1 . Some people say chili peppers (辣椒) can help you breathe better if you have a cold. Others believe that chilies give you more energy. We cannot tell whether these ideas are true or false. But we can tell you that people have been growing chilies for centuries, and there are many kinds—about two hundred kinds of chili peppers.
Chilies need a warm climate to grow better. If you plant the seeds outside when the weather is cold, place the seeds in a glass. That will add more warmth from the sun so as to make the temperature inside higher than outside.
If you plant inside, fill a pot with soil. The pot should have holes in the bottom so water can run out. Drop several seeds over the surface of the pot and cover them with some soil. Then cover the top of the pot with a piece of plastic. Place the pot in a warm area.
Take off the plastic when the chilies start growing; when the plants have reached about two centimeters high, place each one carefully in its own pot.
When the roots show through the holes in the bottom of pot, put each young plant into a bigger pot which is about twelve centimeters high. When the plants are twenty centimeters high, tie the plants to a stick placed in the pot to support them.
When the chili peppers are thirty centimeters, get rid of the tops. That will make new branches grow. When the first flowers show, give the plants some potash fertilizer (钾肥). When the weather is warm, put them outside. Make sure that they get plenty of light and water.
Some people like to harvest chilies when they are green. Others like to harvest them when they are red. Both give color, taste and different amounts of heat to salads, soups, dishes and other foods.
1. We can know from the passage that _________.| A．chilies can make us breathe better |
| B．chilies can give our body more energy |
| C．chilies has been grown for a long time. |
| D．a red chili is hotter than a green one |
| A．increase the temperature inside | B．make the air inside cleaner |
| C．stop the sun drying up the seeds | D．stop wind blowing away the seeds |
①Getting rid of the tops of the chili plants.
②Covering the top of the pot with plastic
③Dropping chili seeds onto the soil in the pot.
④Giving potash fertilizer to the chili plants.
| A．②③①④ | B．①④②③ | C．①③②④ | D．③②①④ |
| A．The meanings of planting chilies | B．The steps of planting chilies |
| C．The advantages of planting chilies | D．The varieties of chilies |
2 . Kristen Sorensen was 55 when she became paralyzed from the neck down. Diagnosed in October 2018 with a rare disorder that affects the body's nervous system, she never expected to walk again.
But earlier that year, the Brooks Treatment Center in Florida became the first center to use a unique technology developed in Japan --- the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL). HAL, essentially a wearable machine, helps those with spinal cord (脊髓的)injuries and muscular diseases regain their movements and strengthen their nerves and muscles. Known as exoskeletons, they're a type of lightweight suit, with joints powered by small electric motors, that serve as mechanical muscle. Patients use their brain waves to control them.
When Sorensen heard about the brain wave-controlled exoskeleton, she knew she had to place an order and give it a try. A trained nurse helped her fit HAL over her waist and trousers, connecting her to sensors that help pick up faint bio-electric signals on the surface of the skin, which communicate a patient's intention to move. Once HAL receives these signals, it helps support the person's movements.
After some training and efforts, Sorensen was able to walk at her daughter's wedding a few months later in December. It's a thought that Sorensen shares. "When I used HAL, there were people who came from all over the country to use the equipment," she says. "I would like this kind of technology to be more readily available and more accessible especially to those who learn slowly."
But it's not just those with disabilities or injuries who stand to benefit. By 2050, there will be more than 2 billion people over age 60, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and exoskeletons could offer a solution to the world's aging population.
In the future, as human bodies wear down with age, an exoskeleton - powered by active minds - could help people stay on their feet. With such huge potential applications available, the global medical exoskeleton market will be worth an estimated $2.8 billion by 2023, according to a research company.
1. What do we know about Kristen?| A．She had much difficulties in walking. |
| B．She was paralyzed due to an accident. |
| C．She volunteered in a science experiment. |
| D．She never gave up the hope to walk again. |
| A．brain wave | B．electrical nerve | C．mechanical muscle | D．spinal cord |
①Persons put on HAL.
②Persons are connected to the sensors.
③HAL helps support the person's motion.
④Persons send out intention to move.
⑤Sensors pick up signals and pass them to HAL.
| A．②①④⑤③ | B．①②③④⑤ | C．②①③④⑤ | D．①②④⑤③ |
| A．HAL can now be used with no difficulty |
| B．HAL may have a large potential market |
| C．HAL has been widely used in the world |
| D．HAL can only help people with disabilities |
3 . The Poetry Foundation, recently named American poet Jack Prelutsky as the nation's first children's poet laureate (桂冠诗人). The group created the award as a way to increase children's love of poetry.
As children's poet laureate, Jack Prelutsky will give two public readings in the next two years. He will also advise the Poetry Foundation about children's literature and take part in projects concerning children and poetry.
Jack Prelutsky has been writing poetry for children for almost forty years. He has written more than thirty five books of poems. His first book was called A Gopher in the Garden. It was published in 1967. His latest is called Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems.
Jack Prelutsky is well known for creating new words by combining two words to create a new kind of creature. For example, he combined “radish” with “shark” to get “radishark”. “Lion” and “broccoli” became “broccolion”. He also created “umbrellaphant”, a mixture of the words “umbrella” and “elephant”.
Jack Prelutsky says that children like his poems because he writes about things they care about. Poetry researchers say that Jack Prelutsky's poems recognize children's feelings. An example of this is the poem My Sister Is a Werewolf which is about how it feels to be different.
Jack Prelutsky also writes poems about American holidays. His poem It's Halloween is a very famous one about the holiday celebrated at the end of October.
1. Which of the following can be the BEST title of the passage?| A．Poems with New Words Grow Popular | B．First Children's Poet Laureate Named |
| C．Children's Love for Poetry Increased | D．Jack Prelutsky Awarded Nationwide |
| A．Creating new words in his poems. | B．His productivity. |
| C．His long time of writing. | D．His poems about American holidays. |
| A．It was A Gopher in the Garden that brought him fame. |
| B．The poet will be kept busy over a lot of activities. |
| C．Jack Prelutsky will no longer write about American holidays. |
| D．The poem It's Halloween must have been written for adults. |
a. two public readings
b. A Gopher in the Garden
c. Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems
d. My Sister Is a Werewolf
| A．b—c—d—a | B．d—a—c—b |
| C．b—d—c—a | D．a—b—c—d |
4 . When I was a senior in college, I came home for Christmas vacation and anticipated a fun-filled fortnight with my two brothers. We were so excited to be together and we volunteered to watch the store so that my mother and father could take their first day off in years. The day before my parents went to Boston, my father took me quietly aside to the little den behind the store. He took out a cigar box, opened it and showed me a little pile of newspaper articles.
“What are they?” I asked.
Father replied seriously, “These are articles I’ve written and some letters to the editor that have been published.”
As I began to read, I saw at the bottom of each neatly clipped article the name Walter Chapman. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d done that?” I asked.
“Because I didn’t want your mother to know. She has always told me that since I didn’t have much education, I shouldn’t try to write. I wanted to run for some political office also, but she told me I shouldn’t try. I guess she was afraid she’d be embarrassed if I lost. I figured I could write without her knowing it, and so I did. When each item would be printed, I’d cut it out and hide it in this box. I knew someday I’d show the box to someone, and it’s you.”
He watched me as I read over a few of the articles and when I looked up, his big blue eyes were moist. “I guess I tried for something too big this last time,” he added.
“Did you write something else?”
“Yes, I sent some suggestions in to our church magazine on how the national nominating committee could be selected more fairly. It’s been three months since I sent it in. I guess I tried for something too big.”
This was such a new side to my fun-loving father that I didn’t quite know what to say, so I tried, “Maybe it’ll still come.”
“Maybe, but don’t hold your breath.” father gave me a little smile and a wink and then closed the cigar box.
The next morning our parents left on the bus to the railway station where they took a train to Boston. When I ran the store with my two brothers, I thought about the box. I’d never known my father liked to write. I didn’t tell my brothers. It was a secret between father and me.
Early that evening I looked out the store window and saw my mother get off the bus—alone.
“Where’s Dad?” We asked together.
“Your father’s dead,” she said without a tear.
She told us they had been walking through the Park Street Subway Station in the midst of crowds of people when father had fallen to the floor. A nurse bent over him, looked up at mother and said simply, “He’s dead.” Mother had stood by father stunned, not knowing what to do as people tripped over him in their rush through the subway.
Mother told us the shocking tale without shedding a tear. Not showing emotion had always been a matter of discipline and pride for her. We didn’t cry either and we took turns waiting on the customers.
One steady patron asked, “Where’s the old man tonight?”
“He’s dead,” I replied.
“Oh, too bad,” and he left.
I’d never thought of father as an old man. He’d always been healthy and happy and he’d cared for frail mother without complaining and now he was gone. No more whistling, no more singing hymns while stocking shelves. “The old man” was gone.
On the morning of the funeral, I sat at the table in the store opening sympathy cards and pasting them in a scrapbook when I noticed the church magazine in the pile. Normally I would never have opened it, but maybe that sacred article might be there—and it was.
I took the magazine to the little den, shut the door, and burst into tears. I had been brave, but seeing Dad’s bold recommendations in print was more than I could bear. I read and cried and then I read again. In the magazine I also found a two-page letter to my father from Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr., thanking him for the campaign suggestions. I took out the box and put them in it.
I didn’t tell anyone about the box.
1. Who was Walter Chapman in the passage?| A．A writer of detective stories | B．The author’s father |
| C．An edition of a newspaper | D．A customer in the store |
a. My father showed me a little pile of newspaper articles.
b. Our parents took a train to Boston.
c. My father’s article to the church magazine was published.
d. I came home for Christmas vacation.
e. My father died in an accident.
f. My father sent some suggestions in to the magazine.
| A．f-d-a-b-e-c | B．d-a-f-b-e-c |
| C．d-f-c-a-b-e | D．f-d-b-a-c-e |
| A．she is unwilling to share her feelings with others |
| B．she is too proud to express her feelings |
| C．she is used to being serious |
| D．she is an emotional person |
| A．Because he thought of father’s whistling and singing hymns. |
| B．Because his father’s article to the church magazine was published. |
| C．Because the box full of his father’s articles was yet unknown to people. |
| D．Because he was moved by the funeral and the sympathy cards. |
| A．He was ashamed of his writing so he hid the box. |
| B．He was proud of his talent in writing. |
| C．He was interested in writing and found it great fun. |
| D．He took writing as a means to make a living. |
| A．The Death of My Father | B．Father and I |
| C．The Mystery of a Hidden Box | D．A Sad Christmas Vacation |
5 . I wandered into the small store where I usually buy milk，when the store owner received a call from a customer. The customer and his wife had shopped there several months earlier. He noticed that his wife really liked one thing in the store，so he wanted to buy it as a surprise.
But the customer was in Tennessee，far away from the store which was in Maine. What was more，he had been to the store several months earlier，and it was difficult to believe that the store owner would remember him，or what he was looking for.
The store owner took a few close-up photos with her camera，and e-mailed them to the customer on the computer. The customer looked at the photos，and decided which one he wanted. They talked and discussed a price over the phone. She took care of the credit card transaction (交易) online，and promised the gift would be shipped out that afternoon.
The store owner was really smart. She was willing to push herself to find new ways to make the transaction actually happen. And it did work. However，it was the first time she had ever done it.
I was amazed that the store owner discovered a creative solution that could lead to a new way of doing business. I was impressed by what she did—so easily，but how difficult it is for many of us to make that leap (飞跃). I'm not just talking about technology，but about learning how to adapt to change. Most people hate or fear change unless they get to know exactly what change needs to be made. However，we should realize that challenge and opportunity go hand in hand.
1. According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE？| A．The customer had ever been to the store before. |
| B．The owner often did business by using her camera. |
| C．The owner and the customer discussed the price on the computer. |
| D．The gift was sent out by train that afternoon. |
| A．she was always ready to help others |
| B．she told the writer how to run a store |
| C．she managed to find a new way when facing change |
| D．she was a successful businesswoman |
a. e-mailing the photos to the customer on the computer
b. taking care of the credit card transaction online
c. taking a few close-up photos with her camera
d. talking about the price of the gift with the customer
| A．bcda |
| B．abcd |
| C．cabd |
| D．cadb |
| A．Tumorous |
| B．Creative |
| C．Confident |
| D．Honest |
6 . Mae Jemison was born in 1956 in Decatur, Alabama. Her father was a worker. Her mother was a school teacher. Both her parents encouraged their children to keep learning and go after their dreams.
One day when Mae was young, her thumb got hurt. She watched pus oozing out (脓流出). She was curious about pus: what was it and why was it coming out? That simple incident turned into a learning experience. She ended up doing a whole project on pus.
It was no surprise that Mae did well at school. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering (化学工程) and another degree in African and Afro-American Studies from Stanford University.
But Mae didn’t want to study or do just one thing. She chose to study medicine next at Cornell University Medical College. Then she became a doctor. She enjoyed her job, yet her childhood dream of going into space was still in her mind. So she later tried to join NASA’s astronaut (宇航员) training program.
She tried twice and was accepted finally! In 1992, her dream came true. She became the first African-American woman to go into space. Shortly after that, she quit from NASA to do other things. She then became a teacher at Dartmouth College.
Mae’s path wasn’t always easy. At that time, many believed that women didn’t have a place in the world of science. But nothing would stand in her way.
Through the course of her life, Mae was an excellent doctor, scientist and astronaut. Although she has left her job and stopped working, she’s still active. She speaks at many schools and talks about the importance of going after one’s dreams.
1. Why did Mae begin to study science?| A．She wanted to be like her mother who was a scientist. |
| B．Her parents encouraged her to study science. |
| C．She was curious about pus when she was hurt. |
| D．She did best in science at school. |
| A．People didn’t believe women could do well in science. |
| B．She failed many times in her project on pus. |
| C．She was seriously injured and had to quit from NASA. |
| D．She couldn’t focus on one thing for a long time. |
a. She became a teacher at Dartmouth College.
b. She learned medicine and became a doctor.
c. She studied science at Stanford University.
d. She got training in NASA’s astronaut training program.
| A．c-a-d-b | B．c-b-d-a | C．a-b-d-c | D．b-d-c-a |
| A．lived a poor life when she was young |
| B．went into space at the age of 36 |
| C．studied medicine at Stanford University |
| D．had dreamed of being a doctor since childhood |
7 . Joseph Banks was born on 13 February 1743 in London．His passion for botany began at school．From 1760 to 1763 he studied at Oxford University, during which time he received a great deal of fortune．In 1766 Banks traveled to Newfoundland and Labrador, collecting plant and other specimens（标本）．The same year he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society．
In 1768 he joined the Society's expedition, led by Captain James Cook, to explore the uncharted lands of the South Pacific．The expedition circumnavigated（环航） the globe and visited South America, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and Java．Banks collected a great number of specimens on the way and, on his return, his scientific account of the voyage and its discoveries sparked considerable interest across Europe．
Banks was interested in plants that could be used for practical purposes and be introduced into other countries for possible commercial use．After he became president of the Royal Society in 1778, he promoted the career of many scientists and in his capacity as director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, sent many botanists abroad to find new plants and extend the Gardens' collection．
In 1781 Banks was made a baronet （准男爵）, and in 1795 received the order of Knight Commander of the Bath; two years later he was admitted to the Privy Council（枢密院）．In 1793 his name was given to the Banks Islands, a volcanic group of islands near Vanuatu in the Pacific．These were explored and named by Captain Bligh-Banks had helped arrange a previous expedition of Bligh's．Banks died on 19 June 1820．
1. Please choose the correct order about what happened to Jose Banks．a．He received the order of Knight Commander of the Bath．
b．He sent many botanists abroad to find new plants．
c．He joined the Society's expedition．
d．He elected a fellow of the Royal Society．
| A．c, d, a, b | B．d, c, b, a | C．d, b, c, a | D．c, d, b, a |
| A．showed | B．amused | C．caused | D．declared |
| A．Adventurous． | B．Humorous． | C．Demanding． | D．Skeptical． |
| A．Because he visited the islands． |
| B．Because he was admitted to the Privy Council． |
| C．Because he had close relationship with Captain Bligh． |
| D．Because he had helped arrange a previous expedition of Bligh's． |
8 . When photographer Simon Czapp took pictures of a curious five-month-old fox, he soon realized this little fox was attracted by his subject. The clever fox was so curious about the camera equipment that she climbed on top of it. And while she was supposed to be the subject of the shoot, the fox stood on the shutter release button (快门按钮) and took her own frames.
Mr. Czapp visited the New Forest Wildlife Park to capture images of new arrival Jessie. Jessie is a lovely little fox. She has been at the animal park in Ashurst, Hampshire—home to wolves, deer and others in 25 acres of ancient woodland after being abandoned by her mother.
Mr. Czapp said, “Jessie was very playful and curious and not shy at all in front of the camera. Soon after I arrived she was chewing my shoes and everything seemed to be a game to her. Then she started exploring the camera I had set up on a tripod (三脚架). She stood on her back legs to look at the back of the camera. She balanced her front paws on it and at one point knocked it over. ”
He put the camera back on the tripod and Jessie soon jumped back up. At one point she had all four paws on the camera and was keeping her balance. Mr. Czapp added, “She jumped up there several times and I realized it could make a good picture. As I was leaving away with the public’s viewing window (取景窗) behind me, I thought I heard the camera go off but didn’t think much of it. However, when I checked the memory card afterwards, I was amazed to see Jessie had actually taken two frames of me photographing her. I couldn’t believe I had been outfoxed (智取) by a fox! There were some lovely photos of her but she obviously thought the photographer was worthy of a picture too! ”
1. The underlined word “frames” in Para. 1 refers to _______.| A．Photographers. | B．subjects. |
| C．pictures. | D．equipment. |
a. Jessie pressed the shutter release button, taking her own pictures.
b. Jessie balanced her paws on the camera.
c. Mr. Czapp set up his camera on a tripod.
d. Jessie stood up to look at the back of the camera.
| A．c, d, b, a. | B．a, c, d, b. |
| C．d, c, b, a. | D．b, a, c, d. |
| A．Lovely but annoying. | B．Naughty but lovely. |
| C．Careful and grateful. | D．Quick but rude. |
| A．Wildlife photographers took photos of wild animals. |
| B．A clever fox took pictures of a professional photographer. |
| C．Mr. Czapp showed the fox how to take photos. |
| D．Wild animals enjoy equal rights with humans. |
②Issac Stern was born in 1920 in what is now Ukraine. His parents moved to San Francisco, California the following year. His mother began teaching Isaac the piano when he was six. He began taking violin lessons after hearing a friend play the instrument. Later, he began studying music at the San Francisco Conservatory (音乐学院). He progressed quickly. When he was 16, he played with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The next year, he performed in New York City and was praised by music critics.
③During World War II, Mr Stern played for thousands of American soldiers. It was the first time many of them had heard classical music. After the war, he was the first American violinist to perform in a concert in the Soviet Union. He also supported young musicians and cultural organizations in Israel.
④In 1979, Isaac Stern visited China. He met with Chinese musicians and students. He taught them about classical Western music. His visit was made into a film, which is called From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. It won an Academy Award for best documentary film.
⑤In 1984, Isaac Stern received the Kennedy Center Honors Award for his gifts to American culture through music. He expressed his thoughts about the part that music plays in life. He said he believed that music makes life better for everyone, especially children.
⑥Mr Stern supported and guided younger classical musicians. They include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Yefim Bronfman.
⑦Isaac Stern died in 2001 at the age of 81. He was a major influence on music in the 20th century. He leaves the world richer with his many recordings.
1. Which of the following is the RIGHT time order for these events in Stern’s life?
a. He began learning music in an institution.
b. He received the Kennedy Center Honors Award.
c. He visited the Soviet Union.
d. He met with Chinese musicians.
e. He performed for American soldiers.
| A．a,e,c,d,b | B．a,e,b,c,d | C．e,a,b,c,d | D．e,a,c,d,b |
| A．how Stern began to learn music | B．how Stern began his musical career |
| C．Stern’s early education | D．Stern’s achievement in music |
| A．He was an activist in opposing war. |
| B．He was active in cultural exchanges between countries. |
| C．He had an interest in both playing music and making films. |
| D．He made a lot of money from music. |
| A．someone who supports young musicians |
| B．someone who wants to be a musician |
| C．someone who has a gift for music |
| D．someone who plays a certain kind of instrument |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
10 . ACTIVITY SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEK
MONDAY 25th | A SHORT TOUR OF BRIGHTON TO HELP ORIENTATE NEW STUDENTS TO THE LOCAL AREA. Meet outside the school at 13:20. | WELCOME NEW STUDENTS We have 8 new students this week, so come along to the Clifftonville inn on George Street at 8:30 to give them a warm welcome. |
TUESDAY 26th | PARTY PREPARATIONS | CALLING ALL STUDENTS TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL AT 7:00 TO HELP Making costumes and decorations for the party on Thursday The more people that come, the better the party will be. |
THURSDAY 28th | FANCY DRESS HALLOWEEN PARTY | COME ALONG AND CELEBRATE THIS CREEPY FESTIVAL WITH MUSIC, FOOD AND SPOOKY DECORATIONS… |
FRIDAY 29th | FOOTBALL MATCH AT 16:00 AT HOVE PARK If you would like to pay, sign on the board. | FREE TIME |
SATURDAY 30th TRIPS BY TRAIN | LONDON AND HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Includes a trip to the London Dungeons, Camden Lock market, the infamous Clink Prison and Chessington theme park for their Halloween evening, plus much more…£21. | LEWES BONFIRE NIGHT AND SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE TOUR This mid week tour leaves Brighton at 13:30 and includes an afternoon visit to the famous Seven Sisters, Beachy Head, and cider tasting at Middle Farm. A stop will be made at a country pub for dinner before we move on to Lewes for their annual bonfire parade and fireworks… Only £10 |
1. We can infer that the school in the text is nearest to _______.
| A．London | B．Sussex |
| C．Lewes | D．Brighton |
| A．for a gathering to start a short tour |
| B．to prepare for the party |
| C．to give the new students a warm welcome |
| D．to celebrate the fancy dress Halloween party |
a. Seven Sisters b. Middle Farm c. a country pub
d. Brighton e. Beachy Head
| A．daebc | B．adecb |
| C．daceb | D．adebc |
