1 . The winter break is just about to end. Soon we will be back at school. It’s with both happiness and sadness. I look very much forward to seeing my friends and starting practice again, but it also means I’m officially(正式地) half way through the exchange year. With school starting there are new things to try out and experience. For example? I’m starting a new sport, Track. It’s similar to Cross Country, which I did from August till November.
Being here for half a year now? I can easily tell the differences between my two schools. The hardest or most different part for me was to have the same schedule every day here. Honestly, I prefer to have different classes every day, as I did in my home country. However, I have fallen in love with the Friday football games. Football is one of my favorite sports now. Before I came, I knew nothing about it. Now I love it, especially to watch it with my host parents. I have also been so lucky to go to two college football games.
Before I left school in December, I had a couple of tests called Mid-term Test. They all went pretty smooth, mostly because I didn’t have too many hard classes. My favorite class was English, and also my hardest. Personally I really liked English, where I could write essays(文章), challenge writing skills and improve English talking.
Only four days of winter break is left. A part of me wants to be on a break forever, and the other part expects to get started again, start a new sport and see my friends and classmates.
1. Why does the author feel sad before school starts again?| A．Her homework is not finished. | B．The exchange year will end soon. |
| C．Her school life will get harder. | D．The new sport no longer attracts her. |
| A．The courses are richer. | B．The teachers are kinder. |
| C．The meals are healthier. | D．The holidays are longer. |
| A．Having a talk in English. | B．Playing video games. |
| C．Watching football matches. | D．Visiting her relatives. |
| A．Classes. | B．Tests. | C．Games. | D．Students. |
2 . The Best Four Soccer Clubs in Toronto
Toronto is home to a number of soccer clubs. If you are interested in soccer, let’s take a look at four best soccer clubs in Toronto.
Cherry Beach Soccer Club
Cherry Beach Soccer Club, which first opened its door in 2009, now has 56 house leagues, 10 competitive teams and six adult teams. They provide 30,000 children and young people in the downtown area with high-quality and low-cost soccer lessons. It offers a recreational house league, development, and competitive soccer for those aged five to thirty.
Phone: (416)367-4359
North Soccer Club
North Soccer Club, which was established in 1980, is a welcoming environment for everyone who enjoys soccer or wants to try something new. You don’t need to be concerned about your qualifications or experience. However, to take part in practice, you must first complete a health check. It offers a Special Olympics program for players with intellectual disabilities. The fee range is from $230 to $270.
Phone:(416)924-9911
Power Soccer Club
Power Soccer Club, founded in 1996 by a former Galway United player, has grown up to be one of Canada’s most famous soccer schools. You will for sure progress in your skill development with a active and engaging training sessions. The fee can range from $210 to $315.
North York Hearts Soccer Club
North York Hearts Soccer Club was founded in 1990. This club exposes everyone who loves sports to the history of soccer with the help of a group of skilled sports coaches and professors. The fee range is from $210 to $320.
Phone: (416)650-5743
1. Which club was founded in the 21st century?| A．North Soccer Club. | B．Cherry Beach Soccer Club. |
| C．Power Soccer Club. | D．North York Hearts Soccer Club. |
| A．Rich experience. | B．A wise mind. |
| C．A health check. | D．A curious heart. |
| A．(416)367-4359 | B．(416)650-5743 |
| C．(416)425-6062 | D．(416)924-9911 |
3 . As is customary in many cultures around the world, when a Japanese couple
Naruo Ono, the owner of a rice shop,
One day, someone saw Naruo’s rice baby in the window of his shop and
| A．approves | B．welcomes | C．convinces | D．chooses |
| A．celebrate | B．communicate | C．compete | D．inquire |
| A．necessary | B．important | C．difficult | D．possible |
| A．known | B．taught | C．done | D．kept |
| A．spread | B．delayed | C．grown | D．decreased |
| A．connect | B．visit | C．cooperate | D．follow |
| A．comparing | B．providing | C．sharing | D．learning |
| A．loved | B．mature | C．legal | D．suitable |
| A．obviously | B．surely | C．barely | D．exactly |
| A．babies | B．family | C．parents | D．rice |
| A．sold | B．sent | C．exposed | D．lent |
| A．depended on | B．laughed at | C．got away from | D．came up with |
| A．stood | B．shopped | C．lived | D．moved |
| A．different | B．same | C．original | D．common |
| A．printed | B．measured | C．handled | D．built |
| A．agreed | B．called | C．commented | D．discussed |
| A．admired | B．heard | C．admitted | D．realized |
| A．change | B．trick | C．market | D．comfort |
| A．relatives | B．customers | C．himself | D．children |
| A．criticized | B．judged | C．remembered | D．copied |
4 . When I was about 12, I had an “enemy”, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings (缺点). Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn’t a good student; I talked too much; I was too proud, and so on. At last, I couldn’t stand it. I cried and ran to my father. He listened to me quietly. Then he asked, “Sweetie, are the things she says true or not? Didn’t you ever wonder what you are really like? Well, you now have that girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and find out the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”
I did as he told. To my surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I got a fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Dad. He refused to take it. “It’s just the case for you,” he said, “you know better than anyone the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of great help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears, listen to them all, but hear the truth only and do what you know is right to do.”
Daddy’s advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.
1. What did the father do when he heard the writer’s statements?| A．He told her not to stand what the “enemy” said. |
| B．He let her get on well with her “enemy”. |
| C．He told her to make a list of all her “enemy” had said about her. |
| D．He agreed with her “enemy”. |
| A．angry | B．surprised | C．disappointed | D．sad |
| A．The writer and her “enemy” became best friends at last. |
| B．The “enemy” thought the writer studied hard. |
| C．The father thought the writer was pretty good. |
| D．The writer is thankful to her father. |
| A．We should get along well with our friends. |
| B．What people say about you is always right. |
| C．It would be helpful to learn how to take the advice. |
| D．Friendship will be based on trust |
5 . Beavers (海狸) and their dams can positively impact essentially any environment they’re placed in, even the extreme heat of the Moab Desert in Utah. And that is what a university researcher has founded. Looking for solutions to drought and wildfires, a Utah State University student Emma Doden began relocating (搬迁) beavers caught in other parts of the state into small, struggling waterways around the Price and San Rafael rivers.
Studies have shown that beaver dams can vastly improve the quality of wetlands and streams leading to better animal life and improved river health. It was for this service that the “ecosystem engineer” was targeted by Doden as a potential rescuer, even if the idea relocating beavers to the desert caused a few raised eyebrows. “We believed the system could support a lot more beavers”, Doden said, “and we wanted to supplement it with beavers.”
“Beaver dams are gaining popularity as a low-tech, low-cost strategy to build climate resiliency (还原能力) at the landscape scale,” says one study. “They slow and store water that can be accessed by plants during dry periods, effectively protecting riverside ecosystems from droughts.” Another study found that the ponds which are created on the dammed side of the beaver homes can store huge amounts of sediment (沉淀物) then distribute it more safely around the river ecosystem.
This is the case, the study found, both in entirely wild areas with no human activities and those near to intense agricultural regions, meaning that no matter the conditions of sedimentation, beaver dams can help keep waterways clearer. Doden’s university has a program for catching beavers and relocating them to the desert, where they will build dams to provide these benefits. “The eventual goal is to get them to build dams,” she said. “The dams are what are going to increase habitat complexity and restore water.”
1. Why did Emma Doden begin relocating beavers into other places?| A．Because beavers can positively impact the environment there. |
| B．Because the number of beavers has increased sharply. |
| C．Because beavers have the ability to survive in extreme conditions. |
| D．Because beavers are doing harm to the environment in original places. |
| A．It surprised some people. | B．It could cause damage to the desert. |
| C．It would pose a threat to the lives of beavers. | D．It was resisted by many researchers. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Profitable. | C．Eco-friendly. | D．Technology-demanding. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Health. | C．Education. | D．Science. |
6 . The Australian Koala Foundation says Australia has lost about 30 percent of its koalas over the past three years. The non—profit group says drought, wildfires and development projects played a part in the drop in the koala population. They are asking the government to do more to protect the creature’s environment.
The group said the koala population has dropped to less than 58,000 this year from more than 80,000 in 2018. The biggest decrease(减少) was in the state of New South Wales, where the numbers have dropped by 41 percent. Deborah Tabart leads the Australian Koala Foundation. She called the drop quite huge. Only one area in the study was estimated(预估) to have more than 5,000 koalas. Some areas were estimated to have as few as five or ten.
Tabart said, “What we’re concerned about are places like western New South Wales where the drought over the last ten years has just had this cumulative(积累) effect, river systems completely dry for years, and red gum plants, which are the lifeblood of koalas, are dead.” The loss in New South Wales likely sped up after large forest areas were destroyed by wildfires in late 2019 and early 2020. But some of those areas already had no koalas.
Tabart said the country needs a koala protection law. Land clearing by property developers and road builders has also destroyed the koala’s environment. “I think everyone gets it that we’ve got to change. But it bulldozers (推土机) keep working, then I really fear for the koalas,” Tabart said.
1. How did the author develop the second paragraph?| A．By giving numbers. | B．By telling stories. |
| C．By following the time order. | D．By comparing opinions. |
| A．The harm to koalas from wildfires. |
| B．The bad effect of development. |
| C．The death of various trees. |
| D．Some causes of the decrease in koalas. |
| A．Fighting against climate change. |
| B．Making a special law. |
| C．Stopping housing building. |
| D．Keeping wildfires from spreading. |
| A．Australia’s Wild Animals Are Facing Big Danger |
| B．Effects of Australia’s Wildfires Are Beginning to Show Up |
| C．Australia Lost One-Third of Its Koalas in Last Three Years |
| D．Koalas in Australia Could Disappear from the Earth in the Future |
7 . Here are a few interesting facts about Teachers’ Day around the world.
China celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 10. The tradition began in the 1980s to improve teachers lives and status and encourage everyone to respect teachers.
In India, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5, in honor of Dr. Radhakrishnan. He was India’s second president and a person who believed in good education. Traditionally on this day, the teaching is done by the senior students while the teachers get a much-deserved break from their work.
The United Nations has made October 5 World Teachers’ Day. This special day was started to let the world see what teachers have done and listen to the teachers’ worries and the things they want to change.
In the United States, National Teachers’ Day is always on the Tuesday of the first week of May, so the actual date is different every year. The history of celebrating this day goes back to 1944.
In Germany, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on June 12 every year. People will express their respect to teachers with many activities. Teachers always receive prizes, presents, beautiful cards and other things.
Teachers’ Day is celebrated in Brunei(文莱) on September 23.
January 15 is Teachers’ Day in Venezuela(委内瑞拉).
North Korea celebrates Teachers Day on September 5.
1. How many countries mentioned in the passage have their Teachers’ Day?| A．7. | B．8. | C．6. | D．9. |
| A．Radhakrishnan was the first president of India. |
| B．Radhakrishnan attached great importance to education. |
| C．On Teachers’ Day the teachers in India are still working hard. |
| D．Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5 in India. |
| A．To encourage everyone to respect and honor teachers. |
| B．To let the world realize teachers’ contributions and encourage people to care about and help teachers. |
| C．To see what teachers have done in the year. |
| D．To have a dialogue with teachers. |
8 . Cold weather has a great effect on how our minds and our bodies work. Maybe that is why there are so many expressions that use the word “cold”. For centuries, the body’s blood has been linked (联系) closely with the emotions. People who show no human emotions or feelings, for example, are said to be cold-blooded. Cold-blooded people act in a cruel way. They may do brutal (野蛮的) things to others, and not by accident. For example, a newspaper says the police are searching for a cold-blooded killer. The killer murdered someone, not in self-defense. He seemed to kill with no emotion.
Cold can affect other parts of the body, the feet, for example. Heavy socks can warm your feet, if your feet are really cold. But there is an expression — to get cold feet — that has nothing to do with cold or your feet. The expression means being afraid to do something you decided to do. For example, you agree to be president of an organization. But then you learn that all the other officers have resigned. All the work of the organization will be your duty. You are likely to get cold feet about being president when you understand the situation.
Cold can also affect your shoulder. You “give someone the cold shoulder” when you refuse to speak to him. You treat him in a distant, cold way. The expression probably comes from the physical act of turning your back towards someone, instead of speaking to him face to face. You may give a cold shoulder to a friend who has not kept a promise he made to you or to someone who has lied about you to others.
“A cold fish” is not a fish. It is a person. But it is a person who is unfriendly, unemotional and show no love or warmth. A cold fish does not offer much of himself to anyone.
“Out in the cold” is an expression often heard. It means not getting something that everybody else got. A person might say that everybody but him got a pay raise. He was left out in the cold. And it is not a pleasant place to be.
1. What does the passage intend to tell us?| A．Cold weather has a great effect on human bodies. |
| B．Many English expressions contain the word “cold”. |
| C．Cold is a word closely linked with human emotions. |
| D．The word “cold” has many different meanings in English. |
| A．You break the leg of a child and force him to beg for money. |
| B．You are the only one who gets a pay raise in your company. |
| C．You decide to catch a thief but then you find him take out a knife. |
| D．You show no warmth or kindness to the people around you. |
| A．is given the cold shoulder | B．is left out in the cold |
| C．has got cold feet | D．is murdered by a cold-blooded killer |
| A．Culture. | B．Travel. | C．Technology. | D．Advertisement. |
9 . Since the beginning of history, people have played games. Children in one country may play games that are quite different from those played anywhere else in the world. Here are some interesting games that you and your friends can try.
The Mouse Game (The Philippines)
In this game, a piece of string is tied to the player’s hand. One part of the string represents (代表) the “cat” while the other part is the “mouse”. The aim of the game is for the cat to catch the mouse and for the mouse to escape just in time. It teaches you to focus and move your fingers fast.
Pinata (Mexico)
A pinata is a colorful box made from papers and filled with sweets and toys. Children are blindfolded and take turns at trying to hit the pinata, which usually hangs (悬挂) on a tree or pole. When someone breaks open the pinata, the children run to get the sweets and toys, which they can take away as gifts. This game improves your sense of direction.
Help (China)
Chasing games are popular all around the world. In China, one player is chosen to be the chaser and runs after the other players until someone is caught. No equipment is needed to play this game, but it helps to run fast and have a loud voice for shouting.
Doorkeeper (Afghanistan)
In the villages of Afghanistan, there is no limit to the number of players who can take part in the game. A small rubber ball is all you need to play the game. It helps to have quick reactions and focus your eyes on the ball because you need to prevent the ball getting into the net.
1. Which game offers players presents in the end?| A．The Mouse Game. | B．Pinata. | C．Help. | D．Doorkeeper. |
| A．It needs no equipment. | B．It limits player numbers. |
| C．It trains quick reaction. | D．It needs close attention. |
| A．To explain the game rules. | B．To introduce some fun games. |
| C．To tell the origin (起源) of games. | D．To show the advantages of games. |
10 . Mount Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon, a state in the western United States. At 3, 400 meters it is attractive to many people, some of whom, of course, run into trouble. Each year 25 to 50 people have accidents or get lost on Mount Hood and need rescue（营救）. Although most of these are understandable accidents, a few result from careless risk-taking.
In one recent case, three experienced climbers went hiking in the middle of a snowstorm in December. Most hikers climb Mount Hood in May or June when the weather conditions are good. But in December, the mountain is covered in snow and ice. Winds up to 135 kilometers per hour blow the snow around, making it difficult to see. Temperatures can drop below freezing. As one rescue worker put it, "What were they thinking? They were just asking for it. "
During a rescue a few years ago, a helicopter full of rescue workers crashed and the rescue workers were almost killed. Linda Carle, who lives in the Mount Hood area, asks, If someone made a muddled decision, why should rescue teams have to risk their lives to save them? Why do people take unnecessary risks and do things that aren't right if they know that they can get into trouble? "
Most of the Mount Hood rescue workers are either volunteers or part of the local police department There is no charge for these rescues. It is the taxpayers who pay the bill. Linda Carle suggests that people who take careless risks and need rescue should ay for the rescue. She fees it is only fir that costs for things like damaged helicopters and medical care for rescuers should be paid for by the people who take the risks. What would you do if you were the local police officer at Mount Hood?
1. What can we learn about Mount Hood?| A．It lies in the west of the United States. |
| B．It is the highest mountain in the United States. |
| C．The best time to climb the mountain is from May to July. |
| D．Hundreds of people get lot in the mountain every year. |
| A．poor | B．important | C．wise | D．clear |
| A．Taxpayers | B．Risk takers | C．Government | D．Police |
| A．Advice on stopping people from climbing Mount Hood. |
| B．Other serious accidents in Mount Hood. |
| C．The requirements of becoming a volunteer. |
| D．Some possible ways to solve the problem of rescue costs. |
