1 . Once there were many thousands of Gourma Desert (沙漠) elephants in Mali, a country in West Africa. Now, there are fewer than four hundred.
Why did the number of the elephants drop so quickly? On the one hand, the elephants’ main lake, their only water source (来源), dried up. On the other hand, the land which the elephants lived on was overused by humans.
To protect the elephants’ living environment, the Mali Elephant Project (MEP) was started in 2007. MEP met with local people and helped them make rules of using land and water. As a result, the situation became better and there was more food, forest and grassland.
However, from 2012 to 2016, poaching (偷猎) and illegal trade in the elephants increased rapidly. Eighty-three elephants were lost in 2015 alone, and another fifty-one elephant were killed in 2016. “If this situation goes on, all the Gourma elephants will be killed by 2020,” said a member of MEP.
Luckily, the voice of MEP was heard. More organizations (组织) have joined together to educate the local people that trading elephants is against the law. Elephant poaching has dropped to a very low level. The local people have learned to live peacefully with the elephants, one of the wildlife treasures in the world.
1. MEP was started to ________.| A．raise more elephants in Mali | B．stop the main lake from drying up |
| C．discover water source for elephants | D．protect the elephants’ living environment |
| A．公平的 | B．亏损的 | C．非法的 | D．合理的 |
| A．in 2012 | B．in 2015 | C．in 2016 | D．in 2020 |
| A．the number of organizations has dropped | B．there is much less elephant poaching now |
| C．the local people keep the elephants at home | D．the whole world live peacefully with elephants |
| A．the rules of using land and water | B．the education of the local people |
| C．the work of Mali Elephant Project | D．the situation of Gourma Desert elephants |
2 . 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. |
3 . It is well-known that silk was discovered in China. It is wonderfully strong, light and soft. As one of the best materials for clothes, silk has a perfect look and feel that no other materials can match.
There is a story about how silk was discovered. Lei Zu, the wife of Huang Di, was having tea under a mulberry tree when a silkworm cocoon (蚕茧) fell into her cup. As she tried to take the cocoon out, it started to unwind (展开) and the “line” seemed endless. She realized that the strong line could be used to make clothes. Then Lei Zu taught her people how to raise silkworms and how to get silk. In this way, the silk industry was born.
For hundreds of years after that, silk was only used by rich people. It was a symbol of identity and status (身份和地位). With the development of the silk industry, more silk was produced. It was no longer just for rich people. In the Han Dynasty, silk was transported as far away as Spain, Rome and many other countries. The trade road was famously known as the Silk Road, which connected China with the rest of the world.
Today, silk can be used for many kinds of things, not just for clothes but also for paintings, writing brushes, kites and even fishing nets. Wherever silk goes around the world, it is always warmly received.
根据短文内容，判断句子正(T)误(F)。
1. Silk is one of the best materials for clothes.
2. Huang Di discovered silk could be used to make clothes by accident.
3. As more silk was produced, it reached more people’s homes.
4. The silk industry was born because of the Silk Road.
5. This passage mainly talks about the history and the popularity of silk.
Every Saturday, Wang Fokun travels 40 minutes to “watch” a movie with his friends. He became blind in his early 50s. However, he can still enjoy movies in a “talking movie” club-Xin Deng Theater. The club is in Kunming, Yunnan. A group of volunteers there describe movies to blind people.
“I listened to a movie for the first time in the summer of 2019, and it was amazing. The volunteers did a great job.” said Wang.
Describing movies to blind people can be challenging (有挑战性的). The volunteers must watch a movie three or four times to know everything in the movie. This way, they can describe the movie very clearly.
Zhou Quan started the club in 2017. “Movies are for everybody,” said Zhou. “Xin Deng Theater hopes to share movies with blind people and help to light up their lives.” Thanks to the special club, many blind people go out of their homes and their lives are more interesting.
Now many blind people come to Xin Deng Theater to “watch” movies every week. “They can enjoy the movies here. I’m so glad that I bring enjoyment to them.” said Zhou.
“It’s meaningful for us to spend our free time volunteering.” said one volunteer.
1. Wang Fokun goes to Xin Deng Theater three or four times a week.2. The volunteers in the club describe movies to blind people.
3. Xin Deng Theater was set up in 2019.
4. Both blind people and the volunteers enjoy spending time in the club.
5. The passage mainly talks about a movie.
5 . “Amy! Milk!” Mama called.
Milk. It was Amy’s turn to get it. Amy sighed and shut her first-aid(急救) book.
Amy tied the cow close to a tree. Somewhere down the mountain, some volunteer doctors were teaching medical skills to village nurses. Amy heard Betty dive off hours ago. “She should have taken me with her. She thinks I’m too young.” Amy thought. “But she’s wrong. I am already 15!”
Amy carried the milk back to Mama, then wandered up the road. Roy, a village boy, was trying to stand on a horse’s back. “No wonder they don’t trust kids with anything important,” Amy thought.
She had just turned away when she heard a heavy fall and a few cries. Roy was on the ground. “Roy!” The kids nearby ran towards him. “Get Betty,” one said. Amy shook her head. “Betty’s gone to the city.”
The kids didn’t know what to do. Amy ran to Roy and saw one of his legs out of shape. A broken leg! She remembered what the first-aid book said about it.
“Victor!” Amy called to one of the boys. “Go get Roy’s mama, and find someone with a truck,” She turned to the others. “Give me your shirts. We need something to tie his leg with.”
Amy then found a strong, straight stick. She carefully wrapped the shirts around Roy’s leg and the stick. Roy cried out in pain. “I know it hurts,” Amy said softly. “But this will hold it still until you get to the hospital.”
When Amy was done, she looked up and saw Roy’s mama and a man watching beside a truck. “Thank you, Amy,” Roy’s mama said. Amy helped them lift Roy into the truck, then they drove down the hillside towards the hospital.
The next day, Betty came to Amy’s home. “I heard what you did,” Betty said. “You kept your head in an emergency. That’s an important skill.”
Amy’s face turned red. “I was afraid ...”
Betty shook her head. “It’s OK for a nurse to be afraid, as long as she has a clear head. The volunteer doctors are coming tomorrow with vaccines. We need some more hands. Can you help?”
“I’d love to.” Amy replied at once.
“Come early, then. There is a lot to learn.”
Amy smiled. “I’ll bring my first-aid book.”
1. Why didn’t Betty take Amy with her to the medical training?| A．Amy was busy reading. | B．Amy had to milk the cow. |
| C．Betty left too early in the morning. | D．Betty thought Amy wasn’t old enough. |
| A．He fell off the horseback. | B．He was kicked by the horse. |
| C．He successfully stood on the horseback. | D．He was pulled off the horseback by the kids. |
a. She found a proper stick. b. She helped lift Roy into the truck.
c. She asked the boys for some shirts. d. She tied the shirts around the broken leg.
e. She sent someone to get Roy’s mum and a truck.
| A．c-e-a-b-d | B．a-c-e-d-b | C．e-c-a-d-b | D．e-c-a-b-d |
| A．Amy had similar experiences before. |
| B．Amy was cool-headed when giving first-aid. |
| C．Betty regretted not taking Amy to the training. |
| D．Betty realized that Amy had become a good doctor. |
| A．Only trained doctors and nurses can provide first-aid. |
| B．Knowledge from books can help solve real-life problems. |
| C．Children need enough practice before they can be helpful. |
| D．Helping with housework is important to children’s health. |
6 . Spain is famous for its Tomato Festival, called La Tomatina.
It happens in a small town Bunol on the last Wednesday of August every year. During the festival there are all kinds of activities, but the most exciting part is the tomato fight. It takes place at the end of the long celebration. You are encouraged to throw tomatoes in the fight.
There’re many stories about how the festival began. One of the stories goes that during the 1940’s, some friends started a tomato fight, while another story is about a local band. Anyway, everyone in Bunol seems to have a different story.
Before the tomato fight, there are parades (游行), musical bands, street parties and so on. On the day of the fight, shopkeepers cover their windows and doors in order to keep away from the tomato fight. At the same time, thousands of tourists and local people come to the town square together. Then large trucks (卡车) full of tomatoes arrive. From the back of the large trucks, a great town band starts to throw tomatoes at others. Then the crowds fight back, throwing the tomatoes at anything and anyone. Soon the streets are in the sea of red tomato juice.
Everyone is supposed to obey a small number of rules: You must squash (压烂) the tomato before throwing it and you are allowed to throw nothing but tomatoes.
It is usually over in less than half an hour. Everyone then sets off to the river to clear up. Sounds like fun!
1. La Tomatina is a festival in a big city Bunol of Spain.2. The most exciting activity of the festival is the tomato fight.
3. The stories about how the festival began are the same according to the passage.
4. On the fighting day, people can throw everything all the time.
5. This passage mainly talks about the Tomato Festival in Spain.
Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping made history on November 7 when she became the country's first woman to do a spacewalk, according to the national space agency.
At the moment, Wang and Zhai Zhigang, two of the three members at China's new Tiangong space station, successfully completed the 6.5-hour spacewalk in the early hours of the morning of November 8, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The third astronaut of the Shenzhou-13 members, Ye Guangfu, stayed on the space station to support the spacewalk.
It's the first time the astronauts have left the space station since their arrival on October 16. Shortly after stepping out of the spaceship, Wang waved to audiences on Earth and said she felt great. During the spacewalk, the team fixed a suspension（悬挂）device and connectors to the station's robotic arm. They also tested the safety of supporting equipment（设备）, including the spacesuit produced by China.
Wang is China's second woman in space, after Liu Yang made history by joining the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft in 2012. Before Wang, only 15 women around the world had done spacewalks since 1984, when Soviet astronaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first to do so. So far, most women spacewalkers have been American NASA astronauts.
The Shenzhou-13 members will do one or two more spacewalks during their six-month stay at the space station. This is not the first time astronauts have worked at Tiangong space station. In September, three other Chinese astronauts successfully completed a three-month stay at the station. By December 2022, China plans to have the station ready to be used—a great target that seems to be possible.
1. The Shenzhou-13 members arrived at the Tiangong space station on October 16.2. During the 6.5-hour spacewalk, all the Shenzhou-13 members stepped out of the space station.
3. Wang is the 16th woman around the world who has done a spacewalk.
4. The main idea of this passage is about China's space travel.
8 . Do Dogs Dream?
Unlike cartoon images (图像、影像), real dogs don’t speak and describe their sleep. So you may wonder: do dogs dream like their owners?
A scientific research conducted at MIT found that during sleep, brains of humans and dogs work in a similar manner. When you or your dog first falls asleep, you experience SWS—slow wave(波) sleep—when the brain waves are slow but muscles (肌肉) are still active. Later a deeper stage of sleep happens. This stage is called REM sleep — rapid eye movements sleep. During REM, muscles are more relaxed, but the mind is more active. It was proved that both humans and dogs experience these two stages of the sleep circle. Since we know that humans dream, it is safe to conclude(做出结论) that dogs dream too.
Scientists found that as a dog falls asleep, his breathing becomes deeper and more regular(规则的). After about 20 minutes in REM sleep, dreams usually begin for normal dogs. While dreaming, the dog’s breathing may become weak and irregular, and his eyes move about behind the closed lids (眼睑) as if the dog is looking at something. By comparing brain wave patterns, researchers suggested that during REM, dogs are visualizing (呈现) dream images much like humans do during this stage of sleep.
Besides, it also found that during REM, the sleeping brain operates much like it does when awake, so both man and dogs dream about things that happen during their waking hours. Information gathered during the day is processed at night and may be relived in dreams. So your dog may “sleep run” as he runs after a cat or fetches a ball.
Studies also show that some dogs dream more than others, and the frequency and length of dreams are different according to the age and size of dogs. Young puppies usually experience more dreams than adult dogs. One possible reason is that puppies get huge amounts (数量) of new information daily and have much to process at night. Among dogs of the same age, smaller dogs seem to have more dreams than their bigger friends, but their dreams may last shorter. Dream length and frequency are also related to the amount of sleep required. A dog that has an active day outside may sleep more soundly than usual and experience longer periods of REM sleep, giving him more time to dream.
1. What happens to the dogs during REM sleep?| A．Their muscles stay active. | B．Their dreams take place. |
| C．Their brain waves are slow. | D．Their mind is more relaxed. |
| A．breathes regularly | B．opens the lids |
| C．visualizes images | D．gathers information |
| A．Required. | B．Reviewed. | C．Repaired. | D．Researched. |
| A．Why dogs dream like humans. | B．What bigger dogs dream about. |
| C．Why young puppies have more dreams. | D．What causes the differences of dogs’ dreams. |
9 . American people like to say “Thank you” when others help them or say something kind to them. People in many countries do so, too. It is a very good habit.
You should say “Thank you” when someone passes you the salt on the table, when someone walking ahead of you keeps the door open for you, when someone says you have done your work well, or you have bought a nice thing, or your city is very beautiful. “Thank you” is used not only between friends, but also between parents and children, brothers and sisters.
“Excuse me” is another short sentence they use. When you hear someone say so behind you, you know that someone wants to walk past you without touching you. It's not polite to break others when they are talking. If you want to speak to one of them, say “Excuse me” first, and then begin talking. You should also do so when you begin to cough or make any noise before others.
Let's learn to say “Thank you” and “Excuse me”.
1. You should say “Thank you” when ________ .| A．you say something kind to others | B．you help others |
| C．someone helps you | D．you want others to help you |
| A．used in the world | B．used more often than “Excuse me” |
| C．used only by Americans | D．used only between friends |
| A．cough | B．make some noise | C．go first | D．all of the above |
| A．Thank you | B．That's very kind of you | C．Excuse me | D．I'm sorry |
| A．to be happy | B．to be polite | C．to help others | D．to learn from Americans |
10 . Four students from different (不同的) countries are camping (野营) and they are talking about the weather. Let’s listen to them!
Tiffany: It’s cool and sunny most of the time in our country. I live in Beijing, a beautiful city (城市). It’s summer now. It is a little hot, but I still feel good.
Lolita: I live in Moscow. It’s usually windy there. It makes me feel bad. I don’t like that.
Ben: I live in the north (北方) of Canada. It’s very cold in winter, so we wear warm clothes. Many people like snowy weather because they can make snowmen and Canada is beautiful then.
Jeff: I come from Australia. I never see a snowy day. It’s very hot most of the time in our country. And in winter it’s not very cold. Many people like to come to my country for their vacation
1. It can be________ in Beijing now.| A．March | B．July | C．December | D．February |
| A．Jeff | B．Lolita | C．Tiffany | D．Ben |
| A．snowy | B．rainy | C．windy | D．cloudy |
| A．Tiffany comes from Australia | B．it’s usually warm in Moscow |
| C．Ben lives in the south of Canada | D．many people like to go to Jeff’s country for their vacation |
| A．different habits | B．different talks in different cities |
| C．different countries | D．the weather in different countries |
