1 . My son’s seventh birthday is approaching, so conversation at my house has naturally turned to organizing his party.
For his sixth birthday, we booked the local trampoline(蹦床) park. This worked out well. But the whole event cost us hundreds of pounds. This year, I’m trying to convince him that the dinosaur-themed park down the road offers just as much fun—and you don’t even need to wear special socks! This will be cheaper, because we aren’t required to hire a space—we can simply buy tickets for his mates.
But I still keep pondering over one thing—party bags. Why should a bunch of seven-year-olds, who have already been treated to a day out and a mountain of sugar, also be handed a bag full of pound-shop gifts for simply bothering to show up?
Party bags are an environmental disaster. I reckon my son attends 20 parties per year, and at each party there are 20 kids in attendance, which means 400 plastic bags in total. Within these 400 bags are perhaps 800 plastic toys, almost all of which fall apart on the journey home and then get binned instantly. The waste is shocking, and I don’t want to be part of it.
I know there are some party bag alternatives: one couple I know covered a table with Mr. Men books and got the kids to choose one each. At another party, I saw the hosts fill a bucket with soft toys and crumpled newspaper, and do a lucky dip (抽奖). Admirable efforts.
Even if that is a nice try, and even if the contents in the party bags don’t fall apart, so what? Will our guests think more highly of our child because of the party bags from our party? Will my child’s ability to make and keep friends be improved?
Well, the tradition for kid’s party bags ends with me, and it ends here, and it ends now. Who’s with me?
1. Why does the author recommend the dinosaur-themed park?| A．Because it’s more enjoyable. | B．Because it provides socks. |
| C．Because it can reduce cost. | D．Because it offers free tickets. |
| A．Gifts brought by guests. | B．Gifts prepared by hosts. |
| C．Gifts distributed by parks. | D．Gift a donated by charities. |
| A．Intolerant. | B．Objective. | C．Favorable. | D．In different. |
| A．Be recycled. | B．Be repaired. | C．Be thrown away. | D．Be given away. |
2 . I was fifteen months old, a happy carefree kid until the day fell. It was a bad fall. I landed on a glass rabbit which cut my eye badly enough to blind it. Trying to save the eye, the doctors stitched the eyeball together where it was cut, leaving a big ugly scar in the middle of my eye. The attempt failed, but my mama, in all of her wisdom, found a doctor who knew that if the eye were removed wholly, my face would grow up badly twisted, so my scarred, sightless, cloudy and gray eye lived on with me. And as I grew, this sightless eye in so many ways controlled me.
I walked with my face looking at the floor so people would not see the ugly me. Sometimes people, even strangers, asked me embarrassing questions or made hurtful remarks. When the kids played games, I was always the “monster”. I grew up imagining that people looked at me in an unusual way, as if my appearance were my fault. I always felt like I was a freak(怪人).
Yet mama would say to me, at every turn, “Hold your head up high and face the world.” It became a litany that I relied on. She had started when I was young. She would hold me in her arms and stroke my hair and say, “If you hold your head up high, it will be okay, and people will see your beautiful soul.” She continued this message whenever I wanted to hide. Those words have meant different things to me over the years. As a little child, I thought mama meant, “Be careful or you will fall down or bump into something because you are not looking.” As an adolescent, even though I tended to look down to hide my shame, I found that sometimes when I held my head up high and let people know me, they liked me. My mama’s words helped me begin to realize that by letting people look at my face, I let them recognize the intelligence and beauty behind both eyes even if they couldn’t see it on the surface.
In high school I was successful both academically and socially. I was even elected class president, but on the inside, I still felt like a freak. All I really wanted was to look like everyone else. When things got really bad, I would cry to my mama and she would look at me with loving eyes and say, “Hold your head up high and face the world. Let them see the beauty that is inside.”
When I met the man who became my partner for life, we looked each other straight in the eye, and he told me I was beautiful inside and out. He meant it. My mama’s love and encouragement were the spark that gave me the confidence to overcome my own doubt. I had faced adversity, encountered my problems head on, and learned not only to appreciate myself but to have deep compassion for others.
“Hold your head up high”, has been heard many times in my home. Each of my children has felt its invitation. The gift my mama gave me lives on in another generation.
1. As a result of the terrible accident, the writer ________.| A．became deaf and blind. | B．had her eye hurt. |
| C．had some hearing loss. | D．had her eye moved away. |
| A．blame her for lack of confidence. | B．warn her of the inconvenience. |
| C．encourage her in her daily life. | D．praise her for her great courage. |
| A．all of the writer’s children grew up with an inviting prospect. |
| B．Mama’s inspirational words had deep effects on the writer’s children. |
| C．each of the writer’s children received their grandma’s invitation. |
| D．the writer’s children had no choice but to accept the invitation. |
| A．Treat others as you hope they’ll treat you. | B．One’s mind works faster in danger. |
| C．Never give up whenever in trouble. | D．Two hands make the work light. |
3 . Years ago,when we first went to Canada, we were driving through Montana to Colorado with our two children. We thought we’d find a hotel on the way without
Though surprised at her
The next morning, around the table were a mass of people, and we were
| A．ordering | B．booking | C．seeking | D．exchanging |
| A．Eventually | B．Incredibly | C．Typically | D．Luckily |
| A．managing | B．struggling | C．deciding | D．failing |
| A．unnecessary | B．informal | C．improper | D．impossible |
| A．employment | B．request | C．offer | D．admission |
| A．followed | B．made | C．took | D．embraced |
| A．joined | B．accepted | C．greeted | D．assisted |
| A．talking about | B．waiting for | C．cheering up | D．picking up |
| A．absolutely | B．definitely | C．originally | D．secretly |
| A．aware | B．angry | C．amazed | D．anxious |
| A．consumers | B．strangers | C．relatives | D．neighbors |
| A．insisting | B．wandering | C．approaching | D．leaving |
| A．payment | B．service | C．advice | D．food |
| A．line | B．check | C．touch | D．mind |
| A．passion | B．eagerness | C．kindness | D．encouragement |
4 . I pulled over and one of the boys standing by the road asked for some water.
My heart
In my first lesson with Year Six I made a
A real
Now, three years later,I’m
| A．sank | B．beat | C．melted | D．raced |
| A．checking | B．searching | C．mending | D．parking |
| A．fast | B．soon | C．long | D．far |
| A．decision | B．motto | C．change | D．plan |
| A．reminder | B．symbol | C．gift | D．picture |
| A．experience | B．capacity | C．confidence | D．signal |
| A．bonded | B．behaved | C．reacted | D．operated |
| A．restricted | B．maintained | C．drafted | D．extended |
| A．chance | B．highlight | C．love | D．routine |
| A．added | B．led | C．kept | D．saw |
| A．expected | B．employed | C．guided | D．troubled |
| A．gradually | B．subsequently | C．frequently | D．temporarily |
| A．recognition | B．impression | C．expression | D．appointment |
| A．already | B．again | C．still | D．also |
| A．timely | B．typical | C．correct | D．heartfelt |
5 . The Atlantic salmon (鲑鱼) of Scotland are hardy and determined animals. Each spring and summer, they return from the North Atlantic Ocean to lay eggs in Scotland’s shallow rivers,leaping up waterfalls and over barriers, pushing themselves upstream in enormous efforts. Some fail, and others succeed, but today they face yet another challenge.
During the mid-1980s, there were between eight and ten million salmon swimming around Scotland’s Atlantic coast; that number has now dropped sharply. There’s evidence of reducing the availability of the salmon’s prey (猎物) as climate change warms and acidifies oceans. New research suggests climate change is also bearing down on rivers, which is bad news for salmon.Adapted to life in cold water, salmon experience slow growth and population changes at high temperatures. Heat influences their health and reduces their resistance to disease.
“Now salmon are struggling to deal with the rising temperatures. There are recent records of 27°C in the upper reaches of the Dee catchment,” says Peter Cairns, director of an environmental charity. In 2018, Scotland recorded the lowest pole catch for salmon since records began. Evidence suggests that the degraded quality of river worsens the impact of our changing climate. “Atlantic salmon evolved using river systems in Scotland that were once way more forested and therefore shaded.” Yet Scotland is today one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with just 3 percent of its native woodland undamaged. Scientists have found that just 35percent of rivers in Scotland have enough tree cover for salmon survival.
A movement to get trees back on riverbanks is gathering pace. “Broad-leaf trees close tothe bank can reduce the light that enters the water,” explains fisheries scientist Anthony Hawkins. A new initiative called Riverwoods — led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and supported by Scottish Water and several other government and regulatory bodies — aims to create a network of woodlands along Scotland’s riverbanks, and has already received a number of large funds.“Money is not the pressing business. River health is complex, but tree planting is one of the most basic things we can get started with right away,”says Cairns.
1. Why do Atlantic salmon make great journeys back to the rivers?| A．They search for foods. |
| B．They reproduce themselves. |
| C．The rivers are relatively cool. |
| D．The seas are increasingly warm. |
| A．They grow more quickly. |
| B．They are more heat-resistant. |
| C．They are less active in water. |
| D．They are more likely to get diseases. |
| A．There is a shortage of food. |
| B．There is much fish catching. |
| C．The ecology environment has changed. |
| D．The river systems are unsuitable for the forest growth. |
| A．It is urgent to plant riverbank trees. |
| B．It is too hard to restore the river health. |
| C．There is enough money for the project. |
| D．There are too many vital things to deal with. |
6 . Online, English has become a common language for users from around the world. In the process, the language itself is changing. There are now thought to be some 4.5 billion web pages worldwide. Some language experts predict that within 10 years English will occupy the internet — but in forms very different to what we accept and recognize as English today.
That’s because people who speak English as a second language already outnumber native speakers. And increasingly, they use it to communicate with other non-native speakers, particularly on the internet where less attention is paid to grammar and spelling and users don’t have to worry about their accent (口音).
Users of Facebook already socialize in a number of different “Englishes” including Indian English, Spanish English and Korean English. While these different styles have long existed within their cultures, they’re now expanding and coming online. Technology companies are introducing newly-developed English words with products aimed at enabling users to add words that are not already in the English dictionary. And most large companies have English websites, while smaller businesses are learning that they need a common language — English — to reach global customers.
The increasing popularity of the internet allows more languages to develop quickly. “Most people actually speak several languages — it’s less common to only speak one,” says Mr. Munro. “English has taken its place as the world’s common language, but it’s not pushing out other languages.” Instead, other languages are pushing their way into English, and in the process creating something new.
1. Which of the following is NOT true about online communication?| A．People need to spell exactly. | B．Grammar is not so important. |
| C．People do not care about their accent. | D．Most English-speakers are not native speakers. |
| A．We can only communicate online in English. |
| B．It’s impossible to find all the English words in the dictionary. |
| C．Some technology companies start to publish English dictionaries. |
| D．Smaller businesses are not allowed to have English websites. |
| A．The other languages are enriching English. |
| B．One can’t live well without speaking several languages. |
| C．English will become the only language in the world. |
| D．Chinese used to be the world’s common language. |
| A．English is a common language around the world. |
| B．There are now many different language styles. |
| C．English language is developing with the Internet. |
| D．Smaller businesses are learning a common language. |
7 . Imagine a fire burning in your mouth and stomach. Now, imagine a bottle of yogurt.This yogurt is your only means (方法) of escape. The pain is extreme great，but still, you manage to hang on. Now, imagine 12other contestants (参赛者) to your left and right, each suffering from the same great heat. Finally, imagine a huge crowd of people watching the impressive view.
This is what it was like for me when I first took part in the Chili Pepper Eating Contest of 2019. Hosted by The Beijinget as part of the weekend Hot Spicy Festival in Beijing, the contest was an open invitational, drawing in those brave enough to test their passion and willpower for eating spicy chilis.
Before coming to China in 2017,I had no idea chili eating contests like this even existed.I knew about food eating competitions, sure; but I had no idea that you could become a superstar just by eating chilis. It was also my first time getting on stage in front of such a large crowd, so there were butterflies in my stomach even before I introduced chilis into the mix.
Since I was young,I grew up eating policy curries (咖喱) with my dad — perhaps quite unusual by American Midwestern standards. Sometimes, we ordered the curry so spicy it would make our faces red as tears streamed down. But, in truth, I loved the unique feelings eating spicy food gave me. These feelings were what led me to find myself on the stage that day.
Nobody believed that I would be able to pull through. But, to everyone’s amazement (and even my own), I won! And then I won again the following year in 2020! While the grand prize was welcomed, the satisfaction of knowing I was a champion of something I loved doing and was good at was reward enough.
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．People’s feelings when eating chilis. |
| B．People’s problems when eating chilis. |
| C．The popularity of the chili eating contest. |
| D．The author’s experience at a chili eating contest. |
| A．It attracted foolish people. |
| B．It was open to strong men. |
| C．It could make people well-known. |
| D．It weakened peple’s will power. |
| A．It was a reminder of his happy time. |
| B．It brought him a different experience. |
| C．It was a tradition in his hometown. |
| D．It was convenient to buy spicy food. |
| A．Surprised and proud. |
| B．Relaxed and satisfied. |
| C．Shocked and regretful. |
| D．Disappointed and annoyed. |
8 . Nobody knows the value of a good doll better than Jandrisevits. “Dolls have a power we don’t completely understand,” she said. It’s a conclusion she came to while working as a social worker using dolls to help her young clients adapt to their changing medical situations. Many of the kids saw themselves in those dolls. But for the kids missing a limb or who had lost their hair, there were none they could relate to.
So, seven years ago, when a friend revealed that her child was stuck in self-doubt and self-distrust, Jandrisevits, now 49, knew what might help the youth through this potentially challenging period. “It’s hard to tell a kid, ‘You are perfect the way you are,’ and to build self-esteem (自尊) that way, but never offer them anything that looks like them,”she says.
Jandrisevits went about changing that. She crafted a doll by hand — using fabric, stitching, and markers — that resembled (像) her friend’s child and sent it off. After the friend posted a photo online of the happy child and doll, another woman asked Jandrisevits to make a doll that looked like her baby, who was missing a leg.
Word spread, and soon Jandrisevits was making dolls for children with scars, birthmarks, facial deformities(畸形), — in short, a doll that looked like them. She quit her job and started a nonprofit, A Doll Like Me.
Working out of her home in Milwaukee, from photos sent by parents or caregivers, it takes Jandrisevits roughly three days to craft only one doll. A GoFundMe page helps her cover costs and allows her to donate her services. She hasn’t charged for a doll since she began her nonprofit.
In all, she’s made more than 400 dolls. The waiting list is long, but Jandriscvits will never give up. As she explains on her GoFundMe page, “Every kid, regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, medical issue, or body type, should look into the sweet face of a doll and see their own.”
1. What made Jandrisevits realize the value of dolls?| A．The influence of dolls on her. | B．Her working experience. |
| C．The changing medical situations. | D．Her relation to the unlucky kids. |
| A．Children’s concern about their looks. |
| B．The problems faced by the child of a friend. |
| C．The challenging period the youth are going through. |
| D．The fact that words alone fail to help build self-esteem. |
| A．It targets children with mental problems. | B．It is time-consuming but meaningful. |
| C．It is thought poorly of by people. | D．It brings in a good fortune. |
| A．Creative and caring. | B．Ambitious and devoted. |
| C．Considerate and sensitive. | D．Knowledgeable and generous. |
9 . This idea is unkind. Children need to have a good holiday at the end of a busy school year. The long holidays give them time to do things they wouldn’t otherwise(不然) get to do. In my family we go to Ireland and see relatives and friends during the summer vacation. And it might seem long to some people, but time flies when you’re having fun.
—Ruby Mullin
I have good memories of my own long summer holidays, and I love the chance to have days out with my son. I think many parents, especially single parents like me, have made job choices based on being able to have time off for the summer—and now we’ve done that, we don’t want to see things changed.
—Viki Bantock
Having worked at a school that had a four-week summer break instead of the usual six, I’d say longer holidays are better. Teachers are under so much stress now to get good results; most put in lots of hours in the evening and at weekends and feel very tired by the end of term. There is no progress in learning after a six-week holiday, but it only takes a few weeks for students to get back up to speed.
—Marek Kaminski
A shorter summer holiday would be much better. The six-week break seems a thing for another age, when mothers didn’t work and your mum lived round the corner to give you a hand. If I was able to take a six-week holiday, great, I’d love it—but in the real world that isn’t possible. Instead, I end up spending around ￡600 on childcare for each week when I’m working.
—Nachelle Crowther
1. What does Ruby Mullin usually do during summer holidays?| A．She does part-time jobs. |
| B．She visits relatives and friends. |
| C．She prepares for the new school year. |
| D．She goes travelling around her country. |
| A．He usually works overtime. |
| B．His family is very supportive. |
| C．His son doesn’t do well in school. |
| D．He doesn’t teach school any more. |
| A．Ruby Mullin. |
| B．Viki Bantock. |
| C．Marek Kaminski. |
| D．Nachelle Crowther. |
10 . Early spring can be a tough time in the Midwest. It can
Every spring, migratory(迁徙的) birds camp out in a large pond near my house on the way to their summer
The next morning, I was shocked to see that all birds had
However, as the temperature dropped, the open water got smaller, and her movements slowed. I watched with
And then it happened: Two more ducks appeared,
This little duck wouldn’t have
| A．scare | B．move | C．surprise | D．beat |
| A．camp | B．vacations | C．courses | D．habitat |
| A．regardless of | B．in search of | C．in addition to | D．as for |
| A．dark | B．starry | C．peaceful | D．freezing |
| A．gathered | B．disappeared | C．panicked | D．fainted |
| A．energetically | B．patiently | C．calmly | D．cautiously |
| A．ice | B．house | C．snowstorm | D．water |
| A．tended | B．followed | C．watched | D．recorded |
| A．relief | B．doubt | C．anxiety | D．pleasure |
| A．rowing | B．landing | C．circling | D．feeding |
| A．increased | B．decreased | C．transformed | D．formed |
| A．spared | B．wasted | C．spent | D．lasted |
| A．still | B．open | C．clean | D．steady |
| A．motivate | B．remind | C．judge | D．refresh |
| A．presence | B．appreciation | C．attitude | D．request |
