1 . I came across quite a few language problems while spending holiday with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in surprise, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants or knickers (内裤;衬裤), not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From Britain
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to (使...明白)someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
1. Hearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in surprise because ________.| A．Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans | B．Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty |
| C．they mistook pants for underpants | D．they didn’t understand British English |
| A．phone the police for help | B．phone his friend for help |
| C．tell his friend he couldn’t visit her | D．apologize for his being late |
| A．he wanted to have a rest | B．he wanted to go to the toilet |
| C．he wanted to go to bed | D．He wanted to go to a department store |
2 . Growing pains and gains
It’s not easy to grow up. Actually it’s far from easy. Growing up can be a real “pain” for some of us. We are always doing things that someone else makes us do and aren’t allowed to do all the things we like. Sometimes we feel stuck, sometimes we are fearful, and sometimes we just don’t understand why we can’t stay young forever. When we look back on all the challenges in life with a positive attitude, we realize that all of our growing pains actually turn into growing gains!
As a young girl my parents forced my sisters and me to do so many things that I never liked. They made me learn to play the violin and then the piano. At that time I hated music, just because it was what they wanted me to do. But looking back now, I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to take music lessons. Music has enriched my life in so many ways. I realize that my parents and teachers were always pushing me along. not because they wanted me to suffer(受苦)but because they wanted me to succeed in life. They’ve always wanted me to have a better life than they did themselves.
Every moment of our lives is either living or dying, so live life to its fullest! We are all going to experience growing pains, but they are just small pains in life. They might seem so huge at the time but we must be strong. Think about how we would feel if we had no fear and live life like that. The future is ours!
A little hard work and sweat never hurt anyone! If we realize that these pains are just small bumps(凸块)on our road to success we will realize that our growing pains are actually growing gains!
1. According to paragraph 1, we learn that when we are young, ______.| A．life is full of joy |
| B．life is easy for us |
| C．we know we can stay young forever |
| D．we sometimes can’t do things we like |
| A．take music lessons |
| B．turn gains into pains |
| C．look back on challenges |
| D．live a successful life |
| A．Directly. | B．Completely. | C．Carefully. | D．Terribly. |
| A．Growing pains are necessary for us to grow up. |
| B．We all have to experience growing pains. |
| C．A little hard work and sweat are harmful to us. |
| D．Life without fear is a better choice for us. |
3 . Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat-eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.
Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.
Since 1960, a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the silicon chip (硅芯片). It is smaller than a finger nail, but it can store lots of information. It is an electronic brain. Every year these chips get clever, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less. They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways. In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it?
Human beings used stone chips for more than two million years, but human life changed very little in that time. But now life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?
1. From paragraph 1, we can know ________.| A．why early human beings cut skin from dead animals | B．how early human beings discovered the tools |
| C．what early human beings used the tools for | D．what food early human beings stored |
| A．was very important to the development of mankind |
| B．led to the invention of machines in the early time |
| C．developed cooking abilities of mankind |
| D．was one of the first tools of mankind |
| A．stress the importance of the silicon chip |
| B．introduce a new kind of tool |
| C．give an example of using tools |
| D．show that the ability of humans to use and create tools is improved |
| A．out of order | B．less colorful |
| C．hard to predict (=foretell) | D．full of meanings |
4 . Sharon, Aged 22
The most important thing to keep in mind when going into high school is to be yourself. Besides, I don’t know what your middle school was like, but high school teachers will not care about things such as how much homework you already have in one night. It’s best to just learn to deal with things and manage your time wisely so you can achieve everything you need.
Frank, Aged 21
I think almost every kid feels both nervous and excited before their first day. You will probably love it. I know I did. You should join in some sports or activities that will make your high school experience more enjoyable. Good luck！
Eddie, Aged 20
When I started high school I was really nervous too, especially since I had been home-schooled all through middle school and didn’t really know anyone, I suppose the best advice would be to just relax. The first couple of days can be a little bit hard, but things will become easier after you know it.
David, Aged 19
I’m not going to lie. The first day is kind of frightening. But you’ll get used to it. Don’t be afraid of anyone; upperclassmen will pick on you more if you let them know you’re afraid. Just take it easy. Making some friends and staying with them will greatly help you get used to high school quickly. After the first week it’s really not bad at all. Don’t worry.
1. What can we infer from Sharon about high school?| A．Teachers are quite strict. |
| B．Students often stay up at night. |
| C．Teachers provide little care for students. |
| D．Students should make good use of their time. |
| A．Excited | B．Bored. | C．Worried. | D．Relaxed. |
| A．Frank. | B．David. | C．Sharon. | D．Eddie. |
5 . When it comes to family holidays in Australia, most people look to hot spots such as Sydney or the Gold Coast. However, Perth makes for a strong competitor, with plenty of museums and theme parks to keep the kids entertained, as well as historic sites and botanical gardens.
To give you a travel guide, we take a look at the best things to see and do in Perth.
King’s Park
Located in the heart of Perth’s business district, the four-square-kilometre park is perfect for spending an afternoon and making the most of the sunny weather. Here you’ll find plenty of picnic spots, play areas for little ones, and a host of activities and things to see. However, if you only visit one thing, make it the park’s impressive botanical gardens where you’ll find colorful plants.
Bibbulmun Track
Hikers, this one’s for you! This track is one of the world’s great long distance walks. Along the way you can expect amazing scenery, comfortable campsites, and a host of exciting wildlife and plants to look out for.
Perth Mint
You can discover a century’s worth of metals from gold to silver and even Coca-Cola bottle caps here. There are plenty of activities too from a live gold pouring session that you can watch to countless exhibitions.
Perth Zoo
The unusual creatures at the Perth Zoo are sure to keep small children’s attention! Giraffes, lions, elephants and monkeys are just some of the wildlife living in the zoo, which focuses on protecting various species.
1. What do we know about King’s Park?| A．It is in the hot spot Perth. | B．It is a good place for a picnic. |
| C．It is perfect for long-distance walking. | D．It is home to various plants and animals. |
| A．They have a lot of wildlife. | B．They have large exhibitions. |
| C．They are in a business centre. | D．They are noted for campsites. |
| A．To introduce Australia. | B．To celebrate some events. |
| C．To attract visitors to Perth. | D．To announce new activities. |
6 . Everybody hates rats (big mice). But in the earthquake capitals of the world — Japan, Los Angeles and Turkey — rats will soon be man’s best friends.
What happens after an earthquake？We send in rescue dogs. Why？Because they can smell people. Dogs save lives. They help rescuers to find living people. But dogs are big and they can’t get into small spaces. So now a new research project is using a smaller animal to save lives: the rat.
How does it work？First, the rat is trained to smell people. When this happens, the rat’s brain gives a signal (信号). This is sent to a small radio on its back, and then the rescuers follow the radio signal. When the rat’s brain activity jumps, the rescuers know that someone is alive. The rat has smelled that person.
Although there are already robots which can do this job, rats are better. Christian Linster at Cornell University, New York, says, “Robots’ noses don’t work well when there are other smells around. Rats are good at that.” Rats can also see in the dark. They are cheaper and quicker to train than dogs, and unlike robots, they don’t need electricity!
The “rat project” is not finished, but Julie Ryan of International Rescue Organization in Scotland says, “It would be wonderful. A rat can get into spaces we can’t get to, and a rat will get out if it isn’t safe.” Perhaps for the first time in history, people will be happy to see a rat in a building (but only after an earthquake, of course).
1. In the world earthquake capitals, rats will become man’s best friends because they can .| A．take the place of man’s rescue jobs |
| B．find the position of living people who are trapped in buildings |
| C．serve as food for living people who are trapped in buildings |
| D．get into small spaces |
| A．the noise made by the rat | B．the rat’s unusual behavior |
| C．the signal sent by the radio on the rat’s back | D．the smell given off by the person |
| A．they are more lovely than other animals |
| B．they are less expensive to train than dogs |
| C．they don’t need electricity |
| D．they are small and can get into small places |
| A．at present rats have taken the place of dogs in searching for people |
| B．the “rat project” has been completed |
| C．people are now happy to see a rat in a building |
| D．now people still use dogs and robots in performing rescues |
7 . Getting sick is a common part of people’s lives. But their attitudes toward being sick and hospital visits vary from country to country. This difference hasn’t been more obvious since the start of the novel coronavirus epidemic — when a great number of people are falling ill all at the same time.
The conditions in the US are getting worse quickly, which is largely due to the fact that there’s no universal health-care system. According to the 2019 US Census, 28 million people are not covered or do not have adequate health insurance, meaning that they would probably avoid getting tested for the virus, for fear of the cost of being hospitalized.
‘‘There is a strong financial reason to hide symptoms, to try to keep working and caring for children, and thus, they’re spreading the virus … simply because they have no other choice.” wrote reporter James Hamblin on The Atlantic.
Germany, on the contrary, has one of the world’s best-developed public healthcare systems that covers every citizen. People in Germany — who have ‘‘high levels of job security’’, according to the Los Angeles Times — are also more likely to follow the separation measures and stay at home without having to worry about losing their jobs.
Japan also has universal public health-care, but it brings another kind of problem: People tend to seek more medical care than necessary. According to Yusuke Tsugawa, a physician at Harvard University, Japan has three times more outpatient (门诊) visits than in the US, and patients also stay in hospital for three times longer than in the US. This often wastes medical resources, which are even more critical and precious during a global pandemic.
‘‘It isn’t good to do tests just to ease public anxiety,” Kentaro Iwata, an infectious disease expert at Kobe University, Japan, told Reuters. ‘‘If they test everyone with light symptoms, the medical system will break down.”
Indeed, a country’s healthcare system is the key to keeping its people safe - it’s also the key to whether a country can survive a crisis like the novel coronavirus pandemic.
1. Why are the conditions in the US worsening rapidly?| A．All people there avoid getting tested. |
| B．Most people there don’t have health insurance. |
| C．Most people there can’t afford being hospitalized. |
| D．All people there are not covered by health-care system. |
| A．They choose to do so. | B．They don’t want to work alone. |
| C．They are concerned about money. | D．They want to stay with their children. |
| A．They have too many outpatient visits. |
| B．They waste too much time on unnecessary testing. |
| C．They spend too much money on public health-care. |
| D．They don’t make the best use of medical resources. |
8 . Some Music Festivals
Pitchfork Music Festival
Anyone who adores indie(独立的) music and upandcoming artists will have an amazing time at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago's Union Park. This is a wonderful festival that explores more underground and lessknown bands than the other big Chicago summer festival, Lollapalooza.
Date: July 14－16
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Music Type: Indie
Price: $75－$365
Essence Music Festival
No matter what time of the year it is, New Orleans is an incredible place to be if you love live music. The Essence Music Festival is a celebration of great artists like Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, and Mary J. Blige.
Date: June 29－July 2
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Music Type: R & B, soul
Price: $126－$2, 700
Sziget Festival
Budapest knows how to organize a party, and Sziget is one of the biggest celebrations of music and culture in all of Europe. You can expect to watch favorite artists like Bad Religion and Mac DeMarco appearing on the stages here during this sevenday festival.
Date: August 9－15
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Music Type: Eclectic, indie, rock
Price: $70－$96
Flow Festival
The Flow Festival is a great excuse to explore the city of Helsinki. Artists including Lana Del Rey and The XX will be playing, among many others. Come to this festival to enjoy a relaxing atmosphere with an earthfriendly attitude.
Date: August 11－13
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Music Type: Rock, soul, jazz
Price: $106－$199
1. What is special about Pitchfork Music Festival?| A．It is more independent. | B．It is held underground. |
| C．It is more famous than other festivals. | D．It focuses on unknown bands. |
| A．In Budapest. | B．In Helsinki. |
| C．In Chicago. | D．In New Orleans. |
| A．Sziget Festival. | B．Flow Festival. |
| C．Essence Music Festival. | D．Pitchfork Music Festival. |
9 . One of the most important ways to learn and master the English language is to read, read, and read. It is said that a good reader is also a good writer and a good speaker. However, in today’s world, reading is something that most children dislike doing.
There are simply so many distractions that books, magazines, and newspapers are often ignored and they are in favor of video games and movies. And while video games and movies also play a role in helping the child learn the English language, they still can’t quite compare to reading.
And as a result, kids are learning less and less. Take a look at an elementary level textbook. You’ll notice that the books for elementary students are filled with pictures and colors. Those pictures and colors in the elementary level textbooks aren’t there just for the sake(缘由)of design. Colors and pictures make us more engaged in the act of learning grammar. They catch our attention and help us retain(保留)more of what we read. This is especially true for little children who enjoy fun English.
Children are quite easily distracted. When you ask them to sit down and read quietly, their minds will often wander and it won’t take long before you find them doodling(涂鸦)and not doing what you told them to do. But if a book is colorful enough to catch a kid’s attention, then you’ll have a better chance at getting the kid to sit down long enough to learn English.
The same principle holds true for interactivity(互动). Like colors and pictures, interactive reading materials like English songs for kids also get the child engaged in what he or she is learning. Interactive reading materials get the child to focus since using them is almost like playing.
1. Which may be the reason why children don’t like reading?| A．They prefer newspapers. | B．They prefer films. |
| C．They prefer magazines. | D．They prefer books. |
| A．full of pictures | B．explained clearly | C．written clearly | D．easy |
| A．Do what they prefer. | B．Have a good time. |
| C．Fix their attention for a longer time. | D．Sit still and quietly. |
| A．Reading is one of the most important ways in learning language. |
| B．All the books are full of pictures and colors. |
| C．Interactivity and colorful designs are important to learn English. |
| D．Interactive reading is very interesting for children. |
10 . In the last two school years, I wasn’t really interested in Science Research. I concentrated on my lessons but after class, I forgot everything. I’m surprised that this school year, I’m not like that anymore.
Science Research III is one of the subjects I’m learning while enjoying it. I was scared at first, thinking this would be the hardest subject for me during online class, but it turned out fun and I could study it well. I love the way Madam Ventura uses a whiteboard and I really appreciate her effort in making explanatory videos about our lessons.
I have learned a lot in research about types Ⅰ and Ⅱ mistakes, statistic (统计的) tools like z-test. Most importantly, I’ve learned how to write a research paper in IMRaD format with Patricia and Aindrea. Without the research paper writing, we wouldn’t have known each other. Overall, the lessons are challenging. Sometimes I have to watch the videos several times, but it is all worth it because our teacher told us that “Time spent learning is time well spent.”
There are still a lot to say about my whole experience in Science Research Ⅲ. Because of the research, I made new friends even if we didn’t see each other like in face-to-face classes. I have found discussions in classes really exciting. I admire that our teacher is always willing to go an extra mile to make sure we will learn. She is always considerate and approachable. Gradually, I changed, no longer just memorizing and forgetting. Science Research made me a true learner. I now learn by heart. I never thought I’d want to be a researcher, but now I am looking forward to future Science Research classes. I will never forget that this year is the time I became interested in Science Research.
1. What does Madam Ventura do?| A．A scientist. | B．A statistic expert. | C．A video maker. | D．A teacher. |
| A．Tiring and complex. | B．Amazing and creative. |
| C．Tough but worthy. | D．Strange but rewarding. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Unclear. | D．Cautious. |
| A．The Interest in Science Research | B．My Review of Studying Science Research |
| C．My Favorite Science Research Teacher | D．A True Learner of Science Research |
