1 . It was January, the first day of the year. I decided to get the bank work out of the
Just then I saw his morning tea lying there,
I realized he was also missing the
A.way | B.corner | C.question | D.reach |
A.on purpose | B.by accident | C.after all | D.as usual |
A.service | B.invitation | C.greeting | D.handshake |
A.hopefully | B.curiously | C.sincerely | D.hesitantly |
A.going through | B.filling up | C.checking out | D.printing off |
A.computerized | B.canceled | C.popularized | D.broadened |
A.symptoms | B.gestures | C.signs | D.marks |
A.when | B.how | C.why | D.if |
A.untouched | B.unprepared | C.unfolded | D.undisturbed |
A.always | B.seldom | C.never | D.still |
A.reward | B.push | C.pardon | D.scold |
A.reason | B.need | C.opportunity | D.urge |
A.looked up at | B.looked down upon | C.looked forward to | D.looked back on |
A.precious | B.small | C.important | D.essential |
A.coincidence | B.suggestion | C.affair | D.arrangement |
A.impressed | B.attached | C.challenged | D.comforted |
A.hearts | B.minds | C.bodies | D.souls |
A.release | B.recommend | C.reveal | D.revise |
A.preferred | B.promised | C.managed | D.expected |
A.cautious | B.confident | C.optimistic | D.grateful |
2 . Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is filled with a remote immobilizer and a radio signal from a control center miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.
The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control center to block the vehicle’s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.
In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed,” says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a minimum of tools, but only if the car is more than 10 years old.
Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won’t allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition(点火) key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31% drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.
But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting hold of the owner’s keys. And key theft is responsible for 40% of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system.
If the car travels 100 meters without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operation center that it has been stolen. The hundred meters minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal.
Staff at the center will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing and keep police informed of the vehicle’s movements via the car’s GPS unit.
1. What’s the function of the remote immobilizer fitted to the car?A.To help the police make a surprise attack on the car. |
B.To order the car to lock automatically when stolen. |
C.To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops. |
D.To send a radio signal to inform the car owner of the thief. |
A.it takes less time for the car thief to do the stealing |
B.many self-prepared tools can be used for car theft |
C.the theft becomes more difficult because of modern technology |
D.the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old |
A.A micro-professor. | B.A unique ID code |
C.A special cell phone | D.A GPS satellite positioning receiver. |
A.To leave time for the operation center to give an alarm. |
B.To keep police informed of the car’s movement. |
C.To give the driver time to contact the operation center. |
D.To allow for possible errors in the GPS system. |
A.Start the tracking system. | B.Stop the engine. |
C.Contact the owner. | D.Locate the missing car. |
3 . I do think that a book can inspire ideas and ways of thinking that have the power to transform our lives. Here are some books to serve the purpose.
Thinking, Fast and slow
Daniel Kahneman is a Nobel Prize winner who has written an amazing book that dives into the mysterious world of our conscious and unconscious thinking patterns. By reading this book, you’ll gain a deeper understanding about how to make decisions and react to certain things in your life. Yes, this is a super thick book that seems challenging, but somehow the author makes it accessible and really fun to read.
The Power of Habit
Written by award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg, this book is an awesome mix of research, stories, and revelations(启示) about habits: how we form them, how we can change them, and how knowledge about human habits is transforming everything.
The Road Less Traveled
The first words in this classic and powerful book are: Life is difficult. Without hiding the true realities of life which is filled with conflicts, difficulties, and challenging decisions, M. Scott Peck guides us to a deeper level of self-understanding and creates a path we can follow to a fuller, more peaceful life.
The Power of Now
The key message of the book is simple and powerful: The way to true happiness is through learning to live in the now, without reliving the past or racing to the future. Eckhart Tolle helps us understand how our thoughts and emotions get in the way and what to do about it.
1. What do we learn about Thinking, Fast and Slow?A.It’s too abstract to understand. |
B.It helps readers to make decisions. |
C.It divides our thinking patterns into different types. |
D.It enables readers to understand themselves better. |
A.Daniel Kahneman’s | B.Charles Duhigg’s |
C.M. Scott Peck’s | D.Eckhart Tolle’s |
A.The challenges of life. |
B.A path to a better life. |
C.The author’s understanding of humans. |
D.The best way to settle conflicts. |
A.Thinking, Fast and Slow | B.The Power of Habit |
C.The Power of Now | D.The Road Less Traveled |
A.They are classic and refreshing. |
B.They are adventurous and challenging. |
C.They are accessible and full of fun. |
D.They are inspiring and helpful. |
4 . In show business, stars are nicknamed when people laugh at them, express their love for idols or confirm his or her stardom.
★ Homophonic(谐音) nicknames
Homophonic nicknames have brought much convenience to tons of fans. For example, if you repeatedly and quickly pronounce “Hiddleston”, the surname of Ton Hiddleston. You will find that its pronunciation is quite close to “Dou sen”. And your tongue remains struggling with the vibration( 振动) for quite a while. That’s how he gets the nickname “Dou Sen”.
★ Nicknames from roles they play
Kit Harington plays the role of Jon Snow in the TV series Games of Thrones and thus he gets the nickname “Jiong Nuo”. He acts so well that many people only know “Jiong Nuo” but have no idea about Kit Harington. While Dan Stevens gets his nickname “Big Cousin” for the teleplay Downtown Abbey in which Dan is a soulful and handsome cousin of three ladies.
★ Nicknames from appearance
When it comes to this type, the first thought of us must be Michael Fassbender, who has got a nickname “shark” because of his even teeth and magically charming smile, which is normally seen from a shark. And the nickname “Jiong Seph” for Joseph Gordon Levitt is quite easy to understand. Just two words can explain it well: His face!
★ Nicknames with a story
If one can nickname his or her idol based on a story, he or she must be a real fan. For example, Taylor Swift’s nickname “MeiMei” is originated from her several times of bad luck. Every time her wonderful singles were about to be at the top of the billboard ranking list, something unexpected would happen, and finally they ranked No. 2. Thus, her fans sympathetically gave her this cute nickname. As for James McAvoy, whose nickname is “Beauty”, he is at the top of the list called “stars who are more beautiful than Jolie and Pit”. That’s why he gets that nickname.
★ Nicknames relating to translation
“I don’t know why Chinese audience call me ‘stone sister’ . ” Apparently, Emma Stone has no idea why Chinese fans translate her family name “stone” into “shitou”. Perhaps we Chinese can better understand this kind of nicknames we give to stars.
1. The fans nickname their idols for the following reasons except _________.A.making fun of the idols | B.confirming the idols’ stardom |
C.showing their deep love for the idols | D.remembering the idols’ names easily |
A.They both have sisters in their plays. |
B.They both played roles in Games of Thrones. |
C.They get their nicknames because of their roles. |
D.They are not as handsome and famous as others. |
A.Ton Hiddleston. | B.Taylor Swift. |
C.Emma Stone. | D.Joseph Gordon Levitt. |
A.she always brings bad luck to others. |
B.some people don’t like her or her music style. |
C.her songs are not well-received by the audience. |
D.her songs can’t be the best for unexpected things. |
A.Idols and their fans. | B.Idols and their works. |
C.Idols and their nicknames. | D.Idols and their achievements. |
5 . I was ready for bed when the phone rang. “This cannot be good,” I thought as I hurried to see why I was called so late at night. My mind quickly ran through the list of family members that might need my help.
“Lindy, this is Leslie,” she said. “I hope I didn’t disturb your sleeping.” I was confused that she should call me at 11 pm. We occasionally spoke with each other at some community events, but to say we were friends was a stretch.
I asked what she needed. She replied, “Do you have room for turkeys in your freezer?” We had lots of room in our freezer. My husband’s business had taken a downturn and we were pretty much at the bottom of our food supply. “Sure,” I responded. “Did your freezer break down?” “Not exactly,” Leslie replied. “But if you give me directions to your house, I will explain when I get there.”
Later a huge freezer truck pulled into the driveway. Leslie and her husband got off the truck. Leslie explained her husband owned a small grocery store that had just lost its lease(租约). They had to empty all the freezers before midnight that night. They thought it was a shame to just cast all this good food into garbage cans. So she began to go through her list of contacts, dropping off food to those who might be willing to take it. When Leslie put turkeys in our freezer, she asked, “Is it OK if we just fill this up?” She told me that ours was the last place they planned to stop at and anything left would have to be discarded.
At last, I asked her, “When will you come back for all this?” Leslie just laughed and replied, “We don’t want it back. It is yours. We have been delivering food since 5 pm and have exhausted our list of contacts. That’s the end of it. Thanks for helping out.”
Over the next several months we ate well and shared turkeys with friends, family and neighbors. When the food in our freezer finally ran out in May, we were back on our feet. Our income increased and buying groceries was no longer a problem.
1. How did the author respond to the call from Leslie according to Paragraph2?A.She felt excited about it. | B.She felt anxious about it. |
C.She felt indifferent to it. | D.She felt unexpected about it. |
A.Because they disliked storing much food. |
B.Because their freezer was out of order. |
C.Because they lacked money for groceries. |
D.Because they wanted Leslie to use it. |
A.Sorted out. | B.Handed out. |
C.Taken away. | D.Thrown away. |
A.Patient and cautious. | B.Thoughtful and selfless. |
C.Honest and humorous. | D.Optimistic and ambitious. |
A.The author’s family’s finance improved quite a lot. |
B.The author’s relationship with her husband was better. |
C.The author’s many friends came to her family’s help. |
D.The author’s generosity was recognized by Leslie and others. |
6 . Do you want to join a club in our school? Here are some clubs that you might be interested in.
Chinese Culture Club
The Chinese Culture Club focuses on exploring Chinese culture. You don’t have to speak the Chinese language; you’re just required to have a true interest in the Chinese way of life. The club regularly explores Chinese culture through traditional Chinese food, movies, and celebrations. Contact Ms Huang if you would like to learn more. Meet every Thursday after lunch in Room 805.
Chess Club
Come out and join the Chess Club! We will meet to explore chess theory and strategy. We will also test our newly-acquired knowledge through competitive games. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced one, players of all levels are welcome! Meet on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm, in Room 701 with Mr Longino.
Science Club
We’ll be doing experiments and prepare ourselves for the annual Science Olympiad. All the students are welcome! Members of Science Club meet on Thursdays from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm in Room 702, with Mr Underriner.
Robotics Club
The club aims at providing the students with an opportunity to design their own robot in order to compete in the NYC FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in the late fall and winter.
Also, if you are a parent willing to help with expertise, feel free to contact Mr. Irimina. Meet on Fridays in Room 103 from 3:00 pm-4:55 pm.
Chorus(合唱队)
The Chorus is an opportunity for students to sharpen their vocal(发声的) skills and overcome stage fright. Students will sing songs, but our focus is Soul, R&B, and rock. All chorus members are expected to participate in the school musicals as well as other shows. Meet after school on Thursdays with Mr. Copeland in Room 602.
1. What is a requirement if you want to join Chinese Culture Club?A.Being able to speak Chinese. |
B.Knowing well about Chinese culture. |
C.Knowing the ways to cook Chinese food. |
D.Being interested in the Chinese way of life. |
A.It doesn’t offer students chances to join competitive games. |
B.It doesn’t accept students without basic knowledge of chess. |
C.It improves students’ chess theory and ability to play chess. |
D.It opens to students for two hours a week. |
A.Robotics Club | B.Science Club |
C.Chess Club | D.Chinese Culture Club |
A.To help students design robots for a competition. |
B.To inspire parents to take part in their children’s activities. |
C.To organize the FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in NYC. |
D.To raise money for scientific research done by the schools in NYC. |
A.has a strong writing ability | B.has special talent for stage design |
C.wants to master singing skills | D.wants to learn musical instruments |
7 . My family moved into our home nine years ago. We spent a lot of time and energy in the yard to get it looking like the way it does today. In front of the house, the rocks appear to be just thrown up onto the dirt as if someone were in a hurry to finish. We called this area our “rock garden”. Denise and I would also plant some flowers between the rocks, just to bring some color to the area.
Last summer I found, in the rock garden, a tiny little plant that I could not immediately identify. I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise said she didn’t either. We decided to let it continue growing until we could figure out what it was.
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the strange plant, it appeared to be a sunflower. It looked thin and tall with only one head on it. I decided to baby it along and weed(除杂草)around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something unusual. The sunflower had not started where I saw it begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun.
That’s when I realized that if a tiny little sunflower didn’t allow a big rock to stand in its way of developing, we too have the ability to do the same thing. Once we believe in ourselves like that little sunflower, we can attain the same nourishment(养分)for growth as well.
Stand tall like the sunflower and be proud of who and what we are, then the environment will begin to support us. We will find a way to go under or around any “rocks” in order to achieve our goals.
1. What can we know from the first paragraph?A.The author finished building his house hurriedly. |
B.The family has lived in this house for 9 years. |
C.The author’s house is made of rocks. |
D.The family don’t like gardening. |
A.see how long it could live |
B.see how big it could grow |
C.find out what it actually was |
D.know if his wife had planted it |
A.the strange plant turned out to be the sunflower |
B.the sunflower grew under and around a big rock |
C.the sunflower had only one head on it |
D.the sunflower was very thin and tall |
A.Confident. | B.Devoted. | C.Delicate. | D.Modest. |
A.rocks cannot prevent us from success |
B.the sunflowers are able to grow everywhere |
C.we should take good care of the rock gardens |
D.we can get over difficulties if we trust ourselves |
8 . Best Four Washington, D.C. Museums
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
ADDRESS: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560, the USA
PHONE: +1202-633-1000
This museum is the most popular Washington, D.C. museum and is worth taking your parents and children to visit. And there are so many artifacts(手工艺品) that you can’t possibly see them all in one visit. The dinosaur exhibits are fascinating and great for kids.
Visiting Tips: Arrive early in the morning to avoid crowds. If you are visiting with kids, be sure to see the Discovery Room where there are lots of hands—on activities.
Newseum
ADDRESS: 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001, the USA
PHONE: +1202-292-6100
The six-level, high-tech and interactive attraction traces(追溯) the history of news reporting from the 16th century to the present day. Some favorite exhibits are the Pulitzer Prize Photo Gallery, Today’s Front Pages and the 9/11 Gallery. This is a fascinating attraction and well worth the entrance fee(费用).
National Gallery of Art
ADDRESS: Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565, the USA
PHONE: +1202-737-4215
This museum spans(跨越) two buildings, with an East and West Wing and countless priceless artworks from Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, John Singleton Copley, Johannes Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse and more famous artists. Check out the schedule of daily, free docent(讲解员)-led tours here.
The Phillips Collection
ADDRESS: 1600 21st St NW, Washington, DC 20009, the USA
PHONE: +1202-387-2151
Dupont Circle’s The Phillips Collection is not to be missed for art lovers, with pieces by Paul C zanne, Edgar Degas, Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. Tickets run from $8 to $12 per visitor, and visitors aged 18 and under are free. The first Thursday of every month is “Phillips after 5,” a popular event that runs from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
1. What do you know about Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History?A.It is free to the public the whole year. |
B.It is a museum that is suitable for all ages. |
C.It is the most popular museum around the world. |
D.It provides practical activities for kids to explore oceans. |
A.is worth visiting |
B.also functions as a television station |
C.only collects fun and exciting news |
D.has an advantageous geographical location |
A.have to book tickets ahead of time |
B.can create artworks with artists together |
C.have the chance of taking a free docent—led tour |
D.can enjoy the performances of famous artists |
A.“Phillips after 5” is held every Thursday. |
B.“Phillips after 5” features original creation. |
C.The Phillips Collection’s opening hours are three hours. |
D.Not all visitors need to buy tickets when visiting the Phillips Collection. |
a. They both have valuable pieces.
b. They are both suitable for art lovers.
c. They both provide free docent-led tours
d. They are both free for the public to visit.
e. They are both far away from the center of Washington.
A.abc | B.ad | C.ab | D.bce |
9 . Heroes Stamp Design Competition
Welcome to the Heroes Stamp Design Competition! Children aged 4-14years are invited to design a stamp. Eight designs will be chosen for this stamp series from the Royal Mail. One of the designs could be yours. There are 120 great prizes on offer for area winners and runners-up. Plus, cash prizes for the winning schools too.
Stamp Designing
The stamp design will be based on your hero or heroes of the coronavirus pandemic. The past year has been very difficult for so many people. There are countless frontline workers and volunteers who have continued to work tirelessly to keep the country moving.
Being a stamp designer is a very skilled job. One of the jobs of a stamp designer is to reduce the size of a picture to fit the stamp. When designing your stamp, have a think about what kind of image of your hero or heroes would make a good miniature (微型的) design for a stamp. The final stamps produced will be about 3.7cm wide×3.5cm high.
Things to consider
Your stamp design must be drawn on the official competition entry form (报名表) which your teacher will give you.
Your design must be your own original work.
Drawings must be flat, so please don’t stick any materials or textures (纹理) to your design.
Please use lots of colour (no black and white images) in your design.
Please avoid using highlighter pens (荧光笔).
Good Luck
The closing date for the competition is 28th May. Please ask your teacher, or parent, for one of the official entry forms. You’re then ready to start designing! We can’t wait to see all of the amazing designs from gifted children across the country.
Good Luck!
1. Who would probably take part in the competition?A.Students. | B.Doctors. |
C.School teachers. | D.Professional designers. |
A.It will begin on 28th May. |
B.It is for a series of four stamps. |
C.It asks competitors to honour heroes on their stamps. |
D.It will provide each competing school with cash prizes. |
A.About 3.5cm wide×3.5cm high. | B.About 3.7cm wide×3.7cm high. |
C.About 3.5cm wide×3.7cm high. | D.About 3.7cm wide×3.5cm high. |
A.It should be black and white. |
B.It should be drawn with highlighter pens. |
C.It should be flat with textures. |
D.It should be drawn on a given form. |
A.advertise for some newly issued stamps | B.send a notice about designing stamps |
C.call on people to respect modern heroes | D.encourage people to be frontline workers |
10 . Many of us like to eat out and treat ourselves to delicious food. We are used to choosing hearty, fat-filled dishes and sugary desserts, which are not easily cooked at home.
The recent rise of light meals, however, gives us a smarter choice. According to Economic Daily, low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber meals have become popular in China’s restaurants and online delivery platforms.
The country saw a rapid increase of restaurants concentrating on light meal. From just 600 in 2017 to more than 3,500 in 2018. According to a report published by Meituan a major online food delivery platform, the number of light meals ordered online also rise 75 percent from the previous year.
Having a light meal, however, doesn’t mean eating only vegetables. Different from the meat-free lifestyle, a typical light dish avoids oily, salty and spicy food. Instead, it contains things like boiled meat, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Healthy nutrients are the theme of the light meal. These dishes are useful for keeping healthy and controlling your weight. That’s probably why so many people, especially the youths are into them.
They see it as “a great way to avoid getting fat,” wrote the Telegraph.
“After eating several light meals, I now prefer light flavours,” Zou Jing a college teacher in Wuhan, told China Daily. She shared a picture of her lunch: a mixture of beef eggs, corn, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.
These changes in eating behaviour are connected to deeper changes in how people think about food, says Walter Willett. Chairman of the nutrition department at the Hanard T. Chan School of Public Health, U.S.,“ Diet quality, not quantity is important for both weight control and long-term well-being.” Willett told The New York Times. So the next time you have a party with friends, try a light meal, it will satisfy, not only your stomachs but may be also your hearts.
1. What are light meals?A.Fat-filled dishes. | B.Meat free dishes. |
C.sugary desserts. | D.low calorie and high fiber meals. |
A.Listing numbers. | B.Giving examples |
C.Giving descriptions. | D.Showing other people’s opinions. |
A.They are usually colourful. | B.They are simple and convenient. |
C.They are cheaper than other meals. | D.They can help people control their weight. |
A.Light meals will stay popular for a while. |
B.One’s eating habit shows their personality. |
C.There is a change in attitude toward healthy eating. |
D.It’s important to cat the right amount of good food. |
A.How to keep fit | B.Living the light life |
C.Tips on eating out | D.The rise of online food delivery platform |