1 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.

She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9­year­old daughter Bailey.

He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.

Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud，“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”

After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.

1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?

A．She guided him how to write a good story.

B．She encouraged him when he was in trouble.

C．Her books helped him through times of confusion.

D．Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter.

2. What is implied in Burke’s words in paragraph 4?

A．He has found it interesting to read the series.	B．He was too old to understand the series better.
C．He has chosen a better way of reading the series.	D．He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future.

3. Which word can best describe Burke’s experience according to the text?

A．Useless.

B．Normal.

C．Valuable.

D．Boring.

4. What is the main idea of this text?

A．J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health.

B．J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father.

C．J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth.

D．Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series.

2 . When 19-year-old Emily Bhatnagar from Maryland, USA, found out her father had stage four thyroid (甲状腺) cancer, her response was a little different than you might expect. To honour her father, who she also describes as her best friend, she decided to start a book drive called For Love and Buttercup, collecting books for kids with cancer.

“It was very much an overnight idea,” she explains. “I posted a message on an app called Nextdoor asking my neighbours for used book donations. I was only expecting a few here and there, but the response was truly incredible, and it was just the push I needed to co-exist with my grief rather than letting it consume me.

“It was absolutely heartbreaking to watch my dad go through cancer and see him lose a little bit of himself each day, but the book drive allowed me to develop a newfound sense of purpose combined with an even greater sense of compassion (同情) to help others in any shape or form. I wanted to help kids. They’ve always held a soft spot in my heart.”

Using tips she earns from working at her parents’ bread shop, Emily has bought many books out of her own pocket. In addition, she receives donations through her Amazon wish list, which can be found in the bio of the book drive’s Instagram account.

Emily and her older brother spent a whole summer driving around town, loading boxes of books into their car. “It was such an honour knowing people have carried these books all their lives through generations, and they wanted to gift it to my cause.”

The project has seen huge success, with For Love and Buttercup donating over 15,000 books and being recognized by The Washington Post, Forbes, The President’s Volunteer Service Award and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation.

1. Why did Emily decide to start a book drive?

A．To show respect for her sick father.	B．To raise money for kids with cancer.
C．To recycle used books from neighbours.	D．To draw more attention from the media.

2. What can we learn about Emily from Paragraph 3?

A．Emily didn’t give up in the face of difficulties.

B．Helping kids brought Emily great joy and pride.

C．Emily was well aware of what her life was all about.

D．Emily’s story deeply touched the hearts of kids she had helped.

3. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．The book drive was highly thought of.

B．The book drive earned Emily fame and fortune.

C．Emily was honoured to know many kind people.

D．Emily received a lot of support from the news media.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A father’s moving story of fighting cancer.

B．People’s responses to a girl’s act of kindness.

C．A girls’ courage to conquer challenges in life.

D．A book drive launched to collect books for kids with cancer.

3 . Today was my first day at senior high and it was hard. In high school, you have 4 minutes to get to your next class. My high school is very big and those 4 minutes to go from one class to another really isn’t a lot of time. Today I had to go from one end of the building to the other to get from science class to math class. I wanted to go to my locker first and leave my science book there, but that took time. I was worried about being late, and I was. The math teacher said, “Just be on time tomorrow, or you’ll have detention (放学后留校).”

After math, I went to art class. I like my art class a lot because I get to create things. The teacher there showed us how to make portraits (肖像). He explained, “A portrait is a way of communicating with a person. It does not just show how the person looks but what is important to understand the person.” We just did drawings today, but I know it’s going to be great. I like drawing.

I like my English class, too. I think the teacher is really supportive. Today we wrote about ourselves. The teacher said to just write what you think, and we’ll pay attention to punctuation (标点) later. We could write a paragraph or a poem, and I wrote a poem about myself. I thought it was a good poem, and the teacher said I had used good images (意象) to communicate my feelings.

Lunch was very hurried. I arrived at the dining room with 12 minutes to eat. I sat with people I didn’t know, and everyone was eating quickly. After lunch I signed up for a computer club. I need to learn how to use a computer well because my social studies teacher says it is the one skill you need in every class.

1. What happened to the author after science class?

A．He lost his science textbook.

B．He got lost on the campus.

C．He was late for math class.

D．He was given detention.

2. What did the author think of his art class?

A．Difficult.

B．Enjoyable.

C．Boring.

D．Easy.

3. What did the English teacher do after seeing the author’s work?

A．He praised the author.

B．He pointed out the author’s mistake.

C．He asked the author to check punctuation.

D．He encouraged the author to introduce himself.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Learn useful skills in high school

B．My new teachers in high school

C．Make plans for high school life

D．My first day in high school

5 . “When studying foreign speech, don’t forget about body language. ” Anne Merritt said.

Something as simple as a smile can show: friendliness in one culture, embarrassment in another, impatience in a third. Even silence means different things in different places. If you want to avoid making some mistakes when traveling abroad, you should pay attention to the following.

Touch     

Britain, along with much of Northern Europe and the Far East, has a “noncontact” culture. In those countries, there is very little physical contact (接触) in people’s daily talks. Even brushing someone’s arm by accident is the reason for an apology. However, in the high-contact cultures of the Middle East, Latin America, and Southern Europe, physical touch is a big part of daily life.

What’s more, there are different standards, for who touches whom and where. In much of the Arab world, men hold hands and kiss each other in greeting, but would never do the same with a woman. In Thailand and Laos, it is taboo (禁忌的) to touch anyone’s head, even children’s. In South Korea, elders can touch younger people with force when trying to get through a crowd, but younger people can’t do the same.

Eye contact     

In most Western countries, frequent eye contact: is a sign of confidence and attentiveness (注意). We may think that a conversation partner who looks away is either not listening to us or lying. Of course, this is not the standard around the world.

In many Asian, African, and Latin American countries, the unbroken (未间断的) eye contact would be considered impolite and rude. These cultures consider avoiding eye contact a sign of respect for bosses and elders. In these parts of the-world, children won’t look at an adult who is speaking to them, nor will employees look at their bosses.

1. In Britain, when people are talking, they usually_________.

A．avoid eye contact	B．brush the others’ arms
C．avoid physical contact	D．apologize for their mistakes

2. In Southern Europe, physical touch is________.

A．unnecessary

B．impolite

C．dangerous

D．common

3. What does this passage mainly tell us?

A．How to have a good time abroad.	B．The importance of body language.
C．How to communicate with foreigners.	D．An introduction to some body language.

8 . Is It Worth Buying Organic Food?

Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (标签). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious (有营养的) and safer product, you might want to save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren’t necessarily more nutritious, and they’re no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either.

The latest results, published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, suggest that buyers may be wasting their money. “We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier,” says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford. “So consumers shouldn’t assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer.”

For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats.

While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.

Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn’t always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that “Whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste.” Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.

1. The new research questions whether organic food ________.

A．should replace traditional food

B．has been overpriced by farmers

C．is grown with less harmful chemicals

D．is really more nutritious and healthier

2. Smith Spangler and her colleagues found that ________.

A．organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease

B．traditional food was grown with more natural methods

C．both organic and traditional food they examined were safe

D．there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food

3. Which of the following is relatively healthier according to the passage?

A．Organic chicken and pork.

B．Organic milk and chicken.

C．Traditional chicken and pork.

D．Traditional fruit and vegetables.

4. What is the author’s attitude toward organic food?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Approving.

9 . Overlooking the Davis—Gant Varsity Soccer Field, a bed of overturned soil waits for further development. In a few years, this area will become a natural habitat and a playground for animals and residents. This peaceful area didn’t appear naturally, but through planning and action taken by Catlin Gabel’s Tiny Forest project launched by teacher Patrick Walsh.

Forests typically take hundreds of years to mature, with four stages of growth. “Tiny forests flatten out time through the planting of all four layers (层),” Walsh explained. The end result is a fast-growing, native forest in about 20 years. Over 600 plants from 43 species will be planted in the tiny forest, the first one in Oregon.

Walsh was inspired to build a tiny forest after hearing about this idea, which emerged in Japan and has taken hold in North America. He shared his vision with seniors in his class. The seniors researched tiny forests and made a proposal resulting in Clean Water Services donating 60 trees and $5,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Armed with these resources, Walsh and the students started working. “Something I didn’t really expect was the outpouring of students’ enthusiasm. Seeing students from all grades volunteered to contribute to the ‘dirty work’ really blew me away,” Walsh said.

Senior Megan Cover has been at the school since the first grade. “I’ll graduate after working on this project, which is surely sad, but it’s really rewarding and great to be a part of this project and to do my bit. We’re creating this educational space for many young kids,” Cover said.

Walsh summed up his goal of the project, which is to build a place where students can enjoy and learn about nature. “The forest will obviously not solve climate change, but it will deserve the efforts if the kids think about climate change and remember the importance of reforestation and trees when they look outside at the forest.”

1. What is special about tiny forests?

A．They originated in North America.	B．They are usually planted in schools.
C．They contain various types of trees.	D．They become mature in a shorter time.

2. What surprised Walsh in the process of planting the tiny forest?

A．The abundance of native tree species.	B．Public concern about the environment.
C．The active participation of students.	D．Support from local organizations.

3. How does Megan Cover feel about the project?

A．Proud.

B．Regretful.

C．Grateful.

D．Disappointed.

4. What does Walsh want the forest to function as for the students?

A．A model.

B．A reminder.

C．A resource.

D．A witness.

10 . What makes people so special? Tool use, self-consciousness, language, and culture are high on the list, but in fact all of these characteristics can be found elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Humans and apes are close relatives, so it is perhaps not surprising that chimpanzees use tools or that gorillas (大猩猩) have a sense of fair play, even rejecting carrots (which they normally accept) when they see their neighbors getting grapes. But the qualities that we often think of as uniquely human exist not just on land, but in the ocean as well.

Among the invertebrates, octopuses (八爪鱼) are known for their intelligence, even exhibiting evidence of playfulness, tool use, and personality. But these skilled predators live alone and consequently lack culture. Dolphins, on the other hand, are large-brained, long-living, social- group-based predators, and it is here that we find the greatest similarity to human-like culture and awareness.

Culture depends on the ability of animals to pass on things they have learned to others. Many animals have culture in this sense, but what sets dolphins apart is what they pass on. Some bottlenose dolphins hold sponges in their mouths that they use as tools to sweep for fish hiding on the ocean floor. This ability is handed down through generations (especially in females), with some families — grandmother, mother, and daughter — all feeding in this highly specialized way.

Another characteristic that dolphins share with humans is their ability to recognize themselves in a mirror. When facing a mirror, most animals behave as though they are interacting with another individual. Even in humans, the ability to recognize that the image in a mirror is oneself does not occur before the age of 18 months. Dolphins not only recognize themselves, but if a black mark is put on the body of a dolphin, it will spend extra time at the mirror to look at the mark.

1. The example of gorillas rejecting carrots shows they ________.

A．are not easy to fool	B．prefer fruit to vegetables
C．have a special taste for food	D．have an awareness of equality

2. What do octopuses lack compared with dolphins?

A．Cooperation.	B．Intelligence.
C．Tool using ability.	D．Fun-loving spirits.

3. What makes dolphin culture special?

A．They tend to hunt in groups.

B．Their hunting skills are passed down.

C．Their learning environment is favourable.

D．Their families are typically female-controlled.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Dolphins enjoy looking at their own reflection in the mirror.

B．Dolphins are as intelligent as a typical 18-month-old human baby.

C．Dolphins are generally regarded as the most advanced non-human species.

D．Dolphins’ ability to recognize their own reflection is a higher-order mental skill.