1 . She was sitting up at four months, walking at eight months and completing 100-piece jigsaw puzzles (拼图玩具) at 15 months. So it is no surprise that Abigail Wilson, 15, from Connecticut, USA, recently made history when she became the youngest black girl ever accepted into an American university! “I’m proud of myself for getting in, but I usually find it hard to get excited. It’s pretty cool, I guess,” said Abigail.
Her mother, Nancy, said that Abigail was a quiet baby. She didn’t speak her first words until she was 22 months old! Her parents thought something must be wrong, but when she started to talk, her speech was perfect. She already knew colors, letters and was able to read. Her parents read her normal bedtime stories and they didn’t know she was learning all of it.
Abigail has always been the youngest person in her class. At six she was in the fourth grade, at ten she took her first high school class in Maths. She has studied several languages, including Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and German.
Abigail says that she doesn’t usually plan when she studies, she calls herself scatterbrained (浮躁的) and she always delays things up to the last minute. This gives her the motivation to really do something.
In her free time, Abigail plays basketball, surfs the Internet, reads, cooks and hangs out with her friends. She has also studied music. Her mother says that Abigail’s music lessons helped her to be a normal teen. She believed that Abigail needed to be in a situation where she had to fail in order to learn. “She found playing the piano very difficult, but it made her learn better,” said Nancy. “She can’t always be successful, she won’t be able to learn anything! People always learn more from their failures than from their successes.”
1. Why is it not surprising that Abigail went to university at 15?| A．Because she was hard-working. |
| B．Because she was always ahead of other kids. |
| C．Because she was brought up in a special way. |
| D．Because she was not different from other black girls. |
| A．She is crazy about sports. | B．She has a gift for language. |
| C．Her favorite subject is math. | D．Her success is due to good habits. |
| A．has perfect plans | B．has no desire to study hard |
| C．won’t finish things ahead of time | D．prefers to finish things in advance |
| A．Abigail failed to have a normal life. | B．Abigail was good at playing the piano. |
| C．Abigail needed to learn from failures. | D．Abigail always wanted to be successful. |
| A．The wonderful life of a talented girl. | B．A mother bringing up a wonderful girl. |
| C．A black girl wanting to live a normal life. | D．A gifted girl being admitted into university. |
2 . In show business, stars are nicknamed when people laugh at them, express their love for idols or confirm his or her stardom.
★ Homophonic(谐音) nicknames
Homophonic nicknames have brought much convenience to tons of fans. For example, if you repeatedly and quickly pronounce “Hiddleston”, the surname of Ton Hiddleston. You will find that its pronunciation is quite close to “Dou sen”. And your tongue remains struggling with the vibration( 振动) for quite a while. That’s how he gets the nickname “Dou Sen”.
★ Nicknames from roles they play
Kit Harington plays the role of Jon Snow in the TV series Games of Thrones and thus he gets the nickname “Jiong Nuo”. He acts so well that many people only know “Jiong Nuo” but have no idea about Kit Harington. While Dan Stevens gets his nickname “Big Cousin” for the teleplay Downtown Abbey in which Dan is a soulful and handsome cousin of three ladies.
★ Nicknames from appearance
When it comes to this type, the first thought of us must be Michael Fassbender, who has got a nickname “shark” because of his even teeth and magically charming smile, which is normally seen from a shark. And the nickname “Jiong Seph” for Joseph Gordon Levitt is quite easy to understand. Just two words can explain it well: His face!
★ Nicknames with a story
If one can nickname his or her idol based on a story, he or she must be a real fan. For example, Taylor Swift’s nickname “MeiMei” is originated from her several times of bad luck. Every time her wonderful singles were about to be at the top of the billboard ranking list, something unexpected would happen, and finally they ranked No. 2. Thus, her fans sympathetically gave her this cute nickname. As for James McAvoy, whose nickname is “Beauty”, he is at the top of the list called “stars who are more beautiful than Jolie and Pit”. That’s why he gets that nickname.
★ Nicknames relating to translation
“I don’t know why Chinese audience call me ‘stone sister’ . ” Apparently, Emma Stone has no idea why Chinese fans translate her family name “stone” into “shitou”. Perhaps we Chinese can better understand this kind of nicknames we give to stars.
1. The fans nickname their idols for the following reasons except _________.| A．making fun of the idols | B．confirming the idols’ stardom |
| C．showing their deep love for the idols | D．remembering the idols’ names easily |
| A．They both have sisters in their plays. |
| B．They both played roles in Games of Thrones. |
| C．They get their nicknames because of their roles. |
| D．They are not as handsome and famous as others. |
| A．Ton Hiddleston. | B．Taylor Swift. |
| C．Emma Stone. | D．Joseph Gordon Levitt. |
| A．she always brings bad luck to others. |
| B．some people don’t like her or her music style. |
| C．her songs are not well-received by the audience. |
| D．her songs can’t be the best for unexpected things. |
| A．Idols and their fans. | B．Idols and their works. |
| C．Idols and their nicknames. | D．Idols and their achievements. |
3 . Have you ever stopped doing something that you used to do every day? Yes, I have!
Just after I promised my mom to stop watching TV for a month, I
One day, after I buried myself in
Mom locked the TV so that I couldn’t turn it on unless with her
Since then, I studied harder and harder and didn’t even stay near the TV. One
| A．In spite of | B．Because of | C．According to | D．Thanks to |
| A．hesitated | B．regretted | C．apologized | D．escaped |
| A．at least | B．at most | C．at last | D．at first |
| A．recover | B．develop | C．respond | D．survive |
| A．shows | B．programs | C．textbooks | D．drawings |
| A．approach | B．abandon | C．ignore | D．consult |
| A．behave | B．entertain | C．bear | D．comment |
| A．neighbor | B．mother | C．boss | D．friend |
| A．so that | B．in case | C．as if | D．even though |
| A．ON | B．OFF | C．UP | D．DOWN |
| A．Enjoy | B．Relax | C．Control | D．Prepare |
| A．stronger | B．fresher | C．wiser | D．luckier |
| A．law | B．promise | C．record | D．relation |
| A．valuable | B．advanced | C．creative | D．special |
| A．Instead | B．Besides | C．Anyway | D．Therefore |
| A．touching | B．appearing | C．amazing | D．greeting |
| A．pretended | B．desired | C．continued | D．managed |
| A．week | B．month | C．term | D．year |
| A．though | B．unless | C．when | D．as |
| A．caring about | B．resulting in | C．consisting of | D．asking for |
4 . Last spring, I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in an exchange study program. In my application letter, I was careful to
The moment I arrived in Paris, I was
I left France with many
| A．discuss | B．express | C．announce | D．argue |
| A．approved | B．knew | C．warned | D．denied |
| A．stubborn | B．anxious | C．universal | D．interesting |
| A．boring | B．upsetting | C．thrilling | D．promising |
| A．expected | B．liked | C．doubted | D．feared |
| A．greeted | B．witnessed | C．sponsored | D．supported |
| A．since | B．until | C．when | D．while |
| A．move | B．travel | C．walk | D．rush |
| A．housekeeper | B．leader | C．colleague | D．roommate |
| A．learn | B．appreciate | C．speak | D．master |
| A．contrasted | B．evolved | C．placed | D．fitted |
| A．added | B．introduced | C．devoted | D．adapted |
| A．term | B．week | C．month | D．vacation |
| A．dreams | B．suitcases | C．presents | D．stories |
| A．concerned | B．disturbed | C．embarrassed | D．surprised |
| A．exploring | B．analyzing | C．describing | D．investigating |
| A．need | B．shall | C．must | D．can |
| A．generous | B．independent | C．similar | D．distant |
| A．but | B．or | C．and | D．so |
| A．instructions | B．friendships | C．facts | D．data |
5 . We often hear such statements “I spilled juice, but it wasn’t my fault.”, “I got in trouble at school, but it wasn’t my fault.” Or “I was in a car accident, but it wasn’t my fault.” That “It’s not my fault.” is a go-to response for so many people and especially teenagers.
Parents complain they are tired of the “excuse”. The reason why variations(变体) of “It’s not my fault.” are so popular is that it lets us off the hook from guilt and blame. I’m a fan of not owning responsibility for things that I can’t control. Teens who often say “It’s my fault.” when something bad happens tend to be highly self-critical, perfectionistic and more easier to be troubled by anxiety and depression.
While it is important to recognize a lack of reason to blame oneself, many teens over-rely on “It’s not my fault.” When trying to get them to take responsibility, parents usually attempt to convince their teens that something is their fault. The approach tends to be ineffective and turn into a power struggle. No one wins. A more effective approach can be to stress significant drawbacks to consistently focusing on removing our responsibility with this phrase.
Overuse of the phrase can result in feelings of lack of ability to control their own lives. This sense has been shown to cause low motivation. Besides creating feelings of lack of ability, overuse of “It’s not my fault.” focuses a teen’s attention on what is done as opposed to what needs to be done.
People may not have caused all their problems, but they have to solve them anyway. The example I frequently share with teens is the question of what one will do if he is pushed into a deep lake. One can certainly stay in water, yelling, “It’s not my fault.” However, that won’t get him out of water. He needs to swim to the shore, regardless of the fault.
If you take a proper approach to communicating with your teens, you can help them avoid over-reliance on “It’s not my fault.”.
1. What phenomenon is described in Paragraph 1?| A．The teenagers’ dislike for school life. |
| B．The common trouble faced by teenagers. |
| C．The reasons for blaming others for accidents. |
| D．The tendency for people not to be responsible for mess in life. |
| A．Those lacking confidence and ambition. |
| B．Those allowing others to find excuses. |
| C．Those unable to get along well with others. |
| D．Those often blaming themselves for some incidents. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Neutral. |
| A．It’s harmful to overuse “It’s not my fault.”. |
| B．It’s important to learn lessons from faults. |
| C．It’s difficult for people to admit their fault. |
| D．It’s absurd to often find excuses for mistakes in life. |
| A．We should try to avoid troubling others. |
| B．We should focus on how to solve problems. |
| C．We should dare to point out others’ mistakes. |
| D．We should be self-critical as much as possible. |
6 . I was ready for bed when the phone rang. “This cannot be good,” I thought as I hurried to see why I was called so late at night. My mind quickly ran through the list of family members that might need my help.
“Lindy, this is Leslie,” she said. “I hope I didn’t disturb your sleeping.” I was confused that she should call me at 11 pm. We occasionally spoke with each other at some community events, but to say we were friends was a stretch.
I asked what she needed. She replied, “Do you have room for turkeys in your freezer?” We had lots of room in our freezer. My husband’s business had taken a downturn and we were pretty much at the bottom of our food supply. “Sure,” I responded. “Did your freezer break down?” “Not exactly,” Leslie replied. “But if you give me directions to your house, I will explain when I get there.”
Later a huge freezer truck pulled into the driveway. Leslie and her husband got off the truck. Leslie explained her husband owned a small grocery store that had just lost its lease(租约). They had to empty all the freezers before midnight that night. They thought it was a shame to just cast all this good food into garbage cans. So she began to go through her list of contacts, dropping off food to those who might be willing to take it. When Leslie put turkeys in our freezer, she asked, “Is it OK if we just fill this up?” She told me that ours was the last place they planned to stop at and anything left would have to be discarded.
At last, I asked her, “When will you come back for all this?” Leslie just laughed and replied, “We don’t want it back. It is yours. We have been delivering food since 5 pm and have exhausted our list of contacts. That’s the end of it. Thanks for helping out.”
Over the next several months we ate well and shared turkeys with friends, family and neighbors. When the food in our freezer finally ran out in May, we were back on our feet. Our income increased and buying groceries was no longer a problem.
1. How did the author respond to the call from Leslie according to Paragraph2?| A．She felt excited about it. | B．She felt anxious about it. |
| C．She felt indifferent to it. | D．She felt unexpected about it. |
| A．Because they disliked storing much food. |
| B．Because their freezer was out of order. |
| C．Because they lacked money for groceries. |
| D．Because they wanted Leslie to use it. |
| A．Sorted out. | B．Handed out. |
| C．Taken away. | D．Thrown away. |
| A．Patient and cautious. | B．Thoughtful and selfless. |
| C．Honest and humorous. | D．Optimistic and ambitious. |
| A．The author’s family’s finance improved quite a lot. |
| B．The author’s relationship with her husband was better. |
| C．The author’s many friends came to her family’s help. |
| D．The author’s generosity was recognized by Leslie and others. |
7 . As I was walking along a river this evening, I intended to do something nice for a stranger. I started to look around for a
As I tried to walk along, he
Seconds later, just when I felt really
As I rushed away, I was shaken up, but at the same time had feelings of
| A．permit | B．reason | C．chance | D．promise |
| A．approached | B．arrested | C．recognized | D．praised |
| A．so | B．but | C．for | D．or |
| A．proud | B．busy | C．sad | D．calm |
| A．beaches | B．farms | C．benches | D．buses |
| A．suggested | B．minded | C．avoided | D．kept |
| A．idea | B．direction | C．style | D．topic |
| A．do | B．get | C．prove | D．play |
| A．courageous | B．energetic | C．polite | D．strict |
| A．tired | B．useless | C．puzzled | D．helpless |
| A．gave in | B．came along | C．broke out | D．sat down |
| A．practiced | B．hated | C．started | D．admitted |
| A．weeping | B．swearing | C．debating | D．commenting |
| A．comforting | B．ordering | C．begging | D．teasing |
| A．agreed | B．finished | C．left | D．entered |
| A．explaining | B．pointing | C．driving | D．walking |
| A．responsibility | B．appreciation | C．satisfaction | D．sympathy |
| A．purpose | B．effect | C．difficulty | D．power |
| A．Therefore | B．Besides | C．Otherwise | D．Instead |
| A．honesty | B．humour | C．kindness | D．patience |
8 . Professional critics and news consumers alike have long blamed the news media for running sensational (轰动的) content, but is sensationalism in the news media really such a bad thing?
According to NYU professor Mitchell Stephens, sensationalism has been around ever since early humans began telling stories. “I have never found a time when there wasn’t a form for the exchange of news that included sensationalism. This goes back to societies before written language appeared,” he said. In the 19th century, newspaper wars broke out and some businessmen were accused of sensationalizing the news in order to sell more papers. Whatever the time or setting, sensationalism is unavoidable in news.
Sensationalism serves a function by improving the spread of information to less-educated audiences and strengthening the social structure, Stephens said. “While there is plenty of silliness in various tales, they do manage to serve various important social or cultural functions. They help establish or question, for example, norms(规范) and limitations,” Stephens said .
Critics of sensationalism have always complained that when there is a limited amount of space available for news, the important news gets put aside when more sensational content comes along. That argument might be popular when the news universe was limited to newspapers and radio. But it doesn’t really make sense in an age when it’s possible to call up news from every corner of the world, from various newspapers, blogs, and news sites.
There’s another point to be made about sensational news stories: We love them. Sensational stories are the junk food of our news diet, the ice cream that you eagerly want. You know it’s bad for you but it’s delicious, and you can always have a salad tomorrow. It’s the same with news. Despite what high-minded critics might say, there’s nothing wrong with that. Indeed, an interest in the sensational news stories seems to be an all-too-human quality.
1. What do we know about sensational news from Paragraph 2?| A．It has a long history. |
| B．It was first created to make money. |
| C．It was seldom read by ancient people. |
| D．It quickens the development of written language. |
| A．helps broaden people’s imagination | B．brings benefits to social development |
| C．has greatly changed people’s lifestyle | D．leads to the popularity of confusing news |
| A．makes sensational news less attractive |
| B．puts pressure on traditional news media |
| C．causes people to pay less attention to important news |
| D．is unlikely to make sensational news replace important news |
| A．To tell us the characteristics of false news. |
| B．To encourage people to develop a balanced diet. |
| C．To suggest that reading sensational news is normal behavior. |
| D．To show that sensational news can be harmful to mental health. |
| A．How to identify real news? | B．The harm of sensational news. |
| C．The development of the news media. | D．Why is sensational news necessary? |
9 . In the long discussion of water on the Moon, a new study contradicts (与……相矛盾) some recent reports that say the Moon had water at the time of its formation. A group of researchers report in the journal Science that when the Moon was created, some 4. 5 billion years ago, there was not much hydrogen (氢气) on it, and therefore no water.
The researchers surveyed and evaluated this by analyzing chlorine (氯) isotopes found in lunar rock samples from Apollo missions. The range of chlorine isotopes in lunar samples was 25 times that found in samples from Earth.
“If the Moon had significant levels of hydrogen, as Earth did, this range would have been far less,” said Zachary D. Sharp, a scientist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the study’s lead author.
“The chlorine would have stuck together with hydrogen, forming compounds like hydrogen chloride, and escaped from the Moon’s surface,” he said. The abundance of chlorine indicates a lack of hydrogen and water.
“The amount of water on the Moon was too low for life to possibly have existed there,” he said.
Most scientists believe the Moon was formed when a large object struck Earth, breaking off a chunk (a vast piece) that has since orbited Earth.
On Earth, goes one theory, water was released as steam from molten basalts (玄武岩) over time, eventually forming bodies of water.
“An understanding of whether the Moon was dry or wet will help us understand how water appeared on Earth,” Dr. Sharp said.
1. A new study indicates that ______ on the moon.| A．there is plenty of water | B．water is unlikely to exist |
| C．water existed in the past | D．there is a little water now |
| A．why there is no water on the Moon | B．how the Moon was formed |
| C．when the Earth struck the Moon | D．where the Moon orbited |
| A．Neither hydrogen nor water on the Moon. |
| B．Too much chlorine isotopes on the Moon. |
| C．Not being much hydrogen, no water on the Moon. |
| D．More chlorine exists on the Moon than Earth. |
| A．Zachary D. Sharp, a scientist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences was in charge of the new study. |
| B．Chlorine isotopes are 25 times on the Moon larger than on Earth. |
| C．The more abundant chloride, the shorter hydrogen and water. |
| D．The new study is beneficial to understand how water appeared on Earth. |
| A．There is enough water and hydrogen on the Moon. |
| B．Hydrogen chloride easily escaped from the Moon’s surface. |
| C．The Earth had significant levels of hydrogen. |
| D．Water on Earth is directly from molten basalts. |
10 . Do you want to join a club in our school? Here are some clubs that you might be interested in.
Chinese Culture Club
The Chinese Culture Club focuses on exploring Chinese culture. You don’t have to speak the Chinese language; you’re just required to have a true interest in the Chinese way of life. The club regularly explores Chinese culture through traditional Chinese food, movies, and celebrations. Contact Ms Huang if you would like to learn more. Meet every Thursday after lunch in Room 805.
Chess Club
Come out and join the Chess Club! We will meet to explore chess theory and strategy. We will also test our newly-acquired knowledge through competitive games. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced one, players of all levels are welcome! Meet on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm, in Room 701 with Mr Longino.
Science Club
We’ll be doing experiments and prepare ourselves for the annual Science Olympiad. All the students are welcome! Members of Science Club meet on Thursdays from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm in Room 702, with Mr Underriner.
Robotics Club
The club aims at providing the students with an opportunity to design their own robot in order to compete in the NYC FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in the late fall and winter.
Also, if you are a parent willing to help with expertise, feel free to contact Mr. Irimina. Meet on Fridays in Room 103 from 3:00 pm-4:55 pm.
Chorus(合唱队)
The Chorus is an opportunity for students to sharpen their vocal(发声的) skills and overcome stage fright. Students will sing songs, but our focus is Soul, R&B, and rock. All chorus members are expected to participate in the school musicals as well as other shows. Meet after school on Thursdays with Mr. Copeland in Room 602.
1. What is a requirement if you want to join Chinese Culture Club?| A．Being able to speak Chinese. |
| B．Knowing well about Chinese culture. |
| C．Knowing the ways to cook Chinese food. |
| D．Being interested in the Chinese way of life. |
| A．It doesn’t offer students chances to join competitive games. |
| B．It doesn’t accept students without basic knowledge of chess. |
| C．It improves students’ chess theory and ability to play chess. |
| D．It opens to students for two hours a week. |
| A．Robotics Club | B．Science Club |
| C．Chess Club | D．Chinese Culture Club |
| A．To help students design robots for a competition. |
| B．To inspire parents to take part in their children’s activities. |
| C．To organize the FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in NYC. |
| D．To raise money for scientific research done by the schools in NYC. |
| A．has a strong writing ability | B．has special talent for stage design |
| C．wants to master singing skills | D．wants to learn musical instruments |
