1 . People have been told to stay separated — at least six feet apart— and to practice what state and local officials call “social distancing”. Some have been asked to work at home. But as people try to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, the resulting chaos and fear are bringing both large and small communities closer.

Simple acts of kindness are sprouting up online and in public, as neighbors, students, teachers, and others begin to connect those who can pass this long and isolating time smoothly, and the people who may not have the means to get through.

For Jesse Farren-James, helping out has taken the form of organizing trips to the supermarkets for supplies, and use of her membership card if anyone needs to buy large quantities. She posted the offer in a Facebook group for the community residents（居民）, and some people came and turned to her. “I just feel so lucky that I have so many people in my life to rely on and so sad that not everyone has that,” she wrote in the group. In another interview, Farren-James said the “community is coming together" and “there are so many good and amazing people” offering to help where they can.

Also, parents in Dorchester have gathered together online. In a Facebook group called DotParents, parents have been raising money to buy food and supplies for students and families in the community. Lisa Graustein has been organizing this activity. On Thursday, she used the more than $2,000 raised by neighbors to purchase food in a restaurant supply company. A group of volunteers packed the food and planned to distribute to schools for those who may need it.

“Food shortage is real in our city and this crisis is going to be severe.” Graustein said. “But here’s something we can do that deal better with the hard time”. This idea     is spreading. She said friends in four other states had being running similar campaigns.

Next, she wants to find a way to get landlords（房东）to temporarily abandon rent for residents in financial difficulties because of the outbreak.

1. What do we know about Jesse Farren-James?

A．She is a shopping assistant working for a supermarket.

B．She is wealthy and always ready to help others.

C．She lent her membership card to the people in need.

D．She felt sad that not everyone has enough food.

2. The underlined phrase in paragraph 2 “sprouting up” can be best replaced by ______.

A．disappearing	B．growing
C．connecting	D．helping

3. What did parents in Dorchester do to offer help?

A．They bought food from the supermarket for community children.

B．They set up a restaurant supply company to provide food.

C．They raised money to deal with food shortage.

D．They distributed money to community residents.

4. Which is the best title for this passage?

A．Acts of kindness in coronavirus outbreak

B．Effects of social media in coronavirus outbreak

C．Social distancing in the online community

D．Helping each other in financial difficulties

2 . Animals in Antarctica

There are no land animals that actually live in Antarctica！However，the surrounding oceans are rich in living creatures！It’s just too cold to support very many life forms！Now let’s meet some of the Antarctica’s animals.

Weddell Seal

They are the southernmost pinniped(鳍足类的)in the world. Males are generally smaller than females. Interestingly，a newborn pup has a coat of long hair，which they will shed(脱落) within the first month as the protective layer of their body is developed.

Blue Whale

Named for its blue•gray color，this huge animal may grow to be roughly 100 feet long and weigh more than 120 tons！A blue whale eats about 4 tons of krill(磷虾)per day during the feeding season！This means that about 40 million krill are eaten every day for six months by a blue whale！The tongue of the blue whale can be as big as a Volkswagen！The blue whale is the loudest animal on earth!

Rockhopper Penguins

One of the more beautiful penguins，the Rockhopper shake their heads and cause their yellow eyebrows to fly into a “halo”in order to attract a mate!

Wandering Albatross

This species of albatross wanders the oceans for months at a time searching for food. It sleeps on the ocean surface at night and drinks sea water.The Wandering Albatross is the largest bird in the world in terms of wing span—11 feet!

Ross Seal

Ross Seals are very rarely seen because they live deep within the pack•ice. It is believed that Ross Seals feed mainly on squid，fish and krill. They were named after the British polar explorer Sir James Ross，who first discovered them in 1840.

Emperor Penguin

Emperor Penguins are the biggest of the 17 penguin species. They are flightless birds. They are the only living species to reproduce during the harsh Antarctic winter. Without a nest，the father Emperor Penguin keeps the egg warm by holding it on his feet for 2－3 months until spring，during which the father doesn’t eat anything and he just eats a little snow for moisture. Unbelievable！What a Dad!

1. We know from the 5th paragraph that the Wandering Albatross ______.

A．never touches the land	B．is a good swimmer and flyer
C．drink fresh water	D．sleeps on boats

2. According to the last paragraph ______.

A．there are 18 penguin species on earth

B．Emperor penguins spend most of their time on land where they find food

C．penguins are birds with no wings

D．the mother Emperor penguin lays one egg during the winter

3. We know from the reading that ______.

A．a male Weddell Seal is larger than a female

B．Rockhopper Penguins is the most beautiful penguin

C．it is hard to see a Ross Sea

D．a blue whale eats about 4 tons of krill every day

3 . Music for Life Learning music is important for the educational and personal development of young people!

Learning an instrument: how do pupils choose?

All our teachers are highly qualified and experienced musicians, and pupils can learn to play a wide range of instruments, from the keyboard to the drums(鼓). We have open days when new pupils who are unsure which instrument to choose can come to the centre. They are able to speak to teachers about which instrument might be best for them, and they can also see and hear classes in action.

Who is responsible for buying the instruments?

Parents usually have to provide instruments. But parents of beginners are advised not to buy an instrument until they are told that a place is available. They should also find out from the teacher the most suitable type of instrument to get.

When and where do lessons take place?

Lessons are available in many schools, usually during the day. If there is no lesson available for a particular instrument in a particular school, other arrangements can be made at one of our music centres for lessons on Saturday afternoons or weekday evenings.

How are pupils taught?

Pupils can learn in small groups, in classes or individually, depending on their needs. Small groups of three pupils have lessons that last thirty minutes. Class lessons last forty-five minutes and have at least ten pupils. Individual lessons are offered only to pupils who have some experience.

Starting young: when can pupils begin?

Children are never too young to become interested in music. We have special “Musical Youth” classes for children from the age of 3 to 8. These are designed to encourage young children to enjoy music through a variety of activities including singing, musical games, listening and movement. “Musical Youth” classes take place on Saturday mornings with groups of about 18 children. A parent or other adult must attend each session, and they are encouraged to sit with their children and help them with the activities.

1. What can we learn from the passage?

A．New pupils can see classes on an open day.

B．Pupils can learn special instruments on Sundays.

C．Parents must accompany pupils during the learning process.

D．Teachers at the centre can provide the right instruments for pupils.

2. What is the best choice for children with some experience?

A．Lessons for groups of ten.	B．Individual lessons.
C．Lessons for small groups of three.	D．Special “Musical Youth” classes.

3. The passage is intended for _____.

A．teachers	B．parents
C．musicians	D．pupils

4 . Van Gogh painted sunflowers for the first time in the summer of 1886.Two years later, his interest appeared again after he settled in Arles. After he had invited the French artist Paul Gauguin, whom he admired, to join his Studio of the South, he began painting sunflowers to brighten up the whitewashed walls of the yellow house he was living in, not far from the town’s railway station.

Gauguin accepted Van Gogh’s invitation. When he began dragging his heels(脚后跟), Van Gogh painted the last two of the four original Sunflowers for the modest bedroom where his guest would sleep following his arrival that autumn, “Van Gogh saw the Sunflowers for Gauguin’s bedroom as a way of attracting his friend to come from Brittany, “says Bailey.

According to Martin Gayford, “Gauguin was very surprised by the Sunflowers, which he repeatedly praised and asked for as a gift. Years later, Gauguin himself painted some sunflower pictures.”

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers stand for (代表)his relationship with Gauguin. “I think he painted them for the joy of it,” says Jansen. “Van Gogh was at the height of his powers in the summer of 1888,”explains Bailey. “He painted the Sunflowers quickly and with great energy and confidence.” Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in late August, “I’m painting quickly now, which won’t surprise you when it’s a question of painting large Sunflowers.”

Van Gogh recognized at once that he had created something important and that his sunflowers were so different. As he told Theo in January 1889, while other artists were known for painting other flowers, “The sunflower is mine.” This, in fact, explains the reason for the popularity of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers today.

1. Van Gogh painted sunflowers in 1888 in order to ________.

A．give them to Gauguin	B．make his living
C．decorate his house	D．show his artistic talent to others

2. Where were the last two Sunflowers placed by Van Gogh? ________.

A．In the British museum	B．In Gauguin’s bedroom
C．In the town’s railway station	D．In a rich businessman's house

3. How did Gauguin feel about Van Gogh’s painting——the Sunflowers? ________.

A．Very bad	B．Just so­so
C．Rather worried	D．Quite surprised

4. From the last two paragraphs we can learn that ________.

A．Van Gogh was not good at painting large Sunflowers

B．Van Gogh had much trouble in painting the Sunflowers

C．Van Gogh didn’t like his Sunflowers at all at that time

D．Van Gogh realized the Sunflowers would make him known

5 . My Chinese speaking experience

It’s one thing to study and learn a language, but it’s quite another when you finally get to use it.

On the _______ from Venice to Paris, a group of girls my age sat around me. I had caught enough of the conversation to know that they were speaking Chinese, but at first I didn’t feel _______starting a conversation with the stranger next to me. If it didn’t _______ well, I’d be stuck next to them for the rest of the flight.

As the food cart began to make its way down the aisle (过道) _______ us, I finally found my chance. I _______ to the girl to my left and asked, “Will you be having lunch?” in Chinese. She nodded her head, then realizing the language I had _______, and asked me in English, “You speak Chinese?”

I was a bit surprised. I _______ again in Chinese. “A little bit but not very well.” She nodded again and then returned to her magazine, _______ my effort to communicate with her. Perhaps I should have lied and said that I spoke better...

Another time, at a dinner I sat next to a man who I knew spoke Chinese. I told him that I was learning Chinese, but _______ only speak a little and not very well. When ________ me use the language, he suddenly began to speak ________ in Chinese, but all I caught was that he told me that for Chinese people, the ability to speak a little bit is actually a lot. His behaviour was the complete opposite of my earlier ________. I felt somewhat overwhelmed (不知所措). I never quite     ________ the chance to continue or make any further efforts because the conversation returned to ________ as other people joined the table.

All in all, my experience has ________me that I still have a lot of work to do.

1.

A．subway

B．train

C．plane

D．boat

2.

A．satisfied

B．lucky

C．happy

D．comfortable

3.

A．go

B．fit

C．feel

D．do

4.

A．beyond

B．with

C．off

D．towards

5.

A．promised

B．turned

C．led

D．referred

6.

A．owned

B．used

C．written

D．advised

7.

A．agreed

B．stressed

C．tried

D．delivered

8.

A．ending

B．making

C．focusing

D．increasing

9.

A．should

B．must

C．need

D．could

10.

A．letting

B．seeing

C．hearing

D．helping

11.

A．rapidly

B．extremely

C．calmly

D．seriously

12.

A．class

B．experience

C．lecture

D．attitude

13.

A．got

B．missed

C．exchanged

D．gave

14.

A．Chinese

B．French

C．English

D．Italian

15.

A．requested

B．left

C．regarded

D．taught

6 . A friend of mine is a musician. He _________ seems to be learning new tunes, new _________, and new ways of making music in cool ways. At the weekends, he _________ to go into Central Park in the center of Nagoya during the daytime where lots of bands _________. Some of these bands are really good, but some of them are quite _________. One of the reasons why my friend likes _________ all the bands is that they are _________! And as he says to me, ''_________ expensive things don't necessarily mean that they're good, free things don't necessarily mean they have no _________. You have to listen and look yourself and ____________ what is valuable for you. And ____________, as you listen and look, you may learn different things.''

So my friend goes to the ____________ every week when the weather is fine, and he says he learns ____________ from every single band! When he watches and listens to the really good bands, he learns new concertos (协奏曲) from the ____________ and cool rhythms from the drummers. I guess that it's not ____________ that you can learn a lot by watching ____________ performers. But what really ____________ me are my friend's words — ''You can learn by watching and listening to the bad performers, too. When I watch a bad performer, I think to myself-wow, that's another thing that I'm going to ____________.''

So my friend makes ____________ by learning from both good and bad performers. And he says he also finds ____________ and pleasure in learning and improving in ways that he never even imagined!

1.

A．finally

B．quickly

C．seldom

D．always

2.

A．games

B．systems

C．instruments

D．languages

3.

A．loves

B．wishes

C．agrees

D．affords

4.

A．compete

B．perform

C．study

D．succeed

5.

A．poor

B．shy

C．unlucky

D．fierce

6.

A．forming

B．watching

C．inspiring

D．training

7.

A．right

B．familiar

C．famous

D．free

8.

A．Since

B．For

C．While

D．Unless

9.

A．price

B．fault

C．soul

D．value

10.

A．find out

B．wait for

C．bring out

D．call for

11.

A．in short

B．of course

C．at first

D．as usual

12.

A．park

B．club

C．studio

D．cinema

13.

A．nothing

B．anything

C．everything

D．something

14.

A．listeners

B．learners

C．players

D．dancers

15.

A．touching

B．exciting

C．surprising

D．satisfying

16.

A．excellent

B．strange

C．energetic

D．amateur

17.

A．embarrasses

B．impresses

C．comforts

D．convinces

18.

A．come up with

B．get hold of

C．look down on

D．get rid of

19.

A．time

B．money

C．progress

D．way

20.

A．duty

B．fun

C．pride

D．respect

7 . For a herder (放牧人) in Africa, the hardest part of the job is searching for cattle lost in the bush. But for Andrew, a herder at a farm in Zimbabwe, it's not a problem. Once he spots Toro, he knows the rest of the herd is nearby. That’s because Toro isn’t an ordinary member of the herd. He's a giraffe. In hot weather, cattle rest in the shade under his belly. And because of his height, Toro can spot lions long before they come close to the herd.

Toro's unusual situation came about after his mother was killed by lions. Toro survived the attack, but he was left with no one to protect him or give him milk. About two days later, some herders spotted and rescued him. With the permission of the Department of Wildlife, the herders moved Toro to Andrew's farm. Since giraffes and cattle are both plant-eating animals that live in groups, their behaviors are much the same. Toro was accepted into the herd and wandered among the cattle as they ate grass.

Toro doesn't always behave like the other members of his new herd. Like many kinds of animals, cattle compete for dominance (支配). Standing more than 13 feet tall, Toro is more than three times taller than the biggest bull, But Toro never tries to be ''the boss. ''He is very used to their company, '' Andrew said. When the herd enters the kraal (家畜栏), the cows and bulls push each other. ''But thanks to his height, Toro does not need to join the mess, '' said Andrew.

When asked if Toro would ever be returned to the wild, Munetsi, an officer of the Department of Wildlife said no. ''In the wild, he would find it difficult to be accepted into another herd or defend himself from predators (猎食者),'' he added. ''He seems very much at home and is respected by the cattle.''

1. What was Toro like when the herders found him?

A．He was left alone.	B．He was seriously ill.
C．He was lost in the bush.	D．He was fighting with lions.

2. What do we know about Toro in the cattle herd?

A．He has fought to be the leader.

B．He gets along well with the herd.

C．He is pushed around by the bulls.

D．He stays away from the herd most of the time

3. What will happen to Toro according to Munetsi?

A．He will be sent back to the wild.

B．He will be put into another herd of giraffes.

C．He will continue to live together with Andrew.

D．He will be trained to fight with the big animals.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Giraffes under threat in the wild

B．A surprising new family for a giraffe

C．A new way of herding appearing in Africa

D．Moments showing friendship between animals

8 . When Faith Wanjiku graduated from the Technical University of Kenya last year, she immediately enrolled (注册) at the Confucius Institute in Kenyatta University. She wanted to learn Chinese, as she believed that it would help her land a good job.

She has just completed the hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) 3 exam. HSK is a test of Chinese language level for non-native speakers, organized by the Confucius Institute Headquarters.

However, this level isn’t enough for Wanjiku, who plans to pass HSK 6. She wanted to increase her level of Chinese and improve her spoken Chinese. And Wanjiku isn’t alone. The number of people taking the HSK reached 6.8 million in 2018 and went up 4.6 percent from a year earlier, the Ministry of Education said on May 31.

Chinese is becoming an increasingly popular choice of language to study around the world. Currently, middle school students in Russia can take Chinese as an elective language test in the country’s national college entrance exam, Sputnik News reported.

In May, Zambia became the fourth country in Africa-after Kenya, Uganda and South Africa—to introduce Chinese language to its schools.

And many English-speaking countries have shown an interest in allowing their students to learn Chinese. The US government announced the launch of “1 Million Strong” in 2015, a plan that aims to bring the total number of learners of Chinese to l million by 2020.

Behind the growing popularity of Chinese language learning is the international community’s positive attitude toward Chinas future development, as well as the people’s longing to learn about Chinese civilization and culture.

Indeed, it’s as the former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela put it, “if you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

1. What did Wanjiku do after graduating from university?

A．She went abroad.	B．She learned Chinese.
C．She found a job.	D．She travelled to China.

2. HSK is a test for ______.

A．non-native speakers	B．native speakers
C．middle school students	D．college students

3. What does the underlined sentence mean?

A．Wangjiku has lots of friends.

B．Lots of people want to pass HSK6 exam.

C．Wangjiku has passed HSK3 exam.

D．Many people want to live in China.

4. What may be the best title for the text?

A．Chinese Language Study Takes Off

B．Chinese Play an Important Role in Economy

C．People Share the Experience of Learning Chinese

D．Different Opinions about the Function of Chinese

9 . A vacation often means rest and relaxation, but more and more people are looking at traveling as an opportunity to help others and give back.

Don Germaise is a familiar face to many in Tampa Bay, but this former TV reporter’s life has changed a bit. “In the TV business you see the best and the worst the world has to offer, and at some point, it just occurred to me: I just need to do something to make the world a better place,” he explained.

He now travels the world, volunteering his time to help others. “Here’s the best part about a volunteer vacation. You’re not stuck at a hotel doing tours that everyone else does,” Germaise said. “You’re meeting regular people, living with regular people and helping regular people all over the world.”

Travel Writer Joe Miragliotta says that’s exactly why more people are spending time volunteering on vacation. “Travelers, especially millennials (千禧一代) like myself, are becoming more socially conscious when it comes to choosing where they go,” Miragliotta said. “They want to connect with the communities and causes they really care about.”

He recently took some time out of a trip to San Francisco to help out at a local farm. “Here, volunteers are growing healthy foods for the community, and they give it right back for free; and you know you can tend the vegetable gardens, help clean the orchard—lots of fun activities,” Miragliotta explained.

Volunteering doesn’t take up your entire vacation. You can do it for a few hours or even a few days. It’s all up to you. “With a kid...when you do something as simple as giving him or her a pencil when they never had a pencil for school, the look in their eyes is so unbelievable,” Germaise said. “It’s like they got an iPad for Christmas. It’s the greatest feeling in the world.”

1. What do vacations mean to Don Germaise?

A．Having a rest and relaxing.	B．Getting an opportunity to travel.
C．Meeting and helping regular people.	D．Reporting on what happens around the world.

2. According to Joe Miragliotta, young people __________.

A．are becoming more socially conscious	B．find it fun to help in vegetable gardens
C．enjoy taking care of the children around	D．are trying to learn more about other people

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．It only takes travelers a few hours to do volunteering.

B．Finding a way to help the people in need is not easy.

C．It is impossible for the kids to get an iPad for Christmas.

D．Making a small difference to people’s life is rewarding.

4. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．Millennials pay more attention to society.

B．Volunteer vacation is becoming a new trend.

C．Two travelers shared their experiences abroad.

D．Volunteers enjoy popularity among local people.

10 . Welcome to the 4-Day Wonderful Life Experience

This 4-day sightseeing tour covers the most famous elements（元素）of China: the historical sites, natural scenery, unique culture, and lovely giant pandas.

Day 1 Beijing Arrival

Your guide will meet you at the arrivals hall. An experienced driver will transfer you to your hotel. Your guide will help you to check-in.

You may start your first day wandering through Tian'anmen Square and arrive at the Forbidden City to have a little adventure in the previous home to emperors. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll explore the centuries-old hutongs to get a taste of the locals' lifestyle: making dumplings in a local family's home, trying your hand at Chinese writing brush, or applying Peking Opera facial makeup.

Day 2 The Summer Palace and the Great Wall

Freshen up in the morning and start your day at Summer Palace, enjoying the 300-year-old royal garden. Take a pleasant boat ride on the lake and take a walk in the long corridors（走廊）to view the beautiful paintings on the ceilings.

After enjoying some Beijing Roast Duck for lunch, we'll go on our tour to visit the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Walk through the watchtowers, enjoying a wonderful view of the wall winding across the mountains. The cable car to a good section of the Great Wall is included.

Day 3 The Terracotta Army（兵马俑）

At 7 in the morning, you will be driven to the airport for your flight to Xi'an. Your guide will be waiting for you and will transfer you to your hotel.

Everything in Xi'an is about history. The Terracotta Army, with each figure being unique, has guarded Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb since 210 BC.

After lunch, you'll visit the 600-year-old ancient city wall. Walking along Xi'an City Wall provides a good view of the city.

Day 4 One-Day Panda Keeper Program

In the morning, you'll get onto a high-speed train to Chengdu, where you can get close to giant pandas. You will get very close to them and learn more about them during the Panda Keeper Program in Dujiangyan Panda Base. Under the guidance of an English-speaking member of staff, you will clean the panda enclosures, feed a panda by hand and make cakes for them.

After the tour, the driver will transfer you to the airport at 9 pm, and take you all the way to the security gate for your convenience.

China visas provided PLUS a free dinner or snack tour

Valid: Nov.20, 2019-Dec.2, 2020

Please click here for more detailed information.

1. The passage is mainly introducing ___________.

A．the culture and history of China	B．a sightseeing program in China
C．some famous buildings in China	D．some special experiences in China

2. Those places are chosen to be introduced because ___________.

A．the sceneries are beautiful	B．they are symbols of China
C．their buildings are world famous	D．their culture and history are famous

3. The intended readers of the passage are ___________.

A．parents	B．researchers
C．historians	D．foreigners