1 . Did you know that the color of uniforms can influence the performance of an athlete? It may sound strange, but a study suggests this might be true.

Two British scientists studied the results of four sports in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where the athletes had been given either a red or a blue uniform. They discovered that when there was a big difference in the score, color had no influence on the result. But if it was a close match, the athlete in a red uniform was more likely to win. Then they looked at the uniforms of the soccer teams at the Euro 2004 tournament. Again, teams wearing red won more games.

The two scientists got their idea from earlier studies of wild animals. It had been discovered that when a male show red on its body, it sends a signal of its power and strength. For example, in many kinds of monkey, the more the male shows off its red scars, the more females it can attract.

Based on this fact, the British scientists thought that the idea might work for humans, too. According to them, when an athlete sees a competitor in a red uniform, he gets a feeling that his competitor could be stronger than him. And that kind of feeling may have a bad influence on the player’s performance in the actual game.

Although the idea is Interesting, most people don’t accept that color signals in the animals world can really be useful to humans in sports. They think that it is unreasonable to develop an idea based on such a small number of examples. Much more research has to be done to prove the influence of uniform colors on the performance of athletes.

1. What did the scientists find out about the 2004 Athens Olympic Games?

A．Athletes played equally well in four sports.

B．Game results had a big influence on the athletes.

C．Athletes dressed in red scored more in a close match.

D．There was a big difference in red and blue team’s scores.

2. What may the red scars of a male animal suggest?

A．It is quite strong.	B．It is a failure.
C．It has power over other males.	D．It has attracted a lot of females.

3. The underlined part “that kind of feeling” in the text refers to a feeling of ________.

A．weakness

B．pride

C．danger

D．shame

4. What is most people’s opinion to the scientists’ idea?

A．Interested.

B．Satisfied.

C．Doubtful.

D．Thankful.

2 . A teenager needs to have a sense of independence in their life to feel secure (安全的). To some teenagers independence means a lot to them, and I think that some parents don’t allow their teenagers enough independence.

Independence has something to do with freedom. Some kids are not allowed to go anywhere alone, and the only thing their schedule includes is going to school, coming home, going to sleep, and repeating the process the next day. Parents tend to be afraid that their kids can get hurt if they go outside into the world. But if parents control their kids too much, they may never learn to live on their own. The best way for a teenager to learn lesson is through experience. I think it is beneficial for teenagers to have freedom.

Teenagers’ lack of freedom can also stop them from having good friendship at school. Some might say this is a good thing, because it helps them focus more on their school work. I argue that this can only discourage them not to do their school work. Some parents do not allow their children to be around their friends outside the school, thinking that this will get them into trouble. But I don’t think so. Instead, isn’t this a good reason for parents to get their children a cellphone? Cellphones allow teenagers to stay in touch with their parents, and communicate with friends.

Privacy is another issue between parents and their teenagers. Teenagers tend to enjoy relaxation by themselves in their own room. This also gives them a sense of independence. It often annoys teenagers when their parents enter their room when they are not home. I know that my mom always goes in my room when I’m not home, and this has brought me to the point where I have asked many times to get a lock on my door.

1. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．It benefits teenagers to have freedom.	B．Some parents allow their kids no freedom.
C．Kids know how to live independently.	D．Kids have a dull routine every day

2. In the opinion of the author, ________ .

A．it is unnecessary for a kid to have a cellphone

B．kids should focus on the school work

C．parents should make it easy for kids to communicate with their friends

D．good friendships between kids harm their school work

3. How do teenagers usually feel when their parents enter their rooms in their absence?

A．Angry

B．Lucky

C．Disappointed

D．Calm

4. The author hopes to have her door locked in order to________.

A．keep her father from reading her dairy	B．stop thieves from going in
C．protect herself from any harm	D．prevent her mother entering her room

3 . Two weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl named Sunshine Oelfke emptied out her piggy bank (存钱罐) onto the living room floor and immediately started counting. Her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke, thought she was playing as she carefully lined up the coins, but then she saw the girl put the coins into a plastic bag and place it in her backpack.

“What are you doing with that money?” Jackie asked her granddaughter.

“I’m taking it to school,” Sunshine replied. “I’m going to take it for milk money. My friend Layla doesn’t get milk— her mom doesn’t have milk money and I do.”

Jackie’s heart melted at Sunshine’s words. Choked with strong feelings, Jackie held her sweet granddaughter tightly in her arms.

Last week, Jackie and Sunshine met with her teacher, Rita Hausher, and handed her the $30 the kindergartner had saved. There are 20 kids in Sunshine’s class and about half don’t get milk. It costs $ 0.45 a carton (纸盒). The total adds up to about $180 a month for every child in the class to have milk every day.

After dropping Sunshine off at school, Jackie posted a tearful video on Facebook to explain her granddaughter’s plan. To her surprise, many people offered to donate toward the cause. Within a week, Jackie raised more than $1,000. Now every student in Sunshine’s class can get free milk for the rest of the year.

Jackie said Sunshine doesn’t see her kind act as a big deal. She was just trying to look out for her friends. “She doesn’t understand the effect she’s brought about,” Jackie said. “But now she knows she can do whatever she puts her mind to.”

1. Why did Sunshine empty her piggy bank?

A．She hoped to show off her savings in class.	B．She needed to train her counting skills.
C．She wanted to play with the coins.	D．She intended to pay for her friend’s milk.

2. How did Jackie feel upon hearing Sunshine’s words?

A．Relieved.

B．Touched.

C．Curious.

D．Proud.

3. In Jackie’s eyes, what did Sunshine learn from the experience?

A．Two heads are better than one.	B．A friend in need is a friend indeed.
C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.	D．There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

4. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Small Coins, Big Changes.	B．Jackie’s Piggy Bank.
C．Piggy Bank and Carton Milk.	D．A Moved Grandmother.

4 . There is nothing more important than the safety of our children. Did you know that unintentional injury(意外伤害) is the main cause of death in children under 14 years old and with a third of them happening in the home? One of the top reasons a child under the age of three will visit an emergency room is because of household injuries and sadly, 70% of children who die from unintentional injuries are under the age of four. Every room in the home will have its own set of child safety problems. Two of the main danger zones are the kitchen and the bathroom.

Before I became a young mother, I crawled(爬) around the house on my hands and knees to see things from a child’s perspective(视角). You would be amazed at what you can discover by doing something so simple. We didn’t have toilet covers. A child is top heavy because their heads are bigger than their bodies and can easily fall into the toilet.

You might be surprised with the number of children falling out of windows every year, especially during the summer months. Something as simple as a child leaning against a window screen can result in a serious injury. The best way to prevent this type of injury is by setting up a child safety window guard.

As parents, we do the best we can by providing as much protection as possible to make sure of the safety of children. And as there are so many products(产品) out there to help us do this, there is nothing like good old-fashioned supervision(监护). So, use common sense and products that help to keep your child safe, and you will have provided a safe environment for your children.

1. What’s the main reason for death in children under 14 according to Paragraph 1?

A．Age problems.	B．No sense of safety.
C．Danger areas.	D．Unexpected injuries.

2. Why did the writer crawl around the house on hands and knees?

A．To cover the toilet slowly.

B．To protect her child carefully.

C．To look for something interesting.

D．To discover danger from a child’s point.

3. What should we do to protect children from falling out of windows?

A．Keep away from a window.	B．Place a safety window guard.
C．Move away the window screen.	D．Lean(倚) against the window firmly.

4. What’s the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Tips on keeping children safe.	B．Products for children.
C．Growth speed of children.	D．Ways to look after children.

5 . When you set a foot outside of your door to drop trash, go to a social event or go for a walk, thoughts like “I hope I don’t see anyone I know” or “please don’t talk to me” may run through your mind. I’ve also said such things to myself. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is to talk with someone, especially someone new.

Why do we go out of our ways to avoid people? Do we think meeting new people is a waste of time? Or are we just lazy, thinking that meeting someone new really is a trouble?

Communication is the key to life. We have been told that many times. Take the past generations, like our parents, for example. They seem to take full advantage of that whole “communication” idea because they grew up talking face to face while Generation-Y grew up staring at screens. We spend hours of our days sitting on Facebook. We send messages to our friends and think about all of the things we want to say to certain people that we don’t have the courage to do in reality.

Nowadays, we are so caught up in our little circle of friends—our comfort zone. We love it that they laugh at our jokes, understand our feelings and can read our minds. Most importantly, they know when we want to be alone. They just get us.

Holding a conversation with someone new means agreeing with things that you don’t really believe and being someone you think they want you to be—it is, as I said before, a trouble. It takes up so much energy, and at some point or another, it is too tiring.

But meeting new people is important. Life is too short, so meet all the people you can meet, make the effort to go out and laugh. Remember, every “hello” leads to a smile—and a smile is worth a lot.

1. What do we learn about the author?

A．He likes to meet someone new.	B．He feels stressed out lately.
C．He’s active in attending social events.	D．He used to be afraid of talking to others.

2. What’s the problem of Generation-Y in the author’s eyes?

A．They rely on the Internet to socialize.	B．They are less confident in themselves.
C．They have difficulty in communicating.	D．They are unwilling to make new friends.

3. Why do many young people avoid meeting new people?

A．They think it troublesome.	B．They are busy with their study.
C．They fear to disappoint their friends.	D．They want to do meaningful work.

4. Why does the author write the text?

A．To stress the importance of friends.

B．To give tips on how to meet new people.

C．To encourage people to meet new people.

D．To display the disadvantages of Generation-Y.

6 . By now, most people know they should be eating more vegetables. But are there ways to get more from the vegetables you already eat? A research shows that when it comes to vegetables, it’s not only how much we eat, but also how we prepare them, that decides the vitamins and other nutrients that enter our body.

Many studies show that people who eat lots of vegetables have less heart disease, and eye problems and even cancer. But raw vegetables are not always best. The researchers found that 198 Germans who eat raw food were short of lycopene, the matter found in tomatoes and other red vegetables. “There is an idea that raw foods are always going to be better,” says Steven K. Clinton, a professor at Ohi o State University. “For fruits and vegetables, sometimes a little bit of cooking can be helpful.”

A number of factors decide how the vegetables do good to people’s health before they reach the table, including where and how they were grown and stored before being bought. No single cooking way is best. Some nutrients are easily lost in cooking if they are cooked in different ways.

Vitamins C and B are often lost. In January, another report said that boiling was better for carrots than frying or serving them raw. Frying was the worst way to cook.

What cooked with the vegetables can also be important? When the vegetables were cooked with fat, the diners can get more nutrients. Fat can also make the taste of vegetables better, meaning that people will eat more of them. Putting on some other things that make it taste better—a little salt—can make the food taste better.

1. The writer mainly wants to tell us that ________.

A．people should eat more vegetables

B．the way people eat vegetables is important

C．eating vegetables is good for us

D．how much vegetables one should eat

2. The people who eat the raw vegetables for a long time will ________.

A．have the eyes problems	B．have heart disease
C．be in need of lycopene	D．hate eating tomatoes

3. The following decide how the vegetables do good to people EXCEPT ________.

A．the place where the vegetables are grown

B．the way how the vegetables are stored

C．the way how the vegetables are prepared

D．the price at which the vegetable are sold

4. From the last paragraph, we can know ________.

A．It’s better to cook vegetables with fat

B．the more fat in the cooking, the fewer vegetables people will eat

C．It’s better to cook the vegetables without salt

D．the fat will increase the nutrition of the vegetables

7 . When people make travel decisions regarding destinations, recreation usually sits at the top of the most considered factors. But in recent years, with a rising awareness of health, travelers are beginning to upgrade their expectations. We have selected several places around China that have a perfect combination of recreation and health, in case that is what you have in mind for your next holiday.

Beijing Olympic Park

Located at the north end of the Beijing central axis line, Beijing Olympic Park witnessed the glory of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Apart from visiting the renowned Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, you can try some leisure and sports activities.

Wanlong Ski Resort, North China’s Hebei Province

Wanlong Ski Resort in Shijiazhuang City is nicknamed “heaven for ski lovers”. The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held here, which will boost ski development and tourism activities in Hebei Province. If you happen to be a skiing fan, try the professional trails here!

Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, East China’s Shandong Province

The Olympic sailing center has become a new landmark in Qingdao, a coastal city in East China’s Shandong Province. It was a host venue of the sailing games for the 29th Olympics in 2008 and the 13th Paralymic Games. You could visit the match venue and enjoy a cruise around Qingdao.

Shapotou, Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Shapotou scenic zone in Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is a transition zone between grassland and deserts. Apart from its unique natural landscape, Shapotou offers a sports program like sand skiing and rafting across the Yellow River.

Wulong Karst Region in Chongqing

Wulong is about 130 kilometers from downtown Chongqing. The 2, 900-square-kilometer district boasts karsts, caves, forests, springs and primitive wilderness. UNESCO named Wulong’s karsts as a World Natural Heritage in 2007. Sports options here include mountain climbing and hiking.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A．The popular destinations to go for a holiday.

B．The explanation for the emergence of sports tourism.

C．Introducing the features of some sports traveling destinations.

D．Recommending some places with sports features to go for a holiday.

2. If you want to experience the beautiful scenery and sand skiing, you can go to　　　.

A．Shapotou	B．Wanlong Ski Resort
C．Wulong Karst Region	D．Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center

3. What’s the unique feature of Wulong Karst Region in Chongqing?

A．It has grassland and deserts.

B．Tourists can enjoy sports activities there.

C．It was named as a World Natural Heritage.

D．People can do rafting in Wulong Karst Region.

8 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.

The package consisted of a long, narrow box ____ wrapped in brown paper. ____ the box, Oscar saw an umbrella inside—a very old one with a beautifully carved wooden handle. ____ he had not seen it in more than 20 years, he recognised it immediately.

Oscar was 16 when he first saw the____ umbrella. He had gone to a concert with his grandparents. As they were leaving, he noticed an umbrella on an empty seat. Impressed by its beauty, Oscar felt a strong desire to find its ____.

Oscar ____ the manager to look in the record of advance ticket sales. Just as he thought, a name matched the seat ____ Oscar had found the umbrella. The name was Mrs. Katie O’Brien.

Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O’Brien’s house on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I ____ you?” she asked.

“I’d like to return it if it’s yours,” Oscar said, ____ the umbrella as if presenting a gift that had long been wished for.

“Why, yes! It’s mine,” replied Mrs. O’Brien with a ____ smile and shining eyes. “It was given to me by my father years ago. Thank you so much for returning it. May I offer you a reward for your ____?”

“No, ma’am,” he said. “My grandmother says that a good deed is its own reward.”

“Well, that’s ____ what my father used to say. What is your name, young man?”

Years later Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O’Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how ____ it was. Why had it arrived here today?

As if ____, a note fell from the paper. It read: Mrs. O’Brien wanted you to accept this umbrella as a present for a kind, ____ gesture long ago.

1.

A．strictly

B．carefully

C．roughly

D．casually

2.

A．Opening

B．Seizing

C．Observing

D．Searching

3.

A．After

B．When

C．Since

D．Although

4.

A．average

B．unusual

C．plain

D．typical

5.

A．designer

B．seller

C．user

D．owner

6.

A．convinced

B．forced

C．encouraged

D．advised

7.

A．until

B．before

C．which

D．where

8.

A．invite

B．help

C．bother

D．know

9.

A．putting up

B．turning out

C．picking up

D．holding out

10.

A．wide

B．confident

C．proud

D．shy

11.

A．patience

B．kindness

C．courage

D．determination

12.

A．obviously

B．naturally

C．exactly

D．probably

13.

A．old

B．rare

C．precious

D．nice

14.

A．in contrast

B．in return

C．in exchange

D．in answer

15.

A．attractive

B．significant

C．unselfish

D．sympathetic

9 . Discover Nature Schools Programs

Becoming Bears(Kindergarten－2 grade)

By becoming baby bears, children learn from their “parent” to survive the seasons. Kids will find safety in the spring and learn kinds of food bears eat during the summer, and then create a cave for winter hibernation(冬眠)．After learning the skills needed to survive, students will go out of the cave as an independent black bear able to care for themselves.(1.5－2 hours)

Whose Clues?(3－5 grade)

Kids will discover how plants and animals use their special structures to survive. Through outdoor study of plants and animals, kids will recognize their special structures and learn how they enable species to eat, avoid their enemies and survive. Using what they have learned, kids will choose one species and tell how they survive in their living places.(3－4 hours)

Winged Wonders(3－5 grade)

Birds add color and sound to our world and play an important ecological role. Students will learn the basics of birds, understand the role birds play in food chains and go bird­watching using field guides and telescopes. Students will do hands­on activities. Students will use tools to build bird feeders, allowing them to attract birds at home.(3－4 hours)

Exploring Your Watershed(6－8 grade)

We all depend on clean water. Examining how our actions shape the waterways around us. Go on a hike to see first­hand some of the challenging water quality problems in a city. Students will test the water quality to determine the health of an ecosystem.

·Each program is taught for a class with at least 10 students.

·All programs include plenty of time outdoors. So please prepare proper clothing, sunscreen and insect killers for children.

·To take part in a program, please email dcprogramsmdc.mo.gov.

1. What can kids do at Becoming Bears?

A．Watch bears' performances.	B．Take care of bears.
C．Learn how to survive a bear attack.	D．Pretend to be baby bears to learn about bears.

2. Which one will kids who are interested in plants choose?

A．Whose Clues?	B．Exploring Your Watershed
C．Becoming Bears	D．Winged Wonders

3. What do all the four programs have in common according to the passage?

A．have the same teaching hours	B．have outdoor activities
C．are offered during summer holidays	D．are designed for primary school students

10 .    

Cheating can happen in a lot of different ways.When people cheat,it’s not fair to other people，like the kids who studied for the test or who the true winners of a game were.

Many people like the action of cheating.In their opinion,it makes difficult things seem easy,like getting all the right answers on the test.But it doesn't solve the problem of not knowing the material and it won't help on the next test—unless the person cheats again.

Some people lose respect for cheaters and think less of them.The cheaters themselves may feel bad because they know they shouldn't get that good grade.And,if they get caught cheating,they will be in trouble at school，and maybe at home,too.

Some kids cheat because they're busy or lazy and they want to get good grades without spending the time studying.Other kids might feel like they can’t pass the test without cheating.Even when there seems to be a “good reason” for cheating,cheating isn’t a good idea.

If you were sick or upset about something the night before the day and couldn’t study,it would be better to talk with the teacher about this.And if you don’t have enough time to study for a test because of swim practice,you need to talk with your parents about how to balance swimming and school.A kid who thinks cheating is the only way to pass a test needs to talk with the teacher and his or her parents so they can find some solutions together.Talking about these problems and working them out will feel better than cheating.

1. What does the author think when kids cheat in class?

A．It is unfair to other people.

B．It does harm to their health.

C．Teachers should punish them.

D．Teachers shouldn't stop them at once.

2. Why do many people like to cheat?

A．Because they think the material in the test is very difficult.

B．Because they want to do better than the others.

C．Because cheating can make hard things seem very easy.

D．Because they have little time to study their lessons.

3. What does the fourth paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Some kids can’t pass the test without cheating.

B．Why kids cheat in the test.

C．Cheating isn’t a good idea.

D．Some kids don't spend the time studying.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Cheaters are often thought highly of.

B．People show no respect for those who cheat.

C．Parents whose kids cheat are often in trouble.

D．Kids cheat in the test because of swim practice.