1 . A Day at the Nature Center
Emma stared(凝视) sadly out of the window of the bus. Only 50 miles outside town was the farm. She thought about the farm all the time, especially the animals.
When her family sold the farm and moved to nearby town, Emma was excited. But when she got to the new school, she felt very lonely.
With a sigh(叹气), Emma turned her attention back to the present. The bus came to a stop. “Welcome to the Leinweber Nature Center,” her teacher said. “A guide will give us a presentation about animals, and then you’ll help to feed the baby squirrels, now, I want everyone to find a partner. ”
Emma didn’t have any friends yet—who would be her partner? Emma got close to Julia, a talkative and outgoing girl. “Could I be your partner?” Emma asked uncertainly.
“Sure,” said Julia warmly.
Together, the girls walked into the center. After the presentation, a keeper showed them how to hold the bottle of milk for baby squirrels. Then the girls started to feed their own baby squirrels.
After the babies finished eating, the keeper asked, “Would you like to help feed the adult squirrels, too?”
Emma was quick to volunteer, but when the keeper opened the first cage, the squirrel inside jumped out. Emma remained calm(镇静的), held out her hand, made quiet sounds, and then quickly got it.
“Wow!” Julia said. “You’re always so quiet, I thought you were afraid of everything, but you were brave.”
“I know that when animals are frightened or excited, you have to stay calm.”
The keeper nodded in agreement and asked Emma, “Would you be interested in volunteering to help out with the animals at the center?”
“Interested? I would love to work here! What an opportunity!” Emma was excited.
That afternoon, in the bus on the way back to school, Emma sat next to Julia, her new friend. A rush of newfound happiness washed over her.
1. How did Emma feel when she got to the new school?| A．Lonely. | B．Lucky. | C．Surprised. | D．Angry. |
| A．took a chance to be tour guides | B．helped to feed the baby squirrels |
| C．asked the keeper many questions | D．made a presentation about nature |
| A．the volunteers warmly welcomed her |
| B．the teacher praised her for her bravery |
| C．she found a place to care for animals and made a friend |
| D．she went back to the farm and learned a lot about animals |
2 . Healthy eating doesn't just mean what you eat, but how you eat. Here is some advice on healthy eating.
Eat with others. It can help you to see others' healthy eating habits. If you usually eat with your parents, you will find that the food you eat is more delicious.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. Have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty--sometimes you are just thirsty, and you need no food. Stop eating before you feel full.
Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Because you don't eat for the past ten hours, your body needs food to get you going. You will be smarter after eating breakfast
Eat healthy snacks like fruits, yogurt(酸奶) or cheese. We all need snacks sometimes. In fact, it's a good idea to eat two healthy snacks between your three meals. This doesn't mean that you can eat a bag of chips instead of a meal.
Don't eat dinner late. In our busy life, we always put off eating dinner until the last minute. Try to eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give your body a chance to digest most of the food before you rest for the next 8-10 hours.
1. The writer gives us _________ pieces of advice on healthy eating.| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．7 |
| A．Fruits. | B．Yogurt. | C．Chips. | D．Ice cream. |
| A．Snacks are bad for our health. |
| B．We should keep eating until we are full. |
| C．Dinner is the most important meal of the day. |
| D．We should have dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed. |
| A．消化 | B．享用 | C．储存 | D．循环 |
| A．where to eat | B．how to eat | C．why to eat | D．when to eat |
3 . The local people of La Gomera can carry on conversations by whistling(吹口哨) from far away. For face-to-face conversations, they speak Spanish. But when they need to speak over a distance(距离), they whistle.
La Gomera is a small island. This island is almost shaped like a circle. It is very mountainous. Walking from one place to another may be a slow and difficult job. That is why whistling is so useful to the local people. A message can easily be whistled over a couple of miles, while to travel that same distance on foot might take an hour.
A good whistler can be heard and understood five miles away. His whistling can be farther away when it is windless. It is said that the record is about nine miles. Anyone who has heard a top whistler will agree that this record is quite possible.
A whistle travels farther than a shout, and is easier to understand. When a person shouts, he cannot pronounce his words well. But if a whistle is heard, it will be heard clearly.
Whistling is popular at La Gomera, and many methods of whistling are used …
1. How do people of La Gomera speak over a distance?| A．By shouting. | B．By whistling. | C．By travelling. | D．By recording. |
| A．It is very mountainous. | B．It lies between two circles. |
| C．It is easy to travel there. | D．It is hard to find a job there. |
| A．A windless day. | B．A long distance. |
| C．A useful message. | D．A clear pronunciation. |
| A．Disadvantages of whistling. | B．Stories of a top whistler. |
| C．Different methods of whistling. | D．Examples of good whistlers. |
Work hours are different from one country to another. In France, people spend about 1,646 hours a year at work. In Japan, however, people work about 2,159 hours a year. That means a Japanese worker works 513 more hours a year than a French worker.
Why do people work so many hours? Some people work extra hours because they want to make more money. However, many companies don't pay overtime. Their workers don't get more pay for more work. Some people think it's their duty to work more hours. Some are afraid of losing their jobs if they don't work more hours.
Many people say that their vacations are too short. In France, people get five weeks of paid vacation a year. In Germany, they get four to six weeks, and in the United States, two weeks. One study shows fewer than half of workers used all their vacation days. In Great Britain, there is a saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull (迟钝的) boy." If that is true, there must be a lot of dull people in the world.
1. A Japanese worker works __ more hours a year than a French one.
| A．513 | B．1,646 | C．2,159 | D．3,805 |
| A．正常的 | B．额外的 | C．有用的 | D．少量的 |
| A．France | B．Germany |
| C．the United States | D．Great Britain |
| A．No companies offer vacations to their workers. |
| B．Many people say they have enough time to relax. |
| C．Not all companies pay their workers for more work. |
| D．More than half of workers use all their vacation days. |
| A．Many workers have to work long hours. |
| B．Many people have vacations long enough. |
| C．Work hours are the same around the world. |
| D．There are a lot of dull people in the world. |
5 . 
Darrius was born with three fingers on his right hand and one on his left hand. He had to work hard to do things that were easy for others. Every time his classmates tried to help, he would say, “Thanks, but I can do it myself.” He learned to use the four fingers to do different things.
When Darrius was 10, he told his father that he liked piano(钢琴) music very much. “It's too bad you can't play,” his father said. But the boy took that as a challenge(挑战).“I will show people that I can,” he said to himself.
Months later, a neighbour gave him an old piano when she moved away. He taught himself to play the piano and practised for hours a day.
Darrius's favourite piano music is River Flows in You by Yiruma, a Korean musician. It took Darrius a year to learn it. “I have to come up with my own way with only 4 fingers,” he said. When he succeeded, he felt so proud. Later he was lucky enough to play the music together with Yiruma at a famous concert hall! Yiruma encouraged Darrius to follow his dream of playing his own music. Darrius has made it. And his music is popular today.
“I may have a disability,” he says, “ but I don’t let it hold me back from anything.”
1. What did Darrius take as a challenge at the age of 10?| A．Writing his music. | B．Playing the piano. | C．Giving a concert. | D．Visiting a hall. |
| A．A year. | B．A month. | C．A day. | D．An hour. |
| A．His classmate. | B．His father. | C．A neighbour. | D．A musician. |
| A．He has a strong will. | B．He bought himself a piano. |
| C．He gave up his dream. | D．He only plays others’ music. |
6 . Mobile phones(手机) have become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have stopped students from carrying mobile phones during school hours. The mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students will want them.
Mary, a teacher, said the mobile phone use is a distraction(分心) to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classmates. Teachers also said that sometimes students might use phone message to copy during exams. She said some school tried to stop mobile phones. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t get in touch with their children.
Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at the school office. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school, they were easy to lose and were a distraction for studies.
Many people say that they understand why parents would want their children to have phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.
1. Some middle schools in Australia have stopped students from carrying mobile phones ___________.| A．because they are students | B．when they are free |
| C．when they are at school | D．because they are children |
| A．the makers and sellers | B．the teachers |
| C．their parents and friends | D．some mobile phone users |
| A．use their mobile phones |
| B．leave their mobile phones at the school office |
| C．help the teachers with their work |
| D．get in touch with their children |
| A．students shouldn’t have mobile phones at school except（除……外）some special reasons |
| B．it is impossible to stop students from using mobile phones at school |
| C．some parents felt unhappy because they couldn’t use their phones at school |
| D．parents should teach children how to use mobile phones during school hours |
7 . Sharing Wall
| Dear readers, Where do you usually read books? Please share your ideas. Thank you! | |
In a tree. Perhaps it seems a little strange. But for me, it's really a good place. You can listen to the singing of birds and the green leaves around make you peaceful. David | At home. East or west, home is the best. Home is the warmest place in the world. You can lie on the sofa or just sit on the floor. Quietly, you can enjoy reading books like talking with good friends. Anna |
In the reading club. After reading a good book, maybe you can't wait to share it with your friends. It's really amazing to talk about a good book. Everyone has his own ideas about the book. You can learn more by sharing a book. Peter | In a coffee shop. The taste of coffee smells so nice! On sunny days, you can enjoy the sunshine through the window. On rainy days, you can listen to the sound of rain. Also, you can watch different people pass by. They may walk into your book and become part of it. Linda |
1. You can most probably see the sharing wall __________.
| A．in the reading club | B．at home |
| C．in a coffee shop. | D．in a tree |
| A．Anna | B．Linda | C．David | D．Peter |
| A．listen to the singing of birds |
| B．enjoy the sunshine or the sound of rain |
| C．talk about good books after reading them |
| D．lie on the sofa or sit on the floor |
| A．Peter thinks he can learn more by sharing a good book. |
| B．Anna enjoys reading at home. |
| C．David thinks a library is the best place to read books. |
| D．Home is the warmest place in the world. |
| A．where to borrow books | B．how to share books |
| C．how to make friends | D．where to read books |
8 . Shameem was born in a small village in Pakistan. In her village, it was a tradition to keep girls inside their homes. They were not allowed to get an education.
Fortunately, Shameem’s uncle, a university teacher, wanted to give her a chance to see the world. He offered Shameem a chance to attend school. So she became the only girl student in her class.
However, Shameem struggled to complete her schooling. To get permission for college, she went to a three-day hunger strike(抗议). After graduating from college, Shameem got a position in a non-profit organization(非营利性组织) working to help women in rural( 农村的) areas.
There, she saw a Pakistan that she didn’t know. Until then, she thought she had a difficult life. But there, she saw what women in other parts of Pakistan were experiencing. Some women had 11 children, but nothing to feed them. They would walk three hours every day to get water.
Shameem found that the position was more than just a job for her. She discovered her power. By setting an example, her experience could encourage more people to understand the importance of education and send their daughters to school.
Now, Shameem teaches in a rural school in her hometown. “The first day I walked into the school,” she said, “I saw all these little Shameems staring at me with dreams in their eyes, the same dream of freedom which I had in my childhood.”
Today, there is not a single girl in her village who doesn’t go to school.
1. Who played an important role in sending Shameem to school?| A．Her uncle. | B．Her parents. | C．A workmate. | D．A university student. |
| A．To make much money. | B．To finish her education. |
| C．To discover her power as an example. | D．To help poor women in the countryside. |
| A．Shameem walked three hours to get water. | B．Shameem used to know her homeland well. |
| C．Women and children were short of food. | D．Women’s situation was more awful than expected. |
| A．Girls have the same dream. | B．No girl is allowed to attend school. |
| C．All girls in the school are named Shameem. | D．The idea of girls’ education in her village has changed. |
9 . Have you ever paid for educational podcasts (播客)or live videos? Ask some people and most of them will say yes. "Pay-for-knowledge" has been more and more fashionable these years. The contents of these "pay-for-knowledge" products are from language learning to gardening or baby-caring. Everything you think of can be found online at this moment. "Pay-for-knowledge" is on the rise(兴起).
Why is "pay-for-knowledge" industry developing so rapidly? First, its development is based on the Internet. With a fast network and a smartphone, anyone who has passed the identity(身份) check can be an online teacher, and anyone with an online account can buy "pay-for-knowledge" products that he or she wants at an affordable price. Second, people are afraid to miss any information. On one hand, people hope for more useful information.
On the other hand, such information is usually at the hands of experts (专家) who serve well-known companies and universities. Moreover, the need to learn new skills in today's job market also pushes people to learn on such educational podcasts.
The industry of "pay-for-knowledge" has proved to be lucrative. It promises possibilities of turning information into money. It is good for the development of our country and it can help sellers make lots of money. Besides, buyers can enjoy self-growth from it. What's more, this is a reflection(反映)of respect for knowledge and talents.
However, the rapid development of "pay-for-knowledge" has a few problems. For one thing, the market is full of eye-catching words such as "How to be an Industry's Expert in 5 Hours" and "15 Classes to Be a Master of Appreciating (欣赏) Classical Music", which sound like if you pay for it, you are sure to succeed. For another, a large number of customers buy them just for showing off. In fact, those who have really had self-growth after buying online courses may be the kind of people who need them least. In other words, with or without these courses, they can make it anyway, because they are those who have the ability to learn by themselves.
In general, the best is the one that suits you most. "Pay-for-knowledge" may be used as a good start for self-growth. Be careful! Otherwise, your dream of success may not come true.
1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?| A．"Pay-for-knowledge" products can help all the people succeed. |
| B．"Pay-for-knowledge" products can offer people different kinds of courses. |
| C．People who can teach themselves need "pay-for-knowledge" products most. |
| D．People must learn from experts who serve famous companies and universities. |
| A．The history of its development. | B．The problems of its products. |
| C．The advantages of its products. | D．The causes of its rise. |
| A．produce lots of money | B．get much information |
| C．win great respect | D．enjoy self-growth |
| A．recommend the "pay-for-knowledge" products to people |
| B．advise everyone to learn knowledge by themselves online |
| C．remind people to choose "pay-for-knowledge" products wisely |
| D．teach parents how to buy some online courses for their children |
10 . At the doctor’s office
Wilson is a foreign student in Britain. He is learning English there. He still has some trouble using the language.
Doctor: Good morning. You’re a new patient, I think. What’s the trouble?
Wilson: Sometimes I feel cold and sometimes hot. I have a headache and a stomachache.
Doctor: Yes, you look a bit off-colour.
Wilson: What colour, please?
Doctor: Sorry, what I said was “off-colour”. We use it to describe how people look or feel when they are unwell. Let me take your temperature. When did this start?
Wilson: I felt very tired last night when I went to bed. Then I felt really bad this morning when I woke up.
Doctor: I see. Now, let’s look at your temperature. Ah, just as I thought, a hundred and one.
Wilson: Oh, a hundred and one? So high?
Doctor: Ah, yes, that must sound strange to you. We measure people’s temperature on the Fahrenheit scale（华氏）. In centigrade, your temperature is 39℃, which is a bit high, but not exactly boiling point（沸点）.
Wilson: Oh, it isn’t very bad, then.
Doctor: No, it isn’t serious. You’ve got a cold. I’ll give you some medicine. You’d better stay at home in the warm for a day or two and drink plenty of water.
Wilson: Thank you very much, doctor. I’m feeling better already. It wasn’t so difficult telling you about my illness.
Doctor: No, language doesn’t matter too much to a doctor. After all, vets manage without language at all.
Wilson: Please, what is a “vets”?
Doctor: Animal doctors. Now I must end this English lesson and see my next patient.
1. Which word has the same meaning as the underlined word “off-colour”?
| A．tired | B．lazy | C．sick | D．stressed |
| A．He is good at English. | B．He has had a cold. |
| C．He is from the UK. | D．He knows the doctor well. |
| A．Impatient. | B．Strict. | C．Humorous. | D．Curious. |
