1 . The name England comes from the words “Angle land”. The Angles were people who came from northern Germany in the 5th and 6th centuries, after the Romans had left. The French name for England is Angleterre, which also means “Angle land”. There were also invasions (侵略) of southern England by Saxons and Jutes (people from another part of northern Germany). English people are sometimes called Anglo－Saxons. The Celts who used to live in this area were forced to move back into Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall and into Western France (the area known as Brittany).

England at first became a series of kingdoms, the strongest of which was Wessex (the name comes from West－Saxon). The names of many of the areas in England come from this period—for example, the name Sussex comes from South－Saxon, Essex from East－Saxon, and East Anglia from East－Angle. The Vikings then came from Denmark, and later the Normans invaded from France. Eventually England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were united, forming the United Kingdom.

The English language is the main language spoken throughout England, although there are many different accents. It can be difficult to know how to spell or to pronounce some English words, because the language has been influenced by Latin and Greek (languages used at the time of the Romans, and used in religion and education until recent times), German (the language of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes), French(the language of the Normans), Gaelic/Scots (Celtic languages) and Danish (the language of the Vikings).

There are now many people throughout the United Kingdom who speak a foreign language either as their first or second language, mainly due to immigration (移民) from Europe or the Commonwealth (countries which used to be part of the British Empire).

1. What's the first paragraph mainly about?

A．The origin of the name England.

B．The Celts used to live in England but left for some reason.

C．Southern England once was attacked by Saxons and Jutes.

D．Angles and Saxons came from different parts of northern Germany.

2. In the history of England, ________ once was the strongest kingdom.

A．Sussex	B．Wessex
C．Essex	D．East Anglia

3. What can we learn from the third paragraph?

A．English words are hard to spell and to pronounce.

B．England had been invaded by most of the countries of Europe.

C．The English language was influenced by several foreign languages.

D．It's hard for people who have different English accents to communicate.

4. Why do many people in the UK speak a foreign language nowadays?

A．Because they are required to learn a foreign language at school.

B．Because they plan to live outside the UK in the future.

C．Because they have moved from other countries.

D．Because they have worked in other countries.

2 . Are you a music lover? If your answer is yes, you might be interested in the following music services.

Apple Music

Apple Music has more than 30 million songs and is available in over 100 countries.

Search for “Holiday Music” to find playlists. Then tell voice assistant Siri to “play holiday music” to open the music program on your iPhone, iPod or Apple TV. The app will provide holiday playlists and stations.

You can also listen to Apple Music on your computer through the iTunes store or on Apple TV.

Apple Music is free for the first three months. After that, users must pay a subscription (订阅) fee.

Google Play Music

Google Play Music is also in the holiday spirit. Go to the Google Play Music Holiday page or app and search for “Holiday Music”.

Google Play Music is available for free if you don’t mind the advertisements. If you do, buy a paid subscription to avoid them. Google Play Music offers more than 30 million songs in 58 countries.

The service is available on your computer, and through apps on your Android phone and iPhone.

Live365

Live365 is an internet radio service available on your computer or mobile device. The service has 158 Christmas music stations, such as Contemporary Christmas, Christmas Breezes and Classical Christmas.

Live365 is free and available around the world. Searching for “Holiday Music” lets you listen to more stations without advertisements.

Spotify

Spotify, another online service, is filled with holiday music. Listen to playlists on Spotify by searching for “Holiday Music”. The playlists include Merry Christmas. The Best Holiday Music, Pure Christmas Music and Pure Holiday Music.

1. What do the music services have in common?

A．They are free of charge .	B．They have endless songs.
C．“Holiday Music” can be searched for.	D．They have music stations.

2. Which music service has a voice assistant?

A．Google Play Music.	B．Live365.
C．Spotify.	D．Apple Music.

3. Which of the following is a music station?

A．Merry Christmas.	B．The Best Holiday Music.
C．Classical Christmas.	D．Pure Christmas Music.

3 . The Palace Museum is limiting the daily number of visitors to 80,000 and recommending both individual visitors and tourist groups to book tickets in, advance online (booking address: https://gugong ktmtech.cn). foreign visitors are required to provide passport numbers during the online booking

ADMISSION

April 1st-October 31st            60 yuan

November 1st-March 31st.        140 yuan

●Free admission(入场费) for children under.2 meters in height.

●Free admission for disabled visitors.

●20 yuan for elementary, middle school, and undergraduate students with student I.D. (not including graduate and adult or continuing education students).     

●50% discount for people over 60 years with valid certificate or proof of age (passport, etc.)'

●Women's Day (March 8): Half-price admission for female visitors.

●Children's Day (June 1): Free admission for children 14 years old and younger. 50% discount on admission for one accompanying parent. legal guardian, or adult,

For detailed information and instruction, please click here.

1. How many people can visit the Palace Museum daily at most?

A．Eight hundred

B．Eighty thousand.

C．Eight million

D．Eighty million.

2. Among the four,who can get the lowest admission price?

A．A middle-aged woman visiting it on 13,Mar.	B．A middle-aged parent visiting it alone on lst, June.
C．A 65-year-old man visiting it on 7th,May.	D．A middle school student visiting it on 6th,Jan.

3. Where do you think the passage most probably comes from?

A．A website.

B．A magazine

C．A book.

D．A newspaper.

4 . Football is my favorite sport. I loved to watch it, but I had never played in a football game before I went to college. I lacked self－confidence and I doubted if I could do well in a team, which was why I hardly did sports together with others. I just loved practicing playing football in the backyard of my house.

About one month after I went to college, one day some of my classmates said they'd play a football game with some players of another class. I really looked forward to it but never thought I'd join them to play. That day finally came and I went to watch with my classmates. However, just about ten minutes after the game started, one member of our football team got injured and could no longer play. The other members looked worried. Then one of them came to me and asked, “Can you play?” At first, I shook my head, but then I nodded. “Great! Come and play,” he said. I followed him, having no idea at all what to do. To my joy, he asked me to play in defense (防守). Defense was my favorite because I found it more fun and less complicated (复杂的). Then the game began again. There weren't a lot of big kids on the offensive line (攻击线) of the other team and I suddenly gained some self－confidence. About five minutes later, the ball was kicked toward the guard. I thought it was a good opportunity for me. I quickly ran past the guard and got the ball. When the guard came to the offensive line, I kicked the ball. I scored and all my classmates cheered. You may not believe it, but I scored twice that time. The final score was 6—2 and we won. My teammates thought that I did very well and none of them believed I hadn't played in a game before.

That game really changed me. I am a really confident person now and often play football games with my teammates.

1. Why didn't the author play sports with others before?

A．He wasn't interested in sports.

B．He wasn't popular with others.

C．He couldn't afford time for sports.

D．He wasn't confident about his ability.

2. Seeing the author shaking his head at first, his classmates most probably felt ________.

A．excited	B．boring
C．anxious	D．angry

3. We infer that after playing the game, the author most probably ________.

A．got nervous about watching football games

B．decided to become a full－time football player

C．was considered the best football player at school

D．fell in love with joining others in playing football

4. What would be the best title for the text?

A．My first football game.

B．My most unforgettable experience.

C．My way of finding self－confidence.

D．My way of scoring at football games.

5 . Richard Campbell is a secondary school student. He is 15 years old. He lives in a small town in the north of England. Every morning, he gets up at eight o'clock, puts on his uniform and walks to school.

One hour later, the lessons start. The students usually study maths, English, history and geography in the morning. They usually study music and drawing and they play sports after lunch. They have a ten-minute break between classes. They also spend a long time in the school library, reading books and doing their homework.

Richard likes his school very much. His favourite subjects are English and geography, but he doesn’t like maths because he is not good at it.

Richard and all his friends spend the whole day at school. Lunch is at one o'clock. He doesn’t like the food that the school serves. This is why he often brings a packed lunch from home. He always has his lunch in the dining hall, but some of his friends sometimes eat in the courtyard or outside the school gate.

At weekends, he always goes out with his friends because he doesn’t go to school. On Saturday, he always goes to the cinema or to the sports centre. On Sunday, he just goes for a walk with his dog.

1. What time do Richard’s lessons begin in the morning?

A．At 8:00.	B．At 8:30.
C．At 9:00.	D．At 9:10.

2. What does Richard like best?

A．Maths and English.	B．English and geography.
C．History and maths.	D．Geography and history.

3. Where does Richard have lunch on weekdays?

A．In the dining hall.	B．At home.
C．In the courtyard.	D．Outside his school gate.

4. What does Richard always do on Saturday?

A．He reads and does homework.

B．He goes to see films or does sports.

C．He walks his dog or does exercise.

D．He spends a long time in the library.

6 . A young Dutch inventor is widening his effort to clean up floating(浮动的) plastic from the Pacific Ocean. He has developed a floating device(设备) to catch plastic waste moving into rivers before it reaches the oceans.

Boyan Slat was just 18 years old when he invented a system for catching waste in the ocean. He also set up an environmental group called “The Ocean Cleanup”. Its purpose is to develop the system. Last year, Slat showed the next step: a floating device called Interceptor. It takes plastic out of rivers. The device is powered by energy from the sun. “The 1,000 rivers are responsible for about 80% of plastic going into the world’s oceans,” said Slat. Three of the machines have already been used. Each machine costs about $ 775,660, but the cost might drop as production increases.

Since they were used, the machines have been doing very well, collecting the plastic bottles and all the rubbish in the rivers. According to Slat, it is necessary to close “the tap”, which means stopping more plastic from reaching the ocean in the first place. He wanted to clean them all in the next five years. “This is not going to be easy, but if we do get this done, we could truly make our oceans again,” said Slat.

The device is designed to be safe in rivers. Its nose is shaped to change directions to keep it away from larger floating things. It works by guiding plastic waste into an opening in the front of the device. The waste is then carried inside the machine where it is dropped into containers(容器). The device sends a text message to local operators that can come and empty it when it is full.

1. What do we know about Interceptor?

A．It hasn’t been used yet.

B．It can help sort waste.

C．It is mainly used under the sea.

D．It needs energy from the sun to work.

2. What is the device’s nose used to do?

A．To empty the waste.

B．To serve as containers.

C．To ensure(确保) the device’s safety.

D．To send operators text messages.

3. What would be the best title for the text?

A．A floating device for catching plastic waste.

B．A young well-known Dutch inventor.

C．A system for making rivers safe.

D．An environmental group called the Ocean Cleanup.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A diary.	B．A dictionary.
C．A travel brochure.	D．A magazine.

7 . When it comes to thrilling places to travel to, the nation of Thailand has got to be at or near the top of the list. The beaches of Thailand are simply amazing. Here is a look at the four best beaches in all of Thailand.

Maya Bay

This small beach attracts some huge crowds, but it is still worth a visit thanks to what is widely regarded as some of the best sights in the whole country. The Maya Bay Beach is located on a small island and is only accessible(可进入的) via boat or passenger ferry.

Lamai Beach

For the traveler looking for a quite unforgettable beach experience during their visit to Thailand, a trip out to Lamai Beach in Samui is a must. The sandy areas are long and wide with plenty of room for everyone. The water is inviting and easy to access.

Patong Beach

Patong Beach is not only one of the most beautiful and popular beaches in Thailand, but it is the largest beach on the popular island of Phuket. The soft white sand is a great place to relax. Some of the many great activities that travelers can join in during a visit to Patong Beach include jet skiing, kayaking, surfing, diving, snorkeling(浮潜) , swimming, and more.

Haad Rin

Haad Rin is one of the most popular party spots in the country, for both locals and travelers. All month long, during most parts of the year, there are some special entertainment(娱乐), eating, and socializing opportunities.

1. If you want to have a very impressive beach experience, which is highly recommended?

A．Maya Bay	B．Lamai Beach
C．Patong Beach	D．Haad Rin

2. Where will you go if you like underwater sports?

A．Maya Bay	B．Lamai Beach
C．Patong Beach	D．Haad Rin

3. What will travelers experience at Haad Rin?

A．Relax on the white soft sand.

B．Take part in adventurous activities.

C．Have a good time with the people living here.

D．Learn much culture and history about Thailand.

8 . SPECIAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND

Captain Good Fellow

Do your children enjoy interesting stories, funny games, and exciting dances? Captain Good Fellow will be ready to teach all these things to children of all ages at the City Theatre on Saturday morning at 10:00, Free.

Walking Tour of the Town

Forget your worries on Saturday morning. Take a beautiful walk and learn about local history. Meet at the front entrance of City Hall at 9:30. Wear comfortable shoes!

Films at the Museum

Two European films will be shown on Saturday afternoon at the Museum Theatre. See Broken Window at 1:30. The workers will be at 3:45. For further information, call 4987898.

International Picnic

Are you tired of eating the same food every day? Come to Central Park on Saturday and enjoy food from all over the world. Delicious and not expensive. Noon to 5:00 pm.

Do You Want to Hear “The Zoo”

“The Zoo”, a popular rock group from Australia, will give their first US concert tomorrow night at 8:00 at Rose Hall, City College.

1. You can probably eat Chinese, Italian, and Arab food_____________.

A．at the front entrance of City Hall	B．at the Ballgame
C．at 5:00 pm	D．at Central Park on Saturday

2. You can see movies at _____________.

A．the City College	B．the Museum Theatre
C．the City Theatre	D．the Central Park

3. If you are going on the Walking Tour, don’t forget_____________.

A．your worries	B．your beautiful walk
C．your learning about local history	D．your comfortable shoes

4. “The Zoo” is ______________.

A．a park with lots of animals	B．US concert
C．a music group	D．going to give the concert at 8:00 am

9 . If you’re looking to buy a gift for your children, why not keep up with the trend and get the best hoverboard?

What is a Hoverboard?

A hoverboard is a two-wheeled personal transportation device. It’s electrical, portable and became highly popular in 2015. Typically, this self-balancing device operates like a powered skateboard.

How Does a Hoverboard Work?

The device may have many designs, but the mechanism itself isn’t complicated. Basically, a standard hoverboard contains:

•Battery: stores the electrical power. Almost all hoverboards use a high-watt lithium-ion battery.

•Gyroscope (one for each wheel): allows riders to tilt (倾斜) the hoverboard while maintaining balance and adjusting their direction.

•Motor (one in each wheel): provides the power to the wheels to keep the rider balanced and upright.

•Logic board: functions as the hoverboard brain. It processes data—your speed, tilt, etc.—and sends information to the motors. This unit controls the power of the board so riders can adjust their speed.

All the above components work together to control the power and tilt of the hoverboards so the rider is balanced, upright and moving at a controlled speed.

Why Buy a Hoverboard?

Undoubtedly, hoverboards are cool. You’ve probably seen kids riding one around the house. They’re a phenomenon and everybody wants in. So, why deny your kids and prevent them from being part of this trend?

Where is a hoverboard legal?

Despite their wild popularity, hoverboards have yet to become “street-legal”. Currently, some places prohibit anyone under 16 from using these devices, and hoverboards are banned in academic institutions and public places, like campus buildings, parks, shopping malls and subway stations. Some places have also put speed limits on the devices and restricted their use to bike paths. However, open areas—including your yard—are free of these restrictions.

1. The logic board of a hoverboard can ______.

A．store electricity	B．power the wheels
C．send information to the riders	D．receive data and give command

2. According to the passage, you can see a hoverboard ______.

A．on campus	B．in parks
C．on bike paths	D．in shopping malls

3. What is the main purpose of this passage?

A．To evaluate a gift’s quality.

B．To suggest a gift option.

C．To compare new hoverboard models.

D．To explain functions of the latest hoverboards.

10 . Would it surprise you to learn that, like animals, trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?

UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined.

Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest, Simard shows just how wrong he was. In fact, the opposite is true: trees survive through their co-operation and support, passing around necessary nutrition “depending on who needs it”.

Nitrogen (氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi (真菌) networks, making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy. This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons (神经元) in our brains, and when one tree is destroyed, it affects all.

Simard talks about “mother trees”, usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend. She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation, transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow. When humans cut down “mother trees” with no awareness of these highly complex “tree societies” or the networks on which they feed, we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.

“We didn’t take any notice of it,” Simard says sadly. “Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying, but we never give them chance.” If we could put across the message to the forestry industry, we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.

1. What can we learn from Professor Simard’s words in paragraph 3?

A．Trees depend on each other.	B．Trees protect their own wealth.
C．Trees compete for survival.	D．Trees provide support for dying trees.

2. Why are “Mother trees” extremely important?

A．Because they know more about the complex “tree societies”.

B．Because they seem more likely to be cut down by humans.

C．Because they look the largest in size in the forest.

D．Because they pass on nutrition to young trees.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．How young trees survive.	B．How “tree societies” work.
C．How forestry industry develops.	D．How trees grow old.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Old Trees Communicate Like Humans.

B．Young Trees Are in Need of Protection.

C．Trees Are More Fantastic Than You Think.

D．Trees Contribute to Our Society.