The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. It has one of the most terrible environments on the earth. It covers an area of about 600,000 square kilometers. This is nearly the whole size of the United States.
The huge desert spans (横跨) 11 countries. So it has many different land features (地貌特征). The most famous and beautiful one is the golden sand dune fields (沙丘地). Other land features include mountains, plateaus (高原) and so on. Some of the mountains have snow in winter. Thousands of years ago, the Sahara was not a desert at all. There were many plants and rivers. As the weather changed, it became hot and dry. Although the natural conditions are terrible, there are many plants and animals like snakes, foxes and birds living there. In some places, people grow fruit. Plants can grow there because their roots (根) can reach deep underground to get water.
More than 2,000,000 people live in the Sahara. Some of them move around from place to place with their camels. Others live in towns and cities. Camels are known as the “ships of the desert”. They can travel more than a week without water or food in the desert.
The desert is not always hot. The temperature changes a lot in a day in the Sahara. And the sunshine is strong there. So people have to prepare well if they plan to visit it.
1. The Sahara Desert is 9 times larger than the United States in area.2. Thousands of years ago, the Sahara was not a desert at all.
3. There are no living things in Sahara Desert because of the bad natural conditions.
4. The main idea of the passage is about how to travel in the Sahara.
2 . I’m Tom and I spent a holiday with my uncle Frank. Frank loved to walk around to collect stones. One day he bought me a backpack and asked me to go to the mountains with him.
The whole day we talked while walking around. Every now and then he put stones into my backpack. To my surprise, he also took some stones out of my backpack. But I thought he had just found better stones.
When we returned to the house, I was very tired. The backpack was so heavy that I felt relaxed when I put it down. Yet my uncle’s backpack was half empty.
I wondered why there were so many stones in my backpack. Uncle Frank explained that he would put stones backpack whenever I was complaining and take out a stone when I said something positive.
He said, “Your negative(消极的) thoughts are like stones. You carry them in your mind just like those stones in the backpack. The more negative thoughts you have, the heavier your mind will be.
1. Uncle Frank asked Tom to help him collect stones.2. Tom felt surprised when his uncle took some stones out of his backpack.
3. When Tom got back home, he found his uncles backpack was full of stones.
4. If Tom complained about something once, his uncle added a stone to his backpack.
5. From the passage we learn that we should be positive about life.
3 . In some bookstores owned by Goldman Press in Germany, a large number of books are stolen every year. This makes the bookstore staff feel quite annoyed. Usually, at the end of each year, the names of the stolen books, as well as how many books were stolen, are written in a list and posted on a wall in the bookstores in order to remind the staff.
One day, one of the company's inspectors（检查员）noticed the list when he was conducting an inspection of the bookstores. He was inspired. After he went back to his office, he began listing the books that were stolen most frequently（频繁地）.
In Frankfurt, a worldwide book fair（展销会）was held every year. At the fair, publishing houses（出版社）would use all the good words to promote their books. But that year Goldman Press tried a more unusual technique-they showed a list of the top ten books that were most frequently stolen in their bookstores. As they expected, the list attracted a large number of booksellers who had come to the fair to order books. This made Goldman Press a great success at the book fair.
Booksellers might not always believe what publishing houses say in their advertisements. But this time they believed the books that were stolen most frequently must be widely enjoyed. They would likely become very popular books.
1. How do the staff feel when they find many books are stolen?| A．Angry. | B．Interested. | C．Excited. | D．Disappointed. |
①showing the names of the stolen books ②showing how many books were stolen
③ listing the books to buy at the fair ④reminding the bookstore staff
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．②③④ | D．①②④ |
| A．It was held once a year in Germany. |
| B．Many booksellers wanted to order good books at the fair. |
| C．Goldman Press wouldn't buy many books at the fair every year. |
| D．Booksellers don't always believe the publishers' advertisement. |
| A．Keep an eye on the books from being stolen. |
| B．Learn from experience and think outside the box. |
| C．Learn from others about how to make money. |
| D．Use unusual words to promote your product. |
4 . The summer vacation is coming. During the vacation, you can do what you like and prepare yourself well for the future. You'll enjoy your summer vacation with the help of the following suggestions.
▲Take exercise. After studying hard for months, you must be bored and tired. Taking exercise is the best way to get energy again. Swimming and walking are perfect choices for you. All kinds of exercise are good for your health.
▲Master some basic life skills. You will live an independent life one day. Therefore, you should learn some necessary and useful basic life skills such as washing clothes and cooking. At the same time, you should help your parents with housework to express thanks to them.
▲Go travelling. The world is a book. Those who don't travel only read one page. Travelling is so interesting. Have you made your own plan? If not, do it at once. During the trip, you will have a chance to get more knowledge. While learning about different cultures and customs, you will also make a lot of friends.
▲Enjoy the time with family members. Family members play an important role in your life. They give you love, care and support all the time. Don't forget to spare some time together with them. You will find it great to stay with them, talking about dreams, hobbies or anything you like.
As long as you follow the suggestions mentioned above, you will have a wonderful vacation.
1. How many suggestions are mentioned in the passage?| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．Swimming. | B．Walking. | C．Taking exercise. | D．Rum |
| A．Because we will live an independent life one day. |
| B．Because we like to share housework with our family. |
| C．Because we don't want to express our thanks. |
| D．Because doing housework is difficult for us. |
| A．He thinks it's tiring. | B．He thinks it's interesting. |
| C．He thinks it's terrible. | D．He thinks it's boring. |
| A．the suggestions about basic life skills | B．the suggestions about taking exercise |
| C．the suggestions about summer vacation | D．the suggestions about travelling |
| CHESTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHESTER, NEW YORK 10918 CES Blog After-school Fun Teachers Home Calendar | |
 "After School Fun" begins at 3:15. Pick up is at 4:15. You MUST be picked up each day by 4:30 at the latest. After 4:30 the school is locked. You don't need to pay for any class, but for some you'll need special supplies (材料). Sign up by March 3. This is a great way to fill the time between school and dinner! Beading Teacher: Kate Moss, Friday, Art Room. In this class, you can make a beautiful beaded necklace (项链). You'll also learn how to put together cute friendship pins(饰针). Beading is fun and easy. Anyone can learn! (The teacher can tell you where to buy supplies.) | |
| Games Your Grandparents Played Teacher: Susan Taylor, Monday, Gym This class will show you how children played long ago. You'll jump rope and play running games. You'll play board games and cards. The games your grandparents played were really fun! Wear comfortable clothes. |  |
 iSpanish, Si! Teacher: Juan Alvarado, Tuesday, Library Did you know that Spanish is spoken by more than 17 million Americans? After a few weeks with Juan Alvarado, you'll be able to talk about the weather, name the people in your family, clothes and animals. For the last class, you will go to a real Mexican restaurant and order a meal in Spanish! Mexican food is truly delicious! | |
 Kung Fu Teacher: Nina Pan, Thursday, Gym Kung Fu is a Chinese martial art. Kung Fu is better than just a sport. It teaches you to move beautifully. It teaches you to believe in yourself and have respect for others. Kung Fu is fun, but it is more than that. It can make you into a better person. Nina Pan is the best Kung Fu teacher around. You'll love her class. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. | |
1. According to Paragraph 1, we can learn that all classes________.
| A．end at 4:30 | B．last two hours | C．are free for students | D．need special supplies |
| A．Beading class | B．Kung Fu class |
| C．iSpanish, Si! Class | D．Games Your Grandparents Played class |
| A．The teacher | B．Day to meet | C．Place to meet | D．Number of students |
| A．develop communication skills | B．become confident and respectful |
| C．play a lot of old and fun games | D．meet some Chinese Martial artists |
| A．introduces after-school classes | B．offers information on homework |
| C．introduces the school teachers | D．lists the school lunch menus |
6 . If you're ready to add more physical activity (体育运动) to your life, here are some tips (建议).
Make physical activity of your routine, like brushing your teeth or going to work. Try biking to work at least once a week, using the stairs more often, or walking to some places near home. But talk to your doctor before you start an exercise routine, especially if you haven't been very active or have health problems.
Walking is one of the best fitness (健康) activities. To keep up a routine, you can walk with family members, friends or pets. Count your steps with a step counter (计数器). You can buy one at a sporting goods store. If you don't have time for one 30-minute walk, break it into three 10-minute walks.
Find an activity that you enjoy, and stay with it. Change it with other activities so you don't get bored. For example, walk three days a week, and swim or bike on the other days. Join a volleyball or basketball club for fun and exercise. By finding more activities you enjoy, you'll have a greater chance for success.
1. What does the writer suggest doing before starting daily exercise?| A．Talking to the doctor. | B．Walking to work. | C．Buying a step counter. |
| A．Two | B．Three | C．Four |
| A．break one 30-minute walk into three |
| B．change the activity we are staying with |
| C．do the activity with our family members |
| A．the ways to count walking steps |
| B．some health problems we may free |
| C．some advice on physical activity |
Do you want to keep fit by running ? Are you interested in running?
Please enterwww.kidsrunning. com and you can get what you want to get.
CROSS—COUNTRY
Active Pulse Runners
Petaluma CA
(707)486—0707
Contact: Ian Inmain
Website :http://www.activepulse.org
We get postal mail!
Kids Running .Com
PO Box 209
Fiskdale, MA
01518
Active Pulse Runners is a youth running club based to Petaluma. CA. We welcome boys and girls of all ability levels, aged 8—15, The Cross Country season begins in early September and Track & Field begins in Late February.
Practices take place 3 days a week in Autumn and 4 days a week in Spring, We also take part in all kinds of sports meetings and competitions against other local youth clubs.
1. The following ways you can ask more information about Active Pulse Runnersexcept ________.| A．calling lan Inmain at (707)486-0707 | B．entering http:// www. activepulse. org |
| C．writing a letter at PO Box 209 Fiskdale, MA | D．going to Active Pulse Runners in Petaluma CA |
| A．Bob, aged 7 | B．Alice, aged 11 | C．Sam, aged 16 | D．Sue, aged 18. |
| A．begins practicing in early September | B．begins practicing in late February |
| C．practice 4 days a week in Autumn | D．practice 3 days a week in Spring |
| A．only needs boys | B．is a camp school |
| C．organizes many activities | D．refuses children of low ability levels |
| A．sports and health | B．questions and advice |
| C．interests and hobbies | D．communications and travel |
A picture speaks a thousand words. And with over a thousand emoji pictures to express ours elves, who needs to speak or write anymore?
According to Professor Evans, emoji is the fastest-growing language — faster than any language in history. These little pictures started life in Japanese phones in the 1990s and they are popular now. In the UK they are becoming more popular than Internet words like “lol”(laughing out loud) and “muah” (the sound of a kiss). The most popular emoji is the “face with tears of joy ”. In New York’s Museumof Modern Art, we can see the first set of the 176 original (最早的) em
ojis.
Why do we love emojis so much? They allow us to have fun when expressing ourselves, to make people laugh and to be creative in how we use them. Some teenagers tell us emojis are quick and easy. “They’re quick to use and show hidden meanings. My favorite emoji is the ‘laughing face’,” said Will, a15-year-old student.
People are different in their favorite emojis. The emojis we choose can show who we are. What does your recently used emoji board say about you? Is it full of smiling faces or sad faces?
1. According to the passage, “lol” means .| A．hugs and kis ses | B．the sounds of a kiss |
| C．as soon as possible | D．laughing out loud |
| A．Japan | B．America | C．China | D．England |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
4. The fact that is TRUE about emojis .
| A．the ‘laughing face’ is the most popular emoji |
| B．Professor Evans thinks emojis develop very fast |
C．the emoji is the newest languag e in the world |
| D．the emojis we choose can show what we are |
| A．emoji pictures | B．Internet words |
| C．hidden meanings | D．popular faces |
9 . Since is was built during the Ming Dynasty, it’s said that the Forbidden City has survived more than 200 earthquakes. For an old building made from wood and stone, that’s really impressive. But what’s even more impressive is the intelligent(智能) design feature(特点) that’s kept it standing for all these years.
According to experts, the answer to the Forbidden City’s strength(牢固), as well as other ancient Chinese buildings’, lies in dougong — a centuries-old building method invented in China. This is the name for special brackets(构件) on building. Although being held together without any nails(钉子) or glue, the brackets are perfect at keeping structures together when the weather gets bad.
“Dougong design is an important earthquake resistant(抗震的) feature of classical Chinese structures, because the framework(框架) changes in shape when under pressure, much like the shock absorbers(减震器) of a car,” according to Chinese National Geography. “Ancient Chinese craftsmen(工匠) created structures that were both lasting and aesthetically(在美学方面) pleasing, showing their advanced understanding of architecture, materials, and structural science.”
A recent television documentary by UK broadcaster Channel 4 put the skills of the ancient building’s designers to the test. A group of Chinese craftsmen and engineers were shown building a scale model(按比例制作的模型) of one of the Forbidden City’s places, at one fifth of the size.
To show how strong ancient Chinese architecture really is, the model went through a simulated(模拟的) earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale—equivalent(等同于) to the largest ever recorded quake — and survived. Instead of falling apart, the model was just moved gently during the test.
The Forbidden City draws visitors because of its rich history and cultural importance, but perhaps it should add one more thing to its list of attractions: earthquake shelter.
1. What is the article mainly about?| A．What has made the Forbidden City a popular tourist destination. |
| B．What has helped the Forbidden City survive so many earthquakes. |
| C．The characteristics(特点) of Chinese architecture during the Ming Dynasty. |
| D．Different building methods used in ancient Chinese structures. |
| A．recreate a real earthquake from the Ming Dynasty |
| B．discover a long-lost Chinese building method |
| C．explain the impact(影响) of earthquakes on ancient buildings |
| D．prove the strength of ancient Chinese architecture |
| A．a paint that gives Chinese buildings an attractive look |
| B．a tool used by ancient people to measure earthquakes |
| C．a special building part that keeps a traditional Chinese building together |
| D．a building piece located in the center of a traditional Chinese house |
| A．方法 | B．建筑 | C．设计 | D．应用 |
| A．earthquake shelter | B．rich history |
| C．ancient Chinese craftsmen | D．cultural importance |
but it does not make California slow.
Someone graduated at the age of 22,
but waited 5 years before getting a good job!
Someone became a CEO at 25,
and died at 50.
While another became a CEO at 50,
and _____ to 90 years.
Someone is still single,
while someone else got married.
Obama retires(退休)at 55,
but Trump starts at 70.
Everyone in this world works based on their Time Zone.
People around you might seem to go ahead of you,
some might seem to be behind you.
But everyone is running their own race,in their own time.
Don't envy them or laugh at them.
They are in their Time Zone, and you are in yours!
Life is about waiting for the right moment to act.
So,relax.
You're not late.
You're not early.
You're very much on time,and in your Time Zone.
1. The best word for the blank in the poem is ________ .
| A．born | B．grew | C．lived | D．married |
| A．Obama starts at 55,but Trump retires at 70. | B．Life is all about waiting for time zones. |
| C．The earlier we succeed,the better we will be. | D．Don't hurry and take your own steps. |
