1 . Nowadays, phone calls and messages help us get in touch with others. It means that we seldom write letters now. But a TV show, Letters Alive(《见字如面》), is bringing back this old habit.
Letters Alive invites famous actors and actresses, but there are no funny jokes or competitions. It’s just one person walking up to a microphone(麦克风) and reading a letter. The letters were written by people from different times in history. For example, in one period, they read a letter written by famous writer Xiao Hong to her younger brother in 1941. The letter shows that Xiao Hong missed her brother so much and had great hopes for his future.
“Every letter opens another world for us,” according to Guan Zhengwen, the director of the TV show. “We can also touch the heart of the writers’.” Since its first period on Dec. 5, Letters Alive has been widely praised. Many audiences(观众) said that it had provided a kind of fresh air to today’s TV shows.
Besides Letters Alive, some other cultural TV shows have also been well received by Chinese audiences. Chinese Poetry Conference is a traditional Chinese poetry competition. And Readers invites people to read poems and articles they like or wrote. It suggests that cultural values and true feelings are becoming our interest.
1. Letter Alive, a TV show invites famous people to ________.| A．tell audiences jokes | B．read and share letters |
| C．walk up to a microphone to sing | D．take part in different competition |
| A．Xiao Hong missed her brother but had no hopes for his future. |
| B．The heart of the writers' can be touched by reading letters. |
| C．Letters Alive is not popular enough to audiences. |
| D．Chinese Poetry Conference invites people to read poems. |
| A．like | B．dislike | C．show no interest in | D．doubt about |
| A．Phones Have Taken the Place of Letters | B．Welcome to Our Cultural TV Show |
| C．Letters Make Us Communicate | D．Cultural TV Show Are Becoming Popular |
2 . We often reach a point in our life when we should be ready for change that will help us unlock our self-improvement power. However, there’s always something staring at us right under our nose but we don’t see it. The only time we think of unlocking our self-improvement power is when everything gets worst.
When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our shirts and jeans would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When all of our teeth have fallen off. When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When our lungs have gone bad, we see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and difficult. It is not easy to change, but change becomes more painful when we ignore(忽视)it.
Change will happen, like it or hate it. Happy people don’t just accept change; they embrace (拥抱) it. Unlocking our self-improvement power means unlocking ourselves out of the box of thought that is just the way we are. It is such a poor excuse for people who fear change.
Jane always tells everyone that she doesn’t have the courage to be around groups of people. She heard her family tell the same things about her to other people. Over the years, that is what Jane has believed. Every time a great crowd comes, she steps back and locks herself up in a room. Jane not only believes in her story, but lives it!
Self-improvement may not be even the body’s favorite word, but if we look at things in a different way, we might have greater chances of enjoying the whole process instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. And only when we are enjoying the whole process of unlocking our self-improvement power will we realize that we’re beginning to take things light and become happy.
1. The writer mentions the three questions in Paragraph 2 to show that ________.| A．we learn our lessons when we experience pain. |
| B．we are responsible for the problems we meet |
| C．life fails us when we get into the wrong way |
| D．life is a long journey full of ups and downs |
| A．She needs to remember why she started. |
| B．She has to know how to get on with people. |
| C．She has to realize she is not what she is in her story. |
| D．She needs to understand the importance of confidence. |
| A．the world tells us how to improve ourselves |
| B．people change when they find it easy to do that |
| C．welcoming change in life is a drive to become better |
| D．the process of self-improvement makes life unhappy |
| A．Is it important to take things light? |
| B．Is it necessary to embrace challenges? |
| C．To hold on to the last moment or to give up? |
| D．To free ourselves out of the box or to stay up in it? |
3 . Now many young people are traveling around the world on their own, not because they have no one to travel with, but because they prefer to go alone.
Kristina Wegscheider from California first traveled alone when she was at college. She believes that it is something everyone should do at least once in their life. "It opens up your mind to new things." Wegscheider has visited 46 countries.
In foreign countries, with no one to help you read a map, look after you if you get ill, or lend you money if your wallet is stolen, it is challenging. This is what makes young people travel alone. It is seen as character building and a chance to prove（证明）that they can make it on their own.
Chris Rihardson decided to leave his sales job in Australia to go traveling last year. He set up a website, "The Aussie Nomad", to record the people he met, the places he visited, and the things he did. He said he wished he had traveled alone earlier. "Everything is up to you and it forces you to grow as a person", said the 30-year-old man.
Richardson describes traveling alone like "a shot in the arm". "It makes you a more confident person that is ready to deal with anything. I walk around with my head up because I know deep down inside that nothing is impossible if you try." he said.
1. Which of the following will Kristina Wegscheider agree with?| A．Traveling alone is a necessary experience for everyone. |
| B．It is more meaningful to travel to foreign countries. |
| C．It is comfortable to travel around without a friend. |
| D．Traveling abroad helps people to find new things. |
| A．you have to cook things on your own |
| B．it is hard for you to prove yourself to others |
| C．you can only depend on yourself whatever happens |
| D．it will finally build your character |
| A．show his photos | B．ask others to join the journey |
| C．prove that he can do everything | D．keep a record of his trips |
| A．He started traveling alone at an early age. |
| B．He was once shot in the arm. |
| C．He used to work as a salesman. |
| D．He is humorous and brave. |
| A．Travel Abroad | B．Travel Alone |
| C．Travel Light | D．Travel Far and Wide |
4 . No matter what happened in the past and what may or may not happen in the future, the present moment is where you are. Generally speaking, our happiness depends on how much we are able to live in the present moment.
On the one hand, our present moments are often controlled by the past problems and future focus, so that we become anxious and helpless. On the other hand, we also put off our satisfaction, our important things, and our happiness. We often convince (说服) ourselves future will be better than today. John Lennon once said, “Life is what’s happening while we’re busy making other plans.” When we’re busy making other plans, our children are busy growing up, the people we love are moving away and dying, our bodies are getting out of shape, and our dreams are slipping away. In short, we miss our life.
Many people believe that their life will be better in the future. In fact, no one can be sure what he or she will achieve tomorrow. When our attention is in the present moment, we push fear from our minds. Fear is the worry about events that might happen in the future — we won’t have enough money, our children will get into trouble, we will get older and weaker, whatever.
To overcome fear, the best way is bringing your attention back to enjoy the present.
Mark Twain said, “I have experienced some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” I don’t think I can say it any better. Keeping your attention on the here and now, and your efforts will pay off.
1. People who focus more on ________ can probably live a happier life.| A．the past | B．the present | C．the future | D．the experience |
| A．we think more about the past and future |
| B．we spend more time dreaming of the future |
| C．we have no confidence in ourselves |
| D．we worry about getting older and weaker |
| A．looking away | B．putting away | C．going away | D．giving away |
| A．past problems hidden in our heart | B．attention on the present |
| C．worry about the future | D．efforts to take action |
| A．Dreams Turn into Realities |
| B．Hard Work Pays Off |
| C．Prepare for the Future |
| D．Live in the Moment |
5 . Now, short videos are popular among students. They have millions of views online. Many people share short videos on video apps like Douyin and Kuaishou. You can even add music and special effects(特效) to your videos. The videos are 15 seconds to a few minutes long. They show people doing activities like cooking, exercising and singing.
High school students enjoy these videos very much, more than 50% of first and second-year junior high school students said they enjoy watching these short-videos. About 47% posted their own videos, according to a survey by the China National Youth Palace Association.
The videos let high school students see funny and exciting things. Many students like to share the fun things with others, too. For example, a 12-year-old girl named Xiaoqianyu posted videos showing her learning jazz dance. This helps her win many fans.
However, some students spend too much time watching them and not enough time studying. Some videos have vulgar content (低俗内容）and it is not good for students. To solve this problem, Douyin added a function (功能) in April. The app will be closed if someone uses it for over two hours a day.
1. According to the passage, what can kids add to their short videos with these apps?| A．Special effects. | B．Vulgar content. |
| C．Homework. | D．Unhealthy videos. |
| A．More than 50% of first-and second-year junior high school students posted their own videos. |
| B．Short videos also have some disadvantages(缺点). |
| C．Parents don't want their children to post their own videos on the Internet. |
| D．The teenagers can use Douyin as much as they like. |
| A．They will become funny. | B．They will learn to dance jazz. |
| C．They will win many fans. | D．They will have less time to study. |
| A．Making Short Videos. | B．Sharing Your Short Videos. |
| C．Crazy for Short Videos. | D．New Functions of Short Videos. |
6 . The toucan (巨嘴鸟) is a colourful bird. Take a look at these facts about the toucan, and you may learn something you didn't know before!
·Where do they live?
Toucans can be found in the tropical (热带) forests of South America. Their home is in danger. It is advised to avoid buying rainforest wood and to protect the habitat (栖息地) of toucans.
·What do they look like?
Toucans have a black body and white throat. The colourful beak (鸟喙) is about 8 inches long and makes up 1/3 of the bird's total length. It may look pretty big, but thankfully for the toucan, their beaks are not too heavy. It is composed of keratin (角蛋白), which makes it much lighter than you would think just by looking.
·What do they eat and drink?
Toucans use their beak to peel and eat different kinds of fruits, which happens to be the kind of food they eat most often. Sometimes toucans will choose to snack on insects, frogs, or the eggs of other birds. Toucans get most of their watch from the fruits they eat, so they don't need too much extra water.
·Believe it or not!
Toucans don't have very big wings. They have to flag their wings vigorously (强力地) to travel short distance. So you will often find them hopping rather than lying through the air. Toucans can be rather lazy birds and they like to stay in one place generally. They don't fly high up in the sky or very far away from home, and enjoy staying in trees with their delicious fruit to eat. Wild cats are a predator of toucans in the rainforest. Other predators include large birds. Same snakes may attack smaller toucans but typically are more interested in the toucan's eggs instead.
1. How long is a toucan?| A．About 2.5 inches long. | B．About 8 inches long. |
| C．About 11 inches long. | D．About 24 inches long. |
| A．tree leaves, keratin of the air and fruits. |
| B．fruits, insects, frogs, or the eggs of other birds. |
| C．wild cats, snakes and other larger birds. |
| D．insects, fish and water from the river or the sea. |
| A．toucans live in North America. |
| B．toucans often fly here and there to look for food. |
| C．toucans aren't the best fliers in the tropical forests. |
| D．toucans' heavy beaks remake them become lazy. |
| A．the animal that kills and eats toucans. | B．the animal that is friendly to toucans. |
| C．the animal that is the food of toucans. | D．the animal that is similar to toucans. |
| A．The ways to protect toucans. |
| B．The surprising and interesting facts about toucans. |
| C．The appearance of toucans. |
| D．The habitat of toucans. |
7 . 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 music very much. “It’s too hard, you can’t play,” his father said. But the boy took that as a challenge. “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’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．His classmate. | B．His father. | C．A neighbor. | 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. |
| A．A boy with four fingers | B．A gift from a kind neighborhood |
| C．Playing the piano with four fingers | D．Taking disability as a challenge |
8 . A neighbor called 911 at 11:09 a.m. after seeing smoke coming from a house in the 165 block of 54th Street Southeast.
The man who lives in the home was able to get his older child and the family dog out of the house on fire. Just then Monroe police officers arrived. The father said his younger child was still on the upper level of the house but he didn't know where.
Officers did a quick search of the house but couldn't find the girl. One of them closed the door to the master bedroom, where the fire started, controlling it and slowing its spread. Firefighters arrived and after searching the closet and narrow beds in another bedroom, one firefighter noticed the closed toy box at the foot of the bed.
"She wasn't making sounds," later the firefighter said of the girl, whose exact age he didn't know. "I opened it up and saw her. She was lying in the toy box just balled up."
Firefighters got the girl outside, where she was examined by doctors and found to be fine. The fire was quickly put out. The police officer who managed to shut the master bedroom door was highly praised. And the girl's father was so thankful to firefighters.
1. How did the police officers know a child was still missing?| A．The neighbor called. | B．The father told them. |
| C．The family dog jumped wildly. | D．The child was making much noise. |
| A．To protect the toy box. | B．To slow the fire's spreading. |
| C．To clear the way for firefighters. | D．To keep fire from entering the master bedroom. |
| A．In a closet. | B．Inside a toy box. | C．Behind a door. | D．Under a narrow bed. |
| A．Calling 911 | B．A house on fire | C．Saving a girl out of fire | D．A thankful father |
9 . In your spare time, do you help your parents with chores (杂活) around the house? Can you cook for your family?
In order to stress (强调) the importance of hard-working spirit education (劳动教育) among students of different ages, the Communist Party of China Central Committee (中共中央) recently released (发布) a guideline (指导纲要).
The guideline calls for students to respect labor work. Students should learn basic life skills and form good working habits through such education.
The government has been trying to stress the importance of hard-working spirit education. But this has been overlooked (忽视) in recent years. Many teenagers do not value the importance of working hard and aren't interested in doing so.
According to a study of nearly 3,000 students that was done by Ningbo Evening News in March, only 22% of students help with everyday chores around the house.
Schools and families play an important role in teaching students about the value of working hard, the guideline says.
Primary and middle schools should provide students with hard-working spirit classes every week, according to the guideline. Schools can also hold activities to give students real-world work experience. For example, schools can teach children how to plant trees on Tree-Planting Day.
As children's first teachers, parents should also encourage children to learn how to do chores at home. Students should master one or two life skills every year. These skills can include cooking, washing their own clothes and tidying their rooms.
1. The guideline was released recently in order to ___________.| A．stress the importance of hard-working spirit education |
| B．ask students to work hard at English and any other subjects |
| C．teach students how to help their parents do chores at home |
| D．help students of different ages solve life problems |
| A．the government | B．hard-working spirit education | C．basic life skills | D．the recently released guideline |
| A．give homework to parents | B．give the guideline to every student |
| C．teach students how to cook in the school | D．provide chances of real-world work for students |
| A．About two thirds of students help with housework at home. |
| B．Students should master at least three life skills every year. |
| C．Schools should provide students with hard-working spirit classes every day. |
| D．Parents should also encourage children to learn how to do chores at home. |
| A．Spirit of Hard-working Education | B．How to Value the Experience |
| C．The Importance of All Subjects | D．How to Do Everyday Chores |
10 . Chinese fancy knots (中国结), also called Chinese knots, are very important in Chinese culture. They began as a form of traditional art in the Tang and Song Dynasties ( 朝 代 ) in China, and became popular in the Ming Dynasty. Long ago, they found their way to Japan and other Southeast Asian countries, and were well received there. Now they are regarded as one of the symbols of Chinese culture.
As for the name itself, it is surely meaningful. The Chinese word for “knot”, jie, means “connection”. And the pronunciation of the Chinese word jie is very close to that of ji, “good luck”. As a result, Chinese knots are used as a way to express people’s strong wishes for marvellous things like happiness, love and good luck.
The knots are used widely in everyday life. They come in different sizes. Small ones are connected to jewellery (珠宝) , clothes and gifts in order to draw people’ s attention, while large ones are used to make a living room or study more beautiful. Whether large or small, they are named after their shapes and usages. For example, Double Coin Knots are called Shuangqian Jie because they are in the shape of two ancient Chinese coins, meaning “good things come in pairs”. Besides, Chinese knots are famous for their bright colors. Different colors have different traditional cultural meanings. Red means good luck and happiness, green means health, and yellow means wealth.
All in all, the famous Chinese fancy knots fully show the Chinese culture. These brightly colored knots with their endless chains (链条) of knots mean that life on earth will continue forever.
1. What did the writer want to express in this passage?| A．Ask people to buy Chinese fancy knots. | B．Introduce a traditional Chinese art form. |
| C．Teach people how to make a Chinese knot. | D．Describe the usages of Chinese fancy knots. |
| A．pronunciation | B．size | C．shape and meaning | D．color |
| A．The Chinese word for “knot” means “luck”. |
| B．Chinese knots became popular in the Song Dynasty. |
| C．All of the Chinese knots have the same sizes and colors. |
| D．Chinese knots mean that life on earth will continue forever. |
| A．good | B．common | C．special | D．interesting |
| A．Chinese Culture | B．Chinese Knots |
| C．Chinese Colors | D．Chinese Life |
