The traditional Chinese calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. In China, the 24 solar terms were created thousands of years ago to guide agricultural（农业的）production. But solar term culture is still useful today to guide people's lives through cultural activities and special foods that go with each term.
Great Heat, the 12th solar term of the year, begins this year on July 22 and ends on August 6. During Great Heat, most parts of China enter the hottest season of the year. Here is something you should know about Great Heat.
Great Heat is a season of harvesting（收割）. During this time, the sunshine, high temperatures, and heavy rainfall are good for the plants. But many natural disasters also happen. So, it's important to harvest and plant in time.
Sending the Great Heat ship is a tradition in Taizhou. The ship is full of all kinds of meat. More than 50 fishermen take turns carrying the ship as they walk through the streets. The ship will finally be pulled out of the port and burned at sea. People believe that is a symbol of good harvests and health.
Great Heat is a season with most crickets（蟋蟀）in the countryside. Cricket fighting is popular game for some people in China during this period. The custom dates back over 1,000 years ago.
People in different places enjoy different food. For example, in southern Shandong, people would like to drink mutton soup. Grass jelly is very popular in Guangdong because there is a saying “Eating grass jelly in Great Heat will make you stay young.”
1. Ancient Chinese people created 24 solar terms to ________.| A．keep a healthy life | B．serve different food | C．help farming |
| A．6 | B．16 | C．22 |
| A．just for fun | B．to get exercise | C．with good wishes |
| A．Great Heat is an important time to harvest and plant |
| B．cricket fighting games are getting popular in China now |
| C．people in Guangdong enjoy mutton soup during Great Heat |
A． | B． | C． |
2 . Alan is a middle school student. It's Sunday morning. He doesn't go to school. He is going to play with his friends in the morning. He is looking outside from his bedroom.
It is raining hard and windy outside. He really wants the rain and wind to stop right now so that he can go out to meet his friends.
The rain stops in the afternoon. He comes out from his house. The air is clean. The trees and houses are clean too. Everything is new. Alan is very happy to see that. He calls his friends and asks them to go out. The clouds goes, and the sun comes. A big rainbow(彩虹) is hanging in the sky. People here do not often see rainbow. They think rainbow can bring good luck to them.
How does the rainbow form? "Alan asks his father. "When the sun shines the raindrops, the rainbow comes out. From this we can learn we never see rainbows if it doesn't rain. ”Alan's father tells him.
Alan learns from his father—when we meet bad things, just enjoy them, and everything will be better.
1. How's the weather in the morning?| A．Rainy | B．Sunny | C．Cloudy |
| A．bad luck | B．good luck | C． good weather |
| A．改进 | B．来自 | C．形成 |
| A．Alan is a middle school teacher. |
| B．Tomorrow is Monday. |
| C．Alan wants to play in the park with his father. |
| A．Alan likes finding questions in life |
| B．Alan's father likes telling stories |
| C．not to be afraid of the bad things we meet |
3 . When I was a kid, I got interested in astronomy(天文学), I often watched northern lights in my hometown in Lapland. I used to wonder how big the universe might be and what are “behind” the stars. But as I grew up and finally went to college, I hardly had any time to develop my hobby because of too much homework. It was in 2009 that I rediscovered astronomy. I found an astronomy magazine in a library and immediately I got interested in astronomy again.
When I start reading astronomy books and magazines, I start finding out how many interesting things there are outside the planet. I realize that the information I am reading, hearing and watching opens a door to a huge world of interesting things.
However, I do not have much time for my hobbies. Many times I would like to observe an object in the night sky, but I am working or I have to look after my kids. So I share my hobbies with my kids. I encourage them to observe the stars together with me. I read kids’ astronomy books for them and tell them about the moon, stars, the sun and many other interesting things. We all find it interesting at the same time.
I enjoy astronomy as a hobby and I hope other parents like me can read books and magazines about it. Just imagine that you and your family sit together watching the stars and talking in the garden on a summer night! How cool it will be!
根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. The writer got interested in astronomy when ________.
| A．she grew up | B．she was a child | C．she got married |
| A．she went to college | B．she didn’t like it any more | C．she had too much homework to do |
| A．the writer was married when she took her hobby for the second time |
| B．the writer has written many articles about astronomy since 2009 |
| C．the writer has a lot of time for her hobbies |
| A．发现 | B．重新发现 | C．再次喜欢 |
| A．advise readers to watch the sky at night |
| B．show the importance of books and magazines |
| C．encourage people to develop a hobby in astronomy |
4 . There was a young painter who made a living by painting portraits（肖像）. One day, a rich man asked him to paint a portrait for him and promised to pay him 10,000 dollars.
After a week, the rich man came to take the painting, but he was not pleased with it. He told the young painter, “I will only pay 3,000 dollars for this painting”.
The young painter was angry. He argued with the rich man, hoping the rich man would keep his word.
The rich man thought, “The man in the painting is me. If I don’t buy this painting, no one else will buy it.” So he said, “I will ask you one last time: will you sell it for 3,000 dollars?”
The young painter said firmly（坚定地）, “No. This is a shame for me! I would prefer not to sell it, rather than be humiliated by you. Someday, you will pay 20 times the cost for breaking your promise.”
After that, the painter worked hard day and night. Finally, he became well-known in the art world.
The rich man forgot about the artist and what he had told him. But one day, some friends told him, “There is a painting selling for 200,000 dollars and the man in the painting looks exactly like you. It has a name of 'Thief（贼）”.
Then, the rich man remembered the artist. He quickly went to say sorry and paid 200,000 dollars to buy the portrait. The young painter made the rich man lower his head in the end.
1. The rich man would only pay 3,000 dollars for the painting because ________.| A．he didn't have 10.000 dollars |
| B．he wasn't very satisfied with it |
| C．he thought others would buy it |
| A．working hard | B．making friends | C．making a lot of money |
| A．欺骗 | B．吓唬 | C．羞辱 |
| A．the artist | B．the rich man | C．the rich man's friend |
| A．The rich man kept his promise. |
| B．The rich man fought with the painter. |
| C．The rich man was punished by the painter. |
One day, Mike came home very late because he was very busy in the factory. He was very hungry when he got home.
He was not happy when he found his dinner was not ready. He was very angry with his wife. He shouted at her, "I'm going out to eat in a restaurant." "Wait for five minutes，" said his wife. "Why? Do you think that dinner will be ready in five minutes?" asked Mike.
"Of course not," she answered. "But I can be ready to go with you in five minutes."
1. Mike works in________.
| A．a factory | B．an office |
| C．a school | D．a hospital |
| A．she likes cooking |
| B．she loves her husband very much |
| C．she doesn't have a job |
| D．she doesn't want to work |
| A．he wanted to have dinner in a restaurant |
| B．he had a lot of work to do |
| C．he was angry with his wife |
| D．his wife didn't cook dinner |
| A．happy | B．glad |
| C．hungry | D．not happy |
| A．Jenny could have dinner ready in five minutes. |
| B．Jenny wanted to go to the restaurant with her husband. |
| C．Jenny didn't like the dinner at home. |
| D．Jenny didn't love her husband. |
6 . What should we do if one of our classmates suddenly falls ill or gets hurt? Here are some steps you should follow. But always remember to look for medical care after first aid (急救) if the wound is serious.
Broken bones (骨头) : Take away clothing from the wound. Use an ice pack. Don’t move the hurt body part while waiting for the doctor to arrive.
Animal bites (咬伤) : Wash the bite area with soap and water. Pack the wound with a clean cloth if it is bleeding. If the bleeding has stopped, cover the area with a bandage (绷带) and take the person to the hospital. Make sure you remember what kind of animal it is, so the doctor can find the right way to treat him or her at once.
Fainting (昏厥) : Have him or her lie with feet lifted a little. Don’t move the body if you think there might be wounds from the fall. Make sure he or she can breathe and let in fresh air. Clean the person’s face with a cool cloth.
Nosebleeds:Have the person sit up with his or her head tilted (倾斜) forward a little. Do not have the person tilt his or her head back because this may cause heavy breathing or coughing. Pinch (捏) the lower part of the nose for at least 10 minutes.
1. What should we do first when an animal bite happens?| A．Put an ice pack on the wound. |
| B．Wash the bite area with soap and water. |
| C．Try to stop the bleeding with a clean cloth. |
| D．Take the hurt person to the hospital. |
| A．broken bones and animal bites |
| B．animal bites and nosebleeds |
| C．broken bones and fainting |
| D．fainting and nosebleeds |
| A．Let his head not tilt back. |
| B．Let his head tilt forward a little. |
| C．Let him sit up. |
| D．Pinch his nose for less than 10 minutes. |
| A．First aid for some accidental wounds. |
| B．Steps of looking for medical care. |
| C．Advice on ways not to get hurt. |
| D．Ways to ask for help in getting hurt. |
Fast walking and running are easy, cost little and work well, so they are popular. And many people would rather do exercise in nature than go to gyms(健身房). It’s best to walk fast for at least 10 minutes at one time and walk up to 6,000 steps every day.
The study also shows that people in Guiyang, Guizhou love sports most. On average(平均), everyone there walks 5,941 steps every day. It seems that people in places with better environment and air are more willing to(更愿意) do sports.
1. Many people in China walk more than steps a day.
| A．6,000 | B．5, 941 | C．5,000 |
A． | B． | C． |
| A．at home | B．in nature | C．in the gym |
| A．people live in big cities are more willing to do sports |
| B．fast walking is not difficult, costs little and works well |
| C．it’s bad for people to walk fast for more than 10 minutes at one time |
| A．Mum’s Kitchen | B．Music Today | C．Health & Sports |
8 . My name is Lorena. I am 10 years old. I am French and I have two brothers, Peter and Paul. They are in the same middle school. They are good at math and science, and they often help me with my homework. I love going to school and my favorite subject is music. I am learning to ride a bike now.
Today I will go to a party. My friend Lisa will have a birthday party. Lisa likes reading, so I bought her a good book last week.
Yesterday my grandpa called me. He is a nice man. He is tall and fun. I love him very much. He lives in a beautiful town with my grandma. My grandma is 70 years old, but her hair is still black. She is an active woman. She likes swimming, running and riding a bike on weekends. She is also a good cook. I love her food.
My mom works in an office and my dad is a doctor. Our house is not very big, so my brothers share a bedroom. I have my bedroom, small but tidy. Every summer we go to the beach and I enjoy my free time, swimming and playing with my family.
1. What subject does it Lorena like best?| A．Math | B．Science | C．Music |
| A．She will go to a party. | B．She will buy a gift for Lisa. | C．She will call her grandpa |
| A．She is tall. | B．She lives in a town. | C．She runs every day. |
| A．A bike. | B．Some food. | C．A good book |
| A．She goes to the beach every summer. |
| B．She often goes to her moms office. |
| C．She lives in a big and tidy bedroom. |
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 |
10 . More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment(环境). Maybe that’s why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost!
Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit(受益) from the enjoyable exercise without polluting the environment. You don’t even have to ride all the way.
Folding(可折叠的) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.
Health Benefits of Bicycling:
It helps to prevent heart diseases.
Bicycling helps to control(控制) your weight.
A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.
Bicycling can improve your mood(心情).
Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.
Bicycling is healthier than driving.
1. From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming very ________.| A．surprising | B．exciting | C．popular |
| A．pollute the environment around | B．find something you didn’t notice |
| C．go everywhere and use a little oil | |
| A．get out of the car | B．take it onto a train |
| C．put it in your purse | |
| A．you can fold the bicycle | B．you will be friendly to others |
| C．you will be more relaxed | |
| A．Bicycling is enjoyable exercise for people | B．Driving cars is healthier than riding bikes |
| C．Riding a bike pollutes your neighborhood | |
