1 . Galaxy saw a man and a woman who communicated with sign language at the train station when she was on the way home one evening. She noticed that the woman was asking the man for direction. He told her that he did not know. Galaxy decided to help them. She had learned sign language when she served as a volunteer in the deaf and mute (聋哑的) school. Then she showed the woman the direction and left her email address to them in case they needed her help later.
She received an email from that man the next day. Kazrim was his name. Galaxy replied his mail sincerely. They both started chatting online soon after and began seeing each other. Although they only communicated with the sign language, it never bothered her.
Galaxy grew fond of him gradually. Obviously, Kazrim was the same too. He presented Galaxy with a bunch of sunflowers and asked her sincerely, “Are you willing to be my girlfriend? Galaxy was pleasantly surprised. She requested him to give her some time to persuade her parents. As she had expected, her parents were furious after they had learned of their love story. Galaxy explained, “Kazrim is an excellent and a very optimistic person. He has a very positive attitude towards life and work. He cares for others always. He is 100% better than the normal. Moreover, the mute is still a human. He should have a perfect and wonderful love.”
Her parents asked to see him then. The very worried Galaxy took Kazrim home a few days later. When they were on the train, Kazrim told her, “I'm going to tell your parents that I'll be looking after you well with all my life!” Galaxy was deeply moved. As soon as they had entered the house, Galaxy introduced him to her parents. She said, “This is Kazrim.” Just right after her speech, an unbelievable thing happened. Kazrim threw the gift away and held her in his arms tightly. He said. “You CAN talk?” It was the same question that Galaxy wanted to ask, too. The four people were shocked all of a sudden. As a matter of fact, Kazrim always believed that Galaxy was a mute and he still fell in love with her deeply.
1. How did Galaxy and Kazrim get to know each other?| A．They were introduced to each other |
| B．They met each other by chance. |
| C．They once studied at the same university. |
| D．They both served in a special needs school. |
| A．Writing words on paper. |
| B．Using sign language. |
| C．Judging from his expression. |
| D．Speaking her native language. |
| A．Very curious. | B．Deeply moved. | C．Extremely angry. | D．Pretty disappointed. |
| A．To have a talk with Kazrim. | B．To prepare for her marriage. |
| C．To treat Kazrim as a normal person. | D．To accept Kazrim as her boyfriend. |
| A．They fell in love at the first sight. |
| B．They cheated each other to win love. |
| C．They mistook each other for being mutes. |
| D．They ignored the anger of Galaxy's parents. |
2 . On New Year’s Eve
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, people in Rome, Italy, throw out all the things they no longer want. The streets are filled with old chairs, beds, clothes and dishes. In Madrid, Spain, the new year comes in more quietly. People flock to the main square. Each holds a bag of grapes. As the clock strikes twelve, the people eat the grapes— one for each stroke.
In Tokyo people eat noodles on New Year’s Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning, some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise of the new year.
In china, New Year’s food include a whole fish and a chicken.The chicken must be presented with a head,tail and two feet to symbolize（象征）completeness.
1. This story is about New Year’s Eve in ________.| A．Italy and Spain | B．China and Japan | C．Japan | D．both A and C |
| A．Throwing everything | B．playing games |
| C．eating some special food | D．drinking coke |
| A．are Spanish | B．are Japanese | C．are Chinese | D．are Italians |
| A．grapes | B．noodles | C．fish and chicken | D．a whole fish and a chicken |
3 . The food we eat seems to have a great effect on our health. Although science has made big steps in making food more fit to eat, it has, at the same time, made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of human illness is related to food and forty percent of cancer is related to food as well. That food is related to illness is not a new discovery. In 1945, some researchers realized that things commonly used to keep colour in meats and other food additives（添加剂）caused cancer.
Yet, these additives remain in our food, and it is difficult to know which things on the wrappings（包装）of foods are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to their animals, and because of this, penicillin has been found in the milk of cows. Sometimes similar tings are supplied to animals not for their health, but just to make a profit.
The farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to get a higher price on the market. Although some countries have tried to control such things, the practice continues.
1. According to this passage, we can know________.| A．perhaps most of human illness is caused by what we eat |
| B．perhaps most kinds of cancer are related to what people eat |
| C．cancer was discovered in 1945 |
| D．science has made food unfit to eat |
| A．harmful | B．useless | C．helpless | D．dangerous |
| A．are bright and colourless | B．are not bright and colourful |
| C．have indirect effects on our health | D．have direct effects on our health |
| A．to make food more unfit to eat | B．to improve the colour and taste of the food |
| C．to change colour of the food | D．to take off the disease of the food. |
4 . When a close friend dies, it often forces you to consider your own death. The more you have in common with the friend, the more his death will make you wonder about your own. Sometimes you will naturally say to yourself, "It could just as easily have been me." Such a death has a way of reminding us how fragile life is, and it may cause you to reassess(重新评价)the direction of your own life.
Jack's story is a good example. A successful businessman making a lot of money, Jack didn't spend as much time with his family as he wanted. His job required him to work long hours. But three years ago one of his best friends, a man who worked in the same office, had a heart attack. He died while celebrating his daughter’s eighteenth birthday in a restaurant. He was only fifty years old.
Not long after his friend's death, Jack started to have a chest pain. Finally he had a good physical check-up. He received a clean bill of health. But the chest pain continued. He kept thinking of the death of his friend. Jack thought about how much his friend missed in life and he saw how hard it was for his friend's family to manage after he passed away.
Jack realized that he didn't want to end up his life that way. He talked his feelings over with his wife and children, and decided to change his way of life. The family moved to a small town where he started a simple life. Now he is running a small art gallery（画廊）. He is relaxed, and says he has never been so happy in his life, and he has got no more chest pain.
1. Your close friend's death is ________ to you.| A．a warning | B．common | C．a direction of life | D．an example |
| A．The doctor didn't write a word on his bill |
| B．The doctor didn't want Jack to pay for the bill |
| C．The doctor didn't find anything wrong with him |
| D．The doctor didn't want to treat his pain |
| A．lose much interest in life | B．realize that he missed the friend very much |
| C．doubt his way of life | D．ill for some time |
| A．earns less money | B．gets more time |
| C．has a happier life | D．does all these mentioned above |
5 . Love to write? Want to see your work published and win some cash along the way? Then read on. The national Spark a Story writing contest is calling in all young storytellers!
Who can participate?
The contest is open to students in grades 9, 10, 11 or 12, or those who are being home-schooled in the United States.
Deadline and requirements
You’re able to send your short story up to October 7th. It will be judged on creativity, originality and overall quality of writing. Your story must be original works and should be no longer than 5000 words. There is no minimum length requirements.
How can I send my short story?
There are three easy ways to send your short story:
*Online at http: // learn.hmhco.com/hmhsparkamind
*Send your short story as a PDF or Microsoft word document to Sparkahmhco.com
*Send your short story via US Mail to: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
222 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116
What will I win?
The best stories will be published next year. Winners will receive a free copy of the book and cash price of $100.
1. Which of the following children can take part in the contest?| A．Maria, grade 7, from New York. |
| B．Justin, grade 9, from London. |
| C．Catherine, grade 11, from Washington. |
| D．C.D. Bastian, home-schooled from Paris. |
| A．longer than 5,000 words. |
| B．shorter than 5,000 words. |
| C．an original work. |
| D．sent before October 7th. |
| A．Sending it online. |
| B．Sending it by email. |
| C．Sending it by US Mail. |
| D．Sending it by fax. |
6 . Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the street. Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, and the life of American people. Most of the radio programmes are music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape. Some of the money from these tapes goes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk (民间) music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is called western or country music. This was started by cowboys (牛仔) who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.
1. Which of the following is talked in this passages?| A．popular, folk and country music | B．pop music, folk music |
| C．pop music and western music | D．folk, pop and classical music |
| A．are loved by all the young people | B．make a CD or tape |
| C．make much money | D．are wanted to sing on the radio |
| A．common life of Americans | B．school life in America |
| C．life of cowboys | D．country life and love stories |
| A．Everyone in America wants to meet pop singers wherever they go. |
| B．Students with cars in America like to listen to music while driving. |
| C．Adult drivers in America listen to music all the time while driving. |
| D．Most students in America like popular music. |
7 . The story of English language is a story of change.The old English language, or old English, is quite different from Modern English.If we do not study old English, we can’t understand it.Some of the words are the same, but many are not used now.The story of the English language begins some time after the year 400 AD.At this time, some people came to England from North-west Europe.There were many groups of people.They were called Angles (盎格鲁人), Saxons(撒克逊人)and Jutes(朱特人),whose language, old English, is like some of the modern language of North-West Europe.In old English, the ending had many meanings.They showed past time and present time and many other things.In Modern English, most of these endings are gone.This is the biggest difference between Old and Modern English.
1. What does the first sentence of the passage mean?| A．English is a language that has changed a lot as time passes by. |
| B．The story of English language often changes. |
| C．The old English language has changed into Modern English. |
| D．The story of English language is one of how people change the language. |
| A．2,500 years | B．2,300 years | C．more than 1,600 years | D．more than 400 years |
| A．Old English | B．North-West Europe | C．North-West English | D．English |
| A．The endings of words gave different special meanings. |
| B．It was spoken by many groups of the people from North-West Europe. |
| C．Its words are very different from those Modern English. |
| D．It is easy for most English-speakers today to understand the language. |
8 . Almost all theme park accidents can be prevented．Here, based on coverage of theme park safety, are some tips to help you and your family stay safe on your next visit．
If you are visiting with a child, take a moment to explain the ride to them, and tell them how they should behave．They are depending upon you to keep them safe．Set a good example for them by following the rules of the park, and make sure that they know you expect them to follow those rules, too．
Tell them to stay seated, to hold the grab bar or put their hands in the laps, and not to stick their knees and feet outside a ride vehicle．Make them look to you for the okay to get on or off a ride, too．
And never put a crying child on a ride．If your child starts to cry, let others pass you in line until your child is calmed．Or, gently exit the queue and find something more relaxing to do．
Young kids can’t keep an adult’s pace in a theme park．Let them take plenty of breaks．
“Kids get tired,” said TPI reader Matt Johnson, a father of four．“Tired kids make parents even more tired．And tired kids and parents may get hurt — physically and emotionally．” He advises that parents plan a mid-day break, perhaps a swim back at the hotel, to avoid mid-day heat and crowds．“You will see cranky families having a miserable time while you are refreshed and having a great evening．”
1. The second paragraph tells readers that ________．| A．children should be trained to be more independent |
| B．adults should set a good example to behave well in a theme park |
| C．adults should tell children some safety rules firstly |
| D．there is a danger to take young children to visit a theme park |
| A．tell him to be relaxed | B．give up the present activity |
| C．make him share your interest | D．encourage him to be brave |
| A．he doesn’t like to visit a theme park with his children |
| B．not all the families are relaxed or happy when they visit a theme park |
| C．parents with many children may be tired of visiting a theme park |
| D．visitors should arrange everything carefully before starting |
9 . As one of the mostwatched programs in China, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala has been an integral part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. From the television era to the digital age, people's expectations always run high for the event.
Having a big family dinner with relatives on the eve is a must for New Year celebrations for almost every family. The annual Spring Festival Gala usually lasts over four hours, just in time when the Chinese people gather to have their festive dinner. Featuring musicals, dances, comic skits and dramas, the gala is aimed at entertaining viewers of all ages.
This year, more than 621.4 million people in China and another 24.8 million overseas watched the show on television, while a number of viewers—527 million—watched it on new media platforms: apps, websites, videostreaming sites and social media.
The first CCTV Spring Festival Gala was live broadcast via television on February 12, 1983. However, not all Chinese people had a chance to watch the show at home as nearly 80 percent of families did not possess their own TV set. In 1983, the director of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala set four telephones backstage so viewers could ask the actors to perform the requested items. As the ondemand calls were so popular, the lines would literally be overheated, causing staff members to stand by with a fire extinguisher ready to put out any possible fire.
The gala traditionally concludes with the song “Can't Forget Tonight”. The song has been performed for 23 times over the past 36 years. Its original performer Li Guyi has also held a record of singing the most songs during a gala. In 1983, she sang a total of seven songs.
Cheung Mingman was the first singer from Hong Kong to perform at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. He sang a patriotic song, “My Chinese Heart,” in 1984 and won millions of hearts, especially those who were living abroad.
The longest running performance in the history of the gala is called “Time”. In 2016, Yang Caiqi performed on stage for four hours until the New Year's bell rang.
1. How many people watched the 2019 CCTV Spring Festival Gala?| A．About 1,148 million. | B．About 646 million. |
| C．About 1,173 million. | D．About 552 million. |
| A．“Time” lasted over four hours in the gala of 2016. |
| B．Cheung Mingman sang a patriotic song in the first gala. |
| C．The song “Can't Forget Tonight” is performed annually in the gala. |
| D．Backstage staff of the first gala kept cautious in case the telephone lines caught fire. |
| A．To share some facts about the gala. |
| B．To look back on the past of the gala. |
| C．To attract more viewers to watch the show. |
| D．To promote the traditional Chinese festival. |
10 . Beijing is a rather strange city to many western people. One of my foreign friends told me that when he came to Beijing, at first he couldn't understand why most people wear masks when spring comes to Beijing. He thought people wanted to keep their appearance a secret. Well, one of the symbols of spring coming to Beijing is that more and more people start wearing masks. The reason for it is the arrival of so called “sandstorms”.
It is said that each year sandstorms hit Beijing 4 to 5 times. The sand is brought to Beijing by wind from the western part of China. Tons of soil and dust travel hundreds of miles and blanket Beijing's streets, parked cars and apartment buildings. You would be amazed to see the ground has turned yellow overnight. The storm is so violent that you do not want to have a conversation with your friend on the road. If you open your mouth and then you close it, you may have the raw taste of sand in your mouth.
People in Beijing hate those storms. Sandstorms make the traffic jam in rush hours even more unpredictable, because the drivers have to drive slowly in order to have a clear view of the road conditions. Young students also hate sandstorms because whenever there is a sandstorm, they are not allowed to have any activities outside the classroom. It is so boring to sit in the classroom all day and the youngsters are so eager to go out and do some sports.
It is said that the closest desert is only 80 kilometers away from the city center.There is definitely much more to do for the local government to deal with the environmental problem.
1. Why do people in Beijing wear masks in the spring?| A．Because they are rather strange. |
| B．Because there are serious sandstorms. |
| C．Because their appearance are not beautiful. |
| D．Because they want to keep their face a secret. |
| A．Dry. | B．Cross. | C．Destroy. | D．Cover. |
| A．Drivers clean the road. | B．They hold some activities. |
| C．Youngsters go out to do sports. | D．Students stay in the classroom. |
| A．People in Sandstorms | B．How to Prevent Sandstorms |
| C．Sandstorms in Beijing | D．What to Do in a Sandstorm |
