1 . Reading can make you feel less alone and more connected with the world at large. It can open your eyes to issues, successes and challenges that you never dreamed of, and take you to faraway places. Here are the top books all teens should read before they turn 18.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Though this book recently became popular again due to the release of the movie version, the movie is not a substitute for this beautiful story about family and the process of becoming who you truly are through the angle of space and time exploration.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Auggie was born with a facial difference that kept him out of school for years. In fifth grade, he discovers what it’s like to long for normalcy and also that difference can be the most meaningful teacher.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

The author shares beautiful poetry that will speak to teenagers about her experience of growing up in the South as an African-American in the 1960s and 1970s. The poems are charged with the themes of self-awareness and identity.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

The attractive advice given in this book is perfect for teens going off to college or beginning a new stage of independence. It is a book that can be reread all throughout life without losing its power.

1. What is special about A Wrinkle in Time?

A．It shows a teen’s difference.	B．It’s about space exploration.
C．It has been adapted for film.	D．It has opened teenagers’ eyes.

2. Whose book is based on personal experience?

A．Jacqueline Woodson’s.	B．R. J. Palacio’s.
C．Madeleine L’ Engle’s.	D．Don Miguel Ruiz’s.

3. Which book is intended for teens stepping into a novel life?

A．A Wrinkle in Time.	B．Wonder.
C．Brown Girl Dreaming.	D．The Four Agreements.

3 . I lean back on the wooden bench and the day’s stresses are gone. It seems perfectly placed for this spot, a place of my ______ and growth. It has really ______ me to a world I’ve never imagined.

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. Before surgery, my doctor told me to______out much to help with recovery. So I returned to hiking in the nearby woods. My fear was ______, but I still felt lonely.

My fearlessness ______. As everyone expected, the surgery went ______. I imagined what I could ______ when getting home. One day, I thought of building a bench because I loved ______. And I was only ______ enough to do a little bit each day. However, I was getting better in the work. Finally, I placed the bench I made in the yard, but it didn't feel like the right _______.

One morning, I passed by the woods, _______ to find many cyclists and climbers there. It was a world of _______ beyond my imagination, I put the bench there, built a wooden box and left a notebook and a pen inside. I wrote on the first page, "This is my favorite spot. I'd love to know what it_______ to you."

The next day, I _______ the first entry: Facing pressure every day, I keep on going because I have this place to get away from it all. People regularly stop to sit on the bench and pour out their_______ and write encouraging words to me in the notebook. Now, my life is fuller and I no longer feel lonely.

1.

A．recovery

B．sadness

C．production

D．tension

2.

A．preferred

B．described

C．connected

D．devoted

3.

A．eat

B．find

C．figure

D．work

4.

A．fading

B．mounting

C．appearing

D．returning

5.

A．let out

B．paid off

C．went down

D．broke off

6.

A．smoothly

B．roughly

C．slowly

D．disappointingly

7.

A．gain

B．say

C．do

D．promise

8.

A．hiking

B．woodwork

C．handwriting

D．exercise

9.

A．brave

B．well-known

C．smart

D．able-bodied

10.

A．atmosphere

B．status

C．place

D．height

11.

A．astonished

B．embarrassed

C．unsatisfied

D．undisturbed

12.

A．champions

B．values

C．resources

D．sports

13.

A．announces

B．presents

C．explains

D．means

14.

A．remarked

B．deleted

C．read

D．wrote

15.

A．gifts

B．emotions

C．boxes

D．impressions

4 . David lost his beloved dog Baya before Christmas two years ago. Baya was active and cute. David’s family spent many days _________ for their furry (毛茸茸的) family member. The kids said they wouldn’t want any _________ from Santa Claus. They just wanted to get their dog back. All attempts to find her turned out to be _________. Baya was nowhere to be found. It seemed that the family wouldn’t have any more _________.

Two years later, a homeless dog _________ alone on a busy road. Someone _________ it to the Animal Protection Association (协会). Thanks to the microchip (芯片) planted in the dog, the association was able to _________ the owner. They _________ David. When David got a phone call that they were going to get Baya back, the family were pretty _________.

Obviously, Baya is __________ to living in this home. She is quite __________ of where her feeding bowl is. Even though Baya isn’t the dog she used to be, David is confident she’ll become her old __________ again. He said, “She was a very healthy and __________ dog. She’s not like that anymore, but we’re going to get her back. Our whole family are taking __________ of her. Kids play with her happily. She’s __________ her joyful nature. We will love her even more.”

1.

A．preparing

B．searching

C．paying

D．begging

2.

A．calls

B．honor

C．gifts

D．rescue

3.

A．fruitless

B．generous

C．worthwhile

D．different

4.

A．advantage

B．challenge

C．decision

D．hope

5.

A．continued

B．appeared

C．hid

D．returned

6.

A．sent

B．forced

C．followed

D．invited

7.

A．refer to

B．rely on

C．track down

D．cheer for

8.

A．appreciated

B．impressed

C．recognized

D．contacted

9.

A．frightened

B．excited

C．confident

D．curious

10.

A．addicted

B．related

C．adapted

D．reduced

11.

A．aware

B．uncertain

C．afraid

D．proud

12.

A．native

B．self

C．partner

D．owner

13.

A．calm

B．average

C．pretty

D．active

14.

A．care

B．notice

C．control

D．advantage

15.

A．removing

B．identifying

C．recovering

D．reserving

5 . Viator, a trip advisor company, offers a variety of tourism programs near London. The following are some of its programs.

Thames River Sightseeing Cruise (乘船游览) with Afternoon Tea (Aug. 18)

While in London, you can add the moment of enjoying British tradition to an afternoon tea cruise. You can have a unique dining experience with family and friends on the Thames River. As you cruise from Tower Pier to Westminster, you can enjoy tea, freshly prepared cakes and sandwiches, and view London’s great landmarks, including the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the London Eye.

Lowest Price: $ 57. 7

Duration: 1. 5 hours

Kid-Friendly Private Tour (Aug. 20)

This tour is a private tour of the Tower of London with pre-booked admission tickets. It is specially designed for families with children, including interesting stories from over the centuries. You can enjoy a visit to the Crown Jewels, red-uniformed Beefeaters, and a stop at the Beasts of the Royal Menagerie.

Lowest Price: $ 309. 35

Duration: 6 hours

Walking Tour (Aug. 22)

This action-packed walking tour covers London’s two most historic areas: the City of London and Westminster. See more than 30 sights, including the Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and so on.

Lowest Price: $19. 35

Duration: 5 hours

Night Open-Top Bus Tour with Christmas Lights (Nov. 18)

You will see a different side of London on an open-top bus tour that discovers the best of the city’s Christmas lights. Sitting on the top deck gives you overall views of England’s capital, including top attractions such as Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Lowest Price: $ 30. 97

Duration: 2 hours

1. What can visitors enjoy during the Kid-Friendly Private Tour?

A．Freshly prepared cakes.	B．Christmas lights.
C．A Cruise experience.	D．Interesting stories.

2. How long does the Walking Tour last?

A．1. 5 hours.

B．2 hours.

C．5 hours.

D．6 hours.

3. Which of the four programs starts the latest?

A．Walking Tour.

B．Kid-Friendly Private Tour.

C．Night Open-Top Bus Tour with Christmas Lights.

D．Thames River Sightseeing Cruise with Afternoon Tea.

7 . My dad is easy-going and has a gift for chatting. He ________ a fast food restaurant called Queenie’s Weenies, which is specialized in hot dogs. I work with my dad at the ________ on weekends.

One Saturday, we went ________. As we got into the checkout line, I ________ something: our cashier (收银员) was very ________! She ________ no smiles, no greetings and no small talk. Her “anger aura (光环)” was obvious and kind of ________ to me. When we ________ to check out, I was thinking that we should just pay for our things and leave quickly. My dad had a different ________. When it was our turn, he started ________ her.

Dad said, “Hi, how are you today? This is my son. I have a restaurant, and we ________ together. It’s called Queenie’s Weenies. Drop by my restaurant sometime and I will ________ you to my hot dogs. I’m good at cooking them.” By the time we ________ checking out, the cashier was smiling. She said, “Thanks, umm… I hope you and your son have a very nice day.”

Back in the car, Dad said to me, “The cashier was obviously ________ today. It happens to everyone. Smile ________ or give a few kind words, which is all it takes to make one a little more delighted.”

1.

A．owns

B．describes

C．visits

D．recommends

2.

A．supermarket

B．hospital

C．restaurant

D．company

3.

A．hiking

B．camping

C．exploring

D．shopping

4.

A．imagined

B．believed

C．noticed

D．remembered

5.

A．beautiful

B．unhappy

C．professional

D．polite

6.

A．received

B．needed

C．avoided

D．offered

7.

A．suitable

B．frightening

C．special

D．friendly

8.

A．helped

B．refused

C．waited

D．forgot

9.

A．problem

B．idea

C．hope

D．experience

10.

A．talking to

B．looking after

C．going after

D．laughing at

11.

A．work

B．play

C．tour

D．exercise

12.

A．drive

B．tie

C．treat

D．lead

13.

A．quitted

B．finished

C．missed

D．regretted

14.

A．in peace

B．in danger

C．in a hurry

D．in low spirits

15.

A．warmly

B．immediately

C．secretly

D．comfortably

8 . This painting Spring Bouquet has a precise structure. The flowers spill over into the lower left-hand corner, with an imbalance as free and as wild as nature. But at once the artist responds to this unbalance. To the right of the vase, Renoir has developed a heavy shadow area, rich in purples and sharply contrasted with the light below it. The placing of the straight line in the lower right side is necessary. If the reader covers this line, he will see that the composition becomes unbalanced.

The Impressionist technique had not yet developed when Renoir painted this picture. Yet the painting with light and color indicates Impressionism is around the corner; there is something of that school in the feeling of the out-of-doors that Renoir has acquired. The texture (纹理) of the flowers is described. Above all, one can’t help saying the very nice smell of the flowers is there, too.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in 1841. He began working as a young painter of porcelain and textiles. At age 21, Renoir entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and went on to study under the instructions of painter Charles Gleyre’s. Even though his paintings had been initially rejected by the Academy and the public, with time he became one of the most admired artists of his generation.

Unfortunately, in 1899, he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (风湿性关节炎). It is a disease that causes a lot of pain. In addition, the person affected by it may also have deformities (畸形). Consequently, his movements became very limited and each movement was a big and certainly painful effort.

His son, Jean Renoir, writes in the book Renoir, My Father after his father passed away, the reaction of the people to the painting of the father, after seeing his hands:

Visitors who were unprepared for this could not take their eyes off his deformity. Though they did not dare to mention it, their reaction would be expressed by some such phrase as “It isn’t possible!” With hands like that, how can he paint those pictures? There’s some mystery somewhere.

1. What can readers see in the painting?

A．A vase in the left corner.	B．A shadow to the vase’s right.
C．A straight line at the bottom.	D．A natural light in the middle.

2. What seems quite special about this picture when people appreciate it?

A．The painting material.	B．The color choice.
C．The smelly flower taste.	D．The impressive feeling.

3. What does the underlined word “this” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Renoir, My Father.	B．Spring Bouquet.
C．Rheumatoid arthritis.	D．Renoir’s bravery.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Patience Is a Lifetime Practice	B．Pain Passes, but Beauty Remains
C．Impressionism Is a Unique Technique	D．Work hard, and You Will Catch Up

9 . Trainers and parents saw children play sports at a young age and then saw them become professional. Many correlated the training to success. Competitive sports are good for young children because they teach children life skills, provide health benefits, and offer special opportunities.

To begin with, sports teach children life skills. A formal athlete stated, “I played soccer in high school and college and found team sports weren’t just about winning, but also about developing a solid ethic(行为准则), and learning why that’s important.” In short, playing highly competitive sports teaches kids many life skills like teamwork. People will have to use teamwork for the rest of their life, and sports can help them improve that skill. Taking part in sports can help develop a positive attitude towards life, which will help in the long run.

Sports are also good for kids because they provide health benefits. It is healthier for a kid to play a sport competitively than to waste time playing video games all day. Furthermore, a research group of University of California said, “96 percent of the participants(参与者) said they enjoy their sports. They’re all loving life.” That is to say, kids playing highly competitive sports tend to enjoy life instead of doing something else like watching TV.

On the other hand, some people might argue that competitive sports are bad for young children because they are so time-consuming. However, the time spent is not “robbing” kids of their childhood, but offers unique opportunities. Athletes can get success to live their dream life by playing sports. Even though sports are time-consuming, they offer distinctive opportunities.

In conclusion, competitive sports are good for children because they can provide wholesome benefits, create new experiences, and build skills that will last a lifetime.

1. Why is the formal athlete mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To show a reason	B．To give an example.
C．To list a background.	D．To draw out a new point.

2. What is the most participants’ attitude to sports?

A．Supportive.

B．Uncertain.

C．Uncaring.

D．Doubtful.

3. What does the underlined word “distinctive” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Common

B．Unreasonable

C．Unique.

D．Frequent.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The ways to play sports.

B．The reasons for playing sports.

C．The problems of kids’ playing sports.

D．The benefits of kids’ playing sports.

10 . Columbia high school girls’ soccer team had lost every game in the season until a new ______stepped in two years ago.

Stuart Henley, a former soccer player and now a truck driver, ______the team and started training hard in February 2020. He ______the progress of the girls to team-building activities to help them bond on and off the field. He focused on the basics of football like passing, ______, and movement to try and bring the girls up to a good standard. His ______: coaches could give them guidelines, but girls ______what they felt they needed to work on.

Obviously, the girls were onto something big in the new season. They ______the skills they had learned and teamwork into their ______, which led them to an ______run of eight games, until they were sadly beaten 3-2 by Wyrley Pumas Team. Although this means they have been _____ the league title, the team have still exceeded (超出) expectation by earning the ______to the county’s top division.

“Whatever brings you down will ______make you stronger, especially for girls.” Captain Chelsea said, “Stuart has really ______our girls the philosophy of playing soccer. We’re going into next season full of confidence and ready to compete against tougher ______, but for now we’re still very much enjoying our ______.”

1.

A．player

B．driver

C．colleague

D．coach

2.

A．recognized

B．rewarded

C．reorganized

D．founded

3.

A．applied

B．preferred

C．credited

D．adjusted

4.

A．shooting

B．cheering

C．walking

D．observing

5.

A．principle

B．dream

C．plan

D．virtue

6.

A．found

B．decided

C．watched

D．liked

7.

A．turned

B．divided

C．integrated

D．translated

8.

A．styles

B．training

C．rules

D．game

9.

A．embarrassing

B．unlucky

C．intense

D．unbeaten

10.

A．awarded

B．denied

C．saved

D．limited

11.

A．promotion

B．approach

C．solution

D．contribution

12.

A．hopefully

B．officially

C．fortunately

D．eventually

13.

A．brought

B．taught

C．left

D．reserved

14.

A．participants

B．winners

C．opponents

D．partners

15.

A．harmony

B．victory

C．company

D．dignity