1 . Sometimes life can seem challenging and we usually get the feeling that however happy we are，we never seem to be satisfied .We usually feel upset with the troubles that life throws at us．The best thing to do at that point of time is to close our eyes and start counting of all the blessings in life that God has given us．
If we think deeply, our life is full of blessings that we hardly recognize．Listening to the singing of birds early in the morning，we realize that there are many people who spend their life in a world that is silent while many others spend their lives in a world that is dark and may have never seen a rainbow（彩虹） or the setting sun．
When you go out for a drive，pull down the window and look at the poor beggar standing under the hot sun，begging for filling his hungry stomach．We get three meals a day without realizing its importance．Isn't that a blessing？
Whenever you are sad，look at the eyes of your parents and family filled with love and concern for you. There are many people who have never experienced the love of a family．Isn't that a blessing？
As Mother Teresa once said，"We don't need to do great things．We need to do small things with great love"．
The key to a happy life is when we consider others’ problems to be our own and try to help them．When we love people without any expectations and help them，our heart is filled with a sense of happiness and peace．
So next time whenever life knocks you down，close your eyes and start counting!
1. What does the author intend to tell us？| A．Love gives us courage． |
| B．Don’t be unsatisfied with our life． |
| C．True happiness lies in becoming rich. |
| D．The singing of birds can make us happy． |
| A．Drive outside and beg. |
| B．Close our eyes and cry. |
| C．Look for our parents’ love and concern. |
| D．Remember the happy time we’ve experienced. |
| A．It is a blessing to have three meals a day． |
| B．Mother Teresa calls on us to do great things in life． |
| C．It's natural to see a rainbow or the setting sun in life． |
| D．We have already known that life is filled with blessings． |
| A．Considering our own things. |
| B．Learning to love and help others. |
| C．Letting our hearts fill with peace. |
| D．Helping others with many expectations. |
2 . That warm day was the only day of the week without rain.I opened the door, took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine.Suddenly, I noticed that the house near mine had been sold.An elderly lady was in front of the door, with some beautiful flowers beside her. I walked to her. She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair.
“Hi!My name is Karmen,” I said smiling brightly at the old lady. She smiled back and said, “Hello,Karmen.I’m Kitty.” Her voice was very strong for someone at her age. Later, I learned that she was alone and had no family or relatives to help her. From that day on, I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food. A year passed, and I considered her to be one of my best friends.
One day, I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I knocked again, and she still didn’t turn up. So I let myself in, using the key she had given me. I checked her living room and then her kitchen. I finally went into her bedroom, and she was lying peacefully on her bed. Beside her there were two notes. One was her will (遗嘱), which said all that she had would be given to me. The other was a thank-you note. I went to her bedside and cried sadly.
Though several years has gone by, I still miss her deeply. Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house, I remember the wonderful friendship we had.
1. What did the author learn about the old lady?| A．She preferred to live alone. |
| B．She disliked all her relatives. |
| C．She had no one to look after her. |
| D．She was looking for someone to help her. |
| A．Because he wanted her house. |
| B．Because he felt pity for her. |
| C．Because he liked to do housework. |
| D．Because he’d like to eat delicious food. |
| A．Leave all that she had to the author. |
| B．Give the author a key to her house. |
| C．Give the author her favourite flowers. |
| D．Let the author know she was her best friend. |
| A．Foolish. | B．Clever. | C．Polite. | D．Grateful. |
3 . Ocean food plays a very important part in our food supply. Not so long ago, the world’s oceans were filled with different types of fish. Now, a large increase in global overfishing has threatened that supply.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 90 percent of the world’s fisheries (渔场) are either being fully exploited (开发), or are at risk of being closed down.
With fish supplies running out at home, fishermen are traveling further to find their catch. Frequently, fishermen are crossing over into other countries. As fish supplies closer to their homeland’s shores are decreasing fishermen cross borders to find fish.
Overfishing can be found everywhere, from Mexican fishing boats off the US coast of Florida to Russian fishing boats in the western Bering Sea. However, the effect is felt the strongest in the South China Sea.
On the other side of the world, West Africa is now seeing malign effects of overfishing. For coastal African countries, such as Senegal, the fishing industry is a large part of the national economy. The World Bank reports nearly 20 percent of the Senegalese are working in the fishing industry. Rashid Sumaila is the Director of Fisheries Economic Research at the University of British Columbia. He says communities that depend on fish for income and food, like Senegal, are now at risk.
1. Why do fishermen cross borders to catch fish?| A．Because they want to protect the environment. |
| B．Because they want to enjoy the overseas scenery. |
| C．Because fish supplies in their countries are decreasing. |
| D．Because fishing is not allowed in their own countries. |
| A．In Russia. | B．In the South China Sea. |
| C．Off the US coast of Florida. | D．In the western Bering Sea. |
| A．Harmful. | B．Satisfying. |
| C．Hopeful. | D．Beneficial. |
| A．Most people in Africa will be out of work. |
| B．The World Bank will lend money to fishermen. |
| C．Rashid Sumaila is unconcerned about overfishing. |
| D．Overfishing has some bad effects on African people. |
4 . As the Forbidden City approaches its 600th anniversary next year, a great change has been taking place, with dark and dusty corners of the palace brought back to their former glory for all to see. As recently as 2012, only 30 percent of the vast palace was open to the public. Now, 80 percent is accessible ― quickly filling with exhibition spaces, stylish restaurants and cafes, bookstores and highly profitable gift stores, as well as quiet walkways. Besides, great walls around it are now mostly open, allowing an overhead view of the grounds.
But even all that new space is not nearly enough to showcase(陈列) the treasures collected over the centuries by emperors. Now the Forbidden City can display only about 30,000 objects at a time, or 2 percent of its total.
By 2022, a new campus in the university district of Haidian, about 18 miles to the northwest, is scheduled to open to the public, a 153-acre area that will have room to show imperial carriages, carpets and regalia (礼服).
The museum staff members have also become more creative in using the space. During a visit, there was a show on how the imperial family celebrated the Chinese New Year, including reproductions of New Year’s couplets written by the Emperor Kang Xi, whose six-decade rule ended in 1722.
The new gift stores, which earned $220 million in sales in 2017, have also lifted their offerings. They once featured little more than key chains and ugly dolls; now, they have reproductions of porcelain (瓷器), textiles (织物) and even furniture.
Lisa Tan, a 38-year-old editor at a Beijing publishing house, said the new shops were attractive because they offered traditional porcelain made by government-recognized masters using traditional methods.
“It’s good that the Forbidden City is taking a lead in keeping these traditional practices alive,” Ms Tan said. “The gift store has even become fashionable in some circles.” And some of the more commercial activities are being limited, including photo studios where people can dress up like an emperor or empress.
Most visitors are still part of package tours that make people travel quickly through the central part of the palace. But taking a slower, more winding path through the Forbidden City is a better way to soak up the history and discover some of its secrets.
1. What’s the great change in the Forbidden City?| A．The great walls around it are open to the public. |
| B．The gift stores are a new visiting spot there. |
| C．It welcomes visitors on a large scale. |
| D．The new space is mainly for displaying treasures. |
| A．They bring in huge profits. |
| B．They focus on key chains and dolls. |
| C．They sell reproductions of furniture. |
| D．They offer a good variety of traditional items. |
| A．They create some quiet walkways. |
| B．They use the space for holding shows. |
| C．They manage the new gift stores successfully. |
| D．They guide visitors to find out history and secrets. |
| A．The Emperor Kang Xi ruled the country for 60 years. |
| B．The district of Haidian covers an area of 153 acres. |
| C．One can explore the Forbidden City fully on package tours. |
| D．About 1,500,000 objects are on display now. |
5 . Smart Home Products for Living a Connected Life
What makes something a smart home product? Generally, it’s defined by its ability to connect to a Wi-Fi network, allowing users to interact（互动）with it from their smartphones.We’ve rounded up some cool, diverse offerings that you’ll love to have in your home.
Nest Cam IQ
walmart.com
$299.00
The Nest Cam IQ is a beautifully designed home security camera that can recognize faces. It can warn you if there’s a stranger in your home. The device also supports two-way communication via built-in microphones and a powerful speaker.
Logitech Harmony Elite
amazon.com
$249.99
The Logitech Harmony Elite is one of the best universal remote controls available on the market. It can control just about every piece of electronics you own（it supports over 270，000 devices！）in every room of your house or apartment, including TVs，streaming devices, and sound systems.
Apple HomePod
bhphotovideo.com
$349.00
The Apple HomePod has better audio quality than any other smart speaker available today. Available in white or space gray, the Siri-powered device also allows you to control a number of devices with your voice.
August Smart Lock Pro
amazon.com
$279.99
The August Smart Lock Pro is compatible（兼容的）with most locks. A mobile app allows you to manage access to the lock, check its usage history, and get informed when someone opens the door. You can control it and check on the state of your door with voice commands.
1. What can the Nest Cam IQ help you do？| A．Properly use your smartphone camera |
| B．Control electronics with your voice. |
| C．Check the locks of your house. |
| D．Keep your home safe. |
| A．Nest Cam IQ. |
| B．Apple HomePod. |
| C．August Smart Lock Pro. |
| D．Logitech Harmony Elite. |
| A．Technology. |
| B．News. |
| C．Society. |
| D．Education. |
6 . Hundreds of children are being treated for sleep problems in Wales every year. In some cases，babies，infants (婴儿)and teenagers have been admitted to hospital in north Wales alone.
The Children’s Sleep Charity said many children were suffering from lack of sleep mainly because of technology use. Public Health Wales said sleep was as important to a child’s health as healthy eating and exercise，and children with poor sleep patterns were more likely to be fat.
Statistics obtained (获得) under the Freedom of Information Act by BBC Wales found at least 408 children have been admitted to hospitals across Wales suffering from sleep disorders since March 2013.
Children aged between 0 and 4 made up the highest number of inpatients (住院病人)，with some newborns being treated for sleep-related problems from the day of birth.
Vicki Dawson，who set up the Children’s Sleep Charity (CSC)，said sleepless nights were putting both children and parents in anxiety. “Their weight and growth may also be affected as well as their mental health，”she said.
Teachers said children showing signs of sleep shortage and tiredness in class were a concern as they couldn’t concentrate for long periods.
Psychologist Amy McClelland，of Sleep Wales，saida common problem was that children were “over excited”before bed and that families should get back to basics. “Think 1950s family home. Dinner as a family，read，chat，a film maybe，lights off and then bed. ”She added.
1. What’s the main reason why children are short of sleep？| A．Less exercise. | B．Eating habits. |
| C．Technology use. | D．Sleep patterns. |
| A．Infants. | B．Teenagers. |
| C．Teachers. | D．Parents. |
| A．Chatting and films make children sleep more. |
| B．It is difficult for children to read before bed. |
| C．Being too excitedis good for sleep habits. |
| D．Relaxation has a bad effect on children. |
| A．Ways to Treat Sleep Problems | B．Sleep Problems of Welsh Children |
| C．Sleep Habits of Welsh Children | D．The Problems of Welsh Children |
