1 . As I went down the wooden snowy steps, I held the rough fence with one hand, held my crying daughter Kelly with the other and made my way into the yard. I knew everything would be okay if I located my mother.
Instead of a smile, she greeted me with concern. I knew she had read my face as I’d approached. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
I held the baby out. “I can’t take care of this baby,” I said simply. My mother didn’t take her from my arms as I expected. She smiled slightly, and then replied firmly, “You have to take care of that baby.” This was not the reply I wanted. Couldn’t she hear the baby crying? I wanted her to fix this problem. Instead, she took off her gloves and asked me in for some coffee.
Mom held Kelly while I held the coffee cup. At that moment the baby finally stopped crying. I glanced over at Kelly, content in my mother’s arms. Her tiny blue eyes were fixed on me, as if to ask, “What’s the problem here, Mama?” Her sweet, familiar breath eased the stress in the air. I looked at my mother, feeling foolish but relieved. She stood and placed an arm around my shoulders. “By the time you came along, things were quite the opposite for me. But with your elder brother, you can bet that I often felt helpless.”
The baby showed no signs of our afternoon struggle, while my own hair remained damp and messy from sweat and worry. “Crying is the only way babies have to communicate. Try to listen to her cries and hear them as language. She’s not crying to annoy you; she’s trying to send a message with the only voice she has.”
Once again, her gentle guidance had supported me through a storm and back into clear skies.
1. Why did the author visit her mother in the rough weather?| A．She was concerned about her mother’s safety. |
| B．She was helpless and needed her mother’s help. |
| C．She wanted to learn to care for babies from her mother. |
| D．She intended to borrow some money from her mother. |
| A．Inexperienced but patient. | B．Considerate but impatient. |
| C．Experienced and confident. | D．Thoughtless and unconcerned. |
| A．Taking care of babies was difficult. |
| B．Babies enjoyed annoying their parents. |
| C．The author should let her baby cry more. |
| D．Parents should understand and accept babies’ crying. |
| A．She usually goes shopping with the author. |
| B．She lives a lonely life without her children. |
| C．She often gives advice to the author in trouble. |
| D．She likes to raise small children for young mothers. |
2 . Every Saturday, my mom and dad picked me up from school in a yellow car. What happened last time stayed
As I slid into the back seat as usual, my dad tried to
Along the way, I fell into a sound sleep. Suddenly, mom
Fluttering around the rearview mirror (后视镜)was a tiny yellow butterfly.
1.| A．familiar | B．quiet | C．distant | D．fresh |
| A．move | B．settle | C．start | D．wash |
| A．voices | B．shouts | C．coughs | D．cries |
| A．panic | B．disappointment | C．amazement | D．silence |
| A．hesitation | B．permission | C．difficulty | D．doubt |
| A．after | B．before | C．when | D．the moment |
| A．argued | B．discussed | C．quarreled | D．chatted |
| A．factory | B．store | C．police station | D．gas station |
| A．speeding | B．pulling | C．filling | D．winding |
| A．still | B．even | C．hence | D．otherwise |
| A．Regardless of | B．Instead of | C．Apart from | D．Far from |
| A．deed | B．treat | C．part | D．trick |
| A．pushed | B．rocked | C．hugged | D．removed |
| A．wonder | B．fear | C．worry | D．power |
| A．existing | B．standing | C．sitting | D．pointing |
3 . Leaf peeping, the practice of traveling to watch nature display the fall colors, is a beloved annual activity, especially in New England. Typically, by the end of September, leaves take on warmer colors throughout the U.S. But this year, many areas haven’t even shaken off the green shades of summer. In Maine, forest rangers reported less than 70% color change and modest leaf drop.
It’s commonly believed that trees, like people, must prepare for winter. When fall arrives, and day length and temperature drop, trees respond by ending green substance production and absorbing remaining nutrients, causing leaves to lose the original color. Greens give way to yellows, reds and oranges that make for dramatic autumn displays.
Warm fall temperatures can make the fall colors appear later. Worse, dry summers can cause leaves to miss the fall color turn altogether. Delay of the start of the fall colors, which has been moving later into the fall, could continue. “My observations in the last decade have had more years that were later than what we consider historical averages. It can be a trend as the planet warms,” said the expert Jim Salge.
It’s not just the plants that suffer. “Turning leaves offer an irresistible mass of color — which, by estimate, brings in as much as billions of dollars a year in tourism in New England,” said Andy Finton, a forest ecologist. That’s another good reason to focus on preserving forests. Leaf peeping can stay part of the area’s feature if forests are given enough protection. “If we can keep them unharmed, they’ll provide things we’ve depended on, as well as fall inspiration,” said Finton.
1. What is special about the leaves in Maine this year?| A．They take on warm colors. | B．They drop earlier than normal. |
| C．They stay green longer. | D．They totally miss the fall color turn. |
| A．Ways of trees surviving winter. | B．Explanation of leaves changing color. |
| C．Functions of the green substance. | D．Effect of climate change on fall leaves. |
| A．The earth gets drier. | B．The temperature gets higher. |
| C．The earth gets warmer. | D．The leaves delay color change. |
| A．To introduce leaf peeping. | B．To report the right time for leaf peeping. |
| C．To call on people to admire fall leaves. | D．To warn people to take care of forests. |
4 . Writing contests are a great way for high school students to showcase their creative skills. Here are some of the top free writing contests for high school students.
Young Lions Fiction Contest
Award Amount: $10,000
Deadline: Usually in September
The Young Lions Fiction Contest was established in 2001 by the New York Public Library. Five finalists are recognized, with one taking home the grand prize of $10,000. To qualify, the author must be 25 or younger and submit a novel or a collection of short stories.
53-Word Story Contest
Award: Publication in Prime Number Magazine
Deadline: 21st of each month
Hosted by Prime Number Magazine, writers are put to the test and have to respond to a prompt (提示) with a 53-word story. The prompt changes each month, and the responses must be 53 words exactly. Only stories are permitted and only one submission per writer per month is allowed.
Signet Essay Contest
Award Amount: $1,000 to be used towards your higher education
Deadline: April 22, 2021
I£ you are a Wuthering Heights fan, then the Signet Essay Contest is the one for you. Five high school juniors or seniors can win an award for their two to three — page essays. You must select one of the five prompts1 based on the events and characters in Wuthering Heights.
Ocean Awareness Contest
Award Amount: Scholarships up to $1,500
Deadline: June 15, 2021
The Ocean Awareness Contest aims to recognize writers while raising awareness about the climate crisis. Students can submit visual art, film or music. Each category has specific qualifications, so make sure to check.
1. How many people can get the grand prize in Young Lions Fiction Contest?| A．One. | B．Five. | C．Six. | D．Ten. |
| A．It is held on the last day of each month. |
| B．The participants can choose any topic. |
| C．It awards winners a large sum of money. |
| D．The entry must contain exactly 53 words. |
| A．They are all free of charge. |
| B．They provide scholarships. |
| C．They accept various forms of works. |
| D．They center on environmental issues. |
5 . It isn’t every day that the future and the past get to meet on national television.
When his wife of 72 years passed away six years ago, Peter Davies
“I was married for 72 years, and when my wife died, life changed
Peter chose to
“The
Recently he was
| A．suspected | B．admitted | C．proved | D．argued |
| A．struggled | B．refused | C．regretted | D．pretended |
| A．failed | B．determined | C．requested | D．forgot |
| A．dramatically | B．temporarily | C．casually | D．secretly |
| A．information | B．creation | C．affection | D．meaning |
| A．afraid | B．tired | C．ashamed | D．capable |
| A．study | B．perform | C．volunteer | D．investigate |
| A．star | B．scholar | C．hit | D．mode |
| A．expanded | B．transformed | C．recovered | D．compared |
| A．responsibility | B．challenge | C．status | D．mission |
| A．kids | B．instructors | C．applicant | D．assistants |
| A．reach to | B．object to | C．adapt to | D．belong to |
| A．apparent | B．tremendous | C．flexible | D．particular |
| A．remarked | B．accompanied | C．honoured | D．impressed |
| A．concerned | B．respectful | C．embarrassed | D．delighted |
6 . A new study suggests drinking coffee as soon as someone wakes up from a poor night's sleep greatly affects metabolism (新陈代谢) and blood sugar control.
In the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, UK researchers let 29 healthy men and women take part in three different overnight experiments. In the first two scenes, participants were given a sugary drink upon waking-first from a normal night's sleep, and then again after a poor night's sleep during which they were woken up for five minutes every hour. In the third, their sleep was similarly disrupted, but they were given a strong black coffee 30 minutes before consuming the sugary drink.
Blood samples from participants were taken following the sugary drink, which mirrored the calories of a typical breakfast, in each experiment. Results showed that one night of disrupted sleep did not worsen the participants' blood sugar responses at breakfast when compared to a normal night of sleep. However, strong black coffee consumed before breakfast in-creased the blood sugar response by around 50 percent.
By drinking such kind of drink after breakfast, UK researchers found that our bodies' ability to break down our food healthily is completely improved. Examining the effects of bro-ken sleep and. morning coffee across a range of different metabolic markers, scientists at the University of Bath found that, while one night of poor sleep had a limited effect on metabolism, drinking coffee before breakfast could have a negative effect on blood sugar control.
“We know that nearly half of us will wake in the morning and, before doing anything else, drink coffee—the more tired we feel, the stronger the coffee is. This study is important and has far-reaching health influences, and it indeed moves some coffee drinkers' heartstrings. As up to now we have had limited knowledge about what this is doing to our bodies, in particular for our metabolic and blood sugar control, so we have a long way to go.” said Professor James Betts, co-director of the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism at the University of Bath.
1. How did UK researchers get the result of the experiment?| A．By assumption. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By questionnaire. | D．By consulting journals. |
| A．One night of poor sleep surely affects blood sugar. |
| B．Drinking coffee after breakfast does harm to health. |
| C．Having strong drinks has a good effect on metabolism. |
| D．Drinking coffee at different time has different effects on health. |
| A．It makes no sense. | B．It is limited and blind. |
| C．It remains to be continued. | D．It is particular and explicit. |
| A．How. Much Coffee to Drink Matters |
| B．Does Coffee Really Wake Up an Appetite? |
| C．Drinking Coffee before Breakfast Harms Metabolism |
| D．How Does Drinking Black Coffee Affect People's Sleep? |
7 . A study by Harvard researchers found that mind wandering, or daydreaming, consumes an average of 47% of peoples’ waking hours. This brings about the question：If mind wandering is so costly to our well-being, then why in the world are we so willing to spend nearly half of our lives in this mental state?
Creative thinkers know, despite what their parents, teachers and school leaders might have told them, that daydreaming is hardly a waste of time. But unfortunately, many students learn to suppress their natural instincts to dream and imagine-instead, they’re taught to fit into a standardized model and to learn by the book, in a way that may not feel natural and that very well may suppress their natural desire to create. But as two famous psychologists recently noted, “Not all minds who wander are lost”-in fact, the mind’s wandering is vital to imagination and creative thought.
Nearly 50 years ago, psychologist Jerome L. Singer established that daydreaming is a normal and indeed widespread aspect of human experience. He found that many people are “happy daydreamers” who enjoy their inner imagery and fantasy. According to Singer, these daydreamers “simply value and enjoy their private experiences, are willing to risk wasting a certain amount of time on them, but also can apparently use them for effective planning and for self-amusement during periods of routine task activity or boredom.”
Singer coined the term positive-constructive daydreaming to describe this type of mind wandering, which he distinguished from poor attention and anxious, obsessive fantasies. By making these important distinctions, Singer was able to highlight the positive, adaptive role that daydreaming can play in our daily lives, under the right circumstances.
1. Who are aware that daydreaming is not a waste of time?| A．Teachers. | B．Parents. | C．School leaders. | D．Creative thinkers. |
| A．learning by the book | B．imagination and creation |
| C．suppression of inner desires | D．instincts and amusements |
| A．Private experience. | B．Circumstances. | C．Fantasies. | D．Happy dreamers. |
| A．It is a useful mental state. | B．It is similar to poor attention. |
| C．It is an anxious. obsessive fantasy. | D．It is a standardized model. |
8 . According to a recent study,a new genetically modified(转基因的）rice can prevent infections of HIV,the virus responsible for the disease AIDS.
The study reports the newly-developed rice produces proteins(蛋白质）that attach directly to the HIV virus. This process keeps the virus from mixing with human cells. The scientists say it can remove the effect of the virus and block its spreading.
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS reports that worldwide, nearly 37 million people were living with HIV in 2017. The organization says the largest number of those are in ·developing countries. Nearly two-thirds of HIV cases are in Africa. Now there is no cure for HIV/AIDS though there have been developments in oral drug treatments to slow the progression of the disease.
The new study predicts the rice-based method will lead to long-term use of the anti-HIV treatment across the developing world. Researchers said the "groundbreaking" discovery is “realistically the only way" that anti-HIV combination treatments can be produced at a cost low enough for the developing world.
They say the easiest and most cost-effective way to use the rice will be to make it into a cream to be put on the skin. The HIV-fighting proteins can then enter the body through the skin. People all over the world could grow the rice and make the cream themselves. This would prevent the cost and travel required for many patients to receive treatments and medicine.
The process of changing the genetic structure of food crops has been debated for some time. Critics of genetically engineered crops believe they can harm people. The scientific team says further testing is needed to ensure that the genetic engineering process does not produce any additional chemicals that could be dangerous to people.
1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?| A．The terrible situations of HIV infections. |
| B．The rapid development of Africa. |
| C．The practical ways to cure AIDS. |
| D．The efforts made by the United Nations. |
| A．By transforming it into proteins. |
| B．By processing it into a cream. |
| C．By attaching it to the HIV virus. |
| D．By adding it to an oral drug. |
| A．It can prevent infections of HIV. |
| B．It has produced dangerous chemicals. |
| C．It is intended for the developed world. |
| D．It requires further testing to ensure the safety. |
| A．A biology textbook. |
| B．A first aid brochure. |
| C．A social web page. |
| D．A health magazine. |
9 . I remember my first true introduction to art fondly. It was my second year of university and I was a confused 19-year-old at the time, unsure of what academic path I wanted to pursue. I knew that I had always been fascinated by things that made me question the world around me, and my art history class was the first time I really got to get my feet wet.
My professor, a post-graduate with natty (齐整的) hair, entertained us with her stories of travel and revealed the arts of the world to us, something that had not been touched on since my primary school years. The grand story of time was told in broken Greek sculptures, figures whose amazingly detailed limestone carvings were often missing arms and heads to the brittle ravages (无情的破坏) of time. We explored the patterns of the Medieval era and the early Renaissance religious symbolism of Michelangelo and Botticelli. We analyzed the mustard (芥末黄) and chiaroscuro (明暗对比) glare of the Baroque paintings of Caravaggio and El Greco, and we were amazed by the sandcastle-naturalism of the Spanish architect Gaudi. The history of art has fascinated me ever since.
I never had a talent for art myself, but I always did have a well-grounded appreciation for those who did. In primary school, we explored art through music and painting classes, but once we entered secondary school, art was an elective course and quickly limited to the dustbins of my memory. It was only after that humble art history class that I realized what I had been missing.
I strongly believe that a well-rounded society needs everyone to have an early education in the arts. A healthy society needs all its members to open their eyes—and their minds—so that they can learn what is true and beautiful, just as the famous Greek philosopher Plato said, “The reflection of beauty causes the soul to grow wings”.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence in the first paragraph?| A．The author got lost in the art history class due to the confusion. |
| B．The author was starting to figure out the exact academic path. |
| C．The author was starting to learn to appreciate art. |
| D．The author wet his feet because of carelessness. |
| A．To show his love for Greek sculptures. |
| B．To show the beginning of his love for art. |
| C．To tell readers the professor’s love for grand stories. |
| D．To tell readers what the Renaissance religious symbolism is. |
| A．Ambiguous | B．Supportive | C．Opposed | D．Doubtful |
| A．To advocate the popularity of art history. |
| B．To propose a change in the education of art history. |
| C．To urge people to explore more art classes in an early age. |
| D．To arouse people’s awareness of the importance of early art education. |
10 . Unique Lighthouses
August 7 is National Lighthouse Day. It's a day to celebrate the lights that guide us home and the historic importance of lighthouses and their keepers, who not only guided ships into harbor but also played key roles in naval battles across the globe. Check out these fantastic lighthouses across the globe as well as recommendations on the best places to stay near them.
Cape Byron Lighthouse, Byron Bay, Australia
The Cape Byron Lighthouse in Byron Bay, Australia was built in the early 20th century to help protect the Australian coastline. Today, it's a beautiful location to watch the sunrise. Within walking distance is the Watermark, a perfect place to stay and get some much-needed rest and relaxation from daily life.
Lighthouse of Chania, Crete, Greece
The Lighthouse of Chania, Crete is one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in the world, dating back to the sixteenth century. Travelers can take a walk along its long pier (码头) during the sunset. Located near the pier to the lighthouse is a hotel from 1890, which offers beautiful views of the bay.
Key West Lighthouse, Key West, Florida, USA
The Key West Lighthouse was built in 1825 to help guide ships entering the port. Travelers can enjoy climbing up the lighthouse to reach the wonderful sea views and can stay at the Kimpton
Lighthouse Hotel, with easy access to the lighthouse and the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero, California, USA
The Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero, California was built in 1871 to help ships navigate (导航) the region's dangerous coastline. Today, the lighthouse is a state landmark, and the quarters where the lighthouse keepers lived have been turned into a hostel, making it a great home base to explore the outdoors, spot whales and watch the stars.
1. Why is National Lighthouse Day celebrated?| A．To show the hard life of lighthouse keepers. |
| B．To instruct how to guide ships into harbor. |
| C．To honor lighthouses and their keepers. |
| D．To stress the importance of light. |
| A．Cape Byron Lighthouse. | B．Lighthouse of Chania. |
| C．Key West Lighthouse. | D．Pigeon Point Lighthouse. |
| A．They are all located in the USA. |
| B．They have become tourist attractions. |
| C．They offer accommodation to visitors. |
| D．They are good spots to watch the sunrise. |
