1 . It happened today, which we never want to happen, but we’ve been preparing for throughout the school year. A tornado(飓风) touched down near our school as we expected.
I wasn’t even in the classroom at the moment. I had taken a student with me to the workroom to help gather some teaching objects. When the emergency(应急) alarms went off, immediately I grabbed my student’s hand and ran as fast as I could back to the classroom.
I never imagined actually needing to put emergency steps to good use. I lined my class up on the wall. I had them crouch(蹲) down with their knees and heads touching the ground, hands on the backs of their heads. Their hearts beat fast. They couldn’t catch their breath. The fear filled their eyes. They looked up at me as they asked if their parents, grandparents and friends were going to be okay.
I never imagined the silence that would come over the whole schoolyard, with hundreds of students lined up against the walls of one building.
I never imagined the way I would feel, and other teachers along with me, as we tried our best to comfort our students, assure them of their safety, and promise them everything would be all right when we truly didn’t know what the result would be.
Today has taken a toll(灾难) on me, as I am sure it has on the hundreds and thousands of teachers in the local areas. But at the same time, I am beyond proud, surprised and encouraged at how my students behaved. Never have I seen they follow directions so quickly and quietly. Even though tears were in eyes, hearts were beating fast, my students were brave beyond their years today. And they were able to be 100% calm and collected (镇静的) the whole time. Tomorrow will bring a new set of challenges. I have made it my life’s goal to empower (允许), train and teach them.
1. The teachers and students have prepared for tornadoes ________.| A．the whole day | B．today | C．all year round | D．the whole school year |
| A．make sure | B．believe in | C．keep safe | D．calm down |
① I took a student with me to the workroom for teaching objects.
② The emergency alarms went off all of sudden.
③ I got my class lined up on the wall.
④ I with the student rushed back to the classroom.
| A．②①④③ | B．③①②④ | C．①②④③ | D．①②③④ |
| A．other teachers helped with teaching in class |
| B．the students’ parents worked with the school all the time |
| C．the tornado had gone at last |
| D．the students were brave and well-organized on tornado day |
| A．the school was damaged after the tornado |
| B．the teachers and students stayed calm when the tornado happened |
| C．the brave teacher saved many people’s lives |
| D．tornadoes happen once a year in the US |
2 . Do you remember the TV series of Popeye the Sailor(《大力水手》)? It first became a popular cartoon in the 1930s. The leading role in that cartoon ate lots of spinach(菠菜) to make him strong. Popeye helped sell 33% more spinach than before! Then spinach became a necessary part of many people’s diets. Even some young children who hated the taste began to try the vegetable.
Many people thought it was iron(铁) in spinach that made Popeye strong and healthy, but it was not true. Spinach does not have any more iron than other green vegetables.
People only thought spinach had a lot of iron because the researchers who studied the food made a mistake. In the 1890s, a group of people worked on what was inside vegetables. This group wrote the number wrong, and everyone accepted it.
Today, we know that the little iron there is in spinach cannot make a difference in how strong a person is. However, spinach does contain something else which the body needs—folic acid(叶酸). It is interesting to point out folic acid can help make your body strong. Maybe it was really the folic acid that made people strong all along.
1. Many people ate more spinach after seeing Popeye the Sailor because ________.| A．Popeye was a hero | B．they thought spinach made them strong |
| C．they liked folic acid | D．spinach contained a lot of iron |
| A．made Popeye strong and healthy | B．had less iron than other green vegetables |
| C．was rich in vitamin D | D．had more iron than other green vegetables |
| A．something in food | B．a vegetable | C．bad for health | D．a certain kind of spinach |
| A．Popeye the Sailor | B．Mistaken Number |
| C．The Truth About Spinach | D．Amazing Folic Acid |
According to the latest report there had been 10,035,000 newborn babies registered(注册) in China by the end of 2020. The number has reached the lowest point since 1949. A new UN report says that India is set to overtake(超过) China as the world’s most populous country in less than ten years.
So far China and India have accounted for(占) about 37% of the total world’s population of 7.7 billion. But by 2027, India will have more people than China, according to the UN’s 2019 World Population Prospects report, and by 2050 the gap is expected to be larger.
Between 2019 and 2050, 55 countries and areas are expected to see their populations decrease(减少) by at least 1%, the report said, mostly because of low-levels of new birth and large numbers of migrants(移居者). Among these countries, China’s population is projected to decrease by 31.4 million, or 2.2%. That would put China at 1.1 billion, smaller than the 1.5 billion of India.
By 2050, the report predicts(预测) the world’s population will be 9.7 billion people, amazing rise in just one century. Five years after the founding of the UN in 1950, the world’s population was only 2.6 billion people. The UN gives this report to provide governments with information as they work towards the UN’s 2030 Sustainable(可持续) Development Goals.
1. What was the number of newborn babies in 2020 in China?| A．7.7 billion. | B．1.5 billion. | C．10 million, 35 thousand. | D．1.1 billion. |
| A．By 2027. | B．By 2050. | C．By 2030. | D．By 2040. |
| A．India has the largest population in the world. |
| B．More babies in 55 countries and areas will be born between 2019 and 2050. |
| C．The UN was founded in 1955. |
| D．The world’s population will reach 9.7 billion in less than 30 years. |
4 . Have you ever met any people like this? They say they’d like to do this or that, but then they offer all the excuses in the world for why they can’t do whatever it is. No matter what the excuses are, the only reason is their own self-perception（感觉）.
As a matter of fact, nothing is impossible if you set your mind on it. The things you need are willingness to work for what you want, patience to learn what you need to know and, most important of all, belief in yourself. You only need a seed, and then your faith in yourself will grow with you as you move forward.
If your self-perception is that you can’t achieve something because you’re not smart enough, then take the time to learn what you need to know, and then your self-perception will change. If your self-perception is that you can not accomplish something because you never finish anything you start, then go and finish something and change your self-perception. If your self-perception is that you’re too lazy, too busy, or too dependent on others to accomplish great things, then you’re right. You are that because you believe you are, but in fact you can change that.
Your reality today is the result of your past beliefs and actions. Change your beliefs and actions, and you will change your future. You are what you think. Think about that the next time you need an excuse.
1. What does the underlined word “faith” mean in the passage?| A．A feeling that can make people relaxed. |
| B．A feeling that make people confident. |
| C．A feeling that make people tired. |
| D．A feeling that can make people happy. |
| A．go and finish something | B．take the time to learn what you need to know |
| C．find an excuse | D．do nothing but wait |
| A．begin | B．miss | C．achieve | D．start |
| A．The only reason is their own self-perception. |
| B．Change your beliefs and actions, and you will change your future. |
| C．If your self-perception is that you’re too lazy to accomplish great things, you can’t change that. |
| D．Some people always find excuse for what they can’t do. |
| A．The things you need are willingness to work for what you want. |
| B．The things you need are patience to learn what you need to know. |
| C．Most important of all, belief in yourself. |
| D．As a matter of fact, nothing is impossible if you set your mind on it. |
5 . The market was hot, steamy and crowded. Everyone was talking fast and loud. Jack haggled（讨价还价）for a good price and paid them in baht, Thai money. They bought herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables. Some of the fruits Jack and Ben had never heard of before, like rambutans, mangosteens, and pomelos.
Ben held a large spiky fruit. “What’s this?” He asked. “That is durian（榴莲）. It’s very good. You must try. ” Jack answered, “It didn’t smell so good, but if you held your nose it was delicious!”
“Now we go to the boats,” said Jack quickly. Jack led them along crowded alleys filled with motorbikes and three-wheeled taxis. They passed dusty shops with birds in cages, people waiting to tell your fortune and a shop that sold nothing but images of Buddha（佛像）.
Then they hit water. They stepped aboard a longboat. It twisted and turned down one boat after another. They passed other longboats filled with fruits and vegetables.
1. In this passage, we can know the market was in ________.| A．Canada | B．Thailand | C．England | D．Australia |
| A．So nice. | B．So bad. | C．Not so good. | D．Just so-so. |
| A．Everybody was talking fast and loud. |
| B．The crowded alleys were filled with motorbikes and three-wheeled taxis. |
| C．Jack and Ben had heard of all of the fruits. |
| D．They passed a shop that sold nothing but images of Buddha. |
6 . After class, students are having a discussion about rabbits in Australia.
Benny: Rabbits have been here for a very long time. They were introduced to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. It’s too late now to say they shouldn’t be here. As you know, during the 1930s when times were very hard, lots of people ate rabbits. They were a free source of food. Perhaps we should encourage more people to eat them today and that might solve a few problems.
Grace: What harm do they really do? Rabbits are so cute and they’ve been here such a long time. Surely, we can find ways to make them fit in with our environment.
Jessica: The problem with rabbits is that there are too many of them. Did you know that when they were introduced into Australia they spread very quickly to nearly every part of the country? It was the fastest spread ever recorded of any mammal（哺乳动物）anywhere in the world!
Fred: We need to get rid of all the rabbits in Australia. I know they are cuddly and cute, but we need to look after our native animals and plants. The rabbits are not a native species（物种）and they cause huge problems. They eat vast areas of grass and plants, which causes the soil to wear away. They also eat large amounts of farmers’ crops.
1. The rabbits were introduced to Australia ________.| A．during the 1920s | B．during the 1930s |
| C．with the Second Fleet in 1788. | D．with the First Fleet in 1788 |
| A．They eat native animals. | B．They don’t do any harm. |
| C．They eat native plants and farmers’ crops. | D．They are cuddly and cute. |
| A．To provide information about keeping rabbits. |
| B．To present four different points of view about rabbits in Australia. |
| C．To explain why rabbits were introduced into Australia. |
| D．To encourage more people to eat the rabbits. |
7 . In an English class, students are talking about a problem in groups.
Gao Bokun: Parents worry about their children when there is no one at home. Through home cameras, parents can not only keep their kids from the danger, but also encourage them to develop good study habits.
Zhang Keqi: When I was in middle school, my mom set up a camera. I wanted to play computer games now and then. But after playing games, I couldn’t go back to my study immediately. So I think my mom help me a lot in this special way.
Veronica Shirokon: Kids who are older shouldn’t be monitored (监控), but parents can limit (限制) the time their children spend on apps. It would be much better to help students learn how to make full use of their time. Meanwhile, parents also need to trust their children and give them enough freedom.
Rena Chen: How to control themselves is one of the important skills kids will need in the future. But using cameras won’t help kids get the skill, and they will always find ways to avoid the cameras. What’s more, having a camera might also do bad for parents’ work, too.
1. What are they talking about?| A．Should parents monitor their kids? | B．How to deal with problems with parents? |
| C．Is it important to develop good study habits? | D．What are the skills students need in the future? |
| A．Parents should trust their children. | B．Parents help her a lot in a special way. |
| C．Students should limit time on using apps. | D．Students should learn to control themselves. |
| A．Gao Bokun and Zhang Keqi. | B．Zhang Kegi and Veronica Shirokon. |
| C．Gao Bokun and Rena Chen. | D．Veronica Shirokon and Rena Chen. |
On October 16, the ministry of education（教育部） said that all high school entrance exams (中考）should include fine arts testing by 2022. And 12 cities in six provinces have started the practice. The scores change from 10 to 40 points.
This news has caused heated discussion. What will it mean for students? We invited two teenagers to share their ideas.
Zhao Xin, 14, Beijing
I’m in junior 2. we have a music class and a drawing class every week. Sometimes, the teachers show us movies about famous painters or musicians, telling their encouraging life stories. Studying music or fine arts is never a stress to me and the tests are only about what we’ve learned in class. What’s more, we have open-book exams in my school. Most of my classmates will get over 90 out of 100 points. I don’t think these subjects will be too difficult if they’re included in the high school entrance exams.
Zhao Hanfang, 15, Yunnan
I study in a village school. Our school doesn’t have separate music and art classroom. Every Friday, students from several classes will have music class in our library hall. With so many students, the teachers can’t check everyone’s singing in each class. It’s really hard for tone-deaf(五音不全） people like me to remember the melodies(旋律). So I need to do extra practice before the test, and I feel worried. So if music is included in the high school entrance exams, I might be under much pressure.
1. According to the ministry of education, what should all high school entrance exams include by 2022 ?| A．P.E. testing. | B．Computer testing. |
| C．Fine arts testing. | D．Spoken English testing. |
| A．Studying music or fine arts is a very big stress to Zhao Xin |
| B．Zhao Xin and his classmates can get good grades in the exams |
| C．Zhao Xin’s teachers show them some movies about famous actors |
| D．The tests about fine arts are not about what they’ve learned in class |
| A．Good. | B．Relaxed. | C．Stressed. | D．Surprised. |
9 . Over the past five years, about 2.8 billion school textbooks have been sold in China, with spending on them totaling 20 billion yuan. The data was recently released by China’s National Press and Publication Administration（国家新闻出版署）.
The figures also showed that in 2018, 2.93 billion textbooks had been sold at retail （零售）across the country, amounting to nearly 26 billion yuan. If all of them were to be reused, at least 20 billion yuan could be saved each year. These savings could then be used to help build around 40,000 Hope Schools in the country’s poorer regions.
At present, free textbooks related to music, the arts, science, digital technology and physical education have been widely reused in many cities. The school textbooks used in these subjects, which don’t need to have class notes taken, are considered appropriate for recycling.
The number of textbooks which have already been reused, however, accounted for（占比）only a tiny amount of the total sum. And most of these used textbooks end up in landfills（垃圾场）or are sold for scrap（废品）offline. “With the total amount of money, I got from selling a large bag of my used textbooks, I am only able to buy a new pencil case. ” said a Chinese graduate online.
Despite this, some online platforms have been recently experiencing a boom（激增）in second-hand book sales. Data from Xianyu（闲鱼）, Alibaba’s online platform for second-hand goods, showed that a total of 1.56 million textbooks had been sold last month. Since this past March, it has seen a 207 percent increase in the number of users between the ages of 15 and 18.
1. About _______ yuan were spent on textbooks in China in 2018.| A．20 billion. | B．2.8 billion. | C．2.93 billion. | D．26 billion. |
| A．music | B．physical education | C．Chinese | D．science |
| A．A new pencil case is much expencive than used textbooks. |
| B．We can sell used textbooks to buy a new pencil case. |
| C．The used textbooks are really cheap if they are sold for scrap offline. |
| D．We can get a large amount of money from selling used textbooks. |
| A．Many Hope Schools have been built because of reused textbooks. |
| B．The number of textbooks which have already been reused is large. |
| C．Some textbooks are appropriate for recycling because they need to have class notes taken. |
| D．If all of the textbooks are reused, much money could be saved each year. |
| A．People are beginning to reuse the textbooks. |
| B．People still pay no attention to reusing the textbooks. |
| C．New textbooks can be sold on some online platforms. |
| D．Some online platforms for second-hand goods are not successful. |
Rob: Oh, all right then. Feifei, do I have to present this programme today?
Feifei: Why, what’s wrong?
Rob: Well, I’ve done so much work already and according to my watch, I should be having a coffee break now. I am being lazy because I was out late last night.
Feifei: Rob, there is a phrase to describe your condition.
Rob: Oh yes. Overworked? Energetic?
Feifei: No-the opposite. It’s bone idle. In other words, you are very lazy!
Rob: It’s a great phrase, Feifei, but that doesn’t describe me. Look. I’ve just moved my little finger.
Feifei: You’re bone idle-you’ve been at home all day and you’re still in your pyjamas（睡衣）! Hey Rob, I hear it’s Dan’s birthday today and he’s brought a cake in for us all to share.
Rob: Cake! I love cake-great, come on. Let’s get some before it is all eaten.
Feifei: Ah, you’re moving now-but you can’t go anywhere until you’ve finished this programme.
Rob: Come on then, tell me what to say.
Feifei: Just read this script（稿子）.
Rob: Right… OK. Let me see.
1. What do you think are the two speakers doing?
| A．Chatting on the Internet. | B．Giving a performance. |
| C．Preparing a programme. | D．Telling jokes. |
| A．Very busy. | B．Extremely lazy. | C．Overworked. | D．Very bored. |
| A．Feifei puts her feet on the table. | B．Rob was out late last night. |
| C．Feifei likes eating cakes. | D．It’s Rob’s birthday today. |
