1 . For primary and middle school students, being able to cook has become a must. They will also need to learn how to plant vegetables, raise chickens or ducks and fix computers or fridges under new requirements for labor education. The MOE(教育部) brought out a new standard for labor education in schools last year. Starting from the 2022 fall term, students in primary and middle schools have to take courses on labor skills at least once a week.
Labor education helps students value hard work. The new standard includes three types of labor tasks: housework, school labor and community volunteer services.
Schools in China have traditionally placed more focus on studying, and many have seen housework as a waste of children’s time. But according to the MOE, labor education must be built up to help students improve social values and develop an interest in labor.
Liu Fang, am other of 6-year-old twins in Beijing, strongly supports labor education. For the past year, she has trained her daughters to do housework and make simple dishes for the family.
“The main idea is to let them share duty as family members and become independent as they can,” said Liu. “Through doing housework, their hand-eye coordination(手眼协调), time management and organization skills can be trained and it’s also good to help them relax.”
Through such education, Liu said her twins have found fun in doing housework and are more independent.
1. What CAN’T a middle school student learn through labor education?| A．How to plant vegetables. |
| B．How to be more careful in class. |
| C．How to fix computers or fridges. |
| D．How to raise chickens or ducks. |
| A．It started in the fall term of 2022. |
| B．It is for students from primary school to college. |
| C．Students have to take labor courses twice a week. |
| D．It includes two types of labor tasks. |
| A．pay more attention to students’ study | B．let students study to cook |
| C．pay more attention to students’ health | D．let students do housework |
| A．It’s too simple for students. | B．It helps students develop different skills. |
| C．It is boring for students. | D．It is a waste of students’ time. |
2 . Here is a timetable of courses in Children’s Palace.
| Monday Space Course 19: 00-20: 00 (once a week for one month) Dr. Li (the teacher from Hope School) More knowledge about the outer space. Place: Room 106 | Saturday Coconut Shell Carving (椰雕) Course 14: 00-16: 00 (once a week for three months) Hainan Coconut Shell Carving. Join us to learn it. Call Ms. Yao at 88882023. Place: Room 108 |
| Wednesday Photography Course 18: 30-19: 30 (once a week for two months) Mr. Song will show you how to take good pictures. Bring your own camera. Place: Room 218 | Sunday Chinese Shadow Puppetry (皮影戏) Course 15: 00-17: 30 (once a week for three months) Tell the story of Heroes of the Marshes (水浒传) by Mrs. Zhang. Place: Room 308 |
1. You can learn more about the outer space ________.
| A．on Monday | B．on Saturday |
| C．on Wednesday | D．on Sunday |
| A．Dr. Li | B．Ms. Yao | C．Mr. Song | D．Mrs. Zhang |
| A．Room 106 | B．Room 108. | C．Room 218 | D．Room 308 |
3 . The Tomatina Festival(西红柿节) is a festival that is held in a town named Bunol in Spain, on which people throw tomatoes for fun. It is held on the last Wednesday of August each year.
In 1945, during a parade(游行) in the town one day, young men who wanted to be in the parade started a fight in the town square. They used tomatoes as weapons(武器).This is the most popular story about how the Tomatina Festival started.
At around 10: 00a.m.on Wednesday, activities that are organized to celebrate the festival begin. The first one is climbing a pole with a ham on top. When a person is climbing, some people sing and dance. When the person drops the ham off the pole, the tomato fight starts. The tomatoes come from Extremadura. The tomatoes there are less expensive and are grown specially for the festival. The number of tomatoes used is about 150, 000. After exactly one hour, the fight ends. The whole square becomes red because there is tomato juice everywhere. Then hoses are used to clean the square and to wash away the tomato juice on people’s bodies. After that, the town goes back to the way it was.
The local government has made some rules for the safety of people. One of them is as follows: People have to squash(把……挤软) the tomatoes before throwing in order not to hurt other people.
The Tomatina Festival has inspired other similar celebrations in other parts of the world, for example, in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, a tomato fight is held on October 19th.
1. During the Tomatina Festival in Spain, people throw tomatoes .| A．to show they are angry | B．to make money | C．for fun | D．for exercise |
| A．rules for | B．activities during | C．future of | D．origin of |
| A．in Extremadura | B．in October | C．near a river | D．in August |
| A．The tomato fight in Spain lasts for a day. |
| B．The local government made rules in order to protect people. |
| C．The tomatoes used during the Tomatina Festival in Spain are expensive. |
| D．The tomato fight in Guangdong is on the same day as the Tomatina Festival in Spain. |
Universal Beijing Resort (度假区)
This is a fascinating theme park with the best universal rides, shows and attractions from around the world. You can play in these areas: The Magic World of Harry Potter, Transformers, Kung Fu Panda Land, Hollywood, Water World, Minion Land (小黄人) and Jurassic World (侏罗纪世界). Its one-day ticket will follow a four-tiered pricing (四级票价) way: • Low Season tickets 418 RMB: weekdays in Spring, Fall and Winter; • Mid-Season tickets 528 RMB: weekends in Spring, Fall and Winter; • High Season tickets 638 RMB: Opening Month some holidays; • Special Season tickets 748 RMB: May Day, National Day, Spring Festival and Summer Holiday. • Opening time:9 :00 a. m — 21:00 p.m. You can click here https://www.universalbeijingresort.com/ for more information. |
| A．Six. | B．Seven. | C．Eight. | D．Nine. |
| A．748 RMB | B．1.496 RMB | C．1,914 RMB | D．2,244 RMB |
| A．At 8:00 a.m. | B．At 8:30 a.m. | C．At 1:00 p.m. | D．At 10:00 p.m. |
5 . Just a few days after his 18th birthday, Beijing 2022 gold medal winner Su Yiming received a surprise gift—a letter from Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China.
In the letter Xi expressed his congratulations to Su and other sportsmen in ice and snow sports for their great achievements at the Beijing Winter Olympics, hoping what they had achieved would encourage young Chinese to aim (立目标) high.
When Su first stepped onto a snowboard at the age of four, a future as a world-classs portsman seemed to be “a dream too big” for him. Little did he know that he would not only compete for his country but also take home gold. With the great excitement of winning an Olympic gold medal still fresh in his mind, Su wrote a letter to the president, telling him how lucky he felt to have made his dream come true.
Su still remembers what Xi wrote in the reply, “The new era is the time for young people to realize their dreams.”
“I have always kept those words in my mind,” Su said.
“ When I made up my mind to be a professional snowboarder, I know there is a big gap between my performance and that of the top sportsmen in the world. But I have been working hard to realize my dream. Now my story shows the fact that hard work will pay off.” Su said.
Su believes the sky is the limit. “Find the thing you love, believe in yourself and do yourvery best. Finally, your dream will come true.”
Now Su has his strong wish to win all the competitions in his sporting field.
1. What was the surprise gift Su Yiming got after his birthday?| A．A gold medal. | B．A letter. |
| C．A birthday cake. | D．A snowboard. |
| A．express his excitement of realizing his dream |
| B．invite young Chinese to try snow sports. |
| C．encourage young Chinese to make big plans |
| D．congratulate Chinese sportsmen on their achievements |
| A．agreement | B．fight |
| C．relationship | D．difference |
| A．Ice and snow sports | B．Aim high and win big |
| C．The secret to success | D．Fight for a bright future |
6 . The Banaue Rice Terraces (梯田) in Ifugao Province in the Philippines offer a great sight. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also rich in history and features how human creativity can produce amazing outcomes. Through hard work, the Ifugao native managed to survive by flattening the mountain’s surface layer by layer and using them as farmlands. This practice of more than two thousand years has put together a well-known wonder.
There are several rice terraces in the Ifugao region but the Banaue Rice Terraces are the most popular tourist spot. The photos of this area are often used in printed materials like textbooks magazines and postcards. After getting a good look at the rice terraces, I was reminded of the first time that I saw their pictures in our textbook during my elementary days. I already found them amusing as a kid and seeing their beauty as an adult got me more amazed.
The tourism officer told us that we were lucky to catch them in their greenest form. If you plan to visit this tourist spot as well, you should take note that we got there last June 1. You can also take into consideration that the rice planting cycle is typically 3 to 6 months.
Unlike the other terraces, the local government created a platform that makes it easy for everyone to get a closer look at the rice terraces. The platform has four stone statues that they refer to as rice protectors.
It’s sad that the younger generation of Ifugaos are slowly abandoning the rice terraces. According to tour guide Alvin, the part of the rice terraces where people can see thick bushes and trees were former rice fields. But the children who inherited (继承) those decided to give up farming and work in big cities instead. I hope that a new farming method with modern equipment will encourage the Ifugaos to continue their rice terraces farming tradition to protect this cultural treasure.
1. What can be learned about the Banaue RiceTerraces?| A．They are most known for their history. |
| B．They were made to mainly draw tourists. |
| C．The locals created them with great wisdom and effort. |
| D．Many mountains and lakes were turned into farmlands. |
| A．To show the Banaue Rice Terraces are really attractive. |
| B．To show Ifugao Province is heavily dependent on tourism. |
| C．To show the Banaue Rice Terraces are more suitable for kids to visit. |
| D．To show advertisements for the Banaue Rice Terraces spread rapidly. |
| A．Tell us some facts about rice planting. |
| B．Encourage more people to go to Ifugao. |
| C．Raise public awareness of local traditions. |
| D．Share the proper time to visit the Banaue Rice Terraces. |
| A．Worried. |
| B．Positive. |
| C．Confused. |
| D．Curious. |
7 . I was living in Delta in 2015. There was a man, Boniface, who owned a store which I’d often visited. Gradually we became friends. One day, we talked about the business opportunities in our country at that time, and during the communication, I found the most practical one was starting a barrow (手推车)rental business. Then we talked more on it, and both of us thought there was a strong possibility of succeeding. So we went into the business.
We started as a small business with 6 barrows. The barrow-men gave us 51 cents per day for renting the barrows. It seemed small but later grew and made our life better. But we didn’t stop there. That was because when we first started our business, our aim wasn’t only to make money. The most valuable thing for us is to touch others’ lives positively.
In Nigeria, being a barrow pusher is not a very attractive job. But for people who were poor farmers or young people without jobs, wheelbarrow pushing helps them make a living. It doesn’t require much skill. With hard work and vigor, a person can make money daily.
We saw the meaning of this business and then decided to spend money and resources on rebranding (重塑…的形象) barrows. We gave each barrow-man a branded T-shirt to show they belonged to a good brand. We also held small classes for them to educate them on how to make their barrows better transporters and how to be extra polite to people so as to build up a good fame. We marketed them as polite and excellent pushers to attract more customers. These methods worked. They started getting more jobs and earned more. And a number of them even saved up enough to start businesses of their own.
Today, that little business made us millionaires while hiring over 20 people and touching their lives positively. Over 20 families are fed because two Nigerians decided, despite all the difficulties, to do something.
1. What made the author start the barrow rental business?| A．Losing his job. |
| B．His discussion with a friend. |
| C．His family’s suggestion. |
| D．Being short of money. |
| A．Hiring more workers. |
| B．Improving people’s lives. |
| C．Cutting the company’s costs. |
| D．Making customers touched. |
| A．Energy. |
| B．Praise. |
| C．Creativity. |
| D．Education. |
| A．They sent the barrow-men to school. |
| B．They lent money to the barrow-men. |
| C．They taught the barrow-men to make clothes. |
| D．They turned the barrow-men into professional pushers. |
8 . Earlier this year the phone companies stopped supporting the software for my old 3G phone. So like the rest of the modern world, I was
Yesterday I was on it,
Technology is here to stay. But we shouldn’t let it
| A．annoyed | B．removed | C．forced | D．surprised |
| A．call | B．punishment | C．score | D．label |
| A．tougher | B．easier | C．dearer | D．clearer |
| A．hardly | B．occasionally | C．sincerely | D．quickly |
| A．admitting | B．removing | C．realizing | D．valuing |
| A．looking through | B．giving away | C．dropping out | D．making up |
| A．bleeding | B．injured | C．running | D．curious |
| A．computer | B．smartphone | C．seat | D．room |
| A．Shouting | B．Sweeping | C．Swinging | D．Laughing |
| A．touched | B．drove | C．complained | D．cleaned |
| A．forgot | B．regretted | C．noticed | D．appreciated |
| A．meaningless | B．wonderful | C．unfortunate | D．complex |
| A．intention | B．topic | C．style | D．feeling |
| A．control | B．benefit | C．reach | D．leave |
| A．prevents | B．hates | C．helps | D．trains |
9 . Imagine being able to pop to your local park and pick some tomatoes, potatoes or even bananas to take home for dinner. Sounds too good to be true, right? For residents of Andernach, German, it’s not just a dream—it’s their reality.
In 2010, Andernach began its edible(可食用的)city project, planting 101 varieties of tomatoes in public green spaces around the city centre. Its 30,000 residents are free to help themselves to whatever grows, as are any other visitors. The town’s motto of sorts is “Picking is encouraged—help yourself!” Every year a new type of plant is highlighted. In 2011, 100 types of beans were planted, while 2012saw the introduction of 20 onion varieties.
It’s a community effort, as local citizens are encouraged to help plant and maintain the gardens. This offers an opportunity to socialise as well as to learn about planting, cultivating and harvesting food.
An Andernach resident spoke to DW,“I often drop by to pick some herbs that I’m missing at home. Everything is easily accessible. There aren’t any fences. You just take what you need. The only thing is that you have to be quick once the fruits are ripe or they’ll all be gone!”
Andernach may have been the first in German, but it isn’t the only edible city. It’s part of the Edible Cities Network, a project funded by European Union to connect green urban foot initiatives around the world. Other cities include Carthage in Tunisia, Havana in Cuba and Sempeter-Vrtojba in Slovenia. In February 2022, the first Edible Cities Network Conference took place. Dr Ina Saumel, principal investigator of the Edible Cities Network, called it “a unique opportunity to invite researchers of edible city solutions and practitioners to the same table.”
Ultimately, the Edible Cities Network aims to give people “greener, more edible and, above all, more livable cities.” It is a response to the pressures of global climate change, and a significant cause full of hope.
1. What can residents do in public green spaces according to the edible city project?| A．Sell the produce they grow there. |
| B．Learn knowledge about planting. |
| C．Grow whatever plant as they like. |
| D．Pay to pick some vegetables there. |
| A．Novel and popular. | B．Creative and costly. |
| C．Common and fundamental. | D．Rare and unacceptable. |
| A．Andernach is the only city to carry it out. |
| B．European Union originally established it. |
| C．It helps combine theories with practices. |
| D．It invites people to share meals together. |
| A．To help residents relieve their pressure. |
| B．To involve residents in urban planting. |
| C．To increase the produce supply in cities. |
| D．To create environmentally friendly cities. |
10 . It was mid-afternoon. I looked outside my dorm window, and saw the lifeless gray sky, the snow and the trackless sidewalks. There was no one in the snow but a squirrel. The brown-gray North American squirrel,a look of terror in his shining eyes, braved the cold to throw himself over snow. In his mouth was a large acorn(橡实)—I was surprised it fit in his mouth.
I moved closer to my window, outside of which is a medium-sized tree, lacking its warm-weather leaves. The squirrel ran up rapidly, higher and higher in the tree, and his small body held onto his dear acorn.
Up he went, to the tip of one of the highest branches. I held my breath—I wondered if that slender branch could support him. I wondered if his winter food store was in this tree—squirrels are known to hide their nuts, mushrooms, and vegetation high up in trees. Outside, the squirrel firmly grasped that branch, jaw clamping(夹紧)on his acorn.
Then came the wind blowing violently, shaking the tree, the branch and the squirrel. He hung on for dear life, and both arms wrapped around the branch in the wind. I held my breath: If he fell from a height like this, then.... Seeing this little squirrel, I had my heart in my mouth. As the wind became stronger, the squirrel’s precious acorn fell to the ground. The squirrel followed its downward progress only by sight—if he let go the branch, he would fall downwards as well. I was so nervous that I didn’t take my gaze off the squirrel for one minute. Surprisingly, he then climbed down the tree and was now half-buried in the snow, searching desperately for his acorn. Finally, he made it.
The brave animal is able to survive in nature all because of its desperate efforts.The same goes for us humans. We all work hard to survive, and this is the law of nature. So effort is not something special, but a matter for all living things to do to survive.
1. What did the author discover outside the window?| A．A squirrel was freezing nearly to death. |
| B．A squirrel was choked by a large acorn. |
| C．A squirrel was picking acorns from a tree. |
| D．A squirrel was climbing to the top of a tree. |
| A．Dead. | B．Straight. | C．Slim. | D．Thick. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Unfriendly. | C．Uncaring. | D．Curious. |
| A．Stop struggling, life is stopped. |
| B．Facts speak louder than words. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. |
| D．Teaching others teaches yourself. |
