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 . 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. |
6 . People get truly happy and successful by trying to be themselves. Not on the outside—on the inside. It’s not about a brand（品牌）or a character. It’s about truth. Who you really are. It sounds simple, I know. The problem is , it’s very hard to do, it takes a lot of work, and it can take a lifetime to understand who you are.
Nothing worth doing in life is ever easy. If you want to do great work, it’s going to take a lot of hard work to do it. And you’re going to have to break out of your comfort zone（舒适区）.
But you know, you can’t think of a better way to spend your life. I mean, what’s life for if not finding yourself and trying to become the best, the truest version（版本）of you that you can be?
That’s what Steve Jobs meant when he said this in a speech at Stanford University:
Your time is limited（有限的）, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don`t let the noise of others ‘opinions drown out your own inner voice. You have to trust that the points will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something—your heart, luck, life, whatever. This way has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.
Not only that, but what Jobs was talking about and what I’m talking about require focus and hard work, two things that are very hard to come by these days. Unless you take on the challenge and start up the road to self-discovery, or nothing will be achieved. Whatever you might discover, all you have to do is to start the journey.
1. It is _____________ for you to find out who you really are.| A．simple | B．difficult | C．funny | D．clever |
| A．make as many friends as you can | B．pay attention to your outside world |
| C．set up your own special brand | D．get away from comfort zone |
| A．Try to become a famous person. | B．Make full use of our time. |
| C．Earn a lot of money and enjoy life. | D．Spend no time in playing. |
| A．stop | B．return | C．forget | D．complete |
| A．To Move Forward or Step Back | B．To Be Happy or Successful |
| C．How to Be Yourself Truly | D．How to Start Our Journey |
7 . Science Fair Handbook
Science is about asking questions. A science fair project is an experiment or a research effort. Through such a project, you will learn how to find problems and how to solve them.
A science fair project includes at least three parts: The display poster board, the exhibit materials, and the written report.
※The display poster board
The display poster board is very important. It is what people first see. As a kind of “advertisement” for your project, it must be carefully designed. Usually, the board should include the key points of your research.
※The exhibit materials
These materials can be the most exciting part of any science project. They usually include the items you used in your project. Together, they tell a story. People should be able to understand your project on their own through these materials.
※The written report
No matter what you do, it is necessary to record your findings in a written form. The written report contains all the information you collected while you were working on your project. The report may also include your understanding of the topic you choose.
※ A few ideas for science fair projects
*How sound moves through matter（物质）
* How temperature changes influence a fish
* Effects of smoking
* The proper foods to eat
1. Students can learn _____________ through a science fair project.| A．the importance of studying well | B．why study science well |
| C．how to invent some new things | D．how to find and solve problems |
| A．the display poster board | B．the exhibition materials |
| C．the students’ speeches | D．the written report |
| A．The students first see the exhibit materials in the science fair. |
| B．The exhibit materials are the most exciting part in the science fair. |
| C．Whether the students write the findings or not isn’t necessary |
| D．A written report for a science fair project should include five parts. |
| A．a science fair handbook | B．a science magazine |
| C．a daily newspaper | D．a students’ textbook |
8 . Once there was a lovely vegetable field with a very big tree in it. Both the vegetables and the tree made the field look wonderful.
At the beginning, the vegetables and the tree couldn’t get on well with each other. The vegetables disliked the tree because they thought the tree didn’t leave them enough light by covering them with its thick leaves, while the tree thought that the vegetables drank nearly all the water before it could reach him.
The situation became worse and worse. One day, the vegetables decided to use up all the water in the ground so that the tree would dry up. The tree fought back by refusing to offer the vegetables shade. Soon they both began to become weaker and weaker under the hot sun.
Neither of them expected that the gardener would stop watering his vegetable field. When the gardener did that, the tree and the vegetables really felt how thirsty they were. But there seemed to be no way to solve the problem. Then a small pumpkin（南瓜）decided to do something to change the situation. The small pumpkin did what he could to grow though there was little water and it was too hot.
Finally, the gardener noticed the pumpkin among the vegetables. Therefore, he started to water the field again because he still wanted to win the big pumpkin competition. At the same time, the tree and the vegetables were saved. Since then, they realized that it was better to help each other than to fight. From then on, they lived in harmony（和谐）with each other.
1. The vegetables decided to use up all the water in the ground to _____________.| A．grow well | B．make the gardener angry |
| C．dry up the tree | D．dry up the pumpkin |
| A．The shade. | B．The light. | C．The gardener. | D．The pumpkin. |
| A．save the vegetables and the tree | B．win the big pumpkin competition |
| C．change the bad situation | D．live a much happier life |
| A．It’s never too old to learn. | B．We should try to get on well with others. |
| C．Always remember to water the field. | D．It’s better to keep on doing things until the end. |
9 . During the 1980s, artist Wilder created a song in about 30 minutes. That song, Break My Stride, has been played in films and TV shows over the years and turned him into a one-hit wonder.
Now, nearly forty years later, the song is being listened to by people who weren’t even born when it was created, thanks to its popularity on the social media（社交媒体）TikTok.
On TikTok, users usually share very short, usually 15-second, videos of themselves dancing, singing or doing something funny, most often set to music. Break My Stride became popular on TikTok earlier this year and has been used in over 800,000 videos. School students have posted videos of themselves dancing to the song. The pop song has the magic to make people feel like dancing. In one TikTok video that was liked 3.5 million times, the creator took a video of his mom sleeping and then photoshopped her into different backgrounds related to the words of the song, such as traveling across the sea to China in the row boat.
“Now with the coming of TikTok, it’s like having a hit record all over again with a whole new generation（一代人）,” Wilder, 67, told CNN. Break My Stride recently has been on Apple Music’s Top 100 songs in over 20 countries.
Break My Stride isn’t alone. A number of other artists have seen their songs become popular on TikTok. The success of Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road depends heavily on its popularity on TikTok, where the song has been used in 7.5 million videos. The song finished 2019 in the UK as “Song of the Year”.
The success of these songs, both old and new, highlights the influence that social media have on arts and culture. TikTok is changing how musicians create and publicize their work.
1. What can be learned about the song Break My Stride?| A．It has become popular again. | B．It was written 20 years ago. |
| C．It was first used in a TV show. | D．It was hardly known at first. |
| A．To get music for free. | B．To watch long videos. |
| C．To share videos of their own. | D．To study different kinds of music. |
| A．Famous artists on TikTok. | B．The success of social media. |
| C．“Song of the Year” in the UK. | D．The popularity of other songs on TikTok. |
| A．It has a long history. | B．It has about 7.5 million users. |
| C．It is more popular than TV shows. | D．It has a strong influence on arts. |
| A．catches | B．shows | C．promises | D．uses |
I am writing to let you know that I ran over your dog on Friday afternoon.
The accident happened at the crossing of Ocean Drive and Bridge Street, directly in front of the RSL Club.
On that Friday, one of my students had suddenly fallen ill. I telephoned her doctor and described the situation, and he suggested that she should be brought to the hospital right away. He believed that the student’s leg had been broken and explained to me the seriousness of the situation. I had to get her to the hospital quickly.
During the trip I passed by your house. Suddenly your dog ran out into the road and into the front of my car. I stopped the car and ran around looking for the dog but it had run away. I knocked on your door but I could see that no one was home. I could not see where the dog had gone, and with my student so ill I had no choice but to leave the scene（现场）and drive on.
You must allow me to pay for his medical care. I would be thankful if you could make a list of all costs resulting from this accident. I plan to visit and offer my apologies（歉意）in person.
Again, I truly regret the harm caused by this accident and send my best wishes to little Snowy.
Yours,
Anthony Drake
1. Why did Anthony write the letter?| A．To say sorry. | B．To send wishes. | C．To express thanks. | D．To set a time for a visit. |
| A．Anthony hit a dog. | B．Anthony lost his way. |
| C．Anthony’s dog was gone. | D．Anthony’s car broke down. |
| A．He can’t afford it. | B．He worked it out. | C．He made a list of it. | D．He plans to pay for it. |
| A．the dog-owner | B．the dog | C．Anthony’s student | D．Ms. Roberts’ daughter |
