1 . Several years ago my wife and I found ourselves struggling financially. What I _______ by teaching at a college wasn’t enough. Therefore, I started seeing “_______” in one of the college _______ on Friday afternoon. Most animals I saw belonged to students so I only _______enough money to cover my overhead (日常开销).

It was so _______   that my wife decided to take our children to her mother’s house for a few days to try to decompress (放松)，_______ me with the house. Thursday night I _______ my wife and she told me we needed $311 to pay our bills. Putting down her phone, I _______ I would see enough animals on the following afternoon to get that money.

_______ I had forgotten about my prayer the next morning. As usual, I went to school, taught my classes, and went to the lab in the afternoon ________ any patient might come. It was an unusually ________ day; I didn’t finish up until five. I kept the money I made that day in my shirt pocket. ________ on caring for the animals, not money, I ________ forgot to count it at the end of the day.

Back home, I was extremely ________ and soon fell asleep on sofa. The phone ________me. It was my wife asking if I had made any ________ that afternoon. I pulled the bills out of my shirt pocket. I ________ $310. My wife was shocked and reminded me that was only one dollar ________. I looked down and saw a dollar bill on the ground beside the ________. When I pulled the money out, I guessed a dollar had fallen onto the floor.

That day marked a big turnaround in our lives. We have never been in that difficult ________ again. Now you see, a miracle can always happen.

1.

A．rewarded

B．earned

C．benefited

D．suffered

2.

A．students

B．teachers

C．kids

D．patients

3.

A．libraries

B．labs

C．studios

D．garages

4.

A．charged

B．paid

C．afforded

D．accepted

5.

A．stressful

B．painful

C．unbelievable

D．delighted

6.

A．helping

B．leaving

C．providing

D．supplying

7.

A．visited

B．comforted

C．called

D．forgave

8.

A．promised

B．announced

C．predicted

D．prayed

9.

A．Actually

B．Immediately

C．Sadly

D．Finally

10.

A．as long as

B．in case

C．even if

D．so that

11.

A．terrible

B．hot

C．long

D．busy

12.

A．Focusing

B．Insisting

C．Agreeing

D．Deciding

13.

A．always

B．almost

C．never

D．even

14.

A．happy

B．bored

C．tired

D．disappointed

15.

A．puzzled

B．woke

C．reminded

D．frightened

16.

A．money

B．mistake

C．progress

D．effort

17.

A．took out

B．picked out

C．counted out

D．found out

18.

A．more

B．left

C．lost

D．short

19.

A．bed

B．sofa

C．table

D．door

20.

A．situation

B．moment

C．task

D．pressure

2 . People are so busy these days that they hardly have time for small household matters like cleaning the house and windows, gardening, and looking after their babies or old ones. It is really difficult for them to manage between their households and professional life. They wish they could have an Angel who could help them out. Do such Angels really exist? Of course, yes! You just need to find them!

Angels don’t need to have wings and a halo (光环). They can be anyone who is ready to help you in need. And in this fast-paced world when everyone is so busy, such people who help you are really no less than angels. Your life would be definitely wonderful if you could find an angel doing cleaning for you. There are definitely various service providers who can easily provide you with such angels. Won’t you just take it if you can get all these services from one single provider?

Task Angels is one of such service providers that provide you with helpful angels who offer services that will not disappoint you at all. Established with the purpose of helping people, this has been playing an important role in domestic cleaning and other services. You may join the team as well if you want to help the people in need and are good at cleaning, gardening, babysitting or even event planning. Task Angels definitely waits for you.

Everyone needs love and care, the more the love and care you share, the more they grow in your family. This is what Task Angels believes. It will help you in the area to make your life easier. Wouldn’t you like to try its service once and encourage it for its good work?

1. Examples in Paragraph 1 are taken to ________.

A．put forward the topic

B．tell readers to stop them

C．give details for better understanding

D．introduce the difficulty people face

2. We learn from Paragraph 2 that angels need ________.

A．to have wings

B．to have a halo

C．to walk fast

D．to be ready to help

3. What can Task Angels do?

A．It can handle professional affairs.

B．It can settle domestic disagreement.

C．It can offer opportunities to share kindness.

D．It can provide services to angels.

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To introduce helpful angels.

B．To advertise Task Angels.

C．To prove that angels exist.

D．To look for customers.

5. The author’s attitude towards Task Angels probably is ________.

A．annoyed

B．worried

C．confident

D．approving

3 . I am afraid of heights but two summers ago I climbed to a high place. Most of our high school had come along on a day trip to a beautiful beach village in Peru. After eating our lunches, many of us wanted to make the climb to an area around the village.

Do I turn back? “Yes!” Will I regret it later? I really want to get to the top, but … At last, I decided at least to have a try.

My friend Tom was in front of me. Then, suddenly, he slipped (滑倒) and was about 10 feet back! My heart was beating faster until he stopped himself. Knowing that my friend Seth would be right behind me, I began the climb. I was soon past the first challenge safely, but not feeling much better about the rest of the climb. Looking down, I saw rocks everywhere. My breathing sped up, and my heart beat even faster, growing loud in my ears.

My friends kept climbing. But they did not forget me. Someone was always behind me to help hold my feet when necessary, and someone else was always in front to offer a hand up. With friends helping me by words and actions, I slowly gained ground.

Then we came to the worst part. The climb looked very close to vertical (垂直的). To me, the wise choice was to go back down. Melody encouraged me to go on and she made it safely first. I stopped, unsure of my footing. “You can do it, Jean! I’m right here,” Melody called. She waited patiently, not asking me to hurry. I took a few deep breaths and kept climbing.

With no more mistakes, we came to the top finally. I was dirty and tired. But it didn’t matter. I was at the top! I had never felt so alive.

1. According to the passage, the climb ________.

A．was done by all of the high school students

B．happened on a morning two summers ago

C．was near a beautiful beach village

D．lasted for about two days

2. When her friends decided to go climbing, Jean ________.

A．felt excited about it

B．turned back to the village

C．regretted going out with them

D．wasn’t sure whether to join them

3. After passing the first challenge, Jean ________.

A．felt more confident about the climb

B．didn’t feel any better about the climb

C．chose to go back down

D．couldn’t breathe easily

4. The underlined part “gained ground” in paragraph 4 probably means ________.

A．lost heart	B．moved forward
C．climbed to the top	D．accepted the friends

5. What do we know about the worst part of the climb?

A．Melody gave Jean words of encouragement.

B．Jean waited patiently for Seth to catch up.

C．It was dirty and dangerous.

D．Jean had the first try.

4 . Biking is an amazing family activity, but finding a route that can accommodate a wide-range of ages can be a challenge.

Lee McNeil and his family are crazy about biking. They have seven children, from 4 to 24 years old. When looking for a route, they look for enough protection from traffic, good surface condition, easy access and interesting views.

With that in mind, here are some great routes for biking with your whole family, as are suggested by McNeil.

Iron Horse Trail

This is the McNeil family’s favourite ride. The route is 26 miles and goes through the 2.1mile Snoqualmie Tunnel.

“Beautiful views, the thrill the tunnel, and places to stop and watch the rock climbers make it special,” McNeil said. “All our kids have taken their turn at braving the black tunnel bravely for the first time, which we celebrate it at the end of the ride.”

How to get there: If you prefer, check http://bit.ly/Mlt9y4 for more information.

Centennial Trail

The Centennial Trail runs for 23 miles from Snohomish to Bryant. The trail is wide and smooth, and is safe for kids as it is off the roads. A nice stop is Lake Cassidy east of Marysville. A dock on the lake is fun to explore. It also has picnic tables and washrooms for a convenient lunch time stop.

How to get there: The trail can be accessed from a number of trailheads. For a map, go to http://bit.ly/L5qCeY.

Cascade Trail

The Cascade Trail follows an abandoned Burlington Northern railroad grade for 23 miles between Sedro-Woolley and Concrete. Because it’s on a railroad grade, the slope is gentle and it makes for an easy family ride.

McNeil said it is a “beautiful ride up the Skagit Valley, with lots of places to watch wildlife along the river.”

How to get there: Go to http://bit.ly/PR4wOW to see a map showing the trail, parking areas and bus stops .

Other good choices

Snoqualmie Valley Trail: http://l.usa.gov/nWGWO

Guemes Island: http://bit.ly/LJ3RxL

Burke-Gilman Trail: http://l.usa.gov/s33li

1. We can learn from the passage that Lee McNeil ________.

A．has a large family

B．often travels with his family

C．teaches his children how to bike

D．spends lots of money on bike rides

2. Which of the following route do McNeil’s family like best?

A．Cascade Trail	B．Iron Horse Trail
C．Centennial Trail	D．Burke-Gilman Trail

3. If you choose the Centennial Trail, you can ________.

A．see a small valley	B．go through a tunnel
C．have a picnic for lunch	D．watch the rock climbers

4. People who want to get more information about the Cascade Trail can visit ________.

A．http://bit.ly/Mlt9y4	B．http://bit.ly/LJ3RxL
C．http://bit.ly/L5qCeY	D．http://bit.ly/PR4wOW

5. The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A．ask people to learn from Lee McNeil

B．tell people how to make a family ride

C．introduce some routes for family rides

D．encourage more people to ride bikes

5 . When you travel, it’s inevitable (不可避免的) that things will go wrong. It doesn’t matter how _________ you are for the trip—accidents happen on the road, at hotels or _________ in the middle of the ocean. Often, it’s what happens next that _________ the most. No matter what happens, it can be a _________ turn in the journey or a bad thing.

During a recent long international trip, my youngest daughter’s airsickness struck again. We were _________ our choices after landing in San Francisco for an overnight layover (中途停留).

When we stood in the middle of the terminal (航站楼), not only _________ how to get to our hotel, but also discussing whether or not we should just turn around and go home, a pilot _________ us.

He quietly asked me if my 4-year-old was the passenger who had gotten _________ on the flight. I nodded, half afraid someone was going to tell us we now weren’t _________ to fly with her.

Instead, he __________ down to her level, opened up his bag and took out a pair of wings. While the captain was ________ her the wings, he kindly asked my young daughter how she was feeling. Like most young kids, sometimes she’s ________ about talking to strangers, but not this time. They __________ for 60 seconds, but in those 60 seconds, she went from feeling bad and __________ to walk around the airport to jogging to the airport hotel with a smile on her face.

As the captain walked away, she __________ and said, “He cared about me.” My daughter is still young, but she is old enough to feel __________ when a pilot wants to check in on her. In that moment, the pilot was exactly the right one to make her feel better about flying. He __________ our day by taking two minutes out of his.

It’s often the __________ stories that make the headlines, but small, heart-warming moments are still happening all around us. I’m __________ to all in the travel industry—and beyond—that take those few minutes to make a world of ________.

1.

A．lucky

B．old

C．energetic

D．prepared

2.

A．also

B．even

C．yet

D．still

3.

A．includes

B．values

C．matters

D．offers

4.

A．wrong

B．timely

C．sudden

D．quick

5.

A．doubting

B．making

C．quitting

D．changing

6.

A．pointing out

B．learning about

C．figuring out

D．quarrelling about

7.

A．approached

B．examined

C．appreciated

D．discovered

8.

A．hungry

B．thirsty

C．sick

D．lost

9.

A．led

B．allowed

C．advised

D．expected

10.

A．bent

B．looked

C．broke

D．fell

11.

A．taking

B．handing

C．opening

D．flying

12.

A．concerned

B．confused

C．shy

D．curious

13.

A．fighted

B．hesitated

C．waited

D．chatted

14.

A．refusing

B．deciding

C．hoping

D．pretending

15.

A．cried

B．smiled

C．nodded

D．froze

16.

A．awkward

B．funny

C．upset

D．special

17.

A．ruined

B．saved

C．displayed

D．affected

18.

A．love

B．news

C．horror

D．comedy

19.

A．attracted

B．grateful

C．opposed

D．mean

20.

A．misfortune

B．mess

C．wonder

D．difference

6 . Priscilla Ouchida’s “energy efficient” house turned out to be a horrible dream. When she and her engineer husband married a few years ago, they built a $100,000 three-bedroom home in California. Tightly sealed to prevent air leaks, the house was equipped with small double-paned windows and several other energy-saving features. Problems began as soon as the couple moved in, however. Priscilla’s eyes burned. Her throat was constantly dry. She suffered from headaches and could hardly sleep. It was as though she had suddenly developed a strange illness.

Experts finally traced the cause of her illness. The level of formaldehyde gas in her kitchen was twice the maximum allowed by federal standards for chemical workers. The source of the gas? Her new kitchen cabinets and wall-to-wall carpeting.

The Ouchidas are victims of indoor air pollution, which is not given sufficient attention partly because of the nation’s drive to save energy. The problem itself isn’t new. “The indoor environment was dirty long before energy conservation came along,” says Moschandreas, a pollution scientist at Geomet Technologies in Maryland. “Energy conservation has tended to accentuate the situation in some cases.”

The problem appears to be more troublesome in newly constructed homes rather than old ones. Back in the days when energy was cheap, home builders didn’t worry much about unsealed cracks. Because of such leaks, the air in an average home was replaced by fresh outdoor air about once an hour. As a result, the pollutants generated in most households seldom built up to dangerous levels.

1. It can be learned from the passage that the Ouchidas’ house ________.

A．is well worth the money spent on its construction

B．is almost faultless from the point of energy conservation

C．failed to meet energy conservation standards

D．was designed and constructed in a scientific way

2. What made the Ouchidas’ new house a horrible dream?

A．Poor quality of the air inside.	B．Poor quality of the construction.
C．Gas leakage in the kitchen.	D．The newly painted walls.

3. The word “accentuate” (Para. 3) most probably means “________”.

A．relieve

B．accelerate

C．worsen

D．improve

4. Why were cracks in old houses not a big concern?

A．Because indoor cleanliness was not emphasized.

B．Because energy used to be inexpensive.

C．Because environmental protection was given top priority.

D．Because they were technically unavoidable.

5. This passage is most probably taken from an article entitled ________.

A．Energy Conservation	B．House Building Crisis
C．Air Pollution Indoors	D．Traps in Building Construction

7 . Fast walkers may live longer than dawdlers (缓慢的人)— regardless of their weight, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Leicester University analyzed data on 474, 919 people with an average age of 52 in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2016. They found women who walked briskly had a life expectancy of 86.7 to 87.8 years old, and men who kept up the pace had a life expectancy of 85.2 to 86.8. Slow walkers hadn’t much encouraging prospects (前景): women had a life expectancy of 72.4, and men of 64.8 years old, if they were more leisurely in their movements. According to the paper, published last week, that ratio held true even if the fast walkers were severely overweight. It does not necessarily mean fast walkers will live longer. Experts say it suggests walking speed could be a simple way for doctors to judge their patients’ general health alongside other tests.

It is hardly the first study holding up walking speed as a powerful evidence that appears to improve and determine our health.

In 2011, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study by Stephanie Studenski, who found the same: walking speed was a reliable predictor of life expectancy.

In 2013, US researchers found walking pace was linked to lower heart disease risk and longer life expectancy. In 2018, a study from the University of Sydney found picking up your walking pace to even an “average speed” could cut your risk of premature death by a fifth.

And Tom Yates, the physical activity professor at Leicester who's behind the latest study, has been publishing findings on this connection for years.

In 2017, he analyzed the same UK Biobank data and found walking speed appeared to affect the risk of dying from heart disease — concluding that the slowest walkers were twice as likely to suffer a heart-related death compared to quick walkers.

1. What does the underlined word “briskly” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Casually.

B．Quickly.

C．Actively.

D．Energetically.

2. What does the paper published last week show?

A．Most fast walkers are overweight.

B．Fast walkers have a simple way of living.

C．Walking speed can help doctors know about their patients’ general health.

D．Doctors will surely have better ways to cure their patients of their illness.

3. What did US researchers find?

A．Walking slowly is bad for people's health.

B．Walking speed can predict a person’s life expectancy.

C．People won't die early by increasing their walking pace.

D．Lower heart disease risk is determined partly by walking pace.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Fast Walkers May Have a Long Life Expectancy

B．Life Expectancy Is Determined by Exercise

C．Researchers Try to Improve Life Expectancy

D．The Public Doubt Researches on Walking Speed

8 . A group of professional people asked a group of 4-to-8 year-olds this question. “What does love mean?” The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what they think:

“When my grandmother got arthritis (关节炎), she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails (脚趾甲) anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis. That's love.”   Rebecca－age 8   

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

“Love is when my mummy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip (一小口) before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.” Noelle – age 7

“My mummy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare－age 6

“Love is when Mummy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is more handsome than David Beckham.” Chris – age 7

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap (膝上), and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

1. The children’s answers are mainly based on ________.

A．their own stories

B．their family stories

C．how they viewed people around them

D．what happened around them

2. How many children’s answers describe a happy marriage?

A．Three.

B．Four.

C．Five.

D．Six.

3. Six-year-old Clare feels ________.

A．her father’s love for her.	B．her grandparents’ love for her
C．her friends’ love for her	D．her mother’s love for her

4. According to Leo Buscaglia, the four-year-old boy ________.

A．cheered his neighbour up in a unique way

B．gave love a special definition

C．comforted his neighbour in the most caring way

D．had a good understanding of his neighbour’s sadness

5. What is the purpose of writing the text?

A．To report a survey.	B．To explain the meaning of love.
C．To report a contest.	D．To show children’s loveliness.

9 . With the coming of online book buying, many have predicted that the book-stores will disappear eventually. To the book lovers, nothing beats walking through a bookshop, looking at all the covers, picking up large heavy books and turning them over. The smell of ink on paper, and conversations with strangers about authors are amazing for them. And we’re grateful that there’re beautiful bookstores still out there.

El Ateneo Grand Splendid

Designed for the music director Max Glucksmann, this building was opened as a show-stopping theater called Teatro Gran Splendid in Buenos Aires in 1919. After nearly a century of hosting tango (探戈舞) masters, the great space was rented by a firm, Grupo Ilhsa, in 2000. The former theater now serves as the group’s flagship bookstore; more than 1 million people visit it annually.

The Book Barge

The Book Barge is a 60-foot canal boat bookshop. Inspired by the Slow Food movement, Henshaw says, “We hope to promote a less hurried and busy lifestyle filled with leisure and pleasure here, through cups of tea, conversations, culture and of course, an extremely good Book Barge purchase.”

La Caverne aux Livres

At La Caverne aux Livres in north of Paris, an old postal train station and several mail-sorting train cars have become home to a ranging collection of used books for sale. Visitors often spend hours looking through the broad selection there, surrounded by an atmosphere of old letters and dreams of faraway places.

Selexyz Dominicanen

For those who regard bookstores with great respect, welcome to Swlexyz Dominicanen: a 13^th-century Dominican church in Maastricht, Holland. Later, the big space of the church was used to store bicycles. Several years ago, the church was changed to a bookstore. This glorious (哥特式的) building was redecorated by a design firm; the result is nothing short of a miracle.

1. What do the book lovers care about most according to Paragraph 1?

A．Finding the latest books online.

B．Reading the newly published books.

C．Communicating with different readers.

D．Getting certain experiences in bookstores.

2. What’s the Book Barge aimed at?

A．Reminding people of an enjoyable life.

B．Teaching people local culture.

C．Providing relaxation for people.

D．Offering pleasant entertainments.

3. What do El Ateneo Grand Splendid and Selexyz Dominicanen have in common?

A．They both have a long history.	B．They were both used as theaters.
C．They both lie in Holland.	D．They both have a gothic style.

4. Where will people go if they’re interested in collecting old books?

A．El Ateneo Grand Splendid.	B．The Book Barge.
C．La Caverne aux Livres.	D．Selexyz Dominicanen.

5. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To encourage people to read.

B．To introduce four bookstores.

C．To appeal to people to buy books in these bookstores.

D．To call on readers to pick the most outstanding bookstores.

10 . Fanning is a musician and hotel owner born in Ireland, and now he lives deep in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. “The Irish have a song and play music nearly every day.” Said Fanning. “Every weekend, my family will play music in the house.” Like Fanning, many people in the area continue the traditions from their family’s immigrant history, including a kind of music called old-time.

Old-time music comes from the Appalachian Mountains, a system of mountains along the eastern part of the United States. In the 18^th century, many Europeans from Ireland, Scotland, and Germany arrived in the area to begin new lives. Reflecting the cultures that settled there, the roots of old-time music are in the traditional music of these European countries. Although the US became their home, these Appalachian communities continued the European music and dance traditions they loved. Over time, the music mixed with that of African slaves and became what is now called old-time music.

The earliest purpose of the music was for dancing. Life in the mountains was hard work. Music and dancing provided the Appalachians with a much needed break from the labor of the day. And it brought people of different generations together. In small Appalachian towns in the past, there was always a musician in the neighborhood. Young people would study the art under him or her.

Old-time music is learned by ear. It’s a much more arduous kind of music than other music. There’re no written notes, so people have to learn it all by ear and try to reproduce the sound. Therefore, it needs more time and effort to master it. Old-time musicians might not read music, but they can easily put a song together.

Old-time songs mainly describe what happened in the past. Some called “spiritual” are based in the the Christain religion. Others are American civil war songs. And, many are about the life and land that surround the songwriter. But some of the earliest songs go back to the music’s European roots.

These days, oid-time music is not often heard over the radio. But it still lives on strongly in the communities where it came from.

1. What can we learn from Fanning’s words?

A．Music is a part of his daily life.

B．their music is popular in America.

C．Music reminds them of their history.

D．Music unites people of different races.

2. What is old-time music made up of?

A．American music and European music.

B．Ancient European and Indian music.

C．European music and African music.

D．Music created in the 18th century.

3. What was the original function of old-time music?

A．Killing free time and educating the young.

B．Entertaining people and linking generations.

C．Encouraging hard work and recording history.

D．Building healthy lifestyles and uniting nations.

4. What does the underlined word “arduous” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Traditional.

B．Difficult.

C．Popular.

D．Varied.

5. What is old-time music mainly about?

A．Natural beauty.	B．Love stories.
C．People’s wishes.	D．The history.