1 . I have a special place in my heart for libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader, sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties, I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.

My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old .It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.

As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source(来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library, where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.

I always read ,using different voices ,as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it !It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books .

Now, I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on form generation to generation.

As a novelist, I’ve found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can’t afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven(避风港) for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries, in their own way, help fight book piracy(盗版行为) and 1 think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.

1. Which word best describes the author’s relationship with books as a child?

A．Cooperative.

B．Uneasy.

C．Inseparable.

D．Casual.

2. What does the underlined phrase “an added meaning” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Pleasure from working in the library.

B．Joy of reading passed on in the family.

C．Wonderment from acting out the stories.

D．A closer bond developed with the readers.

3. What does the author call on other writers to do?

A．Sponsor book fairs.	B．Write for social media.
C．Support libraries.	D．Purchase her novels.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Reading: A Source of Knowledge

B．My Idea about writing

C．Library: A Haven for the Young

D．My Love of the Library

2 . Some parents will buy any high-tech toy if they think it will help their child, but researchers said puzzles help children with math-related skills.

Psychologist Susan Levine, an expert on mathematics development in young children at the University of Chicago, found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills. Puzzle play was found to be a significant predictor of cognition(认知) after controlling for differences in parents’ income, education and the amount of parent talk, Levine said.

The researchers analyzed video recordings of 53 child-parent pairs during everyday activities at home and found children who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age have better spatial skills when assessed at 54 months of age.

“The children who played with puzzles performed better than those who did not, on tasks that assessed their ability to rotate(旋转)and translate shapes,” Levine said in a statement.

The parents were asked to interact with their children as they normally would, and about half of children in the study played with puzzles at one time. Higher-income parents tended to have children play with puzzles more frequently, and both boys and girls who played with puzzles had better spatial skills. However, boys tended to play with more complex puzzles than girls, and the parents of boys provided more spatial language and were more active during puzzle play than parents of girls.

The findings were published in the journal Developmental Science.

1. In which aspect do children benefit from puzzle play?

A．Building confidence.	B．Developing spatial skills.
C．Learning self-control.	D．Gaining high-tech knowledge.

2. What did Levine take into consideration when designing her experiment？

A．Parents’ age.	B．Children’s imagination.
C．Parents’ education.	D．Child-parent relationship.

3. How do boy differ from girls in puzzle play?

A．They play with puzzles more often.

B．They tend to talk less during the game.

C．They prefer to use more spatial language.

D．They are likely to play with tougher puzzles.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．A mathematical method.	B．A scientific study.
C．A woman psychologist	D．A teaching program.

3 . For Canaan Elementary’s second grade in Patchogue, N.Y., today is speech day, and right now it’s Chris Palaez’s turn. The 8-year-old is the joker of the class. With shining dark eyes, he seems like the kind of kid who would enjoy public speaking.

But he’s nervous. “I’m here to tell you today why you should … should…” Chris trips on the “-ld,” a pronunciation difficulty for many non-native English speakers. His teacher, Thomas Whaley, is next to him, whispering support. “…Vote for …me …” Except for some stumbles, Chris is doing amazingly well. When he brings his speech to a nice conclusion, Whaley invites the rest of the class to praise him.

A son of immigrants, Chris stared learning English a little over three years ago. Whaley recalls (回想起) how at the beginning of the year, when called upon to read, Chris would excuse himself to go to the bathroom.

Learning English as a second language can be a painful experience. What you need is a great teacher who lets you make mistakes. “It takes a lot for any student,” Whaley explains, “especially for a student who is learning English as their new language, to feel confident enough to say, ‘I don’t know, but I want to know.’”

Whaley got the idea of this second-grade presidential campaign project when he asked the children one day to raise their hands if they thought they could never be a president. The answer broke his heart. Whaley says the project is about more than just learning to read and speak in public. He wants these kids to learn to boast (夸耀) about themselves.

“Boasting about yourself, and your best qualities,” Whaley says, “is very difficult for a child who came into the classroom not feeling confident.”

1. What made Chris nervous?

A．Telling a story.	B．Making a speech.
C．Taking a test.	D．Answering a question.

2. What does the underlined word “stumbles” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Improper pauses.

B．Bad manners.

C．Spelling mistakes.

D．Silly jokes.

3. We can infer that the purpose of Whaley’s project is to _________.

A．help students see their own strengths

B．assess students’ public speaking skills

C．prepare students for their future jobs

D．inspire students’ love for politics

4. Which of the following best describes Whaley as a teacher?

A．Humorous.

B．Ambitious.

C．Caring.

D．Demanding.

4 . During my second year at the city college，I was told that the education department was offering a "free"course, called Thinking Chess, for three credits. I _________the idea of taking the class because, after all, who doesn't want to _________ a few dollars? More than that, I'd always wanted to learn chess. And, even if I weren’t _________enough about free credits, news about our _________was appealing enough to me. He was an international grandmaster, which _________ I would be learning from one of the game's _________. I could hardly wait to _________him.

Maurice Ashley was kind and smart, a former graduate returning to teach, and this _________was no game for him: he meant business. In his introduction, he made it _________that our credits would be hard-earned. In order to __________the class, among other criteria, we had to write a paper on how we plan to __________what we would learn in class to our future professions and, __________, to our lives. I managed to get an A in that __________and learned life lessons that have served me well beyond the __________.

Ten years after my chess class with Ashley, I'm still putting to use what he __________me: “The absolute most important __________that you learn when you play chess is how to make good __________. On every single move you have to __________a situation, process what your opponent(对手）is doing and __________the best move from among all your options.”These words still ring true today in my __________as a journalist.

1.

A．put forward

B．jumped at

C．tried out

D．turned down

2.

A．waste

B．earn

C．save

D．pay

3.

A．excited

B．worried

C．moved

D．tired

4.

A．title

B．competitor

C．textbook

D．instructor

5.

A．urged

B．demanded

C．held

D．meant

6.

A．fastest

B．easiest

C．best

D．rarest

7.

A．interview

B．meet

C．challenge

D．beat

8.

A．chance

B．qualification

C．honor

D．job

9.

A．real

B．perfect

C．clear

D．possible

10.

A．attend

B．pass

C．skip

D．observe

11.

A．add

B．expose

C．apply

D．compare

12.

A．eventually

B．naturally

C．directly

D．normally

13.

A．game

B．presentation

C．course

D．experiment

14.

A．criterion

B．classroom

C．department

D．situation

15.

A．taught

B．wrote

C．questioned

D．promised

16.

A．fact

B．step

C．manner

D．skill

17.

A．grades

B．decisions

C．impressions

D．comments

18.

A．analyze

B．describe

C．rebuild

D．control

19.

A．announce

B．signal

C．block

D．evaluate

20.

A．role

B．desire

C．concern

D．behavior

5 . Teens and younger children are reading a lot less for fun, according to a Common Sense Media report published Monday.

While the decline over the past decade is steep for teen readers, some data in the report shows that reading remains a big part of many children’s lives, and indicates how parents might help encourage more reading.

According to the report’s key findings, “the proportion (比例) who say they ‘hardly ever’ read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds in 1984 to 22 percent and 27 percent respectively today.”

The report data shows that pleasure reading levels for younger children, ages 2—8, remain largely the same. But the amount of time spent in reading each session has declined, from closer to an hour or more to closer to a half hour per session.

When it comes to technology and reading, the report does little to counsel(建议) parents looking for data about the effect of e-readers and tablets on reading. It does point out that many parents still limit electronic reading, mainly due to concerns about increased screen time.

The most hopeful data shared in the report shows clear evidence of parents serving as examples and important guides for their kids when it comes to reading. Data shows that kids and teens who do read frequently, compared to infrequent readers, have more books in the home, more books purchased for them, parents who read more often, and parents who set aside time for them to read.

As the end of school approaches, and school vacation reading lists loom(逼近) ahead, parents might take this chance to step in and make their own summer reading list and plan a family trip to the library or bookstore.

1. What is the Common Sense Media report probably about?

A．Children’s reading habits.

B．Quality of children’s books.

C．Children’s after-class activities.

D．Parent-child relationships.

2. Where can you find the data that best supports “children are reading a lot less for fun”?

A．In paragraph 2.	B．In paragraph 3.
C．In paragraph 4.	D．In paragraph 5.

3. Why do many parents limit electronic reading?

A．E-books are of poor quality.

B．It could be a waste of time.

C．It may harm children’s health.

D．E-readers are expensive.

4. How should parents encourage their children to read more?

A．Act as role models for them.

B．Ask them to write book reports.

C．Set up reading groups for them.

D．Talk with their reading class teachers.

6 . If anyone had told me three years ago that I would be spending most of my weekends camping, I would have laughed heartily. Campers, in my eyes, were people who enjoyed insect bites, ill-cooked meals, and uncomfortable sleeping bags. They had nothing in common with me.     1    

The friends who introduced me to camping thought that it meant to be a pioneer.     2     We slept in a tent, cooked over an open fire, and walked a long distance to take the shower and use the bathroom. This brief visit with Mother Nature cost me two days off from work, recovering from a bad case of sunburn and the doctor’s bill for my son’s food poisoning.

I was, nevertheless, talked into going on another fun-filled holiday in the wilderness.     3     Instead, we had a pop-up camper with comfortable beds and an air conditioner. My nature-loving friends had remembered to bring all the necessities of life.

    4     We have done a lot of it since. Recently, we bought a twenty-eight-foot travel trailer complete with a bathroom and a built-in TV set. There is a separate bedroom, a modern kitchen with a refrigerator. The trailer even has matching carpet and curtains.

    5     It must be true that sooner or later, everyone finds his or her way back to nature. I recommend that you find your way in style.

A．This time there was no tent.

B．Things are going to be improved.

C．The trip they took me on was a rough one.

D．I was to learn a lot about camping since then, however.

E．I must say that I have certainly come to enjoy camping.

F．After the trip, my family became quite interested in camping.

G．There was no shade as the trees were no more than 3 feet tall.

7 . Hundreds of people have formed impressions of you through that little device (装置) on your desk. And they’ve never actually ____ you. Everything they know about you ____ through this device, sometimes from hundreds of miles away. ____ they feel they can know you ____ from the sound of your voice. That’s how powerful the ____ is.

Powerful, yes, but not always ____. For years I dealt with my travel agent only by phone. Rani, my faceless agent whom I’d never met ____, got me rock-bottom prices on airfares, cars, and hotels. But her cold voice really ____ me. I sometimes wished to ____ another agent.

One morning, I had to ____ an immediate flight home for a family emergency. I ran into Rani’s office ____. The woman sitting at the desk, ____ my madness, sympathetically jumped up. She gave me a ____ smile, nodded while listening patiently, and then printed out the ____ immediately. ＂What a wonderful lady! ＂ I thought.

Rushing out ____ I called out over my shoulder, ＂By the way, what’s your name?＂ ＂I’m Rani,＂ she said.   I turned around and saw a ____ woman with a big smile on her face waving to wish me a safe trip. I was ____! Why had I thought she was cold? Rani was, well, so ____.

Sitting back in the car on the way to the airport, I figured it all out. Rani’s ____ — her warm smile, her nods, her ‘I’m here for you’ ____ — were all silent signals that didn’t travel through wires.

1.

A．accepted

B．noticed

C．heard

D．met

2.

A．came

B．moved

C．ran

D．developed

3.

A．Thus

B．Yet

C．Then

D．Indeed

4.

A．rather

B．also

C．just

D．already

5.

A．telephone

B．voice

C．connection

D．impression

6.

A．direct

B．useful

C．easy

D．accurate

7.

A．in person

B．by myself

C．in public

D．on purpose

8.

A．annoyed

B．interested

C．discouraged

D．confused

9.

A．promote

B．train

C．find

D．know

10.

A．arrange

B．postpone

C．confirm

D．book

11.

A．for the first time

B．at any time

C．from time to time

D．in good time

12.

A．expecting

B．seeing

C．testing

D．avoiding

13.

A．shy

B．comforting

C．familiar

D．forced

14.

A．bill

B．form

C．ticket

D．list

15.

A．hopefully

B．disappointedly

C．gratefully

D．regretfully

16.

A．careful

B．serious

C．nervous

D．pleasant

17.

A．amused

B．worried

C．helpless

D．speechless

18.

A．calm

B．nice

C．proud

D．clever

19.

A．forgiveness

B．eagerness

C．friendliness

D．skillfulness

20.

A．explanation

B．attitude

C．concept

D．behavior

8 . A new collection of photos brings an unsuccessful   Antarctic voyage back to life.

Frank Hurley's   pictures would   be outstanding—undoubtedly first­rate photo­journalism—if they had been made last week.In fact，they were shot from 1914 through 1916, most of them after a disastrous shipwreck(海难), by a cameraman who had no reasonable expectation of survival.Many of the images were stored in an ice chest, under freezing water, in the damaged wooden ship.

The ship was the Endurance, a small, tight, Norwegian­built three­master that was intended to take Sir Ernest Shackleton and a small crew of seamen and scientists, 27 men in all，to the southernmost shore of Antarctica's Weddell Sea.From that point Shackleton wanted to force a passage by dog sled (雪橇) across the continent.The journey was intended to achieve more than what Captain Robert Falcon Scott had done.Captain Scott had reached the South Pole early in 1912 but had died with his four companions on the march back.

As writer Caroline Alexander makes clear in her forceful and well­researched story The Endurance, adventuring was even then a thoroughly commercial effort.Scott's last journey，completed as he lay in a tent dying of cold and hunger, caught the world's imagination, and a film made in his honor drew crowds.Shackleton, a onetime British merchant­navy officer who had got to within 100 miles of the South Pole in 1908, started a business before his 1914 voyage to make money from movie and still photography.Frank Hurley, a confident and gifted Australian photographer who knew the Antarctic，was hired to make the images, most of which have never before been published.

1. What do we know about the photos taken by Hurley?

A．They were made last week.

B．They showed undersea sceneries.

C．They were found by a cameraman.

D．They recorded a disastrous adventure.

2. Who reached the South Pole first according to the text?

A．Frank Hurley.

B．Ernest Shackleton.

C．Robert Falcon Scott.

D．Caroline Alexander.

3. What does Alexander think was the purpose of the 1914 voyage?

A．Artistic creation.	B．Scientific research.
C．Money making.	D．Treasure hunting.

9 . Grandparents Answer a Call

As a third－generation native of Brownsville, Texas, Mildred Garza never planned to move away.Even when her daughter and son asked her to move to San Antonio to help with their children, she politely refused.Only after a year of friendly discussion did Ms.Garza finally say yes.That was four years ago.Today all three generations regard the move as a success, giving them a closer relationship than they would have had in separate cities.

No statistics show the number of grandparents like Garza who are moving closer to adult children and grandchildren. Yet there is evidence suggesting that the trend is growing.Even President Obama’s mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, has agreed to leave Chicago and move into the White House to help care for her granddaughters. According to a study by grandparents.com, 83 percent of the people said Mrs.Robinson's decision will influence grandparents in the American family.Two－thirds believe more families will follow the example of Obama’s family.

“In the 1960s we were all a little wild and couldn't get away from home far enough or fast enough to prove we could do it on our own,”says Christine Crosby, publisher of Grand, a magazine for grandparents. “We now realize how important family is and how important it is to be near them, especially when you’re raising children.”

Moving is not for everyone. Almost every grandparent wants to be with his or her grandchildren and is willing to make sacrifices, but sometimes it is wiser to say no and visit frequently instead.Having your grandchildren far away is hard, especially knowing your adult child is struggling, but giving up the life you know may be harder.

1. Why was Garza’s move a success?

A．It strengthened her family ties.

B．It improved her living conditions.

C．It enabled her to make more friends.

D．It helped her know more new places.

2. What was the reaction of the public to Mrs.Robinson’s decision?

A．17% expressed their support for it.

B．Few people responded sympathetically.

C．83% believed it had a bad influence.

D．The majority thought it was a trend.

3. What did Crosby say about people in the 1960s?

A．They were unsure of themselves.

B．They were eager to raise more children.

C．They wanted to live away from their parents.

D．They had little respect for their grandparents.

4. What does the author suggest the grandparents do in the last paragraph?

A．Make decisions in the best interests of their own.

B．Ask their children to pay more visits to them.

C．Sacrifice for their struggling children.

D．Get to know themselves better.