1 . Progress means the act of going forward. Making any kind of progress can make us healthy and happy in life. By setting and actively working towards our goals, we can make progress in our life.
To make more progress in life, start looking at problems in a different way. Whatever happens, if we think positively, it can be useful and helpful. We need to know that problems are part of our life. After we solve problems one after another, we can make more progress and become stronger.
Having confidence (信心) is helpful for us to make progress. Confidence comes from different places, such as proper education, training or having good relationships. We should also stay with people who believe in our success and actively support us. These people can help push us towards progress.
Slow progress is still progress. Just as the old saying goes, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Progress usually comes a lot more slowly than we expect. Even if progress is slow, try not to be worried. One important thing is that we keep taking steps towards our goals, and another is that we clearly remember what our goals are all the time. The actual speed isn’t important.
The road to progress is not always smooth. Most progress often comes with setbacks along the way. Sometimes, maybe it feels like we’re taking one step forward and three steps back, but it won’t always be like that. Keep going towards our goals and we can much more easily make the progress we want.
Progress doesn’t always happen in a straight line. As long as we keep working, we will achieve higher levels.
1. What does progress make us do?| A．Set lifelong goals. | B．Go forward easily. |
| C．Live healthily and happily. | D．Think about new things. |
| A．We should support different people. | B．Some people can push us to failure. |
| C．Confidence helps us make progress. | D．Different schools expect the same progress. |
| A．It often goes smoothly. | B．It still means progress. |
| C．It sometimes stops progress. | D．It always gives us a clear mind. |
| A．Prizes. | B．Advantages. | C．Excuses. | D．Difficulties. |
| A．Ideas about Making Progress | B．Keys to Speeding up Progress |
| C．Meanings of Having Confidence | D．Suggestions on Relationships |
2 . 
Confucianism (儒家思想) has been followed by Chinese people for more than two thousand years.
To help people understand how to behave towards others, Confucianism teaches the Five Constants (五常). These are ren, yi, li, zhi and xin. They are general virtues (美德) around the world. The most important two are ren and li.
Ren is the feeling of care and love we should have for others. Confucius explained ren could best be understood as loving others. He is famous for teaching people “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others”. It is quite similar to what is known in the West as the Golden Rule (treat others as you wish to be treated).
While the meaning of ren is easy to understand, li is a little harder to express. It can be thought of as duty or even respect. Generally, li is the way we should connect with people in our everyday life. In Confucian writings, discussions about li include the proper way to drink tea and how to remember ancestors (祖先). While ren is mostly about our opinions and feelings, li is about how we express our opinions and feelings towards others and towards the world around us.
Perhaps the most well-known Confucian virtue is xiao. This is the duty children have to their parents. Xiao means loving, respecting, obeying and taking care of one’s parents in their old age. In Confucianism, xiao is important for a harmonious (和谐的) society: Without it, the whole world would fall into a mess.
1. Which are the most important of the Five Constants?| A．Ren and yi. | B．Ren and li. | C．Li and xin. | D．Yi and zhi. |
| A．博学于文，约之以礼。 | B．学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。 |
| C．己所不欲，勿施于人。 | D．君子和而不同，小人同而不和。 |
| A．Building a peaceful society. | B．Taking care of one’s children. |
| C．Obeying rules for drinking tea. | D．Learning all through one’s life. |
| A．Its general virtues. | B．Its long history. |
| C．Its new challenges. | D．Its golden rules. |
3 . Jerry is a world-famous mountain climber. He has climbed many high mountains in the world. Starting in 2015, he and his friends spent two years on an adventure（探险）in South America, covering 7,800 miles. He was even named Adventure of the Year by a famous geography magazine in 2018.
Although Jerry had achieved great success, he didn’t feel fulfilled. He asked himself, “Is it enough to climb the highest mountains? Am I doing something helpful? How can I turn my adventures into something that can help the world?”
Jerry learned that scientists need plants, rocks and water samples（样本）from the places far away to do research. But scientists can’t get there themselves as such places are hard to reach——only the bravest adventurers can make it. Jerry thought himself could do something to help. He then came up with an idea. He set up a team of top adventures to collect samples for scientists. By studying the samples, scientists could know more about the earth and find ways to protect it.
Recently Jerry and his adventurer friends have discovered a special plant life of Mountain Qomolangma. The samples they brought back have helped scientists how plants live in extreme（极端的）conditions.
For Jerry, this kind of adventure is most satisfying. “Such adventures had made us see life in a different way. Now, being the best climber isn’t important for me, what matters is doing something helpful while climbing the mountains. There is still much more we can do.” Jerry said to a newspaper.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．Jerry’s friends. | B．Jerry’s achievements. | C．High mountains. | D．A geography magazine. |
| A．Satisfied. | B．Lonely. | C．Patient. | D．Worried. |
| A．To make friends. | B．To help scientists. | C．To study plants. | D．To train scientists. |
| A．their hobbies | B．their friendship | C．their understanding of life | D．their living conditions |
| A．Dangerous Mountains Climbing. | B．Important Scientific Discoveries. |
| C．Plants Found on High Mountains. | D．Adventures Turned into Something Greater. |
4 . Do you do team projects at school? I do a lot. I enjoy team projects because I like sharing ideas with other people. Of course, team activities aren’t always easy. You need to know how to work well together. Here are some suggestions to make team work easier.
Make sure everyone understands the goal of the project. If you’re doing a class project, you need to check the teacher’s instructions carefully and ask questions whenever something isn’t clear. There’s a popular saying: If you don’t know where you’re going, you probably won’t get there. |
Everyone should have a role in the team. For example, there should be a leader who helps everyone make decisions. There might be a note-taker who writes down the team’s ideas during meetings, and a time-keeper to control the time. There might also be a fact-checker or a group speaker. |
For large projects, the work can be divided into smaller tasks. Then you can choose tasks that you do well or enjoy. Of course, you shouldn’t always do the same task. It’s good to try new things, even if they’re difficult! |
After you divide the work, write down a plan on paper. You can use a calendar to help you. List all the tasks and think about when each one must be finished. It’s important for everyone to follow the plan. And if you can’t finish your part on time, tell the others as soon as possible. |
Know the goals
Assign (指派) roles
Divide the work
Make a planTry to be positive (积极的). Everything is easier when you’re enjoying yourself in the team.
1. How does the writer begin the text?| A．By telling a story. | B．By asking a question. |
| C．By showing a saying. | D．By sending a message. |
| A．Controlling the activity time. | B．Writing down the team’s ideas. |
| C．Making speeches for the team. | D．Helping the others make decisions. |
| A．Set a clear goal. | B．Work out a plan. |
| C．Decide everyone’s role. | D．Check the teacher’s examples. |
| A．Introduce the teacher’s instructions. | B．Give information about smaller tasks. |
| C．Explain the method to do team projects. | D．Describe the importance of creative ideas. |
5 . The Chinese pingfeng (folding screen) is an ancient invention and traditional Chinese furniture (家具). Its earliest common use dates from the Han Dynasty. The term pingfeng means protection from wind, showing its purpose at the very beginning.
As time passes, it has been made into different sizes with colourful paintings. On screens usually appears a dragon. It’s a symbol of light, growth and life-giving water. It also stands for nobility and power. The peacock, a beautiful bird, can be seen on screens, too. It’s a symbol of everlasting life. Beautiful flowers, which mean wealth and good luck, are also chosen as a popular design of the pingfeng. All the designs carry people’s beautiful wishes.
Behind the pingfeng lies an interesting story. In the past the unmarried daughter of a rich family was not supposed to see or be seen by men except her father, brothers or very close male cousins. When an admirer paid a visit however, she might take a secret look at him from a screen behind which she would be completely hidden. Her father would discuss poems with the young man and ask him to create one. If the daughter and her father were satisfied with the young man’s poem and his looks, she might agree to take him as a husband.
Today the pingfeng is back in fashion for its beauty and its practical (实际的) use as furniture. Acting as a moving wall or divider, it can be the perfect match (相配) for modern sofas and walls, which adds style to them.
The pingfeng is more than beautiful furniture.
1. What was the pingfeng used for at the very beginning?| A．Protecting people from wind. | B．Dividing a room. |
| C．Making a room beautiful. | D．Hiding a person. |
| A．The dragon. | B．The peacock. | C．The water. | D．The flowers. |
| A．By telling a story. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By comparing differences. | D．By explaining the result. |
| A．The Practical Use of the Pingfeng |
| B．A Beautiful Story of the Pingfeng |
| C．Old Pingfeng in Modern Homes |
| D．The Hidden Beauty of the Pingfeng |
6 . A Pathway (路径) to Meaning in Life
When it comes to a meaningful life, we might think of love, happiness and health. A life filled with meaning is what most of us want for ourselves. Then, what makes a meaningful life?
Many researchers agree that a meaningful life comes down to three factors (因素): having long-term goals, believing that one’s life matters, and feeling that one’s life fits together and “makes sense”.
But we believe there is more to consider. Sometimes life enables us to experience small moments of beauty. When people are open to appreciating (欣赏) such experiences, these moments may improve how they see their own life. We call this experiential appreciation (EA). EA is about the person feeling connected to events and being able to appreciate the value within the connection. It shows the discovery of and admiration for life’s beauty.
We recently set out to better understand EA in studies. We were interested in whether EA was also tied to general judgment of meaning in life. If so, it could be a factor for meaningfulness.
In the first study, we had people rate (评估) their support for different methods of reducing stress. We found that people who managed stress by focusing on their appreciation for life’s beauty also reported experiencing life as highly meaningful.
In the next study, we asked people to rate the degree to which they agreed with various statements, such as “I appreciate the beauty of life” and “I appreciate little things in life,” as well as other statements that related to the three factors and a general sense of meaning in life. Our results showed that the more people reported that they were “appreciating life” and its many experiences, the more they felt their life was valuable.
In the following studies, we further looked at the connection between EA and meaningfulness. For example, we found that people who were asked to look back on the most meaningful event of the past week generally reported high EA in those moments.
All the results proved our theory (假设) true. But putting it into practice can be difficult. Our fast-paced lifestyles fill the day with goals. We try to get the highest output both at work and in spare time. This focus on future outcomes makes it all too easy to miss what is happening right now. We should slow down and let life surprise us.
1. You were most probably in the EA condition when _________.| A．you made a travel plan for the coming holiday |
| B．you hurried to serve the customers in the store |
| C．you practiced hard to become the best violinist |
| D．you stopped to admire the roses by the roadside |
| A．Thinking back to the past weakens our sense of meaning. |
| B．Enjoying small things can influence our attitude toward life. |
| C．Proper stress management is the key to living a satisfying life. |
| D．Good judgment on beauty improves connections among people. |
| A．It is easier for results-driven people to achieve success. |
| B．We often turn a blind eye to the present moment. |
| C．A fast-paced lifestyle helps us reach our goals. |
| D．Future life will bring us many more surprises. |
| A．To explain how to discover beauty in life. |
| B．To discuss what the true meaning of life is. |
| C．To introduce a new factor for a meaningful life. |
| D．To compare different factors for meaningfulness. |
7 . Why do We Yawn?
Do you yawn? There are about 20 reasons that scientists think are possible for yawning after research. They do not know exactly why yawning happens, but they do know many facts about yawning.
We know that everyone yawns in the same way. First you open your mouth slowly. Your mouth stays open for about five seconds. You take in a lot of air and then push it out. Then you quickly close your mouth. We also know that yawning is contagious. When you see someone yawn, you yawn, too.
Many people say they yawn because they are bored or tired. That might be true. People do often yawn before they sleep and after they wake up. However, we know that people also yawn when they are excited or nervous. Olympic runners, for example, often yawn before a race. Why is that? In 2007, scientists found that a yawn can help a warm brain cool down.
Some scientists believe that yawning makes you notice things more quickly. When you yawn, you breathe deeply. You also stretch (强化) the muscles (肌肉) in your face, mouth, and neck. Your eardrums stretch, too. Maybe this helps you to be quicker to notice things.
In some countries, people think yawning is not nice. People put their hands over their mouths to cover a yawn. In other countries, people think yawning is healthy. They think that opening the mouth very big can let good things in. When they breathe out, they think that bad things go out of the body with the air.
Scientists do not spend much time studying yawning. That is probably because yawning does not hurt. It is just something we do.
1. What does the underlined word “contagious” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Able to spread quickly. | B．Able to breathe easily. |
| C．Able to change easily. | D．Able to sleep quickly. |
| A．They are too tired or too bored. |
| B．A yawn can let good things in. |
| C．A yawn can help a warm brain cool down. |
| D．A yawn can stretch the muscles in their faces. |
| A．Reasons for yawning. | B．Advantages of yawning. |
| C．Disadvantages of yawning. | D．Different ideas about yawning. |
| A．People use different ways to yawn. |
| B．Scientists will do further research on yawning. |
| C．It’s hard to notice things quickly while yawning. |
| D．Some scientists think yawning is good for people. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
8 . My best friend Bill is always trying to find out ways to give the environment a helping hand. One day, Bill brought some green cakes to school. At lunch, he shared his cakes with us. “Delicious!” “Wonderful!” Everyone liked the cakes and wondered how he made them.
The story goes back a few weeks. Bill’s family likes fruit very much. His father especially loves watermelons. He eats a lot of them in summer. They always throw away the skins (皮).
After seeing the cleaner working hard to pick up the heavy rubbish pail (桶), Bill said. “There must be a good way to use all the watermelon skins.”
After a lot of thinking, he decided to make something with the skins. First, he made the skins into juice. Then he carefully made his delicious GREEN cakes.
Once he tasted the cake, he knew his cakes were a great by-product (副产品) of the watermelon eating. And it was nature friendly too.
From now on, he doesn’t need to worry about the heavy waste from eating watermelons. And everyone always wants more of his special cakes.
1. What did Bill share with his classmates one day?| A．Something he bought. | B．Something he made. |
| C．Something he planted. | D．Something he picked. |
| A．They work very hard. | B．They like fruit very much. |
| C．They help pick up the rubbish. | D．They enjoy making green cakes. |
| A．I made very good cakes and everyone enjoyed them. |
| B．I worked with the cleaner and my parents praised me. |
| C．I made some fruit juice but my classmates needed more. |
| D．I tried to help others but I worried about the heavy waste. |
9 . Bert won a national prize called Young Heroes for his “green” project. This public-spirited young person was now a university student. His love for insects grew deeper and he was protecting them for the future.
_________. When he was around 4 or 5, he always loved to watch different insects, especially beautiful swallowtails(凤蝶). One interesting fact he learned about swallowtails was that their bright colors warned hungry animals that they tasted bad. And it was also fun to watch how they came into being. But the reason he really fell in love with them was that they were very accessible. For example, if you wanted to attract (吸引) swallowtails, you planted some zinnias, a kind of bright flowers.
Bert started a zinnia garden at his house, where he raised a large number of swallowtails over the years. With the world’s swallowtail population falling, Bert wanted people to realize that if insects like swallowtails disappeared, so would all the others above them on the food chain. To make the fact clear and easy to understand for other students, he also created a zinnia garden at his junior high school.
Part of the joy for Bert was watching the younger students get excited when running after swallowtails. “Whenever a swallowtail lands on them, the young students will soon fall in love with these cute insects. They develop a new appreciation for them,” he said.
Bert put his efforts into the environmental educational project and made it take flight.
1. After Bert was honored with Young Heroes, _________.| A．he often gave speeches in public |
| B．he set up his “green” project |
| C．he became interested in swallowtails |
| D．he went on protecting insects |
| A．Bert saved many swallowtails |
| B．Bert had a dull childhood |
| C．Bert found his love early in life |
| D．Bert made a hard decision |
| A．dangerous to feed | B．easy to get close to |
| C．hard to raise | D．safe to reach |
| A．to watch students have fun |
| B．to make his school more beautiful |
| C．to stop swallowtails from disappearing |
| D．to help kids learn about swallowtails |
| A．A Bright Flower | B．A Flying Project | C．A Green Garden | D．A Warning Action |
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| Home News Activities Ideas Pilar When I was a child, I collected books about nature. I loved learning about animals from other countries. When I get older, I find out that my own country has interesting nature too. That’s why I like studying nature now. I often write articles about nature and put them on my website. SarahI love birds and animals because my school has organized many visits to forests and lakes for us. I also like walking in the countryside and seeing what I can find. I’ve taken many photos about nature. Some are published (发表) in our school magazine. Some are hung on the walls of the school hall. LiaA few years ago, I read an article with beautiful photos of animals, birds and plants in it. It made me start looking at what lives around us. I’ve made some short videos and I often show them to my friends. Now I sometimes give talks about nature at school. I love it. I was once interviewed by the local newspaper. |
| A．On the walls. | B．In the newspaper. | C．On his website. | D．In his favorite book. |
| A．Because of a talk about nature. | B．Because of an article about nature. |
| C．Because of the people around her. | D．Because of her visits to forests and lakes. |
| A．Some videos. | B．Some magazines. | C．Some photos. | D．Some collections. |
