1 . Many of our family traditions centered around food. We’d gather in the kitchen for every birthday and holiday and enjoy delicious food. My grandparents always held Christmas dinner, which included chicken cacciatore, sausage, meatballs and salad. But right before we sat down to eat, my grandmother would pull me aside to show me the dish she made just for me: fresh pasta (意大利面) with tomato sauce.

It was a simple dish, but to me it was warm food that filled me with happiness. But more than that, it made me feel like I belonged. I was a shy kid and, in many situations, I felt ignored. And here was my grandmother, showing me that I mattered.

Years went by; I moved away and got married. I’d visit throughout the years and my grandmother would serve up a plate of pasta.

When my daughter was born in 2020, for the first time in my life I wasn’t about to make the trip back home for Christmas. I cooked my family’s traditional foods and my husband and I had a big meal that included, of course, fresh pasta. I had a video call with my grandmother and showed her the pasta. Shortly after the holidays she passed away unexpectedly.

It seemed so unfair that my grandmother passed away soon after I became a parent. I’d hold my daughter and think about how I could tell her what an amazing great-grandmother she had.

In my sadness I came to an answer: food. Late at night after my daughter had gone to bed, I’d go to the kitchen and learn how to make fresh pasta, cooking my grandmother’s recipes. Before long I started experimenting, making a bit changes to classic recipes. When my daughter got a little older, I began making special dishes for her with my grandmother’s flavors in mind.

I know that no matter how hard I try, my daughter will never have a bowl pasta with sauce exactly like the ones my grandmother would make for me. While that makes me sad, she’ll still get to have my pasta sauce. I know there’re two things she’ll never lack for in this life: pasta and love.

1. What did the author say about her grandmother’s homemade pasta?

A．It was a special birthday gift for her.	B．It brought her a sense of belonging.
C．It was loved by every family member.	D．It took a lot of time and energy to prepare.

2. What made the author’s 2020 Christmas dinner different from previous ones?

A．She didn’t share pasta with her husband.

B．She didn’t give her grandmother a call.

C．She didn’t prepare many traditional family foods.

D．She didn’t have a chance to eat her grandmother’s pasta.

3. Why did the author learn to make fresh pasta late at night?

A．To honour her grandmother.	B．To give her daughter a surprise.
C．To meet her grandmother’s wish.	D．To be a role model for her daughter.

4. What can we learn about the author’s pasta sauce?

A．It isn’t easy to make.	B．It isn’t to her daughter’s liking.
C．It tastes exactly the same as her grandmother’s.	D．It shows her love for her daughter.

5. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Different types of pasta	B．The origin of pasta
C．Love through pasta	D．Pasta for Christmas

2 . Last weekend I made my first visit to a remote village, home to one of our students, Tombe. Another teacher and I walked for two and a half hours to get there—first, up a mountain from where we had fantastic views, and then down a shaded path to the valley below. When we arrived at the village, Tombe’s mother, Kiak, saw us coming and started crying “ieee ieee”. We shook hands with all the villagers. Everyone seemed to be related to Tombe.

Tombe’s father, Mukap, a man with a strong jaw and a wrinkled forehead, led us to his house, a low, round bamboo hut with no windows, with a door just big enough to get through, and with grass sticking out of the roof—this shows it is a man’s house. Such housing is dark inside so it took time for our eyes to adjust. Fresh grass had been laid on the floor and there was a platform for Jenny and me to sleep on. There was a fireplace in the centre of the hut. The only possessions I could see were one broom, a few saucers, a kettle, cups, pans, and a couple of jars.

Mukap built a fire outside and laid stones on it to heat. He then placed the hot stones in an empty oil drum with kau kau(sweet potato), ripe corn, and greens. He then covered the vegetables with banana leaves and left them to steam. It smelled delicious. We ate inside the hut sitting round the fire. I loved listening to the family talking softly to each other in their language, even though I could not participate much in the conversation. Luckily, Tombe interpreted for us.

Later, I noticed a can standing upside down on the grill (烤架) over the fire. After a while. Tombe threw it out of the doorway. Tombe told me that the can was heated to dry out the leftover food. His family believes that leftovers attract bad spirits in the night, so any leftover food is dried up in a can and the can is then thrown out of the hut.

We left the village the next morning after many goodbyes and firm handshakes. My muscles were aching and my knees shaking as we dragged ourselves down the mountain towards home. That evening I fell happily into bed. It was such a privilege to have spent a day with Tombe’s family.

1. Why did Tombe’s mother start crying “ieee ieee”?

A．Because she was excited to see her son home	B．Because she saw someone who scared he
C．Because she was welcoming the teachers.	D．Because that was her daily routine.

2. What can we learn about Tombe’s father from the passage?

A．He’s not a considerate one.	B．He has a luxury house.
C．He had a good talk with the author.	D．He is good at cooking

3. When the author saw the family talking softly to each other, her feeling can be best described as ________.

A．amazed

B．puzzled

C．frightened

D．happy

4. According to Paragraph 4, the can was used to ________.

A．drive bad spirits

B．protect the hut

C．hold the leftovers

D．be thrown out of the hut

5. What did the author think of this visit?

A．She hated the long and tiring visit

B．She was pleased to visit the Tombe family.

C．She thought Tombe’s family was too poor.

D．She thought some of the Tombe family’s actions were stupid.

3 . Kids and teens are often dismissive of praise from their parents. I am sure that parents out there can relate to this, as we all have been told at one time or another by one or several of our kids, “Stop it, Mom.” or even, “You’re just saying that because you are my parents, and you have to say that.” I can assure you, though, that they are listening. They will probably not thank you for this praise until they are in their twenties, but don’t let that stop you from praising them during their childhood and teen years. Just be careful how you praise them. A little praise may go a long way-especially if it is the right kind of praise.

It appears that the way to go is to praise their efforts according to a study by Brummelman of Utrecht University in the Netherlands and his colleagues. These researchers concluded that kids should be praised primarily for their efforts, rather than for their personal characteristics, because if they are praised for their efforts, then a poor performance is more likely to be seen as a glitch (小故障), rather than a valid reflection of who they are as individuals.

Let’s think about this together. If you are a teenager or a child of any age and are constantly told how brilliant you are, then when you do poorly on a test or a few tests, you may feel like you have suddenly lost your status as brilliant and may now feel ashamed that you are merely average or even dumb. If you are a girl who is constantly being told how beautiful you are, then on a day when you don’t look or feel so good, you may decide that you are unattractive. This is the problem that develops when we are praising our kids for global personality characteristics that they can’t always live up to.

1. The intended readers of this passage are _____.

A．doctors

B．parents

C．teachers

D．children

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?

A．All children should be praised.

B．There’s no need to praise kids and teens.

C．Praise should be beyond children’s expectations.

D．Teens often pay no attention to their parents’ praise.

3. Which of the following is the right kind of praise according to the text?

A．You are a great artist.

B．You are very intelligent.

C．You have a special gift for music.

D．Your painting has indeed improved due to your efforts.

4. The underlined word “dumb” in the last paragraph can be replaced by

A．stupid

B．unique

C．curious

D．honest

5. What’s the text mainly about?

A．The reasons for praising kids and teens.

B．The right ways to praise kids and teens.

C．The benefits of praising kids and teens.

D．The importance of praising kids and teens.

4 . About two weeks ago I saw a very sad, blue eyed, homeless man sitting outside my local coffee house. I said, “Hi! How are you doing today?”

He seemed shocked that I was talking to him. “Not very well,” he replied. He began to tell me how he had been hit by a car while riding his bike. He had been in the hospital for a month and s rest home for another month. During that time the person that paid for his SSI checks (社保费) died of a hear attack and his wallet was stolen with all his IDs. He had several checks waiting for him but had no ID and therefore no access to his money.

I decided that if this was all true I’d like to help him get a copy of his birth certificate and social security card. I asked him to meet me at the Department of Vital Statistics at 11:00 p.m. The next morning I didn’t see him so I started filling out the paperwork. I explained to the receptionist, “I’m trying to help a homeless friend get his ID hack.” “Bob?”   she inquired. “Yes, Bob,” I responded, surprised that she knew his name. “He was here at 9:30 and he just left,” she said, “But he told us you were coming.” I paid the fee and walked out with Bob’s Birth Certificate.

As I was driving home I saw Bob riding back on the old bike someone had given him. I pulled over and jumped out of my car shouting, “Bob! Bob! I got it!” He saw me and rode over. “I got it, Bob! Look, here it is!” He got tears in his eyes and told me I was his guardian angel.

A few days later I needed him to meet me at the Social Security Office. It took me a half hour to get there by car and at least two hours by bike. But there he was sitting on the sidewalk waiting for me! We were in the Social Security Office for two hours. We got everything straightened out and by next week he will have received his back pay, which is a substantial sum.

Yes, one person can make a difference in this world. And the interesting thing is that I am getting as much, if not more, from this experience than Bob. I am deeply touched by Bob’s sensitivity, his gratitude, his stories, his heart.

Home is where the heart is, even for the homeless!

1. The author helped the homeless man get his ID back by _____.

A．finding it for him

B．filling out the paperwork

C．visiting the Department of Vital Statistics

D．getting his birth certificate

2. The receptionist knew the homeless man because ______.

A．he just contacted with her	B．he told her I was coming
C．he just left from her office	D．he called her for reception

3. The homeless man needed his ID to ______.

A．get the money from the car owner	B．get the money out of some checks
C．prove his true identity	D．pay back his SSI checks

4. The author helped the homeless man at the Social Security Office to _______.

A．check if his information is true	B．check if his name was kept there
C．get his information to his back pay	D．take a substantial sum of money

5. “I am getting as much, if not more, from this experience than Bob” means ____.

A．I felt it meaningful to help Bob

B．Bob also helped me in some way

C．I was repaid after Bob got the money

D．I got more respect after the experience

5 . 假设你是红星中学学生李津。暑假期间，你市将举行三个以唐诗、书法和戏剧为主题的文化活动。届时，你的英国朋友Jason将到你市旅游。请你为他推荐三个活动之一并发一封e-mail回复。
（1）对Jason来中国表示欢迎。
（2）推荐的活动及理由。
注意：（1）词数不少于100字；

（2）可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯。

参考词汇：唐诗（Tangpoems）剪纸（Paper-cutting）
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . After my dad passed away, my mom went into her room and shut the door. She sat on the bed with the lights _______ and curtains drawn. That’s where she _______ for the next two months. I had never seen my mom so _______. I didn’t know how to _______ her until I rode past my Aunt Ruby’s house one day. I _______ just to see if she was all right. I walked to the door and _______. A 92-year-old lady asked, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Aunt Ruby. It’s Debbie.”

“I need you,” she said _______. “Bob’s family fell ill and Bob has to leave to take care of his family.”

Bob was her personal _______. For years, she had someone living in her home to look after her. _______, she was alone on this particular day. Aunt Ruby was trying to take care of herself.

As I got home, I talked to my mom through the bedroom door after ________

her dinner. “Mom, do you know Aunt Ruby has been over there all by herself?” I said. She made a ________ “Umm.” I knew she was listening and wanted to help. Then she asked me a ________ about Aunt Ruby.

“Did she say she need someone?”

“Yes,” I answered.

________, my mom came out. She asked me to drop her off at Aunt Ruby’s house. I couldn’t ________ to get her out of the house. Aunt Ruby ________ my mom with open arms. My mom cooked meals and helped Aunt Ruby. They enjoyed their ________time together. Mom became ________ again.

There was a spirit of ________ and love between them. I thought that maybe ________ gave them a bond, but caring about each other made a big ________ to their lives.

1.

A．beyond

B．behind

C．out

D．over

2.

A．disappeared

B．stayed

C．recorded

D．missed

3.

A．frightened

B．depressed

C．embarrassed

D．disappointed

4.

A．protect

B．tolerate

C．face

D．assist

5.

A．stopped by

B．went ahead

C．set off

D．hung around

6.

A．kicked

B．hesitated

C．witnessed

D．knocked

7.

A．sharply

B．warmly

C．weakly

D．wisely

8.

A．caregiver

B．tutor

C．coach

D．expert

9.

A．Therefore

B．However

C．Besides

D．Otherwise

10.

A．sampling

B．ordering

C．collecting

D．delivering

11.

A．complaint

B．claim

C．response

D．remark

12.

A．option

B．solution

C．question

D．comment

13.

A．Eventually

B．Generally

C．Initially

D．Additionally

14.

A．fail

B．wait

C．refuse

D．agree

15.

A．followed

B．reminded

C．entertained

D．greeted

16.

A．special

B．embarrassed

C．stressful

D．funny

17.

A．creative

B．intelligent

C．dynamic

D．ambitious

18.

A．reflecting

B．fighting

C．pioneering

D．sharing

19.

A．sadness

B．loneliness

C．tiredness

D．bitterness

20.

A．difference

B．contribution

C．donation

D．commitment

7 . 假设你是晨光中学的李津。你的英国朋友Chris正在学习汉语，希望通过一些汉语经典名篇，更深入地了解中国文化和历史。请你给Chris写一封电子邮件，推荐一篇给他，内容包括：
（1）简要介绍推荐作品（如《劝学》、《师说》、《出师表》等……）；
（2）说明推荐理由；
（3）鼓励继续学习。
注意：
（1）词数不少于100；
（2）可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
（3）开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：
《劝学》 Encouraging Learning
《师说》 On teachers
《出师表》 Memorial to the King before Setting off
Dear Chris,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Jin

8 . 阅读短文，并按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

When 16-year-old Colin Moore is out on the football field, he is putting his heart into the game and looks just like any other teenage athlete out there. But what makes him different than the rest, is that he’s playing without part of his arm.

Moore was born without the lower part of his right arm, but he’s never let that stop him from achieving anything he’s put his mind to in his life, including football. “I’ve always had to have a mind of steel, heart of gold, and just move forward no matter what.” Moore said.

Although his arm difference has never got in the way of anything, it’s been a challenge for him. But in everything he does, he’s worked twice as hard as everyone else to make sure he would succeed. Moore’s goal is to be a starting center, which requires a lot of body strength. Even though he is missing an arm, he makes up for it with his fast movements and strength, making him the perfect choice for this position.

Moore looks up to the Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, and aims to be just like him one day. Moore’s hard work even got him noticed by his hero. After seeing a video of Moore playing football, Kelce sent him one back. Kelce told Moore that his perseverance is a great encouragement to him. He even invited Moore to join him and the Eagles at their training camp so they could meet him.

Moore’s coach Frank Holmes agrees with Kelce and compliments Moore’s perseverance. “The thing I can say about Colin is this: he was born with a challenging situation, but every day he has a positive attitude and focuses fully on whatever he does. He trains hard.”

1. What makes Moore different from other athletes? (no more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How did Moore achieve his goal? (no more than 5 words)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What did Jason Kelce do after seeing Moore play? (no more than 20 words)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the meaning of the underlined word in the last paragraph? (1 word)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How does Moore’s story inspire you? Please explain. (no more than 20 words)
____________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . On a cool autumn day in Minnesota, hundreds of runners gathered at the starting line for a challenging cross-country race. Among them was an athlete named Amelia Anderson who became known for her determination and _________through the events. When the race started, Amelia ran at a fast pace, pushing herself to the _________. However, fate had something else _________for her that day.

As the race progressed, Amelia, more than two-thirds of the way through her _________, noticed a fellow runner, Isabella Harris, suddenly collapsing to the ground in pain. Without a moment’s hesitation, Amelia _________Isabella and extended a helping hand, offering to assist her in completing the race.

As reported by a local newspaper, Amelia took Isabella’s arm, trying to support her in _________forward. Recognizing the severity of Isabella’s condition, Amelia _________, allowing Isabella to climb onto her back. With _________determination, Amelia not only carried her across the finish line but also an _________300 feet to where Isabella could receive much-needed __________attention.

Once there, Isabella was quickly __________ and subsequently transported to a hospital, where she learned she had serious injuries in one of her knees. It became __________that without Amelia’s timely intervention, Isabella would have __________extreme pain to reach the aid checkpoint on her own.

After this extraordinary act of kindness towards Isabella, Amelia remained modest. She was more __________ about why her act was considered a big __________. “She was just crying. I couldn’t __________ her.” Amelia humbly explained to a reporter, emphasizing that, in her eyes, she was merely doing what she believed to be the right thing.

In a world where competition is common, Andersod’s kind act __________as a powerful reminder that the greatest victories are not always about __________the finish line first, but rather about helping and connecting with others. This was beautifully exemplified (是……的典型) when Amelia and Isabella, __________ strangers, became close friends through their tough experience. Although neither won the race, the __________of human kindness won the day.

1.

A．sympathy

B．grace

C．concern

D．indifference

2.

A．edge

B．limit

C．boundary

D．extent

3.

A．at hand

B．in vain

C．in store

D．on duty

4.

A．race

B．school

C．town

D．training

5.

A．returned

B．approached

C．agreed

D．promised

6.

A．falling

B．walking

C．putting

D．leaning

7.

A．went away

B．stood up

C．stepped aside

D．bent down

8.

A．firm

B．delicate

C．soft

D．ambitious

9.

A．traditional

B．professional

C．international

D．additional

10.

A．public

B．constant

C．medical

D．equal

11.

A．interrupted

B．appreciated

C．identified

D．assessed

12.

A．obvious

B．abstract

C．controversial

D．practical

13.

A．fought

B．suffered

C．enjoyed

D．defended

14.

A．worried

B．ashamed

C．confused

D．discouraged

15.

A．game

B．problem

C．lesson

D．deal

16.

A．leave

B．cure

C．bother

D．understand

17.

A．overlooks

B．absorbs

C．fades

D．shines

18.

A．crawling

B．crossing

C．staying

D．standing

19.

A．immediately

B．finally

C．initially

D．subsequently

20.

A．secret

B．benefit

C．display

D．exchange

10 . Scottish International Storytelling Festival

Saturday 18 October

Once Upon a Journey

National Museum of Scotland

11 am (5 hrs)

Free|5+

A day of storytelling journeys and performances at the National Museum. Join Captain Zeppo’s Submarine Adventures with Macastory, go on Magic Carpets and Story Safaris, and explore Scotland’s history for all ages with Andy Cannon’s Tales of a Grandson. Tickets for auditorium shows are on a first-come-first-served basis. Story Safaris and Magic Carpets have limited places and will require sign-up on the day.

Saturday 18 October

Travelling Tales

Scottish Storytelling Centre 2 pm(2 hrs)

£ 7. 5018+

Join storytellers and musicians Essie Stewart, Claire Hewitt, Alasdair Taylor and Alastair Davidson for an afternoon of traditional journey tales and songs. Young people from Badenoch Lochaber will also share their own stories in Gaelic and English inspired by the epic journeys of the Scottish travelers.

Saturday 18 October

Enlightenment Edinburgh

Meet at Mercat Cross beside St Giles Cathedral

2. 30 pm (1 hr 45 mins)

£ 11, £ 6 child |All ages

Journey through 18th-century Edinburgh. The population was small; the space they lived in was smaller. Yet from this tiny stage Edinburgh’s intellectual influence spread across the new world. Explore the mediaeval (中世纪的) Old Town to the Georgian New Town; hear about the lives of the men who fashioned new ideas: David Hume, Adam Smith. Walter Scott. James Hutton and many more.

Sunday 19 October

Natural Journeys

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

I pm(3 hrs)

Free |All ages

From Tea House to Tented Village, Gateway to Groves, and Yurts to Caravans, listen to nature’s expressive language through traditional stories and music. Journey between key locations in the beautiful Botanic Garden. There’s also The Lost Seasons, a special performance of music, story and step dance from some of Scotland’s leading traditional artists.

1. Which of the following lasts the longest time?

A．Once Upon a Journey.	B．Travelling Tales.
C．Enlightenment Edinburgh.	D．Natural Journeys.

2. If you’d like to learn about the history of Edinburgh, you should go to _____.

A．the National Museum of Scotland	B．the Scottish Storytelling Centre
C．Mercat Cross	D．the Royal Botanic Garden

3. If you go to Travelling Tales, you ______.

A．need to book in advance

B．can go on Magic Carpets

C．will meet David Hume and Adam Smith

D．can listen to stories in different languages

4. You can visit the following places EXCEPT _____ in your Natural Journeys.

A．Tented Village	B．Gateway to Groves
C．Tea House	D．Georgian New Town

5. What do the four activities have in common?

A．They are for all ages.	B．They are free of charge
C．They are held on the weekend.	D．They are held at the same place.