1 . Long school holidays help students clear their heads, relax a little and stretch their brains in different ways.
Traditionally, schooling schedules have long been based more on the needs of society than on education strategies(策略). For example, in Iceland it was traditionally arranged to allow children to help out with harvest. Other countries have long summer vacations because it is simply too hot to study. In other areas where religion plays an important role in the holiday season, the religion calendar then calls for the break, so that students can have enough time to participate in the religious ceremonies(仪式) and traditions of seasonal holidays.
There are some obvious advantages to a vacation that lasts longer. Families who live a long distance from relatives are able to travel together, sometimes across the ocean, in order to connect with their loved ones. Even if there is no visiting family far away, a long holiday is a great opportunity for kids to interact with the people. From an educational point of view, a child that is able to experience another culture can gain valuable language, history, and social skills.
Long school holidays are also needed in schools that have become overly academic and too exam-focused in recent years, which requires a considerably longer holiday break from such a “marathon pumping (灌输) of knowledge,” and it makes great sense!
Great psychologists, like Freud and Piaget, have stressed play’s central role in the formation of fully-rounded (全面发展的) individuals, so the long holiday achieves this by allowing students to explore the world outside school. The students get to participate in activities that would be difficult to do during a normal school term.
As a consequence, long school holiday can be quite useful to our students!
1. What traditionally determines the arrangement of school holidays?| A．Local needs. | B．Cultural activities. |
| C．Religious customs. | D．Academic performance. |
| A．Students run away from exams. |
| B．Family bonds are strengthened. |
| C．Fewer courses are required at school. |
| D．Children can learn science and history. |
| A．holiday activities are necessary |
| B．schools need longer holidays |
| C．play is more important than learning |
| D．students should travel around the world |
| A．Traditional School Holidays |
| B．Activities for Long Holidays |
| C．Benefits of Long Holidays |
| D．Advice from Psychologists |
2 . I’m an English teacher working in Russia, and for some reason I really don’t like that classroom topic—Talk About Your Family. Perhaps it’s because everyone studied English from the same book at school. So all the students say, “My family consists of five members: me, my mother, my father, my brother and my dog...”and so on, as if all families are exactly the same.
Let’s get rid of the phrase“my family consists of ...”and look at some more interesting ways to talk about families. English is rich in idioms (习语) to talk about family life. Let’s ignore the black sheep of the family—that’s someone who doesn’t fit in, or causes a family scandal (丑闻). If you’re loyal (忠诚) to your family, you can say blood is thicker than water or keep it in the family. If you share a talent with another family member, you can say it runs in the family. You might have your father’s eyes or your mother’s nose. If you’re like one of your parents, you can say like father, like son or you can be a chip off the old block.
Then there are idioms that have left the family (flown the nest) and gone on to have a life of their own. For example, a Londoner is telling someone how to get a new passport. “Get four pictures taken, pick up a form in the post office, hand it in with your old passport and... Bob’s your uncle.”It means“the problem is solved”. But I’d love to know who the original Bob was, and why he was such a useful uncle to have.
1. Why does the writer dislike the classroom topic—Talk About Your Family?| A．Because he works in Russia. | B．Because all families are the same. |
| C．Because all answers are similar. | D．Because he has no family there. |
| A．who causes a family scandal | B．who is loyal to the family |
| C．who has the father’s eyes | D．who has a useful uncle |
| A．Blood is thicker than water. | B．It runs in the family. |
| C．You are the chip off the old block. | D．Bob is your uncle. |
| A．Sad. | B．Bored. | C．Stressed. | D．Satisfied |
3 . In 1997, the Net Book Agreement in the UK ended. The Agreement existed between UK bookshops and publishers, and fixed minimum prices for all books. With the end of the Agreement, books began to be discounted, and now they are much more affordable for British people. One of the reasons for British libraries having fewer visitors is that books can now be so cheap to buy. Sales of books in the UK are always relatively healthy.
The UK has always been famous for its stories of magic. Shakespeare wrote fantastical plays: The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for example. There was also a lot of fantasy in the work of H.G. Wells, who published The Time Machine in 1895. Everyone’s heard of J.K. Rowling and the humorous, deceased in 2015, Terry Pratchett. You might also have heard of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy too, as the first book was made into the film The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman.
The UK is known for its "detective fiction" and "murder mysteries". A couple of the most famous British authors of this kind are of course Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who started the Sherlock Holmes stories in 1887, and Agatha Christie, who created the detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. And there are many contemporary popular British authors of crime fiction: P.D. James, Ian Rankin, Colin Dexter.
Leading contemporary British novelist Will Selfa1, author of eleven literary novels, says the novel is dying. But I don't think there’s any need to call in Sherlock Holmes to look into this particular death just yet. Are bookshops dying out because of websites like Amazon? Not really. The British are bibliophiles and love to read in bookshops, particularly when there is a coffee bar within the store. So, are libraries completely disappearing in the UK? Well, nearly 500 libraries have closed down in the last five years. But that isn't just because of reader demand, it's also down to government cuts in public spending and the library is adapting: most now offer computer access and training as well as books for reading. Finally, 62 per cent of British parents read their children bedtime stories and none of us can see that tradition changing soon. So long live the book!
1. Why don't British people use libraries as much as they used to?| A．Because there are no coffee bars in libraries. |
| B．Because people don't read as much as in the past. |
| C．Because books are cheaper than they used to be. |
| D．Because the government cuts in public spending. |
| A．Will Selfal. | B．H.G. Wells. |
| C．P.D. James. | D．Agatha Christie. |
| A．Some murder mysteries in the UK. | B．Some famous detectives in the UK. |
| C．Some popular books in the UK. | D．Some famous authors of crime fiction. |
| A．They will become unpopular. | B．They will become more popular. |
| C．They will be replaced by computers. | D．They will stay popular. |
4 . If you are a teenager without a job, you probably do not have much extra money. Sometimes parents will give their children a weekly pocket money for doing small housework, but it is often not enough once the children grow into teenagers and want to do things with their friends all of the time. How to make money is an important thing for teens to learn. If you’re wondering how a teenager can make good money, some ideas might be.
Getting a part-time job at a local restaurant or store is always a sure way to make money as a teen. But getting a job somewhere like this might be hard, considering many jobs in local stores are being taken by adults more and more often. Babysitting is always a good way to make money as a teenager, and finding jobs as a babysitter is often easier than finding a job at a store.
Doing landscaping (绿化) is something that most adults do not like to do, and teens can usually find jobs around their neighborhood doing the landscaping of friends and family Some teens are good at something such as writing or photography. These teens can make money by doing things such as writing articles for newspapers or magazines or selling their photos online.
Teens who live in a country area can try raising their own animals such as chickens, and selling them or their products.
Looking for jobs can seem hard at first, but if you have a try, it should not be too hard to find a job or way to make money.
1. What problem do teenagers have to face when finding a job in local stores?| A．Low pay. | B．Competition with grown-ups. |
| C．Long working hours. | D．Heavy work |
| A．Getting a part-time job is hard for teens. |
| B．Most grown-ups hate doing landscaping. |
| C．Pocket money from parents is often enough for teens. |
| D．Looking after babies is easier than serving customers in a restaurant. |
| A．Babysitting. | B．Doing landscaping. |
| C．Raising animals. | D．Selling photos online. |
| A．The Necessary Skills to Make Money |
| B．How Important Is Money to a Teenager |
| C．How Can a Teenager Make Extra Money |
| D．Teenagers Should Depend on Themselves |
5 . Every year around this time, Girl Scouts（女童军）wear their uniforms and set up tables at supermarkets and on sidewalks to sell boxes of cookies in the US. They sold approximately 200 million boxes of cookies each year. Girl Scouts depend on the cookie program to fund life-changing, girl-led programs and educational opportunities. However, during the outbreak of COVID-19, millions of dollars worth of cookies are going unsold.
Amanda Kopelman, 16, came up with an idea and discussed it with the members of her Plantation Troop 10442. They are donating unsold cookies to medical professionals and first rescuers. "Having been a Girl Scout for the past 12 years and the top cookie seller for the past seven years, it truly breaks my heart when I hear that the cookie sales of my Girl Scout sisters across the nation have been cut short," Kopelman said.
She said knowing everyone is going through similar things, and having an international group of girls to talk to have made her time spent at home productive and pleasant. Madelyn Streisfeld 15, said that while she miss the hands-on activities and face-to-face communication scouting provides, she recognizes that having to stay home has its benefits. "We've been able to spend a lot more time with each other online," she said."
"Troop 10442 is a wonderful example of true Girl Scout sisterhood," said Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida CEO Lisa Johnson. "Their think-outside-the-（cookie）-box donation is taking the leadership skills they have learned throughout their many years of Girl Scouts and putting them into action to make the world better during this difficult time."
1. What do we know about Girl Scouts from the first paragraph?| A．They are asked to wear uniforms to school. |
| B．They have raised about 200 million dollars. |
| C．They have stopped funding many educational programs. |
| D．They have been unable to sell their cookies due to COVID-19. |
| A．They are donating unsold cookies to some people. |
| B．They are sending people to help medical workers. |
| C．They are trying to sell their cookies online. |
| D．They are cutting down on production of cookies. |
| A．Becoming better at using technology. |
| B．Earning badges through working online. |
| C．Spending more social time online with her friends. |
| D．Playing games via group video chats at night. |
| A．They are making a difference during this time. |
| B．They put too much effort into the cookie program. |
| C．They need to be more realistic when doing things. |
| D．They show leadership shortcomings of Girl Scouts. |
6 . Read the following three posts from the website, ifonly.com, and answer the questions that follow.
CJ, 31, social worker
I wish I had given the plain-looking guys a second chance while I was at school. I always went for handsome, athletic types. So, where am I today? Married to a good-looking fool. A handsome man who has no heart, no sympathy, and no love for anyone but himself. I sometimes visit my family back in my hometown and occasionally I run into old classmates—the plain-looking guys. And what do I see now? Very intelligent, warm, funny men who are everything I want, but will never have in a husband.
Mia, 22, photographer
When I was at school，I played in most of the school sports teams. I remember one year our football team had to win the last game to get into the finals. Three minutes of the game left and we needed to score. I got control of the ball and ran towards the goal. Our captain was right next to me shouting “go on, take a shot”. But I panicked and passed the ball to her. She shot and missed. If only I hadn't passed the ball. I knew immediately that if I had taken the shot I would have scored. Ever since that game I've always taken every opportunity I could.
Ben, 52, mechanic
I wish I had listened to my parents more when I was a teenager. Thinking back, I find they gave me lots of good advice, but I ignored everything they said. I thought they were old and didn't know anything. Now I have got two teenagers of my own and realize how right they were.
If I had listened to them, I might have made some better decisions in my life. I would have gone to university and probably waited a bit before I got married. I hope my daughters will listen to me more than I listened to my parents.
1. What did CJ talk about in the first post?| A．missed opportunity | B．Plain-looking guys |
| C．Romance between classmates | D．Qualities of a good husband |
| A．was determined to go to university |
| B．often turned to his parents for advice |
| C．looked up to everything that his parents said |
| D．thought he could make good decisions for himself |
| A．Greetings. | B．Regrets. | C．School life. | D．Original ideas |
How are you? I saw you posted some wonderful photos of the coastline near your hometown. You're really getting into your photography! Right now I'm taking a break from social media (媒体) to write you an email.
Remember you said you'd like to come over to the UK sometime this year? Well, I was thinking that this year you might like to come to the Edinburgh Festival with me in August. I've got an aunt with a flat in the city centre who could put us up.
Do you know much about the festival? It's very famous — the biggest, most popular arts festival in the world! There are lots of things going on — art exhibitions (展览), concerts of all kinds, modern dance, a book festival, etc. The thing it's most famous for is the newest and most exciting theatre. People come from all over the world and perform (表演) in their own language.
In Scotland you have the best of both worlds: culture and wild land. After the festival, we could hire (租) a car and go up to some of the islands off the west coast, like Skye. The weather can be changeable in August, but the landscape (风景) is beautiful, with empty beaches and rocky mountains. It's the perfect place for you to take photos. Afterwards, we could head back to the east coast and visit my friend Rob in St. Andrews. It's really pretty and Rob's enjoyable to be with. You'd get on well with him.
So, why don't you have a think about it and then get back to me? Take your time, there's no rush.
Speak to you soon.
1. What is the best known activity at the Edinburgh Festival?| A．Modern dance. | B．Art exhibitions. |
| C．Performances of plays. | D．Different kinds of concerts. |
| A．Seeing her friend Rob in St. Andrews. |
| B．Driving along the east coast of Scotland. |
| C．Taking photos while climbing mountains. |
| D．Visiting islands along the west coast of Scotland. |
| A．To invite her to visit Scotland. |
| B．To talk about her holiday plan. |
| C．To take a break from social media. |
| D．To introduce the Edinburgh Festival. |
8 . Nearly all of us have a bad habit, whether we know it or not. Some people say they want to get rid of it but don’t know the proper ways. Here’s some advice on how to get rid of bad habits.
Make a list. Write down all the reasons why you want to stop a certain behavior, how it’s hurting you and why to get rid of it, this will help a lot. Look at that list regularly.
Join in other activities. It’s wise of you to do something else when you want to stop your bad habit. If you get angry easily, for example, you can practice having a deep breath or going for a walk.
Give yourself a present. Before you take action against a bad habit, decide what you’ll do to celebrate it if you reach your goal.
Keep off bad habits. If you are fat and want to lose weight, keep junk food out of your house. If you are a heavy smoker with coffee, turn to tea and keep away from friends who like smoking.
Be patient. Bad habits develop over years, so you probably won’t be able to get rid of them quickly. In fact, people often give up several times before being successful, so you should be patient.
Find support. Don’t be afraid to ask for support from friends, family or other people who have the same bad habits as you. When you talk to others, they might be able to provide advice or encouragement that you usually wouldn’t get from yourself.
1. The writer gives us ________ pieces of advice in the passage.| A．four | B．six | C．five | D．seven |
| A．When you want to stop your bad habits, don’t do anything, please. |
| B．You can write down all the reasons for getting rid of bad habits. |
| C．When talking to others, you can get what you can’t get from yourself. |
| D．It’s not easy to get rid of bad habits in a short time. |
| A．how to get rid of bad habits | B．why we have some bad habits |
| C．what to do to have a bad habit | D．where to find some support |
9 . What is one of the most boring and tiresome words ever? Responsibility, I think，is one of those words you have probably heard so many times from authority figures (权威人物). Sometimes, it asks us to do things that are unpleasant or even frightening.
Once in a hospital a male patient knocked over a cup of water, which spilled (洒) on the floor beside the patient's bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked his nurse's assistant to mop it up.
The patient didn't know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the assistant while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital's housekeepers.
The nurse's assistant decided that the spill was a large one and she called a housekeeper. The housekeeper arrived but said that the spill was a small one. An argument followed.
“It's not my responsibility,” said the nurse's assistant. “Because it's a large puddle (水洼).” The housekeeper did not agree. “Well, it's not mine, ” she said. “The puddle is too small.”
The patient listened for a while, and then he took a bottle of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor. “Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?” he asked. It was the end of the argument.
So, responsibility is about our ability to respond to situations and to choose the attitudes, actions and reactions that shape our lives.It is a concept (观念) of power that puts us in the driver's seat. If you want more control over your life, all you have to do is to be responsible. Responsible people not only depend on themselves, but show others that they can be depended on.
1. According to Paragraph 1, the author thinks that responsibility_____.| A．is the most boring word |
| B．may upset people sometimes |
| C．causes people to do bad things |
| D．matters more to authority figures |
| A．they looked down upon each other's job |
| B．they didn't want to break the hospital policy |
| C．they didn't know what the hospital policy was |
| D．they each thought the other should mop up the puddle |
| A．The patient. |
| B．The patient's nurse. |
| C．The nurse's assistant. |
| D．The housekeeper. |
| A．show others that we are reliable |
| B．respond to situations quickly |
| C．learn to be responsible |
| D．trust no one but ourselves |
10 . As a boy growing up in India, I had longed to travel abroad. I used to listen to the stories my father would tell me about his stay in Canada and tours to Europe in the 1970s, with great interest.
My big moment finally came in the summer of 1998 when I was able to accompany my parents to Europe, where my father was to attend a meeting. We planned to travel to Belgium, Netherlands and West Germany.
I have vivid memories even today of going to Mumbai airport at night all excited about finally going abroad. I had heard several great things about Lufthansa till then but now I finally got to experience them first hand, during the flight to Frankfurt. We flew business class and even today I can remember the excellent service by the Lufthansa crew. The flight was really smooth and thoroughly enjoyable, even for someone like me, who is otherwise scared of flying.
After spending almost two weeks in Europe, we took the Lufthansa airport express from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt airport, for our return flight. What a journey that was! All along the Rhine (莱茵河), it was simply an unforgettable experience. I was in a sombre mood on the flight back to Mumbai as it marked the end of a wonderful vacation, but the Lufthansa crew members were able to change it into a most enjoyable experience yet again, with the quality of their service.
Being the first airline to take me overseas, Lufthansa will always hold a special place in my heart. Even today, I continue to enjoy flights on Lufthansa and simply cannot dream of choosing any other airline. Flying, in general, for me, has always been an ordeal (terrible and painful experience). Flying on Lufthansa, however, is something I always have and always will look forward to.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about the author's trip to Europe in 1998?| A．The author traveled with one of his parents. |
| B．Both their going and return are by air. |
| C．They traveled in spring that year. |
| D．They stayed in Europe for nearly two months. |
| A．a city in India | B．a city in Europe | C．an airline company | D．a travel agency |
| A．Happy. | B．Sad. | C．Angry. | D．Enjoyable. |
