1 . What Could We Do for Heroes?
From: Li Xinyi Time: 2021.1.11
In January 2021, COVID-19 struck Beijing, Heilongjiang, Jilin and my hometown, Hebei. At the same time, tons of thousands of doctors, nurses, policemen, community workers and volunteers worked together to fight against the disease. As middle school students, what could we do for these heroes?
Wang Xinnuo
I can’t do some big things for them, but I can do something within my ability. My parents are doctors and my elder brother is working as a volunteer in our community. So looking after my grandma is my job. I try my best to do it well. I won’t make troubles for them. It is a great support for their work.
Cao Yuchen
As a middle school student, study is important for me. I still study hard during this special time. Besides, I share some housework, which makes my parents happy. What’s more, I always keep my eyes on the development of COVID-19. I know following the doctor’s orders is the best choice. Give all doctors and nurses my best wishes.
Zhou Yuwei
I am making cards at home with my sister. We plan to send these cards to the volunteers in my community to show thanks to them after COVID-19. I hope they will like my gifts.
1. Where does Li Xinyi come from?| A．Beijing | B．Helongjiang | C．Jilin | D．Hebei |
| A．He works as a volunteer. | B．He studies at home. |
| C．He does housework. | D．He pays attention to COVID-19. |
| A．students should do nothing for the disease |
| B．the volunteers will be happy to receive the cards |
| C．Wang Xinnuo will follow the doctors’ orders |
| D．Zhou Yuwei is making cards for the doctors and nurses |
2 . Let’s say goodbye to the busy work and enjoy a great barbecue (烧烤) with our family! A barbecue outside is great fun. On the activity, you can enjoy delicious food and wonderful family life!
A barbecue is cooking meat with grill (烧烤架). People often cut meat into pieces and cook meat on the grill for some minutes. Please keep the grill between 225 and 250 degrees. If you don’t like meat you can also get some vegetables or other food. At the same time, drinks and fruit-can make your barbecue more wonderful. Usually, lawns (草坪) near a river or mountains are the best places for a barbecue. Finally (最后), I’d like to tell you: keep little children away from the hot grill! Remember all these ideas and you can have a good barbecue.
1. Who does the writer tell us to enjoy a barbecue with?| A．Some children. | B．Old people. | C．Our friends. | D．Our family. |
| A．The place near your home. | B．The place in a park |
| C．Lawns in a park. | D．Lawns near a river or mountains. |
| A．Terrible. | B．Different. | C．Great. | D．Special. |
| A．How to Have a Good Barbecue | B．How to Cook Meat with Grill |
| C．Enjoy Delicious Food Outside | D．Cooking Meat with Grill |
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. |
4 . Five years is a rather short time in the long history of China. But for digital (数字的) development, a lot of changes have taken place in many aspects of our life.
Nowadays, it’s normal for people to communicate on WeChat, the most popular mobile social media platform in China. People take less cash (现金) with them because most of the stores and hotels accept WeChat Pay and Alipay.
In China, holding a mobile phone means having the world in your hands. You can shop, travel, communicate, have fun by using a mobile phone, and all of these tasks can be completed with a few finger taps. Without mobile phones, life would seem dull.
By the end of 2016, there were 695 million mobile phone users in China, an increase of 12 percent on year—on—year basis. The average mobile Internet data traffic reached 172 megabytes per month, which was far more than the global average.
At the two sessions (两会), Premier Li Keqiang pointed out that in 2017 the speed of mobile network would be increased and the cost would be reduced greatly. Mobile rates for domestic roaming (国内漫游) and long distance calls would be cancelled (取消).
Meanwhile, the TD-LTE 4G communication technology developed mainly in China has been accepted and widely used across the world.
In 2020, China’s 5G network is in service. It helps China’s mobile telecommunication overtake (反超) the international community’s.
1. People take less cash with them because _________.| A．cash isn’t useful any more | B．it’s easier to use online pay by mobile phone |
| C．many stores refuse cash | D．online pay is used in all stores and hotels |
| A．ordering something to eat | B．chatting with friends |
| C．playing games | D．cooking something delicious |
| A．Interesting. | B．Amazing. | C．Boring. | D．Exciting. |
| A．The cost of using mobile phones is lower |
| B．the speed of mobile network slowed down |
| C．Chinese users will make phone calls for free in the future |
| D．the using of mobile phones was cancelled |
| A．People can’t live without mobile phones. |
| B．The speed of mobile network and the cost would be increased greatly. |
| C．The TD—LTE 4G communication technology is only used in China. |
| D．China’s 5G network has already been in service. |
5 . When you spend three weeks reading a book, and a month later somebody asks you about it and you can’t remember anything you read. What’s your feeling? It makes you wonder why you wasted time on it.
There are some effective (有效的) ways to learn. And when I say “to learn effectively”, what I mean is to not just build up knowledge, but to be able to use that knowledge effectively. So I say, most of the courses people spend money on is not learning. Something is not truly learned until it changes you in some way.
●Memory is based on (基于) connections
One of my favorite online book clubs is Mentor Box. The club will send you books to read and study materials related (联系) to them. The materials can help you put what you’ve learnt into good use and make you remember things quickly.
You can do this on your own. When you read something useful, write down its connections with something in your life—how you can use the idea, how it can help with your problems, etc.
●Read in a right way
People believe they have to read everything, line by line, one after another. This is not true. When you buy a book, you’re not buying the words, you’re buying the useful ideas. The point of a book is the information that is important to you. What matters is the key idea. Once you’ve received that idea, there’s no reason to feel obligated to sit there and read the rest.
●Ask the right questions
Everything you read should be questioned. You can question the writer’s ideas, whether they’re explaining information correctly. When reading something you agree with, you can ask yourself, “Is it possible that this could be wrong?” Asking the right questions will decide the depth of your knowledge and understanding, not the ability to remember a lot of facts and numbers.
1. According to the writer, effective learning ________.| A．is spending a long time reading a book |
| B．helps you get a good feeling after reading |
| C．happens when knowledge changes you in some way |
| D．is the main purpose of the courses people spend money on |
| A．Joining our favorite online book club. | B．Always writing down somethings useful. |
| C．Studying the reading materials carefully. | D．Building connections between books and our life. |
| A．have critical spirit | B．remember the details well |
| C．find the information quickly | D．use the knowledge effectively |
| A．worried | B．forced | C．relaxed | D．surprised |
| A．How to Become A Better Learner | B．How to Remember Things Effectively |
| C．Ways of Building Connections in Your Life | D．The Importance of Asking the Right Questions |
6 . If life can be compared to a meal, I think the mistakes are like salt and the success is a candy.
“Hey,” said the boy whose name I couldn’t remember, sitting next to me. “Don’t worry. Take your time.” And so I did. But I still couldn’t pronounce my Chinese name that was given by the teacher. I was so embarrassed on my first day of learning Chinese.
I took Chinese classes during my summer vacation. Every morning I walked for 25 minutes to the class while having a Chinese pancake from one of the breakfast carts(推车) on the way. Learning Spanish in school was a cushy job for me, because I could speak French and Italian which helped me with it. However, learning Chinese was difficult at first. As a boy who was born in America and grew up in America, I knew nothing about the language and had no experience of learning the language. I chose it mainly because my goal was to teach and work internationally.
As the classes went on, I slowly found that I was making connections. My 10 years of playing the piano has allowed me to perform for others. My several years of writing has led me to become a school reporter. I knew that my Chinese classes would allow me to speak Chinese well. As the teachers helped me build up the confidence, I soon began tasting the sweetness.
So what did my summer really taste like? It tasted like the Chinese food that, for the first time, I did not order in English, my mother language.
1. Why did the writer feel embarrassed in his first Chinese class?| A．Because he had no Chinese name. | B．Because he forgot his Chinese name. |
| C．Because he had bad Chinese pronunciation. | D．Because he couldn’t write his Chinese name. |
| A．common | B．easy | C．popular | D．interesting |
| A．French | B．English | C．Italian | D．Spanish |
| A．He is good at playing the piano. | B．He doesn’t like Chinese food at all. |
| C．He is interested in writing and painting. | D．He wants to be a Chinese teacher in the future. |
| A．An unpleasant day at school. | B．How to get on with Chinese teachers. |
| C．How to develop an interest in Chinese. | D．A sweet experience of learning Chinese. |
7 . Experiencing China
| Mike, Canada I spent three months with my host family in China. It was a lifetime experience. I was able to experience Chinese living and culture, from basic Tai Chi to Beijing Opera. I even visited a famous traditional Chinese medicine hospital. Now I have a better understanding of Chinese culture. |
| Joanna, Australia I stayed with my host family for five months. My host mother is a Chinese teacher and she is really warm-hearted. With her help, my Chinese has improved a lot. And I have got used to a new culture. My favorite part of the experience was sharing my feelings in China with her. |
| Bill, America My host mother is a wonderful cook! She makes me all kinds of traditional Chinese dishes. They are tasty and I like them very much. Just like me, my host parents love to learn about different cultures. They often ask me questions about life in America. |
| Cindy, Germany Recently I took part in a program to study Chinese. I lived with a host family in China for six months. My host sister is a really hardworking student. It was amazing to see how she made progress in English. And a close relationship has developed between us. |
| A．Mike. | B．Joanna. | C．Bill. | D．Cindy. |
| A．Three months. | B．Four months. | C．Five months. | D．Six months. |
| A．a wonderful cook | B．a responsible doctor |
| C．a warm-hearted teacher | D．a hardworking student |
| A．Chinese medicine | B．Chinese cooking | C．different cultures | D．Beijing Opera |
8 . A few days ago, I received a letter from my Aunt Loraine.
It was a handwritten letter thanking me for some Shanghai cookies I had sent her. Aunt Lorraine is ninety-one years old and she has wonderful manners. That is why she sent me the “thank you” letter. She also has wonderful handwriting. Her penmanship (书法) is smooth. It is a pleasure to read.
Aunt Lorraine was educated half a century ago. At that time, penmanship was considered an important skill. Now, it is the age of e-mail and social media. Few people have the time or hope to practice their penmanship or write letters by hand.
This is not good. in my view, good penmanship still counts. This is especially true in school. If you want to get good grades, keeping your writing clean and beautiful will be important. Your writing might be full of good ideas. However, terrible handwriting can turn an A into a B. Awful handwriting can get you a D!
Good penmanship has other advantages, too. Since it's a skill, it trains your brain and develops your learning abilities. It also helps you organize your thoughts. And, believe it or not, that slow process of pushing a pen along paper improves your reading, spelling and even your pronunciation of English.
Apart from all these educational advantages, good penmanship also has personal advantages. A beautifully written letter to a friend is something he or she will treasure forever. A letter that looks as if a chicken bad danced across the paper will be quickly thrown away. I have kept the letter from my Aunt Lorraine. It's a great treasure!
1. Why did Aunt Lorraine write a letter to the author?| A．To express her thanks. | B．To show her wonderful manners. |
| C．To make herself pleased. | D．To set a good example to the author. |
| A．Getting good grades on your writing. | B．Organizing your thoughts. |
| C．Making your writing full of good ideas. | D．Improving your English pronunciation. |
| A．a boring letter | B．a great treasure | C．bad handwriting | D．good penmanship |
| A．To express the importance of clean and beautiful handwriting. |
| B．To share her pleasure of hearing from her aunt. |
| C．TO talk about her experiences of practicing penmanship. |
| D．To encourage people to write litters by hand instead of e-mailing. |
9 . Many people like to travel by plane, because it can save much time. But I don’t like it because an airport is usually far from the city. You have to get there early and wait for hours for the plane to take off and it is often late. You can’t open the windows. You can’t choose the food. Planes are fast, but they still take hours to get out of the airport and into the city.
I like traveling by train. I think trains are safe. Railway stations are usually in cities. When you are late for strain, you can take another one. You can walk around in the train and open the window. You can see many interesting things on your way. I know it takes a little more time.
I also like cars. You can start your trip when you want to, and you don’t need to get to a railway station or a bus stop. Also you can carry many things with you in a car. But sometimes there are too many cars on the road.
1. Why do many people like to travel by plane?| A．Because it is safe. |
| B．Because it is fast. |
| C．Because you can walk around in the plane. |
| D．Because it is cheap. |
| A．It is safe. |
| B．It takes a little more time. |
| C．You can open the windows. |
| D．You can walk around in the train. |
| A．You needn’t go to a station. |
| B．You can start your journey when you want to. |
| C．There are too many cars on the road. |
| D．You needn’t go to a bus stop. |
| A．He thinks it takes a lot of time to go to and get out of the airport. |
| B．He likes to take a train because it takes a little more time. |
| C．He likes to take a car because he has a car. |
| D．He likes to take a plane because it’s fast. |
10 . Hi, I’m Tom! This is a pencil box. It’s orange. It’s my pencil box. What’s in the pencil box? A ruler is in it. It’s my ruler. The ruler is blue and red. That is a pencil. It is black and white. It is not my pencil. Look（看）! That girl is Anna. It is her pencil. That boy is John. I found his green pen in the school library. I call John at 862-5509. It is his phone number.
1. What color is the pencil box?| A．It’s orange. | B．It’s blue and red. | C．It’s green. | D．It’s white. |
| A．pencil | B．pencil box | C．ruler | D．eraser |
| A．Tom’s | B．Anna’s | C．John’s | D．David’s |
| A．Tom | B．Anna | C．John | D．David |
