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 . One day, Tom’s teacher, Miss Mark, held a class meeting. “There will be a flag day next Saturday. Does anyone want to join this meaningful event (活动)?” asked Miss Mark. Tom was interested in raising money for homeless children but he was not brave enough to talk to the strangers, so he kept quiet in his seat.
“Tom. You haven’t sold flags before,” said Miss Mark suddenly. “Would you like to have a try?”Tom was hesitant(犹豫的),but he finally nodded.
On the flag day, Tom and Angela sold flags in a busy street. “Ex-cuse me, Could y-o-u pl-ea-se buy ...?” said Angela softly to the first person she met. The man smiled and put five-dollar coin into Angela’s collection bag. Then she said thanks and put a flag under his shoulder. “I did it!” said Angela happily. “It’s your turn now.”
Feeling nervous. Tom began to shake. Soon, he saw a young lady walking towards him. The lady was smiling and holding a few coins in her hand. She asked, “Are you selling flags for Fund for the Homeless Children?” Tom’s face became red and said yes. Then the lady made the donation(捐赠) and Tom gave her a flag. “You made it!” laughed Angela.
In the next couple of hours, Angela and Tom sold flags quickly and bravely. At last, their collection bags were so heavy that they had to hold them with both arms. They felt very proud.
1. Why did Tom keep quiet in his seat?A.He had other plans. |
B.He didn’t like Miss Mark. |
C.He was not interested in the activity. |
D.He was not brave enough to talk to the strangers. |
A.laughed | B.nodded | C.refused | D.cried |
A.In a busy street. | B.In their school. |
C.In a tall building. | D.In a small garden. |
A.Five dollars. | B.Ten dollars. |
C.Fifteen dollars. | D.Twenty dollars. |
A.Bored. | B.Shy. | C.Confident. | D.Sad. |
4 . Friends are very important in our everyday life. Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh and do things with. Certainly, sometimes we need to be alone. We don’t always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend.
No two people are just the same. Friends sometimes don’t get on well. That doesn’t mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will make it up and become friends again.
Sometimes friends move away. Then we feel very sad. We miss them very much but we can call them or write to them. We can also make new friends. It is encouraging to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them.
There’s more good news for people who have friends. They live longer than people who don’t. Why? Friends can make us feel happy. Being happy helps you stay well. If someone cares about you, you will take better care of yourself.
1. People often feels _________ if they have no good friends.A.happy | B.sad | C.lonely | D.unpopular |
A.often feel lonely |
B.like to feel close to each other |
C.often move away |
D.want to live longer |
A.stay alone | B.are angry with them |
C.move away | D.have new friends |
A.no longer love them |
B.don’t get on well |
C.can call them or write to them |
D.will take better care of ourselves |
A.will be important |
B.will have more good news |
C.needn’t make new friends |
D.will live happily |
5 . How would you like to build a time machine? Paper, sticks, glue and string are all you need.Put them together to build a kite. A kite connects you to the past.
No one knows who flew the first kite. It was probably someone in China or perhaps Indonesia.Indonesia. Indonesian fishermen hung fishhooks on kites and sent them out to sea to catch fish. Starting 2,000years ago, Chinese farmers flew kites to welcome the New Year and bring good luck to Earth.
In China, people also used kites during wartime. One Chinese story tells how soldiers put noise makers on kites and flew them at night over the enemy camp. The enemies were frightened by the noise and ran away.
About 1,300 years ago, Chinese travelers took kites to Japan. Soon kites filled the skies there.Kites reached Thailand about 700 years ago. During floods, Thai farmers flew kites over their fields They hoped the kites would drive away the clouds and stop the rain. Over time, kites flew their way out of Asia.Today, kites are a passion all over the world. Kite fans meet at festivals in many parts of the world and have great fun.
Over the years,Kites have also helped people understand the natural world.In 1749, for example, thermometers were tied to kites to measure temperatures. In 1906, cameras hanging from kites took pictures of San Francisco, California after an earthquake. The photos helped people plan what to do.
Kites also helped inventors find out how to make airplanes. The Wright brothers studied how kites flew, which helped them make the first successful airplane.
Since the ancient Chinese first set their kites into the air,people have loved flying kites. Kites give us ways to celebrate, relax and explore. So go fly a kite! Enjoy the feeling of wonder that kite flyers have felt for centuries.
1. According to the passage, in which countries were kites used to make good wishes?A.China and Japan. | B.China and Thailand. |
C.Japan and Indonesia. | D.Thailand and Indonesia. |
A.make the enemies leave in fear | B.celebrate victories during wartime |
C.stop the enemies from sleeping well | D.carry soldiers to fight against the enemies |
A.strong love | B.useful machine |
C.happy dream | D.common treasure |
A.By telling stories. | B.By listing numbers. |
C.By comparing facts. | D.By giving examples. |
A.To show people how to fly kites. |
B.To explain how kites are used in science. |
C.To introduce the roles of kites in history. |
D.To discuss the difference among kites worldwide. |
6 . “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. |
It is necessary for students to learn some team skills like developing relationships, communicating well with others and solving problems. Here are two fun team activities. Activity 1: Water Relay (接力赛) Tools ● Two large buckets (水桶) to hold water ● One small bucket for each team member Instructions ● Fill one large bucket with water. ● Make holes in the bottom of the small buckets. ● Have the team members line up between the two large buckets. ● Pass the water from one large bucket to the other, using small buckets. Try to keep as much water as possible. Why It’s Fun ● It’s fun to workout away to lose as little water as possible. ● It’s water. Isn’t it fun to get you wet on a hot summer day? Activity 2: Truth and Lie This activity will allow team members to learn about each other. Instructions ● Have each team member think of three pieces of information about themselves, and one of them is a lie. ● Each team member tells the group all the three pieces of information. Let the other team members guess which is the lie. Why It’s Fun ● Students love talking about themselves and this gives them the chance to do so. ● Members can learn about each other. ● Members will be surprised at what others think of them. |
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
A.One large bucket for each member. |
B.Two large buckets for each member. |
C.One small bucket for each member and two large buckets. |
D.Two small buckets for each member and one large bucket. |
A.get themselves wet |
B.lose as little water as possible |
C.pass the water as slowly as possible |
D.pass the large bucket to the other team |
A.talk about themselves | B.share love with each other |
C.tell lies to surprise others | D.learn all the information about others |
A.a science book | B.a travel guide |
C.a news website | D.a school magazine |
Tuesday 23rd May Hi Silvia We’re having great time in Scotland. The people are very friendly, but they speak with a strange accent. I can’t always understand what they say! We left Edinburgh yesterday and are now heading north. Tomorrow we are going to go looking for the Loch Ness Monster. Have you heard of it? Say hello to everyone at school. See you on the 29th! Hans | Ms Silvia Toti 32 King’s Road BRIGHTON Sussex BR24 7PQ |
2. Loch Ness is in the north of Edinburgh.
3. Silvia will meet Hans the next Wednesday.
4. Silvia’s address is on the right side of the postcard.
5. Hans writes to invite Silvia to see the Loch Ness Monster.
In 1972, Richard Sears, a young American began learning Chinese because of his interest in traditional Chinese culture.
Drawn to the ancient language, he went to China to study Chinese in the 1990s.
In 1994, Richard Sears decided to put the ancient Chinese characters online. Then, in 2002, he did it. That is the beginning of the Chinese Etymology(汉字字源)website. "My website did not get much attention for the next few years. Until one day in 2011, it suddenly got a lot of attention.
I got a few thousand emails, and a few million visitors and people started calling me 'Uncle Hanzi', " Sears said with a smile. Hanzi means Chinese characters. He has put more than 96, 000 ancient Chinese characters onto the website. "When I study each character, I wonder what the ancient Chinese thought, " said Sears.
After visiting many Chinese cities, Sears learned more about China and ancient Chinese culture, He said when he came to China in the last century, few Chinese could speak good English "However, you can hear English in many places in China now. Chinese language and culture were mysterious and not known by people in most countries then, but now, more and more people in the world are learning Chinese, even Chinese history, traditional Chinese medicine and so on, "Sears added.
At present, the 70-year-old American has made his home in China. "When I die, I hope my website will live on, and I'm planning to write a book about my research. This will be my gift to China, " he said.
1. What does "Drawn to the ancient language" mean in Paragraph1?A.Sears was interested in ancient Chinese. | B.Sears had to study Chinese characters. |
C.Sears could draw Chinese characters well. | D.Sears could speak ancient Chinese very well. |
A.1972 | B.1994 | C.2002 | D.2011 |
A.Chinese history. | B.Ancient Chinese characters. |
C.The daily life of Richard Sears | D.Traditional Chinese medicine. |
A.become famous | B.get the nick name "Uncle Hanzi" |
C.write a book about his research | D.make more people know about ancient Chinese characters |
A.Great Changes in China | B.Mysterious Chinese Language and Culture |
C.American "Uncle Hanzi" | D.A Young American and Traditional Chinese Culture |
10 . 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 |