1 . Top Four Marathons
Portland Marathon
The marathon welcomes 8, 000 people every fall. It’s a great event for first-timers because everyone is cheered on with enthusiasm no matter how long it takes to cross the finish line. The time limit for the full marathon is now at a pace of minutes per mile, or 6 hours and 33 minutes, but in the past it had an open time limit. They promise you’ll still receive your medal if you fall behind the pace, but you have to finish using the sidewalks.
TCS New York City Marathon
As the world’s biggest marathon, the TCS New York City Marathon attracts over 50,000 people to the Big Apple each November. The time limit is generous eight and a half hours, but participants must move to the sidewalk if they drop below 15-minute mile. The famous course snakes through five boroughs (行政区) of the city and crosses five bridges to end in Central Park.
Honolulo Marathon
The marathon attracts over 30,000 participants each December. The race starts on Ala Moana Boulevard in downtown Honolulu and snakes its way along the breathtaking Hawaiian coastline to the finish line in Kapiolani Park. The start time is at 5: 00 am with finish line services officially open until 2: 00 pm. However, the organizers allow everyone to finish and have waiters on hand until 4: 00 pm.
Boston Marathon
The marathon is held in May every year. For this event running isn’t allowed as the city streets aren’t closed off. Participants must instead make their way along sidewalks under the guidance of event organizers and city police. The event attracts over 8,000 people who can choose anything from three-mile walk to the full 26.2-mile Boston Marathon route.
1. Where is a new marathon runner most likely to receive enthusiastic cheers?| A．In Portland. | B．In New York. |
| C．In Honolulu. | D．In Boston. |
| A．It is extremely popular. | B．It has an open time limit. |
| C．It starts and ends in a park. | D．It forbids using the sidewalk. |
| A．Portland Marathon. | B．TCS New York City Marathon. |
| C．Boston Marathon. | D．Honolulu Marathon. |
2 . For Stevens Point locals in the US, the city is flooded with delicious fried fish. Here are four top choices for the community to have a try.
Hilltop Pub&Grill
Hilltop Pub&Grill first opened in the 1980s and took the Stevens Point community by storm with its delicious food and unique decoration style. Its fried fish are beloved due to the use of “high-quality North Atlantic fish, with a light beer batter (面糊)”.
The Final Score Bar&Grill
The Final Score Bar&Grill aimed to become a local hot spot in 2001 when Jim Billings, the owner, took charge of the business. Billings feels that their five batter choices set them apart from their neighboring bars. Besides, various wines are available.
Point After Pub&Grill
Point After Pub&Grill started serving delicious food and cold beers in a welcoming environment in 2009. But its history runs much longer. “Before it was Point After Pub&Grill, it had been Northside Bar for 30 plus years,” explained Molski, the owner. Molski feels that the pub’s four special batter choices and other fish specials are what help make it an area landmark.
Two Harps Pub
This Irish pub opened its doors to the public in 2017 and has been drawing fans and locals ever since. “I had done my career for a long time and was kind of bored with it,” said Nick Moore, the owner. “And this opportunity fell into my lap, so I went with it. It really made sense to open up an Irish bar.” The growing pub advises guests to try a cold beer with their Friday fried fish.
1. What makes Hilltop Pub&Grill popular with customers?| A．The convenient location. | B．The special food. |
| C．The high-quality service. | D．The unique wine. |
| A．They are both run by the same company. | B．They are both famous for great wines. |
| C．They both feature some particular batter. | D．They were both founded ten years ago. |
| A．It is the newest among the four pubs. | B．It offers free cold beers to customers. |
| C．It only provides fried fish on Fridays. | D．It has a unique decoration style. |
3 . Ray Tokuda,a 54-year-old Japanese American,takes pride in the title his school has already given him.He is a Shifu,a Chinese word literally meaning a master,mentor or senior practioner of martial arts.
Surely, he has reason to be proud.He has been involved with Chinese martial arts for almost 40 years.After learning them at the martial arts school in New Mexico State,he is among the most experienced kung fu teachers of the school today.
Practicing martial arts two to three hours and helping students improve their skills have become Tokuda’s daily routine.He expects to practice and teach martial arts for the rest of his life.“I’m still learning.It’s worth more than a lifetime to learn Chinese martial arts,”he said.“Once I started,I just couldn’t stop.I think it’s also the magic of Chinese culture.”
Tokuda was sent to the martial arts school when he was 10.He still remembers how unwilling he was when starting out.“I remember my father had always wanted to learn Chinese martial arts but never got the chance,so he put his kid in,”he said.“I was so afraid at that time because I thought kung fu was all about fighting.”
But things changed after he learned that martial arts were more than punching and kicking.
“One of the things martial arts teach me is to overcome adversity,”Tokuda said.“As a little kid,my first lesson was like,oh,look,this is a thing that I can get through by diligence,perseverance（毅力）and dedication,and that was priceless for my life.”
Learning Chinese martial arts opened a gateway for him to better understand the culture of China.
Meanwhile,Tokuda has also been invited to various events in his home state to showcase traditional Chinese culture,including the dragon dance and lion dance,which he also learnt at the martial arts school.Because of this,he is now considered a cultural envoy(使者)in the eyes of the public.
1. At first,Tokuda weren’t willing to learn kung fu because he had thought it was______.| A．practical | B．magical | C．violent | D．difficult |
| A．He learnt martial arts from his mother. |
| B．He is the founder of the kung fu school. |
| C．He learnt from martial arts how to solve difficulties. |
| D．He is the most experienced kung fu teacher of his state. |
| A．Modest and friendly. |
| B．Persevering and devoted. |
| C．Talented and humorous. |
| D．Motivated and considerate. |
4 . A few days before Christmas, the crowded shopping downtown was starting to annoy us. Most of us were loaded down with packages, and it looked like many of us were beginning to wonder if all those countless friends and relatives actually deserved so many gifts. This was not the Christmas spirit I’d been raised with.
When I finally got on a jammed streetcar, the idea of standing there packed like a sardine the whole way home was almost more than I could take. Suddenly I saw something out of the corner of my eye. A small, dark-skinned boy pulled a woman’s sleeve and asked, “Would you like a seat?” He quietly led her to the closest free seat he could find. Then he set out to find another tired person. As soon as each rare new seat became unoccupied, he would quickly move through the crowd in search of another burdened woman.
When I finally felt the pull at my own sleeve, I was absolutely struck by the beauty in this little boy’s eyes. He took my hand, saying, “Come with me, ma’am.” As I happily settled down, the little angel of love immediately turned to help his next subject.
The people on the streetcar, as usual, had been deliberately avoiding each other’s eyes, but now they began to exchange shy glances and smiles. That little boy had obviously changed something—we all relaxed into a feeling of warmth and actually enjoyed the trip.
I didn’t notice when the child got off. When I reached my stop I practically floated of that streetcar, admiring the sparkling Christmas lights on my street in a fresh, new way. Or maybe I was seeing them in an old way, with the same wonder I felt when I was five or six. Anyway, it is the little child that shall lead the ways for me.
1. What can we infer from the underlined part in Paragraph 1?| A．The gifts were too heavy to carry home. |
| B．Friends and relatives always deserve gifts. |
| C．People wondered where to buy Christmas gifts. |
| D．The author was fed up with buying Christmas gifts. |
| A．Uncomfortable. | B．Warm. |
| C．Astonished. | D．Excited. |
| A．Because he was dark-skinned. | B．Because he occupied free seats. |
| C．Because he helped tired persons. | D．Because he took her hand gently. |
| A．They got to know one another. |
| B．They admired the boy when he got off. |
| C．They became more friendly to each other. |
| D．They changed the lights on the old streets. |
5 . On June 28, my parents celebrated 70 years of marriage.
Mom and Dad live in Calverton. They have been through years of hard work and good times, always supporting each other.
As a child, I remember my parents working side by side for spring, fall, winter, and summer cleaning or working in the yard, or painting, and wallpapering.
My parents bought a house in Elmont. They never believed they'd be able to own their own home, and to them, it was their castle. They worked hard to decorate it and kept it looking beautiful. They taught us to work hard and to appreciate everything we had.
Mom likes everything – sightseeing, clubs, anything, and everything. Dad, even today, can't understand why she always wants to go out!
Mom is still active with the Red Hatters women's group and her gardening club. Dad spoils her by taking care of the house, but also watches a lot of baseball and does jigsaw puzzles (拼图游戏).
The key to their successful marriage is that they respect each other.
With the help of my brother, they also stay current with new technology. Their latest acquisition is an iPad.
My brother, who is 67, and I (now 69), have always known we are lucky to have such great parents. They have shown us what love is, what hard work is, and what respect is all about.
My daughter and I try to see them almost every weekend when we play cards together and catch up on the week's news.
My parents are the glue that holds our whole family together, making holidays and ordinary days special to us all.
I know we are lucky to have them both, I even save all of their voice-mail messages, just so I'll have their voice to hear when eventually they are not here. But Mom keeps telling us all she's definitely (绝对地) going to live to be 100. So we will have a few more holidays, birthdays, and memories to experience.
1. What is the main idea of Paragraphs 2-7?| A．How different the author's parents are. |
| B．How life has changed for the author's parents. |
| C．How the author's parents support each other. |
| D．How the author's parents managed to buy a house. |
| A．They only get together for major holidays. |
| B．All the family members get along very well. |
| C．Her parents are too strict with her and her brother. |
| D．They only share important things with their parents. |
| A．Brave. | B．Quiet. |
| C．Honest. | D．Cheerful. |
| A．To encourage old people to keep up with new technology. |
| B．To show how her parents have influenced them overtime. |
| C．To tell readers how important it is for old people to have hobbies. |
| D．To express her gratitude to her parents for building a happy family. |
6 . When visiting New York City with your kids, there are many things to do with kids that will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.
The Whispering Gallery
Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. The Whispering Room’s architecture allows for a phenomenon that usually makes people laugh. Once inside the gallery, place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of the participants to whisper a phase or a quick sentence or two and the person on the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.
E. 42nd St
212-771-5322
grandcentralterminal.com
The American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits, permanent attractions bring the cool factor home to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and see the impressive dinosaur skeletons (骨架). And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids about the fragility (脆弱) of the ocean.
Central Park West at 79th St
212-769-5606
amnh.org
The Scholastic Store
Most parents want their children to read, and moreover, to enjoy reading. Scholastic helps to make that wish a reality by publishing interesting, well written stories that are popular with children. With such classics as “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “The Magic School Bus,” and “Harry Potter,” the Scholastic Store will delight your children.
557 Broadway
212-343-6100
scholastic.com
Ellen’s Stardust Diner
The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. Arugula salads, grilled cheese, burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. A hall of beauty queens, a drive-in theatre and wait staff that sing to you add to this unique dining experience.
1650 Broadway, corner of 51st St.
212-956-5151
ellensstardustdiner.com
1. Which of the following websites helps kids learn about animals?| A．ellensstardustdiner.com | B．grandcentralterminal.com |
| C．amnh.org | D．scholastic.com |
| A．the Whispering Gallery |
| B．the Scholastic Store |
| C．Ellen’s Stardust Diner |
| D．the American Museum of Natural History |
| A．sound travels well in the Whispering Gallery |
| B．people can enjoy music in the Scholastic Store |
| C．Ellen’s Stardust Diner mainly provides western food |
| D．the America Museum of Natural History has a history of 200 years |
| A．kids | B．educators |
| C．parents | D．environmentalists |
7 . A new study recently found that elephants in central African forests can encourage the growth of slow-growing trees and increase the ability of the forest to store carbon.
“As a tree, there’s a trade-off you can’t have it all,” explained Fabio Berzaghi, who led the study. “You either invest in growing fast, or in building a lot of structure with carbon to be more resistant.” Elephants prefer to eat fast-growing trees in more open spaces. As they feed and walk, they cause damage to these species, knocking over trees or breaking off branches, which results in an ecosystem that favors large, slow-growing hardwood trees. “As the elephants thin the forest, they increase the number of slow-growing trees and the forest is capable of storing more carbon, ” said Stephen Blake, one of the paper’s authors.
Scientists collected field measurements in the Congo Basin and used a computer model to predict how elephants would affect forest structure, and carbon storage potential in the long term. The data confirmed that when elephants are present, the forest contains larger trees and higher abundances of species with high wood density. Conversely (相反地)，should forest elephants go extinct, leaving those slow-growing trees struggling to compete with fast-growing species, it would result in a 7 percent loss of above-ground biomass (生物总量). As a result, central African forests could lose up to three billion tons of carbon, potentially accelerating climate change.
The sad reality is that humans are doing their best to rid the planet of elephants. “This study comes at a time when forest elephants are threatened as never before,” said Iain Douglas Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants. “It is shocking that just as we are beginning to understand how elephants might have a key role in Africa in storing carbon, they are under real threat of extinction.” One limitation of the study, Mr. Berzaghi said, is that we do not know how much carbon has already been lost because of the elephants’ decline. But it does seem certain, he added, that putting a stop to illegal hunting and restoring forest elephant populations would bring climate benefits.
1. What can we infer about slow-growing trees in Paragraph 2?| A．They are elephants’ favorite food. | B．They are easily hurt by elephants. |
| C．They can help forests store carbon. | D．They may reduce elephant populations. |
| A．Climate change would possibly be sped up. |
| B．The forest structure would remain unchanged. |
| C．The forests would lose more fast-growing trees. |
| D．Larger trees would defeat fast-growing species. |
| A．Lead a low-carbon life. | B．Evaluate the carbon loss. |
| C．Stop destroying forests. | D．Protect forest elephants. |
| A．Humans and Nature Live in Harmony |
| B．Elephants Disappear in Parts of Africa |
| C．Climate Change Affects Forest Structure |
| D．Elephants Defend Against Climate Change |
8 . This summer, I went to Sports Camp with my little brother, Charlie. When we hiked to the pond, I was the only one who didn’t jump in. “Can’t you swim, Brandon?” asked Henry. I can, but after you've seen pond water under a microscope(显微镜), you’re less eager to cool off in it.
Tonight after sundown, we’re playing Capture the Flag. The campers are divided into two teams, Blue and Red. Each team hides a flag, then has an hour to find and take the other team’s flag. Charlie and I are on the Blue team. When Kenneth, our team captain, asks who wants to scout out the Red flag. My brother raises his hand.
Charlie goes with a bunch of boys from our team. The rest of us stay behind to guard our flag, which we've hidden in a nearby tree. Soon, Charlie is back, his face as red as paint. “All the others were caught. But I saw their flag!” he pants. “Inside the door of the director’s cabin!”
Kenneth waves us over. “Time’s running out. Any ideas?”
“I’ll stay with Charlie and Isaiah and guard our flag,” offers Henry.
Kenneth points to Marshall and me. “let’s go.” he says.
We run through the woods. Unluckily, two boys from the Red team noticed Kenneth and Marshall, and they were caught. I hide behind a tree and try to figure out which cabin is the director’s.
A whistle sounds, and my heart beats fast. Only five minutes left! No time to check every cabin. Which one is the right one? Suddenly, I smell something familiar. The director's after-shave! I’m sure of it.
I climb up the steps and open the door. The flag!
“Get him!” Someone shouts.
I grab the flag and race for our home base. Two boys from the Red team are right behind me. I reach our home base just before I hear the final whistle blow loud and long. Blue wins!
1. Why doesn’t the writer want to swim in the pond?| A．He can’t swim. | B．The weather is not hot. |
| C．The water is not clean. | D．The pond is too deep. |
| A．Figure out. | B．Search for. | C．Set up. | D．Go through. |
| A．Brandon. | B．Henry. | C．Marshall. | D．Isaiah. |
| A．Capture the Flag | B．Sports Camp |
| C．A Great Success | D．An Unforgettable Experience |
9 . You can choose happiness regardless of your circumstances. You can choose to be happy no matter what challenges life brings you. Let the following simple strategies guide you back to your natural happy state.
Make lemonade when life gives you lemons.
Besides happiness, trouble will also be part of life. It’s how you choose to react to your situations that make the difference. If you look at something hard enough, you’ll see the positive side of it.
Do what you love doing.
Do you have a lifelong dream or desire? If so, start working towards it. Taking baby steps towards a goal will help you feel like you’re accomplishing something. You’ll find drive and determination to reach that goal when it’s something you love doing.
Use one of your talents.
One reason why so many people are unhappy is that they’re not doing what they’re called to do with their God-given talents. Each of us has a purpose in life. You have natural talents to help you achieve your purpose, so use your talents effectively.
Call a friend who you know is positive and cheerful.
Talk about your feelings and listen to their advice. Usually, people allow themselves to go deeper and deeper into self-depression. The truth is that you don’t have to be sad. You can decide to be happy. You just have to make up your mind to do so.
Gratitude is the quickest cure for sadness.
When you focus on what’s wrong with your life, you forget to look at what’s right and good. Take a step back and reflect on your life. Do you have children or family to be thankful for? Yes, they may not be the person we’d like them to be, but imagine life without them. Now, be thankful that you have them in your life.
Let your feelings out on paper.
Often you’ll find that just getting your feelings down on paper will allow you to work through them, helping you feel better about yourself and your beautiful life!
1. The first paragraph is used to _______.| A．expect readers to ignore themselves |
| B．start a discussion among readers |
| C．introduce the topic to readers |
| D．carry out a challenge among readers |
| A．trouble is part of life |
| B．lemonade is very delicious |
| C．life is full of sweetness and bitterness |
| D．lemons can only be used to make lemonade |
| A．diverse | B．natural |
| C．excellent | D．learned |
| A．Be grateful. | B．Do many activities. |
| C．Call a cheerful friend. | D．Use one of your talents. |
| A．excited | B．depressed |
| C．bad-tempered | D．kind-hearted |
10 . People generally tend to pick out the best-looking fruits and vegetables when shopping for produce, but Canadian supermarket chain Loblaws is attracting customers with badly-shaped and faulty produce at the price of 30% lower than normal-looking ones.
A trial run (试验，试行) of the ugly food line, named “Naturally Imperfect”, began with only apples and tomatoes to choose from. Consumer demand has been so huge that Loblaws is going to introduce more unsightly vegetables and fruit options like onions and mushrooms. The line is available at other stores, including Real Canadian Superstore and Your Independent Grocer.
All the produce that will be sold through Naturally Imperfect would otherwise have been used in juices, sauces, or soups, or have not been harvested at all. The director Dan Branson explained that this program benefited both food producers who would otherwise have to let abnormal harvest go to waste, and consumers who could buy fresh produce at low prices. And he was right, given how popular the line has become.
“It really went well beyond our expectation,” Branson said. “I think it really spoke to the fact that Canadians are out there really looking for some options.”
Of course, Canadians know that beauty is more than skin deep, but they also recognize that they can get the same flavor and nutritional benefits in spite of appearances. The positive response to the initial (最初的) offering of apples and potatoes showed the opportunity to expand the line and offer more options at a greater price to Canadian families.
“If you grow produce in your backyard, there will be a lot of produce that won’t look as pretty as what you will see in a grocery store,” said Branson. “And nature doesn’t grow everything perfectly. I’d like to think if somebody were to take a No Name Naturally Imperfect apple, put right beside a No.1 apple, close their eyes and eat them, there would be no difference.”
1. Loblaws is different from other supermarkets in that ______.| A．more fruits are offered at lower prices |
| B．normal-looking produce is banned there |
| C．imperfect produce is sold at lower prices there |
| D．only apples and potatoes are sold every day |
| A．The ugly food line | B．The food to be wasted |
| C．The abnormal harvest | D．All the produce |
| A．We should eat imperfect apples with our eyes closed. |
| B．The world is usually full of imperfect things. |
| C．Imperfect fruits are as tasty and nutritious as perfect ones. |
| D．The fruits grown by ourselves are more nutritious than those in the store. |
