 14.
1. What did Li Yungang think of the farm work?| A．Difficult and tiring. | B．Easy but boring. |
| C．Easy and interesting. | D．Difficult but enjoyable. |
| A．The Beijing Municipal Education Commission. | B．Seeding. |
| C．A farm work program. | D．Cutting grass. |
| A．the help of farmers | B．the guide of teachers |
| C．interest and courage | D．patience and teamwork |
| A．To introduce a helpful program. | B．To show us how to do farm work. |
| C．To praise some students from city. | D．To tell us knowledge about farming. |
| A．In a storybook. | B．In a newspaper. | C．In a science book. | D．In a travel magazine. |
7 . Amazon has released （发布）a home robot called Astro. The robot can be controlled when the owner is not at home. It has a camera and microphone（麦克风）, so it can be used to check on pets and people, or whether the oven is left on.
Some people think that home robots might help people a lot while other people worry about the data （数据） robots collect about owners. Are home robots a good idea?
| Group Yes ●Nobody likes housework, so why not get a robot to do it? When the robot is busy working, people can spend time doing things they enjoy, watching films or spending time with friends. ●Robots can also make people feel safer in their homes. It can keep an eye on pets or people so the person who is not there knows they are all right. ● Robots can stop people from feeling lonely. For example, they are used to ▲ and help us stay in touch. | Group No ●Although it is convenient to get robots to do chores, people will become dependent on them soon. If the robot breaks down, people could be left stranded（不知所措的）. ●Robots with cameras and microphones could record lots of information about people, including their conversations and invade（入侵）their privacy（隐私）. ●If robots do everything for people, they will become lazy. Doing housework is a good way to stay active and keep healthy. |
| A．telling reasons | B．giving an example |
| C．comparing facts | D．asking questions |
①doing the cleaning.
②recording information.
③keeping an eye on dogs.
④stopping people from loneliness.
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．look after pets. | B．make the room tidy. |
| C．video-call others. | D．check if the door is closed. |
| A．Functions of home robots. | B．Advantages of home robots. |
| C．Ways of using home robots. | D．Different opinions on home robots. |
| A．Film&TV. | B．Culture&Festival. |
| C．Sport&Health. | D．Science&Technology. |
8 . Life skills classes teach students how to cook for themselves, manage their money and have healthy personal relationships. These classes often give students real-life problems to solve. But some schools say these classes aren’t important and students must concentrate only on academic（学业的）knowledge. What do you think?
| Yes—these are skills everyone needs Life skills classes help students prepare for responsibilities they will need to face in the real world, from fixing a bike to changing a car tire to preparing a meal. These classes give students knowledge they need to live independently whether they go away to college or get a job. Many of these classes also teach “soft skills”, like listening and positive communication, which are valuable things to have in the work world and in personal relationships. As students get more life skills, they become more confident in themselves and their ability to handle any situation. |
| No—kids can learn on their own There are ways for children to learn life skills without classes at school. They can watch videos on the Internet or take classes on platforms（平台）such as Smart Education of China. It should also be parents’ responsibility to teach their children much of what they need to learn, such as being responsible for their money. Many parents feel life skills classes won’t help their children get into a competitive university, because colleges do not value life skills as highly as other kinds of knowledge. For that reason, students are less likely to choose to take life skills classes, so it makes sense that fewer schools are offering them. |
| A．asking a question | B．telling a story | C．giving an example | D．listing numbers |
| A．充满 | B．处理 | C．对比 | D．连接 |
| A．Useless. | B．Important. | C．Easy. | D．Amazing. |
| A．Learning life skills is necessary for students nowadays. |
| B．Students should spend more time on communication. |
| C．Studies are more important than life skills in real life. |
| D．Children should be taught life skills by their parents. |
| A．Will There Be Life Skills Classes in School? |
| B．Should Schools Teach Life Skills Classes? |
| C．Are Life Skills Classes Good for Students? |
| D．Are Students Allowed to Take Life Skills Classes? |
9 . My dad gave me a piece of advice when I was a know-it-all teenager. He said, “Never say in anger what you don’t mean, because you can say you’re sorry, but you can’t take it back. It has the power of life and death.” That means our words can either speak of life, or can speak of death.
We may all experience the power of words in our life, even when we were very young. A child is criticized by teachers or parents for bad grades, and after that, he might probably think of himself as a stupid child. Most of us have that experience. They say it is important to praise children four times for each negative word. Criticizing will make things worse, while positive words are helpful especially when someone is in trouble or in need. When we fail the exam, encouraging words from our teachers or parents make us work harder at our lessons. Encouraging words can go quite a long way. They cheer people up. For example, encouraging words to someone who is sad can help him make it through the day. Words can have a powerful effect on your brain. And it will have a great influence on your action, too.
Everything you do depends on what you choose to do. It’s not your parents, your past relationships or your job, but it’s you who are responsible for every goal you set. If you have dreams in life, write them down and speak them out. Your words are likely to bring you out something amazing. So how do we deal with our tongue later?
1. The underlined word “It” in Paragraph 1 refers to “______”.| A．our anger | B．the writer’s advice |
| C．what you say | D．our experience |
| A．he is not smart | B．the teacher is unfair |
| C．the paper is too difficult | D．he will be lucky |
| A．Some safety tips. | B．Some useful practice. |
| C．Negative words. | D．Positive words. |
| A．Failing an exam. | B．Encouraging words. |
| C．Criticizing words. | D．Easy lessons. |
| A．how to cool ourselves | B．how to praise children |
| C．the experience of the writer | D．the power of words |
10 . Exams cause anxiety(焦虑). The silence of the hall; the sound of the clock; the proud look of the person sitting at the neighboring desk who has finished 15 minutes early. So there is little surprise that those who worry about taking exams do worse than those who do not.
According to a recent research by Maria Theobald, perhaps, it is not the pressure(压力) of the exam hall that causes the problem. It is the pressure of review.
Dr. Theobald worked with 309 students who were preparing for a very important final exam. During the 100 days before that, the students used an app which showed them old exam questions and recorded their performance. They also sat a mock exam(模拟考) 40 days before the real exam. To know their levels of anxiety, students were given 1-5 points to questions every day.
Dr. Theobald found that anxiety on the day of the test did not predict exam performance at all. What predicted it was the level of knowledge a student showed in the mock and the earlier digital-learning activities. Those who perform ed well in these also did well in the real exam. And what actually affected students were high levels of anxiety during the weeks before the real exam took place. The greater a student’s anxiety in the days before the exam, the less knowledge he or she got during that time.
To reduce the anxiety, Dr. Theobald has his advice for students. First, they can raise their confidence in their own abilities. Second, they can reduce the importance of the test by telling themselves that, though it is important, it is not a life-or-death situation.
1. Which of the following affects exam results most according to paragraph 1-2?| A．The sound of the clock. | B．The silence of the hall. |
| C．The pressure of the review. | D．The proud look from the neighboring desk. |
| A．process | B．results | C．reasons | D．importance |
| A．The test. | B．The advice. | C．The anxiety. | D．The situation. |
| A．The more mock exams you take, the better results you will get. |
| B．Students should pay less attention to the test to reduce the anxiety. |
| C．If you have more knowledge before exams, you will have less anxiety in exams. |
| D．Anxiety during review affects exam performance more than that during the exams. |
| A．Can you perform well in exams? | B．What may cause you exam anxiety? |
| C．How can you reduce exam anxiety? | D．Does anxiety affect exam performance? |
