1 . A Thief in the Night

James worked as a mechanic in a garage located in the centre of NewYork City. One day, When he finished his work, it was already very late and the last bus had gone. So James had to walk home. In order to get home quicker, he decided to take a shortcut through Central Park. It was dark and there were very few people in the park. James hardly met any one on the path he was taking. Naturally he had some fear. Robbery and murder were often reported in the neighbourhood. But James had no other choice.

Then somewhere in the middle of his path, James saw someone coming towards him from the opposite direction. He could not see the stranger clearly but he could tell it was a man of average build, just like himself. His fear began to grow. He tried not to look at the stranger and decided to veer so as to avoid him But when he veered, the stranger veered too. Unfortunately they veered in the same direction and bumped in passing.

When the stranger had gone, James was a little relieved. However, a few minutes later, James had a feeling that the bumping could hardly have been an accident. Why did the stranger veer in the same direction as me? He recalled newspaper reports that thieves pretended to bump into people and picked their pockets. With this thought, James felt for his wallet in his pocket. It was gone.

James had no doubt that the stranger was a thief and had taken his wallet. Anger made him turn around. He caught up with the stranger and bravely demanded his wallet. The man gave it to him and went away.

When James got home, the first thing he saw was his wallet lying on the bed. There was no way to avoid the truth: He had robbed somebody.

1. Why did James take a shortcut through Central Park?

A．He wanted to get home quicker.	B．He’s late for the last bus.
C．He’s very familiar with the path.	D．He took the path accidentally.

2. What does “veer” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Escape.

B．Change direction.

C．Leave.

D．Take action

3. Why did James turn around and catch up with the stranger?

A．To apologize for his rude behavior.	B．To rob the stranger.
C．To demand his wallet back.	D．To ask about his lost wallet.

4. What could be James’ feeling at the end of the story?

A．Relieved.

B．Satisfied.

C．Relaxed.

D．Regretful.

2 . For almost a century, Kuttiyamma’s daily work had been the same. ________ early in her home in the village in Kerala, the 104-year-old would begin her day’s work of cooking, ________ and feeding the cows and chickens.

But now, every morning, there’s something ________ to get up for. She ________ waits for the paperboy to ________ the local newspaper.

For two hours, she ________ herself reading the news, which kept her ________ about what’s going on in the world.

But it is only in recent months that she has been able to ________ this dream of hers. “I was always ________ about what’s happening around the world,” she said. “I used to beg the younger generations at home to read newspapers to me.”

Age was to prove no difficulty to her ________ to read. After months of evening ________ , she became the oldest woman in her country to take the literacy (读写能力) ________ and she got 89 out of 100!

For most of her 104 years, Kuttiyama would often try to ________ the alphabet (字母表)herself.

She was born in a poor rural family, and there was no education. Many years passed, she got married and had children. Kuttiyama said she was ________ with her life but always felt like something was missing.

It was only with the ________ of her neighbour, Rehana John, a 34-year-old literacy teacher, that Kuttiyamma’s dream of reading came true.

1.

A．Reading

B．Rising

C．Sleeping

D．Sitting

2.

A．cleaning

B．running

C．visiting

D．calling

3.

A．strange

B．boring

C．new

D．terrible

4.

A．worriedly

B．surprisedly

C．curiously

D．eagerly

5.

A．print

B．deliver

C．buy

D．pack

6.

A．buries

B．trains

C．finds

D．imagines

7.

A．talking

B．worrying

C．learning

D．thinking

8.

A．appreciate

B．achieve

C．check

D．share

9.

A．careful

B．anxious

C．nervous

D．curious

10.

A．demand

B．power

C．schedule

D．determination

11.

A．classes

B．discussions

C．activities

D．exercises

12.

A．strategy

B．research

C．test

D．education

13.

A．make out

B．cut out

C．find out

D．hand out

14.

A．disappointed

B．content

C．bored

D．patient

15.

A．aid

B．study

C．creation

D．performance

3 . Trees in tropical (热带的) forests grow more slowly in years when the nights are warmer than average or dry-season days are unusually hot, according to a 21-year study. This suggests such forests will grow less as the world warms due to climate change -potentially taking in less carbon dioxide from the air and worsening global warming.

“For the first time, we have a window on what a whole tropical forest is doing, ”says Deborah Clark at the University of Missouri-St Louis. “It is very scary. ”

Tropical forests contain a large amount of carbon, because the trees take in CO₂ from the air and use it to grow. Droughts, which are becoming more serious due to climate change, may harm the forests and re- lease (释放) some of the stored carbon.

For over two decades, Clark and her husband David Clark, also at the University of Missouri-St Louis, lived at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica. From1997 to 2018, they took detailed measurements of the surrounding tropical forest, tracking the wood production as well as the amount of litter that fell from the trees.

The pair, with Steven Oberbauer at Florida International University, discovered that wood production fell in years with warmer nights -something studies had already suggested before. The team also found that the trees produced less wood in years when temperatures in the dry season rose more than 28°C.

While this hadn’t been shown before, Deborah Clark says it was expected because photosynthesis (光合作用) slows above this temperature.

The study adds to growing proof of climate effects on tropical forests, says lain Hartley at the University of Exeter in the UK. “It looks like, as you warm the climate, you put pressure on the plants, leading to reduced productivity. Coupled with droughts, tropical forests may have less ability to help us in the fight against climate change in the future.”

1. What causes the forests to grow less according to paragraph 1?

A．Warmer temperature.	B．More carbon dioxide.
C．Less daylight	D．Worse air condition.

2. How did Clark and her husband conduct the study?

A．By gathering wood.	B．By giving example.
C．By collecting data.	D．By tracking former study.

3. What do we know about the study?

A．The trees took in more CO, in the drought season.

B．The wood production decreased in the warmer days.

C．Droughts help increase the carbon storage.

D．Tropical forests grow faster at warmer nights.

4. What does Hartley think of climate effects on tropical forests?

A．Helpful.

B．Negative.

C．Unclear.

D．Necessary.

7 . When I was young, my parents did not earn much. They had to save before they could ________ to buy groceries, especially meat.

Every time Mr Lee, the butcher, came to our ________, he would bring along a basketful of meat on his bicycle to his stall (摊位). Everyone would ________ to buy whatever pieces of meat he had because once they were sold out, no one ________ when they would be available again

One day, Mrs Ming, our neighbour, ________ my mother that Mr Lee was coming to sell meat the following day. I ________ very early the next morning because my mother told me to buy some meat. My brother, Ah Seng, ________ himself at his usual spot to look out for Mr Lee’s bicycle. Once Ah Seng saw Mr Lee, he alerted me. With my ________, I then ran quickly to the market. With Ah Seng’s help, I was ________ that I would reach the stall early. ________, when I arrived, a long line of villagers had already formed.

When Mr Lee started selling the meat, the ________ cleared quickly. When it was almost my _________, all the meat was sold out. I walked home with my empty basket, ________. What should I tell my mother?

As I was nearing home, Mrs Ming saw me. She ________ me and gave me some meat. I breathed a sigh of relief. I could not forget her ________.

1.

A．attempt

B．afford

C．demand

D．learn

2.

A．city

B．house

C．school

D．village

3.

A．pretend

B．rush

C．struggle

D．manage

4.

A．knew

B．cared

C．guessed

D．asked

5.

A．impressed

B．annoyed

C．told

D．warned

6.

A．showed up

B．got back

C．set out

D．woke up

7.

A．challenged

B．hid

C．stationed

D．dressed

8.

A．neighbour

B．basket

C．package

D．bicycle

9.

A．anxious

B．proud

C．nervous

D．confident

10.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Thus

D．Instead

11.

A．plate

B．meat

C．queue

D．stall

12.

A．turn

B．sale

C．arrangement

D．responsibility

13.

A．amazed

B．worried

C．confused

D．curious

14.

A．stopped

B．believed

C．reminded

D．recognized

15.

A．achievement

B．attitude

C．kindness

D．expression

8 . When the day is dawning, the Center of Naxi Dongba Pictographs and Paintings of the old town Liliang welcomes his owner, He Runyuan, who is dressed in a traditional Naxi clothing. Every day, He explains Dongba culture to tourists and teaches them to write Dongba characters. “Dongba characters are not only the soul of Dongba culture, but also a treasure for the whole world,” said He. Enjoying a history of over 1,000 years, Dongba characters are an ancient system of pictographic glyphs (象形字形). They are praised to be the “living fossil (活化石)” in writing.

As a member of the Naxi group, He first learned Dongba characters at the age of 13. He loved them immediately when he first looked at the symbols. “These characters have pictographic drawings that look like humans, animals, plants etc.” He said. “They are usually colorful and recognizable.”

Though the characters are interesting, learning them is never easy. Dongba culture is always mastered by Dongbas, the Naxi priests (祭司). Without Dongbas in his village, He has to travel far to the Old Town, where many Dongbas are gathered. “In most cases, I need to walk for more than one day to the destination. To get more learning time, I always set off very early when the city is still in darkness,” said He.

But the love for Dongba culture keeps him going. For the past 30 years, He has been studying these characters every day. In 2016, He set up the Center of Naxi Dongba Pictographs and Paintings Where He beautified fans, glasses and even T-shirts with Dongba characters, hoping to pass down Dongba culture and let more people know about it.

“Our life is limited, but so long as everyone makes an effort, the life of a culture can exist forever,” He said.

1. What does He Runyuan do in his center every day?

A．He spreads Dongba culture.	B．He writes Dongba characters.
C．He sells his painting.	D．He learns from priests.

2. Which of the following best describes He Runyuan?

A．Honest and creative.	B．Outgoing and confident.
C．Hard-working and responsible.	D．Humorous and determined.

3. What keeps He studying when facing difficulties?

A．The love for his hometown.	B．The preference for Dongba culture.
C．The respect for priests.	D．The encouragement from his fans.

4. What can we learn about Dongba characters?

A．They are popular with the young.	B．They are interesting and easy to learn.
C．They are lively and easily recognized.	D．They are passed down by oral explanation.

9 . Top Wonders of the World

From India to Rome, these sights will inspire your next historical vacation.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Constructed from 1632 to 1648, the property covers 42 acres, including its beautiful gardens.

Best time to go: Late spring and early summer in this part of India has often severe heat. Then come monsoons. November to February is your best chance for pleasant weather. The sunrises here are highly admired.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall of China is the world’s longest wall and one of the most famous landmarks in China. Dating back to about 700 BCE, it stretches over 13,000 miles and was designed to protect the country from invaders.

Best time to go: Plan for a spring or fall trip when the weather is nicer and fewer people visit. Summertime is often hot and crowded, and winter can be extremely cold in northern China.

Petra

Located in the Kingdom of Jordan, Petra was built directly into the cliffside around 312 BCE by the Nabataeans. The city includes temples, tombs, and its most well-known building — the Treasury.

Best time to go: Summer can get very hot in Jordan, and winter is much colder than you may realize. Weatherwise, aim for spring or fall.

The Colosseum

The Colosseum remains Rome’s top attraction. Built in the first century by Emperor Vespasian, the massive theater spans 620 by 513 feet, which would hold 80,000 people.

Best time to go: You’ll find fewer tourists there during Rome’s low season (winter), weekdays and during the opening hour or near closing time. If you show up in summer at midday, it’s going to be hot!

1. What’s the best time to travel to Taj Mahal?

A．March.

B．July.

C．October.

D．December.

2. Which of the following has the longest history?

A．Taj Mahal.

B．The Great Wall.

C．Petra.

D．The Colosseum.

3. Where can we most probably read the passage?

A．In a research paper.	B．In a travel brochure.
C．In a science magazine.	D．In a geography textbook.

10 . My husband and I spent a few days in northern Ontario last week. We have _________ a cabin from the same people for several years now. It is an interesting business as it is a convenience store, a liquor store, a take-out restaurant and the owner of the cottages.

As I was paying my bill for the _________, the clerk asked the man behind me _________ things were going. He shared that things were improving but it had been a _________ week. His wife had undergone heart surgery and had just been _________ from the hospital. I asked if I could give him a _________ and he gladly _________ with tears in his eyes. Some may say that it was risky to hug a _________ and yet to me it simply felt right. My mother went _________ a similar surgery many years ago and I could __________ to how he was feeling. A short time __________ my husband went to the same store to purchase a few bagels as we had __________ ours at home. They didn’t have any but sold him four from their restaurant’s kitchen supplies.

While this might happen in a larger city, I have not __________ experienced it. I found that through giving and __________ kindness set the tone for the rest of my day, my heart is __________.

1.

A．built

B．bought

C．learned

D．rented

2.

A．restaurant

B．hospital

C．cottage

D．kitchen

3.

A．how

B．why

C．what

D．where

4.

A．common

B．rough

C．smooth

D．pleasant

5.

A．relieved

B．recommended

C．released

D．recalled

6.

A．hand

B．smile

C．gift

D．hug

7.

A．accused

B．accepted

C．accompanied

D．refused

8.

A．stranger

B．patient

C．doctor

D．businessman

9.

A．by

B．on

C．through

D．across

10.

A．lead

B．refer

C．compare

D．relate

11.

A．later

B．ago

C．before

D．earlier

12.

A．hidden

B．forgotten

C．stored

D．received

13.

A．personally

B．originally

C．particularly

D．publicly

14.

A．offering

B．receiving

C．displaying

D．benefiting

15.

A．blank

B．heavy

C．full

D．light