1 . A year back I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, joined different clubs, and graduated with honors.

I was so excited to start a new life. I had totally packed two weeks and wanted to go to college at once before it was time to leave.

Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn’t like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep.

I was so homesick (想家) and I didn’t know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a lot of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn’t think how lonely I felt.

Soon after, I began to limit food, and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced that controlling this number was the solution to my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind.

How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight A’s. That’s why I want to share my story—to help other students feel less lonely.

1. How was the author during the two weeks before she left for the college?

A．She was as normal as before.

B．She couldn’t wait to leave for the college.

C．She was afraid to leave her home.

D．She didn’t enjoy her mother’s company.

2. What is the author’s problem at the beginning of studying in the university?

A．Her weight.	B．Her diet.
C．Her homesickness.	D．Her bad study habit.

3. Which can best replace the underlined phrase “distract myself” in paragraph 2?

A．achieve my dream	B．earn money by myself
C．improve my studies	D．take my attention away

4. What is the main purpose of the author in writing the text?

A．To look back at her past middle school life.

B．To help girls to lose weight.

C．To help lonely college students.

D．To increase her own confidence.

2 . The Price of a Dream

I grew up poor. We had little money, but plenty of love and attention. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, they could still afford a dream. My dream was athletics.

By the time I was sixteen, I was good at baseball and football. My high school coach was Ollie Jarvis. He not only believed in me, but taught me the difference between having a dream and showing conviction (信念).

One summer a friend recommended me for a summer job. This meant a chance for money in my pocket — cash for dates with girls, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother.

Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball to handle the work schedule, and that meant I would have to tell Coach Jarvis I wouldn’t be playing. I was afraid of this, but my mother said, “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” 

When I told Coach Jarvis, he was as mad as I expected him to be. “Your playing days are limited. You can’t afford to waste them,” he said.

I stood before him with my head hanging, trying to think of the words that would explain to him why I dream of buying my mom a house.

“How much are you going to make at this job, son?” he demanded.

“Three point twenty-five an hour,” I replied.

“Well,” he asked, “is $3. 25 an hour the price of a dream?”

That question exposed the difference between wanting something right now and having a goal. I devoted myself to sports that summer, and within the year I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play rookie-league ball, and offered a $20, 000 contract. I signed with the Denver Broncos in 1984 for $1.7 million, and bought my mother my dream house.

1. Why was the writer grateful to Coach Jarvis?

A．Because Coach Jarvis made him set a goal.

B．Because Coach Jarvis supplied him with new clothes.

C．Because Coach Jarvis gave him financial support.

D．Because Coach Jarvis helped him show conviction.

2. What did the writer want to do when he was offered a job?

A．Balance summer baseball and the work schedule.

B．Refuse the job offer for summer baseball.

C．Give up summer baseball for the job.

D．Ask his coach Jarvis for advice.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined part “If you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” in paragraph 4?

A．You must eat the bitter fruit of your own making.

B．Believe in yourself, but above all be patient.

C．You must rely on yourself first, then others.

D．A good beginning makes a good ending.

4. What did the writer do at the end of the story?

A．He failed to buy his mother a house.

B．He succeeded as a sportsman.

C．He became a successful businessman.

D．He made some money in the summer job.

3 . The year 2019 began with two pieces of exciting space exploration news. On Jan. 3, China landed a spacecraft, Change-4, on the moons far side—the side we can’t see from Earth—for the first time in human history. And according to a report published on Jan. 9 in Nature, scientists from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) detected repeated radio signals from a galaxy 1.5 billion light years away, possibly sent by intelligent aliens.

However, what’s even more exciting than the news is the fact that whenever speaking of space exploration, we forget our political and cultural differences—the things that so obsess us.

“When you go into space, you become part of this overall collective called ‘Humanity’,” Ken Liu, Chinese American sci-fi writer and translator, told Quartz website. “You’re no longer Chinese, American, Russian... Your culture is left behind. You’re now just Humanity with a capital ‘H’.”

This magic has worked all the way along our journey into space. When US astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) became the first human to set foot on the moon in 1969, for example, he told the world: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Now, with Change-4 touching down on new moon territory, China’s aim is to help scientists from around the world find out more about Earths only satellite. And with the discovery of the CHIME astronauts, we’re one step closer to answering a common question in science: “Are humans alone in the universe?”

It’s true that we are a curious species. But instead of being curious about the “unknown”, perhaps were really more eager to “push further” our own human “boundaries” and “limits”.

1. Which of the following is the discovery of the CHIME scientists?

A．A galaxy with intelligent aliens.

B．Repeated radio signals sent by intelligent aliens.

C．Repeated radio signals from a distant galaxy.

D．Radio signals from a galaxy several years ago.

2. Why does the author quote Ken Lius words?

A．To introduce the famous writer, Ken Liu.

B．To show that in space we are just humanity.

C．To emphasize that culture is not important.

D．To introduce the things that obsess us very much.

3. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 4?

A．Further confirm his opinion.	B．Add some background information.
C．Summarize the previous paragraphs.	D．Introduce a new topic for discussion.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．China takes the lead in space exploration.

B．Humans are not alone in the universe.

C．Space exploration is a common cause of mankind.

D．Humans desire to push the boundaries of scientific limits.

4 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours

San Francisco Winery Tour
Running: February 1st through April 30th

This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)

Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.
Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st

This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.

Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st

Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.

Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd

This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.

Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?

A．San Francisco Winery Tour.	B．Back to the Fifties Tour.
C．Spooky Hallowen Tour.	D．Holiday Lights Tour.

2. What can tourists do on Back to the Fifties Tours?

A．Go to Treasure Island.	B．Enjoy the holiday scenes.
C．Have free ice cream.	D．Visit the Presidio district.

3. What are tourists required to do to go on Holiday Lights Tour?

A．Take some drinks.	B．Set off early in the morning.
C．Wear warm clothes.	D．Make reservations in advance.

5 . When I was in high school, I watched as many of my friends got excited about applying to universities, eagerly waited for the results, and happily shared which four-year university they were going to attend.

I never experienced anything like that, because I was going to a community college, a place I’ve _______ a lot. It’s a place for people who aren’t sure what they want to do or those who were not _______ in high school. I felt some jealousy when my friends went away to universities. In the end, _______, the community college turned out to be a great place for me.

I _______ English as my main subject, and many of my professors were writers who were passionate about what they were doing. My class was _______, with only 16 students, and it allowed me to get close to my professors and get   _______ regularly. Having professors who really knew me brought _______ like being able to edit the magazine, organize poetry readings, and be _______ in writing competitions on campus. Although in the first year I sometimes felt _______ for not having the traditional university experience, I was so glad that I was close to home to have the ________   of my family.

I got all of my units done quickly and was able to graduate a term earlier, which ________ me a large amount of money and time. I’m so ________ that I can get a jump on finishing college, stay close to my family and have ________ relationships with professors. I got a good education and was ________ prepared for my work. There are many ways to finish school, and everyone has to decide what’s the ________ for them.

1.

A．dreamed of

B．heard of

C．stopped by

D．worked out

2.

A．successful

B．responsible

C．confident

D．independent

3.

A．therefore

B．instead

C．however

D．besides

4.

A．assumed

B．studied

C．spoke

D．read

5.

A．well-behaved

B．newly-built

C．highly-developed

D．small-sized

6.

A．jobs

B．approaches

C．advice

D．data

7.

A．opportunities

B．attempts

C．choices

D．services

8.

A．active

B．expert

C．interested

D．weak

9.

A．stressed

B．nervous

C．excited

D．regretful

10.

A．support

B．expectation

C．spirit

D．belief

11.

A．gave

B．saved

C．cost

D．wasted

12.

A．surprised

B．thankful

C．fortunate

D．relaxed

13.

A．formal

B．special

C．poor

D．strong

14.

A．never

B．almost

C．hardly

D．fully

15.

A．toughest

B．happiest

C．best

D．luckiest

6 . There is more of a connection between food and culture than you may think. On an individual level, we grow up eating the food of our culture. It becomes a part of who we are. Many associate food from our childhood with warm feelings and good memories and it ties us to our families, holding a special and personal value for us. Food from our families often becomes the comfort food we seek as adults in times of frustration and stress.

On a large scale, traditional food is an important part of culture. It also operates as an expression of cultural identity. Immigrants bring it wherever they go, and it is a symbol of pride in their culture and means of coping with homesickness.

Many immigrants open their own restaurants and serve traditional dishes. However, the food does not remain exactly the same. Some materials needed to make traditional dishes may not be readily available, so the taste and flavour can be different from what they would prepare in their home countries. Additionally, immigrants do not only sell dishes to people from the same countries as them, but to people from different countries. Therefore, they have to make small changes in the original dishes to cater to a wider range of customers. Those changes can create new flavours that still keep the cultural significance of the dishes.

We should not only embrace our heritage (传统) through our culture’s food, but also become more informed about other cultures by trying their food. It is important to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a window on culture, and it should be treated as such.

1. What’s the function of food mentioned in the text?

A．To help motivate homesickness.

B．To show cultural identity.

C．To reflect a country’s history.

D．To show a community’s superiority.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The specific traditional food.

B．The national culture.

C．A traditional expression of food.

D．The old-fashioned taste.

3. Why do some immigrants have to change the original dishes in their restaurants?

A．To attach cultural importance to their dishes.

B．To announce the beginning of their life on foreign soil.

C．To make the dishes popular among customers.

D．To present their own food culture in a new way.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards different food cultures?

A．Negative.

B．Balanced.

C．Unfair.

D．Unchangeable.

7 . My husband, our children and I have had wonderful camping experiences over the past ten years.

Some of our _______ are funny, especially from the early years when our children were little. Once, we _______ along Chalk Creek. I was _______ that our 15-month-old boy would fall into the creek (小溪). I tied a rope around his waist to keep him near to our spot. That lasted about ten minutes. He was _______, and his crying let the whole campground know it. So _______ tying him up, I just kept a close eye on him. It _______ — he didn’t end up in the creek. My three-year-old, however, did.

Another time, we rented a boat in Vallecito Lake. The sky was clear when we _______, but storms move in fast in the mountains, and this one quickly _______ our peaceful morning trip. The _______ picked up and thunder rolled. My husband stopped fishing to ____________ the motor. Nothing. He tried again. No ____________. We were stuck in the middle of the lake with a dead motor. As we all sat there ____________, a fisherman pulled up, threw us a rope and towed (拖) us back. We were ____________.

Now, every year when my husband pulls our camper out of the garage, we are filled with a sense of ____________, wondering what camping fun and ____________ we will experience next.

1.

A．ideas

B．jokes

C．memories

D．discoveries

2.

A．camped

B．drove

C．walked

D．cycled

3.

A．annoyed

B．surprised

C．disappointed

D．worried

4.

A．unhurt

B．unfortunate

C．uncomfortable

D．unafraid

5.

A．due to

B．instead of

C．apart from

D．as for

6.

A．worked

B．happened

C．mattered

D．changed

7.

A．signed up

B．calmed down

C．checked out

D．headed off

8.

A．arranged

B．interrupted

C．completed

D．recorded

9.

A．wind

B．noise

C．temperature

D．speed

10.

A．find

B．hide

C．start

D．fix

11.

A．luck

B．answer

C．wonder

D．signal

12.

A．patiently

B．tirelessly

C．doubtfully

D．helplessly

13.

A．sorry

B．brave

C．safe

D．right

14.

A．relief

B．duty

C．pride

D．excitement

15.

A．failure

B．adventure

C．performance

D．conflict

8 . Like most of us, I try to be mindful of food that goes to waste. The arugula (芝麻菜)was to make a nice green salad, rounding out a roast chicken dinner. But I ended up working late. Then friends called with a dinner invitation. I stuck the chicken in the freezer. But as days passed, the arugula went bad. Even worse, I had unthinkingly bought way too much; I could have made six salads with what I threw out.

In a world where nearly 800 million people a year go hungry, “food waste goes against the moral grain,” as Elizabeth Royte writes in this month’s cover story. It’s jaw-dropping how much perfectly good food is thrown away — from “ugly” (but quite eatable) vegetables rejected by grocers to large amounts of uneaten dishes thrown into restaurant garbage cans.

Producing food that no one eats wastes the water, fuel, and other resources used to grow it. That makes food waste an environmental problem. In fact, Royte writes, “if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world.”

If that’s hard to understand, let’s keep it as simple as the arugula at the back of my refrigerator. Mike Curtin sees my arugula story all the time — but for him, it's more like 12 bones of donated strawberries nearing their last days. Curtin is CEO of DC Central Kitchen in Washington, D.C., which recovers food and turns it into healthy meals. Last year it recovered more than 807,500 pounds of food by taking donations and collecting blemished (有瑕疵的) produce that otherwise would have rotted in fields. And the strawberries? Volunteers will wash, cut, and freeze or dry them for use in meals down the road.

Such methods seem obvious, yet so often we just don’t think. “Everyone can play a part in reducing waste, whether by not purchasing more food than necessary in your weekly shopping or by asking restaurants to not include the side dish you won’t eat,” Curtin says.

1. What does the author want to show by telling the arugula story?

A．We pay little attention to food waste.	B．We waste food unintentionally at times.
C．We waste more vegetables than meat.	D．We have good reasons for wasting food.

2. What is a consequence of food waste according to the test?

A．Moral decline.	B．Environmental harm.
C．Energy shortage.	D．Worldwide starvation.

3. What does Curtin’s company do?

A．It produces kitchen equipment.	B．It turns rotten arugula into clean fuel.
C．It helps local farmers grow fruits.	D．It makes meals out of unwanted food.

4. What does Curtin suggest people do?

A．Buy only what is needed.	B．Reduce food consumption.
C．Go shopping once a week.	D．Eat in restaurants less often.

9 . Country music is one of the most popular kinds of music in the United States today because it is about simple but strong human feelings and events — love, sadness, good times, and bad times. It tells real-life, stories and sounds the way people really talk. As life becomes more complicated (复杂), it is good to hear music about ordinary people.

Country music, sometimes called country-western, comes from two kinds of music. One is the traditional music of the people in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern Unite States. The other is traditional cowboy music from the west. The singers usually play guitars, and in the 1920s they started using electric guitars. At first city people said country music was low class. It was popular mostly in the South.     

But during World War II, thousands of Southerners went to the Northeast and Midwest to work in the factories. They took their music with them. Soldiers from the rest of the country went to army camps (军营) in the South. They learned country music. Slowly it became popular all over the country.

Today country music is also popular everywhere in the United States and Canada — in small towns and in New York City, among black and white, and among educated and uneducated people. About 1, 200 radio stations broadcast country music twenty-four hours a day. English stars sing it in British English, and people in other countries sing it in their own languages. The music that started with cowboys and poor southerners is now popular all over the world.

1. It can be learned from the passage that country music comes from ____.

A．the Northeast and Midwest	B．real-life stories in small towns
C．factories and army camps in the South	D．the Appalachian Mountains and the West

2. Before World War II country music was popular mainly in _____.

A．the Northeast

B．the north

C．the Midwest

D．the south

3. During World War II many Southerners went to the Northeast and the Mid-west because ___.

A．they wanted to take music with them	B．they wanted to work in the factories there
C．they wanted to make country music popular	D．they wanted to make other people like country music

4. Country music is one of the most popular kinds of music in the world today because ______.

A．city people said it was low class	B．it started with cowboys and poor Southerners
C．people could sing it in many different languages	D．it is loved by different kinds of people in the world

5. Which of the following is wrong according to the passage?

A．City people didn’t like country music at first.

B．Country music is sung by stars all in English.

C．Country music is about human feelings and events.

D．Country music is popular among city people today.

10 . Empathy (同理心) is one of those strange qualities — something almost everyone wants, but few know how to truly give or receive it. In a world where self-satisfaction is emphasized, it is in short supply but high demand. This is all the more reason to teach the next generation what it means to have empathy for those around them.

What Is Empathy? — Many people confuse sympathy and empathy, but they are two distinct values. Empathy is not just the ability to understand someone's feelings; criminals often take advantage of people by appearing to understand their feelings and subsequently gaining their trust. Empathy is more than that. Not only is it the ability to recognize how someone feels, but it also values and respects the feelings of another person. It means treating others with kindness, dignity, and understanding.

Kids Need To See Adults Show Empathy — While some children are gifted with naturally kind hearts, in most cases kids need to see empathy modeled by the adults around them. It begins with the way parents relate to their children. Parents who show an interest in the things that matter to their kids and respond to emotions in a positive and caring way are teaching the skill of empathy.

Meet Emotional Needs — When children have their emotional needs met, two things happen. They learn how to meet the emotional needs of others and they are anchored in what they are receiving, meaning that they are secure enough to give to others when the need arises but first they need to receive. An empty jug cannot fill a cup.

It's a good idea to talk to kids about emotions and how other people experience them. Give their emotions names (for example, jealousy, anger, and love) and teach them that these are normal. Talk to them about how to handle emotions in a positive way and point out situations where other people are experiencing emotions. Teach them about respecting the emotions of others and show them how to act in a situation where a response is required.

1. Why is it that the next generation are taught to have empathy?

A．Because people tend to center themselves.	B．Because everyone lacks empathy.
C．Because empathy is a strange quality.	D．Because it's better to give than to receive.

2. Which situation can empathy be used in?

A．When a mathematician is calculating the area of a farmland.

B．When a teacher is comforting a student about his failure in exams.

C．When a criminal is cheating a victim.

D．When a dancer is dancing to music.

3. What does the underlined sentence "An empty jug cannot fill a cup" mean?

A．An empty jug is too small to hold a cup.

B．It's a must to talk to kids about emotions.

C．Adults should set an example to kids.

D．Kids give empathy with their emotional needs met first.

4. What is the main topic of the passage?

A．How to train kids to have empathy.

B．How to distinguish sympathy and empathy.

C．How to help kids finish empathy-related tasks.

D．Whether kids can be trained to be more empathetic.