Two tickets. Only two tickets to the big basketball game. Three pairs of eyes all focused on the tickets in Dad’s hand. Marcus asked, “Only two tickets? But, Dad, which of us gets to go with you?” “Yeah, Daddy, who gets to go?” repeated Caleb. “Dad, can’t you get any more tickets?” I asked. “I’m afraid not,” Dad answered. “Mr. Williams offered the two tickets to me when he found out he’d be out of town this weekend,” Dad smiled and added, “I’ll have to figure out a fair way of choosing between the three of you by tomorrow morning. I’ll have to decide who deserves (应得) it most.”
The next morning, Marcus hurried into the kitchen. “Where’s Dad?” he asked. “He and Mom went to the library,” Caleb answered. “And he said we should all get started on housework as soon as we finish breakfast,” I added. “Housework! He must be kidding,” Marcus said.
“I’m going for the preview (预告) of tonight’s game on the newspaper,” Marcus announced. “Wait for me!” Caleb rushed after his brother. I looked at the breakfast table in a mess. Well, I thought to myself, “It looks like Saturday morning housework starts right here.”
A few minutes later, as I was doing the housework, I heard the basketball bouncing (弹跳) off the driveway. I knocked on the window three times. The boys looked towards me. “Okay, we’re coming in to help. Just one more minute.”
I carried the rubbish bag out to the dustbin outside the back door. “You guys, Mom and dad will be back any minute,” I reminded them. I began to open the lid on the dustbin. Then a white envelope (信封) caught my attention. I noticed that someone had written the word “Congratulations!” on the front of the envelope and inside of it was the ticket!
That evening, a dad and his daughter cheered their team to victory. It was a long-remembered lesson about duty from a dad who let his kids make their own choices.
1. Who offered Dad the tickets?2. When would the basketball game take place?
3. What were brothers doing when I was doing the housework?
4. Where did I find the ticket?
5. Do you think Dad’s idea is a fair way? Why or why not?
2 . How did your final exams go?
Here, I’m going to share with you some tips for taking good notes.
● It’s great if your teacher writes notes on the board: You can copy them down. If not, however, write down the most important points from class.
● It can take time to learn how to listen for the main ideas, so keep trying and don’t give up. Some teachers may directly tell you that a particular fact is important. Some might just repeat a certain piece of information. That’s a clue that it’s very important.
● Don’t go crazy taking notes, though. If you spend too much time getting your notes right, you might miss what the teacher is saying. But if you think you have missed something important, don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat it. If you don’t want to ask in class, see your teacher afterwards. It’s much easier than wondering if you have got the notes right as you study.
● If you’ve written down notes carelessly in class, you might not be able to read them when it’s time to prepare for a test. Look over your notes when you get home and copy them if it is necessary.
● Finally, it’s a great idea to go over your notes with a friend and compare what the two of you have put down. It can remind (提醒) you and your friend to any mistakes you may have made in your notes.
Think over these tips and try to improve your note-taking habits. Good note-taking helps your mind take in the material it needs to learn—and mostly, your test performance is decided by how effectively (有效地) you have taken your class notes.
根据上面短文内容填空（每空词数不限）。1. Some teachers may directly tell us that
2. Don’t spend too much time
3. If you’ve written down notes
4. The writer gives us
5. Good note-taking not only helps our mind
3 . Did you hear the name—Su Bingtian? He was born in 1989 in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. When he was a child, he was good at running. When he was 15, he went to a special school for the players. Every day, he ran hard, so he made great progress (进步). Slowly, he took part in some races and got good grades. But the road to achieving the dream was never easy for Su. Because of an injury (受伤), Su had to stop running for several years. He even planned to retire (退役) in 2017. But he still wanted to challenge (挑战) himself, so he went back to the track (跑道). To exercise his strength (力量), Su trained even harder than before. At last, Su set a new record (记录) of 9.83 seconds in Men’s 100m semifinals (半决赛) of Tokyo Olympic Games, making him the first Chinese runner to come to the final in the event. He made history and brought an amazing day to the world in the summer of 2021.
回答下面5个问题，每题答案不超过6个词。1. Where was Su Bingtian born?
2. When did Su Bingtian go to a special school for the players?
3. How did Su Bingtian make great progress?
4. Why did Su Bingtian go back to the track?
5. What can you learn from Su Bingtian?
In his lovely piece of writing “Why Write?”, the writer Paul Auster shares a story about growing up as an eight-year-old in New York City. He was crazy about baseball, especially the New York Giants. The only thing he remembers about attending his first major league baseball game is that he saw his hero Willie Mays after the game. The young Auster gathered his courage and went close to his hero. “Mr. Mays,” he said, “could I please have your autograph (签名)?”
“Sure, kid, sure,” Mays replied kindly. “Have you got a pencil?”
Auster didn’t have a pencil on him, neither did his father or his mother or anyone else in his group.
Mays waited patiently, but when it became clear that no one present had anything to write with, he said, “Sorry, kid. We’ve got no pencil. I can’t give you my autograph.”
From that day on, Auster made it a habit to never leave the house without a pencil in his pocket. “It’s not that I had any special plans for that pencil,” Auster writes, “but I didn’t want to be unprepared. I had been caught empty-handed once, and I wasn’t about to let it happen again. The years have taught me this: If there’s a pencil in your pocket, there’s a good chance that one day you’ll feel like starting to use it. That’s how I became a writer.”
What is your pencil? What is so important that without it you feel unprepared? I know some cartoonists always carry pen and paper and some photographers always have a camera in their pockets. They are always prepared.
Pick your “pencil” and don’t leave home without it.
1. To get Willie Mays’ autograph, what did Auster need?2. What habit did Auster form after that day?
3. What do you think of Auster’s habit? Why do you think so?
A total of 23 spotted seals (斑海豹) were put back into the waters off the coast of Dalian in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 as part of China’s continuous efforts to protect endangered wildlife.
The seals were hunted and sold, but have now been saved and marked for future protection. A fishery law enforcement ship arrived at the sea area near Dalian in the morning, carrying the spotted seals. The seals were let go free one by one into the sea. They swam freely in the water, returning to their natural home.
Spotted seals are nationally protected animals in China. They are the only kind of seals that can breed (繁殖) in Chinese waters. Like migratory (迁徙的) birds, they appear around October every year in Liaodong Bay, and take the long journey back to the Northwest Pacific in May after breeding. They are often considered as the “panda of the sea”.
Thanks to China’s top-class national protection in recent years, the population of spotted seals in Chinese waters has reached around 2,000, while the global population is between 400,000 and 600,000. Studies have shown that these 2,000 spotted seals are of great importance for the study and research on spotted seals.
To protect this rare animal and its ecological environment, the Liaoning Dalian Spotted Seal Wetlands were set up in 1992. In January 2002, they were included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance. Covering an area of 560,000 hectares with a coastline of about 370 kilometers, the wetlands are rich in biological resources. They have become home to nationally protected animals such as the spotted seal, finless porpoise, killer whales, false killer whales, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and East Asian river dolphins.
Since 1992, researchers in Dalian have successfully saved 388 spotted seals and put 299 of them back into the wild.
1. Where were the 23 spotted seals put back into the sea?2. What is the other name of the spotted seal?
3. With China’s protection, what has happened to the spotted seals in Chinese waters?
4. What does the underlined word “they” in paragraph 5 refer to (指的是)?
5. As a student, what can you do to protect wildlife?
Everyone is good at something, but some people are truly talented (才能). It’s always interesting to watch other people show their talents. Talent shows are getting more and more popular. First, there were shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent. Now, there are similar shows around the world, such as China’s Got Talent.
All these shows have one thing in common: they try to look for the best singers, the most talented dancers, the funniest actors and so on. All kinds of people join these shows. But who can play the piano the best or sing the most beautifully? That’s up to you to decide. When people watch the show, they usually play a role in deciding the winner. And the winner always gets a very good prize.
However, not everybody enjoys watching these shows. Some think that the lives of the performers are made up. For example, some people say they are poor farmers, but in fact they are just actors. However, if you don’t take these shows too seriously, they are fun to watch. And one great thing about them is that they give people a way to make their dreams come true.
1. How many talents are mentioned in the passage?2. What does the winner always get?
3. Do you think talent shows are fun to watch? Why or why not?
7 . Black Beauty is one of the best-loved children’s books and it is the only story that Anna Sewell wrote. It became a best-seller as soon as it was published and has sold over 30 million copies.
In the book Black Beauty, a horse, tells the story of his life. It starts with happy memories of when he was young and was living with his mother on Farmer Grey’s farm.
Farmer Grey is a kind and loving master but his mother warns him that not all masters are the same: “There are good men like our master, but there are bad men too.” Farm Grey sells Black Beauty to Squire Gordon, where he makes two very good friends: Merrylegs and Ginger. After that Black Beauty changes homes and owners many times. He often has to work under difficult conditions, working long hours and wearing a short rein. At the end of the book he is sold to three ladies who look after him well. And he is reunited with a young groom who loved and looked after him at Squire Gordon’s house.
Anna Sewell was an excellent horsewoman and driver and she believed that we should look after animals. During Anna’s lifetime, in Victorian England, horses were work animals and were treated badly. She disapproved of hunting and of using short reins which were both popular at the time. The book helped abolish (废除) short reins which were fashionable but painful for the horses.
—Taken from Black Beauty
1. When did Black Beauty become a best seller?2. Where did Black Beauty live with his mother when he was young?
3. What did Black Beauty have to do after he changed homes and owners many times?
4. What did Anna Sewell disapprove at that time?
5. What do you get from the book Black Beauty?(请自拟一句话作答)
8 . Teaching good manners can seem like a lot of work, but it is as important as brushing teeth twice a day. Actually, just give time and any child can learn to be polite. Here are some tips on how to help kids remember good manners in their daily life.
Sometimes children may be willing to listen to someone instead of their parents. Turn to friends, family, and teachers and encourage them to practice good manners at all times. If an uncle burps (打嗝) at the dinner table, have him say “Excuse me.” or “Pardon me.” “If your children jump on the sofa at Grandma’s house, have her explain that jumping on furniture is impolite. This shows that a different person can be more effective (有效的) than the same one who is heard all the time. If no one plays down (对……轻描淡写) bad manners, your kids won’t either.
Prepare for different situations in which your kids need to behave politely. If you’re in your backyard where a child has been on the swings (秋千) too long, he doesn’t notice others waiting. Show how you would politely ask the child to give everyone else a turn. With practice, your child will have the confidence to deal with any situation with politeness and good manners.
Family dinners are perfect situations for practicing table manners, such as learning how to use utensils (餐具), eating properly, your child has a chance to experience and eat new foods in a safe environment. This will encourage him to be open and excited about new dishes and situations. If he doesn’t like the food, teach him how to refuse it without complaining about it. Advise him to eat his favourite food in small and slow bites with practice.
When my child used to point out someone’s bad manners, I would ask him what that person should have done differently. Talk about different situations, ask what words he can use to sound polite when talking to an adult. Ask your child to share his ideas with you. Encourage him to practice them as soon as possible and ask him to report what happens and if the result is good.
| Get others to help | ▶Children may accept others’ advice more ▶A different person can do |
| Role-play situations | ▶Help kids to ▶In this way, kids will be |
| Eat dinner as a family | ▶Teach kids to use utensils, eat and talk ▶Tell kids not to |
| ▶Ask your child ▶Discuss with your child and encourage him to put his ideas into | |
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。
Livestreaming (直播) has taken off over the past few years in China. It has not only entertained (娱乐) the public, but also provided a new stage for traditional culture artists.
On video websites and apps such as Douyin and Bilibili, many traditional artists are making their first appearance (出现). They sing Peking Opera, show their paper-cutting works, or perform (表演) Chinese kung fu as well as classical Chinese music.
Li Jun is a laosheng (old male role) performer of Shanghai Jingju Theater Company. He thinks of new ways to attract people. Different from performing on a normal stage, Li gives his performance (表演) in everyday places, like his backyard and study room. Li also tries to teach viewers to sing Peking Opera in a humorous way, as a result, some of them even sing the opera well in a short time.
“Livestreaming has brought this classical art clown to earth,” one viewer said. “It allows young people to know more and fall in love with Peking Opera. Up to now, Li has got more than 6,000 fans on Douyin, while one of his videos has received 42,000 views on Bilibili.
Other kinds of artists also believe that livestreaming is a new chance. On the third China Huafu Day, Bilibili livestreamed a fashion show. Performers showed beautiful clothes in traditional Chinese styles, including those from the Wei, Tang and Ming dynasties. During the show, viewers not only enjoyed seeing the beautiful clothes but also watched the way performers (表演者) used ancient styles of make up (化妆). For example, a performer taught people step by step how to draw the guiyemei, which was a typical make-up style during the Tang dynasty.
Guangming Daily noted, “By livestreaming, the traditional artists can give answers directly to the questions viewers ask, which brings a lot of convenience (方便). At the same time, traditional culture is kept alive, because it has won more and more young people’s heart.”
Livestreaming — A New Stage Keeping Traditional Culture alive | |
| Background | Livestreaming has become |
| Influences (影响) | Many traditional artists are trying livestreaming for the Some artists sing Peking Opera, some show their paper-cutting works, while |
| A Peking Opera performance ★Different from performing on a normal stage, Li Jun gives his livestreaming performance (表演) in everyday places. Some viewers try to ★Livestreaming makes it | |
| A fashion show on Huafu Day ★Other artists ★Performers on the show also showed | |
| Advantages | ★People can have direct ★A growing number of young people are starting to show more |
10 . Climbers can be a very tough (艰难的) crowd and among them is the British Joe Simpson. In 1985, Simpson set out to climb Siula Grande in South America. Shortly after he got to the peak, Simpson fell over in the snow and broke his leg. In this situation, a broken leg means almost certain death, but Simpson tried and successfully pulled himself across fields of ice and stone until he reached the base camp eight kilometres away. How did he make it? Over and over again Simpson broke the main task down into smaller goals.
Break your main task into smaller goals. This is often the key to a successful plan to achieve challenging goals that seem to be impossible.
Language learning, similar to mountain climbing, is a tough task to most language learners. However, learning from the above story, we can use Simpson’s method to study languages. My tips for designing a study plan are as follows:
Understand what kind of learner you are
Some people are “visual (视觉) learners” and remember best by seeing pictures and imagining things in their mind; others are “auditory (听觉)” and are happy to learn by listening; “kinesthetic (动觉)” learners tend to learn by doing things and experience.
Realize your own competence (竞争力)
You should realize what your strengths and weaknesses are. Also, you should know which skill you are going to improve most? Spend your time on each skill properly. Then do a little every day rather than try to “cram” lots in a short time.
Write down your plan on a calendar
Decide which skill and what area you are going to practise each day. More importantly, your plan should be practical. Once you have a clear goal in your mind, write it down on your calendar. Each day you should carry out your plan according to your timetable. Do not delay or make up any excuses because of your failure to complete your daily task.
Studying is like climbing a mountain and you should take one step at a time. When you set out to climb it step by step you will find that it is not so difficult as you think. Similarly, it is also true in language learning. You can improve your language skills step by step. Break your main task into smaller goals, and you will realize your dream.
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