1 . It was nearly dark; the sun was dropping down the mountains far away. Little Tom came back home, with tears in his eyes.
“What’s the matter, Tom? How’s your trip?” His mother asked with a big smile. “I failed. The mountain is so high and full of big or small stones on the way, I still go ahead. But I was tired and it was so late that I had to come back.” Tom cried. “It doesn’t matter, you are only 14 years old after all. You will have another chance.” His mother said. “But, standing at the top of the mountain is my dream!” Tom said. His father came over and asked, “Did you see the green trees on your way to the mountain?” “Sure, and there were a lot of beautiful flowers by the side of the road.” Tom replied. “Did you hear the birds singing?” His father asked. “There were many kinds of birds singing in the trees, and the sound was very sweet.” Tom said. “Did you feel the beauty of nature?” His father asked. “Yes, the blue sky, the white clouds, the green trees and the colorful flowers made a nice picture.” Tom answered. “That’s enough!” His father smiles and said, “Please remember, my son. For often, achieving what you expect is not the most important thing. Although you didn’t reach the top of the mountain, you got a lot on the way.”
It is true that not every goal will be achieved, not every job will end up with a success, and not every dream will come true. The most beautiful scenery is on the way.
1. Tom got back home ________ when the sun was dropping.| A．slowly | B．sadly | C．quickly | D．early |
| A．The mountain was so high. | B．The way was full of big or small stones. |
| C．He was tired and it was so late. | D．He was only 14 years old. |
| A．clear water | B．blue sky |
| C．colorful flowers | D．green trees |
| A．the goal is not important | B．everyone should climb the mountain |
| C．the mountain is very beautiful | D．the process is more important than the result |
2 . You don’t know me. I have chosen you to be my pen friend. Our English teacher said it would be a good thing if we all chose a pen friend, as it would help with our writing. I chose you from a list of people wanting a pen friends in last Sunday’s paper. I hope you haven’t had so many letters that you can’t reply to me.
I chose you for two reasons. I like the sound of your name, and you live in the country. I’ve only been to the country once. We live in high buildings — our flat is on the tenth floor. But that doesn’t mean people can’t look in. I mean in the city planes go past all the time, and you never know who could be in them. And, anyway, at night when the lights are on, people from other flats can look in, and who would want that?
I’ll tell you a bit about myself. I’ve worked hard at being interesting, because I’m not much to good at. My name is Maria. I hate it. There are five Marias in our class. I am by far the most exciting of the five.
I live in Richmond, in Melbourne, with my beautiful mother and boring father, and a brother who is best ignored. I go to South Richmond High School, and I’m fourteen, just.
My mother works with a cosmetic company (化妆品公司). My father is a public servant and does nothing. Actually, he is a clerk in the railways but I prefer to call him a public servant. It makes him sound cleverer than he is.
I think you are the only one called Emily in your class. Please answer soon and tell me about yourself and your family and everything.
1. Why did Maria choose Emily as her pen friend?| A．The girl was good at writing. | B．The girl was different from her. |
| C．The girl loved reading newspapers. | D．The girl wanted to be her pen friend. |
| A．Being seen by others. | B．Seeing planes flying by. |
| C．Living in high buildings. | D．Having unfriendly neighbors. |
| A．Clever. | B．Boring. | C．Interesting. | D．Good-looking. |
| A．Serve the public. | B．Reply to her letter. |
| C．Work hard at school. | D．Teach her how to write. |
3 .
| For children Museum: Children’s Museum, Sundays, 89 North Street, 67641235 Story time: Children’s library, 106 Green Street, Wednesdays during 9:30 a.m—5:00 p.m. 66599624 Sports: Soccer Club, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 16 Yangtze Road, 96725643 Basketball club, Wednesdays and Fridays, 79071632 Cinema: New films for children, 99 Brick Road, 69001354 |
| Useful Phone Numbers Fast Food Restaurant: 66387901 Hospital: 68787451 Visitor Information Center: 800-120-9847 Taxi: 79210583 Visitor Hotel Information: 800-739-7302 |
| A．16 Yangtze Road | B．89 North Street |
| C．106 Green Street | D．99 Brick Road |
| A．ask for some hotel information | B．do some shopping |
| C．have a good time | D．order fast food in a restaurant |
| A．looking for a hotel | B．doing eye exercises |
| C．eating fast food | D．taking a taxi |
4 . Humans have a positive view of nature. But is this due to an approach we have learned while growing up, or is it something we are born with? The answer is “Both”, according to researchers at the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Our love of nature is highly individual and should influence how we plan our cities, say the researchers.
It is well known that nature has a positive effect on people. In cities in particular, studies have shown that trees and other greenery contribute to people’s wellbeing. However, experts do not agree on the reasons behind this phenomenon.
Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have reviewed several studies within this field that examine both innate factors and what individuals experience during their lives, primarily as children.
In a Japanese study, subjects were asked to walk in a forest and in a city while their heartbeat was measured. This showed that positive emotions increased in 65% of people while they are walking in a forest. Thus, far from everyone had a positive view of nature.
Another environmental psychology study found that research subjects are unconsciously (无意识地) drawn to nature instead of cities, and that this attraction was strengthened in those whose childhood was rich in nature.
An additional study on identical and non-identical twins showed that a genetic (遗传的) component influences an individual’s positive or negative relationship with nature. But the study also highlighted the importance of environment in terms of attitudes towards nature.
Moreover, nature can mean completely different things to different people. Some enjoy parks with lawns and planted trees, while others prefer being in the wilderness. The researchers believe that this variation is also determined by both genetics and environment.
“So it’s important that we don’t standardise nature when planning greenery in our towns and cities,” adds Marcus Hedblom, a researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and co-author of the article. “We shouldn’t replace wild greenery with a park and assume that it will be good for everyone.”
1. How did the author introduce the topic?| A．By bringing up an argument. | B．By listing a series of facts. |
| C．By referring to different opinions. | D．By asking and answering questions. |
| A．Social. | B．Inborn. | C．Extra. | D．Unique. |
| A．People had a negative experience in nature. |
| B．People were unconsciously drawn to nature. |
| C．All people didn’t respond to nature positively. |
| D．The feeling toward nature was related to childhood. |
| A．Why Do We Love Nature? | B．How Do People Feel in Nature? |
| C．What Makes Nature So Powerful? | D．Why Is Nature Important to Humans? |
5 . A study led by the University of Eastern Finland suggests that teenagers who engage in active school transport (walking/cycling to or from school at least once per week) and leisure-time physical activity perform better at secondary school than their inactive peers (同龄人). Regular leisure-time physical activity was also associated with lower possibilities of school burnout (倦怠). The findings were published in the European Journal of Public Health.
The relationship of physical activity and academic achievement is complex. However, previous studies have found that especially school-based physical activity, such as physical education, can improve classroom performance — particularly in mathematics. Despite this, few studies have examined the association between active school transport and educational outcomes.
In the recently published study of over 34, 000 teenagers, researchers observed that active school transport was associated with higher chances of high perceived academic performance and self-reported competence in academic skills. Being physically active before school could, for example, enhance concentration in class. The association was even stronger for leisure-time physical activity. Similar to previous studies, the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and mathematical skills stood out.
Leisure-time physical activity was also inversely associated (负相关的) with school burnout. As little as 30 minutes of weekly activity was associated with 24% lower possibilities of school burnout. Teenagers who engaged in leisure-time physical activity for 4 to 6 hours a week had 46% lower possibilities of school burnout compared to their physically inactive peers. Both leisure-time physical activity and active school transport were also positively
associated with school enjoyment.
“To the best of my knowledge, this was the first large-scale study to examine the association between physical activity and school burnout among teenagers. Leisure-time physical activity can be an effective way to disconnect from schoolwork and the potential stress related to it. If schools can increase the amount of leisure-time physical activity among youth, both learning and wellbeing benefits can be significant,” said Juuso Jussila, a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.
1. Which aspect of the study does paragraph 1 focus on?| A．Its purpose. | B．Its subjects. | C．Its result. | D．Its process. |
| A．complex | B．clear | C．meaningless | D．simple |
| A．Feel tired in class. | B．Pay more attention in class. |
| C．Be afraid of learning mathematics. | D．Be eager to do physical activity. |
| A．Asking students to respect teachers. | B．Teaching students how to be happy. |
| C．Focusing on improving students’ scores. | D．Increasing students’ time for physical activity. |
6 . When I think of my childhood, I remember cycling with my friends and buying orange candies, but most of all, going home to see my grandma waiting at the doorstep and asking, “How was your day, bunny?”
Nana (I call my grandma Nana) saw me
Nana was born during the Second World War with a very different lifestyle and childhood from me. She didn’t get
She taught me to be
As years went by, Alzheimer’s disease (老年痴呆症) ate her from the
One day, the glimmer
Nana took a piece of my childhood with her when she
| A．grow up | B．look out | C．look up | D．work out |
| A．works | B．designs | C．truths | D．memories |
| A．forgot | B．celebrated | C．survived | D．calculated |
| A．care | B．education | C．assistance | D．fame |
| A．invitation | B．law | C．burden | D．opportunity |
| A．complained | B．cried | C．struggled | D．argued |
| A．eager for | B．upset about | C．grateful for | D．curious about |
| A．pretended | B．failed | C．wished | D．managed |
| A．me | B．her | C．it | D．them |
| A．trained | B．got | C．needed | D．became |
| A．outside | B．inside | C．top | D．bottom |
| A．woman | B．master | C．neighbour | D．colleague |
| A．address | B．job | C．hobby | D．name |
| A．ambition | B．separation | C．recognition | D．permission |
| A．occupied | B．expected | C．represented | D．seized |
| A．hardly | B．usually | C．completely | D．slightly |
| A．sight | B．style | C．service | D．sleep |
| A．loudly | B．beautifully | C．weakly | D．fluently |
| A．voice | B．story | C．laughter | D．praise |
| A．sank | B．dreamed | C．left | D．whispered |
7 . The story of a 92-year-old book lover in a village of Chongqing has touched many recently. Sun Shiquan has collected more than 7,000 books over the decades and has offered a free local library for residents for years.
He was born in Pipa village in Xiuqi township of Chongqing’s Chengkou county. Being a bookworm as a child, he read all kinds of ancient books including the Four Books and the Five Classics. In the 1950s, he became one of only a handful of local college graduates and later served as a primary and middle school teacher in the county.
Sun said he started to collect books in 1983 and gradually built a diverse collection over more than 40 years. Among his holdings is a precious set known as the Complete Works of Chinese Classics, published during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is one of only seven copies in the country.
Wearing glasses and using a magnifying glass, Sun reads for more than three hours every day. Now he has finished reading most of his collection.
Speaking of her father, Sun Ziyu said, “My father has a habit of making notes on each book. He makes a mark whenever he stops reading so that he can carry on reading from where he left off.” Village official Liu Jiao said, “Many children in the village love to visit Sun and listen to his stories.” She said the elderly man has earned respect from the whole village. People call him “Teacher Sun” and children call him “great-grandfather”.
Sun Ziyu said her father also writes poems and prose in his spare time and enjoys reading his works to the family. She said under her father’s influence, family members take the time to read together and exchange views. That’s their favorite part. “My father has loved reading for a lifetime,” Sun Ziyu said. “Reading is his meat and drink.”
1. What do we know about Sun Shiquan?| A．He was once a college teacher in Chongqing. |
| B．Reading wasn’t his preference when he was a child. |
| C．The Complete Works of Chinese Classics is his treasure. |
| D．He has just bought the Four Books and the Five Classics. |
| A．Costing less money than usual. |
| B．Shaped like a circle or a ball. |
| C．Greater in size than usual or average. |
| D．Making sth. look bigger than it really is. |
| A．He likes to take notes. |
| B．He loves to read quite quickly. |
| C．He is only fond of reading novels. |
| D．He doesn’t like to discuss them with others. |
| A．Sun Shiquan collects more than 7,000 books |
| B．Chongqing man, 92, gives gift of literature |
| C．Elderly man earns respect from whole village |
| D．Elderly man’s stories attract children in village |
8 . In an inspiring series of events over six years, a remarkable woman has turned up as the guardian angel for one family. She
Six years ago, Kristi Hadfield was a nurse who saved John Cunningham’s life when he was
Hadfield stayed in
“And when I posted it, I got a(n)
| A．knew | B．caught | C．rescued | D．employed |
| A．having | B．avoiding | C．escaping | D．curing |
| A．enjoy | B．remember | C．regret | D．imagine |
| A．came across | B．worked on | C．turned to | D．got to |
| A．Fortunately | B．Gradually | C．Disappointedly | D．Basically |
| A．agreement | B．touch | C．comparison | D．competition |
| A．female | B．strange | C．serious | D．former |
| A．order | B．gift | C．request | D．suggestion |
| A．identified | B．recommended | C．shared | D．heard |
| A．quit | B．appreciate | C．allow | D．consider |
| A．invitation | B．message | C．argument | D．description |
| A．provider | B．waiter | C．user | D．protector |
| A．set out | B．took place | C．shut up | D．came back |
| A．remarkable | B．unique | C．successful | D．significant |
| A．life | B．luck | C．money | D．thanks |
9 . Simone Biles is a remarkable athlete, having won 7 Olympic medals across two Olympic Games. However, in 2020, she shocked the world when she quitted from the Tokyo Games due to some mental problems. Many praised it as a brave decision, as mental health is just as important as physical health. The athlete said she often suddenly lost the sense of direction during the Games, which meant she could no longer sense her body move in the air. It is dangerous for any athlete.
Since then, Biles has focused on her personal life, marrying the love of her life in the process. Recently, USA Gymnastics announced that Biles is ready to return to gymnastics. She is scheduled to compete at the coming US Classic in August, and fans are waiting eagerly to see her in action. Joining Biles in the upcoming competition are 12 Olympic and 16 World Championships roster members. Some notable names include Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee and 2020 Olympic floor champion Jade Carey, among others.
Before Simone Biles became a successful athlete, she and her siblings experienced a “hungry” childhood. Biles’ love for gymnastics began on a field trip. They visited a local gymnasium, where she was given a flyer (传单) to join the program. Biles was a natural, but she didn’t see her potential right away. Little did she know, but everybody else around her did. Her difficult beginnings set the stage for Biles to become one of the most successful sportswomen. Her parents gave their 100% support for her to grow up in the environment she was great at.
Biles has everything she could need to live a golden life— a supportive family, a loving boyfriend and a passion, which also happens to be her career. At 26 years old, she has her whole life ahead of her and is expected to continue dominating (统治) the gymnastics world in the coming years.
1. What did Simone Biles do during the 2020 Olympic Games?| A．She dropped out unexpectedly. |
| B．She won her seventh Olympic medal. |
| C．She hurt others due to dangerous moves. |
| D．She shocked the world with her great performance. |
| A．Worried. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Excited. | D．Shocked. |
| A．One’s birth decides his or her future. |
| B．Quitting doesn’t necessarily mean giving up. |
| C．One should never give up his or her own job. |
| D．A person’s success requires all kinds of preparations. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A fashion magazine. |
| C．A book review. | D．A news report. |
10 . Best Parks to See Wildlife
A recent report from a vacation site listed the total number of species and sizes of several well-known national parks. Here are some of them to see the widest variety of animals.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
Number of species per square meter: 317
Located 20 miles southwest of Cleveland, Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a mixed ecosystem of forest and wetlands sheltering a variety of animals. From the boardwalk at Beaver Marsh, watch for water-loving mammals or snapping turtles (鳄龟) that can weigh as much as 55 pounds each. More than 200 bird species live in the park.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Number of species per square meter: 286
The representative for Carlsbad Caverns is the Brazilian free-tailed bat. Every summer, hundreds of thousands of the furry, big-eared creatures live in these caves in southeastern New Mexico, attracting crowds at sunset with their spectacular out flight. The Brazilians are one of the 17 bat species that nest at Carlsbad. You might also encounter wild pigs and cave swallows.
Acadia National Park, Maine
Number of species per square meter: 242
The Atlantic Ocean meets the Maine coast at this popular park on Mount Desert Island, providing habitat for wildlife with feet and flippers (鳍状肢). From the shore, scan the water for the heads of harbor porpoises (鼠海豚) and gray seals.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
Number of species per square meter: 219
In western Colorado, the 2, 722 feet between this park s canyon edge and the Gunnison River below support numerous wildlife habitats. Experienced climbers and hikers who adventure into the inner canyon find collared lizards and mule deer.
1. Which park has the largest number of species per square meter?| A．Acadia National Park. | B．Carlsbad Caverns National Park. |
| C．Cuyahoga Valley National Park. | D．Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park |
| A．Watch crowds of flying bats at sunset. |
| B．Observe 17 swallow species nesting in the city. |
| C．Play with turtles weighing over 55 pounds. |
| D．Meet wild pigs in forests and wetlands. |
| A．Cave swallows. | B．Gray seals. | C．Mule deer. | D．Free-tailed bats. |
