1 . Gardening is popular in many parts of the world. It brings us sweet smelling flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables. But you can get more from your garden.
Gardening helps to keep healthy. Today’s people sit indoors for too long and don’t get much exercise. When you garden, you have to move around. It’s a good chance for you to exercise your body by watering flowers or doing some digging. Besides, when you are in your garden, you can feel the warm sunshine. This means you are getting Vitamin D. It helps your bodies use calcium (钙), which is necessary to keep your bones (骨骼) strong.
____It gets them off computers, televisions and phones. Gardening can be a great teacher to teach children about nature and healthy eating. It can also help them to understand the meaning of “No pains, no gains.”
Gardening is a great way to meet people and build relationships. When you are gardening, you are outdoors. So it is a perfect time to communicate with your neighbors. Most people love to talk about their hobbies and so do gardeners. They usually enjoy showing people what they are growing. And most enjoy sharing advice and stories about their gardens.
1. When it’s______, you can get Vitamin D in your garden.| A．sunny | B．cloudy | C．snowy | D．rainy |
| A．watching TV | B．watering flowers |
| C．walking dogs | D．playing with phones |
| A．Gardening will be good for your bones. |
| B．Gardening may help people to feel happy. |
| C．Gardening is a great activity to do with children. |
| D．Gardening can be a good way to meet neighbors. |
| A．Outdoor Activities | B．Advantages of Gardening |
| C．Heating Eating habits | D．Relationships with neighbors |
2 . Ancient China produced many types of beautiful works of art. Among them, calligraphy (书法), poetry (诗歌) and painting are the most famous. Often they would be put together in art.These became important starting with the Song dynasty.
Calligraphy is the art of handwriting. In the old times the Chinese considered writing as an important form of art. Calligraphers would practice for years to learn to write perfectly, but with style. Each of the over 40,000 characters (汉字) needed to be written correctly. And each stroke (笔画) in a character had to be written in a certain order.
Poetry is also an important form of art. Great poets were famous all over the country, and all educated people were expected to write poetry. During the Tang dynasty poetry was so important that writing poetry was part of the examinations to become a civil servant (文官)and work for the government.
Chinese painting is often connected with calligraphy. It is one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world. The most traditional way of Chinese painting is known as “national painting” or “native painting” which is quite different from Western painting. People can draw mountains, buildings, birds, trees and water.
1. Calligraphers needed to write over _____ characters correctly in the old times.| A．10,000 | B．20,000 | C．30,000 | D．40,000 |
| A．Painting. | B．Calligraphy. | C．Writing poetry. | D．Playing music. |
| A．Calligraphy, poetry, and painting are the most famous works of art in ancient China. |
| B．The strokes of each character can be written in any order. |
| C．Poetry is an important form of art like calligraphy. |
| D．Chinese painting is often connected with calligraphy. |
| A．Chinese art. | B．Chinese examinations. |
| C．Chinese history. | D．Chinese dynasties. |
3 . Asia has long tradition of tea-drinking. And China is no exception.
However, lately more and more Chinese people are turning to a different drink. Coffee has become an increasingly popular choice of Chinese people living abroad and in the country’s huge cities. It is also a popular crop among those living in the mountains of southern Yunnan Province.
In big cities such as Beijing, coffee shops seem to be on nearly every major street corner. These shops are not just selling drinks from Starbucks, the world-famous coffee company. Coffee businesses from South Korea, Taiwan, HongKong and Britain are also operating in China.
Tea-drinking is steeped in the culture and traditions of many countries, like China and Japan. But is that changing? Are young people from Asia now choosing a cup of coffee instead of tea?
BeiBei Su is from China. She has been living in the United States for the past eight years. Before that, she lived in Italy for two years. Ms. Su says she likes tea better than coffee. But she adds that may not be true among the young generation in China. Many young Chinese people drink coffee socially ---when meeting with friends. Yang Lin lives in the U.S. but comes from an area in China famous for growing tea. She used to only drink tea while in China. But now, she says, she drinks both and for different reasons.
Yang Lin says that drinking coffee for her is a social event. She and her co-workers like to sit in a cafe and talk over a cup of coffee. Voyo is another Chinese woman who now lives in Washington, D.C. She says that after moving to the U.S. her tastes changed. We would call her a coffee convert, someone who now chooses to drink coffee.
With more people drinking coffee, many see an economic(经济的）opportunity for Chinese-grown beans. China-grown coffee could be a money-maker even if most of the coffee on sale in China is imported(进口的).
1. What does the author mainly introduce?| A．Chinese people have long tradition of tea-drinking. |
| B．More and more Chinese are choosing coffee to drink. |
| C．People in big cities like drinking coffee better than tea. |
| D．More Asian people are turning to different drinks. |
| A．A person who has changed to drink coffee. |
| B．A person who has changed to drink tea. |
| C．A person who has changed to grow tea. |
| D．A person who has changed to grow coffee. |
| A．Because she lives in the U.S. Now. |
| B．Because she can talk with friends. |
| C．Because she has drunk tea so long. |
| D．Because her tastes has changed. |
| A．less and less coffee will be imported in China in the future. |
| B．the China-grown coffee beans will be sold to the world soon. |
| C．the need of coffee will offer more chances to make money. |
| D．Chinese economy will depend on coffee beans in the future. |
4 . Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizers are encouraging people living in Japan to help make the medals for the games by donating(捐赠)their useless smart phones for recycling.It will avoid waste and benefit the environment.
The organizing committee says that it has cooperated with NTT Docomo,a telecommunications giant in Japan,and hopes to collect up to 8 tons of metal from useless electronic devices(设备).
“Tokyo 2020 Olympic medals will be made in order to avoid waste,”said three-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Kohei Uchimura.“I think thereis an important message in this for future generations.”
Collection boxes will be put in more than 2,400 NTT Docomo stores throughout Japan.The organizing committee says that millions of smart phones will be needed to hit the 8-ton target－enough to make 5,000 medals.Collection will stop when the target has been reached.
“The weight of a medal around your neck is always a good weight,”says American former athlete Ashton Eaton,a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder.“And when an athlete at Tokyo wins a medal,the weight of it will not be from the gold,silver or bronze;it will be the weight of a nation.The great project makes me want to come out of retirement and compete for one.”
Previous(先前的)Olympic Games have used recycled metal to make medals,but Tokyo 2020 will be the first to choose materials from useless electronic devices.Organizers claim that all gold medals will be made 100 percent from recycled materials.
“We are asking people to recycle voluntarily,”says Hidemasa Nakamura,the chief financial officer of the 2020 Games.“The idea is recycling and sustainability(可持续),which shows the ideas of the Olympic Movement,it is also about participation.”
1. Useless smart phones are collected because of.| A．the idea to reduce waste |
| B．the demand of many athletes |
| C．the pressure from lack of metal |
| D．the competition from other countries |
| A．Go to the community where you live. |
| B．Visit an NTT Docomo store in Japan. |
| C．Write to one of the public offices. |
| D．Contact the Olympic organizers. |
| A．He will join in the 2020 Olympics. |
| B．He thinks gold medals are very important. |
| C．He focuses on the weight of medals. |
| D．He thinks highly of the recycled medals. |
| A．It will be the first to make medals by recycling metal. |
| B．It will make more medals than previous Olympics. |
| C．It will make medals from recycled electronic devices. |
| D．It will require more volunteers to promote recycling. |
5 . For centuries,dolphins have got our admiration,and it is easy to see why.They are beautiful,cute and smart sea animals.Dolphins are not fish,but warm-blooded animals.They live in groups,and speak to each other in their own language.In this way,they are like other animals,such as bees and birds.But dolphins are very different from almost all land animals.It is said that dolphins are the world’s second smartest creatures after humans and have many brain features(特征)related to intelligence.Their brain is nearly the same size as our own,and they live a long time－at least twenty or thirty years.
Like some animals,dolphins use sound to help them find their way around.They also make these sounds to talk to each other and to help them find food.We now know they do not use their ears to receive these sounds,but the lower part of the mouth,called the jaw.
Strangely,dolphins seem to like man,and for thousands of years there have been stories about the dolphin and its friendship with people.
There is a story about sailors in the 19th century.In a dangerous part of the sea off the coast of New Zealand,they learnt to look for a dolphin called Jack.From 1871 to 1903,Jack met every boat in the area and showed it the way.Then in 1903 a passenger on a boat called The Penguin shot and wounded Jack.He recovered and for nine years more continued to guide all ships through the area－except for The Penguin.
Today,somepeople continue to kill dolphins,but many countries of the world now protect them and in these places it is against the law to kill them.
1. Dolphins are different from many other animals because they_____.| A．live in groups | B．have their own language |
| C．are warm-blooded | D．have large brains |
| A．Its nose. | B．Its ears. |
| C．Its jaw. | D．Its eyes. |
| A．They wanted to kill Jack. |
| B．They wanted Jack’s help. |
| C．They wanted to take care of wounded Jack. |
| D．They enjoyed playing with Jack. |
| A．dolphins are friendly and clever |
| B．people are cruel to animals |
| C．Jack is different from other dolphins |
| D．dolphins are being protected by all the countries |
6 . A loving father lost much weight after being shamed into dieting when he became so fat that he couldn’t play with his young daughter. Chris Willis, 47, weighed 172 kg following a lifetime of fatty foods.
The dad cut out all the fatty foods that he had enjoyed, and began exercising. He now weighs 105 kg after losing 10 kg every month since July. Chris had to take long rests just to climb the stairs or walk more than a few yards, saying, “The hardest thing was seeing my little girl in the garden and not being able to join in because I was so unhealthy. But now I am making up for the lost time — we do so much together and it is just great.”
Before switching (转变) to a healthy lifestyle, Chris would have five slices of bread for breakfast as a midmorning meal before a full English breakfast. He would then have a sandwich, a large pack of crisps and a pasty for lunch before chewing a whole packet of biscuits in the afternoon. For dinner, Chris would demolish a chicken curry, and ice cream, and also four pints of beer before feeding on fatty snacks all evening.
Chris said, “At 13, I was 118 kg and I remember a teacher pointing this out to the whole school. From then on I was picked on and bullied (欺负). My weight went up and up. But I now have a newfound freedom. My family and friends have been so supportive and my wife and daughter are so pleased for me. In fact, it’s them that I did it for more than anyone else. The whole journey has been amazing and I am still shocked myself that I have managed to lose so much weight.” Chris is now aiming for a new target weight of 96 kg.
1. How long do you think Chris has been dieting?| A．Many years. |
| B．About 6 months. |
| C．About one year. |
| D．Since he was 13. |
| A．He was bullied by others. |
| B．He weighed as much as 172 kg. |
| C．He was too unhealthy to play with his daughter. |
| D．He wanted to switch to a healthy lifestyle. |
| A．Drink. |
| B．Pack. |
| C．Destroy. |
| D．Eat. |
| A．Power of Father’s Love. |
| B．Harm of Fatty Foods. |
| C．Importance of Health. |
| D．Benefit of Exercise. |
7 . Student travel promises to be an enjoyable trip. Not only can students visit several places, they also can learn so much on every trip. For first-time travelers, here are some historical destinations for students to travel.
Athens
It was the center of knowledge, government and system in the ancient world, and every student would be amazed at how this ancient city grew and evolved. Students can visit Acropolis, Agora, Library of Hadrian, Kerameikos, Olympieion & Southeast Athens. Pnyx, Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds, Arch of Hadrian, City Eleusinian and other ancient sites in this, ancient city of Athens.
Egypt
Egypt features 3,000 years old city on the banks of River Nile. Moving your way south from Cairo, the nation’s capital, you can stop at Giza where the famous Great Pyramid stands. It was built by Pharaoh Khufu in 2550 BC. Further south, Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser built in 2630 BC. In Dahshur, the Bent and the Red Pyramids are located. And down south at Maidum, the Maidum Pyramid can be found.
Rome
See ancient Rome still shine with evidences of Raman structure and architectures built more than 2,000 years ago Rome presents the living timeline from the Roman Empire to the shift of the Middle Ages, to the dawn of the Romantic period and Enlightenment (启蒙运动). Rome preserves its temples, churches, arts, and priceless paintings and murals.
Peru
As the center of the Inca civilization, Peru is a great destination for students travel for discovery of South American history. The 500-year old Inca traces could be relived in the Inca Trail that is both exciting and educational. Walk to the Ollantaytambo, Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, and Pisac to have a visit.
1. What are the four destinations famous for?| A．Various arts. | B．Traditional custom. |
| C．Important location. | D．Ancient civilization. |
| A．Cairo. | B．Dahshur. |
| C．Giza. | D．Saqqara. |
| A．A student diary. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A research paper. | D．A sports magazine. |
8 . Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork—everything from taking tests to researching a paper. But unfortunately, most schools don’t have classes that teach you how to take notes. So here are some tips.
Write down key facts. If you have a teacher who writes notes on the board, that’s good: You can copy them down. If not, write down the most important points from class. Does your history teacher mention the date of a key Civil War battle? Does your English teacher give examples of Shakespeare’s use of irony(讽刺)? Write them down!
Different teachers do things differently. For example, some teachers may mention lots of dates and facts in class but only write the key ones on the board. Other teachers may not write anything down, but they may repeat a certain date or a piece of information. After a while, you’ll get to know a teacher’s style.
Don’t overdo it. Don’t go crazy taking notes. You’ll be frantic(慌乱的) if you try to write down every word that’s said in class. And if you focus too much on getting your notes right, you might miss important points. Some people actually learn better by listening, writing down a few key points, and then going over the material after class.
Ask. Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss. If the teacher is going too fast, your classmates will also be happy to hear the information again. If you don’t want to ask in class, see your teacher afterwards. It’s much easier than wondering if you got the notes right as you study.
Compare. Keep your notes handy when you’re doing your reading homework. Compare what you wrote with what the reading says—you may even want to add to your notes as you read.
1. What’s an advantage of note-taking according to the writer?| A．It helps you to get good marks in tests. | B．It’s a basic skill in researching a paper. |
| C．It helps fix your mind on what the teacher says. | D．It gives you a better understanding of key facts. |
| A．To introduce the topic of note-taking. | B．To compare writing styles in different times. |
| C．To give an example of forming good habits. | D．To explain what a key fact is in a teacher’s class. |
| A．Teachers encourage their students to be active in class. |
| B．It’s helpful for teachers to learn from each other in styles. |
| C．It’s not always possible to note down all information in class. |
| D．A teacher’s style should be taken into consideration when taking notes. |
| A．Students must try to take correct and detailed notes in class. |
| B．Students should put down only key points while listening carefully. |
| C．Students must not interrupt the teacher by asking questions in class. |
| D．Students should put down as much information as possible in class. |
Phew! I'm so glad the day is over. I'm really tired, but my first day at school went well.
First of all, we met outside the school building.I was very nervous because my primary school only had 300 pupils but in the middle school there are about 1,300.What a difference! The older pupils are really big.I felt so small waiting there in front of the school.
The head teacher came out and told us to go into the school hall.Then he called our names out to tell us which class we were in. My class teacher is called Mrs. Black. She took us to our classroom.It's on the 5th floor.We aren't allowed to use the lift! I couldn't believe it.
We spent all morning with Mrs.Black looking at our timetables.Everyone in the school had a different timetable.I'm worried that I'll forget my timetable and go to the wrong room.
Lunchtime was OK. I had salad, fish and fruit, which was quite good, and then I went to play football with some of the other boys. They were all friendly and I don't think it will take me long to make friends.
After lunch we started lessons. I had maths and then history, where we started to learn about ancient Greece.That looked interesting.I have to do some homework tonight to find out how the ancient Greek people lived, so I'm going to do an Internet search and look it up in the library.
So far so good.I am quite looking forward to tomorrow, even though I've got science. I hate science!
Yours,
Jason
1. Why did the head teacher come?
| A．To give the pupils a timetable. | B．To tell the pupils which class they were in. |
| C．To show the pupils how to use the lift. | D．To take the pupils to their classrooms. |
a．Jason looked at his timetable. b．Jason went to the school hall.
c．Jason started his lessons. d．Jason played football with some boys.
| A．c a b d | B．a c b d | C．b c a d | D．b a d c |
| A．Jason didn't realize the new school was smaller than his primary school. |
| B．Jason was lucky enough to have someone else in the same class. |
| C．Jason thought it unbelievable, for they are not allowed to use the lift. |
| D．Jason didn't think the boys were friendly when playing football. |
| A．Terrible. | B．Disappointed. | C．Worried. | D．Good. |
10 . We don’t know how different our life will be in the future. We can only try to imagine it.
At first we think about human relationship. In the year 2050, we will use computers almost every day. We will make new friends through the Internet—even our husbands or wives will be met in this way. It will be much faster and easier for us. On the other hand, our relationships with people won’t be as important as they are today—we will feel a little lonely.
Computers will also help us in many other activities in 2050.For example, they will be used by the children at school to make their learning easier. In addition, there will be much more other machines which will play a similar role as computers, like robots which will do the housework for us.
Spending holidays will also be completely different. Traveling to other planets or to the moon will be available for everyone. Means of transport will, of course, change, too. We will use solar-powered cars, which will be much cleaner.
We could expect that the faster technological progress would lead to a more polluted environment. But it isn’t true. We will pay more attention to protecting the environment. And, scientists will probably find cures for many dangerous diseases, like cancer or AIDS. Therefore, our surroundings as well as health will be in better condition.
Although we can’t predict the exact changes which will be made in the world, we often think about them. We worry about our and our children’s future；we have expectations, hopes as well as fears. But I think we should be rather hope about our future. We should be happy and believe good things will happen.
1. Why will people probably feel a little lonely in 2050?| A．Because the number of people will become much smaller. |
| B．Because there will be less face-to-face communication. |
| C．Because people won’t like making friends with each other. |
| D．Because people won’t communicate with each other much often. |
| A．computers will do all the things for human beings |
| B．how people will use computers to communicate with each other |
| C．machines like computers and robots will help people a lot |
| D．how people will use robots to do the housework |
| A．How people will communicate in the year 2050. |
| B．What our life will be like in the year 2050. |
| C．How people will travel and spend their holidays in the year 2050. |
| D．What high technology will appear in the year 2050. |
