(Later that night in Princess Ann’s bedroom. She picks up the skirt of her nightgrown and drops it. )
Ann (安妮公主): (brushing her hair) I hate this nightgown (睡袍). I hate all my nightgowns.
Countess (伯爵夫人): (coming over to her bed) My dear, you have lovely things.
Ann: But I’m not two hundred years old! Why can’t I sleep in comfortable clothes?
Countess: Comfortable clothes!
Ann: Yes. Did you know there are people who sleep with absolutely nothing on at all?
Countess: I’m lucky I did not. Now your milk and biscuits. They’ll help you to sleep.
Ann (stubbornly 固执地): I’m too tired to sleep—can’t sleep a wink.
Countess: (putting on her glasses, taking a diary from the bed table) Now my dear, if you don’t mind, please check tomorrow’s schedule (日程表). (Running through the items with a pen) Eight thirty, have breakfast here with officers; nine o’clock, we leave for the Polinory Car Factory where you’ll be presented with a small car.
Ann: (absently playing with biscuits) Thank you.
Countess: Which you will not accept?
Ann: No, thank you.
Countess: Ten thirty-five, Food and Agricultural Organization will present you with an olive tree.
Ann: No, thank you.
Countess: Which you will accept?
Ann: Thank you.
Countess: Ten fifty-five, the New foundling Home For Orphans. You will make a speech; same speech as last Monday. Eleven forty-five, back here to rest. No, that’s wrong…Eleven forty-five, have a meeting here with a number of reporters.
Ann: Oh, my god, I would be mad.
Countess (patiently): One o’clock, have lunch with the Foreign Ministry. You will wear your white dress and carry small pink roses. Three-five, presentation of a medal. Four-ten, review special guard of Police. Four forty-five back here to change to your uniform to meet the international …
Ann (screaming at the Countess): STOP! Please stop! Stop…!
Countess (getting the tray back): It’s all right, dear, it didn’t spill (溢出) (she places the tray on the table. )
Ann: I don’t care it’s spilled. I don’t care if I’m drown in it! (throws her head into the pillow die in it. )
Countess (putting her hands on her shoulders to comfort her): My dear, you’re ill. I’ll send for Doctor Bonnachoven.
—Excerpt from Roman Holiday
1. What should Ann wear to sleep?| A．Her skirt. | B．Her nightgown. |
| C．Comfortable clothes. | D．Her uniform. |
a. Ann will be presented with an olive tree.
b. Ann will have lunch with the Foreign Ministry.
c. Ann will leave for the Polinory Car Factory.
d. Ann will wear her uniform to meet the international guests.
e. Ann will make a speech at the New foundling Home For Orphans.
| A．a-d-b-e-c | B．d-a-b-c-e | C．e-b-a-d-c | D．c-a-e-b-d |
| A．She wants to stop to change her uniform. |
| B．She stops to ask if milk is spilled from the tray. |
| C．The busy schedule almost drives her mad. |
| D．She can’t stop beginning her tomorrow’s schedule. |
| A．Ann is thankful to accept her arrangement (安排). |
| B．Ann has a colourful and interesting life as a princess. |
| C．Countess looks after Ann very well and always comforts her. |
| D．Ann is not really ill but gets tired with her schedule and royal life. |
1. Which of the following is a suggestion given by Alex to Star44?
| A．Block and report the friend. |
| B．Explain the reason to the friend. |
| C．Keep the password secret from anyone else. |
| D．Refuse to answer mean and hurtful messages. |
| A．Unkind, unfriendly, and cruel. |
| B．Not willing to give or share things. |
| C．Average, between the highest and the lowest. |
| D．Poor in quality, or poor and dirty in appearance. |
| A．Learning stress. | B．Online safety. |
| C．Time management. | D．Family issues. |
1. What is the name of the play?
| A．Not an Actor? | B．Critters on Ice! |
| C．The School Play. | D．Flora, Richard, Tim and James. |
| A．prepare the fun backgrounds | B．call the students for auditions |
| C．make sure every word is heard | D．make the lights follow each animal |
| A．a speech | B．a poster | C．a report | D．a poem |
Scene 1
An flat car park. The sound of two shots from guns is heard. Anna’s body is lying in the flat parking lot next to her red car. She was murdered around 20:00. Two bullets (子弹) were found in her body, one through her right leg, the other fatal bullet in her heart, leaving her pink short skirt and white blouse bloody. Her cello was in her car.
[With some neighbours around, two policemen get out of police car and walk to the body in the flat car park.]
Policeman one: Who called the police?
Ms Green: I did, sir. I’m the owner of flat and Anna, the victim, is a tenant living in my flat. I called the police as soon as I found the dead body.
Policeman one: What else do you know about her?
Ms Green: Anna is a female musician who plays the cello. She decided to take part in the concert, but she won’t play because someone is troubling her. That’s Peter. Anna hasn’t played the cello for almost a week, not even touched it.
Policeman one: Where is Peter?
Ms Green: He’s here now. Look, just that young man in a black jacket.
Policeman one: Mr. Peter, please come here and tell us what you know.
Peter: OK, Sir. I’m Anna’s boyfriend and we love each other. I know she wants to play the cello tonight and I am ready to pick her up at 20:10, so we can get the theater together. But it didn’t happen.
Policeman one: Were you with her when the gun shot?
Peter: No, I know nothing about the shot.
[The other policeman contacted the conductor (指挥) of the orchestra (乐团), Jack. Now Jack arrives.]
Policeman two: Mr. Jack, please tell us about the concert tonight.
Jack: Well, we do have a small concert tonight. All the women members of the orchestra were asked to wear a purple dress and white blouse, while male members should wear white shirt and black pants. Usually, they get everything ready at home. Anna has been in our orchestra for some time and she should be able to perform without everyday practice, because there are all old songs.
Policeman two: Thank you for your support, sir.
(To be continued...)
1. What kind of crime is it in this play?| A．Theft. | B．Murder. | C．Kidnapping. | D．Traffic crime. |
| A．In a concert. | B．Peter’s flat. | C．In the car park. | D．At the police station. |
| A．Because he didn’t believe the other two witnesses. |
| B．Because the police wanted to find more clues to the crime. |
| C．Because Policeman one was too busy to contact him. |
| D．Because the conductor knew everything about the victim. |
| A．The concert without Anna that night. |
| B．The conversation with the three witnesses. |
| C．How Peter and Anna fall in love with each other. |
| D．How the police do further research on the case. |
Scene 1
Characters: Evan, Mrs. Bordoni, Mr. Contez, Rita, Marco, Tom
(The setting: One morning at an elementary school.)
Mrs. Bordoni: (Stands at the school gate) Good morning! You need to go straight to your classrooms, children. (A shy boy walks up, looking nervous.) What is your name?
Evan: (Looking at the ground) My name is Evan.
Mrs. Bordoni: Welcome to Northside. I’m the principal（校长）, Mrs. Bordoni.
Evan: (Looks surprised) Oh! Good morning.
Mrs. Bordoni: I know you are new, but you will like it here. I will take you to your classroom.
Evan: I didn’t want to move and leave my friends.
Mrs. Bordoni: You will have friends here. You’ll see.
Mrs. Bordoni: Here’s your room, 106.
Mr. Cortez: Welcome to our class! I’m Mr. Cortez.
Evan: (The class looks at him. He speaks softly.) Hello.
Mr. Cortez: We are talking about a story we just read. Who can tell Evan what it was about?
Rita: This family moves to a new state. Their story is both funny and sad.
Evan: (Cheering up) Did they like the new place?
Marco: Not at first. But they made lots of new friends.
Mr. Cortez: What happened to make them change their minds?
Tom: The girl from next door said she needed help. When they got to her house, a sign said, “Welcome”.
Marco: It was a surprise party for them. The whole family was laughing.
Mr. Cortez: The neighbors made the family feel welcome.
Mrs. Bordoni: (Stands in the doorway) Evan, it’s time for lunch.
(They enter the lunchroom. A sign says,“Welcome Evan”.)
Mrs. Bordoni: It is hard to change schools and leave old friends. Now, we are your friends.
Evan: (Smiles) I can’t believe you did this for me.
1. Who is Rita ?
| A．The principal. | B．The teacher | C．Evan’s new classmate | D．Evan’s old friend |
| A．What the characters are saying to each other. | B．When and where each scene happens. |
| C．How the characters are acting or speaking. | D．What the play is about. |
| A．what the play about |
| B．what the writer acts in the play |
| C．what the characters are saying to each other |
| D．what the characters are doing and how they are acting |
| A．Evan will miss his old friends even more. | B．Evan will be the top student in the new school. |
| C．Evan will make a lot of friends in the new school. | D．Evan will change the school again. |
| A．A Funny Story | B．A Surprise Party | C．Evan’s Welcome | D．Evan’s Worries |
| Take a selfie(自拍) in space |  |
| Thanks to the NASA Selfies app, we can take our own selfies in space. You first take a picture with your phone. The app sticks your picture inside the helmet(头盔) of an astronaut. You can then choose a background. Tada! You can pretend(假装) to be an astronaut. | |
| Diet of a shark |  |
| Do all sharks eat meat? This may not be the case for the bonnethead shark(窄头双髻鲨). According to studies from the University of California, this kind of shark also eats seagrass. Sixty percent of their daily diet is made up of plants. They can digest(消化) the seagrass without any problems. | |
| Hot and hungry insects |  |
| Global warming is having many side effects(副作用). “It is even causing insects to eat more crops,” the Atlantic reported. Higher temperatures can increase the insects’ metabolism(新陈代谢). This makes them eat more and also breed(繁殖) more quickly. | |
| ▲ |  |
| Learning music can improve children’s language skills, according to scientists from MIT. Children who learn a musical instrument, especially piano, are more sensitive(敏感的) to different tones(音调). This helps them learn words better. |
| A．It sends your picture to a spacecraft. | B．It allows you to board a spacecraft. |
| C．It has a special helmet for you to wear. | D．It puts your photo in an astronaut’s helmet. |
| A．Meat. | B．Plants. | C．Insects. | D．Seabirds. |
| A．Insects are eating more crops. | B．Insects are breeding more slowly. |
| C．Insects’ body temperature is increasing. | D．Our metabolism is speeding up. |
| A．Different language skills | B．The power of music |
| C．Choose the best instrument | D．Be sensitive to music |
Scrooge was a cold, greedy, mean, old man. Scrooge and Marley were business partners for years. Scrooge was his only friend and his only mourner when Marley died. He lived in Jacob Marley’s old apartment. It was very rundown.
That evening, the fog and frost hung over the black gateway to the house. And the yard was so dark that Scrooge had to feel his way along with his hands. To his surprise, Scrooge saw Marley’s face instead of the knocker（门环）when Scrooge put his key in the lock. Scrooge looked at the door knocker for several moments, and then it changed back to being a door knocker again.
Scrooge was quite scared. He quickly closed the door and then he went up to his room. It was very dark because Scrooge only had a candle. But darkness didn’t worry Scrooge, because darkness is cheap. And Scrooge liked cheap things.
Suddenly he heard a loud clanking sound. It came from downstairs. Somebody was pulling a heavy chain over the barrels in the wine merchant’s cellar. It was coming straight towards his room.
The face was the same. It was Marley, he was dragging a chain. Scrooge stared at the ghost of Marley as it stood there before him. But still he didn’t believe it was really there.
“Who are you?” asked Scrooge, calmly.
“In life I was your partner. Jacob Marley.”
“Why are you carrying that chain?” asked Scrooge, trembling.
Scrooge was trying very hard not to be scared. The Ghosts voice scared him and its cold eyes frightened him.
“I wear the chain that I made in life,” replied the Ghost. “I made it link by link, and metre to by metre. I wound it around myself. Does it look strange to you?”
“I had the opportunity to be kind and do good in life. But I did nothing. Now I’m dead. I regret that,” cried the Ghost. “I’m here tonight to warn you. You can still escape my fate（命运）. I’m giving you a chance... ”
—Taken from A Christmas Carol
1. Why did Scrooge have to feel his way along with his hands?2. What did Scrooge see instead of a door knocker that night?
3. How did Scrooge feel when he saw the ghost?
4. Why did the Ghost come to Scrooge’s room?
5. What do you think of Scrooge?
8 . Me: Hello, Television Viewers! I am Aziza Bellamy, and thanks for watching. I want to especially thank you, Ms. Bertha, for agreeing to this interview on live television. It’s a pleasure to meet you, the first-known trans-galactic visitor to Earth. Now, I understand that you are from a planet called Zadernol.
Bertha: Just call me Miss Bertha or Bertha, please, but not “Ms. ”
Me: Okay, sorry about that. So, you’ve been on Earth for about a week now. What have been your biggest disappointments or challenges so far?
Bertha: It’s not the worst planet I’ve ever been to. Mercury was much worse. The aliens—oops, I mean humans, have been unkind, overall. The family I’m staying with, for example, were nice at first. But now they roll their eyes whenever I open my mouth to say anything. They’re not interested in any of my stories. And I think they may be trying to avoid me. Worst of all, they make me wash my own dishes and bathe myself. They’re so rude.
Me: Oh, um…wow. That’s just…
Bertha: I am used to having high standards when I choose where to stay, by the way. I have stayed with royalty and presidents on other planets. And they all adored (崇拜) me and begged me not to leave. But I gave this human family a chance to host me. I mean, really, they should be grateful that I selected them, of all the people on Earth, to wash my clothes and cook my meals and entertain (款待) me.
Me: Well, what you’re saying is surprising, Bertha. Do you think it’s possible that this family just wants you to pitch in a little, to be a good guest?
Bertha: It’s odd to me that you’re not agreeing with me. If you were smarter, you’d agree with me. That’s another thing. Everyone on Zadernol is smarter than the smartest person on Earth. Earth is below me.
Me: You know what. Bertha? I’m starting to see why you’re so unhappy here on Earth. You’re just a boastful (自夸的), spoiled alien.
1. Who is hosting the interview?| A．Bertha. | B．Aziza Bellamy. | C．A trans-galactic visitor. | D．A president. |
| A．Well, what you’re saying is surprising, Bertha. |
| B．So, you’ve been on Earth for about a week now. |
| C．I have stayed with royalty and presidents on other planets. |
| D．But now they roll their eyes whenever I open my mouth to say anything. |
| A．proud of Bertha | B．interested in Zademol |
| C．dissatisfied with Bertha | D．scared of Bertha’s words |
| A．It was an unusual interview, and an unexpected experience as well. |
| B．We should try to improve our earth as Berthas hometown is much better. |
| C．The interview was interesting. But I dislike the family Bertha is staying with. |
| D．Talking to Bertha was great fun. I now know much about Zademol. |
| A．boasting a lot is a good way to get people to like us | B．there are many good reasons to be boastful |
| C．people who boast a lot are better than others | D．being boastful will win us few friends |
9 . Scene 1
Lights come up on a village. A castle rises above a village. Villagers pass by, doing their business. Two stop when they see the beautiful Princess.
［Characters: Sarah, Mary, Princess, Tutor (私人教师), Guards (卫兵), Scribe (书记员)］
Sarah: Isn’t she the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?
Mary: True. She is perfect. (The Princess notices them talking about her.)
Sarah: Her parents must be truly good to receive such a treasure.
Princess: (Angry) What are you two staring (盯着) at?
Mary: (Nervous) We were just, ...
Princess: “You were just” what? Staring? Gawking (呆呆看着)? Why don’t you go somewhere and mind your own business?
Sarah: Forgive (宽恕) us, Princess.
Mary: We didn’t mean to make you unhappy. We truly hope you can forgive us. (Sarah and Mary rush away nervously.)
Princess: Yeah, well forgive this. (She throws stones at them.) Ha! Got them. (Laughs) That’ll teach them.
Tutor: (He comes from the castle.) Must you treat the farmers that way?
Princess: (Pulls his hair.) I must!
Tutor: Can’t you behave like a lady?
Princess: I will, if you will! (Laughs)
Tutor: Stop acting like this!
Princess: Don’t speak to me like this, or I’ll have Daddy cut off your head like he did to the rest of my tutors.
Tutor: I’m just... (She smiles at his change in voice. She throws another stone at a passing farmer.) I’m just worried about you. You don’t seem to care for anyone or anything. Someday you’ll insult the wrong person and you’ll be sorry.
Princess: No, it’s them who will be sorry. Guards! (Guards appear and she points to tutor.) Take him away.
Tutor: What? What did I do?
Princess: He makes me bored. Cut off his head. (Laughs as the guards pull him off.) So what is on my timetable today? (She snaps her fingers (打了个响指) and a Scribe appears in a hurry.)
Scribe: (Nervously trying to hold on to a number of scrolls (卷轴) in his arms.) Yes, Princess?
Princess: (Knocks all the scrolls out of his arms.) Read me my timetable!
Scribe: (Hurry to find the right scroll on the ground.) Well, you will have your hair cut at 9, a reading class at 10...
Princess: Enough! I want to have a party instead.
Scribe: But Princess,...
Princess: But what?
(Farmers stop to see what is going on.)
Scribe: But of course, I’ll plan it for you at once.
Princess: Good scribe. (Touch him on the head.) You always keep your head about you.
Scribe: Yes, quite. (Leaves)
1. What may Mary and Sarah usually do?| A．Grow crops. | B．Teach the princess. | C．Have a party. | D．Guard the castle. |
| A．Hurt. | B．Love. | C．Thank. | D．Meet. |
| A．The story takes place in modern society. |
| B．The timetable of the princess includes a party. |
| C．The tutor tried to teach the princess in a good way. |
| D．The farmers feel angry to throw stones at the princess. |
| A．The tutor will run away with the help of guards. |
| B．The Princess’s father is a kind and helpful king. |
| C．The scribe always follows the princess’s rules to keep alive. |
| D．The princess is pleased with her life and guards in the castle. |
Welcome to our idiom(习语) corner! |
 to feel very happy and excited (especially when sth. good has happened) e.g. Jenny is walking on air because her friend invited her to the school dance. She can’t wait to go. |
 an unknown person who enters a race(赛跑) and gets a good grade e.g. Did you hear about the dark horse in the running race yesterday? It was his first race and he finished in the top ten. |
 to act quickly, without thinking e.g. I hate working with Mary. She’s quick on the trigger and always ready to get mad. |
 to encourage(鼓励) sb. to do sth. (especially sth. they shouldn’t do) e.g. When your classmate eggs you on to copy his test paper, you should say “no” to him. |
| A．a walking man | B．a trigger | C．a dark horse | D．an egg |
| A．一无所知 | B．欢天喜地 | C．愁眉苦脸 | D．不假思索 |
| A．results | B．pictures | C．examples | D．B&C |
