1 . My 12-year-old daughter, Lauren, came home from school yesterday, proudly waving her grade book to me. She had been awarded A-1 in most subjects such as mathematics, language arts and science—a great achievement! Then she sadly pointed out that her perfect score was damaged by a B-1 in French and a C-1 in Physical Education.

I asked her what the scores meant. She said that the letter showed the achievement(成绩) and the number showed the effort. That moment I realized that the grades were misleading. I reached out my hands and gave her a big hug and told her in my mind she had a perfect score. It didn’t matter that her grade in French was a “B”—the “l” showed that she had tried her best. That is something to make any parent proud.

Everybody is different. Everybody has different potential(潜能). Not all of us will become linguists(语言学家) or sports stars. But without 100％effort no potential can be achieved. If I see a salesperson fail at sales, the first thing I want to examine is the effort being put in. If there is a problem with effort, the salesperson has no future. But if I see a salesperson isn’t successful with l00％effort, he or she is worth my effort in helping. Maybe a bit of training or some advice from a more successful person will help. I know that 100％effort, focus in the right direction, will always bring a result whether that is an “A” or a “C”. As long as you make 100％effort, you are great.

1. The author’s daughter was weak in _______.

A．maths.

B．science.

C．chemistry.

D．physical education.

2. What does the author think of grades?

A．High grades make parents proud.

B．Grades are important to children.

C．People hold a wrong idea of grades.

D．High grades show great achievements.

3. Seeing a salesman with 100% effort fail, the author ______.

A．will give him training.

B．is willing to offer help.

C．will find an easy way for him.

D．may think he has no future.

4. In the passage the author praises a person highly for _______.

A．trying his or her best.

B．achieving good grades.

C．having different potential.

D．giving other people useful advice.

2 . Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach’s Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel’s “me” time. And like more Americans, she’s not alone.

A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half(53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half(46 percent) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.

“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know?” Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today, I just wanted some time to myself,” she said.

Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he’s on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction(交流). “I reflect on how my day’s gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “It’s a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”

That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn’t feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,” said Laurie Demeritt, whose company provided the statistics for the report.

1. What are the statistics in paragraph 2 about?

A．Food variety.	B．Eating habits.
C．Table manners.	D．Restaurant service.

2. What do we know about Mazoleny?

A．He makes videos for the bar.	B．He’s fond of the food at the bar.
C．He interviews customers at the bar.	D．He’s familiar with the barkeeper.

3. What is the text mainly about?

A．The trend of having meals alone.	B．The importance of self-reflection.
C．The stress from working overtime.	D．The advantage of wireless technology.

5 . Being a teenager is hard, which is why there are many amazing teen movies documenting （记录)the experience. Some are so good that they will become classics in a few years. Here is a list for you.

Mean Girls

"You go, Glen Coco!" "It's not going to happen!” "On Wednesdays we wear pink!" "You can’ t sit with us!" If you rank teen movies by how many lines of dialogues will live on forever, Mean Girls will certainly be on top. So many classic lines!

Eighth Grade

This movie will take you back to the eighth grade and remind you of all the good and bad times you had at that age. Kayla, a shy girl, feels the most connected to the world through social media. It's Kayla's final week in the eighth grade and she promises to make it as great as possible before she moves on to high school.

13 Going on 30

This classic follows Jenna Rink, a girl whose wish on her 13th birthday is to grow up and escape from high school. The next day her wish comes true. She wakes up in her 30-year-old body only to find that she's an editor of a major magazine in America. Although she loves her new life at first, she quickly finds out that being grown-up isn't that much easier than being 13.

Shazam!

Shazam! is about a kid named Billy Batson, who suddenly gets magic powers from the Wizard Shazam. By calling Shazam's name, Billy can be changed into a hero with powers like strength, speed and flight. Like in all the other movies of this kind, in Shazam! Billy is tasked with defeating his enemy who warns to steal all his powers.

1. What is special about Mean Girls?

A．It is about girls' adventures.	B．It ranks first on the movie list.
C．It is aimed at amusing the audience.	D．It contains lots of classic dialogues.

2. Which movie refers to anxiety for adulthood?

A．Eighth Grade.	B．13 Going on 30.
C．Mean Girls.	D．Shazam!.

3. What kind of movie is Shazam!?

A．A superhero film.	B．A documentary.
C．A tragedy.	D．A love story.

6 . The cost of living in countries like the U.S., Britain, Australia or France has skyrocketed in recent years. However, if you're willing to leave your country and explore life in other areas, there are many countries boasting an extremely cheap and low cost of living. Check out the following countries when planning your next move.

Ecuador

Ecuador is similar to the United States in many ways, and as a result has become a popular American getaway. They even use the U.S. Dollar for their currency. In this country, it's cheaper to eat out every day than cook for yourself on a budget in the U.S. You can even buy a property for around $50,000 and hire someone to tend to it while you're away.

Mexico

Although the country is known for its poverty-ridden streets, there are many wealthier areas that provide every facility you might need. You can live off a mere $700 to $800 a month in Mexico, and this includes rent for a nice place, facilities, food, and any sightseeing.

Argentina

Argentina has been a popular tourist destination for many years. It has great restaurants, a rich history, and many places to explore. Not to mention, it's not very expensive to live here. A decent sized home can cost around $139,000, which is relatively cheap in relation to homes in the United States.

Vietnam

Vietnam has also become a popular tourist destination in recent years. There are many million-dollar luxury homes by the beach, but you can find a modest flat or small home for around $25,000 to $50,000 if you search in the right areas.

1. Why has Ecuador become a holiday destination for Americans?

A．Because housing is very cheap.

B．Because it has a low cost of living.

C．Because it is similar to America in many ways.

D．Because it has lots of nice places for sightseeing.

2. What do all of the four countries have in common?

A．All of them have great restaurants.

B．All of them have a low cost of living.

C．All of them are poor developing countries.

D．The middle-sized homes are a little expensive.

3. In which country is the U.S. dollar used for its currency?

A．Ecuador.

B．Mexico.

C．Argentina.

D．Vietnam.

7 . The Biggest Shopping Malls in the World

Iran Mall

Now Iran Mall is the biggest mall in the world. Located in Northwest Tehran, it covers a total area of around 21 million square feet. It’s a commercial, cultural and social center. On its roof, people can do activities like hiking, cycling, playing tennis and even swimming. While the already finished areas of Iran Mall come together to make this mall the biggest in the world, some parts are still being built.

Central World

Located in the capital of Thailand, Central World is one of the largest shopping centers in Bangkok. The Central World mall includes 500 stores, 100 restaurants and cafés and 15 cinemas. It has a kid’s zone, a learning center and two department stores. It also has its own ice rink (溜冰场).

South China Mall

The title of “World’s Biggest Mail” was once held by South China Mall in China. But in 2018 the construction of the supermall in Iran brought it down one spot to second place. It covers an area of 7. 1 million square feet and was opened in 2005. It includes seven different zones that are designed to be like important cities around the world. One zone includes a model Arc de Triomphe (凯旋门) like the one in Paris, and another with gondolas (long and narrow boats) in Venice.

Mall of Istanbul

Mall of Istanbul covers over 7 million square feet space. Besides the shopping choices, this one has a large theme park right inside! It’s the first of its kind in Turkey. It has over 300 stores. Moreover, it has several performance centers, a gourmet (美食) center and a shopping center. It is also home to Turkey’s biggest cinema center with 12 theaters.

1. In which mall are there some parts still under construction?

A．Iran Mall.

B．Central World.

C．South China Mall.

D．Mall of Istanbul.

2. What can you do in South China Mall?

A．Visit a 7.1-million-square-foot boat.

B．Do exciting recreational activities on its roof.

C．Shop in fifteen different foreign zones.

D．See models of other countries’ typical scenes.

3. What makes Mall of Istanbul special in Turkey?

A．Its performance centers.	B．Its large inside theme park.
C．Its biggest gourmet center.	D．Its world’s largest ice rink.

8 . Our fascination with Mars has never stopped. However, in the early days of space exploration, visits were restricted to “fly-bys”, such as those by Mariner Space Probes, by means of which craft would simply pass the planet, taking pictures and collecting data as they went. The Viking “orbiters” were next, and later craft in the Viking series, known as “Landers”, began to study the surface, equipped with instruments which continued to collect data about the environment until they stopped working.

The more recent “Rovers” move around the planet’s surface as they gather information. Current proposals include missions to study geographic features, climate, and soil components, in order to determine, among other things, whether the planet can ever have supported carbon-based life forms. Scientists now believe that at some stage the planet cooled dramatically, resulting in the near-loss of its atmosphere and, thanks to the wearing away of some surface features mineral deposits and other factors, it is also believed that liquid water once flowed here.

One of the most famous craft is “Phoenix”, which landed in November 2008. Its mission was to obtain samples from beneath the surface by digging into the arctic ice while its camera provided geological data and other equipment scanned the atmosphere, measuring temperature and pressure in an attempt to discover whether the chemicals necessary for life might exist beneath the surface. The craft was expected to send back data for three months, but managed to hold out for further two. An especially important part of the project was the need to keep absolute cleanliness of the equipment in order to ensure that any organic material collected was not contaminated by microbes(微生物).

In the future manned landings may probably come true-and though it may seem an extremely difficult undertaking, plans have already been discussed for the “terraforming(行星地球化)”of the planet, giving it an atmosphere, oceans and other elements similar to earth, with, the possibility of human settlement.

1. According to the text, what is “fly-by”?

A．A type of UFO.	B．A photograph of a planet.
C．A planet of the solar system.	D．A way of collecting information.

2. Which of the following is evidence of liquid water on Mars?

A．There is ice on it.

B．It once had some mineral deposits.

C．It once had carbon-based life forms.

D．There are some damaged areas on its surface.

3. What does the underlined word “contaminated” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Polluted.

B．Protected.

C．Controlled.

D．Reduced.

4. How does the author feel about human beings going Mars?

A．It will happen very soon.

B．It may be hard, but it’s possible.

C．It will be full of uncertainties, but it’s worth the efforts.

D．It relies on different countries working together.

9 . What do you usually do to comfort your friends when they are feeling sad or depressed? You probably pat them on the back or shoulder, or maybe you give them a big, warm hug.

We used to think that knowing when and how to comfort others was an ability that only humans have. But scientists have discovered that apes have this ability, too, according to a study published in the Journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

Two researchers from Emory University in Atlanta, US, went to an Ape Protection Centre in Congo to study bonobos, which are closely related to humans .

The researchers analyzed the bonobos’ reactions after more than 370 cases of stressful situations, such as fights and losing temper, and found that some bonobos rushed to hug those that were screaming after being attacked, just like humans would have done.

However, researchers noted that not all bonobos were capable of comforting others. In the protection centre, many bonobos are orphans whose mothers were killed by hunters. They were found to be more anxious in times of tension and to have greater difficulty controlling their own emotions, making them worse at reaching out to help friends in need .

“Orphans, who have not had the benefit of a mother helping them handling their emotions, are much worse at comforting others,” Professor Frans de Waal, one of the researchers, told The Telegraph. “Bonobos with moms were able to curb their negative emotional reactions more quickly. Therefore, they pay more attention to others. ”

This pattern mirrors the way that human children have been found to react. Those who seem more capable of handling their own emotions – for example, the ones who can calm themselves down more quickly after upsetting experiences – are usually better at expressing their concerns for others.

1. The 5th paragraph is mainly developed by __________ .

A．giving examples	B．following time order
C．making comparisons	D．presenting causes and effects

2. The underlined word “curb” in the 6th paragraph probably means “_________ ” .

A．express

B．observe

C．handle

D．hide

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Orphan bonobos never give a hand to friend.

B．There were 370 bonobos involved in the research.

C．The ability to comfort others is unique to human beings.

D．Moms play a significant role in handling kids’ emotions.

4. What’s the main purpose of this passage?

A．To inform readers of a new study.	B．To uncover the mystery of Apes.
C．To provide better protection for Apes.	D．To compare human behaviors with Apes’ .

10 . Adults perform better when they have a lot to gain or lose. But scientists did not know whether teens did too. To find out, Insel asked 88 people between the ages of 13 and 20. She had them try a game. The participants looked at pictures of planets on a computer screen. They had to click as fast as they could when they saw a planet with designs. They were not supposed to click if a planet had no designs.

The participants could earn 20 cents for right answers but lose 10 cents for wrong ones. In other sessions, they’d get a dollar for right answers, and lose a half dollar for wrong ones. Players of all ages wanted to win the money, and cared more about bigger rewards than smaller ones.

As Insel expected, adults performed better when the stakes were high. But teens 13 to 18 played just as well whether they stood to win 20 cents or a dollar. Only 19- or 20-year olds stepped up their game for the higher stakes.

Insel’s team published this work November 28, 2017, in Nature Communications.

Brains change and mature during adolescence. And not all parts grow at the same rate. Insel was interested in two areas in particular. One is deep inside the brain and just above the ears. Called the ventral striatum (腹侧纹状体), it helps the brain calculate rewards. The ventral striatum becomes mature during the teen years.

The brain’s prefrontal cortex (前额叶) takes longer to mature. This area is important for planning and setting goals. It may not mature until early adulthood.

Nerve pathways - think of them as the brain’s “wiring” - connect the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex. This lets the two regions communicate to make decisions. But because the prefrontal cortex matures later, the wiring between the two may not be complete until adulthood.

1. Which of the following can explain Insel’s research?

A．Teens ignore key points in many aspects.

B．Adults behave better with higher rewards.

C．Teens give more attention to exams than usual work.

D．Adults behave more maturely than children in every way.

2. What does the underlined word “stakes” refer to?

A．The final results of games or experiments.

B．The things that can be gained or lost in races.

C．The ambitions or energies that one experiences in games.

D．The powers that make one feel less pressure or pain.

3. From the passage, we can know ___________.

A．the experiment aims to find out adults’ behaviour facing high stakes

B．teens have better performances in the first rounds

C．adults care less about the experiment at first

D．adults and teens show differently with high stakes

4. Which is the best title of the passage?

A．Unlike adults, teens don’t perform better with high stakes

B．Who perform better, adults or children?

C．Stakes are the key points in promoting one’s passion

D．Whether low stakes or high stakes, one behaves similarly